Torchic's Capture
Episode 3: Part 2

"You can do it Houndoom! Fire Fang!" Aria commanded.

Houndoom nods in respond, firing building up around it's jaw and teeth.

"Vigoroth Focus Punch!" Norman commanded as well.

Vigoroth's hand glowed as it started to charge at Houndoom. Houndoom runs in to finish the battle off with their last attack.

Houndoom was weak to fighting types but Vigoroth wasn't a fighting type but could use a few fighting type moves. If Houndoom could land its attack without getting hit by Focus Punch it should win the battle. But, there was an explosion and the two pokemon came to a stop and looked over where it happened.

"What's going on?" Ash asked, standing up quickly as Pikachu jumped off his shoulder, getting in its fighting stance. But the two siblings were able to figure it out instantly once they heard a familiar motto.

"Team Rocket!" Cried May.

"We're here for your pokemon! Arbok go!" Jessie calls out her snake-like pokemon. Including James which was a Weezing.

"Use Smoke-Screen!" He commanded.

Weezing obeyed and filled the whole gym with smoke as the others covered their eyes and mouths.

"Hold your breath everyone!" Norman told them, coughing a bit.

"Arbok, headbutt!"

"Oh no you don't! Houndoom Thunder Fang!" Aria commanded, coughing.

Houndoom charges through the smoke but it couldn't find where Arbok was, which made it impossible to attack.

May called out her Torchic, but she didn't know what kind of moves to use and that's when Arbok attacked it.

Aria's grits her teeth together, trying to think of something to help them out.

"Pikachu! Thunder Bolt!" Ash commanded.

Pikachu nodded and sparks flew everywhere at least until they heard a scream and Pikachu came to a stop.

"Max, please tell me you didn't get hit?" Ash asked.

"It's one thing to see it on TV, but not to feel it up close." Max said, once the smoke cleared and they all saw him on the floor, his hair sticking out in places when he got hit by Pikachu's attack.

"Look, Team Rocket's gone." May pointed out.

"My Vigoroth is still here." Norman said.

"So is my Pikachu." Ash said.

"Even Houndoom." Aria replied.

They looked at May and noticed her looking around worriedly.

"What's wrong?" Aria asked her.

"My Torchic's gone!" She exclaimed.

"WHAT!?" They all shouted in disbelief.

They all ran through the broken wall and looked up in the air to see a hot air balloon that was shaped like a Meowth. They noticed Team Rocket in it with a bag on Jessie's back. Before Aria could call out a command to Houndoom they were long gone.

"Now what?" May asked, worriedly.

"We go get Torchic back." Ash said.

"Pikachu!" His pokemon said.

"Then were going to have to rely on scent. Houndoom, can you do it?" She asked her pokemon.

Houndoom nods in response and started to smell the ground as the others waited. When Houndoom got the scent he barks at Aria.

"It got the scent. Houndoom, lead the way."

Houndoom nods again and started to run on ahead while the others followed from behind.

"Over there, look." Norman whispered.

They were hiding behind a bush when Houndoom was able to locate where Team Rocket went to.

"Torhic..." May answered worriedly, noticing her pokemon in a small cage beside the hot air balloon. "My poor little Torchic!"

She ran out of the bush and her young brother followed behind them, but Ash and Aria tried to stop them, but they were already running towards it.

"Wait! There could be a―!" It was too late when they noticed them fall in a hole that was set up for them. "Trap." Ash finished in a whisper.

"We're coming!" Norman said, running out of the bush too, including with his wife.

"Wait, their could be another trap!" Aria told them, but they already fell in a hole across from them. The two siblings facepalmed as they were the only ones who didn't fall into one.

"Looks like you fell for it!" A voice answered mockingly and walked out from behind the hot air balloon.

"Thanks for dropping in!" James laughs.

Aria and Ash run over to the hole and help May and Max out of the hole while Houndoom and Pikachu fought off Team Rocket's pokemon.

"Norman are you two okay?" Aria asked, looking down in the hole they were in.

"We're just fine." He said.

Aria extended her hand out to him and helps him out, then his wife.

"Vigoroth, go!" Norman called out his pokemon.

His pokemon appeared and charged at Arbok making a direct hit.

"Weezing, attack!" James commanded.

"Houndoom use Flamethrower on Weezing!" Aria said pointing at the pokemon.

Houndoom nodded and launched the large flames at the pokemon, doing a lot of damage on it. While Team Rocket wasn't looking, Max sneaks behind their hot air balloon and grabs the cage Torchic was in and brought it over to May.

Arbok then grabs a hold of Vigorth with it's tail and make it impossible for the pokemon to escape.

"Pikachu, Vigoroth needs help!" Ash told his partner.

"Pikachu!" It spoke, charging at Arbok using Tackle. When Pikachu hit it from behind it make the pokemon let go of Vigoroth.

"How dare you three do that to my sweet little Torchic!" May exclaimed.

Arbok then charges at Pikachu with fast speed. Before Pikachu had a chance to get away he was tackled to the ground.

"Pikachu!" Cried Ash.

"Vigoroth use Slash!" Norman commanded.

His pokemon took it's chance and charged in at Team Rocket's pokemon, hitting them both at once and sending them back and hits Team Rocket.

"Houndoom, let's finish this with Flamethrower!" Aria commanded, pointing at Team Rocket.

"And Pikachu use Thunderbolt!"

The two pokemon looked at each other and nodded before building up their power and launched at Team Rocket. They land a hit on them as their hot air balloon exploded, which sent them flying in the sky. You could hear them saying 'Team Rocket's blasting off again' until they weren't in sight anymore.

"Oh Torhic, I'm so glad to have you back." May said, hugging her small pokemon.

Ash and Aria smile and saw the bright smile on Max's face.

"So this is the bond between pokemon and trainer, right Alf?" He asked.

Ash facepalmed.

"It's Ash." He corrected.

"And yes, this is how it is." Aria finished for him.

"I guess it's time for you three to head off." Caroline said.

"Sorry if we couldn't finish the battle Aria or even get to battle you Ash." Norman apologized.

"It's alright." They said at the same time. "There's always next time."

Max walks up to them.

"Since you don't know anything about pokemon. I should go too." He said.

May and Ash gasped. Norman nods in response.

"Your brother does know a lot about pokemon." He said. "And he just might be a big help to you."

"And a lot less worry for me." Caroline added.

"Ash, would it be too much of a bother if Max traveled along with you, May and Aria?" Norman asked.

"It's alright. Aria, Pikachu?" He asked.

"I'm cool with it." Aria said with a bright smile.

"Pikachu!" His pokemon said.

"This is going to be awesome!" Max exclaimed in happiness. "I have something I need to get the three of you." Norman said, holding out something to the three trainers. "A badge case to hold your winning gym badges."

They each take one and stare down at it.

"Wow, thanks a lot Norman." Ash thanked.

"Thank you." Aria said.

"And son, this is for you." Norman hands Max a small device in his hands.

"Oh wow! A Pokemon Navigator!" He exclaimed, turning it on.

"With one of those you'll know exactly where you're going." Norman explains. "I suggest you travel to the closest gym here which located in Rustboro City."

"Okay." Ash, Aria, and May said at the same time.

They waved their goodbyes to the two as the three trainers tried to catch up to Max.

"Hurry up you slowpokes!" Max told them.

"We're coming!" Ash said.

"We're right behind you." May said as they started to take the next trail to Rustboro City, where they can earn their gym badge.

Yeah, I kinda made it seems a bit fair for Ash and Aria since in the actually show Ash didn't get his badge because he lost so I thought I change it up just a bit. Hope you enjoyed!