CH 34: The rescue (please review or leave comment)

Ash and May had left the pokemon center and were walking through the market area of Mossdeep city. They picked up some groceries from various shops across the market area. "Well I think that's everything we're going to need" May said.

"Then let's head down to the ferry and see when the next one to Sootopolis city is leaving" Ash said. As the two left the market area they stopped when they saw a pair of team aqua mercenaries with a man from the Hoenn government outside a shop.

One of the mercenaries was holding a man's arms behind his back. The man was short with brown hair with peach-fuzz on his upper lip and a white cloth ties around his head. "Hey isn't that the guy who tried to take that spoink's pearl" Ash said.

"It is, and now he's being arrested by team aqua?" May said. They two walked over to the men and asked what was going on. The agent turned and said. "This man is wanted for swindling across the world. However, we discovered he had a run in with rocket X. Team aqua is going to get what they can out of him then turn him over to us" The Hoenn agent said.

The two team aqua mercenaries left with the agent following them. "Rocket X was here" Ash said. "That's scary to think about" May said. An hour later Ash and May were on a small ferry boat en rout to Sootopolis city.

The boat was small , with room for six passengers and the driver. "We should be at Sootopolis city by sundown" The driver said. After another half hour the boat driver noticed there was some harsh barometric readings ahead and decided to move closer to the shallows.

"So May do you know what your routine for the next contest is going to be?" Ash said. "I had an idea. You see the Sootopolis contest has each contestant using two pokemon at once" May said. "I had an idea for a fire and for a fire and ice combo using glaceon and Blaziken" May said.

"Well when we get to Sootopolis city I'll help you get your routine flawless" Ash said. "Awe Ash you're too sweet" May said. Suddenly the boat rocked like it hit a bomb. Ash and May heard an explosion in the water and pieces of wood fly everywhere. "We're taking on water!" The driver shouted.

"What!?" May and Ash shouted. "Pikachu!" Pikachu shouted. Water started to fill the boat rapidly. "What do we do!?" May shouted. Ash frantically looked around and saw it, an island. "Look an island!" Ash shouted.

"Fantastic hold on" The driver shouted. He pushed the motor into full throttle toward the island. The water only got higher and higher in the boat as they got closer to the island. It was close but they made it to the island. Ash and the driver got into the water and pushed the boat onto the beach to empty the water.

The driver looked at the hole in the boat and sighed. "What happened?" May said. "Looks like it was an improvised mine. Probably set by pirates to disable cargo ship propellers" The driver said.

"Where are we anyway?" Ash said. "I have no idea, I think my map fell into the ocean" The driver said. "Hey look a sign!" May said. Her and Ash walked over to it. The sign said In bold letters "Private nature reserve stay away". "Guys we're on a nature reserve Ash said.

"I've heard of one's like this. Some rich people buy an island and put pokemon from every region on it to see how they interact" May said. "Dam, I'm sorry guys the boat isn't going anywhere and the radio is dead" The driver said.

"We don't we just ride charizard out?" May said. "I don't know May if we don't know where we are then we could get lost over the open ocean" Ash said. "He's right and we certainly don't want to be there. Especially when the charizard needs a rest and there is no land beneath us" The driver said.

"So what do we do now?" May said. "Well if this is a nature reserve then there must be an old base camp or station on the island with a map" The driver said. "And then we can find our way to Sootopolis city" Ash said. "Ok we can cover more ground if we split up" The driver said.

"Ok but be careful there have got to be tons of wild pokemon here" May said. The driver took out a pokeball and released a Mightyena. "I should be ok" The driver said. Ash let out charizard and Lucario. "Lucario ride on Charizard and aura message me if you find anything" Ash said.

"Lucario" Lucario said and nodded. As Lucario and Charizard flew above the island Ash , May , and the driver were all searching around the island for any kind of human structure. May had her Beautifly out to help her search. It had been forty minutes since she had left the beach and May had hardly seen any pokemon.

Occasionally she would see a tailow, wurple, caterpie, burmey, or other small pokemon. But she had not seen many pokemon that would be rare to Hoenn. She began to notice that there were almost no pokemon on the island.

"I don't get it, this is a nature reserve but there are so few pokemon here" May said. "Beautifly!" Beautifly said as she flew by a small den. "Beautifly" she said again. "What is it?" May said as she walked over. She looked inside and saw several small pokemon hiding inside.

She saw an Oshawott, an Eevee, a Sunflora, a torchic, Poochyena, and a turtwig cowering in the den. "Well looks like there are rare pokemon here after all. But what are you all hiding from?" May said.

The pokemon looked even more scared when they saw her. "It's ok i'm not going to hurt you" May said. The turtwig came over to her and growled "Turtwig!" He shouted. May backed off and the pokemon went back into the dark.

"I wonder what's got those pokemon so scared" May said. Moment's later she heard cries of pain. "What was that?" May said. Her and Beautifly rushed over and saw them, three rocket X operatives with six houndoom rounding up wild pokemon.

The houndoom rounded up every wild pokemon in sight. Once they were grouped up a rocket X operative would throw a net over them. "Ha you'll make a nice nidoking and Salmerance" An operative said as he caught a bagon and nidoran.

"Oh my god they're taking all the pokemon. No wonder those guys were so afraid of humans" May said. May wanted to do something but she knew she couldn't take on 3 operatives without help. "I have to find Ash" She said.

May hurried through the island looking for Ash when she heard another cry of pain. She could make out some words. "Char, char" she heard as she tried to move closer to the voice. That is when she saw a small charmander running toward her. The charmander was covered in bruises and other wounds. The flame on his tail was smaller than it should have been and he could barley catch his breath.

When he saw May he stopped and fell backwards looking even more terrified. "Char ccchar" He said."Oh my god are you ok? I'm not going to hurt you" May said. Just then a rocket X operative and two houndoom came running toward charmander. Charmander saw the rocket X operative and his houndooms . He closed his eyes and curled up into a theetle position with his paws over his head while his entire body started shaking.

"There you are you little soon to be charizard. Wait what are you doing here girl. Oh it doesn't matter houndoom get me the charmander" The rocket X operative said. "No! Beautifly use whirlwind" May said.

Beutifly flapped her wings with great power hurling the two houndoom away from charmander. May quickly bent down and picked up the charmander in her arms. The charmander tried to get out of her grasp but he was too tired and hurt to break free.

"Please listen, I'm not going to hurt you" May said. "You little twerp, houndoom use firefang" The houndoom both ran at Beautifly. "Beutifly use string shot" May said. Beautifly tangled up the two houndoom in silk imobilizing them.

"Beautifly lets go" May said. May ran off with charmander in her arms and Beautifly above her. The rocket X operative smiled and pressed a button on his wrist armor. A black and red motorcycle drove up to him on autopilot and allowed him to get on as the two houndoom freed themselves.

"Lets go" The operative said. May heard something behind her and turned to see the operative on a motorcycle heading at her. "Ash!" She shouted repeatedly. Not far from her location Ash and Pikachu were searching through the jungle for any abandoned structure.

"Ash!" He heard in the distance ."Pika" Pikachu said. "I heard it too, May" Ash said. He knew she was in trouble. Ash closed his eyes and tried to sense her aura. She was in great distress and was very scared. "Come on I know where she is" Ash said.

May continued to run as the Rocket X operative got closer and closer on his motorcycle. "Almost got you little brat" He said. Ash burst out into sight and caught the rocket X operative by surprise. "What the!?" He said. Ash quickly saw the rocket X operative and grabbed his arm as he drove by.

Ash yanked him of the motorcycle and hurled him to the ground. "What the?" The operative said before looking up and seeing Ash. The man tried to move backwards as his houndoom ran up from behind him toward Ash. "Pikachu use thunder" Ash said, Pikachu jumped down from Ash's shoulder and unleashed thunder.

The bolt of electricity hit both houndoom and stopped them in their tracks. The electricity also paralyzed the houndooms. The rocket X opertive pressed another button on his wrist armor and grinned.

"Ash rocket X is stealing all of the pokemon here. Look what that one did to this charmander" May said. Ash looked back and saw the hurt and terrified charmander in May's arms still covering its eyes and shaking.

"Do you people have any sense of morality?" Ash said. The rocket X operative started laughing as Ash heard motorcycle's in the distance getting closer. "He called for help May we need to get out of here" Ash said.

He saw the rocket X operatives motorcycles lying on the ground. "May return Beautifly " Ash said as he ran over and got on the motorcycle. "Get on" Ash said. May returned Beautifly and got onto the back of the motorcycle. Ash gunned it and drove off just before another two drove past the rocket X operative on the ground.

Elsewhere the boat driver and his Mightyena were behind a rock watching as a pair of rocket X operatives rounded up a few pokemon. "Rocket X, perfect. Well that explains why we haven't seen many pokemon. I need to find those kids before rocket X does. The driver was Allen Paul. Allen served four years in the Hoenn navy as a combat craft driver.

After he got out of the navy he became a private boat driver. Allen saw one of the operatives was near his motorcycle and Allen had an idea. He and his Mightyena snuck up trying not to make a sound. When Allen was right behind the rocket X operative he tapped on his right shoulder.

The operative turned only to see Allen's fist. Allen knocked the man to the ground and saw one of the houndooms growl then run at him. "Mightyena use tackle" Allen said. Mightyena growled then ran at the houndoom and knocked him to the ground.

Allen got on the motorcycle and returned his Mightyena. As Allen drove away the other rocket X operative heard and saw what happened. "Brian you idiot get up" He said smacking the other rocket X operative on the ground.

Allen sped across the island jungle and noticed there was a radio on the motorcycle. "Perfect" He said. As a boat captain he was given the radio frequency of team aqua in case he was attacked by pirates.

Allen put in the frequency number and spoke in. "This is Allen Paul to team aqua. My boat is stranded on a nature reserve somewhere between Mossdeep city and Sootopolis city. I have encountered team rocket operatives that are poaching the wild pokemon here" Allen said.

"Copy that this is captain Draiken of team aqua I think I know the nature reserve you are on. I can have a strike team there in forty five minutes" Captain Draiken said. Above the island Ash's charizard and his Lucario saw what was happening below. "Lucario" Lucario said. Charizard growled as he saw two more helicopters land.

"Lucario" Lucario said. "We have to find Ash and May" Lucario said. Charizard growled saying. "Why don't you use that aura stuff". "Good idea" Lucario said. He closed his eyes and felt around the island for Ash's aura. After a few minutes he found it and told Charizard where to go.

Back on the ground Ash drove through the rough terrain. The rocket X motorcycles were suited well for the environment. While Ash drove May opened her bag and took out a potion and a cloth.

"This might sting a little but it will help you" May said. She sprayed some of the potion on the cloth then rubbed it onto some of the charmander's wounds. "Char" Charmander said sounding like he was in pain.

May used the cloth on his arms and then sprayed some potion directly onto his other wounds. "There you should be feeling allot better soon" May said. May looked back and saw the two rocket X motor cycles were close being them. "Ash they're getting closer" May said.

"Pikachu use thunderbolt on them" Ash said. "Pika chu" Pikachu said before unleashing thunderbolt on one of the motorcycles. The motorcycle shut down and burnt out causing the man to fly forward off his bike.

The second operative got on his radio and called for help. A minute later another two motorcycles were right beside him. "That's not encouraging" May said. Ash continued to drive until he saw the end of the path with a cliff edge ahead of them. "Hold on" Ash said. He quickly pushed on the breaks and halted the motorcycle just before they flew into the ocean below.

When the rocket X operatives arrived they had another two men with them. The one in the middle was wearing an officer uniform. "Well looks like you kids have hit a dead end" The officer said. All of his men each released two houndoom and surrounded them.

"I'm actually in a pretty good mood so I'll tell you what give me the charmander and I'll let you leave with your pokemon" The officer said. The charmander hid his face again and resumed shaking.

"No I'll never give you sick people this innocent little pokemon" May said. "Fine , I wasn't going to let you keep your pokemon anyway" The officer said. Just as the houndoom started to move closer Charizard flew up behind Ash and May. "What the!?" The officer said.

Charizard roared before unleashing a massive flamethrower on the houndooms and operatives. When the flames cleared Ash and May were both on Charizard's back and Lucario was back in his pokeball.

"Think you're safe in the sky, wrong" The officer said. "Nice timing Charizard" Ash said. Charmander seemed more calm when he saw charizard. "Char, char" He said more relaxed. "See everything is going to be ok" May said.

"Look out!" Ash shouted as a massive net flew over them. Charizard did a sharp turn, narrowly avoiding the net. A rocket X helicopter was flying after them. Onboard was a rocket X operative and his houndoom. "Dam, the pilot missed. Houndoom use flamethrower" The operative said.

Ash saw a flamethrower come out of the helicopter. "Charizard look out" Ash said. Charizard quickly moved avoiding the flamethrower. "Again" The operative said. "What good will a flamethrower do it's a fire type" the pilot said. "Not for the charizard for the kids on his back" The operative said.

Charizard avoided the next flamethrower easily. He then turned around and flew straight at the helicopter grinning. "What is charizard doing!?" May said. Charizard roared and unleashed a fire blast that hit the helicopter.

The pilot struggled to keep the helicopter in the air. "Put us down put us down!" The operative said frantically. The helicopter swerved and slowly went to the ground almost crashing. "Nice shot charizard" Ash said.

"Look over there!" May said. Ash and Charizard turned to where May was pointing and saw several rocket X helicopters with massive nets attached to the bottoms beginning to take off. The massive nets were filled with wild pokemon.

"They're starting to take the pokemon off the island!" Ash said. Charmander saw what this and frantically screamed. "Char char!". "Charizard use metal claw on the nets" Ash said. Charizard roared and flew in close to the ground.

Two operatives below one of the helicopters were talking. "That's a lot of pokemon, the commander's are gonna pay us all a nice good bonus for this" One said. "Yeah I can smell the money already" The other one said.

Seconds later charizard flew over them and cut the net open. The two rocket X operatives were speechless as they saw dozens of pokemon fall out of the net and safely onto the ground. One by one charizard sliced the nets on the helicopters and freed all of the pokemon.

On the ground several rocket X operatives saw themselves and their pokemon being surrounded by the wild pokemon. The lead agent saw a Haxorus , a Torterra, a Aggron, a Tyranitar , and a Onix in front of the other wild pokemon.

Suddenly the lead agent also saw Allen ridding in on his motorcycle with more wild pokemon behind him. "Brought some back up in case you were thinking of running" Allen said as he and the pokemon got behind the rocket X operatives.

The officer looked above him and saw Charizard with a salmerance , two Staraptors, and a Pidgeot all looking very angry. The lead agent gulped as he got on the comlink. "We need backup at the landing zone now".

Above them one of the rocket X pilots saw a squadron of team aqua helicopters approaching the island. "It's team aqua retreat!" The lead pilot said. Before the rocket X helicopters could retreat the faster team aqua helicopters surrounded them. "Put your choppers on the ground or we will use deadly force" The lead team aqua pilot said.

The rest of the team aqua helicopters dropped teams of aqua mercenaries who quickly swept through the island and took all rocket X operatives prisoner. Team aqua veterinarians also set up a small camp on the beach to check on the wild pokemon to make sure none were hurt by rocket x.

One of the aqua vets finished up with charmander and set him down on the sand. "You should be ok with some rest little guy" he said. Captain Draiken was speaking with Ash, May , and Allen. "Nice work you three, there is no telling how many of these pokemon rocket X might have stolen if it weren't for you" Draiken said.

"I'm just glad we were able to stop them" Ash said. "Well you can ride with us to Sootopolis city and Allen. We'll make sure you get a new boat, it's on team aqua" Captain Draiken said. "Thank you" Allen said. Ash, May, and Allen walked over to a helicopter on the beach when May heard a pokemon following her.

She turned and saw it was charmander. "Char char" he said smiling. "Charmander" May said. Charmander came over and hugged May's leg. "May I think chamander likes you" Allen said. May reached down and picked him up. "Oh your so cute charmander" May said. "May I bet he want's you to catch him" Ash said.

"Really is that what you want?" May asked charmander. "Char char" Charmander said nodding. "Am I allowed to catch a pokemon on a nature reserve?" May asked one of the aqua mercenaries by the helicopter. "No, but I guess it never did happen" He said winking at her.

May took out a pokeball and tapped it on charmander's head. Charmander went inside and the pokeball shook for a few moments before it sparkled showing Charmander was caught. "Yes I caught a charmander" May said. Ash noticed the pokeball didn't vanish.

"Wait May, you have six pokemon with you why is charmadner's pokeball still with you?" Ash said. "Oh right, before we left Mossdeep city I called proffesor Birtch and sent him wartorle in case I wanted to catch another pokemon" May said.

She let Charmander back out and picked him up in her arms. May and the others got onto the helicopter. A few minutes later the sun began to set and the helicopter took off toward Sootopolis city. "Well I was going to use blaziken in the next contest but it looks like I have another fire type now. One who hasn't been in a contest" May said.

"Char char" Charmander said happily. "He'll need some training first and I think charizard is just the teacher" Ash said. "Yeah, that would be great" May said. "Well I wish you both good luck with your contest and your gym battle" Allen said. "Yeah thanks for everything Allen" Ash said.