A Legendary Photo Op!

### Written by

Sonic876, Punkasaurus0530, Frogadier55, NegimaLover, TMNTHedgehog5, and DragonSpore18

### Directed by

Sonic876 and NegimaLover

***A Legendary Photo Op!*** is the 38th episode of *Josh's Adventures of Pokémon the Series: XY Kalos Quest*.

## Plot

Ash and his friends arrive at the foot of Mt. Molteau, an active volcano. Hearing a noise to their right, they notice a Charmeleon stepping out from behind some bushes. Pikachu and Dedenne express their delight and run towards the Charmeleon, only for Charmeleon to retaliate with Flamethrower. The Charmeleon is revealed to be Trevor's as he arrives and meets the group, only to be attacked by Charmeleon's Flamethrower too.
Serena asks why Charmeleon is in an awful mood, and Ash suggests maybe Charmeleon wants a battle. Charmeleon agrees, so Ash calls out his Fletchinder. Charmeleon begins by attacking with Fire Spin, which Fletchinder dodges. Charmeleon then uses Flamethrower, which Fletchinder deflects with Steel Wing. Fletchinder then hits back with Flame Charge. Charmeleon takes the attack and hits back with Dragon Claw. Charmeleon then uses Flamethrower, which Fletchinder dodges and uses Steel Wing again, this time knocking Charmeleon out. After the battle, Charmeleon seems to be much calmer than before.

Afterwards, the group take a break to eat and reminisce about their time at the Pokémon Summer Camp. Bonnie comments Charmeleon's attitude hasn't changed since then, and Trevor remarks that Charmeleon has been amazing in battle, earning him the Bug Badge from the Santalune Gym. Trevor then asks the others whether they also are searching for Moltres, with his analysis having tracked down Moltres to Mt. Molteau. Trevor proceeds to show photos he had taken of the other Legendary birds, Zapdos and Articuno, and continues to ramble on about other photos of other rare Pokémon which leaves the others dumbfounded. Afterwards, Ash and the group decide to help Trevor in finding Moltres. Overhearing the conversation, Team Rocket set their sights on catching Moltres for the Boss.

As the group walk up Mt. Molteau, Trevor shows them an obscured photo of Moltres on top of a big rock, exclaiming they also must find the big rock to find Moltres. Clemont interjects and pulls out his device he calls "Rock Searcher Mark 1". Clemont inputs the photo’s landscape into the device’s memory, so that the device can find the same rock. The device shudders and moves towards a rock, which it scans and determines as a wrong match. It continues on moving and finding no correct matches. Meanwhile, as the group is distracted by Trevor's photo taking, Team Rocket run past the group and follow Clemont’s device. As Team Rocket locate the device, the device happens to come across a rock of the correct match and rings out a bell. Jessie, frustrated, hits the device which explodes. Team Rocket run away as the group approaches, as Clemont cries over another failed invention. The device then malfunctions and chases the group, eventually falling into the volcano's magma.

Team Rocket then interrupts by grabbing and capturing Pikachu in a capsule. Ash calls out Fletchinder while Jessie and James send out Gourgeist and Inkay respectively. Fletchinder dodges a pair of Shadow Ball and Psybeam attacks. Trevor comments on Gourgeist's rare size and takes photos of her, only to be stopped by Serena. He switches his attention to the battle at hand and has Charmeleon attack with Flamethrower, which is deflected by Inkay’s Psybeam. Gourgeist proceeds to attack with Shadow Ball and Inkay with Psybeam, which Fletchinder again dodges. Jessie and James continue the same attacks, which Fletchinder evades, but the attacks knock a boulder into the volcanic crater.

At this, a roar comes out of the volcano and Moltres emerges from the boiling magma. Trevor is impressed by its appearance, spouting several facts about Moltres before taking some photos. Moltres sets its eyes on Team Rocket, which they attack Moltres with Shadow Ball and Psybeam. Moltres retaliates with Flamethrower, causing them to blast off, as Pikachu falls out of their grasp. Fletchinder uses Steel Wing on Pikachu's capsule to release Pikachu.

Moltres now attacks Ash and the group, thinking that they are enemies. Ash takes out Frogadier, and commands it to use Water Pulse, but the move evaporates from the intense heat before hitting Moltres. Charmeleon then attacks Moltres with Flamethrower. Moltres attacks back with Flamethrower, which Fletchinder dodges. Moltres attacks Fletchinder again, this time hitting Fletchinder and causing it to fall, injured. Ash attempts to go over to help Fletchinder, but Trevor and his Pokémon stop him. Hearing Ash telling his Pokémon that he is coming, Moltres turns its attention towards him and attacks the group, but Fletchinder races to intervene, and blocks the attack, while evolving into Talonflame at the same time. Talonflame attacks Moltres with its newly learned Brave Bird. Moltres continues to retaliate with Flamethrower, and Ash commands Talonflame to attack with Brave Bird again. Moltres launches a Fire Blast, which hits Talonflame, causing it to fall, tumbling towards the magma. Ash leaps into the crater to catch Talonflame, and his descent is just stopped by Frogadier's frubbles made into a rope. Ash's friends are relieved he is fine, though they scold him for being reckless. Moltres has a change of heart, deciding the group are not enemies and flies off.

As the group walks down the mountain, Trevor finally views his photo of Moltres and is impressed with the result. Ash remarks that he and his Pokémon have a lot of things to do, and Trevor decides to take a photo of Ash and his Pokémon to commemorate the adventure.

## Major events

* Ash and his friends meet up with Trevor again.
* Trevor's Charmander is revealed to have evolved into Charmeleon.
* Ash has a battle against Trevor and wins.
* Trevor is revealed to have earned the Bug Badge from Viola.
* Ash's Fletchinder evolves into Talonflame and learns Brave Bird.

## Characters

### Humans

* Ash
* Serena
* Clemont
* Bonnie
* Jessie
* James
* Trevor
* Shauna (flashback)

### Pokémon

Who's That Pokémon?: Charmeleon

* Pikachu (Ash's)
* Meowth (Team Rocket)
* Wobbuffet (Jessie's)
* Dedenne (Clemont's)
* Froakie (Ash's; flashback)
* Frogadier (Ash's)
* Fletchinder (Ash's; evolves)
* Talonflame (Ash's; newly evolved)
* Fennekin (Serena's; flashback)
* Chespin (Clemont's; flashback)
* Gourgeist (Jessie's; Super Size)
* Inkay (James's)
* Bulbasaur (Shauna's; flashback)
* Squirtle (Tierno's; flashback)
* Charmander (Trevor's; flashback)
* Charmeleon (Trevor's)
* Moltres
* Crustle
* Butterfree
* Zapdos (photo)
* Articuno (photo)
* Scatterbug (photo; ×2)

## Transcript

*Main article: A Legendary Photo Op!/Transcript*
## Trivia

* Professor Oak's Pokémon Holo Caster: Gogoat
* Bonnie narrates the preview for the next episode, while Ash reads the title card.
	+ Just like in *Kindergarten Chaos!*, *A Slippery Encounter!*, and *Beyond the Rainbow!*, at the end of the preview, Bonnie says "Everyone, keep Pokémon!" instead of Ash saying, "Everyone, get Pokémon!"
* This was Mariya Ise's final episode as Bonnie before she started her maternity leave from the show.
* This episode is similar to *Freeze Frame*, which aired 695 episodes ago, where a friend of the group whose hobby is to take photographs of Pokémon attempts to take a picture of one of the Legendary birds.
* This episode marks the first appearance of a Moltres in the anime since its cameo in *Zoroark: Master of Illusions*, over five years prior.
* Brilliantly is used as an insert song when Ash's Fletchinder evolves into a Talonflame.
* Team Rocket uses a variation of their motto in this episode.