Pokémon Pokemon Do-Over

[MarkL1987]

Episode 132: The Little Big Horn

Today, Ash, Misty, Brock and Lucy are enjoying a leafy green oasis right in the middle of a busy metropolis.

"It must be nice to live here in the city and have such a beautiful park so nearby." Sighed Misty.

"Yeah, and it's pretty nice for us too." Replied Brock. "We can cut right through here and get to the center of town." Pikachu and Eevee suddenly sensed something in the bushes.

"What is it, guys?" Asked Ash. They soon saw something moving towards them.

"Don't move! It'll see us!" cried Misty.

"With eyes that big, it'll see us anyway." Remarked Ash.

"Those aren't eyes, Ash." Said Lucy. "Those are antlers."

"Lucy's right. Take another look, guys." Brock instructed.

"If those are antlers, then I must be seeing things." Replied Ash. The head that the antlers were attached to soon popped up and revealed the creature to be a Stantler.

"See, what did I tell you?" said Lucy. "Those are definitely antlers."

"Let's check it out." Replied Ash. He got out Dexter.

"Stantler, the Big Horn Pokemon. The eye-like shapes at the base of its horns produce a pleasant odor that has a bewildering effect on anyone who smells it. It can also create startling, realistic illusions by shaking its horns. Stantler form horns and live in mountainous terrain."

"I wonder what it's doing so close to the city." Said Misty. "Especially all alone."

"This one's still young. It probably got lost." Said Brock. He crouched down and put down his backpack. "Easy now, pal. These little ones scare pretty easily, so to get close to one, you have to act like a Stantler so it thinks you're one of them." He scratched the back of his left ear with his left foot. "You have to use Stantler psychology." The Stantler looked confused at how Brock was behaving.

"Stay still. I'm a Stantler too." Said Brock.

"Just what the heck is he doing?" wondered Lucy. Brock licked his hands with his face as the shocked and bewildered Stantler began to back off into the bushes.

"I think you're scaring it, Brock." Said Ash.

"Pikachu." Agreed Pikachu. (He is.)

"He's definitely scaring me." Replied Misty.

"That's the same kind of behaviour that a cat shows." Added Lucy. Brock started scratching his back against a tree.

"It may seem a little stand-offish, but I think we're developing an instinctual connection on a primal level!" he cried.

"How? By scratching your back against a tree like Baloo from The Jungle Book?" replied Lucy. "You're only making a fool of yourself. Again." Brock suddenly noticed a welt on Stantler's leg.

"It looks like its leg is hurt!" he cried. He sat down and got out a packet. "We'll fix that right up." He poured some food pellets into his hand. "Come on now. Chow time." He handed the food to Stantler. "You're going to like this." Stantler nervously sniffed the food.

"Come on, brock can tell if you're hungry." Said Brock. Stantler approached wearily as Brock chowed down on some of the little food pellets.

"Tasty." He said. Stantler's horns started emitting an aroma, which the group breathed in.

"Hey, don't make me eat this all by myself." Said Brock.

"That smells good." Replied Ash. Stantler soon started to nuzzle up to Brock.

"See? My Stantler imitation worked out after all, didn't it, little buddy?" said Brock. The group soon spotted something behind Brock and the Stantler, which made them panic.

"Hey, Brock!" cried Ash.

"Shh! Be quiet!" cried Brock. "We Stantler don't like loud noises!"

"But, Brock, look out!" cried Misty.

"Behind you!" cried Lucy. Brock looked back as a herd of angry looking Stantler appeared.

"Pika/Vee!" cried Pikachu and Eevee. (Uh oh!)

"Just, stay calm." Said Brock. The Stantler were showing signs of charging.

"It's. It's…" said brock.

"An awful lot of Stantler antlers." Said Ash.

"One wrong move and they could stampede all over us!" cried Lucy.

"Let's get out of here!" cried Brock. He charged away, followed by the rest of the group and the angry Stantler herd.

"The whole herd's after us because they must think we hurt their little baby!" cried Brock.

"Nice going, Brock!" cried Lucy. "Your own cutesy little way of getting the baby Stantler's attention might have offended the herd!"

"Oh, so this is my fault?!" cried Brock.

"Yes, you idiot!" cried Lucy. "You practically scared the little one!" She whacked brock on the head with her mallet.

"I'm glad I'm not the victim of that mallet for once." Said Ash.

"Less talking and more running!" cried Misty. As the group ran away, the injured Stantler fawn limped away.

Later, the group stopped to catch their breath.

"I guess we outran 'em." Said Ash. "You think we're safe, guys?"

"Pika." Said Pikachu. (I guess)

"Vee." Replied Eevee. (I hope so)

"Well, maybe, but they were right behind us a second ago and now they're nowhere to be seen." Observed Brock.

"It's like they just vanished into thin air as quickly as they appeared." Replied Lucy.

"You know what they say, out of sight, out of mind!" cried Ash.

"If you're not scared, then you're definitely out of your mind." Said Misty.

"It's too bad. A few more minutes and I could've bandaged that Stantler's leg." Said Brock. "Maybe when it finds its mother, she'll be able to take care of it."

"Gee, you think?" replied Lucy. They soon heard something moving in the bushes.

"It must be the Stantler." Said Ash. But Officer Jenny came out instead.

"Is everyone all right over there?" she asked.

"Of course, everything's all right now that YOU'RE here, Officer Jenny!" Brock exclaimed. "My friends just can't tell a Stantler from an angel! A herd was here!"

"Would you mind coming with me?" said Jenny.

"Oh, boy! Where shall we go, Officer?" cried Brock. "For a romantic stroll in this beautiful urban oasis?"

"You don't get it" replied Jenny. "I'd like you to come down to the station so you can file a report."

"Great! But it sure is an unusual first date!" cried brock. Ash, Lucy and Misty shrugged.

"He just doesn't have a clue, does he?" asked Misty.

"Definitely not." Replied Lucy.

Later, at the police station…..

"Usually, that park is full with families on vacation, but recently, out of nowhere, a huge herd of Stantler moved in and scared everybody off." Explained Jenny. "Now, nobody wants to go anywhere near there."

"That must be the same herd that chased us out." Said Ash.

"It's really strange because Stantler usually live in the mountains, don't they?" wondered Misty.

"Exactly." Answered Jenny. "I just don't understand why so many Stantler would appear in the park the way they have recently."

"I wonder." Said Brock. "I may sound crazy, but maybe those Stantler weren't in the park after all!"

"Of course it's crazy!" cried Ash. "If they weren't there, then what were we running away from?"

"You may be right, Ash." Replied Brock. "But can you explain how that whole herd of Stantler disappeared without a trace?"

"Uhhhh…not exactly." Ash answered. Familiar voices were soon heard, calling for help and crying in pain.

"Not again." Sighed Lucy.

"Stampede!" cried Team Rocket. The group exited and saw team Rocket running in terror from something.

"Team Rocket." said Misty.

"What's all the yelling for?" asked Lucy. Team Rocket stopped and ran in place.

"If you want our advice, it's prepare for trouble time!"

"And we strongly suggest that you do it at double time!"

"To protect the world from devastation!"

"To unite all peoples within our nation!"

"To denounce the evils of truth and love!"

"To extend our reach to the stars above!"

"Jessie!"

"James!"

"Team Rocket, blast off at the speed of light!" Jessie ran furiously in place.

"Surrender now, or prepare to fight!"

"Meowth, that's right!"

"How come you three are in such a big hurry?" said Ash.

"We overheard that there was a herd of Stantler living in the park." Explained Jessie.

"So we decided to catch them all and bring them back to the boss." Added James.

"At first, we saw only one, but then from nowhere, a whole squad was breathing down our necks." Said Meowth.

"That's the same thing that happened to us!" cried Lucy.

"A herd chased us and then just disappeared." Added Brock. Team Rocket was puzzled by the end of Brock's sentence.

"Yeah, what did happen to…" said James. They looked back and saw that the herd had vanished.

"They're….." said Jessie.

"Gone." Added James.

"It's strange. The Stantler always disappear as quickly as they appear." Said Jenny. A Stantler horn suddenly peeked out of an alley and emitted an aroma that all presented smell, then the herd appeared again, to the fright of Team Rocket.

"They're back!" cried Meowth.

"Is the chase on or of?! Why don't you make up your minds already!" cried Jessie.

"Come on!" cried James. Team Rocket turned and made a run for it.

"Quick! Get inside or we'll be trampled!" cried Jenny.

"Stantler! You don't have to be afraid!" cried Brock. He threw his arms wide and allowed the stampeding Stantler to charge forward, as he knew it was the only way to gain the young, injured Stantler's trust.

"Brock!" cried Ash and Lucy. Brock simply stood in the way of the herd.

"Stantler, you don't have to be afraid!" cried Brock. "Don't be scared, Stantler! I'm not here to hurt you!"

"Brock, what are you doing?!" cried Misty.

"You'll get run over!" cried Ash. He and Lucy jumped over a table to pull their friend to safety, but Jenny stopped them.

"Wait here, it's too dangerous." She said.

"Trust me." Said Brock.

"Brock, no!" cried Ash.

"STOP!" yelled Brock.

"I can't look!" cried Lucy.

"Oh no!" cried Misty. However, Brock saw that the herd was simply an illusion and spotted the young Stantler limping toward him.

"I knew it!" cried Brock. The illusion started to fade and the rest of the group realized what they had ran from.

"Huh?" they cried.

"What happened?" wondered Ash.

'I think we were just seeing things." Answered Lucy. Brock rushed up to the injured fawn.

"It's okay. You were scared, weren't you?" said Brock. "But everything's all right now. We just want to be your friends."

Poke Quiz Question

"All right, trainers, listen up because Lucy and I have a little Pokemon quiz for you." Said Ash.

"Trainers, what Pokemon always suffers from constant headaches?" asked Lucy. "Ash and I will have the answer a little later, but for now, back to the show!"

Back To Episode

Inside the station, Brock bandaged up the injured Stantler's leg.

"There. That should feel better." He said. The Stantler nuzzled up to Brock.

"Wow. Stantler's not scared of you anymore, Brock." Said Misty.

"Yeah, but what happened to the rest of the Stantler?" asked Ash.

"Turns out there weren't any other Stantler out there, Ash." Answered Brock. "This was the only one in the whole park."

"It was?" asked Ash.

"Yep. This Stantler was alone and scared of both us and Team Rocket, so it used the scent of its horns to trick us all into thinking we saw a herd on the attack." Answered Brock.

"I guess it worked." Said Misty. "It sure fooled me."

"It fooled me too." Added Lucy.

"But how did you figure out that all those Stantler were an illusion and not a real stampede?" asked Jenny.

"Well, as I was looking at them coming at us, I noticed that some of the Stantler seemed to pass right through the light poles and buildings." Answered Brock.

"That little Stantler sure caused big trouble." Said Misty.

"Big trouble with such little horns." Added Lucy.

"Yeah, but it was lost and hurt, so it did the only thing it could do to protect itself from strangers." Replied Brock. "It instinctively created the illusion of a big herd because it was afraid we'd hurt it."

"But we didn't actually hurt it." Said Lucy. "We were only trying to help it."

"True, but the Stantler didn't know that." Replied Brock.

"You really do understand a lot about Pokemon, don't you, Brock?" said Jenny.

"That's why Brock's going to be the best Pokemon breeder ever." Said Ash.

"Is that what you're working towards?" asked Jenny.

"Yes, and I feel a special connection with Pokemon." Replied Brock. "When I first saw this little one in the park, I tried to get closer to have a better look. That's when I saw the fear and loneliness in its eyes. I felt I knew how it felt, being so far away from its home and its family."

"Amazing. You figured all that out just by looking in Stantler's eyes." Said Jenny.

"I think you have to be able to sense things like that." replied Brock. "You can never become a great breeder if you can't look a Pokemon in the eyes and not be able to tell how it feels and what it needs. But I still have a lot to learn."

"It seems to me that you know almost everything there is to know about Pokemon already." Said Jenny.

"Not hardly." Replied Brock.

"I mean it." Said Jenny. "I can tell you have a way of sensing exactly what's in a Pokemon's heart."

"Well, maybe I can feel what's in a Pokemon's heart." Replied Brock. "But I…I only wish you had the power to feel all the feeling that I'm feeling in my heart, Officer Jenny!"

"Huh?" said Jenny. Misty grabbed Brock's ear.

"Let's go, Mr. Sensitive, before all those feelings of yours get hurt!"

"Gee, and to think that all this time, I thought that brock was just making himself look like a complete idiot just to aggravate an actual heard of Stantler." Said Lucy. "I guess I was wrong." Eevee agreed with her.

"No, Lucy, you were right." Said Brock, who was rubbing his ear. "I did make myself look like a fool while trying to make friends with that Stantler. It was my own fault for scaring it. So, I'd like to apologize for putting you, Ash and Misty recklessly in danger today. I promise I'll never do it again."

"Thank you, Brock." Said Lucy. Little did they know that team Rocket was spying on the entire conversation.

"I don't believe it! We've been swindled!" cried Meowth. "Only one of the Stantler was real! The rest of them was just an illusion!"

"Well we know that one is better than none, so I say we catch it for the boss." Said Jessie.

"But what are we going to do if it tries to double-cross us again?" wondered Meowth.

"It just so happens that I've acquired an anti-Stantler secret weapon." Replied James.

"Hey! Maybe you're not as brainless as you look!" cried Meowth.

"Right, I'm not as brainless as…..well at least I'm not as brainless as you are!" cried James.

"James. How did you happen to acquire this anti-Stantler secret weapon?" inquired Jessie.

"I used our remaining funds to purchase it." James answered.

"Hey! What's the idea spending our dough!?" cried Meowth.

"How are we going to live without money?!" cried Jessie.

"Well, if we don't do something to make sure we bring the boss a rare Pokemon, we won't have to worry about living for very long!" cried James. Meowth and Jessie realized that he had a point.

"Maybe we could take out a loan." Sighed Jessie.

"Me-ouch!" cried Meowth. That night, Stantler slept under a blanket in Brock's lap while Ash sat next to him, wrapped in a blanket. Misty and Lucy slept on the couch, covered in a blanket as Togepi, Pikachu, Eevee and Little Pikachu slept by their side.

"Stantler needed a rest." Said Misty.

"Yeah, it must've gotten pretty tired wandering around that park for so long." Replied Brock.

"And making all those fake Stantler show up probably wore it our." Added Ash.

"It must've gotten separated from the herd in the mountains when its leg got hurt and its family is probably worried about it." Said Lucy.

"Well, now that its leg is healed, we can let it go tomorrow so it can get back to its herd." Said Brock.

"Aren't you kind of tempted to keep it, Brock?" asked Ash.

"It does seem really attached to you, Brock." Said Lucy.

"Its just looking for affection." Replied Brock. "The best place for this Stantler is back with its herd. It really wants its mother. And I guess that's a feeling anyone can understand."

"I think you can sense what's in a Pokemon's heart, Brock, because you've got a really good one yourself." Said Misty. The group was soon fast asleep.

The next day, the foursome headed into the mountains.

"This leads back to the mountains." Said Brock. "Okay, buddy, it's time for you to go back home." The Stantler nuzzled Brock.

"Maybe it doesn't want to go back home after all." Said Ash.

"Yeah, maybe we should let it stay with us for a little while." Said Misty.

"Pika." Said Pikachu. (Good plan)

"Believe me, Stantler, this is for your own good." Said Brock. He backed away from his little friend. "We don't want you around here anymore!" The Stantler tried to approach Brock, but he angrily stamped his foot.

"Go! You get going right now!" he cried. "Don't ever come back!" Now heartbroken, dejected and betrayed, the young Stantler walked away. As it did so, it gave Brock one final glance before continuing on into the woods.

"You'll be all right." Brock thought.

"Did you really have to yell and scream at the Stantler like that, Brock?" said Misty.

"I think that's what's called tough love." Replied Lucy. The group noticed that brock's shoulders were shuddering.

"You okay?" said Ash.

"I'm fine." Replied Brock. "And I know Stantler will be, too."

Meanwhile, up above, Team Rocket's balloon drifted overhead as the three of them searched for Stantler.

"Ahoy! Baby Stantler off the port bow!" cried Meowth.

"Great." Said Jessie.

"Let's go get it." Said James.

Later, the group was walking through the park once again when Brock spotted a familiar balloon.

"Team Rocket!" he cried. In the forest, the Stantler fawn spotted the balloon.

"That Stantler doesn't stand a chance against us!" cried Meowth.

"Activate our secret weapon, James." Said jessie.

"Right-o!" replied James. He pressed a button and a giant mechanical Stantler appeared.

"Well, there it is. The Anti-Stantler number 7!" he cried.

"Number 7? What happened to the first six?" asked Jessie.

"Unfortunately, there were a few expensive bugs to work out first." Answered James.

"And I bet you exterminated our bank account to do it!" cried Meowth.

"But it'll be worth it if we catch that Stantler for the boss." Replied James.

"Exactly how does this thing work?" asked Jessie.

"It happens to work exceedingly well, Jessie!" cried James. "Watch this!" With a button press, the Anti-Stantler Number Seven opened its mouth, which caused the fawn to emit its illusion aroma.

"It's trying to use that illusion thing again." Said Meowth.

"Luckily, our secret weapon doesn't have any sense of smell." Said James. He pressed another button, which made the Anti-Stantler Number Seven shoot out a net. The net captured the fawn.

"Your secret weapon worked, James!" cried Jessie. "What's the next step?"

"We go down and get it!" cried James.

"Next time, buy a secret weapon that knows how to fetch!" cried Meowth.

Meanwhile, the group was rushing toward where they had seen the balloon.

"You go on ahead, Brock!" cried Ash. "We'll catch up!"

"Finally, success!" cried James.

"This'll make the perfect Poke-present for the boss." Replied Jessie. The Stantler fawn let its aroma loose as it cried for help, which drove Meowth to tears.

"Sounds like this little Stantler wants to see its mommy." He cried. "What do you say, guys? Maybe we should let this one go free."

"We can't show mercy, Meowth! We're the villains!" cried James.

"There's no room on Team Rocket for crybabies." Replied Jessie.

"I ain't no crybaby!" cried Meowth. "It's just so sad. That poor Stantler."

"Meowth! Shape up because we're shipping out." Said Jessie.

"Stantler!" cried brock. "I'm coming, little buddy! I won't let them take you away!"

"Here comes that annoying kid!" cried Meowth.

"This looks like a job for Super Stantler!" cried James. With another button press, the eyes on the Anti-Stantler Number Seven lit up and out of the machine's mouth came a bunch of cables that blocked Brock's way.

"Come back here!" cried Brock.

"Too late!" cried James.

"Toodle-oo, twerp!" cried Jessie.

"We're not leaving our secret weapon behind, are we?" said Meowth.

"We've got our Stantler, who needs it?" replied James.

"Haven't you ever heard of recycling?!" cried Meowth. "We could at least sell it for scrap!"

"Go, Onix!" cried Brock. Onix materialized.

"Onix, Tackle attack!" cried Brock. The attack landed right on the dot.

"Now use your Bind attack!" cried Brock. Onix coiled around the Anti-Stantler, which caused it to crack and implode until it exploded as Team Rocket watched on.

"What a waste of dough." Said Meowth.

"Good job, Onix! Return!" cried Brock. Onix was recalled, and Brock continued to pursue Team Rocket.

"Come back here!" he cried. Stantler's cries were soon heard by the rest of the group.

"That sounds like Stantler!" cried Misty.

"Pikachu, Thunderbolt attack!" cried Ash.

"Little Pikachu, you use Thunderbolt too!" cried Lucy. But the attacks didn't reach far enough.

"What a switch!" cried Meowth. "They're shocked and we ain't!"

"Maybe those Pikachu need an extension cord!" cried James. Brock continued to pursue the balloon as Stantler cried for help.

"Stantler!" cried Brock. Suddenly, from out of the forest, another Stantler jumped and cut the net with its antlers while also tearing the basket of the balloon in half.

"It's falling!" cried Misty.

"Bulbasaur, grab it with Vine Whip!" cried Ash. Bulbasaur materialized, but as he grabbed it, Stantler broke through the bottom of the net.

"Oh no!" cried Lucy.

"I'm coming!" cried Brock. He managed to catch Stantler in the nick of time.

"Good thing I was in little league." He said.

"So was I before I decided to become a Pokemon trainer." Added Lucy.

"What a catch." Said Misty.

"That was the play of the day." Added Ash.

Meanwhile, the balloon had crashed landed due to the Stantler attacking it.

"A total disaster." Said Jessie.

"Our balloon's marooned!" cried Meowth. The sound of hoofs was soon heard.

"What now?!" cried Meowth. He looked back and saw a whole herd of angry Stantler looking at them, but Team Rocket didn't think they were real.

"How dumb do they think we are?" asked Jessie.

"It's puttin' us on again!" cried Meowth.

"I'm sick of this Stantler trick!" cried James. He threw the remote of the destroyed Anti-Stantler at one of the herd, but upon hitting, it proved that the herd was real.

"Either that's a very good illusion…." Said Jessie.

"Or we're in very deep trouble!" cried James.

"Maybe if we're very quiet…." Said Meowth. But the Stantler herd charged and the head Stantler hit Team Rocket and sent them flying.

"Team Rocket's blasting off again!" they cried. The group listened to Team Rocket scream and saw them fly off.

"Losers!" cried Lucy.

Poke Quiz Answer

"Trainers, earlier in the show, Lucy asked the following question." Said Ash. "What Pokemon always suffers from constant headaches?"

"If you said Psyduck, you're correct!" cried Lucy. "You definitely have what it takes to become a Pokemon master! Ash and I will have a new question next time!"

Back To Episode

Later that evening, the group took the Stantler fawn to its herd.

"Go on. They're all waiting for you." Said Brock. The Stantler and its herd started to walk away.

"Now it's back where it belongs, which is in the wild." Said Lucy. Or, that was what the group thought. The young Stantler ran right back up to brock and nuzzled him again.

"Uh, Brock, I don't think this Stantler wants to leave you." Said Misty.

"Judging from that show of affection, I'd say that the Stantler wants you to be its trainer." Said Lucy. Brock smiled at the Stantler and gave it a big hug. The rest of the Stantler herd left for the mountains. Thanks to Stantler and Brock helping each other out, Brock has a new friend by his side. He's also learned more important skills that he'll need to become a great Pokemon breeder.

TO BE CONTINUED

Ash's Current Party: Pikachu, Bulbasaur, Charizard, Wartortle, Heracross (male), Eevee (shiny)

Lucy's Current Party: Eevee, Hoothoot, Pikachu, Blastoise, Misdreavus, Cyndaquil

Egg: Togepi (Joint ownership with Misty)

Ash's Spare Pokemon at Oak's Lab: Spearow, Clefairy, Onix, Butterfree, Primeape, Muk, Scyther, Diglett, Voltorb, Rapidash, Kangaskhan, Tauros, Rhyhorn, Nidorino, Dratini, Dragonair Gyrados, Exeggutor, Kabuto, Kabutops, Ivysaur, Venusaur, Growlithe, Arbok, Weezing, Meowth, Magmar, Blastoise, Squirtle, Kingler, Aerodactyl, Machoke, Dodrio, Mr. Mime, Bulbasaurtwo, Charmandertwo, Squirtletwo, Venusaurtwo, Charizardtwo, Blastoisetwo, Vulpixtwo, Ninetalestwo, Hitmonleetwo, Hitmonchan, Gengar, Moltres, Fearow, Hypno, Chansey, Jolteon, Vileplume (Orange Island variant), Drowzee, Pink Nidoking, Dragonite, Haunter, Shellder, Butterfree (Orange Island variant), Beedrill, Venomoth, Farfetch'd, Magnemite, Magneton, Giant Rhydon, Persian, Slowking, Electabuzz, Pink Raichu, Pink Nidoran Male, Pink Nidoran Female, Golem, Snorlax, Tentacruel, Dugtrio, Electrode, Tauros, Lapras, Spinarak (shiny)

In Rotation: Scyther, Rapidash, Farfetch'd, Haunter, Dragonite, Nidoking

Lucy's Spare Pokemon at Oak's Lab: Beedrill, Cubone, Hitmonlee, Golbat, Dugtrio, Voltorb, Ponyta (shiny), Kangaskhan, Chansey, Tauros, Dragonair, Clefairy, Exeggcute, Jigglypuff, Kabuto, Aerodactyl, Machoke, Tangela, Gloom, Sandslash, Alakazam, Butterfree (Pink), Slowpoke, Wartortle, Crystal Onix, Pink Rhyhorn, Scyther, Pinsir, Farfetch'd, Magnemite, Grimer, Lugia, Pink Gyrados, Poliwhirl, Staryu, Charmander, Lapras, Tentacruel, Diglett, Electrode, Dewgong, Sentret, Ivysaur, Heracross (female), Hoppip, Arcanine, Spinarak

In Rotation: Aerodactyl, Jigglypuff, Staryu, Dragonair, Pinsir, Blastoise

Misty's Pokemon: Oddish, Goldeen, Staryu, Vaporeon, Omanyte, Psyduck, Golduck, Togepi (joint ownership with Lucy), Horsea (at Cerulean gym), Starmie (at Cerulean gym), Poliwag, Lapras, Tentacruel, Voltorb

Brock's Pokemon: Geodude, Onix, Zubat, Vulpix, Aerodactyl, Butterfree (Orange Island variant), Donphan, Stantler

Jessie's Pokemon: Arbok, Lickitung, Giant Pidgeot, Pichu

James' Pokemon: Weezing, Victreebell, Vileplume

 

[MarkL1987]

Episode 133: Chikorita Rescue

Today, our heroes are taking the high road to Violet City, and the first Johto League gym.

"Boy, it sure is freezing up here." said Brock.

"Oh, look! There's some snow on that mountain!" cried Misty.

"That's cool!" cried Ash. "It must be just like winter over here. Why don't we go see if we can ski?"

"That would be a great idea, Ash, except that we're not wearing winter clothes." Said Lucy. "Remember when we got trapped in that snow cave for a whole night? We almost froze to death."

"I can just see myself now." Said Brock. "Spending all morning on the slopes, and all afternoon at the lodge." He fantasized several girls with him outside at a ski lodge.

"I think I may have found the perfect sport for me." Said brock. "Downhill skiing!"

"Oh boy, I think your brain's going downhill." Said Misty.

"Like a snowball." Added Lucy. Togepi chirped.

"Forget about skiing! I just found something even better than that!" cried Ash.

"What is it, Ash?" inquired Lucy.

"Just take a look over there." Replied Ash. The group looked and saw a pair of snoozing Chikorita. The group quietly approached them.

"It's a couple of Chikorita." Said Ash.

"They're so cute." Squealed Misty.

"Looks like they're sunbathing." Added Brock.

"More like snoozing." Replied Lucy. Misty sniffed the air.

"I smell something sweet." She said.

"That's the scent that comes off the Chikorita's petals." Replied Ash.

"It's a little like the way Casey's Chikorita smelled, remember?" said Brock.

"Who can possibly forget that passionate and energetic Electabuzz super fan?" remarked Lucy.

"You think those are wild Chikorita?" inquired Misty.

"Yeah, probably." Answered Ash. Lucy got her Pokedex out.

"Chikorita, the Leaf Pokemon. Chikorita emit pleasant aromas from the leaves on their heads, and they love to sunbathe."

"Okay! I'm going to catch this one!" cried Ash.

"I've always wanted a Chikorita, so I'll catch one too." Said Lucy. She and Ash rushed ahead, which brought the two slumbering Chikorita to full awareness as they jumped up onto their stubby little feet. Ash and Lucy quickly skidded to a stop.

"If these Chikorita belong to anybody, tell us now!" cried Ash. Lucy, Brock and Misty fell over in disbelief.

"If you don't we're going to capture them!" cried Ash. "Don't say I didn't give fair warning!"

"You better keep your voice down, Ash, or you'll scare these Chikorita away!" cried Lucy. The Chikorita refused to back off. One swung its leaf around, while the other one nuzzled up against Lucy's leg.

"They're not scaring so easy." Said Brock. "One looks like a tough cookie, while the other one seems quite friendly." The tougher Chikorita kept swinging its leaf.

"It's not backing down a bit." Said Misty.

"I told you it was tough." Replied Brock.

"I thought Chikorita were supposed to be sweet, just like the one that's beside me." Said Lucy.

"If you ask me, there's nothing sweeter than capturing a tough one." Said Ash. "Bulbasaur, I choose you!" Bulbasaur materialized.

"Don't let this one fool ya! It looks nasty!" cried Ash. The Chikorita charged.

"Go, Bulbasaur. Grab it with Vine Whip!" cried Ash. The attack sent Chikorita flying, but she landed on her feet and promptly launched a Razor Leaf.

"It's using Razor Leaf!" cried Lucy.

"It's not going to beat Bulbasaur that way!" cried Ash. "Razor Leaf back!" Bulbasaur launched its own Razor Leaf, which resulted in a standstill.

"Bulbasaur sure seems confident." Said Misty.

"Maybe a little too confident." Said Brock.

"Bulbasaur, use Tackle attack!" cried Ash. The attack landed right on the money and Chikorita went down.

"Okay, Chikorita, now I'm going to capture you!" cried Ash. He got out a Poke Ball and threw it, but the Chikorita proved to have some strength left as she swatted the Poke Ball right back to Ash.

"It's tougher than I thought." Observed Ash. The Chikorita that had been nuzzling against Lucy started watching the battle with interest. The one Ash was battling launched a Vine Whip.

"Hey, look out!" cried Ash. Bulbasaur was hit right on the head with the attack, which knocked Bulbasaur out of the battle.

"Bad break. That Chikorita's good." Said Brock.

"I have to admit, Chikorita's a great competitor." Remarked Misty.

"And it's really cute." Added Lucy.

"You did a great job, Bulbasaur. Now you deserve a rest." Said Ash. Bulbasaur was recalled.

"You may have gotten lucky against Bulbasaur, but your luck's about to run out, Chikorita!" cried Ash. He got out another Poke Ball. "Charizard, I choose you!" Charizard materialized with a thud. But the Chikorita held her back with its foot.

"This one's pretty tricky, Charizard! Use your Flamethrower attack!" cried Ash Before the attack could be launched, Chikorita tripped up Charizard with Vine Whip, which made it fall backwards and use the attack on Ash instead.

"Hey, don't use it on me!" he cried.

"That Chikorita's not just tough. It's clever." Said Lucy. Chikorita launched a Razor Leaf.

"Burn those leaves with your Flamethrower, Charizard!" cried Ash. The attack was easily burned to a crisp.

"Now finish it off! Tackle attack!" cried Ash. The Chikorita nailed Charizard on the head with a well placed Vine Whip before it had a chance to get near the tough grass type.

"What an upset!" cried Brock. "Charizard's heading for a fall!" But Chikorita's vines were still wrapped around Charizard, so they both got dragged along together.

"This is bad!" cried Misty.

"They're going to crash right into that mountain!" cried Lucy. Sure enough, they both did so, head and back first respectively.

"Charizard!" cried Ash. Charizard sat up as his trainer approached.

"Charizard, are you okay?" Ash asked it. "You were great. Return!" Charizard was recalled.

"Chikorita's hurt." Said Brock. Chikorita struggled to get back up, which caused concern for the other Chikorita.

"After all it's been through, it still wants to battle?" cried Ash.

"It can barely stand up." Said Misty. Chikorita collapsed in total exhaustion. Ash gently picked it up in its arms.

"It doesn't look good, Ash." Said Lucy.

"I think we need to take it to the nearest Pokemon Center!" Cried Ash. "Come on!"

"There's no time to lose!" cried Lucy.

"Pika." Said Pikachu. (Gotcha) Lucy turned to the other Chikorita and said "You better come along, too." Little did they know that Team Rocket was watching the whole thing.

"Very impressive. Chikorita put up a great fight against that giant gas bag." Said Jessie. "You know what I think? I think that's exactly the kind of toughness that we desperately need on Team Rocket. Chikorita's my kind of Pokemon."

"Unfortunately, my kind of Pokemon are Weezing, Victreebell and Vileplume." Replied James.

"If we can get our hands on that Chikorita, we'll finally have a worthwhile Pokemon by our side." Said Jessie. Meowth was offended by that comment.

"Tanks a lot." He said.

Meanwhile, Ash, Lucy, Misty, Brock, Pikachu, Eevee, Togepi, Little Pikachu, Stantler and the other Chikorita were getting close to the Pokemon Center as the first Chikorita woke up.

"Don't you worry now." Said Ash. "We'll take good care of you!" Chikorita bit Ash on the arm.

"Hey! Take it easy!" cried Lucy. "He's only trying to help you!" The group entered the Pokemon Center. As Chikorita went through treatment, Lucy bandaged Ash's arm.

"That better, Ash?" she asked.

"It wasn't that bad, but thanks all the same, Lucy." Replied Ash. Just then, Nurse Joy stepped out of the ER. Ash, Lucy, Misty and Brock all went up to the nurse.

"How's that Chikorita?" asked Lucy.

"Chikorita will be fine." Joy answered.

"That's a relief." Replied Ash.

"Eevee Vee." Said Eevee. (I'll say it is)

"But what about that arm of yours?" asked Joy. "Looks like Chikorita didn't cooperate."

"Lucy bandaged it up, so I'll be fine." Replied Ash.

"I'm fine being with you." Cried Brock. "Your hands are so small but I'm sure they're also gentle and caring. Dare I ask, might these healing hands impart their gentle love and care on my humble Pokemon?"

"Oh, of course." Answered Joy. "Caring for sick Pokemon is what I do."

"And perhaps once you heal them, you can also heal….." Said Brock. But before he could finish, he was shoved out of the way by the rest of the group.

"Can you check out my Pokemon too, Nurse Joy?" cried Misty.

"And mine, too." Added Ash.

"Would you be able to look at mine?" replied Lucy.

"I'd love to." Said Joy. "Now, let's see. Who wants to be first?" As Misty, Lucy and Ash yelled to be first, Brock laid down on the floor in tears.

"But I was here first." He sobbed.

Later, the group watched Chikorita in the recovery room.

"I've seen lots of Chikorita just like this one." Said Joy. "The Chikorita from around here are famous for being stubborn and battling bigger and stronger opponents even when they know there's no way of winning."

"And that's when they end up here, isn't it?" asked Lucy.

"They just battle until they can't battle anymore." Answered Joy. "It's really very sad." The group was quietly shocked by this, including the Chikorita that was at Lucy's side.

"Aren't you glad I didn't put you through any of that?" she asked it.

"Chika." The Chikorita answered. (Very glad)

"I just can't bear to see a Chikorita alone like that." Said Misty.

"Me neither." Replied Brock.

"You have to kind of admire its spirit, though." Said Ash. An ambulance suddenly arrived at the Pokemon Center and two familiar looking paramedics arrived.

"Okay, stand back! Coming through!" cried James. "We're here to take this Chikorita to our special intensive emergency care unit!"

"But how did?" cried James.

"This patient is in critical condition, we don't have time to explain." Jessie responded.

"Let's go." Cried James. The two of them took the Chikorita's gurney and split.

"Excuse me." Said Joy. Jessie and James loaded Chikorita into the ambulance.

"I haven't seen you before!" cried Joy. "Where are the two of you from?"

"We're from the team that causes trouble!" cried Jessie.

"I hope you're ensured, cause we make it double!" cried James. The two of them jumped into the sky and removed their costumes.

"To protect the world from devastation!"

"To unite all peoples within our nation!"

"To denounce the evils of truth and love!"

"To extend our reach to the stars above!"

"Dr. Jessie!"

"Dr. James!"

"Team Rocket Doctors, blast off at the speed of light!"

"Surrender now, because we're not making any more house calls."

"Ya got that right!"

"Hurry up, Weezing!" cried James. "Smog Attack, stat!" Weezing did so, which blinded the group and made them cough while Jessie and James got in front of the ambulance with Meowth.

"How's that for first aid?" laughed Jessie.

"Okay, Meowth, hit it!" cried James. Meowth drove them away as the Smog cleared.

"We can't let them get away with this!" cried Ash.

"Let's roll!" cried Lucy. She and Ash chased after Team Rocket.

"Ash, Lucy, wait!" cried Misty, but it was no good. The two best friends were already out the door and in hot pursuit of Jessie and James.

"We'll climb up that hill and get ahead of them, Pikachu." Said Ash.

"We'll follow behind them, Eevee!" cried Lucy. A bit ahead, James was checking to see if they had lost any of the group.

"Do you see those twerps trailing us, James?" asked Jessie.

"There's no sign of anyone, Jessie!" cried James. "We're home free!"

"Team Rocket finally won one!" cried Jessie and James. Up on a cliff, Ash and Lucy spotted Team Rocket driving into the narrow area below.

"Now we're going to show Team Rocket that we're just as tough as Chikorita!" cried Ash. "Come on, Lucy!" Ash and Lucy jumped off the cliff and landed on top of the ambulance.

Poke Quiz Question

"All right, trainers, listen up because Lucy and I have a little Pokemon quiz for you." Said Ash.

"Trainers, which Pokemon can fly at speeds of Mach 2?" asked Lucy. "Ash and I will have the answer a little later, but for now, back to the show!"

Back To Episode

At the Pokemon Center, the rest of the group worried.

"Poor Chikorita." Sighed Joy.

"Perhaps I should pursue those villains and give them a good thrashing." Said Brock.

"I wouldn't worry about Chikorita, Nurse Joy." Replied Misty. "Just as long as Ash and Lucy have all their Poke Balls." She suddenly realized something just then.

"Oh no!" she cried.

"What's wrong, Misty?" said Brock.

"Ash's Poke Balls are still here!" cried Misty. "Thankfully Lucy has her Pokemon on her, but they ran off so fast that Ash forgot to take his own Pokemon with him!"

Meanwhile, Team Rocket had pulled up to a cabin in the mountains, and Ash and Lucy pursued them right to it. However, something immediately caught Lucy's ear.

"Look at this, Ash." She said. "It's a Sunkern. It looks like the leaf on it is dropping, though." Lucy quickly got her Pokedex out.

"Sunkern, the Seed Pokemon. When attacked by Spearow, Sunkern will violently shake their leaves in retaliation. Once it is ready to evolve, it will conserve all the nutrients it has stored in its body."

"The poor thing's leaf is wilted." Said Lucy. "Now who would do such a terrible thing like that?"

"Sun. Sunkern." Cried Sunkern. (My previous trainer left me here and never came back.)

"Aw, you poor thing." Said Lucy. She held out a Poke Ball. "How'd you like to be my Pokemon? I promise I'll treat you a lot better than your previous trainer. Did."

"Kern?" asked Sunkern. (You won't abandon me, will you?)

"Don't worry, I'm not that kind of trainer." Replied Lucy. With that in mind, Sunkern happily hopped into the Poke Ball and became Lucy's newest Pokemon.

"Look, Ash, the ambulance is parked outside the cabin!" she cried.

"Now we have to come up with a strategy." Replied Ash.

"Pika?" asked Pikachu. (What strategy?)

"I'll have Charizard surprise them with its Flamethrower…." Said Ash; however, he noticed that his Poke Balls weren't on his belt.

"Uh oh. I guess I left my Pokemon behind at the Pokemon Center." Said Ash. Pikachu gave a sigh of exasperation.

"Don't worry, Ash, I've got my Pokemon with me." Replied Lucy.

Meanwhile, inside the cabin….

"Well, that sure was a close call." Said Jessie. "Good thing we rescued you from those twerps, but you're safe now, and you'll be happy to know that my teammates and I have a little proposition to offer you. One I'm certain you'll accept."

"Chiko!" cried Chikorita. (No way!)

"It's an exciting opportunity, especially for a free agent with your kind of talent." Said jessie.

"Yours is the kind of talent that we need on our team." Replied James.

"Yessirita!" cried Meowth. A spotlight soon came down.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we proudly introduce the star of Team Rocket's roster of champions…" said James.

"The Pokemon powerhouse…." Replied Meowth.

"The sweet smelling slugger, Chikorita!" cried Jessie. She showed Chikorita a contract.

"Now, here's a copy of our standard contract." Jessie continued. "No need to read it, just sign right on the dotted line."

"Don't worry. If you can't write, a footprint's legally binding." Said James.

"Don't do it, Chikorita! It's a dirty trick!" cried Ash.

"We know you're in there, Team Rocket!" cried Lucy.

"Whose that?" wondered Jessie.

"Team Rocket, prepare for trouble!" cried Ash.

"And while you're at it, make that double!" cried Lucy. The door opened to reveal Ash, Pikachu, Lucy, Eevee and the other Chikorita. Jessie and James were surprised.

"To protect the world from devastation?"

"To unite all peoples within our nation?"

"Maybe you think we're a little too brash." Said Lucy. "But the masters are here, and one of them's Ash!"

"Pikachu!" cried Pikachu. (Believe it!)

"Our Pokemon teams are faster than light!" cried Ash. "So surrender now, or you're in for a fight!"

"Meowth! That's right!" cried Meowth. Jessie and James glared angrily at Meowth before shifting their focus to Ash and Lucy.

"How dare you two mangle our motto!" cried Jessie.

"That is copyrighted material!" cried James.

"Copycats!" cried Meowth.

"You three need to cool off!" cried Ash.

"Let's get 'em, Ash!" cried Lucy. She, Ash, Pikachu, Eevee and Little Pikachu pelted Team Rocket with snowballs, which knocked them down.

"Quick, Pikachu, take Chikorita!" cried Ash.

"Follow them, Eevee!" cried Lucy. Pikachu, Eevee and both Chikorita rushed out the door.

"They won't get away!" cried Meowth. He pressed a button on the remote, which activated a trap outside that caught the three Pokemon.

"What's the matter?!" cried Ash.

"What happened?" cried Lucy. Pikachu, Eevee and both Chikorita had gotten caught in claws tied to ropes.

"Pikachu! Eevee! Chikorita!" cried Ash.

"Let's get them out of there!" cried Lucy. She and Ash charged outside, but Meowth activated another set of claws.

"Gotcha!" he cried. Ash and Lucy were both trapped.

"Hey! Let us go!" cried Lucy.

"Let us out of these!" cried Ash. "Don't worry, guys, we'll save you!"

"Hey look, we caught two twerps in our trap!" cried Meowth.

"Let's take the Chikorita and be on our way." Said Jessie.

"Let's make a run for it!" cried Ash. But the ropes kept them from running in different directions. And then, Sunkern popped out of its Poke Ball and used Razor Leaf to slice the ropes that were tying Ash and Lucy together.

"That was a Razor Leaf!" cried Lucy. "Was that you, Sunkern?" Sunkern nodded.

"Sunkern Sun, Sun, Sunkern, Kern, Kern, Sunkern!" cried Sunkern. (You're NOT hurting this kind girl! She rescued me, and now I'm saving her!) Ash, Pikachu, Lucy, Eevee and Chikorita made a run for it, but they slipped and slid down the side of the mountain.

"Oh no!" cried Meowth.

"They slipped away!" cried James.

"That's not funny!" cried Jessie.

"Sorry." Said James. As Ash, Pikachu, Lucy, Eevee, Little Pikachu and both Chikorita plowed ahead, they made a gigantic snowball as they rolled towards the woods. They soon hit a tree and went tumbling down. But their ropes caught on a branch until they broke and dropped them into the snow.

"Hey, that was kind of fun, wasn't it?" said Ash. "Are you all right, Lucy?"

"I'm just fine, Ash." Replied Lucy But as she tried to move, she suddenly winced in pain and stumbled to the snow. She clutched her right foot.

"On the other hand, I might not be fine after all!" she cried. "Owwwwwwwwwwww!"

"Lucy, what's wrong?" cried Ash.

"Vee?" asked Eevee. (You okay, Lucy?)

"Does it look like I'm okay?" cried Lucy. "OW! My ankle! It hurts really bad!"

"What happened to it?" asked Ash.

"I think I sprained it!" cried Lucy. Her ankle was bruised and swollen.

"Nurse Joy can bandage that up once we get back to the Pokemon Center." Said Ash. He carried his injured friend as they trudged through the snow. The Chikorita charged off on their own without a second look back.

"Hey, wait!" cried Ash. He tried to pursue them, but he slipped on the snow and they both escaped.

"Goodbye, Chikorita." Sighed Ash. Some snow soon began to fell.

"Look, it's snowing." Said Lucy.

"Come on, let's find some shelter." Said Ash.

"There's a cave nearby!" cried Lucy. "We can stay there for the night!" The two trainers were soon inside the cave.

"I wonder if Chikorita's doing okay out there." Said Ash.

"Pikachu." Replied Pikachu. (I do, too.)

"How's your ankle doing, Lucy?" asked Ash.

"It still hurts." Answered Lucy. She tried to get up from where she was sitting, only to collapse back to the ground and wince in pain.

"You shouldn't try to stand on that." Said Ash. "Nurse Joy will need to take a better look at that. In the meantime, I need to find Chikorita! Lucy, you stay here. Brock and Misty might come looking for us."

"Ash, you can't possibly go out in this snowy weather!" cried Lucy. "It could snow harder, and you might get lost!" Ash ignored her and charged out into the snow.

"Pika!" cried Pikachu. (Hold on!) Pikachu stopped at the cave entrance.

"Pika Pi!" cried Pikachu. (Ash!)

"Pikachu, you and Eevee stay here with me." Said Lucy. Ash started calling for the Chikorita.

"Hey! Chikorita?!" cried Ash. "Chikorita, can you hear me?!" Ash suddenly heard some running through the bushes.

"So there you are." Said Ash. He ran toward the bushes, but only found a pair of Nidoran.

"A couple of Nidoran." He sighed. He suddenly felt something.

"Avalanche!" cried Ash. The snow cliff gave out underneath him, which sent him down a bit.

"Oh well. I guess I'll never find Chikorita." He sighed. Ash then spotted both Chikorita. They were standing and shivering in the snow.

"Chikorita!" cried Ash. He ran over to the cold Pokemon. "I just knew I would find you." The Chikorita jumped into Ash's arms.

"Don't you worry now. Everything's going to be just fine." Said Ash. He soon returned to the cave with both Chikorita as Pikachu and Eevee spotted them.

"Pi? Pika Pi! Pikachu!" cried Pikachu. (Ash? Ash! You're okay!)

Later that night, Ash and Lucy were resting in the cave while Pikachu and one of the Chikorita were kept inside Ash's jacket.

"This should keep us warm." Said Ash. Eevee and the other Chikorita were curled up beside Lucy.

"Maybe tomorrow, the snow will stop and we can head back." Said Ash. "In the meantime, let's try and get some sleep. Hat goes especially for you, Lucy. You don't want to make that ankle worse."

The next day, the two of them exited the cave.

"Looks like the snowstorm's over." Said Ash.

"Hear that, Eevee? We can head back to the Pokemon Center!" cried Lucy. "Let's get going!" But some wickedly familiar laughter was heard.

"You two aren't going anywhere!" cried Jessie.

"Oh no." sighed Ash.

"Team Rocket! How did you find us?" cried Lucy.

"Okay, twerps!" cried Meowth. "You slipped away from us last time, but this time, we've got a brand new weapon that's going to stop you cold! Start shoveling!" Jessie and James did so.

"Fully loaded, Meowth!" cried Jessie.

"Let's play ball!" cried Meowth. He activated his weapon and fired snowballs at Lucy and Ash. One of the snowballs hit Ash in the face.

"Get ready, kids! Here comes an avalanche!" cried Meowth. He fired multiple snowballs, but both Chikorita launched a Razor Leaf to slice them all in half.

"Perfect shot." Said Ash.

"We sure are glad you're on our team." Said Lucy.

"Chikorita, you can be Team Rocket's star player!" cried Jessie.

"You'll be seeing stars, all right!" cried Ash.

"Shall we send them packing, Ash?" cried Lucy.

"We shall." Replied Ash. "Okay, Chikorita, Vine Whip that thing. Both of the Chikorita managed to damage the barrels of the snowball launcher, which short circuited it.

"Sounds like trouble." Said Meowth. The snowball launcher began to fire snowballs everywhere.

"Meowth, what's wrong?!" cried James.

"The controls just froze!" cried Meowth. Jessie and James got pelted with snowballs.

"All right, Pikachu, hit 'em with a Thunderbolt!" cried Ash. Pikachu did so, which made the snowball launcher explode and sent Team Rocket flying.

"We're blasting off again!" cried Team Rocket.

"We beat 'em!" cried Ash.

"And you worked together, just like a real team." Said Lucy. They then heard more familiar voices.

"Ash! Lucy!" cried Brock.

"Pikachu! Eevee!" cried Misty.

"Chikorita!" cried Nurse Joy. Brock, Misty, Psyduck, Wartortle, Stantler, Nurse Joy and Bulbasaur soon approached.

"We've looked everywhere for you!" cried Misty. "Are you two okay?"

"Yeah, we're just great!" cried Ash.

"Aside from me having a sprained ankle, we're just fine and dandy!" cried Lucy.

Poke Quiz Answer

"Trainers, earlier in the show, Lucy asked you the following question." Said Ash. "Which Pokemon can fly at speeds of Mach 2?"

"If you said Pidgeot, you're correct!" cried Lucy. "You definitely have what it takes to become a Pokemon master! Ash and I will have a new question next time!"

Back To Episode

Later, the group was at the Pokemon Center preparing to leave. Lucy was now on crutches and her ankle had been bandaged up, courtesy of both brock and Nurse Joy.

"It was a great pleasure meeting you, Nurse Joy." Said Brock. "If you ever need a Pokemon Breeder, don't hesitate to call me."

"And Chikorita, you try not to be so stubborn from now on, okay?" said Ash. "See you, Nurse Joy."

"I hope we meet again." Replied Brock.

"Bye-bye!" cried Misty.

"So long, now." Said Lucy.

"Nice meeting you. Bye-bye now." Said Joy.

"Chiko, chiko, chiko!" cried one of the Chikorita. (Don't leave without me. Take me with you, please!)

"Chika!" cried the other one. (If she goes, I go!)

"What's wrong, Chikorita?" asked Ash. Chikorita waved her leaf in Ash's face to let out a sweet smelling aroma.

"That smells really nice." Said Misty.

"Sure does." Replied Lucy. Nurse Joy walked up to the group.

"Looks like the Chikorita want to go with you." She said.

"Really?" cried Lucy. The Chikorita nuzzled their legs.

"Chikorita could really use a trainer like you to teach her not to be so stubborn." Said Joy.

"I guess you're right." Said Ash. "You want to come with me, Chikorita?" Chikorita nodded.

"I'm guessing you'll want to come with me." Said Lucy. The other Chikorita nodded and gave Lucy a kiss.

"Vee." Said Eevee. (I think that's a yes.)

"Chikorita's our new Pokemon!" cried Ash and Lucy.

"Those four are a perfect team." Said Misty.

"For Ash, it'd be Team Stubborn." Said Brock. The group laughed. And so, in the cold, snowy mountains, Ash, Lucy, Sunkern and Chikorita have each become what promises to be some new, warm friendships.

TO BE CONTINUED

Ash's Current Party: Pikachu, Bulbasaur, Charizard, Wartortle, Heracross (male), Chikorita

Lucy's Current Party: Eevee, Hoothoot, Pikachu, Blastoise, Chikorita, Cyndaquil

Egg: Togepi (Joint ownership with Misty)

Ash's Spare Pokemon at Oak's Lab: Spearow, Clefairy, Onix, Butterfree, Primeape, Muk, Scyther, Diglett, Voltorb, Rapidash, Kangaskhan, Tauros, Rhyhorn, Nidorino, Dratini, Dragonair Gyrados, Exeggutor, Kabuto, Kabutops, Ivysaur, Venusaur, Growlithe, Arbok, Weezing, Meowth, Magmar, Blastoise, Squirtle, Kingler, Aerodactyl, Machoke, Dodrio, Mr. Mime, Bulbasaurtwo, Charmandertwo, Squirtletwo, Venusaurtwo, Charizardtwo, Blastoisetwo, Vulpixtwo, Ninetalestwo, Hitmonleetwo, Hitmonchan, Gengar, Moltres, Fearow, Hypno, Chansey, Jolteon, Vileplume (Orange Island variant), Drowzee, Pink Nidoking, Dragonite, Haunter, Shellder, Butterfree (Orange Island variant), Beedrill, Venomoth, Farfetch'd, Magnemite, Magneton, Giant Rhydon, Persian, Slowking, Electabuzz, Pink Raichu, Pink Nidoran Male, Pink Nidoran Female, Golem, Snorlax, Tentacruel, Dugtrio, Electrode, Tauros, Lapras, Spinarak (shiny), Eevee (shiny)

In Rotation: Scyther, Rapidash, Farfetch'd, Haunter, Dragonite, Nidoking

Lucy's Spare Pokemon at Oak's Lab: Beedrill, Cubone, Hitmonlee, Golbat, Dugtrio, Voltorb, Ponyta (shiny), Kangaskhan, Chansey, Tauros, Dragonair, Clefairy, Exeggcute, Jigglypuff, Kabuto, Aerodactyl, Machoke, Tangela, Gloom, Sandslash, Alakazam, Butterfree (Pink), Slowpoke, Wartortle, Crystal Onix, Pink Rhyhorn, Scyther, Pinsir, Farfetch'd, Magnemite, Grimer, Lugia, Pink Gyrados, Poliwhirl, Staryu, Charmander, Lapras, Tentacruel, Diglett, Electrode, Dewgong, Sentret, Ivysaur, Heracross (female), Hoppip, Arcanine, Spinarak, Misdreavus, Sunkern

In Rotation: Aerodactyl, Jigglypuff, Staryu, Dragonair, Pinsir, Blastoise

Misty's Pokemon: Oddish, Goldeen, Staryu, Vaporeon, Omanyte, Psyduck, Golduck, Togepi (joint ownership with Lucy), Horsea (at Cerulean gym), Starmie (at Cerulean gym), Poliwag, Lapras, Tentacruel, Voltorb

Brock's Pokemon: Geodude, Onix, Zubat, Vulpix, Aerodactyl, Butterfree (Orange Island variant), Donphan, Stantler

Jessie's Pokemon: Arbok, Lickitung, Giant Pidgeot, Pichu

James' Pokemon: Weezing, Victreebell, Vileplume

 

[MarkL1987]

Episode 134: Once In A Blue Moon

Our heroes are still on their way to the Johto League, but today, they've stopped in a pretty little town called Cherrygrove City. It's a perfect day. The sky is clear, the breeze is warm, and Ash and Lucy are making sure the sun isn't the only thing that's shining.

Ash and Lucy were polishing up their Poke Balls.

"As good as new." Said Ash.

"Clean as a whistle, in my opinion." Added Lucy. Pikachu handed Ash the GS Ball.

"Professor Oak's GS Ball." Said Ash. He started to polish it. "Gotta take extra good care of this one."

"I have to admit, Ash, you and Lucy been acting like much more responsible trainers lately." Said Misty.

"As future Pokemon masters, we feel that Poke Ball maintenance is very important." Said Ash.

"Oh, I quite agree." Replied Misty. "How's that ankle of yours, Lucy?"

"Still hurts, but it's not as bad as before." Lucy answered.

"Hey, Ash! Lucy! Lunch time!" cried Brock.

"All right! I'm starving!" cried Ash.

"Me too!" cried Lucy.

"That sounds like the Ash and Lucy I know." Said Misty. She, Lucy and Ash rushed over to eat while Pikachu and Eevee looked after their Poke Balls and the GS Ball.

"Ash, aren't you worried that somebody might come along and try to steal our Poke Balls and the GS Ball?" asked Lucy. Before Ash could answer that, a strange Pokemon appeared from the water.

"Pika!?" cried Pikachu. (Who's there!?)

"Vee!" cried Eevee. (Whoever you are, show yourself right now!)

"Something the matter, guys?" asked Ash. He then spotted the Pokemon for himself. "Look!"

"Well, I'll be." Said Lucy. The group headed to the river.

"What is that?" asked Misty. Lucy got out her Pokedex.

"Quagsire, the Water Fish Pokemon. The Quagsire makes its home in clean, fresh water lakes. The Quagsire is covered by a slippery layer of skin, making this Pokemon especially difficult to handle."

"Wow. That sounds really slick." Said Lucy.

"Quagsire's gotta be one of the cutest Pokemon ever!" cried Misty. "Hey! I think I'm going to catch it!" But Psyduck materialized out of its Poke Ball, which made the group fall over in disbelief. Psyduck appeared to have some sort of mental connection with Quagsire until Misty picked Psyduck up.

"You can't just stand there all day." She said. The GS Ball suddenly rolled toward the river, which allowed the Quagsire to snatch it.

"Don't look now, Ash, but Quagsire just stole the GS Ball!" cried Lucy. Ash gasped.

"Come back! That's the GS Ball!" cried Ash. "Wartortle, bring back that GS Ball before Quagsire gets away!" Wartortle materialized and jumped onto Quagsire to prevent it from escaping.

"Nice work, Wartortle! Now don't let it slip away!" cried Ash. Wartortle suddenly started to slip on Quagsire's slippery skin.

"Hey, look out!" cried Ash. Wartortle landed shell first into the water while Quagsire escaped.

"Wartortle!" cried Ash. "Wartortle, are you okay?!" Wartortle soon surfaced and sped up in pursuit of Quagsire. Wartortle tried to jump onto Quagsire, but Quagsire used its tail to smack Wartortle away.

"Hurry, Wartortle! Hit it with your Water Gun!" cried Ash. The attack made he GS Ball slip out of Quagsire's mouth, and Pikachu caught it on the way down.

"Great catch, Pikachu!" cried Ash. Quagsire and Wartortle soon fired a Water Gun at each other, which resulted in a standstill.

"Don't give up!" cried Ash. Misty got out a Poke Ball.

"You keep that Quagsire busy, Wartortle, and I'll capture it with my Poke Ball." She said. But before she could, the group heard a loud whistle.

"Oh no you won't!" cried a female voice. It belonged to none other than Officer Jenny, who had arrived on the scene and she wasn't exactly happy. Brock immediately got lovestruck.

"Officer Jenny!" he cried. "Your whistle is like the song of a beautiful love bird, and I'm hoping it's meant for…. huh?!" Brock quickly found handcuffs on him.

"Can it, buster. You're all under arrest for violating Quagsire Preservation Restrictions." Jenny said firmly.

"Huh?!" cried the group.

"Pi? Pika?" wondered Pikachu. (Under arrest?)

"Vee." Cried Eevee. (Uh oh)

"But you don't understand!" cried Lucy. "That Quagsire was trying to steal the GS Ball and Ash was only trying to get it back!" But Jenny didn't care.

Later, at the police station, Jenny was explaining the situation to Professor Oak.

"That's right! The Quagsire! Oh, this is embarrassing!" cried Oak. "I'm so sorry, but I'm afraid it completely slipped my mind. Of course, I should've mentioned this to them beforehand. Officer, all four of them are new to the area and they don't know about the Quagsire restrictions, I assure you."

"I understand. If that's the case, then I'll drop the charges, Professor Oak." Said Jenny. "We always have to be on guard. Quagsire are very special Pokemon to the people here in Cherrygrove City."

"You see, the Quagsire in Cherrygrove City only live in the cleanest waters, so the townspeople can judge how pure the local water sources are based on where they find them." Explained Oak.

"That's why we have strict Quagsire preservation laws in place here." Said Jenny. "No Quagsire battling or capturing allowed. Is that clear?"

"Yes." The group answered.

"You've all been warned. Don't cause any more trouble for Officer Jenny." Oak added.

"We didn't mean to make any trouble, Professor Oak." Said Ash.

"Don't worry, Professor! There won't be any trouble!" cried Brock. "Not with Brock around! Neither snow, nor rain, nor heat, nor Gloom, nor Vileplume will stray this Pokemon Breeder. Ash and Lucy won't cause trouble, I consider it my duty to keep anyone from causing YOU trouble!"

"Oh…..Kay." Said a perplexed Officer Jenny. Misty and Lucy grabbed Brock from behind.

"And it's mine and Lucy's duty to keep you out of trouble." Said Misty.

"You took the words right out of my mouth, Misty." Replied Lucy. "Let's go, Brock!" Oak cleared his throat.

"Oh, and by the way, Lucy, I'm happy to report that your new Sunkern is doing quite well here." Said Oak. "It's already made friends with a lot of the other Pokemon."

"That's wonderful news, Professor!" cried Lucy.

"And Ash, you and Lucy haven't forgotten about my little errand, have you?" Oak asked.

"Don't worry, Professor. The GS Ball is in good hands." Ash answered.

"Good. Take care." Said Oak. "Eevee, Pikachu, you watch out for them."

"Pikachu!" cried Pikachu. (Will do, sir!)

"Vee!" cried Eevee. (Scout's honor!) The call ended.

"I still don't understand." Said Ash. "Why would Quagsire want to try and take the GS Ball?"

"I'd like to know the answer to that question myself." Replied Lucy.

"Because it's round." Jenny answered.

"Because it's round?" repeated Ash and Lucy.

"I know it sounds strange, but it's true." Said Jenny. "Around this time every year, the Quagsire start to appear all around Cherrygrove City. Nobody knows why, but they swim downstream from their homes at Blue Moon Falls looking for anything that's round. Then they take whatever they found and swim back upstream. The next morning, all the round things they took come floating back down the river and back to their rightful owners."

"That's weird." Said Lucy.

"Actually, people here are happy when their things get taken, because when they drift back, they bring pure water and good luck." Jenny replied.

"Wow, they're like floating good luck charms." Said Misty.

"Especially if the last thing to float back is yours, because that one's supposed to be the luckiest of all." Said Jenny. She then spotted something out the window.

"Oh, look!" She cried. The group looked and spotted the Quagsire from before.

"Quagsire!" cried Misty.

"I think it's the same one." Said Ash.

"Does anyone get the feeling that it's still after the GS Ball?" asked Brock.

"Pika." Answered Pikachu. (I do, Brock)

"Oh no you don't, Quagsire!" cried Ash. "Don't even think about it! You're not getting your flippers all over this GS Ball!"

"I'm with Ash." Agreed Lucy. The Quagsire then left.

Later, the group crossed a bridge over the river.

"I'm starving." Said Ash.

"So am I." Said Lucy.

"Me too." Replied Brock. "We never got to eat our lunch, did we?"

"No, thanks to that Quagsire." Answered Lucy.

"Speaking of which, there it is." Said Misty.

"Nah, that's a different one." Brock replied. The Quagsire took the round object off the bridge pillar, dove into the water and swam away with it.

"I guess they're here taking round things, just like Officer Jenny told us." Said Lucy.

"It sure is weird that the Quagsire only take things that are round, isn't it?" asked Ash.

"Pika." Answered Pikachu. (Really weird) The same Quagsire from before showed up and startled the group.

"Not you again!" cried Ash.

"We already told you that you can't have the GS Ball, so flippers off!" cried Lucy. The Quagsire suddenly jumped onto Ash and covered his face.

"Hey, get off of me, will ya?!" cried Ash. "Somebody do something!" He quickly got out a Poke Ball.

"Chikorita, I choose you!" he cried. Chikorita materialized while Lucy, Brock and Misty unsuccessfully tried to pull Quagsire off.

"We can't get a grip on it!" cried Misty. "It's too slippery!" Chikorita charged in, spun her head leaf around, and knocked Quagsire off of Ash. However, she also ended up knocking down Lucy, Misty and Brock.

"That felt like a windmill." Said Misty.

"More like a whirlwind." Replied Lucy. Chikorita then nuzzled Ash.

"Hey, what's gotten into Chikorita?" wondered Misty.

"I think Chikorita is being overprotective because she has a sort of crush on Ash." Replied Brock. The group was baffled by Brock's explanation.

"What sort of crush?" wondered Ash. The Quagsire soon appeared behind him, which made Chikorita spin her head leaf around again.

"Hey! Quit it!" cried Ash. "Cut it out, Chikorita!" The GS Ball fell out of Ash's backpack, which both Ash and the Quagsire noticed. Quagsire quickly dove after the GS Ball and took it underwater with it.

"Oh no!" cried Ash.

"I guess that Quagsire just couldn't resist the GS Ball." Replied Lucy. Quagsire swam away with the GS Ball.

"We've got to catch it!" cried Ash. He suddenly tripped.

"Ash!" cried Misty. As it turned out, Chikorita had grabbed onto Ash's leg.

"Ash, I think maybe your Chikorita's crush has gotten a little out of hand." Said Lucy.

"So is the GS Ball." Sighed Ash.

Meanwhile, Team Rocket was in the woods and somewhat lost.

"Just great. We've lost those twerpy kids again." Sighed Jessie. "What are you so happy about, Meowth? What's that thing you've got there?"

"It's just an old lawn ornament." Meowth answered. "There's a bunch of neat stuff over in that field and it's all round."

"Small minds are easily amused." Said Jessie.

"Let's see!" cried James. Meowth was surprised at James' response, but showed him the ornament, which James used as a crystal ball.

"Now I will gaze deeply into this ball, which will reveal the twerp quartet's whereabouts." He said.

"Their whereabouts? Who cares what they're wearing?" cried Meowth.

"Silence, please." Replied James. "Wait! It's getting clearer! Clearer." A Quagsire soon appeared and spooked Team Rocket.

"I was only kidding!" cried James. The Quagsire took the ornament and ran off with it.

"Hey! I saw that first!" exclaimed Meowth.

"Outrageous!" cried Jessie. "How dare that slippery, smiling, little whatever it is steal your ball?!" She got out her Poke Balls. "Lickitung, Arbok, Pidgeot, go get him!" But some more Quagsire showed up and stole Jessie's Poke Balls.

"Okay Weezing, Victreebell, Vileplume, don't let it get away!" cried James. Some more Quagsire appeared and stole James' Poke Balls as well.

"My Victrebell, Weezing and Vileplume!" cried James.

"My Arbok, Lickitung, Pidgeot and Pichu!" cried Jessie.

"Come back here!" cried Meowth. Team Rocket started to pursue the Quagsire as they swam down the river.

Poke Quiz Question

"All right, trainers, listen up, because Lucy and I have a little Pokemon quiz for you."

"Trainers, which one of Team Rocket's Pokemon has a gold charm on its forehead?" asked Lucy. "Ash and I will have the answer a little later, but for now, back to the show!"

Back To Episode

Ash and his friends continued pursuing the Quagsire that had stolen the GS Ball. Lucy's speed was affected slightly only because her ankle still wasn't fully healed. They soon came to a wooden bridge, but didn't find Quagsire or the GS Ball.

"There's no sign of that Quagsire anywhere." Said Ash.

"It has to be swimming in this river, but who knows where it could be?" Brock inquired.

"Maybe we'll have a better chance of finding it if we just wait for it to swim downstream." Replied Misty.

"You're right." Agreed Brock. "If we're lucky, the GS Ball will just float right back down the river."

"Yeah, but what happens if we're not lucky?" asked Ash.

"Well, if we're not lucky and it doesn't float down the river, then we'll be up the creek." Brock answered. The group shrugged.

"Bad joke, Brock." Said Lucy. Pikachu and Eevee suddenly spotted something.

"Eevee Vee!" Eevee cried. (Look down there, guys!)

"What's up, you two?" asked Ash. He soon spotted what Pikachu and Eevee saw.

"Quagsire!" cried Ash.

"Four of them!" added Lucy.

"I bet they'll lead us to the one that has the GS Ball!" cried Brock.

"Come on, let's go!" cried Ash. The group headed upstream to follow the Quagsire, while Team Rocket trailed behind.

"Is it my imagination running wild?" said Meowth. "Or did I just hear the twerps?"

"Even if you did, we can't stop them until we get our Pokemon back!" cried James.

"But when we do, we'll get those twerps, and that slimy Pokemon too!" cried Jessie.

Later that evening, the group found the Quagsire and all the round things they had taken.

"So this is where the Quagsire took all of the round stuff." Said Lucy.

"Wow! Look at them all!" cried Misty.

"You think this is where all the Quagsire live?" asked Ash.

"Remember what Officer Jenny said?" Brock replied. "She told us that the Quagsire made their home at some place called Blue Moon Falls. But I don't see any waterfalls."

"You're right." Said Ash. "I don't see any either." But they didn't have to look too long or too far before Ash spotted both the Quagsire and the GS Ball.

"There's that Quagsire!" cried Ash. He got out a Poke Ball.

"Wait a second, Ash!" cried Misty. "What are you doing?"

"I'm going to capture it." Ash answered. "I have to get that GS Ball back."

"I don't think that's a good idea, Ash." Said Lucy. "Officer Jenny made us promise not to battle or capture any of the Quagsire around here. If any of us try to do that, we'll get in trouble with her again, and she probably won't be as nice as she was before."

"Oh, yeah. That's right." Replied Ash.

"Ash, we'll keep our eyes on it so it can't get away." Said Brock.

"Yeah. Sure." Replied Ash. While the group watched, Team Rocket did the same.

"Look. Over there!" cried Jessie.

"It's the twerps." Said James.

"If we move fast, we can grab their Pikachu and Eevee." Replied Meowth.

"Why settle for just two Pokemon?" said Jessie. "If we capture all of those Quagsire, we can make a fortune."

"Okay, let's go get 'em." Said Meowth.

"Fine. You and Jessie go, and I'll wait back here." Replied James.

"Oh no you won't!" Cried Jessie. "We're all in this together. Don't be such a coward!"

"Well, I'll try." Sighed James.

"Team Rocket….." Said Jessie.

"Charge!" cried James and Meowth. All the Quagsire started to look up at the night sky.

"They're all standing so still." Observed Misty.

"It seems like they're all waiting for something to happen in the sky." Said Brock.

"In the…" Said Ash. He suddenly spotted a claw moving in towards the Quagsire with the GS Ball.

"Look out!" cried Ash. The Quagsire was soon grabbed.

"Oh no!" cried Ash.

"Oh yes! And look who it is!" cried Lucy.

"Prepare for trouble, because trouble's what we love!" cried Jessie.

"Make that trouble double, when we cause it from above!" cried James.

"To protect the world from devastation!" But as Jessie finished her next line, the Quagsire slipped through the claw and escaped as another claw tried to grab another Quagsire.

"To unite all peoples within our….." Another Quagsire slipped through the claw.

"It got away!" cried James. He and Jessie continued grabbing at the Quagsire while saying their motto, but the Quagsire kept slipping through the claws.

"To denounce the evils of truth and love!"

"To extend our reach to the stars above!"

"Jessie!"

"James!"

"Team Rocket, blast off at the speed of light!"

"Surrender now, or prepare to fight!"

"Meowth. Yeah, right."

"We'll never catch those things this way!" cried Jessie. "Meowth, it's time to go to Plan B!"

"From now on, I think we ought to start with Plan B." Said Meowth. "Here goes." He pressed a button and dropped a net onto the Quagsire.

"The Quagsire!" cried Lucy.

"Nice catch, Meowth!" cried Jessie and James.

"With this haul, our money troubles will be a thing of the past." Added Jessie. "We can pay off our debts and have plenty left over."

"Leftovers? Boy, I could sure go for a nice meatball sandwich." Replied Meowth.

"Say, I wonder where those Pokemon hid our Poke Balls." Said James. Team Rocket soon spotted them.

"There they are!" cried Jessie and James.

"The nerve of them!" cried Jessie. "Leaving our Poke Balls in a pile of garbage!"

"Slime balls! Don't you know you're not supposed to litter?!" cried James.

"I wonder if there's any potato chips left in that bag down there." Said Meowth.

"The way they treated our Poke Balls is positively unthinkable!" cried Jessie.

"Well, they thought of it, and now we should show them what we think!" cried James. Meowth spotted his ornament.

"Let 'em go, guys!" he cried. "I want my favorite toy!" Jessie and James retrieved their Poke Balls and then attacked Meowth for his comment.

"Hey, Team Rocket!" cried Ash. "Let go of those Quagsire!"

"Yeah, you big dummies!" cried Lucy.

"You gotta be kidding, kiddos!" cried Meowth.

"Not only are we keeping the Pokemon we have…" Said James.

"We're about to pick up two more." Added Jessie. The claws headed for Pikachu and Eevee. One claw missed, but the other one got both Pokemon.

"Pikachu!" cried Ash.

"Eevee!" cried Lucy.

"Pika Pi!" cried Pikachu. (Ash!)

"Eevee Vee!" Squealed Eevee. (Lucy!)

"We did it!" cried Meowth.

"Eevee! Pikachu!" cried James.

"Now we've got you!" cried Jessie.

"Hey, come back!" cried Ash. Suddenly, out of nowhere, rocks hit Team Rocket on the head. The Quagsire were launching rocks at them with Water Gun.

"They're putting on a rock show!" cried James.

"Well what are we going to do now?!" cried Jessie.

"We should've had a Plan C!" cried Meowth. Because of the rocks, Team Rocket ended up releasing Pikachu and Eevee by accident.

"There goes Eevee…." Sighed James.

"And Pikachu too!" cried Meowth.

"Pikachu!" cried Ash.

"Eevee!" cried Lucy. Both trainers caught their respective Pokemon in their arms.

"It's good to have you back, guys." Said Ash.

"As nice as this reunion is, those Quagsire are still trapped!" cried Lucy. "We have to save them, fast!"

"I don't think so!" cried James. "Weezing, stop them!" Weezing materialized.

"Bulbasaur, I choose you!" cried Ash. Bulbasaur materialized.

"Chikorita, I choose you!" cried Lucy. Chikorita materialized.

"Hurry, Bulbasaur, Razor Leaf that net!" cried Ash.

"Chikorita, you use Razor Leaf too!" cried Lucy. The attacks cut the net off the bottom of the balloon, which allowed the Quagsire to escape. Then, some of the Quagsire launched a giant boulder at Team Rocket's balloon, which punched a hole in it and sent them flying once more."

"Looks like Team Rocket's blasting off again!" cried Team Rocket.

"Guess I can't be too mad at the Quagsire now." Said Ash. A glow was soon seen over yonder, which prompted the Quagsire to swim towards it.

"I wonder where all the Quagsire are going." Said Misty.

"Wherever they're going, they're going there together." Said Ash.

"They're all heading back upstream." Replied Brock.

"Come on! We have to find out where." Said Ash.

Poke Quiz Answer

"Trainers, earlier in the show, Lucy asked the following question." Said Ash. "Which one of Team Rocket's Pokemon has a gold charm on its forehead?"

"If you said Meowth, you're correct!" cried Lucy. "You definitely have what it takes to become a Pokemon master! Ash and I will have a new question next time!"

Back To Episode

The group soon followed the Quagsire convoy as it continued upstream until they reached their destination, Blue Moon Falls.

"Look! There they are!" cried Ash.

"Yeah, but…." Said Brock. The group looked up and saw the Blue Moon in the sky.

"I think we're at….." Said Lucy.

"Blue Moon Falls!" cried Misty.

"It's so pretty!" cried Lucy.

"Yeah, but why'd they bring the GS Ball?" wondered Ash.

"Watch. Maybe we'll find out." Replied Brock. One Quagsire launched a baseball at the falls with a Water Gun. The ball tried to reach the top, but it hit the falls as they went down. The rest of the Quagsire followed suit.

"I'm watching, but I don't quite get it." Said Ash.

"Maybe it's a competition to see who can get theirs closest to the moon." Brock theorized.

"Whatever it is, it's exciting." Said Misty. The Quagsire kept competing, which caused all sorts of sparkles.

"Wow, it's beautiful!" cried Misty.

"Magical, too!" cried Lucy.

"It looks like some kind of special, secret Quagsire ceremony!" cried Brock. Finally, the Quagsire that had the GS Ball got ready to try its luck.

"There's the GS Ball." Said Ash. The Quagsire launched the ball and got it higher than the waterfall, and almost to the moon.

"Look! The GS Ball went higher than the rest!" cried Ash. The Quagsire started to celebrate as the GS Ball came back down.

"It's getting away!" cried Lucy. The GS Ball started floating back upstream as the group pursued it.

"Hurry! We have to get the GS Ball back!" cried Ash.

"Maybe that fall is just bad luck!" cried Misty.

"Come back, GS Ball, come back!" cried Ash. The sun soon rose, and everyone in Cherrygrove City waited to see the round objects float upstream.

"Look! There they are!"

"They're back!"

"Here comes my globe!"

"Hey! That's mine!"

"Ah! My favorite ball!"

"My earrings are back!" cried a woman.

"Ah, welcome back, ball. Ready for another lucky year?" asked a chef.

"All right! A whole year of luck!"

"This year's going to be the best ever!"

"Please come back out this way once you've retrieved your belongings!" cried Jenny.

"Look! Here comes the last one!" The residents saw the GS Ball coming, but they didn't know that it belonged to the group.

"What is it?" said Jenny.

"Who does it belong to?"

"It's not mine."

"Who else could it be?" The residents heard Ash and looked back to see that his group was worn out from their pursuit.

"It's ours!" cried Ash and Lucy. "Please don't let it float away!" Jenny scooped the GS Ball out of the river as the group stopped and collapsed in exhaustion.

"Well, Ash, looks like you and Lucy are the lucky ones." She said.

"Yeah, the GS Ball came back." Said Ash.

"Not just that. You two are going to have the nest luck out of any of us this year." Said Jenny. "This Poke Ball was the last thing to float down the river. That means, of all the round objects to make their way down here, yours was the luckiest. That ball is going to be a good luck charm for both of you."

"The GS Ball's lucky?" asked Lucy. The residents applauded the pair's accomplishment.

"It's really us? We're going to be the luckiest ones of all?" cried Ash. "All right! This is great!"

"That means one of us is guaranteed to be the big winner in the Johto League, Ash!" cried Lucy. "How can we lose? We're not just unbeatable, we're lucky too!" Three of the Quagsire pointed their flippers at Ash, Lucy and Misty.

"Speaking of lucky, I think these Quagsire want to go with us." Said Misty.

"But I thought we weren't supposed to capture the Quagsire." Replied Lucy. "You told us that yourself yesterday, Officer Jenny."

"True, but I can sense that these Quagsire really want to join you on your journey, so I'll allow it this once." Said Jenny. Lucy held out a Poke Ball, Ash held out a Great Ball, and Misty held out a Friend Ball. The Quagsire jumped up to the respective Poke Balls and sucked themselves inside.

"As great as it is that we got new Pokemon, you two are now going to start thinking that you're unbeatable with how you were just talking a moment ago." Said Misty.

"Yeah, but sooner or later, they'll find out that there's more to winning a Pokemon League than just luck." Said Brock. Though they got off to a shaky start, our friends' encounter with Quagsire turned out to be a fortunate one after all. But now that the GS Ball has been safely returned, and a new Pokemon has been obtained, Ash and Lucy are more eager than ever to try their luck in the Johto League.

TO BE CONTINUED

Ash's Current Party: Pikachu, Bulbasaur, Charizard, Wartortle, Heracross (male), Chikorita

Lucy's Current Party: Eevee, Hoothoot, Pikachu, Blastoise, Chikorita, Cyndaquil

Egg: Togepi (Joint ownership with Misty)

Ash's Spare Pokemon at Oak's Lab: Spearow, Clefairy, Onix, Butterfree, Primeape, Muk, Scyther, Diglett, Voltorb, Rapidash, Kangaskhan, Tauros, Rhyhorn, Nidorino, Dratini, Dragonair Gyrados, Exeggutor, Kabuto, Kabutops, Ivysaur, Venusaur, Growlithe, Arbok, Weezing, Meowth, Magmar, Blastoise, Squirtle, Kingler, Aerodactyl, Machoke, Dodrio, Mr. Mime, Bulbasaurtwo, Charmandertwo, Squirtletwo, Venusaurtwo, Charizardtwo, Blastoisetwo, Vulpixtwo, Ninetalestwo, Hitmonleetwo, Hitmonchan, Gengar, Moltres, Fearow, Hypno, Chansey, Jolteon, Vileplume (Orange Island variant), Drowzee, Pink Nidoking, Dragonite, Haunter, Shellder, Butterfree (Orange Island variant), Beedrill, Venomoth, Farfetch'd, Magnemite, Magneton, Giant Rhydon, Persian, Slowking, Electabuzz, Pink Raichu, Pink Nidoran Male, Pink Nidoran Female, Golem, Snorlax, Tentacruel, Dugtrio, Electrode, Tauros, Lapras, Spinarak (shiny), Eevee (shiny), Quagsire

In Rotation: Scyther, Rapidash, Farfetch'd, Haunter, Dragonite, Nidoking

Lucy's Spare Pokemon at Oak's Lab: Beedrill, Cubone, Hitmonlee, Golbat, Dugtrio, Voltorb, Ponyta (shiny), Kangaskhan, Chansey, Tauros, Dragonair, Clefairy, Exeggcute, Jigglypuff, Kabuto, Aerodactyl, Machoke, Tangela, Gloom, Sandslash, Alakazam, Butterfree (Pink), Slowpoke, Wartortle, Crystal Onix, Pink Rhyhorn, Scyther, Pinsir, Farfetch'd, Magnemite, Grimer, Lugia, Pink Gyrados, Poliwhirl, Staryu, Charmander, Lapras, Tentacruel, Diglett, Electrode, Dewgong, Sentret, Ivysaur, Heracross (female), Hoppip, Arcanine, Spinarak, Misdreavus, Sunkern, Quagsire

In Rotation: Aerodactyl, Jigglypuff, Staryu, Dragonair, Pinsir, Blastoise

Misty's Pokemon: Oddish, Goldeen, Staryu, Vaporeon, Omanyte, Psyduck, Golduck, Togepi (joint ownership with Lucy), Horsea (at Cerulean gym), Starmie (at Cerulean gym), Poliwag, Lapras, Tentacruel, Voltorb, Quagsire

Brock's Pokemon: Geodude, Onix, Zubat, Vulpix, Aerodactyl, Butterfree (Orange Island variant), Donphan, Stantler

Jessie's Pokemon: Arbok, Lickitung, Giant Pidgeot, Pichu

James' Pokemon: Weezing, Victreebell, Vileplume

 

[MarkL1987]

Episode 135: The Whistle Stop

Today, we find our heroes more determined than ever to meet the challenges that await them on the road to the Johto League. But the real question is this: can they meet the challenges on the bridge?

A periscope popped up through a hole in the bridge, which indicated that someone was watching the group approach.

"Here they come." Said Meowth. "It's the twerp patrol, Pikachu, and Eevee, and they're headed this way."

"Little do they know that their travel plans are about to fall through." Said Jessie.

"Fall through indeed." Added James.

"This plan may be simple, but I think it's our best one ever." Replied Meowth.

"When those twerps get right overhead….." said Jessie.

"When they're in just the right position…." Added James.

"We pull the rope, the bottom drops out and they tumble into the cage." Replied Meowth. "Then we slip on the lid and we got 'em right where we want 'em."

"And that Pikachu and Eevee too!" cried Jessie. However, Team Rocket did their victory dance a little too early and put undue pressure on the middle section of the bridge, which caused it to crack.

"It's collapsing!" cried Jessie.

"So is our plan!" cried James.

"We usually don't wash out this early in the episode!" cried Meowth. The bridge finally gave, which sent Team Rocket into the raging river.

"Team Rocket's splashing off again!" cried Team Rocket.

"Hey, did you guys hear something?" said Ash.

"Maybe, but I SEE something in front of us." Replied Lucy. "Look at the bridge!"

"Well, that figures, doesn't it?" sighed Lucy. "How are we going to get across?"

"I guess we could keep walking along the river until we find another bridge." Replied Misty.

"But the map says the nearest one's ten miles away!" cried Brock.

"Ten miles!" cried Ash. "There has to be another way." Suddenly, out of the blue, a whistle was heard. The group looked back and saw a girl come floating in on a sling held up by six Pokemon that looked like ladybugs.

"Wait a second. What's that?" asked Lucy.

"Let's see what they are." Said Ash. He got out Dexter.

"Ledyba, the Five Star Pokemon. These naturally gentle bug types gather in groups during cold weather to keep warm." Brock looked through his binoculars at the girl on the sling.

"Girl traveling, with Ledyba, this natural beauty, short, boyish hairstyle, provides the ideal complement to her warm, feminine features…..this girl is obviously my type!" cried Brock.

"Here we go again." Sighed Misty.

"This is getting old." Replied Lucy.

"Hello?! Hello?!" cried Brock. The girl noticed.

"Yoo-hoo! Over here!" cried Brock.

"Begin your descent, decrease speed fifty percent, and prepare for immediate landing." Said the girl. She accompanied this with a short blast on her whistle and the Ledyba started moving down toward the group.

"Ledyba are bug type Pokemon, Misty." Ash pointed out. "How come you're not starting to bug out yet?"

"They're cute." Answered Misty. "The only thing bugging me right now is Brock."

"Obviously." Replied Lucy.

"This is like a miracle!" cried Brock. The girl landed and brock charged forward and grabbed her hands.

"Thank goodness that you've come to save us." Said Brock. "Why, you're like an angel out of the blue."

"Can I help you with something?" the girl asked.

"Yes, miss. We need to get across the water." Replied Ash.

"And Brock needs to get back to earth." Added Lucy.

"You floated down from the heavens to aid and comfort me in my desperate time of need." Cried Brock. He clutched the girl's hands in his own. "Fate brought us together, but no fate in heaven or on earth will ever tear us apart!" Misty quickly shoved Brock aside with her hand.

"We just need to get across the river." Said Misty.

"Well, I could fly you across with my Ledyba if you like." Said the girl.

"Really?! That'd be great!" cried Ash. "Thanks, uh….."

"Oh, my name's Arielle." The girl answered. "What are yours?" Ash shook her hand.

"Hi. My name's Ash." He said.

"Nice to meet you." Said Misty. "My name's Misty."

"I'm Ash's best friend and training partner." Said Lucy. "They call me Lucy."

"We'll take you over one at a time when you're ready." Said Arielle.

"We're ready when you are!" cried the group. They were soon taken across the river one by one.

"Pretty cool, huh, Pikachu?" said Ash.

"Isn't this neat, Eevee?" said Lucy.

"Descend." Ordered Arielle. With one toot of her whistle, the Ledyba descended, and soon, the entire group was across the river.

"That was really great." Said Ash.

"Thanks a lot, Arielle." Replied Lucy.

"Oh, no problem." Said Arielle. "We had to come here to do a little work in this apple orchard, anyway."

"Apple orchard? You mean, these are all apple trees?" asked Misty.

"The white flowers are beautiful, aren't they, Togepi?" said Lucy.

"I don't understand. Why did you have to come to this orchard?" asked Brock.

"Well, I….." said Arielle. Someone then came in on a tractor.

"Arielle! Good to see you, girl." Said a male voice. "You ready to go to work?"

"We're all set, Mr. Douglas." Replied Arielle. Mr. Douglas drove away.

"What are you going to do, Arielle?" asked Ash.

"Why don't you guys stay for a while and see for yourselves." Suggested Arielle. She soon prepared to do her job.

"Bet she uses the Ledyba." Said Ash.

"What would Ledyba have to do with the flowers?" inquired Misty.

"We'll soon find out." Answered Lucy. Arielle let some grass blow in the wind.

"Wind, southeast at one knot. Begin climbing at forty degrees." She said. "On the whistle….." The Ledyba were set for action, and with a blast of the whistle, they took off.

"Descend." Ordered Arielle. With another blow on the whistle, the Ledyba descended.

"Now climb." Said Arielle. With yet another blow of the whistle, the Ledyba gained altitude.

"Descend." Said Arielle. The Ledyba dropped in altitude, landing close enough for the flowers to be able to touch them.

"I see. The Ledyba are pollinating the orchard." Said Brock.

"Pollinating. So that's what they're doing." Said Ash.

"Oh, I get it." Replied Misty.

"Good, then maybe you can explain it to me." Said Ash. The group sweat dropped, Brock fell over in disbelief, and Lucy chuckled.

"To put it simply in the case of apple blossoms, the Ledyba transfer pollen from apple blossom to apple blossom, which allows the trees to produce fruit." Brock explained.

"Got it!" cried Ash. "Hey, that gives me an idea! Heracross, I choose you!" Heracross materialized.

"Fly into the orchard and give Ledyba some help." Said Ash. Heracross took off, but soon started snacking on the tree sap instead of helping the Ledyba, which made the group fall over in disbelief.

"Must be hungry." Said Ash. The group kept watching as Arielle made the Ledyba gain and lose altitude with the blow of her whistle.

"I can't believe how she can command all six of her Ledyba at the same time." Observed Brock.

"It's almost like she's an army drill sergeant." Said Misty. "Isn't she, Ash?" Ash nodded.

Yeah, and I'd join her platoon any day." Said Brock.

"At ease." Replied Misty and Lucy.

"Arielle, how'd you learn to control your Ledyba like that?" inquired Ash.

"Well, I've done a lot of training, of course, but the real key is this little whistle." Arielle answered. "The way I give the Ledyba all their different commands is by playing different notes with it."

"Amazing." Said Brock.

"I wish I had a whistle to deal with Psyduck." Replied Misty.

"You'd need more than a whistle just for Psyduck, Misty." Said Lucy.

"How about letting me give it a try." Offered Ash.

"I'd like to, but it's been passed down in my family for generations, so I'm not really allowed to let other people use it." Said Arielle.

"Too bad, but I can understand why." Said Ash.

"Sorry, Ash." Said Arielle. She then turned to the Ledyba. "All right, team, we still have work to do! Let's go!" As Arielle continued to command the Ledyba, Team Rocket watched from afar.

"This is like music to my ears!" cried Meowth. "If we can get our paws on that whistle, we'll be the ones to control those Ledyba."

"Those twerps will have to change their tune once we're the ones in charge." Replied Jessie.

"I like the sound of this plan." Said James.

"Okay, Ledyba! Time for a rest! Now!" cried Arielle. With one blow, the Ledyba landed to rest their wings, which was right as Team Rocket started their plan.

"Welcome, ladies and gentlemen." Said James. "Today on our show, a world renown expert will be here to appraise your antiques and appraise of their value."

"Now, kid, let's get down to business." Said Jessie. She leapt forward and yanked Arielle's whistle off her.

"That's my whistle!" cried Arielle.

"This is a very well made whistle." Said Jessie.

"And now for our expert's final answer." Replied James. "What do you say?"

"I give this whistle five stars!" Jessie happily cried.

"Bye, everybody! Thanks for watching!" cried Jessie and James.

"Wait a second!" cried Ash.

"Yeah! You can't take my whistle!" cried Arielle.

"Prepare for trouble, it's Team Rocket's whistle!"

"Make it double, that's rocket, not missile."

"To protect the world from devastation."

"To unite all peoples within our nation."

"To denounce the evils of truth and love."

"To extend our reach to the stars above."

"Jessie!"

"James!"

"Team Rocket, blast off at the speed of light!"

"Surrender now, or prepare to fight, fight, fight!"

"Meowth, that's right!"

"Not you again!" cried Ash.

"Give that whistle back!" cried Brock.

"Never! Never! Never!" cried Jessie.

"You can't blow the whistle on us this time!" cried James.

"We'll see about that!" cried Ash.

"The only place you'll be seeing us is in your dreams, twerpo!" cried Meowth.

"Bye!" cried James.

"His name is Ash, not twerpo! You idiots should know that!" cried Lucy. Jessie grabbed the whistle.

"Time for you to come with us, Ledyba." She said. She blew roughly on it, but the Ledyba just started at her and blinked in confusion.

"What's wrong with you?!" cried Jessie. She blew on the whistle again.

"Can't you hear this?" cried Jessie. She blew again, but nothing.

"Let's go!" Jessie ordered.

"The Ledyba won't obey you if you haven't done any training with them!" cried Arielle.

"That's right, you dummies!" cried Lucy. Jessie gave a shocking gasp.

"You mean we went to all this trouble, and we're not catching any Ledyba?!" she cried.

"Well, duh! Of course not!" cried Lucy.

"Even though we blew the whistle, I guess we blew it. Really, we did." Mumbled James.

"This is a big bug rip off!" growled Meowth.

"Don't you be telling us about rip offs! You're the thieves!" cried Ash.

"Yeah! Give Arielle back her whistle!" cried Brock.

"I'll give you twerps something, all right!" cried Jessie. "Lickitung, go!" Lickitung materialized.

"Lickitung, use Supersonic attack!" cried Jessie. The move hurt the group's ears.

"Use Tackle attack, now!" cried Arielle. But the Ledyba ignored her.

"Why aren't you listening?" she cried. "I said Tackle attack, now!"

"Oh no!" cried Lucy. "Lickitung's Supersonic has made the Ledyba all confused!"

"While those bugs are bogged down, I say we grab Eevee and Pikachu!" cried Meowth.

"Yeah!" cried Jessie and James.

"That's what you think!" cried Ash. "Pikachu, go!" Pikachu jumped into battle.

"Use Thunderbolt attack, now!" ordered Ash.

"You too, Little Pikachu!" cried Lucy. Pikachu and Little Pikachu both fried Team Rocket with Thunderbolt, but it ended up scaring the Ledyba away and they flew off in terror.

"Ledyba, where are you going?!" cried Arielle. "Come back!" As the Ledyba flew away, the Meowth balloon was punctured.

"Team Rocket's blasting off again!" cried Team Rocket.

"You got 'em, Pikachu!" cried Ash.

"So did you, Little Pikachu!" cried Lucy.

"But they got the whistle!" cried Misty.

"And look!" cried Brock. Misty, Lucy, Brock, Ash, Arielle, Pikachu, Eevee and Little Pikachu all saw the Ledyba fly away.

"Ledyba. LEDYBA!" shouted Arielle.

Poke Quiz Question

"All right, trainers, listen up because Lucy and I have a little Pokemon quiz for you." Said Ash.

"Trainers, which one of Eevee's different evolutions is a psychic type?" asked Lucy. "Ash and I will have the answer a little later, but for now, back to the show!"

Back To Episode

Arielle and the group headed to the forest to try and find the Ledyba.

"Ledyba!" the group called.

"Pika!" cried Pikachu and Little Pikachu. (Ledyba!)

"Vee!" cried Eevee. (Ledyba!)

"Where are you?!" cried Arielle.

"We're sorry." Said Ash. "We didn't know our Pikachu's Thunderbolt attacks would scare all your Ledyba away."

"Thanks, Ash, but it wasn't yours and Lucy's fault." Replied Arielle. "You had no choice. You had to do something to stop Team Rocket."

"I'll find your Ledyba, Arielle!" cried Brock. "Go, Zubat!" His Zubat materialized.

"Why Zubat?" inquired Ash.

"Ledyba and Zubat both use Supersonic waves." Replied Brock.

"So does Lickitung." Added Lucy.

"That's right, Lucy." Said Brock. "If the waves synch up, then we should be able to track them down."

"Good idea!" cried Misty.

"Let's see if it works." Said Ash.

"Zubat, use your Supersonic and bring back those Ledyba!" cried Brock. Zubat flew into the forest, but soon returned after having found something.

"Wow! Sounds like Zubat found them already!" cried Brock. But instead of a swarm of Ledyba, Zubat had found a flock of Golbat, which zoomed and swooped around the terrified group.

"It's a whole bunch of Golbat!" cried Ash. He tried capturing one, but the Golbat swatted the ball back with its wing.

"No good! There's too many of them!" he cried.

"And I don't think they like strange Zubat invading their territory!" cried Lucy.

"Zubat, return now!" cried Brock. Zubat was recalled and the Golbat returned to where they were roosting.

"Brock!" Misty screamed angrily. "That Supersonic idea was super stupid!"

"It was also very reckless!" cried Lucy. "You're lucky we didn't end up as lunch for them, because they can drink ten ounces in one sitting!"

"I was only trying to help out, guys, but I guess I went a little too batty." Brock said sheepishly. Lucy just rolled her eyes at him.

"No…. you think?!" she cried sarcastically. "Either way, not cool!"

"All my Ledyba love the smell of flowers, so, maybe they flew off to a garden somewhere." Arielle theorized.

"Flowers, huh? And they love the smell." Replied Ash. "Let's see. If we could just figure out some….. I know! Heracross, I choose you!" Heracross materialized.

"I don't know about this." Said Misty.

"It'll be fine this time." Assured Ash. "Heracross, use that sniffer to take us to the nearest place that smells like flowers!" Heracross soon got a scent.

"See, what'd I tell ya?" said Ash. But Heracross ended up leading them to a tree with sap leaking from it, which showed that it was following the scent of food rather than flowers, which made Ash stumble in disbelief.

"I guess Ash isn't the only sucker around here." said Misty. She promptly got slapped by Lucy. "Ow! What'd I do?!"

"You behave, Misty!" cried Lucy. "This isn't the time to be making sassy comments about Ash!"

Meanwhile, in a field of flowers…

"Ahhh…..skies as blue as sapphires, clouds as white as marshmallows, we could be sailing sweetly through them on soft, summer breezes." Sighed Jessie. "But instead, we're stuck on the ground sewing this dumb balloon!"

"How about a little less yapping and a little more sewing?" said Meowth. As Jessie's emotions changed, the beautiful field of flowers disappeared to show Team Rocket sewing up the remnants of their balloon in the middle of a green, but otherwise, barren field. Pichu had come out of its Poke Ball to help with the repairs.

"That's right." Mumbled James.

"Now I remember why this whistle reminds me of you two!" growled Jessie. "It's completely useless!" She threw the whistle away.

"Don't throw it away." Said Meowth. He scooped the whistle back up.

"Maybe it didn't work because you weren't playing it the right way, Jessie." Said Meowth. Jessie growled at him.

"Well I'd like to see you do any better!" she cried.

"Don't mind if I do." Said Meowth. He started to blow uselessly int the whistle, which made it emit a light breathing noise. The noise sent Jessie into cruel and heartless laughter.

"Looks like you're working yourself into a huff." She said. "Arbok." Arbok materialized.

"Make yourself useful and go find us something to eat." Ordered Jessie. Suddenly, behind her while Meowth blew on the whistle, Arbok danced and swayed to the music.

"Hey! Arbok is moving and grooving to the whistle!" cried Meowth. He kept making Arbok dance, to the shock of Jessie and James.

"You're right!" cried Jessie.

"Oh my!" responded James.

"I always thought I was a real charmer, and I was right!" Meowth laughed. He hugged the whistle. James looked behind him and saw something.

"Hey, look! Over there!" he cried. What he spotted was the Ledyba all fast asleep.

"It's all of them Ledyba!" cried Meowth.

"Now we can capture them the old fashioned way!" Jessie shouted.

"Jessie, let me handle this one, will ya?" said Meowth. James and Jessie were left puzzled.

"Okay, Arbok, dive underground and round up all the Ledyba, pronto!" cried Meowth.

"You don't really expect Arbok to listen to you, do you?" inquired Jessie. With a single blow of the whistle, Arbok followed Meowth's commands, much to Jessie and James' shock. The Ledyba soon felt the tremors from Arbok tunneling underground and were taken by surprise when the mighty cobra Pokemon surfaced, which allowed Meowth to toss a net on them.

"I'm a pretty good trainer, aren't I?" he laughed.

"I'm not sure I like this idea." Said James. Meowth soon had all six Ledyba tied to ropes to keep them from escaping.

"There, that should keep you under control." He said. The Ledyba soon took off and took Meowth with them as Jessie and James grabbed onto him to try and keep him from flying away. It did no good, however, as they all went airborne.

"Wait!" cried Jessie.

"This is better than our balloon!" cried Meowth.

"Just as long as you don't let go of that rope!" James whined.

"Now that we've got the Ledyba, let's grab Pikachu and Eevee!" cried Jessie. "Ready, go! Oh sorry, Ledy, go!" But the Ledyba didn't listen.

"Hey! Quit stalling!" cried Meowth.

"Let's move it!" cried James.

"Time to take us to the twerps." Added Jessie. The Ledyba suddenly dropped what looked like Stun Spore onto Team Rocket.

"Ahhh! My eyes!" cried Jessie.

"Ahhh! What's this orange stuff!" cried James.

"I've heard of seeing red, but not orange!" cried Meowth. Team Rocket flew away with Arbok slithering after them.

Meanwhile, Arielle, Ash, Misty, Brock and Lucy were still searching for the Ledyba.

"Hey, Ledyba!" cried Brock.

"Where are you?!" cried Ash.

"Ledyba!" cried Misty.

"Don't worry, Arielle, we'll find them." Assured Lucy.

"Yes, but even if we do find them, I have a feeling that they're all going to stop listening to me." Said Arielle.

"That's not going to happen, Arielle." Assured Misty.

"It's already happened once." Said Arielle. "Without that whistle, they'll never listen to a word I say."

"Of course they will." Said Brock. "They just got confused by Lickitung's Supersonic."

"I hope you're right." Said Arielle. She began to tear up. "Because I can't imagine what I'd do if my Ledyba don't come back to me. I can't even think about life without my beautiful Ledyba." She started crying.

"Listen, Arielle. Who raised those Ledyba and trained them and took care of them when they got sick?" asked Ash.

"Me. I've done that ever since they were little tiny babies." Arielle answered.

"That's right!" cried Lucy. "That's what's important, Arielle. What's in their hearts. The whistle doesn't matter."

"Well, maybe….." said Arielle.

"I know it. When we find them, it'll be just like it was. You'll see." Assured Ash.

"Vee!" cried Eevee. (And how!)

"Thanks Ash, Lucy." Said Arielle. "You're both probably right." Arielle suddenly caught a familiar smell.

"Do you smell what I do?" she asked.

"What?" said Brock. The group took a whiff, but they didn't smell a thing.

"I don't smell anything." Said Misty.

"It's a very feint smell the Ledyba give off when they're in danger." Said Arielle.

"That must mean they're somewhere nearby." Replied Brock. They soon found the orange dust.

"What's this weird fog?" questioned Ash.

"I knew it!" cried Arielle. "The Ledyba must've been in some kind of trouble here!"

"Look there!" cried Misty. She spotted the dust on the ground. It had formed a trail.

"I bet this trail will lead us right to the Ledyba!" cried Lucy.

"Ledyba!" called Arielle. The Ledyba were dragging Team Rocket along the ground until Arbok coiled around a tree and wrapped its tail around the ropes to prevent the Ledyba from flying away.

"Arbok! You're brilliant!" Jessie cried happily.

"Nice work, Arbok." Said James. Arielle spotted the Ledyba first, followed by Ash's group.

"It's Team Rocket!" cried Brock.

"Huh?" said Team Rocket.

"Okay, hold it right there!" cried Ash.

"What are you doing with my Ledyba?!" cried Arielle. "Let them go!"

"Buzz off, you!" cried Meowth.

"Ledyba!" cried Arielle. James whipped a bazooka out and blasted a net over the group and Arielle, thus pinning them to the ground.

"Gotcha!" laughed James.

"Let us out of here!" cried Lucy.

"Now hand over your Pikachu and Eevee!" demanded Jessie.

"We would never give them to you!" cried Ash.

"Well then, we'll just have to take them from you!" cried Meowth.

"Fat chance!" cried Lucy.

"Lickitung, go!" cried Jessie.

"Victreebell too!" cried James. The two Pokemon materialized, but Victreebell tried to eat James once again.

"Do whatever you have to do to get Eevee and Pikachu!" cried Jessie. The two Pokemon charged forward while Arielle looked at her Ledyba.

"Will they listen to me? Even without the whistle?" Arielle wondered. "I guess there's only one way to find out. Ledyba!"

"Nice try!" laughed Meowth.

"Keep it up, Arielle!" cried Lucy. "Your Ledyba are listening to you!"

"All right, Lickitung, use your Stomp attack!" cried Jessie.

"Use your Tackle attack, Victreebell!" cried James. The Pokemon pounded away at the net that the group was trapped in.

"Ledyba!" cried Arielle. The Ledyba struggled to get loose, which made Arbok lose some of its grip.

"Help me!" cried Arielle. The Ledyba finally got loose and dragged Arbok along. Pichu hitched a ride on one of the Ledyba, much to Jessie's annoyance.

"You come back here, Pichu!" cried Jessie.

"Ledyba!" cried Arielle. The Ledyba sent Arbok right into Lickitung and Victreebell.

"Great work, Ledyba!" cried Arielle. "Now, let's take care of Team Rocket!" While the Ledyba gave chase, Ash and Lucy grabbed a Poke Ball.

"Now to get out of this." Said Ash. "Bulbasaur, I choose you!"

"Let's rock, Chikorita!" cried Lucy. Bulbasaur and Chikorita both materialized.

"Bulbasaur, use your Razor Leaf to get us out of here!" cried Ash.

"You too, Chikorita!" cried Lucy. The attacks landed and the net was quickly cut.

"Victreebell, use your Razor Leaf attack too!" cried James. The attack headed right for the Ledyba.

"Climb at seventy degrees!" ordered Arielle. The Ledyba gained altitude and the attack hit the rope, only for another attack to come their way.

"Look out, Ledyba! Descend at eighty degrees!" cried Arielle. The Ledyba lost their altitude and dodged the attack.

"Like a well-oiled machine." Said Lucy.

"Don't just stand there, Lickitung, attack with Supersonic!" cried Jessie. Lickitung charged.

"That won't work this time!" cried Ash. "Pikachu, use Thunderbolt, now!"

"Eevee, use your Take Down attack!" cried Lucy. The attacks landed, which sent Lickitung right back at Team Rocket.

"Okay, Ledyba, descend at sixty degrees then climb at thirty degrees for a full speed Tackle attack!" cried Arielle. The attack landed and Team Rocket went flying.

"Looks like Team Rocket's buzzing off again!" cried Team Rocket. Brock caught the whistle that fell as Team Rocket flew off, while Arielle hugged all her Ledyba. She was delighted to have them back.

"Ledyba, thank you all." Said Arielle. "I'm so glad you're back."

"You're a great trainer, Arielle." Said Misty.

"It just goes to show you that if you always treat your Pokemon with care, they'll always care about you too." Said Brock.

"Yeah." Replied Ash.

"Pika!" cried Pikachu. (Absolutely!)

Poke Quiz Answer

"Trainers, earlier in the show, Lucy asked the following question." Said Ash. "Which one of Eevee's different evolutions is psychic type?"

"If you said Espeon, you're correct!" cried Lucy. "You definitely have what it takes to become a Pokemon master!" Ash and I will have a new question next time!"

Back To Episode

Later that evening…..

"Ready to give it a try, Ledyba?" asked Arielle. The Ledyba agreed.

"I'm counting on you. Ready?" said Arielle. With one toot, the Ledyba took off.

"Descend." Said Arielle. The Ledyba landed near the apple blossoms, but without a toot from the whistle.

"Okay, keep going." Said Arielle.

"Wow, it doesn't seem to matter if you use your whistle or not." Said Brock.

"From now on, I'm going to try to use the whistle less and less, every day." Arielle responded.

"Great! And I have a feeling you'll be a lot happier that way." Said Ash.

"Yeah! We're happier already!" cried Arielle.

"Well, we have to get going, Arielle." Said Lucy.

"Thanks so much, guys, and take care!" cried Arielle. The group departed and bid farewell to Arielle and her Ledyba. But shortly after they had left, they found another swarm hovering around them.

"Hey, you don't suppose Arielle's Ledyba followed us, do you?" asked Lucy.

"Nah, these ones are wild." Said Brock.

"Well then…." Said Ash. He and Lucy each caught two of the Ledyba for themselves. And surprisingly, Misty also caught one.

"But I thought you didn't like bug Pokemon, Misty." Said Lucy.

"I don't but I think the Ledyba are pretty cute." Misty responded. Today, our friends were reminded that there are many ways for humans and Pokemon to communicate. And that the most important way is with their hearts. And so, they continue on their journey to Violet City, and the Johto League.

TO BE CONTINUED

Ash's Current Party: Pikachu, Bulbasaur, Charizard, Wartortle, Heracross (male), Chikorita

Lucy's Current Party: Eevee, Hoothoot, Pikachu, Blastoise, Chikorita, Cyndaquil

Egg: Togepi (Joint ownership with Misty)

Ash's Spare Pokemon at Oak's Lab: Spearow, Clefairy, Onix, Butterfree, Primeape, Muk, Scyther, Diglett, Voltorb, Rapidash, Kangaskhan, Tauros, Rhyhorn, Nidorino, Dratini, Dragonair Gyrados, Exeggutor, Kabuto, Kabutops, Ivysaur, Venusaur, Growlithe, Arbok, Weezing, Meowth, Magmar, Blastoise, Squirtle, Kingler, Aerodactyl, Machoke, Dodrio, Mr. Mime, Bulbasaurtwo, Charmandertwo, Squirtletwo, Venusaurtwo, Charizardtwo, Blastoisetwo, Vulpixtwo, Ninetalestwo, Hitmonleetwo, Hitmonchan, Gengar, Moltres, Fearow, Hypno, Chansey, Jolteon, Vileplume (Orange Island variant), Drowzee, Pink Nidoking, Dragonite, Haunter, Shellder, Butterfree (Orange Island variant), Beedrill, Venomoth, Farfetch'd, Magnemite, Magneton, Giant Rhydon, Persian, Slowking, Electabuzz, Pink Raichu, Pink Nidoran Male, Pink Nidoran Female, Golem, Snorlax, Tentacruel, Dugtrio, Electrode, Tauros, Lapras, Spinarak (shiny), Eevee (shiny), Quagsire, Ledyba (two)

In Rotation: Scyther, Rapidash, Farfetch'd, Haunter, Dragonite, Nidoking

Lucy's Spare Pokemon at Oak's Lab: Beedrill, Cubone, Hitmonlee, Golbat, Dugtrio, Voltorb, Ponyta (shiny), Kangaskhan, Chansey, Tauros, Dragonair, Clefairy, Exeggcute, Jigglypuff, Kabuto, Aerodactyl, Machoke, Tangela, Gloom, Sandslash, Alakazam, Butterfree (Pink), Slowpoke, Wartortle, Crystal Onix, Pink Rhyhorn, Scyther, Pinsir, Farfetch'd, Magnemite, Grimer, Lugia, Pink Gyrados, Poliwhirl, Staryu, Charmander, Lapras, Tentacruel, Diglett, Electrode, Dewgong, Sentret, Ivysaur, Heracross (female), Hoppip, Arcanine, Spinarak, Misdreavus, Sunkern, Quagsire, Ledyba (two)

In Rotation: Aerodactyl, Jigglypuff, Staryu, Dragonair, Pinsir, Blastoise

Misty's Pokemon: Oddish, Goldeen, Staryu, Vaporeon, Omanyte, Psyduck, Golduck, Togepi (joint ownership with Lucy), Horsea (at Cerulean gym), Starmie (at Cerulean gym), Poliwag, Lapras, Tentacruel, Voltorb, Quagsire, Ledyba

Brock's Pokemon: Geodude, Onix, Zubat, Vulpix, Aerodactyl, Butterfree (Orange Island variant), Donphan, Stantler

Jessie's Pokemon: Arbok, Lickitung, Giant Pidgeot, Pichu

James' Pokemon: Weezing, Victreebell, Vileplume

 

[MarkL1987]

Episode 136: Ignorance Is Blissey

It's a beautiful moonlit night, and our heroes find themselves in a lovely little place called Happy Town. Lucky for them, they could use some cheering up.

"My feet are killing me." Groaned Brock.

"So are mine." Said Ash.

"I'm starving." Moaned Lucy.

"I'm both hungry and tired." Complained Misty.

"I don't know about you guys, but if we don't find a place to stop pretty soon, I'm going to collapse." Said Brock. The group soon came across the Pokemon Center.

"Guys, look at this!" cried Ash. "It's a Pokemon Center!"

"They'll have plenty of food and soft beds!" cried Lucy.

"And nice hot showers, too!" cried Misty. But they quickly found that the doors were locked.

"I hate to tell you this, but I think it's closed." Said Ash.

"Closed?" questioned Brock.

"No way!" cried Misty.

"It can't be closed." Said Lucy. "I see some lights on, which means somebody HAS to be in there." Ash knocked on the door.

"Hello in there!" he cried. "Anybody home?" There was no answer, so he tried knocking again.

"Hey, Nurse Joy!" cried Ash. "Sure is funny, I wonder where she is. Anybody….." The door suddenly opened and hit Ash right in the face. It was revealed that a Pokemon had answered the door.

"Blissey." (Oh my)

"Are you all right, Ash?" asked Lucy.

"Oh, my head." Groaned Ash.

"Blissey, Blissey." Said Blissey. (I'm so sorry)

"Well, that's okay." Replied Ash. "Misty and Lucy are always telling me that I have a thick skull." The Blissey started moving around happily.

"It sort of looks like a Chansey." Remarked Misty.

"Yeah, but it definitely isn't one." Said Brock. Lucy got out her Pokedex.

"Blissey, the Happiness Pokemon. It is kindhearted and loves helping people. Blissey is the evolved form of Chansey."

"Ah, I should've guessed that you were evolved from Chansey." Said Brock. "The resemblance is striking. This hairdo is a very interesting choice."

"I didn't think Chansey even had an evolved form." Said Lucy. Ash's stomach growled.

"My stomach's reminding me that it's empty." He said. Lucy's stomach then growled.

"Mine too." She said. Blissey was more than happy to help and led the group into the Pokemon Center cafeteria.

"Hey, where are you taking us?" questioned Ash.

"Judging by the room we're in, I'd say that Blissey's leading us to food." Answered Lucy. Blissey headed into the kitchen.

"I wonder what Blissey's doing." Said Ash.

"Yeah." Replied Misty.

"She's probably getting us something to eat." Added Lucy.

"Whatever she's doing, it sure sounds happy." Said Ash.

"Pika." Said Pikachu. (I'll say)

"It almost looks like….." said Brock. The group was surprised when Blissey returned with trays of food for them.

"Look! Blissey made a ton of food for us!" cried Ash.

"It's just as I suspected." Said Brock.

"Let's stop talking and start eating." Said Misty.

"Vee." Agreed Eevee. (Good idea) Blissey happily hopped toward the four heroes.

"Take it easy there, Blissey." Said Ash.

"You can't get too carried away when you're carrying trays." Said Brock. Blissey kept approaching the gang, which prompted them to evade.

"Come on, Blissey, if you don't slow down, all that food is going to….." said Ash. He suddenly tripped, and Lucy followed right after. Blissey then accidentally spilled food all over the two best friends.

"Ash! Lucy! Are you both all right?" cried Misty.

"What a mess!" cried Brock. "Ash, you and Lucy better get yourselves cleaned up right away." Blissey started shoving Ash and Lucy towards the bathroom to wash up.

"Don't worry about it, Blissey." Said Ash. "It was an accident."

"We know you were just trying to help." Said Lucy. "We'll eat after we both get washed up."

"Blissey!" cried Blissey. (I insist on helping!)

"I think we can do this ourselves." Said Lucy. She and Ash both got cleaned up on their own accord. Blissey then offered to help again.

"Oh, sure, Blissey, it'd be great if you could wash my back." Said Ash.

"That might be fine and dandy for you, Ash, but I can wash my own back." Replied Lucy.

"It's been a while. I could use a good scrub." Said Ash. Blissey moved up behind Ash and whipped out a scouring broom.

"Don't tell me that's a scouring broom." Said Lucy.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!" screamed Ash. He was soon lying on his stomach with massive scrapes and burns running down his back.

"That's REALLY gotta hurt." Said Lucy.

"That back is really scrubbed." Said Misty.

"Blissey. Blissey. Blissey." Said Blissey. (Forgive me, I'm so sorry)

"I think Blissey's trying to tell you that it's sorry." Said Brock.

"Don't worry about it, Blissey. I know you didn't do it on purpose." Said Ash. "Do you have something you can put on it?" Blissey then approached with a cotton ball that was dripping with something.

"Wait a minute, is that RUBBING ALCOHOL?!" cried Lucy. "Now it's going to hurt AND burn." Once the alcohol soaked cotton ball hit the scratches, Ash screamed in pain once again.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" he yelled.

Elsewhere in the center, Nurse Joy walked tiredly down the corridor dressed in her pajamas, jacket and slippers. She pulled her earplugs out of her ears.

"I'll have to ask Blissey if anything happened while I was asleep." Said Joy. "Oh Blissey….." She opened the door, but was cut off as Ash, who was wrapped in full body bandages, turned around to stare at her with his dead eyes, which prompted her to scream.

"I can't tell you how sorry I am for all the trouble that my Blissey has caused you, Ash." Said Joy. "I just hope you can understand that Blissey only wants to help."

"Well, you think Blissey could help a little less?" suggested Ash.

"Yeah." Said Misty.

"Blissey's probably new to the job, Ash, so I think everything that happened to you were all just simple accidents." Said Lucy.

"I know how you must feel, but Blissey's heart is always in the right place." Said Joy.

"I'm a hundred percent on your side, Nurse Joy!" cried Brock. "I say if Blissey's heart is in the right place, who cares where anything else is?!"

"Huh?" said Joy.

"And speaking of hearts being in the right place, I think you should know that my heart is in your hand!" cried Brock.

"Your heart may be in her hand, but your ear is in mine!" cried Misty.

"And mine!" cried Lucy. Ash and Joy shared a nervous little laugh.

"Anyway, I just want you to know that Blissey always tries very hard to be the best nurse it can be." Said Joy. "Isn't that right?" Blissey agreed.

"Now, Lucy, is it?" Joy continued. "I recently spoke to my sister at the Pokemon Center near the snowy mountains. She told me that you sprained your ankle, right?"

"Yes." Answered Lucy. "Ash and I were trying to rescue a Chikorita from Team Rocket when that happened."

"How's your ankle doing now, Lucy?" asked Joy.

"Better than before, but I still can't walk on it yet." Lucy answered. Togepi, Pikachu and Eevee were soon lying in bed together.

"Some night." Ash grumbled. "Lucy and I didn't do anything wrong, yet we still got sent to bed without any dinner."

"Will you quit complaining, Ash?!" cried Misty. "Brock and I are just as hungry as you two are!"

"That's right!" replied Brock. "So stop grumbling and go to sleep, will ya?!"

"Tell that to our stomachs." Said Lucy.

Meanwhile, some familiar characters were lurking around outside.

"We've got to eat something soon." Said Jessie. Even her little Pichu was hungry.

"Pi Pichu." Groaned Pichu. (I want food now!)

"I can't even remember what food tastes like." Sighed James.

"There's got to be some place with chow nearby." Said Meowth.

"I know!" cried James. "Why don't we sneak into the local Pokemon Center and pick up some Pokemon food to go for the boss? And while we're at it, we can pick up dinner to go for the three of us."

"JAMES! THAT'S A GREAT IDEA!" cried Jessie.

"LET'S DO IT!" cried Meowth. Team Rocket soon snuck in through the floor into the Pokemon Center cafeteria. However, they didn't find anything.

"Nothing. They didn't even leave us one crumby crumb." Sighed James.

"We've been cheated! There aren't any leftovers left over!" cried Jessie.

"Hey, look what I got me!" cried Meowth. "This parsnip gave 'em the slip!" Jessie snatched it and she and James prepared to cut it up into pieces for the three of them to share.

"We'll divide it into three equal pieces." Said Jessie.

"That seems fair." Said James.

"Pichu!?" cried Pichu. (What about me?!)

"Make that four pieces." Said Jessie. Meowth snatched it back.

"Meowth!" cried Jessie.

"What's the big idea?!" cried James.

"Sorry guys, but it's finders eaters, losers weepers." Said Meowth. He ran off with the parsnip. Pichu followed directly behind him.

"You get back here!" cried Jessie. She shoved James aside. The noise woke Eevee up.

"Vee?" asked Eevee. (Huh?)

"What is it, Eevee?" said Lucy. "Do you hear something?"

Meanwhile, Jessie came to a stop in the hallway, unable to find Meowth or Pichu.

"Now where did those two run off to?" she wondered. She soon heard footsteps from the hallway on her left. Pichu was wandering around on its own trying to find its way back to Jessie, and in the midst of searching, it found Blissey.

"PI?" said Pichu. (Can you help me?)

Back to Jessie…..

"You're not going to get away from me, you selfish little….." she said. But the footsteps she saw were that of Blissey's. Pichu happened to be right beside her.

"Oh no." said Jessie. She quickly scooped up Pichu and started to run away, but Blissey pursued her and caught her.

"Hey, you! Get off me! Let me go!" cried Jessie. Blissey happily jumped up and down.

"Why are you so happy?" asked Jessie. She then noticed the necklace that Blissey was wearing around her neck, which made Jessie realize that she had met this particular Blissey previously.

"It's been a long time." Said Jessie. "I always hoped I would run into my old friend." She got out what looked like half of the necklace that had been broken off. "Remember?" Team Rocket soon sat down in the cafeteria as Jessie caught up with Blissey.

"Well, you finally made you dream come true, didn't you?" Jessie asked Blissey.

"Jessie, you two actually know each other?" inquired James.

"As friends?" added Meowth.

"A long time ago, I was a simple yet exceedingly beautiful little girl with a dream." Said Jessie. She started having a flashback.

Flashback

"I'm afraid becoming a Pokemon nurse will be extremely hard for you. We can't accept your application." Jessie then spotted something on the desk.

"Pokemon Nurse School?" she inquired. "I can learn to become a Pokemon nurse here."

"Miss, that's no place for you." The young Jessie simply laughed.

"Don't worry, I can fit in anywhere." She said. Jessie soon reached the Pokemon nurse school; however, her classmates were all Chansey.

"With lots of hard work and proper study habits, I'm sure each and every one of you will become a competent Pokemon nurse." Said the teacher. Jessie started her lessons, which included a little of everything, including bandaging up injured body parts.

"Remember, you must always wrap a patient's bandages firmly, yet gently." Said the teacher. Jessie finished wrapping her bandage.

"That's not so hard." She said. She then noticed that one of the Chansey was struggling.

"I'd be glad to give you a few pointers." Said Jessie. She did just that and helped the Chansey out.

"There. Nice and neat." Said Jessie. "Take your time, and keep them tight, but not too tight. You can do it." Jessie walked away.

Later, at lunch, the Chansey from before decided to sit with Jessie.

"That's very nice of you." Said jessie. "Why don't you join me?" But as Chansey happily jumped for joy, it accidentally spilled its drink on Jessie.

"Even though you paid for it, looks like this lunch is on me." Sighed Jessie.

Later in the library, Jessie helped Chansey out with its studying.

"It's better if you do it with the book right side up." Said Jessie. She turned the book the correct way.

Later, another lesson was underway.

"Whenever a patient is restless, use your Sing technique to put them to sleep." The teacher instructed. Jessie promptly fell asleep.

"One doesn't become a nurse by sleeping in class, miss Jessie." The teacher scolded.

"I know, ma'am, I'm awfully sorry." Apologized Jessie.

Later on, in Jessie's dorm room…..

"What does she expect from me?" cried Jessie. "It's not my fault I'm not a Chansey!" The Chansey tried to comfort Jessie, but she responded in anger.

"I don't need you to comfort me!" she cried. She quickly realized that what she had said and done was wrong.

"Sorry. You're the only one in this whole school who actually cares about me." Apologized Jessie. "I guess it's time I faced up to the facts, there's no way I'll ever become a Pokemon nurse."

Poke Quiz Question

"All right, trainers, listen up because Lucy and I have a little Pokemon quiz for you." Said Ash.

"Trainers, of Ivysaur, Weepinbell or Tangela, which of these grass types needs a Leaf Stone to evolve." asked Lucy. "Ash and I will have the answer a little later, but for now, back to the show!"

Back To Episode

Sometime later, a graduation ceremony was held for the students. One certain Chansey, the one that had become Jessie's only friend, received a necklace to go with her cap during the graduation ceremony while Jessie left without anyone noticing. The same Chansey flagged Jessie down.

"Chansey?" said Jessie. The Chansey handed over her cap.

"You want me to have your cap?" said Jessie. The Chansey confirmed.

"That's very nice of you, Chansey, and I'll always remember you for it, but no." said Jessie. "You deserve it." The Chansey then broke the necklace in half and gave the bottom half to Jessie.

"Chansey. Thanks so much." Cried Jessie. "Now I'll always have a little part of you with me, and you'll have a little part of me with you." Jessie got up to leave.

"Goodbye." She said.

End Flashback

"I always knew that someday, you'd evolve into a Blissey and become the kind of Pokemon nurse I always wanted to be." Said Jessie.

"I have to admit, I'm very touched." Said James.

"And he doesn't mean in the head." Replied Meowth. Team Rocket's stomachs soon growled again, which prompted Blissey to lead Team Rocket somewhere else in the center.

"Where are we going, Blissey? What's the big rush?" asked Jessie. What they didn't know was that Lucy and Eevee had spotted them.

"Those idiots broke into the Pokemon Center to steal the food supply!" cried Lucy. "We have to warn the others!"

Meanwhile, Blissey had led Team Rocket to the food pantry.

"Tell me I'm not dreaming." Said Jessie.

"There's enough food here to give a Snorlax indigestion!" cried James. Blissey started stacking up boxes of food before Team Rocket.

"You aren't by any chance giving these boxes of food to us, are you?" asked Jessie. Blissey nodded, and Team Rocket later hauled the boxes away.

"We'll never have to worry about food rationing again!" cried Meowth.

"That's right, Meowth. Now we can be completely irrational." Said James.

"I don't know, it seems like an awful lot for only the four of us to eat." Said Jessie.

"Don't worry, I've got nine lives." Said Meowth. "And a stomach for each one."

"Ooh! That's funny!" cried James.

The next morning, the group was shocked by what they found.

"THIS IS ALL THERE IS FOR BREAKFAST?!" cried Ash.

"No way!" cried Misty.

"What's wrong?" asked Joy.

"Nurse Joy, I think Blissey's trying to tell us that this is the only thing left to eat in the whole center." Said Ash.

"Blissey, what about the food pantry?" asked Joy. Blissey looked somewhat ashamed, which Lucy noticed.

"Blissey, is there something that you're not telling us?" she asked. Blissey led them to the now empty pantry.

"I don't believe it!" cried Joy. "This pantry was full just yesterday."

"Somebody must've stolen something." Said Ash.

"And I think I know who it is." Added Lucy.

"Better yet, Lucy, let's go to security." Said Joy. "Maybe the camera can tell us who." They headed to the camera room of the Pokemon Center and checked the video footage from the pantry from the night before. They were in complete shock by what they saw."

"Looks like our thief is Blissey." Said Joy. "I can't believe you were behind this, Blissey. What did you do with all of that food?" Blissey didn't respond right away.

"Blissey, if you tell me where the food is, maybe I can keep you out of trouble." Said Joy. "Blissey, listen to me. This could end your career as a Pokemon nurse."

Outside, Team Rocket watched the interrogation from their balloon.

"Poor Blissey." Sighed Jessie. "I knew we shouldn't have taken all this food. I wish there was some way to help."

"Why don't we just bring the chow back?" suggested Meowth.

"Because that wouldn't explain why Blissey gave the food to us in the first place." Said Jessie.

"Why don't we pretend that we tricked Blissey into giving us this food?" said James.

"Another great idea!" cried Meowth.

"That's two in a row, but are you sure you don't mind helping?" said Jessie.

"Of course not." Answered James. "One of your very few friends is in trouble."

"We'll convince the twerps that we pulled it off, and enhance our criminal reputation." Said Meowth. The net soon landed on the ground as Team Rocket put their plan into action.

"Oh look, Jessie, we dropped all the food we stole from the Pokemon Center!" James yelled through a megaphone. The group heard and rushed out.

"What did you say?!" cried Joy. "What's going on here?!"

"Prepare for trouble, you little nurse!"

"You make it double, we'll make it worse!"

"To protect the world from devastation!"

"To unite all peoples within our nation!"

"To denounce the evils of truth and love!"

"To extend our reach to the stars above!"

"Jessie!"

"James!"

"Team Rocket, blast off at the speed of light!"

"Surrender now, or prepare to fight!"

"Meowth, that's right!"

"You again!" cried Ash.

"They must be the ones who made Blissey steal all the food!" cried Joy.

"Well, James, it seems like they figured everything out." Said Jessie.

"That Blissey thinks it was pretty smart, but we tricked her into stealing for us anyway!" cried James.

"A devilishly clever plan which we will not reveal fooled the innocent Blissey." Replied Meowth. Joy gasped.

"So THAT'S how it happened!" she cried.

"You caused a lot of trouble around here when you took that food!" cried Ash.

"Give it back or else!" added Lucy. Misty was creeped out but also surprised.

"Those two don't usually get this angry." She said.

"They usually don't get this hungry." Added Brock.

"We'll make you a deal." Said Jessie. "If you want this food back, all you have to do is hand over every single Pokemon you have in the Pokemon Center."

"You know very well I can't do that!" protested Joy.

"Quit wasting everybody's time and give back that food you stole!" cried Ash.

"We're hungry over here and we want to eat!" cried Lucy.

"You twerps can eat as much as you want just as soon as you hand over those Pokemon." said Jessie. "It's up to you." Blissey spotted Jessie and ran over to her.

"Ash, we can't." said Joy. Team Rocket spotted Blissey heading toward them.

"No, Blissey, stay away." Said Jessie. Blissey was confused, but continued anyway.

"Stay away, Blissey, you'll ruin everything." Jessie continued. "Don't you understand? You're a nurse in the Pokemon Center, and I'm the beautiful but evil member of Team Rocket. It'll look bad if you're friends with me." Jessie then realized something.

"You don't care, do you?" she said. "Lickitung, Arbok, I choose you!" The two Pokemon materialized.

"Blissey's got itself into real trouble." Said Misty.

"I don't understand it, Misty." Replied Brock. "Why would Blissey see Team Rocket again and act so happy?"

"Well, I suppose you think you can catch Team Rocket all by yourself, Blissey." Scoffed Jessie. "We'll just have to relieve you of that delusion, now, won't we?" She seemed conflicted, but chose to go ahead with attacking anyway.

"Arbok and Lickitung, go show that conceded little Blissey that we mean business!" cried Jessie. The two Pokemon went on the attack, but the way Blissey was injured shocked Jessie.

"That's not the way we planned it." She whispered to Arbok and Lickitung. "Just pretend to attack Blissey." Blissey moved forward.

"This is awful!" cried Jessie. "Blissey must be trying to make up for its mistake by fighting Team Rocket for that food!"

"Good for Blissey." Said Ash.

"Stay back, or they'll attack you again!" cried Jessie. Lickitung kept going.

"Lickitung, Slam attack that Blissey!" cried Jessie. "Lightly." Lickitung did so.

"Arbok, Bite attack Blissey!" cried Jessie. "Lightly." Arbok did so.

"Well, I hope you've learned your lesson." Said Jessie. "That's what you get for threatening Team Rocket!" But Blissey kept going.

"Blissey, no." said Jessie. Blissey got closer.

"Blissey won't turn away from me." Realized Jessie. "If they find out, they'll never let poor Blissey be a Pokemon nurse again." She pulled out a bazooka and fired at her friend, which caused Blissey to fall back in surprise.

"Take one step closer and next time I won't miss!" cried Jessie. "I thought you had guts twerps, but I guess you're going to let this Blissey fight your battle for you!"

"What's the matter, don't you know how to give a Pokemon a hand?" cried James.

"Then we'll give you two of them!" cried Meowth. Two rubber hands came down toward Pikachu and Eevee and grabbed them.

"Pika/Vee!" cried Pikachu and Eevee. (Help us!)

"Pikachu/Eevee!" cried Ash and Lucy.

"Pika Pi/Eevee Vee!" cried Pikachu and Eevee. (Ash! Lucy!)

"If you don't do something fast, you'll lose your lunch and your Pikachu and Eevee." Said Jessie.

"PIKACHU/EEVEE!" yelled Pikachu and Eevee. (Let us go right now!) Pikachu gave Team Rocket a Thunderbolt.

"What a relief, they're finally fighting back." Said Jessie.

"That was great, Pikachu." Said Ash. "Is everything okay with you, Blissey?" asked Ash. Blissey confirmed that it was okay.

"I'm sorry, Blissey." Said Joy. "Please forgive me for doubting you, even for a minute." Blissey agreed and looked over to Jessie, who shushed her to keep their friendship a secret and shed a tear.

"It'll be our secret, old friend." She said quietly. Ash and Lucy's stomachs growled again.

"We need that food…..because we're starving!" cried Ash.

"That's right!" cried Lucy. "Blastoise, Chikorita, go!" Blastoise and Chikorita materialized.

"We can't let Team Rocket take that food away!" cried Ash. The Pokemon agreed.

"That's the spirits!" cried Jessie.

"Hit us with your best shots!" cried James.

"We're ready for action!" cried Meowth.

"Go, Arbok and Lickitung! Get them!" cried Jessie. Arbok and Lickitung charged.

"Use Thunderbolt attack, Pikachu!" cried Ash. The attack launched and hit Arbok while Lickitung kept charging.

"Use your Vine Whip, Chikorita!" cried Lucy. The vines grabbed Lickitung except for the tongue, which allowed Chikorita to swing Lickitung around before slamming it down.

"Use your Water Gun, Blastoise!" cried Lucy. The attack sent Team Rocket flying back to their balloon.

"Well if that's the best you can do, we deserve the food!" cried Jessie.

"We'd hate to run, but it's way past our meal time." Replied James.

"Think again, you three!" cried Lucy. "Chikorita, use Razor Leaf attack!" One leaf managed to cut the rope holding the foot net under the balloon while the other one cut the balloon and sent Team Rocket flying.

"We're blasting off again!" Team Rocket cried.

"We did it! We got all the food back!" cried Ash.

"For a minute there, I thought our gooses were cooked." Replied Brock.

"Speaking of cooked, when do we eat?" asked Misty. While the group got the food into the center, Blissey looked up at the sky and thought of her dear friend, Jessie, in the knowledge that they would always have a part of each other with them.

Poke Quiz Answer

"Trainers, earlier in the show, Lucy asked the following question." Said Ash. "Of Ivysaur, Weepinbell or Tangela, which of these grass types needs a Leaf Stone to evolve?"

"If you said Weepinbell, you're correct!" cried Lucy. "You definitely have what it takes to become a Pokemon master! Ash and I will have a new question next time!"

Back To Episode

Later, inside the Pokemon Center, the group was about to chow down.

"Here comes the moment you and Lucy have been waiting for, Ash." Said Misty.

"Blissey's cooking up something special!" cried Ash.

"Uh oh! I think we're about to have a repeat performance from last night!" cried Lucy. "Look!" They soon saw Blissey happily hopping toward them with trays full of food stacked close to the ceiling.

"NOT AGAIN!" cried Ash.

"If Blissey doesn't take it easy, we're going to have egg on our face!" cried Brock.

"Or end up with burned scars on our backs, like what happened to Ash last night." Added Lucy. But to the surprise and relief of everyone, Blissey placed the trays on the table gently.

"That was a close one." Said Ash.

"Too close." Said Lucy.

"But Blissey came through." Let's dig in, guys!" cried Ash. The group soon started eating.

"Blissey, Blissey!" cried Blissey (Please enjoy it!)

"Thanks, Blissey!" cried the group. After a heaping helping of excitement, our heroes finally get to feast. But a big meal won't lessen Ash and Lucy's appetites for adventure. A couple of appetites that will serve them well in the Johto League.

Meanwhile, Jessie was thinking about Blissey.

"I'm glad we could help my old friend Blissey out of a jam." She said. "You don't find a pal like that every day."

"No, and we don't seem to eat every day either." Said James. Team Rocket's balloon had crashed into the ocean.

"Speaking of jam, you wouldn't happen to have any, would ya?" asked Meowth.

"Or marmalade, perhaps?" said James.

"Jelly would be nice." Said Meowth.

TO BE CONTINUED

Ash's Current Party: Pikachu, Bulbasaur, Charizard, Wartortle, Heracross (male), Chikorita

Lucy's Current Party: Eevee, Hoothoot, Pikachu, Blastoise, Chikorita, Cyndaquil

Egg: Togepi (Joint ownership with Misty)

Ash's Spare Pokemon at Oak's Lab: Spearow, Clefairy, Onix, Butterfree, Primeape, Muk, Scyther, Diglett, Voltorb, Rapidash, Kangaskhan, Tauros, Rhyhorn, Nidorino, Dratini, Dragonair Gyrados, Exeggutor, Kabuto, Kabutops, Ivysaur, Venusaur, Growlithe, Arbok, Weezing, Meowth, Magmar, Blastoise, Squirtle, Kingler, Aerodactyl, Machoke, Dodrio, Mr. Mime, Bulbasaurtwo, Charmandertwo, Squirtletwo, Venusaurtwo, Charizardtwo, Blastoisetwo, Vulpixtwo, Ninetalestwo, Hitmonleetwo, Hitmonchan, Gengar, Moltres, Fearow, Hypno, Chansey, Jolteon, Vileplume (Orange Island variant), Drowzee, Pink Nidoking, Dragonite, Haunter, Shellder, Butterfree (Orange Island variant), Beedrill, Venomoth, Farfetch'd, Magnemite, Magneton, Giant Rhydon, Persian, Slowking, Electabuzz, Pink Raichu, Pink Nidoran Male, Pink Nidoran Female, Golem, Snorlax, Tentacruel, Dugtrio, Electrode, Tauros, Lapras, Spinarak (shiny), Eevee (shiny), Quagsire, Ledyba (two)

In Rotation: Scyther, Rapidash, Farfetch'd, Haunter, Dragonite, Nidoking

Lucy's Spare Pokemon at Oak's Lab: Beedrill, Cubone, Hitmonlee, Golbat, Dugtrio, Voltorb, Ponyta (shiny), Kangaskhan, Chansey, Tauros, Dragonair, Clefairy, Exeggcute, Jigglypuff, Kabuto, Aerodactyl, Machoke, Tangela, Gloom, Sandslash, Alakazam, Butterfree (Pink), Slowpoke, Wartortle, Crystal Onix, Pink Rhyhorn, Scyther, Pinsir, Farfetch'd, Magnemite, Grimer, Lugia, Pink Gyrados, Poliwhirl, Staryu, Charmander, Lapras, Tentacruel, Diglett, Electrode, Dewgong, Sentret, Ivysaur, Heracross (female), Hoppip, Arcanine, Spinarak, Misdreavus, Sunkern, Quagsire, Ledyba (two)

In Rotation: Aerodactyl, Jigglypuff, Staryu, Dragonair, Pinsir, Blastoise

Misty's Pokemon: Oddish, Goldeen, Staryu, Vaporeon, Omanyte, Psyduck, Golduck, Togepi (joint ownership with Lucy), Horsea (at Cerulean gym), Starmie (at Cerulean gym), Poliwag, Lapras, Tentacruel, Voltorb, Quagsire, Ledyba

Brock's Pokemon: Geodude, Onix, Zubat, Vulpix, Aerodactyl, Butterfree (Orange Island variant), Donphan, Stantler

Jessie's Pokemon: Arbok, Lickitung, Giant Pidgeot, Pichu

James' Pokemon: Weezing, Victreebell, Vileplume

 

[MarkL1987]

Episode 137: A Bout With Sprout

It's been a long uphill struggle, but today, our friends are about to reach the first milestone on the road to the Johto League. They're on the verge of entering Violet City.

"Hey, come on, you guys!" cried Ash. "Let's hurry up! We got to get down there!"

"Yeah, our gym battles await!" cried Lucy.

"Violet City, here we come." Said Ash.

"Nothing can stop us now!" cried Lucy. The group soon found themselves wandering through the suburbs of Violet City.

"I wonder where the gym is." Said Ash.

"Maybe we better ask somebody." Said Misty.

"The guidebook says it's a little bit north of here." replied Brock. "Shouldn't take that long to get there."

"I can't wait to get there." Said Lucy. Pikachu and Eevee stopped to smell some flowers, only to be attacked by two school kids who wanted to play with them. They both tugged and pulled at the two Pokemon, and the situation quickly made them uncomfortable.

"Vee!" cried Eevee. (Let go of us!) Sparks flew from Pikachu's cheeks.

"PIKA!" he yelled. (LET GO!)

"Pikachu, don't!" cried Ash.

"Hey, hands off of Eevee!" cried Lucy. They quickly snatched their Pokemon away from the kids, only to be zapped by Pikachu's Thunderbolt.

"This may comes as a shock, but this Pikachu's mine." Said Ash.

"And that Eevee you were grabbing at belongs to me." Added Lucy.

"Aw, we thought they were wild Pokemon." A woman quickly ran outside.

"Zackie! Lizzie!" she cried. "You should be in class! What are you doing out here?!"

"We were just trying to catch a couple of Pokemon." explained Zackie. The woman saw Ash and Lucy holding Pikachu and Eevee respectively.

"Oh, I'm so sorry." She said. "I hope my students haven't caused a problem."

"There's no problem at all." Said Brock. "My little buddies here enjoy a good jolt every once in a while." The woman laughed.

"How interesting." She said.

"Yes, just like you." Chuckled Brock.

"Right." Grumbled Ash and Lucy.

"If those are your Pikachu and Eevee, then you must be Pokemon trainers." Said Zackie.

"Yep." Replied Ash.

"You got that right, chums." Said Lucy.

"Oh, boy!" cried Lizzie.

"Wow! We know all about Pokemon training because we're going to be trainers when we graduate from the Pokemon Academy!" cried Zackie.

"The Pokemon Academy?!" cried Ash and Lucy.

"Yes, the Pokemon Academy is a special school where I teach very young children who want to be Pokemon trainers all about Pokemon, how to train them, and how to take care of them." Said the woman.

"These children are so lucky to have a sensitive, caring, loving teacher like you!" cried Brock. "My name's Brock, and I'm a Pokemon Breeder. What's your name, beautiful lady?"

"I'm Miss Priscilla." The woman answered.

"My friends and I are looking for the Violet City gym, but it's more important to show the students our Pokemon and spend time here with you!" The group was surprised by Brock's remark. They soon met the principal.

"I welcome you all to the Pokemon Academy." He said. "I hereby name you honorary teachers so you can tell our students all about Pokemon." The group was a bit disturbed by the principal's mannerisms.

"This is our principal, Mr. Earl Dervish." Said Miss Priscilla.

"So, what do you say, trainers?" cried Mr. Dervish. "Join us. Give teaching a whirl."

"Does he always twirl around like that?" Lucy asked quietly.

"I just love a person who dances with that kind of energy." Replied Miss Priscilla. "Don't you?" Lucy sweat dropped and laughed sheepishly.

"I'M FULL OF ENERGY!" cried Brock. "If you love dancing, then I love dancing too, Miss Priscilla." After all the awkward dancing had finished, the group finally began to teach. Lucy spoke first.

"Okay, children, my name is Lucy Peters, and I've already won two Pokemon Leagues." Lucy said proudly. "I won the Indigo League back home, and I'm also an Orange Island league champion." The kids looked at her in awe.

"If you've won two leagues already, then you must be an awesome trainer." Said Lizzie.

"I would definitely say I'm quite skilled." Lucy replied.

"I bet you had something to do with what happened on Shamouti Island, didn't you?" asked Zackie.

"A very good question." Answered Lucy. "Ash and I were both the heroes of the Shamouti Prophecy, but that's a story best served for another time. Speaking of Ash, he's up to speak next." Ash gladly took the stand.

"The most important thing a new Pokemon trainer has to remember is…..uh, let's see now, what was it?" said Ash. "It's on the tip of my tongue…." Lucy just face palmed in embarrassment. The children, on the other hand, stared at Ash with open mouthed admiration as he blushed and wringed his hat in his hand.

"Why don't you just tell us about Pokemon battles." Said Zackie.

"Have you and Lucy battled a lot of Pokemon, Ash?" asked Lizzie.

"We battle all kinds of Pokemon." Ash answered. "We both competed in the Indigo League, and I made it all the way to the championship match."

"Where he lost to me." Lucy added. Ash hated being reminded of that. But the kids were delighted at the prospect of making it very far in the Indigo League.

"I don't want you to think I'm bragging or anything." Said Ash.

"Even though you kind of are." Put in Misty. She was immediately slapped in the back of the head by Lucy.

"Misty, behave yourself!" she whispered.

"Why should we listen to you if you didn't win the tournament like Lucy did?" asked Zackie.

"What was that, you little brat?!" Lucy cried angrily. She then cleared her throat. "For your information, Ash also won the Orange League, just like I did. We both have a spot in the Hall of Fame to prove it. I may have won the longer league, but both of us conquered the more difficult one. We even took down a Dragonite to win. Taking down a Pokemon like that isn't easy."

"Still, I don't see the point of listening to someone who finished runner up at the Indigo League." Said Zackie.

"Wise guy." Ash grumbled. Misty clapped her hands.

"All right, class, how many of you would like it if we went outside for recess and you can meet our Pokemon in person?" she suggested.

"ME!" cried the children. Soon, on the playground, the group got ready to bring out their Pokémon.

"Okay, kids, get ready! Here come the Pokemon!" cried Brock. All of his Pokemon materialized.

"If you like water Pokemon, then you'll love these!" cried Misty. All of her Pokemon materialized, including her recently obtained Ledyba.

"Come on out, everybody!" cried Ash. His Pokemon materialized.

"Time to say hello, gang!" cried Lucy. All of her Pokemon materialized, including Blastoise and Cyndaquil. All the kids soon rushed toward the Pokemon to meet them and play with them.

"Look at all those kids playing with the Pokemon." Said Lucy.

"It sure is a pretty sight." Replied Misty.

"Wow, look at these Pokemon!" cried a kid.

"This big blue one over here is my Blastoise." Said Lucy. "I've had it ever since it was a tiny little Squirtle. It evolved while my friends and I were tackling a problem on an island full of turtle Pokemon, and then again during my Winner's Trophy match in the Orange Islands."

"Blastoise is so awesome!" cried another kid. Some kids gave Pikachu and Eevee gentle and playful pets.

"Say, kids, how'd you like to hear the story of the time when Ash and I helped to save the world?" asked Lucy.

"I thought you said it was the Shamouti Prophecy." Said Lizzie.

"Same thing." Replied Lucy. "It all started out on the ocean in the middle of the Orange Islands." While Lucy told the story, the rest of the kids played with the Pokemon.

"Everybody's having a great time." Said Misty.

"Lucy and I still remember how happy we were the first time we played with a real Pokemon." Replied Ash.

"Excuse me, Miss Priscilla, but what's that tower over there?" asked Brock.

"Oh, that's called the Sprout Tower." Miss Priscilla answered.

"That's a funny name for a tall building." Said Misty.

"I know it may sound a little strange at first, but it actually makes a lot of sense." Said Miss Priscilla. "The tower's supported by one beam that sways back and fourth, just like a Bellsprout does."

"If the beam moves back and fourth, how come the tower doesn't move?" Ash wondered.

"It just so happens that I'm taking my class on a field trip to the tower today." Answered Miss Priscilla. "If you're interested, you and your friends can come along and see the tower for yourself."

"We'll follow you anywhere, Miss Priscilla!" cried Brock.

Meanwhile, Zackie was staring right at Pikachu. Likewise, Lizzie was staring at Eevee.

"Come on, Pikachu." Said Zackie. "Forget about Ash and be my Pikachu." Pikachu was shocked at what Zackie had suggested.

"Eevee, you should be mine instead of hanging out with a lowlife like Lucy." Said Lizzie. Eevee flatly refused, but Lucy had heard Lizzie's comment.

"Don't even think about it, you little ankle biter!" cried Lucy. "I'm never giving Eevee to you!"

"Okay, then we'll just have to take ya!" cried Zackie. He and Lizzie pounced on Pikachu and Eevee in an attempt to steal them away, but Eevee simply growled at Lizzie, and Pikachu zapped the bratty kids with a Thunderbolt.

"Pikachu, quit it!" cried Ash.

"Eevee, knock it off right now!" cried Lucy. She and Ash rushed over to Zackie and Lizzie.

"Are you both okay?" asked Ash.

"Go away!" screamed Zackie and Lizzie.

"Don't talk to us that way!" cried Lucy.

"Anything we can do for you?" asked Ash.

"Yeah, you and your friend can let us have Pikachu and Eevee!" Replied Zackie. Ash and Lucy were shocked at that suggestion.

"Give us Pikachu and Eevee!" cried Lizzie.

"Now you know full well we can't do that." Said Lucy. Zackie and Lizzie started throwing temper tantrums.

"WE WANT PIKACHU AND EEVEE! WE WANT PIKACHU AND EEVEE! WE WANT PIKACHU AND EEVEE!" they screamed. They burst into tears, leaving Ash and Lucy unsure of what to do.

"I'm stumped." Said Ash. "What do we do now?"

"We definitely can't spank them." Said Lucy. "After all, my dad always says to use words rather than violence to solve problems involving little kids." Zackie and Lizzie saw their moment and swiped an empty Poke Ball from both of them.

"Hey!" cried Lucy.

"Thanks for the Poke Balls, guys." Said Zackie.

"No, Zackie!" cried Ash.

"Give those Poke Balls back right now!" cried Lucy.

"We're going to catch Pikachu and Eevee!" cried Lizzie. Eevee and Pikachu quickly turned around and ran out of the playground, with the two kids hot on their tails.

"Eevee, Pikachu, wait!" cried Zackie.

"You two aren't supposed to leave the playground unsupervised!" cried Lucy.

"Those two are so excited about catching a Pokemon, I hope they're not causing a problem." Said Miss Priscilla.

"Now don't you worry, Miss Priscilla, it's no problem at all." Said Brock. "Isn't that right, guys?"

"Well….." Said Ash.

"It'll be a BIG problem if Zackie and Lizzie steal Pikachu and Eevee away from us." Said Lucy. "Those kids need to understand that it's NOT okay to steal a Poke Ball that belongs to another trainer!" Ash's Chikorita tugged on his pants.

"Eevee and Pikachu will be fine, but Zack and Lizzie are going to be disappointed." Ash sighed.

"Ash, I think we better go look for them." Said Lucy. Ash agreed.

"Everybody, return!" cried Ash and Lucy.

"When you find them, bring them to the Sprout Tower so they don't miss the field trip." Said Misty.

"Okay. We'll see you at the tower in a little while, guys!" cried Ash. He and Lucy headed into the forest near the school to find Zackie, Lizzie, Pikachu and Eevee.

Meanwhile, the two little ones were trying to find the two Pokemon.

"Pikachu!" cried Zackie.

"Eevee!" cried Lizzie.

"Come on out!" cried Zackie. The kids spotted Pikachu and Eevee's ears and snickered.

"Poke Ball, go!" they cried. The Poke Balls seemingly hit and captured both Pokemon.

"Gotcha!" cried Zackie and Lizzie. Lucy and Ash arrived right as the Poke Balls pinged to indicate a successful capture.

"We did it! We did it!" cried Zackie.

"We caught a Pokemon!" cried Lizzie.

"No way they just caught Pikachu and Eevee." Said Lucy.

"It can't be. It couldn't be." Said Ash.

"Now they're going to like us better than you!" cried Zackie. He and Lizzie proceeded to run away.

"Come back here!" yelled Ash and Lucy. The two of them were faster, and they caught the little ones in no time.

"Drop those, right now!" cried Lucy. The four of them suddenly fell into a pit.

"It can't be them." Sighed Ash.

"Oh yes it can, so prepare for trouble!" cried Jessie.

"You fell for our plan, so make it double!" cried James. Silhouettes of Jessie and James were seen holding up branches and wearing ceremonial robes.

"To protect the world from devastation!"

"To unite all within our nation!"

"To denounce the evils of truth and love!"

"To extend our reach to the stars above!"

"Jessie!"

"James!" They danced to a congo beat that Meowth was playing on the drum.

"Team – Rocket – blast – off – at – the – speed – of – light!"

"Surrender – now – or – prepare – to – fight! Fight! Fight!"

"This beat is out of sight – Meowth, that's right!" Jessie and James changed back to their regular Team Rocket uniforms.

"Not you three idiots again!" cried Lucy.

"Didn't I tell you this trap would work perfectly?" said Jessie.

"And it's more economical than our other traps." Replied James.

"For once, we ain't the ones in the hole." Added Meowth.

"Hey, kids, thanks for making this easier by catching Pikachu and Eevee for us first!" cried James.

"Now throw those Poke Balls up here and we'll get you out, sweethearts." Said Jessie.

"But you said that we were going to leave them." Replied Meowth. Jessie kicked him in the head.

"Don't listen to the nasty old Meowth!" cried Jessie.

"Don't trust them, kids, they don't know what they're talking about!" cried Lucy.

"We're not giving you anything!" cried Zackie.

"We better take those now." Said Ash.

"No! We're going to take care of those bad guys ourselves!" cried Lizzie.

"Okay, Pikachu, hit 'em with your Thunderbolt attack!" cried Zackie.

"Eevee, show 'em your Skull Bash!" cried Lizzie. Team Rocket panicked as the Poke Balls were tossed up, but instead of Pikachu and Eevee, a Bellsprout and Rattata materialized.

"It's a Bellsprout." Said Ash.

"And a Rattata." Added Lucy.

Poke Quiz Question

"All right, trainers, listen up because Lucy and I have a little Pokemon quiz for you."

"Trainers, which Pokemon wears a skull on its head in remembrance of its dead mother?" asked Lucy. "Ash and I will have the answer a little later, but for now, back to the show!"

Back To Episode

"Pikachu's sick!" cried James.

"Eevee isn't usually that nasty looking." Said Meowth.

"That's not Pikachu and Eevee!" Jessie yelled angrily.

"Oh." Said James.

"If those twerps are in trouble, Pikachu and Eevee will come to the rescue!" cried Meowth. Jessie and James got an idea from Meowth's comment. Soon, Ash and Lucy's voices were seemingly heard.

"Help! Pikachu, Eevee, help us!" cried Meowth via megaphone. He was using Ash's voice on the megaphone modifier.

"Team Rocket outsmarted me and Lucy again!" cried Meowth. "But they're gone now, so help us out of this here hole!" Pikachu and Eevee soon appeared and headed toward the pit.

"Here they come." Said Jessie.

"These phony voice megaphones really work like a charm!" cried Meowth.

"Hurry, before they come back!" cried James via megaphone.

"Okay, guys, get ready." Said Meowth. Pikachu and Eevee moved up to the edge of the hole.

"Get set." Said Jessie.

"Run away, guys, it's a trap!" cried Ash.

"Team Rocket, look out!" cried Lucy.

"Go!" cried Team Rocket. At that moment, Team Rocket, who had been hiding in a tree, threw out a net to capture Pikachu and Eevee, but failed.

"We missed!" cried James.

"Those twerps always ruin everything!" cried Jessie.

"I knew you guys would recognize our real voices when you heard them." Said Lucy. Eevee jumped into her arms and Pikachu jumped into Ash's arms.

"Quick! Now's our chance to get both of those kids!" cried Jessie.

"CATCHG 'EM ALL!" cried James.

"Great idea!" cried Meowth. "Too bad I forgot to bring the extra net."

"Get 'em with your Thunderbolt attack, Pikachu!" cried Ash. He tossed Pikachu up to get the necessary altitude just before Pikachu launched the attack, twice. The second jolt created an explosion that sent Team Rocket flying.

"We're blasting off again!" they cried.

"One more loss for their team and one more win for ours!" cried Ash

"That was cool!" cried Zackie.

"Come on, kids, let's get over to the Sprout Tower." Said Lucy. "Your class is waiting for both of you."

Over at the tower, the kids were inside watching the beam sway.

"I see what you mean." Said Brock. "That beam sways just like a Bellsprout."

"It's really amazing." Added Misty. Outside, Team Rocket landed on the tower's roof.

"Where are we?" asked James.

"There's another reason why this is called the Sprout Tower." Said Miss Priscilla.

"Really? What's that, Miss Priscilla?" asked Brock.

"Lots of trainers who come to Violet City are on their way to the Johto League, and they stop here because that swaying beam reminds them of themselves when they were just starting out as Pokemon trainers." Miss Priscilla answered.

"I get it! I guess trainers are like sprouts, aren't they?" said Misty.

"Right!" answered Miss Priscilla.

"That's a good thing to always keep in mind." Said Brock. "No matter how experienced a Pokemon trainer gets, there's always room to grow!"

"We both know two certain Pokemon trainers who forget that sometimes, don't they?" replied Misty.

"Yeah! We'll tell Ash and Lucy all about it when they get here." replied Brock. What they didn't know was that team Rocket was spying on them.

"Hear that? The twerps must be on their way over." Said James.

"That's right. And Pikachu and Eevee are with them." Added Jessie.

"Yeah, but we'll take care of that, won't we?" said Meowth.

Meanwhile, Ash, Lucy, Zackie and Lizzie were walking through the woods to the Sprout Tower, with Zackie and Lizzie's new Pokemon walking alongside them. The youngsters weren't exactly thrilled with their new Pokemon, however, and started copying whatever their new trainers did, much to their annoyance.

"QUIT COPYING US!" cried Zackie.

"I know you kids caught those Pokemon by accident, but don't you think you should try and make the best of it?" said Lucy. Zackie and Lizzie sulked.

"We wanted your Pokemon, not a wobbly Bellsprout and a puny Rattata." Cried Lizzie.

"I think they're kind of nice." Said Ash.

"WE WANT PIKACHU AND EEVEE!" cried Zackie.

"We know….." sighed Ash.

"Spoiled brats. That's what they really are." Huffed Lucy.

Meanwhile, at the tower….

"Okay, first we gotta get out of here!" cried Meowth.

"Just leave that to me!" cried James. "Weezing, go!" Weezing materialized.

"Smoke 'em out with your Smokescreen, Weezing!" cried James. The smoke traveled down to the group below.

"There's smoke coming from upstairs!" cried Misty.

"There must be a fire!" cried Miss Priscilla.

"Quick!" cried Brock.

"We have to round up the children and get them out of here right away!" cried Miss Priscilla.

"Right!" cried Brock. They all began to evacuate.

"Drop to the floor so you don't inhale too much smoke!" cried Misty.

Meanwhile, Zackie and Lizzie were trying to bribe Ash and Lucy.

"I know! What if we trade you?" suggested Zackie. "I give you Bellsprout for Pikachu, and Lizzie gives Lucy Rattata for Eevee."

"No way!" cried Ash and Lucy. Zackie and Lizzie started sobbing.

"Come on, guys, those new Pokemon of yours can be really fun." Said Ash.

"They may not be the Pokemon you wanted to catch, but at least give them a chance." Added Lucy. Bellsprout and Rattata both made funny movements, which made Zackie and Lizzie laugh. But soon, Pikachu and Eevee spotted something over yonder.

"Pika Pikachu!" cried Pikachu. (Look! The Sprout Tower!)

"Vee?!" cried Eevee. (What's happening in there?!)

"Oh no!" cried Ash.

"The Sprout Tower's on fire!" cried Zackie.

"Let's go!" cried Lucy.

"Wait for us!" cried Lizzie. She and Zackie took off after Ash and Lucy. Everyone else exited the tower.

"Misty, Brock, what's going on?!" cried Ash.

"Are all the kids okay?!" cried Lucy.

"Yeah, we're all fine." Said Misty.

"I choose you, Wartortle!" cried Ash. Wartortle materialized.

"Poliwag, I choose you!" cried Misty. Poliwag materialized.

"Blastoise, I choose you!" cried Lucy. Blastoise materialized.

"Use Water Gun!" cried Ash, Misty and Lucy. The three Pokemon launched their Water Gun attacks, but nothing happened.

"Guys, I don't think this is just a regular fire." Said Brock.

"Brock's right, the water isn't helping." Added Misty. "Poliwag, return!" Poliwag was recalled.

"Wartortle, return!" cried Ash.

"Blastoise, return!" cried Lucy. Wartortle and Blastoise were recalled. The smoke soon cleared.

"Look up there, on the balcony!" cried Ash.

"You've heard the expression where there's smoke, there's fire!" cried Jessie.

"Well fire's no match for our Weezing!" replied James.

"It's smoking!" cried Meowth.

"What are you doing up there?!" cried Ash.

"The Sprout Tower's closed for renovations, but why don't you twerps come in and see what we've done with the place?" said Jessie.

"We've got something inside that'll send it and you to the stratosphere!" cried Meowth. Inside, Arbok, Weezing, Lickitung, Pidgeot and Pichu were sawing on the support beam and there was a rocket attached to it. They all rushed inside to see.

"Oh no!" cried Misty.

"Knock it off!" cried Lucy.

"Our Pokemon love a piece of timber." Laughed Jessie.

"Yeah, and when they get done sawing it, I'll send the whole joint into orbit!" cried Meowth.

"No! You can't!" cried Miss Priscilla. "This tower's very important to our Pokemon students!"

"If you want to save the tower, all you have to do is hand over Pikachu and Eevee." Said Jessie.

"Forget it!" cried Ash and Lucy.

"Then you can say goodbye to this tower!" cried Meowth. Pikachu and Eevee did the imaginable and handed themselves over to Team Rocket.

"What are Pikachu and Eevee doing?" asked Lucy.

"Vee." Said Eevee. (Trust us) Nobody could believe what was happening. Jessie picked Pikachu and Eevee up.

"I'm shocked at how easily you gave up." She said. Pikachu tried to shock her, but to no avail.

"We assumed you'd try an attack like that, so we all came prepared with boots and gloves that are insulated against electricity." Said Jessie.

"They block the shock." Said Meowth. James proceeded to tie up Eevee and Pikachu.

"After all this time, we finally got what we've been chasing you for." Said jessie. She blew a kiss. "Goodbye, twerps, and good riddance to you."

"We have to stop them!" cried Zackie.

"Yeah, I think we know that!" cried Lucy. "Maybe I can…." Before she could get a Poke Ball out, Meowth stopped her.

"Don't try it!" he cried. "One false move, and kablooey! No wonder you hang out in this tower, you're just little sprout yourselves."

"There's nothing wrong with being a sprout!" cried Ash.

"Everything that grows has to start out small!" cried Lucy.

"That's right!" cried Zackie. Bellsprout tugged on Zackie's shirt.

"I think Bellsprout's telling you that it wants to battle." Said Lucy.

"You think so?" asked Zackie.

"I know so." Answered Lucy.

"Okay. Bellsprout, use Razor Leaf attack, now!" cried Zackie. A well timed and well placed Razor Leaf knocked the remote out of Meowth's paw.

"It worked! Great job, Bellsprout!" cried Zackie.

"Quick, Arbok! Make sure they don't get their hands on that remote control!" cried Jessie. Arbok charged.

"Wartortle, stop it with your Water Gun!" cried Ash. Wartortle's attack sent Arbok reeling and the remote flying.

"Bulbasaur, grab that remote with your Vine Whip!" cried Ash. Bulbasaur materialized and did so.

"Great!" cried Ash.

"Go, Bellsprout! Razor Leaf, now!" cried Zackie. Bellsprout managed to knock Weezing, Lickitung, Pidgeot and Pichu away from the beam, though the saw cut through the beam.

"Weezing, return!" cried James.

"Arbok, Lickitung, Pidgeot, back to your Poke Balls!" cried Jessie. All four Pokemon were recalled.

"Meowth, what are we going to do now?!" cried Jessie.

"We'll use the rocket to get away!" cried Meowth. Team Rocket hopped onto the rocket.

"Luckily, we can use the manual override!" cried Meowth. A panel opened and buttons were revealed.

"Power on!" cried Meowth. He pressed the big red button, which activated the rocket and lifted the tower.

"This'll be the perfect getaway!" cried Meowth.

"This missile was our best idea ever!" cried Jessie.

"The space program has benefits after all!" cried James.

"Do something!" cried Misty.

"Quick, Bulbasaur! Use your Razor Leaf to get Pikachu and Eevee away from Team Rocket!" cried Ash.

"You too, Bellsprout!" cried Zackie. The Pokemon launched their attacks, which cut Pikachu and Eevee loose.

"I got ya!" cried Ash. He caught Pikachu. Likewise, Eevee safely landed in Lucy's arms. Bulbasaur and Bellsprout kept attacking.

"What are you doing?!" cried Jessie.

"Cut it out!" cried Meowth. Another Razor Leaf cut the rope holding the rocket to the beam, much to Team Rocket's horror, which caused the rocket to fly freely around and drop the beam.

"Stop this thing!" cried Jessie.

"I would if I could!" cried Meowth. The rocket flew through the wall of the tower and toward the sky, but the tower started shaking.

"That beam is pretty shaky!" cried Lucy.

"Yeah, but it's strong." Said Zackie. Thankfully, the tower soon stopped shaking.

That was close!" cried Lucy.

"I'll say. You were great, Zackie." Said Ash.

"Thanks. But the real hero's my new Bellsprout." Said Zackie.

"What about Team Rocket?" asked Lizzie.

"Based on their long history of blunders, I would estimate that the rocket they're riding on should be exploding any moment." Answered Lucy.

Speaking of…

"Ah, this is absolutely lovely." Said James.

"You said it." Replied Meowth.

"They don't call us team Rocket for nothing, you know." Said Jessie.

"I could go on like this forever." Said James.

"Team Rocket's…." said team Rocket. Their rocket exploded. "Blasting off again!"

Poke Quiz Question

"Trainers, earlier in the show, Lucy asked you the following question." Said Ash. "Which Pokemon wears a skull on its head in remembrance of its dead mother?"

"If you said Cubone, you're correct!" cried Lucy. "You definitely have what it takes to become a Pokemon Master. Ash and I will have a new question next time!"

Back To Episode

Later, back at the school…..

"And so, fellow Pokemon trainers, I wish you…come to think of it, I'm not sure what I wish for you." Said Ash.

"For me, I wish you all good luck and great Pokemon." replied Lucy.

"And I hope you and Lucy have good luck in the Johto League." Said Zackie.

"I don't ever want to say goodbye, Miss Priscilla!" cried Brock. "I just want to stay here at the school!"

"Well, if you'd like to stay here, you certainly may." Said Miss Priscilla.

"I can stay here and teach Pokemon with you?!" cried Brock.

"No, but just fill out this application form and you can teach dance with me!" cried Mr. Dervish. Brock nervously backed up.

"Thanks anyway." He sighed.

"You sidestepped that one nicely." Said Misty.

"Listen, guys, Lizzie and I are sorry for causing so much trouble and trying to steal Pikachu and Eevee." Said Zackie. "We just thought…"

"Don't worry about it, Zackie." Said Lucy. "It wasn't really your fault. You and Lizzie are just kids. You didn't know that what you were doing was wrong. Ash and I know how badly you wanted Pikachu and Eevee, but if you both really want one, all you have to do is catch them in the wild with the help of your new partners. Sometimes it's better to be patient for things you really want. Do you understand that?"

"We understand, miss Lucy." Said Lizzie.

"We'll remember that from now on." Said Zackie.

"Very good." Said Lucy.

"Ash, Lucy, if we train hard, do you think my Bellsprout can evolve into a Weepinbell, and then into a Victreebell, and her Rattata will become a Raticate?" asked Zackie. Ash and Lucy nodded.

"Maybe someday, we can even battle against each other." Said Ash.

"One thing to understand when it comes to Bellsprout, Zackie." Said Lucy. "While Bellsprout evolves into Weepinbell normally, you'll need to obtain a Leaf Stone to get it to become Victreebell." The group soon bid the students and faculty of the Pokemon Academy a fond farewell. Ash and Lucy may have taught the kids at the Pokemon Academy a thing or two, but the important lesson that everyone learned was this: sometimes little sprouts can stand very, very tall.

TO BE CONTINUED

Ash's Current Party: Pikachu, Bulbasaur, Charizard, Wartortle, Heracross (male), Chikorita

Lucy's Current Party: Eevee, Hoothoot, Pikachu, Blastoise, Chikorita, Cyndaquil

Egg: Togepi (Joint ownership with Misty)

Ash's Spare Pokemon at Oak's Lab: Spearow, Clefairy, Onix, Butterfree, Primeape, Muk, Scyther, Diglett, Voltorb, Rapidash, Kangaskhan, Tauros, Rhyhorn, Nidorino, Dratini, Dragonair Gyrados, Exeggutor, Kabuto, Kabutops, Ivysaur, Venusaur, Growlithe, Arbok, Weezing, Meowth, Magmar, Blastoise, Squirtle, Kingler, Aerodactyl, Machoke, Dodrio, Mr. Mime, Bulbasaurtwo, Charmandertwo, Squirtletwo, Venusaurtwo, Charizardtwo, Blastoisetwo, Vulpixtwo, Ninetalestwo, Hitmonleetwo, Hitmonchan, Gengar, Moltres, Fearow, Hypno, Chansey, Jolteon, Vileplume (Orange Island variant), Drowzee, Pink Nidoking, Dragonite, Haunter, Shellder, Butterfree (Orange Island variant), Beedrill, Venomoth, Farfetch'd, Magnemite, Magneton, Giant Rhydon, Persian, Slowking, Electabuzz, Pink Raichu, Pink Nidoran Male, Pink Nidoran Female, Golem, Snorlax, Tentacruel, Dugtrio, Electrode, Tauros, Lapras, Spinarak (shiny), Eevee (shiny), Quagsire, Ledyba (two)

In Rotation: Scyther, Rapidash, Farfetch'd, Haunter, Dragonite, Nidoking

Lucy's Spare Pokemon at Oak's Lab: Beedrill, Cubone, Hitmonlee, Golbat, Dugtrio, Voltorb, Ponyta (shiny), Kangaskhan, Chansey, Tauros, Dragonair, Clefairy, Exeggcute, Jigglypuff, Kabuto, Aerodactyl, Machoke, Tangela, Gloom, Sandslash, Alakazam, Butterfree (Pink), Slowpoke, Wartortle, Crystal Onix, Pink Rhyhorn, Scyther, Pinsir, Farfetch'd, Magnemite, Grimer, Lugia, Pink Gyrados, Poliwhirl, Staryu, Charmander, Lapras, Tentacruel, Diglett, Electrode, Dewgong, Sentret, Ivysaur, Heracross (female), Hoppip, Arcanine, Spinarak, Misdreavus, Sunkern, Quagsire, Ledyba (two)

In Rotation: Aerodactyl, Jigglypuff, Staryu, Dragonair, Pinsir, Blastoise

Misty's Pokemon: Oddish, Goldeen, Staryu, Vaporeon, Omanyte, Psyduck, Golduck, Togepi (joint ownership with Lucy), Horsea (at Cerulean gym), Starmie (at Cerulean gym), Poliwag, Lapras, Tentacruel, Voltorb, Quagsire, Ledyba

Brock's Pokemon: Geodude, Onix, Zubat, Vulpix, Aerodactyl, Butterfree (Orange Island variant), Donphan, Stantler

Jessie's Pokemon: Arbok, Lickitung, Giant Pidgeot, Pichu

James' Pokemon: Weezing, Victreebell, Vileplume

 

[MarkL1987]

Episode 138: Fighting Flyer With Fire

Well, they're finally here! After a long trip, and more than their share of detours, our friends have made it to the Violet City gym.

"It's pretty impressive." Remarked Brock.

"It's even better than I thought it'd be!" exclaimed Ash.

"I can't wait to see the inside!" cried Misty.

"I can't wait to see the gym leader so we can have our battle!" cried Ash.

"Same here, so we can both win our first Johto badge!" cried Lucy.

"Well, let's go inside and get started." Said Ash.

"You said it, Ash." Replied Lucy.

"Not so fast, young ones!" cried Jessie. The group looked back and saw Team Rocket in disguise.

"We heard what you just said, but before you challenge the Violet City gym leader to a match, we have a few questions for you." Said Jessie.

"All challengers are required to participate in our little survey." Said James.

"What kind of survey?" wondered Ash.

"And excuse me, but are you connected with the gym in any way?" questioned Misty.

"Don't we look like we're connected with the gym?" asked James.

"No. You look like ushers at the movie theater." Answered Lucy.

"We're not ushers!" cried Jessie. "We're with the Pokemon Bureau!"

"I've never heard of the Pokemon Bureau." Said Ash.

"Neither have I." replied Lucy.

"I have a bureau back in my bedroom." Said Misty.

"IT'S NOT THAT KIND OF BUREAU!" cried Jessie. "It's the governing agency in charge of inspecting all challengers' Pokemon!"

"We have to be sure they meet all Violet City gym standards!" replied James.

"I've never heard of this, have you?" inquired Misty.

"No, but it sounds pretty official." Replied Brock.

"We'll start with these ones!" cried Jessie. She picked up Pikachu while James picked up Eevee. They examined both Pokemon carefully before shaking their heads.

"Too bad. Another grade B Pikachu." Sighed Jessie.

"This Eevee is a grade C at best." Replied James.

"It's a good thing we caught them before something terrible happened." Said Jessie.

"Sorry, but we'll have to confiscate them!" cried James.

"Bye!" cried Jessie and James.

"Wait a second!" cried Ash.

"What kind of Pokemon Bureau takes Pokemon away from their trainers?" replied Lucy.

"IT'S THEM!" cried Ash and Lucy. Jessie and James laughed.

"Prepare for trouble! It's too late for you!"

"Make it double! We've got Eevee and Pikachu!"

"To protect the world from devastation!"

"To unite all peoples within our nation!"

"To denounce the evils of truth and love!"

"To extend our reach to the stars above!"

"Jessie!"

"James!"

"Team Rocket, blast off at the speed of light, light, light!"

"Surrender now, or prepare to fight, fight, fight!"

"Meowth, that's right!" Meowth bounced up into sight ahead of Pikachu and Eevee, who were being held in a glass case with a light bulb set into the top.

"I thought it was you!" cried Brock.

"Yeah, but what do we do now?" inquired Misty.

"Thunder Shock 'em, Pikachu!" cried Ash.

"CHUUUU!" cried Pikachu. But the electricity only made the light on the top of the case blink.

"Go ahead, shock around the clock if you like!" cried Jessie.

"That's because our little insulated jelly jar puts Pikachu and Eevee in a current jam!" cried James.

"We're smarter than we look!" cried Meowth.

"They're not as smart as they think they are!" cried Ash. "Heracross, I choose you!" Heracross materialized.

"After 'em, Heracross!" cried Ash. "We can't let them take Pikachu and Eevee!"

"If the twerps think Heracross can stop us, they got another thing coming." Said Meowth. He got out a jar. "Some grade A super sap for the super saps." Meowth dropped the jar, which opened on contact with the ground, which caused Heracross to land and feast.

"Heracross, this is no time to eat!" cried Ash. Meowth laughed.

"Looks like the twerps ain't the only suckers!" he cried.

"If we don't do something fast, they're going to get away." Said Ash.

"Give Pikachu and Eevee back right now, you big dummies!" cried Lucy.

"What's that up there?" cried Misty. The group looked up and saw a young man swoop down in a hang glider near the Meowth balloon.

"It's a Pokemon!" cried Ash.

"I don't think so." Replied Brock. "It looks like a hang glider!"

"And the pilot has a Hoothoot!" cried Lucy.

"You know what to do, Hoothoot." Said the pilot's voice. Hoothoot flew in and took Pikachu and Eevee.

"Hey! Come back with our Pikachu and Eevee!" cried Team Rocket.

"That guy's Hoothoot just flew off with Eevee and Pikachu!" cried Ash.

"I bet he's a Pokemon thief too!" cried Misty.

"You did an excellent job, Hoothoot." Said the stranger. He made his descent.

"It looks like he's coming in for a landing." Said Ash.

"Maybe he's not a Pokemon thief after all." Said Lucy.

"How dare that kid swoop down and steal what we stole first!" cried Jessie. "Come here, Pidgeot!" cried Jessie. Her Pidgeot materialized. Brock was amazed at the size of it.

"That looks a lot bigger than just a regular, ordinary Pidgeot!" he cried.

"Use your Peck attack and send that hang glider into a tailspin!" commanded Jessie. "Ledyba, you help Pidgeot!" Ledyba materialized and Pichu jumped onto the bug type's back so it could go for a ride. Meanwhile, Pidgeot's attack hit the wing of the hang glider.

"That attack ripped the wing!" cried Lucy.

"They're heading straight for the ground!" cried Misty.

"They're going to crash!" cried Ash.

"Bullseye!" cried Jessie.

"Right on target!" cried Meowth.

"Bye, flyboy!" cried James.

"Pidgeot, go!" cried the stranger. His own Pidgeot materialized.

"Look, another Pidgeot!" cried Ash. Falkner landed on his Pidgeot's back and flew toward Team Rocket.

"That glider's misguided if he thinks he can get away that easy!" cried Jessie. "Peck attack again!"

"Spin and evade that beak!" cried the stranger. His Pidgeot dodged the attack effortlessly.

"Now, Pidgeot, fly by the balloon and tear it up!" cried the stranger. His Pidgeot darted past the balloon, which caused a rip to develop. Team Rocket was sent flying.

"Uh oh!" cried Meowth.

"We got clipped and ripped!" cried James.

"Our balloon burst too soon!" cried Jessie.

"Team Rocket's blasting off again!" cried Team Rocket.

"All right!" cried Ash. The man and Pidgeot landed, and Eevee and Pikachu were given back.

"I believe these Pokemon belong to the two of you." He said.

"Am I ever glad you're on our side." Said Ash. He removed the jar lid.

"One more loss for Team Rocket, right, guys?" replied Lucy. Hoothoot landed on Falkner's shoulder.

"We're always happy to help fellow Pokemon trainers, aren't we?" said the stranger. Pidgeot concurred.

"I've never seen a Pidgeot fly that fast!" cried Misty.

"Yeah, and it's a lot bigger than the Pidgeot that I used to have." Replied Ash.

"Oh, did you used to have a Pidgeot?" asked the stranger.

"Sure did. We even got into a battle with a Fearow." Said Ash. "It was attacking a whole bunch of Pidgey and Pidgeotto not too far from Pallet Town. Someday, I'll go back there and see my old friend."

"I can tell by the way you talk about it that you had a real bond with your Pidgeot." Said the stranger.

"Of course I did." Replied Ash. "I'll never forget that feeling of flying around on its back and battling in the Viridian Forest."

"I know what you mean." Said the stranger. "If you ask me, there's only one thing better than watching a Pidgeot in the sky. And that's flying around in the sky with it. They're a reliable, trustworthy and very brave Pokemon. Maybe you'll see yours again someday."

"Yeah, hope so." Said Ash.

"I guess flying Pokemon must be your favorites, huh?" asked Misty.

"They are." Answered the stranger. "Someday, I want to be known as the greatest flying type Pokemon trainer that ever lived."

"Why do you like flying types so much?" asked Lucy. The stranger pointed to the sky.

"That's why." He said. "I've always wanted to fly through the sky. When I was a little boy, all I ever did was dream about flying. And now that I have flying Pokemon, I can."

"That must be why you started hang gliding." Said Ash.

"Well, I really started gliding because I thought it'd help me to understand my flying Pokemon better." Replied the stranger.

"That's a great idea." Said Ash.

"I suppose you've heard a lot of trainers say that flying Pokemon don't stand a chance against electric Pokemon." said the stranger. "It gets me so MAD when people put down flying Pokemon!"

"Good for you!" cried Misty. "My favorite Pokemon are water types and it seems like people are always underestimating them the same way. Some trainers need to smarten up and see how great water Pokemon really are."

"These are my friends, Misty, Brock and Lucy." Said Ash.

"And I'm Falkner, the Violet City gym leader." Said the stranger. The group was shocked.

"Did you say the gym leader?!" cried Ash.

"That's what he said." Replied Misty.

"Maybe I should've mentioned that sooner." Replied Falkner. The group soon headed up the elevator to the roof.

"This is a little weird." Said Falkner. "I don't usually make friends with the Pokemon trainers that come here before I have to battle with them. But a match is a match, right? We have to battle hard, friends or not."

"Yeah. Definitely." Said Ash.

"Agreed." Replied Lucy.

"Well, which of you will go first?" asked Falkner.

"I'll take the first match." Answered Lucy. The group soon reached the roof.

"Well, this is it." Said Falkner. "WELCOME TO THE VIOLET GYM!" The group soon saw a bunch of people waiting for them.

"They must be Ash and Lucy's cheering section." Said Misty.

"Ash, Lucy, you both okay?" asked Brock.

"Sure we're okay." Ash answered.

"We came here to win a badge, not a popularity contest." Said Lucy. "Right, guys?"

"Pika/Vee!" cried Pikachu and Eevee. (Right!)

"Okay, Falkner, let's battle!" cried Lucy.

"The official Johto League battle between Lucy Peters, the challenger from Pallet Town, and Falkner, the Violet City gym leader will now begin!" cried the referee. "At stake for the challenger is the Zephyr Badge! You will each use three Pokemon! Begin the match when ready!"

"Sentret, I choose you!" cried Lucy. Her Sentret materialized.

"Lucy's starting with Sentret." Said Brock.

"I hope she knows what she's doing." Added Misty.

"Farfetch'd, go!" cried Falkner. Farfetch'd materialized.

"I don't understand why Lucy isn't using an electric type like her Pikachu." Said Ash.

"She probably doesn't want to put Falkner's Pokemon down." Said Brock.

"Begin!" cried the referee.

"Okay, Sentret! Let's start this off with your Fury Swipes attack!" cried Lucy. Sentret's hands glowed white and soon became claws as Sentret headed right for Farfetch'd.

"Fly away, Farfetch'd!" cried Falkner.

"Sentret, don't let it get away from you!" cried Lucy. Sentret took to the sky after Farfetch'd.

"Quick, Farfetch'd! Climb as high as you can and then dive at it with Fury Attack!" cried Falkner.

"Use Quick Attack to dodge it!" cried Lucy. Sentret dodged every attack with Quick Attack.

"Farfetch'd, Slash attack!" cried Falkner. The attack rushed toward Sentret.

"Dodge it!" cried Lucy. Sentret dodged the Slash easily.

"Now use Fury Swipes on its legs!" cried Lucy. The attack managed to hit.

"Brick Break attack, Farfetch'd!" cried Falkner. The attack hit Sentret, who crashed to the ground.

"Sentret!" cried Lucy. "Sentret, can you get back up?" Sentret got back to its feet.

"Now we'll really surprise Falkner." Said Lucy. "Use Thunder Punch!" Ash, Misty and Brock gasped upon hearing that.

"Thunder Punch?!" cried Misty. Sentret cocked one of her hands into a fist and punched Farfetch'd hard with a Thunder Punch uppercut.

"Now, use your Slam attack!" cried Lucy. Sentret gave Farfetch'd a hard slam, which knocked its leek out of its hand and knocked Farfetch'd to the ground next to its leek.

"Farfetch'd!" cried Falkner. Farfetch'd had fainted and was swirly eyed.

"Farfetch'd is unable to battle, Sentret is the winner!" cried the referee.

"All right! One down, Sentret!" cried Lucy.

"Tret!" cried Sentret. (Yeah!)

"I wasn't expecting Lucy's Sentret to use a Thunder Punch attack." Said Ash.

"When did she teach it that?" wondered Misty.

"There's always a lot of surprises in store, Misty." Replied Brock. "She probably grabbed Sentret from Professor Oak's lab before we arrived here and trained it out in the fields during a stop on the way over here to learn Thunder Punch. I suspect Little Pikachu probably had a hand in that."

"You fought well, Farfetch'd. Return." Said Falkner. Farfetch'd was recalled.

"I'm impressed by that Sentret of yours, Lucy." Said Falkner. "I didn't think it would know an electric attack. You really caught me off guard."

"Thanks for the compliment, Falkner." Said Lucy. Sentret was panting heavily.

"Sentret looks exhausted." Said Misty.

"Is she going to keep going with it, or will she switch?" wondered Brock.

"Take flight, Fearow!" cried Falkner. Fearow materialized.

"A Fearow." Said Lucy. "Sentret, are you okay to keep going?"

"Tret." Replied Sentret. (I think so)

"All right then!" cried Lucy. "Sentret, use Thunder Punch!" Sentret cocked one of her paws into a fist and was about to land the attack.

"Fearow, Pursuit attack!" cried Falkner. Sentret dodged, but Fearow was too close, which left an opening.

"Sentret, watch out!" cried Lucy.

"Drill Peck attack!" cried Falkner.

"Quick, dodge it with Quick Attack!" cried Lucy. Sentret couldn't dodge in time and got slammed to the floor by Drill Peck.

"Sentret!" cried Lucy. Sewntret was knocked out cold.

"Sentret is unable to battle, Fearow wins!" cried the referee.

"Poor Sentret." Sighed Misty.

"That Fearow's really strong." Said Ash.

"Which of her remaining Pokemon is she going to send out next?" wondered Misty. "She still has Eevee, Hoothoot, Hoppip, Cyndaquil and Pikachu with her."

"Electric type Pokemon like Pikachu are strong against flying types." Replied Brock. "But her Chikorita is a grass type, and those are weak to flying attacks. I just hope Lucy makes the right choice." Lucy got out a Poke Ball.

"I choose you! Hoppip!" she cried. Hoppip materialized.

"Hoppip?!" cried Ash, clearly surprised by Lucy's Pokemon choice. "What could she be planning?"

"Begin!" cried the referee.

"Fearow, use Drill Peck!" cried Falkner.

"Defend yourself with Cotton Guard." instructed Lucy. Hoppip nullified the Drill Peck with a wall of cotton.

"Tackle attack!" cried Lucy.

"Fearow, Mirror Move!" cried Falkner. They both used their Tackle attacks.

"Let's kick it up a notch, Hoppip!" cried Lucy. "Use Attract!" Hoppip made a wink, which emitted a barrage of hearts.

"Why Attract?" wondered Misty.

"Those two Pokemon are of the opposite gender." Answered Brock. "That's the only way Attract works." Fearow was surrounded by a ring of hearts, which hit and made Fearow infatuated with hearty eyes.

"What?" cried Falkner.

"Now, Hoppip! Bullet Seed!" cried Lucy. Hoppip fired its Bullet Seed, which did more damage to Fearow.

"Don't just stand there, Fearow!" cried Falkner. "Fly away!" But Fearow was stuck in infatuation to hear him.

"I guess what they say about love is true." Said Misty.

"Go, Hoppip! Tackle attack!" cried Lucy. Hoppip charged in for the attack, and just as Fearow snapped out of infatuation, he got smacked by Fearow's attack.

"Fearow, no!" cried Falkner. Fearow crash landed to the ground swirly eyed.

"Fearow is unable to battle, Hoppip wins!" cried the referee.

"I get it, that Attract move made it easier for Hoppip to slow Fearow down with Bullet Seed and then follow up with Tackle." Said Misty.

"Lucy was able to knock Fearow out with speed and power despite the type mismatch." Said Brock. "Now, if she wins this next battle, the Zephyr Badge is as good as hers."

"Looks like the wind is finally with us." Said Falkner. "Pidgeotto, go!" Pidgeotto materialized.

"Lucy better consider her options here." said Brock. "Go for the same play, like what Hoppip did to Fearow, or switch to another Pokemon."

"Hoppip, use Attract one more time!" cried Lucy. Hoppip used Attract again.

"That's not going to work this time!" cried Falkner. "Use Wing Attack!" Pidgeotto used Wing Attack to overpower the Attract before it hit Hoppip.

"Hoppip, no!" cried Lucy. Hoppip crashed to the ground swirly eyed.

"Hoppip is unable to battle, Pidgeotto is the winner!" cried the referee.

"Hoppip got taken out in just one attack." Said Ash. "That's a strong Pidgeotto.

"Thanks for your hard work, Hoppip." Said Lucy." Hoppip was recalled, and Lucy got out her last Poke Ball.

"It's all up to you now, Cyndaquil!" cried Lucy. "Let's go!" Cyndaquil materialized.

"She's going with Cyndaquil!" cried Misty.

"Begin!" cried the referee.

"Cyndaquil, use Tackle attack!" cried Lucy.

"Pidgeotto, Pursuit!" cried Falkner.

"Cyndaquil, look out!" cried Lucy. The Pursuit attack fired, but Cyndaquil evaded in time and nailed Pidgeotto.

"Now follow it up with Smokescreen!" cried Lucy. Cyndaquil fired the Smokescreen.

"Blow the Smokescreen away." Ordered Falkner. Pidgeotto blew the Smokescreen away.

"Close in with a Tackle attack!" cried Lucy. Cyndaquil did so.

"Pidgeotto, finish Cyndaquil off with a Sky Attack!" cried Falkner. The attack hit.

"Cyndaquil, no!" cried Lucy. Cyndaquil skidded across the ground.

"Poor Cyndaquil!" cried Misty. Cyndaquil was down and on the ground.

"Cyndaquil is unable to-" the referee started, but Cyndaquil slowly staggered.

"Huh?" said the referee. Cyndaquil tried to get back up, but it was struggling to do so.

"Cyndaquil's trying to get up!" cried Misty.

"It still wants to fight, no matter how much damage it took!" cried Brock.

"Cyndaquil!" cried Lucy. "No matter what, we can't lose! You have to keep on fighting! I believe in you, Cyndaquil! Let's go and win this!" Cyndaquil nodded.

"Quil!" it cried. (I refuse to lose!) The flame on its back grew bigger than normal.

"Look at that!" cried Ash.

"It's' flame got bigger!" cried Misty. Cyndaquil kept shouting its battle cry until his body was finally covered in a white glow.

"What's happening!?" cried Lucy.

"What's going on?" wondered Ash.

"I think it's evolving!" cried Misty. Cyndaquil grew and its length changed to a new form.

"QUIL LAAVAAAAAA!" cried Quilava. (I am Quilava now!)

"Cyndaquil evolved!" cried Lucy. She got out her Pokedex.

"Quilava, the Volcano Pokemon. When a Quilava turns its back during battle, it indicates that it will attack with the flames on its back."

"Quilava have incredible fire power and are covered in nonflammable fur, which means they can block any fire type attack the opponent dishes out!" cried Brock.

"Awesome, Quilava!" cried Lucy.

"Quil!" cried Quilava. (Thanks!)

"That evolution won't be enough to save you!" cried Falkner. "Pidgeotto, Wing Attack again!" Pidgeotto used Wing Attack towards Quilava.

"Hold your ground!" cried Lucy. Quilava took the attack.

"Why would she do that?" wondered Falkner. Quilava's body glowed an orange aura of energy.

"Quilava just got stronger!" cried Brock.

"I refuse to have my wings clipped just because your Pokemon evolved!" cried Falkner. "Pidgeotto, Sky Attack!" Pidgeotto started flying toward Quilava.

"Dodge it, Quilava!" cried Lucy. "Use your Fire Blast attack!"

"We can still fly!" cried Falkner. "Finish it, Pidgeotto! Brave Bird attack!" Pidgeotto pulled in its wings and dove down at Quilava like a missile. It then pulled out its wings, and its body became surrounded by a blue aura. It then flew through Fire Blast and slammed into Quilava, which caused an explosion. When the explosion faded, Quilava ended up being fine, but light blue sparks ran up Pidgeotto's wings as it took recoil damage.

"Keep it up, Quilava! Use Smokescreen!" cried Lucy. The attack blinded Pidgeotto.

"Blow that Smokescreen away!" cried Falkner. Pidgeotto blew away as much of the Smokescreen as it could, but it was too weak from the previous attack.

"He can't see!" cried Lucy. "Now to finish this off! Use Flamethrower!" Quilava launched a blast of fire at Pidgeotto, completely charring it and badly burning it. Pidgeotto then dropped to the ground and collapsed. It was knocked out of the battle.

"Pidgeotto is unable to battle!" cried the referee. "Quilava is the winner! The victory goes to Lucy Peters of Pallet Town!"

"We did it, Quilava!" cried Lucy.

"Quil!" cried Quilava. The two of them celebrated.

"Lucy did it!" cried Misty.

"Pidgeotto, return." Said Falkner. Pidgeotto was recalled.

"You definitely surprised me, Lucy." Said Falkner. "You and Quilava were in perfect sync with each other. I officially award you the Zephyr Badge."

"All right! I just won the Zephyr Badge!" cried Lucy. She struck a victory pose.

"Quil!" cried Quilava. (Victory!)

"Okay, Ash, you're next." Said Lucy. Ash took Lucy's spot on the battlefield.

"This Johto League battle between Ash Ketchum of Pallet Town and Violet City gym leader Falkner will now begin!" cried the referee. "At stake is the Zephyr Badge. You will reach use three Pokemon! Begin the match when ready!"

"I'm ready!" cried Ash. "And you better be ready too, Falkner! Ready to hand over another badge!"

"I wouldn't count on that." Said Falkner. "There's a reason I'm the Violet City gym leader. You've seen what my flying Pokemon have done for you. Now you're going to see what they do….TO YOU!" Falkner sent out his first Pokemon, which was a Hoothoot.

"That's not surprise, but here's what is." Said Ash. "Chikorita, I choose you!" Chikorita materialized.

"Chiko!" cried Chikorita. (Ready!) Chikorita then started snuggling with Ash.

"Please don't embarrass me." Sighed Ash. Lucky chuckled.

"Bad choice." Said Falkner. "You of all people should know that grass types are weak to flying Pokemon. "HOW could you forget that if you had a Pidgeot?!"

"Well you of all people should know not to judge by type!" cried Ash.

"CHIKA!" cried Chikorita. (That's right!)

"Begin!" cried the referee.

"Well if you know so much, you make the first move." Said Falkner.

"Okay! Chikorita, Vine Whip attack!" cried Ash. Chikorita extended her vines.

"Hoothoot, fly away!" cried Falkner. Hoothoot took to the air and avoided the attack.

"We can't let it get away!" cried Ash. "Chikorita, try your Vine Whip again!" cried Ash. The vines extended.

"Hoothoot, climb away from that Vine Whip and then dive!" instructed Falkner. Hoothoot flew higher to escape, then dove and tackled Chikorita roughly.

"Now, Hoothoot, knock out that grass Pokemon with your Peck attack!" cried Falkner. Hoothoot pecked away at Chikorita.

"Come on, Chikorita!" cried Ash. "Battle back with Razor Leaf!" The attack was launched.

"Hoothoot, climb!" cried Falkner. Hoothoot again increased altitude to escape the attack.

"Finish it off, Hoothoot!" cried Falkner. "Go into a dive and Tackle attack at top speed!"

"Chikorita, get out of the way!" cried Ash. Chikorita did so just in time.

"Do it again and DON'T LET IT GET AWAY!" shouted Falkner.

"Look out, Chikorita!" cried Ash. "Use Vine Whip before it gets you!" But the attack was in vain because Hoothoot nailed its target and knocked Chikorita out.

"Chikorita's hit!" cried Ash. He ran onto the field and hugged Chikorita.

"You put up a great battle, Chikorita." Said Ash.

"Chikorita is unable to battle! Hoothoot is the winner!" cried the referee.

"Poor Chikorita." Said Lucy.

"Falkner's Pokemon had the advantage of type and level that time." Added Brock. Ash recalled Chikorita.

"I'm proud of you, Chikorita. You deserve a good rest." He said.

"I warned you." Said Falkner. "Your grass Pokemon can't compete with flying Pokemon."

"You're up next, Pikachu." Said Ash. "Let's show this guy what we can do!"

"Pikachu! Pika!" cried Pikachu. (You got it! Bring it!)

Poke Quiz Question

"All right, trainers, listen up because Lucy and I have a little Pokemon quiz for you." Said Ash.

"Trainers, what Pokemon does Ekans become when it evolves?" asked Lucy. "Ash and I will have the answer a little later, but for now, back to the show!"

Back To Episode

Pikachu and Hoothoot stared each other down.

"Begin!" cried the referee.

"Take out that Pikachu with your Tackle attack, Hoothoot!" cried Falkner. Hoothoot flew forward.

"Go, Pikachu! Use your Agility so that Hoothoot can't tackle you!" cried Ash. Pikachu started to move so fast that it disappeared and reappeared, then disappeared again.

"Hoothoot! Climb before it uses electricity!" cried Falkner. Hoothoot started to gain altitude as Pikachu charged its electric sacs.

"Pikachu, use your Thunderbolt!" cried Ash.

"Hoothoot!" cried Falkner. Hoothoot climbed high, but Pikachu's electric attack climbed higher and zapped the owl Pokemon, causing it to crash to the ground.

"Looks like Hoothoot is literally grounded." Said Lucy.

"All right, Pikachu, finish Hoothoot off with a Quick Attack!" cried Ash.

"Pika!" cried Pikachu. (Gotcha!) Pikachu charged forward and sent Hoothoot flying into Falkner's hands.

"Hoothoot, are you okay?" Cried Falkner.

"Pikachu is the winner!" cried the referee. Misty, Brock and Lucy were immensely pleased with Pikachu's victory.

"They did it!" cried Misty.

"Hoothoot was good, but Pikachu had the type advantage that time." Said Brock.

"Now they both have two Pokemon left." Added Lucy.

"It's no big deal to lose a battle on the ground." Said Falkner. "You did a fine job, Hoothoot. You deserve a nice rest."

"I wonder which Pokemon Falkner's going to use this time." Said Misty.

"Who knows?" replied Brock. "It has to be a flying type. Maybe he'll use Pidgeot now."

"I doubt he'd use his strongest Pokemon in the middle of the match." Said Lucy. "At the beginning or end of a match, maybe. I bet he's got another one waiting in the wings that he hasn't brought out yet."

"All right, time for a surprise!" cried Falkner. A Dodrio emerged from the Poke Ball.

"It's a Dodrio!" cried Ash.

"Unfortunately for you, none of my opponents have ever been able to defeat Dodrio. Once they begin to battle, trainers discover that three heads are much worse than one!"

"Interesting choice." Remarked Brock.

"Very interesting." Added Misty.

"Great. Now Ash has to deal with three feathered faces of terror." Replied Lucy.

"I'm not scared." Said Ash. "Everybody knows that Dodrio can't fly."

"If that's what you've heard, then everybody's wrong." Said Falkner.

"That means his can?!" cried Lucy.

"Begin!" cried the referee.

"We'll let him make the first move this time." Said Falkner.

"Okay, Pikachu, your Agility worked before, let's try it again!" cried Ash. Pikachu charged in.

"You heard him, Dodrio. Use your Agility too!" cried Falkner. Dodrio charged in as Pikachu started appearing and disappearing again, but Dodrio was undeterred as they both ran toward each other.

"Dodrio is matching Pikachu move for move!" cried Brock.

"If this keeps up, the battle will go on forever!" cried Misty.

"Okay, Pikachu, that Dodrio has good Agility, but it can't run away from your Thunderbolt!" cried Ash. Pikachu charged up, but Falkner saw it coming.

"Don't try to run, Dodrio! Fly away instead!" cried Falkner. As Pikachu's attack fired, Dodrio jumped so high into the air that it looked like it was actually flying.

"No way! Impossible!" cried Lucy.

"That's what Falkner meant when he said that his Dodrio could fly." Replied Brock.

"Dodrio may not have wings, but it makes up for that by having powerful legs." Added Lucy.

"Keep it up now, Dodrio! Use Fury Attack!" cried Falkner. As it came down, Dodrio used the attack to peck all three of its beaks angrily at Pikachu in one shot.

"Hang in there!" cried Ash.

"Go, Dodrio! Get ready to flatten it!" cried Falkner. Dodrio jumped.

"That's it, Dodrio! Use your Drill Peck attack!" ordered Falkner. While coming back down, Dodrio's beaks spun around like drills and nailed Pikachu at once.

"Pikachu!" cried Misty, Lucy and Brock.

"This match is going to be mine!" cried Falkner. "Dodrio, finish it off with your Tri Attack!" The mouths of Dodrio opened and beams of light shot from each to make a glowing triangle.

"Don't give up, Pikachu!" cried Ash. "Jump, just like Dodrio did!" Pikachu jumped and landed on Dodrio's middle head, which stopped the attack before it could be launched. But that also gave Pikachu the altitude boost that he needed.

"Dodrio!" cried Falkner.

"Now finish it off with a Thunder attack, Pikachu!" cried Ash. The attack landed right on the money, which prompted Falkner's followers to cheer Dodrio on.

"Come on, Dodrio! Show them how tough you are!" Cried Falkner.

"No way! It can't possibly keep going after that!" cried Ash. But Dodrio fell to the ground once again, and this time, it was down for the count.

"Pikachu is the winner!" cried the referee.

"WE DID IT!" yelled Ash.

"That's okay. You showed plenty of spirit, Dodrio." Said Falkner. "You deserve a good, long rest." Dodrio was recalled.

"This is Falkner's last Pokemon!" cried Brock.

"I think we know what it's going to be!" cried Misty.

"The strongest bird of them all." Said Lucy.

"Go, Pidgeot!" cried Falkner. Pidgeot materialized.

"I had a feeling that he'd save Pidgeot for last." Said Ash.

"Careful, Ash. Pikachu looks pretty tired." Cautioned Brock.

"Maybe you better use another Pokemon!" cried Misty.

"They have a point, Ash." Added Lucy. "That battle with Dodrio took a lot out of Pikachu."

"Do you want to take a break, Pikachu?" Ash asked. Pikachu shook his head.

"All right." Replied Ash.

"Begin!" Cried the referee.

"Let's show them that we never give up!" cried Ash. "Use your Thunderbolt, Pikachu!" Pikachu charged the attack.

"Fly, Pidgeot, now!" cried Falkner. Pidgeot took off as the Thunderbolt was launched, though it ran out of juice.

"The Thunderbolt ran out of power!" cried Ash.

"Pikachu's electrical power is weak from its battle with Dodrio!" cried Lucy.

"PIKACHU'S TIRED! YOU CAN'T WIN!" cried Brock.

"Pidgeot, finish him with Whirlwind attack!" cried Falkner. Pidgeot kicked up gale force winds and sent Pikachu back to Ash, knocking it out of the battle.

"Pikachu!" cried Ash.

"Pidgeot is the winner!" cried the referee.

"I was afraid this would happen!" cried Misty.

"Now Ash only has one Pokemon left to pick." Said Lucy. "He still has Bulbasaur, Wartortle and Heracross. I think he'll choose Heracross since that can fly too." Lucy quickly realized something else.

"I just remembered!" she cried. "Ash has another Pokemon that can also fly!"

"You did a great job, Pikachu. You deserve a rest." Said Ash. "I've only got one more chance to win, but that's all I need! Charizard, I choose you!" Charizard materialized and landed with a thump in front of Pidgeot.

"So Charizard's up now, huh? Things are finally going to get interesting." Said Falkner. Pidgeot and Charizard stared each other down.

"Begin!" cried the referee.

"Fly, Pidgeot!" cried Falkner.

"You too, Charizard!" cried Ash. The two Pokemon took to the air.

"Charizard, use your Flamethrower attack!" cried Ash. The attack fired.

"Pidgeot, you've got to get out of the way!" cried Falkner. Pidgeot dodged effortlessly.

"Quick, Charizard! Try another Flamethrower!" cried Ash. Another Flamethrower fired.

"Pidgeot, Agility!" cried Falkner. Pidgeot flew so fast past the flames that it disappeared and reappeared, then disappeared again.

"It's too fast!" cried Ash.

"Using Agility, it reaches a speed of Mach 2." Said Falkner. "I suggest you give up before it's too late."

"We'll never give up no matter what!" cried Ash. "Charizard, Flamethrower!" Another Flamethrower was launched.

"Pidgeot, Whirlwind attack!" cried Falkner. The attack sent the flames right back at Charizard, which made it land the hard way.

"Charizard! Are you all right?!" cried Ash.

"We've got them on the run, Pidgeot!" cried Falkner. "Try a Wing Attack!" Pidgeot dove at Charizard while Ash contemplated what to do.

"Another fire attack will just come right back at us." Said Ash. "Charizard, try a Fly attack!" But Charizard couldn't take off because of an injury on its wing.

"Charizard, what's the matter?!" cried Ash. Pidgeot's attack soon landed.

"Why didn't Charizard fly away?!" Brock.

"Its' wing! It must be injured!" cried Misty.

"Flying Pokemon hate when they can't take to the air.

"Charizard! Please try to stand up!" cried Ash. Charizard angrily sat up.

"Time to finish him off once and for all, Pidgeot!" cried Falkner. "Use Quick Attack, now!" Pidgeot charged forward and slammed hard into Charizard's stomach.

"This looks bad!" cried Misty.

"Ash! Do something or else you're going to lose the match!" cried Brock.

"I know that, Brock! But I don't know what else I can do!" cried Ash.

"Forfeit." Said Falkner.

"FORFEIT?!" cried Ash.

"It's supposed to be a trainer's responsibility to judge whether his or her Pokemon can continue to battle or not. And you have a Charizard that can't fly anymore." Said Falkner. "WHAT'S THE POINT OF EVEN BATTLING ANYMORE?! A Charizard that can't fly can't win a match."

"Oh yeah?! Well my Charizard isn't a quitter and neither am I!" cried Ash. Charizard stood up straight and glared at Falkner.

"Whatever you say, Ash. Maybe losing this battle will teach you a lesson." Said Falkner. "Pidgeot, hit Charizard with your best Quick Attack, now!" Pidgeot darted forward at full speed.

"FINISH IT!" cried Falkner.

"I never ask you to do anything I know you can't do, Charizard, and now I need you to FLY!" cried Ash. Charizard's wings flapped up and his eyes grew wide before swooping into the air, which made Pidgeot's Quick Attack miss.

"I knew you could do it!" cried Ash.

"Your Charizard may be able to fly, but can it fly fast?!" Replied Falkner.

"Oh no!" cried Ash. In the sky, Charizard turned mid flight and got behind Pidgeot.

"Pidgeot, use your Agility, quick!" Cried Falkner. Pidgeot vanished and then reappeared behind Charizard.

"Go, Pidgeot! Try your Quick Attack again!" cried Falkner. Pidgeot darted forward and nailed Charizard, but the mighty fire lizard remained airborne as it got behind Pidgeot again.

"Fly around as much as you want. Nothing's going to change." Said Falkner. Pidgeot used Agility to get behind Charizard again and hit it from behind with another Quick Attack.

"He's right. Pidgeot is just going to keep using the same attacks." Said Ash. He then realized something.

"Wait a minute! If Pidgeot keeps using the same attacks over and over again, maybe we still have a chance to win." Theorized Ash. "Okay, Charizard, fly behind Pidgeot and grab it!" Charizard flew behind Pidgeot once more.

"You don't know when to give in, do you?" said Falkner. "Pidgeot, Quick Attack!" Pidgeot disappeared, which forced Ash to make a last ditch move.

"Charizard, quick! Turn around and use Fire Spin!" cried Ash. Right as Pidgeot reappeared, the attack surrounded it. It flapped its wings wildly in panic as it tried to escape the Fire Spin.

"PIDGEOT, NO!" yelled Falkner.

"HURRY UP, ASH! DON'T LET PIDGEOT FLY AWAY!" yelled Brock.

"Go for Charizard's signature finisher!" cried Lucy.

"NOW! Grab a hold of Pidgeot and finish it off with a Seismic Toss attack!" cried Ash. Charizard zoomed up to Pidgeot, grabbed it firmly and flew higher into the air. It then flew around and around in circles, faster and faster until it appeared to encircle the globe itself, then zoomed down and slammed Pidgeot hard onto the battlefield below. Falkner's supporters chanted for Pidgeot to get up, but it was knocked out cold.

"And the challenger, Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town, is the winner!" cried the referee.

"He won!" cried Lucy.

"Congratulations, Charizard!" cried Ash.

"Pika!" cried Pikachu. (All right!) Charizard began blasting flames into the sky in celebration.

Poke Quiz Answer

"Trainers, earlier in the show, Lucy asked the following question." Said Ash. "What Pokemon does Ekans become when it evolves?"

"If you said Arbok, you're correct!" cried Lucy. "You definitely have what it takes to become a Pokemon master! Ash and I will have a new question next time!"

Back To Episode

Later that night, Ash was given proof of his win.

"It was really smart for you to use Pidgeot's speed to your advantage." Said Falkner. "That was a great strategy. You definitely earned the Zephyr Badge."

"Thanks, that's nice of you to say." Replied Ash. "All right! I got the Zephyr Badge! Yes!"

"Pi Pikachu!" cried Pikachu. (Badge number one!)

"You said it, Pikachu!" cried Lucy.

"Vee!" cried Eevee. (Congrats on the win, Pika!)

"Pi Pika!" replied Pikachu. (Likewise to you on Lucy's win earlier!)

"And Lucy, in addition to your badge, I want you to take something else with you." Said Falkner. He held out an egg. "Pidgeot came across this in her nest earlier this morning and tried to hatch it herself, but was unsuccessful in doing so. Maybe you'll have better luck. I would take care of it myself, but I can't because of my responsibilities as gym leader. This egg needs a good, strong trainer to take care of it. I would be honored if you're willing to do it for me." Lucy was quite surprised.

"Thank you very much, Falkner!" she cried. "Of course I'll take good care of this egg. You can count on it."

"Vee!" cried Eevee. (Pikachu and I will help you)

"Thanks, Eevee." Said Lucy. "I'll make sure to do you proud, Falkner."

"I know you'll do a great job." Said Falkner. "Ash, Lucy, battling both of you has inspired me to learn more and train harder. That's the only way I'll ever reach my goal of becoming the number one flying Pokemon trainer. I wish you both good luck in the Johto League. May the best trainer between the two of you win."

"Thanks, and good luck." Said Ash.

"From both of us." Added Lucy. For a while, the outcomes looked like they would be up in the air. But after two long and difficult matches, Ash and Lucy finally defeated Falkner and each won their first Johto League gym matches. With a Zephyr Badge in each of their hands, along with Lucy's newly evolved Quilava, they're flying high as our heroes continue on to the next gym, and their next adventure.

Meanwhile, Team Rocket's downed balloon had landed in the woods as Fearow circled overhead and Spearow attacked the trio.

"Quit pecking on me!" cried James.

"Our big plan laid an egg!" cried Jessie.

"This ending is definitely for the birds!" cried Meowth.

TO BE CONTINUED

Ash's Current Party: Pikachu, Bulbasaur, Charizard, Wartortle, Heracross (male), Chikorita

Lucy's Current Party: Eevee, Hoothoot, Pikachu, Sentret, Hoppip, Cyndaquil

Eggs: Togepi (Joint ownership with Misty), unknown

Ash's Spare Pokemon at Oak's Lab: Spearow, Clefairy, Onix, Butterfree, Primeape, Muk, Scyther, Diglett, Voltorb, Rapidash, Kangaskhan, Tauros, Rhyhorn, Nidorino, Dratini, Dragonair Gyrados, Exeggutor, Kabuto, Kabutops, Ivysaur, Venusaur, Growlithe, Arbok, Weezing, Meowth, Magmar, Blastoise, Squirtle, Kingler, Aerodactyl, Machoke, Dodrio, Mr. Mime, Bulbasaurtwo, Charmandertwo, Squirtletwo, Venusaurtwo, Charizardtwo, Blastoisetwo, Vulpixtwo, Ninetalestwo, Hitmonleetwo, Hitmonchan, Gengar, Moltres, Fearow, Hypno, Chansey, Jolteon, Vileplume (Orange Island variant), Drowzee, Pink Nidoking, Dragonite, Haunter, Shellder, Butterfree (Orange Island variant), Beedrill, Venomoth, Farfetch'd, Magnemite, Magneton, Giant Rhydon, Persian, Slowking, Electabuzz, Pink Raichu, Pink Nidoran Male, Pink Nidoran Female, Golem, Snorlax, Tentacruel, Dugtrio, Electrode, Tauros, Lapras, Spinarak (shiny), Eevee (shiny), Quagsire, Ledyba (two)

In Rotation: Scyther, Rapidash, Farfetch'd, Haunter, Dragonite, Nidoking

Lucy's Spare Pokemon at Oak's Lab: Beedrill, Cubone, Hitmonlee, Golbat, Dugtrio, Voltorb, Ponyta (shiny), Kangaskhan, Chansey, Tauros, Dragonair, Clefairy, Exeggcute, Jigglypuff, Kabuto, Aerodactyl, Machoke, Tangela, Gloom, Sandslash, Alakazam, Butterfree (Pink), Slowpoke, Blastoise, Crystal Onix, Pink Rhyhorn, Scyther, Pinsir, Farfetch'd, Magnemite, Grimer, Lugia, Pink Gyrados, Poliwhirl, Staryu, Charmander, Lapras, Tentacruel, Diglett, Electrode, Dewgong, Sentret, Ivysaur, Heracross (female), Chikorita, Arcanine, Spinarak, Misdreavus, Sunkern, Quagsire, Ledyba (two)

In Rotation: Aerodactyl, Jigglypuff, Staryu, Dragonair, Pinsir, Blastoise

Misty's Pokemon: Oddish, Goldeen, Staryu, Vaporeon, Omanyte, Psyduck, Golduck, Togepi (joint ownership with Lucy), Horsea (at Cerulean gym), Starmie (at Cerulean gym), Poliwag, Lapras, Tentacruel, Voltorb, Quagsire, Ledyba

Brock's Pokemon: Geodude, Onix, Zubat, Vulpix, Aerodactyl, Butterfree (Orange Island variant), Donphan, Stantler

Jessie's Pokemon: Arbok, Lickitung, Giant Pidgeot, Pichu, Ledyba

James' Pokemon: Weezing, Victreebell, Vileplume

 

[MarkL1987]

Episode 139: For Crying Out Loud

Fresh from their last minute victories against the Violet City gym leader, Ash and Lucy both proudly wear their new Zephyr Badges. Now our heroes head for the next Johto League gym.

"It says here that the closest Johto league gym is in Azalea Town." Said Brock.

"Great! Let's get there and keep my winning streak going!" cried Ash.

"Pi Pikachu!" cried Pikachu. (And Lucy's too!)

"You're right, Pikachu. I also have a winning streak to keep." Added Lucy. Misty looked to her left and saw a house by the lake.

"Hey! Look at all the big houses." She said. "This is such a beautiful place."

"Toge!" cried Togepi. (It's very pretty)

"Well, you know what you always find in beautiful houses, don't you?" said Brock.

"No, Brock. What?" replied Ash, Misty and Lucy.

"Beautiful girls!" cried Brock. "This could be it! This could be where I'm finally going to meet the girl of my dreams!"

"That's crazy!" cried Lucy. "What makes you think you're going to find the girl of your dreams here?"

"Because…. she's standing right over there!" Brock answered excitedly. A pretty Southern belle was standing on a small hillside outcropping, looking over the lake. She was carrying a parasol and looking sad.

"That's perfect!" cried Brock. "That cliff is the perfect spot for our first meeting!"

"Yeah! Right after she meets you, she can jump right off!" replied Misty. Togepi chirped. Suddenly, there was rustling in the bushes, which the group investigated, followed by a Marill appearing.

"Marill." Said the Marill. (This can't be right.)

"It's a Marill!" cried Brock, Ash and Lucy.

"What a cutie it is, too!" cried Misty. "I'm going to catch this one. Poke Ball, GO!" She threw the Poke Ball at Marill, which slammed hard into its shocked face and knocked it over as the ball bounced back into Misty's hand.

"Well, that didn't work very well, did it?" she sighed.

"Maybe it belongs to someone else." Said Lucy. Marill's eyes suddenly went all wobbly and burst into tears. The group covered their ears in agony to try and block the noise.

"Make it stop! We've got to make it stop!" cried Brock. They tried making funny faces. Pikachu and Eevee tried some of their best faces.

"Upsy-Daisy." Said Brock. Marill finally calmed down.

"Hey, look!" cried Ash. "There's a bow on its tail."

"Yeah, I didn't notice that before." Said Brock. "It must have a trainer."

"Well, at least now I know why my Poke Ball didn't work." Said Misty. "Maybe next time. I'm sorry cutie-pie, but I had to try and catch you." Marill's thunderous tears instantly began again.

"Hey, what are you crying for?!" yelled Misty.

"How can something so little be so loud?!" cried Ash.

"Okay, just settle down there, Marill." Said Misty. "Nobody's going to hurt you."

"Misty, let me try." Said Brock. "Happy Marill." Sure enough, Marill calmed down again in no time flat.

"Hey!" cried Misty.

"This Marill must be scared of you for some reason, Misty." Said Brock.

"I wonder why?" replied Misty.

"Maybe it got a good look at you!" cried Ash.

"Who asked you?!" cried Misty. A horn honked as a tractor/trailer came pulling up beside them. The window rolled down to reveal two familiar looking farmers in drab khaki clothing and sunhats complete with white chinstraps.

"Well, howdy, kids!" cried the female. "Are all you young ones heading up the road a piece?"

"Uh, I guess so." Said Ash.

"Then you're in luck, by crikey!" cried the male.

"Hold it, Ash!" cried Lucy. "Didn't your mother ever tell you not to take rides from strangers?" Silent between the red and blue haired 'farmers' was the patriarch of the family, a short furry little man with a cap and sunglasses. He didn't say a word, but he gave an enigmatic smile.

"We're headed up north forty to plow something or slop something." Said the female. "We'd be mighty happy to give you a lift, so climb on in!" Ash started darting toward the trailer, only to be pulled back by Lucy.

"No, Ash! Don't go with them!" she cried. "It's not safe to go anywhere with strangers!" The male farmer jumped out of the truck and pushed Ash, Misty, Lucy and Brock towards the trailer.

"Skedaddle!" cried the male farmer.

"Take it easy!" cried Ash. The male farmer jumped back into the tractor and threw his arms high.

"Now for some Pokemon picking!" he cried.

"We've got some ripe ones in the back!" cried the patriarch. He pulled off his cap and glasses and activated a machine. In the trailer behind them, metallic hands grabbed Marill, Pikachu and Eevee roughly before the truck took off, leaving the trailer behind but taking Pikachu, Eevee and Marill with them.

"Pikachu!" cried Ash.

"Eevee!" cried Lucy.

"I knew those farmers seemed phony!" cried Misty.

"So did I." replied Lucy. "This is exactly why you never accept rides from strangers." The truck's sunroof opened and clothes went flying out. Familiar, sinister laughter was heard.

"Prepare for trouble! We just got three!"

"Make it double! We got Marill, Pikachu AND Eevee!"

"To protect the world from devastation!"

"To unite all peoples within our nation!"

"To denounce the evils of truth and love!"

"To extend our reach to the stars above!"

"Jessie!"

"James!"

"Team Rocket, blast off at the speed of light!"

"Surrender now, or prepare to fight, fight, fight!"

"That's right!"

"Pichu!"

"You can't get away with this!" cried Ash, Misty, Brock and Lucy.

"I'm afraid we can and will, twerps!" cried Jessie. "We're getting away with Pikachu, Eevee and Marill too!"

"How do you like them apples, you bunch of bratty little no good…." Said James. Marill started to caterwaul, which made James cover his ears in agony.

"AHHH!" cried James. "Why is it crying, for crying out loud?!" Pikachu and Eevee clutched their ears as Marill cried away. Meowth, who was barely able to reach the gas pedal, lost control of the vehicle and the truck spun to and fro across the road. It smashed into a railing and sent Team Rocket flying.

"We're blasting off again!" they cried. Pikachu, Eevee and Marill were thrown clear and sent tumbling down the hill.

"Pikachu!" cried Ash.

"Eevee!" cried Lucy. "Hold my egg for me, Brock!" She and Ash jumped over the railing and took off down the side.

"Here Brock, take Togepi for me!" cried Misty.

"Okay!" cried Brock.

"Marill!" cried Misty. She jumped over the railing.

"Pikachu!" cried Ash.

"Eevee!" cried Lucy. She and Ash tripped over while running down the hill and crashed into a tree.

"I'll get them!" cried Misty. She charged past Ash and Lucy, swooped down on Pikachu, Eevee and Marill and scooped them up. She suddenly tripped and was thrown over the side of the cliff. She screamed as she fell far down to the raging water below.

"MISTY?!" cried Ash, Lucy and Brock. The three of them made their way down and ran alongside the river that Misty and the Pokemon were being carried in.

"Pika Pi!" cried Pikachu and Little Pikachu. (Ash! Lucy!)

"Vee!" cried Eevee. (Lucy!)

"DON'T LET GO!" cried Ash and Lucy.

"Hang on!" Cried Brock.

"We will!" cried Misty.

"Just take care of Togepi!" cried Lucy.

"Pika Pi!" cried Pikachu. (Ash!)

"Vee!" cried Eevee. (Lucy!)

"Don't worry!" cried Ash.

"We'll get downstream somehow and save you, Marill, Eevee and Pikachu!" cried Lucy. They suddenly heard a rumbling sound. The southern Belle from before rumbled toward them on tiptoes, with her parasol trailing behind her. She skidded to a stop and breathed heavily.

"My sweet angel is here!" cried Brock. "She's like a lovely dream come true!" The girl angrily seized Ash and Lucy by their shirt collars.

"All right, you weasly Pokemon thieves! What did you do with my little Marill?!" she yelled.

"Are you supposed to be a dream or a nightmare?" Replied Ash.

"I heard you talking about my Marill, now where is it?!" the girl cried.

"YOUR MARILL?!" cried Ash and Lucy.

"YES! What have you done with my Pokemon?!" cried the girl.

"It went for a little swim." Answered Lucy. Brock threw Lucy and Ash aside.

"I believe I can rectify this terrible apprehension!" He cried. "My name's Brock, and I can assure you that neither of us had anything to do with your Pokemon's abduction! Please tell me your name so that I may emblazon it upon my heart!"

"My name's Wilhemina, Brock." The girl replied.

"Did you hear that, guys?!" cried Brock. "Her last name is the same as my first name!" Lucy pulled Brock's ear.

"Cool it, Romeo!" she cried.

"Yeah, what a coincidence." Replied Ash.

"Toge-Toge-Pi." Added Togepi. (It is a coincidence)

Meanwhile, Misty had crawled out of the river along with Marill, Eevee and Pikachu.

"At least we're safe now." She muttered. Marill pitched a fit and started crying again.

"Oh no, stop!" moaned Misty. "I've had enough water for one day!" But Marill continued crying, and Misty finally had enough.

"STOP CRYING!" she screamed. Marill froze in shock before starting to cry again, and Misty backed off in surprise. Marill ran away in sulky terror.

"Just where do you think you're going, you little crybaby?!" cried Misty. She charged after Marill, with Pikachu and Eevee close behind, leaving Marill's cute ribbon. Marill ran blindly and cried until it tripped over a rock and landed on its face where it cried even more as Misty knelt down next to it.

"Hey, what's the matter?" she asked. "Here." She picked Marill up, but it slapped her hand and jumped away.

"Don't do that!" cried Misty. "Go ahead and stay here and cry then!" She turned away from Marill.

"Pikachu Pi?" asked Pikachu. (Misty?) Misty just stared at Pikachu, then her eyes slowly turned back to Marill and she sighed. Soon, she was walking along the path, followed by Marill, Eevee and Pikachu.

"We'll find a way to get Marill back to its trainer." Said Misty. Pikachu, Eevee and Marill were all walking together hand in hand.

"Marill are supposed to have super sensitive hearing, so maybe this little one could….." Said Misty. "Marill, if you try as hard as you can, you can use those cute little ears of yours and listen for your trainer. Want to give it a shot?"

"Marill Mar?" wondered Marill. (You think it'll work?)

"Eevee Vee!" squealed Eevee. "It just might!)

"Marill, Marill!" cried Marill. (Here goes) Marill started to wiggle its ears.

"Do you hear anything familiar?" asked Misty. But nothing familiar came from Marill's ears. Misty eventually lost patience.

"Can't you hurry up and hear faster?" she yelled. But Marill started crying again upon hearing and seeing Misty lose her cool. She picked Marill up and comforted it.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry! My mistake!" cried Misty. "We'll find your trainer, Marill. Just stop crying, okay?" But Marill kept crying.

"I'm the one who should be crying!" Groaned Misty.

Meanwhile, Ash, Brock, Wilhemina and Lucy were walking along the river to see if they could find Misty.

"Misty will take care of your Marill, you'll see." Said Ash.

"And I'll promise to look after her in sickness and in health, for richer or poorer, till death do us part. I do. I DO!" cried Brock.

"You're going to scare her away, Brock." Replied Ash.

"All we're doing is following the river, not walking down the wedding isle." Said Lucy.

"This is all my fault." Sighed Wilhemina. "I never should've let little Marill out of my sight for even a second!" She came to a stop, leaving Ash, Lucy and Brock confused.

"Don't blame yourself, Wilhemina." Brock assured her.

"This is the first time it's been on its own." Said Wilhemina. "It's just a baby. It could wander around for days or even weeks and never be able to find its way home, and then I'll never see my poor Marill ever again." She started crying, but Brock grabbed her hand and stared into her eyes.

"Listen to me, Wilhemina." Said Brock. "We'll find Marill no matter what it takes! Trust me, we'll find Marill!"

"You think so?" asked Wilhemina.

"I know so." Brock replied. "No matter what happens and no matter how long it takes, I promise I'll be here for you until Marill is back, safe and sound!"

"You're great, Brock!" Cried Wilhemina.

"So are you, Wilhemina." Replied Brock.

"I think she really likes him." Said Ash.

"I think so too." Agreed Lucy. "For once, I don't think Brock needs to be pulled out of this." Togepi suddenly jumped out of Ash's arms and found something.

"Marill's bow!" cried Ash and Lucy.

"That's my little Marill's ribbon!" cried Wilhemina.

Poke Quiz Question

"All right, trainers, listen up because Lucy and I have a little Pokemon quiz for you." Said Ash.

"Trainers, which Pokemon was Gengar battling against at the start of the very first episode of our series?" asked Lucy. "Ash and I will have the answer a little later, but for now, back to the show!"

Back To Episode

Misty was resting while the Pokemon had something to eat.

"I hope we find that Marill's trainer soon." Said Misty. Marill soon saw a Butterfree overhead and started to chase after it.

"Hey! Where are you going?" cried Misty. "Come back! The forest is no place to get lost!" The Marill soon came across an open field of flowers where another Butterfree was with the one that Marill had chased after. It playfully sprayed its Water Gun at the Butterfree, but they kept ducking and popping up elsewhere like a carnival game. Soon, Misty, Pikachu and Eevee showed up.

"There you are!" cried Misty. "Were you getting in a little target practice, Marill?" Pikachu and Eevee suddenly started trembling in terror.

"What's the matter?" asked Misty. She looked and saw a bunch of angry and wet Caterpie and Weedle staring at them.

"A big bunch of bug Pokemon!" cried Misty. A swarm of Beedrill soon appeared.

"Pika/Vee!" cried Pikachu and Eevee. (Beedrill!) As the Beedrill swarm rushed toward them, Ash, Lucy, Brock and Wilhemina searched the forest.

"This could be a bit tricky in those shoes, so allow me to give you a helping hand, Wilhemina." Brock offered.

"Oh, Brock. You're such a gentleman." Wilhemina responded. However, she tripped and fell anyway, but Brock caught her.

"Are you okay, Wilhemina?" he asked. "You're not hurt or anything, are you?"

"I'm fine." Wilhemina answered.

"And so am I." replied Brock. They suddenly heard two familiar Pokemon.

"Pikachu? Eevee?" said Ash.

"Sure sounded like them." Replied Lucy. They soon saw Misty, Pikachu, Eevee and Marill running for their lives.

"Pikachu! Misty!" cried Ash.

"Eevee!" cried Lucy.

"I'm coming, Marill!" cried Brock and Wilhemina. They soon saw what Misty, Pikachu, Eevee and Marill had been running from, which was the Beedrill swarm, and they started to run away. But Wilhemina tripped, which made Ash, Lucy and Brock fall with her. Misty, Marill, Eevee and Pikachu kept running.

"Pikachu!" cried Ash.

"Eevee!" cried Lucy.

"My Marill!" cried Wilhemina.

"The Beedrill are coming! Get down!" cried Brock. They did so and the Beedrill flew on past while Misty, Pikachu, Eevee and Marill continued to run. Marill laughed the whole way.

"Why are you laughing, Marill?!" cried Lucy. "We're practically running for our lives here!"

"She's right!" replied Misty. "Beedrill are nothing to laugh at!" However, they soon reached a dead end.

"Vee!" cried Eevee. (Dead end!)

"Oh no! We can't climb this!" cried Misty. "It's a dead end! What do we do?"

"The only thing we CAN do, which is chase those Beedrill away!" cried Lucy.

"Okay!" cried Misty. "Go, Pikachu! Use your Thunder Shock attack!"

"You too, Little Pikachu!" cried Lucy. The attacks landed, which forced the Beedrill to retreat, but not before Ash captured one of them.

"All right! Beedrill be gone!" cried Lucy. She gave a triumphant laugh.

"Yay! I've always wanted to try using an electric attack for a long time!" cried Misty.

"Uh, Misty, you used Pikachu's electrical power during the Princess Day festival." Said Lucy. Raindrops suddenly began to come down as the sky darkened, which signaled the arrival of a thunderstorm. The group stayed under a tree while they waited for the storm to pass.

"If we find Marill, Wilhemina will leave and I'll be unhappy." Said Brock. "If we don't find Marill, Wilhemina will stay and she'll be unhappy."

"Hey, Brock, what are you mumbling about?" wondered Ash.

"It's a no-win situation for Wilhemina and me, Ash." Replied Brock. "She'll only be happy if we find Marill, but if we find Marill, Wilhemina's going to leave. I'm either going to end up happy but unhappy, or unhappy but happy." Ash was confused.

"What?" he asked.

"WHY CAN'T I EVER HAVE A RAY OF SUNSHINE IN MY LIFE?!" screamed Brock. Lightning soon flashed, which frightened Wilhemina, Togepi and Little Pikachu.

"Don't be scared, Wilhemina." Said Brock. "I'm right here. Right here."

"Withdrawal. That's a good idea." Said Ash. "As soon as the storm's over, we'll go find Misty. I hope."

Meanwhile, Misty, Pikachu, Eevee and Marill had taken refuge inside a tree.

"It's really pouring." Said Misty.

"Pikachu." Replied Pikachu. (Really hard.)

"I wonder if Ash, Brock and Lucy are caught in the storm." Said Misty. Another flash of lightning and a boom of thunder occurred, which frightened Marill.

"It's okay, Marill." Soothed Misty. "I won't let anything bad happen to you." But a couple more flashes of lightning and booms of thunder caused Marill to cry and run off in terror.

"Marill, wait!" cried Misty. But Marill didn't stop. It kept running instead.

"Wait for me, Marill!" cried Misty. "Come back here!"

"Vee!" cried Eevee. (Marill!) Suddenly, Marill stopped as a lightning bolt struck a tree, which caused it to fall right towards Marill.

"Quick, Marill! Get out of the way!" cried Misty. But Marill was too scared to move.

"Marill!" yelled Misty. She jumped into action and saved Marill from being crushed.

"Pikachu Pi!" cried Pikachu. (Misty!) Thankfully, Misty and Marill were okay.

"Marill, are you okay?" cried Misty.

"Marill." Answered Marill. (I'm fine.)

"Just what were you thinking?" scolded Misty. "Don't you know you could've been hurt very badly just now?" Her expression quickly changed from mad to kind-hearted.

"But you weren't and I should just be glad that you're all right, I guess." She continued. Marill soon hugged Misty, and vice versa.

"Cutie pie." Said Misty. The storm soon ended, and Misty lead Pikachu, Eevee and Marill across a high bridge over the river.

"I know it's kind of high up, but don't worry about a thing because I'll have you across and back to your trainer before you know it." Said Misty. A mechanical hand suddenly popped out of the bushes and started shaking the bridge.

"What's happening?!" cried Misty. "Why is the bridge shaking?!" Team Rocket soon appeared, which revealed that they were the cause of it.

"You know that old saying, James." Said Jessie.

"You always hurt the ones you love." Replied James.

"Team Rocket!" cried Misty.

"Who were you expecting, the Wizard of Oz?" cried Meowth. "Shake 'em up, Jimmy boy!"

"Palms away!" cried James. He fired another mechanical hand, which grabbed Pikachu and Eevee.

"Pikachu, Eevee, no!" cried Misty.

"Pika!" cried Pikachu. (Help us!) After Pikachu and Eevee were reeled in, the mechanical hand that had been shaking the bridge was retracted.

"How about a big hand for the little Marill?" cried Meowth. The mechanical hand that had been retracted fired again and grabbed Marill.

"How about not?!" cried Misty. She then jumped onto the arm the mechanical arm was part of and held on, which made the device weigh too much for Meowth to hold and carry, which resulted in Meowth getting pulled down, though Jessie caught him before he fell.

Whatever you do, Meowth, don't let go!" she cried.

"It's too heavy!" replied Meowth.

"Don't make excuses, just hang on!" cried James.

"We'll be okay, Marill." Said Misty. "We're a much better team than they are!"

"I gotta let 'em go!" cried Meowth. He finally let them go and sent Misty and Marill plummeting to the river.

"I won't let you get hurt, Marill!" cried Misty. But at the last minute, a Vine Whip out of nowhere saved them both. She looked and saw the rest of the gang, and the Vine Whip came from Ash's Chikorita.

"Great save, Chikorita!" cried Brock.

"You could say that again." Said Misty. "Thanks, guys."

"Oh, my little Marill is safe!" cried Wilhemina. "Thank goodness!"

"Chikorita, Razor Leaf attack, now!" cried Ash. With a single Razor Leaf, Chikorita punctured the balloon, which caused Team Rocket to crash land in front of the group and let Pikachu and Eevee go.

"Pikachu!" cried Ash.

"Eevee!" cried Lucy.

"You can't get rid of us that easy!" cried Meowth.

"This isn't over yet!" cried James.

"We're not leaving here without both of those Pokemon!" cried Jessie. "Go, Arbok!"

"Let's go and get 'em, Chikorita!" cried James. Arbok and Chikorita materialized.

"So James has a Chikorita too." Said Ash.

"You're not getting anything!" cried Misty. "I choose you, Poliwag! Go!" Poliwag materialized.

"Arbok, use your Poison Sting attack!" cried Jessie.

"Chikorita, use your Razor Leaf attack!" cried James. The attacks fired.

"Poliwag, Water Gun attack!" cried Misty. The Water Gun was more powerful and sent Chikorita flying back. As for the Poison Sting, it headed right for Misty.

"Look out!" cried Ash.

"Get out of the way!" cried Lucy. Marill suddenly jumped from Wilhemina's arms and protected Misty with Water Gun before landing on her shoulder.

"I told you we make a great team." Said Misty.

"We're not losing today!" cried Jessie.

"It's two for one day!" cried James.

"Pikachu, go!" cried Ash. "Use your Thunderbolt!" The attack sent Team Rocket flying into their balloon basket. The electrical power caused the hot air generator to explode and send Team Rocket flying.

"Team Rocket's blasting off again!" cried Team Rocket.

"Yay! We did it! We showed 'em! Yay for us! We did it!" cried Misty. "Thanks, guys!"

"It looks like you made a lot of new friends for yourself." Said Wilhemina. Ash petted Pikachu, much to Chikorita's jealousy.

"You should both be proud." Said Ash. "You were really great." Chikorita soon butted in and nuzzled Ash.

"Especially you, Chikorita." Said Ash.

"Pika." Replied Pikachu. (Oh brother)

Poke Quiz Answer

"Trainers, earlier in the show, Lucy asked you the following question." Said Ash. "Which Pokemon was Gengar battling against at the start of the very first episode of our series?"

"If you said Nidorino, you're correct!" cried Lucy. "You definitely have what it takes to become a Pokemon master! Ash and I will have a new question next time!"

Back To Episode

"I can't thank you enough." Said Wilhemina. "I'm so grateful that I, or rather, we, would love it if you stay at our lake house for a while."

"Thanks a lot, but we have to get to Azalea Town." Said Ash.

"Meeting you has been one of the best things that I've ever done, and I hope with all my heart that we meet again someday." Said Brock.

"I feel the same way." Replied Wilhemina. She was about to ride away when Marill hopped over to Misty.

"Marill, you're supposed to be with Wilhemina." Said Misty.

"Marill Mar!" cried Marill. (But I don't want to leave you!)

"It sounds like Marill wants to go with you, Misty." Said Wilhemina. "Please take good care of it."

"I will." Replied Misty. And then, out of nowhere, an Azumarill emerged, along with another Marill, but they weren't their usual colors. The other Marill was green and the Azumarill was yellow.

"Marill!" cried Marill. (More new friends for me to play with!) Ash caught the Azumarill and Lucy caught the other Marill. Wilhemina then entered her limousine and drove away.

"See ya!" cried Ash.

"Bye, for now!" cried Brock. He suddenly lost composure.

"I'll never see her again!" he cried.

"I'll miss her." Said Misty. The group waved and bid farewell to Wilhemina until the limo was out of sight.

"If I didn't know any better, I say that Marill's quite attached to you, Misty." Said Ash.

"Of course it is. That's why it wanted to go with me." Said Misty. And so, even as the car disappears from view, Marill is happily joining our friends as their Johto journey continues.

TO BE CONTINUED

Ash's Current Party: Pikachu, Bulbasaur, Charizard, Wartortle, Heracross (male), Chikorita

Lucy's Current Party: Eevee, Hoothoot, Pikachu, Sentret, Hoppip, Cyndaquil

Eggs: Togepi (Joint ownership with Misty), unknown

Ash's Spare Pokemon at Oak's Lab: Spearow, Clefairy, Onix, Butterfree, Primeape, Muk, Scyther, Diglett, Voltorb, Rapidash, Kangaskhan, Tauros, Rhyhorn, Nidorino, Dratini, Dragonair Gyrados, Exeggutor, Kabuto, Kabutops, Ivysaur, Venusaur, Growlithe, Arbok, Weezing, Meowth, Magmar, Blastoise, Squirtle, Kingler, Aerodactyl, Machoke, Dodrio, Mr. Mime, Bulbasaurtwo, Charmandertwo, Squirtletwo, Venusaurtwo, Charizardtwo, Blastoisetwo, Vulpixtwo, Ninetalestwo, Hitmonleetwo, Hitmonchan, Gengar, Moltres, Fearow, Hypno, Chansey, Jolteon, Vileplume (Orange Island variant), Drowzee, Pink Nidoking, Dragonite, Haunter, Shellder, Butterfree (Orange Island variant), Beedrill, Venomoth, Farfetch'd, Magnemite, Magneton, Giant Rhydon, Persian, Slowking, Electabuzz, Pink Raichu, Pink Nidoran Male, Pink Nidoran Female, Golem, Snorlax, Tentacruel, Dugtrio, Electrode, Tauros, Lapras, Spinarak (shiny), Eevee (shiny), Quagsire, Ledyba (two), Beedrill, Azumarill (shiny; yellow)

In Rotation: Scyther, Rapidash, Farfetch'd, Haunter, Dragonite, Nidoking

Lucy's Spare Pokemon at Oak's Lab: Beedrill, Cubone, Hitmonlee, Golbat, Dugtrio, Voltorb, Ponyta (shiny), Kangaskhan, Chansey, Tauros, Dragonair, Clefairy, Exeggcute, Jigglypuff, Kabuto, Aerodactyl, Machoke, Tangela, Gloom, Sandslash, Alakazam, Butterfree (Pink), Slowpoke, Blastoise, Crystal Onix, Pink Rhyhorn, Scyther, Pinsir, Farfetch'd, Magnemite, Grimer, Lugia, Pink Gyrados, Poliwhirl, Staryu, Charmander, Lapras, Tentacruel, Diglett, Electrode, Dewgong, Sentret, Ivysaur, Heracross (female), Chikorita, Arcanine, Spinarak, Misdreavus, Sunkern, Quagsire, Ledyba (two), Marill (shiny; green)

In Rotation: Aerodactyl, Jigglypuff, Staryu, Dragonair, Pinsir, Blastoise

Misty's Pokemon: Oddish, Goldeen, Staryu, Vaporeon, Omanyte, Psyduck, Golduck, Togepi (joint ownership with Lucy), Horsea (at Cerulean gym), Starmie (at Cerulean gym), Poliwag, Lapras, Tentacruel, Voltorb, Quagsire, Ledyba, Marill

Brock's Pokemon: Geodude, Onix, Zubat, Vulpix, Aerodactyl, Butterfree (Orange Island variant), Donphan, Stantler

Jessie's Pokemon: Arbok, Lickitung, Giant Pidgeot, Pichu, Ledyba

James' Pokemon: Weezing, Victreebell, Vileplume, Chikorita

 

[MarkL1987]

Episode 140: Taking A Day Off

It's another beautiful morning, and it's starting with Lucy hard at work doing…. well…. she's definitely doing something. Say, Lucy, exactly what is it that you're doing?

"I'm polishing my egg that Falkner gave me." Lucy replied. "It's important to keep it clean and warm so that it can hatch." You're right, egg maintenance is very important. But where's Ash?

"He's hard at work too." Answered Lucy. "He's out doing some training with his Pikachu." Well, let's hope that's going well for him. Speaking of Ash, he was trying to teach Pikachu how to use Zap Cannon.

"Just fire off your bolt of electricity like a cannon, Pikachu." Said Ash. Pikachu kept firing the move at the trees, as those were his practice targets. But after several unsuccessful attempts, Pikachu started panting heavily.

"Pika!" he cried. (Let's take a break, Ash!) The sound of a grumbling stomach further cemented Pikachu's suggestion.

"I guess we could use a little something to eat." Said Ash. "You put in a good effort, Pikachu. Maybe we'll try again later." Pikachu and Ash headed back to the spot where the group's campsite had been set up, and Lucy joined him upon completion of her egg polishing.

"How's Pikachu doing with training, Ash?" asked Lucy.

"He's doing fine." Replied Ash. "Trying to learn a new move isn't as easy as it looks."

"Misty and I were observing his session last night." Added Brock. "I can attest to what Ash is saying."

"Maybe you should give it a rest today, Ash." Misty suggested.

"She has a point." Added Lucy. "If you're having that much trouble, then taking today off might be the best course of action. It'll also give Pikachu a chance to refresh his batteries."

"I guess you're both right." Replied Ash. "Looks like we're taking the rest of the day off, Pikachu."

"Pikachu Pi?" inquired Pikachu. (What'll we do?)

"What any trainer does on a day off." Answered Ash. "We're just going to relax and not even think of doing any training."

"You should have a day off too, Lucy." Said Misty. "Going through a lot of adventures like the ones we've had can tire a person out."

"We certainly have been through a lot." Said Lucy. "Okay, if Ash is taking a day off, then so am I."

"Let's find someplace where it's quiet." Suggested Ash.

"That would be ideal." Replied Lucy. "Wherever we pick, let's just hope that we don't see Team Rocket anywhere." Ash and Lucy took off, with Pikachu, Eevee and Little Pikachu in tow.

"Try to get back before it gets too late!" Misty called after them. Once the pair were out of sight, she let Togepi and Marill play together.

"Just don't get too rough." She said.

"Marill!" Cried Marill. (We won't!)

"And make sure you stay close by so I can see you!" Misty added.

"Toge!" cried Togepi. (We will!)

"Marill Mar!" cried Marill. (Let's go, Togepi!) The two little Pokemon ran off together, making sure not to go out of Misty's sight.

"Aren't you glad that Marill and Togepi made friends with each other?" asked Brock. Misty gave a confirming nod.

"It's so refreshing to see two cute little Pokemon like them playing nicely with each other instead of fighting." She said.

Meanwhile, Ash, Lucy, Pikachu, Eevee and Little Pikachu all walked down the path together looking for the perfect resting spot.

"Pikachu Pi Pika!" cried Little Pikachu. (Here's a good spot!)

"There's too many trees in the way." Said Lucy. They continued on, and then Eevee found what she thought was a good spot.

"Vee!" she cried. (Let's try over here! There's lots of nice flowers we can pick!)

"Those don't look like flowers to me." Said Ash.

"He's right." Replied Lucy. "That's poison ivy. If we touch that, we'll be itchy all over." The two trainers and their Pokémon continued to walk around looking for a good relaxing spot. But no matter what spot Eevee or any of the Pikachu picked, there was always some sort of danger. Finally, they came to a wide open field.

"Here we are. The perfect spot." Said Lucy. Pikachu and Eevee spotted a large tree close to them.

"Pika Pi?" asked Pikachu. (Can we play over there?)

"Vee?" replied Eevee. (Yeah, can we?)

"Yes you can, but make sure you stay where we can see you." Lucy answered. Pikachu, Eevee and Little Pikachu ran off, and as they played, Lucy got out a Poke Ball.

"I bet someone else would enjoy this nice, sunny weather." She said. "Sunkern, I choose you!" Sunkern materialized.

"Sunkern Kern!" cried Sunkern. (The weather is so beautiful today!)

"It's very nice indeed." Replied Lucy. "And best of all, Team Rocket isn't here to bother us."

"You think maybe they're taking today off themselves?" Ash wondered.

"If they are, then we won't have to worry about Pikachu and Eevee being stolen from us." Lucy answered. Speaking of Team Rocket, Jessie happened to be in the vicinity and she was looking for her own spot.

"Ugh, James and Meowth are some of the stupidest friends that I know." She sighed. "Maybe a day to myself to get away from them is just what I needed."

"Pichu?" wondered Pichu. (Am I stupid too?)

"Of course not, dearie." Jessie answered. "You're one of the most adorable Pokemon ever!" She gave Pichu a small cuddle, which pleased the baby Pokemon immensely.

"I need to find someplace where I can clear my head and not even think of stealing any Pokemon today." Said Jessie. "And I think I know just who can help with that. I choose you, Pidgeot! I choose you, Ledyba!" The giant flying type and the cute bug type materialized.

"Pidgeot, I need you and Ledyba to find a good resting spot for me." Said Jessie. "Pichu can go with you." Pichu jumped onto Ledyba's back and the two Pokemon took off. Ash and Lucy had made themselves comfortable and were looking up into the sky when they spotted something.

"Hey, Ash, isn't that Jessie's Pidgeot?" wondered Lucy. Ash almost couldn't believe his eyes.

"It is!" he cried. "And I see her Ledyba too. That means Team Rocket has to be nearby." Pikachu and Eevee also spotted the two Pokemon.

"Pika Pi!" cried Pikachu. (I thought they weren't going to bother us today)

"Vee!" cried Eevee. (I guess we were wrong) Pidgeot and Ledyba then flew back in the direction they had come.

"Pika!" Cried Pikachu. (Now they're gone!)

"Vee." Replied Eevee. (Very weird) Because of Pidgeot's blazing speed, it got back to Jessie in no time flat, with Ledyba and Pichu close behind

"Very good, Pidgeot!" cried Jessie. "Nice job, Ledyba." Pidgeot, Ledyba and Pichu led her over to the spot in the field, and when she saw who was there, she almost couldn't believe it.

"Do my eyes deceive me, or is that half of the twerp patrol over there?!" cried Jessie.

"Pidgeot!" Cried the big bird. (No, it's the twerps!) She slowly approached them, with Ash and Lucy not suspecting anything out of the ordinary until a tap of Ash's shoulder made the two of them turn around.

"Guess who, twerps?!" cried Jessie.

"Not YOU again!" exclaimed Ash and Lucy.

"Sorry to drop in unannounced, but it's prepare for trouble time!" cried Jessie. "And make it…..actually, on second thought, doing most of the motto doesn't really make sense without James and Meowth. But there's one part of the motto that I can do that doesn't need them. Team Rocket, blast off at the speed of light! Surrender now or prepare to fight!"

"Pichu!" (That's right!)

"Ledyba!"

"All right, Jessie, what crazy plan did you, James and Meowth come up with this time?" cried Lucy.

"James and Meowth aren't with me right now, so there's no plan." Replied Jessie.

"Pikachu Pika Pi?!" cried Pikachu. (Then why did you go through the whole motto spiel anyway?!)

"For contractual obligations, that's why." Answered Jessie. "Say, twerps, don't tell this to James or Meowth, but let's just call off the whole chasing you around for Pikachu and Eevee thing today. What do you say?" Pikachu and Eevee thought hard before answering.

"Vee!" cried Eevee. (Fine, but no tricks!)

"Yes, fine, whatever you say." Replied Jessie. "Arbok, Lickitung, come on out." Lickitung and Arbok materialized.

"Rhydon, I choose you!" cried Ash. Rhydon materialized.

"I recognize that Rhydon." Said Jessie. "That's the one that was chasing after Meowth, Eevee and Pikachu out on the Orange Islands. Remember that?"

"Pika!" cried Pikachu. (Don't remind me!)

"Yeah, that wasn't exactly what you'd call an electrifying experience." Replied Lucy.

"That was when Pikachu, Eevee and Meowth were all locked together, wasn't it?" asked Ash.

"Vee." Answered Eevee. (It was.) Lickitung and Arbok were almost about to start fighting each other with their tongues until Jessie intervened.

"There's not going to be any fighting today!" she cried. As they sat in the field, they kept talking about some of the many adventures they had shared on their journey so far.

"Remember when I caught this adorable little Sunkern in that snowy mountain?" said Lucy.

"How exactly did you get it?" asked Jessie.

"The trainer that used to own it abandoned it, and so it was quite sad." Answered Lucy. "But then I came along and took it in, and now it's very happy again. Isn't that right, my little Sunkern?"

"Sunkern Kern!" cried Sunkern. (That's right!)

"I don't know who this Sunkern used to belong to, but let's hope we never run into him or her." Said Ash.

"Anyone who abandons their Pokemon doesn't deserve to be a trainer." Agreed jessie.

"Sunkern Kern Sun Sunkern?" wondered Sunkern. (What is my old trainer tries to come for me?)

"Don't you worry, Sunkern. If he or she tries to take you way, I'll make sure they don't succeed." Said Lucy. Sunkern happily hopped up and down in front of Lucy, which made her smile.

An hour later…..

"Where is that lousy Sunkern?!" cried the voice of a young female teenager. She was desperately trying to find something in the field where Ash, Lucy and Jessie were, but she wasn't having any luck.

"Wherever you are, Sunkern, I will find you!" cried the female teen. She kept searching furiously.

Back with Ash, Lucy and Jessie….

"There's a cloud that looks like Arbok." Said Jessie.

"And there's one that looks like you, Eevee." Said Lucy. She pointed to the cloud, which made Eevee smile.

"There's a Pikachu shaped cloud." Said Ash.

"Pika Pi!" cried Pikachu. (It looks lovely!)

"And look, Sunkern, there's your cloud!" cried Lucy.

"Sunkern Kern!" cried Sunkern. (It's adorable, just like me!) Lucy let out a chuckle.

"Nothing can possibly ruin this day off for us!" she cried. But thirty minutes later, her statement would be proven wrong, as the female teen appeared unexpectedly.

"Hello, Sunkern." She said. "I've come to take you back with me." Sunkern was frightened at the sight of seeing its previous trainer and quickly hid behind Lucy.

"What's wrong, Sunkern?" asked Lucy.

"Sun! Sunkern!" cried Sunkern. (It's her! She's the one who abandoned me on that mountain!) Lucy glared angrily at the teen.

"What's the big idea abandoning your Pokemon the way you did?!" she cried.

"I was going to just leave it there, but then I realized that I might have made a mistake." Said the teen. "So I started searching frantically all over trying to find Sunkern. I was even at the Violet Gym after you and asked Falkner about it. He said that you had taken it in, and that's what made me intensify my search. Now that I've found it, I want it to come back with me, so hand it over." Sunkern kept itself hidden, but now, it was trembling in fear.

"It's okay, little guy." Lucy said gently to Sunkern before facing the teen. "Never! It's obvious that you never had any interest in caring for this Sunkern at all! Its' flower was practically almost wilted when I found it! Had I waited any longer, it would've died! And guess whose fault that would've been? Yours! I will never, EVER give this back to you! People like you disgust me! This Sunkern is staying with me, and that's just how it's going to be!" But the teen refused to admit defeat.

"All right, how about a little proposition." She suggested. "You and I will have a battle against each other two on two. If you win, you get to keep Sunkern. But if I win, it comes with me. So what do you say? Deal or no deal?" Lucy didn't hesitate for a second.

"Deal!" she cried. Ash was shocked.

"But Lucy, what if you lose?!" he cried.

"That's not going to happen, Ash, because I'm going to win!" Lucy cried confidently. "I did win the Indigo League for a reason, you know!" The teen was shocked at what she had just heard.

"Did you just say you won the Indigo League?" she cried. "I've always wanted to participate in a tournament like that. I saw the whole tournament on television, and you did very well. My name's Kathy, by the way.

"I'm Lucy." Said Lucy. "I've won one Johto badge so far." She showed the badge to Kathy.

"Impressive, but what'll be more impressive is when I defeat you." Said Kathy.

"In your dreams, because I'm the one that's going to win!" cried Lucy. "Let's do this!" Kathy and Lucy took their positions.

"Knock 'em dead, Lucy!" cried Ash.

"Hey twerp, show this no good twerp who's boss!" cried Jessie.

"Vee." Said Eevee. (I never thought Team Rocket would be cheering for us)

"Let's get started." Said Kathy. "Oh, and just so you know, all of my Pokemon are grass types. Chikorita, let's do this!" A Chikorita materialized.

"So she also has a Chikorita." Said Lucy. "Okay, Eevee, I'm going to start with you for this one!" Eevee nodded and ran onto the field.

"Chikorita, use your Tackle attack!" cried Kathy. Chikorita charged.

"Eevee, dodge it!" cried Lucy. Eevee did so effortlessly.

"Use your Quick Attack!" cried Lucy. Eevee ran full speed and rammed into Chikorita.

"Stay strong, Chikorita!" cried Kathy. "Use Attract!" Chikorita sent out glowing pink hearts.

"Quick, Eevee, use Protect!" cried Lucy. Eevee formed a protective shield to avoid being infatuated.

"Bite attack!" cried Lucy. Eevee ran up and bit Chikorita on top of its head.

"Chikorita!" cried Kathy. Despite Chikorita crying in pain, the grass type stood tall.

"Use your Vine Whip attack!" cried Kathy.

"Eevee, use Reflect!" cried Lucy. Another reflective barrier went up, resulting in the vines hitting the barrier instead of Eevee.

"Try a Razor Leaf!" cried Kathy. Chikorita fired off the leaves.

"Jump and use Swift!" cried Lucy. Eevee dodged the leaves and launched the Swift attack, which struck Chikorita hard.

"Chika!" cried the grass type.

"Come on, Chikorita!" cried Kathy. "That Eevee's good, but show it that you're better! Use your Vine Whip again!"

"Sand Attack!" countered Lucy. Eevee quickly blinded Chikorita with sand, which made the vines miss.

"That's it, Eevee!" cried Lucy. "Now, give it your own Tackle attack!" Eevee charged at Chikorita and tackled it hard, sending it to the ground.

"That should be the finisher!" cried Lucy. Chikorita, however, got back to its feet.

"How?!" cried Lucy.

"That Chikorita must be one of those stubborn ones." Observed Ash.

"I got this Chikorita from that mountain area where you find the Sunkern." Said Kathy. "Joy told me Chikorita in that area tend to be stubborn and she was definitely right. Okay, Chikorita, give it the Body Slam!" Chikorita jumped and got ready to slam down onto Eevee.

"Dodge it!" cried Lucy. Eevee rolled itself out of the way just before Chikorita came down. The grass type landed hard, but still wouldn't give up.

"Vine Whip again!" cried Kathy. Chikorita stuck its vines out again.

"Use your Double Team!" cried Lucy. Eevee copied itself, making the vines strikes the illusions until only the real one remained.

"Now, go for Headbutt and turn it into Take Down!" cried Lucy. Eevee lowered its head and ran hard right into Chikorita, striking the grass type hard and finally knocking it out.

"Way to go, Eevee!" cried Lucy. Kathy aggressively recalled Chikorita and reached for another Poke Ball.

"Your Eevee's great, but let's see how it does against this!" cried Kathy. "Hoppip, go!" Hoppip materialized.

"Eevee, do you want to keep going?" asked Lucy. Eevee nodded.

"Hoppip, use your Tackle attack!" cried Kathy. Hoppip charged in.

"Dodge it!" cried Lucy. Eevee once again evaded the move.

"Fire off a Swift attack!" cried Lucy. The attack hit Hoppip in the face.

"Bullet Seed!" cried Kathy. Hoppip fired off a barrage of seeds, and Eevee was hit before it could react.

"Eevee!" cried Lucy. Eevee shook it off and stood tall.

"Way to do it, Eevee!" cried Lucy. "Blind Hoppip so that it can't see! Sand Attack!" Eevee whipped up sand, but Hoppip flew up slightly to dodge the sand.

"Go for a Solar Beam attack!" cried Kathy. Hoppip started charging up.

"While we're waiting for that Solar Beam, use your Quick Attack!" cried Lucy. Eevee ran at Hoppip, jumped and struck Hoppip.

"Fire the Solar Beam now!" cried Kathy. The attack was launched.

"Eevee, jump out of the way!" cried Lucy. But the attack came at Eevee so fast that it didn't have time to move. The powerful attack knocked Eevee out. Lucy rushed up to her partner.

"Are you all right, Eevee?" she asked. Eevee gave a weak nod.

"You did a great job. Now you can have some rest." Said Lucy. She picked Eevee up and carried her over to Pikachu. She then ran back and grabbed another Poke Ball.

"I have to win this next one, so Hoothoot, it's all up to you!" cried Lucy. "Go!" Hoothoot materialized.

"A flying type to counter my grass type, how predictable." Muttered Kathy. "Hoppip, use your Stun Spore!" Hoppip started to spray paralyzing dust.

"Fly up, Hoothoot!" cried Lucy. Hoothoot flew up before it could be paralyzed.

"Use your Peck attack!" cried Lucy. Hoothoot pecked at Hoppip, which made the grass type cry out.

"Don't be a crybaby, Hoppip!" cried Kathy. "Hit it with your best Tackle." Hoppip charged in and smacked the flying type with the attack.

"Use your Hypnosis attack!" cried Lucy. Hoothoot concentrated on Hoppip and sent the grass type into a deep sleep.

"No!" cried Kathy.

"Now use your Confusion attack!" cried Lucy. Hoothoot's eyes glowed and sent Hoppip crashing into the tree. The grass type fell to the ground knocked out.

"You did it, Hoothoot!" cried Lucy. "That was such an amazing Confusion attack, and we won the match because of that!" Kathy was fuming mad and angrily recalled her Hoppip.

"So, Kathy, looks like that Sunkern stays with me." Said Lucy.

"Yeah, in your dreams." Grumbled Kathy. "Just hand it over and nobody has to get hurt."

"Excuse me, but I believe your terms were that I get to keep Sunkern if I won the match, and I did!" cried Lucy. "You can't just change your terms like that!"

"Oh yes I can." Replied Kathy. "So, you're going to give me that Sunkern and I'll leave quietly."

"No way!" cried Lucy. "I won fair and square, so you can't take have it!"

"Kern!" cried Sunkern. (That's right!)

"If you know what's good for you, you're going to leave right now and never show your face near me again!" cried Lucy. Kathy angrily shoved Lucy out of the way and aggressively picked up Sunkern.

"Hey!" yelled Lucy. "That's cheating!"

"I don't care!" replied Kathy. "You and I are getting away from this awful trainer, Sunkern. Come on." She held Sunkern tightly as she ran off. Jessie almost couldn't believe it.

"One of the twerp's Pokemon gets stolen, and for once, I'm not that one doing it." She said. Lucy almost burst into tears.

"It'll be okay." Said Ash.

"No, Ash, it won't be okay until I get Sunkern back!" she cried.

"We have to get Brock and Misty." Said Ash.

"No, Ash, I don't want to rope them into this when they're supposed to have today to themselves." Replied Lucy. "We'll just have to find Sunkern on our own."

"How?" said Jessie. "That girl could've gone off anywhere."

"That's what our flying Pokemon are for." Said Lucy. "Hey, Hoothoot, come over here!" Hoothoot flew over to where Lucy, Jessie and Ash were standing.

"Hoothoot, I need you to look for Sunkern from the air." Said Lucy.

"Pidgeot, you and Hoothoot work together." Instructed Jessie. Pidgeot and Hoothoot nodded and took to the sky.

"I hope Hoothoot and Pidgeot can find my little Sunkern." Said Lucy. "I just can't bear to think of what that girl is possibly going to do to it!"

"Once we do get it back, we'll make sure she regrets crossing paths with us." Said Ash. Pikachu and Eevee went to comfort Lucy.

"Pika Pi." Said Pikachu softly. (There now, Lucy, everything will be okay.)

"I really hope you're right, Pikachu." Said Lucy. The expression on her face changed from sadness to worry. Ten minutes later, Pidgeot and Hoothoot returned.

"Hoothoot!" chirped Hoothoot. (We found the girl and your Sunkern!)

"Pidgeot!" cried Pidgeot. (You won't believe what she did to it!) Lucy gasped.

"Quick, Ash, let's hurry!" cried Lucy. "You too, Jessie!" The three of them took off, with Hoothoot, Pidgeot and the other Pokemon trailing behind.

Up ahead on the path…

"Time for a nice, satisfying lunch after a hard Pokemon battle." Said Kathy. She pulled out a sandwich from her bag and bit into it. Sunkern could only watch due to the fact that it was tied to a tree. It was quite scared.

"Sunkern Kern!" it shouted. (Just you wait until my trainer gets here and rescues me!)

"Oh, you mean that stuck up brat that beat me in that battle?" said Kathy. "She doesn't deserve someone like you."

"Kern!" cried Sunkern angrily. (Yes she does! She loves me very much!)

"No, she doesn't." said Kathy. "I think I love you more than she does. Sunkern was furious.

"Kern! Sun! Sunkern! Sunkern! Kern!" it yelled. (You're lying! Lucy clearly loves me a lot! Now let me go!)

"Not a chance." Said Kathy. She continued eating her lunch, not even caring for one minute how Sunkern felt.

Meanwhile…..

"Are you and Pidgeot sure they're near here?" asked Lucy.

"Hoot!" nodded Hoothoot. (Positive!)

"If Tracey and his Marill were around, this search would be a lot easier." Said Ash.

"Well Tracey isn't here right now, is he?" replied Lucy. They soon arrived at the spot where Sunkern had been taken to. Ash almost couldn't believe what he saw.

"Looks like she tied your Sunkern to that tree." He whispered.

"What?!" cried Lucy. "That's awful!"

"That almost seems like something James, Meowth and I would do." Said Jessie. "Now, how are we going to get your Sunkern away from that girl?"

"Very carefully." Whispered Lucy. She looked over at her little Sunkern, who was almost crying.

"Don't worry, I'll get you out of this." She whispered to it. Kathy soon finished her lunch and packed up her bag.

"Well, Sunkern, it's time for us to hit the road." She said. She was about to remove the ropes that were tied to the little grass Pokemon when she found herself surrounded by Ash, Jessie and Lucy. Neither of them looked particularly happy.

"Give my Sunkern back right now!" Lucy ordered. "Or do I have to take it from you like how you did to me?!"

"I'm the one that caught it originally, so I have every right to take it back." Said Kathy. "Now if you'll excuse me, this little Sunkern and I have to be going." Lucy quickly blocked her path.

"The only place you'll be going Is to jail when Officer Jenny comes to arrest you!" she cried.

"No, I think you're the one who's going to be arrested." Said Kathy. "You caught a Pokemon that belonged to me first. That's theft."

"What?! You're the one that abandoned it!" cried Lucy. "It chose to come with me after you dumped it! That's not theft! That's being a caring trainer, which I can't say for you! Now hands off the Sunkern! It's mine!"

"Oh no it's not!" cried Kathy. "The one who caught the Sunkern originally gets to keep it! That was the terms from our battle before."

"It was not!" countered Lucy. "I know exactly what your terms were, so don't you be making me look like an idiot! You're the idiot, and you're also a liar!" Kathy got out a Poke Ball.

"Okay, if you think you know everything, then how about you and I have another battle?" said Kathy.

"I don't want another battle!" cried Lucy. "All I want is my Pokemon back!"

"You're not getting it back!" cried Kathy.

"Oh, we'll just see about that!" cried Lucy. She reached over to start undoing the ropes before being stopped.

"One more move and I'll see to it that your license gets suspended!" Kathy countered.

"What?! I'm not doing anything wrong here! You are!" Lucy countered.

"Pika pi." Pikachu whispered to Eevee. (This could get ugly if we don't do something fast.) Eevee agreed, and they started untying the ropes.

"Kern!" cried Sunkern. (I'm so glad you guys came to save me!)

"Vee!" cried Eevee. (That's what Pokemon friends are for!) Pikachu and Eevee quickly untied the ropes and then Pikachu zapped Kathy with a powerful Zap Cannon attack that left her paralyzed and unable to move or speak.

"Thank you, Pikachu!" cried Ash. "And look at that! You finally learned how to use Zap Cannon!"

"Pika!" cried Pikachu. (I guess some good came out of this after all)

Later, after Brock, Misty and Officer Jenny had heard what had happened, Kathy found herself in handcuffs.

"It'll be a long time before you'll ever be allowed to own or train a Pokemon ever again!" Jenny yelled sternly. Kathy growled at Lucy.

"I'll get you for this, Lucy!" shouted Kathy. "And your precious little Eevee too!" Jenny angrily led Kathy away.

"Kern!" Sunkern yelled after her. (Don't ever come back!)

"Well, looks like you've had quite the day." Said Brock.

"I'd say things are back to normal now." Replied Misty.

"Not quite everything." Said Jessie. "Okay, twerpette, you got your Pokemon back, so the temporary truce is over. Hand over those two little pipsqueaks!"

"No chance!" cried Ash. "Pikachu, use your Thunderbolt attack!" Pikachu launched the attack, sending Jessie and her Pokemon flying into the air.

"I'm blasting off again!" she cried.

"NOW everything's back to normal." Said Ash. What an eventful day. Lucy could've lost her Sunkern for good, but now it's back safe and sound thanks to the help of Pidgeot and Hoothoot. Now that things are all back in order, the journey through Johto continues.

TO BE CONTINUED

Ash's Current Party: Pikachu, Bulbasaur, Charizard, Wartortle, Heracross (male), Chikorita

Lucy's Current Party: Eevee, Hoothoot, Pikachu, Sentret, Hoppip, Cyndaquil

Eggs: Togepi (Joint ownership with Misty), unknown

Ash's Spare Pokemon at Oak's Lab: Spearow, Clefairy, Onix, Butterfree, Primeape, Muk, Scyther, Diglett, Voltorb, Rapidash, Kangaskhan, Tauros, Rhyhorn, Nidorino, Dratini, Dragonair Gyrados, Exeggutor, Kabuto, Kabutops, Ivysaur, Venusaur, Growlithe, Arbok, Weezing, Meowth, Magmar, Blastoise, Squirtle, Kingler, Aerodactyl, Machoke, Dodrio, Mr. Mime, Bulbasaurtwo, Charmandertwo, Squirtletwo, Venusaurtwo, Charizardtwo, Blastoisetwo, Vulpixtwo, Ninetalestwo, Hitmonleetwo, Hitmonchan, Gengar, Moltres, Fearow, Hypno, Chansey, Jolteon, Vileplume (Orange Island variant), Drowzee, Pink Nidoking, Dragonite, Haunter, Shellder, Butterfree (Orange Island variant), Beedrill, Venomoth, Farfetch'd, Magnemite, Magneton, Giant Rhydon, Persian, Slowking, Electabuzz, Pink Raichu, Pink Nidoran Male, Pink Nidoran Female, Golem, Snorlax, Tentacruel, Dugtrio, Electrode, Tauros, Lapras, Spinarak (shiny), Eevee (shiny), Quagsire, Ledyba (two), Beedrill, Azumarill (shiny; yellow)

In Rotation: Scyther, Rapidash, Farfetch'd, Haunter, Dragonite, Nidoking

Lucy's Spare Pokemon at Oak's Lab: Beedrill, Cubone, Hitmonlee, Golbat, Dugtrio, Voltorb, Ponyta (shiny), Kangaskhan, Chansey, Tauros, Dragonair, Clefairy, Exeggcute, Jigglypuff, Kabuto, Aerodactyl, Machoke, Tangela, Gloom, Sandslash, Alakazam, Butterfree (Pink), Slowpoke, Blastoise, Crystal Onix, Pink Rhyhorn, Scyther, Pinsir, Farfetch'd, Magnemite, Grimer, Lugia, Pink Gyrados, Poliwhirl, Staryu, Charmander, Lapras, Tentacruel, Diglett, Electrode, Dewgong, Sentret, Ivysaur, Heracross (female), Chikorita, Arcanine, Spinarak, Misdreavus, Sunkern, Quagsire, Ledyba (two), Marill (shiny; green)

In Rotation: Aerodactyl, Jigglypuff, Staryu, Dragonair, Pinsir, Blastoise

Misty's Pokemon: Oddish, Goldeen, Staryu, Vaporeon, Omanyte, Psyduck, Golduck, Togepi (joint ownership with Lucy), Horsea (at Cerulean gym), Starmie (at Cerulean gym), Poliwag, Lapras, Tentacruel, Voltorb, Quagsire, Ledyba, Marill

Brock's Pokemon: Geodude, Onix, Zubat, Vulpix, Aerodactyl, Butterfree (Orange Island variant), Donphan, Stantler

Jessie's Pokemon: Arbok, Lickitung, Giant Pidgeot, Pichu, Ledyba

James' Pokemon: Weezing, Victreebell, Vileplume, Chikorita

 

[MarkL1987]

Episode 141: Tanks A Lot

Today, our friends have found a quiet spot where they're enjoying a well-deserved rest before their next Johto League gym battle. But you know the old saying, there's no rest for the weary.

Pikachu and Eevee were sound asleep next to the tree, but Togepi was wide awake.

"Togepi." Said Togepi. (Wake up, guys.) But Pikachu and Eevee were too deep in sleep to respond, and they simply rolled over. Togepi got tired from just staring up at the clouds, so it dropped to the ground and closed up its head. A Sentret was holding an apple and looking very confused. The Sentret then returned to its kind to tell them what it had found. It tried to ask them something but got no response from the others.

Meanwhile….

"We can't miss with this!" cried Jessie.

"This has got to be our best invention yet!" cried Meowth. "And it handles nice, too."

"With this weapon in our arsenal, victory is guaranteed!" cried Jessie. "And designing it to look like a giant Arbok is a stroke of genius if I do say so myself. It's the perfect Pokemon to represent us!"

"I still say Weezing would've been a better choice." Replied James.

"Forget Weezing!" cried Jessie. "Now let's see, what shall we call this magnificent machine?"

"How about the Arbotank?" suggested Meowth.

"I like that! It sounds so military!" cried James. A periscope lowered in front of Jessie.

"Good. Now we know those kids must be around here somewhere." Let's see." Said Jessie. She spotted them sleeping under the tree.

"Huh? Bingo, it's them!" cried Jessie. "Twerps spotted at twelve o'clock, and that's not even the best part."

"It isn't?" cried James.

"What is?" replied Meowth.

"They're all fast asleep." Replied Jessie.

"Oh." Said James.

"I thought you were going to say they had a pepperoni pizza with extra anchovies we could swipe." Said Meowth.

"Don't you see?" said Jessie. "This gives us the perfect opportunity."

"While they're asleep, we can capture Pikachu and Eevee." Said James.

"Good idea, but there's one problem." Replied Meowth. "If we roll up in this thing, the noise will wake them up!" Meowth brought the Arbotank to a stop.

Meanwhile, the group was still fast asleep. Lucy was holding onto her egg tightly, but suddenly, it began glowing a bright white light.

"Eevee?" cried Eevee drowsily. (What's happening to the egg?)

"It's hatching." Whispered Lucy. "Normally I'd be more excited, but the others are still sleeping, so we need to keep our voices down. The light faded to reveal that a Pidgey had hatched from the egg.

"Pidgey." Cooed the new arrival. (Hello, and good morning world.)

"Welcome to the world, Pidgey." Said Lucy. "It's very nice to meet you. My name's Lucy, and I'm your new trainer." The Sentret from earlier soon returned and accidentally rolled Togepi down the hill, which made the Sentret pursue.

Meanwhile, Team Rocket made their plan.

"Here's the plan." Said Jessie. "We'll snatch Pikachu, Eevee and that newborn Pidgey and use the Arbotank for our getaway."

"When naptime's over, those kids will be in for a rude awakening." Replied James.

"Any plan that involves rudeness is hunky-dory with me!" cried Meowth.

"All right! Let's start Operation: Pikachu and Eevee!" cried Jessie.

"Yeah!" cried James.

"Okay!" replied Meowth.

Meanwhile, Togepi came to a stop and looked around to see what happened when the Sentret showed up. The two of them got to know each other and started rolling along until they unknowingly landed in the Arbotank while Meowth soon heard the hatch on the top close after the two Pokemon fell in.

"Uh oh! I think I just heard some sort of noise." He said.

"A noise?" replied Jessie. "Now that you mention it…"

"I think I did hear something." Added James. They soon spotted Togepi and Sentret inside.

"Look! Togepi!" cried Jessie.

"And look! There's something else sneaking around in there with it!" cried James.

"Oh no!" cried Meowth. "Those two are playing around right next to the control panel!" Togepi soon jumped onto a lever and caused the Arbotank to move forward, which forced Team Rocket to get out of the way as their weapon sped away.

"Hey! How'd they do that?!" cried Meowth.

"James! Don't tell me you forgot to put the parking brake on!" cried Jessie.

"All right, then what would you like me to tell you?" replied James.

"Hurry! We gotta catch 'em!" cried Meowth.

"Yeah!" cried Jessie and James. The two happy Pokemon kept rolling along in the Arbotank, and they were having a great time in the process.

Meanwhile, Misty finally woke up.

"I needed that." She said. "Huh? Togepi? Togepi?" A Sentret bigger than the last one stood beside Ash and poked him in the cap in an attempt to wake him, but Ash merely rolled over.

"Go back to sleep, Pikachu." He mumbled. Pikachu then moved next to Ash.

"I don't want to get up yet." He said. The Sentret poked him again.

"I'm trying to sleep, Pikachu, cut it out!" cried Ash. "Pikachu, I'm….." But when Ash opened his eyes, he realized that it wasn't Pikachu who had been trying to wake him up.

"Pika…chu?" he said. Ash jumped as he saw what had tried to wake him up.

"What's this?" said Ash.

"What's what?" replied Misty. The rest of the group soon woke up.

"Hey, what kind of Pokemon is that?" asked Misty.

"Let's find out." Said Ash. He got out Dexter.

"Sentret, the Scout Pokemon. Sentret is able to see great distances by rising up on its tail. When it spots an enemy or any kind of danger, it emits a loud, shill cry as a warning."

"Hey! Sentret seems pretty cool!" cried Ash.

"It seems worried, too." Said Misty. The Sentret tried to communicate to the others through miming that one of its fellow Sentret was missing. It used the apple core as a story device.

"I wonder what it's trying to tell us." Said Misty.

"Uh, an apple a day keeps the Chansey away?" guessed Ash.

"No, Ash, that's not it at all!" cried Lucy.

"Well, from the way it's gesturing, it looks like it's trying to find something that it lost." Remarked Brock.

"Brock! Maybe Sentret can help us find Togepi!" cried Misty.

"Togepi's gone?" said Brock.

"With how curious Togepi always is, it must've woken up from naptime early and wandered off somewhere." Replied Lucy. The group suddenly heard a loud crash and saw a dust cloud moving uphill over the horizon.

"What do you think it is?" wondered Ash.

"Whatever it is must be pretty big to make a dust cloud that big." Answered Lucy. Sentret then stood on its tail like a meerkat to get a better view.

"Look at that, guys." Said Ash. Sentret then realized something and ran off, with Pikachu and Eevee following it.

"Hey, wait for us!" cried Ash. "Come on, let's follow it!" Ash soon ran off to catch up with the three Pokemon.

"Wait up!" cried Misty.

"We're a team, remember?!" cried Lucy. The Arbotank soon rammed into a rock wall until Sentret and Togepi moved it in another direction as Team Rocket pursued them. Meowth panted heavily.

"What'll we do if we can't catch up to the Arbotank, Jessie?" he asked.

"Don't start worrying!" cried Jessie.

"Just keep running!" cried James. The Team Rocket trio was suddenly cut off by a number of Sentret as another large group of Sentret tried to block the path of the Arbotank until it forced them to retreat as the weapon scraped the side of the canyon wall.

"Oh no!" cried Jessie. "It'll be ruined when it scrapes against those rocks!"

"YOU BETTER NOT PUT A SCRATCH ON THAT TANK!" yelled James. "NOT AFTER I EMPTIED TEAM ROCKET'S BANK ACCOUNT IN ORDER TO BUILD IT!"

"What? You spent our savings?" cried Jessie.

"All of it?" replied Meowth.

"Well, sort of." Answered James.

"But I switched from my top of the line gourmet chub to that cheap chow to save dough!" cried Meowth.

"I suffered too!" cried James. "I adore expensive bonbons, but I made do with hard sucker candy instead!"

"Oh yeah?!" cried Meowth. "Well we're the suckers!"

"What do you mean?" replied James. "I sacrificed just as much as you to save that money! What about Jessie? She didn't do anything to help out!"

"I certainly did!" cried Jessie. "I almost never order caviar anymore and I cut back to only one desert per meal!"

"She had desert!" cried James.

"Yeah!" cried Meowth.

"This isn't about me, it's about you!" cried Jessie. "You never should've spent our life savings without getting permission from me!"

"Oooh, I'm sorry, Jessie, I just wanted you to be proud of me!" cried James. "I'll never spend our money like that again!"

"Yeah, cause we'll never have money again!" screamed Meowth.

Meanwhile, the group was following the Sentret through the Arbotank's path.

"There it is!" cried Ash.

"It looks like it's yet another contraption dreamed up by…" said Lucy, but before she could finish, they soon found Team Rocket running alongside them.

"Team Rocket!" cried Ash and Lucy.

"It's the twerps!" cried Jessie.

"We should've guessed that you three were behind that big, ugly thing!" cried Lucy. James and Meowth moved up behind Jessie and Brock, and Misty moved up behind Ash and Lucy.

"That tank happens to resemble a Pokemon colleague of mine, so don't call it ugly!" cried Meowth. "The nerve, if it wasn't so ugly, you shouldn't have let Togepi swipe it!"

"What?!" cried Misty.

"You mean Togepi is inside of that thing?!" cried Lucy. Misty and Lucy charged after it.

"Misty! Lucy! Wait up!" cried Ash. Meowth pointed toward Sentret.

"That squirt had an accomplice in the heist, and it looked a little like one of you!" he cried. Sentret was shocked and proceeded to run off.

"Sentret!" cried Ash.

"All right! This is a job for Onix!" cried Brock. Onix materialized, and soon, Brock and Ash were right on Misty and Lucy's heels while riding Onix.

"Misty! Lucy!" cried Brock.

"Come on! It's faster this way!" cried Ash. He reached out and Lucy grabbed his wrist. Likewise, Misty grabbed Brock's wrist. They pulled the girls up onto Onix as Sentret ran from the other side.

"Thanks for the lift, guys." Said Misty.

"What do we do now?!" cried Lucy.

"I've got an idea, but we've got to cut 'em off at the pass!" cried Brock.

"Hey, twerps!" cried James.

"This is all your fault!" cried Jessie. "You better do something fast!"

"If that dinky delinquent of yours wrecks that Arbotank, you're going to pay!" cried Meowth. The Arbotank's drill came out of its mouth and destroyed the rock wall in front of it before it raised its head and brought out boxing glove arms to destroy more of the canyon walls before letting out a mighty roar.

"It's just like I thought. That tank can plow through anything." Said Brock.

"And it doesn't stop no matter what's in its' way!" cried Ash.

"What else is a tank supposed to do?" said Lucy.

"Brock, didn't you say you have an idea on how to stop it?" asked Misty.

"Yeah!" cried Brock. He was soon seen in military gear, as were Misty, Ash and Lucy. Brock pointed out the lay of the land and mapped out a plan of attacks.

"Okay, troops, listen up!" he bellowed. He showed a map with the center of it being marked a red X.

"This is a map of the surrounding region." Said Brock. "The Arbotank is currently proceeding directly toward us, destroying anything and everything in its path in order to maintain a straight course. Our objectives are to stop the Arbotank's progress and rescue the Pokemon that are inside. This is where Operation Sink Tank comes in. First, we'll have Onix dig a deep, wide hole here, right in the path of the Arbotank, and we'll fill in the hole with chunks of earth from the surrounding cliffs. We'll have our Pokemon use their Water Gun attacks to soak the earth and turn it into a soft, wet mud. Then, when the Arbotank comes along, it'll fall in and be trapped!"

"Then we rescue Sentret and Togepi!" cried Lucy.

"Right!" replied Brock. "When we're certain that the Arbotank is stopped, we'll need a few good Pokemon to enter the vehicle. Their mission will be to search and rescue those Pokemon!"

"That'll be our mission!" cried Ash bravely.

"Okay! Now we need a trainer with water Pokemon!" cried Brock. "How about you?!" Misty raised her hand.

"Yes, sir, I volunteer!" cried Misty.

"We'll also need a lookout to inform us of Team Rocket's position to prevent their intervention." Brock added. "Are you up for the challenge?" Lucy gave a salute.

"Any time, sir!" She cried. "I'm ready to do my part for the operation, sir!"

"We're going to have to work fast in order to make this operation a success!" cried Brock. "So let's move it out!"

"Yes, sir!" saluted Ash, Misty and Lucy.

"Pika!" cried Pikachu. (Yes, sir!)

"Vee!" replied Eevee. (Yes, sir!)

"Marill!" cried Marill. (Yes, sir!)

"Pi!" cried Little Pikachu. (Yes, sir!) Onix soon dug the hole and started filling it.

"Poliwag, Staryu, Psyduck, Vaporeon, Marill, fire your Water Gun!" cried Misty. Staryu, Poliwag, Vaporeon and Marill did as they were told, while Psyduck just clutched its head and looked on in confusion.

"You too, Wartortle!" Cried Ash. "Water Gun, on the double!" Wartortle launched the attack when Lucy called in to report the Arbotank's progress.

"Better pick up the pace!" she cried. "The Arbotank is drawing closer! ETA, only thirty seconds!"

"She's right! There's not much time!" cried Brock. "It's coming this way!" Misty scowled at Psyduck, who was doing a backstroke.

"You deserve a dishonorable discharge!" She yelled. The Arbotank approached.

"Come on, Staryu, pump faster!" cried Misty. Inside the Arbotank, Sentret accidentally pulled a lever that made the tank speed up.

"Mayday! The Arbotank is picking up speed!" cried Brock.

"I heard that loud and clear, general!" replied Lucy. "All troops, evacuate immediately!"

"Come on! Head for cover!" Cried Brock. The group got out of the way as the Arbotank fell in.

Poke Quiz Question

"All right, trainers, listen up because Lucy and I have a little Pokemon quiz for you."

"Trainers, what Pokemon is the baby form of Jigglypuff?" asked Lucy. "Ash and I will have the answer a little later, but for now, back to the show!"

Back To Episode

"It worked!" cried Brock.

"Togepi!" cried Misty and Lucy. They slid down the side of the hole to the tank.

"Let's go!" cried Ash. He, Pikachu, Eevee, Little Pikachu and Sentret followed suit.

"Togepi!" cried Misty. She and Lucy approached the windshield.

"Togepi!" cried Lucy. While Ash opened the hatch on top, Sentret had gotten itself caught in some wires.

"Don't worry, we'll get you out of there." Said Misty. The Sentret that was following the group spotted the Sentret that was caught in the wires. But the Sentret in the tank moved around and caused the tank to start reactivating, which caused the treads to move backwards and stand up, while Pikachu and Eevee fell into the tank through the open hatch.

"Pikachu!" cried Ash.

"Eevee! Little Pikachu!" cried Lucy. Pikachu, Eevee and Little Pikachu fell into the tank's cockpit.

"Togepi!" cried Misty. Sentret moved around again and caused the tank to move again.

"There it goes again!" cried Ash. The tank fired a missile, thus creating a way to exit the pit, and sped away.

"We almost had it!" cried Brock.

"But now Pikachu's inside." Replied Ash.

"So are Eevee and Little Pikachu!" cried Lucy. Psyduck floated by on its back, much to Misty's annoyance.

"Help us, Psyduck! Now!" she cried. "Psychic attack!"

"Psy?" replied Psyduck. (Huh?)

"Ugh, now what are we going to do?" sighed Misty.

"You're going to sit back and enjoy the show!" cried a pair of familiar voices. The group looked up and spotted Jessie and James standing on a rock.

"Now what?" said Lucy.

"We've got something prepared that you won't believe!"

"What's doubly deceiving is up our sleeve!"

"To protect the world from devastation!"

"To unite all peoples within our nation!"

"To denounce the evils of truth and love!"

"To extend our reach to the stars above!"

"Jessie!"

"James!" The group and Sentret crawled out of the sink trap.

"Team Rocket, blast off at the speed of light!"

"Surrender now, or prepare to fight!" Pidgey after Pidgey came out of James' top hat, followed finally by Meowth.

"Meowth, that's right!"

"Pichu!"

"Where did those Pidgey come from?" wondered Lucy.

"What's up with them?" replied Ash.

"Why are they dressed like magicians?" added Misty.

"Because we've got a trick!" cried Jessie.

"We've found a way of making large objects disappear that'll simply amaze you!" cried James.

"Observe closely!" cried Meowth.

"One, two, three." Said Team Rocket.

"It's gone!" cried Ash.

"Let's go check it out!" cried Brock. The group rushed to where the tank was.

"It's not magic." Said Ash.

"It's a gigantic hole." Added Lucy.

"Why did they make such a big deal out of it?" wondered Brock.

"They dig these all the time." Said Misty.

"This is no ordinary hole, young lady!" quivered Meowth in an old man's voice.

"First, we selected the sight." Replied James, also in an old man's voice.

"Then we made observations and calculations." Added Jessie in an old woman's voice. Meowth hammered at a chisel embedded in the rock beside him.

"And then we handcrafted a one of a kind custom hole." He finished. Team Rocket took off their costumes.

"Nobody can get themselves into a hole better than Team Rocket can!" cried Team Rocket. "It's our specialty! When we dig, we dig with three-o! We're a great trio, trio, trio!"

"Okay, this is getting a little too weird." Said Misty.

"Agreed." Replied Lucy. The group headed over to the head of the Arbotank.

"Well, Team Rocket took care of the hard part for us, which was stopping that crazy thing." Said Lucy.

"If only we could get down there." Said Misty. Meowth was suddenly heard laughing as he jumped onto the head of the Arbotank.

"Finders keepers!" he cried.

"Meowth!" cried Misty.

"Oh, Pikachu! Oh, Eevee!" he yelled.

"No way!" cried Ash. Meowth soon entered the cockpit.

"Okay, everybody, I'm in charge here!" he cried. But Meowth found all the Pokemon tangled in the wires.

"Huh? What are you doing?" asked Meowth. Pichu, Pikachu and Little Pikachu spotted Meowth and hit him with a Thunder Shock, which inadvertently caused the Arbotank to activate its spring mechanism, which allowed it to escape from the hole.

"It's hopping away!" cried Lucy.

"Oh look, James." Said Jessie.

"Must be springtime." Said James. The heroes pursued the Arbotank, but Team Rocket was close behind.

"Hold on, Meowth!" cried Jessie!"

"We'll save you!" added James.

Meanwhile, a Sandshrew and Diglett popped out to see what was going on, only to be scared off by the hopping Arbotank. However, the spring broke off when it hit a rock, which caused the tank to start rolling on its treads again.

"The Arbotank will flatten anything in its way!" cried Brock.

"Sentret, warn the other Pokemon." Said Ash. Sentret agreed and ran up to a rocky spire to let out a warning call to any other Sentret in the area.

"Hear that?" cried Misty.

"Pretty loud!" replied Ash.

"They have to be!" cried Brock. "That's the way Sentret protect themselves! They use their voice to communicate long distance and warn their friends when danger is nearby!" The cry went out and the Sentret evacuated, along with some Sandshrew and Diglett.

In the Arbotank….

"All right, come on. Let's go." Said Meowth. "This is no playground, you know!" Sentret, however, pulled on Meowth's whiskers.

"Let go of my whiskers!" cried Meowth. "That doesn't tickle, you know! Oh, come on! What'd I do to you?! Give me a break, will ya?!" Soon, Pikachu, Eevee, Little Pikachu, Pichu, Sentret and Meowth spotted that they were heading right for a rock wall.

"If we don't figure out some way to stop, those rocks are going to stop us!" cried Meowth.

"It's going too fast!" cried James. "If the tank hits at this speed, it'll be destroyed!" Both groups were shocked at what James said could happen as the Arbotank got closer to the rock wall.

"Let's see. Where are they hiding the brakes on this thing?!" cried Meowth. Suddenly, unknown to everyone, Togepi started using Metronome.

"Vee!" cried Eevee. (Oh no!)

"I guess this is it!" cried Meowth.

"Togepi!" cried Misty and Lucy. The next thing they knew, there was a big boom and a cloud of dust.

"Where'd the Arbotank go?!" cried Ash. The tank had made a tunnel through the rock.

"Maybe it did disappear this time!" cried Misty.

"No." replied Brock. "It must've drilled it's way straight through the mountain!"

"James, that rock drill was a stroke of pure genius." Said Jessie. "I just love that Arbotank."

"With options like that, no wonder the sticker price was so high." Replied James. Brock was soon back in army gear and was explaining his latest plan to the assembled team, one that included Jessie and James this time.

"All right, troops, we're going to have to change our battle plan." Said Brock. "The Arbotank's much tougher than I first estimated. As we just saw, not even a mountain could stop it. There's no reason to believe that any natural obstacle will knock it off its course. Judging from its current direction, it's going to wind up right here." He pointed to another X on the map. Both groups soon realized in shock and horror that it was headed right for a populated area.

"If it does, it'll destroy that town!" cried Lucy.

"Not if I can help it!" cried Brock.

"Okay, Brock, what's your plan of attack?" asked Ash.

"We're going to need Charizard." Answered Brock. Both groups were shocked at that suggestion.

"Charizard?" said Ash.

"It's the only Pokemon that stands a chance against that thing." Replied Brock.

"But there's still some Pokemon trapped inside!" cried Lucy.

"I know, but I've got this whole thing covered." Replied Brock. "We'll send Charizard ahead to stop the tank long enough to get Pikachu, Eevee and the other Pokemon out safely. Then, Charizard can use its Flamethrower attack to destroy the Arbotank." Jessie and James were horrified with the conclusion of the plan.

"You can't be serious!" cried Jessie. "Do you have any idea how much that tank cost us?!"

"You're going to have to pay if you destroy that tank, missy!" cried James.

"No we're not!" cried Misty.

"And her name's not Missy, it's Misty!" corrected Lucy.

"Oh, sorry." Said James.

"All right, Ash, do it!" cried Lucy.

"Charizard, I choose you!" cried Ash. Charizard materialized and flew toward the Arbotank while everyone else rode on Onix.

"Onix, follow Charizard to the Arbotank!" ordered Brock. The tank punched and drilled its way through the mountain until it came out the other side, right near the town, where it was noticed by Officer Jenny.

"What's that?" cried Jenny. Inside the tank, Meowth looked at the map and saw the town up ahead.

"Look up ahead!" cried Meowth. "If we don't stop, we're going to plow right through that city!" Charizard suddenly flew in and landed, ready to stop the tank himself, while Meowth tried to bring it to a stop.

"I'll try this." He said, but the lever broke off.

"I guess those were the brakes!" he cried. Outside the tank, two pairs of scissors came out of the head while a cuckoo clock Pidgey popped out of the chest and rockets fired out the back. The groups made it through the tunnel and spotted the fireworks.

"All our money's going up in smoke!" cried James.

"Oh, just shut your mouth already!" Cried Lucy. "That tank's caused enough damage as it is!"

"Here we go!" cried Ash. "Charizard, stop the Arbotank!" Charizard managed to bring it to a stop, which caused the Pokemon tangled in wires to fall and be free while Charizard struggled to keep it from going any further.

"It's no good!" cried Misty. "It's still moving!"

"Hang in there, Charizard!" cried Ash.

"Come on, Onix! Hurry!" cried Brock. Sentret suddenly jumped off Onix's head.

"Sentret!" cried Ash.

"What's it doing?" wondered Lucy. Sentret rolled into a ball and rolled behind Charizard to give it a helping paw as the Arbotank got closer to a cliff overlooking the town.

"That city will be a ghost town, and we'll be the ghosts if we don't stop this thing right now!" cried Meowth. Pikachu and Little Pikachu sent a Thunder Shock across the control panel, which destroyed the panel, but the Arbotank did stop as it neared the edge.

"Onix, grab on to the Arbotank's tail!" cried Brock. Onix did so and pulled with all its might.

"Now, use Flamethrower to melt the window!" cried Ash. Charizard did so, and once the window was gone, what got revealed was a seared and shocked looking Meowth.

"Come on, Pikachu!" Cried Ash.

"Pika!" cried Pikachu. (On it!) Pikachu led Eevee and the other Pokemon out and to safety.

"Hey! Where are you going?! Wait for me!" cried Meowth. He noticed short circuiting all over the control panel.

"I think this thing is going to explode!" he cried.

"We can't let the Arbotank blow up!" cried James.

"It's all we've got left!" cried Jessie.

"If we hurry, maybe we'll have time to save it!" Replied James. The tank went kaboom, and Team Rocket was sent flying.

"Now what do the three of us have left?!" Jessie sobbed.

"A tankless job!" moaned James.

"But someone has to do it!" cried Meowth.

"We're blasting off again!" cried Team Rocket.

Poke Quiz Answer

"Trainers, earlier in the show, Lucy asked you the following question." Said Ash. "What Pokemon is the baby form of Jigglypuff?"

"If you said Igglybuff, you're correct!" cried Lucy. "You definitely have what it takes to become a Pokemon master! Ash and I will have a new question next time!"

Back To Episode

"I'm glad that's over." Sighed Ash.

"And you're not driving again until you're eighteen!" cried Misty.

"Misty, that wasn't Togepi's fault." Said Lucy. "Pokemon can't even get a driver's license to begin with."

"Oops, my bad." Said Misty. Sentret berated the younger Sentret for all the trouble it had caused.

"Boy, the people down there are lucky that we stopped the tank." Said Brock. Officer Jenny soon pulled up on her motorcycle.

"It was you?" she cried. The group turned to see her.

"Officer Jenny." Said Ash.

"I've been looking all over for you." Said Jenny. "Are you the ones responsible for that tunnel?"

"Well, yes, but not on purpose." Answered Lucy. "You see…."

"Oh, I can't thank you enough!" cried Jenny. The group was confused. The two Sentret happily hopped onto Ash.

"I think these Sentret thank you too." Chuckled Jenny. "Before you came along, everybody in town had to drive all the way around the mountain if they wanted to get to Violet City. Now that we have a way to drive straight through the mountain, it'll cut the time it takes to get there in half."

"The Arbotank did some good after all." Said Misty.

"Team Rocket finally had a success." Replied Brock. "Right?"

"Yeah. An unintentional one." Said Lucy.

"If it wasn't for the tank, these two Sentret wouldn't have become my newest Pokemon." Said Ash. "I guess good accidents do happen once in a while." Lucy, Misty and Brock all agreed. Togepi and Sentret's misadventures ruined Team Rocket's plans, along with our heroes' nap time, but the four of them can sleep well tonight knowing that they saved the day.

TO BE CONTINUED

Ash's Current Party: Pikachu, Bulbasaur, Charizard, Wartortle, Heracross (male), Chikorita

Lucy's Current Party: Eevee, Hoothoot, Pikachu, Sentret, Hoppip, Cyndaquil

Eggs: Togepi (Joint ownership with Misty), Pidgey

Ash's Spare Pokemon at Oak's Lab: Spearow, Clefairy, Onix, Butterfree, Primeape, Muk, Scyther, Diglett, Voltorb, Rapidash, Kangaskhan, Tauros, Rhyhorn, Nidorino, Dratini, Dragonair Gyrados, Exeggutor, Kabuto, Kabutops, Ivysaur, Venusaur, Growlithe, Arbok, Weezing, Meowth, Magmar, Blastoise, Squirtle, Kingler, Aerodactyl, Machoke, Dodrio, Mr. Mime, Bulbasaurtwo, Charmandertwo, Squirtletwo, Venusaurtwo, Charizardtwo, Blastoisetwo, Vulpixtwo, Ninetalestwo, Hitmonleetwo, Hitmonchan, Gengar, Moltres, Fearow, Hypno, Chansey, Jolteon, Vileplume (Orange Island variant), Drowzee, Pink Nidoking, Dragonite, Haunter, Shellder, Butterfree (Orange Island variant), Beedrill, Venomoth, Farfetch'd, Magnemite, Magneton, Giant Rhydon, Persian, Slowking, Electabuzz, Pink Raichu, Pink Nidoran Male, Pink Nidoran Female, Golem, Snorlax, Tentacruel, Dugtrio, Electrode, Tauros, Lapras, Spinarak (shiny), Eevee (shiny), Quagsire, Ledyba (two), Beedrill, Azumarill (shiny; yellow), Sentret (two; one regular, one small)

In Rotation: Scyther, Rapidash, Farfetch'd, Haunter, Dragonite, Nidoking

Lucy's Spare Pokemon at Oak's Lab: Beedrill, Cubone, Hitmonlee, Golbat, Dugtrio, Voltorb, Ponyta (shiny), Kangaskhan, Chansey, Tauros, Dragonair, Clefairy, Exeggcute, Jigglypuff, Kabuto, Aerodactyl, Machoke, Tangela, Gloom, Sandslash, Alakazam, Butterfree (Pink), Slowpoke, Blastoise, Crystal Onix, Pink Rhyhorn, Scyther, Pinsir, Farfetch'd, Magnemite, Grimer, Lugia, Pink Gyrados, Poliwhirl, Staryu, Charmander, Lapras, Tentacruel, Diglett, Electrode, Dewgong, Sentret, Ivysaur, Heracross (female), Chikorita, Arcanine, Spinarak, Misdreavus, Sunkern, Quagsire, Ledyba (two), Marill (shiny; green), Pidgey

In Rotation: Aerodactyl, Jigglypuff, Staryu, Dragonair, Pinsir, Blastoise

Misty's Pokemon: Oddish, Goldeen, Staryu, Vaporeon, Omanyte, Psyduck, Golduck, Togepi (joint ownership with Lucy), Horsea (at Cerulean gym), Starmie (at Cerulean gym), Poliwag, Lapras, Tentacruel, Voltorb, Quagsire, Ledyba, Marill

Brock's Pokemon: Geodude, Onix, Zubat, Vulpix, Aerodactyl, Butterfree (Orange Island variant), Donphan, Stantler

Jessie's Pokemon: Arbok, Lickitung, Giant Pidgeot, Pichu, Ledyba

James' Pokemon: Weezing, Victreebell, Vileplume, Chikorita

 

[MarkL1987]

Episode 142: Charizard's Burning Ambitions

As we join our friends, we find that life on the road is taking its toll.

"We've sure done a lot of walking, haven't we?" said Brock.

"Yeah, my feet are killing me." Replied Ash.

"Mine too." Added Lucy. "I just wish we had as many badges as we have blisters."

"The two of you can't expect to win a lot of badges if practically all your battles are against Team Rocket." Said Misty. Speaking of which, the criminal trio spotted the hero group.

"There they are!" cried Meowth. "Looks like we're finally wearing them down!"

"Of course, it wouldn't mean much if they gave out badges for beating those pathetic losers." Said Misty.

"Guess that's kind of true." Said Ash.

"You're right." Replied Brock.

"By the way, Lucy, is your ankle any better?" asked Misty.

"Yep. Good as new." Answered Lucy. "As for Team Rocket, I get tired of hearing their dumb, boring motto and silly rhymes all the time."

"I agree." Said Jessie.

"So do I." replied James.

"WELL THEN, WHAT ARE WE WAITING FOR?!" yelled Meowth.

"Meowth, maybe we should pick on somebody else for a change." Suggested Jessie.

"NO!" cried Meowth furiously. "We've got the brains and the nerve to beat them!"

"We do have a lot of nerve, but the twerps have a lot of Pokemon." said James. He proceeded to count them off, and as he counted upwards, he dropped a finger. The camera panned over a group shot of the heroes' Pokemon, which included Pikachu, Bulbasaur, Charizard, Wartortle, Heracross, Chikorita, Eevee, Hoothoot, Little Pikachu, Hoppip, Sentret, Quilava, Togepi, Oddish, Goldeen, Staryu, Vaporeon, Omanyte, Psyduck, Goldeen, Poliwag, Lapras, Tentacruel, Voltorb, Quagsire. Ledyba, Marill, Geodude, Onix, Zubat, Vulpix, Aerodactyl, Butterfree, Donphan, and Stantler.

"There's one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven, twelve, thirteen, fourteen, fifteen, sixteen, seventeen, eighteen, nineteen, twenty, twenty-one, twenty-two, twenty-three, twenty-four, twenty-five, twenty-six, twenty-seven, twenty-eight, twenty-nine, thirty, thirty-one, thirty-two, thirty-three, thirty-four, thirty-five." Counted James.

"That's right, and what have we got to battle with?" replied Jessie. The camera panned over a shot of Team Rocket's Pokemon, which consisted of Arbok, Weezing, Lickitung, Victreebell, Pidgeot, Vileplume, Pichu, Chikorita, Ledyba and Meowth.

"A fraction of their roster, even with Meowth." Said Jessie. They hung their heads in shame.

"Even if we had as many as they do, they've still got that Charizard." Said James.

"How can we possibly win against something so big and scary?" replied Jessie.

"What would the boss say if he knew we were afraid of Charizard?" cried Meowth.

"I know exactly what he'd say." Replied Jessie.

"Me too." Said James.

"He'd say….." said Meowth.

"YOU'RE FIRED!" cried Team Rocket.

"But Team Rocket aren't the only ones we can beat in Pokemon battles, Misty." Said Lucy.

"Not with Pikachu and Eevee at our sides." Replied Ash.

"Pikachu." Said Pikachu. (Exactly)

"And when things get really tough, I know Charizard will help me out too." Said Ash.

"When the going gets tough, the tough get Charizard." Said Brock.

"But you use Charizard a lot, Ash." Said Misty. "I think that's a little unfair."

"I'm afraid I'll have to agree with Misty." Added Lucy.

"Unfair?" cried Ash.

"Come to think of it, most Pokemon don't stand a chance against Charizard, so using it is sort of unfair." Said Brock.

"No way!" cried Ash. "At least I don't START battles with Charizard." Lucy cleared her throat.

"I distinctly remember you using Charizard right out of the gate when you battled Casey." She said. "Now THAT was definitely unfair to her."

"NO FAIR!" cried Team Rocket. The second word of their cry echoed out.

"Hey, what was that?" wondered Ash.

"There must be an echo in this canyon." Answered Brock. "Listen how it answers back when I yell." Brock turned to face the surrounding mountains, cupped his hands before his mouth, and yelled….

"HELLO!" the word hello echoed, making Brock pleased.

"Hear that?" he asked.

"I think I liked your echo better than the first one." Answered Ash.

"Same here." replied Lucy.

"So do I! And hello to you too!" cried a voice. The group looked up the mountain to show a young lady posing bravely. She was dressed in skintight red leather, had green hair and held a small stick by her side for aesthetic appeal.

"I couldn't make it out exactly, but it sounded like someone was yelling no fair." She said.

"That couldn't have been what they were saying, miss, because you're very fair!" cried Brock. He ran forward and clutched his hands together against his cheek.

"You're the fairest of them all!" cried Brock.

"I thought Snow White had that title." Said Lucy.

"Well that's very nice of you to say, I suppose, but I'm sure I heard three voices yelling something else." Replied the girl. "You can hear things in these canyons for miles because of the echoes. Here, I'll show you what I mean. Oh, Charla!" Her voice echoes across the range. Three Flamethrowers and the roar of a Charizard were then seen and heard as a response.

"What was that?" wondered Jessie.

"It sounded like some kind of sound." Replied James.

"Look at the Pokemon Guide." Added Meowth. The camera switched over to Brock, who was reading the very same book Meowth had been referring to.

"The Charicific Valley Natural Reserve is a well-known Charizard habitat that is officially off limits to tourists." Said Brock.

"My name's Liza." The girl introduced. "I train Charizard."

"Wow! That's cool!" cried Ash.

"You ought to know." Said Liza. "You have a Charizard, don't you?"

"Yeah, but how did you know that?" replied Ash. Liza sniffed Ash and Lucy.

"The smell of Charizard is very subtle, but unmistakable." She said. "Yep. I heard a couple of trainers won a badge from the Violet City gym leader, and I've been wanting to meet you both for quite a while now."

"You have?" said Ash and Lucy.

"And I'm even more interested in meeting your Charizard." Added Liza. "Would you like to come into the Charicific Valley with me?"

"We'd all be delighted to come!" cried Brock. "Wouldn't we, guys?"

"Well, I would like to see how they live out in the wild." Said Ash.

"So would I." replied Lucy.

"That's terrific." Said Liza. "But first I'll have to call me friend Charla!" Overhead, Charla soon appeared pulling a balloon behind it before she landed.

"Guys, this is my very good friend Charla." Said Liza. "Say hello, Charla."

"Roar." Greeted Charla. (Hi) Liza soon climbed onto Charla's back.

"Brock and Misty can ride in the back, just hop right on into the basket." Said Liza.

"Do we have to sit in the back?" wondered Brock.

"With all the groceries?" added Misty.

"Where do I go, Liza?" asked Ash.

"There isn't enough room back there for all four of you." Answered Liza. "As for you, Ash, fly on your Charizard and follow me. Come on, Charla!" Charla soon took off, along with the rest of the group.

"Hey, wait a second!" cried Ash. "How do I do that?!"

"You mean to tell me that you're a Charizard trainer and you've never gone flying on your Charizard yet?" replied Liza.

"Well, I've been kind of busy." Said Ash. He got out Charizard's Poke Ball. "But it can't be that hard! Go!" Charizard materialized.

"Charizard, I need you to give me a ride." Said Ash.

"ROAR?" cried Charizard. (What?) He shook his head in a firm no.

"Why won't it let him ride?" wondered Liza. Charla laughed.

"What's wrong there?!" cried Liza. "Is Ash too heavy for ya?!"

"Don't YOU be starting to tease him too, Liza." Scolded Lucy. "He gets enough of that from Misty already." Charizard's eyes narrowed angrily and it turned to glare at Liza. It grunted and motioned for Ash to get on its back.

"Great, let's go!" cried Ash. He happily jumped on. Charizard then slammed forward at breakneck speed and lifted off, but in the process, he left Ash behind by accident.

"Charizard, what about me?" cried Ash. He got out another Poke Ball. "On second thought, this might be a good thing because now I can surprise Liza. I choose you!" Charizardtwo materialized, which left Liza shocked.

"I didn't think Ash had a second Charizard." She said. "I wonder where he got it from."

"Sadly, that's something we're not allowed to tell you." Said Lucy.

"It's kind of a secret." Said Misty. Charizard's eyes widened as he realized Ash had fallen off. He was soon back on, though, and he was holding on for dear life as Charizard struggled to balance him on his back.

"Ash, I may not be a doctor or nurse, but you need to cut back on the burgers." Said Lucy. Ash just glared at her angrily for that comment.

"Your Charizard's really amazing, Liza." Complimented Misty. Liza dialed a number on her phone, which made a phone in the basket ring.

"Here goes." Said Misty. She picked up the phone. "Hello?"

"Need something?" said Liza.

"Oh no." replied Misty. "We're fine back here, but I wanted to ask if all the Charizard here carry passengers."

"Charla's special." Answered Liza. "The rest of the Charizard in the Charicific Valley are all wild. They don't carry humans or even see them that often, but people are always trying to see them, and that's why it's up to me to protect them from poachers."

"Hey, you're not taking us to jail because you think we're poachers?!" cried Misty.

"No, of course I don't!" cried Liza. "I can see that you all love Pokemon. Please, don't worry. You're safe with me." Moments later, Charizard drifted up beside them, with Charizardtwo following behind. Ash and Pikachu were now seated comfortably on Charizard's neck.

"See, it's easy!" cried Liza. Ash laughed as he finally had the hang of it.

"Now follow me!" cried Liza. Charla took off with a rush.

"Ha! Don't let them get away!" cried Ash. Charizard and Charizardtwo immediately zoomed after them, then suddenly stopped short and began falling down the deep canyon to the river below.

"AHHH! CHARIZARD! CHARIZARDTWO!" cried Ash. "BOTH OF YOU STRAIGHTEN UP AND FLY RIGHT!"

"They're doomed." Said Lucy.

"Charizard! Charizardtwo!" cried Ash. They flapped their wings wildly to get a little upward drift and frantically bounded from rock to rock, leapt forward and smashed through a forest, their eyes wide in shock as they pitched down deep into the canyon once again.

Meanwhile, Team Rocket was sliding down the canyon wall.

"Too bad we didn't think of this sooner!" cried Jessie happily. "At this rate, we'll be in the Charicific Valley in no time!"

"And once we get down there, we'll select a Charizard of our very own!" Replied James.

"Why settle for one when we can steal ten or twenty or even a hundred while we're at it?!" cried Meowth.

"For once, Meowth, I'm actually inclined to agree!" cried Jessie. "Let's get 'em!" Team Rocket slid down further, but they quickly hit a slope and flew up into the air in a panic.

Meanwhile, the four heroes arrived at the entrance to the Charicific Valley. The river that led to it was flanked by natural rock statues of mighty Charizards, and the gripping claws on two of them were sculpted into the rock surrounding the doorway to the valley. The face of the cliff that made up one wall of the valley was shaped like a Charizard in flight.

"Welcome to the Charicific Valley." Said Liza. "This is a special place. A place where Charizard have lived in peace for thousands of years." Charla landed.

"This is the ancient place where the greatest Charizard in Pokemon history come from." Continued Liza. "The ones that are naturally trained."

"Naturally trained?" said Misty.

"That's right." Replied Liza. "The Charizard here don't depend on human trainers to help them become stronger. They all train and compete together against each other to learn and grow. Because the training here is so intense, and the competition is so fierce, the Charizard here turn out to be the best in the whole world!"

"The same Pokemon with the same goal, all working together!" cried Brock. "Striving for perfection! Straining and training to be the best that they can be!"

"That sounds a little too intense for Ash's Charizard." Giggled Lucy.

"Yes, it did seen to have problems getting here, didn't it?" Said Liza.

"WHAT PROBLEMS?!" cried Ash.

"That's Ash!" cried Misty.

"Who else would it be?" said Lucy. The group looked as Charizard and Charizardtwo ran in. They were clearly exhausted. Ash disembarked from Charizard.

"Just because we didn't fly here doesn't mean we couldn't get here." He Said. "Charizard and I do things our own way."

"Chill out." Said Misty.

"Why are you acting so tough?" added Lucy.

"I DON'T HAVE TO ACT TOUGH BECAUSE I AM TOUGH!" cried Ash. "So are both of these Charizard and we have the power to prove it!" Charizard and Charizardtwo both let out a Flamethrower to prove their point, but Charla was baffled.

"Only weak Charizard show off like that." Said Liza. "If you don't mind my saying so, those Charizard could use some serious training."

"COMMENTS LIKE THAT REALLY BURN ME UP!" yelled Ash. Pikachu quickly jumped off his shoulder as the two Charizard launched another Flamethrower that hit Ash's pants as he ducked down to avoid being attacked. He ultimately jumped into the water before the gate to put out the fire.

"Vee." Said Eevee. (Ouch)

"ASH!" cried Brock, Misty and Lucy.

"Are you all right?" asked Lucy.

"You better cool down, Ash!" cried Misty.

"Pika." Replied Pikachu. (And quick)

Poke Quiz Question

"All right, trainers, listen up, because Lucy and I have a little Pokemon quiz for you."

"Trainers, which Pokemon carries the Rainbow Wing?" asked Lucy. "Ash and I will have the answer a little later, but for now, back to the show!"

Back To Episode

Ash angrily walked back up the stairs.

"Both of your Charizard could use some training." Said Liza.

"Look, Charizard and I made it here and that's all that counts!" countered Ash.

"Maybe that's what you think, Ash." Replied Liza. "But any Charizard should be able to make it to this valley. And the Charizard in this valley aren't just any Charizard."

"Is that so?!" cried Ash. "I'll have you know that my Charizard is just as good as any Charizard in this valley, if not, better, and we'll be glad to prove it!"

"The Charizard here are at a very high level." Said Liza. "Yours isn't in their league, but if you want to try…."

"We'll do more than try!" cried Ash. "Charizard and I challenge you and Charla to a battle!" Liza and the group were shocked by Ash's sudden challenge, including Charla.

"I'm sorry, Ash, but you can't challenge Charla because she's not a wild Pokemon." said Liza. "I've trained her myself since she was just a Charmander."

"Fine. Then we'll battle any Charizard you want!" cried Ash. "Any Charizard in the whole valley! Bring 'em on! Bring 'em on!"

"If you insist." Said Liza. "Let me show you the competition." With a press of a button, the gates to the valley opened and multiple Charizard were shown, all of which were much larger than both of Ash's Charizard.

"Wow, they're humongous!" cried Ash.

"They're a bit bigger than normal wild Charizard." Said Liza. She spotted the best opponent for Ash's Charizard. "Ah! What about that little guy? If your Charizard can beat that one, it might be able to make it here in the Charicific Valley."

"No problem!" cried Ash. "This ought to be a cinch for us, right?" Charizard stomped forward, tapped the larger Charizard on the shoulder and blasted it with a Flamethrower in the face once it looked.

"Whoa! A sneak attack!" cried Ash. But the larger Charizard breathed the flames in, much to the shock of Ash and his own Charizard.

"Look out, now." Said Liza. "The Charizard here don't appreciate sneak attacks." The larger Charizard blasted a more powerful Flamethrower at both of Ash's Charizard, which knocked them out.

"That was overkill!" Ash yelled angrily.

"I must admit, that was a little bit over the top!" cried Liza. The larger Charizard stomped away as both of Ash's Charizard got up.

"See? Even after that, Charizard's still moving!" cried Ash.

"Well, it gets A for effort." Replied Liza. "But acting enough isn't enough to beat Charizard here. Say, do you think you could handle that Charizard there?" Charizard turned as Ash and Liza looked at a slumbering Charizard.

"It's kind of big, isn't it?" remarked Ash.

"Just because a Charizard's big doesn't necessarily mean it's tough." Said Liza. "This Charizard happens to be the gentlest one in the valley."

"Well, want to try?" asked Ash. Both of his Charizard agreed and went to wake up the gentle Charizard, only to fire a Flamethrower at it that didn't seem to faze it.

"That did it!" cried Ash. Liza shook her head no as the gentle Charizard swung its tail and smacked Ash's right into the wall over where the rest of the group was.

"NO!" cried Ash. Charizard fell to the ground right in front of the rest of the group.

"Charizard! Are you and Charizardtwo okay?" asked Ash.

"I think it's obvious that your Charizard doesn't have the power to match the Charizard here, Ash." Said Liza. Charizard and Charizardtwo struggled to get up.

"I don't care, Charizard." Said Ash. "You and Charizardtwo will always be the perfect Charizard for me, even if neither of you are as strong as the other Charizard are." Charizard let out an angry Flamethrower into the sky, as did Charizardtwo, and they both stomped away.

"What are you two doing?" cried Ash.

"They still want to fight!" cried Liza. "You better stop them." Charizard and Charizardtwo got smacked into the wall again by the gentle Charizard.

"Charizard, stop!" cried Ash. "You and Charizardtwo are going to get hurt!"

"That other one's too strong!" cried Lucy.

"Yeah! Forfeit before it's too late!" exclaimed Brock. Charizard and Charizardtwo rushed at their opponent but got pinned to the ground.

"CHARIZARD!" cried Ash.

"If your Charizard doesn't give up now, I can't be responsible for what happens later." Said Liza. Charizard and Charizardtwo got back up, only to get kneed in the gut and sent flying out of the gates to the valley.

"Charizard!" cried Ash.

"Pika!" cried Pikachu. (Charizard!)

"And that's supposed to be the gentlest one?" said Misty.

"I'd hate to see what the ugly ones look like." Replied Lucy. Charizard and Charizardtwo climbed up the stairs as the gates began to close.

"Maybe they should try again when they've had more training." Said Liza. The gates closed, which prompted both Charizard to bang on them and demand that they be allowed to re-enter.

"It's tough." Replied Ash. Team Rocket saw what had happened and were surprised.

"See that?" said Jessie.

"I did!" cried James.

"I saw it too!" cried Meowth.

"What are the chances of stealing the Charizard that just beat the Charizard that always beats us?" said Jessie.

"Not very good!" exclaimed Meowth.

"What are the chances of stealing a bunch of even tougher ones?" asked James.

"Very, very bad!" cried Meowth.

"Then let's improve our chances and try out our new secret weapon!" cried Jessie.

"What are we going to call that, Jessie?" asked Meowth.

"Uh, we'll probably call it a gigantic mistake." Replied jessie.

"It looked a lot better online!" cried James.

"Hey guys, look!" cried Meowth.

"What is it?" asked Jessie and James.

"They're opening that big iron gate the two Charizard were banging on!" cried Meowth.

"It's no use pounding on that gate anymore, Charizard." Said Liza. "Why don't you go back with Ash and try again when you get stronger?" Charizard and Charizardtwo angrily shook their heads no.

"It makes me absolutely furious to see the way that girl is humiliating the twerp's Charizard by not letting them battle!" cried Jessie.

"Why? Should she humiliate them some other way?" asked James. Jessie smacked James for that remark.

"I think you're much more humiliating than she is." Said Meowth. Jessie stomped on Meowth's head for his comment.

"Give Charizard a break!" cried Jessie.

"So you want to battle?" said Liza.

"Roar!" cried Charizard. (Yeah!)

"Well, if you absolutely insist on battling, I suppose you could have one with my little Charla." Said Liza. Charla effortlessly tossed Charizard into the water, followed afterward by Charizardtwo.

"Hey look!" cried Ash.

"Oh no!" cried Misty.

"You KNOW how much Charizard hates the water!" cried Brock.

"Yeah, because if that tail flame goes out, then it's lights out." Added Lucy. The two Charizard soon surfaced, however.

"Neither of you will be great Charizard if you act tough and don't respect your own limitation." Said Liza. "That goes for you too, Ash. You'll never be a great Pokemon trainer if you also act tough and don't respect your own limitations as well. Now you just stay out there, cool down, and think about how you can improve yourselves." The gates closed again. Ash growled in frustration before turning his attention to both of his Charizard.

"The poor guys." He said.

"I feel bad for them." Replied Lucy.

"Vee." Sighed Eevee. (So do I.) Even Team Rocket felt tear filled sympathy for Charizard.

"Poor thing! I understand!" cried James. "I understand your pain!"

"Do you, James?" said Jessie.

"I can imagine how it feels to be utterly rejected!" cried James.

"You and Jess don't have to imagine." Said Meowth. Jessie and James pummeled Meowth for his comment. Night soon fell.

"I can't believe it." Said Misty. "Those two Charizard have been there ever since this afternoon."

"Liza told those Charizard to sit there, and they haven't moved a muscle." Said Brock.

"Come on, Charizard." Said Ash. "Don't you and Charizardtwo want to go?" The two Charizard shook their head no.

"I know just how hard it is for you to lose." Said Ash. "To think you're not good enough. But you're good enough for me, Charizard. I know that you want to be stronger. Isn't that right? I understand that this is important to you, but I have to decide since I'm the trainer."

"Hey Ash, could I talk to you?" asked Lucy.

"Uh, sure, Lucy." Sighed Ash.

"I just want to know something, Ash." Said Lucy. "Why were you acting so hot-headed towards Liza and Charla yesterday? What was your problem with them? What is it that they did to you that made you so angry with them that all of a sudden, you wanted to battle them? Answer me that, Ash Ketchum!" Ash let out an annoying groan.

"Look, Lucy, I'm not the one with the problem!" he exclaimed. "It's just that I overheard Liza slandering my Charizard's name by insulting its strength and power. I thought that if I could act tough and show off the true power of my Charizard, then maybe I can prove to her just how strong it really is. Even after I worked so hard in raising it and then regaining its trust." Ash let out a sigh before continuing. "But after seeing how humiliated Charizard was yesterday, I realized that all I did was stand in its way and made it lose. Maybe Liza was right. Charizard and I can't get stronger just by acting tough."

"You know, Ash, something tells me that Liza might have sensed Charizard's desire to become stronger." Said Lucy. "Almost like she sensed your desire to be a strong Pokemon trainer."

"How do you know that?" wondered Ash.

"Maybe all of this is just a test." Replied Lucy. "A test to see not just how strong your Charizard is, but how strong your bond is with it."

"Really?" said Ash.

"Yeah. And you know what else?" replied Lucy. "If she can understand how strong of a bond you have with your Pokemon, the maybe we'll see how things turn out for Charizard in the end. You just need to have faith, Ash. You'll see what I mean when the time comes." She turned and left. Ash looked back at his fire companion.

"Charizard…." He sighed.

Meanwhile, Team Rocket watched Charizard.

"I don't know what's going on down there, but whatever it is, it's intense." Said Jessie.

"I sure wish we could understand what those two Charizard are muttering to themselves." Replied James.

"I understand! I can tell you!" cried Meowth. "It's saying it wants to be stronger. It wants to be the best it can be. Charizard, I used to feel the same as you! I still do!"

"We're on your side!" cried Jessie.

"Yeah, we're rooting for you!" cried James.

"Losers have to stick together!" cried Meowth. Team Rocket started weeping as clouds gathered overhead while Ash fought to stay awake.

"Hang in there." He sighed. As for Brock, Misty and Lucy, they were all fast asleep. The two Charizard were also fighting to stay awake, but all the while, their tail flames got lower until a falling pebble forced them to awaken and brought their flames back up. It turned out that Team Rocket had thrown the pebble to keep the two Charizard awake.

"Don't go to sleep!" cried Jessie.

"You can't let your flames get wet!" cried James.

"Stay awake!" yelled Meowth. Peeking through the gates to the valley were Liza and Charla.

"They've got a lot of heart, Charla." Said Liza. Dawn soon came, and Ash woke up to see both Charizard still in the same spot as the night before.

"You both made it through the night." Said Ash. He looked at the tail flames of his two Charizard.

"If Charizard wants to get stronger that badly, it would be wrong for me to stand in its way." He said. Team Rocket soon rolled up in their mecha.

"Rise and shine! Rise and shine!" cried Jessie.

"We helped both Charizard make it through the night." Said James.

"Now we'll make them stand up and fight!" cried Meowth.

"Charizard's determination to succeed is an example for us all!" cried Jessie.

"The least we can do is help a fellow loser!" cried James.

"Yeah, but we're gonna act like we ain't helping him!" cried Meowth.

"What the twerps don't know won't hurt them." Replied Jessie.

"Now let's put robot boy to work!" cried James.

"Rrrr?" wondered Charizard.

"Hmmmm." Said Ash.

"What's that?" cried Brock and Misty.

"My guess, trouble with a capital T and a capital R." replied Lucy.

"Here goes!" cried Meowth. The mecha rammed into the gates of the Charicific Valley over and over again.

"We've got to get Charizard moving!" cried Jessie. Charizard and Charizardtwo took off from where they stood and zoomed to the mecha.

"Just as we predicted, Jess!" cried James.

"They're trying to protect their fellow Charizard." Said Jessie. The two Charizard launched a Flamethrower that heated up the mecha toward the point of overheating and destruction.

"It's going to destroy us." Said Jessie.

"Isn't that great?" cried Meowth.

"You have to admire that Charizard." Said James.

"It's scrappy, like us." Replied Meowth.

"I hope you reach your goal, Charizard." Said James.

"Your friend should be impressed, because…." Said Jessie.

"We're blasting off again!" cried Team Rocket. The mecha exploded, which sent Team Rocket flying. The giant Charizard was sent flying into the air with them, and James took advantage of the opportunity to capture it. Clapping was soon heard, and the gates opened to reveal that Liza was applauding the heroic efforts of both Charizard and Charizardtwo with the Charizard in the valley all standing around.

Poke Quiz Answer

"Trainers, earlier in the show, Lucy asked the following question." Said Ash. "Which Pokemon carries the Rainbow Wing?"

"If you said Ho-oh, you're correct!" cried Lucy. "You definitely have what it takes to become a Pokemon master! Ash and I will have a new question for you next time!"

Back To Episode

"You can train with us now, if you like." Said Liza.

"Hold it! Now Charizard's okay because it beat them?" cried Ash.

"Anybody could beat those three." Said Liza.

"Then why the big change?" wondered Ash.

"Because it's proven that it wants to be great." Answered Liza. "Don't you agree, Charla?" Charla agreed with a mighty roar, as did the other Charizard.

"Then maybe you and Charizardtwo should stay here." said Ash. Charizard and Charizardtwo were surprised at Ash's suggestion.

"Stay if you want to." Said Ash. "I can get along just fine without you."

"Ash, no!" cried Misty.

"Are you sure about this, Ash?" said Lucy.

"Who wants a couple of weak Charizard, anyway?" said Ash. "So stay here." Charizard and Charizardtwo were shocked that Ash called them weak.

"I guess this is goodbye." Said Ash. "You both have a lot of things to learn, so you better get started." He pointed to Liza, Charla and the other Charizard.

"They're all waiting for you." Said Ash. Charizard and Charizardtwo confirmed.

"Maybe I'll see you around sometime." Said Ash. He started running.

"Ash!" cried Brock, Misty and Lucy. The three of them ran to catch up with him.

"Pikachu." Said Pikachu. (We'll miss you, Charizard.) Charizard and Charizardtwo gave Pikachu a thumbs up, and Pikachu returned the favor as he ran to catch up with Ash.

"I don't want to leave you, but I know you have to stay." Said Ash. "Train hard, Charizard. We'll meet again someday. Goodbye, old friend! Don't forget me!" Charizard and Charizardtwo let out a mighty Flamethrower into the sky as they watched Ash run off.

"Take care, Charizard." Thought Lucy. Afraid he might change his mind, Ash knows he can't look back. And so, he keeps on running.

"But this isn't goodbye to Charizard forever." Lucy said to the viewers via voiceover. "It's just see you later."

TO BE CONTINUED

Ash's Current Party: Pikachu, Bulbasaur, Wartortle, Heracross (male), Chikorita

Lucy's Current Party: Eevee, Hoothoot, Pikachu, Sentret, Hoppip, Quilava

Eggs: Togepi (Joint ownership with Misty), Pidgey

Ash's Spare Pokemon at Oak's Lab: Spearow, Clefairy, Onix, Butterfree, Primeape, Muk, Scyther, Diglett, Voltorb, Rapidash, Kangaskhan, Tauros, Rhyhorn, Nidorino, Dratini, Dragonair Gyrados, Exeggutor, Kabuto, Kabutops, Ivysaur, Venusaur, Growlithe, Arbok, Weezing, Meowth, Magmar, Blastoise, Squirtle, Kingler, Aerodactyl, Machoke, Dodrio, Mr. Mime, Bulbasaurtwo, Charmandertwo, Squirtletwo, Venusaurtwo, Blastoisetwo, Vulpixtwo, Ninetalestwo, Hitmonleetwo, Hitmonchan, Gengar, Moltres, Fearow, Hypno, Chansey, Jolteon, Vileplume (Orange Island variant), Drowzee, Pink Nidoking, Dragonite, Haunter, Shellder, Butterfree (Orange Island variant), Beedrill, Venomoth, Farfetch'd, Magnemite, Magneton, Giant Rhydon, Persian, Slowking, Electabuzz, Pink Raichu, Pink Nidoran Male, Pink Nidoran Female, Golem, Snorlax, Tentacruel, Dugtrio, Electrode, Tauros, Lapras, Spinarak (shiny), Eevee (shiny), Quagsire, Ledyba (two), Beedrill, Azumarill (shiny; yellow), Sentret (two; one regular, one small)

In Rotation: Scyther, Rapidash, Farfetch'd, Haunter, Dragonite, Nidoking

Lucy's Spare Pokemon at Oak's Lab: Beedrill, Cubone, Hitmonlee, Golbat, Dugtrio, Voltorb, Ponyta (shiny), Kangaskhan, Chansey, Tauros, Dragonair, Clefairy, Exeggcute, Jigglypuff, Kabuto, Aerodactyl, Machoke, Tangela, Gloom, Sandslash, Alakazam, Butterfree (Pink), Slowpoke, Blastoise, Crystal Onix, Pink Rhyhorn, Scyther, Pinsir, Farfetch'd, Magnemite, Grimer, Lugia, Pink Gyrados, Poliwhirl, Staryu, Charmander, Lapras, Tentacruel, Diglett, Electrode, Dewgong, Sentret, Ivysaur, Heracross (female), Chikorita, Arcanine, Spinarak, Misdreavus, Sunkern, Quagsire, Ledyba (two), Marill (shiny; green), Pidgey

In Rotation: Aerodactyl, Jigglypuff, Staryu, Dragonair, Pinsir, Blastoise

Misty's Pokemon: Oddish, Goldeen, Staryu, Vaporeon, Omanyte, Psyduck, Golduck, Togepi (joint ownership with Lucy), Horsea (at Cerulean gym), Starmie (at Cerulean gym), Poliwag, Lapras, Tentacruel, Voltorb, Quagsire, Ledyba, Marill

Brock's Pokemon: Geodude, Onix, Zubat, Vulpix, Aerodactyl, Butterfree (Orange Island variant), Donphan, Stantler

Jessie's Pokemon: Arbok, Lickitung, Giant Pidgeot, Pichu, Ledyba

James' Pokemon: Weezing, Victreebell, Vileplume, Chikorita, Giant Charizard

 

[MarkL1987]

Episode 143: Grin To Win

Once again, our heroes are headed toward the Azalea Gym, hot on the trail of the next Johto League badge. Or maybe they're just hot on the trail.

"I'm dying of thirst." Groaned Ash.

"Me too." Sighed Lucy. "I can't…. go on…" She started to collapse, but Eevee caught her before she hit the ground.

"The canteen's dry as a bone." Moaned Misty. "There's not even a drop left for Togepi."

"How far is it to the next town, Brock?" said Ash.

"According to this, we're not too far from a place called Bloomingvale." Replied Brock.

"How far is not far?" said Ash. He suddenly spotted a water pipe running along the side of the path that had sprung a leak.

"Water!" cried Ash.

"There must be more in that pipe!" replied Lucy.

"Is it real, or a mirage?" wondered Misty.

"We're not in the desert, so it has to be real!" cried Lucy. A young, green haired lady stepped up to the pipe with a large wrench and began to tighten it, which sealed the leak from which the water was pumping.

"Excuse me, miss. Is it okay if we take a drink from that pipe?" asked Ash.

"We're really thirsty." Said Misty.

"Sure, it's okay with me." Said the young lady.

"Oh kind miss, I can't begin to express my gratitude!" cried Brock. "Perhaps if I had your email address or beeper number, we could arrange to meet sometime and…." Lucy grabbed him by the ear and pulled him away.

"She's not going to give you water if she thinks you're all wet!" she cried. The young lady soon filled the group's canteens with water.

"This is super nice of you." Said Misty.

"Yeah, thank you very much." Said Lucy.

"No problem." Replied the young lady. "My name's Sonrisa. It's nice to meet you."

"My name's Misty." Said Misty.

"I'm Lucy, and beside me is my best friend Ash." Said Lucy. "We're both from Pallet Town." Sonrisa set the pipe back into place and prepared to use the wrench to tighten it, but not before Brock intervened.

"That should do it." Said Sonrisa.

"Hold it there, Sonrisa!" cried Brock. "I can't allow those dainty digits of yours to become calloused! Allow me to perform this rough, physical task for you!" The pipe suddenly sprung a leak and sprayed water in Brock's face.

"I usually have a very dry sense of humor, but not today!" cried Brock.

"You're very funny, Brock." Said Sonrisa. Misty and Lucy just sighed. Soon, they were in Bloomingvale.

"Bloomingvale seems really nice." Said Ash.

"I love it. The sun shines almost every single day." Said Sonrisa. "The weather's perfect for raising my favorite Pokemon." She soon led the group to her place.

"Well, here we are." Said Sonrisa.

"Pretty place you've got here." said Brock.

"And look, a greenhouse!" cried Misty.

"Where there's a greenhouse, there's usually plants." Replied Lucy. Sonrisa opened a hatch, turned a faucet and got the sprinklers going.

"Is that from your own water supply?" asked Brock.

"Uh huh." answered Sonrisa. "I built my own system of pipes that bring pure water down from the mountains. Okay! Time for your daily sprinkle!" Soon, a bunch of walking sunflower creatures came out, but one looked more sad than the other two.

"What are they?" wondered Ash. Two of them happily danced in the sprinklers, but the third one didn't.

"Are those Sunflora?" asked Brock.

"Yep. There are a lot of them here in town." Answered Sonrisa. "In fact, Bloomingvale is famous for Sunflora." Lucy pulled out her Pokedex to find out more information.

"Sunflora, the Sun Pokemon. This smiling Pokemon loves the sun, but it also needs plenty of water to ensure healthy development."

"Just like a flower!" cried Ash.

"I guess all of that clean mountain water makes them happy." Remarked Brock.

"Pure water makes the Sunflora happy." Said Sonrisa. "And they have to be happy or they don't stand a chance at the Sunflora Festival."

"What's the Sunflora Festival?" asked Ash.

"Oh, it's a big celebration that they have here every year, and every year, they have a competition to see who has the best Sunflora." Answered Sonrisa.

"Cool!" cried Ash.

"Sunflora trainers like me train all year long just to have a chance at the 1st place trophy." Explained Sonrisa.

"Have you ever come in first?" asked Lucy.

"No. But I think I might have a chance to win this year." Answered Sonrisa.

"How you doing, Sonrisa?!" cried a male voice. "How come you're not training your Sunflora?"

"We did some training earlier, and now I'm watering them." Answered Sonrisa.

"Well I hope it makes them happy because I just heard that Lester is doing something that'll make his Sunflora's smiles even happier!" cried the male. "He's hired a comedian!" The stranger and his Sunflora both laughed.

"A comedian?" cried Misty.

"Is that guy a friend of yours, Sonrisa?" asked Brock.

"Cyrus is a Sunflora trainer who lives down the street." Answered Sonrisa. "He's won the Sunflora of the year award three times!"

"Sounds like the trainers around here are pretty desperate to win!" cried Lucy.

"People try anything to give their Sunflora an advantage." Said Sonrisa. "See that?" A prim looking woman was following her Sunflora down the street.

"That trainer makes her Sunflora wear a mudpack overnight to cut down on wrinkles." Said Sonrisa. Ash chuckled. "And that girl takes hers to a tanning salon." Sonrisa pointed out a VERY tanned, very pretty young blonde following her equally tanned and blonde Sunflora down the street.

"He thinks daily workouts will work." Sonrisa went on. A sporty looking young man had his Sunflora run back and fourth dragging a large tire tied around his waist with a rope.

"Looks tiring." Said Lucy.

"Do you do anything special, Sonrisa?" asked Brock.

"I just give them fresh air, clean water, and try to keep them happy." Replied Sonrisa.

"Good, good, the best way." Replied Brock. He then finally noticed the one Sunflora that didn't appear to be happy.

"HEY! A pretty strong Sunflora shouldn't look so blue!" cried Brock. Pikachu, Eevee and Brock tried to make the Sunflora laugh, but to no avail.

"It looks like this Pokemon's got a problem." Said Ash.

"That's my prize Sunflora, the one I was planning on entering into the competition tomorrow." Said Sonrisa. "But lately, it's been so sad."

"I wonder why." Said Lucy.

"Hey! Why don't you let us try and cheer it up for ya?" suggested Brock.

"Yeah, you helped us when we needed some help." Replied Ash. "The least we can do is to help make your Sunflora smile again!"

"Good idea." Said Misty.

"Vee!" cried Eevee. (Brilliant!)

"SUN!" cried Sunflora number one. (Great!)

"SUNFLORA!" cried Sunflora number two. (Absolutely!)

"Hey, what?" cried Ash. The three Sunflora headed back into the greenhouse.

"Why are they going back to the greenhouse?" wondered Misty.

"They're just getting ready for the sun to set." Answered Sonrisa. "Sunflora go to sleep as soon as the sun goes to sleep." Inside the greenhouse, the Sunflora settled down and fell into a deep slumber.

"Now close your eyes and sleep tight." Said Sonrisa. "Pleasant dreams and I'll see you in the morning."

Later, the group was walking through town.

"We're going to have to find a place for OUR beauty sleep." Said Misty.

"And I could use a hamburger." Said Ash.

"Make that two burgers!" cried Lucy.

"Maybe there's a Pokemon Center around here somewhere." Said Brock.

Meanwhile, Team Rocket arrived in town and picked the lock to a greenhouse

"Bee-yootiful!" whispered Meowth. Jessie was impressed.

"You're awfully good with locks." Said Jessie.

"I know how to pick 'em!" cried James. Team Rocket soon entered the greenhouse, which was filled with sleeping Sunflora.

"Look at this!" cried Meowth. "There's got to be a zillion Sunflora in here."

"Let's grab as many of them as we can put our hands on!" cried James.

"Then we'll see them and make a fortune!" cried Jessie.

"Under normal circumstances I'd be 100 percent behind you on that idea." Said Meowth. "But I got something cooking that's even better!" Jessie and James knelt down.

"What are you planning, Meowth?" asked Jessie.

"We're going to enter a Sunflora contest." Answered Meowth.

"Why in the world would we do that?" asked Jessie.

"No reason, except that the grand prize is a year's supply of instant noodles!" cried Meowth. James gasped.

"Huh?" said Jessie.

"A whole year's supply of instant noodles?!" cried Jessie and James.

"Hey! Don't wake up the Sunflora." Said Meowth.

"What would it be like to win those delicious, nutritious instant noodles, Jessie?!" cried James dreamily.

"It'd feel like winning the instant lottery, only with noodles!" cried Jessie. "We've got to find a Sunflora that'll win that contest!"

"I've got just the thing to help us look!" cried Meowth. "A Sunlight Simulator!" He laughed.

"Ah." Said James.

"Let's get to work, Meowth." Replied Jessie.

"Rise and shine, now!" cried Meowth. He shone the light and all the Sunflora soon woke up.

"Is it just me, or do all these sappy, smiling Sunflora look the same?" said Jessie.

"Jessie, each one of these Sunflora is different, and their unique characteristics are obvious to a trainer observer like me." Said James.

"How do you know so much about Sunflora, Jimmy-boy?" wondered Meowth.

"I learned about them from the gardener at Grandmama's estate when I was a tot!" cried James.

"So what are you waiting for?" cried Meowth. "Get on the stick and pick us out our little meal ticket!"

"The leaves on this one are out of proportion with its petals!" cried James. "This one has a nice smile, but it's shape leaves something to be desired. This one's physically nice, but it lacks personality. There's something insincere about this one's smile. This one just doesn't want to win badly enough! You can tell by the look in its eyes!"

"Let's see." Said Jessie. She looked at the Sunflora that James was looking at. "Every Sunflora here all look the same to me."

"They've all got that same dopey grin." Said Meowth. He began to walk away, but he tripped and bounced sideways to try and regain his balance. His paw accidentally hit a button which set an alarm off inside the greenhouse.

"HEY! THAT BUTTON JUST RAN INTO MY PAW!" cried Meowth. A net fell over Meowth's head and captured him.

"Now what are we supposed to do?!" cried Jessie.

"Run for it!" cried James. He grabbed a Sunflora and legged it with Jessie. They both charged past Meowth at full speed.

"Hey guys, where are you going?!" cried Meowth. They rushed out right as Cyrus spotted them.

"COME BACK HERE, YOU THIEVES!" he cried. Unknown to them, Giovanni had watched the whole thing via a camera.

"So, they actually stole a Sunflora." He said. "Maybe they're not so incompetent after all."

Inside the Pokemon Center, Ash, Lucy, Misty, Brock, Pikachu and Eevee were woken up by the sound of Cyrus yelling and the alarm in the greenhouse.

"Did you hear something?" said Ash.

"It sounds like trouble." Replied Lucy. The group investigated.

"What's going on?" asked Brock.

"I heard a bell go off in the greenhouse, and when I came to check it out, I caught this cat burglar!" Cried Cyrus.

"Is this supposed to be funny?!" cried Meowth. "If so, it ain't funny!"

"It's Meowth!" cried the group.

"I can't believe Jessie and James just left me there like yesterday's cat litter!" cried Meowth.

"Hey guys! Why don't we…" Said Misty. She whispered the rest into Ash's ear.

"It's worth a try." Said Misty.

"Yeah! Let's go for it!" cried Ash.

"I beg your pardon, but we have the feeling that this Pokemon is just an innocent victim." Said Misty. "It must've been corrupted by the other two that ran away."

"REALLY?" cried Meowth.

"If you release it into our custody, we'll make sure it stays out of trouble!" cried Misty.

"Well, since it didn't actually steal anything, I guess it's okay." Said Cyrus.

"Do you really mean it?!" Cried Misty happily. "Meowth, say thank you to this nice man."

"Thank you." Meowth said quietly.

"Now come along." Said Misty. The group returned to the Pokemon Center completely unaware of what Misty had in mind as she whispered to Ash and Lucy.

Inside the Pokemon Center…..

"Wait until Jessie and James hear that the twerps sprung me!" cried Meowth. "You losers ain't so bad after all."

"You don't think we rescued you for nothing?" cried Misty.

"We helped you, Meowth." Said Ash. "Now you should help us."

"If you don't, you go back to the greenhouse for good!" cried Lucy.

"Fine. What do I have to do?" asked Meowth. Outside, a familiar Snubbull was walking around and picked up a familiar scent.

"Snub?!" cried Snubbull. (He's here?!)

Poke Quiz Question

"All right, trainers, listen up because Lucy and I have a little Pokemon quiz for you." Said Ash.

"Trainers, which Pokemon is the fire type starter of the Kanto region?" asked Lucy. "Ash and I will have the answer a little later, but for now, back to the show!"

Back To Episode

The next morning, the group told Sonrisa what they had in mind.

"Wow. Do you think Meowth can do it?" Asked Sonrisa.

"Yeah. It's going to talk to your sad little Sunflora and find out why it's been so unhappy." Said Misty.

"Now Meowth can finally use that big mouth for something good!" Ash cried jokingly.

"Since when do I have to use my personal gift of gab to translate for you?" Meowth yelled angrily.

"Since I said so!" cried Misty.

"And you're going to do it, or else!" added Lucy.

"You're just as tough on Meowth as Jessie is!" cried Meowth. "Hey, what's up there, smiley? You're looking even more sourpuss than me!"

"Flora, Flora, Sunflora." Replied Sunflora. (My trouble is that two other Sunflora that I used to play with aren't here anymore)

"Right. Yeah. Sure." Muttered Meowth. "And you think you got troubles? I gotta deal with two nut jobs."

"MEOWTH!" cried Misty. "Don't relate, just translate!"

"All right! All right!" cried Meowth. "It seems this Sunflora is out of sauce on account that some other Sunflora it used to play with ain't around anymore."

"What little friend are you talking about, Sunny?" Said Sonrisa.

"Sunflora Flora, Flora Sun." Replied Sunflora. (The Sunflora that belonged to the kid down the street)

"It says it was a Sunflora that belonged to the kid down the street." Translated Meowth.

"That has to be Cyrus' little Sunflora." Said Sonrisa. A lasso suddenly dropped over Meowth and pulled the scratch cat Pokemon away.

"Meee-ouch!" cried Meowth. James giggled.

"Oh, you'll be okay." Said Jessie.

"Now let's make our getaway!" cried Jessie and James. They clutched the rope as it took off. Meowth got pulled along behind them, with his head bumping the ground as they went.

"Thanks for helping us out, Meowth!" cried Misty.

Later, the group was at the greenhouse.

"Sure. I know the one you mean." Said Cyrus. "But I traded that Sunflora yesterday for one of Joy's Pokemon."

"You mean Nurse Joy?" said Lucy. The group headed to the Pokemon Center to ask Joy.

"Oh, you must be talking about my new Pokemon, Grindala." Joy answered.

"Sunny, is this your friend?" said Sonrisa. Sunny and Grindala quickly celebrated after being reacquainted.

"I wish I knew what they were saying." Said Ash.

"I was so sad when you didn't come to the playground, I thought I'd never see you again, and now I'm happy to see you again!" cried Brock. "Something like that?"

"If you say so." Said Ash.

"Pika." Said Pikachu. (That seems right)

"I'm just happy that my little Sunny is happy again." Said Sonrisa.

"Flora, Flora, Flora!" cried Sunny. (I've never been so happy!)

"Oh, it's been so long since I've seen that smile." Said Sonrisa.

"Feel free to bring your Sunflora over as often as you like." Replied Joy. "Maybe we can even take them to the playground."

"Thanks, that'll be fun." Said Sonrisa.

Later, the group was at the Sunflora festival. The crowd was excited and flushed with anticipation as the festival organizer announced the start of the contest.

"Hi, and welcome to the Bloomingvale Sunflora Festival. If you're entering the Sunflora competition, please line up here." Within the line of trainers, Jessie and James had Meowth in a Sunflora disguise.

"How come I'm the one who has to wear this silly Sunflora get-up?" cried Meowth.

"Because you ruined our plan to steal all those Sunflora!" cried Jessie.

"Actually, I was able to grab one right when we were being chased out." Said James. "As for this contest, Meowth, you want to win all those noodles, don't you?!"

"But my mug is all stretched out, my tail is all squished in, and my paws are all messed up!" cried Meowth. "Those judges aren't going to fall for a Meowth posing as a posey!"

"Stop complaining!" cried Jessie.

"If you won't do it for us, at least do it for that year's supply of noodles!" cried James.

"Okay, I'll try." Sighed Meowth. The competition was soon about to begin.

"Now, here are the finalists hoping to be named Sunflora of the year!" cried the MC. The crowd applauded as the finalists took the stage.

"First, our returning champion Cyrus and his Sunflora, Dorabelle!" cried the MC.

"It's huge!" cried Lucy.

"I don't want to make accusations, but I bet he's using steroids on that Sunflora!" cried Brock.

"Next up is Sonrisa and her Sunflora with the fresh mountain spring smile!" cried the MC.

"Sonrisa!" cried Brock.

"Go get him!" cried Ash.

"Eevee!" cried Eevee. (You got this!)

"It looked like a two Sunflora contest, but it appears that there's been a last minute entry." Said the MC. "Please put your hands together for the Sunflora presented by the team of Rock and Etta!" Jessie and James laughed, but Ash, Misty, Brock, Lucy, Pikachu and Eevee looked unsure.

"Rock and Etta, huh?" Said Lucy.

"Do those two look kind of familiar to you?" asked Ash.

"Yeah." Answered Brock.

"So does that Sunflora." Added Misty.

"Now let's hear what our distinguished panel of judges has to say." Said the MC.

"The sheer size of Cyrus' Sunflora is simply outstanding!" cried the first judge. "It's very impressive."

"I think Sonrisa's Sunflora has one of the loveliest smiles I've ever seen." Said the motherly judge.

"It's quite clear that either of those two could be the winner." Said the business judge.

"But this third one, there's something odd about." Said the first judge.

"They're getting suspicious!" Meowth mumbled from inside the disguise.

"It looks as though that Sunflora has thorns at the base of its leaves." Said the motherly judge.

"Yeah, dream on, lady!" mumbled Meowth under his breath.

"I've never seen that before." Said the business judge. "It creates a wildflower effect. I quite like it. If it's a new species, then I think it's wonderful." Meowth soon spotted the Snubbull from the previous night.

"Oh no." whispered Meowth. "That's the same Snubbull from the rich lady's house!" Snubbull started sniffing Meowth. It recognized the cat Pokemon's scent.

"Festival security to the main stage please." Said the MC.

"Is that the Snubbull I think it is?" cried Ash.

"Yep, the exact same one." Said Lucy.

"Vee." Said Eevee. (Madame Muchmoney's) Snubbull tore off the back end of Meowth's disguise and bit on his tail, causing his cover, as well as Team Rocket's, to be blown.

"That's Meowth!" cried the group.

"That is NOT a Sunflora!" cried the first judge. Jessie and James released a smoke pellet.

"Prepare for trouble!"

"Make it double!"

"To protect the world from devastation!"

"To unite all peoples within our nation!"

"To denounce the evils of truth and love!"

"To extend our reach to the stars above!"

"Jessie!"

"James!"

"Team Rocket, blast off at the speed of light!"

"Surrender now, or prepare to fight, fight, fight!"

"Meowth, don't bite!"

"Pichu!" Meowth launched through the air with Snubbull gripping firmly to its tail and crashing into the stage between Jessie and James.

"We should've known!" cried Lucy.

"Stop playing, Meowth!" cried James. Jessie pulled Snubbull off Meowth's tail and tossed it far away.

"All right! Time to put our plan into action!" she cried.

"Right!" cried James, who was holding a remote. He flicked a switch and giant mirrors lifted up from the forest, which surrounded the auditorium and glinted in the sunlight.

"This may be the brightest idea we've ever had." Said James. With a few button presses, the mirrors directed the sunlight at the crowd, which blinded everyone.

"Pika!" cried Little Pikachu. (It's way too bright!)

"I agree!" cried Lucy. The Sunflora absorbed the sunlight, but their heads got larger and they tipped over.

"What's going on? What's happening?" cried Misty.

"Something terrible!" Cried Ash.

"When Sunflora get such a strong dose of sunlight, their heads grow so big so fast that they collapse!" cried Jessie.

"And they can't use their attacks to get in our way!" cried James.

"You could've saved my tail if you'd just used those things to begin with!" cried Meowth.

"Now they're going to try to steal all of the Sunflora!" cried Misty.

"That's all they care about!" cried Ash.

"Wrong as usual, twerps!" Cried Jessie.

"You're not using your noodle!" cried James. The Meowth balloon floated overhead, which dropped a net at James' remote control command right over the massive pile of instant noodles.

"That was perfect!" cried Jessie.

"Oh thanks, Jessie. I've been practicing!" cried James. Misty, Brock, Ash, Lucy, Pikachu, Eevee and Little Pikachu all stood in their way.

"Out of our way!" cried James.

"We're not going to let you steal those noodles!" cried Lucy.

"We'll see about that!" cried Jessie. "GO!" Arbok materialized.

"Chikorita, go!" cried Ash. Chikorita materialized but nuzzled against Ash's leg immediately.

"Uh, that's very nice. Now go get 'em!" cried Ash. Chikorita jumped off Ash's shoulder and into battle.

"Use your Vine Whip attack, Chikorita!" cried Ash. Chikorita extended her vines, but Arbok dodged them.

"It's slippery!" cried Ash.

"You know what to do, Poliwag!" cried Misty. Poliwag materialized and started to smack Arbok in the face with its tail.

"Don't turn the other cheek, Arbok!" cried Jessie. "Use your Poison Sting!" The attack launched as Poliwag dodged frantically.

"Toodles, noodles!" cried James. At his command, the balloon lifted the noodles off the ground.

"It's too late!" cried Brock.

"Chikorita, use your Razor Leaf attack!" cried Ash. The attack cut the rope and brought the noodles down.

"Give us those instant noodles this instant!" cried James. Weezing materialized from James' Poke Ball.

"We'll give you something all right!" cried Lucy. "A taste of your own medicine!"

"Pikachu, use your Thunder Shock!" cried Pikachu.

"Little Pikachu, use Thunderbolt!" cried Lucy. Before the attacks could be executed, Chikorita, due to jealousy, bumped Pikachu out of the way and the attack destroyed all the mirrors.

"No! Not the mirrors!" cried James.

"They broke every single one of them!" cried Jessie.

"That's seven years of bad luck for you three!" cried Lucy.

"All right, the light's gone!" cried Sonrisa. "You know what to do now, right, Sunny?" Sunny nodded as its petals lit up counterclockwise. Sunny's face glowed to the amazement of the group and the shock of Team Rocket.

"Is that….." Said James.

"What I think it is?!" cried Jessie.

"It's using Solar Beam!" cried Meowth. Sunny fired and sent Team Rocket flying.

"We're blasting off again!" they cried. The judges were amazed by Sunny's display.

"That was cool!" cried Ash. The other Sunflora's heads returned to normal as the crowd applauded.

Poke Quiz Answer

"Trainers, earlier in the show, Lucy asked the following question." Said Ash. "Which Pokemon is the fire type starter of the Kanto region?"

"If you said Charmander, you're correct!" cried Lucy. "You definitely have what it takes to become a Pokemon master! Ash and I will have a new question next time!"

Back To Episode

Later, the winner was about to be announced.

"This is it, folks!" cried the MC. "The judges will now make their final evaluations and select a winner!"

"Cyrus' Sunflora is excellent but Sonrisa's is simply extraordinary." Said the first judge.

"Sonrisa's Sunflora has such a sensational smile." Said the motherly judge. "Just looking at it makes me feel so warm and happy."

"And I think the power of its Solar Beam makes the choice clear." Said the first judge.

"The decision is unanimous, folks!" Cried the MC. "Here are your winners of the Sunflora Festival! Let's hear it for Sonrisa and her super smiley Sunflora of the year!"

"Hooray!" cried the group.

Later that afternoon….

"Thank you so much." Said Sonrisa. "If it weren't for you, we never would've won Sunflora of the year award."

"You didn't win because of us, Sonrisa." Said Ash.

"It was all your hard work that won it." Said Misty.

"Ash, as a token of you and your friends' gratitude, I'd like you to take these." She gave Ash two Poke Balls, one holding a regular Sunflora and the other one holding a giant Sunflora.

"Thank you, Sonrisa." Said Ash.

"Now its time to say goodbye." Said Misty.

"Oh, Sonrisa, I hate to leave you, but we have to be on our way." Said Brock. "Perhaps you could give me your email address and we could chat online, and…." Lucy grabbed Brock by the ear and dragged him away.

"Why don't we have a little offline chat first?" she said. Sonrisa giggled. And so our heroes set off once again for Azalea Town. Their new friends send them on their way with warm waves and sunny smiles. Special goodbye gifts that come right from the heart.

Meanwhile, Madame Muchmoney's Snubbull picked up Meowth's scent again and began to follow it down the road.

At Professor Oak's lab…

"Let's see what Ash has sent me this time around." Said the professor. The two Sunflora emerged from the Poke Balls, but when Oak saw the giant one, he was surprised.

"Oh my!" he cried. Tracey rushed over to him.

"What is it, Professor?" asked Tracey.

"Look at the size of this Sunflora!" cried Oak. Tracey was shocked himself.

"One's definitely bigger than normal." He said. Slowking wandered over to the Sunflora and was also amazed.

"I don't ever remember seeing a Sunflora this big." He said.

"I don't either, Slowking." Said Oak. "But with all these Pokemon that Ash and Lucy have been sending me, I think I'll need another assistant to help me out with taking care of them." There was a knock on Oak's door. Upon opening it, he found a young female standing there. And it happened to be one that Lucy had gotten caught up with when she and Ash had traveled to Shamouti Island.

"Hi, I'm Lucy's friend Carol." She said. "I'm your new assistant."

TO BE CONTINUED

Ash's Current Party: Pikachu, Bulbasaur, Wartortle, Heracross (male), Chikorita

Lucy's Current Party: Eevee, Hoothoot, Pikachu, Sentret, Hoppip, Quilava

Eggs: Togepi (Joint ownership with Misty), Pidgey

Ash's Spare Pokemon at Oak's Lab: Spearow, Clefairy, Onix, Butterfree, Primeape, Muk, Scyther, Diglett, Voltorb, Rapidash, Kangaskhan, Tauros, Rhyhorn, Nidorino, Dratini, Dragonair Gyrados, Exeggutor, Kabuto, Kabutops, Ivysaur, Venusaur, Growlithe, Arbok, Weezing, Meowth, Magmar, Blastoise, Squirtle, Kingler, Aerodactyl, Machoke, Dodrio, Mr. Mime, Bulbasaurtwo, Charmandertwo, Squirtletwo, Venusaurtwo, Blastoisetwo, Vulpixtwo, Ninetalestwo, Hitmonleetwo, Hitmonchan, Gengar, Moltres, Fearow, Hypno, Chansey, Jolteon, Vileplume (Orange Island variant), Drowzee, Pink Nidoking, Dragonite, Haunter, Shellder, Butterfree (Orange Island variant), Beedrill, Venomoth, Farfetch'd, Magnemite, Magneton, Giant Rhydon, Persian, Slowking, Electabuzz, Pink Raichu, Pink Nidoran Male, Pink Nidoran Female, Golem, Snorlax, Tentacruel, Dugtrio, Electrode, Tauros, Lapras, Spinarak (shiny), Eevee (shiny), Quagsire, Ledyba (two), Beedrill, Azumarill (shiny; yellow), Sentret (two; one regular, one small), Sunflora (two; one regular, one giant)

In Rotation: Scyther, Rapidash, Farfetch'd, Haunter, Dragonite, Nidoking

In Training: Charizard

Lucy's Spare Pokemon at Oak's Lab: Beedrill, Cubone, Hitmonlee, Golbat, Dugtrio, Voltorb, Ponyta (shiny), Kangaskhan, Chansey, Tauros, Dragonair, Clefairy, Exeggcute, Jigglypuff, Kabuto, Aerodactyl, Machoke, Tangela, Gloom, Sandslash, Alakazam, Butterfree (Pink), Slowpoke, Blastoise, Crystal Onix, Pink Rhyhorn, Scyther, Pinsir, Farfetch'd, Magnemite, Grimer, Lugia, Pink Gyrados, Poliwhirl, Staryu, Charmander, Lapras, Tentacruel, Diglett, Electrode, Dewgong, Sentret, Ivysaur, Heracross (female), Chikorita, Arcanine, Spinarak, Misdreavus, Sunkern, Quagsire, Ledyba (two), Marill (shiny; green), Pidgey

In Rotation: Aerodactyl, Jigglypuff, Staryu, Dragonair, Pinsir, Blastoise

Misty's Pokemon: Oddish, Goldeen, Staryu, Vaporeon, Omanyte, Psyduck, Golduck, Togepi (joint ownership with Lucy), Horsea (at Cerulean gym), Starmie (at Cerulean gym), Poliwag, Lapras, Tentacruel, Voltorb, Quagsire, Ledyba, Marill

Brock's Pokemon: Geodude, Onix, Zubat, Vulpix, Aerodactyl, Butterfree (Orange Island variant), Donphan, Stantler

Jessie's Pokemon: Arbok, Lickitung, Giant Pidgeot, Pichu, Ledyba

James' Pokemon: Weezing, Victreebell, Vileplume, Chikorita, Giant Charizard

 

[MarkL1987]

Episode 144: Chikorita's Big Upset

As we join our friends today, Ash is locked in an intense Pokemon battle with an aspiring young trainer they met on the way to Azalea Town.

"Chikorita, Tackle attack!" cried Ash. Chikorita charged.

"Raticate, Hyper Fang attack, now!" Raticate jumped into battle with its fang shining, which nailed Chikorita easily and knocked it back.

"Chikorita! Are you all right?!" cried Ash. Chikorita got back up and charged back in.

"Raticate, stop it with your Quick Attack!" Raticate dashed in and nailed Chikorita again.

"Good job, Chikorita, but I think you've had enough for today, so return!" cried Ash. But Chikorita refused.

"Didn't you hear me?" cried Ash.

"Chikorita's taken a lot of attacks, and it's got to be exhausted." Said Brock. "Why would it want to go on?"

"I don't know, but Ash better call it back quickly." Replied Misty. Chikorita launched a Razor Leaf that landed right on target.

"Nice Razor Leaf, good aim, but now I'm replacing you with Pikachu." Said Ash. Chikorita's gaze hardened angrily at the mention of Pikachu's name.

"Chikorita, return!" cried Ash. But Chikorita dodged Ash's attempts to recall her.

"Chikorita, I said return!" cried Ash. Chikorita started jumping away from the beam of red light.

"Stop it, Chikorita!" yelled Ash.

"Oy, this is embarrassing." Sighed Lucy. Misty and Brock were left baffled and exasperated as they watched the goings on. Togepi let out a chirp.

"Pika, Pika." Said Pikachu. (Something's not right.)

"Get back here, Chikorita!" ordered Ash. "Return, now!"

"Dinner time!" cried a female voice.

"Raticate, return!" Raticate was recalled.

"What are you doing?" cried Ash. "We're in the middle of a match! You can't just leave!"

"Just call it a draw, Ash." Said Lucy.

"She's right." Said the young boy. "Besides, it's getting late and I can't wait around all night for you to get your Chikorita to listen."

"Bye." Said Ash. He fixed his eyes on his grass type. "Chikorita, we would've won for sure if you had just listened to me." Chikorita was finally recalled.

"What's with you?" wondered Ash.

"Oy, vey." Said Lucy. The group was soon at the Pokemon Center and talking to Professor Oak.

"Good to see you again, Ash." Said Oak. "How's the journey going?"

"It's going great, Professor!" cried Ash. "Lucy and I already won a Zephyr Badge at the Violet City gym!"

"Well, congratulations to you both. That's quite the accomplishment." Said Oak. "But I hope in all the excitement, you don't forget about the GS Ball."

"Don't worry, Professor, we won't forget that!" cried Lucy. Muk soon came into the frame.

"As you can see, Ash, your Muk is just as playful and affectionate as ever." Said Oak. "Especially around dinner time! Stop it, Muk, that tickles! Bye for now! Call again soon!" The call ended and Ash and Lucy rejoined Brock and Misty as the Pokemon ate their dinner.

"Looks like everybody's enjoying their dinner." Said Ash.

"Not quite everybody." Said Lucy. She noticed that Chikorita wasn't eating anything. She was sitting at the window and staring out into the darkness with a forlorn slump.

"Hey, Chikorita, why don't you go eat with the other Pokemon?" Ash suggested. Chikorita turned to stare up at him with a lovelorn sigh of discontent.

"Chika?" said Chikorita. (With them?) She turned her head away snootily as Pikachu and Eevee approached with small pieces of food, extending hands of peace.

"Vee." Said Eevee. (Have some.) Eevee and Pikachu placed the food on the floor next to Chikorita, and unsurprisingly, she turned the offer down. She flicked the food away with her leaf.

"Chika!" cried Chikorita. (Leave me alone!)

"Hey!" cried Lucy.

"That wasn't nice." Said Ash. Brock, Misty and Lucy stepped up to have a look.

"I wonder why Chikorita's been acting so nasty?" said Brock.

"Chikorita's in such a bad mood we should start calling it Krabby." Replied Misty.

"Pokemon behavior is clearly driven by psychology." Said Nurse Joy. The group turned to see her.

"Does that Chikorita belong to you?" asked Joy.

"Yes, ma'am." Said Ash.

"And what's your name?" asked Joy.

"My name's Ash Ketchum." Answered Ash.

"I'm Misty." Introduced Misty.

"My name's Lucy, and I bet your name's Nurse Joy, isn't it?" said Lucy.

"Correct!" cried Joy. She checked her glasses. "And I have a degree in Pokemon Psychology from Celadon University. I provide innovative counseling techniques and new Pokemon Therapy!" Ash, Misty and Lucy looked on.

"You mean there's a new kind of Pokemon called Therapy?" Ash asked surprisingly. Lucy smacked him with her mallet.

"Don't be an idiot, Ash!" she cried. "No such species exists!"

"Yeah, Therapy's not a Pokemon, Ash." Replied Misty. "Therapy is what helps you with your psychological problems."

"Oh….is that all?" said Ash.

"My name is Brock and I need you badly!" cried Brock. "Uhhhh, for psychological counseling, I mean! I have this feeling that's hard to describe. Like my heart's filled with emptiness!"

"I'm sorry, but I only deal with Pokemon." said Joy.

"But you'd find me MUCH more interesting than a Pokemon!" cried Brock. Lucy clutched Brock's ear.

"I wouldn't bet on it." She said. Togepi chirped.

"I have an idea, Ash!" cried Joy. "Why don't you and your Pokemon join me, and we'll have a counseling session."

"But I don't have a problem." Said Ash.

"Maybe, but I'm going to need your help to explore the issues that may be causing your Chikorita's behavior." Said Joy.

"Oh…. okay." said Ash. The counseling session soon began, with Misty, Brock and Lucy sitting in on what should've been a private session. Chikorita sat on a stool between Ash's and Joy's while she took notes.

"Interesting. You say that Chikorita's refusal to return occurred while you were battling another trainer and his Raticate earlier this evening?" said Joy.

"That's right." Answered Ash. "Chikorita took a lot of damage and she was pretty worn out, so I wanted her to return and rest. But Chikorita wouldn't let Pikachu take over."

"I think I know the problem." Said Joy.

"Huh?" said Ash.

"Chikorita was suffering from envy." Replied Joy.

"Not Envy!" cried Ash angrily. "I said we were battling with a Raticate!"

"That's not what she meant, Ash!" cried Misty. "Chikorita's jealous!"

"Jealous of what?" responded Ash.

"Why do we only have to talk about Chikorita?!" cried Brock. "When is Nurse Joy going to concentrate on me?!"

"One mental case at a time, please." Said Misty.

"This isn't about you, Brock, and you know it!" exclaimed Lucy.

"I give Chikorita plenty of attention, Nurse Joy." Said Ash. "Why would she be jealous?"

"You wanted to substitute Pikachu just when Chikorita thought she was on the verge of winning a battle for you, so it's understandable that Chikorita feels that you trust and care more for Pikachu, and she's jealous." Explained Joy.

"Aw, poor Chikorita." Said Ash.

"Don't worry, Ash." Replied Joy. "I think we can work through it." Joy led the group to a small garden inside the Pokemon Center, and Chikorita instantly jumped out of Ash's arms onto the grass.

"Why did we bring Chikorita here?" asked Ash.

"Chikorita is a grass type Pokemon." answered Joy. "It needs a lot of plants so it can be calmed and comfortable." Chikorita nuzzled against a leaf and looking a little unsure of herself.

"I'm calm and comfortable when I'm around Nurse Joy…so I guess that must make me HER type!" cried Brock. Misty pulled him away.

"Can it, Casanova!" she cried.

"To-gepi!" chirped Togepi.

"Why don't you try to get Chikorita to return to her Poke Ball now?" suggested Joy.

"Chikorita, return!" cried Ash. Chikorita was recalled.

"Nurse Joy, do you really think this psychology stuff will help out my Chikorita?" said Ash.

"Yes I do!" cried Joy. "The new Pokemon Therapies are quite effective, but I think it's best if your Chikorita stays here in the greenhouse tonight."

"Sure." Said Ash. He put the Poke Ball into Joy's hand. That night, while the group slept, Pikachu couldn't seem to rest. He got up and quickly headed to the greenhouse and snuck through the door. He stopped at the pedestal center of the greenhouse and stared up at the Poke Ball resting atop it.

"Pika, Pika." Said Pikachu. (Chikorita) The Poke Ball began to shake before Chikorita emerged. She noticed an open door and ran out, unaware that Pikachu was following her or that the security camera was capturing everything.

"Pika!" cried Pikachu. (Hold up!)

"Chiko." Said Chikorita. (Go away)

"Pika, Pika Pikachu." Said Pikachu. (I don't mean to make you jealous) Chikorita launched a Razor Leaf at Pikachu, which allowed her to escape, though Pikachu quickly followed.

"Pika! Pika! Pikachu!" cried Pikachu. (Come back! Come out! Stop hiding!) Chikorita managed to hide long enough for Pikachu to walk right past her so she could escape to a large, empty warehouse. Chikorita dusted off one of the boxes and used it as a place to sleep.

Later, however, Chikorita noticed three Pokemon standing over her, a Hitmonchan, Machoke and Hitmonlee. Soon, she spotted a Primeape holding on to some crates.

"PRIME! PRIME-APE!" But Chikorita yawned and went back to sleep, which prompted Primeape to throw something at her. But Chikorita quickly retaliated as the Primeape jumped down toward her with a Vine Whip. The two Pokemon both landed, and Primeape fell, knocked out, which surprised the other Pokemon.

"Chiko, Chiko?" she said. (You want some?) The Pokemon stared each other down, ready for a fight, but the three fighting types bowed to Chikorita, recognizing her as the strongest.

"Chiko. Chiko. Chiko." She said proudly. (Well now. That's more like it)

Poke Quiz Question

"All right, trainers, listen up because Lucy and I have a little Pokemon quiz for you." Said Ash.

"Trainers, which Pokemon once stole Ash's hat from him?" asked Lucy. "Ash and I will have the answer a little bit later, but for now, back to the show!"

Back To Episode

The next day, Ash, Misty, Brock and Lucy watched the surveillance tape of Chikorita's escape, with Pikachu following close behind.

"Yep, this is a textbook case." Said Joy.

"Case of what?" said Ash.

"That Chikorita craves your attention, and an excellent way to get it is by running away." Said Joy.

"But why did Pikachu go too?" wondered Brock.

"I bet Pikachu followed Chikorita to try and get her to come back." Said Misty.

"You're right. Pikachu might blame himself for this." Said Ash. "I gotta get out there and look for them!"

"I think you'd better hurry, Ash!" cried Joy. "This is a pretty tough neighborhood, and it's got some pretty rough Pokemon!"

"You mean Pikachu and Chikorita might get attacked?!" cried Brock.

"That's awful!" cried Lucy.

"Let's go!" cried Ash.

"Right!" cried Brock, Misty and Lucy. The group soon headed into town to find Pikachu and Chikorita.

"Pikachu! Chikorita!" cried the group. "Pikachu! Chikorita!"

"I just hope the two of them are all right." Said Ash.

"If we don't find them soon, they could get into big trouble." Said Brock.

"We've gotta have a plan!" cried Misty. "This place is way too big, we're never going to find them if we keep running around like this."

"Okay, but where do we look first?" asked Ash.

"I know!" cried Brock. "Bulbasaur and Hoppip are grass Pokemon just like Chikorita, so they should be able to sniff out Chikorita's scent!"

"If they can find Chikorita, then we're bound to find Chikorita too!" added Lucy.

"Let's try it." Said Ash. "Bulbasaur, I choose you!" Bulbasaur materialized.

"Hoppip, we need you!" cried Lucy. Hoppip materialized.

"Bulbasaur, we need you to try and sniff out Chikorita!" cried Ash. "If you can pick up her scent, maybe we can find her!"

"Bulbasaur!" cried Bulbasaur. (On it, Ash!)

"You help too, Hoppip!" ordered Lucy.

"Hoppip!" cried Hoppip. (Sure thing, Lucy!) Bulbasaur and Hoppip sniffed around until they finally caught a scent.

"Saur! /Hop!" cried Bulbasaur and Hoppip. (Gotcha! Follow us!) As the two Pokemon followed the scent and the group followed them, Team Rocket watched from the shadows.

"If I were you, I'd prepare for trouble!" cried Jessie.

"You're sounding even scarier, Jessie!" cried James.

"Oh, thank you, James!" cried Jessie. "I've been working on my evil inflections lately!"

"This is it, Jessie!" cried James. "The twerp said that Pikachu and Chikorita have run off together, so this is our chance to grab both of them and bring them back to the boss!"

"And now all we have to do is get to them before the twerps do!" cried Jessie. James got out a radio.

"James to Meowth, do you read me, Meowth, over?" he said. "How's the view from up there today?"

"Purr-fectly clear, Jimbo!" cried Meowth from the radio. Up above, Meowth hovered by in the balloon.

"We just heard the twerp's Pikachu and Chikorita are on the loose." Said James on the radio. "Try and spot them."

"Roger-wilco." Said Meowth. He pulled out his trusty binoculars to survey the scene.

"What do we have here?" he said. Meowth spotted a house, the abandoned warehouse, and finally a field of long grass with something moving smoothly for it.

"It's our old friend, Pikachu!" cried Meowth. Down on the ground, Pikachu spotted the warehouses.

"Pika!" cried Pikachu. (She's here!) Pikachu entered one of the warehouses.

"Pika, Pika! Pika! Pika, Pika!" cried Pikachu. (Chikorita! Come out! Chikorita!)

"Chika!" cried Chikorita. (Up here!) Pikachu laughed happily.

"Pika! Pika!" he cried. (At last! Found you!)

"Chika." Muttered Chikorita snootily. (Leave me alone) She turned her head away.

"Pika?" said Pikachu. (We're cool?) He held his arms out for a hug.

"Chika-Chika!" cried Chikorita. (Go away!)

"Pika?" cried Pikachu. (Say what?) From the bushes, someone suddenly appeared.

"Pikachu, prepare for trouble!"

"Chikorita, you better make it double!"

"To protect the world from devastation!"

"To unite all peoples within our nation!"

"To denounce the evils of truth and love!"

"To extend our reach to the stars above!"

"Jessie!"

"James!"

"Team Rocket, blast off at the speed of light!"

"Surrender now, or prepare to fight, fight, fight!"

"Meowth in flight!"

"Pichu!"

"How nice to see you again, Pikachu!" cried Jessie.

"And it's a pleasure to see you too, Chikorita." Said James.

"We have a lot of catching up to do." Said Jessie. James threw out a net, which flew toward them, but suddenly, Primeape came to the rescue. He smashed into the net and knocked it off course.

"A Primeape?!" cried James. "Where did that come from?!"

"What's the big idea, fuzz-ball!?" yelled Jessie. Primeape threw the net aside angrily, and Machamp, Hitmonlee and Hitmonchan slid in front of Pikachu and Chikorita as Jessie recoiled.

"How do we keep them from beating us up?" said James.

"Try reverse psychology?" suggested Jessie.

"HEY! TEAM LOSER!" yelled James. "GET OUT OF OUR WAY BEFORE WE KNOCK YOU OUT OF YOUR WAY!"

"You don't scare Team Rocket!" cried Jessie. Her and James shared a laugh.

"CHIKA! Chika-Chika!" cried Chikorita. (All right! Show those losers!) Primeape slammed a fist into a nearby can and made a dent in it before Machamp, Hitmonlee and Hitmonchan put on a display of their fighting prowess, which prompted Jessie and James to beg for mercy.

"AHOY!" yelled Meowth angrily via walkie-talkie. "Stop groveling like a couple of wimps and stand up to them bullies!" Jessie and James looked up at the balloon above them.

"Let's switch places!" yelled Jessie. "Then let's see how brave you are down here!"

"What else can we do?!" cried James.

"It's all up to me." Said Meowth with a smug smile. He lifted up a remote control.

"Okay, my new secret weapon will get you out of there!" he cried. He pushed a button and a massive fist emerged through the roof of the abandoned warehouse, which startled everyone into looking around. A massive, black robot smashed its way through the abandoned warehouse towards Primeape.

"Prime!" cried Primeape. (I don't want to be trampled!)

"Oh, you won't." said James. "Charizard, Sunflora, I choose you!" His giant Charizard materialized. Sunflora also materialized.

"Flamethrower and Razor Leaf attacks!" cried James. Charizard and Sunflora launched the attacks and Sunflora barraged Primeape with leaves while Charizard roasted Primeape to a crisp.

"Poke Ball, go!" yelled James. He tossed an empty ball at Primeape, which hit the fighting type, sucked it inside and clicked. In the distance, Hoppip and Bulbasaur continued to sniff around.

"Hoppip, have you found anything?" said Lucy.

"How about you, Bulbasaur?" asked Ash. The group soon heard the noises made by Meowth's robot and spotted the balloon overhead.

"That balloon!" cried Ash.

"Team Rocket again!" cried Misty.

"They're over by the abandoned warehouse!" cried Lucy.

"Look at that robot!" cried Brock. "It's tremendous!"

"I hope they don't find Chikorita and Pikachu before we do!" cried Ash.

"Yeah." Replied Brock. Jessie and James were hoisted up by ropes from the balloon up to the basket.

"What is that?" said Jessie. "Looks like a pair of old tires!"

"It looks like a walking recycling center!" cried James.

"Not only did I save a ton of money on materials, but it's good for the environment too!" cried Meowth. On the ground, Chikorita laid out a plan of attack and the fighters lept into action.

"I'll show 'em!" cried Meowth. "I'll give 'em a fight they won't forget!" The robot managed to knock the remaining fighters out.

"It's time to re-tire." Said Meowth. "So what do you think, my recycled rubber robot packs a pretty punch, doesn't it?"

"Excellent, Meowth!" cried Jessie.

"I'm pleased as punch!" replied James.

"We're finally safe!" they both cried.

"GRRRRRRRRARRRRR!" cried the recycle-bot.

"Chika!" cried Chikorita. (Bring it!)

"Pika, Pika!" cried Pikachu. (Chikorita!) Chikorita rushed in.

"Pika!" cried Pikachu. (Don't go!) One step from the robot sent Chikorita flying, which prompted Pikachu to attack, but the electricity was null and void.

"Don't waste your energy!" laughed Meowth. "Your pathetic Pikachu electricity won't work against this thing! And since I'm all the way up here in this balloon, none of your electric attacks can touch me!"

"Unfortunately, the two of us are at a lower altitude." Sighed Jessie.

"Next time, give us a little more altitude and a little less attitude." Replied James. The group arrived on the scene.

"There's Pikachu!" cried Ash. Chikorita tried using her Razor Leaf to free Pikachu, but to no avail as the robot grabbed her too.

"Ash, it's too late!" cried Lucy.

"We've got them!" cried James.

"The both of them!" cried Jessie.

"Hip-Hip-Hooray!" cried Team Rocket.

"Can't Pikachu stop them with a Thunder Shock attack?" asked Misty.

"Thunder Shock isn't going to work, Misty." Said Ash.

"What about the balloon?" added Lucy.

"Their balloon's too high up." Said Ash. "Pikachu's electric attacks won't reach that far."

"We've got to do something before they get away!" cried Misty.

"Hey! What about that antenna?" Brock pointed out. "That's how the robot receives Meowth's commands! Maybe we can break it!"

"It's worth a try!" cried Ash.

"But how do we go about that?" wondered Lucy.

"Leave that to me!" cried Ash. "Heracross, I choose you!" Heracross materialized, but immediately started drinking sap from Bulbasaur's bulb. Bulbasaur fought back and slapped Heracross away with its Vine Whip.

"Heracross, cut it out!" cried Ash. "I need you to use your Horn Toss to launch me up to that robot's head!"

"Ash, you can't!" cried Misty.

"It's too dangerous, Ash!" cried Lucy.

"I know it's dangerous, Lucy, but I don't have any other choice." Said Ash. "Chikorita and Pikachu are my friends, so it's a risk that I'll have to take. Ready, Heracross?"

"Heracross!" cried Heracross. (Ready!) Lucy quickly looked to the camera.

"Please do NOT attempt this at home." She said before turning back around. Ash was launched through the air.

"Don't worry, guys, I have a way to get you out of there!" he cried.

"Chikori!" cried Chikorita. (Ash!)

"Pika Pi!" cried Pikachu. (Ash!)

"That's what you think, Twerpo!" cried Meowth. He flicked the control stick and the recycle-bot moved its head to the side, which made Ash fly over its shoulder. He missed the robot entirely and crash landed into a pile of nearby tires.

"Pika Pi!" cried Pikachu. (Ash!)

"Chikori!" cried Chikorita. (Ash!)

"Ash, are you still alive?!" cried Lucy.

"Ash, are you okay back there?" said Brock.

"Say something!" cried Misty.

"Hera?" said Heracross. (Ash?)

"Ash, get up!" cried Lucy. Ash slowly got up and noticed something that the robot was marching to.

"I'm coming!" cried Ash. He charged past the bot and up the water tower.

"If I can just get to that thing's antenna and mess it up, I can shut it down permanently!" he exclaimed.

"Pika!" cried Pikachu. (Please be..!)

"Chika!" cried Chikorita. (Careful!) Ash climbed onto the railing and waited for the right moment.

"Okay, here I go!" he cried. He tried to jump onto its head.

"Bon-Voy-A-Gee, Fly-Boy!" cried Meowth. Ash ultimately missed once again as Meowth instructed the bot to move its head to the side.

"Oh no!" cried Misty.

"This looks bad!" cried Lucy. Chikorita sent out her Vine Whip to stop Ash's fall.

"Thanks, Chikorita!" cried Ash.

"Chikorita just saved Ash's life with her Vine Whip!" cried Misty.

"Looks like friendship is stronger than jealousy." Replied Brock.

"Chikorita's love for Ash saved the day!" cried Lucy.

"Your timing was perfect." Said Ash. "Now try to lift me to the antenna on the robot's head!" Ash was lifted up to the bot's head.

"Uh oh!" cried Meowth.

"This looks bad!" cried James.

"He'll ruin our rubber robot!" cried Jessie. Ash grabbed the antenna and pulled with all his strength.

"This out to fix you for good!" he cried. He finally tore it away, which sent the recycle-bot into overload as Team Rocket saw their plan fall to pieces.

"The robot's going screwy!" cried Meowth. "I can't control it!" The robot soon let Pikachu and Chikorita go.

"That sure did the trick!" cried Ash. He and his Pokemon climbed down the robot quickly as it grabbed the ropes the Jessie and James were holding on to.

"Hurry, Meowth! We're at the end of our rope!" cried Jessie.

"You can't just leave us hanging here!" cried James.

"Time for emergency measures." Said Meowth. He unsheathed two claws and prepare to cut the ropes.

"Wait a second! What are you going to do?" cried Jessie.

"We're your friends! You can't cut us loose!" cried James.

"The two of you are weighing this thing down, so I'm going to have to exercise my escape claws!" cried Meowth. He got ready to cut the ropes.

"That actually…makes a great deal of sense. You traitor!" cried Jesie.

"Please, no!" cried James.

"This hurts me too." Said Meowth, and he cut the ropes. Jessie and James plummeted down and landed right inside the robot's head, which made Meowth sweat drop.

"That didn't go according to plan." He said. The robot exploded and sent the balloon into a tailspin.

"Oh well, all for one and one for all, I always say." Said Meowth.

"But why do we always get blasted away?" groaned James.

"All together on the count of three. One, two…." Said Jessie.

"We're blasting off again!" cried Team Rocket. Machamp, Hitmonlee and Hitmonchan celebrated the victory, while Ash got down and stroked Pikachu and Chikorita's cheeks and laughed.

Poke Quiz Answer

"Trainers, earlier in the show, Lucy asked the following question." Said Ash. "Which Pokemon once stole my hat from me?"

"If you said Primeape, you're correct!" cried Lucy. "You definitely have what it takes to become a Pokemon master! Ash and I will have a new question for you next time!"

Back To Episode

Later that evening…..

"Thank you, Nurse Joy." Said Ash. "You really understand Pokemon."

"Thanks, Ash. I'm glad I could help out." Said Joy. "I just wish I had time to explore Chikorita's psyche."

"You can explore my psyche any time you like, Nurse Joy!" cried Brock. Lucy grabbed Brock's ear.

"Your psyche is psycho!" she cried.

"Guess we better get going, Pikachu." Said Ash.

"Pika! Pika!" cried Pikachu. (Got it! Let's roll!)

"Chika?" cried Chikorita. (And me?)

"Come on, the other shoulder's just for you." Said Ash.

"Pikachu!" cried Pikachu. (Climb aboard!)

"Bye!" cried Joy. The group bid Nurse Joy farewell. After some shaky moments, Chikorita got over her jealousy to become a solid member of the team again. Well, at least for now.

TO BE CONTINUED

Ash's Current Party: Pikachu, Bulbasaur, Wartortle, Heracross (male), Chikorita

Lucy's Current Party: Eevee, Hoothoot, Pikachu, Sentret, Hoppip, Quilava

Eggs: Togepi (Joint ownership with Misty), Pidgey

Ash's Spare Pokemon at Oak's Lab: Spearow, Clefairy, Onix, Butterfree, Primeape, Muk, Scyther, Diglett, Voltorb, Rapidash, Kangaskhan, Tauros, Rhyhorn, Nidorino, Dratini, Dragonair Gyrados, Exeggutor, Kabuto, Kabutops, Ivysaur, Venusaur, Growlithe, Arbok, Weezing, Meowth, Magmar, Blastoise, Squirtle, Kingler, Aerodactyl, Machoke, Dodrio, Mr. Mime, Bulbasaurtwo, Charmandertwo, Squirtletwo, Venusaurtwo, Blastoisetwo, Vulpixtwo, Ninetalestwo, Hitmonleetwo, Hitmonchan, Gengar, Moltres, Fearow, Hypno, Chansey, Jolteon, Vileplume (Orange Island variant), Drowzee, Pink Nidoking, Dragonite, Haunter, Shellder, Butterfree (Orange Island variant), Venomoth, Farfetch'd, Magnemite, Magneton, Giant Rhydon, Persian, Slowking, Electabuzz, Pink Raichu, Pink Nidoran Male, Pink Nidoran Female, Golem, Snorlax, Tentacruel, Dugtrio, Electrode, Tauros, Lapras, Spinarak (shiny), Eevee (shiny), Quagsire, Ledyba (two), Beedrill (two), Azumarill (shiny; yellow), Sentret (two; one regular, one small), Sunflora (two; one regular, one giant)

In Rotation: Scyther, Rapidash, Farfetch'd, Haunter, Dragonite, Nidoking

In Training: Charizard, Charizardtwo

Lucy's Spare Pokemon at Oak's Lab: Beedrill, Cubone, Hitmonlee, Golbat, Dugtrio, Voltorb, Ponyta (shiny), Kangaskhan, Chansey, Tauros, Dragonair, Clefairy, Exeggcute, Jigglypuff, Kabuto, Aerodactyl, Machoke, Tangela, Gloom, Sandslash, Alakazam, Butterfree (Pink), Slowpoke, Blastoise, Crystal Onix, Pink Rhyhorn, Scyther, Pinsir, Farfetch'd, Magnemite, Grimer, Lugia, Pink Gyrados, Poliwhirl, Staryu, Charmander, Lapras, Tentacruel, Diglett, Electrode, Dewgong, Sentret, Ivysaur, Heracross (female), Chikorita, Arcanine, Spinarak, Misdreavus, Sunkern, Quagsire, Ledyba (two), Marill (shiny; green), Pidgey

In Rotation: Aerodactyl, Jigglypuff, Staryu, Dragonair, Pinsir, Blastoise

Misty's Pokemon: Oddish, Goldeen, Staryu, Vaporeon, Omanyte, Psyduck, Golduck, Togepi (joint ownership with Lucy), Horsea (at Cerulean gym), Starmie (at Cerulean gym), Poliwag, Lapras, Tentacruel, Voltorb, Quagsire, Ledyba, Marill

Brock's Pokemon: Geodude, Onix, Zubat, Vulpix, Aerodactyl, Butterfree (Orange Island variant), Donphan, Stantler

Jessie's Pokemon: Arbok, Lickitung, Giant Pidgeot, Pichu, Ledyba

James' Pokemon: Weezing, Victreebell, Vileplume, Chikorita, Giant Charizard, Sunflora, Primeape