402: At The End Of The Fray
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404: Saigo no Gekitou! Yuushou he no Michi!
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In the Kanto League Indigo Conference, Ash lost his battle against new friend Richie when his Charizard refused to battle, placing Ash in the top 16. In the Johto League Silver Conference, Ash lost to new friend Harrison after an extreme battle between Charizard and Blaziken, placing Ash in the top 8. Now Ash is in the top 8 once again and must face new friend Tyson to move on higher. Can he do it? Given his past history, the horrible truth is that it's very unlikely, and we may be....
The smoke clears to reveal that Glalie and Sceptile's Ice Beam/Solar Beam clash has knocked them both out, meaning that both trainers are IMMEDIATELY down one Pokémon and thus one extra option for later in the battle.
Meanwhile, Team Rocket have had their sales booth revealed by their Boss..... and it's a fucking mess! A horrible ramshackle falling apart piece of crap shoved between two buildings on a deserted street! Their Boss admits that it could use some doing up, then languidly struts away telling them not to forget to punch their time clocks. Once he is gone, Jesse flies into a fury about selling 10 million hot dogs just to be rewarded with this pile of shit... which collapses when she slams her hands down on it. She rants and raves that she'd rather go back to trying to capture Pikachu then work there, at which point James realises that he has no idea where Meowth is.
Back at the battle, Torkoal is blasting fire at the furious rapist-type Pokémon, Shiftry. It leaps and dodges the flames, while Meowth watches from the sidelines, eager to see Meowth in Boots fighting. Shiftry scores a shot and then a Shadow Ball, and Torkoal takes it and blasts Flamethrower at Shiftry, leaping through the air after the dodging rapist and scoring a direct shot, knocking Shiftry out like it drank a roofie meant for one of its victims.
Shiftry is out and Ash has the momentary advantage, but Max warns an exuberant May that they're still in the first half of the battle. After all, Ash had the clear domination of Morrison early in their match and only just scraped through to a victory against Fat Misty with Balls in the end.
Next out from Tyson is Hariyama, and Torkoal believes it is okay to keep going and opens with a Flamethrower... and Hariyama charges through it with Arm Thrust, pushing flames out of the way with its hands! Brock explains that its thick layer of fat protects it from flame and ice, and Torkoal isn't so lucky as Hariyama smashes through the flames and then Brick Breaks Torkoal right in the head!
Next out from Ash is Corphish, which opens with Bubble Beam. Hariyama dodges and uses Brick Break, but Corphish slides between its legs and connects a Crab Hammer with a Focus Punch that sends both Pokémon back... but Corphish out surprisingly early!
With 31 minutes gone in the battle and three of Ash's Pokémon down, it's time to change the battlefield, while Meowth remains in the stands wanting to see Tyson bring out Meowth-in-Boots.
In the locker room, Morrison roars an inspiring speech at Ash who just sits staring at him with a blankly smiling face. As he asks Pikachu if he is ready to help him, Jesse, James and Wobbuffet have somehow found their way into the Pokémon storage room of a Pokémon Centre or the stadium or something.
The second half of the battle begins on a rock battlefield, and Ash sends in Swellow for some angry drunken brawling against Hariyama. It opens with Peck, and Hariyama.... grabs it by the beak!
Oh no! That's not a good thing!
As Swellow struggles to pull free, Hariyama leaps into the air and uses Seismic Toss to drive Swellow hard into a rock, surely killing it or at least knocking it the fuck out.
Swellow flies straight back into the fray, and Hariyama uses Focus Punch... and Swellow uses Aerial Ace to dodge the move and drive its beak directly into Hariyama's heart and knock it unconscious because you do NOT FUCK WITH AN ANGRY DRUNKEN SCOTTISH BIRD!
Tyson brings out Donphan next to kick up a sandstorm around Swellow, cutting it off from Ash momentarily until it is able to blow the wind away with the flapping of its wings. Donphan uses Rollout to bounce off of a rock and into the air to connect with Swellow, and as Swellow goes down, Donphan continues with more and more rollouts that get stronger and more powerful each time. Swellow is left crashed out against a rock as Donphan rolls in for one last move that will crush Swellow into a pulp and....
ACH! AND WHERE DO YE THINK YE BE ROLLING, YE WEE ROLLY BASTARD YA!?!
Yes, Swellow has STOPPED Rollout in its tracks by grabbing onto one of Donphan's ears, shocking absolutely everybody EXCEPT for Swellow which always knew it was a touch bastard. It lifts up into the air and takes Donphan with it (!), swinging it around and throwing it through the air and crashing into the ground, knocking Donphan out!
Ash has the advantage once more, 4-3 against Tyson!
Morrison is unsurprised, because like Ash he is stupidly confidant regardless of facts, reality or common sense. Tyson can't believe that Ash did it, but is confident in his next Pokémon - a steel type, Metagross!
Morrison mocks the twerps concern, saying that the type Advantage means nothing against fighting spirit, causing them to laugh that he sounds just like Ash.
But sometimes type really DOES matter, as Metagross uses Psychic to catch Swellow in mid-air and hold it there no matter how much it struggles to break free, hanging in midair - a sitting duck!
Well... bird..... not specifically a duck, but... you know what I mean.
HEY TRAINERS WHICH OF THESE POKEMON DOES NOT EVOLVE!?! BALTOY, ARON OR MAWILE!?! THE ANSWER IS MAWILE BECAUSE ITS DEMON-TEETH FURY MOUTH OF DOOM IS THE ULTIMATE PINNACLE OF ITS POSSIBLE EVOLUTIONARY PATH!
Swellow struggles to break free, and Ash orders it to use Quick Attack to force its way through. It almost makes it through, but Metagross deflects the attack back and then hyper-beams Swellow directly in the face and knocks it out finally!
Bugger!
But as Ash recalls Swellow with a grimace, he notices that Swellow's attack DID make a difference, creating a very slight chip in Metagross' forehead. He calls out Grovyle, surprising Max since it is at a type disadvantage, and has it fire Bullet Seed down on one specific point on Metagross's forehead. Tyson is uncharacteristically smug about Ash's strategy and sends in Metagross with surprising speed to fire a Hyperbeam. But Grovyle dodges and goes back to the Bullet Seed attacks on Metagross, which is given pause as they continue to barrage onto its forehead, causing the chip to spark disturbingly. Grovyle comes in with Leafblade but Metagross isn't quite out of it yet, and it scores a direct shot of Meteor Mash that smashes Grovyle in the face and drives it back into a rock, smashing its head and knocking it out.
It's 4-5, Ash has only one Pokémon left!
But what a Pokémon, it's Pikachu!
It opens with a Thunderbolt directly into Metagross' forehead, but strangely it seems prepares and takes the shot and comes back with Psychic. Pikachu dodges though, bouncing an Iron Tail off of the Psychic and connecting directly with the chip in Metagross' head, then grabs hold of it as Metagross tries to shake Pikachu clear. Pikachu lets loose with a point-blank blast of Thunder and Metagross collapses, knocked out!
It's 5-5! And Meowth's dream has come true, it's Pikachu vs Meowth-in-Boots!
"BEAT DA TWOIIIIIP!" screams Meowth, then bursts into tears of happiness at the idea of Pikachu being beaten by a Meowth.
Meanwhile, Jesse, James and Wobbuffet are happily stealing Pokeballs when their Boss returns early from his business trip and somehow tracks them down and shows off that he is still keen on the idea of alternate methods of entry into rooms.
He demands to know what they're doing and Jesse weakly suggests,"Shopping?" while he is covered with flames and roars at them for throwing the chance he gave them back in his face.
Back at the battle, Pikachu avoids Fury Swipes and it and Meowth-in-Boots attack Thunderbolt with Thunderbolt. May and Max don't understand, a Thunderbolt will NOT hurt Pikachu at all, but Brock has figured out that the move is defending against Pikachu so Meowth-in-Boots is also taking no damage.
Pikachu zooms in with Quick Attack but Meowth-in-Boots uses Double Team to avoid it, and the two Pokémon clash Iron Tail against Iron Tail.
"I need ta get me some boots!" gasps Meowth happily from the stands.
Pikachu uses Quick Attack again and runs right into a Slash Attack, never giving an inch but both looking like they're getting tuckered out. Pikachu uses Thunder against Meowth-In-Boot's Thunderbolt, and then both crash Iron Tail's together once more, both scoring hits and knocking each to the ground.
Ash and Tyson yell at their Pokémon to get back up, and both make it to their feet but look exhausted as hell.
And then Meowth-In-Boots falls backwards! Meowth cries out for it not to give up, and then we see Pikachu collapse forward. The Judge IMMEDIATELY without even a momentary pause screams that Pikachu is unable to battle, and Tyson is declared the winner as Meowth-in-Boots struggles to hold itself upright on one knee with a paw against the ground to steady itself.
BOOOOO FUCKING BOO! BOOOOOO! BOOOOOOOO YOU MOTHERFUCKERS NOT AGAIN! NOT ANOTHER "HEY IT'S A BRAND NEW FRIEND SHOWING UP THE DAY BEFORE THE CHAMPIONSHIPS BEGIN OH HEY LOOK HE BEAT ASH AND THEY PROMISE TO BE FRIENDS FOREVER AND WE NEVER SEEM THEM AGAIN" RARRGGGHHH BOOOOO BOOOOOOOOOO!
Boo I say!
Tyson is through to the Final Four, Ash once again fails to get past the top eight in a REAL tournament and Meowth is in tears of joy up in the stand. Morrison is also sobbing, declaring that it is the most beautiful battle he has ever seen, while Ash picks up Pikachu and Brock suggests to the twerps that he isn't even a little sad but just proud about the great effort he put in.
Bullshit! He wants to be the very best, like no one ever was! GRRRRR!
Jesse, James and Wobbuffet rush by Meowth who asks where they're going, causing them to ask where he has been! Then their Boss comes charging in, absolutely furious that not only did they try to steal from him (him?), they didn't punch their timeclocks! He wheels back and then PUNCHES THE ENTIRE TEAM ROCKET WITH ONE PUNCH THAT SENDS THEM BLASTING OFF AGAIN!
Jesse at least manages to get off a complaint about his shitty old wooden stand before they disappear into the air with a twinkle.
One slight difference does occur though, as for the first time the opponent that Ash lost to in the Conference goes on to win the entire Tournament itself. Tyson is presented with the Trophy for first place, while Brock states that he almost feels like returning to a battling lifestyle, while Max can't wait to become a trainer himself and have the people cheering for him.
Morrison tells Ash that they next time they meet, he means to beat HIM in battle, and Ash laughs that this isn't going to happen. For once, Ash is right, because Morrison will go the way of so many before him - a new friend who they promise to meet again before going their separate ways forever.
But now... what about Ash? The Hoenn League was his chance to start all over and try to build up to a brand new team and succeed with them. Instead, he managed only as good as he did in the Johto League Championships with his supreme team, for a best finish of eighth.
So it is back to Kanto for Ash? Will he try for the Indigo League once more? Are May and Max going to suffer the fate of Misty and Tracey before them? The answers are coming soon, Gentle Dodgers, as we once again wait to follow the mad adventures of the idiot savant and his fat yellow rat.
Would you really have it any other way?
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