467: When Pokémon Worlds Collide!
Dodgy Synopsis
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471: Raibaru Batoru! San tai San!
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Ash discovered Dawn had Pikachu and was looking for him (not personally, just Pikachu's trainer) and so set out to find her, encountering Brock along the way who had his heart broken (again) and rejoined Ash on his journey. Meanwhile, Team Rocket found one of James' family's Summer Cottages and prepared to retire into the lap of luxury, only for the thread of a visit by James' parents and Jessebelle to get them on the run again. The last episode ended with a kid about Ash's age watching Ash capture Starly and head out in search of Pikachu, dismissing the Starly as a waste of time because it was too easy to catch. We're likely to see more of this jerk today, and surely Ash and Dawn will meet in this episode, and we can see what happens....
Starly flies ahead and spots a flock of Starly being scared by blasts of electric attacks and they rush to the source. All they find though is the angry looking kid from the end of the last episode, using his Elekid to catch Pokémon. Ash asks if he has seen a girl with a Pikachu, and the boy replies curtly no, then immediately tells Ash that his Starly isn't good enough! He saw him catch it and thinks he could have picked a better one, and grunts that he MUST know you can use a Pokedex to scan Pokémon and see what moves they know. He calls out three Starly he has just caught, scans them, finds the one with the best moveset (one knows Aerial Ace) and then... releases the other two!
Ash is shocked, he's never encountered anyone with quite this strategy before, and snaps that any Pokémon can be effective if used properly. The young asshole sneers at the concept and challenges Ash to a match.... three on three! He thinks it is the best way to get an idea of what type of Pokémon a Trainer is good at working with. Ash agrees, but explains he only has two Pokémon on him, which surprises the jerk, muttering that Ash is pathetic before turning around and walking away. Once more Ash wishes Pikachu was there.... then hears a Volt Tackle from a distance and heads off towards the source, overheard by the jerk who seems interested in Volt Tackle.
Deeper in the forest, Team Rocket are in a robot that according to James both fights global warming AND makes them lunch too. It's attacking Pikachu, absorbing electric attacks as Dawn demands to know why they want to catch Pikachu anyway. They explain that Pikachu is a power beyond all powers, and they've been trying to catch it now for so long that they couldn't do anything else! They grab at Pikachu with a mechanical arm despite Piplup's attempts to stop them with Bubblebeam, and cry out they've won it with a Pikachu Pass play!
Piplup tries Bubble beam on the Robot but it fails to do anything, and an infuriated Piplup charges the bot only to be smacked back by a mechanical arm. Team Rocket mock the proud little penguin, then Jesse lets loose the tentacles on the small bird and ten year old Japanese schoolgirl.
But then a cry from Ash gets their attention, as Aipom uses Swift and Starly uses Whirlwind, knocking the bot back a step. Ash is slapped away by a tentacle and Brock and his Pokémon run to his side, but then he leaps up and tries his old tried and true "run and yell" technique before being cut off again by the tentacles. Team Rocket decide they MUST be about to win, so leave the safety of their electricity proof robot to hit Ash, Brock and Dawn with their all new, shiny Team Rocket motto!
"It's speaking to me, loud and clear!"
"Floating on the wind."
"Past the stars!"
"IN YER EAR!" laughs Meowth.
"Bringing chaos at a breakneck pace!"
"Dashing hope, putting fear in its place!"
"A rose by any other name's just as sweet."
"When everything's worse, our work is complete!"
"Jesse!"
"And it's James!"
"Meowth, now DAT'S a name!"
"Putting the do-gooders in their place!"
"Team Rocket...."
"We're in yer face!"
"WOBBUFFET!"
"MIME MIME!"
The robot poses bravely as Ash sighs, then rushes forward as Team Rocket congratulate themselves, cast a tentacle at Ash and... he leaps forty feet into the air and onto the robot!
Dawn watches on, shocked and amazed at the physics defying heroics of the strange boy as he hauls himself up to Pikachu while the flailing arms of the robot end up punching itself into its own side. The bot starts to crackle as Ash tries to pull Pikachu free, and Team Rocket panic at their impending death. The bot blows, Brock dropping to his knees first, followed by Dawn who really isn't wearing the right kind of skirt for this type of thing!
Team Rocket are sent blasting off again complaining about the writers, leaving behind the smouldering wreckage of the bot and no sign of Ash or Pikachu. But then Ash tears himself out with a sigh and hugs Pikachu happily as Aipom and Starly run up, Ash introducing the new Pokémon. Dawn is pleased to see trainer and Pokémon reunited, and Ash walks up and introduces himself to her before Brock slides in on the side and introduces himself in a way he usually reserves for girls a little older than ten.
Dawn introduces herself and Piplup and Ash checks it out with his Pokedex, finding out it is very proud, Indeed it poses quite bravely before suddenly spinning about and fainting, apparently from exhaustion. Brock drops down to check on it and then sprays it with a treatment and checks out Pikachu. A short time later we find them in a small phone-booth talking to Professor Rowan, who informs Ash that he has just received a gift from his mother but manages to do it in a stern fashion that speaks volumes about how guilty Ash should feel for leaving his mother behind! Meanwhile, the purple haired asshole from earlier stands with his Elekid by the wreckage of Team Rocket's bot, staring angrily at it.
The new twerps head on down the road, Dawn excited to hear that Brock is a breeder (snicker), and he promises to make some nice food for Piplup when they get to Rowan's lab. Officer Jenny rides up, pleased to see Ash and Pikachu are reunited (despite her earlier talk about it being her job to find Pikachu, the natural order has restored itself and work got done without her! Speaking of the natural order, Brock rushes up and grabs her hands to moan his undying love for her! Dawn watches on, wondering what is wrong with him, and Ash sighs nothing... for Brock.
At Rowan's they discover the new clothes that Delia has made for him, and when he calls her on the phone she tells him he left the house before she could give them to him. She then asks if he has called Professor Oak and told him Pikachu is okay, and he quickly hangs up on his mother to call the old man who is supposedly in no way related to him or have all kinds of sex with his Mother in uncomfortable places. Oak is pleased to hear Pikachu is okay, and then introduces Dawn who asks about his poetry, apparently thinking he is not a real professor like Rowan since he's always on television. Professor Rowan appears looking rather more cheerful than normal, asking if he could talk to Oak alone for a moment, but as soon as the twerps leave..... STERN MOTHERFUCKER PROFESSOR ROWAN grunts at Oak that maybe he should spend less time reciting poetry and appearing on television and more time doing Pokémon Research!
Dawn asks what Brock and Ash are doing here from Kanto, and Ash tells her he is preparing to take part in the Sinnoh League. Brock doesn't answer the question for himself, simply falling straight back into place as Ash's guide as he looks up the towns ahead. He discovers that the first town where Dawn is hoping to take part in a Contest is enroute to the first Town where Ash can try for a Pokémon Badge. Since they're all going in the same direction, she asks if she can come along with them, and Ash figures the more the merrier. Brock also has no objections to a girl in a short skirt walking slightly in front of him for a little while. They return all of their Pokémon to their Pokeballs except for Pikachu, confusing Dawn who doesn't understand why. Ash explains that Pikachu dislikes travelling in a Pokeball and far prefers his shoulder, and Rowan steps up to tell Dawn that she'll soon find there are many different Pokémon and many different ways of training them. They step outside and.... OOOOOH, CUE THE ENNIO MORRICONE MUSIC!
It's the asshole!
Rowan isn't intimidated because he's an old pissed off God and all, and demands to know who this little asshole is. The purple haired prick replies that his name is Paul, that the Professor must be Rowan... but he's here for Ash! Ash is surprised, but Paul grunts that since he has three Pokémon now, it's time for that battle they didn't get to have before.
Ash is more than willing to except, too stupid to be anything but excited by the challenge, claiming that to be a Pokémon Master you have to accept the challenges of other trainers. Rowan would rather they didn't cockfight right out there in the street in front of his lab so tells them to take it out back to his garden. There, Brock stands in as referee, while an excited Dawn is getting to see her first Pokémon battle. Ash tells her to enjoy it, and Paul smirks and tells Ash that he talks like a little kid. He snaps the rules at Ash, explaining that it's a three on three on battle with no substitutions, and whoever gets two wins first wins.
Ash calls out Starly and Paul does the same, and then instructs Ash to go first. Ash orders a Quick Attack, but Paul's Starly mostly dodges and takes less damage than it might have. Rowan makes an aside to Dawn, telling her that Paul is merely testing Ash's Pokémon’s attack prowess. Paul's Starly comes back with Aerial Ace, then a Double Team, and Ash yells out instructions to his Starly, pointing out where the real one is. But Paul's Starly manages to hit another Aerial Ace and knocks Ash's Starly down and... out! Not a very impressive first outing, but Ash tells it that it did great despite getting the shit kicked out of it, and Paul grunts that he's already figured out Ash's style. He covers up his attacks by pushing, and combined with the "Lame-o" strategy he uses.... it makes Paul feel sorry for Pokémon stuck with such a lousy trainer. He recalls his Starly, frowning at it and asking... is that all it's got?
But Ash doesn't let Paul's attitude get to him (hey, he grew up with King Asshole himself, Gary!) and sends out Aipom. Paul retaliates with Chimchar, and taunts Ash after he checks it out with his Pokedex, noting that he got his "Chimchar lesson for the day". This time Ash does lose it, ordering a Swift Attack from Aipom that is negated by an Ember from Chimchar, causing nothing but a lot of smoke. Aipom tries Focus Punch only to get the attack knocked clear by Flame Wheel, and Rowan explains why Focus Punch faded out to Dawn - the move needs to be "focused", if it isn't ready when it gets hit, it just disappears. Paul tells Chimchar to attack again, and Ash looks to confuse the little monkey with a Doubleteam. Chimchar's Ember knocks through all of the illusions though and Scratches Aipom, then uses Flamewheel again to counter an oncoming Focus Punch. Ash yells at Aipom to wait as the Flame Wheel approaches, and for the first time Paul is confused, what is Ash up to?
Oh? Kicking your Pokémon’s ass, that's what!
Chimchar hits the ground unconscious, and Aipom wins the round. Paul recalls the little monkey and tells it's Pokeball that it is still just as useless as can be. It's actually kind of refreshing, to be honest, usually trainers congratulate their Pokémon on getting their asses kicked!
It's down to the wire now, both trainers have a Pokémon each down. Ash sends in Pikachu and Paul sends in Elekid, Dawn checking it out as Paul asks Ash if Pikachu really does do Volt Tackle? Ash says it does and asks why, but Paul isn't giving away any secrets just yet. Ash orders a Thunderbolt to kick things off but it does nothing, and Rowan explains to Dawn that Electric type Pokémon are not hurt by moves of the same type.... he doesn't mention that Ash really SHOULD know better by this point, though! Elekid sends Pikachu staggering back with thunder, and Paul smirks that there is a reason that he let Ash go first.
"What?" demands Ash.
"Cause I'm smart," retorts Paul smugly.
Yes it seems the asshole used the energy from Pikachu's attack to pump up Elekid's own energy. A furious Ash tells Pikachu to use Volt Tackle, only for it to bounce off of a Protect shield. Rowan explains to Dawn that Protect can damage the attacking Pokémon as well as be defensive. Paul asks arrogantly if they're done yet and tells Ash to give up, but he refuses of course. He orders Pikachu to use Iron tail, and Paul tells Elekid to defend with Brick Break. The two moves crash against each other, but Paul grins and tells Ash that while Pikachu's attack is being blocked, Elekid still has a free arm. He orders a Thunderpunch..... but Ash hits him with a Yugi-Oh style,"NOT SO FAST!" as he points out that Iron Tail is still glowing.... and then Pikachu twists about and slams Elekid directly in THE FUCKING FACE! Elekid smashes down with Brick Break again and hits Pikachu on the rebound, and then both Pokémon stagger over and......
Paul calls Elekid back as Ash helps Pikachu up, the latter turning to Brock and telling him that this wasn't a tie, Pikachu fell first and that means Paul won. But Paul grimaces and says the battle was called a draw, therefore it is a draw. He brings out his Pokeball and releases Starly, growling at Ash that there are plenty more Starly just as strong as that one, when he finds one stronger, he'll just grab it. He thanks Rowan for the use of the field and then turns and walks off, ignoring Ash's demands for a fresh battle.
So there you have it, Gentle Dodgers. It's a new region, it's a new group of twerps, there are new Pokémon, and Team Rocket have a new motto. But Ash doesn't have a new rival, because Paul isn't like Gary, he's something different. Paul is the Anti-Ash, opposite in battle style, Pokémon philosophy and general demeanour. He's the opposite of Ash, and that can only mean one thing.
He must be really, really smart.
| BEST QUOTES |
 "Of course there's a reason I let you go first." "What?""Cause I'm smart."
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