270: Gotta Catch Ya Later!
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Ash Ketchum.
Yes, Ash Ketchum, the titular (snicker) hero of Pokemon.
Let us look back, for a moment, at Ash Ketchum.
On the day of his tenth birthday Ash woke up full of piss and vinegar (the previous night he'd been mostly full of vinegar) ready to set out on his dream of becoming a Pokemon Master. He went to the home of Professor Oak, a top Pokemon scientist who is also in all probability Ash's illegitimate father. There he was given Pikachu as a starter Pokemon, and their initial meeting was not an auspicious one. Pikachu hated Ash and Ash wasn't too fond of Pikachu, but after a calamitous first day on the road that involved being attacked by a flock of Spearow, falling off of a waterfall and stealing a bike from a girl called Misty... they came to appreciate each other.
But the girl's bike was ruined in the process, and Ash soon found himself saddled with a fiery redhead called Misty. Misty was butch, tough and uncompromising and informed Ash that until he replaced her bike, she was going along on his journey with him. Soon after Ash won his first badge when he defeated a young Gym Leader called Brock, impressing the young man so much that he left his extended family and gym in the hands of his crack-addict father and joined them on their journey.
Ash, Misty and Brock became firm friends and had many an adventure on their road to the Indigo Tournament where Ash finally had his opportunity to become a Pokemon Master. Unfortunately on the way Ash had also encountered a trio who were not so pleasantly disposed to him. Jesse and James were members of a criminal organisation called Team Rocket, and along with a wisecracking Meowth that had the ability to talk they went out of their way to capture Pikachu. Their reasoning for this is based on the asskicking handed to them by Pikachu in their first encounter, which lead them to believe that Pikachu must have been something special and ultrapowerful.
So Ash came to the Indigo League where he fought hard and well, until being unfairly defeated by a virtual doppelganger called Richie. The reasons for this were many, not least of which being that Team Rocket had kidnapped Ash and his Pokemon earlier in the day and tuckered them all out in a big battle before the main event. So Ash was beaten by his soulless clone, who then went on himself to be thrashed in the next round. Ash found himself a Top 16 finalist for the prestigious Indigo League, which wasn't that bad considering it was his first year and there had been extenuating circumstances.
Back home in Pallet Ash was getting underfoot, and so his illegitimate father sent him on a quest for something called the GS Ball. Ash went and picked up the device from a large breasted, slightly stoned Professor (leading to speculation that the GS Ball stood for Gratuitous Sex, and was in fact nothing more than a highly sought after sex toy used by Professor Oak and Delia Ketchum's swingers group) which lead to constant companion Brock deserting Ash and Misty to stay and help fluff Professor Ivy's pillows.
Ash and Misty headed off alone, getting captured by Team Rocket again in the process where the bemused villains asserted that Ash and Misty were in fact young, dumb and in love. Both violently denied the idea which lead to laughter and more assertions of 'kissy, kissy' before Ash and Misty managed to escape. They were now in the Orange Islands and Ash was looking to test his skills honed at Indigo in the Orange Islands Tournament.
Picking up a new companion (a rather chubby artist called Tracey with an unhealthy obsession for Professor Oak), the new trio won badges (won from a trainer who was little more than an most enormous pair of breasts), met a more dangerous Team Rocket duo (Butch and Cassidy), continued to clash heads with Jesse, James and Meowth and eventually, battled in the Orange Islands Tournament.
Against all odds, Ash actually won the event, defeating Drake and his ugly-ass Dragonite before heading heroically back home to show off. But when he got there, Ash encountered long time rival Gary, who was the Grandson of Professor Oak (and therefore, despite being older, Ash's nephew). Gary was unimpressed with Ash's victory and they battled, Ash losing to his most hated of rivals and taking a massive blow to the ego. On the plus side, Brock returned to them somewhat the worse for wear having been..... abused..... while in the tender care of Professor Ivy.
Tracey became Professor Oak's new research assistant (and something more?) while Oak pondered once again how to get Ash out from underfoot so he could enjoy more 'quality time' with Delia. What did it in the end was the prospect of a whole new tournament, this one in a far off land called Johto. Ash was eager to go and Misty and Brock - ever the constant companions - were willing to go along as well.
But first Oak asked that the GS Ball be delivered to a colleague, one Kurt. Ash was upset at this request because (THIS IS IMPORTANT) the Johto League was QUICKLY IMPENDING and he had to get there AS FAST AS POSSIBLE. But he went along, constant companions Misty and Brock with him. By this time Misty had changed from the fiery redhead we knew and loved to a boring background piece that carried around an energy leeching vampire called Togepi. Togepi appeared to be, considering all the available evidence, the anti-Christ but more importantly it had basically removed all the elements of Misty's character that were likeable. Brock however remained stoic and steadfast in his impossible quest to lose his virginity, while Ash just wanted to fight!
So they travelled to Johto where a number of events happened. Why? Because they took THEIR SWEET FUCKING TIME getting to the Johto League Championship.
Over the course of months and possibly a couple of years worth of episodes, Ash meandered his way through Johto picking up new Pokemon, helping people here and there, battling Team Rocket and generally made a nuisance of himself. At one point he even gave away three of his best Pokemon, sending Squirtle to run a gang of upstart young punks, leaving Charizard to pimp it up in a valley and even saying goodbye to Bulbasaur which returned to Professor Oak's lab to beat some sense into some young punk Pokemon causing trouble there. They took so long to get to Johto that they even sidetracked to a place called the Whirl Islands where both Ash and Misty competed in the Whirl Cup.
Misty seemed to return to a little of her old character then, actually defeating Ash before going on herself to be beaten in the final, thus negating any real point in having her beat Ash. Ash's record going into the Johto League Championship was not looking so great, with a Top 16 finish in Indigo, a win in The Orange Islands and a placing in the top four in The Whirl Cup. But finally, eventually Ash got there and competed.... and lost.
Yes, after all that time, all those battles, all that preparation..... Ash got his ass whupped again. On the plus side for him he finally got to beat Gary, his greatest rival, but was defeated the next round by a new friend called Harrison who at least wasn't a virtual clone of Ash.
But Harrison himself gets beaten the next round by the eventual champion and again we are forced to ask ourselves.... what was the point of Ash getting beaten? Does it send the message, "Hey kids, work your ass off and spend years training just so you can get beaten by someone else who'll just get his ass whupped anyway!"?
So there we have it, Ash has placed in the Top 16 at Indigo, won at Orange, the top four in Whirl and the top eight at Johto. You would think that maybe he'd be getting a bit down in the dumps about his lack of success, but no! That would require introspection and Ash ain't big on that. Instead he gets excited at the concept of the Hoenn region, which is where Harrison comes from.
Thinking of all the great new Pokemon he can find there, Ash decides to head home to Pallet and then move straight on to Hoenn afterwards. Gary himself has decided he doesn't want to be a Pokemon Master and will instead concentrate on becoming a Pokemon Researcher (coincidentally he decided this after Ash beat him).
So here we are, gentle Dodgers, near the beginning of another great Pokemon journey for Ash. Where will it take him? What new Pokemon will he find and more importantly, how bloody long between Gym Battles will he be!?! Will he manage to do better in any tournaments he competes in or just screw everything up at the last minute again as usual?
Well, one thing is for sure Gentle Dodgers, no matter where he goes or what he does; he can always rely on the constant companionship of his friends Misty and Brock!
So we find ourselves up to date and in the here and now, Gentle Dodgers. Ash and his two constant companions Misty and Brock stand on a hillside overlooking Viridian City. Yes in the space of one episode they have travelled from the Johto Silver Conference all the way back to Kanto and Viridian City, just like that. Kind of makes you wonder why they took so fucking long to get to the conference in the first place!
For those of you with good memories (anime fans.... of course you have good memories) the Viridian City Pokemon Centre is a monster, absolutely huge in size. Brock grins happily, where there is a Pokemon Centre there is a Nurse Joy, and it's time for him to go make her acquaintance!
At least, sighs Misty, he's consistent.
Gotta Catch Ya Later!
Inside the Pokemon Centre, Ash asks Joy to take his Pokeballs and as she moves to comply, Brock shoves in to introduce himself.
"ALLOW ME TO INTRODUCE MYSELF!" he screams, "The name's Brock! Do you believe in love at first sight? Or shall I walk past you again!?!? Smell my fresh breath Nurse Joy.... it's as sweet as you!"
"You might want a mint," grins Nurse Joy uneasily, and Brock collapses in horror to her feet.
Ash ignores his friend and constant companion weeping silently on the floor and introduces himself, asking Joy if she remembers him. Unfortunately this is Nurse Joy's first week at the Centre, but the previous Joy told her all about him (the dumb kid whose Pokemon blew up the Centre), as well as his bosom buddy and constant companion, Misty!
Joy tells Misty that she has a message for her from Cerulean City; her sisters want her to call them up as soon as possible. A confused Misty does so, and in a tender moment of love and care her sisters ask where the hell she has been for the last few months.
When Misty asks if everything is okay, her sister shoves a ticket into the view screen of the phone and proudly proclaims that she placed third in a beauty contest and has won a trip around the world!
Was first prize a trip to the Moon?
She was also given two extra tickets which means all three of the beautiful Cerulean City sisters can go on a trip around the world too! Misty surely wouldn't have wanted to have gone with them, so she can watch things at the Gym while they're gone! BYE!
The screen goes blank as a shocked Misty stares at the screen, gaping like a fish and asking what just happened?
"She DESERVED to win that trip around the world!" observes horndog Brock.
"They're lucky!" guffaws Ash stupidly.
But Misty isn't so pleased, why should she watch the Gym while they gallivant around the world (Misty preferred it when she was gallivanting around the world and her sisters were watching the Gym). But Ash happily points out that it'll only be for the length of their trip, a point Misty gloomily agrees with.
After all, how long can a cruise ship trip around the world possibly last!
And then the final hammer blow comes down as Nurse Joy enters frame pushing a familiar looking bike, asking Misty if it belongs to her.... and it does! It's Misty's bike, ostensibly the entire reason she ever went along with Ash in the first place, repaired and whole and back in her possession!
"Oh yeah," grunts Ash as he remembers what he did, and then Misty has a flashback to her first encounter with Ash as he stole her bike and wrecked it, then pleaded ignorance and confusion when she tracked him down to Viridian City.
"That's great!" proclaims a completely clueless Ash to Misty, "You finally got your bike back! Now you can get home fast!"
"Whoop-de-doo," grunts Misty angrily.
"Why are you so grouchy," asks Ash, completely oblivious to the fact that his constant companion of at least two years continuity time might be slightly upset at the prospect of just up and leaving him and Brock.
"I'm not grouchy!" she roars angrily, her pre-Togepi character making a welcome return, "Why don't you just leave me alone!"
She charges off as a completely clueless Ash watches her go.
"Ahhh, Misty?" he asks as she runs out of the centre, "That was weird... what's wrong?"
Holy crap, the boy really doesn't get it.
"I get the feeling that maybe she wanted to keep on travelling with us," says Brock.
"Oh," says Ash, "Really?"
Holy crap, that's cold Ash, that's cold.
Misty thinks so too, walking dejectedly through Viridian City thinking to herself that Ash is one cold motherfucker, apparently completely indifferent to the concept of her leaving hi.... leaving them. As she mopes, three youths leap out of an alley and confront her, mocking her for crying. There is a short one, a tall one and a fat one and they mock Misty for her tears, asking her if all of her friends have abandoned her.
Misty angrily snaps back at them that she wasn't crying and asks just who the hell they are, anyway. This seems to be what the three purple-jumpsuit wearing fools were waiting for as they go into a pre-planned posedown and introduce themselves as the Invincible Pokemon Brothers, Kim, Kayle and Khan!
"Really, you're invisible?" asks Misty, "Then why don't you disappear!"
Togepi roars with laughter at this burn and the Brothers snap back that they said they were invincible, so Misty challenges them to a match.
They retire to the park and face off, Misty sending out her Totodile-wannabe, Politoed. Kim sends out Hitmonchan but Politoed smashes it to the ground with a Water-Gun Attack, shocking the 'Invincible Brothers' and causing Misty to suggest they change their names.
Well like any man with two other guys to back him up facing off against a young teenage girl, Kim decides to prove his manhood by having his Brothers also call out their Pokemon so they can team up on her three on one!
A Hitmonlee and Hitmontop join Hitmonchan, the three surrounding a worried looking Politoad.
"You cheats, how am I supposed to battle you 1 on 3!?!"
But it doesn't remain so for long, as Ash and Brock enter the scene and offer their help to make it 3 on 3. Pikachu Thunderbolts Hitmontop while Forretress smashes Hitmonlee with Rapid Spin, leaving it one on one again. Misty is pleased as punch and, being a girl, twists around to snap at Ash and Brock that she could have handled it herself.
But unlike typical boys, they don't get standoffish but rather agree, saying they knew Misty could handle it but, since she's going home, they wanted to take part in one last battle. Ash tells her she is a great water pokemon trainer and should finish things off now herself.
A pleased Misty does just that, using Politoad to hit Hitmonchan with a Bubble Attack. All three of the Brothers Pokemon are knocked out and they squeal like little girls at their defeat.... watched with contempt from the bushes by Team Rocket!
"Well, so much for the invincible part," growls Jesse angrily, "They're a bunch of losers!"
"Imagine, a team of three losers!" gasps James.
"I know, let's show'em what a real team of losers is supposed to act like!" proclaims Meowth, "Proceed with plan goalie!"
"WOBBUFFET!" agrees Wobbuffet proudly, bouncing out of the bushes with a box and smashing a button on it with one slab like arm.
Behind the twerps on one side of the park and the brothers on the other, two football goalposts appear out of the ground. They suddenly zoom towards each other and the people between them, slamming shut and forming a cage around everyone.
"UH!" cries Kim.
"UH!" cries Kayle.
"UH!" cries Khan.
"UH!" cries Ash.
"UH!" cries Brock.
"UH!" cries Misty.
Who said the art of conversation was dead.
Team Rocket appear, all prepared with as many goal quips they can muster, but before they can truly hit their stride and work football analogies into the motto, the Invincible Pokemon Brothers interrupt them.... with a cry that they're on their side!
Yes it seems Team Rocket offered them money to attack Misty, but as far as Team Rocket are concerned the brothers reneged on the deal by not being invincible. Besides, there are more important things in the world than money, so even if they had any they wouldn't give any to them!
Well the brothers are outraged at this and dance about inside the net, then pull out a small pair of scissors (well, okay then!) and cut their way through the netting of the goals (you didn't realise small handheld scissors could cut through goalpost nets, did you Gentle Dodgers!). Then the Invincible Brothers and their Pokemon surround Team Rocket in a circle and begin.... to hop from foot to foot on the spot making a lot of shouty noises.
Jesse squeals for them to go away, but Ash suggests that it is in fact Team Rocket who are the ones that are the ones that should be doing the going away.
He never quite got a hang of that whole quip part of being an Action Hero.
Having left the trap through the hole in the net cut by the Invincible Pokemon Brothers, the twerps are ready to strike down upon Team Rocket with terrible vengeance and furious anger. Pikachu Thunderbolts, Politoad water guns and Forretress rapid spins both Team Rocket and the Invincible Pokemon Brothers, creating a whirlwind for some reason and sending Team Rocket blasting off again!
They only just got here!
Misty feels a hell of a lot better now, and Ash tells her she was awesome and it was great to watch her in action (oh hell Ash, it looks like its Misty's last episode and you choose NOW to try some smooth moves?).
"Thank you Ash," she says, "That's sweet."
"Uhhh?" uhhh's Ash, more confused than ever.
"And thanks for always being a good friend to me."
"Yeah sure," grins Ash, unaware that he's just gotten the,'let's not ruin our friendship' speech girls make to guys when they don't want to tell them the idea of sexual intercourse with them makes them physically sick. Ash then turns and looks away, ".........Misty... your bike's there.... you're in a hurry right?"
"Umm... yeah," says Misty.
The three walk along the riverbank, Misty reminding Ash of his morning rituals (a bath and brushing his teeth) and not to let rotund little Pikachu scoff its face too much. She then tells Brock not to let himself get too distracted by all of the girls.
"HAHAHA!" laughs Brock, then trails off,"....."
"One more thing..." she starts.
"THAT'S ENOUGH!" cries Ash.
"It's just something I feel I need to tell you," she says, then....
AAMLBELEEVER4LYFE: OMG I HAD TO TAEK OVA HEAR BECOZ I HERD ABOUT THIS BIT THIS IS WHERE MISTEE SEZ OH AHS I LUVS U AND THEN THEY KISS AND STAY 2GEVA 4EVA AND AHS GIVS MISTEE HIZ HAT AND THEY SAY GOODBYE AND ITS SO SAD BUT BEATIFULL I FINK I GONNA CRIEZ!
....says, "Just keep on... doing your best."
"What do you mean?" asks Ash.
"Well you know... without me there."
Then we get a saccharine sweet montage of Misty and all of the adventures she, Ash and Brock have had (Tracey too!) and then Misty tells Togepi (which is riding in the basket of her bike) that it is because of the bike that her and Ash became friends, and it was a coincidence that led to her and Togepi coming together too (coincidence be damned, Togepi planned the whole thing 4000 years ago!).
But Ash doesn't believe that, he says that he thinks they were meant to meet, meant to be friends...
AAMLBELEEVER4LYFE: OMG MEANT 2 B IN LUV THIS IS WEAR HE GIVES HER HIS HAT DAN SEYZ I LUV U 2GEVA 4EVA!
....which Brock also agrees with, saying that fate brought them together for all of their adventures, that they were meant to be.
Indeed they were, constant companions for years now - both in continuity time and in real life - and surely this isn't the end is it?
As the sun sets they come to the fork between Pewter City, Cerulean City and Pallet Town and it's time to part ways.
"Guess I'll be going this way," says Misty.
"Yeah..." says Ash.
"Take care, Ash," Misty says, her face seeming to move closer to his.
"Immm, you too, Misty," Ash returns, his own face seeming to draw closer.
"Will I... see you again?" she asks, face inching forward.
"You will, I swear!" he promises, his own face moving towards hers.
AAMLBELEEVER4LYFE: OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG
"HOOOOOOOLLLLDDDD EVVVVERRRRYTHING!" roars Brock, breaking the spell.
"What's gotten into you, Brock?" asks Ash, he and Misty turning to look at him.
"Actually," Brock replies matter of factly, "I also have to go back home right away."
"HUH!?!" gasps Ash.
"HUH!?!" gasps Misty.
"PIIIKA!" screams Pikachu.
"I got an e-mail saying I had to go back and take care of some errands and stuff.... and I almost forgot."
"How could you forget something like that?" cries Ash, seemingly more upset at Brock leaving than Misty.
"Uhhh, I'm not sure exactly," he offers lamely.
"Maybe cause you didn't want to leave?" suggests Misty.
"Probably..." he agrees.
"I know, Brock," smiles Misty, "I understand."
"Mmmm," mmmm's Ash, who understands very little.
So Ash and his constant companions find themselves standing at the crossroads, all ready to go their separate ways.
"Well, I guess this is where we all split up?" says Brock.
"Are you sure you'll be okay without me, Ash?" asks Misty.
"I'll be fine," he snaps.
"See ya then," says Brock.
"Goodbye," says Misty.
"So long," says Ash.
Brock walks on down the road, sunset falling behind the wooded hills before him. Misty rides her bike towards Cerulean City and Ash remains standing alone. "Misty, thank you," he whispers, hanging his head, "And Brock, I know that there's no way I could have.... ever....."
"Go on," says Brock.
Ash looks up in shock to see Misty and Brock standing in front of him.
"If you have something to say, Ash," grins Misty, "Just say it."
"Yeah, we're all ears," agrees Brock.
"ARRH!" screams Ash, "WHY ARE YOU CREEPING UP ON ME LIKE THAT!?!"
"Sorry," says Brock, holding up a basket with a fixed lunch. Misty wraps it in a handkerchief for him to make it easier to carry and Ash breaks down into tears, telling them they should get going. Misty rides off for good this time and Brock heads away, leaving Ash behind again, this time for real.
"Well, Ash Ketchum," says Misty with a grin as she rides away, "Finally, I know how you feel about me."
AAMLBELEEVER4LYFE: WHAT WHAT WHAT?!?! WEAR IS THE HAT GIVIN AND THE LUV U 2GEVA 4EVA WHAT HAPPENED DID 4KIDS CUT IT OH I H8 THEM HOW COULD THEY AAML 4EVA 2GEVA 4EVA WHAT HAPPENED!?!?!
Brock walks away with a riceball and holds back tears, insisting that it must be the onions.
Ash runs with Pikachu in tow, tears streaming down his face as he screams out for the entire world to hear, "THANK YOU! MISTY... AND BROCK! I'LL MISS YOU!"
Thus, Gentle Dodgers, ends the constant companionship of Brock and Misty. Brock had taken time off before, but Misty has been there since day damn one and this is the end. There was no final moment between Ash and Misty for the AAML fans to clutch to. No hat was gifted, no words of love exchanged, no gentle kiss. In the end, Misty went away and so did Brock. They were sad, but positive they would meet again. At the end of the day, they were just friends and damn good friends at that.
That, Gentle Dodgers, is enough. Not every male and female in a cartoon needs to be coupled up or paired off, sometimes it is refreshing to see a male and female be friends and just that, friends.
It is enough, and a fine way for Misty to leave the series. She will be back, there can be no doubt, for a special or even for a few episodes, and maybe one day she will return to the series fulltime. If and when she does, we hope it is the original Misty, the fiery Misty, the take-no-bullshit from anyone Misty and not that pale mockery that was Mother-Misty and her Togepi.
Until that day, remember this episode Gentle Dodgers, and remember that not everything has to follow the stereotypical norm. Together Forever can just as easily relate to friends as well as lovers, and Brock is just as included in that statement as Misty.
But what of Ash? Where to now for a boy with his constant companions gone? Well Hoenn is his ultimate goal but first he must do what all young boys tend to do in times of strife, and go home to see his Mum.
So we find Ash back in Pallet Town, eating a big breakfast prepared by his Mother and her reliable Mr Mime. She lets him know that Gary just got back into town a couple of nights before and should be at Professor Oaks. Ash - whose opinion of Gary has certainly changed since the first series - rushes off to see him with Pikachu in tow, assuring his mother he'll be back for his breakfast. Delia sighs and says that she misses him when he goes off on his adventures, a statement that seems to surprise Mr Mime, who knows how she spends her nights!
At Oak's lab the good Professor and Tracey (whom Ash doesn't even seem to recognise) tell Ash that Gary has in fact already left, saying he was inspired but not by what. Oak suspects he wants to make a clean start, since he has left all of his Pokemon except Blastoise behind.
But Gary isn't gone yet, he is wondering up through the hills outside Pallet and stops to look back, allowing Ash time to catch him. Gary asks if he came to say goodbye and Ash says he did, but wants to know why Gary is leaving so soon. Gary replies that he just has the feeling he needs to keep moving, to find out more about Pokemon wherever he can. He suggests that Ash have a good think before he heads off again, then goes to leave. Before he can though, Ash calls him back and says he has something for him.
AAMLBELEEVER4LYFE: Hez not gonna give Gary hiz hat is he?!?!
He takes out a Pokeball and breaks it in half, giving one side to Gary to keep much like the old Pokeball halves they kept from earlier in their childhood. Gary thanks him and says goodbye, heading off into exploration and leaving Ash and Pikachu behind. They climb into a tree and sit thinking, Ash pondering how to deal with being alone for the first time in such a long time. As he tries to figure out what to do, a sign from the heavens literally shows him the way. A glittering light gets his attention and he stands up on the tree branch and looks in wonder at the legendary Pokemon he first saw back in episode 1.... Ho-Oh!
Filled with wonder, Ash watches the bird fly in the direction of what Ash believes to be Hoenn, the very place that Harrison suggested he visit. Suddenly Ash is filled with direction and purpose, he knows exactly what he has to do now! He and Pikachu leap down from the tree and charge forward, all ready to go and....
....fall into a pit.
"Owww," moans Ash, "Guess I wasn't prepared for that."
Well, that telegraphs what is coming next nicely!
"Now that you've mentioned it, prepare for trouble!"
"You said it once, but now 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."
"Jesse."
"James."
"Team Rocket blasts off at the speed of light,"
"Surrender now or prepare to fight, fight, fight!"
"Meowth! Dat's right!"
"WOBBUFFET!"
Ash is furious with them, he was all ready to begin his new Pokemon Journey. Well Team Rocket are all for that, they're a BRAND NEW Team Rocket with a brand new pitfall plan (they dug the hole REALLY deep this time!) and since Ash is on a brand new journey, he won't need Pikachu to journey with him! They call out Weezing and it fills the hole with Smokescreen, Team Rocket obviously planning to knock them both unconscious and then grab Pikachu and make their getaway.
Pikachu hacks and coughs on the rotten stuff while Ash desperately tries to think of something to do.... and then remembers Brock giving him a lunch basket complete with cutlery and Misty giving him a handkerchief to carry it in. He grabs the handkerchief and gives it to Pikachu to breath through, then pulls out the cutlery and uses them at climbing gear to climb out of the hole.
He jumps free to the shock of Team Rocket, who had no idea he'd learnt how to fly. Posing bravely with handkerchief and cutlery he calls for the usual and Pikachu lets loose with a MASSIVE thunderbolt that tears up the ground and rips up rocks before sending Team Rocket blasting off again!
Ash stares down at his cutlery and hanky and thanks Misty and Brock (it's unclear if he actually thinks the cutlery and hankie ARE Misty and Brock) then he and Pikachu head home.
Later that night Professor Oak and Tracey are at the Ketchum residence where Ash proclaims that he has decided to go on a new Pokemon Journey and he plans to start afresh and go back to the basics he had waaay back when he first started. He's going to dump all of his Pokemon except for Pikachu (wonder how Bayleef will take that), and Professor Oak correctly guesses that he plans to head for Hoenn. Ash agrees, saying he plans to stop off on the way to see Professor Birch, a man world famous for his work in Pokemon Research according to Tracey.
Delia arrives on the scene and despite her earlier claims to miss Ash when he was gone, she's already bought him a ferry ticket and a brand new set of clothes. Professor Oak gives him a brand new Pokedex preloaded with Hoenn Region Pokemon descriptions and Tracey assures him that he'll look after Ash's Pokemon for him while he is gone.
So, as the narrator says, it's time for Ash to start on a whole new journey, fight in new battles with new Pokemon and, perhaps, even make some new friends.
Will he? We'll just have to see won't we Gentle Dodgers, but you can be sure that wherever Ash goes and whatever he does, we'll be his constant companions.
Together?
Forever.
| BEST QUOTES |
 "The name's Brock! Do you
believe in love at first sight? Or shall I walk past you again!?!? Smell my fresh breath Nurse Joy.... it's as sweet as you!" "You might want a mint"
 "Imagine, a team of three losers!"
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