174: Wings 'n' Things
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Misty seems oddly unperturbed by the giant bug skittering about on the rock before them, in fact she seems quite enamoured with it. But Ash's shared admiration of the bizarre Pokemon quickly changes when it launches into the air and scoops his hat from his head, flying off with it with a joyous look of rapture upon it's ugly, alien, insectoid face.
They give chase, the happy Yanma settling on a rock when it hears a young boy demand it land. The young lad - who wears a wristband! - tells the Yanma not to be naughty, and captures it when it tries to take off again, keeping hold of it and allowing Ash to get his hat back. The boy introduces himself as Zachary Evans, watching in despair as his Yanma breaks free and flies away again, dodging the capture-beam of his Pokeball and disappearing into the distance. It seems that Yanma just won't listen to it's Trainer.
The Yanma flies into town, where it is greeted with fear and hatred. People scream out warnings, locking themselves inside, shuttering their windows, all of them desperate to keep away from it. Zachary rushes towards his hovering Yanma as the twerps try to figure out why the hell eveyone is so scared.... and then they find out.
Yanma is hovering next to the large plate glass window of a bakery, the owner dozing inside. Spotting Zachary, a happy Yanma begins beating its wings faster and faster despite Zachary's pleas that it stop.... and the resulting speed of Yanma's wingbeats creates a shockwave of sound that smashes all the exposed windows nearby.... including the baker's shop window!
Sighing, Zachary calls Yanma back into it's Pokeball.... as the baker steps outside and grabs him roughly. Apparently the Yanma has smashed his windows before, and he wants to have a word with Zachary's father.
Heading to the outskirts of town the baker, Zachary and the twerps arrive at a glass factory. Inside is the owner and Zachary's father, one and the same person. Horrified at what has happened, the father bows respectfully and apologises, shoving his culturally ignorant son into a bow as well. He promises to replace the smashed glass but the baker is none too impressed. His windows are constantly being broken and he is getting sick of it. Leaving as Zachary's Dad bows and kowtows, the baker returns to his shattered business leaving Zachary to face his father. His Dad doesn't know what to do, Yanma smashes the glass in his factory, smashes his customers glass and no matter how much Zachary tries to train it, he just keeps failing. The time has come, Zachary is told, to get rid of Yanma.... it's just too much of a nuisance. Zachary tries to argue but is cut short, this is the final word, he has to lose the Yanma!
Zachary retreats to a local playcentre to mull over this horrible turn of events. Ash doesn't think it fair that he should be told to get rid of his favourite Pokemon, but Misty tries to see it from the adult point of view.... Yanma is bankrupting Zachary's Dad!
While Brock makes the pointless suggestion that Mr Evans should get out of the glass business, Zachary recounts how he originally got Yanma anyway. Not so long ago, Zachary and his Dad were on a business trip in the rain, huddled together against the elements. Zachary spots a weakened, rainsoaked Yanma and rushes to it's aid. He and his father wrap it up and take it home where Zachary nurses it back to health and gets it fully fit again. He and Yanma are best friends, the lonely little boy even going so far as to hug and press against the cold chitin-like exoskeleton of the mosquito like Pokemon. Unfortunately he also finds out that a fully fit Yanma sends off shockwaves that shatter glass, smashing every bit of glass in Mr Evans Glassworks Concern. The shocked father demanded Yanma go, but Zachary convinced his Dad he could train it not to beat it's wings so fast.... and proceeds to attempt to teach Yanma by hugging it when it's bad.
He's a new-age Dad!
He failed miserably in his efforts obviously, Yanma simply flying away and smashing up all the windows in town. And now Zachary has come to realise he has no other choice, as the son of a windowmaker he has no business being a Yanma trainer.
Brock and Ash suggest some bizarrely inappropriate ideas like moving to a new town (Misty points out the problem will go with them) or replacing the glass with plastic (Misty points out Mr Evans will go out of business!). Finally they all realise that there is no option, Yanma must be given away.
He calls Yanma out and gives it a little snack, telling the stupidly happy insect it's time they part company. He begins to break down, turns and rushes away as Yanma grins idiotically after him and Ash, Misty and Brock give chase. Zachary sobs as he runs, tripping up and crashing flat on his face where he sobs and runs through the obligatory flashback of meeting his precious Pokemon and all the good times they had together. Finally he decides that he can't give Yanma away, he just can't! So he turns around and runs back to the clearing where he abandoned Yanma and finds....
Nothing!
Yanma's pissed off! Hahahahaha!
Sucks to be you Zachary!
But enough of this ineffectual, bug loving boy, let us instead focus on what we've all been waiting for.... Team Rocket!
James stands looking through binoculars for any sight of the twerps or Pikachu while Meowth stands around and Jesse has a bite to eat. James doesn't see the usual suspects, but he does see Yanma!
Trouble is, he has no idea what it is, and neither does Jesse. Only Meowth is aware of what it is. Yanma lands by the river to have a drink, and Team Rocket teleport to it's side of the river (well you explain how they got over there then!) and flop a net down on top of the supposedly 'all seeing' Pokemon.
"We got ya!" giggles James!
"We caught a Yo-yo!" laughs Jesse.
"It's called a Yanma," corrects Meowth.
"Don't contradict me!" snaps Jesse, then picks the odd looking Pokemon up and stares at it.... stares and stares before gasping, "Huh! I have a poem!"
"If you added wings to Caterpie.... it would look just like a Yanma... see?"
"Jesse I think you may have a honest to goodness talent!" smiles James.
"Yeah... but not for poetry!" sighs Meowth.
Yanma attempts to fly away, but James has attached a string around it's thorax and it can't fly too far. Attempting to break free, it beats it's wings fast and creates a shockwave that smashes the windows of a nearby cabin. Intrigued, James checks up on his guidebook and discovers that Yanma can smash glass with it's shockwave, which instantly gives Jesse an idea! There is money to be made here!
In town the people move happily about now that the latest Yanma attack is over. But they're about to face a bizarre attack, as Meowth rides in Victreebell's maw trailing Yanma behind them. Yanma beat its wings in a panic, smashing all the glass in town and leaving the townsfolk perplexed, as apparently none of them noticed the screaming giant yellow bulb charging through town with a cat inside it's mouth holding a giant red and green mosquito captive with a string.
Well hey, shit like that happens everyday right?
As the angered townspeople - including the baker - mill around trying to figure out what to do now, two voices call out to them, getting their attention.
"Your attention please!" cries Jesse, her and James dragging a wagon with glass panes in it behind them, two huge SALE signs up on both sides, the two Team Rocket members wearing red coats and calling out through a loudspeaker.
"We're are from the Glaze Over Glass Company!" James announces to the townspeople.
"Makers of the worlds greatest brand of glistening glass!" exclaims Jesse.
"Wow! How lucky are we!" cries out the Baker.
"WOBB-UH-FETT!" suggests Wobbuffet, bouncing out of it's Pokeball before the baker and saluting, the two of them staring at each other silently..... staring..... staring....... staring
"A-haha!" giggles Jesse nervously, rushing up, hauling up Wobbuffet and tossing it bodily away, "Ignore Wobbuffet, it's just window dressing!"
Jesse and James then explain to the townspeople that they're peddling windows, practically giving them away as part of a sale. The townspeople are intrigued, but also curious as to why the glass is kept in an ice cream wagon? Why because they're so cool of course! And also because they specialise in frosted glass!
Well this is good enough for the townspeople, all of whom excitedly ask to have the glass set up in their shattered windows..... all except the happy looking man in the corner who appears to be having a stroke that has rendered him incapable of facial movement beyond a grin which may be a frozen rictus of dismay.
Regardless, not so long later a chuckling Meowth is holding a swollen bag of loot. Team Rocket are ecstatic, set up in the forest on a blanket eating an ill-deserved lunch of doughnuts. They've finally hit on the perfect scam, Meowth uses Yanma to smash the glass in town, then Jesse and James peddle in and sell them their glass..... or rather, their frozen sheets of ice!
Yes it's not glass at all but ice that they're putting into the windows! This is truly a wicked scam, and surely good purehearted Yanma must be shocked and dismayed and plotting escape....
Oh no, it's happily eating.
Jesse spots the obviously self-centred Pokemon chowing down on her doughnut and pulls the food away for herself. She chides Yanma for trying to eat her food, it's here to work, not eat. Yanma stares sadly up at her, remembering fondly how Zachary used to try and buy its love with food, and the nasty, selfish, self-absorbed little bug begins to wish it would have its worshipping trainer back again.
In the forest Zachary and the twerps wander about calling for Yanma.... or rather, the twerps do.... Zachary has disappeared! Ash, Misty and Brock are unsure what to do, until they spot a Pokemon Centre. Ahhh well, when in doubt, freeload!
They enter the Pokemon Centre and find Mr Evans finishing up some business with Nurse Joy.... GETCHA MINDS OUTTA DA GUTTA! Mr Evans recognises the kids immediately and smiles to see them..... a smile that won't last when Ash explains he lost Zachary.
In town Zachary walks about looking for his Yanma, confused at all the empty windows and dripping water. He spots some of the townspeople, including his nemesis the baker, who instantly accuses him of being part of a conspiracy to defraud them by smashing the windows and then bringing in Jesse and James to peddle their fraudulent wares.
As Zachary protests the charge - having set up an elaborate confidence scheme in which he is born into a city his father has grown up in and gets to know all the people there and build up trust over 10 years before striking..... and then walking right back into the town! - the townspeople haul him up by the shirt and carry him to find his father.
Back at the Pokemon Centre the twerps are admiring the stained glass windows newly put up by Mr Evans. They are images of Pokemon and though the work is trite and contrived, the kids make an issue of pretending to be impressed. Mr Evans explains that he is very proud of his stained glass windows and this is why he got angry at Zachary earlier, because he feared Yanma would smash the windows. Nurse Joy explains that once when Zachary brought Yanma to the Pokemon Centre it smashed all of her medicine bottles, and that Yanma is a difficult Pokemon for any trainer to start out with, especially one as young as Zach is.
It's at this point that the townspeople show up with Zach, blaming him and his Yanma for smashing windows and accusing him of hooking up with fraudsters who sold them sheets of ice as windows. Zachary protests his innocence as Ash mutters it seems fishy and a suspicious Brock suggests he may 'know' who is really to blame.
Suddenly Meowth comes riding by in the mouth of his screaming Victreebell once again, a struggling Yanma tied up behind him. As everyone tries to come to grips with that bizarre image, Jesse and James come along with their ice cream wagon calling out that they're selling their glass.... until they come across the angry townspeople! The baker demands to know who they are, instantly inviting the recitation of the Team Rocket motto!
"We don't sell glass so prepare for trouble!"
"But we've got class and make that 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 blast off at the speed of light."
"Surrender now or prepare to fight."
"Meowth, dat's right!" giggles Meowth, landing between Jesse and James still wearing Victreebell on his ass.
Zachary doesn't care about the latest Pokemon-Ass Fashions though, he just wants his Yanma back! But Team Rocket aren't giving it up, Yanma is their Vice-President in charge of new business! Ash as usual threatens violence to get what he wants, calling out Chikorita as Misty calls on Poliwhirl. But Team Rocket's strategy is quite clever, they'll battle using.... Yanma! Yes they'll make use of Yanma's Shockwave to fight, knowing that this will smash all the glass in the nearby Pokemon Centre... something Mr Evans just can't have. He begs Ash and Misty not to fight back as Arbok is sent out and tackles Chikorita and Poliwhirl, then locks them in a Wrap Attack. Ash is furious but can do nothing, after all the garish and vulgar stained glass windows must be preserved at any cost!
It's Misty who finally figures out what to do, Yanma belongs to Zachary after all, so why not use his Pokeball to recall it? Zachary tries just that and, of course, Yanma returns to it's Pokeball, the rope holding it dropping to the ground. The Pokeball drops to the ground and Zachary rushes for it as Victreebell moves to intercept... the little boy is more agile and gets there first, but is then slammed hard by the giant yellow Pokemon which sends him sprawling backwards.... but with Yanma's Pokeball in his hands!
Instantly Chikorita is using it's Vinewhip to slap Arbok away and free it and Poliwhirl, but their strength has been tapped and Victreebell's Razorleaf is able to knock them down hard. It looks like the 'heroes' are screwed, as it's a wellknown fact that Chikorita is Ash's only Pokemon, Poliwhirl is Misty's one Pokemon, and they have no others at all to call upon.
Hang on, here's an idea! Maybe the plucky misunderstood kid and his disliked Pokemon can step up to the plate and prove their worth!
Mr Evans tells his son that he can replace the glass, that it's important that Zach and Yanma find out if they can work as a team or not. He insists as the gaping townsfolk look on, and Ash uses Dexter to look up attacks, finding to his shock that Shockwave - the thing that's been smashing all those windows - is actually an attack!
Wow! The very thing everyone has complained about might save them?
Who'd a thunk it!?!?
Zachary calls out Yanma and has it use Sonic Boom to create the Shockwave, the attack smashing into the ground around the battlefield. Zach tells Yanma to focus and the attack becomes better, then he tells it to concentrate and the attack smashes Arbok (apparently Yanma has actually learned to listen to Zachary now) back into Team Rocket.
Ash, Misty and Zachary call for Yanma, Chikorita and Poliwhirl to hit Team Rocket with a Triple Tackle Attack which smashes them into the wagon filled with ice which, of course, explodes and sends them blasting off again.
You didn't know that ice was flammable, did you Gentle Dodgers?
Team Rocket are vanquished, the stained glass is saved! The money miraculously returned to the hands of the townspeople and suddenly they all love Zachary and Yanma and even the baker promises to give them special treats next time they come by the store and all is sweetness and light and the special stained glass window is repaired and......
HANG ON A FUCKING SECOND!
This Yanma has cost thousands in glass repairs, almost put the Dad out of business, never listened to the kid, showed no concern with being abandoned by it's so called 'Trainer' and if anything is stronger now than it was before AND has shown no indication that it'll stop sending off these shockwaves at random! There is no resolution here! No fixing or even addressing of the problems raised! Why is everyone acting as if everything has been fixed, it's almost as if this was the end of the epi
| BEST QUOTES |
 "Maybe they could replace all the windows with plastic?"
 "We caught a Yoyo!"
 "You mean a Yamna."
"Don't contradict me!"
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