257: A Crowning Achievement
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A Crowning Achievement
Ash manages to calm Larvitar down while Misty snaps at the once again squinty Brock, but Brock retorts that there is something wrong with Larvitar itself (Smoooooooth move, maestro) then quickly changes the subject, pointing out that he can hear running water and suggesting they have a picnic by the nearby waterfall.
Team Rocket, of course, is spying from the bushes, or at least two of them are. As Meowth and James discuss their plans to capture Pikachu, Jesse is chowing down on the last of their food! When they realise what is going on, she tells them it is their own fault for not paying attention, then shoves her crotch into the camera as she walks away.
Bless that woman.
Ash and Pikachu race each other as Misty warns them to be careful, and we seen see why when he flies over the side of the hill and crashes hard into the ground below. Looking up, he sees a lake before him filled with Slowpoke and Slowbros. Taking a closer look, he sees that the lake looks a little dry and the Slowpoke seem even more lethargic than normal. At the centre of the lake is a tall rock, atop which is what looks to be a worn and battered crown. Brock tells them it is a King's Rock, and Ash stares up at it blankly, obviously completely unfamiliar with it despite the fact he recently had one all his very own! Two voices speak up, the twerps approached by a man and woman who tell them to please leave the King's Rock alone, as the future of the Slowpoke depends on it. The girl introduces herself as Alice, the man her father, Professor Telasu (what kind of a tree is that!??!) and the Slowpoke moving along with them is Arthur. They tell the twerps that they will show them what the legend is if they'll just come with them, and the three children prove once again what great role models they are by agreeing to go along with these adult strangers so they can be "shown something". Team Rocket also overhear this dodgy offer, but their minds aren't filled with fears of bind, torture, kill, but treasure, sweet, sweet treasure!
Alice pays close attention to Arthur as they walk, the Slowpoke apparently fairly old since it has been with her for a fairly long time now. She explains to Misty that a recent earthquake has drained the water from the lake and most of the local Pokemon have suffered, but none quite as much as the Slowpoke, which all live in and around the lake. They come to what is referred to as a "mural" though it is in fact a wall of hieroglyphics, indicating some kind of previous civilisation, though whether Pokemon or human is not known. Telasu says the "mural" is thousands of years old, while Alice tells them that the King's Rock was only exposed by the recent earthquake, and now they are studying it to see if they can get a better understanding of the legend told by the hieroglyphics on the "mural". Ash stares at the carvings, and then asks what they mean, and Telasu tells him that they tell the legend of a Slowpoke that turned into a Slowking and saved the other Slowpoke by taking them to a secret paradise during a time when the lake was running dry, much like it is now.
Ash is confused though (what else is new?) since he always thought that Slowpoke evolved into Slowbro....
FOR GOD'S SAKE BOY! THE POWER OF ONE! THE WORLD TURNED TO ASH! A GODDAMN PANTLESS SLOWKING THAT CHATTED TO YOU WITH GARFEILD'S VOICE! YOUR MUM AND THAT CAMERA CREW...... ARGHHHHHHH!!!!!!
Telasu explains that every so often, a Slowpoke will put the King's Rock on its head and then get bitten on the head instead of the ass, evolving into a Slowking. There is a problem though; a hieroglyph on the "mural" has baffled their attempts to translate it. The twerps look at it and... Ash thinks he has a solution! It's a rainbow with a comb on top!
Misty grunts that he is being ridiculous, and Ash asks what she thinks it is, and then laughter floods the area as a King and Queen appear on the scene.
"Bow to the queen and prepare for trouble!" cries Queen Jesse.
"Crawl before the King, and make it double!" adds King James... oh James, YOU'RE supposed to be the Queen!
"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, shuffling the deck at the speed of light!"
"Better lay down all your cards now or prepare to fight!"
"Hahahaha, datís right!"
Impressed with themselves, Team Rocket explain that since they're here to steal the King's Rock, they used a royal theme for the motto! But the twerps aren't interested in their interpretation.... peons. They send out Arbok and Weezing to steal the King's Rock, but Pikachu leaps in to stop them, dodging Sting Poison Sting and coming back with Quick Attack, but missing. Arbok slaps down Pikachu and tries for a Bite Attack, only for the battle to be brought to a dead stop when Larvitar starts screeching. Everyone clutches at their ears except for Arthur, which seems completely unaffected by the screaming Emo Pokemon. Arthur approaches Larvitar and calms it down, and as everyone gapes over the happily blank Pokemon, Team Rocket try to take the opportunity to steal the King's Rock. Brock sends out his newly evolved Forretress which uses Rapid Spin to knock them down, and then Pikachu uses Thunderbolt and sends them blasting off again!
Alice and her Father thank the twerps for helping them, but that doesn't solve the problem of whether or not the Slowpoke can survive the drying up lakes. Then they notice a Slowpoke approaching the King's Rock and Alice notes that this particularly one has always been adventurous (at least as much as a Slowpoke can be!). As it closes in on the rock though, A Shellder leaps out of the water and bites down on its tail, and Slowpoke immediately evolves into a Slowbro. Alice is distraught, none of the Slowpoke can get close enough without a Shellder evolving them, and it seems that the Slowpoke are doomed. Arthur sees Alice is sad and seemingly comes to a decision, heading straight towards the King's Rock. Alice cries out in shock, and Shellder immediately emerge to bite at its tail, but Arthur dodges aside with surprising agility and keeps going. But despite this agility - or maybe because of it - it slips off the rocks and into the water, the Shellder zooming towards it to grab that tail. But Arthur uses its tail to its advantage, turning it into a propeller and zooming through the water to the rock with the King's Rock on it. The Shellder appear to be horrified at the concept of a Slowpoke saving its kind from doom though, and start leaping out of the water, all of them surrounding Arthur to block off its escape.... and Larvitar screeches!
The Shellder fall into the water in shock from the noise, but Arthur remains blissfully unaffected as before. Reaching the rock, it lifts up the King's Rock and places it on its head as a Shellder leaps out of the water, lands on its head and.... all hail King Arthur the Slowking!
From high in the air, Team Rocket spy on the proceedings from their Happy Buddha Face Meowth Balloon. Jesse has a new plan, they've lost the King's Rock but now they have a chance at a Slowking! Unfortunately for them they're not exactly inconspicuous, as Ash looks up and notices the giant floating Meowth head, and even the dim boy is cogent enough to click that this equals Team Rocket. Meowth blasts a net at Arthur Slowking, but it retaliates with Confusion and causes the net to wrap around the balloon. This means plan b, throw up a bunch of smoke so no one can see what they're doing! There is a slight flaw to this plan though, Team Rocket haven't got a clue what is going on either now that they're surrounded by acrid black smoke. Arthur uses Confusion again and crashes the balloon into a cliff, and the three members of Team Rocket collapse and "present" to a group of Shellders, which immediately clamp down on their behinds.
Oh like you wouldn't!
James mutters it really hurts (surprisingly, it is Jesse who seems to be the most used to butt pain!), and the Shellder drop off as Pikachu adds injury to insult by hitting them with Thunderbolt and getting blasted off again!
Meanwhile the Slowpokes and Slowbro are looking to Arthur Slowking for guidance, and the twerps come to the rather inevitable conclusion that Arthur is the second coming of the legendary Pokemon from the past. But does it actually know how to find the hidden paradise shown on the "mural"? It seems to, as it leads them all down a path following the course of the water feeding the lake, straight towards the waterfall. Arthur stops and stares at the falling water, then uses Psychic and parts the water, creating the image seen on the "mural" earlier. Arthur leads the slowpoke and Slowbro through the caves, Alice, Professor Telasu and the twerps following to find the hidden Paradise, a massive cave full of deep lakes with daylight streaming through from holes in the roof. It is the perfect place for the Slowpoke to live; there is plenty of food, a huge lake, and even a King!
Alice tells Arthur is has to be a good King to the other Pokemon, then says a tearful goodbye before leaving as the waterfall comes back together and hides the paradise - and Arthur - from view. Ash tells Alice she shouldn't be too sad, after all she can always visit Arthur from time to time; she at least knows where the hidden paradise can be found.
With a sufficiently distracting encounter out of the way, the twerps prepare to continue their meandering way towards the Johto League, though not before Brock makes a pathetic attempt to hit on Alice in the hopes of catching her while vulnerable and sad.
Oh Brock, keep reaching for that impossible goal!
| BEST QUOTES |
 "Meowth, do something!" "Alright, keep your pants on."
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