ENGLISH NAME	JAPANESE NAME	POKEMOPOLIS NAME	DODGINESS RATING	ANIMATION	STORY	TEAM ROCKET	MORAL LEARNT
784: The Path That Leads to Goodbye!	790: Satoshi to Airisu ga Zekko!? Wakare no Ippon-michi!	Multi-Tense Adventure			Ash and Iris "break-up"	Waiting all night behind a rock is tiring!	It's difficult to break up when you're stuck on the same path

Today finds the twerps on Capacia Island, where they are enjoying.... a big-ass argument!?! "Mum" and "Dad" are arguing, much to the horror of the kids - Axew, Pikachu and Cilan! It seems that Iris and Ash have been getting on their nerves, to the point that both have just snapped and just started raving angrily at each other. Iris puts a final punctuation on things by shouting she's tired of traveling with Ash, and scooping up Axew she declares that it's time to go - she's leaving! Ash shouts FINE! after her as she goes, apparently leaving Cilan behind as well, and heads on down....



However the trouble with traveling THE PATH THAT LEADS TO GOODBYE! Is that... there's only one main path on this island to get to the ship, so they all have to stay on it! Iris walks ahead, Axew perched nervously on her shoulder looking back as Ash and Pikachu follow along, Cilan bringing up the rear and considering how unlikely this scenario was only this morning when they first landed. With a flashback to earlier that day, the then happy and together twerps disembarked. Informed by the stunningly poor voice-acting of Porter that Capacia Island is the largest of the Decolore Islands, he highly recommends that they take the main path that goes across the island. He also notes that another ship can be caught there, apparently tired of dealing with these kids' constant bullshit. So happily they set off together up the path, Cilan noting they had no idea what was waiting for them.

Walking up the path, Iris spotted something of interest and rushed out into the field in excitement, the others thinking she had seen something alarming. But to Ash's disdain, it was just some pretty flowers that had caught her attention. Iris danced around amongst the flowers, Cilan admitting they were quite pretty, and Axew cranked up the adorable meter by given her a couple of flowers... awwwww!

But flowers aren't Pokémon and don't get into battles, so Ash had no time for them. Complaining that Iris would get them lost, he insisted that they stay on the path, with Iris quite correctly pointing out it would be difficult to lose the path from only a few feet away in a flat, open field. A rustling in the grass had caught their attention, and before their eyes the revolting, disgusting and utterly useless Pokémon known as Dunsparce had wriggled its loathsome form out onto the path.

Ol' flower-hating Ash of course was delighted to see the wretched horror, checking it out with his Pokédex while Cilan warned Iris to be quiet. He didn't want her to alarm it, as it is a rare Pokémon that you never see swarming around in a shitty little town being collected by eager kids who are trying to pretend that they're happy with their shitty little lives in their shitty little town with their shitty little Pokémon. Ash of course was completely incapable of subtlety and just rushed up bellowing at the maggot-worm that he wanted to battle it, order Pikachu to Thunderbolt it. Alarmed, Dunsparce reacted with Screech, fucking up the twerps and their Pokémon both. Ash had stumbled back and hit Iris, knocking her down and slow-mo destroying her precious, precious, precious easily-replaced flowers that Axew picked for her. A stumbling Axew knocked Pikachu aside as he was attempting an Electro-Ball, and Dunsparce was able to flap its feeble wings and fly its disgusting body away, hopefully forever.

Ash, being an idiot, decided to yell at Iris because her little toddler dinosaur ruined his shot. Iris quite rightfully pointed out HE screwed up because he ran in without a plan. Even Ash wasn't too stupid to notice her smashed flowers as she gathered them and Axew up and silently moved past him.... oh yeah, you fucked up big time, Ash. If you weren't homeless, you'd be sleeping on the couch tonight!

The flashback isn't over yet, so you'll have to put up with my often incorrect use of tense for a little while longer! The twerps continued on up the road, Cilan encouraging Ash to get over the disappointment of not capturing the loathsome maggot and make amends with Iris. An unusually despondent Ash had agreed, especially with Cilan noting that the longer he left it, the harder it would be to put things to right. Just then, Pikachu noticed some "berries" in a tree by the side of the path (they're fucking apples, for fucks sake) and pointed them out to Ash. This gave him the idea to pick them and call out loudly about how great they looked, offering one to Cilan before throwing a couple to the unprepared Iris in the hopes it would bridge the gap between them without having to actually say sorry! Thanks to her quick reflexes, Iris was able to catch the "berries" and even seemed to break her bad mood slightly, as she and Axew figured there was no harm in enjoying some fresh fruit. Unfortunately for Ash's plan, the "berries" turned out to taste terrible!



Get used to that face Ash, the revulsion and disappointment of a woman who you have failed to satisfy will follow you throughout life

Axew didn't seem to mind, but Iris found the taste incredibly bitter, much to Ash's dismay.... and then his great humour! He (and Cilan!) both started laughing, and Ash compounded things by not just finding her face hilarious, but insisting that there was no way the "berry" was bitter. This, of course, infuriated Iris, who went overboard in return and accused Ash of DELIBERATELY giving her a bitter berry. Things quickly escalated, as Iris accused Ash of being a little kid, tossed the berry at him (caught with even better reflexes than her own by Cilan) which made him angry at her, accusing her (with some justification) of always flying off the handle about the littlest things. As they ranted and raved at each other, Iris declared for certain that she was done traveling with him, and they both shouted down Cilan's attempts to make peace. Iris scooped up the upset Axew and carried him away, leaving Ash to grumble irritably until Cilan took an exploratory bite of the berry she had thrown and discovered it really was horribly bitter. Ash took a bite too and discovered the same thing, horrified to discover he was unknowingly guilty of what Iris had accused him of deliberately doing. But even so, his blood was still up and so he insisted that Iris still overreacted and he was fine with her ceasing to travel with them. Storming away, he'd left Cilan to sigh over their predicament.

So was that the end of the flashback? Yes! ....and no! Because next thing we know, we're watching Team Rocket hiding behind a rock waiting in ambush for the twerps, and Meowth turning to camera to break the fourth wall for a little flashback of his own!

Back when the twerps arrived on the island and were given the information about exploring the island by Porter so he could get rid of them, the trio were eavesdropping. Deciding to move on ahead and lie in wait, they've been waiting by a rock overlooking seemingly the only path on the island. Now Iris and Axew approach, the former still fuming and the latter still worriedly looking behind him at Ash, Pikachu and Cilan.... and now we're finally caught up!

Iris turns to yell at Ash to stop following her, and Ash yells back that he's not following her, she's insisting on walking ahead of him! They glare furiously at each other and then Iris takes to the trees, leaping from branch to branch. Ash fumes and then he and Cilan continue along, heading up a hill as the sun prepares to set, deciding to make camp under a large tree. Ash and Cilan call out their Pokémon and prepare their meals, but as everybody settles down to eat, Scraggy notices something upsetting... where the hell is Axew?

Ash explains that Iris will not be traveling without them, and Axew will be with her. Scraggy goes from wide-eyed to despair, much to Ash's discomfort, while the other Pokémon head over in a little congregation to ask their Aunty Cilan what the hell the deal is. Cilan tells them conspiratorially not to be too upset, there is only one path to follow so they're still going the same way as Iris, and he suspects she is closer to them than they think. Snivy seems to understand what he's saying at least, and Cilan's smugness grows as Ash realises he has accidentally set three places at the table for dinner.

Meanwhile, Iris is up another tree eating a "berry" alongside Axew. She goes on and on about how delicious the berry (it's a fucking apple!) is, how it's as good as the one Ash gave her was bad. Continuing to vilify Ash, she accidentally logic-traps herself as she claims that Ash is so useless he can't tell the difference between a sweet and bitter berry... and realises that this line of reasoning means that he wouldn't have deliberately given her a bitter berry in the first place. She shakes off the realisation of her own mistake though, pettily telling Axew that it doesn't matter since she and Ash aren't friends anymore. As the sky turns dark, Axew sadly eats his own berry, miserable about the breakup of the family.

It begins to rain and Ash offers to recall his Pokémon to their Pokéballs, but they don't respond, simply sitting on or around a stump in the rain, Pignite holding leaves up over their heads as makeshift umbrellas. Cilan guesses that they're concerned about Iris and Axew getting caught in the rain. Ash isn't sure how to respond to that, but then gathers up his sleeping bag, deciding to head up into the tree and sleep up in the branches. Pikachu leaps onto the table to call after him, but Cilan tells him that he thinks Ash just needs time to think, so they should give him some space.

Up in her own tree, Iris can't sleep and her mumbling of this fact wakes up Axew. She apologises for waking him, and then puts a brave face on things by noting that this is just like when they first started traveling together. She gives Axew a hug and they settle down to get a little more sleep despite the stormy weather.

The next day, Scraggy wakes up excited at the prospect of seeing Axew... but there is no Axew to be seen. Scooting up his pants, he trundles to the edge of the hill to look about, and ignores Pikachu's protests to head down the hill in search. Pikachu sets off after Scraggy, leaving Snivy behind to sigh at the sight of the other Pokémon (and Ash up in the tree) still sleeping. Only Cilan remains awake, and he guesses where Scraggy and Pikachu are headed - to find Iris and Axew - and seems to approve.

Scraggy and Pikachu head on down the road, spotted by Meowth who has been patiently waiting all night for the twerps to come passing by. He turns to Jesse and James, who have fallen asleep at their posts and are startled awake. Still, they're pleased to see the two Pokémon on their lonesome, and prepare to make their moves.

Ash is woken from his caterpillar-esque sleep up in the tree by Snivy's vine-whip, creating a disturbingly phallic impression. He finds Cilan and the others waiting, and realises by Pikachu and Scraggy's absence that they've gone looking for Iris and Axew. To his shock, Snivy and Oshawott begin shoving him forward, wanting to get his stubborn ass involved in the search as well. Pignite slams him too and he goes tumbling down the hill, his backpack dropped down over his waiting arms from above from Charizard. He turns back and demands to know what that was all about, and Cilan vocalises the rather straightforward reason - would he abandon a Pokémon just because they had an argument? Ash yells that this is a stupid question, he'd never abandon a friend, and... oooooohhhhhhhhh!!!!

After a montage of memories of their friendly travels together, he realises he has to man the fuck up and say sorry.... but how? Cilan and the Pokémon offer their support, they'll help him find them and back him up when he tries to make peace, and with that the happy little stupid boy sets of.

But meanwhile, Scraggy and Pikachu have been ambushed by Team Rocket, who have used their advanced position and successful stealth tactics to... just leap straight out into the open directly in front of the Pokémon and start performing their motto!

"Prepare for trouble, Pikachu indeed!"
And make it double, you're what we need!"
"To protect the world from devastation!"
"To unite the people within our nation!"
"To denounce the evils of truth and love!"
"To extend our reach to the stars above!"
"It's Jesse!"
"And it's James!"
"Team Rocket blasts off at the speed of light!"
"Surrender now, or prepare to fight, fight and fight!"
"Meowth, dat's right!"

Oh Team Rocket.

Still, having delivered their promo they actually do a surprisingly good job, when one of their blasted nets is smashed by Pikachu, they don't give up and run away but.... fire a second net! Pikachu and Axew are wrapped up together and hauled towards James just as Ash and Cilan arrive on the scene. Ash has unfortunately recalled all his Pokémon by this point, and before he can call out Charizard, Team Rocket blast him with a net as well.... then take the fuck off!

Ash and Cilan look up and watch as Meowth declares to the camera that Team Rocket have won, posing bravely with a filtered background... until Jesse speaks up to ask just who in the fuck he is talking to.



"Just some friends of mine," he sighs as they fly away, Ash only able to cry out in frustration... and then Iris saves the day! Having Axew use Dragon Rage, she blasts through the rope holding the net beneath the balloon and then leaps from the tree top to grab the net as she falls, calling out to Ash that now it is his turn. Ash happily takes his cue, ordering a Thunderbolt that sends Team Rocket blasting off again, lamenting their failure after spending a whole day lying in wait, Jesse and James - who slept the night away! - blaming Meowth, of course.

With them gone, the two kids awkwardly stand apart with their Pokémon between them. Cilan reminds Ash what they talked about and he swallows his pride, bows low and apologises to Iris. She reciprocates, admitting she was partly to blame too, and with that awkwardness out of the way they can't help but laugh, glad to be friends again.... much to the relief of Cilan, Pikachu, Scraggy and Axew.



Pikachu spots some of the flowers from earlier and picks one for Iris, Axew spots a berry and grabs a sweet one, and they offer them to Iris and Ash respectively. Iris and Ash in turn offer them to each other, Iris tucking the flower into her hair and Ash taking a bite of "berry" which is clearly a fucking apple. And that's that, everybody is happy, everybody laughs, and just like we all knew when we saw the episode title - the path that leads to goodbye ended up leading to.... not goodbye!

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