647: Familiarity Breeds Strategy!
Dodgy Synopsis
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653: Raibaru Kessen! Satoshi tai Shinji!
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And......
We begin!
Straight into the battle, Ash and Paul emerge up from beneath the ground onto a dirt stadium for their Round 4 battle. It's six on six, Ash vs Paul, the two rivals the other most wants to beat despite the other rivals they've encountered to date. The twerps are watching in the stands, Team Rocket are selling food in the aisles, Cynthia and Mr. Goodshow are watching and the first Pokémon are coming out - Pikachu vs.... Aggron! Yes, these two know each other well, and you know what they say....
Flashing back to before the battle (boooo!) we see Ash training with Gliscor, testing its Giga-Impact on Mamoswine while Barry and Brock watch. Ash wants Gliscor's timing to be perfect; while Barry is (overly) excited by Gliscor's posing. Brock notes that Gliscor is temporarily paralyzed after Giga-Impact but notes it was sure to be backed up after the attack, and Ash happily tells Gliscor that leaving it to train with the Air Battle Master was a great idea. It happily tries to lick his face, while Barry is positively exploding with energy as he wishes he could see Ash and Paul make ou.... battle RIGHT NOW! Ash notes that he has a strategy all worked out, he feels like he's figured out what makes Paul tick - Paul takes everything he experiences, good and bad, and uses it to make himself stronger..... which really isn't news to Barry at all. Brock points out that it's easier said than actually done, but Barry is confused because isn't this exactly what Ash does as well? Ash notes that he's a little concerned that if he's been able to figure out a strategy for Paul based on everything he's done, then surely Paul has been able to do the same to him. He has an idea for that too, but isn't giving it away just yet, causing a frantic Barry to declare he's going to fine him for being kept in suspense.
While all this is going on, Dawn has dressed up Piplup in a little outfit to man-cheer Ash on, and is clapping excitedly for him as Piplup bravely poses about in his new costume. She picks him up, cooing over how cute he is (but holding him at a distance in case he enjoys proximity to her a little TOO much) and says they have to go show him off to everyone.
In the Pokémon center, Paul is on the videophone to Reggie telling him that he wishes he could be there (but in his own remote and indifferent way) and Reggie asks if he plans to change around his Pokémon at all, but Paul is sticking with what he's got. Reggie gives him a friendly warning that Ash is the trainer who has influenced Paul the most, then gives him one final message JUST as Dawn comes walking by and drops down out of sight when she sees Paul. Reggie's message to Paul is to make sure he wins! Do NOT underestimate Ash and beat him, then go on to win the whole thing. Paul smirks and says he will, then a sixth sense has him turn and spot an embarrassed Dawn caught out hiding/spying. Paul just STARES and then turns and walks away, while Dawn tries to fill the awkward gap by noting that was Reggie he was talking to. Paul grunts back asking how "HE" is doing, and realising he means Ash she rushes after him asking if he wants an answer or not. They step outside and she tells him that Ash is doing some last minute training.... would he like her to go get him? He grunts at her not to bother and she asks why he wanted to know about Ash then, and he mutters he doesn't know before walking away.... and then talking some more!
He mutters - all the time without looking at her - that he just doesn't like Ash. He talks too much like Reggie, always going on about friendship and trust, and he just can't deal with that. She tells him that Ash ISN'T Reggie, he's Ash and that's that.... and then an excited Barry screams out Paul's name as he spots him, and Ash happily shouts out a hello and comes running happily towards them as Paul grunts that Ash is like any other trainer, just another obstacle he has to beat to win the Sinnoh League.
Dawn is left standing awkwardly beside Paul before squawking and rushing back to Ash's side, growling at Barry when he happily and loudly asks if she was spying on Paul for Ash. Ash, too dim to realise how incredibly awkward this situation is, tells Paul that Cynthia will be watching (she's been watching ALL the battles!) so they should make it a good one. Paul grunts that he intends to and tries to walk away, but Dawn spouts out Cynthia's quote about how something is born when one life meets another life (and gets mad rutty?). She ponders Paul and Ash, and wonders what will be/has been born from their meeting.
Happily Barry responds to this vague "poetry" by kicking off a tantrum and breaking up the awkward tension, pissed off that they keep talking about things and leaving him confused and hanging all the time. Paul tells Ash he'll see him on the battlefield.... and that's where they are now, back where the episode started!
Aggron's Metal Claw is stopped by Pikachu's Iron Tail, so Aggron instantly uses Metal Sound to disorient and pain Pikachu..... and Meowth and Piplup up in the stands as well, who can't take the horrible sound. Ash manages to order a Thunderbolt though despite the sound, blasting Aggron, then rushing in with Volt Tackle.... directly into a Flash Cannon that sends it crashing backwards, completely negating Volt Tackle. Ash calls Pikachu back instantly, telling it to take a brief time out and he'll switch out a different Pokémon.... INFERNAPE!
"Infernape, the Pokémon with issues!" gasps Team Rocket, spotting the Pokémon that Paul dumped and Ash trained up to its current power level/evolution, and decide to take a brief selling break to watch the match-up.
Up in the stands, Cynthia remembers Chimchar, while Paul just stares and apparently feels nothing, telling Aggron to use Double Edge. Infernape powers up Flare Blitz, leaping forward and crashing directly into Aggron head on, power against power.... Infernape is knocked back a step and takes a hit of Recoil.... but Aggron doesn't! It's "Rock Head" Ability allows it to take no damage from Recoil.... but then Burn comes into effect and burns up Aggron, hitting it hard. Infernape rushes in with Mach Punch, Aggron prepares to counter with Flash Cannon and.... GETS PUNCHED RIGHT IN THE FUCKING FACE!
Aggron is sent crashing back into the wall and.... knocked out! Infernape wins and now it's 6-5 to Ash, he's leading against his Arch-Rival, Paul! And Infernape was the one to score the first win!
Barry yells out through tears of rage that he has no choice but to fine Paul for taking a loss to Ash - he's a weird kid - while Paul seems indifferent to the whole thing and Brock warns that it is too early to declare victory. Paul sends out his next Pokémon - Gastrodon - an ugly green sea-slug! Ash recalls Infernape (annoying Team Rocket who were enjoying watching Infernape in action) and sends out Staraptor. Paul takes note that Ash's first three Pokémon were Pikachu, Infernape and now Staraptor, and instantly picks up on what Ash's strategy is. Watching at home, Reggie can pick it too, Ash is re-staging the amazing Six on Six Battle he and Paul had at Lake Acuity, and he should be able to pick out what three Pokémon are still to come.
Gastrodon uses Muddy Water, and Staraptor uses Quick Attack to get in ahead of the move.... and Gastrodon freaks the entire world by stretching it's neck out freakishly long and spinning it around in a nauseating way, spinning the muddy water it generated around it into a Counter-Shield, effectively blocking it off from any attacks by Staraptor. Barry of all people picks out what Paul is doing - this is a style of defence used by Ash in his battle against Fantina, and Dawn remembers that Pikachu did the same thing against Paul at Lake Acuity. Paul is actually co-opting techniques used by Ash! The ultimate compliment/insult!
Ash stares, trying to figure out how to beat the technique he developed.... and then spots an opening - Gastrodon's Belly! He has Staraptor use Aerial Ace to get under the Counter Shield and run in low to the ground, but this is what Paul was hoping for, as he orders Gastrodon to use Body Slam. It leaps up and crashes down on top Staraptor, humping it as the Emo-Bird grimaces beneath it, it really hadn't been expecting that AT ALL.
Gastrodon shoots a Water Pulse straight up, holding Staraptor in place while Paul warns Gastrodon to hold in place, meaning to pull it clear at the last possible second. Gastrodon looks freaked out as the Water Pulse gets closer and closer, but Paul makes it hold in place..... and Ash comes up with a solution! He tells Staraptor to use Close Combat, banging hard on the ground, and Staraptor is able to slam the backs of its wings into Gastrodon's belly and knock is loose, escape just as Water Pulse hits. Paul recovers from his momentary shock and tells Gastrodon to use Ice Beam, hitting Staraptor and knocking it to the ground. Ash recalls Staraptor before it can take any more damage, and then sends out.....
"Wow, you're pathetic and predictable," smirks Paul, telling Ash that he's trying to take the frustration of their previous defeat ("The Buizelster always gets his win back, brother!") and use it to strengthen them. Ash happily admits that this IS what he is trying to do, and has Buizel use Aqua-Jet against Gastrodon's Ice Beam, turning it into an Ice Missile aimed straight at Gastrodon! It crashes into the ground and sends Gastrodon flying upwards, but it comes back down with Body Slam and LET ME TELL YA SOMETHING BROTHER YOU DON'T BEAT THE BUIZELSTER WITH A BODY SLAM, DUDE! THE BUIZELSTER BODY SLAMMED SNORLAX THE GIANT IN FRONT OF A HUNDRED THOUSAND BUIZELMANIACS! With an Ice Punch, Buizel smashes into Gastrodon's soft belly, freezing it and cracking it and leaving the ugly three eyed Sea Slug out for the count.... Ash is up 6-4!
The twerps are delighted and Barry is over the fucking moon, while Team Rocket are flummoxed (and not selling!) at how well Ash is doing.... and wondering what is going on in his pea-brain. Down in the battlefield, Ash smiles at Pikachu and agrees that since they're fighting Paul, the REAL Battle begins now, and it seems Paul agrees as he sends in a monstrous clawing abomination to wreck shit up - Drapion!
At home, Reggie wonders if Ash has figured out yet that losing the first two battles has actually been all part of Paul's plan (what a shitty plan!), and if he hasn't.... he better soon!
Drapion uses Pin Middle and blasts missiles all over the place, and Buizel has to use a Water Gun Counter Shield to block all the missiles. Visually impressive, it's also probably exactly what Paul wanted as he orders a Cross Poison from Drapion. Buizel manages to dodge and get behind Drapion and hit a Sonic Boom... but it does NOTHING and Drapion lashes out with its tail claw and grabs Buizel up, holding it in place as it menaces with another claw, ready to crush Buizel's head! Ash has managed to come out on top so far but apparently it's all been part of Paul's plan to draw him in and unleash some hell.... and now it looks set to come to fruition. It's a big battle and no one episode can contain it, Gentle Dodgers, for now this one is.....
| BEST QUOTES |
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Barry: "Ice Aqua Jet is reaaaaaaally AWESOOOOOME!" |
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