ENGLISH NAME	JAPANESE NAME	POKEMOPOLIS NAME	DODGINESS RATING	ANIMATION	STORY	TEAM ROCKET	MORAL LEARNT
800: A Blustery Santalune Gym Battle!	809: Hakudan Jimu Sen! Kareinaru Bibiyon no Mai Batoru!	Meet The New (old?) Girl			Ash challenges for his first Gym Badge, finally meets Serena	Not to be seen	Research your opponent before a battle!

Today finds Serena enjoying her breakfast on the outside deck of the Pokémon Center, Fennekin on the table watching her as she glories in the freedom from her mother's forced Rhyhorn-riding practice sessions or being woken up by Fletchling. She stretches and yawns, mimicked by Fennekin which is fascinated by everything its new trainer does, then checks on it to make sure it had enough to eat too. She calls out a thank you inside to (presumably) Nurse Joy and then she and Fennekin rush on their way, Serena excited because she is so close to not only Santalune City.... but also "him"!

In Santalune itself, a VERY excited Ash is rushing happily through the streets with Pikachu on his shoulder, eager not to see any mysterious girl but to finally have his first Gym Battle. Bonnie follows along behind him with Dedenne in her carry-bag, just as eager as Ash, while poor Clemont brings up the rear desperately trying to keep up. He falls flat on his face, exhausted, and Bonnie stops to check on him, while Ash cluelessly and happily tells him to keep up. Clemont takes the brief pause to ask a pertinent question though, does Ash actually have any idea where the Santalune Gym is? With utter glee Ash replies that OF COURSE he doesn't, revealing that his strategy has always been to just run headlong into things and stuff tends to just work out! Unable to contain his happiness, he leaps up onto the lip of a fountain and poses bravely, perhaps enjoying the fact that he's thousands of miles away from Bianca who for once can't knock him into the water. As he poses though, he hears the click of a camera - a young lady in a tank-top has just snapped a photo of him, thanking him for offering such a wonderful visual image. She tells Ash he and Pikachu seem to have the makings of a great team (it's been 17 goddamn years!) and then offers directions to the Gym. Ash thanks her, declares to the others that he told them things would work out, then rushes off with Bonnie close behind. Horrified, Clemont shouts to them to wait, turns and bows to the lady (getting a good look at her rack in the process) and then rushes after them, not wanting to be late to...


At the Gym, Clemont tells Ash that if he remembers right the Gym Leader specializes in Bug-Types, which is good information that Ash probably never once thought to find out for himself. He calls out a hello to the closed doors, introducing himself, and the doors open and.... something leaps out and latches onto his face! No it's not the world's most unexpected Alien crossover, but Helioptile! Alexa comes out and says hello to Ash, explaining that she finished her reporting and came back to the Gym to wait, figuring that he'd probably return sooner or later (does she think she can latch on to him and be a featured regular character again!?!). Clemont is impressed that Ash already knows the Gym Leader, and Ash finds himself in the unusual position of correcting somebody - Alexa is just the sister of the Gym Leader, she's a Pokémon Journalist. The Gym Leader arrives - Viola - and, to the surprise of absolutely nobody except for the twerps themselves, it’s the photographer they met earlier.

She brings them inside, the first interior hall lined with framed photographs Viola has taken of various Pokémon. They admire the photography, and Bonnie in particular seems awed by the pictures, to the point that the little girl suddenly turns around, drops to one knee, throws an arm out dramatically and declares that Viola is a "keeper" so please look after her brother! Everybody (including Dedenne on Bonnie's head) is confused as hell, which only increases when Bonnie elaborates to a horrified Clemont, she wants Viola to be his wife! As humiliated as it is possible to be, Clemont roars at his little sister that he told her not to do this again (oh Lord this isn't the first time!) and activates a robotic "Aipom Arm" that fires out of his backpack and helps him to drag her away. Is this the first instance of these character's recurring gag ala Brock being dragged away by the ear? With them gone, Ash and Viola can turn their attention to the Gym Battle, it's time for Ash to get what he wants more than anything else.

Serena is thinking the same thing, as she walks through the city streets beaming with joy, enjoying the sun and thinking about how much she can't wait to see "him". Flashing back again to that mysterious shot of a young Ash, she wonders how surprised and pleased he will be to see her "again", her mind full of girlish fantasies that to this point at least appear to bear a lot of similarities to Bonnie's own foolishness.

Back at the Gym, the battle begins, with Alexa, Clemont and Bonnie on the sidelines watching. The battlefield is set amongst a pleasant garden with a glass roof, and Viola's first Pokémon is a Surskit, which lures in prey with a sweet aroma and can skate easily across water if it needs to. Ash of course plans to use Pikachu, and Clemont explains to Bonnie that Ash chose Pikachu because of the type-advantage it has, even though the real reason is because Ash really likes Pikachu! Pikachu opens with Quick Attack but Surskit uses Protect to block Pikachu's attack and send the surprised rat flying backwards. Ash tries to get around this with an Iron Tail from behind but Surskit's speed lets it dodge and then run rings around Pikachu. Pikachu seems confused and out of sorts but Ash reminds him to focus and tells him to use Electro-Ball to stop Surskit in its tracks. Pikachu leaps high and blasts the Electro-Ball, which appears to home in on Surskit no matter which way it zigs or zags... but then Surskit negates the attack with a blast of Ice Beam, leaving them both still without scoring a successful attack on the other... in fact, Surskit hasn't made an aggressive move yet. Alexa tells Clemont and Bonnie that her sister is very strong, and with a grin says that NOW the battle really begins.

Indeed it does, as Viola demonstrates the twist on standard battling that should be the province of ALL Gym Leaders. She has her Surskit use Ice Beam on the battlefield itself, covering the entire surface in a slick surface that will allow the little Pokémon to move at an even greater speed than it already was. Pikachu can't even balance, slipping over and then struggling back up. Surskit slides easily around Pikachu showing off its grace and speed as Pikachu wobbles and falls as he tries to keep his eyes on his opponent. Ash tells him to maintain and use Iron Tail, and to Surskit's great surprise as it zips forward it finds itself unexpectedly hit right in the face by the move, all grace and speed going out the window for the moment against a successful application of brute force. It is sent spinning around back towards Viola, who keeps her cool and instructs it to regain its balance. Enough with the fucking around, she has Surskit blast at Pikachu from range with Ice Beam, but Pikachu is able to return fire with Thunderbolt and block the attack. Unfortunately for Pikachu, the laws of physics are against him today, and the application of force without a solid grounding on the floor causes him to tumble and fall onto his back. Struggling to regain his footing, he's left completely open to a blast of Signal Beam from Surskit. The attack scores a direct shot, Pikachu completely exposed and unprotected, and despite Pikachu being a Level 47 Billion Pikachu, there's not much you can do when you are caught in such a precarious position as this. This is the lesson of the Gym Leader, to use your environment to your benefit and not rely on either power or even type advantages. Ash just sent his most powerful current Pokémon in to battle and he got beaten, now all he has to offer are the relative newbies Froakie or Fletchling.

Ash rushes to Pikachu and picks him up, checking to make sure he is okay. Satisfied he is and not rising to the bait from Viola when she comments that Pikachu is well-trained but has a long way to go to beat her Surskit (bitch please! For all the nice things I said above, you know you got plot armour for this episode!). Ash just smiles and says he will beat Surskit now with this Pokémon, and brings out Fletchling. Bonnie and Clemont are pleased, Fletchling will be able to attack from the air and also has a type advantage over Surskit, so the environment advantages will probably be negated. As they comment, the door to the battlefield opens and Serena quietly enters, shocked and delighted to find herself staring at Ash... or the back of his head at least!

She begins to rush ahead to greet him, but pulls up short when she is spotted by Alexa who asks (kindly) what she wants. Timidly, Serena says she was hoping to watch the battle, and they allow her to come and join them. She thanks them for their kindness, while Ash - completely fixated on the battle - appears to be utterly unaware she is there as he orders Fletchling to open with a Peck.

Surskit manages to dodge the move and fires back with ice Beam, but Fletchling dodges that too and then uses Double Team to avoid Sticky Web. As Bonnie squeals happily for Fletchling to attack, attack, attack, Ash keeps his eyes on the prize. He tells Fletchling to use Razor Wing and now Surskit finds itself utterly unable to dodge, knowing that Fletchling can come at it from any angle from above. Fletchling scores a direct shot and to Viola's horror it is knocked clean out. The twerps cheer, Serena and Bonnie clapping hands together in immediate friendship and talking about how awesome Ash is.

Viola recalls Surskit and tells it how great it is, while Ash doesn't justifiably point out that her Surskit is well-trained but has a long way to go before it can beat his just caught and barely trained Fletchling. He congratulates Fletchling, saying that it just needs to beat one more Pokémon and he can collect his first Kalos Gym Badge. Viola frowns and notes it won't be THAT easy, she does have her Gym Leader pride on the line after all, and brings out her next Pokémon - Vivillon. A Butterfree looking Pokémon with compound eyes, it is something completely new to Ash. He checks it out with his Pokédex, learning that they are noted for their ability to find water. Still, he thinks he has a winning strategy and orders a Peck attack, and Clemont is optimistic, saying that Fletchling still has the type advantage. But Vivillon has now negated Fletchling's ability to fly as an advantage over it, and it takes this a step further by using Psychic on Fletchling, stopping it mid-flight and paralyzing it in the air. Fletching is smashed into the ice by Psychic, Viola commenting that she made the battlefield into an ice arena and she means Fletchling to experience that. Ash calls out in concern to his little bird, asking if it is still able to fly, and stubbornly it rises out of the kicked up mist of its impact still ready to fight. But it is blown backwards by Gust and Ash discovers that Viola has played a long game, the Sticky Web that missed earlier are still there and catch Fletchling in place now. As Ash calls for it to pull free, Viola takes the opportunity to have Vivillon build up a Solar Beam and unleash the full force right into the little bird. It crashes to the ice where it lays dazed and unable to battle - Ash has lost, his first Gym Battle was a bust once again.

Clemont and Bonnie rush to join Ash, Clemont carrying Pikachu and telling Ash they need to get to a Pokémon Center quickly because the battle took a lot out of both Pokémon. Ash stares in horror at his little battered Pokémon and his own squashed hopes and dreams, then turns and biting down his disappointment tells Viola that he intends to return stronger and hopes she will give him a rematch when he does. Having saved face after her Surskit got its ass beat by a tiny untrained bird, she tells him she'll be glad to see him return.

With that social nicety out of the way, he rushes out of the Gym carrying his Pokémon, followed by Bonnie and Clemont, all of them passing Serena without a second glance, her own dreams of a "reunion" shattered as "him" failed to even notice she was there. She hangs her head, but then notices Ash's backpack sitting under one of the trees - is this his?

....and is Froakie in there or on his belt?
At the Pokémon Center they hand over the Pokémon for care, while back at the gym Viola shows Alexa the picture she took of Ash and Pikachu earlier by the fountain. Rather than getting the brave pose in front of the waters of the fountain, she chose to zoom in on Ash and Pikachu beaming at each other, but Alexa notes how it captures the bond between the two. Viola agrees, but notes that they didn't exactly battle like they were closely bonded, and Alexa smugly warns her not to underestimate Ash, suggesting that their next battle is going to be quite different - that's the type of trainer that Ash is. Excusing herself, Alexa leaves appearing quite satisfied with herself, while Viola is just confused - what the fuck has her sister been smoking now?

Outside the center, Clemont and Bonnie sit in the shade of the veranda and Bonnie feeds Dedenne. Ash, meanwhile, sits by the wall on the other side of the practise battlefield and goes over the battle in his head - how Viola beat him, what he did wrong etc. He ponders his defeat and clenches a fist, uncharacteristically thinking that Viola negated any chance his Pokémon has to show their strength and therefore he can NEVER beat her. That's a bizarre way of thinking for Ash, but he's shaken out of his melancholy when he hears a low,"Ummmm" and looks up to see some strange girl he has certainly never met before holding his backpack. She asks if it is his and he looks about in surprise as he realises that his is missing, thanks her for bringing it to him. He’s surprised again when Clemont and Bonnie come over and explain that she was present at the battle. Bonnie and Clemont introduce themselves (and Dedenne) and Ash apologises for not noticing her before and introduces himself too. She knows who he is, of course, and introduces herself, and with a blush starts to ask if he remembers... but before she can say what, the familiar chimes of the Pokémon Center ring out to indicate a healing is complete. They rush back inside where Pikachu and Fletchling are already back to fighting shape, leaping onto Ash's shoulders.

He introduces both of them to Serena, who gets distracted when she notices Nurse Joy and asks how she got to Santalune ahead of her. Ash is amused, again getting the rare chance to demonstrate superior knowledge - those were two different Nurse Joys. Joy explains this was a cousin and then shows a rare picture of these soulless genetic clones gathered together in one place - perhaps the lab where they were made or maybe a Brock-run fan convention. Serena asks Joy if she can look at Fennekin for her, which is utter bullshit as they just recently came from a Pokémon Center and clearly she just wants to show off her new Pokémon to "him". Bonnie is delighted to see Fennekin though and pokes its nose, causing Fennekin to sneeze embers which make it blush and Bonnie giggle. Serena explains she got it from Sycamore and Clemont deduces she is a new trainer as this is one of the three potential starters for new trainers. Anywhere else and this would be,"Duh no shit!" territory, but this is the world of Pokémon, so Clemont may in fact be demonstrating signs of hyper-intelligence.

Serena again fails to get a chance to speak with Ash as he is distracted again by the arrival of Alexa. Seeing his Pokémon are healed she asks if he is already ready to start training for a rematch and - showing no sign of his earlier introspection - he happily agrees he is... does she wanna help?

Soon they're out in the practise battlefield, where Alexa brings out Noivern as it has the same ability to use Gust as Vivillon does. Ash, meanwhile, is using a remarkable and weird training technique - balloons! Tying balloons to both his Pokémon, he explains that he wants them to learn to keep their balance as this is what undid them in their battle. Noivern uses Gust, which catches the balloons while Pikachu and Fletchling struggle to hold themselves in place. They can't though, getting sent flying back through the air... into Ash's waiting arms. Assuring them that he will be there to catch them if they need it, he says they can just concentrate on keeping their balance. It seems a good idea, but while they put up a better effort this time, they're knocked through the air again and Ash has to catch them again. As he places them down, he again suffers a rare moment of self-doubt - even if they learn to deal with Gust they still have to deal with Ice Beam and Sticky Web as well. Pikachu and Fletchling look up in concern at their trainer, who is usually so optimistic and assured, and the dramatic music and the familiar texture filter come into play as the narrator asks what will happen next. But this isn't TO BE CONTINUED just yet, as Serena suddenly steps up beside Ash and the filter disappears, the music cuts off and the narrator shuts up. She offers Ash a cloth to clean himself and his Pokémon up, and then she screws up her courage and finally asks him the question she has been wanting to ask since she spotted him on television at the start of the season. "Ash? Do you.... remember me?"


Oh shiiiiiiiit.

BEST QUOTES

"I FIGURE STUFF OUT BEST WHEN I RUN!"

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