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This episode is essential viewing because: Ash, Misty, and Brock go their separate ways.

At Viridian City's pokemon centre they decide to rest for a while and to let their pokemon heal, Brock immediately starts to flirt with Nurse Joy and of course gets dragged away. Ash askes if she still remembers him and remind her of the incident but Joy comments that it must have been the Joy that worked here before since she only works here since a year. They introduce themselves and when Misty introduces herself, Joy mentions that her sisters in the Cerulean Gym have a message for her. Not knowing what the message could be, Misty calls her sisters and Daisy answers. She tells Misty she's won a prize and that they are going on a world tour together since the prize was for three persons. Before Misty can say a thing, the connection breaks and surprisingly May is angry that she has to housesit while her sisters get to do fun stuff.

Ash doesn't really know what to say to comfort Misty so Misty becomes angry. Then nurse Joy comes by with her bike, she explains that somehow the old Nurse Joy managed to fix it. Ash is glad his problems are over which angers Misty even more. She becomes that angry that she rushes out of the pokemon centre. Ash doesn't know what he said wrong but Brock comments that they could better leave her alone for a while.

Outside, Misty talks to Togepi and wonders how Ash could be so insensitive. After wandering around a little, Misty is lost but three guys notice how depressed she is and wonder why she's crying. Misty just shouts at him telling nothing is wrong and the boys introduce themselves as Shan, Chan and Rin and that they are known as the "Fighting Brothers" in Viridian City and that they also want to give Misty a cheer up battle which Misty accepts.

They go to a nearby field where they start a 1 on 1 battle and Misty sends out Politoed and Chan releases his Hitmonchan. Politoed fires a water gun at the Hitmonchan which knocks it out completely. Angered, Chan calls his brothers for assistence. They send out their Hitmontop and Hitmonlee and Misty doesn't really know what to do. She tells them it isn't fair since it was a 1 on 1 match but Ash and Brock come to help Misty. Misty thanks them and Ash tells Pikachu to finish Hitmontop off with a thunderbolt and Pikachu succeeds. Brock's Foretress finishes Hitmonlee off with a rapid spin. Brock and Ash introduces themselves to the boys and Ash comments to Misty that it was good to see her in a battle like this again.

Team Rocket in the meantime are spying on Ash and co and Meowth tells Wobbuffet to push a button. Two goal posts rise from the ground and they trap Ash and co. Ash and co are surprised to see Team Rocket but Chan and co demand Team Rocket to let them out since they promised them money. But Team Rocket replies with that they don't have any money. This angers Chan and co and they grab a scizzor and cut the net. They also close the hole so Ash and co won't get out. Feeling betrayed, Ash and co let Pikachu, Politoed and Foretress out to make a hole in the net and to blast Team Rocket off together with Chan and co.

Ash tells her she's put on a great fight and Misty says the same and they exchange smiles. Then Misty thinks it's time to get her bike and after a few minutes she returns with her bike which works perfectly now. Together they walk to the river and Misty thinks about things that happened with Ash and Brock. They talk about their adventures and they talk about how they met and how they became such close friends.

As the sun sets they came to the point where seperation will take place. Misty and Ash shake hands and comment that they will see each other again some day. Then Brock says he also has to leave because he has some business to handle. This much to Misty's and Ash's surprise. They leave but then they suddenly return with a present. Brock gives Ash a fork and a knife and Misty gives Ash a handkerchief. They say their final goodbyes and Misty wonders if Ash will read the message written in the handkerchief and Brock cries. Ash stands there for a while and he starts to cry as well as heads back to Pallet Town.

Back home, Ash goes to sleep and has breakfast the next morning where Ash's mom comments that Gary should also be here in Pallet today to study with prof. oak. Ash becomes excited since he wants to speak to Gary once again and heads for prof. Oak's lab but Oak tells Ash, Gary has already left with only his Blastoise and that he left all of his other pokemon behind. Ash goes out to catch up with Gary and he succeeds with finding him. Ash breaks a pokeball in two pieces and gives one part to Gary and tells him that he really deserves it. Gary thanks him and both of them part into a different direction.

He then hangs out with Pikachu for a while until Pikachu spots something in the air. It's ho-oh and Ash remembers how he saw it on the first day he left Pallet Town and it seems like it's heading for Hoenn now and that's where he's heading. He then comments on how his mother won't like that he will leave again but he heads home. But on his way home, he falls in a trap and it seems to be Team Rocket who has made the trap.

Ash comments that since he parted with Misty and Brock he would love to part with them too but they don't comment on that. They send out Weezing to use smokescreen and Pikachu is coughing badly. Ash doesn't know what to do until he remembers his seperation gifts. He gives Pikachu the handkerchief and he uses the fork and knife to climb out of the pit. On the ground again, Ash blinds Team Rocket with the handkerchief and the fork and knife and lets Pikachu use thunderbolt to blast them off once again.

Ash thanks Misty and Brock in his heart for the gifts and heads home. At diner the next day, Ash tells Oak that he will do the same as Gary and will only bring Pikachu to Hoenn so he can start a new team and begin like he did a few years ago. Oak tells him that he should meet professor Birch as he's there and Tracey tells him he's known for his field studies. Then Ash's mom drops by and gives Ash some new clothes and a backpack since she knew Ash wouldn't stay long. Professor Oak also hands him a new pokedex and Ash is ready to go to Hoenn to achieve his dream of becoming a pokemon master!

This episode guide has been written by shinymay.

Characters appearing in this episode

Ash

Misty

Brock

Jessie

James

Meowth

Ash's Pikachu

Pokémon appearing in this episode

• Pikachu belonging to Ash
• Meowth