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On their way to Rustboro City they pass a sign with a silhouet of Pelipper on it but none of them know that it is Pelipper. The sign says there's a gym up ahead where the strongest and undefeated pokemon of the world is and that you can battle him. Ash of course wants to battle it and Max askes if he can do it but Ash replies saying he's got faith in his pokemon. May comments she's really interested in what kind of pokemon it is.

As they approach the gym, a guy rushes out with a pokeball in his hands. He falls on his knees and Ash askes what happened. He tells Ash that the pokemon inside is unstoppable and that they shouldn't go in there. The guy rushes off to the pokemon centre and Brock comments that the sign didn't really lie which makes Ash even more excited for the challenge.

They head into the gym and they walk upon a battle field. A man with a wrestling belt enters the field, followed by a Pelipper. He comments that his Pelipper is the strongest and if Ash is sure he's up to the challenge. Ash tells him he is and the man introduces himself as Anthony and that he and Pelipper have gone through several tournaments. Max comments that his Pelipper looks more dopy then strong and Anthony then tells Ash that his pokemon knows a variaty of attack which shocks Ash. Brock warns Ash to be on his guard.

The 2 take their sides on the battlefield, and Ash releases Treecko to start off the match. Treecko places a twig in its mouth and does a cocky pose. Anthony laughs and tells Ash he has a great Treecko, but cockiness alone won’t win him this match. Brock says Anthony is really the cocky one, and May asks Max if he thinks Ash has a chance. Max explains that Pelipper has a great deal more experience then Treecko, and it knows a variety of moves, so Ash is going to have his hands full. May agrees and they turn to watch the match. Anthony begins by telling Pelipper to use tackle and it flies up into the air, does a flip, then dives down towards Treecko. Treecko dodges and Pelipper hits the ground, then turns around. Ash tells Treecko it did a nice job, then tries to think of a good attack to use. He then orders Treecko to use razor leaf. Max thinks this won’t go to well, and May recalls that grass attacks aren’t good against flying types. Looks like she is starting to get the hang of basic Pokemon knowledge! Anthony laughs at Ash, and tells him it’s time to show Pelipper’s real power. He jumps up and places his hands out in a flying position, then tells Pelipper to use vine whip. Pelipper flies at Treecko and vines emerge from its mouth. Ash tells Treecko to dodge, but the vines wrap around its leg as it jumps away. The vines pull it back and it falls down. Ash gets worried, and Anthony tells Pelipper to finish it off. Pelipper flies up and spins the vines around and around, then chucks Treecko. It crashes into the ground, unable to battle. Ash runs up and asks if it’s ok. Anthony laughs and says Treecko isn’t as strong as Ash made it out to be. Ash gets angry, and Brock exclaims that Pelipper is awesome, as it was able to learn grass attacks when it isn’t even that type! Max says Ash has a real challenge on his hands just like he expected.

Anthony tells Ash that he should quit while he’s ahead, as no one can defeat Pelipper, but Ash says he isn’t giving up. He takes out a Pokeball and releases Taillow. Anthony says Taillow looks like a decent victim and tells Pelipper to tackle it. Pelipper flies after it, but Taillow dodges and flies high into the sky. Pelipper follows it and a game of tag ensues. Taillow flies around as Pelipper chases it. Ash then tells Taillow to do a flip, and it does so, causing it to fly into position behind Pelipper. Ash then orders a quick attack, but Anthony tells Pelipper to use flamethrower! Pelipper turns around and uses flamethrower, which fries Taillow. It falls to the ground unconscious. Ash is shocked and thinks something is weird. May says that Pelipper must be a fire type, but Max angrily explains that Pelipper is actually a water type, and Anthony just taught it flamethrower.

Anthony again tries to tell Ash that he is in over his head, but Ash will not give up. He calls on Pikachu, who leaps from the sidelines and into the match. Anthony tells Pelipper to charge up a thunderbolt, and Max freaks out that Pelipper knows electric attacks too. Pelipper flies at Pikachu and opens its mouth. A bright light flashes inside it. Ash tells Pikachu to use thunderbolt, and Pikachu sends the attack straight at Pelipper. However, Anthony tells Pelipper to counter with its own thunderbolt, and the two attacks collide, causing an explosion. Both Pikachu and Pelipper fly back. Ash runs to Pikachu who is too injured to continue. He then looks up to see Anthony holding Pelipper, who is also unable to battle. Anthony explains that Pelipper just got tired and it was a draw. He then rushes back into his house. Ash picks up Pikachu and Brock suggests they take it to the Pokecenter right away.

They rush off and Team Rocket appears over the fence. Jessie says that Pelipper is just the kind of Pokemon Team Rocket needs, and James says that its combination of many different attacks could come in handy against the twerps. Meowth then says that he has a plan to capture Pelipper, but James says all of his plans have been failures since they became thieves. Jessie then gets angry and says they are going to catch Pelipper with their super secret plan, and Meowth and James instantly want to know what it is, and Jessie laughs, saying she’ll tell them when she thinks of one. James and Meowth sigh and Wobbuffet pops out.

Inside the gym, Anthony nurses Pelipper, who is feeling much better. He apologizes for pushing it so hard, and Pelipper just smiles. Anthony suddenly hears a commotion outside and him and Pelipper rush out to see Team Rocket above them in their balloon. They demand Pelipper and Anthony asks who they are. They say their motto and Meowth says that Pelipper would make a fine-feathered friend for their team, so hand it over. Anthony refuses and tells Pelipper to attack. It flies towards Team Rocket’s balloon, but Jessie, James, and Meowth each put on protective suits. They tell him that these suits will protect them from any attack Pelipper tries to surprise them with. Anthony tells Pelipper to use vine whip, but Meowth pushes a button and a metal hand comes out of the bottom of their balloon. It grabs Pelipper’s vines and tries to pull it in, when suddenly a Bellsprout is pulled from its pouch and falls to the ground.

Jessie and James freak out, knowing that Anthony must’ve cheated and Pelipper really isn’t as special as it was made out to be. Anthony freaks out and can’t decide what attack to use on them. Pelipper starts releasing thunderbolts, flamethrowers, and water guns all over the place, and its pouch begins to wiggle. Jessie and James laugh and take of their helmets, saying they know how to get Pelipper with no problem. Meowth uses the hand to grab Pelipper and tip it over. A Magnemite and a Magby fall from its pouch and Team Rocket lands their balloon. James and Meowth yell at Anthony, saying it was a low thing to do to cheat. They tell him he never really earned his wins but they cheated for them, and Anthony becomes ashamed. Jessie then says she likes this idea, and Meowth and James collapse. She says that he has a conniving mind, but her’s isn’t to bad either. She then threatens to tell everyone about his cheating ways, and he begs her not to, as that would ruin his reputation. Jessie says she won’t tell, but she has plans for Pelipper. Anthony apologizes to Pelipper, and they hug. But Jessie and James have other plans for them.

Meanwhile, Ash waits in the Pokemon Center for Pikachu to heal. Max sits on a bench with May and Brock, racking his brains out trying to figure out how Pelipper could’ve possibly learned those attacks. Brock says that Pokemon can sometimes do things that are unnatural, and suddenly the ER light goes off, signaling Pikachu is better. Nurse Joy walks out with Ash’s Pokemon and explains that they are as good as new. May then rushes in, telling Ash he better have a look at this. They go to the lobby of the Pokemon Center to find a bunch of trainers talking about the rare Pelipper. Ash and co walk outside to see Team Rocket disguised as announcers telling the kids that the Pelipper show is about to begin. They tell the trainers that if anyone can defeat their Pelipper, they’ll win a prize. Meowth says there’s no chance of winning, and Jessie and James tell him to keep his mouth shut. A man steps up and says he’d like to battle Pelipper with his Zigzagoon, and Jessie and James smirk.

The man steps up and releases Zigzagoon. James uses Pelipper and tells it to use razor leaf. James then orders a flamethrower and Jessie tells it not to forget thunderbolt. The man sees all these attacks, and freaks out, as he doesn’t know what to do. He runs out of the gym and down the road. Meowth laughs and waves goodbye. He then walks into the back to find Jessie and James digging through a box of Pokeballs. He asks what they’re doing, and Jessie explains that these are all Pokemon Anthony uses to stash inside Pelipper’s pouch, which then become its attackers. They start to stuff all of the Pokeballs into its mouth, and Meowth reminds them that the Pokeballs need someone to open them. Jessie hears this and her and James get an idea. They grab Meowth and stuff him in the pouch, saying when they order an attack; he releases a Pokeball and has the Pokemon that comes out use the attack. Meowth doesn’t like the idea of being stuffed in the beak, but they tell him to live with it.

Ash and co enter the gym and Pelipper waddles out. Its pouch is all lumpy and big and you can tell there is stuff inside. Ash is happy to see it and says it’s looking better already. Jessie and James then come out still disguised, and Ash asks what they are doing with Anthony’s Pelipper. They say they are putting on a show, but May doesn‘t believe them, as Anthony‘s Pelipper is the only one that can use special attacks. Ash tells them the show is over and they should tell them what they really did with Anthony, but Jessie gets angry and tells Pelipper to attack. Ash sends out Pikachu. Pelipper flies towards Pikachu and Meowth chooses a Pokeball. A Bellsprout comes out and he tells it to use vine whip. Pikachu dodges the vines, and Ash says Pikachu is too fast for a vine whip. Meowth then tries a Magby, and tells it to use smokescreen. The attack blinds Pikachu, but it gets inside the pouch, making Meowth cough. He decides that was a bad idea, and brings Bellsprout back out. He tells it to use razor leaf, and the leaves fly from Pelipper’s mouth. Pikachu dodges them all and May tells it to keep it up. Max then runs off behind Jessie and James. Pelipper now flies high above Pikachu. Meowth has Magby use flamethrower, but it burns Meowth, and he decides not to use it anymore. Meanwhile, Max walks through the building. He hears someone behind a door and opens it up to find Anthony tied up. He unties him. It then goes back to the battle, where Pelipper uses flamethrower once more, then razor leaf. Pikachu dodges again, and Ash knows Pikachu cannot keep dodging. Ash then notices Max and Anthony run out of the building. Anthony tells Ash it’s all a hoax, and those aren‘t really show hosts.

Jessie gets aggravated and tells Meowth to use a good attack. Meowth thinks for a second then has a plan. He thinks that if Pikachu uses thunderbolt, it’ll attract Magnemite and power it up. The Magnemite can use its electrical attacks and deal a lot of damage. He searches around for Magnemite’s Pokeball, but can’t find it. He then remembers that if Pikachu is wet, the thunder will do extra damage. He tells Pelipper to use water gun, and it fires it. The water strikes the ground and Ash jumps. Pikachu leaps to the side also. The water goes everywhere, and even splashes in front of May, Brock, Max, and Anthony. Jessie and James laugh, but are soon doused with the water too. Jessie tells Meowth to stop fooling around and to pick a good attack. Meowth begins to panic, and the water fills Pelipper’s pouch, causing him and all the Pokeballs to fall out onto Jessie and James.

They all fall to the ground dazed. Ash and co now know it’s Team Rocket. May tells Ash that Pelipper must’ve been using those Pokeballs for its attacks. Ash asks Anthony if this is true, and he ashamedly tells them that it is. Team Rocket then gets up, and Meowth says since he had to go through that miserable experience, they are going to take the Pokeballs as presents. They take off in their balloon, and Ash and co notice the beg of Pokeballs hanging from it. Jessie and James laugh, but Anthony has Pelipper use wing attack on the line, breaking it and causing the Pokeball bag to fall to the ground. Ash and co catch it. Jessie and James get aggravated, then Jessie says they can still get Pikachu instead of the Pokeballs. They all agree and put their attack resistant suits on.

Meowth presses a button and the metal hand comes out to grab Pikachu. Ash tells Pikachu to use thunderbolt, but it has no effect on the hand. Ash and co are worried, but Brock gets an idea. He tells Anthony to have Pelipper water guns the balloon, and it does. Team Rocket laughs and puts umbrellas up. Ash then tells Pikachu to use thunderbolt. Jessie recalls that water conducts electricity and they all freak out as the balloon is hit. They get shocked, it explodes, and they are sent sky high.

Anthony then thanks Ash and co for all their help. He tells them that he is now going to go straight, and use Pelipper’s actual power to become victorious. Max is happy that he is going too, and Ash says Pelipper is really powerful without the help of others. Anthony jumps up; saying him and Pelipper are going to be as great as they were. He then shakes Ash’s hand and Pikachu and Pelipper smile at one another. The scene then rises to the sky as our heroes once again take to the road...

This episode guide has been written by shinymay.

Characters appearing in this episode

Ash

Brock

Max

May

Jessie

James

Meowth

Ash's Pikachu

Pokémon appearing in this episode

• Pikachu belonging to Ash
• Meowth

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