Team Rocket in the meanwhile are inside a cave. Boxes and lights litter the area. Meowth pulls out a blueprint and slams it down exclaiming to the others that this will be the sight for their Hoenn Rocket Headquarters. He shows off the blueprint as Jesse and James are impressed by it. Jessie remarks that the boss will be pleased and they all get teary eyed thinking about how their hard work will finally pay off. Meowth turns remarking that the boss will be so happy that they be put in charge of the Hoenn division and they all cheer.

The referee explains the rules that it's a 3 on 3 match and the battle begins. Norman sends out Slakoth and Ash sends out Pikachu into the battle. Norman mentions that he hopes it's stronger since the last time and Ash tells Pikachu to show him. Pikachu goes for a quick attack but Slakoth avoids it by stepping away. Everybody is shocked by this and Norman tells Slakoth to use shadowball and releases the dark ball. Pikachu avoids the ball and uses its iron tail but Slakoth leans back and avoids the iron tail. Pikachu twirls in the midair and crashes on the floor. Ash realises speed doesn't solve a thing and is no match for Slakoth's dodging abilities. Max cheers for his father as May wonders if Pikachu can manage to defeat Slakoth. Norman then orders Slakoth for a hidden power attack and Slakoth releases the attack. Pikachu dodges it as it pasts Pikachu but it soon circles around Pikachu. Ash then orders Pikachu to use thunderbolt but the hidden power closes in on Pikachu and causes an explosion, which sends Pikachu flying.

Ash asks Pikachu to get up and it weakly gets up. Max is happy with the power hidden power showed and May is just in awe at how fast Slakoth is. Brock cuts in, exclaiming that while it is fast, Ash can use one thing to his advantage. May and Max ask what and Brock explains that though Slakoth may have speed, that doesn't make up for it being lazy. They are confused and Brock points out that Slakoth doesn't move much. They look to see it swaying back and forth and Caroline confirms it. Slakoth keeps swaying and Pikachu releases a thunder attack. The attack is fired but Slakoth manages to avoid it and releases a blizzard attack. Pikachu is hit badly and lies on the floor as Ash asks it to get up but it's too cold. Even everybody else notices it has become very cold. Ash ends up recalling Pikachu and the blizzard stops.

Ash then sends out Torkoal and it releases a flamethrower. Slakoth fires a blizzard attack and May is sweating! The fire overtakes the ice and hits Slakoth. Slakoth is thrown back at Norman and lands in his hands and Torkoal is the winner. Torkoal starts to cry out of happiness, which emberasses Ash. Max is shocked as he doesn't understand how his father could have lost that. Caroline then comments that she found it exciting. May wonders why her mother isn't rooting for her husband and Caroline just explains that it doesn't matter who wins as long as the match is exciting. Norman now calls out his Vigoroth and Ash remembers it from before and knows it won't be easy.

Torkoal starts off by releasing an overheat attack but Vigoroth avoids it. Ash is shocked with the fact that Vigoroth isn't as lazy as Slakoth. Norman calls out for a slash attack and it knocks out Torkoal in one shot as the ref declares Vigoroth as the winner. Norman congratulates his Pokemon as it twirls its arms. Max knows Ash doesn't stand a chance now and he regains his excitement about the match. May wants to end the match as Brock understand that what Vigoroth has once stored as energy when it was a Slakoth it will unleash now when it's a Vigoroth! Ash decides to send out Pikachu again for its rematch with Vigoroth.

Team Rocket in the meanwhile is still under the ground. Meowth forces James and Jesse to build their new base.slave drive Jessie and James into building the base. They moan and ask why he isn't helping and Meowth comments that someone has to be the overseer. Suddenly, a large crate smashes down on him and Jessie and James wonder if they shut him up. Meowth peeks out from under and says they will work double time now, but the two just push harder on the crate making him faint.

Ash starts off by having Pikachu use thunderbolt, but Vigoroth leaps away. It bounces off the wall and comes in for a slash attack, but Pikachu uses iron tail and smashes into the Pokemon's claw. As Vigoroth flies back, it launches a flamethrower straight into Pikachu. The rodent also flies back but lands steaming on its feet. Max exclaims that his father knows exactly how to counter Ash, but Caroline adds in that Ash knows how to counter Norman as well. May tells Ash to get back in there and Brock remarks that she is supposed to be neutral. She covers her mouth as Brock explains that it is better she not pick a side in this.

He then explains that Pikachu is warn out and may not last much longer. Norman asks Ash if he gives in seeing as how Vigoroth is too fast, but Ash refuses. He then thinks of a way to slow Vigoroth down. Ash tells Pikachu to use quick attack and it speeds off. Vigoroth launches a few flamethrowers, but misses every time. It then goes in for a slash and Ash tells Pikachu to let it hit it. Norman is shocked and Vigoroth is even more as Pikachu's static causes its body to go numb in paralysis.

May wonders what happened and Brock explains that certain electric Pokemon have the power to paralyze foes that physically attack them. May knows that this could turn the tide of the match as Vigoroth won't have its speed anymore. Vigoroth pulls away in a daze, but Pikachu manages to iron tail it before it gets far. Vigoroth hits the ground unable to battle. Kinji declares Pikachu the winner of the second round. Ash congratulates his Pokemon, but it too suddenly collapses. Kinji declares it defeated as well and everyone stares in shock.

Ash has Brock take care of Pikachu as he returns to the field. Norman is impressed by how much better Ash has gotten, and Max wonders why his father isn't in a rage to defeat Ash. Caroline explains that he has to keep his cool. Ash then releases Grovyle and Norman calls out Slaking. May and Caroline are surprised it's awake. Grovyle starts off with a bullet seed and Slaking uses endure. An explosion ensues, but Slaking managed to easily endure the hit. Grovyle then goes in for a leaf blade, but Slaking catches it in mid swipe and tosses the shocked Pokemon straight to the ground. May knows Grovyle is fast, but Brock mentions that while it has speed, Slaking has pure power. Slaking then tries a focus punch, but Grovyle launches a bullet seed at its face. Slaking backs off, but doesn't look fazed. It pounds its chest ready for more. Ash's friends know this is anyone's match now. Slaking then uses an earthquake to rock the battlefield. Team Rocket turn out to be digging underneath the gym and become frightened as the ceiling shakes. Suddenly, a large group of Dugtrio pops out of nowhere. They begin to trudge off, but Jessie kicks a rock at one angering the group. They begin to chase Team Rocket in a circle as they scream.

Up above, the battlefield is feeling the vibrations of the chase. Ash steps back and orders Grovyle to leap in the air and use pound. It does so, but Slaking catches its head leaf. It then spins the Pokemon around and tosses it into the ceiling. Grovyle looks weak, but Ash tells it to try a bullet seed. Grovyle launches itself from the ceiling and releases the attack as Slaking counters with a hyper beam. The two attacks collide and Grovyle tries its hardest to subdue the hyper beam, but it breaks through and smashes into it. Grovyle lands hard on the ground as Slaking pumps its chest. May is worried that it's over, but Brock doesn't think Grovyle will give in.

The Pokemon weakly gets up and glares at Slaking. Max is in shock and Ash wonders how it can still go on. Norman calls to him saying he should throw in the towel. He explains that a trainer should know when his/her Pokemon has had enough and it looks like Grovyle has. Ash prepares to, but Grovyle stops him. Ash asks it if it can go on and it nods. He then says they need a find a way to damage Slaking and Grovyle begins to growl. Suddenly, a green flame surrounds Grovyle. Caroline is happy it's back in the match and the others wonder what is going on. Brock exclaims that when certain grass Pokemon are weakened, they use their overgrow ability to power up their grass attacks. Slaking then uses another earthquake, but Grovyle easily leaps away. Slaking goes to catch it, but Grovyle bounces off its hands and then straight into the wall. Norman watches as it pushes itself from the wall and comes straight back at Slaking. It bounces off the Pokemon again and Norman orders a hyper beam. Grovyle propels itself off of the opposite wall and dodges the beam. Grovyle then manages to pound Slaking right in the head. May and Brock are now excited at how well Grovyle is battling. Norman says it'll take more then that to defeat his Pokemon and Slaking shrugs it off. Slaking then goes in for a focus punch, and Grovyle speeds towards it for a leaf blade. Both Pokemon strike each other at the same moment and a blinding flash lights the area. When it clears, Grovyle and Slaking are back to back still in attack form. Both trainers wait to see who will fall first. Grovyle grins and falls slightly causing everyone to gasp. It then catches itself as Slaking grins thinking it has won. It is then that Slaking feels its injuries and collapses to the ground. Kinji declares Grovyle the winner and then announces Ash as the victor of the battle! Norman congratulates his Pokemon for putting up a tough fight. Caroline is happy and says they both put up a great fight. She then asks Max for support, but he is completely pissed off. That evening, Norman presents Ash with his long awaited Balance Badge. Ash thanks him and prepares to take it, but Max cuts in and takes the badge. He rushes off and boards himself in the jungle training room.

Max's family tells him to come out but he refuses. With tears in his eyes he explains that his father is unbeatable, and he refuses to accept that Ash could win. May cuts in telling the brat that their dad is a gym leader, and he eventually has to loose sometime. Max still won't give in and tells her she should feel the same. May is hurt by this and backs off. Brock then tries his luck but Max tells him off as well. Suddenly, Norman demands that his son come out. He explains that he loves being a gym leader, but he knows that as one he will eventually come across a great trainer that will defeat him. He says that he has accepted this and Max should too, and he should be happy that it was his friend that defeated him. He then explains that a gym leader doesn’t grow unless he learns defeat. After some time, he goes into how Ash and his friends made him realize how special his family is, and he was happy to loose to him. Max then wipes away his tears and Ash begins to add in his comments. Suddenly, the door opens and Max steps out. He apologizes to both his father and Ash, and then hands him the Balance Badge. Ash thanks him and does his usual badge pose.

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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