Pokemon Episode 10 – Bulbasaur and the Hidden Village

Ash, Misty, and Brock are lost on their way to Vermilion again. They tried to take a shortcut, but it led nowhere. They stop for a break at a pond, and notice an Oddish taking a drink. Ash wants to catch it, but Misty is quicker on the draw and sends out her Starmie. She weakens the Oddish, and is about to catch it when a Bulbasaur leaps out of the bushes and whacks the ball away. He then Vine Whipped Starmie, must to the misfortune of Misty. Ash decides to catch the Bulbasaur and sends out Butterfree. He instructs Butterfree to use Sleep Powder, but Bulbasaur blows it right back at him and, as Ash tries to wake him up, Bulbasaur and Oddish run away.
Ash is upset that he didn't catch it, but they all continue on anyway. They soon come to a rickety looking rope bridge over a deep gorge. They carefully move across, but the ropes snap, and Brock falls down into the river below. Ash and Misty climb to the other side and start to look for Brock. It seems to be their unlucky day, though, when Misty falls into a pit, then later when they all get swept up in a net into a tree. They try to wriggle out, but to no avail. Bulbasaur appears again, laughs at them, and runs off. Ash starts to wonder what happened to Brock, imagining that he was swept out to the ocean and picked up by pirates.
His thoughts are broken by Brock himself, who cuts the rope and lets them down. He explains how he was being swept away in the river, when a girl saved him. He tells them that this girl, whose name is Melanie, lives in the forest, and runs a sort of health spa for abandoned Pokémon. She was the one who set all the traps in order to deter trainers who would try to catch the Pokémon. Brock says that he promised Melanie that they wouldn't catch any of the Pokémon there. Misty asks if he "sealed the promise with a kiss", only to be hit on the head by a blushing Brock.
Jessie, James, and Meowth appear on a cliff. They have heard of the village, and want to steal the Pokémon there. They follow the path Ash and his friends took, but fall into even more traps then Ash did. They all get really upset, since nobody ever falls into their traps.
Back at Melanie's, Ash and his friends are helping her care for the Pokémon. Misty notices the Oddish from earlier and apologizes. Oddish forgives it, but Bulbasaur, who appears on the scene, doesn't. It tackles her. Melanie explains that Bulbasaur had volunteered to guard the recovering Pokémon. It tackled Misty because it thought she was trying to take the Oddish. Melanie tries to convince him that Ash and his friends weren't trying to catch the Pokémon, but Bulbasaur doesn't believe her.
Team Rocket takes this moment to arrive with a flying stadium. A hose comes out, and they start to try to suck the Pokémon up. Unfortunately for them, Ash, Melanie, and the rest gather all the Pokémon into Melanie's cabin. This worries Jessie, but James points out that now all the Pokémon are in one place. Ash and his friends have just made Team Rocket's plan easier.
Bulbasaur comes back outside, and starts knocking the hose around with his Vine Whip. Ash comes out and sends out Pidgeotto. He has him use his Gust attack and the winds form a tornado, blowing Team Rocket and their stadium away. Melanie is very grateful and happy with how good a team Ash and Bulbasaur made. She insists that Ash take Bulbasaur to add to his party. Ash hesitates, saying that the Pokémon won't have anything to protect them. Melanie agrees, but says that Bulbasaur has a lot of growing to do, and that there's not enough room here. She goes on, explaining that the Pokémon she takes care of have grown too accustomed to this lifestyle and don't want to leave. She says that they need to go back into the wild where they belong, and possibly be caught by trainers like Ash. Bulbasaur agrees, but on one condition: Ash must beat him in a battle and actually capture him himself. Ash sends Pikachu, and he shocks Bulbasaur into a weakened state. Ash then captures him with ease.
Ash and Misty say goodbye to Melanie, but Brock offers to stay around and help out some more. Melanie declines, telling him to stick with his friends. Brock is disappointed, but leaves to go with Ash and Misty to Vermilion.

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Pokemon Episode 9 – The School of Hard Knocks

Scenario:
Ash, Misty, and Brock are still making their way towards Vermilion City. Ash and Misty are bickering about when Ash will pay her back for her bike. Brock, annoyed with their constant fighting, suggests that they all stop for a rest and offers to make crepes. He asks for someone to go gather some firewood, and that someone ends up being Ash. He starts to search in the fog for sticks, and comes across several kids huddled together. Ash comes closer and sees that one of the kids is running on a treadmill and the other, older kids are drilling him on facts on Pidgey's evolutionary levels. Ash feels that sorry for the younger kid on the treadmill, so he chases the rest away.
After Brock and Misty show up, the boy, whose name is Joe, explains what was going on. He explains that he goes to Pokémon Tech, a school for Pokémon trainers. He says that he is at the bottom of his beginner class, and the other kids were "helping" him when Ash showed up. When Ash asks to see the one responsible for this program, Joe pulls out a picture of a girl whose name is Giselle. Joe explains that, even though he doesn't like the way she treats him, he likes the way she looks. Ash and Brock agree. Ash asks where the school building is and Joe points in the direction. The fog clears and we see a huge campus surrounded by forest.
Meanwhile, Team Rocket have been in some bushes nearby, as they have been following Ash and Pikachu. They see the campus and start to worry. They tell Meowth that they once were to enroll there, but flunked the admissions test with the lowest scores in the school's history. Meowth cheers them up by saying that at least they were the top of the bottom. They all follow Ash, Joe, and the rest to the building.
As Joe shows our friends around the area, he describes the type of curriculum the school offers. He says that those who graduate are allowed to go to the Pokémon League without going around and gathering badges. He explains that a beginner, such as himself, has the skills equivalent to someone with two to four badges, an intermediate has skills equal to someone with five or six, and an advanced has skills equal to eight. He then points to an older kid sitting under a tree and says that the courses are so hard, that this kid is only a beginner still. The privilege of going here costs a lot, so everyone feels obligated to stay. Misty feels that the students here do not get the same experience as those who actually collect the badges and drives home her point by beating his Weepinbell with her Starmie.
Giselle comes in with the boys Ash had chased away earlier and reprimand him for being an embarrassment to the school. She goes on and on about how weak he is, making Team Rocket outside think that she's even more conceited than they are. Misty gets tired of Giselle's attitude and the fact that Ash, Brock, and all the other Tech students think she's "a star", and challenges her to a match, sending out her Starmie again.
Giselle, in what appears to be a poor strategic move, sends out Graveler, but he defeats Starmie easily and actually sends it flying out the window and into a pool. Giselle starts to lecture her, and says that she lost because Graveler was at a higher level than Starmie. Ash gets perturbed, and argues that Pokémon raising is more than just calculating levels and types; you need to treat them with love and care. Giselle just laughs and calls him a beginner. She goes on and on about how he's been on his journey for two months, and all he has is two badges and three Pokémon, one of which is a weak, untamed Pikachu (the other two being, of course, Pidgeotto and Butterfree). Both Ash and Pikachu are outraged and challenge the arrogant Giselle to a match.
She agrees and sends out Cubone, a strong Pokémon against electric attacks. Pikachu is at a sheer disadvantage to Cubone's Bone Clubs and Bonemerangs (a cheap move, according to Ash) and is weakened. Finally, Ash tells Pikachu to fight back, in any way it can. Pikachu then launches a major defensive maneuver, scratching, biting, and disorientating Cubone, ultimately using his own Bonemerang attack against him . The Cubone sits down and starts bawling. Pikachu has won.
Giselle is astounded to see a Pikachu win without using electrical attacks and admits that she underestimated both him and Ash. She has finally been brought down from her high horse, and agrees with Ash that battles don't always go the way they should, and that there are many methods of training.
Suddenly, Team Rocket makes their appearance. They partly want to steal Pikachu, but this time is mainly to impress the other students. Giselle make fun of them and reminds them of their low test scores, and the other kids pelt them with Pokéballs until they leave.
Joe tells Giselle that he is leaving Pokémon Tech and is going to start again as Ash did, collecting badges. They part in friendship, saying that maybe they'll see each other again at the Pokémon League. Ash wonders why he and Misty can't follow their example and Misty reminds him about the bike. Depressed, Ash walks on with his companions towards Vermilion City.

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Pokemon Episode 8 – The Path to the Pokemon

Scenario:
Ash and his friends are traveling towards Vermilion City, making frequent stops so that Ash can battle other trainers me meets. One trainer, impressed by Ash's 10 straight wins and two badges, suggest that he challenge AJ, a very good trainer who lives nearby, and even built his own gym, although it is not sanctioned by the Pokémon League. Ash decides to do so.
When Ash, Misty, and Brock get to AJ's gym, they see a sign over the entrance proclaiming the gym as undefeated with 98 wins. AJ shows up with a backpack full of wild Pokémon he just caught. When they go in, AJ gives them to a Butterfree and Ash challenges him to a battle. AJ has no badges and says that once he reaches his 100th win, he'll start. This gives Ash the idea that he is better than AJ (since he has two). AJ, however makes fun of Ash, saying that the leaders of those two gyms must have been pretty pathetic, thus angering Brock and Misty. Ash and AJ start to fight, but unfortunately for Ash, AJ defeats him in seconds flat with his Sandshrew for his 99th win. Ash is shattered and, not accepting the defeat, starts to whine that AJ somehow rigged the match. AJ is annoyed and goes inside the large tent, telling him to grow up.
Our heroes are about to leave when they hear a whip cracking and AJ yelling at his Sandshrew from inside the tent. They rush inside and Ash attacks AJ, sending both of them into a pool. Emerging, AJ instructs Sandshrew to get back into the water. Ash says that ground Pokémon are weakened by water, but Sandshrew jumps out and spins dry, not weakened a bit. Ash then notices that the Sandshrew, as well as all the other Pokémon in the tent are wearing some sort of straitjacket type thing. AJ explains that they are "strength intensifiers" and help his Pokémon become stronger. Ash feels AJ is treating them too harshly, and appeals to Brock for support. Unfortunately for him, Brock takes interest in what AJ feeds them.
Meanwhile, outside, Jessie, James, and Meowth have seen Ash go in and plan to try to steal Pikachu again. They try out a new motto, but James frowns, saying it just doesn't feel right. They plan to hide themselves in a large rubber ball and sneak in, nab Pikachu, and escape with it before Ash realizes what happened.
As Ash and AJ talk, Pikachu tries on one of the strength intensifiers, but is overwhelmed and rolls up into a ball. Sandshrew snickers and rolls up into a ball next to Pikachu. Team Rocket rolls in and sneaks up on two. In the darkness inside the ball, they accidentally take Sandshrew instead.
Soon enough, Ash and AJ notice Pikachu's predicament and AJ frees him. Then, AJ realizes that Sandshrew is missing. Ash meanly suggests that Sandshrew ran away after seeing how much better Ash treated Pikachu. He offers the other Pokémon a spot on his team but is quickly turned down.
In the meantime, James is struggling with his bundle. It seems that the Pikachu is heavier than it looks. He is about to hand the bag over to Jessie when Sandshrew pops out, knocking both Jessie and James out. Sandshrew then burrows into the ground, bringing Meowth along.
Back at AJ's gym, Sandshrew pops out through the floorboards, with Meowth dragging behind. AJ and Sandshrew are extremely happy to see each other and they share a warm embrace. Ash starts to rethink his feelings about AJ when Pikachu alerts him of Meowth's presence. Meowth is scared until Jessie and James show up to get him back. They halfheartedly apologize to AJ, but insult him by calling his Sandshrew weak and he challenges them to a battle.
After easily defeating Ekans, Koffing, and Meowth with Sandshrew's Fissure attack, AJ gets his 100th straight win. He begins to pack up for his journey, and Ash offers to let him join his group. AJ declines, saying that he has his own path to follow, and Ash, Misty, and Brock resume their trek to Vermilion.

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Pokemon Episode 7 – The Water Flowers Of Cerulean City

Scenario:
The episode opens in a dark room full of machinery. A vent grating opens and out crawl Jesse, James, and Meowth. They jump into the room and look around, stopping at a large machine. They smile.
The next day, Ash, Misty, and Brock are still walking towards Cerulean City. Brock and Ash are eager to get there, but Misty doesn't share their feelings and makes it known that she doesn't want to go. Unfortunately for her, Ash is set on challenging the city's Gym Leader and won't change his mind.
Once they arrive, Brock notices that Misty isn't following them anymore. Ash isn't exactly torn up about this. As they walk, they notice a very large crowd gathered in front of a store. Interested, they ask as to why everyone is here and find out that it was robbed of a large vacuum and a huge hose, nothing more. Suddenly, Officer Jenny appears asking why they're so interested in the situation. Ash is surprised to see her here as he thought he'd seen her in Viridian City. She explains that the Viridian City Jenny is her Sister-in-law and announces her suspicion of the two. After Ash and Brock clear the matter with Dexter and one of Brock's badges, Brock tries to ask her to dinner. He is, needless to say, turned down and he goes off on his own while Ash searches alone for the gym.
He finds the gym and enters only to find a synchronized swimming performance going on. He is greatly confused until he meets the three girls who were doing the show a little later. They explain that they are the Gym leaders and are the World-famous Sensational Sisters. Ash is eager to fight but the sisters decline, saying that they don't feel like fighting because they had just been beaten three times in a row by Ash's rivals from Pallet Town. All they have left is a wimpy Goldeen.
They are about to just give Ash the Cascade Badge when Misty shows up. She introduces herself as the "Fourth Sensational Sister," but her sisters begin teasing her, saying that they thought she had left and wasn't coming back until she was a Pokémon Master. When she replies that she's only here because Ash was here, they comment on her choice of a boyfriend making Ash fall over Anime style and Misty enraged. She challenges Ash to a match for the Cascade Badge.
Ash tries to send out Pikachu, but he refuses to fight. He sends out Butterfree instead to fight Misty's Staryu. The fight goes on for a couple minutes with Misty's sisters looking on with interest, and Butterfree is defeated. Ash then sends out Pidgeotto and Misty sends out Starmie. Pidgeotto is about to defeat Starmie when Team Rocket makes a not-so dramatic entrance by crashing through a wall.
They were the ones who had stolen the vacuum and hose and were planning on sucking up all the water in the pool to steal the Pokémon swimming in it. They manage in sucking up the Sensational Sisters' Seel and Pikachu is swept into the water. It occurs to Ash that water conducts electricity, so he has Pikachu use a Thunderbolt attack, thus electrocuting Team Rocket. They fall into the pool, get sucked up by the vacuum, and are spit out the other end. Ash shuts off the vacuum just in time to save Pikachu (Seel was outside).
Misty's sisters thank Ash for ridding them of Team Rocket and give him the Cascade Badge as a reward. Misty is upset since he didn't really win the match, but her sisters explain that if he had used Pikachu, Misty wouldn't of stood a chance. They wish them both luck on their journey, and, after meeting up with Brock again, Ash and Misty head off toward Vermilion City.

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Pokemon Episode 6 – Clefairy And The Moon Stone

Our friends are journey to Mt. Moon where they encounter a flock of Zubats attacking a man. Ash has Pikachu Thundershock the Zubats and the extremely grateful man introduces himself as Seymour the Scientist. He explains that the Pokémon who live in the caves have been confused by lights that someone has strewn all through their homes. This is why the Zubats attacked him and several other Pokémon have become ill.
As they all enter the cave entrance, Seymour continues. He explains that Mt. Moon is rumored to contain the Moon Stone, a large rock that makes a Pokémon power more powerful. Seymour believes that this stone is in reality, a rocket that brought all Pokémon to Earth. It is his hunch that the people who strung the lights up are looking for this rock.
Unsurprisingly to us, Team Rocket shows up. They are indeed searching for the Moon Stone and are irked at the fact that Ash and his friends are there. They quickly challenge him, sending out Koffing and Ekans. Ash retaliates with his Butterfree and Brock sends out a newly acquired Zubat. Zubat confuses Team Rocket's Pokémon with Supersonic, and Ash blows them all away with his Butterfree's Whirlwind. Unfortunately, Meowth manages to escape the gust and runs after a Clefairy holding a piece of the Moon Stone that happened to bounce by. Misty and Seymour give chase and, upon catching up with Meowth, give him a sound beating. When Ash and Brock arrive on the scene, they all follow the Clefairy to another cave and go inside. There they see a huge Moon Stone with many smaller Moon Stones around it. Clefairy places his (or her?) Moon Stone into the only open spot and all the stones start to glow. Suddenly, several other Clefairy appear and they all start jumping around the Moon Stone. After a minute or two of charades, Ash and his friends discover that the Clefairy are praying and the watch in awe.
Unfortunately, Team Rocket shows up again. Our heroes had unknowingly led them right to the Moon Stone. Seymour attacks but is beaten up by Meowth. James's Koffing fills the cavern with smoke and Team Rocket somehow escapes with the huge Moon Stone. Ash, Misty, and Brock use Onix to follow them while Seymour regains his senses. After doing so, he reminds the Clefairy that the Moon Stone is sacred to them and tells them to get it back. They find Team Rocket and the Metronome attack they use triggers a huge explosion, getting rid of Team Rocket, but also breaking the Moon Stone into little pieces. These pieces fall back to the earth, some of which landing on the Clefairy, evolving them into Clefable. They all return to the cave and continue their ceremony.
After Seymour decides to stay at Mt. Moon and study the Clefairy, Ash and his friends continue down the path only to find an etching on a sign pointing the way to Cerulean City. It is from Gary and reads: "Gary was Here! Ash is a Loser!" Ash is enraged, rushing down the trail with his friends rushing to keep up...

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Pokemon Episode 5 – Showdown In Pewter City

Scenario:
As our show begins, Team Rocket is up to their old tricks again laying a trap for our hero (and heroine). They decide to dig a hole to catch Ash of guard and capture Pikachu. The only problem is that they covered the hole so well that they forgot where they put it. They find the hole...the hard way. Meanwhile, Ash finally finds his way out of the Viridian Forest and into Pewter City. Upon entering Pewter City, Ash meets a very mysterious man who calls himself Flint. After trying to sell Ash and Misty rocks as souvenirs, Flint takes Ash to the local Pokémon Center. Upon entering the Pokécenter, Ash is surprised to see Nurse Joy. Nurse Joy explains that the Nurse Joy in Viridian City is her little sister (confused?). Nurse Joy then points out a poster to Ash, changing his life forever. The poster promotes the Pokémon League Championships. Ash, wanting to become a Pokémon Master, decides that this is the way to go. The only problem is that he has to win badges from 8 gym trainers to be eligible for the championships. Flint shows up and taunts Ash for thinking he can defeat the Pewter City gym leader Brock. After an uneasy meal (and an expensive one at that), Ash decides to try his luck against Brock.
Upon entering the Pewter City gym, Ash meets up with Brock. Brock, sensing Ash's inexperience, informs him of the official tournament rules. Both he and Ash must choose 2 Pokémon with which to do battle. Ash starts with Pikachu and Brock chooses Onix. Needless to say, Pikachu is scared stiff by this giant Pokémon. Brock has Onix use Tackle on Pikachu, but Pikachu narrowly dodges him. However, Brock quickly has Onix follow up with his Bind attack. Ash has Pikachu use Thundershock, but to no effect (duh, an electric attack on a rock/ground Pokémon...come on Ash). Ash tries to call Pikachu back, but can't get around Onix who is still using Bind on Pikachu. Ash decides to surrender rather than have Pikachu seriously injured, losing the fight. On his way out of the gym, though, he runs into Flint who asks Ash to follow him. At Flint's house, Ash can't get over how good Brock was. Flint agrees, saying that Brock's talent could take him much further than local gym leader. Flint shows Ash why Brock can't move on to bigger things, and what he sees surprises him. Brock is taking care of 10 little brothers and sisters at home since his father left to become a Pokémon trainer and his mother passed away. Ash asks Flint to stop with the story, or else he won't be able to beat Brock. Flint admires Ash's persistence and tells Ash that there might be a way to super-charge Pikachu...
Flint takes Ash to a hydro-electric plant, telling Ash that if he hooks Pikachu up to it, there's a chance he could give Pikachu a power-boost. The only problem is the river's dry, leaving the plant un-powered. The only solution is to have Ash power it himself by running on the wheel which usually powers the plant. Misty shows up and asks Ash if he needs some help. Ash turns her offer down, telling her that he wants to earn the badge all by himself. All of the energy is overwhelming to Pikachu at first, but finally he reaches the point where he can control and re-channel his new power. Ash is now ready to challenge Brock a second time. Brock is cocky from the last fight and decides to start with Geodude. Ash sends out Pidgeotto who uses his Gust attack. The only problem is flying-type Pokémon are weak against rock-types (nice going Ash). Misty is silently cheering Ash on from the rafters, but she is soon crowded by Brock's brothers and sisters. Ash recalls Pidgeotto and sends out his new and improved Pikachu.
Pikachu takes care of Geodude with a powerful electric attack, shocking Brock and even Misty. Brock sends Onix out, once again scaring Pikachu. Pikachu unleashes another electric attack, but the attack is unfocused. It does heavy damage to the gym but barely harms Onix. Onix uses Bind on Pikachu again, but Pikachu uses his new attack Thunderbolt. The attack starts to work, but Pikachu can't sustain it while being binded by Onix. When it looks like Onix is about to faint Pikachu, however, Brock calls Onix off. He explains that he doesn't really want to hurt Pikachu and so asks Ash to surrender the match again. It looks like Ash is about to accept when all of the sudden, the gym sprinklers start up from a fire caused by Pikachu's earlier unfocused attack. The water severly weakens Onix and Ash uses this to his advantage. He has Pikachu attack Onix one more time with an electric attack. The electric attack is very effective thanks to the water, and Onix faints. Right when Ash is ready to finish Onix off, his conscience gets the better of him (as well as Brock's brothers and sisters). He calls Pikachu off, remembering when Brock called Onix off, and he leaves the gym. Brock tries to stop him, but Ash tells him that it was just a fluke that the sprinklers went off, and that he wanted to win fair and square.
On his way out of Pewter City, Ash is stopped by Brock who gives Ash a Boulder Badge. Brock explains that Ash earned it by being so kind to Pokémon. Brock doesn't really want to be a Pokémon trainer, he wants to be a Pokémon breeder. The only thing holding him back are his duties at home. Suddenly, Flint arrives telling Brock to go follow his dreams (he's actually Brock's dad!). Flint didn't come back to his family because he failed as a Pokémon trainer and couldn't face them. Brock has a few things to tell his father after so many years (all of them quite entertaining). In the end, Brock decides to follow Ash on his journey. Misty...well she won't leave until she gets a new bike, so Ash takes off with Brock to try and lose Misty. And what of Team Rocket? Well they finally get out of the hole, only to be ran over by Ash and company...and fall back into the hole. Oh well, better luck next time Team Rocket...

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