Episode 121 (Illusion Confusion)

Ash and co. are wandering through the woods, completely lost. They see a tree looking at them and get scared to run. They see other trees with faces. They keep running and find Gary. Gary has a Hoothoot with him, which lights up the way getting rid of mysterious illusions in the forest. Ash decides to start searching for a Hoothoot himself and they eventually come across one that takes a liking to Misty. Too bad for Ash, it doesn't like him, and starts pecking at his head. They chase it to an old lady in the woods. Her name is Hagatha, and she is living in a small house in the forest renting out Hoothoot to travelers to guide them to the other side of the forest. Unfortunately, there is only one Hoothoot left and it's never been able to successfully get any travelers through the forest like the others. They opt to give this one a try, Ash thinks he can train this one into guiding them through. Continuing on the path through the forest, the gang are attacked by ghostlike creatures. This of course is just an illusion, and when Team Rocket is walking by, they see the group scared, as if being attacked. They are a little confused, and then Hoothoot runs away, and they chase after it, not wanting to lose the Pokemon they borrowed. Ash is mad at Hoothoot for failing to get rid of the illusions, and expects Hoothoot to do better. Hoothoot runs to Misty, and Misty tells Hoothoot to please try and help them. Suddenly, Pikachu is lassoed from the bushes, it's Team Rocket, but Ash grabs on. They get away in a boat attached to the trees, but their support snaps, and Pikachu is freed. Determined to succeed this time, Team Rocket battle them, but they are dumbfounded when they spot a Dragonite. This is not seen by the rather confused Ash, Misty and Brock. Team Rocket forgets the battle and run to chase after the Dragonite. Just as things seem to be over, suddenly there are multiple Ash's everywhere! They all start talking at once and confuse everyone. Pikachu shocks them all, and we're left with just the real Ash. Just then, Misty is overcome with an illusion of bug Pokémon surrounding her. She cries out to Hoothoot for help, but Hoothoot runs. After Ash puts forth a guilt trip on the little Hoothoot, it gains the confidence to use it's Foresight attack and reveal a group of evil ghost Pokémon that were doing all of this. Ash attacks all the ghosts with Bulbasaur and Pikachu and they all get scared off. After the win, Ash gets his head pecked again. Ash was bragging he trained Hoothoot all by himself, but Hoothoot didn't like this at all! ^_^ After some more wandering they find Hagatha again, except that it's really Agatha, her twin sister. They give back Hoothoot and continue on to leave the forest. Meanwhile, Team Rocket are enjoying a nice beach illusion to take a vacation, courtesy of the Haunters and Gengars in the woods!

Episode 122 (Flower Power)

Ash and friends continue onward, but decide to stop in Florando. They see many stage shows going on in the streets and check a few out. They watch as two Bellossom perform an act, and it's going quite well until the final jump lands one of the Bellossom on Ash. After this, they meet with the Bellossom's trainer named Bailey. She tells them how one of her Bellossom hasn't been able to do the finale to their act lately. Meanwhile, Team Rocket just happen to be in the area and so they decide to do a little stage show to make some money. They hope to showcase Meowth talking so they can get an in to have James doing his ballerina dance and Jessie doing a Flamenco dance. They give Meowth some really corny jokes and nobody's impressed. James slips Meowth a joke and he goofs it up anyway. They lose their audience, and so devise another way to draw attention. They roll in on everyone with a Bulldozer dancing their dances for all to see. This catches the attention of everyone including Ash's group and Bailey. Team Rocket come out with Arbok and Victreebel, but are knocked off their bulldozer with some guy's Alakazam's psychic attack. They run away, with plans to return. So, later on they're eating meatballs out of an old frying pan in an alley just as Jessie eats the last one a flyer hits her in the face. She reads that there will be a talent exhibition and everyone is welcome. They decide this will be the perfect time to strike and steal everyone's Pokémon, and to get some food too. Meanwhile, Bailey's Bellossom, Togepi and Pikachu are doing a little dance as they all watch. Bailey explains the similarities between battling and dancing to the gang. They then decide to try the Bellossom's finale to their act once again, the Bel loop-de-loop. Ash stands in position to catch a potentially falling Bellossom, and they begin the run into a jump. Bell runs toward Bella and is lifted off into the air, tries a twirl but fails again. Ash catches Bell and they decide to maybe leave this part out of the next performance. Later on at the show, the original hosts were left tied up underneath the stage as Jessie and James announce the start of the show. The participants all come out, including Bailey and her Bellossom. Just then, Meowth throws a net over all the Pokémon and the balloon begins to lift off. Ash sends Pikachu to stop the balloon using Heracross to give Pikachu a huge boost. They bring down the balloon and battle Arbok and Victreebel once again. Pikachu dances around and evades them until Victreebel grabs his foot holding Pikachu as Arbok approaches to bite him. Bailey is just freeing her Bellossom as this is happening and sends them to do their dance and just then they get their finale jump correct and save Pikachu from the bite. They dance up a tornado and Team Rocket blasts off again. They do their performance on the stage, and it is also perfectly successful. Everyone is happy and the Bellossom are too. Meanwhile, Team Rocket are still twirling down the road, somewhere.

Episode 123 (Spinarak Attack)

Continuing their travel, Ash and friends stumble upon a seemingly cute looking Pokémon until it turns around and attacks them with web. The police force in town is trying to solve a series of burglaries that have been happening in a similar style to the way a past famous local criminal, the Black Arachnid had been doing it. They turn up Ash, Misty and Brock in the web, and they realize soon enough they got the wrong people. Officer Jenny explains about the Black Arachnid and how in the past he and his Meowth always managed to escape the police by having the Meowth use Pay Day to scatter coins at them, giving him and his Meowth time to get away. This continued until they were able to trap him using a Spinarak and finally was able to bring him down. Now, a similar unknown group is doing the same thing. Surely enough, it's Team Rocket pulling off this new series of burglaries and they're planning their next strike. They send a warning notice to a man who owns some very valuable vases that they'll be stealing them that midnight. Officer Jenny and Ash's group go down to the mansion and they prepare for the upcoming burglary attempt. Ash has Heracross climb up a tree, Bulbasaur hide in some flowers and Charizard go wherever he wants to. Officer Jenny has Spinarak set up some web to trap anyone that tries to enter the premises. Things seem secure, and come midnight there's no sign of anything. As a sign of appreciation, the man of the mansion treats the gang to a nice big midnight dinner. Way after they were supposed to show up, they finally come out of hiding to steal the vase. The problem was they'd fallen asleep hiding in the attic the entire time and hadn't woken up until then. They begin to make their getaway until the Spinarak web traps their balloon. Ash tries to *hurt?* them by having Charizard flamethrower them, but mistakenly breaks the Spinarak web. Fortunately they're able to retrieve the vase from the Team Rocket balloon having knocked it out and balloon blasting off into the air. Ash runs to save the vase from crashing to the ground, but Spinarak manages to grab it with some web.

Episode 124 (Snubbull Snobbery)

Continuing on their way, the group find themselves in (name of place). They see a Growlithe running frantically and wonder what's the matter, they notice a Snubbull on it's tail which is soon parted as the Growlithe runs off. Just then, a few men see the Snubbull and inform the lady who owns the Snubbull that they've found her. They go back to the lady's mansion where she offers to allow them to tour Snubbull's section of the mansion. She shows them Snubbull's Saturday room and Sunday room, she shows them Snubbull's exercise room where Pikachu and Togepi have fun on the treadmill. They go to a room with a large hot bath where Pikachu and Togepi soak for a while. They then go to the breakfast nook, a huge dining room it is! They notice that Snubbull does not like what is being served and won't eat. Wondering what to do, Brock offers to feed the Snubbull one of his RICE balls (evil 4Kids!!! -_-), and Snubbull really likes it. Meanwhile, Team Rocket is snooping around outside hoping to steal some money, and they encounter Snubbull. Snubbull takes a liking to Meowth's tail and bites onto it. The security people encounter Team Rocket and they decide they should make a run for it. Ash's group show up and see Team Rocket there. James has Weezing run a smokescreen so they can make their getaway, and they do. Back in the Mansion, the lady shows them another male Snubbull who she's planning to get her Snubbull to marry. This Snubbull is very snobbish and always chews his gourmet bones. As the lady and the other lady that owns the male Snubbull talk over their Snubbulls, Brock pops out of the bushes to proclaim to the both of them how Snubbull's feelings aren't being considered, and maybe she doesn't want to marry. Ash and Misty are there too, trying to convince them to do the best for Snubbull, just as Team Rocket show up again to take Snubbull. They lower Meowth towards them so that Snubbull will bite onto his tail, when they get the bite, they make a getaway throwing automatic leg and arm traps at the gang so they can't do anything. They find themselves in a tool shed waiting for their balloon to fill, which upsets Jessie and James very much, and Snubbull seems to like Meowth, and just then bites his tail again. Meowth running around in pain runs out of the shed, just to get them caught. They battle to save themselves, and they're losing, just as they see their balloon to barely escape (with nothing) Ash decides to have Heracross punt them off into the air, just to make things even more unpleasant for them and they blast off again. The lady, who had learned from the previous battle that her Snubbull was full of energy and needed freedom, had Snubbull a larger area in the grass where she could play and be free. Just as the lady gets ideas to expand the area with all sorts of frills, and clutter, Snubbull hears this and runs off through a shrub away to another place.

Episode 125 (The Little Big Horn)

Wandering through a small park in the middle of a big city, the gang encounter a Stantler in the bushes. Brock tries to get closer to it trying to act like a Stantler. Brock notices he's injured and starts by trying to give the Stantler some food. Just then, it releases a somewhat nice smelling gas from it's antlers, and then Ash and Misty notice a huge herd of them in the bushes ready to attack, when Brock notices he starts running as do the rest of them, until the herd mysteriously disappears. They discuss it with Officer Jenny who informs them that this has been going on for a while. Team Rocket runs by as well, being chased by the herd, but they look back to see nothing. However, they see the little Stantler again who releases more of the gas, and the herd once again appear. Brock notices the angry Stantler running right through lamp poles and buildings realizing that it couldn't be real. He stands directly in front of the herd, potentially allowing himself to be trampled, but they pass right through him and fade. The little Stantler was hurt and scared, so it was releasing gas to cause hallucinations of a huge herd to protect itself from any potential threats. They all take the Stantler into the police station and Brock treats the Stantler's injured leg. The next day, Brock releases Stantler into the forest to find his parents, but it doesn't want to leave. Brock is tough with the Stantler and orders it away from them. Just as the gang are walking away, and the Stantler hopefully headed towards his parents, Team Rocket drop in with a large robot (again) to capture the Stantler. Brock and the gang rush back to try to stop this. Brock is stopped by a barrage of long sharp arrows that end up missing him and forming a tall blockade in front of him. Ash has Pikachu attack the balloon, and the thunderbolt just misses them. It seems they'll be getting away until another Stantler attacks TR's balloon by jumping at it from a tall cliff. As the Stantler's falling, Ash tries to save him getting Bulbasaur to grab him with vines, but the net breaks, so Brock runs to catch him, and makes a jump to save Stantler from falling and they're both okay. Stantler is returned to his family, and Brock bids farewell to Stantler.

Episode 126 (The Chikorita Rescue)

The gang are walking up a road when they spot a huge snowy mountain off in the distance. They get ideas about going skiing until Ash spots a wild Chikorita, after making sure it didn't belong to anyone ^^; Ash challenged the Chikorita with Bulbasaur who seemed to be winning until he was a little distracted and Chikorita knocked him out with her vines. Ash brought out Charizard who although seeming to be too much for Chikorita was pulled down, and then in the battle hurled towards the edge of some high ground, but in the process Chikorita was pulled along with Charizard. Ash called back Charizard and hurried Chikorita to the Pokémon Center having his arm bitten along the way. Being treated in the center, two people: one with long red hair, another with short blue hair ^_^ burst in to take Chikorita saying it's an emergency, so when Nurse Joy of the Pokémon Center comes out to ask about them they pull off their disguises revealing themselves as Team Rocket. They drive away with Weezing doing a smokescreen all the way. Ash and Pikachu rush to cut them off and they jump onto the top of their ambulance. Ash follows them to a small cabin (doesn't TR always have some sort of getaway cabin!?) Ash hides in the bushes with Pikachu to devise a plan. He can't use any Pokémon (except Pikachu) because he forgot his Pokéballs. He and Pikachu burst into the cabin just as they just about have Chikorita tricked into signing a contract with Team Rocket. Ash throws some snowballs at them and has Pikachu get Chikorita out, until Meowth catches Pikachu and Chikorita in his trap. Ash runs out and also gets caught. They all try to run (in different directions) and Ash slips, falls, and drags Chikorita and Pikachu with him down a snowy cliff side. They form into a snowball and crash into a tree. The rope breaks separating them and they fall to the ground, and the snowball covers them as TR drive by searching for them. Then, they pop out and look for a place to go, but Chikorita runs off. Ash and Pikachu find a small cave and get a fire going. Ash thinks of Chikorita and goes out looking, he sees something, but only two Nidoran in love. He falls down when the snow crumbles beneath his feet and there he sees Chikorita standing there cold and lonely. Ash offers to Chikorita to come along with him, and this time Chikorita seems quite happy to do so. They go together back to the cave where Pikachu waits and stay until the storm ends. When they come out after, Team Rocket is there to greet them, Meowth has a snowball gun machine. They fire a snowball at Ash. Chikorita stops the next bunch of snowballs. Then by Ash's command and despite their last minute final offer to get Chikorita to join Team Rocket, Chikorita whips on Meowth's snowball gun machine ruining it and causing random snowball firing in all directions until the thing just blows and they all blast off again. Nurse Joy and the others come up to meet them and they all return to the Pokémon center. Just as Ash and the gang are going to continue along, Chikorita rushes to join Ash. So, Chikorita becomes part of the team.

Episode 127 (Once in a Blue Moon)

Ash and the gang have stopped at a small river by Cherrygrove City while Ash is cleaning his Pokéballs. He's finished and leaves them by the river for a moment while he goes to take a break. Pikachu notices a Quagsire pop up out of the river. The Quagsire takes the GS Ball and swims off. They all chase after it to retrieve the very important GS Ball, Ash gets Squirtle after Quagsire in the water, and just as he retrieves the ball, Squirtle and Quagsire are still battling. Misty thinks she'll catch the Quagsire, but just then Officer Jenny blows the whistle at them putting them under arrest for violating laws about trying to catch Quagsire. Back at the station, Professor Oak informs Jenny over the phone that they didn't know and has them promise to not do that again. The Quagsire only live in the cleanest water and the residents of Cherrygrove use them as a test of the water's purity. Also, around this time of year, the Quagsire steal various round objects from people but they always float back downstream so the owners can pick them up. They are said to bring good luck to those people and the last one to float down is the most luckiest. Just then, a Quagsire pops up on the window of the police station, but Ash won't allow the GS Ball to be taken. Later on, crossing a bridge, Ash and co. are approached by the same Quagsire. Quagsire leaps onto Ash and so he calls out Chikorita to save him, and she violently protects Ash. Quagsire manages to slip away with the GS Ball and gets away. Ash and the gang decide to follow the Quagsire upstream to find the GS Ball. Meanwhile, Team Rocket are hanging around and Meowth has taken interest in a round ball. A Quagsire approaches him and takes it. Jessie and James get ready to battle the Quagsire for Meowth's ball but they steal their Pokéballs before they get the chance. They chase the Quagsire up the stream. At the top there are many Quagsire examining their various round things and Ash spots the one who has the GS Ball. Team Rocket get a plan to steal the Quagsire and get Pikachu. They float in with the balloon and start grabbing Quagsire, except they keep slipping out. They go to plan B, which is just a huge net. They also grab at Pikachu. The remaining Quagsire then fight to save their other Quagsire friends by blowing rocks at Team Rocket with little water gun blasts. Pikachu is knocked free and Ash catches him. Ash has Bulbasaur cut the net holding the Quagsire freeing them. Then, the Quagsire blow a big rock at their balloon so Team Rocket will once again blast off into the air. The Quagsire swim upstream with their round objects up to a waterfall. The Quagsire have a little ceremony where they blow their round objects up the waterfall into the air. The GS Ball is blown highest, and then it floats back down the stream. Ash and the gang chase after it once again, all the way down the stream. The next morning all the people of Cherrygrove are waiting to retrieve their things and the GS Ball floats by. Nobody knows what it is or who owns it as Ash and the gang tiredly run to get it. Officer Jenny picks the ball out of the water and hands it to Ash. The people are glad for Ash as since his ball was the last to float downstream he'll have the best luck of all.

Episode 128 (The Whistle Stop)

The gang are continuing on their way through Johto as they encounter a bridge. Team Rocket is hiding under the bridge with a trap set to catch them in a cage hidden beneath the bridge. They start dancing around in their excitement and the cage they stand atop attached to the bridge pulls the middle of the bridge it's connected to down and Team Rocket wash out. When Ash and the gang reach the bridge, they can't get across because of this. Just then they see a girl fly in supported by a team of Ledyba. She has the Ledyba ferry the group across the bridge and once on the other side they watch as the Ledyba do their daily job of pollinating the apple orchard. Once Ash learns just what pollination is, he volunteers Heracross to help them, but all Heracross cares about is sap. Just then, Team Rocket snatch the whistle that the girl used to control the Ledyba, but soon discover there's a lot more to controlling them than just the whistle. The Ledyba get confused because of Lickitung's supersonic attack and so Ash gets Pikachu to shock the balloon which works and they blast off again. In the process, the Ledyba managed to fly off somewhere else though because they were confused and scared. Where Team Rocket crashed, Jessie is trying to play the whistle, but can't. Meowth tries, and although doesn't succeed. He does manage to make it produce a tone that gets to Arbok. Meowth is able to command Arbok around just as they spot the Ledyba and they're able to tie them up onto a 5-way rope. The Ledyba start to fly with Team Rocket attached and they get coated in an orange powder the Ledyba released and then get dragged away by the Ledyba. Ash and co. are trying to search until the girl smells the scent. Pikachu climbs way up to the top of the trees and spots the orange fog. They all go to investigate and follow the trail to Team Rocket. They had just stopped the Ledyba because Arbok wrapped himself around the tree while holding the rope. They catch Ash and co. in a rope and everything seems hopeless. The girl tries to command her Ledyba without the whistle and it works. The Ledyba escape Team Rocket and then Ash has Bulbasaur cut them out of the rope. The gang are freed, the girl realizes that she can command her Ledyba without the whistle and the gang continue on their way.

Episode 129 (Ignorance is Blissey)

The gang arrive upon a small place called Happy Town. They are tired and hungry and looking for a place to stay. Ash spots a Pokémon center and they run for it. The doors are locked when they arrive but a Blissey opens the door bashing Ash in the head. When they get inside they indicate how hungry they are and Blissey rushes in with trays of food stacked high dancing in happily. Unfortunately, Blissey dances too happily and the food tumbles down onto Ash. Ash then goes into the bath to wash up and so Blissey offers to scrub his back. Blissey takes a hard broom and scrapes Ash's back. Ash is laying on the bed with a badly scratched back and Blissey offers a pad dripping with alcohol and splashes it onto poor Ash's scratched back. Nurse Joy comes out from a nap to see if anything has happened to discover a bandaged and horribly injured Ash. Blissey tried, but only hurt Ash although Blissey was trying to help. Just then, Team Rocket break into the Pokémon center to steal the Pokémon and get some food. Blissey spots Jessie and chases after her, she runs and then Blissey catches her. Blissey was an old friend of Jessie's. When Jessie was a young girl, she enrolled in a Pokémon Nurse school intended only for Chanseys. Unfortunately, Jessie couldn't do the same things that Chanseys could and fell asleep while the other Chanseys were singing to lull practice patients to sleep. The teacher was not happy with this and very unforgiving. Jessie could not graduate and so left the school. Jessie had become good friends with a Chansey there and while leaving this Chansey ran to catch up with Jessie. Chansey offered her nurses cap to Jessie, but she didn't take it. So, Chansey broke the egg pendant she wore and gave half to Jessie. This Blissey was that Chansey years ago. Blissey is happy for her old friend and gives Team Rocket all of the food in the Pokémon center pantry. They get away with it and when the next morning comes, there is no food left for Ash and the gang. Nurse Joy knows that the pantry was full the other day and checks the security cam. It shows Blissey happily carting all the food away (fails to show the other end with Team Rocket). It seems Blissey is in trouble. Jessie spots this from the balloon and so she, James and Meowth offer to help out Blissey by tricking them into believing they tricked Blissey into giving up the food. Blissey spots Jessie again as she's doing this and runs toward her. Jessie is scared it will ruin Blissey's reputation to have a friend in Team Rocket and so has Arbok and Lickitung attack Blissey. Blissey is hurt but keeps coming. Jessie didn't want Blissey to get hurt so has them attack again but only pretending. Ash's Pokémon attack them and Blissey's name is cleared. Blissey is aware of the favor Jessie did for her and is really happy. Team Rocket blast off again and without the food. Blissey will remember her friend Jessie and what she did for her. Then Ash and the others have a meal in the Pokémon center.

Episode 130 (A Bout With Sprout)

The group arrive in Violet city and walking along two kids start fighting over Ash's Pikachu. They both really want to play with Pikachu and as they pull Pikachu wants out and as he's just about to shock the both of them Ash grabs Pikachu and takes the full blast. The school teacher comes running to see if the kids are okay. She introduces the Pokémon academy, it's a school for little kids that want to become Pokémon trainers and so they all go into the classroom and Ash attempts a speech on Pokémon training. The owner of the school, who really likes to dance, starts twirling. When the teacher states that she admires his dancing, Brock gives it a try to impress her. After the classroom, they all go outside and Ash, Misty and Brock call out most of their Pokémon for the kids to play with. Since Chikorita loves Ash so much she just clings to his leg pushing Pikachu aside. A little boy starts talking to Pikachu and tells Pikachu to forget Ash and go with him. Pikachu won't, and so he tackles Pikachu to keep for himself. Pikachu shocks him and Ash comes running to see what's up. The boy asks Ash for Pikachu, but he won't give. The boy sees an opportunity and jacks a Pokéball from Ash's belt. Pikachu runs off towards the forest and the boy chases after him. In the forest, Pikachu is rustling through the bushes. The boy sees this and throws the Pokéball. He tosses it and there's a flash that he successfully caught a Pokémon. Ash catches up just as this happens and is scared the boy just caught Pikachu. Just then Ash tries to get the Pokéball back from the boy and just then they fall into a hole dug by Team Rocket. The boy throws his Pokéball to get Pikachu to shock Team Rocket. When the ball opens, out comes a Bellsprout. Apparently, he hadn't caught Pikachu after all. Team Rocket use their voice faking megaphones the same as from the K-9 Caper episode and fake Ash's voice in trouble. Pikachu comes running out to help and then the real Ash calls out from the hole warning Pikachu it's just a trap and Pikachu jumps out of the way of the incoming net. Ash and the boy use the net to escape the hole. Pikachu blasts Team Rocket and they blow off into the air. They crash on top of the Sprout Tower where meanwhile Misty, Brock and the rest of the class were visiting. They notice the swaying beam in the middle and it's quite amazing how it supports the building. Ash and the boy are on their way to the tower and the boy is upset about his Bellsprout. He wanted Pikachu and this wouldn't do. Bellsprout is fond of his new trainer, and after a little convincing, the boy starts to take a liking to Bellsprout. Back at Sprout Tower James has Weezing blow a smoke screen through the building convincing the people downstairs it's a fire. They rush out of the building just as Ash and the boy get there. Ash and Misty get Squirtle and Poliwag to Water Gun in order to put out what they think is a fire. It doesn't work at all so they call the Pokémon back. Team Rocket reveal themselves just as the smoke dies down after a while. They have tied a giant rocket to the swaying beam in the middle to blow the entire tower into the air if Ash doesn't give them Pikachu. Pikachu sees this and willingly goes to Jessie. He tries to shock her, except she's holding Pikachu through rubber gloves and doesn't get shocked. The boy's Bellsprout gets an idea and the boy orders a Razor Leaf attack from Bellsprout. He successfully knocks the rocket remote out of Meowth's hands. They acquire it and so in desperation Team Rocket hop onto the Rocket with Pikachu to get away and manually start the rocket. Bellsprout does another Razor Leaf to set Pikachu free from the rope and Ash catches him. After enough Leaves go flying at the rocket, it's broken loose and the Rocket goes flying off all around without the building attached. After shaking awhile, Sprout Tower settles and the beam goes back in place. Everything is well below, and Team Rocket is cruising smoothly through the air on their rocket. Just then, it explodes and so does Team Rocket. Just as Ash and the group are leaving the school, they say their goodbyes and Brock would like to stay with the teacher, but he can only if he teaches twirling and dancing with Earl. He passes on the offer and they all continue along towards the Violet City gym.

Episode 131 (Fighting Flyer With Fire)

Ash and friends arrive at the Violet City gym just as two suspicious people (Jessie and James in suits and glasses) come up to them claiming they have to check Ash's Pokémon before participation in a gym battle. They run off with Pikachu and reveal themselves as Team Rocket. Ash chooses Heracross to retrieve Pikachu, but Meowth has a bottle of sap ready for Heracross to suck on and distract him. The balloon continues to float away until a man with a hand glider flies in with a Hoot Hoot who retrieves Pikachu from Team Rocket. Jessie retaliates by getting Arbok to shred his glider, but he calls out his Pidgeot to fly on and they attack the balloon sending Team Rocket off into the air. The man lands and returns Pikachu to Ash. They have a discussion about flying Pokémon where Ash talks about his Pidgeot that is still residing in the forest around Pallet Town. After their talk, he states he is the Violet City gym leader, his name is Falkner. They're all surprised, but Ash is ready to battle. They enter the gym and ride an elevator to the gym stadium for their battle. When they get there Falkner starts with his Hoot Hoot. Ash starts with Chikorita, who's happy as ever to be around her trainer. Falkner criticizes Ash for choosing a Pokémon with a serious type disadvantage, and he's right. The battle begins and Chikorita is defeated easily. Ash then chooses Pikachu to continue the fight. Now Ash has the type advantage and defeats the Hoot Hoot. Falkner chooses a Dodrio as his next Pokémon and somehow Ash is shocked that it can fly. (I must admit it looks really funny in Pokémon Stadium when one uses fly and it's sorta floating in the air ^_^) Anyway, after a tough and tiring fight, Pikachu defeats the Dodrio as well. Falkner chooses his last Pokémon, Pidgeot who is a formidable contender. Pidgeot is too fast for the tired Pikachu and successfully defeats him. Ash then chooses his final Pokémon to battle with, it is Charizard. He starts with a Flamethrower that the enemy Pidgeot blows back in his direction hurting only himself. Ash asks Charizard to fly, but apparently his wing is hurt and he can't. Ash has faith in Charizard and fortunately he works out his wing problem and takes off. Pidgeot is continuing to beat Charizard by fastly flying behind and doing a quick attack. Ash gets an idea to use Pidgeot's strategy against her and tells Charizard to fly and then just as Pidgeot does her Agility, Charizard shoots a Fire Spin directly behind him where Pidgeot gets caught in it. Pidgeot falls to the ground, fainted. Ash wins the match against Falkner who is quite surprised. Outside the gym afterwards, he awards Ash his Zephyr badge and so they continue onward and ahead on Ash's journey for Johto badges.

Episode 132 (For Crying Out Loud)

Ash and the gang continue on their way in through the forest decided to next approach Azalea town where the next Gym is as well as where Kurt lives, the one Ash must get the GS Ball to. They notice the houses across a lake and Brock decides that this is the place he'll finally meet a girlfriend, saying this because he'd already spotted a girl standing by a cliff with a parasol in hand. They turn around to see a Marill that jumps out of a bush. Misty particularly likes her and tosses a Pokéball at Marill. It just sorta hits her in the head hurting the poor Marill quite a bit so she starts crying, really loudly. Brock comforts the crying Marill and she becomes happy again. Misty takes Marill and apologizes, but Marill starts crying loudly again. Brock takes Marill back which instantly cheers her up. Just then, a truck drives by offering the gang a ride. The two drivers are none other than Team Rocket made up in a disguise that somehow fools them. They all pile into the semi-attached trailer and just then electrically controlled hands reach out and grab Pikachu and Marill. The truck then drives off without the trailer leaving the kids behind as Team Rocket reveal themselves to the kids. Marill starts crying loudly causing Meowth to lose control of the truck and they go flying off the edge of a cliff blasting into the air. Marill and Pikachu go down the steep cliff to which Ash chases after them, he stumbles with Misty close behind she runs for them, but stumbles as well, all the way to the edge where she falls into a passing river below. Meanwhile the girl from the cliff runs to catch up with them angry because her Marill is missing. She interrogates Ash about Marill and Brock intervenes describing the whole situation. The girl's name is Wilimena Brock having the same last name as Brock's first name. While this is going on, Misty has managed to get herself, Pikachu and Marill out of the river. All Marill can do is cry though, which drives Misty to yell sternly at the crying Pokémon. Marill becomes upset and runs off. Misty chases after Marill determined not to lose her. Marill trips and lands on the ground, Misty tries to comfort the hurt, crying Pokémon, but Marill remains mad at Misty. Later on, they're walking along and Misty gets the idea that maybe Marill can use her supersonic hearing to find her trainer. Marill's ears pop and pop, but nothing comes up. The impatient Misty yells at Marill making her cry again. Meanwhile Ash, Brock and Wilimena are wandering in search of Misty, Pikachu and Marill. Wilimena blames herself for all this and is worried about Marill. Brock assures her that he'll stay right by her side until they can get Marill back. It seems Wilimena really likes Brock as Togepi jumps out of Ash's arms he spots a ribbon that could lead them to Misty. Wilimena recognizes it as the ribbon her Marill had tied around her tail. Misty, Pikachu and Marill have stopped a while, as Pikachu and Marill eat, some Butterfree pass by, and Marill runs off after them. Marill comes upon a clearing with flowers and the Butterfree are around the flowers, Marill shoots at the Butterfree playfully with a water gun, and Misty catches up to see this going on. It seems however that Marill's water has disturbed the bugs in the area, and there are Caterpie and Weedle crawling out, but what really is a problem is the many Beedrill that have been disturbed from their flowers and are now angry to give chase to Misty, Pikachu and Marill. As they're running, they pass Ash, Brock and Wilimena, reunited for a very brief time, they keep running and Ash, Brock and Wilimena have no choice but to duck underneath the Beedrill to let them pass. They continue to give chase to Misty, but deciding to fight back, Misty orders Pikachu to thundershock the Beedrill. They're thoroughly shocked by that and scatter off to elsewhere. Just then, rain begins to fall, it seems that just in the nick of time, a big thunder storm has started. Ash, Brock and Wilimena take shelter under a big tall tree (which may as well be begging to be struck by lightning..). Brock is upset knowing that he'll be parting with Wilimena after they find Marill. They all decide to wait under this tree until the storm passes. Misty, Pikachu and Marill, also taking shelter beneath a tree, except inside a little cave-in. Marill is scared from the lightening and Misty continues to try comforting her. Marill bolts away into the bad storm. Just then, lightning strikes a large tree sending it slowly towards the ground. Misty yells at Marill to escape the falling tree, but the stupid thing just stares. Misty jumps out to save Marill and gets her out of the way just as the tree falls. Misty is mad at Marill for doing that, but glad she's alright. After the storm clears, Misty, Pikachu and Marill are crossing a shaky rope bridge, which only gets worse as Team Rocket show up intent to steal the Pokémon by shaking the bridge down with robotic hand things. James reaches some more hands out to grab Pikachu, and then Meowth does the same for Marill. Misty leaps to save Marill and pulls down the whole thing. After much hesitation, Meowth finally lets go sending Marill and Misty towards the passing water below. Just as Misty is about to land, Chikorita saves her and pulls her and Marill back up to where Brock, Ash and Wilimena stand. Chikorita brings down Team Rocket's balloon with a razor leaf and they crash down to the ground freeing Pikachu, only to start a fight. They battle, Misty almost getting hit with a poison sting, but Marill water guns it out of the way. Pikachu finishes things off shocking them and their balloon. The gas cylinder explodes and they all blast off again. Wilimena gets back her Marill, and invites them all to stay at her place for a while, Ash declines determined to continue on towards the next gym, much to Brock's dismay, they part with Wilimena and Marill. Misty will miss Marill, and she waves at her new Pokémon friend, as Wilimena's car drives off.

Episode 133 (Tanks A Lot)

Ash and the gang are all taking a rest under a tree. A Sentret which appears to be a young one comes by and takes interest in Togepi. Meanwhile, Team Rocket is rolling in with their new superweapon, the Arbotank. They spot them all under the tree and that they're all asleep. They decide to leave their tank so they can get closer and steal the Pokémon while they all sleep. It isn't long though after they get out that Sentret and Togepi wind up inside the tank. They then start rolling around with it, all for fun. Jessie, James and Meowth run to chase after the runaway tank. Just then, another Sentret comes to the group looking for Sentret and expresses concern to them, although they cannot understand it, they figure it involves Togepi, since he's missing and so they go to look him. When they're running they come across Team Rocket as they continue to chase their tank, they inform the group that Togepi and Sentret are inside the tank. Brock gathers all of them to come up with a plan to stop the Arbotank. Militarily dressed, they prepare to execute a plan of digging a pothole along the tank's path, and making a huge pool of mud inside to stop the tank, they would load it up with rocks and dirt, and have their Pokémon blast it with water to make the mud. They're doing this just as the tank is approaching, and Brock warns them of the oncoming tank, just when the tank goes over and splashes into the mud, they think they've gotten it, Pikachu hops in to look around with Ash behind, but a surge of electricity gets the tank going, knocking Ash to the ground and trapping Pikachu inside. It then all too conviniently plows a way out of the pit in it's path. Just then, Team Rocket pop up to announce that the tank will magically disappear. It turns out they dug a giant hole. With that, after a slightly disturbing display by Team Rocket, Meowth jumps to board the tank and hops in. Meowth is greeted with a Thunderbolt from Pikachu. The tank continues along and eventually comes to a mountain blocking it's path. No problem, Togepi uses metronome on the mountain and the random attack seems to make a nice little cave. The Arbotank effortlessly continues through the mountain using the built in rock driller and eventually comes out the other side. Brock's next strategy is to get Charizard in front of it to push as hard as he can to slow the Arbotank to a stop. Sentret helps as does Onix from the other side. Charizard blasts the window on the front with a Flamethrower attack and all the Pokémon inside escape the tank, except Meowth. The tank is about to explode and so Jessie and James rush in to attempt to prevent the explosion of the tank that cost all the money they had left. They of course can't prevent the ready to blow tank from exploding and they blast off again. Officer Jenny from the town below came up then to ask Ash and the gang if they knew who was responsible for that hole in the mountain. Ash gives him and his group credit for the path made through the mountain although it was actually the work of Togepi and Sentret in the Arbotank. Anyway, Officer Jenny thanks them for making a faster route to Violet City and so it seems that the Arbotank was useful for something.

Episode 134 (Charizard's Burning Ambitions)

Ash and friends are becoming quite tired of their journey. Meanwhile, Team Rocket watch as Meowth sees this as the perfect chance to strike. Unfortunately the facts are that they have so many Pokemon, and a Charizard. All they've got are good ol' Weezing and Arbok, Lickitung, Victreebel and of course Meowth. It's unfair! So, as the gang continue to walk through the canyons they begin to discuss how maybe always using Charizard is sorta unfair. This is followed up by Team Rocket screaming that out at the top of their lungs to be heard echoing through great distances. Brock demonstrates the echoing-ness of the area yelling out "Hello!!" and then a girl comes upon them having heard the echoing. She was anxious to meet the trainer that had a Charizard who beat the gym leader in Violet city, and Ash is that trainer. She invites them to follow her and Charla (her Charizard) into the Charicific valley, a place where wild Charizard train against each other in harsh battles. Ash and Charizard seem to have a hard time reaching the place, and Team Rocket sorta just slide there way towards the place as well, following the rest of the group. Ash and Charizard make it just in time, embarassing themselves as Charizard shows up his flames. Ash has to jump in the water to put his fire out. When they open the giant doors into the valley they see all the tough Charizard going at it, living and battling through their lives. Charizard decides to start picking on them to have battles to prove how good he is. The first one just sorta sucks up his fire and blows it back at him. Then when he goes to pick on the supposedly gentlest one in the valley, he gets a tail slammed into his neck sending him flying into the rocky edges of the place. Charizard gets back up to fight some more, but continues to take some harsh abuse from that Charizard.. he's thrown out, but gets back up to bang on the doors. When he takes on Charla, she just tosses him into the lake. Charizard stands there, in the water helplessly crying. Determined to be better, Charizard stands in the water over night, Team Rocket watch on with all their sympathy going out to Charizard. They throw rocks to keep him awake. In the morning, Charizard is still standing and awake, having made it through the night. Team Rocket decide to attack the valley, to provoke an attack from Charizard so he can beat them. Team Rocket do this out of kindness to Charizard in secret, so that he can feel better about himself, as their giant robot that sorta looks like a bug catcher dude is heated and they blast off into the air, they're content to have been beaten by Charizard. The doors of the valley open up and they decide to allow Charizard into the valley, not because he beat Team Rocket, but because he has shown he wants to be great. Ash sees this as a great opportunity for Charizard, so to get rid of him, lies telling Charizard he doesn't need such a weak Charizard anyway, can get along just fine without him. Harsh words, but Pikachu confirms with Charizard that everything is okay, and Charizard seems to be content to look forward to a new life in the valley. Ash will miss Charizard, but keeps on running away, in case he has a last minute change of heart.

Episode 135 (Grin to Win!)

The heat seems to be getting to Ash and co as they're all very thirsty. They spot a water pipe along the way, wondering if it's a mirage, but fortunately it's real as a girl walks by to tighten the piping to fix a leak. They ask for some water from the pipe, it's no problem and the girl gives it to them. Brock likes the girl as he always does, and offers to tighten the pipe for her, getting splashed with water in his face as he tightens it. Back at her house, they see her turn on the water and some Sunflora come out to play in it as they get watered. They're in a village where there are many Sunflora and they have an annual competition for who's Sunflora has the biggest smile. One of her Sunflora, however has been sad lately. Meanwhile, during the night, Team Rocket break into another greenhouse of Sunflora, owned by a guy who'd been a common winner of the annual Sunflora competition. James happens to be able to identify all the unique features of each one, in order to pick the best one to steal, for winning the competition. The grand prize is a year's supply of noodles, something the starved Team Rocket could really use. Meowth just happens to run into an alarm trigger button and this causes a net to land on top of him. Jessie and James make a run for it, and the guy comes in to find only Meowth. When Ash and the group come to check out what the noise is all about, they find him with Meowth. Misty gets the guy to release Meowth into her custody and she's got a plan. They get Meowth to act as a translator to tell them what's bothering the girl's sad Sunflora. It seems another Sunflora he liked was traded away and missing the other Sunflora made him sad. They trace the other Sunflora to the local Pokémon Center where a Nurse Joy has it. Sunflora cheers right up, to be with his friend. The next day at the competition, all the Sunflora are there including Team Rocket with Meowth dressed as a Sunflora. As the contest begins, the judges decide between the guy who'd won before, with still an excellent and oddly tall Sunflora, the girl with her now happy Sunflora, and also Meowth dressed as a Sunflora. Just as the judging went underway, Snubbull popped up at the wrong moment to bite Meowth's tail, revealing him as a fake. They've got a back-up plan, though, and pop-up some reflective panels to concentrate the sun directly into the field making all the Sunflora's heads get bigger and they all fell over. Team Rocket try to make off with the noodles, but Ash and his Pokémon try to stop them. Ash gets Pikachu to use thunderbolt, but the ever increasingly jealous Chikorita punts Pikachu aside causing him to instead blow out the reflective panels. Oh well, it helped the situation anyway. From all that sun, it was pretty easy for the girl to get her Sunflora to attack Team Rocket with Solarbeam, and so, she did. Team Rocket blasted off into the air, and the competition continued. Of course, her Sunflora won because it was smiling the best and saved them all from Team Rocket. Meanwhile, Snubbull is not too happy, and continues her search for Meowth so she can perhaps again sink her teeth into Meowth's soft, chewy tail.