AG138: Difference between revisions

While traveling toward the [[Battle Arena]], {{Ash}} and {{ashfr}} are caught in a net and suspended in a tree. They first suspect that this is {{TRT}}'s doing, but {{an|Brock}} thinks it may be something else. A {{p|Loudred}} appears, followed by its {{pkmn|Trainer}}, [[Mitch Mitchum|Mitch]], who apologizes for the mix-up. After getting Ash and his friends down and bringing them inside his cabin, he gives them his business card, which describes him as a professional [[Pokéblock]] taster. An intrigued May checks out Mitch's Loudred on her [[Pokédex]]. Mitch makes it up to them by letting their Pokémon try some of his company's Pokéblock, which the Pokémon eat.

Ash asks Mitch why he left the company and who the trap was set for, which he hesitates to answer. Suddenly, the Pokémon—except for {{TP|May|Munchlax}}, who is still eating—sense something coming from the bushes. A {{p|Jigglypuff}} emerges, and Mitch declares that he will handle it, ordering Loudred to use {{m|Mega Punch}}. The blow lands, but Jigglypuff bounces right back into action. Mitch then calls for {{m|Hyper Voice}}, but Loudred is [[Infatuation|infatuated]] with Jigglypuff and unable to attack due to Jigglypuff's {{a|Cute Charm}} [[Ability]]. Jigglypuff giggles and unleashes a surprising {{m|Flamethrower}}, followed quickly by {{m|Sing}}, lulling everyone but Loudred to sleep. Jigglypuff laughs and escapes, prompting Loudred to snap out of its infatuation and wake Mitch up, who immediately expresses his anger over failing to capture Jigglypuff yet again.

While the Pokémon are used as sentries around the cabin, Ash and his friends ask Mitch why he's out here. Mitch explains that he requested leave from his job six months ago to catch his daughter [[Lisa Mitchum|Lisa]] a Jigglypuff for her fifth birthday, which was her only request. He left home to go to the woods in which he knew that Jigglypuff lived. Being an amateur Trainer, Mitch at first simply tried throwing {{i|Poké Ball}} after Poké Ball at one particular Jigglypuff he had found, failing each time. Even after catching his Loudred, whose {{a|Soundproof}} Ability would be useful, the Jigglypuff has continued to outsmart him. Mitch then reveals that Lisa's birthday is tomorrow, but he has already written to her saying that he would not be home for her birthday because he promised to get her a Jigglypuff. Ash and his friends agree to help Mitch capture Jigglypuff.  

Team Rocket is listening in on their conversation using audio equipment while eating rice balls when Jigglypuff shows up next to them. They try to catch it, but Flamethrower makes them toast. They get back up to go after it, but Jigglypuff puts [[Jessie]], [[James]], Meowth, and {{TP|Jessie|Wobbuffet}} to sleep. Loudred and {{TP|Brock|Mudkip}} alert Ash, his friends, and Mitch to the scene. Mitch and Ash challenge Jigglypuff to a battle using Loudred and {{AP|Pikachu}}. [[Max]] warns Ash not to attack it directly and Brock suggests to Mitch that he use {{m|Uproar}} to render Sing ineffective. Uproar hits, but Jigglypuff hardly notices it. Pikachu uses {{m|Thunderbolt}}, but Jigglypuff jumps high into the air and hits Pikachu twice with {{m|Rollout}}. The third Rollout hits Team Rocket, waking them up and sending Meowth and Wobbuffet into Loudred's ears. Team Rocket recites their {{motto}} but gets interrupted by Mitch, who thinks that they are Ash's friends and hands them his business cards. Loudred blasts the two Pokémon out of its ears, hitting Jessie and James and sending them all blasting off. Jigglypuff escapes, but Brock suggests that outsmarting it might be better than battling it.

They set out a bowl of Brock's special [[Pokémon food]] as bait, but Jigglypuff does not care for it, to Brock's dismay. May then tries to offer it {{an|Professor Oak}}'s Pink Surprise Pokéblock, but Munchlax swipes it away in a flash. After thinking for a bit, Max figures out a plan to put Jigglypuff to sleep, making it easier to capture. As part of the plan, Mitch lures Jigglypuff into a battle. Loudred's Hyper Voice hits Jigglypuff, at which point Ash says that it can only escape now by using Rollout. Sure enough, it does and rolls straight toward Loudred, who dodges at the last second. Unable to stop itself, Jigglypuff rolls into the metal-clad cabin. Ash and Brock promptly shut the door behind it. Pikachu appears inside as well and uses Thunderbolt, which reflects many times but still misses. Jigglypuff uses Flamethrower, which also bounces around, hitting neither Pokémon. Jigglypuff bounces off the walls, dodging Thunderbolts until it slams into Pikachu. Both land on the floor, but Jigglypuff begins to Sing. Pikachu drifts off to sleep, but the metal also reflects the musical notes, sending Jigglypuff to sleep too. Ash awakens Pikachu and Brock urges Mitch that now is his chance. However, he realizes that Jigglypuff would be better off living freely in the forest and decides not to catch it. Mitch believes that Loudred would be a good enough present and the group leaves the woods. Jigglypuff wakes up later that night to a full bowl of Pokémon food but appears saddened.