EP079: Difference between revisions

After foiling one of {{TRT}}'s heists in the [[EP078|last episode]], {{Ash}} and [[Ritchie]] are {{pkmn|battle|battling}} against each other in the fifth round of the [[Indigo League]]. Overnight, {{an|Brock}} and {{an|Misty}} research Ritchie to gain some insight into his battling style, and are surprised to see that he did not lose any Pokémon in the previous four rounds of competition. Misty notes that Ash is in trouble because of Ritchie's Pokémon type diversity. Ash is unfazed by {{ashfr}} comments and remains confident in his abilities.

The following day, Ash goes to pick up his [[Poké Balls]] and encounters Ritchie on the way, like Ash he is also a little shaken by going up against a friend. [[Nurse Joy]] thinks that Ash is lucky he gets to battle a friend, and he and Ritchie vow to make it the best battle they've had. Unfortunately for Ash, Team Rocket lure him into meeting them with a fake phone call using a voice changer device to sound like Ritchie. They kidnap him and load him into the back of their truck. Faced with the threat of missing his upcoming battle against Ritchie, Ash uses {{AP|Squirtle}} to flood the entire truck, and escapes when the truck hits a roadside guard rail. Team Rocket returns, but Ash uses his {{AP|Bulbasaur}}'s {{m|Vine Whip}} to defeat them. They return yet again, with bikes. {{AP|Pikachu}} uses {{m|ThunderShock}} to {{status|paralyze}} them.  

At the stadium, Ritchie has already made his entrance onto the [[Indigo Plateau]] battlefield to a warm welcome from the crowd, with no Ash in sight. Misty confronts Ritchie on the stadium battlefield over the morning's rude phone call, suspecting he scared Ash off with his words to win. He denies he made the phone, and Misty realizes something has gone amiss. Team Rocket return a final time with a claw attached to their [[Team Rocket's mechas#Meowth Hot Air Balloon]] and pursue Ash on the bike he stole from them. They lift him into the air. Ash calls out {{AP|Pidgeotto}} to fly Pikachu up into their air balloon, where Pikachu uses {{m|Thunderbolt}} on them, and they drop into the forest. Ash orders Pidgeotto to fly the Meowth balloon to the Pokémon stadium.

Meanwhile, Ritchie and everyone else is awaiting for Ash's arrival. Everybody is getting tired of waiting and the referee approaches Ritchie to inform him that Ash will be disqualified for not turning up and Ritchie will win the match by default. Ritchie tells the referee that he and Ash promised each other a great battle and that Ash must have a good reason for not being there but he is certain that his new friend will turn up. The referee, seeing that Ritchie is desperate that Ash not be disqualified, agrees to give Ash ten more minutes. Misty, Brock, {{Delia}} and {{an|Professor Oak}} are beginning to worry, but are proud of Ritchie. Delia and Professor Oak note that Ash certainly seems to choose his friends well.  

The ten minutes pass and there's still no sign of Ash. By now the referee has had enough and is about to disqualify Ash and award the match to Ritchie when suddenly Ash appears overhead in the Meowth balloon, certainly making quite an entrance. Ash's friends are very relieved, while Delia shouts at her son to apologize for keeping everyone waiting while Professor Oak tries to calm her down. Unfortunately Pidgeotto is exhausted from flying the entire Balloon to the stadium, and Ash thanks it for all its effort.  

The battle between Ash and Ritchie finally begins with Ash sending out Squirtle and Ritchie using {{DL|Ritchie|Happy}}. Happy defeats Squirtle easily with {{m|Sleep Powder}}, and the ringer counts this as an [[fainting|elimination]]. Ash is truly surprised to see that Pikachu has enough energy to battle. Pikachu is at a disadvantage due to his lack of energy, but wins after a Thunderbolt. Ritchie sends out [[Zippo]], who uses multiple {{m|Flamethrower}}s that Pikachu dodges. Then, Zippo uses {{m|Tackle}}, finally making Pikachu too weak to battle. Ash is left with only one Pokémon remaining and sends out the disobedient {{AP|Charizard}}. Everyone is shocked by Ash's choice, especially Brock and Misty, but to their surprise, Charizard battles after he is almost hit by Zippo's Flamethrower, by shooting a Flamethrower of his own. Ritchie recalls Zippo, which immediately eliminates him. Ritchie sends out [[Sparky]], who is ready for anything. Charizard stomps on the ground twice, then uses his wings to create a strong wind that pushes Sparky back. However, now it is satisfied it could defeat Sparky if it wanted, lies down to take a nap. Ash is desperate and begins to beg, but Charizard clearly has no intention of moving for a {{pkmn|Trainer}} it doesn't respect. The referee eliminates Charizard, giving Ritchie the victory. Ash is very upset, but manages to put a lid on his feelings in order to congratulate Ritchie and wish him luck. Ash's friends are proud of him for his attitude, and later Ash stands alone in the empty stadium, knowing that regardless of his loss he has still learned a lot.