EP008: Difference between revisions

{{Ash}}, {{an|Misty}}, and {{an|Brock}} are on their way to [[Vermilion City]]. Along the way, Ash has a battle with another {{pkmn|Trainer}}, and {{AP|Pidgeotto}} defeats a {{p|Rattata}}, securing Ash's 10th victory. The Trainer admires Ash's two Badges, leading Misty to muse that giving Ash the Badge may have been a mistake. The Trainer points Ash to an unofficial [[Gym]], where a strong Trainer named [[A.J.]] trains "savage Pokémon." A.J. has "never lost a single match," a challenge Ash cannot resist.

The sign outside A.J.'s Gym indicates that he has a record of 98 wins to zero losses, but that his Gym is not licensed by the [[Pokémon League]]. As Misty insults Ash, A.J. walks up and challenges Ash to a battle. A.J. snaps a whip, making Ash jump. He says that he plans to start competing for Badges after his 100^th win. Ash smugly tells him that he has ten wins and two Gym Badges, at which point A.J. insults the Gyms, calling them "Failure City" and "Wimpsville," angering Misty and Brock. A.J. summons his {{p|Sandshrew}} to battle against Ash's Pokémon. Misty reminds Ash that Pikachu's electricity is useless against a {{t|Ground}} Pokémon, but Ash rejects her advice. He summons Pidgeotto to battle Sandshrew. Brock notes that a {{t|Flying}} Pokémon should have the advantage. However, Sandshrew rolls itself into a ball and hurls itself into the air, striking and eliminating Pidgeotto.

Ash then calls out {{AP|Butterfree}}. Ash orders a {{m|Stun Spore}} attack, but A.J. cracks his whip and Sandshrew {{m|dig}}s underground, avoiding it. It bursts out of the ground, eliminating Butterfree as well. Although Ash wants Pikachu to fight, Pikachu grabs hold of the edge of the playing field and refuses to go, finally {{m|Thunder Shock|shocking}} Ash. While all of this is happening, {{TRT}} is spying on the match from a tree nearby. They decide they wanted to steal A.J.'s Sandshrew. Refusing to believe that anyone's Pokémon could be so strong, Ash accuses A.J. of cheating, as he obviously would have won in a fair fight. He demands that they have a rematch at another location, but A.J. tells him to quit whining. Later, Ash overhears A.J. training his Pokémon, yelling angrily and cracking his whip. Ash intervenes to stop A.J. from hurting the Pokémon, but A.J. tells him to mind his own business. His Sandshrew is wearing a "strength intensifier" invented by A.J. himself. It enables the Sandshrew to withstand the weakening effects of the water. A.J. says he's tougher on Sandshrew than his other Pokémon because it was his very first.

Appalled at A.J.'s training methods, Ash asserts that a great Pokémon Trainer should make friends with his Pokémon. He asks for Brock's input, but Brock only wants to know what kind of {{pkmn|food}} A.J. is using. A.J., like Brock, mixes his own food to a secret recipe. Pikachu attempts to pick up one of Sandshrew's dumbbells, but falls backward under the weight, while Sandshrew does rapid exercises. Meanwhile, Team Rocket is crouched behind A.J.'s tent, preparing for their attempted heist. After the training, A.J.'s Pokémon are all exhausted. A.J. insults Pikachu, and Ash takes a swing at him, dumping them both into the pool. Pikachu tries on the strength intensifier, but it fits badly and pulls him into a ball. Sandshrew then makes fun of Pikachu and rolls itself into a ball as well.

Team Rocket rolls into the tent inside a rubber ball, intending to steal Pikachu, but they grab Sandshrew by mistake. After A.J. ends the rest break, he realizes that Sandshrew is missing. He releases Pikachu from the harness, but Pikachu doesn't know where Sandshrew is either. Ash suggests that it ran away because it saw how much better Ash treated Pikachu. A.J. is extremely insulted at this, insisting Sandshrew would not have run away after all they had been through together. He sends his other Pokémon to look for Sandshrew, but Ash tries to convince A.J.'s Pokémon to leave with him. Despite the way A.J. has treated them, they ignore Ash. Meanwhile, while arguing over who carries the bag, Team Rocket is startled when Sandshrew flies out. Meowth bites Sandshrew's tail and Sandshrew burrows underground in pain. While Ash and A.J. are still arguing, Sandshrew bursts out of the ground next to him, dragging Meowth. Seeing how happy A.J. and Sandshrew are to be back together, Ash, Misty, and Brock realize how deeply A.J. cares for his Pokémon.

Realizing that he is facing a lot of angry Pokémon and their Trainers, Meowth tries to figure a way out of his situation, when James and Jessie begin their {{motto|standard litany}}. Jessie tells A.J. that taking his Sandshrew was a mistake; James calls it "second-rate," earning A.J's ire. He challenges them to a battle. As usual, Jessie summons her {{TP|Jessie|Ekans}} and James uses his {{TP|James|Koffing}}. Sandshrew takes them both out, then defeats Meowth while the cat Pokémon tries to bite its armored skin. Sandshrew wins with a {{m|Fissure}} attack, defeating them once and for all. As this is A.J.'s 100^th win, he and his Pokémon now leave to begin earning Badges. Like Ash, he too wants to be the world's greatest [[Pokémon Master]]. They part as friendly rivals, agreeing to meet in the future at one of the League competitions.