Pokemon Learning League
Simple Machines
Written By
Timothy Whitfield
(Episode opens with Ash, Pikachu, Serena, Clemont, Bonnie and Dedenne coming into a forest somewhere in the Hoenn on a partly cloudy day with tall trees against the sky, vines growing and hanging from some of them. Clemont nonchalantly speaks to the audience.)
Clemont: Oh, hi, guys.
Serena: Hello.
Ash: Hey.
Pikachu: Pika-chu.
Bonnie: Hey.
Dedenne: Dedenne.
Serena: So, Ash, what do you think Iris wants to show us?
Ash: I don't know. We'll have to see when we get there.
(They continue on through the forest. A few minutes later, they find Iris waiting for them with Axew and Gible. Axew is in her hair and she holds Gible in her arms.)
Iris: Hey, guys.
Axew: Axew.
Ash: Hey, Iris. How've you been?
Iris: I'm great.
(They shake each other's hands.)
Clemont: So, Iris, is this what you wanted to show us?
(He points to Gible.)
Iris: Yep. This is Gible.
Gible: Gible.
(Bonnie walks up to him.)
Bonnie: Hey, Gible. I'm Bonnie.
(She tries to touch him, but he snaps his jaws at her.)
Bonnie: Whoa!
Iris: Sorry about that, Bonnie. He can pretty feisty. (A little sternly.) Gible, don't do that, and be nice.
(Bonnie tries again. She gently touches his fin and then slowly strokes it. Gible smiles.)
Gible (happily): Gible.
Bonnie: Now, that feels good, doesn't it?
Gible: Gible.
Bonnie: Oh, good.
Iris: So, Ash, you up for a battle?
Ash: Oh, you bet.
(Moments later, they find a secluded spot and Ash and Iris get into their places.)
Clemont: This battle between Ash and Iris will now begin.
Iris: All right, Gible, let's go!
Gible: Gible!
Ash: Hawlucha, I choose you!
Iris: Gible, use Iron Head!
Gible: Gible!
(He lowers his head and the fin on his head turns into iron from the base of it. It then jumps into the air and flies at Hawlucha.)
Ash: Dodge it!
Hawlucha: Hawlucha!
(It leaps up out of the way and narrowly misses Gible's attack.)
Ash: Now use Karate Chop!
(Hawlucha's claw and wing glow white and strikes Gible with the side of it wing, hitting it and dealing some damage.)
Iris: Now, Gible, use Shadow Claw!
(One of his hands becomes surrounded by a black aura with a purple outline. It then takes the form of a claw and Gible slashes Hawlucha with it, doing some damage to it.)
Ash: Counter with Flying Press!
(It flies above Gible. Then, it becomes outlined in white energy and dives at it, directly hitting Gible and doing a lot of damage.)
Iris (complementing): I have to say, Ash that was a really good move.
Ash: Thanks. Do it again, Hawlucha!
(It flies above Gible again. It becomes outlined in white energy and dives at it.)
Iris: Dodge and use Aerial Ace!
(He jumps out of the way and Hawlucha slams into the ground. Then, its body becomes surrounded by white streaks and flies into Hawlucha, hitting it and dealing damage.)
Serena: Gible's really tough
Bonnie: Yeah, it is.
Pikachu: Pika.
Dedenne: Dede.
(As they continue watching, we cut to the point of view of something watching them from the branches of a tree. Cut back to the battle.)
Iris: Now use Flamethrower!
Gible: Gible!
(It fires a red-orange stream of fire from its mouth at Hawlucha.)
Ash: Dodge and use High Jump Kick!
Hawlucha: Hawl!
(It jumps up into the air and narrowly dodges the attack. Then, one of its legs glow white, dives down and hits Gible dealing serious damage.)
Ash: Great job! Now, finish it with Karate Chop!
(Both of its wings glow white and strikes Gible with one.)
Iris: Quick, dodge it!
(It quickly moves out of the way and narrowly misses the first chop. Then suddenly, Hawlucha jumps behind it and strikes it with the second chop, doing damage and knocking it out.)
Clemont: Gible cannot continue. Hawlucha wins, and victory goes to Ash.
Ash: Way to go, Hawlucha.
Hawlucha: Hawlucha.
(Iris comes over to Gible and picks it up.)
Iris (gently): Gible, you all right?
Gible: (nods its head.) Gible.
Iris (gently): That's good. You did really well out there.
Axew: Axew.
Gible: Gible.
(They come over to Ash.)
Ash: What is it?
Iris (meaningfully): Ash, I just wanted to say your Hawlucha is amazing.
Ash (appreciatively): Thanks, Iris.
(Gible's stomach grumbles loudly.)
Gible: Gible.
Iris: You getting hungry there?
(It nods its head.)
Ash: Well, then. Let's have lunch.
Pikachu: Pika.
(They start setting up their eating area. As they are, we zoom in on a nearby bush and cut to the P.O.V of something watching them from within it. Minutes later, they and their Pokemon have crumb-topped banana muffins, candied carrots, blueberry cobbler, apple turnovers, spaghetti, honey almond fingers, macarons and fruit smoothies.)
All (satisfied): Mmm.
Pikachu (satisfied): Pika.
Fennekin (satisfied): Fenne
Axew (satisfied): Axew.
Dedenne (satisfied): Dede.
Serena: This is delicious.
Ash: Yeah.
Clemont: Thanks, guys.
Gible (satisfied): Gible.
Bonnie: You like that, Gible?
Gible (confirming): Axew.
Bonnie: That's good. Hey, Iris, could you tell us how you caught Gible?
Dedenne: Dede.
Iris: Well, sure. Well, it happened back in Blackthorn City, when he was using Dig and wrecked everything. Everyone there thought he was a bad Pokemon, but I defended him and told them I'd try to reason with him.
Clemont: I see. Go on.
Iris: Then, he got stuck on a clock tower. After I saved him from falling off, I found out that he was confused because he had gotten lost from his home.
Ash: All right, what happened afterwards?
Iris: Well, during a battle Clair and I were having, he showed up and started attacking Axew, so I had to put a stop to it.
Serena: Ahh, and then what?
Iris: After that, I was thinking about what to do next and then, Gible came back again. It turned out he wanted to come with me, so l caught him. And then, we saw the legendary Rayquaza.
Ash: That's really cool.
Iris (fondly): Yeah, it sure was.
Ash: Pikachu and I saw Rayquaza once too.
Serena: Really? That's cool.
Ash: Yep.
Bonnie: Hey, you want some more, Dedenne?
(She takes off a small piece of a muffin and gives it Dedenne. But, when she looks down, she sees… Dedenne's disappeared.)
Bonnie: Huh? What the?
(She looks around the area.)
Clemont: What's wrong, Bonnie?
Bonnie (worried): Dedenne's gone.
(She holds up her empty satchel.)
Clemont (reassuring): Don't worry, Bonnie. We'll find it.
Ash: Yeah. Let's go.
(They all start looking around the area. Ash and Serena look thoroughly through the bushes, Iris looks up through the trees and Bonnie & Clemont look around the field.)
Ash: Nothing. You find it, Serena?
Serena: No.
Ash: How about you, Pikachu? Pikachu?
(He looks to the side and see that he's gone.)
Ash: What the?
(They others regroup.)
Bonnie: Did you find him?
Ash: No, and now Pikachu's disappeared.
Iris: That's weird. Axew and Gible have also vanished.
Serena: Yeah, Fennekin, too.
Clemont: Where do you think they could've gone to?
Serena: I don't know.
(They all think for a brief moment.)
Iris: Let's look over there.
(She points down a narrow path to the mountains.)
Ash: Okay. Let's get going.
(They pack up their things and head on down the path, all the while looking around for any signs of them. Moments later, they come across a large opening in between tow cliff walls, where they find… a barricade of tall titanium walls made and strong titanium/tungsten/chromium plating covering the ground.)
Serena: Where did this come from?
Clemont: I don't know, but I have a good idea who's behind this.
Serena: Okay, how can we get through this?
(They all think for a minute.)
Iris: Hmm. How about we fly over them?
Bonnie: Yeah.
(Ash looks up to the top.)
Ash: Uh, I don't think so.
Iris: Huh? Why?
Ash: Look up there.
(They look to the top of the cliffs. Pan up to see… motion-sensing electric shocks.)
Iris (understanding): Oh, okay.
Serena: Well, let's try going under it.
Clemont: All right, then. Bunnelby, come on out!
(He tosses up his Pokeball and Bunnelby comes out.)
Bunnelby: Bunnelby.
Clemont: Bunnelby, use Dig to make a tunnel.
(It jumps up in the air, spins and, using its ears, tries to dig through the plating, but it doesn't break through at all. It stops spinning and falls to the ground.)
Bunnelby (tired): Bunnel.
Clemont: That's all right, Bunnelby. You did well.
Bonnie: Now what?
Ash: Well, there's one other way: we'll have to try breaking them down. Clemont, you have any gadgets that could help out?
Clemont: Of course I do.
Iris: All right, but which ones will work here?
(The others shrug and exchange a confused look.)
Serena: Maybe Siara could help with this. (She pulls out the Pokepilot, turns it on and calls Siara, who is working on a story.)
Siara: Hello, guys. How's it going?
Iris: We're fine, Siara. Uh, what are you writing there?
Siara: Oh, I'm working on a fairy tale spoof.
Serena: That's pretty good.
Siara: Oh, it will be. Anyway, what are you up to?
Iris: Pikachu and the others have disappeared and we're looking for them.
Siara: Ooh, that's terrible. What else?
Ash: We came to a barricade and we're trying to break it down. Now, we need to use the right tools for this, so do you know which ones will work here?
Siara: Of course. You can use the ones that are based around the simple machines.
Serena: Really?
Siara: Sure. There are six kinds of them and they all make work a lot easier.
Bonnie: Like what?
Siara: For starters, there's the lever. It's made up of three parts: the fulcrum, a force or effort and resistance. When you apply enough force to one end of the lever, it'll be able to lift or push loads on the other end. Scissors, tongs and your own arm are good examples. Oh, and by changing the distance between the force, the fulcrum and the load, the amount of effort you need is decreased.
(As she explains it, the images are animated to what she's saying.)
Bonnie: Oh, that's good. What's next?
Siara: Next is the wheel & axle. By draping a rope or a steel cable around a grooved wheel, it'll help you lift loads or move them around. Doorknobs, gears and cranks commonly utilize them.
Serena: That's pretty interesting. What else?
Siara: Then, there's the inclined plane. They help by increasing the distance the load has to be moved. Yes, it's strange, but it decreases how much force is needed to move something. Prime examples of this include slides, ramps and stairs.
Ash: I see. Now what?
Siara: Next up is the screw. Because of their self-locking properties, they can be used as linkages to transfer power, be used to move material, and of course, hold objects together. As you can see, the threads that wound around the shank is what does it.
Iris: All right, what's the next one?
Siara: Then, there's the wedge. These tend to be used to separate two objects or portions of them, lift them or hold them in place, like keeping a door in place using with a doorstop. Knives, axes and scissors are other good examples.
Bonnie: Okay, what's the last one?
Siara: Lastly, there's the pulley. A system of them can be used to lift objects, apply forces and transmit power. They're made up of rope or belt wrapped around wheels and attached to brackets so they can turn freely. When you add more of them to the system, it cuts down on the amount of effort needed.
Serena: I guess using any of them really will do it.
Siara: They sure can. Oh, yeah, when you use two or more of them, this is called a compound machine. All right, guys, I'm going to show you guys something.
Clemont: Okay, Siara.
(Pan down to a lower panel, which shows six different situations. Each one has three different tools showing.)
Siara: Okay, you guys ready?
Ash: You bet.
Siara: Very well, then. Here, this group is working on a bike stop and they need to put in a bike rack into place. Which tool will work the best here?
Clemont: Hmm, they should use a drill for this.
Siara: All right, Clemont. Here, they're working on the road and they have to move this boulder out of the way. Which of these will have the most effect?
Iris: A crane would do it.
Siara: Very good, Iris. Now, this man is trying to get a Shinx out of this hole. Which tool will work the best here?
Ash: He should use a winch.
Siara: You got it, Ash. You guys did great so far.
Serena: Thanks, Siara.
Siara: You're welcome, Serena. Now, I better get back to this story. See you guys later, and good luck getting your Pokemon back.
Serena: See you, and thanks.
(Serena turns the Pokepilot off and puts it away.)
Clemont: Okay, guys, I'll get to work on some of the gadgets.
Ash: Okay, Clemont. Well, what do you guys think we should do?
(They briefly think for a minute.)
Serena: How about we finish up what we were doing before?
Iris: All right, then but let's see if the viewers want to do it.
Bonnie: Okay. (She turns to the audience.) You guys up for it? (She nonchalantly waits for an answer from the viewers for one second.) Oh, okay.
(Cut to the situations that remain.)
Serena: All right, this woman is trying to open this crate full of rare candies. Which of these would be the best one for her to use? (She casually waits for an answer from the viewers for one second.) A crowbar. Okay, then.
Bonnie: This girl is trying to get this load of Pokemon food down to the truck quickly. Which of these would be the right one? (She casually waits for an answer from the viewers for one second.) A slide. Okay.
Iris: Finally, this man and his Ivysaur are trapped behind a steel wall and have no way out. Which of these would be the best one to use? (She casually waits for an answer from the viewers for one second.) A splitting wedge and a blade. Very good.
(Cut back to them and Ash casually speaks to the audience.)
Ash: Way to go, guys.
(Pan over to see Clemont finishing up the gadgets.)
Clemont: All right, they're ready to go.
Serena: That's great, Clemont.
Clemont: All right, let's get going.
(He places a grey box near the wall. He presses a button and stairs start assembling. Once it reaches the top, a platform extends out and another set of stairs assembles on the other side. They all walk up it and to down to the other side. Clemont presses a button on the bottom step and the whole thing retracts itself back in.)
Serena: That was pretty good, Clemont.
Clemont: Thanks.
(They come to the next one. Clemont pulls out a winch with a suction cup on it. He backs up a few steps and fires it at the top of the wall. He starts to crank it back and the wall comes down to the ground.)
Others (impressed): Whoa!
(They go over the toppled wall and come to the third wall. Clemont pulls out what looks like a laser pointer. He pushes the button and it turns into a long pole with a wedge-shaped end. He jams it into the side of the wall and pushes against it and it slightly moves.)
Ash: You need any help?
Clemont: Yes.
(He pushes it with Clemont, moving it more until it creates an opening large enough for them to get through. Clemont retract the pole and they all go through. Moments later, they come to the next barricade. Clemont pulls out a special blade with a hook on the end. He sets it into place and he and Iris push against the cliff wall and it moves, creating an opening on the side.)
Clemont: Thanks, Iris.
Iris: No problem, Clemont.
(Clemont sets up a stand in place.)
Bonnie: So, how is this going to help out?
Clemont: Just watch.
(He presses a button. It rises up and assembles itself into a crane. He places the hooks into the bottom of the barricade and latches it up. He pushes the button and the crane raises it up from the bottom, causing it to topple over to the ground. They go over it and get to the last barricade. Clemont pulls out a drill and creates a hole in the wall. He then pushes a button and a circular sheet of metal wraps around the drill bit. It expands from the inside and bores the hole, making it bigger. He puts the drill away and they each crawl through the hole to the other side.)
Ash: Way to go, Clemont.
Bonnie: Yeah, you did great.
Clemont (appreciatively): Thanks, guys.
Serena: Where could they
Ash: Don't worry, I got this. Fletchinder, I choose you!
(He tosses up his Pokeball and Fletchinder comes out.)
Fletchinder: Fletchinder.
Ash: Fletchinder, search for any signs of Pikachu and the others.
(It takes off and scopes out the forest. Just then, it spots what looks like a hot-air balloon down below and two figures load things into it. It quickly flies back to Ash and the others.)
Ash: You find something, Fletchinder?
Fletchinder: Fletchinder.
Ash: All right, show us the way.
(Fletchinder flies off, and they follow it. Now, we dissolve to them coming to the spot, where they see… Team Rocket putting their Pokemon, who are in attack/sound-proof containers with blue glass.)
James: Everything ready to go?
Meowth: Yep. All set.
James: Well, let's go before the twerps show up.
All: Team Rocket!
(They turn around to see Ash and the gang.)
Ash: We figured it was you behind this
Jessie: Ha! Well, then you prepare for trouble!
James: Yeah, and make it double!
Jessie: To protect the world from devastation!
James: To unite all peoples within our nations!
Jessie: To denounce the evils of truth and love!
James: To extend our reach to the stars above!
Jessie: Jessie!
James: James!
Jessie: Team Rocket, blast off at the speed of light!
James: Surrender now or prepare to fight!
Meowth: Meowth! That's right!
Iris: Let our Pokemon go!
Jessie, Not on your life, twerps!
(They get into their balloon and take off.)
Ash: No, you don't. Fletchinder, stop them!
(It takes off and goes after them.)
Meowth: Try to catch us with this!
(He presses a button and rocket boosters come out from under the balloon basket and activates, making them go faster.)
Ash: Fletchinder, use Flame Charge!
(Fletchinder becomes surrounded in red flames and gets faster. It catches right up to the balloon and bursts it, causing them to come crashing down.)
Meowth: No way!
Jessie: Yeah, if you want them back, you'll have to get through us.
Bonnie: Oh, yeah. We'll show you, you old hag!
(Cut to a close-up of an anger cross on the temple of Jessie's forehead. She also has a glaring stare, her eyebrows down & together and her lips narrow & quiver with anger.)
Jessie (enraged): WH-what… did you call me?! Grrr! (Angrily screams.) AHHHH!
Meowth: Whoa!
James: That was really scary.
Jessie (shouting): Well, what are you waiting for?!
James: Okay. Inkay, go!
(He tosses up his Pokeball and Inkay comes out.)
Inkay: Inkay!
Jessie: Let's go, Pumpkaboo!
(He tosses up his Pokeball and Pumpkaboo comes out.)
Pumpkaboo: Pumpka!
(Ash twists his hay back.)
Ash: All right, go, Fletchinder!
Fletchinder: Fletch!
Iris: Come on out, Clefairy!
(She tosses her Pokeball up and Clefairy comes out.)
Clefairy: Clefairy!
James: Inkay, use Tackle!
Jessie: Use Shadow Ball, Pumpkaboo!
(Inkay charges through the air towards Fletchinder. Pumpkaboo forms a ball of black and purple energy with black static around it and fires it at Clefairy.)
Ash: Dodge that, Fletchinder!
Iris: Clefairy, counter with Thunderbolt!
Fletchinder: Fletch!
Clefairy: Clefairy!
(Fletchinder flies up and dodges Inkay's attack. Then, Clefairy leaps up into the air and fires a powerful bolt of yellow electricity from his body at the Shadow Ball, colliding with it and cancelling it out.)
Ash: Now use Steel Wing!
(Its wings flow a metal-gray color and hits Inkay with them, dealing some damage.)
Bonnie: That was a good move.
Serena: Yeah.
James: Inkay, counter with Foul Play!
(Inkay grabs Fletchinder, turns it around and throws it to the ground, doing some damage.)
Iris: Use Flamethrower!
(He fires a red-orange stream of fire from his mouth at Pumpkaboo, doing serious damage.)
Jessie: Come on, Pumpkaboo! Use Shadow Ball!
(It forms a ball of black and purple energy with black static around it and fires it at Clefairy, hitting him and doing some damage.)
Jessie: Now use Dark Pulse!
Pumpkaboo: Pumpka!
(It forms a pink orb in front of itself and then fires a beam of purple circles at Fletchinder, doing damage to it.)
James: Use Psybeam, Inkay!
Inkay: Inkay!
(Inkay flips upside down and fires a streaky blue beam with pink circles inside it from its mouth at Clefairy, doing some damage to him.)
Meowth: These guys are doing very well here.
Ash: Fletchinder, Razor Wind!
Iris: Clefairy, Psyshock!
Fletchinder: Fletch!
(Fletchinder's wings glow bright white and repeatedly waves them, creating bright white, crescent-shaped energy waves and fires them at Inkay, doing damage.)
Clefairy: Clefairy!
(He leaps up into the air and closes his eyes. Three thick masses of light blue, blue and purple energy form in front of his body, and fires them at Pumpkaboo, dealing some damage and sends it flying towards Jessie, who gets knocked down to the ground and the keys to the containers fall off her waist and on to the ground.
Ash: That was a good move, Iris.
Iris: Thanks, Ash.
(Meowth walks over and picks the keys up.)
Jessie: Grrr, all right, that does it! Pumpkaboo, use Dark Pulse!
James: Inkay, Psybeam!
(It forms a pink orb in front of itself and then fires a beam of purple circles. Then, Inkay flips upside down and fires a streaky blue beam with pink circles inside it from its mouth. Both attacks combine into one, and it hits Clefairy and Fletchinder, dealing serious damage to them.)
Ash: Come on, Fletchinder. Don't give up. Use Steel Wing!
(Fletchinder's wings flow a metal-gray color and hits Pumpkaboo with them, dealing some damage and knocking it out.)
Iris: Now Clefairy, Thunderbolt!
(He leaps up into the air and fires a powerful bolt of yellow electricity from his body at Inkay, doing serious damage and knocking it out.)
Both: Uh-oh.
Iris: Now use Meteor Mash!
Ash: Use Flame Charge!
(A silhouette of a golden meteor appears around his hand and throws it at them. Then, Fletchinder becomes surrounded in red flames and charges at them. Both attacks collide, send them flying into the air and knock the keys out of Meowth's paws.)
All: Team Rocket's blasting off again!
(They fly off into the distance. Serena goes over and gets the keys off the ground. They unlock the containers and free their Pokemon.)
Pikachu: Pika, Pika!
Gible: Gible!
Axew: Axew!
Dedenne: Dede!
Fennekin: Fenne!
Ash: Pikachu, glad to see you're all right.
(He nods his head.)
Pikachu: Pika-chu.
(Iris picks Axew and Gible up.)
Iris: Oh, I was so worried about you two.
Axew: Axew.
Gible: Gible.
(She hugs them.)
Bonnie: Dedenne!
Dedenne: Dede.
(It runs up Bonnie's shoulder and gives snuggles her.)
Serena: Oh, Fennekin, I'm just glad you're all right.
(She hugs her.)
Fennekin: Fennekin.
Clemont: Well, everything's back to normal.
Ash: Yep, you said it, Clemont.
(They all turn to the audience.)
All: Thanks a lot, guys.
Pikachu: Pika.
Axew: Axew.
Gible: Gible.
Dedenne: Dedenne.
(Cut back to them back at the part of the forest they were in before. The Pokemon are playing with each other.)
Iris: That was an intense episode. Did you enjoy it? (She nonchalantly waits for an answer from the viewers for one second.) Oh, okay. Then, we'll see you later.
Axew: Axew.
(They all casually goodbye to the viewers and they all continue chatting with each other. It then fades to black, ending the episode.)