Ash and his friends continue to make strides in the Triple Challenge! With a win against May behind him, Ash only needs two more wins to sweep the challenge!
But mayhem ensues when Brock decides to try and woo Nurse Joy with a song and a dance. However, the show turns out to be short lived, and the group ends up crossing paths with an old enemy: Team Rocket.
Thankfully, Maya and her friend Michael come and aid the group in chasing Team Rocket away, earning the group a new ally.
Who will Ash's next opponent be? Will Team Rocket return and try again to capture Pikachu? Find out!
The Heart of the Cards, part 16: Full Steam Ahead!
"Good morning, everyone!" Michael called as he entered the room. "How is everyone?"
"Fine, thanks..." Misty called as she walked towards the bathroom. "Brock, plase take care of Togepi while I'm in the shower, okay?"
"Okay..." Brock carefully lifted Togepi from Misty's arms and placed him on his lap. "So, little guy, what do you want to do while we wait for Misty to finish her bath? Hmm?"
"Togi la la la..." Togepi replied.
"You want to sing songs? Okay....let me think of a good one here..." Brock thought for a moment, then began to snap his fingers and sing: "I told the witch doctor I was in love with you..."
Bum, bum, bum, bum... Michael added, doing the instrumental break.
"I told the witch doctor I was in love with you..." Brock continued. "And then, the witch doctor, he told me what to do, and he said..."
"Oo, ee, oo-ah-ah, ting, tang, walla-walla bing bang..." Ash sang in his Pikachu voice. "Oo, ee, oo-ah-ah ting tang walla-walla bing bang!"
Oo, ee oo-ah-ah, ting, tang, walla-walla bing bang...oo, ee, oo-ah-ah ting tang walla-walla bing bang!" Brock chimed in with Ash, causing Togepi to laugh.
"Are we having fun out there?" Misty called from the bathroom.
"Say 'Yes, Misty, I'm having tons of fun!' Brock cooed to Togepi.
"To-gi-togi-toiiiii!!!!" Togepi replied.
"Good..." Misty replied as she shut the water off and exited the bathroom, only pausing to throw on her bathrobe. "Okay, if anyone wants the shower, come and get it!" she called as she sat down on her bed and combed her hair. Togepi climbed down from Brock's lap and tottled over to the bed. Despite his bravest attempts to climb up, he only got as far as the matress before falling to the floor with a thud.
"Need some help?" Misty asked as she grabbed Togepi, who was clinging to the mattress, and cradled him in her arms, cooing to him as she dried off.
"Where's Maya?" Ash wondered. "Normally she wakes us up in the mornings..."
"She sent me to tell you that you have a challenger waiting for you in the grand hall," Michael explained. "So you'd better hurry up and get ready!"
"I'll be right there!" Ash threw on his vest and cap, gave Pikachu a quick kiss, grabbed his deck, and hurried out the door.
"We'll catch up with you later!" Misty called after him.
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Ash ran as fast as he could over to the grand hall, his mind racing. "A challenger? Already? I hope she's not too strong..." he thought as he entered the hall, where a crowd was gathered around one of the arenas.
"Ash, you're here...good." the ref began. "Kristen's been waiting for you for fifteen minutes!" At this, a girl with long black hair stepped up to the Ruby platform and began organizing her deck. As she shuffled her cards, her deck information appeared on the scoreboard. RUBY BLOSSOMS OF POWER
"A Grass deck...this should be easy..." Ash thought to himself as he organized his deck. He waved as Misty and the others arrived and got comfortable. With Charmander, Ponyta, Magmar, and my other Fire Pokemon, she'll be feeling the burn!" He smiled and called "All ready!" as his deck information appeared on the screen. SAPPHIRE FLAME OF CONFUSION
Kiristin giggled. "Excited, aren't we? I'll gladly show you the true power of Grass Pokemon!" She waited as the ref flipped the coin...
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Misty led the others into the grand hall. "Now, where could Ash be dueling? There's so many arenas and duels going on, it's hard to keep track of them all!" she complained as she weaved her way through the crowds.
"There they are!" Brock pointed out one particular scoreboard that read RUBY 1 5 4 53 230 SAPPHIRE 3 3 4 53 200. He ushered the group into the crowd, just as the ref called "Sapphire wins the toss!"
"Grass is weak to fire, so Ash shouldn't have too much trouble beating Kristen." Michael noted as Ash flipped up his active card: Ponyta lv. 17
"I hope you're right..." Brock mused as he got out his tournament brackets....
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"Ponyta, I choose you!" Ash announced. A Ponyta galloped into the arena and whinnied to the crowd.
"Go, Clefairy!" Kristen called, flipping up her active card. A Clefairy tottled into the arena and eyed the Ponyta intently.
"Sapphire's turn!" called the ref.
Ash started by attaching a Fire Energy to his Ponyta, then ending his turn. "I know Smash Kick is strong, but Flame Tail is even stronger!" he thought as he added the Lightning Energy he had drawn into his hand.
"Ruby's turn!"
Kristen attached a Grass Energy to Clefairy, then commanded "Clefairy! Watch the moon!"
"Huh?" Ash scratched his head, confused by the command. "How is that going to help?" he wondered. Suddenly, the room went dark, and an image of the night sky appeared, complete with stars and a full moon, which shone brightly onto the Clefairy as it chanted a strange chant. Kristen's deck rose out of its holder untill it was sillhouetted against the moon, ruffled through itself three times, then settled back into the holder. At the same time, another Grass Energy fell from the "sky" and into Kristen's hand. The room then returned to normal.
"Thank you, Clefairy." Kiristen replied as she inserted the Energy card into her hand.
"Sapphire's turn!"
Ash set aside a newly drawn Potion, grabbed the Lightning Energy from his hand, attached it to his waiting Electabuzz, then added the Potion to his hand. "Ponyta, return!" he called, placing the Ponyta back on his bench and putting Electabuzz lv. 35 in the arena. "Thundershock!" he commanded.
"Coin toss!" the ref announced. "If heads, Ruby is paralyzed!" The coin went up...
"Yeah!" Ash cheered as an O appeared on the scoreboard. The Electabuzz focused its power until sparks formed in its paws, then sent the sparks flying at the Clefairy, dazing it as it fell to the arena floor, paralyzed. Kristen's HP went down by 10.
"Ruby's turn!"
Kristen calmly attached the second Grass Energy card she had earned to Clefairy, unaware that Clefairy lay paralyzed in a circle of thunderbolts. "Clefairy, Comet Slap, now!"
The ref blew the whistle, making both competitors jump. "Ruby cannot attack this turn due to paralysis!"
"Oh..." Kristen sighed...
"Sapphire's turn!"
Ash attached a second Lightning Energy from his hand and a Pluspower to Electabuzz. "Electabuzz, Thunderpunch!" he commanded, smiling with confidence as the ref blew the whistle for the coin toss.
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"Electabuzz...I didn't know Ash had that card!" Misty exclaimed as the coin went up.
"He got it in his booster pack from the duel with May." Brock explained. "I witnessed him put it in there."
"Is it a good card?" Misty wondered. She knew Brock had that same card, but had never seen him use it. "How does it attack?"
"Well..." Brock began as he marked an O on his chart, signaling that Ash had gotten heads. "It is a good card to have for its Thunderpunch attack."
"Unlike most attacks of its caliber, Thunderpunch has a very small recoil...so if you're willing to risk the possibility of recoil, then go for it!" Michael added.
"Oh..." Misty replied as she watched Ash draw one of his prizes.
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"Ruby, select a Pokemon!" the ref announced.
"Okay...I choose Dratini!" Kristen called as she placed Dratini lv. 15 in the arena.
"Ruby's turn!"
Kristen attached a Double Colorless Energy to Dratini, then commanded "Dratini, Tail Slap!" She waited as the ref again blew the whistle for the coin toss.
"If heads, damage increases!" the ref called, and the coin went up...
"Tails." Ash called. "Oh please, oh please.... he begged.
"Sapphire wins the toss!" The crowd cheered at the ref's announcement. In the arena, the Dratini whipped its tail at the Electabuzz, stinging it in the face! Ash's HP went down by 10.
"Sapphire's turn!"
"Electabuzz, Thunderpunch it again!" Ash commanded, motioning to the ref. The coin went up...and landed on heads again!
"No!" Kristen watched in horror as the Electabuzz focused its power into a fist until it was pulsing with electricity, the delivered a right hook to the Dratini's head! It fell, defeated!
"Ruby's turn!"
"I choose...Tangela!" Kristen grabbed the Tangela lv. 23 card and placed it in the arena, then commanded "Tangela! Vine Slap!" At this, the Tangela lashed out several vines at Electabuzz, making Ash's HP go down by ten.
"Sapphire's turn!"
Ash studied the Tangela for a moment. "If she's just now getting to her Grass Pokemon, then now's my chance to strike with Fire Pokemon!" he thought. "Electabuzz, return." he commanded, placing the Electabuzz card back on his bench and grabbing his Ponyta card. "Go, Ponyta! Use Flame Tail!" The Ponyta galloped up to the Tangela and struck it in the face with its tail, knocking Kristen down to 80 HP.
"Ruby's turn!"
"Go for it, Oddish!" Kristen commanded as she attached a Grass Energy card to it. "Blot the Ponyta!" The Oddish skittered up to the Ponyta and tried to enclose it in a leaf, but the Ponyta didn't even flinch. Ash's HP remained at 180.
"Sapphire's turn!"
"Ponyta, Flame Tail!" Ash commanded, smiling with pride as the Ponyta attacked! He grabbed his last prize as the ref called "Game Set! Sapphire wins!" then ran to meet Kristen at the arena's center.
"You're pretty good! I wish my Grass Pokemon were as good as your Pokemon!" Kristen smiled as the two shook hands. "I had fun dueling too, even if I lost!"
"The pleasure's all mine!" Ash replied. He waved goodbye as Kristen disappeared into the crowd, then ran back to his cheering teammates.
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"Well done!" Misty cried as Ash returned to the sideline and sat down.
"You totally dominated Kristen!" Michael agreed.
"I just used my best Pokemon against her..." Ash started, but Brock cut him off. "Yeah, but you also took advantage of her weaknesses to win! That's strategy!"
"Umm...isn't there a duel going on?" a familiar voice interrupted.
Brock looked up and noticed the familiar face of Professor Ivy looking down at him. "Ivy? What are you doing here?"
"Oh, I needed a break from my research, so I thought I'd travel a bit." Ivy explained. "Fancy seeing you here, and in the tournament, no less!"
"Well, it kinda started with Ash wanting to take part, then I decided to join up with him as a team...for support."
"Where's your deck?" Ivy asked. "I'd like to see it!"
"Okay...let me get it here..." Brock unzipped his pack and started looking through it, ultimately producing the Geodude tin. "Here it is! My pride and joy, Rock Storm!" He proudly unfurled the cards before Ivy, who bent down and began to admire them. "That's not all we've been doing while we've been here..."
"Have you performed on Performer's Square?" Ivy interrupted. "I've been told that many great acts got their start out there..."
"I was just getting to that!" Brock laughed. "We played out there the other day...and we racked up two thousand credits in tips by the time the afternoon passed!"
"Wow...perhaps you can reprise some of your act for me?" Ivy asked, pulling up a chair for herself.
"Okay..." and Brock motioned for the others to get their harmonicas out. "This first one was a set we did for amateur talent night in the Dome's dinner theater. We call it the 'Camptown Set'" With that, he and Ash led the others into "Camptown Races" once again....
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Elsewhere, Team Rocket watched the crowds pass by from the comfort of a storage room. "Okay, since our performance plot failed, I guess we'll have to catch Pikachu the old-fashioned way..." Jessie sighed.
"Not to be rude...but what exactly IS da old-fashioned way?" Meowth asked, confused.
"Simple...we sneak up behind it when its trainer isn't looking, grab it, sneak back here, inform the boss, and make our getaway!" James explained. But first, we need to FIND its trainer...so Team Rocket, move out!" With that, he led Jessie and Meowth into the crowd. Before long, they had spotted Pikachu, who was moving his head in rhythm to the music the others were making.
"Now remember, we need to keep quiet..." Jessie whispered as the group crept closer...and closer...but before any of the three Rockets could grab the content Pikachu, he darted away into an empty hallway!
"He's gettin' away!" Meowth called as he led the other Rockets down through the maze of people, Pokemon, and arenas.
Jessie, however, rubbed her ears in pain. "Where are all these harmonicas coming from? It's getting on my nerves!" she complained as she ran to keep up with Meowth and James.
"It's da twerps that are playin 'em!" Meowth yelled over the noise. "I would tell'em to stop, but let's catch Pikachu foist!"
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After a few minutes of running, the three Rockets found the hallway Pikachu had ran down. At first glance, it looked like an empty hallway...or so Team Rocket thought. They huddled together in the center to discuss their next move.
"So, where do you think Pikachu went?" Jessie was the first to speak. "He could've gone anywhere, only using this hallway as a place to loose us!"
"Well, if Pikachu ran down this hallway, it only makes sense if he's cowered in a corner at the end of it!" James explained. "That way, we can catch him and be on our way!" He smiled, pleased with his theory.
"Well, what about dese doorways inda hall?" Meowth asked.
"Doors?" Jessie was confused.
"I don't see any doorways here." James called to Meowth as he fumbled in the darkness for any sign of a doorknob.
"Den let's shed a little light onda situation!" Meowth climbed up onto a chair and flicked a nearby light switch, bathing the corridor in light and revealing several doorways that lined the hallway on both sides.
"Oh...those doors!" Jessie exclaimed. "Who wants to wager that Pikachu went in one of the rooms?"
"But we can't just barge in those rooms!" James protested as he, Jessie and Meowth carefully tiptoed down the hallway. "They could be someone's private place!"
"Uh, shouldn't we be running after Pikachu now?" Meowth interrupted as he finally spotted Pikachu at an intersection in the hallway, apparently thinking about which route to take.
"No, why?" Jessie asked.
Meowth gestured in the direction of Ash and the others. "I can tell by da music!" With that thought in mind, the three Rockets took off running as Pikachu dove down the left route, which led into the other side of the grand hall, all the while continuing to weave their way through crowds of people, Pokemon, and other bystanders.
After about an hour, Pikachu screeched to halt in front of Ash and the others as they played the conclusion of their song...
"I don't think I can run anymore..." James wheezed.
"Me neither..." Jessie agreed. She reached out towards the group to grab Pikachu....
"CHUUUUU!!!!!" Pikachu unleashed a Thunderbolt right as Ash and the others blew the last note of the song, sending Team Rocket flying!
Ivy giggled as she heard Team Rocket cry "We're blasting off AGAAAAINNNN!....ping", then applauded the song.
"Thank you!" Brock leapt up from his chair and took a bow. Ash and the others did the same.
"That Thunderbolt at the end was a nice touch!" Ivy commented as she applauded.
"Uh, that was unplanned." Brock confessed. "Thank Pikachu for that, though!" At this, Pikachu hopped up on Ash's shoulder and took a bow.
"Well..." Ivy looked at her watch. "I have to catch my tour bus now...it leaves in a few minutes. But I can always give you a hug..." and she and Brock embraced each other...
"Aww..." Misty noted.
"How sweet..." Ash agreed, taking Pikachu and cradling him in his arms as Brock waved goodbye to Ivy. "So, little guy, how did you outwit Team Rocket this time?"
"Pikachu pi pika..." Pikachu giggled as he lowered his head for a scratch.
"You used the emergency hallway?" Ash asked as he scratched Pikachu's head. "You didn't go in any of the rooms, did you?" Pikachu shook his head no. "Good...I don't think the emergency crews would be too happy to find you in their rooms!" he laughed. He was about to cuddle Pikachu some more when...
"Ash!" a voice called from the arena.
"Huh..." Ash turned to look towards the Ruby platform, only to find Gary standing on it, readying his cards to duel. "Gary?"
"Thought I was gone, didn't you?" Gary smirked. "You think you're gonna get Mewtwo lv. 53? Forget it, 'cause it's gonna be mine! And there's nothing you can do to stop me!"
"Gary, Gary, he's okay! Gary, Gary, hip hooray!" cheered Gary's cheerleaders.
"Oh yeah?" Ash stepped back to the Sapphire platform and readied his deck as the deck information appeared on the scoreboard: RUBY CHALLENGE GARY SAPPHIRE FLAME OF CONFUSION
Can Ash defeat Gary a second time? Find out!