Whitney had informed Ash about where he needed to go for the next gym and that on the way he should visit the National Park (after she'd calmed down and handed Ash the badge). The duo decided to work on Whitney's information and pass through the National Park on the way to Ecruteak City.
The National Park was hosting a Bug-Catching Contest when Ash and Brock arrived. Ash and Brock both decided to take part in it, both of them intent on adding a new Pokemon to their teams.
"Ash! Brock!" Casey shouted with glee, rushing to both and hugging them each. "Oh, it has been way too long! Look! Look! I have two badges now!" Casey flashed her two badges smugly.
"I have three" Ash showed her his three badges, making the girl deflate and sigh at being left behind.
"Ash?!"
The Pallet Town boy jumped and turned sharply. A familiar face in a familiar armour stood behind him grinning.
"Samurai!" Ash exclaimed rushing over to greet his old friend.
"I never thought I'd run into you here" the bug catcher stated.
"I'm on a journey to challenge the Johto League!"
"That makes sense" the bug catcher nodded. "So you're taking part in the Bug-Catching Contest?"
Ash nodded, telling his old friend how he intended to add a new Pokemon to his team. Ash then introduces Sumaria to Brock (who he knew from the time Ash challenged his Gym) and Casey. The four then register for the contest together.
"The rules of the competition are simple!" the host announced, "you are allowed one Pokemon and will be given one ball to catch your Pokemon. You will be allowed to keep the Pokemon you capture, and the one who catches the strongest Pokemon will also be awarded a Sun Stone!"
Ash decided to go with Pikachu, while Brock chose Geodude, Casey went with her Bayleaf, and Samurai chose to go with his Butterfree.
The four went their separate ways to try and find the strongest Pokemon in the park.
Samurai
The bug catcher didn't have a plan on which Pokemon to catch, instead choosing to go by his gut like he always did. The only problem was that his gut told him to go for all of them.
Being born in the Kanto region, Samurai had only ever seen a big collection of bug Pokemon in Viridian Forest. The National Park was smaller in size but seemed to have a larger collection of bug types.
Frankly, Samurai had no idea which one to go for.
The decision was made for him when Ariados fell from the trees in front of him. The Pokemon rained Poison Sting on Samurai, who rolled out of the way and sent out his Butterfree. Samurai called for a Psybeam that hit the Ariados and sent it skittering back. A follow-up Whirlwind from Butterfree stopped the next batch of Poison Sting from hitting Butterfree before Sleep Powder put the Pokemon to sleep. Samurai threw his Park Ball and captured the Pokemon.
Brock
The former Pewter City Gym Leader was glad that the organizers allowed him to carry Togepi along for the competition.
Brock did not have a plan as to which Pokemon he wanted to capture. He was a rock-type specialist. Even if he had non-rock types, he didn't have much of an idea of what bug types existed here. So far the ones he'd encountered had all run off the moment he'd sent Geodude out.
His aimless hunting eventually led him to the centre of the Park, a clearing with a fountain few rock formations. Brock sat by the fountain and let Togepi down so she could walk around and stretch her legs. A mistake.
Togepi rushed off immediately and Brock gave her chase. The Pokemon was fast for something with tiny legs.
Togepi rushed away gleefully before abruptly stopping in front of a small red rock with many holes in it. Something poked its head out and Brock was about to send out his Geodude to fight it before it could hurt Togepi, only for it to nuzzle the Pokemon gently. Brock walked up to it and picked Togepi up.
"You're a gentle thing" Brock smiled, holding his hand out. The Pokemon nuzzled Brock's hand before going back into its rock. Brock smiled wider, pulled his hand back and procured his Park Ball and gently tapped the rock. The Pokemon went in and three clicks later was caught.
Casey
Adding a new Pokemon to the team was a bonus when the grander prize of beating Ash in this contest was right in front of her.
Casey went through the contest catching a Pokemon, releasing it and catching another that seemed stronger than the last one. That train of catch and release led her to a Scyther, who did not take it kindly to Casey stepping into its territory.
Casey called for a Razor Leaf that the Wild Scyther cut through easily with Fury Cutter before slashing Bayleaf and doing critical damage. Bayleaf, barely hanging on now used Sleep Powder and Scyther blew it back with a spinning Swords Dance. Bayleaf fell victim to its own SleepPowder, falling forward fast asleep. Scyther looked down at the Pokemon, before scoffing and walking away.
Casey rushed to her Bayleaf and shook it awake. Bayleaf tried to stand but the damage from Scyther's Fury Cutter had knocked all the power and energy out of it. Bayleaf lay its head on Casey's shoulder, who hugged her Pokemon tightly.
"I'm sorry" she whispered to the Pokemon, holding it close.
Ash
So far, Ash had not found a Pokemon that caught his attention. It was not like he hadn't run into Pokemon, he just didn't seem to find any of them strong enough to win him the competition.
He even ran into a Scyther, but a Thunder from Pikachu scared it off.
And then he found it. A Pokemon he'd wanted but couldn't catch before. It was slamming its horn against a Tree, and fighting any Pokemon that fell, though it seemed to ignore the smaller ones entirely.
When Ash stepped closer, it turned and lowered its horn at him.
Ash called for Double Team and immediately Pikachu and his clones surrounded the Pokemon, who raised its horn and looked around in confusion. Pikachu followed it up with Quick Attack, using Double Team to cover his tracks as he continuously hit the Pokemon over and over before finishing it with Thunder. Ash threw his Park Ball and whooped when he successfully caught the Pokemon.
"And the winner of the Bug-Catching Competition is Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town, for the capture of his Heracross!"
The gathered crowd clapped politely while Ash was given Heracross' Pokeball (which was sent right away to Professor Oak) and the Sun Stone.
Ash got off the stage and was congratulated by his friends. Ash noticed Casey's despondent mood, but before he could ask her what was wrong, Samurai challenged him to a three-on-three battle for old time's sake. Ash agreed and when he looked back at Casey she was back to her usual cheery self.
The rules of the battle were simple, they would both use bug-type Pokemon. Samurai wanted to see the strongest three bug types that Ash had.
Ash quickly swapped a few Pokemon out for the battle.
Samurai started by sending out Butterfree and Ash sent out Beedrill. Samurai called for Sleep Powder and Ash commanded Beedril to fly high and out of the reach of the Sleep Powder before commanding him to come down with Double Team. Samurai called for Whirlwind and Ash commanded Beedrill to cut through the wind with a combination of Twineedle and Agility. Butterfree used Psybeam and Beedrill dodged easily before hitting the Butterfly Pokemon with Twineedle. Butterfree recovered quickly and used Sleep Powder to instantly put Beedrill to sleep, before knocking him out with Psybeam.
"Hah! I win this round" Samurai grinned while Ash called his Beedrill back.
"One round out of three. I'm winning this match, Samurai!" Ash grinned before calling his next Pokemon out. Samurai stared dumbly at Ash's Scizor.
"That is not a bug type!"
"It is! Evolved from my Scyther and everything."
Samurai's jaw dropped in shock.
The trainer quickly snapped out of it and called for Sleep Powder. Scizor dodged with Agility before knocking Butterfree out with Metal Claw.
"How did you evolve your Scyther?!"
"Traded him with a Metal Coat and traded him back from Brock" Ash grinned.
"I need one of them!" Samurai sent out his Pinsir.
"I'll tell you where to go" Ash grinned and called for Fury Cutter.
Scizor landed the first attack and then easily dodged every single one of Pinsir's attacks with overwhelming speed before knocking it out with a powered-up Fury Cutter.
A little worried now, Samurai called back Pinsir and sent his newly caught Ariados out. Ariados rained Poison Sting on Scizor, who used Metal Claw to bat them away before Slashing against the bug-type Pokemon. The spider Pokemon jumped back but Scizor was in its face already and hit it with Metal Claw to send it flying back and knocking it out.
"I really need one of those" Samurai muttered, calling his Ariados back.
The Bug-Catching Competition now behind them, Samurai and Casey went their respective ways. Ash and Brock continue their journey to Ecruteak City, only to be stopped by a river. With no large Water Pokemon on the team, the two look for a bridge or even a boat to cross it.
They come across an old man with a boat, who agrees to help them cross but only if they can bring him a Sudowoodo from the nearby mountain. Ash drew his Pokedex to see what this Pokemon was.
"Sudowoodo, the Imitation Pokemon. Sudowoodo camouflages itself as a tree to avoid being attacked by enemies. However, because the forelegs remain green throughout the year, the Pokémon is easily identified as a fake during the winter."
The boatman stood abruptly.
"What is that thing!" he demanded.
"This?" he asks and the man nods, "It's called a Pokedex. It's an encyclopedia on Pokemon that tells me what I need to know about any Pokemon that's recorded in this thing."
The man stared at the thing before pulling out what looked like a phone and calling someone. He then asks that she and Brock wait here instead of going out to look for the Sudowoodo.
A woman with red hair came a while later wearing a lab coat.
"I might have found a way to know about Sudowoodo," the boatman said, rushing to greet the woman. The woman frowned before her eyes fell on Ash when the man pointed him out.
"Show her the Pokedex!" the man demanded and recognition flashed in the woman's eyes.
"Is it from Professor Oak?" the woman, Marie, asked.
Ash nodded and showed her the information on Sudowoodo. The woman read it all, humming and nodding.
"So it's using Mimic to copy other moves," Marie said to herself before handing the Pokedex back. "Thank you for the information, Ash."
The boatman thanked Ash as well and as agreed helped Ash and Brock cross the river.