Electric Pikachu Boogaloo 1 - I'm Your Venusaur While Misty and Ash are stopping in a small town build under a tall tree, Ash's Bulbasaur (it is never explained how he gets Pokemon) and Pikachu walk off together. (Misty and Ash stopped to get more cash; Ash has a bike helmet on and Misty is waitressing.) Bulbasaur and Pikachu meet one of Bulbasaur's friends, an Ivysaur. Their speech is translated into English. Ivysaur: See that huge tree in the middle of town? It's called the Venusaur Tree. According to an ancient legend, many many years ago a Venusaur Lord defended the townspeople in battle, and then grew this tree out of its body. That's why all the humans hear take such good care of us seed Pokemon. Bulbasaur is sceptical. Ivysaur says the Venusaur went on to become a guardian spirit, and lives at the top of the tree. Bulbasaur still doesn't believe, and the two quabble, before Ivysaur says that lots of other Venusaurs around there have SEEN it. Witness 1: I seen it! It's a-sittin' right up in the tippy-top of that there tree, lookin' all spirit-like and such! Witness 2: If you look up there when the weather's nice... and you sorta squint like this... you can kinda see the spirit waving at you! Sure startled *me*! Witness 3: It's, like, right in the middle of this dazzling light, this golden disk, y'know? And then, like, there's these orange-coloured rays streamin' out of it all over the place... Needless to say, these weirdo Venusaurs do not convince Bulbasaur. ^_^. Team Rocket, making their first appearance, are talking about this legend of the Venusaur, and plotting to use a flying machine to get to the top of the tree and steal it. But their machine crashes to the ground, leaving them stuck in the tree. Pikachu says to his friends that why don't they just climb the tree themselves to find out? To his disbelief, the two seed Pokemon actually take him up on this, and start to use their vines to grab pieces of the trunk and hoist themselves up. It is an enormous tree. Bulbasaur (pulling ahead): Heheheh. Ash uses me in battle all the time, so I'm in great shape for tree-climbing! Ivysaur (tired): I - I'm in great shape, too! Pikachu rides on Ash's Pidgeotto to keep pace with the saurs. They all make it to the top with much effort. At the top of the tree, they look for the spirit and it doesn't seem to be there. Ivysaur doesn't want to believe it, and runs off, seeing... A huge twist of tree branches taking the shape of a Venusaur! Bulbasaur says maybe if it does exist, he could ask it to grant him a wish.... but just then, Team Rocket appears! Pikachu: Does Team Rocket live in trees? Meowth: Aw, shuddap! We got stuck up here and we can't get down! Jessie: Yeah! What Meowth said! Not only did we get fooled by that fake Venusaur... but we lost our radio and now we can't even contact the rest of Team Rocket to come rescue us! Bulbasaur: I get it. You were abandoned by your master! Jessie (seeming to understand perfectly): Don't rub it in! They've been there two or three days, and James has stubble from not being able to shave. *lol!* Sorry, that cracks me up for some reason. They go to steal Ash's Pidgeotto so they can get down from the tree, sending Arbok and Weezing. Weezing is about to EAT Pikachu, who panickedly thunders, igniting the poison Pokemon's gas and sending EVERYONE flying far out of the tree and falling through the air... Bulbasaur and Ivysaur vinewhip each other to stay together, and Pikachu manages to catch Pidgeotto's talons. But the saurs are falling... Bulbasaur calls out to the guardian spirit to save them... the tree blossoms flowers... petals fall through the air... and the two saurs fall into the center of a giant flower which floats down the tree... The Pokemon are safe on the ground, and the townspeople smile at the pretty sight of flowers floating all around the Venusaur Tree. 1 - Clefairy in Space A little girl with a Jigglypuff sees a UFO crash, and runs to have a look. A number of Clefairy abandon ship, and the girl gasps that it's just like in the movie! Ash, Brock and Misty are watching a movie called Clefairy in Space. Brock looks interested, Misty is in tears, and Ash is in disbelief. After the movie... Ash: I can understand why they think Clefairy aren't from Earth... but this movie just turns them into ET's. And that's just dumb! Misty: But it's the top-grossing film this year! Brock (eating a Clefairy lollipop): And there's lots of merchandising... Ash: The problem is, nobody knows what the Clefairy are really like! Brock (jealous): That's not FAIR, Ash! Only THREE humans in the whole world have ever seen a Clefairy evolution ceremony! Misty (also jealous): Yeah! Us REGULAR FOLKS only get to see them in photos and videos! Ash remembers being with the Clefairy of Mount Moon, with Professor Oak and Bill. He wonders aloud how Professor Oak is doing... and to his shock, hears the reply "Just fine, Ash. Thank you for asking." Brock and Misty wig out, and Ash is happy. The two are pleased to see each other, and Oak says he is here because "they want me to apear on TV". He points to a film crew nearby... A man named Professor Orville is in front of the camera, talking about UFO sightings in Apple City, and how his theory is that the Clefairy are aliens. Ash and Oak are in disbelief, but Oak is called off, he's going to be on the air soon. The two friends agree to have dinner together. Misty and Brock are spazzing out, and Brock wants to show the professor the Pokemon he raised... but he's gone. Misty babbles about autographs, and Ash is a little surprised, but Brock says that Professor Oak is "like a god to us Pokemon Gym leaders". The two are very envious of Ash. Apple City has been experiencing strange phenomena... people and objects floating... electronic devices going haywire... sightings of UFOs and aliens... Oak argues that any psi Pokemon could be responsible for such things, and Clefairy are shy... why would they be in a city? Oak and Orville begin to fight. The little girl who saw the UFO crash wonders if she will see the Clefairy again, when two scary figures appear (resembling Team Rocket silloheuttes ^_^.) and she runs off with Jigglypuff. Brock, Misty, Ash and Professor Oak are all eating together. Misty sighs happily over the autograph she got, while Brock is all tense with nervousness/admiration. ^_^. They talk about Orville and the show (which he went on because it helps pay expenses), when suddenly Oak leaps up from the table. There is commotion in the restaurant, and Oak sends out a Sandshrew to Fissure. A Clefairy has showed up! Professor Oak gives a transmitter to Ash for Pikachu, who uses agility to attack it to Clefairy. The fairy Pokemon escapes, but now it can be followed. Oak: They get people all confused, and then they restock their food supply. It's really quite a clever strategy. That night, the girl with the Jigglypuff sees a lot of Clefairy in her kitchen, opening the fridge. She introduces herself as Mimi, and pets all the Clefairy, then offering them food in the form of a tea party. Professor Oak and Ash go through a dark tunnel by torchlight, discussing the Clefairy. They find a hardened form of a kind of 'Clefairy glue' - secretion from the back of a Clefairy's throat. They finally find the Clefairy clan with a crashed UFO. This spaceship belonged to Team Rocket, but the Clefairy used psi powers to take control of it and crash it. Team Rocket, who are paid on commission (^_^.), look for the Clefairy. They are with Mimi, eating and having a good time together. Mimi says, "Excuse me... Clefairy? I have a favour to ask you. I wanna go with you to the stars. You see... my daddy said that Mommy is a star in heaven right now. But I gotta stay at home all alone these days. And so... and so... I wanna go up and visit my mommy." Mimi's plea is interrupted by Team Rocket sneaking up on her. Meanwhile, Professor Oak receives a call from Orville, saying that he just got a call from a civilian who was trying to protect some aliens from the planet Clef from an army of men in black. (Jessie, in a side-panel, protests that she's a woman. ^_^.) Orville and Oak (and Ash) travel quickly to Mimi's house, discussing studying aliens and government conspiricies. Mimi and the Clefairy run, being attacked by Arbok and Weezing, and she is paralysed by Arbok's glare. The Rockets catch all the Clefairy, but Jigglypuff defends them, and Mimi breaks loose, taking the Clefairy Pokeballs in her arms. James catches up to her and attacks her, taking the Pokeballs, but one accidentally opens. The Clefairy Metronomes, and bashes up James. Then Ash jumps in through the window, having finally arrived. James is not much of a fighter; Ash sends him flying with a single punch. Jessie proves more of a challenge, but Pikachu handles her. Oak runs to help Mimi, Orville runs to check out aliens. Team Rocket are tied up with vine whip, so Arbok goes to help its master, coiling tightly around Ash. Jessie orders it to finish him off, and Mimi is horrified, because he came to help her. So Jigglypuff sings, and sends everyone - including Arbok - to sleep. When they wake up, all the Clefairy are completely gone. They have all flown away. Mimi is sad, but knows they will come to visit her again some day. 2 - Days of Gloom and Glory Ash talks to a Pokemon League official. He has won eight badges, bringing him up to Earth Level, so he can compete in the Pokemon League. Ash and Misty are inspired by his enthusiasm, and decide to join the League themselves. They leave Ash, promising to see him in two months at the League. Alone with Pikachu, Ash thinks about how far he has come. The Pokemon Center lady loaded more data into his Pokedex, so Ash checks to see the names of other competitors in Pokemon League. Gary is there. Ash uses his Pokedex to send an e-mail to May, but is distracted by something. He sees a pretty girl with a lot of Gloom. They do not smell because she has mixed herbal perfumes in their water. The girl has a huge Leafstone, which she has realised is a fake. This girl, Florinda Showers, was tricked into buying it. Her house, which has been in her family for generations, just sank into the sea. She has a lot of bad luck. A man, Potter, jumps out of the sea, carrying things he has rescued from the ruined mansion. These are her personal treasures, like an old stuffed Weepinbell, and a waterproofed diary. Florinda thinks she is worthless as the head of the family, but Potter encourages her. He shows Ash a picture of the people who tricked Florinda. It is Team Rocket. Meanwhile, Jessie and James are underwater, in the ruins of the mansion, and all the other houses that sank, picking up lots of valuables. Meowth is alone, and sad, thinking that this underwater city used to be his home. He loved a pretty Meowth, but she found his ability to speak creepy. He remembers how the gold plate on her forehead shone... At that moment, Team Rocket are attacked by Gyarados. Seeing it from a distance, Potter runs to help them, easily dodging hyper beams (he's a bit crazed ^_^.) to bring Team Rocket back to sore. But now they recognise who Team Rocket are, and Potter demands the money back. But they blew all the money on partying. Potter throws them back into the sea. ^_^. Florinda, Potter and Ash look at all the treasure Team Rocket had with them. They want to take them to the police station to return them, as they belong to other people. They also find a Pokeball. Inside is a cute little Meowth. But there is no information in the Pokeball; the Meowth is trainerless. Ash and Florinda wait for Potter, who has gone to the police station. Ash teases Florinda about liking Potter, which she does. ^_^. Potter has been held up, because the police think HE is the thief, as he looks suspicious. ^_^; Team Rocket, in disguise, approach Florinda, offering her a leafstone for a Gloom. The abandoned Meowth kitten senses something, and gets angry. Team Rocket's Meowth takes off his disguise, recognising the gold plate on the kitten's forehead - it looks just like the pretty Meowth that rejected him! The kitten doesn't remember anything, but comments that Meowth being able to talk like humans is "cweepy". Like mother, like daughter. ^_^. Ash recognises Team Rocket, and they argue, Team Rocket telling Ash that they used to be just like him - left school, were good trainers and reached the League, but lost the first battle, which ruined their lives. Heheheh. While Ash cries, Jessie aims to steal all Florinda's Gloom. Potter finally comes back, fighting Team Rocket, but Arbok appears and he is afraid of snakes. Pages are back-to-front here. Florinda begs her Glooms to do her a favour, and they combine Solar Beams to send Team Rocket flying. Meowth sits alone, sad, thinking about his past. Florinda and Potter talk, discovering a mutual love for each other, even if Florinda is such a higher rank than him. They decide to build their own tradition. Ash leaves to train for the League. 3 - Welcome to the Big Leagues Ash is at Pokemon League, his Kingler winning the first round of the novice tournament with a single Crabhammer. Ash was nervous, but relieved that he performed well. Gary shows up to congratulate him, and Ash returns the favour, as Gary won his first round too. They good-naturedly knock each other, even while encouraging each other to win more. Misty and Brock both lost their first rounds, in whatever tournament they were in (intermediate, I guess?). They are talking while eating, but then Ash's Pikachu runs away and finds another Pikachu, whose food it starts sharing. Ash follows Pikachu to stop it and apologise, but the Pikachu's owner, Richie, says it's okay. His Pikachu, Chuchino (Sparky in the show) likes eating with company. Richie recognises Ash as the trainer who made his Krabby evolve in the middle of a match, and is very impressed. Richie compliments Ash, then has to run off - it's his first match, the last of the round. Chuchino beats all three opponents by itself. Ash is beginning to worry about his own ability to win... That night, Ash looks at a Pokeball which holds his secret weapon - a Charizard. He spent two months training it to evolve it, but it won't listen to him. Even professionals have a tough time controlling Charizard, as they are moody and their minds wander. Ash has a special Pokemon Flame flare, that Charizard is mesmerised by. It will obey him if he has it, but it can burn out quickly... Ash wins his second round, Squirtle beating a Nidorino, and is now a lot more confidence, boasting. Richie comes up to congratulate him, and the two walk off together, friends. Brock says that it would be good for the two to battle each other. Richie and Ash both win their third rounds. Ash gets more relaxed with each battle, but Richie becomes more nervous. Still, he's glad that he is living his dream. The next battle is for Ash against Jeanette, and... Richie is against Gary! With some difficulty, Ash defeats Jeanette. His Bulbsaur gets her Beedrill and another Pokemon (presumably Scyther), but is KO'd by a Bellsprout that knows Aikido techniques. It knocks out Pikachu as well, so Ash sends Muk, which wins. Ash runs out of his match to another stadium, to see who won the Gary-Richie match. Gary has just been defeated, and Ash thinks that maybe Richie is an even greater rival than Gary. And the next battle is between Richie and Ash... 4 - The Indigo Finals The fifth round of the novice tournament begins, with Ash against Richie. Team Rocket watch, disguised as food salespeople. Ash's Squirtle fights Richie's Butterfree, Happy. It is a double KO. Then it's Pikachu vs. Chuchino, and another double KO. They take time out to care for their injured Pokemon, and Richie asks Ash to use his secret weapon, if he has one. Ash is thrilled that Richie is so good, and wonders what Richie's secret weapon is. Ash sends Charizard, and Richie sends Charley - another Charizard! This is the first time such high-ranking Pokemon have battled in a novice tournament. They fight madly. Charley listens to Richie somewhat, but Ash's is uncontrollable. It rips at Charley, slashing it and cutting it up pretty badly. When Charizard ignores Ash's flare, drawing blood from Charley, Ash sadly recalls it. Charley is very battered, but still in fighting condition - just. So Richie is the winner of the match. Richie is sad, and the two apologise to each other. Ash encourages Richie to win. After Richie has left, Ash is alone, and depressed. Angry at himself for letting loose an untrained Charizard. But Brock comes up and encourages him, saying that his training doesn't end here, and that his journey will keep going as long as Ash believes in himself. Ash goes to cheer Richie on. 4 - The Orange Islands Several months later, Ash travels by blimp across the sea to Valencia Island, the largest island in the Orange Archipelago. Here, Ash signs up for the Orange League. He meets some Orange Islanders who insult him - the League tournament starts in one month, there's no way Ash can get in by then. But Ash is not daunted, and beats all three of them with just Pikachu. The nearest gym is on Mikan Island, but Ash misses the ferry. So he plays with Pikachu and takes a short nap. Pikachu wakes him up to show him a huge clan of Krabby attacking a wild Lapras. Ash sends Squirtle to Hydro Pump the Krabby away, and the battered Lapras flops down, hurt. Ash wants to get it to a Pokemon Center, but it is afraid of humans and tries to get away from him. Pikachu talks to it, convincing it that Ash is okay, so Ash takes its Pokeball to the Center. The girl at the Pokemon Center, Nanette, tells him it must have gotten seperated from its school, and offers to register it as one of Ash's Pokemon. Lapras' school would take half a year to return to Valencia, so Ash does take it. When Ash gets back, he finds that the last ferry to Mikan has left again. So he takes out Lapras, which is still afraid of him, but again Pikachu convinces it. So the two friends, riding on Lapras, swim off for Mikan Island... More Back