09x30 - Going for Choke!

[bunniefuu]

NARRATOR May's excitement about entering

the Mulberry City Pokémon Contest

suddenly turned to worry when she discovered

it was her last chance to win her fifth Contest Ribbon

giving her entry into the Grand Festival.

After a shaky start, thanks to being

manipulated by Harley and Team Rocket

she pulled herself together, advancing to the second round.

But not to be outwitted

Harley and Team Rocket were busy laying a new trap.

♪ Pokémon ♪

♪ It's a battle win or lose ♪

♪ It's the friends you make ♪

♪ It's the road you choose ♪

♪ You've got the right stuff ♪

♪ So make your mind up ♪

♪ Find the courage inside of you ♪

♪ If you're strong you'll survive ♪

♪ And you'll keep your dream alive ♪

♪ It's the Battle Frontier ♪

♪ Pokémon ♪

♪ Be the best you can be ♪

♪ And find your destiny ♪

♪ It's the master plan ♪

♪ The power's in your hand ♪

♪ Pokémon ♪♪

ASH "Going For Choke."

PIKACHU [HAPPY]

[indistinct cheering]

LILLIAN The time has come for our second round contest battles.

And after a random shuffle

let's take a look at all of our battle matchups.

[intense music]

I'm the one giving the fab performance.

I just know you're gonna do great, May.

BROCK Well, being able to recover in the first round like you did

shows you're able to relax into your own rhythm.

- Um-hmm. - Now, just keep being relaxed.

You do that and you'll have that fifth ribbon in no time.

[ENCOURAGING]

Sounds good to me. Thanks.

You guys are the best.

- 'Ha-ha-ha!' - Huh?

JESSIE You really think you can win this after getting

bounced around like a ping pong ball?

Excuse me, course I can.

If you don't fall flat on your headscarf again.

Though perhaps you could stumble into the finals.

As for me, I'll be there.

- 'The question is, will you?' - Look, Jessebella.

Stop it! You're using Scary Face.

Oh, funny. I wouldn't get too c*ck if I were you.

Keep thinking that way and you won't be able to do

any good combinations, then you'll fall flat

on your giant-sized glasses.

Hmm. Take it up with Harley.

- Harley? What for? - Hmm.

Any other Coordinator would laugh at this.

That's strange.

Mustn't blow our cover, mustn't we? Ah.

ASH 'We'll be watching, May.'

PIKACHU [ENCOURAGING]

BROCK 'We'll be cheering you on.'

MAX 'You're gonna be great out there.'

MAY 'Thanks.'

JAMES You with the hat.

You're Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town, yes?

ASH Uh, yeah?

There's a phone call for you from home.

- Hmm? - Huh?

From my Mom? What's wrong?

Not to worry, Son. Why don't you all come?

- Let's go. - Let's.

It's time for our second round.

Where contestants have five minutes to deliver

more impressive moves than their opponents.

Now, for the first battle. Let's get busy.

Now, Banette. Our turn to shine.

[APPEARING]

JAMES The phone is right in here.

ASH Ah, thanks.

MAX/ASH/BROCK Huh.

What're you doin'? Hey.

- 'Open up.' - 'Right now.'

- 'Come on.' - Those dopey Twerps.

Next time let's have them jump off a bridge.

[AGREEMENT]

JAMES They've had that room long enough.

Time to check out.

What's that?

[WORRIED]

[screaming]

MEOWTH Bumpy trails.

Team to team leader.

Come in. Team leader here.

JAMES 'We've separated the chumps from the chick'

'and they're currently kissing the sky.'

[PAINED]

See what happens when the two of you stay focused? Huh!

LILLIAN 'That's a wrap.'

'With an impressive blend of power and beauty'

'the victory goes to Banette and Jessebella.'

JAMES 'Our star just pulverized her latest victim.'

Pikachu, Thunderbolt.

[THUNDERBOLT MOVE]

[screaming]

BROCK Stop. It's too dangerous.

Maybe Donphan can break through.

[screams]

- Weightless. - Are we fallin'?

ASH 'What's going on out there?'

PIKACHU [SCARED]

[ATTACK]

[screaming]

Here's the last of our second round matches.

So let's get busy.

Now, Squirtle.

Take the stage.

[EXCITED]

Skarmory, let's go.

[APPEARING]

LILLIAN 'Whoa. That Skarmory is fast.'

'Its highly polished steel body'

'looks like a flashing blur as it zips on by.'

Steel Wing, go.

[STEEL WING MOVE]

It's coming in too fast.

Okay, use Rapid Spin.

[RAPID SPIN MOVE]

LILLIAN 'Squirtle's spinning so fast'

'it's actually smoking the b*ttlefield.'

'And there's your result.'

'Skarmory's Steel Wing bounced off of Squirtle'

'like it was a plastic kid's toy.'

'And that's going to cost points.'

Not bad, not bad at all.

Can't wait to watch you and Banette face off.

Then I can enjoy having my little sweetheart

trip you up once more.

[gasping]

Who's there?

ASH/BROCK/MAX It's Drew.

Let's hurry. May's in big trouble.

Ice Beam, go.

[ICE BEAM MOVE]

Dodge it. Then you use Swift.

Bubble, let's go.

[BUBBLE MOVE]

LILLIAN 'Time's up. Squirtle's the winner.'

And May's moving on down the line to the second round.

[panting]

[screaming]

[groaning]

Perfect. Old tricks work the best.

We just love filling traps with Twerps.

- Team Rocket. - I should've known.

[PLEASED]

You know, Harley sure knows his stuff.

You make a trap, then you back it up with another trap.

Perhaps we should approach that green genius

about joining Team Rocket's ranks.

Think of it, our own special ops anti-blast off officer.

Yeah, sounds real modern.

[AGREEMENT]

- Harley's part of this too? - You guys.

Think of it as a one day vacation

from all your Twerp-filled stress.

Lots of fresh air and all that dirt.

- 'You can't leave us.' - Yeah? Watch.

We've gotta figure out a way to get outta here and go help May.

You're right, Max. What do we do?

I'll take care of this.

Now, Forretress, let's go.

[APPEARING]

Forretress, Rapid Spin.

[RAPID SPIN MOVE]

Okay, and, then there were two.

'It's going to be Jessebella and May'

battling on our final stage.

So let's bring 'em out.

'May's from the far off Region of Hoenn'

'and having already won four ribbons'

'the Grand Festival is one step away from reality.'

'But doing everything she can to stop her is Jessebella.'

Aah.

The limelight is my light.

[crowd cheering]

Get the lead out. Our girl is just about to begin.

Goodie. And this time, we're Twerpless.

They're in a hole, and we're on a roll.

Alright, where are we rolling to next?

- 'Your Pokémon, if you please.' - Our what?

If you'll notice, we're standing directly below where May is.

'So what better place than here'

'for us to snatch May's victory right out'

'from under that annoying little button nose of hers?'

- Yeah. Cool. - Consider my Pokémon yours.

CACNEA/MIME JR. [APPEARING]/[AFFECTIONATE]

Aw, Cacnea and Mime Jr. are darlings.

And, they're great Pokémon as well.

We'll work the same as with Ariados.

You all just wait here for my signal and bam.

- Miss Priss gets it. - Okey-doke.

- 'Team Rocket.' - Huh?

- Twerps on the loose? - We had a lock on you.

Alright, I know you guys are up to no good.

We can't help it if our Jessie wants her minutes of fame.

And believe me, you don't wanna get on her bad side.

You mean to say that Jessebella is actually Jessie?

And I guess Harley's a full fledged member

of Team Rocket now, huh?

I may be devious, but I'm not dumb.

You're all getting to be a big bore.

Old habits die hard.

Drew darling. So, you're a Twerp too?

You think you're clever, don't you?

The cleverest. Truth is true, hon.

- Where are you going? - Huh?

We got work to do.

HARLEY Alright.

I'll come clean for a change.

You see, I'm sure my bubbly Banette

will give May a run for her money.

I get it. I guess that's your Cacturne she's usin' too?

Come on, you know that's not fair.

What? You cut me to the quick.

All is fair in love and in battle.

And there is no rule anywhere that says you can't use

someone else's Pokémon.

'After all, darlings, it's not a Coordinator's job'

'to raise Pokémon, it's to show them off.'

And, hon, when it comes to that

there's not a soul in this ever-loving world who knows

how to show off better than our Jessebella.

Aren't you smart?

We're close to the Grand Festival, Drew.

I suggest you not get me any angrier than you already have.

Back at you.

- Hmm. - 'Harley, wait.'

MEOWTH You don't wanna be seen walkin' like that.

WOBBUFFET [AGREEMENT]

I don't know what we would've done

without you back there, Drew.

Hmm?

I only did it so May would have someone cheering her on.

It's time for the final round.

So let's get busy.

Okay, Squirtle. Take the Stage.

[APPEARING]

Now, Banette, let's go.

[APPEARING]

Let's have ourselves a good time

for this final round, okay?

[READY]

Banette, Thunder.

BANETTE/SQUIRTLE [THUNDER MOVE]/[PAINED]

LILLIAN 'A great first move.'

'Banette's lightning aim was absolutely perfect.'

'And May's lost points tell the tale.'

Way to please your Jessebella.

[WEAK]

Squirtle, please. Get up.

- That Banette's strong. - Gadzooks.

Harley, you sure know how to raise a Pokémon

with some real pop and pizzazz.

[THOUGHTFUL]

The night is young.

Wait till we're warmed up.

Squirtle, are you okay?

[STRUGGLING]

Thank goodness. Ice Beam, let's go.

[ICE BEAM MOVE]

LILLIAN 'And Squirtle fires an Ice Beam.'

Will-O-Wisp.

[WILL O WISP MOVE]

LILLIAN 'What an amazing sight to behold.'

It looks so other worldly.

Squirtle, dodge it, now.

LILLIAN 'Squirtle looks like a spaceship dodging meteorites.'

'And that Banette's giving us some serious meteorites.'

[cheering]

You're such a doll face.

[HAPPY]

Will-O-Wisp, quite an attack.

Not only that, remarkable.

Now, that's the correct way to show off a Ghost Pokémon.

I can't believe I'm seeing this.

BROCK 'Yeah.'

Harley did a great job raising that Banette.

Wow, Jessie's rockin'.

We just might have a win on our hands.

We don't ever say "Just."

Banette, keep it up and you can have as many hugs as you like.

Now, use Thunder one more time.

[THUNDER MOVE]

That's enough of that. Use Bubble.

[BUBBLE MOVE]

[PAINED]

Yeah, awesome, Squirtle.

SQUIRTLE/BANETTE [HAPPY]/[EXERTION]

Please, you should've known

you have to dodge that sort of thing.

I thought Harley was such a great teacher.

[OFFENDED]

Don't you take that tone with me.

Alright then, use Frustration.

LILLIAN 'And Banette shifts into high gear.'

'That fancy footwork Frustration Attack'

'leaves Squirtle no time for countering.'

BANETTE/SQUIRTLE [FRUSTRATION MOVE]/[PAINED]

Hurry, Squirtle. Dodge it.

[EXERTION]

Frustration's really powerful.

That's 'cause her Pokémon belongs to someone else.

No way.

Frustration is always much stronger

when it's used by a Pokémon working with a Trainer

'they're not feeling close to.'

That means Banette must be feeling

the exact same way about Jessie then.

[AGREEMENT]

Why would you use a move like that

when it's combinations that rule in contests?

Go, go, go, go. Hop to it.

[thinking] I know. We'll use the move we used to dodge Skarmory.

Rapid Spin, go.

LILLIAN 'And Squirtle's Rapid Spin's'

'starting to really shake things up.'

Faster.

BANETTE [STRUGGLING]

And here I thought you could think on your feet.

'Will-O-Wisp, come on. Will-O-Wisp, do it.'

'Will-O-Wisp. Will-O-Wisp.'

[WILL-O-WISP MOVE]

Squirtle, Spin them off.

SQUIRTLE [RAPID SPIN MOVE]

Good thinkin'.

That's my sister.

BROCK 'Not only have May and Squirtle'

got them completely off guard

they're both getting angrier.

- Hmm? - Whoa.

- Whoa. Whoa. - Whoa.

I had no idea Rapid Spin could be done like that.

It is remarkable, isn't it?

A Coordinator and her Pokémon in perfect sync.

LILLIAN 'It appears that May and her Squirtle'

'are in the driver's seat now.'

'But Jessebella's not going to make things easy for them.'

You'd better stop them now, Banette.

Thunder, double-time.

[THUNDER MOVE]

Quick, Squirtle, Jump.

LILLIAN 'What a bounce, which puts Squirtle'

'right on top of Banette.'

Tackle, go.

[TACKLE MOVE]

BANETTE [PAINED]

Alright.

- I can't look. - Wow. Awesome move.

Banette sure got hit hard.

- Terrific combination. - Hmm.

JAMES/MEOWTH Huh?

But how? This isn't supposed to be happening.

May's gonna pay for this.

I'm frustrated, so that's what we'll use.

[FRUSTRATION MOVE]

Squirtle, Ice beam. Let's go, now.

[ICE BEAM MOVE]

LILLIAN 'Time's up.'

JESSIE/MAY Huh..

LILLIAN 'Well, what do you know?'

'It looks like we've got ourselves a tie.'

Uh..

But I don't want to tie. I want to win.

- Now what happens? - Hmm.

Because the Grand Festival is just ahead of us

this unusual turn of events will be settled

in a most unusual way.

So now, get ready.

We're going into sudden-death overtime.

- An overtime? - Fine with me.

Back from the brink.

LILLIAN 'In overtime, whoever reduces the opposing'

'Coordinator's points to zero is the winner.'

'Simple, right to the point, and no time limit.'

Excellent. Straight to the point.

'After all, it's not like they don't know each other's'

'moves or anything by now.'

This is exactly the kind of situation

when the relationship between a Coordinator

and their Pokémon is the most important.

Okay, Squirtle, just a little bit longer.

[READY]

Banette. That Contest Ribbon and I are destined for each other.

I warn you, don't mess this up.

[OFFENDED]

Overtime, let's go.

Use Thunder.

[THUNDER MOVE]

Dodge it quick, then Ice Beam.

SQUIRTLE [EXERTION]/[ICE BEAM MOVE]

Dodge it.

[EXERTION]

LILLIAN 'So fast and beautiful.'

'When it comes to points, it's like a seesaw out here.'

'And now it looks like Banette's rising to the top.'

Now, Will-O-Wisp autofire.

[WILL-O-WISP MOVE]

Squirtle, Rapid Spin, let's go.

[RAPID SPIN MOVE]

Okay, Squirtle, Bubble.

[BUBBLE MOVE]

Banette. Will you open your eyes?

[ANNOYED]

Oh, my, it appears Jessebella and Banette

are having combination troubles.

It's not very remarkable.

I wonder what could've happened to them?

Use Ice Beam.

[ICE BEAM MOVE]

[PAINED]

- Please. - Now, use Rapid Spin.

[RAPID SPIN MOVE]

[EXERTION]/[SURPRISED]

Tackle, go.

[TACKLE MOVE]

[screams]

Alright, get up.

[STRUGGLING]

LILLIAN Jessebella and Banette's points are down to zero

which means this overtime is history.

What are you talking about, big mouth? I'm still standing.

[WEAK]

The Coordinator who drives their opponent's points to zero wins.

I'm afraid this contest is finished.

Eee! Oh.

Here are your Mulberry Contest winners.

'May and Squirtle.'

[crowd cheering]

LILLIAN 'All of you wonderful people'

'couldn't have a better champion.'

Let's also give a big hand to Jessebella and Banette.

[applause]

Only losers applaud for losers.

We did it, and you were awesome.

I just can't thank you enough, Squirtle.

[HAPPY]

Alright, May got her fifth ribbon for real.

[HAPPY]

And now, May's going to the Grand Festival.

- It gets crazier from here. - Mmm-hmm.

LILLIAN 'And now, Mr. Contesta is pleased to present'

'the Mulberry Ribbon to May, our big winner.'

I'm told this is your fifth ribbon, dear.

- Congratulations. - Thanks.

SQUIRTLE/COMBUSKEN [HAPPY]

That was a wonderful performance.

A great final battle.

And I believe you'll do very well at the Grand Festival.

Thank you very much.

I've got the Mulberry Ribbon, number five.

COMBUSKEN/SQUIRTLE [PROUD]/[CHEERING]

LILLIAN 'Ladies and gentlemen, we hope to see you all'

at the Grand Festival, at Indigo Plateau

a place well known to Pokémon Trainers.

Indigo Plateau? Great.

LILLIAN And you can be sure there'll be some high level moves

on display there, so you'd better be there too.

It's not your fault, my little darling came in last.

It's that overdressed, underhanded Jessebella.

How dare you bring us down to your level?

But Harley, you promised if I just used your Pokémon

I was a guaranteed shoe-in.

- So I lied. - Hmm.

You're so pathetic.

Your loseritis is starting to rub off on me.

Aren't we being a little coarse?

We was gonna offer you a job.

I'll accept when Swinub fly.

Morons.

At least there is a silver lining.

I will have the little squirt

to kick around at the Grand Festival.

ASH Hey, there she is. You were great, May.

MAX Best I've ever seen you.

MAY Thanks, you guys. Really.

BROCK What's that?

Oh, this? It's info about the Grand Festival. Huh?

Drew. I didn't know you were here.

We got into a really rough spot, but thanks to Drew

everything turned out just...huh?

I don't think she heard you, Ash.

So, Grand Festival time is finally here, huh?

I knew you'd already gotten your five ribbons, Drew.

Indigo Plateau it is.

- See ya. - Huh?

Drew..

Hmm. Drew. I'm winning, you know.

Hmm..

ASH I can't wait to watch you two go at it. What a battle.

[EXCITED]

But first, it'll be me watching you.

That's right. Battle Pyramid, here I come.

After I beat you, I'm gonna become Battle Frontier champ.

[ENTHUSIASTIC]

NARRATOR May's persistence finally having paid off

and with all five ribbons safely in hand

the Grand Festival is exactly where May wants to be.

And since we know now it's at Indigo Plateau

we'll be there too.

♪ Yo ♪ ♪ Pokémon Masters ♪

♪ Your heart beats faster training for the top ♪

♪ 'Cause you know you can't stop ♪

♪ Your training kicks ♪ ♪ Now ♪

♪ Pokémon Pow ♪ ♪ Wow ♪

♪ The power of a master all before you will ♪

♪ But don't let it get to your head, young Trainer ♪

♪ The road is long and filled with danger ♪

♪ Everyone says they deserve to be number one ♪

♪ But who can top you? ♪ ♪ The answer is none ♪

♪ Because they've never seen an expert like ♪

♪ One who knows the difference between Mewtwo ♪

♪ Or someone who can tell you the type ♪

♪ Or someone who can tell you which Pokémon's ♪

♪ First you kick it in Kanto ♪

♪ Then you head to Johto ♪♪