07x37 - A Fan with a Plan!

[bunniefuu]

NARRATOR Though Ash's next Gym battle in Foretree City

weighs heavily on his mind

our heroes can't resist stopping

in the quaint little town of Rubello.

Here we are, guys, what do you think?

I say we go check out the Pokémon Center!

Oh, wow! Look at that, May!

It's a poster for a Pokémon Contest, cool!

I forgot Rubello Town has a contest too!

Looks like the opening's tomorrow night.

Hey, May, you're gonna enter it, right?

Of course! I just need to figure out where to go to sign up.

[EXCITED]

Wait a sec.

[CURIOUS]

BROCK '"R!" What's that mean?'

Good question.

♪ Pokémon ♪

♪ Every Trainer has a choice ♪

♪ To listen to that voice inside ♪

♪ I know the battle may be long ♪

♪ Winners may have come and gone ♪

♪ I will carry on ♪

♪ Yeah this dream will last forever ♪

♪ And this dream will never die ♪

♪ We will rise to meet the challenge every time ♪

♪ Advanced Challenge ♪

♪ Yeah this dream keeps us together ♪

♪ This show that you and I ♪

♪ Will be the best that the world's ever seen ♪

♪ 'Cause we always will follow this dream ♪

♪ Pokémon ♪♪

ASH "A Fan with a Plan."

R? It means one ribbon. It's part of the entry rules.

But what does that mean?

Have you ever won a contest ribbon before?

Yes! Actually, I've won two of them!

That's perfect! Then you're in!

This contest is class R.

So that means, every entering contestant

must have earned at least one ribbon so far!

It's the Grand Festival rules

which we use in all our contests!

I haven't heard of the Grand Festival.

DREW 'Why doesn't that surprise me?'

ASH/MAY/MAX/BROCK Huh?

- Drew! - That's right.

Are you entering the contest too?

Yeah, it's kind of small time

but I suppose it's pretty good practice for

anyone who wants to enter the Grand Festival.

'Course, I wouldn't expect a certain coordinator

who just stumbles from one contest

to another to understand.

Excuse me, Drew!

I happened to have won the last two contests that I entered!

I'd hardly call that stumbling!

Well, if you say so. I'm just telling you how it looks to me.

[grunting]

[screaming]

Huh?

FEMALE # 'Oh, Drew, I have got to be'

'your biggest fan!'

FEMALE # 'Look at all my Drew keepsakes!'

That's great.

Drew, I've always thought of myself

as a bit of a talent scout keeping an eye out

for talent like yours.

Take a look!

I have photographs of every single contest

you've ever appeared in.

Oh, I'm honored, wow.

So could I have your autograph, pretty please?

- No. I don't do that. - Oh!

[in unison] How cool!

He actually turned her down!

[indistinct chattering]

I had no idea he was such a star.

Yeah, the ladies love him.

[PERPLEXED]

- 'Excuse me?' - Huh?

SAVANNAH 'Aren't you Norman's daughter'

May, from the Petalburg Gym?

- Yeah. - It's true! I was right!

Hey, you guys, over here! I've got Norman's daughter, May!

[indistinct chatter]

I'll just bet you're a chip off the old block.

- Huh? - I should say!

'Of course, if Norman's on it, I own it!'

That's my dad!

I know who you are! You're his son, Max!

Oh, that's right!

Just think!

What it must feel like being

able to call Norman your father!

So Max, think you're going to follow in your dad's footsteps

and be a great Gym Leader like him? Tell me!

[sheepish laughter]

- 'A question.' - Huh?

The girls and I were just wondering

you're going to enter the Rubello Contest, right, May?

MAY Uh, yeah!

- I knew it! - Ahh!

I am going to be entering the very same

Pokémon Contest as May!

Couldn't you just die?

Just think, this contest will go down in MFP history!

Good luck, Savannah!

We'll be here cheering for you all the way!

[in unison] MFP gals, let's cheer!

MFP's fight, no fear!

We fight! Win!

Dig right in! MFP is here!

Wow! They're sure into it!

[OVERWHELMED]

But what does MFP stand for anyway?

It's short for, Mothers For Pokémon.

- Ha-ha! - Any openings?

See, we've formed a group of wives and mothers

that just love Pokémon and Pokémon Contests too!

We started out just sitting in the audience

but after a while, we started entering contests!

Still, the only one who's won a ribbon is Savannah.

She's the MFP's pride and joy!

You're being way too kind!

'My winning that contest was beginner's luck!'

I know what! We should throw a welcome party for May and Max!

Oh, good idea!

Hold on, you there.

Haven't I seen you before?

Oh! Yeah, probably!

I'll check my list!

Let's see.

Oh, well, my list of promising and handsome young Trainers

doesn't seem to include you. Sorry.

[CRESTFALLEN]

JESSIE This is great!

My lucky ship has finally come in!

It's another Pokémon Contest!

Mark my words, I will win

big time!

Jess? You're going to enter?

You'd better find out what's up

'with that R business first.'

What did you say?

I know my rights! Run that by me again, bub!

Yes, ma'am!

The Rubello Contest is actually an R type

which means that only coordinators

with one or more earned ribbons can

participate in it, I'm afraid.

- What's your point? - My point?

You can't enter it because you have

never won a single ribbon!

Why didn't you say so?

Maybe I won a ribbon, I mean, maybe I forgot I won a ribbon.

Come on, you guys, please tell me I won a ribbon, right?

JAMES/MEOWTH Not that I know of.

You know, it's such a privilege

to be part of the same contest that

you and Drew are competing in.

Come on! Well, maybe Drew.

May! You sell yourself short.

You were incredible in the Verdanturf Contest!

[chuckles] You mean it?

FEMALE # 'We haven't missed a contest in years.'

'If we thought you stunk, we'd tell you, believe me!'

FEMALE # 'But what we're telling you'

'is that you're doing very well, May.'

Oh, that's a relief!

Besides, you've obviously raised your Skitty very well.

I'll bet that you get your Pokémon

training skills from your dad.

Why you're a Pokémon prodigy.

A prodigy? Me? Thank you.

But I don't see how that's possible!

I just try to do my best!

Please! I'm the one out there, working hard

fighting all the Gym battles.

- Getting jealous, Ash? - Uh!

What would I be jealous about?

I was just wondering

what kind of Pokémon will you be using, May?

You know, I really haven't made up my mind.

Have you decided yet, Savannah?

- Not yet. - I know!

If you showed May your Pokémon, she could help you choose!

Sure! I'd love to see your Pokémon, that would be great.

I don't know, it's just..

I don't want to make it too big a deal.

FEMALE # 'Good luck, Savannah! We'll be cheering for you!'

FEMALE # 'We know you're gonna be great out there!'

We'll pick up everything on your list!

[in unison] Bye-bye!

Bye, everyone, thanks for the help!

What list are they talking about?

Well, you know how it is, a mother's work is never done.

So what kind of work do you have to do?

Remember that all of us MFP members are also mothers.

There's so much to do.

'Groceries to be bought'

'kids to be picked up from school'

'housework to be done. It's a never-ending job.'

I hear you, running a household

is one of the hardest jobs there is!

Wow! You're a man who truly understands!

I guess.

Brock's good at that housework stuff, right?

That's good, you know, Brock

one day, you'll be in very high demand!

Yeah? Do you really think so?

I can just see it all, now.

The ladies will love me!

A domestic God!

Me, the man, Numero Uno.

Yeah, you're a regular household heart-throb.

[SHEEPISH]

I'd like you to meet my Pokémon, Lairon and Flareon!

- Cool! - Wow, they're really beautiful.

POKEDEX Lairon, the Iron Armor Pokémon.

Lairon is the evolved form of Aron.

'By drinking nutrient rich spring water'

'it strengthens its steel body.'

POKEDEX 'Flareon, the Flame Pokémon.'

'Flareon is the evolved form of Eevee.'

The air it inhales is ignited by a flame inside its body

and expelled as fire.

So I guess I'll be using both of them for the contest.

ASH/MAY Oh!

- Both of them? - That's right.

Grand Festival rules are used in the Rubello Contest

so you're required to use different Pokémon

in both the primary and secondary competitions.

Oh, yeah.

- There are a lot of rules. - Sure are!

And I still haven't decided which Pokémon

to use for which round!

I don't know either.

I guess Pokémon Contests are a whole lot more

complicated than I originally thought.

Hmm? Whoa!

Savannah! You got to check this out!

You never see perfect tomatoes this time of year!

Just think what a great salad these would make!

You're right, Brock! You really know your vegetables.

Maybe, but if I'm going to be a heartthrob

and the apple of every woman's eye

then I've got to know every food group!

Did you decide? I mean..

What kind of Pokémon you're going to use?

Not yet.

You know, Skitty was great in the Fallarbor Contest.

And my Beautifly's great no matter what.

But still, Torchic and Bulbasaur look really good too.

Hum.

Hey, until you register

you don't really have to make a choice, right?

So you've got plenty of time to figure it out!

[OPTIMISTIC]

No way! Look at that turnip! Yum!

- Huh - I'll take this!

Aww!

- Sandra? - Momma?

Turnip thief.

Sandra, what are you doing here?

I got home from school and you weren't there.

I figured you were out with all of your MFP buddies

so I thought I'd head out and do a little food shopping, see?

Just like a good girl would do for her mom!

That's great!

Looks like you've got yourself

a great daughter, ma'am!

Thanks, sir. See that, mom? Not bad for a kid!

[laughing] I guess so.

This is Sandra, my daughter.

'And, sweetie, this is Ash'

'May, Brock, Max and Ash's Pikachu!'

ASH/BROCK/MAY/MAX Hi, Sandra!

[FRIENDLY]

Hi, everyone. It's nice to meet you.

May's going to be a contestant

in the next Rubello Contest too!

And guess what? May and Max are Norman's kids!

Come on, just how exciting is that?

- Yeah, mom, mind blowing. - Hah?

Sorry, guys, mom can get kind of, well

pretty carried away with this stuff.

I didn't get too carried away!

I don't know.

I've seen you and your friends of the MFP in action, you know!

[laughing]

No, your mom's been great!

She's been really helpful to me preparing for this contest.

See?

SANDRA Well, that's good.

Ash? Do you mind if I hold your Pikachu?

Sure, go ahead!

[FRIENDLY]

Aww! You're so cute!

[PLEASED]

You know what? I want to be a Trainer too!

And travel around with my own Pokémon.

Good for you!

Traveling's great!

My mom went on a trip a real long time ago.

I know that's probably hard to believe.

Huh? Well, I did travel once, yes.

But that was many years ago!

[laughing]

- Mom? - Huh?

Think maybe we could invite these guys

over for dinner tonight?

What a great idea!

How does that sound to you?

ASH/MAY/BROCK/MAX Hum. Sounds great! Thank you!

I'll be happy to help you in the kitchen!

SAVANNAH/SANDRA You got a deal.

[HAPPY]

Go, Torchic! Use Ember and Peck!

[EMBER MOVE]

[PECK MOVE]

[SURPRISED]/[OVERWHELMED]

Beautifly! Silver Wind and then String Shot, go!

[SILVER WIND MOVE]

[STRING SHOT MOVE]

[OVERWHELMED]

Now, Skitty! Use Blizzard and then Double Slap!

[BLIZZARD MOVE]

[DOUBLE SLAP MOVE]

Bulbasaur! Vine Whip and then use Tackle!

[EAGER]/[VINE WHIP MOVE]

[TACKLE MOVE]

[ALARMED]

[CONCERNED]

Are you okay, Bulbasaur?

[DISCOURAGED]

This isn't looking very good.

You were incredible in the Verdanturf contest!

We haven't missed a contest in years.

If we thought you stunk, we'd tell you, believe me!

But what we're telling you is that

you're doing very well, May.

'Why you're a Pokémon prodigy!'

[laughing]

We'll be fine! How could we go wrong?

I'm a Pokémon prodigy, right?

[UNSURE]

DREW 'Go, Masquerain!'

Was that Drew?

DREW 'Good, Masquerain! That's the way!'

Now, make a steep climb and use Quick Attack!

[QUICK MOVE]

So that's a Masquerain.

POKEDEX Masquerain, the Eyeball Pokémon.

Masquerain is the evolved form of Surskit.

Its feelers which resemble eyeballs

'help to throw off opponents.'

'It is able to hover in the sky like a helicopter.'

Masquerain, use Bubble!

[BUBBLE MOVE]

[AWED]

That's beautiful.

[IMPRESSED]

DREW 'Excuse me.'

If you're studying my moves, you should probably come closer.

Uh, I see you've found yourself a new Pokémon!

You got it!

One with style and grace

good endurance and crowd appeal.

I was looking a long time.

I wanted the perfect contest winning Pokémon

and with Masquerain, I have it.

And now winning this contest should be a cinch!

I hope you liked catching our little preview.

Yeah, I did. That last bit, it was really gorgeous!

Thanks! You've got excellent taste.

[CURIOUS]/[FRIENDLY]

So, May, it looks like you've got a new Pokémon as well!

- I do! - A Bulbasaur.

That's a pretty rare Pokémon in the Hoenn Region.

So, are you going to enter Bulbasaur?

I still haven't decided yet.

Come on over and say hi!

[INTRIGUED]

Hey, you heard me! Come over and say hi!

I don't know, looks like a discipline problem to me.

[grunts]

No way! And I am using Bulbasaur!

- Sure you can handle it? - Of course I can, thanks.

I'll see you in the contest, Drew. Hmph.

[CONCERNED]

Hm. Heh-heh.

[indistinct chattering]

[INTIMIDATED]

How's it going, May?

Huh?

We're heading out to take care of some shopping.

- Do you want to come? - No thanks.

Bulbasaur and I have a lot of practicing to do.

- What? - What?

Hold on, May! You're not serious?

Of course, I am!

But you only just got your Bulbasaur!

Don't you think you should wait longer?

Oh, come on, it'll be fine!

Hey! Isn't that Savannah?

There's no reason to be scared!

The more we work in front of an audience

the better it'll be.

This is only the biggest audience

we've ever performed in front of, right?

[AFFIRMATIVE]

Just imagine that

the audience is nothing but a field of trees and flowers

and your s-s-stage fright will disappear.

Help! I can't go through with it!

[CONCERNED]

- Savannah? - May, it's you!

Please help me! Can you help me practice?

This is only my second contest

and I'm completely scared out of my mind!

No way! Then that must mean you won your very first contest!

Yes. It wasn't really that big of a contest.

- I guess I was lucky too. - Huh?

[FRIENDLY]

Aw, it's a Bulbasaur!

You're so cute!

When I was a little girl

my first Pokémon was a Bulbasaur.

Yeah, they're really cool, aren't they?

These days, my Bulbasaur lives with my mom and dad.

They just couldn't bear to let it live anywhere else.

ASH/MAX/BROCK Huh?

[FRIENDLY]

Pikachu!

[laughing]

Hey!

Out shopping again?

Your mom's lucky to have you!

Yeah, well, when she's in the contest

there's really no time for errands, so

I'm just helping her out a little, that's all!

Besides, she's doing stuff for me all the time!

SAVANNAH Thanks for helping me out.

Ready? This one I'm giving my all!

Go for it!

Lairon, Metal Claw!

[METAL CLAW MOVE]

Bulbasaur! Use Vine Whip!

[VINE WHIP MOVE]

Wow! I love Vine Whip Attacks!

'Bulbasaur, that was really good!'

Wow, this isn't gonna be easy.

Go, Flareon, Flamethrower!

[FLAMETHROWER MOVE]

Razor Leaf, now!

[RAZOR LEAF MOVE]

Awesome! That Razor Leaf was the best!

Thanks, but, Savannah..

MAY/SAVANNAH Hah!

Hey! Those aren't yours!

JESSIE 'Prepare for trouble, they are today!'

JAMES 'If you can't win them, steal them'

'that's what we always say.'

JESSIE 'To protect my entry status from devastation!'

JAMES To allow a certain contestant to complete her registration.

To denounce the evils of losing, that's true!

To extend her winning streak from zero to two.

- Jessie! - And James.

Team Rocket blasts off at the speed of light!

Surrender now, do me a favor or I'll have to fight!

This contest will have a cute winner by tonight!

Meowth, that's right.

[AFFIRMATIVE]

Team Rocket! Give back our ribbons!

Without them, we can't enter!

Of course! Don't you think I know that? But now, I can.

You think you're so smart.

Bulbasaur, give them a Razor Leaf!

[AFFIRMATIVE]/[RAZOR LEAF MOVE]

A little Whirlwind, Dustox!

[WHIRLWIND MOVE]

Oh, no.

So what's Team Rocket up to now?

They took my contest ribbons! And they took Savannah's too!

ASH/BROCK/MAX/SANDRA Huh!

Flareon, use Flamethrower!

[FLAMETHROWER MOVE]

[CONFIDENT]

The king of deflection!

[TOUCHED]

Now, Dustox, use Poison Sting.

[POISON STING MOVE]

Now, Pikachu, use Thunderbolt!

[THUNDERBOLT MOVE]

Mudkip! Lombre! Use Water g*n, go!

[DETERMINED]

[WATER g*n MOVE]

[EXERTION]

Well, thank you! Wobbuffet needed a bath!

[PROUD]

Hey, you get back here!

- Sandra, wait! - Hold on!

You can't just steal my mom's

contest ribbon and get away with it!

Come back, Sandra!

Hey, Dustox

use Psybeam and knock her off her feet!

[PSYBEAM MOVE]

- Huh! - Sandra!

Okay, Bulbasaur, use Vine Whip, now!

[PROTECTIVE]

[VINE WHIP MOVE]

Alright, that does it! Flareon, Flamethrower, go!

[FLAMETHROWER MOVE]

Go ahead, Wobbuffet.

[EXERTION]/[CONFUSED]

[screaming]

[groaning]

Give back those ribbons!

I'd give Meowth and James up first!

- Excuse me? - Excuse me?

Hey, come on!

You know without these ribbons

I can't enter the contest.

Work with me here!

Maybe you should quit while you're ahead.

Yeah, no one's going to believe they're yours.

Hey! That's not true!

But fine, you can have your ribbons.

Take them! I don't want them.

My ribbon!

Oh, I'm so happy!

Good. Then you've made our day.

Now could you please put out our balloon?

I guess so.

Hey, I've got an idea!

ASH/MAY/BROCK/MAX Huh?

- Hey, mom! - Hmm?

[whispering]

Yeah, okay!

SAVANNAH/SANDRA Lairon, use Water Pulse!

[WATER PULSE MOVE]

[screaming]

Ungrateful Twerps are the worst kind!

JESSIE/JAMES/MEOWTH We're blasting off again!

WOBBUFFET [EXASPERATED]

Thank you, Sandra.

You really are a mother's dream come true!

You've been such a great help.

I know! So you better win for me, okay?

And, mom, I know it's not easy having a kid

but this kid thinks you're the best mom-Trainer there is!

[sighing]

Bulbasaur, thank you too!

May, if you and your Bulbasaur weren't there helping us out

I don't know what we would have done!

Yeah, you and Bulbasaur have a pretty mean Vine Whip!

Hm, I think you guys are ready for the contest after all!

[CONFIDENT]

Thanks, guys, me too.

So I'll see you in the contest tomorrow?

You bet, and with you and Drew as my competition

it's gonna be a good challenge! Good luck, May!

NARRATOR By coming to the aid of new friends

May and her Bulbasaur have gained

some much-needed confidence.

Now, they can look forward to tomorrow with optimism

as the Pokémon Contest in Rubello Town begins!

♪ I will carry on ♪

♪ Yeah this dream will last forever ♪

♪ And this dream will never die ♪

♪ We will rise to meet the challenge every time ♪

♪ Advanced Challenge ♪

♪ Yeah this dream keeps us together ♪

♪ This show that you and I ♪

♪ Will be the best that the world's ever seen ♪

♪ 'Cause we always will follow this dream ♪

♪ Pokémon ♪♪