AG125

Template:EpisodePrevNext (Japanese: サイユウシティ到着！長靴をはいたニャース⁉ Arrival in Saiyuu City! Meowth in Boots!?) is the Advanced Generation episode #125. It was first broadcast in Japan on April 21, 2005.

Summary

Ash & co. have arrived at Saiyuu City. There, they meet a trainer named Tetsuya, who has a rather odd Meowth. Tetsuya is a torch runner, and will be one of Ash's rivals in the Hoenn League.

What will happen when the flame is stolen?

Important characters

• Ash Ketchum
• Tetsuya

Important Pokémon

• Tetsuya's Meowth

Episode guide

The episode starts with the group on the deck of a ship, with Saiyuu City visible ahead. They've finally reached the site of the Houen League's Saiyuu Tournament, where trainers who have earned their eight badges will test their abilities. There's one week to go until the tournament starts, and Satoshi has some serious training to do. But as Haruka points out, there's something else to do first. Get something good to eat. Namely, ramen.

We now see that Team Rocket is following the ship in their Magikarp sub. Inside, they're all moaning about the hard work of following the twerps, but when Kojirou suggests taking some time to rest, he is vetoed by Musashi, who insists that if they stop now, they'll miss their chance at something big. She isn't sure what, but is quite certain there's something waiting for them.

Arrival in Saiyuu City! Meowth in Boots!?

Evidently, there's a very good ramen shop somewhere in Saiyuu City, one of the best three in all Houen. This information, along with directions to get there, is in the Saiyuu Tournament Shop and Restaurant Guide which Haruka has. When she announces that she intends to hit all the good shops and restaurants in town while they're there, the males of the group appear somewhat taken aback.

Some time later, as the group makes its way down a narrow back street somewhere in the city, Masato asks his sister if she's really sure the shop is in a place like this. As she expresses her certainty, and the others express their doubts, we see that the group is being watched by a flock of Murkrow. A few moments later, one Murkrow steals the guide book, and the rest of the flock attacks. Pikachu drives them off temporarily, but more swoop down to take their place. The cycle continues until a Meowth - one wearing boots and a hat - comes to their rescue.

The Meowth, with help from its trainer, drives off the current group of Murkrow, and for no apparent reason, no more come to take their place. Our heroes thank him for the help, and while he's saying it's no big deal, he sees the restaurant guide lying on the ground. It turns out he's also going to the same ramen shop.

Next comes a scene in the ramen shop, where the trainer, named Tetsuya, tells Satoshi that he, too, will be in the tournament, and so they're rivals. Tetsuya and Takeshi exchange the standard set of compliments over how well the Meowth has been raised and the quality of Takeshi's pokemon food. The conversation continues, with bonding between Tetsuya and the group, until Tetsuya notices the time. He has to get going, or he'll be late.

Tetsuya runs out of the shop, with Satoshi and the rest of the group close behind. Satoshi asks what the rush is, and Tetsuya replies that the sacred fire will be arriving soon. The sacred fire is the flame of Moltres, which will burn in the central torch of the tournament, and Tetsuya is one of the runners.

We cut to a scene where League President Tamaranze, together with the local Junsa and Joi and a small crowd of spectators, is waiting for the flame to arrive. In the bushes nearby, Team Rocket is listening. Musashi's intuition about something big was correct. Their next target is the flame. They'll be able to get a great price for it from a collector, and if they also give a bit of it to the Boss.... (insert Meowth's insane fantasy here.)

The flame arrives by car, just as Tetsuya arrives and apologizes for being late. Then our heroes arrive, and when the League President greets Satoshi and Takeshi by name, Haruka and Masato are very impressed. Satoshi explains that they were torch runners once. Haruka and Masato are even more surprised than before when Tamaranze knows Haruka's name, too. He was impressed by her performance in the Grand Festival, which he watched on TV.

Tetsuya sets off running with the flame, with his Meowth running beside him. In the bushes, Team Rocket's Meowth watches, and doesn't seem to like what he sees. Musashi and Kojirou tell him to get moving, and all three run off to get started on their plan. Our heroes are about to set off for the stadium when Tamaranze's limo pulls up, and he invites them to join him for the ride, since they're all heading to the same place.

As Tetsuya runs along a route lined with people, the limo takes a back road. As it goes over a hill, the occupants get their first view of the stadium complex for the tournament. Tamaranze points out the Pokemon Center where registration and announcements will take place. He also tells Haruka and Masato about the restaurants and shops nearby.

Satoshi registers for the competition, and receives the official guide to the tournament, which Masato takes possession of. Meanwhile, Takeshi is doing exactly what would be expected of him in a place filled with so many Junsas and Jois, at least until Masato drags him away. Satoshi asks the Joi in charge of registration if Masamune has registered yet. The answer is no. On a screen above the registration desk, we see Tetsuya arrive at the stadium complex, not visibly tired at all from the long run.

Satoshi calls Professor Ookido, who offers to send any of the pokemon Satoshi left with him at any time. Satoshi declines, saying that he came to Houen to try a fresh start. Though he'd love to let his older pokemon fight, his current team is ready and willing. He wants to do this tournament with just his Houen team. The call ends with some words of encouragement from Ookido.

Moments later, an alarm goes off. The sacred flame has been stolen.

The group meets up with Tetsuya, who tells them what happened. As he delivered the flame to a group of Junsas and Jois, one Junsa caused a distraction by pointing into the distance and saying she thought she saw a real Moltres. As everyone was looking, she and one of the Jois ran off with the flame.

As he finishes the story, the thieves are found. The fake Junsa and Joi are speeding off on a police motorcycle (with sidecar), pursued by a couple of real Junsas. With a bit of fancy driving, one gets ahead and cuts them off, but they turn aside, going offroad and heading straight for a cliff. As the motorcycle goes off the cliff, the thieves jump off and into the basket of the Meowth Balloon which has just risen into view. This is followed shortly by the recital of the motto and removal of disguises to reveal Team Rocket.

The balloon starts to leave, and Satoshi tries the usual Pikachu Thunderbolt tactic to stop them. As happens with some regularity, the attack is turned back on Pikachu by a device wielded by Meowth. The Junsa on the scene is about to use her Blastoise, but the Joi stops her, reminding her that they can't risk putting the fire out. Tetsuya sends out his Metagross to stop the balloon with its Confusion. Meowth turns up the flame to counter the pull. Neither side is making any progress, and Tamaranze asks Satoshi if he has any ice-type pokemon. When Satoshi says he has a Glalie, Tamaranze tells him to freeze Team Rocket. An attack like that won't be enough to put out the Flame of Moltres.

Things go exactly as planned. Glalie's Ice Beam freezes Team Rocket, but the flame keeps burning. Metagross pulls the balloon down, and Satoshi somehow manages to jump into the basket. He takes the flame, but before he can get away with it, Team Rocket breaks out of the ice and tries to take it back. In the struggle, the flame falls out of the balloon. Musashi throws Meowth after the flame to catch it. He grabs it, then realizes he's still falling and panics. Tetsuya sends his Meowth to get the flame. It jumps up, grabs the flame from TR's Meowth in midair, kicking TR's Meowth in the process.

Landing, Meowth in Boots sets the flame safely on the ground, then turns and says something apparently rather insulting to TR's Meowth. TR's Meowth takes offense. In the balloon above, Satoshi and the human Team Rocket members are fighting, and Musashi yells to Meowth to get the flame back. TR's Meowth yells to Meowth in Boots that if it doesn't want to get hurt, it should hand over the flame. The reply is a gesture unmistakable meaning "why don't you try to take it?"

TR's Meowth tries to attack, but Meowth in Boots is the one who gets in a hit. TR's Meowth tries again, but is sent blasting off by an Iron Tail attack from Meowth in Boots. Satoshi jumps from the balloon, and is caught by Metagross's Confusion. Tetsuya proceeds to have Meowth in Boots blow up the balloon and send Team Rocket blasting off with a Thunderbolt.

Back at the stadium complex, League President Tamaranze thanks Satoshi and Tetsuya for their work in protecting the flame, without which the tournament could not start. Satoshi and Tetsuya are both looking forward to facing each other in the tournament, and on that note, the episode ends.

Important events

• Ash arrives in Saiyuu City and registers for the tournament.