After a long hard stormy trip, they finally arrive in Ever Grande City. Ash is pumped up and ready to compete in the Hoenn league tournament. However, May’s interested in seeing the sites as well.

Meanwhile, TR are steering the long lost Magikarp submarine! Folloing the twerps into Ever Grande, they’re quite sure that with all the excitement, they’ll be able to pull something off…

While they’re cruising around downtown, May happens to have picked up a surprise. A pamphlet of a restaurant guide and Hoenn league guide together! It seems like quite a convenient compromise, but maybe she’s a bit too enthusiastic. As they walk, they end up in a deserted alley, arguing about where to go… and little do they know, they’re being watched by a flock of Murkrow.

While Ash and friends are deeply concentrated on the guide, all of the sudden the leader of the flock swoops down and swipes it! Before they can do anything, the rest of them close in and start Pecking them to death! Quite huge beaks they have… but seeing as they’re flying types, Pikachu’s Thunderbolt should do the trick. It does, and they all fly off. Or not… here come more Murkrow! Once again, a T-bolt takes care of them… but they just keep on coming!

Suddenly, out of nowhere, a shadowy figure leaps from a distance, Fury Swiping the Murkrow away. Once the Murkrow go away, they realize it’s a… Meowth? Wearing a hat and boots? Immediately they suspect TR nearby. However, just as the next set of Murkrow close in, a different trainer comes and commands a Fury Swipes, sending them off for now. The trainer then introduces himself as Tyson, and they thank him… and then, he notices their pamphlet lying on the floor. With that, he realizes that someone there must be competing in the league. As Ash jumps up, he learns that Tyson is competing in the league… so Tyson decides to hang out with them for the day.

At the restaurant, he tells them a little about himself and how it seems like he’s as close with his Meowth as Ash is with his Pikachu. In fact, they seem to be getting along pretty well, Pikachu and Meowth. Tyson is also quite impressed with Brock’s Pokemon food recipes, since Meowth is a bit hard to please. Tyson also explains that they’ve been close for so long, Meowth is very unlikely to ever evolve into a Persian. Just the same with Ash and Pikachu.

As they finish eating, Tyson suddenly notices the time, and that he’s late for something. Ash and the others run after him, and he says he’s headed for the Pokemon Center to carry the Flame of Moltres. Every league they have someone who does that, and this time it’s Tyson’s job.

Outside the center, Joy, Jenny, and Charles Goodshow (he’s back again!) are wondering what’s taking Tyson so long. In that same area, Team Rocket are hiding to plot something. Why of course, to steal the flame and have the boss put it to use in every possible way Meowth can think of.

Finally, Tyson arrives with his friends, apologizing for being late. Charles immediately recognizes Ash and Brock from the previous leagues he ushered at. He introduces May and Max… but he somehow recognizes May as well. Why of course, he watched the Grand Festival, and was pretty impressed with how she did. But anyway, he recognizes them both, because to anyone having to do with the league, they’re famous for being Norman’s children.

As Tyson and Meowth run down the path with the flame, TR’s Meowth can’t help but notice Tyson’s Meowth, how it’s so agile. Team Rocket scold Meowth for getting distracted, so they can finally get to their plan.

Jenny offers Charles a quick ride to the stadium in a limo, and he insists to let Ash and the others aboard as well. The stadium looks like a huge lake with an atoll, kind of like the Grand Festival stadium. Quite beautiful looking, from a distance. May has been looking in the league guide as well, and being the resident Coordinator, she takes a bit of interest in the attack combinations mentioned. Max, however, suddenly feels very hungry.

After they eat, Ash checks in at the Center, and gets the official league guidebook. Suddenly, Brock has disappeared… but then they notice the many Joys and Jennys in the center. While at the counter, Ash asks remember Morrison from before, and asks if he happened to come by… but unfortunately, she hasn’t seen anyone by that name yet. On the big screen, they notice Tyson and Meowth running with the flame, nearing the end…

Later, Ash calls Oak to let him know that he’s finally reached the league. Oak then suggests switching one of his stored Pokemon, but Ash is pretty confident in his current team of six. He hasn’t switched once throughout his Hoenn journey, and he really wants to try to pull it off with his Hoenn lineup and Pikachu. Oak warns him that it May be hard, but Ash is quite confident in his plan, and too used to his Hoenn ones.

Suddenly, an alarm goes off, and all the Jennys and their helpers are signaled to leave at once. Police cars are all over, and Ash finds Tyson and Meowth, who explain that the flame has gone missing. Actually, what happened was while they were in the stadium and putting the flame on display, one of the Joys and Jennys had distracted them, and taken it and run off!

Brock finds it hard to imagine that Joy and Jenny would do such a thing, so they decide to set off in that direction. With all the Jennys on motorcycles, they set off to chase them… of course, there’s only one Joy on a motorcycle with a bit of a deformed face at that, and a Jenny in shades like Tyson says. Eventually, they find them, and pulling some motorcycle desperate stunts, they get to a cliff where the two of them jump off into… the Meowth balloon! Yep, Team Rocket (James was Joy).

After they say their motto while James does his best to talk in a feminine-high voice, they run off. Tyson is actually surprised to see an evil Meowth, let alone a talking one. As Pikachu tries a T-bolt, Meowth takes out an umbrella and uses its metal stick as a lightning rod. Jenny is about to use her Pokemon, but Tyson then calls out a Metagross! As it’s cross glows, it uses Confusion, and Tyson has it make sure it holds them in place. Meowth tries turning on the flame, but the balloon is stuck there. Charles then asks Ash to use his best Pokemon, so he sends out Glalie to use Ice Beam and freeze them. As Metagross’ Confusion brings the balloon closer, Ash leaps in and grabs the flame. TR try to wrestle it out of him, but eventually the flame lantern slips out of the balloon! Desperately, Jessie throws Meowth out to safely catch it, which he does… However, while still in midair, Tyson has his Meowth easily leap and swipe it from him, knocking Rocket-Meowth down.

Unfortunately, Ash is still in the balloon, wrestling Team Rocket off. TR’s Meowth angrily tries to Fury Swipe Tyson’s, but misses. He tries again, and this time Tyson’s Meowth dodges and uses Iron Tail, blasting TR off.

Ash is still in the balloon with Team Rocket, but following Tyson’s instructions, he jumps. Metagross uses a Confusion again to help lower Ash slowly. Finally, Tyson’s Meowth uses Thunderbolt, blasting TR off for once.

Back at the center, the flame is safely restored, and Charles thanks them. They all with both Ash and Tyson luck in the league, which is starting tomorrow. So, it looks like Ash has found a new friend… or rival.

Thanks To Zak For Writing this for us