Leaving off from last episode, Tyson’s Sceptile had launched a solar beam while Ash’s Glalie had countered with an ice beam. The two attacks collide in the middle of the battlefield, causing a massive explosion. The announcer wonders which Pokemon will come out on top when the dust settles. Tyson looks out over the field when his view clears as Ash calls out to his Pokemon. Both Sceptile and Glalie are knocked out on the battlefield. Their trainers call out their Pokemons’ names in shock as the ref calls the first battle a draw. The scene shifts to the scoreboard where both Pokemons’ pictures darken.

Meanwhile, Team Rocket’s boss is now showing them an old run down vendor stand lodged in between two buildings. He tells the group that this will be their new spot to sell food. Jessie and James wonder how they are going to sell things at a beat up stand like that and their boss says that it’s their job to fix it up first. He then waves goodbye and leaves them to their task. James folds his arms and says they should get to work, but Jessie is fed up. She runs over to the stand and throws a tantrum, smashing her hands against the countertop. To her surprise, the whole thing topples over and breaks apart as dust rises.

Jessie stands in the debris exclaiming that it isn’t fair that they have to do honest labor while the twerps get to watch the Ever Grande Tournament. James then notices that Meowth is missing and asks Jessie where he went. Jessie is just as clueless as her companion.

Back at the battle, Ash has called on Torkoal while Tyson has sent out a Shiftry. Torkoal launches a flamethrower but Shiftry leaps above the attack. Torkoal aims the attack upwards, but Shiftry dodges it again. Meowth is watching from the audience, wondering when he’ll get a chance to see Tyson’s Meowth in action.

Shiftry smashes its foot into Torkoal’s neck for a massive mega kick. Ash knows he has to think of something fast. Torkoal has the defense to withstand attacks, but not for an unlimited amount of time. Shiftry leaps into the air and sends a shadow ball at Torkoal, blowing the tortoise Pokemon back. It manages to plant its feet and launches another flamethrower at the grass type Pokemon. Shiftry dodges again, but Torkoal pushes itself into the air with its back legs and directs its flaming streak down at the surprised Shiftry. It takes the fire attack dead on and sails back-first into the grassy field below. When the dust settles, Shiftry is unable to continue.

Torkoal is given the win for the battle and Tyson clenches his teeth. Ash congratulates his Pokemon and it begins to steam. Brock and Morrison both think Ash did well and May remarks that he could win this. Max, however, knows that Tyson has a lot of strong battlers to come.

Tyson’s next Pokemon choice is a Hariyama. Ash asks Torkoal if it can continue, to which it nods and preps for battle. Ash orders a flamethrower, but Hariyama deflects the fire with a barrage of arm thrusts. The bulky Pokemon moves towards Torkoal as it does, causing Ash’s friends to worry. Brock begins to explain that Hariyama’s thick fat ability allows it to withstand fire type attacks with little damage.

Hariyama busts through the fire and brings its hand down on Torkoal for a karate chop. The blow sends the fire type straight into the ground and out of the battle. The ref gives Hariyama the win and Max wonders what Ash will do next.

Ash responds by sending out Corphish. The water type starts things off with a bubble beam, but Hariyama leaps into the air and tries to use another brutal karate chop on its new opponent. However, Ash thinks fast and tells Corphish to dodge. It scuttles under Hariyama’s legs as the hand crashes down. Now behind the sumo Pokemon, Corphish preps for a crab hammer. Hariyama uses a dynamic punch and both Pokemon’s hands collide. An explosion blows the two back. Hariyama lands on its feet and skids to a stop, but Corphish rolls across the field and lands back up and unable to continue.

The ref signals a victory for Hariyama as Corphish’s picture darkens on the scoreboard. The announcer states that since three of Ash’s Pokemon have been defeated, a small intermission will take place. Meowth is eager to see Tyson’s Meowth when the battle resumes. In the locker rooms, Morrison yells at Ash, demanding that he battle better. Ash doesn’t seem too worried though, and asks Pikachu if it’s ready to battle its hardest. Pikachu looks prepped.

Meanwhile, Jessie and James have left the task of rebuilding the vendor stand. They have stumbled upon a Pokemon storage center and plan to take whatever they can find.

The battlefield for the match has now turned into a rocky arena. Both competitors are back on their sides of the stadium as the announcer remarks that the battle will now resume. He states that Ash has three Pokemon left to Tyson’s four. Ash starts by sending out Swellow. Tyson counters by calling on Hariyama once more. Ash orders a peck and Swellow speeds toward its opponent. However, Hariyama manages to clap its hands around the bird’s beak before it connects. Ash’s friends are in awe of how fast it managed to counter.

Hariyama leaps into the air and spins, throwing Swellow down for a vital throw. It hits against a rock, but flies back up right afterwards. The swallow Pokemon speeds towards the fighting type again, and Tyson orders up a dynamic punch. As it brings its glowing fist towards Swellow, Ash orders an aerial ace. The bird Pokemon disappears before reaching the bulky Hariyama and smashes into it seconds later. Hariyama topples over to the ground and is unable to get back up.

Brock remarks that Ash really did well with the type advantage strategy. Tyson then brings out his next Pokemon, a Donphan. It starts things off by smashing its nose against the ground and whipping up a sand storm that envelopes Ash’s Pokemon. Ash’s friends know he has to think fast. Ash has Swellow blow the sand away with its wings, and Tyson orders a rollout attack.

Donphan curls into a ball and uses a rock as a ramp to launch itself into Swellow. The bird Pokemon falls to the ground and Donphan lands nearby, smashing its foot against the ground. It rolls up again and hits Swellow a second time. Swellow is soon being smacked around by the rolling Pokemon as Ash wonders what to do.

Donphan goes to finish off the fallen bird with a final rollout, but Ash tells it to stop the rolling Pokemon. Swellow, who is in a sitting position, extends its talons and snags Donphan by the ears as it rolls right into it. The swallow then flies into the air and tosses Donphan against a rock, taking the ground type out of the match. Donphan’s picture darkens as Ash’s friends breathe a sigh of relief. Tyson recalls his Pokemon and sends in a Metagross.

Brock mentions that this is a steel type and Max adds in that Swellow’s flying type attacks won’t do much to its hard metal body. Morrison states that Ash thought of a way to beat his Metang, and he can do it again with Metagross, to which Max and May look a little nervous.

Metagross envelopes the stadium and Swellow with a powerful psychic attack. Swellow struggles in the psychic energy and Ash tells it to use quick attack. It rushes towards the Pokemon and smashes against it, but is blown back. Metagross then finishes it off with a hyper beam to the face. Ash recalls Swellow with clenched teeth. He pulls out another Pokeball and notices that Swellow’s attack made a chip in the forehead of the massive steel type. He knows that he can use this weakness to his advantage.

Ash calls out Grovyle, causing Max to wonder how a grass type can stop a steel one. Morrison is a little annoyed by this as well. Grovyle rushes towards Metagross by leaping from rock to rock. It then launches a bullet seed right at the crack in the Pokemon’s hide, but Metagross seems unfazed. Grovyle ups the frequency of the attack, and Tyson tells his Pokemon to retaliate. It hovers across the field and uses a hyper beam. Grovyle leaps away and the attacks shatters a rock behind it.

Grovyle launches another bullet seed barrage at the crack and Metagross skids backwards in pain. Ash’s friends realize his strategy and watch excitedly, hoping it will work. Soon, the chip in Metagross’s forehead begins to spark from the oncoming attacks. Ash tells Grovyle to use leaf blade, but Metagross stops it by smashing its hand into it for a massive meteor mash. Grovyle slides across the battlefield and smacks the back of its skull against the rock, knocking it out. Metagross is declared the winner and Grovyle’s picture darkens on the scoreboard. Ash has only one Pokemon left now!

He tells Pikachu to get in their and finish the job. Pikachu leaps onto the field and glares at Metagross. It uses a thunderbolt on the crack, and Tyson orders a psychic. Pikachu uses its tail to bounce off the ground and hit’s the crack again with an iron tail. The crack is now sparking like mad and Metagross is in a lot of pain. It tries to shake the rodent off, but Pikachu has a firm grip. It launches a thunder attack, electrifying the massive Pokemon and knocking it out. Ash’s friends cheer, but Brock mentions that Tyson saved his best Pokemon for last as well.

Tyson tosses a Pokeball to release his Meowth in Boots. Meowth goes wild from the stands, finally seeing his idol in action. He begins to cry, stating that Meowth in Boots will show the arena what Meowths can do.

Meanwhile, Jessie and James are busily snatching up all the Pokeballs in the storage room. They place them in a bucket that Wobbuffet is holding and the three begin to sing. Suddenly, their boss kicks down the metallic doors and walks inside. He discovers that they aren’t working and goes into a flaming fit, freaking the two Rockets out. Meowth in boots goes in to slash Pikachu, but the rodent dodges and uses thunderbolt. Meowth counters with its own thunderbolt, and the two attacks collide. Ash’s friends are surprised that Tyson taught its Pokemon such diverse attacks. Both Pokemon launch another set of thunderbolts, creating a funnel of electricity in the middle of the battlefield. Meowth watches excitedly from the stands. Pikachu tries to use quick attack, but Meowth in Boots uses double team, causing the electric type to run right through a copy.

Meowth in Boots then tries to iron tail Pikachu, but the yellow Pokemon meets it with its own iron tail. Pikachu uses a thunderbolt/quick attack combo which connects with Meowth in Boots, but the feline Pokemon manages to slash Pikachu in the process. Pikachu falls back panting as Meowth in Boots does the same. Both Pokemon launch thunderbolts at each other again, which collide in an impressive display of light. Meowth is now watching with clenched teeth.

Both Pokemon then use iron tail on each other, causing them to fall back and into the rocks of the battlefield. The trainers yell and their Pokemon weakly get up. They pant at each other for awhile when Meowth in Boots suddenly begins to fall. Meowth’s mouth opens wide from the sidelines, but Ash’s Pikachu slumps to the ground before Meowth in Boots and is unable to get up. Meowth in Boots manages to stay suspended on its arm. Tyson is declared the winner of the match!

Meowth begins to cry tears of joy from the sidelines and Tyson smiles with victory. Ash picks up his fallen friend and thanks it for a great battle. Tyson approaches and tells Ash that he put up a great fight. Ash says the same for him and the two shake hands. Morrison cries from the audience, saddened by the fact that his friend didn’t move on to the finals. May embarrassedly tells him to calm down. Max remarks that Ash only made it as far as he did in the Johto League, which is a little disappointing. Brock, however, states that Ash learned a lot from the Ever Grande Tournament.

Meowth continues to ball from the sidelines when Jessie, James, and Wobbuffet rush by screaming. Meowth calls to them and they come back, asking where he’s been. Suddenly, their boss, charred from his flaming outburst, approaches and states that he doesn’t tolerate his employees slacking off. With a massive punch, the Rockets are sent sky high.

That evening, Tyson is presented with the champion’s cup for the Hoenn League. While Ash was defeated in the top eight, Tyson went on and won the entire league! Goodshow hands him the trophy and he waves to the audience. Everyone applauds and May and Max wonder what is in store for them after this. Brock cuts in, saying there are many battles waiting outside the Hoenn region. Max is a little disappointed that he can’t be a trainer yet, but says he’ll be there to see Ash until he can.

Morrison congratulates Ash for getting as far as he did, and Ash pokes fun at his loss to him. Morrison says he will train hard and beat Ash next time. Ash says he’ll be ready and the scene then shifts out to show the sun setting behind the mountains of Hoenn…

Thanks to GoldenNoctowl for writing this for us