Numero Uno, Articuno

            Our heroes are lost, and the sun is about to set.  May is getting worried, but Ash is focused on the battle to come.  Max assures him that they are right around the corner, but fifty corners later they are finally forced to make camp.  Ash is a little wound up but some moon gazing settles him down.  As they look at the moon they see snow and it appears to be coming from something that is flying through the air.  They realize that it is an articuno.  They then see a biplane following it.  It doesn’t look as though whoever is in the plane is trying to catch it though.

            Which doesn’t mean that articuno is out of danger.  Team Rocket is nearby (as usual) and they are determined to catch the pokemon.

            Our heroes have stumbled across a pokemon center which makes them all happy – especially Brock.  Once Max drags him away Ash asks for directions to the Battle Factory.  Joy offers them a room for the night first and in the morning she starts to give them directions, but Scott is there and he offers to get them there.  Scott gets them there in no time in his sports car.  Outside the Factory they hear a loud rumbling and something bursts out.  Scott tells them to run.  Someone is yelling for the vehicle to slow down but it seems to be out of control.  Everyone calls out their pokemon to help.  Once they stop the car a guy named Noland pops out and thanks them.  Ash asks what the vehicle is and Noland gladly explains.  A boy runs up and seems upset about the car.  His name is Sergio and he is Noland’s first apprentice.  Ash tells Noland he wants to challenge him and Noland is happy to oblige.

            Team Rocket is watching and they like the fact that Noland has machine parts they can use.

            Turns out Ash and co. are just in time for feeding time at the Factory.  Noland asks Ash who he wants to battle and Ash is having a hard time.  He could have so many great battles against Noland’s strong pokemon.  While he’s thinking Munchlax runs off and May and Max give chase.  They end up in a darkened room where they discover the biplane, and articuno!  Turns out that the articuno is friends with Noland, but Noland hasn’t caught it.  Noland met it when he was test flying his plane.  The articuno was injured and Noland helped it.  Max wants to go up in the plane and fly with articuno.  Ash leaves for a moment to make a phone call but he comes back just in time for Team Rocket to crash the party.  He starts to have Pikachu attack, but Pikachu is up with Max and Noland.  Before they can come down Team Rocket snatches a whole bunch of the pokemon.  Noland knocks them down with his plane (sturdy plane) and asks articuno to send Team Rocket flying.  It picks up the machine and tosses them away. 

            That night Ash gives his decision on who he wants to battle.  He wants to battle articuno and the legendary pokemon agrees.  Ash says he’s going to battle with a pokemon “up there,” it turns out to be his charizard.  His phone call was to Liza in the Charicific Valley.  And it looks as though the pokemon are as jazzed as Ash is.          

            Location: Battle Factory (no idea where in Kanto that is)

            Notes: I thought Articuno were legendary pokemon.  What is one doing here?

                        Is it me or are Meowth’s boss impressions getting more detailed.

                        Brock volunteers to ditch “the bunch of kids” to stay with Joy…

                        Scott drives worse then Jenny… he even drives up a cliff wall.

                        Ash isn’t going to still use all his Hoenn pokemon is he?

                        Sergio is cute ^_^

                        James claims to have lavender hair… but I agree with Meowth – it’s blue.

                        Amazing how wild pokemon can understand humans…

                        Noland calls Team Rocket “yahoos” ^_^

                        Ash is going to battle with a pokemon he hasn’t used in a long time against a legendary pokemon?  I hope this isn’t an excuse for him to lose.

                        Charizard fries Ash in greeting ^_^