04x24 - A Ghost of a Chance

[bunniefuu]

- We're finally here.

- Pika!

- I can't believe it.

male narrator: At long last,

our heroes have arrived
at Ecruteak City,

home of
the fourth Johto League gym.

- That's Tin Tower.

It's a famous
Ecruteak City landmark.

The Ecruteak Gym
should be pretty close by there.

- Cool.

Come on, Pikachu, let's go.

- Pikachu!

- I don't blame Ash
for being excited.

- His fourth Johto Badge
is just one match away.

- [singing]
Pokémon, Pokémon, Pokémon

- Let's do it.

I wanna be the very best

Like no one ever was

Ever was, ever was

To catch them is my real test

To train them is my cause

My whole life has led to this

Time to test my skills

I know I just can't miss

Gonna show the world

Born to be a winner

- Johto

- Born to be a champion

Born to be a winner

Born to be the very best

- Pokémon
- Johto

- Born to be a winner

Pokémon

- This place is a lot older
than I thought it'd be.

- The book says Ecruteak City
is steeped in history and tra--

- Ah!
- Pika!

- I'm just the guy
you're lookin' for.

- Who're you?

- I'm Infernando,
the fire-breathing clown

and street performer
extraordinaire.

all: Ah!

- I surmise that you youths
are visitors to our town.

- How could you tell that?

- Well, if you lived here

you wouldn't be carrying
that guidebook.

- Pika!

- Hey, cool it
with the fire, will you?

- Lemme show you something

you ain't gonna find
in no guidebook.

It's the last one I got left.

- [laughs]

I should've figured
you were some kind of salesman.

- What is that thing?

- This here's
a treasure detector.

Ecruteak's an ancient city
and there are all kinds

of historical junk
buried subcutaneously.

All you got to do is
grab these rods

and walk around till
you hear the beep beep beep

which means
you're standing directly over

something that's valuable.

- Really?

- Cross my heart and hope to--

Hey, why don't you buy 'em
and try 'em yourself, kid?

- This sounds like a rip-off
to me.

- Let's get to the gym.

- The gym?

Ah, that's what I forgot.

The gym's the perfect place
to use the treasure detector.

It's built on the oldest spot
in the whole city.

How about a demonstration?

- Sure, but only if you think
you can use that thing

to find me a girlfriend.

- He's a clown, not a magician.

- Ah, the ear.

Ow, take it easy.
That's attached to my head.

- Come and see me
after you're through

at the gym, kids.

- We trailed them twerps

all the way here
and then lost 'em.

- How are we ever going to steal
their Pikachu

if we don't know where they are?

- [chuckles]

- What're you laughing about,
James?

- You've obviously overlooked
the obvious.

If experience has taught us
anything about those kids,

we know the first place
they're going to stop

is at the Johto League Gym.

- Wobbuffet.

- A Johto League Gym, here?

- The Ecruteak City Gym
in the heart of town.

- How about something
in the stomach of me.

- I'm hungry too.
We should eat something.

But who knows
if there's anything good

to eat around here?

- Wobbuffet.

- Ecruteak City's food
is excellent.

- Really?

- What's their specialty, Jimmy?

- Pizza, funnel cakes, sushi.

- Here.

Go and buy us a nice lunch,
James.

We'll stay here.

- Why just me,
aren't you coming?

- We got to conserve our energy.

- We're both too hungry
to look for food.

- I'll be back in three shakes
of a chocolate shake.

- Well, guys,
this is the Ecruteak City Gym.

- It is?

- It sure looks different

from all of the other gyms
we've been to.

- Hmm...

- Let's see.

There must be some place
fast and cheap and--

Ah!

- I'm just the guy
you're looking for.

- I'm not looking for any guy!

- Then you must be looking for
a little buried treasure.

- [winces]

- This is your lucky day,
my blue-haired friend.

This little device is guaranteed
to detect buried treasure.

- Oh...

- What?

We sent you
to get something to eat,

not to get cheated.

- What is that thing anyway?

- This is a treasure detector.

- Give me the money,
and I'll get lunch myself.

- Jessie, I spent all the money
on this.

- Ah!

[all shouting]

[stomach gargling]

- I got to get some grub.

- Don't worry.

All we have to do
is use the treasure detector

to lead us to all sorts
of valuable treasure,

then we'll sell the treasure
and buy all the food we want.

You'll see.

[electronic beeping]

The salesman said this place
is crawling with treasure.

See, it's detected something
already.

Now I'll simply dig it up.

all: Ah!

- Let me see.

- Maybe it's gold.

- Take a look, Jessie.

Huh?
- Oh.

- It's just
a dirty old bottle cap.

- Wait!

This cap is from a / ounce
cola bottle

that was discontinued ago.

This is an amazing discovery.

Thanks to you,
good old treasure detector,

and thanks to the good old city
of Ecruteak.

Now let's see what else
we can dig up.

- I wish he'd use that thing
to dig up some pizza.

[sighing]

- Or at least an anchovy.

- That's it?
That's the Gym?

- Mm, according to
the Pokémon guidebook it is.

- Let's go inside
and check it out.

The whole thing's burned out.

- Pika.

- Maybe it just happened
recently.

- Hmm...

I'd say this place has been
like this for a long time.

- What do you mean?

- Well, these burns look old.

- Pika?

- What is it, Pikachu?

- Pika.

[fire whooshing]

- [gasping]

- Pika!
- Fire.

- Toge!
- Come on, let's go!

- We got to get out
before the whole place goes up.

- Just run!

- Ah!

- Pika!

- It's spreading fast!

- This way!

[all shouting]

[groaning]

- Okay?

- At least there's no fire here.

- Pika!

- It's everywhere!

- There's no way out.

- Misty, maybe can use
our water Pokémon.

- Good idea, Ash.

- Totodile!
- Staryu!

- Hiyah!

- Totototototototo.

both: Put out that fire!

- The water's not doing
anything.

- Get closer, Totodile.

- Toto?
To, dile.

- Totodile, look out!

- Toto!

Totototototo.
Dile!

- Huh?

- The fire isn't hot.

- Huh?

Hmm, it isn't even warm.

- [gasps]

Then this is all an illusion?

- This is a job for Noctowl.

Go, Noctowl!

- [chirruping]

- Noctowl, use your Foresight.

- [chirruping]

- Look guys, Gastly.

- They're the ones
creating the fire illusion.

all: Gastly!

- What are they doing?.

- I'm not sure,

but I think they want us
to get out of here.

- Gastly!

- Ah!

- Now they're using Night Shade!

- Noctowl,
use your Tackle attack!

- [chirruping]

- Gas!

Gas!
- Gastly!

- You're doing a great job,
Noctowl!

Keep it up!

- [chirruping]

- Gas!

- Gas.
- Gastly.

- Gastly.

- Mmm.

That scared 'em away.

Ahh!

[all moaning]

- Haunter...

- They just got reinforcements.

Pikachu, use your ThunderShock!

- Pikachu!

[all moaning]

Pika?

- It's no use.

- They've got us surrounded.

- Pika.

- [gasps]

Oh, no!

- It's a Gengar!

- Gas.

- Quick, Pikachu,
use your Thunder--

- Stop.
- Uh?

- Huh?

- Gastly!

- Please understand

these Pokémon
are not trying to harm you.

They're only trying
to defend themselves

against your intrusion.

I know them well.

- Who're you?

- Gastly.

[all gasp]

- My name is Morty.

I'm the Ecruteak Gym Leader.

- You're
the Ecruteak Gym Leader?

- That's a shock.

- Well, I'm Ash Ketchum
from Pallet Town,

and I challenge you
to a battle!

- Pika!

- I'll be glad
to battle you Ash,

but this isn't the place
to do it.

Many trainers come here
thinking this is

the Ecruteak Gym,
but it's not.

- Huh?

- Then what is it?

- Once it was a place
of brightness and hope.

Now it's a place of darkness.

That's why
so many wild ghost Pokémon

have come to live here.

- Then this is their home.

- I guess that makes us
trespassers.

- Pika.

- Now I understand
why they tried to scare us away.

- Toge, toge.

- Hmm...

- Oh!
- Pika!

Hey!

What is this?

- That's a h*-Oh,

one of the ancient
legendary Pokémon.

- It may be legendary,

but I saw one.

- I doubt it.

- Pi?

- You must have seen
some other Pokémon.

- I know what I saw.

Why do you say it must have been
some other Pokémon?

- Because h*-Oh vanished

from the world a long time ago,
Ash.

They haven't been seen
for three centuries.

- Uh?
- Pika?

- Who's that Pokémon?

It's Raticate!

- Raticate.

- There's a building
called the Tin Tower

that's just a short distance
away from where we are now.

- We know about it.
We saw it on the way over here.

- That tower is actually a copy.

This is the original Tin Tower.

- What happened to this tower?

- It was built
to promote understanding

between humans and Pokémon,

and my ancestors protected it
for generations.

Over the decades,
the Tin Tower

became known as a special place
for another reason:

it was the only place on earth
where h*-Oh,

the legendary Pokémon,

made contact with humans.

h*-Oh's visits
were a sign of peace,

but it would only appear
to a chosen few,

only to those
guarding the tower.

Then one day,
invaders came

who sought to use
the h*-Oh's power for evil.

In the ensuing battle,
the Tin Tower was set afire.

The h*-Oh fled.

It ceased to make contact
with humans,

and it has never returned.

Some wanted to rebuild
the tower,

but my ancestors insisted
that it be left as a witness

for future generations
of man's brutality,

But they also decided to build
a new Tin Tower.

Their hope was that the h*-Oh
might return

to a new place of peace.

So far,
these hopes have been in vain.

We've waited so long
that some people say

the h*-Oh is a legend
that never really existed.

- But--
I--

I know I saw it.

I know I did.

- Toge, toge, toge.

- Pika?
- Hm?

- Toge, toge, toge, toge.

Toge?
Toge, toge!

- Togepi!
- Pika!

Pi, pi!

- Bri!
- Pi!

- Togepi, get away from there!

Togepi?

- Pika!
Pikachu!

- Togepi!

- This way!

- Hey, wait for me.

[banging]

- It's like a maze.

- The original fire caused
a lot of the support beams

to collapse and crash down here.

It's too dangerous
to try to find our way around.

- Morty,
Togepi and Pikachu.

- We have other ways
of finding them, Misty.

Gengar.

- Gengar.

- Gengar, round up
all the ghost Pokémon

and look for Pikachu and Togepi.

- Geng!

[all moaning]

- Find them.
Go!

- Gastly!
- Gengar!

- Gas!

[all gasping]

- That's what I call teamwork.

- The ghost Pokémon
know this place

better than anyone,

and if anyone can find
your friends, they can.

- Toge, toge, toge, toge.

- Pika.

- Toge, toge, bri!

- Pika!

- Toge, toge, toge.

- Pika, pi!

[electronic beeping]

- The treasure detector's
found something.

Over here.

See?

There must another artifact
under here.

- That's what you say.

- All we got so far
is a sack of garbage.

- Sack of garbage?

This bag holds a veritable trove
of ancient treasure.

You don't know the value
of these collectable caps.

- Oh, yeah.

- We know the value of 'em,
all right--

zero.

- I'll have you know
that some of these bottle tops

are worth plenty.

At collector's conventions,
I've seen them go for--

- Oh, if they're so valuable,
let's sell them.

- No way.

I'm not collecting them to sell.

I'm collecting them
because they're simple

and beautiful
and because they make me happy.

Why're you so money hungry?

- I ain't money hungry;
I'm just plain old hungry.

- Bri!
- Ah!

- Toge, bri!

- Ah-ha!
- Togepi!

- We just found a real treasure.

- Pi, pi, pi.
all: Huh?

- Toge, toge, toge.

- Pi, pika.

- Ah!
- Ah!

- Look, it's Pikachu!

- We hit the jackpot!

- Pika--

- Careful.

Pikachu...

- I wouldn't zap us
if I were you...

- Unless you want to zap
your friend Togepi too.

- Pi!
Pi...

- We've won!

- Pikachu and Togepi!

- And we never
would have caught them

if I hadn't bought
my trusty treasure detector!

[cheering]

- Gas.

- Gastly.

- Any sign of them?

- Gastly.

- They've seen
your Pikachu and Togepi.

- You understand it?

How do you do that?

- Practice.

[laughter]

- We got Pikachu!

- Togepi too!

- And there's nothin'
they can do!

[laughter]

- Geng.

all: Ah!

Oof!

- You tripped me, Meowth.

- It wasn't me, Jessie.
I tripped too.

- It must've been something.

Ah!

- Geng.

- Gengar!
- Ah!

- Hey, look.

- Huh?
- Ah?

- Give back those Pokémon!

- Prepare for trouble.
We've got Pikachu.

- Make it double.
We've got Togepi too.

- To protect the world
from devastation.

- To unite all peoples
within our nation.

- To denounce the evils
of truth and love.

- To extend our reach
to the stars above.

- Jessie.

- James.

- Team Rocket,
blast off at the speed of light.

- Surrender now or prepare
to fight, fight, fight.

- That's right.
Ah!

- Give us back
Pikachu and Togepi!

- Yah!

- Ah!

- Back off, twerpo!

- Heh.

- Excellent scratching.

- Your claws deserve applause.

- Wobbuffet.

- If you're looking
for applause,

I suggest you look elsewhere.

- Pika!
Pi!

- Give 'em back!

- They're ours now.

Let's see you try to get them.

- Pika...

- Toge, toge, bri!

- You just watch me!

- We'll battle you for 'em!

- We'd be delighted.

- No, we won't.
- Huh?

- When we battle 'em,
we always get blasted away.

I say this time we run away.

- What should we do, James?

- Let's beat it.
Come on!

- Come back here!

You cowards.

You're afraid
to even battle me!

- So what if we are cowards?

We've finally got the twerps'
two most valuable Pokémon.

all: You can't catch us.
Nyah nyah nyah nyah.

- We can't let 'em get away!

- Gengar!

- Gengar.
- Ah.

- Catch up with them.
Hurry!

- [gasps]
- Gengar!

- Gengar,
take back Pikachu and Togepi!

- Arbok, I choose you!

- Weezing, go!

- Charboka!

- Weezing!

- Geng.

Geng.

- Charbok!
- Weezing!

- Carbo?
- Zing?

- Gengar!

- Charbok!

- Weezing!

[all gasp]

[whimpering]

- Thieves!
- Huh?

- You should be ashamed
of yourselves.

How can people
who are Pokémon trainers

steal other trainers' Pokémon?

- It's quite easy.

- We're Team Rocket
members first

and people second.

- I ain't even a people.

- Gengar, use your Night Shade.

- Gengar!

- Pika!
- Ah!

- Toge, toge?
- Ah?

[all gasp]

- Haunter, Gastly.

- Gastly.
- [moans]

- Pi!

- [moans]

- Toge, toge, toge!

- Gastly.

- Pikachu.
- Togepi.

- Toge, toge, toge,
toge, toge, toge!

- Gastly, Haunter,
thank you.

- Pi.

- Pikachu.

- Pika!

- Don't you worry me
like that again, Togepi.

- Toge, bri!

- Arbok, this battle isn't over!

- Go get that Gengar!

- Charbok!

- Weezing!

- Geng.

- Weez!
- Char!

- Geng.

- Char!
- Weez!

- Dodge it, Gengar!

- Geng!

- Well, I--

Ah!

Gengar!

- Arbok, Wrap attack,
Gengar!

- Char!

Charbok!

- Gengar's in trouble!

- Away, Gengar.

- Geng.
- Charbo?

- Did you?

- I think I did.

- I can't believe my eyes.

- Gengar,
use your Shadow Ball!

- Geng!

- Arbok, Weezing, hurry!

- Team up and attack!

- Charbok!
- Weezing!

- Geng!

Gar!

- Char!
- Weez! Weezing!

[all gasping]

[screaming]

- Pika!

- We were so close that time.

- We lost Pikachu and Togepi!

- I even lost
my treasure detector.

- We said it before;
we'll say it once more.

all: We're blasting off again!

- Gengar's Shadow Ball
is pretty awesome.

- Yeah, I'll say.

- That may not be the last time
you see a Shadow Ball.

You'll probably battle Gengar
in your gym match.

- [singing]
Pokémon Johto

Pokémon Johto

- Well, Ash,
we could have our battle now

if you want,
but I imagine you

and your Pokémon must be tired.

Why don't you all
have a good rest tonight,

and we'll have
our gym battle tomorrow?

- Thanks.

A good night's rest'll
make it a better battle.

- I'm sure it will, Ash.

Well,
I'll see you tomorrow then.

- What do you think, Ash?

Can you beat him?

- Ghost Pokémon are tricky,

and that one's
extra powerful.

- We'll see tomorrow,

right, Pikachu?

- Pika!

narrator: Our friends have
witnessed the power and cunning

of the Ecruteak Gym Leader's
ghost Pokémon.

How will Ash fare against them
in their gym battle?

See for yourself next time.

- Let's do it.

[singing]
Born to be a winner

- Johto

- Born to be a champion

Born to be a winner

Born to be the very best

- Pokémon

- Born to be a winner

- Johto

- Born to be a champion

Born to be a winner

Born to be the very best

- Pokémon
- Johto

- Born to be a winner

Pokémon