SM021: One Journey Ends, Another Begins...

One Journey Ends, Another Begins... (ニャビー、旅立ちの時！) is the 21st episode of Pokémon the Series: Sun & Moon.

Synopsis
The Litten that Ash has met before asks him for help. It appears the old Stoutland that the Litten lives with has grown weaker and Litten needs his help to cure him. During their time together, the bond between them begins to change forever.

Episode Plot
Ash is carrying a lot of bags and walks with Pikachu, Rotom and Rockruff. Rotom decides to help out Ash, but the bag is too heavy for it and it drops the bag down. A donut rolls out to the old woman, who greets Ash. The woman goes to give the donut to Ash, but the Litten snatches it. Ash greets Litten, recalling it was a long time since he saw it. Litten runs off, and Ash and his Pokémon follow it through the city. They stop, as they see Litten going under the bridge, where it delivers the donut to the Stoutland, while a leaf falls off the withering tree. Litten wants more training, so Stoutland demonstrates the move Fire Fang. Another leaf falls off the withering tree, and Stoutland begins coughing. Litten, however, uses Fire Fang on a coconut, but fails to execute the move properly. Ash and his Pokémon visit Litten and Stoutland, the latter continuing coughing. Ash goes to give out some fruit he bought, but gets burnt by Litten. Stoutland scolds Litten, while Ash notes it didn't change its attitude at all. Litten wants more tutoring from Stoutland, whom Ash finds a bit odd.

At the house, Rotom shows the video he made about Litten and Stoutland, stating it is rare that two Pokémon with different types are training. Kukui has Rotom pause the video, noting how Litten and Stoutland's backs are bent a bit. Ash recalls Litten did that before, and Kukui explains it is how they gather the energy to execute an attack. Kukui also notes how Stoutland actually likes Litten. The next day, as the school bell is being rang, Ash and Pikachu decide to visit Litten and bring some fruit to it. However, they are ambushed by Team Rocket, who chant their motto. Suddenly, they become burnt by Litten, who rushes to Ash, wanting something from him. Team Rocket is insulted, and Meowth notices Litten has arrived. Pikachu fires Electro Ball, and after the attack, Team Rocket see the twerp has disappeared. Jessie and James go away, but Meowth wants to follow Litten. Arriving to the place under the bridge, Ash sees Stoutland is lying on the floor. Seeing it is weak, Ash promises to Litten to deliver Stoutland to the Pokémon Center. He lifts it up, seeing Stoutland is not heavy, but big in size. Meowth stalks the group, and looks at the withered tree, whose leaf falls to the river and slides away.

At the Pokémon Center, Nurse Joy treats Stoutland. After being done, Nurse Joy, Comfey and Blissey come out, while Litten enters the room. Litten starts licking Stoutland, who barely moves, while Nurse Joy explains Stoutland has no injuries. She believes Litten can sense what is the real problem with Stoutland. Ash contacts Kukui about Litten, wanting to stay with it. Kukui permits Ash that, and reminds the fact Litten trusts Ash means it can trust him. During the night, Ash, Pikachu and Rotom visit the room, bringing some fruit. However, Litten and Stoutland are gone, and the group starts running to the spot where Stoutland and Litten are living. On their way, they are intercepted by Meowth, who tells Litten is working very hard and wishes it to be protected. Ash wonders why this concern, but Meowth simply states he wants to see Litten protected, and runs off. Ash has doubt in Meowth, thinking something is wrong with him.

Under the bridge, Litten approaches Stoutland and licks it. Stoutland gives commands to Litten and demonstrates the use of Fire Fang. Litten uses the move on the coconut, but fails once more. Litten goes to Stoutland and sleeps by him, while a leaf falls from the withered tree and drifts off in the sky. Litten dreams of Stoutland and runs towards it, but Stoutland departs away. While the weather is cloudy, Litten wakes up, seeing Stoutland is missing. Looking at the withered tree that has one leaf remaining, Litten goes to the abandoned house, but does not find Stoutland there, either. Passing by the old woman at the market and gazing at the sea from the cliff, Litten returns to the spot under the bridge. There, it finds a whirlwind, which dispates. The couch Stoutland was on crumbles, and the final leaf from the tree flies off on the couch. Litten goes to the tree, seeing there are no leaves left, and the clouds start raining.

Ash, Pikachu, Kukui and Rotom visit Litten. Rotom wonders where Stoutland is, but Kukui does not know, either, while the Litten goes on the couch. Team Rocket watches as Meowth gazes into the rainy sky. Jessie and James wonder what is up with Meowth, as he has always been sighing. Bewear comes and hugs Meowth, who is feeling sad as well. The old woman from the marketplace gives Ash the fruits to deliver to Litten, and states Litten can come to her whenever it wants to. Ash comes to Litten and gives it the fruit, but Litten is uninterested in that. Ash gazes in the sky as well, and thinks about Litten. Meowth visits Litten, asking Litten to speak up what happened, as it can get bear over the sadness. However, Meowth runs off, as Ash comes with his Pokémon. Ash promises to stay with Litten until it eats something, and Kukui gave him the permission to do so. After the rain stopped, the leaf flies off. Litten follows it and gazes at the rainbow in the sky. It looks at the clouds, seeing as if the Stoutland winks at him.

Litten grabs the fruit and offers it to Ash. Ash refuses and gives it to Litten, who gives it to Ash. Ash and Litten repeat this, making Pikachu dizzy. Still, Ash offers Litten the option to travel with them. Litten fires Ember at Ash, burning his face, while Meowth, who has been watching, comments the twerp has to prove himself first. Litten assumes the battle stance, so Ash has Pikachu ready to battle. Litten fires Ember, but is countered by Pikachu's Thunderbolt. Pikachu uses Quick Attack, but Litten leaps away and fires Ember, but misses. Litten uses Fire Fang, so Pikachu uses Iron Tail to block the attack and slam Litten away, to a wall. Pikachu uses Quick Attack, but Litten spins and blocks the attack. Pikachu fires Electro Ball, which collides with Litten's Ember. Ash offers Litten to come with them, who smiles. Ash smiles as well, and throws the Poké Ball in the sky. Litten jumps and touches the Ball, letting itself be captured.

Ash grins, having Litten as his new Pokémon. Meowth is moved by Litten's fate, but since it is his enemy now, Meowth promises not to show mercy for future battles. Ash sends Litten out, who meets Rowlet, Rotom and Rockruff, too. Ash claims they are its friends now, and offers everyone to eat the fruit.

Pokémon

 * Ash's Litten

Trivia

 * "Who's that Pokémon?:" Stoutland (JP)
 * This, along with SM020, aired on the same day as a one hour special.
 * The theme music of Snowbelle City and Meowth's Ballad are used.
 * The symbolism representing the death of Stoutland (the withering tree) is be a reference of The Last Leaf by O Henry.
 * This is the first episode to have a death of a Pokémon.