AG044: The Princess and the Togepi

Synopsis
Ash and co reunite with their old friend Misty, who is happy to meet May and Max for the first time. Soon, they enter a kingdom dedicated to Togepi and soon meet Sara, princess of the Togepi Kingdom. Team Rocket also teams up with Colonel Hanson, who wants to rule the kingdom with an iron fist. What will happen to Togepi now, and has Max learned a way how to keep Brock from flirting with pretty girls?

Plot
The gang is waiting for someone to return by the lake. That someone is Misty, along with Togepi. Misty begins to ask Brock and Ash how they are and Brock how her sisters are. May and Max begin to have interest in her. Misty knows already who they are. Ash sees an invitation to Togepi Festival and goes inside, but Misty reminds him they are her guests. 2 men dressed appear and take Misty and Togepi inside the building.

The men are Team Rocket who took Misty and Togepi. The plane begins to take off, but the gang takes a rope in time before it gets off. The gang enters the plane and the plane crosses the desert and goes through a sandstorm. The plane arrives at a town called Mirage Kingdom. Misty demands to know who they are, so the Team Rocket take off the disguises. This time, the Team Rocket are after Togepi. A man appears, stopping Meowth from attacking. Team Rocket mention it is Colonel Hanson. Colonel Hanson demands Togepi, but when Misty does not hand it, a Shedinja appears, attacking them. More Pokemon appear - Ninjasks, making Misty scared of the Bugs.

Brock sends Mudkip to fight. Ninjask use Shadow Ball, to which Pikachu uses Thunderbolt and Mudkip Water Gun, negating the attacks. Shedinja goes after Misty's Togepi. Misty, Max and May hide, but Shedinja found them. Misty sends Corsola and it uses Spike Cannon, but the Shedinja does not feel anything. Shedinja uses Solar Beam, destroying much. Togepi is blasted off, and a woman finds it and turns to her servant, as they need to heal it.

Pikachu uses Thunderbolt against Ninjask, but it is a illusion of Double Team. Ash almost falls into a hole and Brock realizes that the Ninjask have dug the hole, so Ash and Brock go in. Meanwhile, Col. Hanson reports the attack and Miranda goes to tell the King that the princess got Togepi. Misty appears, demanding Togepi back, but so does Col. Hanson. The King has been explained that Togepi is, indeed, Misty's. The princess introduces herself as Sara. The King explaines that Col. Hanson has been ploting to disrupt things for the ceremony, so he orders to prepare a boat to make the gang go away. The woman explaines that Togepi is the guardian of peace in Mirage Kingdom.

However, the ceremony makes Sara the heir of the throne, but Sara is not so successful as her father and without Togepi the ceremony cannot start. Sara tells that that Col. Hanson was plotting to steal Togepi and make himself the King. Meanwhile, Hanson tells Team Rocket he needs Togepi to be the King. So, Team Rocket will catch it in offer for power. When the gang is about to leave, they see a mirage of the temple downwards. Togepi begins to float, but is stopped by a Shadinja. Shadinja uses Solar Beam, but Misty gets Togepi before the attack. Hanson appears and orders Shadinja to use Solar Beam. Pikachu uses Thunderbolt, cancelling the attack.

The rest of the event follows in next episode.

Debuts
Pokémon
 * Ninjask
 * Shedinja

Trivia

 * Even in this episode Misty pulls Brock's ear.
 * Featured Pokemon: Carvanha, Diglett, Minun, Slugma
 * This episode was the second of four in the seventh season to have their Japanese and English air dates one year apart.