RS107: Beg, Burrow and Steal

"Beg, Burrow, and Steal"
Information
Series	Pokémon the Series: Ruby and Sapphire
Season	Pokémon: Advanced Battle
№	382
Opening(s) and Ending(s)	Japanese Opening Pokémon Symphonic Medley Ending GLORY DAY ~That Shining Day~ English Opening Unbeatable
Staff credits	脚本(きゃくほん) (Screenplay) 米村正二 (Shōji Yonemura) 絵(え)コンテ (Storyboard) 藤本義孝 (Yoshitaka Fujimoto) 助手(じょしゅ)監督(かんとく) (Assistant director(s)) 大町繁 (Shigeru Ōmachi) 作画(さくが)監督(かんとく) (Animation director(s)) たけだゆうさく (Yūsaku Takeda)
In other countries
Japan	Title ナックラーとビブラーバ！幻の湖！ Airdate December 9, 2004
Japan	Title ナックラーとビブラーバ！幻の湖！ Airdate December 9, 2004
Anglosphere	Title Beg, Burrow, and Steal Airdate(s) December 17, 2005 Notes ^ a: Signifies that it only applies to the US, UK, CA, AU, NZ and SG
Anglosphere	Title Beg, Burrow, and Steal Airdate(s) December 17, 2005 Notes ^ a: Signifies that it only applies to the US, UK, CA, AU, NZ and SG
Details
Main	Ash, May, Brock, Max
Recurring	Jessie, James
Minor	Elisa, Hal
Character(s) of the Day	Elisa, Hal
Pokémon	Ash's Pikachu, Meowth, Jessie's Wobbuffet, James' Chimecho, Brock's Ludicolo, Jessie's Dustox, James' Cacnea, Elisa's Meganium, Trapinch, Vibrava (debut), Nidoran♀, Nidoran♂, Rhyhorn, Rhydon, Tauros, Girafarig, Phanpy, Donphan, Poochyena, Zigzagoon
Badges or Classes

Beg, Burrow and Steal (Japanese: ナックラーとビブラーバ！幻の湖！, Hepburn: Trapinch and Vibrava! Lake of Illusion!) is the 15th episode of Pokémon: Advanced Battle.

Synopsis

Though a local researcher is widely regarded as a kook, captivated by his tales of a massive underground labyrinth dug by Trapinch, wherein these Pokémon secretly gather to evolve all at once into Vibrava, Ash and friends decide to give the man the benefit of the doubt. Together they descend into the labyrinth, following a tracer planted on one of the Trapinch, unwittingly leading Team Rocket as well to the Trapinch’s inner sanctum. These would-be villains botch yet another attack, but in the process manage to knock Ash and the ranger traveling with them down to a deeper level of the labyrinth. Fortunately, the tagged Trapinch is still by their side, but to escape, Ash and his new companion must traverse paths never walked by humans before.

Episode plot

The heroes continue their journey through Izabe Island, but they encounter a desert. Brock's map and Max's PokéNav have no data about the desert, and yet there are many holes around. May feels scared of the holes and do notice every hole is the same size. Ash throws a rock into the hole and a Trapinch eats the rock. The heroes see there must be more Trapinch, as there are many holes around. However, they hear a police alarm and a woman comes to them. The woman tells them they are trespassers, and they must leave, as the area is dangerous. Despite that, Brock flirts with her. The woman introduces herself as Elisa; Brock does not stop flirting, so Max pulls him by his ear. May and Ash apologize because they didn't know how risky this desert is. The latter goes around and falls down a hole. Elisa gives him a rope and pulls him up. Elisa warns them the holes underneath are entrances to a cavern labyrinth full of Trapinch. Elisa and the others wanted to move the Trapinch, but they dig more, so nothing could be done about it.

Instead, Elisa drives them somewhere safe, while Max notes how many wild Pokémon are around that Elisa is protecting. During the ride, they see a man running away from an angry Donphan. The man recognizes Elisa, for some reason. Elisa calls Meganium out, who uses Sweet Scent to calm Donphan down. Elisa thanks Meganium and calls it back. The man is grateful, whom Elisa introduces as Hal, the Izabe Island researcher. Hal shows that he was looking for the Trapinch, with a transmitter. As he begins to explain them the situation with Donphan, Team Rocket spies underground using a periscope from their Diglett machine, planning to use it to surprise their enemies. Hal tells them that the transmitter will direct them to the location of an underground lake. The heroes want to hear about this lake, but Elisa is skeptical about the story. Regardless, Hal tells them that one day, despite his parents' warnings, he fell into a hole and when he woke up, he saw a large, beautiful underground lake with a lot of Trapinch as well. However, he remembers that Trapinch evolved into Vibrava; Hal followed them and found himself out of the lake, but did not remember how he got out.

The heroes are amazed by the story, but Elisa thinks Hal made that story up. Hal reminds her there was a time Elisa had believed in the story, too, but Elisa claimed she was five back then. Still, Hal exclaims that story is why he became a Trapinch researcher. However, Max spots the Trapinch with the transmitter is gone; May spots it going into the hole. Hal feels the Trapinch is going to the underground lake to evolve, but Elisa has her doubts. Soon, they feel vibrations and Team Rocket appears in their machine, using the robot arm to capture Pikachu. The latter uses Thunderbolt, but with no effect. Brock sends Ludicolo, who dances with Max. Ludicolo uses Water Gun on the machine, which malfunctions and falls into the hole, but Pikachu is dragged down as well. The Trapinch appear and eat the metal from the machine, since Hal believes Team Rocket upset their natural habitat. Just as Trapinch eat the robot away, Team Rocket and Pikachu are dragged down into the hole. Ash, Elisa and the Trapinch with the transmitter descend down as well. Pikachu, Team Rocket, Ash, Trapinch and Elisa split into different tunnels.

Brock, May and Max stay outside, but they need to find a way to help them, since the cavern is a labyrinth. Hal discovers a signal of Trapinch, so he goes down. Despite the warnings, Hal falls down into the hole. After the fall, Hal goes after the signal. Ash tries to find Pikachu, but with no success. The Trapinch with the transmitter goes down a path, so they follow it. Team Rocket go down a path and see a Trapinch, so Meowth thinks it will open the nuts for the boss if he had one, so they go to capture one. However, it has gone away, so Jessie blames James for not paying attention. Soon, they hide, for Meowth heard some steps. Hal goes around and tries to find his Trapinch. Team Rocket decides to follow him, knowing he'll lead them to the Trapinch. Brock, Max and May are worried. Max goes to the edge and nearly falls, but May catches him and Brock got her. However, they are all heavy and fall down. Ash, Elisa and Trapinch go to find Pikachu and see May, Max and Brock falling down. Ash asks where Hal is, so Brock tells he was looking for him and Eliza.

Suddenly, the Trapinch is eating rocks to make a path. Elisa hears something; it is the water stream going through the path. The group runs, but the water overwhelms them and leads them to the lake Hal spoke of. Pikachu yells out, so Ash goes to the shore and hugs him. They also see the Trapinch with the transmitter and Hal following it. Team Rocket hides and continue on planning to take Trapinch, along with Pikachu. Hal shows Elisa he wasn't lying about the underground lake. The latter replies she thinks she was a fool not to trust him, but Hal tells her that she did believe him. The talk is interrupted when the heroes see the Trapinch gathering. The Trapinch evolve to Vibrava, though one of them has Hal's transmitter fallen off. Jessie and James are sad they couldn't capture them, but Meowth reminds them the Vibrava are part Dragon-type, so it means they are quite worth. The Vibrava fly off, but Team Rocket captures them all in a net. Brock sends Ludicolo, who dances with Max again, and Elisa calls Meganium out. Ludicolo attacks with Bullet Seed, hitting Team Rocket, while Meganium's Razor Leaf frees the Vibrava.

Jessie sends Dustox and James with Cacnea, who hugs the latter. Dustox attacks with Poison Sting and Cacnea with Pin Missile, but the Vibrava stand in their way, negating the attacks with Supersonic. Pikachu blasts Team Rocket off with Thunderbolt. Now, the group has to figure a way to get out. However, they are carried up by the Vibrava. They fly off and the group waves goodbye at them. At the end of the day, Elisa gives the heroes the directions to the nearest town. Hal decides to keep the lake a secret, wishing to let Trapinch's evolution gathering to be left in piece. He also admits he wanted to find it along with Elisa, making both of them blush. May notes the connection between those two, making Brock sad he doesn't have a chance with Elisa.

Debuts

Pokémon

• Trapinch
• Vibrava

Quotes

"Give Pikachu back!" - Ash

"You're so predictable." - Jessie

"Say something new." - James

"Yeah, at least we switch up da motto sometimes." - Meowth

"Our Diglett Supreme's a giant Ground-type, and besides, a Thunderbolt ain't unique." - Meowth

"Since our big Diglett Supreme is a Ground-type, it's weak against Water attacks!" - Meowth being overconfident

"Meowth, wrong answer!!" - Jessie and James

"Who are these awful people?" - Hal

"Prepare for trouble. We haven't officially met." - Jessie

"The twerps know us. They're doubly upset." - James

"Dey'll tell you who we are." - Meowth

"It's Team Rocket!" - Ash, May, Max, and Brock

"Pipi-kachu!" - Pikachu

"See? We told you." - Jessie

"And we told you how predictable they are." - James

"But our stealing's even more predictable-er." - Meowth

"Thunderbolt! Talk about predictable!" - Jessie

"I can think of one thing dat's even more." - Meowth

"Our blasting off?" - James

"How predictable!" - Jessie, James, and Meowth

"Wobbuffet!" - Wobbuffet

Trivia

• The title is a pun on the phrase "beg, borrow, or steal".

Gallery

A Trapinch appears

Max pulls Brock away

Elisa saves Ash

The heroes meet up with Hal

Hal found an underground lake

The Trapinch evolved into Vibrava

Team Rocket's machine malfunctions

The Trapinch eat the metal away

Team Rocket gets pulled into the ground

Meowth encounters a Trapinch

The group runs away from the wave

Ash and Pikachu reunite

Team Rocket decide to steal the Vibrava

The Vibrava are captured in Team Rocket's net

Dustox and Cacnea launches their attacks on everyone...

...but Vibrava appears to stop them

Dustox and Cacnea's Poison Sting and Pin Missile got stopped by Vibrava's Supersonic

The group notes the opening is too far away from them to climb

The heroes fly out of the with the Vibrava

Elisa blushes at Hal's words