RS050: Pros and Con Artists

Pros and Con Artists (Japanese: ポケモンコンテスト・ハジツゲ大会！！, Hepburn: Pokémon Contest - Fallarbor Tournament!) is the 10th episode of Pokémon: Advanced Challenge.

Synopsis

After arriving to Fallarbor Town, May starts doubting herself, seeing a lot of Coordinators that will participate, including Drew. However, the heroes meet Grace, a Coordinator, who gives May advice on the performances. May starts wondering what to do and tries to find an answer.

Episode plot

The heroes have arrived to Fallarbor Town. Max already sees the Contest Hall, where May hopes to win her first ribbon. May imagines herself winning the contest, with Brock and Ash supporting her. May sends her Beautifly to look for the building where she and Beautifly will win the Pokémon Contest. The heroes arrive inside the building, where Brock is amazed by the girls inside. May worries about the tough competition, but finds a Coordinator meditating with her Pokémon, a Medicham, who is floating in air. A psychic force affects Max's glasses, Ash's hat, Pikachu and other objects in the room, making them float in air. Medicham stops meditating, so all objects fall down. The owner apologizes for the disturbance, as her Medicham has accidentally unleashed psychic powers. Brock goes to flirt with her, but Max takes him away. May apologizes and says Brock does it when he sees a beautiful girl, but the woman starts laughing to hear she is beautiful. The woman knocks May away onto Ash.

Grace apologizes for pushing May away and introduces herself. During the night, Brock has cooked some food, to which Grace happily eats, making Ash, May and Max somewhat startled by her. Brock is quite happy, knowing Grace would happily taste his cooking. Ash wonders if Grace won in any contests, so she shows 3 ribbons. Max sees Grace is also confident in winning the Contest, but May is discouraged and bashes Max, since her confidence shattered. Grace tells May luck, as well as the opponent, could also influence her chances of obtaining a ribbon. Grace also finds it very important to use the power of the Pokémon to full potential during the Contest. May feels nervous and wonders if she should even enter, though Grace laughs at that. Grace promises to show some of Medicham's attacks to ease the nervousness.

Outside, Grace sends Medicham, who uses Ice Punch with Psychic, spreading the glitter around. May is thrilled, seeing this combination. The next day, May practices with Beautifly, who uses Silver Wind combined with Tackle. However, May corrects herself and orders to use Gust, but then orders String Shot. Beautifly uses Gust and String Shot, with the latter move causing Beautifly to be entangled. Drew appears, commenting how May's combinations are failing. Drew throws a rose at May, claiming he came here to see Beautifly. Drew asks her if she won any ribbons, but May becomes nervous, as she has none. May asks him how many did he got, so he shows her his case, containing three ribbons. Drew tells Coordinators with no ribbons will have a tough time and leaves, making May angry at him.

Jessie and James, disguised, ask a man who is passing by whether he wants to win Contests. They offer him a secret product, encouraging the man to about the secret product. The man appears before Meowth (who is disguised as an old man), who gives the man advice on winning the contests. Meowth claims the judge tests cuteness, cleverness, courage, classiness and confidence. Meowth also shares the secret that the judges also test two secret skills, coolness and "charismagnetism". Jessie and James appear before Meowth, disguising themselves as customers. The man is shown gold and silver Pokéblocks, which could improve the two secret skills. Meowth throws a gold Pokéblock to Wobbuffet, then distracts the man for a while. When they turn around, Meowth and the man see Wobbuffet, who became cooler. The man is convinced and happy, so he pays them the Pokéblocks. Jessie and James are happy that the plan worked, painting ordinary Pokéblocks to gold and silver colors. This pleases Team Rocket, who think they'll be rolling in cash once they sell these fake Pokéblocks to other Coordinators.

Ash asks Max where May is and is told she is out for training, surprising Ash how early May went out. Brock, however, is flirting with girls he crosses upon. Ash, Brock and Max see Drew, who sees them as May's friends. Drew admits he came here to win some ribbons to enter the Grand Festival. Drew wonders if they are here to participate as well, but Ash replies they came to cheer for May. Drew claims they are just afraid of losing, making Ash upset, who starts yelling. Drew taunts Ash into a battle, who is surprised Drew is challenging him. Drew points out he is also a great fighter, so Ash accepts the challenge. Later, Ash's Taillow attacks Drew's Roselia using Quick Attack. Roselia uses Magical Leaf, but Taillow dodges the attack. Roselia uses Petal Dance, but Taillow evades the attack. Ash recalls how Drew specifically asked to battle Taillow, since he was confident that he'd win against Ash's other Pokémon.

Taillow uses Peck, but Roselia uses Stun Spore, so Taillow's attack is cancelled. May witnesses Taillow being attacked by Roselia, surprised Drew battles Ash. May comes and sees Roselia uses Solar Beam, defeating Taillow. Ash is frustrated and calls Taillow back, while May is shocked Ash lost. Drew explains why Ash lost: both the trainer and the Pokémon have to be on the same wavelength; Ash's Taillow was confused as its trainer was, but the main part was to have teamwork. During the night, May remembers what Grace and Drew told her and sighs. Next day, Team Rocket sells the fake Pokéblocks, as the customers are convinced to buy them. May comes to the stand, startling Meowth to see the twerp is here. May thinks if she were to give Beautifly the Pokéblock, she might even win the Contest.

Grace appears, demanding to know from which berries are the Pokéblocks made of. She exposes the Team Rocket, as the Pokéblocks have no apparent origin and tells May a true Coordinator would mix their own Pokéblocks. May sees she is right, as this is not the way she wants to win. Grace starts laughing, amused how everyone fell for the scam. Team Rocket opens the balloon and flies off, then steal the people's Pokémon, including Medicham and Beautifly. Medicham uses Psychic, freeing itself and other Pokémon. Beautifly uses String Shot, holding the balloon. James sends Cacnea, who uses Pin Missile, freeing the balloon. Seviper is sent out and uses Poison Tail, but Medicham uses Hi Jump Kick, knocking Seviper out. Cacnea uses Pin Missile, but Beautifly uses Tackle. Medicham uses Ice Punch, blowing Seviper and Cacnea away, as well as blasting Team Rocket away.

Grace praises May, though May believes Grace did all the work. Grace laughs and claims May should give herself some credit. Later on, the Contest is about to start; the Coordinators are in place, among which May, Drew and Grace are seen. Despite standing next to Drew, May does not mind him.

Debuts

Character

Grace

Pokémon

Medicham

Trivia

• Featured Pokémon: Magneton, Crobat, Geodude, Lanturn.
• This is one of rare episodes that Cacnea did not hug James after coming out of Poké Ball.
• This episode's English dub title is a reference to the phrase "pros and cons".

Gallery

A Medicham starts using its psychic powers

Brock tries to impress Grace

Grace shows her three ribbons

Drew appears once more, belittling May

Team Rocket tries to sell fake Pokéblocks

Drew annoys Ash, by stating he is a coward not to enter the Contest

Ash has Taillow attack Roselia

Taillow is defeated

May realizes she should train, rather than take a fake method

Team Rocket captures the Pokémon

Medicham uses High Jump Kick on Seviper

May and Grace defeated Team Rocket

Ash, Brock and Max are ready to watch

Drew plans on winning the Contest

May no longer doubts herself