Airdate: September 23rd, 1999
Summary: Our heroes are headed to the Pallet town ferry, when they enter an abandoned city. They enter a building, see the ferry, but nobody is there to operate it. Togepi walks into the center of town, meets a Voltorb, and stumble upon a whole host of Voltorb and Electrode. The Electrode get set off and start exploding before surrounding or heroes who are saved by a cowboy with Diglett to spare. The cowboy, Poncho, explains that the Voltorb were brought here for scientific experiments, but became invasive and pushed everyone out of the city. Poncho is a Diglett rancher commissioned by the mayor to solve the Electrode problem. Poncho gets a call, and he is off the job after today. Another group got the contract, it turns out Team Rocket is up to the task, maybe. They show up, and start exploding all of the Electrode to weaken them so they can steal them. All of the Electrode surround Team Rocket’s machine, Voltorb steps up to challenge Team Rocket while Togepi starts waving their arms and coming to Voltorb’s side. Pikachu protects Togepi, but its Thunderbolt doesn’t hurt Team Rocket’s machine. The Diglett start digging a large tunnel now that all the Electrode are collected, and start ferrying the to the open space. All of the Voltorb and Electrode are safe, the city is repopulated after two years, everyone is there so soon like it never happened, odd. Our friends are able to take the ferry to Pallet, but they made a new friend in Poncho.
Best Trainer/Pokémon: Poncho, a rancher with a dream of ethical Voltorb and Electrode conservation, a 21st-Century hero.
Worst Trainer/Pokémon: The Mayor, unseen, but she couldn’t get control of an Electrode problem for two years? Bureaucracy and ineffectiveness at its worst.
One thing I learned: Togepi made a new friend.
Island Monitor: Tarroco Island -> Hamlin Island
Best Quote: “Those Electrode are hotter than a Charizard’s breath in July” -Poncho
Best Scene: Voltorb standing up to Team Rocket.
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