ENGLISH NAME	JAPANESE NAME	POKEMOPOLIS NAME	DODGINESS RATING	ANIMATION	STORY	TEAM ROCKET	MORAL LEARNT
734: Crisis at Ferroseed Research!	740: Tesshido Kenkyujo! Airisu to Baibanira!	Iceland vs. Greenland			Iris and an Ice Pokémon get cornered by a blob of moss	Disappeared again	Prejudices tend to disappear when you're relying on the thing you hate to save your life

Today finds the twerps planning to take a ferry across to Virbank City for Ash's next Gym Battle. Of course it's never that easy, as a distraction comes alone in the form of a floating double-scoop of Ice-Cream billowing steamy snow-clouds out of a wafer jutting out of one scoop. What is it? It's a Vanilluxe, and as an Ice-Type it freaks Iris right the hell out. Ash checks it out with his Pokédex as Vanilluxe approaches Iris and Axew happily.... particularly Axew! Both shiver from the cold and fear, but Vanilluxe is quickly recalled by its trainer... Georgia!

It seems that Vanilluxe only wants to be friends with Dragon-Types, which isn't exactly the best thing for a "Dragon-Buster". She and Iris waste no time at getting down to needling each other, Georgia telling Iris she got Vanilluxe for the express purpose of taking down Iris. She's currently on her way to Ferroseed Research, where they have developed a new type of moss that will power up Pokémon. She heads off with great self-importance, an excited Ash and Cilan deciding to tag along to get their hands on some of these steroi.... this moss! Iris really doesn't want to go anywhere with Georgia (and especially an Ice-Type Pokémon) but has little choice, so along she goes too, straight into the....



The lab is a small little building alongside the canal in the town. Professor Malveaux's assistant Case introduces himself to Georgia who asks about the moss... and then Ash comes skidding in as well to introduce himself, followed by Cilan and Iris who do the same. Georgia seems to realise finally that they've been following her, and is particularly irritated that Iris is there too. Case, however, is absolutely delighted - people are interested in their research? Non-academic people!?! He gives them the tour, explaining that Malveaux is currently away. They pass a small room where they can see two researchers taking readings on three Ferroseed which are attached to a rock. They're little thorny seed Pokémon, which Ash's Pokédex explain attach to rock and absorb the qualities. One of them fires a seed from its body which lands on the ground and turns into moss. Case explains that the qualities of the rock are packed into the thorn which is then fired into the ground to form moss, which increases the oxygen content of the environment which in turn makes for a better environment for the Ferroseed.

Georgia shoves past Ash and Iris to get a closer look (she WAS here first, after all!), noting that some of the moss from more fired thorns appears to be a different colour. As she and Iris jostle for place, Case explains that rocks from different areas seem to create different moss, and that's what they're currently researching. He takes them up to a lab on the third floor where researchers are doing various stress tests on different mosses - setting fire to some, applying acid to others, shooting others in balls at walls, applying pressure to others.

Iris and Georgia pass another room where Ferroseed are attached to rocks from Chargestone Cave, crackling with electricity. Case says this is the first time that they have introduced Ferroseed to these kind of stones, and they're very interested in what the results will be. The Ferroseed for their part don't look overly excited, however, in fact they look pretty pissed off. Georgia wants to continue on and see the moss that increases Pokémon power though, so he takes them up to the fourth floor. As they leave, the Ferroseed attached to the Chargestones fire off thorns, which produce a HUGE amount of moss, including some that sticks to the glass doors and appears to short out the locking mechanism, opening the doors.

Upstairs, Case shows them where they're producing moss for Fire Types, and how they're currently developing Grass and Psychic Type mosses as well. An excited Georgia wants something for Ice Types and calls out her Vanilluxe, which immediately makes a beeline for a horrified Axew. Oshawott leaps out of his Pokéball unbidden, apparently having quite the thing for big double-headed ice queens, and swoons after her as she swoons over Axew who just jumps away from Iris in terror. He runs down the corridor, followed by Vanilluxe, Iris and Oshawott, while Georgia begs for Ice Type moss. But Case explains they haven't developed this yet, causing her to moan in despair while Cilan and Ash offer happy advice that this wouldn't have changed Vanilluxe's personality anyway plus the best strength and power training is actual training!

Downstairs, the moss continues to expand outwards, finally noticed by the researchers. Upstairs, Georgia is still depressed at having come so far for nothing but Case assures her that he will contact her the moment they develop a moss for Ice-Types. She mumbles an okay, but then the alarm sounds and they spot the moss encroaching up the corridor, having reached the higher floor already. Pikachu jumps down all ready to fight, but gets a whiff of the odour the moss is creating and... gets high!?! Yes it seems this moss is actually some pretty fucking good Pokémon Weed - for Electric Types at least, and they have no choice but to make a run for it, since Ash certainly doesn't have any Fire-Type Pokémon who could burn all the moss away quickly or anything! The moss continues to expand at an alarming rate, Case saying they had better get down to the basement where their control room is. As they run though, a portly man approaches the building from the outside. Spotting the moss quickly over-running the outside of the building after breaking through the windows, his immediate reaction is a gruff,"The fuck is this bullshit?" before heading straight inside to deal with the problem. This would be Professor Malveaux, one would presume, but as he enters the building, the moss creeps down over the door, and now NOBODY is getting in or out.



Up on the roof, Axew is still running from a love-struck Vanilluxe which in turn is being chased by a lovestruck Oshawott. Vanilluxe seems to notice the lovesick little otter for the first time and, pissed off and with a complete lack of self-awareness, turns and blows an icy wind at him. Oshawott lifts up his Scalchop to try and resist the cold, finding himself blocked up in ice. He rocks free and breaks the ice (but not in a conversational way) and tosses his scalchop angrily on the roof.... before remembering her loves it and picking it up and placing it happily back on his chest. Iris arrives on the roof and Axew leaps into her arms in terror, as Vanilluxe wafts up and blows an icy cloud of vapour into their faces, which is her attempt to be friendly.

Downstairs, Ash is checking on the still stoned Pikachu while Cilan stands with Case who is checking the control room monitors and trying to figure out what has happened. Professor Malveaux has the answer, stepping in and quietly taking control with unmistakeable authority despite being a short, stocky man with a bad moustache. He immediately figures out that the moss is being generated by the Ferroseed with the Chargestones, and that Pikachu has breathed in spores that have put him into a stupor. He suggests a remedy of a mixture of berries and herbs, and Cilan notes that they've breathed in the spores too, will they be affected? Georgia is more concerned with Pokémon, as her Vanilluxe is still somewhere in the building. Malveaux says that Ferroseed moss doesn't seem to affect humans, and then Nurse Joy calls up to tell them that Electric and Ground Type Pokémon are being rushed to the Pokémon Centre, having breathed in the spores. Georgia is relieved, other peoples Pokémon being gravely ill (high as fuck) means that her Vanilluxe will be okay, since it is an Ice Type. Malveaux gives Joy directions for the remedy to produce, and instructs his researchers to get onto Officer Jenny and tell her to seal off the bridges so the moss can't spread any further (presumably it can't cross water?).

Pikachu is given some of the remedy to drink through a straw, coming down off of the high but needing a rest. Meanwhile, the researchers have only just noticed Iris up on the roof, who is completely unaware of the shit currently going down. She opens the doors to head back downstairs and everybody is horrified to discover the encroaching moss. The doors close again, and then a video message comes through on the monitor next to the door. Cilan informs Iris what is going on and Georgia angrily yells at her that she'll hold her responsible if anything happens to Vanilluxe. Oshawott notices some moss creeping through the door and begins barking angrily at it, and Iris gets them to run as more and more begins to spill through. They leap up onto the ledge of the building and are horrified to see how far the moss has spread across the surrounding buildings. Realising she can't run, Iris decides to fight, calling out Excadrill and Emolga to use Focus Blast and Hidden Power on the moss... except they get high as fuck and Iris belatedly remembers that the moss affects Ground and Electric Types.

Axew is quivering and Iris tells him that she'll protect him no matter what, and then Oshawott steps up to the plate with a Water Gun that pushes the moss back somewhat. Everybody is delighted, ESPECIALLY Oshawott who poses bravely.... until the moss ACCELERATES (perhaps due to that tasty, tasty water!) and terrifies them all... ESPECIALLY Oshawott!



Iris finds herself facing her darkest hour and turns for help from the most unexpected of sources.... an Ice Type Pokémon! She screams for her to do something, and Vanilluxe responds with a blast of Icy Wind that freezes the moss, which then shatters and... is gone! The camera feed to the roof is broken too, but Professor Malveaux has seen enough to realise that the moss is weak against Ice-Type attacks. He instructs his researchers to get the word out, but then has his attention drawn to another monitor where the Ferroseed have started wigging out from drawing in too much electricity. They need to contain them and stop the production of more moss, but how to get to the third floor without Ice Type Pokémon? Georgia comes to the rescue once more, calling our Beartic to lead the way.

Meanwhile Vanilluxe is clearing a path down the stairs for Iris, Axew and Oshawott to follow. Iris finds herself bemused, she's been saved by an Ice Type Pokémon? Even Axew seems too happy and grateful to be scared.

Elsewhere in the city, Joy has a flock of Swanna freeze the moss, while Beartic leads Malveaux, Cilan and Georgia forward towards the third floor and Vanilluxe leads a cheering Iris, Axew and Oshawott down the stairs towards the same place. Iris tries to have Vanilluxe clear a path, but the three Ferroseed are out of their lab now and continue to blast thorns around the room, creating more moss as fast as Vanilluxe can destroy it. But then a blast of icy shatters EVERYTHING, and Iris finds herself looking at a powerful Beartic and a VERY smug Georgia.

Malveaux opens the canisters he brought with him, which draw in the electrical energy of the Ferroseed and drag them inexorably forward to the cases like they were magnets. It seems everything is going to be all right, even Pikachu has recovered now, but then on the monitors they spot that the Ferroseed STILL have too much electrical energy coursing through them, causing them to blast clear of the cases and float up into the air once more, shooting thorns everywhere. Iris orders an Icy Wind from Vanilluxe and Georgia an Ice Beam from Beartic, and they blast the moss... but not all of it, the two Pokémon are exhausted and can't continue to pump out ice. Who can save them now?

The dumb kid, of course!

Ash arrives and calls out Pignite, having him blast the Ferroseed with fire and knock them to the ground. Pikachu immediately rushes forward and presses his tail against one Ferroseed, drawing on the excess electrical energy. Malveaux is delighted at Ash's demonstration of scientific principles (Ash has no idea what the science behind his decision is at all!) and Cilan follows through, bringing out Stunfisk to drape with dumb, retarded joy over the other two Ferroseed.



You will never know the simple joy that this braindead fish is experiencing :)

Iris rushes to join the other twerps, and they watch as the Ferroseed are drained of electrical energy and Malveaux rushes over to them and strokes them and hugs them, tears in his eyes as he apologises for the pain they've gone through. Ash asks Pikachu to release the excess electricity through the shattered window and Cilan tells Stunfisk to do the same. They let rip, though some excess energy arcs back and Oshawott blocks it with his Scalchop, causing the electricity to bounce back and blast the twerps. Oshawott lowers the Scalchop in surprise and gets blasted himself, and everybody ends up frazzled and feeling at least a little of the pain that the Ferroseed were put through.

Jenny and the Swanna have cleared up the rest of the city and Professor Malveaux is calling around to offer apologies. Nurse Joy thanks him as well, saying the medicine he suggested cured all the various Pokémon who were sick in the Pokémon Centre. He thanks the twerps for their help as well, saying he couldn't have done it without them.

Outside, Iris and Georgia walk along in surprising harmony, with Georgia suggesting that maybe Iris should try to be an Ice Master as opposed to a Dragon Master - she did work in perfect harmony with Vanilluxe after all. Iris is surprised but says that she would rather be a Dragon Master, and Georgia smugly admits she'll have more fun beating Iris as a Dragon Master anyway. That said, Iris DOES ask Georgia to thank Vanilluxe on her behalf, shocking Georgia who quickly recovers and says her goodbyes, heading away.

With that the twerps board the ferry, and it seems like they're actually almost in Virbank already? Cilan spots it as the sun sets, and with surprisingly little in the way of distractions we find ourselves already in the location of what should be Ash's 8th and final Unova Gym Badge. When will he get his battle, will he succeed, and then what happens next? Find out.... soon! We hope!

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