ENGLISH NAME	JAPANESE NAME	POKEMOPOLIS NAME	DODGINESS RATING	ANIMATION	STORY	TEAM ROCKET	MORAL LEARNT
764: There's a New Gym Leader in Town!	770: Shin Jimu Rida Cheren!	Console Character Cameo			Ash helps out a brand new Gym Leader	Gone again	Beat up a 10 year old to get small children's respect

Today finds the twerps finally off that goddamn boat, having arrived in Aspertia City. Rushing down the gangplank, Ash, Iris, Pikachu and Axew stretch out luxuriously, while Cilan takes his dignified time, breathing in the fresh not-sea air (what?), anticipating the sights and sounds to be found in a new place. Ash wants to get straight to the Gym to have a battle even though he no longer needs the badges- dude just loves to battle! - but to all of their surprise, Cilan can't find the Gym on the town map. Still, he's not lost, unlike many men he has no problem with asking for directions and says they can ask a couple of nearby locals. Ash also apparently doesn't suffer the clichéd male aversion to seeking help and rushes over, his other clichéd male propensity to get into fights overriding the other. He wants to battle, and what better opportunity than when...



They arrive at the Gym but are confused.... it looks more like a school, complete with uniformed children playing in the front yard. Iris thinks he may have gotten his directions wrong but Ash insists he followed the directions precisely (there's that male cliché again!) and the argument is overheard by a man inside. He steps out and asks if he can help them, they have come to the right place, this IS the Pokémon Gym.

He leads them inside, where they are further confused to see young students rushing about talking about getting to class. The man - he has no name so let's call him Mr. Teach - explains that this place is both, it's a Gym but it's also a school, mixing the practical and the theoretical. Children learn all about the cockfighting the world is obsessed with (N would hate this place) and are also able to observe actual Pokémon Battles between their Principal/Teacher/Gym Leader and a challenger. As they head down the hall, small children gape with delight at a pleased Pikachu riding on Ash's shoulder.

The twerps like the concept of the school (even though Ash and Iris at least are dropouts/never-wents) and Cilan starts to wax lyrical about the joys of being a Pokémon Trainer, Iris sensing an enthusiastic Cilan-speech coming on. He raves about the ways a Gym Leader helps an aspiring Pokémon Trainer push themselves harder and become the very best (like no one ever was) they can be, and Mr. Teach agrees, saying that this is the reason that the young man ahead of them became a Gym Leader. He calls out to the tall, lean young man imparting a lesson to his students - his name is Cheren, and he's familiar to players of the game as one of the two friends/rivals the Player-Character starts the game with, the other being Bianca. He comes over to meet the twerps, telling the polite students to work on their assignments, but while three rush off to do just that, two others make a little chuckle and head off in a different direction.

Cheren isn't surprised to see them, Professor Juniper actually called to let him know they were coming. Ash is still confused, Cheren introduces himself as a teacher but he thought he was a Gym Leader? Cheren explains he is both, but it's telling he introduced himself as a teacher first. He's pleased to hear that Cilan is also a Gym Leader, shaking his hand, but he has bad news for Ash - he can't battle him, the Battlefield isn't finished being built yet, something that Professor Juniper neglected to tell them. Ash sighs in despair and Iris notes Juniper can be somewhat forgetful, while Cilan is pleased to understand why the Gym didn't appear on the Town Map. Cheren starts to speak up about his uncertainty in battling anyway but Mr. Teach is quick to talk over his "boss" and make a suggestion - why not an exhibition match? The battlefield is fine for an unofficial exhibition match, and the students will get a blast out of seeing it. Cheren still seems uncertain but the enthusiasm of the twerps (especially Ash, who is gagging for it) makes up his mind for him, and he agrees warmly to a battle. Mr. Teach suggests they hold the battle after class and they decide to take the twerps on a tour of the school, but both Iris and Cilan have picked up on Cheren's uncertainty. Mr. Teach admits that there is a slight problem, Cheren has a tendency to overthink things because he takes it so seriously. Cilan is delighted, recognising the trait that he shared when he first started as well. He starts raving dramatically again about the importance of the role, and how he had to teach himself to understand that being a Gym Leader wasn't about him and his concerns, but helping a Pokémon Trainer realise their potential. Unfortunately, Cheren is only just getting started and Mr. Teach thinks he is already losing his confidence, which is probably why he suggested the Exhibition Match so Cheren could stop thinking and actually do SOMETHING. Ash agrees that being a Gym Leader is hard, and Iris cracks a joke about a little kid not understanding, and for once Ash (who has had his chance to battle delayed and is feeling antsy) reacts angrily to her long-standing joke. He shouts that SHE'S a kid, but their arguing gets Cheren's attention and they quickly make nice.

In the library, Cheren shows them all the studious students researching Pokémon from various regions. The library doesn't only have books, but also computers, and Cilan says he wishes he could have studied at a school this well-resourced (it seems he did go to school). Iris, who had attended a top quality school herself, is less enthusiastic, saying she doesn't like being cooped up indoors like this. Cheren has a solution for that too though, he takes students on outdoors field trips and gives them experience dealing with Pokémon in their natural environment, so that one day they'll be prepared to capture them. Iris leaps up in excitement, her cheer echoed by Pikachu and Axew who have been pretending to read books, and Ash enjoys his chance to turn her own catchphrase against her, declaring smugly,"What a kid!"

As they continue down the hallway, Axew spots an open door and heads inside, followed by a concerned Pikachu who isn't happy to see him playing with the electronic equipment inside. As Axew dances about happily on the control panel, enjoying lighting up various parts of the equipment, Pikachu tries to get him down and they trip over a switch, sending a massive blast of feedback across all the school's intercoms. The students clutch their ears in pain, and the two little boys who rushed off instead of doing their assignments earlier are seen dropping a Minccino and a Ducklett they were holding. The twerps rush into the room and find Axew and Pikachu laid out on the panel, and angrily demand to know what they think they were doing (poor Pikachu!). Soon we see them holding their sad little Pokémon in their hands, bowing apologetically and begging forgiveness from Cheren. He notes that they (the Pokémon) are clearly sorry but sternly tells them not to do it again, then is all smiles, wanting to continue the tour. They're interrupted by a scream though, and see a number of Minccino rush down the hall, knocking over one small student. Cheren is surprised, the Minccino were raised and live at the school in the Pokémon House so students can interact with them, how did they get out? Suddenly realising that the other Pokémon in the Pokémon House - a large glass conservatory - could have gotten out too, he rushes off to check. The twerps follow him, and his worst fears are confirmed, the doors are open and the Pokémon House is empty. Cheren says they're used to the students and aren't likely to hurt them, but they could get hurt themselves. They'll need to find them before they leave the grounds and potentially get lost, and Ash suggests splitting up to look around.

Ash and Pikachu head out into the gardens, where the easily duped Ash almost misses a Sunflora standing amongst some sunflowers. His Pokédex picks it up when he checks the flowers though, but he's a stranger so it runs from him and joins others, and all of them scatter to get away from him. As he chases them about, their creepy forced cheeriness never slipping, he begs them to come back to the Pokémon House with him.

Meanwhile Cilan has found all of the Ducklett, which are happily paddling about in the pool. He tells them that pool time is over and they turn their duck faces onto him, staring with wide unblinking eyes as their leader slowly approaches and then ducks beneath the water.... then emerges in a splash right before the camera and blasts Cilan in the face with Water Gun. He laughs at the cheekiness of the ducks and they all join in, quacking their laughter, but then he takes a more serious tone, bringing out Pansage for an extra large portion of "lesson time". Pansage leaps at a Ducklett at Cilan's order but of course it just slips away and leaves Pansage to crash into the water. As he struggles to swim, the Ducklett all attack from various angles and Pansage surfaces, slapping his little arms grumpily. Cilan is horrified, realising his mistake in sending Pansage into the water, and lifts him out, hugging the bedraggled little vegetable-monkey and apologising.

In the dining room, Iris and Axew hear sounds from the kitchen pantry and find Minccino have raided the pantry to get at food. She and Axew chase them as they scatter, the Minccino thinking the whole thing is just a game. While she struggles, Cilan and Pansage have managed to "escort" the Ducklett back to the Pokémon House by physically carrying them, Pansage riding on one of their backs, getting a measure of revenge. Ash and Pikachu have hauled back the Sunflora, hoping they haven't missed any, and Iris has gotten to the Minccino as well, actually shoving them into a pot while Axew wrestles with another! They seem to have gotten all the Pokémon back, but Cheren is upset to notice a Shinx is missing. They head into the school in search of it again, and pass a classroom where they spot the little cub cornered by the two boys who weren't doing their assignments. They're hideously ugly and look quite menacing as they approach Shinx, and Cheren warns the twerps that Shinx is a new acquisition to the school and isn't used to the students yet... it might attack them.

They approach, telling it they won't hurt it, but it lashes out with an electric attack and Cheren dives on the boys, Pikachu blasting the attack with Thunderbolt to block it. Cheren, straddling the two prone boys (I hope their Dad doesn't walk in!) looks over at the frightened Shinx and tells it that it will be fine... and it lashes out at him too. He lunges and scoops it up, taking the electric blast full on as the twerps look on, assuring it that it will be okay, nobody will hurt it. Finally calming down, it stops blasting him and Ash and Iris sigh with relief, while Cilan checks on the two ugly children. Cheren asks why they tried to catch it when they know they're not trained yet, and they shamefacedly admit that they are the ones responsible for the Pokémon getting out.

Instead of doing their assignments, they'd gone to the Pokémon House to see the Pokémon, where they'd bragged that they were already totally awesome Pokémon Trainers. The fat kid with the pug nose had picked up an unblinking Ducklett, mistaking its passivity around children with a desire to follow his commands, and the smaller boy with the messy hair had picked up Minccino, holding it at arm’s length and asking if they should battle. At that point, Pikachu and Axew's screams across the intercom freaked out the Pokémon which stampeded, and because fat kid didn't close the doors properly, they were able to get out. Ash and Iris wonder what scared the Pokémon and realise it was THEIR naughty "kids", and bow their heads in embarrassment, as do Pikachu and Axew.

Cheren forgives the kids though, telling them that one of these days they'll become full-fledged Pokémon Trainers and he'll help them become the best they can be. Thankful, they burst into tears of gratitude and rush over to Cheren to hug him, and Shinx enjoys licking the salty tears from their faces, because it's just a cub and it doesn't know what the fuck is going on anyway.

With classes over for the day, Cheren is as good as his word and prepares to have his Exhibition match with Ash. It's a one-on-one battle, and the kids (including the naughty boys) are all gathered on the sideline to watch as well. The battlefield actually looks pretty much complete, but whatever the case, the battle is happening and that is all Ash cares about. Mr. Teach acts as the referee and introduces Ash and Cheren, and Iris is surprised at how loud and enthusiastic the kids are for Cheren. Cilan laughs that Ash won't get the home advantage here, which is an incredibly silly thing to say because Ash NEVER gets the home advantage, especially not in Unova which is a foreign country for him.

Cheren calls out his Pokémon, Herdier, and an excited Ash knows just what Pokémon to use... and gets the choice taken away from him when an equally excited Oshawott leaps out of his Pokéball wanting to fight as well.

They open with Hydro-Pump, but Herdier is fast and leaps back, and then clashes Takedown with Oshawott's Tackle, getting the better of it and sending Oshawott crashing backwards. He staggers back up and is unsteady on his feet, and Ash tells him to pull himself together (little otter dude has a concussion, for God's sake!). Cheren sends in Herdier with Thunder-Fang, worrying Cilan and Iris who know the move is super-effective. Ash shouts out a command to Oshawott to use Razor Shell and he comes to his sense in time to block the attack, surprising the watching students and impressing Cheren. He reveals that he is aware that Ash is a Unova League Quarter-Finalist (Oshawott is VERY proud!) and then surprises them by just using the same move again, and Ash falls for it, going for the same counter. Herdier zips aside at the last second and kicks back at the overextended Oshawott, knocking the scalchop from his hands. Freaking out, Oshawott chases after the scalchop and grabs it back up, relieved to slap it back onto his belly where it belongs... and realises too late that Herdier is right behind him ready to bite down with Thunder Fang. It's as super-effective as warned, and Oshawott is knocked clean out, and Cheren wins his first ever (unofficial) battle as a Gym Leader.

Herdier licks the unconscious Oshawott's head as Ash runs up to check up on him, but even now Cheren still doesn't have his confidence. He notes that he might have pushed too hard for what was "just" an exhibition match, but Cilan shows him why this is a silly idea. All of Cheren's students are rapt, cheering and leaping about in excitement to see THEIR Gym Leader/Teacher win his battle. They want to grow up big and strong and challenge him when they become Pokémon Trainers, and a relieved Cheren - confidence restored - realises that he really has been overthinking things.

So Ash has another loss to kick off his new journey, though it really doesn't feel like it matters that much considering how badly Cheren needed the win. The twerps set off for the White Ruins once more, Cheren, Mr. Teach and his students waving their goodbyes.

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