ENGLISH NAME	JAPANESE NAME	POKEMOPOLIS NAME	DODGINESS RATING	ANIMATION	STORY	TEAM ROCKET	MORAL LEARNT
767: Saving Braviary!	773: Enu Futatabi! Woguru Kyushutsu Sakusen!	The Eagle Has Stranded			N and the twerps help save a majestic bird	Out in favour of a plasma injection	Sometimes you just gotta have a cockfight

Two Team Plasma Grunts are driving a truck through winding country roads at night, lightly bickering about not damaging their cargo. They pull to a sudden stop as they find a barricade in their road, the driver being needled about his supposed first-rate driving skills. To be fair, he did successfully stop before hitting the barricade and the passenger should really be responsible for navigation, but hey! As they get out to check out the barricade, a familiar face appears behind the truck. It's N, using an electronic device that somehow works out the combination to a lock that... uhh... doesn't appear to need a combination. N opens the door and finds a wounded Braviary inside - the proud badass bird that is probably the symbol of the Unova Region giving the parallels with the USA. Helping Braviary out and supporting its weight, N begins to head off the road only to be spotted by the Rocket Grunts. Realising they're losing their "cargo", they call out their Pokémon to attack N - a Seviper and a Zangoose!

Of course as the two are natural enemies in the wild who will attack each other on sight, the two Pokémon completely ignore the Rocket Grunts and get into a knockdown, drag out battle that leaves the Grunts lamenting the idiot that teamed them up given their incompatible Pokémon... or rather, that's what would have happened if the people who wrote this show gave even one fuck about continuity/game stats/internal logical coherency. But they don't, thank God, one of the reasons the show has run for so long, and so the two Pokémon attack as ordered. If it makes you feel better, consider the incompatible team-up as representing the implicit "wrongness" of the Team Plasma organisation!

N turns and takes the two hits fall on, and both him and Braviary go over the side of the cliffside road and down into the trees below. For whatever reason, the two Plasma Grunts just assume they survived the deadly fall and figure they can follow them using the tracking device they took the precaution of applying to Braviary. It seems that N is going to have more trouble than expected...



The twerps are heading up the forest "road" in the dark, they've pushed on a little later than usual instead of making camp because a Pokémon Centre isn't too far distant. Iris is hungry (as is Axew, taking his cues from her) but Cilan pleasantly suggests she exhibit a little patience, they'll be there soon. As they head along, rustling in the bushes gets their attention and before their startled eyes N comes falling out of the treeline clutching tightly to a wounded Braviary. They crash to the ground, N looking up from a hilariously compromising looking position - but this is no time for immature jokes, Braviary is hurt and N isn't looking too hot either. He tells them he doesn't need help but Braviary does - its wings are injured and it is in pain. Ash wants to know what is happening but Cilan sensibly tells him they'll get details later, for now they have to get to the Pokémon Centre.

As promised, it doesn't take long to arrive and they all gather to watch as Nurse Joy and Audino bandage Braviary's wing and (presumably) give it something for the pain. She lets them all in and tells them Braviary will be okay given time, but after he thanks her and tells Braviary to relax, she reminds him that HE is hurt too and needs tending. He seems surprised to be reminded of his own pain.

Shortly after getting his own treatment, he pets a sleeping Braviary while Ash checks out the awesome looking bird with his Pokédex. Braviary are known for their fierce loyalty, they will fight on well past the point of injury and exhaustion to defend a friend. Ash asks N what happened, and he tells them about his run-in with Team Plasma, and they in turn explain their own run-in. Petting Braviary, he tells them that Pokémon can be turned into weapons in the wrong hangs, and explains that he has finally come to the conclusion that a Pokémon’s purpose has nothing to do with harming people or destroying anything. Ash enthusiastically agrees... till N expands on this to say this extends to Pokémon battling too. Ash hangs his head, depressed, but N qualifies his statement - he understands there are people like the twerps who truly care for and respect their Pokémon, and he doesn't bundle them in with all the rest. No, he is setting out to stop those who hurt or force Pokémon to act against their will, which is pretty much the default setting for every single goddamn human being on the show!

Pleased not to be painted with the same brush as the likes of Team Rocket/Aqua/Magma/Galactic/Plasma etc, the twerps ask if they can help him with Braviary - but nope, he wants to handle this himself. Unfortunately for him, the Plasma Grunts have already arrived near the Pokémon Centre in their truck, and are preparing to approach on foot.

The twerps head to their free room for the night and talk about what a good guy N is, and how they wish they could help him. They'll get their chance soon enough, as N pets the sleeping Braviary and tells it that everything is going to be okay, the Plasma Grunts have arrived at the Pokémon Centre. They head to the power box outside and cut the power, but while the darkness leaves the twerps confused, it also gives N a vital clue, as he sees the glowing light of the tracking device on Braviary. Realising what is going on, he helps Braviary up and the two limp up to the room where the twerps are staying, warning them that he is sure Team Plasma are behind this.

Downstairs, Nurse Joy and Audino head outside to check the circuit breakers while the Plasma Grunts sneak deeper into the centre behind her. Wearing night-vision goggles, they're delighted at the sight of all the Pokémon sleeping unaware in treatment rooms. One Grunt thinks they've hit the jackpot but the other reminds him that their orders are to get Braviary, that's their first (and only) concern. Unfortunately for them, Braviary is gone, the only sign it was there is a feather.

But it couldn't have got far in its injured state, and a quick check of their tracking device shows Braviary is just outside of the Centre. They rush outside and spot N from behind and what appears to be Braviary, and they give chase. Getting close to the panting N, they send out Seviper and Zangoose to attack, both of them smashing N and knocking him down. Satisfied, they approach Braviary... and discover Braviary is actually just some bundled up sheets!

Considering Braviary is a bald eagle, this feels like some kind of odd metaphor for US imperialism or something!

Elsewhere, the now tracking device-free Braviary is being lead to safety by the twerps. N - having realised what was happening - has gotten the twerps to take Braviary away while he distracted Team Plasma and got them to follow him. The twerps had wanted to stand and fight, but N had pointed out that doing so would put the other Pokémon in the Centre at risk. Asking them to get Braviary somewhere safe before releasing it, he said goodbye to Braviary and left, the loyal bird calling out angrily to him, wanting to stick by his side and fight with him.

Arriving in an open field in front of a forest with a mountain in the backdrop, the twerps believe this is the best place to set Braviary free. Cilan says this is a Pokémon Sanctuary, but the fact there are no goddamn fences or signs and they were just able to walk their asses in unchallenged indicates that maybe it's not the safest place in the world to dump an injured bird. They don't see it that way though, telling Braviary he's free to recuperate now. But the moment they take their supportive hands away, the angry bird turns and rushes back the way they came - its buddy N is out there and it wants to save him! Ash rushes in front of him and blocks him, trying to explain the dangers of going back, joined by Cilan and Iris who try to restraint it as Ash explains that doing this will undo N's sacrifice. Spotting how depressed Braviary looks, it's surprisingly the dim Ash who picks up on what is going on - Braviary can sense N is in trouble and wants to help. Tired of waiting for the idiots to catch up, Braviary shakes loose and charges on into the forest, leaving them no choice to follow. The twerps give chase, Ash hoping that N is okay.



That would be a no!

The Plasma Grunts arrive and demand to know where Braviary is, but he refuses, and makes them snort with contempt when he apologises to Zangoose and Seviper for not being able to free them. They're amused that he refers to their Pokémon as his "friends", and - fanatic that he is - he takes the opportunity to rant about his mission to free Pokémon from bad people. Tired of hearing him, they send in Seviper and Zangoose to finish him off... and Braviary returns to block the attack!

He's shocked to see Braviary there, as well as the twerps, and demands to know why they're there, this is HIS mission. They explain Braviary sensed his danger and they couldn't just abandon him (plus Braviary really didn't give them a choice!) so they came to help him. He can understand that, while Team Plasma are just pleased that they don't have to waste more time hunting down Braviary.

Ash and Iris step forward to do the fighting... or rather, they step forward to have Pikachu and Excadrill do the fighting for them. Ash shows surprising insight by noting that N can't stand to watch Pokémon fight but sometimes you don't have a choice - sometimes you just gotta have a cock-fight! N accepts that even if he doesn't like it, and watches as Zangoose, Seviper, Pikachu and Excadrill go at it. Cilan is impressed with Zangoose and Seviper's obviously quality training - even if he doesn't like the Plasma Grunts, his Connoisseur skills tell him that the immoral Plasma Grunts are good trainers. Pikachu and Zangoose clash Iron Tails and Pikachu is left panting, Ash shouting encouragement as N is forced to watch his most detested sight - a hurt and tired Pokémon being "forced" to continue fighting on behalf of a human being.

Excadrill Focus Blasts a Screech, taking a hit himself but knocking Seviper out. Iris notices Excadrill's pain and recalls him immediately, noticed by N, while Zangoose recovers and moves in to attack the panting Pikachu... only to be smashed aside by Braviary coming to the rescue, knocking the bandage off of its wing. Given the time to recover, Ash tells Pikachu to unleash with Thunderbolt, and Zangoose is KO'ed by 10,000 volts blasting through its body. The Plasma Grunts have no choice but to run and make a return to their headquarters, vowing that N and the twerps haven't seen the last of them.

Dawn is breaking as N and the twerps return to the Pokémon Sanctuary - the one without any fence or walls or signs or patrols or guards. He tells the now fully healed (that was quick!) Braviary that now it will be free to fly and enjoy life without worrying about Team Plasma, as their is no way they will come back to the last place they saw it and take advantage of the unguarded/unprotected sanctuary.

Braviary says its goodbye and takes to the air, swooping overheard and disappearing into the distance as they yell their goodbyes, Cilan throwing in the now obligatory "BEST WISHES!". N apologises for all the troubles he can caused, but Ash is more concerned when he notices N's injuries. N seems to have forgotten them as well, but agrees to go to the Pokémon Centre for treatment (are there no hospitals in Unova?).

Soon he's bandaged up, and they ask him where he will head now that Braviary has been saved? He's heading to the outskirts of Driftveil City, surprising them since they're going that way too. Ash enthusiastically asks N to come along with them, and is upset to see N's face fall - is it such a bad thing to travel with them? N explains that despite what he told them earlier, he still finds it difficult to deal with the fact they're trainers who take part in Pokémon battles.

Showing surprising compromise though - or maybe it's inevitable in this cockfighting obsessed world of theirs - he admits that watching them battle gave him a strange feeling he isn't used to, and he agrees to travel with them. They're delighted, the quietly-spoken oddball is a weird dude but a nice enough guy. Iris belatedly recalls that they haven't eaten for quite some time now (remember she was hungry at the start of the episode, which was the previous night) and Cilan says he'll prepare a meal, and they happily tell N to prepare his tastebuds for a treat.

So the episode ends with laughter and happiness, but how long can it last? N is traveling with them now, and though he likes them well enough, they're basically living a life that is in complete contradiction to everything he believes in. Tune in next time to see what life on the road with a fundamentalist is like!

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