ENGLISH NAME	JAPANESE NAME	POKEMOPOLIS NAME	DODGINESS RATING	ANIMATION	STORY	TEAM ROCKET	MORAL LEARNT
768: The Pokémon Harbor Patrol!	774: Isoge! Pokémon Wangan Kyujotai!	Pokédraft			The twerps help a firefighting unit fight a fire	Not blasting off again this time!	You can't be offended on somebody else's behalf

Today finds the twerps (and N!) arriving in Virbank City on their long journey to the White Ruins. The twerps explain they've been there before, and Cilan is looking forward to actually getting to see some movies this time. Iris explains that they helped their buddy Luke exploit them and their Pokémon in a non-union film production. Ash sniffs something odd and N spots what could be the culprit.... the big ass clouds of smoke billowing up out of a building down by the harbour! They rush down to see what is causing it, not realising they're going to step on the toes of...



They arrive to find a large fire burning in a warehouse, and Ash takes quick action, calling out Oshawott to use Hydro-Pump and put out the flames. Before the plucky little otter can be the hero of the day, though, a Watchog leaps into the way, arms spread to keep Oshawott from getting involved. The twerps are confused, why would it do this? For the first time they notice the man and three Pokémon standing roughly 10 feet away from them, completely in the open and unhidden but somehow unseen before this point. There's a Dewott and two Frillish, and THEY use a triple Hydro-Pump to knock down the flames before Psychic brings out two people inside the building... only they're not people, they're dummies!

Well yeah, you stay inside a burning building, you're a real dum... OH! Actual dummies!

So what is going on? It's a firefighting drill, and Ash's well meaning attempts to help would have only gotten in the way. He recalls a still confused Oshawott (poor little guy) and apologises even though there weren't any goddamn signs up or anything. They all watch as the last remnants of the flames are put up, but then N appears to feel a moment of startlement, immediately followed by Watchog freaking out. It rushes over Dewott and the two Frillish, and the man yells at it that it shouldn't have left its post keeping people back safely. Just then, though, a portion of the building breaks loose and falls towards them, and Watchog shoves them all clear, saving their lives.

Ash rushes over to see if they're okay, and he says they're fine, Ash correctly noting that Watchog saved them. Iris asks if Watchog can predict the future, and Cilan says that Watchog's senses are so highly tuned that they are rumoured to be able to see through walls and into the ground. N notes that his "friend" clearly sensed the danger and saved their lives, his presumptuous familiarity confusing the man. Ash explains that N considers all Pokémon his friends, and Iris says he can hear a Pokémon’s inner voice.

Belatedly they introduce themselves, the man's name is Halsey and he heads the Pokémon Harbour Patrol - their job is to protect and rescue people in need. The Pokémon are obviously clearly proud of their job, and they're ALL proud of their red scarves too! It's a sign of their membership, but their shared pride can't hide some clear competitive rivalry between Watchog and Dewott. Dewott snaps angrily at Watchog and Halsey says it is mad that Watchog left its post... and he agrees!

Oh what a fucking asshole. It saved your life!

He glumly tells Watchog that he understood its motivation but there is no excuse for leaving its post (their job is to save lives you stupid piece of shit!). Watchog is understandably upset, but Halsey explains that if somebody from the public got into the danger zone, it would prevent them from being able to do their job well.

Being dead would also prevent you from doing your job well, idiot.

Watchog is very upset, and despite Halsey's seeming ability to understand what it is saying, it's N who comes to the conclusion that Watchog wants to take a more active part in the firefighting. Cilan thinks this is likely, from what Halsey says it has always been on guard duty and it wants to do more. Halsey says he can understand its feelings, but what can he do about it?

This guy... this guy is not a smart guy.

Iris suggests that maybe Watchog could take part in an aptitude test to see if it has what it takes, and Halsey likes the idea, saying that pass or fail they'll at least all know if Watchog has what it takes. As they excitedly head off to make this a reality, they're watched from a distance by Team Rocket, back in their familiar hat, trenchcoat and sunglasses disguises. Meowth isn't pleased to see N is with the twerps now, saying something about him rubs him the wrong way. Jesse sees that as an opportunity though, stealing Pikachu from right in front of him would be a laugh.

Halsey has quickly put together the testing, and the first test is a test of strength. Dewott lifts a bar with relative ease, sweating but having no problem keeping the bar up. Next is Watchog who seems to struggle more to get the bar past its chest... until it glows red and suddenly....



Watchog got swole!

Having used Strength" to pass the test of strength (funny that!) the next test is to see how they deal with obstacles. Dewott uses a Double Razor Shell to slash through a large rock pillar in front of it, and then Watchog follows up by using Cut to slash through its obstacle.

Finally is the most important test though, the one that makes the others pretty much irrelevant? Dewott puts out the prepared fire easily with an impressive Hydro-Pump, but Watchog has no water attacks so it attempts to use Sand Attack to smother the flames. This doesn't work out well for it, so it turns and attempts to tamp down the flames with its tail... which makes Watchog almost as stupid as Halsey himself! Its tail catches alight and it freaks out, Dewott putting it (and the rest of the fire) out with Hydro-Pump.

Halsey approaches Watchog and kindly tells it that its dream is dead and buried - it doesn't have what it takes to fight fire, but it has other abilities that suit it better to be the look-out. This is an important job, moreso than it might realise. It seems to take some solace from this, and the twerps comment on what a great job the Harbour Patrol does... but N doesn't agree. Glumly he points out that making Pokémon do dangerous work for humans isn't something he can condone. Hasley is confused by this, and N explains that he wouldn't mind if Pokémon rescued other Pokémon, but Pokémon putting themselves at risk doing this isn't something he is happy about. Hasley reminds him that while Pokémon save people, people have also saved Pokémon - there is no difference between the two. N commits the social faux pas of just not instantly agreeing with the "nice guy" character of the day, saying he doesn't see things that way. Hasley is offended, but N isn't backing down, and it's probably only a phonecall that comes between the two getting into a full-blown argument.

It's bad news though, there is a big fire at the industrial complex, and the kindergarten class is there today just to make things even worse. He has to get right over there, and quite correctly tells the enthusiastic but untrained twerps that they can't come help out. Despite his earlier suggestion to Watchog that lookout duty is important work for the patrol, though, he ends up agreeing to let the twerps come along as extra crowd-control. Well done Watchog, your big important job can also be done by three untrained children! They rush off to get to work, watched by Team Rocket who are delighted - opportunity is knocking and they didn't even have to do anything. In the chaos of fighting the fire, they can step in and grab Pikachu easily enough.

At the complex, smoke billows out while Hasley directs the children and their teacher to the entrance where Cilan, Iris and Ash are waiting to lead them to safety. Two of the kids stop to giggle happily at seeing Pikachu, while Hasley gets an update from two of the suits and learns there are still some workers deeper inside the complex. He's uncertain about getting to work putting out the fire while there are still workers to evacuate, and Ash offers to do that for him. Hasley accepts and tasks Watchog with keeping people from getting inside, then heads off with the other Pokémon wearing masks, entering the complex to find the flames. They quickly find the culprit, a bank of machinery burning merrily away, and put it out with a triple Hydro-Pump. Hasley knows that fire can be tricky though, they've got to make sure that the flames are fully out before they leave.

Near the entrance, the twerps have shown the workers how to exit (go through this exit you use literally every working day of your life!) when three more stragglers arrive on the scene - a man with blue hair, a woman with red hair and a midget with fur, whiskers and a tail! They inform Ash that there are plenty more workers inside and he needs to save them, then as Ash rushes away they slam a self-sealing container over Pikachu and prepare to casually walk away. Ash notices immediately of course and demands answers, and he gets them!

"Prepare for trouble, you know the drill!"
And make it double, you'll get your fill!"
"To protect the world from devastation!"
"To unite the people within our nation!"
"To denounce the evils of truth and love!"
"To extend our reach to the stars above!"
"It's Jesse!"
"And James!"
"Team Rocket blast off at the speed of light!"
"Surrender now, or prepare to fight!"
"Meowth, dat's right!"

Furious, they demand Pikachu back, and Ash sends out Oshawott. In response, James brings out... Yamask! Yes it seems that Jesse and James kept their old "new" Pokémon in addition to their new "new" Pokémon. Yamask and Oshawott clash attacks and Jesse brings out Woobat to uneven the odds, but Iris tips things back with Axew, using Dragon Rage to send them blasting backwards in surprise, sending Pikachu's container flipping through the air. Oshawott uses Razor Shell to slice through the container and free Pikachu, who dodges Woobat's rapid Hidden Power attacks. The dodging has a bad side effect though, as one stray blast starts up a new fire. Inside the complex, Hasley is satisfied that the fire is out, but the damage caused by Woobat creates an unfortunate side-effect, the fire doors inside the complex FINALLY slam shut, and the Pokémon Harbour Patrol find themselves trapped inside.

Outside, Pikachu is thunderbolting at Team Rocket who skip happily back, long practised at predicting the attacks. Ash shouts that they can't win, but they quip that he CAN lose, and they take off in their jetpacks. Sure they've failed to get Pikachu, but they've left Ash to deal with a big mess. So off they jet again.

Seeing how big the fire is getting, Ash calls out Oshawott to use Hydro-Pump but the poor little otter isn't powerful enough to deal with the flames himself. Ash rushes to a phone and shouts into it for Halsey, and wonder of wonder his completely ridiculous idea bears fruit - the phone he picked up spreads his voice throughout the complex's intercom system. He tells Halsey what is going on, and Halsey makes a noble but stupid decision - they can't put the flames out and it is going to spread, so he wants the twerps to get clear and leave them to die a horribly suffocating death. Ash, not surprisingly, refuses, saying he'll get them out somehow. With that decision made, he tells Cilan and Iris to actually figure out HOW to do that and heads off to check on Oshawott!

Maybe the boy isn't quite so dim after all!

N - standing by Watchog - watches as Cilan and Iris come up with a plan, they can't get through the fire doors but maybe they can get under them? Iris brings out Excadrill to burrow into the ground and tunnel to Hasley and the Harbour Patrol. Unfortunately while at first this seems to be working well, Excadrill soon reaches bedrock and finds himself unable to progress any further. He returns to the surface sweating with embarrassment, while N picks up on what has happened and heads out to where Watchog and a security guard are preventing the workers from getting back inside. Asking Watchog to join him, he returns to Cilan and Iris and calmly explains his plan - Watchog will use its senses to detect where Excadrill needs to go, and N will use his own heightened sense to pass on what Watchog senses to Iris, who can shout out commands to Excadrill.

This relay system ends up working surprisingly well, Excadrill is able to drill his way through to the corridor where Hasley and the Harbour Patrol are trapped. Outside, Oshawott is struggling to keep up with the Hydro-Pumping and finally has to stop, panting roughly and too pooped to blow out any more water. Luckily that's the moment when Hasley returns, ordering Dewott and the Frillish to use their triple Hydro-Pump to finish off the flames. He thanks Ash for his help and, throwing a dog a bone, tells Watchog to join in by using Sand Attack as well. The flames are quickly extinguished, Oshawott staring in surprise at the quick work that the Harbour Patrol made of the whole thing. The twerps are in awe, the Harbour Patrol is a professional and experienced team.

Hasley congratulates his Pokémon for their hard work and then approaches N, telling him that Cilan told him it was his idea to use Watchog's senses to lead Excadrill through to them. He admits he was wrong to think Watchog was only good for look-out/guard duty, but N surprises everybody by admitting he has to rethink things too.

His immediate reaction was to dislike the idea of the Harbour Patrol, making the assumption that the Pokémon were being made to put themselves in danger on behalf of humans. It has quickly become apparent to him, however, that his "friends" actually WANT to do this, and who is he to dispute their desires?

Everybody is pleased to get confirmation that their horrible way of life is actually the right way to do things, and N and Hasley shake hands (DEY FORM A HART OMG 2GEVA 4EVA!). They part at sunset, the twerps apparently ready to leave Virbank City without having seen any movies, and Hasley promising to work hard to bring out the best in all of his Pokémon.

Was he NOT trying to do that earlier?

Previous Episode Next Episode Episode List