Pokéball Run

Episode Three

(Tom Wallace appears in the studio.)
Tom: Well, race fans, the first leg is in the books, and we’ve had some very interesting results thus far in the race. Let’s have ourselves a looksie at how everybody’s doing after the first leg.

(His screen shows the sinister laughter of Nakago in the yellow car.)
Tom: In a team combining good and evil, evil appears to be the dominating force, as Nakago, TK, and Kari of Hope & Plight win the first leg.

(Display the purple car in action, with Brock, Akane, and Gary.)
Tom: Despite falling prey to a sabotage attempt by the Angels, Just Us Guys finished second place, just nine minutes behind Hope & Plight.

(Display Jessie G. taking a detour in New Jersey.)
Tom: Jessie G. has seemingly single-handedly taken Triple J from last, to fourth, and now into third place.

(Display of Mimi and Yolei distracting Brock.)
Tom: Although a fourth place finish isn’t much to brag about, two of The Angels, Mimi and Yolei, certainly get the "best sabotage" award for their work on Brock, which helped cost his team a first place finish.

(Display Ruri, Ash, and Davis, desperately trying to stay ahead of Triple J.)
Tom: Impulsive Idiots, try as they may, just couldn’t get any higher than fifth place this leg.

(Display Izzy and Rika, stuck in the middle of West Virginia.)
Tom: And bringing up the rear are Brains & Blondes, who despite an impressive start, ran into a couple problems along the way. Note to future racers- Accidentally going off-road and crashing in a field somewhere in West Virginia is not a key to success. We’ll be getting underway with the next Jumpstart Challenge soon, but first- it seems that Just Us Guys are looking to get back into the lead, and back at Mimi and Yolei, and they’ll go to any means possible to do it.

Gary: We need to get back at those Angels. We know how we’re going to do it too.

Brock: Shh… don’t tell anybody, but we’ve joined… an alliance.

Gary: As soon as the Jumpstart’s over, the other teams’ll jump right into a brick wall set up by us!

James: When the older twerp and that arrogant Gary guy said they wanted to form an alliance with us, our first thought was, "Why would we want to team up with you?"

Jessie: But those guys are in second place, and we’re in third somehow. We’re on a roll, and if those two want to work with us to take out some of the other teams, we’re all for it!

(Gary, James, Jessie, and Brock are standing next to a barn door. Nobody else is around.)
Gary: Okay, listen up- we were beaten by two Digimon kids because of two other Digimon kids. So we’re going to have to get back at them. That’s why I want to team up with you, you’re Pokémon, you’re family… you’re one of us.

James: (extremely gaily) Preach it brotha!

Brock: Besides, I’ve seen the kind of trickery you’ve pulled… and quite frankly if you’re in third place something has to be going right for you… for once.

Jessie: I suppose we can try to set up a trap somewhere.

Gary: I’ve got the perfect idea for you. Just remember though- it’s just between us. Pokémon only. Don’t tell Gurtland, and we don’t tell Akane until we do it.

Brock: What about Ash?

James: He’s teamed with a Digi-twerp.

Gary: Yeah, we gotta leave Ashy-boy out of this or he’s gonna ruin everything.

(Brock’s a bit disappointed, but nods.)

Leg Two- Day Three
(Shot of the teams, putting on some dungy, yet color-coded, clothes. All eighteen players are present. Their cars are lined up neatly in a nearby parking lot. Davis is writing on something with a marker. He puts the marker down, and picks the item up- a set of goggles, he puts them on Ash’s head in place of his cap. On each lens is an "I," representing Impulsive Idiots.)
Davis: (OS) Ruri, I got yours ready!

(The teams gather around a pen. And yes- Ruri is wearing the goggles. Gary and James quietly nod to each other when nobody’s looking. Manny stands in front of the pen. Inside are 30 Chikorita.)
Manny: Well, for today’s Jumpstart Challenge, we’re in Georgia, so that means we’ll be doing some good ol’ fashioned Chikorita rasslin’!

Jessie G: (deadpan) I never realized Georgia was famous for Chikorita rasslin’.

Nakago: What in the hell is a Chikorita?

Manny: It’s a cute little grass-type pokémon. There are thirty inside this pen, each with collars and a key attached. One of the five Chikorita with your color’s collar has the key which starts your car. One person from each team will have the enviable task of getting a Chikorita that has your color collar and passing it off to another member of your team, who will see if that key works. If it is, you are free to follow the directions in your car to the next checkpoint. I’ll need one person from each team to get up to the pen.

(Brock, Ash, and James step up without issue. The others, however…)
Izzy: I think we can let Mihoshi try this one. Wanna give her a clean start?

Rika: It’s wrestling a weird green thing. If anybody can screw it up, it’s Mihoshi. But on the other hand, I don’t wanna do it.

Mihoshi: Okay… I’ll give it my best shot!

(Mihoshi steps up while we go over to the Angels.)
Mimi: Hmm… I don’t want to get my clothes dirty… where’s that driver of ours?

Shinji: (dry) Oh. Now you notice me.

Yolei: Good luck… uh… what was your name again?

(Shinji steps up. Pan over to Hope & Plight.)
Nakago: Rolling around in the mud? I think you servants can take this one.

TK: Servants?

Kari: (to TK) Yeah, I think you can take this one.

TK: Wanna rock, paper…?

Kari: No… good luck TK!

(TK goes up and joins Shinji, Mihoshi, Ash, Brock, and James.)
Manny: All right… ready? Go!

(The six dive over the fence and make a mad scramble for some Chikorita, which run around scared. Ash and TK get red and yellow-collared Chikorita, and pass their keys off to Davis and Kari. They both make a mad dash for their cars, and pass the keys off to Ruri and Nakago. They try them, but neither work. James successfully gets a Chikorita, and excitedly goes and hands the collar to Jessie G. She inspects it, then hands it back.)
Jessie G: This is a purple one, stupid.

James: Oh… wait!

(James hands off the collar to Gary, who nods, then takes off for his car, much to the surprise of Jessie G. Gary hands the key to Akane. It works!)
Akane: All right! Go get Brock.

Gary: Okay… here we go again…

(Gary starts running back, motioning to Brock. He arrives with a purple key, but Gary gets his attention and they head for the car, just as Mihoshi hands a brown collar to Rika. Rika runs down to Izzy. It too works.)
Izzy: Yes! Thank you Mihoshi!

(At the pen, Rika gets up to the edge, as Ash makes another pass to Davis and Shinji hands off to Yolei.)
Rika: Mihoshi! We got it!

(Mihoshi catches another Chikorita and walks up.)
Rika: Don’t worry, it’s started, let’s go.

Mihoshi: Great!

(Back at the cars, Brock moves Akane over to the passenger’s side. Caption: "Just Us Guys- First Place")
Brock: I’m driving.

Akane: What?!

Brock: Trust me.

Gary: Trust him… we have plans.

(Mihoshi and Rika are running down to the car. On the way, they are passed by a lightning fast Jessie G. sprinting to the car with a blue collar in hand. She passes the collar to Jessie and sprints back, just as fast. Mihoshi and Rika get in, while Mimi and Ruri’s attempts to start the car are unsuccessful. Caption: "Brains & Blondes- Second Place")
Izzy: Prodigious! Let’s go… we’re second.

Rika: We have to make up for the last leg…

(The brown car pulls out, just as Kari’s latest pass to Nakago is successful.)
Kari: TK!! It worked, let’s go!

(TK gets over as Jessie G. makes another run down. TK and Kari get in the car while Jessie starts the blue car. Jessie G. goes up to get James while Ash and Shinji continue to chase pigs. Ash gets one and passes to Davis.)

(Inside the brown car, they are preparing to get on the road, but the purple car is standing in front of the gate in an odd position.)

Izzy: What’s going on here?

(They park next to the purple car and see what the trouble is. Standing in front of the road, with no other way out, is a giant, robotic… Snorlax. It isn’t moving. Meowth is quietly sitting nearby, acting like a normal cat. Izzy and Rika get out of the car, and go up to Akane, who is also investigating it.)
Rika: What the hell is this thing?

Akane: I don’t know. We can’t get out.

Izzy: Let’s try moving it.

(The three try to push it out of the way, to no avail. It doesn’t budge. Akane turns to the purple car while Izzy turns to Mihoshi, who is joining them.)
Akane: Hey! Will you two get off your lazy butts and help me?!

(Inside, Brock and Gary are very patiently waiting.)
Gary: Just keep the act up until Triple J gets here.

Brock: Yep.

(The yellow car pulls up behind the brown one. TK sticks a head out the window.)
TK: What’s the holdup?

(Akane, and Brains & Blondes are unable to move Mecha-Snorlax. Akane starts heading to the yellow car.)
Akane: We need more help. Hey! Blondie! Get out here, we need some help!

(Nakago steps out of the car and walks over to her.)
Nakago: Call me that again and face my wrath.

(By now, Impulsive Idiots have gotten out, and are parked behind Hope & Plight.)
Ash: What’s going on now?

Davis: I don’t know.

Ruri: So many idiots…

(Behind them, the blue car is next.)
Jessie G: This is strange…

Jessie: Pull up next to them, go on the grass.

Jessie G: Why?

James: Oh, you’ll see.

(Jessie G does so, and parks oddly behind the purple car.)
Jessie G: I don’t know what you’re cooking, but I don’t like the smell of it.

(Meanwhile, inside the Angel’s car…)
Yolei: Man, Shinji, you suck at Chikorita wrestling.

(Shinji shakes his head.)
Mimi: Now what’s going on here?

(They park behind Impulsive Idiots and get out.)

(Pretty much everybody, besides Brock, Gary, and Team Rocket are trying to figure out what’s going on. Akane looks at Meowth.)
Akane: Okay… what’s with the cat?

Ash: Wait… Meowth?! What are you doing here?

Meowth: Ain’t it obvious?

Ash: Does this mean that…

(Jessie laughs evilly off-screen and walks on.)
Jessie: That’s right, twerp.

James: We’re holding the road hostage and won’t move Mecha-Snorlax until you guys get out of the way.

(Meowth hops on Jessie’s shoulder.)
Meowth: I got ‘da controls, and ‘dere ain’t no way you’re movin’ this big guy!

Akane: (angrily) Wanna bet?

(Brock and Gary step out of their car.)
Brock: Hold on Akane…

Gary: We’re part of this too.

(Brock and Gary go up and shake Team Rocket’s hands, and Meowth’s paw as well. Akane is just stunned.)
Akane: What?! (furious angry) You mean that you two planned this… and helped put this thing here… (less angry) thereby giving us a distinct advantage… (even less angry) and because of it we’re going to get ahead of the others… (starting to like it) and possibly win…

(Akane hugs Brock and Gary.)
Akane: I love it!!

Gary: We’re keeping this thing as Pokémon only, so we didn’t want to tell you.

(Ash goes up, angrily)
Ash: Wait a second! If this is Pokémon only, why didn’t I hear about it?

Gary: You’re teamed with a Digimon kid! He could’ve told everyone.

James: Besides, why would we want to team up with you?

Ash: Brock? Wha… what’s going on?

Brock: Sorry Ash, but this is a fierce competition where only the strong survive. Besides, Gary thought this up, and Team Rocket executed it. We didn’t need anyone’s help. Hey- it’s all for fun, right?

Ash: I… I suppose.

Jessie: I know it’s going to be a lot of fun finally beating you for once!

Gary: So you and the other teams can all move your cars and let us out first. Got that?

(Ash slowly relents and goes back to move his car.)
Ash: Hey… Angels- you’re gonna have to move or they won’t let us out.

Yolei: What?

Davis: Well, that’s dumb. They just blocked the road and we’re going to fall behind because of it.

Ruri: Actually, that’s a pretty good move. I’m impressed.

Davis: Yeah, well it doesn’t help us much.

(Mimi’s driving, and moving the car back. Yolei and Shinji are in the back seat.)
Mimi: Hmm…

Yolei: Uh oh… another idea?

Mimi: Check this out…

(As the brown car moves back, the purple and blue ones take position. Meowth moves Mecha-Snorlax, and the purple car takes off first, followed by the blue car.)
Manny: (VO) The plan works like a charm, and Just Us Guys and Triple J are the first ones to leave. But it looks like the Angels, who were last to find their key, have a plan as well.

(The pink car pulls up right behind the blue one. As soon as Triple J takes off, Mimi floors it. Inside the brown car, Izzy is driving, with Rika in front and Mihoshi in back.)
Izzy: This was just…

Mihoshi: Hey, look out!

(Izzy slams the brakes as Mimi sneaks just ahead of them, barely missing them.)
Rika: Why’d you let them through…

Izzy: This car’s bad enough, we don’t need another accident.

Rika: (angry) Well, we’re behind them now, are you just going to let them throw you around like that?

(Izzy turns and holds his right hand up defensively.)
Izzy: Look, I…

(Izzy suddenly holds his right shoulder, in pain.)
Rika: What?

(Izzy composes himself and returns to driving.)
Izzy: Nothing.

(Mimi’s driving, with Yolei and Shinji in the backseat. Caption: "The Angels- Third Place")
Yolei: This is war now, you know?

Mimi: It’s girls against guys, and I have no intention of losing, Yolei.

Yolei: That was a wild move you did there. I was really scared you were going to hit Izzy.

Mimi: We’ve gotta fight. I just really want to keep up with them so we can get them back later. I’ve still got ideas, don’t worry.

Shinji: You know, if they didn’t do that, then you probably wouldn’t have gotten that chance and we’d be in last. They probably helped us in the end.

Mimi: You know, you’ve got a point there, Shinji.

Yolei: Yeah. You know, you’re not so bad. You’re kinda cute!

(Shinji looks at Yolei, then shuts his eyes.)
Shinji: I mustn’t run away, I mustn’t run away, I mustn’t run away…

(Yolei frowns.)

(Back in the studio, Tom is waiting.)
Tom: It’s time we introduce a new feature- Morality Challenges. Along the way, the teams can earn EZ Passes by helping out at a staged breakdown. The passes can be used later to help them get out of challenges. Of course, the catch is that they don’t know whether the breakdown is staged or whether it’s a real motorist… which can cost them precious time.

(A car is pulled over to the side of the road. Ash, Davis, and the driving Ruri see it.)
Davis: Should we pull over?

Ruri: Up to you. You two are the impulsive ones.

Ash: Let’s do it. At the very least, we help somebody out.

Ruri: Okay… make it fast.

(Ruri pulls over and Ash gets out. Davis smiles at Ruri.)
Davis: Hey- you’re trusting our judgment! You’re having faith in your teammates!

Ruri: I know.

(Ruri pulls off her goggles and looks at them.)
Ruri: (to the goggles) Is it because of you?

(Ruri puts them back on as Ash returns, clad with EZ Pass. Ruri takes off.)
Ash: Got one!

Davis: Yeah, baby!

Ruri: When it comes to the actual race, I feel better when I’m in charge. But elsewhere, I don’t really mind when Ash or Davis make decisions for me. They are leaders in their own right, and despite their stupidity, they manage to get the job done somehow.

(Brock gets back in the car, where Gary and Akane are waiting.)
Gary: Anything?

Brock: Nope… that was a real one. They said they called someone already.

Akane: Shoot. So we’re one for two.

Gary: We can’t stop at every one we come across. We need some sort of system.

Brock: I got it!

Akane: Yeah?

Brock: (thoughtfully) If the stranded motorist is a guy, we ignore him, but if it’s a lady… we check it out.

(Gary and Akane shake their heads.)
Gary: Brock, Brock, Brock…

(Akane laughs)
Akane: You know, I hate to say it… but that actually doesn’t sound like a bad idea. We’d stop at a bit less than half… why not?

Akane: They are pretty annoying, but that’s the name of the team- They’re just guys. And as bad as they are, I’m usually pretty adaptable to that kind of behavior. And once you get used to it, they’re actually kind of fun to be around. They were a big help earlier today, and I’m just going to go with the flow here.

(Pearl, Mississippi. Mike is standing at the checkpoint.)
Mike: I’m in Pearl, Mississippi, outside of Jackson, and I’ve heard that the first team is about to arrive. Did Just Us Guys hold the lead, or did somebody else take them over?

(Believe it or not, the blue car pulls into the parking lot. Jessie G. runs in and punches in, and proudly puts the sign on the board, then greets Jessie and James.)
Jessie G: (pleased) I can’t believe it- you did something right for a change.

(She happily high-fives both of them. Caption: "Triple J- First Place")
Mike: (VO) A sabotage in the beginning, along with the fact that they didn’t stop for Morality Challenges makes Triple J first at the checkpoint.

(The pink car pulls into the parking lot, and Yolei punches in. Caption: "The Angels- 22 Minutes Behind Leader")
Mike: (VO) Shinji finds a shortcut to cut some time, and The Angels punch in second.

(The purple car is next. Gary punches in. Caption: "Just Us Guys- 30 Minutes Behind Leader")
Mike: (VO) Their initial morality stops cost them slightly, as Just Us Guys finishes third.

(Yellow is next. TK punches in. Caption: "Hope & Plight- 58 Minutes Behind Leader")
Mike: (VO) Without stopping for EZ Passes, Hope & Plight passes Brains & Blondes to get into fourth…

(The dinged-up brown car follows. Rika punches in. Caption: "Brains & Blondes- 62 Minutes Behind Leader")
Mike (VO) While Izzy, Rika, and Mihoshi glide in fifth.

(Red is last. Davis punches in. Caption: "Impulsive Idiots- 76 Minutes Behind Leader")
Mike: (VO) And the Impulsive Idiots have yet to find their chemistry, as they finish last.

Davis: It’s a bit disappointing to finish last again, but there’s a lot of race left, and we have a lot going for us… like an EZ Pass. Don’t tell anybody, okay?

Rika: We were off to a great start before Triple J and the Guys pulled that stunt. Me and Izzy are determined to find a way to get even.

(Izzy, Rika, and Mihoshi are sitting on a bed in their room.)
Rika: We have to get back at them.

Izzy: If they’re going to pull stunts like that, we can’t let them get first place.

Rika: But what do we do?

Izzy: There has to be something…

(Mihoshi’s asleep. Rika nudges her awake.)
Rika: What do you do anyway?

Mihoshi: I am Detective First Class Mihoshi of the Galaxy Police!

Rika: You’re a cop and…

(Rika and Izzy look at each other.)
Izzy: She’s a cop…

Rika: Team Rocket are criminals…

Izzy: Are you thinking what I’m thinking?

Mihoshi: I think so brains, but why don’t we just let the buffalo fly naturally?

(Izzy and Rika stare at Mihoshi oddly)

Leg Two- Day Four
(The two Jessies are in the car, James punches in and gets in the car, which takes off. Upstairs, Izzy and Rika are watching them take off.)

Rika: Team Rocket’s going to learn a valuable lesson- don’t mess with smart people.

Izzy: You get everything ready Mihoshi?

(Mihoshi smiles at them.)
Mihoshi: Everything’s ready!

(Inside Triple J, Jessie G. is driving, in a very good mood.)
Jessie G: First place. Now you gotta know what this feels like. Doesn’t this feel good? It’s a much better view when there’s nobody ahead of you.

James: She’s right. For the first time in my life I feel like a winner!

Jessie G: It’s like this all the way to LA, got that?

(They hear police sirens behind them. Jessie G. looks confused.)
Jessie: This isn’t good…

Jessie G: I’m not speeding.

James: Uh oh. Don’t tell me they have competent cops in the States.

Jessie G: What do you mean?

(Behind them, the voice of Mihoshi’s partner, Kiyone, has a megaphone.)
Kiyone: Okay, pull over and slowly step out of the car! We know it’s you Team Rocket!

(Jessie G. frowns and pulls over.)
James: Don’t worry Jessie, we’ll get out of here in no time.

Jessie G: This never happens to me on the racetrack…

(The Angels takes off.)
Mike: (VO) It’s clear sailing from Pearl to Fort Worth, Texas, but with Brains & Blondes providing a major delay for Triple J, the other teams could gain some serious ground. Since the last two to finish will have to square off in a Roadkill Challenge, with the loser being sent home, it’s of utmost importance to get a good time.

(Kiyone is searching the three J’s for anything suspicious.)
Kiyone: Look, I don’t care if you are in a race, you are dangerous criminals, and I’m going to have to get you on the ship for detainment.

(The Galaxy Police ship takes off into the air, with Triple J aboard, and their car is left behind.)
Jessie/James: (VO) Looks like Team Rocket’s blasting off again!!

(The pink car passes by. Inside, show the Angels looking at the car.)
Yolei: I wonder what happened to them?

Shinji: I don’t see them anywhere.

Mimi: Hmm… (sarcastic) should we pull over, it might be a Morality Challenge!

(Yolei laughs. Caption: "The Angels- Take the Lead")

(Just Us Guys takes off from the hotel.)
Gary: We’re in third, but that’s okay. We have two EZ Passes, and we’re going to pull them out when the others least expect it.

(Aboard the ship, Kiyone is fingerprinting Jessie and James.)

Jessie G: It’s definitely the unexpected. I knew I had to be prepared for anything in this race, and I thought I was. But this is way more than I was ready for. I’m must say that I am a bit scared right now, and just hope we don’t lose our place.

(Inside the brown car, Izzy is driving. Caption: "Brains & Blondes- Fourth Place")
Izzy: Do you see them anywhere?

Rika: No. We left four minutes behind Hope & Plight, they can’t be that far ahead.

Mihoshi: I don’t know. That Nakago guy is a pretty wild driver.

Rika: But as long as we stay just behind them, we make the cut. Triple J is as good as gone.

Izzy: I drive fairly conservatively. Much more conservatively than Nakago, at least. And I guess that could be labeled as a drawback. But really, it’s something I’d rather have. I would rather not take the risk of getting into another incident. The car can’t take much more.

Rika: We have to find other ways to get ahead.

(Kiyone is returning to talk to a handcuffed Triple J.)
Jessie G: What’s the news?

Kiyone: Well, as much as I’d like to detain you as members of the Team Rocket gang, I’m going to have to let you go.

Jessie: Really?

Kiyone: Yeah. It seems that although you attempted several crimes… you haven’t actually been able to succeed with any of them. Therefore, we have no grounds to arrest you without further evidence. You two in particular weren’t on any wanted lists.

James: So why’d you pull us over?

Kiyone: The thing is I got a tip from my partner that two members of Team Rocket were driving along I-20 in a blue Pontiac. She must not have known that you were totally harmless. Mihoshi’s not too much for brains.

(Jessie, Jessie G, and James stand up simultaneously.)
Triple J: MIHOSHI?!

Jessie G: That is it- brown is going down.

Jessie: (slyly) Officer Kiyone… could you do us a big favor?

(The yellow car is pulled over and Nakago is walking to a stranded motorist.)
TK: (VO) We finally convinced Nakago to stop for Morality Challenges. We told him it was just a name, and that we can use those EZ Passes to get around challenges.

(Nakago arrives, and picks up the motorist by the collar.)
Nakago: EZ Pass?

(The motorist pulls the white EZ Pass card from behind his back.)
Motorist: Just don’t hurt me!

(Nakago takes the pass, drops the motorist, and heads back.)
TK: (VO) We called EZ Passes a form of cheating… it was easier for him to swallow.

(Kiyone is dropping Jessie and James off at a spot farther down the road.)
Jessie G: Are you sure about this?

Jessie: Yeah, of course.

James: Go back to the car and keep driving, we’ll meet up with you later.

(Kiyone takes off, as Jessie and James start off into the road. The pink car goes by.)
Yolei: Hey, didn’t that look like…

Mimi: Nah…

(In the red car, Davis runs in with an EZ Pass. Caption: "Impulsive Idiots- Fifth Place")
Davis: Alright! We got two now!

Ruri: You know, we’re probably in fifth. We should worry about getting fourth and staying alive more than Morality Challenges.

Ash: You know, she’s got a point there.

Davis: Don’t ruin my fun guys!

(Nakago, TK, and Kari are riding along. Caption: "Hope & Plight- Third Place")
Kari: Hey, what’s that up ahead?

(Far off, two construction workers are removing a barricade that was in the street.)
TK: Maybe the first two teams had to drive through this and we get a free pass.

Nakago: Excellent.

(They approach the area and find that they couldn’t be more wrong. The pavement collapses and the car falls into a ten-foot deep pit. At the bottom, the car seems surprisingly undamaged as TK helps Kari out.)
TK: Kari? Are you all right?

Kari: Yeah. I’m okay. But what’s this all about?

(They and Nakago use the car to hoist themselves to the top. There- they find out what this is all about as Jessie and James, dressed as construction workers, make their dramatic entrance.)
Jessie: It’s a wild race so prepare for trouble!

James: You’re losing your place, so make it double.

Jessie: To protect the world from devastation…

James: To unite all peoples within our nation.

Jessie: (smiling) To denounce the evils of light and hope,

James: To extend our reach far beyond our scope.

(Jessie and James, on cue, pull off their garbs, revealing their normal uniforms.)
Jessie: Jessie!

James: James!

Jessie: Team Rocket blasts off at the speed of light!

James: Surrender now, or prepare to fight, fight, fight!

(Meowth, out of nowhere, enters.)
Meowth: Meowth, that’s right!

(And, of course…)
TK/Kari: (surprised) It’s Team Rocket!

Jessie: Meowth, what are you still doing here?

Meowth: I had to finish ‘da motto! And besides, I ‘dought of ‘dat "light and hope" twist!

TK: How did you get so far ahead?

Kari: We passed your car a long time ago.

Jessie: We always find a way to get ahead.

James: It’s how it works- we’re bad guys!

Nakago: You… bad guys?

(Nakago starts a sinister snicker.)
Jessie: What? We aren’t bad guys?

(TK looks at Nakago, then back to Jessie.)
TK: Let’s just say this- compared to Nakago, you’re a fellow digi-destined.

(All the way at the finish line in Fort Worth, the pink car is the first to cross, as Yolei gets out to punch in, with Mimi and Shinji following. Caption: "The Angels- First Place")
Mimi: You know I get the strange feeling we’re missing out on something.

Yolei: Oh, don’t worry about it. We won! Let’s enjoy it!

Mimi: You’re right. Grab our luggage Shinji.

Shinji: Yeah, yeah…

(Back at the pit of despair, Hope & Plight is trying to get their car out.)
Jessie: Twerp Team #2 dead ahead.

(Team Rocket quickly dons their construction garbs and run out to the now-barricaded road. Inside the brown car, Izzy sees the "construction workers" remove the barriers.)
Izzy: Prodigious! It looks like they just wrapped up road construction…

(TK and Kari see them approaching at a high-speed, and get out of the way as they too fall into the pit, on top of the yellow car.)
Kari: This is getting ridiculous.

(In Fort Worth, the purple car crosses as Brock races to punch in. Caption: "Just Us Guys- Second Place." He’s met by Mimi and Yolei.)
Manny: (VO) And only four minutes behind are Just Us Guys.

Mimi: Brock- we didn’t even distract you this time and you still finished second.

(Brock smiles and hugs Mimi.)
Brock: How’d you get ahead of us?

Yolei: We have our ways.

Brock: You know- this is war now.

Yolei: Of course it is! You boys are going down next time.

Yolei: It’s definitely a rivalry we have going with the Guys. It’s back and forth with no signs of stopping. But at the same time, it’s a friendly rivalry. Both teams are having a blast with this, and it makes the game a lot more fun.

(Rika and Izzy are arguing with Jessie and James.)
Izzy: This can’t be legal! You’re tampering with an interstate highway!

James: For your information, all they said was that we couldn’t tamper with the opponent’s car. They said nothing about tampering with the opponent’s highway!

Rika: Didn’t we have you arrested?

Jessie: Like that’s going to keep us off the streets.

(Kari goes up to Izzy.)
Kari: Izzy, just leave them alone. Let’s work together to get our cars out of here.

Izzy: Yeah… you’re right.

(Izzy, Rika, and Kari join TK, Nakago, and Mihoshi in lifting the brown car up.)
Jessie: (OS) Here comes another one!

(The six get out of the way as Team Rocket tries it again. Meanwhile, Ruri, Ash, and Davis see the scene ahead of them.)
Ash: This looks awfully suspicious…

Ruri: Should I slow down?

Ash: Why? Full speed ahead!

(At the pit, the car flies over the pit, drives over the brown car, and lands safely on the other side.)
Izzy: My car!

(Back inside, Ruri is shocked. Davis and Ash are looking back.)
Davis: Jeez, Kari was there. So was TK… and Izzy. We should probably stop and help them.

(Ruri continues driving, but a bit troubled.)
Davis: Don’t you think?

Ash: …Yeah. It’s only fair. Ruri?

(Ruri looks pained, but shakes her head and pulls over. Ash and Davis get out, and start walking back towards the others.)

Ruri: I understand where Davis is coming from in stopping to help, but we are in a race against them, and it looks as if we cleared an obstacle that the other teams didn’t. We haven’t had many breaks so far, and this could have been one of them. Also, I’m not very good friends with the others like Davis is, so it’s a lot harder to have sympathy for them.

(At the site, Ash is shocked when TK tells him the news..)
Ash: Team Rocket did all this?

(Ash goes up to Team Rocket.)
Ash: Up to your old tricks again, huh? I can’t believe these guys fell for it.

James: You can’t teach an old dog new tricks, but you never know when the old tricks will work on new twerps!

Jessie: James, I spy a blue car at ten o’clock!

(Jessie and James walk out into the road and signal down a very shocked Jessie G.)
Jessie G: What did you do…?

Jessie: We’ll tell you after we take off.

(Team Rocket gets in and they drives off. Caption: "Triple J- Takes Third Place")
James: So let’s see… we got Hope & Plight, the Brains… and the Idiots stopped to help them.

Jessie G: So they do live up to their name.

Jessie: So we’re in third… not bad for a day where we got arrested.

(The nine remaining are lifting the brown car up. Izzy is again favoring his shoulder.)
Davis: Hey, what’s wrong with your shoulder?

Izzy: Oh… it’s just a bit bruised. Nothing serious.

(They get the car up and off to the side of the road. It looks pretty bad.)
Rika: I’ll go see if it starts while you get the other one out.

Ash: Hey… TK… yours is in pretty good shape.

TK: Really? After Izzy landed on it and you drove over both of them? That’s odd.

(Nakago, Ash and Mihoshi have gotten the car out of the pit, where Davis, TK, Kari, and Izzy get it over to the side. Sure enough, it has nary a scratch.)
Kari: I wonder what happened?

(Nakago gets out of the pit.)
Nakago: I put my protective chi around the car to ensure that it would be undamaged.

Kari: Again with the dark magic, Nakago?

Nakago: (dark) Kari, we just went from going sixty miles an hour to freefalling ten feet to an immediate stop and you didn’t get scratched. Don’t be knocking my chi, honey.

(TK has managed to start the car.)
TK: We’re running!

(Over at the brown car, Rika has the hood popped and is looking at it.)
Rika: We’re… not.

(Ruri walks up to the car.)
Ruri: Let me take a look at this.

(Meanwhile, Nakago has gotten into the car.)
Nakago: We’ll be going now. Come on you two.

(TK and Kari hesitantly get into the car.)
Kari: But what about…

(The car speeds off. Ash, Davis, Izzy, and Mihoshi surround the brown car as Ruri and Rika try to figure out the problem.)

(Triple J has arrived at the checkpoint. Jessie G. clocks in and puts up the sign, pretty neutral about the whole thing. Caption: "Triple J- Third Place")

Jessie G: I don’t feel that bad about taking third. We suffered a huge delay today, and my teammates really went out of their way to lead us to third. Alone, I couldn’t have gotten better than fifth. I’m thinking that if this is a bad day- wait until we have a good day.

(Izzy manages to get the brown car started. Ruri slams the hood.)
Izzy: Well, at least it starts.

Ruri: It should get you into Fort Worth… but not much farther.

Ruki: Then let’s get there and worry about this later.

Davis: Yeah… we are so behind.

(Shot of the red and brown cars, driving together. Izzy makes no effort to pass Ash.)
Izzy: (VO) I could probably try to pass them, but there really isn’t a reason to. They didn’t have to stop and help, but they did anyway. For all I’m concerned, the race is over, at least until tomorrow.

(Shot of Nakago clocking in. Caption: "Hope & Plight- Fourth Place")
Ash: (VO) It’s something we had to do. It just didn’t seem right otherwise. Of course, the two teams that finish last have to face off in an elimination challenge… meaning we’ll have to go up against them. That’s kind of a downer.

(Ash and Izzy are about to punch in together. Izzy gestures to Ash, letting him punch in first. Izzy punches in immediately afterwards.)
Manny: (VO) Ash is correct… for once. Despite the dignity in the move, Impulsive Idiots and Brains & Blondes will have to go against each other in a Roadkill Challenge- the loser goes home.

(Manny is with Ash, Davis, Ruri, Rika, Izzy, and Mihoshi, with the other twelve watching nearby. They are standing in front of two three gallon gas tanks, with a siphon sticking out of each. There are two smaller one-gallon tanks on the street.)
Manny: Okay, here’s how the Roadkill Challenge works- I have here two gas tanks with three gallons each in them. The two teams will have to siphon gas from the tanks, and get them into the smaller tanks. One gallon at a time. Once filled, another member from your team will take the tank, and use it to fill up your car across the street, the return for the next gallon. After the three gallons are in your car, whoever starts it first wins, and moves on to the next leg. I’ll give you a minute to decide who does what.

(The two teams huddle separately. Brains & Blondes actually has a discussion.)
Izzy: I’m going to level with you Rika… I do not want to do this.

Mihoshi: Then give me a shot.

Rika: We’re facing elimination here… if we…

Mihoshi: Look, I need a chance to prove myself. Sometimes I get the feeling you think I’m a nuisance to the team.

Rika: That’s because you are…

Izzy: Yeah… are you willing to do this Mihoshi?

Mihoshi: Ready for duty!

Izzy: Good.

(The get out of the huddle and see that Impulsive Idiots will have Davis doing it.)
Rika: Are you sure about this?

Izzy: If she has to go up against somebody to prove herself… it might as well be Davis.

Rika: Okay… I guess I’ll run then.

Izzy: Prodigious.

(Davis and Mihoshi get ready to suck, while Ash and Rika stand near them.)
Manny: Ready? Go!

(Davis and Mihoshi both go wild. Davis seems to get the hang of it first, but Mihoshi seems determined, and isn’t far behind. Ash takes off, followed quickly by Rika as they fill their tanks, while Davis and Mihoshi grab a drink to get rid of the aftertaste. Ash and Rika fill up, with II maintaining a slim lead over B&B. Mihoshi seems to be getting the hang of it for her second round, and it’s dead even going into the final stretch. Mihoshi and Davis both equally suck, and Ash and Rika are dead even pouring gas in… in fact, they both finish and drop the container at the same time.)

Ash/Rika: Done!

(Izzy and Ruri frantically cross the street, but it appears that Izzy runs slightly faster. Both get into the cars and start the engines, creating a very close race. Finally, Manny makes his judgment.)

Manny: Brains & Blondes by a split second!

(Rika claps, enthused, but not smiling. She goes over to Mihoshi, who is still trying to get the taste of gas out of her mouth. Rika extends a hand.)
Rika: Good work.

(Impulsive Idiots are bummed, to say the least. Neither say anything for a bit. Kari goes up to Davis.)
Kari: Davis… are you okay?

(Davis is silent for a bit, then smiles.)
Davis: I finally found something that tastes worse than your mom’s cooking.

(Kari laughs and helps Davis up.)

Davis: It’s something you can’t dwell on much. This kinda stuff happens. Besides, I feel better helping the other guys out than I would have if I zoomed right past them and had to watch one of them get taken out.

(Ash and Izzy shake hands. Ash moves on to Rika and Mihoshi.)
Ash: Great race. Good work guys!

Mihoshi: Thanks for stopping to help!

(Ruri gets out and goes up to Davis.)
Ruri: Sorry. I probably could have run faster…

Davis: Don’t worry about it… oh, and you can keep the goggles.

(Davis goes off.)
Ruri: (quietly sincere) Thanks.

Ruri: I don’t blame either Ash or Davis for us being eliminated. If anything, I probably should have relied on their judgment more. It’s so easy to concentrate on the "Idiot" part of the name that you forget about the "Impulsive" part as well. And it’s being impulsive and acting on instinct that brought those two to so much success. If anything, we should have gone with gut feelings more often. Oh well, I guess.

(Ash and Davis are with Rika and Izzy.)
Ash: Hey, your car’s pretty banged up, so why don’t you take ours?

Izzy: Really?

Davis: Yeah, it ran really smoothly for us, and I don’t think your car’s going to make it any longer.

Izzy: That sounds like a fair deal.

Ash: We got it to Texas- you’ll take it the rest of the way, right?

Izzy: You got it.

(Izzy and Ash shake hands.)
Davis: So… do you want our goggles too?

Rika: Let’s not go nuts.

(To Tom… in the studio.)
Tom: And so after two legs, Impulsive Idiots are the first team eliminated. Well, at least they went out on a high note. But we may not be able to say the same for the next team gone. Who will it be? Find out next time on Pokéball Run.

End Episode Three

Next Time-
* The war between Just Us Guys and The Angels heats up, as Mimi’s head continues to come up with sabotage ideas.
* Triple J is at a major disadvantage without any EZ Passes. Will they be able to overcome this problem?
* And Hope & Plight begins to play the sabotage game… but who’s the one coming up with the ideas?