After wrapping up their detour at the Seven Grapefruit Islands, Ash and his group followed Professor Oak's guidance and arrived at the historic Moro Island.
Through a call from the Pokémon Center, Professor Oak informed Ash that the island's museum had recently discovered and put on display an important artifact, an ancient Orange League Champion's trophy. He suggested that Ash visit it and experience the glory of the past.
"An ancient champion's trophy? That sounds awesome!" Ash was immediately intrigued. It would give him a more direct understanding of the Orange League's history.
Early the next morning, Ash, Misty, and Tracey eagerly headed to the island's museum.
However, when they arrived, they found chaos at the entrance. Officer Jenny was anxiously directing her officers.
"What happened, Officer Jenny?" Ash stepped forward and asked.
"Oh, it's you." Officer Jenny frowned deeply. "The museum was robbed last night. That ancient champion's trophy that was just put on display has been stolen!"
"What?!" The three of them were shocked.
Ash immediately recalled the original storyline. Team Rocket. And they were very likely hiding on that infamous ghost ship.
Keeping a calm expression, he said to Officer Jenny, "Officer Jenny, we might have a lead. Please let us handle the investigation."
Without waiting for her reply, Ash led Misty and Tracey away. Using his Aura sense and vague memories, he avoided the main roads and quickly made his way along a remote path to a desolate bay on the edge of Moro Island.
There, a dilapidated ship was anchored. Its sails were torn, its structure worn, and it radiated an eerie aura.
It was the legendary ghost ship.
"Ash, how did you know about this place?" Tracey asked in surprise.
"Just a hunch," Ash replied briefly as he stepped onto the creaking deck first.
The inside of the ship was even darker, filled with dust and cobwebs, and the air carried a rotten smell. Through his Aura, Ash clearly sensed the familiar energy signatures of Team Rocket's trio, as well as two other ghostly presences filled with mischievous intent.
"Come out, Gastly, Haunter!" Ash called into the empty ship. He knew that prank-loving Ghost-type Pokémon lived here. If he remembered correctly, they had once belonged to the ship's former captain.
As his voice echoed, a gaseous Gastly and a grinning Haunter slowly emerged from the shadows.
"We need your help," Ash said to them. "Scare those three thieves and help us get the trophy back. I think you'll have fun with it."
Gastly and Haunter exchanged a glance, their faces breaking into excited and mischievous grins. Pranks were their specialty.
Ash and the others hid in the shadows as the two Ghost-types went into action.
They drifted into the cabin where Team Rocket was hiding. First, they made tables and chairs move on their own. Then they twisted Jessie's reflection in the mirror into something horrifying. James's food suddenly came to life and attacked him. Finally, Meowth's coins sprouted legs and ran away one by one.
"Waaaah! There are ghosts!"
"Help! My coins!"
"This place is cursed, meow!"
Terrified by the series of inexplicable supernatural events, Team Rocket clung to each other, trembling. They were convinced they had encountered real ghosts.
"The trophy! It must be cursed! Get rid of it!" Jessie screamed.
"Yeah, yeah! Throw it away!" James and Meowth immediately agreed.
In a panic, the three of them tossed the stolen champion's trophy onto the deck, then scrambled off the ghost ship, crying and screaming as they fled without looking back.
Only then did Ash step out from hiding. He picked up the trophy from the ground and nodded in thanks to the faintly visible Gastly and Haunter.
"Thanks, you two."
Gastly and Haunter let out mischievous giggles before fading back into the shadows of the ship, continuing their endless pranks.
After returning the trophy to the museum, Officer Jenny and the curator were extremely grateful to Ash.
Without lingering, Ash and his group boarded Lapras once again and set off.
As they sailed into an open stretch of sea, Team Rocket, still unwilling to give up, emerged from beneath the water in their signature Magikarp-shaped submarine, attempting the same old trick of stealing Pikachu.
"Since you so kindly asked…"
"Pikachu, Thunderbolt!" Ash cut them off immediately.
"Pika… Chu!"
A powerful surge of electricity struck the submarine, but this time it seemed to have been insulated, and the attack had little effect.
"Hahaha! It's useless! We've upgraded it!" Jessie laughed smugly.
"Wartortle, I choose you! Use Hydro Pump!" Ash immediately switched tactics.
Wartortle appeared, firing a powerful blast of water that struck the submarine's viewing window with precision. The intense pressure shattered the glass, and seawater rushed in violently.
"This is bad! The submarine is leaking!"
"We're gonna sink, meow!"
Amid their screams, Team Rocket and their damaged submarine sank into the sea.
However, Ash knew they definitely had a way to escape. A situation like this wouldn't stop them.
This time, though, things were a little different. In the chaos, Meowth's escape pod became separated from the others. Swept away by the current, it eventually drifted to a strange island filled with cat-shaped statues, Meowth Island.
When the island's residents saw a Meowth that could speak human language and walk upright, they were astonished. They immediately revered it as the legendary "Meowth God" said to bring happiness.
When Ash and the others, along with Jessie and James who arrived later, set foot on Meowth Island, they were greeted by the sight of Meowth sitting atop a high platform, enjoying delicious food, receiving massages, and looking completely blissful.
"Meowth!" Jessie and James shouted.
"Oh, it's you two." Meowth lazily glanced at them. "I'm the honored Meowth God now. Why would I go back with you to suffer again, meow?"
Seeing Jessie, James, and Ash's group, the islanders immediately assumed they were evil intruders trying to disturb the peace of the Meowth God. Without hesitation, they drove all of them off the island.
Watching this unfold, Ash shook his head helplessly. He had long expected Meowth to become lost in the luxury, but he also knew this "happiness" wouldn't last long.
Sure enough, before long, the island's elder led the villagers to respectfully make a request of Meowth.
"Please use Pay Day to bless us with happiness!"
"P-Pay Day?" Meowth was dumbfounded. It didn't even know that move!
"That's right! According to legend, the Meowth God brings happiness using Pay Day!"
No matter how Meowth tried to explain that it couldn't use the move, the villagers believed this was a test of their devotion.
In the end, to "awaken" Meowth's potential, the villagers forcibly brought it to an ancient circular arena and left it alone in the center.
"If you do not use Pay Day, you will not be allowed to leave!" the elder declared sternly before leading everyone out.
Trapped in the arena, Meowth was both anxious and terrified. Its earlier arrogance had completely vanished.
Soon after, the arena continuously sent out Pokémon to battle Meowth, leaving it utterly miserable.
Watching from outside the island, Ash knew the time had come. He found Jessie and James, who were equally worried but powerless.
"Jessie, James," Ash said bluntly, "want to save Meowth?"
"Of course! But those islanders…"
"We can cooperate," Ash said calmly. "A temporary truce. We rescue Meowth together. After that, wherever you go, we won't interfere."
Jessie and James exchanged glances. Though reluctant to work with Ash, they gritted their teeth for Meowth's sake.
"Fine! A temporary alliance! But once Meowth is saved, we're enemies again!"
"Deal."
The three quietly infiltrated the island and reached the outskirts of the arena. After observing the terrain and guards, Ash quickly formulated a plan.
"James, have your Victreebel use Vine Whip to create a disturbance and draw their attention. Jessie, have your Arbok use Smokescreen for cover. Pikachu and I will rush in and get Meowth out."
The plan was set in motion.
James's Victreebel extended its long vines, knocking over several torches outside the arena and causing chaos. Jessie's Arbok released thick smoke, obscuring visibility. Like a flash of lightning, Ash and Pikachu dashed into the arena and found the panicked Meowth.
"Twerp?! How did you…"
"No time to talk, let's go!" Ash grabbed Meowth and, with Pikachu's electricity clearing the path, quickly rushed out of the arena and regrouped with Jessie and James.
The islanders were distracted by the chaos, and by the time the smoke cleared, the "Meowth God" was gone. They could only watch helplessly.
After escaping Meowth Island and returning to a safe shore, Jessie and James immediately reverted from "allies" back to "enemies," pulling Meowth protectively behind them.
"But we won't give up on capturing Pikachu!" James added.
"That's right, meow!" Meowth had regained its energy, though a trace of complexity flickered in its eyes.
Ash simply smiled, unfazed by their threats. "You should get going before the islanders catch up."
Team Rocket's trio gave Ash a long look. Without saying anything more, they turned and quickly left.
This time, instead of immediately plotting their next scheme as usual, they quietly disappeared into the forest.
Misty watched them go, a little surprised. "They didn't try to attack again right away…"
"Maybe… they're not completely beyond saving," Tracey said thoughtfully.
Ash gazed at the calm sea, understanding clearly.
The bond between Team Rocket and Meowth might be the real reason they kept failing, yet always came back together again.
With that, this episode came to an end, and Ash's Orange League challenge would continue.
...
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