DP078: Pruning a Passel of Pals!

is the 26th episode of Pokémon: DP Battle Dimension.
==Synopsis==
With Dawn and her friends safely past the appeals round of the Wallace Cup, the girls enjoy an opportunity to sit back and chat while Ash, who can't sleep, decides to take a walk near Lake Valor. He gets the shock of his life when he sees a glowing entity above the lake, which just might be a Legendary Pokémon like the ones said to live in Lake Verity and Lake Acuity! But any further investigation will have to wait until the next morning, after the Wallace Cup resumes.
As the battles begin, size proves to be no obstacle for Dawn's Buneary as it uses acrobatic footwork to defeat its opponent Wailmer. This round is off to a great start for Dawn, but Jessie is depressed that she didn't even make it to this stage of the Contest. Fortunately, James and Meowth remind her that she can always pose as a Contest reporter to get back in the spotlight. Dawn clinches a place in the semifinals, and then it's time for Ash and Buizel to battle Kyle the Coordinator and his Lanturn.
Kyle has had plenty of time to study Buizel's moves, an edge which helps him knock Ash out of the competition. With Dawn through and Ash out, that leaves May and Zoey still to compete. They win their matches and advance to the semifinals, so Dawn will definitely have to face either May or Zoey if she wants to win the Aqua Ribbon! But to get to the final round, she'll have to defeat Kyle and his Crawdaunt—is her Piplup up to the task?
==Episode plot==
May learns that Dawn was inspired by her mom to become a Coordinator. Zoey asks May how did she start. May responds it was rough in the beginning, but she managed to learn a lot and became a great Coordinator. Dawn wants to know how are the Contests in Johto, but something stirs. They rush and see Ash hit his head, as he dreamt of a tough battle. Since he has trouble sleeping, Ash goes outside. Ash is glad that Buizel is having a great time with the Cup, and seems it learns some things. Suddenly, Ash and Pikachu notice there is something in the air, a spirit that flies around and goes back into the water.
Ash rushes back and tells Brock what just happened. Since he was freaking out, Piplup calms him down like it did with Dawn - using Bubble Beam. He explains there was a spirit that appeared to him and disappeared. Dawn recalls back when she started her journey she saw a similar spirit at Lake Verity. Dawn tells that they had similar experiences, as they might have seen a Legendary Pokémon. May tells that during her time in Snowpoint City, the Lake Acuity near the town has the similar rumors of containing a Legendary Pokémon. Zoey also heard this when she was young. This Pokémon that is rumored to live in the lake appears to time to time in form of a spirit, rumors that are actually the same in Lake Valor and Lake Verity.
Brock believes it might be connected to the legend. Dawn promises to contact Rowan in the morning. Next day, the second round is about to begin. May notices Dawn is not so stressed and is relaxed. The screen displays the matches. Dawn sees she is the first. Dawn tells Piplup to wait, as she goes to the stage. Dawn faces another Coordinator, having her Buneary fight the Wailmer. Wailmer starts with Brine, so Buneary uses the chance to bounce on the attack. Now, Buneary bounces on Wailmer, so Wailmer retaliates by surfing. Buneary eaves by spinning, then uses Dizzy Punch. Wailmer uses Hidden Power, however Buneary dodges and goes on Wailer, to have the Hidden Power attack it instead of her. Buneary uses Ice Beam, canceling Wailmer's Body Slam. Since Dawn has more points left, she advances to next round.
Ash, May and Zoey battled other Coordinators and managed to succeed to defeat them. Jessie is sad to see she did not make it. James and Meowth have a plan to cheer her up - to be reporters. Hearing this, Jessie takes the job. Dawn has succeeded to beat her second opponent, securing her a place in the semi-finals. Ash battles a Coordinator named Kyle. Ash sends Buizel and Kyle his Lanturn. Lanturn charges itself. So, Buizel's Sonic Boom pushes Lanturn out of the water. However, Lanturn uses Thunderbolt. Kyle has the advantage, as he can now predict Buizel's moves, since Ash did not change any of his Pokémon. Lanturn uses Ice Beam, but Buizel goes at it and uses the move to power itself even more, using Ice Aqua Jet Dawn wanted to use before to evade Lanturn's Thunderbolt and hit it severely.
Lanturn uses Hydro Pump, attacking Buizel. Buizel retaliates with Water Pulse, but it gets countered by Thunderbolt, getting Ash and Buizel soaked. Time is up, and unfortunately for Ash, Kyle wins because Ash lost more points. Jessie reports Ash for the recent battle, but she focuses on herself more than on him. Zoey and May win the other battles using their Misdreavus and Venusaur. Now, May faces Zoey and Dawn faces Kyle. Marian sees Jessie, dressed as the reporter and thanks her for the reportage, recognizing her as the same reporter who reported the Grand Festival in Kanto. The heroes are sad to see Ash lost, but are quite amazed by the move Ice Aqua Jet he pulled. Ash admits the Contest battles are tougher than he thought, but inspires himself and Buizel they are going to win the next Gym Battle. Ash tells Dawn she will be cheering for her, but Brock reminds him Zoey and May are not yet defeated.
Now, Dawn knows she will be facing either Zoey or May in the finals. Next day, the semi-finals begin. First are Dawn and Kyle. Dawn tells Piplup she will use it. She calls it back and comes out, sending Piplup against Crawdaunt. Piplup starts with Bubble Beam, but gets countered by Sludge Bomb
==Debuts==
===Pokémon===
*Kyle's Lanturn
*Kyle's Crawdaunt
*Azelf (spirit form)
==Trivia==
*Instead of Professor Oak's Pokémon lecture, the end of the episode featured a memorial to Celebi: Voice of the Forest. This is part of a countdown to Giratina and the Sky Warrior.
*Wallace and Ash narrate the preview for the next episode.
*After Ash's encounter with Azelf, May tells of a story she heard about a mysterious, Legendary Pokémon, Uxie, during her pit stop at Snowpoint City.
*It is revealed that Zoey is from Snowpoint City.
*Neither Dawn, May, Zoey or Jessie are seen in regular outfits throughout this episode.
*Team Rocket doesn't blast off or recite their motto in this episode.
*The English title is an alliteration (Pruning a Passel of Pals!).
===Mistakes===
*In Dawn's first match, Buneary's capsule has a Foamy Seal, but then it changes to a Heart Seal when it opens.
*When Zoey's Finneon emerges from Waterfall, its tail fins are seen upside down.
*May's belly button disappears multiple times.
*In the scene where Paul appears, a Sunflora has petals the same color as its body and a face the shade of yellow its petals should be.
*In the dub, when Ash tells Brock what he saw at the lake, he says "I don't know what you just say", instead of "said".
==Gallery==
==References==
Category:Episodes featuring Pokémon Contests
Category:Episodes focusing on Dawn
Category:Episodes focusing on May
Category:Episodes focusing on Ash
Category:Episodes focusing on Zoey
Category:Episodes featuring Champions
Category:Episodes featuring Legendary Pokémon
Category:Episodes in which May loses a Contest