RS063: Take the Lombre Home

is the 23rd episode of Pokémon: Advanced Challenge.
==Synopsis==
Ash and friends are headed to Petalburg City so he can earn his fifth Gym badge. They fall into yet another Team Rocket scheme to steal Pikachu but are saved by a wild Solrock.
The kids arrive at a nearby village where the stream has completely dried up. They send out their Water-type Pokémon to search for water, and Brock's Lotad falls into the empty well. When he pulls it back up, the Pokémon evolves into Lombre. An old woman runs out and calls it their "Water Lord."
Her granddaughter Mary explains that they receive their water from a stream flowing out of a Lombre shrine, which dried up shortly after a meteorite fell to earth. Solrock has been spotted in the woods since then, so they blame it for the drought.
The villagers perform a rain dance with Lombre, and many wild Pokémon join in. Ash and friends use Lombre's dance to draw Solrock out, but May's Skitty runs off toward a cave. When May and Mary explore the cave, they discover a machine built by Team Rocket siphoning water from the stream.
A battle begins, and Solrock ends up using Ember to protect the villagers from Team Rocket's attacks. Pikachu sends the villains blasting off again, while Solrock continues to burn. Brock's Lombre and Mudkip cool down Solrock with their Water Gun attacks, and the steam creates a rainstorm.
The villagers decide to worship Solrock instead, while Ash and friends depart for Petalburg.
==Episode plot==
May is very happy to have won her second ribbon, while Max thinks this would made their parents proud. Ash is confident, as they go back to Petalburg City to challenge Norman, promising he won't lose. However, he asks Brock for water, but the canteen is empty. This makes Max, May and Ash upset, but Brock has a good reason, so he runs off, with his friends following him. Team Rocket is bottling water, as they are stealing it. They notice the twerps and hide. As they are continuing, Brock states they are going to a spring, which is listed as one of top 100 famous. May and Max do not like the forest surrounding them, but Ash and Pikachu are not worried. A Zubat is suddenly arriving, scaring May, Max and Ash, making the former two skeptical about Ash's statement. Brock spots a Solrock and go after it, but fall into a hole. Team Rocket captures Pikachu, but Solrock uses Fire Spin, which knocks Team Rocket down and frees Pikachu. James sends Cacnea, who hugs its trainer. Cacnea fires Pin Missile on Solrock, who no sign of damage. Solrock uses Solar Beam, blasting Team Rocket off. After the battle, the heroes see Solrock had disappeared.
The heroes to the spring, but are shocked to see the spring is dry. May spots a village, where they are going to. As they arrive, the heroes see nobody around, and also find no river. Since Pikachu can't sense water, Ash sends Corphish and Brock his Lotad and Mudkip to detect water. May's Skitty goes out from her Poké Ball to help, too. Corphish digs and other Pokémon go out to find other sources. Corphish, unfortunately, digs out a pot, while Skitty smells some flowers she found. Mudkip spots a well, but Brock sees no water inside. Lotad falls down, who goes in a bucket, which Brock pulls up. After it got raised up, Lotad evolves into a Lombre. An old woman runs to Lombre, beginning to worship it. The woman tells the "Great Lombre", when the village suffers misfortune, would arrive to restore the village back. Brock wishes to hear more, but the woman tells Solrock brought bad luck to the village. Some villagers come out of their homes and Brock tries to flirt with a girl named Mary, but Max pulls him away. Mary is not pleased about her grandma's preachings and decides to explain the heroes about the problem.
Inside the house, the heroes drink some spring water. Mary explains there is a water shortage. Mary explains the spring near the village supplied it with water, and it is said the "Great Lombre" lives there. However, a meteorite fell one day near the spring and since that day the Solrock has been spotted near the village. Just then, the water shortage was started, causing the villagers to believe that the Solrock was the reason of the water shortage. Mary is not convinced Solrock is the cause of the water shortage, thinking there is a better, scientific explanation. Mary's grandma and the villagers perform the rain dance to attract rain and drive off Solrock. The heroes and Mary are offended, claiming Solrock could not cause the water shortage. Mary's grandma replies this would anger the water lord, Lombre. The villagers perform the rain dance at the spring. Ash thinks it's cool watching them, and as May doubts this would work, Brock tries to get Mary to dance with him, but gets pulled by Max. Brock's Lombre performs the rain dance. Some Bellossom, Oddish, Seedot, Shroomish and Ash's Pikachu join the dance.
However, there is no rain, making Mary wonder what's the point in all of this. Ash points out since the wild Pokémon came to dance, maybe the Solrock would appear as well and prove its innocence. Brock reminds Solrock can read minds and it wouldn't be near those who hate it. Mary's grandma states she's not fond of Solrock, but Brock has an idea. As everyone is hiding in the bushes, Lombre is dancing around the spring to summon Solrock. Solrock appears and talks with Lombre. May's Skitty goes out from Poké Ball and goes into a cave. Mary comes with May to find Skitty and activates a flashlight. Inside the cave, May and Mary find Skitty, but also find a water pump, which drains all the water. Team Rocket bottle the water, pleasing Meowth and James they are doing business with no expenses, at someone else's suffering. Jessie sees Lombre and Solrock at the spring, so Meowth thinks if they were to capture them, their boss would use Lombre as a sink and Solrock to dry the water from boss's face. Team Rocket agrees, but are stopped by May and Mary.
The Solrock dances as well, but Mary's grandma thinks it is a curse, so the villagers go to attack it. Solrock uses Psychic, lifting people in mid-air. Ash, May and Brock convince Solrock they aren't going to hurt them, so Solrock puts them down. May and Mary arrive to report Team Rocket was stealing the water. A robot appears, with Team Rocket inside. Meowth pushes a button, which captures Solrock and Lombre. Lombre uses Razor Leaf, which frees both of them. Pikachu uses Thunderbolt, but water is launched from the robot, so Pikachu is knocked out. Team Rocket aims at the villagers, but Solrock takes the hit, which surprises the villagers. Solrock spins, warming itself and knocks the robot out. Ash then commands Pikachu to fire a Thunderbolt to blast Team Rocket off, foil the boss fantasy and destroy the robot.
Despite the battle being over, Solrock spins even more and the air gets hotter. The Solrock is out of control and goes to the village. The woman asks them to save the village, so Lombre uses Water Gun. Brock sends Mudkip to use Water Gun as well, which cools Solrock off. As the heat wears off, a rainstorm gathers and soon rain falls down. Solrock is stopped as well and the spring is filled with water. After the rain stops, everyone is gathering water. Mary thanks the heroes, causing Brock to start his flirting scheme. However, Mary turns around and spots her grandma, who preaches to Solrock. Mary's grandma changes "her faith" to Solrock, as the one, who saved the village. Mary comes to Brock, wondering did he say anything, but Brock lowers his head in frustration. The heroes bid farewell to the villagers, who thank them for helping out. As the heroes continue going towards Petalburg City, Solrock stands at the spring.
==Debuts==
===Character===
*Mary
*Mary's grandmother
===Pokémon===
*Lombre (Brock's)
*Solrock
==Quotes==
:"You sure fell for it this time." - Jessie
:"This trap again?!" - Ash
:"If the trap ain't broke, don't fix it." - James
:"Heh! But we're gonna fix you!" - Meowth
:"So much for our great bottled water plan!" - Jessie
:"And all our liquid assets!" - James
:"Yeah, well speaking of dat, it looks like it's time for us to kiss ours goodbye!" - Meowth
==Trivia==
*Featured Pokémon: Roselia, Camerupt, Grovyle, Electabuzz.
*At the beginning of the episode, a classic Pokémon identification can be seen. In this episode, it is a Diglett.
*The title of this episode is based on the song "Take the Long Way Home" by Supertramp.
==Errors==
*When Team Rocket blast off at the beginning of the episode, James' Cacnea is not seen with them since it was called out and Jessie's Seviper is seen with them despite not being called out.
==Gallery==
==References==
Category:Episodes featuring a main character's Pokémon evolving
Category:Episodes focusing on Brock