RS022: A Hole Lotta Trouble

is the 22nd episode of , Season 6 of , and of .
==Synopsis==
After all the Wurmple confusion, Ash and the gang finally arrive at Granite Cave. Team Rocket is already in the cave, perfecting their next attempt to capture Pikachu. Unknown to our heroes, Stephen and his Aron are busy digging in the cave. Ash, May, Max, and Brock begin exploring the dark cave, only to fall into a hole created by Team Rocket. Before Jessie and James can brag about their success, the floor caves in and everyone falls into the hole. To make matters worse, though, everyone falls into different tunnels and they all get separated from one another. Pikachu, Meowth, and Max end up together; Jessie falls on top of May; and Ash, James, and Brock get stuck together.
As the various groups start wandering through the cave, James, Ash and Brock disturb a rather large group of irritable Aron. Meanwhile, Max, Meowth, and Pikachu have discovered an underground waterfall and pool with dangling vines they hope may lead to an escape from the cave. Everyone ends up meeting in the underground pool with the angered Aron on their tails. Stephen, already investigating the commotion, comes to the rescue and subdues all the Aron with his own Aron. Team Rocket then makes their usual attempt at stealing Pikachu, only to be sent blasting off again by Stephen and his Aggron. Stephen's Aron then finds the Fire Stone he had been looking for and everyone leaves the cave happy and ready for their next adventure.
==Episode plot==
The heroes arrive to the Granite Cave where they are supposed to meet Steven Stone, who is studying the rare stones. Knowing Steven is a great trainer, who may know some locations for Ash to train for the rematch, the heroes head inside. Meanwhile, Team Rocket is digging a hole to catch Ash's Pikachu. Jessie claims the twerps will never suspect a hole inside the cave, even if James knows digging holes never ends well. While Ash yells out to get Steven's attention, while Brock places some stickers, so they can find their way out later on. Deep in the cave, Steven is excavating some stones, while his Aron is digging. Steven takes a break and gives Aron some food, seeing they have to search elsewhere.
Team Rocket hides, while James still believes they should battle things out. The heroes walk to a spot, and fall down, into Team Rocket's hole. However, a crack is spreading, causing everyone - including Team Rocket - to fall deeper into the hole. Steven and Aron hear this and go to investigate. Everyone splits up in three different directions. In the first direction, Max, Ash's Pikachu and Team Rocket's Meowth have fallen. Max realizes the Granite Cave is a complex of tunnels and must've fallen into a deep level due to the hole Team Rocket dug. Meowth remarks at how digging can land you in trouble but Max reminds Meowth their the reason they all split up. Meowth proposes they should find the others, Max says they should just walk up, through the tunnels, to higher levels. Meowth is angry, since they invested a lot of time in catching Pikachu, but Max reminds Meowth that he proposed they should go find others in the first place. Meowth calms down and goes with the twerp and Pikachu. In the second direction, Jessie and May have fallen. However, the cave they fell into is much lower than the previous one, so Jessie thinks they can just climb back up. In the third direction, Brock, Ash and James have fallen. Ash blames Team Rocket for this incident, but James challenges him to a battle, since he wants to do things fair. Brock reminds them they have to get out of this hole in the place first, since they are stuck amidst the rubble.
Max, Pikachu and Meowth search for the others. Max mentions they were to meet with Steven, son of Mr. Stone, the president of Devon Corporation. Steven is the one excavating for rare stones, so Max hopes they may find him, since he may know about the place's layout. Meowth thinks Steven has a lousy job, being the son's president, but Max states Meowth has a wrong idea. Pikachu and Meowth smell some fresh air, so they go in a direction, Max doesn't smell it, Meowth explains that the scent is too subtle for a person's nose. As Steven is searching for the people he heard screaming, Ash, Brock and James venture through the tunnels. James quietly yells out to Jessie and Meowth, since he does not care much about them. James builds up anger and starts yelling, but a lone Aron arrives. James is annoyed by Aron and starts angering it, causing Aron to howl and summoning a pack of Aron. The pack starts chasing off James, Ash and Brock.
Steven comes to the point where everybody fell into the hole, so he and Aron jump down in the hole, to find them. James, Ash and Brock run away from the Aron and climb into a tunnel, where the Aron cannot climb onto, who simply enter another tunnel. Max, Pikachu and Meowth have arrived to a waterfall, where the fresh air is coming from. They notice a root from which they can go to upper levels. Jessie cannot go to the higher level and asks May to push her. May does so, but Jessie only complains how it is hurting her or May does not push hard enough. Suddenly, a Pokémon fell down, causing Jessie to scream. The Pokémon goes away, almost stomping on Jessie's head. Jessie falls down the hole, back to May, who sees the hole is wider. Steven comes to the place, where the Aron came out to chase away Ash, Brock and James. Steven sees they have to go to a higher ground, but wonders how will he do it. Max, Meowth and Pikachu climb the root, but Max sees they are barely halfway up. Meowth is annoyed, since he recalls James and Jessie have always relied on him, rather on their own. Max asks Meowth how can he speak, so Meowth makes a flashback where he met Meowzie and had to impress her, but in the end she got away. Max and Pikachu climb the root, making Meowth angry for not listening. Nevertheless, Meowth continues climbing the root.
James, Brock and Ash have ventured to higher levels, but see this place is too much for them. Brock notices the sticker he place, so they are near the entrance, but they fall into the hole again. Just then, Steven comes back to the hole, seeing it is even larger than before. Max, Meowth and Pikachu have climbed to the top where they smell fresh air, though Meowth wonders how will they climb up. Pikachu smells someone's smell, so Max thinks it must be Steven, who passed by. May and Jessie go through the tunnels and they spot a light. They run towards it, but fall into the hole again. Ash, James and Brock are being chased by the Aron again, but Jessie and May fall onto them. Meowth, Max and Pikachu run off and encounter Steven. Max asks if Steven could find his friends, so Steven suspects they are the ones that angered Aron and woke them up. They arrive to a tunnel, where they can hear footsteps. Max yells out and gains May's attention, for she, Ash, Brock, Jessie and James see them from underneath the tunnel. Steven gives them directions where they will meet, near the waterfall. Max, Pikachu and Meowth hold onto Steven, who jumps to the other side.
After arriving to the waterfall, Ash, James, Brock, Jessie and May are cornered. Steven tries to calm the Aron down, but since it doesn't work, Steven's Aron uses Roar, stopping their rampage. Per Steven's request, the Aron return to their nests, surprising Ash Steven can control wild Pokémon. Everybody reunites, even if Jessie, James and Meowth stated they don't like each other, but are happy to be reunited. In any case, Jessie sends her Seviper and James sends his Cacnea. Ash goes to have Pikachu use Quick Attack and Brock and May are to send their Pokémon. Steven stops the fight, reminding this is Aron's home, and the Aron live here in peace. Steven says will be the one fighting Team Rocket, as he sends Aggron.
Aggron uses Hyper Beam, blasting Team Rocket out of the cave. The heroes are impressed how Steven handled the situation. Steven's Aron found a stone, so Steven takes and sees it is a Fire Stone. Steven is pleased with the discovery, knowing it can be used to evolve certain Pokémon. The heroes thank Steven, who admits he would not have found the stone without their help. Steven guides the heroes out to a side of the island, where Ash may train. Steven sails off in search for more stones, bidding the heroes farewell. After Steven is gone, Ash and Pikachu build up enthusiasm for training.
==Debuts==
===Character===
*Steven Stone
===Pokémon===
*Aron (Steven's)
*Aggron (Steven's)
*Loudred
==Trivia==
*Featured Pokémon: Vigoroth
*This episode's English title is a pun on the term, "A whole lot of trouble".
==Gallery==
==References==
Category:Episodes focusing on Max
Category:Episodes focusing on Meowth
Category:Episodes focusing on Pikachu
Category:Episodes featuring Champions
Category:Episodes focusing on May
Category:Episodes focusing on Jessie
Category:Episodes focusing on Ash
Category:Episodes focusing on Brock
Category:Episodes focusing on James