DP163: Fighting Ire with Fire!

is the 6th episode of Pokémon: DP Sinnoh League Victors.
==Synopsis==
On their way to the Sunyshore Gym and Ash's next battle, our heroes come across their friend Barry. He shows off all eight of the Badges he's earned, which prove he's ready to compete in the Sinnoh League! Paul is on the scene, too, and he's also won eight Badges. Barry challenges Paul to a battle on the spot, but Paul refuses, suggesting Barry battle Ash instead. Barry would rather take on Paul, but when Barry discovers that Ash has previously battled Paul in a full battle, he changes his mind and challenges Ash.
Meanwhile, Team Rocket has decided to try a new approach: catch the heroes first to get them out of the way, and then catch their Pokémon. It appears to work! Pikachu, Piplup, and Barry's Empoleon are caught and held captive. But, while Barry and Ash are battling, Monferno becomes enraged, thanks to an out-of-control Blaze ability! Ash reasons with Monferno to calm it down, only to get a big surprise when it evolves into Infernape! Infernape saves Pikachu, Piplup, and Empoleon, and proves to be a powerful and quick Pokémon in its own right.
Paul tells Ash he will battle him in the upcoming Sinnoh League. But first, Ash knows he must set his sights on winning his eighth Badge at the Sunyshore Gym!
==Episode plot==
The heroes come upon a crowd of people that watch Barry fighting an opponent. Mothim gets hit by Empoleon's Hydro Cannon and attempts to retaliate with Signal Beam, but Empoleon blocks the attack. Empoleon uses Steel Wing, dodging Mothim's Silver Wind and defeating it. Barry thanks his opponent for the battle and sees Ash, Dawn and Brock. He is soon told Dawn got five ribbons and Gible did not manage to use Draco Meteor properly. When Ash tells him they are on their way to Sunyshore City to defeat the Gym Leader, Barry laughs and displays his eight badge, fresh from Sunyshore Gym.
Dawn advises Ash to catch up with Paul and Barry. Hearing this, Barry now knows Paul has also eight badges. Barry advises Ash to go as soon as possible to Sunyshore City and get the Beacon Badge, where, in his opinion, is the best gym. James becomes strict and they all have a minute for their past failures. James has now realized that they should train. Jessie and Meowth do not want that, so James explains they need to catch the twerps and lock them, then get their Pokémon. Jessie and Meowth like that plan. The heroes with Barry, meanwhile, go to the Pokémon Center to eat something.
As soon as they enter, Brock flirts with Nurse Joy and gets attacked by Croagunk's Poison Jab. Suddenly, Dawn notices Paul and Barry goes to greet him. Barry asks for a battle, though Paul advises him to battle Ash. Barry does not want to fight Ash, as he has seven badges; so Paul stares at Ash, who tries to be nice. Barry notices it is a chilly atmosphere between those two. Ash tells Paul he will battle at Sunyshore Gym, though Paul has a low opinion of that Gym and leaves. Ash tells Barry he and Paul has a full battle and lost (making Barry a bit confused), but also tells that he learned a lot about himself.
As soon as they are to battle, Ash and Barry, along with Dawn and Brock see the news; Marian announces that the Grand Festival will be held at Lake Valor and before it starts, seven Contests will be held. Jessie is pleased to hear this, as she has more chances. The heroes recall it is the place where Dawn has won the Wallace Cup, so Dawn is pleased to know about it. The heroes go and Jessie goes to train, but James and Meowth stop her, as they remind her about their plan. Dawn activates her Coin Toss to determine who goes first. It is heads, so Barry goes first. They send Monferno and Empoleon.
Empoleon uses Hydro Cannon, but Monferno dodges and retaliates with Mach Punch. Paul passes by and sees the battle. Empoleon uses Drill Peck, but misses, as Monferno dug. As Monferno goes to attack, it gets blown away by Hydro Cannon. As Ash goes after it, he gets captured in a ball; even Pikachu's Thunderbolt does not help. Suddenly, Barry, Brock and Dawn get captured as well. Team Rocket appears and Pikachu uses Thunderbolt, Piplup BubbleBeam and Empoleon Hydro Cannon, but Team Rocket transforms the balloon into a robot, which negates the attacks and gets them. Brock sends Happiny to break the ball, but they get rolled away.
Suddenly, a great fire is seen nearby; the Flame Wheel of Monferno crashes Ash's ball, setting him free, as Monferno's Blaze is activated. Ash attempts to calm it down and gets blown away. Team Rocket takes Monferno, but the fire causes the robot arm to be destroyed. Monferno uses Flame Wheel, ignoring Ash and attacks Team Rocket. Monferno uses Mach Punch, blasting Team Rocket off. The rest of the robot is about to crash, with Pikachu, Piplup and Empoleon in the cage. Ash is about to send a Pokémon, but Paul sends Electabuzz, who uses Protect to get the robot stable. Monferno continues to attack the robot, so Ash holds it and soon gets engulfed by the flame. Ash tells Monferno to remember what they promised; to get stronger together, meaning it needs to get Blaze under control.
Electabuzz's Protect fails and the robot is about to crash, but Monferno goes to the robot to hold it using Flame Wheel, but a surprise is that it evolves into an Infernape, much to Paul's anger. The Flame Pokémon cools itself down and tosses the machine, using Mach Punch to crash the cage and rescuing Empoleon, Pikachu and Piplup. Paul tells Ash that the Blaze caused it to evolve. The balls crash, as Brock, Dawn and Barry are freed. Paul is about to leave, but Ash thanks him. Ash would like a battle sometime and Paul recalls that Reggie told him he would like to see him and Ash in a battle sometime and will honor his wish at the Sinnoh League. Paul leaves, so Ash has a thing to do first - to win the Sunyshore Gym battle.
==Debuts==
===Pokémon===
* Infernape (Ash's)
==Trivia==
*The title is a reference to the saying "fighting fire with fire".
*This was the last DP episode animated by OLM/OLM Digital. Team Kato took over the animation duties starting with DP164 and onward.
==Gallery==
==References==
Category:Episodes featuring a main character's Pokémon evolving
Category:Episodes focusing on Ash
Category:Episodes focusing on Paul
Category:Episodes focusing on Barry