DP123: Old Rivals, New Tricks!

is the 19th episode of Pokémon: DP Galactic Battles.
==Synopsis==
Dawn plans to use some new Pokémon Ping-Pong tricks in the Sandalstraw Contest, where she hopes to earn her fifth ribbon. Of course, her friend Kenny wants to win and tie Dawn at four ribbons each! As Dawn and Ambipom practice for the Contest, Dawn's Mamoswine sits on the sidelines and pretends to be bored—but it can't resist interfering with the practice session. Dawn's not upset; she knows Mamoswine just wants to be in the Contest. But this Contest is Ambipom's time to shine. As the appeals round begins, Jessie (disguised as "Jessilina") shows off Mime Jr.'s Teeter Dance, and Kenny has his Machoke work its muscles. Then Dawn's Ambipom uses its double tails to execute ping-pong moves, earning Dawn a place in the second round with Jessie and Kenny.
As Dawn waits for the second round to start, Kenny comes over to continue their friendly rivalry. He wants to battle Dawn in the final round, and neither Coordinator plans to lose this one! Sure enough, Dawn and Ambipom manage to defeat Jessie and Seviper in the semifinal battle, which means Kenny is Dawn's final opponent. Over in the spectator seats, Ash's rival Barry is excited to see his first Contest, and Mamoswine is glued to the action too—but it still pretends it's too cool to care!
The final round match pits Dawn's Ambipom against Kenny's Prinplup. When Prinplup fires off a BubbleBeam attack, Ambipom uses Focus Punch to hit the BubbleBeam right back. Kenny knew Dawn planned something like this, so he orders Prinplup to return the volley using Metal Claw. The two Pokémon hit the bubbles back and forth, just like Pokémon Ping-Pong! It's a well-played battle, but Prinplup goes on the offensive and uses Drill Peck to knock out Ambipom. Now Kenny can get his fourth ribbon, and Barry gets an idea: why doesn't Dawn enter the upcoming Pokémon Ping-Pong Tournament? Ambipom likes the idea, so it's settled: the tournament will be their next event!
==Episode plot==
Ash, Barry, Pikachu, Empoleon and Ambipom train for the Ping-Pong Tournament. Ash thinks he will win this, though Barry is also confident. Dawn notices Ambipom likes this and thinks she should enter as well. Kenny reminds her the Contest is today and asks her when should she use Ambipom. Dawn decides to use her in both rounds, surprising Kenny. Dawn thinks thinks Ambipom will not win for her, but for Ash as well, being his former Pokémon. Kenny also decides Prinplup should win for him, as he cannot have Dawn chasing around.
Jessie has prepared herself for the Contest. Meowth and James recall that Jessie won because she used new moves, ones that Ursula did in the last Contest. Jessie knows that both calmness and intensity is her style. She thinks Mime Jr. is the best one who can do it, so James is all right with this. Ash, Dawn and Kenny train. Mamoswine sees this and an Ice Shard is sent, so Ambipom uses Double Hit to smash the ice. Dawn is angry, but realizes Mamoswine wants to compete, though it does not want to admit. When she turns around, Mamoswine uses Ice Shard, but Dawn dodges and has Mamoswine busted. Mamoswine still won't admit, making Piplup mad, but Dawn calms him down. Brock suspects Mamoswine wants attention as Ambipom did as Aipom; snatching Ash's hat all the time. Ash comes to Ambipom and lets her know he will cheer for her and Dawn.
The Contest is about to start. Everyone is in place, as the first one is Jessilina and sends Mime Jr. She orders Mime Jr. to use Teeter Dance, while Mime Jr. crouches and waits. When an aura glows around her, Mime Jr. dances, causing everyone to do so. After some performances, next is Kenny, who sends Machoke. Machoke uses Focus Power, then uses Strength to get barbell weighing three times its own size with one arm. As a finish, Machoke lifts Kenny with the barbell. Dawn admits to Kenny it was impressive. Kenny tells her even if she won the Wallace Cup, he still longs to get the ribbons before her. Next is Dawn and she sends Ambipom. Ambipom uses Double Team, followed with Focus Punch. Next, Ambipom uses Swift and pushes the stars away, then uses Double Hit to get glitter.
Ash and Brock ask Mamoswine if it was good, but Mamoswine ignores them and sleeps. Dawn is exhausted, as she has to worry about getting in next round and tells Ash and Brock Kenny wants to get ahead of her. The screen displays that among the Coordinators Dawn, Kenny and Jessilina pass to next round. Kenny swears he'll get this ribbon and the next one should follow, meaning he will have only to wait Dawn at the Grand Festival. James and Meowth praise Jessie's success. Now, Jessie plans to use Seviper for battle. After some battles, Seviper is against Ambipom. Seviper uses Poison Tail, which Ambipom dodges and gets defeated by Ambipom's Double Hit.
Kenny and Dawn face each other once more. Dawn sends Ambipom and Kenny his Prinplup. Prinplup starts with Drill Peck, but gets stopped by Swift. Ambipom uses Double Team, but the illusions get banished by Bubblebeam. Ambipom uses Focus Punch, hitting the bubbles to negate some of Prinplup's. Prinplup uses Metal Claw, which causes the battle to be like a Ping-Pong match. Prinplup uses BubbleBeam, which get countered by Double Hit. Prinplup uses Drill Peck, which causes it to collide with Ambipom's Focus Punch. Prinplup jumps and spins to use Metal Claw. Ambipom uses Double Hit, but Prinplup negates the attack and gets hit by Drill Peck. Ambipom is defeated, meaning Kenny wins the battle.
Ash, Brock and Kenny are somewhat saddened by Dawn's defeat, but she does not seem sad too much. Jessie is pleased to see the twerp lost, as she defeated her. Jessie has now to pick a new Pokémon for the Tournament, and unexpectedly, Meowth makes it clear that with him on the side, she will win the Ping-Pong Tournament, shocking Jessie and James. Kenny receives the fourth Ribbon, while Dawn thinks she was focused on getting the last Ribbon too much. Brock admits that Dawn and Ambipom were great and should win in the next Contest. Kenny decides to leave Sandalstraw Town to get a new Pokémon, experience, and hopefully a new Ribbon before Dawn does. So, everyone says goodbye to him. Barry advises to Dawn that she should enter the Ping-Pong Tournament with Ambipom. Dawn asks Ambipom if she wants it, which she agrees to happily.
==Debuts==
===Pokémon===
*Kenny's Machoke
==Trivia==
*The title is a reference to the saying "you can't teach an old dog new tricks".
*There is no Professor Oak's Pokémon lecture following this episode.
*This is the first episode in which Kenny is seen obtaining a Ribbon on-screen. All others were shown on television.
*This episode is similar to a Contest in a previous episode, Team Shocker!, as Dawn uses only Ambipom, loses the Contest, and Kenny participates.
*As of this episode, Kenny is the third Coordinator to include oneself in the appeal rounds of a Contest with Dawn and Jessilina preceding him.
*In this episode, Ambipom participates in what turns out to be her final Contest.
*This is the first Contest after its capture in The Thief That Keeps on Thieving! that Jessie did not use Yanmega in.
*The dub's title is based on the phrase, Old Dog, New Tricks.
*James and Meowth wear the outfits they wore in Electric Shock Showdown. Wobbuffet is also wearing the outfit as well.
*An instrumental version of By Your Side ~Hikari's Theme~ is used during Dawn's appeal round.
*Team Rocket doesn't blast off or recite their motto during this episode.
===Mistakes===
*During the second round battles, Ambipom uses Double Hit on a Haunter. As a -type move, it should not affect Haunter, a -type Pokémon.
*Just before Marian announces the finalists, Piplup's "cape" is missing.
*In one scene, Empoleon's neck is colored the same as its mouth.
**In the next scene, the bottom portion of Empoleon's mouth is colored black.
==Gallery==
==References==
Category:Episodes featuring Pokémon Contests
Category:Episodes focusing on Dawn
Category:Episodes focusing on Kenny