GS026: A Shadow of a Drought

is the 26th episode of of , Season 3 of , and of .
==Synopsis==
Ash carelessly makes enemies of the Slowpoke-worshipping residents of a town, but sees a chance at redemption when Team Rocket arrives to capture each and every one of these revered Pokémon.
==Episode plot==
The heroes are walking on a hot day, noticing the plants are dried off. To cool them down, Misty sends Staryu, who uses Water Gun in the sky. Ash sends Squirtle to do the same, but gets pushed onto a rock by its own Water Gun. Team Rocket are also thirsty, so Meowth drinks from his cantine. Jessie and James also want to drink, but Meowth drank all the water. Jessie and James are angry, so Meowth points at the well, so they run to it. Meowth pulls the lever, but sand comes out. James feels there must be water around, so Meowth uses some rods to detect a source of water. After they walk, Meowth's rods move, making Jessie and James willing to dig. Since they get exhausted, Meowth activates a robot to shovel. They dig deep and fall down, but detect water. They drink the water, but detect some Pokémon, some Slowpoke.
Meowth detects a sign, which reads that it is a well Slowpoke inhabit, which can cause rain by yawning. Team Rocket understand their importance and plan to capture them and sell them to townsfolk. Team Rocket go to get them, but Slowpoke slip away from their grasp, so Meowth goes to use his secret weapon from the robot. The heroes come to Azalea Town. Ash thinks he should win the Gym Badge, but Misty argues with him, as delivering the GS Ball is much more important. Brock reads that public institutions (including the Gym) are closed due to the drought. So, the heroes go to seek Kurt. As they go through the town, the gang notices a lot of Slowpoke around. Ash accidentally stomps on Slowpoke's tail, but apologizes. The townspeople gather and chase them away, believing they are criminals for hurting Slowpoke, while a man, dressed as Slowpoke, watches.
The heroes stop, seeing they lost the townspeople from sight. They see a Slowpoke and do not believe it talks, since it warns them to put Slowpoke disguises on. The townspeople gather and search for the gang, then leave. Ash, Misty and Brock had disguised themselves and thank the man. The man tells them that Slowpoke are valued here greatly, since it came and yawned to bring rain to the town, saving it from drought. Misty asks why is he dressed as a Slowpoke. He tells that he does not want to scare the Slowpoke and remembers he had to do some business, leaving the gang alone. The man follows a strange sound and comes to a cave and falls down a chasm, then sees Team Rocket chasing the Slowpoke. He warns them, so the robot turns around and chases him. The man runs away, but stops after he gets a pain in the back.
The heroes come to Kurt's house and encounter a girl. They ring, but the girl tells Kurt will not be back for some time, as she is his granddaughter. She remembers he had to go to search for a source for noise, so tells the heroes of the cave. The heroes enter it and find the man in Slowpoke suit, who points at the robot, in which Team Rocket control it to capture Slowpoke. The man tells them to save Slowpoke. Ash and Pikachu come down and Pikachu goes to use Thunderbolt, but Team Rocket warns him the floor is wet, so he'd electrocute Slowpoke, too. Ash sends Heracross, who stops the machine and tosses it. However, Team Rocket release a fist, hitting Heracross. Ash calls it back, while Team Rocket dig in the ground to get away. Slowpoke yawn and get out of the cave, then yawn again.
This causes a storm to appear, pleasing the townspeople. The heroes go on a roof, since the water accumulates and goes in the cave, into the hole Team Rocket made. This causes a wave to get Team Rocket out of the cave to the heroes, as Pikachu's Thunder blasts them off. The Slowpoke unite, making the heroes wonder if Slowpoke's yawning caused the rain. The man admits that this was a strange, mysterious event. The man sees everything is well and offers them a tour of the town. Misty tells they need to find a man named Kurt, so the man takes off the Slowpoke hood and introduces himself as Kurt, who asks why did they come to him.
==Debuts==
===Character===
*Maizie
*Kurt
==Trivia==
*The people of Azalea Town believe that Slowpoke should be sacred, just like how people in India treat cows.
*"Who's that Pokémon?" in this episode is Slowpoke (JP), Pineco (US), Togetic (Canada).
==Gallery==
==References==