Recaps

After Roy left Mt. Pyre, Phoebe chose a Shuppet and fed the Ghost-type Pokémon her pure Ghost Power. Roy flew to Lilycove City, where Chansey helped him officially register for the Egg Cup before the competition began.

• Gengar woke from Marshadow's hypnosis, startled Banette with a punch, and told Phoebe about the mysterious Pokémon that had put him to sleep.
• Phoebe scolded Gengar, then told him Roy and his Gengar had already left; Gengar realized he had missed his chance to learn shadow techniques from Ancient Gengar.
• Phoebe chose the largest Shuppet and named him Little Four, then let the Shuppet and Banette absorb her Ghost Power.
• Roy flew Dragapult to Lilycove City, where Chansey hurried him into the Pokémon Center because he had not officially registered for the Egg Cup.
• Roy gave Joy his ID and registered for the competition, relieving Chansey.

Roy faced a League Prosecutor in a Pokémon Trainer qualification assessment while Officer Jenny Liya refereed. The young inspector’s Blaziken strengthened itself and attacked Roy’s Annihilape, but the chapter ended before the strike’s result was revealed.

• The young inspector told Roy that a Beginner King-level Sharpedo had disrupted his pursuit of Team Aqua, allowing them to escape.
• Roy sent messages to Tabitha and Shelly before following the young inspector to the Pokémon Center’s training room for the assessment.
• Officer Jenny Liya began the battle, and the young inspector sent out his level 61 Blaziken.
• Roy sent out Annihilape, whose Pressure weighed heavily on Blaziken.
• The young inspector had Blaziken use Bulk Up three times, then ordered it to strike Annihilape with Night Slash.
• Blaziken’s Night Slash slashed across Annihilape’s vital area.

Roy’s Annihilape defeated the young prosecutor’s Blaziken after using Shadow Steal to emerge from its shadow and steal its boosts. Officer Jenny Liya declared Roy the winner, and the prosecutor accepted his defeat while Roy discussed the match with him.

• Roy commanded Annihilape to use Shadow Steal, which let it hide in its shadow and emerge behind Blaziken.
• Annihilape struck Blaziken with Shadow Steal, stealing its three Bulk Up boosts and strengthening itself.
• Annihilape shattered Blaziken’s Protect and continued attacking until Blaziken’s Blaze Ability activated.
• Blaziken traded punches with Annihilape, but Annihilape used Vital Throw and Big Swing to finish the battle.
• Officer Jenny Liya declared Roy the winner, and the young prosecutor recalled Blaziken and congratulated Roy.
• Officer Jenny Liya took Roy’s ID Card and said she would return it with his Trainer Qualification Certificate before he left the next day.

Roy passed the Pokémon Trainer assessment, received an Elite Four-level certificate, and went to the [Egg Cup] with Chansey and Little Absol. The tournament began with a points-based format, and Roy sat down to compete in a game that relied heavily on luck.

• The young inspector suggested Roy take an Elite Four-level assessment, but Roy declined because he was returning to Johto the next evening and already had the qualifications he needed.
• Roy explained to Annihilape that he had drawn out their battle to spare the young inspector embarrassment, and Annihilape trusted Roy’s judgment.
• Officer Jenny Liya delivered Roy’s upgraded ID Card and Elite Four-level certificate, then explained the League benefits available to him.
• Chansey led Roy to the [Egg Cup], where hundreds of people and Pokémon had gathered to compete; Roy photographed the event and sent the pictures to Wallace.
• Joy announced a group-of-three points format with double points for a Landlord victory, and Roy began the competition with Little Absol beside him as an Alakazam competed at a nearby table.

Roy used Little Absol’s Super Luck to win the sixth [Egg Cup], then taught Chansey several more card games before leaving Lilycove City. Meanwhile, Archie’s Crawdaunt recovered from Gengar’s poison, and Matt reported that he had escaped the prosecutor pursuing him.

• A referee caught an Alakazam cheating with Psychic type moves, and Officer Jenny Liya and Arcanine escorted it out and banned it from the [Egg Cup] for three years.
• Little Absol guided Roy’s card draws, helping him reach the finals and defeat Chansey by one point to win the sixth [Egg Cup].
• Chansey awarded Little Absol the medal, which it began chewing, and Roy later taught Chansey the rules of Guandan, Tractor, and cheat.
• Archie used many antidote bottles to cure Crawdaunt’s poison while reflecting on the failed plan and his difficulty obtaining the Blue Orb.
• Matt told Archie that he had shaken off the prosecutor who was chasing him, and Archie asked whether Team Aqua had calculated its casualties.

Archie learned that Team Aqua had suffered devastating losses and began considering how to rebuild it as Maxie contacted him. Roy arrived in Goldenrod City, explored the city, and met Gym Leader Whitney while feeding Little Absol.

• Matt told Archie that Team Aqua had lost nearly forty percent of its members, half its ships, and possibly its main ship to Toxic Spikes.
• Archie accepted the losses, ordered compensation for the dead members’ families, and decided Team Aqua needed educated recruits and a researcher.
• Maxie called Archie through Holographic Communication, and Archie answered despite suspecting he might be calling to mock him.
• Roy reached Goldenrod City after the voyage from Hoenn, booked a room at the Pokémon Center, and explored the city instead of challenging its Gym.
• Whitney spotted Little Absol while Roy was eating snacks and excitedly reached out to touch him.

Roy met Whitney in Goldenrod City and asked her to lead him to Goldenrod Gym for a high-difficulty challenge. After Whitney got lost and called for help, her Miltank Cabbage found them and made her apologize to Roy.

• Whitney apologized for petting Roy's Little Absol, then won his trust with special Moomoo Milk infused with Ghost Power.
• Roy learned Whitney was a student whose grandfather was the Goldenrod Gym Leader, and asked her to take him to challenge the Gym.
• Whitney confidently offered to guide Roy but led him around Goldenrod City until they returned to Goldenrod Plaza.
• Whitney called Cabbage for help, and Miltank arrived about ten minutes later.
• Cabbage dragged Whitney over to apologize to Roy after learning she had gotten lost again.

Roy brought Whitney back to Goldenrod Gym and battled her while her grandfather was away. Froslass repeatedly used ice to send Miltank’s Rollout sliding past her, leaving the battle ongoing.

• Miltank led Roy to Goldenrod Gym, where Whitney learned her grandfather was away negotiating with the Dragon Tamer family and challenged Roy instead.
• Whitney sent out her Miltank, Cabbage, while Roy chose his newly evolved Froslass for the battle.
• Whitney became distracted by Froslass and asked to pet her, but Froslass only reached out to touch Whitney’s hand before Roy and the referee brought the battle back on track.
• Roy ordered Froslass to use Snowscape as Whitney told Cabbage to use Defense Curl followed by Rollout.
• Froslass spread ice across Cabbage’s path, causing her to slip past Froslass and crash into the railing; she repeated the maneuver when Cabbage tried Rollout again.

Roy and Froslass battled Whitney and Miltank, and Froslass broke through to Gym Leader level during the match. Roy Mega Evolved her, and Mega Froslass defeated Miltank with Blizzard.

• Whitney struggled to choose a move for Miltank against Froslass, then used Zen Headbutt to land a hit through Light Screen.
• Whitney had Miltank use Milk Drink to heal her wounds after Froslass's Icy Wind.
• Froslass broke through to Gym Leader level, and Roy activated her Evolution Stone to Mega Evolve her.
• Mega Froslass's Snow Warning intensified the snowfall across the battlefield.
• Mega Froslass used Blizzard to sweep Miltank away, leaving her unable to battle.

Roy defeated Whitney in a Gym training battle, then met her grandfather, the Goldenrod Gym Leader, who recognized Roy as Agatha’s apprentice and accepted his challenge. As Roy prepared for a formal Double Battle, Whitney took Froslass to the Pokémon Center and eagerly planned to play with her in the snow.

• Froslass Mega Evolved and defeated Whitney’s Miltank with one move, after which Roy thanked her for winning the battle.
• Whitney’s grandfather arrived at Goldenrod Gym, learned about Roy’s Mega Evolution, and inspected Roy’s ID Card.
• The old man recognized Roy as Agatha’s apprentice and accepted his challenge to a formal Gym battle.
• The referee announced that the Gym battle would be a Double Battle, and Roy realized he could not use Dynamax in the low-ceiling arena.
• Whitney offered to take Froslass for treatment, and Roy entrusted her with Froslass’s Poké Ball; Whitney then ran off excitedly to play in the snow.

Roy began a Double Battle against the old Normal-type Gym Leader, using Dusclops and Annihilape against the leader’s Miltank and Ursaring. Roy’s Skill Swap disrupted Ursaring’s Guts strategy, but the old man healed Ursaring and boosted its attack as the battle continued.

• The old man sent out a Mid-tier Elite Four-level Miltank and a Level 73 Ursaring holding a Flame Orb, and Roy chose Dusclops and Annihilape.
• Roy had Dusclops use Trick Room, slowing the Pokémon across the field and setting up his next move.
• Dusclops used Skill Swap to exchange Miltank’s Sap Sipper and Ursaring’s Guts, leaving Ursaring’s activated Flame Orb to burn it without boosting its power.
• The old man ordered Miltank to use Heal Bell, extinguishing Ursaring’s flames, then commanded Ursaring to use Belly Drum and Night Slash while Miltank used Helping Hand.
• Ursaring used Belly Drum, sacrificing Life Energy to greatly increase its power as dark energy gathered around its claws.

Roy’s Dusclops took Ursaring’s boosted attack to create an opening for Annihilape, who stole Ursaring’s power and prepared to finish him. Dusclops fainted after using Helping Hand, leaving an enraged Annihilape facing Ursaring with the advantage reversed.

• Miltank boosted Ursaring’s attack, and Ursaring charged at Annihilape while Dusclops kept Miltank occupied inside Trick Room.
• Annihilape hid with Shadow Steal, but Ursaring sensed his presence until Dusclops drew Ursaring’s attention with an energy barrier.
• Ursaring shattered Dusclops’s barrier and struck him down, but Dusclops got back up after Roy promised him a month of extra food.
• Miltank spotted Annihilape emerging from Ursaring’s shadow but could not move in time to warn him.
• Annihilape struck Ursaring with Shadow Steal and absorbed his power, then Dusclops used Helping Hand before fainting.
• Roy ordered Annihilape to attack with Close Combat as Annihilape faced Ursaring, enraged and at full strength.

Roy defeated the old man’s Ursaring and Miltank, winning Goldenrod Gym’s Regular Badge. Whitney returned to congratulate him, while her grandfather worried about who would inherit the Gym.

• Annihilape used a close-range assault to defeat Ursaring, then broke through to mid-tier Elite Four strength.
• Annihilape defeated Miltank, and the effects of Skill Swap and Trick Room ended.
• The referee declared Roy the winner, and the old man gave him a Regular Badge engraved with an S.
• Whitney returned with ice cream and learned that her grandfather had also lost to Roy.
• The old man teased Whitney about inheriting the Gym, and Whitney promised he would live to a hundred and become its referee.

After defeating Whitney’s grandfather, Roy accompanied Whitney to her family’s ranch, where she seemed to have a problem she wanted his help with. There, he stopped a charging Tauros by catching its horns and lifting it into the air.

• Whitney decided to trust Froslass’s recommendation and invited Roy to visit her family’s ranch after his Pokémon were treated.
• Whitney told Joy that Roy had defeated her grandfather and earned the highest-difficulty standard badge, while Roy recognized Chansey’s playing cards as a game he had created.
• At Goldenrod Ranch, Whitney greeted the Pokémon, and hundreds of Tauros charged toward her and Roy.
• When one Tauros could not stop in time, Roy moved Miltank behind him and caught the Tauros by its horns, lifting it into the air.

Whitney showed Roy around Moomoo Ranch, where he encountered its many Pokémon herds and discovered a Shiny Gogoat leading the Skiddo. Little Absol eagerly begged Whitney for more fresh Moomoo Milk, and she offered to take them to try the ranch’s new products.

• Miltank forced Whitney to watch as Roy lifted a charging Tauros with his bare hands, and ranch guard Anson arrived after the incident was resolved.
• Whitney showed Roy the Miltank, Tauros, Mareep, and Wooloo herds and explained that her family also sold wool products and traded Berries.
• Little Absol joined the Skiddo as they tilled the Berry fields, while Roy scanned their unusually large, golden-horned leader and identified it as a level 69 Shiny Gogoat.
• Whitney explained that the Gogoat belonged to her grandfather and that the ranch produced fresh goat milk as well as Moomoo Milk for customers across several regions.
• Little Absol jumped out of Roy’s arms to beg Whitney for more fresh Moomoo Milk, and Whitney offered to take them to try the ranch’s new products.

Whitney brought Roy through Moomoo Ranch and revealed Coward, a timid Mimikyu hiding in her room. Roy gained Coward’s trust by letting it absorb his Ghost Power, and Coward began to feel comfortable around him.

• Whitney showed Roy and Little Absol the Moomoo Milk workshop, where Miltank produced milk in a large automated factory.
• Whitney led Roy toward her manor castle, where an Indeedee butler welcomed them inside.
• Whitney invited Roy into her room and called Coward out of a lamp after Roy sensed Ghost type energy.
• Whitney explained that she had found Coward on the ranch and named it after it frightened itself while trying to scare her.
• Roy offered Coward Ghost Power, and the timid Mimikyu slowly approached and absorbed it until it felt familiar and safe with him.

Roy discovered that Coward was a timid ghost from the Spirit World disguised as Mimikyu and agreed to take her in so he could protect her from the Spirit World Envoy. Coward passed through a Poké Ball, and Whitney then offered to show Roy the rest of her breeding area.

• Roy scanned Mimikyu and realized the system detected the Reaper Cloth, then tested her reaction to a Pikachu picture and concluded she was a real ghost rather than a Pokémon.
• Mimikyu hid behind Roy at the mention of the Spirit World, confirming she had fled its dangers, and Whitney explained that she had helped Coward disguise herself as Mimikyu.
• Roy agreed to take Coward with him, saying he could protect her from the Spirit World Envoy.
• Whitney celebrated that Coward would have a Trainer, and Coward passed through Roy’s body to join her.
• Roy offered Coward a Luxury Ball, but she passed straight through it without being captured.
• Whitney brightened and prepared to show Roy the rest of the breeding area.

Roy visited Whitney's Pokémon Day Care, where he helped name the newborn Pokémon, then Whitney put him to work giving Miltank massages. The chapter ended with the Miltank lining up for Roy's unexpectedly excellent massages.

• Roy accepted Mimikyu's choice to keep wearing her costume and asked Misdreavus to look after her.
• Whitney showed Roy the Pokémon Day Care and its newborn Pokémon, then Roy named a Miltank Wallace.
• Roy tried to name a Skiddo Stone Steven and a Little Tauros Dragon Clan Lance, but Whitney recognized the names and stopped him.
• Whitney dragged Roy to the Miltank milking factory and gave him massage gloves, while she took his Ghost-type Pokémon to braid Wooloo's wool.
• Roy made Little Absol help massage a Miltank, then gave his own Miltank a massage so satisfying that the others lined up behind him.

Roy conceived a plan to build Ghost Castles as businesses that would feed Ghost-type Pokémon with visitors’ fear and ticket revenue, but realized he first needed fame on the scale of a Champion. At dinner, he investigated why Moomoo Ranch’s Miltank disliked their Pokéblocks and concluded the recipe’s sour taste was the problem.

• Roy imagined building Ghost Castles staffed by Ghost-type Pokémon and decided that becoming a Champion could give the venture the fame it needed.
• Roy startled Mimikyu and Misdreavus when he sat up and declared himself a genius.
• Indeedee rang Heal Bell, and Roy helped Whitney distribute Pokéblocks to the ranch Pokémon.
• Whitney told Roy that many Miltank disliked their Pokéblocks and produced less milk, so she offered berries to the picky ones.
• Roy examined and tasted a Pokéblock, then identified its sour, astringent flavor as the likely reason the Miltank refused to eat it.

Roy left Moomoo Ranch with two Spatial Bracelets full of Berries and Moomoo Milk after giving Whitney an improved Pokéblock formula. Whitney tearfully said goodbye to Mimikyu, while her grandfather decided to test Roy’s formula and learned that Whitney wanted a female Snorunt.

• Whitney filled both of Roy’s Spatial Bracelets with Berries and Moomoo Milk, and Roy gave her a formula intended to improve the Miltank’s appetite.
• Roy and Froslass left the ranch as Mimikyu reluctantly said goodbye to Whitney, who broke down in tears after they were gone.
• Whitney’s grandfather revealed that he and the Indeedee had known about Mimikyu, and he examined Roy’s formula before deciding to have the Joy family test it.
• Whitney told her grandfather that she wanted a Pokémon and asked him to find her a female Snorunt, leaving him worried that his Gym might change type.

Roy adopted Mimikyu, who tried hiding in his shadow and body before choosing to share Misdreavus's Poké Ball. After reading that two Primeape colonies had vanished near Route 37, Roy agreed to investigate with Annihilape on their way to Ecruteak City.

• Mimikyu tried staying in Roy's shadow and body, but Ancient Gengar and Chandelure frightened her away.
• Roy introduced Mimikyu to his Pokémon, and she chose to snuggle up with Misdreavus inside its Poké Ball.
• Roy noticed a newspaper report that two Primeape colonies had disappeared from a protected area near Route 37.
• Annihilape told Roy that he was worried about the missing colonies because they were his kin.
• Roy promised Annihilape they would investigate Route 37 on their way to Ecruteak City the next day.

Roy searched National Park for two missing Primeape groups and found no signs of a struggle. A Chesto Berry-scented Pokéblock with a Primeape bite mark suggested someone had put the groups to sleep before taking them away.

• Roy released Dusclops and used its gravity field to force a Swellow to guide him to the Primeape territories.
• Roy asked Swellow about the Primeape groups and possible poachers, then gave it Berries and Moomoo Milk before entering the territories with Annihilape and Dusclops.
• Roy and his Pokémon found no signs of a fight in either territory, and Roy considered whether the disappearances involved humans or Team Rocket.
• Annihilape found a half-eaten Pokéblock beneath a tree, and Roy identified a Primeape bite mark and the scent of a Chesto Berry.
• Roy realized that Pokéblocks altered with Chesto Berries could have put the Primeape groups to sleep before they were taken away.

Roy captured a surviving Mankey and learned that humans had taken both Primeape tribes for experiments related to Annihilape. Mankey agreed to help Roy find his tribe, and the group stopped to eat before continuing their search.

• Annihilape caught a level 16 Mankey, and Roy reassured him that he wanted information rather than capture him.
• With Misdreavus translating, Mankey explained that humans had taken his sleeping tribe after he returned from picking Berries in Scyther territory.
• Roy suspected the humans were trying to evolve Primeape into Annihilape, and Mankey confirmed he could recognize the kidnappers but did not know where they went.
• Roy promised to rescue the tribesmen if Mankey followed his instructions, and Mankey agreed.
• Annihilape offered Mankey a Pokéblock at lunch, while Roy stopped Dusclops from frightening Mimikyu.

Roy discovered that a badge found by Mankey connected the disappearance of the Primeape tribes to a family in Ecruteak City, and prepared to investigate. Before he could leave National Park, three green-uniformed rangers appeared with Pokémon and showed interest in Mankey.

• Annihilape calmed Mankey, who rested beside him, and Little Absol coaxed Mankey into playing.
• Mankey gave Roy a bird-shaped badge he had found, and Marshadow identified it as belonging to the family that once served Ho-Oh in Ecruteak City.
• Roy planned to take Mankey to Ecruteak City, put him in a Luxury Ball, and prepare to leave National Park on Dragapult.
• Marshadow sensed visitors approaching from the east, so Roy waited with Mankey while recalling his other Pokémon.
• A level 59 Krookodile emerged with three people in green ranger uniforms, followed by a Nidoking and a Rhyperior.
• Two of the rangers focused on Mankey and tried to approach him, but the burly ranger stopped them as Roy watched the group.

Roy encountered three fake rangers investigating the missing Primeape tribe, and his Elite Four ID made them back down. After Roy left, Ancient Gengar overheard them admit they were capturing Mankey and Primeape for the Wazik Family, while Roy secretly watched from Dragapult.

• Roy noticed the three suspiciously clean rangers had never visited Mankey's tribe before and suspected they were impostors.
• The burly ranger claimed the Primeape tribe had migrated to the Safari Zone, but Roy showed his black-and-gold ID Card and made the men retreat.
• The burly ranger explained that Roy's ID marked him as a powerful trainer and stopped his companions from pursuing him.
• The skinny ranger revealed they needed one more Mankey to finish a task for a young master of the Wazik Family.
• The woman defended the Wazik Family's influence, while Ancient Gengar overheard their conversation and Roy watched nearby on Dragapult.