Recaps

Xia You tried to avoid upsetting Misty after Lisia linked arms with him, but his attempt to slip away only brought Lisia to Misty and sparked a confrontation. When Lisia’s manager revealed that a photo of them together had gone online as a supposed romance, Misty nearly collapsed in shock.

• Xia You arranged for Gengar to expose Lisia to a crowd so he could get away, then told Gengar to keep her safe while he went to find Misty.
• Xia You found Misty, May, and the others training with Drew and Harley, and learned Harley had come to apologize to May.
• Lisia arrived with Gengar and told Misty she had spent time strolling with Xia You, then wrapped herself around his arm and provoked Misty into grabbing his other arm.
• Xia You pulled free of the two girls and took them back to the dormitory, while May, Ash, Max, and Brock followed.
• Lisia’s manager showed them a photo of Lisia holding Xia You’s arm that had been posted online, and Misty nearly fainted at the supposed romance scandal.

May competed in the Slateport City Grand Festival Preliminaries, where her Beautifly performance earned her 88 points and put her in a strong position to advance. After Harley praised her and urged her to keep using Silver Wind, Xia You warned May that Harley seemed suspicious, and she agreed to be cautious around him.

• Misty told May she feared being separated from Xia You after her Hoenn travels ended, since he would continue to Sinnoh where Lisia could also meet him.
• Vivian opened the Grand Festival Preliminaries, and Robert earned 98 points while Drew scored 95 with Roselia.
• Harley performed with Cacturne, earning 84 points, before May was called to compete.
• May performed with Beautifly, using glittering powder and Silver Wind to earn a combined score of 88.
• Harley congratulated May and encouraged her to keep using Silver Wind, but Xia You warned her that Harley seemed to have a hidden motive, and May agreed to be on guard.

May advanced to the Grand Festival Main Tournament, and Harley tried to pressure her into practicing with him. Xia You intervened and challenged Harley to a battle, but Harley ordered Cacturne to attack him from behind as they headed to the battlefield.

• The organizers announced the top sixty-four contestants, with Robert first, a dark-blue-haired woman second, May forty-eighth, and Harley last.
• Mitsuko treated the group to a celebratory feast, and the Main Tournament was scheduled to begin on the festival’s third day.
• Harley approached May the next morning and asked to practice together, but May turned him down after Xia You’s advice.
• Xia You stepped between May and Harley, rebuked him, and challenged him to a battle after Harley threatened him.
• As Xia You walked ahead toward the battlefield, Harley released Cacturne and ordered it to strike Xia You from behind; Ash, Brock, and Max shouted a warning.

Harley’s sneak attack on Xia You failed when Gengar emerged from Xia You’s shadow and knocked out Cacturne. Harley challenged Xia You to a five-on-five battle, but his Wigglytuff lost the first match to Xia You’s Eevee.

• Gengar blocked Cacturne’s attack on Xia You and knocked Cacturne unconscious with a counterattack.
• Xia You continued to the battlefield, and Harley followed after realizing he could not escape unnoticed.
• Harley proposed a five-on-five battle with each Trainer using a different Pokémon in each match, hoping to avoid Gengar and win the overall score.
• Xia You sent out Eevee, while Harley chose Wigglytuff, assuming the unevolved Pokémon would be an easy opponent.
• Eevee evaded Wigglytuff’s attacks, interrupted its Sing with Sand Attack, and knocked it out with Take Down.
• Ash, May, Brock, Max, and Misty realized Harley did not know Xia You’s reputation and watched as he fell behind in the battle.

Xia You defeated Harley’s Wigglytuff and Manectric in two battles, and Harley fled before their agreed best-of-five contest was complete. After reassuring the others that Harley would leave May alone, Xia You joined Ash to train for the Ever Grande Conference while Misty stayed with them.

• Harley recalled Wigglytuff after losing to Eevee, then switched his second Pokémon for Manectric when Xia You sent out Milotic.
• Milotic used Safeguard, Twister, and Hydro Pump to battle Manectric despite its Electric-type advantage.
• Milotic’s Surf swept Manectric out of bounds, and its Aqua Tail knocked the Pokémon unconscious when Harley ordered it to keep fighting.
• Harley abandoned the unfinished best-of-five and hurried away, while Xia You said he had achieved his goal of stopping Harley from pestering May.
• Xia You, Ash, and Misty headed off to prepare for the Ever Grande Conference, while May, Max, and Brock went to practice for the Pokémon Contest.

The Grand Festival’s main tournament began, and May’s Skitty put on an inventive Assist-based performance that was disrupted by an unexpected Solar Beam and confusion from Petal Dance. May kept her composure and found a way to turn the mishaps into part of the show.

• Vivian introduced the five judges and explained that the sixty-four Coordinators would perform with one Pokémon, with the top thirty-two advancing to Contest Battles.
• The first contestant impressed the crowd with Ninetales, while Harley followed with Banette and earned eighty-nine points for a strange, explosive performance.
• May entered with Skitty and used Assist to borrow moves from her other Pokémon, including Silver Wind, Razor Leaf, Flamethrower, Vine Whip, String Shot, and Gust.
• Skitty unexpectedly used Solar Beam, disrupting May’s rhythm because none of her Pokémon knew the move, but May recovered and continued the performance.
• After Skitty’s Assist produced Petal Dance, it became confused and staggered around the arena, prompting laughter from the audience as May quickly considered how to handle the mishap.

May’s Skitty performance earned 79 points, but she advanced to the second round after other contestants faltered under pressure from Drew and Robert’s perfect scores. After being paired against Harley, May asked Xia You to teach her how to battle, and he agreed to help her.

• May snapped Skitty out of confusion with Double Slap, then ended her performance by creating a sparkling ice crystal with Blizzard and scored 79 points.
• Drew earned the Grand Festival’s first perfect score with Masquerain, and Robert later earned a second perfect score with his own performance.
• The first-round results placed Drew second and Harley among the qualifiers, while May scraped into thirty-second place and advanced.
• The random second-round draw paired May against Harley, and Xia You said the pairing was only a coincidence.
• That night, May visited Xia You and asked him to teach her how to battle because she considered him the strongest person she knew.
• Xia You agreed to help May and asked her to call him Xia You rather than Mr. Xia You.

Xia You gave May’s Beautifly and Bulbasaur an intensive training session to prepare them for her Grand Festival battle against Harley, building May’s confidence and improving her Pokémon’s coordination. The next day, May and Harley took the stage and released their Pokémon as their Contest Battle began.

• May asked Xia You for advice on beating Harley, and he offered to train her Pokémon with Gardevoir and Gengar.
• Xia You praised May’s choice of Beautifly and Bulbasaur, encouraged her to trust her own decisions, and helped her face the pressure of training against his powerful Pokémon.
• After more than an hour of practice, Xia You said May’s Pokémon had improved their endurance and coordination, then advised her to rest and have Nurse Joy treat them before the match.
• Misty, Ash, Brock, and Max found May and Xia You training, and May promised to win her battle against Harley.
• May and Harley released Beautifly and Bulbasaur and Cacturne and Banette, respectively, and Vivian announced the start of their Contest Battle.

May defeated Harley and Dunping to advance to the top eight of the festival, then drew her rival Drew in the quarterfinals. She began their battle with Skitty and Combusken against Drew's Roselia and Flygon, leaving Xia You to wonder why she had not chosen Bulbasaur and Beautifly.

• May's Bulbasaur and Beautifly overwhelmed Harley's Cacturne and Banette, eliminating him with more than two minutes left on the timer.
• May defeated Dunping's Swalot and Pinsir after overcoming their combined tactic, advancing to the top eight.
• Drew and Robert also won their matches, and the draw paired May with Drew in the quarterfinals.
• May appeared nervous before facing Drew, then sent out Skitty and Combusken against his Roselia and Flygon.
• Xia You questioned May's choice of Pokémon, wondering whether she had a plan or whether Bulbasaur and Beautifly needed rest.

May lost to Drew in the Grand Festival quarterfinals, and Robert went on to defeat Drew and become Champion. At the closing banquet, Misty asked May to take a walk with her, hinting that she had something important to say.

• Drew started aggressively against May, but Combusken reflected Flygon’s and Roselia’s attacks and briefly put May ahead.
• Drew increased his tempo, overwhelmed May’s defenses, and eliminated her with three seconds left on the timer.
• May’s friends congratulated her after the battle, and they watched Drew advance to the finals before Robert defeated him to win the Grand Festival.
• Misty watched Lisia perform at the festival’s closing and made a firm decision.
• At the evening banquet, Misty asked May to take a walk with her, and May agreed.

Misty asked May to travel with Xia You after the Ever Grande Conference and keep an eye on him, while the group made their way to Ever Grande City for the competition. As Xia You and Ash headed to see the sacred flame relay, conference officials debated how to handle Xia You’s participation, but John secretly supported him because he expected him to draw viewers.

• Misty asked May to take her place traveling with Xia You after the Ever Grande Conference and watch over him, and May agreed.
• Misty and May rejoined the group after the party, and the next morning Jessie and James abandoned another scheme when they noticed Xia You with Ash at the docks.
• After a two-day voyage, the group arrived in Ever Grande City; Xia You and Ash registered for the conference while Misty and the others went to find ramen.
• After learning that the sacred flame relay was underway, Ash and Xia You headed to see it and greeted Charles Goodshow on the way.
• Charles Goodshow met with conference officials, who worried that Xia You would dominate the tournament, while John privately resolved to support Xia You because he valued the ratings he would bring.

Xia You arrived in Ever Grande City, collected his Meteorite Key Stone and International Police reward, and chose his conference roster before beginning intensive training. At the Preliminaries, Eevee won his first match in forty-two seconds, and Xia You headed to Ash’s venue as Ash’s match was about to begin.

• Misty, May, and the others joined Xia You and Ash to watch the torch relay in Ever Grande City.
• Xia You collected the Meteorite Key Stone and received five million and an honorary Special Investigator certificate from the International Police.
• Xia You selected his Pokémon for the Ever Grande Conference, leaving Crystal Steelix and the Red Gyarados at Cerise Park, then trained separately from Ash for ten days.
• Xia You defeated his first Preliminaries opponent with Eevee in forty-two seconds.
• Xia You and Misty spotted the Team Rocket Trio selling food and drinks, then reached Ash’s venue as his match was about to start.

Xia You watched Ash win his preliminary match and met Ash’s rivals Masamune and Tetsuya before the Ever Grande Conference began. After the next tournament’s groups were announced, Xia You learned he would face Anthony, while reporters converged on him and Ash revealed that Xia You was the person he wanted to surpass.

• Ash’s Pikachu defeated a Hitmonlee with Iron Tail, and Xia You recognized how much Ash had improved.
• Xia You met Masamune and Tetsuya, then watched the Ever Grande Conference open with the Sacred Fire ceremony.
• Nurse Joy announced that contestants needed three Double Battle wins to reach the final tournament, and the group assignments placed Xia You against Anthony in the afternoon at F Arena.
• Anthony vowed to avenge his previous defeat by Xia You, while Viola arrived to interview Xia You and Mary and Dai also sought the exclusive interview he had promised them.
• Masamune asked Ash about Xia You, and Ash said Xia You was the person he wanted to surpass in his lifetime.

Xia You defeated Anthony in a Double Battle at F Arena, using Milotic and Metagross to overwhelm Anthony’s Pelipper and Magneton. After letting the battle continue so his Pokémon could adjust to the conference atmosphere, he finished the match to loud applause.

• Xia You postponed Viola and Mary’s interview, while Mary resolved to secure an exclusive interview with him.
• Xia You skipped scouting his opponents as Ash, Masamune, and Tetsuya prepared for their matches.
• Xia You sent out Milotic and Metagross against Anthony’s Pelipper and Magneton in the ninth match at F Arena.
• Milotic and Metagross countered Anthony’s attacks and steadily gained control despite his attempts to switch opponents and exploit type advantages.
• Xia You let the battle continue so Milotic and Metagross could grow accustomed to the conference atmosphere, while Mary and Dai filmed from the stands.
• Xia You ordered Milotic and Metagross to finish the match, defeating Pelipper and Magneton as the crowd cheered.

After defeating Anthony, Xia You learned that his next opponent was Liangping of the Winstrate family. Xia You began their second-round match with Blaziken and Eevee, and Eevee’s quick reactions disrupted Liangping’s coordinated attack and left Alakazam exposed to Flamethrower.

• Xia You met Ash and the others after his match, and Misty explained that Anthony had struggled with the arena’s atmosphere.
• Ash, Masamune, and Tetsuya advanced from the first round, while Ash narrowly won his match with Corphish’s help.
• Xia You learned that his next opponent, Liangping, was the strongest member of the Winstrate family.
• Xia You and Liangping opened their second-round match with Blaziken and Eevee facing Alakazam and Swellow.
• Eevee dodged Swellow’s dive and Alakazam’s Confusion, then struck Alakazam and broke its Barrier, letting Blaziken’s Flamethrower hit it.

Xia You let Eevee and Blaziken settle into the tournament battle before speeding up and defeating Liangping’s Alakazam and Swellow. After winning, he watched Tetsuya and Ash win their matches, then turned away Mary when she came to his room seeking an interview and tried to tempt him.

• Xia You predicted Alakazam’s Teleport and had Blaziken engulf it in flames, then Eevee struck it with Swift while Liangping struggled to protect it.
• Brock realized Xia You was holding back so Eevee and Blaziken could adjust to the tournament atmosphere, while Ash, Tetsuya, and Masamune mistook his patience for indecision.
• Xia You increased the pace of the battle, and Eevee and Blaziken knocked out Alakazam and Swellow to secure his second-round victory.
• Xia You watched Tetsuya defeat his opponent, then watched Ash crush his own opponent while Masamune’s match ran at the same time.
• Mary visited Xia You’s room alone that evening and offered an interview, using her appearance to try to draw him in.
• Xia You suspected Mary might be setting a trap and blocked her from entering his room.

Xia You advanced to the Ever Grande Conference Main Tournament, where the draw paired him against Tetsuya in the first round. Afterward, he celebrated with his friends and agreed to give Mary exclusive interview access in Hoenn.

• Misty and May interrupted Mary’s attempt to visit Xia You, and Misty brought May into his room; Xia You then sent Mary away.
• Xia You defeated his final preliminary opponent with Eevee and Metagross, advancing to the Main Tournament alongside Ash, Tetsuya, and Masamune.
• At the stadium, the thirty-two competitors received their groupings, and Xia You was drawn against Tetsuya in the first round.
• Xia You treated Ash and the others to a celebratory meal, while Tetsuya ate separately before their upcoming battle.
• Xia You agreed to interviews with Viola and Mary, giving Mary exclusive interview rights in Hoenn to discourage other reporters and avoid making an enemy of her.

Tetsuya trained for his upcoming match against Xia You, while Team Rocket’s Meowth warned him not to underestimate Xia You. The chapter revealed that the Pokémon League had stacked Xia You’s group with strong opponents, then began Xia You and Tetsuya’s Water Field battle with Blastoise facing Sceptile.

• Tetsuya noticed that his Pokémon struggled with nerves in the arena and wondered whether Xia You’s team would be affected the same way.
• Team Rocket’s Meowth appeared at the training field and warned Tetsuya that Xia You and his unrevealed Pokémon were far stronger than he could understand.
• Charles Goodshow told John that he had arranged strong contestants in Xia You’s group to prevent him from winning another conference, while John argued that Xia You could become a benchmark for Trainers.
• Charles Goodshow agreed to reconsider if Xia You still won despite the League’s interference.
• Xia You and Tetsuya began their first-round match at the packed Main Venue after the roulette selected the Water Field.
• Tetsuya sent out Sceptile, and Xia You answered with Blastoise as Ash, Misty, and Brock confidently predicted Xia You would win.

Xia You’s Blastoise dominated Tetsuya’s Sceptile by predicting its Double Team and overpowering it underwater, forcing Tetsuya to recall it. Tetsuya sent out Metagross, and Xia You answered with Dragonite as their next battle began.

• At the start of the match, Blastoise struck Sceptile with Hydro Pump despite its quick movements.
• Xia You identified the real Sceptile among its Double Team copies, and Blastoise hit it with another Hydro Pump.
• Blastoise chased Sceptile underwater, rammed it, and struck it with Withdraw, leaving it badly injured.
• Tetsuya recalled Sceptile and sent out Metagross, while Xia You recalled Blastoise and brought out Dragonite.
• Ash and Brock expected Dragonite to win, while Masamune wondered how Xia You would fare against Tetsuya’s strongest Pokémon, Meowth.

Xia You’s Dragonite used the Water Field to surprise Tetsuya’s Metagross, then defeated it underwater after a fierce exchange. Tetsuya accepted the loss as Dragonite won the round with less damage than Metagross, leaving him to choose his next Pokémon.

• Dragonite hid in a waterspout and struck Metagross with a super-effective Fire Punch, catching Tetsuya and the spectators by surprise.
• Tetsuya steadied himself after the opening blow and ordered Metagross into a fierce counterattack against Dragonite.
• Dragonite and Metagross fought across the sky and rocks, sustaining injuries as the crowd watched a battle that seemed evenly matched.
• Xia You seized an opening, and Dragonite dragged Metagross underwater, where it finished the battle with a point-blank Thunder Punch.
• The referee declared Metagross unable to battle, and Tetsuya recognized that Dragonite had taken far less damage than his Pokémon.

Xia You’s Scizor overwhelmed Tetsuya’s Shiftry with its type advantage, leaving Tetsuya more discouraged as he recalled Shiftry and sent Sceptile back out. Xia You then chose Jolteon despite its disadvantage against Grass types, leaving Tetsuya wondering what his confident opponent was planning.

• Xia You and Tetsuya sent out Scizor and Shiftry for the third round, while the spectators debated who had the advantage.
• Scizor ignored Shiftry’s deceptive tactics and drove him back with attacks, exploiting the type matchup.
• Tetsuya tried to knock Scizor into the water, but Scizor countered with X-Scissor and knocked Shiftry into the pool, where he lost consciousness.
• Tetsuya recalled Shiftry and sent Sceptile back onto the field, while Xia You recalled Scizor and chose Jolteon.
• Tetsuya was relieved that Xia You had not sent out Blastoise, but he was puzzled that Xia You had chosen an Electric-type Pokémon against Sceptile.

Xia You defeated Tetsuya’s Sceptile with Jolteon, then began the second half of the match on the Grass Field with Tyranitar against Donphan. Tetsuya launched his Sandstorm-and-Rollout finishing move, leaving Donphan charging blindly toward Tyranitar as the chapter ended.

• Jolteon used Pin Missile and Quick Attack to defeat Tetsuya’s Sceptile, giving Xia You his third victory.
• Meowth, disguised as a snack vendor, watched Tetsuya and continued selling with Jessie after recalling that he had already warned him.
• The field-selection wheel landed on the Grass Field, where Tetsuya sent out Donphan and Xia You chose Tyranitar.
• Tyranitar’s intimidating presence briefly frightened Donphan before Tetsuya calmed it and the battle began.
• Tetsuya ordered Donphan to create a Sandstorm and use Rollout, sending it charging into the obscured field toward Tyranitar.

Tyranitar defeated Tetsuya’s Donphan inside the Sandstorm, leaving Tetsuya shaken by the gap between himself and Xia You. Determined to defeat at least one of Xia You’s Pokémon, Tetsuya sent out his strongest Pokémon, Meowth, as Xia You’s Venusaur entered the field.

• Tetsuya’s Donphan attacked Tyranitar with Rollout inside the Sandstorm, but Tyranitar stopped him with Superpower and struck him down with Thrash.
• When the Sandstorm cleared, Donphan lay unconscious in a crater, and the commentator explained how Tyranitar had defeated him.
• Tetsuya realized Xia You had won without giving Tyranitar any commands and wondered whether Xia You might be as strong as the Elite Four.
• Xia You recalled Tyranitar and released Venusaur, while Tetsuya recognized that he was unlikely to win the battle.
• Tetsuya sent out his strongest Pokémon, Meowth, determined to defeat at least one of Xia You’s Pokémon, and the Team Rocket Trio’s Meowth watched hopefully.

Xia You’s Venusaur faced Tetsuya’s ace Meowth in a close-range battle, where Meowth revealed its speed and hidden Thunderbolt. Venusaur dodged the attack and struck Meowth with Seed Bomb, leaving the burned Pokémon hurt but still determined to fight.

• The referee started the match, and Meowth charged at Venusaur, dodging Razor Leaf before Venusaur’s Vine Whip stopped its advance.
• Tetsuya sent Meowth in again, and it raced through Venusaur’s Sleep Powder to slash Venusaur at close range.
• Meowth used Thunderbolt to burn away the Sleep Powder, but Venusaur had already retreated with its vines and avoided the attack.
• Xia You ordered Venusaur to use Seed Bomb; Meowth dodged the seed but was caught in its explosion and suffered burns.
• Tetsuya regretted failing to notice the attack in time, then refocused on the battle as Meowth continued fighting.

Xia You defeated Tetsuya six to zero and advanced to the Round of 16, while Tetsuya left to resume his travels. Ash then began his match against Tate at the Ever Grande Conference, opening with Torkoal against her Venomoth.

• Meowth briefly rallied against Venusaur with Double Team, Technician-powered attacks, and Iron Tail, but Venusaur defeated him with Solar Beam.
• Tetsuya sent out Hariyama for his final battle, but Xia You's Tyranitar overwhelmed it, completing a six-to-zero victory and eliminating Tetsuya.
• Tetsuya acknowledged Xia You's strength, then left to travel; Xia You joined Misty, Ash, and the others afterward and encouraged Ash before his match.
• Xia You and the group watched Ash's Round of 16 qualifying battle against Tate, a Trainer from Lilycove City, at the Ever Grande Conference main Battle Arena.
• The first field was a Rock Field, and Ash sent out Torkoal while Tate opened with Venomoth.