Recaps

Shen Qi met Xiao Cui after she was fired from the Yangbeila Branch School and invited her to stay at Pokémon High School while he discussed a teaching position with Principal Gui. He returned to learn that Zhuolang and Taichi had both lost, leaving Pokémon High School down 0-2 before Shen Qi’s closing match.

• Xiao Cui explained that the Yangbeila Branch School’s competitive principles did not suit her and that she planned to return to Pokémon Village.
• Shen Qi learned Xiao Cui wanted to keep teaching and offered to arrange for her to stay at Pokémon High School while he discussed hiring her with Principal Gui.
• Xiao Cui accepted the offer and said she would do her best as a teacher, as long as she was not required to fight in arena matches.
• Shen Qi returned to the venue after Zhuolang had lost the second match against an opponent with one more Pokémon.
• Taichi told Shen Qi that he had narrowly lost to a snow-and-hail team, leaving Pokémon High School trailing 0-2; Shen Qi encouraged him and looked ahead to his own closing match.

Shen Qi faced Yongxiang, whose unusual team and boast of versatility hid a strategy based on rapid U-turn pivots. After Yongxiang repeatedly switched Pokémon to wear down Dodo’s Protect, Shen Qi abruptly launched a Dark Rush at him.

• Shen Qi prepared for his match against Yongxiang, then selected Dodo and revealed Blissey, Florges, Golurk, and Pelipper.
• Yongxiang revealed a six-Pokémon lineup, and the two trainers banned Purrloin and Pelipper.
• Shen Qi used Alliance Attack to prepare Protect and began the battle with Dodo against Yongxiang’s Unfezant.
• Unfezant and Yongxiang’s other Pokémon repeatedly used U-turn to pivot between attacks, preventing Shen Qi from intercepting them.
• Yongxiang mocked Shen Qi’s defensive play, and Shen Qi answered by lunging toward him with Dark Rush.

Shen Qi defeated Yongxiang after exploiting his U-turn strategy, then discovered Yongxiang had mistaken a Thick Stick for Farfetch'd's leek. After Pokémon High School took a narrow lead, Shen Qi spoke with Qiu Yan about her upcoming match against Xixia and learned she competed in disguise as a Fuchsia Gym Ninja.

• Shen Qi kicked Yongxiang out of the arena, then tackled him outside it so Yongxiang ran out of time and lost.
• Shen Qi criticized Yongxiang for relying on U-turn and pointed out that his Pokémon Trainer was vulnerable to attacks.
• Shen Qi noticed that Yongxiang's supposed leek was actually a Thick Stick, which gave Farfetch'd no battle boost.
• Pokémon High School celebrated after Shen Qi's win, while the next morning's match between Qiu Yan and Xixia remained ahead.
• Shen Qi walked with Qiu Yan and asked whether Yangbeila Branch School knew her tactics and lineup.
• Qiu Yan said Fuchsia Gym Ninjas usually concealed their identities in competitions, and she might reveal hers after reaching T2.

Qiu Yan met Flula by a pool and recognized that family expectations were weighing on the young Saint. The next day, Xixia’s nerves and pressure from Yangbeila Branch School caused her to miss the ban phase against Qiu Yan.

• Qiu Yan and Shen Qi encountered Flula singing by the pool, and Qiu Yan offered her a Berry.
• Qiu Yan asked Flula whether she liked battles or Contests, and Flula admitted she was trying to meet her family’s expectations.
• Qiu Yan advised Flula to acknowledge her own dreams, and Flula hurried away with Swanna.
• The next day, Xixia faced Qiu Yan and tried to gather courage after her sister Nana encouraged her to relax and enjoy the match.
• Yangbeila Branch School’s principal and Teacher Zhenyang added to Xixia’s pressure, and she failed to hide any Pokémon before the ban phase ended.

Qiu Yan defeated Xixia after countering her Sunny Day team with Tentacruel and Crobat, while Xixia lost after a dangerous switch and a serious tournament foul. The match ended with Yangbeila Branch School suffering another embarrassing defeat.

• Xixia left all of Qiu Yan's Pokémon unbanned, enraging Qiu Yan and drawing criticism from both teams.
• Qiu Yan opened with Tentacruel against Xixia's Talonflame and used Rain Dance and Surf to pressure it.
• Xixia flew Talonflame high into the air to switch Pokémon, then recalled it and released Jumpluff while she fell.
• Qiu Yan sent Crobat to strike Jumpluff with Cross Poison, while Jumpluff slowed Xixia's fall and she hit the ground with 95% Barrier Points remaining.
• The referee ruled that Xixia had committed a serious foul by continuing after Jumpluff's Barrier Points fell below 90%, and declared Qiu Yan the winner.
• Qiu Yan returned to her team seats and called the match boring, and Shen Qi agreed.

Koji faced Flula in the deciding singles match, seeking revenge for his earlier loss, and used Scyther to eliminate Vileplume and Ponyta. After Koji cleared Scyther’s burn with Disassembly, Flula sent out Gorebyss, and the battle continued with Koji weighing whether to trade Scyther for it.

• Koji and Flula revealed their teams, and Koji hid Scyther while Flula hid Swanna.
• Flula opened with Vileplume, which Scyther defeated with repeated Dual Wingbeat attacks.
• Flula sent out Ponyta, which burned Scyther with Will-O-Wisp before Scyther knocked it out.
• Koji used Disassembly to remove Scyther’s burn as Flula sent out Gorebyss.
• Gorebyss missed Scyther with Ice Beam and began recovering with Aqua Ring, while Koji prepared to end the fight quickly.

Koji’s team defeated Flula’s Pokémon through bold exchanges and a Perish Song bluff that forced her to recall Swanna, leaving it outnumbered by Lapras and Starmie. Starmie then attacked Swanna with Power Gem, while the battle remained underway.

• Koji’s Scyther and Flula’s Gorebyss were eliminated in a close-range exchange.
• Koji’s Marowak and Flula’s Leavanny traded Fire Punch and Leaf Blade and were both eliminated.
• Lapras sang Perish Song after Starmie’s Surf, leaving Flula’s Swanna and Bayleef marked while she had no reserves.
• Koji pretended the Perish Song was about to take effect and recalled Starmie, prompting Flula to recall Swanna.
• Koji sent Starmie back out to help Lapras eliminate Bayleef, leaving Swanna facing both opponents.
• Starmie closed in on Swanna and fired Power Gem as Lapras continued attacking.

Koji defeated Flula by using Lapras’s fake Perish Song marks to keep her cautious, helping Pokémon High School win the student singles event 3–2. The team event then began, with Taichi making lineup decisions as the schools started the selection phase.

• Swanna dodged part of Lapras’s Power Gem and used Aqua Ring, but Flula lost after Swanna took a hit while protecting her from Water Gun.
• Koji revealed that Lapras’s Perish Song had failed because its proficiency was too low, though its convincing marks had disrupted Flula’s strategy.
• Pokémon High School defeated Yangbeila Branch School in student singles, then both schools began the team event after lunch.
• Taichi encouraged Xiao Chun to choose his own ban, and Xiao Chun selected Wooper after Taichi recommended it.
• Little Reporter chose Zebstrika and showed Emolga, Golduck, and Ledian; Taichi advised banning Gliscor, but the opponent banned Ledian instead.

Xiao Chun and Little Reporter faced Seaking and Gyarados in a team match, where Whismur’s Smokescreen helped Zebstrika defeat Gyarados at the cost of Whismur. The opponent sent out Onix against Zebstrika and Venomoth, leaving Xiao Chun in a difficult position.

• Taichi banned Machamp, while the opponent banned Leafeon, and Xiao Chun was chosen to lead Pokémon High School’s team.
• Xiao Chun sent out Venomoth and Whismur against Seaking and Gyarados, which used Rain Dance and Dragon Dance.
• Whismur used Smokescreen on Gyarados, and Venomoth used U-turn to bring Little Reporter and Zebstrika into the match.
• Seaking and Gyarados attacked Zebstrika, but Gyarados missed after its accuracy was lowered, and Zebstrika’s Spark knocked it out.
• Seaking defeated Whismur, and the opponent sent out Onix, leaving Zebstrika facing an Electric-immune opponent while Xiao Chun had only Venomoth remaining.

Taichi and Little Reporter fought Yangbeila Branch School’s sleep-and-kill team, but Cloyster was eliminated and the opposing Hippowdon raised a sandstorm that left them cornered. As Taichi struggled to hold the field, Emolga created a Substitute and then charged after using Double Team twice.

• Little Reporter’s Zebstrika traded itself for Seaking and Venomoth, leaving Onix badly poisoned.
• Taichi entered the field with Cloyster and Sigilyph, while the opponent used Hitmonlee, Vileplume, and a sleep-and-kill strategy.
• Vileplume put Cloyster to sleep, and Taichi used Sigilyph to battle Onix while Cloyster was eliminated.
• The opposing trainer sent out Hippowdon, whose Sand Stream raised a sandstorm as Taichi and Little Reporter struggled to respond.
• Emolga used Substitute, then raised its evasiveness twice with Double Team and flew toward the opponents.

Little Reporter and Emolga entered the deciding round against Yangbeila Branch School, and Emolga defeated Vileplume to win the team match for Pokémon High School. Little Reporter celebrated with Emolga and Zebra as her teammates cheered.

• Emolga knocked out Koji's Hippowdon, leaving Little Reporter to enter the deciding round against Vileplume.
• Taichi noticed that Little Reporter had removed Emolga's equipment, and Shen Qi guessed Emolga planned to use Acrobatics without a held item.
• Vileplume set up Grassy Terrain while Emolga used Substitute to protect himself.
• Emolga let Vileplume break his Substitute, then closed in and used Acrobatics to deplete Vileplume's Barrier Points.
• Yangbeila Branch School was declared defeated, and Little Reporter celebrated the victory with Emolga and Zebra.

After Pokémon High School celebrated its Friendly Match victory, Xixia apologized to Qiu Yan for forgetting the battle ban, and the students discussed Yangbeila Branch School’s poor strategy and the value of educating ordinary students. Nana invited Pokémon High School to the impoverished Fruit Sevii Islands for practical training, and both sides saw a chance for the students to help improve the islands’ fruit cultivation.

• Pokémon High School celebrated winning the Teacher Group, student group, and team match while Shen Qi reflected on how the students’ growth had secured the victory.
• Xixia visited the banquet with her sister Nana and apologized to Qiu Yan for missing the ban period during their battle because she had been nervous and distracted by advice from her school.
• Xixia explained that Yangbeila Branch School had underestimated Pokémon High School, and Shen Qi and Koji criticized its focus on cultivating elites instead of educating ordinary students.
• Nana invited Pokémon High School to visit the Fruit Sevii Islands for practical training, and Teacher Jixiang welcomed the idea after hearing about the islands’ limited resources.
• The teachers and Shen Qi recognized that helping the Fruit Sevii Islands improve their cultivation could provide useful agricultural experience for students and benefit Nana’s islands.

After returning from the Kinkan Island trip, Shen Qi and Principal Gui discussed keeping Xiao Cui and restarting Pokémon High School’s adult training program, as well as arranging a summer camp on the Fruit Sevii Islands. Back home, Shen Qi found Meowstic unusually thin and examined Mime Jr. after completing its route, then asked whether it could activate its Ultra Beast form.

• Shen Qi and Nana agreed that Pokémon High School teachers and students could visit the Fruit Sevii Islands for summer practical training, with Nana covering their expenses and offering extra pay for useful work.
• Pokémon High School returned to a cheering welcome, and Shen Qi told Principal Gui about the trip, Xiao Cui, and the proposed Fruit Sevii Islands cooperation.
• Principal Gui agreed to keep Xiao Cui and suggested restarting the adult training program to help cover staffing costs; he also planned to contact Nana about a summer camp.
• Shen Qi saw students laughing as Jixiang claimed Yangbeila Branch School had tried to recruit her, while an elderly man watched Pokémon High School from an open window.
• Shen Qi returned home and comforted Meowstic, which had lost weight while he was away and insisted that the Dark Night King would not give up.
• Shen Qi checked Mime Jr.'s stats after completing its route and asked whether it could activate its Ultra Beast form.

Shen Qi evolved Porygon Elder Sister into Z Form while Meowstic secretly watched and misunderstood Mime Jr.'s unusual evolution. He collected rewards for the completed scripts, including an Empathy Heart and Friendship Power for Mime Jr., and a Darkest Day Cloak for Meowstic's script, which he had not yet used.

• Shen Qi transformed Mime Jr. into his Blacephalon form and planned to bring him to the Spring Race.
• Shen Qi used the Dubious Disc to evolve Porygon Elder Sister while Dodo retained its Inflatable Duck appearance, and Meowstic realized the evolution had succeeded.
• Shen Qi discovered that the Dark Night King script had reached 70% completion and received its fourth-stage rewards.
• Shen Qi used the Skill Card and obtained Friendship Power, while he received an Empathy Heart as a special reward for Clueless.
• Shen Qi praised Mime Jr. for keeping a gentle heart through hardship, then checked Meowstic's reward and found the Darkest Day Cloak.
• Shen Qi asked Mime Jr. whether he was handsome, and Mime Jr. answered yes before Shen Qi pointed out he had not used the cloak yet.

After spending the night in a detention room, Shen Qi returned to Pokémon High School to meet Feiyue, who asked him to defeat Ayaka in the Spring Race. The chapter ended with Shen Qi learning that the race would mark Ayaka’s first T-Class Tournament as a Celadon City University student and the debut of her improved Rainbow Flying Sword.

• Shen Qi wore the [Darkest Day Cloak] and asked his Pokémon whether he looked handsome, discovering that simpler Pokémon were more impressed by it than Pokémon accustomed to human society.
• Shen Qi startled wild Bellsprout and Oddish by posing in his cloak and baggy shorts, and Officer Jenny arrested him for indecent behavior.
• Shen Qi left the Detention Room refreshed after sleeping through most of the night and found messages from Xiao Chun and Butch about a girl who had come looking for him.
• Shen Qi found Feiyue waiting by the lake at Pokémon High School and learned that she wanted him to crush Ayaka in the Spring Race.
• Shen Qi learned that the Spring Race would be Ayaka’s first T-Class Tournament as a Celadon City University student and the debut of her improved Rainbow Flying Sword.

Feiyue asked Shen Qi to defeat Ayaka in the Spring Race to free her from the pressure of being Celadon City University's celebrated experimental driver, and Shen Qi agreed to pursue a strong finish for his own reasons. He headed to Celadon City for the race, bringing Meowstic and his other Pokémon, and awaited the draw.

• Feiyue explained that a defeat by Shen Qi's Little Sheep could help Ayaka escape the expectations and attention surrounding her role as the Rainbow Flying Sword's driver.
• Shen Qi agreed to give the Spring Race his all, while Feiyue chose to enter Pokémon battles instead of racing.
• Huzang declined to travel with Shen Qi but said he would watch if the Little Sheep made the Finals.
• Shen Qi persuaded Meowstic to join him by offering a Dusk Ball, then set off for Celadon City with Florges, Blissey, and Porygon.
• After arriving in Celadon City, Shen Qi watched the Spring Race draw and learned that 1,403 drivers had been divided into 70 groups, with 36 T2-level competitors entered.

Shen Qi advanced in the Celadon City Spring Race while Gladion was eliminated, then discussed the Aether Foundation’s Pokémon Resort project with him. Shen Qi proposed Island 6 as a site and offered Pokémon High School’s breeders as potential staff, leaving Island 6 in contention with Shamouti Island.

• Shen Qi advanced from the Spring Race’s first round in fourth place, while Gladion placed thirteenth and was eliminated.
• Gladion told Shen Qi he had entered the race without Lusamine’s permission, using a visit to Shen Qi as his excuse to come to Kanto.
• Gladion explained that the Aether Foundation and Kanto Pokémon Breeding Association were seeking a site for a Pokémon Resort in the Open Sea.
• Shen Qi suggested Island 6 because it had ample wilderness and basic infrastructure, unlike the more developed candidate islands.
• Gladion raised the resort’s need for qualified staff, and Shen Qi said Pokémon High School had skilled breeders and that he might become its principal.
• Shen Qi and Gladion considered Island 6 a viable rival to Shamouti Island if the school could provide the resort with trained staff.

Lilligant qualified in the Spring Race but was frustrated that the Lurantis Sisters had beaten her with help from a new Pokémon Trainer. She reunited with Maractus and Imite, who had recovered enough to attend the race, while Sayaka watched them leave; the next chapter began with Shen Qi reacting to a message about a lost Petilil.

• Lilligant's Flower Crown qualified in third place, behind the Rose-Red Flower Crown, and Lilligant worried about the Lurantis Sisters' improved driving.
• The Lurantis Sisters introduced their new Pokémon Trainer partner, whose familiar appearance reminded Lilligant of Sayaka.
• Maractus arrived with Imite, who explained that her illness had improved and that she could now move around and co-drive.
• Lilligant and Maractus left together to spend time with their friends, while Sayaka watched and remarked that Lilligant had made good friends.
• Shen Qi received a message that startled him, then told Pelipper, Golurk, and Mime Jr. about Imite, Maractus, and Doduo.

Shen Qi helped a lost Shiny Petilil find her way back to Sayaka’s hotel suite, where the Lurantis Sisters ambushed him before Sayaka revealed she had come to compete in the Spring Race. The chapter left Shen Qi explaining his torn trousers as Sayaka prepared to show him something.

• Shen Qi learned that Imite had recovered and reflected on the hardships faced by her family across different world lines.
• A Shiny Petilil struck Shen Qi’s window and asked him to take her home, so he carried her through the streets.
• Petilil led Shen Qi to a luxury hotel, where the staff recognized her and escorted them to her room.
• The Lurantis Sisters pulled Shen Qi inside and pinned him on a sofa while Petilil sat on his lap.
• Sayaka emerged in a Racing Suit and told Shen Qi she had come to compete in the Spring Race.

Shen Qi visited Sayaka, encouraged her recovery, and rejected her offer to invest in Pokémon High School before a misunderstanding with Lilligant ended with Officer Jenny ordering his arrest. At the Spring Race Finals, the commentators reviewed the audience’s top-three predictions, which placed Ayaka first, Shūji second, and Shen Qi’s Little Sheep third.

• Sayaka showed Shen Qi that she could stand and described how Solosis and her other Pokémon had helped her return to racing as a Co-driver.
• Shen Qi encouraged Sayaka to keep recovering, declined her offer to invest in Pokémon High School, and accepted her promise to help when he became principal.
• The Lurantis Sisters invited Shen Qi to visit them in Sinnoh, then ran off after Lilligant arrived and misunderstood their closeness with him.
• Shen Qi tried to explain himself to Lilligant, but Officer Jenny overheard him discussing Pokémon breeding and ordered him cuffed.
• The Spring Race commentators announced that Ayaka led the audience’s top-three predictions, followed by Shūji and Shen Qi’s Little Sheep.

Shen Qi reunited with Meng Ai, who introduced her newly hatched Charmander and Squirtle, then began qualifying in the upgraded Little Sheep as he aimed to beat Ayaka’s Rainbow Flying Sword. The chapter ended with Shen Qi launching at high speed while Feiyue hoped he could win and Blissey and Pelipper prepared support for the race.

• Shen Qi found Meng Ai at the Service Bay, confirmed she was healthy, and learned she had hatched Charmander and Squirtle.
• Kenta introduced Shen Qi to his sister Mika, and Meng Ai nervously introduced herself to them with Venusaur’s encouragement.
• Meng Ai recorded a strong qualifying time before Ayaka’s Rainbow Flying Sword took first place with a faster time.
• Shen Qi told Huzang he planned to knock the Rainbow Flying Sword from first place and used Helping Hand to launch the upgraded Little Sheep at high speed.
• Feiyue watched the start with hope as Blissey used Work Up and Pelipper activated Tailwind.

Shen Qi qualified just behind Ayaka and prepared to challenge her in the Finals, while Ayaka faced pressure from her teachers to defend Celadon City University. The race began with Little Sheep and Rainbow Flying Sword slowed by a gravel obstacle, and Moon Shard leapt past them as it approached a blocked bend.

• Shen Qi finished qualifying in second place, just over two seconds behind Ayaka, while Toy Car placed eleventh with drag-inducing accessories.
• Ayaka's teachers urged her to beat Shen Qi, framing the race as a test of Celadon City University's prestige and research.
• At the starting grid, Shen Qi told Ayaka that losing could help her, while Gladion and Geman cheered him on from the stands.
• Shen Qi launched Little Sheep with Helping Hand and Minimize, relying on its upgrades and his Pokémon skills for the course.
• Little Sheep and Rainbow Flying Sword slowed on the gravel obstacle, but Moon Shard jumped past them and headed toward the blocked bend.

Shen Qi used Mime Jr. to copy Chlorophyll and sped Little Sheep through Diglett Cave, overtaking Ayaka’s Rainbow Flying Sword and then challenging Shūji’s Moon Shard. He crossed the starting line just behind Shūji, passed him on the straight, and left Shūji stunned when Wen Jiu’s earlier maneuver had cleared the Gravel Route.

• Shūji’s Moon Shard jumped off the track and bounced around the pebble obstacle to take first place.
• Wen Jiu disputed a referee’s warning after Toy Car’s spinning-top maneuver scattered the gravel, and the referees let him continue with a warning.
• Shen Qi copied Chlorophyll from the Rainbow Flying Sword with Mime Jr. and used the boost to overtake Ayaka in Diglett Cave.
• Shūji blocked Shen Qi’s attempts to pass in the tunnel, but Shen Qi used Nene Ninja Technique on the straight to overtake Moon Shard.
• Shūji promised to pass Shen Qi on the Gravel Route, then discovered Wen Jiu’s maneuver had removed its pebbles.

Shen Qi won the T3 Spring Race championship, helped by Wen Jiu’s Toy Car clearing the gravel, and celebrated with his friends and Pokémon. After the podium celebrations, he hurried off to watch the Pokémon competition, leaving Feiyue fuming.

• Wen Jiu’s Toy Car swept the gravel from the course, allowing Shen Qi to take the turn at high speed and race into the lead.
• Shen Qi overtook Moon Shard on the final straight and won the Spring Race championship, earning enough points to qualify as a T3 Driver.
• Kenta congratulated Shen Qi, who credited Wen Jiu’s help, while Wen Jiu was surrounded by children and Pokémon near the Toy Car.
• Huzang visited Celadon City University’s research team and urged them to put students’ futures first before rejoining Shen Qi for a group photo.
• Shen Qi dodged Feiyue’s attempt to thank him and rushed off to watch the Pokémon competition, while Gladion recalled that Shen Qi preferred spending time with boys.

Shen Qi rushed from his Pokémon Trainer championship to Sunshine Bridge Circuit and arrived in time to see Lilligant and Lopunny finish third, while Rose Champagne won the Pokémon race. Lilligant seemed unhappy despite meeting her goal, and the chapter ended with Espeon accidentally flattened beneath the championship trophy during a group photo.

• Shen Qi raced to Sunshine Bridge Circuit after the Trainer event, hoping to arrive before the Pokémon race ended.
• Shen Qi reached the venue during the final lap and watched Rose Champagne and Rose-Red Flower Crown finish ahead of Flower Crown.
• Lilligant and Lopunny took third place, while Big Yuanbao finished thirteenth.
• Shen Qi noticed that Lilligant seemed unhappy, possibly because she had lost to the Lurantis Sisters.
• Wobbuffet accidentally dropped the trophy on Espeon during the winners' group photo, and Espeon begged the reporters not to publish the picture.