Ep 9. Two Hits and a Miss

Ash and his friends are in search of their next gym battle, with Misty being particularly eager to get her hands on the next badge. After consulting their map, the group decides to head towards the next town where a gym is located.

On their way, they come across a young girl named Savannah who is practicing her martial arts skills with her Hitmontop. Impressed by her strength and agility, Ash challenges her to a battle. However, Savannah surprises them all by revealing that she has never participated in a Pokemon battle before and is not even a trainer.

Despite this setback, Ash decides to challenge her to a friendly match to show her how battles work. Savannah accepts the challenge and the match begins. It quickly becomes clear that Savannah has a natural talent for battling and is able to come up with unique tactics quickly.

However, her lack of experience also proves to be her downfall as Ash is able to outsmart her and secure a victory. But despite the defeat, Savannah is inspired by the match and decides to become a Pokemon trainer herself.

As they continue their journey, the group encounters a mysterious trainer named Dario who challenges Ash to a battle. However, unlike Savannah, Dario is not interested in a fair fight. He deploys his hitman squad of Hitmontop, Hitmonlee, and Hitmonchan in a coordinated attack on Pikachu.

Ash and Pikachu are able to hold their own against the onslaught at first, but it quickly becomes clear that Dario is not playing by the rules. He uses dirty tactics like commanding his Pokemon to use illegal moves and even to attack Pikachu while he is down.

Despite the unfair advantage, Ash refuses to back down and continues to fight for Pikachu's honor. However, he soon realizes that he is outmatched and must come up with a creative solution to turn the battle around.

The episode concludes with Ash and his friends arriving in the town where the gym is located. However, they are surprised to find that the gym leader is none other than Savannah, who has decided to pursue her new dream of becoming a Pokemon trainer.

Excited at the prospect of battling a friend, Ash eagerly accepts Savannah's challenge. However, he quickly realizes that she has improved significantly since their last match and must bring his best game if he hopes to emerge victorious.

Overall, "Two Hits and a Miss" is a thrilling episode that highlights the importance of perseverance and creativity in Pokemon battles. It also introduces a new character in Savannah and sets up an exciting showdown between her and Ash in the near future.