Ep 21. Classroom Training!

Ash and his friends have finally made it to Hearthome City, where they will be competing in the Sinnoh region's Gym Battles. However, before they can challenge the Gym Leader, they must first undergo some training at the Pokemon Trainers' School!

Upon arriving at the school, Ash and his friends are introduced to their new teacher, a strict woman named Amelia. She informs the class that they will be divided into groups and assigned to different instructors, who will teach them the basics of battling before they start their Gym Battle journey.

Ash and his friends are paired with a Trainer named Keith, who immediately starts putting them through their paces. They learn about type matchups, battling strategies, and how to take care of their Pokemon. While some of the other students struggle with the material, Ash and his friends excel, much to Amelia's delight.

As the days go by, the students must compete in various battles and challenges in order to prove their skills. In one challenge, Ash and his friends must work together to catch a wild Pokemon while avoiding obstacles and traps set up by the school. They eventually catch a Buneary, who quickly becomes a valuable member of Ash's team.

In another challenge, the students must participate in a double battle against their instructors. Ash and his partner on the day, Dawn, take on Keith and his partner, a girl named Marley. It's a close match, with both sides trading blows and trying to outwit each other. In the end, Ash and Dawn emerge victorious, thanks in part to Buneary's quick thinking and Marley's own Pokemon's inexperience.

Throughout the training, Ash and his friends also must deal with some personal issues. Brock is struggling with his own feelings for a girl he's met at the school, while Dawn is feeling homesick and worried about her mother. Ash, meanwhile, is getting frustrated with the slow pace of the training, feeling like he already knows everything that's being taught.

However, all of these personal issues are put aside when the school is suddenly attacked by a group of Team Galactic Grunts. Ash and his friends leap into action, battling to protect the school and its students. They quickly discover that the Grunts are after a powerful artifact that's hidden somewhere on the school grounds.

The climax of the episode sees Ash and his friends teaming up with their instructors and the other students to track down the artifact and defeat the Grunts. It's a thrilling and dangerous mission, with the Grunts throwing all sorts of obstacles at them. In the end, though, Ash and his friends manage to obtain the artifact and use it to defeat the Grunts. It's a hard-won victory, but everyone is grateful to be safe and sound.

As the training comes to a close, Amelia commends Ash and his friends for their hard work and dedication. She tells them that they are ready to take on the Gym Battles and encourages them to keep pushing forward. Ash and his friends leave the school feeling more prepared and confident than ever before, ready to take on whatever the Sinnoh region throws at them next.