Who Gets to Keep Togepi?

Plot
Ash and his friends arrive at a Pokémon Center, where Nurse Joy gives Ash a letter from Professor Oak. Ash instantly calls the Professor on the video phone, and is informed that his Pokédex can now be upgraded with new information and a voice change. Ash inserts his Pokédex into the PC and receives the upgrade. Later, Ash, Misty, and Brock sit at a nearby table and begin to discuss the Pokémon that they wish would hatch out of the mysterious Egg Ash found back at the Pokémon Fossil Canyon. They all assume their favorite Pokémon; Misty wants a Water-type and Brock a Rock-type. The discussion concludes and they leave the Pokémon Center.

Just outside, they find the Team Rocket posing as Egg sellers. The three have a whole basketful of Eggs that look just like Ash's mysterious Egg. Team Rocket tries to talk them into trading or buying one of their Eggs and when the group politely refuses, Jessie and James resort to throwing all of their fake Eggs in the air. The real Egg, that Brock was holding, gets stolen by Meowth in the confusion caused by the multitude of lookalikes. They recite their motto, though they realize Ash and his friends are too focused on finding their Egg. Team Rocket runs out of sight, escaping with the real Egg, leaving Ash, Misty, and Brock with the fakes. Later, in a small shack, James is set on eating the Egg, though Meowth decides to take care of it. He sleeps with it, sings to it, eats with it, and guards it from anything he feels is a threat.

Ash and his friends follow a trail of broken red blue and green eggshells until they reach the shack. They decide to burst in, even though it may be dangerous to do so, and get the Egg back. Ash sends out Pidgeotto, Misty calls on Staryu, and Brock's Geodude lends a hand. They all quickly break through one of shack's windows, surprising Team Rocket. Pidgeotto retrieves the Egg, placing it in Ash's hands. Ash dives to the floor to avoid Arbok. James sends out Weezing, who uses a Poison Gas attack, making Ash and the others cough and gasp for air. Amongst the haze, Meowth Scratches Ash's face, causing him to let go of the Egg in pain and Meowth retrieves it. However, the Egg is tossed around frantically in a series of tackles and catches. Pidgeotto's Gust clears the air, and Meowth suddenly slips, sending the Egg into the air. Ash lunges for the Egg, though he fails to catch it. Fortunately, Pikachu ends up with the Egg and gives it back to Ash. At that moment, the Egg begins to glow and hatch.

Misty, enthralled with this new event, jumps in, pushing everyone aside to get a closer look. She grasps the Egg just as the hatching Pokémon emerges, revealing a new, unidentified Pokémon. Everyone, including Team Rocket, take a moment to admire it, before realizing they are still in opposition with Ash and his friends. Pikachu launches an Electric attack at Team Rocket, defeating them and their Pokémon. This allows Ash and his friends to escape with the new Pokémon, much to Meowth's displeasure.

At a park bench, Misty plays a game of peekaboo, much to the little Pokémon's enjoyment. Ash points his newly updated Pokédex at the Pokémon, which identifies it as the Egg Pokémon, Togepi. They are then confronted by Team Rocket, and they all quarrel amongst each other over who should have Togepi. Eventually, they all decide to have a Pokémon tournament to determine who should have Togepi. They all make their way to an outdoor amphitheatre. Jessie and James are sidelined by Meowth, leaving only himself, Ash, Misty, and Brock to battle it out in a one-on-one sudden death-match. As everyone prepares to make their choice, Meowth panics because he has no Pokémon, and goes and asks Jessie and James for theirs. They refuse, as he didn't let them participate in the tournament; Meowth then remembers that he is a Pokémon and decides to battle for himself.

The first match is between Meowth and Brock's Onix. Meowth's Scratch attacks prove useless against Onix's rock body. Brock responds with a Rock Throw, the attack hits. Meowth takes a break, though soon notices two buckets of water nearby. He resorts pour the buckets onto Onix, followed by a Fury Swipes attack, and to everyone's surprise Meowth wins the battle. Brock accuses Meowth of cheating, though he defends his rights to be a protective parent unhindered. Misty and Ash, in their first battle since Cerulean City, go up against each other. Ash sends out Bulbasaur and Misty attempts to send out Staryu, but instead Psyduck pops out. Misty instructs Bulbasaur to attack Psyduck on the head to worsen its chronic headache, but Ash decides to use Bulbasaur for a different manner, and commands it to lick Psyduck on the head and tickle it until Psyduck went back in its Poké Ball. Ash and Meowth battle, but it is cut short after one Thunderbolt by Pikachu, giving Ash the victory. Jessie and James drag a crisp, sobbing Meowth away.

After the tournament, Togepi still doesn't want to go with Ash, or Brock, instead still choosing Misty. Ash's Pokédex explains that, when Togepi hatched, it imprinted on her as its parent, much to Misty's benefit. Misty holds up her new Pokémon in celebration, much to Ash's disappointment.

Major Events

 * Ash gets his Pokédex upgraded.
 * Ash and his friends decide to head to the Gym on Cinnabar Island
 * Brock's Geodude is revealed to know Tackle while his Onix is revealed to know Rock Throw.
 * The Egg Ash found a while back hatches into a Togepi.
 * Ash, Misty, Brock, and Meowth decide to have a tournament to see who will keep Togepi.
 * Ash wins the tournament, but Togepi chooses to go with Misty instead.