On Cloud Arcanine (LAoPtS)

Plot
On route to the Battle Arena, the group have stopped off at a particularly popular Kanto bakery at May's request. Suddenly, an Arcanine comes bounding down the road directly towards the gathered crowd. The Arcanine leaps over everyone and continues running into the distance; May watches it in amazement and says that she wants to catch it. Just then, a voice calls out to Arcanine. Everyone looks to see Drew and his Flygon chasing it. He orders Flygon to use Flamethrower, though Arcanine evades and responds back with a Heat Wave attack. Arcanine then sprints into Extreme Speed to get away, much to Drew’s annoyance. May is curious at to why Drew is in Kanto, and he remarks that he hopes to win the Kanto Grand Festival before showing off his newest Ribbon. Drew is unsurprised by May’s lack of progress and soon leaves with his Flygon to continue pursuing the Arcanine. The group also leaves, May wanting to catch Arcanine to show Drew up. Team Rocket, currently working at the bakery, pause to watch the twerps leave, but they are ordered back to work by their particularly furious boss.

Meanwhile, Mudkip leads the group directly to Arcanine as it picking Pecha Berries and storing them for later. Arcanine starts to leave, so May sends out Combusken to get it. Combusken starts to catch up, but Arcanine uses Extreme Speed to flee. Brock suggests asking someone as they come to an old woodsman's house. The man admits that a young boy and his Flygon were also curious about the Arcanine, and he also shares his first-hand information on the elusive Arcanine with the group. He explains that the Arcanine never came down from the mountains until recently and that it goes to Pecha Trees and a local spring. Since all Pokémon have to drink sometime, the group heads to the spring and hides in the bushes nearby. May says that she will use Squirtle to battle it, Ash's stomach rumbles. Saying that it must be time for lunch, but May yells that he'll never eat lunch again if he's not quiet. Brock quickly whips up a meal using some vegetables from the woodsman. A rustle in the bushes gets everyone's attention, and they look over at the spring to see Arcanine drinking some water. It hears them and runs off quickly.

After being fired from their bakery jobs for eating a wedding cake, Team Rocket walks through the forest complaining of hunger. Wobbuffet suddenly appears with four Pecha Berries in its arms. James thinks that he's got one for all of them, but Wobbuffet eats them all. Jessie shakes her Pokémon and tells it to give them the location of the Pecha Trees.

Meanwhile, Ash and his friends have stumbled onto the Pecha Trees. Everyone gathers in a circle as Brock draws out a map in the dirt. He points out that the east and west sides of the area are steep cliffs so the Arcanine must've come from north or south. He has May and Max go to the north end while he and Ash will wait at the south end, thinking they can divert the Arcanine to May if it comes their way. Corphish, Mudkip, and Squirtle come out of their Poké Balls ready for battle. Arcanine soon comes in from the south, so Corphish attempts a Bubble Beam, though the attack misses its target. Next, Brock orders a Water Gun from Mudkip, leading Arcanine to flee up north. As May gets ready for Arcanine, she discovers that Squirtle is sleeping. She wakes it up and tells it to get ready. It stands to attention as Arcanine approaches. Arcanine uses Roar and Squirtle returns to its Poké Ball. Following on Max’s suggestion, May calls out Munchlax for a Metronome. Arcanine uses Extreme Speed to get away as Munchlax starts waving its hands. Munchlax’s Metronome turns into an Extreme Speed attack, and it quickly matches Arcanine’s speed. May tells it to jump on top, but Munchlax ignores orders, and instead starts gathering Pecha Berries at a blinding pace. Team Rocket later arrive at the Pecha Tree grove, scaling down a mountain to reach it. However, the trees are completely fruitless thanks to Munchlax’s bingeing. As Jessie prepares to reprimand Wobbuffet for leading them astray, the Arcanine dashes by, so the trio instantly set their sights on delivering it to Giovanni.

Ash and the others are now trying their last idea, going to the cliffs. They hide behind a rock, with Squirtle out, as Arcanine walks up the path to a ledge. May jumps out with Squirtle and corners Arcanine. But just when she thinks she's got it, Drew jumps in with Flygon. Arcanine jumps past the two and up a cliff. May and Drew argue for a bit, though decide to settles who gets Arcanine in a battle. Brock judges the match and tells them to begin. May orders Squirtle to use Tackle, which Flygon dodges by flying. Flygon then uses a Steel Wing attack. Squirtle tries to use Bubble to block, but Flygon's Steel Wing hits and Squirtle begins to cry again. May picks it up as Drew walks towards the cliff where Arcanine went. Everyone climbs up to see that it's gone. But then they notice it up on a higher ledge and see that Arcanine is feeding three Growlithe babies.

Suddenly Team Rocket, in their balloon, net the Growlithe for themselves and capture Arcanine as it tries to intervene. Team Rocket rejoice for a moment, but are sent back to the ground by Flygon's Steel Wing. Drew and the group rush to the crash site. Ash and Brock start to take out their Poké Balls, but May decides that she and Drew can take care of Team Rocket. Flygon uses Steel Wing to break the nets and free the captives. James sends out Cacnea and gets a needle-filled hug, before telling it to attack. Cacnea releases a Pin Missile, but Squirtle blocks with Bubble. Jessie sends in Dustox and orders a Poison Sting, though Flygon counters with Flamethrower. As Cacnea whips up a Sandstorm, Flygon blocks Squirtle from getting hit. Squirtle hops onto Flygon, and the pair soar towards their foe. Squirtle soon jumps off and smashes Dustox in a Tackle while Cacnea gets a Steel Wing from Flygon. May and Drew order Water Gun and Flamethrower respectively, sending Team Rocket blasting off. Seeing as Arcanine is a parent, May decides not to capture Arcanine, and Drew also concedes.

As the sun sets into the mountains, Drew tells May that she should enter the Saffron City Pokémon Contest. He explains that he won’t be entering that Contest as he hopes to get a new Pokémon to strengthen his team. As Drew leaves, Max checks the PokéNav and announces that Saffron City is close by, and conveniently on the way to the Battle Arena. Ash says that they'll head for Saffron City first, so they head out.

Major events

 * Ash and his friends meet up with Drew again.
 * Drew is revealed to have earned his first Kanto Ribbon.
 * May attempts to catch an Arcanine, but decides against it later.
 * May's Squirtle is revealed to know Tackle and Water Gun.
 * May learns that a Pokémon Contest will be held in Saffron City.