Ashley's kanto adventure

School is in session

As Ashley and Machop wonder around the forest, they encounter a group of boys in suits. One of them is running on a treadmill, while the rest are gathered around, quizzing him about various Pokémon.

He misses a question and is rejected by the other boys, and Ashley jumps in to defend him. The boys reveal that they are students of Pokémon Technical Institute, a boarding school which educates Pokémon Trainers.

They leave, stating they don't want to fight. As Ashley reads from the school's brochure, she learns that the school trains its students without sending them to collect Badges, and guarantees entry into the Pokémon League upon graduation.

The school is expensive, and therefore populated with rich kids. The student who was being bullied, Joe, defends his so-called friends, who were trying to help him. He explains that he sometimes pretends to know less than he really does because the questions get so much harder.

Ashley is very upset at this brutal "tutoring" system, and demands to meet the student in charge, with plans to stop it. The head student of the beginner class is a girl. Joe leads Ashley and Machop to the head student Giselle's study area. He says it's overall skill as a Trainer, not any one battle, that determines success at Pokémon Tech.

He says that even though he is the weakest student in his class, he is still better than someone with two Badges. Ashley takes offense, and Joe reveals that he is familiar with her Gym battle; he usually beats Misty's preferred Water Pokémon on the simulator.

Ashley demands a real battle, but Joe is doubtful of her ability to beat him. Ashley sends her Machop, though Joe calls on Weepinbell, a Grass-type Pokémon, and has a resistant to Fighting-types. Nevertheless, Machop beats Weepinbell with a single Fire Punch, shocking Joe.

"Just because a Weepinbell is resistant to Fighting-types, doesn't mean it has other weaknesses in its type." Ashley said as she smiles at her Machop.

Giselle walks in and chastises Joe for not realizing that Machop's real battle experience would give it an advantage. She calls him an embarrassment to the school. Giselle continues to upbraid Joe, and threatens to withdraw the help of the other students.

Ashley challenges Giselle, saying that a true friend would not walk away from a friend in need of help, and that Giselle's beauty is only skin-deep. After accusing Ashley of being jealous, Giselle summons a Graveler to challenge Ashley's Gyarados despite the double disadvantage that Rock and Ground-type Pokémon have against Water Pokémon.

Graveler's attack powers through Poseidon's Hydro Pump with ease and responds with a Rollout. "Full power Scald now!" commanded Ashley. Poseidon followed orders. He releases a stream of scalding hot water surrounded by steam from his mouth at the Rock Pokémon.

Poseidon's Scald sends Graveler flying through a window and into the school's pool, defeating it, much to Giselle's humiliation. Everyone makes their way down to the pool.

Ashley points out that Giselle's Pokémon could have won if it was better trained by its trainer. "There is more to training Pokémon than just levels." She said after recalling her Gyarados back.

Giselle reflects on the day's events, noting that school cannot teach everything. Joe decides to leave Pokémon Tech and return home to start afresh like Ashley did.

Joe asks if he can keep Giselle's picture; she replies that she has one of him, because they are now friends and hope to meet again in the Pokémon League.

The three new friends said their final goodbyes, with hopes of seeing each other again some day.