[After Ash handily defeated all three opponents in the preliminary Trainer Screening, he, Brock, and Misty are watching the monitor to see the 48 Trainers who advanced.]
[amidst the overlapping chatter] I look pretty good! Hahaha!
So these are the Trainers who can move on to the semifinals, huh?
[noticing their good friend Harrison's picture] Oh! There's Harrison! He got through the screening!
TogepiTogeprrri! Toge?
AMAsh and Misty
[noticing Gary's picture] Ohh!
Yeah, and what about me? [he sees himself on the screen.] Ah!
Misty You're right in there with Gary! That's great!
Yeah, for now, 'til I blow past him to the victory!
ABAsh, Brock and Misty
Huh?
Togepi
Toge?
GMr. Goodshow
I wonder, will it all go that easily?
What exactly do you mean by that?
GMr. Goodshow
I mean, just getting through the semifinals is a tall order in itself! The Silver Conference semifinals are fought between three members of each block, and the trainer who comes out with the most Victory Points from those battles can participate in the Victory Tournament in the finals! Only sixteen participants who make their way through the semifinals will be able to compete in that Victory Tournament!
Wow, I guess it is a pretty long road before you get to that final tournament, isn't it?
Yeah, and a pretty rough road, too.
GMr. Goodshow
That's what I'm telling ya! So! Good luck!!
But all that stuff you're sayin' just makes me wanna win it that much more! Wanna hear my plan? We win, and then we win... and then we win some more!
AAnnouncer
Ladies and gentlemen, I've just been informed that there seems to be a bit of confusion as to the exact whereabouts of our torch runner. [He gasps.] This just in: it appears that an unfortunate accident has left our torch runner unable to continue! [This, of course, was courtesy of Team Rocket, who, in another failed attempt to capture Pikachu, caused the runner to sprain his ankle.]
[The crowd can quietly be heard chattering in confusion.]
Togepi
Toge!
They've got to use the Sacred Flame!
Togepi
Toge! Toge, Toge!
[A silhouette of a boy and his Pikachu bearing the torch is revealed to be none other than Ash Ketchum, who was privileged with the role after he and Gary negotiated, seemingly with Mr. Goodshow or another official.]
Togepi
Toge!
Delia [who is watching from home with Mimey] Oh!
AAnnouncer
Carrying the torch is Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town!
My stars! Now, how did Ash get that torch?!
AAnnouncer
The Sacred Ho-Oh Flame, from the same Legendary Pokémon that was said to have quelled the battle...
AAnnouncer
...restoring life to the plains and forests, is now being carried onto the Silver Stadium platform!
[Mr. Goodshow chuckles to himself and stands up as Ash is positioned to light the Sacred Flame.]
[With Mr. Goodshow, Gary and the injured runner, the rest of the semifinals competitors watching, and the crowd watching, Ash turns to the cauldron and lights it with the torch, causing the Sacred Flame to burn brightly in the night sky. The crowd erupts.]
Togepi
Toge, Toge, Togeprrri!
[Mr. Goodshow walks up to the podium and clears his throat as he prepares to address the Trainers.]
Mr. Goodshow: Skillful and excited participants! Now that the Ho-Oh Sacred Flame is watching over all of you, battle with honesty, integrity, and honor, so that you will never regret a single moment of your time here!
[The crowd cheers as the camera shows Gary and Harrison standing beside each other, and Ash and Pikachu looking at each other.]
With Ash and Gary's help, the Sacred Ho-Oh Flame burns proudly into the sky, marking the opening of the Johto League Silver Conference! Could this turn of events be a hint of great things to come? Stay tuned!
[The "TO BE CONTINUED" text appears in the bottom right corner.]
[Ash, Brock and Misty are in the Silver Town Pokémon Center awaiting Ash's pairing for his first match in the Johto League Silver Conference Victory Tournament after tying with Jackson to advance.]
Hey, guys! The pairings for the Finals Tournament just went up!
Well, that doesn't surprise me!
[The giant monitor shows Harrison being paired up against an unknown boy for his first match.]
Let's see, where am I...?
[The camera pans over to the right, where Ash is shown versus... his biggest rival, Gary?!]
[The camera zooms in on their top halves.]
[Brock and Misty both gasp.]
ABAsh, Brock and Misty
[turning toward Gary] Huh?
Togepi
Toge?
Your Silver Conference experience is going to be a short one! I hope you had fun.
[with more enthusiasm and urgency than usual] So, the day has finally come when these two rivals must clash head-to-head, with the championship on the line! [although Ash would have a long way to go to get there if he wins]
Will Ash emerge victorious, or will Gary's prediction come true?!
[A blazing fire appears in the background of the rivals in a standoff before the "TO BE CONTINUED" text appears in the bottom left corner.]
[Ash, Brock, Misty, Pikachu, and Togepi are eating breakfast after a sleepless Ash became agitated over which Pokémon to use against Gary.]
So, what type of Pokémon does Gary have the most of?
Togepi
[munching on a sandwich] Toge!
Brock Gary's got all kinds. He doesn't really favor one type!
All different types?! He really is a chip off the old Oak block!
Not only that, they're all first class and in tiptop shape, so he must've rotated them a lot!
He did. He's been that way for as long as I've known the guy.
And since he doesn't prefer one particular Pokémon over another, it'll be a different story than battling someone like Misty with all one type, so putting your team together is crucial.
[An anxious Ash looks up towards the sky, where large wings can be seen as a cloud reveals them.]
Huh? [The wings are revealed to belong to Ash's ace, Charizard!] Hey, look guys!
[Charizard roars.]
[dancing for joy] It's Charizard!! [He laughs in triumph, but then groans as he is greeted as usual by Charizard's Flamethrower, being turned into soot and falling over, but because Ash is Ash, he survives anyway.]
Uh-huh. I made a phone call to Liza late last night.
Am I glad to see you! Thanks! You sure came at a great time!
[Charizard roars happily]
Huh? [Gary appears to greet him right before the match, leading them to begin a stare-off.]
Togepi
Toge?
[The two just look at each other for a few moments before greeting each other.]
[begrudgingly] Good morning.
[The staring contest intensifies, until a cheerful Professor Oak shows up who previously watched Ash's matches on TV.]
Rivals, now they meet, / Gary, Ash to compete.
Professor, thank you! Thank you!
It is the Victory Tournament! I just had to see it live!
My, my, my! You two will be facing off, eh?
Well, lighten up and relax, you two. If you both keep acting this tense, by tomorrow, you won't even be able to compete!
[smiling] Guess you're right.
[Gary's Blastoise has knocked out Ash's Bayleef, leaving him with three Pokémon left while his rival still has five.]
Gary is pretty impressive... but so are we!
AAnnouncer
Ladies and gentlemen, we'll take a five-minute intermission here, giving Ash time to regroup after losing three of his Pokémon.
[pleading] Pika-pi! Pikachu, Pikachu!
Hey, Pikachu, what is it?
Ash, I think it's asking if it can battle!
Well, it makes sense. Gary IS using a Water Pokémon.
Togepi
Togeprri!
I wish I could, buddy, but I'm only allowed to use the Pokémon I registered before the match.
[in protest] Pika!! [He crosses his arms.]
Those two battling so fiercely has got my stomach in knots!
Gary was always the confident one taking the lead with Ash right behind, struggling to keep up with him!
He may not admit it, but I think that Gary considers Ash his most important friend of all.
I think Ash feels the same way!
[A buzzer sounds, signaling the end of the intermission.]
Pokémon · 1,435 quotes
