#79 "Friend or Foe Alike"

    Ash and Richie are uncertain about facing each other, but then they promise that because they are friends, they'll make this the best fight they can. However, Misty gets a rude phone call from Richie and passes the phone to Ash - Richie asks Ash to meet him with Pikachu. When Ash gets there, he finds Team Rocket instead - they had disguised their voice as Richie's. They 'kidnap' Ash, and tell him he has a choice: give up Pikachu, or miss your big Pokémon League match.

    The match is supposed to begin, and everyone at the stadium is worried or annoyed. Misty shouts at Richie, thinking he rang up Ash to tell him a REAL friend wouldn't compete, and made him not show up. But Richie tells her the truth; it really wasn't him that called, and she believes him. He asks the ref to wait ten more minutes at least, believing in Ash and their promise, that they would make this a great match. Ash spends a lot of effort escaping from a persistant Team Rocket, and as the ref is finally going to award the victory to Richie by default, Ash arrives with Pidgeotto exhaustedly pulling him in Team Rocket's balloon.

    Pidgeotto collapses, exhausted. Pikachu, from running a lot and constantly attacking Team Rocket, is also very tired. Ash fights, Squirtle losing to Happy, who is then beaten by Pikachu, who - exhausted and weak from battling Team Rocket - is beaten by Zippo. Ash nervously sends out Charizard, who willingly fights his fellow fire type, winning effortlessly (Richie didn't try very hard...). But Richie sends out Sparky, and Charizard does not see it as a threat. It goes to sleep, and the audience is disgusted with Ash, wanting a real battle.

    Since Charizard won't battle, Richie wins. Ash is devastated... but is glad his friend won, and manages to hold back his tears to congratulate Richie. Richie promises to do well for both of them.