#96 "Meowth Rules!"

    Team Rocket discuss failure and positive thinking. Meowth is happy over a catlike singlemindedness - happiness at finding a clam that he can eat. James gets annoyed at him for being so cheerful, saying that if he wanted to make himself useful, he should use Pay Day to get them cash. But Meowth can't Pay Day, having expended such energy in learning to speak. The closest thing to a coin that James has at the moment are his prized vintage bottlecaps, that he keeps on him at all times because they're important to him. ^_^.

    Then, seeing Ash-tachi, the Rockets attack them, but Ash has Squirtle send Jessie and James off the horizon. Meowth managed to avoid, but gets hit with a second water gun, being thrown - alone - onto an island. Here, the islanders revere Meowth, expecting a special Meowth of Bounty to be their saviour and bring them wealth and good luck. They mistake Meowth for it - especially because he can talk, and this Meowth should have special powers.

    The islanders suck up to Meowth to bring him to good spirits. But Meowth sees Ash and his friends riding to the island on Lapras, and advises the islanders to throw them off. They do so, having to obey their legend. Meowth doesn't want them to reveal that he is really from Team Rocket, and thus ruin his one chance at happiness. Then, Jessie and James also come - and Meowth, feeling bad, orders them removed too. The two are devastated, feeling betrayed. They spy on Meowth.

    Meowth's pampering turns sour when it is declared that it is time for the ceremony in which the legendary Meowth of Bounty will use Pay Day to send forth the coins that will initiate the prosperity of the islanders. But Meowth can't use Pay Day. Islanders assume that Meowth just forgot, and needs battling experience to 'jog its memory'. But Jessie and James know Meowth can never learn Pay Day, and follow.

    At an arena, Meowth desperately runs from a Nidoking, but still can't use Pay Day. So they kindly send out an Onix as an opponent. It attacks him viciously, slamming him continuously. Jessie and James, watching, cringe, and finally decide that regardless of how he betrayed them, Meowth is still their friend. They sneak "backstage" and Jessie throws coins. Everyone thinks it is Pay Day and is thrilled. Jessie throws her last nickel for Meowth. James has no coins, so he throws his precious bottlecaps.

    Jessie and James decide to leave Meowth without saying goodbye, pleased that their friend can have happiness for once. The islanders ask Meowth to stay and rule their island. Meowth knows that here, he will have anything he ever wanted, and be respected... but then, in the pile of coins, he sees James' bottlecaps and is shocked. He realises that his friendship with Team Rocket was all that really mattered.

    Meowth goes to find Jessie and James, but the islanders confront him. Jessie and James hide behind a rock (Meowth doesn't know they're there) while he tells the people he realised the most important happiness is being with the only two people who ever cared about him - and that he was sorry for how he treated them. Jessie and James appear then, giving their motto for friendship with Meowth, and Meowth, ignoring the islander's protests, leaves with them. Meowth gives James his bottlecap back.

    On their Magikarp sub, James and Jessie tease Meowth, saying that maybe battle experience IS all that's needed to make him learn Pay Day. They send out Arbok and Weezing, and the episode ends with good-natured fighting.