#102 "The Mystery Menace"

    Near another town, one of Team Rocket's tricks go wrong, and they, and Ash-tachi, fall into a sewer. Ash and company go to find a way out, but are scared by a long green monster/vine coming out of the water. Ash sends Bulbasaur, and the vine grabs Bulbasaur and pulls it under the water! At that moment, an Officer Jenny pulls off a manhole above them, and helps them out (Ash is tied up and dragged out by an insensitive Misty and Tracey, because he wanted to stay and help Bulbasaur). Ash and company find out that the mayor of the city is trying to keep this monster a secret, so that the townspeople won't know and neglect to re-elect him.

    The mayor hires a SWAT team to destroy whatever monster is there, ignoring Nurse Joy's pleas; it could be a new species of Pokémon. Ash and company sneak back into the sewer to find Bulbasaur before it's too late, using Muk as a guide. They find Bulbasaur, who is with a larger Bulbasaur - this Bulbasaur has been living in the sewer for a long time, and has the mayor's symbol on its collar. This Bulbasaur belonged to the mayor as a child, but he abandoned it in the sewer when it wouldn't evolve. The story comes out and the mayor's popularity plummets. The Bulbasaur is now safe with Nurse Joy, and the kids are pointed towards Trovita Island, which is very close by.