ANP #043: Portrait of a Master
(Cue OP-On Our Way-as the song plays, we see various shots of the Pokemon cast in the backstage area, getting ready for a show: Misty walks past one member of the lighting crew, making her trip and drop her paints, which color some of the notes on Brock's sheet music. He tries to clean the music, only to get walloped by a basketball in the face (thrown by May) Pikachu runs past all of this, down a hallway, and through a door with a star on it marked "Ash". He cries "Pika!" and points at a clock, which is ticking dangerously close to "Show Time!" Ash notices the time on the clock and ducks behind a screen to get ready, when he finishes, he's now decked out in a red top hat (with the same design as his cap) and tails. Ash then runs head on at the camera and makes a flying entrance onto a stage as the song concludes)
Female announcer: And now, it's time for the Ash and Pikachu Show!
(Pikachu climbs onto Ash's shoulder and smiles as the title card flies in from the right, a short clip of "On Our Way" in the background)
(Suddenly, Brock appears in the scene in his normal clothes and sunglasses)
Brock: Wait a second...are you SURE it's time for the show? (smiles over one last hit of music as the scene fades out)
(Applause as Ash runs onstage and waves to the crowd)
Ash: Thank you...tonight we take a look at one of my other companions--more specifically, a Pokemon watcher that joined up with Misty and i while we traveled in the Orange Islands. (applause) So, please welcome Tracey to the stage. (applause as a spotlight appears at stage right, but nobody enters.
Misty(offstage): Did someone forget to tell him he's on?
(Backstage, a stagehand knocks at the door of Tracey's dressing room.)
Stagehand: Mister Sketchit, you're on!
Tracey: Be right there! (continues a drawing, oblivious to the knocking from outside)
(back onstage, Ash paces the floor)
Ash: Where IS Tracey, anyway? I asked the stagehands to tell him when he's on...
Pikachu: Pika! (darts backstage and down to the dressing room hallway, where he notices one door ajar. He darts inside and hops up on a desk facing Tracey.) Chupi!
Tracey: Huh? (puts his drawing away)
Pikachu: Pikapi pika chu! (leads Tracey outside and onstage, to light applause.)
Ash: Thanks, Pikachu...(to Tracey) What took so long?
Tracey: I had to finish this sketch of a Magikarp. (displays his sketch to the audience, making oohs and ahhs waft through the crowd)
Misty: Reminds me of the time we met that crazy Magikarp watcher...
Tracey: I remember that! What was that guy's name? (ponders this as Brock wheels out the projector)
Ash: Maybe this cartoon should help? (threads a reel in the projector and starts it)
(CARTOON-"The Wacky Watcher!")
(We see the inside of a radio's CD player, empty. Some hands that look like Ash's put in a red and blue CD, which plays a remix of "Gotta Catch'em All!" After a few minutes, the hands change the CD to a gold and silver one, which plays a remix of "Born to Be a Champion". After a few more seconds, the hands change the CD to a CD shaped like Pikachu's head, which plays a slightly glitched version of "On Our Way". A female annoucer says "You're watching 'The Ash and Pikachu Show'!" as the Pikachu shaped CD plays.)
(We return to the theater, where May is prepping the stage with a smaller stage. Ash and Tracey watch this, bemused.)
Ash: May, why the set change?
May: I thought I might try a little acting tonight. (admires her makeshift mini stage)
Misty: Acting? Sounds fun!
Brock: What light, through yonder window breaks? (laughter)
May: What window? (more laughter)
Tracey: What part can I play? (runs to help May)
(On Our Way interlude as the title card appears: "'Curtain Up' with May". May's face appears in the rounded part of the a in her name)
(We see Nurse Joy, Tracey, Ash, and Brock seated in a movie theater, while an adventure movie is in progress. Brock spots Nurse Joy setting a few seats over and decides to get her attention.)
Brock: Hey, Ash? (nudges Ash)
Ash: Yeah?
Brock: Ask Nurse Joy if she wants popcorn. (offers a popcorn bag to Ash)
Ash(to Tracey): Ask Nurse Joy if she wants popcorn. (hands off the bag of popcorn)
Tracey: Want some popcorn? (offers popcorn to Nurse Joy)
Nurse Joy: Why thank you. (eats the popcorn)
(A short while later, Brock decides to try to get Nurse Joy's attention again)
Brock: Hey, Ash? (nudges Ash)
Ash: Yeah?
Brock: Ask Nurse Joy if she wants a drink. (offers a soda cup to Ash)
Ash(to Tracey): Ask Nurse Joy if she'd like a drink. (hands off the soda cup)
Tracey: Want a drink? (offers the soda to Nurse Joy)
Nurse Joy: Yes, please. (sips the soda)
(During the love scene, Brock tries to get Nurse Joy's attention again)
Brock: Hey, Ash? (nudges Ash)
Ash: Yeah?
Brock: Ask Nurse Joy if she'd like this charm bracelet as a token of my love. (offers a bracelet with various charms on it to Ash)
Ash(to Tracey): Ask Nurse Joy if she'd like this charm bracelet. (hands off the bracelet)
Tracey: Would you like this charm bracelet? (offers the bracelet to Nurse Joy)
Nurse Joy: Why, thank you, Tracey...you shouldn't have. (puts the bracelet on. Laughter as Brock slumps in his seat, dejected)
(The scene changes to the cast seated at a dinner table. Ash puts some salt on his food, but notices that the pepper is on the other end of the table, by Pikachu.)
Ash: Pass the pepper, sombody....
(the request goes down the line until it gets to Misty, who's next to Pikachu.)
Misty: Pikachu, Ash wants the pepper.
Pikachu: Pikachu! (hands off a bottle to Misty, where it goes down the line until it gets to Ash. He winces at the bottle)
Ash: No, not BLACK pepper, just pepper.
(the request goes down the line again to Misty)
Misty: Pikachu, Ash still wants the pepper.
Pikachu: Pika! (hands off another bottle to Misty, where it goes down the line again until it reaches Ash. He winces at the bottle)
Ash: No, not CAYENNE pepper...
(the request goes down the line again to Misty)
Misty: Pikachu, Ash still wants the pepper...
Pikachu: Pika! (hands off another bottle to Misty, where it goes down the line again until it reaches Ash. He winces at the bottle)
Ash: No, not LEMON pepper...
Misty: Then what pepper DO you want?
Ash: The toilet pepper! (laughter and applause as the scene fades out)
(Back onstage, Brock and May are still laughing over Ash's "toilet pepper" joke)
Brock: Ha, ha...the toilet pepper...good one, Ash! (laughs some more)
Ash: And to think I made that punch line up! (light laughter)
May: I'm glad you guys had fun acting...(takes down the mini stage)
Brock: Let's do it again, sometime...like maybe next season? (applause)
Ash: Well, until then, watch this. (starts projector)
(CARTOON-"Tracey Gets Bugged!", part 1)
(We return to the stage to see Brock and the band.)
Ash: And now, time for a song...
Tracey: This oughta be good! (sits down to listen)
(music begins)
Brock: How I want you, I can't see you
This feeling here, feels so lonely...
I can't tell you, but I want to
My chance, always keeps passing me by!
But still, but still,
My wings are spread, and I will fly right to you!
In the sky, marathon,
Dreams are in unison with yours!
Now I'll catch you, catch you,
Catch me, catch me, wait up!
Look this way and tell me that you love me!
So, nice to meet you,
Good to see you, I'm sure!
My feelings for you, let's take them to the stars
And they're flying, flying, flying, to you!
I, will, not, give, up!
Every day now, I am tired,
I'm recharging my batteries
However, with your smile,
I'm up and at full power, I'm ready to go!
Oh please, oh please,
I met you first, you are my first best friend!
I will smile, look at you, be with you, and have fun!
Now I'll catch you, catch you,
Catch me, catch me, of course!
Just us two, we're here forever.
So, nice to meet you,
Good to see you, I'm sure!
I will not give in to anything at all!
I am number, number, number, the one!
I, am, so, in, love!
[dance break/guitar solo]
Now I'll catch you, catch you,
Catch me, catch me, wait up!
Look this way and tell me that you love me!
So, nice to meet you,
Good to see you, I'm sure!
My feelings for you, let's take them to the stars
And they're flying, flying, flying, to you!
I, will, not, give, up!
Now I'll catch you, catch you,
Catch me, catch me, of course!
Just us two, we're here forever.
So, nice to meet you,
Good to see you, I'm sure!
I will not give in to anything at all!
I am number, number, number, number, the one!
I, am, so, in, love! (applause as Brock and the band bow)
Tracey: Bravo!
Ash: Thanks, guys...and now, the conclusion of our cartoon... (starts the projector)
(CARTOON-"Tracey Gets Bugged!", part 2)
(We join Ash, Pikachu, and Tracey onstage)
Ash: Well, we're out of time for tonight...
Tracey: Thanks for letting me come tonight, Ash...I had fun! (some "Awws" go up from the audience as Ash and Tracey hug)
Ash: See ya next time! (he and Tracey wave goodbye)
Pikachu: Pika pi! (waves goodbye as the curtain closes. "On Our Way" reprise plays in the background as the credits roll.
THE END