Just Waiting On a Friend (きりのなかのキュウコン！ Ninetales in the Fog!) is the 23rd episode of Pokémon: Master Quest.



Episode plot

As the heroes continue, they find themselves in a fog. Ash is confident and goes further, but is lost in the fog and screams. He fell down a slope and Brock warns him to watch his step, but falls down as well. A woman approaches Brock (who is dazed) with a Ninetales. Brock introduces himself, while the woman is Lokoko, who suggests them to go with her in this mist to her home. Team Rocket is hungry. As Jessie calls back Wobbuffet, they notice the twerps. With Ninetales present, they decide to snatch it and Pikachu, though Team Rocket gets hungry and decide to do it later.

Lokoko shows them, but the heroes see nothing. Suddenly, a castle appears, so the heroes go inside. Ash hears something, but ignores it, which is Team Rocket sneaking into the castle. Lokoko gives them some food, while Ninetales shows affection to Brock. Meanwhile, Team Rocket came into a room, filled with cookies, which they eat. The heroes are pleased and Brock wishes he can stay here. Lokoko lets them stay, as the mist is thick in the mountains. Lokoko decides to prepare the rooms. As Ninetales and Lokoko leave, Misty notices that Lokoko has no reflection in the mirror, while Ninetales does. Immediately, the mirror closes and Lokoko thinks it is just the mist on the mirror.

Brock thinks that the mirror couldn't reflect Lokoko's beauty and closed itself. Ninetales shows affection to Brock, who thinks it is attracted to him as he had a Ninetales once. Misty asks why is she alone here, while Brock apologizes for his friend's question. Lokoko answers that the owner of this place left on a journey and as time passed, the staff went away, leaving her alone with Ninetales, waiting for his arrival. Brock asks Misty if she is satisfied with the answer. Lokoko asks Brock if he can stay here in the mansion. The heroes are shocked, while Brock asks (nervous) if she wants to get married. Lokoko blushes and Brock runs to her, but his arms pass through her body.

Misty pulls Brock and Ash for a conversation. Ash confirms that he saw Brock going through Lokoko, while Misty thinks they need to get out of here. Brock is dazed, but sees he has to join Lokoko. Lokoko is pleased and lets Brock go in one of the rooms. She turns on Misty and Ash, as her Ninetales uses Psychic to lead them out of the mansion. Team Rocket open another door and eat popcorn from the room. Ash and Misty see as Lokoko turns Brock's clothes in a formal outfit. Ash goes to battle Lokoko, but Misty stops him, as they go to find who Lokoko really is. Misty read some books, but found nothing. She and Ash enter a room and spot a painting of a man that looks exactly like Brock (the only difference being the guy in the portrait has a mole near his left eye) and a Ninetales. Ash finds a diary and reads that the man left on a journey... 200 years ago!

Misty gets scared, but Ash thinks Totodile will battle Ninetales, as they need to rescue Brock. Suddenly, Totodile uses Water Gun, but Ninetales evades the attack. Brock sees as Water Gun passes through Lokoko. Ninetales uses Flamethrower, but Totodile evades and hits it with a Water Gun. Suddenly, Lokoko and the mansion vanish, while Brock is dressed in his old clothes again. With that, Team Rocket see that the cookies and the popcorn they ate were leaves. Ninetales is angry and uses Fire Spin. The heroes go to the mansion and into the room, where Brock sees a painting of a man that looks like him, as well as a strange Poké Ball. Ninetales is angry, so Ash tries to tell it Brock is not its owner. Lokoko appears and demands Brock. Ninetales uses Flamethrower and Totodile uses Water Gun. However, Ninetales uses Psychic on Totodile, so Ash calls him back.

Pikachu goes to use Thunderbolt, but he and Ash get levitated by Psychic. Ninetales uses Flamethrower, but Ash and Pikachu dodge. Brock takes the Poké Ball and Ninetales sees its master in Brock. Ninetales is glad, so Brock calls it back. Lokoko appears and is glad Ninetales returned to its Poké Ball after 200 years. The heroes deduct she is also an illusion, 200 years old. Lokoko goes to tell them the story, so Brock sends Ninetales, who should also listen. Lokoko remembers that the master went away and promised to be back in a month. Months passed, as his staff vanished. A hundred years passed and Ninetales went to leave (as his master did not return), but was felt drawn to the place. 50 more years passed and Ninetales saw more power to harness. Lokoko tells that when Ninetales saw Brock, it thought he was the master. Ninetales apologizes for the trouble.

Suddenly, Team Rocket take Ninetales, while Jessie sends Arbok and James sends Victreebel, who attacks James. Ash sends Bayleef, whose Razor Leaf frees Ninetales. Arbok uses Poison Sting, but Ninetales redirects it to the balloon. Victreebel goes to attack, so Ninetales pushes away Brock, who drops the Poké Ball, which shatters. Bayleef tackles away Arbok and Victreebel, while Ninetales' Flamethrower and Pikachu's Thunderbolt blasts Team Rocket off. With the Poké Ball shattered, Brock tells Ninetales it can go whenever it likes. Ninetales leaves, while Lokoko thanks them on assistance. The heroes continue the journey through the mountains.






  • Brock says he once owned a Ninetales, but he actually had a Vulpix, which never evolved.

Dub differences

  • In the English version, Lokoko explains that the servants disappeared, but in the Japanese version, they had either left or died.

