DP073: Crossing Paths

Plot

Piplup and Pikachu walk the road cheerfully. However, Piplup seems exhausted, but it is only its hunger. Still, there is a Pokémon Center nearby, so they all go to there. Team Rocket is hungry too. Jessie proposes Meowth and James to eat fruit, while she does not want to, telling them she is on a diet and goes away. Still, the heroes came to a beautiful lake near the Center. Jessie sends Dustox to training. She spots the ribbons on Dustox's head, making a perfect addition for the Contest. Suddenly, Dustox goes away. Jessie sees another Dustox, but she still wants to train. A boy comes, introducing himself as Austin, though Jessie has a vision, but shakes it off.

The Dustox that belongs to him (which is a shiny one) is in love with hers, considering the time of year. The Dustox come here to dance under the full moon and fly over to Mt. Coronet, causing an archway to appear in the process. Austin is confident these two will meet again and calls his Dustox back. Jessie has a talk with Dustox and fells like her. When she was young, she pledged a life without romance. Her friend, Astin, wanted her to come with him out of the town, but she had an audition. When they all performed, her friends passed, but she did not. Suddenly, the clouds fire a lightning, which hits a rock, almost hitting Jessie as well, if Dustox did not tackle her. The water flows, while Dustox sees her unconscious mistress.

The heroes see the weather change. Nurse Joy worries if this might affect the Dustox that come here. The love reflects the full moon, but without it, there might not be there. Austin comes and warns Joy the water is flowing out of the lake. Jessie has a dream that she accepts Astin's offer, but wakes up when Astin turns into Wobbuffet. Jessie thanks Dustox for saving her, though worries what might happen to the Dustox Crossing, the event Austin spoke off. When told about it, James and Meowth ask her if she is going to release Dustox, even if she raised it from a Wurmple. Jessie replies that life is short and wants Dustox to be happy. So, James and Meowth offer help where needed.

The heroes spot the water flows out fast. Austin is sad to see that Dustox Crossing will be canceled. Ash runs to see if something can be done about it and others follow. The heroes are surprised to see Team Rocket places rocks to stop the flow. The heroes lend help to get the Dustox Crossing started. The heroes send their Pokémon and they all work, placing rocks to stop the flow and succeed after some time. Piplup uses Whirlpool and Buizel Water Gun on the rocks, then they are frozen by Buneary's Ice Beam. Still, the lake water will have to wait to be refilled. Still, there is a patch of snow from the mountain. With Piplup's Whirlpool, Buizel's Water Gun and Chimchar's Flamethrower, lots of water goes into the lake.

Joy worries it might not be enough. They do see the water is just on the lower level and Jessie and Astin combine a plan. Astin's Dustox uses Confusion to bring the water up, then Jessie's Dustox uses Whirlwind to get the water into the lake. The weather changes to sunny and the work is finished. In the night, the heroes are about to witness the Dustox Crossing event. Jessie sends Dustox away, who goes to Astin's Dustox. Jessie's Dustox returns to her, as she does not want to part with her. Jessie remembers she wished well to Astin to become a Top-Coordinator. When Astin entered the vehicle, Jessie regretted this and went to get to him, but tripped over.

Jessie points at Dustox's Poké Ball and drops it. Dustox still wants to be with her, but Jessie made her mind and crushes the Poké Ball. The Dustox go with the others, while Jessie remembers her memories of Dustox. The Dustox go to Mt. Coronet, making an archway from the dust they spread.

Trivia

• Together With the Wind is used as background music.
• This is the first time a main character purposely damages one of the Poké Balls of one of their Pokémon. Jessie does so, shattering Dustox's completely, in order to release it, as Dustox refused to leave her.
• This episode shares similarities with Bye Bye Butterfree:
  • A main character releases a butterfly or moth-based Pokémon in order to breed.
  • The Pokémon in question mates with a Shiny Pokémon of its species.
    • In addition, Dustox's yellow ribbons could be seen as a reference to Butterfree's yellow scarf.
• The Japanese opening is updated with the evolutions of Dawn's Ambipom and Paul's Honchkrow, as well as the captures of Ash's Gligar and Paul's Magmar.
• When Jessie is shown as a young girl in her flashback, her hair style is similar to that of her mother, Miyamoto.
• Team Rocket does not blast off in this episode.
• Professor Oak's Pokémon lecture: Dawn's Ambipom
  • This episode marks the first time that Professor Oak's lecture regards a Pokémon that has previously been the subject of a lecture (that being Ash's Aipom in the segment at the end of DP014).
• This is the first episode to feature a Shiny Pokémon in the Diamond & Pearl series.
• Excluding temporary changes, this is the first time since Jessie's Cascoon's evolution in Seeing is Believing! when there has been a change in Jessie's Pokémon team.

Errors

• When Ash calls out "everybody" from his party to help stop the lake from draining, the only Pokémon he calls out are Buizel, Chimchar, and Turtwig. Gligar and Staravia weren't called out and Pikachu, of course, was already out.
• Jessie's name is never mentioned in front of Austin, yet he uses her name to say she's right.

Gallery

The lake

Jessie and Dustox in Jessie's fantasy

The Dustox meet each other

Jessie makes a promise

Jessie and Astin walk

The Pokémon help to stop the flow

The water from snow melts

More water comes into the lake

Jessie's memories of Dustox, as a Wurmple

The archway

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