An Unexpected Picnic! (Japanese: ピクニックは突然に, Hepburn: Picnic wa Totsuzen ni, trans. Suddenly, a Picnic) is the 13th episode of Pocket Monsters: Liko and Roy's Departure of Pocket Monsters (2023 series), and Pokémon Horizons: The Series of Pokémon Horizons: The Series.
Synopsis[]
The Rising Volt Tacklers are unable to depart for Galar after the Brave Olivine's computer system begins an automatic scan to check for errors. Friede suggests the crew makes the best of it—by having a picnic! They head outside to make sandwiches, but Liko feels bad that Dot and Ludlow have stayed behind. With Murdock's help, she finds a way to include them in the fun. Meanwhile, a wild Wattrel steals Fuecoco's sandwich, so Roy chases after it, but he notices something strange about the Pokémon and becomes concerned. When the Rising Volt Tacklers eventually return to the ship, Friede and Dot are both shocked—something is very wrong![2]
Episode plot[]
Aboard the Brave Olivine, Liko and Roy learn that their departure to the Galar region has been delayed by a system check, as the ship's tail fin is not responding in time. The Rising Volt Tacklers reassure the children that system checks like this are common and are made to ensure the ship flies safely. While waiting for the system to reboot, which is due to take about half a day, the team is going to spend time holding a picnic outside, while Ludlow stays behind to look after the ship.
The team moves outside, setting up their picnic table on a seaside cliff near the city of Levincia. Murdock fills the table with loads of food, but when Roy tries to take some, Orla and Mollie reveal that the food isn't to be eaten as it is; instead, they'll be using the food to make sandwiches, allowing everyone to make the kind of sandwiches they want. Liko has a hard time deciding what ingredients she wants for her sandwich; Roy tries to make a massive sandwich, which ends up falling apart, while Friede fills his sandwich with nothing but meat. Looking at the people around her, Liko starts reminiscing how she and Roy wound up with them, feeling thankful for having met them. While Sprigatito and Fuecoco play with the Ancient Poké Ball, Roy takes a selfie of himself with Liko and their Pokémon and sends it to Dot. While Liko respects Dot's desire for privacy, she feels Dot and Ludlow are missing out by not being with them. A wild Wattrel then appears and steals Fuecoco's sandwich, prompting Roy to chase after it. Meanwhile, Liko decides to wonder how she could share the experience with Dot and Ludlow.
Roy eventually catches up to Wattrel on a cliff, where instead of flying away, puts the sandwich down and challenges Roy and Fuecoco. Roy has Fuecoco use Stomping Tantrum, though it has little effect due to Wattrel being a -type. It then uses Growl, piercing the air around Roy and Fuecoco. Roy has Fuecoco counter Wattrel's attack with its singing, but as the clash of voices just starts driving away the nearby wild Pokémon and remains in a stalemate, Roy calls off the confrontation. Realizing that Wattrel is hungry, he agrees to give it half the sandwich. Fuecoco also agrees to this, but once Wattrel has eaten its half, it promptly steals the other half too and eats it as well. While heading back, Roy notices a flock of Wattrel flying away, while the Wattrel he faced isn't going with them.
Aboard the airship, Dot is trying to make a Nidothing video about picnics but fails to stay motivated, so she cuts off the shooting. Having never been on a picnic, she's having a hard time getting into the proper atmosphere. At that moment, she receives a message from Liko, saying they've prepared some sandwiches for her in the meeting room. As her stomach begins to growl, Dot decides to head there, only to find just bread and ingredients, without a single prepared sandwich in sight. Ludlow also enters, having likewise been summoned for this indoor picnic by Liko. Dot is confused as to how just making sandwiches indoors could equate to a picnic, but Ludlow assures her that the setting is not what makes a picnic; it's about sharing experiences with others, and Liko wishes to share this happy experience with Dot. Dot smiles and blushes at not only Liko being kind to her again, but also that she considers Dot her friend.
Back at the picnic table, Liko and Murdock reunite with the rest of the team after setting up Dot's indoor picnic. Almost immediately, Liko receives a message from Dot and is shocked to see a photo of Nidothing enjoying sandwiches with Ludlow. The rest of the Rising Volt Tacklers, well aware of Dot's internet persona, understand that this is Dot's way of saying thank you. Liko, though, is feeling nervous at the idea of Nidothing being on the ship, but then she remembers the Nidothing costume she saw hanging from the airship the other day and deduces that Dot must've used the costume to make her happy. Friede is surprised that Liko still hasn't figured out that Dot and Nidothing are one and the same and considers telling her the truth, but Murdock feels it's better to have Dot be the one to tell her herself when she's ready. Watching Nidothing's newest video about picnics, the two of them feel that both Dot and Liko have grown thanks to having their new friends. Roy returns to the site, so Friede tells everyone that they'll be heading back now. Along the way, Roy describes his encounter with Wattrel to Liko. He then suddenly stops; unable to stop thinking about Wattrel, he decides to go check on it again. Watching Roy leave, Friede muses to himself that Liko and Dot aren't the only ones who have grown.
In the group's absence, Spinel arrived near the Brave Olivine and surrounded it with a small army of Magneton, using them to jam the ship's electronics. When Friede enters the bridge, he's surprised to notice that the progress bar for the system reboot hasn't advanced at all in their absence. He calls Dot about this, but almost immediately, all the electronics aboard the airship go dark, making Dot fear the ship may never fly again.
Debuts[]
Pokémon[]
Trivia[]
- Professor Friede's Pokémon Seminar: Magneton
- Question
"What is affected by it's magnetic force?"
- Choices
TVs, washing machines, or refrigerators
- Answer
All the above
Gallery[]
References[]
- ^ Pineda, Rafael (2023, July 21). "Japanese Animation TV Ranking, July 10–16 - News - Anime News Network". From Anime News Network (ANN). Archived from the original on July 21, 2023.
- ^ (n.d.) . "An Unexpected Picnic! | Pokemon.com". From The Official Pokémon Website | Pokemon.com. Archived from the original on June 22, 2024.
