- "My Scizor is going to keep that Meowth until I get my Pokemon back. Unless, of course, you want to do an exchange so we can move on with our lives."—Aaron, making his first appearance
Ash, Dawn, and Brock make a stop at Mesa Verde Town so an all-too-eager Dawn can enter its Pokemon Contest. On the way there, Team Rocket makes a grab for Pikachu but instead nabs a bystander’s Riolu and Mawile. Before they can run off with the loot, this same stranger snatches up Meowth while Ash and his friends take their old foes now. The battles doesn’t last long thanks to said stranger, Aaron Shadow of Metropolis Town.
This chapter contains examples of:
- Badass Bystander: Team Rocket made a wrong move getting Aaron involved.
- Beat:
- Team Rocket realize they caught Riolu and Mawile instead of Pikachu. Two series of ellipses later, they roll with it and run off.
- Ash declares his readiness to see Dawn in the contest. Two series of ellipses later, Dawn sprints off screaming and kicking up dust, having forgotten to register thanks to Team Rocket.
- Casual Danger Dialogue:
- At no point during the brief confrontation with Team Rocket is Aaron's Scizor ever concerned with them or Meowth. It wisecracks to the latter, messes with him like doll for sheer amusement during their motto, and even makes a baseball joke after Aaron orders it to 'play ball'.
- Neither is Aaron, considering he's more interested in the talking Meowth and superfluous nature of their motto.
- Deadpan Snarker:
- Aaron's response to Jessie claiming he has no idea who he's dealing with is a witty retort.
- To not be outdone, Aaron's Mawile oozes sarcasm after Scizor asks her if she enjoyed the "free joyride".
- Establishing Character Moment: This one chapter simultaneously establishes a few of Aaron's personality traits. He's calm and levelheaded, never reacting with the same distress as Ash and the group. He isn't soft, using Meowth as leverage against Team Rocket until his own Pokemon are safe. He's also analytical, only stopping in to help when he catches the precise moment he can save his Riolu and Mawile.
- Fastball Special: While making a baseball quip about striking out, Scizor throws Meowth via a windup pitch to nail Jessie in the head.
- Good Is Not Soft: Apparently, Aaron believes in "an eye for an eye" — although he wanted Scizor to use its speed to scoop up Riolu and Mawile, he nonetheless takes Meowth as a hostage. When he takes action in the following battle, it's to have his Scizor throw Meowth into Jessie's head.
- Lampshade Hanging:
- When Aaron introduces himself, Pikachu internally comments on how common the name must be. After all, two canon Aarons exist in the Sinnoh Region alone!
- Aaron averts Unusually Uninteresting Sight by actually taking note of Team Rocket's Meowth, who can fluidly speak human language.
- Mugging the Monster: Although Team Rocket stole Riolu and Mawile unintentionally, they viewed it as an unexpected boon and went with them instead of Pikachu. Of course, neither them nor Ash's party know Aaron is a Badass Bystander who ends the subsequent battle between them without no trouble.
- The Rival: Aaron is participating in the Pokemon Contest, which means Dawn has another one.
- Womanchild: Evidently, Mawile likes to be carried by Aaron despite Scizor's claim she is a young lady.
