Article Kitty Korner - Ash's Newest Capture #1

I know I was supposed to do an article about Ash's Kalos Gym Battles on Monday, but unfortunately I got distracted by other things and wasn't able to properly research it in time. However, I think you'll like what I have to say instead.

Remember my analysis on Getta Banban's latest incarnation? Well, one of the predictions I made in that article came true today.

Thankfully, I was able to find the episode online and was able to watch it so that I can give you a full version of the events. Ash's Hawlucha found an egg during some downtime, and brought it back to Ash. Upon seeing the egg close to hatching, Ash and the gang crowded around the egg to help it, with Fletchinder using it's Flame Body to make the final push, where the egg hatched into a little baby Noibat. When Noibat opened it's eyes, the first thing it saw was Ash, and a bond was quickly formed.

Following a demonstration of Noibat's soundwave abilities, where it cried loudly and used sonic waves to identify apples that were good to eat, Noibat began trying to fly. It failed miserably with each attempt, even with Hawlucha and Fletchinder trying to help it. During the lessons, Team Rocket came in captured Noibat, intending on evolving it into a Noivern, and Hawlucha, who was trying to save it.

Hawlucha and Noibat managed to get away from Team Rocket and hid in a cave, where Noibat used its sound waves again to help Hawlucha disarm Team Rocket, allowing the baby dragon to scream them out of the cave. Ash and his friends intercepted them as they left the cave, and were reunited with Hawlucha and Noibat after they sent Team Rocket blasting off. After feeding Noibat again, Ash asked it to join his team, likely promising to help Noibat master flight, and it accepted without question. Ash lightly tapped it with a Pokéball, and Noibat was caught.

Noibats Ability and moves are not known at this time, though from what I saw, it used what looked like Screech and Supersonic, which are both moves that Noibat naturally have when they hatch without any special breeding involved. Bulbapedia has only Supersonic listed, but Noibat's crying has a similar effect to what we have seen from Screech.

Now, I am biased because I love Noibat and Noivern, but I like what I see so far in this episode. Noibat seems to be a very cute character, and will certainly make a great addition to Ash's team once it learns how to fly. Noibat's capture does raise a few questions, whether it will evolve or if Ash will eventually release it and the like, but it's still too early to tell for sure where the writers are going to go with Noibat.

That's it for this Kitty Korner! I'll see you on Sunday with either the Gym Battle Summary, or a look at Team Rocket over the years.