DP116

The Drifting Snorunt! (Japanese: 吹雪の中のユキメノコ ！  in a Snowstorm!) is the 116th episode of the, and the 582nd episode of the Pokémon anime. It first aired in Japan on February 26, 2009 and in the United States on July 25, 2009.

Blurb
Team Rocket is lost in a blizzard when a Froslass comes to their rescue. Our heroes are stranded in that same blizzard, trying to reach Snowpoint City, when Froslass invites them into a warm, cozy cabin. But when Froslass prepares a hot bath for Piplup, it turns out to be an icy trap, and the cabin is revealed to be an illusion! Froslass has trapped Piplup in ice, and it already kidnapped Meowth by using the same trick on Team Rocket. But why? Froslass wants Team Rocket and our heroes to go look for its friend, a missing Snorunt. A human betrayed its trust once, and now it doesn't trust people at all—so it's holding Meowth and Piplup hostage, just in case!

To help Froslass and restore its faith in people, Ash promises to help find Snorunt no matter what. And after our heroes and Team Rocket collide in the forest while searching for Snorunt, they decide to work together. But just as they find Snorunt, a Glalie hits them with a surprise attack. It uses Leer to stun Snorunt so it can take it and fly away. Ash and Dawn try to battle Glalie with Chimchar and Buneary, but Glalie is just too strong. Then its Trainer, a poacher, drives up on a snowmobile and tells them he's hunting Snorunt to sell on the black market!

Those are fighting words, but Glalie is a tough match for Chimchar, Buneary, and even Team Rocket's Carnivine and Yanmega. Ash won't give up; Chimchar, the group's only Fire-type, puts up a brave fight against Glalie, yet it just can't seem to win. When Froslass sees the battle and how hard Ash and Chimchar are fighting for Snorunt, it leaps into the battle and helps Chimchar take down Glalie and its Trainer. Now that Snorunt and Froslass are together, Froslass releases Meowth and Piplup, then apologizes. No apologies needed, though; Ash and his friends wave a friendly farewell as they continue on to Snowpoint City.

Plot
The story begins with lost in a blizzard. Suddenly, a appears and James checks his deck of cards to find out what Pokémon she is. The Froslass beckons to them and Team Rocket follows her.

The scene switches back to and  wandering about in the blizzard. They find a row of large rocks to sit on, sheltered by a small overhang of stone and seek refuge underneath. brings forth and hugs her to gain warmth. gets a brainwave as well and calls. Ash tells it to use on a pile of sticks to make a fire, but just as the fire is up, some snow from above falls on it, extinguishing the flame.

Suddenly, a appears out of the blizzard. Dawn looks up the Pokémon her Pokédex and within moments the blizzard seems to die down. A cabin appears behind Froslass, and she beckons for the three trainers to come into the cabin with her. The gang enters the cabin which appears warm and comfortable. Froslass prepares some bowls of hot soup for the gang. Froslass then prepares a hot bath for the Pokémon. gets permission from Dawn to get in the hot bath.

Suddenly, as Piplup splashes in the tub, he becomes frozen in a block of ice. The trio find themselves sitting in an ice cave, eating shaved ice on leaves. deduces that Froslass must have been causing them to hallucinate. Ash commands Chimchar to use Flamethrower to free Piplup, but Froslass uses to cut at the ice freezing Piplup. Dawn deduces that Froslass must be threatening them not to attack her. Her eyes glow blue (likely from ) and is brought forth, frozen in a block of ice just like Piplup. Meowth explains that Team Rocket had fallen into Froslass's trap and said that they could have Meowth back if they find her friend and bring it back to her. Meowth finishes by telling them they could have Piplup back if they bring back Snorunt.

Ash surprises Froslass by telling her she had no need to capture Piplup and that they would go and find Snorunt all the same. However, Froslass refuses to give Piplup back. Meowth translates that the last human she trusted took off and tried to steal her Snorunt friend. Ash reassures Froslass that they would bring back Snorunt and they set off. They began searching for Snorunt. returns and gives no good news. Ash then instructs it to search further up the mountain. Team Rocket is also searching for Snorunt. Suddenly, spots Snorunt. Staravia flying ahead also spots Snorunt, and turns back to tell Ash and gang.

Ash, Brock, Dawn, and Team Rocket run after Snorunt from opposite directions. At a bend in the road, the two groups bump into each other. Brock talks the two parties into working together, and they split up to find Snorunt. Snorunt, who is running down the road, is blocked by Team Rocket and the trio. The gang try to convince Snorunt to come with them just as a blasts them and cause a huge explosion.

Out of the smoke come a. Dawn checks it out on her Pokédex. Glalie attacks them with another Hyper Beam. It then uses on the defenseless Snorunt, then pick it up and goes off. Our heroes and Team Rocket follow. James then tells to use, which hits Glalie. Chimchar then uses which hits as well, causing Glalie to drop Snorunt. Buneary then tries to use Ice Beam, but Glalie dodges and uses Hyper Beam which hits both Chimchar and Buneary.

A man then drives up on a snowmobile. He identifies the Glalie as his and says that Snorunt are very valuable on the Pokémon Black Market. Brock says that he must be a poacher and the human that had betrayed Froslass's trust. The poacher confirms Brock's predictions and then picks up Snorunt and puts it into a cage towed behind his snowmobile. Ash tells the poacher that he will win Snorunt back, and even Team Rocket side with him since without Snorunt, they won't get Meowth back.

The poacher commands Glalie to use Hyper Beam. Ash tells Chimchar to counter with Flamethrower and the two attacks cause an explosion. Glalie emerges from the smoke and uses Leer. Chimchar falls to the ground unable to attack. Buneary than runs up and at Dawn's command, uses. Glalie uses and counters with Hyper Beam. James then tells Carnivine to use while Jessie calls out  to use. Glalie dodges both attacks and then uses Hyper Beam. It hits, but James tells Carnivine to use Bullet Seed. However, Glalie uses Protect, and counters with. It knocks both Yanmega and Carnivine into James and Jessie while Snorunt watches on.

Ash tells Chimchar to use Scratch and Dawn orders a from Buneary. Both attacks hit in succession. Glalie then uses Hyper Beam, which both dodge. Glalie then uses Gyro Ball which Chimchar manages to dodge but hits Buneary, knocking her out. Dawn picks her up while Ash tells Chimchar to use. It emerges behind Glalie and uses, which hits. It uses Dig and follows up with Flame Wheel again. Meanwhile, Froslass is looking for Snorunt, and she sees some flames in the distance. Curious, she heads towards it. Back at the battle, when Chimchar tries to use Dig for the third time, Glalie stops it and blasts it into the air with a Hyper Beam.

It hits and Chimchar takes major damage. Ash encourages it and so does Dawn. Froslass appears behind a tree and watches the battle. Ash commands a Scratch, but Glalie uses Protect and then Gyro Ball. Chimchar takes a direct Gyro Ball hit. Ash tells Chimchar to get up as it was their only Fire type and the only one who could defeat Glalie. The situation get worse and worse as Froslass and Snorunt watch the intense fight.

Froslass, touched by this display of courage, emerges and rushes right up to Glalie to attack with. Snorunt cheers up at the sight of Froslass. Ash asks if Froslass wants to help Chimchar, and she nods. Ash tells Chimchar to use Flame Wheel, while Froslass uses. Both hit and the poacher and his Glalie are sent flying into the side of Snorunt's cage, which unlatches.

Snorunt climbs out. Froslass and Snorunt run to each other and Froslass embraces Snorunt. Ash then praises Chimchar for its efforts. Ash then reminds Froslass about Piplup. Froslass nods to say that they could have Piplup back. Jessie and James run to Froslass and remind them of their deal about releasing Meowth, even to the extent of James putting his head in Carnivine's mouth. They then lock the poacher and Glalie in the cage after saying that Officer Jenny would come soon.

Back at the ice cave, Froslass thaws the ice around Meowth and Piplup. Piplup runs to Dawn and Dawn hugs him. Translated by Meowth, Froslass says that although her intentions to find Snorunt were good, she should never have kidnapped Meowth and Piplup and she was sorry. She continues to say that as a token of her appreciation, she would give them directions to town.

Standing behind Ash and his friends, Team Rocket decides now is the perfect chance to grab Pikachu. As they approach to do so, they slip on the snow and fall backwards, rolling down the slope. Caught up in a large snowball, they're launched off an upturned section of ground like a ramp, blasting off again. Our heroes wonder where Team Rocket has disappeared to before bidding Froslass and Snorunt farewell.

Humans

 * Jessie
 * James
 * Jessie
 * James
 * James

Pokémon

 * ('s)
 * ('s)
 * ('s)
 * ('s)
 * ('s)
 * ('s)
 * ('s)
 * ('s)
 * ('s)
 * ('s)

Trivia

 * Professor Oak's Big Pokémon Examination:
 * A Small Thing and music from Pokémon Ranger and the Temple of the Sea are used as background music.
 * When this episode's script was revealed by 's Japanese voice actor Rica Matsumoto, it was labeled as episode 114 of the . The "official" episode count used by Shogakukan differs from the count used by TV Tokyo and Bulbapedia, likely due to DP048 not being counted (as it is a clip show), and Pokémon Ranger and the Kidnapped Riolu! Parts 1 and 2 being counted as one continuous episode by the production crew.
 * doesn't recite their in this episode.
 * Every time appeared from the blizzard, a sound effect was used, which is somewhat similar to her in-game cry.

Errors

 * Froslass uses in this episode, a move that it cannot legally learn.
 * In the Dutch and Brazilian Portuguese dubs, Froslass is referred to as a male multiple times, even though it can only be female.
 * When is explaining what happened to them, Froslass talks, but her mouth doesn't move.

Dub edits

 * The dub referred to Froslass and as friends rather than mother and child.

In other languages
Schneppke vermisst! EP585 DP116 DP116 DP編第116話 精灵宝可梦 钻石＆珍珠 第115集