Pokemon Learning League

Volcanic Eruptions

Written By
Timothy Whitfield

(Episode opens with Serena, Cilan, Ash, Pikachu,

Iris, Axew, Clemont, Bonnie and Dedenne walking
along through Route 112 on a clear blue afternoon
with some clouds in the sky and no breeze. The
Sun is beating down. Serena speaks to Ash.)
Serena: So, Ash, how are we going to get to Forina
from here?
Ash: Oh, were going to go up Mt. Chimney to get
there.
Serena: All right, but how?
Ash: I heard that they added a new Cable Car
thatll take us there.
Iris: Speaking of Forina, Ash, is it really a nice
place?
Ash: Yes, it is, Iris.
Cilan: Are there many kinds of Pokemon living
there?
Ash: Oh, there are a lot of them. You guys are
going to be in for a treat.
Pikachu: Pika, Pika.
Bonnie (excited): I cant wait!
Dedenne: Dede.

(They come to a forest and start going down it.

The leaves on many of the trees are in different
colors and others have lost all of theirs. Minutes
later, they come to the cable cars at the foot of Mt.
Chimney. Smoke rises out of the mouth of the
volcano and into the air.)
Ash: Well, there it is, guys.
(They head inside the station and hop aboard the
tram going up the mountain. They start ascending
up the mountain.)
Serena: Hey, Ash, when we get to the top, do you
think we could please look around it for a bit?
Ash: Of course, Serena.
(They continue on up. A few minutes later, the
cable car arrives at the top. Everyone gets off of it
and start exploring around. A red glow emits from
the mouth.)
Cilan: See anything interesting?
Serena: Nothing yet so far.
(They keep looking until Iris spots something on
the side.)
Iris: Hey, look at that.

(They look over to see a rock formation in the

shape of a Rapidash and a Ponyta.)
Ash: Thats pretty cool.
Pikachu: Pika.
Bonnie: Yeah. How do you think these were
formed?
Clemont: It mightve been from past eruptions and
the rocks getting worn down.
Bonnie (understanding): Oh, okay.
Dedenne: Dede.
(They go over to the mouth and look down at the
magma bubbling below.)
Serena: Wow! That magma is really bubbling.
Iris: Oh, yeah. Imagine how hot itll get from an
eruption.
(They move away from it. We pan down to see the
gas bubbles starting to get bigger and the
magmas slowly rising. Dissolve back to them
continuing on through. We pan down to Bonnie,
who is glancing away and has a curious look on her
face.)
Cilan: What are you thinking about, Bonnie?

Bonnie: I was just wondering: how exactly does a

volcano erupt?
Cilan: Well, its depends on the minerals found in
the magma, as well as certain types of gas.
Bonnie: Okay, what else?
Cilan: Thats all I know about it.
Ash: Maybe Siara can explain it better. (He goes
into his backpack, pulls out the Pokepilot, turns it
on and calls Siara, who is working on a musical
composition.)
Siara: Oh, hello guys. Hows it going?
Cilan: Pretty good, Siara. What kind of music are
you writing there?
Siara: Its for a pop rock ballad thats going to be
performed at the festival.
Ash: Oh. Thats cool.
Siara: It sure will. Well, what are you guys up to?
Clemont: Were getting to Forina by going across
Mt. Chimney.
Siara: Thats sounds good.
Iris: It is. Bonnie started wondering how volcanoes
erupt, so do you know how they do?

Siara: Of course I do. To start off, an eruption

usually comes from internal gas pressure. The
material that creates the magma has a lot of
dissolved gas, which are suspended in it as long as
the confining pressure of the rocks that surround it
is greater than the vapor pressure from the gas.
These gases, also called volatiles, usually consist of
elements like water vapor, carbon dioxide, and
sulfur dioxide.
(As she explains, we see the images being
animated to the words as she goes on.)
Iris: Oh, thats really interesting.
Axew (agreeing): Axew.
Siara: Thats not all. When the balance between
them switches, the gas is allowed to expand and
form small gas bubble called vesicles. What
happens now is that the bubbles, since they have a
lower density than the magma, push out to escape,
which also pushes out the magma.
Ash: I see. Well, how violent can an eruption get?
Siara: Well, it usually depends on the content of the
gas and the magmas viscosity, or its ability to
resist flow. If it has a high viscosity, the gas
bubbles will have a much harder time escaping, so

theyll push up more magma, resulting in a large

eruption. However, if it has a low viscosity, the
bubbles escape more easily and it wont erupt as
violently.
Bonnie: What else is there?
Siara: The viscosity is determined by the proportion
of silicon in the magma, due to its reaction to
oxygen. Also, the gas content varies depending on
what material is melted to form the magma. In
fact, some of the most explosive eruptions have
high viscosity and gas levels, while more subdued
ones have low gas levels & viscosity. And if that
and the gas pressure are low enough, then lava will
flow slowly onto the surface.
Serena: Gee. Volcanic eruptions can be pretty
powerful.
Siara: Oh, they sure can. One other thing. If a
volcano has a certain amount of pressure, itll start
an eruption by launching hot gas, ash and
pyroclastic rocks into the air. This is also known as
an eruption column.
Iris: Thats really amazing.
Siara: Well, how about I show you guys something?
Clemont: Sure thing, Siara.

(Pan over to the right to a panel showing an image

showing various stages of a volcanic eruptions.)
Siara: You guys up for this?
Ash: You bet we are.
Pikachu: Pika-chu.
Siara: Thats the spirit. What are the kinds of
gases that are suspended in the magma while
under confined pressure?
Ash: Water vapor, carbon dioxide, and sulfur
dioxide.
Siara: You got it, Ash. Now, what happens from
there?
Clemont: The balance between them shifts and the
gas expands, forming vesicles in the process.
Siara: All right, Clemont. And what happens after
that?
Iris: The bubbles push out and escape, which
causes the magma to be pushed out.
Siara: Very good, Iris. Way to go, guys.
Cilan: Thank you, Siara.
Siara: Youre welcome, Cilan. Now, I need to work
out this composition. See you guys later.

Clemont: See you, Siara.

(Ash turns the Pokepilot off and puts it back into
his bag.)
Ash: So, how about we do something before we get
going?
Serena: Sure thing, but lets see if the viewers want
to do it.
Cilan: Very well, then. (He glances over to the
audience.) Are you guys ready for this? (He
casually waits for an answer from the audience for
one second.) Oh, all right, then.
(Dissolve to an image of magma inside a volcano
and various points of an eruption.)
Cilan: All right, here we go. Hows the viscosity
determined? (He casually waits for an answer from
the audience for two seconds.) By how much
silicon is in the magma and how it reacts to
oxygen. Very good.
Ash: What do the most explosive eruptions have?
(He casually waits for an answer from the audience
for one second.) High viscosity and gas levels. Oh,
yeah.

Serena: What happens when the gas pressures low

enough? (She casually waits for an answer from
the audience for one and a half seconds.) The lava
will come onto the surface slowly. You got it.
Iris: Finally, what will a volcano launch into the air
when it first erupts. (She casually waits for an
answer from the audience for one second.) An
eruption column. You got it.
(Dissolve back to the group and Bonnie casually
speaks to the audience.)
Bonnie: You guys did great.
Dedenne: Dede.
Ash: Well, lets get going guys.
(They start down to the cable car, when suddenly,
the area starts violently rumbling.)
Ash: What the?
Pikachu: Pika?
(They look back down and see the magma below
rising, really bubbling, a thick cloud of black smoke
bellows out of the mouth and the area gets much
hotter.)
All: Uh-oh.

(They head over to the cable car as quickly as they

can, but then a rock on the edge gives way and
Ash starts tumbling down.)
Ash: AAAHHH!!!
Serena: Oh, no Ash!
Pikachu: Pika, Pika!
(Ash continues tumbling until he nearly goes over
the edge. He looks down to see the rising magma
and gets a shocked look on his face. Just then,
someone grabs him by the arm.)
Voice (O.S.): Got you!
(He looks up and sees Iris, who is holding on to
him.)
Ash: Thanks, Iris.
(She helps him climb out. As he does, Ash slowly
starts to pass out from the heat exposure.
Suddenly, it violently rumbles even more, forcing
Iris to lose her grip and Ash falls in.)
Ash: AHHHH!!!
Iris: Dragonite, go get Ash!
(She throws the PokeBall down and Dragonite
emerges from it.)

Dragonite: (grunts.)
(It flies into the mouth as more smoke bellows out.
Now, we see Iris looking on with a worried look on
her face. Just then, Dragonite flies back up, with
Ash in its arms, who has passed out. It places him
on the ground,)
Iris: Thanks, Dragonite.
(She lifts him up and places him on her shoulder.
She starts climbing out. She slips off a bit, but
keeps going. Moments later, she gets out and
back to the others, who are waiting for them. She
lays him out on the ground and breathes with
exhaustion.)
Clemont: That was a really brave thing you did, Iris.
Iris: (panting.) Thanks.
(Clemont feels Ashs head.)
Clemont: Hes really burning up.
Cilan: We better get going, then.
(They head down to the cable car. Iris picks up Ash
again and starts off, but the area starts rumbles
again. Ash slips off Iriss shoulder, but manages to
hold on.)

Serena: Hey, Iris. Do you need help carrying him?

Iris: Yes, I do.
(Serena picks him up and they both carry him over
to the cable car. They get inside and start
descending into Forina. Serena and Iris lay Ash out
on his back.)
Bonnie: Is he going to be all right?
(Serena kneels down to Bonnie and places her
hand on Bonnies shoulder.)
Serena (reassuring): Dont worry. Weve got this.
(Iris blows air into Ashs mouth, while Serena
pushes on his chest. They keep at it for a couple
of minutes, until Ash coughs and breathes in. He
sits up.)
Serena & Iris: Ash!
Ash: Oh. What happened?
Cilan: Iris and Serena just saved you.
Ash (touched): Really?
(He nods his head. A few minutes later, they arrive
at the foot of the mountain and dismount from it,
entering into Forina. Ash turns over to Serena and
Iris.)

Ash: Hey, Serena & Iris? Thanks for saving me back

there.
Iris: Youre welcome, Ash.
Serena: Yeah. You wouldve done the same thing
for us.
(Iris gives Ash a handshake, which he accepts and
Serena gives him a hug. They then go on through
the forest. A few minutes later, they come a huge
tree. Just then, they hear a loud explosion and
look up to see Mt. Chimney erupting. Short bursts
of glowing lava shoot up into the air. Volcanic ash
rains down from it.)
All (in awe): Whoa!
Pikachu (in awe): Pika!
Dedenne (in awe): Dede!
Axew (in awe): Axew!
Serena: Have you ever seen anything like that?
Ash: No, I havent.
Cilan: Well, guys, now that were here, lets have a
look around.
(They all nod in agreement and head on through
Forina. Everyone, except Ash and Pikachu, marvel

at the unique hoodoos that tower over them.

Moments later, they see a group of Linoone and
Pansear getting some peaches from a tree, a
Beautifly and a Vivillion drinking nectar from
flowers, and a Vibrava landing on the trees trunk.
Then, they see a Yanmega flying by a group of
Petilil going along.)
Bonnie: Aw, theyre so cute.
Serena: Yeah, they are. Where do you think theyre
going?
Ash: Who knows? They could be looking for a nice
spot to relax in.
(They continue on through. Just then, Ashs
stomach loudly grumbles.)
Ash: Oh, I guess its time for lunch.
Serena: Then, lets find a good spot to stop at.
(They turn over to the audience.)
All (casually): Thanks, you guys.
Axew: Axew.
Pikachu: Pikachu.
Dedenne: Dede.

(Dissolve to moments later, where theyre all

having lunch near a small creek.)
Ash: Well, that was an intense episode. Did you
enjoy it? (He casually waits for an answer from the
audience for one second.) Oh, okay. Well see you
later, then.
Pikachu: Pika, Pika.
(They casually wave goodbye to the audience and
start eating. We pan up to see the mountains in
the distance and a flock of Pidgeot and Pidgeotto
flying by. It then fades to black, ending the
episode.)