Episode 041: The Problem With Paras Ash and his friends arrive at Moss Green Village, a small town where they stop to restock their supplies and take a rest. Team Rocket is close behind, but as Jessie and James begin to sneak ahead of Ash into town, Meowth looks ill! Meowth has a terrible fever, but Jessie and James are going to leave him behind when a girl shows up and yells at them for taking such poor care of Meowth. They introduce themselves as superheroes, but the girl isn't impresse and begins to take care of Meowth, who falls in love with the kind girl. She gives him come medicine, gives Jessie pills for Meowth and then runs off. In the village, Ash, Brock and Misty find a small hut where they can buy Potions, where they meet the girl in the forest and her grandma. Brock begins to hit on the girl, named Cassandra but she is more interested in a battle. She uses Paras against Ash's Pikachu, but Paras is a complete coward. Cassandra wants Paras to evolve into Parasect so she can use the mushrooms on its back to make potions. Ash has his Pokemon use their weakest attacks against Paras, but Paras faints each time an attack brushes him. Ash calls out Charmeleon, but Charmeleon refuses to go easy and toasts Paras with a Flamethrower attack. The defeated Paras runs and hides in the woods. Ash and the other look for it, but can't find it. Cassandra tells them that she wants Parasect's mushrooms to make a more powerful potions. Meanwhile, Meowth find Paras, and convinces Jessie and James to help evolve Paras. Meowth tells them that Cassandra will be so grateful, she will make Meowth the mascot of her super potion and Jessie and James will become his business managers. Meowth rigs the battles between Paras and Arbok and Weezing so Paras thinks it wins. Paras becomes super confident, and Cassandra and the others find it. Paras wants to battle Pikachu. Paras pokes Pikachu in the tail, and Pikachu pretend to faint. Paras is happy, and Ash tries Charmeleon again, but it refuses to battle and refuses to return. Charmeleon begins to fry Paras, and Team Rocket shows up again in their cheerleader outfits to give Paras a cheer. Charmeleon fries Team Rocket and then begins to chase Paras. Somehow, Paras hits a soft spot on Charmeleon, defeats him and evolves into Parasect! Charmeleon sends Team Rocket on their way, and turns on Parasect, but Parasect uses Spore and puts Charmeleon to sleep. Ash and his pals go on their way, leaving as Team Rocket drops in again. Cassandra bandages up Team Rocket and thanks them for helping Parasect evolve. Meowth wants to be her mascot, but she tells him she would never tear him away from his team. Grandma comes in and presents their new mascot... a Persian! How humiliating for Meowth! Ousted by a Persian... again!