Dwayne/Sinnoh

The day after his 13th birthday, Dwayne prepares to set out to the Sinnoh region, his next destination on his path to become a future Pokémon Champion. After dropping all of his Pokémon at Professor Oak's Laboratory, except for Gardevoir, Dwayne embarks on a ship from Vermilion City, but as the ship departs the port, Dwayne sees his Eevee leaping from the port and onto the boat. As Eevee jumps into his arms, Dwayne questions her actions, but upon seeing Eevee's rather distraught face, Dwayne realizes that Eevee didn't want to become separated from him, and decides to take Eevee along on his journey in Sinnoh.

After a three-day travel through the sea, the ship docks in Sandgem Town and Dwayne breathes the fresh air of a brand-new region. Looking upward, Dwayne sees a pack of Starly, Staravia, and Staraptor racing through the skies, and becomes excited at the thought of capturing new Pokémon. Dwayne then remembers Professor Oak's words: Once he arrived in Sandgem Town, Dwayne should look for Professor Rowan, and once Dwayne makes his way towards Rowan's laboratory, Rowan's assistants inform him that Rowan was at Lake Verity, and without a second thought, Dwayne decides to venture into Lake Verity to find Rowan himself.

While walking through the lake shoreside, Dwayne calls out to Rowan, but to no response. Just then, Dwayne sees the lake ripple, and after paying closer attention, Dwayne sees a mysterious silhouette, remarking that it looked like a projected soul of sorts, but as the figure takes shape, it suddenly vanishes, leaving Dwayne both confused and intrigued. A few minutes later, Dwayne finds Professor Rowan observing the lake and greets the researcher, who welcomes him to the Sinnoh region. Dwayne asks Professor Rowan about the figure he saw earlier, and Rowan explains that the figure could be the Legendary Pokémon Mesprit, the guardian of the lake, and says that if Mesprit appeared before him, even if for a brief moment, then Dwayne should expect something interesting to happen in his near future and tells him to keep watch.

While walking through Route 201, Dwayne and Rowan stumble upon a Zubat that crashes directly onto them. Upset, Zubat attacks them with Gust, with Rowan commenting that a wild Zubat being out in an open and illuminated area was quite strange, and comments that Zubat seemed quite nervous even before bumping into them. Liking Zubat's battle-ready attitude, Dwayne decides to catch it, and sends Eevee out to battle it. Zubat immediately goes into the offensive with Bite, but Eevee manages to dodge the attack, and she retaliates with Tackle, crashing onto Zubat, who quickly recovers. Zubat then attacks with Supersonic, which Eevee also manages to evade. Dwayne then calls for a Copycat, and Eevee fires off a Supersonic of her own, which hits Zubat and leaves it confused. As Zubat becomes dazed by its confusion, Eevee lands another direct hit with Tackle, sending Zubat crashing into a nearby tree, and Dwayne throws a Poké Ball, and Dwayne successfully catches Zubat.

Rowan congratulates Dwayne on his capture, and Dwayne lets out his newly-caught Zubat out, welcoming him to his team. Soon therafter, they notice an Electric-type attack in the distance and Zubat quickly flies towards the location, with Dwayne and Rowan chasing after him. When Dwayne and Rowan get closer, they see a bunch of Zubat flying wildly while dodging the attack, and below them, an Elekid being the source of the attack. The Elekid's Trainer throws a Poké Ball, which hits one of the Zubat, but the Zubat that the Poké Ball hits is Dwayne's, and therefore the capture ends. As the Trainer catches the Poké Ball, Dwayne and Rowan approach the Trainer, a girl in her late teens. Upon seeing Dwayne, the girl seems to immediately recognize him, although she's clearly not happy on seeing him, letting out a frustrated grunt.

Dwayne calls Zubat back down, who lands on his shoulder, and Rowan correctly guesses that the reason why Zubat was on the area was because the girl had attacked them, which she confirms, saying she ventured into a nearby cave looking for Zubat to catch, but they all escaped, and Dwayne's Zubat had just prevented her from catching one. Dwayne apologizes for ruining her catch, and the girl then asks if Dwayne is sure the Zubat he caught is the best one. The girl says she watched his battle with Zubat, and says that Zubat was caught was too easily and therefore it was weak, a statement that angers Dwayne, who then asks her how can she tell if a Pokémon is strong or not.

The girl then explains that by scanning a Pokémon with the Pokédex, a Trainer can see what attacks it knows thereby saving a lot of time and energy in the long run. She lets three Starly out of their Poké Balls, and after scanning the three Starly to see which of them know Aerial Ace, she then returns them all to their Poké Balls. Then, after telling two of the Starly to get lost as they're not needed, she throws two of the Poké Balls which send out the Starly with a blue light, signifying their permanent release. Dwayne remarks this is an unusual way to treat Pokémon, as he believes any Pokémon has the ability to be strong, but the girl scoffs at this and challenges Dwayne to a three-on-three battle. Professor Rowan offers his back garden as their battlefield.

Once at Rowan's garden, the girl introduces herself as Lazuli, and says that she would challenge the Sinnoh League and ultimately challenge the Champion. Lazuli spells out the rules; it will be a three-on-three battle with no substitutions, the first to reach two wins will get the match. Lazuli starts with Starly while Dwayne chooses Zubat. Dwayne starts off by commanding his Zubat to use Quick Attack, but Starly manages to dodge it. Starly uses Aerial Ace. Zubat tries to counter with a Supersonic, but Starly uses Double Team followed by another Aerial Ace and as a result, Zubat is knocked out. Dwayne recalls Zubat while Lazuli recalls Starly, although she openly exclaims she wasn't impressed with Starly's performance.

Dwayne throws a Love Ball and his Eevee emerges. Lazuli throws out her Chimchar, which Dwayne scans with his Pokédex. Eevee launches a Swift attack, but Chimchar counters with Ember and the two attacks explode on contact. Chimchar then uses Ember again, and Eevee returns the attack via Copycat. Eevee prepares to use Tackle, but Chimchar uses Flame Wheel, stopping the attack. Eevee then uses Sand-Attack, but an Ember blocks the incoming sand, and Chimchar subsequently scores a direct hit with Scratch. Dwayne orders another Tackle, as Lazuli orders Chimchar to use Fury Swipes, but Eevee jumps into the air at the last second, dodging the Fury Swipes. Eevee smashes down into Chimchar with Tackle, knocking the Chimp Pokémon out. Lazuli recalls Chimchar, scolding him for its loss and promises to deal with it later, which makes Dwayne even angrier.

Lazuli then sends out Elekid while Dwayne chooses Gardevoir, which Rowan compliments him for, stating that Gardevoir was clearly well-trained, but Lazuli doesn't seem impressed. Dwayne starts things off by ordering Gardevoir to use Psyshock, but Elekid dodges the attack. Lazuli then tells Elekid to use Thunder. Elekid revolves its arms and fires off a huge electric bolt at Gardevoir, who takes the attack head-on. Dwayne then tells Gardevoir to use Shadow Ball. Lazuli tells Elekid to use Protect to stop the attack and the attack gets blocked.

Dwayne then tells Gardevoir to use Moonblast. Seeing this, Lazuli tells Elekid to use Brick Break. Gardevoir fires off Moonblast, and Elekid's Brick Break allows the Electric-type Pokémon to bat the attack back towards Gardevoir, who takes it head-on as Elekid continues to dash foward. Just as Gardevoir charges a Shadow Ball, Elekid lands a Brick Break onto the Shadow Ball, causing an explosion that overwhelms both Pokémon, but they both remain standing. However, the strain of the battle takes its toll on both Pokémon, and Gardevoir and Elekid fall down at the same time, defeated. Rowan announces that the battle was a tie and that the whole three-on-three battle was also a tie, with both Trainers with one win, one loss, and a draw. Dwayne helps Gardevoir back to her feet, saying that since Gardevoir was the first one to go down, Dwayne considers it a loss, however Lazuli walks over to him and says that as it was called a draw, a draw is what it is. Then, Lazuli pulls a Poké Ball from her belt and releases her last remaining Starly. Dwayne asks what she did that for, and Lazuli tells him that there will be other Starly even stronger than this one. He then bows to Professor Rowan, before walking off. Dwayne stares at her angry on seeing such disrespect to Pokémon, but Rowan explains that many Trainers have different training methods and different methods to raise their Pokémon, and despite not liking how some Trainers treat their Pokémon, Dwayne needed to accept it, although Dwayne says that he still wasn't happy about it.

Outside Rowan's laboratory, Rowan presents Dwayne with six new Poké Balls, and a guidebook, telling him to read the guidebook if he ever feels lost. Dwayne thanks him for the assistance and upon learning the directions for the nearest town, Dwayne departs, ready to begin his journey in Sinnoh.

As Dwayne walks near a lake, he finds an injured Kricketot and attempts to heal it. However, Dwayne gets struck with a Tackle from a Turtwig. Dwayne wonders what Turtwig's problem is, but Turtwig responds with a Headbutt, but Dwayne manages to duck and dodge Turtwig's attack. Impressed with Turtwig, Dwayne decides to catch him and sends out his Eevee to battle Turtwig. Eevee uses Tackle, but Turtwig dodges the attack and unleashes Razor Leaf. The attack hits a nearby bush, injuring a wild Oddish who stumbles out and uses Sleep Powder near Eevee. Dwayne runs up to grab Torracat, and both take the attack, falling asleep. Turtwig quickly grabs Eevee and runs off. Then, an elderly woman named Clara arrives and checks on Dwayne. She takes Dwayne to her cabin and awakens him. She informs him that Turtwig is a friend and a protector of the community. She recalled finding it in the area, feeding it and nursing it back to health, which prompted it to stick around. It quickly became a leader in the community.

Turtwig meanwhile gives Eevee a piece of fruit, but Eevee frantically looks around for Dwayne, and begins crying, despite Turtwig's attempts to comfort it. Turtwig then breaks up a fight between a Geodude and a Mankey, giving both of them enough fruit to settle the matter. Dwayne heads out and finds Eevee, and Turtwig quickly tackles Dwayne. Eevee then attacks Turtwig with Tackle, angrily informing the Grass-type Pokémon that Dwayne was her friend, and Turtwig quickly changes tone, ashamed at itself. Nearby, an injured Linoone appears and Dwayne rushes to treat it. He takes it back to Clara, where she treats it with herbs. Clara cooks lunch for Dwayne, including the Pokémon. Linoone quickly finishes its food, and Turtwig gives Linoone its food portion. Dwayne applauds Turtwig, and Dwayne gives Turtwig another serving. Turtwig is so ecstatic that it quickly latches onto Dwayne's head, and Clara supports the fact that Turtwig is drawn to him. Clara has also experienced Turtwig's affection, but she manages to get Turtwig latched onto a stick instead of her head.

Dwayne prepares to depart Clara's place, but Clara knows Turtwig wants to go. Turtwig rushes over and stops Dwayne, asking to go along, although it demands a battle. Eevee faces off against Turtwig once again. Turtwig charges and Eevee hits with Swift. Turtwig uses Razor Leaf, but Eevee dodges. Turtwig quickly follows up with Tackle, catching Eevee off guard. Turtwig charges again, this time with Headbutt, but Eevee jumps up to dodge. Turtwig follows and bites Eevee's tail, bringing her down. Eevee tries to shake it off, but Turtwig is on tight. Dwayne then orders Eevee to use Copycat, and as Eevee's body becomes engulfed in a dark aura, and Eevee turns and bites Turtwig's leg, and Turtwig finally lets go to tend to its injured leg. Dwayne then commands a Swift, and Turtwig uses Withdraw to defend himself, but still suffers some damage. Turtwig then gets struck by a fully-charged Tackle attack, and Dwayne subsequently throws a Poké Ball, successfully capturing Turtwig. Clara becomes happy that Turtwig has finally made a new friend other than herself and bids Dwayne goodbye as he continues on his journey.

In the middle of a forest on a peaceful day, Dwayne prepares for a delicious meal. While Dwayne is laying plates on the table, Zubat happily picks tasty oranges from the trees above. Dwayne below, Eevee calls up to Zubat, wanting an orange herself. Zubat sticks his tongue out at the Pokémon, however, and jumps up and down. But while doing so, he gets too excited and bangs his head on a branch above her and drops the orange out of his hand in shock and into the mouth of a hungry Eevee. Zubat drops down to the ground and starts to shout at Eevee for eating his orange, but Eevee doesn't seem interested. Turtwig then runs over and tries to break up the argument between the Pokémon, but is quickly slapped away by Eevee and Zubat, who don't want someone interfering in their quarrel. Zubat decides to take the fight to another level, and fires off a Air Cutter attack at Eevee, who responds with an Air Cutter of her own via Copycat. The two attacks collide, which bring Dwayne's attention to the squabble.

The two continue their fight, but Dwayne runs over and demands that they stop. Just then, Turtwig, angry at being slapped away before, jumps into the fray but is smacked again by Zubat's Quick Attack. Not impressed by this, Turtwig lets out a roar and attacks both Pokémon with a furious Razor Leaf attack. At this, both Zubat and Eevee stop bickering as Turtwig stands proudly between them. Dwayne thanks his Pokémon for breaking them up, and Turtwig bites onto his head affectionately. Dwayne laughs, and tries to shake Turtwig off, but is stopped when a voice from behind him calls out. Turning around, Dwayne is shocked to see the Trainer he had not long ago battled, Lazuli. Lazuli smirks at Dwayne's reaction.

The two exchange taunts, and Dwayne is again shocked to hear that Lazuli is also heading for the nearby Gym. Lazuli then asks if Turtwig is his, and Dwayne says that he caught it recently. Lazuli smirks, not looking impressed. Dwayne becomes angry at her arrogance, and demands a Pokémon battle from her. Lazuli agrees, pulling a Poké Ball from her belt and calls out Chimchar. Dwayne doesn't care about types, however, saying that he'll prove his Pokémon can withstand a type disadvantage. As they stand in position, Lazuli wonders if Dwayne will back out now, but Dwayne isn't about to back down and starts the battle off by ordering a Tackle.

Turtwig runs towards Chimchar, who jumps up on Lazuli's command and stops right in front of Turtwig before using a Scratch attack. Dwayne is shocked at the fire monkey's speed, but dismisses it and tells Turtwig to use Razor Leaf. Turtwig does so, but Chimchar somersaults backwards to avoid the attack. Lazuli then orders Chimchar to use Ember, which Dwayne tells his Pokémon to avoid. However, Turtwig just stands there and takes the attack, and is sent flying back. Dwayne asks what's wrong with Turtwig, wondering why his Pokémon didn't dodge any of the attacks it told it to. Turtwig only shakes its head however, and Dwayne continues to look confused. Noticing the sun, Dwayne has an idea and tells Turtwig to use Synthesis.

Lazuli isn't impressed, and tells Chimchar to use Flame Wheel. His Pokémon does so, leaping up before using the flames in its mouth to surround its whole body in fire and making a blazing wheel. Turtwig again makes no effort to try to avoid the attack, and is engulfed by fire. Chimchar jumps back after smashing into the injured Grass Pokémon, and Dwayne asks Turtwig if it can continue. Dwayne tells his Pokémon to attack again, but is stopped when a horde of Beedrill suddenly burst out of the woods and attack both Trainers. Dwayne orders Turtwig to use Razor Leaf, but the Beedrill simply use X-Scissor to cut the leaves in tiny peaces. Lazuli orders Chimchar to use Flame Wheel while Dwayne orders Turtwig to use Headbutt, and both attacks land onto the horde, causing an explosion that scare off the horde of Beedrill.

The force of the explosion, however, sends Dwayne, Lazuli and Chimchar over the edge of the cliff they were fighting on. Lazuli remains focused as they fall, however, landing on a protruding tree and then jumping down from branch to branch. While Lazuli does this, Dwayne continues to fall, grabbing hold of Turtwig and landing head first into the pool of water below. As he returns to surface, Dwayne hears a sound behind him, and looks over to see Lazuli calling Chimchar back into its Poké Ball. Lazuli then starts to walk into the forest, with Dwayne calling to her to no avail. Dwayne decides to try to take the opportunity to befriend Lazuli, but Lazuli makes it clear that she has no intention of being nice to, or cooperating with Dwayne. She then continues to walk, and Dwayne tries to follow.

Dwayne and Turtwig walk alone, with Lazuli gone off by herself. Dwayne looks around, wondering where the exit to the forest is. At that, a Stantler pops its head of some nearby bushes and stares hard at him. Dwayne smiles at Stantler, but is shocked to see its antlers light up. The light glowing from them entrances Dwayne and Turtwig, and before he knows it, Dwayne finds himself in a huge empty field. Deciding to keep on walking to try to get out, Dwayne walks forwards but soon finds himself right back at the pond that he and Turtwig fell into before Lazuli walked off by herself. Dwayne stares at the pool of water in shock, wondering how he could have come back here. He and Turtwig then walk back into the forest, only to be stopped by the Stantler again, who repeats what appears to be a Hypnosis attack which fools people into seeing things which aren't there.

This time, Dwayne and Turtwig are tricked into thinking that they are in the middle of a hot and vast desert. After some thinking, Dwayne realizes what is going on: The desert isn't real, and if he keeps on walking, he'll just be tricked again and end up right back where he started. The only way to get out of it will be for pain to snap him out, and so Dwayne tells Turtwig to bite his head. Turtwig does so, and the pain rips Dwayne out of the delusion and back into the forest. Dwayne soon finds that maybe it was safe in the illusion desert, as not one, but many Stantler appear and use their Hypnosis attack on Dwayne at the same time. This time Dwayne finds himself flying through the air happily with Turtwig by his side. In reality, Dwayne and Turtwig are flailing around the floor in deluded joy. Watching all of this is Lazuli, who isn't impressed by Dwayne being so easily manipulated by the Pokémon.

Lazuli then calls out his Chimchar, and orders it to use Ember on the Stantler surrounding Dwayne. The fire balls fly overhead, and the Stantler run off in fear, leaving Dwayne to slowly come out of his fantasy world. Dwayne is about to thank Lazuli for saving him, struggling as he didn't think she would have bothered after all the arguments the two had had recently. Just then, however, one of the Stantler appears and stares angrily at Lazuli for just attacking it. Lazuli isn't impressed, and tells his Chimchar to use Flame Wheel. Chimchar does so, rolling into a flaming ball and slamming hard into Stantler and knocking it back. As the Pokémon screams in pain, Lazuli throws a Poké Ball and catches it. Dwayne thanks Lazuli for helping him, but she doesn't appear interested as she examines the Poké Ball containing Stantler. Lazuli then throws the Poké Ball into the air and releases Stantler. Dwayne asks why she released it, and Lazuli tells him that it was too weak for her needs.

Later, Dwayne is trying to get Turtwig to eat an apple that he picked from a tree. Turtwig coolly tries to get Dwayne to eat it himself, but a stomach rumble makes them both think otherwise. Dwayne splits the apple in half and offers a piece to Turtwig. The two sit down and relax for a short while, eating their halves of the apple while Dwayne talks to Turtwig about them both being friends. Turtwig nods and agrees, but their talk is disturbed by another Stantler that appears from the bushes. Dwayne covers his eyes quickly, and runs in the opposite direction before slamming into a tree and causing a whole swarm of Beedrill. The Beedrill start to chase him. Dwayne is soon stopped, however, when he bumps into a large Ursaring. Although this scares the Beedrill away, Dwayne finds himself cowering in the shadow of a very angry bear. Turtwig isn't about to let Ursaring hurt his Trainer, however, and jumps up and Bites Ursaring's head as Ursaring tries to shake the young Grass-type Pokémon off. It manages to do so, but just as Ursaring is about to attack Dwayne himself, Turtwig launches itself and Headbutts the attacking Pokémon. Dwayne smiles and thanks Turtwig for saving him. He then tells Turtwig to use Razor Leaf.

Turtwig does so, and Dwayne compliments on his impressive power. This causes Ursaring to become even more infuriated. The angry Pokémon lets out an loud roar and fires a Hyper Beam into the air, before chasing Dwayne and Turtwig out of the forest as it stampedes behind them. Dwayne then notices Lazuli on the road in front of them, and they get out of the way as Lazuli tells Chimchar to use Flame Wheel to knock out Ursaring. Once again, Lazuli catches the Pokémon. Dwayne isn't impressed, however, and mumbles that even though she caught it, she probably won't keep it. Lazuli scans the Poké Ball, however, and liking what she sees, puts Ursaring's ball on her belt after concluding that the Pokémon is good enough to meet her standards. After a brief conversation, Lazuli says that they should have another Pokémon battle. Dwayne wonders what Pokémon Lazuli will use, and both Trainers get into their positions. Dwayne tells Turtwig to use Tackle, and Lazuli, using Chimchar, tells it to use Scratch. This time, however, when Dwayne tells Turtwig to dodge, Turtwig does so, making Chimchar's attack miss.

Dwayne then tells Turtwig to use Razor Leaf. Turtwig does so, and Chimchar counters with Ember. Both attacks produce a stalemate however, which leads Dwayne to taking a much more direct approach by telling Turtwig to use Headbutt. Lazuli remains cool and tells Chimchar to use Dig to dodge the attack. Chimchar digs underground, dodging the Headbutt and remaining safe. As Dwayne tries to work out where Chimchar will appear, Chimchar emerges from underground and lets loose a sneak attack at Turtwig. Dwayne tells Turtwig to keep calm and use Razor Leaf, but Lazuli just responds with another Dig attack. The monkey then pops out of one after another, mocking the Grass Pokémon and confusing it. Chimchar sees this, and jumps out behind Turtwig again and attacks it with its claws. Dwayne grits his teeth, but remains confident as he tells Turtwig to use Razor Leaf on Chimchar's holes. The attack enters the holes, flushing Chimchar out as it clutches itself painfully.

Lazuli isn't impressed, and tells her Pokémon to use Ember. The attack is avoided, however, as Dwayne tells Turtwig to jump into one of the holes to dodge. Dwayne asks Lazuli how that move was, but Lazuli just arrogantly chuckles and says that she's already thought of a way to deal with it. Lazuli tells Chimchar to use Ember on the holes to flush Turtwig out, just as Dwayne just did to her Pokémon. Turtwig is flung out of the hole, engulfed in flames. Dwayne tells Turtwig to use Synthesis to heal himself, which annoys Lazuli, who decides to finish off the battle quickly by ordering a Flame Wheel attack. Chimchar rolls quickly towards Turtwig, but Dwayne tells Turtwig to stand there. Turtwig is shocked, and wonders why his Trainer didn't tell it to dodge. Dwayne tells Turtwig to trust him, and at the last moment, Dwayne tells Turtwig to jump down the hole in front of it, which it does, avoiding the attack and catching Chimchar by surprise.

As the monkey tries to find Turtwig, Dwayne tells his Pokémon to use Tackle, and then to Bite Chimchar. Turtwig does so, and Chimchar flails around madly trying to shake the Grass Pokémon off. Lazuli decides to take the battle underground, and tells Chimchar to take it and Turtwig into one of the holes with it. Dwayne is shocked, and Lazuli smiles at his reaction and tells Chimchar to use Flame Wheel. Flames burst out of the ground's holes, and both Pokémon are thrust above ground, engulfed in fire. Dwayne asks if Turtwig is okay, and his gutsy Pokémon manages to get back up. Dwayne tells Turtwig to use Tackle, and Lazuli tells Chimchar to use Flame Wheel. The two Pokémon collide, but when the smoke clears, Chimchar is the one left standing and Turtwig is knocked out, leaving Lazuli as the winner. Dwayne falls to his knees and apologizes to Turtwig, before thanking him for putting up such a great fight. Chimchar dances happily and Lazuli scolds it for doing so. Dwayne calls out to Lazuli, but Lazuli doesn't care about what anyone as weak as Dwayne wants to say, and walks off. Dwayne then stares at the departing Lazuli full of anger, as he realizes that the two of them will never be friends, but after seeing how Lazuli treated her Pokémon, Dwayne actually prefer they stay as rivals, or even full-blown enemies.

Stopping at Route 202 for lunch, Dwayne, Gardevoir, Zubat, Eevee, and Turtwig are having their meal, when a flock of Starly fly by in blazing speed, causing some of the food to fly away, although Zubat quickly manages to catch them mid-air, and the act impresses a nearby Buneary, who jumps out of the bushes, and excitedly runs over to Zubat and starts fawning over him, much to Zubat's embarassment. Dwayne notes that Buneary has developed a crush on Zubat, which causes Zubat to gasp and become incredibly uncomfortable, although Buneary doesn't notice it. Dwayne then says that Buneary would become a great addition to their team and asks her if she wants to join his team, but Buneary responds with an Ice Beam that freezes Dwayne. Zubat breaks the ice with Air Cutter, and then scolds Buneary for attacking his Trainer, and Buneary seems upset.

Dwayne tells Zubat to not get so angry and again offers Buneary a place on his team, but Buneary refuses, not wanting to be caught so easily and makes a battling stance, and Dwayne realizes Buneary wants him to earn his capture and sends Turtwig to battle her. Buneary starts off with Dizzy Punch, but Turtwig successfully evades using Double Team, and Buneary seems confused on which Turtwig to aim. Buneary then uses Ice Beam whilst spinning, erasing all of the copies and eventually hitting the real Turtwig. Dwayne praises Buneary's intelligence and says she would become a great addition and orders Turtwig to use Razor Leaf. However, Buneary uses Bounce and hops from leaf to leaf and hits Turtwig with another Dizzy Punch.

Turtwig becomes confused, although Dwayne quickly recalls Turtwig and sends him back out immediately, curing his confusion, and orders a Headbutt, but Buneary dodges and uses Quick Attack, which hits Turtwig. Buneary uses another Dizzy Punch while Dwayne orders Turtwig to use Bite, and Turtwig bites onto Buneary's hand, and Dwayne tells Turtwig to swing Buneary around, and Turtwig spins while still biting onto Buneary's hand begins spinning wildly and Buneary becomes dizzy. Turtwig then lets go and Buneary is sent crashing onto a tree, and when she gets back up, she barely able to stand, dizzy from the spinning and stumbles around before Turtwig lands a direct Headbutt. Dwayne then throws a Poké Ball, which shakes for a while before Buneary breaks free. Dwayne again mentions that Buneary was powerful since she managed to break out, and orders Turtwig to use Razor Leaf, but Buneary uses Ice Beam, which encases the incoming leaves in ice, but they still keep coming towards Buneary, and the ice-covered Razor Leaf hits Buneary head-on, which knocks her out, and finally, Dwayne throws a second Poké Ball and captures the Rabbit Pokémon.

Immediately afterwards, Dwayne brings Buneary back out and heals her injuries with a Super Potion and says that they would become great friends. Buneary smiles at this, and hops onto Dwayne's shoulder before going back towards Zubat, once again fawning over him, but Zubat simply scratches his head, clearly uncomfortable, while Dwayne and his other Pokémon laugh at his reaction.

A few days later, Dwayne trains with Zubat, telling him to use Aerial Ace, and he does so, flying along the ground towards a target on the base of a tree. Dwayne tells him to pull up, and he flies up the trunk of the tree, before looping around for another go. However, this time Aerial Ace fails, and Zubat crash-lands, injuring himself. Dwayne rushes over to check if he is okay and Dwayne says that it is just a minor injury, and all he needs is a bandage and some potion. He comments that they still need to do some more practice on Aerial Ace. A nearby bush rustles and Rosebay steps out of it. After Dwayne introduces himself, Rosebay says that she is observing the Pokémon in the forest. Rosebay then shows him a Swablu nest in another part of the forest, before giving Dwayne her binoculars. Rosebay leads him to higher ground, before commenting that the Swablu should have returned to the nest by that time. She also mentions that the bird Pokémon population has recently been shrinking. Dwayne then offers to help her out.

Rosebay leads Dwayne to a Hoothoot colony, but nobody can see or hear any Hoothoot. Zubat flies down to the group and reports that he can't see any either. Dwayne asks if he feels better, then tells him to have one more look around. Meanwhile, four Swellow are flying through a valley. As they swoop around a corner they are surprised by a large net, which catches them and shakes them out into a cage underground. Two crooks walk into view, and mention that it was a good idea to put their trap there, as all the bird Pokémon in the forest fly through the valley. Zubat flies into the valley, noticing a group of three Swellow below him. All four get caught in the trap. Zubat gets up and notices all the bird Pokémon in cages around him. Some of them are pecking at their cage when the villains enter and laugh at them.

Dwayne becomes worried about Zubat, as he has been gone a long time. Rosebay realizes that all the bird Pokémon use the valley path, so that must be where they are. They decide to hurry there as Zubat might be in trouble. Inside the cages, Zubat walks up to a Hoothoot and starts talking with it. Up on the edge of the valley, Dwayne and Rosebay spot the villains, and Rosebay notices a Pidgeot in the net. Dwayne tells Turtwig to help it. Turtwig runs off and frees it from the net just as it is closing. Dwayne then orders Torracat and Pidgeot to gather as many bird Pokémon as they can find, in order to rip down the net. The rest of the group runs off to free the captured Pokémon.

In the underground base where the villains are guarding the door to the cage room, one of the crooks walks in and puts a ring around a Swablu, immobilizing it. Zubat and Hoothoot signal each other, and Hoothoot uses Hypnosis on the villain; he releases Swablu. As the humans approach the base, they sneak in the front door and climb down a ladder to an underground tunnel containing monitors for the security cameras. Dwayne sees Zubat on one of the monitors. In the meantime, the bird Pokémon and the hypnotized crook are digging an escape tunnel from the cage room. Two of the crooks wake up as a very large group of bird Pokémon fly towards their base. They panic when they notice Turtwig, who is leading the group from Pidgeot's back. Turtwig calls out to the Pokémon and they all attack the net, ripping it to pieces. The group, still underground, watches on the security camera screens. The villains rush to some controls. In the cage room, the hypnotized crook and Zubat are watching as all the other Pokémon leave through the escape tunnel, with Hoothoot leaving last. As the crook snaps out of the hypnosis, he calls in Metang, Electrode and Gabite. They surround Zubat, as the group runs into the room.

The ground starts to shake as the criminals's mecha rises from the ground. A ladder drops down, and the villains's Pokémon climb the ladder into the mecha. The villains introduce themselves as the Pokémon Pinchers from the Oblivia region, with their admins introducing themselves as Red Eyes, Blue Eyes and Purple Eyes. Purple Eyes admits to his comrades that he was hypnotized and let the Pokémon escape. Red Eyes pushes a button, and nets pop out of the mecha's arms. The Pokémon flee out of the escape tunnel, with the group following behind. The Pinchers then try to stomp on the group with their mecha, but they run out of the way, and the foot falls into the escape tunnel, making it fall over.

After they climb out of the remains of their mecha, Zubat uses Wing Attack, but Purple Eyes calls out Pidgeotto, and tells it to use Gust, which blows Zubat away as Dwayne comments on his strength. Blue tells Metang to fire Flash Cannon at Turtwig, who manages to dodge it. The groups start running toward each other when Zubat flies up high and starts to glow. His bandage falls off, and he evolves into Golbat. Golbat then uses Aerial Ace to defeat The Pinchers's Pokémon before knocking out the admins themselves. Golbat lands, and the other bird Pokémon then fly off, with Hoothoot waving goodbye to Golbat. Later, police officers arrive and arrest The Pinchers, and Rosebay thanks Dwayne for his help in freeing the Flying-type Pokémon, and Dwayne says it was a pleasure, before bidding her goodbye and continuing on his journey.

Dwayne arrives at Oreburgh City and reaches the Oreburgh Gym. Before he can enter, however, Lazuli and an older man walk out of the Gym. Dwayne asks if Lazuli has challenged the Gym Leader yet, but Lazuli looks distastefully at Dwayne and says that the Gym Leader isn't even there. The older man explains that the Gym Leader is not at the Gym. The man then goes onto tell Dwayne that the Gym specializes in Rock-type Pokémon. Dwayne is surprised by this, and the comment catches Lazuli's attention. At this, Lazuli abruptly decides to go find a Pokémon Center.

Inside, Dwayne asks where the Gym Leader, Roark, has gone. He explains that Roark has gone to the Oreburgh Mines, and tells Dwayne that Oreburgh's main resource is the coal and various minerals that it gets through the large mine. At the mine, several large and strong Fighting-type Pokémon carry materials and equipment through the mine and outside area. At this, two men pushing forward a mining cart with a huge lump of rock in it walk out of the mine, followed by Roark who asks for them to wait. Roark walks over to the mining cart, and begins to rub the large stone that it is carrying, smiling as the rock appears to have some sort of face. As the cart is taken away, Roark asks who Dwayne is. Dwayne asks if he is the Gym Leader, saying that he's come to challenge him for a Gym Badge. Roark smiles and is embarrassed and he starts rubbing the back of his head remembering that as a Gym Leader, he has to be available to take Gym challenges. However, he was so preoccupied with his latest discovery that he just forgot: the rock in the mining cart could actually have contained a real Pokémon that had been fossilized a long time ago.

Back at the Gym, Roark explains his discovery to the old man, who is his referee, at the desk, saying that he found something amazing. At this, Lazuli walks into the Gym and walks over to Roark, saying that she's ready for her Gym Challenge. At the Gym battlefield, the field opens up to reveal a large rocky field. The referee explains that the battle will be a three-on-three battle, and at this Roark, sends out his first Pokémon, Geodude—a staple for Rock Pokémon Gym Leaders.

Lazuli then sends out her first Pokémon, Ludicolo. Dwayne remarks that Ludicolo is both a Water and Grass-type Pokémon, the perfect counter to a Rock Pokémon. Lazuli orders Ludicolo to use Hydro Pump, but is deflected perfectly by Geodude using Hidden Power. Ludicolo is sent flying, and Roark uses this to his advantage to tell Geodude to use Rollout to attack again. Geodude does so, smashing right into Ludicolo and sending it flying again. Ludicolo smashes right into the ground, and is declared unable to battle by the referee. Lazuli curses Ludicolo for its weakness, infuriating Dwayne, and sends out her next Pokémon, Elekid, which surprises Roark.

Lazuli tells her Elekid to attack with Brick Break. Elekid does so, smashing its fist right into Geodude and sending it flying back. The sheer force of the punch knocks Geodude right out, and the referee declares it unable to battle. Roark then sends out his next Pokémon, Onix. Lazuli tries to get Onix with Brick Break again, but Onix dodges easily. Onix swings its tail around and brings it down hard on Elekid's head, but Elekid manages to use Protect at the last minute and stop the attack. Onix manages to smash through the Protect, however, and Elekid goes flying. Roark then commands Onix to use Stealth Rock. Shards of rock all fly to the edges of the arena and implant themselves into it. Onix then slams right into Elekid with its tail. It jumps back however, as Elekid's Static Ability makes any Pokémon that touches it paralyzed.

The two Pokémon clash again, but Elekid doesn't appear to be able to go on, so Lazuli recalls it back to its Poké Ball to recover. Lazuli then sends out her next Pokémon, Chimchar, who is instantly attacked by the Stealth Rock. Chimchar is hurt but manages to survive the attack. Lazuli tells Chimchar to use Dig, and Roark tells Onix to watch out for Chimchar who could appear at any moment. Chimchar appears right below Onix and damaging it, much to Roark's surprise. The two continue to battle, but due to Onix's restricted actions due to being paralyzed, Chimchar is able to attack again and again with Dig. Eventually, Onix is knocked out and declared unable to battle.

Roark thanks Lazuli, saying it's been a good battle so far, before sending out his final Pokémon, Cranidos. Lazuli tells Chimchar to go underground again with Dig, and Roark tells Cranidos to focus and then use Headbutt. Cranidos does so, waiting for Chimchar to emerge and then smashes into it using Headbutt. Lazuli again tells Chimchar to Dig, but by now, Roark has caught onto Lazuli's plan and tells Cranidos to use Zen Headbutt. It smashes into Chimchar, sending it sliding across the ground. Roark tells his Pokémon to attack again, and Lazuli tries to get Chimchar to dodge with Dig. But Zen Headbutt has the side-effect of making a Pokémon flinch and unable to attack or dodge. Cranidos repeats its attack over and over, battering Chimchar to almost being knocked out. However, at this moment, Chimchar begins to glow a fiery red, signaling the unlocking of its special Ability, Blaze.

Dwayne knows that Blaze powers up a Fire-type Pokémon's attacks when they are low on energy. Roark realizes he has to finish this fast, and calls for another Zen Headbutt. Lazuli then tells Chimchar to use Flame Wheel, and Chimchar runs towards the oncoming Cranidos, turning into a blazing ball of fire. Chimchar smashes straight into and past Cranidos, causing it to reel back in pain at the force of the attack. Chimchar repeats the attack, before going underground for another Dig. Roark tells Cranidos to use Headbutt when Chimchar appears. It does so, smashing Chimchar down into the ground and knocking it out. Lazuli recalls it into the Poké Ball, angry with it for its defeat and promising to deal with it later.

Lazuli has one last chance however, and calls out Elekid who is again attacked by the Stealth Rock laid down by Onix before. Roark tells Cranidos to use Flamethrower, which Elekid dodges before smashing its fist right into Cranidos's knee and causing it to reel back in pain as the Static Ability of Elekid runs through its body and causes it to be paralyzed. Cranidos shakes off the static, however, as Roark explains his own Pokémon's special Ability, Mold Breaker. However, just as Cranidos is about to attack, the knee injury that Elekid just gave it kicks in, making it an easy target for Elekid's Thunder Punch attack which smashes right into Cranidos's head. Cranidos then smacks Elekid square in the chest with a Flamethrower. It then uses Zen Headbutt and Elekid uses Brick Break. The two attacks hit and there is an explosion as both Pokémon are knocked back. The two Pokémon the stand facing each other. Both of them are very tired, but Cranidos falls down first and is declared unable to battle by the Gym's referee.

Roark congratulates Lazuli for a great battle, and presents her with a Coal Badge for her victory. Dwayne isn't about to let Lazuli get all the glory however, and vows to get his first Badge next. Dwayne asks if Lazuli would watch his battle, and Lazuli laughs, sarcastically asking if Dwayne really wanted her to watch him lose. Roark tells Lazuli she's free to stay and watch and Lazuli, now mildly amused, agrees. Dwayne is ready to battle straight away, but Roark tells Dwayne that both he and his Pokémon have been through a tough battle and requests that they battle the next day, to which Dwayne agrees still determined to show Lazuli how good he is as a Trainer.

At the Pokémon Center, Lazuli heals her Pokémon. She turns to see Dwayne, who is choosing which Pokémon he is going to use against Roark. Dwayne notes that Turtwig is the only one of his Pokémon who has an advantage against Rock-types, and ultimately chooses Buneary and Eevee as his other choices. While those three are happy, Golbat is extremely upset that he's being left out, and Dwayne apologises and promises he'll get to go up next time. Dwayne then wonders what he'll do during his match.

Suddenly, Lazuli turns up and tells Dwayne that all he has to do is imitate her. Of course, Dwayne refuses to treat his Pokémon the way Lazuli does. Just then, a small boy runs up to Lazuli, thanking her for the Ludicolo Lazuli gave him. Dwayne, knowing this Ludicolo is the same one that quickly lost to Roark's Geodude in his Gym battle, is furious that Lazuli gave away her Ludicolo just because it lost. Dwayne then tells Lazuli that he thought Ludicolo was her friend and just because it lost, Lazuli could still keep training it. Lazuli tells Dwayne that Ludicolo was, in her opinion, never going to get any better and reminds Dwayne that he said he wanted to win. Dwayne knows he does, but not the way Lazuli does. With that, Lazuli leaves and Dwayne vows never to lose to her again. Dwayne then wonders what Elekid and Chimchar think of Lazuli.

The next day, Dwayne and Roark prepare for their Gym battle. After the rules are stated, Dwayne is sure that he will show Lazuli his skills. Roark first sends out his Cranidos, surprising Dwayne, who expected Roark to save Cranidos for last as he did with Lazuli. Dwayne decides to start things off with Eevee, hoping to win using his resilliance. The referee begins the match, and Dwayne commands Eevee to use Tackle. Eevee jumps into the air to launch the attack. Roark notes the smart move by Dwayne, getting Eevee into the air should give him an advantage with Cranidos stuck on the ground. Nonetheless, Roark tells Cranidos to use Headbutt and Cranidos surprises everyone by jumping into the air and hitting Eevee in the stomach with Headbutt. After Eevee hits the ground, Roark has Cranidos use Flamethrower. Dwayne is able to keep Eevee out of harm's way by having her dodge, and Eevee follows up with Swift, sending Cranidos reeling back. Dwayne now has Eevee use Copycat, throwing Cranidos's Flamethrower back it, so Roark has Cranidos counter with Zen Headbutt. Both attacks collide, causing a massive explosion. However, Eevee comes out of it the worst, as she flies into Dwayne's arms, unable to battle. Dwayne recalls Eevee for some rest and decides to use Buneary next.

Right off the bat, Dwayne has Buneary to use Ice Beam and Roark commands Cranidos to dodge and use Zen Headbutt. Although Cranidos successfully avoids the Ice Beam, Buneary strikes back with Dizzy Punch, landing a direct hit and knocking Cranidos backwards and smashing down one of the rocks on the Gym floor. Dwayne believes that should finish Cranidos off, however it surprises him by quickly getting back on its feet and using Headbutt. Buneary tries to dodge and use Ice Beam by jumping into the air, but Cranidos jumps as well, hitting Buneary and cancelling out the attack. Buneary tries to use Ice Beam again, but is thwarted by Cranidos's Zen Headbutt. Again, Cranidos uses Headbutt on Buneary, knocking it to the ground. Unimpressed, Lazuli gets up to leave, believing Dwayne has already lost. However, Buneary suddenly shows her fighting spirit by letting off a powerful roar, making Lazuli regain interest.

Dwayne tells Torracat to use Bounce while Cranidos is told to counter with Flamethrower. However, Buneary dodges it and successfully lands Bounce on Cranidos's head. Amazingly, despite all of the damage, Cranidos still manages to recover and stay in the battle. Roark then tells Cranidos to use Head Smash, a move he didn't use in the battle against Lazuli. Dwayne, too, takes a chance, and counters with Quick Attack despite the risk of recoil. The two scream towards each other full of power and collide, causing a massive explosion and injuring both Pokémon.

Dwayne decides that Buneary needs to be recalled for now and sends out Turtwig. Dwayne begins with Razor Leaf, but Cranidos fires back with Flamethrower which burns the leaves. Turtwig, however, is quick enough to dodge the Flamethrower and uses Bite on Cranidos's arm. Cranidos then uses Zen Headbutt, and scores a direct hit, sending Turtwig flying. Cranidos is then told to use Flamethrower, and it scores a direct hit on Turtwig, causing major damage. However, Turtwig is able to survive the hit and, on Dwayne's command, uses Razor Leaf. This time, it hits dead on, sending Cranidos crashing through a rock on the battlefield and finally knocking it out. Dwayne is happy with Turtwig, but doesn't allow himself to celebrate knowing that he went through far too much to knock out only one Pokémon.

Roark sends out Onix as his second Pokémon, while Dwayne keeps Turtwig in. Turtwig is told to use Razor Leaf, but Onix is speedy enough to dodge the attack and is told to use Double-Edge, which scores a direct hit on Turtwig and knocks it out, having suffered massive damage already from Cranidos's Flamethrower. Dwayne sends out Buneary again, but Buneary is already exhausted and damaged from the battle against Cranidos and Dwayne knows that Buneary won't last long. Onix uses Slam, countering Buneary's Dizzy Punch and causing an explosion, causing both Pokémon damage however, it's Buneary who comes out of it the worst.

Dwayne is struggling, and suddenly gets a flash of inspiration and tells Buneary to use Bounce on the field. Onix attempts Double-Edge. However, the debris from Buneary's attack hits Onix, causing the move to fail. Dwayne is happy, and for a few seconds it actually seems Buneary may be able to turn the match around. Dwayne then tells Torracat to use Quick Attack, but Onix is told to use Screech. Onix fires the Screech, stopping Buneary in her tracks for a few seconds before sending her flying to nearby rocks. Buneary tries to get back up, but it turns out that Screech pushed her over the edge and she faints. The referee declares Buneary as unable to battle, therefore the match is over with Roark the winner, meaning no Badge for Dwayne. As Dwayne picks up his exhausted partner, Lazuli leaves, but not before making it known that her opinion of Dwayne is as low as ever.

The next day, Dwayne trains with his Pokémon and encourages them to grow stronger. Eevee, Buneary, and Turtwig launch Swift, Dizzy Punch, and Razor Leaf attacks respectively at coal ore pillars, shattering them with ease. In the outskirts of Oreburgh City, a Seedot falls down a branch and kicks a Nuzleaf off. It continues sleeping, landing on a Vileplume, running off into the forest. The next morning, the Vileplume continues running, emitting pollen and causing the Nuzleaf to sneeze, making the Vileplume run faster and dislodging Nuzleaf. It wakes up and realizes it is not at the tree. It tries to find its way back, running and falling off a cliff.

Meanwhile, Dwayne and his Pokémon continue their training. They notice a gust of wind nearby and rush to check it. A Nurse Joy tries to approach the same Nuzleaf, but it attacks with Razor Leaf. Nuzleaf attacks Dwayne, but he avoids the attack. Dwayne mentions that Nuzleaf are generally afraid of humans, but nonetheless steps forward and hides his hands, approaching and getting down eye level, keeping Nuzleaf calm. Dwayne pulls a leaf off a tree and blows on it like a whistle, calming Nuzleaf more. Dwayne hands it an Oran Berry, but it refuses. Dwayne calls for Eevee and has her eat some of the Oran before offering it to Nuzleaf. Nuzleaf accepts it as Dwayne presents a whole plate full of Berries. Nurse Joy notices how Dwayne was able to calm the Pokémon as he uses a Super Potion on Nuzleaf's wound, healing it. Nurse Joy mentions that the thousand year old tree nearby houses the Seedot evolutionary family, the only area to spot the Seedot family in the vicinity. Dwayne and Joy decide to take the Nuzleaf to the tree.

As the two walk, Eevee and Nuzleaf bond. Three poachers appear, disguised as Shiftry and pretend to be lost and ask Dwayne and Joy to lead them to the tree, but Dwayne sees right through their disguise by commenting on their odd appearance and height, and, with his eyes half-open, sighs and tells them to introduce themselves. The poachers remove their disguises and use a bazooka net to nab both Nuzleaf and Eevee. Before they get away, Dwayne grabs the net as they fly away.

The poachers put the Pokémon in a cage and bind Dwayne to a tree. Dwayne tries to find a way to get free as the poachers get hungry, noting that the food they have is merely garnish, not a complete meal. Dwayne gets an idea and says that he can turn the food into a full meal. They release him and Dwayne makes a full course meal, with the poachers diving in. They are so occupied by the food that Dwayne manages to slip away, taking the whole cage and darting away. When they get far enough, Dwayne has Eevee try to open the cage. She manages to bend a bar, but not enough, and Eevee becomes sad. Dwayne reassures his Pokémon and she tries again, and charges up and speeds foward with full-force, breaking the cage and freeing herself and Nuzleaf, with Dwayne noting that instead of using Tackle, Eevee just learned Double-Edge.

Meanwhile, Nurse Joy continues to search for Dwayne. As she continues searching, Dwayne continues on, Nuzleaf riding on top of Eevee. They see the tree and continue on while the poachers also search for Dwayne after he slipped away. Dwayne runs into a fast-moving river and decides to cross. Knowing Eevee hates getting her fur wet, he recalls her, but Nuzleaf crashes to the ground and starts crying. Dwayne brings Eevee back out and tells her that Nuzleaf needs her. They start crossing, taking it slowly. Eevee almost slips at one point, but Dwayne catches her. Just as they reach the end, Dwayne takes Nuzleaf off Eevee as the poachers arrive nearby. One of the poachers sends out Seviper, and Dwayne sends out Turtwig. Seviper uses Bite, but Turtwig takes it without blinking. Effortlessly, Turtwig uses Headbutt to send Seviper back. Seviper rushes forward with Poison Tail, but Turtwig's Razor Leaf stops it, causing an explosion, creating black smoke that Nurse Joy spots, running towards it. Seviper uses Wrap on Turtwig, but he still manages to use Razor Leaf. While Seviper continues to Wrap, Turtwig repeats Razor Leaf multiple times, eventually dislodging Seviper and knocking it out. Dwayne congratulates Turtwig but notices him sitting there unresponsive, knocked out as well.

Dwayne recalls Turtwig as the other poacher sends Croagunk to attack with Poison Sting. Eevee shields Nuzleaf. Eevee steps up and dodges Croagunk's Brick Break before hitting with Double-Edge. Croagunk uses Poison Sting, but Eevee uses Swift that overwhelms Poison Sting. Nurse Joy arrives and wants to step in and battle, but Dwayne declines in that Eevee can handle this by herself. Croagunk fires another Poison Sting, with Eevee blocking and charging forward with another Double-Edge. Croagunk pins Eevee to the ground, but Eevee uses Swift to throw Croagunk off. Croagunk tries another Poison Sting, but Eevee dodges and uses Double-Edge to knock out Croagunk.

The other poacher prepares to send out his Pokémon, but a gust of wind overcomes the field as a real Shiftry appears. The poachers try to convince Shiftry that Dwayne and Joy are the bad guys and they slip away while Shiftry advances. However, the poachers gets back in their vehicle, and grabs Nuzleaf and place him in a cage. Shiftry uses Razor Wind to pop the vehicle's tires and free Nuzleaf. Shiftry saves Nuzleaf from the fall with a gust of wind. Dwayne has Eevee use Copycat to mimic Shiftry's Razor Wind to take down the poachers for good. Nuzleaf returns to the tree as Dwayne and Joy wait for the authorities to arrest the poachers. After the poachers are arrested, Joy thanks Dwayne for his support and the two head their separate ways as Ryder returns to Oreburgh City to continue his training.

After finishing his training, Dwayne returns to the Oreburgh Gym and challenges Roark to a rematch, to which the Gym Leader accepts. Roark sends out his Onix and Dwayne sends out Eevee. Eevee uses Double-Edge, but Onix quickly uses Slam. Eevee quickly dodges the attack and climbs onto Onix. Onix uses Screech to get Eevee off, but it fails. Onix tries to shake Eevee off, but she holds on tight. Eevee quickly uses Swift and hits Onix. Onix uses Double-Edge, but Dwayne tells Eevee to spin, avoiding the attack, and Eevee uses Double-Edge herself. Onix dodges the move, and then Onix slams Eevee right down to the ground. Onix uses Stealth Rock, but Eevee uses Swift and destroys every rock near it. It also hits Onix badly. Dwayne tells Eevee to use Double-Edge again. Roark tells Onix to use Screech, but before it got a chance, Onix gets hit, knocking Onix out. Roark recalls Onix and sends out Geodude. Dwayne decides to recall Eevee and sends out Buneary.

Buneary uses Ice Beam on Geodude. It misses as Geodude uses Rollout. Buneary uses Quick Attack, but Geodude blocks the attack. Geodude uses Seismic Toss and Rollout on Buneary, but she dodges the Rollout. Buneary uses Ice Beam and knocks Geodude out. Roark exclaims he has a surprise and sends out his Rampardos, which shocks Dwayne, and Roark mentions that Cranidos evolved due to the experience it obtained during its previous battle with Dwayne. Buneary uses Dizzy Punch, but it doesn't affect Rampardos at all. Rampardos uses Headbutt, but before Buneary can dodge it, she is hit and knocked out. Buneary gets recalled and switched for Eevee.

Dwayne tells Eevee to use Swift, but Rampardos dodges and uses Zen Headbutt. Eevee tries to jump away, but is hurt by the Zen Headbutt. Eevee uses Double-Edge. Rampardos is about to use Headbutt, but Eevee jumps away. Rampardos throws Eevee off with its tail, and uses Zen Headbutt while Eevee returns the act via Copycat, but Eevee gets the worst of the collision. Rampardos uses Zen Headbutt one more time and Eevee is knocked out.

For his final Pokémon, Dwayne sends out Turtwig. Rampardos uses Headbutt, but Turtwig rolls away. Rampardos is about to hit Turtwig with its tail, but Turtwig bites it. Turtwig tosses Rampardos away. Turtwig uses Razor Leaf, but Rampardos burns it with Flamethrower. Rampardos uses Head Smash. Turtwig uses Razor Leaf, but is hit. Turtwig uses Synthesis to heal himself while Rampardos is suffering from the recoil from Head Smash, but Rampardos quickly snaps out of the recoil and uses Flamethrower, forcing Turtwig to stop Synthesis to dodge the attack. Dwayne begins to panic because all he can do is defend himself. Rampardos is way too fast and Flamethrower will negate any Razor Leaf thrown at it, but this suddenly gives Dwayne an idea. He orders Turtwig to start running while using Razor Leaf at the same time. Rampardos uses Flamethrower, but Turtwig keeps going and soon the burned leaves begin to obscure Turtwig. Roark soon realizes Dwayne is trying to camouflage Turtwig with the burned leaves, so he orders Rampardos uses Zen Headbutt again. Rampardos charges forward, but Turtwig jumps away. Rampardos jumps, too, but it then shows that Turtwig is rolling under Rampardos. Rampardos is hit with a close-range Razor Leaf, knocking Rampardos out.

The referee declares Dwayne the winner, and Dwayne celebrates with Turtwig. Roark recalls Rampardos and congratulates Dwayne on his victory. Dwayne is the presented his first Sinnoh Badge, the Coal Badge. Dwayne thanks Roark for pushing his limits and gladly retrieves the Badge. Outside the Gym, Dwayne once more thanks Roark for the battle, and Roark suggests Dwayne head towards Eterna City for his next Gym battle. Dwayne accepts and departs from Oreburgh City.

On the way to Eterna City, Dwayne comes across a beautiful flower garden. He notices a Salamence flying by. Someone's riding the Salamence, and that someone is none other than the notorious Pokémon Hunter Cage, and he's here to steal Melodi's Gardevoir. While Melodi is watering flowers in her garden, Cage arrives to do the evil deed. Cage brings out his Shiny Dustox, and Dustox uses String Shot to bind Melodi to the tree. Melodi orders Gardevoir to use Teleport. Dwayne notices the danger Melodi is in, and rushes to help her. Cage uses his heat-seeking goggles to track Gardevoir. After locating Gardevoir, Cage uses his Cement Cannon to turn Gardevoir to stone. Cage informs his minions he has captured the Gardevoir, and the minions arrive to take Gardevoir.

After freeing Melodi, Dwayne summons Eevee, and they chase the truck, and as they run after the truck, they use the mountain path to head Cage off. Dwayne and Eevee confront Cage and demand he returns Melodi's Gardevoir. Cage becomes interested in Eevee, and decides to capture her, but first wants to watch Eevee's other attacks. He calls out his Drapion and Eevee responds with Double-Edge, and Drapion quickly dodges it. Cage's Dustox uses String Shot on Dwayne, binding him to a boulder, and Eevee uses Copycat to return the String Shot back at Dustox, binding it and prevent it from moving. However, Cage promptly freezes Eevee with his cannon. With Eevee stolen, Cage recalls his Drapion and Dustox, and leaves. Dwayne informs Melodi he wasn't able to rescue Gardevoir, and he got his Eevee stolen. Melodi then gets Dwayne untied. Dwayne and Melodi continue to chase the truck, but Cage escapes in a giant airship.

Officer Jenny and her Arcanine arrive, because they came as soon as they could when they learned that Cage was here, but they were too late to stop him. Jenny tells everyone about Cage's evil acts. Dwayne grows furious and vows to rescue his Eevee from Cage. Jenny has no idea where Cage went, because his identity is a mystery as no ever saw him without his mask on. After Cage steals others people's Pokémon, he makes his leave in his airship. Dwayne tells Jenny they can't chase Cage and the only way could catch Cage in the act is as if they could predict the next place he'll strike next. Melodi calls out her Kirlia so that the group will find out where Cage will strike next. Using its Future Sight, Kirlia shows the group Cage's next strike point. The next place Cage will strike is a small house with a waterwheel, right near the river, down at the end of the woods. Jenny notifies the other officers that she has determined Cage's next strike point and orders the officers to surround the area. After Jenny leaves, Melodi wonders if they'll get there in time, and Dwayne summons his own Gardevoir, and commands her teleport himself and Melodi towards Cage's location.

They spot Cage stealing an Absol and prepare to confront him. Dwayne demands Eevee back and Jenny, like all police officers, puts Cage under arrest. Cage thinks he should commend Dwayne for discovering his base, but orders Salamence to use Hyper Beam. Arcanine counters with Flamethrower. Arcanine is knocked out. Cage takes the Absol and makes his leave. Dwayne grabs onto one of Cage's vehicles. Melodi and Jenny try to stop Cage, but the truck takes off for Cage's base.

Dwayne infiltrates Cage's base. In the room where Cage has all the Pokémon he stole, as one of his minions catalog them, Dwayne's Golbat peeks into the room and flies back to tell his Trainer. Cage notices Golbat left the door open. He is now aware of Dwayne's presence and orders his henchmen to find him. As Dwayne and Golbat search for Eevee, Cage and his Drapion appear and capture Dwayne. Golbat hits Cage's Drapion with Aerial Ace, freeing Dwayen's from the scorpion's clutches. Dwayne sends out his Turtwig to assist Golbat in the battle. Drapion uses Poison Sting, but Golbat and Turtwig counter with Aerial Ace and Razor Leaf, but their attacks don't damage the evil scorpion. Drapion hits Golbat and Turtwig with Cross Poison.

Cage's henchmen have Dwayne, Golbat and Turtwig cornered, but they duck into the vents as Cage's minions continue to run after them. As Cage's minions chase after Dwayne, Turtwig takes them out with Razor Leaf. They enter the room where Golbat found Eevee and Melodi's Gardevoir. They rescue them, and are afterwards cornered by Cage's henchmen. One of Cage's minions sends out a Zubat. Before Zubat can attack with its Steel Wing, Dwayne tells Golbat to use Aerial Ace. Zubat gets back in the air and uses Supersonic, but Golbat hits Zubat with Quick Attack. The attack sends Zubat crashing into the airlock, destroying it and causing the air to rush out of the room. As everyone holds on, Dwayne recalls Turtwig and orders Golbat to find Jenny.

Cage notices what's happening and orders his ship's driver to detach the pod Dwayne and eevee are in. He'll need another Gardevoir and Absol for his clients. Cage's henchmen draw close to Dwayne and Eevee, who are still ready to battle. They notice the pod they are in had detached from the ship. Jenny and Melodi notice the pod Dwayne and Eevee are in is plummeting. As the pod plummets to the ground, both Gardevoir's use Teleport, and the two Psychic-type Pokémon successfully rescue, Dwayne, Eevee, Cage's henchmen and the imprisoned Absol escape from falling to their deaths. The Trainers are happy after being reunited with their Pokémon. Jenny lassos Cage's minions and places them under arrest. Jenny thanks Dwayne and Melodi for the capture of Cage's henchmen.

Dwayne rants about Cage's crime spree, but Melodi tells him Jenny will capture Cage one day. Dwayne gazes at the sunset, and continues his way to Eterna City. He passes through Eterna Forest, and sees a woman trying to catch a Burmy. She is using a Chansey, who uses Attract. Burmy is Attracted, and she seems very happy. Dwayne comments that she has to attack a Pokémon to make sure she catches it. The woman takes his advice and Chansey uses Double Slap. Burmy uses Protect, but Chansey uses Egg Bomb, and the woman throws her Friend Ball. She catches the Burmy. She thanks Dwayne, and tells him that she has three Wormadam. She throws their Poké Balls, and they come out to confirm what she said. She says that all her Burmy were females. Dwayne inquires why she wanted a male. She tells him she wants the end result to be a Mothim. The woman introduces herself as Lori, and says she is a treasure hunter. She says she wants to fill in the empty space in her grandfather's collection of treasures, and needs just a bit of the Enchanted Honey, which is sweeter than any other honey. Curious, Dwayne offers to help Lori evolve Burmy, to which she gladly accepts.

Lori takes out her Burmy and tells the Wormadam to cheer him on. Dwayne takes out his Turtwig and tells it to go easy on Burmy. Burmy starts out with a Tackle, but it bounces off Turtwig. Turtwig uses Tackle back, and Burmy is thrown back. All his leaves fall off, and two cover Turtwig's eyes. Turtwig panics, and it accidentally tackles Burmy, who loses. Dwayne says that Turtwig is being a little rough, so he calls him back. He calls out Golbat, and Golbat uses a very weak Quick Attack, which Burmy takes weakly. Lori tells Burmy not to give up, and use Tackle. Golbat doesn't dodge it, and pretends to be damaged severely. Suddenly, Burmy evolves into Mothim. Then, all is well until Mothim picks up a scent. Dwayne and Lori run after Mothim.

They pursue Mothim, the Pokémon racing towards a tree with a spot of honey, snacking along with a Caterpie and Ledyba. Dwayne notices that the area looks familiar, and they realize that they came back to the tree Lori had slathered Honey on earlier. He notices that it is getting late and that they should postpone the search until the next day. They set up camp and rest for the night. The next day, the two set off and Lori notices that Mothim is quite excited. As they head through the forest, Lori gets strung up by a bunch of vines. Dwayne sends Turtwig to cut the vines with Razor Leaf. She falls and Dwayne catches her, but a bunch of Kakuna fall out of the tree as well. They hear Mothim calling out and everyone returns to the search, finding Mothim above a group of shrubs. Mothim dives down and sends a Gloom jumping up. Suddenly, a woman steps out of nowhere and mouths off facts about Gloom. The Gloom jumps over the group and casts a foul stench, forcing everyone to hold their breath as the Pokémon escapes. The woman was upset that she could not catch it, but she notices Dwayne's Turtwig and rushes to hug him. She commends how strong the Pokémon is as Dwayne introduces himself. The woman identifies herself as Gardenia, a Grass-type Trainer.

Gardenia challenges Dwayne to a battle, and he accepts. Gardenia mentions that the Eterna Gym Leader is a Grass-type Trainer, so Dwayne knows it will be good practice. The battle between Dwayne and Gardenia is set for two-on-two, Gardenia sending out Cherubi against Dwayne's Turtwig. Dwayne starts with Turtwig's Tackle attack, scoring an easy hit and following up with Razor Leaf. Cherubi runs around wildly to avoid the attack as Gardenia watches intently, surprisingly calling Cherubi back. While Gardenia praises Turtwig, Dwayne realizes that she was simply analyzing Turtwig's abilities. She throws another Poké Ball, and her next Pokémon is also a Turtwig. Dwayne decides to show off some speed with a fast Tackle attack. At the last second, Gardenia's Turtwig dodges the attack, shocking everyone. Dwayne tries to repeat another Tackle, but again, Gardenia's Turtwig dodges, sending Dwayne's Turtwig crashing into a tree. Gardenia orders Turtwig to fire a Leech Seed, impacting and constricting Dwayne's, draining energy. Dwayne's Turtwig is helpless against Gardenia's Turtwig, which uses a speedy Tackle attack to send Dwayne's Turtwig against the tree and knocking him out. Lori notes that Gardenia's Turtwig was faster than Dwayne's and moved rarely, but when it did, outpaced Dwayne's Turtwig by a lot.

Dwayne sends out Golbat next, thinking that the type advantage and flying speed can overcome Turtwig. Golbat launches Air Cutter, but Turtwig is surprisingly able to dodge Golbat's attack at the last moment. Even after repeated Air Cutters, Turtwig was able to dodge. Dwayne loses his cool and decides on Golbat's Aerial Ace, knowing that the attack is unavoidable. However, Turtwig jumps up at the last moment and Golbat is sent crashing into the bushes. When he does come back around, Turtwig pummels Golbat with Leaf Storm and Golbat is pinned to a tree, and is knocked out cold. Dwayne recalls Golbat as Lori introduces herself, her Mothim circling Gardenia.

The group sits around a fire as Lori tells Gardenia about the search for the Enchanted Honey. Lori mentions her reason is that her grandfather did not find the honey and that she wants to find it. Gardenia agrees to help, mentioning that the Combee are connected and that she knows a spot where Combee gather to form the Combee wall. They decide to go the next morning, knowing that Gardenia has extensive knowledge of the forest. They find some of the flowers as a Nuzleaf carrying a message shows up, which causes Gardenia to split from the group. Mothim flies around the flowers as they notice Mothim excited. A Combee appears and flies off. Dwayne and Lori run after the Combee as they continue to head towards their goal.

The two come across a large Pomeg flower. When Mothim tries to land on it, a Combee flies away from it. They quickly lose sight of it. They decide to follow the Pomeg flowers. Mothim spots something and suddenly a large Combee wall flies out of a bush. The two give chase. They end up near a waterfall with many Combee walls around. Mothim flies off towards the waterfall. They notice a cave behind the waterfall, and decide that the Amber Castle must be there.

Mothim beckons down one of the cave's passages. Mothim sniffs the air, and Lori mentions that Mothim must be able to smell the honey. Mothim races off down the tunnel. In the darkest depths of the cave, Dwayne and Lori can't decide which way to go. Mothim calls out to them and they come across a large room going down, with blue light coming from it. They walk down the spiral path around the edge of the room. Suddenly, Mothim flies into a tunnel in the wall, and they start to follow, but lose him. Dwayne tries to run after them, but Lori stops him, reminding him that they need to stay together. They pick a path and follow it, only to reach a dead end. They are wondering whether they had been that way before, with Lori commenting that it all looks the same. Suddenly, Mothim appears in front of them and happily greets them. Mothim then looks worried, as a large group of angry Combee fly past, and they decide to follow and come across some men digging up some holes.

The silhouette hisses again and the Combee angrily surround the diggers. Dwayne comments that their digging must have made the Combee angry. The silhouette hisses again, and the Combee counter with glowing beams of light. Lori tells Mothim to use Psybeam to stop the attacks. Dwayne and Lori decide to find another path.

They are following another path when it suddenly gets very dark. Mothim seems excited, so they keep going, but Dwayne walks into a wall, which seems to be moving. They realize that it is a giant Combee wall, and the Combee start attacking them. Mothim uses Psybeam and the wall crumbles, revealing the Amber Castle. They enter the Castle to find honey flowing everywhere. The silhouette is revealed to be a Vespiquen. Lori walks up to the Vespiquen to ask for some enchanted honey and is immediately surrounded by angry Combee. She apologizes for forcing her way into the Amber Castle, saying that her dream was to find it. Suddenly, the diggers break through the roof of the castle and say they are going to take all the enchanted honey, and Vespiquen counters with Attack Order, but when the attacks stop, the castle starts to crack.

The honey starts to leak, so the diggers start loading buckets with honey. Lori sends out her Surskit, which uses Ice Beam to seal the cracks in the walls. Dwayne points out that it is only a temporary fix, as the ice will quickly melt. The Combee fly down until they are just above the honey. Dwayne and Lori decide to fix the walls and they begin to pile up rocks to cover the cracks. The ice starts to melt, so the diggers decide to leave, but are stopped by Mothim's Hidden Power, surrounded by Combee and attacked with Attack Order. One of the diggers quickly pills out an umbrella, which they hide behind. However, Vespiquen uses Power Gem, sending the diggers flying through several floors of the cave. The Combee have calmed down, and they start using the honey to seal the cracks in the walls. Vespiquen then flies up and hands Lori a jar of enchanted honey. Lori thanks Vespiquen and then gives Dwayne a taste of the enchanted honey. That evening, Dwayne and Lori walk to a clearing in the forest. Then, Lori spots a Beedrill, and runs off, claiming her grandfather told her that if she saw a Beedrill, she should travel alone, and Dwayne waves her goodbye while laughing at her antics. Dwayne then continues towards Eterna City.

Rhonda, the anchor of Sinnoh Now points out the upcoming Pokémon Dress-Up Contest with the prize of a mystery Pokémon Egg. The camera crew gets closer and the microphone guy hits her in the face. She gets mad at first, but still being on the air, she changes her tone. The Pokémon Dress-Up Contest opens with Rhonda, wearing a Cherrim mask, giving the opening remarks and introducing the judges: Mr. Sukizo, Officer Jenny wearing a Growlithe hat, and Nurse Joy wearing a Chansey hat. Dwayne watches from the stands as another spectator tells Dwayne about its popularity and that the goal is for a Pokémon to imitate another as closely as possible.

While a commercial runs, Dwayne runs backstage to enter. Dwayne releases his Pokémon as Dwayne looks at them, and ultimately decides to choose Turtwig. The contest starts with a Mightyena imitating a Suicune, which gets a decent grade. A Swalot tries to mimic a Grimer, but it only gets one judge. Koffing tries to look like a Togepi, but it also scores one. Weepinbell acts like a Sunkern, which gets a perfect score. A Gyarados tries to mimic a Caterpie, but it only gets one. Kakuna appears as a Crawdaunt, getting a two. Doduo tries to imitate a Dodrio, but fails miserably. The defending champion shows up with a singing Chatot, singing like a Jigglypuff and scoring perfect. Dwayne steps up with Turtwig, mimicking a Torchic, easily getting the crowd's attention and a great score.

The final rounds start with Dwayne and the defending champion. The defending champion goes first by changing Chatot's singing to match a Lapras (but it instead la-la-la's Jigglypuff's song), which causes the defending champion to panic and disrupt the song, earning him a terrible score. Dwayne then has Turtwig eat a spicy Berry and command him to use "Ember" and the spicy Berry causes Turtwig to launch a small fireball due to its burning mouth, earning a perfect score, and Dwayne quickly follows up by stuffing Turtwig's mouth with water to ease the burn. The spotlight converges finally focuses on Dwayne, announcing him the winner, earning him the Egg. As Dwayne gets handed the Egg, he asks what kind Pokémon would hatch from it, but Nurse Joy tells him it was a surprise, and he would have to wait. Dwayne then celebrates his victory with his new Egg, excited at what it would hatch into.

On his way to Eterna City, Dwayne cuddles his Egg and tells it that it couldn't wait for it to hatch. Just then, a man carrying a fainted Bellsprout passes by Dwayne. Another man passes by while carrying a fainted Zigzagoon. Dwayne asks him what happened, and the man explains that a powerful Buizel attacked them while he was fishing and warns him not to go fishing. Dwayne decides that he wants to catch the Buizel. Dwayne begins fishing in the lake, while at first having no luck in getting a bite.

A girl arrives and comments that Dwayne sure was noisy. The girl introduces herself as Sadie, and Dwayne asks her if she is there to fish, as Sadie says yes. Dwayne explains to her that he's fishing because he heard that a powerful Buizel was in the lake. Dwayne then asks her if she was a Trainer, to which Sadie replies positively and shows off her four Badges, to which Dwayne replies he'd only obtained one so far, but Sadie tells him that the number of Badges wasn't important, and she could tell that Dwayne was quite talented. Sadie then points out that his fishing rod has a bite. Dwayne reels in a Buizel and becomes delighted as a result.

Dwayne brings out Golbat to battle Buizel, as Buizel signals for them to bring it on. Golbat uses Quick Attack and Buizel dodges. Buizel uses Water Gun, sending Golbat into the air, but Golbat regains balance. Golbat uses another Quick Attack, as Buizel counters with Aqua Jet a few times. While Golbat is very dizzy, Buizel jumps up into the air and uses one more Aqua Jet, which knocks Golbat out. Dwayne recalls Golbat while Buizel again motions for him to bring it on, and Sadie decides to battle Buizel next.

Sadie brings out her Glameow to battle Buizel. Glameow jumps into the air and uses Shadow Claw, while Buizel dodges and uses Sonic Boom. Glameow uses its Iron Tail to knock away the Sonic Boom attack waves. Buizel uses Water Gun, while Glameow jumps and uses Fury Swipes, as Buizel counters with Aqua Jet. Aqua Jet and Fury Swipes collide, as the Aqua Jet sends Glameow into the ground. Buizel uses another Aqua Jet to knock Glameow out. Buizel motion for them to bring it on, as Dwayne decides to battle him again.

Dwayne uses Turtwig to go up against Buizel. Sadie tells Dwayne that using a Grass-type should give him the advantage in the battle, but to be careful since Buizel is very strong regardless. Turtwig uses Razor Leaf, while Buizel dodges. Buizel uses Sonic Boom, while Turtwig dodges and uses Tackle. Buizel dodges the Tackle and jumps into the air. Turtwig lands a hit with Tackle, knocking Buizel to the ground, but he gets right back up. Buizel uses Sonic Boom on Turtwig as he takes the hit. Turtwig uses Razor Leaf, while Buizel counters with Water Gun. The Razor Leaf goes through to knock out Buizel. Dwayne throws a Poké Ball to try to catch Buizel, but Buizel breaks free. Buizel uses Aqua Jet on Turtwig, while sending him into the water. Dwayne tells Turtwig to try to swim to shore, but Buizel jumps into the air, and comes down to push Turtwig further into the water with his leg. Turtwig tries to use Razor Leaf, but Buizel uses Sonic Boom, sending Turtwig flying. Turtwig lands on Dwayne's head and is knocked out as they hit the ground.

Buizel steals Dwayne's fishing rod, and swims away with it. Dwayne yells to Buizel that he's not giving up. Dwayne and Sadie agree that they will not give up, as they run after Buizel. Dwayne and Sadie come to a waterfall, and notice that Dwayne's fishing rod is lying on the ground by some rocks. They see Buizel smashing rocks with his Water Gun attack, as Buizel spots them. Dwayne and Sadie look at Buizel nervously, as Buizel uses his Water Gun towards Dwayne. The Water Gun appeared to be aimed at Dwayne, but instead was aimed at an Oran Berry in a tree. Buizel eats the Oran Berry, recovering his strength. Dwayne tells Buizel that they are going to have another battle, as Buizel uses Aqua Jet on Dwayne and dives into the water. Buizel uses Water Gun from underwater. Buizel uses Aqua Jet again out of the water.

Sadie comments that Buizel must be doing some special training, while Dwayne says it only makes him wanna capture Buizel even more. Buizel motions for Dwayne to battle with him, and Dwayne sends out Buneary. Buneary uses Ice Beam and Buizel uses Water Gun. Buizel's Water Gun pushes back Ice Beam and knocks down Torracat. Buneary uses Bounce, while Buizel dodges it as Sadie says that Buizel is as slippery as always. Buizel uses Sonic Boom, while Buneary dodges it. Buizel uses Aqua Jet to send Buneary to the ground. Buneary uses Ice Beam in the air, while Buizel dodges and uses Water Gun. Buneary dodges Water Gun, and suddenly, Dwayne gets an idea, and tells Buneary to use Ice Beam while he spins, which creates a swirling Ice Beam surrounding Buizel. Buneary jumps and dives while using Quick Attack. Buizel uses Aqua Jet to counter as they hit head on. Buizel hits the ground, as Dwayne throws his Poké Ball, and Buneary looks exhausted. The Poké Ball shakes around, but Buizel still comes out of it.

Buizel uses Sonic Boom to send Buneary into the water, as Sadie comments that Buneary is completely worn out. Dwayne tells Buneary to stay in the water, as Buizel gets ready to use Aqua Jet. Buizel uses Aqua Jet, while Buneary uses Ice Beam to freeze the water, and Buizel crash lands directly onto the hard ice, damaging it, and Buneary knocks it down with a Dizzy Punch. Changing tactics, Dwayne throws a Dive Ball instead of a regular Poké Ball, hoping that it'll work with Buneary having reached her limit. The Dive Ball shakes around, and finally shows that Buizel is caught. Dwayne celebrates his catch, as Buneary faints after so much battling. Later that day as the sun sets, Sadie tells Dwayne that she will return the stolen fishing rods back to where they belong. She says to make sure to take Buneary to a Pokémon Center, and that she is going to stay and catch some Pokémon. She tells Dwayne that she will see him at the Sinnoh League. Dwayne and Sadie part ways, with Dwayne becoming glad to have a found a friendly rival in Sinnoh.

Shortly thereafter, while making a stop for lunch, Dwayne sends out his newly-caught Buizel to meet his other Pokémon. Buizel doesn't even smile or return the welcome, looking away. Golbat angrily extends his wing for a shake, but Buizel pushes him away, almost starting a fight. Dwayne breaks them up, but the tension is still high as he realizes that Buizel spent most of his life alone. When Dwayne offers to battle, Buizel immediately accepts. Dwayne decides to pit Turtwig against Buizel, starting off with a Razor Leaf attack. Dwayne commands Buizel to dodge and fire Water Gun, but Buizel instead launches straight into an Aqua Jet attack, hitting Turtwig. Turtwig shakes it off and races forward for a Bite attack. Buizel again disobeys Dwayne's order to dodge, instead letting Turtwig bite his arm, leaving it vulnerable to multiple close-range Sonic Boom attacks. Turtwig flies backwards, knocked out from the fierce attack. It appears that Dwayne is unable to control his powerful Buizel as he decides to go to a nearby Pokémon Center. Dwayne wants to put Buizel back in his Dive Ball, but ultimately decides not to in order to try and bond with Buizel.

At the Center, Nurse Joy tends to Turtwig. Nearby, a person reading a book takes note of Dwayne scolding Buizel for disobeying him. While he waits, Dwayne watches a televised battle between a Trainer and Elite Four member Lucian. As he watches Lucian's Girafarig knock out the opponent's Scizor against a boulder, Buizel watches with extreme awe. Girafarig dodges Scizor's Slash attacks before jumping up and letting Scizor's claw get stuck in a rock, jumping up top and firing Psybeam, knocking Scizor out. Dwayne is amazed when Lucian walks up right next to him, discussing the battle and meeting the young Trainer.

Dwayne sits down with Lucian, realizing that Trainers that win a Pokémon League Conference earn the right to enter the Champion League, where they will battle the Elite Four and the Pokémon League Champion. Lucian covers the Sinnoh Elite Four members and their preferred types, as well as the Champion Cynthia, before pointing out that Trainers must work through the Elite Four before rightfully challenging Cynthia. Dwayne curses himself for not realizing it sooner, having won the Hoenn League, but having left Hoenn before challenging the Champion League, but Lucian laughs and says that Dwayne could challenge it at anytime and there was no expiration date. Excited, Buizel challenges Lucian to a battle, though Dwayne tells him not to be so rude and apologizes to Lucian, telling him he just recently caught Buizel, but Lucian accepts the challenge nonetheless.

Outside, Buizel prepares to battle as Lucian sends out Bronzong to battle. Buizel goes first with Water Gun, disobeying Dwayne's Aqua Jet request, but Bronzong's Iron Defense nullifies the attack. Dwayne orders Aqua Jet again, but Buizel proceeds to fire Sonic Boom, which Iron Defense also stops. Bronzong charges with Gyro Ball. Dwayne orders Buizel to dodge, but he proceeds to meet the attack head on with Aqua Jet. Bronzong easily overpowers Buizel, knocking him down. Buizel gets up, which amazes Lucian. Lucian decides to command Flash Cannon, and Bronzong rotates and charging power. Buizel tries to stop it with Water Gun, but it fails and the blast knocks Buizel against a tree before letting him fall to the ground. Buizel struggles to get up, but he falls to the ground knocked out. Lucian apologizes to Dwayne for getting carried away, insisting that he go to Nurse Joy. As Lucian walks away, Dwayne is amazed at Lucian's skills and that none of Buizel's attacks caused damage.

Back inside, Nurse Joy finishes treating Buizel. The Pokémon wakes up, physically okay but very depressed after losing for the first time, especially considering that when Dwayne first encountered him, Buizel was virtually unbeatable. Dwayne tries to comfort Buizel, but without success. Joy offers Buizel a bowl of soup, and Dwayne decides to try and cheer Buizel up as he offers Buizel a chance to swim, but Buizel is unresponsive. Lucian shows up and finds out about Buizel's mood swing, mentioning that Buizel is trying to emotionally deal with the first strike of defeat. Lucian approaches Buizel and says that while Buizel was strong, he was also arrogant, and Buizel becomes defensive, but after Lucian points out that Buizel wasn't following Dwayne's commands because Buizel believed he was strong enough to battle by himself, Buizel realizes that Lucian is right.

Buizel then walks up to Dwayne and bows down, clearly apologizing for his disobedience, but Dwayne asks him to lift his head, and tells Buizel that they would work together to become stronger, and Buizel immediately regains his fighting spirit, and Lucian offers them a rematch if it would help Buizel feel better, and both Dwayne and Buizel immediately accept the offer. Bronzong launches Gyro Ball, but Buizel obeys Dwayne's request to dodge before going into Aqua Jet. Iron Defense stops it, but the attack causes Bronzong to spin. Buizel fires Water Gun, but another Iron Defense stops it. Lucian then recalls Bronzong, ending the duel. Lucian points out that Dwayne and Buizel worked together that time, knowing that it will continue to improve. As Lucian sets off, Dwayne and Buizel share a fist bump, knowing that they'll work together to become more powerful and eventually reach the same heights as the Elite Four.

Dwayne finally arrives in Eterna City. But on his way to the Eterna Gym, he hears the alarm going off at the Eterna Historical Museum, and Officer Jenny and her Stunky are summoned to investigate. The Adamant Orb has been stolen, and it shouldn't take a guess or two to figure out who's to blame—the Pokémon Pinchers as the thieves are quickly spotted, alongside their Sunflora. Dwayne and Jenny arrive to confront the robbers, but Blue Eyes calls out Seviper and has Seviper use Haze. The crooks disappear, but the exits lock off.

More Police officers rush to the scene of the crime. Gardenia arrives at the investigation, and Dwayne greets her. Gardenia tells Dwayne what the police told her—the crooks used a Grass-type to steal the orb. Officer Jenny arrives with her first suspect—a Trainer named Alvin. Alvin claims he isn't the crook because he came to the museum to study the history of the Sinnoh region. Gardenia believes Alvin's story, because she battled him earlier at her Gym. Officer Jenny doesn't believe his story, because she has a picture of a Sunflora stealing the orb. Alvin had a Sunflora with him, but it managed to sneak out of its Poké Ball before the police nabbed him. Alvin is then brought in for questioning.

The Officer Jenny of Viridian City arrives and tells them it's her day off. The Viridian Jenny tells the Eterna Jenny that all Trainers with Sunflora must be investigated, and not just Alvin, but the Eterna Jenny doesn't listen to her, and tells her not to get involved. Security Guards and Police Officers surround the museum. There wasn't a way for the Pinchers to get out with police everywhere, so they decide to fight their way out. Gardenia explains that the orb the Pinchers stole was somehow linked with the Legendary Pokémon, Dialga and Palkia. Dwayne sets out to catch the crooks. Meanwhile, in the interrogation room, Alvin keeps trying to tell Jenny he is innocent, but Jenny continues to refuse to listen to him.

Alvin's Sunflora, after sneaking out of its Poké Ball, is walking around the museum. Two Security Guards spot Sunflora, and Sunflora Leech Seeds them. Sunflora soon runs into Dwayne's Eevee and Buneary, and seeds them, too. Sunflora quickly ducks into the vents. Dwayne finds Eevee and Buneary seeded, while the Security Guards, after having somehow freed themselves from the Leech Seed, report to Officer Jenny. In the room the Pinchers are hiding in, the Security Guards take a look inside. The Pinchers hide on the ceiling so the guards won't spot them. Then, the guards leave. The Pinchers drop from the ceiling. The vent Sunflora is in leads into the room the Pinchers are hiding in. Buizel and Gardevoir have caught Sunflora, but Sunflora tells them the Sunflora in the room the Pinchers are in is the real thief. Buizel decides to attack, but Gardevoir prevents Buizel from doing so. Gardevoir runs back to tell Dwayne. The Pinchers spot Sunflora and Buizel, and Red Eyes's Skorupi attacks them with Pin Missile.

Meanwhile, Gardevoir is leading Dwayne, Gardenia and Jenny towards the Pinchers's location. The Pinchers, still in disguise, walk past them, trying to act nonchalant. Sunflora attacks them with Cut, and their disguises fall off. Gardenia and Dwayne conclude that Alvin's Sunflora isn't the criminal, and that the Pinchers are the real criminals. The Pinchers reveal they were hired to steal the Adamant Orb by another group, and Dwayne demands they return the orb, but they refuse. Gardevoir, Golbat, Buizel, Eevee, Turtwig, Buneary, Alvin's Sunflora, and Gardenia's Turtwig surround them, but they can't use their attacks, because they could harm the Adamant Orb.

The Eterna City Jenny and her Stunky arrive on the scene and Stunky sprays the Pinchers filling the room with its Stench. The orb falls out of Purple Eyes's hands, and Gardenia's Turtwig quickly responds with a Leaf Storm. The orb lands in Gardenia's hands. The Pinchers make a run for it while the Pokémon surrounding them are holding their noses, but the cops who were surrounding the museum have them cornered. The stink starts to spread outside the museum, forcing the cops to cover their noses and thus allowing the Pinchers to escape. After that, everyone outside is happy that the Adamant Orb is returned. Dwayne still wants to know the full legend of the creation trio, and Alvin tells him about Arceus, who helped shape the world by creating Dialga and Palkia before creating three other Pokémon to act as the world's spirit. Dwayne is confused, the legend raising more questions than answers. Viridian Jenny poses another question that remains unanswered; who hired the Pinchers to steal the Adamant Orb. While everyone puts forwards familiar names, no-one can be sure who is responsible. For now the mystery will have to remain unanswered.

Meanwhile, high above Eterna City, a helicopter flies away from the city. Inside are members of a different, unfamiliar organization. The pilots remark what a mistake it was to entrust the bungling Pinchers with stealing the Adamant Orb while their Commander sits in the back, unimpressed. Stealing the Adamant Orb will have to wait for another day.

Dwayne arrives at the Eterna Gym for his second Sinnoh Gym battle. Gardenia arrives shortly after and they prepare for their official battle. The Gym battle begins, set for a three-on-three battle. Gardenia summons Cherubi as Dwayne sends out Turtwig. Dwayne goes first with Headbutt, but Cherubi dodges easily. Turtwig follows up with Razor Leaf, but Cherubi dodges effortlessly and gets behind Turtwig. Dwayne notices the harsh sunlight, enabling Cherubi's Chlorophyll Ability to double Cherubi's Speed. Cherubi fires an instant Solar Beam attack, but Turtwig jumps up to dodge. Thinking it will take time to fire another, Dwayne commands Turtwig to use Razor Leaf, but Cherubi fires another quick Solar Beam, negating the Razor Leaf and hitting Turtwig. Cherubi uses Magical Leaf, but Dwayne quickly recalls Turtwig, with Gardenia praising his decision to substitute.

Dwayne sends out Golbat next. Cherubi launches Solar Beam, but Golbat dodges and uses Air Cutter, but Cherubi dodges and fires Solar Beam. The quick charge fails as clouds now obscure the sun. Cherubi switches to Magical Leaf as Golbat bolts straight up, eventually getting out of range. Golbat turns around and descends slowly with Aerial Ace, stunning everyone. Golbat lines up with the sunlight, which returns intensely and blinds Cherubi, rendering it vulnerable to the attack. Golbat follows up with another Aerial Ace to knock out Cherubi.

Gardenia calls Cherubi back, praising Dwayne's tactics before sending out her Turtwig. Dwayne notices Golbat's slight anger at losing to Turtwig before, wanting redemption. Golbat uses Air Cutter as Turtwig dodges quickly. Dwayne orders multiple Air Cutters as Turtwig dodges them all. The tactic grows old and irritates Gardenia, but she realizes too late that Turtwig fell into a trap, backpedaling until it got wedged into a tree. Golbat hits the immobilized Pokémon with Aerial Ace, sending it flying back but not knocking it out. Golbat quickly follows with Air Cutter, but Turtwig's Leech Seed connects and saps Golbat's energy, exposing him to Turtwig's Tackle and knocking him out. Dwayne recalls Golbat, praising the Pokémon as he brings his Turtwig back out for a rematch.

Dwayne's Turtwig uses Headbutt, but Gardenia's Turtwig dodges and fires Leaf Storm. Dwayne's Turtwig climbs into a tree, dodges and starts circling Gardenia's. Dwayne's Turtwig tries to attack from behind with Bite, but Gardenia's fires Leech Seed to drain Dwayne's Turtwig of energy, much like before. Turtwig struggles to rise as Dwayne quickly orders Synthesis. Gardenia's Turtwig fires Leaf Storm, but Dwayne's Turtwig quickly dodges and leaps into the sunlight, fully healing. Dwayne's Turtwig fires Razor Leaf and hits Gardenia's. Dwayne's Turtwig rushes with Headbutt to match Gardenia's Turtwig's Tackle, both hitting and both Pokémon withstanding the attack. Both are exhausted and Dwayne's almost falters, but Gardenia's Turtwig crumples first. Gardenia praises Dwayne's bond with his Pokémon as she prepares her last Pokémon.

Gardenia summons Roserade as her final. Turtwig uses Headbutt, but Roserade suavely uses Grass Knot to trip Turtwig before using Weather Ball, turned to a Fire-type move with the sunlight, to torch Turtwig and knock it out. Dwayne pulls out Buneary as his finale. Buneary uses Quick Attack and charges, but Grass Knot eliminates her momentum. However, Buneary quickly recovers and uses another Quick Attack. Roserade fires Magical Leaf, but Buneary easily dodges through the trees. Roserade grabs Buneary with vines from its bouquets and throws her down before using Flash to blind the Pokémon. Buneary uses Dizzy Punch, but being blind, she simply thrashes about while Roserade steps aside, hitting with Magical Leaf. Buneary gets back up, still blind and thrashing about.

Dwayne tells Buneary to calm down and use her ears instead. Roserade uses another fiery Weather Ball, but Buneary's hearing allows her to use Bounce to deflect the attack, and Roserade ends up being blasted by its own Weather Ball. Roserade uses Magical Leaf, but Buneary regains her sight and uses Ice Beam to push the attack back towards Roserade, who is heaved into a tree, breaking it in the process, before slamming into a wall and fainting, giving Dwayne the win. Dwayne hugs Buneary at triumphing on the opponent's home field. At sunset, Gardenia gives Dwayne the Forest Badge. Dwayne holds the Badge high as he celebrates with his Pokémon.

Dwayne rides down the Cycling Road, and has his Pokémon Egg in his basket. He looks up to find that a storm is about to roll in. The center of Dwayne's Egg glows white, signaling that it's ready to hatch. Seeing a Pokémon Center up ahead, Dwayne decides to stop there to hatch the Egg. When he enters the Pokémon Center, the place is empty. It is a mess inside. Dwayne calls out to see if anyone's around, and a Chansey wanders out from behind a corner, holding a bucket and mop. Dwayne says that he has an Egg that will be hatching soon and asks if Nurse Joy is around. Chansey gives a sigh and turns toward the open back door. Outside is a depressed Nurse Joy facing a tree. Joy begins to whine about how awful and deserted her Pokémon Center is and that it's been like that since the Cycling Road first opened. Dwayne concludes that it's because all the biking Trainers keep passing the center. Joy continues to whine, saying that her Pokémon Center is forgotten by the whole world. Dwayne says that he needs help hatching a new life. Joy just says she's no good. Dwayne just holds the case out to her, and she's about to take it from Dwayne when the center of the Egg glows again. She gasps and says that the Egg's going to hatch very soon.

Dwayne and Joy are in an exam room. On the table sits the Egg, which has electrodes placed around its middle. Nurse Joy begins to worry about if the Egg won't hatch correctly, but Chansey snaps her out of it. She begins to gain a bit more confidence. Dwayne explains that they're going to need some warm water and plenty of clean towels. The water has finished boiling. The Egg is lighting up repeatedly, meaning that it's only moments before it hatches. Chansey is monitoring some waves on a computer screen. Nurse Joy moves a stethoscope around the shell and says the heartbeat and pulse are normal. Dwayne arrives with a stack of white towels, and swirls the water around to cool it down some. Nurse Joy turns around and sees the Egg glowing very bright. Beams of white light appear all over the shell. When the light fades, a Happiny is born. She opens her eyes and everyone gasps in excitement. She rolls over on her back but manages to right herself. Nurse Joy picks up Happiny and congratulates Dwayne on the new arrival. She hands the newborn to Dwayne, and says that she is very cute, and Dwayne gently rocks her. It is then time for her first bath. Dwayne then places her in the tub of warm water, to which she becomes very happy and content. As Dwayne bathes Happiny, he introduces himself. He gently scratches one of the round bumps on her forehead and she begins to giggle. He takes her out of the tub and dries her off, then tells Nurse Joy that it was because of her that Happiny hatched safe and healthy. Joy begins blushing and says that she should be the one thanking him. Chansey pats her on the back and she remembers that she has to prepare some food for Happiny.

Dwayne feeds Happiny a spoonful of baby food. Suddenly, she starts to cry. Dwayne thinks it's because she wants a stone to hold. Nurse Joy notes that Happiny love carrying round white stones in their pouches because they want to imitate Chansey and Blissey. Dwayne says he'll go out and find her a stone, then picks her up and hands her to Nurse Joy. As he's about to leave, Happiny begins screaming. Joy says Happiny doesn't want Dwayne to leave, and says she'll find some rocks.

Outside, Joy and Chansey roll a cart filled with white rocks up to Dwayne and Happiny. Happiny is surprised at all the rocks. Dwayne looks at a few of them and finds a good enough stone. He takes out a rock polisher and begins to shape the stone so it will look like an Egg. He says that it has to be small, smooth and light enough to fit in Happiny's pouch comfortably. As he works on the stone, Happiny toddles around and plays with Chansey. Dwayne is finished working on the stone. He holds it out to Happiny, to which she jumps in delight. She toddles over and puts the stone into her pouch. She dances around happily, and then takes the stone out of her pouch and holds it out to Dwayne. Joy explains that Happiny give their stones to a person that they like.

Dwayne thanks Happiny, then stretches her pouch out a bit and plops the stone back in. He holds her up high, but now it's Happiny's turn: She hops out of Dwayne's hands and lifts him up by the foot. She bounces him up and down a few times and then tosses him up several feet into the air. He lands on his head, and Happiny looks a bit questioning. He takes a Poké Ball out and promises they're going to have fun together. Gardevoir, Chansey, Buizel and Happiny are washing the doors and windows and Dwayne is mopping the floor. Nurse Joy comes out of an exam room and says the Pokémon he left with her are feeling much better. Dwayne is eager to see the Hearthome Gym and Joy thanks him once again for helping her. Dwayne then hops on his bike and continues towards Hearthome City.

In a stadium filled with people, Lucian and Cynthia are battling with their Pokémon, Bronzong and Garchomp. Bronzong used its Flash Cannon on Garchomp which Garchomp was easily able to escape, coming out unscathed by blocking the attack with its fin. Dwayne sits in a Pokémon Center, watching the battle on television. Garchomp was able to use Giga Impact, knocking out Lucian's Bronzong. Dwayne then overhears someone say that Cynthia had shown up at a place called Amity Square.

Elsewhere, Cynthia seems indecisive about what kind of ice cream she wanted. She is later seen with a stone containing images of Palkia and Dialga. Dwayne and a large crowd of people show up around Cynthia. All of sudden, Lazuli shows up, much to Dwayne's surprise. She then challenges Cynthia to a battle. Many people in the crowd are shocked at this action, and even more so when Cynthia agrees. Lazuli requests a six-on-six match. Cynthia calls out her Garchomp, while Lazuli chooses Chimchar; a choice that surprises Cynthia, as well as the crowd, due to its disadvantage as a Fire-type. Lazuli commands Chimchar to use Fire Spin and then Dig. Once hit with Fire Spin, Garchomp also used Dig under Cynthia's command. The dig collided with Chimchar, knocking it out. As Lazuli recalls it, she scolds it for its loss, which isn't sitting too well with either Cynthia or Dwayne.

Lazuli then uses Weavile, a much better type matchup. She commands for her Weavile to use Blizzard, and despite being a super-effective hit, it does not faze Garchomp at all. Garchomp then uses Dragon Rush, which causes Weavile to freeze instead of trying to dodge. Lazuli tells Weavile to use Ice Beam. However, Garchomp is able to dodge the attack twice and slams itself into Weavile, knocking it out cold. Lazuli then sends out Murkrow. Immediately, she tells Murkrow to use Haze, which Garchomp dodges. Murkrow flies behind Garchomp and Lazuli tells it to use Sky Attack. Cynthia has Garchomp counter with Giga Impact. After returning his fallen Murkrow, Lazuli shows a rough smile while Dwayne, the crowd, as well as Cynthia are confused as to why she is doing so, due to having lost half of her team in short order. Lazuli then sends out Torterra.

She commands Torterra to use Giga Drain. Since Giga Impact left Garchomp unable to move, Giga Drain was able to hit and it causes Garchomp to kneel down, much to the surprise of the crowd. After Giga Drain, Torterra uses Frenzy Plant and it causes dust to kick up. When the dust clears, Garchomp is seen blocking attack with its fins, much to Lazuli's astonishment. Cynthia then tells Garchomp to use Brick Break. Garchomp pushes the vines from Frenzy Plant away and jumps into the air, hitting Torterra with Brick Break on its head, taking it down and out.

Lazuli then gives up the battle, to which the crowd responds by poking fun at her. Dwayne, with new found respect, rebukes the crowd and compliments Lazuli on a great battle, to which Lazuli responds with an arrogant smirk. Lazuli says goodbye to Cynthia and walks away. Dwayne realizes that isn't where the Pokémon Center is, and Cynthia demands that Lazuli go to the Center to heal her Pokémon. Unfortunately, when they get there, Nurse Joy claims that she needs to perform surgery on an injured Pokémon. Cynthia decides to heal Lazuli's Pokémon by herself, to which Dwayne says that he'd love to help out, to which Cynthia thanks him for. Cynthia treats Lazuli's Torterra. She moves over to Chimchar, giving it a pill, and Chimchar falls asleep. Cynthia then tells Lazuli that her Pokémon are all healed and well trained, especially her Torterra.

Lazuli then reveals that Torterra was her very first Pokémon. She also says that she traveled around Kanto, Johto and Hoenn, where she caught her Murkrow and Weavile, respectively, and won their respective Pokémon League Conferences before coming back to Sinnoh, where she caught her Chimchar. When Cynthia compliments Chimchar, Lazuli complains that Chimchar didn't do well against Garchomp. Dwayne then argues that she didn't care how many Pokémon got hurt, to which Lazuli responds by saying what his point was. Dwayne asks why Lazuli doesn't care about her Pokémon's happiness. Lazuli claims that her Pokémon will become spoiled and not try hard enough in battle, and Chimchar was the perfect example. Dwayne becomes angrier, saying that she has to support her Pokémon. Upon Lazuli saying that she wants to become stronger, Cynthia takes the two of them back to the stone tablet she was at earlier in Amity Square, and reads it to them. She claims that before reading this tablet, she used to train endlessly. Then, she discovered that all Pokémon have different personalities and she wanted to get to know all of them.

Meanwhile, back at the Pokémon Center, a group of thieves attempt to steal Lazuli's Pokémon. Before trying to steal all of her Pokémon, Nurse Joy catches them. They make a run for it, just grabbing Chimchar. Outside the center, Dwayne, Cynthia, and Lazuli are headed back and see the thieves with Chimchar. They chase after them, who try to make a get away in their SUV. Chimchar then wakes up, using Ember on the thieves. Before Dwayne can react and call out Golbat, Lazuli sends out her Ursaring and tells it to use Hyper Beam. Chimchar jumps away from the SUV right before the attack collides with it, sending the thieves flying out of the car and onto a nearby tree. Chimchar falls to the ground, getting injured once more. However, Lazuli doesn't care, calling Chimchar useless for being captured by criminals. Dwayne says that it wasn't Chimchar's fault since Chimchar was sleeping. Cynthia is able to stop the yelling, mentioning that what matters now is that Chimchar is okay. She advises Lazuli to stay the night at the Center, and she accepts her recommendation. Later, Cynthia and Dwayne watch as Sinnoh Now reports that the Lustrous Orb, an item related to the Legendary Pokémon Palkia, has just been uncovered by archaeologists at the Celestic Town ruins. The Lustrous Orb is related to the Adamant Orb, on display at the Eterna Historical Museum. Cynthia then decides it is time to head to Celestic Town, saying goodbye to Dwayne.

At Mt. Coronet, Dwayne encounters a Shieldon. Just then, a vehicle containing Cage's henchmen appears. One of them comes out and Dwayne tells his Eevee to use Double-Edge. The henchman responds by sending a Golbat, which avoids Eevee's attack and hits her with Wing Attack. Suddenly, Robyn Oak appears with his Magnezone, which hits Cage's henchmen with Steel Beam. Magnezone picks up Shieldon and runs away along with Robyn and Dwayne. Elsewhere, Cage commands his henchmen to capture the Shieldon. Robyn and Dwayne arrive at a place where the Shieldon live. Robyn talks about a project meant to make the place a Pokémon preserve. He then gets his laptop out of his backpack and contacts Professor Rowan, telling him about the Pokémon hunters. The Professor then points out to him a location where they will meet up. Dwayne offers to help and Robyn agrees, thanking him.

Elsewhere, a vehicle appears, and Magnezone picks the Shieldon up and rushes off with them into the forest. Robyn sends out Charizard, which uses Dynamic Punch on the vehicle, stopping it. The same henchman comes out and sends out Golbat, which uses Air Cutter, but Charizard dodges it and hits a tree with Hurricane, causing a swarm of angry Beedrill to come out. Robyn recalls Charizard, and the Beedrill head for the henchmen. Then, Dwayne and Robyn escape. Later, Cage talks with a client about the Shieldon. Then he gives instructions to his henchmen. Dwayne and Robyn hide from the henchmen and plan to head for a new route. They traverse a steep mountain trail by walking along the wall, when one of the Shieldon panics and almost falls down dragging the others with it before Dwayne quickly grabs them by their rope. With Robyn's help, they manage to pull the Shieldon back up.

Then, Cage is seen flying down to his henchmen on his Salamence. From the base, one of his henchmen informs him through his headset that Professor Rowan's vehicle has been spotted. Dwayne and Robyn ride with Officer Jenny on her car while Rowan informs Robyn of their upcoming arrival. Cage shows up with his Salamence. He attempts to use his capture device, but Robyn's Magnezone stops him with Thunder. Cage responds by sending out Drapion, which uses Cross Poison on Robyn. However, Magnezone gets in front of Robyn and takes the hit due to its immunity to Poison-type attacks, but Cage's Salamence swoops in and attacks with Hyper Beam. One of the Shieldon that attempted to escape slips and falls, leaving it exposed to Cage, who uses his capture device on it, while the other Shieldon successfully manage to run away. After witnessing this, Robyn orders Magnezone to use Sonic Boom, but Drapion blocks it. Then, Cage orders Drapion to use Pin Missile and Salamence to use Hyper Beam. Dwayne and Robyn respond by ordering Robyn's Charizard and Magnezone to use Flamethrower and Thunderbolt, respectively, but Cage's Pokémon's attacks overwhelm theirs.

Next, the Shieldon meet up with Professor Rowan, his assistants and Officer Jenny. Back to Dwayne's location, Cage is taking possession of the captured Shieldon and entering the vehicle with Dwayne and Robyn holding onto the undercarriage. The vehicle arrives at the base, and Dwayne sends out Golbat, which flies away, unseen by Cage, to find the others. The vehicle then enters the base while Cage's client in a helicopter is seen preparing to land. Inside the base, Dwayne and Robyn use their Pokémon to sabotage the base. An explosion occurs and Dwayne jumps out of the smoke grabbing Shieldon and unfreezing it. As Cage prepares to call one of his Pokémon, the client informs im the deal is off, as Officer Jenny is nearby, and he and his henchmen withdraw. Rowan and Jenny arrive shortly afterwards. Robyn thanks Dwayne for his help. Later, Dwayne says goodbye to Robyn, Jenny, and Rowan and continues towards Hearthome City.

Having arrived in Hearthome City, Dwayne meets up with Sadie once again, who hands him an entry card for the Hearthome City Tag Battle Competition. At the stadium, the announcer explains the rules and shows the competitors the prize for winning, a Soothe Bell. The contestants are shuffled and put into pairs for the competition. Sadie is the first to find her partner, an odd boy named Derek and his Slowking. Dwayne is still searching for his partner when a voice calls out in distaste, and Dwayne turns around to find his partner is none other than Lazuli standing there with her Elekid and Chimchar.

Sadie and Derek are first to battle with their Glameow and Slowking against a Koffing and a Scyther. Scyther starts things off with a Razor Wind, and Koffing attacks with a Sludge Bomb. Glameow blocks the Razor Wind with a Shock Wave and Slowking blocks the Sludge Bomb with a Safeguard. Koffing comes back with a Thunderbolt that Slowking blocks with Protect. Scyther attacks with an X-Scissor, but Glameow comes from above with a Slash attack that knocks out Scyther. Koffing uses Gyro Ball, but it is stopped by Slowking's Psychic. Slowking then slams Koffing into the ground knocking it out. The two win with a combination of Derek's defense and Sadie's attack.

Dwayne and Lazuli are the last battle of the first round. Dwayne sends out Happiny, and Lazuli sends out Chimchar, and the opposition sends out a Rhydon and a Magmar. Dwayne decides to battle his way and starts things off with a Pound attack towards Magmar. However, Rhydon intercepts and smashes Happiny with a Megahorn attack. Magmar attacks with a Lava Plume, an extremely powerful Fire-type move that affects everyone on the field. Rhydon is left barely affected thanks to its type-advantage, but the blaze of fire quickly heads toward Happiny and Chimchar. Dwayne tells Happiny to dodge, but Lazuli sends Chimchar straight into the fire. The flame on Chimchar's tail becomes bigger and Chimchar gives a powerful blast of Flamethrower, which has very little effect on Rhydon. Rhydon counters with a direct hit from a Hammer Arm. Happiny dodges with Minimize before following up with another Pound attack. Now the two opponents are aware that even with type disadvantages, Happiny shouldn't be taken lightly and have Rhydon strike back with a surprise Surf attack while Magmar uses Protect. Lazuli decides to take it head on with a Flame Wheel. Dwayne tries to convince her that Chimchar could really get hurt, but she does not care. As Happiny panics, Dwayne suddenly gets an idea and has Happiny break through the Surf with Secret Power, which slams into Rhydon. Happiny then scores a direct-hit with Pound, knocking Rhydon out and leaving Magmar alone. Happiny then goes straight for Magmar with a Pound, but Magmar deflects it with a Fire Punch. While Happiny and Magmar are fighting, Chimchar comes from beneath with a Dig that knocks out Magmar. On the sidelines, Sadie comments that Dwayne and Lazuli can't get much further unless they start working as a team.

During the night, Dwayne trains with his Pokémon, having Golbat use Air Cutter. Buizel, Turtwig and Eevee dodge the attack with the spinning maneuver he'd used before. Golbat notices a blast of energy nearby. The explosive energy Golbat spotted earlier was Lazuli's Chimchar taking several attacks from Lazuli's Pokémon. Elekid uses Thunder, Murkrow uses Shadow Ball, Torterra uses Hyper Beam, and Ursaring uses Focus Blast. The tidal wave of attacks converges as Chimchar uses Flame Wheel to defend. Dwayne notices the brutal training as Chimchar unleashes Flamethrower, but it hits Dwayne and knocks him backward. Dwayne gets up, complimenting Chimchar's power. Lazuli calls Chimchar back for more training as Dwayne questions Lazuli's aggressive tactics. She brushes him off as she reveals her intention to get her Pokémon exposed to powerful battles. Dwayne scolds her for her selfish goals as Lazuli ignores him, mentioning that Chimchar needed to be struck by the Surf attack from the previous battle to get stronger. Dwayne tries to get her to raise Chimchar's strong points, but Lazuli mentions that it is a waste. Despite the rigor, Chimchar still wants to train. Dwayne tries to convince Chimchar that there are different ways to train and it doesn't have to do it the hard away, but Lazuli and her team walk away, as Chimchar follows sadly.

Lazuli continues training Chimchar as it dodges Ursaring's Hammer Arm. Torterra fires Leaf Storm and Chimchar gets caught in it. Murkrow executes a Sky Attack as Chimchar tries Flamethrower, but it gets hit and collapses. Lazuli orders Chimchar to stand. It tries but is too weak, collapsing. Lazuli orders Elekid to use Thunder on it, but Eevee rushes forward with Double-Edge to block. Elekid charges for another attack, but Dwayne rushes in to take Chimchar to the Pokémon Center. At the Center, Nurse Joy treats Chimchar. Joy steps out and mentions that Chimchar needs rest. Dwayne confronts Lazuli about her training methods. Although reluctant at first, Dwayne manages to get her to talk for Chimchar's safety.

Lazuli mentions how she met Chimchar, when she captured a Ninjask shortly after her return to Sinnoh. She noticed Chimchar racing through the forest, pursued by several Zangoose. The Zangoose attacked Chimchar for unknown reasons, but they were relentless. Chimchar wound up cornered at the edge of a cliff. As Lazuli watched, the Zangoose lunged forward. Chimchar activated Blaze and used a powerful Flame Wheel to consume the area with a spiral of fire. When it was over, the Zangoose were gone and Lazuli decided to catch the Chimchar, wanting that power to win battles. Dwayne understands the she has been trying to get Chimchar to duplicate that power from that situation by putting it through difficult training battles, but has not had any luck. Lazuli wants to keep going even though Dwayne urges her to let Chimchar rest. Only Nurse Joy's insistence makes her comply.

The next day, the tournament continues as Sadie and Derek make it to the next round. Dwayne and Lazuli fight in the last battle of the day as Dwayne sends Turtwig. Lazuli calls out Chimchar, shocking everyone, as they notice Chimchar still wounded. Dwayne informs Turtwig to cover Chimchar as their opponents send out Metagross and Zangoose. The sight of a Zangoose scares Chimchar while Lazuli grins at the situation. The battle starts as Metagross charges with Bullet Punch. Chimchar fires Flamethrower, but Zangoose jumps forward with X-Scissor. Turtwig uses Razor Leaf, but Zangoose swats them away. Metagross lands a hit on Chimchar as Zangoose hits Turtwig. Chimchar uses Dig as Metagross uses Magnet Rise to dodge. Zangoose jumps in with Crush Claw and sends Chimchar back. Turtwig attempts to Headbutt Zangoose, but it dodges and Metagross uses Psychic to send Turtwig back, crashing into Chimchar. Zangoose jumps forward with Crush Claw as Chimchar is paralyzed by fear. Turtwig uses Bite on Zangoose's arm to stop the attack.

Metagross charges with Bullet Punch as Lazuli orders Chimchar to use Flame Wheel on Turtwig. Chimchar refuses to attack its teammate at first, but is forced to comply. Chimchar speeds forwards and hits Turtwig and Zangoose, separating them. Chimchar is able to keep the momentum going and hits Metagross. Turtwig suffers major damage as a result, and Dwayne is furious with Lazuli for intentionally harming his Pokémon. Zangoose attempts another Crush Claw and Chimchar attempts another Flame Wheel, but Zangoose pins it and stops the attack. Lazuli orders Chimchar to use Flamethrower, but looking Zangoose in the eye paralyzes it in fear. This turns out to be the last straw for Lazuli as far as Chimchar is concerned. Turtwig uses Razor Leaf to get Zangoose off Chimchar as Turtwig steps forward, but collapses from damage. Zangoose unleashes Fire Blast as Chimchar intercepts, taking the attack and powering up. Dwayne and Chimchar wait for Lazuli's command, but Lazuli closes her eyes and turns away, having completely given up on Chimchar. Metagross heads with Bullet Punch and Dwayne, realizing Lazuli isn't going to be giving any more commands to Chimchar and is willing to let them get knocked out of the tournament, orders Chimchar to use Flamethrower, stunning everyone. Chimchar does so and hits Metagross, knocking it out. Turtwig charges forward as Zangoose uses Crush Claw. Turtwig spin dodges and uses Razor Leaf and Headbutt to knock out Zangoose. Dwayne and Lazuli win the duel, advancing to the semifinals. As Dwayne praises the two Pokémon, Lazuli still has her back turned and Chimchar is upset knowing what is in store for it.

At sunset, Lazuli releases Chimchar from her ownership, tells it to get lost, and turns to leave. Dwayne and Sadie arrive and scold Lazuli for her decision, but as far as Lazuli is concerned, the special training is over and she is going to need a new Fire-type Pokémon. Chimchar sadly turns to leave, and Dwayne is upset to see such a loyal and hard-working Pokémon treated like this. Suddenly inspiration strikes him and he decides to take action. Calling to Chimchar, Dwayne offers the Chimp Pokémon a spot on his team, stopping Lazuli in her tracks and stunning everyone. Sadie asks Dwayne if he's sure, and Dwayne is positive, promising Chimchar the chance to have fun and train. Dwayne steps up to Chimchar and kneels down, leaving Chimchar with an important decision to make. However, a disgusted Lazuli tells them that as far as she's concerned they are a perfect match; a pathetic Pokémon for a pathetic Trainer. Dwayne tells Chimchar to ignore his former Trainer, and offers the chance to prove him wrong. Chimchar happily agrees, so Dwayne throws a Poké Ball into the air. Chimchar happily jumps up and smacks the button, and without any struggle, Dwayne catches Chimchar. Later that night, Dwayne contacts Professor Oak to tell him about what has been going on. After complimenting Chimchar, Oak states that Dwayne and Lazuli need to work together to win as much as Dwayne would with his Pokémon. After hanging up, Oak fears that Dwayne and Lazuli's relationship couldn't be fixed, and wonders if sending Dwayne to Sinnoh was the right idea.

The next morning, the battles continue in the Tag Battle Competition. Sadie and Derek have already won their semi-final match. Dwayne and Lazuli each send out their respective Pokémon: Golbat and Torterra, while their opponents choose Croagunk and Farfetch'd. Dwayne commands Golbat to use Aerial Ace and Lazuli commands Torterra to use Hyper Beam, while Croagunk uses Poison Jab and Farfetch'd uses Air Slash. All of the attacks are launched, but only Hyper Beam makes its way through, hitting Farfetch'd, as well as Golbat. However, Farfetch'd is knocked out in an instant. Croagunk then uses Brick Break. Dwayne tells Golbat once more to use Aerial Ace, trying to catch Croagunk off-guard. However, Croagunk slides under the immobilized Torterra, causing Golbat to miss and have to stop its attack. Croagunk jumps out from behind Torterra, landing a hit with Brick Break on Torterra's head. However, before Croagunk can use Poison Jab, Torterra is able to move again. Croagunk jumps backwards onto the tree on its back, and Torterra uses Leaf Storm, knocking Croagunk out, and giving victory to Dwayne and Lazuli. Dwayne congratulates Golbat on a good job, only for Lazuli to angrily comment that Golbat contributed nothing to the battle.

The next day, the final battle of Sadie and Derek vs. Dwayne and Lazuli begins. Dwayne sends out Chimchar, Lazuli uses Elekid, and Derek and Sadie call out Heracross and Shellos, respectively. Dwayne's first attack is Flamethrower, followed by Elekid using Thunder. However, Shellos is able to counterattack Flamethrower with Water Pulse, which in turn is countered by Elekid's Thunder. Derek backs Shellos up by telling Heracross to use Revenge. Heracross gets in to take the Thunder attack, and uses the power of Revenge to attack Elekid. Next, Chimchar uses Dig as Sadie calls for Shellos to use Water Pulse again. Elekid uses Protect, but at the last minute, Shellos cancels Water Pulse, and Derek tells Heracross to use Feint to break the Protect, taking Lazuli off-guard. Shellos then uses Mud Bomb, hitting Elekid, but Chimchar finally hits Shellos with Dig.

Shellos counters with Hidden Power, again hitting Chimchar. Chimchar quickly recovers and uses Flamethrower on Heracross, but Shellos jumps in front of Heracross and uses Water Pulse. The attacks collide, causing an explosion. Elekid jumps through the smoke and uses Thunder Punch, while Heracross counters with Megahorn. Another explosion is created, sending Elekid flying backwards. Suddenly, Elekid begins to evolve into Electabuzz, shocking everyone, except for Lazuli. The newly evolved Electabuzz then begins to charge up its Thunder. In response, Derek tells Heracross to use Megahorn and Shellos uses Blizzard. Dwayne tells Chimchar to dodge Blizzard and to use Flamethrower on Shellos, while Electabuzz uses Thunder on Heracross. All the attacks collide, causing an explosion. Just when it seems like the battle is over, Shellos and Heracross are seen still standing once the smoke clears. However, Shellos gives its opponents a final smirk before they both fall to the ground, knocked out. Taking the win, Dwayne congratulates Chimchar, although Lazuli remarks that if Chimchar was any good, Heracross would never have got back up. However, Dwayne does not care what Lazuli thinks; as far as he is concerned, Chimchar did a fantastic job.

At the awards ceremony, Enta gets on stage to give Dwayne and Lazuli their Soothe Bells. Everyone applauds Dwayne and Lazuli, while Derek muses that for a tournament that was supposed to emphasize teamwork between Trainers, it was the team that co-operated the least that ended up winning. That evening, at the Pokémon Center, Dwayne and Sadie discuss the battles that happened. Suddenly, Lazuli passes by, tossing her Soothe Bell at Dwayne, saying that she does not need it. Dwayne notes that for Lazuli, the tournament was simply an opportunity to power up her Pokémon, and as far as she's concerned, Elekid evolving was the only good thing to come out of the competition. Sadie then suggests to Dwayne that he could next head for Veilstone City as it has a Gym, seeing as the Hearthome Gym is currently closed. Dwayne agrees that it is a good idea and therefore, with a new Pokémon on his team, Dwayne prepares to head to Veilstone City and hopefully earn his third Gym Badge.

Dwayne settles down for lunch while still on the road to Veilstone City. He decides to let his Pokémon out for the day, and soon, everyone is starting to set up for lunch. However, Chimchar is confused on what to do since everyone is in a happy mood. Chimchar remembers meal times with Lazuli, which involved her feeding Chimchar directly from a tin while angrily telling him to hurry up. As everyone else begins eating, Chimchar has to be prompted by Dwayne, making it clear the Pokémon is having trouble adjusting to its new circumstances.

With most of his Pokémon lounging about, Dwayne decides to train. Dwayne selects Chimchar to battle against Buizel. Buizel uses Water Gun, but misses, as Chimchar digs. Chimchar attacks and follows with Fury Swipes. Buizel retaliates with Aqua Jet, which sends Chimchar flying. Chimchar digs and hits Buizel. Then, Chimchar and Buizel collide with Flamethrower and Water Gun, respectively, but Chimchar manages to be defeated, causing Chimchar to be reminded of losing in the Tag Battle Tournament and being released by Lazuli. Dwayne picks up Chimchar, who expects to be criticized, but Dwayne instead congratulates it on a good battle. This is followed up by cheering from all the other Pokémon. Chimchar is left very nervous and confused, and starts crying since it cannot handle its drastic change in environment. Dwayne muses that Chimchar must not have got many chances to show any emotion while under Lazuli's ownership. He understands, and holds Chimchar while it sobs its heart out.

That night, Chimchar has a nightmare about having to fight under Lazuli's command battling a Graveler. Graveler jumps out against Chimchar and uses Rock Throw, sending boulders flying. Lazuli orders Chimchar not to move, as her way of trying to force Chimchar to access Blaze. Chimchar's nightmare then switches to the Zangoose fight before it was caught, still with Lazuli's voice in its head. Chimchar jolts awake and, unable to get back to sleep, goes for a walk. The next morning, all of the Pokémon start helping out preparing for a meal, and Chimchar is once again left unsure of what to do. Dwayne calls over to it, asking for help carrying some water, to which Chimchar happily agrees to.

While Dwayne and Chimchar are out, Dwayne's Pokémon continue to prepare breakfast, until a large group of Zangoose emerge from the bushes and begin attacking the Pokémon, and Dwayne's Pokémon are cornered against a cliff. Dwayne and Chimchar arrive back and see what is happening, and Dwayne tells Chimchar to help. However, Chimchar is too frightened to fight the wild Zangoose. Dwayne gives a little pep talk to Chimchar, telling him that while he understands Chimchar is scared, the other Pokémon really need help. Chimchar is reminded of the kindness shown by Dwayne and the others. He tells Chimchar not to worry about the power of Blaze, as it just has to believe it can win. As a result, Chimchar becomes motivated to battle against his fear, the Zangoose. Chimchar uses Dig a few times to confuse the Zangoose and then uses Flamethrower to finish them off. Chimchar joins the other Pokémon in their cheering, and with its past completely fading away, Chimchar finally feels comfortable around his new Trainer and teammates.

Shortly thereafter, Dwayne makes a stop in Solaceon Town to gather up supplies. While there, Dwayne also decides to hold a picnic with his Pokémon, wanting them to enjoy the day. The picnic is put on hold when several shadows fly overhead. Looking up, Dwayne sees several Gligar being led by a larger Pokémon, which suddenly start swooping. Dwayne flees and the attackers steal the picnic food. Dwayne has Turtwig try an Energy Ball against the leader, but it misses its target. Turtwig then attempts a Razor Leaf, though the Gligar swiftly evade. For safety, all of the Pokémon are recalled into their Poké Balls, apart from Turtwig. Dwayne identifies the larger Pokémon as Gliscor, which is Gligar's evolved form.

Just then, an Ice Beam shoots towards Gliscor, which sends it flying. Dwayne looks across and sees that it came from Lazuli and her Weavile. Lazuli then sends out her Murkrow, which sends all of the Gligar fleeing. A few attempt to attack Murkrow, but it easily dodges. A strong wind starts, and Gliscor orders the group of Gligar to leave. However, while almost all leave, a single Gligar is too busy eating an apple to notice. After quickly scoffing down the apple and making a face at Dwayne, it tries to take off but the attempt is misjudged and it falls onto Dwayne. After getting up, it finds itself faced with the angry stare of Turtwig. It quickly leaves to rejoin its group. Lazuli recalls her Pokémon, and mentions that Gliscor lives up to its reputation. Dwayne asks Lazuli if she's there to catch the Gliscor, but Lazuli is apathetic as usual and tells him to keep out of her way before she walks off. Just then, Officer Jenny and Nurse Joy arrive. It turns out that this isn't the first time people's food has been stolen.

At the local Pokémon Center, which has a garden on the roof filled with Bug and Flying-type Pokémon, Officer Jenny and Nurse Joy tell Dwayne that the Gliscor and Gligar have stolen countless amounts of food from the town. After stripping the town bare of its growing fruit and vegetables, they're now stealing the food out of people's hands. Dwayne is confused, as Gliscor and Gligar are known for living in the forest, not in the city. It was revealed that one night, a very powerful storm blew Gliscor into the city. The same winds, caused by the numerous skyscrapers in the city, prevented Gliscor leaving and as a result, Gliscor started to attract the Gligar from neighboring areas with sound waves magnified by the buildings. Though numerous attempts to capture the Pokémon have failed, Officer Jenny has a new plan which involves using Gligar's favorite fruit as bait, and Dwayne pledges his support.

Meanwhile, Gliscor and the Gligar have taken refuge in an abandoned warehouse. Suddenly, a tub of fruit shoots through the window. All the Gligar start to tuck in, but then they all grow suspicious and, along with Gliscor, look through the window to see a truck carrying fruit driving down the road. They all give chase, except for the one that fell on Dwayne earlier. After a few extra bites, it joins the chase. Officer Jenny drives the truck in an attempt to lure the Pokémon into a strong wind current, which should blow them out of the city and return them to the forest. However, the plan is ruined when the truck's tires pop due to a sharp stick in the road, causing Jenny to lose control. The clumsy Gligar flies past the truck and almost gets run over by the truck, but Dwayne runs to save it, and Gligar ends up landing on him just like earlier. Meanwhile, Gliscor and the other Gligar obviously aren't too happy about the attempted capture and all use X-Scissor on the truck, which causes the truck to crash, and the road is blocked by the debris. This causes the wind direction to change, and Gliscor and the Gligar help themselves to the fruit on the truck. All of this has been observed by Lazuli.

Gliscor and Gligar are soon wrecking havoc on the city, and with the road blocked the same plan cannot be reattempted. Just then, Dwayne comes up with an idea; if they can't send Gliscor and the Gligar into a wind current, then they will produce one using a Gust from the Pokémon at the Center. Dwayne decides to talk to Gliscor to let it know they just want to help. In an alley, the Gliscor and Gligar arrive. They are quickly on the run, when suddenly an Ice Beam hits. The attacker is revealed to be Lazuli's Weavile, who uses another Ice Beam and freezes all the Gligar solid. As Lazuli orders a Blizzard, Gliscor responds with a Sandstorm, stopping the attack and melting the ice while the numerous Pokémon make a getaway. However, the Gligar Dwayne saved is once again left behind, and is greeted by Dwayne. It pulls its now trademark strange face, but then starts to follow its group, and is itself followed by Dwayne.

In a nearby alley, Lazuli confronts Gliscor and sends out Electabuzz to partner Weavile. She orders an Ice Beam/Swift combo, but there are so many Gligar flying about neither can target. Lazuli yells at her Pokémon to focus, and orders a Brick Break from Electabuzz which hits several Gligar. Gliscor isn't happy about seeing its group attacked and uses X-Scissor on Electabuzz, which sends the Electric-type flying into Weavile and Lauzli. Dwayne arrives along with the Gligar he'd now befriended. Dwayne tells Gliscor they can help it return to the wild, but before it can answer, it is hit by Lazuli's Ice Beam/Swift combo, sending it crashing to the ground. Lazuli then throws a Poké Ball, and successfully catches the Gliscor. As usual, Lazuli scans Gliscor with her Pokédex and sees that it is quite strong and decides to keep it. Dwayne asks Lazuli about all the Gligar it was leading, but Lazuli doesn't care, but Dwayne says the Gligar could rampage around without its leader, and the town would pay the price, but Lazuli coldly states that it wasn't none of her concern. The Gligar known to Dwayne makes a run at Lazuli, but Electabuzz hits it with a Brick Break, sending it flying. Recalling her Pokémon to their Poké Balls, Lazuli criticizes Dwayne and leaves.

All of the Gligar are now flying around the alley aimlessly, not knowing what to do now with Gliscor gone. Deciding to go with the plan anyway, Dwayne starts to lure the Gligar to the Pokémon Center. A few are hesitant about going, but the one Dwayne is now friends with lets the others know it is okay and soon all the Gligar are on their way. Once there, all the Pokémon at the Center use Gust to send the Gligar flying out of the city and the plan is working perfectly when he notices that the slow Gligar is once again too busy eating to notice where its group is. Turtwig fires an Energy Ball at it, sending it into the air. Then all the Center's Pokémon use Gust, finally sending the Gligar out of the city and back to their natural habitat. Just when Dwayne thinks the Gligar problem is gone, the slow Gligar is seen flying back to the Center, and once again, its flying is not up to scratch and lands on Dwayne who asks why it didn't join its friends. Pulling its face, Nurse Joy tells Dwayne that Gligar must want to join him. Dwayne happily throws a Poké Ball and catches Gligar.

As Dwayne arrives at Veilstone City, he is excited as he spots the city. Suddenly, a blue sphere of energy suddenly flies towards him. He ducks and notices multiple spheres coming from one spot, with Dwayne identifying them as Aura Spheres. He heads to the source. A blast destroys a portion of a fence, which Dwayne uses as an observation point. Inside, Pokémon watch as a pink-haired woman dodges an oncoming Lucario. She dodges the Pokémon's attacks and even kicks an Aura Sphere back to Lucario, the Pokémon standing aside and dodging the attack. Lucario prepares a Bone Rush, which the woman anticipates, somersaulting and dodging multiple strikes. The Bone Rush eventually fades mid-strike as Dwayne notices the battling being too intense for training.

Suddenly, an electric attack strikes near Dwayne. An Electabuzz comes out from behind a tree snickering. The woman and Lucario stop sparring and notice the situation, with Lucario launching an Aura Sphere into the fiasco, stopping the confrontation and dazing the Pokémon. She rushes up to him and apologizes for Lucario's rough action, but Lucario shrugs it off. A green-haired man comes up to help, identifying Maylene, who in turn identifies him as Rollins. Electabuzz tries to sneak away, but Rollins catches the Pokémon, Electabuzz turning around and laughing sheepishly. Dwayne suggests that maybe the Electabuzz is Lazuli's. Maylene and Rollins take note of the comment and Rollins greets Dwayne, seemingly knowing who Dwayne was even before they talked. He formally introduces himself and mentions that he is Lazuli's twin brother, surprising Dwayne, as well as confirming that the Electabuzz is indeed Lazuli's and that she leaves some of her Pokémon with Rollins to train since he's a breeder. After formal introductions, Dwayne brings up his goal for a Gym battle and asks if Lazuli has already won a Badge in Veilstone. Rollins mentions that Lazuli defeated Maylene, pointing her as the Gym Leader. Dwayne formally asks for a Gym battle, but she declines, which causes Lucario to blast her with an Aura Sphere. Rollins explains why Lucario is upset at Maylene for wanting to give up and is simply trying to help her out.

Maylene gets up after Lucario's attack as a group of Black Belts meet her, displeased at her complaints. Rollins mentions that despite being well respected as a battler, her short reign as Gym Leader is causing her to have doubts about her fighting abilities. Maylene continues to plead as Lucario launches another Aura Sphere, which Maylene blocks without looking. Rollins confronts her, asking if what Lazuli said upset her. Dwayne asks what happened, and Rollins fills Dwayne in regarding what happened in Lazuli's battle against Maylene.

The Veilstone Gym is a Fighting-type Gym, and therefore, Lazuli brought Flying-type Pokémon to use type advantage. Rollins explains that Lazuli's Murkrow had recently evolved into a Honchkrow, which took out Maylene's Meditite and Machoke in no time. When Maylene then brought out Lucario, Lazuli used a Magmar, and Lucario being part Steel-type, it was defeated just as quickly by Magmar's Fire-type moves. Maylene acknowledges her poor performance and lack of sync with her Pokémon and says that what Lazuli said after she gave him his Badge was true. Dwayne asks what Lazuli said, and Maylene comments that Lazuli called her the weakest Gym Leader she'd ever faced, mocked her abilities, and said that her Badge was as worthless as her abilities. Rollins admits that Lazuli always had a cruel streak, but Maylene is upset at the memory and runs off, with Lucario starting to follow but stopping. Rollins offers to console Maylene and apologizes to Dwayne about the situation. Rollins suggests to find another Gym for the time being, but Dwayne steps forward and offers to talk to Maylene instead. Lucario leads Dwayne towards Maylene, and Rollins tells Dwayne to meet him at his house once he's done.

Maylene tries to meditate near a river as she senses Lucario. However, seeing Dwayne gets her attention. Dwayne talks with Maylene about his similar feelings, saying that when he was young, he was enrolled a in a boarding school called Pokémon Tech, and was constantly belittled and pressured by an older student called Lauren. Because of her treatment towards him, Dwayne came to believe that he would never become a competent Trainer, but quickly realized that the only thing that mattered was that his Pokémon believed in him, and seeing how his Ralts never lost her faith in him, made Dwayne realize that anyone can become strong no matter who says otherwise, and realized that even if what Lauren said was true, he could improve and tells Maylene that Lucario only wants her to not lose faith in herself, since Lucario itself hasn't lost faith in her, which shocks Maylene, but she blushes and thanks Dwayne for the kind words. As Dwayne gets up, he invites her to accompany him to Rollins's house, and Maylene accepts.

At Rollins's house, Rollins pets Chimchar, remembering it as Lazuli's former. Rollins asks how Dwayne tolerates Lazuli's rivalry and brutal training tactics, which angers him and Dwayne says that he wants to be one with his Pokémon. Rollins looks forward to a battle between Dwayne and his sister. Then, Rollins asks Dwayne to battle, wanting to evaluate him as a rival. Rollins plans a three-on-three battle, similar to the one Dwayne and Lazuli had. Rollins notes Chimchar is far happier now that it ever was with Lazuli as Dwayne notices that on top of the fireplace mantle are a complete collection of framed Badges from Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, and Sinnoh, and six of the seven symbols from the Battle Frontier. The Frontier Symbol frame is notably missing Brandon's Brave Symbol. Dwayne thinks they're Lazuli's, but they're actually Rollins's.

Dwayne brings out Gligar, which comes down on Dwayne's head. Dwayne asks Gligar to watch. Dwayne summons Turtwig as the first as Rollins summons Pachirisu. Turtwig fires Energy Ball, but Pachirisu uses Super Fang to negate the attack before using Secret Power to consume Turtwig. Due to the grassy field, the effect puts Turtwig to sleep. Pachirisu sends Turtwig flying with Rollout, but it wakes Turtwig. Pachirisu attacks with Discharge, but Turtwig dodges and uses Razor Leaf. Pachirisu fires another Discharge, but Turtwig jumps to dodge and fires Energy Ball, knocking out Pachirisu.

Rollins recalls Pachirisu while Turtwig happily latches onto Dwayne's arm. Dwayne gets the first win. Lucario notices Maylene watching Dwayne's battle skill intently. Rollins summons Munchlax as Dwayne recalls Turtwig, and sends out Golbat. Golbat launches Air Cutter, but Munchlax absorbs it by using Stockpile, gaining size and power. Dwayne repeats Air Cutter, and Munchlax repeats Stockpile. Maylene notices the pattern and predicts the outcome. Golbat switches to Aerial Ace, but Munchlax uses Spit Up to unleash the energy, striking Golbat. Munchlax returns to normal size as Golbat recovers and uses Aerial Ace. Munchlax shoots the Bat Pokémon down with Hyper Beam, and Dwayne catches Golbat from the fall, giving the win to Rollins.

Rollins compliments Dwayne's Golbat and offers to demonstrate a move. Rollins summons Staraptor for his final choice, and Dwayne has Golbat watch as Buneary takes the lead. Buneary fires Ice Beam as Staraptor dodges and charges with Brave Bird. Buneary tries to spin-dodge past, but Staraptor extends its wing and strikes Buneary, knocking her down and hitting with the full attack. Staraptor flies away as sparks emit from both Pokémon taking damage. Staraptor charges with Steel Wing as Buneary jumps and dodges. Buneary comes down with Bounce as Staraptor uses Wing Attack to counter. Both attacks land and Buneary lands, shaken but standing. Staraptor took the full hit and hits the ground, unable to battle. Dwayne wins the match. Rollins recalls Staraptor as the two Trainers thank each other. Dwayne knows that Brave Bird was the move demonstrated, and Rollins offers to teach it to Golbat, which Dwayne and Golbat agree to.

Back inside the house, Dwayne and Maylene drink tea that Rollins prepared, and Dwayne comments that Rollins's training methods were the exact opposite of Lazuli's, and Rollins chuckles, saying that anyone who had met Lazuli said the exact same thing. Rollins then says that he knew he'd meet Dwayne sooner and later, and says that Dwayne could eventually change Lazuli's mindset, seeing that Dwayne's skills and past accomplishments spoke for themselves. Surprised, Dwayne asks how Rollins knew about his previous accomplishments, and Rollins says that an older brother is supposed to know about his kid brother's achievements are, causing Dwayne to choke on his food, before asking Rollins to repeat his sentence. Rollins smirks and says that he and Dwayne were siblings, much to Dwayne's extreme shock. Ryder stutters as he asks how could it be possible, and Rollins explains his origins.

Many years ago, Rollins and Lazuli were born at a hospital in Saffron City in the Kanto region, and remembers his childhood, playing with his mother, although Lazuli always refused to play, and continuously asked their mother about their father, with their mother always replying that their father was "elsewhere", which always infuriated Lazuli. Rollins and Lazuli's mother then reveals itself to be none other than Sabrina, the Gym Leader of the Saffron Gym. When Rollins was fifteen years old, likewise curious about his father, directly asked Sabrina about his father's whereabouts and story. Sabrina, knowing that Rollins was calm and understanding unlike Lazuli, told the story about her one-time romantic intimacy with her lover, which Sabrina revealed to be none other than Edge. Sabrina explains that the encounter occured when Edge was healing himself in the hot springs of Mt. Silver after being frozen by Lorelei's ice, where Sabrina was also there, healing herself at the same time as Edge, in which ultimately resulted in the intimacy, Sabrina's pregnancy, and Rollins and Lazuli's birth.

According to Sabrina, Edge eventually learned about it and approached her, alongside Edge's friends. Sabrina mentions that Edge learned around the time he and Roberta were already in a romantic relationship, and Sabrina feared ruining their relationship because of the revelation, but both Edge and Roberta were completely understanding of the situation, and offered to help Sabrina raise the children, but Sabrina politely refused, saying that it was her decision that caused her to become pregnant, and Edge needed to take care of his real family, but Edge says that Sabrina shouldn't face the hardships of being a single mother, as there were people willing to help, but Sabrina says that her children were already teenagers, and believes she made good effort in raising them. Rollins then talks about Sabrina finally introducing him to his father, with Edge and Rollins embracing, with Rollins shedding tears of joy at finally meeting his father.

Years later, Lazuli, too, discovered about her father, although her reaction was vastly different than her brother's: Lazuli saw a picture of Edge, Roberta, and a still-young Dwayne, and connecting the dots, believed that Dwayne's mere existence is what drove her father away from her, her brother, and her mother, and grew to resent Dwayne for not allowing her to have a complete family and childhood, and turned her frustrations towards her skills as a Trainer, believing that if she became powerful enough, she'd be able to eventually earn her father's love and approval. As Dwayne soaks it all in, Rollins asks him about his thoughts, and Dwayne says that despite being shocked, he's quite happy to know that he has siblings, having always wished for a brother or sister to travel with. Glad that Dwayne understood the situation, Rollins subsequently pleads Dwayne not to tell Lazuli about him learing the truth, saying that should Lazuli find out that Dwayne knows about their relation at this stage in their rivalry, their relationship could become broken beyond repair, and should wait until Lazuli finally recognizes him as her equal, and Dwayne agrees. Maylene comments that Lazuli's anger is understandable, but notes that her attitude and cruel streak doesn't excuse her treating her Pokémon horribly, which both Dwayne and Rollins agree. Changing the subject, Rollins pleads with Maylene to consider Dwayne's Gym challenge, and Dwayne urges her to accept, saying that as long as Lucario still trusted her, she was worthy of being a Gym Leader, and Maylene accepts his challenge, but asks to postpone it until the next day, which Dwayne accepts.

Throughout the remainder of the day, Rollins's Staraptor demonstrates Brave Bird, smashing a rock top to pieces. Staraptor takes some damage, something Rollins points out. While Electabuzz munches on a Berry, Golbat makes its first Brave Bird attempt, but it comes apart mid-flight and Golbat crashes to the ground. Dwayne tends to Golbat as Rollins notes that a moving target would be much better for Golbat's concentration. Dwayne volunteers to be the target despite the danger. Golbat makes another attempt as Dwayne runs, eventually dodging the attack and giving Golbat its first successful attempt. Dwayne continues to train with Golbat. Rollins mumbles that Dwayne is the opposite of Lazuli in terms of training, being more involved. In the Gym, Maylene tries to meditate, but her stomach rumbles, angering Lucario, but she mentions that she is training seriously and asks Connally to be the referee.

The next day, Dwayne and Maylene take positions as Rollins and Electabuzz watch from the sidelines, with Dwayne commenting that the battlefield was an exact copy of a boxing ring. The battle is set for three-on three with only Dwayne being allowed to switch Pokémon during the battle. Maylene sends out Meditite first, and Dwayne summons Happiny, despite the type disadvantage. Happiny goes first with Pound, jumping and coming down, but Meditite uses Detect, dodging the attack. Meditite uses Drain Punch, with Dwayne noticing Maylene mimicking her Pokémon's movements and demonstrating synchronization. Despite a spin-dodge, Happiny takes a severe hit. Happiny struggles to get up as Dwayne shouts words of encouragement. Happiny fires Secret Power, which connects. Happiny charges with Pound, but Meditite uses Confusion to send Happiny into the air and tosses the Pokémon down to the ground, but Happiny uses her soft body to soften the impact and goes right into a Pound attack. Meditite counters with Drain Punch, both attacks connecting and causing an explosion. Both Pokémon are shaken, but Happiny took too much damage, her legs buckling before falling down, knocked out.

Lucario notices Maylene's improved attitude as Dwayne summons Eevee. Eevee fires Swift. Meditite uses Drain Punch to block the attack, although still suffering some measure of damage. As Meditite struggles with the damage that it took from Swift, Eevee switches to Double-Edge, which knocks out Meditite. Maylene summons Lucario to the field, the Pokémon ready to battle. Everyone notices Lucario's improved attitude towards Maylene as her confidence grows. Eevee uses Double-Edge as Lucario uses Bone Rush to block, and tosses Eevee against the edge of the battlefield, knocking her out.

They notice Lucario's stylish movements as Dwayne summons Gardevoir as his final Pokémon. Gardevoir fires Shadow Ball as Lucario dodges and fires Aura Sphere. The attack hits Gardevoir directly and tosses the Pokémon around, but she recovers. Gardevoir uses Moonblast but Lucario uses Metal Claw at the right moment to cut the attack in half. Gardevoir fires Psyshock as Lucario charges forward and grabs Gardevoir with one palm before using Force Palm to toss Gardevoir back, paralyzed. As Gardevoir struggles with her paralysis, Lucario comes down from above with Force Palm, creating a massive explosion. When the dust clears, Lucario removes its palm from Gardevoir's head, leaving the Embrace Pokémon knocked out and giving the match to Maylene. Everyone commends the battle and how Maylene has a much stronger spirit now. Dwayne compliments Maylene and also congratulates Gardevoir on her effort, with his Pokémon giving him a thumbs up in response. Maylene thanks Dwayne for helping her recover and says that she would be waiting for his rematch, and Dwayne tells her that next time, she wouldn't beat him.

The next day, Dwayne and Maylene prepare for their rematch, with Maylene happy that Dwayne decided to re-challenge her so quickly. Dwayne sends out his Golbat to battle against Maylene's Machoke. Dwayne commands his Golbat to use Poison Fang, but Machoke counters it with Brick Break. Dwayne commands his Golbat to push back, using an Aerial Ace attack. Machoke easily dodges it, then Maylene commands her Machoke to use Cross Chop, leading Golbat to take a critical hit. Maylene commands her Machoke to keep using Brick Break which hits Golbat multiple times. Maylene then commands her Machoke to use Seismic Toss as a finishing attack. Dwayne tells his Golbat to use Supersonic with intense speed which hits Maylene's Machoke and leaves it confused. Golbat then repeats then uses Aerial Ace, which leads Machoke to be knocked out.

Maylene sends out Meditite, while Dwayne keeps his Golbat in. Dwayne commands Golbat to use Poison Fang, but Meditite easily counters it with Detect and then uses Meditate to raise its Attack. Golbat uses Aerial Ace again, but Maylene commands her Meditite to use Detect, and then Meditate to raise its Attack power again so it can finish it all in one hit. Dwayne commands Golbat to ruin their concentration with Supersonic. Maylene commands her Meditite to bounce off the wall and use Drain Punch, which hits Golbat. Dwayne commands his Golbat to keep going by using Aerial Ace, but Meditite uses Confusion, which confuses Golbat. Dwayne calls Golbat back into his Poké Ball. Then, Dwayne calls out Chimchar and commands him to use Fury Swipes, hitting Meditite.

Maylene commands Meditite to keep using Drain Punch so it can absorb Chimchar's energy and heal itself. Dwayne tells Chimchar to dodge and to keep using Fury Swipes. Maylene commands Meditite to keep using Detect, preventing Chimchar's Fury Swipes from hitting. It works for a bit, but then Meditite's Detect fails and it is hit with Fury Swipes several times. Maylene is impressed by Chimchar's skill. Dwayne tells Chimchar to use Flamethrower, which hits Meditite, and then to follow up with Flame Wheel. Before the Flame Wheel can hit, Maylene orders Meditite to use Confusion, which leaves Chimchar rolling off in the wrong direction and attacking the nearest wall with Fury Swipes. Dwayne returns Chimchar into his Poké Ball and sends Golbat back out, with his Confusion healed. Meditite uses Drain Punch but Golbat pushes it back, then attacks with Brave Bird. Maylene orders Meditite to use Confusion, but with no more energy left, the move fails and Golbat knocks out Meditite. Maylene only has one Pokémon left, while Dwayne stays with Golbat. Maylene sends out Lucario. Dwayne commands Golbat to use Brave Bird, but as it closes in, Lucario counters it with Metal Claw, which knocks Golbat out of the battle.

Dwayne sends out Chimchar again, commanding him to use Flamethrower, but it is easily dodged by Lucario. Dwayne orders Chimchar to keep using Flamethrower and Maylene commands Lucario to keep dodging, easily done with its excellent speed. Dwayne, wanting to get closer, commands Chimchar to use Fury Swipes, which is dodged by Lucario. Maylene commands her Lucario to use Force Palm, hitting Chimchar. Dwayne commands Chimchar to use Flame Wheel, a perfect hit with its maximum power. Dwayne commands Chimchar to use its Flame Wheel again, but it misses, paralyzed by Lucario's Force Palm. Lucario attacks Chimchar with Bone Rush, which hits Chimchar multiple times. Dwayne orders Chimchar to use Dig so it can get away. Maylene tells her Lucario to sense Chimchar's Aura so it can detect Chimchar underground, then attack the ground where Chimchar was hiding with Aura Sphere. Chimchar is thrown out of the ground, so Maylene commands Lucario to use Metal Claw which knocks out Chimchar. Dwayne then chooses his Buizel to battle against Maylene's Lucario.

Buizel uses Water Gun while Lucario counters with Aura Sphere, resulting in an explosion, but Aura Sphere still connects with Buizel. Maylene orders Lucario to use Bone Rush which Buizel dodges. Dwayne commands Buizel to spin and use Aqua Jet. When Maylene orders Lucario to use Metal Claw, the Aqua Jet surpasses the Metal Claw attack and hits Lucario. Buizel uses Sonic Boom and Lucario uses Bone Rush to defend, spinning it, Lucario then releases several Aura Spheres at Buizel. Buizel defends by using Sonic Boom. Lucario gets in close, and then uses Force Palm, which hits Buizel. Maylene orders Lucario to finish up with Aura Sphere, maximum power. Buizel, still feeling the effect of Force Palm, manages to learn Water Pulse, which surprises Dwayne and the others. Maylene orders Lucario to use Aura Sphere while Dwayne commands Buizel to use Water Pulse one more time.

The two raging energy balls result in an explosion, and Dwayne commands Buizel to spin and use Aqua Jet one more time while Maylene orders Lucario to use Force Palm, result in an explosion again, hurting both Pokémon, but both recover and the two Pokémon battle in the air, Lucario using Aura Sphere and Buizel using Water Pulse. The resulting explosion in the air destroys the battle field's roof, exposing the field to the open sky. Both Pokémon was hurt until Maylene's Lucario manages to recover and attack Buizel with Metal Claw, which hits Buizel. The referee thinks that Buizel is unable to battle but before he finishes his sentence, Buizel gets up. Maylene then commands Lucario to use Bone Rush, and Dwayne orders Buizel to dodge but it can't move. Dwayne notices that it has started to rain. Buizel dodges the Bone Rush at the last second, its Speed dramatically increased, and Dwayne recognizes the Ability as Swift Swim, as Buizel manages to dodge all the Bone Rush strikes of Lucario. Dwayne commands Buizel to spin and use Aqua Jet while Maylene order Lucario to use Force Palm, which Buizel takes some damage from. Dwayne commands Buizel to use Water Pulse, then to spin and use Aqua Jet against Lucario's Force Palm, a combination of Water Pulse and Aqua Jet. The resulting collision leaves both Pokémon unable to battle, and therefore the battle between Maylene and Dwayne ends in a draw.

After the fierce battle, the referee states that awarding a Gym Badge for a tie depends on the judgment of the Gym Leader. Maylene says that Dwayne gave her the greatest Gym battle of her life and Maylene's Pokémon agree that it is a good enough reason to award Dwayne the Cobble Badge. Outside the Gym, Dwayne and Maylene shake hands, with Maylene again thanking him for restoring her battling spirit, and Dwayne tells Maylene to never let anyone else criticize ever again, and subsequently bids farewell to Maylene as Dwayne heads over to the Pokémon Center.

As Dwayne prepares to leave Veilstone City, Rollins takes him to see the meteors of the city. Dwayne marvels at where the meteors could have come from, as red, green and blue lights appear far overhead. Back at the Pokémon Center, Dwayne plans the next Gym to go to, with Nurse Joy suggesting Pastoria City's. Meanwhile, Saturn steps out of a helicopter and heads into the Veilstone Galactic Headquarters with a mysterious box in hand. He briefs the Grunts about what their mission is, and then leaves to go to the park where the meteors are held.

In the Pokémon Center, Rollins is talking on the videophone with Lazuli. Rollins comments to Lazuli about how Dwayne is a formidable opponent, which annoys Lazuli. Back at the meteor field, Saturn steps out of a helicopter, and gets out the box, and opens it to reveal the Spear Key. In the meteor's presence, the cube-like key hovers and reforms into a different shape, and as this happens, the meteors start glowing and release beams of light into the air. Many people, including Dwayne, Maylene and Reggie take notice. Saturn then radios HQ to run the scrambling. The grunt on the other end complies, and communications and all technology (excluding vehicles and Galactic Equipment) across the city go down. This prompts Officer Jenny to dispatch forces across the city, while Dwayne heads over to the hill. En route, he bumps into Maylene and her Lucario, who tells them that Connally has gone to inform Jenny about what's happening.

Dwayne and Maylene arrive and have Saturn's Toxicroak send a Dark Pulse at them, but Lucario quickly intervenes with an Aura Sphere, which has no effect on Toxicroak. Jenny then arrives, and confronts and reveals who Team Galactic are. At this point, Saturn tells the grunts to release their Golbat to distract the group, in order for the meteors to continue being lifted. The group struggles with the Golbat, until Rollins arrives with Electabuzz to help in the fight. The group take out many of the Golbat after a lucky shot from a combined attack by Gardevoir and Electabuzz. Electabuzz becomes surrounded by Golbat, until Gardevoir uses Psyshock to disperse them. One of the Golbat, however, manages to fire off a Shadow Ball at Psyshock, which Electabuzz blocks. The attention turns to the helicopters, and the gang turns their attention to the cables attached to the meteors. Gardevoir uses Moonblast, supercharged by Electabuzz's Thunder attack, Lucario uses Bone Rush to cut the cables, and Happiny uses her sheer strength to grab the meteors as they fall off. Saturn sighs at the grunts telling him that it's time, and retreats. Gardevoir and Lucario send off a Shadow Ball and Aura Sphere, respectively, but the helicopters are too far away. Dwayne apologizes for not being able to apprehend them, but Jenny says that everyone is safe, as are the meteors, so it's a job well done. Meanwhile, in the helicopter, Saturn discusses how their next plan is at the lake, as Team Galactic flies into the sunset.

An explosion rocks a research facility, and several men flee the premises with a Riolu. Building workers come out, saying the Riolu is a priceless research tool, and must be recovered. The kidnappers's Golem fires a blast at the building, and they escape on a passing truck with their boss inside. Riolu is put in the back. As the truck is moving, Riolu uses its Aura abilities to hear the words spoken by the henchmen and a man with sunglasses, their boss. They say that they tricked Riolu into thinking they would bring it home. Upon hearing it, Riolu uses Aura Sphere on the truck's back door.

The truck skids to a halt and Riolu escapes. The henchmen are ordered to find Riolu and bring it back. The man with sunglasses sees the might of Riolu's power, having broken through reinforced metal on the door, and says he wants its power for himself. Dwayne encounters Riolu as he passes through a forest, and finds out it is hurt. When Dwayne is trying to help it, it mistakes him for an enemy and blasts him with Aura Sphere. Then, Dwayne tries to help it again but Riolu proceeds in using Aura Sphere on him once again before being deflected by an unknown person who just showed up. Then, she proceeds to follow Riolu with Dwayne in close pursuit.

Dwayne searches for Riolu and then gets dragged into a bush by the same person who saved him. She tells Dwayne that Riolu only wants to go back home. Pokémon Hunter Cage's thugs show up and find Riolu which is standing on a branch, and attempt to steal it. One of his henchmen sends out a Crobat, which attacks Riolu with a Wing Attack, making it fall off the branch. Then, Dwayne comes out and orders Gardevoir to use Psyshock. Crobat dodges every attack before being hit by Riolu, who sends Aura Sphere to the henchmen. The henchmen, being impressed with the Aura Sphere, send out their Pokémon when the unknown person shows up and reveals herself to be a Pokémon Ranger who uses her Vatonage Styler to control a nearby Ariados. Then, Ariados wraps the henchmen's Pokémon in its String Shot. Then, she captures a Nincada and orders it to Dig. It digs underground and makes a hole for the henchmen who fall in it.

Next, after dealing with the thugs, she releases the Pokémon she captured. Then, she walks toward Riolu with a small bag in her hand and takes out a small wooden figurine in the form of a Riolu. Then, she explains to Riolu there is nothing to fear about while putting the bag around Riolu's neck. She picks up Riolu and tells Dwayne to follow her, introducing herself to him as Janet, a Pokémon Ranger whose mission is to bring Riolu home. Janet uses a Potion to heal Riolu's wound. Then, Riolu approaches the water taking out the wooden figurine. Janet informs Dwayne that the figurine is a gift from the man who raised him. Then, Dwayne experiences a sudden vision of a house where an old man gives the same wooden figurine to the same Riolu. Then, he approaches Riolu and reveals that the man used Riolu's Aura to create the vision. Upon hearing this, Janet becomes surprised and notes the Aura is similar to a feeling and Dwayne's Aura is perfectly matched with that of Riolu's. Then, her Styler starts ringing, the caller being Solana. She is shown with Officer Jenny driving on her motorcycle. She informs them of finding the location of Cage's hideout and is heading there with Jenny.

Next, Cage's ship shows up, where he's being informed by his henchmen of their encounter with Janet and Dwayne. Dwayne, Janet and Riolu cross a lake by boat being towed by Buizel. As they cross the lake, Janet explains that Riolu comes from the Lucario Kingdom. Their boat is then smashed by Cage's henchmen's Sharpedo. A Floatzel jumps out of the water and Janet captures it. She orders Floatzel to take them to the shore, but are attacked by Sharpedo's Aqua Jet. In order to escape them, Riolu attacks it with Aura Sphere. Then, Cage and his Salamence show up. They proceed to attack him, but Salamence deflects their attacks with Hyper Beam. Hunter Cage uses his bracelet attempting to freeze Riolu, but Floatzel uses Water Gun to hit Salamence in its wing. After that, he fires a shot, but Riolu manages to evade it, dropping the figurine in the water.

Riolu chases after it, with Dwayne following it. Salamence uses Hyper Beam on a nearby rock which breaks apart falling in water and stopping Janet in her tracks. Dwayne and Buizel continue following Riolu, who in turn chases the wooden figurine. The figurine falls into a waterfall and Riolu is caught in the currents, and is dragged underwater. Then, a flashback of the moment he was captured by the scientists is shown. It quickly wakes up to find itself lying down on the grass after being rescued by Dwayne, who gives him the wooden figurine. Buizel hears Hunter Cage nearby, and runs away along with Dwayne and Riolu but are spotted by him and his henchmen. The henchmen prepare to go after them, but are stopped by Cage. Cage's Salamence fires Flamethrower everywhere in the forest surrounding Dwayne, Buizel and Riolu.

Dwayne and the Pokémon are surrounded by flames. However, Buizel's Water Gun cools down some flame and they escape. However, Cage fires his cannon and turns Riolu in a statue. Cage tells him he sparred Riolu from the flames, but Dwayne is not convinced. Salamence uses Hyper Beam, though they evade. Salamence uses Flamethrower to deal with them. Cage is satisfied to have eliminated the threat. The Pokémon of the forest go out. Janet spots some Blastoise and captures them. They use Rain Dance to douse the fire in the forest. Janet knows Cage put the fire, so they go to search for Riolu and Dwayne.

Dwayne is safe, as Chimchar dug out a tunnel to escape. Suddenly, Dwayne hears something and sees the vehicles come in the airship. Dwayne quickly goes into the ship. The rain stops, so Janet runs into the forest. The airship passes near them, so they now know Cage has Riolu. Cage contacts the man who wants Riolu. Cage lowers it a bit, so the man is convinced the Riolu is real. Dwayne comes into the room to rescue Riolu. Cage sends Drapion, who grabs ahold of Dwayne and begins squeezing him. Dwayne kicks it and frees himself. However, he falls in a trap and falls out of the airship, but fortunately, a Skarmory saves them, as Janet captured it.

The airship disappears. Janet receives a call from Solana, who, along with Officer Jenny, failed to arrest the contractors, as they escaped. If they succeed, the men will leave no tracks. Dwayne wants Riolu to know where it is and yells. Cage senses something and looks to Riolu. Riolu's aura gives info to Dwayne; they are near some canyons. Janet captured some a Dodrio and they charge towards the location. Dwayne senses the aura is stronger, so they are closer. The contractors came and apologize for waiting. Cage's men give them Riolu, but Dwayne and Janet arrive to put an end to the deal.

Dwayne sends Golbat, who uses Aerial Ace and knocks the Riolu's statue out of the contractor's hands. Cage has the money, so he and his men go back in the airship. One of the contractors's men sends Golem, who uses Hyper Beam, which grazes Dwayne. Cage's ship flies away, and Cage's clients attempt to embark on their vehicles to escape. However, Golbat's Poison Fang successfully pops the tires. The men send more Pokémon, while the contractor summons his Fearow to escape. Solana and Officer Jenny arrive, so while they fight the men, Dwayne and Janet attempt to rescue Riolu. Dwayne and Janet chase the criminal. The Dodrio jumps on Fearow and uses Fury Attack, causing the Fearow to fall. The man is stubborn and goes in a cave. The man sees there are many ways he can go, so sends Aggron, who uses Rock Smash to block the way by causing the rocks to fall down. Janet captures a nearby Donphan and she orders it to use Rollout, pushing the rocks away. However, the Aggron caused all possible ways to be barred. Dwayne uses his aura to contact Riolu and senses in one of the ways. Donphan rolls and pushes the rocks away.

The man is surprised to see they figured where to go, but still does not want to give up Riolu. Aggron uses Double-Edge, but gets stopped by Donphan's Horn Attack. Aggron is pushed on the man, who drops the statue. Dwayne lowers the statue and Riolu is free. Aggron uses Hyper Beam, but collides with Riolu's Aura Sphere. With Riolu's Aura Sphere, the Aggron and its Trainer are defeated. The contractor's men are also arrested. Jenny thanks them for the assistance. Cage gets another contract and orders his men to pilot towards the location. The man who raised Riolu expresses his gratitude. Dwayne approaches Riolu and returns his wooden figure, and says that he was no longer in danger and tells him to stay safe only to get caught in its Aura communication, as Riolu thanks him for returning its prized possession back. Riolu then departs with its caretaker as Dwayne bids him goodbye. Then, Janet thanks Dwayne for assisting her with her mission, and leaves for his next mission, bidding Dwayne farewell.

Rhonda is reporting some major news about Top Coordinator Wallace and Sootopolis City Gym Leader who ventured into Pokémon Contests and was able to win the Grand Festival to become a Top Coordinator. Considered to be the pride and envy of Pokémon Coordinators everywhere, Wallace travels around the world hosting the Wallace Cup, a special event which is open to all Trainers and Coordinators from across the world. Rhonda announces the competition is due to take place at Lake Valor and entrants are being accepted. Dwayne watches the broadcast from a Pokémon Center and despite not being a Coordinator, becomes rather excited for the tournament, but currently has no desire to participate, but rather simply spectate it. Nurse Joy comes over with Rhonda and her crew. Dwayne greets Rhonda and she asks him if he'd seen Wallace around. Rhonda informs him that Wallace regularly travels across the Kanto and Hoenn regions holding and promoting Pokémon Contests bearing his name, the Wallace Cup, that the Wallace Cup Aqua Ribbon counts as an official Ribbon at any Contest competitions all over the world, and that this year's Wallace Cup is taking place at Lake Valor. Dwayne asks Rhonda more about Wallace and she says that it's Wallace's day off so his whole staff won't tell her where he is, but her sources tell her he's somewhere nearby and that a piece on Wallace relaxing would be priceless. She asks Dwayne to tip her off if he sees Wallace and leaves to continue searching for Wallace with her crew.

Dwayne looks for Wallace in the forest and comes across a fog near the lake. He hears singing and discovers that it's coming from a Milotic, and finds Wallace sitting on a rock nearby. Milotic dives underwater and Wallace greets him. He tells Dwayne about his hectic schedule. Since arriving in Sinnoh, he has made appearances on talk shows, agreed to do press conferences, and even back at the hotel, his fans gather just to see him. For these reasons, he begged his staff for a day off to spend quality time with Milotic. As Milotic plays, Dwayne admires the Tender Pokémon and Wallace tells him that kinship is the most important thing when caring for Pokémon. Dwayne promises not to tell anyone Wallace is here so as to not disturb his day off. Wallace asks Dwayne if he's entering the Wallace Cup, but Dwayne responds negatively, saying that he wasn't a Coordinator, but Wallace replies that any Trainer was welcome, and asks to see Dwayne's Pokémon, and Dwayne summons his entire party: Gardevoir, Chimchar, Turtwig, Eevee, Happiny, and Buizel. Wallace analyzes Dwayne's Pokémon one by one, and Dwayne comments that he also has a Buneary, Golbat, and Gligar that he rotates in-between, and Wallace compliments Dwayne's decision to rotate his Pokémon, stating that a rotating team gives the Trainer more leverage against any opponent, and Wallace subsequently focuses on Buizel.

Wallace thinks that since Buizel is fond of battles, it would be interesting to see its moves in a Contest Battle and suggests that Dwayne should participate in the Wallace Cup. Repeating himself, Dwayne knows Contests and regular battles are different and is doubtful he would be any good but Wallace says he would love to see him participate and encourages him, and Dwayne ultimately relents and decides to participate. Wallace and Milotic put on a performance to show what a day of relaxing and playing can do for Pokémon. Milotic uses Safeguard and a green light and mist gather around. It uses Aqua Ring and water bubbles circle it. It then uses Dragon Pulse, the water bubbles disperse and it flies around Dwayne. It finishes with Twister, gathering wind and water around itself and blowing it outward. Then, Wallace bids Dwayne farewell as he and Milotic depart in a wave. Rhonda and her crew are in the bushes. She confirms whether her cameraman filmed everything, but the battery was dead. Rhonda accidentally hits herself on the boom mic in her rage.

Later that night, Dwayne watches Wallace's interview through the television. Nurse Joy comes by and tells Dwayne that he has a message to call the Pokémon Center in Snowpoint City. Elsewhere, in Snowpoint, a man is sitting on a couch watching TV in the local Pokémon Center and Nurse Joy tells him that his message was delivered and his phone call was waiting. The man gets up and thanks Joy, revealing himself to be Jethro.

The next day, Dwayne awaits Jethro's arrival at the port and after a few minutes, a ship becomes visible, with Jethro waving at him happily. As Jethro steps foot in Lake Valor, Dwayne greets him, and they exchange pleasantries. As the two walk up some stairs, Dwayne asks Jethro how long he'd been in Sinnoh, and Jethro says he arrived at the region three days ago, and traveled to Snowpoint City for a very specific reason, to which Dwayne asks him about. Jethro replies by throwing a Poké Ball, which reveals his Glaceon. Jethro comments that he'd captured an Eevee and upon arriving in Sinnoh, decided that Glaceon was the Eeveelution he was looking for, and traveled to Snowpoint City to have Eevee evolve, as the city produced an unique stone that caused Eevee to evolve into Glaceon by touching it. Dwayne becomes amazed at Glaceon, and says that he was looking foward to meeting it in battle, and Glaceon lets out a determined face, agreeing with Dwayne's statement.

The day of the Wallace Cup has arrived and everyone is getting excited. Dwayne confirms to Jethro that he's signed up for the Wallace Cup when Sadie appears. Sadie explains that although she wasn't a Coordinator, she believed that the Wallace Cup could prove quite a good practice for her next Gym battle, and remarks that Dwayne probably thought the same as he, too, would be entering. The next day, Marian is announcing the big day has finally arrived. The Wallace Cup is about to start. Wallace makes his appearance in an impressive way along with his Milotic and salutes the spectators. Marian informs the audience he will be a special judge and then proceeds to present the other judges. Marian then explains that the winning Coordinator will receive the Aqua Ribbon, a special Ribbon that is valid to use in any region.

The Performance Stage begins and Jethro is the first participant to be called on stage. He sends out his Swampert and orders him to use Hydro Cannon on the large pool, creating numerous waves, before finishing his performance with Muddy Water and Earthquake, causing the now-brown waves to dissipate, which earns him favorable scores.

Next is Sadie's turn. She sends out her new Pokémon, Finneon. Finneon uses Silver Wind, sending a shimmering gust across the water. Finneon then uses Safeguard, creating a spectacular shine reflected in the water surface. Finneon then uses Waterfall, creating a large torrent to rise out of the water's surface. Finneon then travels up the water in a spiral fashion, leaps up above and shines dazzlingly, earning Sadie a near perfect score, with Dwayne remarking that Sadie would've ended up great as a Coordinator.

Dwayne's turn comes up next. He appears wearing a black formal suit with a matching black hat. He sends out his Buizel, which upon release attacks the lightning bolts that are formed because of the seal on his Dive Ball, creating a grand entrance. Buizel first uses Aqua Jet on the water to show off its speed and power. Buizel then brakes by using the air sac around its neck, resulting in a complete stop. Next, Buizel uses Sonic Boom while underwater to propel itself out into the air. It then uses Water Gun in the air and splashes the water towards the judges, the water disperses into a glittering mist. Dwayne's act with Buizel is amazing and is praised by the judges, however, Lazuli catches the appeal on TV and is unimpressed to see Dwayne has entered a Pokémon Contest. As the Performance Stage comes to an end, Dwayne, Jethro and Sadie look towards the monitor, awaiting the results, and all three have advanced through the next round, and Dwayne becomes energized as a result.

Later that night at the lake, Dwayne sees a view of the city, with the Contest Hall at the front while enjoying the night breeze. Suddenly, Dwayne sees a small whirlpool – like movement in the water. A projected soul appears in the middle. He stares at it curiously as it dances in the breeze. The projected soul returns to the water. Dwayne barges into his room, hurriedly describing the projected soul to Jethro. Sadie enters room after hearing the noises, and Dwayne describes "the thing" in Lake Valor as he did to Jethro. The three start having a conversation about the light at Lake Valor. Then, Dwayne remembers the projected soul he saw emerge from Lake Verity on his first day in Sinnoh. Jethro then says that he heard stories about the Legendary Pokémon that lives in Lake Acuity, which is near Snowpoint City. Sadie, being from Snowpoint City herself, confirms this as she heard the same stories when she was young.

The next day, the second round of the Wallace Cup begins. Wallace greets the Coordinators. Dwayne finds out that he will be the first to battle. Dwayne sends out Buizel, and his opponent, Kyle, sends out Lanturn. Lanturn starts things off with Charge, but Dwayne loses points due to not sensing where Lanturn is. Buizel launches a Sonic Boom into the water, knocking Lanturn high into the air, also including a point loss. However, that gives Lanturn a chance to use Thunderbolt from the air. It drastically hits Buizel, making Dwayne lose a large amount of points. Buizel is now seen to have become paralyzed. Lanturn launches Ice Beam, and loses Dwayne loses more points. But Dwayne knows what to do and orders an Aqua Jet in order to make an "**Ice Aqua Jet**". Everyone is amazed at the improvised yet good-looking move. The attack strikes Lanturn, which makes Kyle lose lots of points. Meanwhile in another town, Lazuli, who was watching the battle, loses interest and walks off, remarking how pathetic she considers Dwayne. Buizel gets hit by Hydro Pump and then returns to the stage. Buizel then uses Water Pulse and the collision creates a shower, catching Dwayne and Buizel in a short, but intense downpour. Just then time runs out, and despite the Ice Aqua Jet, Kyle still has more points, eliminating Dwayne from the competition. He and Buizel are left disappointed and soaking wet.

As more Coordinators battle, Sadie and Jethro have advanced towards the semi-finals. The final day of the Wallace Cup arrives, and Jethro battles against Kyle. Jethro chooses Milotic and Kyle chooses Crawdaunt. The battle begins as Jethro commands Ice Beam and Kyle commands Sludge Bomb. After the collision between the attacks, Jethro orders Milotic to go underwater. Kyle sends Crawdaunt into the water as well. As Milotic and Crawdaunt charge towards each other, Jethro tells Milotic to use Whirlpool, which takes Crawdaunt by surprise and costs Kyle points. Kyle counters telling Crawdaunt to use Surf, which crashes down on Milotic and sends her backwards. Crawdaunt smoothly lands with Jethro left to think of what to do next. Kyle tells Crawdaunt to use Dark Pulse, which comes towards Milotic. Jethro tells Milotic to dodge and she spins in between the two Dark Pulses. Then, Jethro orders Milotic to use Blizzard. Not wanting any surprises to happen, Kyle orders a Crabhammer from Crawdaunt. Crawdaunt jumps in the air about to strike Milotic, but Milotic gracefully dodges before unleashing her Blizzard attack. Crawdaunt gets hit, costing Kyle a lot of points. As the attack is finished, Crawdaunt falls in the water, Milotic lands, and time runs out. The screen is shown and Jethro wins the round.

Next up is Sadie's battle. Sadie chooses her Glameow while her opponent selects Beautifly. The battle starts off with Beautifly using Silver Wind, which hits Glameow effectively. Glameow takes the hit for a while before Sadie tells Glameow to jump. Beautifly uses Psychic, but Sadie tells Glameow to dodge and use Shadow Claw, but Beautifly dodges gracefully. However, Sadie anticipated this, and tells Glameow to hit the water. Rising water surrounds Beautifly. Sadie then orders Glameow to use Shock Wave, which bounces on the water and hits Beautifly. After the attack makes contact, the water is zapped away with a sparking Beautifly flying backwards. Beautifly shrugs off the electric charge. Glameow jumps out the water sparkling with an electrical charge glaring at Beautifly. Sadie commands an Iron Tail, but Beautifly uses Silver Wind on the water. Glameow charges through the towering water with Beautifly slyly coming from behind it. Beautifly uses Psychic, which sends Glameow backwards. Beautifly then follows up with Morning Sun, and Beautifly raises up and starts to glow blindingly. Beautifly uses Aerial Ace, and Sadie tells Glameow to use Shadow Claw. The two Pokémon charge at each other over the water and collide resulting in an explosion. Time runs out and the scoreboard reveals that Sadie has won the round.

As the finals begin, Sadie and Jethro exchange words of encouragement towards one another. Sadie sends out Glameow and Jethro sends out Glaceon. Sadie starts off telling Glameow to use Shock Wave. Jethro tells Glaceon to dodge and use Secret Power, which hits Glameow, and seems to have it paralyzed for a bit. Jethro then orders Glaceon to use Ice Shard, which has Glameow in a spot. Sadie tells Glameow to go in the water and Glaceon looks menacing at it. Glameow jumps out of the water and Sadie orders it to use Secret Power. Despite the size of it, Jethro isn't phased one bit and orders Glaceon to use Mirror Coat. The two collide, but Glaceon pushes it back at Glameow, which sends it flying backwards. Glameow recovers fast and Sadie tells it to use Shock Wave. Glaceon is hit hard and Jethro loses points.

Jethro tells Glaceon to use Ice Shard, but Glameow dodges with its spinning move. Jethro is impressed but sees where Glameow will land. Before Glameow lands, Jethro orders Glaceon to use Secret Power. Sadie tries to have Glameow land before Glaceon hits, but Glaceon is too fast. Glameow is sent spinning into the air, but Sadie uses it against Jethro by having Glameow spin gracefully and landing in a pose, which surprises both Jethro and Glaceon. Jethro has Glaceon use Shadow Ball and toss it in the air. Glaceon jumps and flips twice hitting the Shadow Ball with its tail giving it momentum. Sadie isn't worried as Ghost-type attacks have zero effect on Normal-types, but the Shadow Ball wasn't being aimed at Glameow, but at the pod, and the impact sends shock waves that send Glameow flying, which impresses the judges and Marian.

Sadie tells Glameow to use Shadow Claw, but Jethro has Glaceon dodge it and use Ice Shard. Sadie counters it by having Glameow block it with Iron Tail. Sadie then has Glameow ride the waves, which gets everyone's attention and applause. Jethro tells Glaceon to use Shadow Ball and Sadie has Glameow dodge. The Shadow Ball hits the wave and becomes a huge splash of water. Sadie has Glameow use Shock Wave, and Glameow comes through the water and releases electric waves. Glaceon is hit hard again, and Jethro tells it to use Secret Power. Sadie responds by using Iron Tail. When then two attacks hit, both Pokémon are sent flying, but Jethro quickly follows up by having Glaceon use Ice Shard, which hits Glameow hard. Sadie has Glameow use Shock Wave and Jethro responds with Mirror Coat. Glaceon stands up to it for a while and eventually Glaceon and Glameow both get hit as a result. The two Pokémon are still standing after being washed back to their places and time runs out. Jethro and Sadie look up to see who won the Cup and the points couldn't be closer, but with just 5 points ahead of Sadie, Jethro has won the Wallace Cup. Sadie tells Glameow that it did a good job and Glameow feels great about being complimented. Sadie gives Jethro her congratulations and Glaceon jumps into Jethro's arms.

Soon, it's time for the presentation. Wallace gives his congratulations to Jethro, and awarding him the Aqua Ribbon. The entire audience applauds for Jethro. Wallace then gives his farewells and has Milotic use Hydro Pump in the air, creating a geyser creating a glittery effect, bringing the Wallace Cup to a close.

With the Wallace Cup over, everyone is saying their goodbyes as Jethro prepares to head back to Hoenn. Jethro then wishes Dwayne and Sadie luck in their endeavors, and they wish him luck in his future Contests. Soon, the boat and Jethro are leaving, and Jethro waves and says goodbye to his friends and Dwayne and Sadie respond by waving back. Sadie then shake hands with Dwayne, telling him that they still had to settle their own score and told Dwayne that she would defeat him at the Sinnoh League, but Dwayne playfully tells her that it would be the opposite, before Sadie leaves and Dwayne continues towards Pastoria City.

Sometime later, Dwayne is training with his Pokémon, pitting Gardevoir, Buizel, and Turtwig against Golbat, Chimchar, and Gligar. After the training session, Gligar gets excited and hugs Dwayne, but ends up knocking him down. A strong wind blows Gligar away, with Dwayne and his Pokémon in pursuit. Meanwhile, Lazuli and her Electabuzz shock a wild Drapion in an attempt to catch it. This fails, however, as Gligar falls from the sky, right in front of Lazuli and the Drapion escapes. Lazuli scolds Gligar for interrupting the training and at that moment, Golbat leads Dwayne to Gligar and Lazuli.

Lazuli brings up Dwayne's performance in the Wallace Cup, and Dwayne defends himself by saying he entered under Wallace's recommendation, and that he saw it as a chance to help his Buizel become stronger. Lazuli retorts that's exactly why Dwayne criticized her for entering the Hearthome City Tag Battle Competition, which just makes Dwayne angry who responds that Lazuli only entered Hearthome's Tag Battle tournament so that she could put Chimchar through more rounds of torture. He criticizes Lazuli, saying that while they both share the dream of winning the Sinnoh League and challenging the Champion, Cynthia, their training methods couldn't be more different and Dwayne raises his Pokémon with love and trust. He reflects on Cynthia's helpful advice back at Amity Square, but Lazuli says that is not her way of being a Pokémon Trainer. Dwayne is determined to show Lazuli he's a good Trainer and asks for a battle, but Lazuli begins to walk away from Dwayne. Chimchar suddenly runs after Lazuli and yells at her. This seems to amuse Lazuli, who reconsiders Dwayne's offer for a battle.

It is decided the match will be three-on-three. Dwayne asks his Pokémon which one wants to battle, to which Gligar can't volunteer quick enough. Dwayne agrees and allows Gligar to participate in its first proper battle. Lazuli responds by choosing her Gliscor, and Gligar is very nervous about facing its evolved form and former friend. The battle begins and Dwayne tells Gligar to use X-Scissor, however, Gliscor pounds back with Knock Off. Gligar begins to cry on the ground, when Dwayne tells it to try Sand-Attack. Gligar gets up and starts to throw sand in Gliscor's face, but the Fang Scorp Pokémon is unaffected by the attack. Lazuli then commands Gliscor to use Guillotine, and Dwayne tells Gligar to counter with Steel Wing, but it's no good as Gliscor scores a direct hit and slams Gligar into the ground, knocking it out. Dwayne takes Gligar out and kindly tells it that's it ok and to and cheer for him with the rest of the team. Lazuli tells Dwayne that it's a good time for Gligar to learn that being defeated in battle is all the Trainer's fault, which Dwayne's Pokémon don't take kindly to.

Lazuli sends out her Ursaring next. Chimchar volunteers to fight next. Gardevoir isn't sure Chimchar is confident enough to battle Lazuli, but Chimchar turns around and tells Gardevoir that he can do it. The battle begins with Chimchar's Flamethrower. Ursaring uses Focus Blast, and both attacks cancel each other out. Chimchar uses Dig, but Ursaring uses Hammer Arm on the ground, unearthing Chimchar and knocking him into the air. Chimchar dives down with a Flame Wheel, but Ursaring catches him. Ursaring uses Secret Power at close range. Due to the mysterious power of Ursaring's Secret Power attack, Chimchar was flinched and can't attack. Despite encouragement from Dwayne and the other Pokémon, Ursaring uses Hammer Arm on Chimchar, burying him in a pile of rubble. Chimchar emerges in a flaming fury, having accessed Blaze, although it's not like any Blaze anyone's seen before. Remembering how Chimchar activated Blaze during his battle with the Zangoose, Lazuli knows that Chimchar is finally awake, as this is the power she was trying to unlock all along. Dwayne suggests that Chimchar is trying his best to defeat Lazuli, and has accessed Blaze due to the encouragement from him and the other Pokémon. Ursaring is ordered to use another Focus Blast, however Chimchar's Flame Wheel smashes through it and collides with Ursaring, knocking it out.

Even though it won the battle, Chimchar's fury appears to be rising. Dwayne tells Chimchar it's time to stop, however, Chimchar instead powers up another Flame Wheel and charges at his Trainer, who is able to get out of the way. Chimchar then goes for Lazuli, who is able to narrowly avoid being hit. Now Chimchar is bouncing all around, setting fire to the forest. Buizel uses Water Gun to put out the fires. Chimchar is now completely uncontrollable and attempts to get away, however, he is blocked by Dwayne who begs Chimchar to stop. Chimchar's escape is then blocked by Gardevoir, followed by the other Pokémon, causing Chimchar's fury to grow. Dwayne, knowing he needs to stop Chimchar here and now, grabs the Chimp Pokémon and holds him close and screams at him to stop, but Chimchar shows no sign of calming and bites him in the shoulder, causing Dwayne intense pain. The other Pokémon move to help Dwayne, but Gardevoir stops them, knowing Dwayne is able to handle this alone. The intense heat caused by Chimchar begins to burn Dwayne, but he refuses to let go and keeps begging Chimchar to stop. Eventually, under Dwayne's encouraging words, Chimchar finally calms down and regains control.

Chimchar is once again terrified, this time of Dwayne's yelling; seeing it as a possible sign of anger. However, Dwayne's yelling was due more to desperation for Chimchar to get a hold of itself, but Dwayne compliments Chimchar on its power, and says that he believes in Chimchar's power. Lazuli, however, asks what Dwayne will do the next time Chimchar ends up accessing Blaze, and if he will ever be able to control it. Dwayne believes Chimchar has the ability to handle the power it possesses. The rest of Dwayne and Lazuli's battle is called off, and Lazuli tells Dwayne he's a fool to believe that Chimchar can handle Blaze. However, she goes on to say that after Dwayne and Chimchar have learned to control Blaze, the two trainers will battle again. Dwayne embraces Chimchar and Lazuli walks away, both knowing that the two will battle again someday.

After arriving at Pastoria City, Dwayne trains with Buizel outside of the Pokémon Center, who's eager to make up for only managing a draw against Maylene's Lucario. Meanwhile, Gardevoir and Eevee are training together with a mock match. Gardevoir starts things off with Psyshock}} and Eevee responds with Swift, resulting in a stalemate. Gardevoir uses Moonblast, but Eevee dodges and retaliates with Copycat, allowing Eevee to unleash a Moonblast of her own, but Gardevoir dodges and it accidentally hits Buizel. Buizel isn't very happy about being attacked by his teammate and tries to pick a fight with Eevee, but Turtwig intervenes and tries to push Buizel back. Turtwig tries too hard and makes Buizel fall on its back. Buizel, now very angry with both Eevee and Turtwig, uses Sonic Boom, but Dwayne gets in the way, taking the blow. Crasher Wake, the Pastoria Gym Leader, arrives and notices Buizel's behavior. He sends out his Floatzel, which looks down on Buizel.

Dwayne and Crasher Wake are in the Gym field and the judge is explaining the rules. Crasher Wake sends out his Gyarados, and Dwayne sends out Eevee. Eevee makes the first move with Swift, which hits Gyarados, and it appears that it's going to take serious damage. However, Gyarados seems hardly phased; it charges up and uses Dragon Rage. Eevee counters with Double-Edge, and the overhand strike allows her to soar into the air, reaching apex right above Gyarados. Gyarados goes for Eevee with Bite, but to Crasher Wake's surprise as Eevee falls, Dwayne has Eevee use her growing momentum to go into Double-Edge. Eevee collides into Gyarados's face and Eevee stands out as the winner.

Crasher Wake sends out Quagsire and Dwayne calls back Eevee, and sends out Turtwig. Turtwig uses Energy Ball, but Quagsire uses its slim body to dodge into the water. Turtwig jumps over the panels on the water and Crasher Wake notices how fast Turtwig is. After watching Turtwig's jump causing tell-tale ripples from panel to panel, Quagsire uses Sludge Bomb and sends Turtwig flying backwards. Quagsire jumps up and uses Ice Beam. After initializing an Ice Beam, Quagsire uses Sludge Bomb but Dwayne calls back Turtwig. Dwayne sends out Buizel and uses Sonic Boom. Quagsire seems to not have even felt the attack and Quagsire charges up for Ice Beam. Remembering the combination they used in the Wallace Cup, Buizel uses Aqua Jet as Quagsire releases the Ice Beam. Buizel goes head on towards the Ice Beam and is able to create **Ice Aqua Jet**, which strikes Quagsire directly, knocking it out.

Crasher Wake sends out Floatzel and Buizel charges with Aqua Jet. Floatzel inflates its sac and deflects Buizel's attack. Buizel uses Water Pulse, but Floatzel blocks it by merely punching it. Floatzel uses Razor Wind and Buizel is thrown into the water. Buizel gets out and uses Water Gun, but Floatzel blocks with its left fin. Buizel charges at Floatzel but Floatzel dodges and punches it into the water. Floatzel uses Bulk Up and swims after Buizel. Buizel uses Sonic Boom and Floatzel uses Razor Wind. Buizel continues to swim away, but Floatzel is gaining up on it. Dwayne calls out for Buizel to think of the water as his friend. As Floatzel gets closer, Buizel inflates his sack, stopping suddenly while Floatzel zooms ahead. Buizel scores a direct hit at Floatzel's exposed back with Aqua Jet. Then, Buizel uses Water Pulse and a geyser of water is pulled upwards with the attack, pinning Floatzel against the Gym ceiling. Floatzel uses Ice Fang to get out of it and Buizel uses Sonic Boom. Floatzel dodges and uses Ice Fang. Buizel bites the Ice Fang after it hits and uses Water Pulse. Floatzel inflates its sac and sends the Water Pulse back at Buizel. Buizel gets knocked back and is confused.

Floatzel uses Razor Wind and Buizel tries to use Aqua Jet but only turns around. Buizel gets knocked towards Dwayne, and Dwayne decides to send out Eevee. Eevee uses Swift and Floatzel uses Whirlpool. The attacks collide and droplets of water fall, shocking Buizel out of its confusion. Eevee uses Double-Edge, but Floatzel stops it with Razor Wind, sending Eevee flying in the air. Floatzel jumps up and uses Ice Fang. Eevee falls backwards and recovers a little bit after the attack, only to find out that Ice Fang froze part of her back. Buizel, having watched Eevee give her all in spite of the difficultly she's having, wants to battle now and Dwayne sends it out. As Eevee and Buizel pass each other, they high-five and Buizel uses Water Gun to break the ice off Eevee's back. Buizel jumps and uses Aqua Jet, and Floatzel uses Ice Fang. Both Pokémon fall back to their places and Floatzel uses Razor Wind. Razor Wind hits and creates a cloud of smoke. Floatzel jumps up but as the smoke clears, Buizel is nowhere to be found. Buizel jumps up from out of the water and releases a Water Pulse at point blank range into Floatzel and sends Floatzel flying back. Floatzel is unable to battle and Dwayne has won the match. Outside the Gym, Buizel and Eevee make amends from the earlier incident and Crasher Wake gives Dwayne the Fen Badge. Dwayne celebrates and shows off his newly earned Badge.

The next day, Dwayne and his Pokémon are having a meal. Dwayne then realizes that Gligar is nowhere to be found and gets up and starts to look around for the missing Pokémon. Dwayne calls out his name, and is replied instantly by an affectionate Gligar who drops down from the sky and lands straight on top of Dwayne, slamming him to the ground. Dwayne wonders where Gligar went to, and Gligar starts to use X-Scissor to show Dwayne that he has been training. Dwayne is impressed, and wonders if maybe it's trying harder to get stronger after being defeated by Lazuli's Gliscor. Dwayne tells Gligar they'll do some training together soon.

After finishing the meal, a practice battle between Gligar and Buizel is set up so Gligar can practice some of its moves. Gligar seems confident, before Buizel starts to look at him with an evil smirk. Gligar's confidence starts to waver, but Dwayne tells him that everything will be fine and that a battle like this is just what it needs. Gligar is satisfied by this, and Dwayne starts the battle off by telling Gligar to use X-Scissor. Gligar tries hitting Buizel with the attack, but the Sea Weasel proves too fast for it and keeps dodging every attack. Dwayne then tells Buizel to use Aqua Jet, which it does jumping into the air and speeding towards Gligar with a high powered water attack. Gligar falls to the ground and starts crying, before jumping into Dwayne's arms and clinging to his head. Buizel continues its attack and smashes straight into Dwayne, who is far from impressed. Gligar begins throwing a small tantrum due to being slightly injured from the fall, but quickly heals himself with Roost.

After thinking he should use a different Pokémon, Dwayne has Turtwig battle Gligar instead. Dwayne tells Turtwig to use Energy Ball, which Gligar manages to dodge but only because he's trying to run away. Dwayne tells Gligar to use Fury Cutter, which it does but falters when Turtwig stares at it ferociously, ready to defend. Gligar then spins around and starts chasing after Dwayne, who starts to run away. Gligar swoops down, knocking over Dwayne again with its weight. Dwayne wonders what is wrong with Gligar and starts to scold the Pokémon who takes it a little too harshly and flies away sobbing. Dwayne calls out for the missing Gligar to no avail. Dwayne then heads to a forest clearing where he finds Gligar along with a familiar face: Robyn Oak. The two greet each other, and Robyn asks about Gligar, to which Dwayne replies that it is his. Dwayne explains that he was in the middle of a battle when it ran off. Dwayne then calls Gligar back to him, but Gligar recoils in fright. Dwayne grabs a hold of Gligar telling to stop being silly, but Gligar refuses to budge and continues to hide behind Robyn. Robyn comments that Gligar may not trust Dwayne anymore, and Dwayne grits his teeth in frustration. Not soon after, the two begin a battle to try to train Gligar up. Dwayne starts the battle off by telling Gligar to use Fury Cutter, which is followed by Robyn, who tells Magnezone to use Sonic Boom. The attack misses Gligar, but the scared Pokémon recoils in fear and falls back down and lands on Dwayne. After Dwayne comments on what could be wrong with Gligar, Gligar starts warming up to the battle by bouncing on his tail before jumping up to fly. However, once in the air, Gligar becomes scared at how high it is and falls back down to the ground and lands on Dwayne.

At that, Robyn says that he has something that may help Gligar, and pulls out a Razor Fang and hands it to Dwayne, telling him the Razor Fang will make Gligar evolve into Gliscor. Gligar tries to grab the item from Dwayne, but Dwayne stops him, putting his hand out to stop the over-eager Pokémon telling it that evolution is no substitute for hard work. Gligar puffs his cheeks in frustration and runs off, with Dwayne and Robyn in pursuit. After losing track of Gligar, they hear a loud cry coming from the forest and see Gligar trapped inside a cage, with a group of poachers laughing at it. Dwayne demands them to return his Pokémon, but the poachers laugh, underestimating the young Trainer. Dwayne tries to tackle one of them, but gets punched back towards Robyn by one of the poachers. Robyn attempts to call out a Pokémon, but one of the poachers sends out a Stunky, which uses Haze, causing everyone to become blinded by the smoke. However, Dwayne hears the poachers's vehicle starting and runs towards the sound, and manages to grab onto the car as it speeds away, with Robyn trying to stop him, albeit unsuccessfully.

Soon after, Dwayne and Gligar are trapped in a cage with the poachers standing nearby their vehicle, celebrating their victory. The three poachers then dig into a large pile of tinned fruit. While all this is happening, Robyn is busy searching for Dwayne with Magnezone flying above him keeping look a out. Later that night, the poachers are sound asleep which Dwayne tells Gligar this is their chance to escape. Gligar nods, and Dwayne tells it to use X-Scissor to break open the bars on the cage. Gligar does so, but the attack isn't strong enough, so Dwayne tells him to use it again but this time with as much power as possible. Gligar fails again, however, and his claw starts to glow red with pain. Dwayne tells Gligar not to worry, and starts to smash into the cage bars himself. Gligar watches this in amazement. Gligar then resolves to try as hard as possible to get out of the cage and starts to use X-Scissor again. This time, Dwayne notices a change in the strength of the bar, as it appears wobbly at the top. At this, Dwayne tells Gligar that they need to work together to get out and they both attack the cage bars at the same time which breaks them open. The two then escape from the clearing and head out on their way back to Robyn. On the way, they come across an old, rickety bridge, and Gligar jumps on Dwayne's back as they try to get across it. The wind makes this difficult, as well as the various holes in the bridge, which Dwayne jumps between. The bridge then falls apart, sending Dwayne and Gligar falling, but Dwayne manages to grab a hold of the rope holding the bridge together and merely swings and hits the rock facing.

Dwayne and Gligar have managed to climb their way back up to the top of the cliff. Dwayne looks around, and notices a tree near the edge of the cliff not far from where the bridge used to stand. He tells Gligar to try to knock it over, which he tries to, but fails. Dwayne asks Gligar if it's okay, but Gligar simply gets back up and tries again, jumping into the air and smashing into the tree again. This time, Gligar finally succeeds and the tree falls, forming as a bridge between the two cliff edges. Dwayne is proud of Gligar, and tells him that he's earned the Razor Fang that Robyn gave him before. Gligar is overwhelmed with happiness and hugs Dwayne, but the happy moment is interrupted by the poachers. Dwayne tells them to leave them alone, but is ignored as the poachers are set on stealing Gligar. Holding Gligar in his arms, he tells Gligar that he's going to let him go so he can escape. He then does so, and Gligar falls down the cliff. Dwayne then falls himself, and falls past Gligar due to being less air-resistant. Gligar notices Dwayne falling below and tries to grab him but isn't fast enough. Dwayne throws Gligar the Razor Fang, which Gligar catches, causing it to instantly evolve into Gliscor. Dwayne smiles at seeing his Pokémon evolve, but then remembers he's falling and starts to scream uncontrollably. However, Gliscor is now a lot faster than before and grabs Dwayne and uses his tail to cushion the blow to the ground. Dwayne thanks his new Gliscor for saving him. The poachers then rope down from the cliff, and they seem confident that they can still capture Gligar in his evolved state.

Dwayne tells them that Gliscor belongs to him and isn't going anywhere with them, and then has Gliscor to use Steel Wing, which smashes into the poachers and knocks them back. At this, Robyn runs onto the scene and calls out to Dwayne. Dwayne then tells Gliscor to grab a hold of a tree branch and charge up his power, which he does, before flinging himself of the tree and using Steel Wing aimed at the poachers, which knocks them unconscious. As they climb back up the cliff, Dwayne and Gliscor watch the sunrise and give each other a smile, the rift between them healed and with a stronger bond than before.

Soon after, Officer Jenny arrests the poachers as Dwayne and Robyn prepare to head their separate ways. Robyn seems impressed with Dwayne, and Dwayne thanks his godfather for the help he has given him, including giving him a Razor Fang. Robyn then bids Dwayne farewell, wishing him good luck in his goals, and Dwayne returns the action. When Dwayne arrives in Hearthome City, he learns, much to his dismay, that the Gym Leader still hasn't returned. Instead of waiting for her to return, Dwayne remembers that Cynthia traveled to Celestic Town after their previous meeting, and decides to travel there, wanting to meet her again. Before leaving, however, Dwayne receives a call from Professor Rowan, inviting him to participate in his Pokémon Summer Academy, and being intrigued by this, Dwayne accepts and receives the location of the academy.

When Dwayne arrives at the academy near Mt. Coronet, Dwayne becomes surprised to see Sadie and Derek at the academy, with Sadie saying that she was invited by Professor Rowan to participate, and Derek saying that he only joined because he was bored and had nothing better to do. The Trainers are then split into one of three teams (Red, Blue, and Green), with Dwayne, Sadie, and Derek all being part of the Red Team, and Dwayne is nominated as the team's leader. The Trainer's first task is to choose a random Poké Ball in order to have them learn to adapt to any Pokémon they might come across. Dwayne reaches for a Poké Ball, but another person also grabs it at the same time as Dwayne does. Dwayne looks up to see a girl grabbing the Poké Ball, and both proceed to engage in a tug-of-war over the Poké Ball, but Dwayne ultimately loses after the girl starts tickling him. She introduces herself as Uriel, and says that was also part of the Red Team and hopes that Dwayne wouldn't mess their chances of winning, much to Dwayne's chagrin. Uriel challenges him to a battle, but Rowan stops their fight, as today they would meet the Pokémon, and urges them to save their strength for the next day. Uriel then throws the Poké Ball, which contains a Charmeleon. Uriel greets Charmeleon, but it turns away from her, not impressed with her, and Dwayne laughs at Charmeleon's disobedience, as Uriel blushes in frustration and embarassment.

Dwayne then retrieves another Poké Ball, which contains a Helioptile. Dwayne greets Helioptile, but the Generator Pokémon becomes scared and uses Dig to hide itself, as Uriel laughs at their dysfunctional partnership, but Dwayne says that he would quickly become friends with Helioptile. Sadie's partner Pokémon turns out to be a Ekans. However, other Trainers cringe at Ekans's appearance, which leaves it sad, until Sadie says that she thought Ekans was cute, which instantly cheers up the Snake Pokémon. Then, Derek gets paired up with a Magnemite, which Derek is happy about. As Dwayne tries to impress Helioptile, Uriel's Charmeleon runs away and spots a Croconaw and goes to attack. Croconaw retaliates with Water Gun, and Charmeleon uses Ember, which gets overpowered, but Charmeleon manages to dodge at the last second. Uriel is angry and sends her Raichu, who uses Spark to contain Charmeleon. Rowan yells and stops the battle. Rowan is very strict, as he wants them to meet new friends and bond with the Pokémon they chose. If good enough, Rowan will decide which team should deserve the most points, depending on the challenge. The attendants are told to bond with the Pokémon. Sadie gives her Ekans a Poffin, to which it seems very happy to eat one. Derek rubs an object and gives Magnemite some static electricity, making it happier and polishes it.

Uriel sees her Charmeleon is having rivalry time with Croconaw. Dwayne checks via his Pokédex the moves Helioptile can use. With Dig, Low Sweep, Double Team and Parabolic Charge, Dwayne becomes pumped up. Sadie checks the moves as well and the results are Toxic, Mud Bomb, Poison Tail, and Poison Sting. Sadie is excited about this and goes to give Ekans some oil to polish it. Dwayne combs Helioptile, but when he pulls the comb by force, Helioptile electrocutes him. The others have more or less good results. Sadie poses and is happy to see Ekans can pose the same way as she does. Uriel wants to bond with Charmeleon, but Charmeleon uses Ember to hit her. Uriel chases it and evades another Ember, but it hits Helioptile and Dwayne. Dwayne and Uriel argue, but get restrained.

Dwayne and Uriel run and still think the other one was responsible. They are hungry and run to get the lunch first. However, they trip whilst running and once again starting arguing for several minutes, and once they realize it, several minutes have passed, and they once again run towards the cafeteria. Once they arrive, they are told by Sadie and Derek that there was no more food. However, Sadie and Derek were joking and give them the food. After some time spent at the Academy, the night is here and everyone is in bed, as tomorrow they are having an important day, but Dwayne, Sadie, Derek, and Uriel instead play a card game as none of them were tired. Uriel confesses she has not started her journey, as her parents were very overprotective and strict, and believe that Pokémon training was a waste of time, and force her to embark on a different career. Still, she does not want to give up on it yet, as she plans to become a great Pokémon Trainer. Uriel asks the others about their dreams, and Dwayne and Sadie both say that their goal was to become a Champion while Derek says that he was looking to become both a worldwide famous Trainer and a Researcher. Uriel says that they all had amazing dreams, but a man comes and interrupts their game, as they should've gone into bed instead of playing a card game. Next day, Helioptile trains itself. It uses Parabolic Charge, but Dwayne thinks it can be better than that. Helioptile digs, so Dwayne wants it to know it better and pulls it, but gets electrocuted. Dwayne admits it was powerful and tells it needs confidence. Helioptile uses Low Sweep and smashes the boulder, so they celebrate. Uriel sees this and sends Charmeleon and wants it to use Ember on her. Since it missed, Uriel taunts it, making it very angry and hits Uriel. She does the same once more, though Charmeleon uses Headbutt.

Uriel and Dwayne meet near the Academy. Dwayne knows that his Helioptile will have more confidence in due time and runs. Uriel passes him by, so they have a race. Sadie and Derek see they are rivals, but worry they might beat them. Rowan also sees them and is happy to see them as rivals, not as enemies as yesterday. The battles are about to start – Rowan wants the best to be seen – as Derek's Magnemite uses Thunderbolt, so another Trainer's Smoochum uses Sweet Kiss. Sadie sends Ekans to battle a Trainer's Venonat. Ekans uses Poison Tail, but gets sent back by Venonat's Psychic. Ekans uses Mud Bomb and Venonat uses Psychic once more, but Ekans uses Poison Tail to send the Mud Bomb back to Venonat. Venonat uses Stun Spore, so Ekans spins and uses Poison Sting to counter. After some time, Sadie and Ekans win the battle.

Now, Dwayne and Uriel face each other. Charmeleon uses Headbutt and Helioptile uses Low Sweep. Charmeleon uses Flame Burst, though Helioptile digs to protect itself. Charmeleon uses Ember, but misses. Charmeleon uses Fury Swipes, but hits an illusion caused by Double Team and hits it with Parabolic Charge. Charmeleon uses Flame Burst, hitting Helioptile. Dwayne and Uriel admit to each other they are pretty good. Charmeleon uses Ember, but Helioptile dodges by using Double Team. Charmeleon, however, uses Ember whilst spinning and hits the right Helioptile. Charmeleon charges with Fury Swipes and Helioptile uses Low Sweep, so they hit each other. Helioptile uses Parabolic Charge and Charmeleon uses Ember. Time is up, so nobody is the winner. The day is almost over, so Rowan tells that everyone will have time to spend time with other Pokémon. He announces the most valuable attendant of the day – from Red team, Sadie. However, the Blue team has the most points, while the Red has the least, as someone played card games instead of sleeping. Still, Dwayne and Uriel promise to make it up.

On the third day of Pokémon Summer Academy, the students are tasked with studying a Water-type Pokémon from the lake and presenting their findings. Professor Rowan and lab assistant Yuzo remind the students that the lake Pokémon are not to be caught and that no one is to leave the area. While standing by the lakeside, Dwayne sees a flash of light coming from across the lake, and suddenly becomes hypnotized and begins to walk towards the light, but Uriel stops him immediately. Intrigued, Dwayne and Uriel find two Lanturn-shaped pedal boats and use one to explore the far side of the lake, while Sadie and Derek follow using the other boat. While crossing, Dwayne and Uriel stumble across a Dewgong and Sealeo. Dwayne decides on the Dewgong while Uriel chooses to draw Sealeo, but they begin to quarrel when both Sealeo and Dewgong move the opposite direction, causing Dwayne and Uriel to bump into each other while trying to keep a close eye on their Pokémon. Meanwhile, Sadie chooses a Gorebyss and Derek chooses to sketch a Chinchou. After Dwayne and Uriel consider their finished drawings to be terrible, Dwayne decides to get up close to the Pokémon to make the research better, and they all dive into the water to be able to interact with the Pokémon. They then return to the bank to begin writing a report on each of their Pokémon.

As the group is talking, a blue flash comes from across the lake and Uriel's Raichu becomes hypnotized and walks off. After a few minutes, the group realizes that Raichu is missing and they start looking for it. The light flashes again and Dwayne becomes hypnotized, but Uriel stops him from wandering off. Dwayne comments that the same thing happened earlier, and Derek appears and tells a legend about a blue light that causes Pokémon to vanish when it flashes. The group decides to investigate the light. They find a cave and rush inside after it begins raining heavily. Derek looks deep into the cave and spots the odd light again, so the group venture farther into the cave. They enter a green-lit cavern filled with a lake, and the mysterious light swims closer to them. The source of the light leaps from the water, revealing itself to be a Lumineon. Derek adds that Lumineon uses the light of its tail fins to hypnotize people and Pokémon and draw them in. Uriel then spots Raichu inching closer to the water, but gives it a shake to wake it up from its hypnosis. Derek admits that Lumineon aren’t normally in caves, so he suggests they try to figure out this mystery and make it their report topic.

When the group returns to the class they present a report on Lumineon, and although they get a perfect score of 10, Professor Rowan deducts four points because they left the lake without permission, breaking a rule that had been stated earlier that day. Although Dwayne and friends are disappointed for losing the points, they admit it was worth seeing Lumineon. They conclude day three of the Summer Academy by cleaning the classrooms. Their third lesson is on how to correctly approach Ghost-type Pokémon, when ever and where ever they encounter them. They are then paired up to find a hidden medal in the Summit Ruins. The medal and how fast it's retrieved is needed to get points for the activity. While searching for a partner, Derek has a run-in with a mysterious girl, and is put into a trance. Dwayne and Uriel also pair up, while Derek and Sadie partner with other Trainers. On the night of the event, the paired-up Trainers head to the Ruins, when a girl is discovered to have been left behind. This alarms Professor Rowan's female assistant who had seen the 10 Blue Team members off moments before.

The Trainers encounter Professor Rowan's tame ghost Pokémon, and handle the situation differently. A Haunter grabs Raichu, and Uriel attacks it, but Dwayne apologizes, and they go on their way. When Sadie and her partner come across eating sounds, her partner's fears he'll be eaten and runs away in fright. Afterwards, Sadie sees Derek walking without a partner. She goes to investigate just as Derek is coaxed towards a cliff by the ghostly girl. Derek is about to walk off the cliff when a Dusknoir grabs his arm, waking Derek from his daze. Though safe, Derek faints at Dusknoir's appearance. Sadie stumbles upon Derek on the ground, with Dusknoir ominously overhead. Sadie misinterprets the scene as Dusknoir having hurt Derek, and she confronts it. The Dusknoir frantically waves its arms before fading away. Sadie rushes up and wakes Derek. Derek explains to Sadie that he was following a girl, and according to what the Pokédex said about Dusknoir, Sadie and Derek incorrectly assume that Dusknoir took the ghostly girl to the spirit world, and was about to take Derek too.

Elsewhere, Dwayne and Uriel meet a Misdreavus. Misdreavus uses Screech, and makes Dwayne and Uriel run away and get lost. The ghostly girl appears and then beckons Dwayne and Uriel to follow her, while the others have made it back to Professor Rowan. Being that Pokémon in the area are monitored and documented, the reports of a Dusknoir is alarming to Professor Rowan, especially since Dusknoir is a forest-dwelling Pokémon with no need to be in the area. Rowan also explains that an accident occurred one day when a mysterious cave was uncovered behind a wall. He also states that it might be the entrance to the spirit world, and that he assumes Dusknoir is trying to take someone there. Derek tells Sadie that he followed a girl and he thinks Dusknoir has taken her away.

It is concluded by Professor Rowan that the Dusknoir must have originated from a mysterious cave, which is thought to lead to the spirit world. Meanwhile, Dwayne and Uriel finally get to the Summit Ruins, and get the medal first. There, the girl tries to coax Dwayne and Uriel into the cave Professor Rowan mentioned, when Dusknoir appears. Dusknoir prepares to attack the girl, but Dwayne and Uriel battle Dusknoir to protect themselves and the girl. Dwayne's Gardevoir and Uriel's Raichu attack with Psyshock and Volt Tackle, respectively, while Dusknoir's back is turned on them. Dusknoir is momentarily stunned, and the girl tries to suck them into the spirit world through the cave. Uriel is pulled into the air, but caught by Dwayne who holds onto her, and Dwayne manages to grab ahold of a boulder to prevent them from getting sucked into the portal. Meanwhile, everyone arrives at the spot, and Professor Rowan prevents anyone else from getting too close. Dwayne then struggles due to his hand nearly slipping off the boulder, and Uriel simply tells him to let go of her hand, but Dwayne refuses, telling he wouldn't let her go no matter what, which leaves Uriel shocked and flattered. Dusknoir gets up and grabs Dwayne and Uriel, then sticks its tail into the ground to keep from getting sucked into the portal. Dwayne and Uriel are shocked and realize Dusknoir was trying to protect them all along.

After a few moments, the portal starts to drag them closer, with Dusknoir's tail moving through the dirt. Dwayne and Uriel freak out, and Dusknoir turns around and blasts the girl, collapsing the cave entrance. After everyone thanks the Dusknoir, the Dusknoir flies off and disappears. It turns out that the girl was a ghost and Dusknoir was trying to stop her. Derek panics at the fact that he was partnered with a ghost the whole time. The next day, Professor Rowan awards each team 30 points for a job well done. None of the teams gained an advantage, and the Blue Team leads by 260 to the Red Team's 220. Dwayne isn't discouraged as he rallies for the Red Team to turn the tables and takes the lead.

Professor Rowan says that the last event will be the Pokémon Triathlon, and Dwayne gets pumped up. He begins talking to Sadie, Derek, and Uriel about how he will win, when Uriel buts in that she'll win. Sadie has to separate the two and Dwayne wishes Uriel good luck by extending his hand for a handshake. Uriel blushes, remembering how Dwayne saved her, and runs away. Dwayne assumes that Uriel was merely too proud to accept his handshake. The race is about to start, and an aide fires the starting pistol and Dwayne, Sadie, Derek, and Uriel are all running at the same speed, and all four reach the checkpoint at the same time. Dwayne, Sadie, Derek, and Uriel receive Spoink, Rhyhorn, Dugtrio, and Ariados, respectively, and begin the first leg. Back at the school, Rowan and the others monitor the race. With the race, Sadie has taken the lead with Dwayne closely following when Uriel uses String Shot to propel herself into first. Picking up on this, many Trainers begin attacking each other. Derek takes advantage of this to pass them on Dugtrio.

Uriel reaches the second checkpoint and trades Ariados for a Lapras. Dwayne closely follows, having passed Sadie, and receives a Red-Striped Basculin. While Sadie and Derek trade for their Pokémon, Dwayne catches up to Uriel when she again takes the lead with Ice Beam. Derek and Sadie, riding their Huntail and Marill are following them close by. In a practical dead heat, Dwayne and Uriel reach the third checkpoint and return their Pokémon. Uriel calls out Raichu while Dwayne chooses Eevee, and the third leg begins with both sprinting towards the end. Derek and Sadie approach the end before sending out their Heracross and Glameow. As Dwayne and Uriel enter a cave, Sadie and Derek have managed to not only catch up, but overtake them, and the ground beneath Dwayne and Uriel begins to give way. Uriel and Raichu barely manage to stop their fall by grabbing on a ledge, when Dwayne saves Uriel again. Dwayne barely manages to pull Uriel up and both sit down for a minute to catch their breath. Dwayne's relieved expression causes Uriel to blush, but she quickly regains her composure when Dwayne point out that they have to make up a lot of ground and they begin racing again. Running at full speed, Dwayne and Uriel quickly come close to the finish line where Dwayne and Uriel suddenly sprint towards the finish and Ryder wins by a nose. Dwayne begins celebrating while Uriel has a moment of quiet thought. As other competitors cross the finish line (with Sadie and Derek having arrived second following Dwayne and Uriel), the Pokémon Triathlon comes to an end.

The victory gives the Red team just enough points to win the challenge and all of the members receive a plaque after Rowan makes a quick speech. As a final celebration for the end of the Summer Academy a bonfire is lit and a buffet laid out. Over by the gate, Uriel is sitting, looking at the stars when Dwayne comes over. Uriel asks Dwayne why he saved her, and Dwayne replies that she is his friend, making her look a little disappointed. Uriel then subtly asks Dwayne about his life and dreams, and after Dwayne answers these questions, Uriel also subtly asks if Dwayne had someone important to him, and this question makes Dwayne finally realizes that Uriel had developed a crush on him. Dwayne then pats her on the shoulder, and apologizes, but Uriel says that he shouldn't apologize, and in order to alleviate the tension, Dwayne jokes about if he was ready for romance, Uriel would have definitely been someone he'd laid eyes on, and Uriel laughs at this, and thanks him for cheering her up, and they decide to end their rivalry on a friendship note. The next day, everyone prepares to set off, and Dwayne meets Uriel, Sadie, and Derek at the gate, and Sadie asks Dwayne where he would head to next, and Dwayne says he was heading towards Celestic Town. Uriel then says that she and Dwayne never had a chance to have a proper battle, and challenges him, and Dwayne accepts, with Uriel declaring their battle being one-on-one. Uriel chooses her Raichu while Dwayne chooses Eevee.

Uriel starts off by ordering Raichu to use Reversal, but Eevee dodges and uses Swift, and Raichu is unable to dodge, and gets sent flying. Uriel tells Raichu to use Volt Tackle, and Eevee retaliates with Double-Edge, and both attacks clash, but Eevee's attack proves stronger, and Raichu gets overpowered. While Raichu is mid-air, Uriel commands him to use Thunder, and Eevee manages to swiftly dodge before using Double-Edge. However, Raichu quickly uses Reversal while falling, and both Pokémon's attacks connect with each other, but Raichu suffers more damage due to their gap in strength. Raichu struggles to get back up, as Eevee easily kicks up and dusts herself off, showcasing her durability. Uriel praises Eevee's power, and says that Dwayne was truly amazing, and orders Raichu to use Volt Tackle, and Dwayne tells Eevee to use Swift, and Raichu gets thrown back by the sheer force of the attack, which knocks Raichu out.

Uriel recalls Raichu and thanks Dwayne for the battle, and says that their difference in power and experience was clearly vast. Dwayne then says that Uriel should leave for a journey, but Uriel says that her parents would never allow it. Dwayne then urges her to stand her ground and pursue what she wanted instead of having her parents live their dreams through her, and encourages her to embark on a journey, even if her parents prohibited, saying that if Uriel could walk on her own, and think on her own, she could do whatever she wanted. Uriel nearly sheds a tear for Dwayne's kindness and thanks him, saying that he was right, and she would leave for a journey immediately, and would contact her parents from a Pokémon Center to inform them of her decision. Professor Rowan then approaches them, saying that while he doesn't necesarrily approve of young Trainers running away from home, he also understood Uriel's decision, and gifs her with a Pokédex, telling her that she had his blessing to become a Trainer. Uriel thanks everyone before leaving, saying that she was looking foward to meeting Dwayne again. Sadie and Derek also bid farewell to Dwayne, and everyone head their separate ways.

On his way to Celestic Town, Dwayne stops by a Pokémon Center and sees noises coming from Center's battlefield. Sadie and her Glameow are battling an unknown Trainer and her Mismagius. Glameow attempts to dodge a Psybeam, but gets hit and confused. Sadie orders a Shock Wave, but since Glameow is confused, it misses. Sadie notices Dwayne as he cheers for Glameow, which then recovers and fires off another Shock Wave, but it is blocked by a Magical Leaf from Mismagius, and then the whole lot is sent back at Glameow with a Psywave. The combination knocks out Glameow, and the two battlers exchange compliments. Sadie then introduces Dwayne to Fantina, informing him that she is the Hearthome Gym Leader as well as a Pokémon Coordinator. Fantina mentions that she has become a traveling Trainer, much like the others, and so has no choice but to leave the Gym empty while she is away.

Inside the Pokémon Center, Dwayne tries to persuade Fantina to go back to the Gym so that he can challenge her, but Fantina brushes him off, saying that she needs to go and train. Sadie then suggests that he will understand better if Fantina tells him why she became a traveling Trainer. Fantina explains that with a lot of hard work, she was able to win the Grand Festival with her Misdreavus, earning the title of Top Coordinator. Afterwards, she was invited to become a Gym Leader, and the Hearthome Gym was opened. However, eventually some of the Trainers would defeat her in a rematch, and she felt that she wasn't giving them a good enough battle. Fantina also states that she has been working on a new battle style which incorporates the beauty of a Contest Battle and the ferocity of a Gym battle. She says that she hasn't quite got it quite right yet, but agrees to a battle, as one of the first things that traveling Trainers do when they meet is battle.

Dwayne suggests that the battle should be three on three, over when all the Pokémon on one team are unable to battle. Fantina agrees and Sadie uses a coin toss to decide who should start the battle. Fantina wins the toss and goes first. After Fantina holds up a Poké Ball, Dwayne sends out Buizel and Fantina sends out her Drifloon. Drifloon starts to use Ominous Wind. Buizel counters with Water Gun, but Drifloon dodges and hits Buizel. Buizel breaks out of the attack and hits Drifloon with Aqua Jet. Drifloon then puts Buizel to sleep with Hypnosis, before picking him up and waving him around, following up with Psychic. Buizel wakes up, but then promptly faints. Dwayne then sends out Chimchar, who opens with a Flamethrower, but Drifloon stops it with Psychic and plays around with it before using Will-O-Wisp and following up with Hypnosis. Chimchar struggles to stay awake, but falls asleep. Dwayne recalls Chimchar.

Dwayne sends out Golbat, knowing that if Golbat falls asleep, the battle is as good as over. Drifloon hits Golbat with Will-O-Wisp and Golbat retaliates with Aerial Ace, hitting Drifloon. Golbat follows up with Brave Bird, but Drifloon blocks it with Ominous Wind. After a short struggle, Golbat is thrown backwards, and then follows up with another Brave Bird. It hits, but doesn't help as it simply causes Drifloon to evolve into Drifblim. Golbat uses Supersonic, but Drifblim dodges and then moves to close range and puts Golbat to sleep with Hypnosis. Dwayne then forfeits the match, and the Trainers exchange compliments. Fantina says that she will return to the Hearthome Gym to do a bit of work with her Drifblim, agreeing to have a battle with Dwayne when he gets there.

Back at the Pokémon Center, Sadie shows Dwayne that she has won her sixth Badge, and tells him that she would also challenge Fantina in an official Gym battle when she gets the chance. Later, Dwayne is sitting on the floor surrounded by his Pokémon trying to figure out a way to counter Drifblim's Hypnosis, and struggles when coming up with a way to counter it. On its way from Eterna City to Celestic Town, a police plane carrying the Adamant Orb is attacked by a horde of Golbat as well as a Toxicroak. The attack is led by Saturn of Team Galactic, who notes that everything is going perfectly to plan.

At the Celestic Town Pokémon Center, Dwayne is perfecting a technique to counter Fantina's Hypnosis. However, the training is put on hold when news soon breaks that the Adamant Orb was successfully stolen by Team Galactic, and Dwayne learns that the Adamant Orb was on its way to the Celestic Town Historical Research Center, which is currently studying the Adamant Orb's counterpart, the Lustrous Orb. At the Research Center, Dwayne meets up with Cynthia, who introduces him to her grandmother, Professor Carolina, head of the Celestic Town Historical Research Center. On a nearby rooftop, Saturn recognizes Dwayne as the Trainer that interfered with their plan to steal the meteorites from Veilstone City, and warns Mars about him. Cyrus, a world-famous businessman who is responsible for many of the buildings and libraries throughout Sinnoh, approaches the Research Center while Mars and Saturn prepare their attack.

Inside the Research Center, Professor Carolina explains the town's connection to the Legendary Pokémon Dialga and Palkia, as well as her own extensive research. Dwayne recognizes Mesprit and Azelf from a carving of the lake guardians, and relay his experiences with the two Pokémon. Cynthia tells Dwayne that Mesprit represents Emotion and Azelf represents Willpower. Cynthia also tells Dwayne that there is a third lake guardian at Lake Acuity near Snowpoint City, Uxie who represents Knowledge. Cyrus suggests that Professor Carolina show Dwayne the Lustrous Orb. In the Celestic Ruins, behind the Research Center, Mars's gang finishes setting up explosive charges.

Officer Jenny leads Dwayne, Cynthia, and Cyrus down the hallway. Professor Carolina uses a key card and a palm scanner to open the room with the Lustrous Orb, where Dwayne examines the item, but feels nothing. This enrages Cyrus, who reveals that the Lustrous Orb may be directly connected to the dawn of time. As Cyrus tries to coax more information out of Dwayne, Mars sets off the explosives, causing a panic within the Research Center. Professor Carolina finds that the door to the room with the Lustrous Orb won't reseal. The security system of the Research Center is revealed to have been compromised, which leads Cynthia to suggest moving the Lustrous Orb. Dwayne volunteers to help protect the orb, and Officer Jenny recruits more officers to assist them.

Saturn and his Toxicroak lead a team of helicopters to the roof of the Research Center. Saturn reveals that his Bronzor has put everyone outside to sleep, while his Toxicroak has taken care of everyone inside. Saturn tries to use Bronzor's Hypnosis attack, but Cynthia sends her Garchomp out to face it instead, and it defeats it easily. As Officer Jenny and the others try to retreat, they find their path blocked by Mars. Cynthia tells Team Galactic that they'll never be allowed to escape with the Lustrous Orb and releases her Gastrodon for battle. Cynthia's Gastrodon manages to easily defeat the multiple Golbat sent out by Team Galactic. Dwayne sends out Gardevoir and Chimchar, to which Mars and Saturn counter with Purugly's Shadow Ball and Toxicroak's Dark Pulse. With help from Cynthia's Gastrodon and Garchomp, the attacks are repelled, but Chimchar is injured when it takes a Poison Jab meant for Gardevoir.

This distraction allows some officers to take away Lustrous Orb. Despite the fact they are surrounded by Galactic operatives, the officers manage to escape after Cyrus gives a subtle order for Mars and Saturn to let them go. After they leave, Saturn sends the Golbat after them and flees, while Dwayne and Cynthia are forced to retreat to the Pokémon Center to get help for Chimchar and so they can plan their next move. Meanwhile, another Team Galactic Commander named Jupiter and her Skuntank use the Spear Key to find the location of the Lustrous Orb.

The two officers flee to the Celestic Ruins, which were previously bombed by Mars. One of Saturn's Golbat spots them and goes to report back, along with Dwayne's Golbat, who has also been searching for the officers to protect them. In the Pokémon Center, Cynthia advises Dwayne about the importance of the Adamant Orb and the Lustrous Orb, and their ties to Dialga and Palkia. Dwayne feels guilty for getting Chimchar injured but Cynthia, who has recognized Chimchar as the one that battled her under Lazuli's command, tells Dwayne that it is important not to regret the past but look forward to the future. Professor Carolina and Cyrus have since gone to the ruins to see the damage inflicted by Mars's attack, when Cyrus is informed of the whereabouts of the officers by one of the Galactic Golbat.

Carolina and Cyrus find the officers hiding in the ruins, and Mars—after disabling the police nearby with her Bronzor's Hypnosis—quickly arrives on the scene. She attempts to have Purugly and Bronzor attack the officers, but Gardevoir, Golbat and Garchomp interfere. Trapped, the officers try a desperate move—threatening to destroy the Lustrous Orb—therefore the criminals wouldn't get their hands on it. This only prompts Cyrus to explode in anger at them, lecturing them on the history of Sinnoh and the importance of the orbs in its space-time legend. Cyrus then loses his temper and begins laughing maniacally as the Golbat return to attack the officers. They fail, but in the confusion, Jupiter's Skuntank arrives and steals the Lustrous Orb.

That night at the Pokémon Center, Carolina apprises Officer Jenny of the day's events while Cynthia and Dwayne mourn their failure to protect the orbs. Cyrus advises them to not feel sorry for themselves, saying that they did an admirable job against Team Galactic, and that he will remember them for their efforts before leaving. The next morning, Cynthia departs Celestic Town to meet a challenger for the title of Champion. Dwayne becomes worried about what Team Galactic are up to, but Cynthia tells him that he should just proceed as normal, knowing he will have to be ready for when Team Galactic make their next move.

Meanwhile, in the secret headquarters of Team Galactic, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn observe the Adamant Orb, Lustrous Orb and Spear Key, which they have attached to machines in a laboratory. A door opens to reveal the leader of Team Galactic—Cyrus. He admonishes Saturn for displaying ineptitude during the mission while Mars snickers. Cyrus then reveals that Dwayne has witnessed the spirits of Mesprit and Azelf to his underlings' surprise. He orders Jupiter to head up the mission of collecting the lake guardians, and he says she will contact the Pokémon hunters. Mars also announces the Fuego Ironworks have completed their experiment on the meteorites stolen from Veilstone City, moving the Red Chain project into its final stage. Cyrus laughs insanely as he visualizes the world he plans to build with the immeasurable power of Dialga and Palkia.

The Champion League battle between Cynthia and Sinnoh Elite Four member Aaron begins, with Cynthia's Garchomp and Aaron's Drapion being used. The match is being televised, and a group of Trainers watch at a Pokémon Center, one of the observers being Lazuli. Dwayne arrives to watch the battle as well, and notices Lazuli. On the television, Aaron orders Drapion to use Pin Missile. The battle continues until it comes down to Cynthia's Gastrodon and Aaron's Beautifly. Beautifly is exhausted, but it has enough to attack with Solar Beam. Gastrodon uses Stone Edge to negate the attack and knock out Beautifly at the same time. Cynthia successfully defends her title of Pokémon Champion. Aaron praises his Beautifly and recalls it.

At the Center, Dwayne muses at how Cynthia hung on to her title despite Aaron's enthusiasm. Lazuli walks up to Dwayne and asks about Chimchar's Blaze, remembering how the Ability made Chimchar fly into a rage before. Dwayne pushes it off saying that he does not need to rely on it, and Lazuli leaves without a word. Dwayne decides to train with his Pokémon in order to prepare for the Hearthome Gym. Turtwig, Golbat and Gliscor team up to attack Gardevoir, Buizel, and Chimchar, while those three defend with their moves. Nearby, Lazuli tries to read, but notices Dwayne's training. The Pokémon continue to practice as Lazuli takes a closer look. Dwayne's three Pokémon fly back and crash into him, knocking him down.

As the Pokémon continue training, Dwayne notices Lazuli watching and chats with her. Dwayne mentions his encounter with Lazuli's brother Rollins, and noticing how many Badges and Symbols he obtained, but had spotted that he was missing the Brave Symbol. Lazuli explains how Rollins had powered his way through the Battle Frontier, however a single loss at the Battle Pyramid made him decide to give up being a Trainer altogether. Lazuli clearly detests Rollins's lack of bitterness and states that she wants to be a better Trainer than her brother.

The Pokémon finally notice Dwayne and Lazuli, and Chimchar is scared at the sight of its former Trainer, but Buizel and Turtwig step up to protect their friend. Lazuli criticizes Dwayne about his training methods being similar to her own, which Dwayne quickly denies, remembering how Lazuli's Pokémon attacked Chimchar at once as part of training, and mentions that he's training for the Hearthome Gym. Lazuli snubs Dwayne by showing him her Relic Badge. Dwayne is irritated at that and how Fantina's Pokémon used Hypnosis to stop his Pokémon from doing anything, Lazuli irritating him more by mentioning Chimchar's Blaze and using brute force instead. Dwayne challenges Lazuli to a battle, which she accepts, making it a one-on-one battle. Turtwig volunteers to battle.

On the battlefield, Turtwig stands ready as Lazuli summons her Honchkrow. Despite the type disadvantage, Dwayne is confident in Turtwig's speed. Honchkrow prepares Sky Attack, but since it takes time to ready, Turtwig strikes first with Energy Ball, but it inflicts little damage. Honchkrow charges as Turtwig jumps and spins forward, dodging the attack. Honchkrow follows up with Night Slash, but Turtwig dodges again. However, Honchkrow comes around with a second Night Slash and manages to hit. Honchkrow comes down with Aerial Ace, and Dwayne orders Turtwig to use Bite, but Honchkrow knocks Turtwig down before it can attack. Turtwig tries to get up, but Honchkrow hits with another relentless Aerial Ace. Turtwig manages to get up and begins to glow.

Right during the heat of battle, Turtwig evolves into Grotle, revitalized with new energy. Undeterred, Lazuli orders Honchkrow to execute another Aerial Ace. Dwayne tells Grotle to dodge, but as Grotle tries to, it fails to move quickly enough and gets hit. Honchkrow charges up a Sky Attack as Dwayne tells Grotle to attack with Bite, but Grotle stumbles. Grotle manages to get up as Honchkrow charges. Grotle tries to turn around but stumbles again, taking the Sky Attack. Dwayne still believes Grotle retained his speed, but Lazuli snubs Dwayne at his lack of knowledge about how much his Pokémon changed after evolving. Honchkrow fires a Dark Pulse, hitting Grotle on the head and knocking it out.

After the battle, Nurse Joy treats Grotle. On the other side of the window, Dwayne wonders why Grotle's speed went down when evolution normally makes a Pokémon stronger. Checking his Pokédex, the device brings up the fact that Grotle weighs ten times more than Turtwig, making it difficult to adapt to the sudden increase in weight. Outside, Lazuli trains with Weavile and Torterra. Torterra fires Frenzy Plant at Weavile. Weavile dodges and hits Torterra with Ice Shard. Lazuli scolds Torterra's slow reaction as Torterra increases the attack intensity, managing to hit Weavile. Lazuli notices Torterra's attention drift to the Pokémon Center and Dwayne's Grotle, telling her Pokémon to let it go. After Grotle recovers, Dwayne and his Pokémon gather in a room. Dwayne tries to cheer up his Grotle, praising the increased defense and wanting to improve its speed to balance, but Grotle still feels depressed.

During the night, Grotle is unable to sleep and tries to leave the room, but the Pokémon wake up and notice. Grotle still walks out and Gardevoir gets everyone but Golbat to follow. Outside, Grotle tries to train, running forward, but it stumbles and crashes into a rock. Grotle gets up and keeps trying to build up speed, but it keeps tripping, the Pokémon quickly losing hope. The Pokémon meet up with Grotle, trying to reassure it, when Lazuli's Torterra approaches. Gardevoir prepares for a confrontation. Meanwhile, Golbat pecks at Dwayne, waking him up, and Dwayne notices the Pokémon missing.

Outside, Torterra meets up with the Pokémon. Chimchar, being personally familiar with it, keeps the others from making any aggressive actions towards it, and Torterra displays no hostility. Looking over the other Pokémon, Torterra convinces Gliscor to help out with a demonstration as Dwayne arrives, noticing Torterra but staying out of sight. Gliscor attacks Torterra with Steel Wing, but Torterra takes the hit. Gliscor hits with multiple X-Scissor and Fury Cutter attacks, but Torterra continues to stand strong as Dwayne watches with awe. Dwayne notices that Torterra is deliberately staying put. Gliscor attempts another X-Scissor, when Torterra stands on its hind legs and comes down, pinning Gliscor to the ground before using Frenzy Plant. Before the tree trunks hit Gliscor, Torterra stops the attack and the tree trunks withdraw. Letting Gliscor get back up, Torterra speaks to Grotle, whose face lights up with understanding. Dwayne realizes that Torterra just demonstrated to Grotle that defense could easily compensate for speed, and rushes out to thank Torterra. Torterra acknowledges the Trainer and praises Grotle before walking away. Dwayne pledges to help Grotle improve on its unique battle style and synchronizing with his Pokémon, Grotle now cheerful.

Torterra returns to camp as Lazuli approaches her Pokémon, curious about its action but not pushing the point. The next morning, Dwayne runs into Lazuli, and Dwayne thanks Lazuli for what her Pokémon did, but Lazuli brushes it off claiming non-involvement. As Lazuli walks away, Dwayne looks forward to working with his Pokémon and the upcoming Hearthome Gym battle. Dwayne also promises Chimchar and Grotle that in his next battle with Lazuli, they would defeat her.

Dwayne returns to Hearthome City for his fifth Gym battle. As Dwayne steps up to the Gym's front doors, someone on the inside opens the door on Dwayne, knocking him down the stairs. The Trainer also falls and manages to get up in a hurry, criticizing Dwayne as if it were his fault before proclaiming himself as a powerful Trainer and running off almost immediately. He notices a Badge case that the guy dropped and retrieves it, noticing three Badges inside. As Dwayne gets back to his feet, Fantina steps out and greets him, noticing the Badge case that her previous challenger was holding, mentioning that he came from Twinleaf Town. Dwayne is quick to ask for his official battle, but her Pokémon have to rest after battling, putting off the duel for the next day.

Dwayne decides to head to the Pokémon Center to rest as well. The same Trainer Dwayne saw at the Gym runs straight into Dwayne again, both getting knocked down. The Trainer notices his Badge case and reclaims it, thinking Dwayne stole it, but he suddenly recognizes Dwayne from the Hearthome City Tag Battle Competition, battling with Lazuli and labeling Dwayne as weaker than Lazuli, which irritates Dwayne. Dwayne identifies himself to the Trainer and challenges him to a battle, which the Trainer, introducing himself as Vito, accepts. Dwayne sends out Chimchar, which Vito immediately recognizes it as Lazuli's, and thinks that Dwayne traded to get it. Even after Dwayne mentions that Lazuli abandoned it, Vito refuses to believe Lazuli abandoned it and thinks Dwayne wants to become as strong as Lazuli, which Vito is also trying to do. Vito gloats about getting three Badges, but Dwayne mentions that he has four, which slightly stuns Vito, but he still believes he's stronger, and sends out his Staraptor to battle Chimchar. Staraptor uses Tackle as Chimchar dodges and fires Flamethrower. Staraptor dodges and comes around to use Close Combat. Chimchar dodges most of the strikes, but Chimchar takes a few hits and gets thrown back. Staraptor charges with Wing Attack, but Chimchar uses Dig to escape before coming up and using Flamethrower to knock out Staraptor.

Vito sends out Carnivine, which uses Sludge Bomb to knock Chimchar back. Vito orders multiple Sludge Bombs as Chimchar dodges. However, Carnivine uses its Vine Whip attack to lower Chimchar's guard and managing to get in clean strikes, eventually knocking out Chimchar with one powerful strike. Dwayne sends out Buneary, striking with Quick Attack. Carnivine uses Vine Whip to block. Both Pokémon use their attacks to strike and block continually. Vito tells Carnivine to keep attacking as both Pokémon stop defending and go for complete offense, eventually winding up with both Pokémon knocked out.

Knowing that this battle will determine his chance of winning against Fantina, Dwayne pits Eevee against Empoleon. Eevee charges with Swift as Empoleon uses Hydro Cannon to block. Eevee dodges the blast as Empoleon rushes with Steel Wing, and Eevee counters with Double-Edge. Empoleon uses Steel Wing again as Eevee repeats Double-Edge. Eevee lands a few hits before getting knocked back. Empoleon fires Hyper Beam as Eevee gets hit, flying up in the air, seemingly defeated. Dwayne's plea for courage snaps Eevee back to action, ready to continue. Knowing that Empoleon is vulnerable after firing Hyper Beam, Eevee uses Copycat, allowing her to fire off a Hyper Beam of her own, knocking out Empoleon and giving Dwayne the win. Vito, stunned at losing to Dwayne, sinks to his knees but quickly shaking it off, thinking Dwayne got lucky and that he is still stronger. Dwayne tells him to watch his battle against Fantina. The next day, Dwayne enters the Hearthome Gym for his next battle. The referee introduces the battlers. The doors opposing Dwayne open and reveal Fantina surrounded by white light as she spins on one foot, announcing her excitement for her rematch with Dwayne and putting her foot down right on her side of the field and letting out a small chuckle. Dwayne gladly shouts across the room to her and tells her that she will not beat him this time, clenches his fist and exclaims that he'll have his fifth Badge soon. Fantina chuckles again and exclaims that she will not give up the Relic Badge easily.

Dwayne calls to Vito, who is sitting in the stands, telling him to "watch and learn", and Vito replies that he already knows what a loser is. The referee announces the rules and exclaims that the match will be three-on-three. Fantina calls upon her Gengar, which floats above the battlefield, gently bobbing up and down in midair, and Dwayne calls out his Buizel, anticipating Hypnosis, the move Fantina used to defeat his three Pokémon in their previous match. Unable to contain her excitement, Fantina prepares to start. Gengar squares up to Buizel and the referee begins the match.

Dwayne commands Buizel to use Aqua Jet, which Gengar dodges with amazing speed while Vito jumps up and says that he had to deal with the same moves. Fantina boasts about her Pokémon's movements and tests Dwayne's skills, asking how he'll handle it. Dwayne orders Water Pulse, which misses Gengar and hits the wall. Fantina cockily suggests that there is not much of a battle to see and flamboyantly spins. Gengar intimately circles Buizel with incredible speed and shoots upwards. Fantina commands her Gengar to use Shadow Punch. Buizel attempts to dodge the attack, but Shadow Punch always hits its target. Fantina tells Gengar to use Hypnosis, which Dwayne excitedly replies by telling Buizel to spin on its back and use Water Gun, forming whips of water flying in all directions, disabling Hypnosis and trapping Gengar. Vito is impressed to see this new move. Fantina calls out to Gengar, telling it to stay still or it will be damaged by the water whips. Gengar lands on the ground opposing Buizel and Fantina compliments Dwayne's technique, naming it the Counter Shield, which Dwayne then agrees with her that that is the name. Fantina orders Night Shade and Dwayne tells Buizel to counter with Water Pulse. Both Pokémon are hit, but only Buizel is able to get up. The referee calls out Buizel to be the victor and Dwayne recalls him. Vito is angered by how easily Dwayne won the first round, exclaiming he was unable to beat even one of Fantina's Pokémon. Fantina calls back Gengar and compliments Dwayne, much to Vito's disgust as he had received no compliments in his battle with Fantina.

Dwayne vows to make quick work of Fantina's other two Pokémon. Fantina calls upon Mismagius and tells Dwayne that it can't learn Hypnosis. Knowing that he'd have to deal with the Grass-type move Magical Leaf as well, so he sends out his Fire-type, Chimchar. Chimchar starts with Flame Wheel, which Mismagius dodges with speed very much like Gengar's, but Chimchar turns around and jumps towards Mismagius with Flame Wheel still activated, much to Fantina's surprise. Fantina orders Psywave, which stops the Flame Wheel and sends Chimchar plummeting to the ground. Dwayne tells Chimchar to spin and use Flamethrower, which makes a Counter Shield of fire. Mismagius tries deflecting it with Psywave but still gets hit. Fantina then tries Magical Leaf, which is also deflected by the Counter Shield, but not before stopping it. Fantina then exclaimed that she had learned everything about the Counter Shield when he used it before. Dwayne tells Chimchar to use Flame Wheel again and Mismagius uses Dark Pulse, but Chimchar counters with another Counter Shield while still using Flame Wheel. Mismagius destroys the Counter Shield with Psywave, but is then afterwards hit hard by Flame Wheel. Mismagius is announced unable to battle and Chimchar celebrates with Ryder. Vito then comments on how much happier it seemed to be while with Dwayne then it was with Lazuli.

Fantina calls upon her strongest Pokémon, Drifblim. Fantina warns Dwayne that Drifblim is much stronger and much more beautiful than ever before, and Dwayne sends Buneary into battle. She starts with Ice Beam, but Drifblim blows the beam away with Psychic. Drifblim then conjures up a Will-O-Wisp and Fantina tells it to use Psychic to control the Will-O-Wisp. Drifblim spreads the ghostly blue fire around itself, making its own Counter Shield. Buneary tries knocking it away with Bounce, but Drifblim's Counter Shield, which Fantina called a "Counter Counter Shield", was too powerful. Fantina then went on to explain her Counter Shield's superiority and that it will last much longer. Drifblim throws the Counter Shield at Buneary, it surrounds her and Drifblim grabs her by the cheeks and uses Hypnosis, putting Buneary to sleep. Dwayne seems worried, but not completely. Fantina notices this and asks about his calmness, and Dwayne says that he and Buneary prepared for this, and Dwayne calls for Sleep Talk, and Buneary unleashes Ice Beam, sending Drifblim flying. Dwayne calls for another Sleep Talk, but this time, Buneary unleashes Dizzy Punch instead, which is useless against the Ghost-type Drifblim, who promptly knocks out Buneary with Psychic. Dwayne recalls Buneary and thanks her for the effort.

Hoping to deflect Will-O-Wisp, Dwayne sends out Buizel again. Dwayne orders a spinning Aqua Jet, which destroys the Counter Shield that Drifblim had thrown at it and it hits Drifblim hard. Fantina quickly catches on to Dwayne's strategy and orders an Ominous Wind attack which destroys the Aqua Jet. Buizel lands on the ground and is told to use Water Pulse, which gets countered by a Will-O-Wisp attack. Once the blinding light had cleared, Drifblim grabs Buizel by the cheeks, uses Hypnosis and smashes him to the ground with Psychic, leaving Dwayne with only one Pokémon left, which is his Chimchar.

Chimchar is sent out again for the final round. Drifblim instantly starts by making Will-O-Wisp, while Chimchar uses Flame Wheel. Drifblim hits Chimchar with the Will-O-Wisp and stops the Flame Wheel. The match of Fire-type moves gives Dwayne an idea, he orders Chimchar to use Flamethrower, which collides with Drifblim's Counter Shield. The Flamethrower absorbs Drifblim's Counter Shield, turns the Flamethrower purple and hits Drifblim with the power of Flamethrower and its own Will-O-Wisp attack. Chimchar then dodges Ominous Wind with Dig, comes up behind Drifblim, grabs it and smacks it to the floor with Flame Wheel. Drifblim then turns around to use Hypnosis, but Chimchar is too quick for it and uses a close-range Flamethrower, which knocks it out. Much to Vito's surprise, Dwayne wins. Fantina picks up her Drifblim and gives it high praise.

Outside, Fantina congratulates Dwayne and his Pokémon and awards him the Relic Badge. Vito the complains that Fantina was giving Dwayne so much praise, and Dwayne smugly remarks that maybe Vito just wasn't as good as him, and Vito becomes enraged, and says that he would travel to Iron Island to train as he trained there before and was able to win a Badge from the Canalave Gym. Dwayne decides to head to Canalave City, and Vito says that if Dwayne wins there, he will start thinking of him as a real rival before speeding off, vowing to beat Dwayne the next time they met.

The next day, Dwayne leaves the Pokémon Center and prepares to depart from Hearthome City. Just then, Dwayne sees a limousine pull up, and a woman and her Lopunny step out and asks if he's Dwayne, which he confirms. She says that she recognized him from his performances at Johto and Hoenn Leagues, and states she's a great fan of his, saying that his battles inspired her to become a better Trainer for her Lopunny. Dwayne thanks her and asks about her identity, and she introduces herself as Paris. Dwayne immediately recognizes the name as his mother was a huge fan of hers, and knows she's a famous Pokémon Stylist. Paris says that she's been following his career as a Trainer ever since watching him for the first time, and has been looking foward to meeting him. She then suggests Dwayne and his Buneary participate in the Hearthome Collection, a famous fashion show for Pokémon Stylists, to expand his experiences as a Trainer, and after some thought, Dwayne agrees, but admits he doesn't have any fashion sense, and Paris says that she would help him with that.

While Dwayne registers at the local Pokémon Center, a tall, blonde woman causes quite a stir. Another Hearthome Collection hopeful informs Dwayne that the woman is Cocoa, a famous celebrity who adores boutique fashion. Buneary approaches Cocoa, only to be scolded at for coming near her. Dwayne storms over and tells Cocoa off her for her attitude, and she simply scoffs at him, but Dwayne refuses to give her much attention, something that irritates Cocoa. A fellow designer, Hermione, remarks that PokéStylists and Pokémon Coordinators are all the same before walking off, but Dwayne mumbles that he wasn't a Coordinator. That night, Paris continues making Dwayne's outfit while Dwayne remembers Hermione's earlier criticism. Dwayne then recalls something Jethro once said to him during his childhood; that Pokémon Contests are not about the Trainer, it's the Pokémon that everybody is going to be looking at. Dwayne then gets inspiration and asks Paris to change her plans, much to Paris's confusion.

The next day, Hearthome City Mayor Enta welcomes the crowd and PokéStylists to the Hearthome Collection event. Judging the show will be Paris and Hermione, Poké Chic's editor-in-chief and Paris's teacher. As the competition gets underway, Hermione is displeased and blames Paris for popularising Pokémon Fashion for the bedazzled and garish entries so far. Entry 18, Cocoa goes with her Mismagius next. Mismagius floats out onto the stage, its dress unraveling around it while its Psywave adds a technicolor effect, creating a beautiful sight. Number 21 and last of all is Dwayne. Dwayne is dressed in a perfectly beautiful, yet simple, pearl tuxedo suit, while Buneary is dressed in a simple, yet gorgeous, pearl dress. Buneary performs tricks with Ice Beam, creating numerous ice pillars, and hopping from pillar to pillar, for a delightful performance, while Paris becomes increasingly more invested and amazed at the performance, and Hermione smiles at the simple, yet wonderful, performance. As they finish their performance, Dwayne and Buneary pose for the crowd, but then, Buneary's body starts to glow, and she evolves into Lopunny, which surprises everyone, but nonetheless, Dwayne congratulates Lopunny on her evolution.

The final three are announced as Dwayne, Cocoa, and an unnamed participant. They are told there are going to be three awards, one for the overall winner, one for best costume and one for most originality. Enta announces Dwayne as the winner of the Hearthome Collection for his performance, and Dwayne and Lopunny hug in celebration. Cocoa protests and demands that she should have won, but Hermione explains she will only receive the accessory award as it was the feature that stood out most. Paris and Hermione commend Dwayne for his simple performance that helped show off Lopunny's personality. After Dwayne and Lopunny pose with their crown and tiara, respectively, Hermione asks if they can begin their Poké Chic collection immediately. Dwayne thanks Hermione's offer, but he refuses as he doesn't believe he's suited for the position, as Dwayne's dedication isn't exactly for being a PokéStylist and knows there are others who are truly dedicated, and they deserve it. Paris is incredibly happy and admires Dwayne's thoughts, and Hermione smiles, saying that Dwayne was a truly unique Trainer, but nonetheless, insists him to at least perform one photo shoot for the upcoming magazine, and Dwayne relents.

Dwayne and Paris, along with their respective Lopunny's, pose together for a series of photos, and Hermione says that they would be in the cover for the next magazine of Poké Chic, and thanks Dwayne for his performance, saying that she was starting to believe that PokéStylists were becoming stale and unoriginal, but Dwayne's simplicity has given her hope that there are others like him, and Dwayne thanks her for the compliment. Arriving at the Pokémon Center, Dwayne heads off towards the Canalave Gym, and Paris meets him outside, and after being informed of his next location, offers him a ride directly towards Canalave City, and Dwayne accepts, thanking her for the offer.

Just a few hours later, they arrive, and Paris says that she would be rooting for him during his Gym battle, and bids him goodbye as her limousine drives off. Dwayne heads to the Canalave Gym in order for him to have his Gym battle with Byron. However, he's met by the Gym's referee who informs Dwayne that Byron cannot accept a challenge as he is currently arguing with his son. Upon entering the Gym, Dwayne finds out that Byron's son is none other than Roark, the Gym Leader of Oreburgh City. He greets Dwayne, but then gets back to fighting with his father over who loves Fossils more. In an attempt to prove his love of Fossils, Byron shows Roark and Dwayne his collection of Fossils, including his special Anorith Fossil which is three times the size of a normal Anorith. Byron and Roark then begin to fight over who has the better revived Fossil Pokémon, Byron's Bastiodon or Roark's Rampardos. Dwayne suggests they battle to see whose Fossil Pokémon is better.

Before the battle, Dwayne speaks to Roark, where it is revealed that Roark is there to convince his father to come home to Oreburgh City for his parents's anniversary. A flashback is shown, in which Byron leaves Oreburgh for Canalave City, since the Pokémon League asked him to take over the Gym there. He also states that Iron Island will be a good place for him to find more Fossils. He leaves Roark in charge of the Oreburgh Gym where he was formerly the Gym Leader. He also leaves his wife behind in his move. Roark starts the fight by having Rampardos repeatedly use Zen Headbutt, while Byron instructs Bastiodon to counter with Iron Defense. Byron instructs his Bastiodon to use Flamethrower, which Rampardos dodges. Roark has Rampardos use Head Smash, which Byron combats with Iron Head. Roark then has his Rampardos use Flamethrower and Byron counters with Flash Cannon. After the collision, Bastiodon seems to have the upper hand as Rampardos struggles before subsequently fainting, giving Byron the victory. As Roark sadly comments on his loss, Byron stretches his hand out to his son for a shake, which Roark accepts, and Byron instructs Roark and Dwayne to follow him.

Byron then shows Roark his most prized Fossil, a Fossil of a Sunkern leaf. A flashback reveals that the Sunkern Fossil was found by Roark as a child, being the first Fossil he ever found, and that he gave it to his father. Back in the present, Byron and Roark make amends. Byron then tells Dwayne that he is sorry he has kept him waiting for his Gym battle, but he will have to wait longer as his Bastiodon needs time to rest. Dwayne agrees and the Gym battle is scheduled for the next day.

The next day, Dwayne's Gym battle against Byron is about the begin, with Roark acting as the referee. Byron summons Bronzor while Dwayne summons Chimchar. Roark recognizes Chimchar from his battle against Lazuli. Chimchar immediately jumps up and fires Flamethrower. Bronzor stays in place and resists the attack thanks to Heatproof, something Byron trained for. Chimchar repeats the attack as Bronzor uses Rain Dance to change the weather and dampen Chimchar's abilities. Chimchar Digs as the Rain Dance wears off. Chimchar comes out and fires Flamethrower, but Bronzor uses Gyro Ball to dodge and hit, knocking Chimchar down. Chimchar gets back up as a second Gyro Ball comes about. Chimchar meets the attack head-on with Flame Wheel. The collision creates a huge explosion, bringing both Pokémon down. Dwayne and Byron urge their Pokémon to get up. Though both struggle to get up, Bronzor collapses, unable to battle. Noticing Chimchar's fatigue, Dwayne recalls Chimchar from battle.

Byron sends out Steelix as Dwayne calls upon Lopunny to battle. Knowing about Steelix's Defense power, Dwayne hesitates to make a move, but Byron's motivation gets him moving. Lopunny fires Focus Blast as Steelix uses Screech to both repel the attack and stall Lopunny. Steelix uses Bind to ensnare Lopunny before using Iron Tail to toss Lopunny and slam her to the ground. When the dust clears, Lopunny still stands, but she collapses unable to battle. After checking to make sure Lopunny wasn't severely injured, Dwayne recalls his Pokémon.

Dwayne summons Chimchar once again to battle. The Chimp Pokémon fires Flamethrower immediately, striking and causing Steelix to falter. However, Chimchar staggers, still reeling from the first round. Steelix launches Iron Tail as Chimchar back-flips to dodge. After a brief hesitation, it digs into the field, but Steelix uses Iron Tail on the battlefield to force Chimchar. Steelix tries to bind Chimchar, but it dodges before digging again. Steelix repeats its attempt, forcing Chimchar out and attempting another Bind, but Chimchar dodges again. Steelix tries to follow up, but the ground near Steelix caves and throws the Pokémon off balance, due to Chimchar's digging. Chimchar hits with Flame Wheel to Steelix's head, knocking it out.

Byron summons his prized Pokémon, Bastiodon. Dwayne reflects on how it stopped Rampardos's Head Smash and notices Chimchar's declining energy. Wanting to finish quickly, Dwayne has Chimchar launch Flamethrower immediately. Bastiodon's Iron Defense easily deflects the attack before it counters with Metal Burst, blasting Chimchar against a rock. Chimchar struggles to rise, but it falls back down, unable to battle. Dwayne recalls Chimchar. Dwayne summons his final Pokémon, Gliscor. Gliscor gets behind Bastiodon and uses Steel Wing, but Bastiodon uses Iron Defense to repel. Gliscor tries to get behind again and attempts Fire Fang, but Bastiodon's Flash Cannon hits Gliscor and halts the attack. While Gliscor hits the turf, Bastiodon charges with Iron Head. Gliscor quickly flies up to dodge, but Bastiodon comes back around and tosses Gliscor up with a second Iron Head. Bastiodon succeeds with a third Iron Head, keeping Gliscor suspended. Bastiodon fires Flash Cannon, but Gliscor spreads its wings to dodge before jumping on Bastiodon's back, grabbing its horns and landing a Fire Fang.

Bastiodon tries to throw Gliscor off as Gliscor hangs on and repeats Fire Fang. Bastiodon tosses it off and fires Flash Cannon, but Gliscor uses its tail to trip Bastiodon and causes the attack to miss. Bastiodon and Gliscor are both exhausted. Both Dwayne and Byron know that the last hit will decide the outcome. Bastiodon charges with Iron Head. Gliscor uses X-Scissor to stop Bastiodon, but it fails. Dwayne tells Gliscor to take cover behind a rock, so Byron has Bastiodon smash it. It does so, but Gliscor managed to fly up at the last moment. Bastiodon fires Flash Cannon, but Gliscor dodges and uses a close-range Fire Fang. The explosion tosses both Pokémon aside, but Bastiodon falls, unable to battle. Dwayne wins the match as Gliscor hugs Dwayne. Afterwards, Roark and Byron congratulate Dwayne on his victory. Byron gives Dwayne the Mine Badge, which he gladly accepts.

Vito trains his Empoleon and Heracross at Iron Island. Impressed by their results, Vito is confident with those two he will win the Sinnoh League. Empoleon seems to behave strange and suddenly, it attacks Vito and Heracross. Meanwhile, Dwayne is about to depart towards Snowpoint City, where the next Gym is located. Dwayne receives a call from Vito, and shows him his latest Badge. Vito tells him he can now see him as a true rival. However, his Empoleon is not feeling good and a bunch of other Pokémon are feeling the same – they attack everyone. Nurse Joy cannot determine what is going on, so Vito decides to solve the matter. Dwayne offers to help and embarks on a boat towards Iron Island. When he arrives at the island's Pokémon Center, Nurse Joy tells Dwayne that Vito already left. Nurse Joy has figured out that only Steel-type Pokémon are affected for some reason. As he goes towards upper stages, Dwayne sees some Diglett fleeing – a Lairon disturbs him because of the pain. Dwayne summons Lopunny, who uses Focus Blast, but no effect is made.

Suddenly, a Metang comes out, with the same problem. A Steelix begins to destroy everything and an Aggron attacks it. Dwayne tries to stop Aggron, so Aggron uses Flash Cannon, but a man grabs him and gets away. His Lucario uses Close Combat to defeat Aggron. They go away and Lucario uses its Aura and tells his master the area is safe. Dwayne introduces himself and the man introduces himself as Leroy, who trains with his Steel-type Pokémon on the island. Seeing the Pokémon go angry, he and Lucario went to investigate. Dwayne asks Leroy how come Lucario is not affected and he explains due to its protective Aura, Lucario shields itself. Dwayne asks Leroy if he saw a trainer named Vito, but Leroy denies having seen him.

Vito jumps from a cliff, as he was chased by some Magnemite. Heracross gets him and flies to safety, but a Skarmory attacks them. Meanwhile, Leroy has discovered that there is a low frequency that affects Steel-type Pokémon – they are berserk, but do not feel any pain. Leroy leads Dwayne to the path back to town, but Dwayne wants to help him. Leroy warns him it is too dangerous, but Dwayne tells him the Pokémon are in danger and he wouldn't just walk away. Leroy asks Lucario and it agrees they should come. Leroy accepts, but they must not hesitate to defeat any berserk Pokémon, or they will not save them. Meanwhile, Vito sees a machine and finds out that Team Galactic is actually doing some research, while their Pokémon fight any berserk Pokémon that comes to them, and Vito gets spotted. The Golbat use Air Slash, but Heracross protects Vito from harm with Megahorn. Meanwhile, Lucario senses there are people nearby.

The Golbat use Air Slash, pushing Vito into a cave. There, Vito sees a statue of Palkia and Dialga, and Mars taunts him over his defeat. A researcher asks Mars to go with the final stage, which she accepts. Dwayne and Leroy spot Team Galactic. Leroy senses that the ruins they want to open must be causing this low-frequency sound. Lucario points at the artifact, which Mars puts it in a carving. A power awakens, as the statues glow and a beam hits a far-away mountain. Lucario gets knocked out and when it stands up, it is possessed by a dark Aura and goes to use Aura Sphere on Dwayne and Leroy. Leroy blocks the attack with his own Aura, and attempts to reason with the possessed Lucario. Lopunny attempts to talk Lucario down, albeit unsuccessfully. Lucario unleashes Aura Sphere, and Lopunny counters with Focus Blast, and both attacks explode upon collision. Dwayne tells Lopunny to do her best in stopping Lucario, and the two Pokémon begin fighting. Leroy attempts to return Lucario to its Poké Ball, but Lucario uses Bone Rush to knock the Poké Ball out of Leroy's hands, before hitting him with the attack.

Meanwhile, the beam that affects Mt. Coronet has attracted the attention of some scientists, while the meteors from Veilstone City are firing the same beam. Mars and Saturn report to Cyrus that everything goes as planned. Leroy tells Dwayne he needs to order Lopunny to defeat Lucario to calm it down. Dwayne tells Lopunny to use Jump Kick. However, Lucario dodges and goes after the source. However, Mars's Purugly and Golbat attack Lucario. Leroy thinks that the machine it went after could be the source. Steelix goes after them, but Leroy uses his Aura to defend them, ordering Dwayne to destroy the machine. Dwayne and Lopunny slide down to the crater and Mars recognizes Dwayne, ordering the Golbat and Purugly to attack. Lopunny's Ice Beam and Focus Blast keeps them away. Mars reports to Cyrus they have a problem. Lopunny uses Focus Blast on the machine, but the Golbat protect it and get harmed instead. Purugly attacks them, but misses. More Golbat come, but Lopunny uses Ice Beam to knock them all out. Then, Lopunny uses Focus Blast and destroys the machine, while the Golbat get the artifact and give it to Mars. With this, the ruins stop glowing and the Steel-type Pokémon are no longer berserk.

Back at the Galactic Headquarters, Saturn gives Cyrus the news, with Cyrus stating that Mars should retreat and that no-one should follow her. When Saturn presses further, Cyrus codly commands them to blow up the island. Dwayne and Leroy go after Team Galactic. Some members place some bombs on the ruins. Later, they go in the air ships and Mars threatens to destroy the island by pressing the button. They go away, leaving everyone in danger. Still, Lucario's Aura sensed where the bombs are. Leroy and Lucario cannot count how many bombs are. Noticing Vito down at the cave without escape, Dwayne summons Chimchar, who digs, but the ground is too hard to dig. Dwayne summons Golbat, and with Vito's suggestion, grabs his Carnivine's Poké Ball and brings up to surface, where it uses Vine Whip to pull Vito back up. Lucario and Leroy try to get the bombs off, but they are well-placed. Mars presses the button and the ground begins to shake, but surprisingly enough, the island is intact.

Lucario and Leroy used the Aura to encase the explosion. Since it is hard to maintain, they get the Aura up into the air and the explosion is spread in the air; the island is safe. Lucario and Leroy emerge from the ruins, a bit battered, but okay. The Steel-type Pokémon thank them for their assistance. Soon, Professor Carolina comes out of her helicopter to see what happened. She goes in the ruins with her team and discovers that the machine they used is made from the same material as the meteors from Veilstone City. What is more, the material from the meteors is actually the material of the Iron Island. They were using another machine, which was necessary to locate where the Spear Pillar is, to bring Dialga and Palkia to this world. She asks Leroy for a bit of help around the island. Dwayne and Leroy shake hands, with the latter thanking for saving the Pokémon, while Lopunny gives Lucario a kiss on the cheek, causing the Aura Pokémon to become flustered and embarassed. Vito tells Dwayne that they're rivalry was still ongoing and tells him that despite saving him, he was still stronger than him, but Dwayne brushes him off, angering Vito. Nonetheless, they shake hands and they depart by boat away from the island. Meanwhile, Mars reports the failure of her mission. Cyrus is not displeased, but decides to give Saturn the command of excavating the Spear Pillar.

Sometime later, Dwayne spots the town of Squallville. A strong gust of wind hits him, and notices a Yanmega and Wingull racing for a ring in the sky, which Dwayne recognizes as a PokéRinger competition. Dwayne races to the arena to get a closer look at the competition. Yanmega gets the ring first, dodges the Wingull, and places it on the goal, winning the match. Interested, Dwayne decides to sign up Golbat to participate. Fireworks start as the competition prepares to get underway, and Dwayne reads that the winner is made an honorary citizen of the town while noting that the second prize is a large amount of Pokémon food. Rhonda of Sinnoh Now covers the event with her crew. She mentions that the battles are single-elimination.

The first match starts with Ryder against Taylor. The round starts as Dwayne sends out Golbat while Taylor summons Skarmory. Both race to the ring as Golbat gets it first, racing to the goal. Skarmory fires Swift, which hits and causes Golbat to drop the ring. Skarmory steals it and goes for the goal as Golbat tries to catch up. Skarmory turns around and executes a Fury Attack. Golbat dodges continually, eventually causing Skarmory to drop the ring, allowing Golbat to steal and bolt. Skarmory gets ahead and uses Air Cutter. Golbat is unable to dodge, but a wind gust pushes him out of the way. Golbat recovers as another Air Cutter heads towards him. Golbat gets closer before using Aerial Ace to dodge and race to the goal, planting the ring and giving Dwayne the first win.

The second match reveals the four-time defending champion Provo. His opponent surprises Dwayne as Lazuli's name is announced, getting Dwayne's attention. The round starts as Lazuli deploys Honchkrow while Provo calls on Dragonite. Honchkrow goes first as Dragonite fires Dragon Pulse. Honchkrow dodges and gets the ring as Dragonite turns and uses Fire Punch, missing. Dragonite hits with Dragon Rush, causing Honchkrow to drop the ring into free fall. Both race for the ring, Honchkrow getting it first and racing to the goal. Dragonite attempts another Dragon Rush as a wind gust kicks up. Lazuli has Honchkrow ride the wind and land a Sky Attack, which knocks out Dragonite thanks to Honchkrow's Super Luck Ability. Lazuli wins that round with only one strike, which makes Dwayne slightly uneasy.

The competition jumps ahead as the final match comes down to Dwayne and Lazuli. The final round of the PokéRinger competition starts with Dwayne summoning Golbat, and Lazuli choosing Honchkrow. Golbat gets the ring first. Honchkrow uses Sky Attack while Golbat counters with Brave Bird. The attacks create a huge explosion, but Golbat takes damage and goes into a free fall, Honchkrow emerging relatively unharmed and rushing with Night Slash. Dwayne has Golbat dodge before heading towards the goal. Honchkrow fires Dark Pulse, hitting and Golbat briefly loses the ring, quickly grabbing it and bolting to the goal. A strong gust of wind halts Golbat as Honchkrow rides the wind, powering up Aerial Ace. The attack misses as Golbat tries to overcome the repulsion, but to no avail. Honchkrow continues to put pressure with Aerial Ace, eventually striking Golbat and knocking the ring out of Golbat's mouth. Honchkrow takes possession of the ring. Both bird Pokémon exchange glares before racing towards the goal. Golbat goes into Aerial Ace, but Honchkrow moves aside, the attack passing harmlessly. Dwayne quickly has Golbat come down with Aerial Ace, stealing the ring right out from Honchkrow's beak. While Golbat races towards the goal, Lazuli orders Honchkrow to strike with Sky Attack, hitting Golbat. As he attempts a follow-up Night Slash, Dwayne has Golbat retaliate with Brave Bird. However, Honchkrow anticipates this, dodging the attack and striking with Night Slash, sending Golbat to the ground, though he still holds the ring.

Dwayne tries to encourage Golbat to get up, but Lazuli snubs him before ordering a finishing Sky Attack. Golbat seems immobile as Honchkrow bears down, but Dwayne's encouragement gets him back into the air. Golbat spreads his wings before he begins to glow, starting the evolution process. His number of wings increases as the evolution completes with Crobat ready to fight. Not backing down, Lazuli has Honchkrow use Night Slash, both of the Pokémon's wings glowing. Crobat easily dodges the attacks, but Honchkrow eventually lands a hit and Crobat loses the ring. Both go after it, repelling each other before Honchkrow stalls Crobat with a Night Slash. Crobat quickly races towards Honchkrow, gets parallel and proceeds to attack with Cross Poison before Crobat pushes Honchkrow back with a wing strike. Excited, Dwayne has Crobat go for the ring. Crobat grabs it and races for the goal. Honchkrow tries to hit with Night Slash, but Crobat dodges, gets behind and attempts Brave Bird. Honchkrow turns around and hits with Sky Attack, the two moves creating a powerful explosion and sending the ring away. Both Trainers order their Pokémon after it. Honchkrow gets farther ahead and is almost to the ring, but Dwayne shouts to Crobat to get the ring. Crobat races forward and unexpectedly swats the ring with his wing before Honchkrow can close its beak, sending the ring onto the goal. Dwayne and Crobat win the PokéRinger, giving Dwayne his first overall win against Lazuli.

Back on the ground, Lazuli scolds Honchkrow, telling it they lost due to its slow reactions before recalling it and then after a quick glance at Dwayne, leaves. Afterwards, Dwayne poses for a picture with Crobat as he gets a plaque and the prize of Pokémon food. Since there's so much food, Dwayne decides it should be eaten right away and invites all the other competitors and their Pokémon to eat as well, and everyone thanks him for the act of kindness. At sunset, as Lazuli leaves the area, Dwayne catches up with her and gloats that the Zubat she thought was worthless evolved into Golbat, and is now a powerful Crobat. Lazuli can only respond that she considers it to have taken far too long before walking away. Regardless, Dwayne is more certain than ever he'll win now he has Crobat on his team.

Upon reaching Snowpoint City, Dwayne is welcomed by the Gym Leader of the Snowpoint Gym, Candice. Dwayne accepts her offer to show him around the city; the first place he's lead to is a Trainers' School where Candice works as a teacher. Happily, Candice shows Dwayne around her school. Later, Dwayne meets Sadie and Candice at a small shed where the two girls used to play together. Sadie then reveals that she met her Glameow when she was too little to raise a Pokémon. Due to this, she and Candice decided to raise Glameow until she was of age to train it. Sadie also reveals that her first Badge came from the Snowpoint Gym as it was her hometown. Dwayne then formally challenges Candice to a Gym battle, which Candice accepts.

At the Snowpoint Gym, Sadie watches in the bleachers, observing the ice field full of ice boulders, like tiny mountains spread across it as the match gets underway. Mr. Honcho acts as the referee, announcing that the match will be four-on-four, with only the challenger allowed to substitute. Excited, Candice pulls off her sweater and ties it on her waist as Sadie notes how pumped up her older classmate is. Candice starts out with Sneasel. Dwayne summons Grotle, shocking Sadie as Grotle has a type disadvantage. Candice has no clue of what Dwayne plans to do with Grotle, but highly approves of the unpredictability as Grotle fires an Energy Ball. Sneasel dodges and literally skates across the ice field, getting in close and hitting Grotle with Icy Wind. Sneasel circle-strafes Grotle with Icy Wind as Grotle falters only slightly. Sneasel lunges forward with Fury Swipes. Grotle stops Sneasel with Razor Leaf, forcing it back before it leaps out of the way, landing on an ice boulder. Grotle uses Rock Climb, allowing it to easily run across the ice. Sneasel fires Icy Wind, but Grotle pushes forward, runs straight up the boulder and rams Sneasel, sending it flying and creating a crater in the ice where it fell, knocking it out. Dwayne recalls Grotle for a well-earned rest as Candice excitedly deploys Medicham. Dwayne decides to exploit the type advantage with Crobat.

Crobat launches into a Air Slash, but Medicham's Confusion stops the attack and sends Crobat crashing into the ground. Crobat gets back up and launches Brave Bird, but Medicham stops it by catching it with its hands, just shy of hitting. Quickly, Crobat switches to Cross Poison and hits. Medicham hits back with Fire Punch, and both are thrown down. Dwayne then has Crobat use another Brave Bird before Medicham can recover, crushing it into another crater, knocking it out (although Crobat suffers from the recoil). Dwayne recalls Crobat. Candice sends out Snover as Dwayne ponders his next Pokémon.

Dwayne decides to use Eevee. Snover fires Razor Leaf as Eevee dodges, retaliating with a Double-Edge, causing severe damage. Eevee then roundhouses Snover with her tail and Snover hits back with Ice Beam, blasting Eevee up and away. As Eevee falls toward the field, Snover races forward and fires another, but Eevee recovers and quickly dodges, lunging with another Double-Edge. However, Snover's Bullet Seed stops Eevee before an Icy Wind sends Eevee slamming into the wall, leaving her to faint while sitting in her crater.

Dwayne recalls Eevee and summons Chimchar. Chimchar jumps across the ice boulders, dodging an Ice Beam and firing a Flamethrower, but an Icy Wind stops the attack and creates a steam cover, something Candice planned on when facing Fire-types. Chimchar glances in all directions, trying to spot Snover's eventual sneak attack, but Dwayne tells Chimchar to listen for it instead, let Snover attack first and retaliate with Flamethrower. Chimchar closes his eyes and listens, until Snover's approach disturbs Chimchar's tail flame, and Chimchar looks up right where Snover comes out of the steam. Snover takes a swing at Chimchar, but Chimchar dodges and blasts Snover's back with Flamethrower until it crashes front-first into an ice boulder, knocking it out.

Dwayne now has a healthy lead, still with three Pokémon while Candice is down to her final one. Candice now summons her prized Abomasnow as her final. Chimchar fires Flamethrower, but Abomasnow simply stays put and fires a powerful Blizzard, not only stopping the attack, but overcoming Flamethrower and knocking Chimchar into an ice boulder. Seeing Chimchar is going to struggle against Abomasnow, Dwayne recalls him. He sizes up Abomasnow as being big and heavy, so it shouldn't be able to move very fast. Dwayne decides to utilize Crobat's speed and use Brave Bird to take out Abomasnow in one hit. Crobat goes into Brave Bird, but Candice has Abomasnow use Ice Punch, which not only slows, then stops the attack, but throws back Crobat, leaving him to fall to the ground and knocking it out with one hit. Dwayne recalls Crobat, and brings out Grotle. He commands a Rock Climb. Grotle immediately charges at Abomasnow, but Candice has Abomasnow use Wood Hammer. Using its entire body weight, Abomasnow punches Grotle's head straight down into the ice, knocking it out instantly.

Dwayne is now really starting to feel the pressure against the power of Candice and Abomasnow as he recalls Grotle and brings Chimchar back out, his final chance to win the match. Chimchar launches a Flamethrower, but Blizzard once again stops that offense. Chimchar dodges the oncoming Blizzard and then hops backward to put an ice boulder at its back. An Ice Shard destroys the ice boulder as Chimchar leaps forward to dodge. Chimchar continues to dodge Abomasnow's onslaught, throwing up chunks of ice everywhere. Dwayne knows he needs to use speed as the chuckling Abomasnow advances on Chimchar. When he notices Abomasnow crushing a chunk of ice underfoot, he remembers how Sneasel was able to move about the ice quickly by skating. Dwayne tells Chimchar to jump on top of the ice boulders, and although Chimchar is surprised, it trusts Dwayne and obeys. Chimchar leaps from boulder to boulder until Abomasnow destroys one with a punch, sending chunks skittering across the ice field.

Dwayne has Chimchar jump onto a big chunk, turning it into an improvised snowboard. Though wobbly at first, Chimchar gains control and uses intact ice boulders as half-pipe walls to maintain speed. It skates around Abomasnow, dodging attacks and launching Flamethrower attacks into Abomasnow's flank. Abomasnow eventually gets frustrated as Chimchar jumps off the ice board and over Abomasnow's head, letting Abomasnow get close. Dwayne tells Chimchar to finish it with Flame Wheel. Chimchar charges forward quickly and hits Abomasnow's chest dead center. It continues to spin forward as Abomasnow goes flying backwards, its feet sliding across the field. Abomasnow regains its footing and grabs the Flame Wheel, creating a huge steam cloud. Through the steam, Chimchar sees Abomasnow and prepares for another attack, but there's no need as Abomasnow has been knocked out. When the steam clears, Abomasnow tips forward and hits the ground.

Mr. Honcho announces Dwayne as the winner as he and his Pokémon celebrate, with Sadie proclaiming what a great battle it was. Outside the Snowpoint Gym, Candice presents Dwayne with the Icicle Badge. Candice also gifts Dwayne with a second prize, and hands him an Ice Stone, explaining that if his Eevee touched the Cce Stone, she would evolve into Glaceon, which Dwayne thanks Candice for. Suddenly, Dwayne becomes shocked by the sudden arrival of Lazuli, who challenges Candice to a Gym battle, but Candice tells Lazuli that her Pokémon need to rest after the battle against Dwayne and would like to reschedule for tomorrow. As Lazuli agrees and begins to leave, Dwayne asks Lazuli how many Badges she has gotten, but Lazuli brushes him off and walks away.

As night falls on the Pokémon Center, Lazuli's Magmar and Electabuzz train, and Dwayne meets up with Lazuli and mentions how Grotle perfected the defense strategy Lazuli's Torterra taught it and wanting to thank Torterra, but Lazuli recalls her Pokémon and heads inside, criticizing Dwayne for using a Grass-type Pokémon against an Ice-type Gym Leader, calling him pathetic for taking an unnecessary risk. Before she can get inside, Sadie confronts Lazuli, angrily yelling at her, saying Lazuli has no right talking to Dwayne in that tone, but Dwayne diffuses the situation by calming Sadie down. Lazuli heads inside without another word as Sadie hopes that Candice wipes the floor with Lazuli in the battle.

The next day, Rollins drives by in a van when he notices Lazuli outside the Center. He pulls over and greets his sister. Inside, Dwayne notices Rollins as he fills Sadie in. They head outside and greet Rollins, who mentions that he just dropped off a Pokémon he was caring for. Dwayne mentions that he won at the Snowpoint Gym. Rollins congratulates him and asks Lazuli if he can watch the match, which Lazuli allows. A shock wave gets everyone's attention as a huge shadow passes by, everyone looking up and spotting the Battle Pyramid. Dwayne identifies it, getting Rollins and Lazuli's attention. Dwayne then reveals to Lazuli and Rollins that he'd challenged the Battle Frontier a year ago, and won all seven Frontier Symbols, with Brandon being the last, and most difficult, Frontier Brain to defeat, which leaves Lazuli stunned.

Inside the Pyramid control room, Samuel relays a streaming video feed from Dwayne at the Pokémon Center, with Brandon acknowledging his presence. As the Pyramid touches down in a clearing, Rollins drives Dwayne, Lazuli and Sadie to the location. Dwayne tells Sadie about the Battle Frontier, how there are several facilities and each is run by a Frontier Brain, with Brandon as the last to defeat and the most powerful of all the Frontier Brains. Dwayne asks Rollins about the missing Brave Symbol he noticed at Rollins's home back in Veilstone City. Rollins confirms that the Pyramid was the only place he did not win. His usual smile drops into a serious expression, as he remarks that it was also the day he learned that he had a lot more to learn. They reach the Pyramid and meet up with Brandon. Brandon greets Rollins warmly, recognizes Dwayne, and even Lazuli, which prompts her to step forward and challenge Brandon to a battle. Candice arrives on a Dodrio as an SUV pulls up. Candice introduces herself to Brandon and expresses her admiration of the Battle Pyramid. Brandon introduces the woman getting out of the SUV as Temple Maiden Maria. Sadie fills everyone in about the Snowpoint Temple, with Brandon mentioning that the Temple was his reason for coming to Sinnoh. Brandon tells Samuel to go with Maria to the Temple while he battles Lazuli. Lazuli reveals her desire to defeat the person her brother couldn't, not caring whether everyone else watches or not.

Inside, Dwayne offers to be the referee, but Lazuli declines, declaring the match will be a Full Battle with substitutions allowed. Lazuli summons Magmar as Brandon summons Regirock. Rollins recollects that Lazuli watched his battle, Regirock being the same lead Pokémon. Rollins recalls the match, he had defeated the other six Frontier Brains and defeating Brandon would allow him to become a Frontier Brain candidate. Lazuli has just started her Pokémon journey with Turtwig and took time out from her first journey through Sinnoh to travel to the Battle Frontier in order to watch Rollins's battle. Despite his best efforts, Brandon defeated Rollins without losing a Pokémon. Lazuli and her Turtwig were both shocked that Rollins lost to Brandon and was unable to defeat any of his Pokémon. Brandon harshly tells Rollins that while it was an enjoyable battle, there was nothing special or unique about Rollins's battle style, and Brandon finishes by asking Rollins where his inner strength is. Lazuli took these words to heart, vowing to find her inner strength with her Turtwig being just as determined as well. Dwayne then figures out that Lazuli's obsession with power stemms from Rollins's loss against Brandon.

Lazuli immediately recalls Magmar, which surprises everyone, including Brandon, since the battle just started. Lazuli brings out Hitmonlee. The type matchup is positive for Lazuli as Regirock fires Stone Edge, but Hitmonlee blocks it easily. Lazuli points out that Rock-type moves won't do that much harm to Fighting-types like Hitmonlee, and asks if this is a test. Brandon smiles and states she will have to see for herself. Hitmonlee charges forward and hits with Jump Kick, but Regirock bear hugs Hitmonlee to stop the attack and uses Shock Wave at close range, causing it to stumble. Hitmonlee launches a Vacuum Wave, but Regirock moves to the side and throws a Focus Punch, knocking Hitmonlee out. As Lazuli recalls Hitmonlee, everyone is impressed at the strength of Regirock.

Lazuli calls Electabuzz. Dwayne predicts Lazuli's strategy as Electabuzz uses Brick Break to score a direct hit. Regirock fires Stone Edge, with the attack being so powerful that it even manages to smash through Protect, which greatly frustrates Lazuli, before following up with Hyper Beam to take Electabuzz out. Dwayne expresses his surprise at the easy defeat of Electabuzz while Lazuli recalls it. Brandon recalls his Regirock as well, which benefits him on not having to deal with Regirock being immobile after firing Hyper Beam. Brandon sends out Registeel as Lazuli brings Magmar back out. Magmar hits with a Flamethrower, but, to everyone's amazement, Registeel takes the super-effective attack without much falter. Rollins notes that Flamethrower must have had an effect on Registeel, but it is hanging in. Registeel launches into an Iron Head and Magmar blocks it, but it flinches, negating the Will-O-Wisp order Lazuli gave. Lazuli recalls Magmar and deploys Rhydon. Registeel fires Flash Cannon, which hits Rhydon squarely in the face, but Rhydon uses Earth Power, with Brandon showing some surprise of how Rhydon recovered), to score a direct before before launching into Horn Drill. However, Registeel dodges, although it quickly suffers a direct a hit from Rhydon's Earthquake before using Iron Head to knock it out.

Brandon begins to taunt Lazuli, reminding her that she wanted to defeat the man who defeated Rollins and put an end to his Pokémon journey. Lazuli, recalling her Rhydon, tells Brandon that the fact that Brandon defeated Rollins is the only reason why she is battling him now; all she wants is the chance to earn victory against Brandon, which her brother couldn't do. Brandon presents the ultimate challenge to all Trainers to find their inner strength and Lazuli knows what her inner strength is: her will. Brandon chastises Lazuli for this, telling her she is focusing on the past. He adds that if Lazuli is this obsessed with what happened to Rollins, she needs to question why she's on a journey in the first place. This clearly hits a nerve and Lazuli furiously brings out Onix.

Brandon recalls Registeel and brings Regice out as Onix uses Harden and Defense Curl. Rollins guesses Lazuli is trying to hang in and wait for a chance to counterstrike. Regice freezes Onix with an Ice Beam before launching Focus Punch, knocking out Onix without it being able to attack. As Lazuli recalls Onix, her emotions grow even more intense as she brings out Ursaring. Ursaring launches Hammer Arm, but Regice counters with Focus Punch and a massive backlash is created, knocking both Pokémon backwards. Ursaring prepares to use Focus Blast, but a Zap Cannon stops that attack and paralyses Ursaring. Lazuli gets even more frustrated and angry at this, and Dwayne notices Lazuli is not trying to switch out Ursaring. Brandon then recalls Regice and brings Regirock back out, much to Lazuli's anger and shock. Regirock then fires Stone Edge, and Ursaring is taken out, forcing Lazuli to recall Ursaring. Rollins notes that Lazuli did not give any orders to Ursaring, having just given up on Ursaring's chances of winning. Lazuli brings out Magmar as her last, however, with the type-disadvantage and massive difference in strength, everyone verbally agrees that Lazuli has already lost the match. Regirock easily endures Magmar's Flamethrower before knocking out Magmar with Shock Wave, therefore giving Brandon a perfect 6-0 victory over Lazuli.

Dwayne feels bad for Lazuli, who is left shocked and upset at her team being completely ripped apart by Brandon, all the while in front of her brother and peers. Lazuli then recalls her Magmar, and Brandon, recalling Regirock, then asks if the battle Lazuli just had was her true battle. He commends Lazuli on a good battle and raising and training her Pokémon very well, but notes that Lazuli let her emotions betray her during the battle. Brandon then tells Lazuli that they will battle again when she has learned to control her emotions. Lazuli silently accepts this, bowing to her elder.

Outside, Lazuli still plans to challenge Candice as Candice challenges Sadie to a battle. Candice and Sadie get on Dodrio as Candice wishes Dwayne good luck in his next Gym battle. Lazuli starts to leave, but suggests a Full Battle between Dwayne and Lazuli. Brandon agrees with the idea as both Dwayne and Lazuli agree to battle, with Rollins setting the event at Lake Acuity in ten days. Rollins and Lazuli leave in Rollins's van as Samuel and Maria arrive, telling Brandon that a mysterious group of people have sealed off the Snowpoint Temple. Brandon orders Maria and Samuel to board the pyramid so they can go to the temple and see what is going on. Dwayne insists on going too, and Brandon consents. Inside the pyramid, Brandon asks Dwayne if he has heard the legend of the Snowpoint Temple. Dwayne says he would like to hear it, and Maria begins. Long ago, there was a violent volcanic eruption that turned the once-beautiful Snowpoint Forest into a sea of lava. Out of a bright blue light, Regigigas appeared with the legendary titans. The four stopped the volcanic eruption, saving Snowpoint City. Afterwards, Regigigas went into a deep sleep in the Snowpoint Temple, protected by Regirock, Regice, and Registeel, who had transformed into guardian pillars. Brandon guesses that the mysterious people are after Regigigas.

Samuel shows the entrance to the temple on a screen, revealing a figure whom Dwayne recognizes as Hunter Cage. Brandon tells Maria and Samuel about Cage, also telling Dwayne that he is here to do research on the legend, which has basis in fact. As Dwayne presents the idea of stopping Cage from catching Regigigas, Cage's henchmen see the Pyramid and inform Cage. Cage orders his henchmen not to let the Pyramid get near, and they send out a virtual army of Metang and Skarmory to attack the Pyramid with Flash Cannon. One of the engines is hit, forcing an emergency landing. Brandon, Maria and Dwayne leave in a small airship, while Samuel stays to repair the Pyramid's motor. The henchmen notice the small craft, and order their Pokémon to attack, but they're stopped by Regirock, who uses Focus Punch to defeat the Metang and Skarmory. After defeating the Pokémon, Brandon, Maria, and Dwayne run into the temple.

Meanwhile, Cage has reached the three pillars and sends out Salamence, commanding it to destroy them with Hyper Beam. The ice and rock pillars are easily destroyed, and, just when Salamence is about to destroy the steel pillar, Brandon yells for Cage to stop. Maria explains that awakening Regigigas is a bad idea, but Salamence destroys the steel pillar anyway. A small blue ball between where the pillars once stood has begun to glow, but, other than that, there is no sign of Regigigas's awakening. Cage commands Salamence to use Flamethrower, much to Brandon's dismay. Suddenly, a triangle on the floor that had connected the pillars begins to glow, and Regigigas appears, immediately using Hyper Beam on the temple's walls and ceiling. Cage prepares to turn Regigigas to stone, but Regigigas stops him with Hyper Beam, forcing Salamence to counter it with Dragon Pulse. Cage retreats while Regigigas goes on a rampage. As the temple starts to collapse, Brandon sends out his Regirock, Regice and Registeel. The titans save the gang from being buried in falling rock by using Focus Punch, Zap Cannon and Flash Cannon, respectively. The gang escapes, protected by the titans, right before the temple collapses into a pile of rubble. Just when Dwayne notes that Regigigas cannot escape the rubble, it suddenly breaks out, still shooting Hyper Beam in every direction.

Brandon decides to calm Regigigas down by attempting a capture. His titans use Hyper Beam, but Regigigas counters it with a Hyper Beam of its own. The titans then charge Regigigas to use Focus Punch together, but Regigigas pins them down. Regirock and Registeel then grab onto Regigigas, and Regice uses Ice Beam, freezing Regigigas along with Regirock and Registeel. Cage is watching, smiling darkly, happy that they are weakening Regigigas for him. When Regigigas defrosts, Regice uses Zap Cannon, paralyzing it. Registeel uses Iron Head, knocking Regigigas to the ground. Regirock uses Stone Edge, weakening Regigigas even further. Brandon prepares to capture Regigigas with a Poké Ball, but just before he throws it, Cage's Dustox uses its String Shot to tie him up, along with Dwayne and Maria. Cage returns Dustox to its Poké Ball, while Regigigas's eyes begin glowing, followed by the eyes of the titans. Confuse Ray takes effect and, as in the legend, the titans become Regigigas's guardians, attacking Cage (Regirock and Regice with Zap Cannon, Registeel with Flash Cannon). The four legendary Pokémon then begin to leave the temple together, and Cage follows. All four start to attack the mountains with Hyper Beam. Brandon tries to stop them, failing. He then tries to return his titans to their Poké Balls, but they are not responding to him at all. Regice then turns on Brandon, using Zap Cannon, but Brandon is able to dodge it. Cage notes that the four legendary titans seem to be heading for the city. The legendary titans continue using Hyper Beam once in the forest.

Back by the temple, Dwayne tries to chew through the web binding them. Dwayne manages to barely release Eevee from her Love Ball, and asks Eevee to free them, and Eevee begins charging up Double-Edge but Dwayne tells her to stop, as Dwayne recognizes that none of Eevee's attacks were able to free them without hurting them, too. This leaves Eevee quite distraught, but Dwayne assures her that she wasn't at fault, and begins struggling, and while doing so, Dwayne's Ice Stone slips out of his pocket. Seeing this, Eevee puts on determined face and touches the Ice Stone, promptly evolving her into Glaceon. Glaceon then approaches Dwayne and Maria and fires off a weak Icy Wind attack, freezing the webbing and allowing them to easily break free. Dwayne hugs his newly-evolved Glaceon, and she playfully tackles him to the ground. However, Dwayne quickly focuses back to the situation at hand. Brandon checks in with Samuel, who says he needs more time to finish repairing the Pyramid. Brandon tells him to tell Officer Jenny to be on the alert while he catches up to Regigigas.

Meanwhile, Cage has gotten ahead of the four legends with his airship, ready with his henchmen to catch Regigigas. When the four legendary titans reach Cage, his airship shoots lasers at them, which the legendary titans counter with Hyper Beam. Afterwards, the airship shoots a liquid adhesive, which bears a striking resemblance to bubble gum, at Regigigas, to trap it. Regigigas is not completely immobilized by the gum, however, and uses Hyper Beam to destroy one of the airship's engines. While dodging Hyper Beams fired by the three titans, Cage orders his henchmen to get the airship out of Regigigas's firing range. Cage fires his bracelet at Regigigas to turn it to stone, but Regirock jumps in front of the blast to protect it and is turned to stone instead. Cage, frustrated, tries again, and again; the blasts are taken by Registeel and Regice instead. Cage fires the bracelet again now that there is nothing between him and Regigigas, but Brandon, telling Dwayne to take control of the airship, jumps out and in front of the beam and is petrified instead. Regigigas catches him before he can hit the ground. Before Cage can fire again, Glaceon attacks with Blizzard and Ice Shard. Salamence unleashes Dragon Pulse at the airship, but Regigigas, breaking free of the gum, deflects the attack back at Salamence, breaking Cage's bracelet.

Cage becomes infuriated and orders Salamence to use Dragon Pulse, but Regigigas manages to dodge. Dwayne lands the airship and heads towards the battle. Regigigas and Salamence continue battling, but Regigigas gets weakened due to trying to protect Brandon while simultaneously battling Cage's Salamence. As Regigigas places Brandon safely on the ground, Salamence lands a direct hit with Hyper Beam, which knocks down the Legendary titan. Cage fixes his bracelet and prepares to encase Regigigas in stone, and realizing that Regigigas was about to be taken away, Dwayne throws a Poké Ball at Regigigas, and Regigigas gets inserted inside the Ball just as Cage's cannon is fired, saving Regigigas from getting turned to stone. The Poké Ball shakes for a it bit, until the mechanism glows red, signifying Regigigas's capture. Cage curses Dwayne and is about to command Salamence to attack him, but gets interrupted when his henchmen who say that his client canceled the deal, apparently after being frightened by the destruction. Seeing no further reason to stay, Cage and his henchmen leave the area immediately.

Dwayne grabs Regigigas's Poké Ball and immediately releases it from his ownership, apologizing for being forced to catch him, but Regigigas doesn't seem to mind. Maria apologizes to Regigigas for letting them awaken it, and asks it to save Brandon and the titans. It agrees, using its powers to unfreeze them before returning to the form of an orb. As the sun sets, Brandon promises to rebuild the temple and have Regirock, Regice, and Registeel protect Regigigas so it will never be awakened again, and Maria agrees to help him. Brandon then expresses gratitude towards Dwayne for helping them in stopping Cage, and says that Dwayne would become an explendid Trainer one day, perhaps even taking place as Pyramid King, and even cracks a joke over Dwayne catching Regigigas instead of him. Dwayne thanks Brandon for his vote of confidence and waves them goodbye as he departs from Snowpoint City towards his next destination.

Having left Snowpoint City behind, Dwayne is now aboard a train leading to Lake Acuity, where he is due to have his Full Battle against Lazuli. There, Dwayne meets an absentminded man named Looker, who is also on the train, and is almost knocked over when Dwayne shouts his determination to win. He drops the lunchboxes he is carrying, which Dwayne is able to catch. He apologizes and asks Looker if he is okay, and he says he is. Dwayne asks him if the boxed lunch was the train station's best food, and Looker gives him one as a gift, saying that he had accidentally ordered too many from the seller. Dwayne introduces himself to Looker, and Looker introduces himself.

As the train travels on to Lake Acuity, the driver tells his Pokémon, an Ampharos, to use Thunderbolt. The driver's assistant tells Dwayne that the train is powered by Ampharos's Eletric-type attacks, impressing Dwayne with the cooperation between Ampharos and the driver. Looker gives the boxed lunch to the train crew when the driver suddenly stops the train, as the signal ahead is set at red for danger. The driver decides to check what is happening. However, when he makes a call, he is informed that there is nothing wrong with the line ahead despite the signal that says otherwise. As there may be a problem with the line that hasn't been relayed to the operators, the assistant and Looker decide to go outside and check while the driver goes to inform the passengers of the situation. Meanwhile, Dwayne decides this is the perfect time to eat his lunch, and as the train is delayed, he decides to eat it outside and let his Pokémon out of their Poké Balls for a while.

Outside, Looker discovers that the track, which supposedly hasn't been used for a long time, doesn't have one speck of dust on it, implying it is being used on a regular basis now. The assistant replies that it could be a prank, but the junction points on the disused line have also been changed. Looker realizes that the points were changed intentionally, and the assistant tells Looker to go back to the train while he investigates further. However, rather than head back, Looker heads down the mysterious line. At the end of the disused line, Looker finds a warehouse and heads inside. Hours later, Looker returns and claims to everyone that he took the time to look at the scenery. With the signal and junction set correctly, Ampharos is ready to move the train again to Lake Acuity. Looker wishes Dwayne good luck on his battle against Lazuli. Later, at the back of the train's carriage, Looker calls his superiors and explains that the organization that stopped the train is moving something to Lake Acuity, adding that he will continue his investigation. He then takes out and looks at the piece of paper that he found in the warehouse, which carries Team Galactic's logo.

At the Pokémon Center in Lake Acuity, Dwayne picks up Gardevoir, Crobat, Grotle, Chimchar, Buizel, and Gliscor who are all ready and willing to battle Lazuli, Chimchar especially so. Dwayne reflects on Cynthia's words back in Celestic Town, when she told Chimchar it had a bigger and better destiny. Dwatbe knows that Chimchar is at the very center of his and Lazuli's rivalry, and that Chimchar will be instrumental in what happens between them. At the lakefront, Rollins thanks Dwayne for coming and explains that part of the reason that he asked for the battle is how alike Dwayne and Lazuli are. Both are intent in growing strong alongside their Pokémon, only their training methods differing. He tells Dwayne that a Full Battle between them is inevitable, and it's a good time for them both to compare each other's strengths and weaknesses. Just then, Olivier arrives in a balloon with a portable scoreboard. Olivier officially states the rules: the battle will be a Full Battle, six-on-six with substitutions freely allowed on both sides. A Coin Toss is used to decide who gets to pick their Pokémon first, and Dwayne wins. He sends out Buizel first, and Lazuli sends out her Torterra. The referee begins the match, only for Dwayne to instantly recall Buizel, similar to how Lazuli recalled her first Pokémon during the match against Brandon when she didn't like the type-matchup. Dwayne apologizes to Buizel and promises he will call on it soon, and sends out Gliscor to replace him.

The battle then begins properly as Lazuli orders Giga Drain. However, the energy-sapping tentacles plunge into the ground, missing a now flying Gliscor completely. Rollins knows that Lazuli probably intended Giga Drain to miss to try to lull Dwayne into a false sense of security and let down his guard. Dwayne then has Gliscor use X-Scissor on Torterra and it scores a direct hit. Being a Bug-type move, it causes a fair bit of damage against Torterra, but not enough to cause it to faint. Lazuli then starts to battle directly and orders Frenzy Plant, the most powerful Grass-type move. Luckily, Gliscor is fast enough to avoid the vines, and Torterra is left immobilized while it recharges. Dwayne knows he has an opening and has Gliscor use Fire Fang, which hits Torterra, and Dwayne has Gliscor follow this up with another X-Scissor. Dwayne decides to go in for one more hit and has Gliscor use Poison Jab, but as Gliscor heads towards Torterra, it recovers from Frenzy Plant and Lazuli has it use Crunch. Although Poison Jab hits, Torterra bites on to Gliscor's tail, and Gliscor struggles, but is unable to break free. Lazuli then has Torterra use Giga Drain, and this time it hits dead-on, sapping Gliscor's energy while recharging its own. Rollins realizes this was part of Lazuli's strategy, to allow Torterra to be immobilized so Dwayne would go in close-range. Gliscor is still struggling to break free from Giga Drain and Dwayne has Gliscor use Fire Fang on the energy tentacles, which hurts Torterra and sets Gliscor free. Both Gliscor and Torterra are left exhausted, and Dwayne decides to recall Gliscor for some rest, and sends out Crobat to battle next.

Ryder has Crobat begin with Brave Bird, and Crobat moves in for the hit. However, Lazuli has Torterra use Stone Edge. The pointed stones score a super-effective hit and Crobat is sent plummeting to the ground. Now everyone is aware that Lazuli left Torterra in because she knew Dwayne would switch to Crobat, and now that it has done its job, Lazuli recalls Torterra to its Poké Ball. Lazuli's second Pokémon is Weavile, and after making sure Crobat is OK to battle, Dwayne tells him to begin with Air Slash. Crobat gets the hit in, and Lazuli then has Weavile use Swords Dance. Dwayne calls for a Supersonic, and Lazuli counters this by ordering Blizzard. The Ice-type move hits Crobat hard, and Lazuli then has Weavile follow up with Metal Claw. Crobat flies low and Weavile jumps onto his back. Weavile then slashes Crobat's back and jumps off as the Bat Pokémon crashes to the ground. Lazuli orders Weavile to go after Crobat with another Metal Claw, and Dwayne has Crobat use Cross Poison. Crobat and Weavile trade blows, but Crobat is able to gain the advantage and sends Weavile flying. Crobat maintains the assault, and Lazuli orders a Blizzard while Dwayne calls for Brave Bird. Crobat flies out of range of the Blizzard and scores a direct hit with Brave Bird. Although Crobat suffers from the recoil, Weavile comes out of it far worse off and, despite its efforts, collapses to the ground unable to battle. Olivier rules Weavile as out of the battle and Dwayne, now with the advantage, commends a battered Crobat on a fantastic performance, but knows better than to get too confident over this win. Dwayne also knows that Crobat took a real beating and recalls him for some rest.

Lazuli sends out Electabuzz next while Dwayne sends out Grotle. As Electric-type moves don't work very well against Grass-types, Dwayne doesn't know what Lazuli is thinking and has Grotle use Energy Ball. Lazuli has Electabuzz use Light Screen and Electabuzz sets up a barrier which the Energy Ball smashes against, instead of getting a direct hit. Now that the Light Screen is set up, Lazuli substitutes Electabuzz with Honchkrow, a much better type-matchup against Grotle. Grotle is determined to defeat Honchkrow to make up for the defeat it suffered after evolving, and Dwayne decides to leave it in, determined to show Lazuli and Honchkrow how much Grotle has improved since then. Rollins knows this is a huge mistake on Dwayne's part due to the disadvantage as a Grass-type, especially Lazuli.

Night Slash is used by Honchkrow after a missed Razor Leaf, and although Grotle tries to stand up to it, the hit is still powerful. Dwayne orders Grotle to use Energy Ball, however Honchkrow is shielded by the Light Screen. Honchkrow uses Haze, which surrounds Grotle. Normally when Lazuli battles, it's to polish up her Pokémon's moves or to increase their power but she has a different motive during this battle. Lazuli is going for the win. Rollins explains that Lazuli has worked out Dwayne's battle style which is allowing her to keep the pressure on Dwayne. When Grotle gets Night Slashed again, Dwayne sees that it is exhausted by now, so he has it use Synthesis. As Grotle regains its energy, Lazuli takes advantage of the moment and tells Honchkrow to use Sky Attack. Honchkrow begins glowing and makes a direct line for Grotle. Dwayne has Grotle use Rock Climb to try to counter, and the attacks collide, obscuring both Pokémon, however Honchkrow flies clear while Grotle has been knocked out. Olivier rules Grotle as being unable to battle, and Dwayne recalls it as Lazuli recalls Honchkrow. Rollins, noting on Dwayne's poor judgment, points out that using Synthesis as healing moves have the disadvantage of leaving a Pokémon open to attack and a Trainer should make note of the opponent's condition before using one or be an easy target.

Both Trainers must select new Pokémon, and Dwayne sends Gardevoir into the battle. Lazuli sends in a Pokémon that surprises everyone, Magmortar, evolved from her Magmar. Dwayne orders Gardevoir to use Psyshock, but Magmortar dodges and uses Fire Punch, landing a direct hit. Worsening matters, once Gardevoir lands, she is immediately hurt by fire that surrounds her body. Rollins notes that Magmortar has the Flame Body Ability, which has a chance of burning an opponent if it makes physical contact. Lazuli smiles, and Dwayne asks Gardevoir if she wants to continue, and Gardevoir, desperate to help Dwayne defeat Lazuli, agrees. Dwayne thanks Gardevoir and commands a Shadow Ball, and Lazuli responds by ordering a Flamethrower. Magmortar fires Flamethrower from its massive bazooka-like arms and it connects with Gardevoir's Shadow Ball, causing a massive explosion. Dwayne then has Gardevoir Moonblast, and Gardevoir powers up and charges the attack. Lazuli commands Magmortar to use Rock Tomb, and Magmortar starts to fire purple energy which turns into rocks when they hit the ground. Gardevoir, unbale to cancel her attack in time to evade, gets struck by a direct hit, and subsequently continues to suffer from her burn. Lazuli then commands Magmortar to use Smog and Magmortar releases a massive poisonous cloud which heads straight towards Gardevoir. Realizing that there was nowhere for Gardevoir to dodge the massive cloud, Dwayne commands Gardevoir to dodge using Teleport, and she teleports herself within the lake to avoid getting consumed by Smog, which shocks Lazuli and impresses Rollins. However, Gardevoir is then hurt by his burn again just as Gardevoir teleports back to the battlefield. Rollins knows that this is bad and that the longer that Gardevoir carries on, the greater the disadvantage for her. Lazuli orders Magmortar to use Flamethrower. Dwayne tells Incineroar to jump and use Psyshock from above. Gardevoir jumps out of the Flamethrower's path and successfully strikes Magmortar across the head with Psyshock. Magmortar takes the hit and Gardevoir takes more burn damage. Dwayne then recalls Gardevoir for some rest after battling so hard.

Dwayne decides to use type advantage against Magmortar and sends out Buizel, who is ready to battle. Dwayne starts by ordering an Aqua Jet and Buizel speeds towards Magmortar and hits it directly on the chest, sending Magmortar reeling back, but despite the super-effective hit is still able to carry on. Dwayne then follows up with Water Pulse, and Buizel sends a wave of water towards his opponent, however Lazuli orders another Rock Tomb, and Magmortar creates a shield of rocks which protects itself from the Water Pulse. However, Dwayne quickly orders Aqua Jet. Buizel smashes through the rocks, only to find Magmortar gone. Dwayne and Buizel don't know where Magmortar is, and Buizel looks up to see a now aerial Magmortar release another Smog, which hits Buizel and poisons the Pokémon, causing Buizel to reel in pain. Rollins realizes that Rock Tomb was used to keep Buizel from seeing what Magmortar was up to. As Buizel tries to recover from his damage, Magmortar lands and Lazuli recalls it.

Lazuli then sends out Ursaring and Dwayne orders Water Gun. Lazuli is prepared for this and orders a Hammer Arm, which successfully counters the attack. Lazuli then orders Bulk Up, which increases Ursaring's strength and defense. Dwayne knows what Bulk Up does, but foolishly believes Buizel can handle it and has him use Aqua Jet while Lazuli orders Ursaring to use Slash. Ursaring, after resisting Aqua Jet, hits Buizel with its sharp claws, sending Buizel to the ground. Ursaring uses Focus Blast, and Dwayne responds by having Buizel use an Aqua Jet Counter Shield, which creates a typhoon of water upon which Focus Blast backfires onto Ursaring, and this strategy leaves Lazuli stunned, having never seen anything like it before, while Rollins calls Dwayne's innovative defensive manuever as a "stroke of genius". Dwayne then orders a Sonic Boom, and Lazuli tells Ursaring to use Hammer Arm. Ursaring runs through the Sonic Boom and lands a direct hit on Buizel, smashing him to the ground. At this point, Dwayne is ready to recall Buizel, but Buizel wants to stay in the battle so Dwayne allows him to stay. This turns out to be a mistake, because when Buizel is ordered to use Aqua Jet, the attack is countered by a dead on Focus Blast which takes Buizel out of the battle.

Dwayne then sends out Crobat, launching Brave Bird. Lazuli orders another Hammer Arm, but Crobat dodges it and scores a clean hit with Brave Bird. Lazuli orders Focus Blast, which hits Crobat in mid-air, but not critically damaging it. Dwayne orders Crobat to use Cross Poison, but despite the damage, Ursaring seems unfazed, and Hammer Arms Crobat into the ground, taking it out of the match. Dwayne returns Crobat to his Poké Ball and thanks him for a good battle. Lazuli recalls Ursaring and sends out Electabuzz, and Dwayne sends out Chimchar for his first appearance in the battle, and Chimchar shows a mean look at its former Trainer. Chimchar uses Flamethrower, but Electabuzz uses Protect to block. Lazuli has Electabuzz put up a Light Screen before immediately returning it to its Poké Ball. Rollins believes that Lazuli used Protect to cover Electabuzz then Light Screen to cover her next Pokémon. Lazuli sends out Torterra, which confuses Dwayne as Torterra, being a partial Grass-type, has a disadvantage to Chimchar, but he carries on. Dwayne orders Chimchar to use Flame Wheel, but Torterra counters with Stone Edge. Dwayne has Chimchar immediately dodge the Stone Edge by changing the direction of the Flame Wheel, but it is revealed that Lazuli has trained Torterra to change the direction of the stones, allowing them to follow Chimchar. Chimchar cannot outrun the stones and therefore suffers a super-effective hit. Dwayne has Chimchar use Flamethrower which hits successfully, but the Light Screen protects Torterra and Flamethrower only does half the damage. Realizing that Chimchar won't be able to defeat Torterra like this, Dwayne recalls him.

Ryder sends out Gliscor against Torterra again and orders X-Scissor. However, Lazuli isn't messing around with Gliscor this time, and has Torterra use Frenzy Plant, which this time is able to score a direct hit and knocks out Gliscor immediately. Dwayne returns Gliscor to its Poké Ball, and begins to consider his remaining options. He knows that Torterra was Lazuli's first Pokémon and as a result is the strongest member of her team. Dwayne decides to choose Gardevoir and as Gardevoir gets summoned, Lazuli immediately returns Torterra. Lazuli sends out Ursaring again, leaving Dwayne unsure of what to do, as he knows that Ursaring is very powerful, having taken out two of his Pokémon. Gardevoir reminds Dwayne that he has the first move, and Dwayne orders Moonblast, while Lazuli orders yet another Hammer Arm. Gardevoir launches the attack, but Ursaring's Hammer Arm knocks the attack out of the way and sends Gardevoir flying back after connecting with Hammer Arm. Gardevoir recovers and Dwayne orders Gardevoir to use Psyshock. Lazuli orders Ursaring to counter, but Ursaring suffers from poison, and Psyshock scores a clean hit, although Gardevoir still suffers damage from the burn she received from Magmortar earlier. Rollins comments that Ursaring's poison was a delayed reaction from Crobat's Cross Poison, as Lazuli had recalled Ursaring before poison could take effect on Ursaring. Just then, Ursaring's eyes begin to glow red, pleasing Lazuli.

Rollins notes that Ursaring's Guts Ability has been activated by its poison. Gardevoir sees Ursaring glowing red and screaming with rage, having suddenly just gained a lot of power. Lazuli commands Hammer Arm, while Dwayne orders Gardevoir to counter, and Gardevoir responds with a massive Moonblast, but it does not stop Ursaring. Gardevoir is Hammer Arm'd, and heaved into Lake Acuity, where after disappearing under the water, she lets out a final burst of energy. Dwayne runs into the lake looking for Gardevoir. Rollins becomes worried about Gardevoir, and even Lazuli casts a glance towards the lake where Dwayne is looking, and seemingly becomes quite worried, knowing that she probably used too much force. Gardevoir emerges from the water, seemingly okay, but she quickly faints in Dwayne's arms, not only exhausted but injured from Ursaring's attacks. Dwayne helps Gardevoir to the sidelines and promises to get her to a Pokémon Center after the battle. Dwayne attempts to recall her, but Gardevoir refuses, wanting to watch the remainder of the battle, and Dwayne relents, and Gardevoir sits next to Rollins. Dwayne knows that Lazuli still has five Pokémon while he is down to only Chimchar, but he also knows that all of Lazuli's Pokémon have taken damage and he is still determined to continue.

Dwayne sends out Chimchar while Lazuli leaves Ursaring in. Chimchar uses Flame Wheel, but Ursaring knocks it back with Slash. Dwayne then tells Chimchar to use Flamethrower, which scores a direct hit, and Dwayne has Chimchar follow up with Dig. Lazuli commands Ursaring to use Hammer Arm on the ground like before, but this time, Chimchar emerges from the ground before Ursaring can pull off the attack and causes even more damage to it. Chimchar is then commanded to use another Flamethrower, which hits Ursaring dead-on finally bringing it down. Dwayne congratulates Chimchar on doing a great job which makes the Chimp Pokémon dance with joy. Dwayne approaches Chimchar and praises his Pokémon before asking if he is okay to continue. Chimchar nods his head in agreement and then starts to glow as Chimchar has started to evolve. Everyone watches in amazement as Chimchar undergoes the transformation and evolves into Monferno. Dwayne is overjoyed over having a new Pokémon. Rollins notes that while Chimchar didn't fit Lazuli's training style, it was a perfect match for Dwayne's, and this has been displayed in Chimchar rising to Dwayne's call and evolving into Monferno, and as a result, now has new abilities and techniques at its disposal.

Monferno demonstrates this by swinging its fists quickly and effortlessly which causes them to glow. Monferno then swings at the ground which sends a gust of wind at Lazuli, who stands unflinching. Dwayne realizes that, as well as evolving, Monferno has also learned Mach Punch, which Monferno confirms by somersaulting on the spot. Rollins continues that Dwayne and Monferno are the perfect example of how compatibility between Trainer and Pokémon can mean everything. Lazuli sends out Electabuzz, who is initially surprised to see Chimchar has evolved, but is still more than ready to battle its former teammate, a sentiment Monferno agrees with. Rollins notes the two are now on equal terms, and Dwayne commands Monferno to use Mach Punch. Monferno speeds towards Electabuzz and chokes it square on the chest, sending an astounded Electabuzz flying back and smashing into a rock. Lazuli orders Electabuzz to use Thunder, which hits Monferno and makes it scream in pain. Dwayne responds to this by having Monferno use Flame Wheel, however Lazuli has Electabuzz use Protect, sending Monferno flying back. Monferno tries Flamethrower, but Electabuzz dodges and executes Thunder Punch. Monferno dodges it in mid-air, and Dwayne tells him to use Dig. Monferno tunnels underground, and when Electabuzz lands, it suffers a direct strike as Monferno emerges. Dwayne commands another Flame Wheel, and Electabuzz responds with Thunder, which heads straight towards Monferno. Dwayne has Monferno use Counter Shield with Flamethrower, and as a result, the Thunder is deflected allowing Flame Wheel to score a direct hit. Rollins is impressed by how Dwayne is using the momentum to turn the battle around.

Dwayne orders another Mach Punch, but this time, Monferno's move was blocked by Electabuzz's Protect, and Monferno gets hit by Thunder, sending him back towards Dwayne and forcing it to its knees from both the damage and paralysis. Dwayne senses something bad and tells Monferno to use Flamethrower, but as he sees Monferno can't launch the attack, he then realizes that Monferno had been paralyzed. Just then, Monferno's tail flame starts to burn more fiercely. Dwayne is delighted that Monferno is not giving up no matter what and tells him to use Mach Punch while Lazuli commands her Electabuzz to use Thunder Punch. The two Pokémon head towards each other full of fury, and both attacks connect at the same time, which causes a massive explosion in the middle of the battlefield. When the smoke clears, Monferno and Electabuzz continue to stare each other down. While Electabuzz is very weak, Monferno has taken far more damage and collapses to the ground, badly injured, to Dwayne's horror. Olivier rules Monferno as being unable to battle, which means Lazuli has won the match while Dwayne, having only managed to knock out two of Lazuli's Pokémon, has suffered his worst defeat ever.

The sun starts to set on Lake Acuity, as Lazuli returns Electabuzz to its Poké Ball and Dwayne cradles Monferno in his arms, telling him that it did a great job. Rollins congratulates Lazuli on her win, and Lazuli actually smiles, acknowledging that it was indeed a spectacular battle. Lazuli promises to send Rollins her Pokémon and bids farewell to him and Olivier before leaving. As for Dwayne, despite his crushing defeat, smiles in spite of his crying, knowing that despite having being defeated yet again, agrees with both Lazuli and Rollins that it was an spectacular battle, and says that Lazuli, at the moment, was indeed a superior Trainer than himself, but refused to quit, and would surpass her eventually. Back at the Pokémon Center, Dwayne heals his Pokémon after the battle, and comforts Monferno, who's quite saddened at being unable to defeat Lazuli yet again. Dwayne tells Monferno not to worry, as Lazuli went as far as to admit that their battle was incredible, hinting that she was starting to respect both Dwayne and Moferno, and promises the Playful Pokémon that they would defeat her on their next encounter. As Dwayne heads off, he takes one final look at Lake Acuity, and notices a ripple on the lake and spots a shadow of a Pokémon, Uxie's projected soul. Before he can run any closer to inspect it, the shadow disappears. Dwayne immediately recognizes the Legendary Pokémon's shadow, and remembers that Uxie represented Knowledge, but wonders what kind of knowledge did he learn to make Uxie appear itself to him.

After leaving Lake Acuity, Dwayne encounters a section of Mt. Coronet that is a muggy marshland. Soon, he comes across a river with a strong current, as well as blue Shellos. Dwayne becomes confused, as Sadie's Shellos is colored pink. Dwayne looks it up in his Pokédex and finds out that there are two confirmed kinds of Shellos—Pink Shellos and Blue Shellos. Soon, Dwayne sees a Pink Shellos trapped in the river's current. Dwayne jumps in to try to rescue it, and manages to catch it just before the current takes it away. Then, Nurse Joy arrives, relieved to see Shellos safe and thanks Dwayne for saving it. Nurse Joy wonders why a Pink Shellos is on the east side of Mt. Coronet, as Pink Shellos are only found on the western side of the mountain. Nurse Joy reveals that long ago, when Mt. Coronet was starting to form, the two types of Shellos were separated and soon adapted to their new color and environment. However, there have recently been several western Shellos that have gotten lost on the east side of the mountain, but she is unsure why. Nurse Joy quickly changes the subject and takes it to the Pokémon Center.

Fortunately, Shellos is not injured. Dwayne decides to take Shellos to the western side of the mountain. Nurse Joy suggests to find its home near the marshlands when Looker arrives and is intrigued to see another Pink Shellos on the eastern side of Mt. Coronet. After happily greeting Dwayne, Looker announces he is in a hurry and leaves. Although Dwayne is confused, he still decides to keep on his task and bring Shellos home. Meanwhile, inside of the mountain, a squad of Galactic Grunts—led by Saturn and Charon—are searching the mountain for more clues to the Spear Pillar. The limited data they collected from Iron Island suggested that it was on Mt. Coronet and all the team has to do is find its gateway. Saturn is very impatient to find it, as they are very much behind schedule. Charon suggests he relax, as they would succeed in finding it.

Back with Dwayne, he notices many caves. Shellos peeks into one and despite Dwayne's warning, it falls into it. Dwayne follows after it. After falling a long way down, Dwayne finds himself unable to climb back out. Looker, meanwhile, (who had just entered a different cave to the inside of the mountain) finds human footprints and deduces that the tunnels were dug up recently. Just then, he hears a sound and soon discovers Team Galactic, but chooses not to reveal himself just yet. Team Galactic is continuing their search for the Spear Pillar, but Saturn is still a bit impatient and is starting to lose hope. Charon scolds Saturn's impatience, and reminds him that the region long ago believed in a Time-Space Legend involving Pokémon, these two Pokémon being Dialga and Palkia. Charon also mentions that the ruins were made as a result of the ancient people's desire to meet them and suggests once again that Saturn relaxes.

Dwayne soon finds the footprints and this time, Shellos leads the way. Dwayne does its to catch up to Shellos, hoping to find a way out or someone who knows a way out. Unfortunately, he only finds Team Galactic. Saturn becomes annoyed at Dwayne getting in their way yet again. Without any warning, Dwayne gets surrounded by Galactic Grunts, still under the watchful eye of Looker. Team Galactic ties up Dwayne and Shellos, so they would not get in their way until their mission was complete. Dwayne wonders what they were planning this time, as Charon becomes amazed at finally meeting the "famous child" in person. Saturn, still getting impatient, tells Charon to ignore him and return to work. Then, Shellos begins to cry, which irritates Charon and he orders to keep it quiet. A grunt with a face obscured volunteers and yells meanly at Shellos so that Team Galactic could hear. However, the grunt quietly talks calmly to it, but making sure Saturn and Charon do not hear him, as well as not hear him telling Dwayne that he would help him escape. He does, however, yell loudly that he would "tighten the ropes". Charon and Saturn immediately ask who he is and the grunt comes towards him, with Saturn suspicious of him. The grunt says that he was sent from headquarters to help the expedition. Charon is confused as to why that is, since they already have enough manpower for the job. The grunt reveals he came in a hurry and only knew about ruins in the expedition. Charon decides to bring him up to speed. He tells the grunt their mission was to find the gateway to the Spear Pillar that is hidden on Mt. Coronet. The grunt with the case opens it, revealing the Spear Key to all, as Charon continues to explain by stating they would use the key to open the gateway to the Spear Pillar once they found it.

Dwayne is amazed and soon finds out how the Shellos got lost on the wrong side of the mountain: because Team Galactic dug the tunnels to find the gateway to the Spear Pillar. Saturn reminds Charon to be careful with the key, since their leader entrusted them with it. Charon said he doesn't really care about Team Galactic's intentions, so long as he does his part. Charon orders the Grunt to get to work immediately. The grunt complies, but soon jumps a distance away from them, freeing Dwayne and Shellos, and reveals his true identity: Looker. Dwayne is surprised, and his surprise increases when—upon Saturn's request—reveals he's a member of the International Police. Saturn mentions that he received a report of a suspected spy in their ranks and deduces that Looker was the spy. Then, Shellos runs off again, with Dwayne following. Saturn orders the Grunts to capture Looker. Shellos soon finds itself in a dead end and cries. Dwayne calms it down, assuring it that he would return Shellos to its home. Meanwhile, Looker manages to defend himself against the Grunts, which impresses Dwayne, as well as two Grunts that were working on finding the ruins. One Grunt suggests that they help out until they receive a signal. Saturn and Charon rush to them and discover that there are ruins hidden behind some rocks. Saturn is relieved to find the search to probably be over and sends out his Toxicroak. Saturn orders his Toxicroak to use Rock Smash to destroy the rocks and after a few jabs, the rock is finally destroyed, revealing old ruins, which is perhaps the gateway to the Spear Pillar. Using the key, Saturn attempts to discover the gateway.

However, nothing happens. Charon is only able to deduce that the ruins are not the gateway to the Spear Pillar. Saturn becomes irritated and, seeing there was no need to be there any longer, orders to retreat. Then, the place begins to flood due to Toxicroak's Rock Smash. Looker takes out a raft and Dwayne uses it to narrowly escape. Team Galactic begins to pinpoint the next location of the Spear Pillar on Mt. Coronet. Charon chuckles on how simple it was as Saturn gives him an irritated look, apparently not trusting or taking a liking to Charon. After safely moving out, Looker goes back to headquarters and Dwayne continues to find Shellos's home. As Shellos becomes reunited with its breed, Dwayne notices the mud water from the flash flood clogged up the tunnels Team Galactic made, meaning the Shellos will never again wind up on the wrong side of the mountain again. Dwayne leaves Shellos with its kind, and bids the Shellos farewell before continuing on his journey.

Days later, Dwayne arrives in Twinleaf Town to participate in the town's festival, eager to take a break from his travels and relax. As Dwayne enjoys the festival, Vito suddenly appears and bumps into Dwayne, knocking them both down. Vito gets angry and challenges Dwayne to a battle, which Dwayne accepts. However, before they could battle, Vito bumps into another person, which reveals himself to be Vito's father, Palmer of the Sinnoh Battle Frontier. The vendors eagerly talk to him as Dwayne notices how famous Palmer is. He runs to the center of the road and brings out his Dragonite for a little demonstration. When Dwayne hears that Palmer was one of the top Trainers in Twinleaf, Dwayne challenges him to a battle. Vito tells him about the upcoming tournament, where the winner will get the opportunity to battle Palmer. Vito also tells them that Palmer is a Frontier Brain for the Sinnoh Battle Frontier, leader of the Battle Tower and known as the Tower Tycoon. After Palmer confirms the tournament for the next day, Dwayne looks forward to it, confident that he will win.

The next day marks the last day of the Twinleaf Festival. The battle rules are set as people will duel one-on-one, working up a ladder until a winner is found. The judge is Sayer, who oversees the tournament. Many battles quickly pan on screen as the timeline jumps to the final match, with Dwayne and Vito going at it. Ultimately, Gardevoir bests Empoleon as Dwayne wins the battle tournament, upsetting Vito in the process. As the exhibition match gets underway, Palmer looks forward to battling Dwayne as he sends out Rhyperior. Palmer informs Dwayne that no Trainer has ever bested his Rhyperior. After analyzing Rhyperior's types, he first believes that Speed will prevail, but based on previous Gym battles, he knows Palmer will be ready for that. Dwayne decides to summon Grotle to the field, as the type advantage is logical and to match up Rhyperior's strength with Grotle's strength and defense. Sayer quickly reconfirms the battle rules as a one-on-one with no substitutions, and as the challenger, Ryder goes first.

Grotle immediately fires Energy Ball, as Rhyperior stands firm and takes it without so much as a scratch thanks to Solid Rock. Though Palmer compliments Dwayne's on Grotle's strength, he orders Rhyperior to use Rock Polish. Grotle fires Seed Bomb, but Rhyperior dodges quickly, shocking everyone at how fast it moved thanks to Rock Polish. Rhyperior gets close and launches Sandstorm. Grotle stands firm as the attack surrounds and batters Grotle. Rhyperior launches a Rock Wrecker, harming Grotle even more, but Grotle stands firm. Dwayne has Grotle use Synthesis to heal since Rhyperior has to rest. It taps into the healing move since the sandstorm has not blocked out the sun from above. Grotle recovers and uses Seed Bomb to neutralize the Sandstorm.

Rhyperior recovers and charges with Megahorn. Grotle primes Energy Ball, waiting for Rhyperior to get closer. However, when Rhyperior closes in too quickly, he hits Energy Ball with Megahorn, and Grotle is forced to swallow it. The results shock everyone as Grotle taps into a large amount of power, a green aura radiating up into the air from the bushes on its back. The green aura dissipates, but Grotle's bushes continue to glow, with energy moving through them. Though as shocked as anyone else, Palmer has Rhyperior launch Rock Wrecker as Grotle rears up and slams its Rock Climb claws into the ground, creating a mountain on the field from underneath Rhyperior. Grotle continues and charges forward, ascending the rock formation and dodging the attack before ramming into Rhyperior and steadily driving it back with brute strength, impressing Vito and Palmer. Palmer orders Rhyperior to use Rock Wrecker, but Grotle continues to charge and breaks through the Rock Wrecker, although suffering massive damage as a result, and crashes head-first with Rhyperior, while also causing an explosion from the impact. As the smoke clears, both Rhyperior and Grotle stand, staring each other down, before both Pokémon collapse, with the match ending in a draw. Though somewhat disappointed with the draw, Dwayne takes it in stride as he compliments Grotle. Palmer presents the trophy to Dwayne for winning the tournament.

Later on, Vito talks to Dwayne about how he experienced battling Palmer. The thought of raising Pokémon brings Dwayne to reflect on how he lost to Lazuli and how he is able to raise strong Pokémon. The music starts as Vito quickly chows down to rush and sing the last song. Palmer walks over and suggests to Dwayne to go and challenge the Sunyshore Gym, hinting that Dwayne might "shock" the Gym Leader. Dwayne asks him to clarify why he would say that, but Palmer implies that when Dwayne gets to Sunyshore Gym, he would understand. The next day, Dwayne sets off as Vito races past him as he plans to get to Sunyshore City first.

A Galactic Grunt, later revealed to be Looker, is attacked by Jupiter. Skuntank is about to use Slash, but an explosion is triggered. Dwayne, who was walking by Route 205, sees the explosion, and recognizes it came from Fuego Ironworks, and rushes towards the scene. Back at the Fuego Ironworks, Looker is locked up inside a prison cell. Looker recalls that Team Galactic has been secretly using Fuego Ironworks to make something. Meanwhile, at Mt. Coronet, Saturn's Toxicroak uses Rock Smash to break down a part of the mountain, revealing a huge, silvery spherical object. The Spear Key reacts to the object, confirming to them that they've finally found the Gateway to the Spear Pillar. Jupiter and Charon talk about and receiving new orders to deliver the Red Chain. A Team Galactic Grunt then informs Jupiter and Charon that an unidentified flying object has been detected near the Factory perimeter which turns out to be Dwayne approaching Fuego Ironworks in a balloon. Upon being confronted by a group of Golbat, Dwayne's Crobat takes them out with Air Slash.

Dwayne lands on top of a building where Jupiter and Skuntank meet him. Jupiter asks Dwayne to join Team Galactic, saying that despite his young age, his battling skills surpassed most of their Grunts's, but Dwayne obviously refuses and demands Jupiter reveals Looker's location. Jupiter doesn't give him any information, mumbles the lake guardians's names upon looking at Dwayne. Then, a group of Golbat use Air Cutter on Crobat. Crobat counters with Brave Bird. Then, Jupiter orders a Toxic, which misses, and they escape in the helicopter. Dwayne then proceeds to look around the Fuego Ironworks for Looker. In the helicopter, Jupiter asks about the Red Chain. Charon assures her it's safe. Dwayne runs down a hall and Looker calls to Dwayne, and Crobat breaks the cage door open with Air Slash.

Looker thanks him for freeing him. Then, Looker and Dwayne explore the Fuego Ironworks. They come to the place where the Red Chain was and find a shard. At the Police Station, a machine examines the shard and transmits the data to International Police HQ. But within a few seconds, the shard glows and the computer display shows a Charon smiley followed by an explosion. The shard turned out to be some sort of bomb as they receive a call from the International Police informing them that their entire database had been wiped out during the analysis. Looker departs from the station infuriated by the setback while Team Galactic continue on their way to the Spear Pillar with the Adamant Orb, Lustrous Orb, and Red Chain in their possession. Cyrus then contacts Pokémon Hunter Cage with new orders.

In a dream-like world, Dwayne is greeted by the lake trio. Suddenly, the dream world darkens as the lake trio runs away from a dark energy. Though Dwayne pursues, the energy bands catch up to the lake trio. Dwayne suddenly wakes up, realizing that it was all a dream, but the dream felt "real". The next day at Lake Valor, Cage's ship appears from its cloaking field and opens its ventral hatch, preparing the Galactic Bomb. Robyn spots the ship and reports to Professor Rowan over his radio. In Sandgem Town, the Professor confirms through a live feed from his lab and decides to alert Yuzo and Professor Carolina at Lakes Verity and Acuity. Robyn tries to stop the ship with Charizard, but Saturn's Toxicroak intervenes with a Dark Pulse, putting himself between Robyn and Cage. Charizard attempts to use Flamethrower, but Toxicroak quickly stops Charizard with an X-Scissor before Charizard can attack. Meanwhile, Cage sends the order to release the bomb. It descends into the lake's depths and explodes into a brilliant blue light, affecting Azelf. At the same time, Dwayne feels a sharp pain in his head, knowing that Azelf was affected and connects it to his dream. The bomb creates a gap in the lake, revealing an orb of blue light at the lake's bottom. Saturn mentions that the bomb was made from the Veilstone City meteorite and can open a hole in space connecting to where the lake trio live. While Professor Rowan fills Dwayne in on the situation at Lake Valor, Yuzo notices activity at Lake Verity, while Carolina notes activity at Lake Acuity. Back at the lake, Robyn and Saturn observe the event, as Cage rides out on his Salamence.

Robyn tries to intervene again with Charizard's Hurricane, but a Poison Jab from Toxicroak stops that attempt. The Galactic Grunts send out many Golbat to aid Cage as his Salamence fires Hyper Beam at the blue orb. The orb brightens and disappears, revealing the lake guardian Azelf. Surrounded by Golbat, Azelf fires Extrasensory to take down the Golbat, as they try to hit with Supersonic. Azelf dodges them, but Salamence blocks Azelf. Cage fires his bracelet at Azelf, and although it tries to block with Extrasensory, both attacks go through each other. While Cage and Salamence take the hit, Azelf is turned to stone and placed on a capture plate. Almost instantly, Dwayne feels the pain and decides to head out.

Back at Team Galactic's HQ, Cyrus and Charon observe the live events on screen as Cyrus recites the key part of the legend, revealing that if one of the lake trio members fall, the others would appear in short order. As predicted, his scouts at the other lakes reported brief sighting of the other lake guardians. Dwayne feels the cries of Mesprit and Uxie, and after talking with Rowan, decides to head to Lake Valor. Outside, Cynthia pulls up in a SUV. While Saturn takes the captured Azelf, Uxie and Mesprit arrive on scene, noticing their fallen comrade and try to free Azelf with Extrasensory attacks, but are forced to dodge Purugly's Shadow Ball and Skuntank's Flamethrower attacks. Jupiter and Mars have the Golbat attack. Both proceed to dodge before launching dual Future Sight attacks. The attacks go into the sky and dissipate, before Cage uses his bracelet to freeze Mesprit. Uxie fires another Extrasensory attack, but Cage and Salamence evade, and Cage hits Uxie with the bracelet, freezing the final member of the lake trio, completing his mission.

Dwayne and Cynthia race to Lake Valor in Cynthia's SUV. Dwayne begins to feel a sharp pain as Cynthia informs him that Looker is on Mt. Coronet and they need to contact him. Back at the lake, Robyn watches helplessly as Team Galactic takes the lake trio. Cage and Salamence debrief and head back to their ship, preparing to head back to base. Suddenly, the Future Sight attack strikes and knocks out the ship's engines, sending it into the whirlpool. Inside, Cage and his crew brace as the ship hits the edge of the whirlpool and takes on water, the glass ports breaking and the ship descending into the depths before creating a huge explosion, with a few Poké Balls floating back into surface. Team Galactic makes their getaway in their chopper, leaving a frustrated Robyn behind.

Cynthia drives Dwayne as Rowan informs Dwayne that Robyn is okay, but Team Galactic got away. Cynthia brings up the Celestic Ruins and mentions that Team Galactic has everything needed to summon Dialga and Palkia, possibly unlocking powers beyond their comprehension. At the team's headquarters, Charon starts his experiment as the others watch. The Red Chain fragments are put into the stasis cells holding the lake trio, embedding the fragments on their foreheads and removing them from freeze, painfully drawing their power, which sends waves of pain through Dwayne. Suddenly, Dwayne gets teleported out of Cynthia's SUV, shocking her and forcing her to stop. Dwayne is suddenly pulled into Team Galactic's HQ, stunning everyone. He notices the imprisoned lake trio. Mars and Jupiter summon Purugly and Skuntank, and everyone is ready to fight, but Cyrus calmly calls them out about human emotion hampering human advancement. Dwayne notices him and finds out that he is the leader of Team Galactic. Cyrus openly announces his intentions and plans to create a new world, but Dwayne is not going to stand for it. Despite being surrounded, Dwayne decides to help, sending Gardevoir and Buizel to attack the stasis cells. Dwayne then notices the Red Chain fragments on the lake guardian's foreheads, which Cyrus and Charon fills him in, the Pokémon now under the control of the powers of the Original One. Intending to fulfill his quest of creating a new world, he walks out with the lake guardians, leaving Dwayne trapped by Team Galactic.

Looker now disguised as a Galactic Grunt, proceeds to take over the entrance to the Spear Pillar. Team Galactic leaves their headquarters via helicopter with Dwayne imprisoned in the same helicopter. Cynthia spots the helicopter from the ground and follows in her SUV. Looker, having neutralized the Galactic Grunts, pretends to stand guard at the entrance with the intent of ambushing Team Galactic just as their chopper arrives and sets down. However, Cyrus and his Commanders easily see through the disguise which results in him being incapacitated by a Flamethrower attack from Jupiter's Skuntank and being put in the helicopter's cell with Dwayne. Outside the gate, Saturn uses the Spear Key to unlock the gate to the Spear Pillar, the key being absorbed into the gate and changing form. Cyrus opens the gate with the Red Chain fragment in his hand, opening the pathway. The path lights up, leading down to the Spear Pillar as Cyrus and his men, except for Jupiter, head inside. Moments later, as Jupiter grows bored of having to wait, Skuntank gets hit by a Giga Impact from Cynthia's Garchomp. Cynthia confronts her as Garchomp restrains Jupiter. Cynthia frees Dwayne and Looker, locking down Jupiter and the Galactic Grunts. Though Jupiter insists it is too late, Dwayne proceeds into the Spear Pillar to stop Cyrus.

Inside the Spear Pillar, Cyrus and his men reach their destination, placing the Adamant and Lustrous Orbs, as well as the lake guardians, in position around the ancient ruins. Cyrus uses the power of the Red Chain to force the lake guardians to use their energies to power the orbs and begin to summon Dialga and Palkia. Charon then gives the order to fire and two bolts of Red Chain energy are shot from a cannon around the formations of two mystical energy portals. As the portals begin to take shape, their powers are quickly causing disturbances around Mt. Coronet, which Professor Rowan and Robyn pick up from their lab. Dialga and Palkia start to appear at the Spear Pillar, the Red Chains quickly taking control of both. Though Cynthia is awed to meet the lake guardians, she never wanted to see them this way. Mars sends out Purugly and the Grunts send out Golbat, but Cynthia's Garchomp easily put them down, allowing Dwayne to proceed. Dwayne frees the lake guardians, destroying the Red Chain fragments on their foreheads, and retrieves the lake guardians. Dialga and Palkia start to disappear and it appears that Cyrus has lost; however, it emerges that he has a back-up plan—Cyrus summons more power from the Red Chain, and the formations begin to glow, causing Dialga and Palkia themselves to appear. The Pokémon strain under the power of the Red Chain as it takes control of them.

The lake guardians Pokémon draw into their powers as they telepathically ask Dwayne to free Dialga and Palkia. Cyrus orders the Legendary Pokémon to use their powers, creating a portal into another dimension that will expand outward, the effects causing massive disturbances around Mt. Coronet. Dwayne tries to attack the Red Chains holding Dialga and Palkia, but Cyrus has the Legendary Pokémon use their signature moves, Roar of Time and Spacial Rend, to stop Garchomp's attacks. Dialga's Roar of Time also proceeds to strike Dwayne, but the lake guardians block the attack. As Dwayne continues to advance, he finally comes face-to-face with Cyrus, who commends his desire to stop him, but nonetheless claims it was too late. Dwayne then asks his real motives for wanting to create a new world, but Cyrus laughs at his question. Angry, Dwayne yells at him, angrily telling him to be "honest" once in his life. Cyrus's expressions changes, and seeing the fire in Dwayne's eyes, begins telling his story. When Cyrus was younger, his childhood was traumatic, as his parents were always fighting with each other, and his father was especially abusive towards him. One day, Cyrus questioned his father about his bursts of anger, and his father simply claimed that his emotions carried him, before beating his child up as usual. His father's words scarred Cyrus, who subsequently grew up believing that emotions made someone weak and "evil", and would therefore create an emotionless world for himself, wanting to escape from the "evil" world he'd lived in.

Despite feeling sympathetic with Cyrus's past, Dwayne continues to oppose him, saying that Cyrus had become evil himself, and turned out be an exact copy of his father. Dwayne's words visibly trigger Cyrus's anger, who angrily exclaims that he was nothing like his father, as the portal is completed, which shows the Distortion World. Cyrus becomes in awe at the new, emotionless, world he'd always dreamed. Cyrus speaks to his four Commanders once more and reveals that he is disbanding Team Galactic. He begins to leave and tells them to do whatever they wish, but an angry Mars tells him that without Team Galactic, she, Jupiter, and Saturn have nowhere else to go. Dwayne, who was watching the Commanders's pleas, tells Cyrus that despite his beliefs, there were people that truly cared about him, and asked Cyrus to not remember his father, but his mother. Cyrus then recalls his mother, saying that she was the only kind soul in his childhood home, and did everything she could to protect her child from her abusive husband, before ultimately divorcing him and moving away, although Cyrus wasn't able to join her. Dwayne further says that Cyrus's actions made him worse than his father, but if he truly wanted to, he could act more like his mother; showing kindness and affection towards those that cared for him. Dwayne's pleas seemingly reach to Cyrus, who offers out his hand to his Commanders to join him. Dwayne then tells Cynthia to release Jupiter from her binding, allowing her to join up with her leader and fellow Commanders into their new world. Cyrus thanks Dwayne for his words, and seemingly regretful of his criminal acts, says that they would never meet one another again, and would live together with his Commanders in the Distortion World, as the portal finally closes, with the leaders of Team Galactic now trapped inside.

Charon, who hasn't joined his fellow Commanders, curses his teammates for suffering a change of heart at the last second, and says that all his hard work was for nothing, but vows to finish Cyrus's work and assume control of the Legendary Pokémon. However, Cynthia approaches him, and tells him that he would be arrested, and suggests him to remain still, otherwise he would suffer, as Garchomp threatens Charon with its fins, and Charon surrenders, obviously scared of the Dragon-type Pokémon. However, Dialga and Palkia continue to rampage, creating a massive black hole of negative energy that threatens to envelop and destroy the Sinnoh region. One by one, the lake guardians use their energies to calm Dialga and Palkia before creating a portal that sends them back to their isolated dimensions, reversing the energy levels and clearing the area around Mt. Coronet. With the crisis finally over, Dwayne, Cynthia and the lake guardians step outside, as the Galactic Grunts are arrested by Looker and the International Police. The lake guardians dance around Dwayne, who also begins playing with the Legendary Pokémon, as Cynthia watches happily, saying that the lake guardians had chosen Dwayne as their "fourth guardian", and mumbles that Dwayne possessed all three traits related to each one of them: Willpower, Knowledge, and Emotion.

Back at the surface, Professor Rowan and Robyn arrive. The Adamant and Lustrous Orbs are secured as Robyn decides to take them back to Professor Carolina. Cynthia asks Dwayne where he would go next, and Dwayne comments on heading towards Sunyshore City for his eighth Badge, and Cynthia wishes him luck, telling him she couldn't wait to see him compete at the Sinnoh League as the two shake hands before heading off in their separate directions. The lake guardians bid Dwayne farewell as they disappear and return to their respective lakes. However, Azelf teleports itself and Dwayne back to Lake Valor, and Azelf points at three wet Poké Balls at shore. Dwayne picks it up, and three Pokémon come out, which are none other than Cage's Drapion, Dustox, and Salamence.

Dwayne becomes wary, but calms down as he notices Salamence and the others looking around for their Trainer. Dwayne knows that most Pokémon only follow their Trainer's orders, despite being evil, and sadly informs the trio that their Trainer was gone. Salamence momentarily expresses shock, before firing out a Flamethrower skywards out of happiness, which greatly confuses Dwayne, with Drapion and Dustox following this by expressing happiness. As Salamence flaps its wings happily, Dwayne becomes confused, and decides to summon Gardevoir to talk to the Pokémon and translate why they were so happy. When Gardevoir talks to Salamence, Salamence's response causes Gardevoir to let out a small gasp and gently put her hand on Salamence, with Dwayne noting that it seemed that Gardevoir felt sympathetic towards the Dragon-type Pokémon.

Using her telepathy, Gardevoir speaks directly to Dwayne, saying that Salamence, as well as Dustox and Drapion, merely followed Cage's orders because Cage constantly threatned them with harm, and obeyed him out of fear, not loyalty. Feeling bad for the Pokémon, Dwayne makes a decision and shatters all three Poké Balls with his feet, and informs them they were all free. Dustox and Drapion let out happy cries before running off into the distance, while Salamence remains, clearly hesitating. After talking to Salamence, Gardevoir explains that Salamence felt ashamed of her actions, recalling all of the painful things she'd done to others while Cage's command, and felt she was undeserving of freedom, and even if she didn't believe she was at fault, Salamence felt like there was nowhere for her to belong, as she didn't have any family she was aware of. Dwayne tells Salamence that she wasn't to blame for Cage's actions, saying that up until this point, he'd never met a Pokémon that was inherently evil, and says that she shouldn't blame herself. Still, Salamence feels uneasy, afraid of being alone without a purpose. Then, Dwayne offers out his hand and asks Salamence if she wanted to join him, which catches Salamence's attention. Dwayne promises Salamence that she'll never feel unhappy and miserable again, and asks her to consider his offer. Recalling Dwayne's bravery and selflessness, Salamence agrees and bows down to him, mumbling something, with Gardevoir explaining that Salamence was thanking him, while referring to him as "master". However, Dwayne says that he wasn't Salamence's master, and this takes Salamence aback, who assumes that Dwayne changed his mind, but Dwayne says he wanted to be her friend, not her master. Upon hearing this, Salamence fights back tears and nods, and Dwayne promptly catches Salamence with Poké Ball, and promises to make her happy.

While continuing the journey to Sunyshore City, Dwayne witnesses a display of Draco Meteor, an extremely powerful move only known by Dragon-type Pokémon. Soon, Dwayne meets Wilma and a powerful Altaria, however it soon emerges that he has been followed by a Gible, which is very eager to learn Draco Meteor. Despite some head-biting antics, Dwayne takes the Land Shark Pokémon under his wing and offers to help it learn the move. Wilma first gives some history about the Gible and the use of the move Draco Meteor. Gible fails to execute the move properly and the meteor crashes down onto Dwayne, who is unable to dodge the failed attack. After Dwayne encourages Gible, it bites him as a sign of affection. Wilma simply rubs Gible's body, like a massage, and it lets go of Dwayne. Wilma comments on how much of a failure Gible's attempt was.

Then, out of the blue, Gible decides to bite Dwayne's head again and Dwayne comments how it's impossible to tell what Gible's thinking inside due to its unchanging expression. Suddenly, giant boulders begin falling from the sky, with Dwayne asking whether it was Draco Meteor, but Wilma passively says that they were mere boulders. One boulder, however, comes rolling towards Dwayne, and Gible, wanting to protect him, successfully uses Draco Meteor to shatter the boulder, saving Dwayne's life in the process. Dwayne thanks Gible, but Gible has already disappeared. As Dwayne wonders where Gible went, Wilma tells him not to worry, and says that Gible was quite unpredictable. Dwayne then shrugs it off and asks Wilma directions towards Sunyshore City. After pointing him towards the right path, Wilma waves Dwayne goodbye, as Gible watches from the bushes, debating whether to follow Dwayne or stay in the forest.

Dwayne reaches Daybreak Town and plans to eat. Gible spots him and digs, getting behind Dwayne and poking his leg. Gible then jumps out of the burrow and bites on his head. He recognizes the Gible, noticing that it looks happy with him. He asks Gible if it wants to join him, and it nods. Dwayne throws a Poké Ball, but Gible devours it. Dwayne asks Gible again if it does want to go, but Gible's simple grunts confuse and annoy Dwayne. Officer Jenny arrives and confronts Dwayne, thinking the Gible is his. Though Dwayne tries to explain, Gible's grunts make her think it's his. Gible bites Jenny's head before running away. Dwayne clarifies that Gible is still a wild Pokémon. Jenny takes him to a park where many objects have been partially devoured, bite marks apparent. Gible shows up and chomps on a bench. Dwayne tries to scold Gible, but it bites his head again before running away. Dwayne and Jenny pursue as Vito, riding a bicycle, runs into Dwayne. Vito and Dwayne argue about who is at fault before he challenges Dwayne to a battle. Vito brags that he has six Gym Badges, even though Dwayne has one more. Although he was originally heading to Sunyshore City, he made a detour to Eterna City, since there was a free bicycle distribution event, before stopping in Hearthome City to reserve a battle with Fantina.

While Vito talked, Gible quickly devoured his new bike, leaving only the rubber tires, infuriating him. Vito thinks Gible is Dwayne's, but when he mentions it's wild, Vito makes a move to catch it despite Dwayne wanting to catch it first. Vito brings out Empoleon, having it launch Drill Peck. Gible dodges before retaliating with Rock Smash, but Empoleon dodges and hits with Steel Wing, following with a Hydro Cannon that sends Gible flying. Dwayne pursues as Vito realizes his fumble in not catching Gible. Dwayne tries to locate Gible, finding it clinging to a tree branch on a cliff, struggling not to fall. Dwayne climbs down, but a rock crumbles and he goes into a free fall. Gible notices and grabs Dwayne out of the air, struggling to keep both of them from falling. Dwayne gets up onto a nearby ledge and pulls Gible to safety. Gible bites on his head as Vito looks down from the top of the cliff. Dwayne rides on Gible as it races to the top of the cliff. They meet up with Vito, and Gible again shows affection to Dwayne. Dwayne asks Gible again if it wants to join, getting an honest response this time. He tosses a Poké Ball, and this time it pulls Gible in, rocking a few times before securing the catch on his newest Pokémon. Vito then complains that he wanted to catch Gible, but Dwayne taunts him, causing Vito to challenge him to a battle, saying that at the very least, he wanted to battle Gible, and Dwayne accepts.

Later, Dwayne and Gible stand in position to battle against Vito and Empoleon. Empoleon launches Drill Peck, and Gible tries to counter with Rock Smash, but Empoleon easily pushes Gible back. Both Pokémon repeat their attacks, this time getting a more even match. Gible jumps to dodge a Steel Wing, but it gets hit anyway. When Empoleon uses another Steel Wing, Gible Digs to dodge it before following Empoleon and jumping up to hit with Rock Smash, but a Steel Wing tosses Gible back. Empoleon launches Hydro Cannon, which Gible digs to dodge. However, another Hydro Cannon is launched into the hole, flushing Gible out. Gible then attempts a Draco Meteor without Dwayne's order. The meteor fails and descends towards Empoleon, which it knocks aside. Empoleon prepares a Hyper Beam, but Gible fires Dragon Pulse, forcing Empoleon to jump and cancel the Hyper Beam. Gible is exhausted and slumps as Empoleon knocks out Gible with Hyper Beam. Vito wins his first battle against Dwayne, but Dwayne doesn't take it harshly, praising Gible anyway and instructing it to listen next time. Vito celebrates his win as he holds up his ticket to challenge Fantina, but Gible bites his hand and eats the ticket. Vito throws a massive tantrum as Dwayne and Gible laugh at his expense.

Dwayne travels through a small town on the way to Sunyshore City when he notices that a crowd has gathered to watch a Pokémon battle taking place nearby. Deciding to stop and have a look, Dwayne finds out that the person who is battling is Vito, whose Empoleon is battling another Trainer's Mothim. Vito has Empoleon use Hydro Cannon, which scores a direct hit on Mothim. His opponent has Mothim use Signal Beam, however Vito has Empoleon block it with its wings, receiving almost no damage from it. The crowd is very impressed, and Dwayne notes that Empoleon is a lot stronger than when he last saw it. Vito has Empoleon use Metal Claw and Empoleon powers up and heads towards Mothim. The Trainer tries to counter with Silver Wind; however, Empoleon expertly dodges the attack and strikes Mothim, knocking him out. The Trainer sees to his Mothim while Vito congratulates Empoleon and the crowd cheers his excellent victory. As Vito laps up the kudos, he stops Dwayne and happily greets his friend and rival.

Later, Vito asks Dwayne how Gible's training to master Draco Meteor is coming along. Dwayne is forced to confess that it is not going very well at the moment, which disappoints Vito. Vito proceeds to tell Dwayne that he will never earn the eight Badges he needs for the Sinnoh League if his Pokémon can't master their moves. Dwayne tells Vito he is still headed for the Sunyshore Gym, which makes Vito and Empoleon laugh. After being asked what was so amusing, Vito tells him that he has already been to the Sunyshore Gym and earned the Badge. To prove it, Vito shows off his collection of Badges and it turns out that he has gathered all eight he requires for the Sinnoh League. Vito then shows off the Beacon Badge he got from Sunyshore Gym and tells Dwayne that the Sunyshore Gym was the best of all of them.

Dwayne and Vito feel pretty hungry so they decide to stop at the local Pokémon Center. Nurse Joy greets the duo and offers to check their Pokémon. Just then, Dwayne spots Lazuli, whom Dwayne has not seen since his loss against her in their Full Battle. While Dwayne is surprised, Vito is very excited to meet the Trainer he admires so much. Vito goes over to Lazuli, introduces himself, tells her he has also earned eight Badges, and challenges her to a battle. Lazuli is unimpressed with Vito, however, and declines the offer, which surprises Vito. Vito tells Lazuli that she has a reputation as a really strong Trainer with really strong Pokémon and that he'd love to battle her. Lazuli responds by telling Vito that she is currently declining all challenges at the moment. She explains that since she has now earned her eighth Badges, she is in the middle of serious training for the Sinnoh League and she will not risk her Pokémon's condition by having a pointless battle, and Dwayne actually seems surprised that Lazuli shows any concern for her Pokémon's condition.

Vito insists that a battle against him won't be pointless, but Lazuli tells Vito that if he is desperate for a battle, he should battle Dwayne. Vito refuses since he doesn't believe Dwayne is on their level, given that he only has seven Badges. Dwayne then tells Lazuli that he plans on getting his eighth Badge at Sunyshore Gym. Suddenly, Lazuli furiously tells Dwayne that she does not consider Sunyshore City's Gym to be worthy of its title. A surprised Vito tells Lazuli that he considered it to be the best Gym, but she tells Vito that its is the worst of them all. Lazuli then leaves; Vito tries to shout at her, although Lazuli ignores him. Dwayne calms Vito down by telling him he is bound to encounter Lazuli again someday. Dwayne then warns him that when he does get to battle her, he should not let down his guard for a second. Vito asks exactly what happened between the two of them. Dwayne tells Vito that he and Lazuli had a Full Battle, earning Vito's jealousy, and that even though he lost, Dwayne considers it to have been a good battle. Vito asks Dwayne how he could think so well of a battle that he lost; Dwayne tells Vito that the battle taught him that while he may be a good Trainer, there is still a lot he needs to do if he wants to be the best. He then vows that the next time he and Lazuli battle, he will definitely win. Vito is impressed by Dwayne's determination, and then decides to follow Lazuli's advice to challenge Dwayne to a battle, which Dwayne accepts.

It is decided the match will be composed of three one-on-one battles. Vito and Dwayne decide to bring out their Pokémon at the same time. Throwing the Poké Balls, Vito sends out Empoleon first while Dwayne starts with Monferno. Vito is happy, knowing that as Empoleon is a Water-type, it will have the advantage over the Fire-type Monferno. However, Dwayne and Monferno are ready to show Vito a Pokémon battle is about a lot more than just type and with that, the battle begins. Vito starts off by having Empoleon use Hydro Cannon, and Dwayne responds by having Monferno dodge it and use Mach Punch. Monferno quickly evades the Hydro Cannon and lands a direct hit on Empoleon, leaving Vito astonished at Monferno's high speed. Meanwhile, Lazuli is walking past the battle area and, unnoticed, decides to stop and watch when she sees Dwayne is using Monferno. Dwayne boasts that with the high speed of Mach Punch, Monferno can easily overcome the type-disadvantage it has over Empoleon. Vito decides to try Drill Peck, but Dwayne tells Monferno to use Dig, and the Playful Pokémon is able to dodge the Flying-type move. This leaves Vito even more frustrated, especially when Monferno emerges from the ground and lands another hard hit on Empoleon. Dwayne comments on how this kind of fluid battling is just what is expected of Monferno as it goes in for another Mach Punch. Vito has Empoleon use Hydro Cannon, and while this time it hits, it lands at such close range that Monferno is sent flying into some nearby trees. Dwayne gets worried, while Vito curses himself, knowing he used far too much power against Monferno. Dwayne starts calling for Monferno, but there is no response.

Just then, a plastic capsule flies out of the air, heading towards Dwayne, and Vito calls for him to look out. However it is no use, and upon catching up to him, it seals itself around him, trapping him inside. Vito is about to go and help when suddenly another capsule appears, and Dwayne screams for him to run for it. Vito tries to escape, but the capsule is too fast and he gets trapped. Empoleon tries using Drill Peck to free Dwayne and Vito, but it is no use. Just then, Dwayne recognizes the figures behind the attack, being the Pokémon Pinchers, and Dwayne curses them for not giving up on their ridiculous plans, and the Pokémon Pinchers claim that because Dwayne ruined their chances with Team Galactic, guaranteeing their chances of moving up in the criminal underworld, they would take him out to prove their worth. Empoleon uses Hydro Cannon. However, the Pinchers's machine blocks the attack with a barrier and manage to grab ahold of Empoleon and places it inside a cage underneath their machine. Dwayne sends out Happiny and has her use Pound to try to break the capsule, but even Happiny's strength cannot break it and the capsule is sent spinning instead. The Pinchers boast that the capsules are unbreakable from the inside and prepare to make their getaway.

Suddenly, a pillar of fire emerges from the nearby trees, transforms itself into an extra-powerful Flame Wheel, and heads towards their mecha. It circles around, leaving Vito confused and Dwayne worried about what this might indicate. The Flame Wheel then goes towards Dwayne, and is able to smash open the capsule trapping him. The Flame Wheel then lands and Monferno emerges, but his eyes are colored pink, confirming that Monferno has accessed Blaze. Monferno then screams with fury as powerful flames emerge from its tail. Vito asks what is happening and Dwayne explains that Blaze is Monferno's Ability, which kicks in when Monferno's endurance is low and it is under stress. As a result, Monferno's Fire-type moves get a power-up, and Vito realizes that this happened because of the Hydro Cannon.

The pinchers are unable to believe their luck and decide to get Monferno too. As Monferno starts pounding its chest and screaming in pure fury, Dwayne runs to his Pokémon and tries holding it like he did before when it went into the same rage before. However, Monferno is a lot stronger than it was before and furiously sends Dwayne flying back. The pinchers take the chance to grab it, and one of the arms manages to catch Monferno, but this isn't enough and Monferno's sheer power easily destroys the hand that is holding it. It then powers up a Flame Wheel and heads towards the villains. Dwayne tries to block it and reminds the out-of-control Monferno that Empoleon is still trapped and could get hurt. However, Monferno is unable to listen and hits Dwayne before continuing on and hitting the machine, causing an explosion. Monferno then comes around and uses Mach Punch, completely destroying the machine's upper-level and sending the pinchers crashing through numerous trees, knocking them out and leaving them seriously injured. By now, Monferno is completely out of control, and while the controls of the mecha were destroyed, the main body survived and Empoleon is still trapped. Without anyone controlling it, the legs start to buckle, threatening to crush the Pokémon still in the cage. Dwayne prepares to send out a Pokémon to help, when Lazuli suddenly arrives and sends out her Electabuzz. She has it use Protect to support the cage, amazing Dwayne.

Unfortunately, Monferno decides to destroy the mecha completely, powers up a Flame Wheel, and damages one of the legs, putting the Pokémon in far more danger. Monferno circles around and prepares for another hit, but Dwayne is determined to save Monferno and Empoleon. He intercepts the Flame Wheel, grabbing Monferno when it emerges, and holds on tight. Dwayne begs Monferno to remember the promise he made back when it was a Chimchar and he took it under his wing after Lazuli released it: that they would become stronger together. As the flames emerging from Monferno surround both it and Dwayne, he begs it not to allow itself to be swallowed up by Blaze's power, but instead to try and control it, because if it can, then it can become even more powerful. Lazuli looks on in amazement at what Dwayne is willing to endure to calm his Pokémon down. Suddenly, Electabuzz's Protect fails, and the mecha starts to collapse, endangering Electabuzz as well as the other Pokémon. Monferno, now back in control, powers up a Flame Wheel, and races towards the cage getting underneath and supporting it. As it supports the cage, Monferno suddenly evolves into Infernape. Dwayne has Infernape throw the cage into the air, and then has it destroyed with Mach Punch. This proves to be no problem for the powerful Pokémon as it frees Empoleon. When Empoleon starts to fall, Infernape absorbs him into a Flame Wheel to allow him to land safely. Dwayne congratulates Infernape, and Empoleon thanks Infernape for saving him.

Lazuli then approaches them and explains that Monferno was not only able to control Blaze, but was able to transform it into a new kind of energy that allowed it to evolve. Infernape then releases Vito from his capsule; and Empoleon reunites with its relieved Trainer. Lazuli starts to leave, but Dwayne thanks her for helping them and tells his rival that both he and Infernape would like to have another battle against her one day. Lazuli smiles, and tells Dwayne that Rollins would also like to see another Full Battle between the two at the Sinnoh League, which Dwayne and Infernape agree to. As Lazuli walks away, Dwayne and Infernape vow not to lose to her again, and are determined to win the Sinnoh League.

Dwayne has finally arrived in Sunyshore City, an area which is reliant heavily on technology with solar panels throughout as well as escalators and treadmills designed to transport people where they want to go. Dwayne is more eager than ever to battle for the final Badge he needs for the Sinnoh League. Dwayne knows that the Sunyshore Gym is considered to be Sinnoh's strongest Gym. Naturally, this makes Dwayne all the more eager and immediately heads to the Gym. Arriving, a robotic voice greets Dwayne and asks him his business. Dwayne explains that he's there to battle for a Gym Badge, however the voice opens a box full of Beacon Badges and tells him to help himself, much to his surprise. Dwayne believes that winning them with effort is what makes Badges significant, just being allowed to take them defeats the whole purpose of having Gyms in the first place. Dwayne then suddenly realizes that this is what Lazuli meant when she criticized the Gym during their previous meeting. Dwayne begins to get angry and hammers on the door demanding a battle against Volkner but the Gym's computer system refuses to even let him enter.

After getting fed up with Dwayne's persistent knocking, the high-tech Gym forcefully escorts him of the Gym premises. Just then, someone orders Mach Punch and an Infernape appears, releasing Dwayne from the Gym's clutches. It emerges that Infernape's Trainer is none other than Flint, a member of the Sinnoh Elite Four who specializes in Fire-type Pokémon. Flint introduces himself and notes Dwayne's determination. He brings Dwayne to Volkner, the Gym Leader of the Sunyshore Gym, who has been in the Sunyshore Tower. On their way up, Flint notes that Sunyshore is powered purely from solar energy and all the solar panels throughout the city are controlled from the tower. Volkner is responsible for being the architect and controller of the entire Sunyshore solar network.

A Raichu greets Dwayne, ready to attack. When Flint shows up, Raichu runs toward Flint (causing Dwayne to yell out to warn Flint), and gives him a hug. Volkner enters the room almost instantly after that, in a depressed state. Dwayne tells Volkner that he wants a Gym battle, but Volkner tells him to just take a Badge. Dwayne refutes Volkner's free Badge with wanting to earn it fair and square in a Gym battle. Dwayne implores Volkner to have a Gym battle with him, but Volkner explains that he has completely lost interest in battling. Flint steps in to tell Volkner that Dwayne is an "electrifying" Trainer and asks Volkner to give him a chance. Volkner asks Dwayne and Flint to leave and returns to the room from which he came. Flint takes Dwayne out for coffee and sandwiches. Dwayne is depressed and angry that he can't have a Gym battle with Volkner. Flint and the shop's owner tell Dwayne that Volkner didn't always find battling dull, he was one of the best Gym Leaders in Sinnoh. Flint then tells the story how Flint and Volkner met. Flint beats Volkner in their first battle, but Volkner got strong determination and challenged Flint once again, and Volkner's Pikachu beat Flint's Chimchar. They battled constantly to prove who was the top Trainer from Sunyshore. One day out in a forest, they battled together against a poacher and were beaten pretty badly although they chased him away. It didn't matter if that they were pretty hurt with defeat, they still continued on as good friends. Flint and Volkner split when Volkner became Gym Leader of Sunyshore City and Flint left to become more powerful and eventually join the Elite Four. Volkner slowly lost interest for battling as more and more weak challengers battled him, and Volkner easily defeated them, which caused his loss of interest in battling. After that, Volkner became more and more obsessed with technology. He built the entire power system in Sunyshore: the solar panels, the moving walkways, and even Sunyshore Tower.

Flint then thought by bringing Dwayne to Volkner, that he might get a spark for battling again. Volkner walks in saying it was a waste to bring Dwayne up to the tower. Flint begins explaining why he came, but Volkner just dismisses it as a "lecture from an Elite Four member". Flint recounts on their past, and Volkner says that they aren't kids anymore, which enrages Flint. The man in the shop suggests Flint have a battle with Dwayne, who tells Volkner he should watch the battle. Dwayne and Flint have a three-on-three Pokémon battle. Flint begins sending out Infernape and Dwayne sends out his Salamence, with Dwayne commenting that it was the very first he and Salamence would battle together. Flint takes a good look at Salamence and recognizes it as Cage's Pokémon, having seen it from a news broadcast, and Dwayne explains Salamence's story, and Flint understands and smiles at how Dwayne was capable of redeeming Salamence. Volkner still shows no interest. Salamence attacks with Dragon Pulse, but Infernape jumps in the air and the attack misses. While in the air, Salamence uses Dragon Tail, but the attack is blocked. Salamence then uses Hyper Beam, only for the attack to be countered and overpowered by a Flare Blitz, and Salamence is taken out.

Dwayne then sends out his own Infernape, using Flamethrower, Flame Wheel and Mach Punch. Again, Flint's Infernape blocks all attacks, uses Mach Punch on Dwayne's Infernape and knocks it out easily. Volkner stands up and calls this battle a waste of time. For his final Pokémon, Dwayne chooses Grotle, despite the type disadvantage. When questioned about his choice, Dwayne says that Grotle always worked better at a disadvantage, and even though they knew Flint was far more powerful, the experience would help Grotle regardless of the battle's result. Dwayne commands Rock Climb, but it does little damage. Flint then instructs Infernape to use Flare Blitz and Grotle then uses Rock Climb again. Volkner is still unimpressed with Dwayne's "spark". Infernape uses Mach Punch, which Grotle tries to counter by using Seed Bomb, but is eventually chucked into the Gym wall. Grotle is still determined and goes toward Infernape, who uses Close Combat. Grotle then uses Energy Ball after being flung into the air by Infernape's attack. After some more attacks on Flint's part, Volkner is instilled to have a flashback when the coffee shop owner says that he (Volkner) has faced the same situation. Grotle uses Seed Bomb, and is countered out with Close Combat. The now-airborne Grotle uses Energy Ball as a last resort and Flint persists on with one last Flare Blitz and Grotle is sent flying again. Dwayne jumps to catch Grotle, which prompts Volkner to really open his eyes. The coffee shop owner instills yet another flashback in Volkner which shows Volkner catching his Pikachu after a strong attack. The coffee shop owner reveals himself to be the poacher from Volkner's past, stating that it was that battle that prompted him to change his ways.

As Grotle checks to see if his Trainer was okay, Dwayne comments that he was alright, and asks if Grotle still wanted to battle. Grotle nods and subsequently begins to evolve, which shocks Dwayne. Grotle's body grows and changes as the evolution completes, with Grotle evolving into Torterra. Flint smiles at the evolution, while Dwayne congratulates his Pokémon on reaching his final evolved stage. Torterra responds by showcasing having learned Leaf Storm, and Infernape gets sent flying back, but manages to land on its feet, only slightly affected. Dwayne and Flint agree to end the battle in their next move, and order Rock Climb and Flare Blitz, respectively, as both Pokémon charge towards each other at full speed, causing an explosion as they collide. When the smoke clears, both Torterra and Infernape remain standing, but Torterra ultimately falls down, unable to continue, and Flint wins the battle. Volkner, after witnessing the battle between Dwayne and Flint, is convinced that he needs to take care of "unfinished business" as a Gym Leader to pass on his spark to every challenger. Volkner becomes inspired to become the Gym Leader once again, to the excitement of Flint and the coffee shop owner. Volkner's shroud of depression is lifted and his spark has returned, all thanks to Dwayne (though Volkner initially thanks Flint and the coffee store owner). Volkner agrees for a battle with Dwayne, which excites both Dwayne and Volkner.

The next day, Dwayne and Volkner prepare for their anticipated battle against each other. A large crowd of people have gathered inside Gym after news broke out of Volkner's decision to resume accepting battles, and Dwayne comments on how the crowd made him feel like at a Pokémon League Conference as there were no seats available and the Gym was filled with cheers and noises. Flint jokes that the Sunyshore Gym had just become the most "lively" Gym in the entire world. Volkner sends out his first Pokémon, an Electivire, and Dwayne decides to begin with Torterra due to the obvious type-advantage it has over Electivire. Dwayne starts by ordering a Leaf Storm from Torterra, however Volkner has Electivire use Fire Punch to burn the leaves up. Dwayne tells Torterra to use Leaf Storm again and Electivire again uses Fire Punch to burn the leaves up, however this leaves its midsection exposed and Dwayne has Torterra use Energy Ball in quick succession and manages to score a direct-hit. Dwayne then has Torterra use Rock Climb, and the Continent Pokémon slams down his claws into the ground making a rock pillar lift Electivire into the air before charging at it. As Torterra climbs up the pillar, Volkner has Electivire use Ice Punch and the attack makes a clean hit. Torterra gets frozen quite easily and is blasted back to the ground. The utter power manages to take Torterra out, leaving it unable to battle. Dwayne realizes that Volkner taught Electivire to use Ice Punch to help it against Ground-type Pokémon like Torterra, while Volkner congratulates Dwayne on his strategy of using Energy Ball in combination with Leaf Storm. Dwayne recalls Torterra thanking him for trying his best, and decides to send Happiny up against Electivire next.

Dwayne has Happiny begin with Pound and Electivire counters with Fire Punch. Happiny dodges and uses Shock Wave, however Electivire takes no damage. Volkner commands an Ice Punch, and Happiny dodges again and uses another Shock Wave, but to no avail. Volkner asks Dwayne what Electivire's Ability was, and Dwayne knows that Electivire had the Motor Drive Ability, and what exactly its effect caused, which confuses Volkner as Dwayne continues to order Happiny to use Electric-type attacks. Nonetheless, Volkner commands Electivire to use Fire Punch, but Dwayne then orders Happiny to dodge. Electivire's Speed increased drastically due to Happiny's Shock Wave, but as Happiny dodges, Electivire misses and crashes head-first onto the Gym's wall. Flint suddenly realizes what Dwayne's intentions were, as Volkner commands another Fire Punch, but Happiny again dodges and Electivire again crashes onto the wall. Dwayne then says that Happiny just used Electivire's own Ability against itself as Electivire wasn't used to having such tremendous Speed, and therefore couldn't control itself when moving, which Dwayne stated it was his plan all along, and Volkner praises his smart thinking. Dwayne then commands Happiny to use a fully-powered Pound attack, and Electivire gets smacked with the attack and sent flying onto the ceiling, which knocks it out of battle, as the crowd cheers for Dwayne's win and smart strategy.

Volkner sends out his second Pokémon, Jolteon. Dwayne knows the battle is only going to get harder and sends out Infernape to replace Happiny. Dwayne has Infernape start with a Mach Punch, which hits and sends Jolteon flying however it uses Thunderbolt mid-air which hits Infernape and leaves it shocked. Then, Volkner has Jolteon use Shadow Ball and Infernape recovers in time to dodge. Volkner commands more Shadow Balls, and Jolteon starts to fire them rapidly. Dwayne tells Infernape to hit back with Mach Punch, and Infernape manages to counter all the Shadow Balls which clouds the entire battlefield with smoke. Volkner tells Jolteon to jump and use Shadow Ball, and Dwaume tells Infernape to use Mach Punch. Infernape jumps after Jolteon and makes a direct hit, slamming Jolteon into the ceiling. Infernape then lands back onto the ground while Jolteon falls and crashes to the ground and it then reveals that Infernape's Mach Punch had managed to knock it out, allowing Dwayne to claim his second victory.

Volkner tells Dwayne that he never thought he'd be the first to send out his final Pokémon and sends out Luxray. Dwayne recalls Infernape and sends Happiny back out. Dwayne starts with Secret Power, but Luxray uses Shock Wave, which hits and sends Happiny flying. Dwayne orders Pound, which hits Luxray hard. Happiny uses two more Pounds and both make direct hits, and Happiny begins to corner Luxray. Volkner responds with a Thunder Fang from Luxray. Happiny takes the hit hard and gets slammed against the ground. As Happiny struggles to get up, Luxray uses Shock Wave which sends her flying against the wall, knocking her out.

Dwayne and Volkner note their regret that the match will soon be over but nevertheless they'll still battle with all of their might. Dwayne sends Infernape back out against Luxray. Infernape uses Flamethrower, while Luxray uses Shock Wave and the two attacks collide. Infernape uses Mach Punch but Luxray uses Double Team and creates a series of clones. Infernape hits a few of the clones and Luxray comes out and bites Infernape with Thunder Fang, which hurts it badly. Infernape responds with a Mach Punch but Luxray dodges Infernape and uses another Thunder Fang, causing even more damage. Luxray uses another Shock Wave as a finisher, but Infernape jumps to dodge. Luxray also jumps and uses Thunder Fang, managing to get another hit and sending Infernape into a fall. Luxray prepares for another Thunder Fang, but Dwayne tells Infernape to use Dig. Infernape escapes underground, however Volkner is prepared for this and tells Luxray to use Iron Tail, which breaks the ground and Infernape is thrown into to the air, crashing on the ceiling before falling to the ground. Volkner notes that it's time for him to stop having fun and tells Luxray to finish Infernape off with Thunder Fang. Dwayne screams for Infernape to get up, however Infernape isn't moving and appears to have nearly reached its limit as Luxray quickly approaches.

As Luxray speeds towards Infernape with Thunder Fang powered, the lights of the Gym to suddenly go out due to Infernape's crash at the ceiling earler, stopping Luxray in its tracks. Volkner and Dwayne agree to continue the battle regardless and Volkner orders Luxray to prepare to use Thunder Fang, but just when it prepares to do so, Luxray is shocked at what is going on with Infernape. Infernape begins to start glowing and his eyes become completely red, indicating that Blaze has been activated. Infernape screams in rage causing its flaming crown to erupt. Infernape fires a massive Flamethrower without Dwayne's command, which glances past Luxray and causes damage to the wall. Infernape then starts to use Flamethrower on the ceiling, causing rubble to nearly fall on the crowd. Dwayne tells Infernape to snap out of it, and Infernape slowly turns around and starts to walk towards Dwayne dangerously while growling. Luxray prepares to fight Infernape off, but Dwayne tells it to stand down. As everyone nervously watches, Infernape is soon right in front of Dwayne, who tells the Flame Pokémon that he believes in him. Infernape responds to this by smiling, indicating he is fully in control of Blaze at last.

The battle resumes and Dwayne tells Infernape to use Flamethrower. Thanks to the power-up from Blaze, Flamethrower is far more powerful and sends Luxray back, and Volkner commands Luxray to use Thunder Fang. Infernape withstands the attack and uses Mach Punch which scores a hard hit on Luxray who is told to use Iron Tail. Infernape, however, uses another Mach Punch which hits Luxray before Iron Tail could land a hit, causing even more damage. Dwayne tells Infernape to use Flame Wheel, and Infernape powers up and slams Luxray hard into the wall, finally knocking it out. The robotic referee declares Luxray unable to battle and Dwayne is awarded his hard-earned victory. Dwayne and Infernape jump into each other's arms and as Dwayne tells Infernape how amazing its performance was. The two celebrate, overjoyed that it controlled its Blaze and helped Dwayne finally defeat Volkner. Later, Volkner congratulates Dwayne and his Pokémon and presents him with the Beacon Badge. Dwayne thanks Volkner and takes the Badge, finally completing his requirement for the Sinnoh League.

Outside the Gym, Volkner thanks Dwayne for everything and Flint tells Dwayne that they'll be cheering for him in the Sinnoh League. Dwayne promises to do his best, and Flint tells him that the Sinnoh League will begin in a month on Lily of the Valley Island and that a ship to the island will soon be departing from Sunyshore Port. Dwayne begins to fill with excitement, knowing he'll soon be challenging the Sinnoh League and after bidding Volkner and Flint farewell, heads to Sunyshore Port for the ship that will take him to Lily of the Valley Island.

After leaving Sunyshore City via boat, Dwayne prepares himself for the upcoming Lily of the Valley Conference, excited at the thought of winning. Suddenly, a Pichu climbs onto the deck, followed by a Cleffa, Igglybuff, Teddiursa, Azurill, Smoochum, and Wynaut. Dwayne greets them but is interrupted by a girl who joins him on deck. She scolds the baby Pokémon, telling them not to run off so easily in case they fall into the ocean. However, she accidentally slips but is caught by Dwayne. Dwayne tells her to be careful because the deck can be wet at times while the baby Pokémon laugh, much to the girl's embarrassment. When asked if all these Pokémon belonged to her, the girl reveals that she is an apprentice working at a Pokémon Day Care center and that these Pokémon are under her care. She introduces herself as Normajean. While Dwayne compliments on how cute the Pokémon are, Normajean complains that they hardly ever listen to her. Dwayne then tells her that she needs to have patience and that, after a while, the Pokémon will begin to listen to her. For a brief moment, Normajean seems to worship Dwayne because he sounds so much like other elders at the Pokémon Day Care, but Dwayne comments that he just knew a thing or two.

Just then, the ship abruptly stops, and Dwayne wonders what happened, before hearing screaming, and upon rushing to the scene, Dwayne sees a bunch of Tentacruel have climbed on board and started attacking the passengers with Poison Sting. They almost hit Normajean but the baby Pokémon leap up to defend. However, they are hit with the Poison Sting and are thus poisoned. Only Pichu still remains standing. It leaps up to attack the Tentacruel once more with a Thunderbolt to seek revenge for its fallen friends but is hit with a powerful Poison Jab that causes it to be poisoned too.

However, many of the passengers finally start fighting back with their Pokémon, including Dwayne with his Happiny, and the Tentacruel soon flee and leave the ship. Normajean then runs onto the deck, desperately telling Dwayne that the Pokémon have all been poisoned and needs his help. Inside the cabin, the baby Pokémon are all laid out on the benches under blankets. It is clear that they are all suffering terribly from the effects of the poison. Dwayne examines them and declares that, out of all the Pokémon, Pichu is the one that's suffering the worst. Normajean remembers that Pichu had been hit with Tentacruel's Poison Jab, and begs Dwayne to save all the Pokémon. Dwayne wants to help but say that he can't do anything because he has run out of Pecha Berries Just then, the captain of the ship runs over and asks what happened. Dwayne asks the captain if the ship may have some Pecha Berries in its storage room, to which the captain replies that there are a few crates of berries. Whether or not they contain Pecha Berries he does not know, so he takes Dwayne to the storage room. Normajean is left to care for the Pokémon.

Inside the storage room, Dwayne and Happiny search for Pecha Berries, but they only find three Pecha Berries and a bag of Heal Powder. Dwayne the begins asking the other passengers to see if they have any Pecha Berries or Antidotes. The search doesn't prove to be too fruitful and Dwayne looks like he's about to give up when an old lady interrupts him and gives Dwayne a Lava Cookie, saying that in her day they would grind them up and heal Pokémon with them. Dwayne then sets to work cutting up the Pecha Berry and grinding the Lava Cookie into powder. He blends the ingredients together and feeds them to the Pokémon. Pichu, however, refuses to eat so Dwayne switches to a baby bottle. Several moments later, Dwayne feels Igglybuff's forehead to notice that its fever has died down. However, Pichu's fever still hasn't died down. Normajean asks for Dwayne to help but Dwayne sadly replies that he doesn't know how. The captain runs in to inform them that connection with Nurse Joy has been made, and Dwayne asks to speak with her. Through the video phone, Nurse Joy reveals that it'll take another two hours before their rescue boat arrives. In the meantime, she entrusts Dwayne to do whatever he can to help the Pokémon until she can get there. Her speech encourages Dwayne and he promises her to do whatever he can.

Dwayne orders Buizel to use Water Pulse while Buneary uses Ice Beam to freeze the Water Pulse. Happiny then uses Pound to shatter the frozen Water Pulse into chunks of ice. The ice is then put into plastic bags and placed on the baby Pokémon's foreheads in an attempt to cool down their fevers. Dwayne notices that Pichu is having trouble breathing and asks Buizel to increase the humidity in the air. Buizel's Water Gun and Infernape's Flamethrower to create steam when the two attacks collide. Pichu's breathing has eased but its fever has not lessened at all; instead the fever seems to be getting worse. Dwayne asks Happiny to use a gentle Shock Wave to share some electricity with Pichu.

Dwayne then tries to think of other ways to help and remembers that he had found Durin Berries in the storage room. He mixes Durin Berry with Oran Berry to create an energy drink. After the drink has been made and placed in the baby bottle, Happiny tells Dwayne that she wants to feed Pichu. However, Pichu refuses to be fed, even after multiple attempts at begging by the others. This causes Happiny to become really sad and she then evolves into a Chansey. Dwayne scans Chansey with his Pokédex and finds that his Chansey has learned Soft-Boiled. He then tells Chansey to use Soft-Boiled, and the move completely heals Pichu and Dwayne looks not only relieved that Pichu has been cured but also very proud of his new Chansey.

Nurse Joy has finally arrived as Pichu runs to join the other cured Pokémon. Dwayne thanks Nurse Joy but Nurse Joy replies that Dwayne is the one who should be thanked. Normajean too thanks him and Pichu jumps into his arms to express its gratitude by rubbing against his cheek. The other Pokémon also join Dwayne to say their thanks. Nurse Joy notes that Dwayne has the potential to become an excellent Pokémon Doctor. However, Dwayne says that it wasn't suited for him, and only knew these things because of heavy studying in the past. Joy respects his decision, but urges him to continue expanding his knowledge, as it could aid him in his goals as a Pokémon Trainer.

Sometime later, Dwayne walks onto the bow of the ship as the ferry approaches Lily of the Valley Island, the location of the Sinnoh League. Dwayne is clearly excited at reaching his goal and anticipates the challenge ahead. Once on the ground, he proceeds through the village, where many vendors are set up in preparation for the League. Dwayne immediately heads to the Pokémon Center to register for the League. Later at night, the opening ceremony for the Sinnoh League kicks off as all the participating Trainers and spectators gather in the coliseum, watching the torch be lit among the fireworks. Dwayne looks around and notices familiar faces in the competition: Alvin, Derek, Sadie, Vito and Lazuli. The main screen shows the first round pairings. Dwayne's first match is against Alvin. The next morning, Dwayne makes a call to Professor Oak, and Dwayne explains that he feels the Sinnoh League would be his most difficult challenge yet, and requests some of his Pokémon at the laboratory to be transferred. Oak agrees and asks which ones Dwayne wanted at the moment, and Dwayne smirks, already having decided on who to choose.

Later that day, Dwayne's battle against Alvin is about to begin. Sadie, who already won her match earlier in the day, watches from the stands and cheers her friend on. Alvin sends out his Roserade while Dwayne chooses Pidgeot, which is a type advantage over Roserade. Alvin gets the first move, and tells Roserade to use Sweet Scent, which Pidgeot fails to dodge. Then, Roserade uses Magical Leaf, hitting Pidgeot once again. Pidgeot falls, and Alvin tells Roserade to use Solar Beam. As Roserade is preparing to launch its Solar Beam, Dwayne begs Pidgeot to stand up and dodge. Roserade launches its Solar Beam, but at the last second, Pidgeot opens his eyes, and an explosion occurs. Pidgeot flies out of the smoke, which astonishes both Alvin and Roserade. Dwayne tells Pidgeot to use Aerial Ace, and hits Roserade, which knocks Roserade out. Alvin recalls Roserade and sends out Armaldo. Dwayne realizes that Pidgeot is worn out, so he tells him to use Brave Bird to try and knock out Armaldo in one hit, but Armaldo suddenly uses Protect, causing Pidgeot to crash directly into the force field, leaving him damaged. Then, Armaldo uses Rock Blast, knocking out Pidgeot.

For his next choice, Dwayne chooses Chansey. At the stands, Sadie comments on Armaldo's power as Vito runs down the stairs, having just won his battle and sits next to her to watch Dwayne's battle. As the battle rages on, both Chansey and Armaldo are running out of steam. Alvin tells Armaldo to use X-Scissor, and Dwayne tells Chansey to use Pound. Both attacks collide. Armaldo is out for the count, but with the strong impact of the X-Scissor, Chansey is knocked out too. The match results in a draw.

Alvin sends out his last Pokémon, Kricketune, and Dwayne sends out his Glaceon. Dwayne tells Glaceon to use Ice Shard, and Kricketune counters with Silver Wind, and the impact sends Glaceon back, although only slightly. Alvin tells Kricketune to use Sing, but Glaceon swiftly dodges and uses Swift, and Kricketune counters it with Fury Cutter. The two continue to attack with Lazuli watching the battle on the television. A strong impact from both attacks sends Kricketune flying. Alvin then tells Kricketune to use Sing, but just as it is about to use the move, Dwayne tells Glaceon to use Double-Edge, causing a small earthquake that causes Kricketune to lose its balance, allowing Glaceon to follow-up with Blizzard. With the strong power, Kricketune is knocked out, and Dwayne is the winner. Glaceon runs over to Dwayne and playfully tackles him to the ground, as Dwayne's friends cheer him on and congratulate him on his victory.

With the second round of battles over, the battling pairs for the third round are shown. Derek will be battling Dwayne, and Vito will be battling Lazuli. In the evening, Lazuli is checking the data of Vito, when she hears Vito's voice. Vito asks Lazuli if she is looking up on him, which she confirms. After Lazuli leaves, Vito checks on Lazuli's data, as Sadie arrives and tells them that she looked at the scoreboard, and said that she would either face Dwayne or Derek in the next round depending on who won the battle. The next day, the battle between Lazuli and Vito is about to begin. A rock field will be the battlefield for their battle. Vito and Lazuli appear on both sides of the battlefield. Vito chooses Forretress as his first Pokémon and Lazuli chooses Magmortar. Vito starts the battle with Spikes. Lazuli tells Magmortar to use Flamethrower, and the strong attack takes out Forretress immediately. Vito thanks his Forretress and returns it to its Poké Ball. He sends out Empoleon. Empoleon uses Hydro Cannon on Magmortar, injuring it. Despite knowing that her Pokémon will be injured under the effects of Spikes, Lazuli calls back Magmortar and sends out Ursaring. The Spikes from before inflicts a damage on Ursaring.

Vito returns Empoleon, and chooses Hitmonlee. Lazuli tells Ursaring to use Bulk Up. Hitmonlee uses Mega Kick. Ursaring uses Hammer Arm, but Hitmonlee dodges it by jumping on a rock. Ursaring uses Slash, and Vito tells Hitmonlee to dodge it all. Then, Hitmonlee uses Close Combat. Ursaring uses Hammer Arm again and hits Hitmonlee. As Hitmonlee is about to crash onto a rock, Vito tells it to do its best. It jumps up high and uses High Jump Kick. It crashes to the ground and hits Ursaring with its other leg. Lazuli tells it to use Focus Blast. Although Hitmonlee dodges it by jumping behind a rock, the strong impact hits Hitmonlee. Ursaring uses Hammer Arm again, and Hitmonlee counters it by using Blaze Kick, burning Ursaring. Ursaring activates Guts and uses Hammer Arm to counter Hitmonlee's Blaze Kick. The strong impact causes a smoke that clears soon after. Both Pokémon are seen standing up, but Hitmonlee falls. Hitmonlee is defeated.

Vito chooses his Empoleon again. Lazuli tells Ursaring to use Slash, and Empoleon uses Drill Peck. Both Pokémon are injured. Ursaring uses Focus Blast and Empoleon uses Steel Wing to reflect the attack. The Focus Blast is sent back to Ursaring, and Ursaring suffers massive damage. Lazuli calls Ursaring back, and sends Electivire out. The Spikes hit Electivire. Dwayne comments that Lazuli's Electabuzz had evolved and knows that Vito's chances of victory are slim. Empoleon uses Hyper Beam and Electivire counters it with Thunder. The attacks collide and causes a huge smoke. The smoke clears and shows Empoleon breathing heavily, needing to recharge after using Hyper Beam. Electivire uses Thunder Punch, and Vito tells Empoleon to dodge it. Lazuli tells Electivire to continue using Thunder Punch, but Empoleon dodges them all. When Empoleon gets cornered, Electivire uses Giga Impact and Empoleon is hit at a point-blank range. Empoleon manages to stand up. Electivire uses Thunder Punch. Empoleon fails to dodge it, and is launched back many feet, smashing rocks in the process. Empoleon tries to get up. Vito yells it to continue doing its best. Empoleon hears it and its Torrent Ability is activated. Empoleon uses Hydro Cannon. Its Torrent Ability powers up its Hydro Cannon, which is strong enough to destroy the rocky terrain of the field. Dwayne becomes pleased with this breakthough, though Lazuli just orders Electivire to use Protect. Hydro Cannon hits the protective shielding and Electivire is unaffected by Empoleon's last resort. Empoleon has to recharge from the attack. Electivire finishes it the battle off with Thunder. Empoleon stands still, taking the damage of the Thunder. Vito yells out to Empoleon. Lazuli is declared the winner. Vito thanks his Empoleon for the great battle.

Later at the Pokémon Center, Vito meets up with Lazuli and asks her if she believed his skills as a Trainer met her standards, and after a brief pause of silence, Lazuli says that Vito impressed her before walking off, and Vito becomes delighted at seeing that Lazuli respected him, and Dwayne becomes determined to earn the same amount of respect as Derek arrives, saying that he wouldn't get the chance as Dwayne would lose to him, but Dwayne says that Derek's overconfidence would be his downfall as the two Trainers stare each other down in anticipation for their battle. With the third round of the Lily of the Valley Conference approaching, Dwayne takes the chance to get in some training with his Infernape, Torterra, and Machamp. He is up against Gliscor. Dwayne tells Infernape to use Flame Wheel while Gliscor blocks the attack. Dwayne orders Infernape to use Flame Wheel again but this Flame Wheel is different. By powering up Flame Wheel, Infernape has learned a new move, Flare Blitz. With its new move, Infernape uses Flare Blitz against Gliscor. Gliscor tries to block the attack but is no match for Flare Blitz and is sent crashing back. Vito comes along and is wowed by the Flare Blitz. Vito asks if Dwayne is training for a match against Lazuli, but Dwayne reminds him that he still needs to beat Derek first. This leads Vito to ask if Dwayne is going with Infernape, Torterra, and Machamp for the day's match, which Dwayne confirms. They all fail to realize though that Derek is hiding behind a tree and eavesdropping on their conversation. He takes mental notes on what Pokémon Dwayne will be using against him and prepares his strategy.

The battle between Dwayne and Derek finally starts and will be taking place on a grass battlefield. It will be a three-on-three Pokémon battle. Derek chooses Shuckle as his first Pokémon and Dwayne chooses Noctowl. Derek is surprised that Dwayne is using different Pokémon than he thought he would. He had thought Dwayne would use Infernape because it had recently learned a new move, but Dwayne tells him that he knew Derek was watching earlier and tricked him into believing he'd use the Pokémon he was training to catch him off-guard, which leaves Derek both impressed and frustrated. Derek starts the battle off by telling Shuckle to use Withdraw. Dwayne orders Noctowl to use Sky Attack, while Derek continues to boost Shuckle's defensive stats. Noctowl swoops down to attack, but Shuckle's defense sends Noctowl flying back. Shuckle then uses Power Trick to switch its defense for a heightened attack stat. Noctowl then approaches with Air Slash and Shuckle counters using Gyro Ball, which is able to break through the Air Slash and knock Noctowl out of the sky. While Noctowl stands up again, Dwayne recalls him.

Dwayne then sends out Geodude. Shuckle uses Sludge Bomb but Geodude counters with Rollout, rendering Sludge Bomb useless. Derek then tells Shuckle to use Gyro Ball again. Gyro Ball hits and causes Geodude to lose control and crash. As a result, Dwayne recalls Geodude. For Dwayne's third Pokémon, Dwayne sends out Gible. Derek notes that Gible had not yet mastered Draco Meteor. Derek has Shuckle use Gyro Ball. Dwayne uses Gible's habit of biting things to his advantage, and she manages to catch Shuckle in her mouth. To counter, Derek tells Shuckle to use Sludge Bomb in Gible's mouth. Gible is hardly happy about this. With no other choice, Dwayne tells Gible to spit Shuckle out but Gible has other things in mind as she prepares a Draco Meteor. Shuckle is heaved into the air with a now-mastered Draco Meteor. Shuckle crashes to the ground and is rendered unconscious. Derek recalls Shuckle and thanks it because he now knows which three Pokémon Dwayne will be using for this battle.

For his second Pokémon, Derek sends out Lickilicky. Dwayne tells Gible to use Dragon Pulse but Lickilicky uses Lick before Dragon Pulse has the chance to be fired. Gible is treated to a thorough licking while the audience shivers at this disturbing sight. Dwayne tells Gible to escape by using Dig. Lickilicky counters with Power Whip, which reverberates across the battlefield and throws Gible into the air. Before Derek can call any more attacks, Dwayne recalls Gible and sends out Noctowl once more. Derek orders Lickilicky to use Power Whip once more but its tongue proves to be too short to reach Noctowl's altitude. Noctowl then uses Wing Attack, which hits Lickilicky right in the face. Lickilicky then uses Thunderbolt but Noctowl quickly dodges the otherwise super-effective attack. Noctowl uses Extrasensory to lift Lickilicky into the air and then throws it down to render it unable to battle.

With only one Pokémon left, Derek sends out his Dusknoir and orders Trick Room. Dwayne tells Noctowl to use Extrasensory but Dusknoir suddenly appears behind it and throws a Thunder Punch. The attack hits and Noctowl is rendered unable to battle. Because Dwayne's Noctowl, Geodude, and Gible are all faster than Dusknoir, the latter will always be the first one to attack. Next, Dwayne sends out Geodude once more. Dwayne tells Geodude to use Rollout but Dusknoir strikes first with a powerful Shadow Punch. This leaves Geodude unable to get back up. Dwayne tries to switch Geodude out but Dusknoir uses Mean Look to trap Geodude on the battlefield. Dusknoir uses Shadow Punch again, and despite Dwayne telling Geodude to use Defense Curl to increase his defenses, Shadow Punch still proves powerful to knock him out.

With two down, Dwayne has no choice but to send out Gible again. Trick Room, however, is still in effect. Derek is aware of Gible mastering Draco Meteor now, but claims it won't work this time. Dwayne tells Gible to use Dig but Dusknoir's Shadow Punch is able to hit before Gible can escape. As a result, Gible is hurdled into the ground. Gible then aligns herself under Dusknoir while in the ground and shoots straight up. Dusknoir is ordered to use Shadow Punch once more and reappears behind Gible. Dwayne then tells Gible to turn around and bite the Shadow Punch. Gible bites Dusknoir's hand and, as Derek remarks in absolute surprise and shock, eats Shadow Punch. Dusknoir tries to shake Gible off but Gible uses Draco Meteor to shoot Dusknoir into the sky. Dusknoir lands but is still able to battle. Dwayne tells Gible to use Dragon Pulse but Dusknoir's Shadow Punch strikes first again. Gible, however, hangs strong and releases its Dragon Pulse, which hits Dusknoir straight in the face and knocks Dusknoir out. With all three of his Pokémon unable to battle, Derek loses the battle and Dwayne is now able to advance to the next round. Dwayne congratulates Gible, who begins jumping up and down in happiness, before suddenly starting to glow, and she promptly evolves into Gabite. Dwayne hugs his newly-evolved Gabite, and she returns the affection by gently biting his head, proving that she still hasn't changed at all.

Later that day, Dwayne sees the screening, and as Sadie predicted, Dwayne would battle Sadie on his next round match-up, and the two friendly rivals agree to use all their power against one another for an unforgettable battle. Then, Dwayne sees the screen and sees that Lazuli has also advanced through her round and predicts that Lazuli would reach the finals, and wishes that he'll be able to battle her there. The next day, Dwayne and Sadie's match is about to begin, with each Trainer allowed to use three Pokémon. Vito watches from the stands, while Lazuli watches far up in the stadium's exit. As the battle commences, Dwayne sends out Salamence to battle first, while Sadie sends out her Gallade. Up in the VIP room, Cynthia notes that Dwayne's Salamence was the same one that used to belong to Cage and she smiles, glad that Dwayne was capable of giving Salamence a second chance at redemption. Dwayne tells Salamence to use Flamethrower whilst Sadie has Gallade use Signal Beam, and the two attacks collide. Sadie then commands Gallade to use Close Combat, but Dwayne orders Salamence to use Hyper Beam, which lands a direct hit, Gallade out in one shot.

Sadie recalls Gallade and sends out Gastrodon. Sadie commands Gastrodon to use Hidden Power, as Dwayne commands Salamence to use Dragon Tail to block the attack and redirect it back towards Gastrodon. Gastrodon dodges the rebounded attack and lands a Water Pulse. Gastrodon follows up with Sludge Bomb, and Dwayne commands Salamence to dodge, which she does so. Ryder then commands Salamence's Hyper Beam, which lands and severely damages Gastrodon. However, knowing that Salamence was unable to move for a while, Sadie knows this is her one and only chance to gain the lead, and orders a barrage of Blizzard attacks, all of which land and severely damage Salamence, who's barely able to remain in the air. As Salamence recovers from Hyper Beam's after-effects, Dwayne commands Salamence to use Hyper Beam again while moving foward towards Gastrodon, and Gastrodon replies with Blizzard, and the attacks collide, causing an explosion that ultimately knocks both Pokémon out of battle, leaving Sadie with only one Pokémon left, while Dwayne still has two.

Dwayne and Sadie recall their respective Pokémon, and send out Lopunny and Glameow, respectively. Dwayne commands Lopunny to use Jump Kick, but Sadie orders Fake Out, which strikes first and causes Lopunny to flinch, unable to attack. Sadie then quickly follows up by ordering Thunderbolt, striking Lopunny and seemingly leaving her paralyzed. Sadie takes this opportunity to command Glameow to use Iron Tail, but at the last second, Lopunny leaps out of the way and scores a direct hit with Ice Beam. As Sadie becomes confused as she assumed Lopunny was paralyzed, Dwayne reveals that Lopunny's Ability was Limber, which prevented her from getting paralyzed. As Sadie grits her teeth, she orders Glameow to use Iron Tail again, but Lopunny displays her swift agility by leaping onto Glameow's tail and bouncing off of it towards the sky. Still airborne, Lopunny fires off Focus Blast, but Glameow dodges, by using her long ears, Lopunny quickly bounces towards Glameow and scored a direct hit with Dizzy Punch, seemingly leaving it confused. Dwayne then commands Lopunny to use Dizzy Punch again, but at the last second, Sadie tells Glameow to attack with Iron Tail, but Dwayne smiles and quickly orders Lopunny to retreat, shocking Sadie.

Dwayne explains that he knew Glameow wasn't confused, and Sadie questions him as to how he knew. Dwayne says that when a Pokémon gets confusion, small star-shaped sparks float around their head as a true sign of their confusion, but Glameow never demonstrated that, and Dwayne correctly guesses that Glameow's Ability was Own Tempo, which Sadie indeed confirms. Dwayne's cunning attention to detail impresses not only Cynthia, but also Lazuli, who mumbles that Dwayne wasn't "half bad". Dwayne then commands Lopunny to use Focus Blast, and Sadie commands Glameow to use Iron Tail to redirect the attack back towards Lopunny. However, Dwayne predicted this and orders Lopunny to use Jump Kick to send the attack back towards Glameow, who then uses Iron Tail again to redirect the attack, as the battle becomes a ping-pong battle as the Focus Blast bounces back and forth between both Pokémon. After a while, Dwayne sees that Glameow is getting even more tired, and as Lopunny bounces her Focus Blast back again, Dwayne quickly orders another Focus Blast, and as Glameow uses Iron Tail on the first to bounce it back, the second Focus Blast comes in at full speed and collides with the first Focus Blast, which explodes upon contact, catching Glameow in the blast, which knocks it out of battle, giving Dwayne the win. Sadie retrieves her Glameow and thanks it for the effort before congratulating Dwayne on his clever thinking and wishes him luck on his remaining battles.

As the tournament rages on, Dwayne manages to advance through the quarter-finals and semi-finals, allowing him to reach the final round, where Dwayne discovers, although not to his surprise, that he would battle against Lazuli. Both Trainers exchange stares as they walk off in different directions, without saying a word to each other. The next day, the final round of the Lily of the Valley Conference begins, with Dwayne and Lazuli's long-awaited battle about to begin, with many of Dwayne's Sinnoh acquaintances watching his performance; Paris and her Lopunny watch the battle from a studio, Professor Rowan and his assistants watch from their laboratory, Robyn Oak watches from Celestic Town, Uriel watches from a Pokémon Center, Lori watches from Eterna City with Gardenia, and Volkner and Flint watch from the Sunyshore Gym. Both Trainers are aimed on victory, and ready to settle their rivalry once and for all. Dwayne decides to start the match with Gardevoir while Lazuli chooses Steelix. Lazuli begins by having Steelix use Iron Tail, and Dwayne has Gardevoir counter with Psyshock and the two moves cancel each other out. Lazuli then tells Steelix to use Screech. A high-pitched noise is produced which causes pain to Gardevoir. Dwayne instructs Gardevoir to use Shadow Ball to stop Steelix's attack, and Gardevoir manages to pull it off, stopping Steelix as well as causing damage. Gardevoir then uses Teleport to appear behind Steelix. However, Lazuli expected this and counters with Steelix's Flash Cannon, hitting Gardevoir and sending her flying, rolling back onto her feet. Dwayne knows Gardevoir is struggling and decides to call her back to save for later and substitutes with Infernape. Up in the stands, Cynthia smiles at seeing the little Chimchar she once knew having evolved into a powerful Infernape.

Lazuli tells Steelix to use Double-Edge while Dwayne tells Infernape to counter with Flare Blitz. The two powerful and dangerous attacks collide. The two are sent backwards, and Infernape suffers from the recoil. Unfortunately, Steelix has the Rock Head Ability which cancels out the normal recoil from Double-Edge, but luckily for Dwayne, it turns out that Steelix has suffered burns from Flare Blitz. Dwayne then instructs Infernape to use Mach Punch, and Lazuli orders Steelix to use Flash Cannon, but Infernape lands the fast Mach Punch before Steelix can fire, sending Steelix flying into the wall behind Lazuli and crushing the surface on impact. When the smoke clears, Steelix is unable to battle, giving Dwayne the lead. Lazuli then sends out her Gastrodon and Dwayne calls back Infernape and sends out Crobat. Gastrodon begins with Muddy Water and Crobat uses Brave Bird; Gastrodon continues using Muddy Water, circling its head above its body, and clips Crobat. It quickly becomes clear that Gastrodon is using Dwayne's Counter Shield technique. Dwayne instructs Crobat to dive down and use Brave Bird, and Gastrodon counterattacks with Body Slam, trapping Crobat with its soft body. Gastrodon then uses Water Pulse and shoots it straight up into the sky, which then picks up speed as it comes down. Gastrodon watches it intently; Dwayne realizes that it will jump away at the last second, giving no time for Crobat to dodge it. Just when all seems lost, Dwayne has Crobat use Supersonic on the floor, lifting him up, which knocks off Gastrodon and he escapes the Water Pulse. Lazuli orders Gastrodon to use Ice Beam while falling backwards, bringing the in-flight Crobat to a screeching halt and crashing onto the field. Knowing Crobat is at a big disadvantage since Gastrodon knows Ice Beam, Dwayne decides that he will have to recall Crobat for later and change his strategy.

Dwayne calls back Crobat and sends out Buizel. At this point, Lazuli points out that what Dwayne is doing is too predictable now. She knows Dwayne is just trying to get rid of all the frustration his Pokémon felt from the loss back at Lake Acuity into his advantage here which is why he brought them all back for this battle. Dwayne states she is correct and that this is all what his Pokémon want. He knows they lost to her back at Lake Acuity, but they are still beating her here no matter what. Buizel agrees immediately to what Dwayne has said. Gastrodon uses Ice Beam again and Buizel uses Aqua Jet, turning it into **Ice Aqua Jet** to hit Gastrodon. This hits Gastrodon and causes it to jump up and Gastrodon then goes for Body Slam, and Dwayne thinks quickly and instructs Buizel to meet the attack with Ice Punch, causing Gastrodon to faint. Dwayne knows that the hard part of the battle has only just begun. At home in Veilstone City, Rollins watches the broadcast, remarking that Lazuli had a back-up plan of Gastrodon using Ice Beam if Crobat escaped, and wonders if Dwayne figured out that Lazuli had planned to sacrifice Steelix and Gastrodon all along in the first place. If not, he will need to do so right away.

Lazuli sends out Drapion and attacks with Pin Missile, which Buizel cancels out with its Counter Shield technique. Drapion then uses Cross Poison, which Buizel dodges by sliding behind Drapion. Buizel uses Sonic Boom at Drapion's back, who blocks the attack with its tail. Drapion grabs Buizel with its tail, twisting around its torso to menace the struggling Buizel. When Buizel tries to use Sonic Boom with his free tail, Drapion just grabs it with a free arm, rendering it useless. Dwayne instructs Buizel to puff up the life preserver object on his neck and then let the air out in an instant. After freeing himself, Buizel uses Water Gun to lift himself into the air, away from Drapion. With Buizel still in the air, Drapion uses Toxic Spikes, littering the field with them and poisoning Buizel. Then, Drapion uses Pin Missile to finish off Buizel, thus leaving Dwayne with five Pokémon.

Dwayne then sends out Crobat to battle Drapion next. Drapion uses Pin Missile, which Crobat effectively dodges with its high speed. It then comes down with Brave Bird, which Drapion manages to dodge at the last second, and captures Crobat like it did with Buizel. Drapion uses Pin Missile on the trapped Crobat, therefore knocking him out. Dwayne then sends out Torterra next, and Torterra feels the effect of the Toxic Spikes instantaneously. Drapion uses Cross Poison on Torterra, and Torterra sends Drapion away with Energy Ball. Dwayne quickly attacks again with Leaf Storm, hitting Drapion again. Lazuli instructs Drapion to use Pin Missile to counter the Leaf Storm, which end up neutralizing each other. Torterra comes out of the smoke with a Rock Climb, but is grabbed by Drapion when he is just about to attack and uses Poison Fang on Torterra. Torterra uses Synthesis to gain back some energy and Drapion comes to attack with Pin Missile, again, hitting Torterra and knocking it out, leaving Dwayne with three Pokémon.

Lazuli asks Dwayne if he's planning to send out Gliscor next, to which Dwayne responds that she is correct. Lazuli recalls Drapion as she tells Dwayne that she already knows all the Pokémon that Dwayne will be using because she purposely let him take out her Steelix and Gastrodon so she could be certain of Dwayne's strategy and exactly which Pokémon he'd use. Lazuli then says that ever since she kept Drapion on the field, she had been able to predict every one of Dwayne's moves, but much to her shock, Dwayne is still willing to continue. Dwayne states there is nobody like Lazuli, and he states that is why he is not losing to her that easily. Dwayne sends out Gliscor and Lazuli sends out her fourth Pokémon, Ninjask, which uses Agility right from the start. Dwayne tells Gliscor to use its newest attack, Stone Edge. However, it is easily dodged by Ninjask, still using Agility, while its Speed Boost Ability was also increasing its Speed. Ninjask comes in with a quick Fury Cutter, hitting Gliscor countless times. While falling, Gliscor regains lift and tries to use Fire Fang on Ninjask, but is unsuccessful and Gliscor falls into the field and gains the effect from the Toxic Spikes Drapion had left. Dwayne recalls Gliscor and sends out Infernape, who also gets poisoned from the Toxic Spikes. Dwayne realizes that he's at a major disadvantage while Toxic Spikes are active and tells Infernape to use Dig and leave Lazuli and Ninjask wondering where it is. Infernape uses Flare Blitz underground, illuminating the entire field in a bright red, alleviating the Toxic Spikes, and also damaging Ninjask. Lazuli tells Ninjask to use Giga Drain and begins to sap energy from Infernape. At this point, everyone notices that Ninjask is not moving as fast as it originally was shown to be. Rollins guesses that the damage from Flare Blitz must have canceled Speed Boost out for the time being. As Ninjask drains away its energy, Infernape scrutinizes Ninjask's movements carefully and lands a successful Mach Punch, knocking out Ninjask. Dwayne and Lazuli are now tied with three Pokémon each that are able to battle and Dwayne, knowing Infernape is starting to get tired, recalls it for some rest.

Lazuli sends out her next Pokémon, Froslass. Dwayne decides to send in Gardevoir again. Lazuli starts things off by having Froslass use Hail, and a thick cold mist soon surrounds the entire battlefield. Froslass begins fading in and out of view, preventing Gardevoir from following her movements. Dwayne realizes that Froslass's Snow Cloak Ability has been activated. Gardevoir tries to get an idea on where Froslass is but to no avail, and things become more urgent when Gardevoir starts to take damage from the Hail. Dwayne commands a Moonblast, and Gardevoir tries to hit Froslass, however, the Hail severely restricts the attack and she doesn't even get close to her target. Lazuli commands Froslass to use Ice Shard, which scores a direct hit against Gardevoir. As Moonblast isn't working, Dwayne tells Gardevoir to use Shadow Ball, however Froslass still manages to dodge the attack. Froslass uses Ice Shard, and Dwayne tells Gardevoir to use Shadow Ball as a shield, blocking the Ice Shard, before launching it towards Froslass and finally lands an attack, sending her flying into the ground and suffering major damage from the super-effective hit. Hail finally subsides, leaving Froslass with nowhere to hide. Lazuli orders an Ice Beam which hits Gardevoir. Lazuli tells Froslass to use Ice Shard again, but Gardevoir uses Teleport to appear behind Froslass before she can even release the Ice Shard. Gardevoir then scores a point-blank hit with Shadow Ball, and Froslass is left unable to battle, thus leaving Lazuli with just two Pokémon. Dwayne knows this battle took a lot out of Gardevoir and recalls her back to the sidelines.

Lazuli sends Drapion back out and Dwayne calls on Gliscor again. Drapion uses Pin Missile to start things off and Gliscor quickly dodges the attack. Gliscor uses Stone Edge and Drapion uses Cross Poison to neutralize the attack, leaving behind a large smoke cloud which Gliscor shields himself in. Dwayne then tells Gliscor to use Giga Impact, and Gliscor emerges only to power up and fly back into the cloud. Drapion gets ready to attack, not knowing where Gliscor will come from. Gliscor appears and Lazuli commands Poison Fang, as Giga Impact scores a direct hit. Drapion turns around to counterattack, only to be shocked that Gliscor isn't there. Lazuli and Drapion then find that Gliscor used the momentum from the attack to quickly throw itself back into the sky, safe from attack while it recharges from using Giga Impact. Rollins remarks that Lazuli's predictions have been crushed and she can no longer predict Dwayne's strategies. Lazuli realizes she allowed herself to be distracted by Stone Edge and has Drapion use Pin Missile. Gliscor dodges the attack quickly and expertly. He then powers up an X-Scissor, but it is subsequently blocked by Drapion's Pin Missile at the last moment, sending Gliscor flying back and landing on the ground. When Lazuli instructs Drapion to use Cross Poison, Dwayne calls out to Gliscor to use Fire Fang, and Gliscor is all ready to go. He jumps up, dodging the Cross Poison along the way and lands a direct hit with Fire Fang. As a result, not only does Drapion suffer major damage, but also gets burned. Lazuli is angry at once again being outmaneuvered while Dwayne grits his teeth with hope. From a combination of the damage it's received, Drapion finally faints, thus leaving Lazuli with one final Pokémon.

Dwayne decides to call back Gliscor when Lazuli sends out her final Pokémon which is none other than Electivire, the only Pokémon on Lazuli's current team that Dwayne has battled before. Dwayne knows that Gliscor is immune to Electivire's Electric-type moves, but is still concerned about leaving it in. However, Gliscor lets Dwayne know he can still battle, so Dwayne decides not to switch him out. Lazuli tells Electivire to start by using Thunder and directing it into the ground. Electivire sends its tails into the ground and directs Thunder into it, which sends chunks of the earth up into the air and falling onto Gliscor. Dwayne tells Gliscor to use Giga Impact and Electivire blocks the attack with its hands and catches Gliscor with its tails. Dwayne tries to call out a command, but Gliscor is unable to make an attack. Lazuli tells Electivire to use Brick Break on Gliscor, and it lands on Gliscor's head, causing it to faint. Thus, leaving Dwayne with two Pokémon: Gardevoir and Infernape.

Dwayne sends in Gardevoir next, and Lazuli tells Electivire to direct Thunder into the ground again. Once again, the ground erupts and rocks are sent flying to towards Gardevoir. However, Gardevoir is ready and dodges the falling rocks, even using some of them for momentum, and lands a direct hit on Electivire with Psyshock, causing damage. However, Electivire recovers and grabs Gardevoir with its tails and when Gardevoir tries to use Moonblast, Electivire jolts Gardevoir around so that she can't land the attack. Gardevoir hits the ground, but is able to escape the pseudo-Constrict by Electivire's tails by using Teleport. Lazuli tells Electivire to use Brick Break, and Gardevoir tries to prevent the attack from happening, but Electivire lands the attack dead-on. The two Pokémon jump back after clearing the impact. Dwayne tells Gardevoir to charge up Moonblast. As Gardevoir powers-up, Lazuli commands Electivire to use Thunder on itself, and Electivire unleashes a massive charge of electricity towards the sky, before it drops and hits itself. However, due to its Motor Drive Ability, Electivire's Speed increases. Lazuli commands Thunder Punch and Electivire dashes foward and lands a direct hit before Gardevoir can launch the attack, sending her crashing head-first onto the wall. Gardevoir stands up, but becomes unable to continue as she falls back down, leaving Dwayne only one Pokémon left.

Dwayne sends out Infernape. Electivire and Infernape have a long standing rivalry, even from their Chimchar-Elekid days. Electivire starts things out with a Thunder Punch and Infernape counters with Mach Punch, and the two attacks collide and neutralize each other. Infernape uses Flamethrower, which is blocked by Electivire's Protect. Electivire uses Thunder, but Infernape uses Dig to travel underground and avoid the attack. Infernape surfaces below Electivire and hits it dead-on, but then takes damage from the poison it received earlier. Electivire manages to stand up. After yet another blocked Flamethrower, Infernape and Electivire start attacking with Mach Punch and Thunder Punch, respectively continuously. They both each land an attack before another Flamethrower by Infernape is blocked by Electivire's Protect. Dwayne instructs Infernape to use Mach Punch, but Electivire dodges it and wraps its tail around Infernape's arm. Rollins, still watching the battle, pleads for Dwayne not to fall for that trick again. It uses Thunder while Infernape is connected to it, causing more damage than a normal Thunder attack. It continues to use Thunder on Infernape for a long time.

Infernape collapses to the ground when Electivire finally lets it go. As it has taken a severe beating throughout the match, it appears that Infernape can't continue battling anymore as it lays down. The referee begins to declare Infernape unable to battle when Electivire interrupts him, knowing that Infernape still has the ability to fight and wants to finish the battle properly. Lazuli tells Infernape that she thought it had become stronger, yet all its ever done is disappoint her. Infernape suddenly regains his senses and Dwayne tells Lazuli the battle isn't over yet. Much to everyone's (except Dwayne's) surprise, Infernape stands, and Dwayne declares that it's time to show Lazuli just how strong Infernape has become as he activates his Blaze.

Rollins realizes Dwayne must have wanted that Mach Punch thrown earlier to miss on purpose so he can have Infernape unlock his true power. Dwayne orders a Flamethrower, and Infernape fires a super-powerful blast at Electivire, who tries to hold it back with Thunder but can't stand up to the sheer power. Dwayne then has Infernape use Mach Punch which hits and sends Electivire flying but it still lands on its feet. Now both fully absorbed in the intensity of the match, Lazuli screams for a Thunder Punch while Dwayne orders Infernape to use Flare Blitz. The two Pokémon, battling to the limits of their power, land their attacks against the other which creates a maelstrom of fire and electricity streaming into the sky, illuminating the stadium. Eventually, Infernape ends up on the other side of Electivire, feeling the recoil from Flare Blitz, causing its fiery crown to do severe damage to Electivire, who, after a delayed reaction, feels the force of the power attack. The smoke clears, but Electivire is still standing and the two Pokémon stare each other down, as do their Trainers as a deathly silence falls over the battlefield. The two Pokémon remain perfectly still for what feels like an eternity until, finally, Electivire falls and is declared as being unable to continue, making Dwayne the victor of their truly intense battle. Sadie and Vito scream out in elation for Dwayne's victorious win over Lazuli while Rollins is overwhelmingly pleased. Lazuli walks over to Electivire and actually thanks her Pokémon for the effort it placed into the battle, even helping Electivire back to its feet. With Electivire around her arms, Lazuli looks over to Dwayne and Infernape happily celebrating their victory. Lazuli then looks over to Electivire, who looks back at her and nods, and Lazuli shows a genuine smile of happy relief as she stares at her half-brother's victory before walking away from the battlefield.

Later, Dwayne, Sadie and Vito are seen celebrating his victory of the Sinnoh League with a large banquet. As they continue to celebrate, Dwayne sees Lazuli leaving the Pokémon Center and goes over to talk to her. As she walks down some stairs, Dwayne calls out to her, and Lazuli doesn't seem surprised to see him. Dwayne asks her where she was going, and she says that she would head back to Snowpoint City to challenge Brandon to a rematch. Then, Lazuli finally admits that Infernape is strong and that Dwayne's skills as a Trainer were superior than hers. Dwayne, seeing the perfect opportunity, thanks Lazuli for the compliment, before saying that it was incredible how the finals of the tournament were between siblings. However, instead of expressing shock, Lazuli smiles at Dwayne's comment, which leaves him confused. Lazuli then says that she assumed Dwayne already knew about their blood-relation, saying that when she heard Dwayne had visited Veilstone City and met *their* brother, Rollins had revealed the truth to her, and laughs at how easy Rollins was at revealing secrets, which makes Dwayne smile at how different Lazuli's become. Dwayne then proceeds to ask exactly why Lazuli was so focused with power all these years, and free of her antagonism towards her half-brother, Lazuli claims that her main problem with Dwayne was how he talked about bringing a Pokémon's inner strength through friendship, which reminded her of Rollins, whose same methods weren't enough to defeat Brandon, and believed that Dwayne was no better than her brother. Dwayne then asks Lazuli if she resents her brother, but Lazuli says she only felt disappointed in him, as she always looked up to him as the strongest, and seeing him quit his duties as a Trainer after one defeat crushed her ideal version of him, and seeing Dwayne act the same, while also knowing that he, too, was her brother, made her want to change him as much as he wanted to change her, as she didn't want to have another weak-minded sibling.

Dwayne, however, claims that Rollins told him that she only wanted power to earn their father's love and respect, but Lazuli says it was only a façade as she didn't want Rollins to know that he was the problem, as Rollins had always been too hard with himself, and whenever he believed something was his fault, felt an undying sense of responsibility to make up for whatever he caused, and didn't want him to fall even lower than he already had. Lazuli further claims that despite never meeting her father in person, she knew how powerful he was, and always assumed that his power came from pushing his Pokémon to the absolute limit, but only recently found out that his strength came from the same methods and mindset of Rollins and Dwayne, and claims that she was the "black sheep" of their family, as she was the only one who wasn't capable of following her father's training style. However, Dwayne tells her that she could start over, and treat her Pokémon with care, but Lazuli says it was too late, but Dwayne rebuffs her claims, and mentions how she thanked Electivire for its effort and helped her Pokémon back to its feet, which Lazuli then realizes it was true, as she still doesn't know why she even did, as she was only acting on her emotions at the moment. Dwayne sees through Lazuli's face expression, and says that if her emotions at that moment were to help her Pokémon and show gratitude, then she was already becoming more like her father and brothers. Lazuli silently begins shedding a tear as Dwayne continues to talk. Dwayne's words are abruptly cut off as Lazuli runs over and hugs her half-brother for the first time, and apologizes for everything she had said and done to him over the course of their journey in Sinnoh. Despite being shocked by the sudden change, Dwayne smiles and hugs her back, saying that what family was all about as the two siblings finally make amends and become friends.

Later that night, Dwayne receives the Winner's Trophy from Cynthia for winning the Lily of the Valley Conference as all the participants gather around to applaud Dwayne on his victory. Sadie and Vito cheer him on, as well as Lazuli, who applauds her brother with a genuine smile on her face as Dwayne raises the trophy above his head, as fireworks are fired around the stadium to indicate the end of the tournament. The following morning, Dwayne steps outside the stadium and takes one final look at the arena, before gathering around Sadie, Vito and Lazuli. The three Trainers ask him where he would go next, and Dwayne decides to return to Pallet Town to see his family. Lazuli says that she would head to Veilstone City first to visit her brother before going to Snowpoint City. Vito says he would meet his father at the Battle Tower, while Sadie would return to Snowpoint City, as Candice was preparing a welcome party for her finishing at the Top 16 of the Sinnoh League. As they continue to talk about their plans, Cynthia approaches them, and all four Trainers greet her. Cynthia congratulates both Dwayne and Lazuli for the spectacular battle, as well as personally congratulating Dwayne on his victory. She then says she couldn't wait for the day that either Dwayne or Lazuli challenged her for the title of Champion, and both Trainers vow to defeat her one day.

Dwayne and Lazuli embark on a ship directly towards Sandgem Town. Upon arriving, Dwayne purchases a boat ticket that would take him directly back to Kanto, which would leave the next day. Lazuli, uncharacteristically shy, asks Dwayne whether it would be okay if she eventually decided to pay him a visit in Pallet Town. Dwayne asks whether Lazuli wanted to travel there to meet their father, and Lazuli admits Dwayne is right, and says she always wanted to meet him, but wonders whether Edge wanted anything to do with her, and Dwayne says that their father would ecstatic to see her, and urges her to meet him as soon as possible. Lazuli thanks him. The next day, Dwayne's ship leaves for Kanto and Lazuli waves him goodbye. As the ship is almost out of sight, Lazuli thinks to herself that she'll forever remain in Dwayne's debt and silently admits that she loves her little brother.

A few days later, the ship is seen approaching Vermilion City and Dwayne becomes excited at telling his parents about his journey in Sinnoh, and discovering that their family was bigger than he originally thought. Arriving in Pallet Town, Dwayne makes his way inside his home, but finds it empty, and when he calls out to his mother, there's no response. Dwayne then decides to head to Professor Oak's Laboratory, and upon making his way inside, Dwayne becomes shocked to see Roberta and Professor Oak talking to Lazuli, who was sitting in the couch besides her mother. The trio greets Dwayne, who can't help but make a double-take. Lazuli explains that once she arrived in Snowpoint City, she asked Brandon if the Battle Pyramid could fly her fast enough to Pallet Town before Dwayne's arrival, and Brandon brought her to Pallet Town a day before Dwayne arrived. Despite the surprise, Dwayne is happy to see Lazuli there, and asks whether Edge was also there, but Roberta explains that Edge was at the Viridian Gym, but would arrive in about an hour or so. When Dwayne asks whether Edge knew about Lazuli's arrival, Roberta says she hadn't informed him, only saying she had a "surprise" for him.

When Edge finally arrives, Dwayne, Roberta, and Professor Oak greet him. When Edge asks about his "surprise", he hears a voice calling out to him, referring to him as "dad". When Edge turns around, he sees Lazuli standing, looking at him. As Lazuli tries to come up with words to talk to her father with, Edge doesn't give her the opportunity, rushing in for a hug without saying a word, which catches Lazuli off-guard. In-between tears, Edge says that he wanted to meet her for so long, and apologized for not being there for her, and Lazuli breaks down in tears, saying that she, too, had been wanting to meet him her entire life, and this makes Dwayne, Oak, and Roberta all cry, too.

A month has passed, in which Lazuli and Edge spent together reconnecting, although Dwayne notes that their way of "father-daughter bonding" was constant training at the Viridian Gym, and Roberta jokes that Lazuli inherited Edge's fighting spirit even more than Dwayne. Dwayne notes that Lazuli was training to take on Brandon, and hopes that Lazuli finally manages to achieve her long-awaited goal. At the final day of Lazuli's stay, Dwayne, Edge, Lazuli, and Roberta all decide to have a family outing, with Lazuli expressing a side of herself that Dwayne had never seen before; laughing, joking, and experiencing pure joy. Later that day, Lazuli embarks on a plane in the Pallet Town airport, and after bidding Edge and Roberta goodbye, Lazuli hugs Dwayne and profoundly thanks him. Confused, Dwayne asks what for, and Lazuli says for "fixing" her life, and Dwayne says that he didn't do anything, and Lazuli says that he did everyting, and calls him "pathetic", but for the first time, Lazuli's insult was merely playful banter rather than malicious intent. Lazuli embarks the plane for Sinnoh, and Dwayne says that he was glad to have helped Lazuli as he waves her goodbye.