It's a beautiful day, as Ask & Co. continue in their way to Azalea Town. As they walk along, they notice loads of Grass-Type Pokémon filling the fields all around them. As they walk along, a Hoppip wanders up to them. The winds suddenly picks up, blowing the Hoppip away. As they chase after it, they notice a girl with a net. She catches the Hoppip as another one lands on her head. They go over. Brock, trying to chat her up, asks her name. She introduces herself as Mariah. As Misty drags Brock away, Ash asks if the Hoppip are wild. She tells him that they belong to her.

She takes them to her house, where she introduces them to all of her other Hoppip. Ash, noticing a lot of equipment on and around the house, asks Mariah what she does. She offers to show them. She takes them inside and explains that she is a weather forecaster and that all of the equipment helps her make accurate weather predictions. Misty asks how she gets the time to do her job and train the Hoppip, so she explains that the Hoppip help he do her job. She takes them back outside and shows them. As the Hoppip gather together, she tells them that it means the wind will pick up so, and sure enough it does, blowing two of the Hoppip up and into a high fence she has around her home. A few minutes later, they huddle together again. This time that wind blows all but one odd-ish looking one away. The one that didn't take off runs after the others. It tries to jump in the air, but lands flat on it's face. Going up to it, Ash asks what is wrong with that one. It stands up and Misty takes a handkerchief out to clean it up. After giving it a quick clean, they notice that the Hoppip isn't a Hoppip after all, it's an Oddish. Mariah explains that it's a Pokémon that lives nearby and that after spending so much time with the Hoppip has decided it wants to be a Hoppip too. As it climbs the fence and jumps off, Mariah explains that she has tried telling it that it isn't a Hoppip and that it can't fly, but that it's determined to try. As it lands on a bale of straw, Misty goes over to it, wishing that there was something they could do to help it.

While spying on Ash & Co. Meowth notices the Hoppip. He comes up with the idea of stealing the Hoppip and setting up a Hoppip delivery service. All they have to do is launch the Hoppip into the air and get them to deliver things. They wouldn't have to pay for trucks, aeroplanes or uniforms for the workers, since the workers would be the Hoppip. And since the Hoppip are cute, kids will be begging their parents to use the service, but the prices won't be cheap. Jessie and James shoot the idea down, asking him what they would do when the wind died down, dropping the Hoppip miles from their destination. After dismissing Meowth's plan, Jessie begins concocting one of her own.

Back with Ash & Co. and Misty is telling Oddish that she thinks it's a great little Pokémon, regardless of weather it can fly or not. The fence is suddenly cut down, and Team Rocket appear wafting giant fans about and reciting their motto. They try using the fans to send the Hoppip flying, but they don't move an inch. When the handheld fans don't work, they bring in a huge wind machine. Ash & Co. manage to catch the Hoppip as they begin to take off. He sends in Chikorita to combat the Trio. Jessie sends in Arbok. It tries to attack, but Chikorita knocks it back. Ash orders her to use Razor Leaf, knocking Arbok back and causing it to flatten Jessie and James. Meowth turns the wind machine up, but everyone manages to hang on. Ash orders Pikachu to attack, shocking the wind machine and causing it to blow up, sending Team Rocket blasting off again. With the Trio dealt with Ash thanks Pikachu and Chikorita. Suddenly all of the Hoppip, and Oddish, huddle together in an unusual pattern. Mariah tells them that it means a very strong wind is about to arrive. Going inside, she tells them that her instruments all show what the Hoppip are indicating; there's a Tornado headed their way!

After blasting off, Team Rocket are walking along a dirt track when they hear something. The Tornado arrives and picks them up.

Back at Mariah house, everyone has boarded up the windows. She looks at her instruments again, telling them that she has never seen a twister this big before and that it won't be long before it hits them full force. She orders everyone to huddle under the desk for safety. A few minutes later, the Tornado hits, causing the whole house to shake and creak. It manages to take the roof off, and blows the Hoppip, and Oddish, away. It nearly takes Mariah and Misty too, but Ash and Brock manage to save them.

Once the Tornado has passed, Ash & Co. stand in the wreckage of Mariah's house, hoping the Hoppip are alright. They volunteer to help her find her missing Pokémon. An offer she accepts. After a while they find the roof, and a dazed Oddish lying nearby. Misty notices that it seems worried about something. Mariah tells her that it wants to start looking for the Hoppip straight away, telling them that about a month ago a huge thunderstorm caused one of her Hoppip to be blown away, but Oddish went out and found it all by itself. Searching for the Hoppip with Oddish's help, they manage to find one. Then a little later they find another. And later still, they notice one floating about in the sky. They chase after it.

Up in their balloon, Team Rocket have managed to find four of the Hoppip. As they argue over what to do with them, they notice another Hoppip floating straight towards them. As they grab it, Ash & Co. arrive, demanding they return the Hoppip to Mariah. They refuse, so Misty sends out Staryu, ordering it to use Tackle to pop the balloon, sending it crashing into the trees not far away. Ash & Co. run after it.

They soon arrive and get into a Pokémon Battle with the Trio. James sends in Victreebell, so Ash brings out Heracross. Jessie sends out Arbok, so Misty sends Staryu into the battle. Oddish rushes between the combatants. Mariah wonders what it's doing. Misty suggests that it may want to battle, which it confirms. Team Rocket laugh at this, then James orders Victreebell to use Tackle, sending Oddish flying. Oddish doesn't seem too phased and hits back with it's own Tackle attack. It then uses Stun Spore, paralysing Victreebell and delivers a super strong kick, defeating it. Jessie orders Arbok to use Bite, but Oddish dodges, jumping high into the air and using Sleep Powder, sending Arbok to sleep. With the other Pokémon immobilized, Meowth gets ready to use Scratch, but Oddish uses Solar Beam, sending the Trio and their Pokémon blasting off again.

Later that day, Mariah is grateful to have all of her Hoppip back. Ash & Co. tell Oddish that, though it may not be able to fly, it should be very proud with it's battling skills. They even point out all the good things about being an Oddish, telling it that it's what you can do, not what you can't that counts. Mariah tells it to listen to them, saying that it's special to her just the way it is. Oddish seems happy about all this, and jumps up into her arms. She tells it that from now on they will always see it as an honorary Hoppip, even though it's a little odd-ish.

That evening, Mariah thanks them for all their help with the Hoppip and with helping her fix her house. She wishes them good luck on their travels. And as they wave goodbye, they walk off into the sunset, continuing on their Johto Journey.

This episode guide has been written by The Librarian.

Characters appearing in this episode

Ash

Misty

Brock

Jessie

James

Meowth

Ash's Pikachu

Pokémon appearing in this episode

• Pikachu belonging to Ash
• Meowth

There are currently 0 comments on this story... you could be first!