After getting a good nights rest, Ash & Co. start out on their journey to Goldenrod City again. As they leave the Pokémon Center, a trainer runs into them, literally, carrying a Growlithe. Standing up, he apologies to them. Brock points out that the Growlithe looks to have been in a very tough Pokémon Battle. He tells them that he and Growlithe messed with the wrong trainer this time around. Ash wonders if the trainer would be up for another Pokémon Battle and asks where he can find them. The Growlithe trainer tells him where to find the trainer, but says that if he's smart, he'll stay away, before entering the Pokémon Center with Growlithe. Brock asks which way they should go, so Ash decides to go and find the trainer.

As they walk along, Brock wonders what kind of Pokémon the trainer uses. Ash says that whatever type it is, they'll find a way to defeat it.

Spying on them from the bushes, Team Rocket overhear everything they say. They plan to try an steal their Pokémon once they have been weakened from battling the trainer they are in search of. They continue following them.

Arriving at the location the Growlithe trainer specified, they are unable to find the trainer. Misty points to someone a little way off. The person turns around, and Brock, upon seeing that it's a girl, rushes over and tries to chat her up. He asks her name, so she introduces herself as Miki. He tells her that there is a really tough trainer around and that she shouldn't be there on her own. Miki asks if he would do her a favour; have a Pokémon Battle with her, using a Fire-Type Pokémon. Realising that Miki is the trainer they had been warned about, Brock accepts the challenge. Miki sends out Skarmory. Ash looks it up in his PokéDex. Miki explains that Skarmory, as a Steel-Type, are usually weak against Fire-Type Pokémon. Ash asks her why she wants to battle Fire-Types then. She explains that she and Skarmory have been up in the mountains for weeks and have battled all other Pokémon Types, and that they want a challenge, so they want to battle against some Fire-Types. Brock sends in Vulpix and the battle begins.

Watching from the bushes as usual, Team Rocket notice the Skarmory, realising that it's quite rare. They get ready to steal the Steel Pokémon

Back with the battle, Skarmory flies towards Vulpix, then pulls up and, having picked up speed, aims itself back down to the Fox Pokémon. Brock orders Vulpix to use Flamethrower, but Skarmory uses Agility, dodging the attack. As it gets closer, Brock orders Vulpix to use Agility too in order to get away. Skarmory manages to keep up, then uses Steel Wing, defeating Vulpix and winning the battle. Brock recalls Vulpix. Miki congratulates Skarmory. Brock complements her, telling her that she and her Pokémon fought a great battle. She thanks him, then asks if he has any other Fire-Type Pokémon she can battle, but he explains that Vulpix is the only one. Ash chimes in, telling her that he has one, but that it may be too hot for her to handle. She welcomes the challenge, so he sends out Cyndaquil. He tells it that they need it to fire up as soon as possible, but it's unable to at the moment. Miki orders Skarmory to use Fury Attack, but Cyndaquil dodges every strike. Cyndaquil nearly manages to get it's flame started, but it goes back out. Skarmory attacks with Swift, knocking Cyndaquil back, then gets ready to strike again with Fury Attack. Ash orders Cyndaquil to use Agility. At first it manages to dodge the attacks, but Skarmory manages to land a hit in the end. Cyndaquil's flame finally comes on, and it uses Flamethrower. Miki orders Skarmory to use Swift. Skarmory dodges the Flamethrower, then knocks Cyndaquil down with Swift. Miki decides not to draw the battle out any longer and orders Skarmory to use Steel Wing. Ash orders Cyndaquil to use Flamethrower before it's too late, but Skarmory dodges and keeps coming.

Suddenly two mechanical claws descend, grabbing the two combatants. Team Rocket appear, reciting their motto. They begin to float away, with Miki, Ash & Co. giving chase. Skarmory starts to struggle, rocking the balloon. Miki orders it to use Swift, cutting the rope. Still trapped in the claw, it falls, but Brock catches it before collapsing under the weight of the Steel Pokémon. Ash continues to give chase to rescue his Cyndaquil.

Evening, and Ash still hasn't given up; though tired, he continues to chase the Trio in their balloon. Skarmory then appears, and uses Steel Wing. Cyndaquil, in a cage, drops from the balloon as Team Rocket blast off. Ash catches the cage and frees Cyndaquil, happy to be reunited with it. Misty and Brock arrive, asking if Cyndaquil is alright, which Ash confirms. Miki thanks Skarmory, telling it that it saved the day.

That night, Miki invites Ash & Co. back to her hut. Brock cooks them a meal and they give the Pokémon some food too. She complements him on his cooking skills. Ash asks if Miki uses any special techniques to train Skarmory, but she tells him that all she does is train just as hard as her Pokémon does; doing everything they do together. Ash decides to do the same thing with Cyndaquil.

The next morning, he and Cyndaquil go for a run. Eventually they stop, and Ash orders it to use it's best Tackle of him. Reluctantly it attacks, but not too hard as it doesn't want to hurt it's trainer. Ash, realising it's holding back, orders it to do it again. It does it a little harder, but Ash says that it can still do better. He tells it to light it's flame. It does, but it soon goes out. Ash tries to show it what to do, telling it to focus all of it's energy. It lights for a couple of seconds, then goes out again. Reasoning that it may need to get warmed up first, they go to practice using it's Agility.

Back at her cabin, Miki comments that Ash left very early that morning and wonders where he went. Misty tells her that he was very impressed by her training method and he may have decided to try it out for himself. Brock points out that he must be serious about it if he didn't wait for breakfast.

Back with Ash and Cyndaquil and they are both getting hungry. Instead of eating though, they decide to keep on training. He orders Cyndaquil to use Tackle on him, knocking him back, into an apple tree. He tells it that it's Agility and Tackle attacks are great, but that it really needs it's flame to put up much of a fight. He then notices the fruit on the tree. He picks some so they can have a snack, but one of the apples comes out with a Beedrill hanging on to it. A swarm emerges from the tree and gives chase. While running, Ash trips and falls. Cyndaquil jumps between him and the Beedrill, lighting it's flame and using Flamethrower, sending the Beedrill flying off. Ash thanks it for saving him, and tells it that all it needs to do now is remember how to light it's flame when it's needed.

A few minutes later and they continue their training. Ash throws a log in the air and Cyndaquil uses Flamethrower. It misses. Ash tells it that it needs to work on it's aim and throws another log. Cyndaquil uses Flamethrower again, burning the log to a crisp. He throws another one in a different direction, and this one gets the same treatment as the last one. He then throws three up in the air, and Cyndaquil manages to burn them all.

Later, at Miki's cabin, Brock and Misty admire how well cared for Skarmory is, when Pikachu begins shouting. Ash and Cyndaquil come walking back along the path. Arriving back, he challenges Miki to a rematch. She accepts.

The battle is about to begin. Brock, acting as referee announces it as a one on one battle; no time limit. As the combatants get ready, Cyndaquil lights it's flame straight away. Skarmory flies toward Cyndaquil, then pulls up, using the same tactic it used against Brock and Vulpix to pick up speed. As it turns and aims at it's opponent, Miki orders it to use Fury Attack. Cyndaquil uses Smokescreen, then Flamethrower, but Skarmory manages to dodge the jet of fire. Miki orders it to use Steel Wing, but Cyndaquil gets out of the way using Agility. It then launches a series of Flamethrower attacks, but Skarmory dodges with it's own Agility. Realising that neither of them can keep on dodging attacks, Miki points out that the only way to compete is if both of their Pokémon use their very best attacks. Ash agrees. Miki orders Skarmory to use Steel Wing, as Ash orders Cyndaquil to use it's hottest Flamethrower. The Flamethrower hits, as does Steel Wing, knocking Cyndaquil back. It picks itself up and both Pokémon attack again. Both scoring direct hits. Cyndaquil is knocked back again. Ash asks it if it wants to quit, but it manages to get up again. Though surprised that Cyndaquil still has some fight left in it, Miki orders Skarmory to use Steel Wing again. Cyndaquil dodges it. She then order a Fury Attack, but it keeps dodging. Skarmory is getting very worn out, so Miki orders it to use Steel Wing one last time. Cyndaquil dodges and Skarmory flies into a huge boulder. Ash orders Cyndaquil to use Flamethrower. Miki orders Skarmory to try and fly away, but Ash orders Cyndaquil to use Tackle, defeating Skarmory. Brock declares Ash and Cyndaquil the winners. Miki recalls Skarmory, letting it have a good rest.

Later that day, Miki thanks Ash for the battle. Brock asks if she and Skarmory will be staying in the mountains to do some more training, but she tells him that she thinks they've been there too long and that they are going to go around and challenge as many Gym Leaders as they can find. He asks her if she thinks she'll make it to the Johto League Finals. She tells him that she does if she and Skarmory can get good enough. Misty suggests that she and Ash may get to battle again some day, the prospect of which neither of them seems to mind. She waves them off as they continue on their way to Goldenrod City and more Johto League adventures.

And out in a forest somewhere, Team Rocket are tangled up in the ropes of their balloon. With only Wobbuffet to help them, they may be hanging around there for some time.

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

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