May says that Ash and the boy were really acting mature and Brock says it's all about that when you battle trainers and Ash says it's important when you battle a trainer that you end like friends. Max then starts to teach Ash a lesson that he should have done that different which angers Ash a little. But then they notice a large Zigzagoon. Max comments that he never knew that Zigzagoon could be that big. May wonders what's wrong with it and Max replies by telling that they're much smaller then that usually. They decide to follow the Zigzagoon.

They notice some more Zigzagoon up ahead which are looking at the Pinsir and Sentret in the forest. Zigzagoon from before jumps up and jumps out of costume revealing a young boy. They are all shocked by this and May comments that she never knew that Zigzagoon evolved into human beings. Max says they don't and that it's really human. May and Max then walk over to the boy and May pulls its face trying to see if it really is human. In the meanwhile, Zigzagoon escapes and the boy becomes angry at them for letting Zigzagoon escape.

The boy then notices that May and Max are wearing knickers and he loves them. He then showes a few of his pokemon uniforms and then asks what their name is. May and Max introduce themselves as do Brock and Ash. The boy introduces himself as Nicolai and Brock asks him why he's dressing up like a pokemon. He explains that he's using it to catch pokemon and that he's on his way to Petalburg City now. Max comments that he will fight their father there which at first Nicolai doesn't believe. But then he does and he wants to battle both May and Max. But May isn't too sure about that but Max tells her to do it. Nicolai drags May with him but May doesn't want to. He then asks if she's scared but she says she's not scared and decides to have a battle with him. Ash wonders if she should do that but Brock comments that it would be a good practise for her.

May is nervous since this is her first gym match and it's a pity that it has to be against such a person. Ash tells her to focus and Nicolai throws out his pokemon Mudkip, which Ash scans on his pokedex. Nicolai turns on his Mudkip uniform and Brock asks May to choose her pokemon. She grabs a pokeball and releases her Torchic. Nicolai is shocked by May's choice and Max is worried too since Torchic has a disadvantage. Ash comments that it's all about strategy and with that May should win. Max then comments that he is talking about May and strategy now.

The battle starts and May tells Torchic to attack. Nothing happens and May asks Torchic why it isn't doing anything. Ash tells her that she needs to call for an attack and so she does. She orders for an ember attack but Mudkip encounters it with a water gun attack. Torchic is then ordered to use peck so it charges at Mudkip. Max comments that it's a bad choice since you shouldn't start with attacking that close to a pokemon at the beginning. But Torchic charges at Mudkip who fires his watergun at it and it's shot back at May and faints. Nicolai is the winner and May quickly checks how Torchic is doing. Brock says it's fine and that it just needs some good rest.

Nicolai says it wasn't really impressive for a gymleader's daughter and that the gymleader must be easy too which angers Max saying that his father is strong. But Nicolai walks off leaving them behind. In the meantime, Team Rocket is looking at the battle and is very interested by Mudkip and they want to have it.

In the meantime, Ash and co continue their walk through Petalburg Forest. May is depressed that she lost her first match but Brock says she had a disadvantage over Mudkip and she just started training. Ash also comforts her and May starts to complain about Nicolai and asks what Max thinks of it. She then notices Max isn't there. In the meantime, Max is chasing Nicolai who is trying to lure the Zigzagoon with some fruit which gives Max a good idea. In the meantime, Ash and co send out Taillow to search for Max.

Max in the meanwhile has gathered some fruit and starts to lure all the Zigagoon to himself instead of to Nicolai. He then is surrounded by a group of Zigzagoon and Max becomes scared. Taillow finds Max and so do Ash and co. Max is covered by the Zigzagoon but Ash lets Pikachu use thunderbolt to scare them away. The Zigzagoon become even more angry with them. Max then explains that he's got these fruit to lure them but Brock says he'll handle this and wants to give the fruit to the Zigzagoon. But they are still angry and it uses its sand attack in Brock's face. Nicolai then approaches with his Mudkip and he talks to them in Zigzagoon language and he walks off, as the Zigzagoon follows him. Mudkip uses its water gun to shoot some fruit from the trees and they fall on the floor.

Max in the meanwhile apologizes to Nicolai for luring all the Zigzagoon but Nicolai says he understands and that he should apologize too since he insulted their father. Max then asks how he learned the Zigzagoon language since he has never heard of it in the books. Nicolai explains you can't learn it but you can speak it by talking with your heart. Brock says that's true and Nicolai offers to show it by telling a Zigzagoon he wants to battle it and the Zigzagoon accepts the challenge.

Mudkip starts off with using his water gun but Zigzagoon tackles it and hits Mudkip. They avoid each other's attack for a while but Mudkip then releases another water gun hitting Zigzagoon and quickly Nicolai throws a pokeball at the Zigzagoon and it starts to twig. The wiggling stops and Zigzagoon is caught!

Then a mechanic arm grabs Mudkip and it seems to be Team Rocket. They do their motto to introduce themself to Nicolai but he wants his Mudkip back. Pikachu fires a thunderbolt at Team Rocket but some sort of shield reflects it. Nicolai then jumps into his Aipom costume as Team Rocket flies away. The Zigzagoon then start to dig and Brock explains that they know what is going to happen.

Nicolai still follows Team Rocket and then jumps in his Gligar costume and flies in the air and grabs Mudkip and his cage. Ash then sends out Taillow and uses its peck attack on its balloon. The balloon breaks and Team Rocket falls into the pit that was made by Zigzagoon.

They climb out of the hole and Pikachu and Ash await them. Team Rocket sends out their own pokemon Weezing and Arbok and Pikachu fight. Pikachu then releases a final thunder attack and they blast off once again!

Nicolai thanks them and he wants to go to Petalburg but Ash comments that Norman is a though guy and Nicolai comments that since Ash had so much trouble with him, he'll wait till he'll challenge Norman. Nicolai then asks if Ash wants to battle him and Ash tells him that he has awaited that question. Nicolai sends out his Zigzagoon and Ash sends out Taillow and they both start their first match with their newest pokemon as Max looks at the battle with great excitement.

This episode guide has been written by shinymay.

Characters appearing in this episode

Ash

Brock

Max

May

Jessie

James

Meowth

Ash's Pikachu

Pokémon appearing in this episode

• Pikachu belonging to Ash
• Meowth

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