Dawn and Piplup begin their journey, and enter their first attempts to catch some Pokémon. Although, during those attempts, Dawn and Piplup run into Ash's Pikachu, and Team Rocket. Meanwhile, Ash continues looking for Pikachu and meets back up with Brock, and together they go catch up with Dawn.

It's always exciting when new Pokémon Trainers receives their first Pokémon, but for a girl named Dawn, things will be far more exciting than she'd ever imagined! Here in the Sinnoh region, Trainers receive their Pokémon from Professor Rowan, whose lab is near Sandgem Town—but soon after Dawn leaves her home in Twinleaf Town and heads for the lab, she's hopelessly lost. Fortunately, she runs into Professor Rowan on the street and follows him to the lab. But while the Professor was out, his assistants accidentally let two of the starter Pokémon, Chimchar and Pilplup, break out of the lab.

While searching for Pikachu, Ash and Brock run into a new rival named Paul, who challenges Ash to a battle, but Ash can't compete without Pikachu; Dawn and Piplup meet Ash and Brock, and together they try to rescue Pikachu from Team Rocket.

While heading to the first stop on their journey, Pikachu is captured by Team Rocket and Ash and co. are not far behind. After their balloon popped Team Rocket found Pikachu protected by a Turtwig. When Ash and co. find Pikachu with Turtwig its caretaker, a kindly old lady by the name of Clara, invited them over for lunch. Turns out she's a Pokémon Caretaker and Turtwig (like Bulbasaur before it) is her bodyguard but it really likes Ash. Will Ash accept Turtwig?

The day of the Floaroma Pokémon Contest has arrived as Dawn, her childhood friend Kenny, and a disguised Jessie are among the Coordinators vying for the prestigious Floaroma ribbon.

The time has come again. Ash is now ready for his Gym Battle with Gardenia, and this time, it's official. Knowing what to expect from her after their last battle, will Ash be able to prune Gardenia's team, or will his team be pushing up daisies?

"The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." This cannot be more true for Dawn as she now has Ash, a Trainer with many victories, 28 badges and a winner's trophy under his belt and Brock, the Pewter Gym Leader traveling with her now. As she is about to capture a Buneary, she makes mistakes which Ash points out and suddenly she smacks Ash with her Poké Ball. Soon they get into a big fight about it (Doesn't this sound familiar) and (as usual) Brock is in the middle of it. They soon notice the sun being extremely bright and find the cause: A Budew that belongs to a wandering minstrel named Nando, who just started his own journey. As a token of good will he offers Dawn a chance to battle him. How will she fair for her first battle and will she ever get along with Ash?

On the way to Floaroma Town, Ash and the others hear some screaming nearby. At a house, a Pokémon hunter named J has just captured a girl named Melodi and kidnapped her Gardevoir and she quickly flees the scene. Ash gives chase to her, and tries to battle her, only to have Pikachu frozen in stone and stolen just like Gardevoir. They decide to help Officer Jenny and try to help capture J, but eventually she also gets Meowth as well! Before she can take off, Ash, Jessie, and James sneak under her vehicle and follow her to her secret flying base. Now, the reluctant allies must work together to get back their Pokémon from J's clutches.

While Ash and co. are at a Pokémon Center and watch a battle between Cynthia the Sinnoh League Champion and Lucian, member of the Sinnoh's Elite Four, they hear that Cynthia is nearby. When they finally meet her, Paul appears and challenges her to a six-on-six full battle. Cynthia agrees and the battle starts. Will Paul be able to win against Cynthia and her strongest Pokémon, Garchomp?

Through a suggestion from Zoey in order to help her recover from her early exist at the Hearthome contest, Dawn participate in the Hearthome City Tag Battle Competition with Ash and Brock. During opening day of the Hearthome City Tag Battle Competition, Ash, Dawn and Brock learn who they will partner with. However, Ash discovers his teammate is his rival Paul.

While en route to Jubilife City, Ash and co. encounter Paul again. He declares a Battle with Ash to see if Ash has gotten stronger since their last battle. Will this battle end differently for Ash, or will Paul have the advantage the second time around?

Still en route to Jubilife City, Ash and co. meet a girl named Minnie who tells the gang about a Gym called the Powerzone Gym. As usual Ash wants in on the Gym Battles so he, Dawn, Brock and Minnie check it out. What kind of Gym is this, and is it authorized by the Sinnoh League?

Ash and co. finally arrive in Eterna City, where Ash hopes to earn his second badge. However, they are delayed by a trip to the museum where Ash meets not only the Eterna city Officer Jenny, but is reacquainted with the Viridian City Jenny. They also run into Nando and Gardenia, who is Eterna's Gym Leader. They learn that Team Rocket plans to steal the Adamant Orb. Can our heroes stop them, and who is really behind this theft?

What appears to be a Pokémon Center turns out to be a mysterious gate to a world where the gang's dreams all come true. However, they begin to realize that a Pokémon has them in a hypnotic trance.

As our Heroes continue towards Hearthome City, Ash reunites with his old friend and rival, Gary Oak. However, they have to work together in order to save a rare Shieldon from the evil clutches of Pokémon Hunter J.

The first of anything can be quite stressful. Dawn has made it to the Jubilife Contest hoping to win her very first ribbon. She meets a girl by the name of Zoey, who has a Glameow just like her mom. She also meet the fabulous Jessilina (Who unbeknownst to her is really Jessie). All eyes focus on newcomer Dawn. Will she have what it takes to make it to the top?

Ash, Dawn and Brock arrive at Oreburgh City, where Ash is stoked about getting his first Gym Badge. However, not only did Paul get there first but the Gym Leader isn't there. Apparently Roark, the Gym Leader, went to the mines to dig for coal. When they run to meet him he said that he totally forgot his duties as a Gym Leader. When they go back, Roark decides to challenge Paul first. Will Paul be able to beat Roark?

After Paul dominated the Oreburgh Gym, Ash had to think about what Pokémon he could use. Naturally he chose Turtwig, Aipom and Pikachu to go up against Roark's Rock-type Pokémon. Will this strategy work, or will history for Ash repeat itself?

Ash returns to Oreburgh Gym, ready to challenge Roark again. As the battle starts, Ash quickly surprises everyone when Pikachu manages to take down Onix. As the second battle begins, Ash pits Aipom against Geodude. After a long struggle, Ash manages to beat Geodude, and loses Pikachu and Aipom before the real test begins, defeating Roark's newly evolved Rampardos.

After hearing about a powerful Buizel thwarting trainers' attempts at capture, Ash, Dawn and Brock decides to do a round of fishing in hopes of finding it. During their fishing round, Ash and friends are joined by Dawn's contest rival, Zoey.

The roar of the crowd and the excitement in the air as Dawn prepares to start off her contest debut. Just kidding: it's just Dawn practicing (and failing) her appeals training. Elsewhere, Team Rocket stole some berries that belonged to a Golduck, Wooper, Quagsire and Poliwag. Soon after this group finds Piplup and it agrees to solve the problem. Can this plucky Pokémon settle this dispute diplomatically?

As the Jubilife contest continues, Ash, Dawn, Zoey and Jessilina (aka Jessie) pass with flying colors. But the tension mounds and pressure is really put on Dawn. Will she manage to win her very first contest, or will Zoey manage to win it all?

While practicing for the Floaroma Town Pokémon Contest, Dawn reunites with her childhood friend, Kenny, who plans to compete against her. Meanwhile, Jessie sends James and Meowth on a mission to steal a strong Pokémon for her contest appearance.

Ash, Dawn and Brock stop at a Pokémon Center run by a Nurse Joy with two young daughters. When Nurse Joy's younger daughter takes off on a Drifloon to find her sister, Ash sets out to save them before a brewing storm causes tragedy.

After Burmy evolved into Mothim, Ash and co continue through the Eterna Forest where, along the way, they meet Gardenia, an overenthusiastic fan of Grass-type Pokémon. Ash declares a battle with her and she accepts. Will Ash win against this Grass Geek, and could she be the only one?