Chapter Summaries

Xiaoyun and Dawn shared an awkwardly flirtatious moment before arguing playfully with Piplup, while Ash prepared to leave for Oreburgh City. After the group parted ways, they encountered a purple-haired boy with an Elekid who was watching Ash.

• Dawn drifted into a happy daydream after Xiaoyun's earnest words, then apologized to Professor Oak for spacing out.
• Xiaoyun missed Dawn's request to continue what he had been saying, and she got angry when he called her a hassle.
• Dawn sent Piplup after Xiaoyun, but Piplup missed its Tackle and Xiaoyun pinned it with a cushion before Professor Rowan interrupted them.
• Ash said he would head to Oreburgh City to challenge the Gym, while Xiaoyun and Dawn planned to visit Jubilife City for a Pokémon Contest.
• Xiaoyun and Ash agreed to part ways and battle another time, then they encountered a purple-haired boy with an Elekid watching Ash.

Ash and Paul clashed over their opposing views on Pokémon training before starting a three-on-three battle. Paul’s Starly defeated Ash’s Starly, and Ash sent out Aipom while Paul chose Chimchar for the second round.

• Ash met Paul, who criticized Ash’s belief that Trainers and Pokémon were partners and valued strength and tactics above their bond.
• Ash challenged Paul’s views, and Paul proposed a three-on-three battle that Brock agreed to referee.
• Ash and Paul each sent out a Starly, and Ash’s Starly lost to Paul’s Starly after Paul used Double Team and Aerial Ace.
• Ash recalled his Starly and sent out Aipom, while Paul recalled his Starly and brought out Chimchar.

Ash and Paul’s battle ended in a draw between Pikachu and Elekid, after which Paul released Starly for failing to meet his standards. Professor Rowan proposed that Xiaoyun battle Paul, and they agreed to a one-on-one match with the loser owing the winner a request.

• Ash’s Aipom defeated Paul’s Chimchar, and Paul recalled Chimchar while criticizing it for failing to show its power.
• Ash’s Pikachu and Paul’s Elekid knocked each other down, and Paul declared himself the loser despite still having Starly available.
• Paul released Starly, prompting Ash to challenge his treatment of his Pokémon.
• Professor Rowan asked Xiaoyun to battle Paul, and Paul accepted after questioning Xiaoyun’s ability.
• Xiaoyun set the battle rules: one Pokémon each, no restrictions, and the loser would grant the winner one request.

Xiaoyun battled Paul with Sceptile against Torterra, and the two trainers traded attacks as Xiaoyun repeatedly used Sceptile’s speed and moves to counter Paul’s tactics. The fight remained unresolved as Paul ordered Torterra to use Curse.

• Xiaoyun agreed to battle Paul, while Dawn and Piplup cheered him on.
• Paul sent out Torterra, and Xiaoyun answered with Sceptile, beginning their battle.
• Paul used Rock Tomb to restrict Sceptile, but Xiaoyun had Sceptile use Quick Attack across the falling rocks and strike with Leaf Blade.
• Torterra caught Sceptile’s Leaf Blade with Crunch and tried to drain its stamina with Mega Drain, but Sceptile broke free by firing Energy Ball at Torterra’s head.
• Paul ordered Earthquake, but Sceptile dodged by jumping and used Bullet Seed to keep Torterra pinned down.
• As Xiaoyun’s counters frustrated Paul, Paul ordered Torterra to use Curse.

Xiaoyun and Sceptile defeated Paul’s Torterra with their custom Blade Storm technique, leaving Paul eager to study his loss and challenge Xiaoyun again. Xiaoyun explained how he developed the move and described the difficult training behind it.

• Paul had Torterra use Curse to raise its Attack and Defense, then ordered it to unleash Frenzy Plant against Sceptile.
• Xiaoyun told Sceptile to use Blade Storm, and Sceptile’s spinning Leaf Blade cut through Torterra’s brambles and knocked Torterra out.
• Paul asked what the attack was, and Xiaoyun explained how he adapted Bugsy’s Scyther’s spinning Swords Dance into an offensive technique for Sceptile.
• Paul accepted his defeat, recalled Torterra, and said he would review the battle and devise a strategy for their next match.
• Professor Rowan praised Xiaoyun’s talent, and Xiaoyun explained that Sceptile had needed extensive practice to master Blade Storm.

Xiaoyun defeated Paul and reminded him of their promise that the loser would grant the winner one request. Xiaoyun asked Paul to let him raise Chimchar if Paul ever lost faith in him, and Paul agreed to give Chimchar more time to prove himself.

• Dawn, Ash, and Brock praised Xiaoyun and Sceptile after Xiaoyun's victory over Paul.
• Xiaoyun stopped Paul and reminded him that their pre-battle promise was witnessed by Professor Rowan.
• Xiaoyun asked Paul to let him raise Chimchar if Paul ever decided to stop training him.
• Paul questioned Xiaoyun about Chimchar's hidden power, but Xiaoyun pretended not to know about it.
• Paul looked at Chimchar's Poké Ball, decided to give him more time, and agreed to Xiaoyun's request.

After leaving Sandgem Town, Xiaoyun and Dawn traveled toward Jubilife City, where Dawn practiced throwing Poké Balls. Xiaoyun accidentally caught a Buneary with a casual throw, but Buneary emerged furious and attacked them.

• Xiaoyun promised Paul that he could have Chimchar if it failed to meet his expectations, then departed with Dawn while Ash and the others stayed behind.
• Xiaoyun and Dawn left Sandgem Town for Jubilife City and camped after a day of travel.
• Dawn practiced throwing Poké Balls, and Xiaoyun teased her about missing Buneary and hitting him in the face instead.
• Xiaoyun invented a throwing mnemonic and demonstrated it by accidentally hitting a Buneary with a Poké Ball.
• Buneary emerged from the Poké Ball, glared at Xiaoyun and Dawn, and fired an icy beam at them.

Dawn battled the Ice Beam-using Buneary with Piplup and finally caught it after Piplup learned Aqua Jet during the fight. Xiaoyun treated Buneary and said it only needed rest.

• Xiaoyun pulled Dawn out of the way of Buneary’s Ice Beam and encouraged her to catch it.
• Dawn challenged Buneary and sent Piplup to battle, but Buneary dodged Bubble Beam and countered with Dizzy Punch and Ice Beam.
• While evading Buneary’s attacks, Piplup learned Aqua Jet and used it to strike the exhausted Buneary.
• Dawn threw a Poké Ball and caught Buneary, celebrating her first Pokémon capture.
• Dawn let Buneary out, and Xiaoyun treated it, saying it had only exhausted itself and needed rest.

Xiaoyun and Dawn traveled through the forest after settling Buneary and Piplup's squabble, but they became lost in the Forest of Confusion. As they ventured deeper, Xiaoyun frightened Dawn with a ghost story, and she clung to him.

• Buneary froze Piplup with Ice Beam, then won Dawn's sympathy by pretending to be helpless when Piplup demanded a rematch.
• Xiaoyun advised Piplup to rely on social skills instead of force, and Piplup became confident after Dawn praised him.
• After spending the night, Xiaoyun and Dawn set out for Jubilife City but realized they were lost in the Forest of Confusion.
• Xiaoyun explained that Stantler's glowing antlers could lead travelers into illusions, then took Dawn's hand as they continued through the forest.
• When Dawn asked whether anything besides Stantler lived there, Xiaoyun shouted that there were ghosts, frightening her into jumping into his arms.

Xiaoyun and Dawn found Team Rocket’s smoking balloon and followed it into the forest, where Jessie, James, and Meowth searched a hollow tree for food. The trio discovered Berries and Combee honey, but their argument over whether to eat or sell it left them unaware of danger approaching.

• Xiaoyun pointed out Team Rocket’s falling Meowth balloon, and he and Dawn went to investigate.
• Jessie, James, and Meowth crawled out of their crashed balloon and searched for shelter and food.
• James led Jessie and Meowth into a hollow tree, where they found Berry cores, travelers’ bags, and a hidden cache of Berries.
• James discovered a jar of Combee honey, and Jessie claimed it for its supposed beauty benefits.
• Jessie, James, and Meowth argued over whether to keep or sell the honey as danger approached unnoticed.

Jessie spilled Ursaring’s treasured honey, prompting Ursaring to chase Team Rocket through the Forest of Confusion. Xiaoyun and Dawn encountered the fleeing trio and stood to battle Ursaring, whose Hyper Beam clashed with their Pokémon’s attacks.

• Jessie ignored James and Meowth’s warnings and dropped the jar of Combee honey, enraging Ursaring.
• Ursaring fired a Hyper Beam at Team Rocket, then chased them through the forest as they fled.
• Xiaoyun and Dawn headed toward the forest’s exit and encountered the fleeing Rocket Trio.
• Ursaring caught up with Xiaoyun and Dawn, who sent out Turtwig and Piplup to fight it.
• Turtwig’s Razor Leaf and Piplup’s Bubble Beam collided with Ursaring’s Hyper Beam.

Xiaoyun and Turtwig wore down and caught a powerful Ursaring after it chased them through the forest. Dawn admired Xiaoyun’s battling, while elsewhere Ash sneezed and wondered whether Team Rocket was nearby.

• Xiaoyun recognized Ursaring’s strength and decided to catch it, then sent Turtwig to battle while Dawn stepped aside with Piplup.
• Turtwig used Withdraw, Razor Leaf, and Energy Ball to weaken Ursaring while avoiding a direct fight.
• Turtwig’s Leech Seed drained Ursaring’s remaining stamina, and a final Energy Ball knocked it out.
• Xiaoyun caught Ursaring, and Dawn and Piplup cheered after briefly freezing at his triumphant pose.
• Elsewhere in the forest, Ash sneezed and checked for Team Rocket, sensing that someone might be after Pikachu.

Xiaoyun tried to convince the defiant Ursaring to become his Pokémon, then won it over by offering Pokémon food and daily Pokéblocks. Ursaring accepted the arrangement and began eating happily while Dawn patted its head.

• Dawn reassured Xiaoyun and asked why he had caught the hot-tempered Ursaring.
• Xiaoyun questioned Ursaring about their battle, but Ursaring still refused to become his Pokémon.
• Dawn warned Xiaoyun not to abuse Pokémon after his unsettling laugh, and Xiaoyun denied intending to hurt Ursaring.
• Xiaoyun offered Ursaring Pokémon food and promised special Normal-type Pokéblocks, and Ursaring eagerly agreed to join him.
• Ursaring devoured the food and let Dawn pat its head, quickly settling into its new role.

Xiaoyun and Dawn followed Ursaring to his den, where they collected Berries and discovered a Mega Stone. After explaining Mega Evolution to Dawn, Xiaoyun set off with them to leave the Forest of Confusion before dark.

• Xiaoyun and Dawn followed Ursaring to his tree hollow after he stopped to gather his belongings.
• Xiaoyun and Dawn explored Ursaring’s messy den and found honey and a basket of Berries, including rare Salac Berries and Apicot Berries.
• Xiaoyun promised to make the Berries into Poffins for Ursaring after they left the forest.
• Xiaoyun found a purple Mega Stone and explained Mega Evolution to Dawn, though he could not identify which Pokémon it belonged to.
• Xiaoyun, Dawn, and Ursaring packed their finds and prepared to leave the Forest of Confusion before dark.

Xiaoyun assessed Ursaring’s moves and began training him to learn ranged attacks so he could become a more versatile fighter. He wondered how to obtain a Peat Block for Ursaring’s evolution while Dawn’s training also struggled.

• Xiaoyun assigned Sceptile and Turtwig their daily training before turning to Ursaring.
• Xiaoyun checked Ursaring’s Pokédex profile and found that he had a strong move pool and Gym Stage strength but few ranged attacks.
• Xiaoyun told Ursaring to study Rock Tomb and learn to broaden his coverage after his lack of ranged moves had let Turtwig wear him down.
• Xiaoyun planned for Ursaring to learn further combat moves and considered how to obtain a Peat Block to evolve him into Ursaluna.
• Dawn’s training was not going smoothly.

Dawn struggled to train Piplup to perform a spinning Bubble Beam for a Pokémon Contest because he became dizzy and lost control. Xiaoyun set up an intense spinning exercise to help him adapt, and after the first round left Dawn worried about how much more Piplup could take.

• Dawn trained Piplup to spin in midair while using Bubble Beam, but his dizziness made the bubbles fly wildly and caused him to crash.
• Dawn told Xiaoyun about her planned Contest routine and Piplup’s difficulty, and Xiaoyun promised to help him overcome the dizziness.
• Xiaoyun put Piplup on Turtwig’s shell and had Ursaring strike it to make it spin, while assigning Sceptile to keep everyone safe.
• Piplup clung to the spinning shell, then staggered off feeling extremely dizzy, and Xiaoyun told him to rest for five minutes before another round.
• Dawn asked Xiaoyun to give Piplup more time to recover, but Xiaoyun sent her aside so he could have a heart-to-heart with Piplup.

Xiaoyun pushed Piplup through intensive training until it overcame its fear of spinning, performed Spinning Bubble Beam, and learned Whirlpool. After Piplup recovered from exhaustion, Xiaoyun and Dawn continued their journey and reached the outskirts of Jubilife City.

• Xiaoyun encouraged Piplup to face its fear and train by reminding it of Dawn’s upcoming Contest and its pride as her Starter Pokémon.
• Piplup trained on Turtwig’s back, repeatedly falling before learning to release Bubble Beam while spinning.
• Dawn resolved to make Piplup’s hard work worthwhile, and Piplup mastered Spinning Bubble Beam that afternoon.
• Piplup also learned Whirlpool, then fainted from exhaustion after Xiaoyun praised it for not disappointing Dawn.
• Dawn cared for Piplup after it woke at dusk, and the next morning she and Xiaoyun set out toward Jubilife City.

Xiaoyun and Dawn arrived in Jubilife City, where Dawn failed to buy a Pokémon Watch before Teruhiko recruited Xiaoyun for a Pokétch Company quiz event. Xiaoyun answered the first clown’s questions and earned a coupon, while the pair prepared to find the next clown.

• Xiaoyun and Dawn reached Jubilife City, recovered their Pokémon, and registered Dawn for a Pokémon Contest.
• Dawn went to buy a Pokémon Watch, but the store had recalled its stock, so the pair bought journey supplies instead.
• Teruhiko introduced himself and his Shinx, then asked Xiaoyun to help with a Pokétch Company quiz event.
• Xiaoyun followed Teruhiko to the first clown and answered several dozen Pokémon questions correctly.
• The clown gave Xiaoyun a coupon and told him to seek out the next clown.

Xiaoyun and Dawn completed Teruhiko’s clown quiz and learned that his father, Teruatsu, had recruited them to test the Pokétch Company’s new Pokémon Watch. They accepted watches and a Pokémon Egg as compensation, and Teruhiko promised to attend Dawn’s Contest the next day.

• Xiaoyun and Dawn answered the final clown’s questions and collected three vouchers.
• Teruhiko introduced his father, Teruatsu, who revealed that he had been disguised as the clowns to find Trainers for a product test.
• Teruatsu explained the company’s need for Trainers to test the Pokémon Watch and offered Xiaoyun and Dawn watches in exchange for feedback during their travels.
• Xiaoyun accepted after Teruatsu offered additional compensation, and he and Dawn received Pokémon Watches and a Pokémon Egg.
• Teruatsu wished Dawn success at her Contest, and Teruhiko promised to watch and cheer for her.

On the day of the Jubilife City Pokémon Contest, Xiaoyun accompanied Dawn to the venue, where they met Ash and heard Zoey criticize him for entering as a battle Trainer. Xiaoyun encouraged Ash and reassured Dawn before leaving to watch the competition.

• Dawn emerged in her formal dress, and Xiaoyun praised her before escorting her toward the contestants' waiting room.
• Xiaoyun and Dawn met Ash, who explained that he had entered Aipom in the contest because Aipom wanted to perform.
• Zoey told Ash that Pokémon Contests were sacred to Coordinators and urged him not to enter one again.
• Dawn explained that Zoey had helped her and was a new Coordinator who had already won a Ribbon.
• Xiaoyun encouraged the unsettled Ash to compete as himself, then reassured Dawn that she would shine onstage before heading to the audience seats.