Dawn is in a battle against a Buneary. Piplup starts off with Bubblebeam, but Mimororu dodges it. Mimimoru lands behind Piplup, but Piplup flies to dodge it. Dawn tells Piplup to use Tackle, but Buneary dodges that as well. Ash and Brock think the battle is good for Piplup because it will now be able to feel what battling is like. Piplup fires another Bubblebeam at Buneary. Buneary uses Ice Beam, and the two attacks collide into each other.
Ash and co. are continuing their travel to Kotobuki City. It is morning, and Ash has just woken up. Brock is making breakfast. Ash hears Dawn scream from her tent. When Ash walks over, Dawn tells him not to come in because her hair is messed up. Ash suggests Dawn to wear a hat so no one will notice, but Dawn refuses to do so. She is looking at herself in a mirror. She doesn't want to look messy. Ash tells her that no one will care, but Dawn cares. Croagunk walks up to Brock. Brock explains to Croagunk that their mornings always have this much excitement. Dawn tries to straighten up her hair. When she does, her hair goes in a mess again. Piplup laughs at Dawn and her issue. Dawn then gets a great idea. She tells Piplup to use Bubblebeam. Bubbles begin to float out of the tent.
Brock accidently drops a potato that he was cutting. He asks Croagunk to get the potato for him. Croagunk stares at Brock, then at the potato. Then Croagunk throws the potato in the air. Ash tries to catch the potato, but he bumps into Dawn and falls over. Pikachu jumps up and catches the potato. Buneary takes notice of this. Pikachu does a few front flips and then lands back on its feet. Buneary thinks Pikachu is awesome and smiles. Pikachu hands the potato to Brock. Brock thanks Pikachu for the potato.
Dawn pushes Ash off of her. Ash wants to know why she had Piplup use Bubblebeam. Dawn twirls around. The water from the Bubble Beam fixed up her hair and made it shiny. Ash and Brock can see the effect. Dawn asks Ash if he wants a hair treatment too. Ash says he doesn't need one because he has a hat. Aipom comes out with Ash's hat and runs away. Ash and Pikachu run after Aipom. Pikachu uses Quick Attack to grab the hat from Aipom. It runs on a path. A car comes by. It is almost about to hit Pikachu when Buneary grabs Pikachu and saves it. Ash makes sure Pikachu is okay and retrieves the hat from it. Dawn looks up Buneary in her Pokédex. Ash thanks Buneary for saving Pikachu. Buneary gets embarrassed, and it hops away.
Officer Jenny tells Pikachu that it should watch where it is going. Dawn recognizes Officer Jenny from before. She asks Officer Jenny if she remembers her. Brock walks out and explains to Dawn that there are many Officer Jennys in Shinou. He holds out a photo containing the pictures of all the Officer Jennys. Then Brock introduces himself to Officer Jenny. Officer Jenny says that she is the younger sister of another Officer Jenny. Dawn thinks they all look the same. Brock tells her that they are not the same. He points out the differences between the two Officer Jennys. Before Brock can get any further, Croagunk punches Brock in the stomach and drags him away.
Officer Jenny holds out a picture of three criminals and asks Ash and Dawn if they have seen them. Apparently, they stole lots of machine parts from a factory the other night. Brock feels like he has seen them before. Officer Jenny finally tells them to let her know on any findings they come across to. Back at camp, Ash wonders if Buneary will show up again. Dawn asks Ash if he plans on getting Buneary too. Ash wants to capture Buneary. He thought its skill to save Pikachu was amazing. Dawn also wants to capture Buneary since she hasn't caught a single Pokémon yet. Brock says there is no need to rush since their journey has only begun. Dawn wants to rush. She says that a Pokémon contest in Kotobuki City will be starting soon, and she wants another Pokémon.
Team Rocket is eyeing the food that Ash and co. are eating. James says that they don't have any money for food, nor will they have any money at all until they successfully capture Pikachu. Jessie and Meowth can't work on an empty stomach. They notice that the Croagunk from before is with them. They assume that Croagunk was captured. Ash and Dawn notice that Croagunk didn't finish his Pokémon food. Brock says that Croagunk likes to eat at its own pace. Croagunk looks at the bushes. It attacks the bushes and Buneary pops out. Ash and Dawn are excited. They chase after Buneary. Brock asks them about the dishes, and Ash and Dawn say that they will do them later.
Ash and Dawn make a promise to each other. Whoever doesn't get Buneary will not be upset. Piplup uses Bubblebeam to stop Buneary from moving any further. Her chance at catching Buneary begins. Dawn has had her heart set on catching a Buneary for a very long time. She hopes to succeed this time. Piplup starts off with Peck, but Buneary dodges it. Then Piplup uses Bubblebeam, but Buneary uses Ice Beam to freeze the bubbles into ice balls. Then Buneary attacks Piplup using Dizzy Punch. Piplup becomes confused. With Piplup confused, it is powerless. Brock says that returning a Pokémon to its Pokéball gets rid of confusion. Before Dawn can recall Piplup back, Buneary hits Piplup with Tackle, and Piplup faints.
Now it is Ash's turn to battle Buneary. Ash is counting on Pikachu to win. Buneary has a different attitude when it faces Pikachu. It hides its face in its body. Brock thinks Buneary is in love with Pikachu. Whenever Buneary looks at Pikachu, it gets embarrassed. Ash holds out a Pokéball. Before Ash can use it, Buneary fires an Ice Beam at Ash and co. They are frozen solid. Then Buneary begins to dance with Pikachu. Team Rocket is watching Pikachu and Buneary. They have a much better chance at capturing Pikachu since Buneary doesn't want to attack it and Ash and co. are frozen solid.
Buneary continues to dance with Pikachu in the forest. Pikachu wants to stop dancing. It gets angry with Buneary. Tears are soon formed in Buneary's eyes. Ash's Mukkuru flies down to Pikachu and Buneary. Buneary gets very upset, and it begins to cry. Suddenly, a mechanical arm reaches out and grabs Buneary. Buneary is trapped. Pikachu tries to shock the sealed cage. Meowth laughs and says that Buneary will receive the damage if it is shocked with electricity. Pikachu doesn't know what to do.
Croagunk walks through the forest. It punches the ice and breaks it. Ash and co. are saved. They thank Croagunk for saving them. Then Mukkuru flies above Ash and co. Meowth wants to capture Pikachu. Pikachu nods its head, and they capture Pikachu. Pikachu is put in a similar cage as Buneary. Pikachu then tells Meowth that they should let Buneary go since they now have him. Jessie can't believe how naive Pikachu is. They would never let Buneary go.
Suddenly, Ash and co. show up, and Team Rocket says their motto. Jessie is surprised that Pikachu has wanted to become caught to save Buneary. Buneary tries to tackle its way out, but it is useless. Ash calls out to Pikachu and Buneary saying that he will save them. When Ash approaches the robot machine, the claws attack Ash. Team Rocket is happy with their new robot machine. They believe that the different materials used is making their machine successful. Suddenly, Officer Jenny approaches the group. Officer Jenny holds up the poster and accuses Team Rocket of being the thieves. Jessie sees the poster and notices that they were captured on the camera very well. James and Meowth tell Jessie that she shouldn't pose for the camera next time. As an actress, Jessie believes that a smile and pose is common sense. Brock warns Officer Jenny that they are from Team Rocket.
Pikachu uses Iron Tail on the cage a few times and manages to break free. Jessie tells Meowth to do something. Meowth presses a button and two rocket jets appear. Team Rocket begins to fly away with both Pikachu and Buneary. While in the air, Pikachu uses Iron Tail on Buneary's cage too and breaks it. Then Pikachu uses Thunderbolt, and Buneary uses Ice Beam. Team Rocket begins to fall. Then Pikachu and Buneary hold hands and jump. Ash manages to catch Pikachu, and Dawn catches Buneary. Team Rocket is disappointed. When they finally obtain good tools, they end up using them in the wrong way. Officer Jenny walks up to Team Rocket and tells them that they are under arrest. Team Rocket begins to run away with Officer Jenny chasing them. Brock wishes Officer Jenny the best.
Dawn makes sure Buneary is alright. Then Dawn asks Buneary if it would like to come with her. It would be able to be with Pikachu. Buneary likes the idea a lot. However, before Dawn can capture Buneary, she will first have to battle it just like any other trainer would. Dawn makes sure that it is okay with Ash that she gets to capture Buneary. It is fine with him.
Dawn sends out Piplup. Piplup uses Bubblebeam, but Buneary dodges the attack by flying into the air. Then Buneary lands from behind Piplup. Piplup runs away to avoid Buneary. Then Piplup uses Tackle, but Buneary dodges it. Dawn thinks it is a really good battle so far. Piplup uses Bubblebeam, and Buneary uses Ice Beam. Both attacks collide into each other, and the result is a tie. Then Buneary charges towards Piplup and begins to hit it with Dizzy Punch. Brock warns Dawn that Piplup may get confused again. Dawn tells Piplup to use Peck. Piplup does causing Buneary to fall to the ground. Then Dawn throws a Pokéball at Buneary. The ball wiggles for a bit, but then stops. Dawn caught Buneary!
Dawn is happy that she caught her first Pokémon. Ash and Brock congratulate her. Then Dawn sends out her new companion, Buneary. Dawn hopes to do well in her first Pokémon contest with Piplup and Buneary.
