The episode starts with the gang walking through and forest and May complaining about how it seems to go on forever. Brock says once they are out of the forest they will be close to the Battle Pyramid. Ash starts to get exited at the prospect of his rematch with Brandon, just as they reach the edge of the forest.

Aipom and Pikachu run off and start exploring the area and the gang decide to take a break. Aipom starts sniffing some flowers before wandering into a patch of tall grass, quickly becoming lost.

Suddenly a strong wind kicks up and the gang wonder where it has come from. Just then Aipom comes face to face with a rather sinister looking Pokemon. The Pokemon taunts Aipom, luring it into battle and attacks with a Shadow Ball. Aipom dodges the attack and the resulting explosion alerts Ash and friends to what is going on.

They find Aipom facing off against the Pokemon which Max recognises as a Weavile. Ash decides to battle the Weavile just as it launches another Shadow Ball, this time at the four of them. The move out of the way, but Weavile fires another Shadow Ball aggravating Ash, who has Pikachu attack with Thunderbolt. Weavile easily dodges the attack and Ash is shocked at how fast it is. Weavile directs another Shadow Ball at Pikachu which sends it flying and Ash decides to have Aipom take over.

Ash tells it to use Swift and it does so, but Weavile easily dodges again. Ash then has Aipom use Double Team and Weavile is faced with 5 Aipoms charging at it. Ash tells Aipom to use Swift again, but Weavile stands its ground, knowing that only the real one can attack. When the attack is launched, Weavile dodges and launches another Shadow Ball, knocking Aipom out.

As the gang rush over to Aipom, Max notices that Weavile has disappeared. As the four of them wonder why Weavile attacked them, a man runs over to them. Ash asks who he is but the man says firth they need to get Aipom some help, and takes them back to his hut in the forest.

Meanwhile, Team Rocket have been watching from nearby and comment on how easily Aipom was defeated. Mewoth thinks that it would be best to steer clear of Weavile, however Jessie has other ideas and intends to add it to her team. Despite Meowth's ideas to give it to the boss, Jessie is determined to keep it for herself. Jessie and Mewoth are confident of success but James isn't so sure.

At the forest hut, the man puts Aipom in a bed to give it some rest and introduces himself as Kerrigan, with the others introducing themselves as well. Kerrigan says that Aipom will be fine after having a sleep and Ash thanks him. Brock asks him what is the deal with the Weavile, and Kerrigan explains that the Weavile is a stray who recently left the troop of Weavile and Sneasel that live in the forest. Whenever it comes across people with Pokemon it attacks them. He says this has been happening a lot recently but he doesn't know why.

Kerrigan decides to investigate further and Ash and friends ask if they can come along too. Kerrigan says it will be dangerous but this doesn't deter the gang and the five of them set get ready to go out into the forest.

In the middle of the forest Weavile is standing high on a tree branch, remembering what has happened to it. In a flashback, it has been injured during a fight and is leaving the forest. It is followed by a lone Sneasel who is trying to get it to come back but Weavile ignores it and moves along. Back in reality, Weavile jumps down from the tree and runs deeper into the forest.

As the gang continue their search Ash comments on how they haven't seen a thing. Max asks Pikachu to see if it can smell if Weavile is nearby. After sniffing around, Pikachu picks up a scent and runs deeper into the forest with the gang giving chase.

At a pond in the forest, Weavile is starring at its reflection when it is confronted by Meowth who is disguised as a Weavile. James doubts that the plan will work but Jessie scolds him and disregards his comments. Meowth's act doesn't fool Weavile who threatens him causes Meowth to run away. Jessie is furious and tries to get Meowth to go back out, but before she can, Ash and fiends turn up.

Pikachu faces off against Weavile and the two argue before Team Rocket accidentally reveal themselves and recite their motto. Jessie tries to encourage Weavile to join her and but her efforts are ignored.

Suddenly as Sneasel comes out of the forest and approaches Weavile. Kerrigan recognises it as a member of the troop living in the forest and Ash wonders what it is doing here. Jessie gets Meowth to translate their conversation, and he says Weavile is asking why Sneasel is following it, and Sneasel says it wants to escape with it. Ash wonders what Sneasel is trying to escape from, as Meowth continues to translate with Sneasel saying how a rogue Weavile turned up and defeated the leader of the troop. The leader left and became a stray, aiming to become strong enough to win back leadership of the troop. Weavile says that it doesn't need Sneasel's help and it can become strong by itself. Since the rogue Weavile took control of the troop, Sneasel has been bullied and has left it as well.

As Ash and May comment on how awful the situation is the rogue Weavile, accompanied by 3 cronies, show up. Kerrigan suspects it has been following Sneasel since it left the troop. Sneasel cowers behind the stray Weavile. Jessie disapproves of this and rushes over to Weavile, with James and Mewoth following her. Annoyed by this, Weavile sends them blasting off with one of its Shadow Balls.

The stray Weavile is now cornered by the three Weavile cronies who are trying to get Sneasel back. Max wonders what to do as Ash encourages the stray not to back down. The rogue orders its three cronies to attack but Ash has Pikachu use Thunderbolt on them. The attack knocks them out and now the rogue and stray Weaviles face off.

The two glare at each other before running down the bank. The rogue fires off a Shadow Ball, which the stray dodges before launching its own Shadow Ball. The rogue also dodges and the attack explodes in the pond. The water spout hides the rogue before it jumps out and attacks with its claw. The stray blocks the attack and pushes the rogue into the water and launches another Shadow Ball. The attack hits nothing , the rogue having disappeared, reappearing back on the bank. The rogue fires another Shadow Ball attack, and the stray remembers how this is how the rogue won last time by following up with a slash attack. The stray dodges the Shadow Ball and catches the rogue's claw as it comes in with the slash. It throws the rogue hard onto the bank and finishes off with a dummy slash, claiming the victory.

Brock remarks that the stray is now the leader again and Ash says that all of its training has paid off.

Sneasel runs up to the rogue to see if it is ok, surprising both Weavile. It helps the rogue up and brings the claws of the stray and the rogue together as a sign of respect. May remarks how the two of them have made a truce.

The cronies run up to them and Kerrigan remarks how tings should return to normal. Weavile thanks Ash for its support as the troop head back into the forest.

Back at the hut Aipom is better and the gang are leaving Kerrigan with a much more peaceful forest to look after.

The episode ends with the four of them chasing Aipom out through the forest on the way to the Battle Pyramid.

Thanks to Celibitwo for writing this for us