There are only a few days left until the Slateport contest. May has been working hard in training her Pokémon. One trainer that she can't wait to go up against is Drew. She recalls back the times she had with Drew. May then asks Brock to take care of Torchic for her while she goes off to train Beautifly. Torchic is sad that it is not with May.

At breakfast, Max tells Ash and Brock that he thinks that May doesn't even like Torchic anymore because she is spending all of her time with Beautifly. Ash and Brock tell Max that May loves Torchic because Torchic was May's first Pokémon. Max still doesn't understand why being the first Pokémon matters. Ash explains to Max that your first Pokémon is always very special to you. Ash mentions that him and Pikachu weren't always buddies at the start. Max asks Brock what his very first Pokémon was. Brock tells a story about how it was his tenth birthday and he got an onix from his father. That day, Brock received his recognition from his father. Max wonders what his first Pokémon will be.

Nurse Joy passes by Ash and co. She sees that their Treecko, Torchic, and Mudkip have been raised very well. Nurse Joy tells them that there is a new trainer coming by, so she has to make sure that their Treecko, Torchic, and Mudkip are healthy. Brock wants to help Nurse Joy with the check up. Nurse Joy thinks that they should all come and help her.

May and Beautifly are on a beach training for the contest. Beautifly has just finished using its Silver Wind attack. May thinks Beautifly should last the Silver Wind a bit longer. She knows that she is pushing Beautifly hard, but May wants to win the contest. Suddenly, they see a Wailord washed up on the beach.

Nurse Joy leads Ash, Brock, and Max to a mini laboratory. Since there isn't a laboratory in town, the Pokémon Center acts as one for any beginning Pokémon trainers. Nurse Joy scans the beginners Pokémon. They all seem to be in good shape. Then Nurse Joy lets Max take the Pokémon out of their Pokéballs for some exercise. Max is really excited to do this considering he doesn't have his own Pokémon.

Suddenly, Nurse Joy gets a call from May. May tells Nurse Joy about the problem with Wailord. Ash looks up Wailord in his Pokédex. It happens to be the largest Pokémon yet discovered. Nurse Joy tells Ash and co. that they will have to babysit the Pokémon while she is gone, however the Pokémon are not allowed to leave the building. Brock follows Nurse Joy to help Wailord. Max is excited that he will finally be able to take care of Pokémon. He feels almost like a real trainer.

Team Rocket has been listening to their conversation. Jessie thinks they should capture the Wailord and bring it to the boss because the boss likes things that are big. Torchic has managed to escape the room. It is headed right out the door. Ash, Max, and the other Pokémon chase after it. May's Torchic gives the baby Torchic a mean look. The baby Torchic has tears in its eyes, but it is a trick. The Torchic uses Ember on May's Torchic. Pikachu blocks Torchic's way. However, Pikachu falls for Torchic's trick too. This time Treecko blocks Torchic's way. Treecko doesn't fall for any of Torchic's tricks. Max picks up Torchic. Torchic begins to squirm its way out of Max's hands. Ash sends out Corphish to stop Torchic from escaping. Torchic scratches Corphish and escapes outside. Corphish isn't too happy at Torchic right now.

Ash, Max, and the other Pokémon begin to chase after the Torchic. Corphish runs ahead from the group and tackles the Torchic. Both Corphish and Torchic go head to head against each other. Ash tells Corphish to stop what it is doing. Suddenly, Torchic knocks Corphish out and runs away. Ash can't believe how strong Corphish is.


May is resting in the Pokémon Center. Max brings May a cup of tea. He starts to act extra nice to May. Meanwhile, Stephanie, the new girl, has arrived. She is carefully examining the new Pokémon. May's Torchic is in there. Ash tells Stephanie that Mudkip and Treecko are great choices, and Torchic is a bad choice. Nurse Joy hears some banging noises going on. The noise is coming from the Combusken who is locked in a closet.

May asks Max where Torchic is at. Max nervously says that Torchic is outside. May begins to walk out the door, but Max stops her. May notices that there is something wrong. She pushes Max out of the way and opens the door. Torchic jumps into May's arms. Max apologizes to Ash since he couldn't hold May in any longer. Suddenly, the Combusken breaks out of the closet. Ash and Max apologize to Nurse Joy. They explain to her that the Combusken is actually the Torchic that they were suppose to watch over.

Suddenly, they see someone moving the Wailord. It is Team Rocket. They are in their balloon carrying Wailord. Ash and co. run up to Team Rocket. Nurse Joy demands that the release Wailord. Team Rocket ignores her, and they say their motto. Combusken uses Flamethrower on Team Rocket. Then it destroys the ropes that are holding Wailord together with Mega Kick. Wailord lands back into the ocean. Then Pikachu shocks Team Rocket with Thunderbolt. Team Rocket blasts off again.

Stephanie and her father applaud to Ash and his performance. Stephanie has decided to choose Mudkip as her first Pokémon. Treecko looks at Stephanie's father. Stephanie's father gazes at Treecko. Stephanie's father wants to take Treecko along witih him. Nurse Joy says that it is okay. Ash apologizes to Combusken. Because it evolved, it couldn't be picked. Nurse Joy has decided to make Combusken a guard Pokémon. Combusken likes the sound of the idea. Right now, the only thing on Max's mind is his very first Pokémon. He calls out to the world that he will be waiting for that moment.

English Official Summary

May is eagerly preparing her Beautifly for the Pokémon Contest while Max watches her Torchic. He is debating which Pokémon he will begin with when he comes of age. May discovers a beached Wailord and contacts Nurse Joy at the Pokémon Center. Joy and Brock rush to help while Ash and Max are left to take care of the Pokémon Center. Team Rocket decides to try to steal the Wailord. At the Pokémon Center, Ash, Max and all the Pokémon are having a difficult time capturing a particularly troublesome Torchic. The Torchic evolves into a Combusken, which is an even bigger headache, especially because a new Trainer is coming to choose between a Torchic, Mudkip, or Treecko. Team Rocket tries to steal Wailord, but the newly evolved Combusken foils their plans and sends them blasting off again. The new Trainer chooses Mudkip and Combusken is invited to stay and guard the Pokémon Center.

French Official Summary

Impressionnée par la façon dont Sacha et Max élèvent leurs Pokémon, l’infirmière Joëlle les engage pour prendre soin d’un Arcko, d’un Gobou, et d’un Poussifeu qui attendent une Dresseuse Pokémon sur le point de commencer son voyage. Le Poussifeu s’avère le plus turbulent du groupe, et lorsque Sacha lui envoie plusieurs de ses Pokémon pour le convaincre gentiment d’obéir, il provoque sans le vouloir son évolution en Galifeu ! La Dresseuse débutante ne va pas tarder à arriver ! Max et Sacha réfléchissent rapidement, et décident que le Poussifeu de Flora prendra la place du Pokémon évolué. Cependant, comme Flora va bientôt rentrer de son entraînement pour le concours, Sacha ferait mieux de convaincre la jeune Dresseuse que Poussifeu n’est pas un bon Pokémon pour elle !

German Official Summary

Maike bereitet ihr Papinella noch auf den Pokémon-Wettbewerb vor, während Max auf ihr Flemmli aufpasst. Maike entdeckt ein gestrandetes Wailord und ruft Schwester Joy vom Pokémon-Center hinzu.

Italian Official Summary

Vera è impegnatissima a preparare il suo Beautifly per la Gara di Pokémon, mentre Max controlla il suo Torchic. Vera trova un Wailord riverso sulla spiaggia e contatta l'infermiera Joy presso il Centro Pokémon.

Portuguese Official Summary

Uma nova Treinadora para em um Centro Pokémon para escolher seu primeiro parceiro Pokémon, e a Enfermeira Joy pede para Ash e Max tomarem conta de Treecko, Torchic e Mudkip pra ela!

Spanish Latin America Official Summary

Una nueva Entrenadora va hacia el Centro Pokémon a escoger a su primer compañero Pokémon, y la Enfermera Joy le pide a Ash y a Max que cuiden de Treecko, Torchic, y Mudkip por ella.

Spanish Official Summary

Impresionada de lo bien que han criado a sus propios Pokémon, la Enfermera Joy recluta a Ash y a Max para cuidar de Treecko, Mudkip y Torchic mientras esperan que una Entrenadora Pokémon llegue. El Torchic demuestra ser el más bullicioso del grupo y, cuando Ash envía a varios de sus Pokémon a que intenten que obedezca por las buenas, provoca sin darse cuenta la evolución del problemático Pokémon en un Combusken. Poco antes de que llegue la nueva Entrenadora, Max y Ash tienen que pensar rápido y hacen pasar al Torchic de Aura por el Pokémon evolucionado. Aura ya está de vuelta de su entrenamiento para el concurso, así que Ash espera convencer a la nueva Entrenadora de que Torchic no es el Pokémon para ella.

English Great Britian Official Summary

May is eagerly preparing her Beautifly for the Pokémon Contest while Max watches her Torchic. He is debating which Pokémon he will begin with when he comes of age. May discovers a beached Wailord and contacts Nurse Joy at the Pokémon Center. Joy and Brock rush to help while Ash and Max are left to take care of the Pokémon Center. Team Rocket decides to try to steal the Wailord. At the Pokémon Center, Ash, Max and all the Pokémon are having a difficult time capturing a particularly troublesome Torchic. The Torchic evolves into a Combusken, which is an even bigger headache, especially because a new Trainer is coming to choose between a Torchic, Mudkip, or Treecko. Team Rocket tries to steal Wailord, but the newly evolved Combusken foils their plans and sends them blasting off again. The new Trainer chooses Mudkip and Combusken is invited to stay and guard the Pokémon Center.

Russian Official Summary

Пока Мэй тренируется с Бьютифлай, Медсестра Джой просит Эша и Макса приглядеть за Торчиком, Трико и Мадкипом, один из которых станет первым покемоном тренера по имени Стефани. Торчик оказывается самым  непокорным из них, и Эш прибегает к помощи остальных своих покемонов, чтобы угомонить его. В это время он эволюционирует в Комбаскена. За минуту до прибытия нового тренера, Эш просит Торчика Мэй подменить эволюционировавшего покемона. Несмотря на все протесты, Стефани выбирает себе именно Торчика, но в этот момент появляется Мэй, которая хочет хабрать своего покемона. Комбаскен даёт отпор Команде Р, Стефани решает взять Мадкипа, а ее отец решает выбрать Трико своим первым покемоном. Медсестра Джой просит Комбаскена остаться в центре покемонов и охранять ее родителей. Все хорошо, что хорошо кончается.

Dutch Official Summary

Een nieuwe Trainer komt in het Pokémon Center om haar eerste  Pokémon-partner uit te kiezen en Zuster Joy vraagt Ash en Max om voor haar Treecko, torchic en Mudkip te zorgen!

Danish Official Summary

Da en ny Træner kommer forbi Pokémon-centret for at vælge sin første Pokémon-makker, beder Nurse Joy Ash og Max om at passe Treecko, Torchic og Mudkip for hende!

Swedish Official Summary

En ny Tränare stannar till på ett Pokémon-center för att få sin första Pokémon, och Syster Joy ber Ash och Max att ta hand om Treecko, Torchic och Mudkip åt henne!