Continuing on to the Grand Festival, Ash and friends find a girl named Marley in a river and swiftly bound for a waterfall. Brock rescues her, and they find out that a legendary Shaymin is with her, injured by a group of thugs who want to steal it. Team Rocket, who are the ones responsible, set out in an attempt to nab Shaymin once more. Ash and friends, knowing the danger, join Marley in helping to keep Shaymin safe while returning it to its friends.

Ash and friends arrive in a town where they find out that one of the last contests before the Grand Festival is going to be held. Since Dawn already has her fifth ribbon, however, she decides not to participate. As they're moving on, a woman comes up to them and asks them to follow, bringing them to a princess by the name of Salvia. Surprisingly, Salvia looks as if she could be Dawn's identical twin, and because of this, the former asks Dawn if she could take her place as princess for one day so that she could participate in the Pokémon Contest. How will Dawn react to this extraordinary request?