With Pikachu healed up, Ash decides to not return with his mom and Professor Oak to Kanto and to travel around the Unova region instead. As he begins his travels he meets a girl named Iris and together they decide to travel with each other, but when Pikachu and Axew are stolen by Team Rocket, will they be able to save their only Pokémon?

While on the way to Striaton City, Ash and Iris arrive in Karakusa Town and Ash hears about a place called the Pokémon Battle Club. Interested, he decides to go check it out. However, trouble is abound as a mysterious pokémon has been spotted nearby and both Ash and Iris wants to capture it.