Ash and friends meet up with Mary, a young girl who helps her parents operate a Mareep farm. She wants to enter the tournament in the upcoming Mareep Festival, but her mother does not want her to because she thinks she is not ready. Mary sets out to prove that she is ready for it and Ash, Misty, and Brock decide to help her.

Continuing their way to Azalea Town, Ash and friends come across a trainer who is looking for a Cyndaquil. According to rumors, there are suppose to be many of them living in the area. Ash gets excited and goes looking for one so he can capture it. However, the trainer from before is not to happen with this and capturing Cyndaquil turns into a contest between the two trainers.