Ash and co are walking in the woods, until they get to a fork. May and Max then get into a fight about which way to go. Brock then stops them, saying that the more they fight, the slower it would take them to get to Kanazumi. Suddenly, they hear a rustle in the nearby woods… and out pop a group of Treecko! May and Max then recognize it from Odamaki’s lab, as Ash tries to capture it! He throws a Pokeball… however, Treecko knocks it away with his tail. May then remembers Ash telling her to weaken a Pokemon first before capturing it, as she gives him a confused look. However, Ash doesn’t give up. He quickly runs off, after the Treecko. May and Max wonder what he’s up to, and decide to follow him, along with Brock.

Meanwhile, as Ash searches for the Treecko group, he suddenly trips over a nearby root… and slides down a hill, crashing into a huge tree! As he gets up, he gets a shock as he looks at the tree. It’s so… tall… yet it doesn’t have leaves. All of the sudden, from a high branch, one of the Treecko shoots a twig out of his mouth at Ash, just like a bullet. Ash quickly dodges it, and challenges Treecko. Then, it shoots another one at Pikachu, who uses his tail to dodge it. Pikachu then gets angry, and jumps on Treecko, messing him up completely!

Team Rocket, who are watching this from a distance, are quite impressed at Treecko’s skill. So, they go about their usual plans. Meanwhile, the rest of the Treecko accept Ash’s challenge… that is, all but the leader, who stops them. The other Treecko get angry, and try to get him to go away… but he insists they stay, and then a big argument starts. Ash, however, has no idea what’s going on, and wishes his friends could help him understand what’s going on. Team Rocket, who are watching this, have Meowth translate what’s going on. Apparently, the Treecko leader is loyal to that big tree, and it has been protected ever since it was first planted. It has protected him from various events, it’s nearly dead, but not withered yet. He wants them to make sure it doesn’t wither. Although James and Meowth find the story touching, Jessie insists that they steal them, so they do. Meanwhile, Ash is still watching the Treecko have their little conversation (he still has no clue what’s going on), but when they finish, before Ash has a chance to battle, they all dissapear into the woods! Ash and Pikachu call for them, but no luck. Ash doesn’t give up though…

Meanwhile, Brock, May, and Max are eating lunch, yet May and Max are worried about Ash. Brock then tells him how he knows from experience that Ash and Pikachu usually find their way. So, they decide to wait for him instead of risk missing each other.

Meanwhile, as Ash watches the setting sun, he sees a few Murkrow fly by… and gets an idea. He’s gonna use Taillow to track down the Treecko, as well as Brock and co! After Ash lets Taillow go, a Treecko approaches, carrying water in a leaf. Ash watches as it uses the water on the roots of the tree, then burying it with fallen leaves. Then, he notices that he keeps getting water from a nearby waterfall, and watering the tree. Ash then decides to help him. However, Treecko notices Ash next to him, and gets angry for a second, because he expects to be challenged to a battle. Ash explains what he’s really doing.

Suddenly, Ash, Pikachu, and Treecko hear a rumbling sound. Suddenly, from deep in the woods, TR arrive in a bulldozer, smashing every tree and catching every Treecko in a net! That is, all except for that rebel Treecko Ash helped. He tries all sorts of techniques to stop them, but to no avail. Then Team Rocket come out, say their motto, and fly away in the balloon, along with the Treecko cage! Ash then tries to have Pikachu use Thunderbolt, but they happen to be using the balloon with the flashing lights, so it absorbs the electricity. Troubled, Ash tries to take out Taillow… but then he realizes it isn’t with him! TR then grab Pikachu in a net. Treecko gets angry, and tries to shoot a twig bullet at the balloon… but it isn’t strong enough. James then takes out Cacnea, attacking Treecko with a Pin Missile, which he avoids. Ash uses the Pokedex, since this is his first encounter with Cacnea. Treecko then has an idea. He climbs up a tree, jumps really high, and Tail Whips Jessie before she could do anything, and makes her push the button, releasing all thee Treecko. They all help Pikachu, while that other Treecko distracts Team Rocket. Then, it jumps on the balloon… Cacnea attacks it, but it moves out of the way… making the missiles puncture the balloon, blasting them off.

The elder Treecko thanks the rebel for help, and they shake tails. However, suddenly… the tree splits in half! All the Treecko desperately rush to push it together. Just then, Ash takes out a rope to try and help it… but then, the sun comes up… and the tree glows. Then, Treecko gives Ash a vision of the tree’s history… how it started as a seed, grew up, bloomed flowers, which then left more seeds, which made this whole forest! Ash then understands… and just as they get a last glimpse of the tree—TIMBERRRRR!!!

Ash gets down and thanks Treecko for all he’s done… but instead of returning the favor—Treecko TACKLES Ash and Pikachu! For a second, Ash thinks its angry at him. Then, it gets into a fighting pose, and Ash realizes he’s only being challenged to a battle. Ash gladly accepts. Just then, Brock and co arrive with Taillow, finding Ash in a battle. Pikachu keeps trying to shock it, but Treecko keeps dodging it. It hits him in the end, but Grass types are strong to Electric attacks anyways. However, Max says he still has hope, since Pikachu is faster. Ash isn’t so sure about that, since Treecko just dodged a Quick Attack and a Tackle. Then, Pikachu releases Thunder! To Max’s surprise, it actually manages to hit and even faint Treecko, even though it’s a Grass type. Pikachu also almost gets hurt, but he stands on his tail and lets the Thunder get absorbed in the ground. Ash then throws a Pokeball, and after a few seconds, captures Treecko! He does his usually proud pose, and sends Treecko out to make sure its all right. It is, and it seems happy to join the team. Him and the elder Treecko say their goodbyes, and the elder gives him a parting gift—a seed! Treecko then digs around, and buries the seed, and wishes it good luck. Ash then returns Treecko, says his goodbyes to the group, as they continue on the way to Kanazumi City.

Thanks to Spinazak for writing This for us