Ash and friends are crossing a hot, dry area on their way to the Sootopolis Gym. Overcome by the heat, May leans over a rock and complains. The conditions don't bother the others much, but Ash and Brock discuss the location of the next town anyway. Ahead, a cry from Max brings the others to meet him. They've come to a bridge across a running river! May seems happy to see water. Pikachu runs ahead, halfway across the bridge. Brock notices that the bridge is creaking a bit from the water pressure, and starts to get a little worried. Pikachu notices this too, but then it gets worse...and the bridge breaks up! Pikachu is sent flying, and ends up clinging to a dangling board, trying not to fall in the rushing water. Ash runs forward and tells Pikachu to try and swing to safety, and it does...hitting Ash in the face and knocking him over. Everyone's okay though, and they turn around to see an Absol standing in the middle of where the bridge used to be! May checks out Absol in the Pokedex, and it says Absol shows up whenever there's a disaster.

Suddenly, two men armed with sticks appear, obviously angry at Absol about something. Absol leaps out of the river to face them, and everyone's a bit frightened/startled. But Absol just jumps on past them, and takes off up a hill. Ash and friends wonder what just happened, and whether the bridge collapse really was Absol's fault. Later, at the nearby village, the two men explain that a lot of bad things have been happening around there lately, and Absol has appeared at each one, so the villagers blame it for causing all the trouble. When Max wonders aloud if Absol really is guilty, the men yell at him and insist that it is. They say that they've even hired an Absol hunter to get rid of it.

Just then, Team Rocket shows up, disguised as explorers, and offer to catch the Absol. Ash and friends greet them, as usual not recognizing them. Startled, Team Rocket responds to the greeting, then Jessie quickly closes the door. They have a quick discussion, and plan to catch both Absol and Pikachu. Meowth fantasizes about the Boss standing outside his mansion brushing his teeth (for some reason), when an Absol appears in front of him. Immediately afterward, a rain cloud positions itself right above Giovanni, and pours down rain on him, making him angry. The idea is not to Jessie's liking, but they go ahead with it anyway.

All the men of the village have now gathered in front of the disguised TR, who are discussing how they plan to go after Absol. Suddenly, a little boy shows up and declares that Absol is innocent. One of the men addresses him and Noboru, and the men say that Absol is dangerous, that Noboru shouldn't be trying to protect it. Noboru insists that they're wrong, and runs off into the mountains, determined to show them all. Ash and friends ponder this, and decide to go after him. TR waves goodbye, and the men ask if they should let them just leave like that, but TR tells them not to worry.

Later, we see TR climbing the mountain, with Ash and friends farther ahead, and Noboru still farther ahead. Ash calls out to Noboru and says that they just want to help. Noboru stops, but doesn't turn around. He explains that his older brother Satoru also believes in Absol's innocence, and that Satoru has been in the mountains for some time, trying to get Absol to battle him. Ash and friends introduce themselves, and they agree to look for Absol together. Just then, we see TR approach, complaining because of the climb. When they realize they've caught up to the twerps, they quickly switch back to “expert hunter” mode, whipping out nets and looking around. Max and the others are beginning to wonder now if these “hunters” are really as good as they say they are.

Later, TR are surprised to find themselves stranded at the top of a giant boulder, perched at the top of a small rocky hill. Meanwhile, Ash and friends have split up. Noboru steps through a little stream of water as he talks to Max and Pikachu. They arrive at a cube-shaped rock on top of a hill, and Noboru says that this is a place where Absol has appeared before. They call out to Ash, May, and Brock, asking them to come over. Brock casually puts his hand on a rock wall next to him, and notices that it is wet. Little ribbons of water are snaking all around it, and they can also be seen on the ground. But before they can say much else, they notice Absol on top of the rock cube! Team Rocket see it too, and wonder what it will do. Noboru calls out to it and tries to convince it that they mean it no harm. After a tense moment, TR's boulder starts to sway! They desperately shift their weight to try and stay balanced.

Meanwhile, Absol takes one step forward, then leaps clear over the heads of Noboru, Max, and Pikachu, and turns around to face them. It approaches, backing them towards the wall. Ash tells Pikachu to give Absol a warning, so Pikachu fires a Thunderbolt at the ground in front of Absol. Through all this, TR is still shifting around on top of their boulder. Ash, May, and Brock are worried about what Absol might do, and they think that an all-out battle would be too dangerous with Max and Noboru standing so close. Then, Max notices the water again, which is coming down in little ribbons from the rock wall behind them. Suddenly, the wall bursts forth in a blast of water, sending Max, Noboru, and Pikachu flying. When it subsides, the three are clinging to a branch on the side of a cliff. Noboru is only holding with one hand, and soon loses his grip! He falls, but Absol leaps to the rescue and catches him. Noboru slowly gets off, amazed at what had happened, and Absol lets out a little growl. Max, still on the branch, says that this proves that Absol isn't as bad as the villagers think it is.

But suddenly, the branch breaks, sending Max and Pikachu falling! Ash quickly sends out Swellow and tells it to grab them, but Swellow is only able to get Max. Brock realizes that Max's weight is all Swellow can handle. Just then, an unseen trainer sends out a Heracross, who catches Pikachu! Noboru recognizes his brother, Satoru! Noboru hugs him, happy to see him again. Ash thanks Satoru for saving Pikachu, and Satoru asks his little brother who these people are. Noboru introduces them. TR is STILL on top of that ball, but it seems to be settling a bit now. Ash and friends sit down with the two brothers, as Satoru tells of his experience with Absol. We see a flashback of him confronting Absol and sending out his Heracross. Satoru calls for a Horn Attack, so Heracross flies over and attacks, but Absol dodges. It flips in mid-air and lands, but loses its footing and falls from the ledge it had been on! Satoru throws a lasso around a branch and swings down, catching Absol.

They get to the ground safely, and after a moment of staring, Absol leaps off into the mountains, apparently understanding that this man is no threat. Satoru explains that ever since then, he's been trying to get Absol to do a rematch, now that it knows he won't hurt it, but Absol is incredibly elusive. During the conversation, Brock notices the little ribbons of water again, and remembers the bridge collapse. Suddenly, it hits him. He remembers that they had seen little ribbons of water like this before the blast that threw Pikachu, Max, and Noboru onto that branch, and suspects that the same had happened before the bridge collapse.

He concludes that now, with the position of this particular wall, if IT collapsed, it would flood the entire village! The group realizes for sure now that Absol had not caused the earlier disasters. They discuss what to do now, and suddenly hear a rumbling. A river of water has just broken out, and is heading straight for the village! They then notice Absol on a ledge above them. Absol looks at them, then the water, then another giant boulder, then fires a Hyper Beam at it. The group realize that Absol is actually trying to STOP this disaster. Satoru sends out his Heracross, who fires a Hidden Power at the boulder to help Absol. Ash and friends agree to send out their Pokemon to help as well. Ash sends out Corphish, Grovyle, and Torkoal, who pitch in with Bubblebeam, Bullet Seed, and Flamethrower. May sends out Beautifly for Silver Wind, Skitty for Blizzard, Combusken for Fire Spin, and Bulbasaur for Petal Dance. Brock sends out Ludicolo for Bullet Seed and Mudkip for Water Gun. Ash also has Pikachu pitch in with its Thunderbolt. As the water gets closer, all the attacks don't seem to be doing enough. So Absol stops its Hyper Beam, moves in closer, and fires the attack again. That did the trick, as the boulder begins to move. Max and Noboru cheer Absol on, and it “turns up the juice”. Finally, the boulder is dislodged, and rolls down the hill, coming to rest in front of the water, where it splits the river in two. (On one side, unknown to the group, the water falls down all over Team Rocket.) Everyone cheers, and thanks Absol.

Just then, Team Rocket come into view, groaning. Everyone is surprised to see them. TR stops in their tracks, then realizes that the water had washed off their disguises! They quickly launch into their motto. When they finish, they rush forward, brandishing their Pokeballs, ready to go after Pikachu. But before they can do anything, Absol fires a Razor Wind at them, blasting them off.

Later, the men of the village apologize to the two brothers for not believing them. Noboru thanks Max for his support, to Max's embarrassment. As they continue to talk, May notices Absol on an outcropping of rock nearby. Noboru calls out and thanks it, and it leaves, as they all wave goodbye to it.

Thanks To Geodude For Writing this for us