It’s another beautiful day as a large boat speeds across the sea and some Wingulls fly overhead. Ash and co are on their way to Pacifidlog Town so that May can compete in her final contest and win the ribbon that will give her a total of five; enough for entry into the Grand Festival. The captain tells his passengers that they should be arriving at Pacifidlog in a matter of minutes. May gets excited knowing that she is almost there and Brock and Ash mention that she has to give it her all so she can compete in the Grand Festival.

The boat speeds on and soon a duo of islands appears up ahead. The boat prepares to go through them and Pacifidlog Town appears on another island further in the distance. May stands up to get a better view of the place she can’t wait to get to. Suddenly, the boat begins to slow down and starts to make noises. Ash and co wonder what is going on and the captain mentions that he is having engine trouble. May freaks out and asks if they can make it to Pacifidlog but he says they can’t. Instead, he turns the boat and heads towards the island nearby on the left.

When they dock, the captain tries his hand at fixing the engine. Ash asks him how it’s going but it doesn’t look good. He explains that he can’t repair it with the stuff he has onboard, and if he could somehow find a temporary fix, it could take hours. May is now worried and wonders if she’ll make it in time for the contest. The captain then mentions that there should be a ferry on the other side of the island capable of taking them to Pacifidlog. Ash asks May if she wants to head for it and she instantly agrees. The captain apologizes for the inconvenience and wishes her luck in the contest. She thanks him and they part ways.

As the group treks along a forest trail, May sighs with the knowledge of knowing that she could be in Pacifidlog right now if it weren’t for their bad luck. Ash says it isn’t that bad as they will have time to see some of the island’s Pokemon. At this, a Donphan angrily rolls up the path and stops in front of them. Max gets excited and Ash decides to look it up in the Pokedex. After hearing that it’s the evolved form of Phanpy, he thinks back to his Phanpy and wonders how it’s fairing at the Professor’s. The Donphan pays the group no mind and then proceeds to curl into a ball and roll towards them. Everyone leaps away as it speeds by and continues down the path. It then turns around and speeds by again. The friends collect themselves and then Max notices a large herd of Donphans in a clearing up ahead. A lot of them are practicing their rollout and Brock snaps his fingers as the reason comes to him. He explains that it’s Donphan mating season and the Pokemon attracts a mate depending on how well its rollout display is. May thinks it’s a cool display.

Suddenly, the same Donphan rolls towards them again. The group ducks away and the Donphan turns around; rolling straight towards May. Ash tells Pikachu to use thunderbolt but it doesn’t affect the Pokemon. At the last moment, Ash dives and grabs May as the Pokemon rolls by. The two land on the ground and May wonders why the attack didn’t stop it. Max explains that Donphan is a ground type so electricity has no effect. Ash remembers this as Brock mentions they should get out of the area. The rest agree and they run for it.

They come to a section of the woods and tae a breather. May then notices a female Donphan in the bushes and thinks it’s cute. Suddenly, the male Donphans roll into the area looking to get themselves a nice piece of that female Donphan. The group freaks out and rushes off again. They stop by a tree on the wooded path for another breather. May doesn’t want to run anymore and Brock mentions that the Donphan must be all over the island. Max wonders what they are going to do and May just wants to get to the ferry so she can leave.

Ash calls out Corphish and Max comments on how water types should be able to stop Donphan. Ash knows this and tells Corphish to protect them if a Donphan comes. It raises its claws in acknowledgment. Brock decides to help and calls on his Mudkip. May explains the situation to it and then the group heads out.

Meanwhile, Team Rocket stands at the top of a hill peering down at the Donphans rolling below. They are enticed by them and Meowth thinks they would make the perfect present for the boss. He goes into a daydream about how Giovanni could use Donphan as a bowling ball. James thinks it’s too heavy but Meowth says that would make getting a strike easier. Jessie says it would just continue on after knocking the pins over and crash through the wall.

Meowth gives that idea up and says the boss could use Donphan to as a rolling means of transportation by balancing on top of it as it rolls. James mentions that he’s not a circus clown and then Meowth tries another plan. He explains that Donphan could roll on top of Giovanni to give him a back massage. Jessie and James cut him off right there and the three wonder if there even is a good purpose for the Donphans. Jessie then yells out that the boss could just use them for battling like he’s supposed to. The other two agree and they all cheer.

Team Rocket heads to the bottom of the hill and pulls out some large nets. They prepare to scoop the Donphans up when a female runs by. Jessie wonders where it was going in such a hurry and the three turn to see a trio of Donphan males rolling towards them. In a matter of seconds, they are flattened underneath them as the Donphans roll onward. Needless to say, the three aren’t feeling too well after this. Still flattened to the ground, Jessie tells James to call out Chimecho to use heal bell on them.

James does as told as Meowth and Jessie await the healing splendor. Suddenly, Chimecho’s face gets really big and it growls at them, surprising the crap out of Jessie and Meowth. James laughs saying he had it use astonish instead. Meowth and Jessie begin to yell and then tackle him to the ground for a beating.

Ash and co head down the road when May notices some happy Donphans who found their females up ahead. Brock is jealous but this is short-lived as a bachelor Donphan rolls angrily towards them. Ash has Corphish use bubble beam while Brock has Mudkip use water gun. The attacks collide into the shocked Pokemon and send it flying back-first into a rock. It lands hard on the ground and doesn’t get up. Ash and co freak out and rush to help it.

Seconds later Brock has bandaged up the poor Pokemon’s nose. (How the hell can it get chicks like that, unless their into the whole Nelly thing) The group apologizes for their attack but the Donphan doesn’t seem to mind. Suddenly, another female Donphan appears from the bushes. There is something different about this one though and Max notices it immediately…it’s a shiny brown color! The injured Donphan immediately goes heart-eyed and Brock says it must have found the mate it wants. He tells the Pokemon to go for it and it rolls up and speeds off as the group waves and wishes it luck.

Meanwhile, Team Rocket has come up with a new plan. Jessie has called out Seviper, Wobbuffet, and Dustox and tells them to aid her when they find a Donphan by attacking it. James whispers for Chimecho to astonish her again, but she yells for him to not try anything funny. Suddenly, another Donphan trio rolls their way. Jessie tells Wobbuffet to use counter and it leaps towards them. It gracefully starts up the attack but only manages to glow before the three Pokemon roll right over it. The other freak out as they too are flattened. Chimecho managed to avoid it and Jessie tells it to use heal bell. However, it lets off another astonish to anger her further.

In another part of the island, May is narrating her life again through the eyes of her hand camera. She explains that she is on her way to Pacifidlog Town for her final contest but must first brave her way through the Donphan mating season. Max says a smart mouthed comment and she stops to yell at him. Ash then notices the injured Donphan up ahead. It goes into a rollout and races towards the shiny Donphan. Ash and co wish it luck but are forced to leap behind a rock as a dozen more male Donphans roll towards the shiny female.

Ash and co watch from atop a boulder as the male Donphans role into each other, fighting for the shiny female. One Donphan smashes into the injured one and sends it flying. After some encouraging words from the group, the Donphan rolls back into the area and smashes another male Donphan away. Ash and co cheer as the injured Donphan turns to the shiny female and calls out to her. It then begins to roll speedily in place to try and entice her. She however, just seems shocked. As Ash and co watch, Snorunt randomly pops out of its Pokeball. Ash wonders what is up and it launches an ice beam freezing the ground around it. Brock mentions that it must have learned how to use ice beam and Ash excitedly tells it to do that attack again. It tires, but can’t seem to pull it off. It leaps up to try again and manages to launch one right in the middle of the Donphan rollout show. A few males and the injured one slip on the ice. Brock remarks that it doesn’t seem to know how to use the attack perfectly yet.

The shiny female Donphan sighs in disapproval of the ones that slipped and then walks off. The remaining males roll after her. Max comments that Snorunt should never be brought to a Donphan mating ritual and Ash agrees. He tries to recall it but it just rushes off, forcing the group to chase it. May calls out to them saying she needs to get to the ferry before it leaves or she’ll miss the contest. She nervously follows them when they don’t return her concern.

Team Rocket has just finished digging a pitfall trap and believe it to be the perfect way to capture the Donphans. Suddenly, they notice Snorunt coming happily up the path. It stops in front of them and launches an ice beam, freezing the three solid. Ash and co approach soon after and notice this, but are forced to leap away when some Donphans roll by. The Pokemon smash into the Team Rocket Popsicle and send them blasting off. Ash tries to recall Snorunt again but it leaps up, but doesn’t avoid the next recall. Ash tells it to stay in its Pokeball for the time being.

Suddenly, a large amount of Donphans role towards the group from all directions. Ash and May run way while Brock and Max go the other just as the Donphans crash into each other. Ash asks May if she’s okay and she nods. She then notices Max and Brock are missing. Brock and Max also notice that they have been split up. Ash and May head along the path calling for their friends. May narrates their predicament, ending it by complaining that they aren’t at the ferry yet.

Brock and Max are also heading along the path searching for the others. Brock wonders if May is going to make it to the ferry in time. Ash and May come to the shoreline and look down to see the docks. A loudspeaker announces the last call for the ferry. The two freak out and Ash tells May to get on the ferry and he will find the others and meet her at the island later. May isn’t so sure and Ash stresses that she needs to make this contest if she wants any hope in competing in the Grand Festival. May refuses and Ash says she won’t get to compete in the Grand Festival. She says that she knows, but she couldn’t live with herself knowing she abandoned her brother when he was lost in the forest.

She goes into a flashback of her packing at her house. Her mother came in and asked to speak with her. She explained that as Max’s older brother, she must look out for him on their journey. May promises that she won’t let anything happen to him and her mother thanks her. May then explains to Ash that competing in the Grand Festival would be great and it’s what she really wanted, but as a sister she must find Max and know he’s alright before all else. The two then watch sadly as the boat exits the harbor and heads towards Pacifidlog Town. May sheds a few tears and Ash asks if she’s alright. She nods and dries her eyes; exclaiming that they have to find Max and Brock. Ash nods and they head off.

Meanwhile, Brock and Max are still walking along the path calling for their friends. Suddenly, the injured Donphan walks up to them with a sad look. Brock asks if it had any luck wooing the shiny female but it shakes its head. Ash and May are also walking through the forest looking for them. The shiny female Donphan exits the bushes and May has an idea. She tells Ash to hand her some Pokemon food and then she presents it to the female. The Donphan happily eats it and May begins to talk about the injured Donphan.

Brock and Max follow the injured Donphan as it mopes along the trail. It suddenly smells something and rushes off. Max and Brock follow and they come upon May, Ash, and the shiny female Donphan. May runs to her brother and hugs him, asking him if he’s alright and saying how worried she way. Max says he’s fine and Ash explains that May gave up getting on the ferry to find him. The group then turns to see the injured Donphan begin to use rollout to impress the shiny female. The group cheers as it rolls around. It crashes into a tree and shatters it, but that doesn’t stop it. The Pokemon rolls again, but is blown away by another male.

The other Donphans enter the area all rolling around the shiny female. The injured Donphan bellows and rolls back into the group, smashing everyone away from the female. The female is now convinced and begins to roll with the injured Donphan. Ash and co cheer but the two Donphan are suddenly caught in a net! Team Rocket rolls in and says their motto. Ash prepares to fight them off but May cuts him off. She glares angrily at Team Rocket, exclaiming that if it wasn’t for their constant interruptions she would be in Pacifidlog by now.

Team Rocket seem a bit worried now. May calls out all her Pokemon. She has Beautifly use string shot to snag the netted Donphans and pull them away. Bulbasaur then uses razor leaf to slice up the net and free them. Skitty then uses double slap on the Rockets and Combusken heats them up with flamethrower. The Donphan couple then go into their synchronized rollout to smash into Team Rocket and send them blasting off once again. Ash and co thank the two Donphans and congratulate the injured one on getting the shiny female. The two Pokemon smile happily.

That evening, Ash and co make it to the now empty harbor. They stare at Pacifidlog in the distance and sigh. Ash mentions that if Max didn’t get lost they would have made it. Max apologizes but May tells him it’s not his fault and that the Donphans messed things up. Suddenly, the captain of the ship that brought them there calls out from the ocean. He explains that he managed to fix the engine once he figured out the problem. Everyone cheers and board the boat. As they speed towards the island, the captain comments that he was lucky he got there when he did or he would’ve though they boarded the ferry. Max mentions that May can compete in the contest now and she seems happy and determined.

Thanks To GoldenNoctowl For Writing this for us