Ash and friends are on their way to the Olivine Gym, when Pikachu starts to feel weak and falls to the ground out of energy. An old man happens to be walking by and sees the weakened Pikachu. The old man goes over to Pikachu and starts talking to it in "Pika Language". The old man eventually helps at getting Pikachu's power back by letting Ash charge it up with the help of a bicycle.
The old man explains to them that they need to pay him for his services, which startles Misty and Brock since they thought that his help was free. The old man decides not to charge them since they didn't know that he charges for his assistance. Team Rocket is watching and they think it is a good time to get Pikachu, so they introduce themselves. Suddenly, Officer Jennie comes rides her motorbike in and says that the old man fits the exact description of a criminal who has been going around and saying he can talk to Pokemon when he can't! He tries to explain himself, but Officer Jennie takes notice to Team Rocket in the background and says that she knows them from somewhere. When she finally realizes who they really are, she tries to catch them, but they try and run off. Then out of nowhere some smoke bombs drop down, but Team Rocket says that they didn't do it.
When all the smoke clears, Team Rocket and the old man are both gone! Team Rocket is spying on the old man and they find out that some guys took him off. In the hideout, the real criminals who have been saying they can talk to Pokemon when they can't ask the old man if he wants to join them. The old man abruptly refuses, but they retaliate saying that he is a thief too for charging for his services. The old man explains that the only way to keep his rest stop open is to charge. The old man wants to leave, but the group of criminals says that they can't let him go since he knows about their group. Team Rocket decides to rescue the old man because with his power they could make lots of money.
Meanwhile, Ash and his friends are back at the Pokemon Center when the old man walks in and he says that he wanted to see if Pikachu was alright before he turned himself into the police. The old man talks to Pikachu again and is about to leave when Brock asks him if he can really talk to Pokemon. The old man explains that when he was young, there was a storm one day. When he was by himself in the family shelter waiting for his dad to come back, three Pokemon (Rattata, Pidgey and Oddish) came out and talked to him in plain English. After the storm was over they disappeared and he never saw them again. The old man says that he is starting to doubt that that night really happened now. When the old man is about to leave though, the group of criminals stops him and say that he must come with them. Ash wants to help, but the old man says that he can handle it. The gang leader has our heroes surrounded with Magnemite and Magneton and in a tense moment, the old man explains that if they (the gang's Pokemon) attack, they could hurt innocent Pokemon in the Poke Center by knocking out the power. He eventually convinces them to stop, which makes the gang leader furious!
He yells at his Pokemon and they end up shocking the group of criminals! Officer Jennie comes in and the old man explains that it was his entire fault and that he should be arrested, but Jennie knows what really happens and believes that he is for real and arrests the fakers. Team Rocket meanwhile is watching above in their balloon with tears in their eyes. They then notice that there is awful lot of lightening coming out of the sky and before long, they get shocked and get sent blasting off again.
At the end, the old man bids farewell to our heroes and says that he is done with talking to Pokemon, but Ash and friends convince him to continue and not give up by saying that he could really do a lot for the world of Pokemon. The old man continues on his way and is walking a long a path when he sees a Meowth and starts to talk to it. The Meowth suddenly starts to speak in English, which startles him and excites him at the same time! The Meowth then runs away before the old man can catch up to it. We find out that it was really Team Rocket's Meowth and Team Rocket comments that it's nice being the heroes once in a while.