Sailing across the sea route 109 on Wailulu, Ruby and Sapphire have finally arrived at Slateport City. Sapphire sighs that she didn't manage to catch Steven at the end, and Ruby nonchalently hops off the giant Wailord onto the harbour. He remarks that he always runs into trouble when Sapphire is around, and says they should go their separate ways from there. Sapphire gets ticked off at the boy's arrogant tone and says he still owes her a thank for the ride on Wailulu, but Ruby brushes it off and starts to walk away. Sapphire angrily tells Ruby not to forget their pact, and Ruby grins that he couldn't wait to showcase his victorious conquest of all Pokémon contests when the time arrives.

Meanwhile, in a cave somewhere else where raging fire burns along the walls, Courtney and Tabitha are patiently waiting for their other companion, Hank, to return while their team's leader, Maxie, is indulging himself with a bottle of wine. Tabitha says they should embark on the next phase of their scheme now that they have obtained the scanner, and Courtney agrees that they should start ambushing Slateport. Just then, Hank returns from his investigation and informs everyone that the Submarine Explorer 1 at Slateport's shipyard is 95% completed. Maxie happily tosses away his empty bottle, and orders the three Fire Heads to head off on their next mission. Hank calls out his Swellow to travel on air, while Courtney jumps on her Ninetales and Tabitha takes a ride on his Torkoal. Maxie then orders his Camerupt to power up the flames in the caves, and turns around to take a nap.

Back at the harbour of Slateport, Zuzu suddenly begins to tremble and evolves into a Marshtomp. Ruby happily films the process with his video camera, and remarks that the starter Pokémon of Prof. Birch seem to require a relatively lesser amount of experience to evolve. He withdraws Zuzu into its pokeball, and feels glad that all three Pokémon of his have gained a new appearance. He is still sorting the new pictures in his photo albums when an odd man wearing a suit and sunglasses comes up to approach him. The man asks if the items lying next to Ruby are pokeballs, and the boy explains that they are his Pokémon. The man hollers with joy and says he seldom comes across trainers that young. He begins to shake Ruby and presses him to show him his team, and though Ruby is slightly annoyed at the man's weirdness, he decides that it is no harm and releases Nana, Coco and Zuzu.

The odd man exclaims with bewilderment and immediately makes Ruby a premium member of his Pokémon Fan Club. Ruby has no idea what the man is talking about, and the man tells Ruby to follow him. They arrive at a small building with a Pikachu logo on top, and the man leads Ruby inside. The man then hands a letter to the reception lady and tells her to deliver it to his brother at Pacifidlog. Ruby is still confused at what's happening, and asks the man who he is. The man introduces himself as the President of the Pokémon Fan Club, and says all members of his club love Pokémon dearly. He begins to hug Nana, Coco, and Zuzu so tight that the three begin to suffocate, and says Pokémon are much more than battling tools.

Ruby suddenly gets teary eyed and runs up to grab the President's hands. He tells the man that he feels the same way, and sighs that people he has come across in his life so far are often battle maniacs who know nothing but combats. The President grins that Ruby no longer has to be upset because Slateport is the ideal place for Pokémon lovers like them, and tells Ruby to follow him to the city centre. Ruby soon finds himself at a market street, and gasps in wonder at the huge variety of pokedolls and decorations around. The President of the Pokémon Fan Club then points towards the contest house, and Ruby gets teary eyed again. He grabs the man's hands to thank him for leading him there, and the two merrily trot into the fancy little building together.

In the contest house, a cuteness contest is taking place and the four contestants work hard to showcase their Pokémon's charm. An Electrike starts off with a facade, and a Slakoth quickly does an amnesia, followed by a Taillow's growl and a Whismur's attract. Meanwhile, the President of the Pokémon Fan Club is having an upsetting conversation with the receptionist. The lady explains that Ruby's old pass is not accepted for contests in Hoenn, and the boy will need to apply for a new pass in Verdanturf Town. The President begins to reason with her, but Ruby doesn't want to cause trouble and suggests blending some Pokeblocks instead.

The two walk over to a small machine at the far corner of the contest house, and Ruby explains that Pokeblocks are delicacies made from berries for raising a Pokémon's condition. He pulls out a range of different berries from his backpack, and remarks that the quality of Pokeblocks is maximized when four people blend the berries at the same time. The President decides to call for someone to help, but he looks around to find that the room is empty as most people are busy watching the contest inside. He then spots two men walking outside a glass door, and quickly runs out to drag them in forcefully. The two surprised men have no idea what's going on, but the President simply tells them to follow what he does.

Outside, high up in the bushes on a cliff, Courtney is spying on what's happening in the contest house with her binoculars while chewing on a piece of gum. She complains that their target doesn't seem to want to head back to the shipyard, and Hank decides not to wait anymore. He tells Tabitha to proceed, and the big man quickly releases his Torkoal. Back in the contest house, Ruby, the President and the two men are busy blending Pokeblocks when something spinning with high speed suddenly approaches them. The creature reveals itself to be Torkoal and starts puffing out a thick cloud of smoke. Ruby wonders what's going on but soon discovers that he's starting to lose consciousness.

In no time, all four of them collapse on the ground, and the three Fire Heads enter through the door with a grin. While the thick smoke continues to shroud everything in sight, Tabitha places the two men onto the back of Torkoal, then decides to take Ruby and the President along as well...

Thanks To Coronis For Writing this for us