The scene is brought to the inside of a house. A Nyruma is sleeping next to a window, and an alarm is beeping from upstairs. A girl named Dawn shuts it off. She pulls the bed sheet over her head. The narrator states that Dawn will be getting her first Pokémon today. Dawn opens the window and looks outside. Then Dawn gets dressed for her big day. Her mother comes in and makes sure that Dawn is awake. She notices that Dawn is up unusually early this morning. Dawn says hello to Nyruma who just sleeps on Dawn's bed.

At breakfast time, Dawn's mother asks Dawn if she is ready to go. Dawn tells her that she is all packed up. Dawn then takes out the postcard that is needed to get a Pokémon and Pokédex. Dawn's mother wants to know which Pokémon Dawn will start out with, but Dawn isn't too sure yet. However, Dawn wants to become a coordinator just like her mother. Dawn's mother tells her daughter that all coordinators start off as trainers. Dawn imagines herself in a Pokémon contest with each of the starter Pokémon. Dawn's mother suggests that Dawn stops dancing, so that she can get to the lab on time. Her mother opens the door and notices the perfect weather. Dawn takes out her bag that she packed yesterday. It is huge. Dawn's mother looks inside the bag and sees all the unncessary things in it. She gives Dawn a backpack instead. Before Dawn leaves, her mother gives Dawn her first contest ribbon. The ribbon is a symbol of good luck. Then Dawn rides on her bicycle, and she is off. Dawn waves goodbye to her mother while on her bike. Her bike bumps over a rock, but she ends up being fine.

Dawn passes Route 201 and heads towards Masago Town. Dawn arrives at a building and assumes that it is the Research Lab. Apparently, she has entered a restaurant. Dawn looks at the map again, and she struggles with finding the lab. Suddenly, she bumps into a man. A man asks Dawn if she is lost, but Dawn says that she isn't. The man notices that Dawn is carrying a postcard which means that she is going to become a Pokémon trainer. The man happens to be the professor of the lab, and he leads Dawn to it.

Meanwhile, two of the Professor's assistants are busy feeding the starter Pokémon for a trainer. Another assistant comes in with a Starly and a Staraptor. All three assistants talk about their first Pokémon. Meanwhile, Chimchar steals the last bit of Piplup's food. This gets Piplup very upset, and it fires its Bubblebeam attack at Chimchar. Chimchar dodges all of Piplup's attacks. Piplup accidently hits Starly and Staraptor, and they get upset too. Now every Pokémon in the room is going wild except for Turtwig. Staraptor then whips up a gust of wind in the room. Everything is getting affected by the wind. The window breaks, and Chimchar, Piplup, Starly, and Staraptor escape. The four assistants decide to look for the Pokémon.

Just then, the Professor and Dawn come inside the lab. The Professor's assistants explain to the Professor what happened. Turtwig is the only Pokémon left. Dawn tells the Professor that she wants to look for the missing Pokémon since one of them might become her partner. The Professor gives Dawn some advice on what she should do when she meets a Pokémon. Dawn is happy that she can search for the missing Pokémon.

Dawn faces the forest. She immediately notices Chimchar in the trees. Piplup comes out and fires another Bubblebeam attack at Chimchar. Chimchar swings from tree to tree in order to dodge the attacks. Dawn tells Piplup to stop. Piplup doesn't listen to her, and it fires a Bubblebeam at Dawn. Then Piplup and Chimchar run deep into the forest. Dawn chases after them. She hears the cry of Piplup. Piplup and some other Pokémon are tangled in a web created by Ariados. Ariados fires its attacks at Dawn to prevent her from getting any closer. Dawn gets an idea. She stands in front of Ariados's web. Dawn promises Piplup that it will be set free. Ariados fires its attack at Dawn. Dawn dodges, and the attack hits the web instead. Piplup is set free, and Dawn catches it. Then Dawn accidently trips over the ledge and lands in some bushes.

Piplup squirms out of Dawn's arms and cries a little. It is hungry. Dawn gives Piplup some Pokémon food, but Piplup refuses to take it from her. Suddenly, the same Ariados from before creeps up to Dawn. The Ariados fires a Poison Sting at Dawn and Piplup. They fall to the ground. Dawn looks up and sees a bunch of other Ariados in front of her. Dawn picks up her backpack, and her and Piplup try to escape. However, the Ariados fire their String Shots to block Dawn and Piplup's path. Dawn and Piplup have nowhere to go. Dawn gets an idea though. She uses her Pokémon food to distract the Ariados, and Piplup blasts a hole through the threads with its Bubblebeam attack. Dawn and Piplup then try to escape, but one Ariados grabs onto Dawn's foot with its String Shot attack. The Ariados run up towards Dawn. They fire their attacks at Dawn, but Piplup uses Bide to absorb the attacks. Then Piplup releases its power at the Ariados, and they blast off.

Piplup is worn out from its battle. Dawn picks up Piplup. They find a spring of water. Piplup's stomach growls. Dawn takes out the rest of her Pokémon food and gives it to Piplup. Piplup accepts the food and eats it. Up in the sky is Starly and Staraptor. They are carrying Chimchar back to the lab. Dawn thinks they should head back too. Suddenly, the lake glows and a mysterious, transparent figure comes out. Dawn wonders if it was a Pokémon or not.

Dawn arrives back at the lab with Piplup. The Professor tells Dawn that she may have seen a legendary Pokémon. Then the Professor gets back into business. His assistant gives Dawn a Pokédex and five Pokéballs. The Professor shows Dawn how the Pokédex and Pokéballs work. Then he allows Dawn to choose one starter Pokémon. Dawn chooses Piplup as her starter Pokémon. The Professor hands Dawn Piplup's Pokéball, and Dawn puts Piplup inside the Pokéball. Dawn then sets off on her journey.

Meanwhile, the boat that Ash is on has finally arrived in Sinnoh. Ash wants to immediately sign up for the Sinnoh League. Team Rocket is also on the boat. They are watching Ash from a distance. When Ash arrives at the port, he gives Professor Oak a call. Professor Oak sends Ash Aipom's Pokéball. Team Rocket floats above them in their balloon. Meowth uses a device to grab Pikachu. Pikachu is placed into a cage. Pikachu tries to shock the cage, but nothing happens. Ash is surprised to see Team Rocket in the Sinnoh Region. Team Rocket doesn't even know where they are at. Meowth suggests they immediately take Pikachu to the boss, but Jessie wants to stay in Sinnoh for a while. Jessie and Meowth end up getting into a fight. Jessie tells Wobbuffet to take care of Meowth. Meowth uses Fury Swipes on Wobbuffet. Wobbuffet uses its Counter attack, causing the cage to explode, Pikachu to fall into the forest, and Team Rocket to blast off again.

Now Ash and Aipom have to search for Pikachu, while Dawn continues her journey through the Sinnoh Region.