As Ash and his friends are taking a break, Max hears a cry for help and finds a sick Ralts. It’s too weak to walk but needs to be treated at a Pokémon Center, so Max decides to carry it there. However, Team Rocket wants Ralts for themselves, dressing up as Gardevoir and Kirlia to steal it. When the Pokédex sees through Meowth’s disguise, Team Rocket decides to fight, and Max must take Ralts and run while his friends fend off Team Rocket.

Ralts becomes too ill to travel at all, but Max doesn’t know what to do until Snorunt makes him an ice pack for Ralts fever. Now they can set off again, but Team Rocket makes another grab for Ralts. To everyone’s surprise, they’re sent packing by a real Gardevoir and Kirlia. They want Ralts returned, and its a tense stand-off until Gardevoir decides Max can be trusted and lets him continue.

By the time Max reaches the Pokémon Center, Ralts is terribly sick. When Ash and the others arrive, Max bursts into tears and runs to May. Its a tense wait until Nurse Joy predicts a full recovery for Ralts.

Once Ralts is well again, Max takes it outside and calls for Gardevoir and Kirlia. This summons Team Rocket’s fakes again, but Ralts is healthy enough to take care of them itself. The real Pokémon appear and though Ralts doesn’t want to leave, Max knows it must. But first he promises that when he’s old enough to be a Trainer, he’ll come back and find Ralts again so they can travel the world together.