On the way to Oreburgh, Ash and his friends see Nurse Joy trying to help an injured Nuzleaf. Nuzleaf is too upset to accept her help, so Brock steps in to calm Nuzleaf down. With help from Bonsly, who Nuzleaf seems to think is a Grass-type Pokémon, Brock wins Nuzleaf's trust and treats its injuries. This Nuzleaf must be lost, since an old tree on the other side of the mountain is the only place in the area where Seedot, Nuzleaf, and Shiftry are found. Ash and his friends volunteer to get Nuzleaf back where it belongs.

Team Rocket spies on the scene and decides Nuzleaf would be a great prize for the Boss. They show up with Meowth dressed as a Shiftry, hoping to trick Nuzleaf into coming with them. Their ploy is foiled, so they grab Bonsly and Nuzleaf. Brock tries to stop them and ends up getting carried away by Team Rocket too! That's no problem for Brock—Team Rocket lowers their guard after he cooks them a delicious meal, and Brock escapes with Nuzleaf and Bonsly. During the break-out, Bonsly even evolves into Sudowoodo!

Next Brock has to cross a river, but Sudowoodo dislikes water so Brock puts it in its Poké Ball. The problem is that without Sudowoodo, Nuzleaf gets upset! Brock has no choice but to bring out Sudowoodo and encourage it to be brave. Then Team Rocket catches up with Brock. Croagunk does its best but can't hold them off forever, so Sudowoodo pitches in to help fight. When Ash and Dawn arrive on the scene, Brock even tells them he and Sudowoodo can handle Team Rocket themselves! A real Shiftry shows up looking for Nuzleaf, and once Team Rocket is sent packing, our heroes can rest easy knowing that Nuzleaf will soon be back home.