Togepi finally quietens, but Raichu, Cubone, Mariru and Buru pass near them, chatting loudly. Squirtle asks the group to be quiet, making them angry. As Bulbasaur joins, the two groups glare at each other, ready to fight. Pikachu tries hard to soothe them Togepi totters to a river valley and onto a log over it. Pikachu realises about Togepi's wandering and chases after him. The log moves suddenly. Pikachu is startled, while Togepi is pleased. It rolls down the valley in a high speed, throwing Pikachu into the river. He looks around quickly for Togepi, finding him at a side of the valley. He sighs, relieved.

As he is back, carrying Togepi on his back, he gives another sigh to have seen the two groups still quarrel. They decide to settle it by Squirtle and Mariru having a swimming race. The race begins with a generous Electrode who uses an Explosion. Obstructed by some of other PokΘmon, both swim with great guts, but Mariru wins much to Squirtle's disappointment. But their fight doesn't finish. Throwing insults, Raichu's electric sparks hit the ground near the resting Togepi. Pikachu dashes near him, shielding him. A spark hits Pikachu. He stiffens his body, shocked. Raichu and other PokΘmon of his group laugh. Pikachu looks back, his eyes lifted, and burning with rage. He goes close to Raichu, glaring at him. Raichu stares back. A tense hash comes between them for all of a minute... They start to move, cheek to cheek. Suddenly, the two electric mice dash off. They run down paths, through a river, crashing against other PokΘmon on their way. Even Meowth, who was dozing with Arbok and Weezing. Continuing, they step on Charizard's tail in the process.

Charizard flares up, and dashes after them, but the two don't care. Charizard fails to catch up at first but uses his wings as a giant fan to blow them off a cliff where they find themselves under a Snorlax. As they free themselves, Charizard flies down for more trying to impress the two, but not looking where he was flying gets his head pushed into a small hole. Puzzlement is in minds of the PokΘmon, except for Raichu's group, including Charizard. The hole is too small for his head, and he cannot pull it out no matter how many times he tries to pull back. The good guys tie his leg tight with the end of a long and thick rope grips it and pulls it with all their might. They try over and over, but Charizard's head is still in the hole. Tears fill his eyes, as he is disappointed. Raichu and his group members watch them, keeping a short distance. Pikachu goes near them, and asks, "pika, pika pika chu. Pikachu. (Help us. Please)" They agree with him, and goes to take the rope, except Cubone. They try harder, and Charizard's head is almost out, yet still in. Tears rolls down his cheeks.

Overlooking the sea in grassland on a cliff, Ash awaits Brock's stew ready on a table. Pikachu finds Togepi totter to the edge of the cliff, and panicked, rushes to help him. Togepi stops an inch from the edge, while Pikachu drops from it. The cliff is not deep at the side, to Pikachu's relief. Togepi chuckles to see him crawl up. A man challenges Ash. He cheers up, and accepts. After using Squirtle's Bubblebeam on the guy's Machamp, Bulbasaur's Solar Beam on his Donfan and Pikachu's Thunderbolt on his last three, Ash wins. Then suddenly he receives an invitation card, the message told by a beautiful woman in holography. The sender is unknown, but is just introduced by her the as strongest Pokemon trainer, and is to join a Pokemon league in the Pokemon castle in New Island. Ash decides to accept the invitation.

A storm outrages waves of the sea, so that it is impossible to launch a ship, as his party arrives at a port. They learn that there are many other trainers who were invited by the stranger, and that a female doctor of a Pokemon center is missing. Trainers try the raging sea, with the help of their PokΘmon that can move in the water or fly. Unfortunately no one of Ash's party owns any that would be strong enough, and they don't know what to do. But a boat appears, and the two sailors offer a ride. Relieved Ash and the crew accept it. (He doesn't note Meowth at the head of the boat.) Ash is in high sprits in the boat, while Pikachu is scared of pitching. As a huge wave assaults it, the helmets which the sailors wore low over their eyes were swept away, revealing their faces. It's Jessie and James of Team Rocket! Ash is astonished. At that time another wave comes, and they are all thrown out of the boat into water. Misty quickly sends out Starmie, while Ash sends out Squirtle, and they cling on to either of them, letting the current take them where it goes.

Luckily, they make it to New Island. A moment later, Team Rocket does too. There are only three trainers that are there not inclusive - Sweet, Sorao, and Umio. The woman who appeared in the hologram greets them and tells them to call out all of their PokΘmon. They are astonished when the host appears; who is Mewtwo, the PokΘmon that is unknown to them yet. Noting himself as a trainer, two of the trainers become outraged, because he is only a PokΘmon. The woman's condition suddenly changes, and she collapses. Brock rushes to her and holds her in his arms, finding himself looking at the female doctor who they learned was missing. Trainers send some of their PokΘmon to battle Mewtwo, but he beats them easily. Then he takes the trainers and PokΘmon to a league field that apparently he constructed.

Team Rocket, who were not invited, make their own way into the castle. They are followed by Mew, of which they are unaware and find themselves in a lab. They find huge tubes there. Some of them contain a PokΘmon sleeping. As they wonder around, Meowth is captured by a pair of mechanical arms and put on a conveyer belt. He struggles to escape with the help of Jessie and James while the arms pull three hairs out of his tail. Meowth manages to escape, and a computer turns on describing information about Meowth's genes. Suddenly, a clone of Meowth appears in one of the empty tubes. Mewtwo, highly intelligent, studies there and successfully creates clones of Pokemon, making them stronger than the original. And they are not just copies they have lives.

Venusaur, Charizard, and Blastoise come out of tubes, then go to the league field, called by Mewtwo by telepathy. Mewtwo being Psychic and all knows that Sorao owns a Venusaur, Sweet raises a Blastoise, and Ash has a Charizard. He is there to prove that his copies are superior to the originals. It is his revenge for human beings that have given a birth to him, making use of him. The clones set to battle, showing that they are incredibly strong. They conquer the originals, disappointing the invited trainers.

Mewtwo's revenge doesn't finish there however. Psychic balls of energy fly across the field, each aiming at the original PokΘmon. Mewtwo's balls capture them one after another, now leaving Pikachu. A dozen balls are sent to him. He runs, shooting electricity, frightened. Ash desperately tries to save him. But a ball captures Pikachu. Ash runs after it runs after it, but it flies away. Team Rocket are still in the lab and the balls coming zooming in. The hands take each and the computer analyses the gene. Each time, a perfect copy is created. Pikachu's ball arrives, and Ash follows.

As the mechanics grab Pikachu, so does Ash. Pulling with all his might, he breaks the machine breaks into sparks and it spits PokΘmon out. Pikachu is safe, and Ash hugs him tight in his arms. Clones are summoned by Mewtwo and go to the league field. Satoshi and Pikachu follow them with originals. Then they see a small, white monster there. It was Mew. Mewtwo's mother… the original… Mewtwo shakes his whole body with mixed feelings, dread and delight that he would fight his original to prove HE is superior. As they fight, other PokΘmon also battle with their copies hand-to-hand. Pikachu's copy appears, too. He glares at the original Pikachu, and goes after him. Pikachu doesn't resist, as he doesn't want to battle a himself in a context. The copy shouts at him, "pika, pikachu! (Fight me!)" Pikachu shakes his head, refusing to counter. Tears well up to the copy's eyes, but he cannot stop himself while Mew fights Mewtwo. Crying, the copy continues to beat Pikachu. Finally the copy is exhausted and collapses. Pikachu moves towards him and holds him tenderly.

Ash, who is now disgusted by this, cannot stand to see them battle any longer. He dashes toward the spot Mew and Mewtwo fight, crying, "Don't! Don't fight any longer!" Just then, Mew and Mewtwo shoot out powerful psychic balls of energy. Hitting him he screams, and collapses to the ground. All the PokΘmon, including Mew and Mewtwo, freeze and just watch him. "Pikapi!" Pikachu goes up to him, looking into his face. His body starts to stiffen right before Pikachu's eyes. Pikachu wonders at first what has actually happened, looking at his best friend lying on the floor not moving. Pikachu shocks him, hoping it may revive him. But Ash remains still. Pikachu tries once more, then over and over. When he becomes too tired to shoot a beam anymore, Ash still lies still on the ground. Tears well up to Pikachu's eyes roll down his cheeks, and drop to the ground, and are quickly filtered into the soil. Other originals and clones begin to weep. Their tears wet the ground, and are conveyed to Satoshi through the soil. His body softens slowly, and he finally recovers, moving ever so slightly. Pikachu hugs him, and Ash hugs back.

Jirarudan is a pokemon collector out to capture the most rare and mysterious Pokemon of all, Lugia. No one has ever see it, but it is written that it will appear when all three of the Legendary Birds are brought together in one place. It is for this reason that each bird has its own Island.

Jirarudan approaches the Island of Moltres in the Hikoukyu. He attacks it with ice, freezing the island and injuring Moltres. Weakened, Jirarudan is able to capture Moltres using an electric net.The flying fortress moves on toward the island of Zapdos, and the weather begins to take a turn for the worst...

Ash, Kenji, and Misty are riding a boat (piloted by Mic-chan, a guide) to Asia Island. They have just let their Pokemon out of their balls to relax when a storm blows in. Their ship is badly shaken, but Mic-chan manages to get it into the port (all but destroying it in the process).

Team Rocket are following Ash in their submarine, the Mecha-Gyarados, and are hit by the same storm. They hit something and lose their rudder. Helpless, they are swept up in a school of REAL Gyarados, which carry them towards the port but land them on the rocks instead...

Misty's mom is out on her front lawn when Professor Oak comes up on his bike, commenting on the nice weather. Out of nowhere, a herd of Digletts come down the road, picking up Oak's bike and carrying it with them down the road. Behind the Digletts come another huge group of PokΘmon, heading in the same direction, South. Dumbfounded, the two notice that it has started to snow even though it is the middle of the summer...

Having landed at Ashia Island, Ash and his friends get off the damaged boat, only to be surrounded by a group of strangely dressed people. One takes off his mask and explains that there is a festival going on to celebrate the PokΘmon Gods.

They are introduced to Furura, the Miko (a young girls who acts as the messenger for the gods) for the ceremony. She seems to like Ash, but gets on Misty's bad side (she first asks if Misty is Ash's sister, then his girlfriend.) The group leaves the beach for a pavilion where the ceremony will take place.

Since Ash revealed himself as a PokΘmon trainer (apparently the only on on the island at the time...), during the festival; he is chosen to go to the islands of the Legendary PokΘmon to retrieve their power crystals. Apparently, the weather disturbances are caused by an unbalance in their powers, and bringing all three stones to a stone circle on the main island will calm these forces.

Never catch a god of fire, a god of thunder, or a god of ice.
If you do, it will evoke their anger and the marine god would
destroy Heaven and Earth. The world would fall to ruins.

Mic-chan and Ash set out on the boat (apparently it wasn't THAT damaged...) to the Island of Moltres on the stormy sea...

Upon reaching the island, Ash runs from the boat up the stairs to the top of the mountain, where Moltres's shrine is located and where he will find the power crystal... Misty and Furura decide to follow the others in a faster (very spiffy) boat. Of course, the waterlogged Team Rocket manage to hitch a ride... They are thrown from the boat when it hits a big wave, but end up near the top of the mountain. They are at the top of the stairs up the mountain (beginning their speech) when Furura's boat (propelled up the mountain stairs by a wind sail) jumps over them and into the depression on top of the mountain. Ash has gotten the stone and is getting ready to get into the boat for the trip back down when who should appear... Zapdos! He is looking for Moltres, scared of something. He begins shooting out Thunderbolts, his way of communicating. Pikachu begins to thunderbolt back, explaining why they are there and what they know. Their conversation is cut short when something from about begins to draw Zapdos's electricity away...

Jirarudan's ship is overhead, and Zapdos flies up to try to attack it. Jirarudan's magnetic cages begin flying towards they, eventually snaring Zapdos (and Ash and their boat as well... Jessie and James too).

Jirarudan's net drops Ash on the floor of a great hall. They see both Zapdos and Moltres trapped still, Zapdos fighting the new bonds, but Moltres has submitted and is sitting quietly. Furura notices a copy of the stone tablet (which is in a shrine on Asia Island) between the cages of the birds. On it is the legend of the God of the Sea, Lugia. Jirarudan's computer notified him of his "guests," and he came down to explain his plan (like any good villain). He returns in his hydraulic chair to the bridge (above the great hall) when he is notified that they are approaching the Island of Articuni.

Somewhere during all of this, I don't know where, Professor Oak consults with his friend, the breeder whom Brock has gone to live with. She agrees to meet him to take a helicopter to the Orange Islands in order to find out what is causing all of the weather fluctuations.

Brock is seen running around in the background when he is talking to her, carrying Nidoran back and forth. Ash's mom also insists on coming along to make sure he is OK.

Determined to stop Jirarudan from creating a permanent unbalance in the world by capturing Lugia, Ash decide to free Zapdos and Moltres. They bring out all of their Pokemon and begin to work on Moltres first. The Rockets send their Pokemon out at Zapdos. The combination of water, fire, and electric attacks causes an explosion, and Moltres's cage is broken. Immediately Moltres lets out a huge burst of flame at Zapdos's cage, freeing him.

Pokemon from all over the world are traveling as far south as they can get, those who cannot fly or swim sit anxiously at the southernmost shore they could reach. They seem to sense the struggle between their gods... The weather keeps getting colder as Articuno's powers are getting out of control.

Zapdos and Moltres break their way out of the airship, and meet up with Articuno (who was so upset he had frozen the entire sea). Together they begin to attack the airship. Damaged badly and getting worse, the airship crashes into the Island of Zapdos. Ash run from the ship as it breaks apart. It has crushed the Shrine containing the orb of Zapdos's power, and the ball rolls over. Ash picks it up and keeps running. Somehow they all manage to get back into the broken boat (the one captured with them on the airship). The ship falls from the cliff, but a mysterious spout of water catches it an deposits it at the shrine on Asia Island...

The Rocket Dan inflate the emergency raft on the boat and sit in it, feeling a bit safer until the spout of water came up. Their raft was tossed from the boat and flew away... After the boat lands, everyone jumps out, and the boat falls to the frozen sea below.

Professor Oak is being filmed by a news crew in the helicopter to the Orange Islands. he explains that the "gulf stream," the path all the world's water flows through among the islands, is normally controlled by the balance of powers among the bird gods. The disruption in that balance was causing the terrible weather fluctuations being felt throughout the world. The film crew happens to catch Ash's mom, and she explains she is there because her son is in this dangerous area.

Just as they are finishing the interview, the helicopter is caught in a huge gust of wind and is propelled into the mountain on Asia Island below. All get out safely, but Ash's mom worrys about her son...

Ash brings the two power orbs to the shrine, and places them in their corresponding places inside the shrine. Slowking comes up behind him and expresses concern that he has only found two of them. Ash is about to leave to get the other orb, when the three bird gods begin to attack him. As one of the birds dives towards them (Ash bravely stepping out in front to protect the others), the strange spout of water comes up and gets in the way, only this time, Lugia appears out of the top of the spout.

Lugia begins to fight with the birds, when Furura recognizes the sound he is making. It is the same as the music she has learned for the festival, the music said to be used to call the gods. All three birds attack him at once, and he falls under the ice...

Furura plays a few notes on her flute, which revives Lugia. Lugia bursts from the ice and flies over, talking about what they need to do to get the world back into order (basically, "you have to go get the third orb and put it in the shrine in order to save the world").

Ash reluctantly agrees to go, and starts out on foot towards the Island of Articuno. He realizes quickly that the snow on top of the ice is way too thick for him to walk, then notices the wreckage of the boat. He has an idea... Charizard, Bulbasaur, and Pikachu now pull Ash on an improvised sled (made of part of the boat). The birds begin to attack from above, but Lugia flies in and shields them. They are about halfway across the sea, when a huge attack from Moltres and Articuno causes the ice to break up under them, and freeze again. There is now a huge iceberg in front of him, and Ash doesn't know what to do. From behind he hears a noise... it is the Team Rocket, who have taken the tail blade from the crashed helicopter and fastened it to their emergency raft, creating a hydrofoil. They give their speech again, and motion Ash and Pikachu (the others went back into their balls) to get in.

All of the Pokemon who had been lined up on shore now are running across the ice towards the battle. There are literally thousands here now (computer animated when looked at from above).

Lugia provides cover while the group blasts across the ice and up the path on the mountain towards the shrine. The have to go inside a very long cave to get to the shrine, and Ash runs up to the statue and grabs the orb. He jumps back into the raft to make the way back when Articuno, having been injured by one of the other birds, crashes through the roof and demolishes the shrine. The destruction of the room also blocked off the escape route through the cave. Lugia swoops down and tells Ash to get on his back. Ash does so, and Lugia takes off (the Rockets hanging from his leg)

Lugia is having trouble now dodging the attacks of the Bird Gods, and decides to go way up high to try to lose them. He can't go fast enough, and the Rockets realize they are weighing him down too much. They let go, saying they have done all they could to "Protect the world from devastation." As they plummet, they remember that the sea is frozen and they think they'll die when they hit, but when they reach the sea, they plunge into the water. When they surface they see that the gathered Pokemon have broken a hole in the ice to save them (awww...).

Ash nears Asia Island with Lugia, when Jirarudan (does the guy ever quit?) focuses in on them with his trapping machine and sends out the electric traps at Lugia. Lugia destroys many of them as the try to capture him, but they move too fast and eventually snare him. Lugia lets out a huge beam from his mouth at Jirarudan and what remains of his ship, destroying it and de-electrifying the cage/nets. Worn out, Lugia falls into the ice, breaking through and sinking...

Ash surfaces, but is unconscious. The friends on the shrine above are scared, and argue about who should go save him. Furura is about to go, but Misty says it is her job. She runs down the slope and drags Ash from the water; he doesn't seem to be breathing (we almost thought something was coming here, but it didn't happen), but manages to come to in a moment. Ash insists on climbing the slope himself as part of his quest, and finally gets to the shrine and places the last stone in the shrine. By now, all of the birds have fallen exhausted to the ground.

Ash places the third power orb in its place in the shrine, causing a reaction between the three which makes the shrine glow. Furura now takes a step into the center of the shrine (it looks like stone hence, with the platform in the middle with the prophecy stone and the receptacles for the power orbs). She begins to play the Festival song, which magically brightens the sky and makes water flow over the shrine ledge, making all of the grass grow again through the snow and flowers bloom. Each of the stone monoliths glows when she hits a different note on the flute, and the healing of the song begins to spread over the water. The Bird Gods begin to wake up, and all of the gathered Pokemon begin to rejoice. After a seeming long wait, Lugia himself rises from the water. He thanks them all for their help, and asks Ash to once again ride on his back. As the two (and Pikachu) fly, Lugia summons the damaged gulf stream up into the air, eventually placing it back down where it belongs. All of the Bird Gods return to their islands, and the gathered Pokemon all begin to return home (the land ones riding on the backs of water ones).

When Ash and Lugia land, Ash asks if he will ever see him again. Lugia says he is looking forward to it, but that Ash will have to catch him on his own. They both have their own duties, but should their paths cross again he will be glad.