It's another day on the road for our heroes: Ash and Gligar practice, while Dawn and Buneary study the latest Poké Chic fashion trends. They're approached by a Chingling, one of three Chingling that belong to Francesca the Pokémon magician. She demonstrates her singing Chingling act, but the one bold Chingling always ruins the show by jumping on Francesca to get attention. Ash suggests that a Pokémon battle will help settle Chingling, who's never battled before. Francesca is willing to give it a try, but Chingling's trial battle with Turtwig is disrupted by Team Rocket.

Ash and his friends easily stop Team Rocket from stealing Francesca's Chingling, except the experience hasn't changed Francesca's troublesome Chingling at all. And when she runs through her act again, she notices there are four Chingling instead of three—the fourth one is a Team Rocket robot Chingling impersonator! The robot blows a wall of smoke that keeps everyone in the dark until Team Rocket swipes the real Chingling. James then steals one of the stolen Chingling for himself, hoping it will make a perfect Pokémon companion for him and his absent Chimecho.

Our heroes track down Jessie and Meowth and rescue two of Francesca's Chingling, but James is still hopefully trying to convince "his" Chingling to join Team Rocket. When Chingling refuses, James orders Mime Jr. to battle it. Francesca catches up with them just in time and orders Chingling to fight back; Chingling follows her commands and beats Team Rocket! What's more, Chingling seems to be more mature than it was before, so Francesca and her Chingling are in good spirits as they bid farewell to Ash and his friends.