Team Plasma is still working on its evil plan: catching Pokémon for use as research subjects with the ultimate goal of world domination. Two henchmen, Schwarz and Weiss, are holding a Braviary captive as they make their way back to headquarters, but they soon encounter a roadblock—set up by N! He uses the distraction to break into their truck and free Braviary, and the two of them escape—but they’ve both been injured by the grunts, and Braviary has a hidden tracking device attached to its neck.

Meanwhile, our heroes are on their way to the White Ruins when they come across the injured pair. They all go to the Pokémon Center, where Nurse Joy bandages Braviary’s injured wing. During a mysterious blackout caused by Team Plasma, N discovers the tracking device and realizes he must get Braviary out of there quickly! He explains his plan to Ash and the others, and they leap into action. Schwarz and Weiss chase after the tracking device’s signal, but they quickly discover it’s just N acting as a decoy to lure them away while Ash, Iris, and Cilan get Braviary to safety!

But Braviary senses that N is in danger, and keeps struggling and calling until our heroes figure out what’s going on. They return to the scene just in time—N is under attack from the henchmen’s Pokémon! Ash knows that N dislikes Pokémon battles, but there seems to be no choice here, and a fierce battle soon ensues: Zangoose and Seviper on the villains’ side against Ash’s Pikachu and Iris’s Excadrill—with a little help from the wild Braviary, who turns the tide in our heroes’ favor. Schwarz and Weiss flee, promising to catch Braviary another day.

It’s finally time for Braviary to return to the wild, and time for our heroes to resume their journey—but this time, N is going with them!