Pokemon the Series Season 9 Episode 18 Cutting the Ties That Bind!

Ash and his friends arrive outside a large building in Rustboro City, where they see Team Rocket sneaking around. Wanting to avoid them, Ash and company make their way inside the building and encounter a group of trainers practicing their skills. They meet up with a boy named Max, who tells them that his father owns the building and trains new trainers. Max invites Ash and his friends to join in on the training.

The training involves a unique form of battling where trainers switch pokémon with each other in the middle of battle. Ash and Pikachu battle alongside a new trainer named Greg, while May and her Torchic partner with a trainer named Jimmy.

Meanwhile, Jessie and James disguised themselves as trainers and managed to infiltrate the building, while Meowth sneaks in disguised as a janitor. They plan to steal all the pokémon in the building and escape.

As the training continues, Ash and Pikachu begin to struggle against the opposing team, while May and Torchic fare better. However, during the battle, Team Rocket interferes, causing chaos and confusion. In the commotion, Ash and Pikachu manage to get separated from the rest of the trainers and are confronted by a powerful and mysterious pokémon with a connection to Pikachu's past.

As Ash and Pikachu try to figure out their next move, Jessie and James continue to cause trouble by capturing all the pokémon in the building. Max realizes that Team Rocket is behind the trouble and helps rally his fellow trainers to stop them.

In the end, the trainers work together to take down Team Rocket and save the stolen pokémon. Ash and Pikachu are also able to confront and resolve their past with the mysterious pokémon they encountered.

With the danger over, Ash and his friends say farewell to Max and the other trainers and continue on their journey towards the next gym battle.