Ash has a battle with Paul. Choosing a one-on-one battle, Paul chooses Honchkrow, and Ash chooses Turtwig. Honchkrow manages to drive Turtwig into a corner, but at the last moment, Turtwig evolves into Grotle. However, Grotle loses all its agility and loses to Honchkrow anyway. Paul then reveals to Ash that he has already obtained the Hearthome City gym badge. Afterwards, Brock confronts Paul that he met his older brother Reggie over a missing Frontier Brain symbol, which in turn, partially reveals Paul's captious nature of becoming strong. Grotle gets up late that night and unsuccessfully tries to regain its agility. Paul's Torterra shows up and comforts Grotle by showing it that speed isn't everything about battles. Torterra tells Grotle that it can also rely on defense. Torterra shows an example with Ash's Gliscor using a Steel Wing straight to the head. Torterra emerges unscathed, and Grotle resumes to its normal behavior.