This episode was meh, it wasn't bad but got a bit boring during the training section. Ash & co. are having another Axew vs. Scraggy battle when a Cottonee appears out of the blue. Cilan explains it's their mating season and are heading to a place called "Rainbow Valley". Another Cottonee appears which the first one seems attracted to and Ash & co. encourage it court it... only for the second Cottonee to not only reject it but also beat it down. Seeing Cottonee is a poor battler and the second Cottonee probably wants a strong mate, Ash & co. decide to help the lovestruck Cottonee to become strong enough to win the affection of its admiration. Can Ash & co. train Cottonee up before the next full moon where all the Cottonee head to the "Rainbow Valley"? Will the first Cottonee be able to impress the second Cottonee with it's new found strength? Let's not forget Team Rocket are planning on catching all the Cottonee, so how are they planning to do this? While I'm pretty sure my first and second question are kind of the same question, let's just move onto what will answer these questions, the review:

All Is Fair In Love And Beat Downs:
We start the episode with another Axew vs. Scraggy battle however with Axew having mastered Dragon Rage the battle has pretty much become one sided. Scraggy uses a Headbutt but Axew easilt dodges it, uses a Scratch, but finishes things with a Dragon Rage leaving Ash a bit concerned. A strong wind suddenly picks up and a Cottonee floats down from the sky and floats right above Scraggy who is still lying on the floor from the battle. You know I always mean to not mention the opening and title screen yet I always do for some reason. Anyway Ash asks the Pokemon is and Cilan tells him it's a Cottonee and pulls out his Pokedex (if you're just going to scan it with your Pokedex then why even ask what Pokemon it is?). As with any new Pokemon it meets, Scraggy gives it a Leer which makes the Cottonee nervious and backs off leaving some cotton balls behind which Scraggy starts swiping at. Cilan mentions it's kind of strange to see a Cottonee alone this time a year as this is pretty much their breeding season where large groups gather up and mate off. Iris calls it a "singles get-together" as Cilan finishes with saying the couples then float off to start their new life together which Iris responds "how romantic can you get?" while eating an apple (didn't no one ever tell you not to speak with your mouth full, even Cilan agrees).

Ash: So the couple are like good buddies, right?
Comment: And Ash's Chaste Hero Characterization Marches On!

Iris calls Ash a kid and Cilan gives a nervious laugh before checking his Town Map and says a place called "Rainbow Valley" is nearby which is famous for it's rainbows and Diamond Breeze. Ash asks what a Diamond Breeze is and Cilan says it's a wind which sparkles when it blows and explains Rainbow Valley is where the Cottonee usually gather and after pairing up they ride the Diamond Breeze. Ash & co. walk up to the Cottonee and Cilan says it's probably heading to Rainbow Valley but they hear Scraggy start ot freak out and see it pointing to another Cottonee. The first Cottonee starts to blush which Iris points out and Cilan asks if the second Cottonee distracted it away from the group and the first Cottonee nods.

Cilan: Of course!
Iris: That means...
Cilan: That's right, it's heart to heart time! *pink action lines and hearts appear around everyone*
Comment: I'm with Ash and his "what the f***?" face here.

Cilan tells the first Cottonee it's time to confess it's true innermost feelings as Iris says being honest and assertive is so important when it comes to love (yes, assertiveness works so well, just ask Amy Rose, she's very assertive which causes Sonic to run away from her at high speeds... wait). Cilan tells Iris that her advice is less then aspiring when she has her mouth full but she tells him that she's hungry so he has to "get over it". Ash's advice is to just go up to the second Cottonee and say you "want to be buddies" which Iris ask what does he mean and he's such a little kid which Ash asks how she figures that. Cilan tells the first Cottonee to go tell the second how it feels with Iris adding in a "go for it and be brave" and the first Cottonee floats up to the second as Cilan says they wait to see the results with Iris thinking it'll be great.

Obviously with everyone rooting for it, the first Cottonee gets turned down and Stun Spored by the second Cottonee with Iris asking "was that a brush off?". Just then the second Cottonee uses Razor Leaf (geez the second Cottonee is a b****, you Stun Spored the first one you don't have to continue attacking it!) and Cilan says "heart to heart time" and turned into "battling time". Iris asks why the second Cottonee is doing this and Cilan says it might be testing the first Cottonee when it comes to battling and Iris says "I guess" as the second Cottonee continues it's attack with Energy Ball which Ash said the first Cottonee should have dodged. The first Cottonee finally attacks back with Razor Leaf... but misses, but then fires an Energy Ball... which goes off wobbling across the sky before landing way behind them in a small puff of smoke. The only thing Ash & co. can do is sigh, Iris is even hand facepalming! The second Cottonee attacks with one last Energy Ball which knocks the first Cottonee out of the air and it floats away with Cilan saying "that's that" and Iris saying that had to be a snub (YA THINK!) which Cilan agrees with.

Aiming To Train To Aim:
The first Cottonee (which I will now refer simply as "Cottonee" unless another one shows up) start crying and Ash bends down asking if it's okay but it turn away as Iris pulls out another apple to eat. Scene transition... AND I CALL FOWL! In the last scene we saw Iris pulling out a green apple, but now she's eating a red apple! Iris tells Cottonee that no one wants a weakling so when it comes to battling it has to show off which Cilan tells her loses some meaning with her mouth full (get the running gag yet?) as he bandages the Cottonee. Cilan says Iris is right about being strong in battle and Ash says you get strong by training hard. Cilan says they'll help it train so hard it'll conduct itself full of cofidence and Ash asks what does it think while Iris tells it "impress to success". Cottonee seems to agree as Scraggy pulls on Ash's leg and Ash asks if it wants to battle which Cilan says Scraggy would be a good opponent (as beating up a weaker Pokemon makes you feel stronger... that's what you meant, right?).

After Cilan says their counting on them, the battle starts with Scraggy giving Cottonee a Leer... which scares it into hiding behind a tree stump. Ash tells Cottonee it's not suppose to run away and Scraggy uses a Heabutt but Cottonee defends with a Cotton Guard which Scraggy bounces off of. Ash says that that'll be useful and tells Cottonee that it's going to have to learn how to dodge attacks by watching its opponent closely and moving to the side when they're about to hit saying it won't be able to dodge if it looks away and they try it out. So Scraggy uses Headbutt and Ash tells Cottonee to keep watching Scraggy which leads to Scraggy smashing Headbutt right into its face which Iris and Cilan can only sigh at. Ash tells Cottonee it has to eventually do the dodge and shows it by holding onto it, Scraggy uses a Headbutt, and he moves it out of the way saying that's how it's done and so they try it again and this time Cottonee does dodge Scraggy's Headbutt. Ash tells Cottonee to float up to dodge and we get a quick montage of Cottonee dodging Scraggy's Headbutt by going up, left, and right. Cilan says Cottonee is a "quick study" and Iris says it's learning fast which has Axew wanting to battle Cottonee so she tells Ash they want to battle.

Meanwhile we see a group of Cottonee floating together but switch to a familiar hi-tech binocular view before James says "Cottonee located" and Meowth counts there is five of them which Jessie says isn't worth the trouble as Cottonee gather in the hundreds this time of year. James agrees and Jessie says they should catch a hoard of them before they scatter with Meowth adding in one fell swoop which James calls a "Cottonee haul" and the camera pulls away.

Back to Ash & co., Cottonee is getting ready to battle Axew as Ash reminds it to keep its eye on Axew who starts the battle with Scratch which Cototnee dodges with no problem which Cilan says it's looking sharp. Ash cheers it on and tells it to use Energy Ball (it's a wild Pokemon Ash, stop giving it orders) which it does and like before it wobbles around before landing in the backgroudn with a poof. Ash tells Cottonee to aim for its target first then shoot and Iris tells it that Axew had the same problem with Dragon Rage (um, no it didn't, Axew's problem was that it wasn't able to release Dragon Rage properly not being unable to aim it correctly). Iris asks Axew to teach Cottonee how to aim and chats with Cottonee for a bit before firing Dragon Rage at a rock shattering it and sets up a small rock for Cottonee to aim at. Cottonee fires off an Energy Ball but it goes wobbling away and poofing in the distance having everyone give out a "oh no". Ash tells it the first thing it has to do is pick its target, focusing on it, and to stay still or else it'll mess with its aim as Ash hold on it to stay still and has it fire off an Energy Ball which hits the rock.

Cilan decides to help in the training and battles with Dwebble who uses Cut but Cottonee dodges (Ash still telling it what to do, you know Ash when it was battling against Scraggy it shows that it knew how to battle without assistance from a trainer). Dwebble then uses an X-Scissor but Cottonee defends with a Cotton Guard which Dwebble bounces off of and Cottonee finishes with a Razor Leaf before Cilan sends out Pansage. Cottonee uses Razor Leaf but Pansage dodges by jumping up however Cottonee uses an Energy Ball to hit it while it was coming down and it gives Ash a high five. Cilan says after that kind of battling it'll be just fine and Iris says being rejected once doesn't mean it should give up but keep on keeping on and once it prove it's serious it's in (we also get a bit into Iris's psyche a bit as when Cilan says you'd think she would stop eating with all this talk about love but Iris responds when she thinks of love she eats).

Blown Away By Love:
Cilan says they should go find the second Cottonee but Ash asks if it already went to Rainbow Valley but Cilan says the Diamond Breeze blows to Rainbow Valley after a full moon so they should be set and Iris says the moon wasn't entirely full last night. Ash says they should get to Rainbow Valley on the double and tries to return Scraggy but it refuses wanting to help Cottonee so Ash let's it stay out. Skipping over the Cottonee edition of "Who's That Pokemon", we see Tranquill fly back to Ash & co. unable to find the second Cottonee and Cilan says Cottonee aren't able to fly alone (as a Cottonee floats in front of them bobbing up and down) so they should try following the wind which Iris says is a great idea. Ash asks how are they going to do that and Cilan says they'll run a few tests declaring it "Wind Testing Time" and starts messing with his Town Map as Iris does the classic "lick your finger" technique and figures out the wind is coming from the south. Cilan checks his Town Map to where southern winds might blow and it directs them to a mountain (you know, a place which MIGHT CONTAIN A VALLEY) and hurry over to it.

Back to Team Rocket, Woobat flies back to Jessie who asks if it found any Cottonee though Woobat shakes its head no so James takes out those helicopter box devices we saw them use before (don't remember what episode, I think it was once of the Nacrene Museum episodes) and have a batch of them fly off.

Back to Ash & co., they get to the point where Cilan says the Cottonee would intersect the wind at and Ash says this isn't easy and Iris pops out from above the trees saying reading the wind is complicated. Iris says she feels the wind coming from the west and checks the clouds says the northwest winds are blowing through a forest which Cilan says the wind is gathering at a foot of a mountain (you know, where a VALLEY MIGHT BE) and go that direction.

Back to Team Rocket (yeah, we're going back and forth again), Jessie asks if the map James is looking at on his clipbaord computer is reading the temperature and moisture which James said it is and points out the wind direction and speed. Jessie asks where the Cottonee are gathering and James finds the location where all the winds conjugate somewhere in the mountain and they give off sinister laughter.

Back to the matchmaker squad, they find a whole group of Cottonee and find the second Cottonee which the first Cottonee (yes, it's back to being called "first Cottonee") is in love with. Cilan tells the first Cottonee to do it's best, don't try too hard, and be itself and Iris says to give it everything it got and starts freaking out saying to show the FIRE in its heart and their talking about love here before calming down and eating an apple. Cilan tells her this isn't martial arts and Iris says the classic line "all is fair in love and war" as Cilan points out this episodes running gag as the first Cottonee floats to the second one as Ash tells it if it has to battle, battle hard. The first Cottonee gets the attention of the second Cottonee and Cilan says it's "heart to heart time - second edition" as the two talk but suddenly a huge blast of air pushes them and the other Cottonee. Ash & co. turn around to see a turbine tank blowing the Cottonee into a giant bag which closes up and see it's Team Rocket doing all this (surprise, surprise).

Ash: What are you guys doing here?
Comment: They're trying to play matchmaker like you guys... what do you think they're here for? After 13 seasons you shouldn't need to ask that question anymore.
Jessie: You would ask, clueless indeed.
Comment: See, even Team Rocket agrees with me!

Cilan says they won't get away with Cottonee but Team Rocket turns the turbine tank on them and drive away. Ash & co. hold on before Ash has Pikachu use Thunderbolt to destroy the machine and then sends out Tranquill to use Air Cutter on the bag the Cottonee are in but it doesn't work. James says they never travel unprepared as Ash & co. just watch as they drive away but the bag suddenly starts to go and after Jessie asks what's happening it bursts and Cottonee and cotton start flying out. The cotton covers Team Rocket and start to drive out of control and James gets the cotton out of his eyes just in time to see their about to crash into a rock which causes an explosion but Team Rocket escapes on their jetpacks with James saying they were so close and Jessie saying they'll make Ash & co. pay before flying off.

Bishonen - Grass-type Style:
The Cottonee float back down and the first Cottonee go to Ash & co. who then spot the second Cottonee and Cilan tells the first Cottonee it's quite prepared and to speak with its heart as Iris tells it not be scared and be confident. However as the first Cottonee approaches the second Cottonee two other suiters stop it and throws it back and uses Razor Leaf which it blocks with a Cotton Guard. The two other Cottonee then use Energy Ball but the first Cottonee dodges them, catching the eye of the second Cottonee, and counters with Razor Leaf hitting the two other Cottonee. The first Cottonee then uses an Energy Ball which knocks out the other two Cottonee as Ash & co. cheer it on and the second Cottonee starts eyeing it and... wha? Okay, I guess in the eye of the second Cottonee the first Cottonee is more manly and since they don't have arms to show this off they give the first Cottonee more squarer eyes. Anyway the two Cottonee have finally gotten together and Cilan yells out it's a success as Ash, despite all the talk of love and romance, still refers to Cottonee's lover a "buddy" and Iris calls him a good with Ash asking what she means and Cilan saying who knows with her mouth full.

The Cottonee couples get ready to... wait a minute, "go to Rainbow Valley"? I thought they went to Rainbow Valley to pair up and leave on the Diamond Breeze? Now you're saying they pair-up and go to Rainbow Valley via the Diamond Breeze? What, did the dub writers not notice they made a mistake earlier in the episode, we're being told two completely different things! Whatever, just before the sun rises, Ash & co. reach Rainbow Valley and as the sun rises a rainbow appears and begins to sparkle which Cilan explains is because of all the minerals (because other valleys are made of plastic thus don't sparkle?) and just behind them the Diamond Breeze starts blowing in. Ash calls out Scraggy so it can say goodbye to the Cottonee and as all the Cottonee come floating in they spot the Cottonee couple they helped (um, shouldn't you have taken that bandage off?) and start running after them saying goodbye. With the narrator now speaking and the Cottonee couple floating away, I think it's time to end this review.