Ash, Misty, and Tracey are on their way back to Pallet Town. They reach an island where a ferry is supposed to take them to Pallet Town. The town is deserted except for tons of Electrode. Togepi befriends a Voltob, but then tons of Electrode appear and start to attack. A man named Poncho appears and helps to get rid of them. He reveals that he was hired to get rid of the Electrode and transfer them to a nearby field. Poncho gets a phone call from the mayor who says he has hired someone else, someone who will get rid of the Electrode that very day. Everyone heads outside and Team Rocket appear with a new machine. They plan to capture all of the Electrode by making them self-destruct and then placing them in the machine while they can't defend themselves. Ash and friends decide to stop them.

Ash and Gary have a battle, and although he puts up a fight, Ash ultimately loses. Later, Professor Oak is examining the GS Ball and can not find out anything about it. Ash comes in and Oak tells him that Gary has left on his next journey, the Johto region. Ash becomes upset knowing that Gary is still ahead of him, and he decides to head to Johto as well, and he may have a few surprises before heading out.