Since Ash, Misty and Brock are all trapped, Jesse and James decide to take an advantage of the moment to catch Pikachu. They press the wrong button and it frees Ash and the others! Then Lance comes with Dragonite to help Ash. With Dragonite, they destroy Team Rocket's evolution inducement ray, and go off to save the red Gyarados. Since the ray was destroyed, the Gyarados becomes stronger and breaks free with Team Rocket. But now, it's angry and rampages towards Mahogany Town! Lance had called Officer Jenny to come and arrest Tyson and the Rocket Grunts. Ash and friends go to help the Gyarados, while Lance fights Tyson's two Fearows with Dragonite. After winning, Lance goes to help Ash calm down the Gyarados. He eventually captures it. Tyson and the Rocket Grunts are arrested, Lance flies off, and Ash is now in Mahogany Town ready to challenge the gym leader!

Having earned Pryce's respect and permission to face the trainer in a gym battle, Ash makes the unlikely choice of sending out Cyndaquil, a Fire Pokémon, to face his opponent on an Ice battlefield. Fortunately, Ash's strategy pans out as he leads the gym leader to lower his defenses, allowing Ash to take the first victory in a two-on-two match. Next the gym leader sends out his trusty Piloswine, which immediately unleashes a Blizzard attack that completely alters the battlefield, allowing it to make quick work of Ash's defending Pokémon. With one victory each, the round enters sudden death with each trainer playing his oldest, most reliable Pokémon. A seasoned duo, Ash and Pikachu may match the teamwork of the gym leader and his Piloswine