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After saying goodbye to Lapras in the previous episode, Ash & Co. are now on Hamlin Island. As luck would have it, Hamlin Island has a ferry that will take the gang all the way back to Ash's home, Pallet Town. They just have to cross a bridge to get there. Ash can't wait to get home and have some of his mothers cooking, while Tracey can't wait to get there and meet Professor Oak. As they get to the bridge they are stopped by a sign stating that, due to dangerous conditions, no-one is allowed to cross the bridge. Tracey says that they could just take a chance and cross it anyway, when a huge explosion occurs and takes out a chunk of the bridge near the other end.

After acquiring a small boat Ash & Co. start rowing towards the island. Tracey, looking through his binoculars, notices that there doesn't seem to be anyone in the town across the water. This is confirmed when, while walking down the town's main street, all of the shops and buildings are completely empty. They arrive at the ferry terminal, but are unable to get to the ferry due to a locked door. With no-one taking any notice of it, Togepi wanders off out into an alley where it encounters a lone Voltorb. Back in the ferry terminal, Ash & Co. discover that Togepi is missing and run out to find it. Before long they notice it in the alley balancing on the Voltorb, playing. Ash gets his PokéDex out and looks Voltorb up. After discovering that they may explode without warning, Misty tries to get Togepi off of it, but it just hangs on. Ash tells her to be careful, saying that it feels as if they aren't alone in the alleyway. His suspicions are confirmed by the arrival of a large group of sparking Electrode. They decide to return to the ferry terminal, carefully creeping between all of the Electrode, when the wind blows knocking a sign down. This startles the Electrode, causing them to start exploding. While attempting to outrun the exploding Pokémon they soon end up trapped in a circle of sparking Electrode. Suddenly a man on top of a nearby building tells them not to move and sends out a large group of Diglett telling them to take the Electrode underground, saving the gang. The man says that it isn't safe and tells them to follow him.

Arriving back at the ferry terminal, still with the Voltorb, Ash & Co. thank the man and then ask him if he could tell them where all the people disappeared to. He explains that the island used to be filled with visitors and tourists from all over the world, and that a few years ago an inventor started raising Voltorb as part of an experiment to get Pokémon to generate electricity. Unfortunately one day the Voltorb escaped and began to multiply, and started evolving into Electrode. As they kept multiplying there grew less and less space, and they started getting irritated and stressed, causing them to start exploding which made the people leave the island. Ash asks about the ferry, but the man tells him that it isn't running because things are too dangerous. Tracey asks him why he is there if the island is so dangerous, and Ash assumes that he is a thief. Misty yells at Ash, before the man explains, introducing himself as Poncho and telling them that the Mayor hired him and that he is a Diglett rancher. He elaborates that over on the main island there is a wide open prairie, and that he has trained his Diglett to tunnel under the Electrode and take them through the tunnels to the prairie where they can roam around free instead of being jammed together like in the town. It also calms them down so they stop exploding. He comments that some people thing the only way to deal with the Electrode is to make them blow up, but that he likes his way better, as do the Electrode. The only problem he is having is that the islanders complain that his way takes too long and costs too much.

Suddenly the phone begins to ring. Misty answers it and tells Poncho that it is someone from the Mayor's office wanting to speak to him. He tells the person on the phone that he has just taken a second bunch of Electrode over to the prairie, and begins to tell them that he will be moving a third lot before being interrupted. He says a few words to the person on the other end before angrily hanging up. Ash & Co. ask him what the problem is, and he explains that the Mayor wants the Electrode off of the island today and that he is off the job as they have hired someone else. Misty asks who could remove the Electrode in one day.

While they're talking, a machine makes it's way through the water to the island.

Poncho explains that they probably hired someone who offered the fastest solution and that they will most likely just round up all of the Electrode so that they will blow themselves up all at once. Misty complains about how unfair it is, and Poncho agrees with her but says that there isn't anything he can do now. Things suddenly start shaking as the machine arrives on the island. They all go to investigate.

They go out into the street and find the machine, which stops right in front of them. From out of the top Team Rocket emerge reciting their motto. They explain that they convinced the Mayor that the quickest way of removing the Electrode would be to blow them all up, so he awarded the contract to them. Ash thinks it's a trick, but Poncho points out that the contract they have has the Mayor's Seal on it, meaning it must be official. Misty wonders why Team Rocket would want to help the town, but they explain that the are only in it for the money, and that they will be keeping all of the Electrode they remove. They then get back into their machine and begin provoking the Electrode causing them to explode.

Ash & Co. look on in horror. Misty wonders what good blowing the Electrode up will do, so Poncho explains that causing them to explode weakens the Electrode so they are very easy to capture. Misty wishes that they could do something to help the Electrode, but Poncho tells her that since Team Rocket have the contract, they aren't allowed to try and stop them. Seeing the Team Rocket attacking their friends, all of the other Electrode on the island come to help, surrounding their machine. Things seem bad. With all of the Electrode gathered together in one place and as angry as they are, if they all exploded they would destroy the whole island. Voltorb, deciding enough is enough, hops away from the group and confronts Team Rocket's machine. Togepi, worried about it's new friend, uses Metronome, but it just causes it to hop on the spot. Team Rocket decide to try and grab Voltorb, but it proves too fast for them. Togepi runs over to Voltorb. Pikachu also runs over to protect them both. Ash orders it to use Thunderbolt, but to no avail, the machine is shockproof. They gloat a bit before deciding to get back to grapping the Electrode. They start to move the machine forward, straight towards Pikachu, Togepi and Voltorb.

This seems to be the last straw as Poncho, angered by the trio removes his hat to reveal a Pokeball and sends out a Dugtrio. It digs underneath Team Rocket's machine, causing it to sink into the ground and roll away down a large tunnel. Poncho then sends his Diglett out and orders them to move the last of the Electrode out of the town. The Electrode, along with Team Rocket who are stuck down in the tunnel, get moved along the tunnel and out onto the prairie at the other end. Ash & Co. along with Poncho arrive at the prairie via Diglett hot air balloon to set Voltorb free. Togepi doesn't want to see it's new friend go, and begins to cry, but Misty comforts it as Voltorb hops out into the field of Electrode.

The next day, with the bridge fixed, all of the townspeople are back home and extremely happy about it. Ash & Co. say goodbye to Poncho as they board the ferry, hoping to meet him again one day. As the ferry sails off they wave goodbye to him and thank him for everything. They don't seem to see a very familiar Jigglypuff wandering about the deck behind them. And as they sail off towards Pallet Town, who knows what adventures await them just beyond the horizon.

This episode guide has been written by The Librarian.

Characters appearing in this episode

Ash

Misty

Tracey

Jessie

James

Meowth

Ash's Pikachu

Pokémon appearing in this episode

• Pikachu belonging to Ash
• Meowth

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