Today, Ash & Co. are having a rest from their journey. As they are sleeping under the shade of a tree atop a small hill, a Sentret notices them.

Elsewhere, another Sentret seems to be looking for something, or someone. It asks the other Sentret in it's group, but they haven't seen what it's looking for. It looks worried.

Somewhere else, Team Rocket are rolling along in their newly built machine; a giant tank shaped like an Arbok. As they admire their new creation, Jessie wonders what to name it. Meowth suggests the "ArboTank", which they all agree on. Jessie soon spots Ash & Co. asleep under the tree. As they are about to go after them, Meowth points out that if they roll up in their new tank, it will be sure to wake them up.

Back at Ash & Co. the Sentret has wandered over to them. It goes up to the sleeping Togepi and prods it. It then tries to shake it, accidentally causing it to roll down the hill. It chases after it.

Not too far away, Team Rocket are coming up with a plan to steal Pikachu. Their plan is that they steal Pikachu, then use the ArboTank to make their getaway.

Back on the hill, Togepi rolls to a stop as Sentret catches up with it. It wakes up and, noticing Sentret, begins to play. They both roll themselves into balls and roll around, accidentally falling down another hill and off a cliff, landing in the empty ArboTank. On the ground, Meowth hears as the top hatch slams shut. Jessie and James also hear it and, looking up, notice Togepi and Sentret through one of the ArboTank's windows. Inside the ArboTank, Togepi pushes one of the controls, causing it to speed forward. Jessie scolds James for forgetting to put the parking break on before they begin to chase after the tank.

Up on the hill, Misty wakes to find Togepi missing. As she calls for it, a Sentret appears and starts prodding Ash, waking him up. Misty points out that it seems worried about something. It tries to tell them something, gesturing at an apple core the other Sentret had left behind. Ash doesn't understand, but Brock, who has also woken up, suggests that it seems to be looking for something it has lost. Misty begins to suggest that Sentret could help them find Togepi, when they hear a loud rumbling in the distance and notice a large cloud of dust. Sentret stands on it's tail to get a better look, then runs off in the direction of the noise. Ash & Co. follow it.

Team Rocket are still trying to catch up to the ArboTank, when a large group of Sentret rush past them. They stand in front of the tank, jumping up and down in an attempt to get it to stop, but it just keeps coming. They get out of the way just in time. Going through a very narrow canyon, the tank scrapes against the walls. James shouts at the tank, hoping that it doesn't get too badly damaged as he spent the last of the Trio's savings building it. This revelation angers both Jessie and Meowth.

Following Sentret, Ash & Co. notice the ArboTank a little way ahead. Ash comments that it looks like another of Team Rocket's contraptions. As they round a corner they come across the very Trio who built the mechanical menace. Meowth begins blaming them for the ArboTank going A.W.O.L, telling them that Togepi is the one inside it. Worried, Misty continues the chase. Meowth then points to Sentret, revealing that he saw a Sentret inside too. Sentret runs off after Misty. Brock sends out Onix, and he and Ash jump on, chasing after the ArboTank, picking Misty and Sentret up along the way. Team Rocket angrily shout after them, telling them that they will make them pay if they wreck the ArboTank.

In the ArboTank, Togepi and Sentret are causing all kinds of destruction, smashing canyon walls as they play.

Watching from a distance, Brock begins explaining his plan to stop the ArboTank, and rescue the Pokémon inside. They will get Onix to dig a pit in the tank's path, fill it with soil, then get their Pokémon to use Water Gun, turning the soil into mud. When the tank comes along, it will be trapped. He gives them their tasks, and they get to work. As they rush to finish the trap, the ArboTank picks up speed. They manage to finish and get out of the way just in time. Once the ArboTank is trapped, they jump into the pit. Ash tries to enter the tank, but Sentret, caught in some wires, somehow manages to get the tank upright. Pikachu enters the tank through the top hatch before it closes. The ArboTank starts moving forward again, firing a rocket and making a way out of the pit. Back at the pit, Team Rocket appear reciting their motto. They tell Ash & Co. that they have come up with a way of making large objects disappear. As they gesture to the retreating ArboTank, sure enough, it disappears. Ash & Co. go to check it out.

They arrive to find the ArboTank stuck in a large hole. As they try to find a way of getting down to it, Meowth jumps onto the tank's head and enters through the top hatch. He tries to take charge of all the Pokémon inside, but finds them tangled in the ArboTank's wiring. Pikachu notices him and shock him with an electric attack. The charge accidentally activates something, causing a spring to appear underneath the tank and launch it out of the pit. As they give chase again, Ash orders Sentret to warn the other Pokémon so they don't get crushed by the tank. Hearing the cry, all of the Pokémon in the area begin to make their way to safety.

Inside the tank, Meowth notices them quickly approaching a wall of rock. He tells the other Pokémon that if they don't find a way to stop, the tank will crash straight into the wall ahead.

Running after the tank, James comments that if the tank hits the wall at the speed it is going, it will be destroyed.

Inside, Meowth tries in vain to find the breaks. As they approach the wall, Togepi uses Metronome.

CRASH. The ArboTank disappears. As the dust clears, Ash & Co. notice a tunnel running through the wall the ArboTank was headed towards. Brock comes up with a new battle plan. Looking at a map, he deduces where the ArboTank will emerge; a small town. When it arrives there it will destroy the town unless they can stop it first. Ash asks him what he needs. The answer; Charizard. If they send Charizard ahead, it may be strong enough to hold the ArboTank back long enough for them too get the Pokémon out. It can then use Flamethrower to destroy the tank. Jessie and James object, but Misty shouts them down. Ash sends out Charizard and orders it to fly ahead as everyone else follows it, carried along by Onix.

The ArboTank emerges. Inside, Meowth tries again to stop it, but nothing works.

Charizard lands in front of the tank and tries to hold it back. The tank is too strong and begins pushing him backwards. Sentret jumps down from Onix and runs over, helping Charizard. Brock orders Onix to grab onto the ArboTank's tail, but it keeps moving. Ash orders Charizard to use Flamethrower, melting the tank's window and allowing Pikachu, Sentret and Togepi to escape. Team Rocket enter the ArboTank, thinking they may be able to save it, but it explodes, sending them blasting off again. After getting Togepi back, Misty scolds it, telling it that it isn't allowed to drive again until it's 18. Sentret seems to be saying a similar thing to the younger Sentret. Suddenly, Officer Jenny arrives. She asks them if they are the ones responsible for the tunnel. Ash reluctantly admits to it, thinking they may be in trouble, but she thanks them. She explains that before, people wanting to go to Violet City had to drive all the way around the mountain, but with the new tunnel, the journey will be cut in half. The episode ends with them reflecting on the fact that, though an accident, Team Rocket have finally done some good.

This episode guide has been written by The Librarian.

Characters appearing in this episode

Ash

Misty

Brock

Jessie

James

Meowth

Ash's Pikachu

Pokémon appearing in this episode

• Pikachu belonging to Ash
• Meowth

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