Ash and co. are continuing their journey towards Hearthome City. Meanwhile, they are taking a break near the lakeside. Suddenly, a bolt of lightning crashes down on them. They wonder where it came from since the weather is perfect outside. Ash and co. see an Electrike charging down towards them. Dawn looks up Electrike in her Pokédex. The Electrike shoots out another jolt of electricity which hits Ash. Electrike suddenly stops running when it sees its attack hit Ash. A trainer calls out to them hoping that Ash is okay. He sincerely apologizes Ash for the trouble him and his Electrike has caused. Ash forgives the trainer, and he introduces himself to him. Dawn and Brock also introduce themselves to the trainer. Finally, the trainer introduces himself as Joco, a Pokémon breeder. Ash and Dawn are surprised since Brock is also a Pokémon breeder. Joco takes a look at Ash's Staravia, and he is impressed by how well it has been trained. Joco states how he always has loved flying types, and how they are more of a challenge than electric types such as Electrike.
Another man walks up to Ash and co. His name is Cal, head of the Pokémon Training Center. Cal explains that his training center specializes in electric types, and he shows Ash and co. where it is at. Then Cal asks Joco about Electrike. Joco knows that he isn't doing so well with raising it. Cal encourages Joco to train Electrike a little bit more and to show off its full potential. Then Cal offers to give Ash and co. a tour of the training center. Ash and co. are honored.
Cal leads Ash and co. into one room. They notice that no one is there. Cal explains that everyone has graduating from the room, and soon Joco and Electrike will do the same. Before Joco can graduate though, he needs to have complete control over Electrike's attacks. Cal decides to then put Electrike to the test. He leads everyone to a field with a few targets. Cal tells his Electrike to first use Charge. Electrike begins to charge up its electricity. Then Electrike uses Thunder. Cal tells Electrike the direction to where Thunder should go to. It soon hits the target. Ash, Dawn, and Brock are impressed with how much control Cal has over Electrike. Cal and his Electrike then walk away. Dawn asks Joco if he will teach the same kind of thing to his own Electrike. Joco says no. He states that Electrike will fail. Joco explains that he specializes in flying type Pokémon, and yet he has to train an electric type Pokémon. Brock asks Joco if he can talk a look at Electrike. When Brock receives Joco's permission, but Brock begins to rub his hand on the Electrike's head. Brock says that their is nothing wrong with Electrike. All it needs is more training. Ash, Dawn, and Brock offer to help Joco train Electrike, and Joco agrees to give it his best.
Meanwhile, Team Rocket is watching Ash and co. from underwater in their Magikarp submarine. Jessie is happy that they stumbled upon the training center. Later, Ash and co. head into the house. Brock decides to teach Joco how to brush Electrike since it's important. Joco takes out a metal brush and begins to brush Electrike, however he gets shocked at the end. Brock explains that you shouldn't use metal brushes since they conduct electricity. Brock takes out another kind of brush, one that won't conduct electricity. He begins to stroke Electrike's fur with it. Brock explains that you must gently brush Electrike and trust it. Brock states that it is similar to raising a flying type Pokémon. Joco realizes that his problem is that he hasn't been putting much faith into Electrike.
The next day, Joco and Electrike decide to do some more training. Electrike first starts off with Charge. Then it uses Thunderbolt. The Thunderbolt heads straight out, and then it jerks to the right and hits Ash. Joco wonders what went wrong. Brock tells Joco that his timing was off. Him, Ash, and Dawn decide to show Joco how it is really done. Ash uses Pikachu, and Dawn uses Pachirisu. Pikachu first begins to charge up, and then seconds later it releases a Thunderbolt which hits the target. Next up is Pachirisu. Pachirisu begins charging up, however its electricity flies everywhere, and Ash gets hit again. Dawn gives Pachirisu a poffin, and then it tries again. This time Pachirisu does it right, and it hits the target. Brock tells Joco that the timing is different for every Pokémon. All Joco has to do is find out how much time Electrike needs and everything will work out.
Team Rocket continues to watch Ash and co. train. James and Meowth are excited that Ash and co. are making progress, but Jessie is tired of waiting. Late at night, Brock is up preparing food for all the Pokémon. Joco notices this. Brock tells Joco that a breeder's main job is to take care of the Pokémon. Meanwhile, Pikachu and Electrike are still training outside. Pikachu is teaching Electrike how to use its attacks and such. Team Rocket continues to watch them train, even though that are exhausted. Jessie is tired of waiting. She wants to capture Electrike now, even though Electrike hasn't finished its training yet.
The submarine emerges from underwater, and Jessie fires a rocket at Pikachu and Electrike. Ash and co. run outside to see what has happened. They see Team Rocket, and Team Rocket says their motto. Jessie wants to capture Electrike, but James and Meowth won't let her. They explain to Jessie that Pikachu and Electrike have proven what team work is all about, and the Pokémon have put an enormous amount of work in training. This makes Jessie sad, and she runs away crying. James and Meowth ask Pikachu and Electrike if they can be their training partners. Joco agrees to it.
The next day, Joco serves breakfast for Pikachu and Electrike. The Pokémon like it a lot. Joco states that he made the food from Brock's secret recipe. Ash, Dawn, and Brock have noticed that Joco has gotten much better in his confidence and skill. After breakfast, the training begins again. Electrike uses its Charge again to power up. When the time is just right, Joco orders Electrike to use Thunderbolt. Electrike sends a blast of electricity towards the target and hits it. Joco is proud that Electrike finally made it. However, the training isn't over yet, for Electrike has to learn how to control its attacks.
Ash, James, and Meowth are dressed up in suits with targets on the back. Their suits are 100% insulated, so they won't get shocked when they are attacked. Ash, James, and Meowth begin to run away while Electrike fires its electricity at them. They notice that Electrike is missing. Joco tells Electrike to concentrate. Suddenly, a mechanical arm appears and captures Electrike. Jessie appears in a robot that she built herself. Ash has Pikachu use Thunderbolt on the robot, but the attack does nothing. Electrike struggles to get free. Suddenly, it begins to evolve. Electrike evolves into a Manectric. Dawn looks up Manectric in her Pokédex.
Jessie realizes that she cannot capture Manectric, so she decides to capture Pikachu. Jessie then begins to take off. She tells James and Meowth to hop on the robot. James and Meowth realize that they can't let Jessie succeed. They hop onto the robot. Meowth takes his claws and cuts a hole in the robot revealing a target that can be used to blast the robot. Manectric fires its electricity at Team Rocket. Jessie tries to dodge the electricity, but Manectric is able to control the attack. Before the electricity can hit Team Rocket, Jessie activates a control that allows the robot to fly. Joco believes that Manectric can hit Team Rocket. He orders Manectric to aim its electricity high into the air. The electricity soon hits Team Rocket. The robot explodes, and Team Rocket blasts off again.
Ash catches Pikachu when it falls from the sky. He congratulates Joco and Manectric for doing a great job with defeating Team Rocket. Cal comes out. He has seen the whole thing, and he graduates Joco and Manectric. Joco is happy that him and Manectric finally graduated. Ash, Dawn, and Brock know that Joco has earned it. Now that Manectric is graduated, Cal takes it to the power-generating room. Joco waves goodbye to Manectric as it leaves. Now Ash and co. continue their way again towards Hearthome City.
