As the episode begins Ash and friends are traveling on a ferry bound for Trovita Island, the location of the next gym. Ash hopes to win his third badge here, which would bring him one step closer to the Orange league.
Our hero inquires as to the large spikes that surround Troveta that seem to stick up over ten meters high and Tracey explains that they are rocks that were formed millions of years ago when the island rose out of the ocean. As always, Ash is pretty confident about his up coming battle hoping that the gym leader knows how to lose. Pikachu waves and yells as it spots a young girl caught in a current between three huge spikes with her pet Seel. As cries for help fill the air the gang decide they have launch a rescue mission. The girl submerges and another desperate cry is heard from a young man on the headland of the island, directing his shouting to the girl below he looks into his binoculars and realizes what is happening.
Misty sends Staryu out into the water then jumps in as well. The two swim to the drowning girl who is now unconscious. The Seel seems unable to do anything. Ash, now riding Lapras, drags the girl and Pokémon onto Lapras while Misty helps. Meanwhile, the young man on the land, named Rudy, comments on how great Misty is under his breath. The shot pans away to the screen of a periscope. As usual, Team Rocket is right on the gangs tail. James and Meowth are pedaling twice as fast, yet they don't seem to be going anywhere. Jessie realizes that they're stuck in a whirlpool and the sub tumbles head over fins.
Ash asks the little girl what she was doing out so far away from the shore. The girl, whose name is Marie, explains that she was playing by the beach when the current pulled her out to sea, but it was too far for her baby Seel to swim her back. With a cry of delight, Rudy and friends run to the end of the pier to meet "hero's". It turns out that Marie is Rudy's brother, and they exchange hugs. Rudy thanks the gang but thanks Misty in particular. With a click of his fingers, five other guys who look distinctly like Rudy present endless bunches of tropical flowers to Misty. Music begins to play and Rudy kneels and asks Misty to dance. Ushering Togepi and the others aside he leads Misty to the center of the port.
He compliments our heroine on her incredible Pokémon skills and asks if she would help instruct the trainers at his gym. Ash is astonished that the same guy who just swept Misty of her feet is also the Troveta gym leader. Moving forward, bold as brass, Ash challenges the Casanova gym leader to a match accompanied with a cry for Pikachu. Unfortunately, Rudy didn't hear a word, as he is entranced by dancing with Misty. Marie backs Ash up and Rudy breaks away from his conversation with Misty, accusing Ash of being rude. Rudy turns to leave but Ash stops him, saying he's the rude one. Rudy introduces himself punning, "Not rude, Rudy!" With a stylistic twist on the spot Rudy asks why Ash thinks he can beat him and Ash again refers to his two badges from previous gyms, saying that he's more than a match for Rudy. Rudy decides to quiz Ash by giving him an attack test, and they walk off to river where Rudy's speedboat is waiting.
With Ash and Tracey at the head and Rudy and Misty at the back, the boat sets off. Ash's challenge is to knock down all the targets that appear in turn. The first one comes up from behind a rock and with a command from Ash, Pikachu shatters the target. Another one appears on the opposite side and Ash takes out a Pokéball. Charizard flies onto the scene with a roar and doubles back towards the boat breathing fire. Ash admits that he "goofed" and calls Charizard back, only to find a singed Misty looking not too happy. Ash apologizes and continues with his test.
Team Rocket makes an appearance a few meters in front of the boat riding their sub, but a target moves down in front of them. Ash spots it and sends out Squirtle who takes it out with a Water Gun. The attack also causes a tree to fall sending Team Rocket flying and, unnoticed by Ash, blasting off again. With Bulbasaur, Squirtle and Pikachu by his side, Ash knocks down all the targets. Since he successfully completed the test, Rudy is forced to accept his challenge to battle. Ash picks an electric, grass and water type to battle and Rudy says that he will do the same. He then asks Misty to join him for dinner and leaves Ash and Tracey standing in the hallway.
Ash takes this time to call Professor Oak. After Oak wishes Ash luck, Tracey butts in with a picture he drew. He shows the Professor the pad and tells him that he saw the Pokémon in it in a forest. All he saw was what looked like an electrical plug. If you've seen the second movie, you will know it is Elekid.
After finishing dinner, Misty, Rudy and Marie head down to the gym to look at Rudy's Pokémon collection. He has many total evolutions Pokémon including Alakazam, Golem, Rhydon, Pidgeot and Venomoth. The Pokémon are all dancing to the music playing in the background and Rudy explains that he doesn't just want to teach Pokémon lots of attacks but to make them express themselves in other ways. He says that this can improve these Pokémon in battle. Not fully understanding, Misty nods her head. Rudy takes her to the dance floor again and asks her to stay with him on the island. Misty is taken aback and stops dancing. Rudy tells her to wait until after the match to make her decision. Morning sets in and the shot goes to a platform stadium surrounded by water and the spikes shown at the beginning of the episode. Spectators including Misty and Tracey look on from a red air balloon hovering over the platform. The commentator introduces the competitors from atop a giant Pidgeot and explains that they will be using electric Pokémon first. The match begins with Ash choosing Pikachu and Rudy starting with Electabuzz. Pikachu uses a powerful Thunderbolt, but it is just absorbed by Electabuzz who then charges at Pikachu. Pikachu tries to dodge with a Quick Attack that causes a head on collision. Pikachu is sent flying to the ground due to a sheer size difference and is finished with a Thunder Punch.
Grass type Pokémon are next up to battle. Bulbasaur is Ash's choice Pokémon and Rudy counters with Exeggutor. He then asks for music. As Exeggutor dances around Bulbasaur's Razor Leaf Ash begins to worry, as this match is two out of three. The coconut headed Pokémon unleashes an Egg Bomb knocking Bulbasaur to the ground. Exeggutor towers over the lowly seed Pokémon who begins to sweat. Ash tells Bulbasaur to use Sleep Powder, which puts Exeggutor to sleep and tumbling down the side of the cliff. It falls towards Team Rocket who is clambering back up the cliff. They look up to see the green tufted Pokémon hurtling toward them and are bowled back down to the sea below. Bulbasaur saves the snoozing Exeggutor with its Vine Whip, but the Rockets continue to fall. It comes down to water types to battle it out for the badge. Rudy dedicates his next match to "The girl who stole my heart" (Misty) and sends Starmie to face Ash's Squirtle. They exchange Water Guns and Rudy becomes impatient. He orders for musical accompaniment and Starmie begins to spin on the spot. Rudy sweeps his hand through his hair and commands Starmie to spin into a Thunderbolt! To everyone's amazement, the water Pokémon unleashes an electrified Thunderbolt attack hitting Squirtle. Ash yells out, not believing his eyes. Misty, whose mind had been ticking over what Rudy had said about staying, finally makes her decision. She shouts from the balloon that she wants Ash to win and that he's the only one able to bring out Squirtle's real power. Rudy realizes that Misty really wants Ash (although Ash doesn't) and loses all the style that he started with. Squirtle breaks from the Thunderbolt with a Water Gun, which catapults the tiny turtle off of the side of the platform towards the spikes. All looks lost as Squirtle Withdraws into its shell. More surprises come however when it releases immense jets of water from each of the holes in its shell. The power from this blast cannon it back up the cliff face. Misty explains that the battle has caused Squirtle to learn HYDRO PUMP the most powerful water attack.
Lunging at Starmie, Squirtle's newly learned Hydro Pump connects causing the star shaped Pokémon to skid across the ground. A well-aimed Skull Bash sinks Starmie into submission. Rudy is beaten and Ash earns another badge and raising Squirtle in the air he cheers his team on. Back on the beach Ash receives a Spike Shell badge and Misty receives a final bunch of flowers. Rudy tells Ash that he's a very lucky guy for being the idol of Misty's affection, but he still doesn't get it. As our hero's sail off into the sunset, they glance back on the island where Ash won his third Orange League badge and Misty won a young man's heart.