As Ash and Brock watch, Dawn is entranced by a wild Pachirisu. Ash checks his Pokédex while Pachirisu chases its tail and grooms itself. Wanting to catch the cute Pokémon, Dawn sends out Piplup to attack with Peck. Pachirisu uses Sweet Kiss to confuse Piplup. Dawn recalls Piplup into its Poké Ball out and sends out Buneary, attacking with Dizzy Punch. Pachirisu recovers and attacks with Spark. Buneary fires several Ice Beam attacks but Pachirisu quickly dodges them. Pachirisu uses Discharge to attack not just Buneary, but the humans and Pikachu as well. The attack tires Pachirisu, giving Dawn an opening to bring Piplup back out and firing BubbleBeam. She throws her Poké Ball, drawing in Pachirisu, and the ball hits the earth, rattling a few times before stopping, the catch successful. Dawn is brimming with excitement over the capture. Meanwhile, Jessie is skipping forwards in happiness towards the Floaroma Contest, planning to look for a Pokémon.
During the night, Dawn dreams about working with Pachirisu for the next Contest. She wakes up during the night and admires Pachirisu sleeping. The next morning, Dawn grooms her hair as usual, getting it down. Ash is still boasting over his first badge win, ready to win another, as Dawn prepares to train for her first ribbon. She runs out to the field to begin. She brings out Pachirisu, but moments after it comes out, it suddenly darts away and back. As Dawn pets it, Pachirisu fires Discharge before darting away, leaving Dawn’s hair sticking out in static. She decides to call back Pachirisu, but it dodges the recall beams. She sends out her other Pokémon to reclaim Pachirisu. Pachirisu quickly runs around the field in a blitz, easily keeping ahead of Buneary and Piplup. They eventually get too exhausted and collapse, Pachirisu bouncing back and playing with Buneary’s ear. Ash sends Pikachu after it, but it also keeps ahead of Pikachu. Ash sends out Turtwig, Staravia and Aipom after it. The chase continues as Pachirisu quickly runs circles around all of them. Buneary and Piplup recover in time for all the Pokémon to surround Pahcirisu. They all attempt to dog-pile Pachirisu, but it runs away at the last minute. The humans are all stunned at Pachirisu’s high energy. It finally gets cornered at a cliff edge, and it fires Discharge at all of the Pokémon, knocking all out but Pikachu. Pachirisu collapses after exhausting itself. Dawn runs up and grabs Pachirisu, and it unconsciously uses Discharge again, ruining Dawn’s hair.
Back at the tent, as Dawn attempts to fix her hair, she begins to doubt her lack of ability to control Pachirisu. She finally comes out of the tent, looking gloomy. She stops out onto the field and releases Pachirisu. Even though Dawn expresses her feeling to Pachirisu, it still doesn't want to leave, but Dawn runs away. When they prepare to pack up, Ash and Brock notice Dawn's low mood. As they talk to her, they find out about the release. Ash and Brock try to make her reconsider her decision. Meanwhile, Pachirisu continues to display its high energy before taking a rest. Team Rocket spots Pachirisu and Jessie decides to claim it.
As Dawn takes time to reflect, she continually thinks of Pachirisu, even noting a cloud shaped like Pachirisu. She runs back to Ash and Brock, deciding to find Pachirisu and reclaim it. Meanwhile, Jessie faces down Pachirisu and tosses a Poké Ball, the Pokémon successfully going inside. However, it breaks out easily, sending the ball back and hitting Jessie. Ash and co. arrive and confront Team Rocket. Although Ash claims Pachirisu belongs to Dawn, Team Rocket knows she released it because it went inside the Poké Ball earlier. Jessie offers to let Pachirisu choose between the two, but she cheats by trying to lure it with food. Ash asks Brock for his food, but he doesn't want to sink to their level, and Dawn knows that it won’t prove anything. Pachirisu rushes to Jessie, but it quickly uses Discharge to knock her out and grab all the food. Dawn steps forward to Pachirisu, and Pachirisu walks up to Dawn, choosing her. Team Rocket rushes back to a bush and attempt to use a machine hand to catch it, but it dodges easily. They retreat to their balloon and use the arm to fire gumballs at Pachirisu, preventing it from moving. Ash sends Pikachu and Dawn brings out her Pokémon, but the gumballs quickly immobilize all of the Pokémon. Dawn shields Pachirisu as the gumballs immobilize all of the humans as well. Dawn attempts to protect Pachirisu as Team Rocket closes in. Meowth uses the perfume to free Pachirisu as it darts away. It runs back, choosing Jessie and jumping onto her shoulder. Team Rocket gets back onto their balloon and escape with Pachirisu.
On the balloon, Pachirisu seems to stay, but it suddenly uses Discharge to destroy the balloon and send Team Rocket flying. Dawn feels let down, but Ash looks ahead as Pachirisu walks back with the removal potion in its mouth, snuggling up to Dawn. Dawn hugs Pachirisu as it stores energy, raising her hair. Dawn sticks out a Poké Ball and Pachirisu goes in, willingly letting itself be captured for the second time. Now, Dawn has more resolve to get her first win at Floaroma Town.