Summery: Although they are tired and dirty, the gang is quite happy that they finally arrived at Vermilion City. Misty wants to go wash up, Brock wants to get some food, and Ash wants to go to the gym right away. Unfortunately, Brock pulls Ash back, pointing to Pikachu who is hungry and dead tired from all the traveling - a loud stomach growling is proof enough for Ash. So, they all decide to go to the pokémon center to rest up. There, they give Nurse Joy Ash's Pikachu and his other pokémon in order to rest. Joy explains that she resembles her first cousin in Viridian City and her second cousin in Pewter City, but she believes she's the prettiest (Brock, of course, agrees whole-heartedly. Ash and the others notice that lots of young trainers are bringing in their badly injured pokémon. They are curious what happened, and Nurse Joy explains that 15 pokémon have been brought in this month after battling Lt. Surge: the pokémon gym leader. Misty prods at Ash that he's scared of his first real match against a really powerful opponent; after all, Brock and her sisters gave Ash his badges out of pity. As they argue, Joy points out that the two of them must care for each other because they fight so much. Of course they deny it. Before they can finish their quarrel, though, Pikachu and Ash's other pokémon are all healed up. Ash goes to Pikachu and wants him to fight Surge, but Pikachu is afraid he'll wind up all injured like the other pokémon. Ash tries to drag Pikachu which only results in him getting shocked. This prompts Misty to point out that with the way they fight, Ash and Pikachu must REALLY care for each other. Anyway, they eventually make it to the gym and meet Lt. Surge. At first, Pikachu is quite afraid, but as Surge makes fun of "baby" Ash and his "baby pokémon," Pikachu begins to get mad. Ash wants to know why Surge keeps insulting his Pikachu and so he shows him his Raichu, of which he evolved as soon as it learned all its electric attacks in order to have a more powerful, better, and not-so-baby pokémon. Pikachu is angered and wants to fight. A one on one battle is decided as Surge uses his Raichu. With one thundershock, Raichu is able to knock Pikachu down. Brock convinces Ash to call Pikachu back, but Pikachu wants to keep fighting. Outside, Team Rocket is observing all this and realize that if Pikachu loses, then it is not worth capturing and they had wasted all this time. Pikachu tries to fight, but a big electric attack knocks him out. The next thing we see is a bandaged up Pikachu who is disappointed in itself for losing.  Raichu Nurse Joy offers to give Ash a thunderstone to evolve Pikachu into a Raichu to have a better chance at winning, but if he does so, Pikachu will never be the same and evolution cannot be reversed. Ash allows Pikachu to decide, but Pikachu refuses, saying it WILL fight Raichu again in order to preserve its honor. Team Rocket (still spying) and Ash are moved by this, and Brock suggests a new strategy. As they depart later on to fight Surge again, they are met by strangely dressed people who begin the Team Rocket motto, until one of them stops them. Then they say they are going to do a cheer for Pikachu and after a bizarre one, take off. It is, as Misty points out, Team Rocket. At the gym, Ash wants another round, and Surge accepts. Raichu gets some good hits on Pikachu, but then suddenly, Pikachu uses agility to outmaneuver Raichu. Since Surge evolved his Raichu before it learned any speed attacks, its weakness became its slowness. A powerful thunder attack seems to defeat Pikachu, but Pikachu grounded himself with his tail. Raichu is out of electricity, and Pikachu is able to defeat him. Ash and the gang and Team Rocket cheer as Pikachu came out the victor! Later, Lt. Surge gives Ash a Thunder Badge, and they all applaud Ash for a job well-done (even Misty, since this was the first gym battle Ash actually won fair and square). Team Rocket departs into the sunset determined more than ever to catch Pikachu, but they realize at the very end that they didn't even attempt to capture it all this time at all an entire episode wasted!