Ash and co make it finally at the place where the Whirl Cup will be held. They decide to head to the Pokémon Center to get more info.

There, they are surprised, as a long line waits at the cash deck to get the same thing! After a while, Nurse Joy gives them a guide book with info about the Whirlpool Cup. Brock starts flirting with Joy, but Misty drags him away. The book explains there will be a Qualification match first, to see if the trainers have enough experience.

Outside, they see a boy a little down. Misty asks what's wrong, but the boy quickly asks if they fight in the Whirlpool Cup. Misty says yes and the boy challenges her for a Pokémon fight. Misty accepts.

They go to a place with water, two stones and some pillars. The boy explains that this is somewhat how the Whirlcup shall look like. The boy sends out a Remoraid and Misty her Corsola. The fight goes on for a while, but eventually Remoraid defeats Corsola.

The Remoraid starts evolving and becoms Octillery. The boy thanks Misty and heads off. Later, at the Pokémon Center, the team decides to rest and ask to Brock if he wants to watch for Togepi and Pikachu during the Cup.

The next day, the fights are quickly shown and ended. Ash's Totodile wins from a Shellder, and Misty's Corsola wins from a Seaking and her Poliwhirl wins from a Magikarp.

The fights are over and the team decides to explore the area. They see the boy again from yesterday, who's again a little down. The boy takes them to his house, where they see a lot of Remoraid and the Octillery in an aquarium. The boy explains that the Remoraid are avoiding Octillery, because he is older then they are. He doesn't seem to succeed in briging them together. Ash offers to help, but will do that tomorrow, as it's already late and they'll need their sleep.

That night, Team Rocket is spying around the house. They want to steal the Water Pokémon and give them to their boss. Meowth gets a better idea and suggets to open a theme park, where they'll give shows with the Remoraid and let them do some cheap tricks.

They enter the house and surprise the Remoraid and Octillery, by capturing them in a big net. Ash comes out from his bedroom and sees Team Rocket, but they manage to escpape anyhow.

They hurry outside, where a boat waits. They make it to the other side of the lake, where a car is waiting. They throw the Remoraid in, but the Octillery knows to escape. Octillery pushes several Water Guns into Meowth's face, who gets angry.

Ash and co arrive, who have found a shorter way to cross the lake, and fight Team Rocket. The boy frees his Water Pokémon and decide that they team-up. The Pokémon do and defeat Team Rocket.

The other Remoraid evolve into Octillery as well, making the boy's first Octillery happy of course.

The next day, the Whirlpool Cup is finally going to begin. They see the stadium rising and prepare for battle...

(Who's that Pokémon? It's Octillery!)

TO BE CONTINUED...