A Tent Situation

Plot
Ash and his friends arrive at Pallet Town, where he and Misty are surprised to see Brock waiting for them in Ash's house. When they ask why he left Professor Ivy, Brock abruptly falls to the ground shivering, and Misty believes she dumped him. Delia arrives home, and explains that she and Mimey found him a week ago, lying on the ground in a grassland, and took him home. Since then, Brock has been helping around the house, with Brock fighting over the chores with Mimey. Later, whilst discussing over dinner, Tracey insists on seeing Professor Oak. Ash is reminded of the GS Ball and then shows his mother his Winner's Trophy, which she suggests she could use as a dumbbell.

Ash, Pikachu, Misty, Tracey, and Brock travel to Professor Oak's Laboratory, with Team Rocket watching from a distance. Ash is welcomed to the house by Muk, who is crushing Oak under his weight. Tracey ignores the situation and asks to show Oak his sketches. Ash hands Oak the GS Ball and he puts it away to examine it later. Oak then shows them around the Laboratory, and Ash sends his Tauros out to rejoin the herd before encountering his other Pokémon, Snorlax and Kingler. Over some cups of tea, Oak begins to review Tracey's sketches. As Tracey nervously awaits Oak's approval, he is interrupted by Meowth activating a circus net that engulfs the Laboratory. Meanwhile, Jigglypuff appears and tries to go through the net, though it cannot.

Team Rocket performs their motto while doing a circus act. Just as Ash is about to call out Bulbasaur, he notices Muk's insistence and sends it out instead. Jessie sends out Lickitung, but Muk ignores Lickitung and goes on to smother Jessie. James sends out Victreebel, which Muk hugs as well. James tries his luck with Razor Leaf, but it fails, and Muk deflects the leaves. Victreebel begins to swallow Muk, but soon spits it out in disgust. Lickitung slobbers all over Muk with its tongue, but it does nothing.

James commands Victreebel to use Sleep Powder on Muk, which works, much to Ash's surprise. Ash is about to call out Squirtle and Bulbasaur, but Team Rocket then throws rings around him and the others, which immobilize them. A Super Sucker then proceeds to suck all of the lab's Poké Balls and Tracey's sketchbooks. Meowth asks again why Brock came back, though he doesn't give an answer. The last Ball sucked in is the GS Ball, but then, a rip in the tent appears, caused by a Trainer's Nidoqueen. Team Rocket's tent and Jigglypuff are sent flying into the distance. The Meowth Balloon falls to the ground, releasing every Poké Ball inside. The Trainer turns out to be Gary, and his Nidoqueen attacks Lickitung by grabbing its tongue and swinging it into Team Rocket. Nidoqueen then sends Victreebel flying into Team Rocket with a Mega Punch. Jessie throws Meowth into the battle; he tries using Scratch, but his claws break from Nidoqueen's armored body. Gary tells his Nidoqueen to use Strength, hurling Team Rocket into the air and sending them blasting off again.

Gary has Nidoqueen use its horn to free everyone. He then greets his grandfather, and everyone except for Ash admires his well-trained Nidoqueen. Ash tries to brag about his Orange League Winner's Trophy; Gary congratulates him but notes that it didn't help him defeat Team Rocket. Soon enough, Ash and Gary prepare for a battle to prove who has become the better Trainer over the past months.

Major Events

 * Ash and his friends arrive in Pallet Town.
 * Brock returns and meets Tracey for the first time.
 * Ash delivers the GS Ball to Professor Oak.
 * Ash returns Tauros to its herd at Professor Oak's Laboratory.
 * James's Victreebel is revealed to know Double-Edge*.
 * Gary returns and is revealed to have obtained a Nidoqueen.
 * Tracey meets Gary for the first time.
 * Ash challenges Gary to a battle, and he accepts.