Ash, Misty, and Brock are journeying through a dark forest, having lost their way to Saffron City. Misty and Ash start to argue, but they soon notice a young girl standing nearby. Ash calls to her, but she turns and runs away. Ash dashes after her, only to fall over a cliff. He quickly sends out Bulbasaur, who grabs him and pulls him up with Vine Whip. Misty and Brock catch up, and ask about the little girl. They look around and don't see her, but they do see the large metropolis of Saffron City. Brock comments that the gym leader there is Sabrina, the holder of the Marsh Badge.
Ash and his friends enter the main gates, and are quickly approached by two girls dressed as Hawaiian dancers who tell them that they have won a contest. Ash is skeptical, until they explain that they are he is millionth person to enter the city. Ash and his friends happily follow them to a large building, where they enter a large room. Suddenly, one of the dancers grabs Pikachu and talks to them in a very male voice. The other woman pushes Ash and his friends onto a warp tile, and they are instantly transported to another room. They look around, wondering where they are. A television comes down from the ceiling, and the images of the two women appear. They move out of sight for a second, and then reappear as Jessie and James of Team Rocket. They say their motto, but are annoyed by the fact that Ash and his friends aren't listening. They step out of the way to reveal Pikachu tied up. Suddenly, the screen goes to static. Team Rocket fumbles with the controls, trying to bring the picture back, when Meowth notices the little girl that Ash saw in the forest. Team Rocket approaches her, only to be paralyzed. The girl picks up Pikachu and disappears. She reappears in the room Ash and his friends are in, and gives Pikachu back. She then teleports them outside.
Outside, Ash and his friends discover themselves to be in front of the city's gym. A man jogs up, and advises them to stay away from Sabrina, but jogs away before Ash can ask him why. Since he can't get into the Pokémon League without a Marsh Badge, he enters the building. As he and his friends walk around, they don't see anyone. They see a door, and look through the window on it. Inside, they see several people in white coats sitting at tables. Ash and his friends can't figure out what they're all doing, and are approached by another man in a white coat. Ash tells him that he wants to challenge Sabrina, but the man laughs. He then takes a spoon out from his pocket and bends it with telekinesis. Ash mockingly bends the spoon with his hands, and tells the man to take him to Sabrina.
They all enter a huge room, with two lit torches at the other end. Misty is slightly nervous, and Brock comments on how the place looks like a temple. The man bows down at a figure sitting on a chair and tells her why Ash and his friends are here. He adds that she shouldn't waste her time with them. A small light turns on, and Ash and his friends see the little girl whom they had seen before. The girl looks up with glowing eyes, and the man jumps up as if in pain. He apologizes profusely about how it's not his job to tell her who he should and shouldn't fight. He quickly dashes out the doors. Ash demands a match, and the girl tells him that if he loses, he and his friends will have to play with her. Ash agrees, and all the lights turn on and the doors slam shot. Ash can now see that the little girl he was talking to is only a doll, and the real Sabrina is holding her. Sabrina floats to the floor, and sends out Abra. Ash sends out Pikachu, but Abra doesn't react in any way. He appears to be asleep. Ash decides to shock it anyway, but Abra teleports out of the way. He then evolves into Kadabra. Pikachu fills the room with electricity, but Kadabra uses Confusion, and the electricity hits Pikachu. Kadabra uses Psychic, and sends Pikachu rocketing to the ceiling and back. Ash can't stand it, and forfeits. The doll teleports them to a deserted street.
Ash and his friends quickly enter a nearby house, but find no one. They see a table set with cake and tea, and Brock takes a bite, only to find that it's fake. Ash looks around some more, and finds a woman sitting in a bathtub. He quickly apologizes, but Pikachu points out that she is a doll. Misty and Brock run up, and tell him that they are all in a dollhouse. The roof is removed, and they all see a huge Sabrina and doll. They run out of the house, and start running down the street with the doll walking after them. She rolls her ball towards them, and they know that their situation is not good. Suddenly, the jogger from before appears in front of them, and he teleports them all outside. They thank him for helping them, and he repeats his warning about how dangerous Sabrina is. Ash tells him that he needs to win her badge, but the man uses his Psychic power to make him do embarrassing things. Ash continues to appeal to him, and continues to be battered by the man's powers. Ash is too stubborn to give up, which surprises the man. He is impressed with his determination, and tells him to go to Lavender Town and catch a Ghost type Pokémon. He then disappears. As Ash and his friends leave, the man reappears in a tree and asks to himself if Ash will be able to "rescue" Sabrina.