Ash and company arrive at the Pokémon Center, but Nurse Joy is nowhere to be found. Pikachu inspects the room where she was and suddenly falls asleep. Ash follows it and meets the same fate. Outside, Team Rocket is knocked out of their tree by the gust from a Shiftry who is carrying away Nurse Joy. They decide they should capture it for their boss.

Back at the Pokémon Center, Ash, Brock, May, and Max are inspecting surveillance tapes to figure out why Nurse Joy is gone and why there is Sleep Powder in the room. They see the Shiftry taking Nurse Joy and decide to track it. They believe it is heading towards the largest tree in the forest. On their way, a number of Pokémon try to prevent their passage. Joy wakes up inside the top of the tree and is led to an ailing Nuzleaf.

At this point Ash and the gang arrive at the tree and start to battle with Shiftry and the other Grass-type Pokémon. Brock, Max, and May head for the tree and find Joy, who explains that she doesn’t need rescuing. Team Rocket tries to steal the Shiftry, but it sends them blasting off again. By morning, Nurse Joy heals the sick Nuzleaf and Ash and his friends set off again on their journey.