Ash and company are walking on an island through a vast plain, and are tired. A thunderstorm starts up, with some Magnemite and Jolteon appearing. A man with a Tauros-drawn wagon drives up and tells them to get in, to protect them from the storm. His name is Ethan, and he trains the Magnemite clan. They chase thunderstorms and absorb the lightning into themselves, so that Ethan can sell their electricity to earn his living. He uses the Jolteon to round them up; Magnemite are highly magnetic, and if they wander off - particularly #6, who is the black sheep - Jolteon can thunderwave to attract them back.
Travelling, they hear that the nearest town has had a power shortage, and the hospitals and so on will soon be unable to run. Team Rocket attacks, and they fight them off, but Ethan and Jolteon are injured in the process. Ash jumps on a Tauros and takes nine of the Magnemite to the nearest town. He meets Team Rocket on the way, who have an electromagnetic gun, but Pikachu competes with them for charge, and manages to keep the Magnemite from being captured. Magnemite #6, who Ash specially rescued, evolves into Magneton. They all beat Team Rocket (ouch) and go to successfully give the next town electricity.