Center. As Brock eagerly checks his E-mail, he gets a message from Suzie, the Pokémon breeder who let him take care of her Vulpix. He learns that Suzie is coming to a town known as Bonitaville to enter a Pokémon Contest, and that she needs a Pokémon to enter with. Determined to meet Suzie once more, Brock sets off for Bonitaville with Ash and Misty. Arriving at Bonitaville, the gang notices all of the Pokémon fancied with makeup and clothes. Misty asks Brock what kind of contest is being held, and he answers that it's an important Pokémon Beauty Contest. As he grooms Vulpix, Brock tells it that he has to make it look beautiful for Suzie. He turns to Ash and Misty and tells them they should look bright and beautiful for Suzie as well. Misty notices Brock doesn't look too neat himself, and he suddenly changes into a white tuxedo; an outfit Ash mistakes for the ice cream man.
Also wandering around Bonitaville, Team Rocket marvels at such a great town that encourages the beautification of Pokémon. Jessie and James decide to enter the Pokémon Beauty Contest, and when they win, they'll become superstars of the fashion world. That would help them open their own successful beauty salon to attract the media, and eventually getting them their own TV show, making millions. Meowth likes the idea, and lets Jessie give him a makeover. Waiting to meet Suzie in a local street, Brock carries Vulpix and a bouquet of roses. Misty sees something astounding and runs off. Ash notices that the Pokémon around town look exquisite, but Brock mentions that how well the Pokémon was raised is another factor the judges consider. Suddenly, Vulpix leaps from Brock's arms and runs down the street.
Ash and Brock give chase, to find Suzie not too far away. Ash and Suzie greet each other. Brock, sheepishly lagging behind, gives Suzie the flowers and thanks her for letting him keep Vulpix for so long. Suzie comments that the moment she laid eyes on her old Pokémon, she knew that Brock had taken better care of it then he could have ever done. Ash asks Brock if he's really letting go of Vulpix, and he replies that it was never his to begin with. Suzie adds that when Brock found out she needed a Pokémon to enter the beauty contest, he thought that she should enter Vulpix instead of finding a totally different Pokémon. Just as Brock and Ash are about to leave, Suzie suggests that Brock should enter the contest with her as partners. Brock agrees, turns red, and faints. Someplace else, Misty marvels over a breeder's gorgeous Ninetales, asking him a dozen questions about grooming. Irritated, the breeder tells her to go away, and as Misty apologizes, Suzie and the gang come over. Suzie tells the breeder he should be happy that she thinks his Ninetales is so beautiful, and he apologizes.
As the group sits down at a table, Misty discovers that the breeder, Zane, has known Suzie for a long time. Suzie explains that she and Zane have been together since Nursery School, and that they both vowed to be Pokémon Breeders, and that they both started out with their own Vulpix. As Brock notices that Suzie and Zane are rivals, Zane explains that he evolved his Vulpix to help him in the beauty contest. Misty comments that Suzie and Zane are very much alike, but Suzie says that they also have some big disagreements, such as where a Pokémon's beauty truly comes from. Suzie believes it comes from the heart, whereas Zane believes it all comes from the outside. Meanwhile, Jessie and James are done with their Meowth makeover; consisting of purple lips, an orange star over the left eye, and a long, reddish-pink streak over the right eye.
The contest begins, and Misty finds out that Brock and Suzie are contestant number 37, while Zane is 38. The first contestant approaches the stage, but instead Team Rocket makes a dramatic entrance with their motto, mentioning, "cutting and curling at the speed of light." The audience cheers Team Rocket on, and Zane walks on stage to compliment the two. Suddenly, Officer Jenny barges in and reports that the two locked the real contestant number one in a closet and took his place. Jessie complains that her original number was 259, and that it's unfair to make the judges wait that long to see the winners. Unconvinced, Jenny disqualifies Team Rocket and throws them out.
Meowth comes up with an alternative plan to compensate for their failure. Jessie and James come back posing as Pokémon Doctors. They announce that all of the breeders' Pokémon must be examined or else the contestant will be disqualified. Team Rocket picks up all of the Pokémon and puts them in a large container outside. Waiting too long, Zane demands for the door Team Rocket walked out from to be unlocked at once. Brock calls out Geodude to break the door down, and the group runs outside.
Looking up, everyone spots Team Rocket floating away in their balloon. Ash sends out Noctowl as it punctures a hole in the balloon. He then uses Pikachu to break the lock open, and all the Pokémon are reunited with their trainers. Jessie sends out Arbok to battle, and James chooses Victreebel who, of course, attacks James first. Victreebel unleashes a Razor Leaf, but the combined Flamethrowers of Suzie's Vulpix and Zane's Ninetales reduce the leaves into ashes.
Arbok prepares to strike, but Vulpix and Ninetales retaliate with Fire Spin, sending Team Rocket blasting off in a tornado of fire. The contest resumes. As Brock and Suzie are talking, Zane comes over and mentions that Team Rocket has taught him something: the importance of teamwork. Zane suggests that he and Suzie could open a beauty salon together, working on both the inner and outer beauty of Pokémon. Brock feels happy for Suzie, and encourages the idea.
Suzie agrees, and the announcer calls her and Brock to the stage. As he walks out, Zane tells him that he had been jealous of Brock since Suzie had told him that he was the best. However, Zane now knows it to be true. Brock and Suzie walk onto the stage, and the audience cheers them on. Never revealing the winner, the episode draws to a close, leaving on the note that win or lose, Brock will always be top breeder in our book.