The Gym Leaders of both Kanto and Johto battle the numerous masked Team Rocket Grunts inside the Magnet Train, which has left the Indigo Plateau. Eventually they come to the realization that they were tricked into entering the train. Clair uses her whip and her Dragonair to keep three grunts at bay, then declares the culprit behind the train trap to be among the Gym Leaders. She thus catches Blaine's arm with her whip, and fends off protests from the other Kanto Gym Leaders. They and their Johto counterparts move to other carriages, leaving Blaine and Clair in the carriage they are in, to have the exhibition match that Blaine missed.
Clair uses the impromptu battle as an opportunity to confront Blaine over Lance, a close member of Clair's dragon clan who Blaine fought a year ago. Hearing no answers, Clair has her Dragonair launch an Outrage, only for the silhouette of a Legendary beast to surround Blaine and reflect the attack back at Clair and her Dragonair. Blaine walks calmly over to his fallen opponent to assure her that Lance is alright, before moving further down the train to join Misty and the others.
Meanwhile, Lt. Surge is in the carriage just ahead, and notice the Team Rocket Elite Trio seemingly oblivious to him while under their masks. Lt. Surge recites the Team Rocket pledge to shatter their masks and restore their pride. He informs the Elite Trio that he will be returning to the Indigo Plateau to confront the Masked Man, thus leaving it up to them to re-awaken the rest of the mind-controlled grunts. With that, he proceeds towards the back of the train to split the rear three carriages from the front three. This causes the front three carriages to accelerate to an even greater speed, which Blue, at the driver's seat on the train, notices.