Without further ado, I give you the next story in the Ruby Series, the Johto arc! Hope you guys enjoy, please leave a review with just a simple comment on what you think because it really helps to give me inspiration as a writer to hear that the readers like what I'm writing. Anyway, on with the story, I'll see you on the other side!

*Note, I shall answer any questions in the reviews in the next chapter, so ask anything you like about the story, Ruby, her Pokémon ect.

The good news was we'd finally arrived in the Johto region. The bad news was…we're lost. How is it we've only been here five minutes and we're already lost? This is so not fair! We've been walking around in circles all day and now and Ash has only just noticed a tree branch up ahead that looks very familiar.

"You said you knew where you were going and we're totally lost now so where do we go?!" Misty demanded hotly, glaring at Ash who turned around swiftly.

"Well if you're so smart then why don't you be the one to decide?" He shouted back at her and she growled before standing up proudly.

"That's a good idea. I'll find a way out of here." She said then began to look around. After a few seconds Ash crossed his arms then leaned towards Misty with a smirk.

"Come on Misty let's go, we're waiting for your directions."

"Don't rush me Ash!" She snipped back, glaring at him. "I just have to think!"

"Well, this is going to be a brand new experience for you."

"We're not lost because of me!" She yelled back but then Brock forced them apart, shoving them away from each other in a loud voice.

"Hey! Yelling never solved anything so just calm down!" Hypocrite. "You two have to learn to be more mature like me." He said and we all peered at him closely in confusion.

"Uh…" Suddenly there was a deep breath of wind and Togepi lifted her head, blinking before smiling and jumping out of Misty's arms.

"Togi?" She marched off, chanting all the way. "Togi-Togi Piiiii!" She trilled and Pikachu quickly chased after her, making Ash call after him with worry.

"Pikachu! Pikachu!" I grabbed his collar and pulled him along with me as I ran, setting him in motion as we all chased after the Pokémon as they dove into the bush.

"Where're they going?" I asked in confusion but the moment we parted the bushes, we all stopped and stared in shock at the mysterious and beautiful sight that lay before us. I gasped deeply, staring at the Pokémon as it glowed a perfect blue, drinking from the water with light shining around it.

"A Pokémon." Brock whispered.

"It's beautiful." Misty answered and I nodded my head as Ash leaned closer.

"It sure is."

"But which one is it?" However all of us were too entranced to even think about bringing Dexter out to tell us, as his voice would break the enchantment of such a beautiful Pokémon. Lifting its head the Pokémon looked directly at us and I caught a splash of purple on its head with white also before it had turned and leaped gracefully away into the trees.

"Uh! Wait come back!" Ash yelled as he raced after the Pokémon but somehow he slipped and fell down the slope.

"Ash!" Misty, Brock and I yelled as we ran after him and the Pokémon but it turns out it wasn't a slope, just a very steep drop and we all fell down with him. Now Ash had already stood up, however when we landed on the bottom he tripped and fell on top of Misty, who lay on top of Brock, who was crushing me.

"Why do I have to always be the one who gets squished at the bottom?!" I yelled, struggling to even move. "Everyone please get off me! Right now all I want is to get out of these woods!"

"Sorry Ruby." Brock said, offering a hand and he helped me stand up. "You okay?" I took a deep breath, exhaled then nodded my head.

"Yeah I'm fine. How about I get us all out of here?" I suggested then tossed a Pokéball up into the air. "Alright Pidgeotto, time for you to save the day!" I called brightly and she rose up into the air with a trill of her voice. "Pidgeotto, try and find the fastest way out of these woods to a place called New Bark Town, okay?" I said to her and she nodded her head.

"Pidgeo!" With that she flew off and I sat down, giving my legs a rest. We managed to climb back up the slope and waited there until Pidgeotto came back, fluttering her wings and calling out to me.

"Hey! Did you find the way?"

"Pidgeo, Pidgeo!" She nodded her head then began to circle around us, getting us to our feet.

"Alright, then show us the way!" I beamed then began to skip ahead, following Pidgeotto as she directed us out of the woods. It took longer than I thought it would. Much longer. By the time we left the trees Ash was crawling and I was beginning to tremble at my knees.

"I don't think I can go much further." Misty whimpered as I lifted my Pokéball.

"Good job Pidgeotto, thanks for your help." I said then let her return for a rest. Suddenly Ash called out and I looked up as he pointed to a sign.

"Hey look what that sign says!" We all read the words and my heart leaped for joy.

"New Bark Town!" Misty cried with relief. Suddenly Ash was full of energy, leaping up and punching the air.

"Alright!"

"Ash, maybe we'll see another one of those Pokémon we saw in the woods." She suggested and Ash quietened down, his mind wandering back to that beautiful and mysterious Pokémon we had seen.

"Hey yeah…" I could tell he was intrigued to know exactly what kind of Pokémon that was and I was too. I just had to know because I want to see it again someday. My daydream was interrupted however when Brock continued to read off the sign.

"New Bark Town. This way to the town where the winds of new beginnings blow." Standing upright he smiled and pounded his fists against the air, looking up and straight over the city. "Yes! Our next adventure starts right here!"

"Then what are we waiting for?" I questioned, smiling as I began to race down the track. "Let's get this adventure started!"

"Hey wait for me! I need to go to the Pokémon centre to register for the Johto League!" Ash yelled after me and I beamed.

"Gotta catch up first!" He laughed and took up my challenge, racing for all he was worth but he just didn't have the speed. I waited for them at the town entrance, hands on my hips as Ash gasped for air.

"Wow…you're really fast…I forgot about that little detail…" He panted and I laughed.

"Well, now that you're starting to get back into shape, let's go to the Pokémon centre to have a rest, shall we?" I suggested then pointed to a board of the town, pointing to our location which was marked with an arrow and then trailed the road to the Pokémon centre. "It's just around the corner, so let's go!"

"Finally! I get to meet Nurse Joy for the first time!" Brock cried out, spinning around with a hand to his heart. "I have dreamed about this moment for my entire life!"

"Uh…Brock? Haven't you already met other Nurse Joys'?" Misty reminded him but he shook his head.

"None like this one, they're all different after all and so easy to tell apart!" I clapped a hand to my head and sighed, unable to believe my ears.

"Here we go again." Sure enough the moment the Pokémon centre was in sight Brock rushed on ahead and dived straight in, running up to the desk then planted his hands down as his face grew all dreamy.

"Oh Nurse Joy!" However when a large, round and pink figure stood up, Brock's face fell.

"Chansey you're not Nurse Joy." He noted as the rest of us caught up with him.

"Well spotted Brock." I teased with a smile then turned to Chansey. "Hey there Chansey, where's Nurse Joy?" I asked and she beamed before pressing a button on the desk. A screen dropped down from above and turned on to reveal Nurse Joy smiling at us.

"Welcome all trainers, I'm Nurse Joy!" Brock almost drooled onto the desktop as he gazed up at Nurse Joy, blushing bright scarlet.

"Aahh…there she is!"

"That's funny." Misty noted.

"Yeah, why is she on TV?" I clapped him on the back of his head with a hiss.

"Sh! She'll explain." I told him and turned back to watch as Nurse Joy continued her explanation.

"I'm over at the Elm laboratory now and I'm sorry I'm not here to help you but I'll be back no later than two o' clock this afternoon." With that the screen went blank. Guess that's that, we'll have to just wait. I hope there's nothing wrong up at the lab with any of the Pokémon.

"Looks like we'll have to wait." Ash noted but Misty frowned then looked at the clock.

"Didn't she say she'd be back by two?" She questioned and we all instantly turned to check the time.

"It's already three thirty!" Ash complained then sighed. "Guess she must be running late."

"May as well sit down." Misty agreed, taking one of the seats but Brock zipped over to us with surprising speed, glaring down at us all as he yelled.

"We can't just sit here and hope that everything's okay! Don't you understand Nurse Joy might be in some kind of terrible danger?! Let's go find her!" He pointed to the door but the three of us just stared at him, slightly afraid.

"Whatever you say Brock." Ash agreed as, to be honest, you wouldn't want to disagree with Brock when he has his mind set on saving a pretty girl. "But where's this lab she went to?"

"That's easy." I said with a smile, giving a shrug as I walked over to a stand and picked up a leaflet about the town, opening it up to reveal a town map on the back with detail and all kinds of information. "We can find our way there with this." I said then began to study the way there. I picked up a pen from Nurse Joy's desk and marked the route to make sure I didn't lose track of the turns or get us lost. "Okay, let's go!"

"Yeah! Don't worry Nurse Joy, I'm coming to save you!" He raced out the door, leaving us and the map behind.

"Um…do you think we should remind him about the map?" Misty asked but I shook my head.

"Nah, he'll figure it out soon enough." I answered, leaving the Pokémon centre and began to lead the way. It didn't take us long but when we got there, I was surprised to find that there were police everywhere.

"Wonder what's going on here." Misty mused.

"Nothing good by the looks of things." I answered but then Ash turned around.

"Hey! Nurse Joy isn't the only familiar face in town!" He pointed towards Officer Jenny, which made Block blush bright red as he clapped his hands to his face in shock and delight.

"I can't believe it's her!" Somehow he pulled a bouquet of flowers from his backpack and he leaped over to Officer Jenny and stood up straight. "Hello Officer Jenny, I'm Brock and I would like to present to you a small token of my admiration." He informed her, making both Jenny and her Growlithe look at him strangely. "Perhaps you would like to get together this evening for a nice quiet…wagh!" Misty snatched his ear and dragged him away despite him clawing at the air, trying to get back.

"I'd better haul you off before she does." Nice one Misty! I giggled quietly then turned to face Officer Jenny as Ash politely approached her.

"Excuse me Officer Jenny, could you please tell us where we could find the lab of Professor Elm?" She lifted a hand and gestured behind her, smiling warmly.

"We happen to be standing right in front of it." She informed us and Ash balked in shock. Brock suddenly reappeared, somehow having gotten away from Misty and he looked at us with a determined expression.

"Looks like trouble. Don't worry Officer Jenny, leave this to me!" With that he raced inside before I could catch him, meaning as I leaped and missed, I crashed to the ground with a grunt.

"Ow. Brock you get back here!" I yelled but as I tried to get up Ash fell over and landed on me. "Hey!"

"Watch out!" Misty called as she came racing forwards too but without looking where she was going, I once again ended up at the bottom of the pile. "Misty, get off me!"

"Both of you get off me!" I quipped back, standing and shoving them both off of me before I raced in after Brock. "Wait up!" Officer Jenny watched in bewilderment before snapping to her senses, calling out after us.

"You can't go in there!" We found Brock easily enough, gripping Nurse Joy's hands and beginning to try and woo her but Misty cut in front, shoving him back and spread her arms to block his way to Nurse Joy.

"Hey! Save it Romeo we don't have time for that mushy stuff!"

"Can someone tell me what's going on here?" Nurse Joy asked and Ash beamed.

"Sure! You see…"

"You kids can't come barging in here in the middle of an official police investigation." Officer Jenny reprimanded, glaring down at Ash who then blinked in surprise.

"Investigation?"

"I'm afraid someone has stolen a Pokémon." Nurse Joy explained and we all stared in shock, speaking in unison.

"Stolen a Pokémon?!" Officer Jenny nodded her head sadly, folding her arms across her chest as she looked down at us.

"A new trainer's first Pokémon is gone. That poor girl, that poor Totodile." Jenny explained with a sigh but we all looked at her in confusion.

"Totodile?" We all questioned and Professor Elm stepped forwards, holding a new looking Pokémon in his arms. It was mouse like with a long snout and small body, dark blue at the top and a creamier underbelly.

"You see I was supposed to give this Cyndaquil and Totodile to two new trainers tomorrow." He explained and we all moved forwards to see the cute little Pokémon.

"Hey look at that!"

"It's a Cyndaquil!"

"It's so cute!" Misty agreed and I noticed the red spots on its back, which suddenly erupted into fire and Professor Elm expertly held the Pokémon away from him as we leaped back in surprise, staring at the activity but Professor Elm remained perfectly calm.

"Don't be alarmed, this is normal behaviour." He assured us and once the flames were gone he drew the Pokémon back closer to him again. "Maybe I should explain things more fully." He suggested then reached into his pocket. New Bark trainers get to choose one of three." He said then showed us a photo of a little green Pokémon with a leaf on its head. "A Chikorita. A new trainer just picked this one up the other day. It's a grass type. Or they can pick a Cyndaquil, a fire type. Or they can pick a Totodile which is a water type." He showed us another picture of a Pokémon with a big jaw, red spikes on its back and blue skin. It looked adorable!

"A water type! I'd pick that one." She decided firmly and I smiled.

"I think I'd go for the Chikorita, it looks so sweet but I bet it can pack a real punch!" I beamed and Ash looked up at Professor Elm.

"New trainers back home get to pick a Charmander, or a Squirtle, or a Bulbasaur but I got Pikachu!" He said and I nodded my head.

"Whilst I got Charmander, because I actually showed up on time to get my Pokémon, Ash Ketchum." He gave a guilty laugh and rubbed the back of his head as I shook my head slightly. Ah, those were the days.

"Well if those were the Pokémon you had to pick from I'd say you were from Pallet Town" Professor Elm guessed and we both smiled.

"That's right!" Ash and I said together. "But I've come to register for the Johto League."

"So I suppose you must know Samuel Oak!" Ash nodded his head.

"Professor Oak gave me this Pikachu and he's a good friend of mine and he was even at my house for dinner the other night."

"Yeah he's a good person." Brock said as I glanced around my surroundings, admiring the tall trees and the warm sunshine. "Have you ever met him yourself Professor Elm?" Professor Elm stepped back and lifted a fist into the air, glasses flashing in the sunlight.

"Of course I know Professor Oak! I was his top student! I remember the first paper I submitted to him at the university. A brilliant analysis of the hyphenized communicative faculties of Pokémon!" Before he could go into his large arm and hand gestures Nurse Joy had picked up Cyndaquil from him and I was now tickling his belly, making him squeal happily and kick his legs as Misty and I giggled at the adorable Pokémon.

Nurse Joy shifted Cyndaquil into a more comfortable position, gazing down at the sweet little Pokémon before looking to us. "I know Professor Elm may sound like a hothead but he's really very sweet and he raises wonderful Pokémon!"

"Hey Ash?" I said, giving him a gentle prod. "Don't you have something you want to ask Nurse Joy?" I said and he thought for a moment before beaming.

"Oh right! Nurse Joy, the reason we came out here looking for you was so that I could register for the Johto League." He explained and Nurse Joy smiled with a little laugh.

"I'm so sorry, I was supposed to be back at the Pokémon centre by two but when I got the lab I just lost track of time." She said and we all nodded our heads in understanding but Misty hung hers, looking sadly at the ground.

"I just feel bad for that trainer who's supposed to get that Totodile tomorrow."

"Yeah! When I was a new trainer, I got so excited about getting my new Pokémon I couldn't even sleep the night before!" Ash said and Misty arched an eyebrow and smirked at him.

"So you slept until four the next day." Ash didn't have an answer for that so he just quickly moved on, shaking off Misty's stab at him which I greatly appreciated.

"Anyway I'm just saying I know what it feels like to look forward to the day you finally get your first Pokémon." He said then looked to Pikachu with a nod. "That's why I'm going to do everything I can to help you track down that thief and bring back that Pokémon!"

"We'll all help find it Nurse Joy!" Misty agreed and before I could say anything another officer came running towards us.

"Officer Jenny! We didn't find any finger prints but we made a plaster cast of some suspicious footprints we found out back behind the lab." He lifted it up to show us three footprints. One was a boot, the other a heeled boot and the last a Pokémon's paw print. As we all peered closer I glanced to Misty and Ash.

"Look familiar to you?"

"Yeah, it looks like Team Rocket's followed us all the way out here!" Ash said, clenching his fists. "Wait till I find them. I'll show them why they shouldn't go around stealing Pokémon from other trainers!" Smiling I stepped forwards and twirled around.

"Looks like a job for Pidgeotto! Come on out!" I called and sent her up into the air, catching the ball neatly as it dropped back down then lifted my arm to let her land there. "Alright Pidgeotto, we've got a stolen Pokémon that's been kidnapped by someone. They can't be too far from here so I want you to go and start looking for them, okay? You're looking for a blue reptilian like Pokemon, like on the picture here." I explained and she nodded her head.

"Pidgeo!" She rose up and flapped her wings so I began to lead the way.

"Come on! We'll start with the footprints and follow them from there." Officer Jenny blinked in surprise.

"Wow, you would make a great detective young lady." She smiled then hurried after me with the others in hot pursuit. Pidgeotto flew ahead, following the tracks until they disappeared to find us the right path as we kept on running.

Growlithe ran ahead of us too, following the scent and together, he and Pidgeotto brought us closer and closer to the thieves. Suddenly Pidgeotto took a dive and I pointed up ahead. "There! She's found them!" I called to the others and Growlithe began to bark, picking up the pace so I did too, increasing my speed until finally we were faced with Team Rocket all in a bundle, fighting with one another and a Totodile clamped onto the end of Jessie's hair.

"It's Team Rocket!" Ha, knew it and they blew it.

"I'm placing you all under arrest for stealing that Totodile from Professor Elm's lab." Officer Jenny declared, lifting up a pair of handcuffs. Well, get ready. We all know what comes next.

"Prepare for trouble you'll never take us in." Jessie announced proudly, smirking at us as the Totodile remained clamped on her hair.

"Make it double we're sure to win." James answered and I sighed, rolling my eyes.

"Here we go again. Looks like old habits die hard."

"To protect the world from devastation!"

"To unite all people within our nation."

"To denounce the evils of truth and love."

"To extend our reach to the stars above."

"Jessie!"

"James…"

"Team Rocket blast off at the speed of light." Surrender now or prepare to fight, yeah, yeah, we've heard it all before and it always ends up the same. You guys literally blasting off at the speed of light when we beat you! Officer Jenny, however, was just confused.

"Could you repeat that?" Team Rocket hit the deck with a groan before Jessie leaped back up and glared at her.

"Listen you!" She started to swing her head and hair around, swinging the Totodile with it so it remained clamped on tight. "It just so happens that this Totodile and I are inseparable." However Ash was having none of it. He stepped forwards and pointed to Team Rocket with anger blazing in his eyes.

"That Totodile is supposed to be the first Pokémon a new trainer thinks she's coming to pick up tomorrow. It belongs to her. Now, doesn't your conscience bothers you? Even a little?" James looked up in thought, blinking slowly.

"My conscience does bother me a bit." Good. Out of the three I've always found James to be the more reasonable of the bunch.

"Well not me I'm unconscious!" Meowth yelled back at us. Him on the other hand? Can't stand him.

"I suppose my conscience would bother me if Team Rocket didn't go by a somewhat different ethical standard." She answered so Meowth lifted a finger to point upwards.

"Finders keepers losers weepers!" He called and the three of them dashed off, trying to escape.

"Oh no you don't, not so fast!" I yelled, jumping in front of Ash and sent a Pokéball flying. "Bulbasaur, I choose you!" Bulbasaur appeared, feet grounded and ready for battle so I pointed at Team Rocket. "Vine Whip!"

"Bulba!" He agreed, shooting out a vine and wrapped it around Meowth's foot, tripping him up to achieve a domino affect, catching all of Team Rocket in one strike. "Bulbasaur." He growled, stepping forwards as he then flicked out his vine again to try and catch the Totodile.

"Okay. Weezing, I choose you!" James called and sent out his Pokémon and we all knew what was coming next. "Smokescreen!" A black gas poured out of Weezing's mouth, surrounding us in a veil where I couldn't see a thing.

"Pidgeotto! Blow this Smokescreen away with your Gust!" I called and she dove down from the sky, shooting around us then began to flap her wings swiftly and blew away the smoke. "Bulbasaur, grab that Totodile!" I called and Bulbasaur secured his vine around Totodile, yanking back on it to try and dislodge it from Jessie's hair. "You can do it Bulbasaur, pull!" I called and with one more giant tug, Bulbasaur pulled Totodile free.

The Pokémon sailed through the air so I grabbed it, smiling as I snuggled it close to me. "Gotcha! That was a close one." I said and Totodile kicked his legs playfully.

"To-todile!" Giggling I looked up as Team Rocket sent out their next Pokémon.

"This calls for a Victreebel Vine Whip!" James decided and before he knew it, he had a plant Pokémon on his head. "Wait let go! Victreebel!"

"Ugh…" Jessie moaned in complaint. "I choose you, Lickitung!" Her Pokéball flew forwards and let out her Pokémon.

"Well I choose Charizard!" Ash called and he appeared with a loud roar.

"Alright guys, let's do this!" I cheered. "Bulbasaur, Razor Leaf! Pidgeotto, use Twister!"

"You help out Charizard, use Flamethrower!" Ash called as he teamed up with me. "Pikachu, Thunderbolt!" All four Pokémon stepped up into line and sent out their attacks. They combined, forming a spinning cyclone which slammed into Team Rocket's Pokémon and themselves, throwing them back until the blast flung them into the sky, the familiar tune of their going away song.

"Oh that's a shame. I was just getting used to their company." I mused then knelt down with Totodile as Pidgeotto and Bulbasaur came rushing over to me. "You guys were excellent. See? Mission accomplished." I beamed, letting them greet Totodile whilst I reached out with one hand and rubbed Bulbasaur's head.

"Bulba, Bulbasaur!" He beamed proudly, the chime of his bell ringing softly so I giggled.

"That was great work everyone!" Ash agreed and Officer Jenny peered up to the sky, shadowing her eyes to try and see Team Rocket.

"Well, no arrest…" But Brock leaped out in front of her with a sickly grin on his face, hands clasped together.

"You can take me into custody." He said in a drooling tone, making me exhale with a shake of my head as I began to return all my Pokémon. Suddenly Misty grabbed Brock's ear and dragged him backwards.

"Come on lover boy, what you need is solitary confinement." Standing upright I nodded to Ash and let him take Totodile over to Jenny to return it.

"Glad we can help officer." Ash told her as she smiled and took the Pokémon back.

"Thanks to you all, a new Pokémon trainer is going to be very happy." Ash smiled and nodded his head.

"Now I can finally go and get registered for the Johto League." Ash beamed and I laughed.

"It's about time. I was beginning to think we'd never get around to it with all this excitement." I shrugged then began to think. Since we're in a new region, they'll be loads of new badges as well as new Pokémon. New badges mean more challenges so…maybe I should give it a shot? "And Ash? I've been thinking." He looked at me, waiting for me to continue.

"Pika?" Pikachu questioned me so I lowered my head with a little blush, biting my lip.

"I was thinking maybe I should challenge gym leaders to battles too and…and maybe…try for the Johto League." I looked up to see Ash staring at me, unsure of how to react. "Is that okay? I mean, I'd love to keep up my training and pushing myself and I was thinking you and I could help one another so…"

"Are you kidding? It's a great idea!" I sighed with relief as Ash grinned. "Now we have a better chance of defeating Gary!" I laughed, nodding my head.

"You bet!" Extending my hand Ash gripped it, clenching our fists together as we looked determinedly at one another. "But that doesn't mean I'll go easy on you Ash Ketchum. I'll be aiming for the top, so you'll have to beat me if you want it so bad."

"No way, you'll have to beat me." He answered back. "This makes us rivals as well as friends, so you better be ready!" Nodding my head in agreement I felt the excitement begin to grow more and more as I thought about what was next in store for us.