To officially register for the Johto League, we had to make our way back to New Bark Town where we first stopped. Since Ash had also won his eighth and final badge thanks to Charizard, Snorlax and Pikachu, we were on the road again and on our way! Yes!

But first we stopped at a Pokémon Centre for a rest, the one in the town directly after Blackthorn City. It was a good thing we did too as that was where we actually got a call from Professor Elm. Nurse Joy led us over to the phone then there he was, waiting patiently with a smile. "Hi kids, it's good to see you're all looking well." He said to us as Ash sat down.

"Hi professor, it's good to see you too." He answered as we all waved.

"I heard the news, way to go you two, you should both be very proud of yourselves for earning those eight badges." He said and I gave a smile.

"It was a lot of work, but definitely worth it in the end. Right Ash?" I turned to look down at him and he nodded his head.

"Right. Thanks a lot Professor Elm."

"Professor, I'm surprised that you found us. How did you know that we were going to be here?" Misty asked him curiously.

"Well, Professor Oak told me that you were headed for New Bark Town. I thought you might stop at that Pokémon Centre along the way." He explained and Brock nodded his head appreciatively.

"Nice detective work."

"Hey professor." Ash called, making Professor Elm look back at him. "Was there anything you wanted us to do for you?" He asked and the professor gave a guilty smile and rubbed the back of his head.

"Well actually, now that you mention it…there was something." He agreed with a little laugh before shaking out his shoulders. "I hate to bother you but could you possibly stop by the marine Pokémon laboratory?" He requested and we all leaned a little closer to hear better.

"Huh? The marine Pokémon laboratory?" We all echoed together as Professor Elm nodded his head.

"I'd like you to pick up another Pokémon egg for me." He said and Ash's jaw dropped wide open.

"Another Pokémon egg?" He questioned in slight surprise but I was instantly excited. Another Pokémon egg! This is going to be awesome, I love hatching Pokémon, it's just the best thing ever!

"That's right. Would you mind doing that for me? Please?" He asked so I thrust out my arm and shoved Ash's speechless face out the way.

"You bet we will! Don't worry about a thing Professor Elm, we'll bring back that egg in great condition, we'll take good care of it!" I promised before taking a step back. "Come on guys, what are we waiting for?" I demanded then rushed out the Pokémon Centre with the others all calling my name behind me.

"Wait up Ruby!" I slowed down as we got to the cliff path, going carefully to make sure there weren't any accidents. I wonder what kind of Pokémon egg it is? It must be something special if Professor Elm asked us to pick it up for him. What I couldn't understand, however, was why the others didn't seem so excited about it as I was.

"So all we have to do is pick up the egg then return it to Professor Elm, right?" Ash asked and Pikachu nodded his head.

"Pika."

"I'm sure it's no ordinary egg." Misty mused almost to herself as I marched on ahead, picking up my knees and humming brightly to myself.

"If he went through all the trouble of tracking us down then asking us to deliver it to him by hand, that egg must be important." Brock deduced simply but then I stopped and flung out my hands dramatically.

"There it is! Look guys!" I pointed ahead to the lab on the cliff edge, overlooking the beautiful ocean and so with a laugh I ran forwards. The glass doors slid back and I walked inside, looking around the lobby before calling out. "Hello! Anybody here?"

"Hello?" Ash echoed with Pikachu's help.

"Pika Pika!"

"We're here to pick up the egg for Professor Elm!" Brock said loudly but still there was no answer. Weird, where is everybody? "Strange, it seems empty."

"Now what do we do?" Misty asked so I start walking forwards.

"Come on, let's go check it out." I said with a wave of my hand but then I heard someone come running straight at me.

"Out of my way, please!" A woman yelled before barrelling into me, knocking me flat to the ground with a grunt as she then sped past the others, not even glancing back as I lay there blinking at the ceiling.

"What…just happened?" I asked in confusion as Misty helped me to stand up.

"I don't know." She said but then Brock suddenly snapped back into sense. Or at least, into goofiness.

"I know! It's the rush to beauty and excellence and romance!" He cried out then raced after the woman with stars in his eyes and dust in his skull. He'll never change.

"I guess we'd better follow." Misty said so we set off running, following both Brock and the lady who had knocked me over. She could certainly run fast, I'll give her that. I didn't even see her coming until it was too late. We found her at the pier edge, looking at a screen with a sonar view of the water in front of her.

"Excuse me I know you're busy with your equipment and all…but I just can't wait to express my feelings for you!" Brock declared but the woman hushed him, making him crouch down and quickly clap his hands down over his mouth.

"Be quiet! Or I won't be able to hear them when they speak." She said quietly but Ash just frowned in confusion.

"When who speaks?" Suddenly we could all hear this slight wailing coming from the monitor, a sad yet soft echoing call that made me lean closer to hear the voices better.

"It sounds like their crying." Misty whispered quietly but the scientist merely smiled.

"It's the song of travel." She explained and Ash tilted his head to the side.

"That's a song." I smacked him on the back of his head.

"Ssh!" Just then the bleeping of the monitor became a little more insistent and tiny white dots appeared on screen, getting closer and closer to our position.

"Yes! They'll be here soon. Lanturn look, here they come!" She said excitedly as she stood and we all looked out onto the open water, searching for what was coming closer. Suddenly the heads of Pokémon jumped out of the water, rising to the surface with quiet calls and instantly we all called out in unison.

"Lapras!"

"Look at 'em all!" Misty beamed happily, instantly in her own world with all these water type Pokémon. I bet she'd love to catch one of her own someday.

"It's great to see them all looking so well!" The scientist said with a wide beaming smile.

"So it was the Lapras who were doing all the singing." Ash realised but then one Lapras called out and swam over, making me blink and step back out the way as it pressed its face against Ash and began to nuzzle him affectionately, speaking to him as he did so. "Hey there Lapras, you sure are a friendly one."

"It's trying to tell you something." Misty deduced so we all looked out at the other Lapras, who were singing in unison to us all.

"Yeah, seems like all of them are." Suddenly it hit Ash full on. "Hey wait a minute, I know you!" He remembered, smiling broadly with a laugh. "Lapras! You're my old buddy aren't you?" He said then hugged Lapras again as it cooed at Ash. No way! This is the same Lapras that Ash helped back in the Orange Islands? That's amazing, and to think they thought they'd never see each other again! Just goes to show that you can never really say goodbye to great friends. "I didn't even recognise you, you really grew up Lapras."

"So that's the very same Lapras that we knew way back in the Orange Islands." Brock said and the scientist looked at us all curiously.

"The Orange Islands?" She questioned and Misty nodded her head.

"Uh huh, that was the last place we saw them when Lapras was small." She explained to the lady who looked up at the sky thoughtfully, the cogs turning in her mind.

"The Orange Islands. That makes sense…that's it! The last piece of the puzzle that reveals the Lapras migration route! Thanks so much Ash!" She turned to Ash who blinked and stared at her.

"Uh…how did you know my name?" He asked her in a slightly baffled tone but the woman merely waved a hand dismissively.

"I'm Naomi, director of the Pokémon Marine Lab." She told us and we all gasped at the same time.

"Huh?!"

"You're the director of this whole laboratory?" Misty questioned in disbelief and Naomi nodded her head simply.

"Uh huh. Well actually it's a one woman operation here. Just me." She told us. Wow, that's got to be hard work. "So Ash, Professor Elm told me you'd be coming to pick up the Pokémon egg, is that correct?" But before Ash could answer Brock had slipped his way in and grabbed both of Naomi's hands.

"Naomi! All of this talk is senseless, let's talk about you! About your likes and dislikes, your favourite band or favourite colour, your blood type, everything!"

"Enough." Misty ordered, grabbing Brock's ear and began to lead him away as he hopped and flinched in pain. "How about the most annoying Pokémon breeder she ever met." Misty suggested as she walked away and I couldn't help but giggle. Those two make quite the act.

"Hey Naomi, do you spend all your time up in the laboratory studying those Lapras?" Ash asked with intrigue so Naomi turned around and smiled to him.

"Yes, as a matter of fact I work in the area of Pokémon marine biology." She told him but Ash's face remained blank, not having a clue what she just said so I stepped in and made it simple for him.

"Naomi studies all kinds of Pokémon that live in the water, genius." I told him with a playful punch to his shoulder. "Now how about we go get that egg?" I suggested with a smile and Naomi chuckled.

"Of course. Right this way." She said then began to lead the way.

"So Naomi, what exactly are you studying about the Lapras?" I asked her as we all walked together back to the lab.

"Every year the Lapras migrate to these same waters at the exact same time, but we haven't been able to figure out how they can navigate so accurately. They're somehow able to know from a great distance away when the water temperature and season is perfect for them to return, and they then share this information with the other Lapras but with an astounding speed." She explained and I awed at the information slightly. That was amazing. "I study all the different sounds a Lapras makes with its voice, trying to decipher exactly what is being said between them. It's all very mysterious and very interesting too."

"That's incredible. You mean like the song of travel we heard before?" Misty questioned as we reached the lab again, walking inside together.

"Exactly. However despite years of studying, very little is known about the singing." Naomi informed us. "But I am sure that one day we'll be able to understand what they are saying, it's just going to take some time. Now you guys wait here whilst I go get you the egg." She said with a smile, leaving us in the comfortable lobby to walk into one of her studies.

"Oh I just love Lapras, I want to catch one someday." Misty squealed to herself, hugging Togepi to herself as she wriggled. "They're just so cute and lovable and cuddly, I can't wait!"

"Not like you then Misty." Ash said in a joking manner but Misty took it a little bit to heart.

"WHAT WAS THAT ASH KETCHUM?!" She demanded to know, practically doubling in size as she loomed over him, making Ash cower back as he began to sweat.

"Argh! Nothing! I was just saying 'just like you then', right?" He tried to backtrack so Misty shot him a look then turned away, turning her nose up as I bit on my fist to keep myself from laughing. It wouldn't help the situation if I did, so it's best to just keep quiet.

"Here you go. The egg's in here." Naomi said, carrying a large box forwards then set it on the table where we all crowded around. Naomi lifted off the lid and I released my breath when I saw the egg. Perfect, green and oval shaped. Sweet!

"It's green." Misty noted in surprise, probably expecting a blue one like I had been, considering this was a marine Pokémon lab.

"What kind of Pokémon is it?" Ash asked but Naomi only shrugged.

"It's a complete mystery to me Ash. It's said to have originally come from the Pokémon preserve up on Mt Silver, but at some point the egg was stolen by a group of poachers." That instantly made my blood boil. Stealing Pokémon was criminal, but stealing an innocent egg that had no way of defending itself from a mother is just cruel! How could they? "Somehow it fell out of the hands of the poachers but fortunately, it was discovered then brought here to the lab."

"I'll bet that's when you decided to call Professor Elm." Brock said, lifting his head with a smile as I continued to gaze at the Pokémon egg.

"That's right Brock, I figured he'd be able to preserve the egg and ensure it's in good health. Did you know he's the advisor of the Johto Pokémon preservation council?" No he didn't, that's quite cool.

"I never even heard of that council." Ash admitted as Misty gave a gentle smile, once again calm and relaxed.

"He sure says a lot, but he never told us that." She joked gently as I reached out and touched the egg. Instantly a flood of fear washed over me and I cried out and whipped my hand back, smacking Ash in the face in the progress in my hurry to get away.

"Ow! Ruby what're you doing?! That hurt!" He complained, holding his face but I just stared at the egg, taking deep breaths to try and control my racing heartbeat.

"Ruby are you okay? Did the egg tell you something?" Misty asked in concern, reaching out and touching my shoulder so I shook off the feeling then nodded my head.

"It's scared. Very scared." I informed everyone then approached the egg again, this time remaining calm and relaxed as I reached out and picked the egg up. "You gave me a bit of a shock, didn't you little buddy?" I questioned as I cradled the egg to me. "But its okay, you don't have to be afraid anymore. We're your friends." I told it before giving it a quick glance over. "You know, it seems in good health regardless of what it's been through." I said to Naomi who was frowning.

"Wait a moment, what did you mean when you said it was scared? How could you tell?" She asked and I blushed a little, however Misty came to my rescue.

"Ruby can use aura. She uses it to communicate with Pokémon and even eggs too." She said and I gave a little shrug.

"It kind of sprung on me one day." I said bashfully, putting the egg back in the nest Naomi had made in the box. Suddenly we heard one of the Lapras calling to us from the water, so we went to the balcony to see Ash's old pal gazing up at us. "Hey Lapras, what are you doing?" I asked, giving a chuckle and a wave. "I'm Ruby, Ash probably didn't mention me before, but he's told me all about you!" Lapras splashed the water happily in reply, making us all laugh.

"You know Ash, I think Lapras wants to play with you." Naomi said.

"Really? You think?" Ash blinked before cheering. "Alright! Let's go Lapras!" He started to laugh in excitement, leaping over the balcony down to the beach then began to rush along the sand, waiting for the right moment before springing onto Lapras's back.

I watched them play with a smile, even as they soared over a powerful and large wave Ash couldn't stop laughing. With Ash, he made friends for life. Although he was separated from quite a few of his Pokémon, they always remember him and will always be his friend. I just don't understand how people can just have a Pokémon and not truly bond with it the way we seemed to. It was the best part of raising a Pokémon, growing stronger together.

With a sigh I turned and went inside as the sun began to set for some of Naomi's tasty hot cocoa. We'd just about settled down and were thinking about getting ready for bed when a unanimous cry came from all the Lapras, making us all jolt upright and became alert to everything. "The Lapras!" Naomi cried and flung herself out the door to run to the pier, all of us following close behind. "No!"

"Where'd that net come from?" Brock asked in astonishment, seeing all the Lapras tightly pressed together and trapped in a large net, struggling to move without even a hope of breaking free. Suddenly a Gyarados head rose up from the water, a hatch opening up to reveal none other than the Team Rocket duo.

"To protect the world from devastation."

"To unite all people within our nation." They began but I shook my head, not wanting to listen to another word.

"You three clowns listen to me! You'd better let all those Lapras go or you'll be sorry!" I yelled at them, interrupting their beloved motto. Meowth leaped up from inside and shook an angry fist.

"Can't you see we're in the middle of something here, twerpette?!" He demanded.

"Hey twerp! You can't just butt in like that! We have an entire routine planned for this and you've just gone and ruined it!" Jessie yelled at me but I merely pulled out a Pokéball.

"Does it look like I care?" I sassed at her, making a wrinkle appear in her forehead as she growled.

"Hey!" Ash yelled as he sped forwards with his Lapras, making all of those who were trapped call out for help. "Let those Lapras go!"

"Drat, it's the twerp and his Pikachu." Jessie growled.

"We'd better get out of here fast before he ruins our beautiful planning!" James agreed then pulled out a Pokéball. "Weezing, go! Use Smokescreen!" He ordered and his Weezing appeared with a gasping voice, instantly blowing out a thick smog which blocked everything from view and provided Team Rocket with the perfect cover for a perfect escape.

"Oh no you don't. Dragonair! It's show time." I called and the moment she was in the water I jumped onto her back. "Dragonair, dive down and follow Team Rocket, we can't let them escape with the Lapras!" Dragonair instantly dove underwater, so I took a deep breath then held it, squinting in the darkness as Ash and his Lapras followed above.

Suddenly Dragonair used Protect and I was surrounded by a bubble which pushed out the water, allowing me to breathe so I gave a laugh, smiling brightly. "Way to go Dragonair! Now, follow that sub! Listen for the Lapras, if we can follow their sound then we can find Team Rocket." I said and Dragonair shot forwards.

Lapras appeared at our side, swimming quickly underwater and then a sub on my left where I could see Ash and the others at the windows, following our lead. We swam for a while, completely submerged in the water but when Lapras suddenly shot ahead, I knew that he had heard his school of other Lapras. "Follow Lapras, he knows where to go." I pointed and Dragonair instantly arced her body around and followed.

When we faced the rest of the Lapras I gave a sigh of relief, glad to see that they were okay and escaped from Team Rocket. However on closer inspection as Dragonair swam around them, I noticed that a couple of them seemed to be missing. I could have sworn there had been a Lapras of a paler colour than the others, right? So where was she?

Feeling the hairs on the back of my neck tingle, I turned and looked over to the massive water cyclone. Taking a deep breath I closed my eyes and reached out with my aura, searching the waters and sure enough, my fears were confirmed. The Lapras leader and the mother of Ash's friend were trapped in that twister, along with Team Rocket.

Without warning Ash's Lapras lead the way, guiding all the other Lapras up into the current so I nodded to Dragonair who had looked back at me. "Let's follow, they might need help." Dragonair turned and sped forwards, twisting her body into the current to ride it, her voice calling out along with the other Lapras to make a beautifully haunting and mysterious melody I would never forget.

We followed the Lapras, who banked off from the current and let it carry them up to the surface so Dragonair rose with them, using her spiralling motion to part the water and carried us both to the surface with the sub in hot pursuit.

Dragonair broke free and rose up into the air, flying up into the starry sky then let the shield around us collapse, instantly focusing on Team Rocket who gasped in horror. "It's the scary twerp!" Meowth screeched then hid behind James just as the sub emerged and Ash flung open the hatch.

"Not so fast! Give those two Lapras back, now!" He demanded.

"Pika Pika!"

"No way." Jessie answered stubbornly.

"We want more than two…"

"So what we'll do…" Meowth said with a lisp, continuing James's beginning of a rhyme.

"Is just steal yours from you!" Jessie finished, flinging out a Pokéball. "Go! Arbok!"

"Go! Weezing!" Not if I can help it. They are not going to get away with those Lapras, or any of the others either.

"Ready Pikachu?" Ash asked but surprisingly, it was Brock who stepped in front.

"Let me handle this Ash. Golbat! Let's go!" He called and his Pokémon appeared, flying up into the air. "Sonic Boom!" Instantly Golbat began to beat the air with his wings, directing it at both Arbok and Weezing but the former dodged smartly out the way.

"Arbok, use Poison Sting!" Sharp needles darted out of Arbok's mouth and struck Golbat, making it click and clench its eyes tightly shut, taking the hit.

"No! Golbat!"

"Dragonair, use Protect!" I called, jumping off of her back and dove into the water to get out the way as Dragonair shot towards Golbat and formed a protective barrier to stop him from being hit from the Poison Sting.

"Thanks Ruby. Golbat, use Supersonic!" Brock called and Golbat made to make the attack but then started to glow. We all gasped, staring upwards as Golbat began to evolve, growing smaller and an extra pair of wings as Dragonair continued to protect him from the Poison Sting though I could see the shield beginning to fade.

"Hurry Brock!" I called out to him from the freezing water, shivering slightly but then a head rose up from underneath, making me yelp as I slid down a neck to settle on a Lapras's back. "Hello there." I said to it in surprise, holding on before we both turned back up to the sky.

"Arbok, keep up that Poison Sting!"

"Go Weezing, use Sludge attack!" James added and the two rose up again. Finally Golbat finished evolving, leaving a new Pokémon I had never seen before in its place so I pulled out Dexter to see what information there was listed there.

"Crobat, the evolved form of Golbat. With its two additional wings, Crobat is able to fly much faster than Golbat." That's awesome! A newly evolved Pokémon! Looks like Brock was right when he said he thought Golbat might evolve soon. Maybe that's why he chose to enter the battle right now.

Just then Dragonair's protection shield burst and the two attacks barrelled straight towards her, making her rear back in fear, frozen in place but then Crobat flew in front of her as a shield. "Crowbat, use Sonic Boom!" Brock countered and the four powerful wings began to hum, moving so fast that I couldn't even see them. The powerful wind knocked aside the attacks and confused both Weexing and Arbok, making them sway from side to side before starting to head butt one another instead.

"Alright! Go Crobat!" I cheered, whooping brightly as Misty, Ash and Naomi freed the last two Lapras, who dove into the water and Lapras's mom raced to her son, the two of them reuniting by rubbing their heads together lovingly. Aw, that's so cute. And with the backdrop of the moon, I just couldn't help but take a photo, so I snapped it up quick before patting the neck of my new friend Lapras. "Okay Lapras, let's go teach Team Rocket a lesson." I said and it nodded its head before turning around. "Altogether, use Ice Beam! You too Dragonair!" I ordered, pointing at Team Rocket who all squeaked in fear, watching as the beams of ice shot towards them then froze them into a popsicle, Pokémon and all.

"Pikachu, let's finish this with Thunder!" Ash directed and Pikachu leaped up into the air.

"Pika…CHUUUU!" Powerful streams of electricity struck Team Rocket's ice cap and the ground exploded, launching them up into the air and I could just about hear them yelling their familiar exit tune before they were gone from sight.

"Oh yeah! That's the way to do it!" I cheered happily. "Don't mess with the Lapras, because the Lapras will mess with you!" The Lapras I was riding splashed the water with its fins, making large splashes so I giggled as Dragonair descended downwards towards me. "Thanks for your help Dragonair, I knew I could count on you. You take a long rest now." I said to her with a smile, letting her return to her Pokéball.

"Hey Ruby! Looks like you've found a new friend!" Misty called over to me as the Lapras began to swim around in a quick circle and I had to hang on tightly to keep from falling off.

"I know! Isn't it adorable?!" I called back with a laugh, unable to stop giggling as the spray splashed into my face. I was cold but I didn't care, enjoying the ride the Lapras was giving me as a way of thanks for my help. "Hey Ash! I'll race you back!" I challenged so he ran for the water's edge and jumped onto his Lapras.

"You're on! Ready, set…go!" He yelled then started to laugh with me as the two of us swam back for the lab, however as Ash's Lapras began to move all the other Lapras followed, looking to him as if he were their leader. I guess he did just prove he had the strength to take the ropes in the real leader's absence, though looking back, I could see and feel that the real leader was glowing with pride.

We got back to the cove and everyone settled down for a rest, worn out from the evening's little fiasco, however early in the morning, we all rose up to say goodbye to our Lapras. My new friend was pretty, with a heart shaped mark on the side of her neck and beautiful cerulean blue eyes. Now that I could see her, she was definitely the most beautiful Lapras of them all. "You look after yourself now, and make sure Ash's Lapras doesn't do anything stupid." I said jokingly, giving her a hug as she rubbed her head into me. "And one day, I hope you and I can meet again. I'd really like that you know."

The Lapras gave a soft call, rubbed her head against me one last time then swam back to the pod, pausing slightly to wait for Ash's Lapras as he too turned back. They gazed at one another for a moment before rubbing heads then moved towards the front of the pod where the leader and Lapras's mom was waiting. "Aw that's so cute! Both of your Lapras are in love!" Misty squealed as Togepi chirped cheerfully.

"Well, at least they'll take care of one another." I said, taking one last photo of the group together. I'll definitely remember those Lapras, especially the one with the heart shaped mark. With a distinction like that, maybe one day we will be able to find one another again and have another awesome adventure togheter.

"Hey look! There was a handover!" I was jolted from my daydreaming to see Ash's Lapras taking the lead of the pod. "The leader was so impressed with your Lapras's maturity that it handed over its responsibility as leader." Brock explained to us all, making everyone smile.

"Wow! That's so great! Who'd have thought that Ash's Lapras would become the next leader?" Misty said as Ash laughed then called out.

"That's so great Lapras! I'm proud of you!" In answer Lapras called back then dove underwater, leaping back up to fly into the air, rising with the sun and I quickly snapped a photo, capturing each speckle of light from the water droplets as a special memento for Ash.

"And with how young Lapras is, it's hard to imagine all the amazing things it'll be able to achieve as it grows older and stronger." Brock added as I turned to Ash.

"It's because of you Ash. You're the one who trained Lapras to be so strong, which meant it was able to help save its family." I told him then showed him the picture I'd captured last night of him surfing on his Lapras, both of them smiling with Pikachu on Lapras's head. "And your Lapras will never forget that."

"Thanks Ruby. You're the best." Ash said. "Make sure you print off a copy for me!" He laughed and I nodded my head.

"You bet!"