It took just a few days for Ash, Misty and their Pokémon to reach Pallet Town and Ash's old home where his mother still lived, and after enjoying some peaceful sleep overnight, the friends were soon up and about, enjoying some breakfast in the kitchen.
"Good morning you two," said Delia Ketchum cheerfully. "Did you all sleep okay?"
"Yeah, we did. Thanks, Mum," said Ash between mouthfuls.
Delia turned to Misty. "I've gotten some ointment for that arm of yours, Misty, just so it feels a bit less sore while it heals."
"Thanks, Mrs Ketchum," said Misty gratefully, as she handed a bit of Pokémon food to Togepi with her sling-free right arm.
With a smile, Delia turned back to her son. "Oh, I almost forgot. Gary got back a couple of days ago. I'm sure he'll be up at Professor Oak's lab today."
"Really? Gary's home?" said Ash in delight.
"Pika!" added Pikachu happily.
Before anyone could say anything more, Ash leapt from the table, hastily got his hat and jacket on, and dashed for the front door, with Pikachu running by his side.
"Ash, where you going?" called Misty, surprised at Ash's sudden excitement at seeing his former rival again.
"I'm going to see Gary now," Ash replied as he and Pikachu barged out through the door.
"But... your breakfast!" said an equally astounded Delia.
"I'll be right back, Mom!" said Ash as he and Pikachu ran down the path that led to Professor Oak's lab.
"Okay, Togepi and I will catch up with you shortly," Misty called after them with a weary look, before turning to Delia. "Wow, I never thought I'd see Ash be so keen to see Gary of all people."
"Yes, they've really been able to bury the hatchet after their match at the Silver Conference," agreed Delia. "Now let's sort out that ointment for your arm, Misty."
As soon as she finished her breakfast and had the soothing ointment applied to her sprained limb, Misty began to head up after Ash, carrying Togepi with her uninjured arm. The morning was bright and cheerful, and as Misty walked up the path, she reflected on all that had happened over the last few days.
"It was funny seeing my old bike at the gym," she said to Togepi with a reminiscent smile. "Brings back so many memories. It was because of that bike that I first met Ash, and went on to meet Brock, and then you, Togepi. And seeing Ash being so keen to say hi to Gary, it makes me realise just how much we've all changed over the last five years."
"Togi!" chirruped Togepi happily as they finally reached Professor Oak's lab, where the Professor and Tracey were waiting to greet her.
"Hi, Misty," Tracey greeted his old travelling companion, before noticing the sling around her arm. "Say, what happened to your arm?"
"Team Rocket happened," said Misty. "Don't worry, it's a lot better now. Has Ash been here?"
"Yes, but I'm afraid you just missed him," replied Professor Oak. "Gary already set off, you see, and I think Ash went to try and catch up with him."
"Guess I better get after them then," sighed Misty.
After getting directions as to which path Gary and Ash were taking, Misty and Togepi set off again. Eventually, Misty spotted Ash and Pikachu sitting on a high tree branch, taking in the view with a thoughtful expression on each of their faces.
"Hey, Ash!" Misty called up to her best friend. "You okay up there?"
Ash looked down and smiled at Misty. "Yeah, just doing some thinking. I managed to catch up with Gary. He's set off for some more travelling with just his Blastoise. He's wanting a fresh start to learn more about Pokémon, and he suggested I ought to think about what I should do next."
"Thinking, huh? That must be a rare experience for you!" teased Misty with a cheeky grin, earning herself an annoyed look from Ash.
Just then, Pikachu frantically pointed with its finger towards some clouds in the sky. "Pikapi! Pikachu-pi!"
"Huh? What's Pikachu pointing at?" asked Misty as she and Ash looked towards the clouds.
Before Ash and Misty's eyes, a magnificent bird Pokémon, resembling a phoenix, emerged from behind the clouds. It had red-and-gold coloured feathers, with a white underside, and a golden glow surrounded its entire body as it flew majestically into the distance.
"Hey, is that...?" Misty started to say in disbelief.
"It is! It's Ho-Oh!" gasped Ash, instantly recognising the legendary Pokémon he had seen at the very beginning of his Pokémon journey with Pikachu.
As the magnificent bird flew off into the distance, Misty could only stare in open-eyed wonder, having never seen this particular Pokémon before.
"Wow, it's every bit as beautiful as you said it is, Ash," she said with a small smile, grateful at having had a chance to finally see Ho-Oh for herself.
Ash nodded as he noted the direction Ho-Oh was flying. "I know where it's headed. It's going to the Hoenn region."
"Pika," agreed Pikachu.
"The Hoenn region? Isn't that where Harrison said all those Pokémon we've never seen before are?" asked Misty, thinking back to the friend they had met at the Silver Conference, who had told them all about Hoenn, as well as the brilliant Pokémon researcher who lived there, Professor Birch.
"That's right," said Ash with an inspired look on his face. "And that's also where all the battles that I'm destined to fight in will be! Are you ready, Pikachu?"
"Pikachu!" said Pikachu excitedly, as it and Ash both jumped down from the tree and landed next to Misty.
"So you want to head to Hoenn right now?" asked Misty, who was just as keen to see the region for herself.
"Sure do!" grinned Ash. "We can be just like Gary and start a whole new journey too!"
With enthusiastic resolve, Ash and Pikachu began to run back in the direction of home, to prepare for the long journey. But the two of them had barely been able to take a few steps, before the ground suddenly gave way beneath them and they fell into a deep hole!
"Ash! Are you okay?" cried an alarmed Misty, as she and Togepi hurried over to the hole and worriedly peered over the edge.
"Yeah," said Ash groggily, as he and Pikachu dazedly got to their feet at the bottom of the pit. "But I guess I wasn't prepared for that."
Just then, there came an evil chuckle from one of the nearby bushes, and to Ash and Misty's annoyance, Team Rocket leaped out from hiding as they proceeded to recite their motto again:
"Now that you've mentioned it, prepare for trouble!
"You said it once, but now make it double!"
"To protect the world from devastation."
"To unite all peoples' within our nation."
"To denounce the evils of truth and love."
"To extend our reach to the stars above."
"Jessie!"
"James!"
"Team Rocket blasts off at the speed of light!"
"Surrender now or prepare to fight!"
"Meowth! That's... Hey, whatcha doing?!"
The motto came to an abrupt end, as Team Rocket realised with dismay that while they were so busy reciting their rallying cry, Misty had leaned over the edge of the pitfall trap, reached out to Ash with her uninjured right arm, and just managed to lift him and Pikachu out of the pit!
"Hey, no fair!" complained Jessie. "You weren't even listening to our motto!"
"So what? We've heard it at least three hundred times already!" retorted Misty, as she helped Ash and Pikachu clamber out, and they all glared defiantly at Team Rocket.
"And after all the effort we went to, making that pitfall trap extra deep, you had to pull them out already!" James whined at Misty.
"Some people just don't know when to let themselves get licked," added Meowth.
"Wobbuffet!" concurred Wobbuffet, as it popped out of its Poké Ball again.
"Can't you just leave us alone?" snapped Ash. "We were just planning a new journey!"
"Then I guess it's time for you two twerps to say goodbye to Pikachu," said Jessie wickedly. "Pikachu won't be travelling with you anymore."
"Yes, it's going to be a whole new Team Rocket," added James.
"Pikachu's going to travel with us!" finished Meowth with a malicious smile.
"That's what you think!" spat Misty furiously as she grabbed one of her Poké Balls and threw it. "Go, Staryu!"
The Poké Ball opened up, and Misty's golden-brown, starfish-like Pokémon emerged, ready for battle!
"Staryu, water gun now!" commanded Misty, whereupon Staryu fired a powerful blast of water at Team Rocket, sending the drenched villains crashing to the ground.
"Your turn, Pikachu!" said Ash vigorously. "Thunderbolt them!"
"Piiika-Chuuuuu!" cried out Pikachu as it released a thunderbolt so powerful, that it caused the ground to split apart, before crashing right down on Team Rocket!
The crooks cried out in pain as the electricity consumed their water-soaked bodies, before a terrific explosion from the thunderbolt sent them shooting into the sky!
"We always end up blasting off!" complained Team Rocket in unison, as they once again vanished into the horizon.
With the latest clash with Team Rocket over, Ash and Misty headed back to Ash's house, along with their Pokémon. Later that evening after dinner, Ash called Professor Oak, and asked him and Tracey to come over, so that Ash could tell them what he and Misty were planning to do next.
"Professor, I've decided to start a new journey too, and only take Pikachu and Misty with me," proclaimed Ash, getting straight to the point as soon as everyone was gathered in the living room. "I want it to be just like the first time I left Pallet Town."
"Pika!" said Pikachu with a nod of its head.
"Well, I'm not surprised," said the Professor. "You want to go to the Hoenn region, right?"
"Yeah, we thought we'd first stop off at Littleroot Town, so we could meet Professor Birch," said Misty, as Togepi gave a happy squeak of approval.
"Professor Birch is famous for his Pokémon fieldwork," said Tracey approvingly. "That'd be a great idea to stop by and meet him, guys."
"Yeah!" said Ash, as Delia and Mr Mime came in, carrying a pile of clothes between them.
"Ash! Since Misty's got a new outfit, I thought you might like some new clothes and a backpack for your journey," said Delia as she happily presented the clothes, consisting of a new hat, a hoodie, black gloves, new jeans, and sneakers. The overall outfit bore a notable resemblance to Ash's old one, but with a definite fresh feel to it all.
"I bought them for you, because I was sure this would happen," continued Delia. "You see how a mother can always tell what her child is thinking."
"Thanks, Mom," said Ash, feeling deeply touched by the gesture.
"And here are some tickets for you and Misty for the ferry that departs from Seafoam Island for the Hoenn region," added Delia as she produced an envelope containing said-tickets and put it on top of the clothes pile.
"That's really kind of you, Mrs Ketchum," smiled Misty.
"And this is the latest state of the art Pokédex for you," said Professor Oak as he produced a small red handheld device and added it to the pile. "It's preloaded with information on all the Pokémon in the Hoenn region."
"Wow, thanks Professor! Thank you, Mom," said Ash gratefully.
"And you can count on me to take care of your Pokémon for yer," added Tracey.
"Really? Thanks a lot, Tracey," grinned Ash.
"Don't forget to brush your teeth and change your underwear," advised Delia. "And Misty, try to make sure my boy stays out of trouble."
"I will," promised Misty.
"Do your best, the both of you," said the Professor with a smile.
"We will," said Ash confidently, as an excited Pikachu cheerfully jumped onto Ash's shoulder.
Ash and Misty exchanged a cheerful look, their hearts filled with new determination, as they felt ready to set out on their latest journey, where new Pokémon and new friends awaited them.
