Disclaimer: No ownership of Pokémon or Digimon.

Digitized Pallet

Weeks have passed since Ash and his Pokémon entered the Digital World and helped Tai, Joe, Mimi and their Digimon against ShogunGeckomon. Only minutes ago, Mimi and Palmon showed up at Ash's home with the announcement that the other Digidestined and Digimon have found residence within Pallet. Like newlyweds, Ash carried Mimi in her arms in their way to see the Digidestined and their parents. Behind them were Misty, Brock, Tracey and Togepi. "'If you want somebody to do what you want, whenever you want, you should find yourself a girlfriend'," she reiterated her words. "For the least amount of time that I've known Ash, guess what he does? He listens… and he's got a girlfriend!" Togepi grew worried about its owner.

"Look, I get that you're not happy with what transpired," Palmon muttered. "But you had chances to say it." Misty shot her head away from Mimi's Digimon. Tracey wasn't paying attention to the briefing. He looked through some of the sketches he'd saved for Oak.

"Maybe after I meet these Digidestined, I can go and see the professor," he planned. Brock gawked before curling up, depressed.

"That… name…" he moaned. Misty saw Brock's crumple and heard Tracey's plan, knowing he didn't refer to the professor Brock had been with.

"He means Professor Oak!" she scolded The reply made Brock bounce back in realization.

"Oh, that professor! Sorry, I wasn't clear of who you're referring to." It did make Brock think to the timing of Mimi and Palmon. "So, I take it you guys met Professor Oak?"

"Sure did," Palmon replied. "Though it was brief since we were still unpacking since moving here." Misty and the teen boys chuckled. Suddenly…

"Mimi!" a woman called out. All turned to a reddish-brunette woman in a white half-sleeve shirt and pink skirt under an apron. "Mimi, are you okay? Did you sprain your ankle on that walk?" Mimi scoffed to the woman.

"I'm fine, Mom!" she eased. "Ash was just showing me his strength. Not bad for a young boy." The mother relaxed, knowing her daughter wasn't hurt.

"Thank goodness…" Ash let her down while the mother examined him. "So, you're the Ash-boy Mimi couldn't stop talking about after she came home from the Digital World. Not bad at all, I may say." A nervous Ash chuckled.

"Thanks," was his reply. Mimi had a question for her mother.

"Are my friends still here?" she asked.

"Of course!" the mother replied. That's when Tai, Joe and two young children emerged from the side of the house. By them were Agumon, Gomamon, a winged brown piglet and a white cat with yellow claw gauntlets.

"Ash!" alerted Tai. Mimi and the trainers turned to the group while the two youngest bolted to Brock.

"Feeling better, Brock?" the brunette girl asked. She wore a sleeveless yellow shirt and pink shorts. By her was a blond boy in a green hat and long-sleeve shirt and brown shorts.

"I'm alright, Kari," Brock replied as he petted her hair.

"Hey, we're worried about you since we did kinda trample you," the blond expressed.

"I'm a big guy, TK. Relax." The meeting gave insight to how Brock got to know the Digidestined before Ash and his friends got home.

"Did these two help you after you came back from Valencia Island?" asked Tracey. The piglet seemed irate at not getting noticed and flew to Tracey's face.

"Hey, TK and Kari weren't the only making sure Brock was stable!" he berated. Tracey backed away from the piglet.

"Okay, I'm sorry!" Misty reached the piglet, believing it's a Digimon.

"So, you're like Palmon in a sense," she believed. "I can't believe you're actually this cute." The piglet blushed while Tracey cleared from its face.

"Well, wait until there's a problem before you see what I can look like," he giggled. Togepi chirped in delight to the piglet. TK and Kari came to Misty while eyeing Togepi.

"I don't know, Patamon," TK teased. "I think you have competition." Togepi seemed excited.

"Can I hold it?" requested Kari. Misty chuckled to the request.

"Okay," she allowed. "I'm sure Togepi wouldn't mind." Misty handed Togepi to Kari which TK petted the Pokémon. To Ash, these two little kids and their Digimon helped Brock out.

"So what happened that brought you guys to Brock?" he asked. With Togepi in hand, Kari turned to Ash and awed.

"Wait, you're in those pictures at Mrs. Ketchum's home!" she discovered.

"Yeah, I have to be. She's my mom." Kari gasped to the discovery.

"Really…? She's lucky to have you. I wish I was a little older to be by your side." Mimi and Misty laughed. "Anyway…"

(Flashback)

A few days ago, Ash's mother, her clown-like creature, TK, Kari, Patamon and the cat Digimon carried groceries across the road. "Thanks for helping me with the groceries, kids," Ash's mother praised. "It also helps me understand your creatures and how different they are to what lives here."

"You're welcome," TK accepted. "Pallet Town isn't so bad, especially after what Devimon did to Odaiba." As they walked, they stepped on something which made a quick groan. Even the cat heard the groan and turned around.

"What was that?" she wondered. All turned to the noise.

"I heard that too, Gatomon," Kari alerted. Patamon decided to fly and see what they heard. Looking up, he found someone in a cowboy hat and a poncho.

"There's someone here!" he alarmed. Both came to see who the downed person was. Ash's mother lifted the hat, revealing Brock disheveled.

"Brock?" she gasped. Brock needed help.

(TK's view)

After we brought Brock back to your house- where we also saw pictures of you- your mom got Brock back in shape. However, he won't tell us what happened with that one island. "I don't wanna talk about it," he said. We didn't say a word about that thing.

(Kari's view)

While Brock was upright, he cooked and cleaned in front of Mimey… I bet he can teach Mimi about threads and a needle…

"Sounds like Brock missed being able to do all that since we separated from Valencia Island," Ash believed. Mimi's mother added to the case.

"Not to mention him and Delia offering us some of her recipes," she pointed out. "By the way, Ash… Have you met all of my Mimi's friends?" Ash blinked before turning to the two younger children. TK happily petted Pikachu.

"I'm seeing these two today… How many more are there?" Flying by Misty's side was a magenta mechanical ladybug with spikes on its back.

"Well, who's coming by to visit?" it, or he asked. Misty turned to the ladybug and freaked out, screaming as she jumped to the air and landed in the arms of a dirty blond boy in a sleeveless green turtleneck. The boy sighed with a scaly yellow creature wearing a silver wolf pelt.

"Tentomon, that's not how you greet people," he scorned.

"Sorry, Matt. Just wanted to see who's here. Besides, I was bored with Izzy and Sora occupying Professor Oak's time." Tracey heard Tentomon and grew interested.

"So, Professor's at his lab?" he asked.

"Sure is… Now I only wish Gennai could join us. I'm sure he and that professor would exchange all sorts of information. By the way, why did she react-"

"Pokémon, Digimon, whatever!" snapped Misty. "Bugs still bug me!" Ash, Brock and Tracey understood Misty's hatred of bugs.

"So a tiny little butterfly would give her the willies?" wondered Mimi. Before she could answer, Misty turned to see who held her. Misty's face blushed at the sight.

"Oh, uh… Hi, there…" No one, not even the boy holding her, had an idea to Misty's sudden flirt.

"I think Matt has a girlfriend," TK teased. Matt's face blushed to the tease.

"I'm just seeing her for the first time, TK," he replied. To Tai, there was more.

"What, not familiar with 'love at first sight'?" he sneered. Misty was about to make a face at Tai when Gatomon approached Pikachu.

"Usually, cats eat mice but I think I can warm up to him," she purred. Pikachu looked startled to the cat, not sure what to do. Joe blinked as well.

"I hate to think of what may come out between the two," he shrugged. Tracey started to get impatient.

"Guys, I hate to interrupt but I would like to get going to the lab and show Professor Oak these sketches," he urged. Ash gulped in nearly forgetting his task.

"That's right!" he remembered. "I gotta get the GS Ball to Professor Oak! Let's go!" Mimi's mother allowed the group to proceed to the professor's home. On the way, Misty wanted to know more about Matt. She reclaimed Togepi.

"So, Matt," she called. "Did you know about Ash before?" Matt had a blank face to him.

"No, as a matter of fact," Matt started. "It's Mimi's suggestion to come here… and I've been asking her about it. Not too long ago, Tai and I fought a Mega Digimon named Diaboromon with help from TK and Izzy. Gabumon and Agumon teamed up to beat him as Omnimon within cyberspace." Misty awed Matt's accomplishment with Tai. "It was a few weeks after all of us Digidestined defeated the Dark Masters and Apocalyromon. Mimi had gone with her family on vacation in Hawaii." Mimi overheard Matt bringing up her time away from the group.

"After saving the Digital World so much, I believed we all deserved a vacation!" she stammered before slowly relenting. "Though to be honest, I wish you had joined me, Ash." The named trainer turned to Mimi.

"Me in Hawaii?" he repeated.

"Yes, and I can see what we would've done. After you helped me, Tai and Joe in that palace, it wasn't the same without you. We would've had walks on the beach, tropical drinks on ice, candlelight dinners under the stars, maybe having waves of the Pacific Ocean splash us while we make out on the sandbar… I wouldn't leave you and the island forever!" All had surprised looks to Mimi about her wish.

"Mimi, you're scaring me," Kari muttered. They resumed before making it to a fenced area to a large complex with a windmill.

"I've wanted to see what was here since moving from Odaiba," TK wished. "Now I get my chance." Ash opened the unlocked gate and entered the property with the rest of the crew.

"You won't be the only one, TK," Tracey added. Suddenly, a scream. A second later, a gray-haired man fell from a doorway with a purple pile of living sludge crawling onto him. The sludge struck fear with Palmon as she hid behind Bulbasaur. Two redhead kids came out. One was a redhead girl wearing a sleeveless yellow shirt and jeans while the redhead boy wore an orange button-down t-shirt and jeans.

"Professor Oak!" yelled Ash. The group joined to help the other two remove the sludge from the professor. "Come on, Muk! Get off!" Muk saw Ash and pounced on him. "Okay, Muk! I get that you miss me!" The redheads helped the professor get to his feet.

"Ash, it's nice to see you again," Oak welcomed. "How were the Orange Islands?"

"Great, and I have the GS Ball you requested." The redhead girl turned to Ash and confronted him.

"You're Mimi's boyfriend?" she started to learn.

"Well, her prince considering what happened with the Geckomon and Otamamon."

"Man, I'm jealous. Why couldn't I get someone like you? By the way, I'm Sora, and that's Izzy." Ash and Sora shook hands while Misty groaned to the new redhead favoring Ash.

"Sure, he gets the girls while traveling with a girl," she nagged quietly. "Makes perfect sense." Togepi shrilled quietly but enough for Sora to notice.

"Is that a baby in your arms?" Misty opened her eyes to Sora before looking down to her Pokémon.

"Oh, you mean Togepi, huh? I wouldn't leave the little guy alone."

"I can tell." Sora leaned down to meet Togepi with a petting. "Are you ever so cute, you little angel." Togepi giggled, bringing a smile to Misty's face. Oak now noticed Brock within the crowd.

"Brock, welcome back as well," he greeted. "Professor Ivy just called and wanted to give you her regards." The name of Ivy sent Brock back to the fetal position, depressed. Kari and Muk came to sympathize Brock, trying to cheer him up. Oak, Sora, Izzy and some of the Digimon looked on, puzzled. "Is something wrong?"

"You probably shouldn't go there," Misty advised. Tracey approached Oak to greet himself.

"Professor Oak?" he called. Oak turned to Tracey, his arms full of sketches he wanted to display.

"So, I finally get to meet you in person," Oak chuckled. "I see you found sketches you wanted to show me."

"I did. I will admit that I did one when after Mimi and Palmon came out to see Ash." Oak nodded before a quick plan popped up.

"I see. I'll look over these sketches with Tracey. Ash, have Izzy study the GS Ball." Ash pulled a ball from his bag. The top half's in gold with a carving of "G" and "S" while the bottom half's in silver.

"Here it is," he presented to the redhead boy as Tentomon flew to his side.

"Prodigious," he awed. "So this is the Pokéball that's been giving people fits. Let me run some tests on it to make sure nothing has been overlooked." Ash wanted to trust Izzy's word.

"Let us know if you find anything." Izzy bobbed a nod, willing to tell the first person possible.

"Will do."

"Meantime, you can go to the ranch to have the kids look at other Pokémon," Oak suggested. Ash laughed in glee.

"You got it," he accepted before the kids became excited.

"I can't wait to see Lapras again!" hoped Joe. Ash gulped before straightening himself out.

"About that… Misty, Tracey and I found Lapras' school after I beat the leader of the Orange Crew. He's back with his school and with his mom." Joe and Gomamon moaned, upset that Lapras wasn't part of Ash's crew anymore. Ash led the Digidestined out to the backyard. There, the kids saw all sorts of Pokémon from blue weed pods to horses with fiery manes to pigeons and sparrows of different sizes.

"No way are all of these yours!" gawked Tai.

"They're not. Many of the Pokémon are from different trainers who originated from or came to Pallet Town to start Pokémon training. Look in the distance for example." All turned to see a rolling dust cloud. Making the cloud were a herd of charging brown bulls with three whip-like tails on each. To Ash, he had one more. "Tauros, come on out!" Ash threw his Pokéball and out came another Tauros to join the charging herd.

"That much cattle, I'd say you've got plenty to start a ranch of your own," Mimi awed. Kari turned to see Snorlax reaching for apples in a tree.

"What's that?" she asked. Tai recognized the Hibernate Pokémon from when Ash visited the Digital World. All approached the blue bear.

"First time I've seen you awake, Snorlax," Tai greeted. Snorlax spun to see Ash and the Digidestined. It growled happily to meeting Ash's friends. When it sat down, a thunderous shake rattled the ground. "Whoa, easy…" Snorlax laughed a little. Suddenly…

"I'm back, Sora!" the pink bird announced. Sora looked up to find the bird coming into focus.

"Biyomon, got enough exercise with the birds?" she asked as Biyomon perched herself on Sora's shoulder.

"Felt great to spread my wings like that. Who's he?" A point of Biyomon's wing aided Sora.

"Remember hearing that 'Not Again' shout from before? Mimi found him." Ash, Tai, Joe, Mimi, Pikachu, Palmon, Agumon and Gomamon knew the reason for the shout.

"Oh yeah…" the orange dinosaur recalled. "That's when we dressed Ash to convince Mimi." Agumon turned to Ash with a question. "By the way, I know you returned Lapras to his school, but what about your other Pokémon? Surely, Charizard's still here." Ash nodded before releasing Charizard and Squirtle. Charizard let out a roar before seeing the Digidestined and Digimon.

"Charizard, how's it been?" asked Tai. Charizard growled proudly to seeing Tai and Agumon. Inside, Izzy scanned the GS Ball with Misty and Brock watching. Tracey came up after having been with Oak.

"How goes the analysis, Izzy?" he wondered.

"Well, it doesn't exactly help that it's one of the first things I've examined," Izzy started. "I could run as many tests Professor Oak would allow but I'm registering nothing. It doesn't help that the professor's contact has said she found nothing on her end." This began to trouble Misty, not because Tentomon was by Izzy's side.

"So if you can't find anything," she listed. "And Professor Ivy couldn't find anything…" Tracey and Tentomon jumped before the teen tapped Misty's shoulder. She pointed to Brock moping while crouched.

"Don't mention that name!" he whined. Misty forgot Brock joined.

"Oops…" Tentomon and Tracey sighed to Brock's reaction at the mentioning of Ivy.

"I may be a Pokémon Watcher," Tracey huffed. "But I'd watch what I say around him and about you-know-who." Back outside, Sora and Pikachu rode on Charizard while flying over the fields. Biyomon tried to keep up with Charizard. Below, Mimi, Kari and TK rode on some Tauros now eased after their sprints. Ash, Tai and Matt walked beside the bulls for the safety of their mounters.

"Suddenly, I'm finding this place incredibly enjoyable!" an excited Mimi cheered. "If there are islands where we can get away, I'd bring you there to vacation like right now!" Tai sighed to Mimi's rambling.

"I'm pretty sure Ash has an idea of where he's going," he figured. Without warning, Charizard flew in.

"Guys, I think we have company," Sora warned as she hopped off. Looking up, all saw a flying basket. To Ash, evil came.

"These guys shouldn't be too hard considering who you fought sometime ago," he advised. That's when a huge tent opened and covered everything. Those inside gulped to the sudden cover.

"Okay, this is creepy," Joe gulped.

"Team Rocket must be here," Misty growled. All headed out to find the ranch turned into a circus. Balancing on a high-wire rope were two adults in clown disguises, one cat in similar clothes. The woman rode a unicycle while the man used a parasol to not fall off.

"Prepare for trouble, our party doesn't stop!" a crimson-haired woman started.

"And make it double, you're trapped in our big top!" an ice-violet man continued.

"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 right!" the cat mewed. They removed their clown get-ups, white uniforms with red "R" emblems replacing them

"Tell me I didn't just hear a motto, I lost track midway," Joe blinked as he itched his head.

"It only gets worse," Misty shrugged. "Especially with these three half-wits."

"Not to mention hearing another cat with human tongue," Gatomon mewed. "It's just not right." Team Rocket gawked to Gatomon speaking.

"Hey, dere's only room for one talking Pokémon!" proclaimed Meowth.

"You can keep it since I'm not one of them." Brock gawked to Gatomon's behavior.

"I don't think Kari taught you to be this sassy," he gulped.

"I don't see the problem," Kari scoffed with Pikachu on her head. "She's more charming this way." Pikachu squeaked in agreement. The sight of Brock left Team Rocket a little puzzled.

"Not that I particularly care but when did the Big Twerp come back into the limelight?" questioned Jessie.

"Yeah, I's thought you was staying on Valencia Island," Meowth pointed out. "With dat Professor Ivy." The name made those gawk to turn to Brock… except he vanished… and found on the high-wire with a parasol.

"Don't mention that name!" he whined. Sora and Charizard flew to console Brock while Team Rocket had speculations.

"Talk about 'My bad Chemical Romance'," James punned. Patamon turned to Ash for a further understanding.

"So, what's up with these three?" the piglet asked.

"Three guys who are after rare and valuable Pokémon like my Pikachu," he sighed. Agumon drew a conclusion.

"So they're bad guys, huh?" he guessed. Ash lofted a nod.

"Well, that makes it easy for us to deal with," Tai grinned. "We don't need all the Digidestined, just enough to scare them." Tai, Mimi and TK brought out their hand-helds. Agumon, Palmon and Patamon began to glow.

"Agumon, Digivolve to… GREYMON!" Agumon transformed into his bigger form.

"Palmon, Digivolve to… TOGEMON!" yelled Palmon. She transformed into her giant cactus form.

"Patamon, Digivolve to… ANGEMON!" shouted Patamon. He transformed from a piglet to a tall human in all white with a blue loincloth and six shiny white wings. It also held a gold staff and wore a copper helmet with a silver visor. Long blond hair flowed down his back. The trainers, the Pokémon and Team Rocket gawked to seeing the three transform.

"They can evolve on a whim!" gawked Jessie.

"Dat's gotta be illegal!" cried Meowth. Misty trembled in awe to TK's Digimon's new look.

"TK… has an angel?" she muttered. Ash saw Angemon, excited to see him.

"Okay, that...is awesome!" he laughed.

"You think so?" grinned Angemon. "It's your world we're now gonna help protect. Just give us the order." Ash peered up as Misty's eyes switched to hearts.

"Okay, see if you can take out their balloon above!" Angemon nodded before flying up. His hand balled to a fist and it started to glow. His aim was the top of the tent.

"Hand of Fate!" He punched the air, sending a white beam of light that tore through the tent, then the basket and the balloon shaped like Meowth's head. It also struck the burner, causing the balloon to explode. James and Meowth shrieked at what they saw Angemon do. Jessie wasn't as calm.

"That's Team Rocket property!" she nagged before grabbing two Pokéballs. "Arbok, Lickitung!" Togemon wasn't going to let Jessie get a chance to release her Pokémon.

"Too slow!" she roared. "Needle Spray!" Togemon sprayed volleys of cactus needles, all sticking to Jessie who screamed in understandable pain. Her teammates freaked out worse.

"Talk about a bad acupuncture!" shuttered Meowth.

"Get these things out of me!" she yelled.

"I'm surprised she's still alive, let alone conscious!" gawked James. Charizard flew back to join the crew and Greymon had an idea.

"Hey, Charizard," he called out. "The combination?" Charizard nodded, leaving Sora interested.

"This should be good," Sora thought. Charizard flew behind Greymon. Team Rocket feared their new outcome.

"We're in for a barn burner!" cried James. Greymon initiated the attack.

"Nova Blast!" he ordered as he spat out the giant ball of fire.

"You sure you can do this?" asked Sora. Charizard growled, ready. "Okay… do your stuff!" Charizard launched Fire Spin into the Nova Blast. The result created the flaming tunnel and Team Rocket couldn't escape. The trio became ensnared in the fiery whirlwind. Launched high and fast, the Rockets became helpless with their outcome.

"As if it wasn't enough to be some cactus' pin cushion, I get the worst heated exchange possible?!" punned Jessie, in more pain than before.

"Dose creatures certainly gave Jessie one stinging situation," punned Meowth.

"Those new twerps are nothing but big pricks and their creatures will be ours," punned James. Jessie growled at more than Ash and his friends.

"Okay, enough of the bad needle jokes!" she shouted. "It hurts hearing those!" Finally, they flew to the skies.

"Looks like Team Rockets burning out again!" they cried upon departure. The kids cheered to the victory while the three Digimon reverted to their normal forms. Misty grew smitten with Patamon and saw Sora after she dismounted from Charizard.

"Could you hold Togepi for a moment?" she requested.

"I did want a chance to hold it since seeing Togepi," she accepted. After handing the Spike Ball Pokémon to Sora, Misty came to TK and Patamon.

"I can't believe your Digimon can become an angel! I'm so thrilled now that I've seen it!" TK and Patamon chuckled to the praise from the redhead trainer.

"You're welcome," they replied. Misty patted both heads.

"I'd rather have you and Matt over Ash, and not that he's got a girlfriend now." She hugged Patamon and kissed TK on the cheek, causing the little blond to blush.

"She moves fast," Brock snickered. Ash smiled, feeling Misty has someone to love after she lost out to himself.

"Apparently, she got worried over nothing," he sighed. "Though, I believe she saw Angemon instead of something I learned… Ironically, a little from Team Rocket as well." Mimi turned to Ash, interested.

"What would that be?" she asked.

"There's no sense going out of your way just to get somebody to like you." The crowd awed Ash's words, except Brock blinked in disbelief.

"That can't be!" he snapped as he held Ash by the collar. "I can impress any woman with any technique in any book I've read about the subject!" Ash knew Brock's argument held no ground.

"You're actually proving my point… and Misty's as well. I didn't do anything to have Mimi love me and yet you struggle, especially with… her." Unfortunately, someone else called his bluff.

"Are you talking about Professor Ivy?" someone else guessed. The name forced him back to moping… far from reach. The new young man saw it and realized the issue. "Sorry, Brock. Wasn't my place to say." All turned to a spiky brunette young man in a purple long-sleeve shirt and with a brown fox pup by his side.

"Gary?" named Ash.

"Well, if it isn't Ash, my neighbor who finished in the Top 16 before. I see that you have company… and plenty of it." Ash tried to remain stoic about his neighbor.

"Nice to see you, too. So, seeing the professor about something?"

"I am." Mimi came forward to learn more of the new boy.

"You two know each other?" she asked. Ash nodded, willing to tell his girlfriend.

"That's Gary Oak, the Professor's grandson… and my rival." Gary scoffed to seeing the two together.

"You don't need to sugarcoat it in front of your girlfriend," he sneered, giving Ash a comeback.

"At least I have a girlfriend. What about you?" Gary irked to Ash's reply. What was meant as a joke came back at him while Mimi palmed her hands on his shoulder.

"Okay, you win this round, Ashy-boy… Still, I think it's a little soon to be having one. Just saying." Kari and Sora reached Gary in a favor.

"Gary, is it possible for you to stay?" asked Sora. "We'd want to know you more since we'll be neighbors like Ash." Gary balked to the request, but thought the idea wouldn't hinder any ideas he had.

"Sure… it's also been awhile since I had Brock's or Ash's Mom's cooking." Out of nowhere, Delia and Mimey arrived behind Ash and Mimi.

"That's perfect!" she announced, surprising Ash.

"Mom, where'd you come from?!" he gasped. Delia giggled to the startle.

"Come on, Ash! I'm always around Pallet." Gary laughed to Delia's fun. As the sun began to set, Delia, Brock and Sora grilled meat, vegetables and potatoes on skewers. Parents of the Digidestined came out to see their sons and daughters interacting with the creatures. Delia and a blond woman laughed to items only they knew of. Tentomon stayed far from Misty and ate with Ash, Gary and Mimi. Gary talked to Ash about information that would catch his interest.

"The Johto Region?"

"Grandpa told me about it," the rival detailed. "New Pokémon have come out. Since seeing Togepi, I got suspicious about what else could be there, as well as a new league to try." Ash noted the idea, thinking about what to expect upon arriving to the new region.

"New league, new Pokémon… I'm about ready to go there now." Gary snickered, succeeding in grabbing Ash's attention.

"Well, if Ash is going to this new region," Mimi spoke up. "Then, I will as well!" A blue pod with red bulbs on its head wanted to join in the journey.

"Seems like Gloom wants to join you, Mimi," he observed. "It's wild, so you can still catch it." Mimi nodded as she petted Gloom on the bulbs. That's when Izzy arrived.

"Ash, I've got good news and bad news," he reported. The group listened in.

"What's wrong, Izzy?" asked Tentomon.

"Professor Oak and I can't get anything off the GS Ball. It's pretty solid from perspective. However, the professor found hope." Now Ash felt intrigued to the detail if it meant aiding Oak.

"How so?" he asked.

"There's someone in Azalea Town named Kurt." Gary heard the name and allowed Ash information to help fulfill the task.

"Kurt's a Pokéball Specialist," he informed. "If anyone can figure out the GS Ball, it's him." Ash felt it could be out of his way as far as training goes.

"I don't know…" he muttered. "Does Azalea Town have a gym?" Gary snickered, his will to hide information.

"Like heck I'd give you any detail about Pokémon Gyms, Ashy-boy! What I told you is what you needed in order to help Grandpa with his favor." Ash sneered back, knowing better not to tell ideal information to aid an opponent. After plenty of shish-kabobs and some cleaning, everyone headed to either home or a place to stay. Misty traveled with Matt and TK to their house while Mimi stayed at Ash's home. Pikachu, Gloom, Palmon and Bulbasaur slept on the couch. Even with Mimi in bed with him like the night he stayed in the Digital World, Ash couldn't close his eyes. He crawled out of bed and opened the window before climbing outside. Unconsciously, Mimi reached for him. Feeling nothing but the bed, Mimi woke up and saw the window open. Following Ash, she climbed out to the roof and joined him under the starry sky.

"Not sleepy tonight?" she groaned.

"Just thinking that Tracey won't be joining me and Misty on our way to Johto," Ash started his list. "I'll still have Misty on my tail since I still owe her a bike." Mimi patted Ash on the shoulder for comfort.

"At least I'll be around." Ash blinked as he looked to Mimi. "With Gloom as my Pokémon, I should have a good time learning from you about how you do your work. Not to mention Misty has Matt and TK to have fun with." Ash huffed a chuckle.

"If Izzy joined us, Misty would tell him to either leave Tentomon here or stay in Pallet with the professor." Mimi giggled and agreed.

"Well, I'm sure there are some bugs Misty likes that you've seen, right?"

"Well, yeah-" Suddenly, a caw from the sky as loud as a rooster. Both looked up to see a large avian with a shining crest in a veil of gold on its head. It flew west. "No way!" As it flew, Ash couldn't believe his eyes.

"Ash, what's that?"

"I don't know… It's the second time I've seen that Pokémon, and Professor Oak doesn't know about it himself!" It flew off, and Ash had a new witness in seeing the Pokémon.

"This world is more amazing than I wanted to believe…"

"…And there's a lot more waiting for us to find." Ash and Mimi climbed back to the bedroom. While helping Mimi down, she slipped before Ash caught her to stabilize. Recovered, Ash and Mimi had a soft giggle before they shared a long goodnight kiss. The next morning, Ash, Misty, Brock, Mimi, Palmon and the Pokémon stepped out, ready to try out the Johto Region. Delia, Oak and Tracey came out to give them a farewell.

"Ash, I did pack some new you-know-whats in your bag," Delia advised. "Just try to make sure Mimi doesn't see you changing." Mimi, now wearing a pink bandanna to go with a pink plaid shirt and pink windbreaker pants, blushed at the thought of what Delia referred to. Oak came next with a new hand-held device

"Ash, this PokéDex is a new model, and includes more RAM and a bigger encyclopedia of Pokémon to explore the Johto Region," he explained. Ash nodded, wondering what new Pokémon awaited. Mimi had a guess.

"It might have that Pokémon we saw fly over," she pondered. Ash nodded, the possibility in the assumption. "Tracey, will you be okay staying here with Professor Oak?"

"Don't worry, Mimi," Tracey scoffed. "Professor Oak will help out with anything." Misty smiled, though upset that he chose to stay.

"Hey, we won't forget, okay?" she promised. Before Tracey could respond…

"Oh no, Mimi!" argued Tai. Turning, the trainers saw the other Digidestined approaching with not just their Digimon but Pokémon as well: Tai had an orange baby lizard with a flame on its tail, Matt had an orange puppy, Joe carried a seal and Sora had a two-headed brown ostrich. "You're not leaving without us!" Mimi and Misty became excited to have the Digidestined traveling again.

"Wow, this is great!" cheered Mimi

"I know, and there won't be a boring day with everyone around," Misty agreed. Ash led the way while everyone started the parade.

"You excited, Charmander?" asked Tai. Charmander wailed in anticipation.

"Growlithe and I have a journey, especially if Gabumon wants to have fun," Matt informed. Growlithe barked to the idea.

"Doduo and Biyomon will make sure everyone's in sight," Sora smirked. Doduo cawed.

"Why do I have to have the Seel?" complained Joe. "It's bad enough with Gomamon…" Seel barked and clapped its fins. Mimi turned to see TK and Kari not with a Pokémon of their own.

"Is there a reason TK and Kari don't have one, yet?" asked Mimi.

"It's a law that trainers have to be at least ten years old in order to be declared eligible as trainers," Oak explained.

"It's okay!" scoffed Kari. "We'll get to learn about Pokémon and see if we come across a favorite."

"Not to mention watching Tai and Matt make fools of themselves," TK laughed. "Sure, it won't be as bad as that one Rocket-turned-pin cushion. That should take at least a week to get all those needles off." All laughed before noting Izzy not having one himself.

"I'm deciding not to go and learn about Pokémon from Professor Oak before exploring on my own," Izzy told. To Misty, no Izzy around meant no fear of Tentomon. On that note, Ash started the parade as everyone waived to those staying. Mimi reached the front to hold Ash's hand as Misty reached for Matt's hand and TK's as well. The trainers and Digidestined left for new adventure, one that may give these kids a lifetime of fun.

(As this one-shot ends, I want to send condolences to those people who have been struck by the Hurricanes from Harvey to Maria and from Houston to Florida and even to Puerto Rico, and to those affected by the earthquakes in and around Mexico Ciy. I wish for their safety and healing from these natural disasters.)