Once again Ember and her friends have left Pallet Town behind them, their sights on a new goal.
Now they're headed to New Bark Town, where Ember can register for the Johto League.
At the moment, the gang was walking through the forest with a mist covering most of the area.
Nova looked up and sighed, "Sylve Sylveon? (Ember, doesn't that branch look familiar?)" She asked, pointing towards a branch.
Ember looked up and noticed it as well, she sighed, "I say we've been going around in circles." She groaned.
"What!" Mairin whined, "You gotta be kidding me!"
"The problem is that this fog is so thick that we can't even see the direction we're headed." Cilan rubbed his forehead.
Ember perked up at a sound and a presence that she felt, "What was that?" She muttered.
Suddenly Asa (Togepi) hopped out of Mairin's arms and Nova jumped off Ember's shoulder to follow after him and Chespie joined them. Then they ran off in a direction.
"Asa! Chespie!"
"Nova!"
The five followed after the three Pokémon and they stopped when they saw a beautiful, glowing Pokémon figure in the middle of the lake.
Ember recognized the Pokémon, 'Suicune.' She thought with awe.
"Wow look at that." Mairin awed.
Suddenly the mysterious Pokémon noticed the gang's presence and then ran off.
"What Pokémon was that?" Cilan asked.
"Suicune, one of the Three Legendary Beasts created by Ho-oh itself." Alain explained.
Zoey noticed that the mist was clearing up, "Check it out. The mist is clearing up." She announced.
"You're right, Zoey." Mairin said.
"We should keep going in case the mist comes back." Ember suggested.
===========
The gang walked more and more, until at they finally came to a sign.
"This sign says 'New Bark Town." Cilan said, "This way to the town where the winds of new beginnings blow."
"So that means we're finally here." Ember stated.
The gang took a good look at New Bark Town.
"What a nice town." Mairin complimented.
"Okay let's head to the Pokémon center and then we'll go see Prof. Elm." Ember decided.
"Good idea." Mairin agreed.
==========
When they came into the Pokémon Center, they noticed that Nurse Joy wasn't there.
"Chansey! (Welcome!)" A Chansey greeted them.
"Chansey?" Zoey asked.
"Where's Nurse Joy?" Mairin asked.
Chansey smiled at them and pressed a large orange button in front of the desk, "Chansey." She said.
A video showing Nurse Joy appeared on the screen.
"[Welcome all trainers, I'm Nurse Joy.]" New Bark Town Nurse Joy greeted them, "[I'm over at the Elm's Laboratory right now and I'm sorry not being able to help you, but I'll be back at the Pokémon Centre no later than two o'clock this afternoon.]" Nurse Joy continued.
"Two? But..." Ember looked at the clock in the Pokémon Centre, "It's already three-thirty." She said.
"Might as well sit down." Mairin sat down on one of the benches.
"Do you think something might have happened at the lab?" Cilan pondered.
"Maybe we should head over there." Ember suggested.
"Good idea." Zoey agreed.
=================
When they got to the lab, there were police cars and Officer Jenny was checking the lab.
"I wonder what's going on here." Mairin pondered.
The gang ran up to Officer Jenny.
"What's going on, Officer Jenny?" Ember asked.
"Some thieves broke into Prof Elm's lab." Officer Jenny replied.
The gang gasped at that.
"Officer Jenny, can we please go inside? We do need to see Prof. Elm." Ember requested.
"Well, you can go in if you need to see him." Officer Jenny allowed.
"Thank you." Ember thanked her and then she and the others headed into the lab.
=============
The gang finally arrived inside the lab. Ember noticed Prof. Elm who was sitting near a very angry Nurse Joy. Even though Prof. Elm was a researcher, he looked more like a scientist.
"Excuse me, Prof. Elm?" Ember asked.
Prof. Elm and Nurse Joy turned to the gang.
"Oh yes, I am. Who are you?" Prof. Elm asked.
"I'm Ember Kukui. You met my parents and I once. Professor Kukui and Professor Burnet?" Ember said.
"Oh yes! I remember! You and your parents came here to study a little on Johto Region Pokémon." Prof. Elm realized.
"I'm glad you remembered." Ember smiled.
"I don't mean to be rude, but could you tell us what happened here?" Alain asked.
"It's all my fault." Prof. Elm admitted.
"What's all your fault?" Ember asked, already knowing what it was.
"I was doing some research and didn't realize what was happening in my lab, until Nurse Joy came up." Prof. Elm stated.
"Has something happened here, Nurse Joy?" Mairin asked.
"Yes, something has happened," Nurse Joy replied, "a Pokémon was stolen from here."
"A stolen Pokémon?!" The group gasped.
=============
Everyone outside at a stage near the lab.
Officer Jenny explained everything. "The Pokémon that the thieves took was a starter Pokémon, which was supposed to be given to a new trainer tomorrow." she said.
"I do hope that Totodile is okay." Nurse Joy prayed.
"Totodile is one of Johto's starter Pokémon, right?" Ember asked.
"That's correct. You see, I'm supposed to give this Totodile and this Cyndaquil to two new Pokémon trainers tomorrow." Professor Elm explained and in his arm is the Johto Region Fire Starter.
The gang noticed the Pokémon in Professor Elm's arms.
"Cute~ It's a Cyndaquil." Ember smiled.
"Cynda Cynda Cynda!" The Pokémon back was blazing in flames all the sudden.
Professor Elm held the Pokémon away from himself, "Don't be alarmed, this is normal behavior." He stated.
"Sylve." Nova smiled.
"Togi Togi." Asa smiled.
"Chespin." Chespie smiled.
"Maybe I should explain things more fully." He reached into his coat pocket and pulled out two photos, "New Bark Trainers get to choose one of three. A Chikorita, a new trainer just picked this one the other day. A Grass-type."
He showed the gang a picture of Chikorita who was a light green animal with a big leaf on its head.
"Or they can pick a Cyndaquil, which is a Fire-type."
"Cyndaquil!" The Pokémon said, happily.
Then he showed a picture of a Totodile who was a blue crocodile, "Or they can have a Totodile, which is a Water-type."
"Reminds me of the starter Pokémon Rowlet, Litten and Popplio that my dad gives to new trainers back home." Ember said.
"Sylveon." Nova smiled.
"All of the regions have those three types of starters: grass, fire and water." Alain stated.
"So do you know all of the regional professors, Prof. Elm?" Zoey asked.
"Yes I do. But I mostly know Professor Oak." Prof. Elm replied.
Alain, Ember, Zoey and Mairin were all looking at Cyndaquil who was now in Nurse Joy's arms, who was laughing when Zoey tickled it.
"Cute~!" Mairin squealed.
"Sometimes I wish that you would be like Professor Oak and do the research area of human relationship too, Professor Elm." Nurse Joy stated with a sad expression.
Prof. Elm rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.
"The only thing to think about now is to find those Pokémon thieves and bring Totodile back." Alain stated.
"I agree." Ember agreed.
"But how should we find them?" Zoey questioned.
Just then one of Officer Jenny's men came up with a stone in his arms, "We didn't find any fingerprints, but we found some footprints on the ground that doesn't belong to any of us here and I made a plaster cast of the footprints from the backyard of the lab." He showed her the footprints.
Officer Jenny examines the footprints, and she releases the puppy Pokémon.
"Growlithe!" The puppy Pokémon barked and immediately went to sniff the footprints, it immediately got the scent and ran towards the town.
"Growlithe has picked up the scent of the thieves, time to go after them." Officer Jenny said and ran after her Pokémon.
"We should go too." Ember decided.
The gang followed Officer Jenny too.
They followed Growlithe who led them to Team Rocket who seemed to be fighting each other while a Totodile was chomping on Cassidy's hair.
"It's Team Rocket!" Mairin exclaimed.
"It's the twerps!" Team Rocket exclaimed, surprised to see them again.
"I should have known that you three idiots would do something like this." Alain glared at the trio.
"You three are under arrest for stealing a Pokémon from Prof. Elm's lab!" Officer Jenny announced, holding out a pair of handcuffs. "Return that Totodile back!"
Ember blanked out on Team Rocket's motto as she turned to Totodile who was still chomping on Cassidy's hair. Ember had to get that Pokémon away from them. Unknown to her, her eyes glowed blue and Totodile's shape was outlined blue. Then it was lifted over to Ember who caught Totodile in her arms.
Everyone blinked when they noticed that Totodile was safely in Ember's arms. Totodile blinked when it realized that it was no longer attached to Cassidy's hair. Ember gently patted its head who was still confused and then it started to like her touch.
"You're okay now, Totodile." Ember smiled.
"Give us that Pokémon now!" Sneasel demanded.
The Big Jaw Pokémon looked at Team Rocket and it jumped out of Ember's arms and launched a Water Gun attack towards the thieves and sent them flying into the air.
"What do we tell the boss now?" Sneasel whimpered.
"You can make the call this time, Sneasel and you can give him the same message we always have to give him!" Cassidy snapped.
"TEAM ROCKET MESSED THINGS UP AGAIN!!" Team Rocket shouted in the distance.
"Wow, that was some Water Gun attack." Alain said, impressed.
"Totodile!" The big jaw Pokémon jumped up and down, happily.
"Well done, Totodile." Ember said as she picked up Totodile.
Totodile smiled, "Totodile!"
Officer Jenny sighed, "Well no arrest." She said.
Ember handed Totodile to Officer Jenny, "Glad we could help, Officer."
Officer Jenny smiled as she held Totodile in her arms, "Thanks to you, a new Pokémon trainer is going to be very happy."
"You're welcome." Ember smiled back.
===================
When they arrived back at the Pokémon Center, Nurse Joy and Professor Elm were very happy to see Totodile back and unharmed. The gang had called Prof. Oak and told them that they made it to New Bark Town and introduced him to Prof. Elm. The two professors began talking and the group decided to leave them be.
"Thank you all." Nurse Joy said, "How about I get you registered and approved for the Johto League, Ember."
Ember nodded, "Great."
Rotom places his hand on the scanner and Nurse Joy typed something on the computer.
"[Ember Kukui of Pallet Melemele Island.]" The male computer voice said, analyzing Rotom's information, 'OK' "[Welcome to the Johto League.]"
Rotom removed his hand off the scanner.
Nurse Joy turned to Ember, "Congratulations Ember. You are now fully qualified and approved to become an official participant in the Johto League." She said.
"Thank you, Nurse Joy." Ember thanked her.
Nurse Joy took out a guidebook, "You'll need a copy of the Johto League Guidebook. So make sure you don't lose it." She held it out to Ember.
"Okay." Ember said gently took it.
"How many badges does Ember have to win in this league?" Mairin asked.
"Once she earns eight badges, she'll be able to compete in the Johto League championship and I say the best place to start in Violet Gym in Violet City." Nurse Joy explained.
"Then that's where we're headed." Ember decided.
==============
At the end of the day, the sun had set, and it was time for the gang to leave.
Professor Elm, Officer Jenny and Nurse Joy with Totodile all waved them goodbye.
"Good luck in the Johto League!" Officer Jenny said.
"Remember you can stop in a Pokémon Center if you run into any trouble!" Nurse Joy said.
"And thanks again for rescuing Totodile!" Professor Elm said, as he held Totodile in his arms.
"Totodile!" It waved.
The gang waved back and headed back on the road.
==========
As Ember and her friends head to Violet City to continue their Pokémon journey, they're happy to help out a Pokémon who's going to be a Trainer's first Pokémon back from Team Rocket. And as new winds of new beginnings at their back, they look forward to the Johto League.