"MORNING EVERYBODY!" Ash and Goh greeted their Pokémon who were all hanging out together in Cerise Park.

"You've caught a lot of Pokémon!" Ash exclaimed. "Just look at 'em all!"

"That's nothing!" Goh replied. "There's tons more Pokémon I haven't caught yet!"

"He's right, y'know..." Chloe suddenly walked over to the two boys, Yamper in her arms and Pidove resting on top of her head.

"Mornin' Chloe, how's it going?" Ash greeted.

"Hey, Ash! I forgot to tell you!" Goh said. "Chloe's going to be joining us on our Journey!"

"Really?" Ash exclaimed. "Awesome!"

"Not so fast guys..." Chloe replied. "I'm just helping my dad with research. I'm not becoming a full-fledged Pokémon Trainer..."

Ash and Goh looked at her with a comically large sweat drop on the back of their heads.

"I mean... it's a start..." Goh murmured.

"PIKA!"

"SCOR!"

Pikachu and Scorbunny suddenly screamed as they turned their heads towards the park, catching their attention.

"What's wrong, buddy?" Ash asked.

The three present research fellows turned their heads towards the direction that Pikachu and Scorbunny were looking at. There, they saw a weird and troublesome sight; Goh's Tailow was attacking his three Wurmple, its wings glowing white.

Two of the Wurple fired thick threads of purple silk, trying to defend themselves from the dive bombing Tiny Swallow Pokémon, but it managed to dodge their attacks.

"Pika..."

"Hey, isn't that...?" Chloe was interrupted by a scream from Ash.

"THIS HAS GOTTA STOP!" He exclaimed as he ran downstairs to stop the attack.

"AH! RIGHT BEHIND YOU!" Goh yelped.

"Hey! Wait for me!" Chloe exclaimed.

Though the three didn't need to worry so much, as the three Worm Pokémon began to glow blue. Soon enough, all three of their bodies began to morph and change.

"They're evolving!" Ash gasped.

"Evolving? ALRIGHT!" Goh exclaimed. "Wurmple can evolve into two different Pokémon, right? It can either evolve to Silcoon or Cascoon!"

"Then Silcoon evolves into Beautifly and Cascoon into Dustox, right?" Chloe finished Goh's sentense for him.

"That's right!" Goh answered. "And that's why... I DECIDED TO CATCH THREE WURMPLE!"

"SCOR BUN!"

One of the Wurmple stopped glowing with a burst of energy, having morphed into something completely different.

"The first one is Cascoon!" Goh stated.

The second Wurmple finished its evolution process.

"The second one's also Cascoon!" Ash proclaimed.

"So the last one's gotta be a Silcoon..." Goh murmured, but he was in for a shock cause when the third one stopped evolving, it looked identical to the other two.

"ARGH! CASCOON?! ALL THREE OF THEM?!" Goh yelled, with shock and a hint of disappointment in his voice.

The newly evolved Cascoon didn't seem to mind though, as all three wobbled over to their Trainer and started affectionately nuzzling him.

"Huh?" Goh gasped in surprise before chuckling. "Aww... this'll work too..."

"Hey Ash! Goh!" Serena suddenly called from the banisters above. "Professor Cerise is calling us!"

"Got it! We'll be right there, Serena!" Ash replied.

"Hey, Serena! Check it out!" Goh exclaimed. "All three of my Wurmple evolved! This is the first time any of my Pokémon had evolved! Wow! Talk about a moving experience! Now my appreciation for Pokémon is much deeper!"

"Eh... right..." Serena said.

"Come on you two, we don't want to keep my dad waiting..."

"Right!" Ash and Goh replied.

"C'mon Scorbunny!"

"Froakie, Treecko and Rockruff! You too!"

After gathering all of the Pokémon they'd need for whatever adventure Professor Cerise wanted to send them on, the trio went and joined Serena on the banisters, before walking towards the lab area.

.......................................................................

"Good morning, kids..." Professor Cerise said.

"Morning Professor!" Ash, Goh and Serena replied.

"Mornin' dad!" Chloe answered.

"So... I've got some bad news..." Professor Cerise said with a frown on his face. "After the attack of that Gengar yesterday, most of our equipment is still busted... I decided to close the Lab for a while so we can do our maintenance work..."

"Maintenance work?" Goh murmured.

"Wait! So Cerise Laboratory is closed?!" Ash yelped. "Where are we gonna get our food?!"

"Pika!"

"He really needs to sort out his priorities..." Chloe mumbled.

"Wampa!"

"Sorry about that..." Professor Cerise apologized.

"Don't worry, Professor..." Professor Kukui walked into the room. "If you don't mind, I'd like to take the kids to a trip around the newly established Johto themed forest!"

"It's alright if you ask me, but you've got to worry about them..." Professor Cerise answered.

"What do you say?"

"I'm in!" Ash excitedly replied.

"Pikachu!"

"Me too!" Serena exclaimed.

"Fenn Fennekin!"

"Sure! It sounds like fun..." Chloe said.

"Wampa Wampa!"

While his three friends were answering, Goh checked the new forest area that Kukui was talking about (to see what Pokémon he could catch there), but was mortified to see that the forest area looks just like a place he visited years before with his parents; Ilex Forest.

Goh stared at his phone screen as if his eyes were glued to it. He flashed back to when he was younger and saw the image of him with another kid next to him.

"Goh... are you okay?" Chloe placed a hand on Goh's shoulder, which seemed to snap him out of his trance.

"Wh-what?!" He said, confused. "Oh! Eh... sure! I'd love to go..."

"Alright then, let's get going!" Ash exclaimed as he jumped in the air.

As the group was walking outside with Professor Kukui, Chloe couldn't help but wonder why Goh had such a sad face when he noticed that the forest is going to be similar to Ilex Forest.

...

"And here we are!" Kukui exclaimed as he and the kids reached the forest area that resembled the Ilex Forest.

"Wow!" Our heroes replied in unison, taking in the beautiful sight of the forest in front of them.

"What Pokémon live around here?" Goh murmured before pulling out his Rotom-Phone and checking its resources for information.

Soon enough though, everybody heard a wail come from nearby.

"What was that?" Ash wondered.

Professor Kukui turned to face them. "It's probably just a Pokémon... I heard that a lot of Bug types live around here..."

"Oh great..." Chloe murmured, pressing Yamper closer to her.

Goh however, was completely out of it. The moment he heard the wailing, his mind wondered back in time, as the younger version of himself walked past him, causing him to fade away.

.......................................................................

"I can't believe mom and dad fell asleep as soon as we got here!" Cried Goh, who looked to be around 6 or 7. "What do they expect me to do all on my own in the middle of nowhere?!"

At that moment he heard a hooting sound. He looked up and saw a Hoothoot just minding its own business on a tree before flying away.

Goh's eyes lightened up with excitement. "A Hoothoot!" He cried out before beginning his chase of the Owl Pokémon.

Goh followed the Hoothoot, which led him to an area that was filled with Pokémon from the Johto Region; Ledyba, Jumpluff, Yanma, Spinarak, Teddiursa, Sentret and Dunsparce too.

"Awesome! There's so many Pokémon!" He said, remembering the time he went to Professor Oak's Summer Camp with Chloe and saw Mew. "Maybe... maybe I can find Mew here!"

And with that, he ran deeper into the forest, calling out for Mew to come out of its hiding spot. After hearing a tree rustle and a dark shape emerge from it, he was convinced he found the New Species Pokémon. Wanting to catch it, he jumped into the air with his arm stretched out.

"MEW!"

"CELEBI!"

"Wha- ARGH!"

Goh had collided with another boy who had jumped after the dark shape like him, they both fell down on their backs.

"Hey! Who are you?!" Goh asked, a little mad.

"I should ask you the same thing!" The other boy replied, sounding just as annoyed.

The two boys looked up and saw that what they've been chasing was nothing but a mischievous Misdreavus playing a prank.

"It was..."

"Just a Misdreavus..."

Both boys let out a sigh of disappointment. At that instant, Goh realized something.

"You were shouting for Celebi, weren't you?"

"and you were shouting for Mew..."

Goh laughed. "What a screw up! How could you think a Misdreavus was Celebi?!"

"H-Hey! You're one to talk! After all, you thought it was Mew!"

"I-I guess..."

"Hm... so we're on the same boat, huh?"

"Yeah... I guess we are..."

"My names's Horace and I'm from Cianwood City..." the boy introduced himself and extended his hand for Goh to shake it.

Goh hesitated for a moment, but eventually relented and shook Tokio's hand. "And I'm Goh, from Vermilion City!"

"Nice to meet you!" The two boys said in unison.

"Um... Goh...?"

Goh looked up and saw... Chloe?

"Is anything..."

.......................................................................

"Bothering you, Goh...?" Chloe finished as the world around Goh returned to normal, including himself.

"Wh-what? N-no, nothing's bothering me!" Goh said, in a tone of voice of somebody who clearly has something bothering them. "I'm gonna go catch some Pokémon..."

"Cool! I'll come with you!" Ash exclaimed excitedly.

"NO!" Goh snapped, shocking everybody there. "I-I'm sorry... it's just... I wanna be alone... c'mon Scorbunny..."

Goh started walking inside the forest, Scorbunny following him with a worried look on its face.

"Is he okay...?" Serena asked, clearly worried.

"I don't know... he started acting weird since he found out this place looked like... Ilex Forest..." Chloe said in realization. "Professor, can I be excused for a moment?"

"Sure, Chloe! This isn't a class..." Kukui replied, flashing her a smile.

"Thank you..." Chloe said before pulling out her smartphone.

.......................................................................

Goh was walking around the forest, his hands buried in his pockets and his shoulders raised. Scorbunny was walking next to him, a look of sadness on its face. Goh had told it the whole story of his first... and last encounter with Horace.

"Scor..."

"Yeah... it stinks..." Goh mumbled. "B-but don't worry, I've got you..."

"Scorbun Bun!"

"Right! Let's catch a lot of Pokémon!" Goh exclaimed before drawing out two Poké-Balls from his pocket. "I'll need your help!"

He threw the Poké-Balls in the air, unleashing his Scyther and a Farfetch'd that he caught when he ran away from Serena and Miette's little squabble.

"Alright guys, cut down the grass so we van get into the forest!" Goh exclaimed. "Scyther, use Slash! And Farfetch'd use Cut!"

Both Pokémon cried in acknowledgment and cut down the grass with their moves, Farfetch'd's leek glowing light-yellow and leaving behind a light-yellow trail of energy as it cut down the grass.

"Alright! I knew I could count on my Pokémon!"

After Scyther sliced another piece of grass, Goh was surprised to find an Ariados standing there.

Goh gasped, a memory of him and Horace running away from that same Ariados years before. After he snapped out of the past, he closed his eyes tightly and shook his head, holding back the tears.

"Argh! Poké-Ball! Go!" He exclaimed before throwing his Poké-Ball and capturing the Ariados.

Ariados has been registered to your Pokédex.

Farfetch'd then cut down another piece of grass, revealing a Misdreavus, which also happened to be the same one he encountered with Horace.

This time, Goh greeted his teeth in frustration before chucking another one of his Poké-Balls at the mischievous Ghost type and capturing him.

Misdreavus has been registered to your Pokédex.

Goh then fell to his knees, looking around and only seeing Pokémon he encountered with Horace. His eyes began to fill with tears as he clutched the ground.

"You're not my friend anymore... STOP TAUNTING ME!!!!!"

.......................................................................

"Come on, pick up!" Chloe groaned in frustration as she dialed a phone number dor what must've been the 5th time.

Finally, somebody picked up and a female voice called out, "Hello?" from the other end.

"Oh! Mrs. Camille!" Chloe replied, not expecting her to pick up.

"Chloe! Oh, it's great to hear from you! How's Goh?"

"He's... well he's the reason I called you..." Chloe replied. "He started acting weird ever since he realized that the place we're going to is similar to Ilex Forest. And I remembered that a few years ago, you went on a vacation around there... did something happen to him while you were there?"

There was silence on the other end for a few seconds before Camille, Goh's mother, let out a long sigh. "You better sit down for this one, Chloe..."

Camille then told Chloe about Goh's meetup with Horace. How they spent the whole day together searching for Celebi, meeting tons of Pokémon and especially befriending a Sunflora. Then, they promised to meet again the next day by the Ilex Shrine, but Horace never showed up. This devastated Goh, and was why he dedicated years of his life solely to finding and catching Mew. This was also the reason he was so obsessed with Pokémon. Because they would never hurt him like Horace did.

Now it was Chloe's turn to be on the verge of tears. She placed her hand in her mouth, finally realizing why Goh had been so distant for the last few years. She remembered what he told her the previous night, following Gengar's attack; "I should've been there more for you back then..." and now she realized, so did she.

"Wh-what happened to Horace?" She asked.

"Nobody knows..." Camille replied. "We never went back to Azalea Town after that day..."

"Thank you Mrs. Camille... I needed to hear all that..."

"You're welcome, Chloe. Tell Goh we miss him!"

"I will..." she said before hanging up and opening a new tab on her phone, searching for something online.

.......................................................................

Goh's crying session was interrupted when Scorbunny suddenly jumped high in the air and into a bush, disappearing from Goh's line of sight.

"Scorbunny!" Goh cried out in worry before following it into the bush. After spreading the leaves apart, Goh noticed a weird sight; a lonely Cubone was being chased by three Mankey who were trying to get the Lonely Pokémon's bone club.

"A Cubone...? M-Mankey...?" Goh murmured, not remembering these Pokémon in Ilex Forest last time he visited. Goh took out his Rotom-Phone and checked his Pokédex.

Cubone, the Lonely Pokémon.
A Ground type.

This Pokémon wears the skull of its departed mother. Sometimes Cubone's dreams make it cry, but each tear Cubone sheds makes it stronger.

"That's disturbing..." Goh murmured before pointing the Rotom-Phone at the Mankey.

Mankey, the Pig Monkey Pokémon.
A Fighting type.

An agile Pokémon that lives in trees. It angers easily and will not hesitate to attack anything.

The three Mankey surrounded Cubone and began bullying it, but before things could get any worse, Scorbunny kicked two out of the three Mankey away, giving Cubone a fighting chance.

The Lonely Pokémon rushed towards the last Mankey, ready to hit it with its bone, but the Mankey was ready and kicked the bone away. Cubone's, well bone flew high into the air and out of sight.

"Scyther, Air Slash!" Goh commanded.

Scyther's scythes glowed light blue. It then fired multiple white glowing saw disc-like energy blades from its scythes at the three Mankey, causing them to be blasted away in an explosion.

"Scorbunny!" Goh called out as he, Scyther and Farfetch'd ran towards Scorbunny and Cubone.

"Scor Bun..."

Scorbunny hung its head down in shame, not being able to help Cubone, who started crying after losing its bone.

"Its bone must be really important..." Goh murmured. He then knelt down next to Cubone as Scorbunny tried comforting it. "Hey... I know how it feels to lose something... well someone you care about... I'll help you get your bone back..."

"Scor Bun!"

Cubone didn't stop crying though, causing Goh to lift it up in his arms like a baby.

"There there... don't cry... everything's gonna be fine..."

"Cu Bone..."

"I think we'll need extra help for this..." Goh said before taking out two more Poké-Balls. He threw them both in the air, releasing his Beedrill and newly caught Misdreavus.

"Scyther, Farfetch'd, Beedrill, Misdreavus, I'd like you to help us get Cubone's bone back!"

All four Pokémon nodded.

"Alright... Let's GO!"

.......................................................................

Goh's Pokémon flew around, each asking other wild Pokémon about the bone's whereabouts, with no luck whatsoever.

"Hey... doesn't that look like...?" Serena said as she spotted a Scyther flying around nearby.

"Hey! That's Goh's!" Ash called out.

Scyther then got a ball full of mud in its face, courtesy of three wild Geodude. Scyther did not appreciate this whatsoever, and chased around the Geodude with its face burning red with anger.

"Hey! Scyther!" Professor Kukui exclaimed, however, Scyther completely ignored him.

"SCYTHER!" Ash, Serena and Professor Kukui yelled at the same time. THIS caught Scyther's attention, and it led the three back to Goh.

"GOH!" Ash called out.

"Huh?!" Goh turned to face Ash, Serena and the shirtless Professor. "Oh! Hi there, guys!"

"Where have you been?!" Serena asked.

"We've been looking all over for you!" Ash added.

"We were worried sick!" Professor Kukui finished.

A drop of sweat went down the side of Goh's face. "Sorry, I guess I got a little distracted..." Goh then showed Cubone to the three. "You see, I'm trying to help Cubone find its bone..."

"Oh! Why didn't you say so?" Ash asked.

"Yeah! We'll be more than happy to help! Right Professor?" Serena asked.

"Sure will!" Kukui replied, flashing a smile very similar to Ash's.

"Right! Hear that, Cubone?" Goh addressed the Lonely Pokémon in his arms. "We'll find your bone in no-time!"

"Cubone!"

...

It took some time, but eventually, Professor Kukui's Braviary managed to spot the location of the bone with its Keen Eyes.

The four humans and their Pokémon eventually arrived at a small lake. Initially they were confused but soon they realized that Mankey's kick was so strong, it flung the bone all the way to the lake before sinking down to the bottom.

"Great... now what are we gonna do...?" Serena asked.

"Froakie can get the bone back no problem!" Ash said as he reached down for his belt to grab Froakie's Poké-Ball.

"Froakie's not fast enough!" Goh blurted out.

"Huh? What're you talking about?" Ash asked.

"Cubone is a Ground type! and its bone, by extension, has similar attributes! So if it stays underwater for much longer..." Goh started removing his shoes and socks. "They'll be no more bone left to get!"

"Goh! Don't do anything..." before Professor Kukui could finish his sentence, Goh jumped into the lake. "... stupid..."

"SCORBUNNY!!!"

Goh started swimming towards the bottom of the lake trying his best to find the bone in time. Soon enough, he found it! And luckily, it was still intact and as he found out when picking it up, it was still strong.

The lack of air was starting to get to him so without wasting a second, Goh started swimming back towards the surface. He could only think about getting Cubone its bone back and this motivation allowed him to get farther than a normal person, but eventually, his chest tightened and the world around him started fading to black, with the final image he could think about was him and Horace when they were younger...

.......................................................................

On the lake's surface, everybody was anxiously waiting for Goh to re-emerge from the depths. Cubone was on the verge of tears, Scorbunny was tapping a single foot on the ground really fast, Serena and Professor Kukui were leaning over the edge of the lake and Ash... decided that he had enough.

"He's taking too long!" Ash exclaimed. "I'M DIVING IN AFTER HIM!"

Before Serena or Kukui could protest, they heard a splash coming from the lake. There was... Chloe?! But she has been dragging Goh's half conscious body to shore.

"Ch-Chloe...?" Goh said before coughing up water.

"R-relax Goh!" Chloe said as they reached the show, she was clearly desperate. "You'll be fine!"

Ash, Serena, Kukui and all of Goh's Pokémon (including his new Ariados) gathered around them as she placed Goh on the ground.

"What were you thinking jumping into that lake?!" Chloe cried out.

Goh chuckled, said nothing and produced the bone he set out to find, much to Cubone's delight.

"Here, buddy..." Ash said as he extended a hand. Goh gladly took it and managed to stand up.

"Thanks..." Goh said before hanging his head down. "And sorry for dragging you into this..."

Before Goh could elaborate more, Cubone started hugging Goh's leg tightly.

"H-hey there Cubone!" Goh exclaimed in surprise. "You're welcome, and I'm glad I'm alive too but you don't have to be so clingy..."

"Actually..." Professor Kukui started. "I think Cubone wants you to catch it..."

"Wait, really?!" Goh said, the shock clear in his voice.

"Goh, you just dived down to a lake just to fetch something for a Pokémon that's not even yours..." Chloe said, squeezing her braid in order to dry it. "Of course it wants to come with you!"

Goh's eyes widened before he smiled. "Well I'm not gonna say no to that!"

Cubone finally let go of Goh's leg before he took out a Poké-Ball.

"Let's be buddies, Cubone... Poké-Ball GO!" He hurled the Poké-Ball in the air and Cubone jumped after it, bumping its noggin on the button and getting sucked in via a red trail of energy.

Cubone has been registered to your Pokédex.

"Alright!" Goh exclaimed as he picked up the Poké-Ball. "I just caught a Cubone!" He raised the Poké-Ball high in the air as his other Pokémon cheered.

"Congratulations, Goh!" Ash exclaimed.

"Yeah! You caught another Pokémon!" Serena replied. "And a really cute one at that!"

Goh nodded before turning to Chloe. "I... thanks a lot for saving me..."

"Don't worry about that..." she replied. "I still owe you one for yesterday..." she then squeezed one of her arm with the other hand. "Listen Goh... I know about Horace..."

"What?! H-how...?"

"Your mom told me... I just wanted to apologize for not being there for you back then... and I wanted to tell you that he didn't mean to abandon you..."

"How can you be so sure...?" Goh looked away and closed his hand into a fist.

"Why don't you ask him yourself?" Chloe smiled before gesturing him to look behind him.

Goh did it and was stunned. Standing there was Horace! His friend from all those years ago... with a Meganium by his side.

Goh was frozen in place for a few more seconds until he fully processed both the fact that Horace was standing in front of him after all this time and what Chloe said about him. He didn't mean to abandon Goh.

Smiling, the two friends approached one another, ready to rekindle their friendship.

The tides of destiny can be cruel. But in the end, even two ships set apart by hundreds of miles will meet. And Chloe proved it today by reuniting Goh with his old friend, Horace! Where will those tides lead next?

At night, Paul, with Elekid by his side, was looking over a closed hangar with a gym symbol embedded on the entrance. He took out a Poké-Ball from his belt and pressed the button, calling forth his (very injured) Chimchar.

"You better do well tomorrow or else!" He scolded. "Understood?!"

"Char..."

Chimchar nodded.

Find out next time...

As the Journey continues!