Ash and Gary are standing outside of Professor Oak’s lab, where they are on the verge of battle. After glaring intently at each other, Gary challenges Ash to a one-on-one battle, and Ash accepts. Ash sends out Pikachu, while Gary decides to send out a well-trained Eevee. Brock remarks that the Eevee has bright eyes and has a very shiny coat, meaning it must have lots of experience in battle. Tracy agrees, saying it’s probably ready to evolve into one of its evolutions.
Brock steps forward to referee the match, and the battle begins. Ash starts out with a taunt, and after a short argument with Gary, he tells Pikachu to use Quick Attack. Eevee counters with a powerful Reflect attack, and it seems to hardly feel any impact from the attack. Pikachu tries a Thunderbolt attack, but gets confused by Eevee’s Double Team. Gary tells Eevee to use a Take Down attack, and Pikachu narrowly escapes by using Agility. Ash then orders Pikachu to use it’s Thunder, but Eevee knocks it down with a strong Skull Bash before it gets a chance to attack. Pikachu falls heavily on it’s side, and hard as it tries, is unable to get up. Brock proclaims Eevee as the winner, and Ash rushes over to Pikachu and holds it in his arms. Professor Oak praises his grandson on his improvement, and Gary modestly says he has got a lot of improving to do. As Gary heads off towards the west, Ash yells out to him that next time would be different.
Ash and Pikachu are sitting on a rock in Professor Oak’s ranch, watching his Tauros stampede by. Misty leans over Ash and asks him if he would like to know where Gary is. Ash quickly gets up when she tells him that Gary is starting a new journey. Professor Oak scans the G/S ball in his lab that Ash had given him from Professor Ivy. Puzzled, he says out loud that there wasn’t anything his scanners could detect from the ball. Ash and Misty then enter the lab, and Ash rushes over to Professor Oak to ask him about Gary’s journey. Misty asks Professor Oak about the G/S ball, and Tracy gloomily replies that they’ve found out nothing about it. Misty remarks that it’s odd that both Professor Oak and Professor Ivy couldn’t determine anything about the mysterious ball. At the mention of Professor Ivy’s name, Brock goes over in the corner. Tracy whispers to Misty that she better watch what she says around Brock. Ash steps in front of Professor Oak again, and impatiently asks about where Gary had gone. Professor Oak tells him that Gary went out west, to the Johto League. It is supposed to be a very difficult league, where you have to collect 8 badges from gym leaders, much like in Kanto. Professor Oak tells him that Gary is planning on challenging as many trainers as he can, hoping from all the experience he gets he’ll be an even stronger trainer.
Ash and co. head outside, and Ash defiantly says into the wind that he’s going to do that too, and if he’s going to be a Pokémon Master he has to battle with the best. Pikachu jumps on Ash’s shoulder, and with a laugh, Ash says that he knows they can do it.
Misty says with a slight smirk that he’s been getting lazy ever since the Orange League. Before things get worse, Tracy steps in and stops the fight. Brock remarks that Ash and Misty wouldn’t get along without him, and that once he’s around they’ll start training right, eating right, and fighting right. Brock then grabs Ash, and says that he’s back, and points towards what he thinks is west. Misty corrects him, saying west is the opposite direction. Brock gives a small laugh, and says that whichever direction they’re headed, they’re headed for action! Brock and Ash both throw punches at the air, towards where their new adventures lay ahead. Togepi smiles and waves its arms, while Misty says with a slight laugh that she’ll take her own map. Professor Oak appears, and hands Ash back the G/S ball. They head back to Professor Oak’s house, and he tells Ash about a Kurt, a famous Pokéball expert who invented Pokéballs. Professor Oak asks if Ash would take the G/S ball to Azalea Town, where Kurt lives. Misty says in a worried tone that Ash would miss the Johto League. Professor Oak reassures her, saying that the town wouldn’t take Ash out of his way. Professor Oak tells Ash to head west, where he’ll find New Bark Town, where great things await him. Professor Oak remarks that that’s why it’s called "The Town Where New Beginnings Blow". Ironically, a strong breeze blows the window open.
Professor Oak tells Ash that New Bark Town is where trainers sign up for the Johto League. Ash happily says that they’d go there first, and then take the G/S ball to Kurt in Azalea Town. Brock says to Professor Oak that he’d keep an eye on Ash the whole time. Misty remarks slyly that he would watch Ash only if there wasn’t a pretty girl in sight. Brock gives a nervous laugh, and says that he might be a little more interested in girls than geography. Everyone laughs.
The next scene takes place at Ash’s house, where Mrs. Ketchum is packing some "you-know-what" for Ash (his underwear). Ash, Misty, Tracy, and Brock enter the room. Mrs. Ketchum explains that Professor Oak called her and told her about Ash’s new journey, so she decided to pack up Ash’s backpack. Misty comments that the Johto League would have lots of new adventures. Brock jumps forward and says hurriedly to Mrs. Ketchum that Mr. Mime would fill in for his absence. She smiles, and says that she better get to work on a farewell supper. Ash is taken aback by his mother’s over enthusiasm, but all of his friends can’t wait for the huge dinner. Brock goes off to get some food for the dinner, after fighting with Mr. Mime briefly. In his haste, he forgets the grocery list and Mrs. Ketchum sends Ash out to give Brock the list.
Team Rocket comes limping up the path towards Pallet Town, when they meet up with Gary Oak. After performing their routine motto, Gary just walks on as if nothing had happened. Their spirits low, Team Rocket head on towards Pallet Town. Meanwhile, Ash, Mrs. Ketchum, Professor Oak, Misty, Tracy, and Brock are eating the huge dinner that Brock had prepared. After gulping down the food, Misty accidentally mentions Professor Ivy, and Brock does his routine of sitting in the corner and saying, "Don’t say that name!" Professor Oak hands Ash a brand new Pokédex, with information on all of the new Pokémon in Johto. Tracy then announces that he’ll be staying in Pallet Town as Professor Oak’s assistant. He says thankfully to Ash that he had taught him to go for his dreams. Suddenly, two suspicious looking reporters barge into the room. They start reporting on Ash’s journey, while sampling some of the homemade food. The female reporter spots Pikachu, and decides to get a close up on it with the camera. The "camera" closes in on Pikachu, and it’s caught in the fake camera. As they break through the window, the two fake reporters reveal themselves as Team Rocket. Mr. Mime uses a Lightscreen to protect Mrs. Ketchum’s garden, and temporarily stops Team Rocket. Ash & co. catch up with Team Rocket, and tell Pikachu to use its Thundershock, but it does nothing to the rubberized cage. Tracy sends out Scyther, and it with it’s amazing speed it rushes over to Pikachu and cuts it free with Slash. Pikachu attacks Jesse and James with Thunderbolt, and then Tracy’s Marill finishes them off with Water Gun. Team Rocket goes blasting off again! After congratulating their Pokémon, everyone goes off to bed. Ash talks to Pikachu about the Johto League, and then falls asleep. Bright and early the next morning, Ash, Misty, and Brock say their farewells to Tracy, Professor Oak, and Mrs. Ketchum. Then they head off into the horizon, where the Johto League lays.