Home is Where the Start Is! (LAoPtS)

Plot
As the smoke clears, both Ash and May are left with the same amount of points, and the match is a tie. They are both happy about this and the crowd gives them a huge cheer, as Ash and May meet in the center of the field and shake hands. Nurse Joy presents the Terracotta Medal to Ash and May; however, she explains that there is only one Ribbon, so she doesn't know who to give it to, but Ash and May have an idea: May grabs the Ribbon, throws it in the air and Ash orders Sceptile to use Leaf Blade slicing the Ribbon in half so that both of them can share it.

Later that evening, Ash, May, Max, Brock, and all of their Pokémon are sitting around a bench having some hard earned dinner. Brock places his freshly cooked stew on the bench; May however seems somewhat distant. She announces that she is leaving to go to Johto alone to compete in the Pokémon Contests there, meaning Max will also have to leave and return to his parents in Petalburg City. She explains that she has had a great time traveling through Hoenn and Kanto with Brock and Ash but she has been thinking about going off to Johto for a while now and the fact that they are finished in Kanto is perfect for her and Max to leave.

Max is very upset, getting up and walking off, ignoring May's calls. Ash gets up and pursues Max and Pikachu follows too. Max sits on a swing over the other side of the park, Ash follows close behind and starts to offer comforting words to Max. He knows Max is upset that he will be missing his friends and Max explains that when he was watching Ash and May battle in the Contest he wanted so much to be doing it too; all he wants to do is grow up quick so he can be a Trainer too and get to do all the things they do. Ash says once Max becomes a Trainer he promises to challenge him to a battle which brightens Max up and he jumps to his feet to acknowledge Ash. Suddenly from the distance a large horn goes off, the boat which Max and May are supposed to be leaving on is due to depart in five minutes! Our heroes run off down the lane to the harbor and luckily make it in time. Max, May, and her Pokémon all wave goodbye to Ash, Brock and their Pokémon as they sail off into the sunset.

The next morning Ash and Brock come to their crossroads, they look at the sign together, Pewter City off in one direction, leading to Brock's home at the Gym, and Pallet Town off in the opposite direction where Ash's family and Professor Oak reside. Except there's one last thing on Ash's mind, his stomach. Ash is hungry already, but as soon as he gets over this he runs off home, while Brock goes his own way. Overhead Team Rocket's Meowth Balloon is floating by, James and Meowth have a very unhappy look on their face, they are starting to doubt themselves but Jessie puts them back on the right track by offering a few words of wisdom. Suddenly out of nowhere sparks of electricity fly into the sky, Team Rocket get out their goggles and spot the Pokémon. At first they think it is Pikachu but on a closer inspection recognize it as an Electivire. Electivire uses Thunder Shock to knock an apple down from the tree and begins to eat it. Team Rocket poke up from behind a bush and Meowth fires a net from the launcher and grabs Electivire. It struggles under the net as Team Rocket start to pull it in. It fires out wild Electric attacks which Ash sees from the other side of the trees and runs to try help.

Team Rocket finish pulling in Electivire but then a voice comes from atop the ridge and tells them to let go of the Pokémon they have got in the net and the person jumps down from atop the ridge and reveals himself. Much to Team Rocket's shock, the owner of the voice happens to be Gary! Gary orders Electivire to use Iron Tail, which it does and breaks free from the net. Team Rocket are furious and jump to try and grab Electivire but Gary orders a Thunder Punch which scores a direct hit and knocks Team Rocket away. Once Team Rocket are gone Ash tries to use his Pokédex to get some information on Electivire but there is no data available.

Gary explains that Electivire is a newly discovered Pokémon from Sinnoh, which Ash gets excited about. Ash then challenges him to a battle, but Gary says no and just walks off.

Later on, Ash arrives home and calls for his mother at his house, but neither she nor Mimey are around. He runs over to Professor Oak's Laboratory but he cannot find Tracey or Oak anywhere. He thinks this is really strange and starts to wander around the rooms. When he gets to the sitting room, all of a sudden Tracey and Mimey jump up from behind a sofa and set off some party poppers welcoming Ash home, while Oak, Gary and Delia come from the door on the other side of the room. Ash presents his mother with the plaque with all the Battle Frontier Symbols on and then after the pleasantries re-challenges Gary to the battle and he accepts.

Outside the lab Ash and Gary are lined up ready to battle, Tracey is refereeing while Delia and Oak watch from the sidelines. Gary sends out Electivire and Ash sends out Pikachu, Pikachu starts with a Thunderbolt while Electivire counters with another Thunderbolt. Pikachu tries a Quick Attack but Electivire uses its tail to jump into the air out of the way and uses Iron Tail, which Pikachu counters with its own Iron Tail attack. Pikachu uses Thunderbolt again but Electivire jumps out of the way yet again. Ash calls Pikachu to use Volt Tackle on Electivire but Electivire uses Protect and then finishes Pikachu off with a powerful Thunder Punch. Gary and Electivire are the winners.

Gary walks over to Ash and starts to talk to him, saying that he may have won the Battle Frontier but he should not take it for granted. Gary then announces that he is going to go to Sinnoh to train his Pokémon and learn more about Pokémon. Tracey and Oak support this decision and back Gary, offering him some words of advice. Gary then looks over to Ash, turns his back on him and wanders off into the distance. Ash sits there and starts to talk to himself about Sinnoh and the newly discovered Pokémon. Delia watches on and senses the change in his heart. Ash stands up and announces his move to go to Sinnoh. As night time comes Delia is upstairs with a sparkle in her eye. She is sewing together fabric while talking of Ash.

Morning comes and outside Ash has lined up all the Pokémon he has traveled with in Hoenn and the Battle Frontier: Sceptile, Donphan, Corphish, Swellow and Aipom. He says goodbye to Professor Oak, Tracey and to all his Pokémon, but before he goes Professor Oak hands over to him a newly updated Pokédex with all the Sinnoh information on it. Ash turns around and runs off down the lane, but we focus in on Aipom who looks very sad compared to the rest of Ash's Pokémon.

A boat sails down across the screen, on board Ash and Pikachu are looking out to the sea and towards Sinnoh. The wind is blowing strongly, knocking Ash's hat off and heading to a staircase but suddenly stops. Aipom is there! She grabbed Ash's hat and gives it back to Ash, who welcomes Aipom to the Sinnoh team. On the side of the boat Team Rocket are hanging on for their lives, determined to follow Ash and Pikachu anywhere so that they can steal him and give him to the boss. Then they get washed up by a wave as the boat sails off into the distance to Sinnoh where Ash's newest adventures await.

Next Time - A New Beginning!

Major events

 * Ash and May tie in the final round of the unofficial Terracotta Contest and decide to split the Terracotta Medal in half.
 * May announces her decision to go to the Johto region alone.
 * May and Max return to Petalburg City, while Brock returns to Pewter City.
 * Ash encounters Gary, who is revealed to have obtained an Electivire.
 * Ash returns to Pallet Town and challenges Gary to a battle, but loses.
 * Gary returns to Sinnoh to continue his research.
 * Ash receives a new Pokédex from Professor Oak.
 * Ash decides to go to Sinnoh, leaving behind all his Pokémon except Pikachu.
 * Ash's Aipom stows away on the ship Ash and Pikachu are riding, following them to Sinnoh.