A/N. So I hope you guys enjoy the chapter and thanks for the reviews!

Disclaimer: I own nothing!

EP 2: Of Plans and Realizations

Ashe had made it as far as Viridian City before it dawned on her that the pikachu she had essentially stolen from the lab was still following her around. She couldn't for the life of her understand why, especially when it had had ample time and several very good opportunities to leave her hanging high and dry while she continued to sneak her way, rather unsteadily, through the woods that surrounded Route 1. That is until she remembered that she still had its pokéball fastened to her waist, and that for better or worse, the pokémon was stuck with her until she released it.

She felt increasingly stupid to be sure once the memory hit her, having grabbed the device in her rush out of the lab after an admittedly shaky attempt of covering her own tracks, but she'd been in such a rush to put as much distance between herself and Pallet Town that it had completely slipped her mind. So there she went on her own merry way, probably dragging a very reluctant pokémon along and none the wiser to her own little mistake and just as oblivious as her own mother could be at times.

And really just as fortunate that the good professor wouldn't figure out her thievery until a lot later hopefully, when he finally realized that he hadn't just made a grievous error in his late-night sleep-deprived state making all those important last adjustments.

She honestly hadn't a clue as to what pokémon she'd used to replace the starter she'd stolen from the labs, but it would hopefully be enough to throw the man for a loop as he tried to figure out how he could've possibly made such an error on such an important date as today. And if that bought her some extra time while her grandparents ran themselves silly trying to find their missing granddaughter, then so be it. She'd need all the time she could get before her face started popping up on the news and a missing child's report was filed with the Kanto police force, and by the time that came around, she had no plans on being anywhere near Kanto soil.

"Pika?" the pikachu asked, head tilted curiously as it watched her stare at the dirt road as if she fully expected it to start disgorging the secrets of the universe any second now.

"You know Sparkler, I just realized something…" She started, voice eerily calm as she shook herself free from her own thoughts and continued walking through the city. The shift was interesting to feel, as dirt and rocks gave way to smooth cobblestone roads and concrete, and the quiet noise of the forest suddenly changed into a cacophony of busy city noises. "If we really wanna runaway, we, or at the very least I, can't stay in Kanto." She continued, dodging the busy crowds that littered the sidewalks and slowly making her way to the local pokémon center. She'd only visited Viridian a handful of times, and while she'd never completely memorized the layout of the city as a whole, she knew where the pokémon center was at the very least.

"I'm gonna need to find a port, or maybe an airplane, get to another region…" She paused as she whispered all of this to herself, dodging into an nearby alley way when one of the local police drove by on a sleek motorcycle, a growlithe sitting proud and astute in its little passenger buggy. "If I stay in Kanto, I'll get caught, ya see?" She asked, turning to see the pikachu staring at her. It still bewildered her that it hadn't said anything yet about her not releasing it back into the wild, and she wondered if maybe it was sticking around just to see how far she would get in this little endeavor of hers. "What do you think?" She asked then, glancing out of the alley to check for any more police before sliding herself back into the crowd and continuing her trek to the center.

"Pika, pikachu pika pikapi." It replied, and the thirteen year old looked the pokémon in the eye before bursting into a fit of unexpected giggles.

"I have no clue what you said, honestly! But ok!" She said, giving the electric-type a placating scratch on the ears as she walked through the sliding doors and in to a room colored in what was literally the most peachiest shade of pink she'd ever laid eyes on. Blindingly bright with tones of orange and red mixed in, she practically did a U-turn right back into the streets of Viridian, disoriented as she was at the sight, and she must've looked quite odd because she was immediately set upon by the resident nurse and lady in charge. 'And if Grandpa and Grandma were ever here, they'd have a heart attack at the sight. According to them, the only wounds a woman should be fixing are scraped knees and paper cuts.' She'd thought bitterly, before focusing in on the conversation.

"You must be one of the new trainers from Pallet Town, correct?" The woman asked, all gentle smiles, blue eyes, and dark pink hair done in the strangest arrangement of ponytails and pig-tails she'd ever seen on a human being. "Welcome, and I'm sorry if I seem a little forward. But you did seem a little lost. Is everything okay?"

"Oh, ah, yes ma'am, just a couple of questions that's all… I've never been in a pokémon center before, honestly…"

"Don't worry, most new trainers haven't unless their parents are pokémon trainers. The novelty will wear off eventually, I'm sure."

"Ah, well that makes me feel a little better… I guess…" Ashe grimaced a little, mouth twisting up at the corners before dropping into some semblance of a less nervous smile. "Um… my questions?" She stuttered out, unsure if she was being rude or not, and not wanting to waste any more time than she already had gawking at the building when she'd first entered.

"Yes, of course. What is it you'd like to know?" The woman inquired, motioning for the young girl to follow her as she walked back behind the counter she'd first come all but prancing out of. "I'm Nurse Joy by the way, one of several all going by the same name, and as you can imagine, there's usually one of us stationed at every center around the region, and across the globe."

"Really?" Ashe asked, amazed at such a statement. That had to be a large family, spread as far as they were if what the woman said was indeed true. She couldn't imagine having so many siblings, cousins, aunts, uncles, nephews and nieces, even if she did feel like trying.

"Yes, we are a very large family. And I've been told by more experience trainers that we all share an uncanny resemblance. I've never noticed myself though, to be honest." The woman confirmed with a nod, pulling out a tray with six circular indents in the surface. "Put all of your pokémon in here, and I'll get them healed up for you." She instructed, watching patiently as Ashe rushed to comply. The thirteen year old paused when she realized that the pikachu was still on her shoulder, and looked at the pokémon she'd come to call "Sparkler" both out of a necessity for some degree of normalcy, and the fact that it made the pikachu more approachable if she gave it nickname.

It was stupid to be honest. Sparkler would definitely have not been her first pick for any name, it certainly wasn't the best she could've come up with, but with that bright, tell-tale spark in its eyes and the fact that thing's cheeks wouldn't stop crackling with electricity, it had seemed to fit better than anything else she could've come up with at the time. She'd maybe pick a better one later on, of course, especially if the pikachu finally got tired of being called as such, but for now Sparkler would do.

"So," she began, placing a hand on her hip as the electric-type hopped down from its place on her shoulder, looking at her with a quirked eyebrow, 'Do pikachu even have eyebrows?', and looking far more human than any actual human she'd ever met. "What are the chances that I'll be able to get you into your pokéball with minimum fuss?" She questioned, watching as Sparkler's eyes narrowed and its cheeks began to spark again. A warning if she'd ever seen one, and all the answer she needed. "Right, does this one have to be in its pokéball? Or can you heal him without it?" She responded with a nod, immediately turning on the heel of her boots to face the patient woman.

Nurse Joy seemed to pause in thought, silently contemplating her answer before finally speaking, "I can, but it would take a little longer than if it were in a pokéball. Is that okay with you?"

"So long as it doesn't take more than twenty minutes I'm good. I can use the time to get some questions answered anyway." Ashe agreed, allowing for the woman to take the pokéballs and pokémon, disappearing into the back for a moment before returning.

"You mentioned that you have some questions, correct?" Nurse Joy smiled, hands crossed delicately on the countertop and reminding her of her mother whenever they had visitors. "What can I help with?"

"This might sound a little strange, but does Kanto have a port town or airport?"

"Yes, we have both, though they are a little out of the way. Might I ask why?"

"I want to get out of the region, go someplace else. I've only ever been in Kanto."

"Well, it's not completely unheard of for trainers to start their journeys in other regions, not very common of course, but definitely not so rare. Do you have any idea where you'd like to go?" She asked, voice comforting and assuring in a way her own mother had never seemed to be able to manage after she'd turned eight and they stopped seeing eye to eye. Ashe paused to mull over her choices, she hadn't been outside of Kanto ever, and in fact had never even gone past Viridian before. Her experiences and knowledge of the outside world was limited at best, and she didn't know of many regions outside of Kanto. There was Johto, but the two regions were only separated by a mountain range, and she didn't feel like that was far enough to travel.

But where?

"Kalos maybe…" She finally said, almost sounding as if she were in a trance when she remembered the postcard her father had given her, the postcard that was currently in her storage capsule for safe keeping. If she right, and it hadn't just been some other region in hastily scrawled gibberish, than the region her father had recently left when he'd sent the letter was called Kalos. If she could get to there, or even some place a little less far like… "Or Unova. Either of the two would work.

"Well there's a ship docked at Vermillion City that will be leaving for Unova in two weeks, and a plane bound for Kalos will be stopping at the airport in Celadon next week on Tuesday. If you're willing to wait that long, of course, I'm sure they would be happy to take you to either destination." The nurse said as she typed away on the computer to her left, reading off the information that popped up on the screen.

"Really?" Ashe asked in amazement, a little shocked at how convenient this was turning out to be for her.

"Yes, oh!" Nurse Joy chirped, a distinct dinging noise heard over intercom drawing both of their attention and causing the woman to go scampering towards the back.

Ashe waited for a few seconds, idly staring at the wall in a growing sense of boredom, before the nurse came back, a strange, egg-shaped pokémon at her side that looked all too happy with itself and a rolling cart carrying both Sparkler and the rest of her pokémon before them.

"Your pokémon are ready, and surprisingly healthy. You haven't had the chance to battle with them yet, have you?" Nurse Joy questioned as she handed the three pokéballs back to the young girl and then stepped back, allowing the electric-type to climb back onto Ashe's shoulder.

"Yeah, in too big a rush I'm afraid."

"Well, you're gonna wanna train them up and get them used to battling pretty soon. The wild pokémon are going to be getting a lot tougher from here on out, and quickly, and I don't think you want to spend most of your adventure running away."

"Ok, ma'am. Thanks for the advice."

"You're welcome. Oh, before you go, would you like a room to stay in, it's getting dark out there and honestly not very safe for a young girl just starting out."

The nurse meant well, Ashe knew that, and the offer was extremely tempting. But she couldn't take her up on that offer. Even if the rooms were free, the longer she stayed in one place the more likely she was to get caught. She'd already taken a big risk in walking into the pokémon center, and staying would just jeopardize her chances further than they already were. She was still too close to Pallet to relax fully, and she probably wouldn't be able to until she put as many continents and land masses as possible between her and her hometown.

"Thanks, but no thanks. I'm in a bit of a rush." She finally replied adjusting her backpack and making sure all three pokéballs were properly fastened to her belt. "Again, I appreciate all the help. But I think I can manage a couple of nights in the wild. Take care!" She called already skipping her way out of the building.

With a final wave, and before Nurse Joy could say anything to stop her, she was gone, disappearing into the settling darkness and flickering street lights that was a night in Viridian City.

Deliah couldn't believe it, didn't want to believe and honestly wasn't entirely sure that she could've if she'd even tried. Her only daughter was gone, without a trace or clue as to where she'd vanished to. The room had been in as much of one piece as it could've been, considering almost everything that could be stuffed into a suitcase had been, and that Ashe had been packed to leave for her grandparents' come that very morning. And according to the officials, there was no sign of a struggle either, so it wasn't likely that the thirteen year old had been kidnapped.

'But my Ashe wouldn't run away! There has to be something they're missing!' But what could it be? And really it was Deliah's fault in the end. Or that was what the woman figured at the very least.

She hadn't noticed any unusual behavior from Ashe the night before her apparent disappearance, and she hadn't bothered to check on Ashe until an hour before noon, thirty minutes before the girl's grandparents would've shown up to whisk her away to their nice home in Saffron. And what a nice home it was, the very same place she'd grown up in, until she'd moved to Pallet for some peace and quiet that couldn't be found in the big city. She missed it sometimes, and she'd been so sure that Ashe would like there just as Deliah had when she was Ashe's age. But Ashe couldn't enjoy anything if she wasn't there.

And right now, as far Deliah could tell, her little baby girl wasn't anywhere to be found.

She hadn't panicked at first, figuring that her daughter might've gone out to bid her friends some last goodbyes before leaving, and had just forgotten the time that her family was coming. So she called up the parents, expecting Ashe or even one of the other girls in town to answer the phone. But then when the parents had answered, and had said that none of them had seen Ashe since yesterday, well Deliah got a little nervous. More than a little nervous actually, but she refused to panic.

So she went looking around town, and even visited Professor Oak's to see if he had seen her daughter at all. Ashe loved pokémon, more than anything truthfully, but such creatures were extremely dangerous, and while Deliah didn't mind so much if she spent time at the man's lab, it was still better safe than sorry. It was for that very reason after all, that Deliah, thanks to the good sense that her parents held, forbade Ashe from going on her pokémon journey. And she couldn't help but frown in slight disapproval when she saw the other little girls in town all bright eyed and ready for such a dangerous thing as leaving home on a pokémon journey. Traveling and getting dirty was more for boys than girls in the woman's opinion, an opinion that for some obscure reason, her Ashe didn't share, but these weren't her daughters. So she had no place in sending them home where they probably belonged. If their parents wanted to let their girls get hurt then so be it, but it was the least of her concerns at the moment.

She had waited patiently of course, letting the professor get his "students" set and ready to take off on their grand adventures, before asking the man about her daughter's whereabouts. But when he'd given a negative response, told her that he hadn't the faintest clue as to where her daughter might be. Deliah truly began to fear for Ashe's safety. What if she was lost, or hurt, or worse?

Yes, at that point she was honestly panicking, but she couldn't find her daughter. How could anyone blame her for that? So she rushed home, praying that maybe she'd just missed Ashe entirely and her little girl was sitting at home, waiting for her patiently to return. When she got there though…

Ashe wasn't home. And in fact hadn't been anywhere in town from what she could figure out.

And by the time her parents had showed up, Ashe was still missing. She had wanted to call the police, but her parents had talked her out of it. Saying that Ashe was just being how she was typically, wandering about and generally wild and rebellious. She wasn't missing; she just wasn't there right now. Come sun down, Ashe would be home, covered in mud and twigs most likely, and then they'd get her cleaned up and taken to Saffron where she'd learn to be a proper lady, just like her mother.

But sundown came, and still no Ashe in sight. And Deliah put her foot down. It didn't matter what her parents said anymore. Her daughter, her only child, her own flesh and blood was missing. She wasn't home, wasn't in town and could very well be in trouble. She could be in danger, and need help, and where was her family, sitting at home in the living room drinking tea and making excuses!

So she called the police, to her parents' growing chagrin, and they came as fast as they could, considering that the nearest station was in Viridian.

They'd swept her daughter's room, asked what they thought were appropriate questions. A couple of times Deliah had felt like they were blaming her, but if she paused to think about it, she realized that it made sense in a way, to blame her that is. As offended as she was at the mere thought that she would ever hurt her daughter. If she had found out that Ashe was missing at around noon, why had she waited until it was so late to call? Why not the instant she realized that Ashe wasn't home? And her own answers seemed to put the blame on her parents and make them the guilty party in the police's eyes.

But she didn't want someone to blame, she wanted Ashe home, and safe, and sound. Not whoever took her daughter.

Eventually it was decided that Ashe hadn't been taken at all, or rather that the likelihood of it being a kidnapping was becoming less and less apparent. No, to the police, it seemed that Ashe had run away from home instead. But that couldn't be true! 'My Ashe wouldn't run away! She's my baby girl! I know what she's like and she wouldn't-!' Tears running down her eyes as they were, she realized belatedly that maybe she didn't know her daughter as well as she liked to think she did.

She'd never approved of Ashe's behavior, and their relationship had dwindled a little. Had she been asking too much of her daughter, and as a result caused her to run away? It couldn't possibly be true. Deliah loved Ashe, and only wanted what was best for her little girl. 'But the path to Hell is paved with good intentions, isn't it Deliah? You little fool you made your daughter run away, and you didn't even realize it until it was too late.'

Deliah'd been so stupid! And she knew that she had been. She'd pushed her only daughter away, made her feel trapped and shackled. Had she ever even asked Ashe's opinion before?

'No… No I hadn't.'

And now she'd lost Ashe.

A/N. So by the end of it I'd decided that it was time to check things out from Deliah's point of view. And there you go, into the head of a woman who's just now realizing she maybe doesn't know her daughter nearly as well as she likes to think she does. Hope you guys have a nice day and thanks for reading! Please leave a review, and see ya!