Chapter 2
Several weeks had gone by since just about everyone had enrolled for Poke'Tech that is everyone except Ash Ketchum who was patiently awaiting the doorbell to ring and see the headmaster at his door to interview him for the scholarship. It was eight o'clock on a Friday night when Ash heard the phone ring as his mother went to answer it a few minutes later Delia peeped her head into Ash's door with the news Ash had been urgently awaiting.
"Ash, she's coming tomorrow at ten AM!" Delia exclaimed.
"Finally, I'm so glad... and incredibly nervous." Ash confessed.
"Oh, I'm not worried I know you'll do fine. Sweetie, you're the youngest Pokemon master who ever lived and you've saved the world a few times if that doesn't get you in, nothing will." Delia encouraged.
"Thanks, Mom that makes me feel a lot better." Ash said as he laughed. The next day arrived swiftly as Ash awoke from his
fitful sleep and prepared to get dressed in his best in an endeavor to impress the headmaster. Ash directed his eyes towards his old Voltorb alarm clock that his mother had repaired after the first day of his journey when he found it broken on the ground, the time was 9:27.
"Oh, No! Why is that every time I start a new adventure I'm always late! And why doesn't mom ever wake me up!" Ash shouted as he quickly changed into his Sunday best and raced into the bathroom to brush his teeth and straighten up his spiky hair. Ash then darted down the stairs with Pikachu on his broad shoulder.
"Mom, how come you never wake me up!" Ash groaned.
"Oh, I'm sorry, sweetheart, I thought you wanted some more rest, I'm sorry I would've woke you if you had told me." Delia apologized.
"Ah, I guess it doesn't matter anyway, right Pikachu?" Ash said as he scuffled Pikachu's head, hand shaking, and a sick feeling in his stomach.
"Ash, calm down, honey, you'll do great I know it, stop worrying." Delia assured.
"I'm not nervous, who says I'm nervous?" Ash said his hands still shaking as he felt as if he was going to vomit, he hadn't been this nervous since his match against the Unova champion.
"Dear, you're hands are trembling so much I'm afraid they might fall off and I'm your mother there isn't one thing I don't know about you." Delia said as Ash faked a smile, just then the doorbell rang.
"Oh gosh! You know who that is, Pikachu! Mom, you can get the door!" Ash panicked.
"Heaven's sakes , all this nonsense coming from the boy who saved the world on a Lugia's back and invaded a crystal wasteland and battled an Entei in the sky and Lord knows what else!" Delia exclaimed as she greeted the headmaster at the door. She was a stout woman with a brown bun tied up in her hair and small square glasses worn the way a librarian did she had her nose stuck up and a navy business suit on.
"Hello, I'm Ash's mother, Delia, how are you?" Delia asked.
"Very well, and you? I'm Ms. Percington where is Mr. Ketchum?" Ms. Percington asked snottily.
"My son is in the kitchen waiting for you, can I get you anything?" Delia offered.
"No thank you I'm here to interview Mr. Ketchum not a social call." she rudely rebutted as she entered the kitchen to find Ash twiddling his thumbs and sweating nervously.
"H-hi, I'm Ash, Ash Ketchum." Ash introduced himself.
"Hello, young man, I am Ms. Percington headmaster and principal of Poke'Tech Academy. Please, tell me a little bit about yourself?" Ms. Percington interrogated.
"Well, I left on my Pokemon journey when I was ten and received my first Pokemon which was a Pikachu." Ash explained.
"Ten? Preposterous how irresponsible and negligent of your mother." Ms. Percington remarked as Delia scowled at her, she was eavesdropping from the living room.
"I don't think so, and I don't think it's very polite of you to insult my mother's parenting, Ms. Percington." Ash replied as Delia smiled in accomplishment, proud of her son for advocating her.
"Well, I'll be I'll have you mind your place young man." Ms. Percington responded which left Ash agitated and frustrated as he bit his tongue and tried not to stick it to her.
"Sorry." Ash muttered reluctantly.
"You know I didn't permit my children to embark on their journeys until they were educated and eighteen that is why I had my late husband pass the law throughout the Kanto region about the age and education limitations what are your opinions on this sir?" she interrogated.
"Well, I'm not sure if I can say I agree I mean Pokemon training isn't about how old you are or how many books you've read it's about skill and the bond between you and your Pokemon." Ash replied much to Ms. Percington's disappointment.
"I should expect nothing less from someone raised in your background, in a rural area I mean you hicks aren't as sophisticated as us city folks, I myself come from Rustburo City, have you ever heard of it? There's a trainer school there I was educated as you can tell." Ms. Percington bragged as Ash clenched his teeth and fists restraining himself from telling her off he knew he had to earn this scholarship or his Pokemon career was done with.
"Yes, as a matter of fact I have not only have I heard of it but I was there attended a week of classes, won myself the badge there from Roxanne and got a certificate for excellence in the battling category class!" Ash said furiously through his teeth.
"Very impressive tell me of your other accomplishments." Ms. Percington continued.
"Well, first off I've earned 40 badges, traveled throughout 5 regions, was accepted into the Orange League hall of fame, defeated the Kanto battle frontier and was offered a position there at age ten, placed no lower than 16 in all leagues I participated in, became a Pokemon master and champion of Unova when I was ten oh and I saved the world on numerous occasions. Not too bad for a ten-year-old hick from Pallet Town, eh?" Ash boasted to spite her.
"Oh, my I had forgotten you were a champion, Mr. Ketchum I had heard it on the news but that was several years ago you must understand. I give my sincerest apology to you, sir you will be accepted and your tuition fully paid." Ms. Percington
"Thanks, now what's the catch?" Ash asked skeptically.
"Well, you are correct young man in saying that there is a condition. The condition is if you keep your grade average at an A+ throughout your entire enrollment if you fail to comply to this specification your scholarship will be removed immediately." Ms. Percington informed.
"...that's not going to be easy but, I accept!" Ash said cheerfully.
"Very well I must now go speak with your mother and have some documents signed, congratulations, Mr. Ketchum." said Ms. Percington.
"Alright, Pikachu I did it woo-hoo were going to school haha!" Ash exclaimed as he gave his Pokemon a big hug. Delia and Ms. Percington were signing the registration and method of payment forums in the living room as they finished up Ms. Percington gave her phony congrats and left the Ketchum's residence.
"Oh, Ash I am so proud of you! I knew you could do it! Oh, Ash just when I think I'm as proud as I could get you do something else!" Delia exclaimed, praising her son as she gave him a big rewarding hug.
"Thanks, Mom." Ash said returning the hug. ""Y'know before she realized who I was she treated me like trash she's such a phony, I can't stand her." Ash commented.
"I know I heard the whole interview." Delia confessed.
"Mom!" Ash shouted with a bit of laughter.
"I must concur." Delia laughed. "You leave to Pastoria next week we'll have to get shopping for supplies." Delia reminded.
"Yeah... Mom, I-I don't know if I can do it, I mean keep my grades that high for four years." Ash admitted.
"I know you can. Sweetie, you can do anything you set your mind to when you were little you told me you wanted to be a Pokemon master and you did it, did it take a lot of work, sure but I know you can do this too. You'll have to work awfully hard, no goofing off but, I'm positive you can do it my little pumpkin can handle anything, right?" Delia said a bit teasingly to encourage her son who often underestimated himself and Ash smiled and nodded. The next week passed Delia bought Ash all his necessary supplies and it was the day of Ash's departure and the only thing remaining on his packing list was his Pokemon as he looked on the brochure it specifically stated that each student may bring only one of his or her Pokemon so Ash's obvious choice was Pikachu. The Ketchum's didn't own a car so Delia borrowed Professor Oak's car to ride Ash to the airport in Pewter City.
"I wonder what Brock's been up to these days I haven't seen him in forever." Ash said reminiscing on the past as he drove through his old friend's hometown.
"He probably has to get a degree too I wouldn't be surprised if you ran into a few familiar faces in Pastoria." Delia replied which brought a bright smile to Ash's face.
"I hope so! Oh, I'd love to see everyone again it's been almost two years since I've seen anyone, Misty, Brock, May, Dawn, Iris, Cilan. Hey, Mom, do you know if Tracey's coming?" Ash asked while remembering the good old days.
"No, I'm afraid he's remaining in Pallet he was taught by the Professor over the years and apparently that qualifies for eligibility to be a trainer." Delia replied as they pulled up into the airport's parking lot. "Well this is it, my little boy's off to school." Delia said all teary eyed.
"I'll be fine, Mom." Ash said reassuringly
"Oh, I know that it's just I'm going to miss you so much but I think I'll be able to manage again, it's nothing new for a Pokemon trainer." Delia replied.
"I'm gonna miss you too, Mom." Ash said.
"Stay out of trouble, do your best, and change your underwear every single day." Delia ordered as Ash snickered hearing those familiar words he heard throughout his entire Pokemon journey.
"I will, I will." Ash assured.
"Goodbye, honey I'm so proud of you. Be good, I love you." Delia said as she gave her son a heartwarming embrace farewell.
"Bye, Mom, love you too!" Ash said as he and Pikachu dashed off to their next adventure in Pastoria City, Sinnoh to the Poke'Tech Academy.
