COPYRIGHT NOTE: I don't own Pokemon / Pocket Monsters.
COMMENTS: Shocking chapter last week, huh? Naturally, this episode continues right from where the other left off. "Nothing But Lies" is starting to build-up to its climax, meaning plenty more Ketchum drama is ahead.
NOTHING BUT LIES
Aiselne Phoenix
Chapter 7: "Desperate Measures"
Tylor blinked in shock, talking a step back from his wife whilst Delia still kept her back to him. Stunned and breathless for a moment, Tylor thought he heard her incorrectly. "You..." he stuttered, his wife's last words the exact thing he feared all this time. Swallowing, "You...want to leave?" Tylor asked skittishly, noticing Delia's head nod once alongside a few sobs escaping her trembling lips. "But Del…it's only been two days-"
"My thoughts exactly!" Delia blurted out, spinning around and locking her tear-filled eyes with her husband's shocked orbs. "Two days and already we're getting vandalism! If it just takes two days for this, God only knows what could happen in three days, or four, or-"
"Delia…be reasonable," Tylor implored, slowly approaching her to put his hands on her tense shoulders. "Honey, I know you're upset over the garden-"
"This has nothing to do with my garden, Tylor!" blasted Delia, whipping his comforting arms away. "We're fortunate that the garden was the only thing that got wrecked! The whole time…I had the front door unlocked, figuring you'd be back soon. Those vandals could have broken into the house at any time and done whatever they liked! We're lucky they didn't!"
She could say that again. Tylor knew Delia was very trusting, and she often left the front door unlocked if she was expecting company, even if she was home alone. Delia never had any reason to be afraid of Pallet Town, but now... "Honey," Tylor spoke softly yet seriously. "…Don't leave the doors unlocked anymore, okay?"
"You' bet your life I won't!" Delia reassured in another snap, before the horrible 'what-ifs' littered her mind and refilled her eyes with tears. "My God, Ty…" she started wailing, wiping her puffy eyes as tears rapidly spilt out of them. "I've…never been so horrified before in my l-life! I thought they…would break in and…h-hurt Ash and me!"
"But they didn't, honey," Tylor reassured, taking his wife into his arms as she sobbed, burying her face into his chest. Delia was absolutely right; she and Ash were very fortunate that the vandals did not break in and bring harm upon to the wife and son. With the house's doors unlocked, there was nothing to stop the vandals from doing as they wished. Rubbing's Delia's shaking back, Tylor continuously thanked God for the safety of his family. Tylor did not know what he would have done if the unthinkable did happen. Today, he could have lost much more than just a stupid garden.
"I...w-want to leave, Ty," Delia choked again, sniffling as she tried to part from him.
Alas, Tylor was unwilling to let her run off so easily, in more ways than one. "Honey, I know you're upset. So am I," Tylor said understandingly, exhaling as he recalled the little 'gift' he received outside Carl's restaurant that same morning. "Some asshole slit one of my front tires after I talked to Carl. That's why it took me longer to get home." If only that jerk left his car alone, Tylor might have been able to get home in time to ward off the garden vandals, and most importantly: protect Delia and Ash.
Blinking, Delia looked up to her husband's distressed face, a few more tears trickling down her appalled features. "They...d-did...?!" she gasped in a choke, absolutely exasperated and shocked by Tylor's remark. Another chill ran down her spine when Tylor reluctantly nodded, confirming the horrid truth. "Oh God..." Delia sobbed as a hand rose to her agape mouth.
"But I don't give a damn about that right now," Tylor swore, affectionately holding Delia tightly as his wife continued to cry softly into his soaked chest. "What matters is you and Ash are safe. We can always replace tires and vegetables, Del."
Delia smiled weakly, knowing what Tylor said was true. But at the same time, she found little comfort in his words. "But Ty..." she replied, swallowing a few tears as she raised her tear-soaked face to meet his eyes again. "I don't want to...risk things t-that are irreplaceable, either," Delia admitted while Tylor nodded in full agreement. "And…who's to say the n-next time-"
"Let's not think like that," Tylor interrupted, bringing a finger to her lips to shush her.
But Delia did not want to be shushed. Quickly parting from Tylor, she stepped back, leaning her back against the sink counter as she wiped her reddened eyes. "Tylor...let's think about that for a moment, shall we?" Delia challenged, causing Tylor to blink. Delia was using a very familiar tone with her husband, one Tylor often heard when she was angry with him over something. "There's no reason to believe this can't happen again."
"Anymore than there is no reason to believe it can happen again!" Tylor countered sharply.
Unfortunately, Delia simply continued, despite his valid reaction. "Tylor, what those people said was true; we aren't welcomed here anymore. We should've realized that back when people first started spreading rumors about us."
"Del, listen to me..." Tylor started firmly, not at all liking the way his wife was talking. "...Let's take things one step at a time. I still have to get back to Sam about this, and for all we know he could've figured out a way-"
"And what if he didn't?!" Delia yelled, both of them a bit surprised at how fatalistic she was behaving all of a sudden. Delia was typically optimistic, so hearing her say such 'what-ifs' was not only strange, but it was a tad eerie. "Ty, I know you love Pallet Town, and so do I. However, you seem to be forgetting about Ash, and I refuse to subject him to anymore of this crap!"
"Del, I'm just as worried about him as you are! And did it ever occur to you that Ash might not want to leave, either?!"
"I don't really want to leave it, either, but I feel like everyone else in town DOES want us to go!"
"We still have the Oaks on our side, and I'm sure Sam will-"
"Ty, I'm not worried about Sam! I have absolute faith that he'll figure something out, but what I am worried about is the time it might take for this problem to get solved! God only knows how long it'll take to clear these rumors up, and what do we do in the meantime? 'Turn the other cheek' and allow more property get damaged? And what about Ash?! I don't want him coming home in tears one day cause' some smart-mouthed kids kept ridiculing him over a bunch of lies!"
"Delia, I don't want that either!"
"And what if something worse happens, Ty?! Those jerks could've broken into the house if they wanted! I don't want to come home one day and find out Ash has been kidnapped or hurt! And I doubt you'd want to come home one day and find the same, or if something were to happen to me, either! You know as well as I do that people can be so downright cruel and do more unimaginable things than just ruin a garden-"
"Del, that's enough!" Tylor barked, silencing her instantly. He was getting fed up with his wife's insistent words, even though she had every right to fear these what-ifs. Tylor, himself, did not want to come home and find his son hurt or missing, or find his wife injured or even raped, but... "Delia, you're getting ahead of yourself."
"Tylor, I'm thinking ahead for once!" Delia countered firmly. "You're the one who's always yelling at me to plan for the future; 'take possible what-ifs into account.' Well, guess what, I AM, and I'm getting scared, Ty!" she admitted whole-heartedly as a few more tears starting to welling up inside her brown eyes. Delia never used to fear anything in Pallet Town; a simple, rural town, but after today...she almost felt like she had to fear for her life! "I'm not trying to run away from anything, believe me, but..." she paused, wiping away a few more tears to make herself as strong as possible. "...I'm...scared, Ty. I'm scared for us, and I'm scared for Ash."
Tylor's face softened slightly as he slowly approached his wife, Delia finally resting her head back onto his chest as she started to cry silently again. Stroking her long auburn hair, Tylor exhaled sympathetically. Similarly frightening thoughts had crossed his own mind several times during his earlier drive home. Frankly, Tylor was also nervous over such horrific possibilities, and he could not blame Delia for being frightened. Yet, at the same time, he could not help but feel like his wife's imagination was getting the best of her again. Tylor knew from experience; bogging one's self down by what-ifs was not always the best thing to do.
"Honey, I can't blame you for being scared," Tylor whispered, taking a few deep breaths as he could feel Delia starting to calm down again. "But Del, if we leave, regardless of our reasons, we are gonna' look guilty of something."
Sniffling, Delia nodded slowly, raising her face to look back up at Tylor again, noticing the same fear in his own brown eyes. It was pretty obvious to Delia that her husband feared similar incidents, but he did not want to admit it. Tylor was commonly the stubborn type when it came to serious matters. It took Delia a long time to coerce him to finally admit his feelings for her. It was not that Tylor was the overly serious and cold type. Quite the contrary, he was a very compassionate husband and father. Yet, when there was something Tylor wished to conceal, such as his feelings, he did his damnedest to hide them, even though Delia could always see through his façade.
"Then, can we just leave for a little while, honey?" Delia then compromised, causing Tylor to blink at her request. "I'm not saying we have to leave forever, but..." she hesitated, looking away for a moment. "I'd like to at least get Ash out of the situation. He's been taking things pretty hard."
Judging by last night's conversation in the boy's bedroom, something Tylor had yet to tell Delia about, what she said was true; Ash was taking matters pretty hard. Although Tylor did not like the idea of shunning the boy from this ordeal, he did not want to subject his son to any of the possible harm Delia feared. "What do you suggest, Del?" Tylor then asked in a relenting sigh.
Wiping her eyes, Delia cleared her throat. "I suggest we go live with my sister in Viridian City, at least for a few days. You can...stay here if you want, and I can go with Ash to Viridian."
The arrangement was not forever, and frankly, Tylor figured a change of scenery would do his wife and son some good. The odds of the rumors getting completely rectified in the next few days were slim, anyway. Thus, while he, Sam, and any other supporters were working to correct the problem, at least Tylor would know Delia and Ash were safe and away from possible torment. Tylor knew he could handle himself alone, and perhaps he could handle the situation better if he did not have to constantly worry about his wife and son's safety.
Tylor was warming up to the previously ludicrous idea, and Delia could tell. Honestly, she did not want to leave Pallet Town forever quite yet, either. Hugging her husband gently, Delia's lips curled into a small smile. "Please, Ty?" she cooingly begged. "Just for a few days?"
It's just for a few days, Tylor redundantly chanted to himself. Not forever.
What other choice did he and his family have? Relenting, Tylor softened his face alongside a weak nod. "But you know, Ash isn't going to like this," Tylor noted matter-of-factly. The father could only imagine how well, or most likely poorly, Ash would take this latest nugget of breaking news.
"I'll deal with him," Delia reassured, drawing her husband down slightly to plant a small grateful kiss on his cheek. "Thank you, Tylor."
Time seemed to have stopped during that brevity. Neither Delia nor Tylor really realized what happened until a moment after it ended. When reality sank in, the spouses quickly parted, taking a few steps back from each other. Delia's face was particularly tinted in crimson, but Tylor's had a hint of it, too.
When was the last time they actually...kissed, never mind share a kiss?
Delia's kiss was impulsive. She had not kissed Tylor in a very long time, but when she just did it, she forgot all about the past. It did not feel like eons had passed since she last kissed him, either. The kiss just felt...good. Of course, afterwards, reality slammed right back into the both of them. Delia did not entirely regret kissing Tylor, and Tylor did not entirely regret being kissed by Delia. Alas, after so many years where hugs were the extent of their signs of affection...
"I'd...uh...better get to Sam's..." Tylor stuttered, clearly taken off guard by Delia's action. It was as though they never kissed before, but after so many years of arguments and little contact, her kiss felt so...strange, familiar, good....
...But the moment was still a tad awkward, too, especially considering the maddening rumors swarming around them. Now was certainly not the time to be rekindling old flames, no matter how good it felt. Bidding his wife another nervous goodbye, Tylor then headed back out to his car, thankful at least not another tire was slit. But right now, Tylor had other things to concern himself with; Delia's fears, Delia's proposal, Delia's kiss…
…So many things were running through his mind, and for once in his life, Tylor felt unsure of which problem to address first.
- - - - - - - - - -
"Honey, can I talk to you for a minute-?" Delia started, though the rest of her question was lost in a surprised giggle as she walked onto the front porch. From there, she instantly took note of her son as Ash quickly turned to her with his face, his shirt, his jeans...all covered in dirt.
Blinking in amused shock, Delia could not help but ask. "Oh honey, what happened to you?" she chuckled, stepping off the porch as Ash got to his feet by the ruined garden. Taking note of his messy appearance, the boy attempted to brush some of the dirt off of him. Ash did not clean himself up very well, though, and giggling, the boy scratched the back of his head, noticing some dirt also in his hair. Gardening was not exactly one of his specialties after all. Give Ash a Pokedex and a Pokeball, he was content as a Meowth with catnip, but give him a spade and a handful of seeds and he was as lost as a Psyduck. Mr. Mime had actually been guiding Ash through the re-gardening, but there was only so much the clown could do.
"I was just..." Ash admitted, sheepishly smiling as he looked from the garden back to his mother. "...Helping Mr. Mime fix the garden." Though, frankly, it looked like he was making an even bigger mess of the demolished garden.
Delia knew her son did not retain any of her gardening abilities, and it was pretty obvious. But at the same time, it was also obvious how undeniably sweet Ash was behaving. The entire time Delia and Ash hid during the vandal incident, Delia kept reassuring him everything would be okay, and at the same time, Ash kept reassuring her, too. Come to think of it, he never cried or even wanted to hide for that matter. Ash was scared and nervous, but he had held himself together far better than Delia expected him to. Hell, she thought her little boy handled the situation better than she did!
And now THIS, Delia thought, smiling with a few grateful tears stinging her eyes. Carefully, she walked over to her dirt-covered son, who still looked a tad impish over his appearance. Ty, our boy really is growing up...and still sweet as can be. Not even caring if he was covered in dirt or not, Delia tightly hugged Ash. The mother lifted him just enough to plant a loving kiss on the boy's cheek, happy to hear a few giggles escape Ash's mouth. Delia could not have asked for a better cheer-up...and she certainly could not have asked for a better son. "Thank you, Ash," she smiled brightly, happy to feel the hug returned. "You're a sweetheart, and I love you so very much."
- - - - - - - - - -
An hour later, after Ash washed up and put on fresh clothes, Delia met him in the living room. Both sat down on the sofa and were the only occupants currently in the room. Mr. Mime was still busy refurbishing Delia's garden, and Tylor had yet to return from his visit to the Oaks. While lunch cooked in the kitchen oven, Delia found it the perfect opportunity to sit down with her son and explain her plans. When Ash had taken his shower, Delia went over the words in her head, making sure to be as direct and yet gentle as possible. Now if all she had to do was muster the courage to tell Ash the truth.
"Honey, there's something I want to talk to you about," Delia started, maintaining a neutral expression for her now-clean son sitting next to her. She knew what she was about to say would hurt Ash, but the conversation was unavoidable. "You remember Aunt Beverly, don't you?"
Ash blinked, nodding a second later. "Sure." It had been a while since he last saw his aunt, and the most recent time was probably some holiday. Auntie Bev, as she liked to be called, was only a few years older than Delia, and was a Pokemon surgeon working at the Viridian City Pokemon Center. But unlike most obnoxious relatives or scary doctors, Auntie Bev was an exception to the rule, and Ash never minded her visits. Beverly never rambled about how much her nephew had grown since the last time she saw him, or do all that embarrassing 'relative stuff' like his grandparents. Instead, Auntie Bev almost preferred to act like a 'friend.' She enjoyed playing games with her nephew, and she owned some very cool Pokemon, too. In fact, prior to becoming a surgeon, Beverly was a popular Pokemon breeder in her youth, famed for raising a very beautiful, yet very powerful, Growlithe. So did Ash remember his aunt? Auntie Bev was not exactly the easiest person to forget.
Smiling, Delia chuckled, knowing what was going through her son's mind. Delia was the mature sister, whereas her big sister Beverly was more of a go-getter who liked to be young at heart, even in her late thirties. Not that Delia minded, but she often wondered if Beverly's frequent visits and babysitting of Ash had rubbed off some spunk onto the boy. Of course, Delia knew she, herself, used to look up to her older sister, and actually had a bit of a go-getting streak when she was younger, too. Perhaps spunk ran in the family.
"Anyway," Delia started, realizing she had yet to get down to the matter at hand. Nervously, she pulled a stray lock of her auburn hair behind an ear before proceeding. "How would you like seeing her again?"
That was another silly question; Ash liked his aunt, and he could hardly wait to see Beverly again. Plus, Auntie Bev promised to battle him the next time they met, and Ash could not wait to face-off against her acclaimed Growlithe. "That'd be great, Mom!" Ash exclaimed excitedly, beaming "When is she coming?"
Delia bit her tongue slightly for a moment, her heart melting slightly at how innocent her son could be. "Actually, sweetie, I was planning on us visiting her."
Come to think of it, most of Auntie Bev's visits entailed her visiting Pallet Town. Perhaps if Ash and his family visited her in Viridian City, he could see where she worked and what it was like being an actual Pokemon surgeon. Sure, Ash did not relish spending any more time in another hospital, but this was different. "Okay. When are we going?"
Delia smiled gently, fiddling with her hands momentarily. Ash looked so excited, and while she knew her son liked her sister, Delia knew this visit to Beverly's was not going to be quite as jovial as Ash figured. "Well, I guess we could leave tomorrow, but honey..." she paused, placing a hand on his shoulder, causing Ash to blink by the sudden action. "...I want you to know that, we'll probably be staying with her for a while."
Ash so nearly jumped in excitement. He loved the idea of practically spending a little vacation at Auntie Bev's home. He and Bev could battle like they promised and he could see her workplace. Heck, maybe he could even watch her operate on a Pokemon! Maybe not, but one thing was certain; Ash and his cool aunt could do everything that would usually never get done in one simple visit. This trip would be so much fun!
But…wait a sec…
But Ash never did jump with excitement, because his mother's words prevented him. As benevolent as the visit to Beverly's city sounded, something felt as though it struck Ash in the back. His family would be visiting Auntie Bev...in Viridian City...for a few days...waitaminute, Ash thought as a sudden sense of dread filled him. Why was his family visiting Delia's sister in Viridian so suddenly? Besides, normal visits were only day-trips…they never spent more than an afternoon there! Why would they spend a few days?!
Ash was afraid of the answers. "Mom..." Ash started, his smile and joy already long gone and replaced with surging fear and nervousness. "...Are we..." he stuttered, swallowing as he averted his worried brown eyes at Delia. "...L-leaving Pallet?"
Biting her lip, Delia felt her son's body stiffen and tremble at once. Raising the hand she placed on his shoulder, Delia gently stroked Ash's black hair, giving him a small smile. "Oh baby, not forever," she reassured, not lying since she and Tylor agreed their stay in Viridian would be temporary. Delia only hoped such would remain temporary. Despite being the one to propose this brief departure from Pallet, Delia really did not want to leave her town forever, either. "We're just gonna' stay with Auntie Bev for a few days, maybe a week, while things settle down back here," she explained, hating the pained look on her son's face. Ash was upset…there was no doubt about that.
Ash could not believe what he was hearing. Delia said the Ketchums would not leave Pallet Town forever, but... "But...why leave?" asked the boy, doing his best to try and remain as calm as possible. Unfortunately, the unthinkable was starting to unfold, and Ash could not help but be scared…far more scared than he was when the vandals wrecked Delia's garden.
"Because, your father and I are getting worried about these vandals," Delia spoke honestly, though knowing she was moreworried about the vandals than Tylor. Still, Delia doubted her husband was entirely content with the vandalism, too. "Your dad said somebody slashed one of his tires this morning."
"They did?!" Ash gasped, the color in his face starting to fade and his eyes widen in horror. The incident with the vandals in the garden was scary enough, but to think there was another vandal episode against his family in the same morning. "Is…Dad okay?!"
"Oh, he's fine, sweetie," Delia reassured with a gentle hand combing through Ash's raven hair. "But...your dad and I agree that maybe spending some time away from Pallet will do us some good. It'll just be for a little while, anyway, kinda' like a vacation from Pallet Town, that's all."
Delia made it sound so simple. "A 'vacation...from Pallet Town'?" Ash muttered in disbelief. He had spent plenty of 'vacations from Pallet Town' thanks to his Pokemon journey. When Ash occasionally visited his hometown, he never had intentions of going anywhere else until his visit was over. Meaning, when Ash took time off from his training, Ash planned on spending that vacation entirely in Pallet. He wanted to take a break from training...not from his hometown!
Still stroking his hair, Delia sighed softly as she saw the pained look across her son's features. Tylor was right; Ash was not going to like this arrangement. "Oh, Ash, it's not going to be forever," she promised again, noticing a few tears gloss over her son's eyes. She knew Ash would react this way. "Believe me, honey, we're just doing this to get away from the people who may want to hurt us. We're not running away, but there's no point in staying here and being subjected to ridicule or possible danger, either." Delia refused to say that she did not want Ash to be subjected to it, in fear that the poor boy would once again blame himself for the whole matter. None of this was his fault.
"It's only for a little while, sweetie," Delia repeatedly reassured, sliding closer to Ash and wrapping an arm around his shoulders, feeling them still tremble slightly. "Just until your dad gets things rectified."
Ash blinked. "Dad's...not coming?"
"I don't really know yet," Delia admitted. "But...I wouldn't be surprised if he stays here to try and solve this." Matters would be very ironic, though; Delia and Ash leaving for Viridian while Tylor stayed in Pallet. Usually it was the other way around, and Delia hated how horribly ironic fate transpired.
"But...I can stay," Ash insisted with a certain nod. "Really, I don't mind all the..."
"Baby, nobody knows what might happen," Delia interrupted suddenly with a firm shake of her head. "I'm sure you're used to danger, but...this is something your father and I don't want to allow. People might try to hurt us or say some terrible things like before, and...it's not fair to any of us."
Delia was absolutely right, but Ash still could not help but feel like the Ketchums were simply running away. It was frustrating not being able to help, too. Ash was rarely the type to leave problems unsolved, but he had to face facts, too. Something like this rumor fiasco was beyond his control; his incident with Gary proved that. Nobody would believe Ash, a boy who seemed to either be in denial or trying to protect his parent's innocence. Plus, there were also the vandals to consider. Ash was confident in his Pokemon's abilities, but Heavens only knew what those vandals armed themselves with, too. 'Pokemon versus Pokemon' fights were one thing, but 'Pokemon versus weapon' fights were another. Ash refused to subject his precious Pokemon to gunfire or knifepoint, just as Delia and Tylor refused to subject Ash to the same. As much as Ash disliked the idea of leaving Pallet, even temporary, he had to admit he understood his parents' worries.
But at the same time, it was pretty clear that Delia was scared, too; scared for herself and her family. When she and Ash hid in the bathroom during the vandal episode, she had been crying and praying out loud, practically holding onto her son for dear life. Ash doubted she feared for her own life, but for his life. He could not remember the last time Delia looked so scared. Delia was a very strong woman; she kept a level head in situations and rarely backed down in conflict. Ash had inherited that strength from her, and was proud and grateful for such. However, the difference between her and him was that Delia was much older and had more time to mature and harden her heart. Ash was much younger and naive, and though he hated to admit it, he occasionally buckled in intense situations...momentarily, but nevertheless apparent. He was only a kid, after all, and even Ash got scared from time to time. Such was why he greatly respected his mother's endurance.
Yet, that morning, as he and his mother heard vandals outside trampling Delia's garden and hollering like maniacs, Ash's strong mother broke down. Obviously, she feared for the lives of her and her son, not for the sake of her garden or property. Ash had seen his mother cry several times during the past few days, and he hated it. Seeing Delia so frail made the boy desire to see the strong, brave mother he loved so much.
If going to Viridian will make Mom feel better... Ash considered, hardly believing his own thoughts as they came involuntarily. …Then perhaps we SHOULD go. After all, his family's departure was not permanent, and it was obvious Delia really wanted to go. After all...I'M not the only one hurting, here. Ash did not want to be selfish.
"...Okay, Mom," Ash finally relented softly, trying his best not to sound as upset as he felt. This arrangement was for the best, and it was not forever, either. Ash just had to keep telling himself that, because such was all that kept him from giving into the sadness of the matter.
Smiling appreciatively, Delia brought Ash into another hug. "Thank you, honey," she replied whole-heartedly, her grateful voice enough to at least make Ash feel slightly better about his decision. "It won't be forever, Ash. I'm sure." At least, I hope so.
Ash hoped so, too.
- - - - - - - - - -
...Silence...
The rest of that day proved to be another melancholic one for the Ketchums. Tylor returned before supper, ranting about how Sam had little luck in getting any more people to help. Tylor talked to his lawyer, Geoffrey, about the vandalism, but it brought more bad news. With no suspects, there was little legal action the Ketchums could do at the moment, until the police found a lead. At the very least, no more vandalism happened that day, though Tylor was not foolish enough to believe things would stay untouched forever.
...Silence...
The agreement was to leave tomorrow morning for Beverly's apartment in Viridian City. Delia and Ash would leave and Tylor would stay, since the man was also expecting the tree removers, along with umpteen other responsibilities. Beverly said her sister and nephew could stay for as long they wished, but Delia planned staying between five to seven days. Tylor agreed to visit regularly to forward phone call messages and mail. He also had to check-in with his office, since Tylor figured his boss was going to be pretty pissed at Tylor's extended absence. Tylor only hoped the rumors never reached Viridian, because if they did, for all Tylor knew, he could have lost his job, too.
...Silence...
Delia and Ash spent the rest of the afternoon packing in their rooms, a chore that was usually pain-free, but this time undeniably agonizing, especially for Ash. He held himself together to agree to Delia's proposal, but as the afternoon passed, and more belongings were packed, Ash could not help but feel the reality of the matter start to overwhelm him. With more items being packed, more bittersweet tears filled his eyes. Delia said their stay in Viridian City would not be forever, and he trusted her word, but Ash simply could not shake a horrible feeling that he might never return to his beloved hometown again.
...Silence...
At the very least, Ash heard from his friends again, since both Brock and Misty called that afternoon. Of course, little was spoken during the conversations. Brock had not called before, due to the obvious of Misty informing him about her previous call with Ash. Misty, herself, had been hesitant to call Ash again, in fear her second phone call would be a repeat of the last one.
But this call was slightly different; Ash held himself together perfectly when he told his friends not to worry again. Naturally, he refused to tell his friends what was really going on. Misty and Brock still had ample time to spend with their families, and that meant Ash could not tell them about his trip to Viridian, either. If Misty and Brock knew his family was going to Viridian City out of the clear blue, the red flags would go off. Ash just told his friends that if he was a little late in returning calls, not to worry, in order to cover-up the fact that he would not be home to immediately answer the phone. He made up some cockamamie excuse about his family's answering machine was acting screwy lately. Of course, Misty was kind enough to note that the answering machine was not the only thing...or person...acting screwy lately, but Ash bypassed her remark. But frankly, he missed Misty's little comments, and he missed her and Brock, but...Ash did not want to start that again. He had enough on his plate concerning the trip to Viridian, now.
...Silence...
Dinner was completely silent, with the exception of softly clinking silverware and glasses. Neither Tylor, Delia, nor Ash said anything during a seemingly typical family dinner that resembled a family's last meal. Alas, it did feel like their last meal...their last meal together, and last meal in Pallet Town.
...Silence...
Tylor did not want them to leave, neither did Ash, and for the first time all day, Delia suddenly felt the same. It had not hit her until long after all her clothes were packed and after her and her son were just a few hours away from leaving. It was not until then that everything finally hit Delia. She was the one who wanted this departure, she was the one who proposed to leave tomorrow, but...did she really want to leave? Did Delia just propose her family's departure from Pallet just because she was simply scared out of her wits by the vandal attack? Did she originally want to leave...just because of the heat of the moment?
...Silence...
The answers were obvious. Of course Delia proposed their leave due to a brief moment of weakness and fear. Delia was still afraid of possible harm, but, at the same time, she would be lying if she said she really wanted to leave. Pallet Town was where she and Tylor met, married, and had Ash. She never wanted to leave those memories behind just because of lies. However, at the same time, Delia felt torn between her fears of safety, and fears of perhaps never returning to Pallet. She had a horrible sinking feeling, too, that once she and Ash left tomorrow morning, there was a good chance they would not come back. And if, by chance, they did return to Pallet Town, they may leave soon afterwards.
...Silence...
She was the one who suggested this idea, but Delia was completely regretting ever doing so. To say she really wanted to leave was as ludicrous as the rumors! These vile lies were what seemed to be kicking her and her family out of Pallet Town, and it was simply not fair. It felt like the Ketchums were not welcomed anymore in the place they made so many memories. It was simply not fair.
...Silence...
Then there was a clank of silverware and a pushing of a chair as Tylor suddenly got to his feet and rushed to his wife's seat. Before he reached her, Delia buried her face into her hands and began to sob, at first softly but gradually louder. Tylor wasted no time in embracing her from behind, resting Delia's head against his chest as she wept. The spouses said nothing, as words were not needed to understand her reasons for crying. The problem was pretty obvious.
She and Ash were to leave tomorrow morning at eight o'clock, the same time Misty and Brock left the other morning. It was ironic how everything seemed to be playing out. The irony of everything that happened was starting to get very sickening, and above all, agonizing.
They were to leave tomorrow morning...leave Pallet Town, but not forever. Sadly, for some reason, "not forever" lost its comfort throughout the day. Gradually, all the suppressed pain and tears that had accumulated throughout the afternoon finally started taking their toll on Ash. Just like his mother, Ash gave into his own sorrow over the hopeless matter. As if the rumors and being unable to stop them were not bad enough, he and Delia were to leave Pallet Town. It was not forever, but they were leaving, nevertheless, and Ash did not want such. He did not want to leave…not like this.
Tylor bit his lip as he heard soft sobs from his son's direction, merging with those from Delia. The situation was so unfair, and there was no excuse for any of this unneeded pain. No excuse.
It was all the evidence Tylor needed to realize that he had to bring an end to this hell soon, before the unthinkable did happen.
Next Episode: "When You Can't Go Home"
A/N: Aiselne's depressing little drama never ceases, eh? What'll happen now that Ash and Delia are leaving? Will Tylor be able to clarify this ordeal before the 'unthinkable' really happens? (Why the hell does Aiselne always tease us with these stupid rhetorical questions?!) Hehe, until next week.
Oh, and yes, Beverly is 100% fictional. I honestly don't know if Delia has a sibling, since it's never been confirmed in the series. But seeing as the writers of the anime have a fetish about keeping character's pasts secretive (such as, say…the true identity of Ash's father), Delia's relatives are anyone's guess. Bev's not a pivotal character in this story, anyway, though a little more light will be shed on her next time.
Lastly…on the lighter note…Ash's little garden scene is one of my favorite moments in this entire fanfic. Too cute.
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