Chapter 26

Gary kept taking out the newspaper notes about her grandma's fake death, but then the notes changed their common topic to an even darker one:

Elswood Enterprises faces crisis.

Elswood Enterprises: bankrupted?

Elswood Enterprises on the edge of despair.

Alexander Oak loses Elswood Enterprises.

Alexander Oak and wife die in a tragic accident after losing Elswood Enterprises.

Was it a suicide?

Business world is paralyzed with death of Alexander and Adeline Oak.

The legacy of Elswood Enterprises.

The Oak family in duel once again.

The tears on Gary's eyes appeared in less than a second, he was devastated just to look at all those newspapers' notes, remembering the tragic deaths of his parents and how it all had affected him… he was a child back then… a little baby who lost his grandmother one year and his parents the very next one. Gary Oak was broken.

Gary tried to breathe in. Gary tried to breathe out.

But he couldn't. His heart was shattered. He felt nothing could give him the peace he needed… the peace he deserved.

Ash didn't know what to do, he knew Gary was in despair, so the first thing he did was move the box with all those newspapers away from Gary, and then he hugged him with all his strength.

Gary cried on Ash's shoulder, deeply and intensely. He sobbed, he cried, he shouted in pain.

He felt there was no tomorrow.

-o-

12 years ago

"Mommy, daddy, you're back!" Gary exclaimed with enthusiasm when he saw his parents come back from their business trip. It was early, around 10:00am in the morning.

"Hello, there! Champion!" Alexander exclaimed with excitement as he grabbed his son into his arms.

"I missed you!" little Gary exclaimed as he hugged his dad.

"We missed you too, honey," Adeline said with a smile.

"Here," Alexander said giving Gary to Adeline so she could hold him in his arms.

"He's not a baby anymore," Adeline said with a small laugh.

"I can't believe he's five years old already," Alexander sighed.

"Time sure flies," Adeline said letting her son rest his head on her shoulder as she held him.

"You're back!" Delia exclaimed walking into the living room. She was wearing a lab coat, she used to be professor Oak's assistant back in the day.

"I think that's enough," Adeline laughed putting Gary on the floor.

"Why don't you go play with Ash?" Alexander asked his son.

"I'm mad at him!" little Gary exclaimed.

Alexander and Adeline laughed.

"What happened this time?" Adeline asked, she was used to that particular situation, Gary being mad at Ash.

"He ignores me! He just pays attention to all grandpa's pokémon!" little Gary exclaimed.

"I'm sure it's not that bad, why don't you join him and play with him and all those pokémon?" Adeline suggested.

"I… I guess I can do that…" little Gary said, thoughtful.

"Now go, we need to talk to Ash's mom about something very important," Alexander told his son.

"Okay!" Little Gary exclaimed with a smile and he left to the backyard.

"What's going on?" Delia asked worried.

"Where's Reid?" Alexander asked.

"He's in the lab, what's going on?"

"Thanks," Alexander smiled, ignoring Delia's question for the second time, and he left to the lab, leaving Delia and Adeline all by themselves.

"Can you now tell me what's going on?" Delia asked Adeline.

"Not here, c'mon, let's go." Adeline smiled walking to the stairs.

"Okay, I guess," Delia said still confused and she followed Adeline to wherever she was going.

-o-

Alexander entered into the lab. There was only one man in there and it wasn't professor Oak.

This man was younger, he was about the same age as Delia, Adeline, and Alexander. He was also wearing a lab coat. He was also professor Oak's assistant.

His name was Reid, Reid Ketchum.

"Hey, man, you're back!" Reid exclaimed with enthusiasm when he saw Alexander. He left whatever he was doing and he ran to him to give him a big welcome hug.

Alexander couldn't help but smile, after all, they were best friends.

"How was the trip?" Reid asked with curiosity, sitting on a chair.

Alexander sat on a chair next to his best friend and remained silent for a couple of seconds.

Alexander breathed in. Alexander breathed out.

He then turned to Reid and he smiled to him.

"What's wrong?" Reid asked worried.

Alexander kept smiling until he just couldn't do it anymore.

"It's just that… when we were on the plane… we had a major turbulence… honestly, I thought we wouldn't make it…" Alexander sighed.

"What?" Reid asked breathless.

"Thank God we're fine," Alexander laughed a little. "But you know what I thought about during what I thought were my last moments?" Alexander sighed.

"Gary," Reid smiled.

"Yeah," Alexander sighed. "I thought I wouldn't be here to see him grow up and become a man… who would make me proud to my bones," Alexander began crying but the smiles never left his face. "I know that boy is going to do something really big, I just know it… and when I thought I wouldn't be there to see him do that…" Alexander couldn't finish that sentence.

"I know what you mean, I know Ash is going to do something special too, and I'm not only saying this just to keep the competition with you," he joked and Alexander laughed. "Ash has a special something with pokémon, he… I can't put in into words but it's like… he can see through them… he can reach their souls…" Reid sighed with sparkling eyes.

"We have wonderful sons, don't we?" Alexander asked with a smile.

"Yeah, we do," Reid sighed.

"Anyway, I want us to make a pact."

"A pact?" Reid asked surprised.

"If for any reason… I shall be gone… promise me you'll be a father to Gary."

Reid smiled to hear such a proposition coming from his best friend. "Only if you promise you'll do the same for my Ash."

Alexander smiled to hear his best friend's response.

"Thank you, man." Alexander said standing up.

"Wait, you didn't bring me any souvenirs?" Reid asked offended.

Alexander laughed out loud. "Of course I did! C'mon, you idiot," he hugged Reid. "Hey, what do you say we spend the day together? Just us best friends."

"Are you serious?" Reid asked with a laugh.

"Yeah, I miss hanging out with my best buddy."

"I still have some stuff to do, and I wouldn't want to leave Delia do the rest all by herself," Reid said feeling sorry.

"C'mon, man! It's been ages since the last time it was just you and me. I'm sure Delia will understand."

Reid gave the idea a thought for about two seconds. "Alright, you got me," Reid said with laughter.

"That's my man!" Alexander exclaimed with enthusiasm, hugging his best friend. "Hey, what do you say we bring the kids with us? I think that'd be fun."

"Sure!" Reid exclaimed overjoyed.

And both of them walked out of the lab to pick up Ash and Gary to spend the whole day together with them.

-o-

Delia and Adeline entered what it seemed to be little Gary's room.

"What are we doing here, Adey?" Delia asked worried since the moment she followed her best friend to the stairs.

Adeline breathed in. Adeline breathed out.

"Let's sit down, shall we?" Adeline smiled as she sat on Gary's bed.

Delia sat on a chair across from her.

Adeline breathed in. Adeline breathed out.

"You're scaring me, Adey, please, tell me what's going on now."

"Alright." Adeline smiled. "How long have we been best friends, Delia?"

"I guess it's been a while now, around… 10 years?" Delia said thoughtful.

"It's been so long since the day we met, hasn't it?" Adeline sighed.

"Well, I remember Alex bringing you here as his girlfriend and I couldn't help but laugh out loud," Delia said with a smile.

"Why was it, anyway?" Adeline asked with a curious smile.

"I've known Alex for a very long time, you know my dad, may he rest in peace, and professor Oak were great friends, it was natural I got to become friends with Alex when we were kids," Delia sighed with a smile.

"Isn't that amazing? Our families have been friends for generations," Adeline said as she looked to a photograph next to Gary's bed… a photograph of him and Ash in Kanto's pokémon amusement park.

"My father and professor Oak; Alex, Reid, you and I, and now Ash and Gary," Delia smiled trying to hold back the tears.

"I wonder if at some point our families will like… fuse with each other," Adeline said with a small laugh.

"Maybe our grandchildren," Delia said with a smile.

"Yeah," Adeline sighed as she looked down to the floor.

Delia noticed there was something odd about Adeline the moment she and Alexander came back from their business trip, and now it was the time to ask about it.

"I know you have something on your mind, please tell me what it is, Adey."

Adeline breathed in. Adeline breathed out.

"I thought I was going to die, Delia," Adeline sighed trying to remain calm.

But Delia couldn't.

"What?!" Delia exclaimed scared. "What happened?"

"I'm fine now, that's what matters," Adeline said trying to keep Delia calm.

"What happened, Adeline?!" Delia demanded with tears on her eyes.

Adeline breathed in. Adeline breathed out.

Then Adeline proceeded to explain Delia about the plane's turbulences, the same as Alexander had explained to Reid.

"There was just one thought on my mind… Gary," Adeline sighed with tears on her eyes.

Delia hugged her best friend to give her the support she needed.

"Can you promise me something?" Adeline asked as Delia hugged.

"Anything, Adey, just say it," Delia sighed.

"If I am ever gone… promise me you'll take good care of Gary."

Delia breathed in. Delia breathed out.

"I will, Adey, promise me you'll take good care of Ash if something happens to me," Delia said closing her eyes.

Adeline smiled. "I will, Delia."

They stopped hugging a few moments after that and then they dried their tears off with some tissues.

"You've been the greatest friend I've ever had," Adeline said holding Delia's hand as she smiled to her.

"Adey! We just finished drying off our tears!" Delia exclaimed with a happy smile and on the edge of crying again.

Adeline smiled and hugged her best friend once again.

"You're also the most wonderful friend I've had, Adey," Delia sighed as she hugged her best friend.

"Alright, stop the tears, why don't we hang out today? Just us girls," Adeline proposed with a smile.

"Really?" Delia asked surprised.

"Yeah, we can go shopping, go watch a movie, anything, I want to spend time with my best friend."

"I… I don't know… why don't we leave it for Saturday? Reid and I still have some things to do in the lab," Delia said worried.

"C'mon, Delia! I'm sure Reid will understand," Adeline insisted.

Delia sighed with a smile on her face. "Okay, you got me."

"Great! Let's get going!" Adeline exclaimed holding Delia's hand and running out of the room with her.

-o-

It was late at night already. Delia had spent the whole day with Adeline while Reid and Ash had spent the whole day with Alexander and Gary.

Delia didn't know Reid had spent the day with Alex and Reid didn't know Delia had spent the day with Adeline, not until they got back to the mansion around 9:00PM that night.

Delia, Reid, and Ash said their goodbyes to Adeline, Alexander, and Gary and then they walked home.

Delia was holding her son's left hand and Reid was holding his son's right hand as they walked together down the street.

"How curious both Adey and Alex asked us to spend the day with them," Delia said.

"They had a rough trip, and besides, I think we all needed it, maybe we should convince them to go on a trip on their yacht next weekend," Reid sighed as he looked to the sky.

"That'd be nice, yeah."

"So, tell your mom about our day today, champ," Reid asked his son.

"It was wonderful, mom, you should have been there!" Ash exclaimed with a lot of enthusiasm.

Delia smiled as her son told her everything he had done that day with Gary, Alexander and Reid, as they spent the day together.

It was a family walk full of smiles and exciting anecdotes.

-o-

Back in the Oak mansion, Adeline and Alexander had just sent their son to bed. They read him a bedtime story, the two of them together, something that wasn't very common.

"And they lived happily ever after," Adeline finished the last sentence in the book.

Little Gary was smiling under his sheets. Alexander and Adeline were sitting on the bed next to him.

"Can we do it again tomorrow? I love it when you both tell me stories!"

Alexander and Adeline breathed in. Alexander and Adeline breathed out.

"Of course, baby," Adeline said caressing his son's forehead.

"Sleep well, champ," Alexander said giving his son a good night kiss.

"We love you, honey," Adeline said giving Gary a good night kiss too.

"I love you, mom, dad," little Gary smiled.

"See you tomorrow," Adeline said standing up and walking to the door, she was followed by her husband.

Adeline got out of Gary's room, Alexander turned off the lights and then he left the room behind her.

The moment the closed the door, Adeline broke. She fell to her husband's arms and cried inconsolably.

-o-

Reid got up the next morning feeling better than ever, he and his wife had had one of those magical nights a marriage could only have when their children went to bed early.

When he opened his eyes that morning, Reid didn't think his life was about to change forever. He should have suspected something when he saw the side of the bed where his wife slept on was empty.

He got dressed and walked down the stairs. He smelled something delicious as he walked to the kitchen, his wife was making breakfast, a very delicious one.

"Good morning, beautiful," Reid smiled kissing his wife's neck.

"Reid! Stop it!" Delia exclaimed with a laugh because her husband's kisses on her neck usually gave her goosebumps.

"I love you," Reid sighed hugging his wife from behind.

"I love you too," Delia smiled feeling like the luckiest woman on the planet.

Reid smiled and walked to the fridge and he took out the orange juice and he served three glasses, he was expecting his son to wake up soon.

Delia finished making breakfast: pancakes, eggs, and bacon. She served the table, her husband took the glasses of juice to the table as well.

"Good morning!" little Ash exclaimed with excitement as he ran down the stairs.

"Don't run on the stairs!" Delia exclaimed worried about her son.

"Sorry!" little Ash exclaimed ashamed.

"C'mon, champion, let's have breakfast together!" Reid exclaimed as he hugged his son good morning.

"It smells delicious, mom!"

"Thank you, sweetie," Delia said with a pride smile.

The happy family sat down to eat breakfast together, like every day.

About 15 minutes later, they were all done and little Ash got out to the backyard to play a little with his father's poliwag and his mother's squirtle.

"I'll help with the dishes today," Reid said taking all the dishes from the table before his wife could do so.

"Thank you, darling," Delia said with a smile and she walked to the television to check on the weather. "I think it's going to rain today, but let's just verify it," she said as she turned on the TV.

"Good," Reid said putting on the dish gloves.

"We're live from route 1, about 3 miles from Viridian city. There has been a severe car accident just a few minutes ago," a well-known local reporter was broadcasting live from a familiar point in route 1 and behind her… there was a car in flames, a firetruck, two police cars and one ambulance.

Delia stood frozen in front of the TV, it had been ages since she had seen an accident like that on TV. Her husband joined her as soon as he heard the word accident, he was still wearing the yellow dish gloves. Little Ash was still playing in the backyard.

"The paramedics are doing everything they can to save these two people who were in the car, we still don't have any information regarding the identities of the victims but we're sure the paramedics will provide us with information as soon as they can."

Delia and Reid breathed in. Delia and Reid breathed out.

They were nervous, but they didn't know why exactly, there was something deep inside their hearts trying to tell them something.

Then in the TV screen, a paramedic walked and whispered something into the reporter's ear and then he left.

"The paramedics have identified the people who were in that car and unfortunately they are both dead. These people are the president of Elswood Enterprises Alexander Oak and his wife Adeline Oak."

Delia screamed. Reid froze.

Delia kept screaming. Reid hugged his wife.

Delia cried. Reid cried.

"What's going on, mom?" Little Ash entered the house as he heard his mom screaming.

"Go to your room, champion." Reid said breathing in.

"But dad…"

"Go to your room!" Reid screamed in anger and his son ran to his room, scared because he had never seen his father like that.

"They… they… they… knew…" Delia's words had trouble coming out of her mouth, it was like she had little oxygen in her lungs and she couldn't breathe anymore.

"No… no… no, they didn't…." Reid said walking around the room, pulling his hair out.

"This isn't possible… Alex and Adey…"

"This is all my fault!" Reid exclaimed pulling his hair out with all the strength he had, crying and hitting the table with his fists, even if all those things he did hurt him.

"It's not your fault, Reid," Delia said with her face full of tears.

"He tried to warn me yesterday, he… he knew… and I couldn't do anything… I couldn't…" Reid started hitting himself.

"Stop it! Stop it, Reid!" Delia exclaimed in fear, running to her husband, and hugging him so he wouldn't hurt himself.

Then he kept crying, he felt his heart out, he felt his tears were blood because they hurt so much. Delia wasn't in less pain, she was devastated.

Their best friends had died.

-o-

The rest of the day had been gloomy and dark, it rained indeed after all.

Professor Oak was devastated, he had lost his wife the year before and now, he had lost his beloved son and his daughter in law.

Little Gary was in pain too, he was old enough to realize what all those people wearing black were doing in his house, crying; because he had lived that the year before when his grandmother left the mansion. Even if he didn't know yet it was death, he was sure he would never see his parents again. Little Ash had no idea about what was going on, so he stood by little Gary's side all the time.

Reid and Delia were the closest ones to professor Oak, helping and comforting him in such a hard time.

And in the middle of the wake, Reid got a phone call. He was about to turn off his cellphone but when he saw the name on the screen, he knew he had to answer.

"I'll be back in a moment," Reid said to his wife and professor Oak and he got out of the mansion.

He was about to answer when he saw a familiar face across the street: Christine Oak.

What did they talk about? No one will ever know… but it was enough for Reid to begin his pokémon journey the day after.