Hello, everyone, and welcome to the third episode! A lot is going to happen here, so prepare to get your heart pumping. Thanks to Snark Knight, my editor, for helping me edit the chapter. The assistance took a huge load off my back.
Enjoy!
Giovanni glares at his television screen. The broadcast it's showing was recorded a week ago, but he watches it every day as if it's new. He still can't comprehend it. Not only did Delia turn their son into a robot, but she also put him under the supervision of a teenage boy.
He checks the time before clicking on the passage's camera feed. As expected, a young woman with long magenta hair and blue eyes stands behind the door. Giovanni pushes the button under his desk before she knocks, and the woman enters.
"Agent 32 at your service, sir," she greets.
"Did you come alone?" Giovanni asks.
"Yes, sir."
"Good." Giovanni shuts the door with another push of the button. "I have a mission for you, a mission no one outside of this room will know about. If you speak of this to anyone, you will join your mother in her grave. Do I make myself clear?"
The agent nods.
Giovanni eyes her up and down before minimizing the camera feed. After another glance, he turns the desktop screen, so its image faces her.
"Watch him and make sure nothing happens to him," he instructs. "Report every day before midnight and exclude no detail. If even one day goes by without a report, there will be consequences. Understand?"
"Yes, sir."
"Good," Giovanni hums. "Dismissed."
The agent bows before exiting the room. Her eyes dart to all directions before approaching the black car parked by a nearby tree. She enters through the passenger's door and shuts it behind her.
"So, Jessie," the man inside calls out. His green eyes glint as his ice violet hair brush his shoulders. "What's the plan?"
"Yeah, Jess?" a white cat pokémon interjects from the backseat. "What'd Giovanni tell ya?"
"The little boy he wants me to follow around is the robot kid," the agent tells them. "Wants me to make sure nothing happens to him."
"Why?" the man asks.
"Does it matter?" the pokémon retorts. "It obviously means something to that douche. Let's sick 'im!"
"Not directly."
The man and pokémon turn to the agent, who crosses her arms and glares at the windshield.
"He claims my mother died in an accident," she reminds them. "Only fair the kid's off-ed the same way."
"You saying we should dump snow on 'im?" the cat asks.
"Shut up, Meowth," the man grunts.
"Every robot has a power source."
They look at her again. A tablet illuminates the car by displaying something small and yellow.
"Would be a shame if someone, or some people, took it away from him."
The man and the pokémon smirk. The agent smirks as well before jerking her head toward the road.
"Take us home, James," she orders.
"With pleasure," James switches gear shifts.
The wheels of the car screech before taking the team away.
~.~
"Where are we going first, Brock?" Ash pipes. Pikachu sits on the robot's shoulders and clutches his hat to steady himself. His ears twitch as the morning sun warms them.
"Viridian City," Brock answers. "It isn't that far from Pallet Town. We just have to walk through Route 1."
"Sounds good to me!" Ash pumps a fist. He just saw buildings taller than his eyes can reach. Now he beholds fields grander than his eyes can take in. Pokémon and people move along the grass while the sun and clouds soar above them. The android marvels the sun on his hair and the wind between his fingers; the way his hat and jacket flops, and the grass crunches beneath his shoes.
Arriving at Viridian City is even more surreal. It is much urbaner than Pallet, so there are fewer flowers and trees but more buildings and cars. Ash doesn't know what he likes more. The city is different from his hometown, but it isn't bad. If anything, he appreciates it for providing him a fresh vision. He listens to Brock describe establishments from hospitals to cafés. The one that catches his eye is the pokémon gym, but a guard standing by the door refuses their entrance. The gym leader is out, the sentinel says, so they can only come in when the replacement arrives next week.
"Don't worry, Ash," Brock consoles when Ash pouts. "You can visit my gym."
Ash's head cocks. "You have a gym?"
"Yeah," Brock nods. "I ran it myself to provide for my siblings."
"Alright!" Ash hops. "Let's go to it!"
"Hold on, Ash, it's not that simple," Brock waves his hands. "The gym is in Pewter City, which is a little far from here. It's going to take a little time before we get there."
Ash's shoulders slump. "How long?"
"About half an hour."
"Aww man!" the robot stomps his feet. Pikachu wobbles and grips his hat.
"Pika-pi!" he protests.
"Don't be too down, Ash," Brock waves his hands again. "It's still morning, remember? We have a lot of time to get there."
"Oh," Ash blinks. "Well...what are we going to do in the meantime?"
"We can explore the city," Brock suggests. "You haven't been around one, right?"
Ash's face brightens. "No! I haven't!"
"Then let's go!" Brock pumps an encouraging fist.
"Yeah!"
~.~
Silver, now ten-years-old, gathers his belongings before exiting the classroom. Who cares about what his teacher is rambling about? He passes his classes regardless if he's there or not. His father makes sure of that.
What Silver needs to focus on is training pokémon. The only reason he attends school is so that no one will connect him to the most dangerous mafia in the world. As proud as his mother, Ariana, is that he goes to one like other children do, his father, Giovanni, can't care less. The mafia, Team Rocket, is Giovanni's primary focus. The only way Silver can get his attention is if he can hold his own in the group's resistance.
But there lies the problem: to train pokémon, one must have pokémon. Despite being Silver's only support, Ariana refuses to give him one. She doesn't want him to get involved with Team Rocket, she says. It was why she sent him to Johto, the region neighboring Kanto. He can't get involved if he isn't around.
Giovanni, on the other hand, probably agreed because he just wanted him as far away as possible. He has never expressed anything but disdain for his son. They rarely see each other due to distance, but when they do reunite, his repulsion seems to grow. Silver gained the courage to ask him why he behaves this way once, and Giovanni didn't mince his words.
"You only exist because your mother and I made a mistake. If it were up to me, you never would've seen the light of day."
Silver was only four-years-old. Ariana, who wasn't able to take him away in time, didn't explain but didn't have to. He was made from a drunken encounter. The only reason he's still alive is that his mother refuses to abandon him. Maybe that's why she tries so hard to give him a normal, civilized life. She thinks it will make up for his terrible upbringing.
Silver climbs a hill until he is looking down at his destination: New Bark Town's pokémon research lab. He slips a black mask over his face and waits until the kids and their parents empty the vicinity. There is an open window at the side of the building, and it's surveyed by nothing. Morons, Silver sneers. They think the lab doesn't need security because it's in a safe, rural region.
The boy is aghast his parents don't believe he's capable of living in a tougher environment but thanks them as he slips into the window. The window leads to what seems to be where Professor Elm, the lead scientist of the laboratory, distributes pokémon to the public. A long table stretches across the room. Behind it are a line of chairs, file cabinets, and a large encasement filled with poké balls. It's practically a treasure chest, Silver muses as he nears it, and it's all his.
But the chest is sealed shut. Only a passcode typed into a small number board can open the case, and Silver has no clue as to what it can be. He grunts and hits the top with a fist. There has to be another way.
"What are you doing?" A skinny man wearing a lab coat and large glasses stands at the doorway of the room.
Silver turns around to face him, his right hand reaching into his pocket. "Open the chest."
"You're a child," the man realizes. Silver's face may be concealed with a mask, but his voice still sounds like a young boy's. "Where are your parents?"
"I said open the chest!" Silver repeats. He draws a knife and sprints toward the man. His target jumps and scurries toward the encasement.
"Alright," the man types the passcode. "Just put the knife away."
Silver approaches him but doesn't replace his weapon. Instead, he points it toward the man as the chest finally reveals its contents. His eyes widen with interest. There are more poké balls than he can count.
"Step back," Silver commands. Once the man gives him room, he turns to face his options. The poké balls look identical. How is he to know which one is which?
"I could've given you one if you had come earlier," the man tells him, careful not to touch the weapon's point. "Why resort to theft?"
"Shut up!" Silver barks.
"Just come back with your parents," he proposes. "I won't press charges if you leave and return in peace."
His kindness infuriates Silver. He's pointing a knife at him, yet the man is showing more mercy than one who should be fearing for his life. Perhaps he doesn't take him seriously, Silver grits his teeth. Another person that doesn't think he's good enough to live.
Without a second thought, the knife plunges into the hostage's shoulder.
"Ugh!" the man clutches his wound. Blood pools through his fingers as he struggles to stop the bleeding. "Help! Somebody call the police!"
Silver snatches a random poké ball from the encasement and flees when other people burst into the room. Voices holler for him to stop and come back, but he ignores them and dashes up the hill.
He didn't expect things to end like this. The redhead only took the knife with him as a precaution but wasn't even provoked when he barely missed the man's heart. Or maybe he was, Silver thinks. The man didn't see him as a threat. The boy had to correct him.
A chuckle rumbles through Silver's lips. He can already see it in the news. Mysterious kid breaks into a pokémon research lab and injures a scientist. The world may not know who he is and what he's capable of, but they will.
And so will his parents.
~.~
Oak narrows his eyes. Ash is constantly overheating. Despite the boy's wishes to keep traveling, he and his companions often retreat inside buildings so Ash can cool down. The professor has not expected complications to occur this soon on the trip. Then again, this is the first time Ash is traveling the world.
Oak clicks the "Reply" button on Brock's email and types. He responds with many things, but the primary objective is this:
Keep Ash indoors.
~.~
On the roof of a skyscraper, a cat pokémon yawns before returning to his binoculars.
"What are they doing now, Meowth?" James asks.
"They're just walkin' around," the cat hums. "Look at this idiot. It's like it's the first time he's seein' buildin's!"
"That's because it is his first time, Meowth," Jessie crosses her legs. "Didn't you do your research?"
"Eh, who needs research?" Meowth waves off. "I just figured out how to take the pikachu!"
Jesse and James stand and approach him.
"How are we going to take him?" James asks.
"The kid keeps rechargin'," Meowth informs as Ash and his comrades enter a building. "If we take the rat right before it fills him up, he'll be too weak to fight back."
"But what about his babysitter?" James adds.
"I'll take care of him."
James and Meowth turn to Jessie. There is a determination in her eyes they haven't seen before. The team may have done terrible deeds, but it isn't until now do they realize they can do much more.
"A'right," Meowth grins. "So what's the plan?"
~.~
Giovanni emerges from the elevator and heads to the office on his right. A man with long curled bangs and a goatee is looking down at a picture behind his desk. He replaces the frame when Giovanni stands before him. "Good evening, sir," he cordially greets.
"I came like you asked, Fuji," Giovanni states. "What do you need?"
"Right," Dr. Fuji, the scientist Giovanni assigned to lead his project, picks a folder from his desk and leads him out. "This way."
The men tread through several hallways until they reach a double door. Fuji swipes the card wound around his neck, and the entrance parts to reveal a dark room. Subject 96, or Mewtwo, is in a chamber walled with thick plexiglass. He wears a large helmet covering his head and armor constricting his arms and legs. Wires connect him to the walls behind it and transfer data to the computers outside the chamber. To make sure the entity stays in place, metal rods bind his joints to the floor and ceiling.
"So what's happening here?" Giovanni asks, calling the attention of the scientists in front of the computers.
"Subject 96 is showing exceptional acceptance to the energy we're surging into him," Fuji answers. "If our calculations are correct, he may utilize the level of power we desire."
"So what are you waiting for?" Giovanni demands. "Give it to him!"
"Well you see, sir, this is something we have to discuss," Fuji begins. "Subject 96 holds genes of untold might. We cannot accurately describe what he is capable of."
"You've done research on that cat, didn't you?" Giovanni reminds. "What more do you need?"
"Well you see, sir, before we discovered it, Mew was just a legend," Fuji points out. "The only information we can gather about it are from myths and folklore. There was no proof that Mew even existed until we found it, and it escaped before we could collect sufficient data."
"We sent out a team to retrieve the pest," Giovanni states, "but why have it if we have something better?"
"Because—"
"Listen!" Giovanni halts the scientist with a finger. "I said I want this thing walking by the end of this month. Are you doing your job or not?"
"Y-Yes, sir."
"Then there's nothing to discuss," Giovanni lowers his finger. "You've been working on this for almost a decade, and I've been more than patient! If this thing isn't ready by the end of the month, then you and your associates are done. Understand?"
Fuji gulps. The scientists behind him stop moving.
"Yes, sir," Fuji bows.
"Good," Giovanni turns to the exit. "Now get to work!"
The people in the room watch him disappear before turning to each other. They are afraid but can't decide what to fear most. After a moment of thought, they turn to Subject 96.
"You heard him, everyone," Fuji's shaky voice echoes through the room. "Do it."
~.~
Ash scowls as the group, yet again, retreats into another building. He used to get excited when they enter new institutions, but that changed when they only do so to sit down.
"Your hardware keeps overheating, Ash," Brock justifies. "We'll explore more once you cool down."
But it's almost sunset, and they have only explored a fraction of the city. It isn't fair, Ash fumes. It's his first day traveling yet he spends more time indoors than outdoors. He might as well be back in Pallet Town where he can only be either in his house or Oak's lab. No, scratch that. Back when he was a human, when even a speck of dirt from the outside world was toxic. There's no difference!
"I'm going to use the bathroom," Brocks stands from the couch they're sitting on. "You and Pikachu stay right here, okay?"
"Yeah, yeah," Ash waves him off.
He crosses his arms and hides his face with his hat. It reminds Brock of his siblings. Some of them sulk like that when they don't get what they want. He gives the boy a look before rushing to the latrines. The sooner he leaves, the sooner he returns.
As soon as he is out of sight, however, another person walks in.
"Hiya!" a meowth approaches Ash.
"Woah," Ash runs up to him. "You can talk!"
"Yeah, I can!" the meowth gives him a thumbs-up. "There's a bunch of us that can. Want to meet the rest of 'em?"
Ash hops in excitement. "Yeah I do!"
"Great!" Meowth pulls him to the exit. "Come quick before they leave!"
"Pika-pi!" Pikachu protests, pulling Ash to stay in place.
"What's wrong, Pikachu?" Ash looks down at him.
"Pi!" the mouse points to the hallway, where the bathrooms are. Ash follows his gaze and scowls.
"Well, stay here if you don't want to go!" he stomps. "But I'm going!"
"Pika!"
But Ash is already running away with the meowth. Pikachu looks at him, to the bathrooms, and then back to Ash again. Brock told them to stay on the couches, but Ash can't be alone.
Without another thought, Pikachu darts out of the building. He spots Ash heading to the forest and prepares to take after him.
"Come here!"
"Pika!"
Pikachu's cry is loud enough to stop Ash in his tracks. When the robot turns around, Pikachu is heading to another part of the forest in the clutches of a rubber claw. Holding the claw is a tall man with ice violet hair.
"Pikachu!" Ash yells.
"Hey!" the meowth calls out, but the boy is already making his way to the mouse.
Brock bursts out of the building and picks up Ash's voice. "Ash!" he runs after him. If the robot keeps running, he will shut down.
"Please give him back!" Ash pleads to Pikachu's captor. "Please!"
"Ash, come back!" Brock calls out.
The robot suddenly collapses to the ground, drained. Brock gasps and runs faster.
"Wrap!"
A purple cobra binds Brock, making him yell in pain and shock. The teen tries to break free, but his predator grips him tightly.
"Keep squeezing him, Arbok," Jessie marches toward him.
"Who are you?" Brock wheezes. "And why are you doing this?"
"Shut up!" the agent barks.
Jessie's hand instinctively reaches for her gun but stops right when it grazes the weapon. The setting is too close to the city. A gunshot will alert the citizens. If she's going to get rid of the guardian, she has to dispose of him quietly.
"Arbok," she turns to her partner, "use Dig."
The cobra gives Brock another squeeze, hops into the air, and starts to burrow.
"No, let me go!" Brock tilts toward the soil. "Let me go!"
"Bro-ock!" Ash sobs. Tears stream down his face as he crawls toward his guardian.
"No, Ash, stay back!"
Ash yelps when Jessie's boot crushes his hand.
"Don't worry, kid," the agent sneers. "This hurts your father more than it hurts you."
Ash's eyes widen.
"Hydro Pump!"
A water blast shoots Arbok in the face, prompting her to release her victim. Brock wobbles a bit at his freedom but quickly steadies himself.
"What?" Jessie demands.
A starfish-like pokémon with ten legs and a red gem center emerges with her young trainer. The trainer has orange hair tied to the upper left side of her head, suspenders connecting her yellow crop top with her jean shorts, and red and white sneakers.
"Leave them alone!" she orders.
Jessie seethes. "Over my dead body! Arbok use Take Down!"
The cobra rises and lunges for the starfish.
"You're not going to get away with this, twerp," Meowth lunges for the starfish as well.
"Onix, Slam!"
As fast as it emerges, a rock snake pokémon pummels Meowth and Arbok into the ground. The size of his tail is enough to hide them, preventing their escape.
"Nice," the assisting trainer compliments.
"Thanks," Brock nods.
"Not so fast."
James and Pikachu approach the scene. Pikachu is still in the rubber claw, but something else keeps him from moving.
"Let them go," James orders, nudging a gun at the mouse's skull.
Jessie smirks while her targets gasp. "You heard him," she draws and points her own gun at Ash. "Unless you want to see what's inside the robot's head."
Brock looks up at Onix, who anxiously waits for his command. He gives him a stiff nod, and the snake lifts his tail.
"Good," Jessie commends. She returns Arbok to her poké ball. Meowth stands and marches toward the younger trainers.
"Keep the guns at 'em," he says. "I wanna see 'em bleed."
Brock and the girl stagger back, but Jessie's gun prevents them from moving further. The cat's eyes are sharp and angry. No one is going to leave without seeing blood.
But then a voice stops him in his tracks. An authoritative voice.
"Drop the guns!"
The police captain, Captain Jenny, marches to the scene with her own weapon ready. Officers just as armed follow closely behind.
Meowth retracts his claws.
"And drop the Pikachu," Jenny adds.
James turns to Jessie. The agent looks more displeased than he does but prompts him to obey. James curses and releases their captive.
"Pika-pi!" Pikachu runs toward his trainer.
The boy is still on the ground, his eyes barely open. After a Thundershock, Ash sits up, holds the pokémon, and sobs onto the mouse's head.
"Now, nobody move," the captain orders.
The troop behind her make their way to the involved. They don't know who to trust, so they point their guns at both Brock and the trainer as well as Jessie and her team. The tension decreases when Brock and the girl are in the officers' guard.
But then James drops a smoke bomb. When the scene clears, the attackers are nowhere to be found.
"Damn it!" Jenny curses. "Search for them! They couldn't have gotten far!"
A squadron left to do so as the captain approaches Ash. The robot coils and clutches Pikachu to his chest.
"Please don't hurt me," he whimpers.
"Don't worry, son," Jenny soothes. "The bad people are gone now."
"Ash!" Brock sprints to them. "Are you alright?"
Ash shakes his head, but in doing so, notices the trainer standing behind his guardian. "Who are you?" he asks.
"My name is Misty," the trainer kneels, so they're eye to eye. "You're Ash, right? The living robot."
"Yeah."
Misty grins and pats him on the shoulder. "Well I'm sorry this...mess happened on your first day in the world. There are a lot of bad people out here," she says. "Just know that not all of us are bad."
"I believe you," Ash slowly smiles. "Thanks for helping us."
"You're welcome," Misty offers him a hand.
Ash accepts it and stands. The two smile at each other, their hands still together.
"Let's talk back at the police station," Jenny interjects. "We need to contact your mother and the professor."
~.~
While a psychologist in the police station evaluates Ash in a separate room, Jenny reveals to Brock, Misty, and—when they arrive—Oak and Delia, that the crooks that tried to steal Pikachu are probably from an infamous mafia called Team Rocket. The leader of the organization is unknown, but there are rumors that he and his associates have connections in Viridian City.
"But why would they try to steal Ash's pikachu?" Brock asks.
"I don't know," Jenny admits. "We're hoping to find out if our search team finds them. But don't hold your breath. Team Rocket has escaped the law many times before, hence why they get away with so many crimes."
"I shouldn't have let Ash leave Pallet," Delia makes a tight fist. "As soon as he's done in there, I'm taking him back home."
Oak widens his eyes. "Deli—"
"Don't fight me on this, Samuel!" Delia cuts him off. "He is my son before anything else."
"But the attackers were after Pikachu, not Ash," Brock points out. "If we keep Pikachu in his poké ball until he's needed, wouldn't that solve our problem?"
"No, because Ash was threatened too!" Delia remarks. "And if Captain Jenny is correct, then that means a mafia is after my son!"
"It might be a little more complicated than that."
Everyone turns to Jenny.
"Ash said that one of the attackers knew who his father was," the captain elaborates. "There's a chance this incident is more personal than just simple theft."
Delia pales.
"Are you implying these people attacked Ash to hurt his father?" Oak proposes.
"Possibly," Jenny guesses.
"Did Ash say he knows who his father is?" Delia stumbles forward.
"No," the captain shakes her head. "He actually seems very confused as to why he doesn't."
"That's because I made him forget," Delia rasps. "He should never, ever, know who his father is."
"You..."
Delia freezes.
"...made me forget my dad?" Ash asks. He just entered the captain's office when Delia confesses her deed.
Delia gasps and approaches him. "Ash—"
"Why?" Ash steps back. "Why would you do that?"
"Because he left you, Ash," Delia justifies. "He left us."
"Then let me look for him!" Ash proposes. "Let me bring him home!"
Delia widens her eyes. "Ash, no—"
"Tell me who he is!" Ash demands. "Tell me so I can find him!"
"No, Ash," Delia holds his hand. "You need to come home an—"
"NO!" Ash rips his hand back. "You'll just make me forget this day, so I don't look for him! I'll probably never leave the house again too!"
"It's to keep you safe, Ash!" Delia retorts. "Why can't you understand that?"
"Will it matter if I do?" Ash remarks. "After all, I'm just a robot! I'll only do what you want me to do!"
He sprints out of the room, leaving his mother weak to her knees. Brock is instantly after him, Pikachu trailing close behind. After a moment of awkward silence, Misty leaves as well.
~.~
Brock and Pikachu have been searching for Ash for almost an hour, but neither has the luck to find him like Misty does. Misty is doing her own search for the boy when she spots him sitting by a lake. Clever, she thinks. He is crouching so lowly behind the tall grass, she almost misses him.
She glides down a rocky slope and approaches him. Ash gasps and turns to run.
"Don't worry; I won't turn you in," Misty assures. "I just want to hang out with you a little bit."
Ash watches her sit down beside him. It's intriguing. Despite his computer mind, he can't find a logical reason why she would join him. But he doesn't mind her presence. He has someone to watch the sunset with.
"I may not be a robot."
Ash's ears perk.
"But I know what it's like to only act the way you're expected to," Misty shares. "How you're not allowed to make mistakes. It doesn't matter how far you make it. People always assume you can't take care of yourself, like just thinking about pursuing your dreams will get you killed."
Ash blinks. This is the first time someone has expressed thoughts similar to his. It's comforting to know someone else can relate to him. Misty seems to think the same because she shoots him a knowing smile.
"I hope you're not too mad at your mom," she continues. "I know it's hard to believe at first, but she means well. She just doesn't believe you can do what you want to because...well, you did die ten years ago. That would make any mother worry more than she already does."
"How do you know so much about me?" Ash asks.
"You're kinda famous, you know," Misty shrugs. "I also think you're really cool."
"Wow, thanks!" Ash grins. "I think you're really cool too!"
Misty blushes and lowers her face to hide it. "Thanks."
The two of them watch the sun disappear into the grass. The orange skies turn purple, and then dark blue with stars.
"What if," Misty looks up to the arriving moon, "what if I help you...find your dad?"
Ash gapes. "You want to help me find my dad?"
"Yeah," Misty tucks her knees. "If...that's okay with you, of course."
"Of course that's okay!" Ash beams. "But," he sombers, "what if my mom doesn't let me go?"
"We'll change her mind," Misty gives him a determined look. "After all, I'm a gym leader too. Well, technically a gym-leader-in-training, but I did help you and your friend earlier, didn't I?"
"Yeah, you did!" Ash stands up. "Let's tell her that then!"
He offers her a hand like she did with him earlier. His eyes shine in excitement as he waits for her to take it. She does, and the two walk hand-in-hand to the police station.
~.~
Oak nods attentively as the psychologist, Dr. Jim Ben, explains to him the results of Ash's evaluation.
"His awareness of the situation was deteriorating with his decreasing energy," Ben shares. "Fortunately so because it lessens his trauma from the event, but he is still shaken from what he was able to register."
"How much does he remember?" Oak asks.
"Only up until one of the attackers mentioned...his father," Ben answers slowly, wary of the disheartened Delia listening from a bench.
"Alright," Oak sighs. "At least he didn't register the part when the attackers drew guns."
"Yes, but he still needs a session or two to cope with what he does remember," Ben tells him. "After all, he is a ten-year-old boy who was traumatized in his first time out in the world. Not to mention the subject of his fa—"
"Thank you, Doctor," Delia cuts. "We'll contact you if we have any questions."
Ben opens his mouth to retort but closes it after assessing Delia's glare. He politely excuses himself and exits the room.
"So what are you thinking?" Oak sits beside the mother.
"You know, Ash is lucky he can delete his memories at all," Delia grunts. "All the bad memories and feelings can be wiped out with a click of a button. Not like us, who have to deal with the burdens of our history."
"It's what helps us grow as living beings," Oak points out. "Our past pains and how we cope with them shape who we are."
"Do you think that's why Ash got so mad when he heard that I deleted his memories?" Delia asks. "I wasn't letting him grow as a person?"
"Well he always wanted to be as human as the rest of us," Oak exhales. "Probably because he doesn't know what that entails."
Delia's head lowers. "I just want to protect him."
"I understand," Oak nods. "Don't worry, Delia. Every good parent wants to protect their children from the world's cruelty."
"He says he wants to find his father," Delia cringes. "He has no idea how much that man loathes him, how far that bastard went to disown him and the woman that gave birth to him."
"Come now, Delia, that can't be true."
"But it is," Delia sighs. "I've tried everything to forget about him and what he did, but Ash wants to bring him back into our lives?"
Brock knocks on the door before he and Pikachu enter the office. Right before Oak can ask, Misty and Ash follow inside.
"Ash," Delia stands.
Ash tenses. "Mom."
The relatives slowly meet at the center of the room. Delia places a hand on Ash's shoulder as if confirming he is really there. Then she pulls him into a tight embrace.
"I'm sorry if I hurt you, Ash," she apologizes. "I hope you can forgive me."
Ash relaxes and returns her embrace. "I'm sorry I yelled at you."
Delia smiles and plants a kiss on his forehead. "Ash, I want you to remember that I'm doing everything I can to make you happy."
"Are you still going to erase my memories?" Ash asks.
Delia frowns and steps back. "I'm...going to give you a choice," she offers. "I can tell you about your father and, if it hurts too much, we'll make you forget it."
Ash's eyes widen. "You're going to tell me about my dad?"
Delia stiffly nods.
"Yes!" Ash jumps.
"Have you kids eaten dinner yet?" Oak addresses Brock and Misty. Both give him a negative. "Why don't I take you out—my treat—for helping Ash today?"
"Sounds good to me," Brock favors. "How about you, Misty?"
Misty looks at the professor before studying the mother and son. The family needs privacy, she realizes. Gratitude isn't the only reason Oak is offering dinner. He's trying to get the mother and son alone.
"I'd appreciate it, thank you," she complies. She doesn't want to part from Ash but understands that he needs to make amends with his mother. Hopefully, he will be strong enough to handle the truth he is so eager to receive. She doesn't want him to forget about their arrangement. Maybe even her.
Oak gives Delia an affirmative smile before leaving with the kids.
"Can I come too?" Ash cocks his head. Pikachu hops up to perch on his shoulder. He's not leaving him alone again.
"Let me make you your favorite dinner tonight," Delia offers. "Don't you miss your mother's cooking?"
Ash does but wants to have dinner with Oak and his new friends. But if going home is the only way to learn about his father, then he'll go. He remembers what Misty told him and nods at Delia. His mother doesn't have a reason to have faith in him, so he'll give her one.
"Yeah, let's go."
~.~
Giovanni grips the edge of his armrest. He was following up on his project when a scientist told him to watch the breaking news. The leader is fortunate to do so in the privacy of his secret office. His reaction may have startled unwanted attention in the headquarters.
"Ash Ketchum, the world's first sentient robot, and his guardian, Brock Anchor, were attacked earlier today by a man, woman, and meowth. Here are the sketches of the suspects."
Giovanni doesn't recognize the man and pokémon but recognizes the woman. Damn that wench, he curses to himself. She has the nerve to double-cross him.
"If you have any information about these suspects, please contact the Viridian Police Department at 038-715-2669."
Indeed, Giovanni has information, but he won't share it with the cops. He runs his own laws. Justice will be served when the three fools drown in their own blood.
The question is, who is going to drown them?
