Misty found Ash sitting with Pikachu in a secluded spot at the bank of the river that ran through Pallet Town and onward toward Viridian City. She and Ash often came to this spot when they wanted to be alone.
"Ash," Misty said angrily as she stomped towards him, "you were supposed to be at my place an hour ago to work on your college applications!" She stopped in her tracks when she saw that Ash had a six-pack of beer beside him and was in the middle of taking a sip from his second can.
"Wanna beer, Misty?" Ash slurred.
"Ash, what in the world are you doing?" Misty said furiously. "Where did you get the beer from?"
"I 'borrowed' it from Brock's place. He won't miss it." Brock was a student at Viridian University and had his own apartment; Misty and Ash were frequent visitors. "Sure you don't want one?" Ash tipsily held out a can to her.
"No, thank you," Misty said coldly. "And you don't need to be having any more, either." He didn't offer any resistance as she took the open can away from him. "What's gotten into you, Ash? I've never seen you like this before."
"Well, it's not every day that I get the news that my dad's not my dad and that Gary's my uncle," Ash said sarcastically.
"What? What are you talking about? Just how many of these have you had?" Misty dumped the rest of the beer on the ground and sat down beside Ash.
"Just those two."
"Well, you're acting like you've had more because you're not making any sense. Now start over again…what's this about your dad not being your dad and Gary being your uncle?" Misty was alarmed about how Ash was acting.
"Let's see, where do I begin?" Ash wearily leaned back against a tree. "Nearly eighteen years ago, Professor Oak knocked up my mother while she was working in his lab. You're now looking at Ash Oak, son of Professor Oak and uncle of Gary Oak. Gary….I can't wait to see the expression on that jerk's face when I tell him that he's gotta start calling me Uncle Ash." Ash giggled drunkenly.
Misty sat there stunned, her mouth wide open. "Ash, is it true?" She couldn't believe it, either.
"Yep, my mom told me everything this afternoon when I got home." Ash smiled bitterly at Misty. "Who knows, Misty, maybe you're actually my sister or aunt or something."
Misty was still trying to take it all in. Ash's mom and Professor Oak had an affair and Ash was their son….it was all so unbelievable.
"I…I don't believe it," Misty said incredulously.
"Neither can I," said Ash. He closed his eyes and slumped against the tree trunk. "Leave me alone now, Misty. I've gotta think about some stuff."
"Are you sure, Ash? I don't want to leave you like this." Misty was seriously worried about him.
"I'll be fine, Misty. Hey, I already survived learning that I'm really not who I think I am."
"Pikachu, you keep an eye on him," Misty whispered to the little yellow Pokémon. "Don't let him do anything stupid, okay?"
"Pika," Pikachu nodded in affirmation.
"And I'll take these back to Brock," Misty said as she picked up the remaining beer cans. She leaned over and kissed Ash gently on the cheek.
"I'll always be here for you, Ash. If you want to talk some more, you know where to find me." She slowly walked away as Ash fell into a drunken slumber and started snoring. Pikachu curled up on his chest and stayed with his friend as he slept.
---
"Delia, what is it?" Professor Oak was alarmed when he saw her distraught face on the telephone's video screen.
"Ash knows. He found out this afternoon. I told him everything…you, me, him." She started crying again. Between gasps, she blurted out the rest of her message: "He ran off and got drunk. Misty found him. He's asleep upstairs now."
"I'll be right over, Delia," he said as he scrambled to his feet and shut off the computer that he was working on.
"No, Samuel. Let him sleep now." Delia sniffed and wiped her eyes. "I don't think it's a good idea for you to come over right now. Wait until he calms down. I'll talk to you tomorrow."
"Are you sure you're going to be all right, Delia?" It broke his heart to see her so upset, particularly when he knew that he was the ultimate cause of her pain.
"I'll be okay. It's Ash that I'm worried about. Good night, Samuel," Delia said as she tried to regain her composure.
"I love you, Delia," he said as she hung up the phone.
Professor Oak sat staring at the blank screen, feeling as if someone had drained the life out of him. He knew that one day they would have had to tell Ash the truth about his parentage, but he was hoping that day wouldn't come for another year or two. But now it was here, and he would have to face it.