"How's Ash doing?" Brock asked a ragged-looking Misty as she came into the dining area. They had missed the last train to Kanto the evening before and had spent the night at the Pokémon Center in New Bark Town. Nurse Joy and Professor Elm had gone out of their way to take care of the three teens after learning what had happened to Ash's mother.
"He's still asleep," Misty replied as she rubbed her bloodshot eyes and sat down at the table next to her friend. "Not that any of us had much sleep last night. I think I spent most of last night crying. And when I wasn't crying, I was listening to Ash cry. And you were crying too, weren't you, Brock?"
"Yeah," Brock answered softly as he stared at his cup of tea. "All I could think about last night was how hard it's going to be for Ash now."
"Brock," Misty asked, "you were about Ash's age when your mom died, weren't you?"
Brock bit his lower lip. "Yeah." Mrs. Ketchum's death had brought back all the painful memories of his own mother's death several years earlier. When Brock had finally fallen asleep the night before, he had dreamed about that horrible day. Until the day he died, Brock would never forget the look of utter despair in his father's eyes as he told him that the cancer that had ravaged his mother's body for the past year had finally won.
Misty reached over, grasped Brock's hand, and gave it a gentle squeeze. "How did you…how did you cope with losing your…your mother?"
"It was hard, Misty. Especially after my dad couldn't deal with and it ran out on us." Even though Brock had long forgiven his father, he was still bitter. "I didn't really have time to mourn Mom because I had to take care of all my brothers and sisters."
Misty leaned over and gave her friend a sympathetic hug.
"Oh my God!" screamed a woman's voice in the next room. Alarmed, Misty and Brock jumped up and went into the next room where they saw Nurse Joy, her head bowed, with a visibly upset Professor Elm trying to calm her.
"What's going on?" Brock asked.
Professor Elm turned his red, tear-filled eyes to the boy. "Sam…Professor Oak…he's…they found him…" He couldn't continue as he pulled Nurse Joy to him and the two clutched each other tightly as they sobbed.
"Oh no….oh no…" Misty gasped as she turned pale and pointed to the television. On the morning news was a picture of Professor Oak's lab. Brock grabbed the remote and turned up the volume.
"This morning, noted Pokémon researcher Professor Samuel Oak was found dead at his home, the victim of an apparent suicide. There was a note, but the contents have not been disclosed yet, pending the results of an investigation. The tragedy comes a day after another citizen of Pallet Town, Delia Ketchum, was found murdered in her house. Investigators feel that there may be a link between the two deaths, as Oak and Ketchum were engaged to be married."
"Engaged?" Misty gasped.
"Professor Oak and Mrs. Ketchum were engaged?" Brock echoed.
A near-hysterical Tracey appeared on the television screen.
"He…he said he couldn't live without her…he was so distraught…"
"Was this a murder-suicide or did Oak take his own life out of grief? We'll have more on this story today at noon."
"A murder-sui….that's disgusting!" Misty shouted angrily. "Professor Oak would never…oh no." Misty then saw Ash standing in the doorway. He had been awakened by the commotion and had heard the entire news report.
"Professor Oak?" Ash said in a tiny voice. "He's…he's dead, too?"
Misty nodded and then Misty and Brock reached out to hug him. The three clutched each other tightly as they sobbed and mourned the loss of another friend.
---
Since Pallet Town had only one funeral home and everyone knew both Delia and Professor Oak, the pair lay in state together in the same parlor. (Mimie had been buried earlier that day in the Pokémon cemetery on the grounds of the Oak estate.)
"Mom would've wanted it this way," Ash said as he looked down at Professor Oak's still face.
"Professor Oak would've wanted it this way, too," Tracey said as he looked down at Delia.
"Ready to go?" Misty gulped as she clutched Brock's hand tightly. Both of them had cried so hard that afternoon they didn't think they would be able to stop. "Visiting hours are over."
Tracey nodded and followed the pair out of the room. "Coming, Ash?"
"In a minute, Tracey."
When Ash was certain that everyone had gone, he leaned his head against the chair in front of him and began to cry. Pikachu, who had been staying close to his friend's side the whole time, jumped into Ash's lap and began to wipe away his tears.
"Oh, Pikachu," Ash sniffed as he hugged his Pokémon close to him and wiped his nose in the Pokémon's soft yellow fur. "What are we gonna do now?"
"Ash?"
The boy leapt up as he felt a hand on his shoulder. Ash hastily wiped his eyes as he looked up and saw a grim-faced Officer Jenny standing next to him.
"I'm sorry about your mother and Professor Oak, Ash," Officer Jenny said as she reached into her pocket. "Professor Oak left this for you," she said as she produced a letter and held it out to Ash. "It was on the table next to his bed. I couldn't give it to you earlier until the investigation was complete." With a final salute to the pair of caskets, Officer Jenny turned and left.
Puzzled, Ash examined the letter. In Professor Oak's handwriting were the words, "To Ash Ketchum."
Ash slowly opened the letter and began to read:
Dear Ash,
By the time you read this, I'll be with your mother again. Even though you may be tempted to follow my example given everything that's happened, I beg of you, don't.
Ash noticed that Professor Oak had underlined the word "don't".
To do so would be to dishonor your mother's memory. I loved your mother too, Ash. Matter of fact, we were planning on marrying sometime around Christmas, which would've made me your stepfather. I'm sorry that won't happen now.
But a long time ago I promised Delia that if anything ever happened to her I would take care of you. In my will I have made you one of the heirs to my estate. You are now a very wealthy young man, Ash. I know the money will never replace the loss of your mother, but I hope I can at least make up for not being there for you by providing for you financially.
Ash's head started to spin. This was all so unbelievable.
Delia had mentioned more than once that your father is still alive. Despite the fact that he abandoned you and Delia before you were born, he is your only living relative now. I urge you to seek him out.
Ash noticed that Professor Oak's handwriting had become shaky.
You're a fine young man, Ash, not to mention an excellent Pokémon trainer. I regret that I won't see you achieve your dream of becoming a Pokémon Master. I want you to know that your mother and I have always been proud of you. Despite that fact that your real father wasn't around when you were growing up, I tried to be there for you like a father would all these years. And I hope that you thought of me that way, too.
Please help Tracey in whatever way you can.
Take care, Ash. I wish you a long and happy life.
And the letter was signed "Samuel Ashley Oak".
Huh? Ash did a double-take. He then noticed that there was more written on the back.
P.S. – In case Delia never told you, yes it's true -- she did name you after me. Apparently she was so grateful for my assistance after your father left her that she decided to call you "Ash". (She wanted to call you Ashley, but I talked her out of it.)
Through his tears, Ash smiled.
I was honored by her decision, even though I felt as if I didn't really deserve it. But you know how stubborn your mother can be.
"Yeah, Professor Oak. I do." Still smiling, Ash folded the letter and placed it in his pocket. He slowly walked over to the casket where the older man lay and gently touched his hand. "And thanks for telling my mom not to name me Ashley."
---
Despite Gary's objections, Ash and Tracey insisted that Professor Oak and Delia be buried side by side in the small cemetery overlooking the beach of Pallet Town. After the funeral, Ash stood on the hill where his mother and the man he had come to love as a father now lay.
"So what are you going to do now, Ash?" Tracey asked as he came up behind Ash.
"Dunno, Trace. What are you gonna do?"
"Well, the Professor wanted me to take over the lab, so I guess that's what I'm going to do for now. Although I don't know if I really want to stay after everything that's happened." Tracey had been the one that found Professor Oak that fateful morning and blamed himself for not being able to stop his friend's suicide. "Maybe I'll find someone to take it over and head back to the Orange Islands."
"Tracey, it wasn't your fault that Professor Oak did what he did."
"Yeah, everyone keeps telling me that."
"But you don't believe it, do you?"
"No. Dammit, if I had only known about the poison in the cabinet!" Tracey picked up a stick and hurled it into the ocean below.
"Then Professor Oak would've found another way," said Brock as he and Misty came up the hill. "He could've jumped off of the roof, hung himself with a bedsheet, cut his wrists with a razor blade. Even if you held him down and locked him in his room, he would've found a way to kill himself no matter what."
"Brock's right, Tracey," said Misty as she put her arms around her friend and hugged him tightly. "You wouldn't have been able to stop him."
"Yeah, maybe," said Tracey, unconvinced, as he pulled away from Misty's embrace. "Listen, I've got to get back to the lab and feed the Pokémon. I'll see you later."
The three watched their friend make his way slowly down the hill and disappear in the distance.
"How are you holding up, Ash?" Brock asked as he put a hand on his friend's shoulder.
"Okay, I guess."
"Ash, there's something I want to ask you."
Ash noticed that Brock seemed rather serious, even a little bit nervous. "Ask me what, Brock?"
"Well, I've been doing some thinking and…well, since I'm eighteen now, I was wondering…that since your mom's, well…and your dad's…"
"Just spit it out, Brock."
"Ash, I'd like to adopt you."
Ash's mouth fell wide open. "You WHAT?!"
"What are you talking about, Brock?" an equally stunned Misty asked.
"Well, since Ash doesn't have any parents and he's not an adult, they might send him away," Brock explained rapidly. "Since I'm legally an adult now, I could adopt Ash and take care of him until he's eighteen. Besides, it really wouldn't be any different from what we're doing now since I kind of watch out for both of you guys, anyway."
"Oh, Brock, I think that's the nicest, most generous thing you've ever done," Misty exclaimed as she hugged Brock enthusiastically.
"What about it, Ash? Do you want me to keep on cooking for you for the next few years?" Brock said with an uneasy grin.
Ash smiled grimly. "Thanks for the offer, Brock, but I'm gonna have to turn you down."
"What? What do you mean, Ash?" Misty asked, surprised.
"According to the letter that Professor Oak left for me, my real dad's alive somewhere. And I guess I'm gonna have to go find him." Ash took the letter out of his pocket.
Brock took the letter and read it as Misty hovered over his shoulder.
"I didn't know you were named after Professor Oak," Brock said as he handed the letter back to his friend.
"Neither did I," said Ash as he folded the letter and placed it back into his pocket. "So what do we do now?"
"I think the first thing you need to do is get in touch with your father," said Brock.
"And how am I gonna do that, Brock? I don't even know who my father is!"
"You mean your mother never told you about your father?" Misty exclaimed in surprise.
"No, she didn't, Misty!" Ash shot back angrily. "All I know is that he walked out on Mom when she got pregnant with me."
"I'm sorry, Ash," Misty said with a quavering voice. "I…I didn't know…"
Ash immediately felt sorry for being so harsh with her. "Sorry, Misty. It's just that I don't really know what to do now."
"I have an idea," said Brock. "Do you know where your birth certificate is?"
"Mom kept all that stuff in a box in the closet in her room. I don't know if it's in there or not."
"Then why don't we head back to your house and look for it?" Misty suggested.
"I don't know if I ever want to go back there, Misty," Ash said as his voice start to shake. "Not after what…what happened."
Brock laid a hand on his friend's shoulder. "We understand, Ash. But I think this is important enough that someone has to go find it."
"I'll do it, Ash," Misty volunteered. "Give me the key to your house and I'll go look for it."
"Are you sure you wanna do this, Misty?" Ash said reluctantly as he handed her the key to his house.
"I'm sure, Ash," said Misty determinedly. "Like Brock said, this is too important to not look for it. I'll be back as soon as I can." Misty took off running down the hill and disappeared down the road to Pallet. Twenty minutes later, Misty came panting up the hill with a green and white shoebox in her hands.
"Hey, you found it!" Ash exclaimed as he took the shoebox from her and began rummaging through the contents.
"Are you okay, Misty?" Brock asked, noticing that she seemed a bit pale.
"I'm okay, Brock," Misty whispered. "It's just that it was kind of strange being in there where…where they found Ash's mom." Even though the authorities had cleaned up the bedroom where Delia and Mimie were slain, Misty had still felt ill from just being in the same room where the murders had taken place.
"Found it!" Ash exclaimed triumphantly as he held up an envelope marked "Ash's birth certificate". He eagerly opened it and started reading. "Lessee, where do they put…Aha! 'Mother's name, Delia Marie Ketchum', father's name is…" The color immediately drained out of Ash's face and his hands started shaking violently. "No…oh no…it can't be!"
"Can't be what, Ash?" Misty asked with concern.
"It's a lie! It's not true!" Ash flung down the piece of paper and started running in the direction of the cliff at the edge of the cemetery.
"Ash, no!" Brock raced after his friend and tackled him just as Ash reached the edge of the cliff.
"Let go of me, Brock! Let go of me!" Ash raged as he fought to free himself of Brock's grasp.
"No! I'm not going to let you hurt yourself!" Brock panted as he tried to pin down Ash's flailing body. "I'm not going to let you do something stupid!"
"Let me go, Brock! Let me go!" Ash cried. "I'd rather kill myself than be known as….as…HIS son!"
"His son? What are you talking about?" Brock asked, puzzled.
"This," Misty said as she came running up with a piece of paper in her hands that clearly read:
Father's name, Giovanni Cambuzzo Peccati.