A couple of hours later, Delia quietly made her way downstairs to the living room. Lying on the floor snoring was Brock in his sleeping bag. Tracey was sprawled over one couch while Misty and Ash lay side by side on the sofa bed in the middle of the room. Misty's arm was wrapped protectively around Ash's waist, her face buried in the boy's dark, messy hair.
And then Delia understood why Ash hadn't sought her out last night. Figuring that her son and his friends needed their sleep, Delia left them alone and quietly headed down the hallway to the kitchen.
Professor Oak was awakened a few minutes later by a soft tapping on his bedroom door.
"Sorry to wake you, Sam," Delia said apologetically as a groggy-looking Professor Oak answered his door. "But I thought you might like a cup of hot tea." She held out a cup to him.
"Thanks, Delia. That's very thoughtful of you," Professor Oak replied, taking the cup from her. "Want to come in for a while?"
Delia stepped inside his bedroom and silently shut the door behind her.
"Everyone still asleep?" Professor Oak asked, taking a sip of his steaming Indigo Spice tea.
Delia nodded. "I figured they all needed their rest, so I left them alone."
"Did Ash come up to see you during the night?"
Delia shook her head sadly. "No. My little boy's growing up."
"What do you mean, Delia?"
"Oh, Sam, I knew this day would come someday," Delia sighed. "My little boy doesn't need me anymore."
"I don't understand, Delia."
"When I went downstairs, he and Misty were curled up together on the sofa bed," Delia explained.
"On the sofa bed? They weren't…uh…doing anything, were they?"
"No, they both had their clothes on…I checked. But maybe you should have a talk with Ash about…well, about that sometime soon."
Professor Oak choked on his tea. "Me? Delia, you're Ash's mother. Shouldn't you...?"
Delia shook her head. "No. Ash needs to learn about becoming a man from another man. And you're the closest thing Ash has to a father nowadays."
"Well, all right," Professor Oak said hesitantly. "I'll have a talk with him about it sometime in the near future. Meanwhile, how are you doing, Delia? Did you sleep all right?"
"Not great," Delia yawned. "I spent most of the night thinking about how much my poor baby is hurting right now and wishing I could do something to make him feel better."
Professor Oak guided Delia to his bed. "Why don't you lie down and sleep for a little longer, Delia?"
"Aren't you coming back to bed too, Sam?" Delia asked as Professor Oak tucked her in.
"No. I have to take care of the Pokémon. I figured that Tracey would be too tired after staying up with Ash and his friends last night." He bent down and kissed her softly on the lips. "But you just lie there and rest."
"Love you, Sam…" Delia mumbled as her eyes closed.
"I love you too, Delia," Professor Oak whispered back as he shut the bedroom door behind him.
-
As the grandfather clock in the hall struck nine, Tracey's eyes fluttered open.
"What th'…?" He glanced up at the clock. "Oh, no!" The boy threw aside his blanket and leapt up from the couch.
Professor Oak's gonna kill me, Tracey thought as he frantically dashed out of the living room. I overslept and forgot to feed the Pokémon. The boy was so panicked that halfway down the hall he ended up colliding with his boss.
"Oh, Professor…I'm so sorry," Tracey gasped as he helped the older man up. "I overslept, but I didn't mean to…honest! I'll go feed the Pokémon right…"
"Tracey, it's all right. I already took care of the Pokémon this morning," Professor Oak reassured his young assistant.
"You…you did?"
"Yes. I figured that you and your friends wouldn't get much sleep last night since you were staying downstairs to console Ash. I thought that it'd be best to let you sleep in this morning."
"Thanks, Professor," Tracey replied gratefully as he yawned. "We all stayed up pretty late last night reminiscing about our adventures with Pikachu."
"Sort of like a wake?" Professor Oak smiled as the two headed down the hallway to the lab.
"Yeah. We're all gonna miss that little guy."
"I will too, Tracey." Professor Oak nodded in the direction of the kitchen. "Why don't you go get some breakfast? Delia's in the kitchen making blueberry pancakes for everyone."
Tracey sniffed the air appreciatively. "I thought I smelled something yummy."
"Oh, Tracey…when you're done eating, I need you to get the place ready for the mourners."
"Mourners?"
"All of the Pokémon whose lives Pikachu touched are coming to pay their respects before the funeral this afternoon. When I went out to take care of the Pokémon this morning, Bulbasaur said that he was going to gather everyone together for the visitation."
"Good ol' Bulbasaur," Tracey smiled sadly. "I'll bet he's taking it the hardest since he was friends with Pikachu longer than any of the other Pokémon here."
"I think that's why he also feels that it's his responsibility to gather all of Pikachu's old friends together," Professor Oak said. "He told me this morning that Noctowl arrived with Squirtle late last night and that Pidgeot will be here with Charizard soon."
"It'll be good to see those guys again. I just wish it could be under different circumstances."
"So do I, Tracey. So do I. Anyway, go get something to eat now. We've all got a long day ahead of us."
"Morning, everyone," Brock yawned as he came down the hallway.
"Good morning, Brock," smiled Professor Oak. "How did you sleep?"
"Fair. Misty and Ash are still crashed on the couch," the boy replied.
"Brock, if you don't mind my asking, how long have Ash and Misty been…involved?" Professor Oak inquired curiously.
"As long as I've known them," Brock smiled.
"Yeah. Those two have been crazy about each other for a long time. At least as long as I've known them," agreed Tracey.
"Misty's had a crush on Ash for years," Brock explained. "And even though they get on each other's nerves all the time, it's cute to watch them together."
"Ah, I see," said Professor Oak. "Um, Brock…have you ever discussed, uh, matters of the opposite sex with Ash?"
"You mean the birds and the Beedrills talk? Yeah, I gave him all my insight on how to woo women," Brock said with a grin.
"Why, Professor?" asked Tracey curiously.
"Never mind, Tracey. It's not important right now," Professor Oak said. "I have some work to do in the lab right now, so why don't the both of you go get some breakfast?"
"I thought I smelled blueberry pancakes," Brock smiled, sniffing the air. "I gave Mrs. Ketchum my recipe the last time I was here."
-
The sunlight streaming in through the picture window overlooking Pallet Town awakened Ash a half hour later. The boy opened his eyes and found himself face to face with Misty, who lay curled up against him, her arm draped across his. The girl stirred, and her eyes slowly opened.
"Hi, Ash," Misty whispered softly. "Doing okay?"
"Were you here with me all night last night, Mist?" Ash asked, gazing into her eyes.
"Yeah. I wasn't going to leave you," she replied, giving Ash's arm a gentle squeeze.
"Thanks, Misty," Ash replied with a slight smile. "That means a lot to me."
"I'll always be here for you, Ash. Today, tomorrow, and always. Don't ever forget that." She leaned over and kissed him softly on the lips.
"I love you, Mist," Ash whispered softly once their lips parted.
"I love you too, Ash," Misty whispered back. "And I'm going to help you get through all this."
Ash glanced at the table where Pikachu lay. "I don't know if I'm ever gonna get over this, Misty."
"Bulba," grunted a Pokémon who had just appeared in the doorway.
Ash managed a tiny smile at the sight of his old Pokémon. "Hey, Bulbasaur, ol' buddy."
The Pokémon leapt onto the bed and nuzzled its former trainer's arm comfortingly. "Bulbasaur."
"You miss Pikachu too, don't you, Bulbasaur?" Ash said, giving his Pokémon a hug.
"Saur," the Pokémon nodded. Jumping down from the bed, Bulbasaur made its way over Pikachu's casket.
"Bulba-bulba-saur." ("Pikachu, old friend, the other Pokémon and I have come here today to honor your memory.") A vine slowly snaked out of the Pokémon's back and gently caressed Pikachu's head. Bulbasaur then turned and made a motion with its vine to the other Pokémon waiting in the hallway.
"Look, Ash!" Misty exclaimed in surprise. "Everyone's come to pay their respects to Pikachu."
Ash turned and saw all of his old Pokémon waiting in the hallway – Bayleef, Totodile, Noctowl, Cyndaquil, Phanpy, Muk, Heracross, Kingler, Snorlax, and…
Ash leapt up from the bed and ran to embrace a small, blue turtle Pokémon that was wearing dark sunglasses.
"Squirtle, ol' buddy…I'm so happy to see you again!"
The turtle Pokémon removed its sunglasses and looked over at where Pikachu lay.
"Squirtle," he said sadly as his eyes began to redden with tears.
"Oh, Squirtle…" Ash felt his tears starting too.
"Char?" growled another Pokémon.
"Char…?" Ash looked up in surprise and saw a huge, orange, dragonlike Pokémon stomping its way down the hall. "Charizard!" Ash ran to his old friend and hugged him tightly.
"Geot," said another Pokémon wearily.
"Pidgeot!" exclaimed Ash as the exhausted Pokémon fluttered through the doorway. It had spent most of the previous night flying to and from Charific Valley to tell Charizard of Pikachu's death.
"Oh, Pidgeot, ol' buddy, you look beat," Ash said, stroking the brown feathers on the Pokémon's back. "Misty, don't put the bed back yet. Let Pidgeot lie down for a while."
Misty, who had been in the middle of folding up the sofa bed to make room for all the mourners, unfolded it. Pidgeot gratefully perched itself atop one of the pillows and promptly fell asleep.
"Oh, guys, I'm so happy to see all of you again," Ash said as he hugged both Squirtle and Charizard to him tightly.
"Hey, guys! Look!" exclaimed Brock as he stuck his head out of the kitchen. "It's Charizard and Squirtle!"
"It's good to see you guys again," said Tracey, who had just appeared behind Brock.
"Ash, sweetie, are you awake?" Delia appeared behind Tracey.
"Yeah, Mom," Ash called out.
"Come and have something to eat, honey," Delia said. "I made pancakes."
Ash shook his head. "Not right now, Mom. I wanna spend some time with Squirtle and Charizard."
"It's okay, Mrs. Ketchum," Misty said, taking the tray of pancakes from Delia. "I'll make sure Ash eats something."
Oh, Ash…why did you have to grow up so fast? Delia thought sadly as she watched the girl head down the hallway to her son. Dabbing her eyes with the corner of her apron, she turned and headed back to the kitchen to clean up.
To be continued…