Pokemon: Lord of the Elements

Hey, everyone! As I said earlier, this would be my newer chapter. I had originally started working on it weeks ago, but my computer was destroyed so I had to start this chapter from scratch. In any regard, I hope you enjoyed the updated other three chapters and I hope you enjoy this chapter as well! Thank you for you reviews, and please keep reviewing! Enjoy!

Chapter 3

The Memories of a Troubled Mind

Brock set a cup of tea in front of Delia as she and all the others sat quietly and patiently on couches in the living room, waiting for Brock to sit down with them. Delia looked at the cup in a grave silence as the others watched her. Serena's eyes had carefully tread between Delia and Ash. The mother and son pair sat in dead silence, both unable or unwilling to break the silence. However, Serena ultimately laid her eyes on Ash, the boy-grown-man she admired and had come love, though fear gripped her heart of ever admitting that truth. But, she still knew in her heart that she loved him. She loved him for his courage, his strength, his kindness, his love for his pokémon, and his ability and desire to never give up.

He was her source of inspiration. His strength had given her the strength to carry on. Perhaps it was why every time she thought she would forget about her feelings for Ash, he would always somehow make her fall for him all over again and deeper. But now, after traveling with him for so long, she could no longer deny her feelings or try to push them away. She was in love with Ash Ketchum, but she couldn't tell him that. She valued their friendship too much to gamble it on the possibility that they might not be together. So, she waited, hoping that he would notice her as a woman. There were moments when she thought she could make a move or when she thought he had noticed her, but if he did, he didn't show it. Yet, there were moments in which she caught him staring at her. It always made them both turn away and blush, though neither of them caught the other in that act.

So Serena remained hopeful that Ash would notice her and love her as she loved him. However, at that moment, all she was truly concerned with was Ash's wellbeing. Seeing the pain in his eyes broke her heart and urged her to do everything she could to help him to smile again. Yet, Serena also saw a sad beauty in Ash. His pain, as painful as it was for her to see him in such a way, reminded her that Ash Ketchum was passionate for those he cared for and for his dreams. There was a deep love in Ash Serena only tasted as one of his friends. The taste was but a drop of the fountain of that deep love, but that single drop was enough to cause her to follow Ash wherever he might lead.

Slowly, Serena stood up and walked a few short steps to where Ash as sitting. Sitting next to him, she placed a comforting hand on Ash's shoulder. Ash stirred slightly and looked over to the hand before his eyes met Serena's. Serena gave him a small smile of condolence and Ash returned the sad smile. He reached with opposite hand and softly clasped her hand on his shoulder in his, causing her to blush.

Misty watched the pair in slight jealousy, but did not have much time to think about it as Brock had come back from the kitchen and sat next to her. There was another long moment of silence until Misty decided to break it.

"I'm sorry for your loss, Mrs. Ketchum," Misty said softly to the woman she had long looked up to as a mother figure. Misty, too, had feelings for Ash, but she wrestled more with her feelings than Serena did. She cared deeply for Ash, but she was never sure how deeply. All she knew for certain was that she frequently alternated between loving him and hating him. It drove her crazy how one guy could make her feel so many emotions at once, but she knew why he could because Misty considered Ash Ketchum her best friend in all the world. Above all, Ash drove Misty crazy with worry.

Much like Delia, Misty had the fear that Ash would run off one day and never come back. Every time he came back home, she wanted to hit him and yell at him for not letting her know every now and then that he was okay. However, she also wanted him to hold her every time he came home and promise her that it was the last time he would run off into the unknown. But, Misty knew that would never happen. Ash was born for adventure. But now that scared Misty more than ever. Ash's loss of his father scared her that she may lose Ash one day, too. However, she knew she couldn't stop Ash from exploring the wide world and searching for pokémon. His determination drew her to him like a moth to the flame.

"Thank you, dear," Delia said to the redhead. "I'm sorry you have to see me this way. And I'm sorry that this sad news had to ruin what should have been a special day for you, Ash."

Ash looked up at his mother and frowned slightly. He saw the pain and tears in her eyes that she usually bore whenever he was about to leave again. She missed her son dearly and wished she could spend more time with him. She watched him grow in every Pokémon League challenge he entered, but she missed him actually growing up. And now he was a man who looked so much like his father did.

"Mom, winning a League isn't anywhere as important as this," Ash said softly. "Dad was family, a person who can't be replaced. A trophy is… just a trophy. It means nothing if you don't have the people you care for."

Delia smiled weakly at her only son. There was so much of his father's wisdom in him, even if he was as dumb as a box of rocks when it came to the concept of romance. Rob would have been proud of Ash and happy to know that Ash had grown up so well. Her gaze then turned from her son to the medallion that was still in her hands. The gems did not give off the soft glow they normally would when around Rob or a pokémon. They simply glimmered and shone in the light. She then looked over near the front door, where Eevee slept a few feet from the door. Rob's old friend was ever on a constant watch, even in sleep, Eevee did not let down his guard. His ears turned every which way, allowing Delia to know that Eevee was in a light sleep and ready to strike anyone that threatened his master's wife. Looking back to her son, she gave Ash the medallion.

"What is this?" Ash asked curiously, taking the medallion into his hands.

"It used to belong to your father," Delia answered plainly.

"Dad was into jewelry?" Ash asked again, near causing Delia to laugh at her son's dorkiness.

"No sweetheart," Delia smiled softly at Ash. "Your father told me once that it belonged to the Ketchum family. That it was passed down between father and son for generations. I asked him how long the family had it, and he would simply shrug and tell me that the Ketchums 'always had it.' I know little about it or where it came from, as does everyone else who has seen it."

"So why aren't you going to keep it, mom?"

"It belongs to you, Ash," Delia said softly. "It's an heirloom, and I know you father would have given it straight to you. Though… I wouldn't exact say that I am happy about you having it."

"Why?" Ash frowned. "What's wrong?"

"That medallion is…." Delia started with a sigh. "I'm not sure how to explain it other than I have seen strange things happen when it is near."

"I don't understand," Ash said slowly, trying to search his mother's eyes for answers.

"I don't expect you to understand," Delia answered. "I hoped that Rob would explain more to you when he would give it to you, but he didn't understand it either. He knew more about it than I did, but that knowledge was extremely little, and he kept it secret from me. Except once…."

"Mom?" Ash asked in concern when she fell silent again for a few moments. As young and fit as Delia Ketchum was, the new adults could see that she was tired. She had suffered much grief from her worry over her son and her late husband.

"It was years ago, Ash," she said finally, as if to the start of a confession to a dark deed she need atonement for. She looked into the eyes of her son with uncertainty and fear. "As you know, your father and I, like you, were born here in Pallet Town. Your father was always so eager and impatient as a child, ready to start a journey with his first pokémon at his side. He would do first and ask questions later, always being on the run when there was adventure afoot."

"Sounds like someone we know," Misty smirked playfully at Ash, who shot her a mock look of annoyance.

"Yes," Delia giggled softly and let out a sigh with a sad smile painted on her face. "Ash is much like his father. Though, Rob used to make a game out of defying death. Ash may put himself in danger consistently, but having others to travel to with has made Ash consider their lives and protect them. Rob used to say: 'when you travel alone, the lives of your pokémon are all that matters to you.' He was always alone in his journeys, though I never understood why. However, my heart tells me that his choice to travel alone had something to do with his medallion.

The day Rob received that medallion was the day he received his first pokémon. Now, Rob and I were the same age, but I did not go as he did. I wanted to go, though. When Rob and I were kids, before he left for his journey, we would often go into the woods in search of pokémon. I loved them as much as he did. Being as energetic and mischievous as he was, though, Rob would torment me. There were times he was nice, but he was always mean in playful way as a boy. Being a young girl myself, I didn't really understand the difference in being mean and playful.

I thought Rob hated me, so I tried staying away from him. However, since he and I were often paired to play together by our own parents, I didn't really have a choice in the matter. He had a habit of trying to make himself the best at everything he could. Naturally, I tried to be rival to him and top him whenever I could. We would fight constantly as kids, yelling constantly. Thankfully we never resorted to physical violence, or we may never have had anymore dealings with each other. Though, Rob would always protect me against bullies. In that sense, we remained rivals, always trying to outdo each other.

When I learned he wanted to be a Pokémon Trainer, I naturally wanted to become one myself. However, before my tenth birthday, my mother had an accident. Naturally, I couldn't let her take care of the diner by herself, so I stayed with her. Rob and I said our goodbyes and he left. It was many years before I saw him again, though he wrote me email letters from time to time. His last letter he wrote me during our childhood was when I turned thirteen, the year I started school in Viridian City. After that, the letters stopped. I thought Rob had forgotten about me. I tried get word about him, but he simply vanished. No one had heard from or about him for months. Even his parents had lost contact with him a year before his final letter to me. Strangely, his father was not worried about it.

'The boy is finding himself,' he said to Rob's worried mother. A month later, he disappeared too. I don't know how long I cried for Rob, wishing for a sign that he was alright. I thought that my young childhood hatred of him for messing with me led to his possible death. I wished I could take it back and be a friend to him instead of never wanting to be around him. The year passed, and I never heard from Rob, and another. When I turned fifteen, I started to forget about him, leaving my mourning in the past. That was when I met Giovanni.

Now, Ash, please understand, I was young and foolish. There was resentment in heart. Resentment for my mother, who I blamed for not being able to explore the world, there was resentment against Rob, who I thought had abandoned me, and I had resentment for my own life in general. I was angry, and Giovanni was a bad boy I was instantly attracted to. His rebellious nature brought out a dark side in me I never thought I had. And since Giovanni was older than me, as well as rich, I thought I could be his to get away from my life.

I had soon found out that he had pokémon, himself, and that he used those pokémon to beat up others and take money from them. I didn't care, he used that money to buy me anything I wanted. In fact, I am ashamed to say, it was a huge turn on for me when he would do that. For two years, I was a part of Giovanni's gang and did everything he asked of me. I also learned of his affiliation to Team Rocket through his mother. She was the leader. My third year of being with him, and final year of school, I had learned that Giovanni committed a murder. While I reveled in his chaos, I had drawn the line at murder. I wanted to leave him at that moment, but I was afraid that Giovanni might hurt me if I tried. He had grown too powerful and too unpredictable for me to leave.

As I gave up hope that I would able to escape from Giovanni, that was when Rob had appeared in Viridian City. It was quite by accident, as I recall. I went out to do my morning run when I ran into him. Well, I actually ran into his Eevee, who seemed overjoyed to see me. At first, I didn't know what was going on, but Rob appeared soon after with that boyish smirk on his face. It had been so many years since I had seen him that I almost completely forgotten what he looked like. It was the fire in his eyes that reminded me of the boy that I knew all those years ago. He had grown well into a man, but he seemed older in his eyes, stricken with cares that I could not begin to guess. But I knew that he was tired, and he was likely more tired than I guessed.

I took him and Eevee to a spot in the Viridian park where I would often go to be alone when I wanted to think. Being mixed up with Giovanni, I spent more time thinking than anything else. I asked Rob where had gone for all of those years and why he stopped talking to everyone, but he shrugged and told me that it was 'better if I didn't know.' As much as I wanted to press him further on the subject, I knew he wouldn't tell me. Even in his old letters to me, he had become vague and secretive. However, hearing his voice instead of simply reading a letter that held no real tone, I had the sense that he was trying to protect me. From what, I could not say, but there was far off look in the stare he gave to the horizon. That was when I noticed his medallion again. How he clung to it as if there were a shield against the seeming nothingness that he stared into!

We talked for a while, though it always seemed I told him of my life more than he told me about his. Though, I couldn't tell him about Giovanni and my part in his misdeeds. However, I began to see a light at the end of my dark tunnel when Rob told me that he was planning on staying in Pallet for a while to rest. He needed a break, or so he told me. He seemed even more tired when he admitted to the desire. I knew that when he had his rest, he would be better to help me, but I had to take my time and get reacquainted with him.

Over the months, I did just that. He came to visit me often since I was still in school, but he would almost always leave as quickly as he came, claiming that he was looking for something. I never truly got an answer about what, but he had become paranoid about the subject and always acting as if saying anything would be dangerous. I remember how cut off he would become in his answers about where he would go or about the fact that his own father disappeared shortly after he lost contact with everyone.

'He had his reasons for leaving,' Rob would tell me whenever I asked and wouldn't say anything more, always having a far off stare in his eye. His being closed off to me made me wonder if he suspected me. It was an irrational fear; how could he have known about what I had done? However, that fear made me confess to him everything that happened before I was emotionally ready to. To my surprise, Rob was understanding. He had sworn to help me and get me back to Pallet. According to him, Pallet Town was heavily watched and secretly guarded by members of the Pokémon League because of Professor Oak's work. How he came by such knowledge, I do not know, but I did wonder if he had become a member.

Now, Ash, you need to understand that what I am about to tell you… is strange. So strange that I thought I was dreaming. Part of me wishes it were a dream, because what happened seemed like a nightmare. Maybe if it were a dream, your father would still be here.

Giovanni lived alone in a mansion on a high hill that happened to overlook the whole of Viridian City to the west. You have seen that mountain range before during your visits to the Indigo Plateau. By his mother's design, since she was the leader of Team Rocket at the time, Giovanni had his own personal guard. Giovanni himself hadn't joined Team Rocket himself just yet, but I remember that he had his Rocket guards hurt members of his gang that displeased him. There weren't many, ten as I recall, but enough to make sure the mansion was well protected.

Rob had requested that I meet him at Viridian's southern entrance in an email he sent me a few days before coming up from Pallet to get me. However, Giovanni got word the day I was supposed to leave that I was trying to escape him and he took me to his mansion. Rob was brave and foolish enough to charge into Giovanni's estate headfirst. I don't know the details, but Rob somehow was able to defeat most of the guards and ran straight into the mansion to save me. But Giovanni was ruthless, fleeing the mansion with me and two of his most loyal guards. He tried destroying the mansion with Rob inside. With the aid of his guards and their pokémon, Giovanni burned down the building while I screamed in terror. But, as I watched the mansion burn down and collapse on itself, Rob stepped out of the flames… and so did a Flareon.

We all watched Rob in amazement and wonder, I in joy and shock, the guards in fear, and Giovanni in bewilderment. His face was downcast when he stepped out of the flames, but when he looked up, his eyes were filled with a terrible rage that I have only seen once. He spoke to Flareon strangely, speaking in a language I had never heard before, and the glowing rage that was in his eyes immediately glowed in Flareon's eyes as well. Flareon then glowed a fiery red and unleashed fire blast that sent Giovanni and his grunts down the hill and into the forest bellow. I was surprised that Rob did not kill them with the power that Flareon displayed, but I suppose that his heart did not compel him to take the life of Giovanni.

Rob took my hand after he sent Giovanni and his guard flying, and we ran south as fast as we could, dodging the main road at all costs. However, Rob was sure that Giovanni might have contacted his mother. If that was the case, then it was possible that Team Rocket was looking for the both of us. On the main road, it would have taken us two or three days to get to Pallet, and twice that through the mountains! We had to get back to Pallet Town as fast as we could. The only other way back to Pallet was the river, but we did not have boat. However, Rob looked at me and grabbed my hands. His eyes pierced mine, but there was a little uncertainty behind them.

'Do you trust me?' he asked calmly. I couldn't help but nod. My life was in his hands, but small glimmer of unease in his eyes lowered my confidence that we had a way to get to Pallet without the main road. He looked at me with nervousness and knelt beside his Flareon. Touching his medallion to Flareon, two of the medallion's gems glowed brightly and Flareon devolved back into Eevee and then evolved into Vaporeon. I couldn't help but sound my astonishment. I wanted to ask him so much, but he told me that we didn't have time for questions. Vaporeon jumped into the river and Rob took my hand. Needless to say, I thought he was mad, as he was walking into the river and dragging me after him. I held my breath before I was pulled under the water and I closed my eyes. However, I heard Rob laughing. Looking at him, I say his blue gem on the medallion glowing. He told me to breathe and that as long as I was holding his hand, I was safe.

Needless to say, I was shocked. Still, he would not answer my questions. It was beautiful, Ash, being able to see everything under the water of the river. All the plants, all the pokémon that swam, all the treasures people lost while fishing… it was magical. I can't begin to tell you how much I dreamed of walking in ocean deeps with Rob after that. By the end of the day, though, we found ourselves back in Pallet. There wasn't much else to tell about that, though. Rob told me nothing of the medallion except that it was extremely old and that Ketchums have always had it. Soon after I turned eighteen, Rob and I got married. And then, a little less than a year later, you were born, Ash. Rob was there for your birth, and was there for you for a couple years, but he got a letter from your grandfather, who we had not heard from since his disappearance, and Rob left. Thankfully, I was not completely alone. The Oaks had become fast friends of ours, so I thankfully had help with you whenever I needed to work in the diner.

I never did see your father again, though he wrote from time to time. It used to be once a month that he wrote, but it steadily turned to once a year. After you left for your own pokémon journey, I received one last letter from your father, stating that he was doing research and that he did not know when we would hear from him again. He told me that he was proud of you and that he would root for you. I never did hear from your father again…. And then Eevee came with the medallion, and I just knew. Your father wanted you to have that medallion, Ash. I'm not sure if trouble and mystery will follow you like it did your father and grandfather, but I do admit that I feel a little better about your safety with it around your neck. I…. I'm so sorry, Ash."

And with that, Delia Ketchum finished her long story, the memories of the love of her life coursing through her mind, and she fell into silence again before placing the medallion in Ash's hands. When it was in his hands, she couldn't help but think about how much like Rob Ash looked, and started to sob once again. Ash and his friends sat in silence, trying to process the information. The girls, with Delia, cried softly, Brock stared at the floor, trying to make sense of the strange story he heard, and Ash simply looked at the medallion in his hands. Tears, too, filled Ash's eyes.

Hey, guys! Thanks for reading. As I said before, I rewrote the other chapters, so you have a longer story to read! With school, I won't have as much time to write as I would like, but I will try to update when I can. Anyway, thank you so much for reading and please leave your reviews. Be safe our there!