Hey guys, Jeff here!

I do apologise for the lack of chapters for this story recently, since I have been working on something that I have wanted to do for a long time, so that's why I'm kind of busy here and there; but at least now, I have written one, so it's good! :D

By the way, this chapter is straight after the last one.

Without further ado, let's get to reading...


Professor Oak sighed. "Well, his handle name is out of the question, but his real name was, if I remember correctly… Aldrich Ketchum…"

Ash paused for a moment. How could this be? He didn't imagine that this person whom started and undergone the experiment would be his father, his long lost father. Wait, maybe he is thinking too far. Maybe it is just pure coincidence that this person whom they are talking about just had the same last name as himself. It could be that he actually doesn't know this person at all. There's still that slight of hope in Ash, how this person might not be the person whom he knows, but he still doesn't know for sure. He knows it's possible, but it's also not possible. He doesn't know at this point, but this definitely arose some questions in his mind, more than he could imagine right now.

To be honest with himself, he doesn't really know what to do right now. Ash knows that he needs to find his father, which he knew that he vanished some years ago, if he remembers what his mother said to him correctly, around the same time that this experiment was undertaken. Who knows? Maybe there might be connection between this scientist who experimented on these children, like himself and Serena. Maybe it might even be the same person for all he knows. For now though, Ash doesn't really have a lead, or to be precise, he doesn't want to believe. He thinks that this person is not his father, but he couldn't be sure as of now.

Ash gasped. "P-Professor… it c-couldn't be- is it- I don't know~ h-how~"

Professor Oak shook Ash, trying to gain his consciousness again. "Ash! Ash! Calm down! Listen to me!"

Ash looked at Professor Oak with dead eyes. "But, Professor… who is that person… who is Aldrich… is he… could he be… no, I mustn't think that… dad won't do that to us… right, Professor?"

Professor Oak smiled, as a way to reassure Ash. "To tell you the truth, my boy, no one knows who this person is~"

Ash took a seat. "What do you mean by that, Professor?"

Professor Oak sat down in his chair again. "Well, my boy, remember when I mentioned that the experiment was a failure due to one test subject becoming uncontrollable?"

Ash nodded. "Yes, I remember."

Professor Oak coughed. "After the failure, according to the investigators who looked into amongst the wreckage, there was no trace about the details of the experiment, only vague details remained, which is the information I told you."

"But, what does this have to do with Aldrich?" Ash asked eagerly.

"How there was no traces were a mystery…" Professor Oak continued. "…but, what left everyone puzzled is where has everything about the experiment gone? That's the real question."

"Maybe it might have been the explosion that caused damage, which then destroyed the data." Ash commented.

Professor Oak nodded. "Yes, that was the same theory that the authorities came up too, but apparently it was wrong."

Ash titled his head. "How come? I mean, there's no other way, right?"

Professor Oak sighed. "What others came up as a theory was how Aldrich may have taken the data~"

Ash stood up from his seat once again. "H-How come?"

Professor Oak sighed. "Well, a witness from one of the lab assistants apparently saw Aldrich copied all of the data to this one memory stick and then deleted everything else after that. He retained the data and results about the experiment in this case~"

"Professor, has this memory stick been found?" Ash interrupted.

Professor Oak scratched his head. "Well, the thing is, my boy… it hasn't been found... just like its owner, Aldrich, hasn't been found as well."

Ash stomped his foot out of frustration and anger. Who can really blame him at this point for getting a bit angry? I mean, Ash had the perfect lead in order to find out everything about this whole disaster of an experiment, how he can know about himself, Serena and the others who are involved, how he can find out what kind of powers are possessed into them. If what Professor Oak is saying is true, then Ash needs to find this memory stick and recover it, and then do the research himself, since he can find out about everything and anything he needs to know. He doesn't want to not know anymore, he is now very desperate to know. He cannot wait anymore, he doesn't want his own and real identity be hidden from himself anymore. He wants to know the truth.

"Professor, does anyone have a lead as to who is Aldrich or where is he currently at?" Ash requested quite hastily.

Professor Oak gave out a nervous smile. "But, there isn't a trace on Aldrich. No one knows where he is, not even me."

Ash went up to Professor Oak. "Please, Professor. I need to find out about my past as well as this experiment of his. Where can I find him~"

Professor Oak sighed. "Whoever is in a hurry shows that the thing he is about is too big for him. That saying is true about you right now, my boy."

"I don't have the time to wait, Professor." Ash complained. "I need to find out about it now!"

Professor Oak shook his head. "I'm sorry, Ash, but I say everything will reveal itself in due time. You will find out about everything, about your past, about yourself, about the experiment when it's the right time for you to find out."

Ash sighed. "Well, I guess you're right about that Professor…"

Ash clenched his fists. He feels really betrayed right now, but wait, is that even the right word to use right now? What Ash feels right now is unknown to him? Is he glad that Professor Oak helped him in such a way, telling him what he knows? Is he also irritated that he couldn't find out anything other than the bare minimum of details? He knows what he wants now, since he found out even more and how he got some hints about which direction to go to at this moment, but still, he doesn't actually know his first move just yet. Well, he knows that he needs to find Aldrich, but the problem is how is he going to do that? He doesn't even know where to start, but who knows, maybe he might figure something out sometime that would help him even more about information.

Ash nodded. "I understand, Professor. Thank you for your time."

Professor Oak smiled as he stood up from his seat. "No problem, Ash. Come to me anytime if you have any problems like this."

At that point, Ash then exited Professor Oak's office, leaving quietly as he was as he went in. Actually, Ash is now kind of contented with what he found out, since now, he knows more than he could ever know. Given the information that Professor Oak had given him now, he now has a lead as to what actually happened, what happened to himself, but also he found out even more about Serena's past. Now though, the question for himself is that: is he going to keep it to himself? It's true that he needs to use the information that he found with Professor Oak's help, but what he's not sure about is whether to tell this to anyone else? Does he have anyone he trusts that he could pass on and maybe ask about if they too have further information? It's still too risky to do, but for now, he should just keep it to himself for the time being, especially watch out to not tell it to Serena, because she might get hurt even more.

"You'll find out eventually, Ash." Professor Oak whispered to himself. "About your past, about Serena, about what happened, and… about your father."

(With Ash, in the school corridors)

Ash walked along, thinking about his next move, his next step as to what he needs to do next and how is he going to do it. He doesn't really know yet, but as Professor Oak said, only time will tell when can he actually find out everything else. He got his lead, which is this memory stick that holds every bit of information he needs to get his hands on, but the problem is: where is it? For now, he decided to just stick this information to himself and not spread it around the place, especially to his friends and more importantly, Serena, because he knows that this is not what Serena's needs right about now. He knows that she needs comfort and safety more than anything else, especially when something recent happened, as a matter of fact, just last night.

At that moment, Ash stopped walking all of a sudden. He spotted someone whom he thinks is a bit suspicious. From his perspective, it looks like someone who is waiting for him, as by the pose of this person standing in the corridor. This person is leaning on the wall with crossed arms and then his right foot on the wall whilst his head is down. It looks like he is waiting for someone, but when there are no doors or classrooms around here, then it must be that this person is waiting for someone to pass by. Since there isn't anyone around other than Ash, then it must mean that this person is waiting for him. That must be it.

Ash continued to approach this character, to see who it is. As Ash got closer and closer to where this person is standing, Ash can make out who it is. From what he can see, it's someone who has got green hair and is wearing casual clothes. Ash approached him even more, and as he homed into view, he then made out at who it was. It was Drew.

Ash smiled. "Oh, good morning, Drew. How's it going?"

Drew looked at Ash whilst retaining his pose. "Nothing much."

Ash scratched the back of his head. "So, what's up? It seems you're waiting for me, right?"

Drew nodded. "Yeah, I am. I have a favour to ask of you, Ash."

"Yeah, what is it?" Ash replied with a question.

Drew flicked his hair. "Can you meet me at the back of this building afterschool? I've got something to say to you there."

Ash tilted his head. "Well, can't you say it right now? Does it have to wait? I got some stuff to do afterschool, so~"

Drew sighed. "Please, Ash. I'll see you there, okay? Make sure you are there."

As Drew started to walk away, Ash stopped him for a second. "D-Drew? What's going on? Why are you acting like this?"

Drew shook his head. "You'll understand when you come after school, okay? I'll explain everything then, and you'll explain yourself then."

Ash nodded, and then sighed. "Well, if that's what you want, then I'll go."

Drew started to walk away as he waved out his hand. "I'll see you there, dawg."

As Drew walked away, Ash wondered why Drew was acting like this all of a sudden. He doesn't really know why he is acting like this. He knows Drew. They have known each other since they were still young, not that young, but around the age of ten or so. They have been together for quite a long time, so it is very easy for Ash to spot that Drew has this change of personality all of a sudden. He doesn't really know why, but something must have triggered him to act upon like this. He doesn't really know what it is, but Ash has got a clear suspicion that it's something related to what happened recently. Nothing major is happening anyway, so there's nothing that he could be angry or upset about, since it looked like he was in the first place. What could it be?

As Ash started to walk along the corridors once again, which is starting to fill with many students, since time has passed when Ash first walked into Professor Oak's office and classes are going to start soon, so that explains it. At this moment in time, Ash is still wondering what happened to Drew, since there is definitely something very different about him, like there's something wrong with him or something like that. What could it be though?

Ash gasped. He thought about something that couldn't possibly be true, but there's also a possibility that it can be. Ash has thought up of something that maybe is true, but also maybe isn't true. He thinks that Drew heard Professor Oak and his conversation the whole time. Maybe he didn't meet with the group this morning and went straight to Professor Oak's office to eavesdrop and then as Professor Oak and Ash's conversation finished, then he went back a bit and pretend that he wasn't there. Maybe that might be the case. If so, then Ash has got a lot of explaining to do, otherwise, he needs to prepare himself for the worse.

'I definitely need to meet him, right after this idea popped out of my head.' Ash thought. 'We'll see.'


There you have it, guys! Chapter 18 is done! Hopefully you have enjoyed this chapter! :D

Wow, what can I say from this chapter! Seems Drew might be up to something that we don't know. Also, what will Ash do now? What is his next move as to finding out this mysterious person called 'Aldrich'? Is it really his father or just someone else? Find out next time ;D

Anyways, I'll see you all in the next chapter, but also please put your thoughts of this story in the reviews! Please show some support!

But also Private Message me for any story suggestions!

Also, please check me out on Twitter at jeff_amour if you can for updates of my stories!

So, that's it from me!

See ya! Have a great day!