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Hope

Part Seven

After spending two weeks under Grace’s roof, Ash decides that it’s time to leave. Grace has been an amazing caretaker to him and his Pokémon. Everyone’s moods are high and their strength regained. Sitting across from a fireplace has definitely been an improvement over being chained to a metal bed. Although he feels he could benefit from staying another week, he knows he needs to leave. He’s beginning to get comfortable. He realizes that if he doesn’t start his plans now- he may never. Also, the sooner he starts, the sooner he can go home –hopefully. 
On his decided last day, Grace enters the living room carrying a brown package tied with rope. It’s about the size of a microwave.
“This came in the mail for you –it’s from your mother.” Grace smiles warmly at the boy and leaves him on the couch with the package. 
Ash slowly pulls the string off the package and strips the box of its paper wrapping. Once opened, he immediately spots a new outfit. Exactly what he needed. It’s darker than his signature blue and lined with black rather than white. Fitting, he thinks. 
He pulls it out and holds it next to himself. It seems it might be a bit baggy considering how skinny he’d became. He also spots a blood red cap. A letter falls out of the hat. He immediately picks it up and unfolds it. 
‘Dear Ash,
I hope this package makes it to you before you start your journey. I was so excited; I immediately went out to find you a new outfit! I hope it fits! I also packed a backpack, a sleeping bag, snacks, and pokeballs! Be careful on your journey. I will eagerly await your return! Please call as often as you can! I love you!
-Mom’
He grins, wondering why he ever thought calling his mom would be a bad idea. 
He grabs the brand new backpack and reaches in; wondering what surprise his mother packed for him. He feels around. His fingers grip something leathery. He pulls it out slowly to discover his Pokémon belt. Attached are ten Pokéballs; Charizard’s and Typhlosion’s as well as eight empty, plain pokeballs. There’s another note. 
‘I don’t care about league rules. You’ll need all the help you can get. I packed as many new pokeballs as the belt would hold. Forget the league rules. I’m sure you’ll find new friends along the way. Please call me whenever you get a chance. I couldn’t stand another two years not knowing where you are. 
Let me know if you need anything else! –Mom’
She thinks of everything!
The last item he spots is the gold luxury ball connected to a black necklace. He knows why his mom sent it, but he also knows that Raichu won’t be happy about it.
He looks outside to the backyard where Charizard, Raichu, Typhlosion, and Ryhorn are basking in the sun. 
“Charizard, Typhlosion, Raichu, we leave at dusk.” 
--
The lights in the lab are all on, but Professor Oak is nowhere to be seen.
“Professor Oak? Are you in here? Samuel?” Delia Ketchum peeks curiously around the lab for Professor Oak, but can’t seem to spot him anywhere. She soon finds herself in a room dedicated strictly to containing Ash’s Pokéballs. She is amazed by the sheer number he had obtained in eight years. The numbers definitely run into the hundreds. The Pokémon are free to roam the pastures and forests around Pallet Laboratory, but most choose to return to their Pokéballs at dusk. Delia doesn’t visit his Pokémon as often as she wishes she would. Until earlier that week she had been devastated at any mention of Ash.  Now she could barely contain her excitement.
“Wartortle!” She startles at the voice. 
“Oh Wartortle! You scared me!” She laughs lightly and kneels next to Ash’s Pokemon; one of his most faithful friends. 
Wartortle just laughs –forever a jokester. 
“Have you seen Professor Oak?” 
“War war!” 
He leads her down hallways and out the back door.
There she spots Professor Oak sitting at a bonfire that’s surrounded by many of Ash’s Pokémon. When the Pokémon who know her well see her, they rush to greet her enthusiastically. 
“Delia!” Professor Oak smiles at the woman as she tries to make her way to him. “We have a bonfire every week. Bayleef, Ivysaur, and Sceptile gather the logs and Infernape lights it. And we just reminisce about -” He stops suddenly; wondering if he should finish. “Well… about Ash.”
Delia just smiles warmly and sits on a log between Floatzel and Noctowl. “That boy, always getting into trouble and then saving the world. You’ve all got some amazing stories I bet. Let’s hear them.”
The group is surprised by Delia’s willingness to chat about her son but they immediately surround the fire once again and start chattering about the good ole’ days. Travelling the world with Ash Ketchum: No better adventure. 
--
After the fire and the conversations die, everyone walks slowly back to the lab –relishing the happy memories that touched their hearts. One by one, the Pokémon return to their capsules. The last to disappear is Wartortle who hugs Delia’s legs. Although a trickster, Wartortle’s heart is large. He feels something is pressing on Delia’s mind. 
“Wartortle wartortle?”
“Can I tell you something, Wartortle?” She checks the hallway where Professor Oak just left down before kneeling next to him. “A secret?”
He just stands straight and nods at her.
“Ash is alive.” Before he can respond, she shushes him.
Excitement washes over Wartortle but he stays quiet in fear of yammering too loudly.
“He called me today. I came here for pokeballs for Charizard, Typhlosion and Pikachu. I don’t think the professor will notice..” She decides not to explain the whole Pikachu evolving into Raichu fact.
“War war wartortle!” He tries to stay as quiet as possible, but he struggles to contain his excitement.
“Isn’t it  fantastic? Hopefully this next quest will be quick and he’ll be able to return home soon!”
Before she returns to the main lab where the Professor is, she peeks around the room for three specific Pokéballs. 
She spots just what she’s looking for on a shelf towards the back of the room. The name ‘Charizard’ is etched in gold script on one capsule on the top right and one, two shelves below, reads ‘Typhlosion’. It’s tradition for a Master’s champion Pokémon to have their names carved into their Pokéballs. The third pokeball is perhaps the easiest to spot. It was a special request that Ash made; a gold decorated luxury ball with a lightning bolt across the top. This makes it easy for Delia to find the Pokeballs she needs.
“Delia, what on earth are you doing?” She spins around to meet Professor Oak eye to eye.
“I –uh. Well, I thought since these pokeballs have been sitting empty for so long I would bring them home and keep them on display in my living room. It would be a good reminder that Ash has three guardian angels looking after him.” She keeps a calm demeanor but she can see he doesn’t buy it. 
“You know that I am charged with the responsibility of caring for Ash’s pokemon and pokeballs.” He shocks her with his bold detainment of Ash’s Pokéballs.
“Samuel, it’s just the pokeballs. You’re just going to have to trust me.” She breathes in sharply and speaks softly; she knows she has to give in a little to get what she wants, “They will be much more useful with me.”
Professor Oak stares her down with a knowing glint in his eyes. Delia is happy again. Delia wants to reminisce about Ash. And now Delia wants to take the pokeballs of Ash’s missing pokemon. Professor Oak is old; not stupid. 
“Alright. I just request that wherever these pokeballs end up, you keep me updated as much as you know.” By this point she is aware that he knows, but nothing needs to be said aloud. He’s comforted by his new revelation while she’s satisfied with his compliance.