Chapter 55: Horsea
"Ash, your father's name... I still can't tell you right now. When your strength is sufficient, then I will tell you," Delia said, looking at Ash.
Ash, still in Delia's embrace, heard his mother's words and asked, "Mom, then how strong do I have to become before you'll tell me?"
Hearing Ash, Delia shook her head and said, "Ash, I still can't tell you now. When you win the championship in the Pokémon League competition, then I'll tell you. Okay?"
Hearing Delia's condition, Ash tearfully pulled away from her embrace, then cried out angrily, "Mom! Why?! When I was little, I asked you who my dad was, and you always brushed me off like this! Now I've grown up, and you're still brushing me off! I hate you!" As soon as Ash finished speaking, he ran out, crying.
Brock and the others saw Ash run out crying and chased after him.
Professor Oak, nearby, witnessed this scene and said to Delia, "Daughter! Ash is practically an adult now. Why won't you tell him the truth? And that brat... really! Eight years ago, he suddenly said he was going to Mt. Elite Four to improve his strength. But he left and has been gone for eight years! To this day, not a single piece of news has come back! If you hadn't forbidden me from saying anything, I would suspect he's already dead! Otherwise, how could there be absolutely no news for eight years?"
"Don't say that, Dad! I believe he's not dead! He will come back to find Ash and me! Also, don't you dare tell Ash anything about his father, otherwise I'll hate you for a lifetime!" Delia declared.
Hearing Delia, Professor Oak said, "Daughter! Rest assured! I definitely won't tell Ash! But... what if Ash does win the Pokémon League championship? What if he asks you again then about that brat's affairs? How will you answer?"
Hearing Professor Oak, Delia thought for a moment and said, "Dad... I'll leave this matter to you then. Before Ash turns 20, don't let him win the championship in the Pokémon League competition."
Hearing Delia's request, Professor Oak sighed and said, "Delia! Doing that seems a bit unfair to Ash, doesn't it?"
Hearing Professor Oak, Delia simply glanced sideways at him without saying anything more. ... Seeing Delia's look, Professor Oak quickly said, "Alright, Daughter! I'll arrange it immediately!" After speaking, Professor Oak promptly left the restaurant.
Delia looked towards the restaurant entrance and whispered softly, "I hope Ash can understand my difficulties..."
Meanwhile, on Brock's side, he sat with Ash by the seaside, looking out at the ocean. He said to Ash, "Ash, don't be sad. Your mother isn't telling you, which means she must have her reasons. What you need to do now is get stronger quickly, win the championship in the Pokémon League competition. Your mother said that only if you win the championship will she tell you everything." After speaking, Brock stood up and left, leaving Ash sitting there blankly by the sea.
After Brock left the seaside, Misty immediately ran up beside him and asked, "Brock, Ash, he..."
Before she could finish, Brock interrupted, "Don't ask, Misty. Let's just let Ash think things through properly! I'm going to get something to eat!" After saying this, he went to meet up with Melanie and Daisy.
In the Vermilion City Pokémon Center, two beautiful women, one older and one younger, were sitting in the lobby chatting.
The younger beauty said, "Sister! What are you doing here?"
The older beauty replied, "Isn't it because you said my Pokémon was useless, that its attack did absolutely no damage to that Dragonite? So I came here to see for myself what really happened." Yes, you guessed correctly; the two beautiful women, one older and one younger, were precisely Giselle and her sister, Cynthia.
Just then, Giselle complained, "Sister, then why did you only arrive now?! That bastard left ages ago!"
Hearing Giselle, Cynthia explained, "I had to handle some matters on the way, so I only just arrived now. Also, do you know where Brock was heading?"
Hearing Cynthia, Giselle replied, "I remember one of his companions was going to collect badges."
After hearing Giselle, Cynthia thought for a moment and said, "Then let's go to Celadon City and wait and see! We should be able to encounter him there, right?" As soon as Cynthia finished speaking, she left the Pokémon Center with Giselle, heading towards Celadon City.
Inside a room in a certain hotel/guesthouse in Vermilion City, a young man in his twenties was on the phone. He was heard saying, "Boss, I've checked everywhere in Vermilion City, but I still haven't found the target individual."
Then a voice was heard from the other end of the phone, "Oh. Then come back first."
The man replied, "Okay, Boss," then hung up the phone.
Meanwhile, back with Brock's group, they had already finished eating their meal. Just then, Ash returned. Brock subsequently asked, "Ash, have you thought things through?"
Hearing Brock, Ash nodded, then asked, "Brock... is there anything left to eat? I'm hungry."
Misty, nearby, heard Ash and quickly went to get some food for him.
Ash accepted the food, said "Thanks," and immediately started gobbling the food down. Seeing this, Misty said, "Ash! Eat slower! There's still..."
Brock watched this scene unfold but didn't say anything.
The next day, Brock's group started their new journey again. They walked for an unknown amount of time and arrived at a dock somewhere. Because they had just missed the last scheduled ferry service, they were sitting there bored, watching the sea.
Just then, an injured Horsea suddenly floated to the surface, continuously gesturing towards Brock's group.
"It seems to be trying to say something... Meowth, translate," Brock said after observing the Horsea conveying information.
Meowth, nearby, heard Brock, looked at the Horsea, and saw it whispering continuously. Meowth couldn't hear clearly and said, "Brock! That Horsea is injured; its voice is too soft when it speaks. I can't hear clearly, so I can't translate."
Misty, nearby, heard Meowth and immediately took out a Poké Ball, throwing it towards the Horsea. Subsequently, the Horsea was captured by Misty just like that. After retrieving the Poké Ball, Misty said, "Brock! Quick, come help me treat Horsea!"
After speaking, Misty handed the Poké Ball containing Horsea to Brock. Brock accepted the Poké Ball, released Horsea, looked at the Horsea before him, and then began treating it. After a little while, Brock finished healing the Horsea.
Brock looked at Meowth nearby and said, "Meowth, you can ask Horsea now what it was trying to express earlier."
Hearing Brock, Meowth walked over beside Horsea and started chatting with it about the earlier incident.
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