Everything's Fair in Love and War - An Amourshipping story

Chapter 17 - Family Reveals

"What's that, Daddy?" a small figure asked, poking its head to peep into the study; 'Daddy' turned around to face her. "I'll show you" he said, walking up to her.

Serena nodded.

He brushed his fingers on the flap and opened it. Kneeling down to her level, he took out the multi-coloured papers that sat in there. "See these?"

She carefully observed the maps and the graphs that were drawn onto the papers. Each place was marked with a different colour and there were multiple little scribbles under each name. Out of the ones she could actually read, she made out that they were all names of precious jewels.

"Cerulean city - opals; Pallet town- rubies; Pewter city - diamonds. But these are all from Kanto"

"Uh huh" he said, placing them in her hand "These jewels are the ones that Daddy found while he was still there. These are the jewels that the king still hasn't discovered"

She fiddled with the paper to get it positioned straight. "So?" she asked, lowering it from her face "What do I do with them? He's all the way in Kanto and we live here. He'll never know we have it."

"I don't want him to have it" he said, placing a hand on her shoulder "I want you to have it"

"But I don't know how to dig up rubies" she cocked her head.

"No, Serena" he laughed, ruffling her hair "I want you to keep it till the time is right"

"Huh?"

"One day, you'll go back to Kanto. On that day, I want you to hand it over to your friend"

Her eyes lit up "Ash?" she asked, bouncing on her toes "Should I give it to Ash?"

Grey could only smile. "Yeah. You have to give it to Ash. But, you should wait till his coronation"

"But he's the younger brother" her face dropped "He won't have a coronation. He can't be the king"

"He will. He will. I'm sure"

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The rest turned their heads towards Ash, waiting for his response. After finishing her tale from the past, she looked up at him.

"Your parents knew?" he finally asked.

Serena only nodded. The lump in her throat her, forbade her from saying anymore. She didn't want to break down in front of everyone here.

"Gary" Paul said "Let him know"

He took a deep breathe before he began. "Her parents knew all of your Dad's plans." He said "He had, well before, discussed that Alec would leave once he turned eighteen"

"What! What for?!"

"Red wanted him to take over all the other regions." Gary replied "You know, to increase revenue and power. Alec obeyed eagerly and without letting your mother or you know about it, he set off.

"All those times that he and Grey would talk, Red would go on and on about this amazing plan of his. But once they lost all their money, Red had to ensure that they never let any of his plans out"

"So they caused the accident?" Ash asked. His eyes turned to Serena for a bit before turning back to Gary.

"Tossing a carriage off won't necessarily be called an accident now, would it?" Paul put in.

"But. But how did you all know?" Ash asked, ending the unearthly silence that had taken over.

"Grey and Grace always knew something would happen, that's why they kept a copy with Serena." Gary answered "They were supposed to give the file to my parents who were at the port waiting to leave for Kanto

"Once mum and dad got it, they were supposed to hand it over to Professor Oak, my grandfather, and he was supposed to reveal the bad intentions to Delia. After that, the file was supposed to be given to you, to use once you were the king.

"Just like Serena was, even I was told about it and just like her, I lost my parents too. But, I didn't go to someplace friendly, like the neighbour, instead I got dropped right in front of the castle and Alec had to take me in.

"That's where I met Paul. His family's kingdom back at Sinnoh was all killed, but he was spared because Alec thought young boys like us could be trained to perfection. Once Paul came to know what really happened, he offered to help me defeat Alec. But for that we had to make sure we stayed alive"

Ash could only stare. His heart and mind were shaken. The brother he had looked up to with such admiration was a ruthless beast.

"Alec killed off all the weak soldiers and since we were his 'prized possessions' he made us his generals" Paul smiled as he continued "We had gotten exactly what we wanted"

"Just like the Yvonnes, even my family were very close friends of the Ketchums" Gary added "We met them, even before I was born. But, once we lost all our wealth....."

"You had to flee to Hoenn" Ash finished the sentence.

"Yup"

He wanted to kill Alec; wipe him and all of his ways straight off the earth, but there was a part of him that kept reminding him that he's family. How much ever he tried, he couldn't get rid of it, anything he tried, it would come rising again and he would be thrown back to square one.

Gary's hands which were folded dropped. Assuming that Ash had taken in everything he spoke up "We came here with a plan" he said "But it might be slightly risky"

"Risky for whom?" Ash asked, leaning against the desk "Alec?"

"He's going to get killed off anyway" he smirked in reply.

Killing thousands, making many people homeless, forcing them to start anew. He was a heart less, cruel, cold-hearted beast, who had taken lives to gain victory.

If taking one life meant saving billion others, he shouldn't care. He wouldn't care anymore.

From this point Alec wasn't family, he was an enemy. And like every enemy he had to be destroyed too.

Ash grunted "Then, what are we waiting for?"

A/N ------------------------
I am such a bozo.
This is the SECOND time that I numbered a chapter wrong. 16 to 19.
17 and 18 are probably feeling betrayed and hurt because I forgot them.
Guess I'll never learn.