The Road to our Destiny

Chapter 4

Serena pats her belly after finishing her lunch. As much as part of her conversation with Delia dampened her spirits, she can't deny that her crush's mom is a remarkable cook. Delia smiles brightly, pleased to see the honey blonde girl looking a little better. Then Serena stands up and turns to the woman with a kind smile.

"Thank you so much for lunch, Mrs. Ketchum," she says politely.

"My pleasure, dear," Delia replies. "So what are you going to do now?"

"Well, I figure now is a good time as any to visit my old house," Serena answers.

"Your old house?" Delia asks, confused.

"Yes, my mom and I used to live in Pallet Town briefly before we moved to Kalos," Serena explains.

'Aw, how nice," Delia says with a smile. "Have fun."

"Thanks, Mrs. Ketchum," Serena replies. "See you later."

The honey blonde girl leaves the house, and Delia starts putting away the dishes. Just as she begins filling the sink with soapy water, she hears two sets of footsteps walking down the staircases, and she smiles. She turns her head to see Ash and Pikachu groggily entering the kitchen with the former letting out a low yawn.

"Good afternoon, sweetie," Delia greets sweetly.

"Hey, Mom," Ash replies in a tired voice. "Man, did I sleep."

"You sure did," Delia says as she fills a plate with Ash's lunch and places it on the table. "Serena just left to go look at the house she used to live in."

Ash turns to his mom and looks at her in confusion before he puts the pieces together.

"That's right, she used to live in Pallet Town," he says with a smile. "How could I forget? She was the girl with the straw hat."

Delia looks at her son curiously as she puts down a bowl of Pokemon food for Pikachu.

"You mean she was the girl you helped back in summer camp when you were little?" She asks.

"Yeah, and when she found out I was in Kalos she came to see me again, and that's when I eventually invited her to join me, Clemont, and Bonnie on our journey," Ash explains.

Delia looks down at the floor and scratches her chin in thought as she puts some of the pieces together. She then looks up at Ash, who is happily eating his lunch and sighs before deciding to sit in the chair next to him.

"Ash, what do you think of Serena?" She asks.

Ash stops eating and turns to his mother, confused as if he heard her ask a question that is supposed to be hard but isn't.

"I think she's a great friend," he says with a smile. "She's kind, strong, encouraging, a wonderful performer, a great pastry chef -"

"That's all great, honey, but let me rephrase my question," Delia interrupts. "How much do you care about her?"

Ash tilts his head even more confused.

"What do you mean? I already said she'd a great friend," he says.

"Yes, but you ever think of her as more than that?"

But instead of answering, Ash keeps staring at his mother. Delia sighs, accepting that her son still doesn't understand what she's getting at. She clasps her hands together and stares at Ash, ready for a serious talk.

"Ash, I think it's time I talk to you about something that boys your age sometimes think about that you aren't aware of," she announces. "I guess it's partly my fault. You were growing up becoming so passionate about Pokemon, just like your father and your grandfather, and I love that about you so much that I encouraged you all the way. But I guess in the process of doing that; I never lectured you about other important things that can happen in your life. But now that you are 14 years old, now is good a time as any that I try to fix that."