003: Ash's Father!
"A Pokémon summer camp organized by Professor Oak this weekend?!" Ash's eyes lit up the moment Delia mentioned it.
Although Professor Oak holds annual Pokémon camps, Ash now mentally an adult with memories of the original manga remembers that one of these camps marked a key memory in his childhood. In Pokémon: The Electric Tale of Pikachu, based on the anime with notable manga-exclusive elements, Ash's first exposure to Pokémon training ideals and rivalries happened in such a camp.
"In that camp… wasn't there a girl from the Kalos region? Wait—wasn't it Serena?" Ash suddenly remembered Serena, who in the anime timeline attended that same summer camp and helped a younger Ash after he injured his knee in the forest.
"How about it, Ash? You've been begging to join Oak's camp forever. If you stay in the hospital two more days, I'll sign you up for it myself," Delia said, her warm voice carrying a mother's mix of discipline and affection.
"Deal! But Mom, no going back on your word! Promise you'll sign me up!" Ash sat up straighter, eager. Even if the camp wouldn't unlock Trainer rights yet, it was an opportunity to build early bonds and gain field knowledge.
"Of course, sweetheart. I'll call Professor Oak later and make sure your name's down for the weekend."
Two days later, Ash—after countless checkups and observation rounds was finally discharged from Viridian City's Pokémon Center hospital branch, where Nurse Joy had personally overseen his care.
"Snorrrrr..." The taxi rumbled gently through the rustic pathways, finally entering Pallet Town. Its engine quieted as it pulled in front of the familiar white fence of Ash's home—a small cottage adorned with flowering bushes and surrounded by rolling green.
"Ash, slow down!" Delia called, watching her son leap from the car with an energy more spirited than when he was first brought in unconscious.
"Ola~ Ola~!" Ash waved cheerfully. Looking at the quaint home, something about its peacefulness, its charm—its realness—struck him deeply. In his previous life, such serenity was fantasy. Now it was his life.
"Ash, help with the luggage, will you?" Delia requested as she fished for the house keys.
"On it!" Snapping out of his awe, Ash grabbed the heavier suitcase and followed his mom toward the front door.
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Ash's family dynamic had always been a mystery. The manga and anime alike never offered clarity about his father. In Pokémon: The Electric Tale of Pikachu, no mention is made, and in the movie adaptations—notably Mewtwo Strikes Back and Lucario and the Mystery of Mew Delia only refers vaguely to Ash's father as "a great Pokémon Trainer."
Fans have long joked with memes like "Is your mother home, Ash? This Pikachu is for you..." implying Professor Oak's involvement. But there's no canonical evidence. More plausible is Oak's close connection to Ash's father, perhaps as an old rival or mentor, explaining his guidance throughout Ash's journey.
In Pokémon: Lucario and the Mystery of Mew, the presence of Aura waveguide—became significant. Ash exhibited the same traits as Sir Aaron, the legendary Aura Guardian, and even temporarily wielded Aura powers. Could this be genetic? Some fans believe Ash is a descendant of the Aura line, hinting that his father may also have been an Aura user or related to Aaron's bloodline.
With these clues in mind, Ash's curiosity about his absent father stirred. Yet, combing through the memories of this body yielded nothing new.
In those memories, the young Ash once timidly asked, "Mom, where's Dad?"
Delia had always answered gently, "Your father's an incredible Trainer. He's traveling the world, just like you will someday."
To a child, it was comfort. To Ash now, it was a red flag. As a reincarnated soul, he could sense it: that father may very well be gone. Still, Delia never remarried, and Pallet Town's culture revered skilled Trainers. It wasn't impossible that Ash's father had once been elite.
Even so, Ash knew his priorities had shifted. His connection with Delia, after two full days of witnessing her care at the hospital, had rooted deeply. She wasn't just a caretaker. She was his mom now.
In the manga, Delia is portrayed as strong, resourceful, and nurturing. Her character often plays the emotional anchor to Ash's wild spirit. Reborn into this life, Ash vowed to treasure her, protect her, and succeed for her.
And despite their closeness, Delia had noticed subtle changes in her son.
Ash was still cheerful and impulsive but more composed. Mature. He helped with the luggage without complaint, and his eyes seemed older, wiser. As she unlocked the front door, she reached out and patted his head softly, smiling.
"Crack."
The door creaked open.
"Ash, why don't you go upstairs and rest? I'll start dinner soon."
"Okay!" Ash climbed the stairs with that boundless energy he always had.
This was his first time home since arriving in this world. Now upstairs in the small wooden house, he turned on the TV—an instinct from his old life. Static gave way to a news program about the upcoming Indigo League qualifiers.
His room was humble but cozy: a single canopy bed, a well-used desk, a shelf of books on Pokémon species, and posters of Kanto's starter trio—Bulbasaur, Charmander, and Squirtle. Just like in the anime, a broken Pidgey-shaped alarm clock sat tilted on his nightstand—Ash had apparently smashed it in frustration more than once.
"Don't worry, Ash," he whispered to the boy who used to live in this body. "I'll carry your dream forward."
Ding dong... ding dong...
"Delia Auntie, is Ash home?" a voice called from the front door.
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