After Rey was born, it was Delia who gave him the name Ash Ketchum. At the same time, in another household in Pallet Town, a boy named Gary Oak was also born.
Although Ash possessed the mind of an adult, he couldn't control his infant body's urges for food, drink, or sleep. Under Delia's meticulous care, Ash grew rapidly. During this time, Ash gradually came to understand his origins—and Delia's story.
Delia was a native of Pallet Town, raised in an orphanage. It was the orphanage director who gave her the name Delia. She grew up to be stunningly beautiful, with a gentle and graceful demeanor that won the admiration of many suitors—yet she turned them all down with a kind smile.
Everything changed when a traveler named Lance arrived. From the moment he first laid eyes on Delia, Lance was smitten by her gentle temperament and virtuous presence.
Lance pursued her with unwavering dedication. After much effort, he finally won Delia's heart. However, because he belonged to the powerful Dragon Clan, he was forbidden to marry an outsider, especially one of such low social status. Despite this, Delia didn't mind. As an orphan, she expected little, and in a world without strict monogamy, she was content to be a concubine.
But reality was far crueler. The Dragon Clan elders disapproved of Delia and saw no value in her. In time, the typical melodrama unfolded—internal clan struggles for leadership. Although Lance and his elder brother had a close relationship, only one could become clan patriarch.
Under the pressure of the clan's elders, the two brothers were forced to compromise. Lance ultimately abandoned Delia.
Six months after Ash was born, Lance came to Pallet Town one last time. He wanted to take Delia back to the Dragon Clan. By that time, his brother had seized control of the clan, aided by Lance's support and his own son—none other than the up-and-coming Kanto Champion, Lance Jr. With power now consolidated, Lance hoped he could finally give Delia a proper place.
But Delia refused. The moment Lance abandoned her, something inside her died. She no longer saw him the same way. Even though she understood the pain he might have carried, she couldn't forgive him for leaving when she needed him most—especially after discovering she was pregnant.
With Delia's firm rejection, Lance had no choice but to leave. He never returned to Pallet Town. From then on, Delia raised Ash on her own. Life was hard. And yet, fate still had one final twist to deliver.
One day, during a routine medical check-up, Delia encountered Professor Samuel Oak, the renowned Pokémon researcher of Pallet Town. The moment he saw her, Professor Oak was stunned. Delia looked remarkably like his late wife.
Years ago, Professor Oak had been a driven researcher, married with one son. His wife was pregnant again—this time with a daughter: Delia.
At the time, Professor Oak had made major breakthroughs in his research. But Team Rocket had taken notice. They wanted his findings for themselves—and targeted his pregnant wife.
Enraged, Professor Oak used the full power of the Oak family to resist, and in the process, Team Rocket suffered a massive defeat. However, his wife had already fled. Alone and in labor, she made it as far as Viridian City before collapsing. A patrolling officer found her and brought her to the hospital, where she gave birth to Delia.
Unfortunately, the delivery was too much for her body. She died from exhaustion shortly after.
Delia became an orphan and was placed in an orphanage, her origins unknown. When Professor Oak finally tracked his wife down, he found only her body. As for Delia, all he learned was that the child had been adopted—vanished into the system.
Despite searching with everything he had, Professor Oak found nothing for many years. The orphanage that had taken in Delia was located in a remote, out-of-the-way place. When she finally came of age, Delia left the orphanage and settled in nearby Pallet Town, becoming one of its earliest residents.
Though Professor Oak also lived in Pallet Town, his laboratory was located deep in the forested highlands on the outskirts. Even on foot, it took over an hour to reach the town proper. Although he had visited the town on several occasions, fate had cruelly kept him and Delia from meeting.
That is, until this chance encounter.
The moment he laid eyes on her, Professor Oak was stunned. He revealed his identity and shared his suspicions. Upon learning that Delia had grown up as an orphan, he immediately arranged a DNA test. The results left no room for doubt—Delia was indeed his biological daughter.
Delia's name was formally changed to Delia Oak. After discovering the truth about her past, Professor Oak was overwhelmed with emotion—and fury. Especially toward the Dragon Clan, the Yulong family. He even contemplated going to war with them.
But Delia persuaded him otherwise.
As for the elders of the Dragon Clan, when they learned Delia was Professor Oak's biological daughter, they were utterly dumbfounded. It was as if a bolt of lightning had struck them from a clear sky. What were the odds? Had they known her true identity, they would never have stood in the way of Lance and Delia's relationship. Unfortunately, it was far too late for regrets.
Time passed. Under Delia's devoted care, Ash grew steadily. Five years went by in a flash. At five years old, Ash began to show signs of extraordinary talent. When it came to learning about Pokémon and absorbing new information, he was a natural.
As for Gary—Professor Oak's grandson—and Ash, the two were raised like brothers. Though they were born around the same time, it was difficult to establish any clear hierarchy between them, so they simply addressed each other by name.
They bickered constantly, but their bond ran deep. Still, Ash was noticeably more mature than Gary. The difference in their upbringing began to show. Ash was focused and disciplined in his studies, while Gary spent his days indulging in sweets and burning through money like there was no tomorrow.
The contrast between the two was stark. Thankfully, Gary wasn't without self-awareness. Realizing that Ash was pulling ahead, he began dedicating more time to studying—driven not just by rivalry, but also admiration.
Professor Oak couldn't have been happier. After all, what grandfather doesn't want to see his grandson grow into a capable young man?
...
TN:
It's AU People~!
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