Finding Answers (Daisy POV)

“Should we just get it over with?” Paris asks you from across your dining room table. The intention of her coming to Pallet Town with you was to confront your mom about your dad… or rather Tom… Black Jack…

“Or what if we watch a movie?” you suggest pushing what’s left of your eggs around your plate.

“Daisy, I love you. And it’s been great being here, but I still want to continue my journey. I won’t **** you to talk to your mom, but I can’t stay in Pallet forever.” She reaches across the table squeezing your hand.

“You’re just excited to meet the ‘Professor Sessile Oak,’” you tease your sister.

Paris brushes it off, “I mean who wouldn’t be excited about meeting an awesome scientist. If it wasn’t for her research into long term evolution of pokemon as a species, I wouldn’t have my adorable little Tyrunt.”

“Oh, well she’s going to love you,” you say, putting your plate on the floor for Kloo, your Eevee, to finish your breakfast.

“Does that mean we’re going?” Paris puts her plate down for Kloo as well, earning a purr from him.

“Yes, we’re going. We’re going to see my mother.”

You ring the doorbell. Mom opens the door, “Daisy! You’re home, oh and you brought a—“ she pauses staring at Paris. She can see it, of course she can see it. You and Paris could almost be twins, you both have the same raven black hair, that you both got from your father. “A friend,” she finishes, ushering you in.

“Paris is more than a friend,” you start to break the ice.

Mom starts off towards the kitchen, “Oh, that’s nice. I’m so happy you found some one.” The tea tray she carries back into the room rattles. She’s shaking. “How long have you been together,” you’re almost impressed she manages to not spill during her pours.

“Mom, Paris isn’t my girlfriend. She’s my sister.”

“Daisy. What is this about? I’ve told you, I don’t want to talk about your—“

You cut in, “Tom Ketchum. You don’t want to talk about Tom Ketchum.” Mom goes white, the teapot rattling as she sets it down.

“Mmm, these biscuits are great,” Paris says trying to break the tension.

“Daisy. What have you done?” Mom removes her glasses to rub at her temples.

You hate pushing your mom, it’s probably how she’s avoided the topic for so long. “Amber found my brother, Douglas. And we managed to get Tom’s name from his mom,” you say leaving out how you got the name. “Which led to us finding a sister, Ashley, at the Rookie Tournament,” and you leave out her being horrible. “And I also met Paris along the way,” you smile her way. “And well, we found him,” and you definitely leave out those details.

Any trace of color pales across her face, “You found him?” She sets her teacup down, and walks around to you, “Are you okay? Did he hurt you? Oh, Daisy I’m so sorry.” She hugs you tight to her, you can feel tremors in her arms, she’s still shaking at the thought of your father.

“I’m fine Mom. He didn’t hurt me,” you try to calm her down. You won’t get any answers if she breaks down. Sure he put you through the Rocket Afterparty, which wasn’t the greatest, but you survived.

The two of you hold each other for a while, while Mom slowly evens out her breathing. “Does Blue know?” she finally asks after breaking the embrace.

“No, you know him, he’s never had an interest in all this. But Mom, I want these answers. And you’re probably the best, and I now know the safest avenue to get them.”

“What do you want to know?” Mom sips from her shaky teacup. You almost don’t believe it, after all these years Mom is finally going to tell you about your father. She’s probably scared that you’ll try to find Tom again if she doesn’t. You wouldn’t, but she doesn’t know that.

You look to Paris, and she gives you a reassuring nod. “I guess start from the beginning. How did you meet?”

She nods, “Your grandfather was against me becoming a trainer. The same protests he when you wanted to do the same. Although thanks to me those protestations only grew stronger by your time.”

“When he realized I wasn’t going to give in, he pulled some strings and managed to get me an excellent starter.”

“A Tyrogue, right?” Paris chimes in. “I read about it in an interview. You said his split evolution spurred your research and led to you researching changes in evolution over long periods of time.”

Mom looks a little caught off guard. “You’re a fan?”

“Oh absolutely, I want to study pokemon too. And obviously Professor Juniper and Professor Magnolia are amazing role models too but you, you’re from here. Professor Sessile Oak!”

“Anyway, back to how you met our father?” you interject before Mom and Paris delve deeper into science talk.

Mom looks pained to return to the tale, but picks back up, “Yes, Tyrogue. We ventured north, through Viridian City and into the forest. That’s where I met Madison and Paul.”

“Those are Amber’s parents,” you fill in for Paris.

“Yes, Amber’s parents. Although at the time they were just two young trainers in love. Paul was a saint, the nicest guy, from Viridian. Madison had met him after traveling through Mt. Moon from her hometown, Cerulean.”

“The three of us became close very quickly. We spent almost every night together in or around Pewter, training for the gym. By the time we had earned the badge and were leaving Pewter, Madison and Paul were deeply in love and I was quickly becoming a third wheel.”

“I stuck with them, though. Safety in numbers and all that. We decided to leave Pewter via Diglett’s tunnel, and that is where we met Tom Ketchum.”