Title: Too young
Author: Shadow/Phantomness
Pairing: None
Fandom: Pokémon
Theme: #143, Youth
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: Pokemon belongs to Satoshi Tajiri, Nintendo and Shogakukan Comics. This non-profit, non-copyright infringing fanfiction belongs to me under international copyright laws and taking it is plagiarism. Thank you. *Phantomness bows*

Warnings: Angst

Sometimes, Ash is so painfully young that Delia wishes he had stayed at home, safe with her, until he were older. Sixteen would have been a good age, or eighteen. After all, life expectancy in their region is well into the seventies, and a Pokemon Journey can be fun even for older folks. After all, many Trainers are in their twenties or even thirties. That is not to mention people like Agatha of the Elite Four and Pryce, who keep on battling well into their old age.

He is too much a child to deal with the trauma he has been through, and only his resilience, and, dare she say it, lack of long-term memory, helps him survive the many near-death experiences. Shamouti island was bad enough, but then there was that incident with the Unown, and as for the others, there are really too many to name.

She sighs.

He does not call her often. Sometimes, she thinks he is more interested in telling the Professor how many badges he has or what new Pokemon he has seen or captured. She tries not to be bitter, but she is his mother!

Delia wishes she had not let him go so early. He may not be ten years old any longer, but he will always be her baby boy.

And she wishes he would come home for good. She has already lost her husband – must she lose her son too?

She cries alone at night, and more than once, she wants to tell him just how foolish he is being, chasing his dream of becoming a Pokemon Master, but all she can do is wait, because he would hate her if he thought he was forced to stay.

It is not fair.

End Fic

Completed 1/28/10

Poor Delia…