Ash the Dragon Specialist

Lake Valor

When Celeste finally stepped before Wallace, his breath caught in his throat as he took in her appearance. She looked just like him – the same hair, the same eyes. It was like looking at a younger version of himself. His heart raced with a mixture of surprise and emotion, and he could hardly find the words to speak.

Celeste took a deep breath, her heart pounding with nervous anticipation. She cleared her throat, her eyes locking onto Wallace's as she began to speak, her voice steady but filled with emotion.

"Hi... I'm Celeste," she stuttered, before calming her racing heart and centering herself. "There's something you need to know," Celeste continued, her words carrying the weight of years of deception. "Wallace, I am Maria's daughter, your daughter. I found out that my aunt Rosa – the woman I thought was my mother – had been lying to me all my life," Celeste continued, her voice shaking slightly as she laid her heart bare. "She hid the truth from both of us. She didn't want to lose the last piece she had of her sister Maria. She posed as my mother and kept our connection hidden."

Wallace's eyes widened in shock, his entire body freezing at her revelation. The world seemed to stop as he processed her words, his mind racing to comprehend what she had just told him. Maria? He remembered Maria, she used to compete in the coordinator circuit of Hoenn while he was still a rookie trainer. Wallace's shock gave way to a mixture of anger and sadness. He felt anger at Rosa's selfish deception, and a profound sadness for the years he had missed with his own daughter. Because he was sure she was his daughter, one just had to look at her and see the resemblance! He struggled to find words as the weight of the situation settled in.

"I've been wondering how to tell you about my connection to you," Celeste admitted, her voice shaking slightly. "I planned to compete in the Wallace Cup as a way to get a chance to meet you, to finally reveal the truth about our relationship."

Wallace's anger at the lies that had been woven around his own flesh and blood surged, mingling with a deep sadness for the years he had missed with his own daughter. He felt a surge of empathy for Celeste, who had been kept in the dark for so long. Despite the turmoil of emotions, Wallace's heart softened. He understood Celeste's yearning for a connection, for a chance to know her true father. He knew that, in some way, he had missed out on so much of her life. As the weight of the situation settled in, Wallace opened his arms wide, a gesture of welcome and acceptance.

"Celeste," he said, his voice filled with emotion, "I can't change the past, the years we've lost. But I can promise you that from now on, I'm here for you. And I'm thrilled to know that you share my passion for coordination."

The tension in the air began to dissipate as the two shared a moment of understanding. Wallace's anger toward Rosa's actions remained, but in that moment, the focus was on the potential for a new beginning – for a father and daughter to build a relationship that had been denied to them for so long.

They moved the conversation to the serene confines of the Pokemon Center, a private roome where they would be away from curious eyes. The weight of their revelations still hanging in the air like a tangible presence. Ash's concern for Celeste was evident in his eyes as he leaned towards her, his voice carrying a gentle urgency.

"Hey, Celeste," Ash started, his brows furrowing with a mix of care and curiosity, "now that you've met your dad, what's the plan? What are you gonna do?"

Celeste looked at Ash, a mix of emotions playing across her face. She took a deep breath, as if gathering her thoughts before speaking. "Well," she began, her gaze shifting to Wallace for a moment before returning to Ash, "Nurse Joy did a DNA test. It's confirmed. I'm Wallace's daughter."

A mixture of relief and a sense of closure seemed to settle over the conversation. Ash nodded, appreciating the gravity of the situation. "That's a big step forward," he remarked softly.