"Be sure to give me a call when you get to Professor Hale's," Professor Oak reminded his grandson, giving him one last hug.

"Don't worry, Gramps. I will. Smell ya' later, guys." With a final wave, Gary turned and headed down the pathway that lead out of the preserve and eventually to the road that lead out of Pallet Town.

"Gary seemed pretty excited about going on an expedition with Professor Hale to search for that Entei-Raikou hybrid that was spotted in the mountains around the Sapphire Coast," said Tracey.

"Gary will definitely get to see the world if he decides to stay on with Spencer," Professor Oak said as he and Tracey started back towards the laboratory.

"Are you disappointed because Gary didn't want to stay here, Professor?" Tracey asked.

"Well, maybe a little. But nevertheless, Gary will someday be the next Professor Oak, and it's satisfying knowing that my grandson will carry on the family tradition of Pokémon research. He'll be the fourth-generation Oak to do so."

"But aren't you disappointed because Gary doesn't want to take over the lab when you retire?"

"Retire? Who said anything about retiring? I plan to keep working until I drop dead at my lab bench. Besides, there's no rule that says that my successor here at the lab has to have the same last name as I do," Professor Oak said with a mischievous twinkle in his eye.

"That's good, because it looks like I'm going to have to stay here forever now," Tracey said with an equally mischievous grin.

"Stay here forev…oh! Don't worry about that, Tracey. When you go away to college, I'll find someone to help me out here. Do you know of anyone who might be able to help us out?"

"Well, how about your granddaughter?"

"Oh, be serious, Tracey! You know that May wants to be a fashion designer. Matter of fact, she mentioned the other day that she thought I could use some 'hot new threads', as she so eloquently put it."

"Somehow I can't see you with an earring and a leather jacket, Professor," Tracey said, grinning at the thought.

"Neither can I," Professor Oak grinned back. "Besides, you wouldn't have another reason for wanting to have my granddaughter around all the time, do you?"

Tracey's face turned bright red -- he had a huge crush on May Oak.

And Professor Oak knew it too. "Who knows, Tracey," he said casually. "Maybe you'll be my grandson-in-law someday."

Tracey's eyes widened. "Grandson-in-...? Professor, all May and I have done is go out a couple of times! And we kissed once…but that's all, I swear! We're not…"

"And then after you and May get married, you could live here at the lab…"

"Married?!"

"And then you could raise your children here. Oh, I'd love to be a great-grandfather."

"Children?! Great-grandfather?! Ohhh…Professor, I think I need to sit down." A dazed-looking Tracey sank down onto the sofa next to his boss's desk.

"Oh, cheer up, Tracey," Professor Oak said, playfully thumping the boy on the back. "I know that you and May just started going out together, and I couldn't resist pulling your leg a little. But…"

"But what, Professor?"

Professor Oak's eyes narrowed. "If I catch you touching my granddaughter in any way that I think is inappropriate, I will sic Bulbasaur and its Vine Whip on you, lab assistant or not. Do I make myself clear?"

Tracey gulped anxiously. "Yes, sir."

"Good. Now get up from that sofa, son. There's work that needs to be done, and I can't do it without my assistant."

Tracey smiled and stood up. Life at the lab was back to normal once more.

THE END