Chapter 1: Fateful Call
It was a seemingly normal day on the grounds of the Oak research laboratory with everyone going about their normal daily routines. Tracey was trying to calm a Growlithe on the Fire Preserve that had come down with an upset stomach after getting hold of some food that it shouldn't have, Carla was feeding all of the thousands of Pokemon their breakfast and seeing to them, and Professor Oak was in the lab working on some reports on his and Tracey's latest research project. It would soon be learned however, that this day was going to take a tragic turn for one of them.
Professor Samuel Oak was about a third of the way through the report he was working on when he heard the phone ringing in the lab. He jumped up from the desk and ran to answer it before it stopped ringing.
"Hello. Oak research laboratory. How can I be of assistance?"
"Yes. I hate to disturb you sir but I was wondering if Tracey Sketchit was around." Ray Sketchit said. Professor Oak noticed that the man was at least ten years older than himself and he was mildly startled that he knew Tracey.
"Can you hang on a moment? Tracey's outside on the grounds taking care of a Pokemon. I'll have to go and track him down. By the way, may I ask who it is that's calling?" Professor Oak responded politely.
"The name's Ray Sketchit. Tracey's my son. Can you please tell him that it's very urgent that I speak to him?"
"Of course. Just a moment."
Professor Oak turned around and headed out of the lab and was greeted by Carla, who had just finished feeding the Pokemon and had come in to cool off from the summer heat for a moment.
"Oh. I'm very glad you're here, Carla. I need you to do a favor for me. Would you go to the Fire Pokemon preserve and find Tracey and tell him to hurry up here please? His father is on the phone for him and says it is extremely urgent."
"Sure. I'll be right back with Tracey." Carla confirmed as she turned and bolted back out the door.
* * * * *
Out at the Fire Pokemon preserve, Tracey had just managed to get medication into the sick Growlithe and get him to feeling better when he heard someone call to him. He turned his head to see his girlfriend come running toward him with a serious look on her face.
"Carla. What's the matter?" Tracey asked startled.
"Professor Oak sent me to come and find you. He told me your father is on the phone and it is very urgent." Carla explained as soon as she had caught her breath.
"Why is Dad calling me after so long. How did he even know where to find me? If he went to so much trouble to hunt me down then something must be really bad." Tracey thought as he turned to Carla. "Okay. Let's go." Then he took Carla's hand and the two ran back to the lab.
* * * * *
When he got back the lab with Carla, Tracey found Professor Oak standing at the door waiting for him. Once he got to the phone and saw the pained expression on his father's face, he got a very sick feeling in the pit of his stomach.
"Dad? What is it? Is something wrong?" Tracey could hardly disguise the fear in his voice.
"Tracey, I need you to get back to the Orange Islands right away. It's your mother. She has cancer and it's in the final stages. There is nothing more that can be done. Her condition is terminal and she only has a couple of days left. She really wants to see you before she lets go. How soon can you get here?" Ray asked.
"Oh my God. I'll be on the next flight home. I'll see you soon. Tell Mom that I love her and I'm on my way." Tracey said as he cut the connection.
Just then Professor Oak and Carla, who had stepped out to give Tracey some privacy, reentered the lab. Carla saw the look of total agony on her boyfriend's face and immediately went to him.
"Tracey? Honey, what's the matter? What was that call about?" Carla was startled to see Tracey so upset.
"It's my mother. She has the final stages of cancer and only has a couple of days to live. I've got to go back home to Pinkin Island because she really wants to see me. I need to get the next flight." Tracey said quietly. Even as he spoke the terror was rising within him and he was on the verge of tears.
"Oh, no. Reserve two seats because I'm coming with you." Carla said.
"Thanks, sweetheart. I really don't want to be alone right now." Tracey said, his voice cracking with emotion. As Tracey called and tried to get the soonest available flight to Pinkin Island, Carla hurried upstairs and quickly packed some clothes for the two of them.
* * * * *
Thirty minutes later, Tracey and Carla were standing by Tracey's car getting ready to head for the airport. Professor Oak had come out to see them off and had a solemn look on his face.
"I appreciate you letting Carla come with me, Professor. I promise I'll be back as soon as I can to help you." Tracey said.
"I know how it feels to be in a tough situation and that you really don't need to be alone. Don't worry about the workload, son. I can handle it. Also you don't need to worry about Marill, Venonat and Scyther. I promise I'll take good care of them. Now hurry or you'll miss your flight." Professor Oak said reassuringly as Tracey helped Carla into the car and climbed into the passenger seat. As the older man watched the car disappear from view, he was extremely worried about his young assistant.
It was a seemingly normal day on the grounds of the Oak research laboratory with everyone going about their normal daily routines. Tracey was trying to calm a Growlithe on the Fire Preserve that had come down with an upset stomach after getting hold of some food that it shouldn't have, Carla was feeding all of the thousands of Pokemon their breakfast and seeing to them, and Professor Oak was in the lab working on some reports on his and Tracey's latest research project. It would soon be learned however, that this day was going to take a tragic turn for one of them.
Professor Samuel Oak was about a third of the way through the report he was working on when he heard the phone ringing in the lab. He jumped up from the desk and ran to answer it before it stopped ringing.
"Hello. Oak research laboratory. How can I be of assistance?"
"Yes. I hate to disturb you sir but I was wondering if Tracey Sketchit was around." Ray Sketchit said. Professor Oak noticed that the man was at least ten years older than himself and he was mildly startled that he knew Tracey.
"Can you hang on a moment? Tracey's outside on the grounds taking care of a Pokemon. I'll have to go and track him down. By the way, may I ask who it is that's calling?" Professor Oak responded politely.
"The name's Ray Sketchit. Tracey's my son. Can you please tell him that it's very urgent that I speak to him?"
"Of course. Just a moment."
Professor Oak turned around and headed out of the lab and was greeted by Carla, who had just finished feeding the Pokemon and had come in to cool off from the summer heat for a moment.
"Oh. I'm very glad you're here, Carla. I need you to do a favor for me. Would you go to the Fire Pokemon preserve and find Tracey and tell him to hurry up here please? His father is on the phone for him and says it is extremely urgent."
"Sure. I'll be right back with Tracey." Carla confirmed as she turned and bolted back out the door.
* * * * *
Out at the Fire Pokemon preserve, Tracey had just managed to get medication into the sick Growlithe and get him to feeling better when he heard someone call to him. He turned his head to see his girlfriend come running toward him with a serious look on her face.
"Carla. What's the matter?" Tracey asked startled.
"Professor Oak sent me to come and find you. He told me your father is on the phone and it is very urgent." Carla explained as soon as she had caught her breath.
"Why is Dad calling me after so long. How did he even know where to find me? If he went to so much trouble to hunt me down then something must be really bad." Tracey thought as he turned to Carla. "Okay. Let's go." Then he took Carla's hand and the two ran back to the lab.
* * * * *
When he got back the lab with Carla, Tracey found Professor Oak standing at the door waiting for him. Once he got to the phone and saw the pained expression on his father's face, he got a very sick feeling in the pit of his stomach.
"Dad? What is it? Is something wrong?" Tracey could hardly disguise the fear in his voice.
"Tracey, I need you to get back to the Orange Islands right away. It's your mother. She has cancer and it's in the final stages. There is nothing more that can be done. Her condition is terminal and she only has a couple of days left. She really wants to see you before she lets go. How soon can you get here?" Ray asked.
"Oh my God. I'll be on the next flight home. I'll see you soon. Tell Mom that I love her and I'm on my way." Tracey said as he cut the connection.
Just then Professor Oak and Carla, who had stepped out to give Tracey some privacy, reentered the lab. Carla saw the look of total agony on her boyfriend's face and immediately went to him.
"Tracey? Honey, what's the matter? What was that call about?" Carla was startled to see Tracey so upset.
"It's my mother. She has the final stages of cancer and only has a couple of days to live. I've got to go back home to Pinkin Island because she really wants to see me. I need to get the next flight." Tracey said quietly. Even as he spoke the terror was rising within him and he was on the verge of tears.
"Oh, no. Reserve two seats because I'm coming with you." Carla said.
"Thanks, sweetheart. I really don't want to be alone right now." Tracey said, his voice cracking with emotion. As Tracey called and tried to get the soonest available flight to Pinkin Island, Carla hurried upstairs and quickly packed some clothes for the two of them.
* * * * *
Thirty minutes later, Tracey and Carla were standing by Tracey's car getting ready to head for the airport. Professor Oak had come out to see them off and had a solemn look on his face.
"I appreciate you letting Carla come with me, Professor. I promise I'll be back as soon as I can to help you." Tracey said.
"I know how it feels to be in a tough situation and that you really don't need to be alone. Don't worry about the workload, son. I can handle it. Also you don't need to worry about Marill, Venonat and Scyther. I promise I'll take good care of them. Now hurry or you'll miss your flight." Professor Oak said reassuringly as Tracey helped Carla into the car and climbed into the passenger seat. As the older man watched the car disappear from view, he was extremely worried about his young assistant.