As Lisa wandered back into the Pokémon Center, Professor Oak and Skylar were still huddled around the computer. Suddenly, a portion of a news report caught their eye. As the three watched a dark-haired boy scale the wall of the Hale mansion, a thrill of anger shot through Professor Oak when he realized who the boy was.

"What's he…? That boy's looking for trouble!" Professor Oak raged. And he didn't mean just from Entei. When Ash got back, he was going to give his son a major tongue-lashing.

Damn you, Ash! Damn your stupid, impulsive, reckless behavior! You're going to get yourself killed!

"He's looking for his mother!" Lisa shot back.

Professor Oak turned the full force of his anger on the girl. "Did you know about this? Did you know that Ash was going off by himself?"

Shocked into silence by his outburst, Lisa stood gaping open-mouthed at Professor Oak.

"Did you? Answer me!"

"Yes," Lisa said meekly. "But I gave him my Poké gear so he could stay in touch with me."

"Call Ash now," Professor Oak ordered.

Hands shaking, Lisa quickly dialed the number of her Poké gear cell phone. "It's ringing."

As soon as Ash answered, Professor Oak snatched the phone out of Lisa's hands. "Ash, we just saw you on TV. What do you think you're doing?"

Oh no, Ash thought as soon as he heard Professor Oak's voice. I'm in big trouble now.

"Sorry. I just had to come here, Professor Oak," he apologized. "I should've told ya'."

"That's right, you should have! But we'll talk about that later…after you get your mother out of that place."

Since Ash and his friends were already inside the mansion, it wouldn't make much sense to tell them to come back now. After explaining his theory about the Unown to Ash, Professor Oak gave the phone back to Lisa and continued to watch the news report on the computer.

Ash, if you get out of this alive, I'm going to kill you.

---

As the evening wore on, Professor Oak continued his vigil in front of the computer, analyzing Professor Hale's notes. He wearily rubbed his eyes and stared at the computer's clock. It read two-fourteen A.M. He closed his eyes for a second to rest them and almost immediately fell asleep. As he looked up from the computer, he was amazed to see Delia standing in front of him.

Delia? How did you get away from Entei?

Delia said nothing, but smiled and opened her arms to him. He rushed into them and embraced her tightly, inhaling the sweet scent of her perfume as he nuzzled her neck.

Oh, Delia, is it really you?

There was one way to find out. After being lovers for fourteen years, he knew every inch of her body intimately. He slowly removed her clothes as she smiled seductively, the smile that always excited him.

Yes, there was the small mole on her right shoulder blade.

Keep an eye on that, she would always tell him. Make sure it's not getting any bigger.

Yes, there was the small surgical scar just below her navel.

It looks so ugly, she would always complain.

He reached up and cupped her breasts in his hands. He smiled as he felt that the left one was a little larger than the right.

I know that's normal, but I'm a little self-conscious about it, she used to tell him when they first started sleeping together.

"Oh, Delia," he murmured.

"Professor?"

That's not Delia's voice.

He was startled awake by a hand shaking his shoulder. His eyes opened and he found himself staring at the computer's clock, which now read two twenty-six A.M.

"Sorry, Professor. I hated to wake you," said Skylar. "Do you need some coffee?"

She's still a prisoner in the crystal tower, Professor Oak thought dejectedly as he realized that his encounter with the woman he loved had all been a dream.

"Thank you, Skylar. I'll go get a cup." As he started to stand up, he discovered that even though his encounter with Delia hadn't been real, his body had responded as if it had been. "On second thought, could you bring me a cup, please, Skylar? I'd like to stay here and continue with my work."

And because I'm not going to be able to move comfortably for a few minutes.

"Sure, Professor Oak."

As the younger man disappeared into the kitchen, Professor Oak rubbed his eyes and tried to refocus on his work. But all he could think about was Delia: her perfume, her smile, her body.

I'm going to get her back if it's the last thing I do, he vowed as he clicked the computer's mouse.

---

After several tense hours, the Poké gear phone rang.

"Professor?"

Thank God he's still in one piece, Professor Oak thought as he picked up the phone.

"Something's happening," reported Ash with an edge of alarm in his voice.

"It's the Unown," replied an equally alarmed Professor Oak. "They've generated so much psychic energy that they're unable to control it any longer."

Skylar, who was busy looking out the window, gasped in horror. "The crystallization is heading straight this way!"

"Listen to me!" Professor Oak frantically ordered the boy. "Get out of there or you could be trapped forever!"

"Right!" Ash dropped the Poké gear cell phone and ran.

"Ash? Ash? Can you hear me?" Professor Oak said anxiously as the phone went dead. "Damn it!" He threw the phone across the room.

As everyone scrambled to their feet, Officer Jenny slammed open the front door of the Pokémon Center.

"You have to evacuate now! Move!" she ordered.

As the occupants of the Pokémon Center raced out of the building, Professor Oak was amazed to see the reporters from earlier standing outside, broadcasting the events live.

Professor Oak rolled his eyes. They're going to get themselves killed.

He interrupted the female reporter. "You can't stay here."

The female reporter, who was more than a little annoyed at having the greatest story of her career interrupted, turned to Professor Oak to give him a piece of her mind. She quickly changed her mind when she saw the pink crystal bearing down on her with incredible speed.

"Right, let's go!" she told her cameraman.

Professor Oak ushered everyone into his SUV and hit the accelerator. Several minutes later, the Pokémon Center evacuees were watching the crystal from the relative safety of the hill overlooking the town. Officer Jenny was examining the tower through her binoculars.

"Can you see anything?" Professor Oak asked as he hovered next to her shoulder.

"No. Oh, wait! I see something."

"What is it?" Skylar asked.

"Hey!" Office Jenny exclaimed as Professor Oak snatched the binoculars out of her hands. As he readjusted the focus and peered at the crystal tower, hoping to see any sign of Delia or Ash, the crystal began to recede.

"What's happening?" asked Nurse Joy.

"The crystal. It's disappearing!" exclaimed Professor Oak in amazement.

The astonished group on the hill watched as the crystal rapidly vanished and the Hale mansion returned to its original state.

As the sun started to appear on the horizon a few moments later, Professor Oak handed the binoculars back to Officer Jenny and jumped into his car.

"Come on! Let's go see if they're all right!"