A few years later, Delia Ketchum stood on the doorstep of the Oak Pokémon Research Laboratory and rang the doorbell. She couldn't believe her good fortune: in just the past six weeks she had graduated from college with honors, married her college sweetheart, and was now going to begin her master's research at the laboratory of one of the world's leading authorities on Pokémon, Professor Samuel Oak. Throughout her studies in college Professor Oak's name often came up in lectures, in textbooks, and in research. His reputation was near-legendary, and Delia was in awe of him. That's why she couldn't believe it when her application to do her master's research at his lab had been accepted. Delia had a degree in Pokémon botany and wanted to study grass-type Pokémon in the spacious gardens that surrounded the Oak laboratory.

I hope he likes me, Delia thought nervously as she heard someone coming to the front door.

"Hello? Can I help you?"

Instead of Professor Oak, a dark-haired man in his late twenties opened the door.

Delia couldn't believe her eyes. "Spencer? Is that you?"

"Delia? Oh my gosh, I can't believe it!" With a broad grin, he embraced her warmly. "I haven't seen you in years! Let me take a look at you." He eyed her appreciatively. "You've certainly grown up, Delia." He saw the wedding ring on her finger. "And gotten married, too. Congratulations!"

"Yeah, just a few weeks ago. My name's Delia Ketchum now." She embraced him again. "Oh, it's so good to see you again. What are you doing here?"

"Working on my Ph.D. I've been here for a little over a year now. I'm Professor Oak's research assistant."

"Oh my. I'm going to be working here, too. I'm starting on my master's research."

"What are you studying, Delia? Not Growlithes, I hope."

Delia laughed. "No! I'm studying grass-type Pokémon. How about you?"

"I'm doing my research on legendary-type Pokémon. Come in, I'll show you around the place." He took her hand and led her inside.

"Actually, I'm supposed to go see Professor Oak. He's expecting me."

"Well, I'll take you to him, then." He led her down the hall.

"Spencer, what's Professor Oak like? Is he nice?" Delia was afraid that Professor Oak would be like some of her other college professors: so arrogantly brilliant that they didn't have time for lowly students and their insignificant problems.

"Don't worry, Delia. Professor Oak's great to work for. He'll take time to work with you and help you out with your research. Matter of fact…" Spencer stood at the door of the high-ceilinged main laboratory and pointed to a man with graying hair in a lab coat who was bent over a laboratory bench.

"Ah, Spencer, there you are. Come over here and see this." The gray-haired man was so focused on the Pokémon artifact that he was examining that he didn't bother to look up.

Delia spoke up. "Um, excuse me, Professor Oak?"

At the sound of her voice, a startled Professor Oak looked up and saw his lab assistant with a pretty young auburn-haired woman.

"Oh, hello. You must be the new researcher. Delia Jacobs, isn't it?"

"Actually, it's Ketchum. I got married a few weeks ago."

He smiled at her. "Congratulations, Mrs. Ketchum. I wish you and your husband the best of luck."

"Thank you, Professor Oak."

Spencer spoke up. "Delia and I are old friends. I've known her since she was a schoolgirl. I was just telling her about my work here."

"Well, I hope you didn't scare her too much," Professor Oak said with a mischievous grin.

Seems nice, Delia thought as Professor Oak stood up. Although his hair's a mess.

As he approached her, Delia also noticed another thing.

He's shorter than I thought. With his lofty reputation, Delia had pictured him as somehow being taller. She was surprised to see that he was actually a couple of inches shorter than she was.

"Why don't we give Mrs. Ketchum the grand tour, Spencer?"

"Oh, please call me Delia, Professor," she insisted.

"Very well, then. Delia it is. Come on, let's show her around the place."

---

Professor Oak waved his arm around the final room on their tour. "And this is the facility where we tend to sick or injured Pokémon. Since Pallet Town has neither a Nurse Joy nor a Pokémon Center, I guess you could say that I'm also the town's unofficial Pokémon doctor."

"Well, that's it," said Spencer. "What do you think?"

"It's amazing. I'm impressed." Delia couldn't believe all of the work that went on every day at the lab. Her teachers at the university had been right: Professor Oak was an amazing man.

"I'm pleased to hear that. Now why don't you head on home to that husband of yours? I know how you newlyweds are," Professor Oak teased. "And I'll see you bright and early at nine tomorrow."

"Sure! I'll see you then, Professor Oak," Delia said eagerly.

As Professor Oak returned to the artifact in his lab, Spencer took Delia's arm and escorted her back to the front door.

"You know, that's the first time I've seen him smile like that since I've been here."

"What do you mean, Spencer?"

"Professor Oak's wife died last year. It happened a couple of months before I arrived."

"Poor man," Delia said sympathetically. "It must be so hard for him."

"He's kept himself busy with work, but he doesn't really seem to have much interest in anything else besides that. Until now," he said, nudging Delia's shoulder. "Maybe you can help bring him out of his shell."

"Oh, stop it, Spencer! You know that I'm a married woman now."

"Too bad for me," Spencer said as he gave her a friendly peck on the cheek. "See you tomorrow."

---

Will Ketchum sprawled on the couch of the small apartment that he and Delia shared. He was starting to feel restless, cramped, trapped. As a Pokémon trainer, he longed to be out in the open having adventures with his Graveler and Sandslash. He had reluctantly agreed to move to Pallet Town when Delia got her job at the Oak lab. Now he was beginning to wonder if he had made a mistake in moving here. He was also beginning to think that marrying Delia had been a mistake, too. Will had just broken up with his long-time sweetheart, Janine, when he met Delia. Eager to forget Janine and also to get back at her for breaking up with him, he and Delia had a quick courtship of just a few weeks, culminating in their elopement. Even though Delia was very much in love with him, he didn't feel the same way about her. She was a nice girl, but she just wasn't Janine.

A key rattling in the door made him leap off of the couch.

"Hi, honey," Delia smiled as she opened the door.

Ruffling his messy brown hair, Will greeted his wife. "So how was work today?"

"Oh, it was great!" Delia said enthusiastically as she threw herself into her husband's arms. "Professor Oak is so nice; not at all like I'd thought he'd be. And his lab assistant is an old friend of mine, Spencer Hale. And I can't believe all of the research that goes on at the lab…the place is huge! I can't wait to start work tomorrow."

"Well, that sounds good," said Will in an uninterested tone.

"Will," Delia said with a seductive smile. "Why don't we go into the bedroom and celebrate my first day of work?"

"Sure, why not," Will said with a bit more interest than before.

After they made love, Will sighed and looked up at the ceiling. Delia was a nice girl, but she just wasn't Janine.