"Feeling better, Tracey?" Professor Oak asked as his assistant came into the lab.

"Yeah, I just had a headache, that's all." Tracey looked around. "Where's Gary?"

"He's out at the stables," Professor Oak replied, making a notation in his lab journal. "Visiting with his old Rapidash. Fireball was thrilled to see Gary again. Gary said he was going to take him for a ride."

Hope Fireball tosses him into a pile of Snorlax manure, Tracey thought glumly, sitting down on the sofa next to Professor Oak's desk. "So how's Bayleef?"

"Except from being slightly weak from not eating, Bayleef is healthy physically. Emotionally is another matter."

"What do you mean, Professor?"

"I've seen this happen before in other Pokémon, especially Pokémon that have been abandoned by their trainers. They miss their trainers so much that they become depressed and stop eating."

"Isn't there anything you can do for Bayleef, Professor?"

"If she doesn't start eating in a day or two, I'll have to start her on intravenous fluids to get some nutrients into her. But I'm worried that even that may not be enough."

"Huh? What do you mean, Professor?"

"Tracey, sometimes Pokémon become so depressed that they give up on life. They lose the will to go on."

"Oh man. I didn't realize that Bayleef was in that bad a shape."

"Well, she's not to that point yet, but I'm concerned that it may come to that." He handed his assistant the bowl of Poké Chow that Bayleef had left untouched from earlier. "Why don't you try again and see if you can get her to eat?"

Tracey stared at the bowl of Pokémon food. "Okay. I'll see what I can do."

Professor Oak looked at his watch. "Delia's coming over in a little while. She said that she was going to bring over a big cake and fix a special dinner to celebrate Gary's homecoming."

"Great," Tracey replied in a voice that indicated that wasn't how he felt. Dejected, he made his way outside and down to the tree where Bayleef lay.

The Pokémon slowly lifted its head and regarded Tracey with listless eyes. "Bay."

"Hi, Bayleef. I brought you some more food if you feel like eating." Tracey sat the bowl of food in front of the Pokémon, who turned her head away. "Still not hungry, huh?" Tracey sat down next to her. "Still missing Ash?"

"Bay," the Pokémon nodded, her eyes filling with tears.

Tracey put Bayleef's head in his lap and began stroking it. "You're sad because Ash took Pikachu with him to Houen and not you, aren't you?"

"Bay," the Pokémon nodded again, stifling a sob.

"And you're wondering what you could've done differently so that Ash would've taken you with him?"

"Bay." The Pokémon buried her face in Tracey's lap and began sobbing.

"Yeah, I know how it is, Bayleef." Tracey caught sight of Gary galloping on his Rapidash far off in the distance. "I know how it feels…like no one cares about you anymore. Like the other person…Pokémon is more important than you are. Like you don't matter."

"Bay?" The Pokémon lifted her head and regarded Tracey curiously.

"Yeah, Bayleef," Tracey sighed, cuddling the Pokémon closer to him. "I know exactly how you feel."

"Hello, Tracey!" a female voice called out cheerfully. The boy looked up and saw Delia coming up the hill with a huge, elaborately decorated chocolate cake. "Isn't it wonderful?"

"What, Mrs. Ketchum?"

"The news about Gary, of course!" Delia smiled. "I swear, your boss is so happy that I think he's about to pop! I don't think I've seen Samuel this happy in years."

"Yeah…yippee," Tracey replied gloomily.

"What's wrong, Tracey?" Delia said, confused.

"Nothing's wrong, Mrs. K.," Tracey said, gently lifting aside Bayleef's head and standing up. "Everything's perfect now that Gary's back. I've gotta get back to the lab now."

I wonder what that was all about, Delia thought as she watched the boy head back up the hill.

To be continued…