Due to a series of unique events that had befallen past birthday celebrations, ranging from a rampaging Rhyhorn to a hungry Snorlax, birthdays had become a morning tradition between the three of them. Each of them would take turns, depending on whose birthday it was, preparing a feast of that person's favorite foods for the three of them to enjoy. This year Red had asked August, who had volunteered to prepare the food this year, to include everyone's favorite dishes since it would be the last time the three of them would be together like this for the foreseeable future.

August had not held back this year, knowing how important this meal was, for the table was teeming with food. There were various breakfast foods (Professor Oak always requested a tradition breakfast), baked goods (August had a considerable sweet tooth), and Monte Cristo sandwiches. Red had fallen in with them after having them on the S.S. Anne, a cruise ship Professor Oak had taken them on a few years prior. August had learned to make them for Red after they had discovered no restaurant in the general area knew how to make them.

August had finished putting the last of the food on the table when the door to the kitchen opened; the kitchen/dining area had its own entrance and was located on the side of the laboratory. Standing in the doorway was a man in his late forties with a cake in one hand, a bag in the other, and a half asleep Pikachu slumped over his shoulder: Professor Oak.

"Good morning Augustus and a Happy Birthday to you Reginald!" Professor Oak liked to call them by their full names, no matter how much they begged him not to. He set the cake and bag down on a side table and took in the spread set out on the table. "I was going to ask what still needed to be done, but I can see Augustus has seen to everything already."

"Of course I have, for you to expect anything less." August feinted disappointment and handed Professor Oak a cup of fresh coffee. Professor Oak laughed and took the proffered cup of coffee.

"Everything smells and looks amazing! You really outdid yourself this year Augustus." Professor Oak commented, noticing the variety of food.

"I wanted everything to be special and you only come of age once!" When a child reaches their eighteenth birthday they are considered of age. August was slightly older than Red and had come of age two years ago.

"I also requested that this year we have everyone's favorite foods." Red said, leaning against one of the counters.

"You both have done so much for me over the last few years, so I wanted all of us to enjoy it." Red had personally funded everything, having taken on a few side jobs to afford it, and would have prepared it himself, but August refused to hear of it. Partly due to it being his birthday and possibly the last dinner together for a long while and partly due to the fact that August was a considerably better chef than Red.

"That is very kind of you to think of all of us Reginald and I think we can both agree that you have done equally as much for us." August nodded in agreement.

"So Thank You. Both of you." He said nodding towards August. "Now why don't we all take a seat and enjoy this feast! I would hate for any of it to get cold!" The three of them took a seat at the table, Professor Oak also rousing the previously sleeping Pikachu who climbed down onto the table, and the four of them enjoyed the feast.

"I will say it again," Professor Oak began, sitting back in his seat with his hands on his stomach. "You really outdid yourself August. Everything was delicious!"

"Pika!" Chimed in the Pikachu, seemingly equally satisfied with the meal.

"Everything was delicious August, Thank You!" Red smiled sincerely at August.

"Now!" Red said and got to his feet. "I want you two to sit back and relax while I clear the table!"

Professor Oak tried to protest, but Red waved him off. He had wanted to get everything cleaned up and allow them a chance to relax before talking to Professor Oak. Red worked on the dishes and listened as August and Professor Oak discussed August's latest research. Where Professor Oak's research centered around the relationships between Pokemon and humans, August's research centered around Pokemon genetics and artificially created Pokemon. Most of what they discussed made little sense to Red, never truly having a knack for academics, but he enjoyed listening to their passionate conversations. He wanted to enjoy every moment that he could with the two of them, for he didn't know how many he would have left.

Red finished cleaning and putting everything away in the kitchen and sat back down at the table with the others. Professor Oak's Pikachu had fallen back asleep, most likely lulled to sleep by their conversation, and the other two were now discussing the recent string of deaths, Pokemon kidnappings, vandalism and property damage that has occurred as of late.

"The believe they may have some information regar…" Professor Oak had been saying before Red had cut him off.

"Have they finally been able to identify who has been doing all this? And sorry…" Professor Oak's face going hard at having been interrupted, but softened after a moment and answered his question.

"They are not certain, but they believe it to be a radical new group that has decided to come out of the shadows. They don't have an official name for them yet, but have started to refer to them as Team R in reference to the red R's found vandalized on buildings of late. What I had been saying earlier, before I was so rudely interrupted, was that they have received information regarding a potential location of the organization's base of operations. They haven't revealed where they believe it could be, just that they believe they do. This is most likely a ploy to draw out the organization and in turn their true location or they actually do have some information and wish to keep people from trying to investigate it themselves."

"Most likely a combination of both." August commented, gently stroking the sleeping Pikachu.

"Either way I hope they find and detain all of those responsible. To think of some of the things they have done…" After overcoming his fear of Pokemon, he found that he had become very passionate about the wellbeing and treatment of all Pokemon. So to hear that there is a group of individuals out there committing such heinous acts towards Pokemon had outraged Red. He has been following the story ever since.

At first it had started out as a little vandalism, a few buildings in different cities with red R's painted on them. Then came the reports of trainers who claimed they had been attacked and all their Pokemon stolen. Which wasn't an unheard of thing, but it was the nature of the attacks that caused them to make the news. Supposedly each trainer that had been attacked reported being knocked unconscious and upon waking having no recollection of who or what had attacked them. Nobody had connected the two stories together at first, there was no evidence to suspect they were, until one trainer had reported remembering her attacker. She reported remembering several people dressed in all black with a large red R emblazoned on their clothing. She, along with her Pokemon, were found dead a few days after the news had aired it. Since then the news has been very careful with how much information they released.

"It is an unthinkable thing and not one we should be thinking of on a day like this. I also think now is as good a time as any for the best part of any birthday: the cake and presents."

"Actually," Red said, deciding now was the best time as any to say what he had to say. "There is something I would like to talk to you about before we do anything else." He dreaded what he had to say next.

Professor Oak had gotten up to retrieve the cake and bag from where he had placed it earlier, but disregarded it for now and returned to his seat. His features showing that Red had his full attention.

"I have been thinking about this for a long time and I can assure you that the decision was not made lightly. However I have decided…"

"To leave. I know." Professor Oak said, cutting Red before he could finish what he had to say.

"You knew? How could you…"

"I have known for a long time that this day would come and suspected it would be soon after you had come of age. Thankfully the law dictating how old a person needs to be before they can become a licensed trainer had changed or I'm sure you would have left the moment you turned ten. Thankfully I had been given time to help shape you into the man you are today." It was true that had the old laws still applied he would have left long ago. It was hard to imagine a world that allowed children the ability to emancipate themselves and go off to do as they please in the world.

"Are you upset with me for wanting to leave?" Red asked, fearing the answer to his question and trying his best to hold back the tears he felt stinging his eyes.

"Of course I am upset that you are leaving," Professor Oak said. "After everything…" Red felt his heart catch in his throat as he spoke those words.

"Now could a father not be upset at having to saying goodbye to both his sons as they leave to become the great men he knew they would one day become." Professor Oak seemed to have been fighting back tears himself for he too had begun to cry.

"I think you are mistaken Professor Oak," August said, "I am not leaving."

Professor Oak wiped the tears from his face and looked toward August. "Oh? And why is that?"

"I am needed here with you. It will be hard enough to run this place with one of us leaving, but if both of us were to …" August seemed to have also succumbed to the tears for they had begun to freely flow down his face. "Who else is going to take care of you. I can't bear the thought of leaving you here alone..."

"I am deeply touched that you would be willing to sacrifice so much in order to keep me company, but I could not allow you to do that. It is true that no one could replace the two of you, but your place is no longer here with me. Your place is out there in the world, experiencing everything life has to offer until you find that path you were always meant to take."

"But what about everything here? How will you be able to take care of everything that needs to be done without us?" August asked, clearly concerned.

"Don't worry about things here. I have already reached out to several sources and am confident that I will be able to find the help I need while the two of you are away. I doubt I could ever find anyone that could replace the two of you nor would I want to even if I could."

"But..." August began, but was cut off by Professor Oak.

"I believe the matter has already been settled, has it not Augustus?"

August nodded.

"Good. Now then, who wants cake?"

The two boys looked at one another and both smiled the same mischievous smile. Professor Oak seemed to recognize the smile on both of their faces and got up from his seat, raising his arms out in front of him.

"Don't you two dare!" He said to them as they turned and looked at him. "I am warning you…" But it was no use, the boys had already begun to move. Professor Oak watched as the two boys rushed forward, arms extended out in front of them, and braced himself for the impact. Originally intending on embracing Professor Oak simultaneously, like they had done many times before, but in their overzealousness ended up knocking Professor Oak to the ground; proceeding to fall on top of him.

The three of them sat there, tears running down their faces, and laughed.