[Gordon looks back to the lifeless forms. He looks over his mourning Pokémon, Mike in particular distraught over the younger Barbara, big, watery tears flowing down blue cheeks. He opens his mouth to speak, but, while the voice that comes out is definitely his, it isn't coming from his lips, but from the cave itself.]

There will be time when I retire.

[Gordon looks stunned to hear the voices return, but this time it's only his.]

You can always visit me at work.

[That was the first trickle before the dam bursts, a flood of excuses. Of 'Laters' and 'This weekend.' Soon, the sonic onslaught is indistinguishable, a lifetime of excuses blurring together before going silent.]

[Gordon rises to his feet, adjusts his glasses, wiping at his eyes with a gesture not quite as subtle as he'd like to think. He adjusts his hat and claps a hand on Waver's shoulder, the sound dismissing the fears of the future, the illusion dispersing to reveal a tunnel opening onto a broad cavern. Gordon speaks, and this time it is him, no interruption from his past self, no 'might be's or taunting voices.]

Let's find what we came for and get home. I've got some catching up to do on the 'father' front.