balance in power

He still remembers the child who has a frailty that calls out his instincts as a father to nurture and protect. Coming into his Gym with a desire to have his very first Pokemon as a companion before he moves to Verdanturf, Norman readily agrees to aid him. As Brendan had been there at the time, he thinks that it’d be a great opportunity for them to forge a friendship, so he gives his son the task to help Wally in his quest.

It had been a resounding success, and he sees the child leave with a confidence that warms his heart. Norman wouldn’t see Wally for months to come, but he does get to learn more about him from Wyatt. He’s a man that earns his respect for the love and effort that he gives to his sickly son. At some point during their fatherly talks, so to speak, Norman makes a promise to look out for Wally whenever he can. 

He sees a child with endless potential. Wally proves him that by coming to his Gym as a challenger and earned a win. He came so far from the skittish kid that he lent a Zigzagoon to, and he knows that the world is his oyster. Though Norman understands that he’s still growing, and with his physical health dogging at his heels, there might be some stumbles. If that happens, he’ll be there to help him to his feet and nudge him in the right direction, that he promises.

It seems that he’ll follow through with that sooner than he expects. Norman had heard about Wally’s recent hospitalization, and as much as he wanted to visit him, he just couldn’t find the opportunity to pull away from his duties. He had been planning on sending a get well gift instead, but then Wally is released and is now resting in his home in Petalburg City.

Wyatt had approached him, one evening. Tells him that Wally looks particularly downcast, like he’s lost all of his confidence and he’s concerned that it’ll be difficult for him to get it back. Norman places a hand on the man’s shoulder and says that he’ll visit Wally. See what he can do to help, if Wally allows it. 

That’s how he finds himself within the Whitaker home after he’s done with his work for the day. Norman knows he came at a bit of an awkward time, and hopes that Wally is up for visitors. He follows Wyatt as he announces his visit before he enters, greeting Wally’s surprise with a small yet warm smile.

“Good evening, Wally,” Norman greets, making a quick sweep of the room. Thankfully, there’s a chair by the bedside, so he takes a seat there. He rests his hands atop his lap, leans forward a little. “I apologize that I wasn’t able to visit you at the hospital. I hope that my sudden visit this evening hasn’t disturbed your rest.”

“Your mother is in a makeshift shelter that they set up in Oldale Town. I think May’s family also took refuge there when our neighbors evacuated. Though she should be returning home today. I’m... at the Pokemon Center in Petalburg City, which is also acting as a shelter for the residents here. They should be given the clear ahead so...” Norman steels his resolve, and carefully stands. He’s the Gym Leader and has a responsibility, but he’s a father and husband first and foremost.

“I’ll meet both of you at home.” Norman sucks in a careful breath. “Fly safe, Bren. We’ll see you soon.” 

It physically pains him to end the call but he can’t hog the lines for too long. Now that he’s confirmed Brendan’s whereabouts, it’s time that he heads back home. Norman gave instructions to Nurse Joy in the event that his presence is required, but nothing short of the world ending (again) would keep him from his family any longer. 

Norman’s journey back to Littleroot takes a bit of time. His sprained ankle has mostly healed, though it’s still tender, meaning careful steps through the strewn up foliage that the heavy winds pulled out. Ambipom is very helpful with this, so thankfully he reaches home without much trouble. Norman heads straight home, where Caroline greets him with a tearful hug.

She’s worried of course with his state, but the news of Brendan’s return eases her up some. Thankfully they’ve got electricity again. He’s ushered into the living room where he’s instructed to prop his feet up as she gets him a cool pad from the fridge. Norman is careful with his injured shoulder as he sits, and sighs.

Norman smiles, understanding what Ambipom’s attempt means before they made their way to the forest. He makes sure to walk in a brisk enough pace that’ll allow them to arrive quickly, but not to the point where Curtis would have a hard time keeping up. He’s just a bundle of nerves that Norman worries would sap at his stamina faster than he realizes. He wants to ease it, so he won’t leave the forest until they find his Phanpy.

That might be a little difficult than expected, as dark clouds rolled overhead, blocking out most of the natural sun. It wouldn’t necessarily impede them in their search as he had the ItemFinder, but he would have appreciated a better visual on his surroundings. Norman places a hand on Curtis’ shoulder, giving it a comforting squeeze. “Yes, we’re going to find him. Ambipom and I won’t leave the forest until you’re reunited with Powder. So try and stay strong for a little while longer, okay?”

Norman takes out the ItemFinder from his pack and places it on his head. The little sensors pulsed with a low glow as he starts to go down a path. Meanwhile, Ambipom took to the treetops, giving him eyes from above. He’ll let him now if there’s anything amiss.

He does instinctively lean back a little when she draws closer. Norman blinks for a moment, then settles for a thoughtful look at her question. He wracks his brain for a distant memory, when he was still a young child that had too much free time in his father’s personal library. Norman had read a lot, as his father actively encouraged it, but time had given him more things to think about, so it takes a bit of time before he recalls the memory.

Well then, this isn’t what he expected, but he accepted it easily enough. Norman is a father first and a Gym Leader second, so he lets Curtis draw comfort from him, offering silent assurances in the form of back rubs and small pats. He listens to his stuttering words, feeling sympathetic at his plight. Obviously he didn’t need to be reminded of his mistake. He’s practically beating himself up over it. Norman silently vowed to help the kid find his Phanpy. 

Norman didn’t say anything about the hug when Curtis pulled back. Instead, he listens to his suggestion. It’d be much easier if they could track it by scent, but the forest is home to plenty of Pokemon and there’s a considerable amount of foot traffic. Unless they could really zero in on Powder’s scent, going down that route might just lead them around in circles. Judging from what he mentioned before, he didn’t have much time here.

“A Luxury Ball, you say? That would be picked up by an ItemFinder, so we have a way of finding it among the grass. The tricky part would be to scale down the area to search it at,” Norman finally says, his tone gentle and soothing. “But don’t worry. My Ambipom have scoured through the forest for a few years now. If there’s anyone I could trust to help with this search, it would be him.” 

Norman unclips his Pokeball to release the dual tailed monkey. Ambipom looked at him in slight confusion. “I’m sorry for bringing you out so soon, but we have an emergency. This young gentleman right here lost his Pokemon. A Phanpy that is in a Luxury Ball. I’m going to need your help to narrow down the search area. Could you do that for me?”

The lilac haired woman answered, and Norman hoped that his cheeks didn’t betray him. Oh, of course. That made sense. Sometimes he could get lost in his thoughts, and if he wasn’t focusing on something in his hands or lap, his gaze tend to fall on whatever. It had been mistaken for staring, and that had been an awkward time because clearly they were uncomfortable. He can’t just approach to explain himself in fear of making himself look more like a creep. Never thought he’d be on the receiving end, though.

Norman was about to apologize when she addressed him by name. Now this caught him by surprise. He felt that she too thought the same, based from her minute pause. Now, she could have recognized him. He was a Gym Leader. Information about them to a certain degree was public knowledge. This wasn’t the first time someone had recognized him. It was always a humbling experience, to know that he was known enough to the point of recognition in public.

But this time, since he had his own sense of familiarity, he can’t help but wonder if they’ve crossed paths before. Norman liked to think he had a pretty good memory. He would have remembered that shade of hair. Then again, maybe he was just overthinking things. He’d been silent when he was reviewing his thoughts. Better give some sort of answer before it could stretch on into awkward territory.

“Oh no, I can understand your explanation. I too tend to fall into a similar habit, so I apologize if my approach unnerved you in any way,” he replied, plastering on an apologetic smile. Now, he could just leave her at that, but his curiosity nagged at him to find out more about this woman. “If you don’t mind me asking, have we met before? You addressed me by name-- but then again, you probably have heard about my position.”

After he was cleared by Nurse Joy, Norman wasted no time in attempting to contact both his wife and son. Still no signal, but there’s news that the power lines should be up by tomorrow or the day after at latest. The inland cities suffered little to moderate damage, while some coastal ones needed immediate assessment to figure out just how much the cost of repairs would be. Petalburg thankfully only had superficial water damage. Once they get the all clear, citizens could return to their homes.

Norman tried to keep himself preoccupied at the center, but there’s little that he could do. Nurse Joy ordered him to take it easy, which his lightly sprained ankle agreed to. He sorely wants to help out with the restoration efforts, and it’s a bitter pill to swallow to know that he’d be more of a hindrance than anything else. At the very least, he’s able to entertain the younger kids with stories while the capable adults did other things. 

When they finally got connection, Norman doesn’t waste a second in contacting Caroline. The dial tone had his heart soar with hope, and upon hearing her voice, he’s not ashamed to say that he shed a few tears. Thank goodness his wife was safe. She’s at another shelter with the rest of Littleroot’s citizens. It’s a little packed, but they’re able to receive aid quickly enough. Norman told her what happened on his end, including the part where he got hurt.

He’s quick to assure her that he’ll recover well, but it’s with a heavy heart that he admits of not knowing where Brendan is. Norman wished he could be there to hold her, her worry and fear palpable even when she tries to be optimistic. He’s unsure if she saw the news, or pretended that she didn’t see their only son zipping through the devastating effects launched by Kyogre and Groudon. 

They talked for a while longer before Norman reluctantly had to end the call. The lines are probably packed with worried relatives calling from abroad, so they want to give them the chance to receive assurance. He does feel a little lighter, knowing that Caroline is safe but it’s quickly eaten up by the gnawing fear of Brendan’s status. 

It’s the day after that Norman finally got his answer. He’d been telling the kids the story of one of his more memorable Gym battles when he felt his Pokenav buzz in his pocket. His heart dropping to his stomach, he fumbles for the device with his good hand. Norman licked his suddenly dry lips at the caller ID flashing back at him, then hastily excuses himself to a more private area of the center. 

With slightly shaking hands, Norman answers the call and brings the device to his ear. The first thing he hears is the wind in the background.

“Hello? Brendan?” He says with bated breath. Hearing his son’s voice, alive and well nearly had him collapse in relief the second time in two days. Norman carefully lowered himself on an empty bench, ducking his head with the PokeNav still pressed to his ear. “Bren... thank god you’re safe. I saw the news-- what were you thinking? Facing against two rampaging legendaries like that? You saved Hoenn but--”

You could have died, goes unspoken. 

The man continued down the path, until he came across one of the rest areas. Norman recalled that this place had several, each featuring a unique dish to those who wanted their taste buds to go on the same adventure. From the flier plastered on the shop window, this particular one seemed to specialize in spicy, savory food. Their specialty was Tamato stir fried noodles-- truly for the most adventurous of spice heads.

While Norman enjoy a good spicy dish, he’d be trying out a simpler fare than the house specialty. He knew his limits, and wanted to continue on exploring the place without his stomach revolting from the spice. He entered the rest area, taking a moment to look around. It gave the impression of a road side diner mixed with a food court. There were plenty of people here enjoying their meals, creating a background buzz that he could appreciate.

Norman quickly got in line, which eventually led to a purchase of some fried rice and iced tea. Luckily, they had those window counter seating, so he went to an empty stool and dug into his lunch. The flavors were nice, but nothing could beat Caroline’s fried rice. Very few things could taste better than his wife’s cooking, though that was his own personal opinion and bias. She made it with love, so of course it tasted better.

He shook his head with a smile, and continued to eat his meal quietly. Norman was thinking on what he should do next, when he felt this distinct feeling of being watched. It started out gradual until it became this prickling at the back of his neck. He frowned, wondering why he was feeling this way. Norman looked up to turn around, but the reflection from the window gave his answer.

For some reason, it looked like a young lady was staring at him. Quite intensely, in fact. Norman didn’t know why she was drilling holes at the back of his head. He went back to his meal, acting normally though his eyes flicker to the reflection every so often. She was still staring at him. Had she wanted to approach him or something, but was too shy? It wouldn’t be the first time he’d experience it, but it was usually from young children.

Nevertheless, Norman finished up his meal. He got off the stool, and instead of heading to the exit, he made his way over to the young lady. Either she sensed his approach or not, the Gym Leader soon stood in front of her. Norman plastered on a friendly smile. 

He listens to her speak with a little smile. “While it is humbling to hear you think highly of us Gym Leaders, at least with me, you don’t have to treat me like, as how you put it, a celebrity.” Norman decided to become a Gym Leader because he wanted to showcase the strength of Normal-types to the people. He was never in it for the fame and prestige that came with the title, so he preferred if people just treated him normally. 

The flame from the fire flickers with the dancing wind, and Norman thought they would be plunged into darkness. Seconds passed, and the wind changed direction, leaving the fire to cast its light upon them once more. He gazes at the mouth, where the rain continues to pour heavily. Norman hoped that the cave won’t be deluged by it. He’s still a bit wary with raging bodies of water thanks to the Groudon and Kyogre incident.

Norman looked back at her, then shook his head with an awkward smile. “Thank you for the kind offer, but I’ll have to decline.” Bumming off of her snack supplies, as she put it, just felt awkward to him. The Gym Leader then fell into a thoughtful silence. He’s still pretty hung up with the Draconid title. He knew he’d heard of that word before. It took a few good minutes of wracking his head that he came across an answer.

The Gym Leader oversaw the evacuation, and it was only after all of Petalburg’s residents were accounted for that he left the shelter -- which was basically the entirety of Oldale Town -- to search for any stragglers. With how rapid the storm rolled along, he feared that there might be those who got trapped in Petalburg Forest. He hoped that the wild Pokemon there had at least found shelter from this blasted weather. 

With his Ambipom and Blissey, the trio made their way through the emptied city and towards Route 104. That was where things got a little... hazy.

[The only thing that Norman could recall is a sharp, agonizing pain, the taste of dirt in his mouth and stumbling through the rain until his world turned to black.]

When he came to, Norman finds himself on a cot within the Pokemon Center. Nurse Joy looked relieved, and after making a quick check on himself, he can see why. He’s sore all over, with his right arm stiff within the sling. His shoulder is wrapped heavily, and his left ankle felt tender. From what she told him afterwards, Ambipom and Blissey supported his dirtied, banged up body back to the center before a combination of pain and exhaustion caused him to pass out in the middle of the center.

Norman grimaced at that, looking down at his lap. He can’t imagine the scare he gave to the people around him. In the case of an emergency, the Gym Leader often acts as the highest form of authority. Seeing him down and out would not assure anyone whatsoever. The only positive news he could get from this is that throughout the time he lay unconscious, the danger seemingly have passed. Thanks to the efforts of Hoenn’s Champion and a mysterious young Trainer, the legendary titan’s were quelled by the presence of another legend of Hoenn.

That did not mean that the region came away unscathed. A freak storm on the scale that it reached meant that some coastal cities got flooded, weak infrastructures were damaged, knocked out the power lines -- thankfully, the Pokemon Center’s backup generator kicked in, and they have alternative means in generating power if that eventually ran out -- ruined some habitat and worst of all, cost the lives of unlucky souls.

It is when the threat of death loomed over his head that Norman is struck with this bone deep realization that he had no idea how his family fared throughout the disaster. He’d been so geared on getting the immediate people around him to safety, that he failed to make any contact for at least a couple of days since the apocalypse began. Norman knew that contacting Caroline and Brendan would be difficult at this point in time, but he just had to give it a try.

While the no signal response is predictable, that still didn’t stop his gut from churning with worry and anxiety. Norman tried to reason that at the very least, Caroline would have been evacuated alongside the Birch’s and the other families in Littleroot. She had been home the last time he called her, so in the best case scenario, she’s currently in a shelter.

Brendan, on the other hand, is a different story entirely. Norman didn’t know where his son was during the clash of the titans. He could have been anywhere in Hoenn at the time -- but never in his life would he imagined that Brendan would be in the thick of things, until he saw the shaky news report on the lone television playing in the center’s communal area. 

Norman watched in slowly growing horror that Brendan had been the mysterious young Trainer who battled against the villainous teams alongside Steven. The camera obviously couldn’t catch everything, but the scenes that was recorded left him sick to his stomach. Brendan was zipping between the titans on his Lanaryu, caught in between two clashing legends and he could have easily died with Norman none the wiser. 

The news only managed to report up until Rayquaza’s appearance, but by that point, Norman had to sit down before he fell down. His hand grasped at his PokeNav, and he tried once more in calling his number. The ensuing beeps felt like it was mocking him, to the point that he had to refrain himself from throwing the device out of frustration. Once the brief flare of anger passed, he’s left with a cold sense of fear seeping into his veins. Norman leaned forward, his uninjured hand pressed against his forehead as he gritted his teeth.