#phantasmalphoebe

Then the headaches came about, seemingly out of nowhere. Norman could be doing some paperwork, or with his Pokemon and then it’d feel like a vice was squeezing his head. There were intense enough to literally incapacitate him for a few minutes -- which, at one point, worried even his usually stoic Slaking -- before the pressure disappeared, leaving behind nothing that indicated he just experienced the headache from hell. 

He was probably coming down with something. That sounded like the most plausible explanation that he could give. Maybe it was the beginnings of the flu. Norman often experienced the worst of the symptoms whenever he caught it, even to the point of hospitalization one time because he just wouldn’t get better from resting at home. Caroline had been super worried at the time, and it’s with a sense of regret that he’d probably be a burden to her for the next week or so.

Norman didn’t explicitly say he felt under the weather, but he knew that Caroline was aware. She always had a good sense on how he felt, sometimes even better than he could. He’d seen her worried little looks, the lingering touches whenever he kissed her goodbye before he went to work -- strangely enough, the symptoms seemed to flare up, but lessened when he left home.

At the very least, Norman was still capable of going to the monthly meeting held at Ever Grande City. Once this was over and done with, he would be taking some sick days to lessen the blow when this really hits him. He arrived as he usually did, and sat at his usual seat. A few had commented on his pale complexion and generally exhausted look, but he waved them off with a kind smile. He was just a bit unwell. Nothing too bad that’ll have him miss this meeting.

Norman remained focus throughout the meeting, though at one point, he had to lean in his chair and ride out one of the random, sudden headaches. He was quiet enough that no one really noticed that he became several shades paler, but he thinks that someone had glanced at his direction a couple of times. Norman couldn’t make out who, but they hadn’t spoken up about it, so he didn’t think too much on it. Thankfully, the moment passed and he stayed until the end of the meeting.