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symptomaticstrength‌:

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It had been a week since Wally was released from the hospital.

After weeks of sickness and fragility, at last the most aggressive symptoms had subsided. His family decided it would be best for him to recover in his Petalburg home, as it was the closest to a hospital, should any illness resurface. Thus far, things seemed to be going alright. Wally could feel himself recovering physically.

Mentally…not so much. Months had passed since his defeat to Brendan on Victory Road, but the loss still lingered in his consciousness. He’d spent so long training himself and his team–growing stronger to the point that he had been positive that he was at his best. And despite everything, despite how far he’d come…he still lost. 

What was he supposed to do now?

Keep reading

Norman sees a lot of Trainers throughout his duty as a Gym Leader, but he has to admit that there’s not a lot that leaves a deep impression on him. Some faces merely blurred after a period of time, while others are still crystal clear in his mind. Be it the battle or the Trainer, once it touches something within his soul, he’ll remember them for as long as he lives. 

Wally Whitaker is one of them.

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.”

His words are gentle, tone fatherly. “You might have heard this many times but... how are you doing?”

Nothing Seems Enough || Wally&Norman

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rubyworn‌:

     “Dad? Hello?” The connection is static-filled at best, likely due to his current height, but the device tells him the call has been answered. There’s a moment of silence, and — Brendan exhales audibly in relief.

     “Hey! Hey, you’re okay, you’re…” His hand is shaking severely, and he clamps it down with the other. Don’t you dare drop this, idiot. “I’m — I’m okay.” He laughs in DISBELIEF, almost muffled by the wind. “I know, it… It was reckless. But I had to do something, people were…” Lips purse together as he chooses NOT to say dying. “People were scared.”

     He can see Slateport to his left. The damage is difficult to assess without changing his course, and… No. It’s a big city. They must have resources.

     “I’m near Slateport,” he answers, turning his head to ( hopefully ) lessen the noise of the wind. “On Lanayru. She was too injured to fly this distance the first few days, but I’m… I’m heading to Littleroot. Are you and mom there? Is everyone okay? The damage to Sootopolis was immense, I… Please tell me everyone’s okay.”

     Brendan makes no attempt to mask the concern and FEAR that cracks through his voice.

     “I’ll be home soon. I can… I can tell you everything once I’m there.”

Just hearing Brendan’s reply is-- it’s not enough to fully dissipate his worry, but it’s a start. Norman heaves out another quiet sigh, gripping tightly on his phone. “So long as you’re okay...” Norman hates that he’s feeling conflicted. Brendan’s actions saved countless lives, but the father in him still vehemently protests the fact that his son had to go through such a dangerous ordeal.

But there’s nothing that he can do, other than see with his own two eyes the state that his son is in.

“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.

Well, it’s a waiting game now.

a broken earth ( flashback ) || brendan & norman

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lostcxnnections‌:

Curtis nodded as the man spoke, fully in understanding, though, still nervous — and especially so, still watery-eyed and still sniffling. When he was met with the Ambipom, he tried his best to smile for him, though it was difficult to considering his current plight.

“Oh… hello there, mister…! My name’s Curtis…!” He greeted with a still-shaky voice, taking one of the Ambipom’s two tails and shaking it up and down. “Y-You see, I lost my Phanpy in the forest, so I was hoping you’d be able to help me…! He… He smells like me, y’know? Maybe that might… help…”

As the trio made their way to the forest — Curtis still hovering rather close to the Gym Leader — he was met once again with the still-dark form of the looming woods, now growing even darker as the clouds began to roll in overhead, blocking out the sun that might help shine over the dark Luxury Ball. “He… He’s gonna be in here somewhere… I know it. Oh goodness… I hope nobody stole him…” And the moment that thought creeped into his head, he found himself shaking again, crying a few more tears before reeling himself in. “No… N-No, it’s okay… we’re gonna find him…!”

Ambipom’s sense of smell didn’t exactly top the charts, but he understands that this young boy is trying his best to help. For his ease of mind, the monkey leans in to give Curtis a few sniffs. While his scent failed to leave a strong enough impression, Ambipom smiles at him, one of his tails giving Curtis a pat on the back. He might not be capable of human speech, but that gesture alone gives the impression of I’ll handle everything! Don’t you worry about it!

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.

“Can you perhaps recall anything familiar? A tree you passed by, some berry bushes-- anything that could help retrace your steps and narrow down the search area,” Norman asks, flicking his gaze to the boy walking beside him.

a forest of treasures | norman & curtis

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mortalshore‌:

          “That’s just who I am!” Zinnia pipes. “No surname – they just call me Zinnia of the Draconid Clan.”

          She brushes a lock of dark hair from her face, tucks it behind her ear.           Her eyes have not left Norman’s face once during their encounter.           And so she manages another smile.

          Again, her knowledge on Norman himself was… limited, to say the least. She knew of his more personal credentials still but had never bothered to scope into his personality. Yeah, sure… he lived in Johto. Once. But in her experience, no one ever bothered to research into her Draconid clan. Nobody ever gave a shit about indigenous folks, after all.

          In fact, hearing the word “Draconid” out of someone’s mouth was… a pleasant surprise.

          So, she leans in.

          “Soooo… what have you heard? 

                          …Oh! Pop quiz… what’s the dragon we worship? ”

Norman notices that Zinnia never once drew her eyes away from him. He thinks it’s just his mind playing tricks on him, but with their darkened surroundings and the way the light of the flame reflects off of her eyes, it’s a bit like a predator’s who’s staring down her prey. He brushes off the slight bit of wariness from the back of his mind. It’s rude to think of her that way. She’s been nothing but friendly and nice to him all this while, after all.

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.

“Forgive me if I’m incorrect in this but if I’m recalling it correctly, the Draconid Clan worships... Rayquaza,” Norman finally answers, looking back at Zinnia. “From the book that I read... the Draconid Clan worships Rayquaza, who would one day come to their aid in the event of a catastrophe that threatens the safety of humankind. They also had... a special role, or at least, a member that is revered in the clan. That’s the only bits that I can remember, I apologize.”

|| when it rains.

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A neatly wrapped present waits for Norman. It is adorned with a bow and ribbons, white and red to match the green wrapping. Inside rests a nice sports jacket, bearing the colors of the giver’s alma mater (blue and yellow). A sticky note is affixed to the lid of the box here. “Hello there! I wasn’t sure what to get you, but I hope this will do. One can never have enough warm weather clothing, right? Happy holidays!” (its for normanenfie) - your Secret Santa

When Norman saw the packaging, he can’t help but smile. Whoever his Secret Santa was, they certainly chose festive colors. He carefully unwrapped it, setting the wrapping paper aside before he opened the top. Peering in, he found a sleek looking sports jacket with a blue and yellow motif going on. Norman took it out the box to properly inspect it. The material was smooth and cool, perfect for Hoenn’s weather. It was even a perfect fit for his frame!

Norman smiled at his reflection in the mirror. He was definitely wearing this the next time he went to the Gym.

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better the foot slip than the tongue || Norman & Cheren

winter event thread || @theidealofstrength

What Norman came to find was that, when the holiday season rolled along, his workload would either slow down or increase near the end. It depended on various factors, though mostly it fell under the decision of the League and what had occurred throughout the year. During the clash of the Titans, they were swamped with work. Dealing with the aftermath took a lot of time and effort, because it wasn’t just the geographical structure that got shaken. 

But that had been the only real year where he had to work through the holidays. In the following years, peace once again fell over Hoenn. Norman didn’t need to cancel out on dinner dates or other plans due to overtime near the end of the year. The holidays were a big thing to Caroline since she felt like it was a time where she could really show her appreciation towards her family. Given that he often worked, it was only fair for him to give her his undivided attention during this time.

It seemed that this year, it would be a little tricky. While he would still be back days before Christmas, Norman found himself sent to Unova ten days before it for some League business. It was nothing difficult, just some cross regional meetings and all that. It wasn’t terribly boring, but if given the choice, he would prefer to be back in Hoenn than in this weather. 

Hoenn was a tropical place that rarely, if ever, get any snow. Unova though was a region that experienced the four seasons, and it just so happened to be Winter right now. Even with his appropriate winter gear, Norman still felt chilled, which made his bad shoulder ache from the lower temperatures. He remained indoors for as long as he could but eventually, he had to leave the meeting room and out on the cold streets.

Castelia City was large, filled to the brim with decorations and lights. He could hear faint Christmas music playing in some stores and there were plenty of people out and about, probably Christmas shopping while they still can. Norman wanted to avoid the crowd, so he decided to take the longer route by taking a walk through a nearby park. 

Though, that decision proved to be unwise as minutes into his walk down one of the snow covered paths, his right foot slipped out from under him on a patch of ice that was hidden by the snow. With a small cry of surprise he fell back. Norman found himself on flat on his back with the wind knocked out of him. It stunned him from the suddenness, but it didn’t take too long to snap back to reality. He tentatively pushed himself into a sitting position, wincing when a careful brush to the back of his head revealed a bump. Not to mention, his shoulder really didn’t like that tumble.

How embarrassing. Thankfully, no one saw that, right?

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lostcxnnections‌:

Curtis could feel his heart racing, thoughts going a mile a minute; he almost couldn’t breathe, nor see, through his growing panic. Despite his forgetfulness, he never, never forgot a Pokeball. Ever. It was something he was proud of, ad grateful for, despite his slight memory issues. Because — Because — Lord only knows what would happen if he actually did lose one. He travels so far, so often, never to the same place twice.

He never sleeps in the same hotel room, peruse the same dressing room, even if he uses the same venue. Whatever he happens to lose in his travels and concert tours, he was almost certain to never find it again. This was his baby, one of the creatures he was responsible for. And God knows Powder… he’s so sweet and innocent. Whoever would happen to find him — or, God forbid, a wild Pokemon — could… could…!

Keep reading

Norman hopes that his words are enough to assure the kid. He was worried that he’d work himself up to a frenzy, but with a shuddering exhale, his body relaxes, relief evident on his features. He smiles down at him, before it’s replaced by a momentary look of surprise when Curtis threw his arms around him. Norman automatically returns the hug, tilting his head slightly when he buries his head into his shoulder.

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?”

Ambipom nods, giving Curtis a pat on the shoulder with one of his tails. Norman smiles at them both before gesturing at the forest. “Shall we? The sooner we get the search started, the faster the chances of us finding your Pokemon.”

a forest of treasures | norman & curtis

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ghostofemerald‌:

After about the third side-glance from Norman, the realization of what Anabel had been doing this whole time finally smacked her awake from her trance. Mortification kept her rooted in the spot, but she at least pulled her gaze away from her clueless victim. Despite it probably being best to make herself scarce now, she instead was locked in a mental battle with herself. Precious minutes were wasted trying to convince herself that no, she did not just stare at a man for several minutes straight - a man who most certainly has no idea who she is.

Keep reading

When he was up close, he could see that she looked... a bit familiar? Not in the sense that he had met her before and just recalling it now familiar. It was more like, he thinks he once saw her face somewhere but that particular memory remained out of his grasp. Nonetheless, she wore a small smile on her lips, looking a tad uncomfortable? Or maybe he was just seeing things. Was approaching her a mistake?

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.”

He looked a bit bashful but his smile remained pleasant nonetheless. “But it feels like I’ve seen your face before? I could be mistaken, though.��� He scratched his cheek. “Forgive me if this is just wasting your time.” 

this never ending déjà vu || Norman & Anabel

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rubyworn‌:

     Had it not been for the undeniable need for help in Sootopolis, Brendan would be long gone. Instinct urged him to flee back to Littleroot — back to his family. The inability to contact anyone outside of this city gnawed constantly at the back of his mind. Anything could have happened. And yet…

     Neither he or Lanayru were in the best condition to fly across the region. He’d pushed them both too hard to reach Rayquaza, and bore the consequence of strained wings and muscles. He spent a day in the Pokémon Center with his team before clearing out to make room for those in worse condition than him. The goal then became, with Steven’s help, to clear as much rubble as they could, with Pan helping to extinguish any lingering gas-line fires. It took a couple days for relief efforts to flood in, and for professionals to take over the slow work of cleaning up. It was only then that Brendan felt comfortable enough to leave, wishing the best to the people and city officials, promising to return after he finds his own family.

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The next few days passes by in blur. As much as he wants to search for his son, Norman was in no condition for strenuous activities, let alone a prolonged flight through the region of Hoenn. His shoulder would take weeks to heal, and there’s a possibility of lingering damage. Nothing debilitating, but if he wants to minimize the risk of complications, he has to take it easy. Norman has patience in spades, but being unable to do anything meaningful is slowly driving him up the wall.

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. 

Norman takes a moment to compose himself, then resumes speaking in a relatively even tone. It still conveys his worry, though. “How are you? Are you doing alright? Where are you right now?”

a broken earth ( flashback ) || brendan & norman

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wretched are those who are spiteful || Norman & Phoebe

starter for @phantasmalphoebe

Norman likes to think that he takes good care of himself, but he supposed even a healthy lifestyle can’t protect himself from everything. It started out as some aches, especially around his upper back. Sometimes his shoulders felt like they were pressed on by an invisible force. He chalked it up to the mild rainy they were experiencing lately. Ever since that accident, anytime the pressure dropped, his bad shoulder would twinge angrily.

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. 

He stayed in his chair even when others started to leave, saying that he wanted to finish the last of his notes. In actuality, he wanted a moment to rest and catch his breath, unaware that when he let the mask drop, someone was there to witness it. 

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ghostofemerald‌:

“Huh?”

Anabel refreshed the records page with a light tap on the touch screen of the Tower computer, hoping what she saw was a mistake. Once the page reloaded with the same statistics, she moved to the Trainer ID.

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Walking around like this turned out to be a bit of an enjoyable experience. Norman went straight to the Battle Tower upon arrival, so he still had plenty to see. It was an impressive feat of engineering, honestly. The longer he took in the sights, the more he came to realize just how unique each building was. A true case of what it said on the tin. For example, the Battle Pyramid was shaped like a pyramid, a massive one at that.

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. 

“Excuse me miss, but I couldn’t help but notice that you were staring at me,” he began, tone light and kind. “I wanted to ask if there was anything I could help you with?” Unless he was wrong, and the staring meant nothing. He personally didn’t find that the case, as her gaze stayed on him for a few minutes. One didn’t just stare at someone without having a reason behind it, right?

this never ending déjà vu || Norman & Anabel

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Pokegraphy, or, a Natural History of Hoenn - Plate 289: Slaking

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this never ending déjà vu || Norman & Anabel

starter for @ghostofemerald

Norman had heard the rumors, but it was only after he received a flyer mixed in with the mail that he really paid attention. After sifting through the bills and regular letters, he grabbed the flyer and took a seat, reading through the info plastered on it. The Battle Frontier, a place where one could have legendary battles against seven Battle Frontiers that act as the goal to reach within various unique arenas scattered throughout the island.

It was definitely an intriguing concept. The Battle Tower was basically a straight run of 3-on-3 or 4-on-4 battles, with each battle getting progressively tougher. The Battle Palace relied solely on the Pokemon’s ability to battle independently, with the Trainer placing their full trust on them. The Battle Pyramid mixed in a sense of exploration, strategy and battling, as Trainers would have to ascend the pyramid, though it wasn’t as easy as it seemed.

And those were just a few of the arena. Honestly, they had his attention with the unique concepts alone. His own Gym sort of followed a similar format, but obviously it was more direct as opposed to the mystery and allure promised in these facilities. The Battle Frontier had been opened for a month now, so he figured it was about time he paid the place a visit. If anything, it’d be a great way to polish his skills as a Trainer.

He knew what he was going to do this weekend.

It was around noon, and Norman had to admit, they weren’t kidding with the difficulty level. He had arrived in the morning alongside dozens of Trainers, boarding off of the S.S Tidal with a quiet sort of buzz thrumming beneath his skin. After he his Trainer card got updated to a Frontier Pass, Norman went straight to the Battle Tower. This facility would be a good start to test out the waters before he moved onto the more diverse battling challenges. 

Trying to maintain a battle streak certainly tested both mind and body, for he wasn’t used to continuous back to back battling. Still, for a first timer, winning six out of the seven matches need for a chance to battle the Salon Maiden of this place wasn’t that bad of an accomplishment in his book. It was a humbling experience, seeing Trainers younger than him showcased a battling prowess that reminded him of Brendan. It goes to show that age and experience doesn’t necessarily gave him an upper hand in thee battles.

It was a shame that he couldn’t battle against the Frontier Brain of this tower, but this wasn’t the end of his attempt. Norman knew that there will be future visits to the Battle Frontier. He only tried one facility and already he wanted to come back again, solely to get the thrill of battling tough opponents, and gaining strength in the process. He’ll return to the Battle Tower again, one day.

As of now, he want to try out the other facilities, but a quick check of the clock revealed that it was nearing lunch time. Norman didn’t expect the battling to eat up so much time, but he supposed now would be a good time to go to one of the rest areas and grab some lunch. With that plan in mind, he exited the tall building, going down one path in hopes of finding a restaurant or cafe of some sort. Perhaps he should find a map?

Eh, it wouldn’t hurt to walk around.

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mortalshore‌:

                ❝ I’m Zinnia, ❞ she replies, taking his hand into her own. Her grip is firm, somewhat painful. ❝ Just… Zinnia. But if you really gotta have those formalities, I suppose you could call me Zinnia of the Draconids. ❞

          ( And I know who you are / I’ve studied you / I’ve studied your family )

          She examines his face closely, her smile small and her voice honey sweet. And then her eyes fall to his muscles, the Murkrow perched by his side. Perhaps it is the guilt eating away at her, the guilt that she was prepared to take matters into her own hands if his family became a threat to her holy mission, that she begins thinking of the alternatives. Ways to escape, ways to fight if it ever came down to it. He doesn’t have any background in fighting like she does; Norman is a powerful Trainer, but so is she. Once more, she is regressing into her fight-or-flight mindset. The phantom paranoia of her sacred duty hangs over her head once more, and she feels sick –

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Norman is surprised by the strength of her grip, but he refrains himself from wincing from it. “Zinnia of the Draconids...” he repeats, carefully lowering his arm to his side. The title tugged at the back of his mind, like he knew about this information before. He just need to recall where and when he heard the title of Draconids. “If you don’t mind, I would prefer to call you Zinnia. We’re both stuck in this cave until the storm passes.” A chuckle. “I personally don’t think formalities are needed in here.”

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.

“Say Zinnia... when you say Draconid, and forgive me if I’m wrong, but do you mean the dragon worshiping clan here in Hoenn? I used to stay in Johto, so I know of the dragon clan in Blackthorn City,” Norman asked, shifting his position. “I was a child who liked to read up on history, which eventually led to me going through a few books that revolved around Dragon-types. I remember seeing the author listing out a few clans who worshiped dragons, such as the Blackthorn one in Johto, Temporal clan in Sinnoh... and Draconids in Hoenn.”

|| when it rains.

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This was something I was suppose to post on Father’s Day but i completely forgot about it, meh ah well it was random art. To the only father of the player that is seen and there in the pokemon core series game, Norman. Now where are the other fathers

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rubyworn‌:

starter  //  @balance-badge !

     His body had been running on nothing but adrenaline for the past several hours. It was the worst possible scenario — too late, too late, TOO LATE. Both Groudon and Kyogre awakened, a violent battle just outside Sootopolis ; the sky seemed to tear open in rage. The air cracked all around him, torn between a storm akin to a hurricane and flashes of scorching, unbearable heat. He’d barely made it back to the city with Pan before a sliver of it was blown out by Groudon — and it’d only taken a second of eye contact with Steven for Brendan to know what he had to do.

     Somehow there were still news stations running — helicopters circled the ancient giants with camera crews, persisting even as Brendan meets them head-on with his flygon, yelling for them to get to safety — ANYWHERE BUT HERE !! They capture his dive on Lanayru to narrowly avoid another beam of fire from Groudon, and her desperate retaliation of draco meter. But they might as well be fighting the sun itself for how much impact it has.

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When Norman accepted the position as Petalburg City’s Gym Leader, never in his wildest dreams would he imagine that just a few months upon their move to Hoenn, the apocalypse bore upon the region. It certainly felt that way -- heavy winds and rain that quickly made the ponds in the city overflow, forcing the citizens into evacuating to designated shelters. Petalburg isn’t necessarily a coastal city, but they were close enough to the sea that some feared of being swept away by a tsunami, had it occurred.

When Norman heard the news of the clashing titans, their fears were most definitely justified. 

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.

Please.... please let Brendan be safe. Be alive. 

a broken earth ( flashback ) || brendan & norman