13
While May was busy outside trying to explain to Jerry that "No, he didn't mean it like that!" (while Jerry just looked at her with smug, platinum-silver judgment), Norman signaled for me to stay behind.
The Gym Leader led me to a quiet back room, far from the prying eyes of Lens's camera. The walls were lined with old photographs, but one stood out: a younger Norman standing next to a woman with a wild, fierce grin and a Primeape draped over her shoulders like a scarf.
"You called me 'Father-in-law' to throw me off," Norman said, his voice dropping the booming authority of a Leader. "It worked. But I'm not talking to the 'Streamer' right now. I'm talking to the man who's keeping my daughter safe."
"I try, sir," I said, leaning heavily against a wooden post. "Though usually, she's the one keeping me from being flattened by wild Pokémon."
Norman chuckled, a dry, heavy sound. "You think May is just 'naturally' strong? You think a girl grows up wrestling Machokes because it's a fun hobby? Look at that photo, Jake. That's her mother, Caroline."
I looked closer. Caroline didn't look like the gentle mother I remembered from the games. She looked like a Valkyrie.
"In this world," Norman continued, "certain bloodlines carry a dormant trait—a resonance with Fighting-type energy. We call it the 'Vigor Strain.' Caroline had it. She was a master of the 'Battle-Trance.' But May... May didn't just inherit it. She was born during a Primal Surge in the Hoenn sea. She doesn't just have the strain; she is the strain."
My eyes widened. "So her strength... it's not just training?"
"It's a curse as much as a gift," Norman said solemnly. "She's a 'Human Pokémon.' Her brain operates on a different frequency when she fights, which is why she seems... 'simple' at times. Her biology is diverting all that processing power into her physical limiters. If she ever truly loses her temper, Jake, she won't just break a tree. She'll level a city block."
I swallowed hard. "Why are you telling me this?"
Norman looked me dead in the eye. "Because you have that 'Nat 20' luck, or whatever your fans call it. You're the only person I've seen who can talk her down when she's in that headspace. You keep her grounded. You keep her human."
He handed me a small, weathered leather pouch. "Inside is a specialized Everstone shard. If you see her eyes start to glow—not just a sparkle, but a real, pulsing amber light—get this near her. It'll dampen the energy surge before she hurts herself."
I tucked the pouch into my pocket, feeling the weight of the responsibility. "I understand. I'll look after her."
"Good," Norman said, his "Gym Leader" mask sliding back into place. "Now get out of here. And Jake? If you do end up becoming my son-in-law... start doing some push-ups. It's embarrassing to have a relative who gets winded by a brisk walk."
I walked out into the main lobby where May was waiting, punching her palms together. "Ready to go, Jakey? Let's go find that forest guy! I feel like I could jump over the moon!"
I looked at her—my energetic, beautiful, slightly-dumb-but-actually-a-living-weapon companion—and smiled. "Yeah, May. Let's go. Lens! Go live! We've got a legend to hunt!"
[Chat Log]
IceCreamQueen_C:What did they talk about? Jake looks... serious.
PervySage:He's probably getting the 'Talk' about keeping his hands off May.
SilentRed:[GIF: Secretive look]