Sapphire Shores

Seven

"Don't concern yourself with that now." Wattson interrupted. I have someone who wants to see you."

Brendan raised an eyebrow. "Who?" He immediately asked.

Wattson shook his head sadly and gestured for Brendan to follow. He lead him through a crowd of people and into what looked like a rather sparse market area. Lamps lite up the small wooden benches and stalls with baskets of fruit and berries, the only food Brendan had seen around here. In the distance he could see a small field where the berries were grown. Everyone looked thin and hungry but no starving, just unhappy. A few homes had been quickly built, but most of the people live in tents on the outskirts of the main town. If you could call it a town. Brendan followed Wattson out and away from the main population and towards a shack right at the edge of the island. Wattson lifted up the material which he clearly considered as the entrance and stopped.

"He's in there. Waiting for you." Wattson said almost apologetically.

Brendan ducked and entered into the tent. As he brought his head up he saw a small bed lying on the ground, a few odd blankets covering the tall and strong body of the person inside it. Brendan glanced around his surroundings. It was dark and quiet, the only noise being the coughing coming from the man. On his left was a few half-berries and a glass of water, the right there was a group of small medicine and potions but they had all been used up. Brendan approached the man and looked towards him cautiously.

"Dad." Brendan mumbled out in surprise. "Dad!"

The boy rushed to his fathers side, throwing himself down onto his knees and staring into his fathers opening, weary, sick eyes. The ruby-brown colour had faded out of Norman. His once strong and stern expression, the one he wore everyday at the Gym, in battles, at home, was gone, replaced with a weak and pale glance at his son.

"Brendan." He whispered out. "Is that you?"

"Yes, Dad." Brendan replied, tears welling in his eyes. "I'm here. It's me."

"You're alive?"

"I'm alive, Dad." Brendan struggled to hold back his tears. "Is mum?"

"I'm sorry, son." Norman replied. Brendan threw his hand to his mouth and covered that hand with his other, tears streaming down his hands. "I couldn't get to her-"

"It's okay. I know." Brendan interrupted. "Save your strength."

"Brendan. Don't feel guilty." Norman managed to force out. "I know you did all you could down there. In that cave."

"Dad. I tried. I tried so hard."

"Brendan. I don't have long left." Norman used the last of his strength to sit up but struggled but Brendan ran to help. With Norman sat up he managed to grab Brendan and pull him close. He could tell that his son was full of emotions, anger, hatred, pain, sadness, grief, guilt. "I may have not been the best father too you but I'm proud of you. So proud. Whatever happened in that cave, it wasn't your fault."

"I know. I tried my best. But, May?" Brendan's fingers tucked into his hand to form a fist. "She said she got in the way, she said she freed Kyogre-"

"By accident?" Norman asked, his breathing becoming harder to maintain.

"Yeah. But-"

"Brendan. Why did she go into that cave?" Norman's eyes opened as far as they could, his bloody, scared hand pressed against his sons face as he waited for Brendan's reply. "She wanted to help you, didn't she?"

"Yes. She wanted to help me." Brendan was confused. He didn't have long left with his father. 'Why did he want to talk about this?' He thought.

"That little girl. She loves you Brendan, I saw it as soon as you walked in my gym with her." Brendan shook his head. "You know it too. She just wanted to be with you." Brendan got up from his dads side and turned away from him, slamming a hand into the wooden table.

"She caused it all."

"No."

Brendan sharply turned to his dead. "She said she did!"

"We all say things that aren't true, Brendan." Norman managed to smile but it was interrupted by a rough coughing fit. Brendan yet again went to his side. "Of course she blames herself." Norman paused. "Wouldn't you blame yourself?"

"But she freed Kyogre?" Brendan insisted. "Why would she lie?"

"She didn't lie. That's not what happened. She's a good person, and when bad things happen, good people blame themselves. Like you blamed yourself for not stopping Team Aqua in their headquarters." Norman grabbed his sons hand firmly and placed a metal PokeBall, warm and full of life, into his hand. "She needs you, Brendan. Go to her. Help her."

"Wait. How do you know about what happened in the cave?"

Norman smiled. "I know my son."

Brendan stared at him confused. He tried to process everything, his mother's death, his fathers last words too him, what Norman had said. He didn't understand. He knew so much about him. He knew all about what happened in the cave and Brendan's memory was still fuzzy about that. His father was always determined but this, this was different somehow. Like he knew everything. Like he knew the workings of Brendan's mind beyond the connection between a father and son. He knew May. He knew about him and May being together.

Brendan clutched the PokeBall and stared at his father, into the fading colours of his eyes.

"What do I need to do?"

"Go to her." Norman ordered. "Protect her."

Brendan nodded hesitantly. "Okay, Dad."

Norman ushered him over one last time. "Go to May, be with her." Brendan got up and looked at his dying father one last time. "I love you, son."

"I love you, Dad."