Former

Prologue

A/N: Got the idea from a story that I was writng (which will NOT be posted) and I'm just thinking, "well, it won't only happen to those three" (Ash, Gary, and Lyra) and I started thinking about these two, so yeah. This happened. :D

Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon.

"Papa, you have to promise that you'll come back and train us real well, okay? You will come back, won't you?"

Norman Birch (brother/best friend to Professor Birch) stood with his hands on his hips and his Linoone and Slaking by his side. His son and daughter were in front of him, clutching his pant leg. The twins—Brendan and May Birch—were watching him, giant ruby and sapphire eyes waiting for him to answer them. He glanced up and noticed the look his wife gave him. Swooping the children into his arms to pass them over to his pokemon so they couldn't hear, he demanded, "how the hell am I supposed to answer them about a question that I'm not sure of the answer? I don't even know if I'll be allowed to come back!"

Megan raised her eyebrows at her husband. Her long, brown hair flew in the breeze of the fan. "Just tell them that you will. They won't let you leave if they know that maybe you won't," she said.

Norman gave her a desperate look, sighed, and turned toward the expectant kids in Slaking's arms. "Kids, I…"

"Oh, don't worry Brendan. Daddy's the bestest trainer that there is out there! He's gonna come back and make us the bestest trainers with our Zigzagoon!" little May held up a stuffed pokemon of a Zigzagoon. Brendan had one as well, though that one was being clutched to his chest.

Brendan turned to his sister, two years worth of knowledge working to decide if such was true. Then, "yes, Papa, May's right! But you've gotta promise to come back and train us. We're gonna be the best Normal trainers in the whole world, May and me! Maybe even better than Papa!"

Chuckling, unable to down their spirit, Norman ruffled his son's hair, and stroked his daughter's. "You'll definitely be better than me." He tugged them against him and hugged them tightly. The kids squealed in delight and giggled happily. They snuggled against his chest. "Be good for your Mama, do as she asks, eat your vegetables, not too much candy, and don't talk to strangers." He reminded them. Both nodded enthusiastically.

"I told you, we're gonna be the best! Right, May? And to be the best we gotta listen!" Brendan insisted.

"Right!" May chirped beside him.

"Good." Norman agreed. Then, he hugged and kissed his wife, returned his pokemon, and left, not expecting to see his little kids again. He hated that he'd lied to them, but it'd had to be done.

Nearly two weeks previous, he'd been called by the Pokemon Headquarters on a request to investigate a Rayquaza that had started rampaging. It was a dangerous job, one that he may never return from. And even if he did, it'd be years later, probably once Brendan and May were all grown up, had forgotten about him, and were off on their own journeys.

He didn't know much about the future: what surprises and dangers it would hold for him or his family. But he did know one thing.

Those kids waiting his return in Littleroot Town would be his sole driving force. They'd drive him until he went right over the edge. And he'd never regret a single moment of it.

"Norman, there's a call for you, we're patching you through."

Norman was a little peeved. He could have had that Trapinch if his PokeNav hadn't chosen to go off at that moment! He'd grudgingly answered it, and was surprised to find his boss on the phone. His boss didn't sound exactly happy either.

"…Okay. Who is it?"

"Your wife."

Norman was more than a little stunned. Megan wasn't supposed to be in contact with him. Maybe the kids had just been asking too much to talk with him or something. Hopefully. After a few seconds, he heard the rather desperate cry from his wife of, "Norman!"

"Hello Megan. What is it?"

"It's the kids! You… you have to come home right away!" Megan sounded to be nearly in tears, fighting to keep her cool. It wasn't working.

"What about the kids, Megan?" Norman demanded.

"I… I don't' know… they… they weren't up by the time that they normally were this morning so I decided to let them sleep in a little later than normal, but I couldn't' wait that long… and then I went to get them… they weren't there! Their little Zigzagoons were there, but they weren't!" Finally, Norman could hear her crying desperate tears. "And… and there was scorch marks on the wall near May's bed, and puddles of water all around the floor near Brendan's… Someone took them! Two different people, even! And I don't know what to do! I called the police but they've come up with nothing!"

Norman squeezed his PokeNav angrily. Who would have taken his children? Who would possibly want to? They were only two years old, for crying out loud!

"Please, Norman, I can't do this on my own… come home…" Megan pleaded with him.

"…I'll see what I can do. I'll come visit as soon as I can, at least." He assured. He switched the PokeNav from one ear to the other.

"…Kay… the police said that they'd keep searching, but… Norman! What if they've been hurt? Okay, no, stupid question. I know that they've been hurt! I'm sure of it! But… but what if they've been killed? What if they're dead? And… and then whoever took them leaves them on the side of the road and some nasty pokemon, like, eats them or something? Or they were thrown into the ocean, never to be seen again? Oh my god, are my babies dead?"

Megan had started hiccupping from the fear and the tears, making Norman sigh and coo, "Megan, dear, you're upsetting yourself. I'm sure that they're just fine."

Megan cried to him for a few more moments before settling. "I… I'm going to go talk to Brad. I'll… see you later. Love you." She breathed.

"Say 'hi' to my brother for me. Love you too. See you soon." Norman replied. He sighed when his wife hung up.

Angrily, he dug into his pocket, clutched the first thing he found, and threw it harshly into the desert he was traveling in. "Son of a bitch!" he started off on a little rant. His pokemon watched in worry. His Vigoroth even turned away.

After a few minutes of ranting, Norman calmed himself, and just felt his heart race. He noticed Vigoroth approach, clutching something in his claws. The Wild Monkey Pokemon held up a pokeball—what he'd thrown. Norman picked it up and pressed the button in the middle. In a burst of white light, the newest addition to his team burst out. It cocked its head to the side and scuttled around him nervously. "Trap Trapinch?"

Brad Birch is, in fact, Professor Birch. He needed a name. Brad seemed legit.

Please review?

~YAJJ