Warm Sunshine After the Cold Storm

The skies are dark and roaring over the region. Winona has been sitting on the couch, watching the weather forecast through the television. She has gotten used to the wild thunders after each flash of terrifying bolts sent by the skies. After all, Fortree City is composed of tall trees, prone to be hit by lightning, which is why the residents constructed a tall concrete building at the center of the city which a lightning rod rests atop.

The clock struck ten. Her husband still hasn't arrived. Wallace should be opening the front door at eight in the evening. Somehow, Winona is getting worried. Wallace might be spending the night either in his old house in Sootopolis or in the Champion's Chamber in the League, but he's supposed to give her a call. They talked with each other during dawn after the weather forecast reminded Hoenn about the storm. Winona requested him to stay in the League until the storm fades since his aircar is not reliable under such weather. Despite that, Wallace told her that he'll eventually get home.

Winona turned off the television and stood up to put away the leftover dinner she had with their daughter. Suddenly, Wallace entered the house, drenched, the Champion's Cape sticking around him. He coughed and leaned against the door frame, breathing heavily.

"Now, look what you've done to yourself!" Winona rushed to get some towels. She returned to Wallace and grabbed his beret off of his head to rub his turquoise hair dry. She cupped his face after noticing how flushed he is. "You're boiling!" she remarked. "Let's get you into the tub!" She dragged him to the bathroom and asked him to strip off his drenched clothing. She twisted the faucets, mixing the water into a warm temperature. "Get in!" she hastily ordered.

Wallace sighed. "I'm sorry. I know you're worried," he said, taking off the last of his garments. He dipped into the tub and sighed once again, "Thanks."

Winona returned a grumble as she stepped out of the bathroom. "Get out in fifteen minutes and take your medicine after eating!" she cried out from the kitchen. She took a few cups of rice and proceeded to make porridge with the chicken meat in the leftovers she was about to put away a while ago.

Wallace came out later, wrapped in his bathrobe, and stepped into the kitchen. "Winona, I'll just go to bed. My head is aching," he spoke before turning around. He went to their bedroom and changed into his pajamas. He knows that she's mad, realizing that he hasn't heard her angry voice for a while. He soon flumped over the bed and rested under the sheets. After a while, Winona entered the room, carrying a tray with Wallace's porridge, glass of water, and medicine. She placed the tray on their bedside table and got herself a wooden stool to sit on. She took the bowl and dipped the spoon into the porridge. "Please sit up," she softly spoke.

Wallace noticed the sudden change in her voice. He sat up and turned his face to her.

"Do you think you can feed yourself?"

"Yeah."

"Here," she handed him the bowl.

"Thanks," he received the bowl and proceeded to eat.

The room got silent for a short while. Later on, Winona cleared her throat. Wallace somehow predicted that she has something to say.

"So… Why did you come home?"

He knew it.

"I told you to stay at the League. You have your own room there to rest."

"Don't you want to see me?" he asked, placing the bowl down on his lap.

"O-Of course I want to. But I want you safe! You're not like Steven, you know? Eclaire can send out her pokémon to teleport him back unlike you. You only have your aircar. And besides, I contacted you a lot of times but you're out of reach. I… I was so worried."

Wallace frowned. "Of course I can't be reached by the signals if I'm diving."

Winona set her eyes on her lap. "I see… But you could have called me beforehand."

The door opened and a little girl stepped into the room. "Daddy's home?" she asked, rubbing her eyes with her little hand while the other one clutches the wing of her Swablu doll.

"Yes sweetheart. But don't come near. You might catch daddy's cold," Wallace replied, forcing a smile towards his turquoise-haired princess. He released a couple of coughs later on, followed by a sniff.

She pouted, "Daddy's sick? But I wanna hug."

Winona lifted herself from her seat and guided the sleepy child out of the room. "Go back to your sleep now," she softly spoke. "Do you want mommy to sing another lullaby?"

The child returned a quick nod and turned around to walk out of the room. Winona turned her face back to Wallace. "You don't have to force yourself to finish that. Just take your medicine before you sleep," she said before looking away. She slipped her hands around her daughter and went to the other bedroom.

Wallace tried emptying the bowl but he stopped halfway, realizing he can't finish it. He placed the bowl back to the tray and took the medicine together with the glass of water. The door opened once again and Winona entered, holding a bowl of water and a hand towel.

"I hope you apologized for me," Wallace spoke.

Winona walked towards the other bedside table and placed the bowl down, dipping the towel into the water. "She said it's alright."

"I'm aching to explain things to you," he said, placing the empty glass on the tray.

His wife got silent but she motioned him to lie down. She wrung the towel, allowing the excess water to drip back to the bowl, and gently settled it over Wallace's forehead.

Wallace sighed. "Your words from this morning never left my mind, you know? That's why I left the aircar at the League and dived across the sea with my pokémon to avoid the lightnings. That took a lot of time and I arrived at the coast of Lilycove kinda late… And then I ran the rest of the way."

"You idiot! You could have asked the nurse at the Pokémon Center to let you stay instead."

"But I told you that I'll get home right? And besides, I loaned a pokémon with a Reflect attack from the nurse before dashing into the storm. I kept me safe from the lightning."

"Still, I told you to stay at the League. I pleaded to you. If you really wanted to go home then you should have called me. I know the skies better than you and I could have flied my way across the storm to get you."

Wallace can't say anything against what she said. She was right.

Winona pulled the string of the lampshade, turning it off. She walked around the bed and lifted the tray from the other bedside table, "I'll tidy up in the kitchen. Don't expect me to sleep beside you tonight."

"A-Are you really that angry? I'm sorry. Won't you stay?"

"Idiot," Winona replied, walking away from the bed. "If I stay here and catch your cold then who will take care of you?"

Wallace was taken aback. Suddenly he remembered how she took care of him each time he got sick. He would sometimes wake up in the midnight and find her sleeping in the couch.

Winona turned around before stepping out of their bedroom. "Goodnight."

"Y-Yeah," Wallace replied. "Goodnight… Ah, Winona!" he called out before she close the door.

"Yes?"

"I love you."

Winona smiled, "I love you too, Wallace." Finally, she closed the door behind her and walked to the kitchen.

Wallace was left alone in their room. The quick flashes of lightning and lengthy roars of thunder dominated from the outside. He stared at the ceiling. "Really… I'm lucky," he mumbled. He closed his eyes, hoping to get well as soon as possible so that he could reward his wife with at least a peck and a hug.

Morning came and the storm has left its traces. Leaves and twigs are scattered around, making the residents careful of their steps. Everyone is busy cleaning around while enjoying the orchestra of countless bird pokémon perching on the tree branches as well as the other flying-types passing over the city.

Wallace opened his eyes as Winona drew the curtains, basking the bedroom with warm, golden rays. He groaned, sitting up. The damp hand towel fell from his forehead to his lap.

"Good morning," Winona spoke, taking the towel from him. "How do you feel now?" She placed a palm over her husband's forehead to feel his temperature.

"Better," Wallace replied. He stroked her cheek and noticed how tired her eyes look. "Were you able to sleep?"

"I didn't bother to do so. I stayed in the living room and checked on you every hour," she answered. "Would you like to have your breakfast in bed?"

"Yeah, sure. That sounds nice."

Winona went to the kitchen and returned with a bed tray. Their daughter walked beside her, holding a warm mug of warm milk that she's been trying to finish.

Wallace beamed from the inside. No matter how cold it was during the storm last night, finding his queen and princess waiting for him and seeing their smiles right in front of him has warmed his heart more than the sight of sunrise.

Truly, they are his very own sun, wrapping him with their warm smiles from their kind faces.