Quoted By:
Norman doesn't "vacation" like regular people. For one, he left his family behind in Hoenn, journeying to Kanto on his own. When most people go on "vacation," they also tended to afford themselves the slightest luxury, which Norman didn't. Instead of getting a flight, or even renting a car, he rode his Tauros from Mossdeep to Olivine City. It took all day for them to swim from Hoenn to Johto, and the weather, while wonderful for a sailor, was hell on Norman. The sun beat down hard, the salty spray of the ocean only seeming to make it worse. Still, he was used to bitter trips, and as the sun set, his Tauros sluggishly pulled itself onto the shore just outside his hometown. He didn't spend much time in his old city, wanting to make it to Kanto in one day.
As he watched the sun set next to the lighthouse, his pokegear started ringing, and leaning on Tauros, he answered. "Wally, how's the gym doing? Mhmm... Hrm, I see. Well, he should, he's the one I lent you that time before. Yeah, same one, just evolved. Well he must've taken a shine to you back then... Right, right, listen, I'm sure you'll do fine, just don't be afraid of losing. I didn't say it was okay to lose, just don't think about it. Oh, I'm sure you will. Goodbye, Wally." He pulled Tauros back into its ball, and sent out his Dodrio. He cracked his neck, rubbing the Dodrio behind its closest head. It sat down for him, and without wasting any more time, he mounted it, and running his hands through the feathers around the base of its neck, he guided it yet through the streets of Olivine, breaking out into a full run as soon as he hit Route 39.
His Dodrio was fast as a car, and it was a matter of hours before he had hit Route 27. His Tauros, while tired, could make one last push, and swam them into Kanto.
Mounting his Dodrio again, he set off towards Celadon City, where Professor Birch had told him to find Professor Oak.
