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Guzma?!

[ She has so many questions, but the feeling that she's just been gone for a long time and is just coming home is so strong that all Lillie can do is start running towards him - start closing the gap, catching up. Her footing is clumsy in the wet sand, as if her legs have forgotten the strength island life once gave them. ]

[The silence that hangs between them for those tiny moments feels heavy, and Guzma is about to chalk it up to this place taking something else away - of course it would, all those things with the two brats happened before the Storyteller went all out with--...what was it called? The Historian? Whatever the fuck, Guzma doesn't care. It's been so long since the battle was fought and won, and a new world was made - one that allowed people to come and go as they chose, any time they wanted, and even allowed others to visit worlds beyond their own. He didn't expect anyone from then to just...come back here and remember.

But damn if he's not happy she does. He can't stop the quirk of his lips at one corner, the glint of teeth in a barely-there smirk as Guzma takes one large step forward to catch Lillie before she trips and lands face first in the sand. Not a good look for the little princess, after all.]

Dang, don't look so happy to see me, brat. You'll ruin my rep, yo.

[ 'Ruin his rep' - with who, Lillie has no idea, as she notes the lack of life signs in the surrounding area.

None the less, she hugs him tight when he catches her. Can't stifle a laugh at how stubborn and obstinate he is in comparison to how gentle he can be in these rare moments. Although something is a little strange about the situation, something she can't place for a moment until... ]

You look great! [ Clean and fed and more alive, she means. ] Did you get to go home? Gosh, how long have I been gone?

[It's just in general. Shh, don't question him.

It's always a little odd to get hugs from people; Guzma's grown more used to it over time, especially from the kids he knows, but it's still so damn weird to think anyone would ever want to get close enough to a thug like him. He's a bit startled - just for a second - but picks Lillie up with a snort, carrying her almost effortlessly in the crook of one of his strong arms. She's tiny (compared to a giant like him, anyway), and practically light as a feather. This is nothing.]

Y'aint so bad yourself, pipsqueak. [Guzma clicks his tongue a little, thinking to himself. She doesn't know.] S'been a dang long time, n' I gotta rattle off a lotta what's gone down here, yo... Place is a whole lot diff'rent since y'all left. C'mon, I'll take y'back and explain.

...You wanna walk or this good? [It makes no difference to him, but Lillie may or may not want to be held like a literal princess.]

[ Can't spell "thug" without "hug", Guzma. It's right there in the name. Get with the affection program.

Under normal circumstances, Lillie would have rolled her eyes and walked alongside him. But knowing she's missed a huge chunk of time - and Guzma rarely exaggerates things of this nature - makes her feel just vulnerable enough to take the ride. Better safe in Guzma's capable arms than swallowed by the island's next surprise catastrophe. ]

This is fine, thank you. It seems very different...just in how it feels. Like it's...grown up?

[ She struggles to find the right word. Grown up is a close approximation of what she means though. ]

[FUCK.

Astonishingly, the island - world?? He's not sure what to call it this time around... This place has been relatively calm ever since the change over. There's still dangers, of course...hungry predators, heat, weather, all that sort of stuff, but overall? Not bad. The fact they can all go back and forth from their worlds or even others is spectacular. Bringing back and forth supplies to build and advance, medicine and books to learn...potions to heal... It's been a lot of growth. So Lillie's comment actually has Guzma chuckling a bit.]

Heh...yeah, you could say that.

[And as they walk, Guzma will explain all that happened in Lillie's absence. The battle with the Historian, the truth of the world LifeAftr - a shredded piece put together to avoid a crumbling world, a Life Raft, and the battle to avoid fate. To change history. And their victory - a creation of a whole, truly whole new world.]

Ol' Cottontail really pulled out the stops, too. I ain't limited to no two Pokemon no more, yo!! I got my whole team! Y'never did meet 'em all, did you? When we get back, I'll introduce you.

[ Lillie listens, enraptured by the story. It's like he got to live inside a storybook, be part of a legend. She's equal parts thankful and sad she wasn't there for it all. She wouldn't have been much use, she thinks. More than anything, she's just so glad for the Storyteller and for the world of LifeAftr. She thinks...she thinks she might stay here, if it's built up and safer now. She's been away from her world, and indeed from any world, for too long to go back.

But the news that he has his full team is wonderful news indeed! ]

That's incredible! All of it, that's...so incredible! I'm so glad for you, and for your pokémon, too. I've only met Goli and Ari so far, yes. I'd love to meet the others. I bet they missed you terribly.

[Wrong. Those unfit to fight could have helped in other ways. Telling stories, strengthening the Storyteller, or aiding those who were fighting by giving aid and helping refugees from other islands. But the battle has been long over, and they won, so it's nothing more than, heh...a story.

Guzma trecs with Lillie in his arms, grinning as he pushes leaves and foliage out of his way with his free arm.]

Well, you'll see 'em soon...we're almost at the Temple. Y'all remember how to use the Mana Pools to get to the Islets or does ya boy need to remind y'all how it's done? [He sets Lillie down now, ruffling her hair a bit. It's too easy to do this now - Lillie is practically one of his little sisters at this point. One of many, anyway, but just as precious.]

Mhm! I remember.

[ As long as it's the same as it used to be, she can still do it. She giggles when he ruffles her hair. Lillie knows he's done bad things, but it's in moments like these she cannot imagine them. Her big (admittedly adopted) brother? A hooligan? Impossible. ]

Since people can come and go now, the islets must be so different.

Edited (formatting whoops) 2021-01-15 03:39 (UTC)

[Don't say that, Lillie. Guzma has done bad things, and he doesn't want those to be ignored, or brushed aside. His mother did the same thing when he went back that one time...and it made his angry. He and his father were done in every sense of the word, but his mom...she tried. She tried her damnedest, but he always held some resentment towards her as well. For allowing things, for not stopping them, and for turning a blind eye and pretending like nothing was wrong with him or her husband. He knows there's more to it than that, of course, but it steeled his resolve that that house on Route 2...

It was not meant for him. It was never a home, and it never would be.

He may be changing now, maybe ever for the better, but he's still Guzma. The aggression dimmed a little bit, but he still likes to fight, and is competitive as all hell, and struggles to compose himself when his temper flares sometimes. No one should forget that, or ignore it, but instead correct it. Slowly, patiently.]

Atta girl. Now I know the saying goes 'ladies first' but, uh... [He bites his lip, to hide the wicked curl of his mouth into a sinister looking grin, a dark chuckle shaking his shoulders.] I ain't the traditional sorta gent, yo.

[He claps one large, sturdy hand on Lillie's shoulder, eyes flitting from her to the mana pool, and there's a clear glint of mischief in those dark eyes. Meet and greet is over, little sister, it's time to YEET YOU INTO THE WATER.]

[ Alas, the importance of acknowledging his temperament and correcting his course is a bit lost on the forgiving nature of an empathetic youth like Lillie. One day, when she's older, she'll look back and see the darkness in his heart - even if she will ultimately feel the same at the end of that day. That he is her brother. That they are family, in the truest sense of the term. One day it'll catch up to her and she'll have to think long and hard about how it makes her feel. But today, she can just be happy he's different now, and she can continue to nurture that change until it's standard for him.

There's something about the hand on her shoulder that suddenly sets off an alarm bell. The intuition of someone used to nasty surprises, perhaps. But before she can make a disarming comment or react, she's flailing forward into the water. Oh, right. She almost forgot he's a complete gremlin man.

The water is uncomfortably warm for the few seconds she's in it before she's scrambling over the side of the pool onto the islets. Her hat is hilariously left behind at the temple mana pool, floating in the water where she "fell" in. Wringing out her dress and shaking the water from her hands, Lillie huffs indignantly, though it quickly gives way to a giggle. ]

Why you--! You just wait, I'll get you back for that when you least expect it!

[By then, hopefully, he'll have tamed a bit of that darkness as well. Guzma still, to this day, gets angry very easily, and his explosive and unpredictable nature still reflects that he will always have that part of him that's not always going be the so-called 'good guy' that people wanted him to be. He can't be that person, and he's stopped trying. He is who he is and can only move forward into who he wants to become. But now he seeks betterment, atonement, growth...but not forgiveness. He'll take the booing, the hate, the bitterness, and the anger reflected back at him.

Lillie's kindness, too, he has learned to slowly accept as well. Genuine kindness, and friendship, and a feeling of belonging. Family. It's nice to have, even if not by blood. Even in the moments like this, where his true and 'terrible' nature peeks through, it's nice to fall back on that gentle feeling of comfort, because he still knows there are people out there who care about him. It may not be his flesh and blood, but it's better. Stronger.

Cackling, Guzma emerges but a moment after Lillie does, pushing back his damp hair and shaking out his hoodie. He's holding Lillie's sunhat, because he's not so mean as to just leave it swimming in the mana pool, and plops it down on her head as he wades out of the pool and heads toward their old home. Things have indeed changed, and the older homes have grown larger, still stylized a bit, but certainly not in complete disarray. Guzma and Lillie's abode hasn't changed much over time, but now there are small changes if Lillie goes poking around. Though...she may be distracted as a flash of white and orange buzzes by, and Guzma grins.]

Hey there, darlin', I said I'd be back, yo. Y'didn't bother Pinsir too much, yeah? I mean it, girlie, be nice to 'im, y'all know he's sensitive. [The Pokemon, a Masquerain, perches in the man's hood as it hums quietly, the 'eyes' on its head drooping before perking up again at the sight of Lillie.]Na-aah! Behave. Lil's family.

[ The hat droops under the weight of the water and it looks a little pathetic, but Lillie is good natured about it as she follows behind Guzma. She shakes it out when they come to a stop by the new and improved home, eyes finding all the differences automatically - and a smile forming as she registers all the similarities. It's not foreign, but it's not overly familiar. A nice comfortable change. Shes about to say as much when a streak of color flies past her and-

Lil's family. She knew in her heart of hearts, but to hear him say it is nice. Like, really really nice. ]

Hello! [ She bows her head in greeting to the new Pokéfriend, hands clasped politely in front of her even as her hat flops down over her face. ] It's nice to meet you.

[The tiny, insect Pokemon regards Lillie closely, the 'eyes' on its head still pointed up intimidatingly, buzzing by Guzma's shoulder before shaking its 'eyes' at her and darting away. To which Guzms just rolls his eyes and shakes his head. Typical...]

Yeah, so that's my Masquerain...she's a spitfire, don't get along well with most folk, and sure as heck likes to fight. Sorta like me...[Guzma frowns a bit. Honestly, Masquerain was a lot like he used to be. Aggressive, hotheaded, ready to take on anything and anyone, and not really a 'team player' outside of people he was especially close to.] She'll come around, 'ventually...

I think you'll like Pinsir, actually, c'mon...he's probably 'round back. Or up'n the trees? [Guzma flicks his sunglasses over his eyes and begins scanning the palms around.] Guess I could just call 'em all over.

Lifeaftr IC Inbox

ah how i missed the sweet sounds of [death] 2/2

WOW YOU JUST CAME RIGHT FOR MY LIFE

knifecats aggressively

spritzes with water

wow?? im just out here attacking you and you spritz me???

SPRITZES AGAIN

WOW

YOU DESERVED IT

DID NOT!!!

[x] doubt

WOW GUZMA, RUDE

honestly i don't know what you expected

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