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z_poweredflower) wrote2022-02-19 07:21 pm
z_poweredflower) wrote2022-02-19 07:21 pm
open rp post
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[ For any starters, psls, or random fun you want. Either shoot for the moon or contact me on plurk (runebranded) to talk ideas! ]
lord, lmk if this is okay, cuz I gotta shake off the dust.
[It's been a while - long enough that Guzma's pushing closer to thirty than he was before. It'd weird in a way, he doesn't really feel any different, though he knows he's definitely changed from the fucking shmuck he used to be. 'The hated boss' and all that...haha, how the turns table, considering the dark band on his wrist as he lays bodily on a bench in Malie Garden, under the shade of the many gazebos there. It's one of his favorite places on this godforsaken island - peaceful, quiet, and abound with various bug Pokemon that enjoy the grass and water.
Speaking of, a few of his Pokemon are chilling in said grass and water - Golisopod mostly lounging in the clear streams, meditating, while a Houndoom prowls the grass and rolls around a bit. Man, who'd have thunk? Dark types...he was familiar enough with them, but always a bug trainer as heart. S'why being handed the title of Kahuna by Nanu was weird as shit. He wouldn't pass up the opportunity, and he was more than old and skilled enough, and had a decent change in personality. Hell, even the Tapu accepted him when Nanu dragged his sorry backside to the temple practically kicking and screaming. The recluse, Tapu Bulu...the one that represents patience strength and defense. It made the most sense, even if it was still a shock not only to see one, but get given a shining stone by one. Just like that kid...]
Don't set anything on fire.
[He grunts, smelling the faintest whiff of smoke, and hears a soft, whiny "boof" in response from his Houndoom. People still hated him, and they had every right to. Hell, even members of his own disbanded team still hated him when they happened to lock eyes out of sheer circumstance, but none of them could do anything, especially after the ruling of the Tapu. Kahuna Guzma...hah. What a laugh.]
it's great and no worries! same t b h
But there was never going to be a place quite like Alola. That's a big part of why she was back, here in Malie Garden, strolling along on of the winding paths and thinking back on her reasons for leaving. In her time away, she'd grown even further apart from her mother. Even though she checked in often to make sure she was recovering okay, they spoke little and she never forgave or forgot the cruelty of Lusamine's actions.
The other part of her coming back was to take on the Island Challenge. It seemed only right to her, to go back to the beginning as a trainer, a real trainer, and try it. To prove to herself that she'd changed and she could and she would. But she wanted to get familiar with the islands again first and so had been taking a sort of detour to her favorite old haunts. Malie Garden had the best tea in all of Alola, after all. She's actually about to turn back from her wandering and go get a cup when she spots a monochrome mountain of person up ahead and smiles. Guzma. What a blast from the past.
He looks well. Older, perhaps a bit less tense in the shoulders. Lillie bites her lip, wondering if she should bother him. After everything? Yeah, she should. Ask how he's doing, see what's changed with Team Skull and show him what's changed with her. She hadn't run into any of the teenage troublemakers since returning, come to think of it. A moment of indecision later, she's making her way over to him until she's standing a few feet away, hands on her hips. With a teasing smile, she says - ]
You look so peaceful and relaxed. What's gotten into you?
we can Struggle together and lose 50% hp each turn.
[With his eyes closed and body indeed relaxed, Guzma only hears the sound of approaching footsteps and his Houndoom shift in the tall grass, a low but deep growl rumbling from its throat before a sharp "tch" from the very monochromatic man silences it outright. Houndoom's a fairly new Pokemon to Guzma's team - given to him as a Houndour by a former grunt who could no longer look after if when the Team disbanded. He made sure to check up on the dolt now and again, and trained the appropriately themed mutt well. It was loyal, but still on the more grumbly side. A lot like himself, honestly...a good fit indeed.
He doesn't move, just waits quietly for this person to come closer or walk past. It could be anyone - a tourist, a challenger, or someone come to point and make fun of him. The latter don't usually do so for very long. Though he's reigned in his temper considerably since then, it still burns red hot under his skin, and there are definitely things that can, and will, set him off. He'll always be a livewire, unpredictable and rough - that part of him will never change. However, the voice catches him off guard. It's familiar and unfamiliar at the same time, and takes a minute for his face to screw up before a large grin spreads on his face, one dark eye opening to peer at--
...Oh. Oh dang, she's changed. Not overly so physically, but her presence has changed. She stands a lot taller, straighter, and doesn't sink into herself like she used to. Good. The kid deserves that confidence after what she's been through. Sad her fuck off mother didn't keel over dead from Nihilego's poison, or he didn't catapult her damn body down the steps of the alter like he should have, but Guzma was still stunned about literally everything that happened, and processing it as best he could. And there's no damn way he can get to Lusamine now... Whatever, she has a hell of a prison sentence waiting for her once she recovers, that's for damn sure (cuz Nanu let it slip, either by accident or for Guzma's benefit and closure).]
Bad malasadas. [He chuckles, threading his fingers behind his head.] Might wanna stay clear.
no subject
[ She laughs. What's obvious is that he's changed too. There's a calm to him, like the eye of a storm, but Lillie can't quite place why he seems so much...older. It's good to see he's in good spirits though, able to joke and take her return to Alola in stride. Lillie would be lying if she said she wasn't a little worried she'd be a bad memory for him. None of what happened was her fault, but she knows she must be a reminder of it all.
Her eyes sweep the area for his pokemon that she knows must be nearby, landing on Golisopod first (a small wave to the meditating bug, she doesn't want to interrupt his focus) and eventually sweeping over to Houndoom. Not a bug, but definitely Guzma's pokemon by the way it responded to his voice. Perhaps he'd branched out for some type coverage? Her own pokemon team had changed a few times over the years, that's for sure. Being a trainer was hard. You could specialize and do one thing really well, or you could spread out and do a lot of things pretty well - or you could just have fun, take the losses in stride and enjoy the journey. She liked to think she was somewhere between "strategic balance" and "these are my friends and I'll battle with them". ]
Despite the malasada troubles, you look well. Golisopod, too. [ Lillie holds her hand out calmly and gently for the fiery pup to examine, telegraphing the motion so it isn't so sudden. ] And who's this? Looks like we've both made some new friends.
no subject
[Oh, hey, what?! Okay, no, that little quip gets a deep frown to settle in on his face and Guzma finally swings his long legs around and hefts himself up and off the bench her was laying on, straightening his back with a few cracks and pops (because his posture is downright awful). He narrows his eyes, crosses his arms, and leans down to be up front and personal with this little shrimp, scoffing.]
Ya boy isn't defeated by anything, Princess. [And as he straightens, he flicks her nose roughly - not enough to really hurt, but it'll sting for a few minutes - Guzma isn't a brute anymore (as much), but he's still a bit of a bully and a jerk.] Tch, don't make up stories - I look 'bout as good as a freshly laundered Trubbish and you know it.
[Which translates to: 'thanks'. Golisopod twitches his antennae, those cross-pattern eyes blinking slowly as he lifts his head just so to rumble softly in greeting to Lillie before shutting his eyes again to resume his meditation. Houndoom, on the other hand, has prowled closer slowly, and his posture is stiff and almost wooden as Lillie gets too close for comfort. Guzma actually moves very fast when Lillie puts her hand out for it, clamping his large mitt around the big dog's muzzle just before it got within inches of Lillie's outstretched hand to snap at. With a very pointed jerk to snap the dog's face to his, he gives it a Look⢠and then shoves its face away.]
Mind where you put your hands, Houndoom's new. ...Not mine, either - one'a my little bros gave 'im to me. [Meaning Guzma didn't raise him, one of the old Grunts did, and those dummies...well. They're not the best trainers. Hence why the Houndoom is so disobedient, and needs some tough love to straighten his gruff ways. Like all the members of Team Skull, really.] Listens to me plenty, but don't like other people what he don't know.
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[ Ouch! Jeez, it was just a figure of speech!! Lillie yelps as her nose is flicked, flinching backwards slightly - and mercifully giving Guzma an extra second to secure Houndoom's snout when she does so. There's a moment of cold panic as she freezes. Lillie knows on some level that she should have expected the prickly-natured Houndoom to bite. Boy that would have been a mistake, huh. She lets her hand drop calmly, regaining her composure and smoothing her skirt. It seems only natural that Guzma would adopt a firebrand like this one. If there's one thing he's good at, it's adopting firebrands. Like attracts like and all that.
She puts on a warm smile, despite still feeling the nerves in her stomach from nearly being bitten. ]
Okay, if I'm wrong that you're doing well, how are you doing?
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[Guzma keeps a close eye on Houndoom as he skulks away back into the grass, eyes slightly narrowed. He has to train it far better, but that's something for another day - one on one. He's not good with these dark types, and wishes Nanu left him more instruction on how the hell to do this shit. Guzms would love to use his bugs, not dark types...though there really isn't anything stopping him. He's the kahuna now, after all. Tapu Bulu accepted him, too...shockingly enough.
Hence why her question makes him cross his arms and think. How is he doing? Well, he knows one thing for sure--]
M'tired. [He snorts, blowing a raspberry out the corner of his mouth like the grown ass man he is, and rubs at his neck with one hand. Lillie will then see, glaringly obvious, the Z-Power Ring adorning his wrist, set in black to match his monochromatic attire.] Gotta babysit all them trial-goers worse'n all my old brothers and sisters...not to mention carting my backside through the dang desert what to clean up the temple when the Tapu tells me to.
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Oh! Guzma, is that-? Congratulations!
[ See? She knew you had it in you Guzma - the potential for real kindness and good deeds buried under that rough and spiky exterior. The Tapu's blessing would never erase the things he had done or the ways he had to be to get by, but it certainly paved the way for a better future for him. And Lillie wanted that for him, badly. Despite it all, she felt a certain kinship with Guzma.
After all, they'd both been victims of her mother's cruelty and they'd both overcome a lot to get to where they were today. In that sense, they were siblings in her eyes.
She does seem to grasp the gravity of it all a moment later, frowning slightly. ]
Oh, but does that mean Team Skull is disbanded? That must be hard for you...
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[Blinking, Guzma tilts his head then actually follows her gaze. Oh, shit...right, she hasn't been here to learn he got accepted by the Tapu to be a Kahuna. Scoffing a little, and rubbing the back of his neck (which is only warm because it's hot out, shut up), Guzma just grumbles out a muted huff of.]
Yeah, yeah...'bout time I got recognize as more'n just a nuisance, yo. Though it ain't all it's cut out to be... Tch, ol' man Nanu must've had it easy compared to how often people come up to me, wanting to throw down.
[It's...probably because he, specifically, is a Kahuna now that people want to fight him. Not everyone accepts it, after all, and they constantly challenge his authority and his strength, trying to test if he's "worthy" or not. Not up to them, though...is the thing. If the Tapu themselves gave him their blessing, they can all bitch and moan all they want. But they sure as shit are making his job a hell of a lot harder. It's almost like the idiots are making trouble on purpose...
Gee, that certainly sounds like someone he once knew, doesn't it? Hypocrites.]
...Those morons will get by without it. Was only holding them back.
[Meaning yes, Team Skull is no more, and he's still...unsure how to feel about it. Again, lots of his brothers and sisters accepted it and they still are a big, weird found family of sorts, but others...well. They're the ones he has to beat down not as a Boss, but as a Kahuna now. It's bittersweet, and leaves a really bad taste in his mouth when it happens. He disbanded because it should have been a ways for them to grow and improve themselves just like he did. Guzma means it when he said it was holding them back - they were dummies, but some of them has real skill in a lot of other things, too. One's a fucking cook at Mallow's restaurant, some other two are lifeguards in Hau'Oli and learning up to be official Pokemon Rangers.
They can go well beyond what they could under the moniker of Grunt.]