ulaulakahuna | empatheias contact post

[Oh good, he doesn't have to worry about Guzma having a whole new medium to terrorize people with.]

Again? [Obvious surprise and incredulousness. Seriously, what are the odds??] What, were you tussling with this person, too?

[ ( ͠° ͟ʖ ͡°) ]

I don't think I can help you with that. Hard to verify someone else's memories. I can only tell you that I did it through the amulet, and you can't really fool those things.

[Guzma sighs, which makes itself known more through the emotion that accompanied it, than the sound itself.]

Yeah, again. [Guzma sounds annoyed, because he too was surprised, and he certainly didn't want to see anyone else's memories. Especially so soon after his run in with Nanu.]

See—I wasn't tusslin' with no one. I mean, we weren't in the same physical vicinity or nothing! Just talkin' over the amulets, and she was frontin' some shit about bein' a murderer—I didn't believe her.

[This... is already going great.]

She was real set on convincin' me, 'cos she was playin' it up like she was real hard while tryin' to act all cute about it. Then she showed me some shit, but...

[He trails off, because honestly what he saw was about as disturbing as it was ridiculous, and recalling it doesn't help him make up his mind about it.]

Have you ever heard of someone killin' someone else with bubbles?

[Guzma feels about as ridiculous as that question sounds right now.]

[hang on he's trying to judge whether this is a really dumb prank]

[he can't]

Guzma.

...[in A Tone Of Voice that doesn't imply he thinks the other is lying per se, but there's an unmistakable hint of A Warning that so help him god if this is one...]

I can't believe I'm saying this, but be more specific.

[Even Guzma would think this is a REALLY dumb prank if it were one, but he almost wishes it were.]

That's the thing, even if I get more specific it won't make any more sense.

[He hears that tone, and he's not actually sure how to make Nanu believe him that he's not just pulling some shit on the old guy for fun.]

But fine, I dunno. She was with some people and they were surrounded by police, and she just...

[There's a pause as Guzma finds it near painful to even say what he's gonna say next, because it 100% sounds like he's making this up.]

Blew bubbles outta her mouth—kinda like bubblebeam or some shit, and when it made contact with 'em, the bubbles popped and it killed 'em.

[Boy, this... this went downhill fast.]

[Nanu pauses, silent. For...more than a moment. Long enough that Guzma might think he's written this off and "disconnected", so to speak. In reality, he's thinking long and hard about it, rubbing his eyes with his thumb and forefinger. He can't even be annoyed—Guzma sounds like he knows what's coming out of his mouth (head?) is utter bullshit, but is weirded out enough to still ask about it.]

[Finally, he does respond, albeit with another question.]

Did he just drop dead? Or did the bubbles do physical harm?

[cripes but that sounded so dumb]

Either way, I've never heard of it. A pokémon's bubble beam can't kill a person, and I'm pretty sure even the most experienced water-type trainers can't just open their mouth and pop them out.

[He hates this so much, it sounds so ridiculous, and he's almost regretting coming to Nanu. Not because Nanu's done anything, but rather he wishes he would have kept this to himself. Even though whether or not this was a real memory, and if that girl was truly a murderer was a pesky thought that wouldn't leave his head.

Especially when that scene was rather gruesome. Seeing an Ultra Beast eating a poor woman had it's own gore, but seeing people blown apart by bubbles... it was absurdly morbid, to put it lightly.]

They... blew up. Where the bubbles hit 'em.

[A gorey mess on the account of what looked like harmless soap bubbles.]

You don't think I know that?! That's why I ain't sure that what I saw was real, or if she's got one hell of a messed up imagination!

[Another...very long pause...]

[filled with regret...]

[...lamenting...]

[...resignation...]

[...a heavy sigh...]

...Show me the memory.

...I can do that? Hm.

[It hadn't crossed his mind, but it makes sense, right? He now has that memory, it's not like what she had shown him suddenly vanished from his mind after the transition.

There's silence on Guzma's end as he tries to focus the thoughts, that disturbing memory through the line. It almost seems like he had disconnected, if not for the undercurrent of frustration seeping through the line. Then, rather suddenly, the memory goes through.

As he had seen it, from the young girl's point of view, she and her friends were surrounded by police, clear with the aim to detain them. The group plays a morbid game of rock paper scissors to decide who gets the honor--the girl winning. She then turns to the police, and just as Guzma had explained she blows bubbles that look as harmless as all bubbles.

However, when they hit the police officers, they do indeed explode with a force they shouldn't have. Killing them all.

It ends there. The silence thereafter isn't upheld for long, because then Guzma has to add his own commentary:]

It's as fucked up as it's stupid, yeah?

Edited 2019-04-17 18:16 (UTC)

[Well, that certainly takes one mystery off the table. It's very hard to picture with just a verbal description to go on, even if it's functionally accurate in detail. And boy, was Guzma not kidding.]

[It's not clear what the group of young girls did to attract the cops in the first place, but guaranteed none of them could see this coming. Who would? They're not trained for this! And now their collective epitaph is 'blown to bits by bubbles'.]

[Nanu reacts accordingly serious, however. Blast injuries are no joke, and those bubbles might as well have been bombs. He isn't as bothered as Guzma (despite what the other man says), having seen a lot in his day, but it's no less unsettling and no less tragic. The added factor of the callousness and casual game of rock-paper-scissors makes it worse in a much different way.]

...Hmh. [That could be a sound of agreement, or just one in thought. It is like something out of a B-movie horror flick, and one he would laugh at if he saw it on television. But it's not.] It feels like a real memory; at least the way we're experiencing it.

And like I said—you can't fool the amulets. I don't think you can play your imagination to other folks like that and pass it off as a memory.

[so...like...it probably is real maybe...??]

[With Nanu's assessment of the whole thing, the connection is filled with a sense of dread. It was easier to deal with this when he was convincing himself it was some wicked little girl's imagination cranked to 11 on the edgy scale. But if this is real, if she truly killed those people, Guzma was certainly playing with fire by provoking her.]

...Fuck...

[Were this a more verbal conversation, the word would be more breathed than said, but the feeling of the singular response does well enough to transfer the intent behind it.

Guzma might be a violent dude, the type who would beat the ass of anyone who pissed him off--in a Pokémon battle or with his own fists, but he's no murderer. And he certainly doesn't want one after him, even if she's almost a preteen. Honestly, if there's anything true about their world, the one thing that's a universal constant, it's that kids aren't to be taken lightly just because they're kids.]

If it is true, and she can do that shit... maybe I oughta lay low for a while.

[There's a jolt of realization, before he quickly adds:]

Not that I'm scared or nothin', but if she can do that shit for real, who the hell knows what else she's capable of. Or even the limits to that, and I ain't about endangerin' my team tryin' to find out.

[His team, not himself.]

[Once the dread comes across the line, Nanu's a little surprised...and suspicious.]

There's a lot of worlds out there. People with supernatural power, people who aren't even human.

[Which, of course Guzma knows that, but it's more to lend credence to the whole thing. Crazy shit goes down here all the time; they can never really know others' homeworlds and their role there.]

[His suspicion grows when Guzma mutters his intentions. That quick "save" about not being scared earns him the mind-feeling equivalent of a deadpan I'm Sure look.]

Guzma. [He starts slowly, suspicion obvious in his voice.] If you weren't fighting this girl, why would she be after you?

[ ( ͠° ͟ʖ ͡°) ]

I know that, okay?!

[It's just something that's a little hard to fully grasp sometimes. Especially when he's mainly been around other Pokémon trainers, and Jill, and none of them are blowing bubbles and killing people!!

He definitely feels the judgement on Nanu's end, and he responds with a surge of exasperation over this whole thing.]

We weren't fighting. But I can't say I left too good of an impression with her neither. I'm pretty sure a murderer who brags about bein' such don't take too kindly to some dude sayin' she's full of shit.

[He sighs, on his end he's running a hand through his hair, not that Nanu knows. There's a strange feeling that accompanies it, like an urge of restraint, but for what isn't clear.]

I ain't half as crazy as her, and if someone started mouthin' off to me about whether or not I'm hard or if I'm full of shit... I know what I'd do, is all.

[No one's been blowing bubbles and killing people, that he's seen.]

[Nanu sighs, very audibly and very deep. And pinches the bridge of his nose, which Guzma can't see, but can feel the intent and emotion behihnd the action coming across their mind-link, alongside that suspicion.]

An argument is verbal fighting. You know that, right?

[But, y'know, at least he isn't calling Guzma a liar.]

What, you'd prove you could murder someone by doing it? Even you're not evil. [He uses the word lightly, because he hates using it. It's so subjective.] If this girl doesn't know where you live, just stay home. I'm sure a bubble-beam killing would make the news at some point.

I wouldn't call it much of an argument, more like both of us were puffin' our chests and assessin' the other.

[So, basically two proud assholes trying to either one up the other, or put the other down. In Guzma's case, he was trying to call bullshit when there wasn't any to call. Honestly he's being a little pedantic about this whole thing.]

I ain't sayin' I'd kill no one, but that's 'cos I ain't some psychopathic murderer. But she is. So if someone challenged me to somethin' I know I can do, I'd do that, so I ain't gonna be too surprised if she's similar.

[The suggestion to stay home is a good one, but there's a hint of worry. It's a little irrational, but Guzma's not exactly rational to begin with.]

Yeah, I guess so. I just don't wanna be bringing shit to Jill's doorstep, especially since she just broke out of her crystal.

[The crystal Guzma told NO ONE about.]

Guzma, for you, that is the argument.

[How does he think he starts shit with people half the time? He may as well be in a permanent display of dominance, and even the most proud pokémon know when to knock that shit off.]

[With the knowledge of how this little girl operates, though, Nanu knows Guzma very likely wouldn't bring his pokémon into a direct conflict. Nanu sure as hell wouldn't. The stakes are too high, much more than a battle between teams.]

[While he declines to comment further on Guzma's shoddy explanation, the latter part is good to hear.]

Did she? About time. [He sounds more relieved than the casual comment would imply.] If anyone can protect you from a slaughter, it's her.

Tch!

[Yeah, he can't deny that, so he won't even try. At this point it wouldn't do him any favors. But see!! He's learning when to back down!! But, just. Not with always the right people.

Guzma's about the comment on Nanu's "about time" comment, but then gets distracted at the next. There's a noticeable ruffle of annoyance on the other end from Guzma, as if his pride's been pricked a little.]

I don't need her proctectin' me from shit! She's strong, don't get me wrong, but she ain't tougher than a Pokèmon, let alone five.

[That aside, he'd hate to put her in danger because he did something as stupid as this...]

[Good call, Guzma. Just a month ago, he would have come up with some boasty, tauros-shit comeback. You know what this is? Growth.]

[Still, Nanu refrains from a snide comment, even if he saw Guzma's wounded pride coming.]

Your pokémon don't have guns. [Or rifles. Or a rocket launcher. Pokémon have ridiculously strong moves, but not much can beat that.] Or killer bubble defense.

[this is ridiculous]

Jill's got guns, sure, but she don't got Golisopod's diamond-hard hide, or Scizor's steel-like defense. Guns got their use, don't get me wrong, but she ain't invincible.

[Neither is his team, and he knows that, but...]

I don't think I could live with myself if she got killed because of me.

[The thought slips out, and he honestly shouldn't feel embarrassed by it, but here he is. Embarrassed.]

She won't. [he says with...a hidden sort of confidence that he's never really shown in his voice before, toward Jill or in front of Guzma.] She's more prepared than most any folks.

[Maybe it helps that Nanu either doesn't notice his embarrassment, or at least doesn't point it out. It's not something normal people would be embarrassed about; that, combined with Guzma's admission of guilt in the matter is kind of a big step.]

Which leads me back to my first point. You're not gonna get killed on her watch.

[That confidence certainly catches him off guard, the tone isn't what he expected, but it helps ease him in a way. It's hard sometimes for Guzma to see the abilities of others, even when they're not his opponent. It's not that he doesn't know the facts, or that Jill's extremely capable, but maybe he has a hard time having faith in people's individual capabilities when Pokémon aren't involved. Especially when it comes with territory that he himself doesn't fully understand.

Like death bubbles.]

...You really believe in her, huh?

She's got a good head on her shoulders. [Which, coming from Nanu, is tantamount to one of the highest praises.] She's also highly trained. You don't find that sort of combat expertise everywhere.

[That, too, is said with a sort of knowing finality. As if, and because, Nanu knows exactly what he's talking about. And that aside; he's seen her in action.]

[As Nanu continues to be sternly confident in Jill's abilities, it continues to ease Guzma's worries. Nanu's confidence in anyone is rare indeed, and he's not foolish enough to ignore that.]

Yeah, she's pretty damn amazing, I'll give you that. Maybe I'm just bein' stupid.

[Stupid as in being concerned about her safety more than he would others. Because he cares about her. What an idiot, right?]

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