[attr="class","illie"]

[attr="class","illie b"]

[attr="class","illie i"]if there's one thing that she knows, it's the simple fact that this little baby will live up to the name matias has given it.

she raises her pokemon with a purpose: to love and protect those around them. no matter what version of herself she becomes, that will never change. it seems, however, that she won't need to teach much to the tiny golett.

"now," she murmurs, head tilting slightly to one side. silver strands tickle her nose and briefly, she scrunches it at the sensation. "can you tell me why you wanted to name it so badly?" her look is expectant, as if he won't just ignore the question.

she has a feeling he will but she'll go through the motions anyway.

MATIAS SILPH
passing!

she won't let it go, huh? perhaps he should've expected as much. but in the end, he finds that he doesn't quite mind her persistence. if anything, it's rather endearing.

"because i envy the bond you have with your pokemon."

he looks to the golett, smiling.

"...and i care about it."

illeana reyes
catching spiritomb!

☉

[attr="class","illie"]

[attr="class","illie b"]

[attr="class","illie i"]satisfaction comes in the form of an answer. even if she had to pry it out of him, it still sates her curiosity. and where that curiosity had been, something else takes its place. it's an odd feeling, one that's halfway between sadness and sympathy.

the smile she offers him is warm.

"you could have that bond too, you know," she offers. a hand rises to stroke lazily at the golett's head as it coos and waves their intertwined hands around. the second part makes her pause, however. he cares about their bond. somehow, she didn't expect that. she swallows and continues with a slightly wobbly voice. "so you can have bonds that you care about too."

MATIAS SILPH
passing!

could he?

briefly, he peers over his shoulder at his dusknoir. he feels little for it, if anything at all. it's a tool, a weapon, and nothing more.

"it's not that easy for me."

but there are exceptions, of course.

"but i have some that i care about."

he reaches a hand to his waist, calling out a small smoochum.

"this is smoochy boo."

illeana reyes
catching spiritomb!

☉

[attr="class","illie"]

[attr="class","illie b"]

[attr="class","illie i"]not caring for your pokemon? couldn't be her. can't relate.

she's observing him as he looks over his shoulder, eyes darting briefly between trainer and pokemon. there's a mildly budding theory in her mind but she keeps it quiet, pushing it into his file and tucking it away for safe keeping.

"why do you think that is?" it's mostly curious and completely prying.

she blinks and another little baby joins their group. her golett lets out an excited coo, releasing its grip on both her waist and matias's hand to make grabby motions at the smoochum. she smiles fondly at the sight.

"what a cutie," she coos, offering a little wave to the small baby pokemon. "with a cute name too! see, you can name pokemon."

MATIAS SILPH
passing!

"i'm not sure."

with admittance comes guilt.

"maybe because their purpose has mostly been about fighting wars."

but smoochy boo's purpose isn't to fight. she has none, really, as she's still a baby. a part of him hopes she'll stay this way forever.

for now, she hops out of matias' lap and runs to hug the golett, giving it cute smooches on its cheek.

illeana reyes
catching spiritomb!

☉

[attr="class","illie"]

[attr="class","illie b"]

[attr="class","illie i"]pieces click into place with admittance and unfortunately, her theory is proven mildly correct.

gently, she reaches out a hand and squeezes comfort into his.

"that's no longer their purpose," illeana murmurs. "they don't need to fight wars anymore." it still hurts to know that somewhere out there, pokemon are still being used as instruments of war. and it hurts even more to know that there's little she can do to change that.

golett coos louder when smoochy boo approaches, happily welcoming the pink baby with an air of excitement and open arms. she can't help the soft noise of affection that escapes, then, as smoochy boo settles into her golett's lap and begins to pepper kisses on its cheek. god... that's so cute.

softly, almost like an afterthought, she adds, "they deserve love and kindness as much as humans do."

MATIAS SILPH
passing!

finding comfort in her gesture, he returns the squeeze, chuckling as he does.

"aren't we fighting one here?"

maybe not now, maybe not soon, but war is inevitable. whether it be with rocket, megalopolans, or those who made the unown report, only time will tell.

"they do."

after peppering enough kisses, smoochy boo turns to illie instead and hops towards her to do the same.

"i'll try to give them as much."

illeana reyes
catching spiritomb!

☉

[attr="class","illie"]

[attr="class","illie b"]

[attr="class","illie i"]"sort of," she heaves out a sad sigh at the thought. his squeeze is a comfort she is reluctant to let go of in that moment.

war means battle and battle means death. her heart sinks into familiar territory, reliving memories she can't escape.

"i pray it doesn't get worse than it already had," comes quietly, then, as if she's hoping the gods are listening here and now. they aren't. they never were... not with the losses she's faced during the war.

as if sensing sadness building up in her body, smoochy boo turns to her and waddles up on little feet. the smoochum climbs happily into her lap and she's flashing a small smile. it soon dissolves into a fond giggle when kisses are peppered on her cheeks, a hand rising to gently pet smoochy boo's hair.

"you better," her eyes dart to him quickly and despite the lovings smoochy boo is giving her, there's a seriousness to the look she wears.

MATIAS SILPH
passing!

"i'll make sure it won't."

it's partly why he's here, after all, instead of spending the rest of his days on a beach somewhere far from violence and death.

and then, as he watches his smoochum interact with illie, he can't help but smile, showing both defiance and playfulness in his question.

"or what?"

illeana reyes
catching spiritomb!

☉

[attr="class","illie"]

[attr="class","illie b"]

[attr="class","illie i"]while it's a nice sentiment, it brings little relief. anxiety claws at her insides as a stark reminder of what's at stake. life and death follows her around like a dark cloud, it seems. and part of her knows she's heard those words before. spoken by a different man under similar circumstance... the outcome still breaks her heart.

she stays quiet in that moment, unwilling to voice her thoughts on the matter. she'll snuggle smoochy boo a little closer to her body instead, smiling when the little baby settles comfortably.

defiant meets defiant as it always does. stubbornness is a trait they both seem to share.

"i'll kick your ass," she offers it as if it's common knowledge and he should know better than to question her. ugh, men.

MATIAS SILPH
passing!

ugh, men. he even has the audacity to smirk and say:

"i'd let you."

smoochy boo settles comfortably onto illie's lap. she snuggles close then, seeking her warmth.

"careful. she might get attached to you."

illeana reyes
catching spiritomb!

☉

[attr="class","illie"]

[attr="class","illie b"]

[attr="class","illie i"]matias silph easily proves that men only have one thing and that's audacity.

she rolls her eyes, a playful smile curling into her cheeks.

"sure you would." somehow, she doesn't believe that.

smoochy boo snuggles into her lap and lazily, she wraps a gentle arm around her pink body to keep her close. warmth radiates between the two and soon, her golett is wiggling closer to fit between her and matias. it settles down, snuggles into her side, and she looks like a woodland goddess with this makeshift collection of pokemon.

"is that such a bad thing?" the look she gives him is almost smug.

MATIAS SILPH
passing!