She smiled softly, a sense of embarrassment waltzing over her. For a moment she did not know where to look, but she forced herself to keep her eyes on the man before her, who seemed as confused as she felt guilty. But he'd recognised her, and that was something she could've only hoped for.

Taking a few steps closer, the words she wished to say left her without ever being ushered. Yvaine'd gone over this so many times, yet when the moment had finally arrived, she found herself void of proper explanation. She couldn't justify her actions, not without pulling up facts and knowledge that would jeopardise the Volosenkovs. The very reason she'd cut ties in the first place. But now, in the face of the man she'd rather call father than the man who was so by blood, she felt so incredibly small.

"I'm... so sorry-" she muttered in a small voice, willing her brain to force the words that lingered across. Her eyes, hopeful at first, clouded over with shame before being cast down. "For disappearing. For not keeping in touch. I wanted to but it was too dangerous to- I didn't mean to... it was for the best," she started rambling, finding each excuse she could think of to only add to the regret and shame she felt. She normally never rambled. Yvaine Varron. Monarch. Always put together and hardly flustered by anything; now reduced to a rambling mess.

She tried to will herself into calmth, but the inner peace she craved never came. Only a moment of vocal clarity as she peered up again, eyes shimmering, on the brink of tears, with the only explanation left to give.

"I-I'm back, dad."

Mission

Nikolaj Volosenkov

☉

Yvaine just let the moment wash over her, the comfort of her father's hug something she hadn't known she'd missed as much as she had. The emotion in his voice was enough to settle the redhead, a handful of tears silently staining her cheeks as she sunk further into the embrace. And after what seemed like a moment that lasted far too shortly, she let go again, wiping her cheek and letting out a brief chuckle.

"I should've come home far sooner," she says, softly squeezing Nikolaj's arms as she takes a better look at her foster father. Despite the years that had passed, he looked just like she remembered him, safe for the few strands of grey sneaking through his hair.

"How have you been? And mom? And Saskia?"

Her curiosity gets the better of her, but perhaps that's for the best. Anything as long as it tempered her tears. It was already hard enough to see as is.

Mission

Nikolaj Volosenkov

☉

She smiles and nods as he goes about repairing the fence again, looking for a second set of hammer and nails. Once found she knelt down next to Nikolaj, joining him in the rhythmic mending of hammers on steel.

"I've been well, considering. Dwayne didn't exactly make it easy settling back into the grind... nor the work. Got into a few fights, bore the consequences of my actions, and so on." she casually gestured at her face without looking up. From where she sat he'd only be able to see the small twin scars running across her jawline, while the rest remained hidden beneath her bangs. "It was lonely though, I'll admit. Dwayne made it clear staying in the same place for too long was a death trap, so me and Zoroark did just that, hopping from town to town. Roaming the regions. Until recently, I suppose. I can't remember how long it's been since I've stayed in one place for this long."

Unspoken stayed the reply to that self-imposed question. She knew exactly how long it had been. Ever since the day Dwayne came back to reclaim the daughter he'd left behind-- a man not worthy of the title of father.

Yvaine checks whether the board's properly fixed before moving unto the next one, though the hammer lingers above her nail as she speaks again.

"Speaking of those Mightyena... that's actually the reason-," she quiets for a second, then corrects herself. "The second reason I'm here. Taken up the contract to deal with them one way or another. It seemed only fitting to finally return something to the community that gave me a home; although I wasn't quite sure you still lived here." This time she turns towards Nikolaj and tilts her head, allowing her hair to fall and unveil the large scar running across her right eye. The relieved smile that follows lingers in the fogged paleness of her broken eye.

"I'm glad you stayed here, in Oldale. Allowing me to find you again."

Mission

Nikolaj Volosenkov

☉

"I think so." she says, though the crease in her brow is pensive. "I've been thinking of finding something more permanent, though I'm not sure where my, uh, 'expertise' would be welcomed."

She took solace in the fact she'd never strayed from her own morals; anything that harmed pokémon in an unnatural way was something she immediately declined. Even her way of poaching was considered more humane than most, but she'd often stayed away from such jobs. Even if it was often easier to hunt down pokémon than humans.

Yvaine shakes her head and smiles sheepishly as she rises to her feet. "But for now, yes. Yes I'm staying, in Hoenn at least. Until I've decided on where to settle." And on what to do. But those were issues she'd tackle later on. What mattered now was her reunion, and the Mightyena that needed taking care of.

Though she'd have to wait till sundown for the latter.

Mission

Nikolaj Volosenkov

☉

She remains near the fence as Nikolaj disappears to store his tools and prepare for their little hunt, a smile unconsciously lingering on her face as she waits. The funny feeling of belonging makes her feel giddy, and she's certain it's to blame for the silly smile she just can't seem to will away.

Even when Nikolaj returns, geared up and carrying a shotgun, it never truly fades.

The gun however makes her note the gravity of the Mightyena pack, and when they start along the dirt path she's quick to look for signs of their passing. And though half of her eyesight had been compromised, Yvaine still picks up on the tracks left behind on and around the trail; when she bends down to check them, she frowns.

"Hmm, strange... " she stands, only to walk a few more meters off the path to check again. "There's no adults in this particular pack. All adolescents by the size and indents of the imprints." It's a good thing she'd been so interested in the social behavior of pokémon, years of studying and observation finally making its use known.

"That's not normal pack behavior, so I'd like to make sure..." She regards her foster father and then gestures at the thicket going further down south, away from the path. "From what I can tell, they went that way. But can you tell me what exactly they've been doing in town?"

Mission

Nikolaj Volosenkov

☉

"Bold little bastards, I see. But with the changes in their habitats I suppose it's to be expected."

She nods in reply to Nikolaj's statement of their numbers; the tracks are many and numerous, chaotic almost, which derives they probably don't have an alpha among them to replace the adults. Chances of them to scatter upon contact were more probable, but seeing their bravado in terrorizing the town could play to their advantage, too.

"Seems like the best course of action. Are there any caves or brooks mapped nearby that could function as potential dens?" Yvaine has to ask, because despite fond memories, the layout of Oldale and its surroundings has changed too much in recent events for her to remember. "Or anywhere we could potentially lure the pack towards? Somewhere we could hide upwind."

Mission

Nikolaj Volosenkov

☉