Reunion (A PMD: Gates to Infinity fic)

"Eliza...?"

Liz smirked. She figured no one would recognize her if she kept herself cool, because her boisterous personality would give her away. She walked into Post Town with a smile. Liz waved to the Timburr, smiling warmly.
"Hey, guys! You're Timburrs, right?"
"Yeah...? And you are?"
"Just call me Lila for the time being."
"Lila... somewhat similar to..." the younger Timburr paused with surprise.
"...Liz..." the older Timburr said sadly.
"Oh... do you miss them? Were they a Snivy, too?" Liz inquired.
"...yeah... she did wonders for the boss. Hell, she softened him up big time. He doesn't really have a temper anymore."
"That sounds amazing! What was he like before?" Liz asked.
"Well... he had a nasty temper... he would hurt us when he got too mad... sometimes... he scammed Pokémon out of their time and effort, just like someone else did to him... but after Liz came... she did so much... it's hard to explain it all."
"That's okay. You don't have to fill me in. Let's just say word travels fast in these parts." Liz said, a soft smile coming over her face.
"It does?! Woah..." The older Timburr looked surprised.
"Anywho, I need to go pay a visit to some old friends in the inn. At some point, anyway. I'm gonna go rest at somewhere I left behind. Catch you guys later!" She beamed and waved as she headed for the main cabin in Paradise.
Oscar was surprised to see this unfamiliar Shiny Pokémon in his home.
"...who are you...?"
"...don't tell anyone yet... but I'm back."
"...do something only she would do."
"Gladly." Liz smirked... then used her Vine Whip to swing around the roof, smirking as she did so.
"...Eliza..."
"Yo, Oscar."
"You're back! I missed you so much! Gurdurr was beside himself with grief! Everybody missed you!" Oscar teared up and rushed to hug her.
"I intend to make a big entrance. Pretend I'm not me for a while, okay? I want to surprise dear old dad..."
"...dad?"
"You'll figure out who he is soon enough. I need a rest. I'll see you tomorrow, Oscar. Good night." Eliza curled up in her nest and fell asleep. Oscar smiled at her peacefully sleeping form, then headed into his own nest.
The next morning, Eliza got straight to the point. She got herself some food, then headed to the inn, walking around like she was the queen.
She flung open the inn doors.
"ALRIGHT, WHERE'S MY DAD? I GOTTA SNUGGLE THE HELL OUTTA HIM!"
Gurdurr looked surprised and confused, as did the Timburr.
"Boss, that voice and that personality... she's so familiar..."
"...she is..."
"I MAY BE A GRASS TYPE, BUT MY DAD IS A GIANT SOFTIE OF A FIGHTING TYPE! HE'S EVOLVED, BUT DAAAAMN, IS HE A MESSY CRIER!"
"Fighting type...? But I'm a Fighting type..." Gurdurr mumbled.
"Wait a second-" Realization hit him.
"AHA! There you are, old man! LOOK OUT BELOW!"
Liz barreled through the inn with her tier five Tackle, head lowered to crash into Gurdurr at full throttle. He fell backwards with a sharp exclamation.
"Hi, dad!" Liz beamed.
"...only she could go from so proud to so sweet so quickly..."
"And who is she? I AM SHE! I'M BACK, BITCHES!"
"Eliza?!" Leavanny exclaimed, surprised.
"Yep~! The one and only! Nice to be back, and first, shut up so I can bury my old man in love."
Gurdurr looked surprised.
"Wait-wha-" He was cut off by his own deep, rich laughter as Liz began to tickle him. She knew all of the strong Pokémon's weak points, both in type and in tickle spots.
"So? Didja miss me?! Didja miss this?!"
Through his tears of joy, Gurdurr managed to speak: "Y-yes-"
"You won't have to miss me anymore! Cuz I'm back, big guy! Cry all you need to, regardless of why. I'm not gonna bug you for it. Everybody cries. Also, I need to do something really weird. Don'tmind me."
With that, Liz stopped to poke his pronounced round nose. Gurdurr looked confused... then burst into laughter.
"This is our Liz, alright!"
"Hey, dad. They say your chosen family is your best one. There's also this human practice called adoption. It's basically where you pick up a kid that isn't yours and raise them as if they were yours." Gurdurr rushed to hug her when he heard that, crying again, though these were tears of pure joy.
Gurdurr set Liz down, then hefted up his I-beam smugly.
"Then can I adopt these two numbskulls?" He gestured to the Timburrs behind him. The two looked stunned and beamed even as tears welled in their eyes.
"Boss-"
"Shut up and c'mere, squirts."
He set his I-beam back down and kneeled, holding his arms out so the Timburr could run to him. They cried into his embrace, looking too happy for words.
Liz sighed contentedly.
"...ahhhhhh, yes... this is what I strive for."
"We love you, boss!"
"Hey, does it look like I don't?"
"No, it doesn't!"
"Good, 'cause you little squirts are just as important to me as Liz is, if not more so. I owe Oscar and Eliza a lot... but I also owe you two. So try not to make the same mistakes I did, got it?"
"Yes, boss!"
"Good!" He threw his head back to loose a volley of rich, hearty laughter. When Gurdurr was willing to show he was happy, that made everyone around to see it happy.
"Gurdurr..." Virizion said, completely at a loss for words with how kind he was being.
"Yeah?" He turned his eyes, no longer infatuated by her.
"...it's nothing... I was so mean to you..."
"Oh, really? Does it look like I care about that part? Because I don't. We all need to move on and fight all this blasted cynicism. Naivety has its place, and that place is right here within us all. Liz, Oscar, and the Timburrs opened me up... and I'm not ashamed to admit it anymore... this heart's bigger than I am, ha!"
"...you suffered so much..."
"Not anymore. I'm better. I've gotta be better. I have a standard to set for the kids."
"You have a point."
"No, Bisharp always has a point."
After a few moments, everyone cringed while Gurdurr laughed. He was already making awful puns.
"Da-erm, boss-"
"Timburrs. I need to teach you guys some tricks."
"Like what?"
"How to knock sense into me when I'm raging. You need to be willing to beat me up the same way Liz did and still does. Her Tackles actually do hurt, even when it's a play Tackle. They're strong enough to knock me over at this point, and you know I have an impressive bulk."
"...you want us to hurt you...?"
"Think of it as roughhousing... or sparring. We won't really be hurting each other."
"...Liz... what do you think?"
"Go for it, guys! I think you shouldn't be afraid to whack him upside the head when he's being stupid so that you can get through his thick skull!"
"He's not stupid-" The younger Timburr argued.
"Well, I'm more brawn than brains, I admit that..." Gurdurr chuckled weakly.
"Boss!" The older Timburr cried.
"He's making fun of himself. He knows he's not the sharpest tool in the shed, but he's a nice guy, and that's partly why I love him." Liz said.
"The other is?" Gurdurr asked.
"I respect that you're a hard worker, and that you can see the evil in the world as well as the good. I think that makes you a really good Pokémon... and that's why... I want to expand the main cabin. We need room for six more."
"And the six are...?"
"Emolga, Virizion, Dunsparce, the Timburrs... and you, Gurdurr."
Gurdurr was stunned to silence.
"What, I can't nap in my dear old dad's arms?" Liz asked saltily.
"It's not that it's just... I really ain't gettin' why you're bein' so kind to me... why me, out of everyone here?"
"...you're dad, Gurdurr. Nothing's gonna change that. I love you. Oscar loves you. The Timburr love you."
"I love you." Virizion announced, stepping forward.
"My lady-! Why would you choose me...?"
"I have heard many great things about you, and traveled around this world many times. During my journeys, I have wanted to fight with you at my side. I've wanted to have you there with me when I rest around our camps. You would be a valuable asset... and you're already a valuable Pokémon." Virizion walked over to kiss his forehead. Gurdurr smiled gently, muting his obsession with her as best he could.
Virizion gave him a soft expression, then sat down on a cushion in one of the corners near a table. Gurdurr set his I-beam down beside him when he went to sit next to her. She set her head on top of his, drawing a soft smile from him.
"Awww..."
"Liz, don't." Gurdurr Leered at her.
"I'm gonna tease you as much as I can, big guy. Get used to it." It had no effect.
Gurdurr laughed when Liz finished her statement, wiping tears from his eyes.
"Eliza... I'm glad we have you back."
"I'm glad to BE back!" Liz posed proudly.
"The moment you have the materials, I'll get to work on the house expansion."
"Great! Thanks, dad!"
"...you're welcome, kid."

"Names, names, names..." Gurdurr murmured inside his shop. "I want to establish a new name for myself, not just the local Gurdurr-" Liz barreled into him.
"Well, there's a place in the human world often called Big Ben. That would suit you perfectly! Ben can be short for Benjamin."
"Eliza, you're a genius!" He laughed. Liz beamed.
"What about us, though?" One of the Timburr asked.
"I think... hm... Daniel, the younger of you two. Some people by that name also go by Dan and Danny. Older one, Vincent or just Vince."
"Those are perfect!"
"I thought Oscar would fit Oshawott."
"It does!"
"Victor for Victini if he wants it, Veronica, Verona, or Victoria for Virizion, and I'll come up with other names along the way. Just you guys wait, I'll be your name rater!"
Gurdurr laughed at Liz's triumphant expression. Liz knocked him over with Tackle, snuggling the larger Pokémon happily.
"Do ya have to knock me on my ass all the time?"
"Yes," Eliza replied smugly.
Daniel, Vincent, Ben, and Liz shared a laugh.