TOXICITY [☠] SKULLSHIPPING

[☠] PART 3

HAU'OLI CITY, MELEMELE ISLAND, ALOLA

"Excuse me, have you seen this man?"

Plumeria tried to stop everyone on the streets of Hau'oli City. She held the faded, beat-up photograph of her, Guzma, and some grunts up to anyone who would look at it.

"Nope, sorry."

"Can't say I have!"

"No, I haven't. Get lost."

She sat down on a bench in front of the shopping center, feeling more dejected than ever. She was never going to find him. Coming all the way out here without a ride pager of her own was the most stupid thing she could have ever done. And now she was stranded here, on Melemele Island, with nothing but her stupid hopes and dreams.

A woman walked out of the shopping center holding a bag of groceries. She looked older, like she could be someone's mother. If she was native to this island and lived here all of her life, then maybe... Just maybe she might've seen Guzma, or his family, or anyone who knows him.

Plumeria rushed over to her and held up the photograph. "Excuse me, miss. Have you seen the man in this photo?" she asked.

The woman took the picture from her. She examined it with fervent interest. And suddenly, a few tears slipped down her cheek.

"My boy..." she starts.

Her boy?!

"Oh, you two together..." the woman continued to cry. She pulled Plumeria into a hug, the bag of groceries smashed between the two.

Now this was confusing.

"He never told me about you. And you're just so gorgeous! Look at those golden eyes, they're shining!"

'No, ma'am, those are tears,' Plumeria thought. She was trying her damned hardest to hold them in. She found Guzma. She actually found Guzma.

"Come on! He's waiting at the house for lunch. I had to run out and grab a few things, you see..."

The whole way to his home was filled with non-stop questions and praise. What is your name, sweetheart? How old are you? Where are you from? Do you have any pokémon? Do you have a favorite type to train? Have you taken on the island challenge? Oh... My boy had trouble with it too. And then he got involved with all of that Skull nonsense, but at least it brought him to you! You look like such a dear, I am glad you came for him. You two are an item, right? He's been very cranky since he got home, and I bet it's because he's been away from you! I bet when he sees you again, he'll just brighten up! Tell me more about yourself, let's see... Do you travel much? Have you been to Kanto?

Plumeria thought she would die before she could answer the next question. But finally, they made it to their house. It was a quaint little place out on Route 2, just across from a motel and surrounded by grassy green hills. It looked like a good, quiet place to live.

The inside of the house was as warm as the outside. There was a small kitchen off to the side and a large living area right by the entrance. An older man was sitting on the couch watching television. He didn't acknowledge them as they walked in. Guzma's mother sat the groceries down on the counter and walked into the living room.

"Dear, we have a guest over," she said.

He replied with a grunt.

"Won't you say hello?"

The man stood up and walked out to the kitchen. He was hunched over a bit, his posture almost exactly like Guzma's. He wore pastel colored shorts and a polo shirt that he left unbuttoned. His dark eyes glared at her, an expression of disgust working its way across his face.