Adventures of a Novice and a Myth | [ Kɪᴛᴇ & Bᴀᴇ ]

baeleaf

baeleaf

simpingway
Joined
Apr 7, 2018
Location
where the faeleaf grow
The bushes and trees of the Eterna Forest were rustled by many Pokémon who inhabited the lush greenery, but certainly none like her. Baeleaf had no recollection of how long she had been wandering the forest for— or even how she got there in the first place— but the odd, feminine shaped humanoid Pokémon had appointed herself a peacekeeper, of sorts.

With watchful, molten orange eyes she kept her gaze on all corners of the forest and its inhabitants. There were an array of Pokémon that lived there; ranging from the docile Wurmple and Bidoofs to more mischievous creatures such as the dusk-dwelling Misdreavus. Baeleaf had come to know all of the other Pokémon who took up home in the greenery, away from most prying eyes aside from the trainers who frequented the woods in search of partners and battles with one another.

She watched them, curious yet wary of them. There were ones that looked familiar, but that familiarity had struck a fear in her that sent her scrambling away. Others merely visited the forest, hand in hand with one another before they left with little interaction to the creatures.

And then...there was someone else.

She wasn’t certain when he had arrived in the forest, but he hadn’t left yet. In fact...he made himself comfortable and seemed to almost live there as she had. While she had paid him little attention at first, assuming he would follow the lead of the other humans who came and left, she realized he wasn’t leaving. And it worried her, wondering just what his intentions truly were.
 
Graham Roland bathed in the cool waters of the lake near his hut, next to the small waterfall that delivered spring water from further up the mountain. The forest canopy filtered the summer light, cooling the forest floor, but the humidity still kept the area mostly stuffy. Between the clear waters of the cool lake and the humidity, Graham was in paradise. Bathing was his favorite time of the day, especially after a tough work week at the electric plant outside the city. He had finally reached his goal of carrying two electbuzz at the same time, though he almost threw out his back. With a tied off bag of pleasant smelling herbs, Graham scrubbed away the day's sweat and dirt, rinsing off under the waterfall. He climbed from the clear waters, shaking the excess moisture from his dark hair before he leisurely strolled to his hut, his body bare for all the forest to see.

The interior of Graham's hut was lined in shelves, each containing various gadgets and trinkets, broken or otherwise. He didn't know a thing about being a Trainer, and for all he knew, his shelves held all the most valuable treasures a Trainer could ever desire. Or it could all be junk. His parents had encouraged him to begin his journey as a Trainer, but it never really interested him. He loved pokemon, from the moment he met his first eevee in his backyard to now, in Eterna Forest. He was still clueless though, never having learned the names of the pokemon with which he shared the area. He never owned a pokedex, and felt content just befriending them, showing proper respect when he encountered a new pokemon. His unusual affinity earned him their friendship and support, returning the favor in whatever way he could, typically with his spray bottle. His spray bottle contained a mixture of fresh spring water, rose petals, a drop of honey, and one... candy? He watched a Trainer drop it on accident, and it smelled nice, tasted nice, even, but after tossing it in the spray bottle, everything he sprayed seemed to become stronger. The flowers he planted for the vespiquen and her combees were more robust after he he treated them with the spray, and the bidoofs and buneary seemed to have shinier, softer coats after a few sprays. Even the Vespiquen, combees and some of the wurmples seemed to have shinier, stronger exoskeletons. He carried the spray bottle everywhere, and picked it up to check the contents.

Graham frowned a bit, noticing the bottle seemed a bit low on spring water. Setting it aside, he dried his body with a ripped, gray towel and dressed himself in his simple, tattered outfit and heavy leather boots, grabbing the bottle and nearly empty honey jar on his way out of the hut. He waved to a couple bidoof sipping from the nearby lake before beginning his hike to the spring's source.
 
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Baeleaf had gotten very good at hiding in plain sight. The different colored tones of her body blended in well with the forest around her, bare feet quiet against the grass and leaves. She learned to avoid most of the branches that littered the forest floor, to best avoid being seen. She was still wary of people spotting her in the forest; due to being such an unusual creature, foreign to the forest, and that she was neither a pokemon nor a human. Most of the pokemon had accepted her -- the tame, neutral Buneary and bug pokemon that often wandered the forest floor seemed to pay her little mind other than the few times the smaller, younger of the species played around her. Some of the ghost pokemon that came out when the sun went down tried to play tricks on her and ensnare Baeleaf.

Which lead to why she was so intently watching his human who lived there, among the Pokémon. From her observations of him thus far, he didn’t seem to want to cause any harm to them. Baeleaf had seen him tending to the various species that lived in the Eterna Forest with something akin to an adoration and understanding -- and they flocked to him in return.

Her current perch behind one of the large trees that covered the forest granted her a view of the man bathing in the lake. Above all else, he confused her. He was unlike the other trainers she had seen coming into the forest. Not battling against others nor capturing Pokémon in their spherical pods. He left the forest certain days and came back to his little wooden home, Baeleaf had followed him to the forest entrance, then back once more—each day, out of sight, always watching. It had become routine for her.

Noticing he had finished his bath for the day, walking from the lake unclothed to his home. Once again, she followed behind him from a distance, keeping an eye on what he did. Once back at his home, she peered into the interior of the home and glanced around, only eyes and the top of her head visible from the window. The bottle in his hands was something she had seen him use on the other Pokémon. They seemed to like it well enough, and the lingering scent she had picked up from it was pleasant to her as well. Still— she was hesitant to make herself known, and in all honesty, curious about him.

He started to move around in his home and she ducked under the window to hide herself. The door closed and she poked her head around the corner to watch him retreat. The bidoof that lingered around his home chirped and squeaked at him as he passed, Baeleaf shuffling over to them with a soft pat on their heads as she fell back into following him once more.
 
The hike to the spring might have felt arduous to a normal person, but to Graham, it was everyday life. Two or three times a week, he would head up to the spring and fetch water to store in the hut or refill the spray bottle directly from the spring, and he never broke a sweat, however, his first year was a true test of his survival skills. After being in the presence of city-folk for so long, he had finally decided to move into seclusion, and it was rough. He was far from Pallet Town and working a somewhat dangerous and underappreciated job, so it wasn't long before he was looked down upon for not being born in the region and never having tried his hand at being a trainer. In his first year alone, he had been nearly killed several times just by pokemon feeling threatened, not to mention the cold and occasional sickness he had to endure. Team Rocket had played a part as well, showing up to cause trouble in the forest for some unknown reason with their fire-type pokemon. That time, he had resorted to actual violence with his own hands, and still carried scars from the encounters, each one a lesson and a story. His first year in Eterna Forest was definitely one for the books, but a total of 5 years had passed, and he wasn't sure if he could be happier. Sure, his job didn't pay well, and winters were rough if the fluffier pokemon didn't visit his hut, but what little he was forced to buy was easily covered by the savings he had stockpiled, and the beautiful forest around him gave so much in return for his respect and protection.

Graham gave a polite whistle and wave to warn the budew and buneary of his approach, as they were drinking from the spring before he had arrived. Neither seemed to mind his presence as he sat on a dry rock near the spring and let the fresh water flow into the bottle, topping it off. After screwing the cap snugly back onto the bottle, Graham turned to hop off the rock, only to find both the budew and buneary waiting nearby. The sight gave him a chuckle, as he knew exactly what they wanted. Hopping down near the small pokemon, Graham knelt down on the thick grass, spray bottle at the ready.

"Alright you two." He began with a pleasant tone and a genuine smile. "Two sprays each."

The budew eagerly approached, its vines open, revealing the large spots within. Graham sprayed each of the spots, which seemed to elicit joy, before it happily trotted off. After patiently waiting, the buneary hopped forward for its promised sprays, both its ears hanging lazily to each side. Graham sprayed each ear, then watched as the buneary used the moisture to groom its chocolate-colored pelt, which seemed to gleam in the afternoon light. The bunny-like pokemon seemed to squeak a thank you, to which the gentle man gave an approving nod.

"You and Little-Green be safe, Fluffikins." Graham called after the buneary as she hopped away.

The adorable pokemon had brought a smile to his face once again. Graham stopped by the spring where his friends had taken their sips and knelt for one of his own, wiping his mouth before beginning his descent toward the vespiquen that graciously provided him honey.
 
Baeleaf had followed him all the way to the spring, curious to see what his next move was. After seeing the trinkets and things he had in his home, she was interested to see what that little bottle he carried around had to do with anything. He was a strange man indeed, having kept her attention for such a time. Carefully keeping herself at a distance, she watched him gather the spring water in the bottle; the small buneary and budew seeming to be waiting for him to finish up. Baeleaf tilted her head to the side, eyebrow raised as she watched. What were they waiting for? Was this some sort of...treat for them? Had they encountered him before? Once he started to spritz the two with the water from his bottle, Baeleaf smiled.

It was then, she realized, she was happy. Watching this man tend to the pokemon of the forest with such a fondness, and for them to be so happy in return, made her heart pulse with a happiness she’d not known for some time. A light, content smile curled at her lips as she put her weight against the tree beside her, watching the happy little buneary and budew chirp and squeak at the human. The two creatures trotted off happily once they had been sprayed with...whatever else contents were in that bottle of his. She knew the spring water was a main part of it, but surely the little critters she had seen couldn’t be overly pleased by mere spring water? It wasn’t even that humid or hot in the forest at present… Baeleaf wanted to know what else was in there to make them all so happy.

She was lost in a daze while she watched, barely noticing when he started to leave once more. Pleased to know, and finally feeling comfortable, that he wasn’t there to harm any of the Pokemon, Baeleaf turned to leave the spring and continue about her day. This human interested her far more than anyone else she had come across, and she truly wished to know more. Making a note to continue her following of him another day, she headed in the direction they had come from.

It wasn’t until she was nearby to the hut he lived in that she realized she was still thinking about him.

Her interest hadn’t waned, in fact it had only grown since she had seen what he did with the pokemon who lived here. Her bare feet stopped in the tall grasses that surrounded his home and she wondered...what would happen if she just… took a small peek inside…? Surely she wouldn’t take so much time that he would return to find here there, right? She’d be in and out before long-- all she wanted was to get a closer look at some of the things that were in his home.

Baeleaf tiptoed over to the hut and carefully pushed at the door. Crouched low to the ground -- as if that would hide her -- she carefully stepped over the threshold into his home. Her orange eyes widened at the amount of things he had lining shelves, standing up and taking it all in. Each little trinket had her captivated, stepping close to the shelves and eyeing them with bright eyes. She carefully picked things up to get a closer look, placing them back delicately on the shelves before moving onto the next one -- and quickly losing track of the time she spent there.
 
Graham descended the mountain easily, Spray bottle in one hand and his nearly empty honey pot strapped to his belt with the remnants of an escape rope. The green grass on the mountain eventually gave way to brightly colored flowers, strangely robust for their species. Though he could easily and quickly descend further, Graham slowed down once the combees came into sight, having no desire to spook them or their queen, whom he had affectionately named "Queenie." With his trademark whistle and a wave, the kind man warned of his arrival, giving a single spray to each group of flowers as he passed, on his way to the massive hive. The buzzing got louder and louder as he approached, which Graham had judged by its pitch to be a good day. The air grew thick with combees harvesting the nearby flowers, but they paid no mind to Graham, some even giving cute smiles to him as he passed. Finally arriving at his typical meeting place near a massive, ancient tree, he hitched the bottle in his belt and took the large honey pot into his hands.

"Queeeeeeniiiiie!" Graham called out to the vespiquen pleasantly. "I'm ready for more honeeeeeey!"

The unique wing-beats of the vespiquen were easily heard over the din of the combees. She appeared from the tree, a honeycomb of unusual size in one hand and a trinket in the other. With a charming smile, Graham held up the pot, into which the vespiquen emptied the honeycomb, filling it with hot, aromatic honey. The gentle man couldn't resist the scent, taking a whiff before capping the pot and tying it closed with the rope, then tightly tying it to his waist.

"Thanks again, Queenie. Your honey is the best!" Graham's genuine words rose above the buzz of the hive.

Normally, the vespiquen would have nodded and went about her business, but something seemed different to Graham. He other hand contained a strangely colored trinket, which she held out to her friend. Graham took it into his hands, examining what seemed to be a crushed pokeball, except it was purple and red with a large M on the front. He knew it was a pokeball for sure, at least. With a heavy sigh, the kind man looked up to his flying friend once more after pocketing the shattered remnants.

"Did someone try to catch you?" Graham asked, concern in his voice.

Queenie buzzed an affirmation, pointing one of her limbs toward the nearest road, which resided within walking distance of Graham's hut.

"I'll keep an eye out, Queenie." Graham reassured her as best he could. "No one is capturing you if I can help it. I'll see you later. Be safe!"

As Graham turned to head toward his hut, Queenie's claws latched onto his shirt and she buzzed in a tone he usually didn't here. He couldn't help but chortle at the situation, but met her request anyway. Wordlessly, Graham sprayed his concoction onto the vespiquen's exoskeleton, then used a chunk of cotton to polish her. Queenie's hardened exterior took on an attractive sheen, easily refracting the daylight. She gave a pleasant buzz before heading back toward her hive.

"Looking good, as usual, Queenie." Graham called after her before continuing on his merry way.

A few wurmples and a bidoof later, Graham had finally made it back to his hut. The spray bottle was mostly full, his honey pot had been filled once more, and now he could finally take a moment to relax, or so he thought. He pushed open his hut's door to see what he believed to be a large, plant based pokemon examining his rustic wares. His heart immediately began to race. Pokemon this large were absolutely capable of killing humans, and not only that, but he had never seen this one before. He had no idea what it was capable of. Trying his best to remain calm, Graham let his hands settle at his sides and hid his teeth with pleasantly upturned lips.

"Hey there." he began in a pleasant, quiet tone. "See anything you like?"
 
There were so many baubles and trinkets in this house -- she had no idea what to look at next! Shiny things, broken things, sharp things. So many things she was in awe of. Many things he had were items she recognized; between seeing trainers who frequented the forest having them or things she’d seen on the road that had been dropped. Baeleaf never managed to collect them like he did but now she wished she almost had. Moving between the shelves that were lined with all sorts of items, she picked them up carefully and did a thorough inspection of each before she moved on to the next.

He had so many things, she wasn’t certain she could examine them all.

Baeleaf was so intently staring at one item in particular that she didn’t hear his approach. Her molten eyes were glued to what she had in her hand: the prettiest necklace trinket she had ever seen. It glimmered in the available light, delicate and pretty completely worth every bit of her attention. The chain was dangled between her fingers, so light she wouldn’t have known it was there if she wasn’t looking at the piece of jewelry.

The quiet words of the human whose home she was invading startled her to the point where she dropped the necklace on the ground and clamored away from him. A loud gasp ripped from her throat and she wildly looked around; afraid that not only had she been caught but he finally saw her. Baeleaf had been following and watching him for such a long time, so carefully, that she scolded herself for being so careless now. Her heart beat erratically in her chest and she breathed heavy; eyes wide and regarding him with still morbid curiosity.

Was he going to try and capture her? Would he let her leave? Could she even run or would he stop her? The fear that gripped at her entire body had Baeleaf cemented to the floor, mind running with her options and trying not to panic too much. What if… he had seen her before, but never made it known? What if he knew who she was, and wanted to sell her off to some lab? Would he do such a thing? Eyes flickering from his form and the open doorway, she mulled over her options.

Suddenly, her fight or flight responses kicked in. Swinging her hand up, Baeleaf summoned forth vines in hopes to distract him. Feeling the tendrils form from her wrists, she quickly flicked outwards, watching as they weaved their way in the air towards the dark haired human. Panicking, and not taking nearly enough time to see if her attack had even connected, she snapped her wrist again and the vines disconnected from her body, continuing their flight towards the human. Her feet finally moved and she sprung forward, gathering up all of her energy in an attempt to run by him and escape his home.
 
The tall, hardened man flinched at Baeleaf's sudden, frightened movements. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. Was she pokemon or human? Was she neither? His heart pounded so hard in his chest, he could hear it in his ears, but all he could do was stare. Graham needed to know more. Before he could stammer out a question for the creature before him, vines were already flying toward him. Graham's arms immediately shot up to protect his upper body from damage, revealing all the conflict he had survived over the past 5 years. Scars from pokemon and humans alike. Burns, cuts, acid, poison, electricity and bludgeons left their marks, like ink on the pages of the most wonderful, exhilarating, frightening chapter in the book of Graham's life. So far.

Baeleaf's attack connected with Graham's tanned, scarred arms, but did only a moderate amount of damage, as her vines disconnected before the blow hit. The hardened man elicited a pained grunt as he leapt to one side, forcing the door completely open and allowing Baeleaf to pass untouched. His curiosity getting the better of him, Graham chased after the creature.

"Please wait!" Graham shouted as he followed at a sprint, blood flowing from the wounds Baeleaf had given him. "I promise I won't harm you! Just wait!"
 
Her heart was hammering in her chest. There was a fear and adrenaline that spiked her system as she started to run from the hut and away from the human. In her mad dash to get around him, Baeleaf had taken in a quick, close-up glance of his body. There were scars covering his skin, paler than his skin tone and showing off years of experiences. How...odd, she mused— intrigued, even though she ran for her life.

He was following her, she quickly realized. His pace quick, voice clear as she listened to him. Baeleaf had been able to pick up the speech of Pokémon fairly easily— their chirps and squeaks easily distinguishable. Human speech was easier to understand, but sometimes the words sounded broken. This time, she understood. But that didn’t mean she trusted it.

Huffing as she ran, Baeleaf finally turned her head once more to see him still following her. Another flick of her wrist and more vines curled from around her arm, flying out toward him again in another attempt to ensnare his body and halt his further advance towards her. They disconnected and she continued to sprint. This time her attack was more precise, her aim more suited to actually connect and hold him rather than distract him like before.

Quickly rounding on a tree she held onto the bark and hid, breathing heavy and leaning against the wood. Her ears perked to listen for movement. In hopes that she managed to actually stop him, Baeleaf peeked her head out from behind the tree with a worried expression. Sure enough, the human was wrapped up in her thicker vines.

Panting heavily, Baeleaf mustered enough courage to step out further— her curiosity getting the better of her and moving to investigate the human who was so kind and attentive to the other Pokémon in the forest. Surely he would be so kind to her...? And hopefully, those vines would hold him tight.
 
Graham had chased the strange creature as far as he could, and still had enough stamina to pursue her further still, however, Baeleaf's flying vines caused him to raise his bleeding arms in defense once more, slowing down to prevent any tripping. Instead of another outright strike against his already bleeding arms, the vines wrapped tightly around his torso, binding his arms to his chest. During that time, Graham managed to come to a complete stop, losing track of the creature, and slightly confused as to what he should do, now that he was bound. Her head poking out from behind a nearby tree simultaneously gave him some relief and made his heart hammer in his chest, as he wasn't sure he'd be able to release himself from her vines.

"Uh, hello." Graham started in as much of a pleasant tone as he could muster, given his situation. "I'm Graham. I live around here, and I promise I won't hurt you. I just want to talk. I've never seen you before."

The hardened, bleeding man stood still. He couldn't feel his wounds due to the adrenaline pulsing through him, as well as the sole focus of his gaze stepping toward him.
 
Seeing the man struggling to free himself from her vines ensured her that she had succeeded— and he was secure. For now. Still wary, she approached with caution; crouched low to the ground and ready to turn in her heel and flee again at a moments notice. The pounding, uneven beat of her heart in its cage drummed on in her ears as she continued her slow approach.

Baeleaf flinched when he spoke, his tone even and sweet— sincere almost despite the fact she had attacked him twice. Her umber colored lips parted as she mouthed back his name— G..Gra-am? —and her orange eyes regarded him with a look akin to curious fear. She knew he lived around here— she had been in his home mere moments ago— but she was curious as to what he really wanted of her.

“...talk?” She murmured back. Taking note of his appearance, bleeding wounds from her vines only added to his marred skin, she stepped closer and stood at her full height; only a head shorter than he was. Close yet still poised to flee, her hand raised to touch upon one of the bleeding cuts on his arm, drawing back her fingers to look at the red that pooled at her fingertip. Her gaze flickered back up to him. “..talk.”
 
Graham's heart leapt and cartwheeled in his chest. He had never witnessed a pokemon speak before-- assuming what stood before him was a pokemon at all. He didn't move a muscles as she approached, but winced away from her touching his wounds, giving a small "ow" in response. He couldn't draw his dark gaze away from her bright, curious orange eyes, even as she spoke again.

"Um, Hi." Graham began, maintaining an even, pleasant tone. "I'm Graham. I live in that hut with all the stuff. Um, listen, I need you to untie me. I need to treat my wounds before they get infected. I have more questions for you though, so please don't run off."
 
Baeleaf was certain he was just as surprised by her as she was him. Her contact with humans was not something she wanted— most humans she cared little for nowadays, all things considered. But he was different. He willingly lived with the Pokémon in the forest and tended to them with a care as if they were his own family. Perhaps, in a sense, they were his family as much as they were to her. Was it possible they had more in common than she originally thought? Searching his eyes for any hint of betrayal or lie that he could give, she found...nothing. He was completely sincere and Baeleaf was still questioning him. She would, she reasoned, question him for some time.

His voice was like a sweet honey, low and careful, pleasant to listen to. He didn’t speak loud nor did he speak harsh. He was calm. Now she almost felt bad for injuring him. Almost. He wanted to be let go and Baeleaf shook her head. Letting him go meant he might chase her again...or try to catch her or something worse. On the other hand...he was kind. Baeleaf’s mind worked as she thought and finally gave in, reaching up to tug free the vines, gently, feeling them unwind beneath her touch. Once they loosened up enough that they fell naturally, she stepped out of his arms reach and eyed him yet again. “In-fec?” Murmuring the word he said earlier, her index finger raised, pointing to the one bleeding cut on his arm.
 
Graham gave a sigh of relief when Baeleaf began removing the vines that bound him, his heart still pounding from her shake of the head earlier. He still didn't move his legs even after he was freed. Instead, he began untying the honey pot he had strapped to his body, and delved his fingers in, finding the honey still kept a bit warm. He withdrew his fingers and slathered the sweet, raw treat upon his wounds generously.

"In-fec-ted." Graham sounded out the word for Baeleaf. "Getting an infection is not good. Anyway, who are you?"
 
Even though it was just a sigh, it surprised her enough that she shifted quickly on her feet. Not to run, but just distance herself a little more. Her eyes followed his every motion; from his hands on the rope to the pot at his side. Not realizing it at first, she inched closer, bent at the waist to see what was inside that little pot. Sniffing the air once his fingers withdrew from the pot, her orange eyes widened and she stood straight.

“Honey!”

She knew that treat very well. Often she would sneak some from the combees nearby— which is where she assumed he had gotten his stash— and other times she would steal some from the trees where trainers would attempt to lure Pokémon out. Not only was it amusing to watch them scramble, confused, but honey was delicious. “Oo-ooh. In-fec-ted.” Baeleaf repeated the word in her mind a few times. He asked her who she was. Index finger pointed to her chest. “Baeleaf.” Pointed to him. “Gray-yam.”
 
Graham couldn't help but chuckle at the creature's mannerisms and cute voice; a stark contrast to his low tones. She was strange, but enchanting, and those molten, seemingly glowing orange eyes were beautiful.

"Baeleaf, huh?" Graham asked politely as he finished treating his wounds. "That's a nice name. It certainly sounds like a pokemon's name. It's nice to meet you, Baeleaf."

The hardened man took a moment to clean his fingers with his mouth, sucking the delicious honey from his digits before returning the cap to its place on the pot and securing it once more. The afternoon sun was beginning to sink, but Graham still had questions for Baeleaf, so he figured it wouldn't hurt to invite her back to his hut, if only for a spot of company. He was used to permitting some of the weaker pokemon into his hut during the winter, in no way a stranger to some of the budew in the area taking shelter when things got rough. Graham mostly enjoyed the company of the fluffier pokemon during colder months though, especially the buneary, with their especially soft, cloud-like fur. Having another guest, even though it was summer, still seemed like a pleasant change. The dark-haired man turned 90-degrees, showing his intent to leave.

"I'm headed back to my hut now." Graham said in a polite tone, offering a smile. "You can come, if you'd like. I'll even let you have some honey."
 
She supposed she was considered a Pokémon now, albeit a little different than the normal ones. Baeleaf hadn’t realized it but she was closer to him now, enticed by the honey whether he knew it or not. “Nice to...meet ...you?” She repeated, eyes still watching him curiously.

Her mouth mimicked the motion of his own when he licked the honey from his fingers. She was jealous— she hadn’t gotten honey in a few days and the sweet sticky substance made her stomach rumble a little. Once he replaced the top on his little jar, she made a face. Her curiosity was winning over her initial hesitation of him. While still not completely trusting, he hadn’t done anything to give her cause to run yet. He was gentle, unlike many of the other humans she had seen.

When he turned, Baeleaf tilted her head and shuffled backwards. The quick motions sometimes put her on edge, but he was making no move to grab a pokeball or anything. In fact, she didn’t see any on his person nor had she seen any in his hut. And really, she didn’t even think he had a partner Pokémon like many of the trainers she had seen had. He wasn’t a trainer then? Just...a man living in the woods? How odd. But so interesting. Graham’s promise of honey was what got her to follow, steps behind him and still wary, but following nonetheless back to his home.
 
Graham kept a brisk pace, picking up small branches of dead wood for his firepit along the way. He intended to make good on his promise of honey, but also wanted to have a treat to mark the occasion. He still had a few sweet-leaf crackers saved just for dipping in warm honey, and wanted to share the treat with his new friend. With an armful of dead tinder, Graham pushed open the door with his free hand, heading over to the firepit and arranging the tinder for a small fire to warm the honey. It took only a moment for the skilled survivalist to get a small fire going, after which he untied the pot and set it a measured distance away. He moved over to a small box with a simple deadbolt on it and unlocked it, pulling out the few sweet-leaf crackers he had left before locking it once more.

"I make these myself." Graham said with a bit of pride, flashing the crackers. "They go pretty great with honey, and since today is a special day, I figured we could share them."

He moved back toward the fire and sat on the mass of blankets and straw, occasionally checking the honey's temperature. flipping open the top of yet another small box, Graham found his wooden ladle. It was somewhat crudely carved, but did the job he wanted nonetheless. Happily, he examined his craftsmanship before cleaning it a bit on one of his blankets and using it to stir the honey in the pot.
 
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Following a good few steps behind the human as he wandered back to his hut, Baeleaf watched as he picked up sticks from the ground. Head tilted to the side, she carefully kept a distance and watched. Eventually, she saw some he had missed on the ground and picked a few up, holding the small sticks in her fingers as she trailed behind him. They were back at his home before she knew it, her eyes catching and looking at all of the trinkets that lined the shelves. A glimmer on the floor caught her eye and she looked to see the necklace she had been holding earlier, when he had found her snooping. Still standing in the doorway to Graham's hut, her orange gaze followed him as he moved about the space. Baeleaf dared to step into the home more, watching his every movement.

There was another scent that caught her nose and she noticed the flaky-looking food in his hand. He said they were good with honey....so they had to be good. She was interested. "Special?" she mused, putting each of the small sticks she had picked up in the fire he started. Baeleaf was interested in what he was doing -- the honey set close to the fire was giving off a delicious sweet scent, to the point where she could hear her tummy rumbling with hunger. The way he had set it nearby caused her to wonder-- would the jar break if it were set too close to the fire?

While he continued to stir the pot of honey, she bent to pick up the shining necklace from the ground. Again, the moment it was in her hands she was enchanted by the trinket, eyes wide as she looked at the light glimmer off of it. "What this?"
 
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Graham stood from the mass of blankets and was next to Baeleaf in but a few steps of his lengthy, casual stride. The scuffed, golden chain she held had a strange memory attached to it.

He had been near the road, but out of sight, some time ago, foraging for goods, when the sound of a motor grew close, then ceased completely. Graham had instinctively hid behind a tree and peeked out toward the source of the sound, until the form of a young woman came into view, the chain in one hand while she sobbed into the other. With all her strength, she pitched the chain into the forest, causing it to strike a rock and land next to Graham, whom remained hidden until he heard the motor come alive and disappear from earshot. Only after did he pick it up and examine it before getting into a fight with a flock of Murkrows over the chain. Since then, he had learned to cry in a fashion that would summon the flock of Murkrows with the expectation of shiny objects in the area. It was a useful talent, he found.

"That, my friend, is a necklace." Graham said warmly. "It's a piece of jewelry meant to be worn around the neck. You're welcome to it."
 
She wondered what had made Graham start accruing all the things he had in his home. They were so....random. He seemed to go out of his way to collect such things— for she had never seen anything littered in the woods when she strolled about. Did he keep up with finding these things daily? Baeleaf had found maybe a few things in her travels, shiny little objects she kept and eventually passed along to other Pokémon who found them more interesting or had a place to store them at least. Some of the Murkrow’s had taken pieces of some broken fishing rod for their nests, and a buneary followed her around until she handed over a scrap of cloth.

While the things would have been nice to keep and mull over, she had no place to actually keep them. Having no home to turn to nor anyone to take up shelter with, she had frequented in staying under thick trees and in the bushes. Baeleaf had come across a large, abandoned house in the forest, but she hadn’t lingered long after some ghost Pokémon ran her out.

Graham’s house was cozy and well kept, even if it was small.

When he appeared at her side she jumped, having not heard his footfalls. “Necklace.” She repeated, eyeing the golden chain once more. The trinket was too small for her to put on over her head and she eyed it, wondering how one would even put it on. Finally with enough fiddling and concentration on her end, she noticed the small, hard to open, clasp. Once the chain clasp opened up and the necklace longer, she put it around her throat, arms attempting to reach around her to clasp it again— though it was far more difficult than before. A soft whine came from her pouty lips and she huffed. “...doesn’t stay”
 
"Let me help." Graham said as he moved behind his new friend, gently grasping each end of the chain, his hands brushing against hers.

Skillfully, he linked the clasp with the other end of the chain, then gently set it against the back of Baeleaf's neck, following the chain out with his fingers so that it sat comfortably. With a genuine smile, he came around to the front of Baeleaf, examining the chain.

"There you go. It looks good on you, my friend." Graham said. "Watch out for those witch-birds though. I had to fight them to keep the chain, so I can only imagine what they'll do to get it if they see it."

Graham moved back to the honey pot and stirred it some more, finding it of the appropriate temperature and viscosity for the snacks. He set the the sweet-leaf crackers next to the warm pot of honey and took one before dipping it directly in the honey. He casually raised the cracker to his lips and took a bite, causing him to groan with enjoyment.

"It's ready!" Graham said, his mouth full of sweet deliciousness.
 
She was hesitant to accept his help but before she could voice her concerns he was behind her. His fingers delicately took the chain from her and fastened it. The chain itself had little weight to it. Baeleaf could barely feel it on her neck and knew it was there only because he adjusted it against her skin. Her fingers came up to touch upon the metal, head tilted as he complimented how it looked on her. With a nod, she gave a faint smile.

She’d ward off any Murkrow’s or Pokémon trying to get their hands on this little trinket.

Eyes on Graham once more, she watched a she prepared the honey by the fire. Her curiousity left her inching forward to see what exactly he was doing. Those bright, orange orbs stayed glued to him as he dipped the sweet-smelling cracker into the jar. “...what is...?” Baeleaf was...mesmerized. Not only because of her curiousity, but because honey was involved. Reaching for one of the crackers before he finished his bite, she began to mimic his motions.

He said it was good, and his expression made her believe him. Following suit, she dipped the edge of the cracker into the jar of honey. The golden, sticky substance dropped from the corner and she watched it collect in the pool of sweet nectar again. Cupping her other hand underneath the honey covered cracker, she brought it to her lips and parted them for a bite.

Baeleaf promptly, metaphorically, melted. With a squeal of delight she savored the bite in her mouth. It was so sweet and warm, slightly crunchy from the cracker. Overall it was ...wonderful! “Mm!” Unable to resist, she took another bite and squealed again.
 
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Graham gave a chuckle as he watched Baeleaf. He dipped his cracker once more as well, and took another bite, his eyes full of glee. The hardened man never knew sweets could taste so good with company like her, given each past fiasco of trying to share honey with any of the local pokemon, on multiple occasions. The sun had finally dipped down below the mountain, leaving the sky a dim orange and yellow, perceivable through the entirely out-of-place window Graham had installed after he had made the hut. It was certainly the kind of window meant for a house in the city, but he had wanted something he could open with a screen to keep the pokemon out, especially the witch-birds, and let the cool air in. It gave him a giggle every time he looked through it, even now.

"Oh, uh." Graham was unsure how to approach his next topic, but tried not to stammer or appear inconvenienced. "Listen, it's getting late out, but if you want to stay, I can lend you one of my blankets. What do you say?"
 
It was clear that Baeleaf was completely absorbed into the sweet treat that he had extended to share with her. Each motion he made to dip his cracker back into the jar, she followed and savored every single bite. The honey was warm on her tongue; sweet and delicious and the cracker had wonderful texture and just enough crunch. The berries she had foraged for in the forest were enough to appease her appetite— the honey she usually stole or found was often more a rare commodity. Even rarer were the treats she found trainers had dropped. Those she ate up quickly— for she knew others would come for them as well.

The setting sun brought her back to the present— pleasantly full from the sweet honey treat. But now she fidgeted, uncomfortably sitting with Graham in his home. He was kind, that much was true, but there was the lingering fear that settled over her. Baeleaf didn’t want to let her guard down, just in case.

So his offer to allow her to stay was met with the girl shuffling backwards towards the door. “...N-no.” There was no reason for her to stay— she’d survived this long on her own; meeting him and sharing a meal didn’t mean she was willing to stay at his side forever now. Besides, if he wanted to see her again so badly...he could find her. Surely. “No need.”
 
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