New Beginnings, Old Dreams

Catherine walked through the streets with wide eyes. She would frequently have to avoid the steps of much larger Pokemon, but to her the danger was worth the sight. She knew it was silly, being amazed, but things had always been quiet where she had grown up.

Compared to the sleepy quiet of where she'd grown up, the activity was welcome.

The handful of stalls set out on the road offered the usual assortment of wares. Berries, mostly. Catherine felt her stomach rumble a little, but she didn't have money anyways, food would have to come later. Besides, some people always felt it necessary to make a comment about the young grass type eating berries. Everyone seemed to think they were the first to come up with the joke. If you could call it that.

As the morning brought more activity to the lane, she found herself following several groups of adventurers as they walked the packed dirt of the road. The first ignored her attempts to speak to them, while the second group merely stared at her. The third group vanished around a corner, and the fourth group had been so scary, she had decided not to talk to them.

"I thought adventurers were always looking for more hands..." Catherine said, sitting down with a sigh.

This town is such a bore. No Guild, no, uh... huh...? She doesn't remember there being a marketplace. Perhaps its new or maybe Yooka's never been in Rainfront enough to have seen it despite being a resident herself way back. She even remembers the dragonair weather control thing... but that no longer exists... or maybe it does and it's just out of service considering the constant clouds blocking the sun. meh... The place still bores her. Not much to do except stay anonymous from everyone.

Kindof hard to do considering what she is and is wearing now that she thinks about it. Yooka's hands are wrapped by two different ribbons in a similar fashion to boxer wraps. The left being the sun ribbon, while the right is a lunar ribbon. and she's wearing a defense scarf like a cape. Except its not as wide as a cape and not as poofy as a scarf. Her backpack isn't even a normal bag. It looks like her but plushy, color included. Speaking of her... Yooka is rather purple in hue for a Kecleon. Mostly due to her liking the color after having been the color for quite some time. she decided to make it permanent by going to some place and doing something. She's not sure what exactly was going on. All she knows was that it was rather painful, but It was a fun experience, that she doesn't want to do again.

Well anyway... Yooka, the purple kecleon, wasn't in a very upbeat mood inside Rainfront. She came to see if there was anything to do while she waited for something to occur. Like usual it never occurs. Getting bored with the waiting after quite an undeterminant time, she decided to just walk around and see what's new or still around her old neighborhood. Not much really changed. Like, at all. except for the marketplace, seems like this place has gotten better. if slightly.

If the place wasn't insane enough a rather rich smell actually managed to catch Yooka's attention. It nearly made her head spin it was so random. The source was rather obvious when she looked around. It was a rather small fruit. It was all alone on the ground. just, being ignored, somewhat. Yooka laughed to herself. Funny, why would anyone ignore such a thing? She walked over to it to see exactly what it was and or if it was even the real source.

Three things occured then, and boy were they shocking. The first thing that popped up was the smell. Too sweet. So sweet, Yooka nearly gagged, but it wasn't strong... just... different. amusingly different. Second thing was that it moved! It wasn't a fruit at all, it was a bounsweet, still alive too! The third thing was the question it asked itself. Yooka laughed to herself, she would have laughed out loud but... the smell. Her face showed the usual apathy but her tone spoke as if interested.

"Well, have you looked at yourself? Your handless. You wouldn't be so handy... er... but jokes aside. There's no guild here. Most adventures wouldn't really be on that mindset. maybe some, but not all. Need any help yourself? Not often you see a bounsweet. Given what your species is uh... well, I never seen a bounsweet outside of rumors and uh, accedental research..." Yooka coughed the last two words.

"Eeep!" Catherine jumped as the Kecleon spoke, almost falling in a rut sunken into the packed dirt. She breathed in and out heavily for a couple moments, then frowned as she took in who had spoken. She looked Yooka up and down, the question on her tongue unspoken. 'Who are you, and why are you here?' It seemed to ask. She had to strain to look up at Yooka, and she almost lost her balance trying.

Letting the taller Pokemon's words work through her mind, she stomped a foot, or at least, she attempted to. For many pokemon it would have been a notable sign of frustration, from Catherine, it lacked any of the weight or impact to carry the meaning. "I don't need hands to be helpful! I'm going to be an adventurer no matter what." She said adamantly. Her eyes met the lizard's and she dared her to say otherwise.

The potential standoff was cut short, however, as Catherine tilted her head slightly, which was more of a tilting her body. It muddled the attempt at non verbal communication. She seemed unaware of this fact, however.

"You've seen other Bounsweet?" She asked, unable to hide any surprise. Her gaze slowly narrowed. "What my... Species... Is?" Her tone dropped as she took a half step back. "What are you trying to say?" She demanded.

Truth be told, she wasn't sure what she'd do if the Kecleon tried to start something, but she figured it was better to put up a strong front instead of showing fear. Her calyx twitched in a high energy mix of anticipation and nervousness. A few passer-byes gave the two the occasional look, but for the most part the morning traffic went on about its business without any concern. Letting out a sigh, Catherine leaned forward, as if bowing in apology. "I'm sorry, my name is Catherine. I'm going to be a great fighter someday... With some work... I just have to find a group to take me in." The surety of her words was at odds with the small, frail form.

Expected reaction against someone who just showed up out of nowhere. Quick recovery though and strong determination. If it wasn't for what the species of bounsweet were to most other pokemon... Yooka liked where this was going. The experience of having someone odd for a bit would be--... Yooka darted her eyes away from the bounsweet when it asked a pretty serious question. Yooka was at a loss for words and raised a hand in a form of half shrug. "tha--... uh... Your smell--" She perked to this thought, it wasn't wrong. She switched from a half shrug to a pointed finger like an idea had occured. She lowered her hand and leaned close. "It's not usual for a pokemon to be smelling so sweet. It may attract unwanted attention."

Yooka froze. That didn't come out right. She squinted as she pondered. then stood back up and facepalmed while growling to herself. "You want to be an explorer? hmm... I know two pokemon who could probably could help you with that... though I should stick around to make sure they don--- uh... to make sure nothing happens on the way there." Yooka cringed as she found it hard to think. The thought of a bounsweet escort. She never thought one would occur. She sighed. The smell doesn't help either.

"It's going to be a week... maybe more. You wanna be an adventurer. Then we should head for the Guild of Grassveil........ but first we should probably get prepared for the journey." If the little fruit actually agrees to that, Yooka's gonna have a bad time. There's bound to be ferals everywhere who'd take a shot at the bounsweet. Yooka has heard of the evolution of bounsweet but never seen or even heard of one around these parts. Probably because they all died before evolving. That thought sent bad vibes throughout her body. Let's see if she can make this one evolve, or attempt to.

Catherine leaned again, her best attempt at tilting her head. "I can't control how I smell." She said, as if confused why it would even come up. "Is it really that bad?" She asked, looking around as if that might produce an answer.

Her eyes widened as Yooka brought up the fact that she knew some Pokemon that might be able to help Catherine. She started to bounce in excitement, which quickly fell away as Yooka's thought trailed off. She settled down, watching Yooka for a few moments as she stumbled over her words. "I can take care of myself." She said, hesitantly.

"Besides, I'd hate to be a bother..." She trailed off, wondering if she should be wary of the Kecleon. "Not that I don't want the company." She added, hoping it wasn't too late. The kecleon might be a little weird, but she was the most friendly Pokemon Catherine had met so far.

The little Bounsweet doubted Yooka. If not, just worried Yooka would be annoyed. however, it was quite the opposite. Yooka actually enjoyed the bounsweet. The smell is just a pet peeve if anything. How should she put this? Yooka looked around before looking back at the Bounsweet itself. "Are you sure? You seem to doubt me. I was just curious about you was all. I was actually about to head back to the guild myself considering what I was waiting for didn't happen."

This conversation felt weird... The Philomath part of her wanted to see what a bounsweet could do but her nature didn't care how that happens. The best approach is to just make the bounsweet feel fine but even that was hard. What to do? what. to. do. Yooka didn't know how to approach this without sounding weird or evil. She didn't want to stalk the bounsweet, she wasn't that weird, but she didn't want to guide the bounsweet completely. She wasn't a mentor. Just escort and get someone else to do the job. Then find out the results after. Maybe. She can't deny this was weird.

"Guild? What Guild?" Catherine asked, trying to meet the Kecleon's gaze. She watched the taller normal type for any sort of reaction, but her interest was getting the better of her. "And what were you waiting for? How do you know it didn't happen?" It was such an odd thing to say, and Catherine knew it was rude to leave so many questions in a row, but she really felt she needed to know.

Her energy attracted a few wary gazes from passer-byes, but none of them stopped to make sure everything was alright. Still, it was probably for the best. Not everyone seemed to be as helpful as this Kecleon, and she wasn't sure she really wanted to get into a fight first thing. There would be other days for such things, when she was stronger.

"What do you need to pick up for the trip. I don't really have any money, but I can help carry," Catherine offered, trying to hide her impatience. She wanted to be where they were going already, and her impatience would only grow worse once they were on the road. She knew it was a bad habit, but she was already ready to be at Grassveil.

This was a little disorienting. Didn't Yooka say the guild of grassveil? It doesn't really matter. "The guild of Grassviel, I was waiting for someone to atrive but it seems they got delayed. I don't really like to wait when it's not important. As for the items. I just need a couple of things. Don't you worry about that bit." The items were just in storage. She never relied on the market for her items, not unless she was called for something out of nowhere. Even then it's only for a single max elixir.

How would they get there? through the woods or through the cave? either way is a little more than a weeks hike. Bounsweet's were like a plant right? Just water and light and they can sustain themselves, yes? argh, awkward question. "ngh... it'll take a week, That's why if you need something, now's the time." Something felt off and it wasn't their situation. The staring she was use to and the smell sortof became white noise after awhile. It felt like she was forgetting something.

Yooka pointed to a kangaskhan and started walking over. All she needed was the elixir for the trip. Maybe a few other things if she had them, but what was making her space out. It wasn't that hard of a trip either. Just follow the path between rainfront and grassveil and her guild map, simple.

"I thought there were a bunch of guilds?" Catherine asked, trying her best to imitate tilting her head. She had to give up the effort, though, as it made her feel like she was going to fall over.

"Well, what can I do to help? If its going to take that long, I want to go ahead and go," She declared, starting to walk off before realizing that she had no idea where she was going. She hoped the larger pokemon couldn't see her embarrassment as she waited to see in which direction there were going to go. She seemed to be headed for a Kangaskhan, so Catherine eagerly bounced along behind her, skipping.

"What can you do?" She asked, watching the Kecleon from the corner of her eye. "Like, if we get attacked, how do you make them leave you alone? I just..." She paused, clearly trying to consider if she should say the next part. "I just run away and use the sun to heal any damage they did to me. I'm not a great fighter, I think."

((ooc: I figured a way to explain the smells strength. Grab an axe deodorant spray, spray it for a second then take a whif while the mist is still in the air visible. now instead of deodorant its the essence of sweet itself. however, its not very strong it's more of a constant tickling of the nose sensation.))

The bounsweet was getting hyped about something. So hyped it wasn't thinking straighter than herself. Perhaps it never had this happen before? well... that would make sense. It did head off in the right direction but it was clear it knew nothing of what to do. Yooka noticed the embarrassment but heeded nothing of it. She just continued walking towards the box next to the kangaskhan.

The thing itself was weird. It was a storage device but the size deceives what it can really hold. She waved at the kangaskhan and placed her badge on the box and spun the lock, opening it. The Bounsweet asked of what Yooka can do. Mostly how she handles keeping others away. Odd question but it could be more personal to the bounsweet than to herself but it paused for a moment.

"What can I do? heh." She started rummaging through some miscellaneous items she had till she found her lum berry and max elixir. When the Bounsweet finish it was obvious the question was more for curiousity of how Yooka fights than a personal thing. Yooka herself doesn't do much in that regards unless under attack first, in which she's rather blunt but just, or that's how she takes it. Using her fist... "Oh. Uh... Well I don't usually do anything to just anyone. They have to pretty much make it obvious they intend to harm me. I can tolerate alot of stuff but I cant stand if they have intentions to harm myself or for no reason."

She closed the box just as quickly as she gathered the two items. "Why do you ask or actually... Why so serious? heheh." She picked up the badge as she looked at the bounsweet, slightly chuckling with a rather faint of smirking.

"I'm not sure why you wait... If I had arms... Or something to use, I'd be finding bad Pokemon wherever they are!" Catherine bounced a little as she said this, spinning and coming down without a stumble. "But best I can do is just run into them, or use my cal... Calyx... The leafy thing on my head."

She paused, considering the Kecleon's other question. "My parents were adventurers, and nobody ever told my mom not to get involved. I hear she once tied 'pa into a knot!" She says with a giggle. "Of course, he always denied that."

She let her bouncing slow until she was walking again, then she looked back to Yooka. "What can I do to help. I don't have arms, but surely I can do something?"

((Sorry for the delay, I kept meaning to post then forgot by the time work was done!))

If Yooka wasn't confused before purely by the presence of the bounsweet's smell or it's behavior. It's conversation held no info she could understand... actually there was one bit at the very start. It didn't know what it's calyx was..? It also sounded like it used it's sepals in a fight. This bit of news cased Yooka to smirk.

"Um, wait? You use your sepals? The Calyx is the entirety of all the sepals. If you folded the 'leaves' over yourself, you'd look like a bud." She quickly shook her head and redirected to the last bit. "Um... nevermind. No arms? I'm not very knowledged in plant-like pokemon outside shared biology... I probably overlooked something as I didn't think having 'no arms' for a grass-type was a problem, it's more common than it looks. Your saying that you don't even have vines? That... uh, sucks... hmm..."

Yooka looked up into the clouds above with a hand scratching her chin. "I'm sure there's a place for you in the Guild but do be aware that I won't know where that could be without seeing how you do out on the field. I don't judge till I see first ha--" Yooka froze. She suddenly looked back towards the Bounsweet and completely changed the subject on purpose. "er... you want to just head off now? I'm ready to go if you are. Also, what was your name again? I seemed to have forgotten." she cringed for a second time as she said this, this situation was just screaming awkward to her. She was already stepping away from the area but not without the Bounsweet. She still owes it the trip.