The fatigue nestled in as soon as Kairi laid down beside the stream. The water bubbled past her toes while she reclined underneath the tree. The wind gusted past in the branches, whistling, and the leaves rustled. It calmed her compared to the intense training she had earlier. Arms behind her head, she crossed her legs, taking in a deep breath.

If she rest for a moment, and then go and pick the berries, that would be fine. It didn't even have to be right away. As she closed her eyes, for the first time since recovering from her minor injuries, she was able to enjoy where she was. It had been a quick couple days after she had woken up without memory in that cave, and even if she had accidentally trod over some lines (the bruise on her wrist proved enough) it was apparent that her mistress at least cared.

Yet the more she thought, laying there by the stream, the more Kairi pondered on what it was like before she woke up. Dressed in strange clothes. A belt with Pokeballs on it. Had her mistress always been sure to draw the line in the sand? What about Lucario? Something seemed off about his behavior towards her. Yet he was willing to train her some more. If she had been here before, wouldn't that mean this was him training her again?

Kairi cracked her eyes open, looking at the tree above her as it swayed with the light winds. There were too many questions, it made her wary. But if she was fine where she was, did she truly need to know what was before?

For now, it need not concern her. The only thing that mattered was the here and now. Nothing more. Nothing less.

She closed her eyes, and allowed herself to relax. Just a little more time, then she could get the berries. Come back to the cave, and then take her bath as normal while having something to eat while she was out. It need not be anything too much more after the training. Maybe she could find a stick that could help her in getting some of the more difficult berries without having to climb.

As her body eased into that precarious state, that state of mind where everything starts to fade-

SNAP

Kairi's eyes flashed open. Her breath was still, the sudden surge of energy flooding through her. Remaining silent, she stayed where she was, flicking her eyes in every direction she could think of.

She was alone.

No Fierce or Graceful One to know that she was in danger. She was too sore. Too tired. Her eyes turned towards the stream, which wound its way towards the cavern. Scooting closer to it, she looked around, seeking whatever had made that sound. Nothing struck her as particularly unusual. Yet she knew that something had to be here.

Pushing herself upright, she crouched while doing so. Kairi could run down the stream, back towards the cave. She wasn't that far away, even if her legs and arms still felt like jelly. Run back in, explain what happened, and then have one of them escort her to the berries. But was that a wise choice? Showing weakness was frowned upon.

Crossing her arms, she shivered. What other choice did she have? She gazed up and around, stepping into the stream as the water bubbled past her. There had to be another choice. If it was that Victreebell again, then what could she do in the face of such strength? Or what if it was something else? Or-

SNAP

There was no time to think. No time to choose. She bolted forward, away from the stream. It wasn't what she wanted, but it was her first reaction.

Ferns and branches slapped at her as she ran. Ducking and diving. Her lungs burned as her heart raced faster and faster. She was out of shape. This dead sprint dissipated as quickly as it came as she leaned against a tree, gasping for breath.

Once she caught herself, Kairi looked around. At least she recognized this part of the island. Lucario had her run past earlier this morning; granted, now she could notice how gnarled the roots were around the area. She wondered how she didn't trip more times when he had forced her to run.

Wiping the sweat off her brow, she looked back over her shoulder. Even though the stream was still a short distance away, it was at least easy to find. She could trace her footsteps back, and then continue her way.

The more she thought about it, the more she had to laugh. Not too much, but enough to relieve her own stress.

What was she freaking out about? It probably was just that Aipom from before. Or the Buneary. Any one of them could have been coming closer to her, and she just scared them off! As soon as she realized that, she sat on one of the roots, stretching her arms up and opening her palms.

"I'm freaking out too much," she murmured under her breath. Outstretching her legs out as well, Kairi held her eyes shut, and took in a large yawn. Allowing herself a moment to relax, she pondered some more. And as she contemplated there on those gnarled roots, the more she felt encouraged to return to where she was.

After some time, she got back up, brushed off any dirt on her, and walked back. Kairi rolled her shoulders, took a deep breath in, and thought about how she would apologize. When she saw the Buneary: 'I'm sorry! I didn't realize it was you!' The Aipom: 'Hey, sorry about the other day. You okay?' She ran through these comments time and time again in her mind, thinking that everything would be fine as soon as she walked out to that small clearing. Maybe have a little bit of water, share it with them.

Closing her eyes, she knew it was nearby. The water bubbling past, that all too familiar sound at this point. She could hear someone nearby. It had to be one of them. Why else would they seek her out?

Sucking in a deep breath, she opened her eyes. "Hey, I'm-"

As soon as she caught sight of what was in the clearing, her heart immediately recede to the pits of her stomach. Her throat grew dry, and she could barely mutter anything.

Before her stood (laid?) a grass snake. It was quite large, with yellow markings on its back, with its pale face complimented by large frills. It stood tall, their eyes locked on her with a stern expression. Rising, Kairi couldn't fathom how large it was, almost reaching the lowest branch. Especially as its eyes laid directly on her.

What could she do? She was still sore, but this was something that she hadn't seen before. She couldn't move. Couldn't think.

As they observed her, it moved towards her.

Kairi, driven to do so, ran.

She didn't care where she went. Past the gnarled roots. Past the berry trees. Her eyes were locked ahead, lungs burning. Anywhere was better than where that thing was. As she pushed through the soreness, the fatigue, and everything else that wanted to bring her down, she wondered what would happen to her if it hunted her.

Would she die? Was it friendly? Or would it torment her until she didn't have any more energy left in her? Did it want to eat her?

Kairi couldn't fathom how long she ran for. Or whether it had been still pursuing her. There were trips over roots, but she regained her balance as much as she could. At one moment, she stopped, pressing against a tree as she caught her breath. Sweat drenched her forehead, and she could barely breathe. Heart pounding in her chest, an innate fear took hold of her.

Could it hear her heartbeat?

Gulping in air, she clenched her eyes shut. Out here, it was kill or be killed. But she didn't have the tools or knowledge to defend herself. Looking down at her open hands, Kairi clenched them into fists. She seriously considered the option of punching that snake right in the nose. Stun it for a moment, then flee.

But if she did do that, she would have to be certain that the punch would stun them. She wasn't sure if she could accomplish such a feat, so that was off the table.

What about grabbing a stick and trying to fight back? There were plenty of branches nearby, but the lack of knowledge of what she was up against meant she couldn't rely on it. There were typing considerations to…

Typing considerations?

That was a strange thought. Kairi blinked, thinking hard on it. That Victreebell from before was frozen solid from her mistress's attack. That was clearly a grass-type, so that meant-

SNAP

Brought back to the current moment, Kairi froze. Whatever typing this thing was, it didn't matter. She couldn't produce ice nor flame. Not on her own at least. Slowly, she collected the strength to look around the bend of the tree. If she could ascertain where exactly it was, then maybe she could…

She could barely breathe as it was right in front of her. Their noses pressed together momentarily, and it reeled back. Kairi yelped, falling back as branches scraped her back and legs. It was taken aback by her, but she didn't get a close enough look to see what it wanted as she took off again.

What was she to do? What could she do? The only thing she could do was run. Run as far as her weak legs could take her. As far as her lungs could before they gave out. When her heart died from fright, that would be when she stopped. Her feet were scratched and battered from the twigs and stones that crossed her path. She didn't care how far it was that she ran if it was away from this creature.

Kairi couldn't tell where she was as her senses finally came back to her, her pace slowing. Sweat slickened her body as she gasped for air, leaning forward with her hands on her knees. Clenching her eyes shut, that was when the realization struck her.

This was hopeless.

All she could do was run. She can't fight like Lucario. She can't freeze or scald like Milotic can. Kairi was out of shape. Her legs quivered, almost giving out. On top of everything, that was when she realized that she hadn't been marking where she was running. As this settled in, her entire body shook.

Slumping to the ground, she stared out towards the bamboo shoots that rose to greet her. Kairi slowly sauntered over towards them, keeping her eye on the ground as she did so. She wasn't sure if it was instinct, or anything she did consciously, but she counted her lucky stars when the ground had given way to a sheer cliff. Roughly a twenty-foot drop to where the bamboo were firmly rooted. Looking back up, she noticed several Pokemon fluttering between the tall shoots, mostly smaller birds.

"What am I supposed to do?" she mumbled under her breath, sitting down and catching her breath. If there was anything she knew, it was that thing wasn't going to simply allow her to escape. It'll probably corner her here, kill her, and do with her what it may. It chilled her to the bone, but a fire seemed to burn up inside of her.

She couldn't let that happen. Yes, this was a corner. She was trapped in it. But Kairi knew that simply laying down and allowing fate to take its course wouldn't do.

Clenching her fist, she took in a deep breath.

SNAP

Eyes fluttered open, and she knew that it was here. Slowly, cautiously, she stood up. She would face this, and, if anything, go down fighting. At the very least, she could prove to her mistress that she was strong in the face of danger.

'You can do this,' she thought to herself. 'You're not going to take this laying down.'

Finally, after a moment, she turned. Opening her eyes, she saw a creature there, emerging from the shadows of the trees.

It was then that she was sorely mistaken. Her heart sank into the pits of her stomach as she quivered, fright filling her from head to toe.

It hadn't been the creature that she bumped into earlier. That grass-snake wasn't here.

It was that Victreebell, whose glare lingered on her. Its vine cracked like a whip, slapping a nearby tree as it pulled itself forward.

"No… No no no, I can't!"

That courage that she plucked up melted as soon as it had formed. It lunged at her. Kairi didn't know what to do. What could she do? Time slowed, and she was aware of every detail. The light tinge of sweet smell smothering the air around her; the banana-yellow body, with those ugly brown spots, moving as fast as it could. Worst of all was that vine, flinging itself at her.

Her scream carried through the air. She called out for her mistress to help as she leapt back. Her feet slipped on the damp leaves and grass, air rushing past her as something bright-green slammed into the Victreebell. A boom resonated, but that was when Kairi realized her mistake.

She couldn't see what was happening. The air still rushed past her as that sheer cliff rose above her. Her hands tried to grasp at whatever she could, but it was to no avail. In that moment of terror, she had thrown herself over the cliff by accident.

Kairi couldn't even cry as the bamboo shot up above her. The world whizzed by, the sudden terror wracking her every nerve.

Then…

It was dark.

Where was she?

She had to be outside. The sun was still on her face. The air still caressed her cheeks.

She had to be dead.

Yet, here she was. Thinking.

Kairi stirred from that strange brink of darkness. Something, or someone, was touching her forehead. It was gentle, lightly pressing against her while something tightened.

Cracking her eyes open, the sunlight was much brighter than she thought. It had only been blotted out by a young woman, who crouched over her. Her hands were pressing against Kairi's head, and relief welled through her. It wasn't the serpent or Victreebell.

It was her mother.

She recognized her. Pale skin, softly defined face. White hair, tied back into a ponytail with a blue ribbon. But most of all was that trademark that Kairi sorely lacked: deep wells of blue for eyes. She wore the typical priestess attire, with the white robe complimented by deep-red, that Kairi knew all too well.

"Looks like you took quite a fall, dear."

"Sorry."

Kairi didn't stir, still dazed. She couldn't comprehend what had happened. Maybe it was all just that, a dream? The Graceful One, the Fierce One, Victreebell, Swellow, and all those other Pokemon… just a figment of her imagination. It was so vivid. She could recall even how the bark on the trees felt as she climbed them, or how scared she was during that sprint.

But it didn't matter.

Taking in her surroundings, Kairi noticed the trees nearby. They were the same ones that she had played around with her cousins. Or less play and more get chased around. But it was fun all the same. The buildings nearby were part of the shrine, circling around this garden where she and her mother were right now. Then there was the fountain.

Tilting her head in that direction, the Poliwag settled itself onto the stone wall surrounding it.

"Akemi?"

"She hit you too hard with her Bubblebeam while you were playing. You need to be more careful."

Leaning back, she looked up at her mother, who pressed her hand against her forehead. Kairi waggled her head, constantly thinking. Before long, her thoughts began to ramble outside of her mind.

"I know. But I was having so much fun! We were playing pretend, like I was you when you were out as a trainer. And Akemi was a horrible beast that I had to capture! And-"

"And you hit your head."

She couldn't disagree. Sighing, Kairi kept her gaze on the woman before her. It grounded her in the moment. It made her calm. At ease. "Sorry. Guess I got carried away."

"Either way, I'll have to keep a closer eye on you." The young woman smiled, and as she pet Kairi along the head, stroking her snow-white hair, she noticed something strange. It almost seemed like something was poking her on the side of her belly; it was subtle, incredibly faint, but enough to have her notice.

When it finally egged her on, noticing it first on her stomach, then her thigh, she spoke up.

"Are you poking me?"

"What?" Her hands were raised up, and Kairi could see them both by her side. She furrowed her brow, then shook her head.

"Never mind."

She was glad that it was all nonsense, that everything that had happened was just a world away. Laying here beside the pool, with Akemi hopping down from the fountain to join her by her side, with her mother returning to pet her head.

Just like the good old days.

"I made some soup, if you want some."

"Is it miso?"

"Of course, your favorite."

The next thing Kairi knew, she was walking alongside her mother through the shrine. The fresh wooden boards underneath their feet permeated the air with the smell of pine. She could hear her cousins playing in the nearby rooms, their shadows dancing along the paper doors. The yip and yap of their Pokemon broke through. All she could do was look around at the shrine's almost antique appearance, but she knew that it had been recently built. She remembered being forced to help with tugging tools around the site, which always made her frustrated because they had plenty of Pokemon that could do the work without thinking.

Her hand squeezed her mother's tightly. She always hated doing that kind of work.

Finally, they went into the dining room, with a pot in the center over an open flame. The smell of the miso soup wafted in the air, and her stomach growled. She didn't realize how hungry she was until now. Her mother brought her towards the soup, seating herself gracefully down onto her knees. Kairi joined her.

They had their fill of soup, and Kairi had a good look at what she wore, something that she was familiar with. It was a blue yukata, with sleeves that folded over her hands with red patterns, made to resemble the legendary Kyogre. A proud emblem of the Fusugi clan.

"Fusugi?"

"Hm?"

She glanced over at her mother, who stared at her perplexedly. Blinking, dumbfounded for a moment, Kairi shook her head.

"Nothing. "

Focusing on the soup, Kairi sipped it. The tofu, miso and scallions, a swirl of flavor that was so delectable. But that light touch along her sides didn't stop. As she drank more soup, it seemed the more she noticed it. Sometimes pressing on the top of her stomach, and other times her shoulders. Then her forehead.

For minutes, she tried her best to ignore this. Especially as her forehead felt strange, with something around it. But it wasn't painful; it was more along the lines of discomfort. Kairi looked down at her soup bowl, and that was when she noticed her hand.

Raising it, Kairi squinted, looking at it for a moment as she viewed it perplexedly. Once she realized what it was, her breaths became ragged. Stress filled her entire being. Dropping the bowl, soup spilling everywhere, it was unmistakable.

Blood.

A large gash on her hand. Had it always been there? She didn't see this earlier. How could she have missed it? Blood trickled down her hand, through her arm as it stuck to the sleeves of her yukata. Her eyes narrowed, and she looked at her mother, who didn't seem to notice.

"Mom?"

She didn't respond. The woman simply kept eating her soup, ignoring Kairi's plea.

"Ayame! Mom!"

Again, no response. Simply smiling with content as she continued to sip her soup. In desperation, Kairi pressed her hand against her mother's shoulder, the blood staining the white gown of her attire. As she did so, that was when grief struck her. An intense wave of guilt, anxiety, and desperation flooded through her. Releasing her hold on her mother's gown, Kairi stepped back.

"No. No no no."

She clutched her hair, the pain in her head intensifying. Tears welled up in her eyes, and she shook her head. Mumbling to herself repeatedly, Kairi tried to rationalize what was happening. Nothing made sense, and yet, one key detail sprang to the front of her mind.

This wasn't supposed to be happening.

Instantly, she clenched her eyes shut. Frightened, she smacked her head with her hands.

"Wake up! Come on, wake up!"

As she slapped herself, something pressed on her forehead again.

In an instant, she sprang up. Her heart galloped a million miles a second, and she sucked in deep breaths. Panicked, she didn't even register where she was as she tried to move up onto her feet. But her body crumpled back onto the ground as her legs gave out. It gave her a moment to breathe. Recuperate.

SNAP

Kairi whipped her head over to face where the snapping branch came from, seeing the fleeting shadow of that grass snake flushing itself from the scene. A slight pain entered her head again as she raised her hand to touch her forehead.

That was when the wrap around her head had finally been noticed. Her fingers felt it, how it was tightly woven around her. As she traced it along to the back of her head, where the pain intensified from the smallest touch. As she plucked her hand back, she looked at the gash, which already looked tended to. Herbs were pressed against it, the blood that was gushing out making it stick tightly to the palm.

Letting her hand rest on her chest, she stared up at the sky. She could barely see the orange glow, hidden between the swaying leaves of the trees above her.

"Ayame Fusugi…"

She remembered now. If only fleetingly. Her mother had been dead for six years now. But nothing else? Well, that wasn't entirely true. She now knew her last name was Fusugi. But what did it mean? Did it matter? Her head hurt while trying to think too hard on the matter. But something wasn't right. If her mom died that long ago, then-

"Kairi!"

Startled, she moved back instinctively, wincing in pain as she tried to arch herself up into a seated posture. Kairi could barely achieve that as she pressed her hands into the soft dirt of the jungle, blinking as her vision blurred from the intense jolt. The sound of someone rushing towards her had only been noticed, before she came face to face with the Fierce One. He crouched beside her, already looking at her with disbelief.

"Master? What time is it?" she mumbled, almost unable to get the words out as he pressed his paws against noticeable scratches. He evaluated her from head to toe, all while he grumbled under his breath.

"There's no time for such nonsensical titles. You've been missing for twelve hours. I tried to track you, but you kept running and running before falling off the cliff. Then I couldn't trace you for a while, and suddenly you show up here? None of this makes sense. Much less this." His paw traced along her hand. "Gotu Kala. Finely cut. Or this," he pressed his paw against her forehead, touching the headband. "There's no way you could have made that yourself. I didn't sense any other humans around…" His voice trailed off, before he shook his head.

"It doesn't matter anyway. I need to get you back to your mistress."

"Mis…" Blinking, Kairi took a second to recollect herself, then nodded. "Yeah, mistress. The Graceful One."

"You okay? You seem dazed." Lucario scooped Kairi up, one paw underneath her knees, and another underneath her head, all while lifting her up with ease. "That's a nasty hit on the head you have. I'll have to double check to make sure you don't have any permanent damage."

"I'm fine… Fine." She stared at him, her gaze intense as he walked with her. His paws kicked up some water from the stream as he did so, little specks flinging up to cling to her skin. As Kairi stared, she couldn't help but ponder on whether her mistress had been telling the truth. She hated to think that the Milotic would lie to her, but that dream, well, memory was far too real and distinct to be dismissed.

He kept her pace slow, deliberately making sure that she didn't bounce in his arms. As they came closer to the cavern entrance, where the moss and plant-life almost tucked it away, she couldn't help herself.

"Fusugi."

"What?" He kept his eyes locked ahead.

"My name is Kairi Fusugi. And my mom's is Ayame."

The nature around them shushed up as Lucario stopped in place. He flicked his ears, closed his eyes, and huffed. Kairi felt him tense up, before he relaxed again.

"You're sure?"

"Yes."

"No one else knows?"

"Well I would assume someone would. But I don't know who." Kairi rubbed the back of her head nervously, trying her best to keep calm. "Ma-"

"Fierce One. Just call me Fierce One."

"Right… Fierce One." His interruption caught her off guard, and she hesitated. But when she caught her breath, she lowered her voice. "Pretend like you never heard that from me. I… I don't know what to do. I still don't remember a whole lot, but that came to me after I hit my head."

"Do you miss her?" He finally glanced at her, continuing to walk after allowing them a moment to recuperate.

"Kind of. She's been dead for a while."

"Sorry to hear." He didn't talk after that.

Minutes later, they were back at the entrance of the cave. He pushed the overgrown ferns to the side with his body, bringing Kairi in as he changed his tone.

"Not a word of that to your mistress. Understood? You might want to tell her about this. Blab everything to her about what you remember. But that will only invite pain." He motioned his head towards her wrist. "Now, she's worried sick. Can you walk?"

"That's a lot to expect from someone who smashed their head open."

"I figured as much. Just stay quiet."

Sidling the wall, he made certain to keep her level as they wound down that winding tunnel. As they broke into the main chamber, she could see her.

Milotic had already been darting towards the entrance, greeting her with concern. Kairi was immediately snatched from Lucario's paws, wrapped up in the water-type's coils. She yelped, the sudden sharp pain shooting through her body.

"Sorry!"

Sorry?

Kairi's eyes widened as the grip was relaxed, and she sat there on the scales, staring back perplexedly. She was going to say something to her, but that was completely lost by the fact that she apologized. As she sat there, the scales shifting over her bare body, Lucario shrugged, stepping past them.

"Well, I found her by the stream. Guess I just missed it in my search." He walked towards the bedding of leaves, rolling his shoulders. "She's injured, but she'll recover. I shouldn't have pushed her as hard as I did, but we'll tackle her training as soon as she is able."

"That's good at least." Milotic looked Kairi up and down, loosening her coils around her before tightening them up again. "Don't do that again. Are you aware of what kind of trouble you could have caused? It's not hard to f-" Pausing in her train of thought, she haltingly shook her head. "Never mind. I am pleased to see you return to my side, Kairi."

For a moment, Kari wasn't sure what to say. She had still been taking in the fact that her mistress, the very same one who had given her a bruise on her hand for disobedience, seemed so genuine in her concern. Squinting towards her, Kairi raised an eyebrow.

"Are you okay?"

"I am fine." Circling around the cave for a brief period, eventually Milotic, still carrying Kairi, nestled into her pool of water. As she dipped into the water, Kairi noticed that it was quite warm, just like the night before. Her body unwound, allowing her to slip further in, as Kairi sucked in a deep breath, and relaxed. As she closed her eyes, suddenly her mistress' fins draped along her forehead.

"What's this?"

Slapping a hand up to the headwrap, Kairi clenched her eyes, tensing up. "First-aid. Hit my head on a rock."

"First… Aid…"

Draping her fins along Kairi's shoulder, Milotic stared deeply at her. Kairi stared back, anxious. With bated breath, she anticipated the next move. After a minute, silence befalling them, her mistress gently slipped a coil underneath Kairi's leg, plucking her up. Not pulling her out of the water, but making her comfortable.

"Regardless, welcome home. I see that you are in no condition to do tasks. You need rest. Relaxation."

Lowering her head, Milotic gave her a lick on the cheek. "However, when you do get back into an agreeable state, training and lessons will continue as intended. I will have to push you harder, but even one such as myself isn't without heart."

"Thanks." Kairi's hand traced along the fins that were slapped along her chest. Sucking in a deep breath, she let out an audible, low sigh. It felt so nice. So comfortable in this grasp. It already made her weary, sleep beckoning her in an instant.

She tried to mutter something, but as soon as she did, her body loosened up.

In a moment, she was asleep.

For three weeks, Kairi took it easy. The scrapes on her body healed up, and the welt on her head eventually dissipated. Both Milotic and Lucario made sure that she didn't have any issues with balance, hearing, vision, or whatever else they could think of.

However, despite the easy-going nature of that time, Kairi had two burning questions.

The first: how did she know her mother was dead?

The second: who was that snake that saved her?

She pondered. As she practiced meditation with Lucario in the comfort of the cave, Kairi didn't speak of it with them. Keeping it to herself, at least she could find herself in a proper state of mind to ponder. Her thoughts wandered.

Finally, when she was tasked to go and get berries after the Fierce One gave the approval that she was good to go, she could at least satisfy the second question.

Meandering past the stream, keeping an eye over her shoulder as she did so, Kairi felt more exposed than usual as she made her way through the jungle. However, the sounds comforted her. Everything was still just as it was when she left it, leaving her alone. Her bare feet tread through the ferns, making sure to mark where she was by snapping those broad leaves at an angle, while she returned to the berry trees.

They rose tall above her, and she could still remember the singe of embarrassment as she could barely pull herself up those several weeks ago. Looking down at her hands, the scratching of the bark against her palms fresh in her mind, Kairi couldn't help but smile a little bit.

After everything that happened, she was still here. Clenching her hands shut, Kairi couldn't help but feel elated, and hopeful, that the future will look up. She had been chased, fallen out of a tree, accidentally leapt off a cliff and knocked her head. Yet here she was, standing underneath this ancient tree, a little bruised but happy. Or could it be elation?

Pumping her fists, Kairi then noticed something peculiar on the side of the tree. It poked out at an unusual angel, and, at first, she thought that it had been a Pokemon she didn't see before. Slowly, she skirted around the tree, towards the gnarled roots that held this thing in place. But that's when she noticed that it was a basket.

Woven with the ferns surrounding the grove. Branches bent at deliberate angles to make it into the shape that it was. Crouching down, she grabbed it, noticing how wide and shallow it was.

"But aren't I the only person here?"

Blinking, she held it up over her head, looking at the underside. It was incredibly well crafted, to say the least. As Kairi steadily lowered it, she noticed two orange-red eyes looking back at her from above the tree. It slipped closer towards her, easily melting through the branches with no resistance. And that's when she recognized them.

The snake from earlier.

It approached her, their pale-green scaled body, complimented by the yellow frills and dark-green highlights, as it kept their distance. It was now on the same level as her, equal with her eyes, but they nodded towards the basket in her hand.

Stepping back instinctively, she had to consciously stand her ground. Holding the basket in front of her, she spoke firmly.

"Did you make this?"

They nodded. They understood what she was saying right away. Beaming with delight, Kairi traced a hand along the brim of the basket.

"Thank you. This will really help with getting berries."

She didn't bother to speak in technical terms. No complicated words. Kairi felt that it was best to do this. It was instinctual, and she wasn't sure why. Finally, after a couple seconds of silence, she stepped forward. It pulled back a little bit.

"No no. Don't run. I'm not going to hurt you." She held the basket at her side, and pointed towards her head. "Are you the one who patched me up?" Then towards her hand. "Or gave me this cut?"

Realizing that she meant no harm, it approached her again. They nodded, at first with pride, but then with guilt as it saw the remaining mark of the gash in her hand. Quietly, it circled around Kairi, and she noticed how it produced vines from their collar, poking her on the head. Then a quiet hum escaped them, coupled with a look of concern.

"I'm fine! Fine… I think. Fine enough to come out here." Rubbing her arm, her eyes gleamed towards them. "Anyway, I wanted to say thank you. I don't think I'd be here if it wasn't for you attacking the Victreebell. Or pulled me out of that ditch. Or… You know." Kairi wasn't worried that this thing was going to harm her. Instead, she was more worried that she was causing them emotional distress. "I came here to pick some berries. Do you want to help?"

As they nodded, grinning with delight, Kairi couldn't help but share the same expression. Not a minute to spare, they made quick work of the task. Collecting not only the berries that she needed for eating, but also the ones she pointed out for the baths that her mistress educated her on. In no time at all, the basket was full.

While Kairi hoisted the basket on her head, balancing it with ease, the Serperior (as she found out during that time) stared her in the eyes as they circled around her once more.

"…Me…"

Dumbfounded, Kairi stared back.

"What?"

"Meet… Again?"

She couldn't find anything to say at that instant. The words melted through their, no, his speech patterns. It wasn't that she could understand what he said directly. Kairi simply stood there, trying to register what had just happened, as he pressed his head against her shoulder in a sign of affection.

Once the shock of it wore off, she closed her eyes, and laughed.

"Of course. We'll meet again."