The afternoon sun warmed Kairi as she exited the cave with her mistress. Shielding her eyes for a moment, the now familiar vibrant foliage rising up around her as she stood there with her mistress, who shimmered in the sunlight. "So, could you tell me more about hunting?" Kairi inquired, lowering her hand once she adjusted to the bright light.

"We can talk as we move. Follow me," her mistress stated calmly, steadily moving along the stream. The question still burned in her mind about earlier, on whether or not Kairi actually did convince that Aipom to help her out. This task doubled as both a lesson and a test in her mind; at the very least, she could see if her servant was lying after all.

They took a different direction from this morning, advancing more upstream than before. Milotic composed her words carefully, thinking of how to explain it to her servant so it didn't go over her head. "Hunting is when a Pokemon captures another in order to sustain themselves. They trap, capture, and sometimes eat live prey.

"Kairi, do you remember this morning with the Victreebell?"

Blinking, astonished that her mistress would bring that up, the connection became apparent to Kairi. "Yes, I do. Are you saying that the Victreebell was hunting?" She held her hands behind her back, walking with her mistress, her eyes always curiously following the Milotic with a bright curiosity. "So what would have happened if you didn't save me?"

Meeting Kairi's gaze, silence fell upon them before the Graceful One retorted "They would have left nothing behind, and they would continue on living." She noticed Kairi freezing up at the mention of such a drastic outcome, legs trembling and a sense of fear rising through her. Using a fin to brush it against her servant's back, Milotic smiled in an attempt to calm her. "Do not fear though. As long as you are my servant, I will never allow that outcome to occur."

A strange part of her felt sincere in those words.

"You are a bright and smart servant, Kairi. But do remember to always be cautious when you are out on your own."

"U-Understood."

Meekly shivering, Kairi lowered her head, stretching her legs out one at a time in front of her to compose herself. "Anyways, shall we keep going, mistress?" Gazing up at the Milotic, she moved several paces forward, turning to look at her mistress with a grin.

"Of course." Skirting her tail around Kairi, steadily floating in front of her, Milotic led the way through the thick jungle brush. Making sure that her servant was close by at all times, she had many thoughts swirling through her during their walk.

The look that Kairi had given her at the mention of nothing being left behind had not been out of the ordinary. She had seen the same look many times on Pokemon that she had hunted before, the gaze of terror as they stared at death itself. It appeared different with Kairi, however. Perhaps it was because she was a human, but something about the way that Kairi froze up intrigued her. Maybe it was just that Kairi is far more expressive than a Pokemon.

Also of interest was how Kairi had been silent as they walked. It was a stark contrast compared to the bright and curious girl that followed her. Keeping her gaze forward, she spoke to her servant in a collected voice.

"Kairi, are you alright?"

Perking up, having been lost in her own thoughts, Kairi heard the question. She wondered what she should say; the implication of making another creature disappear haunted her mind. Softening up, perhaps there was a way to get out of this. Glancing over at the ferns that they brushed past, keeping close to her mistress, Kairi spoke quietly. "Y-Yeah, I'm fine."

Halting their movement, Milotic glided around Kairi, circling her as her fins pressed up against the girl's side. Stopping in her tracks, Kairi's eyes glanced up at her mistress, quickly flicking away once they locked with Milotic's. "U-Um, mistress?" Kairi attempted to keep herself calm. The tail wound along her waist as Milotic moved in closer.

"I can sense that you are unsteady. Does hunting frighten you?"

Shivering, Kairi shook her head. "No. It's just…" Shifting her feet, Kairi crossed her arms. "Do I have to end the life of another for me to survive? Isn't there a way that we can both live?"

Eyes glazing over at the question, Milotic scratched Kairi's back lightly with her fins. The hesitance that Kairi displayed was a problem. She had noticed it since explaining to Kairi what would happen. "Kairi, you must understand that the strong devour the weak. It is the natural order of things; always has been. This is a truth that you have to accept." She tilted her head to the side, letting her fins drape along the ground as she did so. "You do want to get stronger, don't you?"

"I-I do!" Immediately stepping forward, pulled back slightly from her coils wrapped around her, Kairi placed her hands on the damp scales, pushing on it as she shifted them down. Once she stepped out of them, her eyes drew her attention back to her mistress. "I know I probably sound confused-"

"Maybe you will feel better once you go through with it. I know when I first had to hunt, I was hesitant, but I knew that I needed to eat to survive." Receding her coils, Milotic narrowed her eyes towards her servant, brushing a fin along Kairi's cheek. "Either way, shall we continue on?" Motioning with her head forward, she lowered her voice to Kairi, hinting to keep quiet. "Follow me."

As they approached a good spot to hide, tall shrubs and ferns that Kairi could comfortably stand behind, Milotic lowered herself to the ground, scraping it with her tail. The sound of something, more specifically a group, caught Kairi's attention as they stood there. Encircling the both of them, coiling up onto herself, Milotic directed Kairi's attention towards the direction of where the sound came from.

"Look over the brush and tell me what you see. Quietly, please."

Standing on the tips of her toes, Kairi raised herself up to peer over the brush, hearing the sounds more clearly as she inspected towards the small clearing.

The first thing she noticed was that the six or so Pokemon that had gathered there were all the same. Brown-furred, small, with one ear extended and the other scrunched up. All of them were hopping around, doing a mix of pushing one another, leaping over them, laughing, and eating some berries that had fallen off of the nearby tree.

"I see… six Pokemon. Small ones. Playing?"

Once Kairi had stepped back, placing her heels firmly back down, she turned towards her mistress, scratching her head. Perplexed by what she saw, she spoke in a low voice. "Mistress, so what do I do?"

Standing at attention, Kairi saw how her mistress shut her eyes, pondering on what to say. After a moment, Milotic spoke to her.

"The Pokemon that you see over there are Buneary. They are a weak Pokemon, and easy to hunt." Kairi flinched at that last word. "You have to capture one, and we will not go hungry for tonight. You must lure it away from the group. If you walk up to them, they will scatter and run for help, which is always far more trouble than it is worth."

"Okay… Then what?"

Noticing how her mistress raised her fins, she pressed them against her bare stomach. "If you want to lure them away, use bait. Or you can try to use your new found beauty to lure them away. Everything has to eat one way or another.

"I cannot teach you everything. For this one, you must figure out how to do it yourself." Milotic began to recede back, before swirling her body around Kairi as she moved in the direction they came. "I'll be awaiting your arrival." Once she had disappeared, Kairi was left alone.

Standing on the tips of her toes again, Kairi peeked out again to watch the Buneary at play. They didn't seem to notice any sounds coming from her direction. Kairi debated on what she should do to draw one out. The mere thought of hunting hurt her; surely there had been a different way. Yet the thought of what her mistress might do if she failed… Rubbing her wrist, the pain she felt was a stark reminder.

Part of her wanted to just walk away, perhaps find a berry-

Eyes widening, Kairi quickly scanned the area around her. Were there any berries around here? Briskly walking along the edge, trying to keep herself still outside of the clearing, Kairi swiveled her head back and forth, eyes flicking around to see any of those brightly colored treats from earlier. In her focus, she lost track of the Buneary group that were out in the clearing.

The cluster played between themselves, tumbling, pushing, and sometimes making little squeaks as they laughed. One of the Buneary, who had rolled out of the group and landed flat on their face, shook their head, sat up, and rubbed their eyes. Stunned by the shove, it sat there momentarily, brushing off any dirt that had clung to their fur. As it did so, a sound beyond the bushes caught their attention, and it froze up. Eyes immediately wide with anxiety, it kept its gaze in the direction of the sound. When it caught sight of what was causing the sound, a peculiar thought crossed its mind.

Standing up, brushing itself off, their head swiveled back to the group, who didn't pay them any attention. Having been too consumed with their play, it barely noticed the disappearance of their friend, who had directed their attention back to the foliage.

Seeing the nude, red-haired human, it was a peculiar sensation. At first, it wondered what they were, with their back turned, scratching their head as they kept looking up at the trees. Bouncing up and down, calming itself, they quickly moved through the ferns to get a closer look.

Frowning, Kairi tilted her head. "I don't see any-"

A paw brushed up against her leg, and Kairi instinctively drew back, turning and tumbling as she collapsed to the ground. "A-Ah!" Falling down with a thud, Kairi winced, blinked, and got a good look at the Buneary that had approached her. They surprised her, and as they picked up Kairi's foot, gazing at it curiously, she wondered what it is they wanted. She let her body ease up once the danger had passed.

Taking her foot back, flinching from how ticklish that felt, Kairi hugged her knee as a genial smile crossed her. She saw how the Buneary placed a paw to their chin, tilting their head a bit. "H-Hey there," Kairi muttered, slowly shifting her other leg back to hug it to her chest. Her eyes flicked back to see the group continuing to play. "Could you go away?"

Not understanding Kairi, even as she moved her hand to motion them to leave, Buneary grinned and ran up to her. "Bune!" they exclaimed, half-running, half-hopping towards Kairi's side to poke her more.

"N-No, I mean-" Kairi flinched as the Buneary poked her side, and she nearly fell over again as she briskly stood up. Not a moment later and she was bombarded with them poking her foot. "A-Ah!" Receding her foot, Kairi fell again, this time hearing a very cheerful squeak, almost like a laugh, coming from the small Pokemon.

Shutting her eyes, Kairi took in a deep breath, calming herself. If this was how hunting was for a smaller Pokemon, how on earth would she even get the bigger ones? What was she thinking, anyway? Crossing her legs, she opened her eyes and looked at the Buneary, who approached her with a gleam in their eye.

"So… What do you want?" Kairi perked up, comforted with the thought that this Buneary had no intention to harm her. She knew that it probably couldn't understand her, so as she said this, her hands went up to touch her chest. "I won't hurt you."

Staring at the human, Buneary's ear twitched as they kept their gaze towards Kairi's hand. Briefly making a squeak, realizing what it is they wanted, their eyes lit up with a brightness as they immediately lunged at Kairi. Their speed carried them over Kairi's thighs, and immediately went into a hug around Kairi's stomach, or as much as their small arms could wrap around them.

Taken aback by this, Kairi found herself falling over again, gasping as the Buneary nuzzled their head against her. Wondering whether or not she should shove the Buneary off of her, Kairi caught her breath, sighed, and placed her hands on the Pokemon's head. "Man, you can hit hard-" She pet the Buneary lightly, wondering what she should do. The afternoon sun felt warm, with cascades of emerald beaming down on the both of them as they laid there. Kairi felt the Buneary quiver and cling tighter as she petted it, making herself feel more at ease as well.

Staring at the canopy, Kairi blinked as she noticed several colors swaying not too far up. She recognized them, and they were within a reasonable distance. Just one branch up and they could be easily grabbed.

Sitting upright, Kairi gently nudged the Buneary onto her lap as it stared up at her curiously. "Hey, you hungry?" When it made no motion to indicate whether they understood the question, Kairi pulled them up and set them down a foot in front of her. "Hungry." Rubbing her own stomach, Kairi tried to show them what the word meant. Ironically, her stomach growled at that moment.

"See? I'm hungry!" Kairi exclaimed, making a soft sort of laugh as her face flushed with embarrassment. At this notion, Buneary's eyes lit up as they understood what it was Kairi had been conveying. Clapping their paws together, Buneary made a quick, "Buneary!" as she rubbed her stomach, mimicking Kairi.

Briskly standing up, Kairi brushed herself off as best as she could. "Alright. Wait here a minute, okay?" Kairi raised her hand, keeping it flat as she lowered it, trying to motion to the Buneary that they should remain here. They seemed to understand, giving her a slow nod. Once she was certain that they wouldn't run away, Kairi leaped up, hoisted herself onto the branch, and plucked the berries as fast as she could. Before she knew it, leaping down with a thud, Kairi seated herself in front of the Buneary, making herself comfortable.

"Here you go," she mused, placing an Oran berry on the ground beside Buneary. Licking her lips, feeling enticed by the sight of the firm, juicy berry in her own hand, Kairi bit into it. She noticed the Buneary step forward, seemingly hesitant at first, as they quickly took the berry, beginning to nibble at it.

Once Kairi finished her berry, she observed the Buneary eating away, occasionally wiping away the juices as it stained the sides of their mouth. "You're pretty hungry, huh?" She beamed as they nodded, smiling and making a squeak in response. For a moment, Kairi wondered what even it was that she was doing here. She had been so lost in thought, and finding herself a new friend, that it didn't strike her until now.

A chill flashed through her. Kairi's eyes widened as her head swiveled towards the direction her mistress had gone towards. She was there, even if she had hidden herself well, watching the two of them the entire time. Her hand, which pressed against the soft jungle floor, steadily clenched into a fist, dirt dug up into her hand. Kairi was lost in anxiety until she felt a paw press up against her leg.

When her attention was caught again, she noticed how the Buneary appeared her mistake, Kairi waveringly drew out her hand to pet the Buneary's head. "H-Heh, I'm s-sorry," she muttered out to it, her mouth already trembling, unable to get out a word without almost sputtering.

During all of this, Milotic peeked her head out of the foliage to take a look at Kairi, sensing her distress. She kept her distance, but could clearly see the human girl petting the Buneary, telling it that everything will be alright. Wasn't this the same girl who had been arrogant in stating that her full intention was capturing Pokemon? The same one who had given her sass not too long ago when she got frustrated with her task?

If so, then why was she protecting this Buneary? Didn't trainers normally use Pokemon for sport? She recalled numerous times of instances, where she would break up their fights and make sure that they never returned. Was Kairi different all along, or had sealing her memories locked away her instincts?

As she pondered upon these questions, growing steadily more curious, Milotic felt her hunger rising. How long had it been since she had a hunt of her own? She couldn't remember the last time she had live prey. Kairi being so complacent with this Buneary wasn't helping either.

Sighing, Milotic focused her telepathy on Kairi. "There is no need to feel bad. You are stronger than it, and the strong must survive on the weak. You must understand this, if you hope to continue being my servant."

Kairi wavered again, her hand pausing on the Buneary's head as they finished up the last of the berry. Servant. That truth was inevitable, yet did it have to mean this? Extending both her arms out, Kairi picked up the Buneary, which caught them off guard. Yet it didn't fight; instead the Buneary clung to Kairi, wrapping their paws around her chest.

Catching her breath, Kairi lowered her head, shut her eyes, and placed a hand on their head to comfort it. "Shhh… It's okay." Quickly she moved towards her mistress, determined to say something to Milotic. Brushing past ferns, it didn't take a minute until she had been face to face with her mistress. Her heart pounded in her chest, trembling as she saw her mistress looming over her.

Milotic dominated over Kairi, her eyes leering at the two of them. Creating a calming aura hover in the area, she sensed her servant's anxiety. She circled around them, pulling them in closer. "Well done, Kairi. You have-"

"Please don't do this."

Milotic paused, taken aback at Kairi's plea. Buneary didn't look up yet, but also calmed down from her presence. She saw how Kairi stared at her with watery eyes, her eyebrows furrowed with a hint of anger in the middle of that anxiety.

"Kairi, look at me in the eye and tell me that again." Her fin was quick to nudge Buneary to catch their attention. Once Milotic had the both of them staring at her, she began her hypnosis. It didn't take the Buneary a moment once her eyes met with that strange, curious glow before it fell asleep in Kairi's arms. The girl loosened up as she stared blankly into Milotic's gaze.

Once she was certain that the both of them were under her trance, Milotic drew her fins back and lightly slapped her servant across the cheek. She saw Kairi blink, regaining her senses, and she was quick to explain to her about what she felt.

"I brought you here to hunt. You know what that entails. We spoke about this on our way here. Two creatures encounter each other. One dies, the other lives. You did a very good job on capturing one for me, yet you waver." She wrapped her tail around Kairi's waist and hips, trying to provide some comfort to her servant. "Are you not happy with your appearance? Or that the Buneary approached you because of your beauty?"

"I-I mean… I…" Kairi hesitated, gulping as she gripped her hands tighter around the Buneary. Tears began to flood Kairi's eyes, something that didn't go unnoticed.

"If you choose to keep protecting it and opposing my wishes, it will inevitably make you weaker." Tilting her head, Milotic gazed at Kairi, her eyes steadily narrowing towards her servant. "Do you understand?"

"Y-Yes, but-" Kairi shut her eyes, tears rolling down her face. "Can't we eat something else? L-Like berries or maybe show me something else that I can eat?"

Frowning immensely, Milotic knew that humans needed a varied diet, so for Kairi to insinuate that she didn't even need hunting irritated her. Squeezing Kairi tighter, her voice was softer, but carried a harshness underneath it. "If you had the choice of letting yourself or this Buneary live, which do you think would be the wisest choice for herself?"

"I-I don't know, I-I…"

"You have two simple choices laid out before you. If you are going to be so hesitant, how do you think you'll survive out here?" Hoisting Kairi up into the air, she continued on her tirade, moving closer into Kairi, her agitation reaching a peak. "If you prove that you have strength and give up that Buneary, I will allow you the pleasure of sleeping on my scales for another night. However, if you keep refusing to give it up, I will gladly take you in place of your friend. The world is better off with fewer humans, so your death would mean nothing to me."

Once Kairi had been set back down, eyes wide with terror, she was quick to hand over the Buneary. Offering it with outstretched hands, the trepidation became more apparent, almost unable to keep herself still. Her eyes flicked downward as she saw her mistress's fins take the Buneary from her hands.

"You made a wise choice."

A wise choice.

Kairi scoffed, a blunt reaction to those words. Standing before Milotic, staring at her with disdain, something odd swelled up in her. Was that a joke when her mistress said that? It was hard to tell, but it shook Kairi to her core. It left her chilled, her body shivering more with each passing moment. Gulping, she felt like she had to do something. Say anything. Yet when she tried, nothing came to mind. Defeated, Kairi crossed her arms, rubbing them in an effort to keep her mind off of the Buneary.

"If it pains you to watch, feel free to close your eyes."

That was all that Kairi needed. Lowering her head, she didn't make a sound, yet her mind was too occupied with uncomfortable thoughts and questions. Turning her back to her mistress, Kairi promptly sat down, clenching her eyes shut. Her hands shifted, fingers twitching as a strange, familiar sensation welled up in her. 'Did this happen… before?' she wondered, shivering and hunching over. If it did happen before, then why?

It hadn't even been a minute later when something was placed onto her lap. It was soft. Eyes fluttering, she saw the Buneary lying quietly on her, still asleep. One of their ears twitched as it shuffled itself into a more comfortable posture. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw her mistress's fins recede back. Following them, Kairi tilted her head back as she saw how Milotic towered over them. "M-Mistress?"

"You will have to work harder to repay me for this favor. Not something out of pity."

Milotic's attention had been fully directed towards Kairi, but there had also been a sense of frustration in her voice. Reviewing her servant carefully, noting her confusion, her fins prodded Kairi's back. Once the girl stood up, Milotic spoke in a calmer voice.

"You get attached too easily. Be more careful in the future, otherwise it could cost you your life."

Hoisting up the Buneary, Kairi turned her attention to the small bundle in her arms. "T-Thank you. I'll... " She perked up, glancing at Milotic with a flash in her eyes. "Wait, so what are we going to eat?"

"Eggs."

"Eggs?"

"Watch closely." Milotic's tone was significantly cooled, withdrawing from Kairi as her fins brushed against the ground. Sketching an oval on the ground after clearing some of the scattered leaves, she continued with her lesson. "Considering you asked: eggs are what Pokemon create when they desire children. They are not actual Pokemon, so you need not get attached to them."

"But-"

"Hush." Quickly giving her a glance, Milotic returned her focus to the ground. "This is what they look like." Circling the ground with her fin, she placed them to the side as her eyes stared at Kairi. "You can find them in nests all around the island. You should have no trouble at all in finding eggs. They come in various sizes, but they all look similar enough."

Fixated on the image, Kairi memorized the curves and the oblong shape. "Right…" Stepping to the side, another stray thought crossed her mind. "So, now what?"

"By the way." Milotic lowered her head towards Kairi, placing a fin against her side. "You would do best to bring your friend back to their little group. Lest I change my mind. Meet me back at the cave when you are done with your task."

Already skirting to the side, Kairi sheepishly grinned towards her mistress. "O-Of course. Thank you." As soon as she said that, Milotic had curled herself up, nodded in acknowledgement, and left the two of them alone in the clearing. Without a word, she slipped away just as quickly as she had appeared. Standing there, hoisting Buneary into her arms, her attention diverted back to the small normal-type. "Well, I suppose it's time."

Not a minute later, Kairi made her way through the dense foliage, attempting to shake the Buneary awake. Whatever her mistress had done to it, it was difficult to get them to wake up. They simply shifted in her arms, snuggling up to her more as Kairi walked towards the clearing.

The group had dispersed among themselves, searching along the bushes for their missing friend. Their paws scratched at the ground, trying to follow the skids and tracks the Buneary had left behind. Calling among themselves, one of them, a Buneary who was inspecting the footprints that Kairi had left behind, raised their head the moment that she had approached.

"Buneary!"

It reeled back, running back into the clearing, waving their paws in the air as they alarmed the others. The rest of the group followed suit, gathering in the center as they put their backs against each other, pointing their scrunched ears outward.

Stopping in her tracks, Kairi hesitated as the group locked eyes with her. Skipping a beat, she held up the Buneary that she was carrying. "H-Hey, your friend is-"

Immediately, one of the group perked up, seeing their companion in Kairi's arms. "Bun?" Nose twitching, they quickly dispersed, approaching the new individual that came out of nowhere. Flocking towards Kairi, they circled around her, paws stretched up to get their friend back.

Swiftly skirting back, Kairi knelt down before the group, placing their resting friend onto the ground. "Sorry." As soon as she placed the Buneary down, the others circled around her and began to brush up against her. Flinching, Kairi rose up to her feet, trying not to attract too much attention. The group, at first apprehensive, were far more curious once they realized that she wasn't aggressive.

Striding back, Kairi bowed delicately. "A-Anyways, here's your friend. I'm… I'm sorry!"

Certain that they wouldn't understand, Kairi turned her heels, and ran off. She didn't stick around to see the group shaking their friend awake.

Minutes passed, and as soon as Kairi felt that the group of Buneary hadn't, or perhaps wouldn't follow her, her pace slowed down. Nearly tripping over herself, steadily catching her breath, she leaned against a tree, gazing down at the ground.

"Why was I so… scared just now?"

Placing a hand to her chest, Kairi steadied her breaths, thoughts beginning to drift. A warmth flowed through the tips of her fingers, calm flowing through her. Once she cooled herself, Kairi stepped to the side, closed her eyes, and stretched out her arms.

She realized what had frightened her. The Buneary hadn't been what was bothering her mind. The words of her mistress rang through her mind, looming over her like a shadow.

The world is better off with fewer humans. Your death will mean nothing to me.

Was… Was that how she always spoke to her? Before she lost her memories? Yet this strange feeling seemed far too familiar. Coupled with those words, there had also been that strange look her mistress gave her. Was it regret? It flashed for a moment, and Kairi swore she saw it out of the corner of her eye as she left. But if that was the case, one more question sprung up in her mind, one that disturbed her deeply.

Did the Graceful One not care about her feelings?

"Whatever…"

Groaning, Kairi opened her eyes, peering up at the sky. From what she knew, several hours were left before it would get dark. Glimpsing at her surroundings, she recalled what her task was. The sooner she found the eggs, the sooner she could get back to the cave. And the sooner she did that, the sooner she could ask that question.

Clapping her hands together, Kairi proclaimed to herself, "Time to get to work!"

The next hour passed by rather quickly. She made sure to mark her way with fern leaves that she plucked so she wouldn't be lost, while she observed her surroundings for anything that resembled an egg. All of this while making sure she hadn't been followed by any other Pokemon that wanted to hunt her. While traversing underneath a tree, looking up to check the sky, she paused. Her eyes lit up as soon as she noticed something high up in the branches.

"Eggs?"

Eyes lighting up, her focus immediately intensified. Stepping back and forth, getting a better view of the bedding of branches and ferns nestled in a fork of the branch. As Kairi noticed several ovals, her heart skipped a beat. A grin flashed across her, and she didn't waste a moment in finding a way up.

Climbing, scurrying, falling, then climbing again, Kairi gradually ascended. Gripping branches, digging her fingers in, legs swinging up to boost herself; the motions were enough to get her to where she needed to be. Catching her breath every so often, her muscles were still sore from earlier, but didn't hinder her. Eventually, as she pulled herself up onto the branch, her eyes met with the nest.

"F-Finally." She sighed in relief, letting her legs dangle along the side, leaning back against the tree. Admiring the sight of being up so high on her own, Kairi wondered if her mistress would be proud, or whether it would be a tirade like earlier. Giving herself a moment, the warmth of the sun covering her shoulders, she took in a deep breath and swung her legs up. "Well, I guess-"

"Swellow!"

"W-Wha?"

Not a moment later, a bird flew directly at her, their beak illuminated with a bright light as they struck. Yelping, Kairi tipped back, falling off and landing on the branch below. Wind knocked out of her, terror washed through her, arms instantly covering her head for protection.

"A-Ah! Leave me alone!" she shouted, curling her legs up to her chest, attempting to take up as little space as possible. "I-I didn't mean to! Please don't kill me!"

How pathetic she felt.

As the Swellow continued to flutter around her, pecking, slapping her with its wings, Kairi sobbed. "L-Leave me alone!" She swung her arms wildly to keep the flying-type at bay.

Boom. A crack sounded through the branches. The Swellow continued to flap, before diving out. The instant that Kairi opened her eyes, she saw a large, blue sphere of flame narrowly miss her. Flattening herself against the tree, her head swiveled to follow it.

Shocked by this surprise intervention, the Swellow dove from the branch before sweeping upward. Bursting through the canopy, a few more cries sounding, Swellow disappeared as quickly as they could.

A peaceful stillness came across Kairi as she hunched over, uncurling her legs as she wildly looked around to see where that attack had come from. Up above? No, it came from the side. Turning to face where she thought it had came from, she noticed something peculiar in one of the nearby trees.

The same blue flame surrounded this figure. It was bipedal, crouched down, barely visible through the lush petals of the tree. Red-orange eyes flashed, locking with Kairi for an instant before the branch bent as they moved. Almost as fast as she had caught them, they landed on the ground with astonishing agility, before they took off.

"Was that a human?"

As quickly as she could, Kairi gathered the eggs from the nest, descended from the tree, and followed the trail that she had left for herself. The sun steadily lowered in the sky, afternoon turning to evening, as she made her way back. At first, she had stumbled, trying to think of how to find her way back to the cavern without her mistress's help. When she had looked down at where her trail of ferns began, she saw her own footprints, and followed them. A steady pace, always looking over her shoulder for any predators.

As Kairi entered the cave, she gazed over to her discarded clothes again. She knew that she should go to the main chamber as soon as possible, yet something drew her towards that enigmatic pile. Keeping her distance, as if something had been about to attack her from it, she peered at them. Whose clothes were those?

What exactly were those red and white balls? They still didn't look familiar to her, even after her mistress stated that they were not hers.

Striding back, Kairi frowned. Were those her clothes after all? If so, where did she get them?

Turning, Kairi did not hesitate to enter the main chamber, being careful to keep the eggs in her arms from dropping. Carefully gliding through the tunnel, she emerged, seeing her mistress curled around her pool. Steam rose from the water as her eyes locked with Kairi's.

"Welcome back, Kairi." Her tone was softer, friendlier. Milotic made a smile, motioning with her fins towards the pool of water. "Did you have any problems with getting the eggs?"

"A bit." Walking towards the pool, Kairi's eyes were adjusting to the darkness. She stepped up to her mistress, wondering if she should say anything about what she had seen. Or about that question she had burning in the back of her head. Or-

"Tell me about it."

Surprised at this sudden interest, Kairi had been caught off guard. Stammering, trying to catch herself from looking stunned, she lowered herself into a bow. "Y-Yes, mistress.

"I returned the Buneary to their friends. I searched for a while for any eggs, left a trail to find my way back-"

"Always so smart!"

Weird. Kairi tilted her head, even more perplexed than before when her mistress praised her so suddenly. "Mistress, are… are you okay?"

"Yes, I am fine. So tell me more about what happened?" Milotic directed her full attention towards Kairi, taking her fins and scratching her servant's back. "Oh, place the eggs into the pool while we talk."

Somewhat stunned by this display, Kairi nodded, gently placed the eggs into the pool, and stood back up to face her mistress. "Well, someone helped me."

"Oh? Was it that Aipom?" Her eyes flicked in Kairi's direction before turning her gaze back towards the eggs as they floated in the pool. Her tail fins dipped into it, turning the water slightly to make sure that the eggs didn't overcook.

Sucking in a sharp breath, the contrasting hot and cool air swirling around her, Kairi shook her head. "No, it was… something else." Unsure of how to word it properly, she instead crouched down a little, placing her hands behind her head, pushing her fingers together to resemble ears. "They had large ears that stood up, blue fur, and they did something to help swat the bird away."

"And… What was this something they did to assist you?" Milotic's eyes were now locked with Kairi, an intense intrigue behind it. Her fins had stopped stirring the water as the eggs floated on the surface. They dipped under the surface before floating up again.

Struggling to remember, Kairi had to scratch her chin a bit, thinking back on the moment. Tipping her head down, she talked slowly and deliberately. "Well, it was like a blue… ball? Sphere? I don't know. It scared away the bird before it could try to knock me off." Looking back up at her mistress, she noticed how quickly her attention was drawn back to the eggs, dipping her tail in and fishing them out. "Mistress?"

"You should eat. These are a good source of food to help develop muscles. If you cannot hunt, at the very least you can fetch these." Laying the eggs before Kairi, she took her fin and tapped one egg lightly, cracking it. "You need to peel off the shell before you can eat it. Do this, and have your fill."

While she watched Kairi get to work, peeling away the shells of the eggs, she couldn't help but wonder. The way she described the Pokemon that had rescued her was uncannily similar to him. Last she had known, he was in a self-imposed exile. Meditating in who knows where, finding his spirit again after the last time they met. But could it be him, or a different one? Kairi had given her only a brief description, one that wasn't sufficient enough to determine whether or not he came back. Taking an egg from Kairi, she swallowed it down, pleased to at least have something to snack on while she thought.

They ate in silence, with Kairi feeling weary from the events of the day, and her mistress wondering what else to do. Eating carefully, Kairi found the taste interesting, and the eggs were surprisingly filling, only four of the batch left her satisfied. After she had her fill, gulping down the egg, her voice wavered as she spoke.

"I'm sorry about the hunt earlier. I… I don't know what came over me. I just couldn't do it." Bowing to the ground, the top of her head touching it, she sighed and continued. "I-I probably seem like a failure to you."

Slithering over to the pool, scooping up the last of the eggs and placing them into her mouth, Milotic listened to Kairi apologize. It hadn't been that Kairi couldn't hurt the Buneary, it was the fact that she defended it and tried to keep it from being eaten. Were trainers always sympathetic like that? To something that Kairi had just met, the bond they grew was quick and easy to form. Peculiar. Definitely something to keep an eye on for the future. Swelling her mouth full of cool water, she let it stream forth, her fins dipping into it to test the temperature. Once she had deemed it appropriate, her thoughts were interrupted by Kairi.

"M-Mistress? You aren't upset… are you?"

Diverting her attention back to her, Milotic felt a genuine smile come across her. "No. I was just thinking to myself about earlier. You shouldn't worry yourself over small things." Swirling the water in her pool, she made sure that the water wasn't too hot for Kairi. "If you are not a hunter, then you are not one. There is nothing I can do to change that. Truth be told, I was hoping you wouldn't freeze up again. Even before you lost your memories, you were like this. So don't think too much on it.

"Come. Let the tension wash away. It's not befitting of one who aims to be beautiful."

Hesitating, Kairi noticed her mistress acting so complacent. "Are you sure you're alright? You've been a bit weird since I got back." Rising to her feet, she approached the pool, looking at her mistress inquisitively. "It's just that-"

"That what? I've always been rough on you?" Taking her fins, Milotic scratched Kairi along the side of her waist. "You've had a rough day. It's time to unwind. There's nothing unusual about that, right?" Studying her servant's expression, she tilted her head and had a little bit of a laugh. "Well, what are you waiting for? The water's temperature is perfect."

"I suppose." Although something still seemed off with the way her mistress appeared more pleasant, Kairi wasn't going to complain. Arching her leg over the side, she slipped into the pool, her body easing up at the hot water. It wasn't hot enough to hurt, but it wasn't warm enough to feel uncomfortable. Dipping her head underneath the water for a moment, once she bounced back up she took in a deep breath, steam filling her lungs.

Shifting into the pool with her, Milotic curled up around her servant, her coils and fins easily fitting in the water three times over. Admittedly, this was some much needed rest and relaxation after today. Even she needed some time to unwind every so often. Taking her fins, she slipped them behind Kairi, scrubbing her back to clean her of any possible dirt. "I hate to see my scales sullied by any dirt or grime, but seeing your skin tainted with it is just as bad."

Just taking in the sensation of the scrubbing, the hot water surrounding her, Kairi didn't have any complaints. Even as her mistress's fins motioned for her to pick up her legs, or to lift up her arms, this bath was just what she needed. Gulping in steam, the cool air of the cave steadily replaced by the swirling warmth, she shut her eyes and relaxed. It was a wonderful sensation, to say the least.

"Is there anything that you want to do tonight?" Raising her head, she placed it gently on the surface of the water, observing Kairi curiously as she did so. "With your mistress?"

"Well." Raising her arms over her head, Kairi yawned a bit before placing one hand on her shoulder. "Is there anything you can do to help me relax? My shoulders and back feel a bit stiff."

"A massage is what you mean." Adjusting her servant in the bath, her fins scooped up Kairi, moving her more towards the center of the pool. Coiling underneath her, she wrapped her tail around several sections, looping around Kairi's shoulders and lower back. Once she made sure that her servant wasn't going to accidentally go under, the strong muscles rippled around Kairi. "How is that? Too hard?"

Shifting inside the coils, Kairi was rather comfortable in this grasp. As the coils rippled and vibrated around her, coupled with the warm water surrounding her, the sensation was ecstatic. "I-It's good. I like this." Practically melting inside of her mistress's grasp, she blushed while feeling herself being pulled out of the water a bit to expose her stomach.

I wonder. Lowering her head to Kairi's stomach, Milotic was curious about the effects of the berry bath. Licking it briefly, feeling her servant squirm inside of her grip, she already noticed how different of a taste was already there with a single bath. Taking another, Kairi giggled in response, moving her legs as well. "Ticklish?"

"N-No!" Protesting, Kairi shut her eyes and eased up as Milotic receded back.

"So you wouldn't mind if I did this?"

"That's not what I said-"

Kairi erupted into a laughing fit as her mistress licked her stomach again, squirming and trying to break free of the coils. Even after several minutes, the Milotic was too strong to break free from as her eyes watered from the laughter.

As the Graceful One and her servant enjoyed their time together, Kairi's laughter echoed through the cavern. It amplified as it traveled up the entrance, erupting into the nearby jungle. Some Pokemon scattered from the area, but one approached, their paws splashing against the stream with virtual silence. Ears flicking, the unmistakable sound of a human coming from the entrance, their curiosity peaked.

Standing there, taking in the sound, they scratched the back of their ear. "This is her cave, I'm sure of it. But why is there a human?" He mumbled to himself, already intrigued by this new development. Taking in a deep breath, he entered.

While Milotic and Kairi were enjoying their time, the laughter increasing in pitch, they were unaware of another presence. Even as she receded her head back, pleased with Kairi forgetting about the aches and pain, staring at the human as she settled down into the water, her mind was occupied.

Until a voice sounded out in her mind.

"So, I take it you like to entertain your guests, Graceful One."

Freezing up, hearing this voice enter her mind, Milotic quietly receded her coils from Kairi. She paused, and said quietly to her "Stay still. Someone else is here. Remain quiet." Once she was sure that her servant, perplexed by this development, would remain silent, she turned in her pool, making sure that Kairi was hidden behind her. Beaming towards the entrance, even in the moonlight, she saw that familiar frame. His eyes gleamed in the light, and she recognized him immediately.

"I heard the rumors, but I did not expect them to be true." She made a low bow of her head towards the Lucario. "Welcome back, Fierce One."