Meadow of the Heart - Chapter One
In the Vivillon business, only the most vibrant and flawless may prosper, highly valued because of their various and wondrous immaculate patterns. For one unique butterfly, such a podium would be unreachable solely because of a very light, but considerably treacherous detail that would prevent her from being kept in a collection. Yet, in the end, something astonishingly beautiful would bloom between a certain unknown individual and herself, vanquishing the superficial perfectionism wrongly revered by a cruel, cruel precept.
Author's ramblings
Greetings, everyone!
Today, I have something a bit special for you all. I had the priviledge of having a total blast whilst playing Pokémon X recently and I found myself enamored with several species. One of these wondrous creatures happened to be Vivillon, the Scale Pokémon. You probably heard of it, but I thought it would be original and a true challenge to write a romance story with a Pokémon gifted with such a shape. Usually, biped and humanoid-like Pokémon really take the lead in popularity and thus, despite my best attempts, it was hard to find a lot of fanart surrounding Vivillon. Therefore, I decided to take up the challenge for myself and write about it, testing if I could render this species attractive. I would like to think I did a decent job, but would really appreciate comments, ratings, etc. to show me if I am correct in this assumption and of course, to know if I was able to please a few readers out there, hmhm!
In any case, this story is about a strait human X Pokémon relationship, but it also contains some size difference as well, whilst I did try to keep the whole concept as realistic as possible. Please refer to the tags to gain a knowledge on what to generally expect. In addition, if you were to spot some mistakes, please contact me so that I may kick their butts at once. Please note that this is a story with two chapters. The second and final part should be up very soon.
Thank you for your time.
I hope you enjoy this one! =)
- Ren
Meadow of the Heart
Chapter one
"I'm sorry, but I have to do this... you won't understand."
[No... you can't... leave me here!]
"I have to; you won't do. I have a perfect collection to keep and you just... don't fit in!"
[But... I didn't do anything wrong... did I? Why are you doing this to me?]
"I was fooled. You are not good enough and that's it. I can't keep you and your old owner won't take you back because of... that thing. I need all my specimens in perfect condition, that's my policy..."
The mysterious figure that stood in front of the beautiful pink Vivillon turned and an instant later, began walking in the opposite direction. Before the human could go too far, the bug protested again and again until the trainer threw a bunch of Pokeballs on the ground. The multiple creatures that materialized between the two were all part of the very same Pokémon species, but their colorful patterns varied intensely. They acted as a barrier between the two individuals.
Suddenly, the single Vivillon that had been released into the wild was overtaken and disposed of because of an incredible gust that was generated and then thrown at her by the other insects. The collector and her bugs left, leaving the sole individual crashed against a tree, a terrible aching invading her whole body as her eyes lost sight of the human. The pain was significant, great enough to keep her from taking flight, but it was the rejection, the abandonment that stung the Vivillon's heart the most.
[Why this...?] she whimpered. [Such a superficial detail... I'm not responsible for this... It's not my fault... Come back... don't leave me here... I beg you...]
Another normal day on the farm, the subtle odor of fresh citrus fruits carried away by the agreeable wind, a signal that the natural goodnesses were ripe and ready to be picked from the trees. Today was Friday, the day of the weekly harvest. Like every seven days or so, Spencer was preparing himself for the task at hand. He thought the weather was almost perfect for the collection of his fruits as well. It had rained during the previous morning and now, it was the great illuminant Star's turn to contribute to the verdance's growth. Things would probably go smoothly until it got dark later in the evening.
The orchard he owned produced small, but very juicy berries every few days or so. Therefore, it was imperative that Spencer allocated one of his working days entirely spent clearing up the trees he owned. It was quite the chore and required some dedicated effort, but he loved what he did and rarely complained about it, except when it came to the loneliness that would come with the one man operation. He would not have minded if he had someone to give him a hand, or simply to keep him company. He would get visitors every once in a while, like this morning for example, but it was not exactly a common thing since the location of his field was quite a distance away from any populated village. The peacefulness of the area overtook this slight remoteness disadvantage, however.
Situated a few yards away from the rows of fruit-bearing trees was the main building, where the occasional costumer was received. It was also there that a small shop was set up, displaying the many byproducts produced with the help of the berries. These various items included jelly, marmalade, fermented drinks and even a few kinds of medicinal ointments to aid reduce pain or discomfort in both people and Pokémon. The reputation of those valuable products was impeccable and so, Spencer was able to notice that he had an increased number of customers for each season that passed. Perhaps that the authenticity of his merchandise was the main reason explaining the rising popularity of his commerce? At any rate, he was now getting at least a few visitors per week, which was quite the feat for him. More importantly, he could do the thing he liked as his principal occupation as well.
On the other side of the orchard, a little wooden shack of some sort could be spotted between the many rows of greenery. This small building happened to be where the magic happened. It was in there that fruits would undergo different procedures to be either cleaned and packed, or simply treated and transformed into some of the other possible products. A permanent and strong smell emanated from the cabin, being the result of storage and refrigeration of the goodies Spencer produced. A little intercom system could also be seen inside. It was linked back to the shop, where any visitor could press a button, alerting anyone inside the other shack that assistance was needed on the other side of the orchard.
In the back of the plot of land he owned, an entrance leading to a nearby forest was present. The path was set up in a manner that made it snake around in the woods until it completed a full circle. Spencer did not have the time to take care of such an attraction and as such, very few people would actually wander into the dense biome. On top of that, a fairly hazardous section could be seen branching in from one side, showing a clear lack of maintenance; a certain hostility could even be sensed in this particular part of the forest.
Today, the young man was in his private chambers, a floor above the shop of the main building, when knocking could be heard at the door downstairs, early during this morning. Quickly, he had dressed up and gone in order to serve the customer, who happened to be interested in the nearby trails more than anything else, which appeared as odd to him. It was strange for someone to go all of this way out in the country only to visit a certain path going into the woods. Cordially, Spencer had briefly described how the path ended up to make a full circle on itself, as well as warn the woman about the off limits section. With a bow and her quiet thanks, she had left as quickly as she had appeared, not giving a single glance to the merchandise displayed in front of her.
For some reason, the farmer got somewhat of a bad vibe when he observed the other human. He felt she was sad, or perhaps feeling a bit bothered. He could not pinpoint her mood accurately. He eventually shrugged it off and began to plan how he was going to do the harvest, but in the back of his mind, he could not completely forget about the mysterious trainer. To a certain extent, he thought something was unsettling. Choosing to trust his feeling, he delayed his important tasks for a later hour and awaited the return of the woman. When the trainer did come back from her brief little trip in the forest, which had been abnormally short, she tried to leave the premises rather hastily. She was intercepted by the man when she was about to leave the property, his jolly voice sounding so menacing to her for some reason she absolutely wanted to keep for herself. Why did he have to be in the way as she wished to discreetly make her escape?
"Ah, there you are! How is the trail doing these days? Is it holding up fine?"
"Yes... I think it is. I had fun, but you'll have to excuse me, I-"
"And what about the banned path, is that still well marked off? Were you able to see the signs?"
"Y-yeah.. and I surely did not go that way, no sir."
He stared at her for a few seconds, unable to see her shifty look under the cap she was wearing. It was hard to perceive the great uncertainty she was afflicted with, but that bad vibe he had felt earlier still applied, unfortunately. Something was up and he was going to discover what it was all about. Looking for clues at the winding path situated in the forest would be necessary in order to satisfy his inner instincts.
"Alrighty, then... partner," he told the trainer with a less joyful smile. "You have yourself a fine day and come back soon, alright?"
Without a word, the lady departed without looking back a single time. It was during this very moment that Spencer would realize something troubling. He was absolutely positive the young woman had six pokeballs secured onto her belt when he first saw her, three on each of her sides to be exact. Observing her still, he could clearly see that one of the orbs appeared to be missing. Three of them could be spotted on her right side, but only two where clamped on her left side. The first hypothesis Spencer came up with was that the trainer had simply dropped it in her trek, but a darker thought proved to be much more viable as he recalled the shady attitude she had shown. It could also have been possible that she had released or abandoned a Pokémon back there, leaving him with a worrying investigation.
Without hesitating too long, putting the harvest aside for the moment, the guy brought a few supplies and headed for the nature trail. His pace was fast and his mind sharp. Upon entering the forest, he was relieved to see that he would be able to track the trainer's direction easily. The soil was still humid because of yesterday's forecast and so, clear footprints could be seen in the mud, betraying the cunning owner's trace.
The farmer got a terrible feeling in his gut when he arrived at the infamous forbidden path. He sighed to himself as he looked down upon the ground, which revealed that the girl had chosen to adventure where it was proscribed. Carefully and full of disappointment, he followed her steps, penetrating into the deeper section of the woods with much caution. He continued for a moment until the footmarks stopped and turned around sharply. He had to look a bit further to see that some sort of commotion had happened.
A few twigs and branches lay on the ground, most of them showing clear signs of damage. The manner in which the scene was presented, it felt like if a strong gust of wind had swayed and blown harshly against the landscape. Upon a closer inspection, something odd could also be spotted below one particularly big tree. Spencer frowned in confusion when he picked up a broken pokeball. The container had been cracked in half, leaving each section detached from one another. All around the object, and located primarily under the oak, there were a few dozens of little colorful squares on the ground. The shapes were scattered here and there in a random fashion, sprinkled in-between big roots, their colorfulness ruined by the mud.
Spencer's eyes narrowed when he could spot yet another peculiarity. Close to the bottom of the tree trunk, something had been dragged onto the soft and muddy soil. Suspicious, he began to follow this new lead, which was also characterized by a few more of those strange little scales. It looked like nothing he had ever seen, which was enough to make him grow even more cautious. His expression completely changed when he discovered what lay at the end of the trail.
"Sweet mother of Arceus!" he told himself, covering his mouth as he uncovered the atrocious sight.
In the distance, a vibrant butterfly could be seen, dragging itself along the ground as it desperately tried to take flight, without any success. Its wings hardly moved, indicating that they were probably unusable because of a certain pain. It was well alerted by the previous cry the human had spoken out not too far behind it. Seeing how utterly hopeless and hurt the Vivillon looked, the farmer simply could not remain still; he took action immediately. Without thinking, he ran to the Pokémon, tripping between a few branches here and there, but catching with the bug in a matter of seconds as it inflicted more pain upon its frail body, highly terrified of the man for some reason.
The creature panicked when the human seized it by its small body, shrieking its own name over and over again in protest and fear. The many feminine vocalizations that were released indicated that the flying type was in fact a female. She was gently pressed against the man's chest, restrained in a way that prevented her to wiggle around too much. It was absolutely alarming at first, but seeing as this prevented her from worsening her condition, she began to calm down just slightly and could ultimately perceive that the tall person was here to help, not to harm her.
"What happened to you?" the human asked, confusion and sadness all over his face. "Oh sweet honeybun..."
Naturally, the Pokémon gave him no answer, but something about his soft tone made her feel less agitated. Instead, she whimpered quietly and burrowed her face into his shirt, shaking plentifully as the man took her out of the miserable part of the forest. She lost herself into the vicious physical and psychological hurtfulness she was afflicted with. Her vision soon grew dark and blurry and in the end, lacking the necessary strength, she fainted, her fate to be determined by the unexpected savior.
Clink! Chink! Clung!
The multiple bottles and utensils cradled in his grasp jangled at every step he took. The ruckus could have been loud enough to wake up the dead. His arms were so full that he had to awkwardly use his foot in order to get inside the building where the Vivillon rested. When he went upstairs and entered the room in question, he felt a bit guilty to see the Pokémon open her eyes, looking back at him with an undecipherable mix of emotions in her gaze. She was lying on her front side, her head turned towards the human and her wings spread out on the bed, motionless. It had been a wise decision to put her onto the soft surface whilst he had gone and grabbed some supplies.
"Ah, you're awake already. Sorry for all the noise," he excused himself.
She chose to remain silent, observing the young man as he deposited his items on a nearby table. He pulled a chair and sat close to the bed, preparing the resources he needed for his benevolent intentions. He seemed to be highly concentrated. She blinked as his eyes glanced into hers every now and then, checking if she was still conscious.
"You're not having the best day, are you?" he asked, trying to see if he could make a bit of small talk with the butterfly.
It probably was not the best way to make her talk, on second thought. It took her a few seconds before she would look elsewhere, giving her answer by shaking her head very slowly, distracted by the many bitter memories that freshly haunted her mind. The tragedy that had transpired hurt as much on the inside than the outside. She would not be willing to speak about it for the moment.
"Don't worry; you're in good hands, now."
Her gaze returned to him.
Once everything was set up, he made his way closer to her. He observed her form and analyzed her weak movements. It was absolutely certain that she had a hard time flapping her wings, but the Vivillon also seemed to have some trouble moving her small legs. Humming lightly, the farmer stopped his study and grabbed a soft cloth, which he dipped in warm water. Very carefully, he began to brush off the mud spots that were found here and there on the insect. She winced a few times, but did not make any sudden movement or emitted any cry. Her eyes intensely stared back at the caretaker, however, until he was completely done.
"I'm not here to hurt you, Vivillon. You have to trust me, okay?"
She did. Despite having met him just a few moments ago, it was certain that without a doubt, this young man wanted to help indeed and that his intentions were amiable. Juggling with the thought for a while, the bug finally decided that it would surely be polite to actually speak and let the human know she understood and listened to what he was saying. Unfortunately, as she was about to express herself vocally, a sudden sentiment of utter sadness took her whilst she thought back about the unfortunate event that had led her into this state. Her first statement would unfortunately reflect her current disposition rather than satisfactorily break the ice.
[I'm... I'm... s-s-scared...]
He was surprised by the manifestation of the cute little voice. He originally thought a Pokémon and a human had to bond in order to understand one another so acutely. Despite of that strange occurrence, he found himself dearly concerned by her message. Crouching by the bed and adjusting his height to match hers, the young man could only release a little sigh and display a compassionate smile. Slowly, he let his hand wander closer and closer to her, grinding against the bed cover until he could make it rest gently on the top of the Vivillon's head. He caressed her very softly in order to try and soothe her. She winced at first, mostly in fear, but was quick to accept the friendly gesture, her eyes analyzing the man so intensely.
"Don't worry, it's... it's going to be alright, darling. You're safe. It's just the two of us here; no one will hurt you."
She nodded, perhaps uncertainly, but still accepting the statement.
"I'm Spencer, by the way. What's your name, little one?"
A few seconds and multiple blinks later, a discreet answer could be heard:
[I'm... um, I... I am Vivillon.]
He was more than glad to see her expression change for the better. It was wiser to keep himself from making a comment on that, however. Instead, he acknowledged in silence and began to prepare the items he would need in order to make her feel better. It was during that moment that he took out a little piece of paper from his pocket. A few lines had been scribbled onto it, acting as a reminder from a quick search he had executed beforehand.
"Okay," he began. "I have a special remedy here and I would like you to take two spoons. Like everything you see here, it is made out of natural products, so you don't need to be worried about that. Is that alright? "
Dipping the utensil inside the jar, the man then held up the mixture close to the bug's mouth, waiting for her to open and accept the portion. When she hesitantly did, a sweet taste stimulated her almost instantly. The medicine was absolutely delicious. It was no problem at all for her to take the second serving. In fact, she seemed excited for another taste. In just an instant, a cozy warmth traveled within every reaches of her tiny body, effectively inducing her into a better state of well-being. Her brightened eyes were noticed by the human.
[So nice and tasty...]
They shared a brief smile.
"Glad to hear."
A little pause later, a second jar containing a different mixture was brought between the two individuals. Consulting his notes and glancing back at the bug every now and then, Spencer looked focused. He hummed to himself when he was done, discarding his info and observing the Pokémon's different areas. According to his short research, there was a specific place where Vivillon normally did not appreciate to be touched. This happened to be the light gray sector between their little hands and their feet. It could also be safe to say that the bottom of the abdomen was to be avoided as well for obvious reasons, leaving fewer spots where medicine could be applied.
"Now, I'll need to use another concoction, darling. I am going to touch you, so if something is wrong, you have to tell me, okay?"
She nodded, feeling less frightened because of how well the first treatment had gone. She thought it was considerate of him to take the time to explain what he was doing despite how bad the situation appeared to be. The guy opened the second container and took a good whiff. He then put a small quantity of ointment on his fingers and began to gently spread it on top of her head and more precisely, where her antennas were attached. He climbed up all the way to their tips and manipulated them cautiously. He then returned to her body and aimed a look into her curious gaze.
"This might sting a little bit, but I promise it will all be better in a few seconds, Vivillon."
He utilized some more of his miracle spread where her wings were attached to her body. There were a few signs of wounds, some of them appearing very serious in fact. She winced a little, a light burning invading the precise sectors. Thankfully, a soothing sensation started to manifest itself at the designated locations a short instant later. Daringly, she slowly flapped her luxuriant wings, the special substance rubbing in and easing her movements. Gradually, it eliminated a small part of the hurtfulness.
"How is that? Is it okay if I put on a little more? Tell me if I'm not allowed to touch you any further."
[Keep going... this helps...]
And so he did, obeying the high-pitched, but oh so very sweet and tender demand. He continued on with the process, rubbing more of the medicinal mixture on parts of her body, including a few spots on her wings. He could not see if this was the result of her accident, but a very small part of her upper left wing was missing, chipped away and ruining her perfect symmetrical appearance. It was interesting to discover the Pokémon in that intimate manner. Each time their eyes met, he produced a little smile, paused, and went back to work.
This closeness was enjoyed until the rest of the day would go by, both living beings remaining fairly silent, but starting to tame one another nonetheless, which was important for both of them. The subject of their meeting was not referred to and avoided completely, for now was not the time to discuss of the unfortunate happening. Spencer was glad to notice the butterfly had been able to fall into a peaceful slumber by the time he was finished. The poor thing really did deserve her rest. He chose to remain near and to spend the night sleeping in the same room in case anything happened.
What a fantastic and so deeply mysterious start for their friendship this had been.
Sunlight pierced through the large window the room possessed. The brilliant rays of the sun felt warm, undisturbed by any cloud whatsoever. It was a delightful and lovely way to wake up. For a Pokémon like Vivillon, that natural comfort of the light was quite appealing. It reminded her of a previous life in a certain forest; back when she was still a Scatterbug. Memories about how she had met with her original trainer resurfaced. She had quickly gone through not one, but two evolutions with that person. Back then, she felt proud, but unsure about the feelings she entertained with this human. Her very first trainer seemed to be much nicer compared to how her second owner treated her yesterday. If only she had not been traded...
She was alerted by a soft and quiet breathing coming from behind her. Curled up on a rug of some sort and covered with a little blanket, the young man was sleeping. He turned and began to stretch his limbs, disturbed by the intense rays that made their way to his face. For some reason, his displeased and lazy groaning amused the Vivillon. Her look altered between the human and the window. It was hard to choose which would be more interesting to observe.
"Gnn... ah, hello..."
A little pain could be felt in his lower back, but the sacrifice was well worth it. It really was nice to see that his newest friend seemed to be doing better. Looking at her, he could deduce that she might not have been able to take flight yet, since she was not currently hovering and that it was only natural for a butterfly like herself to be doing as such.
"How are you feeling today, Vivillon? Did you have a nice rest?"
[Um...um...]
She glanced at him a few times, an evident shyness taking hold of her as she recalled the events that had transpired the previous day. It occurred to her that no one had ever touched her the way the young man had and to be completely frank, it was a confusing feeling. Even if she did not know him well, she felt an undeniable attraction for him and the way he treated her. Was this explained solely because he had saved her? Or perhaps was it because she had appreciated the coziness of his demeanor, voice and actions so far? She was absolutely too timid to even reflect on those things for too long. One thing was certain, however: there already was a link between them already. Could it have been possible for them to be the victims of a case of interest at first sight? By now, her massive blush could not be hidden in the slightest.
"I see you looking at this window over there. Would you like to peek through it?" he suggested, trying to make her come out of her shell a little bit.
She nodded, a timid smile appearing on her face, her gaze illuminating in approval. She poked her fingers together and stared at the man as he came closer and gently seized her by the sides of her little frame. The thoughts reappeared again, the touching... the warmth. Even though it was so strange, she felt safe in his hands. A thankfulness and happiness was born in her mind and soul.
Turning her so that she could face the wall, he then lifted her up and got in front of the window. The view offered to her made her gasp out of pure bliss and awe. The vantage point of the upper floor gave a very nice view of the multiple rows of healthy trees contained in the orchard. The green leaves covered in morning dew glistened as the shining light of the sun impacted against them and branches full of fruits bowed down politely to attest how successful the harvest was going to be. Dirt paths could be seen between each row, reaching as far as her eyes could see. The land was hilly and it only added to the complaisance of the environment. It was one of the first times she saw such a stunning decor. Her wings flapped very gently as if she wished to go past the translucent barrier, showing just how much interested she really was. She turned to Spencer with the most joyful expression she ever had since her original capture.
[Pretty...]
"Not too bad, is it? I'm happy to see you smile like that."
He paused to aim a smirk at her, which caused her to hide her look with her thin antennas, or at least try.
"Now, do you think you can stay here for a while? I have to start working in the orchard."
He deposited her onto the ground, but upon standing back up, he immediately felt bad for the butterfly. She aimed a worried gaze at him and hesitated a moment before moving towards him at the best of her abilities until she would be clinging against his shin in a silent and very adorable protest. He became uneasy when she buried her face into him, holding on and visibly insecure about being left at such a low altitude.
[I don't... don't want to be... a-alone,] she revealed. [So spooky...]
He thought he would start melting after this statement. In a way, it was perfectly understandable for her to think in this manner. Yesterday's events might have been traumatic and scary enough to induce a clear sentiment of abandonment into her as well, maximizing her fears in the process. The young man could not refuse her demand even if that would mean his work would be done much less quickly than he would have preferred.
"Alright, alright," he yielded. "I'll bring you along, but you have to behave, okay?"
The butterfly looked up and nodded, approving.
The fresh scent of ripe berries filled the air wonderfully all around the orchard. The smell was so soothing and exciting every time, even if it happened regularly. It might have been a formality for the human, but for the bug type, it was a whole different experience. Accompanying Spencer proved to be an enlightening and satisfying experience. The two living beings did not speak to one another frequently at first, surely because of a mutual timidity, but as hours went by, the two of them could safely allege that they were making progress towards a better and joined understanding. In a way, it could be said that they were gradually taming one another, effectively warming up. It was very peculiar to notice that they communicated heavily with their body language instead of conventional means.
The Pokémon could not deny that she used this precious time to reflect on something special for herself. She found out that the more she listened to the young man and the more she observed him in his tasks, some sort of phenomenon grew in her head, just like if she found herself floating. Each friendly gesture he directed at her, each smile he aimed at her made her feel... so different on the inside. The pain was gone for a fraction of an instant, replaced by an unexplainable alleviation in her heart. Yet, despite the unusualness of the oddity and the mysteriousness it was shrouded in, the butterfly was certain that it was a positive and enjoyable happening. Never had she felt anything like this during the short periods of time she had been with her past owners. What could all of this possibly mean? Was it even plausible that the two of them had established an emotional connection already? Were they that much compatible?
Spencer wondered about the manner in which he saw the Vivillon. He was astute enough to notice that his bug friend was very receptive to the few words he pronounced every now and then. It was also quite satisfying to see her reply in silence, but with such a brilliant expression nonetheless. It was a bit difficult to read through her pixelated eyes at first, but as the day went by, he would find himself able to notice her great, yet very contained joy. She was utterly adorable at times. It occurred to him that he was treating her like if she were his younger sister, always there in case anything happened, keeping her safe as well. He never had even been this considerate for someone before, not even his closest friends. Sure, the Pokémon had gone through one heck of an event and was even injured because of what had transpired, but the young man knew he was not nice just so he could compensate for those things. No, something else was at work in his soul and the more time he spent with the colorful creature, the merrier he got. He liked her. Very much. The Vivillon had a story to tell and a personality to reveal and he would wait as long as required to unearth them.
He had the chance to have previous experience with Pokémon, but this time, things felt so much different. He had read somewhere that this species had a mild affinity with the psychic element, but believed another reason could explain how concerned he was for the lovely bug. He had the impression the feeling was mutual. He would not be completely aware, but the smiles he displayed during the entire day were the brightest he had given in months.
[Tired...]
She disliked being the bearer of bad news, but her body's fragility averred to be stronger than her will to remain with the working fellow.
"Oh, alright. I'll make this quick..."
The sun could be seen shying away on the horizon; a good time to call the day off.
"Let's check one last tree and then we'll be done, okay?"
[Okay, Spencer.]
He was caught off guard by the Pokémon's behavior when she gave herself a big push, flying in the air in an awkward hop of some sort before landing on top of the guy's shoulder.
"Woah there. You okay?"
[I wanted... on your hair...]
He shook his head with a smirk and gave her a small verbal warning, not to attempt anything as reckless in the future. Installing her on his top part, he took a moment to pat her own head before he began climbing into the ladder that led higher into the tree. She got comfortable and rested against him as he picked the nearby berries, storing them into a large woven basket. One after the other, the luscious orbs were taken and collected with a certain finesse. This was obviously not the first time Spencer did that kind of task. At one point, his movements stopped and he held one of the fruits up high above him for the bug to feast on. Without hesitating, the Vivillon took the goodness into her mouth and savored it plentifully.
[Yum!] she exclaimed, grateful for the treat.
Shortly after that, both individuals opted to seek refuge in the main building; upstairs, to be more precise. The Vivillon expressed her interest about the activities Spencer did every week. More importantly, she was impressed by the amount of effort sometimes required in order to keep the business going. She could clearly feel Spencer was a proud man, considering his lifestyle as a blessing. She was happy to hear him talk and describe the facts that excited him and in a way, his enthusiasm was contagious. There was, however, a very subtle hint of loneliness he could not hide notably well.
Soon after that, he opted to reward the bug for her presence throughout the day. Another session of medicinal treatment was in order after all. He revealed that he expected her to be able to fly on her own in about two days or so, which was enough to make her emit a joyful cry and hum in delight. Somehow and for the better, the Vivillon he had found in the forest was different now that he had spent some valuable time with her.
As she installed herself onto his bed, lying on her front side and spreading her wings, the atmosphere appeared to change completely. Unlike yesterday, the man who sat close to her frame was not as much of a stranger anymore; he was much more than that. A nice friend. So, when he started to apply the sweet jelly onto her body, his touch felt quite dissimilar. He was firm in his actions, yet considerate and careful at the same time. Her eyes focused onto him, appreciating what he was up to.
"How does that feel? I'm not hurting you, am I?" he asked in a soft tone.
[Keep going... Spencer...]
She caught a glimpse of a blush on his face before he would continue his delicate massage. The substance's reaction as it was spread onto her frame felt immensely nice because of the hurtfulness it removed, but secretly, she could not possibly deny that the human's fingers brought another kind of satisfaction. In a way, it was true those sessions were necessary, but she would not allow anyone else to execute them. She would soon take her turn at blushing when he began to poke under her arms, making an amused giggle escape her. Unbeknownst to both of them, the medicine did help, but their shared affection was the true cure they sought. A simple, little look into one another's gaze would secure the fact that a strong friendship was blooming beautifully.