The weather was good today. For the first time in a while, Haley brought her camera and Sunkern to Cindersap Forest.
In a corner of the forest, there was a huge lake. It was practically the only place in the whole forest she liked.
Before, she didn't really like coming here. At most, she would stay at Pelican Town's beach or by the fountain near the Community Center for a while. When the sun was good, she'd sunbathe. For one thing, to tan her pale skin into a healthy wheat color; for another, she always felt that too much sun would make her blonde hair shine even brighter.
Aside from occasional sunbathing, most of the time she stayed home, dreaming of becoming famous someday. She would practice her artistic signature for a long time, then look at herself in the mirror, think of her current situation, and show a bitter smile of frustration.
But after getting Sunkern, she became a bit more willing to go out.
Haley sometimes felt that meeting Sunkern was a miracle. Besides it silently accompanying her, she felt she was a bit similar to it.
Silently accumulating energy in some corner, waiting for the day to bloom.
Even if that day might never come, she was gradually finding some joy in the waiting, so she wasn't as disgusted with everything around her.
Before, if she came here, she would just feel her scalp tingle because wet, mud-soaked leaves stuck to her shoes.
Thinking this, Sunkern in her arms called softly.
"Sunkern!"
Haley patted Sunkern's head. Walking a few steps forward, she saw the lively Rattata brigade crowded by the lake in the distance.
And Leah, smiling while spreading a picnic mat on the ground.
"Good morning." Haley greeted. She saw Sailor at the front look over suddenly. "You're here too, Sailor."
"Ratta!"
Sailor was easier to recognize now. Before, Haley could distinguish Sailor from the Rattatas, but she needed to squint for a while. Now, just seeing the one in the white uniform among the Rattatas meant it was Sailor.
"Good morning." Leah greeted, then said: "We're planning to picnic here for a bit. Later we plan to look for Hazelnuts in the woods. Want to join?"
Saying that, Leah didn't really hope Haley would go.
Although Haley hadn't spoken badly to her, she could roughly tell from Haley's eyes before that she didn't quite approve of her actions.
And occasionally, when she emerged from the woods, Haley would show a bit of a disgusted expression.
But that was normal. When Leah worked in Zuzu City, there were many such people. Probably too dressed up, moving between concrete and asphalt, thus becoming disgusted with the existence of dirt.
"Hazelnuts?" Haley thought for a moment, put Sunkern down to play with the Rattatas, then helped Leah spread the picnic mat.
To be honest, she didn't like these things at all. But seeing the lively Rattatas, she unprecedentedly had a bit of a desire to go adventuring in the wild.
"If you don't mind." Haley said, "I want to see... but I'm not familiar with these things. Maybe I'll hold you back."
"Eh?" Leah reacted immediately. Even though a bit surprised, she smiled and agreed: "No problem, we'll wait for you."
Haley smiled, gathered her skirt, and sat on one side of the picnic mat.
Leah generously shared the breakfast she made.
"Thanks." Haley took the breakfast Leah handed over. She couldn't name what it was. It was similar to the hard-to-eat but healthy food Emily was keen on making, but the taste seemed much better.
"There's quite a lot of Maple Syrup inside, collected recently." Leah said, took a bite, looked at the Rattatas scattered on the mat eating hard, and smiled.
Speaking of maple syrup, one had to mention another activity Leah did with Deerling in winter.
She would specially put washed and dried wood outside the night before, until the next day it was completely covered by snow.
Then she would spread boiled thick maple syrup on the snow, and eat it with the snow.
The sweetness of maple syrup mixed with snow containing the scent of wood tasted unique.
You just couldn't eat too much.
But unsure if Haley would be willing to participate, Leah didn't invite Haley.
After all, it sounded like a quirk.
Haley ate while holding up her camera, taking a picture of Sunkern.
The sun was just shining on the lake surface, sparkling, mixed with red and yellow leaves floating on the lake.
"Sunkern?"
Haley blinked at Sunkern, then put the camera away.
She actually didn't like Fall. Of course, she didn't like winter either.
She liked the hot summer. She liked the waves pushing summer-specific shells onto the beach. She liked the sunlight shining on her body, as if it were a spotlight.
After summer passed, it wasn't like that. Those withered yellow leaves drifted everywhere. Many drifted into the sea, then were washed back onto the beach by seawater. Then there would be a rotting scent from decaying leaves.
Then winter. So cold outside that she didn't want to leave the blankets. Most of the time she would boredly nest by the fireplace, worrying her skin would crack from the fire heat, while wanting to go nowhere.
But luckily she had agreed with Ron to go to Kalos in winter.
Because she often sunbathed near the Community Center, she talked quite a bit with Nurse Joy, thus gaining some understanding of that place.
So right now it was still summer.
Better yet, it would be a stylish summer.
Thinking this, she put the camera away.
After breakfast, Sailor quite gentlemanly picked up the basket in its mouth. Without giving Leah a chance to take it, it ran into the woods first.
Haley wore a skirt today, but because she was coming to the lake, she wore comfortable flat shoes. Although walking through the woods was a bit difficult, fortunately, her feet wouldn't get blistered.
"Uh..." She hesitated, looking at Leah digging a Chanterelle out from withered leaves, paused and said: "This too?"
"Mm." Leah nodded.
Haley took a deep breath upon hearing this and searched around.
Probably knowing what Haley was looking for, Sailor squatted between a pile of withered leaves and called out to Haley.
"..." Haley frowned, still reached out her clean white hand, pushed aside that pile of sticky disgusting leaves, then picked off a Chanterelle still stained with some leaf rot and full of slime.
"Ah, this feels..." Haley's scalp tingled for an instant, then as if avoiding some toxic substance, she threw it into Sailor's basket.
"Are you okay?" Leah asked upon seeing this.
"Still... uh, okay. Not as disgusting as I thought to be honest."
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