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What is there to not like about being out on your own? You get to do what you want, when you want, however you want to do it. For example, it was well into the afternoon, and Heath was just now waking up; no reason, mind you. He'd just rolled over in his hammock a little after sunrise, decided he was still tired, and pulled his blanket over his head and went back to sleep. Now the sun was shining from a completely different angle, and his body was telling him he'd rested more than enough and it was time to get up and be a productive part of society.

Yeah. Right.

First order of business, get something to eat. Heath had learned, through trial and error in his younger years as a Pokemon, that making your home too close to a major food source was a bad idea. Entirely too many people and Pokemon would be around at all hours of the day, bothering you with their conversations and...interactions. Bleh. So, now older and wiser, he kept his sleeping arrangements a small trek away from his favorite apple tree.

For once, he was actually taking a leisurely pace. Instead of slinging himself through the trees, using his vines to swing between the trunks, he simply...walked, hands in his pockets, kicking up stones and twigs as he whistled some idle tune.

Was a good afternoon to gorge yourself on apples, he decided with a smile.

The Servine teen would have come across the barren tree and the apple theif shortly before she bopped her head against the branch, and had frozen in his tracks. His apples...all his wonderful apples, all gone. Well, not gone yet, but no longer on his precious tree and instead being man-handled by some Ninetales. Oh, he wanted to just stomp over and demand his apples back...but this was a Fire-type he was about to go dealing with; a type that could be packing some serious power and brutal attacks.

Attacks Heath, as a Grass-type, was not able to handle very well. Ok, new tactic.

"You know," he said, trying to sound...not angry. Annoyed, yes, but not angry. "You're not the only Pokemon in these woods, and some of us were looking forward to having a few of those apples for breakfast."

Which was a lie; he'd been planning on having most of those apples for breakfast.

In watching her act and move, Heath couldn't help but be reminded of his Chansey friend, Habika. She was also very bright and cheery, and despite himself Heath felt the annoyance of just a few moments ago slowly starting to deflate out of his system. Damn the world...damn it all.

He still didn't care, just so you know, about how far she may have traveled or what strangeness there was about the trees here. The Servine boy was definitely more interested in getting those apples back, because he was the rightful owner of them. Yes. Of course that's all he cared about...

"What are you planning on doing with all these apples?" Heath asked, stepping forward more into the area, a vine reaching out from behind his neck to scoop up an apple that had been dislodged from its branch when she bumped her head.

He was purposefully ignoring the question about sharing; mostly because he wasn't sure if he was going to be a d**k or not. He wanted to be...oh, did he ever...but he just couldn't bring himself to take more than his fair share of the profits and leave her with nothing to show for all her hard work.

He'd pause in his approach, vine with the apple handing cautiously in the air before slowly bringing it to his hand. Heath had noticed the tense and apprehensive look in the Ninetale's eyes, and to be honest he didn't know what to do about it. He was still upset about all his apples being gone, but now that he had the image of Habika in his head he just couldn't get it out.

Sighing, he inspected the apple for any spots or worm holes, allowing the vine to disappear once again under the collar of his shirt. He was kicking himself in his head - what had happened to him to make him actually give a damn about anyone other than himself and his own needs? Stupid Habika...stupid Blake, too, while he was thinking about them.

"That sounds like a lot of work," was his response, the edge gone from his voice. Hell, he even sounded a bit defeated.

Now what, Heath? Now what are you going to do? You're not going to attack her, your bleeding heart isn't going to let you take the apples back. Feeling his jaw tense as he fought away another sigh, he walked over to the Poke-girl and offered the apple in her direction.

"You gonna need any help getting them back to...wherever it was you're from again?"

Triumph! Yes, all the apples! She was giving them to him, they would soon all be his and he could go and devour as many as he wanted...no, ALL OF THEM, just to despite her and her stupid girly-vulnerableness! Only, not really, because Heath had become a spineless wimp, who crumbled at the sight of someone in distress. Besides, was she implying that he had nothing? He realized he looked a bit...shabby, but he was completely capable of finding food. Just, the apple tree was easy and convenient, and his favorite.

Slowly shaking his head, he placed the apple into the basket, though he would take it from her offering hands, "Yeah, well...I'll take my share out of whatever is left over, and maybe some cider for the road."

He hefted the basket up onto his shoulder, looking at the Ninetales expectantly.

A younger Heath would have done just that. Honestly, a younger Heath wouldn't have even bothered speaking to her. His game plan would have been completely different, and focused on stealing the apples back from her at every single opportunity. This Heath, older and more influenced by his interactions with others, was getting less selfish and greedy with every passing day.

He wasn't sure how he felt about that.

"Heath," he supplied when she stumbled on his name, starting to follow after her. "No, we skipped introductions."

Because I was pretty much set on taking these back from you, and you were pretty much convinced I was going to attack you.

"Where are you from, again? You mentioned it before, but I'm not familiar with it."