an unnatural force seemed to be drawing barnaby into the depths of the forest. he appeared only half-aware of his legs moving him forward, and even then didn't look alarmed when the afternoon sunshine was blotted out by writhing branches. the satisfying crunch of dead leaves echoed each of his footsteps, and the eerie sounds of... something... taunted him from the edge of the treeline, a small ways away from the path. multiple somethings, in fact, if the myriad of whispering cries were to be taken at face-value.[break][break]

then, materializing from the trees, a mawile walked across the dirt trail. she barely acknowledged barnaby, who in turn didn't even seem to notice her. the man continued forward into the wood.

[break][break]

+ [poison/dark/fairy] spawn: 1/3

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

he was a man possessed, unburdened by the darkness around him. the mawile came and went, and so too did barnaby's fleeting hesitation about continuing into the wood. the curious sensation that initially drew him in had grown; his chest was heavy, but his mind was light. odd. a new twist to this feeling was a peculiar sense of urgency. something awaited him ahead. he just had to see what it was.[break][break]

suddenly, a large drapion materialized from the trees. unlike the previous pokémon, this one seemed more keen to disrupt barnaby's jaunt. on cue, a poké ball fastened to the journalist's hip began to shake violently. with a flash a light, barnaby's beautiful alolan ninetales emerged, jumping between her owner and the drapion. it was strange - barnaby hardly seemed to acknowledge this entire ordeal.[break][break]

while fleur, his ninetales, posed aggressively and kept the huge insect at bay, the man walked on. luckily, the drapion thought it best to retreat, which left fleur to follow after her owner, confused and concerned. she mewed in distress and pushed her head into barnaby's palm, to no avail. the whispered cries intensified around him, calling to him. luring him in.[break][break]

barnaby continued deeper into the forest.

[break][break]

+ [poison/dark/fairy] spawn: 2/3

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

barnaby continued deeper into the dark wood, his loyal ninetales beside him. fleur didn't quite understand her owner's strange behavior, but knew she needed to stay with him and protect him if necessary. it didn't take long, though, for the man to stop abruptly. the ninetales did as well; she looked around apprehensively, her hackles rising in preparation for some sort of confrontation. barnaby had paused before a small clearing which was, even in the dim light, obviously filled with many species of brightly-colored wildflowers.[break][break]

in the middle of the clearing floated some sort of small figure - a ghost?! suddenly, barnaby snapped out of his trance. his dull eyes regained their previous spark and he looked around, dazed and confused. "where... ?" the sensation of fur on his palm pulled barnaby's eyes downward, where his ninetales stood beside him. "fleur, darling... how did I get here?" before she could respond, a tinkling cry drew barnaby's attention back to the clearing, where the floating figure appeared to be drawing closer. it stopped in a beam of sunlight, revealing - not a ghost - but a milcery. "oh, little one. did you lead me here?"[break][break]

the cream pokémon seemed to giggle in response, delighted that he'd made it safely to her little flower patch. she floated closer to him, the soft appendages on her head undulating as she moved. for whatever reason she appeared so comfortable in barnaby's company, and he admittedly had a soft spot for adorable pokémon like milcery. "you must have really wanted to meet me, little one." in response, the milcery nodded her head (entire body?) enthusiastically. "well, if you'd like, you're more than welcome to join me." barnaby unfastened a spare poké ball from his waist and held it, palm up, for her to inspect. "friends?"

[break][break]

+ [poison/dark/fairy] spawn: 3/3 - BEFRIEND ATTEMPT

[attr="class","pokeclass"]