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@bean5

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"Oh," she startles at first, flustered and unsure of why this man would approach her of all people. Glancing around, she lets out a gentle sigh before an easy smile rises to her lips. "Sure! Can't have them getting cold, right?" She is quick to agree after a small bout of uncertainty. It's not like he's asking her to do anything extraordinary, just simply help some Pokemon get out of the cold. A simple task, something even she could do. Plus, the scarves they're wearing are adorable.[break][break]

She doesn't wait for him to beckon her closer to the little group of Pokemon, instead shuffling closer with a tug of her own scarf. Funny, it almost matches one of the scarves. Cute! Glancing over her shoulder, Illeana can't stop the curiosity that rises. "Why scarves?" The question is simple, she supposes. He doesn't exactly seem the type to fit little fuzzy Pokemon with scarves... Unless she's just being judgmental, which she probably is. "They're adorable," she giggles, finally nearing the group.[break][break]

Crouching, she reaches out with gentle fingers to stroke the closest little one to her. A small Zigzagoon with a red scarf tied snuggly around its neck. "Where are you bringing them?" She murmurs, attention focused mostly on the furry creature before her as it coos and leans into her touch. It'd be logical to at least find out where they're going first before just blindly setting off, right? Who knows what could happen if they don't... She shivers, a chilly gust sweeping through the area. "I hope somewhere warm," she rises, then, eyes finding him with a faint smile. "It's freezing out here."

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@bean5

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Okay, if that isn't the cutest thing she's ever heard. The woman returns his smile with a shy one, half hiding in her own scarf. Having his grammy make scarves for cold Pokemon... Could someone really be that nice? "That's really kind of you," she murmurs. "Plus, I think these little guys are enjoying their winter gear!" Sure enough, a few of the Pokemon have taken well to the scarves, happily snuggling into the knitted material.[break][break]

Her eyes notice movement around his neck and her gaze drops to find a Furret curled around his neck. She isn't fast enough to stop the coo that escapes her or the way she moves closer, sole intention of petting the little darling around his neck fresh in her mind. "Hello there," she mumbles, gently, warmly. Her fingers brush the fur for a moment before she catches herself, eyes ripping up to his face as her feet shuffle backward, bits of snow rushing up with the movement. "Sorry!" She blurts out. Man, apparently cute Pokemon are a weakness of hers. Who can resist such a precious baby?[break][break]

Her eyes follow his finger as he points to the looming form of Mt. Chimney, head bobbing in understanding. "Good idea," she praises with a small smile. "The heat from the mountain should keep these little guys nice and warm through the winter!" Well, his little scarves will certainly help in that effort too. The woman watches as he shuffles the group into a crate, the creatures huddling together in a cuddle puddle. Ready for the journey, she supposes.[break][break]

He speaks again and she glances away from the crate to meet his eyes. "Will it be warm enough at the base?" She questions. Naturally, she would assume that the mountain itself is warm enough for the whole lot of them but... She'd hate for the poor things to be colder than they already are. Before she can ask more questions, however, he clears his throat and she pauses in response. Is he... asking for her opinion on his own mission? Oh, that's unexpected! Funny, no one's ever wanted her opinion on their ideas, instead following their own instincts. Luckily for the scientist, her cheeks are already red otherwise she might be a tomato by now. "Yes," she breathes out after a moment of fluster. "That's perfectly fine with me."[break][break]

Illeana glances at the crate once more before shuffling forward a little, peering at him with yet another curious gaze. "You ready?" Her smile is warm despite the snow. "Are we gonna be carrying this up there? I'll be honest, I'm not that strong." Laughter bubbles from her throat and she knows her little attempt of humor isn't the best, but she's trying to be warm and friendly and everything she normally never is. Shy won't help these little guys find warmer weather and it certainly wouldn't be cause enough for this man to not regret asking for her help. And so, she'll continue to attempt to be funny until it blows up in her face. Shouldn't be that hard, right?

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@bean5

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She watches him press his face into his little furry friend, fondness creeping onto her facial features. Ah, cute! Nothing quite like the bond between a trainer and their Pokemon. "Well, it's a lovely idea, no matter who had the thought!" She smiles sweetly at him, knowing that just because it might've been his Grammy's idea doesn't mean it isn't any less lovelier than him willingly putting little scarves on Pokemon.[break][break]

It's no surprise most people don't enjoy the cold. It's bitter and freezing, with vicious winds and smothering snow. She just... happens to be a little different than the rest? Growing up in Snowpoint City had its perks, supposedly, and being a fan of snow happens to be one of them. "Being used to tropical climates will do that to you," she muses. "You just have to warm up to it!" Another laugh escapes her, amused by her own puns. Honestly, this is all she does when she's home, really. Just make little remarks that have her snorting for hours... She needs a hobby.[break][break]

The sight of wheels at the sides of the crate brings a little bit of embarrassment to the woman. How could she not think of the thing having wheels? Honestly, it's only logical! His smirk only adds salt to the wound and so she huffs slightly, arms crossing over her chest. "Could've mentioned the wheels sooner," she quips, the hint of a frown curling at the corners of her mouth. Any annoyance over wheels, however, disappears as he pipes up again. His useful sidekick, huh? The woman moves to the front of the crate, nose crinkling as she inspects it a little further. "You'll be doing most of the work by pushing. Again, not very strong," she glances toward him before pausing, another thought coming to mind. "Wait, wouldn't you just get covered in snow?"[break][break]

Before she can press the issue of him pushing a little further, he begins to push, the crate moving forward. It elicits a little squeak from Illeana as she stumbles forward, caught off guard by the movement. Her recovery comes a moment later, stray strands of hair brushing against her face while she steadies herself against the front of the crate. He stops moving without warning and curiosity follows, eyes darting toward his position in the back to catch him staring. Naturally, when one gets stared at, they stare back and so she does, meeting his gaze.[break][break]

He's speaking, then, and she can't help but feel a bit flustered. Not just because of the staring but the way he practically stretches across the crate toward her, words tumbling from his mouth. Right, introductions. How could she forget? Illeana returns his smile shyly, placing her hand in his for a gentle shake. "Illeana," she chirps. "It's a pleasure, Graham!" The woman pauses before retracting her hand, drawing back into her personal bubble before rotating on her heel.[break][break]

With a glance over her shoulder and a grin, she asks, "Shall we get going?"

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@bean5

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Despite being raised to be polite and well-mannered, the woman can't help but roll her eyes. If her mother could see her now, she'd get a terrible yelling, ear drums aching from the shrill octave of anger. Ah, but her mother isn't here and so she can very well do whatever she pleases. As such, she'll be as impolite as needed when faced with such insults. The eye roll pairs nicely with a light scowl that twists her pretty features, nose scrunching in distaste. "Rude," she all but huffs. "I'm quite clever, thank you very much." Her words take on a haughty tone, as if she's turning her nose up at him. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree when insulted, huh?[break][break]

His reaction to her name is cause enough for her to stare again, confusion replacing the previous scowl. Are his cheeks red? Why are his eyes wide? Curious, she muses. It's just a name, not some amazing title or anything. The woman tilts her head slightly to the left as he tastes her name again, syllables rolling off his tongue. Does he do this with everyone? Odd man that he is. No matter, she'll humor him. He's been relatively nice, anyway, so where's the harm? "Bright," she offers, glancing away with a sudden shyness. "It means bright." It's fitting, she supposes. Everything her parents wanted her to be, everything she ended up becoming. Bright and brilliant despite the awkwardness or the anxiety, the utter lack of social skills too.[break][break]

When he starts to push again, Illeana heaves a soft sigh and takes her place at the front of the crate, gently tugging the metal bars along. The wheels make it easier, as does his brute strength. Honestly, does he even really need her to pull? Couldn't he just push the whole thing there on his own? As the woman glances back to voice her thoughts, she pauses, words coming to a stop before they get the chance to leave her open mouth.[break][break]

He's talking to the nervous Pokemon, calming them with soft words and gentle hands. Her mouth closes, fondness forming on her features. It's a cute sight, really. And so, she watches for a moment, content with listening to him quell their anxieties, the whines fading from the crate as he speaks. It doesn't last long, however, for the scientist quickly remembers she's supposed to be helping, not staring at him. Whoops... Her attention diverts back to the road ahead, breath coming out in little huffs. Honestly, she's not in the best shape for this. Her hands are already cramping a little, grip a bit too tight against metallic bars.[break][break]

In order to distract herself from the small strain of physical labor, she glances back again, flashing Graham a small smile. "You're good with them," she comments. Almost a natural, actually. Maybe he was Snow White in another life, singing to Pidgeys in his spare time... "It's rather kind of you to soothe them."

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@bean5

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She stares, mouth forming a little o. He had been genuine in his words? Oh. Oh no. She is quick to flush with embarrassment, cheeks growing hot as realization settles in. She had just been rude for no reason. Good lord, book smarts really don't translate well to actual conversation and now she just feels stupid. Well, stupid and awful for assuming he was being mouthy with her. "Oh!" comes quick from her mouth before she rushes into an apology. "I'm so sorry," she mumbles out, knowing she probably should have thought about it a little more before just assuming the worst.[break][break]

They continue on for a little while, his calming words and shushes for the Pokemon serving as background noise for her mind. She's still thinking about her mistake, her misplaced attitude. It was so unnecessary of her! How could she just dissolve into that after he has already demonstrated just how kind he is? Part of her wonders if it's because she isn't used to this, used to actual human interaction. Sure, she occasionally ventures out from her home, but this? This extended moment of socializing is foreign to the scientist. It's always just been her, her Pokemon, and her books. There's never room for others, for conversations, for making friends. Ugh, one of the rare times she actually manages to make a friend and she's already screwed it up. Great.[break][break]

It seems, however, that she hasn't messed it up quite as much as she had thought. Graham stops in his movements, the crate coming to a creaking halt. She doesn't notice for a moment, feet still moving for a second longer before his voice cuts through her thoughts. Illeana turns quickly, rotating on her heel with a curious look upon her face. He wants to stop already? She glances at the sky for a brief moment. There's still a few hours of daylight left if her notion is correct. Plenty of time to get the little ones to a warmer location and enough time for a few deserved breaks. With this in mind, she gives a bob of her head, shuffling away from her position at the front of the crate to move closer to him.[break][break]

He holds out a thermos to her as she draws near, having already taken a sip from the contents himself. "Uh, yes please," she murmurs. The woman fumbles over her words at first, uncertain if she should really drink some of his hot chocolate. What if he only has so much? She'd hate for him to not have enough for himself... He's kind enough to offer, however, and it'd be rather impolite for her to decline such an offer. And so, with cold hands and slightly shaky fingers, she takes the thermos from him and raises it to her lips. A gulp later, she's handing it back, a small smile on her lips. "Thank you, that's very kind of you." Her body is already thankful for the rest and the warm drink, truthfully. A few more minutes and she'll be ready for more labor but for now, she moves to make idle conversation, silence becoming a little awkward. Silence is good, sure, but she has an inkling that other people don't feel as inclined to it as she does. "Did you make the hot chocolate yourself? It's really good."

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@bean5

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"You're welcome," she murmurs with a slight bob of her head. "It is and these moments are really nice. Gotta stop to smell the roses sometimes, right?" It's cliche but truthful. If you rush through life without admiring the little things, are you truly living? Although, with her, it seems her life is only composed of small moments. She's done nothing of importance yet, only little things, and she's not quite sure if this realization is crushing or hopeful. Big things could await her, just as they do the rest.[break][break]

A smile rises to her lips as he chuckles. It's a nice sound, paired with another tidbit of information about his grandparents. "That's adorable," she muses. "They must be a nice pair. They sound lovely." The thermos is offered to her once more and the smile widens, gratitude practically radiating off her body. Her hands are gentle as she takes it for another sip, a happy hum vibrating in her chest.[break][break]

Illeana is careful when she extends the thermos back to him, almost nervous that she might spill it. The last thing she wants is to dump hot chocolate all over him, especially when he was so kind in offering some to her. God, please don't spill. Her focus is so intent on not spilling the drink that she almost misses his words. She blinks, mind rushing to catch up, before raising her gaze from the thermos to his face. "Oh, there's no need to thank me!" Illie is quick to brush off the appreciation. "What kind of person would I be if I didn't help you? They deserve all the warmth we can give them," she chirps. Sure, it took her by surprise but there's no doubt in her mind that it was the right decision to help.[break][break]

Glancing toward the snowcapped trees, she sighs. "I'm not sure," Illie mumbles. "It's a bit of an anomaly, huh?" Everything she knows about the climate here is all sunshine and warmth. Snow doesn't occur often, the temperature never dropping low enough. This winter is different as snowstorms have been blanketing the region with plush white. "I kind of wish it was like this all the time," she says after a moment, eyes still focused on the trees. "Reminds me of home." Snowpoint feels like a distant memory now, brought to life again only by the odd appearance of snow.

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@bean5

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She watches as he caps the thermos and ushers it away, dark eyes trained on his motions. His hands are steady, sure, unlike her own. They'd dwarf hers if held up for comparison and they lack the shakiness her possess. Huh, she has never really noticed the differences in things like this before. Although, she supposes it's due to lack of human contact. He is, after all, one of the first people she's really spent more than five minutes around.[break][break]

"Yes," she answers after a moment, a fond smile rising to her lips. "Snowpoint City, actually. I don't think it has anything other than snow." Well, that's not exactly true. There's a gym, a temple, Lake Acuity. It has some charm besides all the snow, but all she remembers is the feeling of snow crunching beneath little feet, playing with her duo of Vulpixes when her parents would let her have a break from studying. It's a fond memory, perhaps one of the only ones from her childhood.[break][break]

He begins moving the cart again and she resumes the action of pulling at the front, grip firm against the metal. It was a nice little break, one that she didn't know she needed until it was over. The conversation was nice and the hot chocolate was even better. Part of her almost wishes it could have lasted longer but they have a job to do, an important one at that.[break][break]

The conversation continues, however, much to her delight. It's not every day that she gets to hold a conversation with another, especially not one this long and easygoing. It's nice, if she's being honest. It's not forced, instead coming naturally, as if she's known him for longer than just today. Comforting, warm, everything she has wanted from another person. Funny, she hadn't really thought that she was lonely before until this moment. It is always research on her mind, leaving little room for much else. Perhaps that is why she is almost thankful when he asks more questions, delightful that he's even curious about where she's from.[break][break]

"No warm temperatures, I'm afraid," she murmurs. "It's the northern most part of Sinnoh, constantly blanketed in snow. The complete opposite of here, really." A little laugh escapes her as she thinks about it. Her parents must have really hated the cold for them to relocate here. Before she can give it much more thought, his motion of bumping the cart up catches her attention. Illeana turns to look at him, curiosity writing itself onto her face. "What's wrong?" She inquires. He's bending to look at something, the object in question hidden behind the cart and logically, she can only think of a piece of the land hidden by the snow. "Is it a rock or something?"

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