So I wrote this last year, and only shared it with a few friends. Honestly kind of nervous about posting this, since it's something that I worked hard on for a couple of my characters backstory wise.

Made it easier with me getting a pic for it by a good friend ->  Suzail

So uhhh, here's how Baker joined the family

---

"Baker, you need to stop.... unsettling the other kids here." A Female panda said softly to the white disheveled bat, a slightly concerned look on her face.

The Honduran bat only grinned in reply, having gotten himself dirty again 'exploring' around for materials yet again. "But I WANT to make things that look like the others I'm trying to be friends with! Last time you told me to stop making others cry when I would jump out and surprise them when I wanted to play... so I started doing something else." He grinned wider.

The panda shook her head lightly. "Just... if they ask you to stop, then please stop. Okay, Baker?" She said with a soft smile, taking a light sigh as the younger male just nodded with a small chuckle, knowing she didn't really get through to him again.

"Will do!" He said loudly before heading off again, off to do what he always did.

First he'd go through the donated clothing that would come in now and then, grabbing anything that was raggish or tattered, make his way to his own stuff to get the small sewing kit he had 'borrowed' some time back, and then head back outside to root around for anything extra he could use.

Baker loved making dolls from whatever materials he could, and he found something that fell off of someone else at the orphanage, that was even better. It made the doll 'more like the one he made it after'.

Baker didn't understand why it made others uncomfortable. He just always loved to make dolls since he could remember, and it's all he needed to know. Others normally poked some kind of fun at him, almost being thirteen, and having a small obsession with dolls... well, saying it was a 'small' obsession is putting it a bit mild.

Anyone he wanted to be friends with, he'd go out of his way to make a doll like them with whatever he could find, but they usually had the same reaction as one another. They were freaked out, and would try to avoid him.

He had been in the orphanage as long as he could remember, and this was the only hobby he had. That and others would occasionally see him talking to himself, or whatever dolls he was working on.

Though today was going to go a little differently for the young bat. Today he was going to be crafting one of his dolls at the nearby park, anyone old enough having to get permission to go, but with it being right across the street it wasn't much of a problem. He quickly headed to his favourite spot under the big tree and sat himself down.

"Now... who do I wanna make today?" He asked himself aloud with a big grin as he laid out his materials, muttering lightly to himself as he threaded the needle. "...no, I made one of everyone in that wing of the orphanage..." He let out a loud 'hmmm'.

At that same time another bat was looking around the park, something having drawn the older male there. "...now, I heard from a couple folks in town that they get an uneasy feeling around here, but I've been here before..." The fruit bat scratched his chin, having been looking around for the last few days, but this being the first day he actively felt *something* there. "...and it feels like I finally got here at the right time." Duhir said with a small grin to himself.

Duhir continued to look around, following the few trails of ominous magicks he was feeling. "...now, is it some kind of spirit that's lingering with ill intent or som-" He stopped mid sentence, looking to the young male under the big tree. "So might be a possession. Didn't have fighting a kid on my list, but if I have to." He shrugged to himself, moving to approach the younger bat, keeping a firm grip on his staff.

"Y'know, I think I made one of everyone that's still there." Baker said aloud as he held up the doll he had made so far, just having the basic shape of the doll, not knowing who he was going to make one of today. Though as he held it up, he noticed the other bat approaching him and smiled. "HEYA!" He said rather happily.

"...uh, heya there... uh.. Kid?" Duhir raised a brow at the bat, up close seeing that he looked a little rough. Not clothing wise, but he had a few obvious scars where the fur didn't exactly grow enough to fully cover, and his ears looked a little tattered. "Are you... good?" He asked, not knowing exactly how else to word it.

"Good?" He tilted his head, looking confused for a moment before grinning once more. "Yeah, I'm good! I didn't have anyone left at the orphanage to make a doll of, so I'm gonna make it of you!" He said with an overly enthusiastic giggle before leaning back against the tree and going through the materials he had on himself... the same feeling Duhir had been following starting to come from the bat.

He stuck the end of his staff in the ground before crossing his arms. ~So that's what this is all about. Some kid who has a natural magic affinity, but no control. That's why everyone around here has been talking about the park being haunted.~ He let out a small sigh, at the least happy he didn't have to fight a kid.

"Are you traveling?" Baker asked, looking up while he was still working on the doll, wincing lightly as he accidentally poked himself with the needle, but kept going. "I come to the park all the time when I'm allowed to, and you don't feel like you live around here."

"Well, yes. I've been traveling for a few years now, and it brought me to this small town. Decided to look around for a bit before heading out in a couple days." He glanced around before looking back down to the young bat. "Guessing you live close by?"

"Yeah! Right across the street." He pointed with the doll he was working on to the building across from the park. "I get to come here when I don't have school stuff. The Best place for me to work on the cloth dolls I like making." He looked back down to what he was working on, grabbing a couple of buttons he had gathered to start putting eyes on it.

The whole time Duhir was watching Baker closely, only looking away when Baker pointed to the building, watching the small bat work away on his project, and sensing him pouring magic into the doll he worked on. "So HHH, you feel more comfortable working on that here? Any others there give you a hard time while doing your own thing?" He slowly sat down, watching Baker work.

"Well..." He slowly stopped working on the doll, looking up to him with a sad smile. "...heh, yeah. A lot of them don't like it. I even tried to make them gifts of ones of them, but..." He trailed off, just shaking his head lightly. "But I have a lot of fun making them, even if they all call me creepy!" He raised his voice a bit, attempting to sound happier than he was right now.

Duhir smiled and leaned forward. "I'm one of the weird ones in my own family. If you have anything you like to do, don't give a damn in what they say." His smile turned into a grin. "You can make a bunch of me if you want, I'd be flattered.

Baker looked back up, getting a closer look at Duhir's face. "Reall-WOAH!" He let out a gasp, noticing the older bat's eyes, one being green and purple, and the other just being a solid green with the 'look' of an iris or pupil. "...that's...SO COOL!" He leaned forward as well. "You're the coolest looking guy I've ever seen in town before!"

He leaned back lightly and laughed. "Well happy to hear you think that. Everyone else thinks I'm crazy." He then whispered. "They're right you know." Before laughing a bit louder.

Baker was just looking up to him with a huge smile, in awe at the older bat just doing what he wanted. "... I wanna do that one day."

At the same time Duhir could feel a bit more ominous magic coming from Baker. "Well, you need to be able to keep your mood how YOU want it. I feel how I Want to feel, and if others don't like that then I don't have to bother with them."

Baker looked down to the cloth doll in his hands, then back up. "...so if I feel like I want to make a doll of someone, just keep doing it?" He looked back to the doll and smiled big again. "Yeah, I'll keep making them all I want to, those bullies at the orphanage can lick the wall!"

"Just remember, don't put any bad feelings into what you love to do. Don't let them ruin anything for you, and keep doing what you feel you should do, Ze...uhh, kid." Duhir stumbled on his words, scratching his chin lightly before moving to stand back up.

"My name is Baker." The young bat said happily. "And you're the nicest person I've met besides the lady who runs the Orphanage."


"Well Baker, my name is Duhir. I have a few things I need to do around here, so maybe I'll see you back at the park if you're here again." He smiled. "And don't be afraid to be you." He grabbed his staff, starting to walk off.


"I will! I'll finish this up so you can take it with you on your traveling stuff too!" He called back before refocusing on the doll with renewed vigor.

"And I'll be keeping an eye on you while I'm here. Can't let a kid with THOSE kinds of magicks go without some kind of guidance..." Duhir muttered to himself before flying off, gripping his staff with his feet.

---

Over the next couple of days Duhir kept meeting back up with Baker, both to gauge just how dangerous his magic could be if left untrained, and to give him general advice in dealing with others that gave him a hard time.

Meanwhile, Baker worked hard on what he said he was making for Duhir, even learning a few new things on how to use a needle, though Duhir was impressed at what he had mostly learned on his own.

He also asked Duhir to tell him some stories about his travels and anything else he could, being fascinated by the bigger world that Duhir had been seeing for the last few years, and even getting to see a few mag icky things that Duhir could do.

Eventually it was Duhir's last day in town before he had to travel again, and Baker seemed to be upset for more than just the one reason.

"...so you won't be able to tell me any more stories tomorrow, right?" He looked up to the older bat for a moment before looking away. "Well, I had a bit of trouble with this, but I finally finished it." Baker added before pulling something out of his shirt pocket. "I finished making you, but... some of the other kids gave me a hard time."

Duhir was a little worried from what he was seeing though. The natural magicks that Baker had in him weren't very calm down, showing just how he felt inside that Duhir's training could pick up on. His good eye looked to the doll that Baker had made, a few odd tears on it where Baker had to sew up. "Well, would you look at that." His look softened as he kneeled down, making Baker hold up his hand to better see the doll, speaking gently. "You made sure that there were no holes in this, didn't you?"

"I did! But they wouldn't leave me alone, saying I was a weirdo talking to a strange weirdo... but you've been nice to me and you're just nicer than the kids at the orphanage..." He smiled lightly, but he still looked very upset. "Just wanted to say thank you for being so nice to me Mr. Duhir." He looked back up, trying to put on a good face.

"...don't know why I'd have a reason NOT to be nice to you?" Duhir replied. "And speaking of, I wrote a little notebook for you. You said you get a bit emotional with those bullies, but maybe this will help you with that." He used his free hand to pull a small notepad out, offering it to the younger bat in exchange for the doll. "And I'll be sure to keep what you made me close. A good luck charm for while I travel."

"R-Really?" That seemed to perk up his mood a good bit, sniffling lightly with a big smile as he looked to the note pad. "Thank you. I'm gonna read it after you head off today." His smile got a bit bigger before he moved in to hug the older bat.

"Yes really." Duhir smiled back, though looked surprised from the sudden hug. He looked down to Baker for a couple seconds before lightly returning the hug, chuckling lightly. "Sorry I couldn't give you more before I need to head out later, but they're techniques I've used when confronting bullies of my own."

"I'll do my best to not let them get to me." Baker took a couple steps back after releasing the hug. It was easy to tell a few other things were on his mind, but he didn't look like he wanted to actually say them. "I'm gonna try to visit some of the places you mentioned when I'm older. They sound awesome."

"Be sure to. Some of them are gorgeous. Way out of the way, but more natural than a lot of the towns and cities nowadays." He replied. "Some of them have some really tall trees, nice to sit up in them and just relax awhile, some have some good food an-"

Duhir was cut off when a ringing could be heard from the orphanage, signaling dinner for everyone there. The Panda Woman in charge calling for everyone to head inside.

"...oh, dinner time already." Baker said with a small huff. "Well, guess I gotta go Mr. Duhir." He had a sad smile on his face. "I can't wait to be old enough to travel on my own too."

"It'll be sooner than you think. Just keep your goals in mind and work towards them every day." He ruffled Baker's head fur. "Who knows, maybe we'll meet up again at some point while we both travel? If we do we can BOTH share stories. So be sure not to forget anything for that day."

"...y-yeah!" He had a toothy smile on his face, trying to hide his sadness. "Have more awesome travels, and tell your family hi for me..?" He sounded a little awkward with the last bit, not having really said that to anyone. "Well, I'm gonna go have dinner, then read everything you wrote for me."

Before Duhir could respond, Baker gave him another quick hug before running off back to the orphanage. "...he's got a lot of spirit. Hopefully those notes keep him safe from what he himself can do." He said to himself, looking down to the doll Baker had made from him. "He's already working his own magicks into what he makes at his age, with no teacher. He had a lot of talent."

He put the doll into his pocket before starting to head off himself, needing to make a few stops for his own travels again before he had to leave town the next day.

---

The rest of the night was bittersweet for Baker. He hurriedly ate his dinner before heading back to his small room. He sat on the bed with a small smile, his eyes going over every single word on each page. In the notes were methods Duhir used to keep himself calm, as well as ways of him channeling his own energy into anything productive. There were even some other tips about sewing he hadn't told Baker himself, even a few doodles and mini stories about his travels.

A few tears ran down Baker's face as he read over the notes multiple times. He hadn't had anyone show him anything like this before. Even the woman in charge of the orphanage, or the teachers he had, hadn't showed this kind of care. They were too busy with their attention spread out among many students/kids.

"Thank you, Mr. Duhir. This is the best birthday present I've ever gotten before." He laid back in his bed, holding the notepad close with a smile on his face.

---

Though the next day wasn't starting out so nice for Baker. After breakfast, he went off to read the notebook he had been given again, the usually bullies deciding to follow him seeing that he had something new.

"Awww what's that? Baby finally grow up and stop playing with dolls?" A cheetah poked fun at the younger bat, grinning with his 'flunkies' alongside him.

"Heheh, yeah. Growing the hell up and giving up on that dumb thing now that you're ACTUALLY a teenager now?" The wolf added.

"...go away guys. I'm just reading today, so I'd like to be left alone." Baker replied, keeping the notebook close.

"Ohhh reaaaalllllly?" The cheetah replied, moving over to try to grab at the notebook, the wolf quickly joining in as they cornered the bat.

"STOP IT! THIS IS MINE! IT WAS A GIFT!" Baker shouted out, trying to get anyone's attention outside that could help him, but the pair had pushed him into one of the corners in the orphanage courtyard.

Eventually a RIIIIP could be heard as the pair forced the notebook out of Baker's hands. "OOPS, HAHAH!" The wolf said loudly.

The cheetah laughed as well, throwing the pieces he had aside. "THAT was a gift? A lame notebook with some weird guy's whatevers in it? Go read a REAL book!"

"...t-that was my..." Baker lightly spoke up, shock plastered on his face as he watched the pages of the notebook he was given fall to the ground. "...h-he made that just for me..." He tried to push past the pair to collect the pages on the ground, the bullies just staying in his way while stepping on a few of them.

"Just grow up and stop being a damn weirdo!" The wolf called out, kicking Baker to force him back onto the ground with a loud grunt.

Baker kneeled on the ground, holding his stomach as he looked to the pages, a few tears running down his face as he slowly looked up to the pair. "... I... just... t-that was from my f-first friend..." He muttered, trying not to cry.

"Awwww, gonna go boohoo to the adults again?" The cheetah spoke up before the pair laughed, stomping on the pages a few times more before starting to walk off, still laughing at the bat.

"...no... t-that was my first b-birthday gift from someone who wasn't forced to give me something..." Tears were running down Baker's face as he looked up to the pair. They didn't bother looking back to him, but there was a twisted smile on his face. "...b-but I can give *gifts* too..." He slowly got up, stumbling a bit on his feet as he held his stomach.

Because this was somewhat common for him, others didn't really look towards Baker. Though now that weird feeling that came from the bat when he obsessed over his dolls was filling the air once more. Slowly growing in intensity as he mad his way back to his room. He moved to where he stored the other dolls he had made of those staying there as rejected gifts, and grabbed the ones of the two that always bullied him.

"... I can gift more than dolls to other people..." He had a VERY distant look on his face as he sadly grinned at the two dolls. By this time others in the orphanage feeling uncomfortable with the oppressive magic coming from Baker's self. "I... can take them apart, and put my hurt feelings into them too..." He said while grabbing the needle he used before thrusting it into the let of one of the dolls.

Elsewhere, the wolf suddenly yelped out in pain, falling to the floor and grabbing his leg. "IT HURTS! AAAAGH!!"

The cheetah looked on in surprise, then horror, not knowing what would suddenly make his friend scream out in pain.

It didn't take long for the Panda Woman in charge ro run into the room with the first aid kit, trying to help the wolf in pain.

She didn't have too long to help him though, the pain starting to slowly fade before the cheetah began to yell out in the same kind of pain. Baker had taken the needle to stab into the other doll he had in hand.


While this was all going on, Duhir had finished everything he needed to do, preparing to head off. Right before ht took to the skies, he could feel the ominous aura coming from down again. "What the...?" Duhir muttered to himself from the edge of the building he was standing on. Eventually his eyes locking on the orphanage in the distance. "...oh no.." It only took him a few moments to figure out what was going on. He grabbed his staff with his feet before quickly flying towards it.


The panda didn't know what to do. She got some of the others working there to help bring the two whaling in pain to try to figure out what was happening. It not take long for other kids living there to tell her what was going on with Baker, and what had happened earlier.

She quickly ran upstairs, stopping when getting to the hallway where Baker's room was located. "... Baker, are you in your room, dear?" She called out, not knowing exactly WHY she was so unnerved right now.

Baker could be heard mumbling in his room about something between the back and forth yelling of the two bullies. As she approached she could better hear what he was saying. "... I just wanted friends, and they only hurt me. No one does anything that stops them, so I need to stop them..." The tone of his voice was enough to send a chill through her spine, making the panda take a few steps back.

"W-What on earth is happening...?" She said to herself, the oppressive feeling in the air growing. "I-Is he possessed...?"

"No, ma'am. He was pushed too far." Duhir had spoken up, having let himself into the orphanage.

The woman gasped loudly and jumped. "Who let you in here?!"

"That's not the issue right now. The issue is that he kept being hurt from there being no one to watch over him properly. He didn't want to tell me about the bullies he lived with, but I got some stuff from him." He replied before pushing the panda to the side, moving down the hall.

He moved into Baker's room before hitting the younger bat with the end of his staff. "MY NOTES SAID NOTHING ABOUT THIS DID THEY?!" He shouted.

That was enough to get Baker out of what he was doing, dropping the dolls and needle before rubbing his head with a groan. "...w-why did I get hi-" He stopped when he turned to see who was looking at him. A quick look of surprise on his face being replaced by a guilty one, looking down to the floor. "...h-hi Mr. Duhir... a-am I am cause trouble for you...?" He sounded upset. He should have been heading out already, but whatever he did keep his friend from leaving when he needed to.

"...damnit." Duhir muttered, quickly looking over to the panda. "HEY!"

"Huh?!" She jumped. "Y-Yes...?" She looked nervous, though not hearing the two teens yelling anymore let her calm down just a little.

"Consider this my interview. Get Baker's papers in order right now. I want him as my son. Got it?" He said in a gruff tone. "And hurry up. I'll meet you in your office to give you my information.

"...there's a lot that needs to be done a-" She was cut off.

"NONE of you know what this boy needs right now! I do!" He loudly replied before looking over to Baker again, who stared back with a bit of disbelief in his eyes. "...he needs a mentor, and someone who will watch over him every day. I can continue his studies while we travel. I need to give him someone who can do these things for him, so please, just get the papers for me to sign. You don't need to worry about anything else after we're out of here." He turned to look back to her. "... I promise."

"...right away sir. It'll take a few minutes." She slowly stepped away, looking back to Duhir a few times until he was out of sight.

"... Mr. Duhir?" Baker spoke up, letting out a light sniffle. "...a-are you sure?"

"Enough with that mister crap, Baker." He said a bit sternly, stepping closer to him.

Baker looked back with wide eyes, never having heard that tone from the older bat. "I-I..."

And he moved in to tightly wrap his arm wings around Baker, hugging him close. "... I'm gonna be your father from today on."

".. M-MY...!" Baker gasped out, eagerly returning the hug, only taking a second or two to start crying. By this point the oppressive feeling in the air having entirely vanished.


The pair only had to wait for about twenty minutes for the proper papers to be gathered. Reluctantly Duhir handed over his ID and other papers.. Pulling them out of some green magic pocket.

The Panda Woman didn't know what the hell was going on, but after running proper checks on the older bat it was hard to deny him. Co-Family Owner of Ricing Pharmaceuticals. Having money to back up his own impressive files. Registered to be able to teach entirely from him in the family business, as well as school needs. Despite how Duhir held himself, he was rather accomplished.

Through tears Baker looked up to his new father with all kinds of awe, not having heard Duhir... his FATHER speak of those things before, but more of his travels and family. Baker held tightly to him during the whole interview and paper signings.

While the papers were easy to gather, the whole process took a while. The pair spending a good while through everything.

With everything eventually done, Baker grabbed the few things he wanted to take with him, but left all the dolls there. Telling the panda "I just wanted to be friends, so I made them presents. But if they don't want them, you can have them. There's one of you too so umm... thanks for stopping the bullies when everyone wasn't too busy." He said with a very happy smile before running off. He put his small bag over his shoulder before taking off into the air with his father.

This really was Baker's best birthday ever.