(ACE) The PALLET Team

((Skip me please.))

After Oliver introduced himself, though, what followed was unexpected. The cat watched as the small pup turned, confused. "Huh? Wh-Whoa! Is your name the same as my name?!"
Sukoshi's fur rippled. This would get confusing fast. The taller Oliver seemed uncomfortable, not giving much of a response in "I... I g-guess?"
We'll have to figure this out sooner than later, he decided.

With the entrance of the Houndoom, Shadowmere, at least everyone was slowly growing calmer. The Liepard relaxed his stance, in turn soothing everyone else. But before the canine could respond to his offer, the Vivillon chimed in softly after repeating her name, "We should probably get moving soon."
His own emerald eyes flickered to the greenery around Pallet. She was right, but he was beginning to learn that the other adult seemed to be reliable and competent. Two things he could sure use.

"She's right," he said softly, waving his tail to and fro behind him as he trotter forward a few steps to look at the rest of the town. "We can find shelter if we get moving quickly; the sun won't last long and I can't leave any of you stranded in the dark."
The cat's eyes flickered to the others, landing particularly on the Chimchar. "We can find some berries soon, too. I can see in the dark so once we get settled, I'll find us food." Plus his invisibility would come in great handy at not being caught.

"...I'm Isolde..."  The butterfly introduces herself to the newcomer.  "We should probably get moving soon."

"She's right.  We can find shelter if we get moving quickly; the sun won't last long and I can't leave any of you stranded in the dark."  Oliver turns to watch the cat speak.  Clearly, he's the leader here; he seems to know exactly what to say, and he looks older than the rest of them.  He'll know what needs to be done, and if Oliver is stuck with a group... so be it.  At least I'll be taking orders from someone who seems kind.  He exhales.

This'll still probably end in disaster.  He's cursed, after all.  If anything happens to them, it'll be his fault.  All his fault...

"We can find some berries soon, too. I can see in the dark so once we get settled, I'll find us food."  Oliver blinks, leaning back as the green eyes land on him, lingering.  His heart begins to pound, and he only breathes again when the eyes leave him.

"I-I can h-help."  Keeping his head ducked submissively, the chimp forces his shaking voice to speak.  "C-can climb t-trees to get berries that m-might be out of r-reach, and I can h-help carry what we f-find."

He will not be useless this time around.  He swears on Caine's memory.

"She's right," Sukoshi quietly agreed with her statement, his tail constantly moving.  He took a few steps forward to take a better look at the human settlement, "We can find shelter if we get moving quickly; the sun won't last long and I can't leave any of you stranded in the dark." The cat quickly was taking charge of the group, and Isolde eyed him slightly critically. However, given how powerful he was, and his obvious concern for the group, the Vivillon decided that he wasn't the worst leader they could have. When it came to other matters, she'd have yet to see, but for now, she deemed him worthy enough for a chance.

Then the cat gives each member of the small group a look, with his gaze lingering on the fire monkey, "We can find some berries soon, too. I can see in the dark so once we get settled, I'll find us food."

Isolde was slightly torn on what to do here. She had wings, and could easily get berries on higher branches, but they were white and would stick out like a sore thumb in the darkness.  And then there were the children and the newcomer to worry about.  She couldn't just leave them alone... Oliver, the monkey, then meekly offered, "I-I can h-help."
"C-can climb t-trees to get berries that m-might be out of r-reach, and I can h-help carry what we f-find."  He... had a point, but his fire would stick out even more than her wings, and she had a feeling that Sukoshi was planning on using stealth to retrieve food. She would feel nervous letting the child be out in the darkness, but she decided to leave the decision up to the dark cat.

"If you wish, I can also reach higher branches, or I can stand guard wherever we make our camp," She suggested. White wings began to beat as she started hovering, and she moved to float beside the dark cat looking over the town. "Do you plan on using one of those buildings?" she inquired. It would make the most sense since they offerred shelter, but she didn't know if the cat had something else in mind.

Very slowly, the fire hound began to relax. When the cat's soft green gaze looked to her, Shadowmere flinched, her eyes shutting tight for a moment, before peeking open to stare up at the Liepard. "No one here is going to harm you." No one was going to hurt her..? Glancing to the side of her, Shadowmere almost started when she saw the shadowy grey paws of her brother. Looking up at the Liepard, she slowly got back up to her paws, jet black and orange fur rippling as her muscles worked to get the hound to her paws. When she glanced back to where the shadowy form of her brother was, he was gone. That's right. He said if I found someone to help, he will stay back out of sight...

"But it doesn't seem safe to be alone in the woods... would you like to join us? I am Sukoshi." Sukoshi... That's right she had heard them introducing themselves a little bit ago. Her sky-blue eyes moved to look at the white-winged Vivillon. What was their name..? Izzy, no, Iso... "...I'm Isolde... We should probably get moving soon." Isolde! That was it! Shadowmere's thin tail swished back and forth as she wagged it in greeting. The fire hound's tongue was still like wet concrete in her mouth, making her unable to form any words. At least she wasn't going to be attacked. "She's right," Looking over at Sukoshi, Shadowmere assassinated the cat as the leader of the group. He seemed the most calm and collected of their lot, that means he's be a good leader, right..?

"We can find shelter if we get moving quickly; the sun won't last long and I can't leave any of you stranded in the dark." He won't leave them... Shadowmere relaxed, her sky blue eyes morphing from being terrified to a more calm state. "We can find some berries soon, too. I can see in the dark so once we get settled, I'll find us food." Berries... Food? Shadowmere's stomach twinged in pain when the thought of food came to mind. When did I last eat? She thought, but could not recall when the last time she ate was.

"I-I can h-help." Looking over at the small fire monkey, Shadowmere smiled. She hadn't been around other kids since she was with her trainer. The hound's eyes fell to the pendant on her neck. It clattered softly against the bone on her chest with the movement. "C-can climb t-trees to get berries that m-might be out of r-reach, and I can h-help carry what we f-find." Thinking she should try to pitch in, Shadowmere swallowed, trying to get the hard lump that had risen in her throat to go down so she could speak without choking. "If you wish, I can also reach higher branches, or I can stand guard wherever we make our camp," Finally able to open her jaws without stumbling over her words, Shadowmere tried to make a sound, but instead the only sound that came out was a strangled squeak.

Clearing her throat, Shadowmere tried again and came out with a few words. "I-I can u-use my sense of s-smell to try and find f-food." She said, her pelt burning as though she was going to be scolded for coming up with that idea. "Do you plan on using one of those buildings?" Buildings? Looking at the town, Shadowmere looked over the buildings and stared at them. They would be good shelter... But first they needed food.

Oliver's body could barely sit still as he listened to the others converse, and neither could his tail, apparently. He was so excited to have finally found some more living Pokemon. He wasn't alone anymore; he had big, strong new friends who would protect him and wouldn't try to hurt him like the monsters did. Maybe they could even help him find Daddy!

The plan so far was to find shelter and collect food. The other Oliver offered to go and look for berries up in the trees. The pup frowned as he thought about how the others would surely get confused with two Pokemon with the same name in the group. He hadn't even thought that there would be someone else out there called Oliver. It was a very strange feeling.

Suddenly getting an idea, he jumped to his feet. "My mummy used to sometimes call me Ollie, so you can use that if you want so you don't get mixed up," he told them all.

"I-I can u-use my sense of s-smell to try and find f-food," the Houndoom offered, spurring Oliver into action. He bounded to her side and looked up at the larger canine eagerly. "Ooh, can I come with you?" he asked, panting with sheer excitement. "I have a really good nose too." As if to prove a point he lowered his snout to the ground and began to sniff. Daddy had taught him all of the important scents that belonged to food and how to follow them. Now to find a trail...

The group had no quells with the idea of shelter and food, as he would have expected. The fire starter Oliver chimed in first, "I-I can h-help." Sukoshi's soft gaze slowly moved to the chimp. "C-can climb t-trees to get berries that m-might be out of r-reach, and I can h-help carry what we f-find." Hands would be a great help; the cat nodded in agreement.

"If you wish, I can also reach higher branches, or I can stand guard wherever we make our camp," Isolde also offered. She took to the air for the first time since being attacked and Sukoshi looked over her wings for injuries, since he could not see as well with them folded down. Thankfully the Vivillon seemed as fine as she had insisted, though the dull ache against the Liepard's own chest reminded him of that headbutt from the steel bird. "Do you plan on using one of those buildings?"

Sukoshi nodded. "There aren't many left, but they are small. Easy to scout and make sure it's uninhabited."

"My mummy used to sometimes call me Ollie, so you can use that if you want so you don't get mixed up," the little canine added in. Green eyes flickered to him and the cat gave another warm smile.
"Ollie suits you," he approved. Flicking his tail, the cat tried to catch the attention of the others. Glancing up at the falling sun, the colours of the day washed out by the lack of light, before walking forward slowly.

"I-I can u-use my sense of s-smell to try and find f-food," Shadowmere offered. The poor dear looked ready to jump out of her own skin. Unbefitting for a fearsome creature such as a Houndoom, but then again Sukoshi himself was more than used to stereotypes by species being untrue. He was the 'cruel' pokemon, after all.
"Thank you for the offer to help," he murmured, hoping to soothe her nerves.

Ollie bounced forward, his tail wagging enthusiastically. "Ooh, can I come with you? I have a really good nose too."
Sukoshi was quickly realising that everyone had offered to help look for food, but taking them all would be redundant if he was hoping to leave and return swiftly. Approaching one of the houses on the inner interior of Pallet, he took a sniff from the air. It sounded and scented empty. All he could see wrong with it were scorch marks along the sides, as well as scratch marks, but it seemed the walls were not breached.

"Let's make sure this one is safe first, before we split up," the Liepard murmured, approaching the door. It was somehow still closed, but reaching up to the doorknob, he quickly learned the latch was broken. The door swung open and the dark type walked in first, cautiously. Still he heard nothing, flicking his ears up and around, swiveling like satellites. The living room and kitchen seemed to be one uninterrupted space, but there was a hallway in the dark.

"Seems clear in the front," he told the others before looking back outside and inviting them in with a sweep of his tail. "Isolde-- want to check the back, to make sure it's safe? I'll stay with the kids. Maybe take Shadowmere with you?" It was not wise to remain alone, but the Houndoom would surely offer enough cover if need be.

"If you wish, I can also reach higher branches, or I can stand guard wherever we make our camp."   Isolde hovers up, Oliver staring at the beautiful, snow white wings in awe.  How he wished he had something so remarkable about himself!  All he had was his dumb tail.  Stupid beacon.  "Do you plan on using one of those buildings?"

"There aren't many left, but they are small. Easy to scout and make sure it's uninhabited."  Uninhabited is good.  Very good.  Too many people already.  

"My mummy used to sometimes call me Ollie, so you can use that if you want so you don't get mixed up."

"Ollie suits you."  Sukoshi's smile and voice radiate warmth as he speaks to the Growlithe.

No it doesn't; that's MY name!  His face crumples, but he says nothing to object.  He doesn't own the name.  It's not his.  The puppy is allowed to have it, too...  But it's MY name... it's her name for me...  

"I-I can u-use my sense of s-smell to try and find f-food."

"Thank you for the offer to help."  He turns a look of concern on her, pity, and bile rises in the back of his throat.  Is that how Caine used to look at him?  Did Caine see him as pathetic as Sukoshi is seeing Shadowmere now?  Was I that much of a wreck?

He's sure he was.

"Ooh, can I come with you?"  I have a really good nose too."

They're now approaching the middle of the town.  The chimp can feel his heart rate kick up a bit, eyes darting around, seeking danger.

"Let's make sure this one is safe first, before we split up," the cat says in reply to the puppy, keeping his voice low as he approaches the front of a house.  He rears up on his hind legs to fiddle with the doorknob but apparently the door is broken; with little finagling, it swings open, creaking hideously.  Oliver peeked around the doorway, watching with large eyes as the cat slips inside, checking the front of the home for anything hostile.

"Seems clear in the front," he says, returning to the others.  Oliver leans back from where he was staring around the mouth of the door to watch the Liepard, unable to keep the relief off his face. Thank god.  Hopefully it stays that way. "Isolde-- want to check the back, to make sure it's safe? I'll stay with the kids. Maybe take Shadowmere with you?"

"M-maybe,"  Oliver whispered, barely able to believe his own daring, "I-I should go inst-stead... I have l-light, after all..."

Have to help.  Have to contribute.

Time to put that stupid beacon to good use.

Sukoshi nodded in response to her question. "There aren't many left, but they are small. Easy to scout and make sure it's uninhabited," He explained. She took in the information as she also looked over the town. From what she could see, the cat was correct, and that gave her some ease. It wouldn't take much to make sure whichever building they claimed was safe.

The puppy jumped to his feet in excitement as he came up with an idea. The sudden movement drew her eyes back to the rest of the group. "My mummy used to sometimes call me Ollie, so you can use that if you want so you don't get mixed up," he stated. Well, a nickname would fix the name problem quickly, and the Vivillon is relieved that one headache had been dealt with. When Sukoshi complimented the little pup, Isolde briefly noticed the monkey making a face, but the Dark cat's tail moved suddenly to catch everyone's attention. With all eyes on him, he started moving towards the town.The group followed behind, and Isolde kept close to the ground.

The two dog pokemon soon offered their services for finding food with the cat, and Isolde realized that basically everyone offered to go. That defeats the point... she thought in exasperation. She really didn't think it would be wise if all of them went out with the sun already set. They needed to keep the going out party small while the rest of them holed up elsewhere and protected a safe spot.

Soon Sukoshi stopped in front of one of the intact buildings, and he scented the air.  Isolde also looked the house up and down, and saw no breaches in the walls. There were burn and claw marks, but nothing that would disturb the building's integrity. The cat then found a part of the wall that was different from the rest, and it took a moment for Isolde to understand that the strange piece of wood must be a covering for the building's entrance. The butterfly pokemon wasn't sure how they were going to get through the barrier when he started doing something with a metal piece that was near the edge of the wooden part. "Let's make sure this one is safe first, before we split up." Whatever he did seemed to work as the wooden barrier simply swung open. Her pixel eyes opened wide in surprise. She'd never seen something like that before. Well, she had seen these things when they were closed, but she never knew that you could just open them like that.

The cat wasted no time entering and surveying the dark rooms. She hovered near the entrance, and found that the house was mostly dark and she could barely see Sukoshi further in. The little monkey, Oliver, peeked inside as well. After a short period of time, the cat came back out, and he said, "Seems clear in the front." He then invited everyone in with a sweeping motion of his tail. Though taking shelter inside the building made sense, Isolde still paused before entering.  After living under open sky for most of her life, these human contraptions made her slightly nervous. Steeling herself, she soon entered.

When the fire monkey finally entered, she could see the interior of the building more clearly. There was a large room, but it seemed like part of the room was drastically different from the other. "Humans are strange..." she muttered. There was also an opening that led deeper into the building, but the light only went so far.

"Isolde-- want to check the back, to make sure it's safe? I'll stay with the kids. Maybe take Shadowmere with you?" Sukoshi requested. She knew that they needed to ensure the house's safety, but she would be going in blind. Though the swarm had night flights, it never happened when the moon was less than a crescent in the sky. The butterfly's sight was severely limited in complete darkness

"I won't be able to see much in there without light. It might be better if I stay behind while you go ahead," she suggested. If there was something dangerous in there, being able to see or smell it would prevent a disaster.  

Then Oliver whispered, "M-maybe, I-I should go inst-stead... I have l-light, after all..." Though Isolde had to commend his bravery, Sukoshi's earlier comment gave her the impression that he didn't really want the kids going into the dark unknown. A sentiment she somewhat shared, but logically she knew that at some point they would have to.

"Oliver has a point, but I would request that if you go, Sukoshi, that he stays. I... need the light, " She admitted. She wasn't really scared of the dark, but it would set her mind at ease if she could see while guarding the kids.

Shadowmere's sky blue eyes looked over the group once more. She was lucky to of found such a nice bunch of Pokemon who didn't mind her intruding... And they all had such nice names too! She looked over each of them, their names flitting through her mind as she looked. Sukoshi, the Liepard... She looked at the dark cat, her muzzle twitching upwards with a smile. He was nice, leader-ly and he protects those younger than him. Isolde, the Vivillon... She switched her gaze to the white-winged butterfly, the one who screamed out for help, and the one who was kind to all. Oliver the Chimchar... Moving her head to the side, Shadowmere smiled warmly at the chimp. The monkey's red eyes showed age beyond the kid's years, and Shadowmere could only guess what they had been through. And finally, Oliver the Growlithe. Looking over at the excitable pup, the Houndoom found her thin wiry tail wagging with the pups, just not as vigorously as the Growlithe was.

"My mummy used to sometimes call me Ollie, so you can use that if you want so you don't get mixed up," Ollie and Oliver. It was a good way to know who was who. Looking to the side, Shadowmere didn't miss how the Chimchar's face fell at the nickname. Were they not comfortable with having a shared name? Well, Shadowmere had to think, she wouldn't either. "Ollie suits you," Smiling at the Chimchar, Shadowmere turned her attention back to Sukoshi, who uttered a simple praise to her, "Thank you for the offer to help." The simple thank you was enough to make Shadowmere beam inside. She had done something good for a change. "Ooh, can I come with you? I have a really good nose too." Looking over at Ollie, Shadowmere laughed quietly, watching the pup put his nose to the ground and start sniffing around for something of interest. "Let's make sure this one is safe first, before we split up," Shadowmere followed behind everyone, her eyes looking up and down the trees, buildings and streets around them. It was so much like like one she had been in a while back with her trainer. A small smile found itself on the Houndoom's muzzle as she thought of her trainer. He had been really nice to her, very much like Sukoshi was nice to her.

"Seems clear in the front," Shadowmere had not even noticed that the Liepard had left them for that moment. Her black and orange pelt burned with shame, scolding herself for not paying attention. "Humans are strange..." Opening her jaws slightly to form an 'o' shape, Shadowmere observed Isolde, her eyes looking the butterfly up and down. "H-have you never been a-around humans b-before Isolde?" She asked in a hushed tone, Looking to the side as she noticed Sukoshi start to say something. "Isolde-- want to check the back, to make sure it's safe? I'll stay with the kids. Maybe take Shadowmere with you?" At the mention of her name, Shadowmere let out a strangled mix between a strangled bark and a whine. She could make herself useful..? "I won't be able to see much in there without light. It might be better if I stay behind while you go ahead," Or not. Trying to build up courage to say something, Shadowmere opened her mouth, but was only able to produce a quiet whine. "M-maybe, I-I should go inst-stead... I have l-light, after all..." Looking over at Oliver, Shadowmere's gaze zoned in on the Chimchar's flaming tail. "Oliver has a point, but I would request that if you go, Sukoshi, that he stays. I... need the light." Finally, Shadowmere managed to open her jaws and squeak out a quiet, "I-I can make light t-too!"

Opening her jaws a little wider, so she was almost panting, Shadowmere's teeth sparked a few times, before lighting up with her Fire Fang attack. Dulling down the flames to a warm glow, the fire hound bashfully looked away. "I-I can also use my Flamethrower to make light, but this is the easiest one to control for me..." Her words wee almost mumbled, as though she was afraid that if she rose her voice, or tried to speak more confidentially, the hound would be punished. Which, knowing her past, was what Shadowmere had grown up to expect. Why would this group be any different?

Oliver followed Sukoshi over to one of the derelict houses, watching the cat as he sniffed at the ashy air. "Let's make sure this one is safe first, before we split up."
The pup's nostrils twitched as he examined the air as well and he nodded. "I can't smell anything weird," he said, trotting enthusiastically through the door as Sukoshi pushed it open. Oliver went straight over to one of the couches, jumped up and sank into its soft cushions. They stank horribly of damp and mold, but it was still a million times better than lying on cold concrete.

"Isolde-- want to check the back, to make sure it's safe? I'll stay with the kids. Maybe take Shadowmere with you?" Oliver rolled over onto his back, his head lolling over the side of the couch and giggling as he watched the rest of the group - they looked so funny upside down!

"M-maybe," Oliver said, "I-I should go inst-stead... I have l-light, after all..."
"Oliver has a point, but I would request that if you go, Sukoshi, that he stays. I... need the light."
"I-I can also use my Flamethrower to make light, but this is the easiest one to control for me..."

This conversation really wasn't very interesting. Oliver was quite happy to hang upside down for a little while longer while the big Pokemon made all the plans. Maybe Sukoshi would have an important job for him...

The icy snow brought up a good point: "I won't be able to see much in there without light. It might be better if I stay behind while you go ahead." The cat had not entirely realised that the others would lack his own night vision, something that only became glaringly obvious when Oliver added, "M-maybe, I-I should go inst-stead... I have l-light, after all..."

The Liepard's eyes flickered into the room, watching Ollie as the small pup bounced onto one of the intact pieces of furniture. "Oliver has a point, but I would request that if you go, Sukoshi, that he stays. I... need the light," Isolde added in a soft tone.
Sukoshi nodded, dipping his head. "You're right; I made a mistake. I can care for myself in case there is anything down there-- everyone else should stay with Isolde." He gave a small smile to the Vivillon that did not reach his tired eyes.

"I-I can make light t-too!" The Houndoom provided a second glow in the room with a restrained fire fang to go with Oliver's butt flame tail fire. The cat's eyes lit up in delight as he turned to her. "I-I can also use my Flamethrower to make light, but this is the easiest one to control for me..."
"That is perfect, Shadowmere." The cat turns then, his form slightly shimmering in the dark as he padded towards the hall. "I will return soon." Stepping into the shadows, his body vanished completely, the natural ability of going invisible taking affect as he wished to avoid being seen by anything potentially dangerous.

[ ooc: any mons who know human stuff can work on making sort of bedding in the living room, like cushions or gathering flamable paper to shove in the fire place so they can be warm if y'all like 8> ]

"Humans are strange..."  

They sure are, he thinks as he tunes out the conversation for several minutes.  His name catches his attention and jolts his heart.  "Oliver has a point, but I would request that if you go, Sukoshi, that he stays. I... need the light."

"You're right; I made a mistake. I can care for myself in case there is anything down there-- everyone else should stay with Isolde."  

"I-I can make light t-too!  I-I can also use my Flamethrower to make light, but this is the easiest one to control for me..."  Evidently, not good enough for Sukoshi to deem of help; the cat takes one look at her and delines the unspoken offer.  "Thank you for the offer to help."

"That is perfect, Shadowmere.  I will return soon."  Oliver shudders as the cat leaves their group-- he is strong, and he can't help but fear without him, they are not strong enough.  Still, he still doesn't smell rot...  Not that this means much with all the ash blocking my sense of smell.

Spotting an empty fireplace, Oliver scoops up some wood pieces from one of the broken chairs and tosses them into the grate, spitting a small Flamethrower at it and setting it alight.

"Th-there," the monkey mutters. "L-light."  The fire is kind of pathetic, but at least it's something.  What now?  Is he really stuck in a room full of strangers?  Anxiety sends nausea welling up in the pit of his stomach.  

(Feel free to ask Oliver human-related things; he's not going to offer because too nervous, but if someone points out he mentioned he was searching for his human earlier and asks him questions on the species, he'll answer)

In response to Isolde's comment about humans, Shadowmere looked shocked and asked, "H-have you never been a-around humans b-before Isolde?"  Frankly, Isolde wasn't sure if she had actually even seen a human, such was the isolation of her home. The butterfly Pokemon would have answered the question then, but the conversation turned to other matters first.

Sukoshi realized his mistake and admitted,"You're right; I made a mistake. I can care for myself in case there is anything down there-- everyone else should stay with Isolde." Isolde nodded as she listened to the cat, and she was prepared to protect the pokemon that he had placed in her care while waiting. She trusted that the cat would be able to take care of himself.

"I-I can make light t-too!" the older hound announced. Her fangs started sparking and soon her mouth was glowing with fire. The second source of light illuminated more of the human structure, and Isolde could better see some of the features of the house. "I-I can also use my Flamethrower to make light, but this is the easiest one to control for me..." Shadowmere continued timidly. This slightly confused Isolde as there was no reason for the hound to be embarrassed over her assistance.

"Thank you. The light definitely helps," Isolde awkwardly comforted the fire hound with her words. She didn't know what else to do, but she felt that she ought to encourage Shadowmere. The dog pokemon shouldn't be afraid of them if she planned on staying with them.

"That is perfect, Shadowmere." Sukoshi placated as he turned towards the dark hallway. "I will return soon." Almost as soon as he stepped into the shadows, his body disappeared, and that slightly startled and impressed Isolde. Being able to just vanish into darkness was incredibly  useful, and it slightly reminded her of how the Vivillon like her could escape into falling snow without a trace.

In Sukoshi's absence, Oliver started grabbing pieces of wood that had been part of larger structures, and threw them into a stone hole that was on the side of the building. She wasn't sure why the monkey was doing that until he set the pile on fire. "Th-there. L-light," he nervously explained. So humans made it so they could have a safe place to put fire inside their buildings. That was smart, she had to admit.

With even more light, Isolde could take inventory of the room. Ollie was lolling on a fabric decoration, that Isolde could not figure out the purpose for. The puppy seemed comfortable, so she wondered if that was related to the objects function. She then had a thought, and glanced back at their entrance. It was still wide open, and Isolde had to consider if that was wise. An undead could see them and walk right in. However... There was still the possibility of something being in here, and they would need a quick escape. As she stared intently at the wooden piece that was supposed to cover the opening, she stated, "It might be a good idea if we partially cover our entrance." Recalling Oliver's earlier comment about humans, and the fact that he had hands unlike Shadowmere, she asked him, "Do you know how to use that wooden board that covers it?"

The fire also drew her attention to the fact that there were reflective portions of the wall a little higher up. She flew up to one and looked at it intently, and found that she could see through it and see a faint reflection of herself and the room at the same time.  "Also, if you know if humans had an easy way to cover these things, we probably want to do that."

(Ooc: I wasn't sure if the windows were busted out or not, so if they were, I'll go back and edit. Also this was done on mobile, so when I get on later I'll fix any errors)

Tee hee! How could they all keep their feet on the ground when they were all upside down? Ollie expected them to just lose their footing and tumble down at any moment. He used to get Daddy to dangle him upside down by the tail when he was carrying him, only to fall onto his face with the dizziness whenever he put him back onto the ground. Where was Daddy...? His tail stopped wagging and he sat up, a soft whine leaving his throat as he watched Sukoshi leave.

He watched the other Oliver light a fire with some pieces of wood. Isolde began to say something about covering the flames up, but Ollie had already decided what he was going to do. He jumped off the couch and trotted over to the door, sitting down and gazing out into the calm, serene dusk.

"My daddy used to be a guard dog," he said, tongue lolling out of his mouth as he turned back to the others. "I'll watch to see if any monsters come." If Daddy could do this, then he could too. He was a good Growlithe; loyal and protective, just as Daddy used to say he should be. He'd start living up to his species' brave reputation right here, right now.

I'm not sure how much more of this I can take...  The chimp swallows hard, eyes darting around in the seconds-long silence that follows his words.  Did he say something wrong?  Or stupid?  It's been so long since he's spoken to anyone, much less a group and he could barely socialize to begin with; how is he gonna do this!?

"It might be a good idea if we partially cover our entrance."  Oh thank god an intervention.  "Do you know how to use that wooden board that covers it?"

Wooden board? Oliver blinks, face puckering in a frown.  What in the gods' green earth is she talking about?

He's distracted from his thoughts by the puppy wandering over to the doorway, plunking himself down in it.  "My daddy used to be a guard dog," he explains over his shoulder, tongue lolling and eyes bright and happy.  "I'll watch to see if any monsters come."  Poor child.  Does he honestly just not get how severe this entire situation is?

Or is he just brave enough not to let it bother him?

Wait.  His eyes are drawn to the door.  Wooden board.  Could that be what the butterfly means?  Does... does she seriously not know what a DOOR is?  Gosh, she must have been so isolated in the wild.  I wonder where she comes from...

Without a word he walks over to the door and pulls it closed.  "Sorry," he apologizes to the Growlithe afterwards, voice meek and body crouched-- he did kind of just pull it shut right in the puppy's face.  He might take offense.

But Sukoshi is not here, so that makes Isolde in charge, and she wanted it closed, so I had to close it.  Doesn't make potential backlash any more appealing...

"Also, if you know if humans had an easy way to cover these things, we probably want to do that."  He glances over to Isolde to find the butterfly fluttering near the windows, now.  His eyes move to the curtains and he trots over, pulling them closed.

"Curtains," he explains to her in a mutter as he returns to hover near the fire.

Ollie got off of his comfy perch to sit in front of the entrance and explained, "My daddy used to be a guard dog." He turned to look at them with his tongue lolling out, and volunteered, "I'll watch to see if any monsters come." While they very much needed to either block the entrance or keep guard there, Isolde wouldn't have picked the young puppy. She believed in his earnestness, but his experience would be lacking...

"It would be better if we could just..."Isolde began to explain. Then,  Oliver walked towards the entrance covering board and maneuvered it easily to block their passageway. "..Do that..." Her voice peetered out. She was still amazed at how easily it was to use those devices, and stared at Oliver in wonder.

"Sorry," the monkey muttered to the puppy, and then he came over to where Isolde was still fluttering in front of the see through wall. There was some long cloths hanging to the sides of it that she hadn't known the purpose of until he pulled them together and blocked out the sight of the burnt settlement. "Curtains," he explained and then returned to his place by the fire.

"Curtains..." she quietly repeated as she picked up the edge of the long cloth. It was a sturdy, colorful fabric that was coarse to the touch, and she couldn't help musing aloud, "Pretty... and practical..." She shook her head and released the curtain as she turned back to see if there was anything else they needed.  As far as she could see, there were no more clear walls to cover... so now they could focus on making the building comfortable for the night. She clapped her hands together, "Alright. I guess we pile wood and other burnable things somewhere close by and look for bedding."

"It would be better if we could just..." Isolde began, but the monkey Oliver wandered over, reached up, and pulled the door closed. Ollie quickly scooted backwards so it didn't bump him on the nose. "..Do that..."

"Sorry," Oliver muttered to him before wandering off. It was OK - Ollie understood why he had done it; so the monsters couldn't even get to them in the first place. He looked up to see a window with a chair resting near to it; he could keep watch through there instead.

But as he trotted his way over, Oliver pulled the two sheets of fabric on either side over the window, shielding it from view. "Curtains." Ollie hopped up onto the chair anyway, nuzzling his face into its cushion. Goodness, he was tired. Squeaking out a yawn, he sleepily watched the others continue to secure their little shelter. If he couldn't help, he might as well rest; he had a feeling he would need plenty of strength for the days to come.

Being in a house was... eerie. Sukoshi slipped through the shadows as nothing but a part of them, the only difference being the heart beating softly within his gaunt chest. The Liepard breathed in deeply, taking in the scent of the dusk and mold through the scent glands on the top of his mouth. The absence of humans in the cat's life was something he wished to repair, if ever possible, but the times were not so kind. Being within someone's home, a place of supposed sanction and security, was but one of many ghosts that haunted him. Sukoshi himself had never understood a 'home', far too many times being passed to and fro, sold and discarded. The concept was foreign, and that brought sorrow to the already tired cat's head. Ambrosia would enjoy the place. Of that he was sure. The Sylveon bounced to and fro so quickly, she would have become enamored with stroking the curtains or petting the Growlithe. The idea brought a rare smile to the Liepard's lips, though it was unseen by a soul both in the darkness and the invisibility.

Slipping through the hallway, there were three doors. If the cat still knew humans like he thought, the one would be the restroom, another a child's room, and then the largest bedroom. The three of them were all closed. Coming to the first one, the large cat's tail swept through the stale, cold air behind him. It was better to get the task finished with. No sounds came to the cat's ears barring the breeze outside, but the house was far too clean and not demolished. Have to make sure it was safe for the others. Pulling himself onto his hind legs, Sukoshi wrapped his large paws around the door handle; after several seconds or pushing and pulling it back and forth, the nob finally gave a soft click and pulled open. The Liepard waited as the door opened a few seconds, and when nothing jumped out, pushed it the rest of the way open with one shoulder. Inside, the air was so still that dust particles were visible, floating in the air. Without warning, Sukoshi halted, a shudder flowing through his body, before giving a sharp sneeze.

Otherwise, the room was eerily untouched. An involuntary chill ran through his fur as green eyes slowly scanned the walls, carpet, and single furniture bed. There was not a single drop of blood, nothing out of place. Colouring book pages were stamped over the walls in what could have only been done with the hasty hands of a child. A lump formed within the cat's throat, leaving him unable to speak even if he had the desire to. Toys were tossed on the ground in the corner, a little red Tyrantrum and a blue Bastiodon. The picture settled on the nightstand, beside the bed, caused the Liepard to physically flinch; inside it, there was a small child, maybe five, a mother, and a hugely grinning Bulbasaur supported between both the little girl's hands and her mother's. Around the pokemon's neck was a collar with a silver tag. Enough. Turning around, Sukoshi bounded out of the room, gripping the doorknob to pull it closed with his tail. There was no threat in the room. Time to try the next one.

Going through the same routine in wobbling with the knob until it opened, Sukoshi opened the door to the master bedroom without much difficulty. However, upon swinging the door open, the vile scent of dry, old rot assaulted the cat. Flinching violently and flattening his ears, the Liepard's eyes flickered left and right rapidly for the threat. However, the gore was old, and also not Pokemon, he learned as the sight in the room finally caught his attention. Blood splattered the wall behind the largest bed, a shriveled up human corpse on the old, stained comforter. Stepping forward cautiously, his nose confirmed that the blood was old, and cause of suicide, as the glint of a gun in the person's hand caught his eye. Sorrow gripped the cat, his emotions showing plainly on his face as the picture of the smiling little girl from the last room flashed in his mind. There was nothing else, though, and a quick glance around proved there was no other room or places to hide. Dipping his head gently, the cat backed out of the second bedroom, pulling the door closed with the same respect of the child's bedroom.

That left only the bathroom, something that the cat was growing wary of. Three times the charm and opening the door took no effort from the cat; however, as the door slowly swung open, Sukoshi's heart sank right through his paws and into the dirt. The sight before him could not be real. There was a standard bathtub, toilet, and sink, but around the porcelain was a brown rope, a leash. It wrapped around so much that it seemed like a small child had literally run around putting it into the most ridiculous places. Nearest the door was a bowl, a standard Pokemon feeding bowl, with mold and other vile things inside; clearly left alone for far too long. But in the middle of the room, tied up in the leash, was what used to be a Bulbasaur. Stepping forward cautiously, Sukoshi took in the dead, peeling skin and shriveled bulb. The species could survive on photosynthesis, but there was not enough sunlight from the small window high on one wall, and the bowl that held water was empty.

As the Liepard stepped silently, suddenly the gaunt body twitched, a weezing escaping what was once a child's starter as it gave what must have been a snarl, but the utter lack of water and food made it a rough hiss like sandpaper. The thing's body was sunken in, starved to death, but still it tried to reach towards the living cat with arms to weak to even support it if it had not been tied up. The red eyes still craved the flesh of the healthy, meeting the green eyes of the cat who could only watch with sorrow at the pitiful display. It must have lived, locked up, for a long period of time before slowly starving to death. The infection was only a few days away from completely killing the thing. Sukoshi felt tears welling up behind his eyes.

"...I'm sorry.."

The puppy does not take offense, thank Arceus.  The monkey remains seated in front of the fire, staring with tired eyes into the flames.  The walls don't feel like they're closing in yet--his anxiety isn't that high--but the room is painful to be in nonetheless.  The carpet smells of ash and dust, the paint on the walls is cracking.  Once upon a time this living room had been painted a pretty cream color, and judging by the windows, it would have looked a fantastic sight in the afternoon.  Bright, airy, and beautiful.

Don't look around...  But despite the very sound command, he finds he can't listen, his eyes moving from the fire to roam the room.  A lump rises in his throat at the sight of a pink teddy bear sitting against one of the legs of the coffee table--dusty and forlorn, it stares with black button eyes at nothing, waiting for the child who can never return to pick it up and love it again.  Perhaps a little girl?  A lot of little girls like pink... could be a little boy, or maybe a child who ascribed to neither, but dark brown hair bound up in a pink bow comes to mind, and... yes... the teddy bear is waiting for a little girl, he's sure.  Somehow.

A little girl whose body might be in one of these other rooms, for all his nose can tell him.  He feels sick.

"Curtains..."  His head snaps around to glance over his shoulder at the butterfly as she touches the drapes, taking the end of one in her hand to examine it.  The sort of stern face looks almost... childlike in its wonder.  "Pretty... and practical..."

"Mmhm," Oliver hums an agreement in her general direction, unsure of why he did it but unable to take it back now that he has.

"Alright. I guess we pile wood and other burnable things somewhere close by and look for bedding."  Yeah, that would make sense.  What else can they burn in here without having to resort to smashing furniture into smaller pieces?  His eyes light on the bookshelf and his stomach turns again.  No... maybe... maybe they can use those as a last resort... surely there's something in the kitchen...?

The dusty rose of the teddy bear catches his eye again and he snatches it up.  "Not the toys," he says, and the vehemence with which he says it startles him, but he rolls on through with it; can't stop now.  "And the books are a last resort.  Let's look in the kitchen.  Humans keep cutting boards in there; those are made of wood.  They should burn well.  And they have a fireplace, which means they might actually have logs specifically cut to burn in it stacked outside or near the backdoor.  We should check there, too.  They might still be there."

"Not the toys," Oliver stated with more fire than she had expected from the small monkey, and this slightly surprised Isolde. However... she wasn't really sure what he meant by "toys." She saw him snatch up a pink fuzzy creature that had been sitting on the floor. Since the thing didn't move or make sounds, she discounted it as a threat, and she had a vague feeling that was one of the "toys" he was talking about. "And the books are a last resort.  Let's look in the kitchen.  Humans keep cutting boards in there; those are made of wood.  They should burn well.  And they have a fireplace, which means they might actually have logs specifically cut to burn in it stacked outside or near the backdoor.  We should check there, too.  They might still be there." He began listing off things they can use, but she was overwhelmed with the words that she didn't know. She was glad that at least he knew what he was talking about, and that he knew enough to come up with several good ideas. Even had a back up plan if things didn't work in their favor.

The Vivillon stared at Oliver for a few seconds in near shock, and after collecting her thoughts, she stated, "I like that idea, but I'd prefer to wait for Sukoshi to return before we try to explore more of this shelter." They did have her and Shadowmere, but she felt safer with the cat around. She glanced back over to the fire and noted that they were not in any immediate danger of it dying from lack of fuel, and she said, "If you don't mind waiting... I'd like to ask some questions.  My knowledge of humans is rather... limited, and it would be better if I could put names to these things instead of vaguely describing them and hoping you understand what I mean." The very first thing she wanted to know about was the strange wooden board that could be easily moved, so she fluttered over to their now blocked entrance and asked, "First of all, what do you call these boards? And if possible, could you show me how to use them? If not now, perhaps later?"

She went back to the curtains, and gestured to them, "Also... What do you call those strange clear walls that the humans cover with "curtains"?" Also noticing the structures that Ollie had been laying around on, she decided to inquire as to what they were, "What are these soft... structures... the ones Ollie has been sitting on?" She sort of stumbled over the question because she wasn't even sure what to call them.

She then had a few questions on the words he was using that she didn't recognize. "I... didn't understand a lot of what you said earlier," she admitted, and the butterfly continued, "I didn't recognize a lot of the words and names you said." The pixel Pokemon elaborated, "What are "toys," and why aren't they good for burning? If toys are like that thing you're carrying... I guess I can see why you wouldn't want to burn them. It doesn't look particularly flammable. Also... What are books, and why should they be a last resort? What's a kitchen? I assumed that it's a name for a different part of the shelter, but I don't know if even that was right. Same about the "Backdoor" you mentioned."

As she looked at Oliver to ask the questions, her eyes were then drawn to the blue cloth around his neck. She had seen things like it before, but they had been on various victims who didn't survive the snowstorm. They always had the thick cloth on the same part of their bodies, and she had wondered what their purpose was. So.. if this Pokemon had  one, then that meant that he must know what it was. "Lastly... What is that blue cloth around your neck?"

((Skip me one more time. I'll be dualing Oliver, hopefully in time for my next turn.))

"I like that idea, but I'd prefer to wait for Sukoshi to return before we try to explore more of this shelter."  Oh, thank goodness.  The tightness in his chest loosens a little.  "If you don't mind waiting... I'd like to ask some questions.

Ohgodno.  

"My knowledge of humans is rather... limited, and it would be better if I could put names to these things instead of vaguely describing them and hoping you understand what I mean." Limited?  She didn't even know what a door was.  "Limited" is an understatement.  He raises an eyebrow as she futters over to said object and gestures to it.  "First of all, what do you call these boards? And if possible, could you show me how to use them? If not now, perhaps later?"

"That's a door, and yes, I can do that..."  Oliver's hands come up to fiddle with his scarf, watching as the butterfly returns to the curtains.  "Also... What do you call those strange clear walls that the humans cover with "curtains"?"  Her eyes move to the couch the little puppy is lounging on. "What are these soft... structures... the ones Ollie has been sitting on?"

"Windows and... w-well, the one he's l-laying on; that's called a couch.  Th-the two things on either side are called "chairs."  There're d-different kinds..."

She's... actually considering him an authority on this... isn't she...?

"I... didn't understand a lot of what you said earlier.  I didn't recognize a lot of the words and names you said."

Oh boy.

"What are "toys," and why aren't they good for burning? If toys are like that thing you're carrying... I guess I can see why you wouldn't want to burn them. It doesn't look particularly flammable. Also... What are books, and why should they be a last resort? What's a kitchen? I assumed that it's a name for a different part of the shelter, but I don't know if even that was right. Same about the "back door" you mentioned."  But she's not done with her questions, and as she turns her head to look at him for the answers, he watches as her eyes are drawn to his scarf.  "Lastly... What is that blue cloth around your neck?"

That last question, oh why.  Oliver flinches violently.  

Deep breath.  Pull yourself together.

"Well, I, um..."  He can't lie; he's far too nervous to even try.  What lie could he even tell?  "T-toys are special items for human children.  Th-they're supposed to help th-their brain develop right as they grow.  Y'know, the part that controls emotion and imagination.  Th-they grow very attached t-to these toys.  I-I don't want to burn them be-because there was a human child wh-who lived here at o-one point and burning them f-feels... disrespectful t-towards their memory..."

He shifts and swallows.  "Books are very special to humanity as a species; th-they contain humanity's history, their studies on the world, sometimes the stories they've invented.  It's... it's very much a peek into them as an entire species.  A-and the epidemic has already destroyed so many books because they're fragile-- fire and water both destroys them and they can get torn.  If all the books in the world disappear, that would... that would be very sad, for an entire species' recorded history to just be... gone.  But they are burnable, so if it comes down to it, we'll use them.  But I don't think we'll need to.

"A k-kitchen is where h-humans make and sometimes eat food.  Th-they're very delicate; meat has to be cooked for them to eat or else th-they get very sick; might even die.  There's lots of stuff they can't eat at all.  So a kitchen has e-everything that helps them make food they can eat.  They're a very creative species and sometimes they make the food look pretty, so a kitchen usually has tools for that, too.  It's a little weird, the "make it pretty" part, but I've watched them in action in the kitchen before and it's... kind of cool.  Adult humans sometimes use it as a bonding experience with their children, but it's also a bonding experience for everyone involved, no matter what age or even what species.  Lots of Pokemon can help with the prep--"  He's rambling.  "A-anyway, it's a location in the shelter, yeah.  Th-the back door's usually found in the kitchen; it leads outside the h-house to the back yard, which is u-usually a spot of empty land be-behind the house for play or relaxing."

He doesn't have to reveal everything about the scarf...  "I-it's a scarf... k-keeps the neck warm..."

Oliver doesn't realize until too late that as a fire type he doesn't need the scarf and that she will likely notice that and ask of it.

So doors were what one called the entrance covers in human houses, and the clear walls were called windows, Isolde internally mused. Oliver flinched violently, but Isolde couldn't tell if that was in response to the last question specifically or to the barrage of questions she just unleashed upon him. She gave him a questioning glance, but she stayed quiet as he took a deep breath to steady himself. Since she did just ask a bunch of questions, she knew his response was going to be long, but she didn't quite expect the monkey to be able to keep talking for so long. She paid close attention to his words and tried to commit  as many of them to memory as she could.

He first explained the toys, and while she didn't quite understand the value behind them, she did understand the sentiment of not wanting to destroy someone else's special items. As a young Scatterbug, she had little interest in playing, for she wanted to help their struggling swarm as much as she could. However, she and the others did have items or places they grew attached to, and only the mean spirited went around breaking or ruining those things. Otherwise losing them also caused pain.  Also, since it seemed like they had better options, there was no point in trying to use the toys for fuel when some of them looked barely flammable.

The explanations about the books, however, turned the butterfly's face pensieve as she keenly understood what the monkey was talking about. At least humans had more than just word of mouth to record their history. After the attack, many of the older Scatterbug and Spewpa had been killed, and any history they had of the swarm died with them. As the swarm rebuilt, they only had snatches that a few of them could remember. Everytime a story couldn't be finished, or a name could be brought up, but for no discernable reason, loss would weigh upon the storyteller and those listening. To remedy this, the various members worked to create new stories as they lived, and the results were starting to show as the next generation was born and raised. Isolde quickly shook her head away from those thoughts. Due to her... strangeness, she wasn't going to be a mother to that generation, and she had accepted the possibility of being a teacher. But then her oddity more or less got her kicked out of the swarm, and she was never going to be a part of raising the next line of protectors.

She managed to catch what a kitchen was, but she started getting lost as he kept talking about it. From what she could understand, it was where humans got their food ready to eat, and it was a place where the young and old helped out. The back door explanation was also easy enough to understand, and he was nice enough to explain what a "Backyard" in this context was. Then he answered her last question about the cloth, and he called it a "scarf." The purpose of the scarf made sense, however... if she was correct, he wouldn't need one...

"I see no reason for using the toys as fuel as long as we have options," Isolde began. "There are easier and better things to burn." She then sadly nodded in agreement about the books, "Losing one's history... can be felt for a long time. We don't have to use the books if we don't need to." In a questioning tone she stated, "From what I can understand... you are of a type that doesn't get cold easily... So I don't think you'd need a scarf. Do you have issues staying warm or something?" The question is simply asked out of curiousity and with no malice. However, the bluntness of the question could be misinterpreted.

((OOC: Skip. I need to read and catch up on what happened while I was gone.))