(ACE) The OLIVINE Team

"It is decided then. Our group shall welcome our two newcomers." With that statement it was over, and Etincelle released a held breath. A smile crossed his maw with a puff, his body excited to finally have things calm down and no longer tense over the yelling. He looked to Mel, ready to share the positive energy with her, but the Ninetale's face hadn't changed from her prior neutral expression. Feeling his energy fade Etin wondered why she was not rejoicing as well, but when he noticed her legs had not moved at all from their stiff position.. he realized she voted against them. With his face falling completely flat he wanted to cry, to gasp and beg the fox for an explanation. They had spent time together, alone with the Pokemon, hell Melanie even defended them when the time came! He didn't understand, did that mean nothing, did she want them to perish? Hurt stabbed him hard in the bleeding heart, a feeling akin to betrayal coming over him as he realized he had no idea what the large fox had been thinking.

But.. his better judgement prevented him from making a scene, and following Faux's guidance he dropped the matter in favor of food. He may have just eaten and gotten rid of the gnawing pain in his belly but he was by no means sated. The very thought of eating would have made his stomach growl once again were it not for the nauseating emotions. After a brief hesitation he muttered to Melanie, "I'll get us some," and trotted off with hurried steps toward the new spoils. The packs of berries were impressive compared to the minuscule ones that had been leftover before, and they looked more appealing to boot. While he had planned to simple grab a stemful it seemed they had mostly been picked clean, and instead he opted to grab an entire stack by the leafy base. "Let's eat over there." He suggested to the others, signalling with a nudge of his eat to move closer to Melanie. It wouldn't do her well to be forced to move once again, and with that he dragged the large stack her way.

Melanie was not surprised by the turn of the vote but she was still curious as to the sway. Had anyone else voted against them? Had Cinder and Faux cast votes or were they not allowed? It didn't matter to her, almost painfully so, and she shuffled her tails over Arry a little more. "Are you still hungry, Arry?" She asked gently, a smile returning to her face. "There is plenty enough to share now." Her own stomach churned with hunger. Between the fighting, the digging, her typing, and her injury, the fox had used an obscene amount of energy in the past day. The meager meal she had earlier had quelled her belly but the hunger didn't cease.

But she made no mention of it. She had the luxury of eating already and was not so ungrateful as to ask for more. Not when they had a growing child who needed it. Not when she was already a foot in the grave.. If brought something, if Etin shared his food with her.. her stomach growled greedily, and she could not deny the hunger she felt. A shuffling noise made its way up to her and the huffs of Etincelle as he dragged something were unmistakable. "Alright Mel," he cooed at her while rolling something between her paws. "That's the biggest one I see, so be careful." The fox nearly bit her lip. She felt ungrateful, unworthy, and greedy as she bent her neck down to tear into the berry without a single word of refusal.

Arry's tummy was growling still as the need for yummy berries was getting more up there. "Are you still hungry, Arry?" Mel asked the Aron. Of course he's hungry. Though Arry did feel sad that Cinder snapped at him. He just didn't want to see the two get forced out and possibly die because of something happened that was beyond their control. Arry looked at some of the berries and they was all nice and plump for eating. "There is plenty enough to share now." Sharing was something that he was always taught and the fact he loved being around Mel made him happy. The Aron started eating the berries and they was filled with fruity juice that made it yummy. He did wonder what the two newcomers would do? Are they going to join them or do they hunt for their own food? Guess he'll find out at some point but right now its berry time.

As Arry was about to take another bite out of the Oran berry he seen Mel tear into the berry like so. He couldn't do that but then again, Mel has done a lot yesterday that she's pretty hungry. Arry finishes one berry and the next one was a berry he didn't like to much. Chesto berries are supposed to be good but Arry wasn't one to eat them since they just don't settle with his stomach to well. So he rolls it over to Mel to share with her. "Can I give you this berry Mel? It makes me feel funny and I get tummy aches from it." With that he rubs up against her leg with love then goes to get another berry to eat and the next one was a delicious pecha berry that had a very juicy taste. "Mmm, this is very yummy." Arry said as he enjoyed the taste.

To her relief it seemed the rest of the group had settled back down regardless of their personal influence. Let it be hunger or just fatigue and need to move on each Pokemon made their way over to eat in turn. With a shift of her head the fox surveyed their wrapped up collection of berries. A quick visual examination and mental division proved more than enough to share, though the once overflowing bounty now looked meager with three extra mouths to feed. Regardless, she unraveled a bundle without a hint of concern, and would have selected something were it not for Etincelle's light suggestion of, "Let's eat over there." She looked up just casually enough to catch his gesture, though his proposition of eating by Mel would be a surprise to no one.

Watching Etincelle drag off an entire set of berries the fox only grabbed what she could reasonably fit within her mouth and trotted over toward the others. Already the Electrike was working to feed the larger fox, though it was unclear if the gesture was necessary or considerate. Not being her place to comment Faux settled down and allowed herself the chance to finally eat. I mattered not if the berries were over or under-ripe, her growling stomach was simply thankful for a sound meal.

There was now a calm in the room, the tension finally dissipating, but the negative emotions had not fully left. The new pair, while not that far away from them, had decided to huddle together closer to the window and place a small distance between them. The fox tried not to give it much thought, but Cinder must have. She sat with her back turned to them, positioned away to make a sort of proximity triangle between the groups. Was she protesting being near her friends, or refusing to take her eyes off the other Pokemon? Whatever the thought, she did not speak, and kept her paws closed around the small pile of food she had taken for herself.

Cinder's flames were bright hot, yellow leaning to white as they burned, but she refused to move or bend to use them. Instead the Quilava took each berry in her teeth and seethed out a small roasting flame with each exhale. It grew and shrunk with her harsh breaths, her mind still struggling to cope with the new 'decision' that was made. The once starving Pokemon ate quickly, but had no appetite after her ordeals. There was an effort to make small talk but she had nothing to add. What would she say, they'd have more food without them, that a fruit boom would be necessary thanks to them? Her uneasy stomach hurt more, and she tried to ignore the chatter entirely as she shoveled berries into her mouth.

"This is a lot of berries. I heard that every now and then, that there's a plentiful harvest when it comes to the right time of the year and with it a bunch of Sitrus berries grow not to far from here. At least that's what I heard from our trainer when we were younger." The fox nodded thoughtfully, her eyes nearly closed as she added the information to memory. Sitrus were the most potent medicine the natural world had to offer, and a full harvest would be an indispensable boon. Yet the fox felt her muscles twitching beneath her pelt. You said you're from Pallet. It wasn't unheard of for trainers to travel different regions, but that tidbit felt like a home-region rumor. With another bite of food Faux did her best to ignore the contradiction. It was light conversation, trust building, and she would not question new friends for something so trivial.

"Sitrus would be most beneficial, but it'd be unwise to travel right now." The undead could still be lurking, waiting for them to reappear and strike again, but she had to wonder if it was real. Would the field be alive without human caretakers, had natives stripped it clean, had the year been good enough for a boom in production? The variables fluttered to her as she gave it more consideration, but it was her spoken words that brought an epiphany. Mel. The large fox was unfit for such a distance, and Etin's limp was not much better. She takes priority. As helpful as they could be the fox doubted berries would be enough; they had to find treatment here before all else. Yet.. should she mention it, should she share the dire conditions they faced? "Besides, we need to find stronger medical supplies first, and they would likely be somewhere nearby."

Munching lightly on the berries he had grabbed, and trading off to replenish the stack within Mel's reach, the small hound ate his second meal of the day. With the amount of grief his stomach was giving him to dig in it was hard not to think of it simply as a continuation of earlier rather than a new meal, but he simply forced himself to eat slowly to prolong the meal. As the others settled in their chosen locations he listened to the light conversation that tried to fill the space. "This is a lot of berries. I heard that every now and then, that there's a plentiful harvest when it comes to the right time of the year and with it a bunch of Sitrus berries grow not to far from here. At least that's what I heard from our trainer when we were younger."

"Berries were real common where I come from." The hound mused aloud as he recalled the many places he traveled. "People grew huge fields of them, flowers too! There were a few Sitrus fields but the types used in poffins were the most common for sure." Tamato, Magost, and Grepas came to mind, berries he knew well but weren't known for their medical miracles. Sitrus berries. The Electrike shuffled awkwardly, his own injuries giving a twinge of pain to remind him they existed. "I wouldn't mind digging into a heap of Sitrus berries." Another twinge hit him, this time reminding him of how much he had eaten in comparison to the others. A hot wash of shame flooded his snout, and he looked awkwardly at his paws while slowly gnawing on another berry.

"Sitrus would be most beneficial, but it'd be unwise to travel right now." Faux kindly but firmly shot down Bastet's small suggestion, leaving Melanie to wonder where she had been raised. Back home berries were common, but not nearly in the way they were here. Shrubs produced much fewer, and rarely were they eaten simply as substance. Other fruits filled in for meals, such as apples, and non-medical berries were rarely cultivated or cared about. As she shuffled a berry about with her nose Mel knew it was one such berry, one that would not be wasteful to eat for the calories, but before she could grab it a small voice pulled her muzzle away from it. "Can I give you this berry Mel? It makes me feel funny and I get tummy aches from it." 

"Of course," she coos, feeling the soft nudge of the berry and affection from the small Pokemon. Nosing both gently with a returned affection she instantly recognized the firm, almost dusty skin of a Chesto berry, and plucks the hard fruit between her teeth. Setting it between her paws for just a moment she smiled at Arry as he grabbed another berry. "Did you Chesto berries help keep you awake?" She asked, keeping her voice light as yet another berry explanation came to her lips. "They have spores all in them that help wake you up and keep you awake. They can be really helpful in the right situation." Gripping it in her teeth the fox bit down hard to crunch the super firm berry. It crumbled before her might, chunking more like a nut than a fruit as she chewed its dry flesh. Faded memories of spore filled jungles reminded her just how helpful they could be, but that was neither here or now, and she ate it silently.

"Besides, we need to find stronger medical supplies first, and they would likely be somewhere nearby." The fox continued, her words alluded to their coming engagements. With the tiniest shift of his head Etincelle looked at Melanies swollen leg. You're talking about that, aren't you. Melanie was not fit for a long distance, even looking for supplies would likely be a lot on her, but a foreboding feeling overcame the Electrike at the thought of remaining in this building once again while the others left. After what just happened he didn't want to let anyone out of his sight, and refused to be any sort of liability or dead weight. "Maybe we should make something.. preemptive? You know, to help with any movements and whatnot."

Arry looked over to Cinder which he did feel needing some cheering up. Mel then said something to him. It was a berry fact that he didn't know about. "Did you Chesto berries help keep you awake?" Guess that explains the reason why he gets tummy aches. It was from the spores it has in it. He might just not be used to them since he never had them that much. Still, what Mel said might actually be handy if he was hit with something that was going to make him fall asleep. Arry however worried about something. Cinder wasn’t with anyone when she was eating. Seeing her alone was something he never seen but at least he was not the type to let her be alone. So he got the next berry which was a cheri berry and went over to Cinder. His eyes showing he still was a bit sad but he braved it to sit next to her.


Arry sat the berry down next to Cinder and looked at her with sad eyes. He didn’t want her to be mad at him and he still liked her. ”Cinder? C-can I give you this berry? Thank you for the berries Cinder. Also Pecha is yummy.” Hopefully she doesn’t get mad at him for giving a couple berries away to the others like Mel and herself. The Aron could already tell that the others would tell him no no, keep the berries, their his to eat, but it was kind of hard to say for sure if that would be the case. Even for a little tike like him, he had a big heart and a lot to learn still. Hopefully when things settle down outside that Rebel can show him how to fight and defend himself more better without being scared.

Faux thought on her own choice of words and how presumptuous they were. While she had surmised a battle facility would carry an array of medical supplies she knew the odds were not in their favor. After so much time they would have long since been raided or expired. But yet. If the powerful undead here meant anything there was still a good chance the items had been protected and remained for them to plunder. It was a hunch, little more than a theory really, but Faux liked those odds more than wandering off to find a berry field that had returned to nature.

Crunching through another bite of berry the fox silently wished for the input of the other Fire Type. The knowledge she had of this place would be invaluable in pinpointing their next target, saving them both time and pain. Her anger was valid but that didn't make it any more acceptable or convenient. Clacking her claws on the floor Faux took in another deep breath and told herself to give it at least the duration of their meal.


Even as her stomach filled Cinder felt nothing but a hallow, bitter emptiness inside her. How could she trust these Pokemon, her Pokemon? Didn't they understand these two were tangentially responsibly for murdering Rebel, their friend?? Hell, were they not at all weirded out by the fact they had no reaction to the undead Jolteon in the first place? That's kinda a big deal that got brushed under the rug. Squelching another berry in her teeth Cinder tried to ignore the deja vu from the isolated, almost lonely feeling she had since forgotten. Was she destined to go back to that?

”Cinder? C-can I give you this berry? Thank you for the berries Cinder. Also Pecha is yummy.” The tiny voice broke through her internal brooding, turning the Quilava's head with cold but surprised eyes. Arry usually stuttered and talked with a small voice, but something about this was off. Was he.. afraid of her? Of all Pokemon, was he going to turn on her too? Recalling all the screaming, shouting, and yelling she had just gotten through, and that some of it was directed at the small Aron, a hot wash of shame burned within her cheeks. Legends, she was a mess. Her face twisted with guilt, a grimace making things even more awkward as she tried to flatten it out to something.. less uncomfortable.

The kid was constantly asking for food, something she admittedly had been bad at providing, and it wouldn't do him any good to give up his entire share for bitter Pokemon like her. Yet.. maybe it was all the negativity inside her, or the constant disappointment she offered him, she could not find it in herself to reject him. "Sure," she breathed stiffly, trying to calm her voice down as she spoke softly. "How about a trade?" Rutting through the remains of her pile Cinder plucked the one Pecha that had fallen into it. Grabbing it gently by the leaves nudged it toward the Aron while scooping his curly stemmed Cheri toward her. "You should enjoy some too." She sighed before turning back to her pile of food. The satisfaction of collecting it had long since faded, and the simple joy of a meal missed her completely, but Arry didn't need to feel that way.

"Maybe we should make something.. preemptive? You know, to help with any movements and whatnot." Cinder's ears flicked toward the other conversation. She had forcibly made herself not a part of it but she couldn't help but listen in. Etincelle was being intentionally vague, as though Melanie's injury was some sort of secret. Did that mean he didn't trust the pair fully either, or that he was afraid to show weakness in front of them? "That could be wise. Though we should be careful about chosen materials." What, now Faux was being vague too? Cinder's eyes rolled toward the pile of debris on the other side of the room. Though they had burned it earlier she understood what Faux meant; it could still be a hazard on a wound and clean tree branches or planks would be better.

Still.. A brace would help but it was no solution. They needed something stronger, more potent.. human made. Though there was potentially more to the Battle Castle it was admittedly empty and contained little worthwhile discoveries in all there time here. If Faux really did mean to locate medicines they would need to branch into another facility, and while they had options Cinder found herself leaning on one more than the others. "We could search the Battle Tower. Its bound to have some potent stuff."

The fox shuffled her haunches. It was happening again; she was an issue, a liability, dead-weight constantly holding them up thanks to her stupidity. The good mood she had recovered was quick to start fizzling away, her painful leg laughing at her the same way her shadowed vision had. It's fine. She didn't want special treatment, she didn't want to be catered to or a burden upon her friends. Had their walk back to the Castle not shown that? She could do it, she could travel with them and never complain, but instead she would hold them up yet again by their own choice.

But the fox refused to let the souring ruin her meal. Instead of biting back she ignored the conversation about her for the other small talk. ”That kid is innocent to his very heart. Its disheartening to see young ones like him orphaned because of the undead. At least there was one undead I knew who actually wanted to be killed before he became mindless. He looked like he suffered a lot though.” It wasn't the lighthearted chatter she would have liked. The source being their Charizard didn't help, and her jaw clenched hearing about death both during a meal and around a child. It wasn't wrong, no, but the other fire type mustn't have been used to being around children. She didn't want to promote the particular conversation, but she didn't want to leave him hanging or leave these quiet. "Everyone suffers, regardless of the side they end up on. We just have to make the most of the time we have. Especially for the little ones." Was it futile...? She couldn't protect her best friend, her home was now abandoned, and she almost lost her own life, but.. Life is precious. I'm glad I met these Pokemon. Yes, no matter how hard it was they had to press on.

"That could be wise. Though we should be careful about chosen materials." Etincelle stared pensively at the floor. His father had taught him many common things a deep wilds Pokemon may have missed, but it was the deeply buried memories of his mother that came to mind. It had been so long since he last thought of her, but the gifted healer had shown him many natural remedies and methods. Could he remember them now, like a proper binding method to support Mel's leg? He wondered if these human relics had stronger materials than branches and vines. Nothing with rough bark. Nothing too green or flexible that wont be supportive. Taking a quickly sweeping glance at the others Etin realized they had a distinct lack of deft paws. Cinder and Mathias were their best shots, but neither were in a good position to help. "I know what kind of branches are best."' He voiced, offering himself to go search, but as his eyes fell upon Cinder she responded as well, causing the hound to flinch and shy his gaze away. "We could search the Battle Tower. Its bound to have some potent stuff."

While he did not know this place or the inner workings of human structures he did not doubt the Quilava's words. However, the last couple 'adventures' had sated his appetite for adventure and he feared they could lose more than they'd gain. "A tower? Don't tell me we have to ascend to it's peak." The little bit they had explored in the others had been bad enough. Levels and levels of undead and tormentors.. he shuddered at the thought. Shifting his sights to Mel once more he still wanted to make a brace for her, but he wondered how feasible it would be for her to be in such a place.

Cinder said something that Arry didn't really know what it was."How about a trade?" Trade? What's a trade? Is it something you eat? When he seen Cinder take the berry and gives him another one, the aron then knew what she meant. So that was a trade. Though from her voice, she sounded like she didn't want to be mean. Arry ate the berry Cinder gave him and it was good. Then they began to talk about something that might help them all out. "We could search the Battle Tower. Its bound to have some potent stuff." Did she mean that really tall place that went really high? The Aron was unsure if there would be places where they would need him to squeeze inside to open up places from the other side.

Arry wanted to help out but what if all of them told him that he's to little to help and he needs to stay somewhere safe? He doesn't want to hear anyone get hurt. "Cinder, is that the very tall place that goes almost to the sky?" The child said as he continues to eat the berry.

OoC)) Skip, Mathias just looks out the window towards the tower while Bastet explores the area a bit more.

"A tower? Don't tell me we have to ascend to it's peak." With a hard crunch and quick chew Cinder polished off her current berry before tossing her sights toward Etincelle. Her mouth opened, a jibe hanging on her lips for such a thought, but then her jaw tensed as she held back the coming insult. It's not like he would know. Despite her emotions Cinder held on to her awareness and knew not to fault the Electrike for his ignorance, especially given the name and truth of the matter. "Cinder, is that the very tall place that goes almost to the sky?" Arry added in, his innocence mirroring the electric Pokemon's and being much more endearing as he asked an innocent question. "If you went all the way to the top you would be in the sky! You could even look down on birds." She quipped playfully for the young one before looking back at the Electrike. "Hopefully, we shouldn't have to go that high. The Tower promo-ed a sort of battle chain system where you ascended with wins, so every floor should have a med bay. Some might be small but they are bound to have something given the amount of battles."

Curling her paws closer to her body the Quilava couldn't resist the feelings of nostalgia creeping up on her. How long had it been since she coveted that 100 win streak? To add the gold print to a growing collection, and display the gold trophy above all else.. Such dreams had become forfeit long ago, but the thought of resting upon the top of that tower, gazing down at birds and people below, still sent a tingle down her spine.
"How would we ascend, if need be?" Faux asked, interrupting her long lost daydream. "Assuming the worst and the bottom has already been pillaged, would we be climbing a stairwell?" Cocking her head Cinder wondered why that mattered. There was being thorough, and there was being difficult, the latter of which described Faux. "I think they used elevators. Round ones with glass panes that could see through the glass windows and show you how far you've climbed." Her voice trailed off, her lost childhood desperately wanting to stay as the fox continued to bring her back down to earth. "Without power it could be a long, slow climb." The fox tried to come at it at different angles. If Mel was to join the search she did not want to cause any extra strain on the fox. In an unsavory epiphany, memories of the awful Arcade found their way to the forefront of her mind. That building had been brought back to life somehow, and activating a single area would hopefully be easier. "Perhaps we could charge it temporarily, enough to travel up a floor or two. Rebel, do you think you have enough charge for an old battery?"

A sweet and bitter nostalgia hung in the air as their squad rested in a homestead that felt safe, homey even as they shared a meal of sorts amongst each other’s company. It was a commonplace in days past that felt like a dream now in times where it was lucky just to scrape by alive.

The two were nestled comfortably with their spoils, conversing happily and having what felt akin to a king’s meal. It was easy to ignore the tensions in the group for just this moment.

Their members discussed the prospect of ascending another facility and the obvious paranoia that a repeat of the Arcade was heavy.
"Perhaps we could charge it temporarily, enough to travel up a floor or two. Rebel, do you think you have enough charge for an old battery?"

He nodded to Faux while swallowing down a mouthful of berry messily. ”Oh, certainly. Batteries and things like that are fairly easy work— especially since they don’t hit you back. Usually.”

Miyu cocked her head with very obvious confusion. ”Usually?”
”I have lived an interesting life.”

"Hopefully, we shouldn't have to go that high. The Tower promo-ed a sort of battle chain system where you ascended with wins, so every floor should have a med bay. Some might be small but they are bound to have something given the amount of battles." Cinder spoke surprising calm, rational, and informatively. It was almost impressive given her current attitude, but instead of commenting on that Etincelle simply nodded with approval. "How would we ascend, if need be? Assuming the worst and the bottom has already been pillaged, would we be climbing a stairwell?" "A stairwell?" Melanie barked, an anxious peak edging her voice. Her many tails quivered, sweeping to reposition themselves as she held on to her composure. She would not complain, gripe, or seek special treatment. These Pokemon were already going out of their ways for her and she had no right to ask for more. Thankfully, it was not needed, as the duo bounced ideas of how to climbs without climbing. It made sense, and was a reasonable enough plan, but it still felt like a lot of extra handiwork for her sake.

"Perhaps we could charge it temporarily, enough to travel up a floor or two. Rebel, do you think you have enough charge for an old battery?" Pushing his pads into the floor the Electrike wished to volunteer. He wanted to do something, to help in some way as a fellow electric type, but not only did Faux specifically ask the stronger Pokemon he had to admit to himself it was the better idea. Despite his extra years he had only just learned to harness his electricity properly, and he didn't want to overload whatever this battery was. Was that what the Luxray hit? When they first found her she had struck something with a powerful bolt, was that the same idea? ”Oh, certainly. Batteries and things like that are fairly easy work— especially since they don’t hit you back. Usually.”

With that role covered Etin simply wanted to find his own niche. There had to be something he could do or offer, but everything he thought of was covered by someone else. I'm small and fast. Both Arry and Miyu were smaller than him though, and his signature speed was lost with his injury. It was disheartening to realize, but instead of wallowing he tried his best to make some sort of suggestion. "Would they have packs or something to carry things? We should bring whatever we can back here." Again, he realized the larger Pokemon would serve better as pack mules than him, but he ignored that fact as he got to his paws. "I'm going to find some branches." He announced coolly, and with a gentle nuzzle against Melanie's check made his way toward the door. "I shouldn't be long." Even if he couldn't think of something to offer during their venture he knew how to make himself useful for it.

"If you went all the way to the top you would be in the sky! You could even look down on birds." That sounded cool. Maybe if the tower has no undead and they got to the top at the ned, maybe they can look at the stars. Arry mused at the thought of his idea. Though the chances of there being undead is there but since they got a Charizard and an Espeon, they could defeat the undead faster. Hopefully Cinder isn't mad at the charizard still. Arry couldn't help but feel that this might pull them more together and forget about the bad things that happened earlier. There was one thing he did want to ask Cinder if they could see the stars tonight if they get can rid of the bad pokemon in the tower. He really wanted to see the stars with everyone and see a shooting star. Hopefully it doesn't rain or the clouds don't cover the sky. Oh, Arry was just getting ecstatic about wanting to see a shooting star.

The Aron then says something. "Can we see the stars tonight if we get rid of all the bad pokemon that is in the tower?" Though chances are that the humans could have crafted some nasty traps that would lock intruders in a room. However that thought would be easily escapable since chances are they didn't do anything other than take what they could and leave without anything.

With a bloated belly and an awfully loud burp, Miyu flopped to the floor and decided to occupy every bit of personal space Rebel had. She batted at his chin with a paw, that worrisome and mischievous glint in her eye once more.
“I was just thinking about Taima.”
Rebel’s brow shot up in sudden surprise, as if to say go on.
“D’ya think we’ll see her again, Reb?”

He shrugged his shoulders dismissively and smacked Miyu’s continuously prodding paw away from his chin. “It wouldn’t surprise me. That bitch would tell the grim reaper himself to fuck off and he would do it.”
She giggled and rolled around in front of his paws. She came to a halt, her expression falling a bit as she let out a sigh. “We were happy. I don’t understand why she left.”

"Can we see the stars tonight if we get rid of all the bad pokemon that is in the tower?"

Miyu shot to her feet in record time and drew in a gulp of air, dramatically holding her jaw open in preparation to say something that just seemed to slip away…
“STARS!” She blurted out finally, waving her tail frantically as though these were her last words. “I would love to look at the stars! Can we? Pleeeeaaaseeee?”

Rebel sighed. Better this than discussing old flames…

The bright light of the midday sun was enough to reawaken the Electrike as he trotted with purpose. A sturdy branch. He told himself over and over, his newfound quest filling him with determination. Breaking into a run he tore off for the nearest tree, ready to check each and every one if he had to. Traveling on his own should have been frightening, worrisome even, but between his fixation on the task and his solo venture this morning all fear seemed to of vanished from his synapses. Besides.. running was his best quality-! But by the time he made it to his first tree the wound on his hip had had enough. The twinging pain heavily reminded him of its existence, and as he glanced back at it he half expected the thing to be oozing blood once more.

Gritting his teeth the Electrike pushed past it. This was for Melanie! Circling the small copse of trees he sniffed and clawed at them, checking their health as best he could. The bark was crumbling off the first, peeling in a way that sent a chill down his spine. The second was large, so large he had no way to reach the branches he would need. Peering at the third he could only thank the legends that it seemed both healthy and small enough to assist him. Bunching his haunches he charged with the best Quick Attack he could muster and ignored the pain in his side as he blindly scaled the rough bark and came to an awkward stop at the first branch. "Okay!" He barked to himself with a huff, surprising himself with how well that went. "Now to find the perfect branch."


Pawing awkwardly at her remaining berries Mel suddenly lost her appetite. Forcing another in her maw she just didn't have it in her to want to eat anymore. By the sound of things the others were close to if not completely finished with their meals, and without Etin to pawn off her fruit to it was a bit uncomfortable to have extra before her. "Can we see the stars tonight if we get rid of all the bad Pokemon that is in the tower?" Arry asked, his voice light with the awe and wonder of a child. What a blessing it was to still enjoy the wonders of the stars, to gaze upon the constellations and.... The fox stopped chewing. All at once she remembered.. she would never gaze upon the stars again, nor would she see the silvery glow moonlight always gave things. With what was left of her vision she would be lucky to pinpoint the direction of the moon.

Her stomach gurgled, daring to make her lose her breakfast as she pushed the epiphany down further and further. Get over it. That was her life now, her reality. No one needed to pity her and she shouldn't wallow in something she couldn't change. With an atrociously rough swallow she forced a smile in Arry's direction, following up Miyu's excitement with something a bit more mellow and playful. "I dunno, it'd have to be awfully late to get a good view."

OoC)) Skip, gonna skip this round.

”Oh, certainly. Batteries and things like that are fairly easy work— especially since they don’t hit you back. Usually.” With an approving nod the Faux continued making her mental plans and back up plans. "Excellent." She said curtly, knowing that the travel reduction was only an if; there was no telling if a battery would jump after all these years. "Would they have packs or something to carry things? We should bring whatever we can back here." The male Pokemon's mix of a question and suggestion received a tilt of the fox's head. "It's not beyond reason," she started pondering aloud before another voice chimed in. "You planning on bringing back the entire center?" While sarcastic as fuck, the words were not unkind, and with a more positive breath Cinder continued, "They gotta have medical pouches, or plastic bags, or just something we could use. Hell, a hat could probably work if we had to use one." The idea of biting onto a brim and soaking it through on their walk back was oddly nostalgic and got an pleased grin out of the otherwise tilted Pokemon.

While the girls were mulling it over Etincelle had other ideas. He stood, turned, and before objections could be made trotted to the door while announcing, "I'm going to find some branches. I shouldn't be long." He did not request assistance, and seemed more confident than she had seen in a while. "Watch yourself." The fox barked, unsure if he had even heard her as he slipped past the door. Don't do anything stupid. Before she could worry for him a tiny voice piped up. "Can we see the stars tonight if we get rid of all the bad Pokemon that are in the tower?" The fox was quiet as she wondered how the child put two-and-two together. Sure, the tower would bring them closer to the sky and above the treeline, but they could just as easily see them from ground level. There was nothing restricting skywatching to the tower, but others voiced their thoughts before she could spoil the fun. “STARS! I would love to look at the stars! Can we? Pleeeeaaaseeee?” Miyu was equally if not more excited, and Mel teasingly played along. "I dunno, it'd have to be awfully late to get a good view."

While the fox couldn't muster the same enthusiasm she refused to spoil the moment. "The beach would be even better," Cinder threw in her two cents with a paw to her chin. "On a clear, calm night the entire sky would be reflected in the water. It'd be like doubling the amount of stars!" A beaming grin spread across her maw. Could they see the beach from the tower? Would they have a chance to climb that high and check? It was just a silly idea but Cinder couldn't help but get caught up in it until another voice joined in the fun. "You know, this might sound like something unexpected but perhaps if a shooting star comes during the night, it would be something the kids would love to see." Within seconds her good mood was whisked away, and with a flat brow Cinder sneered, "If only we had that kind of luck."

The good time had vanished from her eyes, but Faux was not about to let another fight break out. Rising to her paws the fox felt a prickling unease when she realized the psychic was no longer with them. Ger disdain for the type was enough to make her feel on edge, and with a flick of her tails she sought to dismiss any further lollygagging. "Right," she stated while taking a few paces through the room. "We would need to secure the Tower before any stargazing can even be considered." It appeared as though everyone had ate their fill, or at least been stated enough to slow their consumption. Other than Etincelle there was nothing to hold them up any longer. "Retrieve the other." She ordered Mathias, refusing to let anyone be caught off-guard by a sneaky psychic. "The sun is high; we don't have excess daylight to burn." With one last sweep of her many tails she trotted toward the doorway and waited with a steady gaze for her party.

The adults were talking business again, and Miyu would have nooo part of it today! No siree. She writhed around playfully on the floor despite her faulty leg, and despite tensions threatening to rise up amongst the others once more. She looked at the freshly living Jolteon’s eyes pleadingly, and with a huff he rose to his legs and gestured to the doorway with his snout.
“Squirt here is bored. We’re going to take a stroll I think.” Rebel stated, the last of his sentence almost entirely drowned out by the cheers of happiness by said Eevee.

He made a wave with his paw to their friends and headed towards the doorway, stopping only momentarily to wait while the Eevee bounced over to her friends and grinned widely.
“I’ll be back soon!! Bye guys!”

And with that she bounded.

The sun was warm and bright, and reminded her of a cozy blanket in a safe place. It filled her with a happiness almost lost to the world now, and for just this moment it was almost like deja vu pulling her back to better days.
“Let’s have a picnic! There’s plenty of berries out here still!”

Rebel chuckled. “We just ate, and you’re hungry again?”

She stuck her tongue out at him teasingly over her shoulder and started to bound away.

“Stop!!”

She got the warning too late and whipped her head forwards with only enough time to see the start of her descent. She began tumbling down a steep, rocky hill— she couldn’t see anything but blurs of colors, and as her fall neared it’s finale, blue flooded her sight.

Rebel shot down the hill after her, sliding through the loose soil and dodging stones to the best of his ability. He wasn’t fast enough to stop her from plunging into the creek and being swept away but by god he didn’t hesitate for a moment to leap in after her and paddle like the world depended on it— as far as he was concerned, it did.

It felt like centuries he swam for her. Every second dragged on and on like a cruel, mocking joke as adrenaline coursed stronger than ever before to save her before she drowned. Her small body had gone limp, and he wasn’t sure how long she had been unconscious. Did she hit a rock on the way? Was the panic too much?

Had she drowned?

Her body caught on a thick pile of wood - sticks, logs, brush - all bunched together in a messy heap. He didn’t ask questions, he just increased his pace against even the worst of the aching and burning of exertion, and grabbed a mouthful of her waterlogged fur in his teeth before making strokes to the shore.

He dragged himself and Miyu onto land and collapsed beside the unconscious Eevee. There was a puddle of blood forming near her mouth and hysterical would’ve been an understatement in describing the Jolteon’s demeanor. He hurriedly checked her wound— it seemed she had bitten her tongue as she fell if he had to guess, and thank the Gods he felt small breaths coming and going from her mouth. He just laid there for a moment, taking a moment as the adrenaline wore off and exhaustion took an extreme hold.

“... What happened…”

He gave a sigh of relief, as her soft voice followed by vomiting water up confirmed she really was okay.

“You fell. You ended up in this here river and… we’re a long ways away from home…”

“Can we go home?”

He cringed. It wrenched his entire being that she’d found a home amongst this hellscape, and now he had no way of knowing how to get her back there.

He shook his head quietly and tried to ignore the sounds of her sobbing.



((Leaving post. I hope I can come back someday but I have too much going on right now to maintain all my characters anymore.))

"You know, this might sound like something unexpected but perhaps if a shooting star comes during the night, it would be something the kids would love to see." Though she cracked her teeth Mel was struggling to keep her smile passable. "Where I come from.. some Pokemon believe shooting stars let Jirachi hear your wishes." Granting them was a whole 'nother venture, but the kids didn't need to know that. If only. So many problems and more could be solved if the Wishmaker was here. “Squirt here is bored. We’re going to take a stroll I think.” Rebel announced, surprising the fox to say the least. “I’ll be back soon!! Bye guys!” She worried for Faux's reaction at such a crucial time, that she would force them to stay, but the other fox remained ever calm and quiet. "Be safe!" Melanie called out to them, a sharp inhale following her breath as she realized her words echoed Faux's. She had trusted Etincelle to go.. she had to trust them as well.

After the sound of their pawsteps disappeared outside Melanie seemed to lose track of time. The conversation died out and she no longer had an appetite to occupy her. How long were they sitting together? How long was their meal, their rest? They needed supplies, her most of all unfortunately, but being allowed to lay still was a true luxury. As grateful as she was for it like all luxuries it ended all too soon when Faux instructed the Mathias. "Retrieve the other. The sun is high; we don't have excess daylight to burn." They were moving already? Protest hung on he large Pokemon's lips, "Shouldn't we wait for the others?" she argued, but as if her body disagreed with her own complaints it started to work its way into a standing position.

The fox flicked her tails around and shuffled her backlegs. She would not complain, nor would she ask for help. With a deep breath she shifted her weight, moving her center of gravity as best she could to her rump as she extended her good leg. Shifitng enough weight to it to push up with her back legs she puffed out the air she had taken and took in a few more gasping breaths. Her blood was racing, pain shooting from her leg and stiffness in the others. For a few seconds she thought she would tumble over once more, but with another readjustment of her many tails she found her balance once again.

"I'm back, I'm back!" A loud bark echoed through the doorway in hurried puffs. The clunky steps of high paws followed as the Electrike tumbled his way back into the Battle Castle with a sturdy branch in tow. "Sorry I took so long!" He wheezed, dropping his spoils at Mel's feet. The multiple thunks only received a small tilt of her head, the fox's thoughts clearly distant as she spoke in a quiet, tense puff, "Welcome back." Giving her a gentle nuzzle the small hound hoped to ease any maliase she was feeling, and quickly set to work with the skills of his forebear. "This should only take a moment," he soothed, and with ginger taps shifted Mel's leg into place. Using skills that were once all he knew Etincelle nudged the branch into place along with the other breathable materials he had collected. Winded vines and clothe alike around his support he pulled and tightened as much as a pawed animal could, and tired it off just as he had been shown. Taking a step back from his work Etincelle felt his paws tingle with a long lost pride as his mother's skills, and airily asked, "That should hold you."

Placing her leg awkwardly on the ground the fox could still feel the pain in the brake, but the brace offered her enough support that she did not need to hold it up. "Thank you," she cooed, licking his cheek gratefully. The moment was quickly soured as the fox recoiled at the bitter tinge in his fur. "Oh-- You taste like.. treesap and blood." She whisperer directly into his ear as she nuzzled him instead. "Oh!" He gasped, before rubbing awkwardly at both cheeks. Green to yellow and white tree sap had dried to his pelt from gnawing the branch free, and he rubbed until his paws were stained the same color. "Yeah, trees'll do that."

OoC)) Skip. Arry is sitting by Cinder waiting to see what they're going to do and he didn't see or notice Miyu and Rebel left.

Seeing the jolteon and eevee leave kind of was heartbreaking and what of the aron? That kid might not know how to fight well enough and if they all was in battle, he would be in danger. ”Retrieve the other.” From the sound of Faux’s voice, she didn’t trust Bastet. He didn’t blame her though since they did have a deadly encounter with an undead. Still he doesn’t believe them when it comes to his brother. ”The sun is high; we don't have excess daylight to burn.” Right, guess he would have to go find her. However before he could move he felt Bastet’s psychic powers reconnect to him.

Bastet comes from the corner and sees them. ”I’m here, sorry. I was just looking around to see how much I would have to use my power to detect undead.” Wait, where was Miyu and Rebel? She could have sworn that they was fine. Looking at Mathias first thinking he might have said something by accident, she read his mind but he didn’t do anything. Maybe they did just leave to do their own thing. ”So what’s the plan?” Ah yes, the plan. A plan is always needed to keep everyone safe.

Mathias couldn’t help but have a light smile to Bastet’s willingness to keep everyone safe. However, she would need to hear what they’re doing first. ”Bast, we should hear what we’re doing first and if we’re being divided. We’re going to the battle tower so likely we’re going to have to scale the tower.”