(ACE) The OLIVINE Team

Faux was ready to go, and while she waited for the others gave her face a quick wash. The sooner they left the sooner they'd be back, and she could know they were all in a safe environment. “Squirt here is bored. We’re going to take a stroll I think.” Rebel voiced calmly, already heading out. "What? Now? But we-" Cinder gasped, her voice filled with concern above all the other bubbling emotions. Why, why now? She couldn't help but feel like it was her fault. Between all the yelling and griping it hadn't been a pleasant place to be, and no one could fault wanting some fresh air. Regardless if that was the reason or not the pair seemed adamant on taking a walk and made their way to the door. “I’ll be back soon!! Bye guys!” Miyu chirped, her sweet voice breaking through to get a quick, "have fun!" What was she to say, don't go, be quick, please stay? That kid deserved so much, and being rude was not one of those things.

"Be safe!" Mel called out as well, the echoing of her voice making it painfully clear how empty the room was now. Cinder shuffled, her breath tense and fast as she tried to ignore the feeling. Maybe Faux had the right idea, and now was as good a time as any to get going. Getting to her paws she took a couple of stiff steps toward the door when a voice rejoined the group. ”I’m here, sorry. I was just looking around to see how much I would have to use my power to detect undead.” Feeling her pelt prickle the Quilava clenched her jaw to prevent the snide remark from sneaking out. You think we wouldn't secure our own base? After everything that had happened it was an insult for her to even consider the idea.

”So what’s the plan?” Bastet followed up, with Mathias quickly echoing a similar thought. Faux was grinding her teeth again, something she would undoubtedly feel later, but she was grateful for both Pokemon's willingness to work with them. "Investigating the Battle Tower, starting now. Once we survey our destination we will know if the group must split or not." She flicked her tails, signalling for them all to head out, but instead she was met with protest. "Shouldn't we wait for the others?" The fox hesitated for only a heartbeat. Yes, they should, but despite how lax they had been they needed these supplies. "They know where we are headed and where to meet up with us." Faux said calmly, as though nothing had changed. This was not some spur movement, nor had their shelter changed; the others could find them all one way or another.

However, despite the confidence in her voice the Vulpix doubted the safety of her companions. That demon could still be outside, and if it chose to pick off stragglers there was little any of them could do about it... "I'm back, I'm back!" A peppy cry soared through the room as a blue blur barrelled past the fox and broke her train of thought. "Sorry I took so long!" "Welcome back." Melanie spoke with much warmth to her voice, revitalized as her partner rejoined them. Without any hesitation he started to bind her leg, a skill Faux never knew him to have, but his work was quick and efficient, and she could once again bark, "Good, now let's move out." This time she did not wait for argument, and her multiple tails disappeared through the threshold.

Stiffly padding after her Cinder trotted at her own pace. Attempting to let the fresh air soothe her rattled nerves she wanted to rid herself of all those past transgressions. Curiosity was the first thing to come to mind, to ask where Etincelle learned such a trick and why he had forgotten it earlier, but several fluffy tails forced her paw. Faux had taken the lead, of course, but as the resident expert on the Battle Frontier Cinder knew that was her rightful spot. Quickening her pace she shouldered her way past the fox to the head of the group, and called back to the others, "'Tower usually got the most traffic and hype, so there should be multiple lifts. Odds are one of them is in good condition still."

Wiping off the last of the smudging and fluffing up his pelt to brush off any excess dust Etincelle stood proudly before his handiwork. Somehow, it just felt right in his paws, and while not the nicest looking splint it would more than suffice for their short journey. "Good, now let's move out." Faux was quick to usher them along, giving the Electrike no time to settle or bask in his emotions. With a gentle nudge from the Ninetales the pair started to make their way forward, their steps easily falling inline with one another as they moved in unison. Tossing his head back Etin yipped with a cheery smile, "Come on, Arry!" His short tails wagged as he rested his gaze upon the child, but in the same breath he realized their other one was nowhere in sight. Cocking his head to the side he asked Mel ever so gently, "Where's Miyu, and Rebel?"

As the pair breached the threshold and could feel the cool breeze and warm sun, Melanie took a few moments to take it all in. Sure, they had been outside not that long ago, but the stark sensation was pleasurable nonetheless. "They were feeling jittery and went for a walk. They'll probably be back before us~" She soothed, reasurring the smaller Pokemon as their paws met the stone pathway. Etincelle adjusted their course to follow the others, though they were still close enough for Melanie to hair their steps, and said nothing more on the matter. Though her leg was still stiff and in agony the Ninetales grew more confident with each step, and dared to put more weight on her leg as they walked. Were she not so painfully aware of the injury the fox could almost fool herself that it had not happened.

A peaceful walk. The idea sounded lovely, and were it not for the circumstances Etincelle would have requested the same. Pressing slightly closer to Melanie, he could almost imagine this walk to be said stroll, except the griping was quick to start up once again. "'Tower usually got the most traffic and hype, so there should be multiple lifts. Odds are one of them is in good condition still." His brow flattened, confused as to why she chose to blurt out the extra information. Couldn't they just enjoy the fresh air while they had the chance? By the next breath the moment seemed to pass, and instead the electric type chose to fill the air with conversation. Looking at their newest companions he tried to recall the intros they had given him. "You two said you're from Pallet, right? Is that far from here?" As a wild Hoenn Pokemon the Electrike had little concept of foreign locations, and hoped to stir some sort of small talk from it.

Arry looks around for Miyu but she wasn't around. Did they leave without telling him goodbye? He was about ready to cry as his friend was nowhere to bee seen. The others was talking and soon some tears welled up. "'Tower usually got the most traffic and hype, so there should be multiple lifts. Odds are one of them is in good condition still." Without Miyu though, it would be hard for him to see stars with her. All he could hope is that Miyu will be okay where ever she is. Even then, Arry still spat out what he was gonna say to Cinder. "Cinder, I can't see Miyu anywhere! She ran away!" Not only that, Rebel was also gone so that makes it even more difficult to learn how to fight and protect the others. Guess that only leaves those here that can teach him. Arry looks at Mathias seeing that he maybe the one to teach him but the Espeon would be more fitting. Either way, that tower will be climbed and he will see the stars. He's just gotta see them.

"'Tower usually got the most traffic and hype, so there should be multiple lifts. Odds are one of them is in good condition still." That old tower? Mathias wasn't sure if there would be a lift in good condition but knowing humans, they always had a backup plan in case the power was completely out. Though there was a risk. The Undead would likely be hiding behind the doors. So if one of the lifts does work. It would likely need an electric type to send an electrical current into the generator. However there was also a risk that the humans might have left some explosive traps via claymore mines or something or something of the sort. Regardless, Bast had been in the military enough to know that this would be unlikely since Battle Tower wouldn't have much importants to the military. This had Mathias thinking. Maybe some of the terminals that stores the final moments when the nightmare started would be in the data banks. Then again, he's as clueless to computers as an old person would be.

Bastet heard Arry and she felt sad for the kid. His best friend had ran off and who knows where she would be now. The Espeon used her power to see into Arry's mind to see why he was scared and alone. After seeing the incidents that had occurred she understood something. This kid was way to innocent and scared of fights. This looks like it will be a team effort to help him face his fears. There was also one other thing. He sees Miyu as his best friend in the world. This touched her heart quite a lot. She then asked. "What chances are there that we maybe facing some formidable undead in the tower?"

Mathias didn't pay that no mind, he always liked a good challenge to get stronger then maybe he could protect the others more better. Bastet though was more useful in Psychic combat, he was more better with close range and burning things at point blank if it came to that. The Charizard then responded to Etin's question "Pallet Town? Well, its a quite town in the Kanto Region. Not to many people live there."

The vexed Quilava held her head and ears high as she walked. Out of all these Pokemon she was their resident Battle Frontier expert and she wanted to be respected as so. Stamping her paws hard against the ground with each step Cinder flexed her jaw side to side, her irritation not allowing her to settle either physically or on that thought. Sure, she did know the most, but who was she claim and forcibly take respect? It made her stomach turn, her own anger making the feeling bubble up to her throat as she delved deeper into her own attitude. Had it not been for a squealing voice she could have screamed from her own frustration, but instead her ears were sent in the direction of the cry and followed quickly by her entire head. "Cinder, I can't see Miyu anywhere! She ran away!"

The void feeling of walking away from the Battle Castle without the Eevee beside them was palpable, but hearing Arry's fervent cries did not make it any better. "No no," she soothed, eyes going wide and teeth awkwardly clenched as she vainly tried to pacify the child. "She's fine, she's fine. Miyu just went for a walk with Rebel. They needed some time away and they'll be back, okay?" Such attempts to be calmly felt forgein in her tongue, and silently the Quilava wished Miyu were here to help instead. But if she was this wouldn't be happening. With an awkward forced smile, the Cinder pointed her snout forward once more, and tried to distract herself with measuring the amounts of steps they would take before reaching their destination.


Faux was quiet. Her fur prickled with unease, and her mind screamed to put the other fire type back in her place, but she withheld her tongue for the greater good. There was no point in arguing or starting another fight, and while the information she had given was moot it was not invalid. "You two said you're from Pallet, right? Is that far from here?" Etincelle chirped, his willingness to start conversation a welcome distraction for the fox. "Pallet Town? Well, its a quite town in the Kanto Region. Not too many people live there." As a Kanto native herself the fox knew that to be correct. The quiet, rustic town was a breath of fresh air compared to the many, more developed cities.

However, it did not answer the question that had been asked. Injecting herself into their conversation the fox answered plainly, "The Johto region here is attached to Kanto, though its mostly a harsh, tall mountain that combines them." Mount Silver was not a place for the faint of heart, and the fox could not imagine how much more unforgiving it had become with the epidemic. "Pallet would be one of the closest cities relatively speaking, but it's far to the east and it would be a long journey on foot."

"Pallet Town? Well, its a quiet town in the Kanto Region. Not too many people live there." The small Pokemon cocked his head to one side as he pondered the idea of a quiet town. Humans were always busy and loud, it was hard to imagine any sort of settlement being silent like they were these days. "The Johto region here is attached to Kanto, though its mostly a harsh, tall mountain that combines them." Faux informed him, her description vivid enough for the electric type to picture it. "Pallet would be one of the closest cities relatively speaking, but it's far to the east and it would be a long journey on foot."
Etincelle had traveled a long, hard road to get to this place. He had run across mountains, forests, and beaches in his plight, none of which were easy roads, but hearing Faux discribe something as long and harsh was enough to make his knees buckle. "Well, maybe it's been sheltered from all this then. Staying quiet and blending in, and a rough path to get there, may as well be a sort of natural protection." Letting his paws scuff the ground as he walked the Electrike could hardly believe his own musings. His home, well, one of them, had been a secluded cabin deep on a mountain, and it was still annihilated.

"What chances are there that we may be facing some formidable undead in the Tower?" The honest and concerned question reminded the fox that the newcomers had not seen or been part of the horrible battles prior. She had been wounded in each, nearly dying and left with lasting damage, and here they were dragging them along without so much as a warning. "Given what this place has already shown us I'd say it's very high." It was a grim outlook but a realistic one. The fox turned her head to the side, shying her eyes away though they could not see the others expressions. "Likely a small elite group, if we run into something." Had they seen the remains of the Battle Arcade? She could only imagine what it looked like now, but her mental imagine was near impossible to miss.

With a rough swallow the fox realized that between Etincelle's inquiry and her own bluntness they were dropping the mood. "Hopefully we'll get lucky. Find stuff quickly, not have to go in very deep, in and out without much problem." She spoke quickly in a rushed attempt to mend the conversation. Its not like she wanted to run into strong foes, but everywhere they had been since Olivine to now seemed to have them just around the corner.

Arry heard Cinder and she was sure that Miyu will be back. Maybe he could impress her by being a brave boy again. "She's fine, she's fine. Miyu just went for a walk with Rebel. They needed some time away and they'll be back, okay?" He was a bit more happy and was wanting to go help in the tower if the adults couldn't get into places where he could. The question was, is it safe for him to do it alone? No, he didn't trust being by himself if he was to go into smaller places. "Am I gonna have to go into small spaces where everyone else can't go in?" If so then likely that espeon would have to help guide him if possible.

OoC)) Skip, Mathias and Bastet are waiting for the others to be ready to move.

"Well, maybe it's been sheltered from all this then. Staying quiet and blending in, and a rough path to get there, may as well be a sort of natural protection." A tiny noise escaped Faux's maw at such wishful thinking. Pallet was not some tucked away town far from the public eye. "The path is only rough from our direction. It's actually a fairly open and exposed route to it once you pass the mountains." While she was not intending to bring the Electriek down the realist in her could not stand by without correcting him. Nothing was safe or sacred in this new world, and hanging on to such thoughts would only cause more suffering down the road.

"What chances are there that we may be facing some formidable undead in the Tower?" Faux's ears turned, pleased to hear a more sensible question, but before she could reply the other fox did. "Given what this place has already shown us I'd say it's very high. Likely a small elite group, if we run into something." She wasn't wrong; that was what they had witnessed before, and based solely on their prior run-ins they could assume the worst. Yet the fox wasn't satisfied by the thought. "Undead can be crafty but are generally predictable. The real threat is other living that have taken up residence in it." The Arcade had opened her eyes to more side effects to the sickness. Not all Pokemon adapted or adjusted, and if they had to fight another nightmare group like the last Faux doubted their ragged group would survive.

"Am I gonna have to go into small spaces where everyone else can't go in?" With a firm chuckle Cinder tossed her head back towards the kid once more. "Only if we need you to, but I know you'll be the best at it if we do." Her heart was in pieces as she spoke. Miyu could have fit in even smaller places, especially given the... pliable nature of her body in comparison, but she wasn't going take this from him. The kid needed to feel valid too, and while she couldn't predict if they needed such a thing he certainly would be their go to kiddo.
Forcing a skip in her step the Quilava hurried them along. The faster they got there the sooner they would be out of the open and finding much needed supplies. As the massive Tower got closer and closer the fire type wondered if they really would find anything worth while. Melanie desperately needed help, and her own aching body said everything else did too. As they passed the prior commerce area Cinder wondered if it would be worth their time to search it, but the duty stalls did not give her much hope.

As Etincelle walked the rough hewn stones reminded his pads so much of the thick, compact dirt of the mountains and the stone cliffs of his birth. It felt so much like home, of things and places he had not felt in so long that it was nearly making him sick. An awkward smile meant to fight back tears etched itself on his maw as he pressed more firmly against Melanie. That was then, and he knew he could not go back to the dear past. Had he caused a similar feeling from asking a personal question? With another scuff of his paw he could only hope not and push the feeling aside. "Am I gonna have to go into small spaces where everyone else can't go in?" Arry asked, a welcome distraction from his prior thoughts. "If you don't want to I could." He offered warmly, hoping to ease the kid's nerves if he was worried.

"Undead can be crafty but are generally predictable. The real threat is other living that have taken up residence in it." Faux continued off of her thoughts, echoing everyone's experience in the hell that was the arcade. These two were lucky to not have experienced that, and the pain in her leg was nothing compared to the trauma she would carry. "Regardless, let's just hope its abandoned and be ready if it's not." Suddenly, the fox was swirling in doubts. What if they weren't ready? What if they couldn't handle it? Most of them were in rough shape, and with Rebel out their threat levels had dropped as well. It's mostly for me. If she hadn't overdone it maybe they could have put off his trip..

"We're almost there!" Etincelle chirped, his voice dragging the fox out of her thoughts as his presence left her side and bound forward. By others descriptions she could assume this tower was, well, a massive building towering into the sky. Wouldn't it be visible from the Battle Castle and all the way here? Was he saying it for her sake? "It's like it's reaching for the clouds," he gasped confirming for the fox he was describing it for her. She waited for his third observation, or at least the sound of his pawsteps to resume, but neither occurred. The Electrike had frozen in place, moving only to get out of Melanies way as she reached in. "Look- Some of the glass on the upperfloors. I think its broken."

Arry looked at the tower and it was huge. It looked like it reached well into the clouds. "Only if we need you to, but I know you'll be the best at it if we do." Cinder sounded like she was sad. Was she really afraid of the charizard that was with them and what she said of a bad charizard as well? If only he could get her to show trust that Mathias wasn't a bad charizard and that he's really funny. What if they got into a physical fight? That downright scares him of even the thought of it. He hoped that it never comes to them fighting each other. No, they will find a way to trust each other, he just knows it. The world is already scary and full of bad pokemon. Then he got to thinking about the stars he'll see at night. That tower will make seeing stars all the better with everyone.

The Aron then began to feel more happy with the star gazing thought that will happen if they make it through. Maybe Cinder will feel more happy if she seen the stars as well. "I can show you my favorite star Cinder. Its always the in the sky when I look up at night." His favorite star is the biggest one but the one next to it was another favorite. Then there was one that was smaller but part of a constellation. He loved that start the most and he wouldn't trade for any other star.

Going outside again and looking right at the tower, Mathias knew this tower was quite high just by sight alone. With four fire types, they got fire well covered but Bastet was the only psychic in the group. Arry was quite small so he could likely get in the small spots and Bastet could guide him using her powers. "Only if we need you to, but I know you'll be the best at it if we do." The Charizard overheard Cinder's voice. She sounded unsure of even herself. This sounded like something that they dealt with in the Under. Misjudgment was a thing even in this day and age where the undead are dominant and the living are trying to get by day by day with hopes the day comes where the undead are no more. Mathias knew that day was only a dream. They have to focus on the now and surviving it.

Bastet moved up ahead a bit with a readiness in her step to fight off the undead. Though using her powers to eject undead out a window was something she herself frowned upon if the window is intact and not broken. Though Mathias doesn't share that dignity since he has a more wild nature to him. Bastet could sense that nature coming out more and more each day. How long would it be before the Mathias she knew was gone? She couldn't tell but she hoped he wouldn't turn on her or anyone else. Now for the task on hand. "I got no idea how many undead there are but I rather not use my psychic powers to find out either. I did that in the Under before and I was already disgusted by the undead's thoughts. Ew." Nothing disgusted her worse than anything when she tried to read an undead's thoughts. Never again will she do that.

Mathias looked at Bastet then to the others before listening in to what will be said and what needs to be done once they're inside. "It looks like we got a long climb. Its whatever those two want me to do. I can carry only one if they're large and heavy but two if they're light." That's if they have no choice or if they need to get up to somewhere if a section has collapsed enough for him to fly up to check it out.

As Etin bound in front of them Faux moved her pace into a brisk trot. "Look- Some of the glass on the upperfloors! I think its broken." The fox turned her gaze skyward and peered at the windows in question. Around a corner of the building was a hole, with radiating shatters where more pieces of glass had fallen. "Yikes, let's hope we don't have to go that high." Cinder said between clenched teeth. Was she also thinking a rampaging undead had caused it? "Hopefully its just a result of neglect." The fox sighed, though she knew better than to go get her hopes up.

"I can show you my favorite star Cinder. Its always the in the sky when I look up at night." Arry squeaked a welcome change back to the topic. Cinder raised a brow. Always in the sky? Poor kid better not mean the moon. Instead of laughing and selling the kid short she grinned, genuinely, and chuffed, "I'd love to see it, if you can find it tonight." A peaceful night stargazing... legends what she wouldn't give for a full day and night of peace. If they found supplies quickly maybe she should offer then a real chance to rest instead. Her smile faded, concern replacing her giddiness. Would that be wise..? Could they offered to rest and relax when there were so many more pressing matters at hand? Her head fell a bit lower, her thoughts overwhelming as she walked.

"I've got no idea how many undead there are but I'd rather not use my psychic powers to find out either. I did that in the Under before and I was already disgusted by the undead's thoughts. Ew." The Espeon mused, vocalizing her limits in the face of danger. The small fox felt her brow stiffen, her words sounding more like an excuse than an asset. The idea of a psychic prying into her mind sent chills down her spine, and hearing an undeads thoughts didn't sound any more pleasant. "I can't imagine undead are very deep or imaginative." Hunger, hunt, kill, eat.. what more could there be than that?

"It looks like we got a long climb. Its whatever those two want me to do. I can carry only one if they're large and heavy but two if they're light." "We have a couple of options if we need to ascend the tower, but thank you for putting flight on the docket." If a floor had fallen in and that was the only way across, would they want to take it? They could become trapped during a hasty getaway, or crushed if something else collapsed. Its just an option, she reminded herself, something nice to have. As she continued to trot the fox hurried to think of options they could deploy within the Tower. What if the door was busted, open, inaccessible, if the base floor was a mess, if the elevators were a no go, if undead were present, if they burst out. With a child in tow, injuries, and new faces, what would be the best way to respond?

As he mulled it over more footsteps sounded in front of her than from behind. She focused her gaze, returning her thoughts to the space around her and realized most Pokemon were in front of her. "Alright!" Cinder cheered as she raced ahead of them all, flames blazing. "Let's see what we got here!"

"Hopefully its just a result of neglect." Fuax grumbled while Etincelle's eyes were still locked on the spiderwebbing lines. What else could have caused it, a bird, an attack, the wind, someone from the inside? Suddenly his mind was racing with wonder over this small detail, so much so his paws stumbled on the rough-hewn path. "Glass is so strange," he mumbled to himself. The material was not one he really understood. Overtime he had grown accustomed to it, but the wild Pokemon never trusted the material, especially not after Melanie's injury. He gazed at her, wondering if mentioning the material would be enough to upset her, but the fox looked unphased, her steps just as even and steady as before.

Chasing after Cinder as she raced in front of him Etincelle found himself wowed by the sight. The massive building had seemed tall before, but as they approached its courtyard it truly looked like it reached into the heavens. The once blue and bright windows were not as shiny with layers of dirt caked on them, but Etincelle could almost imagine the shimmering sheen they once gave off. The tattered stairway that lead to the building was worn smooth, the largest of which he was thankful they went around, and again he could almost picture people and Pokemon milling about the area. Was that what Cinder saw in this place, is that what she had wanted? "Alright! Let's see what we got here!" The Quilava wailed as she barrelled toward the entrance, forcing his musings away.

The fox was much slower on her approach. The thought of more broken glass was enough to make her skin crawl, and each step that brushed something sharp was frightening, but she trusted Etincelle would not let her stray into dangerous ground. Following Faux's pawsteps she walked across strangely smooth ground, and left the heat change as shadows covered the path. Listening intently, she was grateful for her whiskers to prevent her from charging into a bench. "Any holes down here big for us to squeeze through?" She asked, carefully walking around the bench. Her many tails fanned out, and felt fencing on her side. Suddenly, she felt uncomfortable; between the stairs getting here, the light sound to her steps, and the guard on her side, the fox felt the uneasy sensation of their raised elevation.

Standing painfully still aside from her sweeping tails she sniffed and tried to pick up something, anything to be more useful. All she caught was Etincelle's warm scent as she bound toward her, his guiding paws bringing her away from the railing and closer to the door. "The door's heavy but it feels like it can just be pulled apart." He explained. The dual sliding glass doors were made of sturdy, thick glass, but the crease between them spoke of a wide opening if they could be pried apart.

"We have a couple of options if we need to ascend the tower, but thank you for putting flight on the docket." Though it was an option, Mathias wasn't the type to just say that and actually not do it. He really meant it if the situation came to that point. For now, he had looked around to see if any clues to if the place was ransacked. So far it was hard to tell from the outside since the darkness of the inside would keep any viable sight from identifying everything. Though if anything, the doors would be likely the only way in from their position. Busting out windows would only make a bigger problem especially when shards of glass are razor sharp and can cut through anything soft including paws and softer scales. Now Mathias had hoped the door was unlocked. The Charizard moved over to the doors and did a light tug on the handle. It looks like they could get in.

Bastet used her powers to pick up a stone and tossed it a few yards. She lets out a sigh. She really misses home, she misses Leo, and she misses their trainer. This place only makes it harder for her to let go of the past. I wish you both was still here. Both me and Mathias miss you both so much. I just want to go home and see everyone. However she forgot that she was still psychically tethered to Mathias. She looked over and seen Mathias' expression. What she seen was as much pain and sorrow but he was better at hiding it than she was.

lThe both then had a conversation through thoughts as the tether was quite strong with them. Normally you have to keep me in check but now its the other way around. What's going on Bastet? Is that why you won't use your powers to detect what's in there? You miss Leo and Zeke? I miss them too but we can't let our sorrow drain us right now. I know you think I'm being a bit cold but they would want us to keep going. We have to see this to the end. That's what they would want us to do. I can't do this without you Bast. Without you, I'm alone. Mathias was right and Bastet knew it. They had been through a lot over the years and she would never leave Mathias ever again. She then nods to Mathias with a smile showing that she understands and is willing to keep going. Sorry Mathias, you're right. No more sadness. Lets see this through to the very end. As a family.

Now that Mathias has cheered her up, he had to let them know the door was unlocked. "Door's unlocked. The place though looks like someone was looking for something. Papers everywhere on the floor. Was they looking for something with notes on fighting abilities?" That was the only explanation that Mathias could think of. He held the door open for the others to walk inside.

Cinder shoved on the door. With enough effort she could probably open it, but instead of straining herself the starter simply walked away to look for a different path. "Why is paper special? Don't humans just write on it or read it?" Arry asked as Cinder dove into the overgrown shrubbery. "Paper?" She echoed, her own curiosity peaked as she tried to explain the concept. "Well, yeah, they do do that, but it's what they read and write on it that's important. Humans record all sorts of important information on paper. Its a way to give it to others, remember it for later, and, preserve it for the future." Waving her paw as she explained the limb fell flat as she hummed, "But what makes it special?" That question felt disjointed. While very similar paper itself verses its uses were two very different things, and while the Quilava did not know if that's really what Arry wanted to know, it made her just as curious to consider.

"In a technical sense, paper is easier to make and you get a lot more of it compared to the alternatives, like parchment. Its lightweight, durable, and able to be mass produced for little in comparison." The fox had been around a long time, and saw just how useful paper was for humans. With advent and take over of technology the preservation and storage it offered has been lessened, but with the state of the world there was no doubt that that physical info was invaluable. Cinder stared with wide eyes, almost forgetting her position neck deep in branches. "That's pretty cool. Almost too bad we have no use for it other than kindling." Faux didn't comment any further; while its true they could not read or write purposefully destroying what could be important information felt like a crime. The chances of critical information on this bullshit being here was low, but what if it was, and they incinerated it for no reason? The fox immediately pushed that thought away; such what if's would only serve to disappoint her later.

Moving further along the building faux used her paws to test for weak points. The quieter their entrance the better, but a suitable place to burst in or out would be a good thing to note. "Any holes down here big for us to squeeze through?" Mel asked, her voice unusually tense and uncomfortable. "None yet," Faux called out, making sure to keep her in the loop. She looked, making sure Etincelle was by her side in such an unsafe spot for her, and resumed her search.

"The door's heavy but it feels like it can just be pulled apart." Etincelle pointed out, and after a sturdy heave from their largest member it slide open with an audible groan. Hearing it was enough to turn Faux's paws around, and she made it bad before Mathias finished speaking. "Door's unlocked. The place looks like someone was looking for something though. Papers everywhere on the floor. Were they looking for something with notes on fighting abilities?" Recalling the shape the Arcade was in this place was a bit more disheveled looking, but not necessarily in an unsavory way. As the biggest of the Battle Frontier locations she assumed it was the most prominent. Perhaps it served a double function as an information storage, records location, trade hub, business office, ect. Cinder would know more, or act like she did. "Its hard to say. Could have been looking for location or entry data. Whoever could have been trying to get under all the papers and not care where they went, or it could be the result of a panicked mob."

Charging her way forward Cinder breathed in the stagnant air as she stumbled in front of her group. It was musky, clearly feeling the time that had passed, but it did not smell dangerously unclean. "Better than the last building we explored." She joked lightheartedly, and with a weary glance in both directions dared to walk into the room. With tinted glass walls on nearly all sides she was shocked out dim it was inside, and the orange light of her flames reflected in all directions.

While Etincelle's gaze was firmly locked on the sliding doors his small ears were perked for Arry's question. Paper was a foreign concept to him, like thin, angular leaves with runes and scribbles upon them. For the deep-wild Pokemon it made no sense, how could such a thin thing be durable, how was information kept on it? Humans were bizzaare and he doubted he would ever understand them.
Regardless, he couldn't read, and between that strange concept and the heavy door he knew where his focused lied. Taking a step back, and giving Mel room as well, he found his short tails wagging as the Charizard pried the doors apart. Such strength was awe-inspiring, something he longed to have, and he found himself jittering in place with excitement. "Door's unlocked. The place looks like someone was looking for something though. Papers everywhere on the floor. Were they looking for something with notes on fighting abilities?"

Peaking his snout through the door the small hound gave a curious sniff as Faux mused aloud, "Its hard to say. Could have been looking for location or entry data. Whoever could have been trying to get under all the papers and not care where they went, or it could be the result of a panicked mob." Seeing the scattered papers and messy environment reminded him of the result of a hunt. The way the earth would be churned up with branches and leaves strewn about, the papers and other debris were vaguely similar. "Maybe there was a chase?" He thought, tracing out a path with his eyes. "One or two critters running and jumping, trying to evade the jaws of the death." It was an odd place for a hunt, but if something had chosen to shelter here much like they had it was possible.

"Better than the last building we explored." Cinder chimed in, strolling confidently into the room. Following her lead the Electrike trotted in with Mel in tow, the large fox breathing fervently as she tried to take in her environment. The space was large, like many of these massive buildings it had a huge entryway for gatherings, and the way sound bounced reflected that. The ground was hard like tile, but it was offset by the crunching of her paws on crinkled papers and the scuff of her pads on thick layers of dust. It was discomforting, and gross feeling like something she should not be walking in, but she did not acknowledge it. "It doesn't smell like anything has been here in a while." She sighed, though it was hard to pick up much over the layers of ancient dust.

Mathias waited until everyone got in and after they got in, he closed the door behind him. Nothing here was at all clean of any paper or plant or even various debris of other things. ”Its hard to say. Could have been looking for location or entry data. Whoever could have been trying to get under all the papers and not care where they went, or it could be the result of a panicked mob.” Looking at the ground though, footsteps of shoes, boots, pokemon paws and claws was all in a more set path though some footprints was moving towards the counters, most of them was guiding right to the elevator. The Charizard believed Faux was right on the panicked part. There was signs of bloodshed and a skirmish. How many people had died and pokemon joining the ranks of the undead to kill their once trainers? Mathias shook his head seeing all of this. He then looked over at Bastet as she was using her psychic powers to sense anything behind the doors near the counter.

As Bastet was scanning through the area with her powers, she couldn’t detect anything behind the elevator doors which is a good thing and nothing behind the first two doors behind the counter. However as she went to the door that read employee locker room, she sensed something undead and backed away from it. She knew if she got close, it would try to break the door open. ”There’s an undead in that room. I don’t think we can get in it anyways with the door being blocked off with that machinery.” Chances are that they wouldn’t find it on this floor as it is since it could be laying anywhere. She didn’t know much about card readers and the locks they use. Other than that, she finished her sweep and found nothing else. ”Okay, there’s only one on this floor but who knows what the next floor has.” She then looked at Arry who was walking around and sniffing the air. What could he be sniffing? She took a sniff herself and didn’t really smell anything. Then Bastet realized that Arons eat iron and maybe he’s looking for something like a bar or an iron pipe.

The Charizard finds a piece of an iron bar on the ground that looked like it came off of something. ”Better hold onto this for the kid just in case he gets hungry.” Mathias says to himself as he puts it in his claws. Speaking of Arry, the fire type wondered something about him. He looked very shy when they first seen him. Mostly Arons aren’t that shy but Arry is. If he had to guess, its because of the state of the world as it is right now. Mathias couldn’t picture Arry trusting to many pokemon right away. In the long run he would but then again, kids are always full of surprises but right now, this kid can only trust those he’s with. ”Poor Arry, growing up in this world isn’t fun for him and yet he went this long. We’ll have to teach him how to fight when the time comes.”

"It doesn't smell like anything has been here in a while." Melanie breathed lightly, her delicate senses once again invaluable as the team made their way into new territory. "We should still be careful. Some things only stir when disturbed." Faux warned, her gratitude practically lost as she grounded them back in reality. Letting her paws barely hit the floor, she moved silently and stealthily through the disheveled room. One misstep would send clouds of dust and mold flying, something she'd rather prevent, and could alert anything that may be lurking.

Objectives. She reminded herself with a steady breath. Medical supplies was their primary objective, clear cut, with a working elevator and transport supplies being contingent objectives. Making her way toward the front desk Faux walked with her tails out, ears high, and nose flaring. Her body did not scream with alarm but damned would she be if she allowed something to sneak up on her unawares. Leaping neatly over debris to make her way behind it, she looking quickly but carefully for anything of the sort. Clues perhaps, or bags, even something small like a bottle of bactine would be an acceptable start.

Her search was short lived as Bastet's voice sent an unnerving chill down her spine. ”There’s an undead in that room. I don’t think we can get in it anyways with the door being blocked off with that machinery.” She spoke matter-of-factually, objectively, not swayed by any noticeable emotion. Damn psychics. A present undead was enough to warrant concern, but a Pokemon being so keen and able to detect such things seeded more than just distrust in the small fox. Leaping onto the desk so she could see which room the feline was talking about she eyed it wearily and turned her head away. "Let's keep it that way. Stay away from that door; it likely can't get out either."

Both distracted and empty-pawed Faux saw nothing of interest about the desk and was quick to give up her search. While large and covered in waste the room was fairly empty and straight forward. From her position the tinted windows offered enough light to see the pair of elevators on the far west side of the room. While her angle did not let her see within, a shadowed wall spoke of a set of stairs nearby them, and while it was not a "discovery" the check boxes were enough to feel minor accomplishment. ”Okay, there’s only one on this floor but who knows what the next floor has.” The fox chose not to answer. Medicine, hopefully. While it was their job to dispatch undead for their own safety, setting loose those that were contained would be pointless, dangerous even in their current state.

"May as well start heading up then." Cinder blurted out, her forearms crossed as though it was a deep thought. "Reb ain't back though. You think you could jumpstart the elevator, Etin?"

Walking carefully on Mel's side Etincelle let her take the lead as they explored the room. He could see her senses were primed and alert, taking in all the information they possibly could as they fox carefully weaved her way through the mess. Between her flaring nostrils, quivering ears, and open maw the blind animal was able to paint herself a pretty clear picture of the room. Whether intentionally trying to spread out or not she made her way closer to the east side of the room, carefully scenting around for anything of interest. "This place sure is a mess." Etincelle commented, while he was no expert on the quality of human dwellings anyone could see this was not the standard they should be keeping, and it made him all the more curious as to what happened.

”There’s an undead in that room. I don’t think we can get in it anyways with the door being blocked off with that machinery.”  "Yikes," he breathed dryly, his mind instantly heading back to the Battle Castle. Though he refused to let his mood be tormented by Rosco, they had also found undead while searching rooms together. They were mostly harmless though. Would it prove the same here, a need for a mercy kill? "Let's keep it that way. Stay away from that door; it likely can't get out either." Guess not, though the thought of leaving undead be sent chills up and down Etincelle's spine.

It must have distracted him more than he thought, as whipping his head forward he realized Melanie had wandered farther afield. Bounding up to her he could see the fox was poking around large piles of debris and trying a nearby door. "None of these seem to be viable." She spoke very softly. "None of them smell good, don't hear anything, but all the doors are either blocked or jammed from the inside." Trotting past her to confirm Etincelle could see she was right; the few doors available to them were damaged, with broken hinges and splattes of unknown origin. Some hung sideways, but that didn't mean they could be opened, as the insides of the rooms were even worse than out here. Bounding further down he looked for a connecting hall of sorts, but he was only met with the windowed walls of the building and makeshift barricades not worth digging through. "Good call, hopefully the others found something or some way." Placing himself back at her side the pair headed back toward the center of the room.

He could see Arry walking around with his head extra close to the floor. It bobbed slightly, a small indicator that he was searching or maybe smelling for something? The small hound cocked his head to one side. Did Aron's have a good sense of smell, was it primed for minerals or had he developed the sense after observing others? "I think I can smell iron. I'm gonna be strong when I grow up." Etincelle's eyes widened at the child's muttering. He was still hungry?! He knew teens were bottomless pits but some kids like Arry, legends he would he he would be good by now. I wonder if he's deficient and constantly craving those minerals Such a sad thought made his tail droop. Maybe he should be looking for ores as well.

Cinder stood pondering roughly in the center of the room. While it was unclear if she had searched at all she had obviously come to a decision as she announced, "May as well start heading up then. Reb ain't back though. You think you could jumpstart the elevator, Etin?" Raising a paw awkwardly the Electrike suddenly felt put on the spot. "Uh," he mumbled uneasily. Having little earthy idea on human mechanics he wouldn't know where to start, and he had planned to follow Rebel's lead. Would it be the devices in the Arcade? The game board was already alive, most of its circuits hidden, and the generator Amber had hit had given no indication of importance to him. "Maybe we should try the stairs first? No point fretting if they're perfectly fine." Bounding past her he went off in the direction she had pointed to. The stairs were wide, possibly to accommodate large Pokemon or crowds, and while a bit dirty were relatively free of debris. "I guess I can charge the elavator if you really want to use it though."

OoC)) Skip, Arry's just wandering about and just waiting for the elevator to work as well as for the others.

Mathias looks at Bastet not to scold her but to tell her to hold back on her powers. To him, it was a gut feeling that if an undead psychic was around, it could likely use Bastet as a way to know where they are. Though it was not to common that one could use another psychic as a puppet if they was strong enough to overpower the other. However the chances of that happening is not very high. ”May as well start heading up then.” Sounds like a plan. Not only that, Arry is sitting there waiting for them. “Reb ain't back though. You think you could jumpstart the elevator, Etin?” So they’re not coming back then. What would Arry say to this if he heard that and knew Cinder lied? Mathias couldn’t bring himself to tell Arry about that and it’s better for Cinder to tell him herself.

Bastet looked at Mathias seeing that he looked like he wanted to say something. Though caution was always expected regardless if psychic powers is there or not, the espeon had to stop using them out of safety reasons. If there’s an undead that is able to resist then she can’t find them. This though, made her feel kind of weaker. ”Do you think that the army could have left any traps on the other floors?” This wasn’t the first time she’s been weary of the army’s method of leaving deadly traps around. She even remembered one of Zeke’s pokemon getting wounded from a claymore mine but luckily it survived at the cost of its leg. The memory of it made her shiver a bit. ”Ugh, don’t like remembering that what I seen.”

The Charizard moves over to the elevator maintenance  door and looked at it. It looked like it was rusted and needs a little oomph to get it open. ”I think I can get this open. The knob moves but the door is sealed by rust.” Mathias wasn’t going to use any fire attacks since it would be to dangerous to do that. He could always ram it with his own body. With a slight push though, a bit of powder from the rust fell down. The Charizard rams it once causing it to budge slightly then he backs up a bit more and rams it again forcing the door open. inside though, the engine to the elevator was drained of any electricity from years of inactivity. Looks like Etin’s up so Mathias moved out of the way for Etin to do his thing.

"Uh," was not a promising noise as the Electrike's paws danced anxiously in place. Was that a no, that he would not even try, that they had to wait for their friend's return? "Maybe we should try the stairs first? No point fretting if they're perfectly fine." Cinder was quick to fellow, matching the other Pokemon's steps with similar bounds. Though the stairs were not hidden she was surprised he knew them by name, though she quickly recalled their prior encounters with them. The passage itself looked okay, though the longer she stared at dark slope the more stains and unsightly splatters she could see. "Yeah, if you enjoy trudging through blood in the dark." She muttered to herself but purposefully said so loud enough that the Electrike could not of ignored her.

Perhaps it struck a nerve, as he acquiesced, "I guess I can charge the elevator if you really want to use it though." "Might as well," she chimed, feeling as though her tongue was lolling about in her mouth. "We don't even know if it'll work yet. Better to find out now than if we need it later." She placed a arm around his shoulders, pulling him close as she got cheeky. "Come on!" She chimed, flashing a cheesy grin at the shiny Pokemon. "Do it for Arry; you know he'll love the experience."

”Do you think that the army could have left any traps on the other floors?” Faux's neutral expression twisted into a deep frown. Presumptuous psychics. You would think Pokemon with premonition would realize they don't know everything, but the fox bit her tongue and kept her bitter prejudice to herself. "We don't know what was in here, though it doesn't look like they had time for any kind of trap that could pose a threat to someone with sentience." She griped, focusing her words on the objective truths. With an undead trapped in a room she could agree traps were a possibility, but being uncertain of this place's demise and current condition she doubted its inhabitants had a chance to make effective traps, let alone ones they would be unable to avoid.

As the team started to filter their way toward the next floor Faux followed, watching her members with an ever keen eye. Mathias made a sharp turn as he approached the elevator, a rusted door catching his interest. Though Faux could not read the words across it the symbols of a wrench and hammer alluded to some sort of maintenance room. ”I think I can get this open. The knob moves but the door is sealed by rust.” "Leave it," She instructs, flicking her many tails. "We need to get to the battery, or at least some wiring. The fastest route would be on the ceiling panel of the car itself."