One by one, everyone began to settle down for sleep - although it seemed that moods were a bit soured, between Josh and Johanna. Ettie frowned gently, glancing between both gym leaders - wondering if there was something she could do to help, but... At most, she felt as though she and the pack could just provide company for either of them. Pago was certainly doing well on that front, snuggling up to Josh when he laid down to sleep, and Barbara laying down with them as well.

Meanwhile, Ettie, Duchess, and Princess would move to Johanna - the pups climbing up into her lap, whilst Ettie simply curled up and leaned into her side, getting cozy. Anne, too, would lay down nearby - if only to better keep an eye out for Ettie, whilst she kept watch.

And though Ruffian and Rascal seemed too proud to outright snuggle up to Callan, the fact that they slept next to him likely meant something, right?

With the sleeping arrangements figured out though, sleep would be uneventful - save for perhaps the vague impressions of fleeting dreams, the sorts where you are aware that they happened and yet cannot recall their details. One by one, the pack's older canids - as well as Astus and Adrea - would take turns keeping watch throughout the night, and even maintaining the campfire for warmth.

And with time, the strange nighttime of the Border would give way to dawn. With the gaining light, the group would awaken - lingering long enough to eat breakfast before they were off once more, through the Border. To meet with the soulmarchers, they would be led deeper into the mountainous terrain that made up the northwestern parts of the island - with Angelica leading the way. Astus and Adrea, as well as any other scouts, were able to confirm that they were on the right path though - even if they lacked the human tongue to communicate specifics about these soulmarchers.

But before too long, it would be at the top of a cliff that they'd spot them - a ghastly looking army of humans and pokemon alike. Some looked to simply be living sets of armor and barding, while others looked 'whole' - and yet, missing features such as an eye, a limb - or even their entire faces - appeared common. It was inconsistent and strange, and sometimes one may swear that some of the ghosts were changing in appearance when you looked away and back again. Nonetheless, they appeared to be preparing to move - donning armor, putting barding on some of their pokemon...

... At least, that was until they noticed the presence of the group.

When one set of eyes fell upon them, every set of eyes turned to them - as if in sync. And near-immediately, a strange feeling of unease would fill the air, tension building as the warrior spirits seemed to be preparing for a fight, some even drawing their weapons. But, one of the souls present - perhaps some form of general or leader, judging by the garb - would gaze upon Angelica. Their eyes flashing in recognition, they would raise a hand in a wordless gesture to stop. Which, that seemed to be enough for the army to pause in their preparations for combat, even as their eyes remained locked upon the group for a few moments longer.

And slowly, the tension leaked away, as the warriors - one by one - returned to their preparations. If spoken to, it would quickly become obvious that these spirits were not much for words - though they would nonetheless respond to the best of their ability with gestures, nods or shakes of their head, shrugs, and the like.

Ettie, for one, seemed awed at the presence of this army - and she'd take to wandering amongst the different warriors, her pack (which, the pups had been returned to their pokeballs shortly before leaving camp,) trailing behind her all the whilst. "Oooh... What is?" Turning towards the group, she'd point towards a set of javelins, that one of the warriors seemed to have strapped to their back.

Completed:
'21 encounter soulmarchers, marching parades of warrior spirits (pokemon or human) with feet that do not grace the ground.'
'🗺️ a soulmarcher may identify one of you and prevent the parade from attacking you, or may discover you and call upon the parade to attack you (OPTIONAL).'

Present:

Callan Young , Josh Devlin , Johanna Joy

Josh's utter exhaustion was the only reason he was able to cleanly sleep through the night; he remembered seeing Raikou in his dream, but could not recall a single detail before dawn's light aroused him from slumber. He moaned and stretched, refreshed as he was going to get in such a foreign dimension. Its fabric was starting to tear at him, too. Still missing a key component for his Manectric's Sygna Suit, he was at the mercy of the Border's mentally and spiritually toxic atmosphere.

Josh, too, was on edge in the presence of the Soulmarchers that morning, each one in his eyes embodying enmity, lust, and other negative emotions. With tensions growing, the Gym Leader called Saber, his Manectric, to his side and rest his hand on the electric-type's thundercloud saddle. This looked like it could get ugly, and fast. He breathed a sigh of relief as, one by one, the army sheathed their weapons.

"Archaic weaponry..." Josh trailed off. "Never thought my days of console role-playing games would come up. Callan Young is exactly right. About the only people I know of that use anything like that are members of dragon clans like Blackthorn's, and even then, they're largely ornamental." Some archaic weaponry was still in niche use today, but the javelin was one that was completely obsolete. "About the only use for a javelin now is in athletic competition."

A javelin? A weapon, made to be thrown at others... Ettie's gaze of curiosity would remain on the weapon, but she'd nod as she absorbed the information that Callan and Josh both provided. Maybe they were old and outdated - but something like that... Could Ettie make some, the next time she went hunting with her pack? Though she liked to think her nails - kept sharpened as they were - and her teeth sufficed, maybe she could learn from watching these spirits...?

Wanting to learn more, she'd continue to wander amongst the spirits - and glancing back to Callan and Josh, asked "Teach Ettie more-weapons?" with a smile. All the while, Haru and Anne both followed after - one out of a similar intrigue and the other out of the usual protectiveness.

Barbara and Madame, on the other hand, would linger near Johanna - as if to keep her company. Though, they'd also be having a discussion, if the chuffs, half-barks, and rumbles that they exchanged with one another were of any indication. Namely, they were talking of the night before.

Madame was unimpressed with the night before - being on Johanna's side more than anything (though she was quite the biased canid, considering her upbringing.) The mightyena made this apparent with a scoff and an exaggerated roll of her eyes as she gestured a paw in Josh's direction. She had heard from their packmates what he did, the last time - imagine scolding someone for a lack of control, when you had no control yourself!

Barbara, honestly, was mixed - raising an eyebrow at Madame, before shaking their head with a huff. The communication could've been better - but the scare had been an ill-timed one. Right before bed, it was no wonder people got cranky... But really, gossiping wasn't going to help anyone. As if to emphasize this point, they'd nudge at the mightyena's shoulder, in Johanna's direction.

Thus, the two canids would approach Johanna proper whilst she was knelt - Barbara giving a gentle nuzzle on her shoulder, and Madame patting her on the back with a paw.

However, the group would not be in one place for much longer. As the spirits finished their preparations - fully garbed, weapons gathered, and the like - they began to grow seemingly restless, looking to one another as if waiting for something. Which, that something soon proved to come from their leader - the spirit glancing over the army, before pulling out and blowing on a horn. A single note rung out, echoing and hanging in the air - though even if it was but a simple sound, there was something about it that was enough to chill one's blood.

To Ettie, it made her think of the howl a packleader would make, to rally their packmates before or during a hunt.

And with that, the soulmarchers began to move - some mounting up on pokemon, others remaining on foot. Nonetheless, they moved all as one - the flow of their movements almost like water as they drifted onwards, towards a valley pass between two mountains. Ettie and her pack would follow after - the wildchild hopping atop Anne's back, as if to mimic some of the spirits - although, as they moved, she noticed something else.

Namely, that even for such a large army, they left nary a trail. Not even the dirt or blades of grass they passed over was disturbed, looking the same even after the army passed through. If it hadn't been for Angelica's guidance, it's likely that the group wouldn't have ever known that the army had been here.

But for the trek itself, it was unclear as to where the army was going specifically - even though they seemed to move with purpose. And for a good portion of it, as they ascended up a worn path that wound itself towards the valley - (though, what made this path so worn out, if the spirits couldn't make one?) - it'd prove to be relatively uneventful, save for Ettie's continued curiosity for the different types of equipment the warriors bore.

At least, that was until they came across what looked to be a battlefield. It had been long-forgotten - anything left behind having either since rusted over or worn down to nothing. Adrea would peck at one idly - though she found that there weren't even any bodies left behind, not even bones. Lingering wisps would make themselves known as the army passed by - clinging to suits of armor, or weapons - and every so often, one of these sets of equipment would shudder...

... Before rising, forming into another spirit that picked up their weapon or donned their armor, before wordlessly joining the march. And as if the spirit had always meant to be here, the army shifted just enough to make room for them - the flow uninterrupted and smooth all the same.

However, something else would grab Ettie's attention - and she'd hop down from Anne's back. Set against the wall of what might've once been an outpost or rally point, a pair of blades sat sheathed and crossed together - looking strangely intact, compared to everything else. Going off the sheaths alone, the blades were perhaps somewhere between that of a dagger or shortsword, measuring roughly a foot in length. Additionally, the silken tassels at the pommels were long and flowing in length - though they only slightly drifted with the breeze, not being quite enough to fully lift them from the ground.

They made Ettie think a bit of Yagyu - though the proportions and colors seemed quite different - someone could describe them as ornate even, though the young wildchild lacked the vocabulary for that. She didn't see any signs of visible eyes, either - which made her wonder... Were these just made to resemble something of the same species as Yagyu, rather than being an actual pokemon?

She didn't notice the quizzical gazes some of her pack gave her as she began to stray from the path - approaching the sheathed blades. Crouching down nearby, she reached out - wanting to get a closer look. They looked pretty - maybe one of the others would find it neat?

However, Anne was quick to realize that something was amiss - as her eyes fell upon the dormant doublade, she'd let out a snarling bark to Ettie in a warning to get away-- But before the wildchild could even process that the call had been made, and before she could even yelp in alarm, the ghost pokemon's eyes snapped open - tassels shooting out, to wrap around Ettie's forearms.

And at first, all was quiet and still. Anne would rush to Ettie's side - trying to assess - but, the wildchild showed no signs of distress or hurt. Instead, slowly, awkwardly - as if on strings - she'd begin to stand, drawing the blades from their sheaths. She'd glance over her shoulder, towards the group and the rest of her pack - eyes wide and wild, a grin slowly growing across her face.

The canines' ears folded back, and a couple of them began to curl their lips and snarl. Above, Astus and Adrea crowed as they circled above - making warning calls.

"Hey, everyone..." Ettie spoke up finally, as she gradually began to turn towards the group. Slowly, her stance shifted to that of a readied swordsman - both blades wielded in either hand. It was a strange stance, for a wildchild who should have no expertise with swords. "... I want to fight."

Complete:
'10 become possessed by a spirit attempting to return to life.'

Present:

Callan Young , Josh Devlin , Johanna Joy

Johanna Joy looked frustrated with Josh still, even after a good night's sleep. He would have to make up to her later. Not now. Now would come off as too much of an overreaction. It wouldn't be good PR with Callan Young either, who had supposedly taught him much about controlling his emotions. He was getting better about it, but he still had a long ways to go.

Josh followed Ettie and the others aboard Saber, his Manectric, whom he could feel through the reins was tense. "How about next time we're together, Ettie?" the Gym Leader offered. "I'm no martial expert, but I'd like to think I know more than the average person."

The ghostly army left nary a trail, which was to be expected; many ghost-type Pokémon floated above the ground even if they weren't capable of true flight. As it became apparent the Soulmarchers were indifferent toward the ones trailing them, Josh could at last relax... until Ettie reached for the inert body of a wild Doublade. "Ettie, no!" he cried.

It was too late, though. Callan Young had pointed out the unfortunate outcome: Ettie had been possessed, and he didn't have a single Pokémon that could effectively attack the steel-types without also hurting the wild child a lot. "Sidewinder!" Josh tossed his Dragapult's Poké Ball into the air, the swift ghost-type emerging, his DRAGON DARTS ready to launch toward the Doublade at his trainer's command. Their impact would blast Ettie backward, but it was better than frying her or broiling her alive with electric and fire attacks.

With the doublade piloting her body, Ettie grinned - even if the pack was unsure and confused, as if trying to figure out how to approach this new situation. The rest of the group was not so indecisive though - as the others prepared for a fight, at Callan's call. Their eyes lit up in delight upon seeing this, and she would begin to bring the blades against eachother in a Autotomize - alternating sliding one against the other, to clean away rust, debris, and the like until the blades were sharp and nimble through the air.

Which, the preparation was perhaps none too soon - because Johanna would bring out a doublade of her own, and allowed him to possess her in turn! As Dorian spoke through the woman's mouth, Ettie's grin only widened with building excitement, and she'd speak a single word - a name. "Scarlet." She spoke with a giggle, blades readying for the swordswoman's charge.

However, Dorian's approach was clearly not with Ettie's best interests in mind. As he attempted to aim a Pursuit at the young girl's shoulder, the commandeered body moved with a surprising amount of agility - ducking down low and darting backwards, to try and avoid the slash! Still, Johanna's doublade would manage to cut into one of the young girl's forearms - the other blade catching and noisily clashing against Scarlet themself. Ettie's expression twisted into a brief wince at this, a bitten-off yelp rising from her throat...

... But the grin maintained, despite this - and the tassels wrapped around the cut forearm would shift, covering and applying pressure to the wound, even as a faint hue of red began to soak through.

And Dorian would find himself with a certain lycanroc approaching fast - Anne letting out a snarl of rage as she attempted to bite down on the blades with Crunch! Regardless of whether or not her teeth met steel though, the lycanroc growled low at the doublade, expressing a threat; she only tolerated them fighting Ettie, cause she knew it was to help her.

But if Dorian - or anyone else - attempted to directly harm Ettie again, then they would become prey. And in no uncertain terms, the pack would rip them apart - regardless of how Ettie felt on the matter. Anne was not afraid to make well on this threat, if need be.

However, Scarlet - and Ettie by extension - was not idle; though she stood and moved like a swordsperson but a moment ago, she was suddenly moving like a little beast! She briefly let go of the hilts of the blades - which remained floating near her hands, hanging on by the tassels. With her hands freed, she climbed up onto Anne's back, vaulting over the lycanroc's back to charge at Sidewinder! Though Barbara and Madame both tried to play interference, trying to grab for Ettie, she'd be just nimble enough to slip past them - darting side to side.

Haru, meanwhile, would use Lucky Chant - drawing a blazing sigil in the air with her branch, prepared to protect the group and avoid any unnecessary injuries.

Once near their target though, Scarlet would once more return to Ettie's grip. The possessed wildchild cast the Dragapult a wide grin and giggled - attempting to slash at him with a Pursuit of their own!

Present:

Callan Young, Josh Devlin, Johanna Joy

This was getting out of hand, and fast. Not one, but two seemingly well-trained Doublade had possessed their wielders. With Yagyu, this never happened once. The deceased Doublade truly was a treasure Josh dearly missed. The swift and sudden slashes cast the Leader's Dragapult aside with far more strength than the steel-type had on its own, right into the charging Anne! Sidewinder was completely down for the count. Josh recalled the Dragapult before Anne could do serious damage to his sensitive, ethereal tail, Sprite's Pollen Puff the only thing keeping the damage from becoming permanent.

"It's not exactly pretty, Callan, but that Doublade isn't showing any signs of backing off. It shouldn't shock Ettie too much, but it's the best I've got." Josh dismounted from Saber, now on foot as his most prized Pokémon engaged Ettie and Scarlet. "Saber, THUNDER WAVE! But try to hit only the Doublade!" There would inevitably be some kind of shock entering Ettie's body. While the weak jolt wouldn't cause any true harm, it still could have been extremely uncomfortable. His goal was to make that feeling last long enough for Ettie to either drop the blade or Scarlet to be unable to keep her tassels wrapped around her trainer.