The trek here had taken a hot minute - Ettie having never left the mainland before, until now. Taking a boat across the waters had been an excitement in-of-itself for the first half - albeit when the novelty had faded, Ettie ended up taking a nap with Anne to pass the time for the second half. And yet, with the sight they were met with now - namely that of Joyland, just beyond the throngs of people waiting in line - it was safe to say that the wait had been worth it, and the pack was excited.

There were lights and sounds aplenty, coming from Joyland - music, laughter, and large constructs with lights strung across them... And that was just what she could see from the outside - what else could they find within the park?

It was hard to miss Ettie's approach with her pack following behind her, a sizeable number of canids sniffing about with wide-eyed curiosity as they tailed the young wildchild. Adrea and Astus, too, would be gliding along through the skies above - and if you listened closely, you could hear the two's usual bantering and bickering oh-so-faintly over the sounds of Joyland. Ettie was anticipating that she'd likely have to bring some of the pack back into their pokeballs, given that's how it usually was with the cities and most buildings...

... But one way or another, she wanted to let them all have a chance to enjoy this adventure, too!

Initially, Ettie would linger near the queue - wondering whether she should be in line like everyone else. But, Astus crowed as he landed nearby - having spotted their friend, and pointing Ettie in the right way with a wing. And as the girl's eyes fell upon Johanna, her expression lit up with happiness. "Johanna! Friend!"

Wasting no time, Ettie ran right up to Johanna - and arms opened wide, she'd practically jump into the woman to give her one big hug! The pack would begin to gather around them as well - tails wagging, noses sniffing, and Duchess in particular yipping with joyful greetings as the little electrike bounced about. "How-is? Friend-good?" Ettie questioned, before adding "Ettie-pack excited! So big! Lots-sound, lots-pretty-glowy-shiny!"

There must be lots to do, in Joyland - and Ettie didn't even know where to start!

"Ettie good! Pack good!" Ettie responded with a bright smile, briefly nuzzling her cheek against Johanna's shoulder - before tapping back down onto the ground once the two parted from their hug. "Boat-fun, ocean-lots-water!" She spoke with a bright grin. "Ettie not-see ocean before!" The biggest bodies of water she'd been familiar with up to now were lakes and rivers - but to be met with the sheer vastness of the ocean certainly was something else, even if she had napped the second half of the boattrip away.

Ettie wasn't sure what - exactly - a queue was, besides perhaps the line of people waiting to get in; but all the same, she nodded and giggled brightly as Johanna gestured to Joyland. "Ettie can't-wait!" She chirped, bouncing on her heels and wiggling in place.

But, Johanna had posed a good question - namely, that of the pack. There were lots of people and other pokemon who were in the park, and some of them may not be as used to the hustle and bustle as the average trainer-caught pokemon. Ettie, though, smiled gently. "Is-ok. Take turns!" She mentioned - crouching down, and pulling a few pokeballs out of her pack. She didn't want to crowd others in the park either, after all - and figured that not everyone would be keen on experiencing all the noise and lights of Joyland.

Thus, Ettie would return some of the pack to their pokeballs - until Anne, Ruffian, Duchess, Princess, as well as Astus and Adrea, were the only ones left out. Anne would be the one who stays out - mostly because the lycanroc refused to stay within a pokeball, especially not when strangers were around - but otherwise, Ettie planned on switching them out every so often so everyone got to have some fun! "Okay - ready!"

The group followed close behind Johanna - Princess idly hanging out on Anne's back, and Duchess letting out happy little yips as she bounced alongside. Astus and Adraea both, meanwhile, would simply hop and flutter from perch to perch - briefly swooping past through employee entrance, when the gymleader opened it up.

Even from the outside on its own, Joyland was a mess of sounds and lights - laughter, music, chatter, all seeming to filter out past the walls that marked the outer edge of the amusement park. But actually entering the park - like passing through a portal to another world - was something else entirely. Everything was so bright, so colorful, with music playing over a general haze of chatter from parkgoers and the like...

When Johanna glanced back, it was easy to see that Ettie might've been a little overstimulated - having stopped in place, staring wide-eyed and somewhat vacantly at everything around her. Anne, too, seemed to find it to be a bit much - the lycanroc stock-still and making an agitated rumble in her throat. It was as if fight or flight was setting in for them both! And yet... A gentle pat and 'whuff' from Princess, and happy yips from Duchess, seemed to help the wolf settle.

Anne would give Ettie an inquiring nudge and chuff - prompting the wildchild to blink as she was snapped her stupor, before giggling. "Is ok!" Ettie spoke to Anne and Johanna both, reaching up to pet the lycanroc. "Is... Lots." She admitted to them with a laugh - to which Anne simply nodded in agreement.

This was indeed a lot - and it seemed that Ettie and Anne would need a minute to adjust to it, compared to the city-born trio that Duchess, Princess, and Ruffian were. And yet, the awe would now filter in more properly as Ettie took in her surroundings a second time, this time a bit more slowly. This was so different for her, so new, so alien - but, with so many people around, with so many smiling faces and happy chatter... It certainly helped, in reminding her that this was a safe and fun place.

And Ettie was eager to try and get used to all of this, one step at a time. Where would they start?

Safe to say, even just from the entrance, Ettie could see a lot of different things. There were food stalls, the distant shapes of rides, and a variety of games - with all the smells, sights, and sounds to match! And unlike most visits that a child might be taken on, this one didn't have a time limit - Johanna was happy to follow after for however long Ettie and her pack had energy to spare!

Ettie would take Johanna's hand as they walked along - initially indecisive, unsure of what she might look for in a fun game or ride. It was safe to say that Duchess was gravitating towards anything with bright lights though, whereas Princess was staring at a food cart...

... But, that was when a distinctive DING! from off to the side caught Ettie's attention - and she'd notice a Test Your Strength game, someone having just swung the hammer. Interest piqued, Ettie pointed towards it as she glanced to Johanna - asking "What is?"

Ruffian seemed quite interested in the game as well - the lilipup staring intently. Perhaps he wanted to test his strength, too? Although, it was hard to say how he'd do it, given that he didn't have opposable thumbs to hold a hammer with...

A game to test one's strength? Ettie tilted her head as Johanna explained it - visibly curious, and watching another person swing the aforementioned mallet at the target that sat at the base of the machine. The bright lights, the sound of the ding when the indicator manages to hit the bell... It was quite eyecatching, to say the least!

But what really sold Ettie on giving it a try, was the interest that Ruffian had on display - the little lilipup giving a bark and gesturing a paw towards the machine. "Ehehe- Ruffian want-play?" The wildchild questioned as she pointed to the Test Your Strength machine - only to giggle and nod when the pup gave a bark of affirmative. "Ok! We play!"

Thus, Ettie and her packmates would move to wait in line - not that the queue was all that long. Ruffian was visibly antsy though, paws tip-tapping as he fidgeted - trying his best to wait, despite the impatience that he'd express in the occasional little 'rrrruff!'s he made. For a moment, it'd look as though he would just run on ahead and cut in line -- but Anne would press a paw down on his back to hold him still, making an exasperated huff at him.

And before too long, the group's turn arrived - and Ettie, eager as always, would be the first to try her hand at the machine. Mallet in hand, she'd heft it over her head with an excited grin - and swung it down with gusto..! Which, she would manage to hit the target a little harder than one might have expected for such a small girl. Though taking her athletic nature into account, one could say she did pretty well, even if strength was ultimately not her strong point.

Glancing over to Johanna though, she'd smile brightly - eyes lit up like a puppy waiting for praise - asking "Is good?"

Ruffian, however, was quick to take a crack at the machine. It was pretty clear to him at from the start that the mallet was a no-go, given his lack of thumbs. But he was determined to make an impression - at first attempting to slam his front paws down upon the target a few times! When the indicator barely twitched upwards though, his expression furrowed - he couldn't really put his back into it, like this...

... So instead, he barked for Anne to come over. The lycanroc gave him a puzzled look as she approached - ready to question what he wanted... Only to be surprised when Ruffian would leap, scrabbling up her mane and onto her back! From here, Ruffian would puff his chest with determination, before diving down from the vantage point Anne offered - and throwing himself into the target with Take Down..!

This time, the indicator rocketed up - right up to the bell, where it'd give a satisfying DING!

It was probably a good thing that the machine appeared to be made to withstand pokemon giving it a try - although Ruffian had not considered the consequences of slamming face-first into a metallic surface. The lilipup was clearly dazed from his own gambit - stumbling and staggering back to the others, despite his best efforts to hold his head high and appear proud and composed.

Anne just sighed and shook her head.

Ettie beamed brightly at the praise offered, giggling and wiggling with joy. She might not be as strong as say, Anne, but she liked to think that she wasn't weak, either! Especially when she'd been eating a lot better, ever since she started interacting with humans and society.

As Johanna moved to check on Ruffian though, the lilipup would blink in her direction - at first a bit bleary and dizzy... But as he shook the cobwebs out of his head, he'd puff up and bark at Johanna with something between annoyance and determination. Of course he was okay! He was tough! No silly bell would stop him that easily!

But satisfied with their time spent at the Test Your Strength, the pack would begin to move on - Ettie taking Johanna's hand, as they did. There were still so many different things that they could do, things that they could check out and try...

... But eventually, Ettie's eyes would next fall upon a dart game, where the targets were colorful balloons. "Ooh! What is?" She asked - glancing up to Johanna and pointing towards the game. "How play?"

Ettie eagerly took in the information provided - nodding along as her gaze followed Johanna's gestures. Okay, this game seemed pretty easy to understand, too! She was looking forward to giving it a try!

But then came the mention of a fee. Ettie had blinked at it at first - but her expression lit up as the gym leader expressed her intention to help pay for it. "Thank you!" The wildchild chirped, giving Johanna a quick hug. "Ettie... think money weird." She commented with a giggle. Why use those funny pieces of paper or coins, when one could be trading stuff like food, or materials, instead? That seemed far more useful in the long run!

Though, she did like how shiny the coins could be.

But in any case, the game was ready to go - and Ettie wouldn't waste any more time. Approaching the counter, she took one of the darts - looking it over, idly poking her finger against the pointy tip. She usually didn't throw things to fight or hunt - but she could see the value in having something sharp to throw. And, it sounded like it'd be fun to try and hit these balloons!

Thus, she'd wind back her arm - and aiming at one of the targets, threw her dart with all her might!