[attr="class","hanapoke"]

[attr="class","hanahold"]

[attr="class","hanaflavourtext"]❝呼べよ、花の名前を❞

[attr="class","hanatext"]There's always something comforting about the chorus of rushing waves, that salty sea breeze assaulting her senses as she tucks a loose strand of hair behind her ears. It's almost as if the ocean whispers to her, beckons for her to wander closer to the vast expanse of crystal waters, invites her to wade amongst the cosmic array that it steals from the sky. In between the wooden planks she stands on, the depths glow with a warm pinkish hue, almost reminiscent of a Sylveon's aura when it readies itself for combat with Pixilate...

"You wouldn't want to be falling in, Hex." Speaking of Sylveons and their abilities, Lilith is reminded of the creature that has sworn their species to be his eternal enemy - Along with the Pikachus, of course - her gaze hovering over the Mimikyu as he stares into the dark, churning waters. "We're not here to fight with everything we see, alright?"

Though she sometimes wonders if she's speaking to a wall, Lilith is quickly reassured of Hex's attention when his fabric ear flicks towards her. Even with all the malice and distrust that's been driven into him, there's still a fragment of his heart that accepts her as someone to be trusted.

And perhaps, that's all she needs when she's got nothing left.

[attr="class","hanatags"]solo wild!

[attr="class","hanapoke"]

[attr="class","hanahold"]

[attr="class","hanaflavourtext"]❝呼べよ、花の名前を❞

[attr="class","hanatext"]Though Eva Morales makes a promise that she may not be able to keep, Lilith is more than reassured of her own safety, especially when considering the Mimikyu that lies dormant in his pokeball. Wolves are nothing compared to the storms and mountains they've braved, just another creature that daringly poses as a threat. So it comes as no surprise that they're able to slip by the ravenous canids with relative ease - Avoidance is met with avoidance itself, the predators soon realising that the invaders aren't here to interrupt their meals.

As they move towards the tree, Lilith swears that she can taste the absolute awe that radiates off the researchers, infectious and somewhat befitting of researchers who crave to seek the truths that this world has to offer. "Had your fill?" Lifting Rubia up above the group, her question is quickly answered by a cheerful bleat from the Wooloo, the squirming of her little feet signalling a wish to be placed on the ground. "Keep close." With one final warning, Lilith readily obliges to the request, cautious in ensuring the little ovine doesn't trip in her excitement before sneaking a glimpse of the tree herself.

Only gods can create miracles like these - It echoes in her ear, a whisper of the past sending chills up her spine as she subconsciously notes the absolute silence. A beautiful tree filled with life surrounded by halls of the dead... Artistic as it may seem, something about this sight makes her wish to gain distance from it all, serpents seeming to writhe and gnaw at her chest as she draws a pokeball from her pockets.

And so the show begins, the curtains ripped without the slightest hint of warning as the stage erupts with the lines of the first act. It all happens before she can even begin to make heads or tails of the situation, a strange-looking Electivire suddenly emerging from the grounds and aggressing on them with the rattling of its bones. Almost as if sensing the spike in Lilith's emotions, a Mimikyu breaks free from the pokeball with a haunting cackle and lunges straight towards the Electivire, shadowy claws emerging from underneath the veil as he attempts to Play Rough with the enemy.

A screech from the sky signals the return of Kin, the girl instinctively raising an arm to allow the Corviquire a place to perch. He crows twice with intent, his wings pointed just off the direction of the tree. Then, he shows her a Scary Face, flexing his talons and swaying as if mimicking the movements of a monster.

"There's two up ahead, closer to the tree than we are. And they've encountered a creature like this one."

---

Tl;dr - Hex (Mimikyu) uses Play Rough on the Z!Electivire
Kin (Corvisquire) has spotted out Tempest Quinn and @oakly, informing the group that they have encountered another zombie as well

[attr="class","hanatags"]mt pyre excursion

[attr="class","hanapoke"]

[attr="class","hanahold"]

[attr="class","hanaflavourtext"]❝呼べよ、花の名前を❞

[attr="class","hanatext"]Despite her initial assumptions, Lilith realises the cave can get much colder than it already is. The introduction of a stranger's voice and the question they pose bring her nothing but a deep sense of dread as she locks up. Adrenaline pours through her veins but she's actively trying to swallow the fears that dare to creep upon her tongue, trying so hard to keep the air in her lungs just to ensure that she doesn't stumble should she need to run.

There's an attempt made to sound out a confirmation of Yule's companionship. However, the lack of sound that leaves her lips forces her to resort to a nod instead, open arms patiently awaiting the return of the Vulpix. And the mischief-maker is quick to oblige to unspoken requests, bounding straight over to Lilith and pawing at her ankles until she's picked up from the chilly ground.

"I- is something the matter?" It is with the warmth of her pokemon kept tight against her chest that she finds her voice again, senses sharpened once more with a steady mind as she gives the stranger a once over.

[attr="class","hanatags"]Laurence Anderson || fragile fantasy

[attr="class","hanapoke"]

[attr="class","hanahold"]

[attr="class","hanaflavourtext"]❝呼べよ、花の名前を❞

[attr="class","hanatext"]There's something reassuring about the way that @cat takes control of the conversation so easily, leaving her with much lesser work on her part as she watches the girl pick Eclipse up. The Zorua barks, eagerly nuzzling her cheek before wrestling his way out of her grasp to greet Björn with an affectionate tackle. Snorting lightly at the playful fox, Lilith carefully taps Eclipse's head, reminding him to watch his manners around others - Even if Rubia isn't around to watch his antics, she can be just as strict.

"Careful..." A friendly warning is lost upon a chilly breeze, a small wince crossing her lips for every little trip or crash that Catalina has. Thankfully, Björn is always ready to catch her as she falls - Less scrapes means less time spent worrying and more time surveying the area. For a moment, she's reminded of a child, brimming with curiosity for the unexplored and seeming to lack any fear for the unknown. And she can't help but wonder when was the last time she had possessed such qualities...

The voice that calls from up ahead pulls her from the depths of a swirling mind, her attention training in on the said pokemon as Eclipse scampers up to the water's edge. He dips his paw in with untamed excitement, hoping to flick the Relicanth out of the waters, only to be hit in the face with a Water Gun.

"Wait, Eclipse d-"

But the Zorua does not heed her words, growling softly as he recovers from the attack with a vigorous shake. Then he barks, slamming his paws into the ground and releasing a dark shock wave towards the Relicanth. Though Lilith sighs, she can't quite undo what has been done, tossing a pokeball at the shaken piscine before scooping Eclipse into her arms.

"You should expect retaliation if you try to bother people. You can't just go picking fights because they started it first."

[attr="class","hanatags]@cat || catching relicanth!

[attr="class","hanapoke"]

[attr="class","hanahold"]

[attr="class","hanaflavourtext"]❝呼べよ、花の名前を❞

[attr="class","hanatext"]She hasn't been accustomed to getting gifts, not since she left the place she once called a childhood home. Though others may take pity and attempt to provide her with supplies or perhaps, a day of warm shelter, she has never truly taken any of them up on their offers. It's so that she can't get traced, she tells herself. It's because she doesn't trust any of their words, her mind screeches. It's because she doesn't wish to cause trouble for those who don't deserve it, her heart whispers.

Dakota's gifts are met with a moment of stunned silence, hesitation clearly traced upon her movements as she eyes the hat and the gloves he once wore. "I- you need them more than me..." She insists. And yet, the way he speaks tells her that he isn't budging till she does. And so, she gingerly receives the gifts with both hands, carefully wearing each piece as her mind swirls with an ocean of thoughts.

"Thank you..." The words slip off her tongue, a small piece of her awkwardness radiating off her tiny presence as she picks Rubia up. His warmth still lingers in the gloves, washing over her with a lulling sense of security as if he's holding her hands to guide her on the paths ahead. Of course, when he truly does take point, she is quick to follow in his steps, her gaze sweeping the icy walls and floor of the cavern as she watches her footing.

"I'm... sorry... for causing trouble, I mean..." Though part of her is sure that he will tell her not to apologise, the other half of her insists on blurting one out. And it works in its own ways, a tiny fragment of the weight on her chest lifted by the gesture. "I... got some carrot seeds that I can't quite grow... And I figured it might be because it requires a specific climate..."

But before she can continue her thoughts on the strange specimen, Rubia breaks free of her grasps once more, her little hooves clip-clopping against the icy grounds as she trots right up to a wandering Snover. At first, it seems that she may just be trying to talk and ask a few questions about the area but Lilith is watching a little more closely than she actually registers.

"Rubia, Cotton Guard!"

Though the command is received with a bleat of confusion, the Wooloo reacts almost instantly, her ridiculously fluffy coat allowing her to narrowly avoid the full brunt of Snover's Wood Hammer. Rubia's eyes narrow at the aggression shown, a strange cry mimicking some sort of roar followed up with an angry Headbutt right into the wild pokemon's torso.

Taking her chance, Lilith tosses a pokeball right at the Snover, ready to call Hex out at a moment's notice should things go south.

[attr="class","hanatags"]@dakota || awkward but comforting... || Catching snover!

[attr="class","hanapoke"]

[attr="class","hanahold"]

[attr="class","hanaflavourtext"]❝呼べよ、花の名前を❞

[attr="class","hanatext"]Wariness is something she's accustomed to seeing, the look Adrian gives her acknowledged with a slight nod. After all, who wouldn't be slightly on guard in the presence of strangers? Or is that just something that she experiences herself? Regardless, she has no intention of making a ruckus here, only catching a glimpse of what company Rowan surrounds himself with.

"Don't let me interrupt your little date... and good luck with the challenge." She hums, "Oh, but don't break a leg though..." Though jokes aren't quite her forte, she's sure that she's tried her best with that one and her pokemon think so too! Well, except for Hex. He's usually unamused by anything that doesn't involve someone getting injured or violence in some form. Gathering her wayward kids, Lilith shoos them along to the sidelines, finding themselves a comfy spot right under the trees as sunlight filters right through the canopy.

"Don't stray too far..." The usual calls are made with the scattering of the rascals, the vulpines launching into a play fight as Hex eggs them on. Rubia, on the other hand, decides to give up on reining in the madness, taking a seat right by Lilith's side and nuzzling her pouch knowingly. Sighing, the girl reaches for the wanted goods, retrieving a few berries and offering them with open palms.

"Just make sure not to tell the rest about this, okay?"

A bleat.

"I'm serious."

[attr="class","hanatags"]open to any interactions!

[attr="class","hanapoke"]

[attr="class","hanahold"]

[attr="class","hanaflavourtext"]❝呼べよ、花の名前を❞

[attr="class","hanatext"]Trust has never been easy for Lilith, placing faith in others is usually going to earn her a knife in the back. There is indifference in the way she treats people, a rigid detachment from humanity that allows her to keep her from exposing her vulnerable side. So when fate has led her to believe that Rowan Wrynn is different from the rest, she can't help but wonder what it may have been.

Was it the kindness he had showed her during her time in Galar? The concern he had kept for her well-being despite her lack of words? Or perhaps, it was the fact the he had remembered her name after all this time? Even after all this time, she has yet to discover what it is and perhaps, she never will, her train of thoughts briefly derailed by lowly chitters of her Mimikyu.

Relief floods her being as she follows his gaze, a rarely seen smile colouring her lips as she rushes over. "Rowan!" There's comfort to be sought in the offer of an embrace, laughter escaping her as she watches Hex hop off her shoulders to begin a water fight with Mistral. "How have you been? You need to take care of yourself, sleep on time and make sure to eat… Do you even have a home?"

She knows the hypocrisy that exists in her words, her state of living barely having changed through the years - Whether sleeping in trees or hiding in caverns, Lilith doesn't exactly have a place to call home. But it barely shows with how used to those conditions she is, her appearance still kept as neat just like in the lessons that have been carved into her mind.

"Has everything been okay for you?"

[attr="class","hanatags"]Rowan Wrynn || idle times

[attr="class","hanapoke"]

[attr="class","hanahold"]

[attr="class","hanaflavourtext"]❝呼べよ、花の名前を❞

[attr="class","hanatext"]If there's anything Lilith has learnt through her years of travel, it's that berries are one of the most valuable resources available to her. Boasting medical benefits, curing status ailments and easily found no matter which region she travels to, they are a blessing that remains constant in her life even through rough patches. With every chance of harvest comes a wave of relief, the need to make a trip to pharmacies and town stores greatly reduced. Lesser financial burden and the ability to destroy any tracks to be traced… There's barely anything for her to lose when it comes to attending the berry harvest along Route 113.

"You know how to do it best." Though it seems she speaks to herself, the air seems to waver with a deep sense of foreboding, a soft laughter echoing throughout the clearing. A tentative step in one direction, a great rustling of leaves in the other; Without warning, a Mimikyu pops out of a pile of fallen leaves, his carefully woven head lopping from side to side as he scampers towards one of the flowering brushes. Then with a cackle, he extends a shadowy hands, flexing sharpened claws before he Slashes the berries right from the tangled vines.

His achievement is celebrated with a maniacal howl and even more ravenous hunting, an action only acknowledged by a sigh as Lilith sweeps the results of his labour into her basket. "Don't go overboard, Hex. Make sure you're only cutting the ripe ones or you'll cause harm to the plant." It's times like these that she reminded of why she has to exercise caution with his antics, idle hands working to pick her own as her attention lingers on the Mimikyu.

But she's momentarily distracted by the appearance of a tiny mouse, hesitance slowing her movements as she realises he's reaching for the same berry that she is. "Oh… uhm… hi?" While they don't quite speak the same tongue, Lilith catches the glimmer of curiosity in his eyes, the happiness that melts through with his excited waving before he places the fruit into her basket and scampers off towards another person in the distance.

"Okay… uhm… bye… I guess…?"

Perhaps, she should consult Dakota a little more on the behavioural sciences of pokemon.

[attr="class","hanatags"]Amor Rose

[attr="class","hanapoke"]

[attr="class","hanahold"]

[attr="class","hanaflavourtext"]❝呼べよ、花の名前を❞

[attr="class","hanatext"]Heights, blood, knives or death - Lilith has never known fear of these things. Or rather, has gotten it carved right out of her since young. The only true things that terrify her is the thought of being caught, the notion of letting herself fall prey to affection. The stern scolding that Eva Morales gives Priam allows her to breathe just slightly, trails of her existence disappearing once more into the mist. Everything is fine, she's fine.

After everything, she's still here.

Rubia is quick to wander up to the trio ahead, cautiously taking in each of their scent before offering Lilith a forceful bleat. It's rare that she calls for her trainer to follow other humans closely, but she's deemed these grounds far too risky for her to move alone. One wrong step and she's lost to the rocky edges, one wrong step and she might find herself jumped. So she heeds the Wooloo's warning with great reservations, biting her tongue as she treads in their footsteps.

With how foreign the team leaders seem to be to her, Lilith finds no way to enter their conversation, awkwardly hugging her elbows as she takes in their surroundings. For a moment, she swears she sees movements amidst the numerous rows of gravestones, freezing up as she smells the rust and hears odd whispers in the winds.

Something else is here, something other than them. She wants to trust her senses and take her leave, but part of her acknowledges the seeds of paranoia that have long been planted in her head.

"Wolves." Her voice is sharp with caution, her eyes training in on the bloodstains as she calls Kin out. "To the skies." She commands, adrenaline pulsing through her veins as she recognises the eerie howls. With the sighting of predators, Lilith is running to grab Rubia, sweeping her into her arms as she eyes their crimson fangs and the shredded flesh.

"We're trespassing on their hunting grounds…"

---

Tl;dr - Lilith follows a distance away from the trio
Notices the blood and wolves and rushes to join the group
Sends Corviquire out to survey the area for any notable things

[attr="class","hanatags"]mt pyre excursion