Ettie's approach likely would be telegraphed to Josh far ahead of time. Namely, due to the fact that as the pack neared Mauville, a chorus of distant howls could be heard - each howl distinct in its own way, as if from a different species of pokemon from one another. Safe to say, Ettie's pack was growing at a steady rate - and one could only wonder how large it'll become, in the coming new year. Given the different kind of canid pokemon that existed out there, it was very well possible that her pack would become something fearsome to behold, if she included each and every species!

But, that was besides the point of today. Today wasn't about Ettie's pack - no, instead, it was about Josh's. With this being one of the few windows of time in which Josh nor Shawn had to worry about challengers coming in by the dozen, it was the perfect time for her to properly meet Josh's pokemon, and spend a little bit of time getting to know them!

And safe to say, as Ettie neared the Gym, she'd be met with quite the sight - a number of flying pokemon, including some dragon-pokemon, flying about through the skies above. The sight had the young wildchild grinning from ear to ear with excitement, as she ran on ahead of the pack - stepping into the Gym proper. And as soon as she saw Josh - "Friend..!" - she wasted no time in practically leaping at him, wrapping her arms around him in a big hug! "How-is? How-Shawn? How-pack?" She wanted to check up on everyone!

Not far behind, Ettie's pack would approach - Anne glancing to Josh, and giving a gentle chuff in greeting. She wasn't wholly sure of how she felt about him - not yet - but Ettie's growing bond with him certainly helped in getting her to warm up to him as well. She couldn't help but cast a warm yet amused glance at Ettie as well though, watching as her adoptive sibling chattered away with excitement.

Ettie blinked at the idea of Anne racing - and the two shared a glance, to which the lycanroc shrugged. "Anne... Less speed? More... Long-run." Ettie explained with a shrug of her own - speaking slowly as she had to make pauses to find the right words to articulate herself. Anne was big and strong, with the stamina to keep going over long distances - but it was at the sacrifice of some of the speed she might've had, if she had been smaller. Certainly more built for marathons, rather than races. Still, if Josh wanted to see Anne run around, Ettie was certainly down to do so!

But, the mention of a 'zoo' would make Ettie tilt her head. "Zoo?" She questioned, not sure what that meant. Was there something that'd make it tricky, for her to meet Josh's pack? She guessed photos would work for her to see what they were - but... "Not same..." She murmured, a hue of disappointment on her face. She wanted to meet Josh's pack, and be friends with them, too!

As the Honchkrow was tapped with the pokeball though, it seemed that the dark-type bird was not immediately keen on the new arrangements - the ball wiggling to and fro, before it had immediately taken. Ettie, too, appeared a little startled at this - glancing at the pokeball, and then Josh - her expression... Looking almost as though she was unsure, whether or not to feel a little betrayed. "... Why do that?" She asked - a faint frown on her face. Just walking up to someone and bapping them with a ball wasn't exactly how you made friends with pokemon, was it? And on top of that... She would've rather her new friend be free to come and go, like the maschiff was.

But honestly, there had been a question that she'd been mulling over this whole time - which, she'd mention soon after, questioning "... Why balls?" She wasn't going to judge how Josh ran his own pack all that critically, especially since everyone with him seemed so happy... But wouldn't they be happier to have the choice, too?

Josh Devlin

Her region enjoyed... Tampering with the fabrics of reality? Ettie cocked her head as she tried to understand Charon's little tirade. Something big had happened that... Broke things. And it was because people were too curious and 'flawed', whatever that may mean. Okay. She got that much - but given that this was due to events that she more likely than not had had zero part in, she technically had no part in the equation, besides coming in to help investigate the aftermath. Also, all of these talks of multi-whatevers and fabrics is gonna start giving her a headache, she was pretty sure. These were not things that a puppy was meant to comprehend.

Nonetheless, it sounded as though they were agreeing to some form of exchange with Charon - to come in and help the ferryman with things around the Border, in exchange for them acting as a guide and giving treasures of some kind. That didn't sound too bad, especially with Josh's agreement helping to seal the deal! "Okay! We help! Pack help!" Ettie spoke with a warm smile - hopping over to take Josh's and Johanna's hands with either hand. "We explore lots! Together!"

She was looking forward to future excursions in here, with the four of them together...!

Aura... It was something that Anne didn't wholly understand - the lycanroc lacking the same senses that Spot did, to percieve this energy that all living things gave off. The idea that there was something that Spot could see of her - no matter how hidden she may be in sight, sound, or scent - a small part of her brain, from her early days of a rockruff taught to hide from larger predators, disliked it. And yet, all the same, it was something that would surely prove invaluable today all the same. It was something that, though she couldn't sense it, she trusted in Spot's ability to. Even for as strange as she found it all.

As Spot pointed out the malicious auras he could sense to Anne, the lycanroc would stare off in the directions indicated - ears twitching back with a hue of agitation. She shared in the lucario's desire to move in and investigate - though with the wooloo needing their protection, she wasn't keen on leaving them unattended. With how spread out the auras seemed to be, that was just asking for something to loop back around whilst they were distracted, to take advantage of that window of inattention.

No - they were better off continuing to patrol. Perhaps if they continued looking, they'd find additional clues...

Meanwhile, as Julia identified the fur, Ettie would cock her head - visibly curious. "What Umbreon?" She'd ask - gently taking the branch back, so that she could look the fur over once more. It was smooth and sleek to the touch, definitely not soft like Ruffian's or wiry like Anne's... She wasn't sure if she'd actually seen such a pokemon as an Umbreon, however - and Julia seemed uncertain of something about them, too. What were they like?

Well, either way, Ettie would give Duchess some praise as well - patting her on the head. "Good Duchess! Help lots!"

And safe to say, Duchess was eating that praise right up - her tail wagging a mile a minute, as she yipped happily, bouncing about. She did a good! She did a good!! The excited electrike would run in a small circle once, twice, thrice, before running off - heading back to join the rest of the pack.

Which, perhaps, was good timing. As the sun continued to set, the surrounding light was beginning to dim - shadows growing longer, stars beginning to become visible in the sky above. Though it wasn't too dark to see (yet) for the two humans, perhaps a flashlight would be a good idea... Because it was safe to say, that the predators were here.

Anne would be among the first to spot them - shadows just beyond the foliage of the forest, prowling, lurking, eyes gleaming in the ever-dimming light. Snarls and growls sounded - a large pack of... something, Anne could not identify, beginning to make themselves known. Immediately, she began to bristle - hackles rising as she snarled at the gathering predators. Ruffian and Princess, too, would begin to growl - though Duchess, as she arrived, couldn't help but be unnerved by it all. There were a bunch of pokemon - too many for them to fight, it almost felt like...

... And the first strike would suddenly come Spot's way - as out of that darkness, a Liepard suddenly made itself known, claws flashing in a sudden Fake Out! And it was not alone, either - Anne having to dodge to the side to avoid a Night Slash from a second Liepard, and the glowing of an Umbreon's rings slowly approaching.

They needed backup, Anne believed in the moment - and thus, throwing back her head, she would let loose a Howl - both to embolden the pack (Spot included,) and to alert Ettie and Julia. Duchess, too, would join in with a Howl of her own - making a duet.

As the howls rang out, Ettie snapped to attention near-immediately - glancing up from the small cluster of Wooloo she had begun playing with. "... Pack fighting." She spoke, recognizing the meaning behind their call. "Predators here." Without even waiting for Julia, she was off - running in the direction of the pack, fully prepared to back them up.

Julia Davis

There certainly was something interesting, in looking at the different types of snowboys that people had made. Sure, a lot of them looked the same in Ettie's opinion - balls stacked upon balls, sticks for arms, coal faces... But as she searched about, she'd get the occasional ones who were a bit different - be it the decorations they use, or the shape of the snowboy, or even some making ones that were notably big or small! The ones that stood out from the crowd, and caught her eye!

But one in particular would draw her attention - notably, the one that Isaac Merlo had made alongside his pokemon. An almost monstrous head with a silly dumb grin, orbs of snow compacted together in an attempt to make the appearance of muscular arms, pecs and abs carved into the middle portion... And to wrap it all up, it was posed as if it was a bodybuilder whilst wearing a tophat.

Ettie loved it. She had absolutely no clue what she was looking at, sure, but she geniunely loved it. She'd begin to have a gigglefit as she looked at the snowboy, walking a couple circles around it to get a look at it from every angle - even as a few of her pokemon, Anne in particular, gave it a puzzled look. (But really, Anne was a wolf wearing a garland - do you expect dogs wearing garlands to understand Pure Art?) And as the young wildchild came to a stop on the second circle around it, she'd point at it - smiling to who she believed to be the sculptor (or sculptors? She wasn't sure,) and declared "Is funny! Ettie like!"

Safe to say, the snowwatson had Ettie's full approval.

Ettie nodded. "Anne big and strong!" She proudly spoke with a bright smile - wrapping her arms around the lycanroc in question in a big hug. "Anne carries me lots!" Certainly, she was able to run alongside her pack - and she enjoyed doing so! But sometimes, when the terrain was just a bit too tricky for the wildchild to manage on her own, Anne was there to help - ferrying not only her, but also the pups, as need be. Glancing down at said pups though, Ettie couldn't help but wonder - when they evolved, which of them would end up being big enough to carry her? Duchess seemed like a no-brainer, from what Josh said - but what about Princess or Ruffian?

She hoped they all grew big and strong, really - not only for the sake of getting to ride with them, but also just for the sake of them being healthy!

Though, the mention of pyroar being solitary hunters made Ettie blink. The males, she could see that - but she could've sworn she'd seen some females in a group before? Nonetheless, she'd nod in understanding once more - smiling brightly. "Ettie meet Aslan, when better?" She chirped, adding "Ettie wanna meet all-Josh-pack!" How big was his pack? How many different kinds of pokemon did he have, given the variety he already had on display? It was a fascinating thought, to say the least.

Ettie would be distracted from her thoughts, though, when something came out from the undergrowth- namely, a little maschiff. Upon emerging, the pup would glance between the others with a hue of shock - as if she hadn't expected for there to be other people out here... Before beginning to try and bristle, baring her fangs and attempting to give off the most fearsome growl she could muster..!

... Which, it was a shame for the maschiff then, that the sound came out as a bit of a squeak.

Ettie couldn't help but giggle a bit at this, though at the same time she found herself curious - what sort of pokemon was this? It certainly wasn't one she'd met before. Gesturing for her pack to back up a bit, Ettie would sit down in a knelt position on the ground - making herself appear as small and harmless as could be. And smiling, she'd give the maschiff a friendly bark of greeting! "Arf!"

All the whilst, Ruffian would be peeking around from behind Ettie, visibly curious. Who was this, he wondered?

The maschiff seemed a bit caught off-guard by the reception - blinking owlishly... But doubling down on the tough-'mon act, she'd bristle and bark at Ettie - even when each bark sounded just as squeaky as her growls.

However, the barking would stop when Ruffian approached - the lillipup barking something to her, and crouching down in a readied stance. Clearly, something about the maschiff had gotten Ruffian's interest - and he wanted to know more.

Quietly, both pups would peer to each other, intrigued. The maschiff would be the first to make an approach now - gradually stepping closer and sniffing. And when Ruffian's tail began wagging in response, she'd seem to catch on to what he must've wanted - because without warning, she'd tackle into him! Before Ettie or the rest of the pack knew it, the two pups were playfighting with one another!

Ettie blinked a bit at this, but smiled and giggled at the sight. "Have fun!" She chirped to them both.

However, the maschiff was not the only pokemon they'd be meeting - namely, a honchkrow watching from above, head cocking every which way as he stared down at the gathered group. Noticing his presence, Ettie would glance up and smile - digging through her bag for something. "Hello!" She chirped to the honchkrow, and - pulling out a fruit - she'd hold it up, to offer to the dark-type bird. "Friend?"

The honchkrow regarded the offering for a few moments - before seemingly deciding that it was acceptable, jumping down from his perch with a flutter of wings. He'd land before Ettie, pecking at the fruit to begin eating with an air of composure - all the whilst, the wildchild simply sat and watch with a warm smile. "Honchkrows friends!" She explained to Josh, all the whilst. "Flock find prey, tell pack. Pack catch prey, share!" It was a symbiotic relationship, through and through.

Catching Maschiff

And finally, there was a sableeye lurking in the shadows. Much like before, Ettie and co would watch the ghost-type as they moved through the undergrowth - visibly curious... Although, all the same, Ettie couldn't help at least a little disappointment. The incense didn't appear to have anything left to burn in it, and though it most definitely worked as advertised, she didn't find any new friends...

... Ah well. Stuffing the now-cooled and empty Incense into her bag, Ettie would move back to hopping onto Anne's back - as they continued on through the undergrowth. It'd just be a little while longer, before they could near Mt Pyre, after all...

Gradually, the howls would trail off, as their lungs were unable to hold the notes any longer. In the wake of the spirits - Yagyu in particular - a coin had been left behind, one that had caught Callan's attention; and with the help of his Typhlosion, Ardbert, the coin would be lit... Revealing a little Gimmighoul, who was seemingly summoned by said coin - rowing along in a little boat!

Ettie blinked in surprise, wondering just what all had happened - and one of her packmates, Haru, seemed to show distinct interest in the process as a whole.

But as the Gimmighoul addressed each individual, Ettie couldn't help but cock her head a bit at the description that the little ghost-type gave her - and glancing down, she shared a quiet yet quizzical glance with Ruffian. Was she like a lillipup? One would think that she'd be more of a Rockruff, given her upbringing (Or at least, she personally thought so!) And what was a mid-life crisis? Was Johanna really a liar?

But Josh's yell would jolt Ettie out of her thoughts, the young wildchild startling as she glanced to him at alarm. Was he okay? Was being 'naive' all that bad? Ettie and most of the pack approached the ranger - attempting to provide at least some form of comfort. "Friend...?"

However, that was 'most' of the pack - not all. A surprisingly hearty 'whuuuuff!' from Princess - as well as yipping from Duchess - could be heard, from somewhere just beyond where the seal was placed. It seemed that they had wandered off, sometime between the end of the howl and now! At the call of the two canines, Ettie's attention would snap in their direction - wondering if they had found something important, given the noise that even the normally-lazy Princess was making!

The young wildchild would approach where the duo had run off to - slowly and carefully, occasionally glancing back at Josh, reluctant to leave his side. But once she got around behind the seal, she'd see Princess and Duchess...

... And just beyond them, a fissure - as if something had cleaved into the earth, splitting it in twain. Ettie couldn't see the bottom of it, nor where it led - a sense of unease settling in as she stared into it. But pulling her attentions away, she'd call the group over - "Friends! Ettie found... Hole! Big hole! Really big!" It was times like these, where she wished she could better articulate the things she saw.

But, Charon was here, and accepting questions... "Charon-... Charon!" Ettie called, to get the gimmighoul's attention, before pointing at the fissure. "What-is? Why-is?"

(Though she has initially been about to call the little gimmighoul Charon-Friend, she was... Unsure, of how friend-like Charon was, given how Josh had reacted.)

Fulfilled: Found the fissure!

Johanna Joy Callan Young Josh Devlin

And after the pride, came the dizzying fall. Ruffian - having forgotten that the Leech Seed was still active - was still preening and strutting about over what he believed to have been a point in his favor. Perhaps he'd even try to spar Princess now - surely, he had more tricks up his sleeve than that lazy old snubbull!

However, then came the sensation of something wrapping around his leg - and for as much as Ruffian would make an attempt to pull himself free of the Leech Seed's vine, the effort didn't come quite fast enough. Before he knew it, Bert was hopping back up - and without wasting any time, tackling right into him!

The only thing that kept him from tumbling as far as he could've would be the grip of the Leech Seed's vine. But even then, the pup would let out a grumble of agitation, at having gotten caught off-guard like this. As he slowly got back up to his feet, Ruffian wasted no time - attempting to leap at Bert and bite down with Crunch in retaliation!

Ettie, meanwhile, would look with visible awe as Chad was sent out. "Chad-friend is big.... And strong!" Ettie breathed, an impressed smile across her face. Getting up from her seat, she'd approach the much-larger Machamp - and smiling up to him, greeted "Hello!"

URIAH BLACK

If someone in the same shoes as Ettie were to talk about the time and shenanigans put into making their snowboy, they might've described it as blood, sweat, and tears. A trial and tribulation that is celebrated by cheers with mugfuls of eggnog or hot cocoa, maybe even with a candycane to nibble on. Ettie, however, would likely question the use of the saying - cause what was so bad about making a snowboy, that would leave you bleeding or crying? Clearly, something was going horribly wrong if that was what you described the process of making your snowboy as!

No, clearly, a snowboy was something that you put snow, sweat, and even more snow into. And also maybe some ice, much like what Ettie ended up doing when she started enlisting Princess for generous uses of Ice Fang. Though it took a bit of doing, having a pack at your back to help pitch in meant that Ettie was able to throw together a respectable snowboy in no time - even if perhaps a bit small, granted that Ettie herself was small. It'd be hard for her to put on the head, if she had made it too big otherwise!

And as for the snowboy itself? It was mostly pretty simple in its shape - save for the head, which though round, Ettie had clearly attempted to shape a canid snout onto it and give it a pair of icy pointed ears. But otherwise, the one main detail that made it stand out was the ice. Like scoops of icecream, swirling streaks of ice were visible throughout each part of the snowboy, (or was it a snowdogboy at this point?) This added detail gave the snowboy an eyecatching glimmer, when the light hit it just right - something that Ettie definitely appreciated.

But with the snowboy done, Ettie was content to sit around - admiring not only her own work, but also the works of those around her. There were so many scattered around, by now..!