[indent] [/indent][h3][hr][color=palevioletred]Eryn Montero[/color][/h3][hr][sup][i]Route 2: Deep Infested Woods  ||  Night[/i][/sup][indent] [/indent]
Eryn decided to stay quiet as Laurinda spoke, figuring she’d already done enough damage to the woman’s opinion of her. Her eyes flickered to Delphox when the fire-type was mentioned, then back to Laurinda as she continued. So other trainers had come into the woods to find ghosts, but perhaps only just a few. 

Wincing slightly at the implied label, Eryn waited until Laurinda finished, which was when the warden called out another Pokemon. It took Eryn a moment to place the ghostly flame as a Chandelure, and she only snapped out of her staring when Laurinda mentioned another wanderer. Had another trainer gotten lost in the woods? The look exchanged between Laurinda and her Delphox seemed to suggest it was something else—something worse—but Laurinda was off before Eryn could ask what she’d meant. 

Instead of getting her questions answered by perhaps the only person able to answer them, she was left with Laurinda’s Pokemon and her own.

[color=palevioletred]“Well, that was awkward. Thanks, by the way. I was—am—totally lost,”[/color] Eryn said to Laurinda's Pokemon, laughing lightly. 

The Delphox turned to the Chandelure and started a dialogue that Eryn was unfortunately unable to decipher much of. That the Chandelure was put off by what the Delphox said was her only clue, and she could only assume it was a bad idea. A stir at her side reminded Eryn that her Pokemon were present. Present… and able to decipher the ongoing dialogue.

Eryn grinned, looking between Dei and Kylie expectantly. Dei’s ever-present frown remained, though he appeared more of a mix between concerned and uncertain than irritated, his tail flicking slightly as he looked between the two larger Pokemon. Kylie, on the other hand, transitioned from surprised to gleeful, almost mischievous so. Above her, her jaws clacked together gently.

[color=palevioletred]“O-kay, so, what’d they say?”[/color] Eryn asked, rubbing her hands together. 

Dei’s tail flicked as he looked to Kylie, whose full grin he clearly disapproved of. The two had a short dialogue themselves—each exchanging single lines—before Dei looked to Eryn.

[color=palevioletred]“So, twenty questions.”[/color] Eryn frowned. [color=palevioletred]“Is it about taking us out of the forest?”[/color] 

Dei nodded.

[color=palevioletred]“Did they… decide not to?”[/color]

Dei shook his head, his tail flicking towards the Chandelure before he pointed into the darkness of the woods.

[color=palevioletred]“So, Chandelure’s agreed to take us out of the woods… or… into the woods?”[/color] 

At Dei’s nod, Eryn grinned again. [color=palevioletred]“Wowzers, with Chandelure escorting, we might actually be able to explore some.”[/color] 

Eryn paused before she could get too ahead of herself. Was that the best idea? Other than the addition of a strong Pokemon guide, nothing had changed. Her Pokemon were still unprepared to take on the majority of the Infested Wood’s inhabitants, and she was still severely underequipped to heal them back up to health should they wind up in a scuffle. 

Still, what were the chances she’d get another chance to explore the woods with a Pokemon as experienced as the Warden’s Chandelure so early in her trainer career? The opportunity was perhaps too good to pass up, and she figured that if Laurinda trusted her Chandelure to lead Eryn out of the woods, she trusted her Chandelure to be able to deal with whatever scary shadows lurked in the woods.

[color=palevioletred]“I’d prefer to explore more if possible,”[/color] Eryn said, looking to the Chandelure. 

Laurinda had, after all, entrusted Eryn’s safety to her own Pokemon, not to Eryn herself. Eryn was clearly not a candidate able to keep herself safe, and Eryn agreed with that judgement call, but now that she had someone able to ensure her safety the prospect of some more danger didn’t seem too terrible. And, after all, it seemed she had the Delphox’s approval in whatever antics she might try.

[color=palevioletred]“That alright with you two?”[/color] Eryn asked with a conspiratorial grin, looking between the Chandelure and Delphox. 

In her arms, Tula wriggled.

[indent] [/indent][hr][hider=Actions][u][b][color=palevioletred]     Actions:          [/color][/b][/u]
Eryn decides to head deeper into the woods
[h3] [/h3][/hider]
[hider=Pokemon][u][b][color=palevioletred]     Pokemon Party:          [/color][/b][/u]
[hider=Dei — Charmander][h3]Dei[/h3][hr][img]https://www.smogon.com/dex/media/sprites/xy/charmander.gif[/img]
[hr][sup][color=silver]Charmander  [color=palevioletred]◼[/color]   Level 8 [color=palevioletred]◼[/color]   ♂   [color=palevioletred]◼[/color]  Blaze[/color][/sup]
[indent]100%
[list][*]Physical — Scratch
[*]Status — Growl
[*]Special — Ember
[/list][/indent][h3] [/h3][/hider]

[hider=Kyllene — Mawile][h3]Kyllene / “Kylie”[/h3][hr][img]https://www.smogon.com/dex/media/sprites/xy/mawile.gif[/img]
[hr][sup][color=silver]Mawile  [color=palevioletred]◼[/color]   Level 8 [color=palevioletred]◼[/color]   ♀   [color=palevioletred]◼[/color]  Hyper Cutter[/color][/sup]
[indent]100%
[list][*]Physical — Astonish
[*]Status — Taunt, Growl, Fake Tears
[*]Special — Fairy Wind
[/list]Holding: [b]Occa Berry[/b][/indent][h3] [/h3][/hider]

[hider=Tula — Magikarp][h3]Tula / “Tutu”[/h3][hr][img]https://www.smogon.com/dex/media/sprites/xy/magikarp.gif[/img]
[hr][sup][color=silver]Magikarp  [color=palevioletred]◼[/color]   Level 5 [color=palevioletred]◼[/color]   ♀   [color=palevioletred]◼[/color]  Rattled[/color][/sup]
[indent]100%
[list][*]Physical — (Struggle)
[*]Status — Splash
[*]Special — N/A
[/list][/indent][h3] [/h3][/hider]
[h3] [/h3][/hider]
[hider=Inventory][u][b][color=palevioletred]     Inventory:          [/color][/b][/u]
Pokédollars — 4000
[list][*]Potion — 1
[*]Pokeballs — 4
[*]Old Rod
[/list][h3] [/h3][/hider]
[@PlatinumSkink]