Obvious exits:
Northeast <NE> leads to Commerce Road - Route 7: Trader Way.
Southwest <SW> leads to Celadon City: Eastern Entrance.

Aurora has connected.

Heavy rain pours from dark grey clouds, propelled by a furious east wind. In the forest, gusts of wind tear through the tree limbs and howl around rocks. While at the coast, the grey ocean lashes at the coast angrily as the summer storm pelts the waves.

Rainy, rainy weather. This is not really out of the ordinary, of course - it's been absolutely disgusting weather as far back as Peppy can remember without straining (would that be about a week and a half ago?). Water-hating fire-type he may be, the pup actually doesn't feel very depressed today - on the contrary, he feels like someone straight out of a pop song. The bottom half of his muzzle engraved into the soft floor of the den, Peppy is sort of dreamily peering out of the den, focusing on nothing in particular, apparently lost in thought about something. He looks absolutely comical halfway submerged in the mud with his entire body somewhat limp, his only movements being his soft breathing and his gently wagging tail. What is he thinking about, anyway? Let's not go there, as Peppy's mind is almost certainly a scary place.

Peppy may be brave enough (or foolish enough) to face the driving rain, but his mate evidently doesn't share that - Aurora is lying down almost as far back in the den as she can. Her eyes are half-closed, and at first glance she might look like she's napping, but her muscles are tensed and her ears are pricked up, and when the rain's patter on the ground outside increases occasionally, she flinches visibly.

A Retwa flares its wings and protects the database. (Saving)

So there is it. Peppy's just lying there, but he's happy. He's not eating, he's not sleeping, he's not even talking to his mate, he's just lying there. But his tail is still wagging almost cheerfully, even as the occasional raindrop finds a way to ride the wind just so perfectly as to smash into the pup's nose. He doesn't even flinch. Lying, lying, lying - and then, with absolutely no warning, <Awuhuh?> ... What? The pup blinks, realizes for the first time that his muzzle is stuck in the mud, and proceeds to raise his head and spit out the wet dirt he accidentally just allowed to fall into his mouth. The noises he makes as he tries to get the muck out of his mouth are downright funny. He was most likely just saying '<Aurora>', but it came out so garbled from the mud than the other pup might not even be able to hear it.

Aurora's eyes blink open at Peppy's rather muffled call, and she woofs quickly, <What is it?> as she lifts her head up to look towards Peppy - and also out of the den and at the rain, causing her to give a little shudder and look down. <Does it look like it's going to stop soon?> she asks hopefully, slowly continuing to get to her feet.

Peppy continues sputtering until all the mud is finally out of his mouth, which only takes a few moments. "Lithe!" the pup mutters in disgusting, shaking his head furiously as though it'll help him get rid of the awful taste in his mouth. After he's all nice and done with this little ordeal, he glares at the ground one taste time, before greatly softening his gaze and turning his attention up to Aurora. <Stop soon? Wh...> Flicker. The pup glances outside for a second or two, before nodding his head and giving a quick tailwag. <Oh! The rain!> He actually feels smart for figuring out what Aurora was talking about. <Well, it might, but...> A short pause. <But I don't think so.> Very quietly, under his breath, he growls a tiny little, <I wish it would.> Why? Does Peppy long to go on a walk again? Does he wish to see the new flowers and trees revitalized from the recent rains? ... Nah, he's probably just hungry, but doesn't want to go get wet.

Heavy rain pours from dark grey clouds, propelled by a furious east wind.

<Oh well...> Aurora replies, sounding defeated. <It looks like it's still very wet... I think I'll just go back to sleep. Maybe it will stop soon...> Her tone of voice doesn't sound too hopeful about that possibility, though, as she lies down again. <I'll try to have a nap,> she says, laying her head on her paws, though her body is slightly more tense than it was before, and rain splashing onto the muddy ground outside makes her flinch every so often.

Peppy gives Aurora a quick little glance, shifting his position to a considerably more upright one. While ascending to all four paws, he quickly barks (thankfully, not in a worried, frigtened, or overly loud voice), <Wait, Aurora!> Given even the slight indication that she heard him (he'll take even an annoyed glance or the smallest tail wag... shoot, he'll take Aurora taking a breath as an acknowledgement), Peppy will plop down on his rump, resting on his haunches, and staying careful not to bump his head on the ceiling as he does all too often. Appearing a little nervous, perhaps a little hesitant to annoy the female, Peppy woofs a gentle little, <Can I, uh, ask you something?> Instantly, he regrets it - Aurora wants to sleep, not talk!

Aurora opens her eyes almost as soon as Peppy speaks - though she may want to sleep, the female Growlithe is so tense that it doesn't look like she's going to be getting any sleep for some time. <What is it?> she asks softly, getting to her paws and moving so that she can see Peppy better, before sitting down on her haunches.

Maybe Peppy should just shut up right now! Maybe he should try to go to sleep, or stuff more mud into his mouth so that he doesn't annoy Aurora any further. Unfortunately, Peppy notices that he's already bothered Aurora to the point where she's up - it's too late to recall the question now. <I'm, uh, really sorry if you want to sleep,> he mutters sheepishly, reddening a little under the white fur on his cheeks, and glancing to the side. <But I've been trying really, really hard, and I don't remember.> Glancing back up at Aurora, the pup, curiosity twinkling in his eyes, asks, <When did we first meet?> ... Well, that's not vague at all, now is it?

Torrential rains fall at mid-day, driven by raging winds.

<It's okay, I can't get to sleep at the moment. It's raining too hard. Umm...> Aurora frowns in concentration, tapping her right paw absently on the ground as she thinks. <It was quite a long time ago. Several months, I think. A bit before it snowed... And before I went to that farm over the winter. You went there too, with that very noisy Pikachu.>

A Retwa flares its wings and protects the database. (Saving)

Peppy just flinches visibly. No, seriously, his head jerks down a bit and his right eye twitches as Aurora mentions 'noisy Pikachu', and a flood of memories involving pounding eardrums and extreme pain come rushing back into Peppy. Turning his head to the side, the pup growls a gentle, <I remember her too well!> Jameka can be fun - when she's not causing permanent deafness to sensitive Growlithe ears. Giving a small nod, still keeping his head adjusted, the pup woofs, <I remember meeting you at that place.> A pause. And, as an off-note, <I almost slept the whole time I was there.> A shy little grin forms at the side of his mouth.

Aurora grins back, and nods. <It was very cold outside, but the human who lived there put food out often, and it was a nice place. And during weather like that, sleeping was probably the best idea.> She frowns again in thought, and then gives a little grin. <Maybe if the weather gets too bad even in this den, we could travel there. It'd be warm, and dry, and there'd be no rain...> There's an involuntary shudder, and then a sigh. <I just wish it'd stop.>

Peppy gives Aurora a tiny little nod, flashing a cute grin at her before taking a glance out of the den. Because he's now he's in a more erect position, he can see further out of the den than when he could when he was lying on his tummy - and he's reminded of the human's path and, even more importantly, that long dark ground that has really fast things moving along it. Somewhere in the back of Peppy's mind, a gear shifts - but that's something to ponder later. Directing his attention back to Aurora, the pup continues the conversation. <After I left that farm and came back here, though... Then I found you again and that Vulpix, too, and soon you wanted to build this den.> An almost inaudible like exhale makes its way out of the pup's mouth, and he adds, his gaze turning to the side in a shy fashion, <It was around then that I started really liking you.> He says this with some embarassment - he shifts a little and his tail twitches with a flash of life for a moment. Aww.

<I-it was?> Aurora blushes and smiles a little, her tail giving a little wag as she replies, <Well, when you helped me to build the den, I sort of began to see... that if two of you work together, it's even better than if it's just you on your own.> She leans over towards him, and unless Peppy moves away, she'll nuzzle him on the cheek, adding a quiet but heartfelt, <Thank you, for everything.>

Peppy nods softly, still looking away from his mate nervously, his tail shifting back and forth uncomfortably. <Yeah,> he woofs gently, looking at the mud on the ground as though it holds something of interest. <Yeah, I-> And then Aurora leans over to surprise Peppy with a little nuzzle, causing the pup to make a quick gasp and have his heart skip a beat. In the back of Peppy's mind, this feels something like deja vu except backwards. Ignoring that little thought for now, Peppy nuzzles his mate back, probably doing so a little more strongly than Aurora (though certainly not enough to push her). <No,> he woofs gently, glancing over into the other Growlithe's eyes, smiling with pride. <Thank you.>

<Fade to black.>