Obvious exits:
East <E> leads to Nine-Tails Breeding Center.
South <S> leads to Big Riddle Inn.
West <W> leads to Cinnabar Caves - Steam Cave.
Down <D> leads to Cinnabar Island: Steaming Tunnel.
North <N> leads to Cinnabar Island: Hiking Path.

Choji arrives from Cinnabar Island: Hiking Path.
Choji has arrived.

Light rain falls from a grey-black sky without moon or stars. It's chilly and there's a fresh wind from the east. In the forest, raindrops patter against the leaves, invisible in the darkness. While at the coast, the ocean murmurs softly as the spring night rains down on it.

Rain. Rain. Go away. Come again another day. Despite it being a rather lovely night, even with the rain, on Cinnabar Island, something is wrong. Namely, a Growlithe is here, one who shouldn't be. Huddled under a tree is Patch's own Growlithe, Peppy... and he looks exhausted. Like he hasn't had any sleep in ages. Why doesn't he fall asleep? Heck, what's he doing here?

Under a pair of golf umbrellas approach Cinnabar's resident sleepmeister and his Drowzee, sipping coffee as usual and looking around a bit. "I know I left it here somewhere..." <Left what?> "Something. Just so you know, our next target is the Kanmou BC, after which we will peruse the area east of Fuschia for a while." <Ahh. I seem to understand the reasoning behind that... wait.> They come to a stop. <Something's out of place here.> "A Drowzee in Cinnabar?" <Naah. Something that seems asthetically correct but isn't...> "Come again?" They look about the area, but Choji looks more along the ground.

Bah. The puppy is a little too miserable to notice Choji and his Drowzee in the area. He's simply too tired, because he's been awake for two whole days now. There's a reason for it, at well - Growlithes used to sleeping 20+ hours a day don't suddenly stop sleeping altogether without a reason. <Go away, rain...> The dog mutters quietly, really, really, *really* wishing he were home. Or sleeping. Or both.

The haunting sound of a Scarewulf howl echoes across the MUSH as the database saves. (Saving)

The satyr looks toward the source of a rhythmic chant and finds the misplaced puppy. <Right. In place, but out of it...> As Choji keeps combing the ground, Somna walks over and covers the Growlie with the Golf umbrella, taking a seat as well. <G'evening. You come up here often?>

A sign of life. The dog quietly glances up at Choji, but doesn't recognize the boy, because his vision is just blurred. Fortunately, not from hunger (Strife taught him exactly what to do about that), but from sheer exaustion. <Hi,> The pup woofs, before yawning loudly and idly bringing up a paw to scratch his side. A blink. And another tired glance up. "Growl... guh... growlithe?" In a slurred zombie voice, Peppy asks Choji if he's seen his trainer, Patch, recently.

Choji seems uninterested in the conversation, as he's still searching all over the ground for something or another... Somna, however, takes the opportunity to answer. <Ahh, yeah... you were over at the Ice festival, weren't you! Yes, I remember your trainer, I believe. We've been here finalizing some research for a long while now, and couldn't tell ya for certain.>

Peppy makes a small little gesture towards the little snowflake collar around his neck. It's kind of difficult for a canine to gesture like that, but the dog manages. With a small yawn - how did this pup get so tired? - he says sleepily, <Oh, okay.> His half-closed eyes glance over at Sonma, and quietly, he asks, <Have you seen her recently? She's probably still up in Cel-a-don.> The only town he knows, and that's a fortunate thing.

The Drowzee shakes his head and sips his coffee again. <Haven't been in Celadon for a while. As I said, we've been here for a long time. Feels nice to take a walk... even if it is in the rain.> Choji, however, frowns at all the mud, and pulls out a small garden spade. Is something buried?

The sleepy pup yawns a bit, but gives a small nod. <If you... see her,> He requests quietly, <Could you tell her where I am?> It's about now that he notices Choji preparing to dig up the area, and the pup, with a small shock, hops to all four paws. <Hey! You could ruin food that way!> Uh... what?

Somna looks a bit shocked by the dog's outburst, but is even more shocked at Choji's behavior. The trainer walks to an old rock across from the pokemon, takes 5 steps forward, turns, and throws the spade at the ground, which strikes with a metallic *clang* upon some buried object. "There it is!" <There's what?> "What I've been looking for!" Choji starts digging through the mud like a madman while Somna facefaults and sips again. <That man is completely insane.>

The Growlithe agrees, but doesn't say anything about it. With a worried little woof, he goes, <You could've just covered...> Attempt to stifle a yawn. <... up some food!> The pup seems a little nervous being like this - if Choji gets mad at the dog for having such a sudden outburst, he might attack Peppy. And with the dog being so tired, that's a bad thing. <What was he looking for?> The pup asks, sitting down on his rear end, glancing at Somna, and trying his very hardest not to just fall asleep right there.

Somna just looks on, slightly interested, at what Choji seems to be digging up... More metallic strikes from the hole are heard, and in short order Choji pulls out a small aluminum tacklebox that looks to have been sealed in wax. "It's... still here..." Upon the side of the box can be seen the initials C.K., more than likely indicating Choji Ketibeppu.

Peppy can't exactly read letters, but the truth is, the dog's vision is so blurry, even if he *could* read, he wouldn't be able to see them. <You dunno?> The dog asks, quietly drooping more and more. He struggles to stay awake, and, in this attempt, asks the Drowzee quietly, <H'vyou ever seen a flying... uh... kinda like a really big... big... Charmander, with wings?> Huh boy, he's tired. And it shows. Why doesn't he get some sleep? The world may never know.

Choji looks at the box longingly and eventually gives it a big hug. "Fourteen years..." <Eh? What's in the box?> "Something precious. Come Somnalesce! We harken to the Kanmou Breeding Center!" <Gyaagh... Righto.> He leaves the golf umbrella over the Growlithe and sips the coffee again. <Charmander with wings? Ahh, that Charizard. I hope never to get in a scrape with him... I take it that's how you got up 'ere? Regardless, I've gotta split. Feel free to rest under the umbrella, everyone on this island knows where to return it to. Good evening!> With that, Somna dashes off to catch his trainer.

"Growlithe." Peppy mutters, somewhat like an 'Oh'. His ear flickers a bit. So that's what brought him down here. As Choji and his Drowzee head off, Peppy sighs, leaning against the tree, and struggling his very hardest to keep awake. He is absolutely determined to stay awake, at least until Strife gives him permission to go to sleep. Who knew the pup had so much spirit about this?