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.

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

Oranges, reds, and golds light the fair weather clouds, shadowed in purple, around the setting sun. A soft breeze blows from the west. In the forest, the wind rustles the bright green leaves of trees and bushes and carries Oddish pollen, downy seeds, and the fragrance of wildflowers along with it. While at the coast, the ocean is a deep cool blue today, the waves lapping at the coast gently under the pleasant spring sky.

Citine sighs and leans against a large rock, a Rattata perched upon his shoulder, looking up at the sky quietly, <Sunset...perdy.> The trainer nods and pats the rat on the head. "So...what do ya wanna do Fleet?" He asks Fleetfoot, who merely replies with, <Eat and watch sun...> Citine nods and sits down, taking out about four peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, unwrapping one and breaking it into four. He hands the Rattata one piece and puts the other three down and unwraps one for himself and begins to munch on it.

Ahh! It's another be-a-you-ti-ful sunset... gone unappreciated by Peppy, Growlithe countless miles away from home. However, you won't see this pup crying or anything! Nope! It's been over a week, it's a darn good thing he's not still sobbing. Near one of the area's trees, quietly, tiredly, Peppy sniffs about the area, searching for food. Hmmm... hm. Man, this isn't half as fun as just being given a burger on a plate or something... but, whacha gonna do?

Citine chooses a Rattata!
Fleetfoot has arrived.

Fleetfoot sniffs the air and looks in the direction of Peppy, <Growlithe hungry?> He asks, remembering their previous encounter, he jumps off Citine's shoulder and carries a piece of sandwich over to the Growlithe. The trainer blinks and packs his stuff up, follows the rat, and quickly unpacks where the pokemon stopped, "Hey...what're you doin' here?"

Blink. The Growlithe's head lifts up, and spins in Citine's direction. Is that..!... no, no, it's not Strife. Hmm. <I live here.> The dog lies to the human, and he's got his own little reasons for not telling the truth. He ignores the Rattata for now. <Why?> Hmm... what happened to Mr. Happy, cheery pup, who's always so delightful to be around? Apparently, wildness has hardened the pup considerably. Oo.

Citine blinks and crouches down, "You seem familiar...Fleet...I haven't seen a 'lithe with that scar in a long time...lesse...what was that vaccuum's name again?" The Rattata nods, <Umm...Peppo? I dunno....somethin' beginnin' wit a "P" and belonged to that trainer you fought a long time ago.> "Yeah...Patch..." He mumbles all this while unwrapping a sandwich and handing it to the Growlithe, "Here...you seem hungry."

An ear perks up. Patch? <You know Patch?> Huh. Maybe he can open up a little bit... but just a bit. <I'm not hungry, thanks.> The Growlithe mumbles, ignoring the sandwich completely (man. Ignoring food. That's just crazy!). <Does Patch know I'm here?> Huh. This is curious.

Citine blinks and sits down, thinking for a while, "Hmm...not hungry...man, we might have gotten a mistake here...that 'un jumped at food...too bad I don't have any burgers or something..." He trails off, quiet for a while, "Yeah...used to know Patch...first time I left here I ran inta her...great trainer. Had this Growlithe named...." He thinks for a while, "Oh yeah! Peppy!" Fleetfoot nods in agreement, <You sure you live here? There's a Charizard in that cave...I think...according to my trainer there is!>

Peppy flinches visibly. Burgers. Just what he needs, a reminder. <That's not my name.> Peppy lies slyly. See, he's got a reason. He can't trust anyone right now until he's safe at home. If you were to be dragged from home by a Charizard, you'd be paranoid, too. Right now, all his trust is going towards Strife, and besides Patch, that's about it. Who's to say Citine won't just take the pup further away from home than he already is? <But, Patch. I know Patch. I... I...> Hm. <I need to see her here.> Yeah, okay, that's kind of a dead give-away as to who he is.

Citine shrugs and nods, "I promise...next time I meet her I'll send her here...lead her even if ya want to...but I still think you look a lot like that other 'lithe...Peppy." The trainer digs in his backpack for a while until he takes out something in the back pocket, "Hmm? I actually have something in that pocket? Aw Fissure!" The trainer sighs and holds a burger, halfwrapped in cheesepaper. He sighs, "Here...I really think that yore Pep...but if you say yore not then you probably aren't...but here, I don't eat these and only Fissure eats 'em in my team...so might as well take it Growlithe." He says and places the burger on the ground in front of the Growlithe. Fleetfoot crawls up to the shoulder and the two watch both Growlithe and sunset.

Peppy glances down at the burger, but doesn't pounce on it or anything. He's going to wait until they are out of sight before tearing that food apart and devouring it. Mm. The Growlithe slightly digs his paws into the ground, trying to resist the urge to start gobbling it down right now. It's almost funny to watch. <Thanks.> The puppy growls quietly. <For telling Patch, not for the food.> He adds quickly.

Citine shrugs and closes his eyes, taking in the Cinnabar air that he was so used to...doesn't look like he's leaving folks. His Rattata nods, <I know...I'll make sure he tells your Patch...but didn't Patch only have one Growlithe? Oh well.> The pokemon begins to eat sandwich bits and looks at the sunset, "Careful...there's a Charizard in that cave over there...don't want ya gettin' hurt now. You ever need anythin' I'll be 'round here."

The dog shoots Citine a glance. <Of course I know that. I live here, remember?> He seems to stress the fact an awful lot. <And I'm not Patch's Growlithe. I just need to talk to Patch about something. Tell h...> Shoot. Uh oh. The Growlithe stops in mid-bark, jaw-dropped, mind racing. Rats, rats... how is he going to do this? Um. His little snowflake festival collar - give away number 756 that he's Peppy, supposing Citine has visited a Pokemon Center in Celadon or Saffron - dangles a bit. <Tell... her... that... uh, I recently heard she lost a Growlithe.> He starts up casually. Oh gosh, this is not going to work.

Citine sighs and shrugs, "Sure...Fleet..." The Rattata nods and also shrugs, <If ya live here...then why do you have a collar?> Simple question, no wild fire dog would have a collar identification. The trainer nods, "I heard...and I decided that the stupid Ballistic in this cave had t'do somethin' 'bout it...that idiotic fire lizard..." He mumbles, his last pair of jeans had been ruined by his encounter with the Charizard...thanks to his Chansey...he still had his legs.

A Katerwaul slinks closer, bright eyes all ablaze ... so whisper a prayer and start that save! (Saving)

Eff. <I found it.> Simple answer. The pup is waiting for Citine to leave, not only so the boy can get a head start on contacting Patch, but also so he can chow down on the burger. Yum! He ignores the stuff about the Charizard, partially because whatever 'Ballistic' is doesn't interest the puppy, and also because if he thinks about that Charizard too much, he'll probably panic and give away his true identidy. As if he hadn't already.

"Fair enough...makes sense, but how'd you get it on?" Man...what's with the questions and this trainer already, "Oh...where was the last place you saw Patch? I gotta know so I don't look in Cerulean if she's in Celadon." The rat nods and turns to the Growlithe, <How /did/ you get that on?>

Ah ha! <Celadon!> The pup replies almost immediatly, and drowning out the Rattata's question completely. <She lives in Celadon City, in a *big* house! A really big one!> Everything's big when you're a small puppy. Wait, how would a wild Pokemon from Cinnabar know what house Patch lives in? Or even what Celadon City *is*? <And... a...> He pauses. <A man put it on for me.> Uh. Okay. Actually, that's not false...

Citine nods, "Oh...do you know this man's name? Just curious of course...and would you know which house it is in Celadon...I mean...I've been there and there are a /lot/ of big houses. Heard it too...she lost Peppy...I think. Which house is it? Number would be helpful." The trainer finishes asking and nods; Fleetfoot promptly translates to the Growlithe.

Pause, pause. <Nope.> That's true, because he doesn't know who put it on. Just some really loud guy at a Snowflake Festival. The dog shoots Citine a curious-yet-confused look. <What house is it? Number? Uh... it's a... big house.> Okay, *you* try being a Growlithe, colorblind, who can probably count up to about two. Then you try telling somebody where your trainer's house is.

Citine nods understandingly and looks towards his Rattata expectantly, <I know...it's hard...but do you know what side of Celadon it is? What it's next door to? Stuff that would help us find the trainer?> Citine leans back and turns to the Growlithe, "Y'know...you can eat that...I bet you're not as messy as some of the Growlithe that I've seen."

The puppy pauses. <I don't know.> He mutters sheepishly, his head lowering a bit, and his tail falling to the ground limply. Hey... wait a minute. The tail wags once, twice. <Of course I don't know! I live here, not in Celadon. Of course.> He glances down at the burger. <I told you, I'm not hungry.> Not hungry, just starving.

Citine blinks and sighs, "You figure it out Fleet?" The Rattata nods and the two of them pack up, leaving about three sandwiches (unwrapped) and the burger there. Citine grins slightly and shrugs, "Well...I'll try an' find Patch for ye....Peppy! And if yore not Pep...then...well...I'll find 'er anyways!" The Rattata and trainer head back to the city with a wave of a hand, leaving behind a pack of food and the Growlithe.

"Grrrowlithe!" The puppy barks kind of angrily, denying the fact that he's Peppy. Darnit! Is he not a good actor or something? Sheesh! <Yeah, you do that. Please hurry.> His eyes wander, and happen to settle upon the pack of food. Oo. Food. The puppy takes a practically hypnotic step towards the food... then stops. Oops. No, wait, wait until Citine's gone, *then* chow down. Yeah.

Citine disappears around the bend...or so it seems, left behind is little Fleetfoot, poking his sharp little nose around the corner. The trainer acutally does leave, a while down. Fleetfoot sits, little small head around the corner and watching the Growlithe, hopefully out of sight too.

Pretty much sure Citine is out of sight, Peppy lets off a biiiig exhale, and grins happily. "Grrowlithe!" he woofs happily in anticipation as he makes his way towards the bag. Sticking his muzzle into the bag, and begins munching happily on the unwrapped sandwiches. Mmmm-hmm!

Fleetfoot blinks and watches, <No pokemon eats like that...Peppy probably...he'll know where her house is and I'm not gonna go trekin' 'round the wrong part of town looking for that dog's trainer.> The Rattata sighs and takes a step out of cover and slowly slinks along the rocks, hidden in shadows.

Peppy just... continues eating, completely unaware of any Rattatas or anything in the area. <Mph! These are good!> The canine happily comments to himself with a mouth full of the sandwiches. He looks very silly with his nose in that bag, but, hey, he doesn't care.

Fleetfoot continues to slink closer, <Sounds like that darned Growlithe from before...> The Rattata is now almost beside the Growlithe and decides that now's the time and speaks out, <Hello there...> He says, trying to make his voice sound nice and friendly.

It's like a cartoon. Eye's popping, jaw dropping (letting a small wet piece of bread tumble out), and a frantic look in the Rattata's direction. "Liithe!" The dog jumps, startled, boggling at the Rattata. Aack!! <You didn't see anything.> The pup growls at the Rattata, couching a bit into a dumb looking pouncing position. This would perhaps look even a little tough, were his fur not almost all standing on end from surprise. <Got it?>

Fleetfoot blinks in surprise and shakes his head slightly and refrains from baring his teeth at the Growlithe, <I'm just gonna help you there Peppy! Remember that day...with the Grimer and trainer? I was that Rattata that met you so long ago!> The Rattata braces himself for any attack and is ready to give a counter-attack, his tail swishing from side to side.

Eh. Peppy can refuse food (for more than ten minutes). Peppy can abandon his cheery disposition. But Peppy can't will himself into a battle that probably won't end up with much of a positive result. <Follow your trainer.> The pup growls. And adds, <Please,> as if that makes his request worthwhile. <I'm waiting for someone here, and I can't leave this spot. Trust me.>

Fleetfoot nods and swishes his tail, <I can't...and why can't you? Who are you waiting for? My trainer's gonna come back...he never leaves me behind...even tho' I cause him trouble...'cause I put that burger there...> The pokemon grins mischieviously and becomes serious again, <I'm coming with my trainer to look for yore trainer...but we can't go looking around all of Celadon...it's too big...you gotta help us so we can help you.>

The pup ducks down even further into his pouncing position. Oo, adrenaline rush. <I can't go. Contact the Pokemon Center or something, they'll know what to do.> ... can it be? Can it be that Peppy's actually said something... moderately intelligent? He thought up an idea? Apparently, being stranded in Cinnabar has done sheer *wonders*! <Ask for Patch, or something. I can't leave. I have to stay here.>

Fleetfoot blinks and nods and mutters one simple question, <Why?> The tail continues to swish back and forth.

Hmph. Why. What a silly question. <Because I have to show that man I can stay here.> Strife's the man he's talking about, but he either forgot or never learned the guy's name. <I have to show him I can survive like a Pokemon should.> Dun dun, dun. You can hear the determined army song blazing in the background. <And I wish that you would...> 'Honor this request' would be a good phrase here, but he doesn't know the meaning of the word honor or request. <I wish you would listen to me.> Eh, close enough.

Fleetfoot nods and turns, tail still swishing, <I will...I promise I'll get Patch as soon as I can here...too bad my trainer doesn't have a flying pokemon I can use...be helpful that way. Well, just stay here and in a few days I'll get Patch to head over here.> With that the pokemon dashes off to find his trainer, <Bye...Growlithe!>

Exhale. The pup relaxes visibly, allowing his tail to swish from one side to the other. Phew. He avoided a fight, and somebody's going to help him out. Two people, maybe. Awesome. The pup watches the Rattata scamper off. With a little headshake, the still-kinda-shocked Growlithe goes over to munch on the burger, cautiously. Hoping Strife won't see him taking this easy way out.