Contents:
Soki
Gale4
Vertebra
Dakshi
Scorch
Streetwind
Obvious exits:
North <N> leads to Overgrown Lands - Route 11: Off the Route.

It's a gorgeous afternoon. The sun glitters off the icy snow, creating a rainbow haze over the ground. Assisi Farm, the pokemon haven, looks particularly homey today, for while it's beautiful outside, it's also very cold. The door to the barn is cracked open, enough so that most pokemon should be able to get inside without any trouble, but not enough that all the warmth from inside leaks out into the snow. While there is a small path shoveled out between the barn and the house, there are no humans visible at the moment.

A small band of pokemon has yet to actually get into the barn, having not set out for the farm until a few days after their leader decided that they should have left. Ach, this is said like there's a large number of them; at present, the entire "Team" consists of two pokemon, notably a backpack-wearing Sandslash in the lead. The shoveled-out path is a godsend to the Sandslash, Soki by name. He may have trained in endurance to the elements, but the trek to Assisi Farm's tested his strength immensely.

Well, at least snow isn't falling /down/ today. It's still on the ground, which is unpleasant. But life would be much, much worse if those little flakes of frozen water were were flying around, getting blown onto skin and into eyes and finding their way into the cracks of skull helmets. The last item is a concern for a certain Cubone who tromps after his Sandslash 'leader'. The ground pokemon looks utterly unremarkable compared to his companion, though he does wear a medallion with a bright blue 'Z' on the front of it. <Are we there yet?> Vertebra asks, unwittingly mimicking thousands of children everywhere. Then again, what is Vertebra if not an overgrown child? ..Well, it appears he's a bit of an idiot as well as being childish. Because the large human barn is right in front of the group of travelers. Even Vertebra couldn't miss it. This must be another one of those cries for attention, or something. It's hard to go from having all the attention in the world showered on him by his mate to just being a normal part of boring old Team Zenny. Which is certainly more boring than ever due to its lack of numbers.

Finally, the rain's stopped. Yes, a quiet afternoon...Crunch! Crunch! Snap! Stomp! The snow and rain moistened earth rumbles as a Charizard waddles for the barn, her flaming tail steaming as it runs along the mud covered ground. Her wings are folded neatly against her back, and she has a leather bag decorated with large tail feathers slung over one shoulder. Round, dark eyes narrow as they focus on the barn ahead, and she grumbles in self-approval. <Ha! The day is new! That barn has to be loaded with sheltering Pidgeotto! Those stupid birds won't know what hit them!> she roars, holding her bulging middle with one human-like paw as she chuckles. Walking along the shoveled out path, the Charizard continues her trek, thinking over her battle plan against the evolved pokemon. <Evildoers...> she growls, clenching one paw into a tight fist, and lowering her head in a spot of uncontrolled anger.

Yeah - snowy, hazy, yucky days are nothing new around this time of year on the island. They've become so common that they're hardly even noticeable anymore, and the fact that the barn door is a nice sanctuary from the Wicked Weather makes them even further indistinguishable from the denizens of the barn. Indeed, the building serves as a perfect barrier from the world outside, and that's exactly why Peppy and his family of seven can spend the entire afternoon snoozing away in a corner of the barn. Aurora has at least taken the consideration to huddle next to her five puppies, but Peppy - nah, Peppy's lying sprawled out on the wooden floor, looking like a furry pancake than a Growlithe. It looks more like he tripped on the ground than anything else. Dripping drool dribbles out of his slack jaw, suggesting that he's probably thinking about something yummy. Or big. Or yummy and big.

So. This is it. The place everyone's been talking about. Looks kinda... small. In all those stories Streetwind's been hearing, the farm was described as big and lovely. What she can see here is just a human house, along with a bigger human barn that looks as if it's going to fall apart the next second. Well, three guesses as to were the pokemon are expected to go... It might seem as if the stray Ninetales is in a bad mood today. That's not the case. Well, she might be a bid down, but there has been worse. What do you expect when you run through snow and rain for days? Tiredness, at the very least. But it annoys Streetwind. Why does she have to become tired? She's so much stronger than the rest. She shouldn't get tired from just a week of snowstorm. No, she doesn't sigh. She keeps her muzzle closed firmly. Only her breath creates small clouds of steam over her nose. The Ninetales is watching the farm from afar at the moment, there seems to be a lot going on. Should she really bother to go there and check? Well... why not. Not that she'd need a rest or something. Just checking...

The long journey is finally over. A safe haven at least from the ravages of winter, the barn is a welcome sight to one little Charmander. He has been trekking for over a day now, ever since he first heard of this haven. Hoping that Ronin will be here, then he will have fulfilled his end of the bargain. The food he has been eating has lasted him until today, and he is in cheery spirits, mainly because if he had acted glum it would have taken twice as long to get here. His flame burns brightly as he walks... no, /strides/ towards the half-open barn door.

The barn is very welcoming indeed, for while there are already quite a few pokemon inside, there's plenty of room for more. Most of the pokemon approaching should have no trouble getting inside, though it will be a bit of a squeeze for Soki. Dakshi, on the other hand, has a problem. She is far too big to fit through the crack and if she wants inside, she's going to have to slide the barn door open further. If she tries this, it will stick for a moment, then roll open enough that the Charizard should be able to get inside without any problem, though she will have to duck.

Soki reaches the barn door first, at least as compared to Vertebra. That's no big suprise; he's been ahead of the Cubone for the entire trip. The entrance presents a conundrum briefly as Soki assesses the amount of room he's been given and how exactly he's going to fit through. But, with a little quick thinking, the Sandslash decides to press himself against the wall and slip through the available space, which goes off without a hitch. Once inside, the Sandslash waves a hello to whomever's noticed his arrival.

As big and obvious as the barn is...well, sheesh, a giant bellowing Charizard is even a bit more obvious. This causes the obvious reaction from Vertebra; a spin to where the roaring came from and a wide-eyed stare as his muscles tense. Funny, how when you really need to move fear manages to keep you still. Vertebra is still trying to push his mind into a fight (shyeah, right) or flight (this is the idea that shows some merit) response. Two quick, high whimpers escape Vertebra's mouth, coming out with little puffs of steam. A mere second after, his brain, body and voice are all connected. <Whaaaaaa!> howls the Cubone as he spins again, now facing the barn door. His claws dig into the snow, and off he sprints. ..Fortunately, Soki manages to get in ahead of him, so the former Prince doesn't bowl his leader over. Heh. As if he could.

So, while familiar pokemon are outside complaining, strutting, waiting, and just generally mingling, Peppy is inside unconciously making little puddles of saliva on the wood. <Yeeeeeeah...> he growls quietly in his sleep. He begins to grin very slightly, his tongue pokes out of his mouth, his tail sways at a constant pace, and his hind right leg rubs against the wood. <Pile... pile 'em on... lots of burgers, yeah... yeah... I-> Clack-clack. As the Peppy pup is napping, there's a Cubone loudly yapping, as the Sandshrew's nails are tapping, tapping on the wooden floor. The Growlithe's ear perks up, his tail comes to an abrupt stop, and automatically, one of the pup's eyes blink open. What does he see? ... Well, nothing, everything's one great big giant blur. "Grrrrr," he mumbles sleepily, struggling to open the other eye. <Izzumone there?>

Purple, gold, and vermillion clouds grace the western sky as the sun descends toward the west.

Opening her eyes and lifting her head, Dakshi uncurls her fingers, letting a frustrated snort escape her nostrils, sending a cloud of steam into the cold air. The scream of the prince startles the giant lizard, and she jerks her head into the air, her eyes widening like a hawk's as she scans the area for the source of the cry. The Pidgeotto are screaming their war cry! That must be it! What pleasure it brings the reptilian pokemon to think that she's frightening Pidgeotto. With a grin that looks more like a snarling grimace, the Charizard leans forward, placing her front paws out and landing on all fours. Her first steps are funky and awkward as she lifts up her paws, trying to get used to the temperature of the wet ground. <Eeee! Awww!> she mumbles, turning around in circles like a fretting babe trapped in its playpen as the ice cream truck drives by. Once she's finished with her scene, she half runs half stampedes towards the barn door.

The Ninetales stretches once, then resumes her way, towards the farm. Many scents catch her attention along the way, some of them are familliar. But they're too weak and mixed-up right now. Considering how the grass is trampled, a lot of pokemon seem to be using the farm as a lace to stay for the winter. Bah... Streetwind would never rely on a human to survive. She'd sooner starve to death than to lower herself to that level.

Scorch notices the familiar figure of the Charizard lumbering towards the barn, and his eyes widen with surprise. <Dakshiiiiii! Hiiiiiiii!> he calls, as loud as he dares, for even though there seems to be no danger around, you never can be too careful. Scorch half runs, half limps towards her, for the trip has taken its toll on his legs. He doesn't wait for her to reply, or even acknowledge his presence, before he darts in front of her and into the barn. He stands inside the door, to one side, his eyes adjusting to the comparitive darkness, as he looks around at the assortment of gathered pokemon, his tail providing at least some light.

Aie! Peppy and Aurora's puppies are headed for the database! Better save! (Saving)

The sudden influx of new pokemon into the barn, particularly the Charmander, is met by surprise by the pokemon that have already been there for a while. The fiery light provided by Scorch's tail reflects eerily off of many eyes and lights the interior enough so that obstacles and silhouettes of objects and pokemon should be able to be seen by the newcomers, even with the sudden change in lighting from the bright outdoors.

Soki's been here before, so his first action is to step out of the way to let someone else in, since there is sure to be others coming. Like, you know, a certain Prince of Cubones. ...where is that little dork? Gah, forget him. Soki returns his attention to the inside of the barn, his gaze locking immediately to the spot where he made his lodging the last time he was here. Ah, the memories: a Plantakeet, also lodging there, left suddenly, leaving behind a nest of straw on the floor that Soki claimed as his own. He's never kicked the habit of sleeping in a nest since, be it made of straw, grass, or dirt. But, Soki can't lose himself to his thoughts for long, and thus he snaps himself out of his reminesences and continues to scan the barn, searching for familiar faces.

The orange-red sun sinks below the western horizon, leaving a darkening tapestry of purple and red-gold clouds behind it.

Vertebra, now through the doorway, pulls to an abrupt halt, his round belly bulging outward and inward as he sucks in air and forces it outward in short wheezes. <Mwaba waba!> are the first words from his mouth. It's okay, Vertebra, we know coherency is hard for you. Take it one step at a time. Even more sounds set the ground lizard off - or, rather, one set of very similar sounds, those being the giant Charizard rampaging towards the door. And, yes, Vertebra is focusing only on Dakshi. It's called survival; trying to keep track of something that could eat you in one gulp. <Bweeaaah!> Such funny sounds this Cubone is making today! Fear is wreaking havoc on Vertebra's normally verdant vocabulary. Not that the Cubone has much more to say. He acts...by scrambling over to a pile of hay by the side of the barn and attempting to shove himself into it, burrowing in as far as he's able. Because Vertebra is a brave, noble and righteous exiled Prince. Everything except for his heart, which is that of a chicken.

Moving like a panicking Tauros, or more determinedly like an attacking Tigrynx, the Charizard hurries towards the barn, moving surprisingly fast for her obese body and her thin front arms. Dakshi doesn't even realize Scorch is behind her until the Charmander runs past her and through the door. He must be trying to hunt! That must be it! After eating Pidgey, it's simply impossible to go back and eat.fruit. She grunts approvingly, and smiles revealing her sharp canines briefly. Reaching the front door, she stupidly evaluates the space open, and her body size. Naturally, she doesn't think to open the door further, and she tries her luck with squeezing through the door. Squeeze. Shove. Pull. Hrm. Houston, we have a problem. Dakshi finds that's she's partially through the door, but is now stuck halfway, her pudgy middle combined with her massive height, prove too much for the small crack of an opening. Bracing her arms against the side of the door, and side of the barn, she pushes against the wooden surface, and frees herself. Brushing off her scaly skin, she slides open the door, ducks and enters. <Pidgeotto, prepare to meet your doom!> she announces. All this Charizard needs is a camouflage bandana, and an oversized gun, and she'd be one of those war heroes on human movies.

And so, as Peppy's vision becomes less and less blurred, that really light mass of squares slowly manifests into fire. A couple seconds later, the Growlithe is awake to realize that this is not some hovering collection of fire but a tail-flame from a Charmander. Picking himself up into a more upright position, adopting a proper Sphinx position and raising his head up high, the pup analyzes the situation. What does he do? Move closer to see the new entering pokemon (especially that one that just shouted)? Step back and make sure Aurora and the kids are safe? Just sit there and watch? Apparently, Peppy goes for door number three, as he remains pretty still, just watching the newcomers, his tail wagging back and forth gently... that is, until Dakshi bursts into the barn. Well... squeezes in. Then the Growlithe *springs* up to all four paws and instantly steps back a couple feet. Eek. Panic button. Panic button. It's one of those really big things! The ones who pupnap you and bring you to places you don't like! Augh! His entire body tensed, Peppy really doesn't look like he knows what to do. Chances are that he's so far off to the corner than Dakshi won't even notice him for a bit. Peppy, of course, doesn't realize this. Comes with being dumb.

Streetwind is the last to arrive. Well a minute after everyone else got into the barn, she sets a first paw on the farm's inner yard. But she's in no hurry. For a moment, she stops outside and looks around again, particularly to the human house. It's been some time since she last ventured so close to a building. She makes a mental note to later check if there's anything edible to snatch. Food is always a problem in winter, when most of the prey hides in some hole in the ground to sleep until spring. For now, let's see what they all do in the barn. The slender firefox has no difficulties at all to fit through the door, even though she's with the two largest pokemon around today; especially now that Dakshi opened the door even further. A Ninetales' size comes from its suprisingly long tails. Seven feet does Streetwind measure, and not an inch less. Yet, her soft paws make almost no sound even to sharp pokemon ears as she enters the barn, head held high and not bothering to greet anyone yet. Immediately claiming the best spot that hasn't been taken up already by those who got inside earlier (which might very well be Soki's desired spot, if he didn't hurry to plant himself there!), she settles down, wrapping all those big fluffy tails around her frame to give some extra warmth. No sooner than that, she starts to look around the room to examine who exactly is there besides her. Talk about arrogance.

Scorch is glad to have (seemingly) made himself useful, even though he did not know this many pokemon would be here. Scorch sees the varied faces all look at him, and then behind him as Dakshi makes her entrance. Searching the faces, he can see Ronin was not here, but it is not a wasted journey, as he decides to rest a while. He looks for a vacant spot in a corner somewhere, but sees that the corners are all occupied. So he runs towards a haystack, with half a Cubone sticking out of it no less. He pulls some hay from the bale and makes himself a makeshift seat next to an upright beam, careful not to set the place alight.

Strangely enough, there is a Pidgeotto in the barn, on the rafters a short distance away from the smaller Pidgeys. He had been sleeping up until this point, but when the barn door bursts open and lets in the cold air and the bellowing Charizard, he wakes with a startled squawk. <What? Doom?> he says in confusion. One of the Rattatas squeaks, <Shut the door! It's cold!> For the most part, however, the new pokemon are accepted without question or rancor.

The fair weather clouds in the west turn purple, gold, and vermillion as the sun sets. The snow, in shadow, looks blue. A cold wind blows from the west.

Soki continues looking around the barn right up until Streetwind enters, at which point a spark of recognition runs through his spine and he flinches. This is more surprise than anything, but Streetwind seems to have passed right on by and sat down. Okay, then. Soki will simply remain at the door and wait for her to notice him. This Sandslash has stuff to say to the Ninetales, but only once she's made the first move. With one eye still affixed to the fox, Soki resumes his room-scanning.

>> Ack! Streetwind just peered at your fluffy self! <<

Vertebra has now found a safe haven! It's a camouflage made of straw and..mmm, it's surprisingly warm, too. That's a bonus in case he needs to move quickly if he's discovered. He'll be safe in here from the Charizard who's got a hankering for Cubone au flambe. And Sandslash gumbo! And...Pidgeotto? The little ground lizard is silent as he processes this information; trudging in a world of monotonous whiteness and bitter coldness all day has messed with this pokemon's brain a bit. A sharp sneeze comes from Vertebra's straw hideout. It's hard to breathe in this situation. Rustlings and cracklings come from the Cubone-sized lump, before white bone is seen underneath the pile and Vertebra forces his head up and inhales with a huge gasp. That done, he peers around warily, now taking up his leader's occupation, but looking a lot dumber as he does so. After all, he's definitely got a 'scarecrow' motif going, what with the yellow piles of dried plant-matter sitting on his skull helmet, shoulders and back-spikes.

While Dakshi isn't the brightest torch in the toolbox, she does have a fine-tuned ear for Pidgey, and Pidgeotto alike. The feathers that decorate her satchel say that much. The squawk catches the Charizard's attention, and she doesn't notice any of the other pokemon in the barn. Jerking up her head, her nostrils flare, and she lifts up the corner of her upper lip in a small snarl, revealing row after row of meat shredding teeth. <What? Cold? Cold's going to be the least of your worried in a minute!> she threatens, extending an arm and waving a finger at the feather crested pokemon. <I don't think you know who I am! I am Dakshi, apprentice of Panya and the Rayak Clan, hunter of Pidgey and Pidgeotto alike! And you bird are a menace!> she announces, taking the satchel off of her shoulder, opening it and pulling out a fist sized rock. Leaning back, she hurls the rock at the Pidgeotto. Opening her mouth, she waits for the rock to connect, so she can roast the bird as it falls to the ground.

Brindled clouds conceal a few patches of starlit sky.

Despite the fact he's pretty nervous having a Charizard within a fifty mile radius of him, Peppy isn't so thoroughly paralyzed with fear that he can't manage to rotate his head enough to take a quick check on his puppies and mate. Yeah. Aurora's shifting a bit, but the puppies are still asleep, despite all the yelling and squawking and bashing and all that. Great proof that they come from Peppy's Earthquakes-Can't-Wake-Me-Up genes. Turning his head back to the pokemon, the Growlithe's attention happens to focus not upon Dakshi, but upon... Streetwind. His nose twitches curiously. "Lithe?" he wonders audibly to himself. Is that the same Ninetales who... The canine pokemon inches a little bit closer, using his senses of sight and smell to make sure this Ninetales really is Streetwind. He doesn't get far, however - Dakshi's aggressive roar sort of stops that. Actually, it sort of stops everything in Peppy's body. The pup no longer breathes or blinks, and likely he's skipping lots of heartbeats. Frozen in mid-step, his fur standing on end, the Growlithe just watches as the Charizard... flings a rock. Oh gosh don't let it see me please don't let it see me, he thinks to himself.

Here we have a Charizard. There can't be too many of them, so it must be the one she met earlier. What was its name? Streetwind cannot remember. Maybe, no, likely she never got told. The Ninetales smirks a bit at said pokemon's weird behaviour, but then moves on. Right next to the Charizard is someone she won't forget as easily: Soki. That Sandslash who dared to suprise-attack her, and then ran instead of fighting like the warrioir he claimed to be. Streetwind's eyes narrow, relying a silent message to Team Zenny's leader: Don't think I forgot. Then, she lets her gaze wander further, leaving Soki standing where he is. The Cubone is obviously the spoiled brat of a wannabe prince that Soki drags around. The Charmander? No idea, but those taste not bad. She goes on like this for a while, listing pokemon in her mind... oh, and of course, there's Peppy. By now, she'd be suprised if he wasn't around. He has this ability to be in lots of places of the world at the same time, and Streetwind always ends up meeting him. And if Peppy is here, then his girlfriend cannot be far either.

Scorch takes the time to look around the barn at his companions. A Sandslash with a Cubone in tow, two Growlithes and their pups, a Pidgeotto in the rafters along with assorted Pidgeys, a rather haughty-looking Ninetales, and of course the raging Charizard, Dakshi, who seems intent on causing trouble, just when there was finally some peace and quiet. What a mottley assortment. What is her problem anyway? She seems to have a grudge on the birds and all their kind. She's keeping Scorch and everyone else awake.

Another figure steps into the wide open doorway just in time to see the rock fly towards the birds on the rafters. All of them manage to flutter out of the way safely, but in a panic, their shrill cries filling the barn. </Stop/!> the pokemon bellows. It is a Hypno, grizzled and bent with age, a stick held under one hand like a human would use a cane. Despite the grey hairs that mark his age, the psychic pokemon has a powerful voice that carries above all the screams in the barn. <That is forbidden!> he continues angrily. <If you cannot abide by the rules of this sanctuary, leave now! No attacking or eating other pokemon.>

That's pretty much a perfect cue for what Soki was about to do next. Almost ignoring the Hypno (but having paid enough attention to know what he said), Soki follows the perimeter of traversable space to get over to Streetwind. He carries himself proudly, almost looking like he's about to start another fight. But we all know that Soki's not stupid; he wouldn't try something like that, especially not after a reprimand to someone else like that. Staring at Streetwind, he sits down quickly and says, <I would like to discuss an apology.> That leaves some room for interpretation, but the statement is made.

Vertebra shakes his head, dislodging some of the straw off of his helmet. His little look-a-thon brings up Streetwind, and when he sees her his gaze is, amusing considering the history between her and Team Zenny, simply curious. There is utterly no hostility there. He must have forgotten her - after all, his mind wasn't exactly focused on her during their meeting. A few vague memories play about his head, but they're too vague for him to draw a conclusion from. Dakshi's roar forces a little yip from his hidden mouth and causes the muscles under his scales to tense. But Dakshi is not roaring at him. The lizard relaxes, ignoring the Charizard's would-be victim until the birds start crying and squawking. Then he just grumbles a bit; stupid, noisy birds. Maybe it would be a good thing if the Charizard ate them. But, no, a Hypno has to come in and spoil the fun. A Hypno talking about abiding by rules in a 'sanctuary'. Wow. This rings a bell in Vertebra's mind - a very distant one. But it's an /alarm/ bell, so Vertebra perks up and gives the Hypno a suspicious glare.

Aie! Peppy and Aurora's puppies are headed for the database! Better save! (Saving)

What's this? Someone dares try and stop her, when all she's doing is a service for the good of the pokemon community. Everyone knows Pidgeotto are troublemakers and head peckers. How ungrateful! However, having been under the command of an older pokemon, she decides to obey the elderly Hypno's words. For now. That doesn't mean she doesn't resent having to cease her attack. Crossing her arms together, she steps away from the rafter, but not before shooting the Pidgeotto a raspberry. Large beads of saliva run down her chin and into the air as her tongue wavers between pursed lips, before finally being drawn back into that moist, fang-lined cave. Sitting on her haunches, she nods to the Hypno, treating him with as much respect as her spoiled brat persona will allow. Arms crossed across her chest and eyes closed, the Charizard thinks up ways to at the very least pester the nuisance that is Pidgeotto. Yeah Dakshi, forget that Hypno are psychic pokemon. The flames on Dakshi's tail flicker and spark as it continually burns, moving and swaying in swirls of orange and red.

And then the Hypno sticks his nose into the fray. Emerging from nowhere (well, to Peppy - his eyes were following the rock that vanished into the darkness), the psychic pokemon quickly absorbs all of Peppy's attention as he speaks, the Charizard now taking second fiddle. And then Soki speaks! And the Growlithe's eyes flicker to him. Too many pokemon; too little time. Somewhere in Peppy's mind, the idea to ask the pokemon to 'please quiet down *just* a little, poor puppies are trying to sleep' comes up, but seeing as how we've got squeaking Cubones and bellowing Hypnos and apologetic Sandslashes and generally too much stuff to concentrate on at once, the Growlithe decides that maybe he should wait until the right opportunity. Which, even Peppy realizes, might not be for a long time.

Now that's a suprise. No, two of them. Streetwind's orange eyes dart back and forth between the /old/ Hypno at the entrance and the Sandslash walking towards her. On the one hand, Soki brings out his request for an apology - wait, who exactly does he want to hear apologizing, he himself or Streetwind? - on the other hand, the Hypno is rather interesting. Who is he to have such authority in his voice? Not that the stray would care about authority, but the elder pokemon sounds like someone who is used to his orders being followed. After a moment, she decides that the pokemon sitting right in front of her needs attention first. She thinks again about the statement he made. If he wants /her/ to apologize, he can wait a long time. If he wants to apologize... then why doesn't he simply do it? A request for a 'discussion' is not exactly the thing Streetwind wants to hear from Soki. <Try again.>, she retorts, while her eyes stay locked with the ground-type's own. She doesn't look like she's in the mood to accept apologies.

The sudden appearance of the old pokemon draws Scorch's attention, like everyone else's in the barn. His appearance is perfect timing for the birds in the rafters, he may just have saved their feathers. Scorch does not know who the Hypno is, but this is a new area for him and most places and faces he sees are new. He is interested though, the Hypno seems to command respect from almost all the others present, even Dakshi. The tensions between the Sandslash and Ninetales command only some of Scorch's attention.

When the Hypno speaks and the Charizard breaks off her attack, the Pidgeys and Pidgeotto settle down again, resuming their places on the rafters above. The Hypno looks over the group, peering a bit as if having trouble seeing everyone. After a few moments, however, he nods as if satisfied, then steps farther into the barn. <Why don't you shut the door so we can all get warm,> he suggests to Dakshi. <In fact, I could even tell you all a story. You might find it interesting,> he continues. He walks farther into the barn, his movements stiff and arthritic, his cane obviously necessary. It takes some work, but he finally makes it to a hay pile without many occupants and lowers himself carefully until he's in a seated position. <When you're all comfortable, I'll start,> he says, disregarding any protests that might be made. Though Vertebra might not be observant enough to notice, this is not the same Hypno that was involved in /the/ Sanctuary incident.

Dag blast it. Okay, so the Hypno isn't always convinient. Ah, well. Soki stands and leaves Streetwind with the comment, <We'll discuss both of our apologies later, then.> It sounds as though Soki is looking for a compromise, though how exactly it will pan out remains to be seen and some other time at that. It appears that a story is nigh, so Soki shuts up and finds a place elsewhere to sit, which happens to be pretty well removed from everyone. Though the barn does not allow for a great deal of separation, the Sandslash could definitely be noted as seeming like an outsider to "the group."

Vertebra keeps eyeing the Hypno. Short, unclear associations are being made in the Cubone's mind - the faint scent of Hypno is bringing back memories more of feelings than of words or visual effects. Most of them center on completely distrusting the large psychic pokemon, so Vertebra focuses on that. At least this one is weak, he notes; it doesn't take the instincts of a scavenger, honed to infirmity and weakness as they are, to figure that out. The former Prince blinks at the surprising offer of a story. Then again, didn't something interesting happen the last time he went to the farm? More indistinct and fog-shrouded memories threaten to slip into Vertebra's skull-covered head, before he clears it with one thought: maybe he could steal this story and use it during the Pokemon Valley Festival! Then he could win another Moon Stone! ..Sure, the one he has has done absolutely nothing for him, but having two Moon Stones is..important. Hey, it makes him look good, all right? Vertebra's gaze turns eager, though he doesn't scoot closer to the Hypno. Some wariness remains.

First he asks her to stop attacking the Pidgeotto, and now he's ordering *her* a tough Charizard around like some handmaid? She stands defiantly for a minute or so, arguing with herself whether or not to follow the Hypno's command. <Well,> she starts, raising a claw as she prepares her argument. However, when a gust of the freezing wind threatens to blow her tail flame out, she has second thoughts on defying the older pokemon, and she pushes the door shut with one of her muscular back legs. Heading after the Hypno, she decides to evaluate the arthritic pokemon, and see if it's worth obeying his command. How strong could that old pile of fur be? After all, she does have a flamethrower built into her gut. What could he do to her? Spotting the Ninetails, she turns her head away in her silent gesture of disrespect, and she chuffs disapprovingly. That foul-tempered fox is almost as bad as that Pidgeotto. Recalling the last meeting with the rude multi tailed pokemon, she looks to Soki. While her memory of him is blurry, she offers him a growl of acknowledgement. It is then she sees Scorch, and she walks over to him on two legs, her gait more of a hobbling waddle than a walk. Plopping down next to the Charmander, she makes sure to be careful not to squish anything underneath her. <Hey, Scorch.>

Story. Stories are good. His head going -back- to the Hypno (he's going to have whiplash by the end of the night), Peppy inches forward, bit by bit, step by step, his paces becoming longer and longer as he gets closer to the Hypno. He plops down not too far away from the elderly pokemon (but making -sure- to keep at least two pokemon away from Dakshi), resting on his haunches and lifting his chest up high. It doesn't really matter if the psychic has started speaking, or if somebody else is asking a question, or anything of the sort - almost no matter what, Peppy will open up his big mouth and ask the question everybody wants to know. No, really. <Is there any food in the story?> Tail goes wag wag. If the Hypno (or anybody, for that matter) fails to reply immediately, he'll go on to quickly add, <Especially burgers?> And even then if nobody reacts right away, <Because I -love- burgers.> And finally, <A lot.> If Aurora was awake now, she'd undoubtedly be shaking her head and/or rolling her eyes.

Later? Definitely. Both of their apologies? Definitely not. Streetwind doesn't see what she should apologize for. In her opinion, she's the one in the right here. And normally, she'd probably have started to take apart Soki verbally and physically by now, if it wasn't for the far more interesting Hypno. And for the fact that Streetwind is much more spent and tired than she allows herself to accept. It's only her subconsciousness that keeps her out of a possible brawl now, and so, she's a little relieved that Soki decides to sit somewhere else. Now she can at least listen to the Hypno. He promised an "interesting story". Well... she'll see. But first, she takes over Aurora's job, and rolls her eyes as Peppy speaks. That Growlithe is such a lost cause. As if talking about food could stop a stomach from rumbling.

Scorch is intrigued. Older pokemon seem to like telling stories; he remembers his mother telling him some. The one about the Golem and the Koffing, Big Bad Blastoise, and his favorite, the Four Baby Charmanders. She even used to tell him about her trainer sometimes too. Scorch almost loses himself in memory, but he shifts to face the Hypno. He plumps up the hay he is sitting on, and looks eagerly at the old pokemon, waiting patiently for him to start. As Dakshi sits down next to him, Scorch quickly responds to the Charizard's greeting. <Hello!> he replies, not wanting to miss a second of the tale. So he likes stories. He's still young, what do you expect?

<Thank you,> the elderly pokemon tells Dakshi graciously when she shuts the door. Though he had remained relatively composed through his entire confrontation with the pokemon in the barn thus far, Peppy's questions visibly baffle him. <Food? Burgers?> he says blankly, then shakes his head gently. <Just wait for the story, little Growlithe. You'll see what it has then.> The Hypno settles back into the hay a bit more, getting comfortable, then begins without answering anymore of Peppy's questions. <Does anyone here know about the most ancient and wise pokemon of all, the Dragonite?> he asks. Apparently this is to be at least slightly interactive.

Soki it takes some thought and approxamately a half-year's worth of memory, but Soki comes up with a fairly short answer. <I think I've seen one, though I'm not certain,> he says, and then remains silent to allow other people their fair turn. Admittedly, he can't offer much in the way of extra information on this subject.

Vertebra stands up, only to attempt to smooth down some of the straw around his bottom. Naturally, it doesn't work, as Vertebra finds out when he sits back down. The little pokemon grumbles at yet another onslaught to his dignity. He briefly considers going to sit by Soki, before dismissing that idea. The straw over where he sits doesn't look any better. It's about this time that Vertebra realizes that Peppy's voice sounds rather familiar. He tilts his head over the Growlithe's way, but his gaze soon snaps back to the Hypno as he begins talking. The Cubone doesn't shake his head, but he does huff a bit at the delaying of this supposedly wonderful tale. Why doesn't the Hypno just explain it to them and keep on talking?

Dakshi's attention is drawn away from the Pidgeotto as the Hypno mentions Dragonite. <Dragonite! I've heard of them. Those humans think they're dragon pokemon! Can you imagine? Those aren't dragons, they're fairies! I mean, look at their wings. I'm surprised they can fly with those tiny things. Where are there sharp teeth and deadly claws?> she asks, opening her mouth and showing off her sparkly whites to all the pokemon, opening and shutting her fingers, extending her ebony daggers for all in the barn to see. <And,> she continues with a snort, <They can't even breathe fire! Dragons,> she mutters with a shake of her head, letting a hoarse sounding laugh build up in her chest and escape her throat. <Oh, wow, I can't breathe.> she says, shutting her eyes and waving a paw in front of her.

Peppy seems somewhat dissatisfied with the Hypno's reply. This Growlithe has the attention span of a caffienated fly, and his patience is usually barely more. Still, he at least has the courtesy to remain seated, though his position is somewhat erect and his tail is wagging excitedly, his thrill fueled by the possibility of hearing about -burgers-! ... Well, Dragonites aren't exactly burgers. Peppy actually has seen a Dragonite (for crying out loud, he made a little clay thing of it), but he fails to actually recall the name. And so, as a result, the Growlithe only shakes his head, blissfully unaware of Streetwind's gesture or Vertebra's glance. He is, however, paying some attention to the ranting Charizard over yonder and, looking uncomfortable, he shifts his position over a step or two, swallowing audibly.

Streetwind blinks. Dragonites? Ancient and wise? Pfff. She's not going to believe that until she meets one. The only fact about Dragonites that she accepts willingly is the fact that they're rare. Extremely rare. So rare that the stray Ninetales hasn't met one yet, despite her endless travels. Resting her head on her paws, ears upward and towards the Hypno, she just waits for him to continue. Streetwind hopes it's not one of these made-up stories again. Looks like the Hypno has a bit of an unwilling audience in general today.

Scorch shakes his head. Dragonite? He knows nothing of this Dragonite. It can't be anything he has seen. His imagination starts to work overtime with thoughts of what this pokemon might be like. He must be as tall as a mountain, with huge teeth and claws, legs as thick as tree trunks, and can stamp any evil humans flat! Of course he would be friendly, but only with other pokemon.... Dakshi's description draws him up short. She seems to think they're puny...

The Hypno solemnly waits for the replies from the various pokemon. He nods at each of them, even Dakshi's ranting. When all are finished, he continues. <Dragonite are very rare. I'm glad at least one of you has had the opportunity to meet one,> he says, gesturing to Soki. <They are as powerful as they are rare. Since pokemon have lived on the island, they have protected us from high in the sky, because though some might think their wings are puny,> he continues, inserting the tiniest of jabs towards Dakshi and her opinions, <they are very good at flying. They live high above the clouds. Does anyone know what they do there?>

All things considered, Soki doesn't have the slightest clue. His best guess would like be something stupid like "fly," so therefore his mouth is kept shut. That bit of wisdom to keep quiet when you know you'll sound stupid is what separates him from most pokemon. The Sandslash has a funny feeling that he'll be excercising that ability a lot during the night, and somehow hushes himself more than when he wasn't saying anything.

Soki has disconnected.

Vertebra's black pupils roll all the way up to look over at Dakshi as she talks. He blinks up at her and narrows his eyes in a definitely amused fashion. Boy, what crawled up her rump and died today? Attacking Pidgeotto and now ranting about Dragonite. His gaze then lowers considerably as he looks over at the Hypno. He leans forward, eagerly taking in the information on the rare Dragonite pokemon...until the Hypno asks another question. With that, Vertebra's eagerness drops and annoyance steps up to bat. <Who cares about things that come from the clouds?> Vertebra snaps. <Everything bad comes from the sky,> he adds, in a slightly lower rumble. ...Yep, Vert's selective memory has already blocked out the Charizard he was looking at just a few moments ago.

Dakshi can play this Hypno's game. <I'll believe it when I see it.> she replies, letting small trails of hickory smelling smoke curl around her quivering nostrils, flicking her reptilian tail from side to side. The Hypno's question gives Dakshi another opportunity to rip on the 'fairy' pokemon with jabs of her own. <Probably, sitting on giant mushrooms, and weaving clothes from spider's silk! Oh,> she pauses to chuckle again, <And we can't forget sprinkling pixie dust!> With that she explodes into a fit of laughter, covering her muzzle with her paws, snorting and choking as she goes into hysterics. Maybe she's not really against Dragonite. Perhaps she's subtly getting back at the Hypno for scolding her for hunting the Pidgeotto in the barn's rafters. Real mature Dakshi.

Come on, Peppy! Think! What would flying things do in the clouds? The Growlithe really seems to be thinking his very hardest as he tries to think of a reply to the psychic pokemon. It's sort of funny to see Peppy thinking, since it's not like he's going to get anywhere. And so. Confusion is evident on the Growlithe's face. Confusion... confusion... confusion... and, without warning, the dog's eyes light up in wonder and his face lifts into a very, -very- happy smile. <I know!> Without waiting to be nodded to or called upon or for anybody else to finish speaking (though Dakshi should, thankfully, be finished by the time the Growlithe even arrives at this statement), Peppy closes his eyes, puffs his chest out proudly, and woofs, <They eat burgers and food!> Blink! Open go his eyes. <There -are- burgers in this story after all, just like you said!> Said? When? ... What was that about "keeping quiet when you know you'll sound stupid"?

The Ninetales keeps listening, again not bothering to answer. Let the group handle that. Since some of them seem to know more than she does, it's no good idea to join the conversation. No, she'd rather pretend that all this is absolutely nothing new to her. Come on, continue with the story. Now that she might learn something new, the Hypno has her attention for at least a little while. Whether or not the things he talks about are true or not, Streetwind will find out later. She just hopes that the Charizard will shut up - it's ramblings are not only totally unqualified, but also very annoying.

Again Scorch's imagination is roused. Err... breathe fire on all the evil humans? Make sure no pokemon gets hurt? If this is the case, Scorch begins to imagine it was some act of a Dragonite that saved him from the Rhyhorn and its evil trainer. The possibly wonderful things that a pokemon might do if they were able to fly in the clouds like that... Since he has no sensible suggestions, Scorch stays quiet, looking at the Charizard that is creased with laughter. She obviously has something against the world...

The Hypno levels a cold look at Dakshi. <It should concern you what they do up there,> he states seriously. <You see, they are the ones that makes the clouds and control the weather. As a fire pokemon, I would imagine it would be very important to you as to whether or not it is raining.> Once he's finished delivering those rather clipped words, however, he turns a more kindly look on Peppy. <I'm afraid not. As I said, they control the weather.>

Aie! Peppy and Aurora's puppies are headed for the database! Better save! (Saving)

A cold wind blows from the west, driving charcoal clouds before it and blotting out the stars in isolated patches overhead. The air is clear and elsewhere the stars shine brightly.

Vertebra once again gives the Charizard a look, though this one is charged with a fair amount of disbelief and annoyance. This is like kindergarten - there's always one obnoxious kid talking during Story Telling Time. Another look is given to Peppy at his exclamation about food. It's a look cold enough to freeze living flame and a good deal more besides. You can practically taste the 'just shut up everybody!' waves the Cubone is giving off...or rather, you could if you were looking at him. Vertebra, still rather annoyed by the actions of those in the crowd, turns back to the Hypno to hear the answer. And it's a doozy. Vertebra narrows his eyes and gives a grumbling huff at the old psychic's words. <Oh, great, so now I know who I should kill.> Eh, /he/ is going to kill a flying pokemon? Flying pokemon that can /control the weather/? ..It's okay, Vertebra, we know reality is really hard for you. Take it one step at a time. And apparently there are two bratty children in the Hypno's kindergarten class today.

<Control weather? Bah. They do not. Fairies might be able to make shiny powder, and fly, but they do *not* control weather.> she says surely, shaking her head and waving her paws in front of her in a stubborn fashion. <If they are so powerful, and if they control weather. Why do they batter us with freezing winds, and bitter winters? Why do they shine the fields with sun so strong, that not even a Rattata can find cover? I think those fairies enjoy being mean. And,> she pauses again, letting the silence engulf those in the barn, <There *are* bad fairies. And, they're even worse than Pidgeotto. If anyone can believe *that*.> she draws out her last word in a bit deeper tone, as if she's telling all in the barn some bit of information they can't live without.

Again, that look of sheer disappointment looms on Peppy's face as the Hypno denies the story of food. Is it really his fault he's hungry and just wants to hear about a meal? ... Even though that would probably just make him hungrier? "Control the weather" and "rain" seem to not exist on the same plane in Peppy's mind, otherwise he'd be a lot more interested in the story. As it stands, the lack of food-ness is causing his feeble mind to wander as he looks about at Streetwind... and the Charmander... and the Cubone and his Ice Beam/Glare attack. Peppy's slack jaw snaps shut, he gives Vertebra a half-fearful look, and turns back to the Hypno. Looks like somebody's intimidated. Peppy gives Dakshi a quick glance, but after the stare he just got, the Charizard suddenly doesn't look so horrifyingly deadly now.

Dragonites... make... the weather. <Yeah right.>, Streetwind says, the first time she responds to the Hypno. <Then why do they make the weather so illogical? Oh my, I hope they didn't lose control!> The last part was clearly sarcastic. The Ninetales has heard a lot, but this is insane. <Look, old 'mon. If there was someone out there making the weather, there would be no storms, because no one needs storms, and they only destroy. There would be no flooding and no draughts, and most of all, there wouldn't be summer and winter.> So maybe it was a made-up story after all. And maybe it was just for entertainment, and not to spark a discussion about it being real or not. But such a kind of entertainment is completely foreign to Streetwind - and someone elses desire for quietness has never kept her from saying her opinion. The fact that she suddenly agrees with the Charizard she wanted to shut up a minute ago escapes her attention.

The weather? Scorch's illusions of a grand pokemon in the sky that watches and protects all the other pokemon are shattered. So it is them who are responsible for this beastly snow and coldness? The same weather that has driven all the huntable pokemon either underground or flying over the sea? The same weather that has made the leaves fall from the trees and no more fruit to grow? Scorch had thought it was the humans doing. Scorch keeps his temper under control, with the only outward indication of his rising temperature being his tail flame flaring slightly.

The Hypno, by this time, is absolutely disgusted. Though Streetwind was a dissenting voice as well, his attention focuses on Dakshi. <You have an attitude like that and you wonder why the weather has been like this? As I was about to say when I went on, the Dragonite are very wise. When they see us treating each other with rudeness and violence, they have to try to slow us down, to make us think. Seeing you, I suddenly understand why it is that there has been horrible weather all year long!>

Vertebra listens to the words of the speakers in the crowd, nodding a bit if he agrees with them, though the old Hypno occupies his eyes. And what narrow eyes they are. Mostly he nods at Streetwind, though Dakshi gets a nod or two from him as well, though that stops when she starts going on about there being bad fairies. He doesn't even know what fairies are, so her repeated mention of them is only making his annoyance grow. The Hypno, once again, interests Vertebra...though the Cubone gives a loud and harsh scoff as the psychic reveals that this is a little morality tale. This isn't a story you can tell at the Festival! It doesn't have a plot, or if it does, it's taken too long for the plot to become established. Where's the blood? The action? The fights? He'll have to think up his own tale. Vertebra sighs at that thought. That is going to be hard. Though it might be wise for him to keep an eye on the Charizard, who will no doubt become enraged and/or start killing someone(s), Vertebra sinks into his own mind. What oh what story could he present?

All right, blame the Charizard for winter. Blame a fire pokemon for all the snow and rain the world is suffering from. Rightthat senility must be affecting the Hypno more than the Charizard had previously guessed. <Slow us down and make us think? Drive us into are homes, and look for any means of shelter is more like it. With all this snow, all of us are too busy looking for food, and trying to survive to think about our manners!> Dakshi argues, nodding in Scorch's direction. <This Charmander for instance, was nearly starved to death when I found him! He's kind! Does he deserve to suffer? Does he? Old and wise. Cruel and judgmental.> Maybe Dakshi *does* have a problem with Dragonite. And, if she doesn't, she's going to develop one very soon if this conversation continues the way it's going.

All right, blame the Charizard for winter. Blame a fire pokemon for all the snow and rain the world is suffering from. Rightthat senility must be affecting the Hypno more than the Charizard had previously guessed. <Slow us down and make us think? Drive us into are homes, and look for any means of shelter is more like it. With all this snow, all of us are too busy looking for food, and trying to survive to think about our manners!> Dakshi argues, nodding in Scorch's direction. <This Charmander for instance, was nearly starved to death when I found him! He's kind! Does he deserve to suffer? Does he? Old and wise, bah! Cruel and judgmental, is what they are!> Maybe Dakshi *does* have a problem with Dragonite. And, if she doesn't, she's going to develop one very soon if this conversation continues the way it's going.

To Peppy, a Growlithe who has trouble concentration on more than one (simple) thing at a time, this discussion is absolute chaos. It's filled with revolted Cubones and roaring Charizards and ranting Ninetales and reprimanding Hypnos... too much to concentrate on at once. There is one thing that catches Peppy's attention, however - and it's the one pokemon that *isn't* doing anything. Scorch. The Growlithe happens to be on the Charmander's side of Dakshi, so the little fire lizard is definitely within barking limit - under normal circumstances. As it stands, there's an awful lot of noise in the barn right now (the poor puppies are probably having a hard time staying asleep, but Peppy remains ignorant to this fact). Still, the pup gives it a shot... and so, he woofs out to Scorch, the sole calm creature in a sea of bewilderment, a cheerful "Grrrowlithe!" of a greeting. This is pretty much right as Dakshi points the little Charmander out, however, so that plus the noise of the other pokemon might distract Scorch from hearing his hello.

Streetwind lost all interest in the Hypno's 'story' by now. And in addition, the longer she lies there all comfortably and warm, the more insistently does her body voice its protest against the strain of the last week. Each and every part of her body feels like lead, especially her eyelids. One more time her head rises from her paws to let out a biiiiiig yawn, her predator fangs blinking. Then, she settles down again, snuggling against her soft, fluffy tails. It won't be long now until she's out like a candle in a hurricane, even if the rest of the assembly keeps arguing. A few seconds of silence will likely be enough, and after that, it'll be at least twelve hours until something as unimportant as an argument about the weather can wake her up again.

Streetwind has disconnected.

Scorch's temper dies down at the reprimanding words of the Hypno, even though they are not directed at him. As if wishing would make everything better again, Scorch wishes that everyone would get along. That is impossible though, with the humans around, making us fight each other... So he /was/ right, it /was/ the humans' fault for the icy weather! That thought at least cheers the little fire lizard up, and he looks back to the Hypno for more words of wisdom, ignoring Dakshi's comments, however well meant they were. The constant bickering of the grown-ups was beginning to give him a Psyduck-sized headache.

The Hypno shakes his head and sighs unhappily. <I suppose I can't expect one as close-minded as yourself to understand. Perhaps I should take my stories elsewhere,> he says, sounding grieved that the pokemon have taken his message so badly. He awkwardly pushes himself back to his feet, leaning heavily against his cane. <I suppose that I will leave you now. But with a challenge,> he says, giving Dakshi a very sharp look. <You seem to know so much about the weather-why don't you do something about it? At the very least, someone as 'wise' as yourself should at least be able to find a Dragonite and find out the truth of my words, hmmm?>

Scorch has disconnected.

It will have to start with the first Cubone ever created by the gods, of course. None of this Dragonite and weather nonsense. That much Vertebra knows. He already has the protagonist set out. Now..wait, how did he end his story last Festival? Vertebra searches his memory - he can actually call this one up. Even if it's not in stellar detail, winning the story telling contest was a very positive event, so the Cubone remembers more of it. The first Cubone will need to find his bone weapon. Vertebra's thoughts tumble and run throughout his mind as he tries to scoop them together into a coherent plot-line. This is what he's spending his time doing. Of course, what it looks like he's doing is staring off into space, his almost-unblinking attention fixed on the wall behind the Hypno. It wouldn't be surprising to see drool falling out from underneath his skull helmet. The outside world is lost to him now.

A challenge? She'd give that bossy psychic a challenge. Quit ordering everyone around like he's the master of the universe, and get over himself and those stupid fairy pokemon already. Dakshi, whose normally a passive, and lazy pokemon, is considerably angry right now, and the yellow pokemon's challenge is taken as more of an insult than anything else. < I don't find truth in your words. Dragonite, don't control weather. No pokemon does.> A pause. <I never claimed to be wise, but I do know when someone is telling me a preposterous, fairy tale of a lie!> she grumbles, rising along with the Hypno. <If you have such a problem with the weather, why don't you order someone to look into it? Because, you're not getting me to do anything else for *you* I'd rather face the storm, and fly back to my cave, then listen to anymore of this nonsense. This is about as boring, as watching an Oddish's leaves grow.> With that last ill tempered rant, the Charizard pushes on the wooden doors, letting in a big gust of cold wind, and stomps outside. Surprisingly, she does shut the door behind her. Of course, she's probably thinking of her friend Scorch, and perhaps the quiet Sandslash, and not the Pidgeotto or that old Hypno.

Dakshi has disconnected.

Leaving? Peppy picks up that much from the Hypno's speech, causing him to shift attention from Charmander to Hypno, supposing the fire-type replied. Leaving means no more ranting. No more ranting means this Growlithe gets back to sleep! And so, barking a semi-cheerful <Good night!> into the air (it's entirely unfitting, of course), Peppy ascends to all four paws, streeeetches, whirls around, and halfway stumbles back towards the other six Growlithes, preparing to sleep the night away - because sleeping the day away simply wasn't enough.

Dakshi's slamming of the door isn't enough to keep the Hypno in. He stalks over to the smaller, human-sized door on the inside of the big one as best he can with his weak legs. Thanks to his hands, he's able to open it, and just moment after Dakshi is gone, so is he.