Contents:
Naiad
Obvious exits:
South <S> leads to Pokemon Haven: Assisi Farm.
North <N> leads to Field and Streams - Route 11: Farmlands.

The sky is brilliant blue and cloudless, the sunlight is bright, and a brisk wind blows from the northwest. In the forest, fiery red, gold, and orange leaves rustle and blow past you, swirling in the wind. While at the coast, the sea is a warm blue under the sun, reflecting the saved warmth from the summer, and the waves are gentle.

This place is so... different from route 7.

No daily trainers strolling by. No smoggy loud things zooming over dark hard ground. Just trees. Trees and lots of bushes. Plants. There are countless - almost literally - of places for pokemon to hide. Who knows what danger lurks inside these fields of grass, these clumps of bushes, right behind that thick low-hanging tree? ... One Growlithe, usually too frightened to venture into anywhere remotely dangerous, doesn't know, and he doesn't seem to care. Peppy's out and about semi-exploring today - so many places to hide! Look, there might be a Rattata in that shrub! Or a Pidgey pecking in the long grass! Or maybe a burger growing on that tree up there! The canine pokemon jumps around the vicinity, his tail wagging back and forth excitedly as he checks this spot out, galumps over to that spot, and generally acts like a week-old pup let out of the den for his first time.

The evening stars come out as the red-orange sun sinks below the horizon.

It's been a nice, clear sunny day today. Unfortunately, it's also been rather cold, with a biting wind that tears through thin skin and sinks into a body's core in a bone-deep chill. Naiad shivers as she slithers through the bushes and trees of this human uninhabited area. So little attention does she give to her surroundings that she is almost noisy. Her skin seems a darker blue than usual, and if something were to touch her, it would be apparent that the Dragonair is freezing cold. One and one she pushes through the underbrush, always heading southward as best she can. Judging by the glazed look in her black eyes, she'd be stumbling if she walked on legs rather than undulating directly across the ground.

What? Cold? Maybe it's his fur coat, or maybe it's because he's hiding in or behind different parts of the environment, or maybe it's because he's running around so much that he's getting hot, but whatever the case, Peppy's not feeling the winds at all. <Bush!> he barks cheerfully, bouncing over to the little shrub and just sort of sticking his head inside, asking, <Is there a Rattata in here?> There is, of course, not - Peppy's not hunting seriously right now. He's not hungry, Aurora's fast asleep, and if a Rattata were to come up and bonk him on the head, Peppy would probably ignore it. <Tree!> he woofs, his attention darting over to a tree about thirty yards away. Zip! Pad pad pad pad! He's making absolutely no attempts to conceal himself, and Naiad will quite likely be able to notice him.

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Naiad doesn't notice the noise for a little while, but eventually the barking of the Growlithe penetrates her frozen brain. <H-hello?> she asks dully, then blinks as the barking continues and begins to sound more and more familiar. Fortunately, even when she's as cold as she is, her synapses work at a fairly decent rate, and she perks up. <Peppy?> she calls, slithering a bit closer to where she last heard the barking come from, then levering the first couple of feet of her body up into the air to allow her to see over the short bushes around her.

Badump. Badump. Badump. Peppy gallops over to the tree, thrusting his head up to peer into the branches. Any burgers? ... Nope, this isn't the mythical burger tree. Peppy turns his head to the right, and is about to comment on how that stream looks really interesting, but... he smells something. Something that isn't a plant or tree, something that's a pokemon, but it's not Aurora or a Rattata or... or... who else would be all the way at the farm? Hesitantly, jerkily, Peppy's pupils are fixated on the sides of his eyeballs as he rotates his head. What in the world could this *familiar* smell be? A Bulbasaur? Charizard? Katerwaul? ... It's... it's the think. <Narn?> he woofs softly, then again, this time a little more loudly. Yeah, he got her name wrong again. Peppy leans onto his back paws a bit, as if he's going to spring up and run up to the Dragonair at any second - just not yet.

Naiad's winged head makes it up past the bushes and turns this way and that, trying to spot where the Growlithe is. Fortunately, quite a few of the leaves that helped to camaflauge him a few weeks ago have fallen to the ground and it doesn't take her too long to spy the puppy. <Peppy, it is you!> she exclaims, ignoring his exclamation, figuing it was just a nonsense syllable of surprise rather than an attempt to call her by name. Now that she knows where he is, she drops back to the ground and pushes through the bushes, trying to get over to the fire dog to talk with him.

Peppy's reply is thoughtful and intelligent, as all of his statements tend to be. <Yes, it's me!> Great observation, pup! Peppy's crouched position relaxes a little, and instead of springing off of his paws and -flinging- himself into Naiad, he decides to simply break into a slow trot. Plop, plop, plop. <I thought you were... going to that place,> the pup woofs, as descriptive as ever, his tail swaying back and forth rhythmically. <This isn't that place, is it?> His pace slowing slightly, the pup glances to the left, then to the right, then up. Yes, he looks up at the sky. It doesn't *look* like there's a lot of water... Coming to a quick stop, no matter if he's in front of Naiad or not, the pup peers at the Dragonair in a perplexed matter, his head cocked slightly. <Or am I dreaming I'm on route 7 again?>

Peppy's halt gives Naiad a perfect opportunity to stop just a few feet in front of him. She coils her long body around a few times and grins at the puppy. <So it is you! And I am going to that place, it's just taking me a while. I'm on my way, though, heading down south to where it's warmer. It's /so/ cold here. Say, are you cold? Do you get cold when you can breath fire? Can you breath fire even if you are cold? Or does that not have anything to do with anything?> she bursts out with a few questions about the canine's elemental attacks. The cold seems to be forgotten completely in her quest for answers about everything.

It's only just now that Peppy realizes that - hey, it's cold out here. Sure, he's a dog that can breathe fire and has a *lot* of fluffy warm fur, but that's not to say he's entirely unaffected by the chilling winds. Plopping down on his rump and sitting right down on his haunches, Peppy's mouth spreads into a warm grin when Naiad says "<So it is you!>" He's about to reply with "<Yes, it's me!>" (and not sarcastically, either), but, of course, Naiad distracts him with a question. As she always does. <I'm a little bit cold!> Peppy woofs happily, not seeming to care that he missed half of Naiad's questions. <But not very. I think it might be because I have fur...> He pauses for a second, his eyebrows furrowing very slightly. Wag, wag. <Although I wonder why my fur doesn't get cold, too.>

Naiad doesn't exactly seem surprised when most of her questions go unanswered. On the other hand, the fact that Peppy managed to answer any of them on the first try is such an unusual thing that she blinks a bit in bewilderment. <Well, the fur insulates you. It helps keep your body heat next to your body, rather than have it float all over the place,> she explains, briefly going into lecture mode before going back to her questions. <So, is your ability to breathe fire based on the outside temperature? Can you do it when it's cold, or just when it's hot?> the Dragonair asks, curious enough to press the issue until she gets some kind of real answer.

Peppy just sort of peers at Naiad, his head cocking even further until it's almost perpendicular. Something in the back of Peppy's mind realizes that what Naiad just said is *very very* smart (we're talking Aurora-level smarts here) and he should memorize that. Unfortunately, he understood the words "<fur>", "<next>", and "<it>". Other than that, everything remains completely unprocessed by the pup. <What's imustate?> he asks, naive as ever. <Is it a good thing or a bad thing? Because I don't think it would be good for Growlithes to have imustates if fur is a bad thing.> With a sagely nod, Peppy glances up at Naiad. There's no such thing as a stupid question; only stupid pokemon. <I can do it whenever I want, both when it's hot and when it's cold!> He woofs this proudly, as if he's so proud of his fire-breathing techniques. ... The ones he never uses.

Shadows lengthen and the light turns golden as the sun sinks toward the west through a clear sky.

Oh boy. It's 'mangle words time!' Naiad just peers at Peppy as he babbles on about 'imustates.' <Wha-> she begins to ask when he mentions fur again. After another brief moment of thought, she suddenly gets it. <Oh, you mean insulates. Insulation is a /very/ good thing,> she says emphatically. <It means you can stay warm even when it's cold outside. I don't have any fur to insulate me, so I get really cold. Which is why I'm going to where it's warmer,> she adds, then cocks her head to one side as she realizes that he answered her other question, and in such a manner that it made sense! <Oh, that's neat. Must be like I can use my electric or water attacks at any time, unless I'm really really tired,> she notes outloud, though the statement is more directed to herself than to the fire dog.

Peppy's eyes are completely and entirely vapid. If he had holes in the back of his head, somebody could see right through him. He sort of stays in this spacing-out position for a moment or so... before he blinks. Peers up at Naiad. Blinks again. ... And his tail wags. <I get it!> Peppy woofs. <So insulation is just another word for fur!> ... No, he didn't get it. Certain that he's entirely correct, Peppy probably won't give Naiad a chance to reply immediately, as he leaps right into his next response. The breeze picks up a bit, blowing the extra fluffy tuft of fuzz on his forehead drastically. Peppy hardly flinches at the cold. Poor Naiad. <You have water attacks?> Peppy asks curiously, perhaps a little intimidation audible in his voice. Hey, who's asking the questions here?

As the extra cold gust of wind hits her smooth, hairless skin, Naiad shivers a bit. She definitely waited too long to start moving southward this year. Despite the cold, she does her best to try to educate the Growlithe. <No, it's not-> she begins, only to be cut off by his next question. <Yes, I have a water attack. I just sorta...knew how to do it after I got sick a few seasons ago,> she explains. <But don't worry, I won't use it on you. Anyway, insulation isn't fur. Fur is a kind of insulation, but there are other kinds too,> she continues, trying to get the puppy straight on the matter despite the futility of it.

Peppy's confusion becomes a little deeper, just like his eyebrows as he peers at Naiad. <But instination,> he woofs, botching the word up again. <But instination keeps you warm, and fur keeps you warm, so instination has to be fur, right?> The logic's there, it's just incredibly *wrong*. The pup's voice is somewhat high-pitched, adopting the tone he always takes when he's struggling to learn things that are miles and miles higher than the bounds of his intelligence. <How can fur be instination but instination isn't fur?> He's seriously not getting this.

Is it really worth it to get the dog straight on a concept he's going to forget in thirty seconds? Naiad doesn't know, but ends up by falling back into her role as 'teacher' anyway. <Just because fur is a kind of insulation doesn't meant that it is the only kind,> she explains, trying to put things in terms the not-so-bright Growlithe will understand. <Have you seen birds? They have feathers. It's different than fur, but it's a kind of insulation too. But fur isn't feathers and feathers aren't fur. Both are insulation, but they're different, so insulation isn't fur.> The first part might be well within the understanding of Peppy, but the last part is confusing enough that someone who knows what insulation is would likely to be a bit confused.

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Okay. Peppy just sort of squeezes his eyes shut until Naiad asks if he's seen birds. He is *determined* to understand this concept. It's not hard. He can do this. He can do this. <A bird is a Pidgey, right?> he... sort of asks. He actually more or less growls it to himself, and it's unlikely Naiad will even be able to hear him. <So...> Peppy's eyelids flutter open, and his green eyes stare up at Naiad... almost like he's angry. His tone of voice and the words themselves, however, are anything but aggressive. <So enskulamin is something that keeps you warm?> Oo! Did he get it? <So if I were to Flamethrower you, it would be like enskulamin, because they you wouldn't be cold anymore!> Rgh. Well, he's a couple steps closer, at least. ... Of course, those couple steps don't really mean much when they're taken on a four-mile long path. At least he's trying.

The evening stars come out as the red-orange sun sinks below the horizon.

If Naiad had hands, she'd likely be facepalming at this moment. She doesn't have limbs of any sort, however, and she settles for sighing heavily. <Insulation is something that keeps you warm, but it's something like fur, or feathers, or those things that humans wear...clothing. It's not like a fire attack,> she explains, trying to get the concept across to the Growlithe. She pauses for a moment, trying to think of another example. <You see, when you eat food, your body breaks it up and some of it escapes as heat...,> she trails off as she realizes that this explanation is no good. She sighs again, then says, <You know how, when you touch say...Aurora, she feels warm?>

The first quarter moon sets, leaving the stars to spangle the crystalline night sky.

Peppy leans his upper torso forward a little, as if to get a closer look at Naiad. It looks very awkward, as he's still resting on his rump. The angle appears very uncomfortable. Okay, he got the whole clothing thing. It's something you put on... though he still doesn't entirely understand why you don't "wear" fire. Yeah, Peppy's like that. However, his next statement shows exactly how little he really knows. <Oh!> the pup barks, still inclined forward. <I don't eat food to make myself warm, I eat food because it tastes good and when I don't eat my tummy hurts.> He glances down at his belly for a couple seconds, no easy task given his position, before glancing back up at the Dragonair. <So maybe because you don't have fur only -you- eat to get warm? But what if you eat something really cold? Do you get cold?> You can tell he's trying his best. Peppy's best is just everyone else's worst. <I do!> His voice sinks a pitch or two, as if he has to be oh-so-manly when he's talking about his mate, because he's just so tough like that! <She feels really warm, and sometimes I want to nuzzle her for that, but usually I do it because I love her not because I'm cold.> Good bye, topic!

Naiad nods in relief at the Growlithe's last statement. Maybe if she goes in this direction he'll be able to get it. <Okay, forget what I said about food. You don't need to worry about that,> she says quickly. <Just think about how warm Aurora is. You see, a lot of pokemon are warm like that. I'm warm, you're warm, Aurora's warm. The thing is, if it's cold outside, it can be really easy for someone to get cold so they don't feel warm anymore. Got it so far?> she asks, just slightly nervously. After all, there's no telling what the Growlithe might mangle her words into if he doesn't get it.

Peppy is about to protest about how he likes talking about food, though, and that suddenly he really likes the conversation because it's about food and Aurora, which are his two most favorite things in the entire world. His jaws part, but thankfully Naiad tells him to think about just how warm Aurora is. His tail begins to wag softly, and his eyes close very slightly. Looks like he's doing as instructed. He continues this halfway unconcious state for a few moments, until Naiad finally mentions - coldness. He blinks, sort of shakes his head, and peers up at Naiad. His ears press down against the sides of his head, and although his tail continues its wagging, his eyes appear almost a little frightened. <I remember when I was in the snow for a long time, and I felt really, really cold. I wish Aurora was there then, but then I wouldn't want her being cold either, except if she's really warm then maybe she can't get cold...> ... How hard can it be to drill one simple point into him without him going off about something else?

Naiad nods. Perhaps the puppy has moved another step on the long road to understanding. <Exactly. You were cold when you were in the snow, because the snow took away all your heat. What insulation does is to help keep that heat inside of you. You would have gotten cold faster if you didn't have fur to insulate your body,> she says, then quickly adds, <Aurora can get cold, because sometimes insulation isn't enough to keep you warm. But if she stays out of the cold, that shouldn't be a problem. Her insulation should be more than enough to keep her warm,> she explains.

Peppy sort of gives a little half-hearted nod here. It's not that he wasn't listening; it's that he's thinking of how sad he would be if poor Aurora was out there in the cold and was all freezing and sad. But hey - as long as she stays warm, she won't be cold (wow! Brilliant, Peppy!), so the barn should be okay. With another small nod, though this one to himself, Peppy notes something offhandedly. <But for the past few weeks, since we left route 7,> he woofs, looking as though he's going to venture on a question. <I've been getting more fur, but then when the snow is gone my fur always starts to leave. I think Patch called it sharding. Why don't I just keep all my fur?> Despite the fact that the answer is *right there in front of his cold black nose*, Peppy doesn't seem to fit two and two together. Heck, he misses putting two and *zero* together.

The stars glitter like diamonds in the deep sapphire blue of the night sky.

Naiad sighs again at Peppy's question, so distracted by trying to beat this concept into his thick skull that the thought of asking him questions has completely left her head. <You get more fur when it gets cold because you need more insulation,> she says, trying to remain patient with her friend. <Then, when it gets warmer, you don't need as much insulation. You'd get too hot if you had all the fur during the summer as you have during the winter. So you lose some of it to cool off,> she finishes. She can put two and two together, after all, even if she's rather lacking in the insulation department.

Who's worse off in this conversation? Is it Peppy, who despite trying his fuzzy rump off can't understand this basic concept? Or is it Naiad, who tries over and over again to just give the pup some decent *knowledge* only in vain? Maybe both of the pokemon deserve pity. <So...> he barks gently, one eyelid lifting a little higher than the other in a sort of interested though befuddled look. <So is that why maybe humans wear lots and lots of things when it was snowing but not as much when it was really hot outside?> Despite the fact that dear gosh, he might have actually *gotten it* for one, his inquisition is just that - entirely a question, as though he's not sure at all. He leans forward even forward. <So those things were like her fu... fu... aaaack!> And with that surprised "Liithe!", Peppy... stumbles to the ground, his chest hitting the floor, his chin tumbling after. Landing in a heap on his belly, the puppy blinks at the ground. ... Looks like he leaned too far forward. ... Looks like he's as clumsy as he is dumb.

Naiad nods eagerly as Peppy asks about the different layers of clothing. <Yes, that's it exactly. It's to keep them warmer in the-> she cuts off as Peppy falls forward, nearly hitting her with the fuzz on the top of his head. She tries to scramble backwards, but between her lack of limbs and the fact that she's coiled her long body up, she simply can't move in that direction at the moment. All she can do is sit there and hope that the dog hasn't suddenly gone insane and is trying to attack her (rather futilely, it might be added).

Peppy just sort of lies there for a couple moments, muzzle engraved into the mud, peering into the mud with complete and total shock. It's as if he himself doesn't really understand how he ended up face-first in the dirt. "... Grrrowlithe?" he asks himself, pushing off of the ground, ascending to all four paws, and shaking his head rapidly. <.. Ow. My chops hurt.> Well, seeing as you just faceplanted into a little crop of rocks... Lifting his head, Peppy tries to... well, he tries to peer down at his mouth to see if it's bleeding. It is, for obvious reasons, entirely ineffective - but Naiad might be able to see that he does, indeed, have a cut right below his mouth. It's not deep; in fact, it's not even bleeding, it's just a little redness mixed in with the white fur. <... Did something attack me?> Peppy asks, peering up at Naiad. Look, Peppy - if something attacked you, it would be *right behind you*. *Look*.

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Naiad blinks at this unexpected question. Then she peers behind the Growlithe, then back at him, then shakes her head emphatically. <No, there's nothing there. I don't know what happened, but nothing attacked you,> she says with a ring of truth and finality in her voice. Distracted from her attempts at teaching, questions suddenly bubble up from the depths of her mind. <Hey, why aren't you where you used to be anyway? Is this the place you were talking about that would be better for the puppies?> she asks, glancing around though she can't see a whole lot of the surrounding area in the darkness. <Where's Aurora?>

The deep blue night sky is clear and cloudless, and the stars glitter. An icy wind blows from the northwest.

Peppy sort of glances up at Naiad, before glancing over his shoulder. You know, just to make sure. Dumb pup. <Maybe I just fell,> he mumbles, before sticking his tongue out. Gasp! Is he taunting the female pokemon before him, teasing her for apparently no reason? ... Nope. The long pink muscle drips a tiny bit of Growlithe saliva (ew!) as Peppy jerks his head down a bit, as if trying his very hardest to lick that little wound of his. That's it, Peppy, use that antibacterial tongue. <Heah? Yeh, dis isth...> Retracting his tongue into his mouth, the Growlithe continues speaking, though this time what he's saying is actually decently translatable. <This is the place where we're going to raise the-> Tail wag! <Puppies. There are less humans and I think more pokemon, so I can teach them how to hunt! They're going to be the best hunters -ever- except I'm not going to have them hunt too much because even though Rattatas are yummy it's good to eat berries sometimes because it's not always good to eat all the Rattatas because they die when you e...a...> Pant, pant. The dog recovers almost immediately. This obviously excites him. <When I left, Aurora was sleeping. She likes to sleep even more than I do, but now she sleeps even more, because I think that having puppies in your tummy makes you tired, but I don't know for sure because she's having them, not me.> For having a hurt lip, Peppy can speak for an awfully long time.

Naiad just...stares. Despite the number of times she's met with the Growlithe and talked with him, never, never has she heard him say so much in so short of time so quickly. Nor has he actually answered all the questions she's asked at once, nor given out even more relevant information than she requested. She's actually getting a bit of a taste of her own medicine, for likely other entities have felt rather similar after a cascade of questions and statements from the Dragonair. Once Peppy finally finishes, she pauses a moment to try to digest what he's said. <Um...well, that's good. Having some variety in your diet is a good thing, I think. And teaching them to hunt will be a very good thing, so they don't have problems when they get old enough to be on their own. And...that makes sense. A lot of her energy is going to help the puppies grow, so she would probably get tired more than she would before. I remember my mom being like that before my stupid little brother was born.>

Peppy is almost completely silent while Naiad speaks, the only noise he's making soft pants as he tries to recuperate. He's never said so much in such a short interval before, and needless to say, it's practically tired him out. But Naiad hit key terms there - food, puppies, Aurora. Even at the thought, wag-wag goes the pup's tail. <I just don't like to kill Rattatas too much, because maybe some pokemon eat Growlithes and I wouldn't want to be eaten, so I don't eat Rattatas all the time. Besides, berries taste really yummy.> Yes, but to Peppy, Mr. Black Hole For a Stomach, boiling tar would probably 'taste really yummy', too. <But she's not...> He hesitates for a moment. The pup shifts his position, stepping to the side a little to glance out back to the farm. No luck - it's too dark. <She's bigger than me now, and sometimes I feel really embarrassed because it makes me feel like I'm smaller and not as strong.> Whimper. <Do all female pokemon get really big like that or only Growlithes?>

Naiad considers this question for a moment. <Well, I don't know about all pokemon, but some do and some don't. My mom got bigger around her middle, but the Psyducks I knew didn't. They laid eggs instead, so didn't have the babies inside them for very long. I think,> she continues thoughtfully, <that it depends on whether the babies stay inside the mom until they're ready to be born, or if they stay in eggs for a while before that,> she finally concludes. <And I understand not wanting to eat Rattatas. I usually only try to eat stuff that doesn't talk, unless I'm really, really hungry. Then sometimes I'll eat a Magikarp or something. Berries are tasty,> she agrees, licking her chops momentarily as she thinks of the tart taste of the small bits of fruit.

Peppy whiplashes (ow) his head back to Naiad, torn between staring at her and simply snorting through his nose (Growlithes can't exactly laugh, you know!). <Eggs?> he repeats, as though the idea amuses him somehow. <But I used to eat eggs sometimes, and they didn't look like... like... ... what's a Psyduck, anyway?> That would help, wouldn't it? Shaking his head a little, the pup woofs, <But an egg isn't inside the pokemon's belly, so it could break or someone could take it, so having eggs wouldn't have a really good idea.> Hey, logic. Sort of. He seems to ignore the fact that poor Aurora can hardly do anything strenuous as long as she has the puppies. <... What's a Magikarp? Are these pokemon? Do Magikarps have eggs, too?>

Naiad doesn't seem to mind the amused look the Growlithe gives her. After all, she knows she's right. <Eggs,> she says firmly. <Some pokemon lay eggs. That's how they are. Some pokemon keep their babies inside of them until they're ready to get out, others lay eggs. And yes, they can be broken or eaten or whatever, but a lot of parents stay to guard them to make sure that doesn't happen. Or they lay lots of them, more than someone would be likely to eat. And they hide them. But Psyducks are a kind of water pokemon that lay eggs and the parents take turns guarding them. That can be nice, because then both parents have something to do, rather than one of them having to do everything all the time,> she says, then adds, <Magikarp is another water pokemon, one like a fish. They lay eggs too, but they are different kinds of eggs than the ones birds lay.>

Peppy pauses for a second. Glances at Naiad. Peers at the floor. Looks at the Dragonair. Stares at the ground. <I don't know,> the Growlithe woofs, shaking his head a little. <I'm glad I came from a Growlithe and not from an egg.> Maybe he's narrow-minded? Or maybe the entire idea of being born from an egg is just something that's *definitely* impossible. An egg is something you eat with that salty stuff! He had it once or twice, and it didn't look like a pokemon to him. Peppy's tail wags a little bit here, and he shifts into a more comfortable position, though he remains standing on all four paws. <Water pokemon are very different,> he arfs, almost disgustedly. <They spit out the same stuff that comes from the sky except it hurts a lot more, and their babies come from eggs.> That's all a fire-type needs to know, after all. <I think I heard somebody once say they liked to eat Magikarp, but I don't think it was you, but maybe it was you. Is it good? Is there one around here?>

Naiad's brow furrows a bit as she peers at Peppy. <You wouldn't be a Growlithe if you didn't come from one. And I don't think you'd know the difference if you weren't one,> she remarks, then curls up a bit more so as to rest her head on her coils while still being able to look at her friend. <And what's wrong with water pokemon? I'm practically one myself-I lived almost all my life underwater before I started to travel,> she continues conversationally. <I don't remember if I've mentioned eating Magikarp around you before, so I don't know if it was me or not. They can be sort of tasty, though there are other fish I'd prefer to eat. Hmmm...,> she lifts her head again and glances around, her nostrils flaring a bit as she tests the air. <I don't know if there's any around here. I don't smell any large ponds or lakes or big rivers or anything close by, though, so there probably aren't any close. Besides, you couldn't catch one anyway if you don't like the water,> she adds sensibly.

Although Naiad probably doesn't sound particularly scolding or mean in her little retorts, Peppy submits visibly, his tail drooping as he woofs gently, <I'm sorry.> His ears flaps on the sides of his head, he continues to whimper even more quietly, <It just sounded really strange to me, but maybe coming from a Growlithe sounds kind of strange, too.> He's silent for a few moments, like a bad boy who's just been scolded by mom, his eyes straying up and down and left and right - everywhere but on Naiad. <Oh... I wouldn't want to go near the water, even to get food. Except if burgers swam in water, but I don't think they do, because they have to grow on trees. And I don't think burgers lay eggs. Do they?> He looks up at Naiad quizically.

October means Kats come out to 'play', save the data! Right away! (Saving)

Naiad's body ripples in her version of a shrug as Peppy apologizes. <You don't need to be sorry,> she says easily. <Just...try to think of how things look from different perspectives. I bet there are some things that come from eggs that think being born directly from your mother would sound really gross to. It's just how you look at things,> she continues. Uh oh. She used a big word. <And I'm sure that burgers don't swim and don't lay eggs.> And they don't grow on trees, she silently adds, but doesn't bother to try to burst the Growlithe's impenetrable bubble anymore.

The thought of being born from your mom being anything less than "the" way to be born picks up Peppy's curiousity, and this actually gives him a little food for thought. He would probably argue what different perspectives (well, to Peppy, probably dafident pusilmanations) means, if he didn't just stumble upon a thought. <I think Aurora thinks that Rattatas are the best food in the world, but I know that burgers are, except because she's never had a burger she doesn't know that they're better, so Rattatas are the best food for her. So maybe that's like this, because I wasn't born from a...> The sides of his mouth pick up, even though it hurts his little lip-wound slightly. <From an egg.> The thought is still funny to him! His analogy makes very little sense to something not quite on the same level as Peppy, of course, but judging by the proud and smug (not to mention amused) look on his face, it's perfectly clear to him.

Naiad doesn't answer for a moment as all the little gears in her good-sized brain work on trying to translate the Growlithe's somewhat odd comparisons into something more on her level. Finally, however, she bobs her head in a quick agreement. <Yes, that sounds about right. You're looking from the perspective that has had burgers and really liked them, while Aurora hasn't. So she likes Rattata and thinks that they're the best food because that's what she's had experience with,> she says wisely, basically just repeating Peppy's little analogy. Suddenly, she shivers again, more violently this time as the chill wind bursts through her bubble of thought and brings home the fact that she's very, very cold. <It's getting late...I better go find somewhere to sleep,> she says, not sounding very excited about the idea, though whether it's because Peppy is oh-so-entertaining or because she's not likely to find somewhere very warm isn't clear. Maybe it's both.

When Naiad repeats his comparison, the Growlithe really just doesn't understand it, which is funny seeing as how he *made* it. Still, he enthusiastically nods his head, if only because Naiad didn't ask him a question and seems happy, so he must have done something that cheered her up. His tail wags happily. ... What, wind? Peppy only notices the gusts because it irritates his little cut, causing the sides of his mouth to twitch as he growls in annoyance. "Grlithe," he woofs, something of a "<Hey>". <I know that maybe you have somewhere to go or maybe you don't like being in human places, but if you want to you can come inside the barn and you can see Aurora sleeping, although you'd have to be really really quiet because even though she doesn't get mad when she wakes up I still don't want to annoy her.> Peppy looks like he has more to say, but he has to stop and recharge his lungs. He's been talking too much today.

Naiad hesitates, considering this very kind offer for a moment. The lure of warmth draws her in, however, and finally she nods eagerly. <Yes, I like that. I don't think I like humans very much, but you've said before that they don't bother us pokemon at this place, so...one night wouldn't hurt,> she says, almost arguing with herself as she talks with Peppy. That justification seems to be enough for her, however. <I promise I'll be quiet. I wouldn't want to wake her and make her be more tired than she already is,> she adds quickly, sounding willing to promise almost anything if it got her in some shelter for the night. Once she's agreed to go, she uncoils herself until her long, snakey body is spread out and ready to travel. <Lead the way!> she exclaims eagerly.

Peppy nods his head cheerfully, glad that he can help out a friend. <And tomorrow,> he woofs, his voice raising a little as it always does when he's excited. <And tomorrow if you're still here, I'll go out and catch us a Rattata!> He pauses for a second, peers at the ground for another second, then glances back up at Naiad. <Um.> Nervous grin. <Or maybe I'll go and get some berries instead.> Good, he didn't forget who he was talking to. Whirling around on his paws, the pup begins to march back to the farm, glancing over his shoulder plenty of times to make sure the dragon pokemon is still following him. They're only about a hundred yards away or so, but knowing Peppy, he'll still get them lost. After all, he couldn't find his way out of an empty room. An empty room with arrows pointing to the open door.

Naiad grins as she follows the puppy, her jaws parting and showing off some of her rather sharp teeth. <Maybe I'll come help you. Don't know how much help I'll be on the land, but I might be able to do something to help you catch one,> she says, sounding more than a little cheerful herself. After all, she's getting the chance to get warm! She easily follow the puppy, staying close enough that she won't lose him in the darkness, but giving him enough distance that he won't feel uncomfortable with a rather large predator following close at his heels.