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

A light rain falls from a grey sky. It's warm and there's a slight wind from the southeast. In the forest, raindrops patter against the leaves, and glisten like silver beads on their deep green surfaces. The wet tree trunks have darkened from grey to brown. While at the coast, the rain dances on the surface of the playful blue ocean gently.

It's summer. It's supposed to be hot and hazy the entire time, causing discomfort for virtually any fur-bearing pokemon, even after shedding. Why, then, Peppy wonders to himself as he walks along, is there rain dripping from the sky? It doesn't matter that it's warm - rain does not belong in so warm a season! For once, Peppy isn't moving along the human's road. He's a number of feet away, slipping behind bushes and trees and rocks. He's also got his nose down to the ground, almost as if he's hunting - but what fire-type would hunt in weather like this?

Several feet away from Peppy, in a hole dug near the base of one of the bushes, Aurora the Growlithe is doing one of the things that Growlithe do best - sleeping. The puppy is lying on her side, her chest rising and falling gently as she sleeps, and her paws twitching every so often, as if she's chasing something in a dream. Granted, she's not much help to anybody when she's asleep... but she does look rather cute, nonetheless.

Peppy's basically soaking wet right now, suggesting that he's been in the rain for quite some time now. It's possible he's lost - but he always travels around here. He practically knows this area by heart! Whatever the case, Peppy, to cliche, doesn't know enough to come out of the rain. After a little more sniffing, Peppy picks up the scent of something he wasn't exactly expecting - Aurora. The pup's ear flinches a little, but not quite in fright. In fact, to the average onlooker, it appears as though he was just flicking away some water. Naiad's suggestion pops back into the pup's mind, but suddenly, it doesn't seem like a very good one anymore. Giving a good ten seconds of sort of building up courage here, Peppy swallows heavily, shakes himself dry (only to get more wet in the rain), and follows his nose to try and find the sleeping puppy.

A pack of Growlithe puppies play Tug-of-War with the database. Better save! (Saving)

Aurora, still asleep, gives a loud snore and rolls over onto her back. Beforehand she may have looked cute - now she appears to be far more comical, her paws in the air as she snores gently, and her head almost poking out of the den. Almost, but not quite. The Growlithe is safe from the rain - for now.

This is not a good idea! Peppy thinks to himself, even as he walks with jerky, nervous steps. Quit while you're ahead! Stop! Cease! Desist! Halt! Spin around and stop walking! But even as Peppy's thinking all these thoughts, he's still getting bit by bit closer to Aurora. It's not long at all before he sees just the tip of her nose - and *this* causes him to stop. The little black nose is... touching the ground? "Grrrowlithe?" he woofs to himself, puzzled, before trotting a little closer. His confusion is cleared up when he sees the upside-down position Aurora's in. With a little exhale, a flinch of the tail, and a nervous little grin, Peppy woofs a soft, <Um, are you awake?> As though he doesn't know the answer. He's also still out in the rain.

The quiet question doesn't get a reply for some time - as Peppy probably thought, Aurora's still asleep, and in no condition to answer his question. After a few seconds, though, she rolls back over onto her side, the thud of her paws on the ground causing some of the fallen rainwater to drip over the side of the den, and onto the muzzle of the dozing Growlithe. Even this doesn't wake her up, yet, though it does make her splutter slightly.

Is a sputter considered a reply? Peppy really doesn't know for sure - but what he does know is that he's going to have to ask another question if he wants Aurora to wake up. But isn't it mean to wake somebody up? He hates it when others do that to him. Still, if he doesn't ask the female -soon- he probably never will, and even Peppy's got enough of a brain to realize this. That, and he could really, really use a little shelter from the rain. A little bit more loudly, the pup woofs, <Are you still sleeping? Just tell me if you're sleeping and I'll-> ... And then he realizes just how dumb that sounded. 'Tell me if you're sleeping'?

More water drips onto the Growlithe, and this time it's enough to make her open her eyes slightly and mutter, <Okay, I'm awake, I'm awake...> Well, wouldn't you be a bit cranky if you were woken up by water dripping into your nose? In any case, Aurora blinks rainwater out of her eyes and turns herself the right way up, then cranes her neck slightly upwards, and asks, <Is someone the- oh, is it you, Peppy?> she adds, with a little more eagerness in her voice.

Eagerness is good. There's no, "<You got water in my eyes, you idiot!>" or "<Oh, God, it's you.>" No, Aurora seems almost happy to see him, despite the fact that he just woke her up rather rudely. With this little nervous half grin and a few ear-flicks as water drips down on his head, Peppy barks an uncertain, <Er, good morning!> followed closely by a much more quiet, <You're not mad I woke you up, are you?> Hey, it never hurts to check. Before he makes even the -slightest move- towards that den, he's making sure she's not grouchy at him.

A pack of Growlithe puppies play Tug-of-War with the database. Better save! (Saving)

<No, it's okay... you woke me up? I thought it was the water,> Aurora replies, stretching as best she can within the space of the den, then adding, <It's raining outside - come in and get warm.> She sneezes once, then pulls her head back under cover, her voice echoing slightly as she says, <There's lots of space in here.>

A light rain falls from a grey sky. It's warm and there's a slight wind from the southeast.

Ahh! That warm den! With a little tail wag, Peppy nods with fair enthusiasm, giving a little "Grr-lithe!" of appreciation. Though he's wet, he's still not quite so bad as he shook himself dry only a little earlier. Peppy takes one step into that den - and then his question comes back at him, almost like he forgot what he was there for in the first place. <Um, er, Aurora?> he arfs softly as he squeezes his way into the den, being extra careful to not bump his head. He won't wait for a response before turning his head away and growling, <I... er, I have a question. Um, a favor. Uh. Um.> Even now he pauses, waiting for a reply, but he doesn't glance at the other Growlithe.

Aurora nods, wriggling slightly to make room for the other Growlithe. <What is it?> she asks, tail wagging slightly in curiosity, though since her rump's facing the back of the den it's a gesture that Peppy's unlikely to see. She sniffs again, then shakes her head, a few droplets of water flying off it, before blinking and adding, <Sorry, I didn't mean to splash you...>

Peppy's reply to Aurora is a little rushed and is almost instant. <That's okay, I was wet anyway,> he woofs hurriedly as he nestles into a semi-comfortable spot, leaning his cheek against the side of the den as though he doesn't want to lay down. The top of his head is only an inch or two away from the ceiling. He's silent for a few moments, the only sound he's making soft little breaths, before he begins. <You... Um, do you... Are you a...> Blah. How does he phrase this? Maybe he should have thought about what he's actually going to ask instead of just worrying about asking you. Finally, he decides on what seems outwardly like a good enough question: <Do you hunt?> ... Do you hunt? What kind of question is that? The pup's left eyebrow twitches and bit, and hurriedly he adds, <I mean, a lot! Do you hunt a lot or do you just get food from other places?> He really did not think this out.

<Well, I get by on food trainers give me, and things from plants and trees...> Aurora flicks one ear slightly forward, then settles down on her paws into a more comfortable position. <I don't hunt other pokemon, though. Not in this weather - I'm not going to go outside until the rain stops.>

Peppy's reply is a soft little <Oh.> This is not quite a reply he anticipated - but then again, he had no idea what Aurora was going to reply, so practically -any- idea would be one he hadn't anticipated. Resting more of his body against the wall of the den, unaware of just how dirty he's going to make his fur, Peppy is silent for a few moments more before asking, with a little more excitement, <But, um, you know how to hunt when the weather is really nice? I...> And now he turns away so that Aurora won't see the little blush under his fur. <I know you're really smart, so, um, maybe you, um, know how to hunt except you don't?> Well, there's one possibility down: He's not trying to make Aurora go out there and get him food or something.

Aurora gives a small nod to Peppy, followed by, <I used to hunt for food a little before I left home... I never caught anything, though. And then my trainer fed me, and after that - after that, I could get by on fruit and what people gave me because I looked cute. That's what they said, anyway.> The Growlithe thinks for a moment, and then looks down at the floor of the den. <So, no, I don't, really.>

Peppy's tail gives a soft little wag, bashing into the wall of the den. It makes a soft little thump. <Well, I, um...> Out of the corner of his eye, he glances at Aurora, giving her the tiniest little smile - she might not even be able to see it. <There... We... Um, you... We should learn how to hunt, then.> Now he lifts up his chin a little, giving her another look. <In case there are no humans and the plants don't grow... Like when it's snowy. I... don't really know how to hunt... but...> His fuzzy little cheeks flush a tad, and he woofs very softly, so quietly Aurora might just have to strain slightly to hear it, <Maybe we can try to figure it out if we work together.>

Aurora's head tilts slightly to one side as the Growlithe thinks, then nods. <Yeah, we should try... if we worked together, it'd be easier to hunt. One of us moves towards the target from one side, and the other approaches from the other side, and that way we trap them...> She bows her head slightly and grins. <That's how my trainer taught me to catch people, when we had to chase after them. But I've never tried to hunt like that, yet.>

Peppy glances at Aurora for a few moments, his expression somewhat fixed on his fuzzy face. <That,> he woofs softly, now directing his attention to the ground in front of him. <Is a good idea. You're really, really smart, Aurora,> Peppy points out, giving the other Growlithe only a quick glance before lying down on the ground, his tummy pressing on the floor, his chin coming to rest on his paws. His tail gives a few wags as he woofs, <See, if both of us work together... um... Maybe we'll both learn how to do it quicker. To hunt, I mean.> All the while, Peppy's not looking at the female - rather, he's peering out of the den and at the sky.

Aurora grins, blushing at the compliment. <Thanks,> she says, also paying attention to the floor rather than to Peppy, and then continues, <But as I said, I've never tried it with small things like Rattatas or Pidgeys. I've only ever tried on humans, and I wasn't going to eat them - just scare them into stopping. I don't know if I'd be good at it.> She looks up, and slowly turns her head to gaze at the other Growlithe. <Maybe... er... if you stayed around here, we could practise. Once the weather gets better.>

Peppy now turns his head to glance at Aurora, his face actually... thoughtful. And you thought you needed a brain to look thoughtful! <It... can't be -that- much more different, can it?> he asks quietly, as though he's thoroughly confused here. <As long as you know how to... hunt, even if you're not eating the prey, I think it would still help a lot. Besides!> And his head lifts up slightly, his tail wags enthusiastically, and he just generally seems more happy with this recognition. <I'll be there, and I'll help you. That's such a great idea-> His head falls back onto his paws, but this time he's glancing at Aurora. <I'll bet that we'll both be great at it.> Inspirational!

Aurora nods slowly in reply. <I suppose so... I know I could catch people who tried to run away from my trainer, so maybe I could catch food, too.> With a little sigh, she settles down until she's more comfortable, her tail wagging slightly and thumping against the wall of the den. <But not now, it's too wet...>

Peppy nods his head perhaps a little too quickly, replying to the female, <It probably won't rain for a long time... It never does.> And for a few moments longer, Peppy glances out of the den at the grey sky and the raindrops that occasionally splash slightly on him. After getting hit in the nose one too many times by the falling rain, the puppy turns his head to glance over at Aurora, woofing a little, <Um, if you want to, you can go back to sleep. I'm really sorry...> Though his head remains in the same position, but his eyes sheepishly turn to the side. <For waking you up. Oh, but-> And he adds quickly, suddenly glancing back at her. <But if you want to talk, we can. I'm not sleepy at all.>

Droplets splash in puddles at mid-day.

Aurora shakes her head. <You didn't wake me up - the rain made me wake up first, so it's not your fault.> She blinks a little, and looks out at the damp bushes and grey sky, then shakes her head quickly to clear it. <I'm not really that tired,> she adds, leaning up a little from her position of rest on her paws. <Er... what do you... want to talk about?>

Peppy blinks a little at Aurora, as though what she just told him is new news she hasn't mentioned yet. <I didn't?> he asks softly, as though it's a huge relief that he wasn't responsible for the other Growlithe's discomfort. The pup sinks into his paws and gives off a rather refreshed sigh. <That's really good to hear. When people come along and wake me up, I get really grouchy at them.> He glances over at Aurora, and, with a tail wag, adds a, <Maybe you're just nicer than I am, because you didn't get mad or anything.> And he also throws in a little smile at her.

Aurora blushes slightly again at the compliment. <Thanks for saying that, but... a few years ago, it would've been worse,> she says, now talking to herself almost as much as to Peppy. <If I'd been woken up by rain then, I'd've run, and run, and run as far and as fast as I could...>

Peppy's tail gives a quick little wag, but he stays completely quiet until Aurora's finished telling him all about her fear of bad weather. <You didn't like the rain at all?> the puppy barks gently, now lifting his head slightly. <Sometimes I used to wish I could run away from the snow.> Then, as a side note - <When it's winter, there's too much of it.> Intelligent statement! He continues on. <But I can't run from the snow, because it's everywhere. I don't think it rains in some places and doesn't rain in other places, either.> Rolling over onto his side, pressing his back against the wall, Peppy doesn't seem to have anything more to say, so he listens to Aurora's reply (if there is one) as he nuzzles his furry back into the muddy wall.

Aurora shakes her head. <I got caught in a storm once. My old... my first trainer left me to guard the tent we were in, while he went out. When I woke up, it was cold and raining and the tent almost fell down on top of me. Then I had to run for miles to find somewhere I could rest...> The Growlithe shudders, and edges back into the den, only managing a few inches before she can't move back any further. <When I woke up in the Pokemon Center, my new trainer said I'd been ill for several days...>

Peppy seems to take even more interest now, his little attempts to push himself further into the wall falling short. <You had... two trainers?> he asks as though he couldn't possibly believe his ears. He opens his mouth to say something else, pauses for a moment, then closes his jaws. He gives Aurora a little nod, implying that she should continue. Other than the nod and the little question, he makes few more noises.

A pack of Growlithe puppies play Tug-of-War with the database. Better save! (Saving)

<Yeah. The first one wasn't... well, I don't think he liked working with me. I couldn't understand what he wanted me to do, and I don't think he understood me, either.> She shifts slightly to a more comfortable position, then continues. <My second trainer - she was much nicer. She used to train my brother, but...> Aurora swallows quietly, then says, <He got killed by a bullet that someone had aimed at her, a month before she started training me.>

Peppy nods slowly as Aurora tells him more about her past, and though he doesn't know what a 'bullet' is, he realize that it's obviously not a good thing. <Oh,> he woofs very softly, his tail now falling limp to the ground. He has two questions to ask now, and, disregarding the fact that Aurora might not be finished, he whimpers a quiet little, <Your brother died?> and then. <What... Do you remember your mom and dad? Were you born to that trainer that didn't like you?> The pup seems genuinely interested in Aurora's little tale.

<No, I was born on Cinnabar Island...> Aurora answers the last question first, and for a while she sits there, not continuing to speak but just staring at the warm, wet air outside, her eyes distant. <I grew up in the Volcano. It was always warm there... and I remember my mum and dad. Mum asked me if I'd come back to visit them, and Flame - that's my brother - said that it would probably be okay. I've never been there since. There's so much water between here and Cinnabar...> Aurora shudders again.

Peppy just sort -blinks- at Aurora here, as though he completely and totally didn't expect that as an answer. <Cinnabar... Cinnabar Island.> the pup barks quietly, rolling over onto his paws. <I've been there,> he continues, and though it seems like it would be one of those proud remarks, Peppy seems almost... frightened thinking about it. <I didn't go inside the volcano, so I didn't see any Growlithes that could be your parents, but I've been there.> A little pause. A nervous grin appears on the pup's face and he glances at Aurora, asking, <You... uh... You've never seen a...> He hesitates, trying to think of the name. His fluffy face squirms a little as he tries to milk it out. <Chur...izald? Churizald? A really really big thing with wings that takes things to Cinnabar and leaves them.>

Aurora shakes her head. <I never went far from home until Flame and his trainer came along, and I asked them if I could go and join them. I've never seen a Churlizald, no. Did it live outside the volcano? I've never seen it from the outside, you see.>

Peppy just kind of turns his attention back to the ground, and, glancing at a small pebble, answers, <I... don't know. It was too long ago, and I was too frightened...> He pauses for a moment, and adds, <They're really, -really- big.> As though that makes being frightened okay! Peppy pauses once again, before turning his head to Aurora. This time, he asks a question with a more personal bit of feeling - like he's extremely curious to know the answer. <Did you... Do you love your second trainer?> he practically whimpers quietly. <If you... found her again, would you leave with her?> Actually, a very interesting question.

Aurora thinks for a few moments, staring at the ground with an expression of concentration, before finally shaking her head slowly. <I don't... I don't know. She was always very kind to me, and I liked her a lot... but I ran away from her, and that was so long ago. Even if she found me again, she wouldn't need me anymore. She's a police officer, you see, and she'll probably have another partner by now...> Aurora's tail is drooping, and she looks down at the ground again. <I don't think I can go back to her, now.>

A pack of Growlithe puppies play Tug-of-War with the database. Better save! (Saving)

Though Aurora's peering at the ground, Peppy's looking right at her. He takes a moment to reply, but his Growls and Lithes come out rather easily. <I know exactly what you mean,> he woofs softly, his tail giving one faint little wag and his face just a soft grin. <Exactly.> With that, the puppy rather abruptly plops himself back down on his tummy, and rests his chin upon his paws. <I'll... I can go when the rain stops,> he notes off-topic, glancing at the female out of the corner of his eye. <But I'm sort of... sleepy right now.> If Aurora replies to his 'leaving when the rain stops' comment he'll keep his eye open for that, but after that he'll just simply drop into sleep without another word. Let's hope he doesn't snore!

Aurora shakes her head slightly, and blushes faintly again. <You, er, don't have to leave when the rain stops... you can stay here, if you like. Then you've got somewhere to sleep that means you won't get rained on...> A pause, and then she says quickly, <You can share the den with me, if you like.>

Wait! Hold that! Thoughts of all the burgers in the world (the average Peppy dream) are put on hold for a little while as Peppy's right eye blinks open and he glances at Aurora, his eye a little wider than usual. <... Seriously?> he woofs, as though he really can't believe what he just heard. Maybe he just dreamed it. <I... I'd like that,> he growls gently, nuzzling into his paws a little - maybe just to hide the blush behind his white-furred cheeks. <... Thanks.> Hrm. Wonder if Naiad was right after all...