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

Naiad arrives from Celadon City: Eastern Entrance.
Naiad has arrived.

(look Naiad)
The first impression one is likely to get about this dragon pokemon is length. Very long, thin, and sinuous, Naiad moves with a grace and ease that makes even a snake look clumsy. Her large, bright black eyes are braced by a pair of wing-like ears that sweep up into the sky. In the center of her forehead, a tiny button of a horn juts out, giving a sense of balance to her face. At her throat nestles a strange, ball-like gem that glows a deep, dark blue. Her body streams out, for miles it seems, until it thins a few feet from the end. Just before the thin, blunt tip of her tail, two more gems grace her tail, giving it the look of a rattlesnake when she shakes it, or a beaded necklace when it is still. Her body is the color of deep, still water, a blue that sparkles in the sun while still giving the impression of depth. In a startling contrast, her ear-wings, horn, and underbelly are a vivid white color. She is a beautiful, if strange-looking, creature.

Everything is pale grey, veiled by mist. It's warm, humid, and still. In the forest, only the nearest tree branches show their full color; more distant trees and branches are colorless and indistinct in the pallid grey fog, looking ghostly and not quite real. While at the coast, the sea is sluggish and grey as fog lays on its surface like a thick wet blanket.

The weather is by no means perfect. It's foggy, it's got that itchy kind of warm, and it's hard to breathe. Bugs thrive in weather like this, even this early in the year. Yet Peppy, everybody's favorite Growlithe (well, top five, at least), still marches down the little path with something of a bounce and a grin on his face. He might be looking for something; he might be taking a walk; he might not even know what he's doing. When cars go whizzing by, the Growlithe doesn't even make an attempt to hide. He seems cheerful. There's no rain, there's no snow, there's no problem. In Peppy's mind, everything is as close as one can get to just perfect! ... Well... Despite the fact that his tummy's growling louder than he can, but given how often this pup is hungry, that's nothing new.

Peppy isn't the only rather cheerful one today. It's foggy, hard to see, and thus easy to hide from those humans that Naiad is beginning to think are very bad indeed. She slithers through the short grass near the road, far enough away from the underbrush to be able to proceed easily, far enough away from the road so she won't get run over by a crazy driver. She mutters quietly to herself as she moves. <Ahh, it's so nice to have it warm again. And this day is so nice...it's almost like being back in the water again.>

Come to think of it, Peppy really can't be searching for anything, can he? It's like trying to wade through pea soup - it would be hard to find anything. Or maybe he's just desperate for a snack. Whatever the case, the pup plops his way further into the cloud. Step step step step - stop. Peppy blinks, coming to a sudden halt, his eyebrow twitching, his ear perking. This is one of those cases in which his colorblindness actually helps - did he just see something further ahead in the fog? "Gr... rowl?" he asks mostly himself, wondering if he's just seeing things. The canine instantly jumps to conclusions - it's got to be a Jynx! Or a Bulbasaur! Or a Katerwaul! So what would be the smartest thing to do in this situation? ... Apparently, ask it. <Hello?> he uncertainly woofs, nervously taking a step forward. <Is somebody in there?> Awfully smart of him to announce his position if it really is a Jynx. Or a Bulbasaur. Or a Katerwaul.

Naiad comes to a startled halt of her own at the sudden voice up ahead. She was so concerned with her own thoughts that she had stopped really paying attention to what was in the mist around her. <Uh, yes,> she replies nervously, not having any idea what it could be in the fog. Despite this, her natural curiousity begins to get the better of her. <What are you? Who are you? Are you a pokemon?> she asks, blinking and peering, trying to see who or what she's talking to.

The moment Naiad speaks, Peppy jumps back into a very clumsy looking defensive stance, giving off first a little scared bark, then a whimper, then angry growling. He seems awfully surprised at the fact that someone really is out there. But it didn't say "Jyynx" or "Bulba" or "Waaaul". This is strange. <Who are -you-?> the puppy growls back, his tail giving a swift wag left, right, then up. <You're...> Er. <You're not a Katerwaul, are you? Because if you are...> Blink. Uneasy cringe. <I'll... um...> Run away? Just sit there and get torn apart? ... Peppy's two minutes away from extreme pain, he just knows it.

<I asked you first!> Naiad exclaims, but her again her curiousity overcomes her almost immediately. <What's a Katerwaul? What would you do if I was one? What will you do if I'm not one? Because I'm not,> she adds as an afterthought. <Well, at least I don't think I am. Of course, it would help if I knew what they were first to be able to tell whether or not I am one. But I'm pretty sure I'm not. Unless Katerwaul is a different word for Dragonair, in which case I am.> The dragon pokemon is fortunate in not having had any contact with the nasty ghost pokemon.

And Naiad gives Peppy too many questions and too many thoughts for the dumb pup to handle. <If you were... But you're... But don't you...> Peppy's ears and tail droop uncertainly, and he frowns softly, cowering just a little bit. <You're really confusing me,> the Growlithe finally concludes, adding a little nod as though it reinforces his point. Finally giving up, Peppy just woofs into the cloud, <My name's Peppy, and I'm a Growlithe.> A pause. <You're not going to attack me, are you?> It's happened one too many times for him to not get just a tad paranoid in situations like this.

Peppy's trailed off answers aren't much help to Naiad, who begins to get a bit confused herself. At Peppy's introduction of himself, however, she decides to drop the issue. After all, there are more questions to be asked! <Hi Peppy!> she exclaims, slithering forward a bit more, trying to see the Growlithe. <What's a Growlithe? I'm not going to attack you, why would I want to do that? You're not a fish or berry, after all.>

Peppy stays right where he is, barely moving a muscle - which probably won't help Naiad see him any easy. The motion he does make, however, comes in the form of a wagging tail - the thought of having some fish or berries, apparently, seems to comfort him. <I'm not a fish or a berry. You can't even eat me... I...> He furrows his eyebrows slightly, turning his attention to the side. <I don't think... I mean, maybe you can...> He glares back into the cloud, peering hard at the Dragonair he can't see. <But don't try and find out!>

Naiad's brow furrows and she sounds quite puzzled by this. <You talk. I wouldn't eat you. I usually don't eat things that talk, just because I know they can be nice people in their own way. Some things eat things that talk, but I don't. Besides, you're not a fish, so you wouldn't taste good anyways,> she says. When nothing dangerous appears, she slithers a bit farther, trying to find the puppy she's talking to. <So what /are/ Growlithes? And Katerwauls?>

Bink! Peppy's relationship with Naiad increases by about ten points. <Really?> woofs the pup, his weak defensive stance just dropping as he scoots his hind legs up and rests on his haunches. <I think you're right,> the puppy agrees, his tail wagging back and forth. <Eating talking things isn't good.> With a little grin on the side of his mouth, the puppy adds a little, <I'm glad burgers don't talk. Know what a burger is?> Even if Naiad says 'yes', Peppy will go on to a wonderfully detailed explanation. <It's this softish thing between two things that are even softer and it tastes really good.> He proceeds to nod sagely. Notice, now, that he doesn't reply to Naiad's inquiry about just what a Growlithe or Katerwaul is; burgers tend to break his concentration that easily.

<A softish thing between two things that are even softer and tastes really good?> Naiad repeats blankly. <Uh, that sounds good. I guess. I've never had one,> she admits. Of course, she /has/ been a wild pokemon her entire life, so isn't likely to have had many of the expriences Peppy has had. She continues moving forward slowly through the fog, trying to find the strange being she's talking to. <So aren't you going to explain what Growlithes and Katerwauls are?> she asks as she searches. Peppy's attention might have been diverted from the Dragonair's questions, but Naiad's most certainly hasn't been.

Everything is pale grey, veiled by mist. It's warm, humid, and still.

Floomph. Peppy's tail just drops, and he can't help but feel a little annoyed. These poor wild pokemon haven't experienced the delicious ecstasy that comes from a chomp into a burger. How deprived they are. Peppy right about now notices the pokemon moving inch by inch closer, his colorblindness helping in this respect, but he doesn't take much note of it. After he realizes he's talking to something about twelve feet long and one foot wide, he'll probably be a little more surprised. <Oh, um, Growlithes. They're... sort of...> He grins softly. <They're me! Or Aurora, if you want a girl one.> He takes a look at himself - his chest, his side, then he appears cross-eyed as he glances at the tip of his muzzle. <They're, um, they're furry and have stripes... and... um, and a black nose...>

As Peppy keeps talking, Naiad is able to orient on him better, her large, wing-like ears flicking around and picking up the sound. She finally moves to where she can see him through the fog, a bit closer than he would probably need to see her, as she isn't color blind. She looks the puppy up and down, then nods. <I see. I've seen pokemon like you before. I /definitely/ wouldn't want to eat you,> she says, her muzzle wrinkling a bit in distaste. <Who's Aurora? And what's a Katerwaul?> she persists, little knowing how traumatized poor Peppy has been by the evil cat ghosts.

Peppy also gets a rather good look at Naiad - and he just sort of cocks his head curiously, his tail giving an uncertain wag left, then right. <I wouldn't want to eat me, either,> he barks softly after a moment. He pauses. <Or you.> In reply to the next questions (usually Peppy doesn't have to do all this answering!), the Growlithe's tail perks up once again and he replies, <Aurora's also a Growlithe. Her den is somewhere around here... though...> Sniff, sniff. <Though I don't know where.> The wagging ceases when Naiad gets to Katerwauls, and the puppy just sort of muttergrowls his description of the ghosts. <They're hard to see, mean, and attack me for no reason.> He glances down at the scar on his muzzle, making a light gesture towards that.

<Ahhh, mean pokemon. I see,> Naiad says in response to Peppy's description of Katerwauls. <Aurora,> she repeats to herself, muttering the name in the quiet tone she uses when speaking to herself. <Are you mates?> she asks curiously and rather tactlessly. <Do Growlithes even have mates?> she continues, realizing that not all pokemon necessarily associate socially the way her own species does.

Suddenly it's a very good thing that there's fog - it might just help to hide the embarrassed blush and sudden tension the Growlithe assumes. <Mates?> he repeats, as though he misheard. What else could the Dragonair have said - motes? Morks? Makes? <No.> Pause. <I mean, Growlithes have mates, but Aurora and me aren't. Does that help?> Peppy's voice has risen just a tad - though his nervousness is probably only there because he's at 'that age'.

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

<Oh, I see,> Naiad exclaims suddenly after a moment's thought. <You or she or both of you are still to young to be mates, or you're mates with someone else, right?> she asks, trying to figure out if she's getting things straight. Things on the land are so much different than in the water. <Or are you too old to have mates now? I know that happens with some pokemon...," she says, trailing off a bit as she speaks, realizing that she might have just put her tail in her mouth. Again.

Peppy's been called many things before in his life, but old was never really one of them. <Too old?> the puppy asks, then repeats it once more. <Too old?> Peppy glances to the side. What if he is too old? ... Then he recalls Ember and his parents, and realizes that, by comparison, he's not old at all. <No, I'm, er, not too young or too old. And I don't think she is, either. And I'm not mates with anyone else.> Peppy is still tensing up. He was a lot more comfortable talking about burgers. Heck, he was more comfortable talking about Katerwauls.

Naiad, unfortunately, doesn't know enough about Growlithes to understand their body language, and thus doesn't realize how uncomfortable she's made Peppy. Fortunately, however, she's had most of her curiousity on the subject of Aurora satiated, and it's time, in her eyes, for a new topic. First, however, she makes herself comfortable, reeling her long coils in and settling them under her until she's in a nice pile with her head on top, and her jeweled tail is sticking out of the middle of the mass of Dragonair. <So, where are you from? Are you from around here? If not, where?>

And the clouds parted, and holy light shined down upon the young Growlithe, and yes. Halleluia, it was good. Peppy gives off a small sigh of relief. Trying to adopt a more relaxed position, the Growlithe tries to play off his previous tension - Naiad didn't seem to notice. <From? Um, right around here, mostly... I... sort of wanted to move on, but I'd rather stay here for now.> A pause. As much as he loves the conversation being *all about him* (and not about his social life!), he does take the care to ask, <Where are you from? I've never seen you before.> Heck, he barely sees the Dragonair now.

Naiad's brow furrows slightly, the bright blue skin bunching up, glistening ever so slightly from the condensed moisture of the clouds gathering on her sleek body. <You wanted to move on when you'd rather stay here? Isn't that a contradictory statement?> she asks before moving on to answering the Growlithe's questions. <I'm from the Safari Zone. I've just been traveling around outside for a short while, now.> Sure, it's been nearly ten months now, but for a long-lived creature like the Dragonair, that isn't very long.

Over Peppy's head Naiad's reply goes. <What does cuntrunatory sturdyment mean?> the puppy woofs, giving a light little optimistic wag and an uneasy smile. <Is it a good thing?> What the pokemon says next is, again, over the pup's head. <And what's a Surfi Zone? Is it far from here?> Aha! Peppy's reflecting some questions right back at the dragon-pokemon. His tail once again gives a light little wag. Sure, we've already established that there obviously can't be burgers at the "Surfi Zone", but...

Peppy's mangling of her words goes right over Naiad's head, too. <What does what mean?> she asks, her brow furrowing even farther. <I'll know if it's a good thing you tell me what it is,> she continues. The Growlithe's mangling of the phrase 'Safari Zone' is a little easier for her to figure out. <Oh, you mean what is the Safari Zone? It's a place the humans,> and with that word, her voice drips with acid, <made to keep the pokemon that they'd tried to drive to extinction safe. It's some distance from here. My sense of direction isn't the best, so I couldn't tell you exactly where it is anymore.>

Peppy may be a blazing idiot, but even he picks up on the pure hatred in the Dragonair word for 'humans'. "Growl," the puppy says softly, something of an "<Oh.>" <I don't think I could make it there when it's all hard to see like this now, anyway.> The Dragonair's first statement really confuses the Growlithe, though - though that's not a hard task to accomplish. <You... just said it. Conaforory snakemen.> He's mangled it even further now. <What does it mean?>

<I don't think you'd want to go there, anyway,> Naiad says. <Lots of humans go there to try to catch pokemon. So rather than protecting them, as they said they'd do when they made it, the humans simply concentrate them in a smaller area for others to catch in those balls. Nasty things,> she says, her body shuddering at the thought of being confined in such a small place. <Conioferry sakeman?> Naiad repeats, managing to mangle the phrase from what Peppy said even further. <I just said it? Oh, do you mean contradictory statement?> she continues, finally figuring out what the puppy might mean.

Peppy opens his muzzle to speak. <They're...> But he immediately hushes himself right up. Extolling the good aspects of humans is not something to do when you meet something three times as tall as you, four times as smart, and five times as experienced. He closes his trap, though he opens it just a moment later to say, <Right, what I just said. Contranortury starten.> He's a little more on this time, but still very off. How can you mangle up language so much when all you can say is "Growl" and "Lithe"?

<Oh. Well, a contradictory statement is when you say one thing, then say something that means the opposite thing in the same sentence. Like, first you said that you wanted to leave, then you said that you didn't. You said opposite things, so I didn't know what exactly you meant,> Naiad explains once she figures out what the dog is talking about. With all the times she's dealt with smaller, younger pokemon than herself, she doesn't have a problem trying to explain things.

Peppy just kind of peers at Naiad for a moment, his poor mind struggling so hard to understand what the Dragonair is trying to say. After about a minute, he finally blinks slowly, and says, very cautiously, very afraid of being wrong, <So if I say... um... I don't like burgers because they're really delicious,> the puppy woofs, his tail giving one wag. <It's a contrinitory stament?>

Naiad raises her head off her pile of coils and nods enthusiastically. <That's exactly right,> she says encouragingly. <If you were to say that to someone, they would be confused, because they wouldn't understand why you don't like burgers if they're delicious. So I wasn't sure why you were saying you wanted to leave, but decided to stay anyway. I wanted to leave the Safari Zone, so I did, even though my parents didn't like it.>

The Growlithe nods his head slowly, actually very proud of his new knowledge. He got something right! He can't even pronounce the words correctly, and he'll probably forget by the end of the night, but for now, Peppy is the Contradictory Statement master. <Now I see what you mean.> The dog nods his head, his tail giving another quick wag. Notice, now, that he still isn't answering the question as to why he's staying around. One might think he's avoiding the question - but chances are more likely that he's too dumb to remember to reply.

The more Naiad talks to him, the more she seems to be amused by the easily distracted Growlithe. Patiently, she asks again. <So, like I said, I didn't quite understand what you said. Did you want to leave or did you want to stay? And if you wanted to leave, why didn't you?> she asks again, her curiousity insisting that she get an answer from him.

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

Peppy blinks at Naiad yet again, now finally realizing that this is not the first time the Dragonair has asked this question. It's something like the fifth or sixth. <Oh,> the Growlithe woofs softly, trying to pull his thoughts together. <I left, but then I went to a place with clay and food and mean Arcanines and lots of other pokemon, then I came back.> He pauses for a moment here, hesitant about saying the next word. <Aurora was building a den... and I don't want to leave her here all alone, because she'd get lonely.> Pause. <I know I would.> Still doesn't explain why he wanted to leave in the first place, however.

Everything is pale grey, veiled by mist. It's warm, humid, and still.

<Pokemon Valley?> Naiad asks. <I was there for a little while, though I got kinda bored and left,> she admits. I.e. she was told she didn't qualify for the sparring contest and being something of a sore loser, she left. <Anyway, so left, and you came back because of Aurora,> here her voice takes on a slight teenaged snigger. She knows or thinks she knows the reason a male would want to come back to a female, whether they're mates yet or not. <but why did you want to leave in the first place?> she asks, persisting.

Peppy's face is one of perplexion (as usual). <Pokemon Valley? What's that?> No, he doesn't know the name of the week-long even he participated in. Silly puppy. The Growlithe, innocent as he is, totally misunderstand what the Dragonair is sniggering about - maybe she thinks that it's cute of him to stay for a friend? Peppy seriously has no other clue. Naiad's next inquiry, Peppy understands - and doesn't like. <Oh. Um, just... reasons.> A pause. It's time to get vague. <I wanted somebody to come, but knew she wouldn't, but waited anyway, so when she didn't, I left, but then I came back to tell Aurora that I left, and then she built her den, so I *couldn't* leave, and... and...> Peppy coughs to the side and takes in a deep breath of air, his run-on sentence getting cut short. He doesn't get much oxygen in the humid mist.

Naiad blinks at this explanation. Then again. And then more questions pour forth from the serpentine pokemon. <Pokemon Valley is that place you went where there were a lot of pokemon and food and stuff,> she says patiently, then gets to the good part-satiating her curiousity. <What reasons? Who were you waiting for? Why were you waiting for her? Why did you wait for her even if you knew she wouldn't come? Why did you come back to tell Aurora you left? Why can't you leave now if you aren't mates with Aurora? Are you wanting to be mates?> she asks, not seeming to have the problems with breathing that Peppy is having. Considering she spent most of her life under the water, perhaps that isn't surprising.

The Growlithe's wonderfully intimate, miraculously thoughtful reply to the Dragonair's information is: <Oh, okay.> And then a moment later, Naiad bursts into a rapidfire succession of questions. <I was... No, you don't want to kn... I though sh... I wanted Aur... Because she's m.. No!!> One can probably guess rather well what the 'no' is a response to. <I mean, she's just a friend. And I wanted her to know, because friends should know where other friends are!> It's a good thing Naiad isn't great at reading Growlithe emotions, because it would be obvious to anyone else that the Growlithe is nervous as heck. He's tense, he's stumbling, and if canines had sweat glands, he'd almost certainly be dripping wet.

<Oh, I see,> Naiad says a bit slyly. <You're just friends.> And with that, probably to Peppy's relief, she drops the subject of Aurora. But not the other stuff. <I do want to know!> she says insistently. <Why did you want to leave and who were you waiting for? Other than..., well, you know,> she says, winking one deep black eye at the Growlithe. Okay, so she hasn't completely dropped the subject of Aurora.

Peppy's reply is insistent. <Yes. Friends.> If Naiad's waiting for a '<For now, at least>', it doesn't come - but who knows what really lurks in his mind? <I... No, you don't want to know. Really.> Something tells the puppy that even though Naiad wouldn't want to hear about humans, she's going to pressure him into telling anyway. His mind races to think up an untrue story - perhaps that will throw the other pokemon off the case!

Naiad might be mostly decided on not liking humans, but she's still not one hundred percent sure. So it's not like she's going to maul Peppy when she finds out who he was waiting for. <No, I do want to know,> she continues to insist, completely foregoing any sense of tact or anything else. <Who were you waiting for and why?>

This is it. It's time to see just how good a liar Peppy is. <There... um, a Clefairy came to me... and, um, told me about a burger tree. A burger tree far to the west. And, um, I wanted to see it. Because I like burgers.> His tail wags. <A lot. They're really yummy, you should try one. Nobody knows what they are, but I'm sure if everyone was to just try one, they'd love them, too.> A little off-topic, aren't we? Maybe he's trying to distract the Dragonair. <Oh. Um, then I wanted to show Aurora the tree, because she's never had a burger before.> Peppy gives Naiad the cheesiest of grins, hoping she buys it.

Naiad doesn't know what burgers are, so she buys most of the story. Most of it. And that which she does prompts more questions. <What's a Clerairy? Burgers grow on trees? How could that be if they're soft things inside of two other softer things? And if nobody know what they are, how did the Clefairy know about them and the tree to tell you about them? Did the Clefairy ever come? Did you find this tree of yours?> she blurts out quickly. <Did you...show Aurora,> she continues, the sly tone coming back into her voice.

Peppy pauses for a moment, his grin widening a little bit. This lying stuff is a little more difficult than he thought. <Um,> he woofs under his breath, biting his lower lip and thinking for a moment. His final answer? <... Yes to everyone?> Gosh, he hopes that was sufficient. He really doesn't feel like getting attacked by a Dragonair tonight, or worse, a Dragonair mafia who beats up trained or previously trained pokemon.

That answer stymies Naiad for a moment. <Huh?> she says, blinking at the Growlithe again. <Yes to everyone doesn't answer most of my questions,> she says, beginning to sound a bit huffy about being unanswered. <If nobody know what burgers are, how did the Clefairy know about them and the tree? How does a tree grow things inside of two softer things? I've never seen a tree like that. They usually have something that's soft on the outside with a hard seed on the inside.

Peppy bites his lower lip once again, nervously giving a tense little shake. He's just silent for a moment. Silent... Silent... then a low little whimper escapes the puppy's mouth, followed by another one. <I'm sorry,> he barely manages to squeak out between frightened whimpers. <I really didn't want to lie, I just didn't want to tell the truth, because I knew you wouldn't like it...> Though it doesn't look like he's about to cry or anything, he does look rather upset about this.

This catches Naiad's attention. Her head jerks up and her eyes widen as she stares at Peppy. <You...lied to me?> she asks, sounding astonished. <Why did you do that? How did you know I wouldn't like the truth? You haven't known be very long.> As she continues to talk, she sounds a bit hurt that the Growlithe would do such a thing to her.

Guilt, worry, fright, shame, all of these are qualities Peppy feels right now as the Dragonair expresses her amazement at his dishonesty. <I... didn't want you to know,> he half-whimpers, half-whispers, before going into a total pause. A few moments later, trembling softly, and absolutely, positively certain that the Dragonair is going to kill him before he even finishes the statement, <Because, um, because... it involves my old trainer.> And with that, Peppy's eyes squeeze tight, and he just expects to never open them again. Awfully optimistic, isn't he?

Naiad doesn't like humans, but she certainly isn't about to kill Peppy just because he was once owned. <Your old trainer?> she asks, still sounding astonished. <You were an owned pokemon? What happened? Did you run away? How did you escape? And then why did you want to wait for your old trainer if you did escape?> Somehow Naiad manages to pull a Peppy-like turn of logic and has decided that Peppy was the one that got away, not that his trainer wanted to let him go.

A minute later, Peppy is alive. He hasn't been strangled to death, he hasn't been attacked by a hoard of the Dragonair's friends, and he hasn't been victim to some attack of Naiad's. Indeed, perhaps he overreacted slightly. <No,> the puppy woofs very quietly, blinking open one side. He's still whimpering. <She let me go, and I don't know why. And I loved Patch a lot... I really... didn't want to leave her...> Again, no tears come from the pup's face, but he doesn't seem quite so 'peppy' anymore.

Naiad is shocked into silence for a moment as she looks at Peppy through the growing darkness. <That's horrible!> she exclaims suddenly. <That seems quite typical of those humans. Abandoning a poor Growlithe out here to starve without any burgers!> She might not have any clue what burgers are, but she's certainly picked up on the fact that Peppy likes them. <That's really sad,> she adds in a quieter voice.

Peppy looks up rather quickly as Naiad speaks, and the moment she closes her mouth, he shakes his head. <No,> he woofs gently, nervously getting up to all four paws but not moving anywhere. <No, Patch would never do that. She had a good reason... I... just don't know it.> He pauses for a moment, and when he continues, he's glancing down at the ground. <So after the winter, I decided to go somewhere else and stop waiting for her to come back... but after I left, I didn't... really want to leave my friend behind, so I came back, and she was digging her den, and I can't leave, or Aurora might not come, but I can't stay, because I know Patch won't come and if she does I don't know what I'd do because I wanted her before and now...> He gives off this sad little sigh. Part of him feels terrible about staying, part of him feels terrible about going, and part of him just feels guilt for giving away his story to a stranger.

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

Naiad, for once, is left rather questionless after this outburst. She considers Peppy's story for a minute, laying her head back down on her coils as she does so. <Well, if Aurora won't leave, I think you should go ahead and stay here. If your trainer left during the winter, she's...well, she's probably gone elsewhere, I'd say. From what I've heard, they move around a lot. So you should be nice to your friend and stay. At least that's what I think,> she mumbles after a moment, her skin turning a darker blue in a blush as she finally realizes how prying and rude her questions have been.

How 'bout that. No more questions - only advice. Peppy, expecting some more interrogations, glances up at Naiad with his soft green eyes, almost confused. He opens his mouth, turns his head to the side and closes it, turns front and opens it, turns side and closes it, turns front and woofs, <I guess you're right.> A moment's pause. With a gentle little smile, Peppy's tail gives a quick few wags, and, with a touch of his usual cheerful self, woofs, <Hey, you called her 'my friend' this time.> ... Aww.

Naiad blinks again. <Why wouldn't I call her your friend? You said yourself that she's your friend. So obviously, she's your friend,> she concludes wisely. <So she's been digging this den all by herself? Have you been helping her? If you haven't, why not? Even if she's not your mate, if she's your friend, I think you should help her. And I think you should be glad the trainer left you so you could be with your friend.> And with that, the questions return just as before.

Peppy nods slowly. <My paw got a little hurt from something else,> the pup woofs, <But I helped her out, and she thanked me by letting me take a nap in her den.> A light pause. <I, um, sort of accidentally stayed asleep until morning, though.> Nervous grin. Peppy is still awkwardly on all four paws, and he makes no moves to plop back down on his rear. <The den is only big enough for one Growlithe, though. But it's really nice. Very cozy.> Wag, wag, wag. <Maybe one day when it's not so hard to see I'll...> The puppy pauses here, breaking into a wide-mouthed yawn that lasts a good ten seconds. He smacks his chops twice before continuing. <I'll show you what it looks like.>

Naiad looks a bit surprised at the Growlithe's huge yawn, then before she can stop herself, her jaws part in an even bigger yawn than Peppy's. Her pink tongue stretches out of her mouth and curls at the tip, and her conical white teeth reflect a hint of light. <Okay, that'd be nice. Though it probably wouldn't be big enough for me,> she says once she finishes her yawn, looking herself over. <I'm kinda big. If you slept in the den all night, where did Aurora sleep?> she asks suddenly.

Everything is half-hidden, nothing clearly seen in the dark fog. It's warm and still.

Yawns are contagious, and there's pretty much no remedy for one. Peppy gives off another yawn, though this one is much smaller than before. His eyes are starting to drop a little bit; he's getting a little sleepy. <Oh, she slept...> Blink. Peppy freezes for a moment, before gulping softly and half-peering at Naiad. <... Outside. She, um, I only meant to take a few minutes, but I slept the whole night, and she...> Peppy suddenly feels very, very guilty. <... Oops.>

<Oh, I see,> Naiad manages to say, interspersed with yawns caught from the Growlithe. <Well, that's better than the two of you squishing together and trying to both fit at once. After all, you're friends, but you're not mates.> As she says this, her voice gets a bit teasing, but she doesn't taunt Peppy any further than that.

Peppy nods softly, agreeing with Naiad. <It would be tight and...> And maybe Peppy's just getting a little more used to Naiad's way of speaking, because he blushes behind his fur again and goes, <... Of course... not.> Hey, Peppy understood something slightly ecchi! With a little nod, and a glance to the east, the Growlithe woofs softly, <I should go find a place to sleep. I'm getting... getting...> And he can't finish his sentence, because a yawn takes over. This one lasts even longer. Smack, smack. <I don't know if the weather will be better tomorrow,> the puppy woofs, <But maybe I'll see you soon. Aurora's den is around here somewhere, maybe you should meet her. She's nice. And really smart.> Granted, compared to Peppy, everybody's smart.

Naiad nods, then yawns again herself. <Yeah, that sounds like a good idea,> she admits. <It was nice meeting you, Peppy. Good luck finding your friend's den in this awful weather,> she continues, then slowly begins to uncoil her long body. Her skin hisses softly as it rubs against itself as she finally manages to get all thirteen or so feet of her straightened out and ready for travel.

Peppy woofs a soft reply, <I'm not looking for her den...> But he already realizes that it would be worthless to deny it any further. With a small little smirk and a nod, Peppy barks a "Grrrowlithe!" of a farewell. With his tail wagging one, twice, he turns his way to the east, and marches into the fog. It would be nice to go to sleep with something in his tummy - but the poor pup is so tired he doesn't even care.