Obvious exits:
North <N> leads to Overgrown Lands - Route 11: Off the Route.

Rix arrives from Vermilion City: East Entrance.
Rix has arrived.

Ah, yes! Another gorgeous day, indeed! ... It's not like anybody inside the Assisi Farm's barn would know, especially if he or she is sleeping. That just so happens to be what Peppy, everybody's favorite Growlithe (well, at least, one of the top ten), seems to be doing. Lying on his back, one back paw dangling in the air, the other pressed against the wall, both front paws tucked into his chest, the dog is drooling very slightly. His chest heaves up and down, up and down, and his tail wags as best it can, given Peppy's position. Looks like he's having a fun dream.

Rix slinks into the barn and sighs with relief. She has been traveling for a long time and the cold had finally begun to get to her. She drops a large, well chewed stick and begins to put her bright orange fur back in place. Her oversize ears flop while she baths. Looking around the barn with suspicion, she notices a large, moving object. Dropping to her belly and wiggling her stub of a tail in disapproval, she slowly inches toward the mass of hair.

"Growl!" suddenly woofs the Growlithe in the corner. Hey, Peppy must be awa... No, never mind. He's fast asleep. Just barking in his sleep. <Why, yes...> he mumbles sleepily, the fuzzy puppy rolling over onto his side, his paws collapsing after. <More burgers would be great... Yeah... More! There! Mmm!> The dog's tail begins to wag even faster now, pounding into the floor with great speed. Whatever the case, Rix's entrance wasn't loud enough to wake up Peppy... then again, given how deep the Growlithe is in slumber, it's unlikely that an Electrode's Explosion would awaken him, either.

A loyal Growlithe saves the database! (Saving)

All four of Rix's large paws come off the ground as she leaps backwards. The creature appears to be asleep, although Rix doesn't appear to notice that. She watches as the large white tail wags and her eyes blaze green with excitement. Her tail mimics the other and she glares at it over heard shoulder. <No time to be silly. Must find out what it is.> She whispers to herself. Once again she lowers herself to the floor and stalks to within one pace of the slumbering creature. "Grrrrrynx!" <You there!> She demands. Hmm, has anyone ever said let a sleeping Growlithe lie? If so, Rix hasn't heard.

Rix is, quite apparently, an Exploding Electrode, because the puppy jars into reality with a reluctant "Lithe!" A much quiter, much more confused "Growlithe?" pursues, and Peppy blinks curiously. <Is it dinner time yet?> he asks, before stifling a yawn and grudgingly rolling over onto his tummy. He doesn't get up quite yet, though. His tail is slowing down, and will soon stop wagging altogether.

Rix grins toothily at the creature before her. Her impetuous cub-like nature keeps her from feeling fear at the sight of a larger Pokemon. She surveys him carefully and wrinkles her nose with amusement. <What have we here?> She muses softly to no one in particular. She hunkers down and carefully extends a paw toward the slowing tail in an attempt to touch it. She means no harm, but is still overly bold. Maybe she should still be with her mother so that she can be kept out of trouble.

Freeze. Some of Peppy's fur stands on end after his keen sense of hearing picks up the Tigrynx's little mutter, and, now wide awake, the puppy hops to his paws, spinning around not-very-gracefully. "Grooowl!" he ruffs, not out of anger or toughness but out of pure fear, sweet and definite. Being the polite, kind, and social Growlithe he is, the puppy asks, <What in the world are yo...u...> Suddenly, one of the pup's eyebrows lift. And a jarring memory slams into his mind. <... Fuz?> Pause. <That's not you, is it?> The pup's eyebrows keep shifting to the paw, and, no matter what, the dog will make it a point to *not* let that paw touch him. He'll back away if it gets any closer.

A featureless blanket of grey cloud covers the evening sky.

Rix hops backward once again. Her back arches and the fur along the knap of her neck and spine rises as if she has been zapped by a Pikachu. She waggles her tail furiously, the kink in it causes the fast movement to appear akward. <What am I?> She repeats his question. <Fuz? I am not called Fuz.> She snorts derisively and fixes him with an indignant Tigrynx glare. <I am Rix.> Her lips part and a pink tongue is just visible between small protruding fangs. She wears a look of amusement, but maintains her protective stance.

Peppy's eyes glance nervously to the side and, behind the fluffy white fur dabbed on the puppy's cheeks, he blushes. The female's glare really seems to bother him or something. Maybe he's just a wimp. <Er, um...> he growls under his breath, trying to think of a witty retort. Having failed at that, he tries to think of a tough, strong reply to assert himself. Also having failed at that, Peppy just sort of wings it. <Rix. Okay, Rix. Nice to meet you, Rix. I'm Peppy. Peppy the Growlithe.> All the while, the canine's tail swings back and forth with no particular pattern, nervously, anxiously. Come to think of it, the dog's eyes appear sort of scared, too. Oo, he's intimidated! So much for a Growlithe and its instinct to defend a territory, eh?

There is nothing shy about Rix. Seeing the Growlithe's apprehensive body language, she casually sits down. She brings one paw to her lips and runs her tongue over it and then rubs it over her chisled face and ears. Her eyes twinkle good naturedly and her whiskers twitch in thought. <Peppy, then. A Growlithe. How interesting!> She seems to be glad that she has learned something new. <I am a Tigrynx.> She gives him her best smile and leans down onto her front feet raising her bottom and wiggling her tail playfully. She has swtiched from acting tough to playing the clown. Her eyes suddenly shift back to his moving tail. It seems to tempt her. "Rynx rynx!" <It is so long!> She giggles. She suddenly flings herself around in a wild circle chasing her own tail shamelessly. Maybe she is trying to impress him?

A loyal Growlithe saves the database! (Saving)

The night is moonless and starless.

The puppy exhales softly, and, were this an anime TV show, a little puff shaped like a mushroom would come out. Seeing as how this is real life (sort of), however, the dog only breathes a quick sigh of relief, and replies to the Tigrynx. <I knew a Tigrynx once. Named Fuz.> The Growlithe's body tenses up a fair bit, and his teeth clench as he mutters the next part. <Ileah's. Sh...> Waitaminute. She's no listening. "Growlithe?" the dog asks curiously, one eyebrow lifting. How very interesting. So maybe it's *not* that weird when he chases his own tail. The puppy hesitates a second longer, before asking, <What's so long?>

Rix flops onto her side and smiles up at Peppy. Her smile is so big that her eyes are narrowed to mere slits. <Your tail! Much longer than mine!> She informs him. She sits up again in a composed fashion. Looking intently at him. <Is this your home?> She asks, once again giving the barn a once-over. <Much warmer in here then out there.> She stretches mildly, flexing her claws and gazing at him cooly. "Ynx!" <Battle-scar!> <You have earned honor, as have I!> She looks over her shoulder at the kink in her tail.

That smile really, really worries Peppy. <Oh. Oh! Um, my tail, right.> The Growlithe turns his head, glancing back at his tail, which he causes to wag this way and that. <This is... uh...> Is it his home? Boy, he wishes Jameka was here; she'd know how to answer that. <Sort of... I guess. I used to live somewhere else, but I've been here for a little bit. They feed us! Lots and lots of food!> The Growlithe bursts into a smile like sunshine, the thought of eating apparently making him quite the happy puppy. The puppy's right hind leg lifts up to his side to scratch a few times, apparently knocking out a couple of fleas. <Battle scar?> asks the dog, his scratching just halting, his paw returning to its normal position. <What?> The canine cocks his head in a doggie fashion, apparently quite confused.

Rixs sea of blazing orange fur softens a little around her ruff and belly and is interrupted by black ears and four black stripes along her back. Vivid green eyes glare defiantly from above a powder pink nose while two white fangs poke through grinning lips, giving her a mischievous and almost silly look. Just shy of three feet and weighing in at 65 pounds, her body is lean and lanky, ending on two pairs of huge paws full of razor sharp claws. Her head is crowned with luxurious black ears, which are still too big for her and give her the look of a Zubat. She clearly hasn't filled out to her adult stature yet. This juvenile awkwardness adds to her comical appearance. Rix's favorite feature is her four-inch stub of a tail, always held high but with a built-in 45-degree kink. This is her banner; waving and wiggling at all times. Who needs a sidekick when you have a tail?

(OOC conversation involving male and female pokemon weights cut. It ended with me <Peppy> asking Thistle-Chaser about whether +pokeinfo lists male, female, or average weights.)

Rix can't beleive her ears! <You wear a scar! A mark of bravery!> She mutters, a little put out and puffs her chest out a little. Perhaps this is hunters logic. Honor and bravery must be very important to her. This is easy to understand when you realize she has to take care of herself and provide her own food. She shrugs it off. <Food? They feed us? Who is they?> She can't seem to understand some of the ideas he is presenting. She sizes him up, noticing that now that he is up he is not as big as she had thought when he was asleep. She can't help but grin again.

<OOC> Peppy says "Ahh, here's the reply. That's pretty much an average of all pokemon. Most male pokemon might be slightly heavier than what's listed, most female slightly less. I don't think it's as big as it is for RL... and, of course, a female or male could easily be smack dab on the totals and be just fine."

The Growlithe blinks. He's a lover (yeah, right), not a fighter, so he doesn't understand anything about being proud of a scar. <I...> Then, it hits him. The injury on his muzzle. <This?> he asks softly, instantly becoming much quieter. <Oh... Um.> The Growlithe glances to the side. He needs a topic change... and Rix just so happens to give it to him. <I don't know,> the dog admits, his tail nonchalantly swinging from the left to the right. <I'm always asleep when they come. I like sleeping here; it's so warm!> Like having a fur coat isn't enough to keep him warm?

Rix gasps in shock and jumps to her feet! "Tigrynx!" <Never!> She snaps at the Growlithe. <You eat food without seeing where it comes from?> She shakes her head in disbelief. <My mother taught me never to eat things left lying around.> Her eyes glaze slightly as she remembers her mother's scolding voice and cuffing paw. <Do you have a human?> She asks intently. She notices her stance and quickly nestles back down, tucking her front paws up under her chest. She blinks slowly and sniffs around her at the fading scent of humans.

A loyal Growlithe saves the database! (Saving)

The dog, with a piteous whimper, dodges back, quite apparently frightened out of his fur. Huff, puff, huff, puff. <Is that a bad thing?> the canine inquires, his voice a couple of tones higher than it usually is. He's already frightened of something like twenty different types of pokemon, and Tigrynx might just make twenty one. <I think it's fine... It is yummy, after all. Really yummy.> His pitch is back to normal. <You should try some!> The puppy glances about quickly, tail wagging, tongue hanging as he pants slightly. Coming upon no food in sight, the Growlithe just sort of plops onto the floor, adopting his favorite position: He places his two front paws and sets them under his chin. The rest of the limbs are tucked in under his chest. <Human? ... I...> The Growlithe sort of glances to the side once more, biting his tongue softly as he hesitates. <No,> he woofs at last after a short interval, <No, I don't.>

The sky is grey-black, moonless and starless. Human eyes can distinguish the snow from everything else, and not much more: every shape that isn't snow-covered is a black shadow. The air is damp and cold. There is little wind.

There is a slight hush in the barn as the Growlithe and the Tigrynx sit quietly. Rix is lost in thought pondering the things she has learned from Peppy. Out of nowhere she states, <I will try it, after I watch you eat.> She nodds at her decision and her tail flicks slightly in agreement. A thought suddenly occurs to her, you can almost her the ping and see a light-bulb appear over her ears. She rises in a fluid motion, her muscles rippling under her thin furr. Her body is lean and lanky, but still finely tuned. She trots back toward the entrance where her stick is still lying on the floor. "Ynx!" <Mine!> She announces happily. She picks the stick up in her jaws and returns to where she had been sitting. Laying down carefully, she spits the stick out and holds it with one paw while chewing on it contentedly. <Mmph, my mother said humans are bad.> She mutters around crunching on the stick. <I had one try to blind me once!>

Now it's Peppy's turn to react in a forceful manner. Leaping up to his paws in a fluid movement, the pup growls, <That's not true!> Finally! We've found something that can get the agression riled up inside Peppy! A quick ripple spreads throughout the dog's body from neck to tail, and he tenses himself ever so slightly. He shakes his head to assert his point, before stating, <Not all humans are bad. Some are...> A quick flash at a memory of long, long ago. <But not all.> His point stated, Peppy *now* considers the consequences. He should have done that before he started growling at the Tigrynx, yes? Now he'll either be torn apart, ignored, or get torn apart while being ignored. Somehow, none of those three points seem very appealing to the fire canine. At least he didn't say something *really* stupid, like, 'Your mama was wrong!'

Keeping her right paw on her stick and not bothering to stand up. Rix leans to her right and raises her left paw in the air. Razor sharp claws become visible even though they are not extended fully. Rix's Zubat ears flattted against her head and her lips part in a warning hiss. Her tail swishes back and forth in annoyance at this sudden show of gusto. <Mind your tone.> She warns him, emphasizing her words with a slight scratching motion. Her pride stands in check and this is another area of concern for Rix. He has challenged the thinking of both her and her mother. She brings her paw back done and chews on her stick thoughtfully. Her ears still pinned back. <And what is good about a human then?> She asks, leering at him.

Well, he's not been torn to pieces, and he also wasn't ignore. Those are good signs, Peppy thinks. Turned back to his meek and easy-to-dominate self, the puppy just sort of looks to the side. His pitch is a lot more comforting, a lot more friendly, and just generally a little more sucking-uppy (if that's a word) as he woofs, <They're... just nice. They play with you, and scritch you, and sometimes, they give you food!> Mm. It's been quite a while since he's gotten a nice scritching around the ears... Mind you, given those claws of Rix, a little scratching might be in Peppy's future... when she's Clawing him apart in rage.

A loyal Growlithe saves the database! (Saving)

With the tension fading, Rix lets her ears slide forward some while still keeping them lolling to the side a little. This gives her a down-right comical appearance. She acknowledges his sucking-up, much to her pleasure. Sucking up is never wasted on a cat-type, nor a female for that matter. She continues to gnaw on her stick while going over this new bit of information. <I wouldn't want a human touching me.> She decides finally. <I can scratch myself just fine!> She states. She pushes the stick aside and straightens up a little. <And you too for that matter.> She makes a motion with her right paw and wrinkles her powder pink nose cutely. She tucks her paws back under her, closes her eyes and launches into a rumbling purr, obviously amused with her jest.

As Rix points out that she can, indeed, dig her claws into Peppy, a loud and comical gulp escapes from the throat of the puppy, and he takes a small step back. A few quotes run through his head. 'Well, that's you. Not me.' Hm. No, that's a little too harsh. 'Yeah, you're right.' No, that's lying. Finally, Peppy just decides that the smartest thing to do is shut up, lie down, and not say another word. Which he does. Sitting down very cautiously, eyes nervously watching Rix the whole time, the Growlithe places his chin on his paws. Great, he thinks to himself. He's never going to get to sleep in this barn again.

Looking slightly offended at Peppy's obvious lack of amusement at her joke, she waggles her tail and allows herself to instead enjoy his gulping at the idea. She sighs heavily, which causes an odd rasp in the middle of her purring. Saddness and a far away look flash through her eyes as she curls herself into a tight ball of orange fuzz, pulling her stick in and hugging it to her. She licks it and then begins to sing softly to herself, or is it to the stick? It is hard to tell. Tigrynx are known for being vocal and for being very sing-songy. Rix is no exception. What a strange thing to hear. Fragments of song meshing with scattered purring, like vocals and a drum beat. Rix sings of the things she knows and loves. Her mother, the thrill of the hunt, the survival of a surprise attack and the beauty of nature all around her. It is soothing and sweet, at least to her own heart and ears.

No matter how soothing and beautiful Rix's song may be, it's not something most Growlithes would be apt to enjoy, given the instinctive rivalry between canines and felines. With a few small twitches and a biting of the tongue, Peppy just sort of lets his paws slip out from under him. His chin hits the floor, and his paws come up to cling to his muzzle. He lets out a sigh through his nose. Given his vulnerability to Katerwauls and Tigrynxes, sometimes, the dog thinks to himself, sometimes I wish I was born a Meowth. Oh, well... Peppy should be grateful that the female's chosen to sing instead of slice.

The sky is grey-black, moonless and starless. Human eyes can distinguish the snow from everything else, and not much more: every shape that isn't snow-covered is a black shadow. The air is damp and cold. There is little wind.

As her singing seems only to be making her more lonely and is totally wasted on canine ears, she returns to simple purring. It is interesting that she can feel so comfortable in this new, human touched place and with a new Pokemon around even. His company seems to comfort her though and she rolls over on her back with her feet in the air. Rix's stomach emits a small rumble, making her flinch guiltily. Her nose blushes a deeper shade of pink. She hopes he doesn't think that she can't take care of herself. <So, when do they bring this, food?> She tries to act casual, although her voice wavers, betraying her embarrassment.

As the Tigrynx slips herself back into purring, Peppy finds himself falling back to sleep. As little thoughts of burgers and scritches and catching fribees and sleeping (yes, he's dreaming about sleep) start to dance in his head, the puppy grins softly... before everything is shattered by the cat's voice. Intaking a sharp gasp of breath, Peppy peers over at Rix, looking very silly as his chin is flat on the ground and his whole body seems to be tumbled after. He looks like a huge, fuzzy Caterpie. "Growl..." emits the dog under his breath, contemplating the feline's question. Presently, he just indifferently shuts his eyes and slightly turns his neck, almost to tell the Tigrynx that he doesn't know. <I think soon, though. Maybe.> His voice is slightly distorted, as he can't quite talk right with his fuzzy jaw pressed into the floor.

Rix opens her jaws in a wide, squeaky yawn. She pulls herself back onto her paws and works through a spine-limbering stretch which ends with a tail-jerk. She stands looking down at the lump of fur before her. Must not appreciate the night she decides. Her thoughts now drift toward food since that has been a staple of their conversation so far. She licks her lips carefully from between her fangs, picks up the stick and trots gingerly toward the doorway.

A loyal Growlithe saves the database! (Saving)

Noticing the Tigrynx heading to the door, Peppy's head lifts slightly, and he takes in a deep breath to ask the feline a quick question. However, after a moment of considering (and the lack of ability to summon up enough bravery), the puppy just decides to place his head back on the floor. He doesn't quite go to sleep, yet; his green eyes follow Rix's every movement, his colorblindness helping out. Is she leaving? he asks himself. Will he be able to sleep? ... Hmmm. Or is she inviting over her Katerwaul friends for a party or something? The thought alone sends a jolt of fear through the dog's body.

Rix reaches the door and looks out into the snow covered farm yard. She shivers slightly and twitches as the old familiar ache in her tail kicks in to protest the cold. She sighs again and drops her stick. With a snort of frustration she swats it out into the yard. <Tail one, stomach zero.> She whispers and then curls up just inside the door-way. She folds her paws underneath her and her head droops forward a little. The long hair between her ears falls over her forehead, almost covering her now closed eyes. Her tail for once hangs limp.

And the room is silent, save for the soft, soft sound of a light little sigh coming out of Peppy's throat. Well, he thinks to himself, he might wake up with a few more slash marks more than usual, perhaps a body part or two less, but as least he'll get a good night's rest. Placing his head down on the ground, the sleepy puppy starts to drift off into sleep, looking like a very fluffy angel. In a matter of hours, he'll probably be snoring slightly in a wacky position, tongue limp and hanging out of mouth, drooling a little. But for now, at least, the Growlithe just looks like a fuzzy stuffed animal.