Contents:
Strife
Obvious exits:
East <E> leads to Nine-Tails Breeding Center.
South <S> leads to Big Riddle Inn.
West <W> leads to Cinnabar Caves - Steam Cave.
Down <D> leads to Cinnabar Island: Steaming Tunnel.
North <N> leads to Cinnabar Island: Hiking Path.

Ahh. It's a beautiful day! No rain, and, look at the beautiful sun! Perfect day for a walk! ... unfortunately, this particular puppy isn't exactly in the mood for a walk. He's more in the mood for a little nap. Rubbing right up against a tree in the area, almost wrapped around the plant, Peppy, even dirtier than he was a few days ago, is sleeping gently (and, for a change of pace, *quietly). Awwww.

In contrast to the beautiful sunny day, a man in dark clothing walks along a path. Near his feet, an overjubulant Nidoran bounces. "Nido! Nido!" it declares happily, Strife paying it little attention. He's looking for a dog. Fail that, a flying lizard. But preferably a dog. Over one shoulder, he has got a leather satchel full of.. stuff.

A small "Grr-lithe" emerges from the tree-attached puppy, and he tenses up a bit. Aww, is da poor widdle puppy having a bad dream? Eh, when you're lost and have no hope, most of your dreams are like that. After his small muttering, he doesn't seem to show any more signs of having odd dreams worth talking to himself about... indeed, he's too tuckered out to do so.

Hmm. The dark trainer finds Peppy after the growl of dreaminess, and looks down at him. "Nidoran!" declares the tiny Nido, and Strife sighs at him. "Quiet," he mutters to the thing, and then leans down to Peppy. And taps him gently.

Peppy detaches himself from the tree, but doesn't emerge from his slumber at all. Rolling over onto his back, limbs clenched into his body, the dog faces right up at Strife, but he stays fast asleep. He's had enough practice at sleeping that not even hyper Nidorans can wake him up. Lucky him.

Strife coughs a bit, and sweatdrops. The man quickly regains composure, and taps Peppy again, rocking the pup gently. "Puppy," he says, his voice gruff but a bit looser than normal. "Wake up." The hyper Nidoran begins doing your normal hyper Nidoran stuff, such as dancing around in circles. Strife's Pokemon are far more energetic than the man himself.

The haunting sound of a Scarewulf howl echoes across the MUSH as the database saves. (Saving)

Eh. Sleeping on this ground isn't as comfy as a Pokeball, so Strife could have a considerably easier time getting Peppy awake. Slowly, with a cute but overdone yawn, the dog blinks open his eyes, partially squinting from his tiredness, but also from the blinding sun. <Huh?> He mutters sleepily, stretching out his lower paws a bit. Remember, he's on his back. <Izzat you, Pa... no, of course not...> Well, if it's not Patch... he contemplates going back to sleep.

Strife growls lowly and adjusts his hat for the ever-setting sun. "No. Are you hungry?" he answers and asks shortly. Well. Those words normally don't go with one another, but maybe they can get the pup's attention. If not, well, he tried...

Hungry? You just said the magic word! While not fully breaking into conciousness, the puppy seems to become a little livlier at this, his eyes blinking open a bit more and his fuzzy tail swishing against the ground. He doesn't really seem to notice he's on his back. <Hungry? I'm very hungry.> More like, he's always hungry. <Do you have any...> His tongue licks the side of his mouth a bit. Um, sort of cute, but. <Burgers? I haven't had a burger in... in...> How long? Hmm...

Strife continues croutching down, his expression not changing even though he gets the results he intended. "Perhaps," he says lowly. He gives a sidways glance to the Nidoran, who is peering at the two. <Burgers?> The man just shakes his head and goes back to talking to Peppy. "But first, I want to know how you've been doing out here."

"Grrrowlithe." The puppy mutters tiredly, idly bringing up a paw to kind of swat at his face. Trying to rub his eyes or something? Was there a bug? Hmm. Apparently, he's annoyed by the fact that Strife hasn't bowed down and covered the dog in food. Mm, food. <I've been sleeping a bit.> He pauses for a moment to yawn again. <An' lookin' for food and Patch.> Simple enough answer. Knowing Peppy, it was probably 'been sleeping a lot' and 'stayed still, hoping a wild burger or his trainer would just waltz by'.

Strife sighs and straightens up. "You'll end up wasting away at this rate, dog," he says sadly and shaking his head. "Lucky a Charizard has not swooped down to eat you yet," he mutters, remembering Ileah's odd story and the rumours of the infamous Charizard of Cinnibar. He sighs a bit. "And to think I brought food thinking I would find a Growlithe actually trying to survive." Strife is being really talkative today, huh?

The Growlithe seems a little annoyed (but more tired than anything else). <I am trying to survive...> The dog mutters, now really wanting to go back to sleep. <How do you think I've...> Yaaaaaawn. <Survived this long?> Oo, a whole four days! My hero! Maybe his excuse can be that he was sleeping to conserve energy.

An exasperated pffing sound comes from the man. "Surviving is not lying there, hoping help comes along," Strife informs the pup. "Surviving is actually doing something." He sighs, looking at his Nidoran. The Nidoran is giggling at the puppy, but when Strife turns his look into the glare, the Nido quickly stops. The man then shakes his head and crosses his arms. "Maybe you -are- more hopeless than I thought." (Well, the last three times he's looked to check on Peppy, he's been sleeping. This Growlithe needs to see a doctor or something.)

A small blush is made by the Growlithe, although it's not visible through his fur, and the dog rolls over onto his stomach. <Sorry,> He mutters quietly, but he can't really think of anything else to say. Maybe he *is* hopeless. And, instead of taking offense or getting angry, the puppy feels, like, really, really... really, really bad. Really. <I... can't... well...> Stutter, stutter. Bah.

Strife turns so his back is to the Growlithe, but he peers at the dog out of the corner of his eye. His arms remained crossed. "You can't...?" he asks, prodding Peppy along. The Nidoran answers for him. "Nidoran!" <Can't speak good!> The trainer gives another glare, and the Nidoran quiets up again. Oh, right, he was supposed to be quiet while they talked to the puppy.

He can't... think of anything to say, right. <Nothing.> The dog mutters, sinking his chin into his paws. How terrible he feels. Maybe... sick? Sure seems like it. Strife is really rubbing salt into the wound, but it's almost as if Peppy realizes how true this is. It is! He's not a good survivor whatsoever! Bah. His face feels hot. If he starts sobbing, he is going to hold his breath and attempt to suffocate himself.

Strife turns around. "Right, then," he says, kneeling back down to Peppy. "You do not know, because you have not tried. People drop a lot of stuff, some of it is really good." He coughs, knowing what scavanging is like. "And if you steal it from them hot, it is even better." He knows about that, too. The man eyes Peppy, frowning a bit, but not angrily.

Tears don't come out yet. Maybe, with a little luck, he won't cry after all! That would be great! A little curiousity shines forth, and the puppy glances up at Strife. His tail stays all limp and sad, but at least he's listening. <Steal it from them hot?> He asks quietly. <Drop a lot of stuff?> He asks even quieter. <I don't understand.> But! But, give him credit, he's at least showing interest. Of course, chances are, Strife wouldn't really care.

Strife does. For some reason. And he doesn't know why. Maybe he just likes Growlithes. (Not that way, you sicko!) He nods a bit. "Tourists come here all the time. They buy too much food and go on picnics and things. Sometimes, they even eat burgers," he says, explaining lowly to Peppy.

Interest level: High. <They bring burgers?> He asks quietly, as if in disbelief. <I haven't seen anyone out of here.> Ah ha, proof he's been sleeping too much, eh? <I haven't seen any,> The puppy admits quietly. A small little puzzled expression crosses the canine's face, and he asks, <Do you think Patch comes for picnics down here?> Sigh. It seemed like he was really changing, and then he says something completely off-task. There's our Peppy.

The haunting sound of a Scarewulf howl echoes across the MUSH as the database saves. (Saving)

Strife shrugs softly. "She might, but you will miss her if you are asleep," he says quietly and.. softly. It's like.. he's training all over again. He'll have to beat himself up over this later, right now he's playing soft. No one will spot him, will they?

Apparently, Peppy never thought about that. He can't just expect Patch to waltz right up. She doesn't know where he is, and he's probably so dirty (wow, water *is* good for one thing. Reflections.) that he's practically beyond recognition. His little pendant has practically decomposed. Anyway. <I'll try to stay awake more.> He peers up at Strife. He's not lying, and there's a small aura of truth in it. Awwwwww. <And look for my own food more.> Aaahh. Nice reply.

Strife nods slowly. "Well, then, if you will *try,*" says Strife, pulling around his satchel. "Then here." He takes out a wrapped-up something-or-other from some fast food place. When he unwraps it, it looks like a third of a burger. (He and his Nido needed to eat, too, okay?) The man puts it down to Peppy. "This is the last freebee. I will try to locate this Patch for you." He stands up straight, crossing his arms again. "But I expect next we meet, you to be in better condition." He's not getting off the island. He's only getting fed a little bit.

Strife seems pretty much disgusted with Peppy (well, from the dog's point of view, at least). So why in the world is the Growlithe feeling so hopeful? <Thank you.> He growls, with a small grin, and then a more grateful, <Thank you!> emerges as he pops up to all fours, and positions his muzzle over the burger, and begins gobbling it. Mmmmmmmmm. It's very small, but it's still quite possibly the best burger he's ever had. And that's up against some steep competition. Yum. He doesn't seem to reply to the 'I expect you to be in better condition', but he heard it, all right.

Strife tips his hat to Peppy, but does not verbally reply. Instead he turns around and begins walking again. "Sting, come," he says quietly. The Nidoran happily bounces after its trainer. The man quietly tells the Nidoran, "You saw none of this." The Nidoran shrugs, and hops ahead, happy to be happy.

Peppy finishes up the burger, and glances up at the sky. Then at the tree. And sighs a bit. Okay, he wants to sleep, and he probably should, but... something's just kind of telling him... don't. With a little sigh, but a small chill of... spirit, and excitement... the Growlithe being scrounging the area, looking for food. Whoa. He learned something! Strife has achieved the impossible.