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

Soki arrives from Commerce Road - Route 7: Trader Way.
Soki has arrived.

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.

Rain, rain, go away, come again another day... So wishes Peppy as he glances out at the grey sky from under one of the few trees in the area. It's not very large, and offers only minimal protection - the pup's fluffy coat is still dripping wet, and he's in a semi-large pool of mud. Part of him is asking... Why in the world is he out here in this? He's got a den he can go to! No fire pokemon with an IQ exceeding that of a wooden log should stay out here in the soaking wet, disgusting weather! And yet the Growlithe does, and he does so with growls, whimpers, and the occasional bark of <I hate rain!>. Cheerful little guy, ain't he?

The rain has another victim, though not quite so willingly to gripe at it. Perhaps because this Sandslash is used to travelling, and precipitation is just something that one gets used to after a while, even if one's skin starts to burn when exposed to it. Besides, Soki needed the wash to get the blood off of his body. The two long cuts, across his stomach and forearm, have bled for days, though very little recently thanks to the help of a human. Soki's plodding along the middle of the human, acting as if he's looking for something. It's hard to find one's way in the rain...

<OOC> Soki says "Blast it, I knew I'd forget something. Neither wound will be visible, since he's covering them both with his arms."

Peppy has absolutely nothing better to do that glare out into the weather, though. It may be bad until his little tree, but it's definitely worse out there. Maybe a trainer carrying one of those... mushroom things ( <Numbuluhs?> he woofs to himself, trying to remember what Patch called it) will come alone with food. As a form makes its way slowly into view, Peppy's ears perk up, and he peers rather intently in Soki's direction. It's not long before he oh-so-keenly realizes that... That's not a human. That's... a... something. Cocking his head, the Growlithe shifts to a slightly more defensive position, though by no means is it threatening or even useful. A drop of water gets in Peppy's right eye, and with a "Lithe!" and a flinch, Peppy his head to the side and shakes it.

Soki's sense of scent isn't that great to begin with, and in the rain it's even worse. He can't detect Peppy by smell, but he can definitely hear the yelp. Soki looks through the rain, straight to the Growlithe's... silouette. <Hey!> he calls out to it preliminarily. He'll wait for the answer before asking about what's on his mind.

A Meowth kitten starts to chew on the database -- better save, quick! (Saving)

Peppy blinks - well, of course he blinks, he's trying to get the water out of his eye. More importantly, though, he blinks because he's just been addressed by the Sandslash. Jumping back to the attention, the Growlithe glances over at the approaching ground-type, mind furiously racing for a reply. I guess something along the lines of "<Hello>" is just too hard, eh, Peppy? After a moment's hesitation, the pup uneasily howls a shaky, "Grooo-owlithe!" of a greeting, before throwing in an even more uncertain, <What are you?> Uneasily, he makes a quick glance behind him and to the right - presumably at something, but what?

Soki answers quickly, if with a hint of confusion in his voice. What kind of a greeting is that? He disregards the worry as he says, <A Sandslash. A bigger and different Sandshrew, pretty much. I'm travelling, and I can't make out where I'm going; do you know if this is the way to the human city of Vermillion?> It isn't, of course, but the question is whether or not Peppy knows that. As he explains himself, Soki steps closer to Peppy. The way he's covering his wounds should become apparent shortly.

Soki takes a step forward, and reflexively, Peppy gives off a little growl and lowers head a bit, almost as if he's being defensive, but his reply is far from threatening or fearsome. <I don't think I know what a Sandshrew is,> he woofs quietly, as though he knows he should but he doesn't. <And what's a Vermilion?> Peppy's eyes shoot over to the west briefly, and, flashing then back at Soki, he makes a gesture with the side of his head in that direction. <Celadon is that way. Why are you looking for a human city?> The pup's tail gives a quick wag, though he stays in his position. Maybe it's a trained pokemon?

Soki sums up his feelings in one blunt word: <Blast.> He sighs, then turns to walk away. However, he's only turned, not begun to walk. It'd be rude not to answer another pokemon's questions. <My home is between one human city and another, and I'm heading for the wrong one. So, I'm going to go back and try a different way. To answer your other question, I'd guess that Vermillion is like Celadon but in another place and slightly different,> Soki says. With that, there are no questions left to answer, and Soki begins to march in the opposite direction than he was going before. Besides, of course, the one about Sandshrews, but Soki can't possibly explain that and he knows it.

That seems to sufficiently satisfy Peppy's question. Vermilion is like Celadon but different? It does make sense to the pup, who nods his head and straightens himself, dropping the entire clumsy defensive position. Wow, defending a den from fiercesome intruders is a heck of a lot easier than Peppy would have expected! Woofing as the Sandslash's back, the canine adds a quick, <I know where another city is. Far over there, in the direction you're going, there's a human city called Surfanon. It's even bigger than Celadon. I - grr!> A rather large cluster of little raindrops make their way through the leaves of the tree, rat-tat-tatting the pup. Annoyed, he shakes himself, sending dirty water flying all over the proximity. "Grr-lithe," he mutters to himself, glaring up at the sky with pure hatred.

Soki pauses to correct Peppy. <Saffron. The city's name is Saffron. I was there a little while ago.> Soki shakes his head and continues on. This Growlithe wouldn't make the Team... well, if he were the judge. Zenny would probably see some kind of incredible potential that Soki has absolutely no perception of whatsoever, but that's beside the point. Soki would rather be on his way than stay and chat with a Growlithe that needs to be reminded to come in out of the rain. Er... if Soki's one to talk.

The puppy blinks as Soki starts to parade off, and the Growlithe takes a step forward, now a little bit more curious. <Why are you walking in the rain, anyway?> he practically howls, trying to make the Sandslash hear him without having to step closer. Stepping closer means no more protection from the tree, and no more protection from the tree means soggy puppy. Well, soggier puppy. <Shouldn't you... uh... build a den or something? That's what others do when it rains. It works really well.>

Soki sighs and shakes his head again. <I said that I was heading for my home, didn't I? That's where my den is! I'm trying to get there!> he growls, trying not to shout. He really isn't that kind of guy, but this Growlithe is getting on his nerves. <If you don't mind, I'd like to continue on my way. So I won't have to walk around in the rain.> Perhaps Peppy will understand that.

Peppy furrows his eyebrows a little, letting that run through his mind a little bit. He's got to process it first. After a few moments, the pup gives a little nod and a tail wag. He really is ignorant to how much he's annoying the Sandslash. <Can't you wait for the rain to stop, though? I'll bet it'll make the walk a lot easier, because then there won't be mud and rain anymore.> Yes, Peppy. When the rain stops, there tends to not be any more rain. The pup gives a little tailwag, and actually almost reasonably barks, <I don't know where Vuhmuhleen City is, but if I haven't heard of it, it can't be very close to here.> It's difficult to botch up a word when all you can say is "Growl" and "Lithe", but Peppy finds a way.

Soki stops in his tracks. He slouches visibly, and hangs his head. Attempting to keep his voice low enough so that his annoyance is detectible yet high enough to be heard, he growls, <I am used... to the rain. I do not mind walking... in the rain. I would rather not stay in a place other than my home, as there are other places for me to be besides my home as well, but I must go there first. Do you understand?> If only Soki knew how fatal that question could be.

Maybe Peppy's just not used to this. He's used to a Pikachu who thinks the world of him, a Growlithe who smiles when she sees him, a Dragonair who... well, will at least talk to him. This is something new - a pokemon who stops by, turns around, and doesn't want to talk. This is a blow to the pup's self-confidence, and it shows. ... Well, it's audible, at least. <Okay...> he woofs softly, his tail drooping and his ears coming down to the sides of his head. Soki, of course, probably won't be able to see this. <Good luck finding your home, at least.> Aw. Soki's made him sad - not that the 'Slash'd care, but...

Ah, dang it. Soki knows that tone of voice. It's one he's heard him use himself far too many times. Trying to remedy the situation, he says (still without looking back), <Look... I need to get home quickly, and I'm willing to sacrifice comfort for speed of travel. I'm sure you've got a lovely home and a mate and kids and stuff like that, but I can't afford to wait around. If you were miles from your family and you didn't know if they were okay, would you stay at someone's den just because it was raining?> A pause. <I really need to get going. Thanks for your help.> With that, Soki continues on his way. If the Growlithe's still emotionally down after that apology, it's its fault, not his. One last idea pops to mind, and it causes him to stop and turn to look at the Growlithe this time: <If I find the time, I'll come back around here! You'll know me by the scars!> Hopefully Peppy at least knows what scars are, but he won't get the opportunity to ask if he doesn't.

A Meowth kitten starts to chew on the database -- better save, quick! (Saving)

Peppy definitely knows what scars are, as he's got his own right there along his muzzle. He would probably announce this to Soki, had the 'Slash's previous comments not sort of... drawn a little more attention. The pup growls incoherent little mutters for a few moments, before getting out a quiet little <You've got it all wrong,> one that will probably not be loud enough for the Sandslash to hear. <But,> this is a lot louder. <I know what you mean.> And then - <I hope you find your home -really- quickly, even if it stays rainy!> A pause. A glance to the side. Because Soki's marching forward, Peppy will probably have to howl this one: <If you find a -burger tree-, come back and tell me! It's really, really important!> ... Burger... tree?

Fed up, Soki breaks into a run in the mud of the road, heading for Saffron City. The converation ended on a good note, that's the important thing. Now, he can think (as he makes his muddy mad dash): didn't the Dragonite at the last Pokemon Valley say that "burgers" were a human thing? That took tools to create? And were made of multiple parts? ...like pizza? The pizza he ate didn't grow on a tree, and neither, presumably, would a burger. Well, he won't have to be on the lookout for burger trees, then. He just needs to remember to come back.

Peppy peers at the Sandslash rushing down the path, and shakes his head a bit. He must've really been in a hurry, the dumb pup thinks to himself, completely unaware that that's only the half of it. Giving the rain only one last quick glance - it doesn't look like it's going to clear up anytime soon - Peppy turns around, glances down at all the disgusting mud on the ground, and gives off an annoyed exhale before marching off towards the den, hoping to at least be able to get some sleep without getting any more wet.