Music
Thursday 19th December, 2002.
Pokemon Haven: Assisi Farm
The term 'farm' is an overstatement. Though a barn and a fenced in field are present, there's little else to indicate that the place has ever been used for agricultural purposes. The soil is untilled, only one rusted trough leans against the meager red barn, and several slats are missing from the fence. Any animal that may have been kept here could easily just roam off. The simple, red barn has taken some damage as of late. Scorchmarks mar the paint, and a few boards are missing from the door. The farmhouse is in better condition, kept in good repair by it's residents.
Contents:
Aurora
Obvious exits:
North <N> leads to Overgrown Lands - Route 11: Off the Route.
The pleasant spring sunshine has given way to bad weather again, and so the barn is fuller than it was a week or so ago, though not by much. Damp and fog have also put a stop to the plans of the resident Growlithe family to move out - it's hardly wise in this weather. The barn, with its warmth and its dry floors (apart from damp areas near the door) provides far better shelter for fire-types, and the pups are currently sleeping in a large pile of straw some distance from the door, where the damp, foggy air doesn't reach. Their mother is watching by the door for signs of their father's return from hunting, her tail thumping slowly on the floor in a sign of anxiety.
Not the best weather for a hunting trip, certainly, but not awful like yesterday. The resident Charmander of Assisi farm has been gone since early morning, although it is unlikely anyone will have noticed. Recently, he seems to have been preoccupied, lost in thought about something. Any attempts at interaction will have been met by disinterest, possibly disappointing a few puppies. Scorch emerges from the mist as a orangey glow in the mist, before emerging into full view. He is empty-handed for once, and looking very disappointed to boot. <I can't find anything out there in this stuff...> he moans, a growl rising from his stomach. Of course, he hasn't eaten yesterday either because of the rain.
The appearance of Scorch through the mist makes Aurora perk up her ears and sniff in his direction, but as he comes closer her ears droop and she smiles rather sadly. <I hope he's okay...> she murmurs to herself, and then as she looks over at the Charmander her ears perk up once more. <Aren't you the Charmander who's staying in the barn at the moment? It's... Scorch, isn't it? Did you...> She looks at the Charmander - properly this time, rather than just glancing at him to see if he looks Growlithe-shaped - and notes his disappointed expression and lack of prey, and smiles sympathetically. <Did hunting not go very well today?> she asks kindly.
<Yes, I'm Scorch... Er... Sorry, I can't remember your name...> Scorch apologises, still looking disappointed and hungry. <No, I can't find anything today, and I'm hungry! It's hard to see out there...> he points into the mist. <I would give anything for a Pidgey right about now...> The Charmander wanders back to his bed and sits down, beginning to look at the floor. <I'll try again a bit later. Hopefully I will be able to see by then.> Scorch then goes back into the same thoughtful state he has been in for a few days now, continuing to look at the floor a few feet in front of him.
<It's Aurora,> the Growlithe replies, stepping aside to let the Charmander walk past her and into the barn. She looks over at the place where the food dishes are placed, their contents consumed a few hours ago, and asks, <Won't the man be coming here to put food out for us soon? I know it's not as good as food you've hunted yourself, but it's got to be better than nothing.> Standing up on all fours, Aurora shakes herself thoroughly, sending drops of water from the foggy air flying from her coat. Once she's done (and looking far more fluffy than usual), she grins at Scorch and adds, <Peppy will be coming back soon, so maybe if he's caught a lot we could share some with you.>
Peppy has connected.
Sure enough, the weather is miserable. The island has seen far worse in months past, true, but that doesn't mean the day doesn't retain that gloomy, dismal sadness in the grey fog. Even the most skilled of navigators could get lost on a day like this - and Peppy is, by no means, what anybody could consider a skilled navigator. Perhaps Aurora's worries are justified. It's right as Aurora mentions her mate will be coming back soon that the Growlithe finally busts into the barn with a growl and a gasp. The corpse of a Rattata, fur wet with dew and blood, tumbles out of his jaw, and splats into the floor with a thud. It looks to be singed at parts, and the general killing job was rather sloppy; there are cuts all over its body, not just one clear bite mark on the jugular. Letting his shoulders go limp, Peppy leans over the lifeless body, panting for breath. Even from a distance, he looks pretty miserable - muddy, bruised, cut, and exhausted. Between breaths, he tries to expel something, but can't get anything out between gasps.
Aurora's response falls on deaf ears, or so it seems. The Charmander doesn't look sad as such, just serious. Obviously he is thinking about something big. Even the entrance of Peppy doesn't draw more than a glance from him. If he were with it today, he would have rushed over to see what is wrong, but he just sits there, absorbed in his own thoughts for now.
The happy expression Aurora has at Peppy's arrival evaporates as soon as Peppy gets close enough for her to see his injuries. <What happened?> she asks, padding quickly over to her mate, and leaning over to try to nuzzle at his cheek, not trying to avoid any mud in his fur. <Did the Rattata fight back a lot?> The puppies in the corner are still asleep, though in the tangle of furry bodies a few limbs twitch occasionally, as their owners dream of chasing Rattatas. Meanwhile, Aurora moves back to examine Peppy's injuries, a worried look on her face. <Your leg... and your side, and the other leg... Oh, Peppy, you poor thing...>
Bright colors, sweetness, and light! Candylion-springtimes! (We're saved!)
Finally, after moments of panting and gulping, Peppy finally spits out his ever so important message. <Ow!> It's at this point that he cringes and rotates his head far enough to take a glance at his left side. <My side...> he whines in reply to Aurora, totally and entirely helplessly. His eyes squeeze shut in pain as Aurora looks at him from all angles. <Yeah,> he manages. <He... it... ow, ow!> Peppy tries to take a step forward to get closer to the Rattata to elaborate his point, but his whole body cries out a painful protest. Instead of walking forward, his paws just kind of slip out from beneath him, and he slowly sinks to the wooden floor, his furry chin ramming into it with a soft thud. Whimpers ensue. Later on, he's going to regret not looking like a battle-scarred warrior, but right now, he doesn't mind acting like an injured little puppy. It hurts, what can he do?
The flurry of activity and anxiety is enough to bring Scorch out of his thoughts, and he looks up to see a sorry heap of fur that can only be the proud father of the puppies. The Charmander rouses himself quickly, padding over to the duo, but not actually interfering. What can he do? Aside from offer to help him back up, there isn't much he -can- do. <Er... what happened? I was out there too, but I couldn't see anything...> he says, trying not to get in the way.
<Oh, Peppy...> Aurora repeats, and leans down to try to nuzzle at her mate again. <Can you walk at all, or should I take the Rattata over to the puppies?> she asks, and pulls away from Peppy, adding, <If you want, you can lean on me to get over there, and I'll bring the Rattata. You've done really well with the hunting today, and I know the pups will be glad of the food...> Her sympathetic words and expression, however, don't quite hide the tone of worry in her voice, or the sharp intake of breath as she looks over his wounds.
By now, Peppy has at least recovered enough to speak. After the throbbing pain in his legs and side goes away (or at least mildly diminishes), Peppy exhales out of his nose, growling as he does so. Now that the Growlithe isn't busy catching his wind again, he actually notices when Aurora nuzzles him now, and he blinks at her, before smiling and rubbing her cheek back. Suddenly, the pain doesn't seem so bad. If he notices any worry or doubt in her words, he doesn't show it. <I think I can...> He peers down at the floor for a second, before gripping it with his paws to try and push off the ground. "Grrr... rrrth!" he growls, teeth clenched, eyes squeezed shut, legs straining with the effort. It proves to be in vain, and the dog collapses back onto the ground. Sheepishly, he peers back up at Aurora, glances to the side, and grins uneasily. <... Um... though, I could use your help.> His embarrassment isn't hidden; it shows in his nervous smile and his faintly colored cheeks beneath his white fur.
Everything is grey, veiled by mist. It's cool and the air feels damp. There is no wind.
Scorch runs over to help, but his small size means his efforts will not mean much. Still, the Charmander will lend a hand to help, however little it accomplishes. <Wow! There must have been a whole pack of Rattata to do this! And you made it back! Wow!> Scorch's words are hesitant, as if he is choosing his words carefully. Still, the respect and reverence are evident, showing that Scorch admire's the Growlithe's bravery. He seems to have forgotten his hunger for the time being, putting his energy into helping in any way he can.
Even with her worry, Aurora still smiles a little as Peppy asks for help. <Okay, let's see... if I bend down, can you lean on my side and back, and sort of push yourself along with your hind feet?> And she does just that, moving so she's in front of Peppy's collapsed body, and crouching down as low as she can without sitting. <Right, just try to get on my back...> Scorch's encouraging words draw a smile from her, though she leaves any reply to Peppy.
Bright colors, sweetness, and light! Candylion-springtimes! (We're saved!)
A flicker of some memory about helping Aurora out of the mud returns to Peppy at this point, and he peers up at her for a moment, almost thoughtfully. Her words eventually sink in, and, snapping back into reality, he shakes his head vigorously. <N-No, I couldn't... I... really, I'll... um, okay.> That didn't take long, did it? <It wasn't... grrr... grf...> He speaks while he tries to get up high enough to at least put his muzzle on Aurora's back, which he only succeeds at after a few moments of trying. <Wasn't a... pack... just one, but he was... rrf!> He tries to pull himself up high enough to put more of his weight on Aurora's back, but fails. His cheek presses into her fur, he sighs, and, his voice somewhat humiliated, mumbles, <... Um, this is the best I can do.> His voice comes out muffled and garbly, thanks to his head's position. <If I can... ow, if I can get up to all four paws, and you (ow, owch) support me as... ow, as we walk...> Yes, that would probably involve straining Peppy's neck, given his position, but Peppy was never one for thinking things through - and besides, his side hurts too much to worry about a sprained neck!
<Only one? Was it that one?> Scorch nods towards the bloodied carcass of Peppy's catch. <He must have put up quite a fight! I've never had one fight me before, but I have the habit of attacking before they can react... They can't fight when they're all crispy!> the Charmander chuckles as he aids in any way he can. Still, being much lighter doesn't help very much, and his efforts would not be missed if they weren't there. It's the thought that counts, right? The lizard's description of his hunting methods is mostly true; the Pidgeys and Rattatas he has met up until now haven't avoided his fiery breath yet, but maybe that is because he picks the ones that are less aware than the rest, or maybe just too slow. That's when he finds something, unlike today.
<Okay, I'll try my best...> Aurora mutters, her limbs trembling a little from the extra weight. Since Peppy's head in now resting across her back, him walking forwards will require her to walk sideways... and not being a Krabby, this may be difficult for Aurora. She takes a step with one right paw, then the other, and then tells Peppy, <Now you step, then I move my left paws. Then I'll move again, then you move, and we try to stay together. If you start to slip, tell me. Are you comfortable?> She'll wait for him to reply and step forward before she even starts to move her left paws.
If Scorch is in eyesight with the male Growlithe, he'll lock eyes with him as he speaks - not in a threatening or annoyed manner, just to make sure Scorch understands with all seriousness what he's saying. Even in his injured state, Peppy understands that getting beat up by a Rattata is something to kind of be ashamed of. <It's really hard to see,> he informs the Charmander, as though it's an excuse. <And it... ow, shoulder, shoulder!> He adjusts his right front limb into a more comfortable position, grumbles something, and continues. <It didn't run. It stayed. Look, you can even see it's a really big... ow, big Rattata!> As he speaks, he works on getting himself to a semi-standing position, though it's not easy. How in the world did he make it home in such a position? Perhaps he was close to the barn? Or maybe he's just being a baby. It's a little difficult to walk, as he's leaning on Aurora on one side and limping on the other, but slowly but surely, he... takes a step, though not without grunts and growls of pain. <How can... urf, one Rattata hurt so much?> He's making the walk, though, and slowly but surely, Aurora should be able to lead him back to the family corner, if she can support his weight long enough. Poor Aurora.
With the awquard movement of the Growlithe pair, Scorch can do nothing to help, except offer words of encouragement, so he stands back to give them room to move. <Yeah, big Rattata...> Scorch mutters, looking at the tasty morsel. Since the pair are occupied... No, this little lizard isn't the kind to steal an ailing pokemon's food. The Charmander looks between the food and Peppy, then he makes a decision, going over to the Rattata. First, he tests the weight of it, then, confident he can lift the brute, he does so. <Ooof! He's really big, huh?> he mutters, staggering slightly with the unexpected difficulty. Slowly, he takes a few tentative steps towards the family's resting place. <Yep, I'm okay...> he says, mostly to himself. His pace quickens as he proceeds, eager to offload the weight in the corner as soon as possible.
Scorch's help with carrying the Rattata is greeted by some suspicion from Aurora at first - the Charmander is friendly, but he is hungry, after all. When he starts to head towards where the puppies are, and not towards his own nest or out of the door, Aurora smiles in relief and woofs a quiet, <Thank you very much, Scorch.> The Rattata taken care of, she gets back to walking Peppy over to the rest of the family. It's tough going, and Aurora's legs wobble more as they get further from the barn door, but eventually they make it, and Aurora stops and asks, <Do you want me to get some straw, so you can be more comfortable when you lie down? Is there anything I can do to help?>
It takes a little while, as Peppy's own legs are as unsturdy as his mates, but they make it over there okay - and not a moment too soon. It takes a lot out of him to walk even just a few steps, and he's panting pretty heavily by the time they make it. He does, however, manage a whispered, <Thanks, Aurora,> before he just kind of slides off her and tumbles to the floor with an <Oof!> He squiggles and squirms into the floor a little bit, as though trying to find a nice, comfortable spot - and, fitting into one, he glances up at Aurora with grateful eyes and a wide smile. <No straw. I'll be okay,> he assures her, even as his side acts up and causes his cheek to twitch a bit. <I've been... urf, hurt worse before!>
<'S okay!> Scorch mumbles behind the bulk of the Rattata. When he reaches the corner, he lets the Rattata fall to the floor with a thud, giving a sigh as he releases the weight. He takes a few steps back to allow the pair some space. Isn't the Charmander being thoughtful all of a sudden? What is Scorch hoping to recieve by helping? Three guesses. He's had no luck with hunting today, and he hasn't eaten for two days now, so he is very hungry as a result. What else would he want? Still, he doesn't voice his needs, but they should be fairly obvious from the hopeful look the Rattata is recieving from him. He looks away, hoping his glance wasn't seen, but his eyes flick involuntarily back to the meat. That tantalizing-looking food, so succulent and full of flavour...
Bright colors, sweetness, and light! Candylion-springtimes! (We're saved!)
Everything is grey, veiled by mist. It's cool and the air feels damp. There is no wind.
The last thing on Peppy's mind is Scorch. It's not because he holds something against the Charmander, or fears for his Rattata, or thinks the Charmander is just generally not worthy of being recognized in Peppy's head - it's just that the Growlithe is too busy concentrating on 'Ow. Ow. Pain. Hurts. Ow. Pain.' Before long, however, the pain is reduced to strumming throbs - by no means comfortable, but if Peppy lies there entirely still... less pain! Yeah! Peppy's facing away from Scorch right now, so he can't see the Rattata - and it makes him curious. <... The pups are asleep,> he notes softly, as though this is somehow important. <Usually... ow, usually they wake right up when I bring home dinner... they must've had a big day.> He's commenting more to himself than anything else as he watches the bundle of furry Growlithes, who occasionally twitch, move, yawn, roll over, or growl.
Scorch sighs as his thoughts wander once more, his eyes focusing on something on the distant horizon, even though the horizon can't be seen from inside the barn, or even outside for that matter. His experiences have not been pleasant for the most part, but his injuries have been minimal, nothing like the Growlithe is suffering right now. Scorch isn't one to be able to sympathize. Giving another sigh, he looks towards the open door and the misty air outside. <... Big day tomorrow... I hope the weather is nice, or I won't be able to...> he trails off, not wanting to spell out his prospective future.
Scorch's words come almost as a surprise to Peppy, whose ears flicker in interest. "Growli?" he asks himself, starting to turn his head around to glance at Scorch. He stops after a second, woofing a sharp <Ow!> as he snaps his attention back to the front. He whimpers softly, setting his head back down upon his paws. After a second or two, he lifts it up again slightly. His pupils creep to the edge, though he still can't see Scorch. <Won't be able to what?> he asks, loud enough for the Charmander to hear - perhaps a little too loudly. <Did you have... ow, have plans?>
Since his previous words were mostly to himself, Scorch wasn't expecting a response, and Peppy's comes as a surprise to the Charmander. <Um, yes, I did... I think I've stayed here long enough, so I'm going to be heading away tomorrow...> Scorch explains. Is this what the long periods of thought over the last few days have been about? Probably. <I've wandered all my life mostly, until I met Rhia, that is. I get bored if I stay put all the time... I need to see the world and meet lots of people! Then I can go back home and tell Cinders about it all!> The Charmander's face brightens as he describes his goal, perhaps because he enjoys it so much.
Aurora takes a while to reply to Peppy, as she's looking him over again, trying to see where he's injured and what exactly's wrong. His comment on the pups is thus answered rather absently with, <Well, they got to sleep a little after you left. And before that they were playing. So they're probably still tired. That looks painful...> She tilts her head to indicate a group of bruises on Peppy's side, half-covered in muck and mud. Once she's found out where his wounds are, she pays a little more attention to the surroundings, and notices that Scorch has brought the Rattata over - his help is greeted with a <Thank you so much for your help, Scorch...> and a grateful smile.
Ooo. Rhia. Peppy closes his eyes and grins, almost deviously, when Scorch mentions Rhia. Oh - he knows who that must be! H... wait, bored? How does one get bored with a mate? How does that work? As Scorch continues, Peppy realizes he must be wrong - *Cinders* must be his mate. It makes so much sense! <Sorry you had to leave so soon, though,> he woofs to the wall. <You're always welcome back here.> Peppy's attention switches to Aurora, who is making circles around him, examining his battle scars. He grins a little cheesily. Now he doesn't feel so wimpy. <Maybe it's the weather that's made them tired?> he suggests to Aurora. He would shrug his shoulders if they didn't hurt so bad. He notices her taking special interest in his side, and, frowning a little bit, he rears his head as best as he can to glance at it. <... Is it bad?> he asks, almost a little worriedly. Now he feels wimpy again.
The grin is lost on Scorch, as he is far too young to be tied with another, plus he doesn't fully understand all that yet. He will, in time. <Um, thanks! You've been... erm, friendly... But weren't you going to... um, I mean, will -you- be here for much longer? I thought...> Scorch stammers, unsure of what he actually thought. <I don't think I'm going to make a den again. It's not going to be much use if I'm travelling, is it?> At least Scorch is showing some signs of logic, which is a good sign for a pokemon that is going to brave the dangers of the wide world.
<It could be the weather,> Aurora agrees. <Maybe they've found out that it's good to stay away from the wet if you can help it. Just like me...> she says, with a wry grin. <But if they want to sleep, it's still good. They've been running around a lot, and they need their rest.> She glances at Peppy's side again, and replies to his other question, <It looks like it's hurt. Underneath the fur, it's not the same colour as usual... it looks different. It looks like something that happened to my trainer sometimes - she banged her leg on a chair, or a table, and the skin changed colour and she said it hurt to touch it.> Aurora reaches out a paw towards the bruise before deciding that it might not be the best of ideas, and tentatively asks, <Does it hurt you, though?>
Scorch's words cause Peppy to pause for a moment, and a small frown develops on his face. <That's right...> he mumbles in reply. <... It's going to be difficult to leave, now.> Who's he speaking to? Scorch? Aurora? Himself? Perhaps all three. He shakes his head, and lifts it slightly to reply to Scorch - but Aurora absorbs his attention instead. <I guess that makes it a little easier for us, huh, Aurora?> he asks, an ear flicking as he grins up at her, his tail wagging slightly. Aurora should understand - he's not complaining or bad-mouthing his pups, just reinstating the well-known fact that they are a handful. Now. Peppy isn't quite sure what "colour" means, but if it's changing, that's bad. His body becomes a little more rigid, and clamps his teeth together. <Yes... he ran into it really, really hard.> He raises slightly to add force to the point, but his side acts up again, and, with a cringe, he settles back down. <... Is it really, -really- bad, or just really bad?>
The little Charmander glances at the wounded Growlithe, but seeing that Aurora has it all under control, he slips away quietly back to his own bed. After all, he's no Chansey. He has no healing abilities, or even knowledge of anatomy that will help. Scorch plumps up his bed for what may be the last time and settles down into it, curling himself up with his tail forming a form of nightlight. He drifts easily to sleep, on an empty stomach no less. The hay will be vacated by morning, if the Charmander awakens early enough and if the weather behaves itself.
Bright colors, sweetness, and light! Candylion-springtimes! (We're saved!)
Aurora smiles, trying to reassure her mate, though she still looks rather worried as she says, <Well, it would be a bad idea to lie on that side if it hurts...> She gulps a little, and then shakes her head. <It's not really really bad. When my trainer had ones like that, she said they hurt for a few days, and then they wouldn't hurt unless someone touched them. We'll just have to tell the pups not to play too hard with Dad, won't we?> Scorch's and Peppy's questions about leaving the farm are given more thought, making Aurora stop and think for a while. Her eventual reply is, <Maybe we won't leave now... but we have to leave at some point. Maybe in a few months, or maybe when the pups are old enough to live on their own. We do need to teach them to hunt, though, otherwise they won't be able to live well outside without someone leaving them food...> She smiles a little, and continues, <Trainers are nice people, sometimes, but not always. And being able to live on your own means you may someday find a mate. And having a mate is...> Smiling a little more, Aurora looks at Peppy, and her expression says more than words could.
Back