FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Working in a city where humans and Pokémon both resided, one got used to a number of sights. A human walking next to a Lucario in the sidewalk was a fairly mundane sight. A human walking next to a Luxray, not that much less normal. The latter pair trying to accost the former pair for an impromptu battle in the middle of the road…well, that was slightly unusual, since battles in the city tended to take place in more designated areas, but still not so weird that it would have struck anyone as particularly strange.

In fact, probably the strangest of the sights provided in this scenario was the fact that the battle overture was shot down cold.

“Do you mind? We have things to do today." The human walking beside the Lucario, Cornell, was clearly in his mid-30s if not a bit past. He was dressed quite nice, a button-down shirt and pressed pants, cutting a fairly professional figure. His black hair was short and neatly combed, a care of appearance that did tend to suggest that he wasn't exactly raring for a scrap.

“You always say that, just making excuses for avoiding a battle!" The Luxray's trainer, a young man in his early 20s by the name of Matthew, clearly had a good bit of fire in him. He was dressed much more casually than the other human, a backwards-facing cap and a tank top with cut-off shorts. His appearance might have given some the impression that he was a troublemaker, but Matt more wore it to stay OUT of trouble - the rougher look showed enough of his muscle to deter others from trying to push him around. Which didn't mean he couldn't have a bit of edge, but that was more when he saw an opportunity for a fierce battle…which, at this point, he wasn't getting. “It's not right to block your Pokémon from battling all the time, it's good for them to throw down!"

“I don't know how many times I have to explain this to you, but Nik isn't 'my' Pokémon," replied Cornell.

“Oh, that's BS. You two are walking together ALL the time. You can't tell me you're just strangers!"

“We aren't strangers," said the Lucario stiffly. Nikare was his name, and he was notable at first glance just for how large he was - he stood much closer to human height, in fact a skosh taller than Cornell did. Not quite the height of the rare Alpha, but certainly considerable. “We are indeed quite familiar with each other. But that does not make him my trainer, nor does it give me any interest in a battle with you."

“You're ALWAYS saying that," growled the Luxray. His name was Krakell, and while he was a relatively average-sized specimen of a Luxray, he didn't have to be anything more to already be intimidatingly large - standing chest-high at the shoulder already made him look bigger than any human was. So when he growled and sparked, most were intimidated into listening…not these two, though, which was starting to frustrate him. “Every time, it's 'I don't want to' this, 'I'm not interested' that. I'm getting tired of hearing it!"

“There's an easy way to not hear it - stop pestering us."

“There's an even easier way, battle me!"

Nikare folded his arms, meeting those shining eyes with his steely ones. “No. First off, I have no interest in battling, as I've said. Second, I have a job to get to, and I'd rather not look beat up when I get there, it's not typically a good look. Third, you're clearly one who wants to go all out, and I'm sorry to disappoint you, but I don't have that much to offer - when it comes to battles, I'm a perpetual failure."

“I can vouch for that," added Cornell. “He hasn't won a battle in nine years. He only does it every couple months and only casually, but he still gets beat regularly."

“You expect me to believe that?" snorted Matt. “A Pokémon of that size, being that useless in battle? No way. You're just trying to make excuses, man. I don't even care whether it's win or lose, I just want a good, solid opponent to go up against!"

“Then I don't know why you're asking me," Nikare said with a shrug. “I won't give you a good battle. And you'd think after four months of declining, you'd get the hint. If you don't mind buzzing off, we have things to do. Maybe you ought to find something to do with your time that isn't hounding us for pointless fights."

“Hey! Don't run away from us!" But Krakell's snarl didn't do a damn thing to stop Nikare and Cornell from turning away and continuing to walk down the sidewalk, leaving the two of them high and dry once again. Both trainer and Luxray looked quite pissed, enough for others to give them a wide berth…but their moods weren't going to be sated by taking it out on random passers-by.

“Jeez…after this long, I thought for sure they'd just give us one to get us off their cases, but they won't even try!" Matt rubbed his head, grumbling in annoyance. “Yo, Krakell, are you sure you're not just imagining things? They both act like they're softer than spoiled Slurpuff."

“I'm positive," stated Krakell with as steely a voice as he could muster. “I can see it in him…Nik's holding everything back that he has. There's a raw power in that Lucario that's beyond amazing…I don't even have that much confidence that I could stand up to it, but it'd be a nice change from the cream puffs around here who don't even come close to me. I'd rather lose to a good opponent than have a boring match against a bad one."

“You can tell that he has that kind of power?"

"Pokémon have a sense of these things. It's something we're born with, to help us assess our rivals and foes and make the right choice about whether to fight, flee, or beg for mercy. There's an energy in that Lucario brighter than even the local gym leader's scrappers. But he doesn't use it…when he does those little play battles, he doesn't call upon even a fraction of that power. He deliberately puts nothing into it…he makes Aura Spheres that barely tickle Bidoof, when he could probably make an avatar of Arceus itself at least stagger."

Matt looked at Krakell dubiously. “He can do that?"

Krakell nodded. “Better than anyone. Fighting-types have supreme control over themselves, they can make themselves seem as weak as they want. I might have pretty good control over electricity, but I'd have a hard time reining it in as much as he does. That's not what I want out of him, though…I want a REAL battle, with him giving at least most of his all, if not all of it! And that human, Cornell…he acts like he's a bystander, but I can see the way he looks at the battles, he has that eye of a trainer, even if he keeps silent. I know there's more to them than what they say."

“Hmph…well, they're not making it easy to get to that." Matt shook his head. “We're gonna have to try to figure something out here…badgering them like this clearly isn't working. We have to give them a reason to want to battle us, I think. Find out something about them that we can use to get them playing ball…"

Krakell snorted. “Listen to us! Talking about blackmailing them into kicking our asses with our consent. You'd think that'd be an easy thing to pull off without the blackmail!"

“I mean, I can try to come up with a better idea…"

“No, don't, this is a story we're gonna look back on in ten years and laugh our asses off over it, we can't pass up that opportunity."

Matt snickered. “You're weird, bud. Good thing I'm just as weird. Let's go."

———

As plans went, it was sound in theory, if morally and sensibly questionable. Unfortunately for them, the search for something to goad Cornell and Nikare into battle was not going much better than the efforts to badger them into it.

“There's no way this guy is as boring as he wants to pretend he is," grumbled Matt as he turned away from his computer. “I haven't seen a damn thing about him that tells me anything."

“Seriously?" Krakell groaned. “Are you sure you're not missing something?"

“If I am, I don't know where else to look. He's got a couple of social media accounts he pretty much doesn't use, and a profile on one of those business-profile sites that talks about his work experience. And there's nothing interesting there, boring office jobs for the last six years, a two-year degree before that. I can't find anything about his life before his degree, maybe there's something in there…he's got a huge hole in his background, it says he's 36 years old, but he got his degree at 30. But if he was doing something before then, I can't find it."

“Could he have been in prison for something?"

“Maybe? But I'd expect to see a court document or something. So far, I haven't seen anything of the sort. Doesn't mean there's nothing hiding, just nothing I can find."

Krakell shook his head. “Well, I suppose it wasn't going to be that easy. What about Nikare?"

“Bupkis. He's not on any league registries. He's only on the city registry as an Urban Pokémon, and they don't take more info than that. There's a server profile on a restaurant's webpage, I presume that's where he works, but there's not going to be anything there that he'd object to. Pokémon are always harder to search than humans unless they're part of winning battle teams, so I didn't think we'd get much there, but still…it's frustrating." Matt sighed, rubbing his head. “All this trouble just to try to get a battle…"

“We can't just give up!" the Luxury urged. “There's gotta be SOMETHING out there! No Pokémon gets that powerful without wanting it. Doesn't matter if you're in the wild or trained or urban or whatever, the only way you get that immense and refined strength is by a boatload of effort. I don't care what he says, he's a fighter, I'm sure of it!"

“I'm not doubting you, buddy. But I haven't found anything on any news feeds or reports or anything about Nikare being some kind of championship battler. Those things usually don't take a lot of searching, they tend to be big news and super hyped-up. I just don't think it's possible…"

“Sure it is. You're missing a fairly obvious possibility."

Matt looked back at Krakell. “What are you talking about?"

“…That was NOT me."

Suddenly Krakell was on high alert, as Matt registered what the Luxray meant. That hadn't been his voice at all…he'd been so preoccupied he hadn't realized it until it was pointed out to him, it didn't sound at all like Krakell. “Who's there?! Show yourself!"

“Goodness, no need to be so high-strung." Both human and Luxray whipped around to look at Matt's bed; laying on top of it, with a casualness that was not comfortable to either of them, was an Alolan Marowak. His hands were behind his head, one leg resting on the other, looking entirely content. The typical bone one would expect to see in his hands was absent, though. “I'm not here for a fight, and I assure you I'd be less of an entertaining one than the one you're looking for anyway."

“What are you doing in here?" Krakell growled, sparking a bit. “No one invited you in!"

“Heh, that's all the fun of being a Ghost-type - you don't need an invitation, or even the laws of physics, you can go pretty much anywhere you want." He gave the two of them a pointed look and a grin. “But that's all beside the point. Aren't you interested in knowing what I have to say? Possibly giving you an answer to some of your questions?"

“…You expect me to think you just happen to know the exact answers to what we're trying to find out?" Matt asked dubiously. “That's a little too convenient. What's your real deal?"

“Ah, you're one of those modestly perceptive humans, I see." The Alolan Marowak hopped to his feet, though still on the bed, and gave them a little bow. “Mahu's the name. And since you've already started suspecting, I see no need for pretense. I check in on Cornell and Nikare from time to time, and I happened to hear of your machinations. Naturally, I was curious."

“You check in on them? Are you one of their partners?"

“Nope! In fact, I'm dead certain they have no idea who I am."

“Aaaaand that's creepy as fuck," sparked Krakell.

“I'm a ghost! Creepy is what I do." Mahu snickered, unfazed by the charges. “Regardless, I know them well enough. And I can tell you exactly why you haven't found anything on them."

“…Okay, I'll bite," said Matt. “Why haven't we found anything on them?"

“Quite simple. The names they have now are not the ones they've had all their lives."

“…Changed names?" Now he was interested. No one changed their name without there being something big behind it. “So they used to go by different names…what were they before?"

“I'm afraid I can't tell you that. I would, but there's an interference…an entreaty to Uxie which hid their old names away forevermore. And a consequence of that is, even if you tried to search random old names, you still wouldn't find them. Their pasts are buried to all except themselves."

“Wait, that can't be possible," Krakell declared. “I know Uxie can block knowledge, but people would realize that it was blocked. They have to have had a history somewhere, and they would have to know who those people were."

“You think so, kitty?" Mahu snickered again. “Uxie's good at what they do. Their history has been completely dissociated from them to those for whom it would matter. In all of their records, the ones who became Cornell and Nikare are deceased. Tragically dead at a young age, with no resolution as to the culprit. So you could try to look, but it still wouldn't matter - that part of them is so split from them that you couldn't use it to goad them, and no one else would believe you if you tried to tell them that there was a connection. Not that it would matter, because you yourselves wouldn't believe it even if you found it."

“…You're too confident about that for me to raise any good objection," sighed Matt. “I really just never feel comfortable about what the legendaries can do…"

“They are gods for a reason. But, that doesn't mean I can't help you."

“Help us?"

“I'm the only one outside of them who knows their history - for the exact reason your kitty highlighted, I knew them before. In fact I'm the ONLY one who knows them now who knew them before, at this point. Although I can't give you the name, I can tell you about it. You might not be able to use it against them, but there might be something that could be done about it regardless."

“You're being deliberately vague and I don't like it," snarled Krakell. “How do we know you're not trying to trick us somehow? You've already been sneaky enough as it is. And there's no way you're just gonna do it just because. What's your angle?"

“What, you don't trust me? I'm wounded!" Mahu sounded nowhere near wounded. “I know exactly how it sounds, kitty, and I wouldn't have it any other way. I much prefer being mysterious and for trust in me to be shaky at best, it makes life much more fun for me."

“Life?" Matt asked pointedly.

“Despite what you might have heard, Ghost-types ARE in fact alive. We're just also immortal, until we decide not to be." Mahu bowed again. “If you're interested…there is a deserted path between areas of the Schestrus building, a place that is of little value to anyone so it frequently remains untouched. Meet me there tomorrow evening at 10 PM, and perhaps you'll find the information you seek…and more."

“W-wait!" Matt was too late, the Marowak simply vanished in front of their eyes. And he knew there was no way to track it down, a ghost that didn't want to be found wouldn't be found. “Jeez…that wasn't at all what I was expecting."

“Sorry, Matt…I should've been more vigilant." Krakell bowed his head. “I didn't even realize…"

“It's not your fault, I think maybe he's had a lot of practice hiding until he wants to pop in." Matt sat back down in his computer chair, rubbing his eyes. “But…he's also the only lead we've got. And if he's telling the truth, the only lead we'll ever have."

“Do you really trust him?"

“That's maybe an overstatement. But…I didn't get any feeling that he was trying to be malicious. He just feels like one of those types that enjoys being sneaky and such, but if he wanted to hurt us, he could have done that at any time without showing himself to us."

Krakell sighed tensely. “Which means you think there's not going to be any harm in going to see him…well, I hope you're right, Matt, because I'm not so sure I feel as confident."

Matt patted Krakell's head gently, trying to settle him down. “If you're really opposed to it, bud, we can think of something else…"

“No…I trust you. I just won't feel GOOD about it."

The human couldn't help but grin. “I guess I'll take what I can get."

———

The Schestrus building. An old manufacturing facility, in a part of town that was so run-down that even Matt felt like like he looked 'better' than it - mostly industrial but with a few very run-down buildings that looked like apartments dotting here and there. The facility had been closed for several years after the company went bust, but the city didn't have the funds to tear it down and clean it up to be repurposed. The building lay dormant, behind fencing that wasn't remotely sufficient to keep most people out, and Matt and Krakell didn't have any trouble getting to it. Neither of them felt totally at ease, though, especially with the cloudy darkness overhead making things even harder to see for Matt, who had to rely on the Luxray's superior night vision.

“Everything about this place feels wrong," the Pokémon remarked as they walked around the perimeter, trying to find the path that Mahu had spoken to them of. “Don't they say that this place is haunted by the ghosts of workers who died here in years past?"

“They say that about a lot of old industrial buildings, whether they're active or not," replied Matt, though his voice didn't sound terribly comfortable. “I'm guessing Mahu likes that, though…places with rumors like that are really attractive to Ghost-type Pokémon. And I get the feeling he likes having the emotional advantage."

“Don't gotta say THAT twice. Smarmy lizard." Krakell slowed as his eyes spotted an opening in the walls. “I think maybe that's where we're supposed to go."

“You're gonna have to guide me, I can't see a damned thing. Shoulda brought a flashlight."

“You'd have to own a flashlight for that to happen. You always just use me." To demonstrate, Krakell formed a ball of electricity in front of him, providing a little light for them to see by. “I hope we don't have to fight it, though, if I'm using my juice."

“If it was a normal one, all the juice in the world wouldn't matter."

“True, and also completely irrelevant to anything."

Matt chuckled. “Just trying to lighten the mood a bit. Since you're lightening the way."

Krakell didn't respond, though in a way, he was thankful for the levity. This place was still giving him the creeps, and he was sure Matt was feeling the same way. But they kept walking, seeing nothing out of place or particularly threatening. Not even any other Pokémon…old abandoned factory seemed like a decent place for some of them to set up shop, but either it was just utterly deserted or they were all asleep. He had to admit, Mahu was clearly right about one thing - where they were was utterly devoid of activity, clearly not considered worth much to anyone.

At least, outside of the Marowak himself. And Krakell found himself turning off his own light as they saw an eerie blue one ahead of them. “Matt…"

“Yeah, that looks like it to me." The two of them stepped up the pace, heading towards the spectral glow…sure enough, they found themselves in a small secluded space where the Marowak was sitting on an old steel drum, his bone with him this time and providing the source of the glow that they'd seen. The only thing that had stuck out in this whole place, as clear a signal to them as could be.

“So you came after all…I was half-convinced you wouldn't." Mahu gave the two of them a nod. “But I suppose your curiosities got the better of you."

“You could say that," Matt responded guardedly. “But why all the way out here?"

“Because, it's the least likely place to be interrupted as we go on a spirit ride."

“Wh-whoa, hang on a second!" Krakell snapped, flashing a bit. “No one said anything about that!"

“Of course I didn't! You probably wouldn't have come if I did." Mahu was surprisingly expressive behind that bone mask; Matt was used to Marowaks being very stoic types, very limited in how much emotion they displayed. But then again, the Alolan ones were said to be different. “I chose a location where your bodies were almost certain not to be disturbed, and no one would suspect a thing."

“Our…bodies?" Matt looked between Mahu and Krakell. “Do I want to know what's going on?"

“He wants us to…have our souls separated from our bodies," growled Krakell.

“W…wait, what?"

“I assure you, it is an utterly harmless experience!" declared Mahu. “Your bodies will merely relinquish control of your spirits for a time, and said spirits will join me to our destination. You will be undetectable by any as we observe from the spirit plane, even a Lucario's aura won't notice us if we're as indistinct as possible. Your bodies will be unconscious, but will retain all signs of life, and there will be no damage to them so long as nothing comes across them that wishes to - but that's why this location is perfect, few would venture here at any time of day, much less now."

Krakell sparked a bit; his discomfort was through the roof now. “Why is it so empty? There aren't even any Zubats around."

“There is a mark here…a ghostly one, one that dissuades others from entering, even those normally resistant to such effects. I know nothing of it except its existence…from my observation, there's nothing harmful about it, but it has a very odd quality about it that triggers emotional responses much like the ones you've been feeling. It makes for a nice private location, if I do say so myself." Mahu leaned forward, grinning at the Luxray. “You really SHOULD relax, being wound up as tightly as you are isn't good for you. If I had any interest in deviousness, I wouldn't need such an elaborate set-up. I only wish for you not to have any unfortunate interruptions while I'm showing you what I need to show you."

“…Why do you need to show us anything?" asked Matt. “I thought you were going to tell us about Cornell and Nikare."

“And I shall. But to truly appreciate the story I tell, you'll need to see something…something of them, that will amplify your understanding of what there is between them." Mahu held out his bone, the flaming ends flickering in the darkness. “We've had questions enough, I think. Grab hold of the bone, and let your spirits free…and we shall begin this journey of revelation."

No more time for argument…Matt and Krakell looked at each other, dubious, but both seemed to feel the same thing - this was probably their only chance to get the truth. Relying on a not-entirely-trustworthy Ghost-type wasn't the easiest thing in the world, but Mahu certainly could have done pretty much anything he wanted to them already…with deep breaths they approached the bone, Matt taking one end in his hands and Krakell biting down on the other.

They were entirely unprepared for the sudden flare of spectral flame…nor for it to be nothing except a weird vibration between warm and cold, before everything suddenly went away. Matt blinked for a moment as everything came back into focus…and gasped as he looked down. He could see partly THROUGH his body…no, what felt like his body, because what was actually his body was on the ground several feet below them, laying limply over Krakell's. But looking to his right, he could see Krakell floating next to him, the form of the Luxray beyond nervous.

“Welcome to the spirit ride!" Mahu, of course, treated this all as completely normal. “Don't worry, the journey shall be quick and painless. Please mind to remain incorporeal at all times, and not to attempt to engage the physical world. Wouldn't want any pesky Lucario senses to pick up on anything."

“Uh, question…" Matt pointed down. “Where's YOUR body?"

“What a silly question. It's right here!" Mahu tapped on his chest. “Ghost-type. There is nothing to separate, this is my entire being, body and soul are one and the same. Now, come along! Your answers await!"

“Nnngh…this feels too weird…" Krakell stayed close to Matt as they started to move, their motion compelled by pure will to follow behind Mahu. Matt found it quite weird, too, and hoped that their bodies would be as safe as Mahu expected them to be…

———

It was without a doubt the most bizarre experience in the lives of Matt and Krakell. Existing as a pure spirit, unbound by physical laws…some might have enjoyed it, but it wasn't really their thing, as they quickly found. But they put up with it, it was only going to be temporary, and getting the answers they sought would be worth some brief discomfort.

Mahu brought them to their destination not merely by just flying. They passed through to a white plane, where the outlines of all the world around them were visible but indistinct. According to Mahu, this was a trans-dimensional space, allowing them to both be completely separate from the real world for a brief time and to pop into places far away from where they started within a short period of time. He was decidedly mum on the rest of their questions, though, telling them that he wasn't going to give them a full tutorial on being a ghost or spirit unless they decided to become one full-time - a prospect which rather effectively shut them up.

But soon enough, they popped back out of the white and back into a more parsable world, and they found themselves near a small house with some dim lighting coming out of some of the windows. “Here we are…and well-timed, too, I should say," remarked Mahu as they floated down towards the ground outside the house.

“This…is where they live?" asked Matt. It was a surprise, a small house, looking only big enough for two of them - a single story, a few rooms, nothing impressive to look at from the outside. “It seems like it's not much for someone who has a good job like Cornell, I'd think he could afford better."

“Ambition is something that Cornell does not particularly fancy," Mahu replied. “There is a comfort in something like this. Though, to be sure, I couldn't myself say whether he COULD do better in the first place, the machinations of the human economy are not something I care to understand."

“…Yeah, I'm gonna say that's probably a good position to have."

“So, what, we're spying on them?" asked Krakell.

Mahu nodded. “But of course! You need to see them. That will help you understand what I tell you."

“Jeez…this feels wrong in a lot of ways…but, well…we're here…" the Luxray didn't seem entirely at ease, but didn't protest as they floated towards the house, passing through the walls and into a room. It didn't take long to register that they were in a bedroom, one that seemed a bit bigger than they had expected from the outside of the house…but it was what was going on inside that bedroom that caught Matt and Krakell's attention and didn't let it go.

Both Cornell and Nikare were on the bed. At the moment, the human was on his back, slightly propped up by pillows, and Nikare was straddling him, his paws against the human's shoulders, looking down at him with an expression of lust, eyes partly lidded and tongue hanging out as he panted a bit. His body was rising and dropping down, and his cock was fully erect, knot protruding at the base, leaking fluid onto Cornell's stomach…there was absolutely no doubt what he was engaged in, and though Matt didn't want to, he couldn't stop himself from looking, and confirming that, yes, Nikare was currently riding Cornell's dick. His face flushed…this was NOT what he was expecting to see!

Krakell might have been even more red-faced, though his fur hid the expression a lot more. It was well-betrayed by his voice, though. “Th-this…this can't…this can't be what you were trying to show us!"

“And why not?" chuckled Maru, who was utterly unfazed. “You wanted to learn the truth about them, did you not? This is part of the truth. A big part of it, I'd say."

Maybe a little too much truth, in their opinions…but despite their misgivings, despite the feeling of intrusion, they couldn't really look away. Nikare was riding Cornell hard, it looked like he was close to finishing, Cornell might have been too…it was all too clear from the display that the Lucario was the one calling the shots here, Cornell seemed almost passive, not making any effort at all to try to take the reins. Passive but certainly not disengaged, his voice was laden with bliss, moaning out freely and breathing Nikare's name here and there…there was more to this than just a rut, that much was obvious.

Nikare's jaw clenched suddenly, and he started to ride hard, his motions suddenly getting quick and rough. Cornell's voice got higher, more breathless, and then he cried out…it wasn't immediately visible, but Matt and Krakell didn't need to be told that he'd just hit his climax. And a few thrusts later, so did Nikare, a somewhat more growly cry tearing from his mouth as his own cock fired lances of sticky spunk out onto Cornell, marking him up with canine seed. The jets were quite forceful, reaching Cornell's head and further, making a nice mess of both human and bed…Nikare made no effort whatsoever to contain the mess, letting himself fly fast and loose until his shots tapered off, the ebbing release catching more of Cornell's chest and stomach.

They rested there for a minute, panting and looking into each other's eyes…no words exchanged, but the observers could all tell there was something between them there, something a lot deeper than they had ever imagined. The moment seemed to pass when Nikare lifted himself up off of Cornell, the smears of seed on the human's cock dispelling any doubt of his release. But things were clearly not done, as Nikare now moved, shifting himself down so that his lower half was shifted between the human's spread legs…Cornell wasn't questioning, wasn't protesting, in fact his eyes seemed to be pleading for it. It was all too clear that this wasn't an unfamiliar thing between them, they knew what they wanted and they knew exactly how to get it…Matt was amazed he'd never seen it before, when the two were together out in the city, they were either really good at hiding it or he'd just never noticed what it really was between them.

When Nikare swiftly thrust his cock into Cornell's ass, Krakell took a sharp breath inwards. The Luxray was tense as could be, watching this scene, feeling almost dirty, but feeling something else just as much if not more…it was everything he could do to keep himself decent, and it was wildly fortunate that he seemed to be able to control his 'spirit' appearance better than he could probably control his body. That didn't mean he wasn't feeling some feelings, though, watching Nikare start to thrust into Cornell, the human moaning and panting and mewling in bliss.

But again, it was no mere romp, and that became even more evident as Nikare leaned in now, slipping one arm under Cornell and using the other to caress the human's side. His tongue licked at Cornell's face, cleaning it of his own seed, wiping the white streaks off of it…and then, he went to the human's mouth, and his muzzle met Cornell's face, tongue slipping inside the human's mouth, sharing the flavor of his essence with the human. And for the first time, Cornell looked less than passive as he pushed into the kiss, moans muffled but even more amorous. One hand went up to rub against Nikare's face, his body tensing as he tightened up for the Lucario, encouraging him to keep going.

It was starting to dawn on Matt what he was seeing. These two weren't just familiar, they weren't just partners…they were lovers. In this most private of moments, they were sharing themselves with each other on a level he could only imagine. He'd heard stories, as most had, about what Pokémon and humans got up to, it was far from an unnatural thing as far as most were concerned, but it was a lot less common to hear outright love stories…and he could swear he could almost feel their passion in his core, and it was something that made him ache a bit, feeling a yearning for something like that of his own. He shook his head, trying to dismiss it, but it wasn't going so easily…well, was it that unusual? He didn't have any relationship even close to what he was seeing there, the closest person he had in his life was Krakell, and they didn't have THAT kind of partnership.

And it was hard not to be envious when Cornell and Nikare were so expressive about their love. Loud moans, lots of body rubbing, the Lucario's spike was grazing the human's chest but clearly not doing any harm, and just the aura of bliss that surrounded them. Bliss which was only amplified by Nikare's slowly hastening thrusts into Cornell, the wet slaps of that thick knot against pre-soaked flesh almost echoing through the room. Nikare very clearly could have been going a lot harder, a lot faster, but that wasn't what this was about…he seemed intent on maximizing Cornell's pleasure, just as Cornell seemed to be focused on his, their deep continued kiss seeming to be a match between who wanted to give it more.

“The knotting is always the best part," murred Mahu, who was somewhat reclining in midair, watching the scene with a very wide grin on his face.

“You are SUCH a creeper," growled Krakell.

“Yep. Don't try to pretend you're not enjoying it."

“That-! I'm not…" Krakell wanted to sputter more, but he was distracted as the voices in the room got louder. Nikare and Cornell had broken the kiss, though their faces were still close to each other…Nikare looked to be in a state of deep concentration, his breathing quickened as he thrust faster into Cornell, who was crying out more and more, back arching as he sank into Nikare's efforts. Soft pleas of 'please' were escaping his mouth, carrying with them the tension of one who was very close to the pinnacle…and Nikare responded by leaning in more, thrusting a little harder, angling himself to poke against something inside Cornell, made evident by the sharpened cries that came from the human. It was a display that neither Matt nor Krakell had ever imagined seeing from anyone, this wasn't the kind of passion you tended to get from porn.

Finally, Nikare tensed up, and he thrust, and pushed, and then with a soft pop that knot planted itself into Cornell. Human and Lucario cried out together, their orgasms coming on apparently simultaneously, both heads thrown back as they voiced their rapture and shot their shots. Cornell's load was weaker, loosing a few spurts into Nikare's fur as his cock rubbed up against it, the motions smearing it around as the Lucario humped and ground a bit, trying to gush as much as he could into his partner. They couldn't see how much was coming out there, but Nikare certainly seemed to be going at it for a long time, and that knot would ensure that not a drop came out…if it was anything like the load he'd shot off the first time, though, Cornell was going to be filled quite a bit.

Eventually, Nikare dropped down onto Cornell, his body pressing close to the human's, the chest spike compressing harmlessly as he laid against his partner. Cornell's arms came up around him as the two began to kiss again, much more languidly this time, their weariness evident yet not dampening the clear passion between them. They shifted a little bit, rolling more onto their sides, still remaining close as that knot was nice and snug inside Cornell, and it didn't seem that they'd be trying to get it out any time soon. The action seemed to be over, though, and finally Matt and Krakell were able to break themselves away from the scene…not that it wouldn't be lingering in their minds for a while.

“Ah, as beautiful as ever." Mahu turned towards the two others. “Enjoy the show?"

“That…felt a little bit wrong," said Matt. “I mean, not what they were doing, but us…looking in on them like that."

“Hm, you two clearly wouldn't make good ghosts. Not yet, anyway. But you've got an idea of what they're like now, don't you?"

Krakell nodded. “Y-yeah…that…the way they were…they're so…unbelievably close. I…no, forget it, not saying that…they're just…they're so close…I…I can't help but feel that that came from somewhere. That they WERE trainer and Pokémon…but…it doesn't feel like they are now. I know trainers and Pokémon can be like that, but there's just…something…that feels different."

Mahu nodded. “Your instincts are accurate. There WAS a time when Cornell was Nik's trainer. And believe me, that was a sight to behold. In those days, he lived in a region far to the west, and they were fixtures in the competitive circuit, in the solo league - a league where only one Pokémon battles by a trainer, and has to overcome the challenges of a bad match-up with nothing more than their own skill and resolve. And Cornell and Nikare, under their old names, they were known as utter TERRORS."

“They were that good?" asked Krakell in awe.

“That good and more. A typical solo league challenge expects losses…the Pokémon involved are quite capable, and some competitions are just completely weighted towards one side by nature. Performance in losses is just as important as in victories, putting up a solid fight against heavy odds earns you quite favorable judging. But Nikare was different…Nikare tended not to lose even against those he should have. Even from the first year they fought together, when Cornell was merely 16, they tore the circuit up and stomped on the pieces. The first rookie-year champion in the league's history, and they never looked back. For nine straight years, they took the regional championship title, against some who would have easily been the champions if they didn't have to go against such prodigies. In two of those years, they accomplished an unprecedented and perhaps unattainable feat by any of their successors…going entirely undefeated on the season."

“Holy crap…" Matt's jaw dropped in awe. “That's not just good, that's straight up phenom territory. I can't believe guys capable of that are practically slumming it up in this city…Nikare could probably wipe the floor with just about everyone here without breaking a sweat if he can handle that."

The Marowak let out a chuckle. “Oh, if he were to put his all into it, I have no doubt. You should have seen him in action…the raw, ruthless power behind his attacks, the exceptional grace and agility to weave through the tightest gaps in his opponents' salvos, those blade-sharp gazes that saw through just about everyone's intentions and pierced their plans before they ever had a chance. And Cornell, he had a bond with Nikare, they almost had a language of their own, when he gave the signals it was impossible for others to counterguess him, while he could easily do so with their much more mundane commands. And he had an almost preternatural sense for the flow of battle and where and how he could shift it in their favor. The two were a team so in sync that it seemed like there was no ceiling for them, they could just keep getting better until they were flat-out unstoppable."

“Except…that didn't happen. In the middle of their tenth season, things took an entirely unexpected turn. No one's clear on whether it was a mistake by Cornell or a misinterpretation by Nikare, but the Lucario made an extremely inopportune feint right into a Close Combat attack by a Mienshao. It was a shocking blunder that led to the most decisive loss they had had in their entire careers - a failure that had everyone wondering what could have happened. Neither of them could explain it, but it was clear they were rattled by the mishap. They said they would shrug it off, and get back on track in the next battle."

“They did not. If anything, things got worse. Suddenly, inexplicably, the two of them were no longer in sync. For all of Nikare's power, for all of his experience, he was missing cues given to him that were leading him into taking devastating blows, the kind you simply can't afford in battles like this. And Cornell was giving delayed directions, or entirely wrong directions, and struggling to read the battles as he had been before. No one was really sure what had changed, but the champions were looking much more mortal - enough that some thought they might be taking an intentional dive, which they denied, and their frustrations seemed to back that up. Failure after failure, it was compounding itself, they were getting much snappier at everyone who talked to them, and to each other. It was such a dramatic fall that everyone was talking about it, almost more than the actual winners of the matches."

“They had one last chance, at the last regular match of their season, to salvage a tournament berth. It was a disaster…it was a matchup that should have favored Nikare, a Rhyperior, there was a mutual type advantage threat but Nikare's superior speed should have done the trick. But, perhaps the Rhyperior smelled blood in the water, because he went all in on Nikare, and the Lucario looked utterly lost out there. Missing attacks much more, getting hit hard, and Cornell wasn't giving him ANY help…an obviously telegraphed Rock Wrecker to the face was the final blow, and the final nail in their hopes, as Nikare looked so pitiful out there that no one could have considered him worthy of trying to defend the title. For the first time, they had failed to even give themselves a chance."

“The aftermath between the two of them was ugly. In their home, tempers blew up between Cornell and Nikare. Each of them blamed the other for the ceaseless string of losses, pointing out how miserable they'd each been performing, and accusing each other of dereliction and sabotage. Their own embarrassment and humiliation and feelings of worthlessness projected onto the other, because they couldn't figure out what it was in themselves that was screwing things up…it was a horrifying thing, that fight, causing many to fear something drastic was going to happen. And those fears were realized…in the heat of their spat, Cornell did the unthinkable - he swung, slapping Nikare right across the muzzle." Mahu smacked his bone with an open hand, providing an extra dimension to the tale. “Not easy, either - full-force, no holding back. I think that might've been even more shocking to Nikare than that first big loss that started it all."

Both Matt and Krakell cringed hearing that. They didn't need any explanation - there were certain things as a trainer that you DID NOT DO, and striking a Pokémon in anger was one of them. It was not necessarily universally a problem for trainers to get physical with Pokémon - some mons wanted their trainers to try to fight them as extra practice or as a means of helping the trainer toughen themselves up, and under those circumstances it was considered an acceptable thing. But that was dramatically different from a straight-up smack out of fury…that was abuse. That was a line you couldn't uncross. It was unlikely to have been that physically damaging, not for a Pokémon as large and durable as a Lucario, but emotionally, it was shattering, a complete breakdown of trust.

Mahu nodded grimly, seeing their expressions. “Indeed…it was almost unthinkable, that they should have fallen out so far. And they both knew in that moment that Cornell had gone too far. There were no more words…Nikare simply turned and left, and Cornell did not stop him. The partnership was no more."

“But…then…how…this?" asked Krakell. “How…I don't know how I could ever come back to someone who did that to me, much less…go THAT direction."

“Entirely understandable. It seems like an odd progression, doesn't it? It didn't start out that way, though, believe me. Nikare put a good bit of distance between himself and Cornell, living in the wild and lamenting the loss of his glory days. He refused to battle against wild Pokémon most of the time, and even when he did, his heart wasn't in it…he tended to suffer humiliating losses because his attacks just didn't come out with anything like the force he was capable of. Perhaps a subconscious block - he felt worthless, so he was worthless. And his life was hollow, empty, devoid of meaning, and though he tried searching for it, he never could come up with it."

“Cornell, perhaps, spiraled even further downward. He never reported what he did, but he tore up his own trainer's license - in his eyes, he was unworthy of ever being a trainer again after what he did. What he was worthy of, he certainly didn't know, so he turned to cheap ways of covering the pain…well, I say 'cheap' but drugs and booze have a way of adding up the more you do them. He refused to talk to anyone who wanted to ask about what had happened, even threatening harm to a couple who tried to push their luck, and in the end they finally abandoned him to obscurity, the legend leaving the actual person behind. He was miserable constantly, and wasn't doing anything to try to improve it...it was truly pathetic."

“Time has a funny way of doing things. Their anger at each other was as fierce as could be early on…but as the weeks turned to months, it became harder for each of them to deny the yearning they had for each other. They each came to see their own faults as the ones that mattered, and to regret everything they had said and done in rage towards the other out of their inability to accept their own failures. Anger and contempt turned to sadness and longing…they didn't know what they really wanted, except each other. But for a long time, neither one felt worthy to try to make amends, believing that they had destroyed that bridge and nothing could ever repair it."

“It was about a year and a half after that fateful day of their split…Nikare woke up from a nightmare, one that had him believing that Cornell was either dead or dying. The raw panic refused to abate…he took it as a sign that, if he had any hope of saving Cornell, he had to act as soon as possible. He raced back towards the city, ignoring the rain as it started to pour down, making the trek an agonizing slog…he wouldn't let it stop him, even if he was just acting on a whim."

“It was a stroke of prescience, to be sure…then again, perhaps it's not so surprising that a Lucario should have that kind of sense. Cornell had gotten himself into some rather deep trouble…his death spiral lifestyle had gotten him into some rather severe debt to some rather shady characters, and they were coming to collect. He tried to run through the rain, but his health had gone down the shitter from his habits, and he didn't stand a chance. Menaced by a half-dozen Pokémon and humans, he knew what he was destined for…a quick death and a harvest on his organs, to be sold on the black market to recoup the money he'd taken. His last wish that he had just had one opportunity to tell Nikare how sorry he was…not even an entreaty for his own life, but for the one he had hurt so much…"

“I don't know whether Jirachi had a hand in it or not, but that wish was granted. Nikare came out in a fury as he saw someone approaching with the knife…that implement never got within range of hurting Cornell, not when its carrier nearly had his head taken off. They all rounded on the stranger, but it changed nothing…they weren't anything remotely on the level of what Nikare had taken down before. Brutal attacks, routing the Pokémon and leaving the humans with several nasty, though nonfatal, injuries, and sending them running off…the first battle Nikare had won since that implosion in the league. And the last."

“The…last?" Matt's voice was almost a whisper - that would have meant Cornell was telling the truth, it could very easily have been nine years since then by the timeline Mahu was giving them.

“It was a heartfelt, if somber, reunion. Tears were shed, apologies were sobbed out underneath the pouring rain. But as they got inside and dried off, they knew it was only the start. And so began the long talk, about everything that had happened…neither of them any closer to knowing what had really caused them to stumble so badly, despite months and months of reflection. And with sobering new insights about who they were when things didn't go right, a lot of new things were coming to light, too. Although they were together again, it couldn't be picking back up where they left off…no, they knew their lives wouldn't ever be the same. Too much had changed, including their feelings towards each other."

“A lot of tough decisions were made that night. Both of them agreed that they could never re-enter the battle arena…it had been that that had torn them apart, that had strained their relationship and driven them to such hostility, they couldn't risk that again. And even if the will had been there for Nikare, Cornell was adamant that he would never be a trainer again - he had done something he couldn't forgive, and no longer could trust himself to be in control. They would have a different partnership, one as equals, with no demands made of Nikare…that was the only way in his eyes. Nikare accepted this, even though he forgave Cornell, he understood the human's reticence and didn't want to push him otherwise."

“The two left together the next day, leaving their old life behind for good. It was not an easy journey…it was one that they walked to start, as Cornell clearly had no money to facilitate a more convenient trip. And then the withdrawal kicked in…Nikare had to help Cornell through some nasty days of illness and delirium, treating him until he managed to get past the worst of it, and even then it would be months before Cornell shook all the symptoms. But it wasn't all bad…it was during this time that the nature of their new relationship really showed itself, with love and lust coming out between them. Feelings that had truly started to bud during their separation, but bloomed as they came together and moved past what had wrecked things before. And here, too, Cornell told Nikare that he did not want to risk imposing on him, that he didn't feel right even risking having power, so he asked Nikare to be the dominant one, that he would willingly be obedient to anything within reason. Nikare…I can tell he doesn't dislike that arrangement, but at the same time, he does not tend to stray outside a limited zone of expression of it. His feelings for Cornell are much tighter than that...they may do the occasional indulgence that tends to come with a dominant Pokémon, but more often the flavor is closer to what you see tonight, passion between the two of them, equal lovers in observable practice."

“And from there, well, it would probably be considered rather boring to you. Changing their names and burying their past with some help from Uxie, getting to a port city, making way to somewhere far away from familiar, getting formal education and transitioning to mundane jobs, and living a normal life for the past several years. They've never totally forgotten about what once was, but memories are all they have, and they are scarcely sharp enough for them to remember much beyond the broad strokes I gave you. They have nothing from their old lives, all that remains is in the history section of the league memorial hall of their old region, monuments to a champion duo whose fall spiraled down rapidly to their deaths. Their final impression that of complete and total failure…but in failure, they're living a life that makes them happy."

Matt and Krakell were silent, looking over at the now-sleeping pair on the bed. Hints of placid smiles on their faces even in slumber…there was no doubt that they truly were happy, something that wasn't easily leaving their heads. They'd never had any idea what their pressures might have been doing to the two of them, that they'd had such a sordid history…now it made a lot more sense, and rather than seeking to use it, they were strongly questioning whether it was worth it.

“I don't think there's anything more to gain from being here," stated Mahu, looking between the sleeping Cornell and Nikare and the awkward Matt and Krakell. “Shall we return?"

“Ah…y-yeah, let's, uh…let's go back," Krakell agreed.

“Perfect. Now then, let's be off…"

———

It had been an interesting experience, but Matt would have been perfectly happy never to go for a spirit ride again. There was something much more comfortable about being tethered to a physical body…though, he supposed he had to appreciate that he had the experience to even make that comparison. “Mmph…it's good to be back. It almost feels like that was all a dream, but I know better…"

“Hardly unusual, there is a drastic difference to being a spirit," chuckled Mahu. “I find most mortals don't tend to think much of it…the ones who do, though, they're rather fun. I presume you got some information you were interested in, though?"

“Yeah, uh, definitely…" Krakell was a bit flushed. “Jeez…more than, even. I never would've suspected that all that was behind all that. Thought they were just being obstinate."

“It is a rare situation, not exactly what many would expect. But now, the question is: do you still want that battle?"

Matt and Krakell exchanged looks. After everything they'd learned…well, the urge for a really good scrap with a really good Pokémon was there, that never wavered, but the mood was tempered by knowing what they'd been through, knowing their background…it seemed less than kind to subject Cornell and Nikare to something that had brought them so much strife. “I guess it probably doesn't matter anyway…" said Matt. “Given what they've said, I don't think they'd get anything out of it. It's unlikely they'd ever accept."

“Perhaps as is. But…I could make it happen." Matt and Krakell's eyes widened at the grinning ghost lizard. “With ease, in fact. Induce that spark in them once more, let them experience that fire of battle that they once had. There's no telling what might happen in that event…I can't predict how they'll feel, what will happen between them and with them, but still, it would get you what you were looking for, right?"

Looks between each other again, this time even more uncomfortable. “You…that…you can…really do that?" asked Krakell nervously.

“Of course I can! The ghost's curse can work in any number of mysterious ways…and I already know it works on them." That grin got ever so slightly more devious. “After all, it was my curse which caused their downfall in the first place."

“WHAT?!" exclaimed both of them at the same time.

“You…you caused them to start losing?!" Matt asked, aghast.

“Why would you do something like that?" growled Krakell.

Mahu just laughed, not at all put out by their shock and sudden hostility. “Why? Let me ask you something…do you have any idea how BORING it is, to watch a perfectly good and exciting form of combat league turn into a one-team ego show? It was completely toxic for that league, which prided itself on challenging matches and narrow margins of victory, to be so thrown off its axis for so long by a pair that was inevitably going to be the champion when it ended. It took all the fun and suspense out of it when the outcome was hardly in doubt from the start. Letting that go on and on…I really couldn't stomach the thought of it. SOMEONE had to do something, why not me?"

“You…that…" Matt was at a loss for words. Maybe he'd been insensitive, but upturning someone's entire life just because he felt it was ruining his favorite entertainment program…THAT seemed well beyond any sin HE had.

“Oh, don't look so scandalized. After all, it was because of me that they found what they had been missing in each other…eventually, anyway. So it all turned out for the best! They're living their happy quiet lives, and I'm getting to watch actually thrilling tournaments. Win-win."

“That's…that's not…a good justification…" Krakell was sparking a bit.

“Well, you can feel free to have the opinion you want. But should I take this to mean you aren't interested in my offer?"

“No way!" the Luxray almost shouted. “They've been futzed with enough already! If I'da known what it was like I woulda left them alone from the start! Just…let it go. I'll find someone who wants a battle and can back it up eventually."

“Fair enough! In that case, I'll take my leave now." Mahu gave a cheeky little wave as he started to fade from sight. “Good luck with your search! And with whatever else you might be thinking about…"

And then he was gone…or at least, they couldn't see him anymore. One never truly knew if a ghost was actually gone or not. Matt patted Krakell a bit, trying to soothe the Luxray's ire a bit. “Easy, buddy. It's all done now."

“Rgh…can't believe he'd do something like that…" Krakell was still tense, but the sparking was dying down. “And to think he would've just done it again! Like their life is like a toy for him or something!"

“…I don't like what he did either, no. But…" Matt looked where Mahu had been, seeing nothing but empty space. “I don't think he would've gone through all of that if he really thought nothing of it, he would've just done it for us. He didn't just take us to see what was going on for kicks, he did it for a reason…I think maybe to get exactly that kind of reaction out of us."

“He…wanted us to be angry?"

“He wanted us to, uh…realize that sometimes getting what you want isn't the best outcome, I think. Something like that. Maybe just when it's when it's not what someone else wants…either way, I don't think he'll do anything if we aren't interested."

Krakell let out a sigh. “I hope so…let's go home, Matt. I think I just…want to have a quiet night in the rest of the night."

Matt nodded, smiling. “Sounds good, buddy."

———

The room was still dark when Krakell woke up. The clock read 5:30…definitely too early. Yet, he wasn't feeling like going back to sleep.

He was curled up on the bed, next to Matt's sleeping form. Not an uncommon thing for him, but it was more important tonight than it had been before. He'd had a lot of time to think, especially thanks to their quiet night in, which had been exactly as quiet as he'd hoped…he'd had more time to mull things over, to work out what it was that he was thinking, feeling, and what he wanted to say.

It was too early now…but he doubted he was getting back to sleep at this point, not with it running through his head. He had to say something. He HAD to know. Even if it wasn't what he wanted, he couldn't hold his tongue on it anymore, at least knowing would settle his mind.

But…if it can work out between those two, even after everything that happened…maybe it would work between us as well.

He rose up and slowly stepped over Matt, lightly bapping his paw against the human's face. It took a few baps, but Matt finally responded, rousing out of slumber and looking up at Krakell with tired eyes. “Wha…Kraks? What's up?"

“Hey…uh, sorry to wake you up, but…I, uh…I gotta talk to you about something…"