FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

'How much longer do you think?' Fenny asked as they walked through the seemingly endless cavern routes, taking turns every couple of miles.

"Victory Road is about endurance," she said, edging the wall and tracing its damp ridges, cracks, and crevices with her fingertips, noting every single intricacy. She'd started off and on about an hour ago, possibly out of boredom.

'You'd think you proved yourself after fighting eight gyms around Kalos and winning all of them...'

She pulled her hand and let her arm slip to her side, running her fingers over her clothing. "Maybe they want to be a hundred percent positive you're up for the challenge." She took a sharp right. "The League is a marvelous structure. I've always wanted to see it in person... That, I would admire," said Cassidy. "It has a Mart too. We need to stock up more than ever before the battles."

'A lot.'

Twenty tedious minutes of straight cavern paths and a few obstacles later— including a few pokémon Fenny had to scare off with faked embers, they saw another light at the end of the tunnel.

Cassidy sighed at the sight, especially having walked this road without rest for nearly two hours.

'We did it?' Fenny swished his tail and grinned, peering against the bright swell as they got closer.

"The moment we step outside." Cassidy rubbed her eyes, seeing the terrain turn to pavement ahead.

In under a minute, they took their first step onto the grounds, and their breath was stolen by what was around them.

Cassidy looked up at the rocky cliffs and sprinkled vegetation atop them all around the areas' edges slicked with sun, walkways with rich trees and foliage lining them, and bridges leading up to the main attraction. Her eyes almost sparkled.

"Over here." Cassidy walked to a bench nearby and sat, leaning her back against it. Her body was shot, mainly her legs, and the sun's glowing warmth resting on her was more than soothing after living in caverns for hours, washing the cold away that stained her skin.

Fenny joined, seated by her while watching hundreds of trainers and their pokémon strolling the paths. He relished the sun warming his fur after living in the dark for hours.

"Are you holding up?" She placed her hand on his shoulder.

'I guess.' He recalled his experience at Snowbelle— how Cassidy had told him to avoid the avalugg barreling toward him. Screamed it, and how he physically couldn't. He'd frozen in place; he couldn't imagine it happening in front of thousands while broadcasted on TV. 'I'm– are you sure I'm ready?'

Cassidy nodded. "This is a mental battle within yourself. A good half of this is mindset and approach." She squeezed his shoulder. "It is life or death; every decision counts, and you have to trust yourself, or else you stand in your way."

Fenny looked down. 'It's... It's like...'

"Like you have hit a plateau, ouais?"

He looked at her. 'Maybe...'

"I'll repeat... trust and experience breed true confidence. Clear your headspace and try to hold a sound mind. You will need it to outplay your opponent without underestimating them. It's a hundred things to balance at once, but it is in your heart."

He took a breath and grinned, looking at her. 'Then I will.'

"That's my Fenny. Now let's get to the Mart."

They were up and making their way toward the stadium across the bridge that towered above as they approached. More trainers littered the grounds, many talking to their companions and readying for battle.

Cassidy walked through one of the many sets of doors, her eyes shooting around the busy grounds.

It resembled a mall: well-lit floors with various shops and fast food lining the walls.

'So, where is the Mart?' Fenny scanned store signs and lines of people in search of a Pokémon Center to no avail, most of which were cafés and small restaurants. He should have more of an appetite. Instead, his stomach was filled with butterfree.

"Unsure."

Ahead were two belt stanchions leading to a metal help desk with a young brunette female in a white outfit behind it. An open corridor to the stadium was to its left. Only one trainer was there at the moment; they walked away before Cassidy approached the desk.

"Hello, welcome to the Kalos League. Are you here to register for a battle?" she asked with a formal grin. Her accent was Galarian.

"Oh, sure."

The woman pulled a sheet of paper and pen from an open drawer next to her. "Our next available slot is in thirty minutes. Just sign this form for me."

"Thirty," she mumbled. She started by signing all four of her pokémons' species, types, and names on the sheet.

Fenny watched but heard commotion coming from the stadium, so he stepped aside and looked at what he could see through the hall, which were glimpses of a blaziken taking on a starmie while buzzing and cheering came from the bleachers.

Battling at its peak was art to watch, night and day when compared to casual battling. To participate in it was something else entirely. Fenny imagining himself in either of those pokémons' positions made him queasy.

Cassidy finished the form within the next minute and returned it to the woman.

"I'll get this processed. Return at least ten minutes before your slotted time to avoid hiccups, please..." She shot her eyes between Cassidy and Fenny. "Pardon, but are you two together?"

Cassidy stared blankly. "Together?"

She nodded with a grin. "As in a couple." She shot her eyes between them as silence sat. "Apologies." She shook her head. "I–"

"Yes." Cassidy glanced at Fenny, who looked down with a timorous grin.

The woman took a quiet sigh and wore relief. "Oh, well... you two are cute. I always adore seeing such purity. Power to you both, and good luck."

"Thank you... and would you happen to know where the Poké Mart is?"

---

Cassidy set one more full restore into the basket she held in the Mart after they'd stopped to eat at a small pizzeria. Oddly enough, this Mart was a standalone location, the first she had ever seen, but it made sense because it was inside the League.

She'd spent roughly ten minutes gathering what she needed with Fenny's aid. "That's fifteen full restores, ten hyper potions, burn heals, antidotes, ice and paralyze heals…"

'And twenty max revives,' Fenny finished.

"Let's take it up front." Cassidy went and stood behind someone in line. It crossed her mind again that she was at the League about to face her toughest battle yet. This would prove if she were as adequate a trainer as she hoped; although she tried to keep it tucked away, it terrified her to no end. Her stomach ached, and she raised her hand to hold it.

'Cass.' Fenny tugged on her arm.

She was shaken from her thoughts. "Hm?"

'We're next...'

Cassidy saw the cashier awaiting them behind the counter. She went and paid accordingly, placing all of the items inside her pouch and zipping it closed while exiting the store among crowds of people.

He eyed her. 'Are you okay?'

"If we lose, we fail after so much work. Then how will we win? The Elite and their pokémon are far more experienced than us."

‘But you've only lost two gyms, and they were starter ones. You caught on after that and trained us enough to keep up with the rest. Like you told me, you have to trust yourself.'

"I'm satisfied that I made it as far as I did, though... win or lose."

'But that's a lie, right? You'll only be satisfied when you're one of the best.'

She grinned a little. "Let's go check in."

They approached the front desk a minute later, as the Mart wasn't far, and saw the same woman sitting behind it.

"Ah, all ready? Stick this to something that keeps it visible at all times." She handed Cassidy a sticker with a barcode on it. "Walk down the stadium hall and take a right."

Cassidy stuck it to the front of her pouch. "Thank you." She took Fenny's wrist for a second and walked with him down the corridor. The buzzing from audience members grew louder and echoed as they traversed the empty hall.

Fenny's ears twitched while adjusting to it. He scanned the gated narrow steel bridge leading to the stage.

There was currently vacant smooth chrome flooring where they'd stand, and dark green terrain surrounded it. Three large screens hung on the north wall between red high-seats filled with people and pokémon.

Cassidy tugged him aside before they reached the closed gate to the field and down another hall, where a slim woman much older than herself stood by a door with an armed security guard in a navy-blue suit. She had short brown hair, wore a white top ending in shorts, and a matching jacket draping to her calves’ backsides. Gold bands were imprinted on the wrists of her jacket and around the waist of her shirt, and she wore a Pokétch.

"Diantha..." Cassidy whispered. She worked to keep her breaths under control

Diantha took out a small device and scanned the barcode on Cassidy's sticker before looking at its screen. "Cassidy? My, you are extremely lucky to have this spot."

"I… am?" Cassidy asked.

"This is our final live battle until later during the evening. It was booked originally, but the trainer canceled at the last minute, which is why I am speaking to you now. Usually, we have trainers interviewed before they perform live to ensure they're fit."

Diantha lowered the device and held her own wrist. "Unfortunately, we’re short on time. We host four live battles during the day and another four at night every Monday and Thursday. Many trainers prefer to fight privately, so it works itself out."

'Wait, we don't have to fight in front of a thousand people?'

"Th-That's amazing. I am honored to have it." Cassidy broke a grin, sucking in her lips.

"This way, if you may." Diantha opened the door to a small room, putting her hand up to stop the guard at the door. It had a leather couch and a restroom behind another door, along with a TV playing a pokémon fashion program. "You may sit, dear. Everything I'm going to tell you is crucial."

Cassidy entered and sat on the couch with Fenny as the door closed and consequently muffled the commotion outside.

"Your first opponent will be Elite Four Malva, the fire-type connoisseur. If all of your pokémon faint, your attempt is over, and you are sent back to the lobby; however, if you emerge victorious, you will be brought back here for a fifteen-minute break. Note that every battle follows these rules. You are allowed to challenge the Elite Four once per two weeks. We are open until 10 p.m. and cannot have the same trainers battling frequently."

“Would I have to walk Victory Road again if I lose?”

“Oh my, of course not. Trainers who have already completed Victory Road are given a physical pass to take the railway back here. It is also what audience members use.” Diantha brought up her Pokétch and glanced at the time before lowering it. “What motivated your journey, Cassidy?”

Fenny slightly perked and glanced at Cassidy.

Cassidy hadn't expected an inquiry like that. “I... well, I-I found out from a young age that it was my purpose. It was a hobby while growing up, but I had nothing in life a few years ago and looked into it competitively out of curiosity."

“You said you had nothing some years ago? How old are you?”

“Oh, eighteen." Cassidy paused and took a breath. "M-My parents... suffered a fatal hiking accident on Pomace Mountain when I was fourteen. I eventually moved from my home and turned to this at sixteen.”

"It seems to me you have earned it and did so exceptionally with two fewer pokémon in your party than usual. That's rare. There are unwritten stipulations trainers must follow in order to succeed in competitive settings. There are optimal ways to structure your team to maximize your chance of winning, and I rarely see cases of a trainer having less than six pokémon in their party going far. Congratulations on making it to the League. It is amazing to see trainers find their path through the art of battle."

"Merci (Thank you), ma'am. Thank you, r-really." Cassidy looked down for a moment, suppressing a smile with a timid grin gracing her lips.

"You are expected in five minutes. Security will escort you then." Diantha opened the door and turned "You have spirit, Cassidy." She grinned, then shut the door behind her.

Cassidy's cheeks flushed; her grin turned into a slow, slight smile she tried her best to suppress. Her eyes watered, which she wiped with her sleeve.

'Who was that? I think I've seen her on TV'

She sniffled, rubbing her eyes. "The champion of this League." Cassidy heard muffled commotion outside the room from the crowd eagerly awaiting the next battle. "It's still hard to believe."

'I can… but I can't believe I'll be battling.'

She looked at him. "I guess we will have to believe in each other." Cassidy stood and straightened her shirt. "I won't have you fight until our third battle… if we get that far. Wikstrom uses steel types."

'When we get that far.'

In five minutes, after Cassidy gave a summarized rundown to each of her pokémon as to who they'd be battling and what to expect, she heard a knock at the door, followed by it opening.

The same security guard stood while eyeing Fenny and Cassidy. "Are you ready, ma'am? I'll be escorting you."

"Sure. Thank you." She motioned Fenny while following the guard's lead out the door.

The guard stopped once they were at the gate, unlocking and opening it with a key. "Straight ahead."

Cassidy looked at Fenny. "Going to return you, for now. I will see you after the first battle."

He nodded. 'You won't need it, but good luck.'

She formed a half-smirk, taking his ball out of her pouch and returning him. Cassidy slipped it inside and walked through the gates; greeting her eyes were people everywhere she looked. Her ears were met with constant cheering and buzzing. Cassidy neared the stadium grounds with every step she took across the bridge.

Malva stood on one side.

A young woman in a bright skirt and top stood at the field's center with a microphone in hand. Every screen displayed her.

After Cassidy was on the field and made her way to the opposing side, she stood on her end and held her hands, taking more quick glances at the hyped audience.

"With both trainers on the field, the battle is ready to begin!" The woman spoke with enthusiasm. "Over here, we have scorching fire-type specialist Elite Four Malva!"

Every screen cut to Malva, who waved at the audience members, inciting louder cheering than before.

"And on the other, taking on the Elite Four is newcomer and psychic-type trainer Cassidy!"

Now Cassidy was on-screen— tense as ever. The cheers for her weren't nearly as loud as when Malva was mentioned.

Cassidy tried her best to drown them out and loosen herself to focus on the battle, her hand on her bag. She shut her eyes and took the deepest breath. "You are better," she whispered. "Stay composed and take down all four because you have to."

"I wish both trainers luck! You may begin," the woman said before leaving the grounds via the bridge on the opposite side.

Malva unclipped the first pokéball from her belt and casually tossed her pyroar onto the field with a competitive smirk.

The pyroar stood tall, seemingly ready for any opponent it had to handle.

Cassidy reached her quivering hand inside her pouch, stopping it after she touched her riolu's ball. She grabbed it, holding it firmly and grazing her index finger over its release while raising it.

Though one trembled, she clenched her other into a devout fist, half-pursing her lips. "You're up, Añu!"