FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

"Ugh... Damn you Ally." I cursed beneath my breath. The warm sun shined down on my back, the deep heat reminding me of the soothing sunlamps that I used to sleep under in the school's indoor arboretum. Even in my anger, I didn't want to move, because it meant feeling the pain from all those cuts across my body. I knew I was lying on a sandy beach, though. I could almost feel every grain as it clumped up in a mix of blood and fur.

Who am I? My name is... was Nocti Enasuna, a senior year student of Pokèmon Rescue Academy, from the land of Pokètara. I'm a twenty-one year old Growlithe, and I have to say that this was one hell of a late birthday present. A few hours before. I was on board the Seakeara for a training mission with several other teams. However, my instructor was Ally Tomari, the leader of Neo ACT and one giant jackass. He and I had never really gotten along, but because he's the leader of the Rescue Council, I had to just play along. Sorry bastard... He started kicking people off of the boat if they couldn't keep up, and their badges were set to call of pickup as soon as they hit the water. The thing is, he ripped mine off when he kicked me and my partner overboard. I ended up getting sucked into one of the underwater wind tunnels, and then... There I was, wherever "there" was.

"Hell, might as well see where I am." I opened my eyes, slowly so I didn't get blinded as well. No need to make things worse, right? After my vision cleared, all I could see is a sea of brilliant sand and glistening crystals among some deep blue waves. It looked like I hit some sort of sandbar that had risen out of the ocean. Off in the distance, I could just barely make out a wall of trees, some of them looking as if they were made out of crystal as well, though I really couldn't make out too much. Not with the glowing crystal... in... front of me...

It began to pulse violently in various hues of the rainbow, mere inches from my nose. «If it's going to do something, let it do it in the ocean.» I thought, quickly getting to my feet with a weak whimper. With a swift swipe, I picked it up and gave it a lob to my right. «Wait, why do I still feel something on my...» "ARRRRRWWWWOOOOOOOOOO!" I couldn't help but howl as I felt a massive shard break off and push into my large hand pad. It was like someone took a slick knife and slammed it into the fat-filled pocket when it went in, but after a few moment, all I could feel was nothingness. My mind even went numb as I found myself on the ground again with a soft thud. The sun... The sun felt so good again.

I found myself waking up again after what felt like a few moment. I didn't even remember passing out, but that wasn't entirely important. What was important was what I saw after opening my eyes. I literally felt nothing but warmth across my body, as if I were floating in the sun's lovely heat on a warm summer day, back home in Marrowsol Canyon. I gave a soft sigh, hearing it inside of my head. «Wait... Why can I hear myself breathing?» I thought, blinking several times and finally paying attention to my surroundings. I couldn't move, but from my limited field of vision, I honestly felt like wetting myself. I had some sort of black mask over my muzzle, feeding cool air directly into my maw. Hovering over my head, there were several strange lamps that seemed to be the source of heat that I was experiencing. I couldn't even make out what region had made them.

To my left and right were large glass walls, and I could see just enough that I knew I was in a medical bay. My little room was one trauma unit among at least twenty, though I couldn't tell if anyone was in the other rooms. Then I saw the cave walls far beyond my feet. If my jaw weren't sealed closed by the mask, it would have hit the floor. They were like none I had ever seen, towering at least twenty meters high, and lined with glowing crystals that lit the outer cavern like it was out in the open sky. The rock was nothing I had ever seen, either, made of mostly volcanic stone. It was like it had been dug out of an extinct volcano and turned into a hospital.

I tried with all of my might to move my arm, and it did finally respond, letting me rub my eyes to clear them a bit. I had a headache, like I had slept a little too long, but otherwise felt fine. «Where the hell am I?»

"You're at Breakwater Hideaway." A voice said suddenly, answering his question. It sounded deep, feminine and soothing, almost siren-like in tone. My eyes darted in the direction it came from, and what I saw caused me to blush so hard that it might have melted the rubber of my mask if I were more powerful a fighter. Standing in front of me was a legendary rescuer that I had only heard stories about. It was Altair Ezeri, leader of Team Starlight. She was a Dragonite, and one hell of an example of how beautiful they can be. Standing nearly two meters tall with a very sleek but powerful build, she had pure white scales all across her body, even on her belly and tail scutes, and a rather large chest. Her eyes were a deep emerald, and I could have sworn they glowed as they looked into my eyes. What really set me off was her uniform. It was made of what looked like pure rubber latex, sky blue in color and skin tight, and consisted of a cargo vest with several air-tight zippered pockets, a pair of cargo shorts with similar pockets, a pair of shoulder-length arm warmers, a pair of toe-less digit-grade boots that looked like they zipped up along the back, and a pair of goggles that she wore on her forehead.

She approached me, removing the air mask so I could speak, her hands very warm to the touch. "I found you out on the beach of the northern shore. You were in pretty rough shape. Well... More so than you might think anyway." With a sigh, she sat down, though she smiled. She smiled in a way that made me feel like I was talking to a mother... My mother... "Listen, you're deep in the Dragon Frontier, within the Crystal Islands. I take it you saw the telltale crystals on the beach, right?"

I nodded, or at least tried to. Apparently, my neck wasn't exactly working. "Yes, mam. One started glowing, so I chucked it in the ocean. I just washed on shore, so I didn't feel like having something blow up on me." She gave another soft sigh, running her clawed fingers through my headfur, almost like she was trying to calm me down. I wasn't sure why. I felt great. Maybe even a little high on pain medication or something if my lack of movement was any indication. "A piece of it went into my paw pad. Hurt like heck."

Altair shook her head, almost smirking at me. It felt like she though I was funny or something. "You might want to brace yourself for this..."

"Nocti Enasuna."

"Okay, Nocti. I want you to keep your mind open as I... Well, as I try to explain what happened to you." She stood up and tapped several buttons that I couldn't see, but I definitely heard the beeps from them. A holographic screen appeared above my bed, the amber-colored projection rather easy on the eyes. It showed a model of my body, arms and legs spread out, but something seemed really off. There were lines through my hips, ankles, wrists, shoulders... Even my groin, midsection and neck. Another smaller screen nearby had a side view, with a line through the base of my tail. "The crystals on this island cause some rather 'unusual' effects on Pokèmon, Pokèmorphs and humans. You and two others have had the same effects take place in your bodies, of which I have no idea how it happened. You have become what is called a 'modular' being." She put a finger towards the hologram above me, running it along each of the lines I saw earlier. "Each of these lines represent seams, where your body can literally come apart without any harm or pain."

I blink a couple of times, confused. "Wait, what do you mean by 'come apart'? Like one of those robot toys that you build?" Her smile showed a hint of worry as she gave me a short nod, then tapped another button. The hologram suddenly shifted, the amber screen forming into what seemed like a floating mirror. I could see my body as it was at that moment, and I looked pretty normal and I layed on a layer of nice ocean blue sheets. Still, something seemed off. I still couldn't move my neck, so I looked at it as closely as I could. It looked normal, until I tied to move again. There was a sliver of blue, more and more showing building up slowly until I could see that my head wasn't attached to my body. It wasn't like I had been decapitated, though. there was a furred nub where my neck should have been, and my head looked like a ball with a face.

"I... took the liberty of giving you a special medicine before you awakened." She told me, looking down at a control panel on the side of my bed. The touchscreen moved around with every tap of her claws. "It's made to completely numb any feeling of panic or fear. Not something I'd ever use without reason, but I figured you'd like a clear head instead of passing out like so many do. Let's see here..." She took each side of my jaw in her hands, causing me to sigh softly. It felt incredible to just be held, though at this point, I figured it might have been that medicine she mentioned. Within a fem moments, I felt my neck again, seeing in the mirror screen that she had managed to reconnect my head to my body, then my shoulders and hips. However, being on my back, a wondered where my tail was. She it off of a shelf below my bed and started to ask me something.

Before she could, I sat up with a smile, putting up a hand to stop her. "Don't, mam. If it's okay, I'd like to get used to this." I knew it was the medicine keeping me sane at that point. There was no way I would have been that calm otherwise. I had to admit, I owed her for thinking that far ahead. "I'm guessing there's no cure, or way to reverse it?" She shook her head, giving me a concerned look. I could sense that she was truly worried about me, but for some reason, I couldn't really care. I simply took my tail at the base and looked at it, then gave it a soft swish to see that I was still in control of it.

"If you don't mind staying a while, I'll teach you how to control your body parts remotely." I looked right at her in nearly an instant, surprised at what she had just said. I couldn't tell if she was kidding, or if she was being serious. However, a soft smirk appeared across her mouth. "I do some rather... unusual things here. No one here is normal by any stretch of the imagination. Besides, I'm not too sure Ally will let you return so easily. Stay in here and think on it, and I'll be back soon. That medicine won't last forever, so please be careful." In a single blink, I felt her arms wrap around my shoulders. She gave me a soft hug, and I had to admit, I really needed it. It felt like I had just returned to my mother, and she was welcoming me home. Well, it would have, had my real family cared. That feeling... That feeling was something I had always wanted.

It was all I remembered for the rest of the night. Now... I just wonder what the hell I'm going to do. I don't want to go back to the Academy while Ally's there, and I can't go back home. My parents would disown me if I dropped out. They're hardcore Rescuers, and what's worse, they'd never accept me like this. I'd probably be shoved in the closet or out on the street the moment they found out. Even now, I can't help but think what they'd do to me. Damn... I wish I had some more of that medicine.

To think, just one more year and I could have escaped for good. My partner, Marcus Farenight, planned on getting us a place in one of the human regions to start a delivery service. Heh... To be honest, I kinda have a thing for him. A big and buff Nidoking... Gah! I need to keep my mind on task. Maybe I should have Madam Ezeri try and get Marcus brought here. He'd be able to help me make some decisions. He's always the logical one, getting my sorry tail out of trouble. Now, I'm the one holding my tail, and I mean that literally. I think I'll go for a walk, get my head cleared. Hell, maybe even taking it off will give me a new point of view... Okay, I'll stop being punny now. End log entry.

__________

I opened the door to to my bedroom. a room that Altair had told me I could use, or that I could have if I do end of staying, and started walking down the caverns that made up the halls of Breakwater Hideaway. The place was made out of an extinct volcano, with the old throat being the main sky entrance. I was only three doors down from her... 'hir' personal quarters.

As I found out later, shi isn't female, but a mix of both genders called a 'hermaphrodite'. I'm not sure which of us was more surprised, me finding out, or hir when I came rushing to hir after my tail fell off, only to walk in on hir in the nude. I don't think I could have blushed any brighter without catching my fur on fire. I also don't think I could have apologized any more without running out of breath. Shi just stood there with hir arms crossed in front of hir and laughed. Not at me, but at my reaction. All shi could do was tell me that "there's no shame in showing off", and that "Pokèmorphs didn't always wear clothing". Shi even told me I was acting more human than most, and that I should "learn from the gods", whatever that means.

Then one of hir siblings walked in, also in the nude. That was Sirius Ezeri, a hermaphrodite Lugia morph, though hir arms were hir wings. That made hir really unusual. Sirius... Shi and Altair got on both sides of me and dropped my pants, then made me smile after they started joking about how I looked more natural. I guess it's just how people here act or something, always turning embarrassment into fun. Of course, I pulled my pants back up as I walked out, but I had to admit that it was nice to joke around like that. A lot better than being so uptight, like at school. Maybe I could get used to that.

I looked around at the hallway, taking note of the numerous doors, and the brilliant crystals that line it and light the entire way. They shined with a beautiful blue hue that really made me feel calm, almost like I was walking high in sky. According to Altair, there are several colored tunnels, each with their own residents and special rooms. Shi and Sirius bunk in Blue Tunnel, while their other siblings bunk in Purple Tunnel. I didn't ask about the others, though. I figured I'd learn soon enough. I had to admit that it was lot nicer than the dorms back at school. It felt like I was at home, and I don't mean with my parents. My thoughts turned to my partner, and I wondered if Altair would mind having me and Marcus both stay and finish our training. Maybe even join hir team if shi had any openings.

After a while, I made it outside, the warm air of the tropics filling my lungs like they were balloons. The tunnel's northern exit ended at a large cliff that several people could stand on, as well as a powerful steel rail. to keep anyone from falling off. It overlooked the forest I saw earlier, and I had to admit, it was even more beautiful from up there. Many of the trees were a mix of oak, palm and maple, and the oaks and maples had amazingly colorful leaves. They apparently kept their fall colors all year, mixing red and yellow and orange with their usual green. The palms, however, were much different. They were made of brilliant emerald crystal that seemed to be as alive as any other tree, and had an internal glow that reminded me of that spark of life people call a soul. They definitely didn't interfere with the night sky, either. The stars shining overhead on that moonless night gave me something that I'd honestly never seen before; a perfect view of the night sky. Marrowsol Canyon was dotted with cable cars and wind turbines that took up almost all of the plateau tops. That view... That view was probably the best birthday present I could ever ask for.

I couldn't help but think about Marcus, and what happened on the boat. I knew he made it back home, but I really wished he were there with me. He'd been my real family, and at times even more than that. I wouldn't have called him a brother, or a father, or even a best friend. He'd always been more than that to me. We watched each others back, helped each other through hard times... He did most of the helping, though. I remembered when my father tried to punish me for supposedly messing up on a test, and Marcus got in front of him. I'd never seen him so angry, or my dad so afraid for his life. Dad was lucky he didn't throw a punch.

"Can't sleep?" a voice said behind me. I turned around and saw Altair walking out of Blue Tunnel, dressed in hir uniform. The rubber clothing shi wore seemed to shimmer as shi walked, likely reflecting the stars above. I shook my head in reply, turning back around to look out at the sky again. Shi stepped up to the railing on my right and leaned on in, looking down into the forest below. "I don't blame you. You've obviously got a lot on your mind. Anything I can do for you? Maybe something you want to get off of your chest? I'm always willing to listen."

"Not... Not unless you could have someone brought here." I admitted, giving a soft sigh. «Maybe it's worth a shot...» "My partner Marcus Feranight and I were supposed to leave for the human world after we graduated. Now, I don't think I want to go back. Not after Ally tried to kill me." «Crap, I really didn't need to say that.»

Shi looked at me with grave concern, standing upright and staring me directly in the eyes. "You were dumped off of the Seakeara as well, right. Malinka and Kallen of Team Joker washed up just an hour before I found you. They've become the exact same way, though they didn't take the news quite as well as you did. Granted, I kind of expected you to handle things a bit better." I cocked my head to the side on instinct, confused by hir choice of words. "Your file says that you have a very open mind, and extreme curiosity. Curiosity can be both good and bad, but you tend to be in plenty of control, according to what your teachers have in their notes. That kind of curiosity is what I like to see."

Hir hands reached up to each side of my jaw, feeling as warm as a mother's embrace. I relaxed myself, smiling at the touch and closing my eyes until I felt a bit of pressure applied to hir grip. Within a moment, I could feel my head being lifted while my body stood in place. After opening my eyes again, shi turned my head around, having me look at my headless form. "Look at yourself, sans your head of course. With this power, you're still in control of your body, and with the right training and equipment, you have an incredible advantage over others. One that anyone should respect. It's a gift from the gods, and one you'll be thankful for someday."

I saw my body standing there, my arms and body moving as if my head were still attached. Honestly, I couldn't help but wonder if shi was right. Shi soon reattached me to my body, and then wrapped hir arms around me in a warm hug again. I had to admit, I couldn't get enough of that feeling. If I were ice, I would have be melting in hir arms. Shi somehow even made me our like a feline.

"I'll have Marcus brought here tomorrow." Shi said, smiling and giving a soft chuckle. "You seem to really like it here in the Dragon Frontiers. You're welcome to stay as long as you wish. Many of us live here to get away from the insanity of the human and Pokèmorph regions, or to get away from the rules of society that people get forced into. You'd be surprised at how well a more relaxed society can run. I'll get into more details later on, if you wish to know the full truth."

I nodded, and looked back to the sky, staring in silence for a moment. Something was eating at the back of my mind. A question... A question that I realized I had always had when I read about Team Starlight, but had forgotten. "Who do you take missions from? I keep an eye on the mission boards, but Team Starlight never comes up."

Shi looked at me again, a smirk creeping across hir snout. "Would you believe the gods themselves?" I quickly looked at hir, stunned. "Team Starlight, and my sister's Team Reapers, answer only to the gods themselves. We also go out looking for missions, but we don't work in Pokètara. Not unless it's an emergency. We're much more relaxed here, and the gods take good care of everyone. Stay around long enough, and you might meet Suicune, or even Arceus himself. Just remember..." Shi paused and looked up at the sky, pointing at something. I looked at the area shi pointed at, my eyes widening as I saw a massive form flying overhead and into the center of the compound. It was Lugia. Not a morph, and not the mortal Pokèmon, but the actual god Lugia. "We're all friends here. They don't want worship, just friendship."

I stared in awe, thinking. «Working with the gods... That sounds insane, but there's Lugia, right in front of me. I wonder...» "Altair, would there be any way for Marcus and I to join Team Starlight?"

"Perhaps... You might find Vega's Team Reapers to more your combat style, though." Shi replied to me, not even looking in my direction. I could have sworn shi knew exactly what I was going to ask before I even asked it. "You can meet hir tomorrow. Just keep one thing in mind. Not everyone here is as shy as you are. Some stay in the nude, others have changed their bodies using special technology."

"Special Technology?"

Shi nodded, smiling as shi opened up the palm of hir hand. In it, embedded in the flesh, were a trio of black gems. They were box-shaped, no larger than a few centimeters around, and shined very faintly in the light. "This is the scanner pad for my Omnivice, version three-nine-nine-omega. Every member of Team Starlight and Team Reapers has one of these, some as implants while others keep them as wristbands. Using technology of my own creation, they can alter the body of the owner, or in some cases, of others. For example, say I wanted to become another species. A Growlithe, perhaps? I use a menu that's fed directly into my vision though a neural interface, and..."

Before shi said another word, hir body began glowing. It wasn't blinding, but it was enough that I thought shi was evolving. Hir outline began to change, and shi shrank slightly. Hir sleek outline shifted everywhere. Horn split and turned into ears, hir hands and feet became more paw-like, hir tail fluffed out like mine, and hir draconian face flattened a bit into a more canine look. As the glow faded, I saw not a Dragonite like before, but a Growlithe. Hir red-black-and-cream fur glistened like the stars, appearing to be silky smooth, and thick like a proper member of my species. Hir tail looked as if it had been brushed a million times, leaving it in a perfect state. Even the short whiskers just behind hir black nose looked as if they had been trimmed by a professional. As shi smiled, I could see hir fangs were pearl white, and hir eyes, still emerald green, had the fiery spirit I always saw in my sisters.

"...there. Now I'm a Growlithe. Well, there's more scientific stuff behind it, but I'd rather not bore you." Shi laughed, putting an arm around me. I could feel hir fur against mine, warmer than any blanket or bed I'd ever experienced. Warmer than even the sun lamps I had loved to bask in. It was surreal, and while I'm sure anyone else would have been taken off guard by it, I just stared for a moment, and accepted it once I felt how real it was. After being shown that my body can come apart, my mind just became more accepting. "Of course, there's more these things can do, but that will come later."

"O-okay..." I couldn't give a proper answer. My mind felt heavy, seeing how shi had simply changed hirself as if it were a natural thing, like shi was a Ditto. I knew that was impossible, though. There was no such thing as a Ditto morph. "Now you're really sparked my interest. Why do you have this power?"

Shi smiled even more widely, and started walking back inside, motioning with hir hand for me to follow. I did so, trying to keep up the brisk pace shi took. "We use our transformations to blend in wherever we go, at least on missions. We also use the for recreation, when we want to experience something new. If I want to go bathe in magma, I transform into a Charizard and just do it. Ii know there are limits, and I respect them, but you know what they say. All work and no play turns you into Ally Tomari, and that is a real disaster." I laughed at the thought, completely forgetting the feelings of confusion and anxiety I had been feeling just a few minutes ago. Shi was right, Ally never joked around, much less smiled. As much as I hated him, I wondered if just being the exact opposite of him would be enough to make him angry.

After a few minutes of walking, we arrived in the central area of Breakwater Hideaway. It was a truly magnificent sight. Somehow, the entire throat of the volcano had been converted into a central room, and a massive palm tree had been planted in the middle of it. The tree stretched high into the sky, it's leaves covering the opening like a green umbrella, protecting it's inhabitants from the elements. There were also branches that had sprouted along it's trunk, making me think it was a hybrid of some sort. I could just barely make out a few morphs sleeping on them, at least on the side I was seeing. The tree it self was so big that it could have taken ten Steelix, end-to-end, to wrap around the base of it alone.

Down on the floor, just to our right, was another incredible sight. Lugia, in his mighty glory, was standing on the ground, looking at both of us as we approached him. He was nearly five-and-a-half meters tall with piercing eyes, and his very presence made my heart race. It was like I had just gotten the golden ball in a lottery machine, and this was my prize. I stood back, but Lugia looked me directly in the eyes, as if staring right into my soul.

"Is this one the one you told me of in your message?" Lugia asked, his voice echoing in my head. It was masculine, and very powerful in and of itself. Obviously he was using telepathy to speak to me and Altair.

Altair nodded, looking at me as well. "He is. Nocti Enasuna, the one your currents brought to me. His reactions have been rather promising, so I ask you... Do you see it in him as well?" He smiled, still staring into my eyes, searching for something. It felt like forever, but after a few moments, Altair continued to talk. "Good, I expect you and the others will want a regular update, so I'll keep in tou-" Shi stopped, giving a concerned look. "Are you sure? Mmm... Very well. I've got 'it' prepared, but do you- ... Very well."

Lugia suddenly flung his wings out to his sides, the air pushing away from him. They were so powerful that I ended up being thrown backward nearly a meter, though I somehow managed to land on my feet. I was glad I did, too. With a few powerful flaps, the god took to the air, and flew out of the opening overhead, though I could barely see him. The wind he created was right in my face, and I had to shield myself from it.

With a sigh, Altair approached me, glowing as shi changed back into hir normal Dragonite form, and placed a hand on my shoulder. Hir smile had disappeared, replaced with a serious look that told me something was wrong. "Nocti, go get some sleep. I have to take care of something tonight. Marcus will be here by the time you wake up, I made sure of that." Before I could ask hir what was going on, shi raised hir hand. "I'll talk to you about it in the morning, along with a full explanation of what Lugia and I were discussing. It's only right you know. Now, head back to your room and get some sleep. Please..."