FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Hi guys - felt like writing. Sorry for the wait - whats it been - like 2 freaking years since my last chapter? Damn. Started out as a preteen on Yiffstar, and now, the furry grandpa still comes back to write some Pokemon fiction probably long forgotten by most - how about that. I've probably messed up some contextual info and facts in this chapter because I've been separated from the storys doctrine for so long but, hey - can't be that bad, right? Well, you can lash out at me in the comments if anything comes up. Let's do this -

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The snow was blurring the distant horizon into a creamy grey canvas, and the never changing landscape withheld any promise of shelter from the unyielding weather.

It seemed as if snow and wind were enjoying a perpetual dance with one another, creating the pretense of complete organic extinction. In actuality, this atmospheric state was probably too cold and unpleasant even for the local inhabitants.

An onslaught of rapid, cold gusts of wind bit into his flesh without mercy. The blizzard howled vicious threats, but even those went by unheeded. Kyurex, now more than ever before, did not care in the slightest. The numbing pain traveling through his paws on to his inner body did not affect him, it was only a reminder of the notion that he was indeed, alive. He sensed hunger, pain, fatigue, exhaustion to the fullest extent, but nothing seemed to follow past that limit. Death did not grant him the luxury of freedom from his misery. Realizing that in a realistic situation he would have deceased under such severe circumstances, he understood that this was all probably an illusion. As many times before, seemingly destined for it, he was imprisoned in a world of the surreal.

But even such information was long irrelevant to his mind, which seemed to have shut off many of its processing functions, since to him every aspect of his being was gradually becoming obsolete. Where was he going? He did not know. Where was he? Somewhere. Did it matter? No. Nothing did. The only harsh, genuine truth that did matter was that Angel was dead, and he was the killer. More - precisely, Kyurex hosted the killer. But that was basically the same thing, because the culprit was enabled to exact the deed only because of him. If the Umbreon hadn't been there in the first place, then maybe he would have witnessed her smile today, but that was a distant wish. A wish residing in an intangible place, singing of deep regret and hope long gone.

Initially he pondered on his reunion with Revan, about what exactly he would say to him, how he would unload the pent-up anger and confusion. It was meaningless, he couldn't shift the blame. Even if he did by chance manage to reach clarity by lashing out at or even exacting some kind revengeful act upon the powerful being for that which had happened, the damage done was indelible. The other problem was - Revan was not present, which was another obvious sign of his misplacement from the natural.

The disused sense of time had been forgotten. Kyurex walked on aimlessly with no purpose and without the willfulness to find one. The Umbreons fur was gradually infused with ice, his signature markings became indistinguishable because of it, which in turn took away from his usual vigorous appearance that was meant for sportsmanship and battle. Basically, he was a hollow shell of his former self. He couldn't halt his tears, letting them form disfigured icicles under his eyes.

He still couldn't tidy up the mess in his head. How had he not remembered such a painful and important memory from his past, why was it even taken from him in the first place? If that was actually the case, since Kyurex had no actual evidence to firmly believe it. Nevertheless, this scenario involved the Slowking as well as Revan so practically anything was possible.

His dear, sweet, irreplaceable Angel. The once prideful friend as well as first and most cherished love of his life hadn't done anything to deserve such a fate, and yet it fell upon her like an unexpected stroke of thunder choosing a random target amidst many potential peers. It was not fair, that was another definite conclusion of his which made it that much more hurtful to think about. He couldn't give up looping the same depressive thoughts through his conscious. Not wanting to let her go, Kyurex desperately played through every mental image of Angel that he had acquired fresh through the incident with Revy and Revan, stemming from his concealed part of his mental storage. He didn't care about what was happening in the real world, none of it would spare him from the grief of his loss. The void of nothingness drenched his soul in darkness - and still he walked forward, towards the infinite white skyline.

The landscape stayed monotonous, until finally something resembling a cave emerged from the colorless sea of snow whilst the storm gave it best efforts to stray the Umbreon to another path. Kyurex recognized this and approached the shelter.

There wasn't anything particular about it - the walls were comprised of greasy, wet stone upholding a ceiling littered with icicles and stalactites. It wasn't big at all, the size was comparable to one of the cities huts of refuge meant for tournament participants. This setting briefly reminded him of his teammates, and as everything else not concerning his present torment, was forgotten. The only thing that did stand out in the cave was a self-sustained fire, suspended mid-air and located in the centre. Sadly, this absurdity did not provoke any thoughts.

Kyurex let his body fall in front of it and closed his eyes. His strained muscles cried in relief, he had been walking for a very long time without ever resting like this for a great while. The warmth of the fire flowed into his skin to crack the ice embracing it, letting him feel the exterior of his body once more. The floor around the fire was funnily enough dry, and a puddle began to form under him, which eventually evaporated into the air after being exposed to the heat. He stretched out his body.

If there was one thing that was most disturbing, then it was the Umbreons inability to sleep. He would love to get away from it all, but the shock still hadn't subsided in the least. It wasn't as if he had ever had time to morn this tragedy over - that chance was forcefully taken from him. Kyurex asked himself why he hadn't thought about the truth any further this whole time, he clearly remembered everything about Angel before, but not the circumstances surrounding her disappearance. He had believed in the farce that she and her family had relocated to somewhere else, as preached by the Star Forests upper hierarchy. Never had he given it any further thought, which in itself seemed weird for someone as astute as himself. To begin with - had he ever even seen her parents? No. Another suspicious thought. Every known friend of his was just as blind to the truth as he had been. This was no mere coincidence, and just because of that alone he exerted his last abiding determination to seek answers.

His new revelation also presented him with emotions that were packed with it - scenes he had not known until now - time spent with his first love, time unbeknownst to him - words and emotions he had exchanged with her in the missing puzzle pieces completed his memories one by one. The intimacy they shared, the kisses given, the discussions that formed, the oaths they swore - every tiny detail in the last segment of their collective past which was taken away from him now stabbed his heart with unforgiving agony. He accepted it...as punishment for not caring to seek the truth, even relying on it to justify his existence. Thus - lamentation that should of consumed him as a kid dropped onto him like an explosive, shattering his inner stability.

He sobbed.

I love her. I loved her. I love her. Why. I was happy. SHE was happy.....Why. How. I couldn't save her....I'm still weak? I can't change anything. Her smile, focus on her smile. Angel, I remembered too late. I thought you were far, far away. I'm so sorry. Angel. I love you.

He wasn't in a state to rationally think things over - he was literally on the brink of madness due to him not being able to control his weeping heart. One could think that he was exaggerating, this exact thought was even something that crossed a keen mind such as his - someone who normally caught on to things pretty quickly. Nevertheless, this understanding was overridden by grief that was impossible to saturate. Never before had he experienced this phenomenon. But once he thought about her, it actually made sense...what else was there for him left? His face was drenched in his tears.

Angel...

He opened his eyes. The fire proceeded its dance undisturbed, as if showing no interest that someone was suffering beside it, and Kyurex seeked its warmth just for a change of pace. It was a nice feeling, and he started to welcome the slightly different state of perception that opened up before him, but it was only enough to keep him from falling into a spiral of confusion and self-doubt. The walls were as silent as ever.

- ** - - - - - *- * - - - - - - - - - - **** **

Kyurex woke up to a sudden alteration of the atmosphere. His surroundings shook from a wave of concentrated force, gradually subsiding and forming noises and cracks in its aftermath. Fragments of the cave were crumbling from above, luckily, the Umbreon was spared any harm. Outside the snowstorm continued to rage as before, and he positioned himself comfortably in front of the fire. His soul was still in disarray, but had adapted somewhat to his new emotions - had found several methods and workarounds to cope with the stress. The tears had finally, for the first time since the beginning of this whole affair, stopped. He had calmed down, but the rationality was still inexistent.

He thought about undertaking a walk outside just for the hell of it, but decided against it. With no ideas how to spend his everlasting free time, he simply gazed at the fire. Maybe it was best to imagine a world in his head, a world that Angel was still a part of? Would that be genuine? Could that replace reality? No. Time passed at a rapid rate, on one side the fire discharged warmth, on the other the snowstorm emitted a natural noise of the soaring wind. Nothing else changed. These things stayed monotonous.

His ears perked as sudden footsteps entered the cave. Normally he would turn to see who it was, but he didn't. It still didn't matter. The footsteps stopped and then continued after a quick analysis.

"Kyurex?"

Well, the voice was definitely unfamiliar - its owner could be distinguished as a female. It held no hostility in its nature, though that actually didn't matter to Kyurex - just as everything else right now. How did she know him? How the hwell could someone track him down in such a vast wasteland? Doesn't matter. It wasn't that he forced himself not to care, he practically didn't know how to any longer. Keeping his seemingly defiant posture by not moving a muscle, a mainly purple, yellow-dotted figure appeared on the other side of the fire.

She was a striking beauty.

Being finally right in front of him, he observed a set of intriguing, beautiful green eyes belonging to a Liepard - he recalled seeing one a long time ago in the Starforest, but didn't bother recollecting that info completely. Rounded body and tail, no lines sticking out to disrupt their curvy silhouette, eyes located amidst a pink patch of fur - it was as if their being was designed to appeal to fellow canines alike.

The beauty was definitely troubled - this being judged by her breathing which was presently sporadic and more so by her anxious expression. The Liepard must've been running before coming to the cave. Unlike in Kyurexs case though - it didn't seem like her fur was meddled with as muchnas he was after his walk outside. The snow sticking to her quickly trickled down her smooth fur. Since she couldn't quite comprehend the Umbreons unresponsive attitude, yet, she simply looked back at him - letting silence take over again for a short-lived instance.

She sat onto her hind legs.

"You go by the name of Kyurex, is that not so?" she asked, calming down in a composed manner. If Kyurex would've been his usual self, he might have described her voice as soothing, it had that seldom found, gentle matureness stuck to it.

Kyurex decided against his outright neglecting behaviour...he didn't know why himself. Something told him to keep following the traditional etiquette. Who knows, maybe he unconsciously wanted someone to consult with. He tilted his head to face her once more.

"I do."

"That is music to my ears! I am Aya, and that is where my introduction will have to stop for the moment...for there are severely pressing matters at hand." As her speech implied, she seemed rather restless. "Listen...I have the feeling that you are not feeling well, for whatever reason that might be - but I still must admit a request of upmost urgency - you have to come back with me to the real world!"

"Do I?"

"Yes, my master is containing Revan as we speak. He cannot do this for long, and I fear any second wasted brings him closure to danger...as well as everyone else. So please-"

"Your master...is he a Slowking?" Kyurex remembered the one being that could maybe shed some light upon his dreadful revalation.

Ayas eyes widened at first - she then quickly nodded affirmatively.

Kyurexs dwindled interest was now rather piqued, remembering the Slowking having stated to have been looking for a Liepard as the Umbreon was traveling through the forest. The fact that she knew about Revan wasn't as surprising following that logic. After some debating in his head, he countered her gaze with his own - revealing eyes of which the colour had decreased to a weak, hallow red. His discomfort showed clearly. "How ironic. To tell you the truth, I would like to exchange a word or two with him."

The Liepard stood up hastily. "Perfect. So we ready to go then?"

"No."

"Did you not hear me?! Everyone you hold dear could potentially come to ha-"

"AND WHO ARE YOU TO JUDGE WHO I HOLD DEAR IF I MAY ASK, DAMN IT??" Kyurex had nearly forgotten that he had it in him to use such volumes. Noticing that he had stood up to lash out at the now startled Aya, he just sat down on his hind legs. He sorted his thoughts, which were still all over the place.

"From where I see it...no, I'm not discussing this with some stranger." The Umbreon canned his overflowing emotions as images of Angel ravaged his cortex. Aya, understanding that this was going to be a daunting task to have her wish fulfilled had also assumed her previous sitting postion. "Listen, leave me be. Just...go back from where you came from. I'm not an enjoyable sight to behold right now, and it's only going to get worse from here on out, trust me. I'm telling you this with my last sense of levelheadedness. Go before my manners escape me, just...don't pursue this issue any further."

Deeming the discussion finished, Kyurex proceeded to make himself comfortable in front of the fire once more. The Umbreon stretched his paws towards the heat, warming up his now dry fur to a rather high extent - but this didn't halt his mind from steadily spiralling into its previous routine of self-pity and disorder.

He didn't seem to notice that his newest acquaintance was not the sort to give up easily - a trait which had developed in part due to her pragmatic, self-confident and disciplined nature. Normally, Aya would take her time to think of a correct approach in such matters, but time was of the essence now more than ever. She sighed regrettably, turning her green eyes with hardened determination onto Kyurex.

"I have heard a great deal about you from my master, he has praised your battle malice on strategic mind on more than one occasion. He even considered...well, I guess that's for him to tell you personally actually..." Ayas tone was shifting to one of sincere disdain. She continued. "But I never expected something like this. I must say you are nothing like I had imagined. Which is a pity, I had looked forward to meeting you to be honest - since I too, am very fond of the ways of the true warriors."

"Great, cool. Now leave me in peace, go do whatever it is you need to do. I want no part of it."

"I shall not."

"Don't irritate me, woman." Kyurex gestured his displeasure. Her defiant tone had pushed him patience overboard. "I'd rather not do this, but if you insist on disturbing my privacy-"

"Oh what, are you proposing a challenge? Like maybe a sparring match?" Aya interrupted him mercilessly, smirking at him with a belligerent motive. Now it was Kyurexs turn to be taken aback. She proceeded making her point. "Well sign me up for it. We shall see what you're made of and, if I win, you're going to promise to return with me back to the real world."

"Like hell I am."

"I'm quite sure of it. Otherwise I myself will have to resort to unpleasant procedures - and I'll drag you out of here even if means beating you half to death." The Liepard gracefully treaded to an area in the cave where they had enough space to manoeuvre and settle this conflict. Kyurex immediately identified her as a seasoned battler, observing her movements and stable battle posture in a matter of seconds. For the first time in his life, he couldn't perceive any potential tactic from the get go. His opponent seemed to notice his bewilderment. "You have the right to take my statement at face value. Or not, but staying here is NOT an option. The lives of those dear to me are at stake, please understand why I must do this."

"Try me." He himself positioned himself accordingly - any self-doubt from before took a back seat, he needed to win this quickly, and then he could resolve the matter with his past, even if he didn't have the first clue on how to do so. Kyurex composed himself to his fullest capability and opposed his opponents gaze with his own, blood filled eyes. The strength returned to his formerly limp body, his muscles answered his call once more. "Once you lose, you'll leave. Understood?"

"Before we start: first one to be pinned down to the ground by the other loses. This battle shall be decided without any moves - no need for excessive energy loss, we will most definitely need it on the path ahead."

"Talking like we've already one, are we? Fine by me. Now let's get this over with." Kyurex was confident that this conflict wold be settled quickly and painfully. It didn't matter how desperate the Liepard was - he had no will of playing along with her games - and he would prove it to her if she so insisted. He would show her what it meant to challenge someone like him so recklessly.

As an alternative to his previous moody attitude - a spark of feelings brought his inner gears into motion.

The showdown began. At first they both stayed positioned. Kyurex jogged his analytical mind to muster up a plan as quickly as possible. His markings were glowing their bright, golden yellow - in contrast to the weakly illuminated cave, as if to signify his contemplating. He just had to pin her down, how hard could that be? Even if she was as experience as she claimed to be - he was no pushover himself.

Aya on the other hand seemed to be relaxed, her posture still as unbending as before.

There was a sudden noise - unimportant as to what exactly produced it, and the battle commenced. After a rapid succession of motions which eluded even Kyurexs comprehension - just as suddenly as it had all started - just as suddenly he found his shoulders pressed tightly against the cold, wet floor of the cave. The beautiful face of a real female warrior peered into his soul, eventually giving him a warm smile - as if to mark the end of their petty dispute.

The Umbreon coughed and rolled over to the side as soon as Aya gave him the chance to do so, watching him come to terms with what had just happened from the side. She ironed out her purple and yellow fur that had raised itself during the clash by licking it elegantly into place, displaying her feline leanings.

"What the-?" Kyurex stuttered as soon as he caught his breath. Aya stood in front of him.

"Now, you shall come with me peacefully. Are you going to hold your promise?"

He didn't have anything to say - he had just lost decisively against her. Aya was undisputedly stronger - so much that Kyurex, even in the mental state he was currently in, was hit by a sensation he didn't quite understand himself. His pride was hurt, yes - but this new feeling was more of a wakeup call to his previous confusion. The battle itself had gone on for mere seconds, but he was no fool to misunderstand that even someone like him was outwitted and outsmarted with every movement he made. He could feel his heart beating as he realized what awaited him - the thing that he actually had feared before this whole situation unfolded - the moment he would have to return and face the truth and hardships of his life. The Umbreons yellow markings diminished - his pointy ears wilted in response.

"Damn it."

Slowly - he felt foolish for letting his mind neglect everything that mattered beside Angel, no matter how much he loved her. His stupor was slowly dying of. May, Blaze...his team was probably worried sick. Aya was also satisfied seeing the life return to the Umbreon once more. She purred in her appreciation of a task accomplished, and the yellow whiskers on her face twitched along briefly.

"I take that as a yes. Let's get out of here - I fear my master is in trouble. We shall march onward to aid him - follow me!"

Aya was already underway towards the outside blizzard, her energetic tone implying that any harsh feelings were long quenched. Before escaping his sight completely, whilst smiling once again, she added playfully. "Though I do have to say, I didn't think it would be That easy to beat the notorious Kyurex. I think I really will have to reassess my thoughts about you..."

And she was gone, leaving Kyurex to his own thoughts for a shotz while.

Kyurex didn't know if it was because of the battle, or because he felt like he was now doing the right thing, or if the Liepard had inspired something in him to change for the better - but renewed vigour surged through his veins, filling his heart with hope once again. Angel was gone, yes - but he couldn't give into complete despair just yet - he had to talk to the Slowking first and understand more about himself, about everything actually. He had the intuitive feeling that this was all grander than he supposed it to be. With this conclusion he stood up, straightened his limbs and followed his new companion into the snowstorm.

"Guess it's not over yet."