FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Mist sat on his haunches munching down on his Lucario-chow as his trainer ate a decent helping of teriyaki tofu. It had been a while since they’d been anywhere that had his human’s favorite delicacy. Especially considering the human’s vegetarianism, life on the road had been one interesting day after another. His human knew his opinion on the matter of meat and probably respected the Aura pokemon better for it. He considered all of the battles he’d fought on their way to this location. He couldn’t quite remember the name of the city. Something like Pastoria or close to that. He really hadn’t the patience for the intricacies of Human language. He considered the Aurae around him and as he brushed his partner’s he felt the depression, guilt and anger in its fluctuating, undulating nature that let him know what he was thinking, ~You know, Max, it wasn’t your fault.~

The human leveled a gaze at him. The anger apparently redirecting itself outward, “You saw, Mist! She didn’t have a fucking chance! I just stood there and watched!”

~You know exactly why, Max. It doesn’t do to beat yourself up. Now do I have to remind you why we came to Pastoria in the first place?~ Mist chided.

The sigh held more than a little bit of anxiety to it. “The Fen Badge.” The Lucario nodded his head. “I’m not sure I’m ready for that, Mist. I mean—”

The human didn’t manage to finish his objection because he was in no time at all surrounded by Mist’s arms, encapsulated in fur. ~Max, do you trust me?~ The human nodded, ~know, then, that I tell the truth when I say that you are walking out of here with a Fen badge.~

“How can you know that, Mist?” The turbulence in the man’s aura brought the Lucario to a halt. He released his human and looked the human in the eyes.

~Gardevoire has gone to be with Arceus, yes, Max. However that doesn’t mean that she’s not left her mark here,~ The lucario patted Max’s chest, ~She’s always going to have a place there, Max. And she’ll live on here,~ he tapped the human’s forehead, ~in your memories. She’s the reason you still live, Max. That Joltik would have taken your life if Gardevoire hadn’t stepped in, Max. Don’t dishonor her memory by berating yourself over something over which you had no control. ~

Max just stared through the concrete of the sidewalk. “Y…you’re right. I know you’re right, Mist. That doesn’t make it any easier. I just started feeling as though I would actually be able to do this. That fucking Joltik! Taking her away like that. What was it thinking?”

~It wasn’t. It was lashing out at its trainer. It must have literally just been captured. The pokeball has some strange effects on our psyche. Speaking of, I think I’ll hitch a ride in mine. I wanna rest up before the gym.~ the Pokemon gave his trainer another hug. Which Max not only returned, he massaged one of the five dreadlock-like appendages which protruded from the rear of Mist’s head. The lucario let out an appreciative groan before disengaging from the hug. Max held out the red and white spheroid to Mist, who tapped the button with a paw. In a glow of red light the lucario disappeared from the physical realm.

“Let’s go to a better place to rest up. The Pokecenter should have nice accommodations.” Max stated to himself. He knew that his lucario would appreciate an actual bed to the state of stasis that Pokemon underwent when inside a pokeball. He remembered how weird it had felt to come out of that state when he had the chance at Rowan’s lab to test the human version of the technology. A trip down memory lane was not a good idea in his current state. He needed to focus on getting a room for the night. It had been a while since he’d been in a city and that had been entirely on purpose. Yet the Lucario now semi-comfortably resting in his pokeball on Max’s belt had convinced the human of the need to continue their journey. The pokemon was right of course. It had been apparent for a while that Team Galactic wasn’t going to stop in its machinations. Saturn’s evil plans wouldn’t just wait for him to get over his loss. The silly part about it was that Max didn’t really care all that much. It was just that Max’s luck always seemed to lead him into the middle of things. He had paused his journey for the past eight months and he was sure that due to that lapse of time that Saturn and co. would be further along than he would have liked.

He heard pokespeak behind him and remembering his lessons recognized the call to challenge. He turned around and saw a Jolteon. It hadn’t any trainer that he could see and from the smell of ozone and burned cardboard had been on the street for a while. Mist popped out of his pokeball and threw an aura sphere immediately. ~You can’t keep yourself outta trouble for fifteen minutes, can you?~ Mist chided jokingly.

Max couldn’t hardly think. It was happening again. His pokemon was getting between him and a rogue and all he did was freeze. The steel type’s attacks wouldn’t do well against the Jolteon. Especially with the statically charged fur that made the electric type essentially a walking battery. Even still, Mist was willing to charge on. Their mental link made it possible for them to communicate without speaking. Using it Mist gently nudged Max into action ~Charge another Aura Sphere. I got a plan.~

Mists reply was a subtle nod and to do as he was told. As he was charging the second sphere, the Jolteon recovered from its initial shock from the first sphere. He looked utterly pissed. His fur stood completely on end and electricity arced off of its mane. His eyes glinted in the light just as he was getting ready to charge. Mist could vaguely hear Max counting down inside his own head and matched the count. 3…2…1…NOW!!!!!

Mist jumped in the air just as the jolteon started moving and launched the Aura sphere directly at its back. When it hit, there was an audible crack. The sound of crunching bone as the Aurasphere broke the back of the Jolteon and rendered it immobile. ~Shit, Mist, I didn’t want to kill it.~

~I didn’t kill it, Max. Just immobilized him. The pokecenter should be able to heal him.~ Mist chided.

As if to emphasize his living status, the Joteon groaned out its name. Max brought out a pokeball and a potion. Using his natural aura abilities, Max rubbed his aura against the Jolteon’s, ~I need to take you to a pokecenter, Jolteon. I’m going to stabilize you with this MAX potion and then catch you. Please don’t fight.~

He got a cold as ice response from the electric type, ~like I care. You BROKE my BACK. You think I can fight at all?~

Max paused at the Pokémon’s reply. Mist walked up to the downed jolteon positioning one of his forepaws against the electric fox’s neck where the spine met the skull. ~I could always put you out of your misery, Jolteon. Or Sparx, is it?~ Mist was bluffing, of course. Being threatening and overprotective as usual.

~Mist, really?~ Max complained, ~We should be helping him. Sparx, you won’t fight me or waste my pokeballs, will you?~

The Jolteon lifted his head. And gave a wry smirk, ~No promises.~ But then he felt the winds swirl at the back of his head, ~Promise! I promise, just please call off the attack dog!~

Max chuckled, Mist wouldn’t actually do it. But he had a heavy sense of alpha-ness to him that often let no leeway for those he considered his lessers. Max took the potion and sprayed it on the Jolteon’s back and surprisingly Mist gathered a Healing Pulse in his paws and went to work as well, helping mend the bones his Aura Sphere had just broken. As soon as the problem area was attended Max booped the jolteon on the nose with the pokeball’s button. Causing it to open and capture the Jolteon inside. ~He’ll still need Nurse Joy.~ Mist commented, ~There’s no getting around the damage done to his nerves. I could feel it with Healing Pulse. We’ll be lucky if Sparx walks again. Let alone battles.~

Max frowned. He knew what that meant for the Electric type Eeveelution. And he wasn’t about to let that happen, even if the Jolteon was the one picking a fight.

***

Mist and Max came into the Pokémon Center without preamble. They entered the building with a purpose. They walked up to Nurse Joy. She was looking at a computer screen and typing away. Apparently, it hadn’t been a very busy day. “How can I help you two?” She greeted them.

“I caught a Jolteon in the city, but my overzealous Pokémon broke its back. I’m trying to save it from being paralyzed from the waist down. Can you help us?”

Nurse Joy eyed the Lucario, “What’s your name, hun?”

“Max.” he motioned toward Mist, “and this is Mist.”

“Is he the ‘overzealous Lucario’?”

~I’d prefer protective of my master~ Max replied.

“Overprotective more like” Nurse replied jauntily, “You two wait here. We’ll see if we can save your Jolteon’s nerves.”

“Thank you, Nurse Joy.” Max sighed in relief before handing over Sparx’s pokeball. He looked over to Mist and saw that he was deep in meditation. His eyes glowed underneath his eyelids. It was always rather eerie to watch when Mist connected with the Aura. ~Mist, what are you doing?~

~Connecting with the Aura, what else?~ He replied with a raised eyebrow.

Max sighed. ~Mist?!~

Mist looked up to his trainer with a smirk, ~I’m keeping track of Sparx’s Aura. Just because I was trying to make him submit—a little too forcefully, I admit, doesn’t mean that I don’t care about him, Max. He’s only the third pokemon you’ve added to your team in two years. After what happened with Guardevoire, I don’t want to see you go through that again,~ Mist grasped Max’s hand in his paws, ~You deserve to be the best Max, you care about your pokemon.~

A Clefairy came out from the back room and started speaking pokespeak to Mist. Mist dutifully listened to the Pokémon-turned-nurse with a frown upon his face. He didn’t seem surprised by the information, but it didn’t seem to please him. In fact, he seemed saddened by what the Clefairy was telling him. At least until the very last statement. ~He’s pretty bad. Nurse Joy thinks she can repair it, but their talking a 20% chance of recovery. Though with the help of a Pokémon with healing capabilities, it’s more like 70%.~ Mist had a tenuous hold on his emotions.

~I understand.~ Max thought solemnly. ~Do everything you need to do. I want to see him saved~

Mist nodded his head. He then went with the Clefairy into the back. He knew how precarious the situation was. And it scared him. If he tried healing the wrong vertebrae, he could seriously injure the Pokémon even more than it was already injured. He went into the back and Max watched as the light above the door lit up. He trusted Mist. He really did. He sent up a little prayer to Arceus begging that Sparx be alright.