FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Two weeks remained until graduation day. Tomorrow was Monday; the last two months felt like a breeze with light bumps coming from indirect teasing and surrounding gossip, but Julie endured and did her best to focus on her studies, although there were times she wanted to rip her hair out.

Her GPA had dropped to a 3.6 throughout that time, and she'd received a score of 1,230 on her SAT, just above average; however, she couldn't be too disappointed in herself. She hoped it wouldn't affect her chance of getting accepted into competitive institutions too severely.

Julie and Alyssa had stayed as close as ever throughout that time, especially after the Midnight situation. Julie had finished Passion Bullet, giving her and Alyssa something to talk about while waiting for the next season. Julie had also done as well as expected in all her classes and was guaranteed to graduate alongside Alyssa, who was cutting it close with her grades and had a 2.7 GPA. She'd gotten 970 on her SAT, but Julie knew it was because she hadn't applied herself.

“Are you still thinking about chasing that Elite Four fantasy of yours?” Julie asked her.

“Uh, duh. Hasn’t left the priority list. I just have to bring it up to my parents, which can go either way since they are keen on me being more stable than they were in life... How about you, though? Found a region you want to get lost in yet?”

They’d been exploring Johto more over the past months together and currently sauntered through Violet City's residential outskirts under a rich orange sky as the sun set, a laid-back city that wasn’t far from Goldenrod. Its abundance of trees, quiet environment, and lakes brought it its serenity. They passed homes surrounded by greenery.

Pokémon were in yards, such as a mightyena snarling at a man getting out of a mail truck and delivering packages to doorsteps.

A small herd of young and adult stantler grazed on tall grass within groupings of thick trees and bushes away from the houses, keeping their ears on alert to dart at the slightest abnormal noise. The adults surrounded their young to conceal them from harm while they ate and mainly watched the area to spot a potential predator sneaking up on them.

"I want to try Unova. It has so much that I want to explore, especially Castelia. I'll be able to tour the university and see what the city is all about. My mom said she'll send me as a graduation gift, so I’m definitely off.”

"You'll have to fly there after the airport is done," Alyssa said. "The captains don't want to host repeated two-week-long cruises anymore. What are you going to university for, anyway? History, huh?"

"That's like months to a year away, but you're right. Weird to have our first public airport, but it's been spreading."

People rarely flew in planes and relied more on the less volatile global ferry network, but some regions, Unova included, were considered too far to ferry to. Planes were set to grow more mainstream in the coming decades as more regions constructed airports.

Airships had been used to advertise things to the public, and the military had used cargo planes for rapid transports dating back twenty years ago. Passenger planes produced en masse to fly constantly were a newer concept that had been introduced to the masses years afterward and had suffered enough fatal crashes that governments retracted them to perfect development. They weren't popular or fully trusted yet, but the push slowly increased as their safety did.

Johto's first airport was being built up north in Goldenrod in a middle-class area and would support flights to any region that also had one.

Julie continued. "And of course. I want to know everything there is to know about all regions. I'd adore being a researcher, and I really want to be a historian and travel abroad, not that I'm guaranteed it..."

They stepped onto the bridge overlaying Violet City's largest body of water that pokémon used frequently.

Groups of poliwag stood by the edges next to poliwhirl while eating salveyo weed they'd pulled from the bottom of the pond. It was a stringy, leafy green type of seaweed they fed on.

Several wooper and a couple of quagsire swam in the water, either paddling above or diving under, with a few asleep on the pond's floor, their bodies concealed in a blanket of mud that they'd made while mini bubbles floated up to the surface from their noses. Some wooper stuck to the quagsire almost like glue, too nervous to separate and be on their own.

Surskit strided across the pond's surface, skidding away when a wooper got too close. They used the yellow antenna on its head as a defense mechanism, secreting a thick and sugary substance, but only used it when necessary. It was a flight pokémon otherwise.

“Nah, you'll get there," Alyssa replied. "You're like the history gogoat. Guess we’ll be doing our own thing soon, huh?”

“We’ll keep in touch, and I’ll be back before you know it, so don’t worry,” Julie reassured. "What does that mean, anyway?"

“What, history gogoat? Means you're gogoated at it."

"What?"

"And on a side note, whaddya plan on doing first with Midnight once he’s yours?”

“I’m going to hold him the entire way home, and it’ll be great to cuddle him all night.” She smiled at the thought. He was a creature of the night, but as long as Midnight was by her, it would be perfect.

“Only cuddles?” Alyssa teased.

“I’m sure I can hold off until we’re in Unova. I do leave with him a day after graduation.” However, Julie missed the way he panted and grunted when he really got into it, how his ears and paws twitched as he would near climax, and how she could follow his rings and be a part of his ride.

“Uh-huh.”

Julie double-glanced at the entrance to the city ahead. "You want to cash that rain check?"

"What? Oh, uh, sure. Whatcha feeling?" She started walking toward it and took out her phone to check the time.

Julie wanted to say she didn't know since she didn't, but Alyssa would choose a burger place if she left it up to her. "How about Craw's? And I want to see if Tug and Teddiursa has my jacket too. It sells out so fast."

"That seafood place? I'm down. Tugs hasn't had that jacket for like months, though. Gonna need more luck than Midnight," she said as they entered the city among civilization and light traffic.

Violet was small and quaint compared to most cities while keeping a contemporary aesthetic, which was partly why it was unique. It was also home to the region's only Pokémon Academy that Alyssa wanted to attend, the Galarian embassy, and one of Johto's two military bases. The one in Violet was small in comparison to the large one in West Goldenrod.

Small businesses, mini plazas, wild pokémon, and old apartment buildings were present around the outskirts, which turned into more sophisticated structures, condos, and skyscrapers the closer one got to the central area.

Commuters and tireless businessmen and women filled their cars at gas stations after a long day, some having their pokémon do it. A hitmonlee held a nozzle and filtered it into a truck while their owner was in the gas station's market buying items. The pokémon shook the nozzle after the trigger clicked, taking it out and putting the gas lid back on the truck as trained.

Employees pulled gates over shops or eateries that closed early; many people walked with their heads down or glued to their phones so they wouldn't have to interact with anyone. Even a passing man's drowzee did the same with him.

The city was lying to rest for the evening and would soon be replaced by nightlife, when the bars and casinos in the area made their living.

A van parked by a curb with an open back read 'Doption' plastered along both sides in bold red letters; pokéballs replaced the o's. Two men set a cage inside holding a midday lycanroc and shut the doors, then walked and got into the driver and passenger seat.

On the way, Julie had stopped at the clothing store before it and checked for the pricey jacket. By a miracle, it was in stock, so she'd immediately bought it and put it on the moment they were outside.

"What do you think? Kind of matches my gloves too." Julie raised her arms and looked at the sleeves extending past her knuckles while they walked past a couple of businesses. It was a blue zip-up with white outlines of eeveelutions all over it and had no drawstrings.

"I mean, it's cute. I just wanna know why you were waiting for it for months." She chuckled. "But I'm glad you finally got it."

"Ugh, you'd be all over it if it was black. You and your frickin' dark-type affinity," Julie said as they approached the restaurant's doors.

"And replace the 'lutions with misdreavus and banette. You know me so well." Alyssa opened them.

Props like seel, shellder, and seadra hung up, along with paintings of sea life and TVs playing sports in a dim environment.

The restaurant and bar at its center, with various alcoholic beverages lining the shelves, were packed since most people had gotten off work. This was also a popular spot to unwind at.

Alyssa went up to the male host with Julie, who wore a black outfit.

"Table for two?" he asked upon them approaching.

"Yeah," said Alyssa.

"Right this way."

He led them to one close to the restaurant's corner, fortunately. Julie didn't want to be amid the buzzing punctuated by laughter or the occasional shout from intoxicated customers, and they could be even farther away still.

"The waiter should be with you soon. We're pretty busy tonight," he told them.

"That's okay." Julie watched him walk off and sat, stuffing her gloves away. She looked at people seated in highchairs at the bar laughing among each other, then turned to Alyssa. "I'm going to take off this jacket if I order anything messy. I cannot stain this on the first day I got it."

"I used to think like that too. Started seeing them as memories instead."

Julie gave her an unamused stare.

"Kidding." Alyssa sat back and looked around the restaurant, then fixed her eyes on a table across the room, where two parents smiling and chatting sat. Their preteen sat with them and used a yellow Poképad with a pikachu sticker on the back. "There's no way."

"What?" Julie asked.

"Over there." Alyssa nodded at it. "They have their kid using a damn pad. I'd be livid. Can't even access Veela on that thing."

Julie looked over. "At least the kid stays innocent on a limited internet with only cute games available. Veela is like a gateway into degeneracy nowadays."

Alyssa turned back. "I'd run away."

Julie giggled. "I'm sure you would."

There was a moment of silence before something came to Julie. "I've been meaning to ask... Where did this pokémon trainer thing come from, anyway? You've never brought it up in the past."

"That? Uh... I was searching for what I wanted to do in life for a while, but nothing ever came to me. It didn't help that I liked a total of zero subjects in school. My parents were always asking me and trying to sway me in these boring ass directions.

But I stumbled across competitive battling on TV one day like a year ago, saw a few films on it, documentaries on successful trainers... It looked like a path I wanted to try, and before I knew it, I was in the mindset."

"So you were inspired." Julie grinned. "It's great to see you finding yourself."

"Sure, but like I said, I'll have to hope my parents accept it because it's no guaranteed career."

The waiter came by and put two double-sided plastic white menus on the table with a charismatic smile. He was toned and tall with a black mustache. "Walter. I'll be your waiter tonight, ladies. I'll be back shortly with water, bread with vinegar and oil, and to take your orders."

"Thank you," Julie told him. She looked back at Alyssa, who already had it in her hands. "Nothing is guaranteed; that doesn't mean you can't find success. I mean, some of the most renowned trainers were in the same boat at one point unless they were born into it or had connections."

"Try telling my parents that. It's like talking to a wall." She briefly raised her hand and two fingers, pushing them forward. "One-way conversation. I think they've given up ever since I started Ecruteak and didn't get good grades, telling me I'm lazy and don't do shit. I hate the environment." Alyssa flipped the menu and scanned the beverages.

"I don't know... That's tough to deal with if they won't even try to see eye to eye, but maybe they want what's best for you, Ali? It sounds like they care." Julie picked up her menu. "What are you getting?"

Alyssa glanced over appetizers, soups, and entrees stated in black letters on lines with corresponding images beneath them. They lined the concealed paper from top to bottom. She then moved to the lower section, where they offered plenty of delicious options.

Raw mini shellder rested on a bed of ice with x's in their eyes, modified genetically to achieve its size; two fried slowpoke tails were presented on a platter with two ceramic cups of sauce beside it. It also listed tentacool tentacles in a bowl with the option to have them raw or fried, and bright red seasoned boiled krabby in a large plate with a small bowl of butter on the side, alongside more.

"They don't know what's best for me." Alyssa leaned back, mumbling, and flipped the menu to the side offering beverages. "I want a damn cocktail."

Julie giggled. "You aren't even eighteen."

"May as well be, and who waits until they can legally drink to drink? It's some arbitrary rule— if that's the word, that differs from region to region."

"Me."

Alyssa lowered the menu, shaking it so it wobbled audibly. "One, that's a lie, and two, you don't count."

Julie sucked her teeth and set hers down since she found what she wanted. "A few sips of whatever my mom is having occasionally doesn't count."

"Yeah, and neither do you."

---

Julie sat on her front porch's step later that night under its lit bulb, watching pidgey and the occasional spearow interact with each other and make cute cries. They hopped about in search of meals on the ground, flew from tree to tree, or perched on telephone wires.

She was pondering the thought of leaving home, especially after she and Alyssa discussed aspirations earlier.

A woman walked a stroller past her house with a lively glaceon trotting ahead on the sidewalk, a father played frisbee with his son a few yards down, and the people across the street washed their old car in the driveway.

Julie had never done anything like it, but she'd hop onto a ferry to Unova in two weeks with her new pokémon.

It made her wonder if Midnight could battle. She had never seen him use attacks and never had a reason to. She’d ask Mr. Willam about it; it wouldn't matter much since she wouldn't have him battling other pokémon. Midnight was made for cuddles, not combat— at least he would be while under her care.

Julie caught movement by a tree in someone's yard that her eyes shot to; she leaned in while peering. After a second, a sentret emerged, who lifted itself from the ground using its puffy brown tail, making her grin. "Awe, what are you doing around here?" Maybe it had wandered or lost its way from its pack. She rarely saw wild pokémon that couldn't fly so deep in the city.

She eventually went into the house after people and pokémon-watching for a while longer, feeding Lilly before sitting on the couch downstairs and turning on the TV. It was better than being in her room sometimes, where her mind ran astray.

Her mother had been watching the cooking channel; Julie wouldn't change it since her mother was always in here. An aproned older woman with blonde curly hair and a chubby guy with a brown beard prepared a lum berry pie. They started by rolling pie dough after having chilled it. "Now I want pie."

"Oh, wait." Julie pulled her phone from her pocket and unlocked it, opening her internet and typing in: 'gogoat meaning.' The pokémon itself came up under images and on wikis, but the acronym and its highlighted meaning did as the first result. She muttered while reading, "Greatest of All Time... The first go in the acronym became a play on it over time relating to the uncorrelated pokémon, which spread among the internet." Julie shook her head. "That is such an Alyssa thing to say."

She stayed for around fifteen minutes and watched the program until they pulled the finished pie out of the oven with a neat crisscross design and smooth, thick green lum filling.

Julie turned it off and walked to the kitchen, where she beelined to the fridge and opened it, leaning down. There was Moomoo milk, chilled Wikiblux coffee in small store-bought glasses she enjoyed drinking from time to time, and a few natural berry juices and cartons of organic berries from local farmer's markets; greens, some cheeses, refrigerated snacks in lower drawers she crouched to open, and more.

Julie usually shopped at Chasy with her mother, which was one of the biggest megamarkets spread across the Accord.

She stood and opened the freezer, glossing over pints of ice cream, some processed meats like packaged nuggets, tenders, slowpoke tail bites, and frozen grounded meat for burgers and other meals. "I don't even know what I want..." She sighed and shut the freezer. Julie wanted a snack, especially after seeing that delicious pie, but, like, she didn't at the same time. She'd just drink water and go to sleep.

After having a glass using the fridge's filtered option, she washed it and went upstairs.

Julie would shower and couldn't wait to take one with Midnight to scrub his fur and see how cute he’d look once he was out and dried with a towel. It'd make a priceless wallpaper.

She couldn't go a minute without fantasizing about their time together. She couldn't thank life enough for allowing things to go her way.

Julie sat on her bed. It would be late in a few hours, and she had a dozen neglected math problems that she’d been holding off on doing all weekend.

At least she wouldn't have to go downstairs and eat later since she was still satisfied from the mixed seafood soup and appetizer she and Alyssa had shared. It wasn't Julie's idea to get fried cheese sticks, but all of that eating meant she could focus on finishing her work.

She got up to fetch and toss her book on the bed, then turned on the TV to a romantic soap opera she had never watched a day in her life. Julie undressed and put her clothes inside the hamper.

She didn't feel Monday was a burden this time and would be optimistic about the next two weeks. It was like an upcoming summer break.

One that would last forever.