FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Julie lay in bed with her phone early the following afternoon on her stomach with Midnight curled up and asleep atop her back. He'd initially gotten up there hours ago to make her smile but had decided to stay and dozed off, which she didn't mind. Luckily she'd used the restroom prior and was in a comfortable position. She had light swelling under her eyes from not getting much sleep last night, up in thought and online, but she'd catch up later.

The curtains were closed, rendering the room dark other than what little sunlight slipped through the fabric and found spots to reside in on the wall. Julie held her device sideways and wore a grin while watching a video from years ago of herself and Alyssa at the Goldenrod Aquarium in tenth grade. Julie was sixteen.

To this day, it remained her favorite field trip ever and one of the few decent memories she had of Ecruteak. The volume was low, but Julie could barely hear the video, so she turned it up a few ticks. She tilted her back to glance behind at Midnight and ensure the sound didn't disturb him, then focused back on the three-minute video that was halfway over of Julie holding her phone in hand and following Alyssa.

"We can't stray too far from our group, Ali. We'll get in trouble." Julie paced after her past buzzing crowds down a massive, long corridor with transparent acrylic walls holding thousands of gallons of water on both sides of them that people watched sea life swim in. The environment was dark other than shimmery strips of sunlight filtering in through the topless exhibit and reflecting off the water, moving across the ground and lighting the room.

Alyssa glanced back. "It's not that far, you rule heli. It's not my fault we passed the hall I wanted to go down 'cause of time constraints." Alyssa maneuvered around people standing in place or walking too slow.

In the video were glimpses of children standing just before the massive tanks and pointing out pokémon such as horsea poking at other pokémon for fun, magikarp and feebas swimming away from the fun, barboach, shellder burrowed under the sand, and more, to their parents or siblings, while others took pictures.

Even pokémon watched, such as an intrigued charmander pressing its hands to the surface and shooting its full, attentive eyes from active water-type to water-type.

Julie recalled interactive vaporeon, seel, dewgong, and mantine exhibits existing separately in other areas of the aquarium, as they would prey on species in the tanks shown on video. Goldeen and seaking weren't able to be kept in aquariums, as beautiful as they were since they were known to relentlessly attempt breaking the acrylic to escape and being inconsolably hostile toward humans if kept in any alternate habit.

"You still haven't told me where you're even trying to go... like..." The crowds waned and spread out as they neared the hall's exit, and the environment was quieter.

"Less talking and more walking. You'll see if you keep up. It's through here." Alyssa stepped out of the hall into a more open and lit-up area with entrances to two more halls on both sides of her, stopping before a wooden directional sign with print on it pointing to both corridors while people passed by.

"She was always such a rebel," Julie giggled quietly while watching the video, raising her foot to kick the air but remembering Midnight was on top of her, so she lowered it while glancing back again.

Alyssa read the sign that stated: 'Ocean Tunnel' and pointed left. "And we've arrived. See?"

"This better be worth it," Julie mumbled and briefly looked behind them down the hall they came from, turning the phone with her. She followed Alyssa down a dark hall with black walls cutting off to a sharp right with soft white light at the end.

A group of people and a couple of accompanying pokémon passed them, and Alyssa disappeared around the corner.

When Julie reached it and took the right, she was rendered speechless. Concrete flooring was under their feet, but encompassing around and above them was more acrylic in the shape of the top side of a tube, displaying a massive, seemingly limitless aquarium on the other side as if beneath an ocean. It held just under a million gallons of water, making it one of the biggest tanks in the world, which would be scary if it broke for any reason, but that would require extreme force.

"I was wearing a smile I couldn't fade here," Julie grinned while resting her chin on her palm, invested fully in the video even though this was probably her tenth time watching it.

She directed the lens above and slowly scanned all of the ocean life. She spotted countless shellder either half-buried in sand among plant life or propelling themselves across the surface using their tongues while stirring dirty clouds in the water.

Staryu also resided on seafloors, covered partially by sand and in groups both big and small.

"Awe, Ali, look!" Julie extended her arm past her phone and pointed out two luvdisc swimming beside each other, which she followed for several seconds.

"Yeah. I've got eyes." Alyssa watched the couple pass overhead. Even with her snarky remarks, she was grinning too. "Soo... worth it?"

Julie shot the frame to an alomomola swimming just behind a few magikarp in the distance. "...Uh-huh." Her smile could be heard in her voice.

Julie paused the video upon feeling Midnight quiver while stretching. She looked back slightly but didn't move, so she couldn't see him. "Are you awake, love?"

"Mhhu," he said while yawning, hearing her giggle a little. Midnight stepped off her back and sat next to her, allowing her to turn onto her side and lean on her forearm. She shifted and pushed out her lower back to relieve soreness from lying in that position for an extended period, hearing it pop.

"Morning." Julie closed the video and set her phone down, yawning after him. It was almost over anyway. It did make her want to take Midnight to an aquarium or something, though, and by that, she meant the aquarium. They didn't go out enough. "Can I have a morning kiss?"

Maybe they'd see a luvdisc together, with him in her arms. Luvdisc were viewed as the embodiment of romance and love by the world. A popular tale was that couples whose paths a luvdisc crossed were guaranteed eternal love. It was cheesy but adorable.

Midnight went and sat before her chest, leaning down to meet her as she leaned up. He first took a second to admire her face and frizzed morning hair with loose ends, then completed the distance and pressed lips, feeling hers pucker, move, and push against his while they kissed and locked eyes.

He twitched his ears to her soft murmurs and the sweet, subtle smacks their mouths made interacting with each other, making him assert more force into his actions and kissing her deeper while softening his gaze.

Midnight was more confident at making out after having done it often enough with Julie.

"Hmhn..." Julie reached and held his front leg, dazed in his mesmerizing eyes and mouth. She slowly snaked her hand up and shuddered from the cozy chills trickling across her chest and down her arms from their act, soon reaching and holding his shoulder that she rubbed. "Nm, Lhve," she muttered between kisses with parted lips and rubbed hers against his, her breaths growing more shallow.

This would surely lead to more. She could feel it stir below, and Julie wasn't feeling wake-up sex right now. She clutched Midnight's fur a little and kissed him deeply once more, hearing him hum against her pressure before pulling away.

They stared at each other while taking a few seconds to catch their breath, Midnight licking his lips and Julie wiping her mouth.

"I think that was a bit more than a morning kiss," she grinned. "I liked it, though."

Midnight gave a slight smirk in return. He did too. He would have to ignore the arousal she brought him until it eventually faded.

"And this is suddenly off-topic and moment-breaking, but have you ever been to an aquarium?" That video filled her with nostalgia and really made her want to go again, and she would have to take Alyssa too.

Midnight thought but didn't have to for long before shaking his head. The principal had never taken him anywhere. Julie had taken him to more places around her city over the course of a few months after belonging to her than his entire time living with the principal. She had been excited to show him the spots she loved and grew up on.

"Hm... How about I change that when we get back home? I'll take you to the biggest one in Goldenrod." Julie lay on her back and smiled a little. She did every time she thought of it. "It's amazing."

"Mbre." He nodded. He'd be happy to, especially when his mate seemed so enthusiastic about it.

Julie looked over at Midnight and ran her eyes over his hind legs and body, up to his face while shifting her thighs. On second thought... "And love, could you kiss me some more?"

He eyed her with his previous smirk. She must still be hot from their short makeout session. Fortunately for Julie, that's why he was here.

She bit her lip to hide a timid grin in return. "Come get on top of me."

---

Julie sat in regional history class the next day with her cheek resting on her palm, listening to the lecture half an hour into the class with her text and notebook open in front of her.

She currently wrote notes in blue pen off the slides about the Holon region ahead but couldn't help but glance at the empty desk a few roads ahead-- Angie's.

What should Julie care, anyway? She was done with Angie. Angie was a corrupted soul that needed help left and right. Julie would dare say she was too far gone and riddled with mental issues unattended to.

But that's why Julie felt the slightest bit of empathy. She knew all about Angie's corrupted past in detail. She knew the girl that had opened up to her and entrusted her with everything.

Julie sighed to herself and stopped thinking about her, focusing back on the lecture at hand. Angie was most likely fine anyway. Maybe something came up.

When class let out, she was walking the spacious grounds with her eyes on the tile moving in front of her. She had to forget about Angie. Maybe she had dropped the class because of the situation she was responsible for.

Julie had a region to study and familiarize herself with tonight, anyway. She didn't have time to give anything or anyone else her attention.

She took her eyes off the ground and mind elsewhere while heading to the dorm, looking at the people, greenery, pokémon, and structures surrounding her. Julie grinned at a few pidove pecking at scraps on the ground by occupied tables and others perched atop lamp posts. No matter her mood, taking it all in and reminding herself of the work she'd put in to be here and delve further into her favorite subject made her feel a little better.

However, recent events and general thoughts made her wonder how different life would be right now if she had just gone to a local university in Goldenrod. While she would never have met Justin or Angie, she also wouldn't have met Anna, who helped Julie see what she hadn't.

However, at a Goldenrod university, she would be at home as comfortable as could be with her mother and the room she grew up in, and she would be there for Alyssa right now.

Julie walked around a couple of students standing and talking in the center of the walkway, now passing the samurott statue and a busy epicenter.

But who says similar events and outcomes or worse could happen at any other university? In that reality, she could have been caught having public sex with Midnight by someone that would have reported her-- and she most likely would've done it in that timeline too.

Then her life would be ruins.

So, Julie was more or less content with how things were. This university was amazing, she was still in one piece, attending, and going back to her boyfriend after a long day who gave her wonderful starts to her days every morning-- especially yesterday's.

She got to the dorm in the next five minutes and went up to her floor, grinning while approaching her door from down the hall.

Love was amazing.

Julie unlocked and opened it to Midnight lying by her pillow, but he lifted his head and sat up while stretching upon hearing the door.

"I'm back." Julie set her bag down, removed her shoes, put her key on the desk, and went to wash in the restroom.

Midnight got up and sat at the center of the bed while waiting for her. He'd slept off and on throughout the day, so he was ready for the night and whatever Julie had in mind for it.

He saw her exit around a minute later and first go to the window to part the curtains and open it.

"I don't want it to get too stale in here," she said. Julie went to the bottom of the bed and rested her knee and palm on it, leaning in as Midnight came to her. "Missed you like usual."

He leaned up and met her, sharing a quick kiss. He did too. When he was awake, that was.

"Oh, want to study the new region the professor assigned us in class with me?... Well, it's not exactly new to me, but the chapter goes more in-depth than what I learned in Ecruteak, so it'll be fun. I think you'll like it."

"Umb." He nodded. Of course. Midnight loved seeing her happy and enthusiastic, especially when talking about what she enjoyed. He was here to listen. Plus, learning about nature worldwide never got old. If he couldn't be there, he got a peek into what it would seem like to be there.

She grinned and traced her finger full circle around his head ring. "I'll get my stuff," Julie said while backing off the bed and going to her backpack, where she gathered her textbook, notebook, and pen, bringing it all back to bed.

Midnight moved and let her take the center, lying beside her after she lay on her stomach and opened her notebook to a clear page.

"If I remember, I think it's page five hundred andd..." Julie opened her history book and started flipping to five hundred, then went one by one until seeing 'Holon' in bold, black print at the top of the page. "Five." She stopped and saw an illustration of the Holon region with several paragraphs of text beneath it, and a few exercises beneath that which the professor had assigned. "Looks diverse. Pretty," she said while studying the land, then began reading the text in silence.

Midnight was still looking over the image and wondered why the big major regions appeared to be so full of technology and buildings while the smaller ones appreciated nature and remained pure. To be fair, it wasn't like he had lived anywhere but Johto and now a part of Unova, but he'd seen a lot through Julie's studies.

He glanced up at her eyes scanning left and right and her index finger drawing slowly down lines of text, invested in the reading. She usually took around a minute or so before breaking the silence.

Julie took a few, reading back over lines of text if she missed or didn't understand something. "So, I knew that scientists and researchers inhabited the island in search of Mew." She traced her finger over to an image of a city on the next page. "They even cut down a portion of the surrounding Mirage Forest and built a small city for their goal with homes to stay in and a research tower in the center."

She placed her hand on Midnight's back and rubbed it a little while looking at the text on page 206 for reference. "To summarize this, that tower became responsible for two phenomena, which I didn't know much about until now... There were abnormal, special magnetic properties present in the forest's ground that the tower utilized using powerful generators to create electromagnetic pulses that flowed through the air. The scientists were trying to track Mew with the energy, but two side effects of the magnetic energy were weather alteration that caused magnetic storms and the creation of the Delta Species."

"Umbre?" The what? He'd never heard of that day in his life. Were they a type of pokémon?

"I know, right? It tells us more on the next page," Julie grinned and flipped to page 207, where it showed a far-placed photo of various pokémon living in Mirage Forest, Holon Lake located south of it, and the steep, jagged Mountain Range to the west that hosted deep caves Delta fossil pokémon resided in. "Let's read this." She started on the paragraphs of print under it. "No way," she muttered.

Midnight looked at the text. He wished he could read because he was beyond curious. He looked up at her, awaiting elaboration. The anticipation was killing him, and her words hadn't helped.

Julie felt his eyes on her but wanted to at least finish the current couple of paragraphs, which took around fifteen seconds. "Okay... so the Delta Species are basically a genetically modified version of pokémon. The magnetic pulses intoxicated their DNA via radiation and mutated their types over time. So, let's say you lived on that island. Like the other lutions and most pokémon that live there, you would be a dual-type-- still dark, but metal too, which is exclusive to Holon, as is the Delta Species itself, specifically to the pokémon of Mirage Forest and the immediate surrounding areas because normal pokémon live there too."

Metal? That would be cool. Midnight would be able to learn metal-based attacks and have those abilities then, right? He wondered how long he'd have to be exposed to those pulses for it to begin affecting him enough to change his type. Years, he assumed.

Julie kept reading and came across more examples of altered pokémon that had been studied by the scientists of Holon, like lightning-type charmander, psychic-type ninetales, and fire-type ekans.

Apparently, it was strictly illegal to export any of those pokémon to a region that wasn't Holon. The pokémon were considered corrupted and contaminated with a shorter lifespan than typical and were prone to aggression and irritability, so it made sense.

But owning a psychic-type ninetales or metal eeveelution would be awesome.

---

Julie spent the following day in bed doing assigned work and reading the rest of the chapter on Holon with Midnight-- even reading past it a little about Fiore on the next one out of curiosity, but she didn't want to overload her mind.

When evening arrived, she took Midnight to the food court to get out of the dorm for a while, where they sat and ate together.

It wasn't a bad day at all, but the one afterward was-- though more irritating than anything else.

The one after her free day, when Julie sat in regional history, she again hadn't seen Angie at her seat, and Julie hated to admit that some worry was present.

Why was she worrying about someone that had negatively impacted her life so deeply for their gain on top of what Julie already suffered through? She should be glad she didn't have to see Angie's face or be in her presence, but in her gut, something told her something was very wrong.

Julie currently sat on the edge of her bed close to midnight in a light blue and white tee and panties, restless. She was sleepy, especially after a long day, but she couldn't feel at peace until, admittedly, she knew Angie was alive and well.

Midnight could feel the change in Julie's demeanor and was sitting some feet from her. She'd been sitting there in silence for a while now and had been distant since she came through the door today, which concerned him.

Julie shut her eyes and sighed, sitting for a few more moments, then got up and went to her closet to put on some pants.

Midnight watched her open it and slip into jeans, go and grab her key, then slip into her shoes by the door. She was off somewhere again, but her behavior worried him as much as it had been now and again recently. He moved closer to the bed's edge with upright ears.

Julie unlocked the door and looked back at him. She didn't want to tell him. "I won't be long." She shut and locked the door behind her, walking down an empty hall toward the elevator.

After reaching, calling, and entering it, she looked at the floor numbers and eyed two, which she pressed before taking a step back as the doors closed and took her down.

She ensured not a thought entered her head. Not one that changed her mind or encouraged her to continue. Julie kept it blank and stepped out of the elevator after it opened, walking down the hall to Angie's door. Her mind briefly relived the night she did so with Midnight. She couldn't believe she was walking down this hall again, but she passed the thought quickly and stopped at Angie's door.

Without hesitation while full of it that she tucked away, Julie raised her fist and knocked a few times, lowering it and taking a breath. She didn't know what to expect.

She waited around fifteen seconds with no response and could walk away. Julie could leave and say she tried, but it was as if her feet were glued to the ground, so she knocked a few more times.

Julie heard the door unlock, silence, then it slowly opened, only enough so that their eyes met. She saw Angie's fingers holding the side of the door and her eye without glasses. "...I, uh, came to check on you."

"...Why?"

"I haven't seen you in-"

"You shouldn't give a fuck. You said-"

"I know what I said." Julie could hear both anger and sorrow in her tone. "Can you open the door?"

"I won't. You should go," Angie said bluntly. "I don't understand..."

"Please." Julie placed her palm on the door that she felt give slightly, then watched Angie pull it open a little more. She glanced at what more she could see, some of her pink panties and upper thigh with what looked like faded abnormal markings across it, and her long-sleeved pink pajama tee. Her hair was unkempt and frizzy, a wavy mess down to her shoulders.

Julie took a step and raised her hand, reaching it past the door and extending her palm.

Angie looked at it, then back at Julie.

"Give me your hand."

She didn't at first. Reluctant, but brought her right hand and placed the topside in Julie's palm.

Julie held it and used her other hand to hold her sleeve, feeling Angie's arm tense and quiver. Julie glanced at her while slowly pulling it up her arm, hearing her whimper.

Julie's eyes were met with cuts on her wrist that didn't stop until halfway up her forearm, five in total. Some were relatively deep and fresh enough, bright red with dried blood around them. A few were over her veins, too. "A-Angie..." Julie felt sick to her stomach and gripped her hand tighter without realizing it, her eyes widening.

She looked at Angie in utter horrific disbelief. "Wh-What is?..."

"What I deserve," she mumbled. "I was hoping one would bleed me out."

Julie swallowed. "Wh-Why would you... Angie, n-no. Why would you ever deserve death?"

She grinned, "are you actually stupid? I'm irredeemably sick. I pulled Calda into my twisted reality years ago. I did the same with you, and you have to live with my abuse after showing me nothing but kindness and care. You would never forgive me, and neither can I after everything I said to you at that library table. I'm better off dead before I harm anyone else."

She was right, but not about all of it. "You just... Angie, you just need help. That's all. Have you eaten or drank?" Julie let go of her hand. She couldn't look again without feeling queasy.

"No, and I have Calda staying with someone. I don't even know if I want her back," she sighed. "You can go. I'm nothing to you or anyone else."

Julie stared with her breath held, then released. "I can't. Not knowing you're doing this to yourself. You screwed up badly, Angie, but you can use it to better yourself instead of taking your life in vain. Look where you are... at one of the best universities in the world. You have a future."

Angie's voice trembled, "and what if I don't want one?"

"You do. I know you don't want to continue feeling like this or to be who you are right now, but you do. I know exactly how you feel, and I changed a lot that was holding me down. Your future doesn't have to be miserable, Angie..."

Angie choked up a little, and her voice shook. "I-I don't see the fucking worth when I have to live with everything I did with Calda... and what I did to you and Midnight."

"But everyone is going to screw up... mistakes that are big and small. I've made big ones myself. I know yours involved me, and no, I'll never forget it, but you can't take this route..."

Angie shook her head. "Why do you care, Julie?"

"Because as I said, I know how it is. I remember everything you told me, and I don't want you to die. You have to keep going, okay?"

Angie looked down.

Julie reached and placed her hand on her shoulder for a more personal reassurance. She could almost feel a numb chill flare in her hand and run up her arm from touching her, pulsing mildly. The discomfort was staggering, but she kept it there, briefly firming her grip. "Okay?"

But she didn't respond.

"If you stay locked up, harming yourself, it'll only get worse. Wear what you have to, but I want to see you in our next class at least, and no more cutting."

Angie drew her eyes up to Julie. "Okay," she whispered, and a drawn out silence followed before: "I'm sorry, Julie," her voice cracked.

"I know." Julie watched the door close and stood in place for at least a minute, surrounded by more dead silence dead-center in an empty corridor. She couldn't process any of that. What did she just do?

She turned and walked back down the hall. Julie wouldn't get the image of those gruesome cuts covering Angie's arm out of her head for a while.

Maybe Julie was stupid, talking a girl who had assaulted her and that had sex with her lover in front of her out of suicide. Most people in Julie's situation would feel indifferent seeing Angie's room become a crime scene and her body being carried out of it.

But Julie couldn't help it. Something within had refused to leave her alone. Julie hadn't done a thing, and her mind wasn't going to let her sleep tonight because she knew of Angie's upbringing and the girl she was in the first couple of months they'd met. The one she could be.

Julie couldn't tell if caring like so was good or bad. She was still hurting, but not as much, and may have saved someone tonight that had no one to turn to and saw life as a hopeless shell, resorting to predatory actions in an attempt to nullify the pain or for a plethora of other reasons.

Julie held her accountable for her actions, of course. She had free will, but her brain also wasn't functioning properly at the same time. In a sense and through Angie's current perception, she truly couldn't help it, and instead of being quick to feel pure hatred that more or less clouded her judgment as she had just after Angie's actions, Julie found understanding and wanted her to get help.

Julie didn't know whether she believed in determinism or free will. She'd looked into it last night while unable to sleep and found out why Anna hadn't touched on the subject. It was rather eye-opening for her, although it seemed to have always resided within her.

The debate applied to the current situation. Determinism meant Angie had acted the only way she could have through her eyes, and free will meant it was her own choice and nothing but. In essence, Julie wouldn't hate a natural disaster for taking Midnight, but she had hated Angie for something similar.

Julie was, well, naturally good at history and not so much at math, while Alyssa had an idea to pursue and hadn't entirely found her purpose yet, but it wasn't history, so had Julie chosen her passion, or had her brain preselected it?

But life through the lens of pure determinism may affect morality and general motivation, as one may believe the actions performed by a person wasn't their choice at all, that it was simply a product of how their brain was wired or a result of the environment and events of their upbringing, which led to predetermined events and outcomes because no one chose who they were born to or to what conditions they were raised in. It was touchy, as both people and pokémon had the capacity to make decisions, so perhaps Julie sat on a middle ground.

She may have given Angie another chance at improvement-- at life, by showing her that someone did care and that there was a chance instead of outright shaming her and letting her believe she deserved the worst to happen to her.

Julie stopped at the elevator and pressed the button to call it. She wasn't happy with herself, nor was she upset. She would never consider building she and Angie's shattered friendship up again. She simply did what was necessary in her mind, and now she would go to her room and sleep with Midnight.