FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

The following afternoon, the sun shining above Laverre at its peak, Fenny stood outside in the city’s expansive field with Cassidy backing him. She held out a fist. “Fen, I want you to begin a flame charge! Hold and charge for as long as possible.”

Fenny turned his head from her, huffed, and briefly tightened his eyes while drawing flammable liquid and waves of heat from his stores, which conjoined and ignited within. He utilized the active flame to significantly heat his fur until smoke rose from it; it then caught fire—engulfed him in it.

He firmed his lips and again scrunched his eyes, raising his fur’s temperature. The flames flared and tinged with blue at its base, flickering with billowing intensity.

After several moments of this, the flames burst with a blaring whoosh, making Cassidy wince while bringing her arm up to shield her face from the heat.

She opened her fist. “Release!”

“Fenn!” he cried with a rise in his tone and shot the fire from around his fur; it dispersed into the air in rising smoke, a brief explosion of flames, and waves of vapored heat. Afterward, he turned to face her, panting with erect ears and expectant eyes.

“Impressive.” She approached and crouched before him. “You are still hot. I can feel your heat, or else I would pat you.”

He chuffed and sat, licking around his maw while his breaths gradually eased.

“I think you are close to mastering flame charge.” Cassidy stood and took a few steps back. “We have been out for an hour, and I still have to go to Mamie’s (Nana’s) home before dark.” She glanced up at blue skies and puffy clouds. She didn't feel like going, but in yesterday's drop-off was a note saying that she wanted to see Cassidy; Cassidy was already outside, so she may as well.

She set her eyes back on Fenny. “To finish, why do not– don’t… you stir up an ember and show me how strong it is?”

With a slight grin, he nodded, watching her backpedal. Fenny turned around, bringing more heat and liquid from his stores. This time, after igniting it, he brought it up, opening his maw as the active flames and smoke rose to the back of his throat. “Hnk…” He took a deep breath, aimed to the skies, and hurled a ball of fire upward.

They watched it rise into the air; it went high enough before gravity took hold and arched it, dropping the ember as fast as it rose. It hit the grass, where Cassidy met and stomped it in with a twist of her heel to curb a potential wildfire.

"Fini (Done)." She moved her foot to reveal a burnt grass patch, then bent over to touch Fenny’s coat. “Warm now.” She picked him up and held him to her chest, feeling his quick breaths. “Your flame control is getting better.”

He wiggled his tail with a proud grin on his face. “Fin!” It grew after she kissed his ear.

“Now we go to Mamie’s.” She walked with him across the field, wiping her forehead of sweat. The morning had started out dull, but training with Fenny under the sun had given her some breathing room, as had yesterday's battle minus the loss.

She stared down at the sun-layered grass that her boots flattened with every step. None of the past enthusiasm was present, but the depression was less depressing.

She tugged Fenny up to hold him securely, soon stepping onto the pavement after clearing the field in minutes. Ahead, over the bridge, was Central Laverre.

Businesses, business, and foot traffic—people. A lot of them. While crossing the busy bridge and entering the city, heading north, she kept her head down, holding Fenny close while taking shallow breaths. If anyone waved, she turned a blind eye, any stares, she let roll off her back, and any greetings, she was deaf to.

Fenny lazily watched the surrounding activity, resting his cheek against her arm. He followed a couple of scraggy leaning against a set of benches and looked up at movement stirring in trees at glimpses of furret on branches.

They passed shops, some busy some not, small restaurants, and the busier PokéCenter.

Pokémon roamed the roads, flying-types perched roofs, watching civilization below or preening feathers.

“Cassidy? Cassidy!”

She briefly shut her eyes and clutched Fenny as she passed a market that a teen boy sat outside of on his Poketch while leaning against its wall. He held a pichu.

He stood and lowered his device after she stopped. “Hey, where’ve you been? I haven’t seen you in days.”

She shrugged. “Have not felt like doing much.”

“But I haven’t even seen you at school…”

As if saving her from the pressure, someone else appeared from behind. A girl.

“Oh, Elise.” He grinned.

However, Elise instantly focused on Cassidy. “Cassidy,” she said in a Kaloan accent.

“I am going somewhere.” Cassidy took a step back to stand in between them while passersby strolled.

Elise put a hand on her hip and frowned. “But you said some days ago we’d go to Lumiose together... yesterday.”

“I did not,” Cassidy grumbled. “I said maybe.”

“But you never want to do anything with us anymore,” she replied. “I thought we were close?”

“That is true…” the boy added while running a hand over his pichu’s head.

“You guys don’t understand…” Cassidy clutched Fenny tight enough that his breaths slightly wheezed.

Elise’s expression softened. “No, I–” she glanced at the boy. “We do, but…”

“We just want to see you and talk sometimes,” he completed. “We don’t know how you’ve been or anything.”

Cassidy shook her head. “I cannot.” She paced past them without looking back.

Fenny huffed the moment Cassidy eased her grip on him and peeked around her to see the two people she’d left staring after her.

Cassidy’s heart was pounding, and her chest was tight. The rest of the walk was tension in full. She hoped the entire time not to run into another interaction of the like.

Every person she passed who remotely resembled someone she knew, she went stiff. Her heart dropped when she caught a few faces she did recognize.

"Content de te voir (Good to see you)."

"Gh..." She skidded over her steps and barely stopped after hearing a Kaloan older man's voice, who she slightly turned her head toward.

He stood at the entrance to a market she used to frequent to get snacks after school, wearing a mustache and an apron. "Ça va pour vous (How is it going for you)?"

"Bien (Fine)." She tilted off her feet as if actively trying to leave.

"Attendez ici, voulez-vous (Wait here, would you)?" He nodded with a smile and turned to head into the store.

She didn't want to. She took a step to continue but ultimately stayed put; he returned after a few moments.

The man held out two red packs of vanilla wafers labeled 'Créme'. "Vous l’avez souvent (You got this often)."

Cassidy stared at them, then reached and took both. "...Merci (...Thanks)."

"Bien sûr (Of course)."

With a half-nod, she paced off and slipped the wafers into her pocket.

As she soon neared the district’s outskirts, where rowed residences were, she set Fenny down and upped her pace even more.

She passed by the outskirts' expansive field that benches lined.

Fenny trotted after her while staring up with evident concern. “Fhn?”

Cassidy passed several homes until stopping before a quaint one-story with trimmed grass and planted flowers. She raised a fist, knocked on the door, and heard muffled shouting behind it before it opened to a haxorus. She looked up at him. “Salut (Hi), Zaj,” she muttered.

“Xh,” he grunted, left the door, and turned to walk into the dark home.

She entered and shut the door behind Fenny, looking around. “Mamie?” She slipped out of her boots and reached along the wall to feel for and flip on the living room light.

“In the kitchen!”

Cassidy turned to her voice and headed to the dimly lit kitchen with Fenny by her. Her grandmother was the most fluent Accordian speaker she knew, due mainly to past employment overseas.

Her grandmother turned around from standing over the counter and eyed Cassidy’s face and posture. She stood tall, had gray hair, wore glasses, and a gown. “What’s wrong?” She frowned.

Cassidy turned her head and shut her eyes following that question—hearing the tenderness in her voice. The coming tears were outside of Cassidy’s control. She pinched her eyes as if in an attempt to stop them, but they started streaming down her cheeks regardless.

With a sigh, her grandmother stepped forward and embraced Cassidy.

Cassidy didn’t hug her back. She kept her arms limp at her sides, but the tears continued rolling down her cheeks, soon accompanied by whimpers she tried her best to suppress.

Fenny sat at a distance with his tail held against his side and ears folded while watching.

Zaj did too; he stood at the kitchen’s entrance.

“Cassidy.” Her grandmother kissed her head and ran her fingers through her hair. “Why don’t you stay here?”

“Mh-mh.” She sniffled.

“That house is no good for you, and neither is being alone. You have to know this.”

“No.”

“Why?”

“You cannot help me.”

“Cassidy…” Her grandmother released her and took a step back. “Why do you say that?”

Cassidy again turned her head. She hated standing before her like such a mess.

“I’m here to make sure you’re taken care of; you do not seem okay. Have you been eating?”

She didn’t answer.

“And I hate to bring it up, but I’ve been told you have not been attending school for the past few days.” She folded her arms.

Cassidy brought a hand to wipe her eyes. “Sorry…”

Her grandmother sighed again and uncrossed her arms. “Don’t be, but you won’t get better this way. I will say that… Are you hungry?”

She half-nodded.

“I was in the middle of making a pizza.” She moved aside to reveal spread-out dough on a pizza pan. “But I want you to rest. Off to the couch. Fenny too.” She shooed with her hand.

Cassidy turned, dragged to the dark living room past a watchful Zaj, and slumped onto the couch with her back against the cushion.

Fenny joined her, hopping up and curling up beside her thigh.

She drew her eyes closed and loosely hugged her waist.

After a while, her grandmother returned to the living room, as did Zaj, who went to a corner to lie in an oversized pokébed.

Cassidy opened her eyes after hearing them.

"Pizza is in the oven. It should be done in around twenty." She sat down beside Fenny.

"Mhm..."

Her grandmother eyed her, taking a deep breath. "Cassidy, it's terrible what happened. The last time I experienced a loss this great was when your grandfather passed, but I still cannot imagine how you feel. No child should ever lose their parents."

A sob caught in her throat, which she kept suppressed.

"If staying in your home is helping you, then please do, Cassidy, but my doors are always open, and I'm always here."

"Mhm," Cassidy murmured.

"And one more thing." She leaned forward with her hands clasped. "If I can offer you something to carry, it is to continuer (continue)."

Cassidy exhaled, letting every ounce of air leave her lungs; she didn't inhale.

"I know." She raised a hand to adjust her glasses. "Don't let it go anywhere."

---

Later that night, Cassidy was back home and in her bed, on her stomach with her cheek smooshed against her pillow. Nightfall consumed the room.

“I don’t want to,” Cassidy spoke in a near whisper. “I will stay here. This is home.”

Fenny was lying between her legs with his chin resting over her calf, awake.

‘What will you do then?’ Garna was sitting on the bed’s edge.

“Not go out. They are useless. They speak, but it means nothing.”

Garna looked at her. ‘Not if it comes from the heart.’

Cassidy clutched the blanket, her voice tightening. “It does not help. That is all. I don’t want to go to school tomorrow either.”

‘Will you?’

She gradually released the blanket. “So Mamie does not get in trouble, I will.”

Garna looked down and blinked slowly. ‘I’ll be in the living room.’ She stood and started out of the room.

"I thought it would be better now."

Garna stopped.

"After a year... I cared less before. Now I do not."

Cassidy turned her cheek to the other side after Garna left; she again clutched the blanket. It got worse with each day. Her motivation waned, will faded, and life grayed.

She looked over at her closed closet, where she’d recently stuffed her backpack. “Don’t want to go…” She would avoid all interaction unless it was necessary, but people would have questions. She was sure of it.

Her eyes shot to her book pile. Reading crossed her mind as something that would temporarily ease her because merely thinking about what tomorrow could be spun her head and raced her heart a little, but her desire to escape conflicting with no desire at all meant forcing herself to get up in the first place would be a challenge.

Uttering a soft breath, Cassidy pressed her palm into the bed and slightly pushed up off her chest. She slowly turned her legs and felt Fenny sit up. "One second." She sat up and made her way off the bed, where she went and kneeled before her books.

With a squint in her eyes, she lifted books and set them aside one by one, glancing over their titles and covers. She stopped after passing a few and stood with a thick one titled 'Mastering the Art of Battle' with a paper bookmark sticking out of the top.

She tossed it on her bed and glanced at Fenny sniffing at it while she passed by toward her door. "I need the light for a while." She flipped the switch and returned to the bed, crawling to its center and sitting. "This one is about battling. It is one of my favorites."

Fenny looked up at her, then stepped over her legs to sit between them as she pulled the book before her.

"I can read it out loud. It will help us both." Cassidy crossed her legs while leaving slack for Fenny to sit comfortably and opened the book to the page she'd left off at, which was just past the halfway point. "This is page chapter twenty-one. It focuses on actions and reactions in the field."