FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

The white and yellow Pokemon awakens with a groan. Blinking a few times, he looks around groggily at his surroundings. He is laying on something soft, and as his vision clears he is able to tell he is in some sort of wooden structure. There's a small pile of berries laying nearby. "Where...?" He tries to get up, but his legs don't have the strength to keep him standing. His body aches everywhere.

Sniffing at the air, the scent of another Pokemon fills his nostrils. It is then he notices the small blue crocodile he met before, asleep on another makeshift bed. "You... brought me these...?" he says. They're placed neatly on the table next to his bed so he assumes they were intended for him. The pile of berries is just out of reach, and he scoots toward them with a painful grunt. There's a good selection of berries here, and the Jolteon opts to start with an Oran Berry. He knows they are generally used to regain strength, and that is exactly what he needs right now.

"Mmmh?" The Totodile is woken up by the movement, and he sits up to stretch. "Oh, yeah! Eat up!" he says happily. "Just get some rest. Looks like whoever gotcha gotcha good. But..." He stands up and pats his chest with a proud smile. "You've got Moto to take care of ya'!"

Settling down, Moto tilts his head at the fox. "You know, you never told me your name, or why you were being chased. Gotta know if I'm harboring some kinda criminal or somethin', y'know?"

"I..." the Jolteon swallows his bite of food. "No, not a criminal." The berries are already working, and the Jolteon is starting to feel better. "Lance..." he responds finally as he rolls over onto his stomach to eat more comfortably. "I don't know who was chasing me. All I heard was 'Get him!', and I heard someone getting closer, so I ran. I like to think I'm pretty fast, but..." He shakes his head. "Where was the sun when you found me? It was just passed midday when I started running."

Moto tilts his head in thought. "I'm not sure. Just over the horizon maybe?" He shrugs. "It's almost dark now though. You've been out for quite a while. And a storm is coming. It always gets cloudy around here this time of year at night."

The small crocodile goes to look out through the window. "Sun will be setting any time now. So where you from?"

"Lakethorn Oasis. I don't suppose you know how to get there?" the Jolteon asks as he stuffs another berry into his mouth.

"I do actually." the Totodile says proudly. "It's about a day's walk northwest of here."

The Jolteon stops mid chew and stares at the the blue Pokemon "You're joking, right...? It's that far?"

Moto nods back. "Yup. And I know the best way to get there too. Won't have to deal with the gangs if we take my tunnels."

Lance shakes his head. "Oh, no I couldn't do that... You've done enough for me already." He shakes his head again. "B'sides, if whoever was chasing me finds out you helped me, it'll put you in danger too." His ears twitch as he tries to think of something.

"You said gangs? Uhh... What, what kind of gangs?" he asks, hoping to sound confused.

"You don't know?" The Totodile hops onto the bed beside the fox. "Well, it's kinda... Hmm..." He tilts his head in thought again. "Well, there's two big ones. There's the Breloom Brothers for starters. Breloom triplets with a host of Shroomish. They generally don't cause too much trouble though unless you invade their territory. And then there's... Sceptile's gang..." Moto lowers his head. "They're the big ones... They don't have a name really, just Sceptile's Gang."

Moto doesn't see the Jolteon cringing at the mention of Sceptile and his group and continues on. "There's of course Sceptile who's in charge. He's the one that gave me these." he says softly. Untying the scarf around his neck, he reveals a pair of scars across the left side. "He captured me once and I took a Night Slash to the neck in the escape attempt."

As he reties the scarf around his neck, Moto continues. "But he's not even the worst. There's Volt, his right hand Pokemon..." He shifts uneasily. "He's a Luxray with a bad attitude and the power to back it up. If it weren't for the gangs, this place would be a lot better off."

Lance stops eating to listen. Even the area around his home has been having troubles with gangs lately, and he can relate. But right now he has more important things to deal with.

"Well anyway," Moto continues talking, "I need to get some more berries. Those were the last I had. And I'll get some water for you too. You should stay and rest for a while. You look beat." Before the electric type can reply, the Totodile grabs a bag and jug and heads out.

"That's odd..." Lance tells himself. "He has an awful lot of human tools... Must've found them somewhere I guess and figured out what they're for." Shrugging, he finishes off the few berries that are left then gets up to stretch. "Well, may as well have a look around." He hops off of the bed and heads out through the doorway. "Clean sand, ocean view... Nice place."

He takes in the scenery around him. The trees running along the beach are lush and green. The Totodile has even built a couple of training targets into some of them, as well as a lounging area using some large blankets. The sun has just set beyond the horizon and only a few trickles of light remain in the sky to highlight the incoming storm clouds.

"Any time you're ready, storm." he says, smiling up at it. "Well, he could be a while. Guess I'll explore a little bit." And with that, he saunters his way into the woods to check out the area.

"Today was a good day." Moto tells himself as he reaches the river. "Nice weather, the gangs got messed with a little, and I made a new friend. I just hope he'll stick around for a while..." Once his water jug is full, the Totodile bounces off happily to resupply his stock of berries.

As night grows darker and the clouds above swell, a cold breeze weaves its way through the trees. The remaining streams of moonlight shining through the rustling leaves create a sparkling rooftop above both of the wandering Pokemon before being snuffed out. The smell of pine and flowers mix with ozone as a light drizzle begins to fall.

"Oh no... I took too long..." Moto whimpers as it finally hits him. The storm isn't coming, it's here. He quickly gets his bearings and starts to head home, but a flash of lightning stops him in his tracks. The poor crocodile drops to the ground and covers his head. "Aaah!!!" He stands and runs in fear as the resounding thunderclap echoes through the trees. "No no no no no!!! Not now!! Just wait a little longer!" he yells at the sky.

Nature itself seems to laugh at the frightened Pokemon, taunting him with flashes of light high up in the clouds. As he runs, a bolt of lightning strikes the ground in front of him, blinding the poor creature and sending him into a tiny blue ball of screaming scales.

"Moto?" Lance perks his ears, trying to listen through the rain. "Coulda sworn..."

"GAAAH!!!"

"MOTO!!" The electric fox speeds off toward the sound. He lets the electricity flow in preparation to defend his friend as he follows the sound of fear-filled shrieks. The wind and rain blowing all around him aren't making it easy.

"Moto, where are you?" Lance calls out again, stopping to listen. Another cry of terror echoes between the thunderclaps, and the Jolteon is finally able to pinpoint his friend's location. As he rounds a tree, he sees the poor thing cowering beneath a tree root.

"Moto? What is it?!" Lance asks, ready for a fight. But another bolt of lightning striking nearby gives him his answer.

Moto simply whimpers and curls up tighter when the thunder echoes. "Keep it away!"

Snickering to himself, Lance lowers his guard and sits beside the water type. "The way you were yelling, I thought you were in trouble or something." he says, looking down at Moto with a smirk.

"I am!" Moto screams fearfully, covering his head. "That lightning'll kill me!"

"Not with me around it won't. C'mon." Lance bends down and lifts the crocodile up by the scarf to his feet. "Which way to your house?"

"I... I..." Moto stammers. He opens his eyes for a moment to figure out where they are, and another bolt of lightning forces a scream of fright out of him. "That way, THAT WAY! Just get me out of here!!" he cries, and hits the dirt again.

"Oh, you're fine... Just stay under me. Don't worry."

"Ah, all right..." Moto whimpers.

Another roar of thunder booms around them causing Moto to cling to his yellow friend tightly, unmoving. "I can't!!!"

"Okay, hold on then." With a deft roll and tug on the scarf, Lance is able to get the screaming water type onto his back, and he begins running full speed in the direction indicated. Only once does he have to force the crocodile to open his eyes to tell him where to go before he is able to see the cabin. "There it is!" A quick electrical charge, and the fox Quick Attacks his way to the door in an instant.

After a few moments of standing inside the home, Lance turns his head to look at his friend. "You can let go now, we're here."

Moto blinks and looks around. "Err, oh.. S-sorry." He clears his throat and hops down embarrassed. "Th-thanks... For bringing me home."

"You really don't like storms, do you..?" Lance says, going to sit and watch the storm from just inside the doorway. "I love them... I always feel... Calm, when there's a storm going on."

"Easy for you to say, you're an electric type." Moto replies, brushing himself off and adjusting his water soaked pants.

Lance looks over his shoulder and raises an eyebrow. "And you're a water type. Storms are full of rain. Where's the problem?" he chuckles.

The blue Pokemon shakes his head. "One strike from that lightning and I'm a dead Totodile."

"Nah, it'd never hit you anyway. You're too small. There's way bigger things surrounding you. You don't have to worry about it." Lance nods affirmatively and looks back outside.

"Hmph." Moto responds defiantly. "Guess I should let these dry..." Removing everything but his scarf, he hangs his clothing up. He hasn't noticed that even though he and his clothes were sopping wet when they made it to safety, Lance doesn't have a drop on him.

A few moments of silence passes by between them. "So what has you so scared of lightning? I mean... I know water types are weak to electricity of course, but... I've never seen a water type so afraid of natural lightning."

Moto pauses at the question. He wasn't expecting a question like that. "I..." He looks over at the spiky yellow Pokemon His back is turned. "Well, simply put... Volt."

"Volt?"

"That Luxray I told you about. He..."

"I see..." Lance replies softly, his head turning a little to listen more closely.

"Sceptile's gang, like I said, captured me once... And Volt would... Well, whenever it was dark out, or just for the fun of it, he would shock me just to hear me scream... I could have done nothing or everything he wanted, didn't matter to him... Sometimes it was weak, just a little spark. Other times he'd throw everything he had, and... And would always threaten to kill me just for the fun of it, like a storm would. I know it's not likely for a natural lightning bolt to hit me, but I..." Sniffling a little, Moto wipes his nose with the back of his hand.

"I get it..." Lance replies before Moto can continue. "So basically... We need to figure out how to get you over your fear." he says cheerfully, standing and turning around. "I can help you with that. I mean, you did save me after all, it's the least I could do."

The Jolteon stares at the nude crocodile, wearing only the blue scarf. "You know, you look much better without those coverings."

Moto blushes. "R-really..?"

"Well yeah. Pokemon aren't meant to wear stuff like that. And besides, it's restricting, isn't it? Doesn't it slow you down in battles, or while swimming?"

Moto hadn't considered that. "Well, I suppose I..."

Lance interrupts him with a grin. "Much cuter this way too."

The crocodile blushes more deeply. "I s-suppose you're right... A-about being restricting." A moment of thought later, Moto nods confidently. "All right then, I won't wear them for a while. See how I feel about it." He looks down at himself. "I do feel kinda weird without 'em though... But... Free, too."

"See?" Lance nods approvingly.

As the night rolls on, the storm passes overhead, the ocean sky sparkling on the horizon. The electric Pokemon is again sitting in the doorway to the hut and watching admiringly. "It's beautiful, isn't it?"

"When it's not threatening my life, yes. OH!" Moto bounces from foot to foot. "I almost forgot! Be right back!"

Lance has enough time to give the reptile a confused look before his friend is out the door and disappearing into the night. "Ooookay?" he shrugs, and returns to watching the distant lightning.

It's not long before Moto returns with something in his hands. "Lightning is scary, but it sure makes some beautiful things. Look!"

He holds up a pair of crystals: two brown and silver cylinders with a jagged surface and a hollow center. "I leave rocks and sand at the top of the cliff so that when the storm comes through, the lightning hits it and makes these."

"That's... Pretty cool actually. I didn't know it could do that." Lance replies, staring in awe.

"It was one piece, but I kinda tripped and broke it on the way back... But it's still pretty." the water type says proudly and sets them with a stack of similar crystals.

The Jolteon finally comes inside and lays down on the bed that was made for him. "So how long have you been collecting those?"

"Umm... A couple years I guess." Moto shrugs. "I don't remember for sure. I just know I like them."

"Good enough for me." Lance smiles back. With a large yawn, he rests his head down and closes his eyes. "Guess I'm... Nyyyaaaah..." he yawns again. "More tired than I thought..."

Moto nods. "Oh, that's right. Here." Laying out the food and water, Moto takes his share and sits on his own bed to eat. "I even found some Sitrus Berries!"

But Moto is too late. His new companion is already asleep. "Well, he has had a long day I guess..." Finishing his meal, Moto lies down on his back, hands behind his head and staring up at the ceiling. "I'm glad I met you, Lance. It's been a long time since I had a friend."