FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

I** ntroduction...**

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Ah, hello there. Come to check on me have you? Going to give me, this old toad, a prayer before the end comes for me, eh? I appreciate it.

My name? Oh, holy father, I go by the name of Antony. Yes, Antony Squires. And although you can observe that my time in this world is rapidly growing shorter while I lay in this hospital bed, although I am coming to rapidly see that fabled light at the end of the long tunnel that has been my lifetime, I find that I have no regrets to voice.

No, I will say it again, I have no regrets to make heard at this time. Instead, there is a truth that I must make clear. It is a truth of an unimaginable something which I - this feeble old man - must tell someone, anyone, perhaps you, who would be willing to listen before I pass on.

Therefore, please, seeing as you have come to watch over during my final moments, I must... tell you of "Aura" before I breathe my last breath. Ah, alas, I see it in your eyes priest. Your curiosity is not well hidden. I appreciate that. And if you want to have your curiosity sated, allow me to tell a story.

My life up to this point has been nothing to regret. For you see, it has been through so many worthwhile experiences. I see that now, through these dying eyes of mine. I have come to realize that for the last year since this hospital bed became my sanctuary.

Like everyone else's, my lifetime had its good moments, of course. It had its bad. At random coincidences, it has certainly had its in betweens. Yet, most of all, I know that my life has definitely come to be something special; a blessing in the craziest but most fabulous way.

Truly, if I were to tell you now that I had never really wished to be a full-fledged pokemon trainer but remain a mere caretaker in this life, would you believe me?

If I were to tell you that I had related better to pokemon than to people, would you believe me?

And if I were to tell you that my best friend, my supporter, my very lover in this world had been a certain, special, irreplaceable Gardevoir named Aura... would you believe me?

No.

No, heh, like the many other peoples in this special yet oblivious world of ours, you probably wouldn't believe me, right? You looked shocked at me even mentioning a Gardevoir was my lover. And if you did believe me, well, you would be thinking at this moment that I'm some kind of bizarre freak or creature or alien to have had a pokemon - a Gardevoir - be that one very special, pure, bright thing I had held closest to my heart out of everything all throughout my lifetime.

Yet, even now, even after she has been gone from this world for years upon years, even as I am dying... Aura is the one thing that is and has always been on my mind. She has forever claimed my heart. Indeed, priest, I loved a pokemon who knew me, cared for me, adored me. I am not ashamed. I am being honest before I pass on. And if you uphold your duties, please, you will allow this old man to speak his mind before he, heh, croaks.

Yes, that's it. Take a seat. Thank you, priest, for letting me go on speaking. Thank you for listening to my story. I do not care anymore. My final hours are no time for doubt. I need someone to know... to know about me and her before I arrive at the end of the tunnel.

Once more, after having dealt with the glares in the past, I cannot care about what you think of me. You are here and I feel my end coming ever closer. Thus, before I go any further towards that light at the end of my tunnel, someone must hear of my Aura. Someone must hear of our relationship that defied logic as well as brought us closer than trainer and pokemon.

And as it would seem, that someone will be you.

You will hear of my tale. You will understand that taking a bite out of the forbidden fruit can sometimes yield better benefits than anyone could ever imagine.

I must ask, if you really are still here at my bedside, listening to the words of supposed taboo that I have to say then... am I really such an insane man to you? Are you simply performing your duties as a holy man? Or is there some part of yourself in your mind, your being, your soul, that believes or wants to believe in what I am saying? Do you maybe know already that - in a more than comprehended sense - humans are pokemon and pokemon are humans? Do you perhaps better understand than others that humans and pokemon - who have fought together, lived together, died together for forever - are more similar to one another than most anyone cares to think?

Again, you eyes show curiosity. Perhaps you are disturbed by my words, perhaps you do not like what you are hearing. Maybe you can claim that you are doing your job at the moment and are simply watching over me as I die. Yet, here you remain with that curious look in your eyes... A look that I had on the night when I first revealed my feelings to Aura.

Priest, come closer, listen well. Put aside your doubts. For if you do not now, heh, you very well will doubt after you have heard of my unique tale. A tale where I experienced a bond stronger than friendship with my own Gardevoir, Aura. A tale where I was very, very much younger than I am now.

Yes, you will hear of my dearest Aura; the pokemon who came along into my life as well as never allowed me to go anywhere or do anything without her. Who became a pure hearted Gardevoir in my care, even though she had been so very wronged as a Kirlia before my adopting her. Who, with the passage of time, became my everything... as I became hers.

Please, hear my story, my friend. Hear about Aura's infinite patience, friendship and love that she had always been so keen to shower upon me when allowed. Hear of how sometimes, even with the oddities of the miracle... how the relationship between a human and pokemon can go far beyond what is written in the stone of reality.

Are you ready to listen? Are you ready to learn? Good. Then, if my weakening heart permits me, I will begin... and hopefully finish.