FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

"It feels good to be back to normal," Summer said. "Well, more or less. How about you, Ben?"

"How could you get used to this so quickly, Summer?" Ben asked, slightly annoyed by her adaptability. "I'm still having trouble adjusting. I still haven't fully gotten used to the fact that I'm a pokémon now. Not that there's anything wrong with pokémon," he added as an afterthought.

"That's understandable," she replied. "Truth be told," she added, "I've actually been avoiding worrying about how my life would work from now on. I've only thought about what we're now able to do, and I figured everyone wouldn't be too surprised by this."

"Ben, is it?" Luxray interrupted, not quite used to calling them by name.

"What is it?"

"From the sound of things, you worry too much. Summer, you worry too little. You compliment each other well," he said slyly. "I'm surprised my parents never told me about you two being mates."

"W-wha...? We're not- I mean I've never-"

"You two do go well together, now that I think about it," Pichu interrupted them teasingly. Both of the legendary dragons looked at each other and found themselves unable to deny that fact. Over the course of this mission, they were often working together, to the point where neither of them felt right in the rare instances they had to go without each other.

"A-anyways, we still have to get that man out of here," Ben stammered, looking away from her uncertainly. "We can drop him off at Sophian Island. The port there should help him get home."

"Yeah, but first..." The latias floated over to Luxray, who blushed as she got close. "Thank you so much for helping us back there."

"N-no problem, Lati- I mean, Summer, Ben." Now it was his turn to feel embarrassed.

"Really. Anything for a friend to Oblivia."

"I still don't know if we've become the original pokémon you know from your parents and friends. All the same, you've been extremely helpful."

"What..." His words were frozen as she leaned in and kissed him lightly on his nose. The moment she backed away, he collapsed in a heap. A bright red blush shone through the blue fur on his face and he wore a pleased and dazed expression.

"That might have been a little too much, don't you think?" Ben asked her.

"I honestly don't know what came over me," she replied. "I just wanted to say thanks in a more expressive way, I guess."

"Hmm... I'm getting worried. I think this transformation might be doing a little more harm than good." Pichu pulled out his ukulele and played a short, soft melody, sensing the tension that was building between them.

"Come on, guys, now's not the time," he said as he played his usual tune. He felt a little intimidated when both dragons stared at him, despite being used to playing for an audience, but relaxed as their gazes softened with his music. By the time he finished playing, he felt they were a little calmer than before, and he sighed in relief. "Look, maybe we should settle this before we go on... keep this from being an issue later on," he suggested worriedly.

"...Pichu, you're right. I'm sorry, everyone," the latios apologized, looking down. His ears flattened slightly. "I'm just at a loss over what will happen when we eventually meet with everyone else."

"It's okay, Ben," she replied comfortingly as she hugged him, to his surprise. "Don't worry about it."

"Yeah!" Pichu cheered. "We're here for you." Ben found himself leaning into her hug as he returned it, though he did not ponder why he did so. It made him feel better, especially since he could feel her leaning on him as well.

"Thanks, Summer. You too, Pichu," he said once they broke the embrace. Pichu couldn't help but notice the small reluctance both dragons showed to ending it and, as he climbed on Summer's back this time, he wondered if Luxray was right. "Anyway, we should go get that man out of here first." As soon as they flew by the entrance to the cavern, they found the ex-Pincher holding a thunder stone. A few pokémon watched him curiously, but he looked the same as before. Ben flew to him and hovered down, motioning to him to get on.

"I told you we would return as soon as we finished," Summer said as the man climbed on Ben's back. Once he was as secure as possible, they quickly took him to Sophian Island.

"I'm really, incredibly sorry for all I put you through," the ex-Pincher apologized tearfully, hugging Ben's neck. "I was just really desperate for work, that's all."

"I wouldn't worry too much about it," Summer mused. "You and the others were just chasing an illusion, after all."

"But what about those rangers? Weren't they chasing an illusion, too?" he asked. Pichu quietly snickered to himself at the man's inability to make the connection. He briefly looked at the pokémon in confusion before speaking again. "Thank you two for showing mercy on me. I promise I won't be so desperate ever again." Once they neared the island, they flew low and dropped him off in the forest just outside of town.

"We don't want to cause a commotion," Ben explained. "Best of luck to you, ex-Pincher."

"My name is Todd, and thanks again." As they took to the skies again, Todd could not shake the feeling that the Eon pokémon bore a resemblance to people he knew. "Maybe I'm just hallucinating again..."

---

"Readings indicate that the vehicle's signal has stopped," Ben's Styler said. "Its location is... the Oblivia Ruins."

"Good. We should be able to see if there's anything we can do about the legendary birds," the latios suggested. As soon as they landed, they saw a pink-haired elderly woman and two Steelhead disappear into the ruins.

"What's Kasa doing here?" Summer wondered. "And what are those two doing with her?" She immediately thought to put on her human disguise but found herself unable to change. "What's going on? Why can't I change?"

"I can't do it too," Ben said. "Why?"

"Maybe you haven't mastered your new powers yet," Pichu suggested worriedly, jumping off of the latias's back. "Is there anything else you can do? What else did that voice tell you?" Both Eon pokémon closed their eyes and focused more intently on taking on their disguises. Eventually, a few seconds later, they succeeded. "Well, what do you know? You should practice how to do that so it doesn't happen again." Ben and Summer nodded and rushed in.

"Kasa!" they cried. She and her escorts turned to face them. Kasa smiled.

"Oh, rangers! Won't you save me from them?" she pleaded. There was something about her tone that caused their panic to be replaced by confusion. It did not help that the Steelhead were just as confused as they were. However, before they could process it, the two Steelhead summoned a torterra and sceptile against them. Kasa disappeared as the rangers captured the two pokémon.

"Something about her voice is really throwing me off," Summer said after the Steelhead ran off.

"I felt it too. She was too calm, if that's even possible. Even so, we need to find her."

"I think she went in here." Pichu ran into the back room, followed by the disguised Eon pokémon, and eventually entered the mural room. Amidst all the murals, however, lied a new room they had not seen before. Curious, they entered it. To their surprise, they stumbled onto what looked to be a tea party being held by Arley, Hocus, and Kasa. Six Steelhead lurked among them.

"What are you all doing here?" Ben asked them.

"Well," Arley responded in a low, strained voice, "we're having a tea party."

"It's a special one," Kasa added, barely able to keep her amusement concealed.

"Well, rangers, would you like some tea?" Hocus offered. He seemed to be the only normal one of the three. "It might be just the thing your voices need."

"It's dangerous to be here," Summer said. "These Steelhead mean trouble."

"Don't worry about them," the burly man replied. "They're working for us for the time being." The Steelhead surrounded the rangers, blocking them from the others.

"Hold on. What's all this then?" Everyone turned to see Edward enter the room from a previously unseen northern entrance and take a seat. He then noticed the rangers. "Hello Summer, Ben. And you too, Pichu. Did someone invite you here?"

"No, actually. We're on a mission," Ben explained.

"Hmm... You two are always busy," Arley noted. "I must say, that is quite commendable for such young people."

"You should take a rest more often," Kasa said. "Right, Hocus?"

"That's right," Hocus agreed. "Today I went to the trouble of creating a most spectacular trick. Now that we have guests, it'll be extra fun. How about it, Arley?" Arley appeared uncomfortable by the situation.

"Ugh... I hate acting. Can't we stop now, Ed?"

"Acting?" Summer and Ben looked at each other in confusion, then looked back at the elders. Edward laughed.

"Arley, you sure haven't changed after all these years. Very well." He stood up. "You're right. We don't need this act anymore, especially since our plan is nearly complete."

"...Edward?" Ben asked nervously. This certainly wasn't the Edward neither of the rangers or Pichu was familiar with.

"Rangers... I hate to admit it, but your running around actually forced me to take action myself. I can't afford to do that very much these days. In case you haven't figured it out by now, I am the one who woke Zapdos." Their eyes widened in realization; the man behind the flying machine was none other than Edward himself!

"You're the leaders of the Pinchers?!"

"No..." Hocus said smugly. "We are The Societea! We used our money we gathered over the years to support the Pokémon Pinchers and get close to our dream. We planned everything."

"Barring your appearance and Purple Eyes's treason, everything went smoothly," Arley added.

"Despite all that, that was just the beginning," Kasa said.

"Do you remember what that scoundrel Purple Eyes said?" Edward asked them. "He said the world was almost his. That line is more appropriate for me to say. Now then, allow us to introduce ourselves once more."

"I," Kasa stated, "am an accomplished master of disguise. Only I know how I really look."

"I," Hocus began, "am the miraculous magician. Not a soul has been able to understand my technique."

"I," Arley emphasized, "was a fearsome wrestler, and I'm as fierce as ever thanks to my training!"

"Lastly," Edward said, throwing off his doctor's coat and revealing a darker coat underneath, "I am the leader. I masquerade as an accomplished doctor. People knew me as Ed 'The Thinker', and I could steal anything. As a team that was established over forty years ago, we worked all over the world. Our synergy was perfect, and with our combined skills, the world was ours.

"Even so," the doctor lamented, "old age defeated us, and we disbanded... but I knew it was not the end. The simple life I led afterwards was peaceful, boring, and dull. I had to recall my youth by any means, and when I heard from one of my patients about the Immortal Ruler and his Golden Armor, I jumped at the chance. I got the gang together and gathered information from every part of Oblivia." All of them pulled out pieces of the armor, with Kasa and Hocus wearing the gauntlets, Arley wearing the chestplate, and Edward wearing the pauldrons.

"Now that we have this armor, old age can no longer keep us down," Arley explained. "Dying is now impossible for us."

"We have the armor, and with that, we now have the power to bring the world to its knees." Suddenly, the room shook, and the rangers' disguises flickered for half a second. "Rangers, you've been a thorn in our sides for quite some time, but we'll let you live out of admiration for your fine display of youth." With that, he and his party left the rangers and Pichu there and disappeared into the northern room before barring access to it.

"We better get out of here before the place collapses!" Ben advised. Seeing no one was around, they shed their disguises and flew out of the southern entrance.

"The lake! Something's coming out!" Pichu shouted. They immediately turned to the lake and saw a large structure with cannons on several sides slowly rise out of the lake. "What's happening?" he wondered fearfully. Once the thing flew high enough, the large cannon in front of it began charging a huge amount of energy. As soon as the cannon stopped charging, it fired a massive blast of light energy. The trio could only watch as the energy ball hurdled toward... Dolce Island, utterly annihilating the island before their eyes. "My... my home! My friends...! NNNNNOOOOOO!" Completely unable to stand looking at the destruction of his home, the poor pokémon fainted. Neither dragon could do naught but offer comfort to the softly crying pichu, wishing there was something they could have done to prevent this event.

"People of Oblivia!" Edward's voice boomed from what they assumed was the Sky Fortress. "What you have just witnessed is a demonstration of the power of your new rulers! Exit your homes and look at the sky!

"In the past," he continued, "an immortal ruler left behind this armor and this fortress. Now that this power and eternal life belong to The Societea, you all shall submit to us! Our Light of Judgment will destroy any and all who refuse to comply."

"This is just awful..." Summer said sadly as she held and petted him. Both rangers glared at the fortress in shock, confusion, and anger.

"This is unforgivable," Ben muttered angrily. "What would possess them to do such a thing?" The Legendary Birds soon joined the fortress, erecting a black barrier around it. "Summer, we've got to try and break that barrier! We have to take that thing down now!" Without waiting for an answer, he flew up to meet it.

"Ben, wait!" He was already halfway there before she could say anything further. She placed Pichu on the soft grass. "We'll be back, Pichu. I promise we'll get to the bottom of this." The latias kissed him on the forehead then flew up to her stopped counterpart.

"I'm sorry I took off like that, Summer," the latios apologized, "but I'm just so angry right now. This thing caused so much trouble in the past, and now it destroyed a whole island and many of Pichu's close friends with it. The Societea has made a grave mistake."

"Ben, trust me, I feel the same way, but right now we can't get through it. We need a different sort of force to break it," Summer sympathized.

"Still..." Ben gathered power and shot a Luster Purge at the barrier. It had no effect due to the dark power enforcing it, however, Summer was surprised by the feat.

"How did you do that? That was incredible!"

"I... have no idea. All of a sudden, it just came naturally to me. It's like what you did at Layuda," he said offhandedly. "Wait a minute, I actually used an attack? And not just any attack, but the signature attack of Latios?"

"You did! That's amazing!" she congratulated as she hugged him. This time he was more than happy to return her hug.

"You know, I don't care about completely turning into a pokémon anymore," Ben stated. "After seeing Dolce Island get destroyed, I realize just how much is at stake here. If we don't do something, and soon, the entire region may be lost."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, and if... if I may confess, I'm really glad you're here with me. Did I tell you that I used to have nightmares about you being captured by the Pinchers?"

"Yes, you did. I was worried about you, too, and I hoped you would be okay without me. Even if it turns out we can never be human again, at least I'll be with the one who saved me," she confessed as they parted. "A-anyways, maybe we should regroup at Rand's house. Everyone is sure to want an update on everything that happened, and Leanne might know something." Once she grabbed Pichu, they headed to Renbow Island.

---

"It's been a while since we last saw everyone," Summer mused as they flew through the sky, taking it slow for Pichu's sake. By now, Pichu had fallen asleep in her claws. The latias took this as an opportunity to practice using her psychic abilities and was pleased to discover the Heal Pulse technique. Her friend was resting much more easily thanks to her efforts. "Maybe we should use our disguises again so everyone won't freak out."

"Right. An encounter with a legendary pokémon is not an everyday occurrence," the latios agreed." They landed just outside of the house and changed into their disguises. "I'm a little nervous as to how to break it to them."

Summer put a hand on his left shoulder. "Don't worry, Ben. Whatever happens, I'm here for you. We've always been there for each other." She let him go as they walked in. Rand, Nema, and Leanne stood by the round table.

"This is just awful," Nema said. "What do we do?"

"As you may have already seen," Rand began sadly, noticing Pichu was trembling in his sleep, "we have a problem."

"Zapdos was awakened," Ben reported, "even though we stopped Purple Eyes. This will probably be a huge shock to you, but the person who woke it up was Doctor Edward." Everyone's eyes widened at this.

"He calls himself Ed 'the Thinker'," Summer added. Rand and Leanne frowned.

"As much as I can't believe it, there's too much irrefutable evidence. Everyone heard his voice. To think that such a nice man was behind everything happening in Oblivia..." the older ranger trailed off. "He was after the Golden Armor and the Sky Fortress the whole time."

"It was thanks to Purple Eyes's small experience in archaeology," Leanne added, still shaken from her ordeal, "that he was able to acquire them."

"Leanne, that man would have eventually figured out the last bit of information he needed, even if it would have taken a long time." He walked up to his wife and hugged her reassuringly. "Don't feel so bad about it. With your help, we just might be able to save Oblivia." He then turned to the rangers. "Were you able to examine the barrier?" They visibly tensed at his question, though Rand did not appear to notice it. Leanne smiled.

"It's certainly... sturdy," Ben hastily said.

"Yeah," Summer added, calming down quickly. "Neither Latias nor Latios could get past it."

"So both are here after all..." the professor muttered. "Come with me upstairs. I have some information that just might help you two. You can also fill us in on what happened at Tilikule Island." Both rangers inwardly sighed as everyone followed her. They intended to tell the truth once everything had been settled, but would have to settle for the present time.