FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

I woke up with little knowledge of the previous night, but my clothes appeared to be intact. Raia's face was in front of mine, her eyes shut gently. I was tempted to engage once again, but decided I needed to get up. I rolled out of the bed, stretching from a comfortable night's sleep, and walked to the kitchen. Then I realized we had no food. We'd been living off what little came with the house, and we were out.

I sighed, pondering a solution. An idea struck. Takato's family owned a bread shop, I could go there. It would also give me an excuse to check up on him, see where we were at in the story. I walked out the door and wandered through the streets for a while before finding the place, mostly by chance. I walked in, nearly overwhelmed by the aroma of bread. I ordered a few loaves of various breads and decided to pick up other groceries later. Takato noticed me from the back and gestured for me to come around the side.

I walked outside and into the alley and found Takato out there.

“Hey Takato, what's up?" I said, waving.

“Not too much." he said, handing me my order. “Here, on the house because you helped me and Henry out the other day. Oh, by the way, Guilmon digivolved!"

I took the bread and smiled. “Did he now? Didn't give you any trouble like Gargomon, did he?"

“Well, it took a long time for him to become a rookie again, but I'm still happy he can do it!"

I smiled, getting the rough location I needed. “Well, Takato, I can't really stay and talk, I have to get back home."

He nodded and I started on my way back home, remembering the route from before. Before long, I reached home and walked in the door. I shut it and turned back to keep walking, and was greeted with a yellow furry form less than an inch from my face.

“Erm…" Shit. I'd forgotten to tell her where I was going.

“Where did you go in such a hurry that you forgot?" She asked, not moving an inch or even thinking of letting me by.

Damn mental link. “I went to pick up food." I said, raising the bag in my hand for her to see.

“Why didn't you tell me?" She asked, seeming to relax, just a bit.

“You were asleep. You're hurt and you needed rest." I said, placing a concerned hand on her shoulder. “Especially since I kept you up." She blushed, and I took the chance to walk past her.

“Well…" She said, obviously wanting to change subjects, “What did you get?"

I unbagged the food. “Bread."

She looked at me as if I were insane. “Bread. Nothing else? Just bread?"

“I think we have some butter, maybe." I tried my hardest not to smirk, but I think I failed.

She sighed and took a loaf and began munching on it. “Mmm."

I took a loaf and bit off of it. “Damn, no wonder Takato's parents can make a living off this."

Raia nodded. “So, when's the next time we go out?"

I swallowed another bite. “Tonight, I think. Here's how we find the location. The top of a building will be iced over, we have to get in there. It'll be an Icedevimon, and he'll be trying to make Rika give up Renamon and take him as her partner."

Raia scowled. “Why should we care about her?"

I sighed. “We're gonna need her. Mostly for Renamon." Raia didn't seem convinced. “She'll get better, trust me. If I remember right, she's stopped having Renamon load data."

“That's like saying someone's better because they've stopped committing murders."

“I know. Just… deal with her, please? For me?" I gave her a quick hug before continuing to eat.

She sighed. “Fine. I'll tolerate her, for now. But you owe me."

“Mhm. And just how am I to pay you back?"

She gave me a dirty look, which instantly piqued my interest. “I have a couple ideas."

“And I'm supposed to be the incorrigible flirt."

=====

It was dark out when I saw the blue beam piercing the skyline, and I knew the stage was set. Raia noticed as well, so I placed my hand on her shoulder, and we were off. It took us a bit to reach the frozen rooftop, but when we did, I saw Renamon hadn't shown up, the telling sign being the lack of a hole in the ice.

“Raia, break through the ice, we have to get in there." She nodded, launching a diamond storm at the thick ice, shattering a hole in it. I took a strong hold of her arm and she launched up to it, and Rika call out to us, well Raia more than me.

“I don't believe it." I heard Rika say. “Ahh. The infamous Renamon. I'd love to sit and chat, but I have to destroy you." Another voice called up to us, obviously Icedevimon.

“Eh, not quite!" I called, vaulting through the hole before Raia launched up and tried to use Diamond Storm. I landed rough, but looked up in time to see Raia get swatted just as Renamon had in the series. Horror descended on me as I remembered what nearly happened to Renamon, which, combined with Raia's pre-existing wounds, spelled an unfortunate ending.

He hit her with a Frozen Claw and I saw bits of red flying off of her. She flew across the room, leaking data as she went. I tried to run to where Raia would land, but not only was I too late, she shattered into data upon hitting the ground. I fell to my knees and slid to the data cloud she'd created, shock dominating my face and mind.

“Hmm. So that wasn't yours Rika?" I heard the Icedevimon say before letting out a cackle. “That fight was just a little too easy anyways!" He turned away from myself and the data cloud, although I doubt he ever noticed me. I was beyond words, so I simply stood, my face stoic, and walked to Takato and Henry, and picked up the thing Takato had been using to try to break the ice around Guilmon and Terriermon.

Both Takato and Henry had looks of disbelief on their faces, and Henry went so far as to ask “Are you…" before I cut him off by raising a hand.

“No, I'm not alright. Kindly stay back." I said, my voice calm, but quivering slightly. I stalked over to the Icedevimon, who was still facing the other direction, saying something to Rika. As I got close enough, I brandished the tool and cocked my arms back for a swing. I couldn't quite get to his head, so I aimed for Icedevimon's side.

I swung as hard as I could, doubting it would do anything at all, and screamed “Motherfucker" at the top of my lungs as I struck him. The hit caught him off-guard, throwing him to the side and knocking Rika from his grip.

I quickly looked at her and yelled “Run!" before turning back to the Icedevimon. He recovered from the hit and turned to me.

“Well, what do we have now? First, a weakling, now a human who thinks he's tough?" I swung again, but this time he caught it. I pressed and pulled, but I couldn't break his grip.

“I'm gonna kill you." I practically growled from under my breath, but he heard it.

“Oh, you think so?" He grinned and swung the tool, tossing me away. “I think not."

I hit the wall and scrambled to my feet, instantly trying to rush him again, but I was swatted back as I reached him. Once again, I hit the ice wall, but this time I stayed down and just screamed “Goddamn you!" I saw that Rika had made it over to the other Tamers, and they were still trying to break the ice around their digimon.

He chuckled again and tossed the tool I'd used off to the side. “It would seem I made you mad, although I can't imagine why." One could mistake this for a cynical quip, but what hurt more was that he was genuine. “Care to say why? I'd like to at least know why a human thinks he could match me."

I stood, feeling pain all over from being launched, twice. Wouldn't be surprised at a couple cracked ribs. He'd been holding back though, prideful bastard could have easily killed me if he deemed me enough of a threat. “I loved her." I said, anger burning through my voice. “And you killed her."

His expression went blank for a moment before he bursted out laughing. “You loved a digimon!? What kind of freak are you!?" He kept laughing, and out of sheer rage, I grabbed the nearest thing and hurled it at him. He pierced it and a liquid sprayed all over him, but I saw that it was a red plastic tank, the sort used to store fuel.

At that moment, Renamon appeared in the hole opposite me, behind Icedevimon. I tried to think quickly and yelled at her, trying to be loud enough to hear.

“Diamond storm! At the ground!" I yelled. Icedevimon turned to see what I was yelling at, just what I needed him to do. Renamon, although probably confused, complied, firing crystal shards at the concrete roof of the building, sending sparks flying at Icedevimon, igniting the gasoline that coated him. He light aflame, severely weakening him due to the counter to his type.

“Eat shit, motherfucker!" I screamed as he fell to the floor. Guilmon, who'd just been freed, launched a Pyro Sphere at him, and ran in, loading his data. I stood, though I was barely able to, and walked to the exit as the digital field faded. I'd just gotten to the group when Renamon asked Rika if she was okay.

“I hate 'em." I heard her say. Renamon reassured her Icedevimon was gone. “Not him. I hate digimon. All of them." That made me stop in my tracks.

“What did you say?" I asked. All of them looked at me now, confused. I turned and walked straight to Rika. “What the hell did you just say?"

“I hate them." She replied, unafraid to look me straight in the eye.

“Why the fuck do you say that? What reason do you have? I just lost the one I love to that piece of shit, but you're the one who hates digimon? Get a fucking grip." I pointed to her digivice. “You're still a tamer, I'm not. Now sack up and act like one." I turned and walked away, similar to how Rika would've. I slowly made my way down the stairwell, but stopped on one of the landings, feeling as if I were being followed. I felt someone touch my shoulder.

“Hands off, please. I don't like to be touched." I said weakly, but the touch never left. Instead, I felt an arm wrap around my stomach and a sensation like Raia's phase shift. I looked up to find myself in a room, back at my home.

“I can stay with you for a while, if you need." Renamon. I wasn't entirely surprised.

“Shouldn't you be with your tamer?" I said, my tone hard and cynical as tears finally broke free.

“She… wishes to be alone. I feel you need me more now." I broke from her and walked to the couch, but didn't turn the TV on as I usually would. Instead, I fell onto the couch, curling up and closing my eyes. I felt the couch depress and my head was pulled into Renamon's lap. Any other time, I'd have thought this to be strange, out of her character, and just unordinary in general, but I honestly didn't give half a shit. “That was near suicidal, attempting to fight a champion."

“How did you know I fought him?"

“How else would you have gotten these injuries?" She began to stroke the side of my head, in an attempt to comfort me. “What possessed you to try?"

“He killed her. Like she was nothing." I began to lose it, tears streaming down my face. “Now she's gone. I have no one."

“I am here." She said, although I doubted she knew what was implied. “You have one, at least."

“You can't be what she was." I said, sitting up and looking at her.

“Can't I?" Renamon said, leaning in to kiss me. Out of sadness, weakness, or just pure fatigue, I didn't resist. I just let it happen as she leaned into me and pulled my legs beneath her.

=====

My mind felt numb, unthinking, but my body was quite the contrast. Somehow, despite a severe lack of experience, I began to react to Renamon autonomously. She lay on top of me and pressed her muzzle to my face and I pressed back. My arms came around her slender stomach and I held her body tight against me. This was different for me, different from Raia, despite all the perceived similarities. Renamon seemed to have some knowledge, whereas Raia had been almost as green as I was in respect to romance. Renamon was leading here though, a situation I was somewhat accustomed to, given how the few times I had gotten romantic with someone, they had lead by example.

A large paw came up to my face and drifted back behind my head, giving her more leverage to work with. A knee came up to my waist and a leg was pushed beneath mine, effectively entangling us. Renamon's tongue pressed to my lips and they opened. Her tongue was rough against mine, a strange yet exhilarating sensation as it darted around my mouth, across my teeth, and against my own tongue. Through all of this, my body reacted in the usual way, and an erection mounted. Renamon, thankfully, in retrospect, ignored it and continued to assuage my other needs.

My hands began to drift along her lithe form, my fingers gliding smoothly through the sea of fur that covered her. I noticed certain regions, like the undersides of her arms, the area opposite the shoulders, and beneath her mane, around where her breasts would form, had finer, softer fur, where other areas, like down her lower back and along her neck, the fur was thicker and more slicked.

I'm not entirely sure how long we lay there, in a woven embrace and sharing a kiss, but eventually, the kiss was broken and I felt sorrow emanate from my core as I was filled with memories of Raia. We remained entwined and I pressed my face into the crook of Renamon's neck as tears welled once more.

“You can try to be her, but we both know you can't do it." I said as the first tears broke free and slid down my skin. “Even if you replace her romantically, you have a tamer, and I'm not one anymore." As if to prove my point, I retrieved my digivice from my pocket and saw the screen was shattered. I tried to turn it on, but it wouldn't wake. Disappointed at a last hope, I dropped it onto the couch and began to really cry.

“I'm not so sure. Rika seems dead set on her hatred of digimon."

“She'll come around. I know she will." I sighed, trying to keep my voice stable. “She really does care about you."

“How would you know?" I heard a crack in Renamon's normally level tone. Damn it, now I'd gotten her worked up.

“I'd eat dirt before I'd let Renamon become what you are. A monster." I quoted, tightening the embrace slightly. “She said that to that piece of shit when he was trying to convince her to be his tamer. She cares."

There was silence for a time, and it was surprisingly comfortable. I could feel how Renamon and I needed each other. She needed reassurance and I just needed someone. I knew the silence had to be broken, though. It was comfortable because it needed to be stopped, because we weren't saying any of the difficult things that had to be said.

I sighed. “If you need, I can help you become stronger in the interim. Rika will come back to the light after some time, but you'll need to keep fighting."

Renamon held me tighter. “I think… I…"

“Shh." I said, stroking her back. “Just sleep. We need to rest, and we'll talk in the morning."

=====

My eyes flicked open as the morning light came upon them, and my movement woke Renamon. I smiled softly, basically forced to look her in the ice blue eyes.

“Morning." I said, giving her a squeeze, as we were still entangled. “So, do I make a comfortable bed?"

She smiled and I think I saw some blush, but I could never be sure. “I'm sorry, about last night."

“No problem, really. I definitely didn't mind." I began to loose myself from her. “So, I said we'd talk about “it" in the morning. What do we need to talk about?"

By this point, we were separated and she'd scooted a bit away to give me space. “Well, Rika doesn't seem to want me around." She said, her eyes taking on a look of sadness.

“You'll stay here." I said, my voice disallowing even slight defiance. “Rika will come back around, but it will be a few days. In that time, you can stay with me, and I can train with you."

She looked at me with hope in her eyes. Goddamn it, what have I started? I banished the heresy, knowing I felt an obligation to help, and that's what I intended to do. I heard her whisper something, “thank you" I think, but I couldn't be certain. She pulled me into an embrace and I returned it.

“Well," I said standing, wincing heavily from the soreness all over me. “I guess I'm proving the old saying right. 'Those who can't, teach.'" I smiled and lead Renamon to area outside, in what you could call the backyard, although it wasn't much of one. I set up a beam and brought several bottles from inside the house out and set them equal distance apart. My body ached like crazy, but I figured I needed to be up and moving if I was gonna heal.

“What are you doing?" She asked, puzzled. I ignored her question and pulled out my knife as I walked to a nearby tree. It was a large, thick-trunked tree, and I used my knife to carve a large 'X' in it at about my chest level.

Finished, I turned to her and answered. “We are training. Here's what you're going to do. Those bottles, I want you to use single shards from your Diamond Storm to snipe them from a distance." I gestured out into the “backyard", which was little more than an alleyway that was gated off from the house.

“And the tree?"

“You're going to try to increase the size of your shards, and this tree will be your target." I said. “Not much, but it will help." I started walking down the alley, going as far as I could while maintaining a clear shot, and gestured for her to follow.

=====

A crack broke the intense silence of the empty streets. Then another. I grinned.

“Deadeye." I said, patting Renamon on the back. “You've gotten good over the past few days." I walked with her down the alley and she wove her paw into my hand. She'd been getting somewhat romantic with me over the course of the week or so we'd been training, and given the recent loss, I wasn't against it. I needed something to fill the void and help me forget.

We reached the tree and Renamon fired off a crystal as thick as my arm and pierced the tree. I walked over to it and yanked it out of the tree.

“Damn, the largest yet." I turned to her and waved the crystal as evidence. “I think you're ready for a fight." She smiled and embraced me tight.

“Thank you."

“Hell, I didn't do anything, it's all you." I said, smiling and proud of her. “Come on, it's getting dark, and I'm tired."

I walked with her all the way to my room and stopped at the door. She looked back and frowned slightly.

“Will please come here?" She asked, obviously unhappy. I'd been making her sleep in my bed while I took the couch so that we wouldn't do anything stupid.

I sighed. “You know what? Alright. You've earned it." I walked to the bed and sat down on it. “But nothing funny alright? I don't trust myself."

She smiled as I slid into the bed. “After my display out there, you dare think I don't have control?"

I pulled the sheets over myself and her. “It's not you I don't trust." I said, burying my head in the pillow and drifting to sleep.

=====

I was swimming in an inky black, dark light breaking through weak spots. I felt no fear, but I sure as hell wasn't comfortable. A chuckle roared throughout the space, dominating every inch. I looked around for a source, seriously doubting I'd find one.

“Who's here?" I asked, feeling a bit stupid as I thought I'd receive no answer.

“I am." Raia was suddenly in front of me, her limbs disappearing into the darkness as if she were fused to it.

“Raia!" I called out in surprise. “You're alive?"

“You abandoned me." She said, her voice slightly distorting. “You abandoned me!"

“What the hell are you talking about!? You're dead! Or you were!"

“You abandoned me!" Her voice corrupted with distortion until she began to sound like the laughing voice.

“No, I didn't!"

“You abandoned me, just like I knew you would!" Her voice cut the air and felt like it was shattering me.

“What do you mean?" I screamed, trying to make my voice heard over the boom of hers echoing.

“You left! You gave me no chance!" I started to see what was happening.

“No! You died! I didn't leave you! I still love you!"

She laughed, nigh shattering my eardrums. “You left me like any other! I was vulnerable and you abandoned me!"

“No!" I screamed, “I lost you! I still love you!"

Horns shot from her skull and blood flowed from her mouth as she laughed. I began to struggle, suddenly feeling restricted.

“Let me out!" I screamed, and shot up, my eyes snapping open.

I looked around, seeing the bedroom. Renamon was in front of me and had me by the shoulders.

“Are you alright?" She said, clearly shaken.

I brought a hand to my face and tried to clear my head. “Ugh… I think so."

“You were having a nightmare." She said and started stroking my back.

“No, I wasn't." I said, looking up to her. “I don't have nightmares anymore."

“What do you mean? Everyone has nightmares."

I shook my head. “No, this wasn't a nightmare. Nothing my mind makes up can do that. Someone got into my head."

“What was happening?" Renamon asked, embracing me lightly. “Can you talk about it?"

“Yeah. It was Raia." A sharp intake of breath could be heard. We hadn't talked about Raia since she'd died. It didn't bother me though. I don't mourn for long. “She kept saying I'd abandoned her. That's the thing. Someone has to be trying to get to me."

“What do you mean?"

“I don't feel guilt about this." I said, gesturing between me and her. “I miss her immensely, I wish she could come back, but I know she can't. I can't let memories of her keep me from forming new ones. I've learned that already."

“How can you say that? I thought you loved her!" She said, shocked by what I'd said.

“Because, I know that if I spend my time grieving and not moving on, I'll get nowhere!" I said, tears beginning to spring to my eyes. “Don't doubt for a minute that I miss her! But you and I avenged her death! She and I wanted the other to be happy, and if I sit around crying about it, I can't progress with you!"

Renamon was in tears and I felt like such shit by this point. “What is it that we have?" She said quietly, tears wetting the fur beneath her eyes.

“Renamon, I… I think…" I said leaning toward her, and I began to press my mouth to hers. She pushed back and we let what would happen, happen. I pressed my lips to hers and held her tightly. After a moment, I broke contact and spoke again. “I think I love you."

Her eyes filled with tears again and she pushed her face into mine once more. “I do too." We pulled into each other, embracing and kissing deeply.

I have no idea what time I'd woken up at, but we feel asleep again and I certainly slept more pleasantly the second time around.