FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Snowy shifted to the next bend in the tunnel and peered around. He waved the other three forward, Thomas bringing up the rear. Karat waddled quickly down the tunnel to the next intersection and paused, angling an eye around the corner before indicating for the group to continue. They had progressed like this for what felt like miles in the brick and concrete tunnels beneath Wooloobell. Each bend provided another step toward an exit, or a threat that had to be avoided.

Several patrols had come close to spotting the four figures, though fortunately enough an assortment of side-tunnels and general detritus were able to hide them when needed. Some of those tunnels gave the trainer a glimpse of freedom, the sky visible through holes in the gutters above or the riverbank beyond thick metal bars bolted sturdily to the concrete walls. Each 'almost' exit serving to demoralise as much as embolden the quartet.

But as the sky turned from black to blue, and light began to filter through from the world above, the group's luck ran out. A pair of Rocket Rising thugs were resting in an alcove after a night of wandering through the tunnels, about to light up their cigarettes when Tux' tired face poked around the corner to face them. The men looked from one to the other, then to the errant pokemon. But instead of wandering off, or at least leaving those two alone, the pokemon instead squared off, clenching his fists as he readied to fight.

“Shit!" Rizza cursed, flinging a pokeball to the floor; an Arbok uncurling to leer down at the already tall fighting type. Val was right behind him with his Pinsir. But the flashes of light had brought the attention of Snowy and Karat as well, prompting the two Rocket goons to fling out their Graveler and Scizor as well. Despite having the numbers over the three bears, upon seeing Thomas cautiously palming the balls on his belt, Rizza called it in. His hand shot to his belt, clamping down on the radio there. “South tunnels! Branch forty sev-AAAGH!" Snowy's Frost Breath caught the man square in the chest, flinging him backwards as Val raised an arm to cover his eyes.

Then Chaos.

The tunnels erupted into a cacophony of battle, flashes of supercharged fists connecting with bodies mixed with puffs of dust as concrete and brick crumbled with each miss. The Graveler had launched itself at Snowy along with the Scizor, while the other four seemed caught in a constantly shifting melee. Meanwhile Val and Rizza had managed to slip free of the alcove and came after Thomas.

“You two don't learn do you?" Thomas growled, taking several steps back.

“Gonna teach us are ya?" Val retorted, cracking his knuckles.

“Not me." A beam of light cracked through the darkness to reveal a very angry looking Jeremy. “Him." Val launched at the pokemon, the telltale glint of a knuckleduster across his fist as his arm wound back. Jeremy managed to barely sidestep the punch, returning fire with a sharb jab to the man's gut. But Val was solid. He took the hit and dropped his arm to get the Hakamo-o in a headlock.

Rizza meanwhile made a dash for Thomas before the trainer could loose another pokemon. Still concentrating on Jeremy's arrival and current predicament, he reacted too slow to the shoulder charge, and was flung backwards against the stone wall, one of the balls on his belt popping free of its holder to skitter down the mud-coated floor. Getting his mind back in the fight, Thomas returned his attention to Rizza and as the thug made another quick dash the trainer ducked, curling up to get under the man's center of gravity before springing up again, sending Rizza flying into the wall behind him.

The selection of Ursine pokemon were doing their best to keep their own opponents at bay, with Snowy pulling double-time against the Scizor and Graveler, but their strength and tenacity were beginning to fade as the fight dragged on. Karat took a Focus Blast from the Pinsir, all but ending his run as the tan-coloured pokemon struggled to remain standing. Tux was faring better, having sent the Arbok crashing through a detritus-filled side-tunnel, but spotting his downed companion snapped into a rage-state and began attacking the Pinsir with no thought of his own safety.

Jeremy was unable to shake Val's hold on his neck and was tiring quickly, having to lug the goons excessive weight around with every step. Thomas could see his lover struggle with each step, though the trainer's attention was constantly brought back to his own duel of sorts, with Rizza now brandishing a knife as he lunged again.

Thomas sidestepped, the blade slicing through his shirt but otherwise finding only air, the tearing fabric pricking the ears of each friendly pokemon in the chaos-filled tunnel. But his years on the streets weren't for naught, as Thomas wove his form back around the thrust arm, bending and twisting the limb until the blade was painfully dropped to the dirty tiles below. “Fuck!" Rizza yelped, his Scizor whipping around at the pained sound of his masters voice.

Snowy took the chance for a cheap hit and Ice Punched the distracted pokemon into the next chamber, the metallic thud of it colliding with a solid wall prefacing the clanking crumple against the floor. The Graveler took its own cheap shot and tore a gash from the icy bear's side with a well placed Stone Edge. Seeing the massive white pokemon double over, Thomas cried out, dropping Rizza and his dislocated arm in favour of the pokeballs at his side.

In a flash of light Dusty popped into existence behind the Graveler, before scanning the dimly lit surroundings and spotting the now aware rock type. But the four-armed 'mon was too slow to act as the diminutive pony hunched forward before striking out with it's rear legs in a powerful Double Kick, sending the spherical Graveler ricocheting down the tunnels.

Jeremy, seeing the tide slowly turning got his second wind and grinned devilishly. He crouched low and launched into a sky uppercut. The concussion he received from ploughing headfirst into the ten-foot-high ceiling was softened somewhat by the bulk of Val that cushioned the impact. As the two figures slumped down to the floor, only Jeremy was conscious, albeit dazed.

Eyes flitting across the scene, Thomas took note of the bodies. Tux and Dusty were squaring off against the Pinsir, while Karat and Snowy writhed bloodied and broken upon the ground. Rizza was angrily trying to shove his shoulder back into place a few feet from the mostly motionless Val, whose massive bulk rising and falling with each breath was the only sign of life. The Arbok, Graveler and Scizor were nowhere to be seen, which - in Thomas' mind at least - still made them a threat even though they too were probably out for the count.

Thomas desperately wished he still had the shotgun, to better control this situation. Jeremy stumbled before falling to his knees, the concussion starting to take more of an affect. Thomas snapped out of his contemplative mode and rushed to his friend's aid as the Pinsir was flung upside down against one of the walls. “Jeremy, are, are you?" The pokemon nodded, giving a weak thumbs up before patting his ball. Thomas sighed “Of course." He kissed the Hakamo-o's armored head before zapping him back inside.

A rumble of voices burst from the darkness down one tunnel, flickers of light from flashlights painting the walls as a search party approached. “DOWN HERE!" Rizza shouted before being kicked in the jaw by Thomas. Tux and Dusty stared in surprise at the Trainer's move before turning their attention to the other two ursines sprawled on the ground. Thomas wasn't about to let them die, or be captured by the Rocket crew.

He looked around for his pack, growling with anger as he spotted the scattered remains of it. From the looks of things someone must have used it as an improvised weapon of sorts, as it lay split with all his belongings scattered in the mud. He pulled Parker Simons small backpack from the mix and shoved inside what few things survived the melee. Then grabbing two of the still functioning - but empty - pokeballs, Thomas turned to Snowy and Karat. With speed he hurled the two orbs at a pokemon each, the buttons blinking before the telltale 'captured' chime rang through the enclosed space.

Tux' eyes bulged at the man's action, the conflicting emotions of anger, fear and contemplation all trying to take center stage. But what Thomas did next pushed the Pangoro into full blown confusion. He ran to the pokeballs, retrieved them and thrust them into Tux' hands. The pokemon looked to Thomas with a stern glare, which the man mirrored right back. “Your friends. Your responsibility." With that he slapped the bear on the back to snap him out of it, grabbed the pack and dashed down the tunnel away from the lights. Then turning, Thomas ran back over to one of the walls and picked up Carmen's pokeball. “Not gonna happen again." He grinned, kissing the ball before clipping it back to his belt.

Dusty, Tux and Thomas beat a hasty retreat from Val and Rizza's position, passing a very dead Arbok impaled on some rusty piping as they ran. Thomas knew the pokemon's actions would have led to the capture - and no doubt torture - of every pokemon he was currently in the company of, but he still hated to see it. He wondered if the Scizor and Graveler had met a similar fate, though at least those two had tougher skin for that specific eventuality.

As they turned into an intersection they were met with another pair of Rocket thugs. “Tony?..."

“Shit!" Tony managed to fling one pokeball out before being driven into the ground by a tackling Pangoro. The thug's greatball crashed against the side of the tunnel and opened to reveal a particularly girthy Snorlax.

“Shit!" exclaimed Dave, who realised he was now on the wrong side of a Snorlax tunnel-plug and standing alongside a particularly angry looking Pangoro. “Shiiiiiiiit…"

“Ro!" exclaimed Tux, knocking the other thug out with one punch.

“Rrrrrrr….?" Growled the Snorlax, trying to figure out what exactly was going on.

Thomas looked to Dusty, then to the Snorlax. Best guess the massive pokemon was sitting on its ball. There was no way he was getting to Tux through that passage. “Get out! Get those two to a pokecenter!" He shouted, looking behind him to the tunnel slowly filling with flashlight beams. “I'll… think of something…"

Thomas considered his options. An exhausted Zoroark, a concussed Hakamo-o, an over-excited ball of Whirlipede, a temperamental Zweilous, a skittish Goodra and a loyal but somewhat out of his depth Mudbray. He looked around, to the ground and then up. Like a beacon in the darkness it stood above him. Several feet over his head was the bottom rung of a ladder leading up through a passage into another tunnel.

Thomas looked to Dusty and smiled. “Thanks, but we need a bit of height for this." He slapped the buttons on two pokeballs at once, Dusty flickering out of existence to be replaced by Carmen. She was tall - even for a Goodra - and after taking in her surroundings and looking a little confused, she turned to Thomas and gave him a big, slimy hug.

The man hugged back briefly, squeezing his friend tight before pushing her away. “No time for talk, Rocket's on their way, and I need to go up." He pointed to the opening, and Carmen's gaze followed. Thinking for a moment she nodded. Then bending over, grabbed Thomas by the knees and all but flung him skyward. Surprised at the sudden launch -and her strength - he almost missed grabbing the rungs of the ladder, but fortunately his quick reflexes and a bit of residual stickiness from Carmen's hug helped secure a hold. Thomas blew her a kiss, and as she was blushing beamed her back into her ball. “I'll make it up to you later, I swear." he tapped the pokeball in its holster before hoisting himself up the ladder.

The room he was now in was lit only by a few blinking lights on a control panel. There was a door to either side of the room, and a locked trapdoor above a small set of stairs. Thomas checked the lock to see if it was pickable or removable by a pokemon, but the shouts from below forced him towards one of the doors. As he pushed through Thomas heard the telltale clatter of a pokeball striking stone. The hallway ahead of him was both lit by the flash of an arriving pokemon and obscured by his looming shadow.

The man's hairs stood on end, the stench of ozone flooding the room as crackles of energy echoed across stony ground. Thomas didn't want to look, but he had to. Had to know. He turned slowly, breath still as he took in the unfolding form before him.

The scar across the Electivire's arm gave it away.

Thomas swore under his breath as he threw himself beyond the door, slamming it behind him as the wood splintered from the bolt of Lightning that struck it. Scrambling to his feet the man dashed into the darkened room, knocking over dusty boxes and mannequins, chairs and tables as he scrambled to get away from the ferocious pokemon. Unable to see a door save the one he came in, Thomas flung Dusty out, hoping the Ground type would at least be able to hold that psychopath at bay until he can figure out what to do.

And to Dusty's credit, as the Electivire stepped through into the room it was immediately knocked back by the horse pokemon colliding with it using High Horsepower, sending the electric-type screaming back into the other room. But a blast of fire further shattering the doorway heralded the arrival of Bruno's other bodyguard; the Magmortar. Dusty tried to get in a double kick but was fire punched into some painted wooden cutouts of trees.

Another flash of light brought Cav into the fray. And upon spotting the two pokemon stride into the room - practically glowing with their elemental energy - he grinned wickedly. He raised himself up on his rear legs and beat his chest with his own heads, working himself up into a frenzy. The other two could hear the screeching and taunting threats from Cav, but in the darkness, could see only the stirred up dust.

Then from the darkness a purple glow, building in intensity. The Electivire dove out of the way but the Magmortar was not so lucky, struck in the chest by the Zweilous' Dragon Pulse. It stumbled back, shaken, but the Electivire was already on the case. Arcs of pure electricity banded from the pokemon's fingertips, flitting through the dusty room until they found their furry mark. Cav roared in pain as the electric move hit home, numbing his hindquarters as he tried to shuffle into a better position.

But before the Electivire could strike again, Dusty rammed into it full force; the pokemon's form well lit from its own attack in the otherwise darkened room. As the diminutive mule skidded to a halt it was catapulted sideways by a Fire Blast. Thomas was near Dusty's impact point, and raced over to him. He picked the dazed 'mon up, helping Dusty to his feet before giving him a spray of potion. “You can do it, you're strong against both of 'em." Dusty glanced to his trainers belt, and the blinking red lights on two of the balls. Thomas followed his gaze. “At least we got Carmen." He sighed. Dusty nodded, knowing a lot of this fight would be on him.

But as determined as the Mudbray was, his opponents were experienced, and that made them formidable. Under normal conditions in an arena, Dusty would be at best an even match for just barely one of them; his natural resistance to their moves, and their weakness to his on par with their increased power of his less experienced - and unevolved - form. But in this room he had a slight advantage; darkness and size. He could slip between the assortment of boxes and props with ease, and not glowing had it's benefits too. The other two were a little more… conspicuous.

Dusty ducked and weaved through a series of cardboard boxes before spotting the Magmortar's feet a short distance away. Sliding beneath an over-stacked table the pokemon twisted around to face away from the surprised fire-type before smacking into it with a Double Kick, sending it flying into the rigging of a fake sailing ship. The Electivire stepped out of the fray and prepared to stomp Dusty into the floor, but the ground type was faster and flicked some mud off his tail into his opponent's eyes. “GRAH!" The electric type wailed, clawing at its face to remove the blinding gunk.

Another blinding purple beam shot out from the darkness, this time missing entirely and instead striking a portion of the roof, punching a hole into the darkness above.

“THOMAS!" The guttural shout of a man clearly having had enough reverberated through the room. Mirrors hung on the walls vibrated with the noise along with dust falling from the ceiling. “Time's up! Hand it over!"

“NO!" Thomas cried, scrambling to get behind some more sturdy looking boxes.

“I'm NOT FUCKING ABOUT anymore!" Bruno roared, stepping into the room, his pokemon guards flanking him. A Purple glow began building from somewhere in the middle of the room, at which both the Electivire and Magmortar concentrated fire. A yelp of pain and the crumpling of an unconscious body signalled Cavalier's fall, Thomas rushing to mash the button on his ball in the hope it wasn't too late. He pressed Dusty's as well, not wanting any more pokemon to suffer at his actions. “Give. It. To. Me."

Thomas glanced around for a way out, but the darkness was thick, and the stirred dust obscured everything else. A fireball coasted past his head to impact a prop to one side, the metal surface glowing orange from heat. “Dammit!" Bruno growled, turning to his pokemon. “You set anything on fire down here, it'll all go up." He raked his fingers across a wooden support beam, the splinters from the dried wood coming away easily. “It's a fucking tinderbox!"

With the faintly glowing object nearby Thomas made out a cable coming down from the roof, ending in a small plastic box with two buttons. The man looked behind him and saw his escape. Backing up slowly, he took hold of the box and mashed the green button.

Bruno's eyes darted to the trapdoor as it swung open, the pneumatic lift Thomas was kneeling on rising into the darkness above. “NO!" He pushed his pokemon aside and bolted for the platform. Thomas oriented himself to kick the man off should he try to climb on, but Bruno moved with a speed even he was surprised by.

As the platform shook to a stop level with the floor of this new space Thomas rolled off, missing the stomping foot of the brutish Rocket Rising thug. Eschewing his pack and flinging it off to the side Thomas curled his fingers into fists, raising them defensively. “It's not yours to take!"

Bruno practically tore his jacket off as he rolled his shoulders, stretching the muscles he rarely had an excuse to use. “I'll take it nonetheless." his body steamed under the high power of the lights beaming down from on high, illuminating the floor they were on but leaving the rest in darkness.

“Parker Simons just wanted to study it, and YOU KILLED HIM!" Thomas feinted right before striking Bruno's side, then sidestepped the return swing.

“He was a fool!" Bruno, unphased by Thomas' assault, jabbed at the man. But what Thomas lacked in strength he more than made up in speed. “He didn't know what he had. Neither do you!" Using Thomas' strategy against him, Bruno feinted left then swung right with a haymaker. Thomas was caught off guard but was fast enough to get an arm up in defense, blocking the headshot, but still taking the hit. He stumbled back, swiping away further punches aimed at his chest before ducking low and rolling behind Bruno.

Sliding to a stop with one knee on the ground Thomas realised at least one of those punches hit their mark, and he could feel the warm tang of blood on his lips. He spat, staining the polished wooden floor red. “You're right. I don't know." Thomas coughed, standing back to full height, bringing his fists up defensively once more. “But I was tasked with taking it to someone who does. Someone who can protect it." He spat again, clearing his throat. “From murderous shitheads like you."

“You think you can stop me?" Bruno growled, his threat reverberating through the large, empty space.

“You'd have to kill me." Thomas felt his own words bounce off the distant, unseen walls and return to him. He'd not had to explicitly state it before, but in his heart he knew he would.

“Then I will."

'You will not.' The voice came from everywhere, and nowhere. Then from the roof, a shape fell. It landed almost silently between the two men; a Black dog with a green muzzle and one green paw. A hexagonally patchworked scarf fluttered in a nonexistent wind as it stared down the Rocket Rising thug. 'You will leave.'

“Like hell I will!" With lightning speed Bruno whipped out a purple orb and fast-balled it towards the Zygarde.

“QUIIIIIIILL!" A brown-green blur shot down from the rafters, striking the masterball before it could make contact with the legendary pokemon. In a flash of red, the Quilladin was gone, the ball rolling back to its pitcher as both Zygarde and Thomas looked on in horror.

Thomas took a step towards Bruno but was stopped as floorboards several feet away exploded upward; Magmortar and Electivire leaping from below to guard their master. They glowered at the man before being distracted by something to one side.

At first it was one flash, then another. The sort of flash a pokemon makes when summoned from their ball. Then more. Then the houselights came up. Surrounding the group on stage in nearly one hundred and eighty degrees were dozens - hundreds - of people, most with hands on their own pokeballs, with all sorts of pokemon being summoned into the aisles. Thomas looked around. They were standing centre-stage at the Wooloobell opera house. The grand clock above them reading just past nine thirty.

“Undone by a Matinee…" Grumbled Bruno as sirens faded into existence. He looked to the concerned Zygarde staring at the master ball and grinned. “Be seeing you." Then he jumped back down into the hole his bodyguard had emerged from. They saw the change in the air and did the same. Thomas fell to his knees, exhausted. A Gardevoire from stage left ran on, coming to Thomas' aid; her natural gown flowing behind her lovingly painted in a lacework pattern for her role in whatever this show was supposed to have been about. Several stage hands and their pokemon also dashed onstage, though most stopped to stare at the Zygarde.

'Park. Tonight.' Thomas heard in his head before the black and green dog dashed through the throng of onlookers and out a side exit. A few seconds later Officer Jenny burst in through one of the rear doors followed by several other officers. An official-looking gentleman pulled alongside her rapid gait and informed her of the goings on before she arrived at the edge of the stage. Thanking him, Jenny circled around to the stairs and made haste to the collapsed trainer.

“Thomas, are you okay?" She said in a tone that was part concern, part anger.

He didn't know what to say, but the image of Tux trapped behind a snorlax popped to mind. “The Beartic and Ursaring, they…" he took a deep breath as Jenny's fists balled “They got hurt. I managed to get them in balls, gave them to the Pangoro. But he got trapped behind a Snorlax, we got separated." Thomas sighed. “Bruno, he took… a friend."

“Are you saying Bruno Drekavak stole a pokemon?"

“The Quilladin?" one of the audience members inquired. Thomas nodded. “Yeah, we saw that." Several other people nodded.

“And I heard he confessed to Parker Simons murder?" She said, glancing at the official at the end of the stage. Several more audience members nodded along with Thomas, including a man tapping the side of his video camera. She put a comforting hand on the trainers shoulder. “It's okay Thomas. It's over for now." Those words, coupled with the muttering of the audience, the fading adrenaline and the gentle but firm touch of Jenny's hand eroded the last of Thomas' resolve.

The man broke down, center stage, for the whole world to see. His tears a mix of joy and sadness, relief and loss. He knew they would not stop chasing him - chasing the Zygarde - but for now at least, he was vindicated. He was free. The Gardevoire pulled him sideways into a hug as she knelt beside him.

The Matinee was cancelled, the audience receiving replacement tickets and refunds happily while also giving statements to the officers as to the events that transpired. How it started when just as the lights went down a beam of purple energy erupted from the floorboards and punched a hole in the curtain. Then shouting from below the stage became clearer as the sound of the stage platform being raised brought two men into view. The audience able to see what was going on as stage lights beamed down on the two from above, their fisticuffs and taunts loud and clear. Then the arrival of that unknown pokemon, and then two more. And then how some of the audience had decided they too needed to step in.

It was at least an hour before Jenny could get Thomas out and away, escorting him to the pokemon center to both reunite him with Griffin, but also give him a chance to heal up the clearly injured party he was carrying along with him. He did so and while waiting with Jenny she got reports of a Pangoro causing trouble in the tunnels and quickly left to deal with it. One of the Clefairys on staff could see the man's anxiousness and led him to a private waiting area inside the poke-center proper.

Here he waited, half watching the morning television as he wondered how things would go now that Bruno was the one on the run. If there was one thing Thomas knew, it was how the news cycle worked. He'd slept on some of the biggest headlines of the last decade, and while his acquisition of papers was mostly for warmth or comfort, he still read through them each time.

It'd take a day in print, but only a few minutes digitally, for the news of Bruno's confession to spread. The head of Rocket Rising a murderer, the thugs under his control organising a manhunt under false pretenses, the target of said manhunt being an innocent man just trying to fulfill a dying man's wish. It was a story news outlets hungered for. There'd be a few fringe publications - those controlled by Team Rocket and their subsidiaries - that would take a different view, and still paint Thomas as the charlatan. But their readership was far smaller, and Thomas was safe in the knowledge that at least for now, he was safe.

The Clefairy returned with a tray of seven balls, and Thomas thanked her profusely as she left them in his care. He knew a hotel room would be a better place for this, or somewhere a little more private. But he didn't care. One by one he mashed the buttons, summoning forth his friends, his comrades in arms, those he loved with all his heart. And as they milled about taking in their surroundings, he opened his arms, sweeping them into a tight embrace. Even the standoffish Cav seemed to enjoy the gesture as the group sighed in relief, empathically sensing their trainer's mood.

“Haka?" Jeremy looked around, nervously. The staff seemed to regard him with caution but weren't running off at the sight of him, or attempting to find some sort of panic button. “Mo?"

Thomas sighed heavily, smiling as he placed a hand on each of Jeremy's shoulders. “Bruno admitted to everything." He knew it wasn't quite true, but it was true enough for now. “And he did so in front of over a thousand people. And a documentary crew." Jeremy's eyes bulged as he took that in, then leapt into Thomas' arms, giving the man a heartfelt hug. Tears flowed down from tightly shut eyes as the Hakamo-o broke down as his trainer had but an hour earlier. Thomas simply returned the hug, shushing into his lovers neck comfortingly.

“So…" Zana mused, placing a hand on Thomas' knee. “What now?" The ragtag group of pokemon looked up to their Trainer as the silence was broken by chirps and beeps from the medical equipment in the halls beyond the waiting room.

Thomas took a deep breath. “Today, we rest." He let the air out slowly, calming himself as Jeremy climbed down to stand beside Zana. “As our little green guy is back - albeit as a medium-sized black and green houndoom-looking thing - our mission is back on the table. But for now, we can afford to rest." Thomas turned to face Zana “and yes, that means shopping." The Zoroark's eyes sparkled as her demeanour lit up like a child on their birthday.

Thomas looked to the pokedex on his wrist, intending to look up a map of Wooloobell or similar, but was greeted with a smashed screen. “Damn, that's right." He grumbled before shaking his head with a grin. “No, not gonna let anything get me down today." He stood up, stretching as he reached for the smaller pack. Jeremy saw it and looked up to Thomas, concerned. But the man just grinned back, a look of loos in his eyes as he pointed towards the door. “C'mon. Let's go."

Waving his posse on, Thomas thanked the nurses before leaving the Pokecenter, and asking where a suitable repair place was. Flanked either side by his friends, Thomas made his way down the street. Most folks walked by themselves, some followed by one pokemon, but none with quite the number of characters Thomas was holding company with. Jeremy held himself high, his plates gleaming as he proudly showed off his 'shiny' colourings. Mac was doing circles around the group of course, just happy to be out of his ball and unrestrained by things such as heavily wooded areas. Griff had taken to the skies, a fresh dose of meds coursing through his veins as he glid from rooftop to rooftop.

Everyone was enjoying the fresh air, even Zana. Despite her brief stint in the tunnels, the Zoroark was still looking radiant from her shower at Jessa's and the promise of shopping from the day before. With a mischievous glisten in her eye she patiently waited for the techs at the Silph Co. Genius Bar to work on Thomas' pokedex. Several stores had caught her attention on the way, almost all of them bath or food related. But there were a couple others she'd have to drag Thomas to later.

The process in fixing Thomas' pokedex was relatively simple. The processor and most internal parts were still intact, it was only the screen and casing that was damaged. With those parts replaced - and a couple more gadgets acquired - the crew went back out on the streets just in time for lunch. Spying a pokemon-friendly cafe just a few buildings over, Thomas found a table and ordered several platters. The group chatted amongst themselves, with Zana providing the occasional translation for Thomas when needed.

The walk there and the tasty food managed to help them all shed the emotional weight of the last few weeks, and it brought a grin to the man's face. He had quite some time before the Zygarde had requested to meet him in the park, and he fully intended to spoil the hard working team. In the trainer's mind, they more than deserved it. Especially his new Master and Mistress, they had both been through so much, and given his declaration in the back of Dash's truck Thomas felt a need to give substance to those words.

Once the motley crew of pokemon had had their fill, Thomas paid the bill and they made off towards the mall. He knew what their first stop had to be, stopping in one of the tech stalls to pick Carmen up a CD player and some Goodra-sized headphones. When he gave it to her in it's little waterproof satchel she stared at him in confusion. But taking the leaf-wrapped CD from within the depths of the bag, Carmen's mind put it all together. She bounced up and down happily as Thomas popped the player open and slid the disk in after giving it a thorough wiping. Then securing the waterproof casing he showed her how to play, pause, skip tracks and alter the volume; despite being 'outdated tech', he'd had a similar model back when he was a kid.

Next up was a designer poketreats store. He allowed the group to wander the aisles - though the security Machamp gave him a murderous glare for doing so - each one perusing the multitude of flavours for something more to their taste. Most stores on the road would only have the standard selection of treat flavours; usually Oran, Tamato, Sitrus, Nanab, Pinap, Razz and Watmel. But down each aisle was a dozen or so dispensers, with a smaller sampler dispenser alongside each one and each sporting the names of berries and foods some of which Thomas had never heard of. They even had one called 'Jelly Doughnut'. This took considerably longer than the tech store or even the cafe, each one of Thomas' pokemon sampling the flavours that caught their interest, thankfully helped by labels indicating which 'types' generally preferred each flavour.

Well over an hour later, Thomas was standing at the counter with a long list of combinations and a line of grinning pokemon behind him. He'd given them the choice of five packs each. Zana had chosen all spicy treats, several with large 'Caution' stickers covering the packaging. At the other end of the spectrum Mac had chosen five completely different - and very conflicting - flavours. But from what Thomas could tell, the bug had tried each one and liked them, so figured why not. He piled in with the order a few handfuls of all-rounder treats for the trip, and a couple 'desserts' he managed to hide in the pile.

Next was a shop called 'Suds & Self' which Zana all but dragged him into, the others following out of curiosity. She led him through the aisles, using him as her own personal trolley to carry an assortment of ointments, creams, soaps and more. Along the way Mac discovered some chitin polish which he pestered Thomas into acquiring a sizeable tub of, and Cav found a shampoo called 'Pitch' that would 'darken even the darkest of coats'. Griff added some wing moisturiser and helpfully acquired a basket for his Trainer to dump the growing pile of unguents.

Jeremy - thinking ahead - acquired a grayscale palette of oil-based special effects grade makeup and a block of yellow body chalk, just in case they needed to do another 'greyface' trick. Carmen on the other hand was entranced by a selection of Goodra-specific perfumes, that instead of being something you sprayed on, were small candies she could eat that would temporarily change the chemical makeup of her goo making it smell of various berries. She also found another set that would change the consistency of her goo as well; thinner, thicker, stickier or slicker. She gave Thomas a big grin and an eyebrow wiggle when placing that in the basket, then followed it with a 'destabilising' agent to liquefy particularly thick slime. Thomas sighed, but couldn't help letting loose a small chuckle as he paid for the array of products.

With the sun dropping below the buildings, Thomas coaxed most of his companions back into their balls, with the promise of letting them out again once they get to the hotel. But for now he had a few more places to go, and it would be easier with less of them out. Little did they know he was planning to head through the back alleys to some of the more lewd shops with Jeremy and Zana. Much like Cannab, there appeared to be an entire district for such things, and a little bit of searching brought them to the 'Naughty Delphox'. Thomas chuckled, shaking his head at the coincidence. He'd not realised it was a chain.

Inside the shop was much the same as the other, though with a pair of Mienshao in place of the Venusaur. Thomas gestured for the other two to go searching, giving them free reign - within reason - while he sought out something specific. It didn't take long for Zana to find several things for herself and something for Thomas, and Jeremy as well had found an assortment of items. As the man placed a large bottle of Desert Pea Lotion on the counter, his Mistress placed down a collar and leash. Thomas gave her a somewhat shocked stare, but didn't question her choice. Then on top of those she dumped several items of clothing, which given the combination of lace and leather, Thomas both knew he needed to see on her, and knew she'd probably keep him in that state of anticipation for a while yet.

Most of Jeremy's selection was far more practical - silk rope, paintable latex, candles - but one item gave the man a moment of pause; a latex gimp mask complete with a buckled up blindfold and zipper across the mouth. He placed the leather flogger on top of the headgear with a mischievous wink, eliciting a sensual chuckle from Zana. But without question, Thomas paid the bill and adde the nondescript black plastic bag to the many others he'd acquired from the shops prior.

The three of them walked out of the Naughty Delphox practically arm-in-arm, Thomas flanked by his Master and MIstress on either side as they made their way back onto the main street. There they strode down to some of the Trainer-oriented stores to find the man some more clothes; several sets having been destroyed over the last few weeks. Zana picked out several tight shirts and shorts, which Jeremy had to admit he liked the way Thomas 'fit' in them. But they also found some middle-ground with a few sets of 'normal' looking clothes that wouldn't draw too much attention.

Reluctantly Thomas also purchased a new pack. A Khaki and beige oilskin duffel, It wasn't as flashy as the one he'd had in Mac's colouring but it would be a lot more rugged. All the caving, running, fighting and falling he'd done lately had taken its toll on the bag, which is probably why id didn't last long as when wielded at the fight in the tunnels. He'd managed to gather a couple things, like the shovel and a couple potions, but everything else got left behind. So with a sigh he also hunted for a new flashlight, tent, bedroll and assorted bits and bobs he'd need.

The afternoon had proved productive, but expensive. Doing some quick calculations, Thomas realised he'd spent about three weeks of salary between his pokemon and the needs of his pack. Which meant although he still had money left, he'd have to be careful about further expenses. He paid for the trolley's worth of items but unlike Cannab; instead of repacking everything in store, Thomas elected to just take it all with him and do so in the hotel room given how late it had gotten. He shoved what he could in the duffel bag and slung it over his shoulder. Then with the other bags in hand, the three strode off to find a room for the night

Afternoon was transforming into evening, the sky electric orange and pink as the three made their way out of the shopping district in search of a hotel. Walking along the promenade past the various lodgings excited Zana, but Jeremy's concerned glare hinted to the bigger problem. They were all very open, very public. And if Rocket really wanted to, Thomas doubted they'd have much trouble breaking in to any of them.

Their search was proving mostly fruitless until Jeremy tugged on Thomas' arm, pointing to a symbol carved beneath one of the more plain looking hotel signs. The trio wandered over and Jeremy ran his claws gently over the pitted concrete where the scratched logo lay. The design was a spiral starting below and making one and a half turns inward before ending in a straight, ascending vertical line. Jeremy nodded, satisfied and began walking towards the building's plain - but reinforced - doors.

Once inside, Thomas and Zana followed Jeremy to the counter. A middle-aged woman stood at the counter, casually flicking through a magazine. She looked up as Jeremy approached, eyeing the pokemon cautiously before turning to Thomas expectantly. But Jeremy snapped his fingers and she returned her somewhat puzzled gaze to him. He tapped the countertop and drew the symbol with his claw on the surface. “I take it he's not a member?" She asked in a thick accent Thomas couldn't quite place. Jeremy shook his head, scanning the lobby for a newspaper.

Finding several tucked behind one of the chairs he rushed over and flicked through them before returning to the woman. He placed one down open to a page and pointed at the photo. Parker Simons kneeling down over a collection of fossils, Jeremy at his side. “Ah, I see." She opened a panel behind the counter and handed a swipe card to Jeremy. “You'll be safe here." She reassured Thomas, though it was Zana that really needed the convincing. Jeremy took a quick look at Zana and Thomas then back to the receptionist. He made a few gestures with his claws and she nodded, retrieving a different card.

Pressing a hidden button they heard a buzz coming from one of the doors to the side, and Jeremy rushed over, opening it to reveal the sparsely decorated hallway beyond. As the door behind them clicked shut Zana grumbled “Was kinda hoping for something a bit more… anything."

<It's safe.> Jeremy sighed back.

“Safe or not, it's a bit on the bland side." Zana's whinging caused both Jeremy and Thomas to roll their eyes. “I mean, I was kinda hoping for a suite with a bath, maybe some nice silk sheets, a decent room service menu, you know-" A beep and click came from the lock of the door Jeremy swiped, the Hakamo-o pushing the wide door open to reveal their room “-like this…"

The plain, almost sterile hallway was completely different to the room the trio walked into. A warm peach colour coated each wall, with clean white accents and trim. The room itself was essentially two storey, with the far wall sectioned off into four separate shared bedrooms - two above and two below - while the area sharing a wall with the outer hallway was a large bathroom on one side and kitchenette on the other. The large central space was equipped with a television and two enormous couches, while just beyond the bathroom was the door to the main bedroom.

All the furniture was crisp white in colour, and looked like a welcome mix of durable and comfy. Thomas looked to Jeremy and then with one swipe of his hand activated the buttons on every occupied ball. In a blinding flash, the gang was all there. Once they'd had a chance to marvel at the room a bit, Thomas laid out the ground rules; no moves inside, no destroying the furniture, and so on. Mac and Cav chose the bedroom with the most indestructible-looking furnishings and immediately began play fighting. Dusty sighed, shaking his head before finding one of the rooms with a bare dirt floor segment and happily trotted in place to create a minor dirt cloud.

Griff flew up to one of the second storey rooms and collapsed wings unfurled on the bed there. Zana made her way to the room above the master bedroom and shut the door. Leaving Jeremy, Carmen and Thomas to have a look around. Carmen dragged Thomas into the bathroom and pointed out the 'natural' rain shower setup and the recessed floor within. Jeremy ran his hands over the various fixtures before making his way to the multi-person jacuzzi. He nodded, grinning at Thomas before raising an eyebrow suggestively. The man chuckled, and returned to the Kitchenette.

Thomas spotted a secure-looking vid-phone on the wall near the fridge and knew he had to bring the folks at the Dragon Institute up to speed. He filled Professor Colman in on the happenings, the researcher ecstatic over the footage captured by the documentary crew in the Opera House. It was proof positive of this particular pokemon's existence and gave him all the more proof required to convince certain authorities to aid Thomas in his travels. Though that had come at a cost, Colman listing off a handful of organisations that were now very aware of this legendary pokemon and the man tasked with delivering it.

Some of these organisations were happy to ally with the Dragon Institute and work with them to ensure Thomas' safety, while others were adamant that they could both do a better job in keeping it safe and also researching it once it was contained. He also made Thomas aware of a couple groups who saw the Zygarde as either a god to be freed, or a harbinger of death to be destroyed. All in all, the Opera House event had managed to get one group off Thomas' back, only for a dozen more to jump on.

After going over a few expense reports and checking up on the man's aural implant, Thomas thanked Dr Colman for his help and agreed to another video call once they reached Sidna. They'd discuss cruise routes and the best way for the crew to get to Unova from there. He thanked the Doctor for everything and hung up, sighing heavily. As if on cue, his appetite finally caught up with him as Thomas' stomach growled its demand for food.

It seemed as though the rumble was soon echoed by the others as Mac rolled into the kitchen making his hungry chirps. Cav was next, the heads snapping at each other as they argued over what they wanted to eat. Eventually Thomas ushered the lot back out into the living area, found the room service menu and ran through it with the crew. Whatever they asked for, he ordered.

As before, Thomas considered the encounter at the Opera House a huge turning point for them. Their goal was finally in sight, and they had all worked so hard to get here. He knew they'd be happy regardless of what he got them for dinner, or treats or whatever, but he wanted to spoil them all. Show them truly how appreciative he was of everything they'd done. He was given a forty minute estimate and after thanking them for undertaking the large order, hung up.

Looking out at the group of pokemon finally able to relax for a bit, Thomas smiled. Then a warm, sticky nub slid into his hand. He turned to see Carmen happily grinning up at him. She pulled him away from the unruly throng and into the bathroom, closing the door behind them. Gently, she lay down her new CD player on the bathroom counter and produced the two bottles of candies.

Thomas chuckled as he took the bottles off her. He inspected the flavoured one first, reading off the list to Carmen, who was fiddling with the taps in the shower. “Razz, Tamato, Sitrus, Lum, Oran, Bluk and Nanab flavours. Tasty." He grinned, winking at Carmen. She blushed, walking over to him sultrily. “Any preferences?" She had a quick look at the bottle held out to her, squinting at the writing. Then she shook her head and opened her mouth, waiting for Thomas to make the choice.

The man gulped, her breaths were needy, almost moaning. Pulling out the first pill he could - a purple Bluk one - he placed it gently on her tongue, allowing his finger to linger. Carmen's maw closed, her lips wrapping around Thomas' digit, sucking it as she pulled back. Her tongue writhed and pulled at him before allowing the finger to slip out. She closed her eyes and bit her bottom lip, savouring both his taste and the taste of the pill slowly dissolving in her mouth.

When she opened her eyes again, Thomas slipped his finger into his own mouth and grinned. Carmen gulped, then looked to the other bottle in his hand. Thomas traced her stare and brought the bottle up to have a closer look. Something deep inside him crawled up and took control of his hands. He sought through the collection of pills until he had two in hand; one square and one oval.

Without considering his actions properly, Thomas placed both pills on his tongue and kissed Carmen passionately. She gasped initially, but as she felt him push the two pills into her mouth, the goodra moaned contentedly. Her mouth and tongue dwarfed his, and soon she was slathering his tastebuds in her Blukberry saliva. Thomas sucked on her tongue as she had on his finger, playing with it's texture, with its flavour.

It took some time, but Thomas eventually pulled away from the kiss, smacking his lips at the deliciousness of Carmen's slime. She looked at him with an intense hunger, the same part of him that placed the pills on his own tongue quickly stripping the clothes from his body until he stood naked and very erect in front of the Goodra. She backed into the now steaming shower area, beckoning him forward as she all but disappeared into the fog.

Thomas took a deep breath and strode into the shower. As he got beyond the slight recess in the floor, he felt a thick squish of slime beneath his feet. His mind flashed back to the river running through Kangaskhan Valley and the thick layer of slime Carmen had created while bathing. But this was something else. It was soft like liquid marshmallow, but barely sticky at all. Those pills worked fast, and they worked wonders.

Thomas approached Carmen cautiously, feeling how slippery the floor had become with the addition of her slime. Once he was close enough, she reached out and pulled him onto her; the two collapsing in a squelching heap on the tile floor. Thomas' erection prodded the Goodra's ample belly, her stubby arms guiding the man's body to the right place. He could barely kneel in place on the floor, the thick slime below him causing an almost frictionless surface for him to slide away from his partner.

But Carmen thought fast. She sloughed a stubby hand through the purplish mucus, gathering a glob and forcing onto it her natural control of the substance. Then with a deft flick she whipped the thick strand around behind Thomas, catching the end with her other hand. Then yanking hard, the makeshift sling propelled her Trainer toward her. Be it providence or skill, Thomas' cock lined up just right, slamming him balls deep inside the Goodra in one swift thrust.

The two groaned lustfully as sensation rippled through them. Carmen was a big girl, and her passage was nowhere near as tight as it had been when she was but a Sligoo. While Thomas was no slouch in the size department, he was nowhere near the right size for Carmen. Instead, the intense pleasure they felt was more in their connection; more than trainer and pokemon, more than friends. To Carmen, they were soulmates.

She knew some of the story behind him and Jeremy, and suspected perhaps Zana was involved as well. But Thomas was the one who took her virginity. He was the one who - when faced with a night of embarrassing dissatisfaction - gave her an egg. She worried about finding a mate, and almost in direct response he gave her the promise of a child. He had given her so much, without a single thought of getting anything in return, and that's why she loved him. And why she knew she had to put the Elder Croconaw's gift to good use.

And she had. That disk was the last thing the reptillian pokemon had left from her old life. It utilised similar technology to that of a Technical Record, but this one was far more complicated than a simple instruction manual for moves. It involved less repetition in action, but more a focus on the intent, on the meaning behind the action. And this action, this special gift for her love, was speech.

“Thom-aas." Carmen gurgled, trying hard to get it right and going red in the face from the effort. “T-Thomas."

Thomas' heart stopped. He slowly turned to stare into Carmen's big, green eyes. It was a look of shock, awe and admiration. “Carmen… Did- Did you just?"

“Tom… Thomas," She said again, her breath quickening along with her racing heart.

The world stopped existing. For Thomas, there was just Carmen in front of him; holding him, squeezing him, and talking to him. Her words echoed around in his mind, all other sound and thought drowned out by the white noise of water on tile faintly rumbling in the distance. He stared up at her innocent and blushing face, eyes expectantly staring right back at him. Without breaking eye contact, Thomas smiled and said softly “I love you; you amazing, wonderful, beautiful girl!"

He wrapped his arms around her torso, hugging her tight and sending gallons of gloopy slime oozing across their bodies. “Thomas!" Carmen shouted before the man clamped his lips to hers, kissing her passionately as his hips began pistoning into her. Their tongues mashed against each other, more frantic this time; the kiss one would associate with the gentle reacquaintance of a lover dropped in place of a lust-fuelled explosion of desire.

With her sling holding his hips to hers, and his cock able to get enough motion from the movement in his legs, Thomas used his hands for something other than stability. He ran his fingers up along the Goodra's sides, scooping slime up as he went. He then pooled it where their chests met, lifting himself off her for just long enough to let it slide down her torso before dropping his weight back down.

Purple globs of Blukberry-tasting mucus glooped out from between their bodies, seemingly giving Carmen a similar sensual high as it was giving Thomas. “Carmen, you never cease to amaze me." He said, laying down his head on her neck to give his hips a brief reprieve. “So that's what was on the CD…" She nodded a little, proud of her accomplishment. “Is my name the only word you've learned?" She looked at him sheepishly, shaking her head slightly. “Well?"

“C-" She ran her tongue over her mouth, as though being somewhat parched despite the almost literal flood of slime coming off her. “Cah-"

“Car-men." Thomas tried helping. But it only served her cheeks to glow redder.

“Cah… Cahm-in..." She gulped then leaned in to whisper in Thomas' ear. “Cum in... meee..."

Thomas' eyes bulged, looking down at his glorious little Goodra. “I fucking love you!" Planting his hands on Carmen's hips Thomas regained his jackhammer-like pace. “My little cumslut…" He growled as she let loose a moan staggered by his repeated thrusts. While her goo sling kept the man close, he found it also helped to rubber-band him back into her with the tension she was giving it. So he started using that to his advantage by really putting his back into both stroking in and out.

Carmen could barely hold herself together, and after a minute of the solid railing from her trainer, her grip on the sling became loose. Thomas felt it slide a little out of her grip and hilted himself inside the Goodra, grabbing her muzzle with one hand as he turned her head to face his, their noses touching. “You WILL hold on. You WILL keep your grip. And I WILL cum deep, deep inside you." He thought a moment then grinned wickedly “All over our egg." He removed his hand from her face to rub her belly.

The slick passage around Thomas' cock spasmed, Carmen almost losing it at the man's declaration. They both knew once fertilised the egg would be fine outside a pokemon - in a bag, or a nest, wherever - but back in Owlra Carmen's need for a mate and subsequent discovery of what appeared to be an already fertilised egg pushed them to do something neither could have imagined the day before. Thomas not only gave the egg to Carmen, but she requested it placed alongside her own; as though in that moment he was fertilising her egg, being the strong mate that all others had failed at.

And as the man's words echoed around in her brain, Carmen couldn't help but see this as him fertilising her properly. Not just giving her the chance to lay an egg, but coating it in his strong male seed at the same time. Whatever it was that would come from the natural capsule inside her, right there she knew that it would be their child, nobody else's. Carmen's mind focused, the mucus wrapped around her limbs returning to it's taut state as she pulled on the strands hard, ramming Thomas' cock as deep inside her as she could manage.

“Thomas, cum in me."

Thomas' heart skipped a beat. Whatever demon inside Carmen he'd let loose, he wasn't about to let this moment slip by. With every ounce of strength he had, Thomas began railing his Goodra companion. Their guttural moans and groans mixed into a sensual chorus, occasionally punctuated by the man's lovingly teasing language. “You're such a good little slut." “Do you want my cum?" “Your pussy is my personal cum dump." “Sexy fuck toy…"

Each comment drew out the red in Carmen's cheeks until she could take it no more. Her muscles clamped down on Thomas, though her passage was so large and her slime so slick that it merely presented the man with an incredibly tight hole to fuck rather than holding him in place. Regardless, it still had the same overall effect as she pulled hard on the slimy sling wrapped around her trainers waist. “Cum in me, Thomas. C-cum Thomas, cum…"

“Ah ffff-" Thomas groaned, her sultry, needy voice striking a chord down below. He felt his body tense, balls throb and managed to get an extra inch deeper by embracing the Goodra tightly. “I'm cumming, my sexy little cumslut." He moaned into her neck “Cumming just for you. Nnnngg…" And with that, Thomas all but exploded inside Carmen's spasming pussy.

“GOOOooooo…" She wailed, feeling the man's hot spunk splash against her insides. Carmen's eyes rolled back, her body shaking. The man didn't have the volume of cum most pokemon seemed to have, nor did he have the size. But the intimacy of their pairing more than made up for it; each pulse of Thomas' heartbeat and throb of his balls emptying into her was a hundred times more powerful than any of those back at Miriam's Gym. “T...Tom…"

With his heart beating so hard it ached, Thomas sighed contentedly. He lay atop the slimy torso of his lover, rising and falling from her hasty breaths while his arms lay still partly wrapped around her sides. Carmen relaxed her grip on the sling and brought her arms up to embrace her trainer. The two lay like that for several minutes, allowing themselves to come down from their orgasmic high, nice and slow. Carmen swiped a stubby hand across Thomas' brow, pushing hair to the side so she could look into his eyes. “Thomas." She said, smiling happily.

“Carmen." Thomas replied, mimicking her movements somewhat as he ran his fingers around the base of her antennae. Her eyes closed, chest thrumming from the sensual humm of appreciation as the man exploited her weak spot. He thought to himself how foolish he'd been making a deal with Jeremy and Zana about their relationship without considering Carmen's role in it all. He sighed, realising not only would he have to renegotiate, but they must have spent quite some time in the bathroom and room service was bound to arrive soon. “C'mon my sexy Goodra."

Thomas slid off Carmen, stumbling to the sink on weak legs. Beside the two bottles of pills was a spray bottle containing the destabilising agent. He picked it up and cautiously made his way back to the shower. Carmen saw the bottle and moped a little as she got up. She held her arms out and sighed. Thomas just looked at her puzzled. Then it clicked. “Wha-, you thought…? Ha!" He grabbed one of her arms and pulled her towards him, spinning her in the process until he had one arm wrapped around her with her back to his chest. “Silly little Goodra. I love your slime." He kissed her neck, causing her to elicit a soft moan. “This is for the shower."

He pulled the pokemon out of the recessed shower area and gave a few sprays of the concotion into the center of it. It took a few seconds, but the reaction soon picked up pace. Like a blowtorch to bubbles, the slime thinned quickly, the drain barely able to cope with that much liquid pouring down at once, helped out by the still running shower. That was by design of course as Thomas stepped in to wash off the majority of Carmen's mucus and get him looking respectable; not looking like he recently roughly fucked a slime dragon.

After several minutes they were both back to being clean, though for Carmen that was more a vague term as the constant sheen of her slime was ever present, but she controlled what detritus got stuck in it. When Thomas opened the door into the livingroom, he was met by the sight of raised eyebrows from both Jeremy and Zana, while the others happily took in the evening news. He took a deep breath and smiled back at his two masters, giving them the 'we'll talk about it later' look.

Breaking the domineering glare-a-thon, the telltale knock of room service could be heard at the door. Thomas braced himself for the abundance of food that was about to pour into their room.

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