FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

"How about Lily?" The lopunny shook her head.

"How about Mira?" No.

"Krista?" Another no.

"What could your name be?" Ark had been pondering it for the last hour, suggesting names he thought fit her, each time he had suggested something his lopunny discarded it immediately. He was getting irritated with himself that he couldn't figure out what her name was. "We'll try some more later." He grumbled giving up for now.

"Dinner time!" Hollered his uncle. Ark stomach rumbled loudly in response reminding him that he hadn't eaten anything at all for the whole day. The laughter from downstairs told him that his uncle heard it. He heard a squeak from his Lopunny; she was barely keeping herself from laughing. Ark couldn't help but laugh at the combination of both himself and her expression, which looked like she had a mouth full of berries. At that the lopunny burst out with her own laugh, a song like portion of a wild lopunny's cry.

"Well let's go get something to eat." Ark finally said when they had both calmed down. His lopunny nodded in agreement. As they were walking down the stairs, he noticed she was holding his music player and was trying, with great difficulty, to get the headphones on. He reached over and helped her put them on in the same place as last time. She hugged him tightly and quickly released him, leaving him with a pleasant feeling where she touched him. It still lingered when Ark finally reached the table

Three plates of salad, a few bread rolls, and a pitcher of fresh water were laid out on the table. "Salad just seemed ideal since you caught a lopunny." Draven commented. Ark just nodded, hoping for something a little more filling than salad and bread.

Dinner was rather quiet for a while, most of the time Ark had something to talk about over dinner. Today he seemed to draw a blank.

"So any luck with finding a name for her?" Asked Draven in an attempt break the silence.

"No, every time I've suggested something it's shot down." Ark mumbled looking over at the lopunny, watching her eat the salad clumsily since she couldn't handle a fork.

"I'm sure you'll find it soon enough just keep working at it." Responded Draven trying to encourage him. "Sometimes the hardest things to find are lying in plain sight." Draven got up and took care of the plates. "There's a lot of things I wish I could talk to you about, but your not ready for them, they would only confuse you. So instead I'll answer any questions that you want to ask me."

"Seems fair. Can you tell me some of the best ways to make a living as a trainer?"

"Easy enough, the absolute best way is getting sponsored by a company to fight in a tournament. It's rare however to attract the interest of a big company even if you complete the pokemon league. Small companies usually pick the fresh league winners but they only give you just enough to live on and usually stop sponsoring you after the first year.

The next best option is a field vet; it's a hefty investment and requires a degree in medical science and some pricy equipment. After a few years of solid work, the initial expenses should be paid off and you'll be able to start making real money.

The last one that I'll talk about is gambling money with another trainer, this one is the simplest, you bet money or something valuable with another trainer, the other trainer wagers the equilivant or more if they're feeling lucky and whoever wins the battle takes the pot. I've seen fortunes won and lost this way, it's risky but if you play your cards right you can come out on top."

"What do you suggest I do?"

"First things first start by doing the gym badge challenge it will help you get your name out there, attracting people with medium sized wallets to challenge you. When you feel confident enough start wagering on those battles go minor so you don't end up losing your savings to the first powerful trainer you meet. After that do whatever you want."

"Thank you. I can't really think of anything else to ask right now."

"Then let me give you this last bit of advice. Be careful what you wish for because you might get it. I did exactly that once and to this day I still regret it."

"Thank you for all the advice. I think I might have a few more ideas on what her name is." Ark said, pointing at his lopunny who was still wearing the headphones and bobbing her head to the music. He wondered if she had heard any part of their conversation.

"I wish you good luck with that. I would help you but I'm a bit tired. Goodnight. " Ark though it was odd that his uncle was going to bed so early. It was only eight pm.

"Yeah goodnight. I think I'll go to bed soon enough."

"Don't stay up to late you have an adventure to start tomorrow."

"Yeah I know." With that, his uncle went to his room leaving Ark alone with Lopunny.

"My life has changed so much in just a single day. I could have never known any of this would happen. It makes me wonder if I had known about this all, would I have done things differently?" Ark looked over at his lopunny who was hanging on to his every word. He was more or less talking to himself and didn't really expect her to listen so intensely. "I don't think I would. Sure, I might not have pissed off Lady Willow, but I might not have ever met you. Even in the short time I've known you I feel as close to you as I was to Alexis."

The lopunny cocked her head, using body language to ask who these people were. It took Ark a little while to figure out the expression. "Alexis was a miltank that I held a deep friendship with, she was here since I first came over to my uncle's farm. She was more than just a friend to; she was a shoulder I could cry on, someone that I could talk to without feeling as if they weren't listening. She just meant a lot to me. Then a person named Lady Willow came and took her away. All you should know about her is she's the human definition of the term bitch. On the outside, she seems kind and lovely, but on the inside, she's a soulless wretch. I hope that you never have the misfortune of meeting her." He laced every word about Lady Willow with venom, despising her very existence.

-He feels so strongly towards this Willow person. Is it just because she took his friend away, or is she truly that heartless? - Lopunny thought over this for a while.

"We should find you a name." Ark said, finding himself desperate to change the subject, he didn't want to dwell on that anymore. His lopunny nodded in response. "How about Amber? No, I don't think that fits you. Maybe something descriptive?" He looked her over. "How about Cocoa after your brown fur?" She shook her head thinking it was an okay name but not a name she wanted. "Hmm, How about Terra? I've always loved that name" Something about that name struck a cord in lopunny's heart, if felt like a perfect name for her. She squeaked excitedly as a response.

"Hmm not Terra either." He teased knowing that she liked the name. She almost went into a frenzy trying to convince him that she wanted that name. "Okay okay Terra it is then, I'll make sure to remember this next time I tease you."

Terra let out a relived sigh. -I have a name now it feels wonderful. I feel as if I've found something that I had forgotten I lost. - She looked at her trainer. She felt her respect for him as a trainer begin to grow. Before she doubted he would have been a good trainer, now she felt that familiar trainer/pokemon bond and was convinced he'd be an adept one. -The first time I had this bond with my original trainer felt good. This time feels different like he's more than just a trainer. Is it just because he's male and I'm female? No that's not the case; I'm not in heat so there's no reason for that to be the cause. Still this bond feels closer than my previous one. -

"I'm glad you're happy with it. I don't know what I would have done if I couldn't find a name for you." Ark looked over at the clock again -Eight thirty. It's earlier than I'm used to but I feel that I'm going to need the sleep for tomorrow. - "How about we hit the sack for tonight?" Noticing Terra give him a questioning glance. "It means going to bed. You can stay up if you like but we do have a journey to start tomorrow." Explained Ark, he then went upstairs to his bedroom.

-He left me outside of my pokeball. - She was genuinely surprised at that. Her other trainer had never done that before. -He knows that I could leave him right now if I wanted. Yet he leaves me free, trusting that I won't. - She climbed onto the couch. -He's going to be a wonderful trainer. - Was her last thought as she fell asleep, her ears folded across herself to keep her warm.

Ark wanted to get a nice long sleep before tomorrow but insomnia took him over. His mind was buzzing, wondering what his future would be like, what his team of pokemon would be like, how he could train them, and what he would do if he couldn't make a living as a trainer. He reached into his bedside drawer and took a small red and white sleeping pill; it reminded him of his pokeball and in turn Terra. -I really hope she doesn't leave. - He popped the pill into his mouth and swallowed it. His mind was still buzzing as the sleeping pill took effect sending him into a dream-filled slumber.

A path of pure white light grew in front of him, sweet smelling flowers at either side. He went down the path not knowing or caring what was at the end. At his first step, an image flashed in front of him depicting a massive crystal surrounded by a multitude of different pokemon bowing as if they were praying to the crystal. The image faded to show the path again. Each step seemed to bring another image. One showed him in front of the crystal in the same act of prayer, the pokemon to either side of him holding his back. The next one he saw depicted the crystal breaking. He found himself near the end of the path when the final image flashed showing him what happened, A powerful force ripping through him and the pokemon surrounding the crystal fleeing in the background he saw a malevolent looking person. Ark heard a bone-chilling voice behind him and felt a pressure grip his whole body. He tried to turn around but his body didn't respond.

"You have many paths that you can walk. That is just one of them." At those words, the path grew a bit, stopping a few feet in front of him. From that, point on it grew upwards, changing into what looked like a massive tree of white. The branches twisted and turned, splitting in many different directions, sometimes turning back into themselves. "This represents each possible path you can take. Some lead to happiness, some lead to despair, some lead to nothing at all. In all my life, I have never seen one with as many different paths as you. You should consider your self lucky."

-Who are you? - Ark thought aloud, finding he couldn't move his lips.

"I have many names. For your sake I will not speak any of them."

-Why are you in my dream?-

"That always the first question out of someone's mouth when I appear in their dream. Your uncle asked me to tell you something. When you wake up go immediately to his room. In the top shelf of his dresser, there is a package and a letter addressed to you. He needs you to deliver this package to a man in Eterna City who goes by the name Adair. The letter will explain the rest of the details. So with that I leave you. Ark felt the pressure fade from his body, finding out that he could move again he turned around hoping with curiosity to see what this presence looked like, but saw nothing except the path.

"You will see me in due time, but you should know that I only physically appear to people that are going to die." The scene changed from the calm path to high above an urban city. Ark experienced that o-so-familiar falling scenario which he always waked up before hitting the ground; still it unnerved him when he came within 3 yards of the pavement before finally waking up.

Calming himself with deep breaths, still slightly shaken Ark came to grips with reality. - I swear one of these times I'm going land. I can only imagine what happens afterwards. - He'd heard rumors that you died if you did, but didn't believe them. -What time is it? - He asked himself finally opening his eyes and reading the clock.

Five fifty it read. -My uncle usually wakes me up around now. I guess I'd better see if my dream has any real meaning. - Ark wondered. He didn't think that his dream really meant much more than any other dream he had but eventually curiosity won him over. Wrapping himself in a blanket, he went over to his uncle's room, knocked on the door, and announced that he was coming in.

He turned the knob and the door opened revealing his uncles room. The grand four-poster bed showed no signs of anyone recently sleeping in it. Ark walked over to the dresser half expecting his uncle to jump out and surprise him. He opened the top drawer, sure enough, there was a package, and an envelope addressed to him. Taking great care with the envelope he slowly opened the side of it hoping he didn't damage the letter inside. He took the hastily written letter out and read it.

Ark, I'll explain as much as I can, I don't have a lot of time so ill make this brief. If you're wondering why I used your dream to convey the message rather than just outright telling you the answer is simple, there wasn't any other way to do it safely. The walls have ears so to speak. Normally, I would just deliver this myself but the group of people I work for required my services elsewhere. This package is too valuable to certain parties that it cannot be left alone here nor be taken with me because of the risks I have to take. Therefore, the only person I can trust to deliver it is you.

With great love and sorrow. Drave

This package needs to be delivered within three days, plenty of time to get there. You already know who it needs to be delivered to and where. When you reach his home knock four times and wait, show him the package and say "The wings have flown and the sword sharpened." he will bow to you, take the package, and go back inside. After that, you don't need to do anything else, so you can truly enjoy your adventure. I will warn you do not, under any circumstance, show anyone this package. The consequences of that could be catastrophic.

I am sorry that I have to make you do this but there were no other options. I can only hope that nothing happens to put either you or your lopunny in danger.

When Ark finished with the letter, he took the package and went back to his room placing it carefully into his backpack. The package was rather small and flat but heavy for its size. It fit snugly into one of the side pockets of his pack.

Arks mind buzzed withal sorts of questions, was he still dreaming, would he wake up and find himself back as a normal farm boy, what is in this package, and why was he convinced that this wasn't going to as simple as his uncle made it out to be? The answers he assumed would come in time. Picking up his pack, he went downstairs hoping that his lopunny was still there.

Terra was still sleeping on the couch with her long ears over herself when Ark came down. He was relived at the sight. Sitting down at the end of the couch, he just watched her sleep. He wondered how he'd gotten so lucky to catch an adult lopunny. -She stayed here when she could have ran off and been free. This is what they mean by the bond a pokemon develops with their trainer, it's been less than a day since I caught her but the bond is already there. - "I'm glad you decided to stay here." he said softly.

Terra stirred a little and got up slowly, she had heard what he'd said, and was touched by it. What little doubts she had before about him not being a wonderful trainer had been abolished in that one sentence. She felt at peace with the world.

Ark made a quick breakfast of oats from the cupboard. While they were eating, he quickly discussed where they were going and how soon they needed to get there. When they finished, Terra ran over to the door and gave Ark a 'Come on lets go' look. He smiled at her grabbed his pack with all the supplies in it.

"It's finally happening, my life as a trainer officially begins." Ark stated. Terra squeaked in response. Both of them were ready for what the world threw at them.