FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Woo, it feels good to keep this series going! It's been a really long while.

---

"Ah man, we're late for Ryan's battle!" Jake panted as he and his gang dashed for the Battle Area. They'd spent a little too much time celebrating their latest victory, and Jake couldn't quite get over the way Aurum beat Maylene's Lucario in a spectacular manner that he ended up dedicating half of that time bragging about it. None of his teammate complained though, not even Nova, and especially not Aurum himself.

When they finally entered the dojo-styled Battle Area, the match was already half way through. The group arrived just in time to see Blaziken dealt the finishing blow; his flaming corkscrew kick hit the gym leader's aura pokemon in the guts, knocking him off the air and rendering him unable to get up.

"Well...that was intense." the fire bird commented as he put his fists together and bowed to his fallen foe, "As a warrior, I acknowledge your skills and fighting spirit."

"Lucario is unable to battle, victory goes to the challenger!" the referee announced, pointing his flag at Ryan, who seemed mildly satisfied but unsurprised as if he'd entirely expected this outcome.

Maylene, on the other hand, wasn't enjoying such luxury. Sweat trickled down the gym leader's forehead as she mumbled, "I can't believe this...that Blaziken took out both Machoke and Lucario by itself!?!"

"Hey Ryan, how it's going?" Jake shouted across the audience seats.

"So far so good." Ryan grinned and gave his friend a thumps up.

"Well done, Lucario. You can rest now," Maylene said softly as she retrieved her prized Lucario, "You're really strong, Ryan, but as a gym leader, I won't give up until my last pokemon. Come, Meditite!"

Once again, the gym leader's psychic-type appeared, coming face to face with Blaziken, who took his time evaluating his new adversary. It seemed inevitable that the fire bird was about to enjoy another crushing victory, until Ryan suddenly said otherwise, "That's enough, Blaziken. Come back here."

Blaziken was slightly puzzled by his master's decision, but didn't question it as he quietly returned to his pokeball.

"It'd be rather...unfair if I use Blaziken against your Meditite, so I picked someone of its side." Ryan explained, then pulled out another pokeball from his belt and tossed it onto the ground. The red and white container spun and opened, conjuring a crimson flash that materialized into a short bipedal figure with a flaming tail.

"Oh, haven't seen him in a while." Aurum commented.

"Same here," Jake agreed, gently patting his Lucario on the back, "I wonder if Ryan has taught him any new trick."

"Now then, I'll go first if you don't mind. Monferno, ember!" Ryan commanded, which Monferno immediately responded as he launched himself to the air and unleashed a series of flaming bolts from his mouth.

"Not so fast! Detect!" Maylene shouted. Meditite's eyes glowed green as its body shifted and evaded Monferno's Ember.

"I knew you'd do that. In that case, I'll keep going until I hit you. Monferno, continue with ember!"

The fire pokemon complied, shooting another blazing barrage at Meditite, which was dodged again, followed by another, and soon, the gym leader's psychic-type was subjected to a constant bombardment of Ember. Monferno's stubbornness eventually paid off when this seventh attempt finally found its target, visibly hurting Meditite as it was knocked backwards by the impact.

"Detect is annoying, I admit, but the more you use it, the less effective it'll become," Ryan smirked, "So like I said, I'll keep going until I hit."

"Well...you're right, but isn't that quite taxing for your pokemon? Your Monferno might collapse before Meditite gets to beat it." the gym leader inquired, flexing her fists.

"Thanks for your concern, but I'm a tough guy, and the same goes for my team." Ryan retorted, "If you wanna take us down, then you'd better give your best shot."

Jake shuddered. Something about Ryan's statement made it clear that it wasn't just a response to Maylene, but also a message to Jake himself and Jaden. Ever since Ryan learnt the truth about Mega stones, Jake had noticed his friend's increasingly strange behaviors. Whether it was caused by Jaden's somewhat brutally frank remarks or the fact that he'd been deliberately kept from such secrets, Jake didn't know for sure, but Ryan's anger and bitterness were apparent. That said, it surprised Jake to see the Ryan standing in front of him exhibit neither of those negativities. In fact, the younger trainer seemed to radiate energy and determination, more so than Jake'd ever known.

Then again, when he really thought about it, Jake realized he knew shockingly little about Ryan, despite calling himself the latter's 'friend'. Initially, Jake'd only considered Ryan the first entry on a long list of random trainers he would run into throughout his journey, but he couldn't have been more wrong. Jake soon met the younger trainer again, and this time, their friendship immediately sparked and developed to a friendly rivalry. The young man couldn't count how many times Ryan had assisted him, even going as far as lending him his precious Charmeleon only a day after they'd started travelling together. Indeed, Ryan's assistance played a huge part on Jake's victory against the villainous Jackson, which earned him a freshly evolved pokemon - his beloved Lucario Aurum, and 2 new companions - Nova the Typhlosion and Flash the Luxray.

But then, along the journey came Jaden, the former Hoenn champion - an individual Ryan himself idolized. Jaden was very protective of Jake and Ryan, even stood up against the regional champion Cynthia to defend their innocence, which Jake really appreciated since he'd had firsthand experience of being a big brother. More importantly, Jaden had also entrusted both of them with Mega stones, effectively flipping their lives upside down. Everything about Jaden was awe-inspiring: His look, his knowledge, his skill, his legendary Latios...and that was before Jake caught wind of the ex-champion's tendency to dish out brutal beatdowns to criminals. Before Jake even realized it, his attention had been completely shifted from Ryan to Jaden.

[Flashback]

Jake's father was a man of work, but at the same time, he always tried to spend as much quality time with his family as much as he could. Jake's favorite routine with his father was watching baseball together.

As a child, Jake especially enjoyed guessing the winners with his dad, and he tended to get the right answer almost all the times. Unfortunately, that particular match didn't turn out so well for either him for the team he was cheering for. Seeing them got utterly demolished left Jake crestfallen and almost on the verge of tears, yet he couldn't understand why the losing players could smile and shake their opponents' hands as if nothing bad had happened. Noticing his son's expression, Jake's father chuckled, "You're wondering why the losing team doesn't look sad at all, aren't you?"

Unable to reply verbally, the boy just nodded.

"They're honoring sportsmanship by acknowledging the winners' strength. Remember, son, that as long as you give it your best, there's nothing to be ashamed of...and more importantly, in order to earn people's respect, you must first respect them." said Jake's father with a loving smile as he gently ruffled his boy's hair.

[End of flashback]

Everything finally became clear to Jake. He'd been paying too much attention to Jaden that he failed to give Ryan nearly enough credits and respect. As a friend, it was unacceptable, and as a rival, the trainer knew it would definitely come back and bite him in the ass. Jaden's strength was established and undisputed, sure, but Ryan's potential wasn't something to be made light of, especially when combined with his determination. In fact, Jake would willingly to go out on a limb and bet that Ryan could one day surpass both his father and the ex-Hoenn champion.

The feeling of soft fuzziness pulled Jake out of his thoughts. The young man looked to his side and noticed a certain Lucario's paw entwined between his fingers. Aurum was looking at him understandingly as if he knew what was in Jake's mind, and the trainer couldn't help smiling as he gently squeezed the pokemon's paw. The duo then returned their attention to Ryan's battle, which seemed to approach its climax.

"I guess it's time to wrap this up. Meditite, drain punch!" Maylene grinned, thrusting her fist forwards.

"My thoughts exactly. Monferno, fire punch!" Ryan replied.

The two pokemon came to a brief standoff before charging at each other, and the scene put a frown of Jake's face. Even from a distance, he could tell Monferno clearly was at a disadvantage in terms of speed. Sure, Monferno's fire punch seemed powerful enough to get the job done, but no matter how flashy a move was, it meant nothing without hitting the target. A smart trainer like Ryan couldn't have possibly failed to see this...and yet, his confident smile didn't waver, not by the slightest bit.

"Looks like this one is decided." the gym leader grinned triumphantly.

"Oh, we'll see. Show them what you've got, Monferno."

As the distance between both pokemon shortened and Meditite's green energy first seemed seconds away from sealing Monferno's fate, a chain of events shook everyone at the scene. Within a slit second, the primate's tail end fire blazed up, jetting Monferno forwards his at an intense speed. Neither Maylene nor Meditite had time to react. One thing they knew, Meditite was getting a much closer look at its opponent's smirk, and the next thing the psychic-type knew, Monferno's flaming fist had already drilled deeply into its midsection, followed by another mighty uppercut. The battle's outcome was undoubtedly decided even before Meditite's unconscious form hit the ground.

"Meditite is unable to battle. The winner is the challenger Ryan!" the referee declared, and Jake's face broke into a huge grin. Of all the stuffs he'd seen, only few could be considered mind-blowing, and this sensational gym battle had definitely earned a spot on that list.

"Oh wow...A crushing victory," Maylene rubbed the back of her head, seeming rather baffled by Ryan's sudden and overwhelming victory, "You're really strong, Ryan. Please accept this Cobble Badge as a proof of your achievement. You've earned it."

"I appreciate it." Ryan smiled and took his prize, then beckoned Monferno, "Come here, buddy".

The fire-type happily obligated, latching to his trainer and climbed to Ryan's shoulder, where he came to a rest. Ryan then flashed Maylene another smile, "Also, thanks for helping me with my request."

"You're welcome. It's my duty as a gym leader to help challengers however way I can." Maylene replied, a tiny blush bloomed on her cheeks, "Hi Jake."

Sure enough, behind them, with a grin that couldn't get and wilder, came Jake.

"I...I'll leave you two alone, then." The gym leader said sheepishly, sneaking a quick glance at Jake before retreating, possibly to treat her injured pokemon.

"She likes you. Obviously." Ryan smirked, giving Jake a playful nudge on the elbow.

"I swear, Jaden said the same thing. Are you sure you two ain't related?" Jake facepalmed himself, but quickly resumed his excitement, "But anyway...that's got to be one of the coolest thing I've seen. How did you come up it?"

"Well..."

[Last night]

In the empty training area, Ryan and Charizard watched Blaziken and Monferno trade blows from a distance. Though he'd managed to relieve some of Monferno's tension, Ryan knew it would take a while for him and Blaziken to see eye-to-eye, so he had Blaziken help Monferno practice his moves. This way, Ryan could take advantage of Blaziken's experience and at the same time, showed Monferno that the fire bird meant no harm to him.

"You notice that too, Ryan?" Charizard inquired.

"Uh huh. Monferno is too slow. His attacks are either avoided or countered before they even start. I wonder if it's my fault for locking him away for so long." Ryan replied worriedly.

"Blaming yourself changes nothing. What's important now is how to help him overcome this weakness." Charizard offered gently.

"You're right." Ryan sighed, "But still, we're supposed to have a gym battle tomorrow, and I'm not sure there's enough time to add some muscles to those legs of his."

"Speed doesn't always come from the legs. Just look at me. Sure, flying is no problems with my huge wings, but have you ever imagined me running with these drumsticks?" Charizard grinned, pointing playfully at his legs

The cheeky remark elicited a chuckle from Ryan. Despite his seemingly stern and imposing presence, Charizard was perfectly capable of showing his lighter side, and Ryan now began to appreciate that trait of his lover. In fact, more than just adding levity to Ryan's stressed mind, Charizard's words also shed a new light on his dead-end of a situation.

"Hey Monferno, come here," Ryan beckoned, "Have you ever thought about utilizing that tail?"

[End of Flashback]

"So yeah, I figured out a flaming tail can do more than just looking cool," Ryan concluded, ruffling Monferno's head fur adoringly, "I'm proud of you, Monferno."

The primate went slightly pink at his compliment, but his shyness vanished instantly when Monferno noticed the fixed gaze Aurum had on him. There had been quite the animosity between the two, and if Monferno had learnt anything from it, he should stay alert when the Lucario had anything to say about him.

"I guess I can no longer call you brat." Aurum rolled his eyes with an impossible amount of sass that even Jake had no idea his lover was capable of. Underneath that attitude, however, was unmistakably recognition - begrudging but sincere acknowledgement. Monferno couldn't help nodding in return, before succumbing to his exhaustion and felt off Ryan, who luckily caught him before the pokemon in time before he dived face-first onto the ground.

"Is he okay?" Jake looked at Monferno concernedly.

"I think he's just exhausted. He really worked his ass off last night. I mean, come up with the solution is one thing, but get it done in one night is a different story." Ryan replied, gazing at the critter snoring in his arms.

"Hey, give me some credit too. I helped you with that idea, remember?" Charizard nudged his trainer from behind.

"Oh don't worry, I'll make sure to give you more than just 'credit'." Ryan winked.

...

Satisfied with their gym battles' outcome, Jake and Ryan retreated to the Pokemon Center, where they were now enjoying a leisure lunch with their team. It took a while, but Jaden eventually joined them, together with his loyal companion Latios and a rather timid newcomer - a Turtwig. The ex-champ's energetic and affable manner did wonders to the group's already cheerful mood.

"I heard that you put up quite a spectacular show at the gym. Excellent work!"

The hearty compliment had Jake grinning from ear to ear, while Ryan made no attempt to conceal his shy blush. After all, it's not every day that he got such praise from his most respected trainer.

"How it's going with your training?" Ryan asked.

"Wonderful. I taught Turtwig a couple of new tricks, then we stopped by the gym for a test run and won our new badge," Jaden smiled as he produced a copy of the Cobble Badge from his pocket, then started rubbing Turtwig's shell affectionately, "I must say, what this guy lacks in speed, he makes up in spades with steadiness and patience."

Watching his friends and their pokemon brought a smile to Jake's face. Such heartwarming gestures, such infectious energy - those could only be shared among the closest of friends/companions. It made him realize their journey meant more than just conquering gyms or winning leagues. It was about making friends, exploring places, and perhaps, most importantly, enjoying love. Relishing the thought, he instinctively gave Aurum's paw a gentle squeeze, which surprised but immensely pleased the Lucario.

Their moment was, however, interrupted by a buzz from the cafeteria's wall-mounted television, followed by the screening baseball game shifted to a female reporter in her late 20s, and she didn't seem too excited about the news she was going to deliver, whatever it was.

"We interrupt the program to bring you this breaking news. Miss Platinum Berlitz, who was last seen in Pastoria City, is confirmed to have been kidnapped. A group calling themselves 'team Galactic' has claimed responsibility for the abduction, but it's currently unknown what their goal is. The Berlitz family has refused to disclose any further information..."

"Berlitz..." Jake murmured, and as soon as it clicked in his mind, the trainer couldn't help saying aloud, "Wait...the Berlitz family?"

Jake's reaction unsurprisingly drew attention from Ryan and Jaden, and as their gazes turned from curious to expectant, Jake knew he was on exposition duty. He was, after all, the only Sinnoh native among the trio.

"The Berlitz is the wealthiest family in Sinnoh. They're like...the A-listers, the rich of the rich. They run several businesses and own properties in every city across Sinnoh." Jake explained, "I know, pretty insane, right?

"Well, it's not like we haven't got our fair share of insane stuffs," Ryan shrugged, "So you know anything about this Platinum girl?"

"Not really, but the name Berlitz alone can turn anyone into a celebrity. Didn't you hear the way that reporter addressed her? I wonder what her kidnappers would benefit from this," Jake continued, "What do you think, Jaden?"

The ex-champion offered no reply, seemingly deep in his thoughts, and his scornful expression made it clear to Jake that Jaden didn't enjoy whatever he had in his mind, "What's the matter, Jaden?"

"What? Oh, sorry. I was thinking...Something seems really off."

Jake tilted his head in confusion.

"Say, if you were the leader of a criminal group, would you risk exposing yourself by abducting a big shot then announce it to the whole world...It just doesn't make sense."

"Indeed, now that you've mentioned it." Ryan nodded in agreement.

"Unless...They either got careless since they're desperate for whatever they'll gain from this abduction, or they don't care about exposing themselves as they're close to what they've set out to achieve." Jaden mused. Latios, who was floating next to him, gently placed a hand on Jaden's shoulder, "You're thinking about that, aren't you?"

"That?" Jake and Ryan questioned in unison.

"A few years back, Hoenn faced a terrible crisis that threatened to destroy the whole region. I wonder if you still remember it, Ryan?" Jaden suggested. As far as Jake concerned, the way Jaden's eyes focused on his entwined fingers made him look like an elder sitting next to a hearth, citing a fable to his descendants.

Ryan nodded. How could he forget such a thing after having recently dealt with a trust issue between Monferno and Blaziken resulting directly from it.

"The situation was dire. We were up against not one, but two enemies at once. They called themselves team Magma and team Aqua. Each team wanted to establish dominance over the other, so they tried to revive Groudon and Kyogre, and have both pokemon battle to the finish."

"Groudon and Kyogre?" Jake tilted his head in confusion.

"The behemoth, Groudon and the leviathan, Kyogre. Legend has it that a battle between them would devastate the world, and the only one capable of soothing their rage is the sky guardian Rayquaza." Jaden explained.

"You're joking." Jake didn't mean to roll his eyes, but he couldn't help himself. Given their legendary status, he knew those pokemon held tremendous might, but the prospect of doomsday caused by two pokemon's death match just seemed too ridiculous to be real.

"Believe me, I'm not. I've seen those beasts myself. The continent quakes, the ocean roars just to herald their arrival. Had we failed to deploy Rayquaza's help, they would've destroyed Hoenn and possibly more," Jaden gritted his teeth, shaking feverishly as if he was witnessing the horror unfold right in front of his eyes, "And just so you know, trying to control Rayquaza nearly cost me my life."

For a second, Jake thought Jaden was doing a brilliant drama queen expression, but the childish idea vanished as soon as he noted the ex-champion's darkening eyes, which disturbingly resembled shattered glass. They belonged to someone who'd forced his way through battles, who'd faced Death itself, yet was once again forced to relive his worst memory. Hence, Jake decided to spare Jaden his cheeky rebuttals and instead opted to let him calm down first.

Having seemed to regain his composure, Jaden continued, "Anyway, the police realized they were in way over their head, so they sought help from the gym leaders and the Elite Four. It was a tough battle, but we managed to make it out in one piece."

"What exactly is your point?" after a long period of patience listening, Ryan finally questioned.

"I'm getting there," Jaden grunted, "In the aftermath, we were shocked to discover just how long they'd been operating, right under our nose, and it was pure luck that they became impatient and blew their cover, but even so, we barely had time to react. I...I just can't seem to shake off a bad feeling that same thing will happen in Sinnoh."

Silence fell amidst the trio and their pokemon - a strained, uneasy silence, as if they were waiting for the impending arrival of a calamity. If Jaden's tale couldn't have got any scarier, the fact that he told it in such a grim way had affectively hammered any responses into oblivion, at least until Ryan found his voice again.

"Apology beforehand, but I think you're overreacting."

Before Jake could figure out what to say, Latios, of all people (or pokemon, for that matter), beat him to it, "I suppose you find it ridiculous, but that's the burden of a champion."

"You have to put yourself in his position to understand," the Eon pokemon continued, his hand never left Jaden's shoulder, "Spending years honing his skills, fighting to the nail just to get there, and what did he achieve? People were all over him. They idolized him, but they also demanded so much from him."

Jaden's shoulder slumped as Latios continued; resentment now lingered in his voice, "They expected him to be perfect. They expected him to throw away his life for their sake. They wanted him to be whatever they needed, yet not once, thought about what _he_really needs."

"It's okay, Latios, please leave it at that," Jaden said; his voice barely louder than a whisper as he raised his hand to touch Latios's, which was still resting on his shoulder, "The truth is...I was honored to carry the title of champion, and I'll never hesitate to protect innocent people and pokemon, not because I'm obligated to, but because I want to..."

"But sometimes, the pressure does get a bit too much.", the former champion paused and let out a long, tired sigh, "I'm sorry, guys, but need some fresh air. Latios, Turtwig, let's go."

As he watched Jaden excuse himself and leave the cafeteria, Jake wondered if Jaden's smile had always been genuine, or was it simply a façade to mask away his pain and exhaustion. No matter how much Latios's gentle presence eased him, Jaden must have been haunted by his near-death experience, Arceus knew how many times, yet day after day, the first impression Jaden left on anyone who bumped into him was an infectiously uplifting smile. Had Latios been speaking the truth...that the days of a champion were nothing but battles and expectations, fighting again and again until they either broke or quit, only to get treated like a coward? Was that the only way a champion's worth being measured?

Next to him, Ryan let out a grunt of dismay, and once again, Jake began to wonder if the young trainer couldn't handle Latios laying the harsh truth to him, or was he appalled by the way shallow people perceive his champion? Whatever the case was, Ryan's expression made it clear that everyone should leave him alone with it.

What a day! Jake sighed inwardly. He wasn't in the mood for any more training, though he still had to work on the aura stuff with his Lucario. Perhaps that and a good night rest with his team would help soothe his mind.

(Location unknown)

"Those were some tough bodyguards, alright," Venus commented in a sickly sweet voice, "Your family sure has the best of everything huh?"

Platinum couldn't respond. Ever since she got kidnapped by these people, she'd been subjected to this woman's constant verbal abuse as she mocked her family and their prestige. However, as a young and proud member of the renowned Berlitzs, Platinum refused to shed tears as it would disgrace her family name.

"What do you people want?" Platinum finally asked. As disoriented as she was, the young girl kept her voice clear and strong. A Berlitz faced every challenge with dignity - that was her father's lesson number one.

"Rich people, I swear, the sheer arrogance!" the Galactic commander sneered, "To think you still have the gall to speak to me with that attitude. But rest assured, darling, that once you outlive your usefulness, I'll be the one to shut that pretty mouth shut. Unfortunately, I have to postpone that pleasure for now."

"You won't get away with this. My family will use every resource available to find me. Soon, every person in Sinnoh will hunt you down and they won't stop until you're sealed behind prison bars!" Platinum retorted, stubbornly refusing to display any form of panic, which was actually bubbling in her stomach.

"Oh, but we already have," Venus chuckled maliciously, roughly shoving her blindfolded captive onto the ground. Platinum didn't need her vision to realize she, ironically, was the one to get sealed up behind bars, as the door closed with a horrible screech.

[To be continued]