FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Chapter 12

I half sigh as we continue walking forward towards some goal. My mind wanders to some other aspect of our current situation, which is even if Caleb comes back I don't know how we're going to manage going for more than a full day's stretch and all of us having to deal with all of the potential fights that seem to be attracted to us by some force or other. From what I can tell Allen can definitely handle himself and I would hope to believe that with my strange ability to see what they're going to do before they do it that I can pull my own weight but yesterday both Sanaline and Caleb had gotten pretty beaten up over just a half day's walk and unless we were to put one of those two in charge of the device that would mean that either Allen or I would have to deal with all of the remaining fights single handedly, which isn't a very pleasant thought to say the least.

We continue walking forward further towards some destination or another I notice that I can start to make out what looks to be a building of some fashion or other. Figuring that that must be what we're heading towards my heart lightens somewhat until I hear the sound that we are apparently about to start another fight. I look over to see if Sanaline is going up again or not as Allen pulls out the device but she doesn't seem to be the slightest bit concerned about the situation, which leads me to guess that we've probably rotated again. With Allen still at the device it means either Caleb or I am up for this next battle. To test to find out what it is we're dealing with and if Caleb is coming back again I look upwards at the sky. I notice, even with my head facing upwards and away from in front of me that another pidgey has approached, what must be the opponent in this next battle.

As I'm just about to give up looking to see if Caleb is anywhere in sight I feel the almost familiar compulsion, cranking my head downwards as a small burst of flame is pushed out of my mouth; as good as any indicator that this is my fight. Not waiting for the pidgey to attack me I bolt forward, intent on circling around the smaller bird. My speed remains constant as I run around the bird and she doesn't seem to be having any trouble in keeping track of my movements. She charges forwards once she feels she can predict my movements, intent on attacking me as I reach the spot. But as soon as she moves I jump to the side and then quickly try and turn around to run in the opposite direction, almost toppling over in the act. The pidgey is completely unable to follow the change and react in time and thus she just stops her charge as her attack had failed. As she turns around to face me again another compulsion throws another bit of flame at her face, though the act of turning my head so suddenly causes me to trip over myself.

I recover quickly and get back up to a standing position and note Sanaline's amused expression over the fact that I had tripped. Unfortunately the other pidgey recovered just as quickly and manages to slam into me before I can get enough of a read of her position to anticipate the attack. I decide for the time being to simply stay still and face my opponent instead of trying to maneuver around her. The rest of the battle goes by fairly quickly and uneventfully. Not having nearly as many surprises from suddenly having my head yanked over in order to attack makes the rest of the battle and even avoiding her attacks all the easier. Within a moment the pidgey falls and doesn't get up again, letting me know that the battle is now done. I shrug and then move back towards the other two, noticing that Allen is putting the device back into the bag.

We begin walking again and I half wonder what would happen if we get into another fight but it doesn't really seem to be all that much an issue as we leave the taller grass and begin walking on a rather flat if still somewhat rocky path. In fact the only real difference between the grasses and this current path is that there strangely doesn't seem to be any vegetation of any kind on it.

Ahead of us I can start to make out the outline of what must be some sort of structure based on the color and shape. As we approach the building I notice that the entire purpose of this path is to head towards this fairly small building. I do notice, a path leading off to the side but Allen either doesn't see it or doesn't intent to even explore what that side path is for. I consider it a moment before noticing that the path that it seems to veer off away from the forest and thus is quite likely a path that goes around the forest instead of going through it, which is what the path leading to that building seems to do.

When we get close to this building Caleb finally comes back and walks alongside us all, though his motion is more of a half skipping, half hopping kind of motion. Allen looks back shortly before we reach the building to see that Caleb is now walking with us again. Or at least that's what I'm assuming he was looking to see since he turned until he saw Caleb and then turned back to facing forwards again and didn't say a single word about it, which surprises me slightly considering he was gone for the two fights we had while he was flying away doing something or other. We enter the building in front of us that seems to be a gateway into the forest. Inside seems to be an almost empty building. There seems to be a single table off to the side with something for someone to sit on near it. There is another one of those devices that supposedly heal pokemon near a door on the far side of the building and some sort of thing like I used last night next to it. Also there seems to be a bit of brown part of wall that has a lot of colorful pieces of paper stuck onto it for one thing or another. Not being able to read I mainly just look at them a moment, noting that a lot of them have little pictures on them though most pictures don't really give me much information about what that page is about and instead just serve to make the page slightly more noticeable and distinctive.

A human comes out of some room to the side and approaches us.

"Can I help you? Are you all waiting for someone?"

Allen puts the bag down and then pulls out the device and hands it to the human. He takes it from Allen and then looks it over for a moment before handing it back.

"Well I guess your device checks out. I imagine you lot want to go into the forest towards Pewter?" the man asks, prompting Allen to nod at him. "Well best of luck to you then, I guess. There's a check-in station about a day's walk from here. They'll have a pokestation there where you can heal up as well as rest up from your travels. Though I should probably warn you, there's been reports lately of a rogue pokemon running through the forest attacking trainers and their pokemon. If you encounter this pokemon your best option is to run away as it is fairly powerful."

Allen nods again before leading us to the healing device. He then puts down the bag and searches through all of the stuff in it before pulling out two of the balls.

"Okay, you two. Get in your balls so I can have you all up and fit to begin our journey into the forest."

I don't really want to go back into that ball thing but knowing that I don't really have a choice in the matter I go over and push at the button, allowing it to suck me in and take me to that void again. Like last time I can feel a sort of energy flowing into me while in this experience-less void before it goes away and I find myself staring at light once again, glad to be done with that.

"So here's the game plan," Allen begins. "It looks like the majority of the pokemon in this forest are bug types. Which means the two of you," he motions at Caleb and I, "would stand the best chance against them. So in that forest I'm just going to rotate between the two of you as the starting pokemon."

"But-" Sanaline tries to interject.

"I'm not forgetting about you. One of the kinds that will be found in this forest are pokemon that have no actual offensive abilities. So whenever one of them shows up I'll pull these two out and you take out that one."

"That hardly seems fair. I could easily handle myself just as well as those two boys."

"Not in this forest, no. They have an advantage over most of those pokemon we may have to fight and it is a very large forest. I'd rather have the three of you still fairly fresh and exploit the weaknesses then to have only two because I let you get beat up. Besides, I'm the one with the device so what I say goes."

Allen puts the backpack on again and walks through the door without uttering another word, leaving the three of us to follow behind. Once through this other door I notice a very sudden different in the scenery than the path we were just in. There is still a path leading through here, one that I'm more familiar with walking through when I had last been in this forest. Instead of a wide one that seems mostly paved it's more like a small path where frequent use has stomped down most of the growth such that only very short grass still resides. There is not nearly as much light coming from above as the trees are rather densely packed and their leaves obscure much of the light. As we enter the forest I notice that quickly the path diverts back towards being more of the densely packed and wild grasses that we walked through on our way towards the forest. But I do remember last time I was around this area that a few hours walk away there seems to be some areas that are more well kept, from some semblance of a human inhabitation near that point.

But from where I remember it in order to get to the center of the area where the grass has been cleared away we would have to be heading in a direction much more to our right than what we're going. I keep my mouth shut for the moment because I don't know whether that is the destination or if there are more of them or whatever's going through his mind. I sigh as I look up again and note how there are no longer any room for me to see the clouds moving by, only the leaves of the trees and the rustle of some squirrels moving around on them. If it wasn't for the fact that that device removes any trace of hunger I would have made a point of maybe getting away long enough to try and maybe hone my hunting skills against some of the rodents in the forest, though this time of day wouldn't be the best time to go after them. Before I can think to comment, though, the device goes off yet again.

I sigh as we get ready for the routine yet again; my mind drifting temporarily on how repetitive this routine can possibly end up getting. I wait and try to guess which of the two that seem to have come up before will show up this time but instead I find that a little worm like creature comes crawling forward.

"Do we have to capture one of those?" I ask, not really wanting to deal with such an ugly little thing following around with us everywhere.

"No," Allen comments passively. "Well sunshine, have fun with this one."

Having actually been given some warning I make sure to aim my head directly at the little bug so as to make sure that my head isn't wrenched towards him when it's my turn to attack. And sure enough within a few seconds of him saying that I feel the normal compulsion that forces fire to come out of my mouth. I start to try and pay attention to him to see if the bug will attack but surprisingly my one attack seems to have completely defeated it. I stand somewhat dumbfounded for a few seconds before heading back towards Allen.

"What just happened there?" I ask.

"Well I did say that you and Caleb have the advantage. Just as you are weak against water these bugs are weak against your flames."

"But go down in only one attack?" I ask, my head tilting to one side. "It seems almost cheating to be fighting against such odds."

"That may be, but it doesn't change the fact that this is what we're going to do to help train the two of you up. Though most won't take only one hit to go down."

"I don't understand how attacking things that weak would actually help me in any regard."

"No, you probably wouldn't. All you need to do is obey every command I give you and you'll do fine. Now it's Caleb's turn next," Allen states before beginning to walk forward again.

I sigh at the order but still follow behind him. Sanaline seems to be almost upset about something or another. Her smell is the main giveaway to this fact but I can also tell from how purposefully each step she takes is, to the extent it is almost like she's attacking the grass below her.

"Is there something wrong?" I bring myself to ask, my head aimed at her and cocked slightly to one side.

"Nothing that your feeble mind could ever hope to understand," Sanaline snaps back in such a way that I can almost guess she's holding herself back from doing something.

"Now now," Caleb chirps up, "there is hardly any reason for us to be at each others' throats. We're in this for the long haul and we need to be able to work together."

"And you need to learn when to butt out and mind your own business, you little bird."

"Enough!" Allen shouts. "If I have to put all three of you in your balls and go this solo I will. Now, Caleb. You're up next so be ready for when the next fight happens."

Caleb chirps a little but decides to go about doing this preparation by flying up a bit before landing on my back. Sanaline huffs for a second and almost appears to be pouting but she does not make any response.

"I hope you don't mind me being up here yet again. Your fur is just so soft and you walk so smoothly that it is quite relaxing. Up here I feel like I can take on anyone and it's all thanks to you my little fluff-muffin."

"Can you not call me that?" I complain, my ears going back at the rather uncomfortable pet name he had decided to call me.

"If that is what you wish of me, my little cutie, then consider it done," Caleb chides.

I try my best to ignore the statement but cannot keep myself from shaking my head back and forth a few minutes as I reflexively respond to a shiver running across my neck. It doesn't take all that long from where we start walking again before the device chimes up again, implying that it is now Caleb's turn to try and fight something from this place. Caleb hops off my back and hobbles forward as I sit down on the grass as I try to get a look at whatever Caleb's going to fight. What seems to practically roll out, however is a green thing that doesn't look like it really has anything regarding actual limbs, or eyes or anything that would imply that it can do anything but roll randomly. Instead it looks more like it's just a shell for something that is being stored inside of it rather than a pokemon itself. Whatever it is makes Allen smile somewhat which is a rather unsettling sight for me to behold. He pulls out the device and hits a few buttons before motioning to Sanaline.

"Well, this is one of the ones that won't really fight back at you, so I'll let you take this one on. Have fun."

Sanaline half grumbles something for a moment as Caleb hobbles back towards the three of us. Eventually she does move forward and within a moment she begins to attack the other thing. The battle very much seems to be very one sided as Sanaline would attack the thing and then it would seem to curl in on itself slightly but not do anything else. My head cocks to the side watching this supposed display of a fight. I'm really starting to almost feel sorry for the little thing as it seems mostly unable to do anything. I also look beyond just us but at the fact that these little things would likely be attacked frequently by the pokemon that the human trainers sent out. And unsurprisingly after a moment later the other pokemon seems to have completely stopped moving. Sanaline stares at it a moment, as if unsure of what it's doing before finally deciding to turn around and head back towards the rest of us. Allen seems completely calm about the interchange and simply puts the device away and puts the bag back on.

"All right. Let's keep going."