FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

The pouring rain covered all of Avalon in a gloomy ambiance and the moonless sky added to that effect. Along the lonely road of the military district, with only the undercover night shift working the streets, Jason walks through the rain, his head hung low and his pace was slow. It's on nights like these that he feels so free, like there was not a single care in the world or anything to worry about. The cold rain poured over him, cooling him down and the sound of the rain just washed away all other noises. If it wasn't for the water that constantly soaked his eyes or went in his nose as he breathed, this would be soothing.

The riolu soon started skipping merrily across the puddles of water on the streets. He didn't care how there were cameras everywhere, nor did he care that there were probably a couple of agents staring at him wondering "this is the son of Aiden?", all he cared about right now what the moment of bliss that he was in. He could feel the flame in his body dimming down, the rush of oxygen through his veins and the heavy burden in his heart lifting. He was in paradise... and soon he'd get sick and his mom would kill him so he decided to hurry on home.

He pulled up his hood and ran through the nearest alley. It may be dark and creepy and probably unguarded but Jason knew these alleys as his shortcuts back home. Besides, if someone did have the nerve to attack him here, he'd sense them beforehand. He weaved past garbage bins and dumpsters, hopped over fences (He's pretty sure nobody minds) and ran through alleys. He should be able to see his house just passed the next turn but...

"Didn't I run through here before already?" Jason mumbled as he skidded to a stop, staring at the crack on the wall where he and Charlie had fought earlier that day. He's made that his marker for the meantime though it wasn't really necessary. Now, he's glad he did make it his marker.

Jason felt strange about it and decided to try again. He slowly made his way through the alley once more, careful to keep an eye on his surroundings. Every now and then, he's drop a wisp as a marker. A wisp is a trick Jason learned in his isolation. It's an invisible flame that only he can see and he can use it as a marker or even a drone to scan unreachable areas. The wisp latched onto one of the dumpsters and glowed a faint, orange light. Jason expected to get a scan of the area around him but received none.

"What's going on here?" Jason asked as his heart began pounding. He's always had a clear image of what was happening around him. In fact, he's grown afraid of not knowing what was around him. He made it a point to take care of his eyes, made sure they didn't go bad even a bit. The thought of going blind was just terrifying for the riolu. Even as he slept, his mind is constantly scanning his surroundings. He was figuratively "sleeping with one eye open".

He viewed the alleys once more, staring at every possible detail that could be seen. He tried retracing his steps, dashed through different alleys this time and once he found himself where he started, he felt that he was going insane. He was running around in circles. No matter how he weaved through the alleys or chose to take different paths, he somehow always ended up where he began. He could feel his heart racing, his blood pumping and his breathing hastening. Every nerve just went into overdrive as he stared at the crack on the wall that had served as his checkpoint.

"Calm down, Jason..." he mumbled to himself as he took a deep breath. "Someone's obviously placed you under some sort of illusion... you just have to get out of it..." Even though Jason knew what was happening, he had no idea how to fix it. He's never been under an illusion before nor did his mom teach him about it. Regardless, he had to find a way. He paced back and forth, waiting for an answer.

Looking up, he saw that it was still raining quite strongly but something felt odd about it now. Every drop of rain seemed to ripple through the air, and it didn't create a sound as it landed on the ground below. Reality seemed to dance around him, the lights swirled from the lamp posts, almost as if they were about to droop down and fall off. The buildings began to bend and dance to the wind that howled through the alleys, threatening to carry Jason off of his feet. Jason's body began getting heavier and heavier to the point that he couldn't move anymore, he couldn't lift his arm nor move his legs, not even turn his head. He just stood there standing as the world went wild around him.

"What's going on?" Jason mumbled in his trance. His mind began hazing, he couldn't think straight or even get a firm grip with what was going on around him.

Jason began panicking, he really was afraid right now. He had no control over his body nor could his mind comprehend what was happening around him. He was losing his grip on reality... and his sanity slowly ebbing away. He could feel the trembling in his body... the fear that rose and bubbled. He felt that he was going insane until...

"Hey kid, you alright?" a voice asked as a hand patted the riolu's back.

The sudden voice broke through his trance and Jason found himself standing at the gate leaving the military district. He somehow got from the academy all the way to the checkpoint without even realizing it. Looking up, Jason saw a somewhat familiar face: that Garchomp he met this morning, Harrison.

"Kid, you don't look too good." The garchomp said as he took off his coat and placed it on the shivering riolu. "You shouldn't walk around in a rain this harsh."

"I'm sorry... if I... I was... trouble...." Jason's shivering mouth tried to get out all the words without stuttering. This was the first time he's actually felt cold. Normally, his aura, which is apparently fire type, kept him warm through almost anything.

"Don't be like that." The garchomp said and he placed his hand on Jason's back to guide him. "Now come on, I don't live too far from here."

"What?... no, y-you don't have t-t-to do that..." Jason mumbled though couldn't do much to protest. "I'll just... g-go home from here..."

"Nonsense." The garchomp picked Jason up and carried the riolu in his arms and he brought Jason with him to his house. "You're dripping wet, shivering and would get sick if you stay like this any longer. You're coming with me to my house, get warmed up and dried before I even let you leave."

Jason didn't say anything after that, all the garchomp said was true. He was in no condition to make it back to his house without his mom killing him. Besides, the illusionist might still be out there and Jason has no way of knowing whether he truly is out of the illusion... then again... all of this could be an illusion as well... that the garchomp is actually kidnapping him rather than helping him... that he was the illusionist in the first place... Regardless, Jason couldn't do anything about that realization. He was far too tired to even move in the first place. His eyelids slowly grew heavier and heavier as Jason fell asleep in the garchomp's arms.

"Hey, kid, wake up..." The soft voice broke through Jason's sleep as the riolu slowly awoke to the sight of the garchomp sitting by his side.

Jason sat up and looked around, he surely wasn't in any place he's been to. It was just a small apartment with simple furniture. There was a wooden table by the other end accompanied by wooden chairs. Beside them was what Jason assumed would be the kitchen. In the middle of the room lies a couch faced to a small television on top of a table. There was a door on the other side of the room which Jason assumed was the bathroom and where he lay was probably the bed. "Where am I?"

"Didn't I say I would be taking you to my place?" Harrison asked as he stood up and walked towards the kitchen area. "It's not much but hey, I don't ask for much. By the way, I sort of took off you clothes so you're naked under those sheets."

"You what!?" Jason only now felt the absence of clothes as he tucked up the blanket to cover him.

"Hey, they were dripping wet so I had to get them off you." Harrison chuckled as he the pot on the table and filled up a bowl with the hot soup that was inside. "Relax, will ya? I'm not some creepy pedophile or something. Also, I made you some soup."

"Where are my clothes?" Jason asked quite defensively.

"I hung them by the forge so they'd dry up quickly." Harrison answered as he put a stool in front of Jason where he placed the bowl of soup for Jason to eat.

Jason was a bit hesitant, but he moved in closer to the stool, careful to keep himself covered by the blanket, and took a sip of the soup. "You have a forge here?"

"Yep." Harrison answered as he took a seat on the couch and turned the tv on for the news. "It's my father's though after he left... well... I run it every now and then. I rarely use it though since soldiers these days use guns."

"I see..." Jason returned to sipping on the soup.

After a few moments of silence, Harrison tried to break the ice. "So, how was your first day on patrol?"

"It went pretty good." Jason answered. "Apparently, we were the only ones who actually stopped a crime." The riolu said quite gleefully, almost proud of himself with his accomplishment.

"That's good." Harrison cooed. "Don't get used to it though, crime rate's been dropping since that attack last week. That bank robbery you two stopped was the first one we've had in a while."

"Really?" Jason asked, his curiosity peaking. "Why's that?"

"Beats me..." Harrison answered. "I'm just a rookie in the military, I don't really get to know much. You should go ask your dad, I hear he's a high ranking officer."

"He is." Jason felt hot and adjusted the blanket so that it covered only his lower body. "So... are any of my clothes dry yet?"

"Hold on, I'll go check." The garchomp stood up and walked to an empty stone wall. At first glance you'd see no secret lever or button, but Harrison placed his hand on the wall and it opened up revealing the light of the forge. "They're still a bit wet, give it a few minutes."

"Just drop them in the fire." Jason suggested. "They'll dry up quickly."

"You wear fire typed clothes? Not fighting?" Harrison asked, hesitant to do as Jason says.

"Fighting types have special clothes as well?"

"Yeah." The garchomp answered. "The stretchy kind so it doesn't tear from too much physical activity."

"Oh, well, all I know is my clothes are fire resistant." Jason replied.

"Oh right, you can use fire type attacks." Harrison chuckled as he dropped Jason's clothes in the fire. His eyes widened like an excited child's as he watched the clothes get enveloped in flames though showed no signs of burning whatsoever. "Wow, they really aren't burning."

"You should've seen what happened before my parents replaced all my stuff for fire retarded things." Jason said holding back a chuckle. "My room was covered in ashes."

"How is it that you're part fire type anyway?" the garchomp asked.

"Nobody knows." Jason answered. "Not my parents, not the doctors, not even my mom's friends form Arkha."

"Your mom has friends in Arkha?" Harrison asked as he fished through the burning coal of the forge and pulled out Jason's clothes. "Maybe I should've just used flamethrower... there are coal stains on them now, sorry."

"It's alright, just throw them to me then turn around and don't look." Jason said.

Harrison did as he was asked to and he heard Jason removing the blanket and the riolu's little footsteps on his floor. "So, about my question..." the Garchomp mumbled.

"About my mom?" Jason saw that all his clothes were present; his underwear, pants, shirt and hoodie where there all stained with coal. Jason picked up his clothes and put them on. "Holy crap!"

Jason sudden exclamation made Harrison jump in surprise. "What ha--"

"Don't look!"

Harrison quickly gazed the opposite direction. "What happened?"

"Coal doesn't feel too good in sensitive places." Jason said, enduring the discomfort as he put on the rest of his clothes.

Harrison didn't even bother stifle his laughter. "Jeez kid, you scared me for a moment there."

"It's alright, I got this..." Jason took a deep breath and immediately burst into flames. Once the smoke had cleared, Jason could be seen wearing a clean set of clothing, totally coal free. "Perfect. Now, about your question: yes, my mom has friends in Arkha. My family really doesn't follow that hatred between Avalon and Arkha."

"That's good." Harrison mumbled. "God knows we could use the tactical prowess of Arkha. Can I look now?"

Jason pulled down his hoodie, feeling the tugging against his body. It's become a habit of his to tug on his shirt or hoodie or any form of clothing, the feeling sort of comforted him. "Yeah, go ahead." He answered.

"By the way, here's your beautiful dagger back." Harrison said as he handed Jason the bronze roman pugio that Damion had given him.

Jason almost felt furious that the garchomp just took the dagger, almost to the point that he'd lash out. But he contained himself. He told himself that he was passed out and that Harrison didn't know how important the dagger was to him. "Thanks..." he walked over to the garchomp and took back the dagger.

The garchomp gave the riolu a smile of satisfaction seeing Jason hold the dagger. It's been a long while since he's seen anyone wield a weapon like that, in contrast to modern military knives. "Where did you get that?"

Jason was hesitant about it. Just staring at the dagger brought back memories that made him want to gouge out his own eyes... but then again... sometimes it helps to talk about it... "My friend Damion gave it to me." Jason answered. "He said his dad gave it to him... but he wasn't one to use a weapon anyway so he gave it to me."

Harrison nodded his head, taking in the story. "Do you use it often?"

Jason shook his head in response. "Not really... it's more of a lucky charm nowadays."

"I see." The garchomp mumbled. "By the way, what were you doing heading for the market district anyway?"

Jason just then remembered why he was there in the first place. "I don't know really..." he answered. "I was on my way home when I think I was caught in an illusion or something. I guess I didn't realize it but I was walking to the wrong place."

"Yeah... you did seem to be in a trance when I found you." Harrison sat down on his couch and beckoned for Jason to sit with him. Jason, though a bit hesitant, sat by the garchomp's side. "And do you know who did this?" the Garchomp asked.

Jason shook his head. "I didn't realize until it was too late."

"Alright, I'll go review the security footage tomorrow during my shift." The garchomp patted the riolu's back reassuringly. "Don't worry Jason, we'll get this guy. In the meantime, why don't I walk you home?"

"No, that won't be necessary." Jason quickly stood up and backed away. "You've done more than enough, thank you."

"Are you sure?" Harrison asked. "You never know, he might still be out there."

"No no, I'll be fine." Jason tried to be as polite as possible but he really did want to get going now. He felt bad about being a burden. "I'll just be more careful next time."

"Jason, I insist." Harrison paused and thought for a moment. Then a smile crept across his face as though he suddenly got an idea. "I got it, now I remember why I wanted to bring you to my place. Hold on, I'll just go get it." With that, the garchomp entered the forge where the sounds of clanging metal emanated.

Jason had no choice but to wait then. He didn't want to be rude to the person who just helped him.

"Your dad asked me to go make him this rapier." The garchomp emerged from the entrance, wielding a thin, shining blade. "I first thought that maybe you'd bring it to him for me. But now I know there's a person out there who attacked you, I guess I'm just gonna have to come along."

"Fine... I guess it's alright." Jason mumbled.

"Great, now come on it's really late now. You're parents are probably worried about you."