Fort Haste: Winter

by Zencolour

Humanity has been swept clean by some unknown virus and the few survivors count themselves the unlucky ones. In a new world of mutant Pokémon, crippling winters, and a survivalist camp to run - Orion has plenty on his mind. But what if the true enemy are the deeds of his past? Rated T for violence and language.

5. Chapter 4

FH:WINTER

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"Fort Haste: WINTER" is a recount of a tale set within the Pokémon world - one in which everything has gone wrong. Here we meet the final survivors as they struggle to endure through hell and beyond. An unknown virus has wiped-out most of humanity, leaving behind children which seem to be less affected by the disease. In an attempt to preserve what remains of humanity, Fort Haste was bodged in the months following the pandemic. Even now, the settlement remains at the very heart of the ongoing apocalypse. For everything that has happened and all the trials humanity has faced - Fort Haste stands as a vision of hope.

Please note, this and following chapters will contain both narrative and speech in various dialects and languages. Anything said in Pokémon will be underlined as shown. Normal speech will remain unaffected, although italics and bold may be used for effect following standard rules. For whistle calls *…something like this…* will be used, and any random flashbacks are marked with {"}.

Fort Haste is a work of fiction written as a collaboration between ZenColour and Just-A-Reader0Love. Both are very thankful for the additional help from Oblivion Wave Productions as a beta reader.

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AUTHOR NOTES

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Zen: Welcome back! This chapter took a bit longer than expected due to a combination of reasons - but mostly because it marks the start of major deviations away from the original story. We've fitted a lot more information into this and later chapters, and hopefully bumped the tension up too. Once again, thanks to R'Love for really pushing the story content and consistency, as well as Oblivion Wave Productions for their contributions as a beta reader. It's been great fun working on this project!

R'Love: This chapter has been polished quite a bit. Well, not a bit, more like a lot. Things are more believable and more human. Hope you enjoy it. :) Also subtle foreshadowing. When writing stories, make sure that everything goes according to plan and lines up with previous information!

OWP: I am just glad to be able to help out here. I hate to see a respectable story's impact tarnished by avoidable typos and grammatical mistakes. Hopefully I will be able to effectively and efficiently keep an eye out for errors despite being easily distracted and chronically absentminded.

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HAYS SNH Version 1 (0058 PA)

Forward written by H. Bennett [EXTRACT]

9000406225917 - Sinnoh Outreach Programme for Historical Preservation

Based on historical data records from live video footage as recovered from closed-circuit cameras, it was clear that the spread of the V-DPP 'virus' occurred rapidly over the space of a few days. Quarantine zones were set up fairly rapidly, though it has been theorised that earlier strains of the disease may have been airborne. Safe zones deteriorated rapidly with governmental collapse. The last known zone in Kanto was Viridian city, before it was relocated to Fort Haste nearly three months after the suspected outbreak.

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CHAPTER 4

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An excerpt from 'Hays' Journals' I

United? There were only two hundred of us. Two hundred to fight a war that required the world to win. This was a conflict of futures. A moment of choice between that which were, and that which we were always meant to be. The decision between doing it together, or doing it alone.

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FENN's POV

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I was kind of looking forward to Kim leaving - not that I wanted to be rude or anything. She was nice enough I guess, but Fort Haste had been in turmoil in long enough. We had the solar panels going through a bodged transformer that sparked when the air was humid. Mike had been enjoying himself, maybe until Kim started poking fun of him in front of Haley. I hadn't seen him turn that red in front of anyone…

But who was left in charge of making sure the teenager had packed up and had a good farewell?

Me of course. How lucky! Not.

Orion had been there to try and convince her to stay this morning, but the quirky girl had turned down the offers with vague excuses. They didn't even seem very heartfelt. In that way I had to respect Kim. She knew what she wanted. Having set up a basic grid system for Fort Haste and a botched inverter for the solar panels - all we needed now was for Mike to hook up the cabling.

And now Kim was eager to head off.

'You sure you got everything?'

We had cleared up everything Kim had claimed belonged to her from Mike's small workshop. The dusty shed was murky in the afternoon light, the battered sofas and junk-covered workbenches somehow empty without Mike inside and her working away at some project. At the back, a chalkboard had sketched of medieval siege weapons that looked like some from a fantasy novel. A Silph Scope hung on a the end of shoelace from the wall, dust collecting on the instrument.

'How many times have you fookin' asked me that in the past four minutes?' Kim pretty much growled. I didn't want to get too close to her because she'd forgone washing for the past couple of days. The teenager smelt a bit, and it didn't help that she wore a grimy leather jacket. To top it off, it was almost as if the tartan beret was glued to her head. The girl was muttering something to herself under her breath.

Kim had a large bundle of things in her hands, largely consisting of a large pile of rucksacks containing her tools of choice. She even had welding equipment in there somewhere, with a small portable tank of argon balancing in the crook of her elbow. It was only her favourite pink backpack that hung from her shoulders.

'Great.' I forced a flat smile, 'Let's be off then shall we?'

I didn't hear what the teenager muttered under her breath. All that I knew was she sounded tired. Maybe that why only a second later she dropped the metal canister of argon, stumbled over the gas, and fell flat on her face. I couldn't catch her in time but her armload of bags at her sides seemed to absorb much of the impact.

What it didn't stop, was the red and white striped woolen beret was tumbling away from her head.

Time stopped. I did not want to believe what I was seeing.

'... Kim' I mouthed, staring at the girl. How long had she been hiding this?

For a moment Kim struggled frantically, trying to get up onto her feet but too weighed down by tangle of straps and fabric. With a groan she stopped, breath leaving her lungs. Lifting her head up, Kim met my gaze solidly.

'Wot you looking at?' Her voice shaky with disbelief.

Her pale face and wide eyes told me she knew exactly what I was staring at.

From her pale blonde hair, two small Espeon ears peeked out. The lavender fur seemed almost fake, but I could tell by the pink flecks in her fringe that I wasn't imaging it. I should have known that she hadn't simply dyed her hair badly. Kim had been infected! She had caught the virus somehow and now...now this!

Crouching, I helped unfurl her slim frame by the pile of bags. Kim watched me wearily, before trying to push me off.

'It's fine Fenn. I can sorta…'

She bit off her words, glaring at me until I shuffled backwards.

'You sure?' I queried. Kim was volatile enough, so I tried to calm the situation down a level. To be honest I think I was struggling more than the tomboy. Millions of questions were swirling round my head and I did everything I could to stop myself from demanding answers.

I should probably tread lightly, what if she tries to make a break for it before I ask her anything.

'Look for fooks sake Fenn I can read your bloodied thoughts...OF COURSE I'M SURE! I'm not some bedamned wild animal!' Her eyes seemed to flicker slightly when she said that, like it was trying to contradict her.

The flare of anger in the small teenager was somewhat alarming. She usually had a deposition between joking and serious, but that anger, was she actually afraid? I still helped her anyway, doing my best to pretend I didn't see the small tears welling up in the corner of her eyes. Sniffing once, she picked herself up and wordlessly grabbed her beret. The teenager placed the hat on her head firmly, clearly squishing her pink Pokémon ears out of view.

A moment later and she was pulling her kit into her arms once more.

I watched, handing across a zipped holdall which weighed as much as a small child.

'So...you…'

'Shut it.' Kim snapped, forcing a snarl onto her face. The scary expression wasn't as frightening as it could have been, mostly because her lip was trembling. Even with the hat on I could still imagine her ears folded flat against her scalp.

'It's ok Kim.' I offered, for the first time actually feeling sorry for the teenager. Her hard-as-nails exterior had in fact been a shell to hide the true fact. She was infected and, just like Megan and recently Matt, it appeared she was turning into a Pokémon. I wasn't sure whether that was the real problem - or it was because it was pink fluffy ears that the otherwise gothic girl had.

'Fenn...just…' She did a bad job at hiding the blush in her cheeks.

'I...I think I understand Kim.' The words came softly as I tried to offer her a small smile. Silently I was thanking the gods that we hadn't yet made it outside of Mike's workshop.

'Instincts right?'

Kim snapped her head in my direction. Her eyes looked me up and down briefly.

'And what the hell would you know?'

'Going by what you said earlier, I think you already know what I think.'

Kim had been in the process of interrupting, but stopped suddenly. Her eyes widened, then narrowed suddenly. I could almost imagine her raising her hackles much like Orion would. How many other Pokémon features did she have? Did she have a tail hiding wedged somewhere under those tight jeans? How did it happen? How long had it been? It must have been terrifying, all by herself….

I only realised I was having these thoughts when I realised that Kim might be able to hear them.

Espeon's were psychic types, right?

Kim was staring at the ground. With a groan she slowly put down her collection of items heavily. Dumping them on the sofa, she straightened out her jacket. Crossing her arms, the teenager had her jaw set tightly.

Her gruff voice came out quietly,

'Yes. Of course it's more Fenn. It's been three weeks because I got reckless, alright? Turns out living on your own can lead to you getting hurt, no surprise there. So now I can hear everything….every damn thing you think and feel - and the hundred other deranged kids you've got here. And the worst of it? Orion knows and still tried to convince me to stay…'

She trailed off, wiping at her face with a black sleeve.

'I'm not crying. You are.' She mumbled, staring at the ground as she refused to show her emotions.

In a way I wanted to comfort her. But this is Kim we're talking about. Kim gets comfort from sleeping on nails and opening bottles with her teeth. She'd probably bite me if I tried to hug her. All I could do was apologize.

'I'm sorry Kim. I didn't know.'

The teenager loosened her shoulders, lifting her eyes to meet mine. A wet smear had rubbed off some of the dirt from one cheek.

'Well now you do. Fort Haste is great and….and I'd love to stay. But I can't. It would drive me crazy. Sheesh, it's already like having a parade going on in my head 24/7 just being here for a weekend.'

Kim started grumbling again, apparently settling back into her old self.

'And you Fenn, should wear a tinfoil hat.'

I blushed, thinking over every I had ever thought of Kim. It must have been terrible - seeing into my thoughts knowing that I didn't like the girl. How much did she know? How much could I believe.

A deep unsettled feeling was welling in my stomach.

'Oh. By the way, everything.' Kim interrupted my internal ramblings. She was juggling her stuff into her arms for what seemed to be the third time in the past ten minutes. With everything in order, she flashed me a wicked smile.

'Can't wait to get rid of me now, eh?' Kim chuckled, though there was no heart to it, 'Can't do anything but not trust me now ya know I can see your thoughts.'

Trying to maintain a calm exterior as my mind whirled internally, I pushed open the door and led the morph out of the workshop. Slamming the door behind us, the winter sun was blinding compared to the dim light inside of Mike's workshop. The bustling sounds of Fort Haste could be heard from across the small farmstead. God knows what it must have been like being able to hear everyone's thoughts as well. It must have been….

'Hell on earth, and that's putting it nicely.' Kim clarified.

That when a thought suddenly arose. I wasn't sure if I need to voice it or not. Kim seemed to be making the most of payback for my rudeness of the past few days. Even if her psychic powers had been voiced as a burden, she was making the most of them now.

'Can you look into people's mind to...you know...see if their crazy or not?'

Turning to check on Kim walking silently behind me, her eyebrows were furrowed.

'Asking for a friend are we?'

Kim voice sounded muted. Walking down the side of the old farmhouse, the two of us heading towards the main gate fairly quickly. The beaten red mitsubishi pickup sat along the old road beyond the Lee slopes, dwarfed by the defence between it and the palisade.

The kid on duty must have seen us coming, for the gate were opening up ready for Kim before we even got there.

'Wait…' I tried to stop the teenager but she flashed me a rugged smile.

'I'll keep in touch.'

I nodded, only realising a second later that Kim hadn't even moved her lips.

When Kim left, I almost thought things couldn't have gotten any crazier.

Having returned to the peace and quiet of the farmhouse, I swore upon hearing Orion nearly running up the stairs. A second later and the man's head popped round the door of upstairs meeting room. The golden rings on his ears were glowing slightly as he flashed me a sheepish grin.

There was a few whistles calls blaring outside but I ignored the coded signals.

'Uh...you mind popping down to help out with something.'

'I'm busy, Orion.'

My flat rejection seemed to upset the man, who seemed unsure of what to do now. With a sigh, I offered a weak smile to the man. The bags under his blood-shot eyes made dark halos across his face.

'When was the last time you got more than three hours sleep?' I asked the morph softly, 'You look dead on your feet.'

Orion just shrugged, 'Uh...I've been sleeping fine.'

'You look like a wreck.' I ignored his forced puppy-dog eyes, that only highlighted the tiredness riddled across his expression. 'What do you want then?' I gave in.

The man paused, before explaining quickly, 'We've got a new visitor to show around and I've got a session I should be doing now and…'

Orion trailed off. Putting my pen down, I leant back in my chair with my arms crossed. Paper was spread out across the circular meeting table. It was supposed to be organized but I was struggling enough as it was. Now I had Orion to distract me too.

Too bad he had piqued my interest.

'What? Somebody else has been found? Are they here now?'

It was at that point that Orion's ears dropped. Already I knew something wasn't quite right.

'Not exactly.' He mumbled, still with only his head showing around the pine door. 'I was expecting them. He was with the Wildlings for a while and decided he would like to join us so I ... he should be here any minute now and…'

'And you forgot to tell anyone?' I glared at him, 'Or you chose not to tell us until the last minute.'

'Maybe.' He admitted,

I pushed myself to my feet.

'You want me to show around a Pokémon? How about I just take over your session? You know, seems I'm not the one that can talk to them.'

Orion hung his head, but didn't say anything.

'Come on then.' I sighed heavily, before kicking my chair back under the table. 'Is there anything else you need to tell me?'

Orion seemed to think for a moment.

'Yeah...he's a Lucario. And he's a member of the Vetra. At least I still think he is...'

I laughed, waving for Orion to lead the way back downstairs. The man didn't move though, fixing me with a confused glance. He almost seemed offended.

'That was a joke, right?' My cheery tone was replaced with one of confusion. 'You're not serious, are you?'

The Umbreon shook his head,

'You've heard of them, right? Vetra?'

'That's a fairytale, Orion.' I told him perhaps a little harshly, 'Why don't we go and meet him, and we can talk more there.'

Orion sighed, tugging at the collar of his jacket. Trudging downstairs, I grabbed my own coat and we headed back outside.

So much for a relaxing Sunday morning.

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MATT's POV

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It was getting colder. I was shivering when I woke up, though it took me a long time to become aware of the fact. Lucidity came in dribs and drabs before, with a yawn, I forced myself awake. Blinking to clear the dim pre-dawn light only managed to make things blurry from an eyeful of sleep dust. Disorientated, it was only upon realising that I was at the bottom of my bed that things made sense. It happened again. Ever since I'd been cursed with these features things were progressively getting more embarrassing. Uncurling my large tail and waving the blood back into it was only effective at wafting cold air over my skinny body.

Sometimes it was hard to remember what summer was like. This new world was bleak and unforgiving.

Pushing away the unease at finding myself sleeping balled up like some animal, I slid off the bed and onto my feet. Just like fingers, my feet were decidedly more paw-like than human. Finding my Jolteon plush had fallen to the floor, I picked up the soft toy and tucked him back into bed. Hey don't judge me ok? Not only was it a gift from my dad when I was seven, but the last reminder I had on my family.

Fenn had been kind enough to give me a room in the farmhouse neighbouring Orion's. Heat rose up through the floorboards from the fire burning in the girls' bedroom below. That didn't stop ice from forming on the inside of the windows. The crystals shimmered as I lit a candle for illumination. Getting dressed at double speed, I chucked on the only clothes I had and crept out of my room.

Since travelling on my own, I'd made it a thing to be up at the crack of dawn. Before the sun rose there was a time between time where yesterday was over but tomorrow hadn't yet arrived. That habit was still there even though I'd been at Fort Haste a day or two. Said habit had also saved my life a few times, so it's not something I could let go of easily. Beyond that? Well. Everything else had changed. Hell, my whole life had been tipped back the right way around. Now I felt safe.

Orion's door was wide open and his bed empty. Although, I'd learnt that was far from unusual. I'd never actually seen the man sleep.

I rubbed at my eyes wearily.

The Hasties were a strange group of people. Then again, the transition from being the only person in the world to one in a couple of hundred was a shock. I had barely slept the night before arriving. Then again, Kim's home wasn't the most comfortable places. Meeting her had been one thing, but her rather blunt description of Fort Haste hadn't done the place justice. Then again, she was a strange creature who seemed to think it was acceptable to joke about my appearance. It had been impossible to imagine what this place was even going to be like.

My feet were fine I decided, slipping them into a pair of woolly socks. They might have been a bit more hairy than one would like - but they still worked. I might have lost some natural dexterity in my hands, but they still did everything I wanted to do now without the need to wear gloves. What was really annoying was the tail stuck out of my backside. I can't remember what it was like to sleep on your back - or wear pants that actually fit.

Fenn had helped with that. Turns out, with Orion being how he is and all, they had a solution. The girl had cut a slot into my jeans, making them into something presentable within a few minutes. Just like magic my trousers now had a new hole to stick my tail through. It didn't stop there though. Within only a few days of kipping down on the floor I had a whole new set of clothes, a bed to sleep on, as well as two to three solid meals a day. Life had flickered from suicide to "I'm going to survive" in the space of a weekend. I felt hope again.

Already, Fort Haste felt like home.

Nobody seemed to care that I looked like some weird mutant Leafeon thing. That's If you could ignore the ears, and only if I was wearing enough to cover the fur coating much of my torso. My hair was slowly changing from the black colour it had always been to a faded mottled green-beige mess. By now it was pretty much golden in colour, much like what you'd expect from a Leafeon. It was hard to recognise myself in the mirror. Especially those emerald eyes. I had to remind myself not to get lost staring in them.

Creeping downstairs, I plucked my boots from the row along the hallway and pushed open the front door. Leaving the warmth of the farmhouse behind me, I lifted up my hood to cover my features and stepped out into the winter wonderland. Sunlight reflected off the high albedo of the fresh snow and ice. Basking in the rays, I could feel the photons shimmer across my skin. With the cold rays came a surge of warmth and happiness. It was as if the very air was tingling with energy, making my hair stand on end. It was all I could do not to bathe in the glow. Photosynthesis was the one and only upside to my transformation.

But although the sun provided plenty of light, it didn't do much in the way of heat. It wasn't long before I was shivering. The grey concrete underfoot was slippery and I trod with care in my old boots. Having lived in them for the past year or so, they had lost most of their grip.

'Matthew!'

Orion was pacing towards me in a way that was somehow hurriedly casual. Blinking for a few moments, I took in the man with the sleeves of his green waterproof rolled up. The trenchcoat looked amusing when paired with his black jeans, as well as a pair of wellies. It somehow suited the man, whose Umbreon-tail wagged slightly behind him.

'I was just coming to get you…' Orion itched at his hair, his black lobate ears perking up slightly.

'Is everything ok?'

'Yeah. Just checking you didn't want to miss out on lunch. We saved a bit for you and...'

'Lunch?' My eyes widened. I didn't mean to interrupt, 'Is it that time already?'

'Sure is.' Orion chuckled even as my heart sank. I thought I'd gotten into routine by now. The natural pause was something the Umbreon seemed to pick up on immediately.

'You doing alright? Settling in? Maintaining your sanity?'

The leader of Fort Haste had his hands buried in his pockets, though his shoulders were remarkably tense. He was maintaining eye contact to a somewhat uncomfortable degree, though that could have been my own interpretation of his startling bright red eyes. It wouldn't have been inappropriate if I asked him the same question.

'Yep.' I mumbled, looking up to find Orion watching my tail. It was stuck out awkwardly, rotated near perfectly to maximise the sun rays landing on the green chloroplasts. The movement had happened naturally and unthinkingly. It was yet another strange characteristic I had slowly become used to.

It wasn't that was I trying to hide the shame on my face, but I pulled my hood up anyway.

But although Orion had been staring, his eyes were somewhat glazed over. It was as if the man was deep in thought, gazing through reality itself into a distance that didn't exist.

'Uh...Orion?' I was tempted to wave my paw in front of him. 'You were looking for me?' I prompted

The man snapped out of it in an instant, forcing on a slightly sheepish grin. The deep-maroon cravat he had slung around his neck only acted to bring out the blood red colouration of his eyes.

'Yeah. Right. We're having a meeting in ten minutes. Thought you might want to listen in whilst you eat? We usually have them up in the farmhouse, but we can go and grab something for you to take up.'

'Cool, can do.' My tail was wagging before I could stop it.

The Umbreon-morph was already turning on his heels. It was odd seeing somebody already so used to the unnatural changes. From everything I'd seen, it was as if Orion had been part Umbreon all his life.

I fell into step behind the man who seemed to stride across the yard and towards the Foodhall. Fort Haste loomed around us, the buildings steaming slightly in the cold. Even the wooden feather boards that covered many of the shed exteriors had small icicles hung from them. Most people were inside, although a stray Pidgey was pecking at the frozen ground. Startled at our approach, the bird took flight while cursing loudly. Hearing Pokémon speak had many undesired consequences.

Tugging my chocolate-brown hoodie around my shoulder, I followed Orion up towards the kitchens.

Our footsteps echoed on the rough concrete.

The kitchens were not really what they were described as. A row of ancient oil-burning stoves lined the back wall, adapted to burn wood. Three wobbly chimneys ran up to the roof, rusting away in the damp air. In front of them, two rows of chunky oak tables were laid out with utensils and various pots and pans. A sink on the far side, and two ply board partitions was all that separated the kitchen from the rest of the shed.

A couple of stools was dotted round for those on duty. For now, that appeared to be a couple of girls cleaning the grime of porcelain dishes. The only addition was a rather haggard looking boy sat watching from a stool. He had a designer jacket on which seemed stretched to fit. A bubble of uncertainty rose within my stomach. Of every Hastie within camp, it was James I was told specifically not to interact with.

'Oh look who it is! I don't think we have pet treats.' The boy sneered. In fact, his face seemed stuck in a disgruntled expression. There was dirt stains across his face. I couldn't blame the kid for slouching in front of the kitchen complex. It was notably warmer down this end of the barn.

'Good day to you too James,' Orion sighed. The man had already given me a flat look that said 'stand back and say nothing'. I was all too happy to oblige, thankful I had my hoodie covered my large green ears.

'Is there a reason that you're not helping out?' Orion spoke calmly, though with a hint of disappointment his voice.

James shrugged casually. He was dripping with contempt.

'Meh. Nobody tells me what to do.'

The tone of his voice was unsettling but somehow Orion seemed unbothered, 'Yeah. Do you mind grabbing us anything left over from breakfast? I asked for a couple of bowls to be left on the hot plates. They're probably done by now.'

The request was met with a steep flare.

'Look. You don't tell me what to do.' James looked like he was barely resisting the urge to roll his eyes.

'Cool. You mind grabbing some stuff anyway?'

At that comment, the teenager lifted himself up off his stool slowly. My eyes analysed the situation with the cold precision of a Pokémon trainer. It was something I'd mastered over the past few years. Immediately I could tell he was acting the big guy. It was something the kid could have pulled off back before the apocalypse. Now he was just a wide-framed bag of bones. That being said, James held himself confidently whilst puffing his chest out.

Orion seemed unfazed, even though I naturally took a step back. It was clear James was itching for a fight. Mixed feelings welled up in my chest of both uncertainty and dislike.

'Fook off.' The boy stuck his chin out, 'Sort your fookin' self out.'

The situation was become increasingly toxic. What the hell did this kid think he was doing? No. He knew exactly what he was doing. Thankfully, Orion didn't take the bait. The leader of Fort Haste simply leveled his gruff voice.

'Is there something you need to talk about James?'

Orion's tone was monotone and smooth. There was nothing to provoke the teenager further, though from my expert eye I could tell that Orion was ready for an full blown attack. He held himself lightly on the balls of his feet, tail lifted slightly for extra balance. He had his hands held loosely, shoulders barely visible under his thick green rifles jacket but relaxed all the same. Maybe the extra years Orion had made James appear less imposing. The aggression smeared across the arrogant boy's face was enough to make me back down.

In fact, James was nearly as tall as the Umbreon-morph. Nor was he the type to shrink under another man's gaze. He was almost enjoying it.

James took a step closer.

'I told you to fook off.'

It was only then that he appeared to notice me, hanging back awkwardly. James's piggy eye lit up upon seeing a weaker target, and a cold grin twitched across his mouth.

'And what do you think you're lookin' at greeny?' He was chuckling at his own joke before he'd even finished. To be honest, Kim had come up with worse insults and she was trying to kind at the time. I was more insulted that James couldn't come up with anything better.

Behind, the girls working in the kitchen had their heads down, but were clearly listening in. Orion was in the process of trying to diffuse the situation but James had locked me in a face off.

I'd learnt from my numerous years stuck in trainer's school how guys like James did things.

Maybe that's why I snapped the words out before my logical mind could react.

'Stop being a dick, mate.'

It took a few seconds for the words to register, most likely because the hard-acting kid didn't expect a reply. Spinning to face me, a snarl was already covering his face. Eyes like daggers.

'What did you say?'

That bit of heroism in me sort of drained out at that point.

'I'm talking to…'

'Hunter. Is there a problem?'

The voice was eerie, my brain hearing the sound whilst my large leaf-like ears failed to notice anything. That was hastily explained, however, by the Lucario that stepped into the kitchen. His deep maroon eyes took in the situation with a remarkably quick inspection.

All of us jumped at the voice. James had seen the Pokémon as soon as he entered the kitchen, even as Orion and I turned to see the newcomer. A bit of colour drained from the bully's face as his eyes darted between us and the newcomer. With a couple of small steps he backed off, before shimmying around and leaving the kitchen entirely.

Orion watched the boy go, a sad expression briefly crossing his face.

Rolling his shoulders, he turned his attention to the Lucario that had appeared.

'Sorry about that, Hauser.'

Orion was speaking in a Pokémon tongue, though it sounded oddly natural on his voice. Half of me heard the growls and whatnot for the animal sounds they were. But the Leafeon half of me heard each internation on each word as if I'd been fluent in the Pokémon language for life. The feeling made my skin crawl. I felt violated, knowing that the virus had done this to me.

The Lucario that now joined us looked older than I thought possible. In the past I'd only ever seen two of his kind, both of which had belonged to strong trainers. The steel types had always looked undeniably tough, and Hauser was no exception. Yet there was something different to this individual however.

It was almost paradoxical. He stood straight, although outwardly he appeared relaxed. With his fur a thick winter coat, there was as much grey as natural tones touching his normally blue and beige coat. Deep scars ran across his muzzle, and several across his chest which puckered his prestine coat. The Lucario's eyes glowed, but with wisdom rather than intent. With a narrow canine face, he gained in statuesque what he lost in ruggedness.

'Sorry to intrude. I felt something amiss and came to investigate. Fenn had just finished with her tour and I thought it might be best to find you now that your session is complete.'

Hauser paused for a moment to study me. If I hadn't been watching his eyes I'd never have known. In fact, it was such a short glance up and down my skinny frame that I was unsure if it had happened at all. Something at the back of my mind told me that the Pokémon was most likely reading my aura. Maybe being part Pokémon meant I was more aware of such things. Lucario's were known to read the emotions of people. However, it was a skill that few actually honed.

This Lucario looked like he'd had enough lifetimes to do that and more.

There was a tiredness in his eyes as he greeted me softly.

'You must be the Leafeon that Hunter was talking about.'

I nodded, not knowing what to say. To my surprise the Pokémon stuck out a paw and I shook it roughly with my own. The steel spike on the back seemed impossibly sharp.

'You are as much a stranger here as I. Though, I see you settling in well.'

Hauser's voice was gruff and deep, but dropped into my mind like ripples in a pond. His jaw didn't move as he spoke. Somehow the experience was like having waves wash over you.

'Uh…cool.' Orion seemed anxious, suddenly becoming aware of where we were. 'Well, now that a late lunch is off the cards, should we get things kicked off?'

Orion noticed my confusion.

'The team meeting.' He reminded me softly, running a hand through his dark hair, 'If you don't mind, I'd like you both to pop along. It would be good to have some external help. It'll also give you a chance to see how things are run around here Hauser.'

The man sighed, before turning his back to the kitchen.

Hauser actually offered him a toothy grin.

'What was that all about Hunter?' He asked. It appeared that Orion and the Lucario had known each other for a significant amount of time. It was clear by the body language of both that they were relaxed around each other. We weaved between the tables of the Foodhall and out onto the yard. A few Hasties were passing between places in the time between sessions. Nobody took much notice of the three of us.

'James has some issues…' Orion spoke quietly, adjusting his trenchcoat across his shoulders 'The kid's violent. I'd recommend avoiding him as much as possible. He's not a fan of your looks, if you get what I mean.'

That latter was directed at me, the man waiting until I finally met his gaze. His eyes looked like they had been drained of all the enthusiasm, a shadow of what they could have been. I had heard that Orion had mood shifts. After that sudden confrontation, he seemed to have withdrawn into himself. The tone of his voice suggested some mirth but it was a poor attempt.

Walking to our side, the Lucario was taking in the surroundings with a watchful eye. The sheds weren't much to look at for sure, but Fort Haste went much further than its looks. You only needed a few days here to realize that the place ran like a well oiled machine. It was organized like an army, but with the mood of a kids summer camp. Somehow within all of that was a blend of modern society with something that looked like a roman log fort.

So I wasn't at all surprised at the Lucario's wide eyes wonderment.

'Not as you expected it?' Orion chuckled at Hauser's expression.

'I have been among humans before. But this place is different.' The Pokémon's words were dropped into our minds like small pebbles. 'I can see what you have done here.'

'Roan has said a similar thing,' Orion rubbed at his eyes 'I will have to ask you what you mean at some point. Anyway, let's get into the warm.'

Hauser nodded, following the Umbreon's lead as he pushed open the garden gate and climbed the wide steps up to the front door. The old Lucario smoothed the fur across his chest as if to make himself look more presentable.

Hearing the gate close behind me, I turned round to find Fenn stumbling up the garden path with a large urn in both hands.

'Morning Matt, do you mind giving me a hand with this?'

'Uh, no worries.'

I bent down to help lift the metal container, holding it up easily with a hand - if I could even call it a hand anymore. Between the two of us we carried the water carefully up to the front door. I was impressed that the teenager had managed to get it this far in the first place.

'How are you feeling?' Fenn asked as she closed the door behind her. Without waiting for reply, she continued to push more questions in my direction. 'I saw what happened with James. At least, the tail end of it. Sorry about that. He can be...well…'

At that moment I was taking the entire weight of the urn and couldn't do much more than force out a grin. The metal started to feel warm through my lightly padded paws. The urn quickly became heavier than it looked. I nearly fell forward before Fenn caught me, once more sharing the weight of ten kilos of water between us.

'Oops, there we go.' She grinned, 'Feeling better compared to yesterday?'

I nodded.

'Yes, thank you. I got to sleep in a actual bed again, so no complaints there. Five out of five, would recommend.'

My stomach took that precise moment to rumble loudly. Either Fenn didn't notice or politely chose to ignore the sound. It wasn't worth saying that I'd already missed two meals today. That wasn't something you could get away with in this day and age. Still, I was taken aback for a moment at Fenn's display of affection. Quickly realizing that we were heading upstairs to the meeting room, I picked the urn up again and ignored the burning in my ears. I'd almost forgotten what it was like living in Fort Haste. Here, you actually had people there looking out for you. It left a warm feeling in my stomach.

Sounds of chatter came across the landing. Passing my small bedroom, the floorboards creaked under our combined weight. At last we hefted the warm water into the meeting room - a converted bedroom that now squeezed in a round table big enough to sit all seven of us. Though, it was a tight fit. Orion had sat himself down in front of the bay window with Hauser, the Lucario looking a little awkward in the room full of young adults.

As a indirect result of the overcrowding, the room was toasty warm. The sun streaming through the window brightened the place considerably.

'I saved you a seat Matt!' Orion patted the old office chair beside him. It just so happened to be in the brightest spot in the room. Having dumped down the hot water on the table, Fenn was already pouring drinks as I fell into the padded seat. The scent of hot chocolate wafted over me and I had nearly had a sugar rush from the scent of the beverage.

'It's made with cocoa powder. There was some left in the cupboards and even though it was a little past the expiration date, it never truly goes bad.' Fenn said as she finished stirring a mug. I don't think anyone else noticed one chipped mug that she held to the side, a good distance away from the others. Maybe it was my imagination, but I could have sworn she poured something extra into that one?

Adjusting my tail out from under me, it naturally uncurled itself and turned to face the warm sunlight. My ears perked up on their own accord. Even my hoodie can't keep them down when I'm excited.

Insley slid a warm mug in my direction. I caught it with both of my paws, not wanting to tip it over.

Naturally I burnt my tongue on the first sip, too impatient to wait for the liquid to cool. Though it was worth it to have the luxury of tasting chocolate again, even if it did have an aftertaste of damp.

Mike was the last person to take his seat, falling into the chair was a clatter. Dropping his wax jacket to the floor, he rolled up the sleeves of his hoodie and accepted a drink off Fenn. With the steaming mug cradled between his cold fingers, he gave me a wink.

'How are you feeling this morning then Matt?'

I shrugged. Mike was a nice guy and I felt like we'd got off to a good start. He was easy going and clearly a bit of a genius when it came to out-of-the-box thinking. Modest without a doubt, it took me a moment to remind myself that these guys were all my age and younger. Being invited to sit in on the meeting, I was sort of expecting to be surrounded by adults. But these were still kids. Maybe a little tired and mature far beyond their age - but kids nonetheless. Only Orion seemed to stand out as being older, clearly shown by the shape of his face. You could tell without a doubt that he was the leader, a marked shift upon entering the room to the man I saw previously.

And then there was Hauser and I. The Lucario seemed more at peace with his chair sat back slightly out of the circle. It was a clear statement that he was here to watch. That being said, I couldn't ignore the sideways looks he was getting from the Chain. Fenn in particular was watching him with distrust.

Mike was still looking at me expectantly.

'You alright?' He asked again. 'You missed lunch right?'

I sighed, 'Yeah. Still adjusting to life here I guess.'

Grinning knowingly, Mike threw a teabag into his own cup, skimping out on the hot chocolate.

'It's fine once you get used to the schedule. Fort Haste runs on its own clock.'

The urn had one of those little plastic taps in the bottom. At the moment it was dripping onto the mahogany table every few seconds.

Bass and Insley, as well as Jane sat across the opposite side of the table and seemed to be engaged in conversation about a Christmas party of some sorts. The three girls were nice enough, though I hadn't really talked to them much outside of meal times. Insely had strong features and shoulder length hair which she was running through her hands. Bass, she seemed to be speaking most hotly over the subject.

Fenn was the last to sit down, opening a large notebook in front of her as she did so.

'Did you want to introduce your guest then Orion?' The second in command asked a little stiffly.

The Umbreon-morph looked up from his own mug of hot chocolate. The golden rings on his ears were glowing slightly.

'Um…well I've have done to everybody else but I might as well make it formal.' He waved a hand towards the Lucario sat next to him. 'This Is is Hauser. He's a friend of the Wildlings and will be staying with us for a while. He's looking to help out with what he can. So, Yeah.'

Hauser nodded once, eyes closing for a brief moment. For that second I was sure that he was doing something aura related, for I felt a slight shift at the back of my mind. Everything seemed slightly bigger, but the feeling was gone as soon as I could recognise it.

'Uh…Insley?' Mike cleared his throat to get the girl's attention. She was still in a verbal battle to have the last word in their conversion. For a moment her eyes were daggers, before finally silence fell upon the room. Orion swallowed before starting to speak. He fidgeted with the mug in front of him.

'So...Right. I've been talking with Roan about the Wildlings - and about the future for both of us through Winter. They seem happy to help with anything, and have even offered to have some come and stay with us to offer some protection. I met Hauser here. He's..' Orion paused for a moment, struggling to find the right words. 'Well he's a member of Vetra...or ex-member I guess now? He's a…'

Insley took that exact moment to snort hot chocolate out of her nose. She was laughing loudly whilst attempting to wipe wet snot away with her sleeve. I half expected her to pass out.

'You're joking right?!' The girl gasped. Fenn had her arms crossed and was staring at Orion like he'd lost his mind. Even I had to admit, his claim was a utterly ridiculous. The Vetra was a kids story about a band of Pokémon that went around saving the world from various threats. It was something completely fiction, with guys in Pinewood Studios even going as far to make films out of the story. I remember them being pretty good. Then again, anything on the big screen was cool as a seven year old. It was also the same day I got my one and only Jolteon plush. Those were the days.

The Umbreon morph was frowning heavily, looking towards the aged Lucario for backup.

'The organisation did once exist. Which I assume acted as inspiration for the human tales.' Hauser dropped the words into my head. At this point, I think everybody was too involved with the conversation to care at the absurdity at this point.

'Right…' Insley drawled, 'Next you'll be telling us there are legendary birds which control the weather!'

Even Bass and Mike were chuckling at that comment. 'Don't you mean the legend of Articuno, Zapdos, and Moltres' Bass piped up.

'Yeah. That's them!' Insley chortled, 'You know there are some crazy groups that actually think they exist!'

To be honest, I took a little offence at that last comment. There had been some serious science to get some real evidence behind sightings. Even the renowned professor Oak had taken a few years to look into the potential of legendary Pokémon. It was one of those wild fantasies of a Pokémon that every trainer wanted to catch. Nearly all of the Chain were chuckling under their breath.

Neither Orion nor Hauser seemed to share their enthusiasm. Strangely, neither did Fenn. It was the fair-haired girl than finally quieted down the loud-mouthed Insley, and once more brought calm to the meeting room.

'I apologise if I offended anyone.' Hauser bowed his head slightly. The black aura-organs hidden behind his blue pointed ears were floating slightly in the humid air. 'But as Hunter uh...Orion said, I would like to stay for awhile and contribute what I can. The virus has affected us all and we need to band together if we want to survive.'

Although I had become used to the tingling sensation of Hauser's speech, Mike seemed to twitch with each word. He lifted a hand to itch at his chin. Such body language was something the Lucario picked up on remarkably quickly. He rubbed at the greying fur speckling his black muzzle,

'Apologies,' Hauser shifted awkwardly in his seat, 'I hope you don't mind me communicating like this. I understand it makes some people uncomfortable.'

'No worries…uh Hauser, it would be really helpful if you could talk using aura actually.' Fenn scribbled something down on her notebook before lifting her eyes to Orion. It appeared she'd been making notes continuously for the past minute. I couldn't even guess what on.

'I'm guessing that there was an important reason why you wanted to call an emergency meeting.' Fenn asked Orion, tapping her pen on the table. 'What's so important that we need to break our schedule?'

The Umbreon placed his mug down steadily. He had chugged down half of the beverage already, but eyed the drink as he moved out of the way. He still had his trenchcoat on, though the sleeves had been rolled up to show his pale arms lightly furred with black hair. The fingers of one hand drummed on the table nervously.

'I have some good news and some bad news.' He leant forward on his elbows. 'The chat with Roan and the other Wildlings was very helpful but brought to light something that has been worrying us for a while now. That fact that Kim voiced the same concerns is alarming - especially given the spider attack we had almost a week ago.'

All eyes were on the man and I could see him chewing over his words.

'As far as we're aware, something drove those Ferals to attack.' Mike spoke up once it was clear Orion wasn't going to be speaking anytime soon. 'What more do you know beyond that?' He asked, running a hand through his mass of ginger hair.

'I don't have much information on that specifically I'm afraid…' Orion sighed, 'But the Wildlings have suffered attacks as well and, from what I can tell, the Ferals' numbers have sharply increased. Normally Ferals keep to themselves unless provoked, but Kim said she's seen them working together. We always assumed that the virus drove them mad. But somehow they are teaming up. I don't think it's natural.'

'Nothing about any of this is natural.' Jane spoke firmly, getting a few nods from the other member of the Chain.

Orion finally took another sip of hot chocolate. After a moment he wrinkled his nose, putting the mug down quickly. Only the sound of Fenn scribbling away in her notebook broke the atmosphere that descended like a cloud.

'Roan had some guys visit the old camp up on Berry Hill the day before yesterday. After what happened with me up there, they've been keeping a close eye on the place. The only thing is...yesterday they found the camp deserted. Hauser was there, actually.'

The Lucario nodded, looking around the table at the sudden peak in interest.

'There were signs of some kind of scuffle. We found evidence of two graves, so they stayed long enough to bury the dead. Beyond that, all we know is that…'

'They're dead?' Jane nearly dropped her mug, catching it in the last second. 'The hell? What happened?'

'All we know is that they left and headed further south into the forest.' Hauser explained, watching the doctor as she scrubbed at her face with a sleeve. It took a moment for her to reset her glasses.

'They could have been fighting amongst themselves.' Orion added, 'Though the Wildlings think it may have been Ferals.'

Fenn looked up from her notebook.

'Ferals?' She reiterated,

Orion sighed,

'Roan believes that something is organizing the Ferals and using them to attack. I found evidence that something is going on. They had stakes stuck through them for shite's sake!'

The leader of Fort Haste leant back in his chair, ears laid flat against his head. The bags under his eyes added a haunted look to the man, not that he didn't need it. His red eyes blinked a few more times that were needed.

'Sorry. I'm drifting off here.' Orion rubbed at his nose, eyeing his hot chocolate momentarily before downing the remaining liquid.

'I must also mention,' The Lucario spoke quietly via aura, 'There is a large concentration of Ferals in a locality about four miles southeast of the main Wildling territory. It's greater than anything I've ever seen. But Roan's main camp is situated between there and Berry Hill. If the attack at Berry Hill was due to one of these organized Feral units, it proves that they have the ability to sneak significant numbers through a good distance of heavily populated territory undetected.'

It took a long while for that information to sink in. Mike was lent back in his chair next to me, a hand holding a piece of string which he was weaving around his fingers. Everyone's eyes turned to the boy as he spoke.

'So you're saying that the Ferals themselves lack intelligence. But they are clever enough to organise themselves? Something doesn't seem right here.'

Orion shook his head, 'When Pokémon are affected by the virus, we count it as dead. They're just zombies. '

'And how do you know all of this?' Insley asked in that loud voice of hers, 'This sounds like a lot of ideas but little hard evidence. You mention the spikes and we have no fookin idea. You're going off the words of a crazy girl and a Sawsbuck to scaremonger us? What the hell are we supposed to do with this information. So what if there are more Ferals? Hell, I went took a bit of a stroll to the forest to the southeast and all I got was a migraine.'

'She's right,' Bass added. 'Well, apart from leaving Fort Haste. That was stupid.' she added under her breath before continuing in her small voice, 'No offence but we've got enough to worry about in Fort Haste. We can't do much but hope they just leave us alone.'

There was an awkward silence. Even I was tempted to say something just to break the tension. In the middle of the table, hot water continued dripping infrequently from the large urn.

It was Mike who spoke up at last.

'For now, that may be the best approach. If the Wildlings are monitoring them, they all we can do is watch and see what happens. I'm not sure if Jeff will be happy or angry that there are more Ferals now, the poor guy.'

'That may not be the best course of action.' Hauser contered, 'I don't mean to be rude. But Ferals vary considerably from the Pokémon they originally were. Their aura becomes…muddled…and they lose any sense of identity. It should not be possible for them to gather in this way. They're prone to killing each other.'

The greying Lucario took a deep breath. It seemed that speaking via aura took a considerable amount of concentration. After a moment he continued, 'Ferals are animalistic and live through their base instincts. They lack any morality and kinship.'

'So what you're saying...is that something is controlling them?' Fenn asked. She had been scribbling down more notes, and barely even lifted her eyes when querying the Pokémon. Her blonde hair brushed the table as she attacked the paper with her pen.

I shivered suddenly. The temperature of the room felt like it had dropped a degree. Everyone seemed to be thinking in the lull and I felt a little out of place within the group. Struggling to know what (if any) input I could add worried my thoughts. Sitting in silence seemed a wise move, even as I tried to make sense of the implication behind Hauser's words.

Just talking about the Ferals brought back bad memories of dealing with the beasts. I went to place my paws on my forehead to to force the memories to whence they came, but I noticed that my claws had decided to unsheathe themselves. With stupid Pokémon instincts, it was like I always had my heart on my sleeve! I quickly sheathed them.

Making eye contact with Bass, she flashed a small smile. I wondered if she felt as out of depth as I did.

'Could a psychic Pokémon be controlling them?' Jane asked after a long while. 'You know, using their bodies or something?'

'It that even possible?' I found myself asking. I'd had a lot of experience battling psychics and knew that their powers were limited beyond often basic telekinesis.

Hauser seemed to to consider his answer, but it was Orion who spoke.

'The real question is why.' His voice came out a little slurred and he cleared his throat. 'The Ariados had clearly been in physical contact within whatever…' He trailed off, obviously struggling to make this thoughts coherent. 'What bre mean is...umm what do the stakes through them have to bre with this?'

The leader of Fort Haste itched at his throat, reddening slightly. Thankfully, nobody brought up his slips. Maybe it was something that commonly happened within the chain meetings?

'So somebody has something against Fort Haste? Then it's likely that the spiders were just a test.'

'Someone is testing us?' Bass asked, pulling her chair a bit closer to the table, 'So we're all just agreeing here that something is controlling the Ferals?'

'It seems that way.' Fenn mumbled from her writing.

She stopped suddenly,

Taking a moment to look at every member of the Chain sitting around the table, she drew in a small breath. 'So that's the conclusion that you've come to? We should be expecting a large Feral attack led by some psychic Pokémon who has a thing against humans?'

'One that likes to skewer Ferals for fun.' Insley joked bitterly, 'First you try and claim that this Lucario dude is a member of Vetra. And no you're telling me some crazy psychic Pokémon can control zombies to attack us. None of this makes any fookin sense!'

The rest of the chain seemed to stare at Insley at once. The fiery teenager was known to have a foul mood, but it had become clear she'd immediately pushed it too far.

There was a brief moment of silence.

'What do you think Matt?' Orion asked suddenly, turning his tired eyes to me solemnly.

'Uhhh…' I struggled to find the right words. 'To be honest...I have to agree with Insley.'

'Yes!' The cook on the opposite side of the table pumped her fist. 'Even the Leafeon agrees with me...no offence Matt.'

I waved her off, trying to hide the blush creeping up my neck.

'The issue is that it's a possibility.' Orion interrupted not a moment too soon, 'If anything we need to consider improving out defences.'

'In all fairness Orion,' MIke interjected, 'I can't see how that's possible. We're at our limits now. I don't really see what more we can do bar pouring concrete walls around the place.'

'Just saying.' The Umbreon morph rose his hands, 'It wouldn't hurt prioritising the gabions and stuff. Maybe we can start working the the defensive weaponry you've been designing Mike...stuff like that.'

I didn't need Hauser's extrasensory ability to feel the vibe around the table. If anything, it was clear that everyone was a little shook up at the prospect of an impending Feral attack - even if they were struggling to accept the fact. Even the back of my mind was agreeing with the logic that Orion was explaining.

Fenn had stopped writing for the first time and instead looked at the notebook with uncharacteristic intensity. Jane was sitting with her head in her hands, with Insley staring into the distance somewhat deep in thought. Again, I felt the touch of the Lucario's aura against the back of my mind and I turned to look at the Pokémon. His red eyes were moving round us each in turn and I knew he was most likely reading our emotions - maybe even our thoughts? It didn't take a genius to understand the uncertainty and fear hanging in the room.

Only Orion seemed to buck the trend.

'I have more to add...' The Umbreon straightened himself, 'I did promise some good news. After talking to Roan bre've come to an agreement to collaborate further. Some Pokémon wish to join us.'

He paused, trying to gauge the flat response from the room.

'The virus killed off many human families, leaving a lot of urban Pokémon to flee to the protection of the Wildlings.' The morph explained, 'I thought it might be worth offering a place for them to stay here if they so wish.'

Fenn was scribbling away again at her notepad again.

'More mouths to feed?' Insley leant forward to rest her elbows on the table, 'But we're struggling enough as it is. Are you considering the logistics of this? I don't think Fort Haste is in the position to give aid…'

'But the Wildlings did help us build the defences.' Bass pointed out, sipping from her mug,

'Not to mention to mention everything else.' Mike muttered, before speaking up. 'Ok I get that. Let's help the Wildlings out. I think it would be useful to have some Pokémon around, especially any fire types. Maybe even an electric Pokémon if we ever want some resemblance of an electric grid.'

'Have you got numbers to work with?' Bass asked in a calm tone, flashing Insley a dirty look. The cook just sulked, shaking her head. Although I didn't know what past impact the Wildlings had once had, it was clear that Fort Haste was somehow indebted to them. Not only that, but I guess it would be nice to have some Pokémon around.

Fenn mirrored that comment, 'I think it would do some good to have some Pokémon around. It'll keep the kids happy and liven the place up a little.'

Nodding to herself, she took the next few moments to scribble her thoughts down. Orion took that moment to fish around in his jacket pocket. Yanking out a piece of crumpled paper, the man took considerable time to flatten out the creases. For a long moment I simply watched, what with everyone else being absorbed in their own thoughts. Orion seemed to have some kind of list formed of messy block capitals. It looked like it had been written by a child.

I could see Jane have difficulty subtly reading the text from the corner of her eye.

'You got a list?' Fenn asked, taking a moment to look up from her pad. Semi distracted by Mike's attempted to fix the dripping urn in the centre of the table, Orion finally passed the note over. I got the impression he was struggling to read the writing.

Fenn's eyes scanned over the page.

'So that's roughly twenty-two in total? Most of them were older normal types, although three…

'From the old fire department.' Orion filled in, 'We've also got a plucky Growlithe from the old Police force who seemed very keen to help out. Sound about right?'

The question was directed at Hauser who squinted over at the paper.

'I was led to believe that your parents wanted to come along as well?'

Everyone stopped.

The sound of Jane's mug clattering down broke the silence. Even I had been holding my breath. Orion's face dropped, blood seeping from his cheeks before he groaned. Covering his face with a hand, he rubbed at his hair. The Umbreon ears that adorned his head had drooped significantly, and the man stole a cold look at the Lucario.

You could have heard a pin drop. Everyone had their eyes fixed on the leader of Fort Haste. The pen in Fenn's hand has snapped down the middle, though she seemed unaware of her grip.

The girl spoke raggedly,

'You're parent's survived?!' It was as much an accusation as a question.

Orion was visibly shaking, his eyes darting around each member of the chain in turn.

'Orion! You never told us…us about your parents!' Bass nearly squeaked. Of all those in the room, only Mike appeared to be taking the situation calmly.

The virus had less of an effect the younger you were. No adults had survived, with only those roughly below seventeen had a slim chance on not being affected. Orion looked older than that but it was clear he wasn't much over eighteen. Of everything that had happened, we had all lost our families and our homes. It seemed unfair somehow that the man hadn't lost the same things I had. Jealousy began to develop in the depth of my stomach.

'Eon knew this was going to happen eventually.' Orion muttered, visibly pulling himself together. Hauser was wincing. I guess that he could feel every single emotion bouncing between the four walls at this point in time.

'You had to go and tell them?' The Umbreon-morph reiterated.

Hauser recovered quickly, poking a large paw towards the boy.

'That was something they should have known. You didn't think to tell them? Do they know anything?'

The fact that they had shifted into a different language arose some suspicion. Only the calm voice of Fenn saved the day, though I could tell that is came through shackles. With a voice that was too flat, too controlled, she pointed out what we were all thinking.

'I think you have some explaining to do Orion.'

The morph was cornered. He just nodded, wringing his hands as he shrunk under everyone's gaze. His golden-ringed ears were pulled back and his tail was twitching in awkward motions as he attempted to steady himself.

'Well?' Insley demanded, too impatient to watch the man suffer.

'I was adopted when I was younger…too young to remember…' Orion was struggling to speak, covering his face again. When he finally lowered his hands, there were tears in the corners of his eyes.

'I was brought up by a pair of Leafeons. Well..' Orion's face screwed up, 'It's complicated. I had an Auntie and Uncle too which we stayed with. They were...humans. My adopted father Järn worked with my Uncle in Kanto Uni. We stayed with them for a long time…'

Orion trailed off. He struggled to form the words, taking deliberate pauses as if considering at each break to leave his story undefined. Maybe everyone else felt like I did - like we'd intruded into the his life somehow. I grew uncomfortable. But again the jealousy rose once more and the information sunk in slowly.

'So you were raised by Pokémon?' Fenn asked quietly. Confusion was plastered across her face, 'For how long? I thought you came from Sinnoh?'

Orion nodded as if to himself, his eyes a world away. A lot could be said about his eyes, for they seemed to shift and change faster than could be expressed elsewhere. The faintly red orbs hid the world in their depths - even now as they seemed to emit only half-truths. Orion saw everyone at once.

'For bre considerable amount of time.'

Insley slammed a hand down onto the table making everyone jump. Even Hauser bounced out of his seat.

'You can't just keep giving us vague answers and hoping we'll swallow them! First you say that you're parents survived and now you're telling us their Leafeons? And...And after trying to convince us that this ancient Lucario is a member of Vetra? What the fook? Shite Orion! This isn't some fookin' game.'

'Seriously Orion.' Mike backed Insley up in his gruff voice, 'I know Insley has a temper but she's right.'

'Of course I'm…'

Insley was forced to back-off form Fenn's cold stare. The second in command was the only member of the Chain that seemed the tiniest bit in control of the situation. Placing her broken pen down, she laid her arms down on the table gently. It was almost as if she was reaching out across the man.

'Orion. I know it's going to be hard. But you need to explain as much as you can. Do it now and you won't need to do it again. Nothing with leave these walls.'

Fenn took a moment to look at us each in turn. There were mumbled of agreement, and I nodded quietly when her eyes met mine.

'Right.' The Umbreon's voice wasn't much above a whisper.

Of everything that could have happened next, I didn't expect for him to get up into his feet. Kicking his chair out the way, I almost expected him to walk out. Instead, his maroon eyes darted around the room.

'You got any chalk or something?' Orion seemed to ask the question out loud, before directing it again towards Mike, 'Chalk?'

The teenager shook his head, leaving Orion to lean over the table and grab Fenn's half-broken pen. Turning it round his fingers for a moment, everyone seemed unsure of what was going to happen next. Orion flashed a sheepish smile. It was then that he turned to the wall behind him. Deftly, a rough map of Fort Haste started to form on the white wall from a few pen stokes.

'What are you doing?' Jane asked, seeming to have overcome her shock.

I too was trying to make out the purpose of the sketches coming to life. A few words started to appear, though in that childlike scrawl and wonky lettering. Was the man that bad? This continued for another minutes before (after applying a few finishing touches) the Umbreon stood back to admire his work.

'Please tell me you didn't just ruin that wall for nothing…' Fenn moaned, rubbing at her temples. Leaning back on her chair, my eyes flickered between the girl and Orion. Both seemed to be in a deadlock. It was clear that Fenn was worried for the man. Even being here a few days, I knew this show was very unlike him.

During the fiasco, the man's empty hot chocolate mug had been knocked over.

Orion cleared his throat.

'I'm going to run through a hell of a lot of stuff right now.' He announced, 'You want to know everything. So here it is.'

The man gathered himself, not seeming to care if the others were paying attention of not. Only the Lucario seemed to be avoiding the wall, instead watching Orion slowly. Nobody else seemed to notice and so I focused on the lecture to come. If anything, at least I too would now know the story.

Fenn was eyeing her watch.

'This is Fort Haste.'

Orion moved his pen like one of those old laser-pointers. He didn't seem aware of the fact that the biro didn't cast anything of the like.

'The virus appeared in the middle of March. Things deteriorated pretty quickly as for whatever reason, the disease could not be contained. I picked you guys up during the first week of April and Fort Haste was built within the next two months. That brings us up to present - the end of October.'

Orion paused, pulling at the collar of his shirt.

'Before this time,' He explained, 'I lived with my aunt and uncle. I say my parents were Leafeons, but they adopted me when I was little. I wasn't your normal child...' The man trailed off, running a hand through his hair, 'How do I say this? Ummm…'

'This isn't making any sense Orion.' Fenn pointed out.

'I know!' He screwed his eyes, rubbing at the bridge of his nose. 'It's complicated. I was infected really early on with the virus and can't remember much before. They cared for me before the outbreak and…'

'Wait. You had the virus before the outbreak?' Jane looked over her glasses, pushing her black hair out her eyes. 'I didn't think it even existed before. People knew about the disease before the outbreak?'

Orion rolled his shoulder.

'It must have existed for some time before. I don't know.'

It was a lame excuse, but the leader of the Chain used the sudden lull to jump forward with his presentation. It was clear that even now, he was trying to avoid the topic.

'So we have Fort Haste. We all know why but was chosen - mostly based on location. Defences circle an old farmstead with access to hundreds of kilometres of quality land that surrounds the camp. To the south we have woodland, giving us the potential of logging. Towards the south-west and round to the north we have acre-upon-acre of flat floodplains with great grazing. Meanwhile, the east is dominated by arable land with well-drained rolling hills. Not only this, but we have a large town ten miles down the road useful for scavenging.'

Orion spoke in a monotone voice that displayed little emotion. I had experienced many lecturers in the past and this man could fit in at any school or college. Moving the pencil around in his hand, he still seemed unaware that no laser light touched the walls. Only the midday sunlight cast odd shadows across the lucid sketch.

'As far as we know, the virus can now only be transmitted by direct contact. We have a population of one hundred and seventy four at the last count. As far as we're aware, we're the last population centre within a hundred miles.'

The Umbreon-morph heaved a sigh, eyes scanning across the image.

'Survival is solely a matter of maintaining a healthy population isolated from Ferals. Defences provide protection from rogue Ferals, while health is a matter of food, water, and healthcare. Assuming a short winter and good foraging, next year will be fine. However. Given any worst-case scenario, well, we don't stand a chance with the stocks we currently…'

'Wait a minute!' Insley interrupted, 'Are you trying to say that we're going to run out of food?'

Orion froze, his long ears perking up at the interruption. After a small pause, he nodded slowly. 'Yeah pretty much. We won't make it into late spring at the current rate of consumption. Which is why building trust with bre Wildlings is so important. And why the disappearance of the guys at Berry Hill is so worrying.'

There were a few grumbles at that information, most of which seemed to come from Mike. The teenager was running a hand across his face before massaging his temples.

'And you didn't think to tell us this?' Mike asked, placing his half empty mug of hot chocolate down.

For some reason Orion was swaying slightly, as if struggling to get his balance. It didn't take long to put two and two together. Remembering that I'd seen Fenn slip something into the man's drink, I shot her a quick look. The second in command was sending worried glances around the room. Out eyes met and she quickly averted her gaze. Unaware, Orion continued his explanation.

'The plan was to make friends with those up at the old camp after they made off with the remainder of the supplies we needed. It didn't matter too much because we always knew that-'

'You always knew that…' Insley mumbled loudly under her breath. Orion didn't skip a beat.

'-the stocks were there umbre Berry Hill. Bre had planned to befriend them...which obviously didn't go as bre planned.

The Umbreon shuddered slightly at that thought. It was Hauser that filled in the rest of the information.

'That food was gone yesterday.' The aging Lucario shared with the Chain. 'Which suggests that either they left with the food, or somebody else took it from them.'

'So if somebody was going to attack Berry Hill, then they wanted food.' Mike thought out loud, grumbling a little as he adjusted himself in his chair. His wax coat was starting to smell in the warmth. 'It sounds like we have humans that are able to control Ferals.'

The statement seemed to fizzle in the air.

'There's no proof of that.' Bass countered, 'This seems like a lot of ifs and buts.'

'Not to mention Orion skipped over the fact that he was infected before the outbreak.' Insley agreed, turning to look at Jane and then Fenn for backup. Neither wanted to comment. Fenn was still watching Orion from the corner of her eye.

'So this is all theory.' Bass affirmed.

'For now we can only guess. Ferals make an illogical weapon.' Hauser intoned, rubbing at the fur on his chest with large paws.

Insley had to break the calm as she sounded out what everyone was thinking.

'So we're fookin' screwed then? You're saying that some food has mysteriously disappeared along with the guys on Berry Hill. They were dicks so we can let that slip. But now you're saying that there are Ferals gathering…

'And we have evidence that someone is sticking stakes in them.' Mike added.

'Yeah. Add to that the fact that you LIED about our food stocks!' Insley snapped, slamming a fist on the table. It shook slightly, the urn rattling.

'Calm down Insley.' Fenn scolded the teenager, 'Let's try and think this through before we start accusing people.'

Insley crossed her arms and pouted. It didn't last long before she was glaring at Orion however. The latter didn't pay much heed. In fact, the Umbreon morph was now leaning heavily on the back of Mike's chair. Some colour had dissipated from his face.

'Whether or not we've been misled.' Mike emphasized, 'It's clear that something it going on. The Feral spiders indicate that.'

Orion slid himself wearily back into his chair.

All of this time my mind had been spinning. So much seemed to be happened at once and having only just arrived at Fort Haste, only about twenty percent made any sense. But it didn't seem right that the Chain were starting to bicker about it. It was clear that everyone was terrified on the situation, had no clue what was going on, or what to do next. But we were all trying to hide it. Underlying it all was a deep anger at their situation and a need to blame anyone or anything for it. All that anger was slowly and steadily starting to be focused on Orion.

Only Hauser seemed to be thinking with a clear head. His eyes met mine and the greying Lucario nodded.

I cleared my throat, tail twitching behind my chair.

'I'd like to say something if you don't mind.'

Out of everyone in the chain, it was only Fenn who agreed. Orion perked up a little though his eyes told a different story. Jane and Bass were talking in hushed tones. Hauser smoothed down his fur again and I felt a strange sense of déjà vu.

'I know things aren't looking that great at the moment. But you can't lose sight of what you have here.'

My voice came out in bursts and I calmed myself. Why was this so hard?

'I'm not originally from Kanto. I was travelling here as a trainer when the virus struck. I'd been training in a forest at the time to the north, and by the time I returned to a Viridian city everyone was...was…'

The emotions came rushing back and I fought them back. I was all too aware of everyone's attention now focused on me. Tear collected about my eyes but I stopped myself pawing at them.

'That was tough. Everyone was dead. So I went looking for survivors. The Ferals were everywhere and my...my team wasn't strong enough. I lost two of them befo…'

Why was my voice cracking like this? It was like I could barely breathe.

'You don't have to tell us if you don't want to Matt.' Fenn said quietly. Bass nodded at the comment and for a moment I felt like giving up. Something at the back of my mind pushed me to continue. Steadying my voice took a moment. A comforting paw from Hauser on my knee was all I needed. The Lucario offered me a small smile which was a struggle across his canine muzzle.

'The point is.' I tried again, 'That we need Fort Haste. It's tough here and the future is not going to be easy - but it's going to a be a hell of a lot better than going at it alone. I don't know the full background or anything, but we need to…'

There was a loud whistle call suddenly and we all jumped.

The high-pitched squeal seemed to hang in the air before the message was repeated again. My ears knew the sounds but not well enough to decipher what they meant.

The Chain all cursed in their own way, Insley yelling the words loudly as she pushed herself to her feet. Hauser closed his eyes and for a moment the aura sensors on the back of his head rose hauntingly in mid-air. Twitching his ears, he spoke via aura to those in the room just as Orion was struggling to get out of his own chair.

'There are three Ferals approaching from the south-east. A Rhyhorn and two Tauros. They seem to be considering whether to attack.'

Mike thanked the Lucario, getting up to grip onto a unsteady Orion. The Umbreon-morph was making his way out of the door but always appeared drunk. He wobbled, almost tripping before the mechanic saved him.

'You alright mate?' Mike asked, squinting at the Leader of Fort Haste.

'I'll have a look at him.' Fenn jumped at the opportunity, but Orion batted her away with a hand.

'I'm fine breon.'

Bass and Jane squeezed past, 'We'll take out positions.' Insley followed. I ran a hand across my face and tried to steady my beating heart. How often did these Feral attacks occur? As if reading my mind (which he probably was) Hauser once more offered a toothy grin,

'It is only those three.' Hauser spoke softly in our minds, before adding 'They are afraid.'

I wasn't sure whether he was referring the Ferals, of the Hasties that were leaving the room. Either way, it took a long moment to steady myself. Having a huge twitching leaf for a tail wasn't helping.

Orion had made his way out of the door, with Mike agreeing to help the man. Fenn's dark expression told a whole new story. Watching the two teenagers leave, she slid her notebook with a huff. Eyeing Hauser and I critically, she waved us back into our seats. Reaching down to grab a large tome book form the floor, she then filled up another mug of hot chocolate with remarkable speed.

Outside more whistle calls sounded through the window. The door slammed downstairs.

Fenn stirred the mug quickly before nearly throwing the spoon down onto the table.

'I need to talk to you two about Orion.' She stated, warming her hands on the porcelain.

'Why us?' The question seemed reasonable until I said it. I was unsure why she was asking us this question now, let alone in the first place. My sensitive ears picked up the activity outside. Someone was yelling to fetch rifles.

Fenn just sighed loudly.

'I need a second opinion. I don't know much about either of you...but by the looks of it you are now both Hasties.' It was clear that Fenn wasn't so keen on the fact. The teenager looked Hauser up and down for a second before continuing, 'I think Orion trusts you, Matt, because you have gone through the same things he has. I think he'll talk to you about things he won't with anybody else.'

She then lifted her gaze to Hauser, meeting his red eyes.

'And I know that you know more about the man than we do. If Orion won't explain his past, then maybe you can elucidate it for us?'

Outside the window the kids were coming to attention. A company of teenagers with bows were stringing their weapons while a pair took turns distributing arrows. Through the dust planes I could just make out Orion talking with what appeared to be Jeff. The man had his hands in his pockets, though was leaning heavily against a palisade support. Clouds of mist hung in the air as clouds formed from their breath.

It felt like a different world inside.

Hauser and I sat in silence as Fenn picked up her silver teaspoon once more and began stirring her hot chocolate. After moment she drained the top inch of liquid before setting the mug down heavily.

'Look. I don't know the best way to say this. Things have been getting really weird here as of late.' Fenn paused,

She spoke in a horse whisper. It was as if she was afraid of the very conclusion she had drawn.

'I think Orion's going crazy.'

---

XXX

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[4.53] Pink Floyd - Wish You Were Here (1975)

Did they get you to trade

Your heroes for ghosts?

Hot ashes for trees?

Hot air for a cool breeze?

Cold comfort for change?

Did you exchange

A walk on part in the war

For a lead role in a cage?

---

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon. This story is a work of fiction, and any resemblance to any events, location, and/or persons, living or dead, is coincidental. The views expressed by the characters and/or the narratives do not necessarily reflect the author's views. This fiction is rated T and may be unsuitable for young audiences. 'Fort Haste' is a fictional concept that is owned and regulated by ZenColour. Viewer discretion is advised

[Edit 24/03/19 to correct a few stupid mistakes!]