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.

7. Chapter 6

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 also very thankful for the additional help from Oblivion Wave Productions as our very own beta reader.

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AUTHOR NOTES

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Zen: Hi again all. The team and I are aiming to get chapters out monthly, although there was a slight delay in proofreading this chapter due to my own busy schedule. Thanks for your patience! Now that this story is featured in the "Transformation and pokemorph stories" community there has been a huge increase in readership, so a warm hello to everyone new joining us! This chapter marks the calm before the storm, as well as expanding on a few of the key characters in the FH universe. Enjoy!

R'Love: A lovely how do you do to any newcomers to this story, I hope you enjoy this chapter! It has been great fun working on this chapter.

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HAYS SNH Version 5 (0076 PA)

Forward written by I. K. Wyee [EXTRACT]

9000406227424 - Sinnoh Outreach Programme for Historical Preservation

Following what could only be called a fight for survival, the single surviving society within the exclusion zone rapidly evolved into a democracy in the following years. However, a government was not created sensu stricto. Instead the development of an economy derived from the specialisation of Hasties and Pokémon into pre-industrial job roles necessitated some form of organisational body. Although a socialist government was attempted in the early development of Fort Haste, a capital-driven welfare state resulted. This remains the predominant model maintaining the first independent state of the post V-DPP world.

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CHAPTER 6

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An Extract from 'The Book of Hays'

They didn't know they were engineering a doomsday machine. But then again, he didn't know what he was either.

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ORION's POV

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I thought that Fenn had told me everything.

Then again, I also thought that Matt had filled me in on what Fenn had missed out. The Leafeon-morph sat next to my bed for sometime that first evening. Unlike Fenn, the teenager appeared happy to talk about his day - having helped Mike rig up a low-wattage strip light to provide some extra UV light for the grass-type. Looking back, I wasn't sure whether I had dreamt up that idea or not. The boy looked rough, his mottled brown and green hair stood up all over the place. I dreaded to think what kind of state I was in.

For now, Hauser was all I had to keep me company. The Lucario was pleased to make small talk, his ears twitching merrily as he made a poor joke about the approaching winter. During the time I'd been out, the thermometer had dropped considerably. Given Fenn's strict instructions that I wasn't to leave until Jane had given me a full MOT, there wasn't much to do but wait. For some reason, Hauser had a bandage wrapped tightly around one paw. Standing next to the bed, he unthinkingly scratched at the material whilst staring out of the window.

Only the creaking of floorboards a few minutes later announced that somebody was climbing the stairs. Every sound echoed, seeming to reverberate all throughout the old farmhouse. Boredom made even such mundane things diverting.

Sitting up a little on the edge of the bed, I ran a hand through my hair. I didn't need a mirror to reveal the effect of the tiredness that clung to my face. I could feel the weight of my heavy eyelids as I blinked reality back into clarity.

Jane clicked the door open without knocking, squeezing through before shutting it lightly behind. A large hardcover book sat heavy in her arms. Once through she pushed her glasses back up her nose a little, only then taking a glance around the room. The teenager's eyes settled on me and she offered a weak smile.

'Oh. You're up. Feeling ok?'

I nodded, watching Jane from the corner of my eyes as she slid a chair over across the floorboards. Her book she set down on the seat gently. I didn't feel the need to point out the considerable distance she placed the chair from my bed. Or how wide a berth the teenager gave me, clearly trying not to get too close. Jane checked the bedside table and the half-empty glass of water that rested there. She even sniffed at the chamberpot which had been pushed to its hiding place under the mattress.

'I'll go and get Fenn...' Hauser excused himself quietly.

'Thanks Hauser.' Jane thanked the Pokémon, watching him leave before puffing out a large sigh. I sat up a little, clearing my throat. The medic appeared to take that as a prompt that I was going to speak, but realised it wasn't an attempt to break the silence. I'd been stuck inside for the past few hours since she'd last seen me anyways. It wasn't like I had much to talk about.

Jane became aware of this fact rather quickly, breaking the silence.

'Did you want a hot drink or anything? I kinda forgot to grab any tea before I came.' She set the large medical tome onto her lap as if to give herself something to do.

'I could do with a toilet rather than a bucket.' I joked mildly, 'Though a hot drink would have been nice too.'

Jane sighed, looking at me over her glasses. 'It's the best we could do. I'm guessing Fenn explained about the sleeping pill incident…? She'll be along shortly anyways.'

'She did,' I verified, having to clear my throat again before continuing. 'You don't think that I could have reacted to it? Isn't there a list of stuff that this medication might do to people?'

Jane grunted in agreement, opening her book and searching for a page. I shivered slightly in the cold air as she made an effort of flicking through the pages. At first I thought she was going to find a list of side-effects. Instead the young adult earmarked a page.

'Right. You ready for this?'

'Ready for what? Fenn said…' I trailed off, fighting off the headache starting to throb in the back of my head. Rubbing my eyes for a moment, It took me an embarrassingly long time to form the right words. Jane waited patiently and I had a strange feeling of déjà vu.

'There's something you should know.'

'It's ok Orion.` Jane spoke empathetically, offering a poor attempt at a warm smile. 'Both Hauser and Fenn talked it through with me this morning. We agreed on...well I'll read out what I found. That'll help fill you in on everything.'

'Humph.' I pouted, not wanted to point out how badly everyone had been attempting that duty so far. I didn't know if Fenn was purposefully trying to leave me in the dark - or if they were hiding something suspicious. In this state, my mind kept favouring the latter. Jane ignored my grumbling. She frowned momentarily at the book in front of her, taking a breath.

'Orion…We think that you have a dissociative behavioural disorder.'

I was confused at what that actually meant. Sure, I had explained my episodes to Fenn only yesterday (at least I thought it was yesterday) so I wasn't expecting some...behavioural problem? Jane had a serious expression on her face. I returned the look blandly, not understanding the gravity of the situation that the medic was implying. Once more, she did that weird thing of licking her finger before turning a page. When it was clear I wasn't getting any further explanation anytime soon, I had to ask the teenager directly.

'By that...you mean?'

'It means that you may have periods where you, or what you experience, doesn't feel real. It also means that sometimes you may behave as different people.' Jane's voice was monotone as she quoted the text, 'People with the issue struggle to focus on what is real, and what is not. There's almost no information on treatment. All that I know is that is it usually caused by past trauma, typically during childhood. From what Hauser told me, that's most likely the case'

I nodded quietly, too scared to speak. My stomach had dropped through my feet as how accurately those words may have described my situation. So I was dissociative? That was a thing then? It wasn't just that I sometimes struggled to control my natural Pokémon instincts, it was that I struggled to deal with reality as a whole? My brain was trying to remember what happened over the past few days but to no avail. That added a sharp edge to my discomfort.

'Does...does that make sense?' Jane stuttered briefly, watching me with interest as I processed the revelation.

'You think so?' I asked at last, wiggling on the bed a little to get comfortable. It felt much colder that it should have been, making me pull my jacket more tightly around me.

'Well. What do you think?' Jane flicked over another page. Finding another block of text with her finger, she read a passage deliberately, 'Depersonalization disorder is marked by periods of feeling disconnected or detached from one's body and thoughts. The disorder is sometimes described as feeling like you are observing yourself from outside your body or like…'

Both of us jumped when the door opened. We'd both been too absorbed in Jane's slow reading to hear the sound of creaking floorboards. Fenn appeared, kicking open the door with one foot. She looked a little windswept, with rosy cheeks and a red nose from the cold air. Flashing a brief smile, she propped the door open for Hauser to squeeze through after. The greying Lucario eyed Jane and I expectedly, immediately picking up on the vibe of the room.

Fort Haste's medic swiveled in her chair, her glasses sliding back down her nose.

'That didn't take long.' She spoke bluntly, 'You nearly gave me a heart attack!'

'It's a good thing your our doctor. Means you can fix yourself up eh?' Fenn had a number of mugs carefully balanced between two hands. Chuckling at her own joke, the second in command placed the hot drinks down on the chest of draws in an effort to quickly avoid anymore spillages. After a moment to tidy her blonde hair, Fenn rested her hands on her hips and surveyed the room.

'Right. Down to business then?'

Fenn offered me a mug, raising an eyebrow when I declined. It didn't take a genius to realise why. She shrugged it off, handing a tea to jane. With a cup sat in her own hand, Fenn popped herself on the bed next to me.

'So we're all here to discuss how I'm going crazy right?' I twitched my nose, trying to make light of the deep feeling of discomfort in my chest. Fenn snorted, shaking her head momentarily before draining tea from the top of her mug.

'It's not that bad.' She stated mildly, itching at her hair for a moment. 'Well. Maybe...'

'That's not helping.' Jane interrupted the two of us. She set her book down on the floor before leaning back in her chair with her arms crossed. 'The real issue here is that we're all worried for you Orion. For the last what - four days? You've been behaving as a Pokémon. Now you seem to have woken out of that state...and you tell Fenn that it happens sometimes. Is it frequent? How often? What triggers it?'

The medic watched me sternly, even as my shoulders slumped.

'It just happens. I don't know how often, but I haven't done it for ages. Nothing really triggers it, unless maybe the sleeping pills did?' I gave a sharp glance towards Fenn. The teenager wasn't looking at me however, having reached down to pick up the medical tome Jane had abandoned on the floor.

'You know about what they did right?' I asked Jane, embarrassed at how difficult it was to keep the resent out of my voice. I itched at my neck out of a habit that should have died years ago. 'They went into my memories. Not to mention drugging me up!?'

Jane nodded stiffly,

'They were worried about you Orion.'

'Maybe next time why not try talking to me about it? Something like "Hey Orion. Feeling alright mate?" instead of...of violating my mind!'

My ears drew back naturally, my hackles rising as I tried to calm the knot of anger and confusion in my stomach.

'To be fair. You weren't in the best of states to be asked things.' Fenn explained shortly, flicking through the pages of the medical book. Sat on the opposite end of the bed, she was depressing the mattress and I had to stop myself sliding in her direction.

'You could have tried! How long have I been like this?'

Nobody spoke for a moment.

'Four days.' Jane sighed, 'Can I just say that it was Fenn's ideas to go into your memories. That was nothing to-'

'In fact. I should be the one apologising for that.' Hauser cut through, dropping the speech into our minds. The Pokémon was pacing the room behind Jane, his arms clasped behind his back as if in thought. He looked tired. Then again, that could have been the wrinkles around his eyes. It was easy to forget just how old the Lucario was.

'Yes. It was rude for me to intrude upon your memories in that way.'

The Lucario bowed his head. Although I tried, it was hard to stay angry at Hauser. Nor could I keep the cold disappointment bubbling away that I had towards Jane and Fenn. Getting frustrated wouldn't solve anything and with a grumble, I wiped at my face and blinked the tiredness from my eyes with a sigh.

'It's fine guys. Preferably, lets not do it again.' I paused, 'So memories right? I'm guessing this is what it's all about?'

Jane went to object, though after a moment of indecision she just nodded - along with Fenn and Hauser. All three were looking at me expectantly. The sudden attention left my ears warm.

'What!?' I asked at last, unclear on what they wanted me to say exactly.

Nobody spoke for a while. That was, until Fenn wiggled on the other end of the bed, sat her tea down, and turned to me. 'Your features. They're not from the virus outbreak are they? You were part-Umbreon before all this happened?'

The teenager sat with her hands on her scruffy jeans, feigning a more calm manner than her eyes revealed. Fenn's questions were exactly demanding, but there were somewhat intrusive. Then again, supposedly both her and Hauser had been on a whistle-stop tour of my memories. What difference would it make now?

Still. It was difficult to talk about it.

'Yes. I was.'

'And…?' Fenn promoted after I'd remained quiet for a few seconds too long. 'How did it happen? People aren't naturally born like this.'

Outside a couple of Starly and a few pidgeys were calling in complete juxtaposition to the swirling discord in the room.

'I..' My tongue felt heavy, my mouth too dry to make the words. Not wanting to meet anyone's eyes, I simply stared at the floor. If I wasn't sitting down, my tail would have been stuck between my legs. It was all I could do to stop myself whimpering.

'I was engineered to be like this. Someone made me like this.'

'Was that Melissa?' Fenn didn't miss a beat. She bent down to pick up her tea again, cradling it on her lap.

Just hearing my old master's name brought a way of anxiety through my body. My instincts seemed to kick in automatically, ears pulling down against my head as a low tumble came to my throat. The hair on my neck rose as I tried to force away the natural jolt from my sympathetic nervous system. Seeing Jane's eyes widen brought me back to reality as I felt Fenn's hand touch my shoulder. She had moved closer and watched me curiously as I tried to punctuate the denial of what was happening. What more was there to hide?

I managed a small grunt of agreement.

'Yeah. I guess you really did see my past.' Sniffing to clear away a clump of snot, I wiggled feeling back into my jaw. 'She was the one who made me. Her husband died and she...she couldn't get over it. She thought she could bring him back. That's why I was born. But…'

I trailed off. Half of me wanted to spill everything to the three of them, unveiling all my secrets bare and being done with it. But something else fought to hold onto the secrets and scars that had remained hidden for so long.

'How does that even work?' Jane asked me softly, wringing her hands. 'You can't just bring people back from the dead.'

I didn't know how to reply to that. Thankfully Hauser stepped in, both figuratively and literally. The greying Lucario stopped his pacing and, with a sigh, came over to lean against the chest of draws. He played with the bandage around his paw as he spoke into our minds.

'It's a common myth amongst Pokémon. The Gods exist in a metaphorical Hall of Origin which separates the land of the living from the land of the dead. They control the balance of the universe, creation and destruction.'

'And it was thought I could pass through the hall and bring back her husband.' I finished, heaving out a breath that seemed bundled up in my chest. Itching at my temples, I was surprised at just how fast my heart was beating.

'You can bring back the dead?' Fenn asked flatly, giving me a stare of disbelief. It wasn't an expression I was used to seeing on the girl and I failed to hold back a sheepish grin.

'Theoretically.'

There was a long pause.

'Only by passing into the Hall of Origin...and if the Gods let you. Which they won't.' Hauser clarified.

'Wait a minute...' Jane flicked her attention between me and the former Vetra member. 'You're telling me that not only do the Legendaries exists, but they live in some supposed hall which you can visit? Seriously?'

I just nodded, fighting back another shiver. My ears bobbed.

'That's ridiculous' The medic stated in a bland tone. Taking a sip from her tea, all Jane could do was shake her head. Turning to look at Fenn, the two teenager made some sort of weird eye contact that might have meant a million different things. 'You were there.' She told Fenn, searching for some form of confirmation to sustain her worries.

After a moment the medic just sighed, 'Let's get back to the matter at hand...and not insane hypotheticals.'

'I thought you said you were brought up in Sinnoh?' Fenn continued to question, 'But we saw memories of you living with a family here in Kanto. Those memories of...of before. How much was true?' Fenn's expression was one of desperation. Not that she broke eye contact. Her pale blue eyes appeared to watch every inch of my face for a response.

I chewed on a lip,

'They were memories right? It happened.' She emphasized slowly.

'What we saw were two sets of memories, Orion.' Hauser added, 'I have never seen anything like this before. If what Jane has suggested is true about you having some form of dissociative behaviour...that could mean that some of those things did not happen like you remembered.'

Hauser's voice was kind, but there was a deep pity hanging around the wrinkles near his eyes. For a moment he turned his gaze to look out of the window again, though I refrained from staring at the Pokémon least he would make eye contact. It was starting to get very awkward being the centre of attention. Sweat had begun to bead on my back.

'That happened.' I admitted, studying the floorboards, 'Before all of this. I was a trial for a new medical enhancement that could make Pokémon stronger. Maybe I was being trained to battle the Gods...I don't know…'

My throat was dry.

'I don't really want to remember.'

'But the virus was made for you Orion!' Fenn burst out, 'This explains everything. And if you were...that means…'

Fenn was thinking out loud now. Hopping up onto her feet, I stole a glance upwards to find the girl pacing to the door and back. She had her arms crossed over her chest, holding her jumper tight to her body. It was then that Fenn stopped suddenly, the floorboards groaning under her feet from the sudden acceleration.

'This virus affects you differently. So Matt and K...' Fenn seemed to slip up on the last name. However, Jane was already on the same wavelength. Having sprawling back in her chair, the medic scratched at nose briefly,

'He's going to respond differently.' Jane agreed. 'Matt already seems to have many more features that Orion has. Did you say you were engineered?'

I nodded stiffly, a little bemused at the reactions of the two girls. Fenn seemed to have got a burst of energy, dancing on her feet as she acted out her thoughts almost through the rhythm of her footsteps pacing. Blood was starting to warm my ears but I shivered again, feeling the cold in the room more than usual.

'Engineered?' Jane repeated, 'So you were always like this...how is that even possible?'

'It shouldn't be.' I mumbled, Jane leant forward in her chair as an obvious invitation for me to speak up. Rubbing at my nose, I tried to steady my voice. 'I really should not be alive considering the ten per…'

'How old are you Orion?' Fenn interrupted suddenly.

My ears perked up at her voice, though Jane shot her friend a cold stare.

'Sorry.' Fenn tugged at her woolen sweatshirt, 'But it might be important. You told us you were eighteen or something right?'

'I'm...I'm not really sure. I think so.'

'But you couldn't have been much older than that from what we saw in your memories.' Hauser added, a hint of interest underlying his voice. 'And we saw you were much younger in the later memories...at one point you weren't far into your teenage years.'

Fenn was nodding as she stuck her hands into her pockets, kicking at the floorboards.

'So that stuff with you in the compound happened? And you escaped?' The second in command asked.

'The virus got out.' I explained stiffly, 'That's how...how I escaped. Mel...Melissa created the medication that they tested on me. It wasn't made for….' I trailed off. For years I'd simply refused to acknowledge the repercussions of what my past really represented. I'd been in denial over the truth of the situation for so long that I'd become desensitised to it. The virus might have devastated the world, but it was also a medical enhancement devised to make a weapon stronger than any Pokémon in existence.

I didn't really know for how long I'd been sat in a stupour. It was only when Fenn deposited herself on the bed next to me and wrapped an arm around my shoulder that things started to come back together. Blinking away the tears, I wiped at my snout and tried to perk up my ears a little bit.

'Orion? We can understand if this is becoming a bit too much but you need to tell us everything you can.'

'...Thanks.'

Although they'd been through my memories, it was becoming apparent that they hadn't seen the whole truth. Perhaps it got to the point that those recollections no longer existed following my feeble attempt to simply forget the trauma. It was difficult enough to remember everything that happened during my childhood, let alone the implications of what it truly meant.

'I wasn't lying when I said I look like this because of the virus. It was an enhancement for Pokémon traits, although I guess they'd already designed me to look like this. But I think that Pokémon and people can't deal with what the virus does to them. It's like…' I trailed off, trying to frame my words correctly. Both Jane and Fenn were hanging off every intonation.

'It's like it forces Pokémon to evolve. You know, giving them energy like a Moon Stone would. Except things can't handle that type of force and it either kills you or...turns Pokémon into Ferals.'

Jane pushed her black fringe out of the way before pulling at the collar of her purple fleece. Rubbing at her chin in thought, the medic went to speak only to be interrupted by Fenn. The fact that they both asked the same thing defused the situation rather abruptly.

'So why would that affect adults and not hurt kids in the same way?'

All I could do was shrug. Thankfully Hauser broadcasted the solution in his gruff tone, dropping the thoughts into our ears without any true sound.

'I believe it has something to do with your bodies. You are not immune as such...but that is no longer an issue given that we know the disease is no longer airborne. Perhaps younger bodies can deal with the mutations in a way like Matt's and possibly Megan's have. They are both adolescents and are perhaps still developing…'

Fenn nodded, having watched the aging Lucario speak. It was a little unnerving to be in a conversation with the steel-type, given that he muzzle didn't even twitch as used his aura abilities.

'That would make sense. This is something we need to start considering.'

'Interpreting the virus you mean?' Jane queried, 'I think it's more important we keep an eye on what it does first. Whether or not it was a device created for you Orion, we've got Megan to watch given that her infection seems to be getting worse.'

'Megan?' I wondered out loud. 'The sentry in the Feral attack? The one you haven't been letting me see, let alone talk to?' I shot Fenn a dark look, not needing to fire-up the anger sizzling away at the base of my stomach. 'You do know that I'm not infectious, right?'

'We didn't want you bothering her. You know what you're like. She's skittish at the best of times.'

'There seems to be a distinct lack of trust around me.' I grumbled loudly, trying to make light of a rapidly dawning realisation. 'It's about what I am isn't it? I'm basically an Umbreon and be-'

'It's not like that at all! And you know it.' Fenn cut through, trying to speak gently. Even I could her the defensiveness in her tone.

'Huh. Great.'

I wasn't convinced. The paranoia had been there since Derrick has flatly rejected to join the survivors in building Fort Haste. But thinking back, it had always been there. Ever since I was old enough to see the look of pity in Jenny's eyes, or the sympathy from my adopted family. I had always been different. What more proof did I need? Fenn had gone as far to look through my memories rather than ask me directly.

'Come on Orion.' Fenn started to scold, 'You were the one that didn't want to talk about any of this.'

It wasn't anger in her blue eyes but an all too familiar mix of frustration and dejection.

'Now you've seen it all, how can you blame me?' I replied flatly. 'Besides, would you have believed all of this?'

'I w…Heck!'

We all jumped when the door suddenly opened. The squeak of the hinges took us all by surprise, even Hauser given his aura senses should have picked up any intruders. Ever so slowly the door creaked open. Fenn was on her feet just as Kim stepped inside, averting her gaze in a poor attempt at guilt. My face dropped. The visiting tomboy was the last person I expected.

Smirking, the girl adjusted her tartan beret and went as far to give us all a short bow. I was beyond confused.

'You could have knocked.' Fenn chewed on the words. There was indignation in her eyes that Kim seemed completely unaware of.

Closing the door behind her, the teenager wiped at a few specks of moisture on her black jacket.

'I think you were all a bit too preoccupied to notice.'

'Manners Kim.' Jane added smoothly, looking down over the tops of her glasses, 'What can we help with?'

There was a long pause during which Kim seemed to study everyone in turn. There was a prolonged, somewhat awkward moment during which Kim and Fenn seemed to be having some form of mental stare-off. Knowing what the tomboy was capable of off, I wasn't sure whether to step in or not.

'I wanted to talk to Orion actually, if you can spare a sec?' The last was directed towards me. It didn't take much to assume that Kim had been stood outside the door for some time listening in. However, following on from the grilling from Jane and Fenn, any opportunity for an escape would do. Nodding slowly, I wasn't prepared for Fenn to butt in. She'd already bounced onto her feet, and had her arms firmly crossed.

'We're busy.'

'I think she was talking to me.' I interrupted sourly. Fenn gave me a dirty look which seemed to amuse Kim slightly, 'I am allowed outside again aren't I?'

Standing up anyways, I brushed myself off and went on a hunt to find my boots. Neither Fenn nor Jane tried to help as I found them tucked away neatly under my bed. Ignoring the chamber pot also pushed back into the shadows, I slipped my feet into my shoes and straightened.

Taking a glance out of the window failed to elucidate what time of day it was. Late afternoon maybe?

The last few days had been a bit of a blur.

Kim offered me a rough smile, already heading out of the door. Tugging my jacket around me a bit more tightly than usual, I spared a glance between the three of them.

'I…'

'It's fine.' Fenn waved me off in defeat,refusing to make eye contact, 'Get some air.'

'Thankyou.' I tried to sound as sincere as I could.

My gut told me this wouldn't be the end of our conversation. Although I hid the truth for as long as I could, my past was starting to float to the surface. Knowing Fenn, now she'd got a line of inquiry there was no telling what she would do. It was only a matter of time.

'Also.' Fenn added, running a hand through her golden hair, 'The Wildlings are coming tomorrow. Talk later alright?'

I sniffed, but decided it was best not to answer that right now.

Pulling the door closed, I turned to find Kim had already traipsed downstairs and was waiting at the door impatiently. She even went as far to tap her foot on the floor. Pulling my collar up, I could only try and fight away yet another cold shiver - and I wasn't even outside yet! Impatiently, she yanked open the large farmhouse door which had been painted a horrendous shade of cream, and hopped outside.

I finally caught up with her after slamming the garden gate behind me and hot footing a few paces to match her stride.

'What's the hurry?' I asked, burying my hands into my pockets.

'What do you think?' Kim's breath steamed in the cold air, 'How could anyone not notice what that bitch thinks of me? Yeah. I get it. I can read minds and all... but it is so. Damn. Obvious.'

Kim bit off each word before slowing down a little. She'd been heading down towards the yard and was starting to realize we weren't exactly alone. Some of the kids were busy working on erecting scaffolding up the side of an old cattle shed. The steel framework hugged the wooden boards like some strange exoskeleton.

'I'm guessing this is Fenn you're on about?'

'Jane.' Kim pretty much spat the name out, 'She's quiet but boy does she house some dark thoughts. Fenn's better now...now she knows.'

'Ah.' I nodded slowly. Kim seemed embarrassed to admit the fact, reddening slightly. Giving me a glance as she slowed her pace slightly, her face contorted into an expression of confusion. She eyes me sullenly, 'Why are you giving me that look.'

'It's good...letting them know I mean.' In truth I was thinking back to Fenn and Kim's mental face-off only a few minutes earlier. Maybe the were communicating somehow?

'Speak for yourself. If that conversation was anything to go by, then you have some dark secrets of your own. Besides. Fenn's not too bad…' Kim trailed off as if become aware of what she was saying. 'You know. For Fenn.'

I grunted, for the first time starting to understand what she meant. Fenn was practically the project manager who ran Fort Haste. She had a habit of getting what she wanted. Not even my memories were safe it seemed. Then again, I had a certain Lucario to talk to about that. Maybe I'd learn about the distinction between voluntarily leaving and being kicked-out of Vetra.

'Why don't we wander along the palisade? It's our best bet for getting some privacy.'

Kim stopped, sighing heavily before turning to face me. For a moment the tomboy just eyed me curiously, her irises a strange faded grey colour. The tartan beret on her head was poofed up slightly more than what you might have expected - maybe due to the lavender Espeon ears hidden underneath. The hat was slightly out of place with the black steel toe-capped boots and the thick leather jacket she lived in. Then again. Pink wasn't really her colour either.

'So they went inside your mind right?' Kim asked. I waved her in the direction of the palisade and only answered once we had a few more metres between us and the kids beavering away. Some were starting to stare and so I waved a short greeting, hoping it had more to do with my sudden reappearance. I didn't know how many days I'd been out of it - but any time was too long.

My companion didn't like being ignored, so she phrased the question in a slightly different manner,

'They went inside your mind and now you have to deal with their snooping?'

All I could do was nod,

'Pretty much. I guess you've known for a while…'

'Humph. You're a dark type and that's why I like you Orion. You're the only person I can hold a conversation with now...at least without being able to hear what you say before you say it. It's Fenn you can thank.'

I itched at my hair, 'And there I was thinking we were friends.'

'As if!' Kim rolled her shoulders, 'I barely even know you.'

I grunted in agreement. Kim was the only other survivor we knew of outside of Fort Haste as of yet. She'd set up shop in the city we'd left behind, happy to live in isolation in the ruins of society. At first I thought Kim was a little crazy for actively choosing to live alone. It was only during our second chance meeting that the girl had revealed her infection. It was a week later that she grew the courage to discuss it more openly. Learning to be a psychic Pokémon couldn't have been the easiest thing in the world. Especially a pretty pink Espeon for perhaps the most goth person I knew.

The sentries were doing their rounds along the embankment. After a short chat to one, Kim and I worked our way around the loop of Fort Haste. Catching conversation between each post was slightly frustrating, but worked wonders of stretching my legs. Fresh air and exercise was making me feel like my normal self again.

I didn't want to think about how long I'd been cooped up in that room.

'So…' Kim held onto the word for a while, trying to prompt some form of conversation.

'You were the one that wanted to talk to me.' I pointed out slowly, casting my eyes across the farmland surrounding us. Winter must have arrived in the past few days. Nearly all the trees had shed their leaves.

'I thought I was saving you.' Kim admitted wryly, 'Fenn wasn't too pleased. But yeah. It's about staying here actually…'

'Great! Uh...should be fine. Then again. I don't know what say I have any more.'

Kim snorted,

'They were worried about you Orion. It's not like they were planning a mutiny or anything.'

All I could do was grumble. It was hard to distinguish between what was in my own head and what wasn't some times. That had always been the problem. Now I just had to focus on staying grounded and not losing control again - even if I was pretty sure that some certain sleeping pills were the true concern. Perhaps this was why Jane barred me from her medical supply cabinet.

'Trust me. You're still the figurehead here.' Kim said after we passed another sentry. The child had been so busy staring out across the agricultural land that she'd almost walked into the two of us.

'I'm guessing you've read that in their minds of something?'

'Yeah summin' like that.' Kim grumbled, 'No. Honestly. Although nobody wants to admit it, they all think you've got balls. And even I have to agree with that. You might not be the one doing it, but you've got some wacky ideas that means you've survived thus far. You've even got respect from a member of Vetra. Now that's something.'

I was a little surprised that Kim believed the Vetra was anything more than a bedtime story.

We shuffled past another sentry. Craning my neck, I could see that the K'field was empty of anyone practicing. This time of day Jeff often ran archery sessions. However, the days were drawing in and the evenings were getting earlier. I could feel the night drawing closer as much as see the sky darkening. I wondered if Kim had similar instincts. Espeons were naturally creatures of the day. Did hybrids like us even count?

'I heard you finished the electrics. Thanks for that by the way.' I shot Kim a warm look. She was too busy studying the structure of the Keep to notice.

'Not a problem.' She mumbled,

'Did Mike help out?'

'He did most of it. All I had to supply was a transformer and play around with a computer for the panels. That should all work now. We'll just have to isolate the old mains cables and then create a mini-grid for Fort Haste. Shouldn't take long. Well. All Mike wants to do now is set up a sound system.'

I stopped suddenly. So suddenly, in fact, that I almost slipped over entirely.

'Do it!' I could barely contain my excitement.

'Wa..What?' Kim skidded to a stop too. 'You can't be serious. Well...yeah. Maybe you can. Actually I found something that fitted the specifications for your last music-related demand.'

'It was a request Kim.'

'Huh. I didn't hear a please nor a thank you. Anyways, don't go thanking me yet. It might not be what you were expecting...' Kim started walking again. I caught her up, wiggling my fingers in my pockets to try and keep the blood flowing. A chilly wind was catching at my ears and tail, making them tingle slightly in the cold. If Kim had any form of Espeon tail, she was keeping it well hidden under some baggy jeans.

I was almost tempted to ask her about it. Before I could muster up the courage, she was chatting again.

'So the defences?' Kim waved a hand to our right and across the Lee slopes, 'I've heard Mike talk about them a lot. What's the specs?'

I shrugged, 'It is what you see. Sixty feet of razor and barbed wire, stakes, stuff like that. A four foot ditch and then a six foot embankment. Eight foot palisade...and a tad under two hundred Hasties to deal with anything that gets through.'

'Your idea?' Kim asked, adjusting her beret very carefully.

I nodded.

'And you're paranoid that they don't like you. Sheesh. You're like a roman or summin'. You know? There are no obstacles because we'll just build a bridge over it or tunnel through it. For the enemy it would have been as scary of shite. Like fighting God or something.'

'Yeah.' I smirked, 'The Ferals really tremble.'

Kim didn't know how close she was getting to the truth.

'You know what I mean. And then that.' Kim pointed at the K'field we were approaching, nearly taking out the next sentry as she did so. The boy gave her a dark look, though I apologised for her.

'That's the K'field.' I explained, 'It was a trade-off between defences and having a sports field.'

'Not such a good idea.' Kim chewed on a lip, as if trying to come up with something witty to say.

'You sound like Mike.' I muttered. I didn't expect the teenager to hear me. Kim just sniffed, 'He's not my type. Anyways, he's already taken. You know about Haley right? They're practically a married couple.'

'That wasn't exactly what I meant.' I explained slowly, waving a greeting to another sentry before continuing on by. This one, a kid named Charlie from what I could remember, actually asked where I'd been. Recalling Fenn's rushed explanation for my absence, I described my imaginary fever. It wasn't like it was far from the truth.

'It was more…' I trailed off, trying to recover my train of thought.

'I'm kidding you Orion.' Kim shot me a toothy grin, 'It's just nice being able to talk properly. I haven't spoken this much in fookin' weeks. It's brilliant.' She grinned cheekily.

There were a few moments of silence as we followed the embankment down onto the K'field. Here the trench petered out and the defences which before had been razor wire and stakes became wire gabions. Passing the last sentry point, we wrapped around the back of the Foodhall and stopped for a moment. With Fort Haste behind and the endless countryside stretched out ahead, it was easy to forget our situation. Even though it was chilly, the late autumn day was somehow beautiful, if a little overcast. Letting the fresh air fill my lungs was like a drug.

It wasn't quite the same for Kim. She was looking around nervously, paranoid almost.

'You can still hear them, can't you?' I asked after a few moments of heavy breathing. The tomboy kicked at the dirt with a shoe. After a small shrug, she adjusted her hat and sighed heavily,

'I knew the apocalypse was supposed to be bad but fook...Who decided to mutate us into Pokémon? I need to learn to block it out - and sooner rather than later. You think Hauser can help?' Although on the surface Kim seemed her normal self, there was a hint of desperation underlying the last sentence.

I grunted, 'I guess so. He'll have more experience than anyone else. I mean if he can rummage inside my head, I'm pretty sure he can fix some mind reading.' Pausing for a moment, it was slowly becoming clear just what impact this was having on Kim's life. Imaging being able to hear chattering constantly with no way to block it out. Being able to hear others thoughts? Just considering it made me shiver, and my opinion of Kim shifted. She was a loner, but perhaps it wasn't through choice.

'Where are you sleeping at the moment?' I asked after a few moments, feeling the sharp breeze tickle my ears.

'In my Ute at the moment. I've got it parked round in the lead-to up the rickyard.'

'Behind the foodhall?' I had to query, not familiar with her terminology. 'That's your red truck right?'

Kim just nodded, sighing again.

'You know. You're welcome to have a room in the Farmhouse? Might be a little more comfortable.'

'Humph. I'll think about it.' Kim murmured, her attention elsewhere. 'Not near Matt though. I've sampled his trauma and don't really want to go through it again. Poor chap. Lucky to be here, let alone alive.'

There were a few long moments of silence. It wasn't really awkward, more of a mutual agreement. Even my sensitive ears could pick out the activity of camp behind. The sounds of the FoodHall and the activities going on the Far-shed. The old underlying scents of manure still clung to the farm, but superposed over it was the comforting smells of civilisation. I clung to the warm feeling in my stomach that I was somehow safe here. Maybe Kim felt the same?

'This losing your mind thing...it's only you right?' Kim spoke her mind at last, 'I'm not going to go all-' She lifted her hands and waved them in the air briefly, 'You know? Can't be fooked with that weird stuff you did.'

I feigned a hurt expression. 'You think I'd do that on purpose?'

'You're strange Orion. I'll give you that. Just interested in what's going to come of...of all this.'

'Stick around and find out.' I rumbled, scratching at an itch on my tail. Wagging the furred appendage returned some feeling in my tail, the golden ring brightening naturally. Kim stared at the action, eyes widening, before sniffing, turning to look away. I didn't need telepathic powers to know what she was thinking. Redding a little, I pulled my hands away and buried them in my pockets, pulling my elbows in automatically as a way to store heat.

'Should be coming up to dinner time anyways.' I nodded to camp behind us, 'Wanna get some food?'

'I'll pass, maybe later.' It took Kim a long time to reply. It was hard to tell if there were tears in her eyes, or if it was just the cold air stinging her cheeks. The stocky girl had her chin up however, standing tall in her leather jacket pulled tightly over a number of woolly cardigans. Chewing on her lip, she breathed out a large sigh and shuffled round to study Fort Haste.

'I think it's going to be a while before I can deal with that much noise.'

I glanced at the teenager out of the corner of my eye.

'We'll sort something out.'

'Yeah. You do that. I'm gonna get something from my truck.' Kim chuckled, 'And I'll see what we can do about some more electricity into this hole. Been craving just flopping down and watching a movie or three. Heck, I'm sure that no one would want to see that travesty of theatre performed the other day again. Why don't we raid a HMV or summin' and get a Bond film? You only live twice and all that.'

She didn't notice the irony in that comment. I let it slip by.

'Sounds like a plan.' I replied after my moments compilation. Tugging at my shirt collar, I perked up my ears and tried to identify tell-tale signs of an approaching mealtime. Kim chuckled at the expression and I let my ears droop, not noticing my tail wagging.

'Anyways. I better show my face. Put everyone's mind at ease.'

Kim nodded absently, before suddenly become aware of the situation.

'Uh...I was going to ask you something.' I nodded, motioning her to continue, 'It's about…'

She stopped suddenly. Once again that oddly nervous, somewhat jumpy look was back. It didn't really fit the girl who was normally so boisterous.

'Never mind.'

'You sure?' I raised an eyebrow but Kim. She hesitated, but eventually waved me away, 'Ok then. I'll have a chat with Hauser and see what we can do.'

'Huh! For the past few days you've been pretty much foaming at the mouth. Why don't you do sort yourself out first? And for fook's sake have a shower. I can smell you from here.' Kim retorted

She wrinkled her nose for dramatic effect before breaking into a weary smile. I flashed a warm smile, resisted the urge to clap her on the shoulder, and headed back into camp. Kim watched me go.

Taking a whiff at my armpit put things into perspective. I had to recoil from the stench, struggling to remember the last time I had a shower. That empty hole in chest had returned and I drew in a deep breath. I couldn't afford to lose control again. For now, that meant keeping myself busy so that I didn't have the chance. Perhaps it was a logical solution to give me sleeping pills after all.

Mooching across the yard, I was mostly lost in thought until a loud whoop caught me attention.

'HA! Proof!' Jeff yelled in his loud voice before being matched by a rather disgruntled reply from Mike. The teenager was in the motion of setting up a number of improvised bowling pins at the far end of the yard. Half of them were tin cans that looked suspiciously stolen from the kitchen storeroom.

'Just because you can do it once doesn't mean you're better.'

'Well! I didn't see you do it on your first try!' The Squadron leader hollered, deftly throwing a roll of duct tape between each hand. Mike shook his head for a moment before catching me approaching. Dipping his head in welcome, he straightened and brushed the moisture off his trousers.

'Alright?' The teenager waved me over, 'Maybe you can ref this net shot.'

I lifted an eyebrow,

'It's skittles. Jeff thinks he's better than me and got a lucky shot first try. We're fairly limited because we've only got a roll of tape and ten minutes break to sort this thing out.'

'And the issue is…?' I waved at Jeff who was waiting impatiently down the other end of the yard.

'We need a bowling alley of some kind.' I didn't realise the ginger-haired kid was joking before he broke out into a grin, 'Teasing you. No Jeff seemed to be in a bad mood so I challenged him. The problem is that he ain't bad.' Mike paused for a moment, studying me with tired eyes, 'How about yourself? Fenn didn't kill you off?'

Mike smirked again and I couldn't help but grin. The teenager had a bad habit of making light of often difficult situations. He could be a bit of a Psyduck sometimes; appearing calm and collected on the surface whilst paddling madly underneath. At the moment he seemed much like his normal self, albeit a little peeved that the younger kid was beating him.

'Wanna have a go?' Mike offered but I had to decline,

'I was going to catch I shower. Kim says I stink.'

Mike went as far to wrinkle his nose,

'Not going to lie, but have to agree with her there.' He ruffled his curly hair, 'It's been nice having her around you know. A little weird but she knows her shite. We've got a electricity down an extension lead running through to the food hall. Was thinking we'd set up a projector and watch a movie.' Mike took a moment to lob another roll of roll of tape in Jeff's direction.

'Kim had the same idea. I heard the younger kids set up a play the other day. Was it really that bad?' I mentioned, running a hand through my hair.

Mike grimaced slightly before shrugging,

'I don't think anyone is gonna live that one down...hence the movie. Was going to play the first Vetra trilogy film. Seems like a safe bet as it's mostly about Pokémon. It might help avoid reminding kids of what they've lost.'

'Sounds like a plan.' I nodded, 'I wonder what Hauser will think.'

'Depends on his opinion of the Lucario character. I doubt Pinewood was very accurate.'

The two of us were interrupted by Jeff yelling to move out of the way. He'd was already performing a ludicrous stretching routine as he got ready to hit a row of cans nearly twenty feet away. Mike shot me a glance, shook his head again, and then took a few steps away from the improvised bowling pins.

'I'll leave you to it.'

'Sure. If he hits them again it'll be a miracle.'

I laughed out loud, watched Jeff miss the cans by a couple of metres, before heading off to the shower block. In the background I could hear Jeff cursing and Mike yelling out rough insults in return. It was clear that the competition was going to be going on some time before the two could agree. It was going to be a long ten minute break.

Taking a cold shower within the improvised stalls, I patted myself down with a soft towel and dressed again in my old clothes. Hindsight was a wonderful thing as I sniffed at my shirt. I could only pray that nobody has as sensitive a nose as I did. Leaving the towel hung up to drip-dry, I shook my damp tail off and made my way towards the kitchens. It was clear I had misjudged what the time was because there was no flurry of activity inside. Instead, it was just Insley sat at a table furiously skimming through a small paperback

'Oh.' She only noticed I'd arrived when I sat down opposite, 'You're alive then.'

'Good to see you too.' I mumbled, peeking over to see what she was reading. 'I'm guessing that it's not dinner time yet.

Insley looked up from her reading.

'It's three o-clock Orion.' She smirked, 'Guess you're still not a hundred percent then? Has Fenn apologised for nearly killing you yet?'

I huffed, 'Mike asked basically the same thing. What you reading?'

'This?' Insley lifted the book up to show me the cover. It took me a long time to read the bold yellow text. So long in fact that after watching me intently for a few seconds, Insley had to read the title herself. 'It's The Martian by Andy Weir. It's basically the key to all our problems - a martian diet!'

I just stared at the stocky girl. Maybe I wasn't the only one going mad.

'Potatoes and vitamin tablets. You mentioned that we had a secret food crises. I went through everything and did a calorie count. Basically we have enough energy to last us all until the start of April without significant rationing. We've got enough stuff, just no variety. So towards the end it might literally be pasta, potatoes, and vitamins.'

Insley seemed brighter than she usually did, even going as far to flash an easy-going smile. Earmarking her page, she set the book down and lent back on her chair. For a moment the teenager combed through her long brown hair with her fingers.

'We're all going to moan about it...but it's good knowing we'll be alive to do it. Hell of a lot better than having to survive on Mars.'

'I'm sorry about scaring you all with that.' I sighed, itching at my wet tail.

'Yeah let's not go through all that again. It's been a strange few days.' She admitted softly, leaning back to stare at the corrugating roofing of the FoodHall. 'You know, I didn't think you did all that much around camp. But you don't notice things until their gone. Everyone's been acting a bit weird. Not to mention we've got the Pokémon lot arriving tomorrow and have absolutely nothing ready.'

After rubbing at her eyes with a hand, Insley fixed me for the first time with her deep brown eyes,

'That'll give you a job to do. Fenn said something about putting them in the woodshed at the back. Wouldn't take much to kit that out. Waddya think?'

I nodded, not sure how to respond. It was unusual to see the teenager is such a cheerful mood. Sliding the book under an arm, Insley kicked her chair backwards and pulled herself to her feet.

'You haven't missed out on much. Haley's moved in with Mike, so they're basically a married couple up in the old workshop. It's pretty much a small flat now. Bass still hasn't realised that Matt has a thing for her. Otherwise not much else interesting has happened. Oh. James burnt himself yesterday and Jane refused to treat him because he wouldn't stop cursing. Haven't seen him since.'

The teenager chuckled to herself for a moment as if recalling the event. I tried to hide my red face with an ear-scratch, not sure how to respond to the rapid onslaught of gossip.

Insley kicked her chair under the table.

'So. No more spells like that again right?' Her tone turned serious and I returned her concerned look. 'You scared us all a little bit. We weren't sure if it was virus or...whatever. You being all Umbreony was kinda freaky, if a little cute.'

I reddened a little but Insley had already turned and was heading back towards the ovens. There was even a small spring in her step. Perhaps it was her good mood that let Insley's guard slip a little bit. She made a habit of acting bigger than she needed to, though that was helped by her wide frame and stocky build. Only now and then did the caring nature she had hidden inside shine through. Insley was considerate at heart, she just smothered her generosity underneath a cold hardworking nature.

The comforting smells of the FoodHall and the cold shower had perked me up a little bit. Taking a few long breaths, I sat back in my chair and gazed around the empty tables. This was all that was left, everyone who had survived the virus and possibly the last of humanity. Whether I liked it or not, I had been instrumental in that. Even if indirectly, the fact that I existed had turned the world into an apocalyptic nightmare. This wasn't saving humanity - this was damage control.

Admitting that I was the one to blame wasn't easy. Inside there was still a bubble of denial against everything that had happened. What difference would it make if I couldn't even control my instincts now? If I could only keep it together.

The legendaires were supposed to bring balance to the world...and here we were living in the ruins of their destruction. It was always supposed to be their purpose to bring peace and stability, though I now doubted that fact. You couldn't fight change, only accept it. I had to embrace what both what I and now the world had become. But how could I explain that to Fenn?

Shaking my head to clear such thoughts, I pulled myself to my feet. Having been trapped in my room for so long, my feet were itching to move. I wandered outside without too much consideration where. Mike and Jeff were still in their heated game of skittles, albeit with Mike in the lead now. Both of them were too occupied to chat, so I left them to it. Pulling my coat around me tighter did little to fight off the brisk breeze. It was the cold more than anything else that took me back inside.

Many of the old sheds once held Bouffalant, tauros, or something similar, with the thick breezeblock walls up to around six foot followed by wooden boards. The steel structures had been pretty easy to convert with plyboard and long wooden beams. Many had been split up into small dorms housing four to six beds, all joined by corridors running the length of the barns. One shed had been left empty, and the remaining building split into a couple of larger spaces to use for activities.

For now it was the latter I headed towards, hoping to bump into anyone to have a catch up. Apart from Fenn that was. I still felt somewhat violated from her intrusion into my memories. It did make it easier to admit that I had a lot more involvement in this epidemic than they may have imagined. But still. I was often paranoid at the best of times.

Closing the thick oak door behind me, I felt the warmth of the barn seep into my clothing. Perking my ears up and I could hear activities going on inside both rooms either side of the hallway. Light seeped under the dusty gap between the concrete and the MDF walls.

I brushed the wrinkles out of my damp shirt before picking a door at random.

I knocked once, waiting for a moment, and then pushing the door open. The whole wall shook a little seems it was a mere partition ran down the length of the barn. A flush of heat and noise greeted me as I stepped through to find Bass leading a group of seven or eight kids. The short girl was holding a large scrap of leather in front of her, somehow managing to perform example stitches at the same time through the fabric.

The sound of the makeshift door closing broke the silence of the lesson and for a brief moment everyone turned around to stare. I awkwardly waved. Seeing that it was just me, the older kids returned back to what appeared to be a rather engaging activity. Bass had a captivating voice as she explained the sewing process step by step. I hung back, watching with interest for a few moments before turning my attention to the other side of the room. Here three kids, two girls and a teenage boy, were sat in an arc in front of Matt. He was in the process of whittling away a short branch with the small group. The morph's tufty ears bobbed as he concentrated on the technique.

'Since when could you use a knife?' I spoke in a hushed tone so as not to interrupt Bass. Matt took a few more strokes with his knife before grinning. Somewhat posthumously, he forced his smile into a mock frown.

'It's green woodcraft. Been doing it since I was a kid. There isn't much to do in Orre to be honest. It's pretty dry and dusty without too many Pokémon. A bit of a better location to survive an apocalypse to be honest.'

'Orre? That's…'

'A pretty distant land right?' Matt chuckled, 'I was brought up in Agate Village, one of the few green places in that desert. I doubt you've heard of it.'

All I could do was shrug. The Leafeon-morph didn't seem to mind.

'Yeah. It's the kind of place where ace trainers go to die. Nice town though. I used to do stuff like this before I started travelling. I'm a bit rusty and these guys are pretty much at my level all ready.' The three kids had their heads down carefully whittling. The boy seemed particularly self-conscious of their work.

'What's this for altogether?' I queried. Matt sheathed a small blade he'd been using before getting to his feet. Whilst stepping out of the circle the older morph gripped his tail tightly. 'I've already been nicked once.' He muttered wryly, before handing over a couple of wooden beads.

'They're toggles. Bass had the idea to use them with the new armor she's been designing. Actually, she's got a prototype over there if you want a look. Thought it might help out if Ferals have more poison-stingers like that one spider did.' Matt explained softly. He appeared to live in his dark brown hoodie which was now flecked with wood shavings. The sleeves reached down to his paw-like hands. The shade of his fur was a near perfect match of the fabric.

The morph saw me staring and wiggled his stubby fingers, 'I'm not as dexterous as I used to be. But this stuff it fine. Anyways, it's good to see you up. Everything good?'

Matt studied me with his emerald eyes and I fought back a grimace,

'Yeah. I had a bad spell. Jane's diagnosed me with some sort of mental disorder thingy…'

'Doesn't sound too great. Well, it's either that or you just work yourself too hard.' The Leafeon-morph agreed, rolling his shoulders. 'I'm guess Fenn explained why she gave you the pills? I didn't know until afterwards.'

'Yeah. We're not sure if they triggered it or not. It doesn't really matter now. We've had a chat.'

'Good!' Matt brightened, 'Anyways I better get back to it. Responsible adult and all.' He chuckled, pocketing the wooden buttons and flashing a short grin. It didn't do much to cover his tired eyes and slightly pale face. However, the kid was cheerful as he sat back down, already helping one of the girl out with a particular knot-ridden length of ash.

I smiled briefly, happy to find Matt was settling in. The boy had initially been struggling to integrate. At least by now he learnt that the kids didn't really gave a damn about his looks.

Bass was still doing her demonstration and I loitered at the back with my hands in my pockets. Small beads of moisture clung to my shirt from previous cold shower. It was around five minutes later that she was able to leave the kids to their work. After a final glance around to check that everyone was able to perform the task at hand, she wandered over in my direction.

'Good to see you're alive Orion.' Bass grinned, clasping her hands behind her back.

'Everyone seems to be telling me that.'

'Well it's true. You basically went full Pokémon for a few days. You even growled at me!' The last was said in a hoarse whisper and I blushed profusely. 'I'm guessing that's not a normal thing to do?'

'No. Well...not normally.'

'There were some sleeping pills involved.' Bass gave me a sideways glance before turning her gaze back to her class. They were a mixed bunch of mostly older teenagers over fourteen years, dressed in a mismatch of clothing which mostly consisted of warm sweatshirts and fleeces. There wasn't much need for fashion anymore. All were busy sewing away at what could only be described as raw leather.

'How's things with you?'

'Me? Eh, you know how it is. End of the world and all that. We get by.' She stuck her hands in her pockets. 'Insley did a stock count and turns out we're not going to die anytime soon.'

'Yeah. Sorry about that. I wasn't thinking straight.'

'Don't sweat it. At least we're aware of it now. I'd rather be worrying about these things then not know about them.'

'That's true.' I agreed, my ears perking up a little at the teenager's optimism, 'And I assume the armor is forward thinking too?'

Bass sighed, 'Yeah. Something like that. If we're being thrust back into the middle-ages then why not look the part? Shame we haven't got a blacksmith. I reckon a few suits of armor would go down a treat.' She giggled and I smiled briefly, trying and failing to imagine the scene.

'Anyways.' I scratched at my tail, 'I'll leave you to it.'

'Doing the rounds are you?'

'Yeah something like that.' I tugged my coat across my shoulders.

Bass smiled warmly, 'Well look after yourself.'

I grinned sheepishly, said farewell to the girl and waved haphazardly towards Matt in the corner. My stomach rumbled loudly after closing the door.

The meal that evening went without a hiccup.

To be fair I was a little surprised at that. The table that once solely belonged to the Chain now had a few extra additions. Jeff had joined us, as well as both Matt and Hauser. The old cafeteria table could no longer fit us all, and so Bass had decided to simply cram in more seats. I could only hope it wasn't a permanent solution - doing my best not to touch elbows with Matt one side and Bass on the other. At this point I was grateful nobody had stolen my old seat. Things had moved around however, because Fenn sat at the opposite end of the table. Hauser was perched beside her, both staring at me awkwardly with scarily similar gazes. Trying not to laugh at the comparison, I puffed out a breath and diligently surveyed the noisy FoodHall.

Having expected the need for a long explanation for my mysterious disappearance, I was surprised when nobody asked. Fenn must have sorted that out for me. It was almost like I had never left.

First cart was as noisy as always, the scent of soup and warm bowls a welcome sight for what had been a rather wintery day. Jeff was talking boisterously over his meal, waving his spoon around as he told the antics of the mornings training. It was during a particular noisy exchange between him and Insley that Matt leaned over towards me.

'Fenn suggested I work with Jeff when the Pokémon come.' The Leafeon murmured, low enough so only our enhanced hearing could listen in.

'You don't seem too happy about that.'

Matt shrugged, leaning back in his chair. Meanwhile, Jeff was loudly declaring how he'd thrashed Mike at skittles. The mechanic wasn't having any of it, but had resorted to shaking his head silently in protest.

'I just don't see how I can help.' The teenager admitted, eating a spoonful of soup. The meal was a strange mix of carrot and ginger that wasn't overly pleasant.

'You're a Pokémon trainer right? You know more about tactics and using types advantages than any of us.'

'Yeah, for stadium battles. Not for fighting off mutant bug Pokémon trying to devour you whole.'

I didn't feel it would be wise to mention that helping Jeff would likely be at the expense of aiding Bass with her lessons. Then again, perhaps that was the main reason that Matt was feeling a little sour. Playing with the soup in my bowl, I struggled to find the right words.

So instead I changed the topic of conversation completely.

'Have you seen that we've got electricity now?' I must have spoken a little too loudly as Bass overheard, seated across the oak table. With the combination of Mike's subdued arguments and the general chatter of the FoodHall, I was surprised she heard it at all.

'Yeah. I helped Mike wire up the sockets in the house and the Foodhall. Lifts us out of the twelve century and into the twenty-first.'

'Oh. Kim's finished that then?' Bass leant over, genuinely curious with out rather more civilised conversation. 'I thought she was joining us for dinner? She was dropping stuff off in the house when I last saw her. Something about a CD player. Guess that makes sense now we've got electricity.'

I shrugged, not wanting to let her secret out of the bag for her. Kim wouldn't appreciate me announcing the fact she was indeed a morph. 'She's busy finishing things off I guess.'

'Knows her stuff about wiring up the panel though.' Matt affirmed, 'She seemed a little jealous of my UV lamp. That things like drinking sunshine.'

'I bet.' Bass snickered.

Dinner never lasted very long. People ate quickly, often having to rush off to do other things. Winter was fast approaching and the FoodHall was notably darker as the plates were returned to the trolleys. Fenn pulled me over to the side just as the kids were leaving and getting ready for their nighttime routine. Since we had limited toileting and showering facilities, this had become a well-timed art. The second-in-command looked tired and she fixed me a long stare.

'I'm sorry about earlier.' I apologised, judging the situation. Fenn smiled briefly before waving off my confession.

'It's ok. It's been a bit much for everyone. No. It was about the Wildlings arriving tomorrow.' For a moment she watched the youngest kids leave the hall, a small group of five or six which weren't even ten years old. After a moment Fenn sighed and leant back on the table. Scraping her feet across the concrete floor, I prepared myself for the worst.

'We're not ready. For the Wildlings I mean.'

Now that was a topic of conversation I wasn't expecting. Fenn must have realised as she shot me a worried look.

'What?'

'Oh nothing. I thought you were going to put them in the Woodshed? Insley mentioned something.'

'Yeah.' She wiped at her nose, 'But that's a tip.'

'They're wild Pokémon. They'll be fine.'

'I guess.' Fenn didn't seem convinced. Above the clattering of carts and plates Insley's voice could be heard organising the clean up in the kitchen. Meanwhile, hot water was already been taken up in large buckets to the shower block. It was a long walk from the FoodHall to the unit behind and mostly involved a fleet of wheelbarrows.

'I've been thinking about what you said earlier...and think it might be a good idea to have both you and Megan involved with settling the Wildlings in. Supposedly she can understand Hauser, so I'm guessing, like you, she'll be able to understand Pokémon too. It'll be a help.'

'If that's fine with you.'

Fenn gave me a dirty look but that quickly dissipated upon seeing my grin. It was clear the teenager was too tired to deal with my dry sense of humour this evening.

'You know…it all kinda makes sense now. With the virus and stuff.'

I didn't know what to say. Thankfully Fenn spotted that. Straightening, she rubbed at her eyes before yawning.

'But if I don't want to talk about that now, you sure as hell don't. Better get to it. Tomorrow's going to be a day and a half.'

All I could do was agree.

The afternoon didn't seem to exist and instead a short evening led into an early dusk. The bird song had changed almost in preparation, Starlys warbling a goodbye song to the day. With no light pollution the stars came out early and dotted the sky with a million specks of illumination. There was no moon however, even as I stood at the top of the newly-christened rickyard with my hands in my pockets. It was nearly an hour later when I headed over to the farmhouse and the relative warmth indoors.

Pricking my ears up suddenly, I had been so lost in thought that I hadn't heard the noise blasting through the cold, brittle air. There was a low rumble shaking through the farmhouse, cut off suddenly by what could only be described as music. I didn't know the instruments being played but the melody was kind of familiar. My Umbreon-ears honed in on the noise, even as I shut the farmhouse door behind me.

A grin crept over my face.

Pulling my coat off and throwing it over the banister, I jogged up the stairs taking two steps at a time. Squeaking across the landing, the music became progressively louder as I approached the meeting room. I winced at the volume of what must have been some sort of string instrument. The bass tones could be felt through my feet as much as through the air itself.

Pushing the door open, I was met with a wall of sound.

'Fenn!' I yelled, ducking inside to find what you're normally expect in the meeting room. Fenn used this space as her office and had a number of bits of paper spread out across the round table, as well as cup of stale cold coffee festering to one side.

What I didn't expect to find was Fenn apparently fighting with a CD player. The girl was stood up, violently shaking the machine up and down. Pausing from her harassment, she then proceeded in an attempt to rip the plastic lid off the compact player like her life depended on it.

'FENN!' I yelled again.

The music stopped. With my ears ringing, I tried to brush down my hair which felt like it was stood on end. Fenn jumped, CD player still in hand, and turned to me darkly. Where before the music had been bellowing through the room, now there was only a faint echo. The second in command of Fort Haste was breathing heavily. Her expression of surprise quickly turned vicious.

'What the HELL is this…this THING Orion!' Fenn demanded. She was red in the face from her prior attempt to slay the machine. I was still a little unsure at what was going on, but was quickly met with the other face of the argument as the machine buzzed to life again.

'OrIOn! GeT THiS GirL oFF Of ME. I THougHt YoU SAiD…'

'Ah...I sorta forgot about that.' I mouthed but Fenn had already dropped the machine in fright.

My lighting-fast reactions, much like that of an Umbreon, saved the machine from its potential impact onto the floorboards. Diving down, I caught the rounded box of metal and plastic with one hand. The cable out of the back of the machine swung round and hit me painfully in the face.

'Sorry Sparky…uh…You did tell her what you were right?' I asked the machine, setting it down on the table. 'Didn't Kim tell you about Sparky?' I asked Fenn after, watching as the girl collapsed into a chair.

'WeLL ShE WaNTEd to StICK JuST AnY OLD JunK In mE LiKe I…'

The CD player jumped into action before the teenager had time to speak. Giving the machine a hard look, I turned to the still somewhat stunned girl. Fenn's eyes alternated between glaring at the CD player, and accusing me of some made-up crime. She crossed her arms fiercely, lifting up her chin.

'No Orion. Kim did not TELL ME ANYTHING. I'm guessing she told you right?'

I stepped back instinctively. Even the CD player made some weird electric noise that might have been a growl. Fenn regarded the box with some venom.

'It's a Rotom. He's called Sparky and he lives in this thing. Uh, it's a music player right?' I asked, suddenly unsure about whether it was the correct machine I'd given the girl. The situation I had just stumbled upon made me question whether the device was some kind of audio weapon. 'That's all Kim told me.'

'So you both gave me a haunted machine? That thing nearly killed me! It better not try to POSSESS me or something!'

'YoU WaNTeD Me TO PLay wHaTeVeR CrAP thaT…'

'Sparky likes classical music.' I interrupted, not sure quite what that really meant. Kim had said something similar and I quoted the tomboy from what I could remember. 'And he can be a bit mouthy.'

'Mouthy?' Fenn raised an eyebrow, 'Did SHE tell you that? She found this...this THING?'

I nodded. The teenager proceeded to take a gulp out of her coffee mug before finding the liquid had gone cold. She immediately proceeded to spit the mix back into the mug with a grimace. Rubbing at her mouth with the sleeve of her woolen beige jumper, she glared at me again.

'So this was you idea for sorting out the music problem. Mike's sorted out the electricity now! We don't need a haunted boombox!'

'For two cables running through the FoodHall.' I pointed out, 'Matt's using the only socket we have in the house. Anyway…You told me you wanted to listen to music. Kim mentioned that she had to get something and that turned out to be Sparky. Kim mentioned a while back that he was missing his old home and…'

'LoTs Of great oLD AnALoGUE kIt.' The Rotom confirmed, finishing the line with an 8-bit jingle. The tiny screen on the player flashed bright pixels outlining a smiling face.

'So I thought that you might appreciate giving Sparky a home.' I finished, waving my hand awkwardly towards the machine that the Rotom was inhabiting.

'AnD REal mUsiC'

Fenn deadpanned me, sniffing a little at her runny nose. Brushing her blonde hair out of her face, I waited patiently for the words which would let me know whether or not I'd done the right thing. In fact, I had to wait for a long while and even then Fenn continued to stare at me in silence.

Shuddering, I tried to break the ice by speaking to the Rotom.

'How do you even speak?' I queried, lifting the dangling cable and coiling it on the table, 'I thought...well…'

A picture of a laughing face popped up on the screen. The blue and red colour scheme seemed to alternate somehow, becoming a bright orange, as if the painted plastic had fused to become part of the Pokémon. Fenn used the calm moment to shuffle her work back into order. The overtly synthesized voice, which struggled to convey much emotion, buzzed through the air.

'RAdio WaVeS! YOu CAN MakE anY SoUNd wiTh iT. PeRkS oF BEinG a MuLtI-PuRpoSe CD PlaYER. NoT thE BeSt aT iT ThOuGh! A BiT…SPARKY iF yOU WiLL! '

I turned to Fenn, who at that moment was trying to ignore the two of us and put away her work into a folder.

'See.' I tried to grab her attention. 'Sparky can play whatever you want.'

Only then did the young woman sigh and turned to me stoically.

'I like the thought Orion. But you do realise you need actually music to play on. CDs? You've given me a haunted fossil of a machine. What did you expect me to think?'

'You don't have to plug it in.' I pointed out.

'Yeah.' Fenn answered dryly, 'Nothing weird about that. Where did Kim even find this?'

'It still plays CDs. Isn't that the point?' I avoided her question, trying to get the satisfaction I was hoping for upon gifting the Rotom to Fenn.

'You need the CDs to play Orion! All I could find was a best hits album of Elvis! Why did that survive the apocalypse of all things? Even you're precious cassettes must have better music on then that?''

My ears drooped. I didn't really understand how the machine worked and what it did. I hadn't really had the exposure to such technology beyond simple radio. That made sense. Still, I avoided Fenn's obvious attempt at trying to get her hands on my own artifacts.

'Where can I get some better music?' I asked.

Fenn slapped a hand over her face and groaned. Even Sparky gave over something which sounded like a whine. I decided to rephrase my question.

'What do they look like? How do I know what's good?'

'Round discs. Silver. So big…' She motioned with her hands in an overly patronising way. 'Seriously? You find them in square flat cases. Has some art of the front and the name of the band. Didn't you grow up with this stuff?'

At that point I was deep in thought. 'I think I saw so…'

'IS hE AlWayS ThIs BaD?' Sparky interrupted. The digital display shone a small face with a considering expression. Fenn went as far to chuckle at the small voice. It was almost like she'd forgotten that the machine was actually a Rotom.

'You wait. He thought you had to hire pilots to drive cars…and that microwaves cooked things by speeding up time. Orion hasn't had…'

She trailed off, looking me intently. I felt like I was a specimen being examined. Oh wait, I was.

'I'll see what I can find.' I mumbled, using it as an excuse to quickly exit the room. Before I did, I took a moment to fish around in my coat pockets. Remarkably poorly sewn pockets in the back of the parka to find the small cassette. Pulling it out gently, I studied the faded coverslip sleeving the plastic tape. The scrap of ruled paper read 'Everyday Chemistry.'

'Here.' I placed the box down on the table carefully, 'See what you think.'

Fenn's blue eyes flicked between me and the cassette. She even went as far to flash a short smile. It didn't take a genius to know what she was thinking. Most likely, it was yet another question she hadn't had a chance to ask this morning. Scratching at my hair, I tried to settle the hurt in my stomach. I didn't like being mocked, but the fact that Fenn was poking fun made it worse.

'Otherwise. I'll see what I can find.' I mumbled, using it as an excuse to quickly exit the room.

'Thanks.' Fenn called after me, followed the the mechanical voice of Sparky.

'GoOD luCk.'

I sighed, it was hard to tell whether or not the Pokémon was being sarcastic. There was some severe limitations to the emotion portrayed through his electronic voice. I could only wonder is the small cd player screen was depicting a pixelated laughing expression.

'Yeah good luck to you too Sparky.' I whispered under my breath.

It would be lying if I said I went looking for music. I tried to sleep, but was too exhausted to even contemplate sleeping. There was a nervous energy bubbling away inside - and I couldn't face being hauled up in my room. I'd studied the four walls extensively over the past few days. Even the air smelt like my own dank scent. Perhaps I was going stir crazy.

That night was long, cold, and cloudless.

It was a blessing when the next morning dawned brightly, frost hugging the ground like a dense carpet. Having bagged a handful of hours asleep, it was difficult to keep my eyes open. The sun rose with the sound of Pikipeks to greet me as I closed the farmhouse door behind me. With an extra pair of socks to warm my boots, a cold shiver forced me to roll down the sleeves of my raincoat. Although the leaves had barely left the trees, it appeared that winter was arriving early.

I was the only one who'd struggled to sleep that night. Mike was up early and pacing the palisade during his normal morning routine. Greeting the teenager tiredly, he took a moment to button up his coat. I guessed he had a couple of vests, a shirt, and maybe a fleece under the wax jacket. This had the superimposed effect of making the skinny boy look twice the size he normally did.

'You're up early.' Mike commented gruffly and I grinned,

'I could say the same thing about you.'

Our breath steamed. The palisade was frosted over with a coating of silvery ice that shone in the shallow morning sunlight. A weak mist clung to the frigid ground, obscuring the waymarkers in the distance. Visibility was down to a mere forty yards. Across the fields, trees stuck out of the mist like branched sails of tall-ships.

'Winter's coming.' Mike spoke solemnly, before bursting out into a grin. I didn't get the reference so feigned a smile. Having a rather tired Fenn explain the Vetra movie plots the night before, I had quickly realised that I had missed out on a significant part of human culture. Mike continued in his attempt to make conversation.

'Are you going to explain how all of a sudden the old woodshed got decluttered overnight? I could hear this banging around in the night. I'm surprised I didn't get a knock on the door with you asking to install running water in the place.'

He ran a hand through his auburn hair which was now well over ear length.

'It needed doing and I felt bad not being around to help this past week.' I explained. Mike just shrugged, although it was difficult under his numerous layers.

'It's not your fault. Anyways, I thought Fenn was trying to stop you being nocturnal.'

I itched at my tail.

'You can't be nocturnal if you don't sleep. I had a rough night.'

'At least you used the time productively.'

That made me laugh and I turned my eyes outwards again. Some Spearows and Starly hung around in the chill, fluffed up into little balls as they hopped across the frozen ground. However, the Lee slopes were the only thing that would provide a warm welcome to any attackers. The stakes and trip-lines shone in the frost, lined with ice and draped with spiderwebs.

Mike shifted from one foot to the other.

'So the Wildlings? Big day today. Do you think we're ready?'

'I hope so.' I muttered softly before clearing my throat, 'It's safer if we band together. Who knows what the winter will bring.'

'I guess.' Mike stuck his chin out for a moment before sighing again. 'I better get back. I promised Haley I'd stick some more insulation in the workshop today. I've been scavenging it from the stock round the back of the poultry house. That alright?'

'Fine.' I waved off his casual thievery, 'How's it going on with you two? Insley said you're a thing now?'

Mike huffed, 'Insley says a lot of things. Though...yeah.'

It was clear he didn't want to talk about it - especially if the flush of blood to his cheeks was anything to go by. The teenager took this as his cue to leave, wishing me luck as he did so. I watched him return to his makeshift flat, an outbuilding behind the back of the old farmhouse. It might have been a garage back in the day, or an old workshop. Now (much like the rest of Fort Haste) the shed had been re-purposed for living in.

A stiff breeze trickled through the air. My ears twitched at the disturbance as I tried to get my sleep addled mind into gear. For a long while I simply stared across the hauntingly beautiful morning. There was a calm to this new world and I hoped beyond hope that things would only get better. Fort Haste was supposed to be a safe haven. Whatever the God's wanted to throw at us - this would be our last stand.

That train of thought was broken when I heard my name being called. Turning around, I spotted Fenn walking over holding hands with Megan. The younger girl was wrapped up in a down jacket with a bright red bobble hat. Waving, I slid down off the palisade embankment and wandered over.

'Morning!'

Megan was a little shy, staring at me with large eyes as I greeted Fenn warmly. Both of them had frost-touched red noses and rosy cheeky. The young girl had bright teal eyes which seemed to dart between myself and the sentries on duty behind.

'How's it going?' I asked, burying my hands in my pockets.

'Some of us had a good night's sleep.' Fenn shrugged, pointedly looking to the side, 'We're dressed as warmly as we can. Didn't think it was going to be this cold.'

I shrugged before turning to Megan.

'So? Are you happy to help out?'

She nodded once, though the uncertainty in her gaze told a different story. Fenn, stood behind her, twitched her eyebrows and indicated that I needed to say something.

'Uh…so…' I fumbled with my words whilst trying to ignore Fenn giving me sharp look, 'It won't be much. It's just settling in the Wildlings. Would you be able to talk to them? Let them know where everything is and...yeah?'

Megan nodded again, 'So just talking to them?'

'Can you do that?' I tested lightly, breaking out into a grin upon seeing a smile spread across her face. Fenn just groaned, letting go of Megan's hand.

'I'll leave you with Orion then Megan. I've talked to Bass and you won't be missing anything important today. You've got yourself a free skive pass from me.'

That brought a small giggle from the girl and she waved goodbye and Fenn headed over towards the main yard. Turning to me, Megan was still a little hesitant as she waited awkwardly for directions. She took a moment to pull on a pair of knitted gloves.

'We might be waiting a while.' I admitted, hoping the girl wouldn't get too cold. 'They don't really have watches or anything.'

There was a long moment of awkward silence.

Out of the two of us, Megan was the one with enough confidence to break the ice.

'You look tired.' She stared at me intensely with her shining blue eyes.

'I struggled to sleep sometimes.'

'Is it because you're a Pokémon?' She asked sweetly, though in her young voice it could have been an accusation.

'Well. I'm not quite a Pokémon.' I feigned an insulted tone while subconsciously grabbing my tail.

'I...I thought that's what happens right? The...Virus?'

I quickly grasped where this conversation was going.

'Well. I don't really know to be honest. Maybe we'll find out…' I could see that wasn't going to go down well so did my best attempt at brightening the conversation. 'Would you believe me if I said that I was bitten by a Pokémon...and now I can change into an Umbreon?' To be fair, if change into a Umbreon meant acting like one, I wasn't far off the mark.

'So that's where you disappeared to! I knew it!' Megan exclaimed, turning to me with a laugh. 'Some of the older boys were spreading rumours that you'd gone wild...but I guess they just meant you'd turned into a Pokémon.'

I nodded along, more pleased with Megan's version of the story than the weak lie Fenn had provided me.

'Wait.' Megan furrowed her eyebrows. 'Doesn't that make you some kind of superhero?'

I considered that as we walked back on top of the palisade.

'I guess Pokémon powers could be...be like a superpower?' I wasn't convinced, 'But I think you're right. It's kinda like being a superhero. As long as you use those powers for good.'

'Absolutely.' Megan's serious tone was charming, 'It would be evil not to.'

'And what about you? You reckon you can be a superhero?'

There was a long moment of silence and I cursed my stupidity. Not wanting to look down at the girl, I watched a sentry switch and hoped I hadn't upset the girl. When at last I'd grown the courage to check on her, she was deep in thought. Megan chewed on her lip as she weighed the question.

'It's a lot of responsibility.' She said at last, turning to me. 'I...I'm not sure.'

'It's scary.' I spoke softly. At first I wasn't sure Megan had heard me.

Reaching out, she gripped my hand gently.

'It's ok. We're all here for each other right? It can't be that bad being an Umbreon? My uncle used to have one. I know you're nocturnal and all but...but I guess that's cool too. And you look badass too.'

'Thanks Megan.' I smiled down at her and she giggled.

'Who looks after you when you're an Umbreon?'

'Fenn looked after me. She's nice like that.'

Now that she had it in her mind I could mysteriously turn into an Umbreon, Megan was loaded with questions. At first I didn't want to spoil her imagination by telling her the truth. However, the more I thought about it, the more sense it made. Maybe I had been thinking about it the wrong way after all.

'Do you eat Pokémon food?'

I laughed, 'What! Why, have you tried it?'

Megan pulled a face, wrinkling her nose in disgust. 'Once, when I was five or something. I remember being sick. Maybe I'll start to like it now.'

'Well...It's something to look forward to.' I replied dryly, but the sarcasm went over the girl's head.

Megan went onto to tell what I assumed to be a highly embellished story of the incident. It was a way to pass the time as we waited for the eventual arrival of the Wildlings. The ground fog meant that they could only be a few hundred metres distance, or a couple of miles. Until the sun burnt through the mist there was no way of telling.

Half an hour later and Mike joined us on the embankment. The mechanic wasn't always the best around the younger kids, but greeted Megan warmly.

The young morph didn't break her chatter, having come out of her shell. Fenn had explained that Megan was rather shy. Then again, being able to talk about herself and show off some of her many talents proved too much for her. Maybe it was the promise at meeting lots of Pokémon, or perhaps talking to somebody who went through what the young girl was now facing.

Megan studied Mike in her rather adorable yet serious manner.

'Do you look after him when he's an Umbreon too mister?'

Mike froze, shooting a glance my way as if asking what to say. All I could do was shrug, faking ignorance.

'I think Orion growled at me the last time I tried to help.' The smug grin was directed at me.

'Oh.' Megan tutted loudly, shaking a finger at me, 'Just like a Pokémon! I knew it.'

The sheer ridiculousness of the situation brought out a warm chuckle from the mechanic. Mike relaxed relaxed visibly and I felt genuinely smiled. Without having to try, Megan was a rather comic without meaning to. Mike turned to me with a whisper.

'I think they hid Megan away so as to protect you. Give it a few days and she'll have both you and Fort Haste wrapped around her finger.'

Fifteen minutes later, and after a rather heated debate between Mike and Megan about the best Pokémon, the Wildlings arrived. Some keen-eyed sentry noticed before we did and a whistle call warbled the arrival of our guests. I let out a sigh of relief upon seeing Roan's pointed antlers silhouetted against the fog. It was a majestic sight, seeing the buck leading a small herd of Pokémon emerging from the mist.

Once again, Fort Haste was receiving refugees. Both Human and Pokémon alike shared the same fate, the same fears, and now the same shared fate.

'Here they are.' Mike pointed out the obvious, scratching at his auburn hair.

Megan grabbed a hold of my hand unexpectedly and I clasped her small glove tightly.

'Let's go and greet them shall we?'

The girl nodded and the three of us slowly worked our way to the main gate.

---

XXX

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[4:16] Andrew Gold - Lonely Boy (1976)

It'll teach him how to fight

To be nobody's fool

Oh, oh what a lonely boy

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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.