Chapter III

Phil and Techno were adjusting slowly to the simple life. Phil spent a few days repairing the house, the cracks and leaks that formed over the years. Techno wanted to start a potato farm; he was pretty excited about that, in a monotone Techno way.

They didn't have enough seeds for the farm. Techno designed a multi-layer monstrosity that would give them enough potatoes to feed a small country at its peak productivity. But it would keep Techno busy enough and if it would make him happy, Phil would suffer the nether journey to the nearest village for it.

"I can come with you if you want!" Bad offered when Phil pitched the idea to him.

"I would appreciate that, mate!"

So with his communicator fully loaded and enough supplies, they ventured into the nether portal. Over the years, Bad and Skeppy made a bridge over the nether towards the portal that would take them to the closest village for supplies. It was less dangerous to travel this way than it normally would have been.

They were half way through when Phil heard a sword being drawn behind him. He turned swiftly and saw Bad holding a diamond sword.

"What are you doing mate?" Phil asked wearily reaching for his own weapon.

"Not another move!" Bad hissed. "I have a few questions for you, that is all!"

"What kind of questions?"

"Do you plan on leaving again?"

"No!" Phil said determined "I am here to stay!"

"Are you positive of that? Wouldn't peaceful life be boring for you, Angel of Death?"

Phil froze; he hadn't heard that name in a long time. And home was the last place he expected to.

"There aren't a lot of Avian hybrids, you know, and it was pretty easy to make the connection once Wil mentioned you used to rule a country."

"I do not want any problems."

"I do not care about your past, what I care about is that you do not hurt Wil!We care about the kid, if that was not clear from our morning check up on him!"

"I will never hurt Wil!" Phil felt his wings puff up behind him, but he was too angry to control them properly.

"I do not mean with a sword!" Bad raised his voice, it was terrifying. "He won't take another disappointment from you, so if you plan on leaving do it now or I will dump you in the lava myself and said you slipped"

"I do not plan on leaving my son again! I made that mistake once, never again!"

Bad must have seen the determination on his face, because he lowered his sword.

"Glad we agree!" He smiled like nothing had happened and put the weapon away. "This conversation never happened, of course. It's not like anyone would believe you anyway, I am harmless!"

Phil seriously doubted that.

They were in the market, seeds in hand and looking for other supplies, when Phil's communicator received a message from Techno.

Techno: Found a strange raccoon creature in the basement and Wil doesn't let me kill it.

Phil stared at the message baffled.

Will: Tell Techno not to kill the raccoon hybrid, it's just a kid!"

Phil included both of them in a conversation.

Phil: Is it a raccoon hybrid or just a creature?

Wil: Child

Techno: It has a tail, ears and it's furry, it does have a human head and limbs, but is not even bipedal and it hissed at me!

Wil: You are scaring him!

Phil: Keep it there till I arrive! Give it food and water!

Techno: It already stole some apples from us and clothes… has a full den and all.

"My kids found a raccoon creature in the basement; I think we need to go home sooner!" Phil called to Bad.

"A raccoon creature…?"

"Wil thinks it's a hybrid, but it doesn't speak."

Wil: Dad! Techno grabbed Tommy by the ankle and is holding him above ground!

Techno: It scratched me! And don't give it a name, you will get attached!

Phil: Guys, you are literally near each other, talk! And do not hurt it, Techno!

"Yeah, sure, I was almost done anyway!" Bad shrugged.

The road back was uneventful, Phil and Bad were both rushing and did not exchange a lot of words. The atmosphere around them was less tense though, so Phil supposed the "talk" had helped.

When Phil got home, after he left Bad at his own house, he found Wil and Techno arguing in front of the basement door that was locked and bolted.

"I am back!"

A whiney "Dad!" followed immediately by a just as whiney "Phil!".

"Open the door!" Phil sighed already done with today.

"But it will scratch you, that thing is feral!" Techno complained.

"Oh, before I forget, I brought the potato seeds for you!" Phil said and threw him the bag.

Techno took the bag and started mumbling to himself about optimum farm efficiency.

Wil slowly opened the basement door.

"Is he always distracted by potatoes?" Wil whispered amazed.

"Also gold, but you didn't hear it from me"! Phil laughed.

They stepped into the dark stone basement. Phil lit a torch. In the corner, in what looked like a nest made out of old clothes stood a child, looked 5 or 6. He had a dirty blond hair and blue eyes; small furry ears moved erratically over his head. He was wearing tattered clothes, but had sharp claws and a bushy raccoon tail. He was hissing and puffing out trying to appear bigger. The boys left it some food and over, but the bowls were both empty overturn.

"Do we know how long has it… he been here?" Phil asked.

"Since he has a nest and the clothes have disappeared a while back, a few weeks at least."

"Where could it… he have come from? There is no settlement for miles."

"I asked Skeppy and Sap and they said they never seen him before!"

"Are you hungry, mate?" Phil asked.

The raccoon hybrid hissed.

"He is clearly a hybrid, although he looks mostly feral."

"See! I told, Techno!"

"Wil, bring him some more food. If he is a raccoon hybrid he may need meat as well, so bring some of the roast from last night!"

Wil nodded and left the basement.

Phil took a seat on the floor waiting for him, not making any sudden moves or getting closer to the hybrid. He took a closer look. The kid seemed malnourished, his skin was pale white, so he didn't travel a lot during the day, probably only went out at night too since no one seen him.

The kid stopped hissing and was regarding Phil warily.

Wil arrived with the food, heated and placed on a plate. He put it by the hybrid and then took a step back. The hybrid looked at them and then at the food. He deemed it safe enough because he started eating it; large bites revealed sharp small teeth and fangs at the end. Not as big as Bad's, but dangerous nevertheless. The food was gone in minutes.

The hybrid turned to them and grinned widely, and then it blinked twice and collapsed.

"Food coma?" Phil asked wearily.

"I laced the food with sleeping potion!" Wil announced cheerfully.

Phil turned to him shocked.

"How else were we supposed to carry Tommy in the house?" Wil argued.

"By gaining his trust!"

"Oh…"

Wil and Phil cleaned all the wounds and checked over the bruises. They also changed the poor kid into one of Wil's old t-shirts. The kid was swimming in it, but it was better than the rags he had before. They put Tommy in the last remaining room they had left in the house.

"He will not take food from us anymore!" Phil sighed.

"I didn't mean to…"

"Want to wait here with me or go help Techno?"

"I am waiting here!" Wil said stubbornly.

They brought chairs and waited.

"Is it weird that we are watching a kid sleep?" Wil asked suddenly.

Phil laughed till he slipped off the chair. "To be fair, you are the one that drugged him first, mate"!

"You both should be arrested then!" Techno deadpanned from the door. He looked exhausted, but happy enough.

"Made any progress with the farm?" Phil asked.

"Yeah, I actually planted all the seeds!"

"You… planted all!? Techno, it was a full bag!"

"Yes, and I planted them! Have any place in the creepy crew?"

Wil threw a pillow at his head. Techno caught it and glared at Wil. Phil saw that same look freezing blood in the veins of their enemies on the battlefield. Wil just shrugged.

"Is there any chance we are actually not keeping the feral kid?" Techno whispered to Phil while he took his seat on the floor.

Phil looked over at the bed; Wil was petting the kid's ears giggling to himself while they twitched in his sleep.

"I don't think so, mate, sorry!"