FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

An ongoing sunset replaced the glaring sunlight shining above Sinnoh; a trainer and his pokémon were searching a home amid Hearthome City for anything inside they could benefit from.

"Crystal!" Ray shouted his espeon's name from one of the rooms. He occasionally sent her to search for supplies, weapons, and anything edible while looting. He always told her not to stray too far but trusted Crystal to handle herself. They'd been doing this for a while. "Anything?" Ray asked as he saw her approach. He stood at average height with a rather slim build resulting from the times upon them. He had short black hair with just a section sticking up at the front he could never keep down.

She shook her head and sat. Hearthome was a major city, so Crystal expected it to be cleaned out entirely after this long. If there was anything left, it'd be hard to find.

"Same here. We should get going then. Not safe to be in a central city... especially overnight." People and pokémon roamed that tended to seek trouble or steal supplies, and he knew they weren't afraid to kill for it. Ray wasn't like them, but he kept a pistol holstered on his hip he found last month on a body as a precaution. He'd kill, but only in self-defense. Ray wasn't the best shot, but he had some experience in the past from when his father taught him.

It had been three months since the virus took everyone he knew: his mother and friends. He was lucky never to have caught it, and there were a few instances where he or Crystal definitely should have, but Ray never really questioned it.

His mother forced them to leave her the day she began displaying symptoms. It wasn't clear how the illness started or was spread, but he knew it killed whomever it infected quickly. Ray would be nineteen soon. He didn't think he'd survive this long and could only hope Crystal would stay healthy. If she died, he wasn't sure what else would motivate him to persist.

He and his mother were somewhat prepped for economic disaster and had stocked canned foods and water that Ray took from when they had to flee, but no one was prepared for one on this scale. It hit abruptly and turned the region to ruins.

He adjusted his gray jeans and slung his heavy backpack over his shoulder, exiting through the residence's front door with Crystal walking beside him. The bag tired him out quickly due to its weight. It wasn't wise to carry something so heavy that he couldn't run with, so Ray would try to take care of it after they found a safe spot for the night. "Let me know if you feel anything odd, as usual."

"Esp." Crystal was no umbreon, but she saw well enough during the evening to spot movement. As they strolled, she glanced around at their surroundings and kept her ears perked to pick up strange noises in the area. It was overwhelming when dilapidated skyscrapers and marts encompassed them, and it was always eerie seeing abandoned Pokémon Centers and apartment buildings.

Crystal could still faintly see a bright and populated city she now missed more than anything. It was easy to take for granted once had for so long, and she couldn't see anything close returning, at least not in her lifetime.

"We'll rest when we get to Solaceon. Wouldn't want your paws getting too tired," Ray grinned and wiped the sweat from his head. The weather was humid, and it didn't help that he wore a jacket. They'd been searching buildings for hours on top of that, so he couldn't wait to stop and rest.

Ray had nothing more to do since he had a few changes of clothes in his bag and had recently washed them at a pond with a bar of soap, along with himself and Crystal. He did that very rarely and only when they were too musky, as he didn't want to be caught with his pants down-- literally.

They'd only found a couple of waters and snacks while searching today, but it was better than nothing and would help get them through the next few days. He preserved what he could and only ate when necessary. Ray pulled his backpack up so it rested comfortably, thinking already about where they'd move tomorrow.

They never stayed at a location for more than a day or two as it was too much of a risk, although it was tempting sometimes. He grew tired of walking constantly, but they had to to find more items and reduce being tracked.

---

In over an hour, including multiple stops on the way to rest, Ray noticed Solaceon's tall buildings ahead in the distance from the route they'd taken, and it brought him relief that the journey had gone so smoothly under nightfall. As they entered the town, Ray diligently scoped out his surroundings and put Crystal on alert as well. Several homes less than a mile ahead appeared empty, but he couldn't tell for sure until he went inside.

Ray would skip exploring the town's structures tonight since he was exhausted, as was Crystal. He'd keep quiet and hope they weren't found by anyone or thing potentially lurking. However, he knew Crystal had the ability to sense presence when anything living was within a mile of them. She also had a better pair of ears, so they weren't completely blind.

"There..." Ray spotted a cornered residence with trees surrounding it that relatively hid it from sitting in the open.

Crystal followed and shut her eyes briefly, the gem on her forehead glowing a light blue while scanning for nearby entities. It seemed to be clear. She couldn't scan more than a few times per day as each one gradually drained her, so she had to use them wisely, and that was her last.

Crystal felt a minor headache coming on, and her gem had slightly dimmed as she'd lost energy. Fortunately, even without psychic, her sensitive fur allowed her to feel minute changes in the air if anyone was in their proximity.

They made a great team, she and Ray, and Crystal was always ready to battle anyone who dared to challenge them. She hadn't had to kill a human or pokémon yet but wasn't opposed if the day arrived. She didn't want to become desensitized to taking lives, but she may not have a choice.

Ray pushed open the creaky door and entered with a loaded pistol in hand, sweeping the house thoroughly with Crystal behind to ensure it was unoccupied. He wasn't sure what he'd do if he ever found someone in a home. There wouldn't be much time to debate whether they were a good person or not.

"Think we're good... for tonight, anyway." Ray entered the bedroom and sat on its half-made bed with a huff, reaching over to close the curtain by the window. Darkness saturated the room as he did, though a dull haze pressed against the translucent cloth. He set his backpack on the floor and his pistol on the nightstand next to him, rubbing his shoulder. He also grabbed a folded paper and flashlight from his bag's side pocket. "Hungry?" He patted a spot on the bed beside him, and Crystal hopped up.

She was hungry but would rather sleep, so she shook her head for now. Crystal rarely had an appetite nowadays. She only ate enough to keep her going.

"Here, rest your legs." Ray reached his hand and ran it down her sleek back, then twirled his fingers around her tail when he got there. He pulled his hand away and lay on his back, unfolding the paper to reveal a worn map of Sinnoh torn in unimportant areas. Ray wouldn't get undressed for a few reasons, but mostly so he wouldn't get too comfortable.

While looking over the paper, he felt pressure and looked down to see Crystal eyeing him, her paw on his stomach, her other raised, and her tail swaying. "Come here, sweetheart," he grinned and set the map aside.

She climbed onto Ray and lay down, curling up and draping her tail over her thigh. She'd always been close to her trainer, but the circumstances made them depend on each other more than ever.

"Night." He rested his hand on her leg and ran his other over her ears while she rested her chin on his chest. Crystal was a delicate creature, and he always treated her as such to ensure she knew she was loved. He caressed her until she drifted to sleep, and after she closed her violet orbs, it gave Ray a chance to look over the map properly.

He reached and grabbed his flashlight, clicking it so it turned on and turning slightly onto his side. "Celestic and Veilstone..." he whispered. A city northwest and another in the opposite direction. Those were their best options from Solaceon. Entering a new town or city brought Ray anxiety, but there were no better options.

They'd started from Sandgem Town, where he was from, and ventured deeper into Sinnoh for supplies in the past months. He awaited the day they fell into a situation they couldn't run from. It couldn't keep going this smoothly.