FSE

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Ray was sitting on the couch while Crystal groomed her body and tail beside him. He'd showered and changed into a long-sleeved black shirt and new jeans, which was his last outfit. The lockdown order was lifted since the last of the infected were killed, but he wasn't sure what to do now. "Maybe we should try to do something out on the grounds... You know, since tomorrow is our last day here."

But all Crystal could think about was being forced back into Sinnoh to die, especially after today's massive attack. It was dejecting. She didn't get how those in charge could be so heartless as to toss anyone to the mightyenas. She stopped grooming and licked her lips, her ears lowered. Cleaning herself was something that rarely crossed her mind when they were out in Sinnoh, so she took the time to do so here.

Ray felt what she was feeling. There was nothing to look forward to out there. "Hey, but we should appreciate what we got. We should have died on that bike path..." He placed his hand on her back. "We'll manage. We just have to adapt to whatever the region has become." It's what they'd done before they had a base to grant them protection, but the land would be twice as horrific.

If the base suffered a large-scale attack today, that meant the number of bodies coming back to life was increasing expeditiously, and one could only do so much running before hitting a dead-end.

"Sp..." It wouldn't be fun, but Crystal agreed, and moping wouldn't accomplish anything. At least they made the best of their time here. She was glad to have not met any pokémon, as it'd likely make leaving harder.

Ray hadn't interacted with anyone besides Jenna. It was amazing having another human to talk to, but he'd be able to forget her after enough time passed. "If you don't want to go out, then we won't. We can rest instead."

And that's what they did, falling into a nap for hours. It wasn't a bad idea since they wouldn't be able to sleep much once out in Sinnoh.

When Ray opened his eyes, it was darker, and Crystal was curled up beside him with her cheek on his arm, asleep. He hugged her and kissed her ear.

They were still exhausted from living with death and uncertainty looming over them. It'd take a week of rest or longer to recover entirely. He traced his fingers across her head. "Wish we could stay longer too." The least Ray could do was stock up on food and other supplies before they left if possible, meaning he'd have to head back to the cafeteria and try getting another box.

He heard a knock at the front door and glanced at Crystal, who hadn't awoken from it. Who could that be? For a second, he assumed it was a defender that came to tell them to start packing up or something along those lines.

He slowly slid his arm from under Crystal and let her cheek rest on the couch, brushing his shirt of any loose fur while going to the door. He opened it and was surprised to see who it was. "Oh, Jenna." She was in jeans with her hands in her gray hoodie's pockets.

"Do you think we could talk... Maybe in an hour?"

"Of course. Is anything wrong?"

Jenna shook her head. "Just something I have on my mind. Meet at my place."

"I'll be there." Ray closed the door as she turned around and leaned against it. He didn't expect her to talk to him again after last night. Now he was a lot more curious alongside nervous, but he'd try not to overthink when he didn't know what it was about.

He walked to the window and pushed aside the curtains. It'd be evening soon. Endless miles of dark gray clouds blocked any remaining sunlight and threatened stormy weather, and it didn't help how Ray was feeling, but it brought him back to rainy days in Sandgem.

Crystal hated getting her paws dirty, so she always stayed inside until the grass and dirt weren't wet, and he had to carry her any time they went out.

He looked back at her. Ray never stopped doing the best he could for Crystal, but it had been impossible to keep her happy. This base gave him a glimpse of the espeon she used to be.

---

That night, Jenna was putting on her shoes and kneeled to kiss Bizzy on the cheek. She'd fed him, and he was busy following her around the house. "I'll be back. I'm going to talk with someone."

"Bui," he replied and watched the door shut. He missed Jenna. She wasn't herself ever since Chris fell ill and went out repeatedly when she should be recovering instead. She didn't seem to be improving at all, and that scared him.

He hopped onto the couch and sprawled onto his full stomach, where he'd await her return. At least she stayed in the base's vicinity now.

It was dark, and plenty of citizens were out chatting under streetlights or on benches. Jenna stepped onto the road and watched pokémon frolicking, people living and laughing without a care.

She shortly caught Ray approaching from the corner of her eye.

"Uh, hey." He stopped in front of her and felt a rather tense environment, but he couldn't blame how she felt.

Jenna started north. "This way."

He followed after her and glanced around. "Oh, we're going somewhere?"

"Better than sitting at my table." Jenna noticed that Ray stayed behind, likely because she wasn't speaking much. She had a lot to say, but not yet, so the air would have to stay as thick as it was.

He saw less liveliness as they left the central area and headed toward the northern wall. The buzzing dissolved into general ambiance and overall silence. It seemed many citizens didn't live close to the base's entrances, which was likely for safety reasons. Ray hoped Jenna wasn't taking him outside the base, but she turned a right at the next corner a few blocks from the wall before he could ask.

"Just up here," said Jenna. She didn't want there to be a chance they got interrupted or listened to.

Ray peered ahead and saw a half-built multi-story structure of wood and steel, which must have been under construction pre-pandemic. He realized it was their destination when he watched Jenna step onto the wooden ramp. "Here?"

She looked back. "We don't have to if you're uncomfortable."

"No, it's fine..." Ray was slightly uncomfortable because he didn't know how sturdy this abandoned project was but followed her up the ramp and onto the first floor. She seemed to know better and had no reason to kill him, right? Besides, he didn't want to make anything awkward.

Jenna walked to another one afterward, leading to the next floor. "We're going up to five. It shouldn't cave in."

"Shouldn't?"

She grinned slightly. "That was a joke, sorry. It's been a while since I've come up here, but the wood has always held together." No one had a reason to use this structure, so Jenna occasionally did when she was bored. It would have been a cozy apartment building.

Ray would go along with it since he was curious as to why she wanted to talk and take him up an old construction site to do so, circling the ramps that occasionally creaked until they reached the fifth floor and neared the edge. He looked down at the lively, lit-up base, bracing in case any step resulted in the flooring collapsing. He'd rather not walk home full of cuts and splinters.

Jenna stood by him and leaned against a steel beam, gazing at the lights. "Looks real, doesn't it?"

He looked at her. "What do you mean?"

"It almost feels like what life used to be, but it's not. They're living a provisional fantasy."

Ray stepped back. "I mean... can you blame them? Death and despair are just outside. They're only trying to create something out of what's left. Life before this was a fantasy in itself, but a better one."

She glanced at him. "Today, when everyone was forced into their homes, I volunteered to work on the frontlines and shoot incoming bodies. Close to a thousand rushed us by the end of the day, and that was only at one wall... After that and my nights out, I truly realized how fragile and meaningless all of this is. It's not sustainable."

He understood what Jenna was saying but not what she was getting at. Why was he here? "Is there something you wanna tell me?"

"Ask you, actually," Jenna sighed. "Before my brother died, he wrote a note, and on it was--" she looked down for a moment, then at him. "You know the siren that goes off?"

Ray nodded. "Yeah, always sends a shiver down my spine."

"My brother thinks it's a call to remaining survivors. He said he heard it loudest by Jubilife, and Canalave is right next door, which has docks... It kind of adds up."

He tilted his head. "You want to go and see."

"Mhm."

"Jenna... you know what happened last time you went out. It's not safe-"

"fuck safety." Jenna stuck her hands in her pockets. "It doesn't exist anymore. I promise you this base won't last longer than a month with the way the virus is going, and then what?" She knew Chris was telling her the same with how intricately he detailed his note to her. He wanted her to go after the siren. She knew it.

Ray couldn't argue. "I just don't want you to go out alone again."

"You leave tomorrow, right?" No one else would leave the base to chase a conspiracy across an increasingly dangerous region, but Ray had no choice.

He hid a grin. "You... want me to go with you?"

Jenna shrugged. "Did you have other plans?"

He'd do it. He and Crystal's days were numbered in Sinnoh, and they'd have a better chance if another person was with them. "No, no, I'll be ready, but what's making you want to throw all of this away?"

Jenna shifted her eyes back to the base. "There's nothing left but reminders of my brother... and my mistakes. I'd rather take my chances outside and maybe get a chance to start over."

"So, we're doing this then." There was no point in trying to live in a dead region, although the journey out would be a major gamble.

"It'd be best to leave at tomorrow's sunrise. We'll get a good start that way." Even though it meant there would be more attention brought to her leaving. "That's all. I'm going to stay a while."

"Sure." Ray would give her the time and started toward the ramp. This decision couldn't be easy to make.

"Thank you..."

He glanced back. "I'll see you tomorrow."

Jenna watched him leave and slid down the beam, sitting. She wasn't sure she could trust Ray, but there was safety in numbers, and she felt good enough about him. What other option did she have?

By the time she hopefully got out of Sinnoh, Jenna wondered if she'd be bitter. This would haunt her forever, and she had no idea how she'd return to life as if nothing had happened. She'd have eternal post-trauma, and anyone that hadn't experienced it firsthand wouldn't understand.