FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

https://archive.org/embed/km_20230501_480p_25f_20230501_102651-mc

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Crystal hadn't moved for hours. She stayed near motionless atop Ray's body because, really, what was she without him?

Lost and without purpose. That's what. Other than that rescue group, she never knew her parents, so Crystal hadn't much experience in the wild or with anyone else until Sinnoh fell.

Jenna was dead, Bizzy, and now Ray. Crystal didn't know what to do or if she could find any more motivation. She sat up and stared at his face, disturbed by its lifeless gaze, and decided she could no longer bear residing in such a haunting atmosphere.

So she stood and got off him, plagued with a headache and dizziness that wouldn't falter. Not only was she still fatigued, but Crystal couldn't comprehend what had transpired.

She went into the hall and down the stairs, stepping over the woman's corpse on her way out. She had no destination initially but remembered that Ray said he wanted to go back to Celestic, so that's where she would go.

Crystal started the journey west, more faint gunshots filling the otherwise silent environment. She didn't scan or feel the air, however. She didn't even bother looking up from the ground.

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But in a day, the most tiresome and depressing one she had ever experienced, Crystal approached the town from Route 210. She'd ambled hopelessly through routes, drinking from ponds she came across and resting in buildings when she could safely, even getting lost several times on the way as she wasn't too familiar with this side of the region.

She felt miserable the entire time and came across plenty of infected but was able to stay out of sight other than one she had to psybeam.

Crystal entered Celestic and let her tail drag while seeking the base. She wasn't sure if she'd stay there. What would she do, live with permanent heartbreak? Maybe that's what everyone was doing, but Crystal was no good at it. She'd never get over Ray and would rather take her chances in the wild.

Upon walking for over ten minutes, she saw the base's eastern wall-- or what used to be one down the road. It and the platform were on the ground, leaving the base open to the public. That couldn't be right.

Crystal approached and peeked inside, where she saw bodies of defenders, citizens, and pokémon on the ground.

Now uneasy, she felt the air while venturing inside, eyeing several more bloodied bodies sprawled across the pavement. Crystal also peeked inside a few residences with unhinged doors. More bodies, some with little to no clothing on them. Something awful happened here.

She froze upon hearing a noise nearby and looked at another home. Crystal decided to scan, shutting her eyes and soon feeling out three entities holding blue auras. Just what she needed. She opened, shaking her head from the pain resulting. Crystal wasn't sure she'd ever physically recover. She would need a lot more time but required her abilities constantly to survive.

She probably shouldn't investigate and throw herself into harm's way but was curious, so she went to the house with caution and stopped before the doorless frame, hearing chatter inside.

Crystal lowered herself and set a paw in but heard an immediate gunshot, which caused her to flinch and snatch it away while hopping off her hind ones, wincing upon landing on her injured leg. She trembled and prepared to retaliate before her eyes fell on two she recognized: a girl and a luxray, though there was a human male with them she had never seen.

"Wait, y-you're that guy's espeon, aren't you?" Abby lowered her rifle, glancing at her wrapped thigh and dim fur from her travels. "Sorry." She stood from the chair she sat in and saw the male stand as well. "Stay, Ben, Hiko." She didn't want to overwhelm the espeon. The poor thing looked like it had gone through a lot.

Crystal eyed Abby as she approached and crouched before her at a distance.

"Is he dead?"

Crystal nodded, wearing a defeated expression.

"...And Jenna?"

She nodded again.

Abby had figured so. That journey was a mistake, but so was staying here, which she found out the hard way. She let go of her rifle, pushed it aside to dangle against her shoulder, and extended her arms to Crystal.

And Crystal did something she would never to who was more or less a stranger, walked into them and allowed Abby to pull her up, where Crystal fell limp and pressed her cheek to her chest.

Crystal's eyes welled with tears, which she tried her best to keep to herself as comfort and release would only go so far. She just needed to have him back.

"I'm sorry." Abby knew she was distraught. A pokémon's trainer was their life. She took Crystal back to the chair and sat with her, holding her close and feeling how tense she was. "We're the only three alive here as far as I know. A few ran, and others could be hiding still. Not long after you guys left, we got attacked by infected and armed men and pokémon out of nowhere. They overpowered us fast, and if the infected didn't kill us, it was the group that invaded."

Good to know they were dead no matter what they did. Crystal shut her eyes, feeling Abby's fingers run down her back and part her fur. She wanted to curl up and hide under a rock forever, drowning in her sorrow until it all went black.

"They grouped most of us that didn't hide and took what they needed, raped or murdered many who stepped out of line even slightly without remorse. They were ruthless... Ben here threw the operation out of order by shooting some of the guys, and we all took advantage through the confused commotion, only creating more bloodshed from both sides."

"I wish so many didn't have to give their lives in the process, but death would have been one-sided if not..." Ben grinned slightly. "But I guess I can kill for a good cause. I couldn't watch what they were doing for a moment longer and live with myself. Evil souls, they were..." He despised them-- every last one, and now they no longer existed besides the couple left to guard supplies in Sunyshore, but he gave those morons about a week. Ben had sympathy for none of them.

Hiko found satisfaction in frying them as well. It was revenge for murdering Amy in cold blood. It wasn't that fulfilling when she was still gone, but at least they were gone too.

Abby rubbed her eyes. "We can't stay here, though. The dead's gotta rise sooner or later."

Ben nodded. "We can take what supplies are left and ditch before we're overrun again. We should start prepping as soon as possible."

"Right, and maybe we can grab a couple of other survivors." Abby had no idea what to expect out there as she'd been out of touch for the most part, but she knew who did, especially after they'd gone across the region. "Hey..." Abby tapped Crystal.

Crystal opened her eyes, lifted her head, and looked at her.

"Wanna come with us?"