FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

She didn't know where she was anymore. This place, it was dark but oddly warm and comfortable. It seemed like something was off. She tried to think and remember how she got here and where she was. No memory worked its way to the surface. She couldn't even bring herself to focus. Slowly though, very slowly something began to come back to her. There was a face in the darkness.

There was a sun in the sky shining brightly. It warmed her skin pleasantly. Trees waved to and fro in the warm breeze. The leaves whispered sweet words as they danced carelessly. Everything was so peaceful and pretty. Even the grass beneath her was plush. Almost like a cushion between her and the ground. The air was crisp, she could breathe easily. She had never felt more comfortable. An arm wrapped around her gently and pulled her into a warm and familiar lap. It was Qagan. She didn't even have to look to make sure, she just knew it was him. His presence as welcome as any other beauty in this paradise.

"Why would you want to leave?" he asked with a merry chuckle. "Don't you like it here?"

She seamlessly flowed with the conversation as if she'd been there for the whole thing. "I don't know. I want to stay..." The words almost hurt to say. Why was she leaving him? She couldn't bring herself to remember.

"You can't though?" he asked with a pained inflection.

"I..." she swallowed a lump forming in her throat. "I have to help him." Images of her father passed through her mind. He never seemed to smile at the other Char, but he always seemed to smile at her.

The Crater was hot. As hot as it had always been. The lava flowed steadily in the trenches. Ashes and smoke spewed from the occasional fissure and were carried far into the sky. Making the sun glow a violent red through the haze. Water bubbled from the springs that weren't to far off. She could see them filled with all kinds of fire types. Including the Char her father led. A different arm held her close now. Her father's arm.

"They were never the problem, dear." Zatsule's voice rang in hear head. "People are coming closer, but I will hold them off."

"Is that what Cre is doing?" Teya asked.

Zatsule nodded thoughtfully. "Yes. Your mom doesn't like it though." he added with a chuckle. "He can handle himself."

Teya smiled back at her father. "You didn't want to go with him?"

He scoffed. "I don't have the stomach for it anymore. Besides, Cre wanted to lead them there. Boy has the soul of a Chardera."

"Do I have a soul of a Chardera?" she asked, poking him playfully.

"The fiercest!" he said, grabbing her and tickling her with his free claw. "Not even the most determined human could possess you!" Her father relented in his ticklish assault as she tickled back. "Okay, okay I surrender!" He rolled onto his back in submission as she continued her playful jabs. "C'mon now, have mercy on an old Char!"

She planted her foot on his tail to declare her victory. "I have defeated the Char lord! Claiming my rightful place as leader!"

"Oooo," Zatsule replied sarcastically. "big words from a little lizard." he pulled her in close for a hug. "You'll have to do better than that if you want to bring me down for good." His smile was wide. He was so handsome when he genuinely smiled. She only wished he would smile more often.

Why was she so tired? There were slow and steady beeps coming from somewhere. The was a bright light hanging over her head, encouraging her to open her eyes. She opened her eyes slowly. The room seemed big, the light shone brilliantly over her. She let her head roll to the side to look around and avoid the awful illumination. The room was long and many sickly looking Pokemon lay unconscious on metallic tables. Not unlike the one she seemed to occupy. The scenery caused some sort of panic to stir in her, but calming thoughts were all too quick to quell them. Something didn't feel quite right with her. Like something kept her mellow. She rolled her head to the opposite side. A wall was less than ten feet away and a plethora of human equipment was piled high, but neatly so. With some kind of ordered chaos.

The machines hummed quietly to themselves and one of them jumped when the beep sounded. Such odd devices. Her father warned her of things like these. Again she felt a surge of panic well up inside her. Something kept her thoughts from becoming whole. Like she couldn't put something together before she gets distracted by something else. It was frustrating her. She looked to her arm lazily. There was something taped to her and a device wrapped around her finger. What is this stuff? What is this place? Where is everyone?

She couldn't even remember anymore. Qagan? Was he on one of the tables? She looked about in a lull, unable to clearly determine whether he was or not. Moss? There doesn't seem to be any humans around.

Noises began to dull once again and light began to fade. She didn't feel sick or hurt. She didn't feel anything except a creeping sleepiness. One that threatened to overcome her again. But some noises woke her from her daze. The sound of approaching footsteps echoed off the walls. It wasn't long before a human stood over her, looking nothing more than a red blur. Something flat in her hand as she scribbled over it's surface. Teya wasn't sure how she knew it was a human.

Teya could barely focus, but she managed to get a feel for her mouth. "Hmmmnehhh..." was all she managed. To her it didn't even sound strange, that felt like a word.

"Easy now." the red blur said. "You've been out for awhile." The words were crisp and clean. Easily understood. "I'm Nurse Joy, from Dinsont. I've been taking care of you since you got there."

Something clicked in Teya's head. 'Dinsont' sounded so familiar. The recognition was fleeting though. She attempted to speak again. "Wheer... Where?" she droned sleepily.

"We're at Reftur now, dear." The nurse replied kindly. "You were brought here at Commant Moss' order."

Moss. His face was clear in the haze of her mind. "Kadllll..." Teya slurred, growing frustrated with her condition she worked her tongue through her mouth to get a feel for it. "Qagan?" she asked determinedly.

Joy frowned at the question. "I'm afraid no one has been able to locate him. Moss went missing as well, after he was sent to recover survivors. Which turned out to be a large group of Pokemon." She looked down at the Charmeleon with sympathy. "Dinsont was overrun the same night. But all the Pokemon and the escorting soldiers managed to make it here unharmed."

Teya was puzzled. "Why am I here?" she took a deep breath. "What's going to happen to me?"

"You were terribly sick when you arrived at Dinsont. You were running a fever of 262. Much higher than normal Charmeleon body temperatures. We were unable to determine what exactly was causing it. But given the circumstances, my cousin and I have concluded it was the egg that was causing it. Your condition has improved significantly since it has been removed."

"What?" Teya couldn't believe what she heard. "An egg?" she managed to pull herself into a sitting position to try and focus more clearly. It was an effort to say the least, she grunted with the effort and cradled her stomach as she winced at a sharp pain. She looked at the source of the pain. A red scar showing a clean cut and stitches across her yellow belly.

"You were with egg on your arrival. It seemed to have been fertilized not too long before. It had to be removed before we were evacuated, it simply couldn't have waited. Your fever nearly caused all of your vital organs to fail."

Teya looked the nurse in the eye. "What came of it? Where is it?" she asked worriedly. "Did it survive?"

"Yes... It's fine. We're taking good care of it in one of our incubators."

The Charmeleon looked deeply relieved at the news, even as she was unaware of what an incubator was. "Can I see it?"

"Once you recover completely, yes." The nurse explained. "How are you feeling now?"

"I feel a little sore and a bit groggy." she admitted. "Other than that, I feel fine." she shrugged dismissively and looked to the device tapped to her claw. "What is this thing?"

Joy went back to writing on her board. "An IV. We attached it to you to give you medicine. However, since you've awakened it won't be necessary." She put her notes to the side on a desk and began her work on the device on her arm. "Are you sure you're feeling alright?"

Honestly, she felt like she was getting better by the second. "Yes. How is my egg?" Even though she just found out about it she was genuinely worried for it. The egg was hers, it's her duty to protect it.

The nurse frowned at the question as she carefully pulled the IV from the Charmeleons warm skin. "It's been having some difficulties. Mostly due to the fever you suffered while it was developing. Even Char eggs have a maximum temperature they can withstand." Teya listened carefully to the Human. She knew humans understood a great many things about Pokemon of all types. Whether water or fire, forest or rock. Knowledge is what separated humans from other creatures of the world. Joy pulled the thing free from her and proceeded to put the back of her hand against Teya's forehead lightly. She smiled kindly, "Well, you're still warm. But in your case it's a good warm." she giggled lightheartedly and cleared her throat as she removed her hand from Teya's head. "Anyway, the egg... There may be some irreparable damage to the Char within. Physically and possibly mentally. Do you understand what I mean by that?"

Teya paused for a moment and nodded numbly. "Yes." This news made her want to cry. She hadn't even seen the egg yet and it was already burdened with misfortune. Tears welled up in her eyes, "But... It will live right?" she almost didn't want to know the answer for fear of it.

Nurse Joy shook her head, "I can't guarantee that. But I'll do my best to make it happen... Okay?" she said in a reassuring tone.

She couldn't respond to that. She didn't know how to. Everything else was gone. Why would this egg be any different? She stared down to the cool metal surface below her. How could she feel so strongly for the egg she just learned of? Because it was Qagan's child. Teya's eye's widened at the sudden realization. He was the only one she had ever been with. He wasn't even a Char and he managed to impregnate her. That simply couldn't be possible.

"Do you feel like you're able to stand? Maybe even walk around?" Nurse Joy asked, pulling her from her thoughts. "If you can, I'll walk you to see it."

Teya wasn't sure of herself at first. She moved to the side of the table and let her legs dangle. The fall was short and she hit the ground with unsteady feet. The nurse held her steady as she attempted to hold herself up. Her legs felt weak, barely capable of maintaining her own weight. She felt ashamed of herself.

"It's alright." Joy said. Having seen the same downcast expression on many faces before. "Your strength will return to you. It won't take long at all." She said with a reassuring smile. Carefully the nurse began to guide her across the room and to the door. The Charmeleon grunted in frustration with every faltered step.

The time crawled on slowly as Nurse Joy led her through the hall. "It's okay, I think I can walk on my own. Just lead the way." Teya said. The nurse tenderly released her and started to walk ahead of her. Teya kept a claw against the wall just in case and followed the nurse carefully. Each step felt twice as strained as they needed to be. The halls were clear of obstacles, save for a folded chair leaning against the wall and a backpack lying on the floor next to it. She cleared them without much effort and managed to keep a decent pace after Nurse Joy. It was a short walk to the door the Nurse held open for her. Teya rounded the corner to the room and was surprised to see shelves upon shelves of eggs lined along the walls. Each one in it's own glass case with a heat lamp keeping them warm.

To Teya this all looked incredible. She had never seen anything like it. She looked around at all the eggs through the room. Each of them with varied colors and sizes. The room temperature seemed pleasantly warm compared to the hall and there was a faint smell of light chemicals in the air. The smell wasn't fresh but it seemed deep rooted. As if that was how it always was. Harshly clean and warm. Before the nurse even pointed her to it, she knew which one was hers. Her mother often told her that mothers could always spot their children in a crowd. Her egg seemed small compared to the others and had a slightly reddish hue.

Every instinct she had convinced her that the egg shouldn't exist, can't exist. But there it sat, despite her personal logic and reasoning's. Nurse Joy walked to the one she spotted and pointed to it, "This one here is yours." She stated, not even realizing that Teya already picked it out.

She walked to the nurse's side. "Could I hold it?" She asked.

The Nurse nodded and opened the glass door. "It should be okay for now." she replied as she handed the egg to the Charmeleon. Teya inspected it as she sat and set it in her lap. The egg was warm to the touch and looked near flawless on the surface. "All things considered," Joy continued, "the egg has been doing well. It was overdue when we removed it from your womb, which is why you have that scar. We were waiting to see if your fever would go down before we attempted the surgery. But we also had to remove it before we were evacuated from Dinsont." she explained.

Teya nodded absently as she held the egg close to her. She rested her cheek on the top of it and closed her eyes.

"After we removed the egg, your fever immediately began to subside. Leaving me, my assistant and my cousin to believe that the egg is what caused it. Though it is strange for your body to react to egg bearing in that way, almost like it was a foreign object." she noted.

There was a knock at the door behind them. Nurse Joy turned to see a pudgy old face looking through the window with a grin. She frowned with dissatisfaction, this man had been hounding after the Charmeleon since she was brought here. She walked to the door with a sigh and pushed it open impatiently. The man jumped to the side as the door flung open but kept the friendly smile on his lips as the Nurse faced him. "What do you want now?" she grumbled.

The man shrugged off her impoliteness and set his cane down in front of him. His hands rested on it passively and his suit was as clean as ever. "I see my friend here is finally awake. Can I have that chat I was promised?" he asked.

"I've told you before, Mr. Williams. Unless Ian gives me his expressed permission I cannot allow visitors to approach his Pokemon." Joy said resolutely. "Since he is indisposed for the moment. I must decline your request."

Barnaby shot her an amused grin. "Oh, posh." he huffed. "You and I both know that the Charmeleon doesn't belong to him. I am well aware of her Reserved status. Which keeps me from catching her, not interacting with her!" he finished with a harsh tone. "Now drop the act, Ms. Joy, or I will revoke your licenses to work within the hour!" His whole face was stern and showed no hint of jest. He had grown impatient with her games over the past week. He had only accepted Ian and Joy's arguments because the Charmeleon had yet to rise. Now it was different. She had awoken, recently by the look of her. He had suspicions he wanted to confirm. Suspicions that wouldn't be solved unless he had a chance to see her up close. To talk to her.

Nurse Joy stumbled back a step at the sudden aggressive change in his demeanor. He hadn't been so confrontational until now. In fact he had been quite pleasant and easy to turn around. She snapped her gaping mouth shut and regained her posture. "I understand." she conceded. She was slightly aware of how much power he had over her job. All she knew for sure was that Williams Enterprises supplied a great many medical appliances to the Pokemon League's official Medical Centers. He was a head of the Board of Directors and owned a vast majority of the Pokemon Merchandising rights. A man with connections, and many resources.

Barnaby shook the smoldering thoughts from his mind and grinned, somewhat apologetically. "Forgive me for losing my patience. But I have many things on my mind. I just want to talk to her a moment, nothing more."

She nodded numbly. "Don't worry about it." she said with a fake smile. "But she is my patient and I do have a request before you go in." Barnaby gestured for her to continue. "She has been in a coma and I request you do not place any undue stress on her. Too much stress could cause her to relapse. It's unlikely, but let's not test her luck."

"Wouldn't dream of it." he said simply. "Now, is there anything else?"

Nurse Joy shook her head. "I'll be right here if you need me."

"Excellent." he opened the door for himself and walked in. Making sure to shut the door once he was through.

The Charmeleon was distracted as he made his way to her. She didn't even seem to notice he was there. He proceeded to calmly approach and sit next to her, placing his cane across his lap. She sat completely still with her cheek against the egg. Her head was turned in his direction but her eyes were closed. It almost looked like she was sleeping that way.

Teya kept herself completely still. She focused solely on listening to the egg. Feeling the egg, letting the warmth course into her cheek. She let her claws glide delicately over it's outer surface. Feeling slight grooves and nicks along it's shell. When she was in the Crater she had seen the same thing done many times. It was a ritual. The ritual could reveal many things about the Char within if done properly. But Teya had never attempted it before. She didn't even know exactly how to do it. Her mother told her that if the one who laid the egg listened carefully during the movements, she could hear the Char inside. Feel it's personality. Teya continued the movements fruitlessly for a couple minutes more.

Barnaby started to hum in a slight fit of whimsy. He was a patient man if he wasn't being pushed but he became bored easily. Often letting himself fall into idle habits, humming so happened to one of those habits. He studied the eggs about the room with disinterest. Hoping at least one of them would be hatching soon. Though the odds of that happening were probably pretty bad.

"Char? 'Meleon char?" The voice snapped him from his boredom. The Charmeleon looked at him quizzically. Finally finished with whatever fascinated her about the egg.

"Oh, why hello there!" Barnaby said with a friendly smile. Trying his best to be nice to the creature. She still seemed unsure at his presence after his offered greeting. "I thought I would just drop by and extend my greetings to you. You see, I'm a friend of a friend. You remember a man named Mr. Moss?" he asked.

"Char." Teya said in affirmation.

Barnaby frowned, he still wasn't entirely sure if that was a 'yes'. "Right... Anyway, Moss and I are very well acquainted. He has somewhat explained to me your situation over the phone and a little through Lines. He has convinced me, begrudgingly I might add, to keep an eye on you and make sure you're safe for the time we should all be here." he watched her closely as he explained everything cryptically. Nothing in her eyes revealed anger or even mistrust. Only a confused look on her face. He didn't even know if she was understanding him. Without his Servant around he couldn't even ask if she understood. He did not hear the speech of Pokemon as Jack and Moss could. He only heard the masking language. "When you feel up to leaving the center have Ian call me. He knows how to contact me should you ask."

"Char meleon?" she asked.

Barnaby shrugged helplessly. "Sorry dear, for the time being this conversation is going to be one sided. I'm afraid I can't understand you."

She stared at him blankly. Why would this man show up and talk to a Pokemon for no reason? Why was he here at all if he couldn't understand her? He didn't make any sense. He merely sat to her side and inspected her with a calculating gaze. It was just awkward.

"But should you seek me out later, a friend of mine can translate for me and we can have a nice long chat." his tone was straight, as if stating simple truth. "I believe we'll have a lot to talk about. Until then though I see no reason to keep pestering you-" he was cut off as the door to the room flew open and a young man stomped in. Barnaby recognized him from prior meetings.

"What do you think you are doing?!" Ian demanded, he marched up to him with accusing eyes. "I told you I didn't want you around her!"

Barnaby stood with a weary sigh. "I just wanted to talk with her. I assure you I meant no harm." he raised the end of his cane to Ian's chest to hold him back as he approached. Ian watched the man with disbelief. "Now, control yourself, Mr. Malrose. I didn't plan on ruffling your feathers. I was just about to leave."

Ian stared down to the short man, angry that he took advantage of his own absence. This Barnaby character had something about him Ian didn't trust. He was sly and conniving, the way he carried himself told it. Almost like he planned every little thing carefully to work it to his advantage, like a rat trying to plan his next meal. No one like that could be trusted. "I think you should." Ian said in a threatening tone.

Barnaby nodded and walked around the man with little regard. His cane tapped against the floor in a steady rhythm into the hall. "Keep up the good work, Nurse." he said with a polite nod to her. He knew that the Charmeleon would seek him out. When she did, the Ian fellow would bring her to him. Not because he wanted to but because he would be obligated to.

Ian watched the short man leave with an angry frown. Barnaby didn't look back as he walked away. The door shut behind him and Ian was alone with Teya. He had been by her side the entire time she went through her coma. Now that she was awake, he hardly knew where to begin. At least she already knew about her egg. It was a relief to see her cradling it as she did. He was worried for awhile that she might not accept it. Moss told him she probably didn't even know she was with egg before she fell ill.

Teya looked to him curiously. "Hello..." she offered feebly, hoping he could understand her. She hugged her egg closer.

Ian grinned at her nervous tone. "Hey there. How are you feeling?"

She sighed deeply. "I'm doing fine I guess. Just, everything has changed. Not exactly all for the better either." She hoped some part of the human could sympathize. Apparently the human had some attachment to her by the way he confronted. "Why were you so aggressive with that man?"

"Oh, don't worry about that right now." he replied with a friendly grin. "He's just here to stir up trouble. I'm here to make sure you're healthy." He brought himself to her side and took the same spot Barnaby had just left. Teya watched him sit next to her with interest. Three new faces since she had awoken. She wished she would see a familiar one soon, but she didn't think the odds of that were very good. "So I see you've been introduced to the kid." he said as he pointed to the egg in her lap. "Any doubts of it being yours?"

He could see the answer in her eyes as she looked at it, an answer wasn't necessary. "No," she replied with certainty. "It has to be mine."

"How can you tell?" he was genuinely interested.

"It's too familiar. I knew it was mine when I saw it." she spoke truthfully, she had no doubt of her feelings. "It's hard for me to believe that I've been out for nearly two weeks. But if what Nurse Joy said is true. It would make sense that I was with egg too."

Ian looked intrigued at her statement. "How's that? Joy has told me a couple times that eggs don't usually affect their carriers so badly. Honestly I've never seen anything like it either." he pointed out.

Teya nodded. "But my mother told me her egg bearing had been rough, for both me and my older brother. She was unable to move from the cave for the time and had a crippling fever. Father was forced to tend to her for the whole process. Mom told me that Greatmother had the same problem. It's in our lineage to endure the Redbirths."

Ian nodded, understanding 'redbirth' was probably a Char word for difficult egg bearing. "It's genetic? But yours was pretty severe still and well... the embryo was damaged."

"I know." she replied in a depressed tone and resting her chin over the egg.

Ian sat quietly with her for a moment. He wanted to help her as much as he could but her Reserved status left her completely free to make her own choices. Moss' orders were clear in that respect. She wasn't his Pokemon. If he wanted to help her he would have to consider her a human with rights. He didn't have anything in particular against the idea. Though treating this Pokemon like a human felt strange, alien almost. If he wanted to help a human in her position, how would he go about it? "Well, I have a question for you Teya."

The Charmeleon gave him a sideways glance as she shifted uncomfortably on the cold tile floor. "What is it?"

"I know you don't know me yet. But I've been around and making sure you've been properly cared for since Moss told me to take care of you back in Dinsont. Now that you're up again you're free to go anytime you please. Moss also told me that you might not have anywhere to go to. So if you would like, you can stay with me and my Pokemon here at the center." he knew it wasn't much of an offer. She probably didn't want to be cooped up with Humans anymore. All he could do is offer what he had though.

She looked surprised at the offer. "You mean I can stay?"

"Yeah, if you want to."

She looked immensely relieved at his answer. "That means a lot to me. Really it does. I haven't even thought about what I would be doing now that I'm here. Now that I have this egg." She paused, thinking through her options. "Home is dead. Qagan is gone. Moss is gone. What can I do?"

Ian nodded in understanding. "I get that it looks like options are limited. But you still have a choice. I won't make you stay here if you don't want to."

She looked at him carefully for a while, as if trying to gauge his character from his appearance. Ian's hair looked scraggly and his clothes were wrinkled. They looked like some sort of green paper hanging over his form. He looked worn out more than anything. His eyes had dark circles under them but they seemed kind and friendly. It was impossible to determine his intentions but Teya decided to trust him. "I think I should stay." she answered honestly. "I appreciate your kindness. Your name's Ian isn't it?"

Ian smiled. "Yes it is, sorry I didn't introduce myself. My mind is a bit preoccupied." he apologized, scratching the back of his head.

"It's alright. In all fairness I didn't introduce myself either." she said with a small grin. Deciding not to bring up how she knew his name, she instead brought her attention back to the egg. "You know, damaged or not. My child will have a mother that loves it." she smiled warmly at the thought and let her claws pass gingerly over it's surface. "All I can do is hope that it will learn the ways of the world."

"It will Teya." Ian said with a reassuring tone. Trying to bolster her confidence. "I'll help you out all I can. But for now, let's get you situated in my room. Can you walk?"

The Reftur Bulwark

Barnaby sighed deeply after he made his way out of the Pokemon center. The city air tasted foul in his mouth. It reminded him exactly how much he had grown to dislike this city. It was a poisonous reminder of the Assembly's reckless disregard for the local environment. Heaps of rot gathered around storm drains in the street along with refuse of lazy civilians. The buildings reached no higher than sixteen stories at the tallest, most of them covered in graffiti that was less than kind and artistically lacking. The roads were almost constantly packed with traffic. A constant haze nestled comfortably between the buildings. Making breathing difficult as well as unpleasant.

He turned to his left and walked down the sidewalk with a less than satisfied look on his face. The constant pounding of his cane on the cement his only company. The sidewalks were cracked and uneven in some places, forcing him to mind his steps carefully. Traffic inched along beside him with a pained slowness. He couldn't believe people actually lived here willingly. This place would have driven him mad a long time ago.

Suddenly a tall figure came up beside him and walked along with him at his pace. "How did it go, Master Williams?" the man asked with a seasoned voice.

Barnaby let himself smile at the question and answered, "About as well as you'd expect. They'll show up eventually. Though I wish you were there, Jack." he turned a corner and his butler followed diligently. "So what were you off doing?"

Jack always planned ahead and often took those plans into his own hands. But he never offered details unless Barnaby asked for them. "Just had to make sure that all the messages were received. A couple have already responded in the affirmative." Jack stated.

"Of course they have. They all will." Barnaby replied in disinterest. People were always easy to get a hold of in his position.

"But there is a matter of the_Minds Eye_." Jack spoke cryptically.

Barnaby's eyes suddenly lit up with interest. "Oh?" he continued walking at a leisurely pace. The one he had taken to calling the 'Minds Eye' was a bit tricky to get a hold of. Not that he couldn't be found, just that he couldn't be secured as an asset. He was far too powerful to be held against his will and Barnaby had nothing he could offer him to help. "Any word as far as he goes?"

"Actually yes, he has agreed to meet you personally. But only on the condition that it is a private meeting and at a time of his choosing." Jack explained, keeping equal pace with his master. He stood with his back straight and head high. His hands remained neatly folded behind his back.

"Fah! Am I to have no say in this?" Barnaby said in a disgruntled huff. He waved the thought from his mind. "Oh well, like it even matters." He stopped walking and tucked his cane underneath his arm. He removed a cigarette and lighter from his pocket and lit it while mumbling curses into the flame. With the lighter pocketed he continued his stroll with a drag from his cigarette. "This day is a bit of a tester. I'll tell you that." Smoke flowed past his lips as he spoke.

"As they all are, sir." Jack replied as he always did to that same comment. Barnaby has always said that when he wants to start hearing good news. "But I've received the report from Yuia and Chayville, both perimeters have been entirely secured. Making every city across the front line fully prepared to defend against attack. No city behind the line has reported any sighting of suspicious creatures. There were reports up until about an hour ago that were proving inconclusive, they are being double checked as we speak."

Barnaby tapped his cigarette idly by his side as he crossed a street. "Excellent. Have there been any sightings on the proper side of the line?"

"No. In fact there have been no sightings since we've had this city prepared." Jack reported.

"Now that's interesting. Any thoughts of why that would be?" He brought the cigarette back to his mouth and inhaled lightly.

"If I were the enemy, sir. I would be monitoring our progress very closely and try to see what it is we are playing at." Jack replied, carefully mulling over the scenario in his mind. "But this enemy is different than normal too. Perhaps they have a plan of their own and we just aren't their main target."

"But they were expanding so aggressively before... How's the Assembly pulling through?" Barnaby asked, taking his thoughts into account.

"Very well, if their Media is to be believed. But their Military Communications Network is a blasted mess. Hard to tell casualty total but the estimates are all based on recent population counts of overrun areas. Plus thousands more counting military counterattacks and attempted raids. Their side is facing the brunt of these creatures attention. For the time being, of course."

"I can live with that." Barnaby said with a curt nod. What happened to the Assembled hardly mattered at this point. But what happened in general was of terrible importance. He didn't want a single critical detail slipping by him. "Have the beasts taken to the water yet?"

Jack furrowed his brow at the question. "No reports have suggested it. Are you expecting that sir?"

"Eventually maybe. All I know right now is that they won't get far unless they can get across the oceans. I doubt they intend to stay locked on this island. Just a thought." Barnaby hummed thoughtfully at his words. How would other nations react to this threat? Brought about by Assembly ambitions. Everyone knew of their atrocious experiments after the fact. No one could touch them though. They were threatened with sanctions and inspections when it came to light. The Convine could hardly back up those threats to them and instead settled for a televised apology from the former Initiate Hugh Aghons himself, whom swiftly resigned his station and left the Assembly entirely. For shaming his people by apologizing at all. The whole thing left a sour feeling in Barnaby's stomach. Just the memory caused a hint of it to return.

"I don't expect anyone else would consider that a possibility." Jack pointed out. "But you make a valid point. As always Master Williams."

"I guess I'll bring that up at the meeting then." Smoke curled from his lips as he turned another corner and crossed a street. People hardly took notice of him as he passed. But when they did it seemed they were just peeved at his smoking. "So, here we are. Waiting for the next move." Barnaby sighed inwardly.

"Seems that way. But I assure you that it will not remain so." The seasoned voice reminded him. Barnaby chuckled away his final puff of smoke and flicked the butt away dismissively.

Alex was signing away at the papers piled on his desk. For all intensive purposes it was a slow day in the Command Center of Reftur, nicknamed the 'Slammer' because it felt like a prison. The walls and floor were bare concrete save for the small square windows. No one would have guessed they were on the top floor of a twelve story building. The lights were all floor lamps plugged into clearly over aged outlets and the only sources of color was the delightful browns of the desks that the computers and monitors all crowded. Printers and shredders sounded twice as loud thanks to the lack of insulation, which was also responsible for poor climate control. At first it was as cold as the dark side of the moon, now with all the machines and people it was almost a constant 92 degrees. Even with the windows open and icy wind blowing through. Not exactly what he pictured working in when he got here.

Command had been given to Alex before shortly before he arrived. He wasn't expected until the day after but he was welcomed heartily regardless. Most of the senior officers here had never been in actual combat. They were all desk workers. Leaving him with a lot of questions to answer about how to properly martial a city this size. Thankfully though, Barnaby had already had plans drawn up and ready to be put into action. It wasn't easy at first for the Parlal to work alongside Williams Enterprises as it was. Barnaby had not revealed his plans to them and drove across the entire country with weapons from the Sedra Shipyards. Once Barnaby had told the General about it, he went on a tirade. Not that there was much he could have done about it at that point. Trucks full of the Williams equipment had already made their way to all the cities over the front line.

Alex had been able to talk him out of destroying all the equipment after a long talk over the phone. The General was more willing to receive his assurances over Banaby's. The weapons themselves were enhanced Harmonic Prototypes that the Parlal was familiar with. The Williams model had many key differences from the prototype though. The batteries were smaller, making the weapon capable of an actual firefight as long as you had the strength to hold it. None of them had actually been fired yet but all the soldiers have been trained in their operation. Ready to use if Keisnam granted clearance for military live fire testing.

"Commander, sir!" Alex snapped his attention from his paperwork and to the man who addressed him. It was Captain Varse, a capable yet unseasoned soldier that is a veteran in these parts. If only in the war games. Shaved head and a knife tattooed on his neck. The uniform the same dark blue as his own and decorated to an extent.

"Yes Captain?" he replied, his tone relaying a bit of weariness.

"Mr. Williams is here to speak with you." he reported professionally.

Alex chuckled at that, "Yeah, well. He knows his way here. Let him up." Barnaby never took no for an answer anyway. Last time Alex said no and the Butler 'escorted' him through every single armed guard. Right to Alex's desk. He couldn't say he wasn't warned though. The Captain nodded and walked back to his station. Each of the several desks were packed shoulder to shoulder with people, computers and corded phones. Most of them ringing near constantly. So much noise that it was difficult to carry on any conversations. But no such thing would stop Barnaby from trying.

It wasn't long before the short pudgy man walked into the room. No one payed him or his personal attendant any mind as they walked to Alex's desk. "A pleasure to see you once again Commander!" Barnaby said with a mock salute. The man was a nuisance, but a useful one.

"Hello there Mr. Williams." Alex nodded to him. "Jack." he added, acknowledging his presence. Jack tipped his head, remaining silent. "To what do I owe the pleasure of seeing your smiling faces?"

"Oh, just around checking on all of our schemes." Barnaby said with a wry grin. "The usual."

Alex looked at him with a discerning gaze, "Yeah? Didn't just stop in to say 'Hi'?" Alex trusted the man personally to an extent, but right now it was his job to distrust him. Honestly it didn't look like he was up to any good at the moment anyway.

"No, I came to check on my schemes! What, are you deaf? I'm actually pretty eager to hear word from the horses mouth." he said, fiddling with the round tip of his cane.

"What word would that be?" Alex asked.

"Well, more like the plural. The exact words I can only guess. But they'll be along the lines of, 'I, General Allen Keisnam, bequeath unto you my permission to use the tools of destruction granted to you by my dearest friend and ally, Barnaby Williams.' Or something like that." he shrugged. "Should be any minute now as long as the General sticks to his schedule."

Alex cocked his brow at that. "I find it a little weird that you know about the General so intimately, and that's how you think he talks."

"I like to assume everyone's more complicated than they are. That's how I stay ahead of them." he said with an amused smile, continuing to fiddle.

Alex looked up to Jack standing behind his master. Jack stared at the wall behind Alex with distant gaze. He was like a damned monolith for how much life he was showing. "So you think he's going to let us use those things."

"I know he is. If he weren't, why wouldn't he? He basically paid for these things already." he stated without doubt or care in his tone. "People like him hate to waste money on investments."

"True enough." Alex agreed. He found himself wondering if Barnaby was telling the truth. Did he really have access to the General's schedule? Did he know if the General had already decided? "Is he supposed to be calling soon?"

Jack brought his hands to his front and pulled back his sleeve to reveal a watch, golden and shining with a freshly polished look. He looked at it for a moment and said, "Within the next seven minutes, surely." He pulled back his hands and replaced them behind himself before staring back to the blank wall. Seeming eager not to become a participant in the conversation.

"Interesting." Alex replied, unsure of where he got that particular number.

"Depending on how long the call with the Assembly goes." Jack added. "Could be longer."

Alex couldn't help but be surprised at that. "What?" he asked with disbelief. How could they possibly know the General was currently on the phone?

"Shouldn't be long." Barnaby said, agreeing with Jack and intentionally ignoring Alex's question. "What could they possibly talk about? Teaming up?" he laughed at the question as he asked it. "Yeah, here! Let us help you with all the people you killed." he added ironically. "Would you like the corpses express delivered or can you wait?" he laughed even harder. Some of the men watched him with disgusted eyes, intending to remove him from the building. Alex just waved them down with a 'not yet' look. Obviously some people here were from those cities he callously mocked. This man wasn't the kind to care though. He wasn't worth the effort to throw out.

Barnaby slowly chuckled himself out and regained himself. He sighed merrily and wiped a tear from his eye. "No, but seriously. The call won't last long. You're next on the list, then we can finally wrap up prep and watch the Assembly squirm for a little while. Before all that though, ol' Jack here has an invitation for you."

Alex was confused at the sudden announcement. "Uhm... Okay, an invitation to what?"

Jack reached into his coat and produced an envelope with startling speed. "It's my birthday." he replied in a flat tone. Alex leaned forward to grab the note delicately and looked over the fine writing on the front which read,

Cordially Invited to Jack Grimsly's birthday!

Grimsly?

"Yes, my old friend can and certainly is getting older!" Barnaby said with a wide grin. "There will be food and drink, women and men! What more could one go wanting for?"

"Music." Jack stated.

Barnaby flinched at the unexpected remark. "Oh, well fine. You can have whoever you want to perform then." he said through a clenched jaw.

"They won't be cheap." Jack said, sounding like he was trying to make a joke. His wrinkled face showed no jest though.

"Of course they won't..." Barnaby said in a defeated tone. "But regardless, Commander. You are invited. Jack thinks you a friend, as do I." he did his best to smile, only managing half grin.

"Oh... Thanks. I'll do my best to show up then." Alex replied, this felt just a little awkward. He did his best to return the smile. Mirroring Barnaby's grin. Alex was a bit reluctant to believe they thought of him as a friend though. He felt more like his employee than anything. Something about this 'party' didn't sit right.

The phone on his desk lit up and rang with quite beeps. Barnaby looked at Alex expectantly as he reached to answer. With the receiver to his ear he spoke, "Commander Moss here, clearance code 35562 Alpha Bulwark."

"Roger Commander, Catalyst 52 Rambling Man. Connecting you to General Keisnam now." The voice replied.

There was a static click as the connection was transferred. This kind of thing was standard protocol for talking to anyone in the capitol, especially the General. Most Catalyst outposts were freelancers that worked on several projects with the local populations. But the Parlal Catalyst was a constant military communications network. Most of which was done over hard-lines and a small percent were handled by satellite. Mostly because the Parlal only had two orbiting currently.

"General Allen Keisnam, clearance level 1 code 100808Minor5 Kosindra Command. Hello Commander." he greeted with a professional tone.

"Hello General." Alex replied, equally professional. Barnaby instantly looked bored with his conversation and rolled his eyes.

"I'm calling with my decision regarding the Williams Harmonic weapons. Against my better judgment and with the Council's overwhelming support of Williams Enterprises." he grumbled the last part, trying to control his anger at the prospect. "I have decided to allow full use of them. Starting immediately." Barnaby smiled as the General spoke. He could hear every word from the receiver. He mouthed the words, 'As expected' and nodded victoriously.

"Understood General. I'll inform my officers immediately." Alex found himself a little surprised that Barnaby had been correct in his assumption. "Were there any other orders?"

"Negative Commander. That's all I have for you right now. But while I'm on the line with you, how is Reftur holding up?"

"Everything here is primed, sir. The flood lights have been on around the city every night since installation. No hostiles have been spotted in or around the city." Alex explained. He knew the General already knew all this but he must have wanted to hear it from him personally. Some words can lose their meaning in written reports. "Williams' crew has been incredibly helpful in setting up aid in civilian areas. Feeding and offering shelter to refugees from overrun areas. More seem to show up daily."

"Noted, Commander. Keep up the fine work! General Keisnam out." With that the phone abruptly disconnected. Alex set the phone delicately back to it's base and stared at Barnaby accusingly.

He smiled, as if sensing his disbelief. "Delicate work it is to make things go my way. But in the end it's always worth it." he said with a lightened tone. "I'm glad for the comments you made about me, you know."

"For now it's the truth, I just hope it stays that way." he replied. "Now that you have what you came for what do you plan on doing?"

"Well to tell you the truth, I was planning on having the weapons tested either way." he said with a shrug. "But since we in fact do have the permission of the Parlal. I would like you to join me for the first live fire testing. It will be quite a show I assure you."

"Positively riveting." Jack added, showing little interest in the conversation despite his joining it. "The first prototypes were quite something to behold. When they managed to remain intact."

Alex looked worried at that statement, "Oh, now don't go scaring the man Jack!" Barnaby said, exasperated. "I give you my personal guarantee that these weapons will exceed your every expectation, save for the negative ones of course, Commander." Barnaby nodded in reassurance.

"I'll reserve my judgments until after the tests. Though it would probably be good if you and I had a talk about previous endeavors on our way there."

A New Family

Ian had Teya put her egg back in the incubator. Nurse Joy suggested it would be good if it had at least another day there. It was difficult to get her to agree at first. But in the end Teya relented to her reasoning. The egg hadn't had a full term in the womb and was susceptible to further damage if it wasn't kept warm constantly. Already Teya seemed rather protective of her egg. Ian could tell that it was no easy thing for her to leave it there unattended. She nervously fiddled her claws as he led her to his living space in the Pokemon Center.

"I just wanted to thank you in advance." Teya said, following him closely.

"It's no problem, really." Ian replied in a friendly tone. "I've already got a couple Pokemon that live with me. I think you'll be a perfect fit with them."

"Oh yeah?" she asked, letting herself get excited at the news. "Do you shelter another like myself?"

"Well, not exactly. Sledge is the first I ever caught. Met him down on Route 52. He's been around forever." Ian paused to reflect on the encounter. "One of my best friends. Don't suppose you're familiar with Cubone types?"

Teya had to think for a moment on the question. There had been many Pokemon types in the crater but no one in the Cubone heritage. "I'm afraid not, but I have heard of them."

"Well, ol' Sledge is a Marowak. He'll be happy for the company I'm sure. He spends most of the day in his garden. Tending to it and keeping the place clean when he feels up to it. Then I've got Lavae, she's a bit of a nut job. A Mismagius. She'll try to scare you every once in awhile so try keep on your toes. It's how she gets her kicks." Teya wasn't sure what a Mismagius was, but it sounded odd. "Then there's Fretters, he's a Butterfree. He's been around nearly as long as Sledge."

"So, you're a trainer?" Teya asked. She became automatically wary of Ian. Trainers were cruel in her mind. Akin to slavers.

He approached a door and turned to her with a disarming grin. "Well, ex-trainer." he said. "These three are the ones who wanted to stay with me after our championship match. That's a long story, maybe I'll tell it to you if you ever want to hear it. But right now I'm kind of on the clock." He opened the door and led her through it. The room is small, barely big enough to fit his couch and television. There was a door to another room and a small kitchen through a short hall. It was all reminiscent of Moss' home or what she remembered of it. Everything was neat and organized along the shelves and tables. A light flowery aroma gently hung in the air, that in itself seemed odd to her.

"The glass door over there leads out to the garden." Ian said, pointing her to the dual panes of glass on the other side of the house. "Sledge is out there I'm sure. He'd be happy to show you around-"

"Who's this?" A feminine voice sounded right next to Teya's head. She jumped in surprise and turned around. A strange Pokemon hovered delicately in the air and looked at the fire-type, intrigued by her presence.

"Geez Lavae!" Ian said between startled breaths. "Can't you just hover around where I can see you?"

A impish smirk tugged at the end of the purple Pokemons face. "I could."

Ian had to fight off the urge to crack a smile at that. Admittedly, it was difficult. He put a hand on Teya's shoulder attempting to keep her at ease. "This is Teya. She's gonna be staying with us for as long as she wants. So I would appreciate it if you would take it easy with the scaring while she's around. She's been through a lot." Lavae hovered a bit closer to the Charmeleon. Inspecting her. Teya was nervous at her approach and gripped to Ian's arm.

Lavae saw her reaction and smiled warmly. Attempting to be friendlier than normal. "Sorry about that. I sometimes forget that not everyone appreciates my hijinks as much as I do." her tone conveyed a calming air with a tender voice.

Teya swallowed the lump in her throat. "It's alright... I had a brother, so I should be more used to this kind of thing." She still looked nervous but her grip loosened from his arm.

So far so good. Ian didn't have time to make sure she got all settled in. Joy was understanding to a point, but she certainly wouldn't be happy if he took too long getting back to work. Her and her cousin were short handed as it was. "Where's Sledge and Fretters?" he asked looking through the small apartment.

"Outside, as always." Lavae replied.

"Would you take care of Teya 'til I get back? Joy needs me on the floor."

Lavae looked unsure at the question. "I'll do my best. When do you expect you'll be home?"

"I dunno, probably around 8 or 9. Depends on how many new patients come in."

She looked flustered but responded, "Then go. I'll take care of her."

Ian nodded thankfully to his friend and walked back through the door. Closing it securely behind him.

Teya inspected Lavae curiously. She had never seen a Pokemon like her before. She had never even heard of one. Lavae levitated gracefully a couple feet over the ground. Her body fluttered in along her contours like she was caught in an ethereal breeze. Strange orange gems were encrusted around her neck, they seemed to glow in the daylight streaming through the window. Her eyes had a friendly look in them but they were also aglow with a certain mischievous charm. For several moments she just floated there awkwardly. Lavae wasn't particularly skilled at making new friends. "So um... are you a refugee?" she finally asked.

Teya nodded. "I am now. But your... master was kind enough to let me stay here. For the time being."

Lavae smirked at that. It was definitely like Ian to take in a wounded Pokemon. "He can be very thoughtful."

The Charmeleon started through the small room. Inspecting the coffee table and it's contents, she didn't recognize anything on it save for the remote control for the television. "You live here with Ian?"

The ghostly Pokemon floated behind Teya. Watching her curiously poke at a cast iron teapot sitting over a warmer. "Not exactly here but yes, I have lived with him for quite some time. I find his company greatly entertaining. More than that he's got quick wits." Teya moved on with Lavae in tow. It seemed Teya was learning her way around and didn't need direction. "I couldn't ask for a better friend."

"Friend?" Teya looked puzzled as she repeated the words. "Didn't he capture you?"

"Yes." she replied, giving it little thought. "That has nothing to do with our friendship. He's always had my best interests in mind." Teya looked peeved at her answer but refrained from responding. She looked through the scrawny kitchen with determined gaze. If Lavae didn't know any better she would say this Charmeleon was a Wilder. But what would a Wilder Char be doing all the way here? Nowhere near the Chasm or the Crater without a Trainer? It didn't seem likely. "Surely you consider your trainer a friend?" she asked, interested in her answer.

"Feh," she responded, a spark of prideful fire spouted from her mouth. "I'm no slave." Bingo. Teya is certainly a Wilder. They all reacted the same way to captured Pokemon, deserved or not. Still though, how did she get all the way here?

"Clearly. You aren't bound in chains." Lavae noted derisively.

"Not all chains are clearly seen." Teya said, dismissing Lavae's tone as ignorance. The conversation died in that offsetting exchange. The rest of Teya's exploration went on in silence. Through the bedroom and restroom. Everything here was typical of a human lair, at least in her experience. Clearly not intended to house Pokemon. Lavae simply followed and observed Teya's reactions at certain things.

"Didn't he say there were others outside?"

Lavae nodded. "I will introduce you to them." She led Teya to the sliding glass door. The yard outside was small. About 250 square feet, 100 feet of that was tilled dirt specifically for gardening. The rest just a light green grass that felt dry under her feet. There was a chain link fence surrounding the perimeter that offered no sanctuary from the bustling street on the opposite side. Teya grimaced, she didn't like the thought of being so close to so many humans in the open. Though the strange haze in the air evoked memories of the Crater and comforted her. The smell was very similar save for a whiff of harsh synthetic treatment that weaved through the air like a malevolent toxin.

There were two Pokemon tending to the ordered plants. She had never seen their kind before. Though she recognized the Bone Keeper type from descriptions she had heard from older Char. The sun bleached skull of a dead relative securely set to his head. The Marowak used the sharp end of his bone to dig out a lone weed. His tail rested calmly behind him as he set about his work. His beige hide was streaked with dirt and clumps of mud.

The other Pokemon must be the Butterfree. He stood next to the Marowak. His patterned wings fluttered lightly as he spoke to his friend. Fretters was significantly shorter than him too. His violet carapace had a unique kind of vibrancy to it and his wings were a mix of delicate blues and white, along with red lines highlighting the tips. As Teya continued to approach she noticed his head had only one antennae on his head. He must have been in a rough fight, or several, Teya thought, peeved that any Pokemon would fight for a human.

Fretters noticed their approach first and tilted his head in curiousity at Teya. "Hello there!" he said, slightly unsure of himself and surprised to see a newcomer. He looked over to Lavae questioningly.

"Gentlemen, this here is Teya, a Wilder refugee." Lavae explained. "Ian has offered a place with us. Teya, the fly-boy here is Fret," the Butterfree simply nodded in greeting. "the unsociable bonehead is Sledge."

Sledge looked up to Teya for a moment, leaving the weed half plucked. He locked eyes with her for a moment, something familiar sparked in his eyes but was gone as quickly as it arrived. The moment dragged on until they came to a stop in front of him. Teya grinned at him nervously. Lavae waved an ethereal arm behind Teya's head to get his attention. He snapped his gaze from Teya to Lavae. Her purple face only smiled knowingly at him. He gave her an annoyed grunt and quickly went back to work on the weed, deliberately taking his time with it. Fretters decided to ignore them and instead try to make Teya feel welcome. "Oh..." Fretters replied. Knowing full well the implications of being a refugee these days. "Well it will be nice to have someone new around for a change. These two have started to get a little boring." he said with a playful tone.

Teya smiled with the warm feeling that carried in those words. The feeling itself seemed a bit peculiar to her. Almost like they were unnatural. "Nice to meet you, Fretters." she said with a sway of her tail, something she barely recognized she did. Another part of her old life that carried over. "You too, Sledge." she kept herself from swaying her tail this time and simply nodded at him.

"A pleasure." Sledge said flatly as he continued to prod under the roots of the weed.

Lavae rested a hand on her back apologetically. "Sorry about him." she let her gaze stray to Sledge as she spoke. "He's a little shy. It's sad really." She could see his eyes narrow at her words. "These days Ian is the only one who can get him to open up." He glared at her, making his feelings clear without words. Fretters sighed.

"Don't antagonize him, Lavae... Please?" He looked at Sledge with concern as he turned back to his work. "We should be more focused on helping Teya feel welcome anyway. Not fighting with each other."

Teya rubbed her arm awkwardly. These Pokemon were so different from each other. How could they even bear to live together? Even in Unity the Pokemon were separated by types. Could she live this way? With a trainer and those he has captured? It didn't sit right with her. Her choices were slim however. She didn't know the first thing about these outsiders or how they lived but she was sure she would be well acquainted with them soon enough. Maybe, just maybe, Qagan or even Moss would show up and get her somewhere more suitable. A feeling in her gut kept her from believing that though.

Checking the Pulse

"You had this all already set up?" Alex asked. Looking down a firing range at a hanging pig carcass. A crowd of people had gathered to observe the test. All of this was happening outdoors at a local gun club that had offered their services to the Military. The weapon which was being tested sat securely in a stall, it gleamed a glossy white color and was smooth all around. For all intensive purposes it looked fake. Save for the firing end there were no sudden imperfections. Even the trigger mechanism carved seamlessly into the design on the top near the back end. Barnaby stood next to Alex and watched his servant prepare to fire the device. The butler slipped on surgical gloves over his silk gloves and proceeded to place orange safety ear muffs on.

"For about a day and a half now." Barnaby said. Watching Jack work with an excited grin. Eager to see his product impress every eye that watched it.

"We have over a dozen soldiers qualified to test it you know." Alex said, gesturing to some men next to him. They watched things proceed with the same curiosity as him. "Why are you making Jack do this?"

Barnaby shrugged. "I'm not making him do anything. He asked me to let him do this. A volunteer, if you will." he explained.

Jack picked up the smooth but bulky weapon. It looked awkward to grasp. But he managed to heft it onto his shoulder with little difficulty. He held it as if it were an RPG launcher. He kept it pointed to the ground as he conferred with a technician that was giving him some pointers. "He volunteered?"

"You should know better than to underestimate ol' Jack, Mr. Moss. He's the most capable man I've ever known." Alex frowned as he reflected to the office incident. Jack managed to fight his way up twelve stories of military personnel just to speak to him after he had been denied access. "Besides, look at him! He looks like a kid in a candy store!"

Jacks face remained as stoic as ever. Alex gave Barnaby a worried glance, which was promptly ignored. "Still..."

The technician backed away as Jack lifted the weapon to the target with a nod. Alex dropped his reply and focused. Cords hang from the back of the weapon that was plugged into a generator. Lights alongside the weapons mouth lit and slowly moved down along the side. He stood still for several moments before a strange whispering sound shot through the air around him. All eyes watched as the air distorted violently from the weapons muzzle. The instant the wave struck the carcass a loud and terrible screech seemed to emanated from the corpse. Everyone covered their ears in an attempt to drown it out and block the pain. Shortly after it struck a thick spray of blood shot from the wound in every direction, spraying the ground in dark crimson liquid. Even Alex cringed at the sight. Jack made a sweeping motion with the weapon and the distortions followed without delay. Blood poured from the dead creature and before anyone could blink, the bottom half fell free from the top half. Jack released the trigger and brought the weapon to rest. He studied it carefully, noting some specks of blood on it before looking back to the halved meat. It lay a good fifty yards away.

Alex, the soldiers and everyone else looked at the target. They were bewildered, their eyes all wide with horror and disbelief. Barnaby smirked, "That, my friends, is what I call a success!"