FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Two hours before midnight, Jenna was in the same getup she wore when heading to Oreburgh. She couldn't sit idle while her brother was dying. She was desperate and didn't know what to do-- how she'd aid, but she had to find something to make Chris feel less miserable.

Bizzy was asleep. Jenna ensured such before leaving so he wouldn't worry and had filled his bowl in the kitchen with chow. She hadn't been eating adequately but wouldn't forget about him. She put a small bottle of water in her pouch and, with stealth, unlocked and slipped out the front door. Jenna locked it behind her and put the key in her pouch as well.

She knew it was nonsensical to go outside the walls during the night and alone at that, but she felt antsy with every moment she did nothing. Jenna wasn't taking Hydro, either. He was a huge help last time but slowed her pace significantly and made too much noise.

What she feared was getting raped or murdered, and who would be there to save her? Now people were coming back to life for the sake of spreading the rapids, but Jenna wouldn't let it strike too much anxiety into her.

She'd evade what she had to and handle danger accordingly. The longer she waited, the more savage the land grew. Soon enough, it'd probably be impossible to leave Celestic.

She walked toward the eastern wall under streetlights and cool air, keeping her head down to avoid interaction from whoever was still outside. She didn't want to be questioned, not about her brother or where she was going, which worked until it didn't, and that was when she reached the wall.

Jenna saw a luxray sitting by the platform one of the defenders were occupying. That was Amy's pokémon, and Jenna knew what came next.

"Jen?"

She looked up and saw Amy as expected. She wore the base's standard tan padded outfit and gloves and had a rifle on her side hanging by a worn strap. Her white hair was in a ponytail. She was only a few years older than Jenna but was fond of that color. Amy was one of the only defenders Jenna liked and that cared for the teen's safety, but Jenna didn't need that now.

Amy climbed down the ladder and stood before her. "Where are you headed at almost midnight again?" She patted her luxray's head and twirled her silver necklace around her fingers. A heart pendant hung from it.

"...None of your concern," Jenna mumbled.

She crossed her arms. "Your brother wouldn't allow this if he was well."

It was true, but to Jenna, this was more important than rules. "I'm searching for medicine because we're all out. I can manage, Amy." She hid her irritation.

"I'm not saying you can't, but you need to consider whether it's worth risking your life. Chris wouldn't want you putting yourself in danger for him."

She didn't have to keep trying to guilt her. "I'll be fine."

Amy put her hand on her hip and stared at her. She wouldn't be able to reach Jenna while she was in her current state, no matter how hard she tried. "Okay then, at least do me a favor."

She watched Amy open a box by the ladder, take out a rifle among many, and then load it with a mag before handing it to her. Chris taught Jenna to shoot many weapon types while building the base, which paid off well. She hadn't shot in a good while, but it'd come back to her.

"It's an auto and one of our only... Take one of the bikes too, and please tell me where you're going. It's for everyone's safety."

Jenna hung the rifle's strap over her shoulder and grabbed one of many black mountain bikes leaning against a wall nearby. "Sunyshore." No one from the base had stepped foot in that city. Parties had been sent to Veilstone and Pastoria recently, but that would stop when the world outside inevitably grew too hostile. This was likely Jenna's last chance.

Amy foresaw nothing but a terrible outcome, but Jenna was old enough to make decisions, although she couldn't afford to make bad ones if it meant contracting the rapids. To the left of the platform was a steel door one could use as an exit instead of lifting the wall, which she opened. "Be safe. That's a ways out."

"Thanks," Jenna replied. "Bye, Hiko," she said to Amy's luxray before passing and entering Celestic. Jenna had always been fond of Hiko. He was a luxray full of confidence and mystery while owning a soft side he displayed only to those he trusted. She wished she had a lux, but it was too late. Jenna couldn't catch any pokémon as there was a chance they could be infected. Besides, she was more than okay with Bizzy.

She took a deep breath before hopping on the bike and starting her journey. Jenna felt eyes on her but didn't look back, instead eyeing the dark roads and structures visible due to faint moonlight.

Silence encompassed her.

Jenna had half a mind to turn back. Maybe she wasn't mentally sound. She could be panicking due to Chris' illness and that it led to a guaranteed death. Is that why she was doing this? It didn't matter. Jenna had to be of assistance, just as Chris had always been to her. She wouldn't let him down.

---

After two hours, ensuring to have kept to Veilstone's outskirts to avoid running into trouble or being followed, she approached Sunyshore and saw the city's solar-paneled roads and dark silhouettes of buildings ahead. Generators powered the Celestic Base as the region's power grids were offline, but Jenna felt a base in Sunyshore would be more beneficial due to the city's power source being solar energy.

She got off the bike and set it against a tree. She'd go on foot from here to reduce noise. Jenna had no idea what she was walking into but wouldn't back from her mission after getting so far. All she had to do was hit the Pokémon Center, maybe a Mart, and head back to base. Easy enough.

Jenna looked around frequently and listened for any noise that wasn't her footsteps while heading north toward the city's heart. She had been to Sunyshore a couple of times in the past, so she had a good idea of where the Center was. She looked behind at the entrance fading from view while venturing deeper. Buildings towered over her in congregation, and Jenna noticed many stores with broken windows or that were collapsed altogether.

She soon saw a Poké Mart ahead, which meant the Center had to be nearby. She was feeling more uneasy by the second, though, so Jenna walked quicker while keeping her steps light.

A minute after passing the Mart, Jenna saw it. Between two buildings sat the Pokémon Center. "There." Jenna approached the door and gripped its handle with her gloved hand. It was unlocked, meaning it'd been looted. Still, Jenna wouldn't walk away without checking for herself. Someone could have missed a bottle or didn't need it.

She held her rifle and slowly pushed open the door, taking the flashlight from her belt and shining it around the room while stepping over scattered miscellaneous items. Jenna hopped the counter when she got to it and pulled open a few drawers, shining her flashlight on a few pill bottles she found. "Nope... Nuh-uh..." She sifted through multiple drawers, bottle after bottle, to no avail. She dropped one unintentionally, fortunately not creating too much noise. Jenna sighed and looked around, her eyes falling onto a cabinet she hadn't yet checked.

She stepped and opened it, scanning more bottles with her flashlight before seeing a familiar one: 'Anastin,' it read. A powerful prescribed painkiller the doctors at the base used sometimes. "Yes." Jenna reached for it but froze when she heard a noise outside. She shut off her flashlight and knelt behind the counter.

This couldn't be happening. She couldn't be this unlucky. Why didn't she hear or see people before? Hopefully, she hadn't been watched.

"You leave this door open?"

"No, could've been Ben. You know how the kid is."

Okay, so they didn't know she existed, at least. Jenna sat up slightly and peeked over the counter but crouched again as they entered. It was hard to make anything out in the dark, but they were both men by the sound of it. She looked behind her and saw a hall leading to a glass door. That was an easy way out, and Jenna could try to leave now, but she needed that bottle.