FSE

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Jenna woke up in a hospital bed with dim white curtains surrounding her. She'd blacked out an hour prior after throwing up. She was without her utility belt, and the cloth of her pants around her injured ankle was cut to her calf and removed.

She brought her hand up with cuts in several areas and saw that the swelling had gone down slightly since she was given multiple meds, but Jenna couldn't move her fingers. She was hooked up to an IV with an awful body ache. Numb otherwise. Every part of her rang and vibrated, pulsing with a high fever.

Every cough now hurt her chest, and despite her injuries not affecting her severely at the moment, she felt more miserable than ever. A slight wheeze was present with every breath she took. The virus hadn't begun feeding, or else she knew she would be hurting significantly more. It would hurt to inhale, but she feared that stage and knew it wasn't far.

Bizzy sat by her chest and had been watching over her while attempting not to cough. He could tell Jenna needed serious medical attention that no one had given her. He felt hopeless and helpless pertaining to her all over again, but this was worse. His owner was slipping before his eyes.

They were safe from the infected, but Jenna's condition was critical since she had the virus on top of an infection. Bizzy suffered scratches and bruises on his head and other places but would be fine. His minor injuries had been disinfected and bandaged.

She looked at him as he coughed and could only hope a cure was available on this ship. She heard coughing, groaning, and the occasional screech beyond her curtains but was unsure what the setup was like here. Was Ray in a bed with Crystal as well? Jenna hoped they were alive and to see them soon.

The curtains moved aside, and a person entered in hazmat gear, standing at the foot of the bed with a rifle by their side.

Jenna stared at them with a weak gaze. She recalled seeing them earlier when they were taking her blood and giving her painkillers, but they hadn't said much besides asking her some questions she could barely answer. She couldn't even remember them.

The man behind the suit was young and had joined Unova's military two years ago at eighteen. He didn't want to take the Sinnoh job but had no choice. It was what he'd signed up for in the grand scheme.

He glanced at her and Bizzy. He'd spoken to many of the sick over the time they were docked and watched countless innocents die in slow agony. "We didn't get the chance to speak with you properly. How are you feeling?"

Like death. Jenna opened her mouth for a second before the first words she thought of came out. "I need help."

They couldn't use medicine on people that would die regardless but administered what they could afford to make the process less painful. "We are doing what we can. Hundreds of beds are around you, and we've had to burn many bodies."

He had been scarred for eternity alongside gaining desensitization after being surrounded by loss and sorrow, as were many others posted to this floor. "I thought you'd like to know... I've heard from our labs that your friend is a carrier but has a rare case that grants immunity. He won't test positive under regular testing, but he can still transmit the virus. Most of us aren't that lucky."

That made sense. It was likely why Ray had tested negative at the base and why he never displayed symptoms even after she and Bizzy had. "Is there still no cure?"

He shook his head. "We leave for Unova tomorrow and will try to utilize the virus in cases like your friend's to aid scientists and regions in developing one, but that may be a year or more down the line."

Jenna glanced at Bizzy. She could feel the life drain from her lungs and everything go black and white as if stabbed in the gut. "So... that means..." she stifled a cough, jolting as a result. "Everyone here. Me and my pokémon... are dead?"

"...That would be correct. We were ordered to give every living person an option before we depart tomorrow morning." He paused. "As we cannot take anyone on board with us, I am required to ask if you would like us to execute you when it is time or release you back into Sinnoh. This applies to your pokémon as well."

A heavy, tight knot formed in her throat. The realization hit hard, all at once, and she didn't know how to reply. It was hardly an option. If she and Bizzy were thrown out, they'd be killed by infected or suffer until succumbing to the virus, and Jenna was in no shape to go on any longer.

She covered her mouth to cough. It was more than difficult to say. "Execute..."

Bizzy didn't want to believe it would end like that. Maybe death was the best option, but it was disheartening. He'd rather have lived out his final days at the base with Jenna, but she was no longer content there, which would have affected him directly.

"We will carry it out this evening." He tried not to connect with the sick but couldn't help but feel for each and every one. He couldn't imagine. "How old are you?"

"Eighteen."

She appeared young, but he wished he hadn't asked. He could only stand and stare. She had an entire life that would be taken before it began. "Are you afraid?"

Jenna felt everything but happiness coursing through her. Everything. "Yeah," she about whispered.

He swallowed and took a shallow breath, finding it difficult to look at her any longer. He took a bottle of water from his pocket and set it beside her before exiting and closing the curtains.

Jenna looked at Bizzy, grinning while trying to stifle several coughs and wincing from the pain resulting. "Proud of you."

It was a journey, but it was all for nothing. He didn't know how they could have made it untouched, but Bizzy wished so. He leaned in and hugged her neck, pressing his cheek to hers. Bizzy didn't want to die a coward, and it warmed him to know that Jenna realized his actions.

"I love you too." She stared ahead and reached into her pocket, pulling her brother's note out and holding it, tears welling in her eyes and streaming down her cheeks that she didn't bother to wipe away. Jenna didn't even feel sad. She felt an overwhelming amount of nothing. Chris was right about the extraction point, and she made it to its location. It's as far as she'd get, but he would be impressed.

Jenna couldn't possibly have lived another outcome staying at that base, and it wouldn't stand a chance after enough infected swarmed it. She wished Abby and Hiko would have joined, but they, too, would have ended up sick, if not dead along the way.

It occurred to Jenna that being in this region when the pandemic hit was an inevitable end to life no matter how hard one tried or what route one took. An ideal one was simply a delay that led to the same place. She could understand why many committed suicide when everything turned utterly hopeless. Maybe it was never worth it.

Then what was there to survive for-- the sake of it? No one wanted to die, but she couldn't have lived just to live, although the will is hardwired within.

She had reached her limit.