route_1065 | Another place and time, without a warning sign

Who: Cloud Strife, Zack Fair, and Zidane Tribal
Where: Outside of Violet City
When: June 16th, midday
Summary: Cloud looks into the back of the Shedinja and loses his soul.
Rating: PG?
Log:

Cloud had been outside of the city, training as usual. The competition for a badge was simply unappealing to him now, in the grand scheme of things. It was nice to be recognized as a good trainer and, eventually, a good breeder but he simply did like having to tote around a badge just to prove his worth. Actions, ability, everything should be what makes you a good trainer. Not some badge. It also just reminded him too much of his fuzzy childhood, the parts where he was an outcast and not "good enough" for them. He failed at becoming a SOLDIER, why did he have to prove himself again?

He called back Meteodrive and decided to head back into town and see what Zack was up to. Maybe they could get a move on things. Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted a beige looking pokemon and tilted his head. It was just standing there, not looking hostile or anything. Maybe it belonged to someone? Bending down, he reached for his PokeDex to find out what it was, but it suddenly turned around. It didn't go anywhere and it reveal a hole in its back. A very dark hole and Cloud couldn't help but peer inside. How could something this small appear to have a bottomless hole in the back?

Cloud's Pokedex fell from his hands as his body slumped over, eventually falling to his side lifelessly.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Zack had actually been on his way to tell Cloud that he had caught one of the pokemon that had been around, a Misdrevious. He had just turned a corner along the route when he saw Cloud collapse, setting Zack's pulse racing with panic. He didn't notice anything but his friend as he ran over to the blond, his first instinct to check for a pulse. He found one, which was somewhat settling, but with everything else it was far from satisfying to know.

"Hey, Cloud, hey!" he said, first shaking Cloud's shoulders then patting his cheek. Cloud may sleep well, but like Zack he was battlefield trained, Zack doubted he would stay passed out with Zack doing those things unless something was really wrong. He glanced around momentarily, his back unknowingly to the Shedinja that was retreating into the gloom of the trees around them.

"Come on, let's get you somewhere safer." He said, not carring that he was talking to his passed out friend, it made him feel better. At first he considered carrying Cloud, or dragging him, but that didn't seem the best bet so he brought out Beautiful. "Hey Beautiful, will you carry Cloud for me?" He asked and the pokemon nodded. Zack got Cloud up on Beautiful's back and started heading back to town.

Zidane had just concluded his day's work at the Pokémon Center, and the day hadn't been uneventful. People were being brought in that were in a vegetative state, entirely unresponsive, and most people hadn't a clue as to why. Some mentioned a strange pokémon had appeared, but nobody had all that much to say about the thing.

It was more than a little worrisome, even if he had been told strange things happened in this place. People suddenly falling into comas like that...

He didn't get much further into this line of thought as he spotted Zack in the distance along with his Kangaskhan and - waitasec, was that Cloud? His injuries were pretty well healed, weren't they?

Unsure what to expect he hurried over, casting a worried glance Cloud's way before he looked to Zack. "What happened?"

Zack breathed a small sigh of relief when Zidane came hurrying over, maybe the other blond in there group would know what had happened. At his words though Zack's heart fell a little, he knew he was close to panicking over this, but Cloud was... special to him.

"I-I'm not sure, I was headed out to go find him after we split for a bit and when I turned a corner he was collapsing. He hasn't responded to anything I've done." Zack said, trying to to rush his explanation and starting to feel very anxious. To burn of some of his nervous energy he started doing squats, it was something to do to make up for the fact that he couldn't seem to help his friend right now.

"Damn, think this is going around, somehow..." Zidane patted Cloud's cheek, hoping the guy'd make like Squall and swat his hand away, but no dice. He frowned, brows knitting together with worry. It definitely seemed like what he'd been seeing all day in the Center, and that definitely wasn't good.

While he and Cloud weren't at all close, and hell, they were on opposite sides in a war, the guy didn't seem half bad. And he didn't think anybody deserved the sudden fate of a vegetable. Beyond that, the look on Zack's face was painful to take in.

"Something's making this happen to people all around Johto," Zidane supplied, scratching at the back of his neck as he continued to watch Cloud's unresponsive form. "People've been saying it's some kinda pokémon causing it all."

Zack did a few more squats before stopping, once he was done with the familiar exercise his shoulders dropped a bit and his head hung slightly. "A pokemon?" He hand heard of anything like that happening before, in fact most of Johto seemed friendly and easy going. To learn that at pokemon might be causing it was a bit hard to grasp.

He looked at Beautiful, watching her as she kept an equal eye out for her baby and Cloud, he doubted she could do anything like this. "What do you think Beautiful? Do you know of a pokemon that could do this?" Her response was a troubled sounding call, as if she wasn't sure.

"What should we do... for now? You think I should take him to the Inn?" Zack asked, looking at Zidane now, "Maybe someone will have figured this out soon... Um, so I should probably check the network."

"I'd suggest the Pokémon Center, seems like that's where people in this condition are getting taken," Zidane suggested, tipping his head back toward the building as indication. "Seems like the nurses there can at least make sure that Cloud's in good stead, and we can keep an eye on him ourselves there too."

Zidane was well aware that Zack would opt to remain by Cloud's side, doubtless concerned about him in his present state. He wouldn't want to leave somebody in that condition unattended either, so he understood. They'd probably need to take shifts like he and Squall were back in New Bark Town.

It made him wonder what Squall would've made of all this, but there wasn't much use pondering that right about now. "I'm sure nobody likes what's going on, so it'll get sorted out. Just gotta take this one step at a time."

"Oh, they are? Okay, if they're taking care of others like him it makes sense to take him there." Zack had no intention of leaving Cloud, even for a moment, unattended. Cloud had told him he had taken care of the blond through mako poisoning, well he had see that and it was almost more eerie than this, so he could deal with this too.

"Lets get him there then. I can't let something happen to him." Zack said, standing on one side of Beautiful with a hand on Cloud to make sure he was steady. They moved slow, but they had to, riding a Kengaskhan was awkward when awake, but passed out it was even more difficult.

"I'll let 'em know you're on the way. Be right back." And with that, Zidane darted back toward the building he'd only recently left to let Nurse Joy they had another comatose guy on the way. At least then Cloud would be taken care of right away, and that'd be less worrying for Zack to do.

"Okay" is the only thing he can get out before the small blond zips off. "It'll be okay Cloud, I'll make sure you are taken care of. And I promise to get this figured out and get you back." Zack says, doing his best to keep his own confidence up.

They got into the Pokecenter and Zack had to let others take over for the time being. Finding a spot where he is out of the way but can still see what is going on with Cloud. He is doing his best not to look to broken hearted, but he can't help but feel guilty to have not been there for Cloud.

Another place and time, without a warning sign

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