21st Spark || [Video/Action for Route 38]

[tiercelet]

Does anyone-- [When Merlin first appears in the screen, he speaks quickly, not even bothering with a greeting as he usually does. His gaze flickers to something off-screen constantly even as he speaks. To anyone observant, his face is practically pinched with worry.]

Does anyone know anything about the...the--[Here, Merlin breaks off, verbally

Comments

[Video]

[soggypastry]

[Spirits taken. Both of them laying so still, like they're about to turn to crystal at any moment...it's enough to make Lightning's eyes widen for a good amount of time before she shakes her head. Breathe, Farron.]

Merlin, what happened?

[Despite the worry that still shows on her face, her tone is even and steady. Yes she's worried but there's not much freaking out will solve.]

[Video]

[tiercelet]

We came across some pokemon on the road. They weren't attacking us, so we didn't think too much of it at the time. Then... [He gestures at the two still figures.]

The pokedex says that looking into the pokemon's shells will result in your spirit being stolen.

[Video]

[soggypastry]

And they looked into them. [fal'Cie damn it all. This cannot be happening.]

How are they doing? [Besides the whole...looking dead thing.]

[Video]

[tiercelet]

They must have--I didn't...see it happen. [He looks over his shoulder again.] They're still breathing. It looks like they're sleeping, mostly.

[Video]

[soggypastry]

Just like Hope. [Now she curses aloud, gritting her teeth. It explains some things about what happened, but not everything.]

And the pokedex doesn't say anything about how to get those souls back, does it?

[Video]

[tiercelet]

Hope? [He gets momentarily sidetracked, as he stares at Lightning.] Hope's like this, too?

[Video]

[soggypastry]

Yeah. I didn't see it happen, but one minute he was walking behind me and the next he was like them. I'd thought he'd just fallen into one of those memory sleeps, but...[Now she seems really visibly worried.] But he's just like the two of them now. There's not much else it could be.

[Video]

[tiercelet]

Careful if you see any of them around. They don't do anything other than...float, but they're dangerous.

[He frowns.] I wish..we knew more about them. Even the pokedex doesn't have much information on them.

[Video]

[soggypastry]

Don't worry about me. Just take care of them until they get back to normal.

[Nod.] Someone has to know something. We'll figure this out.

[Video]

[tiercelet]

I will. [He knows he doesn't even have to ask the same about Hope from her.]

Where are you and Hope now?

[Video]

[soggypastry]

Route 32. We're not far from Violet, and it shouldn't take much longer to get there. [Thank fal'Cie for Odin being able to carry double.]

[Video]

[tiercelet]

Chie, Teddie, and I should be reaching Ecruteak today or tomorrow. [He pauses.] Letting them rest in the city sounds like the best we can do right now.

[Video]

[soggypastry]

Yeah. There isn't much we can do for them on the road, but the nurses should at least be able to keep them comfortable. [At least, she hopes so. Because once Hope's settled and safe, she's going to hunt those Shedinja things.]

[Video]

[tiercelet]

[He perks.] The Nurses! They seem the most knowledgeable about Pokemon. Do you think they would know about the Shedinjas?

[Video]

[soggypastry]

They might. They'll probably know more than any random trainer here who's never even run into one. [Which means the nurses are their best hope for answers.]

[Video]

[tiercelet]

Yeah. Whoever reaches the nearest city first should ask the Nurse there. [He pauses] Still...it wouldn't hurt to keep an eye on the Gear in case someone does know something.