The shrill ringing of the device snaps me out of my light sleep. I jump and shriek, looking around rapidly. The person next to me pops up as well, his head shooting up from where it was resting on my shoulder. His eyes are wide open and his body is tense, as is mine.
It takes me a moment to realize it's just my Pokegear. I have yet to get used to the ringer I set it to; it's shrill enough to wake me out of the deepest sleep yet low enough to not alert anything outside.
I rub my hand across my face before grabbing the high tech device. The Xtransceiver blinks when I press a button and the screen comes to life. Xander scoots away from me and sits further away with the head of his Luxray in his lap; he's giving me phone privacy. How unnecessary, yet polite.
A person comes into vision on the screen. Her blue hair is disheveled and her hat is torn. She looks miserable. I can't help but be surprised. "Officer Jenny?" I blurt, and Xander looks over at me. "What's wrong? What happened?"
She sighs and glances to her side. She's been crying a lot. "Luce... the Professors dead. He's gone. We finally lost Sandgem Town to them."
Some profanity escapes my lips and Xander exclaims something as well, though I don't hear it. He hurries to my side to get into the conversation, his Luxray shooting sparks from her tail in surprise before settling down again.
"I don't know why Rowan insisted on keeping Sandgem protected for so long. Such a small town... Twinleaf was already taken over, but he insisted... Maybe because he lab is there. He died next to his notes, you know? His Staraptor is crying. Can you hear her?" Jenny isn't herself as she is speaking. It is most likely that shock has taken over her.
"Officer Jenny! Snap out of it, please!" Xander yells at her picture on the receiver.
"No, I'm just 'Jenny' now... I failed to protect the Professor..." She takes off her police hat and we can hear it hit the floor. "I've sent Arcanine to meet you guys. Hearthome City, right? I just hope he makes it...Goodbye, young trainers. Please don't give up like I have..."
Before we have time react, she drops her Xtransceiver and the screen shatters. We can no longer see her, but we can hear. Xander and I scream into the device like madmen until we hear a scream on the other end followed by a loud thump.
I set the device down but don't hang up. Xander pulls me into a hug and I bury my head in his chest, wrapping my arms around him. Luxray curls up next to us and I feel my leg being nudged by Ninetales. Xander doesn't talk because, as my best friend, he knows I only like silence when I am upset.
A faint Staraptor cry is carried to our ears.