[color=orchid][center][h1]Sophia Danvers[/h1]
[h3]Mesalon Pokecentre[/h3][/center][/color]
[@fer1323] [@Heckno12]

[hider=Annoyed Sophia][youtube]https://youtu.be/hFvsqwqEi3A[/youtube][/hider]
Sophia glared. She could only think of one person likely to volunteer to be said sacrificial Mareep, and that was the guy who'd come up with the ludicrous plan in the first place. [color=orchid]"You're serious. You're actually serious about this."[/color] 

Setting Lacey on the ground, she stood up, nearly losing her balance. [color=orchid]"For Arceus' sake! How can such a battle strategist come up with such a dumb plan? Am I right in thinking that if nobody else agrees to this - which I strongly doubt they will - you'll go and throw your own safety away? No matter how good you are..."[/color] She stopped, realising what she'd just let slip to her rival. [color=orchid]"Ok, I'll admit it. You're not a bad fighter. But that's no excuse to run headlong into danger! There's got to be some better way!"[/color] Her fists were clenched by her sides, her entire body tense with a mix of anger and worry.

In an attempt to stop the argument from escalating, Arcturus jumped into the middle of the group with a loud "HYAH!", core flaring. Sophia took a shuddering breath.

[color=orchid]"Talking of gym leaders..."[/color] she said, shoulders drooping. [color=orchid]"You know, you actually made a shred of sense there. Ugh, dammit, Hammer's still around."[/color] She glanced from Oscar to Rheese, a look of utter resignation on her face. [color=orchid]"We might want to stay at the gym for a while. It'd be a good chance to train anyway, against the students. And yeah, we've got to become stronger trainers, but I guess if we do that, we'll have to watch each other's backs."[/color]

It looked like people would have to stick together on this journey, no matter how infuriating they could be.

[hider=Notes]
[b]Pokemon Party:[/b] Gothita "Lacey" lv10, Purrloin "Grimalkin" lv9, Staryu "Arcturus" lv8
[b]Pokemon in PC:[/b]
[b]Inventory:[/b] Pokeball x3, TM33 (Reflect)[/hider]
[hr]
[color=orangered][center][h1]Solanna Delacloude[/h1]
[h3]Mesalon Pokecentre[/h3][/center][/color]
[@fer1323] [@Heckno12]

[color=orangered]"That's the first time I've seen a Pokemon without eyes death glare,"[/color] Solanna said with an uneasy laugh, looking from the Staryu to the rest of the group. [color=orangered]"And if you're heading to the gym, I'll come along too!"[/color]

She didn't exactly want to go to a place that would remind her of the start of her journey, but it was better than seeing Hammer again - and besides, that was where Sophia would be.

Except the psychic was clearly in a bad way, and it didn't seem to just be her injuries. She looked exhausted. Solanna considered the dilemma. Could she really ask someone in such a state to help? She'd have to wait until Sophia recovered. This girl was a human being, not some kind of key.

She wished she could say her reluctance was purely out of concern for Sophia. It was, partly, but not entirely.