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

[color=orchid]"Conflict of interests?"[/color] Sophia tried to step forward as Oscar turned to leave, but the Bronzor wouldn't move from where it floated. [color=orchid]"You... You're not even trying to understand! And how is this likely to get in the way? I mean you have other goals! You have people you care about! None of that's stopping you, so why should it stop me?"[/color]

Before she could say anything else, Oscar had disappeared through the doorway. [color=orchid]"He says there's no getting through to me?"[/color] she muttered to the other trainers. [color=orchid]"He's one to talk."[/color]

She wasn't going to let go that easily, wasn't going to take a promise lightly. Not after she'd nearly died. She'd narrowly avoided losing the opportunity to make her family proud, and like hell was she going to throw away that dream just because some smart aleck thought he knew best. 

[hider=Notes]
[b]Pokemon Party:[/b] Gothita "Lacey" lv14, Purrloin "Grimalkin" lv13, Staryu "Arcturus" lv13, Darumaka "Lumas" lv11, Shuppet "Fantoccino" lv11, Bronzor "Clarus" lv11
[b]Pokemon in PC:[/b]
[b]Inventory:[/b] Pokeball x1, TM33 (Reflect), Oran Berry x3[/hider]
[hr]
[color=chocolate][center][h1]Amber Pine[/h1]
[h3]Mesalon Gym -> Outside[/h3][/center][/color]
[@fer1323] [@Heckno12]

[hider=Relaxation][youtube]https://youtu.be/o-ntxaXHIWo[/youtube][/hider]
[color=chocolate]"Sophia... You really should rest,"[/color] Amber suggested, backing up Oscar's statement. [color=chocolate]"I know you want to train up, but you'll be in a better state to do so if you take a few breaks now and again. Come on, let's sit down, I have something that may help."[/color]

Lacey, standing at her trainer's feet, looked up and nodded with an insistent "Ita!". Sophia visibly tensed, trying to stand up on her own, only to slump over Clarus again. [color=orchid]"Ugh, if you say so..."[/color] the psychic muttered. [color=orchid]"But I'll be fine in no time."[/color]

It seemed Oscar was right about Sophia being difficult to get through to... and she was also right about accusing him of the same. No wonder they ended up bickering if in the same room for more than a few minutes. [color=chocolate]"Well, while you two talk to Lan, we'll be outside,"[/color] she told Rachel and Vivianne, then led Sophia to the doors, taking one more look over her shoulder at her former friend before stepping out. Maybe she needed to clear her head too...

The rock garden looked like the perfect place to do so. A sense of calm settled over Amber as she made her way down the path, past simple yet artfully arranged rocks on ripple patterned sand, past bamboos towering high, the rustling of leaves in the wind like a soothing whisper. Sunlight glimmered on a pond, and on the scales of Goldeens dancing through it. [i]After these past few days, most of us could probably do with taking a breather here,[/i] the researcher thought as she sat down on a wooden platform, Sophia easing herself down beside her.

The other trainer gave a weak laugh as she leaned against a wall. [color=orchid]"Oh please, don't tell me you're going to teach a psychic how to meditate,"[/color] she scoffed. [color=orchid]"That'd be like me teaching you to scrawl down those notes at every possible opportunity. Besides, Lan got me to do all that self reflection and inner peace stuff earlier."[/color]

Amber shrugged off the acerbic comment with a smile. [color=chocolate]"Well, this is just something you might find relaxing,"[/color] she replied, taking out her Pokegear. [color=chocolate]"If it doesn't help, let me know, but..."[/color] She recalled the first time she'd met Sophia, that humming as a coping technique. [color=chocolate]"Music cheers you up, doesn't it?"[/color]

Sophia rolled her eyes. [color=orchid]"Like I need cheering up. But fine, go on if you must."[/color]

After a few button clicks, an online video started playing, showing Clefairys floating in dance-like patterns outside a cave under a full moon. [color=chocolate]"I think we all might need cheering up,"[/color] Amber said as the fairies' song filled the air, the otherworldly beauty making the hairs stand up on the back of her neck. [color=chocolate]"Isn't it amazing, the way Clefairys sing and dance like that when the moon's full? It's the moonlight that lets them float. And apparently they create a strange magnetic field! Like certain meteorites... Uhh, ok, I'll quit babbling now and let you listen."[/color] Sophia stopped giving her that look, her eyes turning to the screen instead. Irritable as the girl was, there was no mistaking the fascination on her face.

[color=chocolate]"Let's just listen, breathe slowly and relax,"[/color] Amber said, then closed her eyes, inhaling the scent of azaleas and letting the melody soothe away the tension she'd been carrying. Hopefully it would do the same for Sophia. She hadn't told the troubled girl this was the video Coral said she used to play to sleep more easily. That would be almost guaranteed to make her feel like a child and do more harm than good.

Coral... Amber couldn't help wondering if, by having sent that message, she'd harmed or helped her sister. She tried to focus on the music, but it seemed not even a fairy song could ease all a person's worries.

[hider=Notes]
[b]Pokemon Party:[/b] Kabuto "Chalcedony" lv11, Yanma "Aeshna" lv9, Rockruff "Kyra" lv13, Rowlet "Tacita" lv10, Anorith "Larimar" lv12, Sableye "Almandine" lv11
[b]Pokemon in PC:[/b]
[b]Inventory:[/b] Pokeball x1, Potion x2, Dusk Ball x1[/hider]