[center][h1][color=orchid]Sophia Danvers[/color] and [color=007236]Rheese Laudat[/color][/h1]
[h3]Vareena Gym[/h3][/center]

Standing up, Sophia took a few deep breaths to calm her thoughts. She could only hope the Leppa berry had replenished her abilities enough to do this. [color=orchid]"Ok, here goes..."[/color] She placed her fingertips on Rheese's forehead and closed her eyes, scanning with her power just as she had before Saki's arrival. 

Sensing that bizarre energy once again, she flinched, but maintained her focus despite the ever-growing strain. She still had no idea what this was, which didn't help any, yet it was worth trying. Even as her hand started trembling, she imagined the fog clearing from Rheese's mind.

The effect stayed put.

She huffed and redoubled her efforts. Still no result, except a worsening headache, and...

Rheese felt an overwhelming dizziness as something in his head seemed to react to the intrusion. Words that seemed distant and yet familiar came back to him.

"Help....don't blame....sorry...can't stop...trying...please...help us...remember..." It was slightly clearer than when he had dreamed it...yet not quite clear enough to decypher anything important. That face from his dream returned as well, pleading with those unfathomable eyes. A few flashes of memories of a sterile room and a rather official looking woman, yet her face and the insignia on her coat were strangely obscured. Parts of Rheese's conversation with the woman appeared in his head, mentions of mew, shadow Pokemon, and the lake trio...but with no real context.

Sophia gasped as faint words echoed in her head. Some trace of a psychic message? A disjointed but desperate one, accompanied by flashes of images. A white room. A woman, features blurred, but the insignia on her coat clear. A face, grey and yellow, unreadable closed eyes, a red gem...

Before Sophia could make sense of the cry for help, the voice and images faded as the migraine spiked to unbearable levels. Her fingers slipped from Rheese's head, and her knees struck the floor. [color=orchid]"Help... don't blame... sorry..."[/color] The words slid out as she panted. She opened her eyes, jolting back to the present as if waking from a dream, and clamped her hand to her mouth. What if Rheese had another episode from what she'd said? Or from anything traumatic she might have brought to the surface? [color=orchid]"Crap, I'm sorry!"[/color] This time, the sentiment expressed was her own. [color=orchid]"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry..."[/color]

A tiny form pressed against her side, hugging her with stubby arms. Sophia stopped babbling apologies and patted Lacey's head. [color=orchid]"I-I'm ok, but..."[/color] She looked up at Rheese. [color=orchid]"Are you?"[/color]

Rheese sat still for a few more moments, his eyes still fogged and entranced almost like he was still sleeping. He suddenly shook himself free to see Sophia apologizing...but he wasn't exactly sure why. Had she already tried to help him? He only remembered closing his eyes for a moment. [color=007236]"I think I'm fine...Did you find anything? Or, wait sorry...I guess if it isn't fixed I probably shouldn't ask, huh?"[/color] Rheese scratched his head, confused and a bit aggrivated by the situation. [color=007236]"Well, I don't think I'm any worse off. I'm sorry for asking you to push yourself like that, it was...it was a bit selfish."[/color]

The pokeball on his lap opened up and released a rather complacent bounsweet that just kind of hung out on his lap for a moment. Rheese flinched when he realized this was his new pokemon...and it wasn't attacking him? That was pretty backwards, but definitely welcome. [color=007236]"Anyways, I guess we'll just ask Ray the next time we run into him. Failing that I guess there's the tech solution. I could probably go on and head towards Qualeen on my own so you guys don't have to derail anything."[/color] Rheese said trying to sound upbeat for Sophia's sake.

Sophia gave a sigh of relief. Even if her attempt had failed - not that she'd had high hopes of success anyway - at least it hadn't triggered that reaction again. [color=orchid]"Look, don't you be so harsh on yourself."[/color] Hugging Lacey, she gave Rheese a strained smile. [color=orchid]"Heh, I'm the one who offered."[/color] She kept quiet about what she'd seen and heard. That face... She was sure it fit a description she knew, but where from? Before she had time to think about it, the inevitable fussing from a certain overbearing researcher began.

[color=chocolate]"Oh good, you're alright!"[/color] Amber rummaged through her bag again, her wide eyes on Rheese. [color=chocolate]"You are, aren't you? You zoned out for a moment there. Sophia, how about you? Here, both of you, help yourselves to these."[/color] She practically thrust several snack bars at Rheese and Sophia. [color=chocolate]"They say sugar's bad and all, but a little can be good for shock and stress. Everything in moderation, huh?"[/color]

This wasn't exactly moderation, Sophia thought as she accepted the copious amount of snacks, but the gesture was kind if overwhelming. The sort of kindness she'd done nothing to deserve. [color=orchid]"Thanks, but geez I meant it earlier, I'm all good,"[/color] she insisted. 

Somebody else seemed willing to lift the mood - a cute little Bounsweet, popping out of her Pokeball and calmly sitting on Rheese's lap. And not attacking him. That was a first for any Pokemon on his team. Breathing in the soothing scent the grass type gave off, Sophia listened to Rheese's surprisingly upbeat words. [color=orchid]"Ehh I've gotta say, Amber has a point about sticking together,"[/color] she replied. [color=orchid]"If it comes to that, we'll go with you."[/color]