The Professor's Secret

33. How Charitable, The Professor!

When I came to, the floor wasn't as uncomfortable as I remembered... It wasn't as cold... Nothing hurt!

I jumped on the bed, realizing I was in one! "Sycamore!" the name crossed my mind as the only coherent thought I could hold. Was I with him when any of that happened? ...Was it all just a daydream I had in the café? My memories were blurred –as was my vision: my hands danced before my eyes as I moved them, leaving a trail of broken image. All my senses were numb!

But I felt my way through the bed until they were sufficiently recovered: it was a great mattress, much greater than Sycamore's. The only color I could process around me was white, in everything: sheets, pillows, bed, ceiling, floor and distant walls... it felt like a mute, smothering dream!

"Ohh? Up already?" I heard his voice coming from behind me... but was he there? It sounded far, shrouded by a metallic echo as it penetrated my ears and reverberated inside my skull.

I couldn't turn to look at him because I didn't know where he was – I moved my eyes quickly from one side to the other, but all I got was a blurred vision and an extreme headache. He laughed lightly, probably of my state. I tried to move...

"Hey now... be a good girl and lie back down, will you?" I detected a confusing feeling over my shoulders – was it his hand touching me? It took my balance away, pulled me back. I felt like I was struggling, swimming in wet cement. His laugh echoed on as I widened my eyes, trying to make him out through my wild blindness.

"I can't let you get up now, so close your eyes and return to sleep!" the voice whispered into my ears – the sound was wet and metallic again... it hurt my head! I covered my ears, attempting to block them in an automatic response to the confusing pain. But was that even Sycamore's voice? I couldn't tell... the rhythm and the words matched his, but at intervals the pitch was so grave my brain immediately pictured a nightmare thing encircling me in its monstrous arms and keeping me from moving! Could he really laugh like that? Agony was all I could feel, thrashing through noisy, constrictive sheets and going nowhere.

"Stop trying so hard, darling..." he whispered lightly... the sound still managed to hurt me "The more you stir, the more it will hurt..."

I covered my face at last, and thought I could scream out my torment... but I heard what that failed attempt produced: an almost animal-like groan...

A numb pressure moved my hands away, possessed my forehead... It lingered there long enough for the nerves to process it was his touch, his skin weighing against mine, holding my head down and helping at least stabilize the pulsating headache.

"A tragedy..." he sighed "The effects are devastating, are they not? Humans are not meant to get caught up in battles, Anne dear..."

I forced my eyes, and managed to make out his silhouette through the whiteness – he sat by my side, at the edge of the bed. It looked like a shadow... if I stared at it too long, I feared I might see something inhuman!

"You are currently suffering the effects of a Butterfree's sleep powder..." he explained in a composed tone, sounding quite like a doctor would "A potent relaxing substance that merely depresses the nerves of Pokémon into deep, untroubled sleep..."

I squirmed in agony – it was anything but untroubled! Detecting that in my agitation, Sycamore's arms weighed more on top of me, and he talked on, narrating my anguish:

"However... It can be gruesome to humans. High fevers... Tremors... Hallucinations..." I felt what I barely made out as his hand running across me, feeling me... Not seeing him through it all made his proximity terrifying!