"Thanks," Steven says, giving them both another pat (and Noodle a kiss on the nose) and the faintest of grateful empathic waves. He starts creeping forward down the hall, trying to figure out where he's even going.

He feels like he senses something, something familiar - it's like when he felt things from corrupted gems, but like maybe its his own? It feels really weird to sense himself from a distance, but the feeling lures him deeper into the laboratory areas, using his floating ability to avoid footsteps and just gently floating himself around. When he sees that the coast is clear, he signals for the Pokemon to follow.

It can't go on forever, though. He knows his luck is going to run out. So, when he feels like he's close to something familiar, he picks a door and tries to tug it open by digging in his claws to the edge, and quickly realizes he has no way to get inside. He looks to Noodle.

"Um... Noodle..." He flushes a little, obviously stressed. "Do you think you'd be able to break one of these doors? I know it's probably really tough, but... I don't think I'm strong enough right now." Or possibly ever, but... he doesn't have a ton of options.