(Before I get this chapter posted, I just wanted to give a small shout-out to blitz233 , among others, for working to get me back on my feet after my writing hiatus of (almost) three months. Thanks, guys!)

*Sombra's POV*

"Sombra?" a calm voice beckons me. From where, exactly, I have no idea. All I know is that it's there, somewhere.

But who's calling me? It's not Basque- he's off to find information on Percival. I just hope he's not hungry when he gets back. I don't want or need to see that horrifying scene one more time...

"Sombra...?" the voice reciprocates,

"Listen to me. You're running out of time!"

... Running out of time? Why am I running to this place called "Time"?

"Sombra!" it calls a third, more poignant time. It appears to be much closer than before.

Thankfully, my body had finally reoriented itself to the concept of waking up, and my eyelids fold open without a second thought. Immediately, however, I tense up again.

I had expected to be back in the Cosmos' lab again, with all those people, but this is- this is a forest!

I take a nervous step forward and survey my surroundings, just to prove to myself that I'm actually in the green nir... No, I can't say that it's peaceful. There's too many things that have happened in the immediate past for that. Shrubs and trees decorate my entire vision with their bright colors and invigorating life.

I know what you're hiding from me. The famine, the heartache, the predators, and...

Another thought occurs to me while I'm pondering, and a massive lump rises in my throat.

The world. That's what this is hiding! This place- It's just like the "virtual reality" Percival put me through!

I dart around the area, taking as much of it in as I can; from a moss-covered log my legs moved, to a petrified tree stump with a Pidgey standing on it, to finally another monument- one I had since come to dread- a small waterfall, surrounded by a patch of variegated flowers. The entire world is lit up by a blazing sun, estimating the time to be about mid-day. However, my spirits begin to drop just as thoroughly as the contents of the water stream as the realization hits me with the force of a thousand attacks from Pyre.

This isn't "just like his virtual reality"... It IS the very same place! The only difference is that it's daytime instead of night!

The sinking feeling in my chest is only multiplied by the sounds of the forest's daily antics- hooting and calling and shrieking, or the simple discourse between wildlife. Each new voice added to the mix of activity, however, sets me more and more on edge. A purple Aipom swinging effortlessly overhead only makes me eye the treetops cautiously, a troop of angry-sounding Natu hopping across the ground catches my gaze as a potential threat, and even a harmless Caterpie inching its way across the ground causes my black fur to stand on end.

But just when I can't deal with all the stimuli any longer, the calm, soothing voice from before returns once again. However, this time, it sounds much more urgent than before.

"Sombra... You need to focus."
My head immediately snaps to the source of the noise. Fortunately or unfortunately, that source happens to be none other than the slowly-falling water which still haunts me.

That was where I was attacked, or at least the closest thing to a specific location. Do I dare trust this voice?

"Sombra! Please, come here! I don't know how much longer I'll be able to talk to you!" it cries, once more.

The warning sends alarm bells through my entire body, but, contemplating the two options, I can't justify ignoring someone who knows my name and seems to be promising information. Against the instinct of my body, I slowly approach the gently-cascading water until I could lower my head to its crystal surface and take a drink. And that's when it appears.

The hazy outline of another Pokemon- I think an Espeon, but I cannot tell it's exact identity- completely meshes with the water, as if it's part of nature, itself. My gaze narrows.

Is this another trick that Percival's concocted to play with my mind?! If not, then what...

"Sombra, there isn't much time left. You must come with me, quickly!" the visage shouts. At first, I'm still not sure what to make of it, but an unmistakable feeling of ease seems to creep over me with every word the voice utters.

Through the waterfall? Is that where I need to go?

"You want me to go in there?" I ask, tentatively,

"Through the waterfall?"

I wait a few seconds, and another few seconds, and yet more. Still, the voice doesn't respond to my question, although I slowly relax, somehow more compelled to jump into the water. At once, I can tell that my assessment is accurate.

"Percival, I swear. If you're behind this, I'm going to rip your clawed hand right out of its socket!" I growl, taking a few steps backwards and gazing at the falling water. It seems to slow when I look at it, as if inviting me.

My nerves tense, and I push myself forward with a start, my pained joints flaring as I run into the alleged doorway.

...

Time practically falters as my body draws itself into the cascade. My paws push forward through the air, futilely grasping for any semblance of land that I had assumed would be on the other side. Then, all at once, my momentum halts when my face unceremoniously smashes into the rock wall that the serene water had been hiding this entire time.

All I can feel, burning through me, is a sheer rage unlike even what Pyre had evoked days earlier. Instinctively, I dig my claws into the precipice to keep from being swept away, while the water over my head begins to feel ever-so-stronger. I dare not waste the time to take a breath, and the downpour only seems to increase the longer I hold to my claws. Panic seizes my body as I soon come to terms with the reality that I'll be smashed under the ever-increasing torrent in little more than a few seconds.

It's like there's fifty Basques vying for a meal, and I'm caught in the middle of it all... That Espeon! if that was you calling me here, please- please show me why you did so! I won't last much longer...

I can already feel my nails being ripped from their sockets in my paws, and a horrible scraping sound overtakes my mind- even drowning out the waterfall- as keratin and adrenaline meets the cold, unwavering face of nature attacking me from two fronts.Then, it finally happens. A sharp pain in my forepaws, and a rush from above, shoving me downward with the unforgiving force of gravity into the waters below.

The last thing I hear before succumbing to the assault is three simple words. Words that I will always remember for as long as I live.

"Sombra, stop him."

...

...

...

...

"Sombra, stop him." The last words that I hear before my life is ripped from me by a waterfall. The first words that I hear when I wake up. At least, that's what I want to call my current state; my mind's awake, but I can't feel the rest of my body.

I try to open my eyes- to see just where I've been taken- but all I can manage is a weak grunt. Luckily, or unluckily, I don't even have to open my eyes for someone to respond to the short burst of noise.

"Sleep well, Sombra?"

Arcadia's voice. The soft intonation is as clear as a Murkrow's cawing in the dead of night. With my luck, perhaps Basque won't have returned yet, and he can tell me anything that's happened while I was asleep without a sharp chill running down my spine the entire time.

Before I can stop myself, a short, pained yawn escapes me, and my eyes unsteadily flit open. The black-haired scientist slowly comes into my vision, and, to my surprise, there's no carnivorous Vaporeon a half-step behind him. Beyond that, the other four members of the Cosmos seem to be engrossed in their own work, each one bent over a desk so cluttered it rivals Percival's.

"He's still not back yet?" I deadpan.

The man shakes his head, showing instances of both regret and comfort. I can easily distinguish the two thoughts buzzing through his head- one for Basque's safety, and the other for my sanity.

He seems to give great regard to how much Basque unnerves me. Perhaps I really am more valuable to this man than I initially thought. Hm...

But my fanciful daydream is quickly interrupted by a loud cawing sound from outside. Instantly, a knot forms in my stomach; I know exactly what that shrill noise means. Arcadia turns to the sound, with the same mixed expression on his face, and plants his feet between me and the source of the caw- the other side of the metal door.

Cassius steps up from whatever he had been doing to place his hand on the door's frame, and it silently opens, almost eerily so. His Pokemon quickly zips into the room, dropping Basque by Arcadia's feet before returning to Cassius in a rush of plumed feathers. One flash of light later, and the bird completely disappears into the red-and-white sphere he had pulled from his belt. Meanwhile, I'm left staring the coal-black eyes of death in the face again, and, from my view directly behind Arcadia, he's quite hungry. The Vaporeon's stomach quickly corroborates the fact I had already deciphered with a loud groan, but it doesn't cause Arcadia to react any less quickly to it.

The other three scientists are already up out of their seats, with their eyes glued to the watery tormentor like their very lives depended on it- which, if Percival's nearly as crazy as he's been described, they very well could.

"Well?" Sigmund quips,

"So what did he find out? Looks exactly the same as before- he didn't even bring anything useful in that stomach of his that you seem to like talking about..."

This time, it was Basque that shut him up, instead of any of the present scientists.

"You know what?" he retorts, his tail flicking dangerously through the air,

"You really need to stop being so annoyingly negative all the time. I don't have to speak your language to get this point across, but I know that you understand enough of mine to figure it out. I've got something you might want to hear about, but I'm slowly eating myself apart over here with an empty stomach."

The scientist doesn't shift his prying gaze from the Vaporeon, but Basque doesn't exactly care. His tone is dripping with pent-up anger, mixed with a slight bit of sarcasm, while he continues.

"Here, let me rephrase that for you. You won't get a word about what I saw until after I'm fed."

It's like he thinks Sigmund's tough demeanor is just a complete joke. If it wasn't for the fact that I'm scared to death of just being in the same room with Basque, I'd find the way he stands up to the man almost comical.

Sigmund snarls, rolling his eyes, but a quick glance from Arcadia shuts out any response he had been going to make. I could see his bitterness being held back by the way his lip curls as he spoke.

"Five minutes." He forces the words out,

"Get him fed and be back here in five minutes. I don't need him wasting our time with his impudent remarks. We have enough to worry about as it is, much less an aquatic saboteur eating up our precious minutes."

"Much appreciated," Arcadia remarks, moving to stand next to Basque and motioning towards the metal door at the front of the room,
"I'm sure he's just as grateful as I am."

And with another silent motion of the stannic surface, man and Vaporeon slip through it and disappear when the door closes. I watch them go with a slight smile on my face, finally understanding a bit of what Arcadia had felt in that moment.

He's got guts, I'll admit. But I can't seem to shake the feeling that he won't be in control of Basque, forever. He's definitely a wild card, like Arcadia had said earlier, but is that really a good thing? Sigmund's obnoxious, but he has a point. If Basque happens to turn on anyone that happens to disagree with Arcadia for long enough, someone's going to end up dead. I know that for a fact.

The gaze of another scientist, this time Cassius, re-rails my train of thought quite quickly, however.

"I noticed a little something from my desk, Sombra," he maneuvers his way over to me, acting as docilely as he can to appear less threatening to me. I hadn't labeled him as a potential threat, so the attempt at showing passivity only makes me smile slightly. He doesn't respond to the gesture.

"I could see it in Arcadia's eyes while he was watching you sleep. I couldn't exactly see you, directly, but I knew something was up. Figured the best time to ask would be after Basque left. That's when you're most at ease."

The man has a considerable amount of strength and desire to his words, like he desperately wants something out of me. But, at the same time, his gaze reminds me of a hearth- of Hestia, seconds before Percival's mother had smashed her way through the barricaded door and terrified us those nights ago. Because of that, I didn't mind sharing what I had experienced during my slumber with him, even if he hadn't seen it firsthand. I clear my throat and sigh, one other pressing thought on my mind.

Hestia... Will I ever see her again?

"I talked earlier about 'virtual reality,' remember?" my mind stumbles through the words, although some of my unrest starts to dissipate as I recall the situation. He nods in understanding.

"We had quite the dialogue about it, earlier. That was before you fell asleep again- I assume because of exhaustion. You kept telling me that Percival's 'virtual reality' wasn't 'virtual' at all. That it was real," he affirms. I nod in confirmation.

"Right. But, in my dream, I was right back there, again. Tree for tree, lake for lake, even the waterfall I almost died in front of, was there. Except, there wasn't anything that tried to- to swallow me, there..."

Refreshing my memory with that horrible experience cools my blood at least a dozen degrees... Almost as much as Basque does. But I have to finish the story- maybe he can make sense of it? I need to try, to find the truth to all of this!

"Instead, a voice. A calm, sweet voice- that's all I heard, coming from the waterfall."

He looks at me for a moment, carefully phrasing his question.

"Do you know who was talking to you?" Cassius prods.

It takes me a moment before I finally work up the courage to answer.

"I- I think so. Back in Percival's laboratory, th- there was a massive library- I think that's what he called it..." The more I speak, the more my resolve seems to melt into my words. The fiery man doesn't respond, however, waiting for me to finish my entire story.

"Back there, I met this Espeon. I felt like I had her voice before, but she- she talks to me from time to time. And she always talks about stopping Percival."

To my own ears, the scenario sounds thoroughly ridiculous, but Cassius immediately stands up and casts a nervous glance at the door Arcadia and Basque had left through only moments earlier. He seems to be waiting for them to return, growing more anxious by the microsecond, and he returns to his desk almost mechanically. Part of me wants to stop Cassius- to call him back so I could finish my story, but my thoughts fight the urge away.

If I tell him that the voice called me into a one-way plunge under hundreds of gallons of water, he'll get the idea that it wants Basque to kill me. I guarantee it.

I can only just barely hear what he murmurs as he moves away from me, but I can't quite decipher it.

"Attention, Cosmos, we've just found our lead."

*Basque's POV*

"I really don't know how you stand that guy," I laugh dryly, the second I know that the others are out of earshot,

"He's honestly starting to get on my nerves."

My tail continues to reflect my agitation with a twitch, but Arcadia simply shakes his head and nods, placing a hand on the back on my head. His touch is, once again, warmer than the others, and it brings a smile to my face- even amidst the burning feeling in my stomach, which had already returned in full.

"Sigmund... Well, he's a hard one to get used to. Deep down, I really think he does care for us all, but his passion is raw analytics. It's just how he prefers to operate... and I'd be lying if I said I didn't agree with you, sometimes. Some of what he says comes off as really harsh and demeaning, doesn't it? In any case, we only have five minutes before we're expected in the lab, again. Let's head down to my quarters and get you something to eat, shall we?"

He withdraws his hand and points it forward, down what appears to be a short hallway to guide me.

Like Percival's lab, it seems to built very sturdily. White-grey colors clash on the walls in what he would later call "alloys." The doors are also much more... Homely, to me at least. Instead of wandering beside Arcadia, watching with suspicion for what lies ahead, I could look forward to what I would find behind each of the metallic doors that line the walls.

Arcadia's always been an impenetrable pillar for me, ever since we met. Nothing seems to bring him down, and he doesn't mind fighting with the others for my sake. I'm glad he's not a Pokemon that lived in the forest- he would have been killed for his kindness in an instant. Now I can see the value in why he's the way he is.

I don't let any of my inner thoughts show on my face, but something in me tells me that he'd figure out what I'm thinking, one day. All that he sees, for now, is hunger. We pass a few more doors, and a fresh scent triggers my nose in an instant. I'd know that smell, anywhere.

Fish. I know where we are. That "water wall" in Arcadia's room was filled with fish- I remember that all-too-well.

Subconsciously, my tongue falls from my mouth, practically drawing in the fishes' delectable essence, and Arcadia chuckles, turning to a door to our immediate right. We've reached wherever he had been leading me.

"Hey, Basque? I know you're hungry, but I'm not sure if your tongue needs to tell me, too!" he gives me an all-knowing smile, before placing his palm firmly on the door's frame.

A few seconds later, the door opens without so much as a sound, and I peer inside to gaze upon the familiar sight of Arcadia's circular room- complete with granite walls, the wooden furniture plastered with papers, miniature bed, and crystal-clear water covering the back wall. The tiled floor still sends a slight chill down my spine with its sharp contrast to Arcadia's general warmth, but my attention quickly gravitates to the water and away from the cold surface. I immediately notice a few fish swimming about in the scientist's private lake, but all motion amongst the many aquatic Pokemon seems to stop the second I do so.

They see it, too. Hunger seems to be quite the universal subject, doesn't it? Especially when all it takes to find it is gazing into one's eyes.

But I don't give my thought much time to process itself, springing forward across the room and into the water without hesitation. The second my paws leave the floor and grace the fluid's surface, my body already begins to shift its state, like it knows exactly what I want and is responding accordingly. My gaze settles on the most isolated one of the group- a young-hued Remoraid- and, in a fraction of a second, the visage that had terrified the sea-dwelling population just a moment ago disappears into a jet stream, speeding through the water towards its victim.

Before the Pokemon can move, I know that it's already mine, and the feeling is only reinforced when the first portion of my controllable, watery frame wraps itself around the fish Pokemon. Immediately following, the Pokemon completely disappears behind a sphere of opaque water, as the orb quickly reforms itself into its native Vaporeon state and places the Remoraid where it belongs.

I sigh in unadulterated relief and pleasure. Gone is the merciless tearing at my gut region, and, in its place, is a beautifully calm warmth. I'm about to run a paw across my stomach and relax in the water- taking in every degree of heat and energy the Pokemon can offer me- when Arcadia calls out to me, opening the room's door once again and slowly stepping outside.

"Hey. Basque! I know you're having fun, but don't forget that we've still got somewhere to be. Sigmund will be very cross if we're not back in the lab in two minutes!"

I resist the urge to call back, "Why should I bother listening to him?" and instead settle on a more formal, "Right, I promised to tell you all what I saw, after I was fed, didn't I? Ah well, I'll just enjoy my little snack on the way."

A grin carves its way across my face, and I paddle out of the water, the bulk of the colorless substance staying inside the 'box' it was allocated due to the Magneton that Arcadia had told me was there. I silently mouth a "thank you" to the Pokemon that keeps this historic place from deteriorating with its magnets, before following the man out, back to the lab where we're expected.

...

Arcadia is the first to re-enter the room, with a palm on the door and the silent metallic compliance that follows when it opens. To my surprise, everyone present already seems to be flustered, before I've even said a word, with a creased line across each respective brow. Meanwhile, I simply walk along at Arcadia's feet without much of a care in the world, although this sudden panic does slightly interest me. Arcadia seems to be able to sense the same thing, but before he can speak his opinion, Cassius turns to us, casting a parting glance at Sombra in the process.

"Seems we've got two valuable sources of insight, now," he states. I can almost hear a slight bit of defiance on his voice, like he's ready to break free from a vice.

"Basque has done some espionage on what the International Police is up to, yes? Well, I've been talking with Sombra about a slight unrest that I saw in your gaze. You were watching him the entire time until Basque returned, I noticed."

"Yes, that's right," Arcadia confirms,

"I did see something wracking Sombra's frame while he slept."

The man seems to be quite troubled about the idea, nervously nodding as he speaks, so I dutifully wrap my tail around his left leg to wordlessly tell him that it'll be okay.

"I didn't think anything of it, at first," he shakes his head, continuing,

"But after a while, I started to notice a pattern. Like his tremors were caused by something else. Did he tell you what that was?"

Now, I could clearly hear the concern in his strong-yet-gentle voice. Cassius smiles slightly in response.

"I know exactly what that 'something else' was. Or, at the very least, I finally have a lead in our quest against Percival."

...

The room falls deathly quiet for a moment, even more so than it already had been. I can hear my own heart beating, cradling my stomach as it dutifully performs its job. I probably would have focused on the gentle rhythms more, had Percival's name not been mentioned. Immediately, Sigmund stands up from his desk, ready to interject his conflicting thoughts once again, and I force a low hiss out of my mouth- that's all I'd ever give Percival credit for, after what I'd seen him do.

"What, pray tell, is this 'lead'?" Sigmund scowls, now very quite on-edge,

"Don't beat around the bush any longer, Cassius! Any further spent dilly-dallying only gives him more time to work. And I don't want to see what that man is planning come to fruition."

"To put it bluntly," the questioned scientist turns to Sigmund, completely unfazed, and speaks as clearly as he can,

"Esper is going to help us get rid of Percival's scheme before it begins."

Arcadia is immediately taken aback, not saying a word, and the other four shift nervously. Out of curiosity or general fear, I can't yet tell- but either way, the name Esper makes me wonder why an entity so close to the twisted Percival would dare speak to Sombra.

"E- Esper? As in Percival's Espeon? That's ridiculous- there is no probably way that an Espeon would have enough telekinetic power to converse directly with someone's dreams! How do you know that his mind isn't simply replaying doctored information that Percival fed to him?" the opaque-framed scientist scowls,

"I had expected more from your fabled lead. As of now, all I see is a possible outlet that inherits more risks than it does rewards! Perhaps Basque will help..." He shakes his head in frustrated consternation, finally turning his attention back to me, while I sit on my tail to keep from telling him off, again.

Gah! Every time he speaks, I just want to wrack my tail across his unemotional face! Maybe some hardened scales breaking those glass frames would do him some good- doesn't he see that everyone else is uncovering all this information? Meanwhile, what's he done? Sit at his desk and criticize them! It just doesn't seem like he knows what he's doing, anymore.

"Give Sombra a chance to speak on it, now that he knows who's been talking to him," Davian finally speaks up. His cooled voice seems to serve as a foil to Sigmund's harsh-tongued remarks.

"We may not be able to discern whether it's Percival causing these interactions, or it's actually Esper- somehow, some way- but if we simply argue over it, the only thing we will accomplish is nothing. Besides, if I can teach my Machamp to sew, what's to say that an Espeon can't enter dreams?"

"Davian, you've brought that up a thousand times by now, and..." Sigmund's lips move, automatically forming his next coarse counterargument, until he's interrupted once again- not by any of the currently-arguing parties, but by the enigmatic, green-eyed Rex.

"And it doesn't make it any less impossible than the last. Listen, I didn't selectively detonate part of Percival's old laboratory, knowing fully that the International Police would get involved, without thinking of how we would tie this all together. You see, even if Sombra's visions of Esper are indeed a trap of information set by Percival, we already have everything that we need to put him behind bars for good. I don't think the Police would think too kindly of someone deforming a live Pokemon as their personal lab rat to the extent we have deciphered. And beyond that, if Esper's body ever turns up, Percival's dug his own grave for us!"

Another dull quiet makes my heartbeat audible again, but not even Sigmund decides to speak up to refute its presence.

Even Rex is interested in adding his insight. Everyone seems to be completely on-guard, now that Esper's possibly related to this. I can see why, though. If Percival's so bent on saving her, and she can manipulate him to stop him, we might have just found the wild card we needed to shut him down for good. And even if Esper isn't a part of it, we have Sombra.

Rex continues poignantly, although he's abandoned typical Eevee for the purpose of, what I assume, portraying his mind for the other present scientists- meaning that although I can't make out what he says, anymore, I can assume that it's most definitely pertinent.

"Thus, the only piece of this mystery left is to figure out exactly what Percival did to Sombra to cause such a thing, if he allegedly fabricated Esper's visits to Sombra. We already have all the information that we need to make sure he no longer has the power to conduct research; we've destroyed his records, taken back Sombra, and successfully invited the International Police to wage war on Percival for us, too. If he is still conducting experiments, it's only a matter of time until we figure out exactly what it is. It's simply not possible to hide from our own watery operative, as well as the International Police's prying eyes, for very long. There is no reason why pursuing Sombra's communications with Esper is a bad idea."

An almost mystical look adorns the older man's green eyes, coupled with the slightest hint of glee on his face. While I'm uncertain what's currently going through his head, it seems that when Rex has an idea, he has an idea.

"Recall that the Police are so hesitant to place blame on others that it takes a miracle to finally have someone apprehended. Simply with the file on Sombra that we already have, combined with us physically having the Umbreon, we've supplied that miracle and can then proceed to clear up any misunderstanding, should we be implicated in whatever he is doing. Now, where were we?" Rex questions, turning his mysterious gaze to the Umbreon behind Arcadia, who balks slightly upon suddenly garnering the gaze of every human there,

"Ah, yes... I agree with Davian. Let Sombra speak his mind. I want everyone here to be treating him like he's our strongest ally from now on, if he's to be our only connection with Percival's most trusted Pokemon." Satisfied with his speech, the figure resorts to simply just idly playing with the glove on his right hand and continuing to stare at Sombra. The way his eyes seems to glow with anticipation almost intrigues me, like Rex is in tune with a completely other reality that had aided what he said.

...

Dead silence for a few scintillating moments, and I watch, fascinated. Even without being able to comprehend the conversation, I'm still giving my undivided attention to it. Luckily, I do not have to wait in confusion any longer, as the speakers quickly adopt my natural language once again.

"Sombra," Arcadia gently prods, determined to gain control of the conversation once again,

"I hate to put this much pressure on you, but we need to know. Please," he kneels down, gently stroking the Umbreon's fur, like that would somehow halt his complete uneasiness- I could garner that much from the way his pupils dilated.

"Tell us everything that the voice has ever told and shown you, if you can remember."

Sombra meets the scientist's gaze, and, for a moment, a miracle occurs. He seems to have gotten over his fear of my presence, and I can even detect a slight confidence in his cracked, unemotional voice when he speaks.

Perhaps he had been finally convinced of something? Or maybe he's finally got his head in this war against Percival? Either option is fine by me; he's in no danger- at least not by my paws- until this entire operation is over. Then, maybe, I'll come after him.

"Back in the forest, where I used to live..." Sombra begins,

"She said that I needed to follow 'that man' and stop him for her sake. Now, I know 'that man' is Percival, but I'm unsure of how to stop him. I..."

Almost like magic, he takes one look at me, and his confidence immediately falls faster than a injured Pidgey out of a tree. The Umbreon's ears fold back in mental defeat, and Arcadia's hand is back on his head before I can even say a word. Sigmund gives me an unamused glare, but I just shrug. I hadn't done anything besides sit there and listen to the conversation, so anything that his look could mean didn't matter to me in the slightest.

"Come on, Sombra. You can do this," he almost coos, the scientist's voice calm and relaxing, before finally connecting the dots concerning the Umbreon's fright, himself.

"Basque isn't going to hurt you," the man quickly adds,

"I give my word that he won't. Right, Basque?"

Arcadia gives me a reassuring glance, and I effortlessly return it with a smile and a nod. It's easy for me to think that way when I'm full and fed.

Unfortunately, this just proves to unnerve him even more, but he finally stifles his blatant fear long enough to continue, even through his now-wavering voice.

"I think I know what to do, next. She showed me- showed me another Pokemon that I had never seen before. He said his name... His name was Risk. Risk the Riolu."

Once the Umbreon had said 'Riolu,' I'm instantly on high-alert, and I can't help blurting out what I'm thinking.

"Risk the Riolu, hm?"

Sombra immediately recoils when my deeper voice overtakes his own. He just looks at me glumly, like he's a little Eevee staring up at the predator that's just about to make it its lunch- plainly knowing that there's nothing it can do to stop the inevitable from happening. Now, all five pairs of human eyes become quickly fixated on me.

Sigmund bites his lower lip in anger.

"Now, what is it? Do you need to know what he tastes like or something?!" he mumbles. It takes all of my willpower not to douse the rude scientist in a torrent of water, but I stand my ground and continue my train of thought.

"I met a Risk the Riolu while I was at the blast site. Well... I didn't meet him, per se, but I did see a Riolu with green eyes addressed as 'Risk.' Kind of hard to meet anyone when you're a puddle of water on the..."

"Alright, alright, Basque," Arcadia chuckles, trying to conceal the urgency in his voice with a calm undertone but doing a very poor job of it,
"We'll hear your side of the story in a moment. Don't forget, Sombra still hasn't finished his!"

It takes a few moments before the silent seconds of chaos return to Sombra, and the Umbreon open his mouth once again.

"We fought off a group of Mightyena, and he promised that he'd come help find a friend of mine, while he was looking for his own. I think his friend's name was Riku."

A show of unmet gazes gives Sombra the signal to keep going; obviously, none of the present scientists had heard of a 'Riku' before.

"He took me to a small hole in the ground, and I fell asleep there. Then- then I woke up to Percival staring at me again. That was right before he took me to that- that room with the machine in that file about me..."

The scientist working with Sombra motions for the others to remain silent. Everyone seems to share the same sentiment that this subject needs to be pressed, and he was the best man to do it.

"And after that, we rescued you from Percival's clutches. Rather crudely, I know, but we didn't have anything else at our disposal," Arcadia continues the story, hoping that it would spur another insight from the Umbreon. Fortunately, it does. Unfortunately, said insight only seems to revive the tension in the room.

"She only spoke to me one more time, once again stressing that Percival needed to be stopped, soon. The only difference was the venue- it was the exact same as Percival's 'virtual reality,'" Sombra confirms, before looking down at the floor. He had picked up on the same thing I did- that although it was important that Esper had talked to him, she hadn't told him anything all that useful.

But that Risk character... Sombra saw him, and so did I. And he was with that other person with the blue coat and a Flareon. I wonder if that will be useful information... I mean, it was pretty hard to get in and out of that place because of all the Police, everywhere. I wonder if that blue-robed man is part of them, too. So, if we could get a hold of Risk, we could talk to that person. Maybe get them to listen, just a little bit more than usual?

"Perhaps it's best to wait, then," the Umbreon mumbles, retreating to a corner of the room with a mixture of fear and disappointment in his gait. Arcadia follows him, along with Cassius- I assume to help goad away his glumness- while the remaining scientists focus on me.

For once, Sigmund actually forms what seems to be a happy smile, although it's really just a slight crease of his lip, when the general attention seems to be on what I'd seen on my espionage.

It's now or never, then. I just hope what I've come up with makes sense to them. I'm just as anxious to bring about Percival's downfall as the others are.

With a flick of my tail, the words begin to spin themselves together before me,

"Sombra said that he had seen Risk in one of his visions from Esper, right? At that blast site, I saw him, too; but he with a Flareon and a middle-aged human with a blue lab coat."

"Did you get any names?" the question practically echoes from three mouths at once. To my benefit, I actually had an answer to that question, and another smile crosses my face.

"Before I tried to find myself a little snack to take back with me, I believe the Flareon said her name was 'Hestia,' and she was looking for someone," I laugh a little as I say it, involuntarily licking my lips.

I think I might be able to act on that thought, sometime. If a Flareon is warmer than an Umbreon, and Sombra's already probably the best thing I've ever tasted... Maybe. We'll see if she's important. If not, she's mine next time I see her.

Sigmund rolls his eyes, not enthused at seeing my tongue move, but nevertheless, I continue,

"Then, the blue-coated man and Risk came to 'save her.' I definitely could have snagged the Pokemon, but I didn't want to take my chances."

"So, you didn't figure out what the one with the coat was name?" he prods, looking for a weakness in my argument.

As if on cue, Davian finally makes himself heard.

"Did he happen to have blond hair, blue eyes, and glasses?" the man asks, his words causing my fins to slightly perk up. In fact, the man fit that exact description! The instant sign of recognition of my face is all that he needs to continue.

"I've heard of him. His name is Nathan, and he's a scientist that works out of the Johto Region pursuing a more technological approach to Pokemon's instincts than my own. I even used to look up to him, just a little bit. After all, he did turn from Team Rocket, save a Pokemon from their experiments, and cause the organization to tear itself apart trying to reclaim said Pokemon. He's an interesting fellow, that's for sure."

Sigmund narrows his gaze, and his opaque glasses slide just a little bit more up his face, making his nose look even more crooked than it already is.

"So, was he hired out by the International Police?" he goads,

"Or was he acting as a free agent?"

Davian, once again, seems to be the resident expert on this 'Nathan,' as he already has an answer for the question ready.

"Sigmund, Nathan never works alone. That's how he's been for as long as I've known about his scholarly pursuits. Besides, he's been enlisted by the International Police before. Specifically, Looker had worked with him in the past. Thus, if this officer suddenly appears in Kalos, investigating a crime that anyone can tell was staged, he'd go find the first person that can think like a scientist- that person being Nathan. Why Risk is with him, I can only assume is because he promised to help find 'Riku.'"

During this miniature debate, Rex had been developing a more and more sullen expression on his face, finally prompting the others to look at him and ask the silent question he's pressing on them. Without anyone asking, the older man adds his thoughts to the conversation- although I didn't find his half-monotonic interjection quite as rude as Sigmund's.

"Hestia is Percival's mother's Pokemon. That woman is far too old to be poking around dangerous places, and she never lets Hestia leave the house. Why would Hestia conveniently be poking around Percival's old laboratory when she has no knowledge of the area?"

My eyes light up in recognition. Even I could already tell what he's getting at.

"Someone must have told her!" I cry out, almost a little too forcefully for my own good, until my tone adopts a much colder sentiment to it,

"Someone like Percival, himself."

Perhaps it's just because I wanted a reason to taste the Flareon unhindered- and her being Percival's little spy would be a justified enough reason for me to do so. Perhaps it's my pent-up anger at Sigmund talking. But a small part of me really wants to be the one that feasts on that Pokemon.

Davian must have picked up on the same sentiments, although he doesn't think that the situation is nearly as cut and cry as my mind claims it to be, crossing his arms and adopting a thinking pose.

"You know, you've both got a point," he quips,

"If Hestia's poking around an area she knows nothing of, I can't fathom her being there by random chance... Basque, you said Hestia was looking for someone. Who was that someone?"

My smile widens to a full-blown grin. I already know that the answer to the question is going to win at least Davian and Rex to my side. Plainly, I answer them, forcing my tongue to behave itself before it gave anyone else ideas that Hestia isn't mine for the taking,

"Sombra. She said she was looking for Sombra."

I notice that, upon my uttering his name, the Umbreon looks up from the corner where he had situated himself, but quickly hides his gaze once again. He isn't about to acknowledge that I had called him.

"That does it," Davian confirms,

"Arcadia, make sure your Basque is well-fed. We're going to need his services again."
...

And as the other two scientists rise from their positions watching Sombra, so does my spirit- and my insatiable hunger along with it.

This time, Flareon... You're mine!