"Urgh…"

I woke up groggily, my head pounding in my ears. It felt like someone had hit me on the head with a sledgehammer. I slowly opened my eyes, trying to think back to what happened to me. I remembered someone yelling at me… and then I felt that hunger again, and I blacked out.

I got the feeling I already knew what happened next.

I tried to look at where I had ended up, but was met by a pitch black room. I craned my neck to see if I could find anything when I felt something restricting my movement. From my position and the rough twine I felt on my body, it should have been immediately obvious I was tied to a chair. Then, a voice spoke from the darkness.

"Good, you're awake."

Then with a sharp click, a bright light hit my face. I winced and blinked a few times.

"Wha…"

I tried to look at the person that spoke to me, but my eyes were having enough trouble with the lamp to make out who, or what, they were. Their voice did sound feminine, though.

"Now then, I have a few questions for you, if you don't mind. First of all, who are you?"

I was silent for a few seconds as I slowly came to understand what was happening. This was an interrogation.

"I-I…"

I could feel my chest clench up as I went cold. This wasn't good… but I had to be honest.

"I… I don't know."

There was a few seconds of silence.

"…You don't know who you are. If you're trying to play dumb, you're going too far. So let's try again. Who are you?"

Her voice was cold, carrying a sort of authority as she questioned me.

"I don't know. Really, I don't."

The interrogator let out a tired sigh.

"Today is going to be a long day… look, this'll be easier for both of us if you just come out and say it. One more time; who are-"

"I DON'T KNOW! I-"

I sniffled after I yelled at her, the words getting caught in my throat.

"I-I don't know who I am… I don't know how I got here… I…"

I couldn't go on, lowering my head and starting to sob. Everything was just increasing the dread I felt, and I couldn't take it anymore.

"…Are you… crying?"

The voice started to grow softer, sounding more confused now. It was quiet for a while before the questions continued.

"Ok… you don't know who you are. Do you mean you don't remember?"

I nodded in reply, still looking down.

"Amnesia."

Another sigh.

"Well, what do you remember? Names, faces? Anything?"

"Nothing. I can't remember anything past a couple of days ago."

Out of either respect or just pity, she stayed silent for a long time. Then, the lamp was adjusted out of my face to illuminate the surrounding area, letting me see the person interrogating me. She was a Pokémon much taller than myself, with dark skin contrasting her white fur. She had deep red eyes, with a horn emerging from the right side of her rather pretty face. On her side was a bandage covering something. The Absol looked down at me, studying me for a while.

"I only have one more question. Do you know about the recent murders that have been happening in Windsea?"

My heart sank. I didn't want to admit it, but I had to. I just nodded.

"…Yesterday I found a Pokémon being eaten by… something. I don't know what it was, but after I fought it, it… seemed to turn into you. So… are you the one responsible for them?"

I gulped before nodding again. She said something interesting, that I transformed somehow… but that didn't matter now. I awaited the inevitable arrest, already imagining what was going to happen to me. I was going to rot in a cell for the rest of my life. A fitting end for a monster like me. Something that didn't deserve anything more. She walked behind the chair I was tied to and undid the knot, freeing me. Then, she turned to me… and something unexpected happened.

"…Something's going on here. And I'm not going to stop looking until I find out what."

I blinked as I looked up at her, confused.

"What…"

"I have a good sense for when something's wrong. And I can tell right now that something is very wrong. So… tell me everything you know."

I opened my mouth before nodding, beginning to recount the events of the last few days. If I could remember it, I didn't hesitate to tell her.

"I knew it. From what I can see, even if you're the one that killed those Pokémon, you can't be held responsible for them. I think there's something going on with you that's making you do that."

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. She was letting me off the hook just like that?

"What's with that face? Did you think I was going to arrest you? I can't do that. So let's make a deal… Let's work together to find out what's going on here. How does that sound?"

I was just… speechless. Every second seemed more unrealistic than the last. She raised a paw toward me with a smile and I looked at her for a minute. I didn't have anywhere else to go, so I only had one option.

I was just glad it was a good one. I slowly raised my own paw and grabbed hers, nodding.

"Good! Now then… oh, I guess you need a name, huh? I can't just call you… 'you'."

She chuckled before going into thought.

"Hmm… uh… Mark, because of that thing on your face? Or maybe Eev… an? Eevan?"

We both shared a chuckle at the suggestion.

"Sorry, I'm not very good at names. Hmm… what about… Silver? You know, like your fur?"

"Silver?"

I thought about it for a bit. It wasn't a bad name, and I didn't have any better ideas…

"That doesn't sound bad."

"Alright, Silver it is! I'm Sarah, by the way."

I nodded with a smile, feeling something other than dread and confusion for once…

Hope.

"It's nice to meet you… Sarah."