Umbre sat down just as ordered, Vulpix's last words still eating at the back of her mind. She barely moved as Adrian sprayed the cool mist over her body, numbly taking the berry from him and popping it into her mouth. The pain was subsiding quickly, but she still felt hollow inside. Doing what it takes to survive... why did that justification feel so weak now? Bend or break... there weren't any other options, so why beat herself up over this?!<br/><br/>Consciousness returned to Valeria, and she instinctively stretched out. Adrian quickly interrupted her imminent complaint about the damned Pokeball.<em>Fine,</em>she thought, glaring at a spot on the ground in front of her as she sat up and crossed her legs.<em>I'll hold my tongue... while you're awake, at least. You can't watch me forever.</em><br/><br/>She glanced over at Umbre. Her sister seemed like she was in a daze... she almost looked sick or something. She had to have helped catch these new Pokemon. Is that why she was acting this way? Guilt? She hoped so, much as she disliked seeing Umbre like this. If she realized that what she was doing was wrong, she'd have to help subvert Adrian's rule. She'd have to discuss that with her later.<br/><br/>She heard Adrian releasing their new "guests", and she looked up at them, genuinely curious as to what exactly he'd managed to catch. A Kirlia, who seemed... happy? What on earth was wrong with her to make her happy in a situation like this? Adrian was even being cordial with her! That wasn't going to be good... the last thing she needed was a mind-reader on his side. She was going to have to be careful around this one.<br/><br/>And then, a Vulpix. It had to be a Vulpix, she sighed. She definitely wasn't thrilled with this situation - a potential ally, then - but Vale had been burned before, figuratively and literally. Fire was as much a part of nature as anything else, and she could respect that, but she still preferred to keep her distance from it.<br/><br/>"And if you don't want to, I'll have to make you," Adrian said; Valeria must have missed the rest of his speech while she was thinking to herself. She caught his look at her, and she returned it for a fraction of a second, giving him a stony look before glaring at the dirt again.<br/><br/>The Vulpix's outburst immediately caught her attention. No, she didn't respond well to threats at all. Valeria's jaw dropped as she watched the... as she watched Nyx stand up and walk over to the flames. For a second she envied the Pokemon's spirit, feeling her own passive-aggressive resistance was almost cowardice in comparison. She couldn't help but smile at the scene.