"Are you Professor Petania?" I asked carefully.
She glanced up from her papers, adjusting her glasses with a practiced motion. "Yes, my name is indeed Petania. But why are you looking for me?"
Without answering right away, I reached into my pocket and pulled out the Dream Orb. Its faint, pulsing glow filled the space between us with a soft, bluish light.
"I was wondering," I said, holding it out slightly, "if I could get some help with this."
"This is…?"
The moment her eyes fell on it, Petania froze. The calm, composed researcher façade cracked in an instant. Her pupils dilated, and her voice trembled with barely contained excitement.
"W–wait. Where did you get that?!"
Before I could even answer, she grabbed my wrist. "Come with me. Now!"
"Uh—Professor?"
She didn't respond. I was half-dragged across the lab, past the cluttered tables and humming devices, until we reached a small, isolated room tucked in the corner.
