"Hey Alice. Are you ok?" A voice interrupted Shi's sleep.

     "Wha... My name's not Alice." Shi muttered waking up. "Remember Chin?"

     "Umm. Alice. I'm not Chin. I'm professor Rowan."

     Shi sat bolt upright. "Why am I here?"

     "You burst into the lab blabbering about a man eating Bidoof. I think you have a fever." the professor put a hand on Shi's forehead.

     "Oh that sorry." Shi pushed the professor's hand away. "It must be that illness you were talking about the other day. I saw an affected Bidoof again." Shi explained.

     "Have you seen any other affected Pokémon?" the professor asked.

     "No. It was the same Bidoof as it was last time."

     "How could you tell? No one can tell Pokémon of the same species apart without practice."

     "It had the same v.." Shi caught herself Chin had told her if they found out she could understand Pokémon they'd try all kinds of experiments on her. "Same scars."

     "Oh so a well battled Pokémon contracted it."

    "I came to get my Pokémon healed up. Are they good to go?"

     "They are, but I'm not so sure about you. No Bidoof was chasing you. Trust me we looked. Also you didn't recognize your name, would you like to call your parent's?"

     "Uhh yeah ok. You can call them." Shi responded assuming that's what most people would do. The professor left then came back with a phone.

     "Alice! Are you ok? The professor told us you ran into his lab and collapsed." a woman's voice said. Shi assumed it must be her mother's.

     "I'm fine, I just got spooked." Shi explained not wishing to worry her mom.

     "Be careful Alice, don't approach any infected Pokémon. That disease I'm seeing on the news is nasty and it's right where you're at."

     "I know, I've been careful."

     "Have you figured out what your goal is yet?" a man's voice took the phone.

     "Not the end point yet, but I'm aiming to collect all the gym badges. Then I'll maybe fight the Champion." Shi explained.

     "I heard about your passing out. Drink plenty of water, get enough sleep, and remember to eat." he instructed.

     "Thank you, I'll keep that in mind."

     "So what Pokémon do you have so far?"  he continued talking.

     "I have a Chimchar and a Kricketot."

     "A Kricketot? Good job it's pretty well known that they're easier to catch after they evolve."

     "Yeah catching him was... Weird." Shi couldn't think of a better way to describe how Fiddle joined they're team.

     "I must go now. It's my act. Bye Alice." he hung up. Shi handed the phone back to the professor.

     "Can I go now?" Shi asked the professor.

     "No. I want you to stay a day, let me keep an eye on you. I don't want you passing out on the road."

     "Fine, can I see Chimchar and Kricketot now?"

     "I'll go get them." the professor left. He returned shortly afterwards with two pokéballs. "Your Kricketot is strange. He holds his posture all upright and fancy then he attacked me out of nowhere."

     "He's probably just worried about me or hates being inside." Shi said reaching out for her friends. "Chin, Fiddle, come on out." the two appeared.

     "Hey guys. Are you feeling all better?" Shi asked.

     "Your speaking to us in front of the professor! Do you want to be found out!" Chin screeched.

     "Good to see you to Chin. I'm feeling fine, but the professor wants me to stick around today to heal. Even though I'm not sick."

     "They're Pokémon. They can't understand any thing other than battle commands." the professor misinformed Shi.

     "You can think that professor. I won't stop you, but I will continue believing they can understand me." Shi answered.

     "Holler if you need something." the professor left.

     "Chin for your information most trainers have a one sided conversation with their Pokémon." Shi whispered to the monkey.

     "Ridiculous." Chin stomped off.

     "Fiddle how are you?" Shi asked.

     "I must inform you that I view the indoors with great distaste. Also I must implore upon your physical health right now. I am not under the impression that losing consciousness is a regular occurrence amongst your species." Fiddle wasn't aggressive for once. He must have been worried about Shi for once.

     "I'm fine, Fiddle. I just ran farther and faster then I was capable of doing, so my body needed to catch up." Shi told the bug.

     "Sitting around is a waste of time. Shi's fine, we don't need to wait for an idiot human to figure that out." Chin was pacing around the room.

     "Chin my dear, if we endure this just for one day. The professor will not see the need to check on Shi very often. Therefore it shall be less time poorly utilized in the long run." Fiddle explained for Chin.

     "Let's sneak out." Chin suggested.

     "Why bother. We'll be free to go tomorrow morning. He won't bother looking for is if we stick around. It's smarter to stay here." Shi looked to Fiddle for help.

     "I concur, Shi is correct Chin it is much wiser to stay at this location for the time being." Kricketot was helpful for once in his fancyness.

     "Clearly I'm out voted. Fine you get your way, but tomorrow we leave at dawn." Chin ended the conversation.