Sandy awoke with a splitting headache. Her face, covered by a muzzle-like contraption that supplied her lungs with clear air, her body rested atop a soft bed, her arm and shoulder were heavily bandaged. Blinking a few times to clear her vision, she realized she was in a Pokemon center, she also noticed that she was being watched.

Slowly the Ninetails lifts her head and glances around, her eyes, tired and dark are met with her own. A mirror. But she still had that feeling that she was being watched. Or was it just paranoia? Letting out a small whimper, she laid her head back down just as nurse Joy entered.

"Well it seems our hero has finally woken up. How are you feeling?" the nurse asked in a very kind voice as she checked vital signs and changed the wrapping on the Ninetails' wounds. Sandy did not respond, she didn't really know how to. "Do you have an owner? Ninetails are rarely seen in these parts." To this Sandy shook her head. "Well I'm going to keep you here a bit longer just to be safe. You have visitors too, I'll send them in.

Lifting her head again, she watched the door curiously for her visitors, slightly scared that the professor had found her. After a few moments the doors opened again and Linoone came in followed closely by the girl she had saved the previous night and her parents. First she looked to the Linoone in surprise. It was the first time she noticed that the small pokemon had followed her into town. Then she turned her eyes on the people.

"Thank you, for saving my daughter." The mother said and father nodded, clearly in agreement. Sandy simply nodded back, giving a weak Ninetails smile before setting her head back down on her front paws.

She felt something on her tail and jumped slightly. "Mommy, see! It's so soft! It kept me safe when we fell!" the child laughed tugging slightly. Linoone made its way up onto Sandy's back and curled up, seeming to agree with the girl that her fur was soft.

The visit was short and they left shortly after thanking Sandy again and again, Linoone remained on her back, once they left. The nurse re-entered, not seeming to mind the other pokemon's company. They both slept on and off recovering before the Nurse returned.

"Well, you should be fine now." She removed the bandage from her wound; it was no longer painful or bleeding. "You're free to go." Officer Jenny entered the room.

"So is this our wonderful pokemon?" she said with a smile, nurse Joy nodded as Ninetails hopped off the bed, Linoone still comfortably on her back. "And who's this? A sidekick? Well if it's not the oddest pair I have ever seen." She laughed. "I know that the owners of the home last night have already been here to thank you, but I want to thank you as well." There was a short pause and Sandy tilted her head curiously. "Thank you for what you did last night."

Again, Ninetails nodded and smiled softly. As Jenny turned to leave, Sandy followed her, limping slightly. Outside the Pokemon Center, the pokemon and her Linoone companion found themselves in the center of a large city. Tall buildings surrounded them on all sides as well as people. Sandy nudged Linoone into awareness with one of her many tails then nodded towards a boy with a baseball cap. As if reading her mind, Linoone hopped from her back and swiftly moved to swipe the hat as Sandy hid in an alleyway between two of the buildings, just out of sight.

As she waited for Linoone's return, Sandy became human once more. At least, as human as she could become. Linoone returned with not only the hat but the wallet of the boy as well. "Linoone! I just wanted the hat!" she hissed and giggled. She fitted the hat over her ears and wrapped her tail around her stomach, slightly slanted like an odd sort of fashion sash. Linoone took perch on her shoulder.

"Are you gonna stay with me now?" She asked, walking out into the streets once more with a smile. Linoone nodded. "Alright then, well since you snagged this as well we might as well get something to eat." She peaked into the wallet and found enough money to do just that.

"Okay, so where do you want to go? Anything in particular?" she laughed and wandered the streets of the city aimlessly. She didn't know the area so this was the best she could do.

"It seems our experiment is in Northwood." Said the professor coolly over the phone to another. "She saved a girl from a burning house. How… noble. Get there and find here." He was quiet as the contact talked. "I know it's her because, how often do you see a Ninetails in these parts?... Exactly. Now get on it!" he snapped then hung up the phone. Skimming the paper again he stared at the image of the collapsed Ninetails. "You will not escape. I'll have you back."
Sandy giggled as Linoone snagged a wad of money from yet another person's pocket as she hid in another alley. She counted up their collected money and was pleased with the fair about of cash they had to spend. She moved into the shopping area. First stop was a general store; she picked up an assortment of snacks for herself and Linoone. Who knew, after they left this city, when they would reach the next? From there she moved into a Super Store.

There she met many kind people, many who commented on her "sash" and how much they liked it. She picked up a book bag, fairly large, to hold all the things she needed, as well as a pack of pens, a new notebook as well as a few other things she might need somewhere along the way to her unknown destination.

Moving on from there she went clothe shopping picking up many changes and styled of clothing, as well as a few different hats, skirts and baggy pants that would easily hide parts of her that were not exactly human.

The day had been long, it seemed ages already since she had left the professors. Checking into an area hotel for the night she took time to sort things in her bag before settling into bed with Linoone at her feet.