Chapter 4

You stumble back a little and quickly shake your head. The doctor’s smile wavers and she tilts her head at you, as if trying to figure out why you wouldn’t want to participate in her little experiment. “Huh? You don’t want to help? I promise, it won’t hurt you. I won’t hurt you. I just want you to observe. You can do that, can’t you?”

You feel backed into a corner here. You think about fleeing before remembering the checkered board outside, the combination path to get out escaping you in your panic. There weren’t any other visible paths of escape, which meant you were out of options. Slowly, you nod your head.

A wide grin splits across Dr. Janobii’s face and she leaps up in excitement. “Oh goodie! I’m so glad you agreed!” You feel a chill run up your spin, already regretting your decision as you watch her prep the syringe. She rolls up her sleeve, disinfects her arm, then winks at you. “Ready? I’ll see you again soon!”

You wince as she injects herself without even flinching, depressing the green liquid into her body. You quickly look away, unable to force yourself to watch after her veins in her arm started to pulsate. After a moment, Dr. Janobii stumbles back, collapsing into a chair with a relaxed sigh. You glance back just in time to see her lazily place the syringe on the table and close her eyes. She stops breathing. That isn’t good.

You approach her and lean closer, trying to see if maybe you were mistaken and she hadn’t actually stopped breathing. You hold your hand over her mouth, but feel no breath. You start to panic when suddenly her eyes open, but they are not the eyes you recognize as hers.

The brown eyes watch your every movement as you stand there, frozen. A killer’s smile spreads across Dr. Janobii’s face, and a deep chuckle emits from her throat. “Well well, it seems the shaymin brought someone to observe this time. Did she try to cook you anything? Perhaps that is why you are so pale. Hm… would you mind stepping away for a moment? I need to reach the computer. The shaymin never changes her avatar before awakening me. I would rather not remain with this appearance if you do not mind.”

You quickly scramble out of the way. The stranger in Dr. Janobii’s body stands up and walks over to the computer at the desk a little way away. They grumble to themselves as they type something into the computer. After a moment, their appearance begins to pixelate and it is no longer Dr. Janobii that stands before you. The man turns to you and tips his top hat to you.

“Allow me to introduce myself, since it seems we will be spending the rest of the night together. I am Madder Hatter.”