"Are you sure you're alright, Jinjira?" Bianca had asked me, putting her hand on my shoulder, making me flinch again. I look up to see a look of concern in her emerald green eyes. Cheren, too, and him showing sympathy is really rare.
"Guys, I'm fine. Really, I am," I lie. I just want to be alone for some reason. I also want this headache to go away. Now I know how a Psyduck feels. How can they bear this daily headache like this?1 I can't even stand it!
Cheren takes a step closer to me, now mere inches away, but I don't notice.
"Jinjira, look me in the eye and tell me I'm lying," I hear Cheren say. I accept the challenge and lock my gaze with his. Even though I want to say it, for some reason, I just can't. It's ass if he's put me under some kind of spell, but I still don't look away. Yet. I see concern and sympathy in Cheren's eyes. He can be caring when he wants to be, almost resembling N in a way...
The flashback comes yet again. My head starts throbbing...
OK, that's it! I can't take it anymore!
I growl in frustration out loud and I suddenly get this surge, I can't control myself as I fall limp. My head lands on the desk hard with a THUD. Bianca almost passes out I scared her so bad. Darkness slams down on my vision...
"Do something, Cheren, wake her up!" Bianca yells at me, trying to shake Jinjira awake. I'd known Jinjira was an little bit...off...since the day in the castle, but she'd never just passed out like that! I pushed my glasses up on my nose, trying to assess the problem. Jinjira blacked out, yes, but what made her black out like that? The girl was raised by Pokemon, not even a Hariyama's Smelling Salts knocked her out, so how can she just pass out out of thin air like that?!
"Cheren, she's waking up!" Bianca cried, watching as Jinjira slowly raised her head, her lavender eyes clouded with confusion.
I rushed over to her, her Serperior, which had forced its way out of its PokeBall, had its tail wrapped around her waist, glared at me and watched Jinjira raise her head.
"What...what the hell just happened?" She asked, flinching when Serperior yelped in joy and laid its head on her shoulder.
"I think when your head hit the desk, you knocked yourself out. Arceus, Jinjira, don't scare us like that," Bianca says, her hand on her chest, trying to catch her breath. Jinjira looked at me.
'"How long have I been out?" she asked, yawning and stretching out. Suddenly a loud screech filled the air as her chair fell backwards, making Jinjira fall to the floor on top of Serperior.
"Jinjira!" me and Bianca both yell, rushing over to her and helping her up. Even though Jinjira barely weighed anything and was basically a walking, redheaded skeleton the grass snake looked uncomfortable and scrambled out from underneath her. Jinjira violently shakes her head. "Hey guys the ground is right there," she said, still dazed. Bianca bites back a laugh as she helps Jinjira up. "You alright, Jinjira?"
"Yeah, I'm fine. A little banged up, that's all," she said.
I let out a sigh of relief, happy to hear a rational sentence from her. Alright, she's not banged up too badly, I thought, grabbing one of her hands and pulling her to her feet.
Usually, I'd have pulled some prank on her, but there's a time and place for that, and this isn't either of them. She could be pretty badly hurt.
"Are you sure you're alright?" I asked, hoping she'd tell us what was wrong, but that was unlikely. I already know: she had that flashback again, and she slammed her head on the desk hard enough to knock herself out.
Impressive, if you ask me, but also pretty dangerous. She could have really hurt herself doing that!
I swear, I worry about her sometimes, I really do.
If Cheren says I blacked out, OK, sure, I believe him, but that still doesn't explain the memory block I have.
I literally remember nothing before I blacked out. I have a block on about the last 30 minutes.
The last thing I remember was getting out of Relic Ruins with Zekrom.
"Are you alright?" I heard a soft voice ask me. I freeze. My heart stops. I knew that voice.
"Cheren, now is not the time for this trick," I growl, standing up to face him. Instead I almost run into a boy with wild green hair and otherworldly blue eyes.
"N?!" I yelp backing away slowly. He just smiles at me, that heart-melting smile that can get almost anything out of me.
Ooooh shit. Just seeing him again makes my heart dtoip and my breath to catch in my throat.
No, this isn't possible! I'm over N!
Why am I still feeling this way?!
I've always known Jinjira was a little on edge whenever I was around, but this time she was acting unusual, even for her. I realize she's changed in the two years since I've seen her last, but something is definitely wrong with her.
I look over at Serperior, who shoots me a glare as it wraps it's a tail around Jinjira's waist. I smile. It's good Serperior likes Jinjira as much as it does.
What are you doing back in Unova, N? WHY are you back? Once again, the grass snake narrows its eyes at me.
Good to see you, too, Serperior. Has Jinjira been good to you?
Of course she has! Why do you even ask that?! Do you not trust her to take care of me?!
Calm down, Serperior. I didn't mean to offend you. I do trust Jinjira, and you know it. How is she?
Why do you care?
Because she just fainted! Has Jinjira been well?
She's been a little...off...since the incident in the castle.
Hmm, what do you mean?
I mean you messed with her head when you kissed her!
What?
You heard me. She doesn't understand what love is, and when you kissed her you really confused her even more since she experienced it. Now she doesn't know what to feel.
You mean she likes me?
Serperior went silent after that. I knew it didn't like talking about Jinjira behind her back. I looked over to see Jinjira still leaning against the wall, apparently trying to regain her senses
"Why did you come back?" she growled, not looking at me. Well, that was a little offensive.
"I can't come back and say hello?" I ask her. This time, she looks at me. Her lavender eyes clouded with confusion, the slightest bit of fear, and something else...maybe anger?
What did I do to her that made her mad at me?
What the hell is wrong with me?!
I mean, I really thought I was over N, but now, I'm not so sure. I mean, is this what love is supposed to feel like,
No, calm down, Jinjira. Stop thinking so hard about this. Just calm down and focus.
Suddenly, three shadows appear to form the shape of humans. Cheren and Bianca recoil to the back of the room as I feel N grab my shoulders and pull me closer to him. Serperior slithers in front of me and begins snarling at the three shadows.
"What do you all want?" N growls at them. I then see the shadows are not three ninjas with silvery hair and expressionless gray eyes. They look as if they could knock someone out with one punch.
"Do not fear," they all say, their voices almost demonic sounding. That's when it clicks inside my mind who they are: The Shadow Triad.
"We have come to bring news to Jinjira and the young king," one of them say his voice sounding deep yet calm. I feel N's hands tighten on my shoulders. I knew he hated being called a king. I straighten up.
"What do you all mean?" I growl, Serperior glaring at the three shadows. They remain motionless.
"Ghetsis has escaped from prison," another says, a more threatening tone in his voice than the other.
My heart starts racing and my breath is stolen right from my chest. Did I hear right? Did they just say Ghetsis escaped from prison?
More importantly, did N really just pull me close to him?
One of the shadows take a step closer, and at the same time, I feel N pull me closer to him and his grip tighten even more on my shoulders.
"How can we be sure you three didn't help him?" I growl. They snap their attention over to me three sets of emotionless gray eyes burning into me.
"Believe us if you wish. We have come to warn you," they say, then disappearing into thin air.
I find out I was holding my breath the entire time. I feel N release his grip on my shoulders.
"I'm sorry, Jinjira, I just-"
"-No, it's fine," I say before he can finish. He didn't have to apologize, after all, he was just protecting me. That's nothing to apologize for.
...What the hell did I just say?!
"If Ghetsis has broken out of prison, we need to find him. Now," Cheren says, walking towards me, snapping my attention away from my thoughts.
N nodded. "Yes. Ghetsis is probably looking for me and Jinjira right now," he says. Something about him saying 'me and Jinjira' makes my blood run cold. I shake it away, desperate to think of something besides this.
"We have to find hinm right away. N, any idea where he may be?" I ask N. He suddenly blinks and looks at me, as if he were lost in thought like I was. He smiled at me for a split second then looks back up. "I don't have a clue where he may be, but I know what he may be doing. He's probably planning something involving Zekrom and Reshiram under his control," N says.
I snap my fingers. "Nacrene City!" N looks at me for a minute like I'm crazy.
"What?"
"Uh...I mean...we should talk to Lenora...see if she's seen or heard anything strange around Unova. She's usually the first to hear about it," I say. N smiled at me. "God idea, Jinjira" he puts his hand on my shoulder again, this time making me flinch really bad.
"Come on guts, we should split up and find him!" Bianca says, heading outside. Soon we all follow, the cool autumn air hitting me like smack to the face.
"Jinjira, you and N head to Nacrene City. Me and Bianca will look for the Seven Stages for Looker, alright?" Cheren assures me. I nod and let Zekrom out of its PokeBall. N soon follows with Reshiram.
Soon, both dragons have risen several feet into the air as we head towards Nacrene City.