Pokemon Heroes: Sinnoh Saga [Book 1]

Chapter 9

"The day of Alyssandra's first tournament was one of the busiest days I've had as a Trainer.

When we weren't running around making sure we took care of everything we needed, we were running around trying to find our way back to the Contest Hall.

This was also the day that we gained a new team member—a new member of our little 'family'—a devoted and loyal friend, and one that would travel with us until we explored every inch the Pokémon World had to offer us.

If it wasn't for her, we always said, Alyssandra would never had won her first tournament, and we wouldn't have been able to make it as far as we did in our travels..."

* * *

The group sat there silently, eating their breakfast with haste. No one dared to say a word. Alyssandra was too on edge for idle chit-chat; even the slightest word threatened to set her off. Sam and Jeremy were wary of a stressed out Alyssandra; she was liable to snap at any minute. Much like a sleeping Electrode, one was never quite sure when or if she was going to blow, but when she did you didn't want to be around.

The boys could remember during their days at the Trainer School, right before big tests and exams, Alyssandra became very hard to be around as she crammed and studied as hard as she could. In the end she ended up with some of the highest marks in the class on written evaluations, but the suffering inflicted upon her friends in the process had been great.

Sam finished his breakfast quickly. He had hoped to go and do some last-minute supply shopping before the contest today. He had also hoped to get a few hours free of Alyssandra's stress panicking.

Sam tapped Jeremy on the shoulder. "Do you want to come with me? I'm going to run a few errands around town."

Jeremy nodded silently. His response came quickly. "Yes."

Sam could see the fear in Jeremy's eyes. He touched his forearm, where four semi-circle scars lay etched into his skin. Once Alyssandra had panicked so terribly before the final exams in their last year at Trainer School that she drew blood and left Sam with permanent marks.

But before the boys could even slide out of their seats, Alyssandra slammed her hands down on the table. "Where are you going?!" she demanded. "Are you just going to leave me here alone when I need support?"

Sam fumbled to find a response. Normally Alyssandra was fine when the boys ducked out—they'd always be back, but she usually understood that they needed to recentre themselves between bouts of panic. Sam floundered like a Magikarp. "I—uh, it's not like that it's just—"

He remembered why Alyssandra had been okay when the boys needed their air: Niya. Niya had always been by Alyssandra's side. When the boys needed air, she was there, and vice versa. They'd take turns, and Niya could always calm Alyssandra down.

What Sam wouldn't give to find Niya and bring her back.

"I can't believe you guys would just leave me like this!" she protested. "I'm a nervous wreck here and you're all just going to let me stay here, freaking out!"

"Lyss—please, it's not like that," reasoned Jeremy. "We just have some things to do—necessary things for our journey—"

"What could be more necessary than helping me get through this?!" she asked.

"Lyss, please you're making a scene," said Jeremy trying to soothe her temper.

"He's right you know," said a tall, pale girl with emerald eyes.