Chapter 114:The Moments Before

Chapter 114:The Moments Before

Chapter 114:The Moments Before

The trip in the taxi with the girls was nice, but despite all my worries, I ended up falling asleep. It wasn't until we landed back at Jolene's house that the girls woke me up.

After getting out and stretching, we headed into the house where everyone was sitting in the living room talking.

Jolene looked up and smiled when she saw us entering. "Welcome back! How was the bakery?"

I yawned and then smiled. "Better than I could have imagined, considering the ingredients."

"I personally have not been there, but I have heard great things about the place. Considering that the Gym Leader runs it, it must be true," Jolene laughed, and I nodded, then looked at Joy and Lusamine.

"How are you two feeling?" I asked, and Joy smiled.

"Good, but I would like to get back to Prisma," Joy sighed, and Lusamine nodded.

"Yeah, I agree. For some reason, Prisma is starting to feel more like my home than the real world," Lusamine added, and I nodded.

"Feel free to head back whenever. I need to have a talk with everyone who is not part of the Paradise System yet," I explained, making Lusamine shrug.

"If it has nothing to do with me, then I will see you when you come back to Prisma," Lusamine said and then vanished into a flash of light.

Joy followed her, and then I turned to Tallia and Nemona, just to see Nemona also disappear in a flash. That girl picked up on things much faster than the others, but she also seemed the most excited to join me. Not that Joy liked me less, but Nemona had more reason just than me to want to be part of my Paradise Ball System.

"So," I said, offering Tallia my hand, and she took it without hesitation, and I led her over to the couch where Jolene was sitting alone. Once we sat down with mother on one side and daughter on the other, I looked at each one of the recon squad members. "While you three have given me no reason not to trust you, I don't. There are too many unknowns."

Silence fell over the room as the three recon squad members briefly looked at each other. I wasn't sure what the looks meant, but Soliera was the one to speak up.

"I can understand your worries, and I think it is smart for you to feel this way. If you would like, we can go find a different place to stay. I am sure that would put your mind at ease, right," Soliera asked, but I shook my head.

"Before we make any decision, I would ask that the three of you wait outside. I would like to talk to the girls before we proceed any further," I explained, and Soliera nodded, seeming to understand what I meant.

"Are we really just going to let him boss us around? Why are we waiting? Let's just go find-umph!" Zossie started to complain, but Dulse clamped his hand over her mouth.

Soliera smiled as Dulse started to pull the struggling Zossie out of Jolene's house. "We will give you time to discuss what you need."

The Endbringers, the Recon Squad, all of it was hard to process, but one thing kept bothering me. What would happen if the Recon Squad turned on me? What would happen if the Endbringers showed up like they were supposed to? How would I keep these women safe?

All of these things had been weighing heavily on my mind for the last few days. The one solution to everything was to capture the girls. That was the only way that I could keep them safe.

"By involving you both in my life, along with Nemona, Joy, and Lusamine, puts you all in danger. There is a group hunting me, and because of that, you will likely all become targets. Prisma is the only place that I know I can send you all to keep you safe," I explained, feeling worse as each one of the words fell out of my mouth.

I really had involved everyone in my problems, and now I was asking them to basically give up their lives to be part of mine. Not only that, but they were now in danger. Something that would have never happened if they hadn't met me.

The sudden realization hit me like a ton of bricks. My Paradise Ball System, a tool that had started as a means of catching Pokémon, had evolved into something much more significant. It was a bond, a connection that intertwined me with these incredible women.

"Landon, stop."

Jolene's hands on my shoulders snapped me out of my thoughts. I looked up at her, seeing concern in her eyes.

"I understand the risks, and I appreciate your honesty. But you're not alone in this, and we've made our choices. We're not just here because of the Paradise Ball System; we're here because we want to be with you. We'll face whatever challenges come our way together," Jolene said, her voice filled with determination.

Tallia nodded in agreement. "I may not fully grasp everything that's going on, but I trust you, Mom, and the bond we've formed. We'll face the challenges together as a family."

I felt a mix of emotions—gratitude, relief, and a deep sense of connection. These women had chosen to be a part of my life, knowing the risks, and that meant more to me than anything.

"Thank you," I whispered, feeling a weight lifted off my shoulders. "I promise to do everything in my power to keep you all safe."

Jolene smiled and squeezed my shoulders. "We trust you, Landon. Now, let's face whatever comes our way together."

With those words, I knew that our journey was far from over. The challenges ahead were daunting, but with the bonds we shared, we were ready to face whatever awaited us in the world of Pokémon.

Now, I just had to catch these girls!

Before I could do that, Cryo spoke up.

[An Ultra-Space Wormhole has just been opened forty miles northwest of your location. I don't think you need me to tell you what this means.]

At the same time, my phone started to ring, and the door burst open with a panicked-looking Soliera.

"The Endbringers are here!"