The transition from the cold, sterile metal of the Interpol base to the radiant warmth of Prisma was like stepping out of a tomb and into a sunbeam. As the light of the Paradise System faded, the scent hit me first—not the ozone and cigar smoke of Giovanni's lab, but the intoxicating aroma of blooming Pecha berries, damp earth, and clean sea air.
My bare feet sank into the plush, vibrant grass of the Botanical Garden. I stood there for a long moment, my toes curling into the dirt, simply breathing. The "Primordial" itch—the buzzing at the base of my skull from what I now knew was the Necrozma infection—seemed to settle into a dull hum. This was the only place where I felt like Landon again, not just a piece in a cosmic game.
"Home," I whispered, the word feeling heavy and sweet on my tongue.
[Biological stress levels dropping by 42%,] Cryo noted. His voice usually carried a sharp, analytical edge, but even he seemed to exhale here. [I highly recommend we engage in non-combat activities for the next twenty-four hours, Landon. Your synchronization with the PP System is high, but your mental stamina is flagging. You've been holding the weight of the world; it's time to let the world hold you. As you visit each habitat, I will generate quests for you, and I have updated your Feebas quest.]
I spread my arms and tipped back, letting my body fall to the grass. I hit the ground with a thump, but my body had become so toned that barely a wisp of air escaped my lungs. This quiet moment felt like bliss after the last few days. I knew it wouldn't last, but I relished the feeling of grass tickling my feet, hands, and the back of my neck.
I didn't have to wait long for company. The sound of rapid, light footsteps preceded a blur of motion from the treeline.
"Landon! Landon's back!"
Lumi, my Cosmog , practically teleported into my personal space. Her hair, a swirling nebula of violets and deep space blues, shimmered with starlight as she threw her arms around my waist. She still had that ethereal, floaty quality to her, looking more like a celestial sprite than a human, and her skin felt like warm silk against my chest. Close on her heels came Popsicle. Her orange-and-cream Pawmi dress had changed, and so had the patterns on her skin as she chirped with excitement, her cheeks sparking with tiny, harmless static shocks as she nuzzled into my side.
"Easy, girls," I laughed, my heart finally feeling light as I patted Lumi's head and felt Popsicle's soft fur-lined ears. "I'm not going anywhere. I promise. I am spending the next few days here with all of you."
One by one, my poké-girls appeared in flashes of light. Leilani, my Ralts, gave me a polite nod of relief, her calm aura acting like a cooling balm on my frayed nerves. Haiti stayed on the periphery, sensing my lingering residual stress and keeping her distance to avoid the sensory overload, but the small, shy wave she gave me was enough to let me know she was glad I was safe. Knighty rushed over, joining the dogpile, but that reminded me that I never found what she needed to evolve into Armarouge. Another thing I would have to work on, but not today.
As the initial rush of the girls settled, I noticed the absence of some of my Pokémon, specifically Finny and my Feebas girl. Finny not being here surprised me, but it made sense with Feebas not being present either. Not that I expected her to be; she was part of a quest I hadn't yet figured out how to complete. Along with a proper name, a cute and shy encounter was exactly what my soul needed. That was probably the reason they weren't here now.
With everything that had been going on, I hadn't really gotten any time to spend with my Pokémon. But that was the thing—they weren't like other Pokémon now. They were practically human with Pokémon features, not the other way around. Going forward, I was going to try to include them more in everything.
"You smell funny," Popsicle said suddenly, pulling back from me and bringing me out of my thoughts.
I frowned at her, but Lumi and Knighty both nodded, giving me worried looks.
"Are you okay?" Knighty asked, and I let out a long sigh.
It was easy to forget that they still had a bit of Pokémon in them, and they were picking up on my inner turmoil about the stress I had been avoiding.
"I am just thinking about my promise to help you evolve, and helping everyone else," I said with a weak smile. "I don't want you, or any of you girls to think that I don't care about you, I have—HERGHH!"
ZAP
I didn't get to finish because Lumi, Knighty, and I were all shocked with such force that my mind did a force reset, clearing every current thought from my brain. That or the pain just consumed me enough to make nothing else matter. It was a toss-up, but, at this point, I was just happy not to have soiled myself.
"You don't need to make excuses, Landon! We all know how hard you have been working to protect people!" Popsicle shouted as only I groaned for some reason. I looked over at the other two, but they looked fine.
"You didn't need to shock me that hard to tell me that," I grumbled, then pointed my chin at the other two still laying on me. "Why am I the only one that got hurt? I saw them get shocked too!"
"We can't injure each other outside of battle," Popsicle snickered. "It makes for fun pranks!"
Every other one of my poké-girls rolled their eyes, and I could tell that they must have all been subject to these 'pranks'. Popsicle was always a bit extra, and her learning this could only spell trouble for everyone else. Something I would have to talk to them about after, and then deal with Popsicle accordingly. I knew she was only having fun, but not everyone enjoyed her brand.