Aether Paradise

I waited patiently for Lusamine, Mohn, and Nurse Joy to return as I sat in the room with Cosmog. She was lying on my lap as I stroked her soft body gently in an attempt to keep her calm. We had been waiting for hours, but Cosmog seemed content and looked much better now. I had to make sure that everything about this plan went off without any errors, or I was going to be in some serious trouble.

[Do not be concerned. I know exactly what your body's capabilities are, and everything that I ask you to do has been done in a simulation over 100 times. I am constantly running different possibilities as new information becomes available to me. As of right now, the success rate is at 76%.] Cryo said in my mind, and I just nodded my head in response as I continued to wait for Lusamine and the others to return.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, they finally walked back into the room with looks of concern on their faces. "Any luck?" Nurse Joy asked as she came over and knelt down next to Cosmog before gently running her. "I am amazed that she is so comfortable around you."

My heart had already started to race inside my chest, but I could feel something that seemed to force the panic back. Things were about to start moving fast, and I just had to hope that I could keep up. "No, nothing yet," I said as honestly as possible while trying to stall for time. "I was thinking maybe we should take her outside for a bit."

"That is a good idea," Lusamine said, much to my relief. "Mohn, can you please go and ask one of the others to watch things so we can take Cosmog to the lower deck?"

"Sure, but I don't think that you need me out there with you for this. I have more important things to be working about right now if Cosmog is recovering," Mohn explained, and Lusamine nodded with a knowing smile on her face.

"Of course, dear," Lusamine said as she leaned in and kissed Mohn on the cheek before he turned around and left the room. "Now then, let's take our little friend outside for a bit of fresh air."

"I will go and grab a coat for Landon," Nurse Joy said as she stood up before quickly leaving the room.

"Thank you for doing this, Landon," Lusamine said, but I was the one thankful for this.

This changed things, but now I would not have to fight Mohn or his Pokémon. I was going to have to think up a plan on the go now, or I guess Cryo would.

[Leave that to me. Right now, you just need to focus on moving when I say and doing exactly as I tell you.] Cryo explained, and I just nodded my head in response before standing up from the chair with Cosmog still in my arms.

"Let's go outside then," Lusamine said with a smile on her face as she turned towards the door.

I followed behind her with Cosmog still in my arms, trying to keep her calm. It was only a matter of time now until things started happening, but I just had to trust in Cryo. I was going to have to do things that I never thought possible, but it was our only chance for escape.

I was led to the elevator with Lusamine all, and after she flashed her card on the scanner, the door opened, and the two of us went inside. The door closed, and Lusamine pressed a button for the main floor, and we started to go up. I had thought that I was above the water since I was sure that I had looked outside.

"You are keen if you are surprised that we are going up. You are probably wondering why the window of your room displayed the topside view and not the water that surrounds us, right?" Lusamine asked as she turned to look at me and then tried to pet Cosmog, but the Pokémon tucked herself deeper into my arms, making Lusamine narrow her eyes for the briefest of moments before stepping back with a smile. That exchange gave me a better idea of who Lusamine was, but not the whole picture.

"I figured that it was for security reasons," I said as the elevator came to a stop.

The doors opened, and we stepped out into the main hallway of what appeared to be a mansion with high ceilings and beautiful paintings everywhere you looked. It was nice here, but it reeked of wealth which made me feel a bit uncomfortable, given my modest upbringing. "This place is amazing."

"Thank you, but the reason was so you did not get claustrophobic when you woke up. The first time I brought Mohn down here, he had a panic attack because of how small and cramped everything was. I did not want that for you." Lusamine explained as she started to walk down the hallway, with me following closely behind.

I could understand why Mohn would have a panic attack; this place felt like it was closing in on me, and I didn't even know about it before coming down here. "So where are we going on the main deck? My mind is a little foggy since the last time I was here at the Aether Paradise Foundation, I was only five."

"Of course, you were. This place has changed a lot since then," Lusamine explained as she continued to walk down the hallway before finally stopping in front of a door. "This is one of my favorite places to go and relax."

She then turned the handle and pushed it open before leading me through what appeared to be some kind of garden. The moment we stepped outside, I took a deep breath of air and felt my body relax as the fresh air hit me. This place was amazing, with all sorts of plants and flowers. I had never seen anything like it before, not even in my dreams.