Paradise Pokeball System

Chapter 113: What Do You Bake With?!

I collapsed on the ground, feeling exhausted beyond belief, but I could feel my body slowly healing. It was strange. Even as I pushed myself off the ground, and Katy and Kaili rushed over, I could feel my body and exhaustion vanishing.

"Are you okay?!" Katy asked, sounding worried, but I just laughed.

"That was a pretty great fight, right?" I chuckled as I was helped up.

Katy smiled at me, then backed up and bowed. "That was one of the most interesting Pokémon battles that I have ever been in," Katy smiled, and then reached in her pocket, pulling out something that looked like a golden coin with a green symbol on it, handing it to me. "While you didn't win this last battle, you came very close. Regardless of that," she said as I took the coin. "You have earned this."

I rolled the coin in my fingers with a smile, and there was the sound of cheering from up above. I looked up to see Nemona, Joy, Lusamine, Tallia, and her mother all cheering for me. The Recon Squad were standing together, but only Soliera was smiling.

Hardly surprising.

"Since the battle is over, and the Gym is closed for the rest of the day, would you all like to come visit my bakery?" Katy asked, but then added, "It is very close."

While I wasn't sure about everyone else, I could guess that no one would mind.

"Sure, I will just ask everyone else first."

A few minutes later, I was back in the lobby area at the front of the gym. The moment I came out, Nemona and Tallia rushed over.

"That was so awesome! You completely changed into something I could never even dream of! So cool!" Nemona elated, and Tallia nodded along but then grabbed my hand.

"Is it really true that you can give powers like that to other people?! Like what Nemona can do?!" Tallia asked with more enthusiasm than I had ever seen from her before, making me smile.

Before I could speak up Nemona nearly jumped on Tallia's back, reaching over her shoulder with one hand that lit up with a flame in her palm. "What?! You don't belie-"

Nemona's words cut off, and so did the fire in her hand. She started to slide off Tallia, but I reacted fast, and stepped around her, grabbing Nemona before she could hit the ground.

I scooped her up into my arms, and Tallia turned around with a worried look, but I shook my head with a small smile.

"She is okay, just exhausted," I said as Cryo showed me her status and vitals. Nemona must have been using the skin's power before this.

As everyone crowded around, Nemona woke back up and looked at me, then everyone else in confusion. "What happened?" She asked, then looked back up at me.

"While you do have some pretty cool new abilities, you have to remember how Pokémon work. Each time a Pokémon uses an ability, it uses energy that it has stored up. That energy has a limit, and yours is very small. I would say that at max you might get 3-5 uses of your abilities, even at full energy," I explained, and Nemona blinked at me.

"You mean, that is the reason why I don't have to go to the bathroom anymore?" She asked, but it was my turn to blink.

[Pokémon don't have bodily waste. All food and drink is turned into energy used by the Pokémon to execute their moves. Since the girls are now technically part Pokémon because of the Paradise Balls, they, like you, will no longer need to use the bathroom in that sense.]

"Yeah, that's right. No more bathroom breaks for you," I confirmed, and Nemona's eyes widened in realization.

"That's amazing! No more running to the bathroom during battles or training!" Nemona exclaimed, and I chuckled.

"Well, I'm glad you see the silver lining in it," I said, patting her on the head.

As the excitement settled down, only Tallia and Nemona agreed to head to Katy's bakery for some well-deserved treats. The rest voted to head back to Jolene's house.

I personally was not thrilled with this, but Lusamine explained that she and Joy had been training with Cryo. This basically meant that I shouldn't worry about them, but it was hard not to. Even after talking to Captain Phyco, and spending a little time with the Recon Squad, I was far from trusting any of them.

In the end, I caved but told them to call me if anything happened.

"I don't think you have to worry about them," Nemona said, and Tallia nodded as we watched the two taxis lift into the air.

I sighed but then nodded. We would head back home right after, and then I would find a new home from the Recon Team.

The bakery was just a short walk away, and the aroma of freshly baked goods greeted us as we entered.

The interior of the bakery was cozy and filled with the sweet scent of pastries. Katy led us to a large table where we could all sit together. The menu offered a variety of delicious treats, from cakes to cookies, but there was one very disturbing theme among the names. All of them had bug-type Pokémon included in the item's name.

"Umm..." I said slowly, letting my words trail off, and then looked to Kaili. "Is there a reason why all these entrées have bug names in the title?" I asked, not sure if I wanted to know the answer or not.

I didn't.

Kaili burst into laughter, covering her mouth as she tried to compose herself. "Each of them uses a certain part of that Pokémon or something that it produces. Take the Paris Puff Tarts. They are made with Paris Butter, which is a special butter made from a mix of Bug Pokémon secretions. It's a delicacy in Cortondo, and people love the unique flavors it adds to the pastries!"

I stared at the menu in disbelief, my mind struggling to comprehend the culinary choices before me. Nemona, on the other hand, seemed quite intrigued.

"Wow, that's so creative! I never thought Bug Pokémon could be used in baking!" Nemona exclaimed, examining the menu with genuine interest.

Tallia, however, looked slightly queasy. "I... think I'll just stick to something without bug ingredients," she muttered, opting for a safer choice.

As we placed our orders, I couldn't help but feel a mixture of curiosity and mild apprehension about the unique Bug Pokémon-inspired delicacies. Katy, who was clearly proud of her creations, assured us that they were not only delicious but also made with utmost care and respect for the Pokémon involved.

As the treats arrived at our table, each one more creatively named than the last, I couldn't deny that they looked appetizing. Despite my initial reservations, I decided to give them a try. Nemona, of course, dug in with enthusiasm.

"These are amazing! I never thought bug ingredients could taste so good!" Nemona exclaimed, savoring every bite.

I cautiously took a bite of a pastry named "Larva Crunch Delight" and was surprised by the rich and unique flavor. It was clear that Katy had a talent for blending Bug Pokémon-inspired ingredients into her baked goods.

After finishing our treats, Katy approached our table with a smile. "I hope you enjoyed the Bug-inspired pastries! It's my way of celebrating the bond between trainers and their Pokémon, even in the culinary world."

I nodded appreciatively. "They were definitely unique, and the flavors were surprisingly delicious. You have a talent for combining creativity and taste."

Katy beamed at the compliment. "Thank you! It's always fun experimenting with new flavors. If you ever want to try something different, just let me know."

As we finished our visit to Katy's bakery, we bid her farewell and Nemona called a Taxi for us. I had enjoyed the time at the bakery, but the rest of my girls had been in the back of my mind the entire time. Joy and Lusamine could leave at any point, but Jolene still had no way to get to Prisma.