Paragon

Hisui Incursion [3]

PARAGON

Hisui Incursion Arc [3]

Chapter 55 : Jubilife Church

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The man called Kamado swept inside like he owned the place. As Ash, Sabrina, and Riley stood up defensively, he sauntered through the front room until he was as close to the fire as the rest of them. His hand rested lazily on his sword's grip, and he eyed each of the gathered in turn.

"I-I can explain," Laventon stammered. "These three are friendly. They came from—"

"That's not for you to decide, Professor," Kamado intoned. "And what is that?" He flicked his head at Pikachu, prowling beside Ash's leg.

"Stand down, Pikachu," Ash said, trying to defuse the situation. "Don't attack under any circumstances."

"Heh," Kamado grunted. "If only it were so easy. If pokémon obeyed commands as simply as that, Hisui would be a paradise." His gaze swept between Akari and Rei, who'd both frozen the moment he'd stepped inside. "Cyllene, take these two and the professor back to the church," he said in a louder voice. "I'll handle these three."

The woman by the door straightened and uncrossed her arms. "Are you sure?"

"Take them now."

Her eyes narrowed, but she stepped inside as well. She trained her sharpened gaze on her three targets. "Let's go," she said, motioning with a thin finger. "Without delay, please."

Without warning, she stalked forward and yanked Laventon's arm toward the door.

"Please! Just take me! The children had nothing to do with this! I coerced them!" Laventon struggled against the woman's hold, but her wiry build masked her iron strength, and he could not break free.

"Tch," the woman called Cyllene spat. "I said without delay," she muttered, her voice like an icy knife.

"We'll go, Professor!" Akari spoke up. She glanced at Rei, but even he nodded in assent. "Just please don't hurt him!"

Cyllene rolled her eyes and held out her other hand. "Your pokémon. Now."

Rei and Akari hurried to unclip the pokéballs from their belts, three each, and swiftly handed them to Cyllene. She clipped them all to her own belt, and her eyes narrowed.

"Thank you." She pulled on Laventon's arm and started back toward the door. Just before stepping out, she turned back. "Are you sure you'll be fine, Leader?"

Kamado didn't budge. "Go."

Cyllene scowled but obliged, and the two kids followed her out.

Kamado's eyes hadn't left the three newcomers, and they all awaited his judgment with bated breath. They'd wanted to disturb the past as little as possible, but their mere presence seemed to be unacceptable. The question now was how to get out of this situation as peacefully as possible.

Kamado's gaze settled on Riley, but he soon turned back to study all three of them. The room held silence, save for the frosty winds slipping through the still-open front door. A mug rested overturned next to Kamado's foot, and tea dribbled into the sand beneath the fire pit.

He nodded at them, at no one in particular. "Could you kill me?"

On his right, Ash felt Sabrina's attention turn on him. No time to communicate telepathically. That would only make them more suspicious. But on his right, Riley's gaze had also turned to him. They were deferring to him to answer. Pikachu had stopped prowling, but his ears were sticking straight up, ready for anything.