Pokémon Scarlet and Violet: Infrared

        Back to the future. Well, it was more "front" in Turo's mind. He had a plan, but he wanted to pull it himself without the help of Arven and his friends. It looked like Arven wouldn't wake up anytime soon, and AI Sada did not have that time. Turo needed to put her in hypersleep right now. Arven would never forgive him for what he did, but he had to try, and saving his sibling was the first step. He was going to dub this "Mission Redemption".

        Suicune traveled to the future with Turo. He was large compared to Koraidon's ride form, so he carried Turo, Sada, and Penny while Koraidon escorted Arven.

        The control room hadn't changed much since Celebi and Sada took Turo to the past. It was like it had been waiting for him to redeem himself, knowing he could do it as much as him.

        Sada struggled out of Turo's arms. She fell with another flare of her crystals and crawled to Koraidon, past Roaring Moon.

        Sada shook Arven. "Arven, please wake up."

        "Arven!" a voice shouted at the control room's entrance. "What happened?" It was Scarlet. She, Nemona, and Kenji hustled into the room and glared at Turo.

        A monsoon of guilt smacked him. "I didn't hurt him. Promise. Please, give me a chance to redeem myself."

        Nemona clenched her fist. "Why should we? Where's my Meowscarada, you two-face phony?"

        "She's right here." Turo gathered his pokéballs, including Meowscarada's, and his remote before he left the past. He tossed Nemona Meowscarada's pokéball. It no longer was holographic blue.

        "I know you guys are mad, but there's no time," Turo stated. "I need to get you out of here and put AI Sada in hypersleep."

        "Turo," Kenji said, bewildered, "what happened in the past?" His attention switched to Suicune. "Is that...?"

        "Yes, it's Suicune, Celebi's friend. The one who helped that time-traveling boy from Johto. He came to Arven and me on—" Turo gulped. "—that day, and we met our Sada one last time. Arven's too sick, though. He collapsed, and now his sibling's in danger."

        Kenji nodded. "And you believe hypersleep will save it."

        "I invented Infrared. I know how it works. Arven doesn't have to forgive me, but his sibling is all we have left of her." Turo brushed a tear away. "Please, guys. Just trust me this once, and then you never have to again."

        Nemona opened her mouth to fight back, but Scarlet stopped her. Her angry look changed to stern with a touch of forgiveness. "Turo, we'll trust you when you save that baby."

        "Scarlet!" Nemona snapped. "Don't pull that. I say we tie this jerk up and punish him for hurting Arven, Sada, and Meowscarada. He had it coming."

        "And I say we give him a chance." Scarlet inhaled and wiped her eyes, stepping forward. "Nemona, I know what he's been through. Both he and I watched our loved ones die. Turo acted out of grief, not because he wanted to take over the world. However, we should also hear Sada's side of the story." Scarlet stopped next to Turo and faced Koraidon. Although bemused, she remained serious. "Sada, what do you want?"

        She was quick to answer but in a glitched voice. "I want Turo to do everything he can to save Arven's sibling. I'm ready to die."

        "Well, there you have it." Scarlet met eyes with Turo. "Turo, put her in hypersleep and save that baby."

        "Scarlet, no!" Turo swore he saw tears in Nemona's golden brown eyes.

        "It's the only way, Nemona," Scarlet said. "We need to let AI Sada go."

        "No..." Voice trailing, Nemona rushed to Sada and threw herself in her arms. Meowscarada's pokéball rolled to Turo's feet. "We love you, Sada," Nemona sobbed into her shoulder.

        "I know." Sada rubbed the back of her head. "And I love you. However, this was going to happen eventually. I'm just glad I fought Infrared long enough." Sada let Nemona go. "Take care of Arven for me. Give him the love the original professor never did." She whispered her next line.

        Turo couldn't hear her, but Sada occasionally looked at Scarlet, leaving him to believe she was talking about her.

        Suicune and Penny came over after Nemona stood, followed by Kenji and Arven's Mabosstiff. Tatsugiri left Arven and slid down Koraidon's head and nose.

        Kenji gave Arven's friends a thumbs-up. "Don't worry, kids. I used to work in OB, so I'll help Turo. You guys focus on getting home and helping Arven. I believe Celebi should return soon."

        Sure enough, the familiar sound of a tintinnabulation overtook Turo's ears, and Celebi appeared. It removed the Scarlet Book from Suicune's streamers and hoisted it to him. "Bi, bi. Let's move, Turo, before those AIs find their way here."

        Oops, Turo forgot about his AI Army. Luckily, he had his remote and now the Scarlet and Violet Books. They would help shut down the army. Sada needed no distractions while in hypersleep.

        Before sending Arven and his friends away, Turo returned Meowscarada's pokéball to Nemona. "The reversion should be complete when you guys reach Area Zero," he explained.

        Nemona accepted the ball and examined it. Instead of thanking Turo, she huffed and went to her friends.

        Koraidon put Tatsugiri down, but Arven slipped from his back.

        Penny caught him and embraced him like a mother. "Koraidon, aren't you coming with us?"

        "Agiasgias." Koraidon marched to Sada. He stood on one side of her, Roaring Moon on the other. "Gias."

        "He says, 'Not now.'" Sada ran her hand across Koraidon's feathers. "He wants to stay with me a little longer. Good boy, Miraidon."

        "Oh!" Scarlet pointed at Koraidon. "So that is Miraidon?"

        "It is." Scarlet jumped when Suicune said that. "I purified his dirty memories in the past after he saved Penny and Arven. When I asked him what changed his mind about Arven, he replied, 'Because I saw how much he loves Sada.'"

        "You really said that?" Sada asked her Pokémon. "See, Miraidon? I knew you and Arven could become friends."

        Did Koraidon blush?

        Scarlet giggled. After a moment of silence, she declared, "Turo, we're ready."

        Suicune lowered his body. One by one, Arven's friends climbed on. Penny, still protecting Arven, mounted him last, and Suicune rose. "It's okay, Turo. Celebi and I will get them home safely. We did it before, and we can do it again."

        "Right." Turo tucked the Scarlet and Violet Books under his arm. "Good luck."

        Celebi's blue light outlined Suicune, Mabosstiff, and Tatsugiri and lifted them off the floor. On their way to the ceiling, Arven's friends waved at Sada.

        Sada and Koraidon returned their gestures.

        "We love you, Sada!" Nemona called in a choked voice. "And we won't ever forget you!"

        "Me, too!" she called back. "Thank you for everything—in Area Zero and here. Look after Arven for Turo and me."

        "We will!" Nemona saluted. "We bid you adieu!"

        "Hey! That's my line!" Sada jokingly complained.

        "I hope you don't mind me using it."

        "Not at all." Sada waved one last time. "Bye!"

        Poof! Arven and his friends vanished. Blue and green sparkles rained down on Sada, Turo, and Kenji.

        "Wow, Sada," Turo admitted, "those kids adore you."

        "I guess my maternal instincts are on point now." Sada's smile vanished when her crystals flared again. She held her arms out to Turo. "But let's not waste any more time, Turo. Put me in hypersleep."

        Turo's knees wobbled, but he helped Sada stand and escorted her to the control room's center console. He sat her down and slipped the Scarlet and Violet Books into the computer's pockets. "Sada, I'm sorry. I wish I didn't have to do this, but—"

        "—the only way to stop Infrared is to destroy the source," Sada interrupted. "Me. I know, Turo. But I also know you can loosen Infrared's effects until the baby comes. I have no doubt, especially since Kenji's here. Hypersleep is our best option."

        "You're right." Turo's chest ached—did he fall in love with AI Sada, too?—but he clicked the books in place.

        The Terastallized keyboard and Sada's crystals shimmered, and she flinched.

        "Gias." Koraidon let her hold onto his antennae.

        Turo rested his thumb over Infrared's button. He waited for Sada to give the word, even though his heart screamed in agony.

        "Turo, wait. Before you make it official..." Sada removed her flower crown and looked past him to Kenji. "I have one more request." Her shoulders dropped, followed by her head.

        She placed her hands on her growing bump and said, "Kenji, take a picture of my baby."