Chapter 24: Chapter 21: How to Surprise An AI – Lesson Two

        An hour passed before Scarlet decided to check on Arven.

        Sada had calmed down. She sat up in bed and flipped through the Violet book. Occasionally, she showed it to Miraidon. He rested his head on her lap. “And you’re sure you haven’t seen any more space-time rifts?” Sada wondered. “But the Future Pokémon have to be coming from somewhere.” She needed some time to think this over.

        Scarlet met up with Mabosstiff at the door. Both he and she went outside to the backyard. They found Arven with his whole Pokémon team out: Greedent, Scovillian, Garganacl, Toedscruel, and Cloyster.

        He pitted Greedent and Scovillian against each other and clenched his fists. “Don’t give me that look, Greedent!” he ordered. “If you want to win a battle, you sometimes have to fight your friends.”

        “Arven, what are you doing?” Scarlet nervously asked.

        “What does it look like?” he answered. “I’m training. We have to be in prime form when we fight my dad. Greedent, stop cowering. Use Take Down!”

        “Stop!” Scarlet barked. She kneeled to Greedent and scratched him under his furry chin. “Arven, I know you’re hurting, but revenge is a very risky move to take.”

        “It’s not revenge,” Arven argued. “It’s just me trying to show my dad to never hurt my mom.”

        “So… revenge,” Scarlet repeated.

        Arven glared at her. “My dad is killing my mom, Scarlet!”

        Scarlet did a face palm. “Dude, I hate to break this to you, but your mom is already dead.”

        “And the world brought her back in the form of that AI,” Arven countered. “Don’t you see, Scarlet? For the first time in my life, I feel like I finally have a real mom, and I’m not going to let my psycho dad take her from me. I don’t care that she’s a robot. I just want a mom.”

        “And I just want a dad,” Scarlet fought, “but the world doesn’t work that way, huh? We lose the ones we love. The best thing we can do is move on and keep their memory alive—not seek revenge from those who wronged them. Sooner or later, dude, you’re gonna have to let AI Sada go.”

        “Not until she learns the six basic human emotions,” Arven said. “All she wants, Scarlet, is to be human, and I intend to do that for her.”

        “And all I’m saying, Arven, is for you to be careful,” said Scarlet. “We’ll help your mom learn surprise, but after she does, Celebi is going to take us home. Now, recall your Pokémon and come inside. It’s getting late.” She turned on her heel. “AI Sada’s calmed down if you want to see her.”

        Arven’s eyes followed her movements until she vanished inside the cabin again.

        “Sooner or later, dude, you’re gonna have to let AI Sada go.”

        Scarlet’s words haunted Arven, but at the same time, something deep inside told him that she was right. But no… Not yet. Sada still had to learn surprise.

        Arven recalled his Pokémon, except Mabosstiff, and followed Scarlet’s tracks. Once he was back in the cabin, he glanced at Sada.

        She shut the Violet book and put it on her dresser. The second Sada’s head hit her pillow, she was out, and Arven found himself worrying all over again.

        How could Professor Turo be so heartless?

***

        Arven and his friends got up early the next morning. They had to. After all, it was time for Operation: Surprise the Broken Robot to commence.

        Sada took the Violet book with her on the expedition through the woods. She walked alone on the rock-free hiking trail and read. A fresh batch of crystals emerged on her right cheek. Sada felt them, but she tried her best to ignore them. Just read, she thought to herself.

        Arven and his friends hid in the woods. They had to get Sada while she was distracted.

        From behind a bush, Scarlet gave Koraidon his cue by flicking her wrist.

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        Koraidon nodded and leaped out of the forest onto the trail. He landed in front of Sada and roared, “Agiasgias!” as loud as he could.

        Sada just stared at him. She stuck her nose back in her book and marched past Koraidon.

        De-stroyed.

        “Gias,” Koraidon moaned, sinking to the ground. His antennae dropped behind him. “Am I not scary?” he said in his language.

        Scarlet came out of the woods and patted his head.

        Arven and Nemona were the next ones to try to get Sada. They climbed into a tree—onto a wide, sturdy branch—and waited. Once Sada was close enough, Nemona dropped and wrapped her legs around the branch.

        Arven held her in place.

        Nemona dangled and made a goofy face. “Boogie, boogie, boogie!” she said to Sada.

        She still didn’t flinch.

        Arven soon slipped under Nemona’s weight. She and he tumbled out of the tree and landed in the tall grass at its base.

        Sada placed the book on her chest and hopped back before they could hit her.

        Groaning, Arven propped up his head. Sada was just too good.

        A game of Duck, Duck, Goose—Penny’s idea—was the group’s third attempt; only, AI Sada had no memories of Professor Sada playing it, so she didn’t know what to do.

        Penny went in circles at least three times before she slapped Sada’s back. “Goose!”

        Sada did not move. She sat very still and robot-like—with a blank expression on her face. To her, Penny was speaking nonsense.

        “Well, that didn’t work,” Penny grumbled.

        Nemona tapped Sada. “You’re supposed to chase her, Professor.”

        “Oh, right,” Sada said, finally blinking. She started to get up, but she tripped on the tail of her lab coat and fell forward. The crystals on her cheeks shimmered.

        Sada covered her face with her hand so no one could see her blushing. She was silent for a bit, and then she questioned, “I’m not a very good mom, aren’t I?”

        “It’s okay,” Arven encouraged. “You’re trying. You’re also ill, Mom, so we understand.” He smiled. “Why don’t we have a Pokémon battle to spice things up a bit?”

        “Ooh, yes!” Sada rocked her head like a rocking horse without a rider. “Sounds good to me.” A nice Pokémon battle was just what she needed to get her mind off Infrared.

        Sada and Arven got up and approached one another. They shook hands and split apart to create a battlefield on the trail.

        “Ooh, is it battle time?” Nemona wondered. She thought about joining in on the fun, but then she remembered Meowscarada. Nemona didn’t want to put any more of her Pokémon in danger. She stepped off to the side and placed her hands behind her back.

        Arven drew a pokéball and his Tera Orb from his belt. He tossed the Tera Orb up and down in his palm and held his pokéball over his head. “Just so you know, Mom, I’m not gonna go easy on you.”

        Sada waved her right hand. “Good,” she chuckled, “because I’m not either.” She pulled another Master Ball and her own Tera Orb out of her coat pocket. A blast of warm wind blew her five braids in her face, but she flipped them away. “Roaring Moon,” Sada yelled, and she tossed her Master Ball forward, “I choose you!”

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