Chapter 28: Chapter 25: “She’s not a science experiment.”

        The space-time rift reappeared over a large, green field that had rolling hills and clusters of colorful flowers and berries. Arven and his friends dropped out of it.

        Each person waved their limbs and yelled as they fell.

        Roaring Moon landed hard in a patch of pollinated flowers… so hard that Sada rolled off him and banged her left arm.

        Arven squeezed Roaring Moon’s sides, which allowed him to stay on. He looked down at Sada and asked, “Are you okay, Mom?”

        Clutching her arm, Sada rose to her knees in the flowers. Pollen covered a few of the crystals on her legs. She turned on a brave face, with the hope Arven wouldn’t see she was in pain, but he was too good.

        “Your arm’s hurting, isn’t it?” he guessed.

        Penny, Nemona, and Scarlet hopped off Koraidon and Miraidon and brushed themselves down. They double-checked to make sure they were all in one piece.

        Once they did, Scarlet rubbed Staraptor’s—who was no longer Terastallized—shoulder. That was her way of saying “thank you”. She pointed her Pokémon’s ball at it and returned it.

        Arven dismounted Roaring Moon. He started to reach for Sada, but a sudden voice picked up by a warm blast of wind startled him.

        “Oye! Is that an AI?” A black-haired man who had brown eyes had appeared at the top of one of the area’s hills. He wore a slick and shiny, fancy suit with a tie and lab coat.

        Next to him was a Pokémon that resembled Delibird. It looked like a robotic bird and sported a bag/tail-like figure behind it that was reminiscent to a cannonball. Despite its interesting appearance, it only stood about two feet tall.

        The man and his Pokémon jogged down the hill and hurried to Arven and his friends.

        He and Miraidon stepped in front of Sada. They had to protect her from whoever the man was.

        Arven folded his arms and told him, “No, sir, she’s not an AI. What gave you an idea like that?”

        Laughing, the man brought his hand to his lips. “You have quite the sense of humor. Don’t you, shortstack? Only an AI can Terastallize like that.” He studied the party. “It’s also not every day that I see people and Pokémon dropping out of the sky. Let me guess. Y’all are time travelers?”

        “We are,” Arven replied, still a little suspicious.

        “I thought so.” The man’s attention moved over to Celebi and then returned to Sada. “It looks like Celebi’s up to its old tricks. But enough of that. Let’s talk about this AI.” Scratching his chin, he examined Sada’s twitching arm for a bit. “Oh wow! Does she feel pain? Hardly any AI does. Please, may I take a closer look at her?”

        Down at his feet, his Delibird-like Pokémon hopped up and down and tossed one of its little wings into the sky.

        The man took a step closer to Sada, but Arven held his arms out to his sides. “Hey! Back off, slick!”

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        To show he agreed with him, Miraidon roared.

        Sada patted the Pokémon’s shoulder and then tugged Arven’s pant leg. “It’s fine, Arven and Miraidon,” she gently said. “He’s just curious.”

        “Yes!” Clenching his fist, the man knocked Arven and Miraidon aside and kneeled to her. “Excuse me,” he said, picking up her chin. “Wow, you’re definitely the prettiest AI I’ve ever seen.”

        “Grr!” Arven growled. He tightened his jaw and stiffened up.

        The man rocked Sada’s head back and forth so he could study the crystals on her cheeks. “No doubt about it, shortstack,” he said with a small smile, “she’s broken.”

        “We know she’s broken, Captain Obvious,” Arven snapped. “Now get your hands off her!” He snatched the man’s shoulder and pulled him away from Sada. He gave his Pokémon a little boot in the process.

        Arven pushed the new character’s chest and sank to his knees next to Sada. “Are you okay, Mom?”

        “‘Mom’?” the man questioned while he straightened his tie and lab coat. “She’s your mom, kid?” With a confused look on his face, he scratched the top of his head. “How did that happen? I mean—!” He cleared his throat. “—Of course she’s your mom. You look just like her. Same hair, eyes, and nose. Heck, if you were a girl, I’d even say you’re almost twins.” He picked up his Pokémon and set it down on his shoulder.

        “I run a laboratory where I study AI robots,” the man continued. “Kenji’s Lab is what it’s called. I could take your mom there, fix her, and see how she interacts with other AIs.”

        A volcano exploded from Arven’s head. He did not ask for a mad scientist to run a bunch of tests on a woman who just wanted to be human. Getting up, he faced Kenji and shouted, “She’s not a science experiment! She’s a living, breathing human!”

        “Okay, okay, I understand.” Kenji forgot how protective sons got of their moms. He quickly held up his hands and surrendered. “But in case you change your mind, here’s my card. I’ll transfer the lab’s coordinates to the AI, too.”

        Kenji handed Arven a small card and then touched a button on the touch-screen watch he wore on his left wrist. “Aaannnd… done!” Kenji laughed. “Transfer complete. It was nice to meet you guys—especially you, Arven. I hope you get your mom fixed.”

        “Believe me, sir, we will,” Arven bitterly explained.

        Without warning, Nemona’s hand shot up. “Oh, sir! Before you go, I’m curious. What’s that Pokémon on your shoulder?” She found it strangely adorable.

        “Oh, this little guy?” Kenji scratched his partner under its beak. “This is Iron Bundle. You’ll see a bunch of them if you come to my lab.”

        “Thanks, but no thanks,” Arven spat before Nemona could speak again. He flicked his wrist. “Just leave us alone.”

        “Very well.” Kenji turned on his boot. “But please, consider stopping by. I will make your mom brand-new.” He rubbed Iron Bundle’s chin one last time and left Arven and his friends.

        Still upset, he tapped his foot and flipped up the strand of hair he wore over his eye. “Yeah, I don’t think so.”

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