Location: Kenji’s Lab

Coordinates: Somewhere under Levincia

The future

“Kenji’s Lab.” The second Sada read the holographic sign at the bottom of the staircase she and Joy descended from, she (not very sneakily) whirled around and tried to shove past her again.

To Sada’s discomfort, Joy pushed on her wrists.

“No, no, no,” Sada protested. She never thought she would find herself here again.

“Whoa, leaving so soon?” Joy questioned. “But we haven’t even gotten to the best part yet.”

“I don’t wanna be here,” Sada exclaimed, on the brink of tears. She glanced past the staircase to the hallway she and Joy took from the Pokémon Center.

“Oh, boo hoo,” said Joy. “Tough it up, my dear AI. We’re not gonna break you. The mastermind’s just looking for more people and Pokémon to add to his collection. You’re going to have your own little cell—with a holographic door and everything—until he’s ready for you. Isn’t that wonderful? It’s just what Arven wanted.” She gave Sada another boot and forced her through two larger, mechanical doors.

The room Sada found herself in was enormous and rectangular-shaped. Lines of artificial intelligence robots, both people and Pokémon, filled it. It was like Sada had stumbled into a futuristic army base, and she did not like it one bit.

Hologram Pokémon stood across from each legion of robots, and a single figure overlooked the machines. His back faced Sada, and he stood with his heels touching each other.

Joy escorted Sada across the lab to him. “Mastermind Turo,” she said, “I brought her.” Her voice cut off suddenly. It was like something interfered with her transmission… something electric.

The tall, slender man patted down his white lab coat with one of his tan hands, and he lifted his other one. He held a walkie-talkie-like device in his palm and looked across his shoulder to Joy. “Ah, excelente.” He brought his device to his lips. “Gracias, AI Joy.”

The same sentence came out of Joy, but through her voice—not Turo’s. Her eyes glowed again, and she stood still.

Sada took the opportunity to escape (but not grab her lab coat). She freed herself and started to run—well, hobble—away, but Turo pressed one of the many buttons on his device. A Tera-like light outlined Sada’s body, and she froze in place. Her arms dangled behind her.

“Now that’s not very considerate,” Turo joked in his deep, booming voice. “We haven’t even said ‘hi’.” Finally, he turned and showed off his blue, futuristic bodysuit, violet outlines, and short, black boots.

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Turo rubbed his beard and approached Sada. He flashed his device at her. “Voice recording. It’s a new thing I’m trying with my AIs. Only works on AIs, too. Kenji and Joy were just an experiment, but they worked out well, don’t you think? I harnessed more of the Terastal energy to perfect this baby.”

Turo slipped the device into his coat pocket and circled Sada a few times. He batted her left arm and stood in front of her. “Look at you. The last time I saw you, you were nothing more than a robot who got beat up by a kid in Area Zero. Now here you are, decomposing from the inside, and you still think you’re human.” He flung his hand forward and snatched Sada’s neck. “It disgusts me.”

“Get… your… hands… off me,” Sada breathlessly said under his powerful grip. “I can’t… breathe.” She coughed when Turo let her go. “I don’t care what you do to me. Just don’t hurt Arven.”

“Oh, I’m not gonna hurt him per se,” Turo chortled. “I’m just gonna turn him into an AI… like you. I’m calling it a win-win situation. See, little lady? I haven’t broken my promise. You should be happy that you’re going to be with your son.”

“Monster!” Sada snarled.

Turo ripped the bandage off her upper left arm and brushed out his brown hair, which he wore top-notch-like on top of his head. “I mostly go by the ‘Mastermind of Deception’, but I guess ‘Monster’ will do, too. It looks like you need a few hours in the slammer to fix your attitude, my dear AI, until Arven gets here.” He crossed his arms. “I don’t know why you’re so bent out of shape. The family will finally be together again: Mom, Dad, and the kid. Isn’t that what you want?”

“It is, but not like this!” Sada choked on her words. “Arven’s only sixteen, Turo. You can’t do this to him.”

Turo snickered. “Well, too bad because I am. Joy.” He waved Joy over and offered her his free hand. “Meowscarada’s pokéball, please.”

Sada narrowed her eyes. She had to be brave. “How do you know Arven will even come?”

“Oh, poppycock.” Turo took Meowscarada’s pokéball from Joy and tossed it up a few times. “Do you really think he’s gonna leave his best friend’s Pokémon with me… and his dying mom? Use some common sense, Sada. You lack it. Joy, get her out of my sight.” From there, he reached into his pocket and pressed the button on his device that froze Sada. The Terastal outline vanished, and she could finally move again.

She clutched her broken arm and was surprised to see that Joy shivered a bit.

“Yes, sir,” she said. Joy grabbed Sada and dragged her toward one end of the rectangular room.

While they left, Turo smirked. “Get nice and comfy, Sada. In the meantime, I’m gonna get my army of Future Hologram Pokémon ready.” Just like that, he faced the legions of AIs and Hologram Pokémon again.

With Sada’s coat still over her shoulder, Joy came within reach of a holographic cell at the other side of the lab. She tossed her into it, as if she were a rag doll, and shut it behind her.

“Stop,” Sada said, crawling to the gate. She met Joy’s shimmering eyes. “I know you don’t want to do this.”

“Mastermind’s orders,” were the only words that left Joy’s lips, and she locked the cell. Turning on her heel, she marched away from Sada.

She pushed herself to her feet and called, “Wait, come back! We can figure something out!”

But Joy did not return.

“Ugh! Urk! Urk!” Sada clenched her fists and cursed in Spanish. It went on for a whole thirty seconds, but it felt good to let it all out. She kicked the wall at the back of her cell.

Sada collapsed to her hands and knees and covered her crystallized face. Her neck was still sore from Turo squeezing it. She placed her left arm on the cell’s back wall and hugged her knees to her chest.

Turo was right. There was no way that Arven was not going to come for her and Meowscarada. Sada just hoped it wouldn’t be too late when he did.