“Oh, my Meowscarada.” Nemona blew her nose into the tissue Scarlet provided for her. She and her friends sat on the staircase outside of the Pokémon Center. Large, glass buildings—hundreds of feet all—surrounded them, and they were within reach of an orange, moving walkway.

“We were going to try the Academy Ace Tournament when we got back,” Nemona added. “Meowscarada told me she was finally ready, after losing so many times to you, Scarlet.”

“Sorry,” Scarlet said, a little embarrassed.

“And now she’s gone!” Nemona howled. She slapped the tissue to her nose again.

“Hey, hey.” Scarlet rubbed Nemona’s back. “We’re going to get your Meowscarada back.”

“This is all my fault,” Nemona cried. “I was so stupid to pit her against Iron Moth.”

“Hey, don’t talk that way!” Scarlet took Nemona’s shoulders and forced her to look at her. “This is not your fault, Nemona. You were deceived. We all were.”

Next to Scarlet, Penny slapped her hand to her forehead and told herself, “I can’t believe I fell for it.” Penny thought Arven would be safe at the Pokémon Center, but no. Professor Turo would always find him.

Arven and Kenji faced each other at the top of the staircase. His face red, Arven grabbed Kenji’s shirt collar and slammed him up against the Pokémon Center’s side. “You son of a—! I don’t know who you think you are but are going to take me to my mom!”

Kenji reached for Arven’s hands. “Do you think I want to do this, kid?” he asked. “I’m only following Mastermind Turo’s orders.”

Arven jiggled his shirt. “Why? What’s so important that you AIs have to keep protecting him? He’s nothing but a monster—a big, fat bully who only gets pleasure out of deceiving people!”

“It’s not him we’re trying to protect,” Kenji admitted.

Before he could say any more, Miraidon came between him and Arven and roared in his face.

“Arven!” Penny approached Arven from behind and pulled him away from Kenji. “You need to calm down.”

“Don’t tell me to be calm!” he barked.

“Arven, please.” Penny tightened her grip on his arm. “I know you’re scared, and you have every right to be, but if we’re going to save Meowscarada and Sada, then you need to control your anger.”

Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

“I am controlling my anger!” But just when he said that, Arven lunged for Kenji and tackled him to the ground. “You rat!” he yelled, jerking on his lab coat. “You took AI Sada from me—the only thing I have left of my parents! She trusted you!” Arven lifted his fist to punch him, but Penny snatched his wrist.

She dragged him away from Kenji and called for Scarlet. “Scarlet, a little help, please?”

Hearing her, Scarlet kneeled to Nemona. “Do you want to come, Nemona?”

“No thank you,” Nemona hiccupped. She dabbed the sides of her eyes with her tissue. “I just want to sit here.”

“Okay.” Scarlet patted Nemona’s shoulder and rose to her full height.

From where he sat, Kenji straightened his lab coat and followed Arven’s movements. “Wow,” he told himself, “that is one tough, young man. Maybe, just maybe, this will work after all.”

Kenji removed a pokéball from his pocket and stood. “Arven?” he asked, approaching him, but he stopped a few feet back.

“What do you want now?” Arven growled. “Haven’t you caused us enough misery?” He, Penny, and Miraidon glared at Kenji.

Quiet as a mouse, Scarlet, who just made it to the scene, examined them.

“Arven…” Kenji repeated, and he held the pokéball out to him. “I, AI Kenji, challenge you to a battle.”

“A battle?” Arven inquired, folding his arms. “What for?” He clenched his teeth and narrowed his eyebrows.

Kenji twirled the pokéball on his index finger and brought his heels together. “Kenji’s Lab, or Turo’s, is dangerous. It’s a place of Paradox Pokémon, Hologram Pokémon, and AIs—both people and Pokémon. If I’m going to help you, then I need you to prove to me that you’re up to the challenge.”

Penny stepped in for her friend. “Help us? Why would you want to help us?”

“Because I dislike Turo just as much as y’all do,” was Kenji’s answer. “We’re not people to him, but science experiments. He went psycho when he invented Infrared because he suddenly had so much more power over us. Your poor mom, Arven—” He shook his head. “—was his first victim.” He started down the staircase and headed for an open area in Levincia. It was free of moving walkways and took the appearance of a concrete battlefield.

Kenji tossed his pokéball back and forth between his palms. “Please, Arven, I know you don’t trust me, but I swear that I never meant to harm your mom. At least give me a chance. If you win, then I will take you to the lab. If not, then I will go in your place and do everything in my willpower to rescue not just Sada but also your friend’s Pokémon.”

Arven was on the spot. Sweat poured down his temples, but he relaxed his face when memories of AI Sada overtook his brain like flashing lights: when she was attacked by Iron Moth, when Arven taught her about bravery, and the wonderful time they spent together on their way back to her cabin.

“Please,” Kenji tried again.

“Arven, be careful,” Penny whispered in his ear. “I’ll fight him if you don’t—”

“No,” Arven interrupted. He held onto Scarlet’s arm and pushed himself to his feet. He glanced at Nemona, who still sobbed on the staircase, before he faced Kenji. “I have to do this. For my mom… and Nemona.”

Arven rested his hand on Mabosstiff’s pokéball. Before following Kenji down to the battlefield, he listened to Levincia’s Metro train zooming through the city for a good minute. There were so many thoughts and guesses in his head, but Arven was not yet able to access them all. What he did know was that Sada definitely had some sort of special connection with Infrared. It was almost like… No, that was impossible, was it?

Arven shook the thought away and freed Mabosstiff’s pokéball. “All right, Kenji,” he said, determined. “I accept your challenge.”