One month later
173Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnRUjenxJEL
Seventeen years old. Gosh, Arven was getting old. He could have sworn he was already starting to see gray hairs.
Returning to school felt strange, but he had started seeing Naranja's grief counselor. Scarlet usually went with him to his appointments because Arven was not ready to talk about his mother alone.
Now there he was—walking with Mabosstiff and Koraidon on Poco Path after a long day of school and therapy. His friends wanted to throw him a birthday party, but Arven didn't feel like celebrating.
He and his Pokémon crossed Poco Path to Cabo Poco, where Nemona and Scarlet lived. They changed from strolling on the grass to a cobblestone path that branched into three directions: Nemona's house on the left, Scarlet's on the right, and a beach straight ahead.
Arven and his Pokémon made their way down to the beach. They climbed over rocks and hopped onto the sand. It wasn't white and soft like the tropics, but it was still comfortable to trek on.
Arven saw a cluster of sharp-pointed rocks in the Paldean Sea. He kicked off his boots and dropped his knapsack. It felt nice to get that weight off his shoulders.
He and Koraidon raced each other into the warm water, but Mabosstiff stayed with Arven's things. They splashed one another, and Koraidon batted at a few seagull-like Pokémon, Wingull, who soared close to the ocean's surface.
Half an hour passed, and Arven wore himself out. Koraidon kept playing, but Arven stepped out of the water and went to his knapsack. "Excuse me, Mabosstiff," he said, sitting down. Arven stole his bag from him and unzipped it. He pulled out Kenji's folder.
With Mabosstiff over his shoulder, Arven flipped through the pictures of his sister. He caressed her cheek, and a tear splashed onto the beach.
A voice sounded behind him. "Ah, I thought I'd find you here."
"Hey, Scarlet." Arven rubbed his eyes.
His friend got down with him and hugged her knees. Scarlet glimpsed at the pictures. "Waiting is always the hardest part. May I?"
"Sure." Arven handed her the folder.
Before studying the photos, Scarlet added, "Oh, I came because Tatsugiri was growing impatient." She glanced behind her. "It's okay, Tatsugiri."
"Giri?" Yellow fins grasped Scarlet's ankle, and Tatsugiri poked out.
Arven chuckled. "Are you always this shy, Tatsugiri?" He allowed the Pokémon to crawl into his palms and lifted it off the ground.
Koraidon soon joined Arven and Scarlet, and Scarlet's Koraidon busted out of his ball.
She picked up a rock and tossed it for him.
Scarlet's Koraidon shuffled, but he didn't chase it. Instead, he sniffed Scarlet's backpack and pressed on it.
Arven's Koraidon was the one who fetched the rock and returned it to Scarlet.
"See, Koraidon?" Scarlet threw the rock a second time. "Now that's a good Koraidon. But since you insist..." She removed a few sandwiches from her bag and offered one to Arven. "I brought us a picnic, Arven. Think of it as a mini birthday celebration."
Throughout the picnic's duration, Scarlet kept her phone face-up on the sand. Was she expecting a call?
Arven tried not to think too hard about it. He and Scarlet laughed, ate sandwiches, and shared the picture album. Both Koraidon and Mabosstiff played, but shy Tatsugiri remained near Arven.
At one point, it attempted to hop on his head but missed. Tatsugiri grabbed Arven's tuft of hair and now dangled, swaying back and forth like a dancer.
Giggling, Arven helped it down. He showed Scarlet one of his sister's photos. "Do you think she's here? AI Sada said time moves differently in the past, present, and future." He could already feel his little sister in his arms. Arven rocked them, even though there was no baby.
Scarlet steadied him. "I would think it's getting close. Sada was at least five months in the future. Speaking of Sada, there's actually... um... something Mom and I want to give you for your birthday." Her phone buzzed with a text message, and Scarlet checked it.
Arven waved his hand. "Thank you, Scarlet, but I don't need anything."
"No, no, hear us out. Mom's coming right now." Scarlet turned toward her house. "It's something we've been talking about for a while now. And have been discussing with Director Clavell, even before we went to Area Zero."
Even before Area Zero? What the heck was this?
Arven peered in the direction Scarlet looked and saw her mom. She shared Scarlet's brown hair but had chestnut eyes instead of blue. Arven assumed the blue eyes came from Scarlet's father.
Scarlet's mom hid her hands behind her yellow apron. Like Scarlet, she appeared nervous, but Arven didn't understand why. "Hi, Arven," she said, reaching them.
"Hi, ma'am."
Scarlet stood and proceeded to her mom. She gestured, and her mom removed something from her back.
The one-inch notebook had a pokéball design. Arven noticed papers inside it. They didn't look like pictures to him.
Scarlet's mom handed her the notebook and placed her hands before her.
Scarlet kneeled to Arven and inhaled. "Arven, this may look like a regular notebook, but inside is a request I've had since meeting you at Poco Lighthouse with Nemona."
"Scarlet, you're killing me here." Temptation tugged at Arven, but he stopped himself from grabbing the notebook.
Eventually, Scarlet gave it to him. To Arven was written on the plastic covering. Scarlet sat back and rested her fists on her thighs.
"You're doing great, Scarlet," her mother said. "What we're asking, Arven, is... Well, just open your gift."
Arven did. Instantly, he dropped it, and the notebook bounced onto the beach.
Arven covered his face. He sobbed into his palms.
Scarlet massaged his back. "Arven, I've always wanted a brother, but Dad died before Mom could give me one."
"I may not be Sada," her mother joked, "but I can try. The house has plenty of room and a great yard for your Pokémon. You don't have to be alone anymore."
"You're adopting me?" Arven sniveled.
"Happy birthday, Arven," Scarlet mused.
Arven hugged her. "Thank you, Scarlet. Thank you so much." Could this day get any better? Arven didn't think so, but then—
"Giri!" Tatsugiri suddenly announced.
Arven released Scarlet and went to it, bending his knees. "What is it, Tatsugiri?" That was when he saw him.
Suicune stood on the Paldean Sea, his mane and streamers blowing with another gust of the north wind.
"Oh goodness!" Scarlet's mother said. She retreated away from Suicune but soon returned.
He stepped onto the beach and seemed to smile at Arven and Scarlet. "Hello, Arven and Scarlet."
"Oh goodness!" Scarlet's mother repeated. "That Pokémon can talk?"
"It's more telepathy," Scarlet answered. "This is Suicune, Mom. We met him during our journey."
"I am the reincarnation of the north wind and water," Suicune explained to her mother. "My friend, Celebi, and I have helped time travelers before." He glimpsed at Arven. "Arven, there is one more birthday gift we wish to give you."
Someone jumped down from behind Suicune's flowing mane. Turo bounced the bundle in his lab coat. "Sorry, Arven," he apologized, "but she fell asleep on the way here."
Arven swore his eyes were as large as his head. "Da-Dad?" They landed on the bundle, and he gasped, covering his mouth.
Celebi appeared above Suicune. It settled on his nose and gently slapped his cheek.
Scarlet took the adoption papers from Arven. She gave him and Turo space.
Turo set the bundle down in Arven's arms. "Here she is, Arven. Your little sister. I'm jealous everyone in this family takes after your mom." He cackled at his joke, but Arven heard melancholy in it, too.
Staying strong, he tightened the blanket around his sister. "Dad, is AI Sada...?"
"Yeah." Turo took a deep breath. Arven saw the lump in his throat. "She died a week ago, future time. Kenji and I gave her a proper burial and split her Pokémon among us." Turo's palm protected his face. "We-We were her greatest Treasure, Arven. That woman fought until your sister was born."
"She's not gone, Dad," Arven gloomily explained. He kissed his sister's forehead. "We have her. And Mom said she'd always be with us in the past. We need to embrace good memories of her, not bad, and find hope. That's what I'm going to name her." Arven brought his sister to his neck and whispered into her head of dirty blonde curls, "Hope."
"Hope," Turo repeated. He sniffed and wrapped his arm around Arven's shoulders. "I like that. I also want you to take good care of her."
"Dad?" Did Arven hear him right?
"That's right. I'm not staying." Turo headed for Suicune. "The future is my home. Besides"—he removed the Violet Book from his coat pocket and opened it—"there's still so much about the future I don't know and haven't had time to explore. New Pokémon, places, and people—AI and not." Turo shut the book. "I'm going on a journey, Arven, to make up for all the horrible things I did to you and Sada. But it's okay. I'll visit frequently."
Turo faced Scarlet's mom. "Ma'am? Look out for my little boy and baby girl. Tell Hope that her daddy loves her, but he thinks she'll be better off with her brother for right now."
"Dad..." That was all Arven could say. He approached Turo and held him close.
"I need to do this, Arven. This is my Mission Redemption." Turo pinched Hope's cheek. "Goodbye, my angel. Make sure Arven goes to school." He and Arven tittered.
"Oh, Arven?" Turo grasped his shoulders. "Happy birthday."
"Thank you, Dad." Arven looked behind him and saw Scarlet flick a tear away. "I better get back to Scarlet before she loses it."
"And I better return to Celebi before it curses me out with its little 'Bi, bi, bi.'" Did Turo dance a little? Excitement replaced his melancholy. He punched the warm, Paldean air. "Let's go, Suicune! Onward to adventure! Arven, catch!" Turo spun in a circle and tossed the Scarlet Book to him.
Arven stepped back, and the book crashed at his feet. "Excuse you, Dad! There is a baby here!" He protected Hope's head.
"Oops, sorry." Turo blushed slightly. "I'll get out of your hay before I wake her." He nearly ran to Suicune and kicked up sand when he mounted him. "What's Sada's famous line again? Oh, yeah!" Turo cleared his throat. "I bid you adieu!"
As if on cue, Suicune jumped onto the surface of the Paldean Sea.
A flock of Wingull scattered, and a Magikarp leaped out of the water, landing on the beach.
Tatsugiri and Arven's Koraidon pushed it back into the sea. By the time Magikarp disappeared underwater, Suicune, Celebi, and Turo had left the present. All was quiet on the beach.
Arven re-joined Scarlet, her mother, and Mabosstiff. He nodded and said, "Well, I think this has been a pretty good birthday. I gained two sisters—and a new mom."
"Oh, well, I'll try," Scarlet's mom admitted. "We've already got a room set up for you, Ven, but I guess I need to go to the store and buy a crib. Or I could use Scarlet's old one."
Scarlet's cheeks flushed. "Mom!"
Her mother turned on her heel. "Oh, you should have seen her, Arven! She was the cutest baby. I once found her swimming in the toilet. Another time, I caught her eating her birthday cake with our Skwovet."
"Okay, Mom, you can stop now," Scarlet begged. "Go get Arven's room ready. You're going to wake Hope blabbering like this." She waited until her mother left the beach before facing Arven.
Her Koraidon and Arven's came within reach of them both. Scarlet's chewed on a sandwich, and Arven's sucked a rock.
A minute passed, and Scarlet turned on a seductive face. "So, Arven, tell me..." She poked his ribs. "When will you and Penny kiss?"
173Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVmVQl0bWs7
Final Word Count: 80,238
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