"Miraidon, let me see him." Sada struggled to her knees and smiled feebly at Miraidon. "I haven't forgotten what you did, but please." Her eyes moved over to Arven. "He's my son."
"Agias. Agias," Miraidon protested, shaking his head.
Sada glared at him.
"Gias," Miraidon whimpered. He sighed and shuffled away from Sada.
At the sight of the opening, Arven was quickly on his feet. Mabosstiff snuck up on him, but Arven paid him no attention. He sprinted for Sada but tripped on a tree root and fell. Arven crawled the rest of the way to her.
Scarlet, who watched the whole thing, covered her mouth with her palm. "Oof," she said in a low voice. She heard rustling in the bushes behind her.
Slither Wing and Koraidon emerged from deep within them. Leaves and flowers stuck to the Pokémons' coats, and Nemona and Penny dangled from Koraidon's back because he had been running so fast.
"Koraidon, did you seriously have to cut through the most overgrown part of the thicket?" Penny wanted to know. She looked like she was about to be sick.
"Are you kidding? That was awesome!" Nemona cheered. "Penny, I thought you liked riding Koraidon."
"I do, but not when he gets leaves in my hair. I mean, look at this!" Penny rolled off Koraidon and stood up. Running her fingers through her hair, she plucked leaves from it. She made sure she was leaf-free before she jogged to Arven.
For a long while, the two said nothing. They merely stared at one another, with lightning flashing between them.
Finally, Arven spoke. "Penny."
"Arven," she said back. "So... Robot Mom broke her arm?"
"Her name's Sada!" Arven snapped. "And as long as I'm here, you will call her that. We were ambushed, Penny, and it hurt her." He wrapped his arms around Sada and pulled her close to him. He had to keep her safe. "Can you just get on with it and fix her?"
Penny folded her arms. "That depends on two things. One: you change your attitude, and two: you let her go when I do."
"Don't tell me to let her go! Just stop." Arven bounced Sada because he felt her slipping. "Why are you being such a jerk, Penny? You're acting like she's a monster."
Penny tapped her left arm. "I'm just looking out for you, Arven."
"Well, you're doing a pretty bad job of it," Arven admitted. His bottom lip twitched. He felt the world's weight on his shoulders, which pulled him down like an anchor.
Scarlet hopped off the log. She went to Arven and pulled him away from Sada, but he freed himself.
"No!" He kept his arms around her and got up. "Come on, Mom. We don't have time for this." He didn't care what Penny said. Sada was his mom, and he was going to fix her.
Arven led her toward a small river in the distance. The setting sun and brook's clear water made the area picturesque, but he did not admire the scenery.
Halfway to the brook, Arven suddenly stumbled and dipped his shoulder into Sada. He collapsed to one knee.
"Arven? Arven!" Sada shouted. She helped him onto the ground. "Help! Help!"
Scarlet, Nemona, and Penny hurried to them.
Penny snatched Sada's good arm and chucked her like a rag doll.
She tumbled onto her back and yelled, closing her eyes.
Scarlet took Sada's place in holding Arven. She turned on a brave face and whispered, "It's okay, it's okay. It's okay to cry."
And Arven did. He burst into tears and sobbed the hardest he ever had in his sixteen years of living. He cried so much that he soaked Scarlet's school uniform. "I can't breathe. I can't breathe," he gasped, smacking his hand to his chest.
"Deep breaths. Deep breaths," Scarlet said. "You're doing great. Just let it all out."
"Why did my mom have to die?" Arven pointed at Miraidon, who trotted to the dazed Sada. "You did this! You killed her, you murderer! I hate you! I hate you! I hate you!"
"Gias." Miraidon ducked behind Sada.
Arven lunged for him. "You killed her!"
"Whoa! Whoa!" Scarlet caught him before he could attack Miraidon. "Arven, come with me." She got him out of there as quickly as she could.
Penny and Nemona froze, and their eyes widened. Shivers ran up their spines.
Finally, Penny grasped her nose with both hands and asked, "What is wrong with me?"
***
"Here, drink up." Scarlet removed a water bottle from her backpack at the brook's edge and handed it to Arven.
After throwing up whatever he could, he removed his head from the brook and accepted the bottle. He had to get rid of that bad taste in his mouth. Arven unscrewed the bottle's cap and drank it in one gulp. "I-I'm sorry," he shakily apologized. "I don't know what came over me." His eyes followed the movements of the Goldeen and Magikarp in the river. Arven rested his hand on Mabosstiff, who stretched his furry body across his lap.
Beside him, Scarlet hugged her knees. "Grief comes in waves, Arven. But once you push past them, you'll feel better. Penny's also just not the best when it comes to people skills."
"No kidding," Arven said under his breath. "I'm not grieving, though, Scarlet. I'm just... tired. Yeah, that's it." He peered at the treetops and admired the reddish-orange sky between their branches.
Scarlet let her knees go and crossed her legs. She fell silent for a bit and then took a deep breath. "Arven, I think it's time I tell you a little secret." Scarlet glanced at him, but he refused to make eye contact. "I was you once. My father died three years ago. I... don't like to talk about it, but I think I should."
Arven finally looked at his friend. "Oh my gosh. I'm so sorry, Scarlet."
"He... was a sailor." Scarlet inhaled again. "He visited every other region before he finally found Paldea. Dad fell so in love with it that he promised to take me on a sail around it for my 10th birthday. I couldn't wait to watch the Finneon light up at night. But... he had an accident when he took the boat out for a test run the day we were supposed to leave. The worst thing is, I saw it."
"Scarlet..." What could Arven say there?
"Mom and I were devastated when Dad died," Scarlet added. "But in time, we learned to accept it, which is what Penny's trying to tell you. You'll never forget your loved one, but you can finally move on. Believe me, this is what your mother would want you to do. And I'm sure AI Sada wants the same thing."
Scarlet gave Arven a weak smile. She patted his thigh and stood up. Scarlet went to the brook and sliced the water with her hand.
Lost in thought, Arven stared at the ground.
Mabosstiff whined but soon wagged his tail and licked his trainer's cheek.
"Thanks, Mabosstiff," Arven said, chuckling. "I needed that."
A few minutes passed, and Scarlet said, "Arven, look." She motioned behind him. "I think Penny's starting to come to her senses."
"What are you—?" Arven cut off when he turned and saw Penny hovering over Sada.
She sat her up and held her phone up to her arm. Her lips moved, so she was saying something to her.
Arven and Mabosstiff made it to them when Penny finished her task. She lay Sada down.
Instantly, she turned onto her left side and tucked her hands under her cheek.
Miraidon gently bopped her head.
"We-Well, Penny?" Arven stuttered. He was still mad at her, but he calmed himself.
Penny waited a bit before grasping his arm and lugging him over to a patch of tall grass. "I'm sorry, Arven—for everything I said."
"It's okay," Arven said. "I know you're just trying to help me. But now's not a good time." He looked over Penny's shoulder at Sada. "What's wrong with her? Why did that Pokémon hurt her?"
"I'm still trying to figure it out," Penny elucidated. "But what I can say right now is that lady is traumatized. I don't know what happened to her, but whatever did, she did not take it well."
Arven felt Mabosstiff bump his leg. He gulped and scratched his partner's ear. "She didn't drop a hint or anything? I saw you talking to her, though."
"I asked, but she won't talk," Penny said. "If we can just figure out what happened, it may help me come up with a diagnosis. I'm sure it has something to do with this Infrared thing she's mentioned."
Arven nodded. "Her computer. Thanks, Penny, really. I'll see if I can talk to her."
"She's a little out of it, FYI." Penny dropped her phone into her hoodie pocket. "And be careful of Miraidon."
"I will," Arven said. "In the meantime, you guys set up camp, and I'll let you know what I learn." From there, he kneeled to Mabosstiff. Arven stretched his arm across his knee. "Let's do this, Mabosstiff."
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