Miraidon and Koraidon received a surprise once they returned to the campsite.
Nemona, Scarlet, and Penny stood a few feet away from Arven.
He continued to cling to Sada and shouted, "Stay back!"
"Arven, we're trying to protect you from electrocuting yourself," Penny said. "Come on—you can leave her alone until she's fully charged."
Miraidon knew that wasn't true; Arven loved Sada too much. And he thought he was bad. It was like Arven was six again. Why did Sada want to be a mother again? She was already burnt out.
"Stay back!" Arven repeated, holding his hand out to his friends.
"Arven, we know you're grieving," said Scarlet. "However, you're taking it to an unhealthy level."
"I'm not grieving! I'm just trying to protect her."
Miraidon saw Celebi flying to him and heard it say, "Stop, Arven." It drew back when Sada's eyes shimmered. After a few hours of being a full-fledged robot, she finally blinked and stretched her left leg across the dirt.
Arven hadn't noticed this yet. He kept coddling his mother, but he gasped when she rubbed the back of his head. Her warm touch instantly calmed him, and he jerked his head off her shoulder and peered into her eyes.
"Hey, Arven," Sada said.
"AI Sada 100% charged," her computer stated. "Running diagnostics."
Sada didn't say anything after the diagnostics report came in. Since Infrared connected her and Miraidon, Miraidon knew it wasn't good. Regardless, Sada didn't want to worry Arven.
Sandy Shocks unplugged itself from her. It brought its magnet back to its care and gave Sada and Arven space.
"Mom, is that you?" Arven inquired.
Miraidon scoffed. Of course, that was Sada, but he understood why Arven asked that. He and Koraidon came within reach of Arven's friends so they could get a better look at the scene.
Sada flicked Arven's strand of hair off his eye. She grinned and said, "It is."
The most interesting thing happened next.
AI Sada rested her hands on either side of Arven's cheeks, leaned in, and kissed his forehead. She kissed it! So, she did know what love was.
Miraidon stuck out his tongue, but Penny, Nemona, and Scarlet said, "Aw." Why did girls find everything adorable? Miraidon wondered if he would ever know.
Arven placed his hand on his forehead. "Mom, you kissed me. You actually kissed me."
"Did the original professor ever?" Sada wrapped her arm around Arven's shoulders.
"Not until today," he answered lowly, saddened by his mother's question.
"I'm sorry; I shouldn't have said that."
"It's okay." But Arven still sniffed.
A moment of silence followed before Sada said, "Arven, I think I'm ready."
Miraidon read her mind. Was she seriously thinking about—? At this time of dusk? And what about—?
"Ready? Ready for what?" Arven helped Sada stand because her legs remained weak from the Terastal energy hitting them.
What a heartless man that Turo was. Miraidon knew it was he who ordered Sada's Tera Orb to backfire. Seriously? She was already injured. Did Turo have to hurt her more? He was putting her and—
Miraidon inhaled to calm himself.
Sada escorted Arven toward him. She stumbled, but he held her in place. "I'm ready to show you my power."
Those were the words Miraidon dreaded to hear. He understood why she wanted to do it, but still. He had a duty as her Pokémon to look out for her and her son.
Arven glanced at Sada. "Your power? You mean the one that took you to the far past?"
"The Mesozoic Era," she corrected, "and yes."
"The Mesozoic Era... Sure." Arven already appeared beyond confused.
Miraidon almost laughed looking at his face; however, he swallowed his chuckle and changed into his battle form. Tilting his body forward, he turned his back to Arven and Sada. His tire grazed the flowers and tall grass under them.
"What are you doing, Sada?" Penny inquired, a little anxious. It looked like she was thinking the same thing as Miraidon.
"I'll be fine, Penny," Sada answered, helping Arven onto Miraidon's back. She mounted him and sat in front of Arven. Sada grasped Miraidon's handle-like features on his shoulders and questioned, "Are you ready for a quick trip down the geologic time scale, Arven?" She clearly was a little excited.
"The geologic—whoa!" Arven almost tumbled off when Sada kicked Miraidon's sides.
Instantly, he launched himself into the sky like a rocket and headed for the ozone layer as if he were on the hunt for the super-ancient Pokémon Rayquaza.
Arven watched his friends grow smaller the higher they went and hugged Sada's gut. He shivered when the air grew cooler.
At the same time, Miraidon and Sada's eyes glowed bright red. Above them, a mirror-shaped portal the size of Miraidon himself emerged, eager to give them the adventure of a lifetime.
The sides of Arven's mouth twitched, but before he could smile, Sada screeched Miraidon to a halt just before they entered the portal.
"I can't do it!" she fearfully screamed.
"Mom, what's wrong?" Arven tugged her shoulder.
"Sada, stop being a scaredy-cat," Miraidon growled. He knew she was still upset about the earthquake, but Sada had to learn to fight her fears. If she didn't, then she would never defeat, no, save Turo from his own... Now was not a good time to be thinking about it. Miraidon exchanged serious looks with his trainer.
"You're right, Miraidon," she eventually said, turning to Arven. "I'm sorry if I scared you, Arven."
"Oh, you didn't scare me," he admitted. "You just surprised me."
Miraidon rolled his eyes. Arven was such a smart-aleck. He looked over his shoulder and asked, "Are you ready to give it another go, Sada?"
"I-I think so," she shakily replied.
A small, green figure soared up to them. Celebi pointed at the portal. "You can do this, Sada," it encouraged. "Show Arven your power. Be brave." It settled on her head.
"Okay." Sada inhaled, exhaled, and inhaled again. She dug the heels of her boots into Miraidon's sides like spurs.
Miraidon felt her power surging through his mechanical body like an electric current. Within seconds, sparks surrounded him and Sada.
Arven tightened his grip when boom!
Sada chucked them into the infrared portal.
ns 15.158.61.8da2
