Pokémon Scarlet and Violet: Infrared

Chapter 24: Back to the Future!

Song: "Pokémon Theme" - Jason Paige

"What's the space-time rift?" Nemona seemed intrigued by Sada's words.

"We have to get out of here," she replied, not eager to tell the truth. "It isn't safe." She shook her head slightly as if trying to fight something.

A little irritated, Nemona stuck out her hip. "What isn't safe? Why won't you answer me, Professor?"

Sada didn't want her to feel like she was ghosting her, so she explained, "Because now's not a good time. We have to leave." She hoped Nemona wouldn't try to pry her again; she was already tired of children (not just teenagers).

Penny pushed Scarlet, Arven, and Nemona forward and said, "You heard her. Move. Let's see if we can find a cave somewhere."

There weren't any caves in the Tagtree Thicket, though. Sada knew that. She held her Terastallized hand out to Arven and shouted, "Wait, help me! I can't stand!" Fear, instead of electricity, coursed through her wires.

Arven screeched to a stop. "Oh, whoops." He returned to Sada and grabbed her hands. "One, two, three."

"Ow!" she yelled. She slipped out of Arven's arms and tumbled to the ground again. Sada kicked her legs and barked, "Work!" at them. She gasped when the infrared sky pulsed. What had she done? Why could Miraidon control his power but not her?

After a third failed attempt to stand, Sada finally waved her right hand and told Arven, "Just leave me. I've frustrated you guys enough."

"No way!" Arven snapped. "Not when you're injured!"

"Please." Sada latched onto his shirt collar and pulled him close. "Y'all have to get out of here before they come. I'm only putting you in more danger."

Arven grasped her hands again. "Who's coming?"

Sada jiggled his shirt. "The Future Pokémon."

The second she mentioned "Future Pokémon," a large, four-legged figure plopped down in front of her and Arven, seemingly out of nowhere.

It threw its red-patterned trunk off its robotic-like face and glared at the two with its red eyes. Its mechanical body shimmered under the broken sky.

Arven switched from Sada's hands up to her shoulders. He leaned into her ear and questioned, "Let me guess, that's a Future Pokémon?"

Sada nodded. "Uh-huh. They came here from the future through the space-time rift." Gosh, she should have never gone there!

Arven chuckled nervously and saluted at the Pokémon. "Ta-Take it easy, bro. We were just leaving." He dragged Sada away from it and turned her over to his friends.

Nemona fixed her eyes on the Pokémon. "Whoa, what is that thing? It looks sick!"

Sada released herself from her and the others and freed the Violet Book from her coat pocket. She flipped through it and stopped on a page that had a black-and-white drawing of the mysterious Pokémon. Sada ran her index finger over the picture's label. "Its name is Iron Treads. It's the Future Form of Donphan, the Armor Pokémon."

Arven stumbled back a step like he was shocked about something, but he held his arms out to his sides to catch his balance. "Let's get out of here," he calmly stated.

Penny piped up. "Um, Arven? I don't think these Pokémon will let us go just like that. Look." She shakily pointed in all compass directions.

Dang it! Sada thought.