Pokémon Scarlet and Violet: Infrared

Chapter 51: Mission Redemption

Back to the future. Well, it was more "front" in Turo's mind. He had a plan, but he wanted to pull it himself without the help of Arven and his friends. It looked like Arven wouldn't wake up anytime soon, and AI Sada did not have that time. Turo needed to put her in hypersleep right now. Arven would never forgive him for what he did, but he had to try, and saving his sibling was the first step. He was going to dub this "Mission Redemption".

Suicune traveled to the future with Turo. He was large compared to Koraidon's ride form, so he carried Turo, Sada, and Penny while Koraidon escorted Arven.

The control room hadn't changed much since Celebi and Sada took Turo to the past. It was like it had been waiting for him to redeem himself, knowing he could do it as much as him.

Sada struggled out of Turo's arms. She fell with another flare of her crystals and crawled to Koraidon, past Roaring Moon.

Sada shook Arven. "Arven, please wake up."

"Arven!" a voice shouted at the control room's entrance. "What happened?" It was Scarlet. She, Nemona, and Kenji hustled into the room and glared at Turo.

A monsoon of guilt smacked him. "I didn't hurt him. Promise. Please, give me a chance to redeem myself."

Nemona clenched her fist. "Why should we? Where's my Meowscarada, you two-face phony?"

"She's right here." Turo gathered his pokéballs, including Meowscarada's, and his remote before he left the past. He tossed Nemona Meowscarada's pokéball. It no longer was holographic blue.

"I know you guys are mad, but there's no time," Turo stated. "I need to get you out of here and put AI Sada in hypersleep."

"Turo," Kenji said, bewildered, "what happened in the past?" His attention switched to Suicune. "Is that...?"

"Yes, it's Suicune, Celebi's friend. The one who helped that time-traveling boy from Johto. He came to Arven and me on"—Turo gulped—"that day, and we met our Sada one last time. Arven's too sick, though. He collapsed, and now his sibling's in danger."

Kenji nodded. "And you believe hypersleep will save it."

"I invented Infrared. I know how it works. Arven doesn't have to forgive me, but his sibling is all we have left of her." Turo brushed a tear away. "Please, guys. Just trust me this once, and then you never have to again."

Nemona opened her mouth to fight back, but Scarlet stopped her. Her angry look changed to stern with a touch of forgiveness. "Turo, we'll trust you when you save that baby."

"Scarlet!" Nemona snapped. "Don't pull that. I say we tie this jerk up and punish him for hurting Arven, Sada, and Meowscarada. He had it coming."

"And I say we give him a chance." Scarlet inhaled and wiped her eyes, stepping forward. "Nemona, I know what he's been through. Both he and I watched our loved ones die. Turo acted out of grief, not because he wanted to take over the world. However, we should also hear Sada's side of the story." Scarlet stopped next to Turo and faced Koraidon. Although bemused, she remained serious. "Sada, what do you want?"

She was quick to answer but in a glitched voice. "I want Turo to do everything he can to save Arven's sibling. I'm ready to die."

"Well, there you have it." Scarlet met eyes with Turo. "Turo, put her in hypersleep and save that baby."

"Scarlet, no!" Turo swore he saw tears in Nemona's golden brown eyes.

"It's the only way, Nemona," Scarlet said. "We need to let AI Sada go."

"No..." Voice trailing, Nemona rushed to Sada and threw herself in her arms. Meowscarada's pokéball rolled to Turo's feet. "We love you, Sada," Nemona sobbed into her shoulder.