Location: Unknown

Coordinates: ???

Sometime not too long ago

        The hacienda-like lab was almost too dark for AI Sada. That was even with her built-in flashlight. She tripped over too many chairs and machines trying to make it to where she was now. The large room's circular shape gave her a sense of freedom because it looked like a globe, and she smiled when a man escaped from the steel staircase in front of her.

        He slipped his hands into his pockets and asked, "Are you ready, my dear AI?"

        Sada nodded. "I am. I'm ready to finally be the mother Arven never had." She had been waiting too long for this day, and while she didn't feel happiness, she told herself that she was.

        "Then come, and let's make our descent." The man lifted his shadowy arm and pointed at the staircase behind him. "Infrared and Koraidon are ready—ready to help you finally bond with your son." He went to Sada and grasped her arm, giving her a tiny push.

        She followed him down the dark staircase that led to the bottom of the hacienda and lab. Down there, it was pitch black, but clusters of Tera crystals and a single experimental table in its heart gave it a little light. The large screen behind it was off.

        Sada's Alpha Koraidon sat on the table. A crown of wires covered his head, and he looked both ways before he saw his trainer.

        "Will this experiment hurt him?" Sada rubbed her hands together. She hoped she was doing the right thing.

        "Not at all," the man said, his face still hidden in the room's darkness. "Once Koraidon becomes Miraidon, he will transfer some of his powers to you so you can bring your son to you. That's what you want, yes?"

        "But if we hurt him—"

        "Then we will stop the experiment."

        Glaring, Koraidon stared at Sada. He rubbed his paws on the table and shook his head.

        "Enough, you!" The man pulled a lever at the end of the table, and a single electrical shock passed through Koraidon's body.

        He cried out and fell onto his stomach.

        "Do you have to shock him?" Sada pulled a strand of hair behind her left ear, showing off the single feathered earring she wore in it. A draft passed through her braids and caused the tail of her lab coat to waft a second. "I-I'm sorry, Koraidon," she added after a moment of silence. "Don't worry, you'll be Koraidon again before you know it."

        The Paradox Pokémon growled. He looked over his shoulder at the man, who pulled a new lever up the panel.

***

Location: The Tagtree Thicket

The past

        Scarlet removed the Violet Book from her backpack and held it up to AI Sada. A lavender light spilled out of the picture of Miraidon on its cover, like the infrared sky from before.

        Sada and Slither Wing noticed the glow and stopped attacking.

        Sada, clutching her broken arm, begged, "Miraidon. Miraidon, please. Please forgive me." She waited for what felt like an eternity before she finally heard him.

        "Gias!"

        Miraidon jumped out of a cluster of ferns and flowers behind Scarlet and her friends and leaped in front of Celebi's barrier, decked out in his battle form when he landed. Eyes shining like Sada's, he knocked the Violet Book out of Scarlet's hand and tossed it to Sada, who caught it. The violet light shone on her face, and her eyes returned to their normal color.

        Sada hugged the book to her chest and fell onto her right in a patch of tall grass. No longer were her clothes infrared, but she was dead exhausted. She just wanted to sleep in her warm bed back home. Not to mention that the intense pain in her arm was enough to turn her world fuzzy.

        Slither Wing rushed to her, but Scarlet and her friends stayed put for a little longer, just to make sure she was safe again.

        "OMG!" Nemona chanted. "That was literally the coolest thing I have ever seen!" She hopped up and down and cupped her hands around her mouth. "You rock, Miraidon!"

        He "rocked"? Not once in his life had someone said that to Miraidon. He seemed to smile at Nemona, but he glared at Arven.

        He started for Sada, but Miraidon slid to her and showed off the fang-like features in his jaw. He was so fast that Arven tumbled onto his backside into a puddle of mud.

        "Come on, man!" he complained, waving his arms. "I just want to make sure my mom's okay."

        "I'll do that myself," Miraidon growled. He shooed Arven away with one of his V-shaped arms. Miraidon turned to Sada, whose arm twitching had grown worse.

        Slither Wing moved off to the side to let him in. It opened its massive wings and lifted off the ground, fluttering to Nemona. Slither Wing stopped in front of her and spoke in its raspy language. The two communicated with one another, and then Slither Wing landed next to Nemona. It was five feet taller than her, but Nemona didn't appear scared.

        "Hey, Scarlet," she said, grinning at Scarlet, "Slither Wing and I are going to get Penny. Do you think I can borrow Koraidon?"

        Scarlet nodded. She gave Koraidon a quick pat and booted him to Nemona.

        "Thanks," she said, climbing onto his back. Nemona took hold of Koraidon's antennae and flicked her wrist at Slither Wing. "Lead the way, Slither Wing."

        Rays from the setting sun passed through the thicket's treetops and created a few sunny patches on the forest floor. Half of Slither Wing's body was in one of them. It jumped from patch to patch, with Nemona close behind, and disappeared in the shadows.

        Scarlet and Celebi settled down on a log and watched Arven and Miraidon. Scarlet propped up her head and sighed.

        Arven crawled across the ground, quiet, but Miraidon roared, "Gias!" He moved closer to Sada. While it was true he was upset with her, Sada was still his trainer. She found him, nurtured him, and gave him the love meant for Arven. Miraidon was not ready to lose that. Heck, Professor Sada wasn't even supposed to have a kid in the first place.

        Using his tail, Miraidon put the Violet Book under her head to use it as a pillow and switched his forms. Now standing on all fours, he walked in a few circles and plopped down next to her. His mechanical-like body sparkled under the sun's orange rays.

        Miraidon set his head down on Sada's wrist. He saw Arven reach out with the corner of his eye and gave his hand a quick rap of his tail.

        "Ow!" Arven yelled, drawing back. He shook out his hand, which now had a fresh bruise. "You son of a—!" Arven crossed his arms and sat crisscross applesauce. "I hate Legendary Pokémon."