Chapter 48: To Be Brave Is Something You Learn Over Time (The Mastermind)

  Turo recalled when he met Professor Sada. It was the first day of school at Naranja, before class, and he had just placed a whoopee cushion on his homeroom teacher's chair. Turo cleverly tucked it between the chair's cushions like a sandwich. Only thirteen years old at the time, he thought the prank was the coolest thing ever.

  "Ah-ha! Caught red-handed!" a voice sounded behind him, fast and loud like an air horn.

  The girl's beauty stopped Turo's scream. Her cyan eyes and braided, curly hair mesmerized him to the point he sat on the whoopee cushion himself. It went off, and Turo yelled, dropping to the floor. He took the chair with him.

  "OMG, I can't believe it worked." The girl picked up the lone whoopee cushion (it fell when Turo did), grinning. "I got you! I pranked the best prankster in the whole school!" She clapped and started to tap dance. Her hair swayed like a fluttering skirt. "Wait until my friends and Pokémon hear about this."

  "No, no, please don't do that." No one had to know a girl outsmarted Turo. He pushed the chair off and stood. "Who are you supposed to be?" he asked, brushing himself down. He hoped the girl didn't notice him blushing.

  She curtsied. "I'm Sada. I think I know your name. Um..." She turned on a thoughtful face. "Ted, Todd... Am I getting close?"

  "It's Turo." Turo's cheeks burned. He just met her, and already, he loved her. "You're very pretty." Oh no! He said that out loud, didn't he? Embarrassing!

  "Aw, thank you."

  Was Sada blushing, too? Perhaps Turo scored something? He shuddered when she tapped her chin.

  "Now, how should I describe you? Oh!" Sada snapped her fingers—a talent Turo still failed to possess at thirteen. "You're not ugly, per se, but you're definitely not my type."

  Well, ouch. Turo didn't expect that.

  "I'm kidding!" Sada laughed. She playfully punched his shoulder. "So serious! Maybe I should be the Mastermind of Deception instead of you. You're a cool guy, Turo. What do you say?" Sada hid behind her hands. "Why don't we blow this joint and have a Pokémon battle?"

  Gosh, even hiding, she was breathtaking. Why did Sada have to change? Why didn't she remain the kind-hearted teen Turo knew in school?

  The memory distracted him from his task. Arven looked like Sada, but he was still Turo's son. Turo had gone down the same dark path as her: obsessing over his research and betraying his whole family, including his unborn child. It killed him, but he had to do it. He had to. Arven ruined him. Turo lost Sada because of him, so why did he feel so conflicted?

  "I hate him, Mabosstiff," Turo told Arven's irate partner. "That woman became a beast when she got pregnant with him. Arven took her from me, and when I tried to get her back, that Pokémon murdered her. It's time I take something that belonged to her."

  "Turo, stop!" Speak of the devil, there she was. AI Sada hustled into the control room.

  At first glance, Turo couldn't tell if she was alone or if Infrared still had control over her. She was there, though. Sada made it past Turo's AI army.

  "Arven! What did you do to him?" That was anger Turo heard in Sada's voice.

  "Oh, pipe down." Turo looked past Mabosstiff to the control room's table, where Arven still lay in front of it. "I didn't hurt him. Meowscarada put him to sleep." He reached into Sada's lab coat pocket and dug out the Violet Book. He needed it and the Scarlet Book to begin the experiment. He also knew that in a bit, the Scarlet Book would be hand-delivered to him, most likely by the stupid girl who liked Arven.

  Well, what do you know? Turo's prediction was correct. That stupid girl—Penny was her name?—joined Sada at the control room's staircase. Koraidon and Miraidon were close behind, and sure enough, she carried the Scarlet Book under her arm. To Turo's excitement, she almost dropped it when she saw Arven. "Arven!"

  Wow, this was going to be easy. Turo enjoyed breaking little thirteen-year-old hearts. Why should Penny get a chance at love when he lost his? Everything was going according to plan.

  Penny loosened her grip on the book. She rushed past Sada and reached for Arven.

  "Penny, stop!" Sada shouted.

  Mabosstiff blocked Penny's path, but she tried to push him aside.

  "No!" Penny hugged Mabosstiff's shoulder. "I love him! Arven!"

  For the love of—! Could this girl shut up already? Turo wasn't that obsessed with Sada at her age. Mabosstiff was distracted by her, so now was the perfect opportunity.

  "You're mine!" Turo tossed the Hologram Pokéball through Celebi's barrier. It twirled toward Mabosstiff. Sparkles occasionally popped up from the ball's blue surface and created a light show—one Turo loved watching every time.

  His plan succeeded. Mabosstiff noticed the pokéball and backed away from Penny. He used his rump to smack it aside, and his action helped Turo.

  Penny sprinted by Mabosstiff and threw the Scarlet Book like a piece of trash. She tripped and toppled onto her knees. Penny flinched, but she crawled to Arven.

  Perfect! That was ten points for Turo and zero for the hormonal teen. Penny clutched Arven's forehead, and Turo saw the anger building on her face.

  "Did you use Poison Powder on him, too?" she yelled. "He's burning up!"

  A fever? That was a hiccup. Turo needed a healthy person to experiment on. He only used Sleep Powder on Arven for that reason.

  Turo shook his head. "No, I only used Sleep Powder."

  "Liar!" Standing, Penny dove for Turo's barrier.

  To his surprise, Celebi dropped it and moved to the side. "Bi!" it cried.

  "Penny!" Sada screamed again, but Penny ignored her.

  She grabbed Turo and stamped on his foot. "You Mastermind of Deception, you! You're a liar! Now, tell me the truth!"

  Turo clenched his teeth and pulled Penny off him. "I'm telling you, I didn't use Poison Powder." He snatched her wrist. "If you love him so much, you can join him! I'll have two new cyborgs!" With those words, Turo picked up Penny and chucked her to Arven.

  "Ow!" she shouted, landing on him and losing her glasses. The floor's impact snapped them in two. One half of the glasses remained with Penny, but the other half slid under Mabosstiff to the Scarlet Book.

  That was twenty points for Turo. Penny was useless without her glasses. All she did was cry and hug Arven. It was similar to what Turo did after Sada died.

  Sada. Something sacked Turo's gut, but he brushed it off, even though what happened with Penny had happened before.

  Why did that beast of a woman abandon him when she got pregnant? Why did Miraidon kill her after Turo spent many lonely nights moping on his bed, trying to figure out how to get her back? Why did she stop loving him? It was unfair, and Penny wasn't helping. She didn't deserve to love, not after Sada betrayed Turo like that. He couldn't wait to get rid of her and all those who told him he and Sada weren't meant to be.

  B.S.! Though unplanned, Sada and Turo still had a baby.

  Turo felt tears welling up at the backs of his eyes. He rubbed them and headed for the Scarlet Book. "You don't deserve him!" he threatened Penny. "I will destroy any evidence of her, and there's nothing you can do to stop me."