Chapter 31: Sada's Greatest Treasure

    The rays of the moon shimmering on Sada's face woke her. She grumbled and turned her back to it. Regardless, she could not fall back asleep.

    For a long while, Sada kept an eye on Arven. He and Penny slept next to each other near the fire, their heads close, and their hands almost touched. It was such a miraculous sight. Sada wished what happened to her came from young love, but no. It was entirely artificial.

    She stayed quiet and rose to her shaky legs. Sada locked her knees and left the campsite. She found her way to the hill overlooking Levincia and studied its skyscrapers and bright lights. Sada had memories of that place. Unfortunately, most of them weren't good. How much time had passed since she was last there? Time worked a bit differently between the past, present, and future.

    Sada admired Levincia for a few more minutes. She then looked away and checked her surroundings. She was alone. Good.

    Carefully, Sada unbuttoned her lab coat and tossed it on the ground. She rested her hands on her bloated belly and sighed sadly. She started to show today, which meant she had to be extra careful around Arven now. Miraidon told her it was a boy, but Sada felt it was a girl.

    She jumped and quickly scooped up her lab coat when she heard shuffling next to her. Sada held it up to her belly.

    "Calm down," Miraidon said, emerging from the moonlight. "It's just me." He checked Sada's belly. "So, you started to show today, huh?"

    "Shut up, Miraidon." Sada lowered her coat and faced Levincia again. She didn't want to remember that horrible day.

    Miraidon sat down next to her and admired the city, too. "I still think it's a boy."

    "No, it's definitely a girl." Did Sada even hear herself right now? Boy, girl—did it matter? It shouldn't have happened in the first place.

    Sada's chest ached. She hid behind her hand and sniffed.

    Miraidon kept his voice steady, but it was stern, too. "Sada, you need to tell Arven."

    "No way!" Sada's hand dropped onto her belly. "I can't, Miraidon. He's mad enough at Turo."

    "But if you keep stressing over this, it'll put you and the baby in danger."

    "I can't tell him, Miraidon." That time, Sada smacked both her hands to her face. She tumbled to her knees onto a dirt pile. Her crystals shimmered with the impact. "I just can't."

    "Well, sooner or later, you need to." Certainty was in Miraidon's voice. "You're running out of time, Sada. Arven's going to notice."

    Sada slipped her coat back on. "Not if I keep my coat buttoned." She did just that and hid her belly again. "Miraidon, please, this is up to me. Arven cannot know the truth. Not yet. It will crush him even more than he already is."

***

    Warm morning sunshine washed over Arven, his friends, and Sada the next day as they made their way through the East Province. They stood side-by-side and said nothing to each other. They hiked up and down the East Province's hills. Nemona's Rotom Phone led the way.

    Sada rode on Miraidon, slow and steady, with her hand over her belly. She noticed that Penny was finally starting to show her emotions.

    She walked with Arven and glanced at him, worried. He had not said or eaten anything since getting up that morning.

    Penny hesitated, but she lifted her hand and grasped Arven's shoulder. "Arven, you need to eat."

    He did, but Sada knew his grief and guilt would not allow him.

    "I'm not hungry," were the only words that left his lips. He kicked a few rocks aside and kept his head down. He refused to make eye contact with Sada.

    Nemona looked up from studying Meowscarada's pokéball in her palm and gazed at Rotom. She forced a smile and lifted her arm. "Hey, guys," she said to her friends, "according to Rotom, Levincia is close. Who's up for an adventure in a futuristic city?" A Pokémon Center was probably the only thing on her mind.

    "I'm cool with it," Penny said. "I think we could all use a breather."

    "Me, too," Scarlet agreed. "Besides, I'm curious about how Future Levincia compares to Present Levincia."

    "Yes!" Nemona clapped and hurried forward, followed closely by Penny, Scarlet, and Celebi.

    Koraidon, Miraidon, Sada, and Arven stayed behind.

    Up ahead, Penny clenched her fist and held it up to her lips. Blushing slightly, she asked, "Arven?"

    Sada checked on him.

    He stopped walking and stood like a statue on the field. Koraidon nudged him, but Arven didn't move. Why did he feel guilty when what happened was Sada's fault?

    She slipped off Miraidon's back, and her jelly-like legs touched the ground. She started for Arven but fell over like a dreidel. Sada peered back at her legs and clenched her teeth. She had to fight it. She had to fight Infrared. Arven needed her.

    "To be brave is something you learn over time," Sada repeated to herself. With that in mind, she got up and stopped her knees from wiggling.

    Sada started with small steps. Eventually, she found her balance and switched to strides. It took effort, but Sada managed to make it to Arven. Perhaps she could start with small talk and then reveal the truth: she wasn't a full-fledged AI. Not anymore.

    She offered Arven her right hand and said, "I know I'm not your mom," in a low voice. "But I'm gonna try."

    Arven swallowed a lump in his throat. "I don't want to hurt you, though."

    "It's okay," Sada admitted. "What happened last night was an accident. But I did have fun showing you the different time periods." She smiled feebly. "Let's just start over. Deal?"

    For a minute or two, Arven studied her hand. He made up his mind and, slightly happier, said, "Deal." He shook Sada's hand.

    "There you go." A long silence ensured after Sada said that. She moved Arven's hand toward her belly but changed her mind at the last second and took his shoulders instead. "You really do look like her. I'm sure your mother would be proud. I know I am."

    "What are you proud of?" Arven inquired, bewildered. "I hurt you. That's nothing to be proud of."

    Sada dropped her hands and cupped Arven's cheek with her left one. "What I'm proud of hasn't happened yet, but I know it will. I know because you're my son, my greatest Treasure, and I want you to be happy." She pecked Arven's forehead. "Now, let's go to Levincia and try to have some fun."