Pokémon Scarlet and Violet: Infrared

Chapter 38 (Old): Valiant Redemption

Turo came to, but there was a terrible throbbing in the back of his head, and it wasn't just from hitting it. Rubbing it, he offered Joy his free hand. "Joy, give me that remote."

"Now why would I do that?" Joy pointed the device at Infrared, Turo's AI people, and then Miraidon. "I suddenly have so much power. Consider this your punishment for treating us so poorly, Turo."

"I made a mistake, and I'm sorry," Turo apologized.

"Sorry won't cut it. Your mistreatment is now mine. I own Infrared and your AIs."

Joy mashed a button on the device, but as soon as she did, her whole hand Terastallized. Joy was too in her head to notice it. "Hee, hee," she cackled when Turo's AI people—none of whom had been finished—powered on. At the same time, Miraidon's computer-generated eyes glowed red. "I can control the Legendary Pokémon and AIs!" Joy said, squeezing the remote. "Get them, my friends. Turn them all into holograms."

"Run!" Kenji insisted, pushing on the kids. Just like Joy, he started to Terastallize.

Arven helped Turo stand. He turned on a confused face when he saw Kenji and asked, "Why are all of them Terastallizing, Dad?"

Turo massaged his sore arm and explained, "It happens when they act against their code."

Joy found Infrared's button on the device and pressed it next. "Open the space-time rift, Infrared," she ordered.

That just confirmed it. Sada did open the space-time rift. But how? Arven had no time to search his thoughts.

Next to him, Turo stared into Infrared's face. He couldn't see it well, because of her crystals and eyes, but his gut told him that she was scared.

"Please, Turo," he almost heard her beg. "Please destroy me." Her right hand shot out, but she did not move her left one at all.

At her command, Arven's holographic Cloyster and Nemona's Meowscarada leaped out from behind her and joined Miraidon. The rest of the AI Pokémon and their robotic trainers joined them.

Arven, Turo, and Scarlet recalled their Pokémon before they and their friends backed away from the danger zone. Halfway to the lab's exit, Arven, Turo, and Celebi stopped and examined Joy and Infrared.

"The space-time rift, Infrared!" Joy ordered again. "Open it! Bring all those Past Pokémon here!"

"No!" Infrared cried out. Not after all the trouble she and the others got into in the past. She wasn't able to stop herself then, but she could stop herself now.

She launched for Joy and grabbed the hand she held the device in. Her eyes began to glitch again.

"You little—!" Joy snapped. "No wonder Mastermind Turo had so much trouble with you. You're a hassle!" Using all her strength, she ripped Infrared's lab coat off her left arm and twisted it. Joy shoved her away from her.

While Infrared went down, she cried out. The crystals on her upper left arm smashed into the floor. Bits and pieces of them, as well as pieces of her coat, broke off.

"Sada!" Turo, sweating from the sideline, shouted. "Stop, Joy!"

"You were the one who wanted to hurt her in the first place," she snapped.

Turo regretted it, but it was the truth. He clenched his teeth and chewed on his nails.

"Dad," Arven said, moving his attention from his mom to him, "we have to destroy Mom, don't we?"

Turo nodded. "It's the only way to shut down Infrared and stop Joy."

It was exactly what Scarlet said. Arven whispered it to himself: "The power of acceptance."