Chapter 64: Paradise Protection Protocol

Geeta and Rika kept walking side by side as Geeta's phone remained on speaker.

"Before I start, let me say that this is a recording. Every and any questions you have cannot be answered. I advise that you hold any questions that you may have as of right now. I may or may not answer them later. Secondly, I will pause this recording right now, and wait to hear that you both swear to never tell anyone of this truth. No matter what."

The Sada in the recording became completely still as a pause symbol appeared on the phone.

"Hm…" Geeta grunted. Rika sighed.

"I won't tell a soul." Rika said. "What is it that the kids say? Cross my heart and hope to… help me out, here."

"It's 'hope to die,'" Geeta said with a smile. "I too, won't tell a soul."

The video unpaused.

"Excellent." Sada continued. "If you are hearing this part of the recording, it means that you have sworn not to tell anyone. This entire project hinges on the fact that you do not tell absolutely anyone this. No matter what. Period."

Rika and Geeta exchanged looks before staring at the phone again.

"Before I begin the story, I must give context." Sada continued. "Like I said before, I come from an alternate timeline. One where I, Professor Sada…take the place of the one you know as Professor Turo. Professor Turo is an alternate version of me, and I, of him. In essence, He and I are the same person. The only thing that switched was our goals and gender…but not our fate. Unfortunately, we have something to admit. We are not human. We are A.I."

Geeta widened her eyes in shock.

"We are not the Turo and Sada that you know. We are replicas, robot bodies that have the physical look of our creators. Professors Turo and Sada… are dead. They've been dead for years."

Rika put her trembling hand over her mouth.

"We were created to continue working in their stead… and finish their work to achieve their dream of creating a time machine that can bring Pokémon of the past...or...future...into this world. Geeta, the Pokémon you captured, Iron Valiant, is a Pokémon belonging to the future. We call them Paradox Pokémon."

A bead of sweat fell down Geeta's brow as her trembling, slow breath caused chills to run down her spine.

"As for our fate- it was was to fall to the children Arven, Penny, Nemona and Kai, then our bodies were to be sent to the past... or future...for each respective timeline. But...for some reason, mine was slightly different. Instead of being sent to the prehistoric past where my creator would have wanted, I went to a different past... the past of an alternate timeline- the Violet timeline. There- I met Turo. My other self. There was another twist in the timeline...the Paradise Protection Protocol, which I will now dub 'P.P.P' in this explanation, was still active. And so, I had no control over my body."

Sada closed her eyes.

"The P.P.P of my timeline forced me to activate the Violet timeline's P.P.P…making the A.I. known as Turo become a puppet, like me. That was when the details of what happened in my timeline were shared with Turo. That was when both of us, still controlled by the P.P.P of our respective timeline's will made a plan together. A sure-fire way to defeat Kai, Arven, Penny and Nemona when the final battle would inevitably come. First, they would message Geeta, prey onto her insecurities, and have her join their side. Then- to secure their victory, they would create another android. A robot boy who could be used to simply bond with Kai. Then- when the time came, the robot would attack Kai, the latter of whom would be unable to fight back due to his feelings. And when he fell, the morale of the rest of the group would fall as well. They decided that they would start with 'correcting' Sada's timeline- the Scarlet timeline, then come to 'correct' the violet timeline. As for what happened in my timeline when we 'corrected' it... I won't tell you- I'll show you."

The image of Sada disappeared with what looked like TV static. Suddenly, a video began to play.


Video 1 of 3: The Scarlet Timeline 'correction'

The security system to stop the time machine had already been activated.

The walls of the room became as bright and crystalline as diamond. Both Sada and Turo stared down at Arven, Nemona and Penny from a pillar of machinery that erected itself from the ground.

Nemona was the only one with invoker armor on. In her hand was a fire-type powered claymore.

"Mom! Dad!" Arven cried.

The whites of both professors' eyes had turned black.

Turo put one hand in his coat pocket and extended his other one. With a wave of Turo's free arm, a metal blade erected from his arm and exploded with static electricity.

Sada crossed her arms in front of her, and jagged claws erected from her knuckles, which were made of the apex predators of prehistoric times' DNA. Their color was an orange and brown stripe pattern, similar to the accessories on her hair. When she opened her mouth to exhale, a puff of white smoke came from her mouth, like a wild beast's would.

"Wh-What!?" Penny, who stood behind Arven and beside Nemona, gasped. "Did they just..!?"

Nemona's eyes grew wide like a child's would when seeing fireworks. "SO COOL!" She cried.

"Dad..! Mom!" Can't you hear me!? It's me, your son, Arven!" Arven cried.

"It doesn't matter who you are…" They both spoke in unison. Their movements mirrored each other as they stepped toward the edge of the platform they stood on. "I won't let you or anyone get in the way of my plans." They both spoke as though they were one.

Turo and Sada moved with extreme speed, seemingly teleporting away from sight. Nemona's look of excitement turned into genuine concern as she sprinted into action.

"Arven-" Penny cried. "Look out!"

In a blink of an eye, Turo closed onto his son from his front, and Sada moved in from behind him, both ready to strike. Penny shrieked and closed her eyes.

The sounds of metal clanging rang in the air, and after a brief silence, Penny opened her eyes. Defending Arven from behind and blocking Sada's attack was Nemona, wielding her claymore bravely.

Penny blinked once she realized who was defending Arven from Turo. "K-Kai!" She cried.

Defending Arven from the front and protecting him from Turo's attack was none other than the main star of the show: Kai. He was wearing a white suit of invoker armor of his own and a black winter coat that he tied around his waist. He stood next to his Tinkaton, who guarded Turo's attack.

"Tinka…!" Tinka grunted as she pushed against the AI professor.

"Nice to see you finally made it..!" Nemona cried.

"Of course I did," Kai said, "If i didn't, you'd just go on and on about how exciting this fight was, and how I should have been there..!"

"Aw, I'm so happy you know me so well!" Nemona replied.

The robot bodies of both professors twitched unnaturally.

Penny gasped with joy as she beamed with happiness.

"You take Professor Turo, I'll take Sada!" Nemona cried. Both rivals turned their heads to each other and shared a nod, pushing away their opponents.

Arven fell to his hands and knees. His arms and legs were shivering with fear, his eyes were bloodshot with tears. "Why!?" He cried. "How did it come to this!? Why!?"

"This battle WILL be won at all costs.." Both Sada and Turo said at the same time. "Come, #0183020201!"

Suddenly, the door behind the heroes opened, and everyone, including Kai and Nemona, turned their heads and gasped in horror, realizing who it was.

It was Aeon- he didn't have his winter coat over his black turtleneck sweater, because it was the winter coat he had given to Kai as a memento.

Kai sensed immediately that something was different about him. His blue and red eyes were glowing, and two wings, one prehistoric one resembling Kai's Koraidon, and the other…looked very futuristic. It shined with blue light. He had no idea where that futuristic power was coming from.

Slightly confused, Kai tilted his head and cried out. "Aeon! Y-You came to help, right? I don't know what those wings of yours are about, but- come help us!"

"Destroy them." Turo and Sada said.

The video stopped playing, and tv static covered the phone screen.


Geeta and Rika watched what happened with horror in their eyes. Geeta gulped, and the sound of her throat swallowing saliva reverberated in her ear drums.

The phone monitor returned to Sada.

"What you witnessed was the first part of our battle. Moments after our first trump card had arrived. The other two videos are far too…violent… for you to watch as of right now. What you need to know is that after we won, and that Nemona was the sole survivor among those children. Of course, Geeta, you… or perhaps, the Scarlet timeline version of you- played a pivotal role in all of this…After they were defeated… the P.P.P stopped. the A.I. known as Turo and I were back in control. And… as soon as we came back to control our bodies, we wanted to do one thing: Undo the horrible fate that was thrust upon those children."

Geeta frowned. She couldn't stop thinking about what her alternate timeline version of herself had done. She allowed those children- the ones that she was supposed to look over…to die.

It felt nauseating. An overwhelming feeling of dread and fury washed over her entire body and weighed on her, threatening to bring her to her knees. With each breath, she held her ground against the overwhelming guilt she felt.

"Rika," Sada said, "You are about to ask us, 'why didn't the Protection protocol stay on'? The answer is simple: It activates only when there is a threat to the time machine. Once the children were defeated, the protocols deactivated."

Rika's eyes widened in shock. "How did she…-"

"Your next question is, 'why, despite the fact that this is a recording, do I know exactly what you are going to say before you say it? I am just about to answer that question right now, Rika. It's because we've tried countless times to undo the horrible ending that was put on those kids."

"What?!" Both Geeta and Rika cried out at the same time.

"We've failed countless times. We've repeated this timeline countless times, pushed through countless failures. All to achieve what we call… the perfect ending. One where…everything, absolutely everything that could possibly happen…goes right. I'll spare you the details as to what exactly must happen, but I will tell you one thing that must happen: Kai must fight and defeat the boy we've created with our own hands, the one known as…Aeon, before destroying the time machine. If this doesn't happen…then all of our plans would be for naught."

Rika sighed deeply.

"All this stuff makes it seem like Kai's the 'chosen one' or something." Rika said.

"Everything that has happened thus far happened for the sole purpose of strengthening Kai. Because in the end, when those children come to inevitably fight us…we will be unable to fight back against the will of the P.P.P. The only one who can stop Aeon when he too falls to the will of the protection protocol... is Kai."

"Hey- Why don't we just- y'know," Rika shrugged. "Let some of us adults come in and destroy the time machine? We don't have to have all of this dangerous stuff happen…" Rika put her hands in her pockets. "The kids' lives are at stake here, y'know? It'd take a real villain to let them just go and fight for their lives."

"Rika. We've decided that instead of you coming over to us, you are to go back to the Pokémon League stadium."

"You replying like that makes me think that this isn't a recording-" Rika said.

"Geeta must witness what we are going to show her this on her own…" Sada continued on, talking over Rika. You are no longer needed for the time being, Rika. You must remain on standby. Need I remind you that the laboratory that you are going to isn't our true laboratory? The one we have is in a secret location. One that we are not planning to share with you. This must happen."

Geeta clenched her fists. "I-..." Geeta muttered. "I want to..."

"You want to see the other two videos, right, Geeta?" Sada said. "We know you are curious. You have to come…to find out what atrocities you could have committed, if you had taken the wrong path."

The phone showing Sada's face shut down and slid back into Geeta's pocket. Geeta sighed deeply.

"You aren't actually going to go, are you?" Rika said.

"I have to." Geeta said.

"I could just tell some of the guys back at the school to start looking for their lab-"

"Not right now," Geeta said. "I'll decide what to do after I meet with Professor Sada."

"...All right. Be careful. That Sada lady seems…a little suspicious. She's not telling us everything. Heck, for all we know, minus the whole, other-timeline thing, because that's without a doubt a fact." Rika shook her head. "What if she sprinkled in a few lies and we're falling right into a trap... so that we fall into a worse fate than we can ever imagine? Who knows what she has under her sleeve? Besides... the fact that everything they've sent us is a recording is odd."

"Right.." Geeta said, raising a bent finger over her lower lip. "Because it's a recording, we can't really protest against them. It's like they want us to do the things they say... to the letter. And we don't know if they're trying to lead us into a worse future. However- all we can do now is just...follow their lead. For now. Because... what if what they're saying is true? What if they truly want to do good? I feel there's only one way to find out."

"They said that they manipulated you before," Rika said. "They could do it again."

"That's part of the reason why I'm going along with what they're asking for now, because they explicitly said that they've manipulated me before. It's not a wise move for a trickster to show their hand before actually tricking someone."

"It could just be an elaborate trick. Perhaps they're only showing a bit of their hand...just to lull you into a false sense of security."

"Maybe. You don't have to worry. I won't fall for their tricks. Whatever their intentions... I'll be the judge of if they're good or not. Also, for the time being, we aren't to say a word of what we just witnessed until I say that it is necessary."

"Yeah... All right." Rika said, scratching the back of her head. "Can I say something, though?"

"What is it?"

"I can't stop thinking about it. Other than the fact that Turo has been dead for...years... and the person we've been talking to may have been an AI...I can't stop thinking about what led to this 'bad future'. Wouldn't the cause of everything be...that kid they made- specifically to stop Kai? If they really, really wanted to undo the terrible timeline... why didn't they just decide to never create that boy that they used as emotional leverage against Kai? What was his name? Aeon...?"

Rika's eyes widened in sudden realization.

"Actually..." Rika continued, "Oh boy... imagine being the reason why your friends die, And the only way to save them is to never exist to begin with. That's an awful thought. Maybe there's more to this than I thought... Anyway-... you're the boss, so, it's your call. Do whatever it is you think is right. Try not to go against us, please? We've got too many headaches."

"You have my word," Geeta said, placing her hand over her chest. After sharing a nod and a smile, both women went separate ways.

As Geeta walked on, she lowered her gaze, remembering the words Sada said when referring to the other videos.

'What happened next was too violent for you to see right now,'

Whatever it was she needed to see... it was obvious. She had to watch those two videos. She had to understand what it was that drove her other timeline self to go mad.


Penny's glasses were shining as she stared at her computer monitor in the dark. The schematics she found in the school were beside her keyboard, and she was typing away, trying to use her connections on the web to find someone to help her create this 'Perfect Invoker'.

In the back of her mind, she couldn't help but think about what that female Professor back at the secret lab said to her.

"For the one who watches over and leads the Stars: You are a crucial part of our plan. Find the truth."

Those words were said very purposely. Like they were meant for her… whatever they were- that could wait. What mattered most was making this Invoker.

Suddenly, she got a call. Her eyes shot over to her phone, and she saw the ID: Clive. Penny reached for the phone, and hesitated.

She waited until the phone stopped ringing, and then sighed.

She already worked out how she was going to win in her own mind. She would approach the group, not as Cassiopiea, but as Penny. The girl that the team members had never seen. Even though the team rules dictated that a person outside of the group had to defeat the members for them to step down...they didn't have to know that the challenger was actually the leader.

Wait-... wasn't there a hole in her logi-.

'No. Stop thinking about that. Just focus on your work,' Penny thought to herself.

The only person who was willing to bring down Team Star was her, now. When the time comes for the final showdown with her team, she would be the one to call Clive, not the other way around. All the while, though, while she worked, she felt the tug of the strings of guilt pulling at her heart.

The faces of each founding member, Giacomo, Mela, Atticus, Ortega, Eri…they appeared in her mind one by one, smiling at her. Penny shook her head to snap herself out of it.

Even as she pushed the thoughts that told her that she was making a mistake in the back of her head… and even as she pushed back the thoughts of wanting Team Star to stay forever… She had to destroy the team.

She had to put down the entirety of team star on her own.

It was the right thing to do. Penny cleared her mind and kept typing, saying one sentence to herself like a mantra under her breath.

"If I don't, who will?"


Arven went onto his phone as he kept walking in the middle of a forest. "If I remember correctly, the boys should be riiight… here.." Arven said, walking through a tall patch of grass.

"What the heck is WRONG WITH YOU!?" Arven heard the sound of Kai shouting.

"What's wrong with me?! What's wrong with YOU!?" Aeon shouted.

Arven breathed a sigh as he caught sight of the two boys- but then his eyebrows raised as he spotted a third person: Nemona. What the heck was she doing here?

"How could you make a mistake like that?!" Kai cried. "And don't you dare say, 'I'm only human' cause you're NOT!"

"Wow- why do you have to say it like that? It makes it sound like you have a problem with robots, it's funny, considering you're DATING ONE!"

"Oh- yeah, tell the whole world you're a robot! Make sure Nemona hears you niiice and good so you and her ABANDON me!"

"Oh, I get it, you make a billion mistakes and I forgive you because you're you. I made one mistake and now it's the end of the world!"

"It is not the end of the world-"

"Then why are you making it seem like it is!?"

"That's because-"

"Wow," Nemona said, "You two are arguing like a couple."

"We ARE a couple!" Aeon and Kai roared.

"...Pfft- what the heck did I miss?" Arven walked in. The two boys hadn't taken notice of Arven's presence because they were shouting at one another.

"Oh- hey Arven," Nemona said with a smile and a wave. "Uh… they just started arguing like, five minutes ago, so not much."

"I see… got any popcorn?"

"No."

"Aw."

"I just can't believe you-!" Kai shouted. "Right as we see Nemona, you just show off the fact that you're a robot! Now she's going to be all over you! You two are just gonna have soooo much fun without ME!"

"You think I did that on PURPOSE?"

"Wouldn't someone as smart as you think to yourself that you should have - FLOWN AWAY or something then come back WALKING?"

"That's because I saw you and Nemona hugging and getting a little too close so I just stopped thinking and-"

"You were JEALOUS?"

"YES!"

"Why!? Nemona and I are FRIENDS, you nitwit! Why would you think she and I would be a thing!?"

"That's because-"

"Cause what?!"

"Let me SPEAK- don't just interrupt me!"

Both boys continued to yell and bicker.

"Ohhh… I get it." Arven said. "They both have abandonment issues."

"Wait, really?" Nemona said. "How do you know?"

"Both of their arguments are stemming from the fact that neither of them want to lose each other. Think about it. Aeon implied he got jealous when you and Kai were hugging. Only reason why he'd get jealous is if he felt as though you could steal Kai away somehow and so he'd lose him. Kai's angry because he knows that if you saw Aeon was a robot…you'd go crazy and ask him a billion questions, then he'd lose you, a close friend, and Aeon, his boyfriend."

"¡Ay, Dios Mio!" Nemona cried. "So, what you're saying is that Kai was afraid I would steal Aeon away, and Aeon was afraid I would steal Kai away?" Suddenly, Nemona frowned. "Huh...it's my fault, huh?"

"No. Dummy. It's their fault."

"Right... right..." Nemona sighed deeply to herself as she looked away. She remained silent for a moment, frowning. After a bit, she shook her head lightly, as though to snap herself out of a trance, then turned to Arven again.

"Hey, Arven-" Nemona chimed. "Shouldn't you, y'know, think about stepping in?"

"Eh… I don't think so."

"Why?"

"I mean, I could, but they're probably so angry that they wouldn't listen to anyone else." Arven scratched the back of his head. "It's like they're in their own little world. It's kind of what you sign up for when it comes to becoming a couple. You have fights, then you make up and become even closer. It's normal. I'll step in if they go on for too long, though. Besides, it's kind of funny listening to them bicker."

"I should KICK YOUR BUTT FOR SAYING THAT!" Kai cried.

"What- you want to have our final showdown early!?" Aeon cried. "Me versus you- sure, go ahead! You'd definitely win- for sure!" Aeon roared.

"Oh, so now you're doubting me!?"

"YES! COULD YOU NOT TELL BY MY SARCASM?"

"I KNEW YOU WERE BEING SARCASTIC FROM THE START- WHY ARE YOU MAKING IT SOUND LIKE I DIDN'T?

"I DON'T KNOW- ITS BECAUSE YOUR BRAIN'S THE SIZE OF A WALNUT SOMETIMES! How do I KNOW that you know what the word 'SARCASM' MEANS!?"

"I DON'T WANNA HEAR THAT FROM A BOY WHO GETS ALL UPPIDY WHEN HE SEES HIS BOYFRIEND HUG HIS FRIENDS! What's next- I can't say hi to my friends without you being angry?! Watch this, HIII NEMONA!" Kai started waving frantically at Nemona, who chuckled a bit. "HIII!"

"Are you SERIOUS? What are you- a CHILD?"

"Oh you're getting REAL mad now, aren't you!? HIII NEMONA! I CARE ABOUT YOU AS A FRIEND! Oooh- that must get you RILED up, me having FRIENDS and all!"

"It is NOT LIKE THAT!"

"OH REALLY!?"

Nemona chuckled again. "Yeah. You're right. It is kinda funny."

"Exactly. They'll make up eventually."

"Of course. Although, watching them bicker...It's almost like watching two trainers fight, except with words."

Arven turned to Nemona with a furrowed brow. "Wha.. I-... you..." Arven sighed a breath of defeat and put his hand on his face. "Why are you like this?"

"Like what?"

"... Oh my go-.. You know what? Never mind." Arven said with a sigh.