Pokémon Scarlet and Violet: Infrared

Chapter IX: Territorial Struggles

"So, Arven, what's it like to be human?" Sada put her hands together and walked with him through the Tagtree Thicket. "Please tell me."

Miraidon marched between them, glaring, but there was also a slight look of guilt on his mechanical face. Yet, he refused to let Arven and Sada get close to each other.

"Human?" Arven said, glancing at Sada. "You should know, Mom. You're free, you feel emotions, you have hobbies, and well, you live in a pack."

Sada was so focused on him that she tripped over a tree root in the path, but she caught herself by waving her arms. She remembered something that happened to her in the far past, but she brushed the memory away and told Arven, "I like to dance. Does that mean I'm human?"

"Dance?" Arven said. "I didn't know you danced, Mom. You never did when I was a kid."

"Well, I'm not good at it, but it's a nice distraction after a long research day," Sada elucidated. "Besides, it's pretty quiet here. Not to mention lonely. Ah ha, here we are." She stopped and gestured behind her. "Welcome to my abode, children."

"Aw, that's so cute!" Nemona said. She looked across the wooden bridge before her and her friends to the log cabin at its end. A ring of flowers decorated its door, and the cabin's thatched roof was held in place by large Kudzu vines.

"You like it?" Sada inquired. "I found it when I got here. It was in rough shape, but my Pokémon and I fixed it up. Come, follow me." She, Arven, and Arven's friends passed Miraidon and crossed the bridge without issues, but Koraidon was different.

He saw its small size compared to his and froze in his tracks. Koraidon sniffed the bridge and tapped it a few times. It creaked under his paw. "Gias," he whimpered, sitting back.

On the bridge's other side, Nemona cupped her hands around her mouth. "Come on, Koraidon. You can do it."

Miraidon merely rolled his eyes and switched to his battle form. He floated past Koraidon and snickered at him.

"Aw, come on, man," Sada heard Koraidon complain.

"Dang, what a showoff," Penny said. She glanced at Miraidon, who reached the bridge's other end and returned to his low-power mode.

Sada put her hand on her ear and said to her computer, "It looks like Koraidon and Miraidon are still having territorial struggles."

"Do what?" Penny said, a little confused.

Sada lowered her hand. "Nothing."

Scarlet tapped Arven's shoulder and pointed at his backpack, indicating she had an idea.

"Oh, a sandwich. That's perfect," Arven agreed. He unzipped his pack and pulled out a ham and cheese sandwich. He handed it to Scarlet.

She held the sandwich out to Koraidon and shook it a few times. "Here, boy."

Seeing it, Koraidon licked his lips. He touched the bridge a few more times and scurried across it, light on his feet. The bridge creaked under him, but it didn't break.

Miraidon snarled. Without warning, he rushed to Scarlet and Koraidon and ripped the sandwich out of Scarlet's hand.

"Hey!" she shouted.

Miraidon swallowed the sandwich in one gulp. He chuckled menacingly and pushed Koraidon with his shoulder.

Koraidon head-butted him in return. "Agias!" he barked.

Noticing that Scarlet was about to get caught in a nasty brawl, AI Sada pulled her out of the way and came between Koraidon and Miraidon. She didn't feel angry but said, "Stop, both of you," to the two Pokémon.