Something was wrong.
Very wrong!
They exchanged uneasy looks. Even Arven, Turo's own son, stopped in his tracks and stared.
"Disengaging sleep mode."
Professor Turo's lowered head gave way to a cold voice, and blue light flashed through his eyes.
Then he slowly stood.
Facing their varied expressions, he said warmly, "Hello, children. I'm glad you made it here safely."
No one spoke.
Even the usually outspoken Nemona waited for Baimu to speak first.
Koraidon emerged from a corner with a low growl, fixing a distinctly hostile stare on Miraidon.
"Come back."
Professor Turo calmly took out a Master Ball and recalled Koraidon. To their surprise, it did not resist.
He continued, "This one has a fiercer temperament than Miraidon. Your Miraidon fled Area Zero because it lost a territorial fight."
It was the answer they had expected.
After learning why Miraidon had become so timid, they had already discussed the possibility.
Professor Turo looked at Arven, his expression softening.
"Arven... you've grown so much. I'm glad. I'm sorry I left you alone for so long, Arven..."
Professor Turo seemed about to reach out and stroke his head, but for some reason stopped himself.
Arven had been ready to make a cutting remark, even to berate him. Now he forgot the man's strange behavior and murmured despite himself, "Dad..."
He looked utterly at a loss.
They were like a father and son reunited after years apart, neither knowing how to express all the love and longing in his heart.
But then—
Professor Turo's voice turned deathly flat.
"There's something I must apologize for. I'm not Professor Turo himself. I'm an artificial intelligence—an AI—he created using his own knowledge and memories. The body you see is a robot operated by that AI."
Porygon2 stirred inside Baimu's phone.
It was an AI