o0o
There was so much work ahead of her. She snatched the tardis from her bag. There was more than one way to correct a time shift.
Her company watched in awe as the tardis transformed. It took the form of a coffee vending machine, The Brew Master. The name had a nice ring to it.
Missy glanced at the tardis, while Proton and Archer stammered in confusion. " We're going to leave it behind for this one."
Giovanni was puzzled by her sudden change of strategy. " It's the most valuable resource we have. Why not take it?"
" Because I left my tardis parked for a hundred and fifty years. Tardis has never done well around itself," she lazily started while she punched in the coordinates for the Ecruteak City limits. " Since we're in that time range and region it's best to leave it behind."
" You left it parked for more than a hundred years?" Giovanni asked as he stared at the coffee machine.
" I've left it longer than that," Missy shortly answered, she offered her hand.
Giovanni reluctantly took it. " As a backup?"
" I always park it when I arrive and go on about my day. Caring it around was a very recent upgrade," she explained as ninetails and persian prepared themselves.
With a press of a button, light streamed around them. The rays softened then blended into the twilight. The wind rustled the trees along with the sweet scent of morning dew. She took in the day as they arrived in front of a shrine to Celebi.
Giovanni took in the sight. " So you didn't always take it with you?"
Missy made her way to the door and batted away some trinkets. " Nope, gotta hold of the pokeball schematics, that changed a lot." She unlocked the door and stepped inside. " That doesn't mean I can't use this to our advantage."
She made her way to the computer. The amount of data that needed to be gathered was tremendous. Obtaining the information would be easy, what she really needed was a program to run the conversion. She took what she had learned into consideration as she created it.
She inputted download and data compression formulas. Then used a simple mathematical conversion of time is equal to the systems exchange rate. The equation gave her the latest date to begin the data transfer, October 16th, 2014.
Experience always trumped these basic principles of math, she had no variable to compensate for an interruption of the system. Two weeks would be ideal, how many hours are in two weeks?
An uneasy feeling halted her mental math. Giovanni's eyes were glued to her, bothered, she asked, " Fourteen times twenty-four?"
He was awestruck by the question. He reached for his phone, but Missy had the answer, " Three hundred and thirty-six." She showcased the formulated code while she added the number. " I'd say that sums it up."
Giovanni's eyes darted over the numbers, " Are these time and data conversions?"
Missy shrugged while she checked the equation. " It's a data conversion formula. I used it to create a program for your system."
Only you would have done that Mistress, Ninetails quietly said.
Giovanni was clearly at a loss for words. Missy paid him little attention and strolled towards the door. " Simple really."
I don't think you're alright Mistress, Ninetails panted as she caught up.
She carried on with a curt reply, I said we would be.
She and ninetails swiftly stepped outside. Giovanni steadily followed them. He shut the door on his way out. He peered at them he seemed, bothered maybe even concerned. " You're upset about this?"
Missy leered back at him. " You'd be more upset than I am."
Giovanni grunted then replied, " I'm not in the mood for that kind of game."
Missy was taken aback, his reply was defensive, she didn't like it one bit. " Yours involves bringing up things last minute. Why?"
" Timelines," he mused.
Timelines, her timeline wasn't linear that was no secret. Giovanni's was as straight as an arrow. A statement of the obvious didn't answer her question.
" Time can be re-written," she cautiously suggested.
Giovanni let out a sigh as he started to approach her. Her glare was as sharp as a dagger, he stopped at once. " Missy-"
Her interruption was firm, " What did I tell you?"
" That's a tricky question," he calmly answered.
Tricky, those weren't his words, Giovanni was concise before anything else. She considered the answer.
" That's a tricky answer," her rebuttal made him sneer.
He took a breath and calmed himself. " I'm not the one who scripted these events."
His answer quelled her nerves. She thought over the previous events. The team required technical support that brought them to The Lake of Rage.
Once they discovered the issue, he asked if she could upgrade the system, she had agreed. The time shift affected everything, it would be that way until she caught up with herself.
Ninetails brows slanted, bemused she asked, Scripted Mistress?
Missy glanced past the fox as she approached Giovanni. You'll understand soon enough.
" That explains a lot," she muttered. " You could have brought it up sooner."
" That's not what you asked me to do," he replied.
That was a sensible request, it kept their timelines in order. Her face became long, she had misunderstood the chain of events.
Her eyes darted away she buried the emotion and stopped short of admitting she was wrong. "I've gotten too far ahead of myself."
"Self-defense," Giovanni began. " I wouldn't expect anything less from you."
His answer was chilling, the rush of relief that followed liberated her worries. She wasn't going to let him in on that.
Missy chose to reply with grace and simplicity, " I'd expect the same from you."
Confidently she set the vortex manipulator for the week ahead. Ninetails and persian huddled close, they were ready. With the press of a button, time skipped ahead.
The first rays of sunlight had broken the twinkle of the stars. The forest around them teamed with pokemon at the start of their day.
She stopped and looked at the newly placed offerings. There was plenty of flowers, incense, and coins. All of them elegantly arranged and adorned at the entrance. It was almost a pity that they were in her way.
" If they only knew what they were praying to," her ramble stopped there.
She brushed off her feelings along with the items at the entrance. As she opened the door she enthusiastically continued, " Celebi's got nothing on this."
They approached the computer and looked over the download status, it was complete. The fabrication dispenser had produced a small USB hard drive. It was an ideal size for the mission ahead.
Giovanni smirked, he eyed the hard drive. " I don't think any pokemon does."
Missy thought over the information, its contents were still incomplete. " You wouldn't happen to have a copy of that script?"
Giovanni got his phone out. " I saved the footage."
He worked quickly as he retrieved the information from headquarters. With the files transferred, Missy allowed the tardis to download the information. In a short time, the tardis had printed a physical transcript.
She gazed wearily at the printed pages, there were three in all. She glanced at the script, then thought about her attire. Since this was a special occasion, she felt a change of clothes was appropriate.
" I'll be right back," Missy said, then teleported to her wardrobe.
Thankfully she had a fairly good idea for the new look. She snatched a long brown petite coat, white button-down shirt, and purple tie. She took an indigo skirt off the rack along with a pinstriped power vest. A pair of red sneakers and black tights to match.
She twirled around and drew her screwdriver. The look was flashy and brilliant. The Doctor came to her mind's eye once more. She shook her head, trench coats were never her thing, and a pair of 3D- glasses would have been a bit much.
She placed her screwdriver into her jacket. Then moved the rest of her things to a small brown purse. It was light and wouldn't get in the way. With that, she teleported the group to a vacant room.
It was plain and boring, the addition of a couch made it ideal. On the opposite side, a camera and timer had arrived. With the lights dimmed, she was ready to go.
Missy placed her bum in the center and kept the script on her lap. " Let's get this over with."
Ninetails took her side. You look like a detective Mistress.
That's a new one. Scripts, that's how The Doctor sidestepped in time. That's why I chose the look, she replied.
Missy looked over the script before she telepathically began the recording. As the timer continued she kept her responses in line with his.
Giovanni did his best to hide his amusement as he observed. Thankfully, the whole affair was over after a couple of minutes. After some parting words, she abruptly stopped the recording.
She stared at the camera, it had turned off. Playfully she looked over at Giovanni, " That was fun."
" It was better the second time around," Giovanni casually replied.
Inquisitively she gazed at him, then asked, " That wasn't amusing?"
" I had so many questions," Giovanni rebutted.
" You've got your answers," Missy replied as she teleported them to the control room.
" It only took me two years," he muttered.
" Two years is nothing compared to the grand scheme of things," Missy mused while she started a search of their surroundings.
When the scan came back, nobody was out there. She and Giovanni headed for the door, she locked it on their way out. With this little detour out of the way, they returned to base.
They arrived with the same awed looks and amazement as before. Disinterested, she dismissed them as she stepped in the tardis. It didn't take her long to get a complete map of the base.
The base had four basements floors. The first consisted of an armory and a tunnel exit. The second was a communication hub and offices. The third was dedicated to laboratories, research, and pokemon storage. The fourth basement was divided between the barracks and storage.
She took detailed notes of the depth. Getting through the base wouldn't be an issue, but getting to the first floor would be. Security and team members would be an immediate threat.
Missy looked over the layout. " Where am I going?"
" The fourth floor," Giovanni began as he pointed out a small room in the west wing. " The main server is in that room. Its housing is alarmed, you're going to need to be quick after you get inside."
Missy showcased the barracks near the objective. " You make it sound like I'm going to take all night."
Giovanni's eyes locked with hers, his approach was serious, " They will stop at nothing to get inside that room."
Missy turned to face him then placed her hand on the throttle. " Nothing gets past The Brew Master."
Giovanni threw his hands up in disbelief. " You're underestimating them."
His approach was starting to put her on edge, that was something she didn't appreciate. He had his reasons, but with things as they were, she couldn't outright ask. Instead, she did the next best thing and pointed at the map.
" You're overestimating the situation," Missy coolly pointed out. He was taken aback by her approach. "Whatever happens will happen, you can't change that."
Ninetails wearily looked at the floor. He's right Mistress, that could change what happens to you.
Not really, I need the narrative to stay open, Missy replied.
The pause in their conversation brief, soon Giovanni relented, " That's reckless."
Missy huffed, " That comes with experience, a tiny hiccup in our timeline doesn't change anything happening in this present moment."
Giovanni stared at her dully, he clearly didn't understand. She needed to change that. " Our past remains the same, since you were hellbent on capturing me I do not doubt that these moments are permanent. That means no matter what happens we can only go forward from here."
Ninetails eyes widened, the fox desperately tried to hide her fear. That would be a horrible thing to go through Mistress.
I'd burn this base into the ground before they ever got the chance, Missy grimly assured the fox.
Giovanni stared at her, she got the impression that he understood her point. From what she could tell he was at a loss for words, she was proud of herself.
He let out a sigh. " You're a stubborn girl."
Missy playfully leered at him. " I'm a clever woman."
Giovanni nodded in agreement. " You are, but you're going to need more than that." He crossed his arms and scoffed. " I suppose I could stick around and prepare my own systems, while you're off causing trouble."
Missy's brows raised with her smirk. " Oi! Now that's a team effort."
Giovanni was enthralled, to spite his attempt to play it off. " I'm ready to go all in."
Missy agreed, with the tricky details out of the way she asked one more question, " How long do you need to prepare the system?"
" Five minutes," he answered.
Missy thought over the timing. " Probably take me that long to get to the server."
" That's perfect," Giovanni praised.
" That's how it always is until it isn't," Missy sardonically declared. "Let's get this party started."
Giovanni nodded in agreement, with that she teleported him to his office on board. She set the computer to allow him access to the internet and the external systems as she paraded out.
Archer and Proton gawked with their bewilderment as they watched at her. She scoffed at the pair before she scolded them, " It's rude to stare at a lady."
Proton sarcastically let out a laugh. " I think you're more of an embodiment of chaos."
Missy's brows twisted at the thought. " Flattery won't get you anywhere boys."
She placed her hand on the tardis and transformed it into a pokeball. Elegantly she put it in her jacket, then set the vortex manipulator. Her eyes rolled at the pair, just before she departed she said, " So long."
With the press of a button, her surroundings blended into the night. Her breath froze then lingered in the frigid air.
She arrived a few minutes after midnight, on October 1st, 2014. The moon loomed over the western horizon, half full, its luminescence dully reflected the frosted earth. She took note of her position, she wasn't too far away from the factory.
How are we going to get in there Mistress? Ninetails asked.
Missy stepped forward, the grass crunched under her feet. Were going to wait for our favorite masked specter.
That unfortunate individual. Do you think he'll try to run away Mistress? Ninetails inquired.
Missy nearly laughed, but caught herself and stopped.
She retrieved her screwdriver and held it ahead. Its tip lit up as she methodically started to scan the area. Her discoveries were few, the most surprising was a helicopter hanger nearby. The action looked important, so she carried on. In order for this to work surveillance needed to spot her.
Missy shrugged, it was the perfect ruse. I think I'm going to look ridiculous when I get inside.
Her gaze fell on the fox. With a single look, Ninetails curiosity withered and her face grew long. Knowing her companion's dislike of being inside her pokeball caused her to relent. I'll send you back to the tardis.
Ninetails calmed with the news. Thank you Mistress.
With a dismissive thought, her infamous companion vanished. With the fox gone, she had the element of surprise.
She was alone, it was a familiar feeling, an old and unchanging one. Different, but the same, it mattered little the pokemon was coming with her.
When she approached the perimeter, Missy took everything into account. She stopped and gazed at the talismans, parked on a tree, and observed the old factory, but it wasn't until she stopped at the shrine that things picked up.
There was a rustle in the grass as footsteps trudged through the icy thicket. She looked over and witnessed a dark figure duck for cover. A twirl of her screwdriver disconnected the nearest cameras.
Missy leered at the figure, then hastened her step in pursuit. His attire did him no favors, if anything it hindered his line of sight.
The young man panicked when he realized he was being chased. He attempted to run off but slipped and fell before he could get far. The grunt swore loudly as he fumbled with his costumes robes.
Startled he abandoned his attempt to flee as she drew near. " You better back off-"
She wasn't having it and shot him in the back before he could say another word. She looked over his attire, a long hooded cape and the garish red mask of a magikarp.
She looked over the grunt, he'd be incapacitated for a while. At least he still had his uniform on, that was a saving grace for both of them.
Without a word, she placed the costume on. Elegantly, she strolled over to the warehouse and stepped inside.
It was dark and eerie inside. It was perfect, the ideal way to execute a mission. As she stepped past the lobby her attire melded into the shadows ahead.
The hallway had its own ambient darkness, the night was never void of light, she used that to her advantage. As she proceeded her eyes scoured the ceiling in search of surveillance cameras.
The effort had paid off, she had found one, there were probably more. She wondered if security kept a close eye on the building. If she disabled the system she would give herself away.
Missy stopped and stared at the poster. She wasn't going to let a little key card action get in her way. She kept her screwdriver under the cloak and let herself in. Carefully she placed it back into her jacket as the elevator revealed itself.
She stepped aboard and selected basement four. The doors rolled shut then the elevator jarred in descent. It was a moderate trip to the bottom, when the doors opened, she held her breath.
Quitely she stepped off, from what she could tell the hallway was empty. Before she could walk off a firm hand gripped her shoulder. She turned and peered at a slouched fellow dressed in a Team Rocket uniform. Petrels pasty face and mellow purple eyes hadn't the slightest hint of emotion.
He let go of her immediately and grunted. " Quick job, huh?"
Answering him would give her away so she nodded instead. He grunted in turn then looked at the lift. " Dalton, how many times is Proton going send me to save your ass? You like the costume, I get it, but you need to put it back."
She bit her lip, took a gander, and pressed the button to go up. The doors opened once more, it was an inconvenience that Petrel decided to board with her.
" I'm heading that way too," he grunted as he selected floor three.
Her rouse wouldn't last much longer. She wondered if Petrel would follow her. She had already been spotted by surveillance. Rather than try her luck, she decided on something more drastic. She placed her foot out and stopped the door.
Petrel's eyes were riddled with confusion. " Huh?"
Before he could get another word in, she disrobed and threw the cloak and mask at him. She turned a sharp left. She hadn't gotten very far when he started his pursuit.
Missy slid in her sneakers then she faced him. While he reached for a pokeball, she snatched her screwdriver and shot him in the shoulder.
He hit the floor like a sack of bricks. With him out of the way, her real troubles started. The howl of an alarm sounded through the base. As it shrieked doorways on the far side of the floor began to open.
She took that as her cue to get out of there. Her hastened stride became a run, and she bolted down the corridor.
Team Rocket was better trained than she had anticipated. It wasn't long before a wheezing and zubat had caught up to her. Their trainers weren't too far behind.
" Acid spray," a grunt ordered.
Missy wasn't having it, she reached into her bag and threw emolga's pokeball. " Electro ball."
The flying squirrel chirped then unleashed a sphere of lightning. The attack disintegrated the ball of acid before it smashed into the wheezing.
Unwilling to give them more time she took aim and shot the zubat. The pokemon's trainer stammered when she shot his partner. A quick shot at the hip sent the other to the floor.
She returned emolga and darted off. The computer storage room was close by. With a wave of her screwdriver, she unlocked the door.
Scrambled footsteps and rushed conversations amplified in the hallway. Team Rocket was close, nowhere near close enough to stop her. She hurried into the server room then locked to door.
There wasn't a moment to rest, the team was on the other side. The door jarred as they tried to get in. She pushed back while she placed the tardis on the floor. The Brew Master was slightly bigger than the door's frame. No one was getting past that.
She got to work, when she removed the server cover another alarm sounded. It was getting on her nerves, with a wave of her screwdriver she canceled both of them.
She took her black remote from her bag and discovered a text message from Giovanni, all systems go. She got to work, the installation of the hard drive was simple.
After some tinkering the computer synchronized with her program. She encoded the video and named it For Your Boss's Eyes Only.
then uploaded the message first. Once that was out of the way she got to work programming the system to configure the data with appropriate speed.
Everything was going as she planned, no, better than she planned. She had even taken the extra step of incorporating the hard drive into the main unit.
All that did was ensure they couldn't remove it without discovering her data. She knew they wouldn't destroy such a valuable asset.
It was a quick job, she shrugged as she listened as the grunts continued to pound on the door. She supposed all of their planning had helped make the mission an easy one.
She transformed the tardis back into a pokeball and put it in her bag. It was rowdy outside, she decided their next destination would be somewhere quiet.
Stopping to think had its benefits, but not at that particular moment. When Proton launched at her from the ceiling, he had actually caught her off guard.
He was covered in dust, the look in his eyes was dire, wild. His fist lived up to her expectation when he landed a knock-out punch.
Blood rushed to her head, her temple throbbed. Being awake had its advantages, she hadn't moved or given any indication that she had regained consciousness.
Missy remained limp and quickly deduced she was handcuffed to a chair. Telepathically, she searched the area, the tardis was close by.
She listened, footsteps approached, a pair from what she could tell. The way their steps smacked the floor let her know that they both wore boots.
She exhaled and allowed herself to relax. The steps stopped, a door opened close to her. They had stopped to check up on her, how thoughtful.
Archer hummed, then fell silent. He was observing her, so she remained stationary.
He let out a sigh, then said, " I think you hit her harder than you realized."
Proton sarcastically laughed when confronted. " I dropped out of the vent. She was getting ready to go, I couldn't let her leave without saying goodbye."
Archer sighed. " I'm sure the boss will be more than happy to just say hello."
" Shame he wants the first crack at her," Proton added.
A pair of steps stumbled near them. There was a moment of tension in the group before Petrel spoke up, "You already got the first shot."
" What was I-"
" We're not to harm her. Boss's orders," Archer swiftly interjected.
Petrel grunted before he added, " For now."
" I don't see that changing," Archer firmly added.
Petrel growled when he heard the news. " That's a shame, I've got unfinished business with her."
" Right," Proton said. " So what do you think?"
The room got quiet. They were smart, the group was already on to her rouse. If the situation hadn't been detrimental she might have got a bigger thrill from it. Still, she kept the act together, the last thing she wanted was a sudden interrogation.
The moment was short-lived, Archer broke the silence, " Let's wait for the boss."
" I second that," Proton agreed.
With those words, the group left. Their departure was marked by a slammed door and the click of a lock. They hadn't the slightest clue what they were up against. It was almost cute in a sadistic way.
She sat idle for a moment and listened, there was no indication that anyone was close by. When she was certain they had gone, she got ready. The window of opportunity was wide open. She used it to her full advantage when she teleported into the tardis.
She promptly sent the chair and handcuffs to storage before she arrived in Giovanni's office. He coldly leered at her.
Missy shrugged as she ordered the tardis to prepare her a cup of black tea and an instant cure for a headache.
Her companion was quiet so she broke the silence, " They're quite good."
Giovanni put his hand to his forehead. " That's one way to put it."
Her tea and medication arrived on his desk. They were just the things she needed, her ailments vanished almost instantly.
She looked at the image ahead. She peered through the observation window of the room she just escaped. The bare room contained a table and chair that faced her previous position.
According to the map, they were on the third floor at the center of the east wing. She had the tardis perform a scan of her bag, most of her belongings were still inside. The vortex manipulator was gone, they had taken her screwdriver as well. She couldn't leave without those.
Giovanni leaned back into his chair. " You've got about forty minutes until I arrive."
" We've got all the time in the world," Missy informed him. She took another sip of tea. " If it gets that bad we can hide out here."
Giovanni shook his head no. " Surveillance has a recording of your escape. I altered the time stamp of the footage, but it's a temporary fix at best."
That explained why they had such a unique container to hold her tardis when she was captured. Her realization was short-lived, her attention was drawn back to the television.
" That put's us in a pinch," Missy recanted. " This is going to get tricky."
" Don't underestimate them," Giovanni dryly warned her.
She had her own opinions about that, but it would have to wait. Proton briskly walked past the room, he must have noticed her absence when he halted. He gaze at the window, then took a double-take.
Then he slammed the door open. " How the hell did she pull that off?!"
The commotion brought Archer to his aid. Proton pointed at the vacant spot. " She took the freaking chair!"
Archer's jaw dropped as he took in the sight. He recouped his bearing and hastened his step. He picked up a nearby phone. " We have a code red."
When he hung up the phone another alarm howled through the base. Missy muted the television, the alarm was the least of her problems.
" What's a code red?" Missy asked.
Giovanni plainly looked back at her. "An intruder alert, the base is on lockdown."
Missy shook her head as she observed countless members of the team rush past. " I'm getting into all sorts of trouble tonight."
" That's putting it lightly," Giovanni deadpanned.
Their point of view jolted as someone picked up her purse. She switched the camera angle and discovered Petrel had done the deed. He looked inside, then threw it over his shoulder.
His hand fumbled with a radio. " She left her stuff behind, I think she's close. I'm gonna check the lab."
" Copy," Archer radioed back.
Petrel's idea of a quick speed could have been compared to a tortoise. Missy shook her head in disbelief, at the rate he was going he'd be there in forty minutes.
" Oh my gosh," she nearly shouted out of frustration.
Giovanni calmly countered, " He's thorough."
I'm sure we'll have plenty of time to get away Mistress, Ninetails gently said.
The pokemon's attempt at reassurance did nothing to quell her troubles. She took another sip of tea and did the only thing she could watch.
" He's going to be in for one hell of a surprise," Missy pouted.
The group watched as Petrel inspected a room on the way. He left no corner or cabinet unchecked. For someone who seemed quite laid back, his orders to those below him were firm.
Thankfully his pace hadn't lived up to her exaggeration. He arrived at the door of a laboratory nine minutes after he set out. He braced as he turned on the lights.
Missy spotted her screwdriver on a nearby counter. Her hearts skipped a beat when she noticed the vortex manipulator, it had been partially dismantled, a camera and some tools were next to it.
The faceplate had been removed along with a button. The workstation had been left in a hurry. That alarm may have been a saving grace.
Her lip quivered, the damage was minimal, it was the system she was worried about. Unfortunately, the device was programmed to automatically reset when tampered with.
" That's going to be a timely fix," Missy uttered in disdain.
Petrel stared at the equipment, then muttered, " I can work with this."
He didn't bother to check the room any further. He merely flicked off the lights. When he set off Missy teleported her things inside.
Petrel called out to a pair of nearby grunts, then gestured at the door. " The girl's stuff's in there, you two are going to hide and hold this position. If she gets here before the rest of the team, do whatever it takes to stop her."
The duo saluted before they hid behind a nearby desk. Petrel stepped back inside the laboratory. Concealed by the darkroom, he waited.
Missy snatched her screwdriver. It hummed as it assessed the damage. " Who in their right mind would attempt such a thing?"
Giovanni spied the device. " Professor Sebastion might have asked Proton to do it."
Dumbfounded she stopped and looked up at him. " He couldn't come around and do it himself."
Giovanni's eyes narrowed as he watched the screen. " He was in Hoenn."
" Curiosity killed the cat," Missy muttered. She sneered, the damage was easily fixed. " What's your time?"
"Twenty-nine minutes," Giovanni answered.
" Great," Missy satirically mused. " The vortex manipulator has to completely reset takes about fourteen minutes. The tardis should be able to repair it in less than ten."
She sent it to maintenance. This was one hell of a spot to be in. With no time frame regarding her escape footage being watched, things got riskier.
If Team Rocket figured out how she managed to escape tonight, they'd be in a world of trouble. Her purse was the only other outside variable. They might not have understood how it worked, they didn't need to understand, they just needed to isolate her bag.
The map Mistress, Ninetails suggested.
" It's too risky for us to remain idle," Missy said as she put the maps for the third, second, and first floor on screen.
" I'm glad we're on the same page," Giovanni said in turn.
He highlighted a nearby room. " That's a fire escape, it leads to a tunnel that ends near the hanger."
Their conversation was cut short when Petrel un-clipped his radio. " Archer, do you copy?"
" Go for Archer."
" I'm camped out in Lab room three. I've got her things, but there's no sign of the girl," Petrel explained.
Proton radioed back, " That's not going to last."
" Copy," Petrel replied.
The radio chatter ceased, they were setting up a trap. If she was going to get out of there, it needed to happen now.
" Nice try boys," Missy mused while she swapped her pokemon team.
On her person, she had, Ninetails, Rapidash, Vivolian, Butterfree, Vespiqueen, and Emolga. Telepathically she engaged the transduct system to teleport any feinted pokemon to the tardis and included herself. As a backup, she set it to send her a new pokemon after every transport.
The tardis sent her umbrella with a request. While petrel smugly waited, she teleported into the hallway.
To spite her random appearance, the hallway was fairly calm. They must not have noticed her. The alarm echoed through the hallway, she was sick of it.
There was no fun in it. A quick connection to the stereo system paired with her media player would get this party started.
Missy wanted a smash hit, a single song. She settled on the universally translated phenomenon, The Party Rock All Worlds Anthem.
When the base slowly became more upbeat tension rose. A murmur came from under the desk, they hadn't noticed her. When the vibrant and upbeat song started, that all changed.
The door ahead opened, Petrel fiercely glared ahead. " Seriously?"
Missy threw her arm out with the first lyric, playfully she raised her voice and asked, " Does this sound serious to you?"
Her screwdriver screeched when he reached for the radio. Sparks erupted from the speaker, he withdrew a pokeball.
His teammates took his side, the look in his eyes was sinister. " I've been waiting all night for this."
He was arrogant, hadn't noticed her screwdriver, or he no longer cared. The group called out their pokemon. Petrel's raticate, along with a zubat, and a koffing, prepared to fight. This would be an easy battle, things were looking up for her. She countered with emolga, ninetails, and butterfree.
The battle started with zubat and the colorful attack confuse ray. She had emolga dodge immediately with agility. The squirrel soared over them.
Petrel pointed at ninetails. " Hyper fang!"
" Flamethrower," Missy countered.
Ninetails yelped before she unleashed a plume of flames. The oversized rat fearless charged through the fire. The pokemon growled as teeth dug into the fox. Ninetails winced, then rolled as she forced the rat off her.
Koffing happily obeyed its trainer as it flew in pursuit of emolga. This battle needed to end, her screwdriver hummed as she caught the squirrel's attention.
With her pokemon gleeful and ready, Missy made a move, " Thunder!"
The bolt of lightning crackled through the air. Her screwdriver buzzed as the attack surged through her opponents. Their pokemon fell to the floor along with both grunts. Petrel had managed to dodge her attack, he raced her way.
She took a shot at him, the beam ripped through his image. Stunned, she realized her mistake but was too slow.
Missy turned to block and was kicked onto the floor. She fired another shot, he avoided it. Petrel threw a punch, emolga charged at his fist and landed on his forearm.
Missy took advantage of the opportunity, " Thunder wave."
Emolga chirped, streams of electricity surged from its body and into his. Petrel stammered as he fell to the floor. He was paralyzed, it was temporary, but that was ideal. She huffed as she took her bag from his hand.
Emolga released him the pokemon squeaked in mockery. This was no time to doddle, the elevator door had rolled open. Archer and Proton a group of their minions had gotten off.
Proton pointed at her and shouted, " There she is!"
That was her cue to run. Missy bolted in the opposite direction, as Archer ordered the team to go after her. Butterfree and ninetails got ahead of her, while emolga landed onto her shoulder and watched the rear.
When they turned the corner, the group encountered another small party. They had just exited the stairs. They immediately prepared to fight when they sighted her.
Missy didn't let them get that far, and ordered them to attack, " Psybeam, flamethrower!"
The corridor filled with fire, hidden in the flames was a colorful psychic attack. The combination struck most of them to the floor, the two that remained ran off.
There would be more where that came from. She looked at butterfree and got an idea. Missy tossed her bag to the pokemon. The butterfly cheerfully swooped down and caught it.
" Nice catch," Missy praised. " They came from the stairs. I need you to fly up and get onto the first floor. Don't let anything stop you. Do you understand?"
The pokemon's red eyes narrowed before it gleefully buzzed in reply. Missy admired the pokemon's sentiment. Reassured, she teleported emolga, ninetails, and herself back to the office.
Butterfree's really excited, he's been training for a battle Mistress, Ninetails explained.
Missy proudly watched her pokemon. He has other hobbies, I'm happy for him. There's nothing wrong with a bit of enthusiasm.
Missy took note of Giovanni, he was consumed by the moment. The group remained still, while butterfree's psybeam destroyed the entrance.
A different group had just come up the stairs. They ducked and barely managed to dodge the debris.
They were quick on their feet, but not quick enough. Butterfree screeched and buzzed as it flew higher. Streams of yellow dust trailed down the pokemon's wings.
Defiantly the pokemon squawked, its wings battered the air and caused a whirlwind of dust. The butterfly ignored their stammered threats as it gracefully flew up the stairwell.
Missy glanced over at Giovanni. His eye's followed the action tentatively. A single question interrupted his trance, " You got any cameras in here?"
" There are," he shortly replied.
" Great," she muttered. " Any idea how many team members are up there?"
" No," he cautiously replied. His eyes trailed, lost in thought he asked, " My memories are conflicted, why?"
She looked back, with tremendous confidence she replied, " That's just the time working around these events. You're a time-traveler, that's the only reason you remember both happenings."
Giovanni threw a hand up, he had so many questions. There was so much to it, a full explanation would take hours. This must-have happened to The Doctor's bunch, he would lie, no, he would have a preposterous answer.
" Wibbly wobbly timey wimy, that raises as many questions as it answers. Time corrects itself, things get a little weird, and in the end, it all works out," Missy explained, it simplest answer she could give.
Giovanni took a breath and held back his opinions. " And so it is," he dismissed the topic while he looked at the screen. " This is far more important."
Butterfree gracefully glided around the corner of the stairwell. They reached the second floor when they encountered four more grunts. The pokemon cried out in excitement before knocking them out of the way with psybeam.
One of them had managed to get a magnemite out of the ball. The steel orb resembled a charged particle with magnets for arms. Its cry jarred like machinery, streams of electricity followed. Butterfree winced when struck, diligently, the pokemon clutched her bag.
Emolga chirped out of concern, the squirrel had a determined look in its eyes. She needn't hear more, emolga growled as it joined the battle.
Magnemite had no time to counter, with a clank and defeated whine the pokemon crashed into the wall. The butterfly's eyes softened with reprieve as it merrily thanked the squirrel.
Perplexed, Missy tilted her head. I'm surprised they're so close.
They train together Mistress. Emolga's a bit hasty, but he knows we're in trouble and wants to help out, Ninetails explained.
Neither of her pokemon wasted a moment, they raced up the stairs. Strategically they flanked each other as they approached the entrance to the first floor.
In a burst of sudden speed, emolga flew ahead. The pokemon sped like a bullet, then he used elctro ball. It stuck the door off its hinges, both pokemon reveled with excitement.
The celebration was short-lived, when they flew out of the door both pokemon were attacked. A thunderbolt cracked, sharpened leaves of a razor leaf gleamed in the flash of lightning. They both grimaced when forced back.
Missy and ninetails arrived outside of the tardis. Butterfree tossed back her purse. Both of them were ready to strike back.
The glare in her eyes subsided. The oversized flower-like pokemon vileplume glared at emolga.
The pokemon that stood next to it had the head of a zapdos, the wings of a chicken, and the legs and tail of a raptor. Dracozolt was a pokemon created from arrogance, ignorance, and most importantly archeology.
A burly redhead stood behind the vileplume. Her narrowed red eyes and pale complexion did her no favors. With a white uniform and split skirt to match, she resembled a ghost.
The scientist next to her resembled a hiker, he was a big guy his attire a red flannel and blue jeans. He wore a lab coat with a patch for the Cinnabar Island Laboratory.
Missy shook her head in distaste. "Now that's all sorts of wrong, stun spore!"
Butterfree cackled as if fluttered into battle. while pokemon flew up the scientist countered, " Wild charge!"
Dracozolt's body surged, electricity shrouded the pokemon. It hissed and stomped in a rampage before it crashed into butterfree. The butterfly shrieked as it fell to the ground. Missy sent it back to the ball, the tardis exchanged it for absol.
The female Executive officer skeptically peered at her. "You must be Missy, I'm Ariana and I'd like to put a stop to all of this."
Ninetails stepped out ready to defend her. Cheap trickery Mistress.
Missy nodded, then said, " And so would I," she paused, distant murmurs and shouts were faint but growing louder, Team Rocket had regrouped. " But this isn't a good stopping point," she continued, with a flick of her screwdriver the floor went dark.
She hadn't a moment to spare. The screwdriver lit up as she blindly shot them. Vileplume and dracozolt snarled and growled in confusion. Missy paid them no attention, she ran off, her screwdriver illuminated the way.
They weren't far from the tunnel entrance when the lights were restored. As she approached she noted the double doors needed a key card. An attempt to unlock the door failed, the lockdown must have barred all from the entrance or exit.
Unwilling to be cornered, she summoned rapidash. " Flame charge."
The pokemon lowered its head, its horn glowed with power while it gained speed.
Rapidash rammed into the door with such tremendous force it splintered. She ordered the pokemon to attack again, the second impact forced the doors open.
Shouts and hurried footsteps amplified in the hall. Team Rocket was getting closer, she needed to move now. She recalled ninetails and emolga in her sprint. She used the pace of her step to hop onto the horse's back.
" Onward," Missy demanded.
Rapidash obliged with a trot that became a gallop. The echo of the pokemon's hoves thundered in the tunnel as he picked up speed.
The horse's flames erupted with another burst of speed. She held the pokemon steady and kept her cool. It was the pokemon's trust and confidence in her that prevented a nasty burn.
The ride through the tunnel was a short one. At the sight of the exit, she ordered another attack.
Missy lowered her head, then braced for impact. She hoped it could be done with a single move. The wind got more intense with another burst of speed. The door cracked like a sheet of ice when rapidash charged into it.
Missy forced her eyes closed as splinters scattered about. She brushed off the debris and spotted the hanger. It was a stone's throw away. Rapidash huffed, the pokemon had slowed to a gallop.
"Once we get over there I'm calling it a night for you," Missy reassured the horse.
Pleased to hear the news, rapidash neighed. She was ahead of them, for her to get out of this she needed to maintain the lead. She checked the time, almost eleven minutes had elapsed since the start of her escape.
As she arrived at the darkened hangar, rapidash's flames illuminated the building. If anyone was out there they certainly knew her position.
The pokemon was tired, with that, she dismounted and returned the horse to its ball. The tardis exchanged rapidash for charizard.
The screwdriver hummed as she disabled the lights. With the cover of darkness on her side once more, she preceded to break inside.
A flick of her wrist disconnected any motion sensors or cameras. When she stepped inside, moon-lit windows outlined a pair of jet-black helicopters. A white pickup truck had been parked between them.
The hanger was devoid of people, she took advantage of the opportunity and snatched her remote to check maintenance. The tardis had just finished repairs, the reboot would begin shortly.
Fifteen minutes on the clock and it was halftime. She had five minutes at best before they caught up with her. The hanger would be one of the first places they'd search, which gave her four minutes to stay ahead.
Missy put the time to good use. She integrated both helicopters flight controls and weapon systems to her remote.
The lack of a good single was an ongoing problem. So she improvised a solution, she linked communications to create an antenna.
Three and a half minutes had passed. Distorted sounds of footsteps and pokemon were distant. They were coming for her, they were persistent and insistent.
She eyed the pickup, toy cars weren't her thing, but driving them back would give her time to get the helicopters off the ground. She found a good hiding place at the edge of the hangar door, then readied the truck.
The screwdriver hummed, the massive hanger door jarred, the frame rattled as it opened.
They noticed, Archer and Proton pointed at the hanger and shouted orders. There were two squads, sixty people, at their command. She had expected more, there had been, they were down nearly twenty people.
With the press of a button, the engine revved. The high beams cut through the night. The tires scratched the pavement and smoked as the truck sped onto the landing pad.
As it picked up speed Team Rocket sent dozens of pokemon after it. A horde of zubat and murkrow screeched and growled at one another in pursuit.
Their trainers followed, they had stun guns at the ready. The rest of the team prepared, some held tranquilizer guns, others had smoke bombs, some carried batons, and a few had backpacks.
They were ready for a fight. So she upped the ante and rolled onto the grass. The tail lights swayed with the loss of traction caused by speed and ice. She let off the gas and regained control, but the moment was short-lived.
A scyther burst out of its pokeball and smashed into the side. She turned out of the slide and kept going. While a group of grunts charged at the pickup Missy stepped onto the landing pad.
Team Rocket was distracted, the helicopters were easily positioned. Their engines were well-tuned, quiet, she kept their lights off as she worked.
While the truck was smashed and attacked, her flawless take-off went unnoticed. That wouldn't last for long. It was all she needed, they were at the tree line. With the press of a button, she placed them in a time stop.
The truck spun one hundred and eighty degrees. The engine struggled as she attempted to shift to reverse. She failed to move it, a machoke punched through the hood.
The engine churned, then stalled when pokemon grabbed the door. It ripped off the driver-side door with a single swipe.
A grunt used a flashlight, and the jig was up. If there was any confusion it was short-lived. Orders were given, backpacks were open, and tools were prepared.
A moment hadn't passed before several drones took off. Their beady red lights brightened the moist air. Their take-off was weak, they struggled up as they separated. Each took a divergent direction into the forest.
The roar of an engine approached from the south. The familiar sound of blades cutting through the air, a wyrm of the engine in a shift. A helicopter approached, it was going to land soon.
Missy spied it in the distance, they needed to land elsewhere. She took one of the few routes available and hacked into the flight controls.
An engine failure warning was indicated, the craft tipped when the pilots noticed. They responded as she expected, and landed in the field.
There was no surprise when Giovanni stepped off. The team was tentative to him, as he grasped the situation. To spite their confusion and shock, anger or determination, they followed his orders. The team leader's eyes narrowed as Proton and Archer ran over to him.
Ninetails arrived at her side upon request. The fox grew still at the sight. Mistress is it already time for the main event?
Almost, Missy replied.
She kept her screwdriver at her and amplified the conversation. The pause in their conversation subsided.
Giovanni growled while he leered at the executives. " She's gotten past every executive on base, and no one can tell me why she was here or how she escaped."
Archer frowned then nodded. " She did something to the main server, Sir."
Proton swallowed, he held back his amusement when he added, " We're still trying to figure out how she broke out. She took the chair with her Sir. Who does that?"
Giovanni let out a sigh and shook his head in disappointment. There was another pause between them. The rest of the team had broken up and started a ground search of the area.
She checked the time, there were four minutes between them and her getaway. They'd be at the hanger soon, which meant it was showtime.
Missy flicked her screwdriver and connected to the speaker system. She tapped the crystal and listened to the feedback. Undoubtedly, Team Rocket noticed, they stopped in search of the sound. She embraced the moment dramatically, the lights to the hanger clicked and turned on.
" Hello Team Rocket-" her greeting was cut short, someone had fired a rocket at her.
A press of a button and a time stop left the object suspended in front of her. Since she had their attention, she disabled all weapons on the premises.
Missy guided the rocket near her. A wave of her screwdriver broke the case open. A smoke bomb was inside.
She shrugged then carried on, " Always get curious about these you never know what's going to be inside."
The teams around her panicked or backed off in fear. Missy rolled her eyes while she sent the shell to the forest. All eyes were on her, so she took the stage.
" This brings me back to the days when they would say this is magic," Missy began, her grin widened while she feigned confusion. " You people act as if you've never seen a girl break the laws of physics before."
A team member handed Giovanni a speaker connected to the same broadcast. He was ready to go with this reply, " You're quite bold for someone who's outnumbered. How much farther do you think you can get playing these games?"
" Pretty far," Missy confidently replied, the drones had returned they flew around and near her.
" Probably much further without these whizzing about," she continued as she placed them into a time stop.
Giovanni spied her, he concealed any hint of emotion and replied, " I'll admit that's impressive, but it takes more than that to stop us. I think we all see the writing on the wall-" he gestured to the teams around him "- surrender now and you won't be harmed."
Missy eyebrows raised with her amusement. " I've seen the writing on the wall, it changes with the decades narrative. To spite that, these eccentric tales of ninetails and I have remained the same. Bedtime stories or not, a fact is a fact, and the legend is true."
Hushed chatter followed the revelation, Giovanni put a stop to it, " You're a sloppy time traveler."
" A very sloppy time traveler," Missy agreed.
With the press of a button, both helicopters were released from the time stop. When she turned the cab lights on gasps of terror and shouts of fright accompanied their loss of control. Spotlights illuminated the group along with the fear in their eyes.
" I am The Mistress," she announced while she directed everything in Team Rockets' direction. " It's going to take an army bigger than that to stop me."
Giovanni's response was cold but simple, " I want her alive."
Ninetails stepped ahead ready to fight, she dryly remarked, You really know how to pick them Mistress.
Missy's brows raised as she received an alert. No, I just know how to keep them preoccupied.
Team Rocket stirred and ran forward, weapons rendered useless were dropped, the field ahead filled with countless pokemon.
Missy huffed as the vortex manipulator arrived in her hand. Without a second to spare she stepped next to ninetails. In a flash of bright light, they were on their way.
October 1st, 2014
The Lake of Rage
Team Rocket Research and Communication Facility
Giovanni leaned back into his chair before he took a deep breath. The girl had a lot of nerve showing up. His fist tightened, he no longer wanted to go over the facts, he wanted answers.
The reward for her capture was doubled, but going after a time traveler was no simple task. As determined as he was to capture the girl, he wasn't sure if it was possible. They could track her through history, they'd need celebi to get them there.
Iron Mask had been in pursuit of the pokemon. It had been nearly a month since his last report. This sudden absence may have been the pokemon's doing. He figured he'd find out sooner or later, in the meantime he'd assign more agents to the task.
A forceful knock on the door put a stop to his schemes. He was in no mood to be bothered, he told Matori to cancel all meetings. This sudden interruption must have been important.
Giovanni's eyes narrowed at the door, forcefully he said, " Come in."
Archer took one look at him and flinched before he offered a disk. " We recovered this from the server. When we tried to look we found a message, it's for your eyes only, Sir."
Giovanni took the disk. "Dismissed."
He spied this disk, none of it made any sense. This discovery didn't make sense, she had left a message for his eyes only. Was the girl insane? he wondered.
When the disk booted up, his eyes locked on the image. That girl who went by the name Missy and her ninetails sat on a couch. She and the pokemon were a mirror image of himself. If persian hadn't been asleep under his desk.
He pondered over the video for nearly a minute, she twitched, it wasn't a picture, what was this? When he reached for the remote she cleared her throat, he was bestirred, she broke the silence.
" I wouldn't do that if I were you," she said.
Giovanni was at a loss for words. He glanced at the remote then pointed it at the screen.
She rolled her eyes then said, " Oh common, just drop the remote already. We could do this for hours, but there's no fun in that."
Bewildered by this wild assumption of hers, he did so. His eyes narrowed, curiosity was starting to get the better of him. He was kidding himself, she had guessed his choices surely.
" Has anyone ever told you it's rude to stare," Missy began, she held up a few pieces of paper. " Let me guess it's not possible. I've got news for ya because it totally is."
" I'm not in the mood for whatever kind of game this is," Giovanni muttered.
His disbelief subsided, she had said those words with him in perfect time. That couldn't be a coincidence, or could it? There was only one way to find out.
He chose a word on a whim, together they said, " Banana's."
Giovanni found himself fascinated, but she wasn't amused.
Missy threw up a hand with her frustration, then said, " Can we get on with it?"
He steadily agreed, " Alright."
She flashed the papers once more. " I bet you're wondering how this is possible. I've gotta script and a clock, everything's timed with you."
Giovanni pondered over the information before he asked, " How did you get that information?"
" There's lots of ways to get information," she replied.
" I want to know how you got yours?" Giovanni countered.
Her brows raised as she read the question." A time traveler breaks into your base hacks your computer, you want to know the origins of this conversation. I'm not one for spoilers, and I don't delve into the plot of these things."
" Spoilers?" he inquired.
" No one wants to see a movie after they know how it ends," she explained. " I'm roughly two years ahead of you, that's the best answer your gonna get."
Giovanni nodded before he inquired, " Since you brought it up, why did you attack my base?"
Missy looked ahead as she thought of an answer. " The system needed an upgrade, certain programs require certain information to run properly. That forced my hand so I changed it."
" Changed it for what?" he coldly asked.
Missy didn't skip a beat, " I changed it for what it's needed for."
" That doesn't answer my question," he said.
Missy put a hand over her heart and scoffed. " It doesn't have to. This is a tricky affair, loads of complicated questions with even more complicated answers," she replied.
Missy relaxed, she fell onto the couch. " I'm going to keep it simple. When that upgrade is done you'll have more data about pokemon than you or I ever thought possible, two hundred terabits worth."
That kind of a number was absurd, Giovanni was astonished by it, while he was amazed she carried on, " The information is vast and varies. It's going to take two years to upload."
" Two years," Giovanni repeated.
" I'm glad you understand that," Missy said while she spied the script. " That brings us to the final order of business."
Giovanni was taken aback by her sudden decision to switch topics. " We haven't finished with the other."
Missy glanced up at him. " We have, with that aside, I've got some goods news."
Giovanni, miffed by her disregard of business motioned for her to continue. " We'll be meeting again soonish. Timelines are tricky, finicky really, next time we hook up it would be a good idea not to mention this."
His brow raised at the question, " Why shouldn't I?"
" Doing so would destroy our timelines, next time around you'll encounter my past self. She's me but twice as feisty, and hasn't a clue about any of this," Missy explained.
" Why should I trust you?" he asked.
Missy looked him in the eyes. " You don't, that's not a secret. If you tell my past self about any of this before the right time and place, believe me, you'll know when that is, all of these changes could put us in a time loop. Event's repeat themselves infinitely, there's no escape for those trapped inside."
Giovanni grew still when he pondered the notion. Stuck reliving the same events for all eternity, that was the definition of hell. If that was true, it was a horrible fate. He felt forced on the matter, but he kept his feelings to himself.
Missy remained quiet, she was serious. " Now that you get it, I should be off. I've got some trouble to stir up. " She playfully waved then said, " So long."
Those words abruptly ended the video. She was smart, her cunning remarkable, as he re-evaluated these events everything seemed surreal. That combination of fact and fantasy was the stuff of legends.
His wonder turned to envy. Missy had her own agendas with this upgrade, he didn't know what those were. She had evaded him once more, that was something he was eager to change. The next time they encountered the team would be ready for her.
Authors Notes: Chapters seven and eight have been updated for grammar and readability.