oOo
Missy's gaze fixated onto ninetails. The pokemon slowly stepped back. She cowered down as her master eyed her.
" How are you talking to me?"
Mistress, the fox pleaded but it was too late.
Missy drew her screwdriver. The fox yelped as she took aim. The screwdriver hummed when it scanned ninetails. The search was prompt but the results were surprising. Ninetails was indeed a ninetails, the firefox pokemon.
Missy ran another scan this time searching for devices. The scan came back clean. Her pokemon was nothing more than an elegant shiny ninetails.
" Ninetails, you never answered my question."
Ninetails breathing became frantic. Mistress, I don't know.
Missy made direct eye contact with the fox. She hypnotized the fox in a moment. Ninetails laid down submitting to her gaze. The pokemon was anything but calm. Her pupils had dilated her eyes quivered.
Missy walked over and knelt next to the fox. " Ninetails, what happened before you came to me?"
Missy peered into her eyes. A blinding white light came from the pokemon's mind. It took a moment for the image to manifest. As soon as she saw a vague image. She dived into memory.
It was dark as night, figures moved in the shadows. The glimmer of flames rested in the velvety shades of umber. Missy was puzzled by the image, she attempted to pry harder.
Ninetails shrieked, Mistress please stop!
" Then tell me what that was?" Missy focused harder ignoring the foxes pleas.
I don't remember. I wish I remembered Mistress.
Small green and red orbs radiated from the shadows. They swayed back and forth hovering in the darkness. A figure loomed in the corner. Missy attempted to focus in on it. When she tried a blinding white light overtook the image.
She cringed as her psyche came back to reality. Ninetails whimpered as she stared ahead.
" What was that about?"
The fox continued to look on. The pokemon was breathing heavily. Her eyes widened with a fixated gaze.
Please stop, she uttered.
" Ninetails-" Missy stopped herself there.
It had become apparent to her the fox didn't have any answers. Ninetails was just as clueless as she was. She considered discarding the fox.
Ninetails was a useful pokemon to have around. She protected her and had proved to be observant and helpful. Missy had little doubt that her allegiance wasn't genuine. It was the pokemon's other abilities that bothered her.
" You haven't the slightest idea what that was about?"
No Mistress, the fox was still shell-shocked.
Missy growled in frustration as she released the pokemon. She took a deep breath. The pokemon had lived a very long life. That could not explain this memory, what lay hidden in that pokemon's mind was a mystery.
Continuing this onslaught could prove to be fatal. She calmed herself as she caressed the fox. Ninetails remained still and unresponsive. Her breathing was heavy, her gaze was fixated.
Missy let out a sigh. The pokemon had no answers to give, there were more important things she needed to worry about.
She continued to caress the fox. " Ninetails have you ever spoken with anyone else?"
The pokemon slumped into her. She closed her eyes as she fell limp.
No one other than the pokemon, Mistress.
" How about telepathically?"
No one else Mistress.
" Let's keep it that way." She scratched between ninetails ears.
Ninetails ears dropped. Mistress, I think I'll retire for the evening.
Ninetails rolled away from her. The pokemon stammered as she got up. She crept to the hallway slowly leaving the control room. Missy had to admit she hated to see her companion this way. She needed to know the truth, all she had gotten was more questions.
Missy looked at the tarids counsel. " Run along, I've got a lot of research to do."
Missy turned her attention to the screen. She walked over to the council. She let out a deep sigh as she turned her attention to the archive. She teleported a plush recliner behind her and fell into the seat.
Missy leaned back into the recliner. She checked the time it was 5:44 pm. She began to scan the planet for various species of alien life. She discovered vampires lived on the planet. That was old news, nothing else came up. The vampires alone were a serious problem. How did they escape the vortex?
She began to search the archive for information about the pokemon war. According to the tardis. The war lasted nearly fourteen years. It was one of the few wars fought amongst all of the regions in the world.
The first Pokemon War
May, 7th 1000 AD. The conflict began when man trespassed onto sacred lands. The pokemon factions disagreed about man's right to the territory. After a few years of bitter dispute, the first blood was shed.
A human child had wandered into the forest of xerneas. The pokemon ordered the child removed. When the boy's parents came in search for him there was a misunderstanding. The inhabitants of the forest grew angry. They killed the child's parents. The pokemon sent him back with their bodies.
The people of the nearby Village of Camphrier revolted in protest. Humans formed militia's to execute the pokemon responsible for the crime. The pokemon of the forest would not allow humans to murder their own kind. On May 12, 1000, A.D. the first battle of the pokemon war was fought. The humans and pokemon fought for days.
In the end, mankind won the battle. In their wake, they burned the sacred forest. Xerneas fled the chaos. The departure of the legendary pokemon was a departure of peace. When the other legendary pokemon were informed of the news it was taken as an act of war.
Missy read on in the archive. She learned of the various factions of man and pokemon. Some humans chose to work with pokemon and others against them. The war lasted for fourteen years. It was estimated that more than half of the planet's population had lost their lives by the end of the conflict.
She read until the final days. The last battle when the ultimate weapon was fired. The tardis informed her that this was a fixed point in time. That's where she stopped reading. She had learned everything she could know without disrupting the timeline.
Missy slumped as she pondered these events. She wondered if this was why people and pokemon worked together so well. Her pokemon would do anything for her. The wild pokemon weren't un-tameable. Perhaps the effects of this war still loomed long after the conflict.
So many thoughts, so many possibilities. There wasn't any doubt in her mind, this was a very special place. There was so much she didn't know. Missy decided to set these thoughts aside.
She stood up and made her way down the hall to a dusty door. The door creaked as it opened. Missy forced it the rest of the way. She stepped inside and entered a massive storage room. She wandered through the rows of ancient text. She passed an old radio telescope and a case of cigars.
Ahead of her, stuffed in a corner was a telescope case. She smiled as she spied it. She took it from the case and looked over its components. When she was sure it was in working order, she packed it up. Taking it with her as she teleported to the door.
As she exited the tardis she transformed it into a pokeball. She gently placed it into her pocket. She looked around the base as she turned the corner. She couldn't see any cameras, but she was certain there was surveillance. She didn't know to what extent.
Knowing what little she did about Giovanni she imagined his security measures were quite high. Missy chose not to teleport ahead. She approached the elevator and tapped the up button.
After a moments journey, the doors opened to a darkened sky. In the horizon, the fleeting hues of twilight highlighted Viridian forest. A crescent moon was beginning its descent into the mountains. Missy looked up to the vast colors of the galaxy. She gazed at the stars that blanket the sky. She set up her telescope and teleported out a chair.
Missy searched they sky for familiar planets, galaxy's, and constellations. She spied a ruby nebula and a distant comet. She stared with wonder at a nearby galaxy. This sky was unfamiliar to her.
She continued to search for a familiar constellation or star. She found nothing that was of any help. This was very strange. She found herself perplexed by the multitude of foreign stars.
She had never been out this way. She could have sworn living all of her lives she had seen the entirety of the universe.
There had to be something out there that she knew. She shifted the position of her telescope to face the north sky. She focused in on a nearby nebula. The Saphire gasses were vibrant and ablaze. The star was stunning to look at.
The trees rustled as a breeze picked up. The soft sounds of footsteps snuck up on her. Missy spun around and looked into the night. The sounds danced with the shadows that followed. She looked on. A figure was no more than a few feet away from her. Missy drew her screwdriver. It hummed as it illuminated the area.
She huffed at the familiar face. " Sneaking up on me?"
Giovanni looked over the telescope. " I was informed you were stargazing, figured I'd check it out."
Missy peered at him. " Look at the stars much?"
" It was a childhood pass time." He walked next to her. " What do you see?"
She looked up and sighed. " A vast corner of the universe."
" It's just another corner, what's out there?"
Missy peered into the eyepiece. She adjusted the focus to better highlight the nebula.
" Have a look."
He stepped over and took a look. He peered into the eyepiece as he gazed on. Missy watched him for a moment before she broke his focus.
" Well?" He stepped away from the telescope.
" Never seen a nebula like that." He gave a half smile. " That's an incredible telescope."
" It's a very old telescope, the zoom is weak. It can only go a few thousand light years." Giovanni appeared to be amazed and bothered at the same time.
" Only a few thousand." He shook his head. " That's unheard of."
" For this world and time."
" How did you acquire it?"
Missy brought her screwdriver close to the golden shell of the telescope. She showcased the engravings of the stars." An Arbitan named Altos."
" Arbitan?" He looked over the device. " At least you know who you're taking it from."
" Take it, no that's just rude. It was actually a gift." She placed her hand on her hip. " He said I was the most beautiful woman he had ever encountered." Giovanni rolled his eyes at this.
" Figures." His eyes looked over her. " What is an Arbitan?"
" There creative beings, from the planet Marinus." He appeared to be unsatisfied with the answer. " What? Do you want a history lesson?"
Giovanni shook his head. " That's not why I came up here. I've got a team returning in twenty minutes, thought I'd let you know."
" Oh, I guess I should wrap this up."
Missy dismantled the telescope from the mounting. She carefully placed both items back in the case before teleporting them to the tardis. She glanced over, Giovanni was casually waiting by the elevator. As she approached he pressed a button, the doors crept open. The light was dull. She and Giovanni stepped on. As the doors closed the lights slowly brightened.
Giovanni looked over at her. " Did you get more information regarding the war or weapon?"
Missy raised a brow. " What do you think I did before this?"
" I haven't the slightest clue, whatever else it is you do is your business."
" Of course I did some research." Missy crossed her arms. " Tardis archives said the war was a land dispute. After the tenth year of conflict, King AZ started to build the weapon. I figured we would end it there but the weapons creation is a fixed point in time-"
Giovanni interjected, " A fixed point in time?"
Missy sighed in frustration. " Yes, a fixed point in time is a moment in history that can not be changed. Anyway, I looked into it the most I could. That weapon will be fired one way or another."
" Why didn't you look into it more?"
" Time is always in limbo like a river it's always moving. The more you know about a said point in time the more dangerous time travel becomes. Not to mention once you know what your future self-does it becomes an unchangeable action. " The look on his face was profound.
" That's why you didn't read the book. "
That was impressive, he figured all that out with a simple explanation. The elevator hummed as it slowly came to a stop. Missy glanced at the floor number it was B-4.
She diverted her attention back to him. " That's the other reason."
Giovanni's brows raised, he eventually nodded. " See you tomorrow."
He strolled out of the elevator making his way down the hall. He didn't bother to even look back. Missy glanced at the floor. The white carpets and cedar walls reminded her of a mansion. The pictures of various locations added to this. As he turned the corner the doors crept close.
It still wasn't better than her tardis. The elevator lurched as it departed. The trip was quick. The lift abruptly stopped. Missy stepped off to the plain halls of B-5.
As she walked down she made her way to her laboratory. She set the tardis down. It transformed back into a black door. With the turn of a key and a step in the right direction, she walked inside. With a sigh of exhaustion, she retired for the evening.
Missy awoke to the jarring beeps of her alarm. She reached for her screwdriver and blindly shot at the alarm clock. She listened to it crack as she rolled over.
She couldn't recall sleeping this much in years. She found herself doing that more often. It must have been all the strain the vortex manipulator was putting on her. She knew it was hard on the body, this was getting ridiculous.
She had the tardis fix her up a cup of black tea. It promptly teleported it to her hand as walked to her wardrobe. She considered the period as she entered the closet. She spied a black corset with violet trim.
She snatched it, she looked over her skirts. She took a long black skirt from the rack. She looked it over it had a good hem and a lot of leg room. She didn't think it would tear.
After she prepared for the day she put her new outfit on. She decided to keep her boots, they were hardly noticeable. She took a leg holster from her jewelry box and placed it on. She attached her screwdriver to it. She placed her hair into a braid and was ready for war.
She decided to change her pokemon team. She switched pidgeot for butterfree and charizard for absol. Missy's team was now Ninetails, Hydreigon, vespiquen, butterfree, absol, and emolga. She snagged her bag and her umbrella.
Ninetails soft steps came from the hallway. Missy looked over at her. Ninetails was slowly making her way into the control room.
Missy frowned at the pokemon. " Still upset about last night?"
The fox wearily looked up at her as she approached. I can't be angry with you Mistress. The whole thing really does seem suspicious.
She knelt down and embraced the pokemon. " I'll figure you out someday until then let's just put these things aside." She caressed the fox's neck. " After all we have a world to save."
A slight smile crept across ninetails face. The pokemon nuzzled as she embraced her back, pokemon are here help, Mistress.
" You're the best kind of help a girl could have, come along."
They stepped out of the tardis, in no time it was a pokeball. Missy placed it into her pocket before departing the room. Together they paraded out of the laboratory. They kept perfect stride with one another as they approached the elevator. Using the head of her umbrella she pressed the up button. Within a moment they entered the lift. She tapped the button for B-3. With a jolt, they were on their way.
They begin to approach Giovanni's office when a man dressed in grey stepped out. He slammed the door as he left. His blue eyes glared ahead. He sneered at Missy but said nothing. She recognized him from the roof battle. His actions that day lead her to believe this was Peirce.
He diverted his attention ahead as he trudged forward. She rolled her eyes at this as she approached the door.
She knocked gently shortly after came a response. "Come in."
Giovanni's eyes were fixated on his computer screen. He clicked off the web page and reached for a nearby cup of coffee. The smell was rich and aromatic. He peered over and motioned for her to have a seat.
" What was The Pokemon War like when you fought?" Missy smiled as she took the seat in front of her.
" It was an insidious affair. People fighting pokemon, pokemon fighting pokemon. It was very messed up." Giovanni raised a brow but motioned for her to continue. " You're overly concerned, the last time I was there everything ran from me."
" I read about that." He tenderly stroked persian. " I'm not concerned with the battle. Can we put an end to it there?"
" Maybe, it's hard to give an answer to that question when we haven't the slightest clue what he's up to. The pokemon tell us he's after an orb, we arrive only to discover a crown with an orb. You weren't this concerned yesterday, what's really bothering you?"
Giovanni set down his coffee as he looked over to her. Missy leaned back, she had made a good point. He wasn't as concerned yesterday as he was now. Giovanni peered at her for a moment.
" You're getting better." A smile crept across his lips. " The real problem is being out of contact with my base. There was a situation yesterday that needed my attention. The team was able to handle it without me. Next time they might not be ready."
She put her thumb to her chin. Giovanni being in contact would prove useful, his team had the resources to inform them of current events. If Team Flare showed up while they were away could lead to serious complications.
As she pondered these thoughts her mind wondered back to her days at the academy. As she thought of those dusty old halls it hit her, superphone technology. She could easily upgrade his phone with the screwdriver.
" You got your phone on you?"
" Always have it, what's it to you?" Giovanni asked he was unmoved.
" I could upgrade it, superphone technology and you'll never roam again no matter where you are in time or space," Missy grinned as she said the catchphrase.
He let out a laugh. " Are you serious about that?"
Missy rolled her eye's. " I have the knowledge to do so."
He took his phone from his pocket and offered it to her. Missy snatched it and killed the power. She removed the battery printed on the back Lumiose Labs product of Hoenn.
She drew her screwdriver. It buzzed as she began the upgrade. The device buzzed and hummed as she worked. After a moment she was done. She put the phone back together and handed it back to him.
He raised a brow as he turned it on. " Will it holo-cast across time as well?" She watched him tap the screen. " And you put in an app."
Missy raised a brow. " Holo-cast?"
Giovanni stared blankly for a moment. " There's a holographic projector inside to broadcast images."
He diverted his attention to his phone. He was busy typing on it. Missy had to admit this sect of humans had some very crafty technology. She recalled the phones on earth. This technology surpassed theirs. She thought over the dynamics of the superphone.
" I don't see why it wouldn't," she replied.
He set the phone back into his jacket pocket.
Missy crossed her legs. " Does that fix your problem?"
" Yes resolves the issues. I'm ready when you are."
Missy looked over his facade. His boss ensemble had to go.
She shook her head no. " You can't go dressed like that."
She took the tardis from her pocket and mounted it on the desk. She focused in on her wardrobe, with a blink of an eye they were inside, surrounded by dresses, skirts, halter tops, and girly T-shirts. Missy peeked at the mirror ahead, Giovanni seemed to be repulsed.
" Really?" he said as he took another look around.
His reaction was priceless. Missy couldn't help but snicker. She rolled her eyes and gestured for him to follow. As she made her way to her former wardrobe she snagged a wine colored cloak. She felt it completed her outfit. They rounded a corner as they entered her male counterparts collection.
Grey and black suits adorned the walls. There was a rack with a bakers facade next to a butcher's garb. There were many other elaborate disguises. There was a complete suit of armor in a glass case. Next to it was a jet black cowl. Giovanni looked around the wardrobe.
He walked over to the rack filled with disguises. " Someone's lived a colorful life."
Missy gawked at him. " Will you just pick something."
He eyed her Gallifreyan robes. Then diverted his attention to a Renaissance-styled outfit. He peeked around for a bit. Missy reminisced about her former lives. How she chased the Doctor in the streets of Manhattan. She smiled as she recalled Autons and her plans to destroy U.N.I.T. The Doctor always had to show up.
A few hangers shifted taking her back to the present situation. Giovanni had begun to shift around some suits on a rack.
" Having fun?"
He looked over at her and rolled his eyes. He diverted his attention to the costumes. He pulled out a long emerald cloak. He placed it on, it looked good on him.
" Ready?" Missy asked as she punched in the coordinates.
" Yes."
Together they teleported to his office.
Ninetails and persian sat quietly together. The pokemon leered at one another. Both seemed to be annoyed by the other. At the sight of their respective masters, they walked over. The pokemon gently leaned into their legs. They seemed to be aware of what was about to transpire.
" This is gonna be a big jump. I'd close my eyes." Missy readied the vortex manipulator.
They took each other's hand, with the press of a button the device engaged. Time passed them in a chaotic wind. A cold wind rushed by. It was followed by a warm summer's breeze. Then nothing but stillness.
A few kricketune chirped. Missy opened her eyes and took a look around. The red glow of sunset bathed a maple tree forest. The tall grass swayed in the warm autumn breeze. In the distance, the smoke of campfires towered into the sky.
The peace didn't last very long. Four men dressed in brown leather armor charged down the path. Missy drew her screwdriver as ninetails and persian leaped ahead of her. She took aim at the closest soldier.
A bow cracked as it was pulled back. She glanced behind her a man dressed in golden robes stood with a bow. His amber eyes were in line with his arrow. He had taken aim at Giovanni's chest. He glared at the bow but was unmoved.
" We told your people we are not interested in the cause." Missy lowered her screwdriver.
" What cause do you speak of?" She reached out to him.
His gaze widened as he lowered his bow. He gestured at the others to cease. They stopped as their eyes leered at him. Ninetails dashed back over to her side. He looked at Missy and then to ninetails.
" The Mistress, the woman who single-handedly stopped the battle at Vale." He reached out to her. " My deepest apologies, we mistook you for the enemy."
She glowered at him. " A good leader will always recognize their ally, don't let it be after deaths doorstep."
He lowered his head. " I'm sorry Mistress. It's just after the battle you retreated, it's been so long. We hope to end this war. Have you and your companion come to help?"
" We have come to put an end to this forsaken war. When I heard rumors of the king's plans I could no longer remain idle."
" Praise the Gods!" He looked at Giovanni and lowered his head. "My deepest apologies any ally of the Mistress is an ally of mine."
Giovanni glared at him. " Then let us be friends, I am The Warlord of the Rose."
His eyes were sharp as he looked up. " I am Alexander leader of The Knights of the Golden Dawn."
Alexander turned to Missy." Please come with us to camp, the night approaches it is not safe in these woods."
Missy and Giovanni looked at one another in agreement. Together the party made their way to a lively camp. Soldiers gathered around burning campfires. Missy overheard a tale of Arceus and the afterlife that awaited all of those who perished in the battle. The men cheered as the story continued.
Alexander took them to a large tent. They stepped into the radiance and warmth of a fire. He showed them to some mats at the back of the tent. She and Giovanni knelt down on the mat, Alexander joined them. He took the opposing mat. Ninetails took Missy's side persian reluctantly joined Giovanni. He took an arrow from his quiver and began to draw a map in the dirt.
" The battle started four days ago. I was scouting when I noticed an army to the north. I observed them building something." He drew something that resembled a vase. " I watched as that army fought many pokemon to defend it. They retreated shortly after it pulsed. " He cringed. " I watched as it killed everything in its range, " he paused and looked down he bit his lip. He took a deep breath.
" It was a brutal act I could not stand idle, I turned to inform my men. When he came flying on a gyarados. It was like magic he knew who I was. Told me he and his allies were going to end the war. He asked for my assistance. Nothing about it felt right so I told him no. " Alexander looked down to the map. He had drawn a path with a few mountains, a beach, and the ocean. He began to draw a bridge and creek.
" They're positioned two days north of us. His army was massive nearly had a cohort. Much like you, I'd say the number of pokemon they have in their army is close to three hundred." He drew a valley and a nearby forest. He placed an X on the map. " That's where the weapon is, Mistress, Warlord, what do you think of the situation?"
Missy and Giovanni look to each other than to the map. A forest was their current location. Ahead of them was a cave, a mountain pass that leads to the shores of a beach. To the north, there was a field and then the location of the army. Just past the army was the weapons location.
" You're going through the pass?" Giovanni asked as he pointed to it.
" Yes, it's the most direct route."
Giovanni pointed to the north." What's out that way?"
Alex drew more mountains as he added to the map.
" More mountains, at least seven days travel," Alexander said as he finished the drawing.
" What about to the south," Giovanni asked.
He closed his eyes for a moment before he began to draw. His memory of these places was astounding. Missy couldn't help but be impressed. She watched him carefully add more details to the map. This time a few more mountains and path. It was very far to the south.
" Why not go that way? You're sending your soldiers to their death by going the first route," Giovanni explained as he looked up to Alexander.
The look in his eyes was grave. " I'm aware there will be a loss of life. I fear they will fire that weapon soon. The King has his heart set on ending this war in a massacre."
" How do you see things Mistress?"
Missy looked over the map. She wondered if she could use the native pokemon to her advantage. She was unsure what was native during this time period. She wanted to smack herself for not checking. Alexander knew the area well.
Missy peered at him. " What lives in the caves?"
Alexander put his thumb to his chin. " Many zubat, I spotted an axew once." His gaze was soft. " Why is that important Mistress?"
" I thought I might be able to ask the pokemon for assistance." She looked over to the prairie. " Zubat are of no use for this battle. What about the prairie?"
" Eevee, hawlucha, and geodude are the common ones."
" That won't be of much use to me."
Missy pondered over the dynamics of the map. She recalled reading about the battle of Thermopylae. She recalled reading the story of King Leonidas lead a group of three hundred men into battle at the pass. They fought for three days before being defeated. The number of Persians they had defeated was a tremendous loss for the empire. She doubted Lysandre or King AZ had that kind of cunning or resources.
" You both think theirs going to be a battle at the pass. I don't agree with either of you. The army is positioned to defend the weapon. I don't think they will be moving anytime soon. If there was an ambush at the pass it would be a skirmish at best."
Giovanni and Alexandre both had the same bewildered look.
Missy huffed at them both. " Will you two just think about it, you're both so worried the dynamics of the battle that you don't see things for what they are. Putting an army there would be stupid. They would be placing their resources into an unwinnable battle at the pass."
Alexander looked at the map and then to her. " How would we win that battle Mistress?"
She pointed to the opening. " With the right formations, you could fight for a very long time. If it comes to that I guarantee a victory."
Alexander nodded. " What do you think Warlord?"
" If the Mistress thinks it's possible then it is." Giovanni eyed Missy as he said this.
Alexander appeared to be overjoyed by the news. " Praise Arceus for sending you to us."
Giovanni glared at Missy he said nothing. She playfully looked back, it was as tho he was jealous of her. He turned away.
" When are you heading out?" Giovanni asked.
" We leave at dawn."
Missy nodded as she thought over the travel times briefly. " We will meet you at the pass and fight with you in the coming battles, in exchange we want your help in dismantling the weapon."
Alexander smiled as he spread his arms. " The Knights of the Golden Dawn humbly accept this alliance with The Mistress and The Warlord of the Rose."
" Then we shall see you at the pass," Giovanni said as he stood up.
Missy took his lead. Ninetails and persian followed staying at their heels. As they left a few soldiers looked over to them. When Alexander stepped out of the tent their attention diverted back to the campfires and conversation.
They made their way into the forest walking into the shallow ambiance of the fires that lite up the night. When she was sure no one else was around, Missy set down her tardis. It transformed into a totem pole adorned with pokemon. With the turn of a key, they stepped inside.
" So we're in the final battle, how do you expect to win with an army that small?" Giovanni asked as he put his hand to his forehead.
Missy strolled over to the archive. She felt confident about her next move. She began to scan the timelines. She looked over the various species of pokemon native to the area.
She smirked as she replied; " With a lot of pokemon."