Disclaimer: Again thanks mario72486 for Leo Vertua, moonymonster for
Marysa, Moon Blade the Shadow demon for Chaos, Magma Wolf Haephestus for
Avin, Silent Sigh for Akito, Dragoness for Kanzellia, WarSerebii for Isaac,
and Kerrigan, Darksortie (my brother) for Selene Gladius and Medigo,
Sergeant Pepper for Jean-Paul Harrison, Chronic Seifer for Ryan, Astrala
for Sakara Ookido, Kissdarkness for Destiny, Dave and Meka, JP for Illusia,
Blackwolf Vengence for Galador, Tempral Bouncer for Jev Storm, Draco the
Spirit Dragon for Draco, Phoenix Feather for Aryce May, Sora May, and
Julian May, and Hieica for Veronika Misakori. I don't own pokémon and I
never will.
To reviewers:
Miss Misty USA: Thanks for the complaints.
Dragoness: The next is the rockets. After the next two chapters I may change the order of the perspectives.
Silent Sigh: You got the order right. Akito should show up in the next chapter with the wild. The naturals won't get a perspective due to the fact they will move between them.
Temporal Bouncer: I understand about studying so I send you the next one, but if your sill busy I'll try to correct the one after, depending how it works out.
Phoenix Feather: Thanks for the cookies and the info. I will be sure to fit it all in. Just one question, are Ms. May's parents alive?
"" Human speech and regular pokémon speech
() Thoughts
* * Translated pokémon speech
[] Telepathy
1 Perspective Four: The Rockets
1.1 Interest and Attention
1.2 Chapter 1
Pewter City, a town of stone, rested peaceful in the early fall twilight. The First Museum of Pewter had closed for the day, and night shift would not arrive for a least an hour. So for that hour, two of the daytime security guards stayed to watch the museum, a fact that the intruder knew and was taking advantage of. The intruder passed exhibits of the worlds past scanning for something. He stopped when he found what he was looking for - a door to the back workrooms. Pulling out what looked like an access card for the electronic door lock he swiped it through. The door unlocked with a soft click and the shadow opened and moved into it. Walking for a bit more, he found the other door he was looked for. But to be sure, he pulled a piece of paper from a pocket and checked the words to see if the matched the ones on the door.
"Specimen room six? This is too easy," he whispered to himself. He entered the door and looked around at the shelves for a certain artifact. He stopped, knelt, and found the artifact he was looking for. He pulled up a small radio and whispered into it.
"This is Westlake. I found the anklet. I'm heading back out." He picked up an anklet with two faint sky blue symbols that seemed to glow softly in the dim light. The figure examined it for a moment thinking, (could it be?) Then he placed it gently in a small bag he unfolded from another pocket.
He headed out of the museum with the same calm walk. The thief exited out of a small door on the rear loading dock. He walked quickly around the museum and headed into the parking lot. Finding a black jeep was waiting for him; he got in the passenger side and looked over to his partner. She was a nineteen-year-old girl wearing black long boots, a mini skirt, and a mini jacket. Underneath the jacket was a white long sleeve T-shirt with the familiar red R on the front of it. Her hair was in two long brown ponytails reaching down to her ankles with highlights in the bangs. She had brown eyes and no make up on. The teen was about five nine with a thin frame.
"It took ya long enough Henry. I was about to come in after you," she said. She looked at the eighteen year old young man who was buckling his seatbelt. He was a black haired youth wearing a Team Rocket black cap backwards, a white long sleeve shirt with a red R on the front, matching long white pants and black boots. He had sea green eyes and a short spiky black hair.
He shrugged and said, "The security guards would have been suspicious if I had been spotted running on the cameras. As it was, our timing was perfect; there weren't enough people inside to do regular patrols. So let's go Ellis, before the night shift gets here," Henry said. The rocket girl looked at him for a moment then pulled out and drove off.
"Yet another flawless heist preformed by yours truly. Yes, one more step in my master plan," Ellis said as she drove south toward the vast sprawl that was Viridian Forest. "Soon I will be the ruler of the entire universe, and you will be my loyal manservant. Whahahahaha!"
"Ellis, we just took an old anklet. How does this fit in your master plan?" Henry asked bored, starting at the passing scenery.
"I'm glad you asked. Let me explain, see it's like this…" Ellis started to say. Henry, used to these rants, tuned the rest out as he thought on how bored he was.
(I joined Team Rocket four years ago to get more excitement in my life. But now I find that I'm getting bored again. This heist had no challenge. Ever since the boss vanished, all we've been doing is these petty crimes. I mean, sure a universal key card is very useful, but should we just try testing on such a small thing? Unless…) He thought as he pulled the anklet from the bag. He studded the small bronze band with the two blue engravings. He turned to his partner, who was still ranting.
"…And then we take over Indigo with the army of fanatic followers…" she said, continuing to talk about her so-called master plan.
(It's going to be a long trip back,) he thought, mentally sighing. Twenty minutes later, the duo pulled up to the outer wall of the Team Rocket's Viridian City Base. The two of them showed their passes to a guard, who let them through the main gate. They drove in to the main garage of the base and parked the jeep in a reserved spot. Henry and Ellis got out of the jeep and headed to an elevator. As soon as they entered the open doors, a voice hailed them.
"HOLD THAT DOOR!" A female voice shouted across the parking deck. Henry apathetically stared as a girl ran frantically toward the closing door. The girl was wearing a short black skirt, a black short sleeve shirt, black boots and a small red charm bracelet with a darker red R on it. She had black and sliver hair, gold red eyes, and was about the same height as Ellis. There were two bags hanging from straps across her shoulders. Ellis reached out and stopped the door from closing and leaving her fellow rocket behind.
"Thanks!" the girl exclaimed. "I would have been late delivering these pokémon eggs to the labs. My name is Sakara OoKido. And you?" the fourteen year old girl asked as Ellis hit the button for the floor the labs were on.
"You can call me Ellis," the other Rocket girl said.
"Henry, Henry Westlake," Henry said bored.
"So are you two coming back from a mission?" Sakara asked.
"Yeah, a real successful one. Show her," Ellis said elbowing her partner. Henry pulled the anklet out and showed it to her.
"Interesting. I saw something that looked similar to that be taken to the storeroom in west basement," Sakara said.
"And do you have any idea why it was so important that we had to waste one of the universal key cards?" Henry asked somewhat interested.
"No clue," the other rocket said, shaking her head. "But you might want to check it out. Well, here is my floor, so see you later!" Sakara said, hopping out of the elevator. The door closed on a thoughtful Henry and a happy Ellis.
"Well, she was nice," she said to her partner.
"I suppose…" Henry said distractedly. He studied the anklet and noticed that the symbols were softly glowing. (I guess this mission could be interesting, if I'm willing to bend the rules…)
A few minutes later the two rockets walked into the offices of the TR executives. They walked up to a door and knocked. An intercom buzzed next to the door and a voice spoke out.
"Who is it?" asked the executive from inside.
"Agents Westlake and Ashford, here from the museum heist," Ellis said, speaking into the intercom.
"If you got the item, take it to the basement storeroom. I will meet you there," the executive said.
"Sure, we'll do it now," Henry said turning and leaving. His partner looked back and forth between the door and her partner's back. She quickly hurried after him as he reached some stairs.
"Hey, I'm the leader of this team, and I say when we leave," Ellis said in irritation.
"Sure," Henry answered distractedly taking the stairs two at time.
"I'm glad you agree," Ellis said sarcastically. Then she skidded to a stop, almost running into her partner's back. He had stopped on a landing and opened the door there.
"Hey, we're not in the west basement yet," said Ellis. Her partner ignored her and left her alone on the stairs. He marched briskly down the hall and entered a door on his right.
Inside was a small gym for human rocket members to train in. As it was night, no one was in it.
"Hmmm… large, empty and sound proof. Perfect!" Henry exclaimed. Henry walked over to a mirror in the room and pulled out the anklet. (At first I wasn't sure if this was one, but now that Sakara said that she saw one more, I have to test this out…) Henry reached down and snapped the Anklet around his leg and the symbols on it started to shine blue. He thought back on the book he read in the restricted library.
1.3 A month prior
Henry stood in front of the doors of an elevator. The west basement was a storehouse of all the things team rocket stole and held on to. A large part of it was off limits to someone of his rank. But he was bored and he wanted to go on an adventure. So tonight, he headed here. The guard on duty owed him a favor, and he could cash it in to get to the restricted library. He walked up to the rocket on duty at the desk. The guard turned around from looking at a small security monitor and paid attention to him as he approached.
"May I help you? Henry, is that you?" the grunt asked as he leaned on the desk.
"Hello Rick. I just want to ask you a favor. I want to look at the sealed files. I know you can let me see those," Henry said.
"Well, I don't know. I can get into serious trouble if you get caught," Rick said, doubting the wisdom of Henry's request.
"Come on, it will be repaying a favor, Henry said, leaning forward looking in to the Rockets eyes.
"Well, no one is expected to be there for tonight… Ok, you convinced me. Just don't take to long," Rick said.
"Alright, thanks!" Henry said as entered past the desk.
The restricted library was like any other library filled with books and files. Some of the information was on computers, but as a safety precaution they couldn't be accessed from outside of the library. The library was split into three parts and was on two levels. The upper level had the books and files pertaining to Team Rockets secret works. Some of the computer files were located there as well. That level was divided between the books and files, and a computer lab.
Across from the main door, an elevator was imbedded in the back wall. It required a password to enter it, and there was a keypad on the right of the door. Henry ignored the lab and elevator and headed for the books and files. Getting lost in the bookshelves, he looked for anything that might be interesting. He found something that looked likely, a report on using radio signals to control pokémon. Just as he was starting to get in to it, a person came in through the main entrance. He could see her through the gap made in the shelf left by the missing report.
She looked like she was in her late twenties and she was wearing a dark blue vest with a long sleeve red shirt with an R shaped pin on the right of her chest. She was wearing a dark-blue thigh length mini-skirt and knee-long dark blue mini boots. Passionate brown eyes looked out from under matching hair that came down in two ponytails, which reached to her mid-back. In her left hand she held a small dagger with a strange blue symbol on it.
The executive headed toward the elevator, so Henry pulled out a mini- telescope from his right pocket. He pointed it at the keypad and managed to catch her entering a seven-digit pass code. The doors opened and she stepped inside. Henry committed the code to memory, and then went back to skimming the report. An hour later he heard a chime from the elevator. He relocated himself behind the same shelf as the female executive exited the elevator then the library. She was no longer holding that dagger, Henry noted.
He waited for a moment, then darted from his hiding place and headed at a brisk walking to the elevator, which had just closed as soon as he reached it. The rocket inputted the pass code and the doors opened again. The moment he entered, the whole shot downward. As it stopped on the next level, an electronic voice hailed him.
"Greetings, Ms. Harmon," It said. Henry wisely avoided responding; instead he looked around. There were several vaults to his left, five in total, and a glass door in front of him. He headed to the door and opened it. Inside was another computer lab, but different from the one above.
These computers controlled mechanical arms and cameras, which allowed rockets to view the contents of the vaults with out actually being in it. Some of the artifacts inside the vaults were in airtight containers and had to be viewed this way. Another reason this system was set up like this was to minimize the number of people who had access to the locks on the safes. Henry, curiosity burning bright, looked around for a computer not showing a screen saver. Finding it, he sat down on a swivel chair. Using the mouse, he clicked on the icon 'view library contents'. A command prompt popped up asking for another pass code. Henry, testing his luck, entered in the password he used on the elevator. It worked, and he found himself in a virtual version of the second level library. Another command prompt appeared asking him if he wanted to view his last entry. He typed in yes, and the computer showed him something that would change his life forever.
Present time
(I wonder if this thing really is an artifact, like that file said. To bad the files didn't contain a completely translated copy of that legend. Well, let's test it out…) Henry traced the symbols on the anklet with his index finger. Suddenly they flared blue, and words formed in his mind. (Crisis jump,) he thought. The door behind him burst inward, breaking up his thoughts.
"Henry! What in the world are you doing in here? Don't you know that Ms. Harmon is waiting for us in front of the east basement?!" His partner exclaimed. She stomped up to him and yelled, "Now are you going to come or do I have to use Blueberry to put you to sleep and drag you there?"
"Calm yourself. I'll be there in a second," he said ignoring her threat. She glared at him for a moment, then walked out. He shrugged, then crouched. He hopped forward a short distance. (That was a bust. I suppose I should put more force in to it,) he thought.
He looked at a florescent light high above him then jumped and tried to reach it. Surprisingly, he shot up like a rocket and his finger touched it. Falling about twenty-five feet, he landed perfectly on one foot. (So it is true… this is an artifact. It's too useful to stay in the vault. I guess a little return trip is in order,) Henry though as he retraced the letters. He unclasped the anklet and wasn't surprised to see that it now was shining bright gold and looked brand new. He smiled as he headed out of the gym, whistling a jaunty tune. (Now I know I won't be bored.)
Eight minutes later he was standing in front of Starr Harmon. The executive calmly brushed a brown hair away from her eyes. "You are twenty seconds late," she said, sweetly to Henry. The black haired rocket shrugged indifferently. "Now hand over the artifact," She said. Henry handed her the anklet and she examined it the nodded her satisfaction. "Now if you two will excuse me, I will place this in a more secure area," she said as she turned and walked passed the guard at the desk.
"Come on Henry, let's get something to eat," Ellis said moving to the elevator. Henry looked back at the door Starr had gone through. He turned and jogged to his partner who was waiting for him at the other door. "You shouldn't be so uncaring around her. I heard that she is a sadist and will torture anyone for the smallest of reasons," she said, concerned. Again Henry shrugged.
"I don't really care," he said, waving his partners concern off.
Ellis rolled her eyes then yelled, "Fine, I won't care if she decides to skin your arm or something." Henry almost smiled from her melodrama.
"Let's just worry about ourselves instead of integration specialists," he said as the elevator reached the floor with the mess hall. Henry whittled away his time, 'till around midnight. He pulled out the universal keycard out. Staring at his distorted reflection in the polished black surface, the teen traced the red R on the front. He put it in a scanner attached to his laptop. The rocket trainer entered a custom program he had made from reading some of the files in the restricted library. Basically, he had reprogrammed the card to be ignored by rocket flags, so he could use in inside the base and not get caught.
When the program was done, he headed for the restricted library. The elevator opened like it always did, and he walked over to the guard, who he didn't know. The guard looked at him warily as he approached.
"Can I help you?" The guard asked reaching under the desk for something.
"I would like in, here is my access card," Henry said handing him the altered card. The guard swiped it, and a green light lit up on the desk.
"Alright, your in. Enjoy yourself," he said, handing Henry his card and letting him go past. The teen entered and breathed a small sigh of relief. He headed straight for the elevator and entered the same code he saw Starr use. Luck was with him again and the elevator was called to his floor. Entering, he headed down. This time when he reached the level he wanted he hung a left and headed for the center vault. He used his key card again and smirked when the door opened. He entered the safe and headed to the about mid way back.
(Now, if I remember, the computer said that all artifacts would we be stored… bingo!) He thought, as he looked at a shelf with three artifacts on it. There was the anklet, a dagger, and an armband. Henry glanced at the other too, but only took the armband. He figured that if he took more than one, it would be too noticeable. He also figured that if he took the anklet, more suspicion would be focused on him, as that was the only one he had personally gotten. Rolling his sleeve back he put the armband on directly on his skin. He traced the symbols like he did with the anklet. A thought entered his head.
(Guard the Soul.) With that thought, he had an idea what it did. He also was unsurprised when the sliver band flashed and seemed to fuse with his skin. Only the three blue symbols were left, faded to look like tattoos on his arm. They turned black after a few seconds. He rolled his sleeve down and headed out, the door closing behind him.
After leaving, he turned left again and headed into the computer lab. He found a computer with a disk drive and scanner. Using his key card again, he inserted a zip disk and copied all the files he had read before and a few he hadn't. He logged out of the computer and headed back to the elevator.
Going up, he left the library. The whole operation had taken only fifteen minutes.
He headed to the floor with the recreation hall; satisfied he wouldn't be found out. (Heck,) Henry thought, (I haven't even met anyone but the guard and he didn't see me do anything suspicious.) But his luck ran out when the elevator stopped early and open to reveal Sakara, who had one of the bags she was carrying earlier.
"What are you doing up in about this time of night," she asked nervously as she got in next to him, hitting the button for the second floor.
Henry raised an eyebrow, and then said, "Just going to expend some energy in the rec. room. Going for a night stroll?"
"Yes, if anyone should ask…" she responded hinting at something.
"Yes, if anyone should ask I'll say you were outside walking, and I was in the rec. room (of coarse) …" he said in return.
"Ok, that's what we'll say," Sakara said as the elevator stopped on Henry's floor. Henry stepped out, and walked away from the elevator. He didn't look back. That morning he got a call telling him to report to the executive offices. He rubbed the sleep from his eyes and got dressed. Thirty minutes later, he and his partner found themselves in front of Ms. Harmon. The twenty eight year old was filing her nails with a combat knife. She glanced in their direction when they entered then started to clean under her nails with the knife.
"I have called you two here to congratulate you on a job well done. You have made Team Rocket proud. Soon, the great plan will be put into effect and our glorious leader will come back. But for the plan to succeed we must have the tools to take power. That is where you two come in. You will go to Lavender Town and assist our agents there in bringing back an item of great importance. You will meet an agent in the first hanger then proceed out. You will receive further instructions when you reach there," Starr ordered. "Dismissed."
"You can count on us! We won't fail," Ellis said as she and Henry left the office.
"See that you don't," Starr said.
The two rockets headed to the hanger, both in a good mood. Ellis felt that this was the mission that would finally lead to her to a promotion, and Henry because there was less chance someone would discover his tampering with some things if he left. He actually engaged Ellis in conversation as they made there way into the hanger. There they found a familiar face: Sakara.
"You're going to be our pilot?" Ellis asked incredulous.
"Yes," Sakara said, shrugging.
(It looks like fate is mocking me. At least if she comes with me they will have no one who knows anything to interrogate if they discover the armband is missing,) Henry thought. He nodded to the gold-eyed girl who nodded back.
"We'll be using this hot air balloon to get there," She said pointing to a hot air balloon shaped like a bulbasaur. It was inflating. "This one is mine. It's supplied for trip, so all you need to get is any personal supplies. We leave in an hour." The two nodded then headed off to pack. Henry went to his room and packed his lock picking kit, a laptop, the key card, a few disguises, and some fake Ids. He also took several spare uniforms and some other personal gear. He picked up the black bag and a belt with two pokéballs attached to it, and headed to the balloon. He met his partner there. She was wearing a brown backpack. Ellis had a brown bag similar to his as well as a belt with a single pokéball attached to it. Both rockets put their things in the basket under the balloon. Sakara walked in buckling a belt with a single pokéball as well.
"We're ready," Ellis announced as the ceiling slowly opened up above the balloon. Three rockets jumped in the basket and the pulled up the anchor. Sakara pulled the string attached to the burner, igniting it and sending the balloon air borne. The hot air vessel smoothly took to the air, floating on the breeze.
Henry looked out the side of the basket at the land of Kanto under the rising sun and thought, (Look out world, Henry's on the move again!) And the rockets headed east into the rising sun.
To reviewers:
Miss Misty USA: Thanks for the complaints.
Dragoness: The next is the rockets. After the next two chapters I may change the order of the perspectives.
Silent Sigh: You got the order right. Akito should show up in the next chapter with the wild. The naturals won't get a perspective due to the fact they will move between them.
Temporal Bouncer: I understand about studying so I send you the next one, but if your sill busy I'll try to correct the one after, depending how it works out.
Phoenix Feather: Thanks for the cookies and the info. I will be sure to fit it all in. Just one question, are Ms. May's parents alive?
"" Human speech and regular pokémon speech
() Thoughts
* * Translated pokémon speech
[] Telepathy
1 Perspective Four: The Rockets
1.1 Interest and Attention
1.2 Chapter 1
Pewter City, a town of stone, rested peaceful in the early fall twilight. The First Museum of Pewter had closed for the day, and night shift would not arrive for a least an hour. So for that hour, two of the daytime security guards stayed to watch the museum, a fact that the intruder knew and was taking advantage of. The intruder passed exhibits of the worlds past scanning for something. He stopped when he found what he was looking for - a door to the back workrooms. Pulling out what looked like an access card for the electronic door lock he swiped it through. The door unlocked with a soft click and the shadow opened and moved into it. Walking for a bit more, he found the other door he was looked for. But to be sure, he pulled a piece of paper from a pocket and checked the words to see if the matched the ones on the door.
"Specimen room six? This is too easy," he whispered to himself. He entered the door and looked around at the shelves for a certain artifact. He stopped, knelt, and found the artifact he was looking for. He pulled up a small radio and whispered into it.
"This is Westlake. I found the anklet. I'm heading back out." He picked up an anklet with two faint sky blue symbols that seemed to glow softly in the dim light. The figure examined it for a moment thinking, (could it be?) Then he placed it gently in a small bag he unfolded from another pocket.
He headed out of the museum with the same calm walk. The thief exited out of a small door on the rear loading dock. He walked quickly around the museum and headed into the parking lot. Finding a black jeep was waiting for him; he got in the passenger side and looked over to his partner. She was a nineteen-year-old girl wearing black long boots, a mini skirt, and a mini jacket. Underneath the jacket was a white long sleeve T-shirt with the familiar red R on the front of it. Her hair was in two long brown ponytails reaching down to her ankles with highlights in the bangs. She had brown eyes and no make up on. The teen was about five nine with a thin frame.
"It took ya long enough Henry. I was about to come in after you," she said. She looked at the eighteen year old young man who was buckling his seatbelt. He was a black haired youth wearing a Team Rocket black cap backwards, a white long sleeve shirt with a red R on the front, matching long white pants and black boots. He had sea green eyes and a short spiky black hair.
He shrugged and said, "The security guards would have been suspicious if I had been spotted running on the cameras. As it was, our timing was perfect; there weren't enough people inside to do regular patrols. So let's go Ellis, before the night shift gets here," Henry said. The rocket girl looked at him for a moment then pulled out and drove off.
"Yet another flawless heist preformed by yours truly. Yes, one more step in my master plan," Ellis said as she drove south toward the vast sprawl that was Viridian Forest. "Soon I will be the ruler of the entire universe, and you will be my loyal manservant. Whahahahaha!"
"Ellis, we just took an old anklet. How does this fit in your master plan?" Henry asked bored, starting at the passing scenery.
"I'm glad you asked. Let me explain, see it's like this…" Ellis started to say. Henry, used to these rants, tuned the rest out as he thought on how bored he was.
(I joined Team Rocket four years ago to get more excitement in my life. But now I find that I'm getting bored again. This heist had no challenge. Ever since the boss vanished, all we've been doing is these petty crimes. I mean, sure a universal key card is very useful, but should we just try testing on such a small thing? Unless…) He thought as he pulled the anklet from the bag. He studded the small bronze band with the two blue engravings. He turned to his partner, who was still ranting.
"…And then we take over Indigo with the army of fanatic followers…" she said, continuing to talk about her so-called master plan.
(It's going to be a long trip back,) he thought, mentally sighing. Twenty minutes later, the duo pulled up to the outer wall of the Team Rocket's Viridian City Base. The two of them showed their passes to a guard, who let them through the main gate. They drove in to the main garage of the base and parked the jeep in a reserved spot. Henry and Ellis got out of the jeep and headed to an elevator. As soon as they entered the open doors, a voice hailed them.
"HOLD THAT DOOR!" A female voice shouted across the parking deck. Henry apathetically stared as a girl ran frantically toward the closing door. The girl was wearing a short black skirt, a black short sleeve shirt, black boots and a small red charm bracelet with a darker red R on it. She had black and sliver hair, gold red eyes, and was about the same height as Ellis. There were two bags hanging from straps across her shoulders. Ellis reached out and stopped the door from closing and leaving her fellow rocket behind.
"Thanks!" the girl exclaimed. "I would have been late delivering these pokémon eggs to the labs. My name is Sakara OoKido. And you?" the fourteen year old girl asked as Ellis hit the button for the floor the labs were on.
"You can call me Ellis," the other Rocket girl said.
"Henry, Henry Westlake," Henry said bored.
"So are you two coming back from a mission?" Sakara asked.
"Yeah, a real successful one. Show her," Ellis said elbowing her partner. Henry pulled the anklet out and showed it to her.
"Interesting. I saw something that looked similar to that be taken to the storeroom in west basement," Sakara said.
"And do you have any idea why it was so important that we had to waste one of the universal key cards?" Henry asked somewhat interested.
"No clue," the other rocket said, shaking her head. "But you might want to check it out. Well, here is my floor, so see you later!" Sakara said, hopping out of the elevator. The door closed on a thoughtful Henry and a happy Ellis.
"Well, she was nice," she said to her partner.
"I suppose…" Henry said distractedly. He studied the anklet and noticed that the symbols were softly glowing. (I guess this mission could be interesting, if I'm willing to bend the rules…)
A few minutes later the two rockets walked into the offices of the TR executives. They walked up to a door and knocked. An intercom buzzed next to the door and a voice spoke out.
"Who is it?" asked the executive from inside.
"Agents Westlake and Ashford, here from the museum heist," Ellis said, speaking into the intercom.
"If you got the item, take it to the basement storeroom. I will meet you there," the executive said.
"Sure, we'll do it now," Henry said turning and leaving. His partner looked back and forth between the door and her partner's back. She quickly hurried after him as he reached some stairs.
"Hey, I'm the leader of this team, and I say when we leave," Ellis said in irritation.
"Sure," Henry answered distractedly taking the stairs two at time.
"I'm glad you agree," Ellis said sarcastically. Then she skidded to a stop, almost running into her partner's back. He had stopped on a landing and opened the door there.
"Hey, we're not in the west basement yet," said Ellis. Her partner ignored her and left her alone on the stairs. He marched briskly down the hall and entered a door on his right.
Inside was a small gym for human rocket members to train in. As it was night, no one was in it.
"Hmmm… large, empty and sound proof. Perfect!" Henry exclaimed. Henry walked over to a mirror in the room and pulled out the anklet. (At first I wasn't sure if this was one, but now that Sakara said that she saw one more, I have to test this out…) Henry reached down and snapped the Anklet around his leg and the symbols on it started to shine blue. He thought back on the book he read in the restricted library.
1.3 A month prior
Henry stood in front of the doors of an elevator. The west basement was a storehouse of all the things team rocket stole and held on to. A large part of it was off limits to someone of his rank. But he was bored and he wanted to go on an adventure. So tonight, he headed here. The guard on duty owed him a favor, and he could cash it in to get to the restricted library. He walked up to the rocket on duty at the desk. The guard turned around from looking at a small security monitor and paid attention to him as he approached.
"May I help you? Henry, is that you?" the grunt asked as he leaned on the desk.
"Hello Rick. I just want to ask you a favor. I want to look at the sealed files. I know you can let me see those," Henry said.
"Well, I don't know. I can get into serious trouble if you get caught," Rick said, doubting the wisdom of Henry's request.
"Come on, it will be repaying a favor, Henry said, leaning forward looking in to the Rockets eyes.
"Well, no one is expected to be there for tonight… Ok, you convinced me. Just don't take to long," Rick said.
"Alright, thanks!" Henry said as entered past the desk.
The restricted library was like any other library filled with books and files. Some of the information was on computers, but as a safety precaution they couldn't be accessed from outside of the library. The library was split into three parts and was on two levels. The upper level had the books and files pertaining to Team Rockets secret works. Some of the computer files were located there as well. That level was divided between the books and files, and a computer lab.
Across from the main door, an elevator was imbedded in the back wall. It required a password to enter it, and there was a keypad on the right of the door. Henry ignored the lab and elevator and headed for the books and files. Getting lost in the bookshelves, he looked for anything that might be interesting. He found something that looked likely, a report on using radio signals to control pokémon. Just as he was starting to get in to it, a person came in through the main entrance. He could see her through the gap made in the shelf left by the missing report.
She looked like she was in her late twenties and she was wearing a dark blue vest with a long sleeve red shirt with an R shaped pin on the right of her chest. She was wearing a dark-blue thigh length mini-skirt and knee-long dark blue mini boots. Passionate brown eyes looked out from under matching hair that came down in two ponytails, which reached to her mid-back. In her left hand she held a small dagger with a strange blue symbol on it.
The executive headed toward the elevator, so Henry pulled out a mini- telescope from his right pocket. He pointed it at the keypad and managed to catch her entering a seven-digit pass code. The doors opened and she stepped inside. Henry committed the code to memory, and then went back to skimming the report. An hour later he heard a chime from the elevator. He relocated himself behind the same shelf as the female executive exited the elevator then the library. She was no longer holding that dagger, Henry noted.
He waited for a moment, then darted from his hiding place and headed at a brisk walking to the elevator, which had just closed as soon as he reached it. The rocket inputted the pass code and the doors opened again. The moment he entered, the whole shot downward. As it stopped on the next level, an electronic voice hailed him.
"Greetings, Ms. Harmon," It said. Henry wisely avoided responding; instead he looked around. There were several vaults to his left, five in total, and a glass door in front of him. He headed to the door and opened it. Inside was another computer lab, but different from the one above.
These computers controlled mechanical arms and cameras, which allowed rockets to view the contents of the vaults with out actually being in it. Some of the artifacts inside the vaults were in airtight containers and had to be viewed this way. Another reason this system was set up like this was to minimize the number of people who had access to the locks on the safes. Henry, curiosity burning bright, looked around for a computer not showing a screen saver. Finding it, he sat down on a swivel chair. Using the mouse, he clicked on the icon 'view library contents'. A command prompt popped up asking for another pass code. Henry, testing his luck, entered in the password he used on the elevator. It worked, and he found himself in a virtual version of the second level library. Another command prompt appeared asking him if he wanted to view his last entry. He typed in yes, and the computer showed him something that would change his life forever.
Present time
(I wonder if this thing really is an artifact, like that file said. To bad the files didn't contain a completely translated copy of that legend. Well, let's test it out…) Henry traced the symbols on the anklet with his index finger. Suddenly they flared blue, and words formed in his mind. (Crisis jump,) he thought. The door behind him burst inward, breaking up his thoughts.
"Henry! What in the world are you doing in here? Don't you know that Ms. Harmon is waiting for us in front of the east basement?!" His partner exclaimed. She stomped up to him and yelled, "Now are you going to come or do I have to use Blueberry to put you to sleep and drag you there?"
"Calm yourself. I'll be there in a second," he said ignoring her threat. She glared at him for a moment, then walked out. He shrugged, then crouched. He hopped forward a short distance. (That was a bust. I suppose I should put more force in to it,) he thought.
He looked at a florescent light high above him then jumped and tried to reach it. Surprisingly, he shot up like a rocket and his finger touched it. Falling about twenty-five feet, he landed perfectly on one foot. (So it is true… this is an artifact. It's too useful to stay in the vault. I guess a little return trip is in order,) Henry though as he retraced the letters. He unclasped the anklet and wasn't surprised to see that it now was shining bright gold and looked brand new. He smiled as he headed out of the gym, whistling a jaunty tune. (Now I know I won't be bored.)
Eight minutes later he was standing in front of Starr Harmon. The executive calmly brushed a brown hair away from her eyes. "You are twenty seconds late," she said, sweetly to Henry. The black haired rocket shrugged indifferently. "Now hand over the artifact," She said. Henry handed her the anklet and she examined it the nodded her satisfaction. "Now if you two will excuse me, I will place this in a more secure area," she said as she turned and walked passed the guard at the desk.
"Come on Henry, let's get something to eat," Ellis said moving to the elevator. Henry looked back at the door Starr had gone through. He turned and jogged to his partner who was waiting for him at the other door. "You shouldn't be so uncaring around her. I heard that she is a sadist and will torture anyone for the smallest of reasons," she said, concerned. Again Henry shrugged.
"I don't really care," he said, waving his partners concern off.
Ellis rolled her eyes then yelled, "Fine, I won't care if she decides to skin your arm or something." Henry almost smiled from her melodrama.
"Let's just worry about ourselves instead of integration specialists," he said as the elevator reached the floor with the mess hall. Henry whittled away his time, 'till around midnight. He pulled out the universal keycard out. Staring at his distorted reflection in the polished black surface, the teen traced the red R on the front. He put it in a scanner attached to his laptop. The rocket trainer entered a custom program he had made from reading some of the files in the restricted library. Basically, he had reprogrammed the card to be ignored by rocket flags, so he could use in inside the base and not get caught.
When the program was done, he headed for the restricted library. The elevator opened like it always did, and he walked over to the guard, who he didn't know. The guard looked at him warily as he approached.
"Can I help you?" The guard asked reaching under the desk for something.
"I would like in, here is my access card," Henry said handing him the altered card. The guard swiped it, and a green light lit up on the desk.
"Alright, your in. Enjoy yourself," he said, handing Henry his card and letting him go past. The teen entered and breathed a small sigh of relief. He headed straight for the elevator and entered the same code he saw Starr use. Luck was with him again and the elevator was called to his floor. Entering, he headed down. This time when he reached the level he wanted he hung a left and headed for the center vault. He used his key card again and smirked when the door opened. He entered the safe and headed to the about mid way back.
(Now, if I remember, the computer said that all artifacts would we be stored… bingo!) He thought, as he looked at a shelf with three artifacts on it. There was the anklet, a dagger, and an armband. Henry glanced at the other too, but only took the armband. He figured that if he took more than one, it would be too noticeable. He also figured that if he took the anklet, more suspicion would be focused on him, as that was the only one he had personally gotten. Rolling his sleeve back he put the armband on directly on his skin. He traced the symbols like he did with the anklet. A thought entered his head.
(Guard the Soul.) With that thought, he had an idea what it did. He also was unsurprised when the sliver band flashed and seemed to fuse with his skin. Only the three blue symbols were left, faded to look like tattoos on his arm. They turned black after a few seconds. He rolled his sleeve down and headed out, the door closing behind him.
After leaving, he turned left again and headed into the computer lab. He found a computer with a disk drive and scanner. Using his key card again, he inserted a zip disk and copied all the files he had read before and a few he hadn't. He logged out of the computer and headed back to the elevator.
Going up, he left the library. The whole operation had taken only fifteen minutes.
He headed to the floor with the recreation hall; satisfied he wouldn't be found out. (Heck,) Henry thought, (I haven't even met anyone but the guard and he didn't see me do anything suspicious.) But his luck ran out when the elevator stopped early and open to reveal Sakara, who had one of the bags she was carrying earlier.
"What are you doing up in about this time of night," she asked nervously as she got in next to him, hitting the button for the second floor.
Henry raised an eyebrow, and then said, "Just going to expend some energy in the rec. room. Going for a night stroll?"
"Yes, if anyone should ask…" she responded hinting at something.
"Yes, if anyone should ask I'll say you were outside walking, and I was in the rec. room (of coarse) …" he said in return.
"Ok, that's what we'll say," Sakara said as the elevator stopped on Henry's floor. Henry stepped out, and walked away from the elevator. He didn't look back. That morning he got a call telling him to report to the executive offices. He rubbed the sleep from his eyes and got dressed. Thirty minutes later, he and his partner found themselves in front of Ms. Harmon. The twenty eight year old was filing her nails with a combat knife. She glanced in their direction when they entered then started to clean under her nails with the knife.
"I have called you two here to congratulate you on a job well done. You have made Team Rocket proud. Soon, the great plan will be put into effect and our glorious leader will come back. But for the plan to succeed we must have the tools to take power. That is where you two come in. You will go to Lavender Town and assist our agents there in bringing back an item of great importance. You will meet an agent in the first hanger then proceed out. You will receive further instructions when you reach there," Starr ordered. "Dismissed."
"You can count on us! We won't fail," Ellis said as she and Henry left the office.
"See that you don't," Starr said.
The two rockets headed to the hanger, both in a good mood. Ellis felt that this was the mission that would finally lead to her to a promotion, and Henry because there was less chance someone would discover his tampering with some things if he left. He actually engaged Ellis in conversation as they made there way into the hanger. There they found a familiar face: Sakara.
"You're going to be our pilot?" Ellis asked incredulous.
"Yes," Sakara said, shrugging.
(It looks like fate is mocking me. At least if she comes with me they will have no one who knows anything to interrogate if they discover the armband is missing,) Henry thought. He nodded to the gold-eyed girl who nodded back.
"We'll be using this hot air balloon to get there," She said pointing to a hot air balloon shaped like a bulbasaur. It was inflating. "This one is mine. It's supplied for trip, so all you need to get is any personal supplies. We leave in an hour." The two nodded then headed off to pack. Henry went to his room and packed his lock picking kit, a laptop, the key card, a few disguises, and some fake Ids. He also took several spare uniforms and some other personal gear. He picked up the black bag and a belt with two pokéballs attached to it, and headed to the balloon. He met his partner there. She was wearing a brown backpack. Ellis had a brown bag similar to his as well as a belt with a single pokéball attached to it. Both rockets put their things in the basket under the balloon. Sakara walked in buckling a belt with a single pokéball as well.
"We're ready," Ellis announced as the ceiling slowly opened up above the balloon. Three rockets jumped in the basket and the pulled up the anchor. Sakara pulled the string attached to the burner, igniting it and sending the balloon air borne. The hot air vessel smoothly took to the air, floating on the breeze.
Henry looked out the side of the basket at the land of Kanto under the rising sun and thought, (Look out world, Henry's on the move again!) And the rockets headed east into the rising sun.
