o0o
The silence of slumber gradually submitted to a subtle but persistent note. A single beat that steadily grew into an obnoxious roar.
Missy reached over, with a wave of the screwdriver, canceled the alarm. After a glance at the clock, she indulged the moment.
It took a while, but eventually, she forced herself out of bed. Five minutes after ten, when her day began.
When she arrived at the wardrobe, she grumbled, there was a long day ahead.
It had been more than a hundred years since her last conference. The meeting today would be a minor inconvenience, but a necessary one.
She supposed she needed to wear something appropriate. According to human custom, certain attire was to be expected.
Formality was always accompanied by an undertone of drudgery. The thought made her cringe.
Her options were countless. Still, she couldn't put her finger on what to wear.
At that moment, she chose to take the path less traveled, and be formal but still be herself. So she dug through her attire.
Eventually, she decided to give an old look a twist. With that, she snagged a pair of sheer stockings and a black mini-skirt to match.
Then found a violet power vest and a white blouse. Picked up a dark purple jacked, then loosely tied an orange bow around her neck.
While she put her hair up, she took a look at herself, she looked spectacular. The look was sharp and loaded with punk elements.
When she got to the control room, Ninetails curiously looked at her. You look sassy in violet Mistress.
Missy snatched her umbrella, then replied, " Sassy is classy, and when am I ever not?"
As they paraded to the door ninetails sprightly nudged her. Never, she began, Your attire reflects that Mistress.
It's just a touch of the old mixed with the new, Missy explained.
Ninetails brow raised with the revelation. Old Mistress?
Missy stopped short of opening the door. Her eyes slanted before she was swept away by memories of her past lives. They were joyful but fleeting.
When they faded, her gaze fell on the fox. I've got eleven hundred years of fashion expertise. The result is a look that brings the desired effect- she stopped short of saying it was perfection.
Confused, ninetails cocked her head. What is your desired effect Mistress?
Missy smirked, but wouldn't allow herself to be smug about it. One that screams sassy.
Ninetails smile beamed. Mistress.
Missy looked away, but she couldn't hide her satisfaction from the fox.
When they teleported outside, the roar of a pokemon put an end to it.
Wendy and the team had backed away from a gigantic snake-like pokemon comprised of boulders. Onix trashed its tail about in pursuit of them.
The feral pokemon started them down. Then slammed its tail on the floor, it seemed confused. Perhaps it just wanted to leave and thought they were in the way.
Since onix had already taken down the team's pokemon, they were its next target. She supposed battling the pokemon would be in her best interest. A show of power would help to keep the team in line.
She didn't have a pokemon that was strong against a rock type. That put her in a spot, she'd have to make due and figured absol was her best bet.
There wasn't enough time for her to make a move, because someone else had decided to save them.
A tall pokemon with six arms and blue skin readily entered the conflict. Giovanni stood behind the pokemon.
Rife with disappointment, he readily entered the conflict, " Power-up punch."
Machamp grunted as it jabbed at onix's side. A white aura of energy shrouded the pokemon as its physical attack raised by a single stage.
The snake cried out, its screech was agonizing to hear. It crashed onto the floor and its groan made the walls tremble.
Rock-type pokemon were weak against fighting types. That gave Giovanni the upper hand, but his opponent was determined as well.
Onix slithered up, like a cobra ready to strike. It didn't try to bite but instead swung its tail at machamp.
Giovanni decisively took command, " Dodge it."
Machamp stepped back and dogged the first attempt, and barely avoided the other. Onix relented, then snarled with disdain while it slithered back.
Machamp took the opportunity to do the same. The distance they gained opened up the arena. It gave onix space, to coil up, its body pulsed, ready to attack.
" Endure," Giovanni ordered.
Machamp braced itself while onix burst from its coil. The pokemon stayed firm, while the snake plowed through the arena.
When onix crashed into the pokemon, it had taken a direct hit to the chest. Despite the sheer force of the attack, machamp was ready to attack.
The moment after it stuck, Giovanni gave a command, " Revenge."
Machamp exchanged the blow, and its fist collided with the snake's underbelly. After the exchange of power, onix screamed.
A sizable portion of its body had split open. The sheer force of the attack had pulverized the pokemon's shell.
An ear-curling shriek filled the gym when onix fell. The jagged pieces had managed to hold together when it hit the floor.
Awestruck, Wendy and her team gazed at the pokemon. Giovanni's eyes narrowed at them, then sharpened into an unsettling glare.
The group flinched when he addressed them, " That should be an easy catch."
Wendy silently gulped, " Sir."
Giovanni scoffed and made no effort to hide his disapproval. " Get on with it."
Wendy snatched a ball, then threw it. Onix winced but surrendered to capture.
The pokeball hardly moved before it locked shut. Pokemon trainers often referred to this as a critical catch.
With the threat eliminated Missy approached him. " Well, someone's morning just got exciting."
He recalled machamp, then leered at her. " It's not what I expected. "
His focus shifted to the team when they approached. " What happened?"
" After multiple attempts at capture the pokemon woke up Sir," Wendy explained.
When Giovanni looked over, Missy got defensive, " It wasn't going to stay knocked out forever."
That left the question of what had gone wrong. Missy drew her screwdriver, it buzzed as it analyzed onix's arrival.
Her eyes popped with the results. " You couldn't capture it after forty-seven minutes?!"
Missy gawked, placed her hand on her hip, then asked, " What the hell happened to throwing balls until it was caught?"
Wendy's eyes locked onto hers. " We did, it woke up!"
While they leered at each other, Giovanni put out a hand and stopped the argument. " So it was stubborn?"
Wendy nodded. " Yes Sir."
" I see," Giovanni started, he had begun to calm down. " I want a full report on my desk by fourteen hundred. Dismissed."
The trio scurried along, when the door clicked shut Missy expressed her frustration, " I didn't think they'd manage to screw that up."
Giovanni sighed. " I never thought a feinted pokemon could be so difficult to catch."
Missy flicked her screwdriver once more to find out where it had come from. " That onix was taken from 1789 AD, and on top of that, it's an Alpha. I guess pokemon were a lot tougher back then."
" Perhaps," Giovanni muttered.
Alpha's are the champions of the wild Mistress, Ninetails explained.
" Right," Missy agreed, she placed her screwdriver back into her jacket. " So, what's our agenda for today?"
Giovanni took an envelope from his jacket. " I received a report last night, the team's found a Garchompite."
Somewhat amused, but not the least bit surprised, Missy asked, " Let me guess you want to go after it?"
" You're right," he began. " But there's a problem, it's at the bottom of the ocean."
Missy scoffed at the revelation. " Your people can't get to the bottom of the ocean?"
Giovanni leered at her in turn. " No, my people aren't equipped to recover it from the wreckage."
Missy sighed with her resolution. " So you want to travel back and get it?"
She teleported a cup of tea to her hand and took a sip. " Where are we going?"
Giovanni smiled and he took another look at the report. " 1987."
Her eyebrows raised, his answer wouldn't due. " I think you might need another cup of coffee."
With those words, she teleported them to the tardis garden. Conveniently, they had been seated on the porch.
The coffee no longer mattered to Giovanni. His interest had been swept away by the lush garden.
It was only after a playful pair of vivillon swooped past him that he got a whiff of its aroma.
Giovanni immediately took a sip, then asked, " How did you know?"
Missy kept her answer lively but serious, " Years don't make for great destinations deary."
He nodded along with the answer. " I see."
" Hoenn, but I think you'll get a kick out of this," he said as he handed her the report.
Missy skimmed over it, the mega stone was part of a traveling exhibit. As her eyes wandered the page she happened upon the subject of his amusement.
She cracked a smile. " Oh yes, marketing one O one build an ocean liner. Step two, name it after a plant that can't float. I can only imagine what led up to that decision."
Giovanni profoundly gazed back at her. " A wild night and a lack of coffee."
She laughed about the implication, but disagreed, " Tea's a much better fix for that sort of thing."
Giovanni's brows narrowed, he took a long drink, set the cup down, then muttered, " Then it must have been a boring night."
Disenchanted, her jaw dropped, she had so much she wanted to say. At the rate they were going they'd be arguing long into the afternoon. Still, she was determined to settle the score.
" The S.S. Cactus," she mused, then a thought hit her like a thunderbolt.
Giovanni nudged her along, so she continued, " Maybe the person who christened it simply liked cactus."
Bemused, Giovanni threw his hand out. " What?"
" It's a cactus, you can do a lot with a cactus. On Earth people travel with them all the time," Missy stopped herself.
The look on his face was priceless. She needed to keep it together because she was about to blow his mind.
" Weirdly, vegetables happen to be a popular accessory, particularly in the next millennia. Celery's big with the older lot, but I'm more of a radish kind of girl. Cactus, no, it's much too spiky.
" Great way to keep a crowd at a distance-" she stopped, Giovanni was certainly at a loss for words.
Missy playfully looked back at him. " I thought you wanted to know about these things."
He set his cup down and leered at her. " A radish kind of girl?"
She crossed her arms and exchanged the look. " They're ravishing."
Giovanni sighed, he held back a smile, then muttered, " Ravishing in radish in the thirtieth century, the future's full of surprises."
Missy shrugged, then looked over the report. It lacked information, mainly about where and when they needed to go.
Their records indicated that the garchompite had been part of a museum exhibit lost in the wreck. The most useful information it had was the date of the sinking.
That settled it, she had the tardis look into it. When the report arrived ahead of her, she sent Giovanni a copy and dived in.
The S.S. Cactus
The S.S. Cactus was christened on April the 4th, 1962. The ship was named after its designer's favorite plant and fruit.
When the passengers boarded they were treated to amenities they had never envisioned on an ocean liner.
The most notable of these were Primarina Playland the world's first water park at sea and the Tivoli Theater.
The media heralded the ship as the finest ocean liner of its day. Shortly after its launch, they would boast its speed.
On her maiden voyage, the ocean liner set a world record for its speed. The vessel traveled from Slateport City to Hulbury City in less the five days.
The title of Fastest Ocean Liner in the World made the ship sought out by the elite. It held onto the record for six years before losing it to The S.S. Anne.
The rest of the ship's sea fairing days were mundane compared to its earlier years. As the decades passed, would be passengers turned to cheaper and faster alternatives, primarily air travel.
Unwilling to be driven out of business the ship's owner, The Sapphire Star Line converted the ship to a cruise of the Hoenn Coast. The ship's popularity bolstered, but it was a dream not to be.
In the early hours of July, 18th, 1987 the ship ran aground. Shortly after the crash, its propellers and haul were taken by the waves.
As the years went by the wreck was consumed by the sea. In the present day, the decommissioned Sea Mauville rots near the wreck site.
Missy pondered the details, then shared her plan, " If we arrive around ten most of the passengers should be asleep or at the bar."
" I don't think the crew won't be much of a problem. If all goes well we should be back around lunch."
Ninetails brow raised, then she asked, Isn't that an in-and-out job Mistress?
The insinuation invoked her sarcasm, Oh my gosh, I don't want to put it that way.
Giovanni set the article down. " Perfect, the meeting starts at three that'll give us some time to go over the operations objectives and our primary targets."
It's about time, Missy confessed to Ninetails before she teleported them outside. " I like the sound of that."
" So do I. Now that the time loop is out of the way it's much easier to exchange information," Giovanni explained.
" It certainly makes things less tricky," Missy admitted.
Then transformed back into a pokeball. After she tucked it away, she teleported the umbrella to her hand.
She wasn't one to give praise, but he really had earned it, and carried on, " You handled that a hell of a lot better than most."
Giovanni's brow raised in lieu of her praise. " Well, there was a lot at stake."
" For all of us," she agreed and finalized the coordinates.
They were ready to get out of there. So, with the press of a button, the grey walls swirled around them.
Flashes of vibrant hues, scarlet sunsets, and magenta dawns mingled with the sky and the deep blue sea.
The golden dawn ascended, then faded into the morning sky. After the sun reached its highest point it drifted over the sea.
When it settled, their journey ended on the ship's portside walkway. It was late in the afternoon, luckily the deck was empty.
Disappointed, Missy let out a sigh. " It's way too early for this."
Giovanni nodded. " I'm ready to get out of here."
Missy drew her screwdriver. " Hang on."
She started to calibrate the planetary travel circuit. " Another jump like that and we'll arrive in the ocean."
Giovanni shrugged before he took in his surroundings. " Is it a quick fix?"
Her screwdriver hummed as it worked on the calibration. " We should be out of here in a few minutes."
Missy placed her screwdriver back into her jacket, then said, " Common, I'm sure there's a better place to wait around."
Giovanni liked the idea, so the group set off. With every step, the lack of passengers and crew became more apparent.
" The ships a bit empty for a holiday," Missy mused.
Giovanni's gaze loomed over the empty deck. " The cruise line was failing."
Missy spotted a sign above, A deck: Recreation, then gestured at the door. " Want to find out what we're up against?"
Intrigued, Giovanni followed her in. " Or lack of it."
The interior of the ship was rich, walnut walls and marble floor made it decanted. Ahead of them was a plush room encased by gabled windows.
It was strange, there was no band on the stage and sunken streamers and sagging balloons littered the floor.
Ninetails was troubled by the red flags, I don't like the look of this Mistress.
Her curiosity had gotten the better of her, and she stopped to gauge the situation. There was a chair on the floor, spilled soda, and scars left from a pokemon battle.
" Party crashes," she mused.
Giovanni stood still, he had gotten quite serious. " How long until we can get out of here?"
Missy reached for her screwdriver but was startled when someone placed their hand on her shoulder. " Oi!"
She twirled around and was confronted by a young lady. Her short black hair and narrowed maroon eyes stared back. The woven keystone around her neck shinned.
Her attire was an outlandish mash-up of Gothic and Alolan elements, it seemed a bit hipster.
The look reflected her age, she couldn't have been much older than sixteen.
Attire aside, where the girl had come from was a mystery. The girl was forward and motioned for them to follow her.
Missy showcased her and whispered, " The mystery girl seems interesting."
Giovanni didn't share the same sentiment. " You can't be serious."
Missy threw her hand out. " We need to know what happened here, and our mystery girl's got the answer."
Giovanni relented, then briskly stepped past her. " What happened to skipping ahead?"
The hallway was long and lined with cabin doors. It was quiet for a summer cruise, but given the circumstances, it was a bit too quiet.
Missy stuck her nose up and followed him into the corridor. " Sure, let's do the stupid thing and get wrecked."
The girl stopped abruptly, then growled, " You both need to shut up."
Giovanni gawked, but Missy spoke first, " We have to-"
" Figure it out," Giovanni interjected.
Missy snatched the tardis and offered it to him. " Think you can manage?"
He took the ball and pocketed it. " I think I'll be fine."
Clattered steps hurriedly entered the corridor. They were in a rush, and so was her company, she hadn't seen them run off.
They had left her to confront these strange circumstances, and that was just rude. After she got a better look, she got the impression things were about to get very interesting.
A pair of men approached, both seemed be at the wrong place, at the wrong time.
They had dressed up as proper pirates. The closer they came, the more questions arose.
They were easy game, but her curiosity got the better of her. Perplexed by their attire, she allowed them to approach.
Unsure of what to make of it, she feigned confusion, " Why didn't anyone tell me today was dress like a pirate day?"
They looked at one another in confusion, before the other said, " Today is be a Pirate Day or ya stay out of our way."
" Well you're a dedicated bunch," Missy half-heartedly praised.
She put a hand on her hip, huffed, and got serious, " You boys wouldn't happen to know where the ladies is?"
Neither of them had an answer, instead, they got up close and personal. Their attempted intimidation wasn't weak, it just didn't do it for her.
Missy stuck her nose up, then peered back at them. " I'll take that as a no."
The closest to her grunted. " We be pirates every day."
Dumbfounded by their sincerity, she blurted, " Seriously?"
Disappointed by their lack of creativity or modern identity, she carried on, " Have you ever considered trying not to look like a group of larpers?"
They growled with the notion. " You better watch your tongue lass."
Then the other grunted. " Why aren't you in your cabin?"
When they noticed ninetails, both got suspicious, " You were supposed to surrender your pokemon."
" I think she slipped past our first sweep," the first suggested.
" You know what? Nothing shiny was on the passenger directory," he muttered.
His eyes narrowed as he looked into hers. " Ya didn't board your pokemon?"
Missy rolled her eyes, that kind of question was absurd. " Of course not, they just came with me."
" I say she's a stowaway," the other accused.
His partner grabbed her shoulder. " Let's see what the Captain has to say about this."
Missy swatted his hand away. " So much for the ladies. Fine, I'll talk to your Captain, I'm sure it will make this much more interesting."
*0*0*
Giovanni twitched while the group departed. He had let himself get swept away by the assumption that Missy was behind him.
Now she was gone. It made no sense, she had fought a squad until the end to avoid her capture. This time around she hadn't bothered to put up a struggle.
Why she would do such a thing? Her actions were so contradictory, they almost seemed unreasonable.
It was a matter he could have contemplated for days. That was something he needed to set aside for later.
Thanks to the girl and Missy's recklessness, he would have to figure this out by himself.
The situation had put him in a mood. Malcontent or not, he was stuck in this situation.
Mind over matter, and what mattered to him now was a clear head.
It had been a while since he had been in the heat of an operation. Since the day had gotten exciting, he'd stick to what he knew best, tactics.
In order to decisively handle the situation he needed information. The girl behind him seemed confident. She had remained calm even with persian staring her down.
A wave of his hand called off the cat. " What happened?"
The girl gawked at him. " The pirates?! How did you miss that? Did you just wake up or something?"
It was a good rouse, so he rolled with it, " It was one hell of a night."
She stared back in disbelief. " It must have been."
She gestured to the door, then continued, " I hoped you and your girlfriend might have had a plan. How did you-? Never mind."
" We're a bit eccentric," Giovanni began, he stopped, this was getting them nowhere.
" So the ship was taken by pirates. Let me guess your hell-bent on stopping them?" he asked.
Bemused, she outlandishly countered, " Do I look like I'm crazy?"
Giovanni shrugged, the simple action forced her to continue, " No, I ventured out to see what they were up to. When I saw you I figured you two were up to something."
She was a demanding young lady and a bit impertinent. Perhaps a touch of etiquette could snap her out of it.
So he coldly leered back at her. " Is that what you demand from every stranger you've encountered?"
Her pupils dilated with a gasp. Calmly he watched her freeze, her breath slowed, and her eye's raced around the room.
He scrutinized her, but his interest waned. Her anxiety was typical and nothing out of the ordinary.
It was best to end it. To do that, he needed to reassure her to get the facts.
So he calmly broke their silence, " I suppose the given circumstance warrant's it. I don't blame you for your impertinence, I simply wanted to point it out."
It took her a moment to grasp the concept. When she had calmed down she readily sided with him, " Yeah."
Her acknowledgment of that fact allowed them to have a real conversation, something he was eager to start.
" So tell me, who are you?" he asked.
She gingerly obliged, " Felicity, Felicity Tatsu."
Her answer allowed her to vanquish any tension she had held on to. Then Giovanni introduced himself in turn, " Sakaki."
The introduction brought about his curiosity. Unfortunately, there were more pressing matters, so he continued, " I'm very fortunate to meet your acquaintance, Miss Tatsu, you got me out of a bad spot, thank you."
" Your welcome," Felicity accepted.
Then her brow raised in speculation. " So you had no idea the pirates boarded. Your night must have been epic because they've been here for almost two days."
He playfully worked with her assumption, " I think epic might be a bit of an understatement, but I'd rather not go into it."
Felicity's grin grew, she was bemused, to put it lightly. " I'd rather not ask anyway."
She rolled her eyes, then carried on, " They hijacked the ship because of a scanner on board, from what I've gathered it sound's like they're looking for Kyogre and a chamber of some kind."
" I wish I could say that was the worst of it. When they looted the cargo they took the museum pieces. Then they discovered my father's research-" she paused.
Her eyes drifted with her thoughts. The fear in her eyes grew with every second that passed.
" Research?" Giovanni pried.
" My father and I were in Galar researching the dynamax phenomenon the Region's known for. We were granted a large ore sample and twenty wishing stars by decree of the Galarian Parliament, but not everyone was for it-"
Her thoughts drifted once more, and a shake of her head helped her perceive, " There's this new company, Macros Cosmos, they're obsessed with the ore. So my father asked me to travel ahead of him to get the sample out of the Region."
Intrigued by the holes in her story, he asked, " So, you came all the way from Galar on a coastal cruise?"
Felicity was quick to give an explanation, " No, I accompanied it aboard the S.S. Libra then had it transferred."
That put things into perspective, but her story brought about another question, " Do you think they're looking for you?"
Felicity nodded. " Yeah, they did a role call yesterday, when they didn't find me their Captain ordered a search."
That could be dangerous, but he remained calm. " I see."
It was a serious matter, but an excellent opportunity for the team to get ahead. It could be a disaster if the pirates tried to use it.
The whole matter was precarious, it would be an interesting game to play.
Giovanni pondered over his options, after a moment, asked, " Would you like to help me stop them?"
" You mean save your girlfriend?" she countered.
" She's more of a friend," he corrected her.
" Ha!" Felicity mockingly objected.
" You want to take on the most notorious pirates of the sea to rescue a friend?" she shook her head in disbelief. " Give me a break."
" Alright," Giovanni began, he stopped to construct a lie.
" My partner Missy and I are with the Inter-Regional Police. We received a report about this vessel's hijacking and were sent to investigate."
" We arrived via pidgeot twenty minutes ago. The problem is Missy has our transmitter and we need it to call for backup."
Felicity almost jumped for joy. " Thank Arceus!"
When she calmed down, she asked, " Why didn't you say so sooner?"
" Because our mission was supposed to be covert," he explained.
Since Giovanni had the girl in his grasp, he needed to act. He was certain she would be of use to him.
He took the opportunity, " Before we get her back I need to do a sweep of the ship. I need to know who's on board and what we're up against."
Felicity's smile faded with her answer, " The Phantoms of the Sea."
The revelation invoked a youthful memory. Twenty years had passed since the event. He was merely a child, nothing like the man he was today.
It made his heart quake when he recalled the expedition. The team had been in search of fossils and the rumored isle of pink pokemon.
They were mid-mission when they spotted their vessel. Rather than confront the threat, the team retreated to a nearby cave.
The Phantoms of the Sea were thieves at best, and killers at worst. They went fond of anyone who dared to oppose them.
They're had been efforts to establish relations with the group, but every attempt had failed. The night they sent a messenger back as a corpse, they made their point clear.
Team Rocket was a force to be reckoned with, even back then. When the order to retreat was given, it could only have meant one thing, mother had met her match.
He didn't allow himself to linger with the affair. Missy was no dunce and he had years of experience with these kinds of affairs.
Confidence and decisiveness were the pillars of victory, and that was everything he needed to ensure it.
Giovanni spied her, then confidentially carried on, " It sound's like we've got our work cut out for us."
She glowered at him, then after a sigh, resigned, " I'd say you're our best shot."
It was a good start, but he knew he'd have to do better. With the information Felicity provided, they formulated a plan.
There wasn't much of a discussion to be had, their ideas were similar. After they figured out the details, they set off to execute it.
0*0*0
Meanwhile,
Missy huffed as they arrived at a stairwell. Not having a tardis was one thing, but her choice to cooperate didn't yield any exciting results.
The whole matter was starting to become bothersome. It was boring, but she had an inkling her patients would pay off.
If they hadn't been so busy on the radio, they might have searched her before they exited the corridor. It was bad news for them because she used every second to her advantage.
It was times like these that she was glad she had installed a deep pocket, the small pocket dimension came in handy.
She had installed it years ago. The begrudging task had been a prolonged and tiresome affair, but it had been worth it. At least when it came to these kinds of circumstances.
By the time they remembered to search her, she had stashed the remote and stowed away most of her things. Unfortunately, they got the vortex manipulator before she had time to unstrap it.
They hadn't a clue what it was, and it had been easy to talk them into believing it was a watch. Strangely, they never bothered with the umbrella.
Her real problem was the lack of pokemon. They had taken her purse. The only reason she still had ninetails was that they thought she was a fashion accessory.
This lot was trained, but they hadn't been the brightest. Neither had bothered to restrain her, that took the fun out of it.
Ninetails broke the silence, Why aren't we fighting them Mistress?
We're cooperating because we have to. All because a certain somebody got forced into a cabin, Missy recanted.
Ninetails grimaced, then voiced her discontent, We could have gone after them Mistress.
Missy disapproved and made no effort to hide it, Couldn't do that, would have put us all in this spot.
We could have taken them out as group Mistress, Ninetails protested.
Missy bit her lip and then pointed out a fact, Or gone down with the ship, they outnumber us.
After a puzzled glance, Ninetails replied, Mistress why are you forcing him to figure this out on his own?
That was his call. If Giovanni wanted to join us he would have. Trust me, he'll be fine, Missy reassured the fox.
Unwilling to hold back her optimism, she carried on, Now we've got this lot to deal with. The pirates are a strange bunch, and I'm determined to figure out why.
Ninetails peered back at her. Figure them out, Mistress?
Missy nudged at the closets. They look like they came from the seventeenth hundreds, what's not to figure out?
The fox shook her head and disagreed, I think you had it right at Larpers Mistress.
Their conversation ended when they arrived at D-Deck. Missy caught a glimpse of a sign, the water park was on this deck.
They turned and started towards the stern. Her captors stopped briefly to chat with a small patrol party, after filling them in, the group carried on.
A restaurant and arcade were a bit further down the hall. They rounded a bend, then arrived at the stained doors of The Harlequin Room.
A pair of burly pirates guarded the front. They said nothing but gave a hardy grunt. With a gesture, they directed the party to go inside.
Their actions made her sneer. Primitive pest.
The venue was Midevil in theme, with a stonework bar opposite a stage. The woodwork and regal elements were striking, but a panorama window brought the place to life.
It would have been a more tasteful place if cargo boxes and loot hadn't been strone about.
The sacks of pokeballs needed to go. Her view would have been a hell of a lot better if someone hadn't blocked it.
He wasn't a big man, but his physique was daunting. He gazed at the ocean as tho it was a good magazine.
When his men saluted they addressed him as Captain. It swept him away from his transfection.
The Captain went out of his way to look the part. He wore a red captain's jacket and elegant black attire.
A rapier and blunderbuss were holstered to his side which put him over the top but completed the look.
His long gray hair was tied back, a gote for a beard, and black eyes that glared back at her. There was no mistaking it, the man looked like he just stepped off a movie set.
The Captain's eyes softened when he got a better look at her, then he gruffly asked, " She's the stowaway?"
" Aye Captain," one of her captures confirmed, he presented the Captain with her purse.
The Captain nodded, then took her bag and tossed it into a crate. " Leave us."
When they scurried off, he spied her. " Stowaway eh? Most elegant stowaway I've ever seen."
His vain effort to flatter her was concerning, but she remained cordial, " There's a load of empty cabins on board. I found one I liked, and went on a holiday."
Perplexed, he put his thumb to his chin. " You broke into a cabin and claimed it. Yer a classy criminal."
Missy forced a smile and remained casual, " I wouldn't go about it any other way."
Her answer seemed to warm him up, he offered his hand. " You have my admiration for it, Captain Victor Kevorkian."
She gingerly took it. " Missy."
Victor abruptly let go and gestured to a table at the window. " Care to join me?"
There was something deeply wrong about his illusion of choice, but she needed to keep the act up. " At one of the best seats stearnside, Captain, I'm flattered."
Pleased by her cooperation, he made a request, " Go on up, I'll find us a bottle of rum."
She put a spring in her step when she set off. By the time she parked at the table, she must have seemed light-hearted to him.
That was far from the truth. With every action, she concealed the spite that brooded in her mind.
Ninetails broke her train of thought, He's a bit romantic Mistress.
Missy eyed the Captain as he entered the bar. He's a hopeless one.
Ninetails took her lead and spied on the Captain. The very least he could do is be tactful about trying to take your hearts Mistress.
This is more like an enforced curtsy, I'm not having it. If he wants me hearts he'll have to rip them out of me, Missy replied.
Ninetails heaved at the thought. I didn't mean it like that Mistress.
Her lips twisted, but she held back. Of course not, but I have a hard time taking any of this seriously.
Ninetails watched him search the bar. They're a passionate group of thugs Mistress, but I don't think leading him on is going to help us much.
I'm just having a bit of fun, she objected.
Missy bit her lip, it wasn't her companion's fault for not understanding these things. She waited for the fox to protest, but it never came.
In praise, she rolled her fingers through the fox's fur while she reinforced her self-confidence, Dating a discount Captain Hook's just not me thing.
Ninetails relaxed with her caress. He does seem a bit eccentric for the eighties. Perhaps a television program inspired him Mistress.
I can only hope it's that simple, Missy agreed.
She hummed when another thought came to mind. I wonder if his picture's gonna be on that bottle.
Ninetails buried her head into her fur, but couldn't hide her laughter, Mistress.
Alas, Victor grunted in triumph, before he snatched a bottle. There wasn't a Captain on the label and that was probably for the best.
He snatched a pair of cups and joined her. " Backfields Hundred Year Reserve."
Victor broke the bottle's seal and poured them each a glass. " The finest rum this ship has."
Missy tenderly took the cup. " What should we drink too?"
Her inquiry brought about a grin. " Kyogre and its treasure below the sea."
She wasn't much of a drinker but took a sip to toast. The drink was smooth and had a rich taste of burnt sugar and vanilla caught her by surprise.
Since they toasted to a pokemon, she wondered if that was a pirate custom.
Victor had already caught onto her uncertainty, " Ya seem puzzled?"
Missy set the glass down, then asked, " I don't normally toast to pokemon or sea treasure, is that a pirate custom?"
The look in his eyes was dull and speculative. " It's a celebratory one."
Her brow raised at the ambiguity, after a gesture to the cargo, she said, " This is a pretty good plunder, I dunno about trying for Kyogre tho, seems a bit foolish."
They stared at one another. After a moment, she realized she had made some sort of heinous miscalculation.
Instead of giving herself away, she chose to remain cool. There still might be a way around the folly.
Victor took a long drink, and when he set the glass down, got serious, " It's a toast to the upcoming plunder. I thought I was very clear about our intentions after we took the ship."
It seemed like he was trying to corner her, but he could also be a blunt man. " I never said you weren't. I was merely curious."
The Captain didn't believe her act, his hostility was clear, " It's what you're curious about that gets me."
Missy spied him, Victor had put on a good show. She didn't know what he was getting at.
So she spoke her mind, " Your whole crew seems out of place for this day and age."
He scowled at the notion. " What made you think so?"
There were plenty, so many she started a rant, " Oh, I don't know."
" Let's start with your struggle to fit in, the grunting, your attire's a couple of hundred years out of date. Sailors and Pirate Captains stopped dressing like that ages ago."
He flicked his leppelle. " Good fashion never dies."
" But language is subject to change," Missy countered.
" Aye," Victor agreed, he rubbed his chin. " Shot the last person who said that to me."
He poured himself another drink. " I've regretted that choice for nearly three years."
Missy was taken aback by his brute honesty. Unsure of what to do, she asked, " Do you remember what brought you here?"
Victor took a long drink, then began to tell his story, " We was sailing the Coast of Poni Isle in pursuit of a convoy returning to Paldea. We planned to attack an hour before dawn, but the Gods had other plans fer us."
" The seas were quiet that night, but the sky was restless. Thunderbolts leaped in the clouds, the illumination did us no good. The crew had to keep falling back to stay out of their vantage."
" We kept them in our sight and steadily followed them out to sea. I'd say it was around three in the morning when the waves turned against us."
" Dealing with waves is easy, but fighting a tempest is fer fools. The ocean turned, and the winds became perilous. We were no match fer it. The storm cast us out, but the sea showed us mercy and we struck a reef. Our plunder was gone, but our lives were spared."
" We rejoiced, then waited fer the tide to take us. While the storm raged on, a hole opened in the heavens. Swallowed us up like a wailord, we all succumbed inside that devoid pit. When we woke up we had washed up on shore and found ourselves in a different world."
Victor set his drink aside, then leaned over the table. " You're not who I thought you was, but yer story doesn't add up. The ship's booked lass."
Missy looked him in the eye. " Someone must have canceled."
He exchanged the look. " I ain't buying the Galarian act either."
She scoffed in protest, " Galarian! I'm more of a Crown Tundra girl, get over it."
Victor snarled and fell back into his chair, and grumbled, " Yar, we're ya taken from your own time too?"
He wasn't wrong about that, but she choose to be vague, " No, I just know how to get around. Freezington girls are infamous for it."
" Get around?" Victor asked.
" I have yet to be taken, but I've traveled through time before," she plainly answered.
The Captain grew quiet, held his drink, and pondered over words. She kept her cool, no matter what he said next the best arguments were always the unexpected ones.
Ninetails watched him closely. Well, this has gotten weird. Mistress, what are you trying to do?
I'm working on it, Missy captiously replied.
The fox had caught Victor's eye. " Where did you get a pokemon like that?"
Tenderly, she brushed her fingers along the fox's fur. " She was a lucky catch."
" I'm sure she was," Victor muttered, he had started to calm down.
He analyzed her movements and when he seemed sure of himself, he carried on, " The myths of sailors lost in the Alolan Sea have been told for nearly a millennia, but history suggests there may be others who've traversed the years as well."
Missy confidently pried into the matter, " So I take it you've heard tales of The Mistress?"
" Aye," he admitted. " Traveled by the will of the Gods she did."
He spied them, then said, " You said you get around time, no, The Mistress was a warrior. I think you're more of a crook."
Victor's stare had gone stale, his mood turned sour. " I don't take kindly to other smugglers being on board, but ya claim to be someone who traverses through time, I've met your lot before."
Missy rejected the insinuation, " I'm an independent woman. So, I take it you've encountered Team Flare as well?"
" Aye, they said they'd help us get back if we removed the Guardian of The Sealed Chamber. They wanted no part of it, said they needed to keep their hands clean," Victor explained.
That's terrible Mistress-
Missy abruptly stopped her, Tell me in a bit.
He grinned as his confidence grew. " I think that'll be for the best. I've heard tales about a treasure being down there."
His revelation brought about an interesting concept, but she put it aside and carried on, " So you made a pact?"
" That we did," he answered. " They told us the Rocket Gang might come to challenge us once more."
Victor shrugged as he took another look at her. " They mentioned an elite agent with a shiny ninetails. Yer smart lass, but I'm not fooled."
Missy had heard enough of it, so she gave in, " Good game."
" Aye, very good game," Victor concurred. " Told me they were looking for ya. Don't worry lass, we need not tell them you came."
Missy struggled with his implication, particularly about not ripping his head off at that very moment.
Thankfully, the restaurant door burst open. A blond-haired man, dressed in blue had rushed into the room.
He loudly stated the news, " Captain, we're twenty miles south of the chamber!"
The gruff young man looked at them as he approached. " Still no sign of Kyorgre thoe."
" It'll turn up," Victor grumbled.
Reassured, he took his drink and toasted at the man. " I'm happy to hear the news."
" I'll leave-"
" No reason to!" Victor interjected.
He thumbed at his company, " This here's Missy, just found out she's with the Rocket Gang."
His jaw dropped in light of the news. " I take it they never got the message."
Victor shrugged with indifference. " It's better they didn't, we just got one of their time travelers."
Missy crossed her arms in defense, then muttered, " More like kidnapped."
The Captain readily defended himself, " Don't take it so hard lass. I think after a few months you'll be right at home with the crew."
Victor gestured to the man as he left the table. " The lad over there's Galen, me first mate. I'll let you two get acquainted while I set the sails."
Galen parked himself in the empty seat. " I'll keep me eye on her Captain."
Victor nodded in acknowledgment, then he paraded out the door. The first mate hardly paid his departure any attention. Galen did what he was told a bit to well.
He glanced at the bottle, then made a cheeky remark, " Tasty rum, a beautiful woman, and a shiny pokemon. I'm liking this already."
Ninetails stare slowly morphed into a look of despise. Would this be the time to roast him Mistress?
It would be, but no, he's mine, she replied.
Missy let out a heavy sigh, this whole affair had turned into a nightmare. With her question's answered, she wanted to get him out of the way.
Missy brooded, her eyes narrowed at the problem. Shooting him was out of the question, it would make things too tricky. So she did the next best thing.
Her eye's embraced him as he explored her natural beauty. When they met, she took over his mind.
Galen was a simple man and immediately submitted to hypnotism. Missy directed him to stare out the window and pay no attention to her.
While he mindlessly followed the command, she snatched her purse and reclaimed her things.
She left the bag in the box, grabbed the remote, and started a text message to Giovanni.
*O*O*
Meanwhile, on A Deck,
Giovanni didn't like to admit it, but he and Felicity made a good team. For someone so young, she knew how to get a job done.
Every time they entered a new cabin she'd get the passengers to hear them put. Her tips about how to avoid the pirates were helpful.
They were making remarkable progress. Of course, it had been easy for the passengers to get behind the idea since they thought the Inter-Regional Police were involved.
The second order of business was to send others to spread the news. Everything he had observed led him to believe that word of their plan had started to spread. That had its disadvantages, like a fire, it would soon be out of his control.
Giovanni's phone buzzed, and he found himself reluctant to look at the text message. People didn't have cell phones in that era.
The realization brought an interesting question, what would people refer to it as? Would they notice it?
Giovanni took a gander, if anyone asked he would refer to it as a classified short-range communication device.
That settled it, he set his calls to silent. If anyone needed him they already knew to send a text message.
He unlocked his phone, Missy had sent a wall of text.
Ahoy! -
Evidently, the pirates weren't madmen or a bunch of dedicated roleplayers. They were the real deal, and it explained a lot.
They seemed to lack experience. They had left her with the loot, but their folly was his gain.
Team Flare was somewhat involved, but somehow that wasn't a surprise. He wondered what the Sealed Cavern had to do with this.
His phone buzzed, a new message had arrived.
Oh, and Team Flare's told them there's Time Traveler with a shiny pokemon in the Rocket Gang. Figured me out quicker than a crossword on Sunday. How's the cruise life?
Giovanni lost his ponder, his memories were conflicted again. This wasn't a good time to recall missions or reports.
Instead, he'd use his energy elsewhere and texted her back.
Cruise life's not all it's cracked up to be. What's your location?
It took her less than a moment to answer.
D-Deck, stern side, I'm in The Harliquen Room. If you're coming down, I'd bring some help, the ship's loaded with pirates.
Giovanni let out a sigh, then replied.
While you were out having fun, I got to know the mystery girl. Felicity and I are preparing to take back the ship. A small group of passengers has allied with us.
He waited for her to reply, but couldn't keep ignoring his surroundings. He looked over and sure enough, Felicity had noticed. The girl was blatantly confused but captivated by the technology.
When Felicity caught his gaze, she got ahold of herself. " What are you doing? What is that?"
Giovanni didn't skip a beat, " Short-range communication device."
Felicity gawked in confusion. " A what?!"
Giovanni turned off the screen. " It's classified. I just got word from Missy, she's on D-Deck along with the loot and stolen pokemon."
The passengers didn't seem to care, they cheered when they heard the news.
He got the impression that she had more questions but felt confident she wouldn't ask any of them.
He was right, Felicity stammered, before she dropped the matter. Annoyed and defeated, she defensively crossed her arms.
The fuss was short-lived. " Good to know, too bad we're short-handed."
He agreed with that, but his phone buzzed again. After an eager click, he read the text message.
That's great! Can you get down here?
Giovanni pondered the request. They had dodged multiple patrols to get this far. To spite their efforts it was too early for him to make a move.
That settled it, so he replied.
I don't have enough people to make a move. You're going to need to sit tight.
Her response came almost instantly.
Stick with the treasure, no problem, but I've got dibs.
After a glance, he was inspired to delete it. Missy's claim settled nothing, but it was a good opportunity to get something else done. So, he texted her back.
If the garchompite is there take it when you get the chance.
Missy promptly replied.
Somebody's being bossy. I'm on it.
Giovanni bit his lip, there was a bigger picture, and many more important things for him to keep in mind.
There was no need for him to get splenetic. After all, it was a simple exchange of words. Still, he'd put an end to it.
Thank You
That meant their mission was complete, but there was a lot that could be gained from this. With things as they were, it was best to keep going.
He put his phone away and informed the passengers about what he had just learned.
Then added a step to the plan. Getting everyone's pokemon back was very important for a successful operation.
He asked once more if there were any questions, but none came. He was ready to move on. Felicity was ready to as well.
Persian sat by the door confidently, the pokemon had relaxed his guard. The cat had a peculiar way of assuring him that no one was in the hallway.
They were on their way out when the ship groaned. It was eerie and caused them to stop. The dull reverberations that followed were haunting.
Over the course of a few minutes, the ship had changed course. When things settled down, they moved along.
0*0*0
Missy discarded the message and leered at the plunder. She wondered what else the cargo consisted of, so she opened a box, and then another.
An unholy wail stopped her cold. It wasn't a pleasant sound, she would have said it foretold the future, but it would have been redundant.
The ship's frame creaked, and the fixtures gently shifted while the ship changed course.
The disruption was short-lived, and soon after, her treasure hunt resumed.
She'd gone through more than half the boxes by the time she found the mega stones. She plucked the Garchompite and keystone from its case and put them in her pocket.
The mission was complete, but there was so much more to be gained from this. So, she started to catalog the booty.
As she poked around, Ninetails brought up her concerns, Mistress what the Captain wants to do is dangerous.
She closed a crate, then asked, How so?
Ninetails quivered at the question. The Treasure of The Sealed Cavern keeps a deadly force at bay.
Missy raised a brow. Do you know what kind of energy is, or what its source might be?
Ninetails shook her head. No, the Celestilites did, but they choose to confine it.
Missy made her way to another crate and mused, Sounds like it might be radiant. If it is, well, I dunno. I suppose we'll have to get a look at it.
Ninetails nodded. If they try to get ahold of it, they won't be able to control it. No one could that's why it's sealed away. If they unlock it everything in the Region will die Mistress.
The pokemon was insecure she recanted, so she did her best to reassure the fox, It's not doomsday just yet, and I'm not about to let them get a step ahead of us.
It worked, and Ninetails was overcome with relief. Thank you Mistress.
Missy stepped over to a rectangular box. Now let's see what's inside box number twenty-two.
She dug through a crate of fossils, another filled with evolution stones, and discovered a hieroglyphic panel. There was a collection of boxes that held the remains of a pokemon that resembled a dragon.
The next was filled with metallic ore. After a wave of her screwdriver, she learned that it had come from Galar.
The discovery warranted a second check, and sure enough, there were wishing stars close by. She found the box and cracked it open, the garnett-like stone was a bit dull.
Wishing pieces and power spots allowed pokemon to dynamax, any pokemon could turn into a titan. The effect only lasted for a couple of minutes, but it had potential.
She picked up a stone, then another to compare with. Both were warm to the touch. The longer she held them the more splendor they revealed.
Mistress! Ninetails called out.
The pokemon had her back, she hadn't noticed the ruckus outside. The Captain must have been back.
With that, she shut the crate, then pocketed the stones. Missy kept her step light as she sprinted to Galen's side.
Missy instructed Galen to keep it simple and tell The Captain nothing. She arrived at her seat in the nick of time.
The door flung open, joyfully, Victor made an announcement, " We'll be there in less than an hour!"
She coyly looked back at him. " In the cavern or at the bottom of the ocean?"
" The Sealed Chamber's at the bottom of the ocean," he explained while he returned to the table.
Missy gawked at the revelation. " That's going to make for an interesting trip."
The Captain shook his head no. " There's an entrance on the island lass."
Galen was too quiet, so she forced him to speak, " I'm looking forward to the battle."
It seemed like the rum had done the leg work for her because Victor went along with it.
The Captain poured himself another drink. Then started to boast of his plans and tactics. It was going to be a very long hour.
So she got comfortable, keeping up the banter should be simple enough. Still, she hoped that the Captain had more interesting tales to tell.