Back where we left off, Clyde, Cristina, Ronnie Anne, Carlota and the Trainerbot stared in shock as the woman known as Mrs. Shrinivas glared at them with a look of disapproval.
"It's you!" Clyde exclaimed. "You're the madwoman who's trying to bring back Mary Sue!"
"Bring Mary Sue back? Is that really what you think I'm doing?" Mrs. Shrinivas looked at her nails. "You really think that after living through the Originality Wars and seeing the chaos that both that witch and the Index System has caused, I'd bring back an actual madwoman who's intent on wiping everyone and everything out?"
Clyde winced. "Wait, but, is that not what you're planning?"
"My plan has always been simple: topple the Index System and wipe it and its tight grip on Royal Woods out of existence," the woman sternly stated. "Mary Sue's revival has nothing to do with that."
"But the video..." Ronnie Anne took a step back. "
"It is true that I helped Nurse Sue with her investigation of Mary Sue, but I was simply using her to advance my own agenda," Mrs. Shrinivas smiled. "After all, even I have to admit that while bringing Mary Sue back is a bad idea, her power could be used to achieve my endgame."
"Her power?" Cristina blurted.
Mrs. Shrinivas folded her arms and began walking back and forth. "One of the most notable traits about Mary Sue was the fact that thanks to her Cliche, also named Mary Sue funnily enough, she could do anything anybody could do; Fly? Shoot beams? Transform? Understand all languages? You name it, she could do it."
Mrs. Shrinivas stopped. "And it is this power that brought forth a god complex. A belief that she was stronger than everyone else. Better than everyone else. And with this belief came a desire for power. A desire for control. And so, she brought forth and created a system that allowed her to do just that."
Carlota's eyes widened. "Then that means-"
"Mary Sue created the Index System. And so, no matter how arrogant or assured the current heads are, they will always be subservient to Mary Sue," Mrs. Shrinivas sighed. "Ergo, the only way to topple it beyond repair, is with Mary Sue. Or at least, a being close to Mary Sue's power."
Mrs. Shrinivas clenched her fist. "That is my real plan. To create an entity, no, an army, with power close to Mary Sue, with multiple Cliches that allows them to bypass the security of the Index System. And these Cliches also being strong enough that, no matter what the heads think, they'll have to submit to this army's power."
"Do you seriously believe that an army of overpowered tools is going to help you topple the Index System?" Ronnie Anne asked sternly. "The Council of the Index System is filled with people with egos the size of jupiter; they'll never submit to anybody!"
"Yes, but what you don't understand is that for the Index System, power is everything," Mrs. Shrinivas faced the group. "And as strong as they are, they only have one Cliche each. When forced to confront an army of multiple Cliches, even they will have to swallow their pride and submit to the greater authority."
Cristina narrowed her eyes. "You're insane. That's-"
"9834."
The group paused and winced, exchanging confused looks while Mrs. Shrinivas flashed a cocky grin.
"What was that?" Clyde asked.
"Children, you have to understand one thing; I hold one of the first Cliches in existence, Eternal Youth. Though Eternal Adulthood would be more fitting since I only became ageless after becoming an adult, but that's besides the point," the woman shrugged. "Thing is, I'm much older than I look, and I've been through several events and heard all the possible phrases you could be thinking of saying."
"We'll be the judge of that!" Ronnie Anne stated, pointing at the woman.
"2746."
Clyde winced. "You won't get away with this!"
"16794-"
"FUCK YOU!"
Everybody gasped and stared at Cristina, who glared at the woman as she looked surprised... then began counting with her fingers.
"Let's see, one, two, three..." Mrs. Shrinivas raised an eyebrow and tilted her head. "Wait, how do you count up to 5,476,985 again?"
Cristina summoned her bow and arrow and shot an energy arrow at Mrs. Shrinivas, only for the arrow to be deflected elsewhere by an unexpected arrival. A Trainerbot that promptly flew down to Mrs. Shrinivas' side.
"Did you really think I wouldn't come prepared?"
The woman snapped her fingers, and several more Trainerbots arrived, most by using their jets to land safely, while another one teleported straight into view. And the Trainerbot with the group flinching as Lisa's voice exclaimed:
"Wait, those are-!"
"Indeed, they are the Trainerbots that I requested you to use for your family's training," Mrs. Shrinivas smiled cockily. "I figured you would've caught on prior to this moment in time, even gave you a little headstart, but alas, you disappoint me once more. Then again, what did I expect from a mere Mad Scientist?"
The Trainerbot aimed their buster cannon at the woman. "Why you-!"
But before they could shoot their attack, the teleporting Trainerbot appeared behind them and slammed their arm through their chest, taking out their equivalent of a heart while the group gasped and the woman quipped:
"Too slow."
The teleporting Trainerbot crushed the robotic heart, the Trainerbot sent with the team deactivated before the teleporting Trainerbot teleported away, shortly before it blew up, sending the group flying back. It was then that Carlota transformed into her vehicle form and opened her doors.
"Everybody get in!" Clyde exclaimed. "There's no way we can win this fight!"
The trio got inside, with the vehicle driving off as fast as she could while Mrs. Shrinivas took a few steps forward and folded her arms behind her back.
"How cute, they think I'm gonna let them go after snooping around this facility." the woman snapped her fingers. "Trainerbots, ensure they don't leave this place. Capture them alive, if necessary."
The Trainerbots chased after the fleeing vehicle, while the woman walked back to the computer and input some codes that brought up an alarming message:
"DELETE ALL FILES? YES OR NO?"
Lisa slammed her fist against a keyboard as the screen in front of her and Lily showed a bunch of static, and "Connection Terminated" in bold letters.
"Dammit! I can't believe Mrs. Shrinivas outsmarted me!"
"I can believe it."
Lisa turned to Lily with an annoyed expression. "Thank you, sister, for such encouraging words."
"We're dealing with a person who's been around since before the Index System, and who has lived long enough to see everything unfold," Lily argued. "It's only natural that we'll encounter some bumps into the road, but there's still a chance to set everything right."
"How?!" Lisa snapped. "The group's unlikely to come out of this unscathed, and even if they do, Mrs. Shrinivas isn't going to sit by and let them reveal everything! The Trainerbots will stop them!"
Lily smirked. "Aren't the Trainerbots connected to the database?"
Lisa's eyes widened... then she shook her head. "No, there's no way the database would be left unguarded. Mrs. Shrinivas must've left someone to guard it-"
"Someone that can be taken care of if you use your power again," Lily pointed out. "After all, even if it is the Head of Termination, she would pale in comparison if you-"
"No."
Lily's eyes widened as Lisa actually showed emotion, looking visibly troubled as she clenched her fists.
"I... I can't do that, Lily. I can't use that power again after what happened last time."
Lily sighed. "I understand you're conflicted about using it, especially against someone of the Index System once more, but desperate situations require desperate measures, and this is a situation of complete desperation."
Lily moved her robot arms to make Lisa face her.
"If we lose, then not only the Index System, but all of Royal Woods could be wiped out! If we want to protect not only our city, but our family, we have to take risks, and in this case, Lisa..."
Lisa gulped as Lily took a deep breath, and stated:
"You must go Mad once more."
