Chapter 8: Dragon of Ice
After suffering a brutal defeat from Ash, Ho-Oh, and Mewtwo, Noir Mask had retreated east to the caves of Mt. Motar. Deep and dark were the caves of Mt. Motar, but Noir Mask did not mind the darkness at all. In fact Noir Mask was rather partial to the dampness and the darkness of the caves, and it was the perfect place to hide out while she tended to the wounds of Zoroark and Darkrai. After managing to start a small fire in order to see, Noir Mask began treating the wounds of her two Pokemon using supplies that she brought with her every time she went out into the field. Noir Mask had even done what she seldom did and removed her trademark mask to make sure she could see what she was doing.
“There, I think that should do it.” Noir Mask said as she applied medicine to Darkrai’s burns. The burns healed within a matter of seconds. “Feeling better Darkrai?” Darkrai’s only response was to nod a few times. Noir Mask gave a sigh of relief. “Good, I was worried. That was the last of my Burn Heals, and I wasn’t sure if it would be enough. Those burns from the Sacred Fire attack looked really awful. How ‘bout you Zoroark, are you feeling better?”
Zoroark responded by growling happily and trotting over from where it was sitting and licked Noir Mask on the face a couple times. That display of affection clearly showed that it was in much better condition than it was after losing to Misty and Suicune.
“Well you’re obviously better.” Noir Mask laughed. “That’s great, but the downside to all this is that our target got away. Giovanni isn’t going to like this.”
Zoroark and Darkrai both gave Noir Mask a concerned look. They could clearly see the troubled expression on Noir Mask’s face.
“Hey, don’t worry.” Noir Mask said as reassuringly as she could. “We’ve served Team Rocket pretty well in the past. I’m sure Giovanni will take that into account. He may not punish us for just one mistake.”
Suddenly Noir Mask’s phone began to ring, startling both her and her two Pokemon companions. Noir Mask took a deep breath before answering the phone.
“Noir Mask here.” She said in her usual confident tone.
“What is your progress?” Giovanni asked from the other end of the phone.
“I’m afraid I have lost track of Mr. Blaze sir.” Noir Mask reported somewhat nervously. “He got to Ecruteak City, and then Ash Ketchum interfered.”
“Ketchum you say?” Giovanni asked in a somewhat surprised tone. “…Well then it’s understandable that you lost the target. In any case it no longer matters. Carson can handle the pursuit of Mr. Blaze for the time being. Right now I have a much more important assignment for you. Report back to the base as soon as possible.”
“Understood sir.” Noir Mask replied before hanging up the phone. She then turned back to Zoroark and Darkrai “Strange, for some reason it seems that Giovanni always gets skittish when Ketchum is involved. It was like that ten years ago too. Well, I guess it doesn’t matter.” She said as she put her mask back on. “Right now we need to get back to HQ.”
* * *
Some time later, Noir Mask entered Giovanni’s office with Zoroark once again following behind her. As usual, Giovanni was at his desk, but right away Noir Mask noticed someone else in the room. Sitting in front of the desk was a man with pale skin, black hair, and a beard, wearing a white suit with a blue tie. In his right hand the man held the end of a cane, though it was not the type of cane used to aid in walking.
“Ah Noir Mask, once again you are prompt as usual.” Giovanni greeted. “I would like you to meet an associate of mine, Calvin Winters.”
Giovanni’s visitor got up from his chair and shook Noir Mask’s hand.
“It is a pleasure to meet you my dear.” Calvin said to Noir Mask. “Giovanni has told me much about the work you’ve done.”
“Mr. Winters is the one who asked us to recruit Mr. Blaze into our experimental program.” Giovanni explained.
“I see. Then I apologize for letting him escape Mr. Winters.” Noir Mask responded.
“It’s quite alright.” Calvin told her. “While I would’ve preferred that Mr. Blaze remained in the custody of your fine organization, he is still of little concern to me. I have made very sure that what he seeks is far out if his reach. Besides, your talents are wasted on such a trivial mission.”
“Calvin has come with a proposal that would require our best resources.” Giovanni said as Noir Mask and Calvin sat down.
“What’s the mission?” Noir Mask asked.
“Tell me my dear, are you familiar with the Legendary Dragons of the Unova Region?” Calvin asked.
“I’m afraid not.” Noir Mask answered.
“Then allow me to enlighten you.” Calvin said with a sinister smile. “In the distant past of the Unova Region, there was a powerful Dragon Pokemon that served the two brothers who united the kingdom of Unova. For a time there was prosperity, but like most siblings the two brothers began to argue over how the kingdom should be ruled. There conflict was so great that it not only divided the kingdom, but also the great Dragon Pokemon who served them. One of the parts of that Pokemon became Reshiram, the white dragon of truth, and served the older brother. Another part became Zekrom, the black dragon of ideals, and served the younger brother.
“But there is another part of this legend that is not well known in the Unova Region. It seems that there was a third Pokemon created when the original dragon split. A sort of remnant of what the original dragon once was. That dragon is known as Kyurem, and one could say that it is the embodiment of nothingness.”
“Perhaps it is time we take a look at the data that you provided for us Calvin.” Giovanni interrupted.
The motorized drapes in the office closed and the room went dark. Moments later a blue hologram of a Pokemon Noir Mask had not seen before appeared above the desk. The Pokemon in question looked to be a dragon. It had a long neck and stood on two legs, but its arms were not very well developed. Its face appeared to be armored by what looked like shards of ice. The right wing of the Pokemon the hologram depicted looked as if it had been broken off, and its tail looked like a damaged engine component of some kind.
“Kyurem is very unique in that it is an Ice-Type Pokemon in addition to being a dragon.” Calvin continued as he pointed his cane up at the hologram. “And as far as Ice Pokemon go, its freezing powers are unparalleled. I’m sure that both of you are aware that a good part of Unova has frozen over recently. Many scientists are unable to explain the phenomenon, but my own researchers and several other sources at my disposal all tell me that Kyurem is responsible. I assume Giovanni my old friend you can comprehend what we could achieve if we harnessed this power for ourselves.”
“Yes, we could hold the world for ransom, crush any opposition that stands in our way.” Giovanni observed.
“We could reshape the Pokemon world to our own design.” Calvin added.
“So I assume our objective then is to retrieve Kyurem.” Noir Mask interrupted.
“That is correct,” Calvin confirmed, “but it is a little more complicated than that. My company has been unable to pinpoint Kyurem’s exact location, but I have learned of a group that might know, Team Plasma.”
“I’ve heard reports about them from a few of my agents in Unova.” Giovanni interjected. “That last reports said that they had split into two factions that are at odds with each other.”
“That’s right, and one of those factions knows the exact location of Kyurem.” Calvin revealed. “My sources have located one of their bases. Hopefully by infiltrating it we should be able to find out where to look.”
“So I’m guessing that I’m the one you have in mind to raid the base.” Noir Mask observed. “Should be an easy enough job.”
“That was my thinking.” Calvin told her. “After that it should be relatively easy to capture Kyurem.”
“Hmm… I find this little proposal of yours intriguing Calvin.” Giovanni said after a moment. “Very well, you and Noir Mask may take one of our airships to Unova for the operation.”
“Thank you my old friend.” Calvin said looking very pleased.
* * *
The next day aboard a Team Rocket airship heading for the Unova Region, a young female Rocket grunt named Lucy headed down the corridor to Noir Mask’s quarters. Lucy had been given the unpleasant task of informing Noir Mask that they were nearing their destination. Lucy got to the door and took a big gulp before hitting the intercom button.
“What is it?” Noir Mask’s voice asked over the intercom in an irritated tone.
“Um, Agent Noir Mask ma’am, I have some very important news from the bridge.” Lucy stated nervously. “It’s urgent that I tell you.”
“Fine, come on in.” Noir Mask sighed.
The automatic door slid open to reveal a dimly lit room. Lucy walked in to find Houndoom lying near the door. The fiery hound growled at Lucy as she walked in. Not long after that, Lucy noticed Zoroark standing nearby. Moments later Noir Mask walked out of the bathroom wearing nothing but her mask and a pink towel. Her hair was wet, indicating that she had just gotten out of the shower.
“Well what’s so important?” Noir Mask asked impatiently.
“Well, uh…” Lucy began. “Do you… bathe with your mask on?”
“Is that all you came down here to ask me?” Noir Mask snapped. Zoroark and Houndoom growled at Lucy in response.
“Ah, of course not ma’am!” Lucy replied frantically. “I came to inform you that we will be nearing the Team Plasma base in fifteen minutes.”
“I see.” Noir Mask said as she crossed her arms over her chest. “And you couldn’t have told me this over the intercom?”
“O-of course, I should’ve done that ma’am!” Lucy realized. “Please forgive me for needlessly disturbing you.”
“Just go.” Noir Mask told her. Lucy left the room as quickly as she could. “So, fifteen minutes, huh? I was hoping to get a nap in before we got there. But I guess that’s not going to happen. Oh well, it’s not like I would’ve slept well anyway.”
* * *
Fifteen minutes later, Noir Mask had left the airship flying on Hydreigon’s back. They approached the base, which looked like a harmless wooden shack with a red roof. But Noir Mask knew that such appearances could be deceiving. Hydreigon fired several black energy rings from its mouths, blowing a huge hole in the roof. Noir Mask and Hydreigon went through the hole. The inside seemed like an ordinary old shack, but again Noir Mask knew that there was more to the building than there seemed to be.
After getting off Hydreigon, Noir Mask called it back and sent out Zoroark. She and the monster fox looked around until Noir Mask spied a metal trap door on the floor. Zoroark’s claws began to glow bright red and it soon slashed through the metal door. Noir Mask and Zoroark then entered the basement level of the cover base. As they walked down the corridor, several Team Plasma members wearing grey and black military uniforms that looked similar to the uniforms worn by Team Rocket soon met them.
“Halt, or we’ll be forced to take you out!” a male Team Plasma soldier commanded as he and his comrades took out their Pokeballs.
“Night Daze Zoroark.” Noir Mask commanded.
Zoroark began glowing with a red aura and raised its arms. It then quickly slamed its arms back down to the ground and sent out a tidal wave of red energy that knocked the Team Plasma members to the ground. Noir Mask and Zoroark continued on, stepping over the knocked out soldiers as they did so. When they came to the end of the corridor, Zoroark slashed open the metal door. Inside was a small lab manned by a single scientist with long grey hair and pale skin that suggested that he had not been out in the sun for quite some time.
“Who are you?” the scientist demanded to know.
“I am Noir Mask, a special agent of Team Rocket.” Noir Mask stated. “And I have come for the location of Kyurem.”
“What makes you think you can find that here?” the scientist asked.
“We have sources that tell us this faction of Team Plasma is after Kyurem.” Noir Mask told him in a somewhat impatient tone. “Now talk, or else things will get ugly.”
Zoroark then roared at the scientist to show that Noir Mask meant business. Right away the scientist caved.
“Very well, I’ll tell you what you want to know.” The frightened scientist told her. “We have located Kyurem at a place called the Giant Chasm. In a few weeks we at Team Plasma will be able to capture him.”
“Then my organization better hurry up.” Noir Mask commented. As she was about to leave, she noticed a pointed metal object of the table behind the scientist. It had a grey base with a gold handle, while the pointed part was black with a white strip in the middle. “What is that thing?”
“You mean this?” the scientist asked as an insane grin came to his face. “That my dear is the DNA Link Pin, a device created to make Kyurem whole again.”
“What do you mean?” Noir Mask asked.
“Surly you know of the legend that states that Kyurem is a remnant of the dragon Reshiram and Zekrom were in the distant past.” The scientist explained. “This device has been created to reintegrate one of the two dragons into Kyurem. In short, it can merge Kyurem together with one of the dragons, filling it with truth or ideals. Our plan after capturing Kyurem is to acquire the black dragon used by the leader of our faction’s rival and merge it together with Kyurem, thus filling Kyurem with the ideals of the true Team Plasma!”
“How twisted.” Noir Mask commented as she pulled out a certain Pokeball. “Go Darkrai!”
Darkrai emerged from its Pokeball, causing the scientist to back away in terror.
“Experience my hell.” Noir Mask said to the scientist coldly. “Dark Void!”
Darkrai threw a ball of black energy at the scientist, causing him to fall to the ground asleep. It was clear from looking at the mad scientist that he was trapped in a horrible nightmare. Meanwhile Noir Mask grabbed the DNA Link Pin from the table.
“I don’t think it would be a good idea to leave this thing in the hands of these maniacs.” Noir Mask commented.
* * *
A bit later, Noir Mask had returned to the airship and went to the bridge with Zoroark. Already Calvin was on the bridge talking to Giovanni by view screen.
“Did you find the location of Kyurem?” Giovanni asked.
“Yes sir. According to the scientist I interrogated, Kyurem is located in an area known as the Giant Chasm.” Noir Mask reported. “Team Plasma is supposed to arrive there in a few weeks.”
“Then we better get a move on.” Calvin suggested.
“Is that all?” Giovanni asked Noir Mask.
“Yes sir.” Noir Mask replied.
“Very well, you are excused then.” Giovanni told her.
Noir Mask saluted and walked off the bridge with Zoroark following behind. Halfway down the corridor, Zoroark gave Noir Mask a confused look.
“I guess you’re wondering why I didn’t tell Giovanni and Winters about the Link Pin.” Noir Mask assumed. “If Giovanni learned of what that technology could do, he’d probably try and see if it could be used on other Pokemon…. I’ve done what I need to in order to survive, but there are lines I just won’t cross. I won’t allow any Pokemon to be hurt by Team Rocket’s experiments if I can avoid it.”
Zoroark gave Noir Mask an understanding growl. Noir Mask smiled and patted it on the head.
“But then again maybe I’m making too much of this.” Noir Mask chuckled. “I mean for all we know this Link Pin thing could be a piece of junk. I don’t even know why I took it. Oh well, I’m tired. Let’s go take a nap.”
Zoroark nodded and the two continued to their quarters.
