Caught in the Web of a Maniac

Story
The Time Cycle flies to the Dimensional Mr. Smoothy, it floating in space. He goes through the garage door, pulling to a stop. He is wearing his red jacket as he gets out, pulling out the fourth map piece.

Ryder: Okay! Number four! Where are you, Collectimus?! Let’s wrap this up so we can make our trade! The map for Skurd!

Ryder walks through the museum, with some stands shifted positions and others knocked over. Ryder is on edge, as he activates the Omnitrix.

Collectimus: (Contained) Ryder.

Ryder looks up, seeing Collectimus floating by a wall obscured in shadows. He appears nervous and scared, as he holds his hand up to stop Ryder. Ryder stops approaching, eyes on Collectimus. He holds up the map piece.

Ryder: Time for our partnership to come to a close. I want Skurd freed, now.

Collectimus: Yes, yes. Then, just put the map on the ground. Nice and easy.

Ryder looks suspicious of this, but complies and places it on the ground. He backs away, as the chair floats forward, Collectimus cringing his face the entire time. Ryder looks back to the shadows of the wall, and looks up, noticing a light fixture nearby was broken.

Ryder: Stop right there.

The chair stops, as Collectimus has a pleading expression on his face.

Ryder: Skurd first.

Collectimus: Oh, uh, not until I confirm that this is the map piece. It would really, jar my strings if you tried to pull on over on me.

Ryder’s eyes widen, as Collectimus continues his approach. Ryder snaps down the Omnitrix, transforming into Wildmutt. He roars, stopping Collectimus.

Collectimus: No! That’s the worst form to use!

Deep Male & Crazy Female Voice: You had one job, Collectimus. And you failed even at that.

Wildmutt charges forward, detecting the figure in the shadow’s location. He pounces at him when he is suspended in midair, struggling to keep going forward. The figure steps out of the shadows, revealing it to be Puppet Master. She wears her signature mask on her face, it being from the display that was knocked over.

Puppet Master: I must say, I was quite surprised to have arrive in your dimension, Ryder. One of the weaker and insignificant John Smith variations.

Wildmutt snarls at Puppet Master, as she fluidly travels around Wildmutt to walk over to the map piece on the floor. She picks it up, marveling at it.

Puppet Master: It is said that this map can guide one through multiple dimensions. But that it can also take one to the center of the multi-verse. The Forge of Creation, where all life stems from. Including the greatest of all soldiers.

The pull of the invisible strings on Wildmutt’s paw slackens, as he slaps the Omnitrix. The flash of light catches Puppet Master’s attention, as Wildmutt transforms into Malem. Malem drops to the ground, and turns to face Puppet Master. Puppet Master tilts her head like an owl, curious.

Puppet Master: I find it amusing that you think that you can handle me all by yourself, Ryder. It will be fun to toy with you.

Malem sprints towards Puppet Master, as Puppet Master lifts her hand and motions her fingers. Malem doesn’t stop, as Puppet Master jerks to look at her hand, as if missing something. Malem punches Puppet Master and sends her flying across the room, dropping the map piece. She crashes into the stand with Jane’s broken necklace, shattering the display and causing the beads to roll across the floor. Malem picks up the map piece, smirking. Puppet Master stands up, her body language showing anger as she sways back and forth.

Puppet Master: (Emotionless voice) How did you do that?! Nothing resists my power!

Malem: Your power is mana based. And I can absorb mana. So you putting strings on me allowed me to absorb them and cancel out your ability.

Puppet Master walks forward, Malem taking a battle stance. Puppet Master laughs, but the filtered speech of the mask makes it sound hollow instead of maniacal.

Puppet Master: It appears that you have grown. In both skill and knowledge. It shall be a pleasure to tear that map piece from your cold, dead hands.

Puppet Master’s ring finger twitches, as Collectimus’ chair responds. It forms several water cannons, as they fire pressurized streams of water. Malem hits the Omnitrix, shifting to Ghostfreak. He turns intangible as he phases into the ground. Puppet Master waits a few moments for him to come back up, but he doesn’t.

Puppet Master: So, he is playing a game of cat and mouse. So much for being strong enough to face me. End Scene

Ryder runs through a museum exhibit full of large panoramic pictures of big battle scenes. He passes a picture of Ultimate Shocksquatch vs. Ultimate Rath in Bellwood, the Diablo attack on Domino City, Cloudnine using rain to put out a fire in Under Town, and Ryder driving off a building with the Tenn-Speed. He looks on the other side, spotting the battle between Duo and Sunstar, John staring Phantom down, and a painting of the destroyed multiverse. There are hologram disks on the ground, creating projections of all the alien forms unlocked by the characters.

Ryder: Okay. This is getting a little too creepy. It’s like he’s collected pictures of our great exploits as well.

Ryder hears footsteps approaching, as he slaps down the Omnitrix and transforms into Buzzshock. He breaks into electricity as he enters the hologram projector of Big Chill.

Puppet Master enters the hall, guiding Collectimus to come with her. She stares at the pictures and the painting, as if intrigued.

Puppet Master: What are these?

Collectimus: Some of the greatest battles of Earth-68 captured on film. The incidents that occur in public are usually photographed, and therefore there is an archive of them. It took years to collect all of these.

Puppet Master: And where am I in this hall of battles?

Collectimus: (Nervous) Nowhere. None of your battles were really in the public eye, always being hidden away in a pocket dimension or in the shadows. That is how you operate.

Puppet Master: Then, we shall have to do something about that.

The hologram of Big Chill shimmers, catching Puppet Master’s attention. She walks towards it, seeing a spark of electricity. Buzzshock shoots out straight at her, as she twitches her finger. A lightning rod shoots out of Collectimus’ chair, as Buzzshock is redirected towards it, hitting it and reforming on top of it.

Puppet Master: You really think you can ambush me, Ryder? I am familiar with all of your alien forms!

Collectimus’ chair activates a rubber hand, reaching up to grab Buzzshock. Buzzshock flies up and goes through an air duct, the hand punching through and reaching after him. The arm retracts with the rubber hand empty.

Puppet Master: You know the longer this goes, the more likely you are to slip up! And no matter what you do, you will never be able to outmaneuver me. I am quick, highly instinctive, and have a strong notion on what exactly you are thinking.

Puppet Master spins as she surveys the room, as a bandage creeps slowly across the floor. Puppet Master eyes the sky, when the bandage wraps around her foot and pulls her leg out from under her. Puppet Master falls to the ground, as bandages shoot out and enwrap her, essentially mummifying her. Mummy Dusk comes out of an air duct, towering over Puppet Master. Her mask keeps her expressionless, as her hand rhythmically moves up and down her side.

Mummy Dusk: Weren’t expecting that, were you? Now talk. What do you want the map for?

Puppet Master: I told you already, didn’t I? The Forge of Creation.

Mummy Dusk: Yeah, yeah. You mentioned that. But what is there that is so intriguing to you?

Puppet Master’s hand keeps moving, her strings tugging and loosening the bandages wrapped around that area. Mummy Dusk stares Puppet Master in the eyes, not noticing.

Puppet Master: Are you familiar with the alien species known as a Celestialsapien?

Mummy Dusk: No.

Puppet Master: Celestialsapiens are perhaps the strongest species in the galaxy. They have the ability to rewrite history, destroy or create universes, and even possess immortality. However, they have two personas that are constantly in debate, thus they can never get anything done.

Mummy Dusk: So what? You want one of those as your puppet so you can be the deciding vote?

Puppet Master: Imagine me in control of all of reality. Doesn’t it sound wonderful? I can finally erase all other variations of us from the multi-verse once and for all!

Mummy Dusk: If you do that, then every dimension will be in danger of villains!

Puppet Master: I know! It will be beautiful, and I will have a perfect seat to watch it all burn!

Puppet Master’s hand gets free, as she moves her fingers into patterns. Collectimus’ chair activates again, utilizing a flamethrower. The flames force Mummy Dusk to jump back, as well as burn through the bandages on Puppet Master. She stands up, rubbing her arms out.

Puppet Master: I do hope that you got everything that you needed from that. As I still need a few things from you.

A green laser blast hits Puppet Master from the side, sending her flying. Mummy Dusk turns his head, seeing Spanner standing there.

Spanner: Ryder! Thank goodness I made it in time!

Mummy Dusk: Spanner? What are you doing here?!

Puppet Master: Ooh! A new guy! I could always use a second puppet!

Puppet Master holds arm up as Spanner points his blaster at her again. This time Spanner lets out a gasp, as his arm redirects to point at Mummy Dusk. He fires a laser, as Mummy Dusk leaps to the ceiling, sticking to it.

Mummy Dusk: As good as it is to see you again, it isn’t necessarily a good time.

Collectimus flies at Mummy Dusk, razor blades spinning around the chair. Mummy Dusk leaps off, extending his arm and reaching for Puppet Master. Spanner’s laser fires and blasts the arm away as Mummy Dusk lands on the floor. Spanner flies forward with his jet shoes as Mummy Dusk reverts. Ryder draws his blasters and opens fire, Spanner taking each one but still flying through.

Ryder: Come on! Stop, stop, stop!

Spanner rams into Ryder, knocking them both tumbling and Ryder’s blasters flying out of his hands. Spanner is slumped over on top of Ryder.

Spanner: You’ve got to get out of here! This is a trap!

Ryder: (Groaning from weight) Yeah, I got that.

Ryder shoves Spanner off, as he slaps down the Omnitrix. He transforms into Green Skull, as he lets out an ultrasonic whistle.

Spanner: No! Not Green Skull!

A portal opens as the Time Cycle flies through, heading straight towards Puppet Master to ram her. Puppet Master leaps and flips into the air at a slower speed, touching a hand to the Time Cycle’s surface. Collectimus flies at Green Skull with the chair’s razor blades as Green Skull breaks off a piece of his skeleton armor, throwing a rib into the razor. The razor is jammed as Green Skull leaps and kicks Collectimus away.

Green Skull: That worked? I’ve never landed a blow on that thing before. Which means…

A missile hits Green Skull, exploding in the process. He is buried in rubble from the wall behind him, but pushes his way through, disoriented on his feet. Puppet Master is sitting in the cockpit of the Time Cycle, Green Skull squinting his eyes in frustration.

Green Skull: Oh bother. Puppet Master shares the same DNA as me, so of course she’d be able to use the Time Cycle!

Puppet Master: I hate to leave you on that note, but I do have somewhere to be.

The engine revs as the Time Cycle flies straight at Green Skull. Green Skull charges it and jumps, reaching for Puppet Master. Puppet Master’s fingers move in a wave fashion, stopping Green Skull but taking the map piece from his pocket. She grabs the map piece as she flies underneath Green Skull, him crashing into the ground. The Time Cycle flies through the hole, making it bigger before opening a space portal, flying through it.

Spanner: Ryder!

Spanner runs over to Green Skull, who reverts. Spanner helps him stand up, when Ryder grabs him by the collar of his uniform, lifting him off the ground.

Ryder: What was that all about?! If you were trying to prevent that, you didn’t do a good job.

Spanner: I swear I didn’t know that would happen! I mean, I’ve heard rumors about the potency of the Puppet Master, but I never thought…

Ryder: Well, she did.

Ryder puts him down, walking off to recover his blasters.

Ryder: Now she has the map piece and the Time Cycle. Why does she need that?

Spanner: Even with the map, she’ll still need a vehicle that can get her in there. It’s small, versatile, and immune to effects of time and space.

Ryder goes over to Collectimus, who groans in frustration.

Collectimus: Ryder, whoop!

Ryder lifts Collectimus out of the chair, glaring him right in the eye.

Ryder: Revert Skurd from card form. Now.

Collectimus: (Stuttering) I, I, I can’t! She’s completely disabled my chair! It’ll take me forever to repair it!

Ryder tosses Collectimus to the side, as he storms off. Spanner follows him to the main exhibit, where he takes the energy cards from the wall containing Skurd, Max and Simian.

Spanner: What are you doing?

Ryder: We’ll have to revive them a different way. I’ll need Skurd to face Puppet Master. You can travel through time.

Spanner: Yeah.

Ryder: Which means that there’s someone in the future that’s been through this already.

Spanner: (Gasps) Ryder 10K!

Ryder: You take me there, so he can revive them. I can get a new Time Cycle while there…

Spanner: And then chase down Puppet Master!

Ryder: Simple, right? Let’s move.

Characters

 * Ryder
 * Spanner

Villains

 * Puppet Master
 * Collectimus (unwilling)

Aliens Used

 * Wildmutt
 * Malem
 * Ghostfreak (cameo)
 * Buzzshock
 * Mummy Dusk
 * Green Skull

Trivia

 * With Puppet Master's appearance here, she has appeared as a villain in all the main Earth-68 series.
 * She has also appeared as a main villain in every series' concluding arc.
 * Puppet Master quotes Loki from Thor: Dark World, saying she'll have a seat to watch the multi-verse burn.
 * Collectimus' museum was expanded to feature pictures of major battles.
 * These included scenes from Ultimate Evolution, Into the Fire and Diffusing the Sun. It also includes an unidentified scene from Ryder 10, and the scenery from when the dimensions were shattered in John Smith 10: Omniverse.
 * Puppet Master is able to take control of the Time Cycle due to sharing Ryder's DNA, and him sequencing it to only respond to his DNA.