The Mask Maker

The Fight of Four

Morai woke up to another day in her prison, albeit a luxurious one. She had mostly spent her time over the last four days practicing what martial arts skills she could, reading, and pacing around her room getting lost in thought. Even still, the trainer felt as if she was suffocating, no matter how big her glorified prison cell was. It wasn't until a knock came at the door that the overbearing silence was broken for a moment. Morai scrambled to put her mask on as she heard the beep of the keycard being accepted and the door being opened.

"I told you we'd meet again," Looker said. 

"Detective," Morai greeted him with a nod. 

"I'll get right to the point. If everything has gone according to plan, then you have no idea of what's happened outside of this room in the past few days. You may or may not be surprised to hear that Team Rocket is behind the attacks, and that they have continued in your absence. A very angry Tyranitar was set loose two days ago. Team Rocket knew you weren't at the Battle Subway, but they sent it out anyway. Whether they were trying to draw you out, I don't know." 

Morai stood still, looking at the carpeted floor in front of her as she considered what Looker had said. 

"So, what does that mean?" she finally asked. 

"I won't sugarcoat it. It means we need to stop these attacks, and it seems the only way to do that is to keep you out of the Battle Subway until Team Rocket gives up or some sort of deal is made. We might have to move you to—"

"No!" Morai interrupted. She became embarrassed at such a show of strong emotion, and she relaxed her tone. "If I continue at the Battle Subway, I know it'll be stressed to the point of breaking because of me. I don't want that. But no matter where I go, Giovanni and his subordinates will follow. We need to stop them once and for all, and I should be the one to do it." 

Looker almost laughed, and went to catch himself, but not without letting a small chuckle slip by. "I'm afraid it'll take more than what you've got to offer, even with your psychic abilities. All we're planning now is to keep you at one of our facilities for a little while longer until we figure out how to solve this thing."

"And when you get me there, how many times will someone have to tell me it'll only be 'a little while longer' until I realize I'm trapped there forever?"

Looker didn't answer. He only looked at the trainer's unmoving two-faced expression. Another knock at the door pierced the silence once again, and an agent Morai didn't recognize barged in. 

"Sir, there's been another attack," the woman said. She wore the same black suit most other agents wore, and her dark hair was slicked back into a ponytail. 

"Really? What is it this time?" Looker asked, walking to stand between Morai and the agent in the open doorway. 

"It's...all of them, and more," she answered. 

"You mean...?" 

"Dragonite, Gyarados, Tyranitar, and Salamence," she responded quickly. "The Subway Bosses have requested aid." 

"I should go," Morai said. 

Looker shot any hope of that down quickly. "Definitely not," he answered. 

"But the Battle Subway is in danger because of me!"

"It doesn't matter, Morai. They want you there. With such a bold play, we can now be certain that they're trying to draw you out." 

Morai wasn't going to take no for an answer. She had singlehandedly placed the people she cared about in danger. Ingo and Emmet had graciously taken her in, and their livelihoods were about to be destroyed because of it.