The Mask Maker

Something Terrible

The backstreets of Castelia City were slick with rain, though it had been reduced to a drizzle. The alleyways were silent, save for footsteps and a whistle that was as soul-piercing as the winter air. Eventually, a carefree voice followed the music, echoing throughout the dark alleys and chasing after anyone who might hear it. 

"Something wicked this way comes," it recited. 

"Something terrible, something strange,"

"It's come to take your mind away"

"'Oh, my, what is it?' they ask,"

"Oh, it's a sight! With it's sharp claws and pointy teeth,"

The sound of nails scraping against the wet brick wall enunciated the broken poem.

"It's so frightening, why, you forget to breathe!"

"And if you look it in the eyes," 

"Ha! Well...you'll have caused your own demise," 

Morai rounded the corner to face a group of International Police agents. She flipped her mask up—a replica of Shadow Morai's—onto her curly-haired head, revealing a sinister smile. She had chosen to show her face on occasion when she knew there was no one else around. Morai had become so different in dress and demeanor that she was still unidentifiable. 

"If it isn't my old friends!" she gleefully called. Her greeting was met with an Arcanine charging right at her, and with a red glow in her eyes she quickly stopped it and had it sit beside her. 

"How many times are you going to send your useless pawns over to be captured?" she asked with a slight annoyance in her voice as she stroked the enemy's Pokémon. "You can do better than that."

"Because," a gruff older man answered, "you won't see your own capture coming." 

Morai felt an arm wrap around her neck from behind, and she grabbed it before it wrapped tight around her. She dropped down at the knees—still holding the arm—and leaned forward to throw her assailant over her shoulder. The agent, a fit dark-haired man, landed hard against the stone tile, and The Mask Maker put her knees on his side and used her free hand to force him to look her in the eyes. She didn't let go before nicking him on the forehead with one of her long nails, which had been sharpened. 

"Hm, that was slightly fun, but is that all you've got? I can see into the future, you know. If you're going to come after me, at least try  to be a little less boring and predictable." 

"It's all some silly game to you, is it? It won't be so fun when you're in handcuffs headed to your lifelong home. We've got a special place warmed up just for you!" 

"Oh really? Let's test my luck then, chief. If any one of your subordinates can get a single cuff on my wrist, I'll go with you willingly and make your wildest dream come true," Morai wagered. This Morai didn't seem to feel fear, or if she did, she didn't show it. Every potential threat was a challenge to be overcome, and even still, there was hardly a situation where she was the one being threatened. 

The man stood silently for a moment, unable to stare his enemy down because her own stare was deadly. The thought made Morai smile. 

"You've got one last chance, Morai. Close your eyes, get on your knees, and put your hands behind your head."

Morai simply took a fighting stance and motioned for the group to try their luck. They seemed to come at her in planned teams, but she managed to hold her own against them and their Pokémon. The serum had given her nearly endless amounts of energy, which she used to get stronger and train for hours on end. Her own Pokémon rarely—if ever—came into play, as she preferred to handle threats with her own hands.