The Mask Maker

Captured Again

Morai could hear multiple pairs of light feet walking around, but she couldn't see. Her hands had been tied together behind her back.

"Hey!" she growled. "At least tell me who you are."

"That would ruin the point of you being blindfolded, wouldn't it?" a male voice said. It seemed calm and unconcerned. Morai felt like she was still at her old home, but she couldn't be sure. 

"I assumed I was blindfolded because I have this uncanny ability to hypnotize people who look me in the eye. Oops! Maybe I shouldn't have let that slip. You weren't looking for a different lady in a suit vest, were you? I think she lives two houses down."

 "You're definitely the one," another voice said. Morai realized that the voices seemed vaguely familiar, but she knew she wouldn't be able to search through her fading catalogue of dream-memories to place them unless she saw a face. 

"There are more than one of you," she said. "At least two. Three, maybe? I can cross Team Rocket off the list. Interpol would've just handcuffed me, and these don't feel like handcuffs. We're in Kalos, but I can't see what Team Flare would want with me unless they know who I am. Even then, their leaders are dead or incarcerated. No other organizations would care to kidnap me. Except for Team Plasma, that is. So, you're either acting independently or you're from Team Plasma...ah, I remember now, I think. You're the Shadow Triad. Am I right?"

There was a moment of silence. 

"I'll take that as a yes. How did you blindfold and tie me up without waking me? I'm a light sleeper."

"We added a bit of something to your vial of serum while you were fighting that detective,"
 one of them answered. 

Though Morai tried to fight her way out of her situation, she soon realized that she was outmatched against three skilled martial artists and their Pokémon—not to mention she was blindfolded and had no use of her hands. Eventually, she began to comply until they reached their destination. 

They had flown the last leg of the way there, and Morai knew exactly where they were based on feeling and sound alone. The frigid temperature of the Plasma Frigate cut through even her foggiest memory. Even though it was an enemy craft, the flying ship always impressed her. 

"Well, if it isn't The Mask Maker! I've been looking forward to the day we finally meet," a voice said. That voice also cut through the fog of her memories like a scythe, sending a cold chill down her spine. "Though, I think we've met before."

Ghetsis.

Morai didn't speak. If she acknowledged what the Team Plasma leader had said, she'd be confirming her identity. Though, at this point, she wasn't sure if it mattered. 

"I wonder if you can hypnotize someone with one eye," he said. He must've motioned for his subordinates to take the blindfold off, because the cloth was quickly removed from her head. Morai immediately scanned the area, trying to get someone to look at her. The only one that matched her gaze was Ghetsis. 

"I'm sure you can, but it would be a bad idea," he quickly said. It was so cold that everyone's breath was visible, but no one seemed to mind it. "What would you do with an old body like mine? You could send me off the ship, I suppose, but the Triad would stop you before you could even try." 

Morai held off. She stood there, her eyes glowing red and her teeth bared. Ghetsis matched it with an evil grin of his own. His red eyepiece reminded Morai of the red eyes of her own mask. 

"Aren't you going to say something, former Champion? I know who you are, and I have to say, I'm thrilled to see how you've changed. I never would've guessed that you would end up like this."