The Mask Maker

Will I Make It?

Instead of trying to fight with him, she decided to keep defending herself until she had enough time to do something else. The grunts were busy restraining the large Hydreigon until it completely collapsed from the sedative. Its three heads were thrashing and putting up a fight until the end. The Mask Maker pushed Proton away with a push kick to the thigh, and jumped onto and over the kitchen bar. She created just enough time to call out another Pokémon, the Gyarados from before. Proton started to put a dart in his gun and fire, but Hydreigon, in one last effort to save its trainer, attempted to hit him with a weak Dragon Pulse. He jumped back and out of the way, giving Gyarados enough time to shoot a strong jet of water at him. 

He fell backwards, and his injured side wasn't helping him any. The Mask Maker took her chance and charged him, staring him right in the eye. She snapped her fingers and pointed to the Team Rocket grunts, signaling Gyarados to hold them off. Hydreigon had fallen into a slumber. Its last attack had saved its trainer, for now. 

The mind control system that The Mask Maker had been trying to get right didn't work as well as she wanted it too yet, and she only had so much time before either her victim collapsed or she did. The least damage she had walked away with so far was a splitting headache, but if she kept going and did it too long, she would incapacitate herself, doing Team Rocket's job for them. 

She stepped back and concentrated. She had to think about exactly what she wanted Proton to do. He had stopped fighting her attack on his mind and has succumbed to its effect.  The red eye on The Mask Maker's forehead glowed as she closed her eyes, taking a vulnerable position and opening herself up to any attack. 

Shoot them. Shoot the grunts with the same dart you shot Hydreigon with.

Gun already loaded and cocked, he shot one dart and landed a perfect hit. The grunt fell to the floor. It didn't take as long for a human to succumb to the effects as it did a Pokémon. One down, 6 to go. 6? This was quite the risk. The trainer doubted she could last that long. She took deep, controlled breaths, and sat down. She had started working on a way to see through the eyes of the victim's mask, but it wasn't as clear as her own vision yet. It was blurry. 

Proton shot 3 more grunts, narrowly missing one. He had used his last dart. His aim and instincts were slowing in effectiveness as The Mask Maker started to get a headache. She was losing control, and Proton was nearing unconsciousness. She knew she couldn't go any further without the risk of passing out becoming too large. She opened her eyes and tapped out of the mind control, the brightness of the eye on her mask's forehead fading. Proton fell against the wall, leaning on it as he regained awareness. The Mask Maker wasn't too worried about him. He was mostly drained of energy and strength now, but she still had to take care of the 2 Rocket grunts. She was running out of energy herself and had a dull headache, but she was also so close to freedom and safety. Stopping now would be foolish. 

She turned to look for Gyarados, suddenly remembering the task she had given it. She saw it as it fell to the floor, unconscious. From the looks of it, as big as it was, it had taken too many hits from their electric weapons, and it had saved her just enough time. She called it back to its ball. It needed immediate care, but its trainer would have to make it off this craft first. 

"Thank you, Gyarados."

"Alright trainer, you've got nowhere to go. This is your last chance to surrender unless you want to take the other route. Let me tell you, it's not pretty," one of the grunts said as he and his female partner readied their electric batons. The Mask Maker stood in front of them across the small room. She wasn't going to go willingly, that was for sure. She didn't have time to call out another Pokémon, and with a fogged and tired mind and body she had only one idea left. 

She charged the two grunts, preparing to fight with what skill she possessed and whatever strength she had left. She was going to fight until she couldn't any more, however long that took. That, to her, was more honorable than surrender. The grunts stood there, prepared to attack, but their eyes were focused past their attacker. By the time she realized it, she felt a heavy weight trying to drag her down. 

Proton had closed in behind her and put his arms over her shoulders. In the state she was in, it was all she could do to try and move away from him, but he stepped one leg in front of both of hers, and put an arm around her, pulling her close. The next thing she knew, she felt a pain in the side of her neck. 

"Argh!"

She attempted to break free and fight, but it was no use. She felt a coldness in her neck, then warmth was starting to spread across her body. She was becoming weaker and weaker, and she was losing the will to fight. Proton let her go, still holding the syringe in his hand. He looked drained, as if this was the last thing he could do before running out of energy completely. The Mask Maker wondered if he had had the syringe the whole time, just in case. The two grunts grabbed her arms as she fell to her knees. Things were starting to become blurry, and she couldn't move anymore. She saw the foggy figure of Proton get down on one knee in front of her. 

"Sorry, kid. I actually kind of like you, you know. I didn't want things to go in the direction they did. But don't worry, you and your Pokémon will be A-okay. You're just going to sleep for while," he said. He put a hand on her shoulder, and although she wanted to move away, she couldn't. The Mask Maker closed her eyes as she lost awareness of everything around her, and drifted off into an empty slumber. 

She had been so close.