The Mask Maker

The Ordinary Side of Life

When Morai woke up, she realized she was in what looked like a hospital room, but it looked very high-end, like just about everything else in the Rocket HQ. The bed was especially comfortable. She had been hooked up to a couple of machines meant to measure and keep track of her vital signs. Her wounds had been cleaned and re-bandaged. What looked like  a couple of scientists came in with wide, wry smiles on their faces. She instantly felt uneasy. 

"Ah, good, you're awake! How are you feeling?"

"Uh, good, I guess," she muttered.

"Great! As long as you rest and allow yourself to heal, you'll be bouncing back in no time."

"Good. I'll be on my way, then," she answered. She started to get up and unhook herself from whatever machines she was tethered to, but a hand stopped her. 

"Wait just a second, if you please, Ms. Maker." the doctor said with a eerie grin. "You seem to have fainting spells quite often, and there's no telling what damage you could have sustained out there. We can't check it out with your mask on your face, though, so if you'd be so kind as to...remove it...perhaps we could help you out?" 

Both of them stood hopefully, wringing their hands. It was starting to creep her out. 

"Absolutely not," Morai insisted. She struggled to untangle herself from the wires. "I've hit my head before. I would know if something was wrong." 

Both of their smiles dropped and were replaced by panicked frowns. 

"B-but, wait! You have psychic abilities different than other trainers, and you weren't born with them, correct? You're a scientific anomaly! There's something to be discovered! If we could just take a look inside that head of yours...it won't hurt at all! It would just take some sedatives and an x-ray...and—" 

"I. Said. No. Now I would advise you unhook me and get out of here before—"

"Hey!  What the heck do you think you're doing? Scram!" Proton said, appearing in the doorway. He pointed to the door and they both gave a "Yessir, our apologies!" before scrambling out. 

"Half and Half! Sorry about those guys. Team Rocket hires scientists who are both highly skilled and willing to do illegal experiments. Combine those two and you get...people like that."

"Hm, well I'm glad you came along," Morai said. "Not that I wouldn't mind giving them each a good hit in the nose, but I really should be leaving. I'm eager to get to my own bed."

"Wow, are you serious?! That's awful!" Acerola said. She cut a large stack of fluffy pancakes topped with strawberry glaze and blueberries and put them in her mouth, continuing to talk. "What a jerk!"

"Yeah, that's terrible," Morai added. 

Morai sat at a table in a pancake shop, no mask on her face, in a completely ordinary outfit. Her injuries were covered up by a long sleeved summer dress, but she still felt the pain from them. As she listened to Hapu tell her story about how she had attacked her, she felt a pang of guilt. Here she was, sitting with the person she embarrassed and rendered unconscious, at a get-together that she herself had planned. It was a girls' day out, and the large table also sat a few of the Trial Captains, Lillie, and Hapu the Kahuna. 

"Look, they're still talking about it on the news," Lana said, pointing to the TV mounted in the corner. 

Everyone else watched and gave angry huffs and puffs and gasps, but Morai watched silently. She was watching herself, but it was almost like watching another person. For a brief moment she was overcome by this sick feeling of guilt.