The Mask Maker

Shadows

"Shadow Morai isn't here?" 

Morai stood in the center of the garden. A border made of roses ran between each counterpart's half of the garden with a circular courtyard in the middle. The roses that grew in this part of the garden differed from every other flower in that they were both black and white. The half of the flowers that touched Shadow Morai's domain were colored black, while the other halves were white. Light Morai had been watering them when Morai appeared. 

"She's resting on her side of the garden. I believe she's practicing exactly what you came to learn," Light Morai said in a kind but somber tone. 

Morai cocked her head. 

"Resting? That's not like her, is it?" she asked. "She must've gotten hurt."

"She has really been pushing herself lately, farther than she usually does. Yesterday she fought an Ursaring with nothing but her bare hands and that wild energy of hers. She is...preparing. For what exactly, I don't know. You should have seen her when I found her. Lying on the beach all bloodied and bruised, her clothes nearly torn to pieces."

 Light Morai paused for a moment, then went on.

"From her point of view, it looks like she's in the main room of her home." 

Morai looked down at the flowers thoughtfully. 

"Hm. I'll go have a chat with her, then. Thank you," she said.

Light Morai nodded and continued with her work while Morai went on her way, following the dark reflective path with half of an eye engraved into it. Come to think of it, she hadn't seen either of her counterpart's halves of the garden. She had only been in the middle where they often met to battle or spar, and when Shadow Morai had flown into a rage, she only saw the beginnings of what was now her home. 

Shadow Morai's "house" looked more normal than Morai was expecting. It was actually quite beautiful with its charcoal brick exterior and black trim. It had mossy vines growing along its sides, wrapping to the front like claws. The main pathway leading up to entrance had two stone statues at its foot. One was of Ninetales, it's eyes carved out of brilliant red gemstones. Its mouth hung slightly agape, enough to see its sharp teeth. One of its front paws rested on a stone carving of Shadow Morai's own mask, the half-eye of which was also replaced with glossy red gemstone. The other statue was Malamar, with its usual sinister expression, and this time its bioluminescent spots were the ones replaced with gemstone. 

Morai walked up to the door and knocked hesitantly. There was no answer. She knocked again and waited, but was still met with silence. 

"Alright then, I'm coming in!" she called. 

The trainer opened the door and found her counterpart sitting slightly slumped in a large chair at the back of the room, her chin resting on her bandaged hand. She was staring at her Malamar in an unblinking focus. Her eyes were glowing red. To any other person she might look silly, but Morai knew exactly what she was doing. She was in the middle of a hypnotization match with Malamar, whose spots were rhythmically fading in and out with light.  

Geez, Light Morai was right. She looks...terrible. 

It was awfully dark, but as she got closer Morai could see that the trainer was covered in bandages, and a claw mark sat across her nose, barely missing her eye. She wasn't wearing her usual vest, and her maroon shirt had more buttons undone. It looked like her torso had been bandaged, too. The mask that usually hung from her side was sitting on the table beside her, cracked. I looked like the strap had been torn completely torn off, along with one of the clasps. 

Morai noticed her counterpart slightly grip the arm of her chair, then watched as a sly smile spread across her face. She had evidently won. Malamar gave a disgruntled snarl, then turned to go about its business elsewhere. Morai was impressed.