The Mask Maker

Shadows

"You...hypnotized a Malamar? Those pokémon are said to possess the greatest hypnotic ability of any other pokémon, let alone humans," she said.

Shadow Morai smirked. /

"Not this human, then, I suppose. Are you ready?" 

"I think so, but—" 

Before Morai could get the full sentence out, everything went black. The trainer couldn't grasp what was happening before she found herself standing in front of Shadow Morai with a glass of water in her hand. 

"Gee, thanks! This stuff really makes you thirsty," Shadow Morai said with a smile. 

Morai's counterpart's smirk grew wider as she took the glass from her hand and began to drink while Morai stood there, still disoriented. 

"Say, could you add some ice to this? I like it nice and cold," her counterpart questioned in an almost snide tone. Again, before she knew it, Morai was standing in front of Shadow Morai, this time with an iced water. The trainer took it again and raised it mockingly before taking another drink.

 "Ah. There we go," she said. Morai noticed that her counterpart's hand was shaking as she held the cup. 

Morai was getting annoyed.

 "Yeah, that's nice and all, but no matter how hard I concentrate I can't do it. It just seems to...happen when I'm in threatening situations. It's like it's activated by fear or something."

Shadow Morai rolled her eyes 

"Don't say 'can't'. If I can do it, you obviously can. That's why I exist. You fail because you're afraid of the power that comes with it. You're afraid of becoming me. That hesitation, no matter how small, is keeping you from doing it. In the past, you've become so influenced by emotion in the moment that you throw that hesitance out the window, and that is what allowed you to control others. That is, after you decided to stop acting like me."

"But...if that's the problem, how am I to solve it?" Morai asked. "You're right. I don't want to be like you." 

Shadow Morai shook her head.

 "There is no way to circumvent this, Morai. We've been over this. You named me this for a reason. Everyone has a shadow. Those who turn their face to the sun and refuse to look at their shadow are foolish. You have to face it head on. It will always be a part of you. It will never go away simply because you refuse to acknowledge it. If you choose to live in ignorance, you will never become or even know who you truly are."

Morai opened her mouth to voice her disagreement, but stopped. Deep down, she knew that it was true.

 "Alright, then. I'm ready," she said with a nod of determination.

"You threw your hesitation out the window that quickly?" Shadow Morai asked. 

"This is the one skill I've been trying to learn for over a year. I'll do what it takes to reach my goal," Morai replied. 

Shadow Morai shrugged. 

"Alright, then I guess we're about to test it!"

 Everything went black again, and Morai found herself on the ground. Her cheek burned and her hand hurt. 

Did she...make me hit myself?

"Ooh! That one knocked you to the ground! You hit harder than I thought!" Shadow Morai said, her signature insidious grin spread across her face. 

"Hey! What was that—"

 Again, Morai blacked out and came to with her face burning and her hand hurting.