M-a-r-i-o-n-e-t-t-e

Summary: The battle ended in a tie. N told her to become his princess. She gave him the finger and told him to get lost. After going home, she came to a realization: Her every move was being controlled by N. She was his puppet, and he was her master. Who will win? N's desire? Or her heart?

A/N: Updating because my friend buddy-chan read this story when I said not to and loves it. Sooo, here! :)

~String 15~

I don't realize I'm staring til I sneeze because of the dust. "AACHOO!" I rocket backwards and bump my head on the wall. I rub it as I push myself up, whilst leaning against the wall for support as I try to regain my balance. Where am I? What is this place?

Taking a step forward, I look around the small, secret compartment. There's a decently large table in the center, and three bookshelves sitting on opposite walls facing it. There is a single chair, and one, large faded book placed in front of the seat.

I walk over to the book, and reach out to touch it. "Harmonia Royalty…" I murmur, scanning its title with my eyes. "Huh…."

Flipping the book open to the first page, I finger the corner of the paper, and look at a picture of a soldier doned in armor, who is holding a sword pointed at the reader, which is me. I quickly switch to the next page, feeling slightly uncomfortable with the artwork. Which is sort of ridiculous because it's just a picture in a book...but I continue on to the next page-it is the first chapter.

There were many chapters that went on and on about different Harmonian lines, such as those who were financially smart, or geniuses, or even blood thirsty killers who murdered thousands of innocent peasants at least seven hundred years ago. I glance over most of those.

I blink, and finger the corner of the page. It's amazing that the Harmonia line has lasted for so long. I can't believe that they kept track of their history for so many years. It's almost unbelievable. But with the way N acts, and Ghetsis acted, I can confidently say I wouldn't put it past their predecessors.

Skimming through the book's content, I ignore the droning sentences of dates, family lines, and extended information on merchandise that was sold to peasants. Really...this book is very detailed and frankly...a bit boring.

I'm about to shut the book and simply look for Brave when I turn to the exact middle of the book. The title of the chapter stops me.

"King Charles, The Most Powerful Harmonia.." I murmur, brushing my hand against a portrait of an emotionless looking man in thick, purple and green robes that seemed to be suffocating him in their...poofy-ness. I snicker, and turn the page to read the first line in a personal entry by King Charles himself.

I care not what the day is. Diaries mean nothing to me.

I find just writing out the point of something is more important than when it was written. I am now King; I have thousands of subjects who bow down before me, but it doesn't feel right. I can sense something dark...even darker than the sin that surrounds me. My poor wife...she is affected the most by this poisonous, and invisible threat. I do not know what to do. But now that I am King, I cannot care for anyone but the kingdom and myself.

It may sound bad that I think this way, but it is the mindset of all Kings; those who came before me, and those who will follow after me.

Everyone fears me, and that is how it should be. But that isn't because I am simply the King.

No.

If that were so, I would feel incompetent. I wouldn't be a true king if I didn't have one thing. And fortunately for me, I have it. And the greatest of it's kind.

Total control.

Not the foolish control where one thinks that just because they are in power that they can keep it, because that is only a trick of the mind. The only way to truly be in control, is to have the entire mind and body of a nation in between one's fingertips. What I am saying is not figurative speech...it is the truth. Absolute control means one can do whatever they want with a person.

And that's exactly what I possess….

Staring at the text that ends the paragraph, I freeze. If I'm reading this correctly..then King Charles was saying he could..control his subjects? But how? Was he able to make them do whatever he said? Is that even possible?

I put a hand to my chin; come to think of it...all those weird blips when I couldn't control my arms and stop my legs from moving started when I came to the Plasma Compound…

My eyes widen as I feel a gnawing begin at the pit of my stomach. There were also those moments when I forgot what I was doing, and thinking. Could the power this ancient King was talking about be...something that is around even now? He mentioned that there was an unsettling darkness surrounding him. So perhaps that was it?

Could this power be stuck in the Plasma Compound? Is it messing with me!?

There's the sound of something moving, and I squeak, looking up while clutching the book to my chest tightly with straining fingers gripping its worn cover to see someone.

"Ghetsis.." I breathe, my voice coming out in an outtake of air. "What…?"

He looks half-gone. And I mean seriously, it is worse than normal. He seems to be the living dead as he looks at me with soulless eyes.

"I see you found this place," he says, his voice rougher than gravel. I don't answer as he waves his arm out in a sweeping gesture. "I'm glad you found it...before it's too late."

I finally find my voice, and swallow thickly. "W-what? Find what before it's too late?" I purse my lips and still hold onto the book.

"Need you look any further? It's right before you," he says, pointing at me. "You just read it for yourself. King Charles."

"But this King is-..is simply an ancient guy who seems a little messed up in the head," I say, my mouth curling into a nervous smile. "There's nothing about it that could be of any importance."

"Touko…" Ghetsis says, taking a step towards me. "Stop fooling yourself."

"Fooling myself? What have I said?" I say, my voice rising an octave higher.

"Listen to what your mind has already realized," Ghetsis continues, and I shake my head, backing up and bumping against a bookshelf.

"N-no…"

"You need to stop it before it's too late," the older man says wearily. "Please…I beg you…"

I stare at him in a twisted expression of shock and horror. "Stop what…?" I ask weakly.

The once, very great man, kneels before me and stares a little above my head in a daze before looking into my eyes with a hard stare; his face shows such a powerful expression that I feel like he's trying to tell me something with it.

"N has taken over Unova. He has turned against the Sages, and is controlling everyone. You need to stop him before the entire world falls to his sole will."

Misty/Ms. Ketchum