Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon.
These not-so-subtle Digimon title hints are becoming very entertaining. You just know who the villain is, but it really does make you wonder how in the world the origination story and title of the chapter justice to the personality of the human turning into a viral digital entity (Digimon) in question. So, I have not been rushing myself I have been trying to get a chapter ahead before I post the next one. It delayed things a bit, but it is for all the better.
Puppetmon is a feisty little guy, but I don't know his story seemed a bit lackluster to me. I did perk it up a bit though and if you pay attention I even turned this into an indirect vengeance story if you paid attention to season one. That's what I love about doing this. You expected maybe a flimsy little ham sandwich? Buddy you're about to get lockjaw trying to get your mouth around everything. Try not to choke. Because, you know, the more we get invested in the origination stories the more vile and darker those origination stories gets And if you did not know THAT already you probably did not read the last couple of chapters.
So let me put this a different way. Don't be surprised how dark it gets when you examine these blackened damnable souls. Because if you're not careful you'll stumble and trip and curse yourself for doing so. I know I have.
Chapter Twenty-Five: Who is the Puppet?
Not everyone who had the particular negativity emitting from them were particularly strong. Rei had to admit though he had been drawn to those with a strong persona not all of them were worthy. No, scratch that. Aside from Metal Dragon and Pyogo none of them had been worthy.
He found himself wandering around the city straights hoping per chance he would come across an individual he could mold for his future world, but despite how negative people were, the negativity rarely permeated through them to a point he could utilize for his purposes...
...But that changed the day he came across a curious odd fellow talking to himself and making strange voices as he walked. The man could not have been in more than his early twenties. He possessed a paranoid green look in his eyes and had messy brown hair and a slightly contorted face that would surely chase off any of the opposite gender if he so much as looked at a woman. He walked oddly and kind of shuffled around like a carnivorous dinosaur including one of his hands that had a tiny arm. Rei immediately noticed aside from the hump and being disabled this man what with the way he talked to himself was more than strange. His negativity emanated from him but separated like a silhouette taking in his negative energy. With such an odd fellow as him Rei had to see if he had potential. He carried himself over in his shadow as Rei followed him silently from behind.
"Come on Persius," the youthful man said to himself with a funny airy accent pushing a broom cleaning up the floors. "You can't just let others wipe the floor with you. You've got to be the one to take the reins sometimes!"
He immediately responded in a much more detached normal voice. "Easy for you to say. I barely have enough to afford your apartment let alone any food at the convenience store."
"But if you let yourself be bullied like that," he said again in the different voice, "you'll never be able to stand up for yourself. You'll just live defeated for the rest of your life. Is that what you want?"
Persius stopped sweeping the floors with a large duster and leaned on it unaware that Rei Kurenada had been observing him. "What's new? Maybe if you said something at the very beginning I wouldn't be so resigned to my fate."
"What so you're blaming ME now?" he said in the other voice in an angrier tone. "Who told you not to pick up the evening shift knowing they would dump everything on you?"
"You did," he replied back normally.
"Who told you to take the job with the other company? They did not offer you benefits and it was a little less, but you got guaranteed hours and daytime shifts!"
"You did," he said a bit more regretfully.
"See? You need me Persius! You don't have anyone to help you make decisions. You can't even make any good ones yourself."
Persius ceased talking to the other voice and kept sweeping, Rei Kurenada smiling to himself as he chatted with another employee there at the front counter.
"That one is quite the odd one," he said having seized him up pretty well.
"Pay him no mind. You just caught him right when the evening shift starts just before closing, she said. "You can just think of him like a rat scurrying in the corner," she chuckled. "He's weird, but he does good work."
Rei glanced around her and the area noticing a certain pattern of cleanliness, pens, pencils, paper, computers, and everything else orderly. Even chairs were faced in a slanted direction, the walls also holding vibrancy to them much like Persius's hollow eyes.
"You know," he said, "You can't judge a book by his cover. You should give him a raise before he leaves."
"I agree with you," the hostess said, "But my employer does not feel so enthusiastic as you do about this."
"Why?" Rei questioned.
All of a sudden the front doors opened and an older looking man walked in. He couldn't have been more than forty; half a cigarette sticking out of his mouth, part of it on the left side of his cheek elevated by two silver gauges. He had light blond hair, cruel amber eyes, and a wrinkled gray suit. The guy certainly had a negative vibe, but it had such shallowness to it that it hardly seemed worth any effort from Rei to devour him.
"Good evening sir!" the hostess elevated her voice practically falling over herself.
"What are the numbers? Any new patrons?"
"Well, possibly this gentleman here Mr. Sakayda." she smiled nervously.
"Oh? You fancy anyone in the catalog? I personally think that Suzumiya is the best. She has a pleasant taste, but not too mellow and a bit of fire."
Rei smiled pleasantly. "This is certainly the first time I have been marketed to over choosing an escort," he said. "But if you recommend it why not take up your offer?"
"Heh," Mr. Sakayda grinned. "She's one thousand a night. You get her three nights you can have her for a fourth," he said taking the cigarette out of his mouth with one hand and letting cigarette smoke leak from his mouth.
Rei reached for his wallet while at the same time keeping an eye on Persius. He for an instant took a look at some mannequins in suggestive poses marveling for a bit how well kept they were.
"Shall we finish up the matter sir?" the hostess smiled pleasantly.
Mr. Sakayda walked behind him and placed an arm on his shoulder. "Good choice," he chuckled gruffly. Rei glanced as the man walked up towards Persius.
"B-boss," he stuttered. "What can I do for you sir?"
He glared at him, smiling dangerously. "Outside," he said lifting up his hand in a backwards manner pointing to the back where they could have privacy.
Persius hesitated, lowering his head as he followed him.
"Great job Persius. You really blew it," he said with an inflated voice scolding himself. "You're really in the doghouse this time."
Rei noticed them leave. He finished up speaking with the front desk receptionist who said that the girl he had chosen was 'ready', but Rei held up his hand. "I just remembered I have another matter I have to attend to first.' She's used to waiting I'm sure he smiled. "I'll be back soon."
Rei followed over in the footsteps of the two men earlier towards the garden listening in folding his hands. He started to hear an exchange between the two, lifting up his hands smiling enjoying their exchange.
"Look," Mr. Sakayda said a bit disgusted by him, "I know you're unattractive. You're unsightly. You got a hump on your back, and you can't hold things correctly, but still, those dolls are company property. You'll never score a real girl like ours so I don't care what you do after you get off, but you can't keep making the mannequins look better than the merchandise."
"I'm aware," Persius said looking down. "I would never defile those beauties," he said swallowing. "They are real ladies," he said. "They still have soul left in them."
"Soul? You strange ignorant little ghoul," he said raising his leg and kicking him on the ground. "It's just a freakin' piece of plastic. If I hear about you messing with them again that's it. You're out of here. Back to the streets for you worm," he said halfheartedly.
Rei waited for him to leave, the manager nodding his head to Rei as he left. Persius struggled to get up, but Rei helped him.
"You can't let what he says get to you," Rei encouraged. "After all he doesn't know of your remarkable talent."
"My talent? What do you mean?"
Rei snickered. "Oh you can't play dumb with me Persius. I noticed your interactions with the mannequins. I'm surprised no one has caught on yet."
Persius stared at him strangely. "I don't know what you're talking about Mister."
"Then tell me," he said, "Why do you have metal strings and a razor blade in your pocket?" he said darkly.
Persius glanced at his pocket and took them out, his hands trembling.
"What's it to you?" he barked a bit defensively. "And why are you even bothering to talk with me? I'm not like all of you other people."
Rei stared at him plainly having already figured him out. "Wow," he said placing his hand on his head a bit perplexed. "You're not only an optimist, but your a defeatist. It's no wonder you don't have any friends."
"I've got friends!" he said even more on edge. "I've got five of them!"
"Wow," Rei said pretending to be interested. "And here I was thinking you were pulling my leg."
"I'll pull it all right," Persius chuckled menacingly. "But never mind sir. You should probably go back. You probably don't have too much time left to be with the lady for the evening."
"Lady?" Rei said a bit curiously. "Oh that piece of garbage," he chuckled. "These mannequins are more lady-like than the girls here will ever be," he said toying with him.
"Yeah?" Persius said a bit excitedly. "You're right Mister."
"In fact," Rei said whispering close to his ear, "Maybe you can make them dance for me."
Persius turned a bit red and glanced at him. "What are you saying?"
"Just this," Rei said. "I know your secret. But you don't have to worry about it. I will make sure not a soul knows."
Persius shuffled his feet a bit excited. "I don't know what you're talking about," he said darkly. "And don't ever show your face to me again. You aren't worthy of them either."
Rei put his hand to his chin curiously as his negativity masked him as he left.
"Persius," he called out. "Something to leave you with before you go," he said curiously licking his lips.
Persius glared over to him on edge.
The words flowed out from Rei so easily seemingly to throw Persius on edge. "Tell me Persius. Who is the puppet?"
The next morning Rei emerged from his room for the evening bored having passed the time talking with the woman whom he had been staying with, but, upon having realized how negative she herself appeared to be removed her.
He adjusted his tie musing among his thoughts over his potential prospect. Perseus himself did not appear in the daytime, but Rei staring at the mannequins could not help but agree that they were taken better care of the actual merchandise. That's all human beings were anyway. They only existed to be moved and placed and sacrificed like the pawns they were.
He then walked up to the front desk and spoke with the hostess receptionist again. "Good Morning," he smiled.
"Good Morning Mr. Kurenada. I trust you had a wonderful evening?"
"Up until the point she fled this morning," Rei smiled. "She must not have liked me very much."
"She what?!" she said elevating her voice panicking.
"Better call management," Rei said looking at the mannequins plotting to use everyone towards his advantage. "I'm sure he'll want a full report."
Mr. Sakayda emerged like a hurricane tearing apart everyone in his way with verbal barrages- even the unfortunate hostess.
"You didn't see anyone leave the room right?"
"W-well," she said hesitantly. "Except when I went to the bathroom, I-"
"-Shut it!" he snapped. "I don't want to hear your excuses. She must have taken advantage of your brief absence. I checked the cameras already. No one snuck out of the back window either," he said clenching his teeth.
Rei nodded his head. "You can go inspect the room if you'd like," he said gesturing towards it. "It's not like I've tied her hand and foot and stuffed her in the closest or anything."
The blond haired devil shot a mean glare at him, kicked the door down, and walked into the room. Sure enough everything seemed completely normal. The door to the closet was wide open having not been disturbed at all.
The man put his hand on his head grinding on his cigarette. "She never acted up," he said bitterly. "Maybe you stuffed her under the bed!" he said briskly walking over to it and lifting it up. Yet, their was nothing.
"Please don't blame your clients for your defective merchandise," he said plainly. "But, perhaps their had been a witness to her leaving. You know, perhaps a certain janitor with a mannequin fetish?" he said holding his hand out as if gesturing for him to understand.
His eyes lit up angrily towards the hostess. "Bitch, you call Persius right now!"
Persius came hobbling over towards the others panting for breath. Rei could tell he had been disturbed having been summoned to work so early. He knew rightly that Persius realized he had been thrown into a pot of hot water.
"You were there most of last night," the boss said. "So you tell me. Where did she go? Did you see her?"
"I don't know what you're talking about," he said holding up his hands. He turned away muttering under his breath. "But I could understand why she would leave."
"What was that?" he said grabbing him by the shoulders pinning him to the walls. "I'm starting to think you did have something to do with this. Admit it! You helped her sneak out!"
"I didn't do anything!" he said defensively.
"Oh I don't know," Rei said approaching one of the mannequins. "Is it just me or do they look even more radiant than yesterday?"
He grinned at the two of them. "He does great work doesn't he? It must have taken all night to make them look this nice."
The hothead's eyes bored into Persius's skull. "You were here all night. Even after I told you to leave?"
"No!" Persius squeaked. "I left after you kicked me out for the day! I never touched them!"
"Please, who else holds mannequins in such high esteem as you?" he scoffed. "I have had it Persius. Last night was the last straw. You're done. It's over! Get the hell out of here and never let me see you again! For so help me if I do then you will wish you had never met me!"
With that he went forward slamming a wall, one of the mannequins starting to fall.
"No!" Persius cried steadying one.
The Manager glared at him confused, but menacingly. "Oh I get it now. You let my business fall apart, but you keep these props nice? Well," he said grabbing one of the arms and tearing it off.
"How do you like it now? Is it still pretty?!" he barked tearing off a leg.
"No!" Persius lamented. "Hasuki! Hasuki!"
"What you named them now? Pathetic," he chuckled grabbing her chest and squeezing it.
"You leave her alone!" he shouted. "She's innocent!"
"You poor miserable bastard! She's not real! She's a doll!"
"She's more alive than you are!" Persius whimpered. "She's got heart."
The Manager glared at him shaking his fist. "Having a heart don't matter if you don't have a head!" he wailed tearing her head off of her body and stomping the rest of it to oblivion.
"If you still want it go ahead. Stitch it's ugly torn apart body back together. You can take such good care of them right?"
Persius's hands trembled, his eyes tearing. He sank to his knees closing his eyes in defeat. Surely no one would believe him now.
"Call security. Throw him off the property," Mr. Sakayda said gruffly to the hostess. "Guess I got to obtain the services of even better women."
Rei watched pitifully as two bouncer-like men appeared, both bald and with glasses, grabbed Persius by the arms and dragged him out.
Two sets of heavy bulky arms tossed Persius out the door, slamming afterwards. His hands clenched frustrated beyond measure, crying out in a wretched garbling sound probably because of all he had lost that day.
Rei waited a few moments, exited the building and bent down towards him.
"Why did you do that?" he groaned. "You lied. I didn't fix those mannequins up. And now thanks to you Hasuki is no more."
Rei lowered a sack next to him. "Your ladies are in there," he said. "Hasuki and the others. The others are in fine condition though. You might need to polish them, but they will be all right," he smiled.
Persius sighed out painfully grasping his hand in the dirt.
"They need you though to make them whole again. Only you can give life them life Persius. Will you do it? Otherwise they will rot in a landfill somewhere."
The air grew still between them for a second, but Persius managed to forced his disformed body up. "I have to," he said miserably. "They have to be loved."
"Very true," Rei said offering his hand to him. "And you need to use them for your 'other' talent."
Persius stared up at him curiously turning his head oddly. "How much do you know about my 'other' talent?" he said suspiciously. "That is something I don't tell anyone."
Rei chuckled helping him stand. "Oh but you do Persius," he said walking around him. "You tell your virtuous ladies all the time...through their bodies," he said feeling their backs for indentations.
"They never talk back to me," Persius said shaking. "Never. So I make them talk. I give them voice. I give them movement."
"So you do," Rei added still seizing him up. Persius's negative energy started to take control of him as if propping him up as if controlled by all that negativity.
"This does not seem like an appropriate place for decent conversation," Rei said. "Let's go to somewhere you feel comfortable."
Persius grinned slightly chuckling. "Ah well, if you insist."
The room of Persius's choked through the smell of sawdust and paint. Persius had agreed to talk with him back at his apartment. Rei walked through the place noticing on counter tops in neat orderly fashion puppet dolls crafted in such detail he marveled.
"I'm surprised you did not start your own business," he said noticing Persius hard at work dusting off, and restoring Hasuki.
"Actually," he said still focused on his work, "I had the chance. But then I lost it. No one in society would ever view me ever again in the same light. That's how I got stuck working in such a shady place to begin with."
"Pray tell, what happened?"
"I had a puppet but I broke it. The neck cracked and I could not make it live again."
Rei bent down at him completing his work noticing Perseus's negative energy start to fester, but his eyelids were focused brilliantly like sharp daggers on his project.
"I see," Rei said. "But you're not being entirely truthful are you?"
"What do you mean?"
You're done working on Hasuki, but the others, just like her all have the same style. They have the same sharp blue eyes, lipstick, pale youthful flesh, but just different dresses. You could say they look modeled after someone."
At that moment Persius paused, a chill making him shiver.
"Did I hit a nerve?" he asked. "You seem to be a bit on edge."
"H-how much do you know?" he swallowed.
"I know everything," he replied. "But I am not here to judge you nor report you to the authorities. I want to know what happened from your own words," he said deeply. Sure, Rei Kurenada just happened to be lying through his teeth, but he could infer based on what he had gone through himself.
"I don't know if I trust you," he groaned. "I did get fired partly because of you."
Rei crossed his arms and closed his arms looking down carefully proceeding with the conversation. "I suppose that's fair," he said. "All right how about we try this?" he said matter of factually. "I will deduce what happened. You only need to tell me if I am right or wrong."
Persius set Hasuki gently to the side facing directly to Rei Kurenada. "A game huh? I love to play games," he smiled mischievously. "But if I win I will bash you with a hammer and turn you into a living puppet," he said dangerously holding up the hammer holding it with both hands. What do you say? Still want to play?"
Rei smiled back equally cruel. "A game has no merit if there is no risk."
"Then be my guest," he said offering him a stool opposite him. "I must warn you though when it comes to games Persius never loses," another voice said.
"Ah, if that is true," Rei said leaning forward on his crossed hands staring at him. "Then tell me. Who is the puppet?"
"More claptrap? I've had enough! If you taunt me again I will whack you with my hammer!" he said hitting the table hard.
"No more delays! You start playing!"
Rei could not help but wonder at the change in personality. Persius had not just suddenly started acting. No, it seemed as if something had possessed him. He knew if he did not uncover what it was Rei would have to learn how to dangle.
"Very well," he said leaning forward glancing not only over his physical appearance, but over all of his negativity.
"You were born deformed. No one in your family had a history of your deformity. Your mother ingested some strange medicine and you came out this way with a hump on your back and a deformed arm.
"Lucky guess," he said brushing away some wood shavings. "What else?"
Rei took a deep breath taking in the scent of his negativity. "You were teased a lot as a child. You got back at the children that made fun of you by framing them. You claimed in your defense that no one as deformed as you could have used whatever tool had been used and they got in trouble. You used your disability to move up in the world."
"Anyone could have figured that out!" Persius growled annoyed by him.
"Well how about this?" Rei said challenging him. "When you got into college despite your looks you excelled in the field of biology. Not only that, but you also took courses in puppetry, but none in ventriloquism."
"Yeah?" he wondered. "You're pretty good, but that still doesn't mean I won't bash your face in!" he said angrily.
"Calm yourself," Rei gestured holding up his hand. "The next part is where this gets good," he said starting to grin.
"There was an incident in college before your final exam," he said. "And a girl was there was she not?"
"What's her name."
"Hasuki."
Persius dropped the hammer standing up a bit taken aback.
"Oh? Hit the nail on the head did I?" Rei chuckled. "That's right. It's the name of the girl you have been obsessed with for a very long time."
"TH-this is unbelievable!" he shouted. "You must really be a mind reader!"
"No, I just did my research on you Persius," Rei said enveloping his existence in his eyes.
Persius paused, his lips sputtering as if he had lost his edge.
"Is there something you want to tell me Persius?"
"N-no," he spat. "No! You don't know what happened!"
"I don't need to," he said leaning forward. "I have already figured it out."
"Yeah?" Persius looked dangerously at his hammer and back at him.
"I can already see my hammer poundin' on your noggin."
"Then let me reveal to you your folly," Rei snickered. "Somehow you were alone with this girl Hasuki. You obsessed about her for quite awhile. But, when you attempted to tell her how you felt about her she rejected you."
"So?" Persius said angrily. "That means nothing!"
"Just keep tapping that hammer," he said tapping his finger on the table. "But how many times did you tap it on her?" he questioned tapping it once. "Once? Twice? Three times?"
He kept tapping it playfully.
"What are you saying?"
"You tell me," he said tapping it harder and harder. "Was it all your pent up rage unleashing several strikes? Or was it just one loud hard swing that killed her?"
"Just what are you implying?!" he shrieked.
Rei had enough fun toying with him. He reached forward, grabbed him by the scruff of his neck and tossed him on the table breaking it.
"I'm saying you killed her. You killed Hasuki Ishida."
He looked up at him terrorized, the full weight of his sin appearing to crush him.
"B-but I," he swallowed. "I brought her back to life. She moved again. Even better than before!" he exclaimed. "She had much more personality! And charm! And- and-"
"-That's what I was waiting for," Rei said reaching forward his hand and forcing him back up.
Persius breathed heavily as if his repressed desires that he had been punished for were relieved of the weight of punishment.
"You were found out, went to jail, and as a claim of insanity you were granted a lighter sentence. When you were let out you harbored a deep resentment for humanity within you, but, your incarceration changed you. You lost your resolve for your talents and were resigned to simply play with dolls."
Persius dropped his hammer he had clenched onto the whole time. His hands shivered as he put them over his head. "Just what do you want?" he sniveled.
"What I want? What an odd question. I want you Persius."
"You want me to make a doll for you?"
"No. I don't want you to turn my corpse into a puppet and I don't want any dolls."
"Then why do you want me?"
"Because you have potential for a new world."
"Potential?"
"But I don't think you'll be ready for it," he sighed. "You have to prove it to me."
"What are you going on about?" he questioned.
"I'm saying I am preparing a new world and I want you to be a part of it. It's a world where you can be reborn to a form that suits you. But you haven't shown me you are ready for it."
"You must be insane!" he shouted. "Reborn? Into another world? That's not possible!"
"Oh no?" Rei said. "Hit me with your hammer."
"What?"
"Hit me with your hammer. As hard as you can."
"N-no, he stammered.
"See? You're such a coward," he scoffed. "Then I guess I'll just have to do it myself."
"What?" who? When? he wondered letting down his guard.
Rei picked up the hammer and then with extreme force smashed it against his hand over and over not at all wincing.
"What are you doing? Are you crazy?" he said losing his mind. "You're hand is gonna break!" he exclaimed.
Rei smiled calmly showing his hand. "You're right. It indeed is quite broken," he said. "Right now I can barely moving a finger."
"Then why did you do it?" he said genuinely curious.
"To show you this," Rei said showing him his finger. He manifested the viral digital data that composed himself and changed his finger again to an unbroken state in front of him.
"See? Good as new." he said testing each of the joints.
"Unbelievable!" Persius exclaimed. "You weren't pulling my leg were you? You really have some weird power. And that power can even create new things! Even me!"
"Not necessarily," Rei said. "I can't make something 'new', but I can change it's digital composition. That is, if it's a digital entity," he smiled. "But you're not there yet. You're still against my will. You would only die trying to get there. And there is where you can be your true self. Your inhibitions- Your moral compass-Anything you want to do no chains of conscience will affect you."
"What do I have to do then?" he asked. "What can I do to go to such a place?"
"Prove yourself puppet master."
"Prove myself?"
"Put on a show Persius," he grinned. "Show me your talent. Make a puppet dance!"
Mr. Sakayda sat back smoking his cigarette in his room. The tip lightly kilned as he inhaled and exhaled the intoxicating poison, Rei Kurenada watching from the shadows.
The door opened and shut, Mr. Sakayda turning around.
"Eh?" He wondered noticing one of the old puppets there that he thought he had thrown out with Persius. "The hell is this doing here?" he asked walking up and inspecting it.
All of a sudden from out of it's mouth a light airy spray hit him lightly in the face and he coughed a bit and collapsed. A sweet fragrance coated him, but Rei knew the purpose of it had been anything but pleasant.
"Got him," Persius chuckled taking a suitcase strap off from his back and laying it on the ground.
He took out a scalpel, strings, and wooden cache's. "Now let me show you," he said sinisterly, "My greatest work."
Mr. Sakayda tried to open his eyes, but he squirmed unable to do so.
"What's wrong with me?" he said a bit groggy. "I feel so...lightheaded and tired," he said breathing out strangely as if he did not force the breath out of his body.
All of a sudden his eyes opened, but not of his own volition. "Argh!" he screamed frantically looking around himself, but having no control over his own body.
"What the hell is going on?!" he exclaimed panicking "My arms! My legs! I-I can't move them!"
"You're lucky I let you keep your voice box," Persius chuckled looking down over him.
"Y-You!" he groaned flopping his arm forward, but Persius moving his arm guiding it. "What's wrong with me? Why won't my body do what it wants to do?"
"Because it's not your body anymore," Persius grinned dangling him. "I own you now. It's mine."
"What do you mean?" he said starting to dance horrified at what his body had done having no control over himself.
"Because you're my puppet now."
"You're what?"
"MY PUPPET." he said darkly and dangerously.
"No," he said, his voice starting to break. "Dammit no! I'm not your plaything! When I get down from here so help me!"
"HEY," Persius said deeply. "WHO IS THE PUPPET?"
"What?" Mr. Sakayda said helplessly being swayed by him.
"ANSWER THE QUESTION," He said darkly. "WHO IS THE PUPPET?! WHO IS THE PUPPET?! WHO IS THE PUPPET?!" he shouted with finality.
Mr. Sakayda groaned out sputtering, trying to blubber like a baby, but he couldn't even control himself.
"Dammit," he said crying. "It's me. It's me! Move! Move!" he screamed.
"I told you already," Persius chuckled. "Your body is not yours anymore. It's mine-
"-You're mine now and there is not a dam thing you can do! So now I'm the boss!"he grinned making him dance in place madly, Mr. Sakayda freaking out. "Don't be shy! Here I'll even give you some company!" he cried.
With that he snapped his fingers and all three of his other dolls dangled down from the rafters dancing along with him; all the girls that looked like Hasuki. They all started to dance around him, some violent piano echoing out from the speakers.
Now that Mr. Sakayda had noticed it he appeared to be in some kind of dilapidated auditorium with a single light shining down on him and the others. A lone man sat out in the rafters, his arms crossed casually sipping some wine and some kind of cheese.
"H-hey!" he cried. "Help me! Get me away from this psycho!"
The man only smiled pleasantly waving back.
"What are you doing? I'm seriously in trouble here! This freak's got me playing house dancing with these marionette's! You've got to do something man!"
Persius laughed out loud his hands over his stomach as if he could barely contain himself. "Don't you know how to dance with a lady?" he said with his eyes starting to water. "But I guess I'm still jealous. I always wanted to dance with her!" he snapped. "While she was alive!" With that he cut a string, Mr. Sakayda's arm dangling already dislocated.
"My arm!" he screamed. "My arm! What the hell did you do to my arm! I'll get you you dam bastard! I'll get you!" His voice sounded terribly hoarse.
"-Let's just get this curtain call over with. You talk too much!" Persius said as all of the Hasuki dolls danced around with him until they ended the pose with their hands up- the main doll having done the splits holding up her arms facing outwards to the chamber.
"Yay!" Persius shouted clutching his hands together as if he had won the audience over, the spotlight shining on him. His puppets immediately crumpled to the ground because he had lost control, but the stimulation had been too much for him to care.
With that Rei Kurenada stood up clapping loudly. "A fantastic performance Persius. Bravo!"
After the applause had died down, much of it in Persius's head, Rei Kurenada approached him. He walked past the dilapidated seats up to the stage. Persius had already climbed down, fixing up the marionettes. Well, all except Mr. Sakayda who still would not stop cursing up a storm.
"Thank you Rei," Persius said confidently. "It was because of your encouragement I could put on a show like this. I never dreamed I could make a real life puppet dance."
Rei nodded his head affirmatively. "True," he said, his eyes studying him, "But now that I've seen your performance I see something else."
"Something else?"
"An attachment to this world," he said his eyes narrowing glaring into him. "In fact you seem too happy; too attached. You will never be able to be reborn in the new world. You'll just be a failed case just like the others."
He turned around getting ready to walk away.
"Wait!" Persius cried making the puppets get up and surround him. "Don't go! You said I could!"
"I said if you proved yourself but that goes two ways. You proved your a good puppeteer. Bravo for that. But, you still haven't showed your loyalty to me."
"What do I gotta do?" he asked, his puppets starting to tremble. "What can I do?!" he exclaimed his eyes watering.
Rei closed his eyes and walked away between the puppets. "Give me what you value most," he said deeply. I'll give you one hour to see if you can become worthy. That will give you the time to decide."
"But Rei!-" he screamed.
Rei turned his eyes back to him and grinned. "Persius," he said practically in a humming song, but then suddenly stopping. "Who is the puppet?"
Persius's puppets trembled and then fell in front of him as he bawled his eyes out. "No fair Rei," he said starting to get choked up. "I hate this game," he cried. "I hate it!"
Nearly an hour had passed. Rei found himself wandering outside contemplating what his possible vessel could do. Persius truly had a negativity around him few could match. Sure that heart easily became irritable, and even took another girl's life, but in a way he seemed innocent, almost childlike. Perhaps he never matured due to his disability or his passive aggressiveness. Regardless he would find out if Persius truly could be worthy of his gift.
He walked passed some faded out pictures on the wall of past opera pieces, down a curled carpet and through the main doors to the dilapidated opera house. The house itself had been set for demolishing, but it kept getting delayed and delayed so it proved to be the perfect spot for the performance.
He noticed the lights had turned off, Rei walking forward manipulating the single light to turn on. He said nothing noticing the place had turned quite cold. He was about to say something, but noticed the energetic vibe had completely disappeared.
He walked forward curiously up the stage, not noticing in the dark he stepped in something. He glanced down noticing a deep red stain on his boot. Curiously he manipulated the other lights so they could turn on revealing a grand display that for a moment took his breath away.
All around him the dolls had been dismembered. All three Hasuki's had their arms torn off, their legs torn off, and at least one of them missing their heads. Even Mr. Sakayda had been dismembered, Rei noticing his terrified expression and the display of blood spraying out of him from Persius's violent interaction with him.
He walked over towards Persius slumped over against a wall in a corner with a bloody knife next to him. He seemed distant nearly heartbroken as he trembled crying through clenched teeth.
"It must have been hard," Rei said putting a hand on his shoulder. "But even still I accept this offering. You are now worthy," he said taking out the vial of viral digital data."
He set it in front of him right in front of his eyes. Persius, shaking picked it up holding it up to his arm.
"One last thing before you go," Rei said curiously. "How do you feel about children?"
"Kids?" he said gruffly. "I hate 'em. They always laughed at me. They always cheated in games even though I won. They can all just die."
Rei closed his eyes and started walking away from him. "I suppose," he mused glancing back at him. "Persius," he said noticing him inject himself, "You are no longer a puppet. You are now my puppet," he sneered, Persius grinning chuckling madly to himself as his body started to dissolve completely disappearing.
Rei whipped around towards the stage madly grinning and held up his hands making all the spotlights shine down on him. "Now dance puppet! Dance!"
