//------------------------------//
// Chapter 21: Puppet Master 
// Story: Spacebound Equestria 
// by TheMajorTechie 
//------------------------------//


I am your king, and you are my puppet...


Celestia groaned. That same voice was still echoing through her mind.


I am your king, and you are my puppet...


Slowly, she raised her head to look around. Her body still ached from the battle that she had fought. Slowly shifting her gaze from the ceiling to her surroundings, she could tell that she had been moved into the medical care compartment of the cockpit. She turned just as Nurse Redheart entered.

"Nurse?" She asked with a raspy voice, "How long have I been out?"

Nurse Redheart stopped and turned towards the Princess, and took a glance at her clipboard. "As of now, about two weeks."

Celestia's breath halted for a moment. "Two weeks?!" she hollered, "TWO WEE--" Celestia was cut off by a horrid coughing fit, forcing her to lie back down.

Nurse Redheart nodded calmly. "It's alright, Princess. Your sister's been working with the Elements to keep things in check. All you have to do is get plenty of rest."

Celestia weakly agreed, "Thank you, nurse." and promptly fell back into a deep slumber.





Celestia...

Celestia's eyes darted warily about the darkened landscape, searching for the source of the voice.

I have a question...

The voice sounded familiar, like... like some sort of growl in a way...

What do you take me for?

Celestia gasped as Sombra materialized in front of her, the entire area going pitch-black, save for Sombra's decomposing face. It's speaking appeared to be entirely magic-based, as the jawbone of the face had already appeared to be missing.

...a fool?

Afraid of the possible backlash she may face for lying, Celestia weakly nodded.

...Then by all means, it is YOU who would be the fool...

Celestia jumped back in shock from the sudden outburst, scrambling to get back on her hooves.

All these years... you thought you had rid yourself of me, didn't you? Well...

The face floated closer to Celestia's, close enough, in fact, that she could smell the scent of it's rotting flesh.

...it appears that you couldn't be more wrong...

Once again, the same creepily happy tune rang throughout the land, "I am your king, and you are my puppet, I am your king, and you are my puppet, I am your king, and you are my puppet, "

Celestia suddenly realized that it was Sombra who appeared to be the one that sung the melody.

Suddenly, as if the face had noticed her realization, it took a dramatic lunge for her, and just as she felt it's slimy fangs bite deep into her flesh...

...she woke up.





"Sister!" yelled Luna as she bearhugged Celestia, "You're awake! I mean, I tried to wake you up by getting into whatever you were dreaming, but for some reason, I could never find, well... you in your dreams. All I could see was this dense fog, not much different from that of Sombra's."

Celestia's face grew stern. "Sombra..." she whispered, the same tune burned into her mind.


I am your king, and you are my puppet...