• Published 1st Apr 2014
  • 15,329 Views, 1,427 Comments

Puppets of Tragedy - Iridescence T Wind



We all know the story, human from earth goes to Equestria from buying a mystical prop from a mysterious unnamed salesman to attend Comicon. But what you didn't expect was the prop to be a puppeteers crafting kit.

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Rain N' Roll

Something I learned rather quickly about Pegasus ponies being locked underground is that they are practically restless balls of energy. That or Rainbow had far too much for her own good. An underground facility was hardly the place for her to do her daily training regimen. Even if the main training chamber could allow an adult dragon to comfortably stand, Rainbow had soon complained about the height being far from adequate for practice she wanted to do. I kindly reminded her that unless she wanted to collapse the underground, or draw attention of her former friends that practicing the sonic rainboom or revealing her rainbow trail above ground was a dangerously stupid idea.

I had said it in nicer words of course, but Rainbow was still disgruntled none the less. Especially when she learned Trixie was also living here. That particular mess had taken Cass herself intervening for her friend before the former show-mare could be beat to a pulp by the athletic pegasus or the unicorn tying rainbow up like she did applejack in the show. The two soon made up though after Cass told her story about how Trixie became her friend, and I vouched for Rainbow to Trixie in turn. Surprisingly after the first day the two began to practice together regularly, and that fixed the problem of Rainbow whining about practice.

Trixie was to practice larger scale magic tricks as well as some new props I had lectured her on. Particularly a copy of the card deck I had and the dice that went with it soon became its own mobile obstacle course. Trixie trying to catch Rainbow and Rainbow well, doing her best to avoid it and tag Trixie in turn. Occasionally I'd add in puppets to mix their training up, but Trixie put the most work in mastering Luxords Deck, calling them a 'one of a kind magic trick for all ages!' That got a smile from me. As well as a lecture from Cass about becoming a one trick pony. Trixie promptly took up several other props that I had built days prior, and became proficient with a small assortment of items that I thought fit the stage magician.

Yoko as well as her group began expeditions into the void between dimensions. She still had most of her tokens, and now that she no longer had a major war to fight in was keeping herself busy with the various contacts she had gathered since arriving in her own universe. With my token in hand as well, she could traverse the gaps with her friends back and forth without having to visit the supernova that had claimed her Equis.

Amber did as she does, training when she can, and bugging me about jobs that needed doing when she didn't. So I kept her keeping an eye out for the Sirens, and chose to steal another copy of the newspaper from Ponyvilles local librarian before she could get it herself for a quick read over. The headline was unremarkable, something about folks causing ruckus in a local tavern. Flipping through other news articles something caught interest.

Princess of the Night
Unseen even at night!
Nobles suspect secret
plotting! Probably wrong
again! Reports say she
hasn't entertained the
Night Court since Nightmare
Night!

Well that was interesting, though I did wonder if this was strictly necessary. Luna last I checked operated as a dream medium during the night shift, though news of a Night Time court was certainly a new one. One that would need investigating. To be honest the minor news article took up the space of an advertisement. But then again most of the minor news it seemed were also crammed in it, as the equestrian newspaper was paradoxically made for everyone to know whats going on anywhere at once. This mystery was confusing, as next to Luna was a news report about the increasing friendship between buffalo and Appleloosa, Manehatten's latest in its version of Broadway musicals, and even a news report about the recent weather plans for some place called Vanhoover. It wasn't in any particular order, not alphabetical, by date, or even by topic importance, almost as if Discord himself ran the newspaper but without any bias which was paradoxical for media.

Twilight must of swapped newspapers, it was the only logical conclusion. Her prior newspapers had a lot more information, and I wasn't saying that to be creepy. Distantly there was a sound of a young dragon asking himself, "Who keeps taking our newspaper! I swore I saw it just this morning!" and chuckled before returning to Lunas subject my earlier mirth growing a bit less as I recalled what I had given her the last time we'd met. The knowledge about the truth of the petrified statues beneath the castle of the two sisters. That immortals were the only ones immune to its resultant killing effect, and that this would have likely either of enraged or saddened the otherwise most down to earth princess. Probably a mixture of both.

I considered what I could for the princess of the night. I wasn't the greatest motivational speaker, so what can I do? I could craft, but what? By all rights they were dead. From unnatural causes of a basilisks glare. I pored over my mind what sort of things could cure that. Harry Potter had dealt with a basilisk but not turned to stone, so phoenix tears wouldn't work. Wait... Phoenix! My mind linked the creature to another very very different genre, from books and movies to the video game series of Final Fantasy. Now I felt like an idiot for not thinking about it until now. Two consumable items existed in that game that could possibly help. But I'd need help. Neither was I a metal worker nor did I have such a bird on hand. However, Celestia and Luna had both.

I took rough aim at Canterlot's palace and shot a portal at it.

Distantly a guard reacted in surprise as a blue blob flung itself past them faster than the blink of an eye impacted against the castle wall before expanding, and being drug through by a puppets hand. "There there." Said Aku to the panic filled guard, "No worries here, it will all be okay soon." he pet the struggling guard before the hush of forced sleep overcame him from another tool. Another portal drop deposited him into the bushes for later discovery. I arrived as well, cards flickering through first as I walked across them, minding carefully just how far above the ground I was. Next came a few puppets, my concentration stretched across multiple points as the mechanical bug like drones of Nox scouted ahead, alongside Aku.

This was unfamiliar ground, but I figured that Luna and Celestia were likely to hold the highest point in the castle, or at least a spot that served comfortably between the throne room and living areas of the castle. Insects were hardly noticeable in the grand scheme of guard training. Pests were the maid and butler jurisdiction of control. So it wasn't long before the searching net found their chambers. In retrospect it was over guarded to all hell and back. I mean who needs two guards for each door, and another pair of guards for each window. With a similar formation on the other end of the same tower. The main difference was one front entrance had four guards while the other had two. Judging from the time of day, I was willing to bet that it was Luna's room. Especially since the Batponies outside of it.

Well now what. Do I introduce myself to these guards, knock them out or-.

I noticed something extraordinarily stupid. They had left a window open, with just enough open ground beyond for a portal to fit. I face-palmed. Seriously? It was a simple matter to wait till the guards gaze was focused away just right then ploop went the portal as it landed. Momentarily disrupted by its worst enemy. Carpet. I jumped through from the other side by myself. Immediately I was pinned to a wall by magic.

"Ow." I replied, as the portal closed behind me, "Nice to see you too Luna."

The grip lessened somewhat as my eyes adjusted to the semi-dark room that I had invaded. It was colored after her mane and coat, with a pure black bed of the finest silks. Around her chambers were countless books and small personal items and trophies on shelves. The origin of the magical energy, Luna, was in her bed, barely visible as a faint outline in her royal bed. All I could see were some red tinted eyes, the slight fringe of the starry front of her mane, and the long horn lit up with magic only an Alicorn could properly bear in such force. "Puppet Master, why do you invade this place?"

"Well..." I gasped a bit, "If you'd kindly stop crushing my ribcage I'd tell you..."

The force lessened considerably, but still did not let go. At least I could move, albeit in the air and unable to leave the wall. It was an odd sensation, as I noted that she grabbed me by my clothes rather than directly. That and my mask, which was painfully aware of her touch upon it. quickly I elaborated once air properly returned, "Thought I'd try to offer... a comforting hand, and offer you something."

"What else pray tell do you have to offer us now?" Luna bitterly replied, "What other hidden away horrors do you have for us today?"

"Not of horror, but of hope that I wish to test first before promising results." I replied, reaching up to keep my mask in place before it was accidentally tugged off, "I have an idea on how to save your friends whom are locked in statues back at the castle of two sisters."

This caused the magic to drop me softly upon the ground before releasing me, Luna looked at me, leaning into the light with mascara stained face of a mare who had been weeping for a long time, "How? Thou hast read the journal as well no doubt, and despite my many attempts to prove it otherwise, this book has indeed been written by Starswirl. We even attempted..." She looked even more miserable, as she pulled out an old worn hat and cloak, ones far more elegant than the copy Twilight had attempted to make for Nightmare Night, "To revive him in the manner he revived us... but it failed."

I paused, "Do you still have his ashes?"

"Yes... they're in..." she wordlessly gestured with the journal to an Urn. One normally used for burial that was now on a shelf, far newer than anything else on it, "There."

"Well that's news..." I said, respectfully, "With your permission, and a few needed objects, and a bit of help I would like to attempt to revive him."

Luna stared at me, like a hard stare of someone who has heard of this sort of thing before, "You do not mean necromancy?""

I was startled, "No of course not! Undead are hardly revived aren't they?"

Luna shook her head, "Then how?"

I gave her a calming gesture, "Please, all shall be explained in time. The thing I'd need though to work on the project is ideally a feather though."

"A feather?" Luna asked, looking at me then her own wing, "Mine?"

"Noooo...." I said, "A phoenix feather."

"Then you need..." Luna balked at what I had implied.

"Help from your sisters pet, yes. A primary feather, preferably." I explained, "I need to do some modifications, before making the attempt. The other item I'd need help with is something I'm unskilled at as well. Do you happen to know a good Blacksmith to work gold?"

Luna looked at me, like I had asked her an extraordinarily stupid question. "We live in a castle." She replied. When I didn't respond she continued, "Filled to the brim with day guards covered in the stuff."

"Always wondered why gold of all things, steel is more reliable." I said, and Luna looked aghast, "What?"

She shook her head, "You must not of done a lot of research on this matter, or come from someplace different. Steel, titanium, adamantium, as well as Mithril are all very rare minerals, forging a simple object from any of them would likely drive even the noble house of Blueblood way past their budgets. We were surprised when several of your.... weapons.... seemed forged from them."

I rose an eyebrow, "Oh."

"We assumed you plundered an entire treasury of some other far off kingdom for the tools and weapons you use, was this not the case?" Luna asked and I paused to consider it. Equestria is rich in gold and gems, its why we build so much out of the former and why the later are used cheaply for various arcane tools."

I could lie, say I built them from metal, or even were made as gifts from discords chaotic spirit. But such an action undermined what I was working towards. That and I could tell such an action wasn't going to work on someone like her. She was too acute. So I was left with one real option, and then the aloof option. I chose both, "Forged them from magic, I did. Enchanted fantastical from the mundane and opened their materials to rediscovery." I said, it was a half truth, but Lunas gaze locked into mine, and I found my will power slowly draining locked into those... curious... shining eyes.

I sighed, "look, I'd only ever show you if you Pinkie promise not to use it against me. I may be one of those big villains, and likely your guards would of tried arresting me twenty times over by now for merely being here if they knew-" I saw a guard fidget from a puppet outside, oh they knew I was in here. Their ears were now pressed against the door listening in, "Correction!" I loudly stated, "SINCE THEY DO KNOW." Each guard let out a momentary Eep before resuming post trying to pretend like they weren't totally eavesdropping, "Sorry bout that. Eyes and ears everywhere, where was I?"

"Something about Pinkie promising, whatever that is." Luna said, "Does this have to deal with Twilights friends from Ponyville?"

"The originator of the promise is-...." I sighed, "Long story short, the pink one made a promise system that somehow works that if you break the promise, you suffer shame 'foreevveerrr or something like that." I stated before resuming, "In any case, I'll let you watch me make such an item if you want as long as its sworn not to be used against me. I'm a crafter and weaver of stories, not a fighter and I don't need guards taking away my craft should they get the opportunity." I looked to her, "That'd be a breach of trust I'd compare to Twilight taking your moon from you."

"She'd never." Luna said firmly, "Shes Celestia's student and the bearer of the element of magic."

"Its an example." I sighed, "So getting back on point, before we get this on the road, can you get a primary feather from Celestia's pet phoenix?"

"Pinkie Promise then that it won't be abused for evil." Luna stated calmly, using my own words against me.

I sighed, and went through the motions, "Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye." On Lunas tilted head I somewhat indignantly said, "What?"

"Sorry, it caught us off guard." Luna eventually worded out, before getting up, "I will be back, touch anything in my room other than the floor and I'll drag you to Tia."

I held my hands up where she could see them, and she snorted, composing herself. Bled mascara washing away as she enveloped her face in magic, doing a quick cleaning and adjusting her royal crown before heading out. Leaving me to examine her room, as two other guards entered as well on her command to watch me.

After a few minutes, one of the bat ponies asked, "Sooooo what are you anyway?" only to get nudged by the other, "What?"

"New I'm guessing?" I replied, normally guards were stoic as rocks. "Hi, I'm the Puppet Master, that's what I am."

"Yeah, but what are you?" The mare asked again, getting a facehoof from her coworker, "You have fingers like a minotaur, but no horns, and your legs don't match most of the other racial profiles."

"Perhaps I'm a figment of your imagination." I replied.

The guard stared at me like I was stupid. I stared back like she was stupid to be buggering me with questions on my race. The other guard for the most part tried to maintain a calm facade, but he was clearly sweating bullets underneath that armor as the apparent recruit kept bothering one of the few villains in the realm capable of eluding justice.My hands fell upon my deck casually in case things got violent, but it was for naught as soon after, Luna came back.

"I have this feather, now show us how you intend to use it."

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