AN: So, I know it's a day early, but I'm just in the mood to update ^-^

Note to those who read my older version of Isis: I added a lot to this chapter, so I'd read al the way through if I was you!

Enjoy the chapter, and remember: Reviews make me write faster!

Previously—

There was a knock at the office door, putting a stop to any further questions EunSu might have asked. The Puppet Master glanced up at the door. "Ah, that must be them now," he muttered as he made sure his mask was firmly in place. He leaned back in his chair, giving off a feeling of power. "You may enter."

     EunSu looked over as the door to the office opened and a group consisting of a man and two women —all of whom also seemed incapable of sensing the twelve year old— walked in, quickly followed by a third woman who shut the door behind the group.

     The last to enter —an older woman with wire-rimmed glasses and a nervous attitude— cleared a few times before announcing the guests. "Sir, may I present Jiyong the Hunter, Minzy the Huntress, and the Witch Chaerin, here to answer your summons."

     The Puppet Master scoffed. "I know who they are. Who else would they be?"

    "Of course, sir." The woman went to stand by the door.

    At this moment the lone male visitor —a slim, dark-haired man of moderate height dressed in Victorian-era clothing— stepped forward, examining the pristine white room with an insane look in his eyes. "Oh, I'm not sure if I like this place," the man stated as he the handle of a carving knife he kept at his waist. "No, not at all. Definitely needs some redecorating. Perhaps in some nice shade of red?" He looked at the Puppet Master. "I could help you with that. I'd be needing a few extra bodies of course. Large room, you see—"

     "Jiyong!" hissed one of the women —a petite, leather-clad female with a predator's aura— before inclining her head just ever so slightly to the Puppet Master. "You'll have to excuse my brother. As you know, he's never quite been in his right mind."

     Jiyong chuckled. "But that's what makes me so good at what I do, my dear Minzy!" exclaimed the madman. "After all, who would ever suspect the town fool, Jiyong, of all these recent kidnappings? And those gruesome murders, oh heavens~"

     Jiyong scurried over to the third member of their trio —a blond woman about his height with cold eyes and dressed in a long, blood-red trench-coat— and began to speak to her in a woman's falsetto. "Oh, Jiyong? Well, yes, he might be absolutely loony, but he's not dangerous!"

     Next Jiyong went over next to the Puppet Master and hunched over, speaking in an old woman's voice. "Jiyong? Dangerous? Ha! Dearie, you hear me now— that boy may be mad as a hatter, but he'd never hurt a fly. Anyone who thinks otherwise, well... Then they're just as mad as Jiyong!"

     The Puppet Master looked at Minzy, raising an eyebrow as if to say, "Will this take much longer?" The Huntress simply shrugged her shoulders; sometimes she understood her brother just as well as the rest of the world. This was one of those times.

     Suddenly the Hunter was sitting cross-legged on the floor in front of his sister, his thumb and cuddling her bear-shaped backpack that Minzy had only just realized had been cut from her back. She sighed. "You're going to have to pay me back, you know," she told her brother.

     Jiyong glared at his sister. "No interruptions!" he snapped in his normal voice before getting back into character and speaking in a generic toddler voice. "Mithter Yong would neber EBER hurt anyting!​ He weally couldn't be a meanie, eben if a gwown said 'Yong, be mean!' he'd say no 'cause Mithter Yong is sad when people be mean!"

     Jiyong stood up and bowed to everyone in the room. "Thank you, thank you! I'll be here all day!"

     While at first Eunsu was sure she was dreaming, now she was starting to rethink that theory. "I'm not sure if this is a dream, a nightmare, or a Tim Burton film."

     The blond woman sighed. "And just what, exactly, was the point of that little... performance, Hunter?" she asked, just the tiniest bit of irritation seeping into her monotone voice.

     "I believe that I understand," said the Puppet Master. "What Jiyong's saying is that all of the village people believe him to be no more than just a harmless fool. He's trained them to think it even upsets him to injure something as insignificant as a common fly. He can easily move from village to village without garnering fear, suspicion, or hostility, unlike you Chaerin. The masses know what you are and despise you for it." The Puppet Master casually examined his nails. "So, Hunter, did I get it all?"

     "Pretty much," stated Jiyong as he attempted to balance one of his knives on his nose.

     The masked man nodded before looking back at Chaerin. "So, witch, any more questions?"

     "Yes. Why have we been summoned here, Puppet Master?" the witch asked. "What is your motive?"

     The Puppet Master smiled, although "smile" wasn't quite accurate. It was much colder than what one would normally think of as a smile. "So glad one of you finally asked. You see, beginning in the next few days, you will all be sent out on several... missions, you could say, to weaken the current queen's power base." He reached into one of his desk drawers and pulled out several sheets of paper. "These are lists of the more influential supporters of the Light," he said as he handed one to Jack. He then handed three each to the two women killers. "Huntress, the other two are for the Sky People Key and Taemin. Pass them along. Witch, I expect you to give the other two to Seunghyun and Taeyang."

     The Puppet Master looked around at the group of killers. "The rebellion starts as dawn breaks a week from now. Eliminate all supporters of the Light you come across." Pausing a moment, the masked man looked at Minzy. "Oh, and Huntress?" 

     As the assassin looked up, the Puppet Master pointed to his assistant, still standing by the door. "She's heard too much."

     Minzy nodded, then in the blink of an eye was across the room, preparing to slit the woman's throat.

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