Author Note: Feeling slightly better today. How have you been? Well jeez I’m sorry I wanted to know about your day but I see you’re eager to keep reading and probably skipped this hahaha~ Enjoy this week’s Playhouse m(_ _)m Do you want to play?

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Chrysalis’ back slid against the wall as she fell to the floor clutching her chest to calm her raging heart beat. The red in her eyes faded back to purple and little tears pricked the corners as she soundlessly sobbed in relief.

She looked over at her assailant whimpering under Mark as he held his elbow pinned against his neck in a crushing manner.

The menacing growl ripping from his lips not only terrified her Master’s victim but she too found herself shivering.

Her head turned towards the corridor as Rea came rushing by with her sword in her hand and Carolyn blurring close behind her.

Rea’s face flashed worry as she spotted Chrysalis on the floor and she quickly put away her weapon and blurred to her side to help her up.

“Master Mark, may we be of assistance?”

Carolyn’s deep voice boomed as she bowed respectfully. Tightening his hold Mark shook his head and ordered Rea to take Chrysalis back to the party and not to inform anyone of what has happened here.

Without another word Mark was left alone and he lifted the demon’s body from the floor with one hand and slammed him against the wall making the disheveled man groan.

“God dammit Jackson! For once can’t you control yourself?!”

Jackson held his hands up defensively as he at the blood trickling from the side of his mouth. Mark groaned as Jackson’s elbow smashed his arm releasing him and he now pinned Mark to the wall with his arm behind his back.

“Are you drunk man?”

Mark’s mouth was muffled against the wall paper and Jackson’s grip lightened as a bashful high pitched giggle escaped his lips and he nodded cutely. With his free hand he held a small space in between his finger and thumb.

“Maybe? Just a littttlllee bit….”

Forgetting that he loosened his grip Mark quickly flipped over Jackson’s head and shoved his back so his head crashed against the wall and the drunk demon groaned and fell to the floor with a thud.

“How many have you had?”

Mark adjusted his clothing and brushed his hair as Jackson flipped over to lean against the wall. He counted on his fingers uncoordinatedly with his head swaying back and forth and his eyebrows furrowed as he tried to find a moment of clarity from his drink induced haze.

“Well…..first….firstly….I had one….cause you can’t have zero drinks at a party hahaha. Then I had three, then ummm, six……hey ugh Mark what’s the letter after eight? Was it thirteen? Yeah I think I had more than that~ Like….A LOT….more…”

Jackson laughed weakly and slapped his hand to his knee making Mark shake his head in shame. Jackson nudged his leg lightly with his foot and pouted.

“I was just having a little fun. Don’t be mad Markie, I adore you, you y beast you.”

Mark chuckled and helped his best friend off the floor and adjusted his clothing before slapping his face playfully making Jackson groan.

“You have a little fun at every grand ball and it usually ends with you getting into a bout with another Puppeteer for committing adultery with their Dolls. Jaebeom said next time he had to confront you he‘d have your head, best friend or not.”

Jackson shoved his finger in Mark’s chest and swayed as his words were slurred from his lips.

“Hey…hey a minute….I never lost a boat….ugh…a bout, okay? And those Dolls didn’t mind the adultery at all…..it was always consented….hiccup…..dude I’m so wasted……who was that one I almost had…the first one to resist me….I haven’t seen her before….”

Mark’s eyes narrowed flashing a deep blue and Jackson in turn flashed a deep red and he chuckled and shook his head.

“My bad Man I didn’t know.”
“Next time you touch any of my Dolls I’ll kill you. I love you but I’ll kill you.”

The tall titan from the crowd came up the hallway with his face still serious but his glass eyes were relieved as he saw Jackson with Mark.

He bowed respectfully and Mark grabbed Jackson by the jacket collar and threw him at the man.

“I believe this belongs to you Xander?”

He smirked as Xander lifted Jackson and threw him over his shoulder. Obviously Jackson was well past his alcohol limits because there was no way in hell he’d let anyone handle him in such a way, let alone his faithful Marionette.

“My apologies Master Mark, he slipped away from me.”
“He really knows how to party…..stupid bastard”
“That he does Sir. Was another maiden harmed? I asked him not to get carried away again.”
“Jackson is insatiable. Why won’t he just go out and find a nice female Doll to release himself into when he sees fit? His OWN female Doll.”

Xander shrugged his massive shoulders making Jackson groan from the movement and he slammed his little fist against the man’s large back.

“Same reason as always Master.”
“Maybe he’s also still bitter about that time Rea pinned him to the ground when he tried to sneak into my house. Take him away Xander, I’ll deal with him tomorrow.”

The titan Marionette bowed and turned to leave and Jackson weakly lifted his head and blew Mark a kiss while mouthing “sorry” and Mark shook his head and sighed heavily.

“Where’d everyone go?”

Mari wandered the crowd of people with her head turning back and forth looking for her sisters.

Last person she saw was Karin holding one of Master Yugyeom’s vessels while the two talked happily near the ice sculpture but that was a while ago.

Talia was on stage and when she wasn’t paying attention Mari placed a bouquet near her feet, beaming at her proudly and she rushed away before she could be seen.

“Excuse me….pardon me…..oh my apologies….I…”

Mari had collided with someone’s back and she quickly bowed deeply to apologize and when she looked up her cheeks lit up red as she plastered a small smile on her face to hide her humiliation.

“Goo….Good evening Master Jinyoung”

Her timid words stuttered as Jinyoung smiled down at her and he shook his head. He excused himself from his friends and bowed deeply making her heart skip a beat.

His white gloved hand grabbed hers and he kissed it softly making the skin blush and she sighed blissfully.

If it weren’t obvious already, Mari was completely smitten with Master Jinyoung. She remembered the first time he had dropped by for a visit at the Tuan manor since she had become a Doll.

She watched shyly from behind a marble column as he shook her Master’s hand and she was dazzled by his smile. He looked exactly like the Princes she would read about in her romance novels.

She flinched as Mark called for her and she stiffly made her way over to the two and bowed respectfully and his laugh was the most beautiful thing to ever grace her ears.

“My, aren’t you beautiful, just like a real Princess. I am Master Jinyoung and it’s a pleasure to meet you.”
“The pleasure’s all mine… Master”

From then on she kept her feelings to herself, silently marveling at him whenever she got the chance to see him again.

Her feelings only escalated when she learned he was also into romantic literature as well and he would often lend her something to read when she was brought along to Master Jaebeom’s palace for a meeting back in the day.

Realizing her mind had ventured she pulled her hand out of his hold quickly making the demon blind her with a toothy smile.

“How has your evening been Mari? You look radiant as always.”
“It’s been well Master. I was just in search of my sisters. Please excuse me”

She bowed hastily and turned to run away and squeal but she clenched her fists and turned to face him.

“Ummm….I….”
“What is it Princess?”

The pet name had her mind reeling as it slipped from his lips. Master Mark used to call her that constantly and it rubbed off on Jinyoung as well and he would often say it absent mindedly making her heart sing.

“It’s just….if you weren’t preoccupied….would you…”
“Yes?”
“You know, never mind. Excuse my gibberish.”

Mark walked by just in time to catch his unusually bashful Doll in her attempt to interact with Jinyoung and his lips twitched amusedly.

Jinyoung caught his gaze and Mark nodded in consent, no more hard feeling between them from before, and as Mari tried to back away he bumped her forward making her gasp.

“I’m so sorry! I…”
“Mari would you like to join me for a dance? I would be honored to be accompanied by such a lovely young woman like yourself.”

At a loss for words her seal flashed blue briefly making her place her hand in his and the other on his shoulder and her head nodded.

She looked over her shoulder at Mark who smiled and walked away leaving her a blushing mess. He vowed he’d do anything in his power to make sure his Dolls had a good time tonight, even if it meant…sharing.

His eyes darted around for his shaken up Doll and he groaned as Sunmi once again latched onto his arm with a smile.

“I’ve been looking all over for you”
“I’ve been preoccupied. And if you’ll excuse me…”
“You’re leaving me again?”
“I have more pressing matters to attend to”
“More important than me?”

She asked agitated but she didn’t release her grip and tightened it, her nails digging into his jacket.

“Don’t worry Chrysalis, Master Jackson will apologize for his actions tomorrow.”
“Is he always like that?”
“More or less I’m afraid”

Mona giggled as she fixed Chrysalis’ mangled hair. After getting over the initial shock of almost being defiled by an unknown Demon Chrysalis listened intently to what Miss Mona had to say about Master Mark’s best friend.

Together since they were younger the two were practically brothers. Master Jackson was the reigning champion when it came to battles in the Doll arena. Fighting was his passion.

He only had two other male Dolls aside from his titan Marionette Xander who was born with the same love of combat as his Master.

He didn’t believe in owning his own female Dolls, believing them to be too weak and fragile for battle so ultimately they were useless to him.

“But he canoodles with other Puppeteers Dolls, isn’t that against the rules?”
“Canoodles? Have you been reading Mari’s romance novels Dear hahaha Master Jackson isn’t one for rules and he knows how to tread on that fine line between following them and breaking them.”
“He sounds scary….”
“Scary? No, I’d say more peculiar than anyone you’ll ever meet. But do not fret, as Master Mark’s Doll he will protect you as one of his own as well when called for. He is very loyal. But enough about that, come shall we eat? I think I saw some rather large strawberries that you may enjoy.”

The group of security held a brief meeting on the upper balcony. Xander was crossing his arms seriously and Rea was looking over the edge at the crowd carefully, her eyes scanning every aspect of every detail.

“You feel it too don’t you Rea?”
“I do. Something is wrong.”

She had felt something off the moment the chefs came out of the kitchen confused as to why their vast window was opened when they were specifically instructed not to touch it in fear of animals coming through it.

Seals in various colors glowed against the skin of security as they created more guarding routes with Carolyn pointing out different hallways on the castle map.

Once everyone knew of their positions Rea jumped from the balcony railing and gracefully landed on the ground floor with male suitors looking on in awe.

Her head looked around quickly and she nodded and kept her hand on the leather handle of her blade. Talia was playing beautifully at the grand ivory piano with the rest of Master Youngjae’s tiny orchestra.

Mari was on cloud 9 as she swayed around with Master Jinyoung and Faun and Neema decided to stow their hatred aside for the moment and were having an eating contest with BamBam and his friends Lady Sorn, Lord Henry, and Lord Nickhun.

Karin and Master Yugyeom along with Lady Yerin were interacting with Master Jaebeom’s Dolls and they were learning the proper way to dance with fans and as always Karin clumsily whacked Yugyeom multiple times making the group laugh.

Chrysalis followed by Miss Mona with a plate of fruit as Mona described the demon realm flora to her that was displayed and Chrys squealed as a Venus fly trap waved at her and smiled with razor sharp teeth.

Master Mark seemed to be in a discussion with Lady Sunmi and he didn’t look too happy from the way he was frowning down at her and she was glaring at him.

Rea’s head shot up as the crowd gasped when the lights flickered. It was only for a second and once they were back everyone paid no mind to it and continued to celebrate merrily.

The sound of Rea’s blade sliding out of it’s holster rung as the lights once again flickered but this time the room was in a frenzy as the bodies of the trapeze artists plummeted to the floor with their arms severed.

Guests shrieked as the blood rained above them from the arms that were still holding onto the steel bars flying over head.

With everyone running around the lights again went out and a bone chilling voice echoed off the walls.

“La la lala la la la la la……”

It was child like, eerie and singing the tune that usually accompanied a Jack in the box as the handle is being cranked.

Security weapons were revealed one by one as the sound of metal screeched against the golden walls in a taunting way. There was silence.

“Pop…goes….the…weasel”

The eerie voice murmured softly, slowly, and the sound of a guttural scream rang through the darkness.

As the lights once again reappeared a Demon had a massive stab wound through his body and his Dolls surrounded him defensively.

Before the Puppeteers could activate their Dolls the lights again went out and panic broke out. The doors were sealed shut by some unknown force and the sound of a blade tapping along the walls accompanied by the eerie song once again instilled fear in even the bravest individual.

“La la la lala la la la”

Rea’s killer instincts took over and she flew into the air and Mark knew from the sound of colliding blades that she had found the culprit.

The sparks of steel against steel flashed in various locations, bright and hot as the rest of security gathered guests into a corner to shield them and Xander banged vigorously against the exit trying to get it to open.

“Mark I’m scared!”

Sunmi screamed as she burried herself into his chest and he wrapped his arms around her with his blue eyes glowing and his head scanning around worriedly.

Sensing a blade tearing through the stage floor Talia quickly huddled the orchestra to the back, smashing a cello into a sharp weapon and she kept her senses alert.

Sonia grabbed onto the hem of her dress frightened in the darkness and Talia knelt and smoothed her hair.

“Don’t worry, everything will be alright.”

Karin and Faun were huddled on the floor with Yugyeom and BamBam standing over them protectively with Neema standing on top of his head with her hand over her eyes scoping the dark.

“Don’t worry Darlin, I got you shhhh it‘s okay.”
“I’m scared Faun…Herbert don’t come out okay…I know you want to help…..”
“Do you see anything Neema?!”
“Nothin Masta!”

Jinyoung held Mari behind his back as he and Jaebeom yelled orders to security. Mari who worried for her sisters kept trying to shove past him and he yelled down at her.

“Mari, it’s too dangerous!”
“But I need to get to my family! They need me!”
“You’ll be no good to them dead!”

Mona kept her arms tightly wrapped around Chrysalis as the young Doll banged her fists against her protector’s arms begging to be activated so she could help Rea despite her inexperience.

This was no good, the girls were too scattered, the area too dark to be able to activate them to defend themselves and she feared for Rea.

Mark couldn’t take not knowing anymore, the darkness, the sounds, his eyes glazed over black blinding his vision completely but in the blackness he could see the blue glow of his soul resonating from his Dolls.

One….two……three….four…..

“Miss Mona! Can you hear me?! Activate me! Hurry!”

Talia bellowed as she held Sonia’s trembling body but she knew her calls were in vain.

Five……….S…….

The sound of a blade crashing to the Earth rung clear through the room and Mark’s breathing stopped completely.

Six….the blue soul was falling from the sky, flickering, and as it hit the ground the blue light went out.

“Pop….goes…..the weasel….”

The eerie voice reiterated one last time, ringing through everyone’s heads, and the lights returned, bright and blinding.

Talia’s heart breaking cry tore through the air as she knelt next to Rea’s motionless body that laid in a pool of her own thick, dark, blood pooling out and over the edge of the stage, dripping onto her saber that was lodged into the floor.

On the wall behind the Grand Piano the warrior’s blood was smeared messily in a bone chilling warning:

Just The Beginning
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Author Note: See you all next week, Do you still want to play m( _ _)m?