'PUPPET'

<Location: Heavenly Hills, Oceania>

Heavenly Hills is where most public figures or persons of importance on the second ring reside.

(So, this is the he Second family estate)

"Right this way sir" a butler guides me through the massive double doors of the mansion into an elegant hall that diverges into a spacious but equally elegant room,

It's walls are lined with gold laced picture frames that portray the faces of people, the portraits go all long the walls to the grand staircase all the way to mansions upper floor,

A massive crystal chandelier looks down at me as pass under it still following behind the butler,

He leads me through the main room to rustic study,

All the doors of this mansion are made of beautifully carved wood, which is an extremely rare resource here to say the least

But speaking of rare, as I enter the study notice the shelves upon shelves of books,

Physical paper books, wooden shelves

You would think trees weren't such limited resource here…

"Madam Second will be here to see you shortly," the butler leaves me alone in the study

(I'm here to see the chairman, not this Madam Second, is he perhaps not here?)

Not wanting to touch anything in the sparklingly tidy study I go over to window at the other end of the room

It's covered with a thick curtain of a rich violet color with silver embroidery along its edges

"Ha-ha!"

Splish!

Splash!

Outside is the view of a massive pool in which children play around,

Palm trees sway peacefully in the midday sun watching over the pool.

"Enjoying the view?" a sharp female voice asks courteously

Turning around I face and auburn haired, middle-aged woman

She is fitted in an extravagant yellow gown, and her aforementioned auburn hair done up in a perfect bun, with gold pins keeping it together,

Her long eyelashes flicker over her fierce red eyes that gaze wonderingly at me,

"It is a pleasure to finally meet you in person Kage,

I am Eve Second, the two hundred and twentieth of her name," the woman takes a bow

"Umm, pleasure to meet you as well,

I was supposed to be meeting with the chairman right now?"

"My husband may be the chairman but I am the one who he answers to,

He has adopted the name Adam Second after marrying into my family,"

"I didn't know there was a person above the chairman,"

"There isn't," Ms. Second gives me a nice smile, but I can't help feeling uneasy by it

"Officially I am simply a housewife, but I am the one running this ring behind the scenes,

Everything you want to know from husband, I know as well, and more,"

(So this woman is the true leader of the UCA)

"I–"

"–Pardon me Kage," Ms. Second interrupts me before I can even start speaking

"Before you do question me,

I must ask, not that it is my business…

Where have you been these past few months?

We were certain that you had been taken away to the North with Alexander,"

"I was at the bottom of the sea." I reply blankly

"I am sorry to hear that, if we had known we'd have rushed to help you,"

"Why are you so courteous with me?"

"Because you deserve respect,"

"Why"

"Because are you,"

"What does that mean, how do you know me?"

"Our family has history with you," Eve replies roaming across to the bookshelves,

"What kind of history?" I press further

"The sky turns red, the god's are dead

The dark inside of me, free

A monster I've come to be

The sun still shines in glee

The light still remains with me

Angels heal pain in me

A human I remain

My cries to the Gods not in vain

Their spirit on the mortal plain,"

Eve finishes reciting the poem, she shuts the book and flashes me another unsettling smile

"What is that supposed to mean?" I question immediately

"Nothing, it's just an old poem, Adam the hundred and ninety ninth of his name had written,

He was the member of my family that has met you so long ago,"

"Me? That was generations ago,"

"It was, wasn't it?," Eve reaches for another book;

"She was the most beautiful thing we had ever seen,

Every detail of her body, cell that rearrange and restructure themselves, I'm not even sure if I should call this thing her,

A scientific marvel that truly can't be replicated, is this first ring bio engineering or something entirely different altogether,"

Ms. Second gives me a look akin to a teacher that awaits a reply from her pupils…

"....

And what is this one about?" I concede a curious response…

"Isn't it obvious?

That was some lab notes taken after examining you, by that same Adam,

Back then you hadn't been conscious yet,

I could guess that the one calling themselves Kage, you, are nothing more than a newborn,

It is clear observing your behavioral patterns,

How long have you been aware for?

A year or two maybe?

Your body may have been here for a long time, but you Kage have not,

If that pirate had not stolen you away so long ago you would have developed with us,"

(When was it that I first opened my eyes,

That house or, in the desert?

Does it even a matter anymore?)

"So am I just an obtainable object to you?

You say I wasn't kidnapped but stolen"

(Was I really just nothing before opening my eyes?

I am nobody?)

"You are obtainable, that is correct Kage,

But you are also to be feared and respected,

Is that really a bad thing?

Why do you think you aren't stuck in a lab right now?

We cannot dream of opposing you,"

"Who am I then?

What am I?"

"That answer is still up to you,"

"What does that even mea–fuck it

I'm not wasting my time,"

(What if I'm nobody, a sentient machine perhaps?

A scientific experiment of the first ring?

The facts speak for themselves)

"Where is, what happened to Apollo and Himari," I change the topic

Ms. Second smiles graciously at me, almost as if mocking me for not pressing futher,

I feel a deep respect from this woman but also an inferiority,

She looks down on me while giving me unparalleled respect

(The true puppet master of the second ring)

Her cadence, the way she speaks, demeanor, it the exact opposite of the leader of the pirates Harry, a woman who was care free, and spontaneous, yet always seemed to be on her guard no matter what,

Ms. Second is extremely calculated and careful from the smile she does, to the exact words she chooses when speaking, yet she does all this while appearing relaxed….

"Their whereabouts are unknown just like yours was, though we suspect they might be melted along with the girl Lyra and the pawn Satan," Ms. Second stares into my eyes while saying this

"Melted?

And what's this about Satan being a pawn?"

"The two had a massive clash on the plastic beach, which resulted in them both dying using horrific magic, as for Satan, he just like us was nothing more than a pawn of the supreme leader of the first ring,"

"Elaborate, please."

"Hhhh" sighs Ms. Second, daintily placing herself in a seat

"Being a leader comes with many compromises, the talks you may of heard of a war between the first and second rings are of course not true we are in a way allied,

But it is a forced allegiance if anything…

Out military serves the purpose of raising strong bodied people to offer up to the first ring, in exchange for that they don't destroy us, and as a political gift they gave of something of high importance to them," Eve once again locks eyes with me

"Do you mean foundation energy?" I guess trying to avoid her deep gaze

"No,

They gave us you Kage,"