6#A Crinkle in Time:Puppets on a red string

Katonki's POV

I had left the dining table to go check on the food that the chefs hadn't bought yet they were taking such a long time. It was weird like why the heck did it take that long to make food. As I was walking I pushed the door open. I didn't see any chefs, they weren't there and a trap door was open  "What's this, why is a trap door open weird… " Katonki thought to himself he had leaned over to get a closer look; he didn't hear footsteps from behind him. Someone had push him and he fell into some secret base. There was a TV "I was wondering when you showed up I was needing an assistant" "Assistant…? Katonki asked “Yes” “Why…me?” “Your perfect you have what I am looking for” “Looking for?? I’m sorry to turn down your offer but…I can’t be your assistant i already have an assistant” “Oh really do you mean her” The mysterious person transfer to another screen where Vema was hiding behind the stage with some black and white ink…people who were covered in ink “H-how do you know her!?” “She was stupid enough to fall into my trap” “Leave her out this!” “Nah, it seems like you enjoying this and it seems like you really care about her” “You better not hurt her” “I won’t unless…you join me and become my assistant” “NO” “Too bad you don’t have a choice if you won’t join me then I will force you!” The mysterious person's eyes started to glow “U-uh…” Katonki took a step back “My magic will help you oh…I forgot to introduce myself I—i—-i’m ____” “Your…?” “A—aze—lord” “Azelord?” “Y—y–es” “You—wil—-j-oin—m-me!” Azelord had transfer himself into his Katonki’s body “Did you just possessed me!?” “Maybe” “What happened to me…?” “I control half of you” “Half of…me? Also why aren’t you glitching like before???” “What happens whenever I use my magic it starts glitching me? It takes a while to kick in your’e feel it soon” “Feel wha-” Suddenly Katonki felt one of his eyes hurting “Ow…my eye hurts…” “It’s starting to kick in” “What..are you talking about?” Katonki felt the pain was stronger and he fell to the ground on his knees crying “Make it stop make it stop!” he screamed “Aren’t you going to do anything?” “Oh it’s you ofc not” “Come on Azelord at least help him” “Fine” Azelord groaned he didn’t really wanna help Katonki he would be fine afterwards. The pain stopped “The..pain…stopped… how?” “Don’t question it now look” “Look where?” “At yourself” “How?” Azelord made a mirror appear and Katonki stared at himself “What…heck…happened to my eyes!?” “Calm down” “Calm down!? HOW DO I CALM DOWN WHEN MY EYE-" " You're in control and I’m in control” Azelord interrupted “What?” “Your eye is your normal eye color because you're in control of your half body” “And ... .your in..control of the other half of your body…” “Precisely” “That means….” “I’m in control!” “Enough about that we gotta get to the stage” “The stage?” “Yes! The audience are waiting!” Azelord had snapped his fingers was out of Kantoki’s body “Don’t possessed me again it’s hurts” “Well it might hurt you more if you don’t get to audience your gonna be dead!” Azelord’s eyes started to glow again “U-uh…let’s go…” Azelord snapped his fingers teleporting him and Katonki to behind the stage “Here’s the plan I will talk first then you will help me” “Help you how?” “It’s obviously his first time” said a person who was wearing a hoodie they bright orange hair stuck out of hoodie. They face was covered  with a mask “Your finally here Skull!” “But seriously he doesn’t know how things work around here Azelord you can’t expect everyone to know how to play along” “That’s true then you can teach him” “Me teach him!?” “This there a problem?” “No…sir” “Good” Azelord disappeared and Skull turned to the new comer “What’s your name?” “K—-kat—on—ki–” “Katonki ay?” “Yeah..” “Cool i’m Skull btw your glitching I see Azelord possessed you” “He did” “No wonder your glitching anyways come on there’s lots to show you before the show starts” Skull walked around and showed Katonki the stage props. He met a lot of different people/creatures. “That’s pretty much everything now that you know more about the stage and people here you should rehearse your script” Katonki skimmed through his script. It was a lot to read “This script is too long can’t we shorten it?” “No Azelord wouldn’t like that idea” “Why does it matter what he lik-” Katonki was interrupted by a monster who was covered in black and white ink “H—ho–w–d–ar—e—yo–u!” Katonki turned around and it was Azelord!? “Hey…Azelord uh…I’m so so sorry please don’t kill me” Katonki was sweating Azelord kept giving him a death staring, Azelord walked over to Katonki and swiped across his eye leaving a scar that really hurt it was bleeding a lot “M-my eye!” Katonki screamed  “C—omplain—-ag–ain—--and—-th–e—pa–in—wil–l —be—wo–rst”  Katonki used his hand to cover his eye that was bleeding he ran off with a Skull running after him. He ran upstairs to the second floor which had restrooms and different types of doors. All of the doors were  barricaded. He entered the boy’s restroom and cleaned his face with water. He searched through the cabinets for first-aid kit. He found one and started to attempt to wrap his eye, the band aid was hard to put on. He gave up and put on an eyepatch instead. He kept looking in the mirror and something black was dripping down his eyepatch. What the heck!? What…is that…why is my eyepatch…turning black…? Katonki took off his eyepatch just then Skull came in Katonki quickly put his eyepatch on. Skull turned towards him “You know this is the boy’s restroom right?” “I’m not stupid ofc I know your eyepatch won’t work anymore” Shoot she already knew about the eyepatch problem…great “What did…Azelord use that..” “His claws” “But how do claws affect your eye?” “Ink claws” “Ink claws…?” “Ink claws are 12% effective” Katonki had never heard of “Ink claws” before he had a flashback to his past life. There was a group of children but their faces were blurred. He couldn't really see who these children’s faces were. Something in the distance felt hot. People screamed as the children were playing and adults came out from their small homes and took their children inside. They barricaded the windows and doors. Katonki’s mother had came out of small house and picked up Katonki “Mommy what’s happening?” Ishioana didn’t say anything, she was quiet and quickly barricaded the doors,windows, and made weapons. Katonki was too young to understand Katonki’s father Hakuruo told Katonki to stay in his room and his father showed him a safe place. “Daddy why are you and Mommy making weapons and why is everyone panicking about what’s happening please tell me..” Hakuruo sighed “I’m sorry Kato but I can’t this is for your own good you will understand when your older for now you must hide stay in your room” In the small room that only had one window, bed and small lamp that was placed onto table it was cramp it could only hold more than 3 people at a time. Hakuruo pulled the small lamp that was actually a secret place Katonki was fascinated with. I never knew this before, that's so cool! “This place is cool” This room was old and dusty and had lots of spider webs. It was underground and there were dripping sounds. There was so much to see “What is this place?” asked Katonki “This place has been used for generations my parents, your mom’s parents,their parents and relatives would hide down here it’s a safe place” “Woah that’s so cool!” “Shh…calm down Kato there’s more” Hakuruo got onto the floor and opened up a wooden board Katonki was behind him “What are you doing?” “I’m looking for some light” Haurko took out matches and an lighter, using the small match it lightened up they could see much clearly now. They had came to door which was locked. It had a circle with a split in the middle. Katonki looked at his father “Don’t you have a necklace like that?” “I do” Haurko looked through his pocket “Here” he handed it to Katonki “The door is too tall for me” “I will lift you up besides I can’t fit in there” “What do you mean?” “You will see for yourself” “Okay…?” Katonki was very confused Hakuruo lift up Katonki as he tried to fit the circle into the door “It not working!” “Try slower” This time Katonki took his time and the door opened inside the door was a beautiful place filled with dreamcatchers and hanging fairy lights. There were ancient masks ,fireflies in jars, toys, and more “Wow!” Katonki’s eyes lit up “I love this place! But why is it hidden?” “You don’t need to know but you must stay in this room okay?” “Wait! How do I get out of this room?” “See the back of door” “Yeah but it’s a different shape it’s shaped like diamond with split in the middle he realized that his mom had that same exact necklace “Mommy has that necklace I need her necklace to open this door” “I will be back” “Without Mommy’s necklace how will you leave” There’s another door” “There is?” “Yes” Haurko took the necklace from Katonki’s hands and put it on his neck “I will be right back I gotta go talk to Mom” “Remember to tell her to give me her necklace” “There’s another way to leave I have to ask her” “Wait Daddy don’t leave me!” Katonki held onto his dad’s wrist and cried. The flashback had ended Katonki felt tears he was crying “Katonki are you okay?” “Yeah I’m fine it’s nothing” Katonki had wiped his face and went back downstairs he could hear the audience screaming Azelord was waiting pacing back and forth Where is this boy!? Finally Katonki came down the stairs Azelord had grabbed onto Katonki’s wrist and pushed him onto the stage the crowd went quiet. The lights turned on he was shaking a microphone was in front of him “Hello everyone and welcome to…..  Acardoma!” “And now the one and only presenting to you Azelordddddd!” The crowd screaming and chanting Azelord’s name Katonki went backstage. He sat in a chair next to Skull who was practicing her lines. His necklace started to glow brightly and he had taken apart each half of the circle and diamond. He put the shapes together and he had the ability to read secrets. He looked up and saw a trap door that said “Don’t trust Azelord” How would I be able to get up there? He looked around for a ladder. Maybe Skull could help me “Skull do you have anything to climb on?” “No I don’t” I got up from my chair and peeked my head through the curtains. Azelord was talking to the audience.  When I saw something I noticed there were expressions of fear on all the audience’s faces and chains that connected to everyone’s wrist. Azelord was walking around and he turned his head. I saw the devil's horns, tail and his true identity. I swear I saw him grinned at me for a moment before he turned back towards the audience.  I closed the curtains and looked at Skull. Her face was scared. I asked her a question “Skull are you scared of Azelord?” “What no, I'm not scared” She was brave all the time and hid her true feelings. She was afraid of him. I wondered what my face looked like. I went upstairs again to the bathroom to look at myself into the mirror. When I saw myself my blood ran cold…One side of my face was smiling and had a fake smile the other side was smirking like I was about to plan something. On the mirror it said “Katonki is the mastermind” I’m the mastermind!? What the heck does that even mean no Azelord evil one not me I’m a normal human! I went downstairs to practice my lines that’s I was too distracted by scribble arrows that kept pointing upstairs. I got up again and stood there noticing a door at the end of the hallway . I turned my head. There were different types of scribble shapes that kept changing different colors. I turned my head in the opposite direction. The door had several locks each in the shape of the scribble shapes. Suddenly my necklace had stopped glowing “Wait no! I need to know the password for the door!” The diamond shaped part fell onto the floor. I kept trying to put the pieces back together. It wasn't working. I shoved the diamond into my pocket and took out the other half of the circle. Katonki heard footsteps; it was Skull she had dragged him and told him to rehearse his lines. Katonki sat in the chair and put the other half of the circle as he was reading it. He noticed there were different colored pens and some parts were scribbled out. Was that on purpose or did it mean something? He knew it meant something but what? Then that’s when it made sense the different color pens had to correspond to the scribble of different colors shapes on the wall. He counted the different colors of pens. This must be the code to get out here! I can save Vemina and Skull then leave! Then as he was talking to Skull asking for the piece of paper she gave him he quickly wrote down the information the lights had gone out. The necklace had stopped working, Azelord had opened the curtains and grumbled to himself “The show’s ruined great” “A-Azelord I finished reading the script” said a girl with bright bubblegum pink hair “Then do it again and again until you memorize it by heart and till you can speak louder” The girl walked away I kept on thinking about that door…I needed to find out the answer what’s behind that door Azelord appeared us he handed us flashlight “Both of you stay together go turn the lights” Me and Skull had went upstairs and Skull had necklace with an golden key it hung around her neck, she unlocked the door. I saw the power panel. I stood back as Skull used a different key to open it up “The panel it’s broken. We need to reconnect the wires “What if one of us gets electrocuted?” “Just do it correctly and you will be fine” I had doubts about this idea but I went along with it anyways. 4 different colored wires red,blue,green, yellow. I had a struggle trying to reconnect the wires. Finally I was able to do it when the lights turned back on. Skull said it was time to sleep. She took me to a spare guest room. I couldn't sleep so many things happened today ... .it was crazy…I kept on thinking about that door. What's behind it was freedom or a trap?  Katonki fell asleep… this place was crazy.