Immaterial Puppets ~ 106 Days

Magister, Cheerful Jester.

Outskirts of Ponyville

Twilight Sparkle, Rainbow Dash, and Fluttershy treaded up the path to the manor. The road hasn't been used in for years and much of the path is mostly faded out. Plants of diffrent sizes and shapes grew out of the road, almost covering it.

Twilight was up front with Rainbow Dash behind her and Fluttershy at the back with a paranoid look on her face. Twilight, who noticed, decided to start a conversation.

"Hey Fluttershy? Why do you have that green puppet with you?" Twilight asked

Fluttershy looked at the puppet on her back, safely tucked between her wings.

"I didn't want to leave him, he's just like a sleeping animal. Besides, I feel attached to him all of a sudden." said Fluttershy.

"He's just a puppet Fluttershy. I don't think he minds staying behind." said Twilight.

They continued on the path discussing about the green puppet...

Puppet Manor, Gate

"...and maybe, he could play with the small animals that are still young, if they don't bit him."

Fluttershy went on about how she is going to use the green puppet as they approched the gate to the manor.

"This must be it." Twilight said.

The gate is rusted and vines covered the walls. The gate is opened slighty ajar. Behind the gate is the manor itself. It's a three-story building with many cracks and vines everywhere. Some windows are broken and the front door is also slighty ajar. The wood is darkened from the years and most of it's color is almost washed away. The manor that might have be a wonder, is now a new kind of wonder, now has aged to an abandon house, full of secrets waiting to be uncovered. Yet, it does have a scary image.

"Uh... Ok! Time to to go!"

Fluttershy flew away like a speeding bullet, away from the manor.

"Hey! Get back here!" Rainbow Dash yelled as she flew in the direction of Fluttershy.

Twilight sighed as she took a look at the worn out manor.

"I guess I expected to look old." said Twilight. "I should go on ahead to see if there is anything in the yard."

Twilight opened the rusted gate slowly and went through.

The yard is barren and grey. A dead tree looms over the path to the front door. Twilight walked over to a old wooden bench under the tree. The bench is still in good shape after who knows how many years it has been here. Twilight sat on the bench and stared at the manor.

"I wonder what we'll find here?" Twilight said to herself.

In her opinion, there might not be much inside. After a hundreds of years, it's most likely looted from collectors or historians. However, there could be something inside since not many ponies never seem to know about it. Yet what if something happens like the roof falling or a wall collasping? Was going inside was a good idea?

"You look worried."

Twilight Sparkle jumped at the sound of the mysterious voice. She turned around to the direction of the voice. There, she saw a small pony that is wearing a brightly colored with a dark green and red cloak. It wore a jester hat that is also green and red with a yellow star on top of it. The pony's face is covered with a mask that has two blue eyes showing. A dark grey mane is draped around the pony's neck.

"Suprised?" He spoke a with a male voice, not rough, but more slenderish. Both the pony and Twilight stare at each other. The pony broke the silence.

"Oh ho ho ho ho! A pony enters the yard! The yard! The yard!" the odd pony laughed as he began to bounce around Twilight.

Twilight just gave the pony a weird look. The pony reminds her of Pinkie Pie a little bit. Why was this pony even here?

"Excuse me." Twilight asked.

The pony stopped bouncing and jumped on the bench, right next to Twilight, making her startled again and falling off the bench. The pony just stared. Twilight got up and cleared her throat.

"Who are you, and why are you here?" the purple unicorn asked.

The pony gave her a funny look.

"You asked me? Oh yes, questions to greet a stranger. I forgot what this age was. But if you must know, I am called Magister, the illusion. I would have added more titles after that, but I remembered I had none but that one to share!"

The pony called 'Magister' laughed loudly again. Twilight took a step back, thinking the jester in front of is insane.

"Now for your second question, I can't tell you or I'll spoil the suprise! He he! It could be ehhh... deadly." Magister begins laughing again.

Twilight was now about a three yards away from Magister. This colt was a major nutcase, and what does he mean a 'suprise'? Before Twilight was about ot ask him, he suddenly his laugh turned into a giggle. Magister hopped up the tree and jumped inside a open window.

Before he closed it, he stuck his head out and waved his hoof and closed the window, making it silent.

Twilight took time to comprehend what crazy event just happened.

"Okay, a jester appeared, laughed like a crazy pony, can jump really high and fast, and is a lunatic," Twilight thought.

Why was that jester is even here of all places? Aren't they supposed to be in courts or throne rooms peforming? Twilight pushed the thoughts away, she had other things to focus on.

Twilight heard the rusted gates open and turned around to see who was opening them. She saw Rainbow Dash dragging Fluttershy on the ground with her teeth.

"Comfh on Fluffershy!" muffled Rainbow Dash as she struggled to pull Fluttershy, who was trying to pulling away furiously.

Twilight Sparkle let out a breath in relief. She thought that nutcase came back.

"No! I'm not going in!" screamed Fluttershy. Rainbow Dash still keeps pulling on Fluttershy's tail and slowly drags her to the front door.

Rainbow Dash then randomly, released Fluttershy's tail. Fluttershy flew directly into the dead tree next to Twilight and smashed threw the tree, making her stuck in place. Rainbow Dash went up to her.

"Come on Fluttershy, I really want to win that free trip. Can you at least do this for me?" Rainbow Dash persuaded.

Fluttershy just looked at her for a few moments and said, "Ok, I'll go i-i-inside. Just this once." Rainbow Dash pulled Fluttershy out of the tree and flew over to the front door. "Great! Come on Twilight! Let's find a puppet!"

Twilight Sparkle sighed once again and followed the two. It's going to be one of those days.

Magister hopped joyfully through the dark halls of the manor with each creak on every hop. With each hop, dust floats around from the hall all around, Magister didn't care though. All he cares about is the pony he found out in the yard. No everyday somepony appears at this manor.

Magister stops right at a door on the right.

"Oh knock knock Master! I have the most wonderful news as of now! Knock knock!" said Magister in a joyful tone as he knocked loudly with his hoof. "Come out! Come out!"

"Come in." a filly's voice said behind the door. Magister did just that and entered inside. There, a pony is sitting on a scarlet colored bed. The light from a window behind her faded out most of her figure, making her unrecognizable.

"Oh Master! We have guests today! Three ponies to be exact! A two pegasi and a unicorn! Isn't this exciting?" cackled Magister, doing a little dance.

"Description?" asked the mysterious pony who still just sat on the bed.

"There is one who has a colorful, rainbow mane and tail which looks like a absolute match with her blue body. There is a yellow pegasis who is just a very scared pony until we greet her. Finally, we have this wonderful lavender unicorn who seems to be the big brain of the group! Asked a lot of questions, that one. Ho ho!" explained Magister.

The pony sat there for a moment, thinking. Finally, she said,"Prepare for our guests then, I'll be out soon. Keep them company." said the pony. She slowly let herself fall back into the bed.

Magister bounced out of the room and closed the door. The door opened after a minute and Magister came back in and powerfully flipped the bed sending the pony out of it.

"Okay! Okay! I'm going!"

"Wow! Compared from the outside, inside is like a whole different place!" exclaimed Twilight Sparkle as she let her eyes wander the main lobby. Inside was like a well kept manor with fixed wood and shiny floors. There is a bunch of stairs leading up to the second floor with three halls. On the first floor, four doors surround the area around the three ponies. A huge chandelier is hanging up on the ceiling with lights all around.

The three ponies walked over to the middle of the room, looking around with awe.

"I thought this place was supposed to be all messed up!." said Rainbow Dash. "Somepony must still live here."

"If that is true, then why keep the inside all nice and clean while keep the outside in very poor condition?" questioned Twilight as she walked to the stairs to the right.

"Um... Maybe they are afraid of how the manor looks?" replied Fluttershy who is looking at a door on the side.

"I doubt it. Anyway, who would live here next to the Everfree forest? Well, except the Puppet Master himself..." Twilight said until Magister entered her thoughts.

"Oh, I almost forgot! There was this crazy pony earlier that came out of nowhere. I'm guessing he might have resided here and fixed the place up." Twilight observed the walls in the room. It's just a light shade of red with a few picture frames of landscapes. Nothing out of the ordanary so far.

"He was strange, he wore very odd clothing and also had a mask covering everything on his face except his eyes. He called himself 'Magister'. We should be careful." continued Twilight.

"Heh! If this freak tries to mess with us, I give him a buck to the face!" Rainbow Dash kicked the air a few times to prove her point. "Anyway, let's hurry and find us a puppet! We're wasting time here!" Rainbow Dash flew up next to the glowing chandelier. "The sooner we find one, the faster we leave!" declared Rainbow.

"Isn't that stealing?" Fluttershy questioned. "If we meet this pony, he might lend one to us?"

"Nah! I bet he is keeping them for himself! He might enter a puppet so he can win the prize!" exclaimed Rainbow Dash.

Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy began a conversation on to trust the crazy pony or not. Twilight went to the nearest door, slowly opened it, and peeked inside. There she saw a masked face.

"Hello again!"

Twilight Sparkle quickly backed away from the door as Magister came through the door. Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy stopped their conversation stared at the newcomer.

"Ah ha ha ha! Welcome, welcome! My master also welcomes you too, she will be introducing herself soon. He he!" giggled Magister as he bounced around Twilight happily.

Rainbow Dash landed right next to Twilight. "Is this the guy you were talking about?" she whispered. "Yes, he is. Be careful around him." Twilight whispered back. Magister stopped bouncing and stared at Rainbow.

"Oooh!" Magister reached out a hoof and slighty rubbed Rainbow Dash's mane. "Ahahahaha!" Magister laughed as Rainbow Dash stepped back. "How nice to meet you...and your mane!"

"Um... thank you?" said Rainbow Dash as she just backed away. Magister didn't follow, instead, he leaped in the air and slowly floated on the chandelier next to Fluttershy.

Fluttershy squeaked at the jester and fell from the air. Magister just laughed again, swinging the chandelier side to side. Twilight, Rainbow Dash, and Fluttershy stood together and watched the madpony.

"Yep, he's crazy." Rainbow Dash observed. The other ponies agreed, noding their heads.

"Sure is." said Twilight.

"Oh yes." agreed Fluttershy.

"I don't know why he even acts like that." said a voice.

"All crazy and... wait, who was that?" asked Rainbow as she and the others turned around to find a masked pony with a black cape and a fantastic feather hat. Her mask covers her entire face, leaving no sign of skin, her cape also covers her body. The most revealing thing however, is a warning sign that is straped behind her back. Not everyday a pony has a sign on her back.

She stepped forward and said, "So who dares disturb the house of the Puppet Master?" the pony demanded, halting in front of Twilight Sparkle.

Magister stopped swinging the chandelier and was quietly giggling. Twilight swallowed and said, "Uh, who are you?"

"Who is she? You're speaking to the Puppet Master, that's who!" answered Magister.