What the Puppet Thinks [Special One-Shot Version]
It was cold.
The rain, too.
The wind, too.
People's words, too.
Everything.
The girl was walking along a muddy road.
Her shoe soles were worn thin.
Her clothes were torn.
Her hair was plastered to her face by the rain.
Even so, she did not stop walking.
Because if she stopped, it would be the end.
She would be found again.
She would be chased again.
She would have stones thrown at her again.
She would be told again.
That she was disgusting.
The girl bit her lip.
It was a phrase she was tired of hearing.
However.
She never got used to it.
No matter how much time passed.
No matter how much she was hurt.
Her heart, at least, never grew accustomed to it.
---Three years ago.
The girl was summoned to another world.
Dazzling light.
A royal castle.
Cheers.
Hope.
Expectation.
Her life was going to change.
That is what she thought.
But.
The moment they saw the gift she was given.
The eyes of those around her changed.
ãPuppeteerã
The power to control puppets.
Just that.
She could not swing a sword.
She could not use magic.
She could not heal.
She could only move puppets.
Those around her were disappointed.
Eventually, they felt disgust.
And then, they feared her.
âPuppet masterâ
âCreepy womanâ
âCursed giftâ
Before she knew it, the girl herself came to hate her puppets.
Because.
Every time a puppet appeared.
People would walk away.
Every time she saw a puppet.
She was reminded of her own worthlessness.
That is why the girl stopped using her gift.
Even so.
The hatred she received did not end.
She was being chased that day, too.
She did not know the reason.
It was always like that.
There was no reason.
The side that hates.
Does not need a reason to hate.
She ran through the forest.
Branches cut her skin.
Her feet tangled.
Her breathing was labored.
Still, she ran.
Ran.
Ran.
And then.
When she realized it.
She was standing in front of unknown ruins.
A massive stone structure.
A collapsed tower.
Entwining vines.
A place no one approached.
Strangely enough.
The presence of her pursuers had vanished.
As if.
The ruins themselves were rejecting the outside world.
It was quiet inside.
Too.
Quiet.
Only the sound of her own breathing echoed.
She moved deeper inside.
Beyond the darkness.
She emerged into a hall.
And then.
The girl stopped in her tracks.
There.
Was a single puppet.
Silver hair.
Translucent skin.
Closed eyes.
Like a sleeping boy.
No.
He looked like nothing but a living human.
The girl slowly approached.
It was strange.
She was not afraid.
Even though it was a puppet.
Even though she was supposed to hate them.
For some reason.
This puppet was different.
A feeling like she had known him for a long time.
That kind of sensation.
The girl sat down in front of the puppet.
For some reason.
She wanted to talk to him.
âHey.â
There was no reply.
Of course.
Because it was a puppet.
âYou know,â
Her voice trembled.
âIâm tired.â
Plop.
Tears fell.
âI tried my best, though.â
Plop.
They fell again.
âI just wanted to be acknowledged.â
They would not stop.
When she realized it.
Words she had swallowed for years were overflowing.
âI wanted a friend.â
âI wanted to laugh.â
âI wanted someone to tell me they needed me.â
The girl clung to the puppet.
While soaking him with her tears.
She cried without making a sound.
The crying face she could show no one.
She showed it for the first time.
Even though the recipient was a puppet.
That night.
The girl fell asleep, exhausted from crying.
As if snuggling up to the puppet.
She had a dream.
A white world.
Endless light.
Someone was standing in the center.
She could not see their face.
She did not know if it was a man or a woman.
Only.
A voice echoed.
âWhy do you hate puppets?â
The girl answered.
âBecause I get hated for it.â
âThen I ask you.â
The voice drew closer.
âIs it really the puppets that are hated?â
The girl lost her words.
âYou still know nothing.â
âWhat is a puppet?â
âWhat is a human?â
âWhat is a heart?â
âWalk with him.â
âThe answer lies beyond that.â
Light overflowed.
The world vanished.
The last words she heard.
Only those remained strangely in her ears.
âHe has been waiting for you for a long time.â
She woke up.
Morning sun.
Ruins.
Silence.
Was it a dream?
Just as she thought that.
The girl froze.
The puppet in front of her.
Was looking at her.
Blue eyes.
Gentle eyes.
The puppet slowly stood up.
The girlâs heart beat violently.
It was not fear.
It was some other emotion.
The girl reached out a trembling hand.
Three years.
A gift she had never used once.
âãPuppeteerãâ
Light overflowed.
The puppet shone.
And then.
The next moment.
The puppet embraced the girl.
There were no words.
He said nothing.
Just.
Gently.
Gently.
He held her.
Tears overflowed from the girlâs eyes.
It was strange.
It was the first time.
Since coming to this world.
She felt like someone needed her.
That was when.
A book held in the puppetâs hand.
An aged cover.
It was written there as follows.
ãThe Adventure Tale of the Last Puppeteerã
The girl turned the page.
What was written there was.
A history erased from the world.
The growth of puppets.
Evolution.
Will.
Emotion.
Personality.
And.
The final point that only the legendary puppeteer reached.
ãAn existence no different from a humanã
The girl gasped.
Such a thing.
No one had ever told her.
The book did not end there.
The last page.
There was a sentence added by someoneâs hand.
The girl read on.
And then.
Her whole body trembled.
---
If.
There is someone reading this.
I am likely already gone.
I reached the furthest reaches as a puppeteer.
The puppet became an existence no different from a human.
But.
That was not the final destination.
I have come to know.
That for puppets.
There is something even further beyond.
I could not reach it.
That is why I entrust it to you.
If.
You can surpass me.
I want you to find the seventh stage.
And.
Tell me the answer to that.
What do puppets.
Think about in the end?
---
The girl lifted her face from the book.
She looked at the silver-haired puppet standing next to her.
Then.
The puppet, too.
Was quietly looking at her.
In those eyes.
For just a moment.
An emotion too deep for words resided.
As if.
He knew that answer.
Or perhaps.
He had forgotten it.
And then.
She noticed the back cover of the book.
Letters that had not been visible until now.
It was written there as follows.
---
The continuation is.
To the first puppet.
---
A chill ran down the girlâs spine.
The first puppet?
An answer that even the legendary puppeteer could not reach.
And.
The silver-haired puppet in front of her.
At that moment.
The puppet opened his mouth for the first time.
In a raspy voice.
In a voice so small it was about to vanish.
Just one word.
â...Finally.â
The girlâs eyes widened.
But.
The puppet said nothing more.
Just.
Looking somewhat nostalgic.
Looking somewhat sad.
He was smiling.
The meaning of that smile.
The girl does not yet know.
This was.
The beginning of a long, long adventure.
Leading to the truth of the puppet forgotten by the world.
ãSpecial One-Shot Version - Endã
Thank you so much for reading this farâš
This time, I made it a special one-shot version
of my new fantasy novel,
âWhat the Puppet Thinksâð
The meeting between the girl and the puppet.
And the mystery left at the end.
How did you all feel about it?
ð¹ âIt was interesting!â
ð¹ âI want to read the continuation!â
ð¹ âIâm curious about the puppetâs true identity!â
ð¹ âWhat is the âfirst puppetâ?â
ð¹ âI got goosebumps at the final âfinallyâ!â
And so on,
please let me hear your thoughts in the commentsð
The author loves reading everyoneâs commentsâš
Also,
â€ïžLikes
ðComments
ðShares
are a great encouragement for my work creationð
And what Iâm most curious about is...
Did you want to read the continuation of this story?
If it were to be serialized,
how far would you like to follow the girl and the puppetâs adventure?
Please let me know your honest opinions in the commentsâš
Your words might be the power that brings
the continuation of this story to life.
See you in the next storyðâš
From Hiraððž
â»Please also check out my currently serializing work.
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