[b]"What a wonderful gift you have"[/b] a familiar voice came from behind the puppet master. The voice though was not filled with honest compliment, instead it held onto this iniquity that roamed through the tent in the form of sound. It wasn't a pleasurable tune the voice, it was surely a void of twilight, a dark and grim speaking rhythm that created such a somber atmosphere. [b]"Please do have your puppets close the tent my son, I need a word"[/b] the mystery spoke yet again. His hands clasped behind him as though he was chained to his lower back, but it was merely to remain in perfect posture. 

His back was aligned to his tailbone, his hood perfectly over his head, casting a shadow that hid any locus of skin. All that was visible was the white skeletal like mask that hid underneath a layer of cloth. The red circle on his forehead was vividly intensifying as the darkness around the two beings seemed to grow even darker. One could say Tanner seemed like a shadow itself, a dark area or shape produced by a body coming between rays of light and a surface. He was an ominous oppressiveness of sadness and gloom. So despite his proposal to close the tent, he forced himself to do it, for he was the constant. 

He passed André up and headed to the entrance, stepping over the puppet to show his overwhelming size comparison. With both gloved hands, he pulled the tent's curtains together, shutting down the marionette act before it was scheduled to begin. There were more important matters at hand. As Tanner turned back around his luminous blue eyes glanced at the puppet beneath him. He crouched down - as though bowing - and picked up the little animated creature. [b]"What do you call this one?"[/b] he asked André. [b]"I'm certain they [i]all[/i] have names or am I mistaken?"[/b]. 

[b]"You see......some are just meant to be pawns don't you think? Like this one"[/b] Tanner finally truly started, eyeing the puppet in his hand. [b]"It is truly a work of art this thing. But what is its purpose? Does it truly entertain? Or is its only purpose to close tent doors?"[/b]

[b]"Pawns like this puppet here are disposable. Like in chess, they are sacrificial for the greater victory. I'm certain you've heard the saying. [i]France has lost a battle, but France has not lost the war[/i]. This was said by Charles André Joseph Marie de Gaulle, a French military leader who rose the ranks and became leader of the Free French Forces, a government-in-exile that continued to fight the Axis Powers during World War Two. The Germans were more powerful than one could imagine during that era. A superpower. So people were sacrificed for the greater picture. Many French died during their battles, so did Americans. Is it not funny how life seems to be a game of chess? How victory at all cost is all that matters?"[/b] Tanner asked, chuckling a bit under his mask. 

[b]"This puppet truly is art. I can normally sense the emotions of people, but I realize these [i]things[/i] have no souls"[/b] he stated as his blue eyes turned towards André. [b]"Despite them being a part of you they lack what make them human and not mindless marionettes. These are truly pawns in your game are they not? You act like you care for them, but only use them for your selfish desires to entertain the crowd, to feel...............accepted"[/b] Tanner finished as he paused for a second, allowing André to take it all in. He squeezed the puppet's head in his hand and wondered if they could feel, but sensed no pain. The masked man did not stop until he heard a crack and then smiled at the comfort of such a glorious sharp sound. 

[b]"Anyhow........"[/b] he started again after placing the puppet back where he had first got it. [b]"....I only came here to ask if you'd seen Annaliese around? I was just in her quarters and she was absent, nowhere to be seen. She was not with Diedra either, I stopped by her tent first. It sometimes pains me to see such a system crumble before my eyes. I witness such sadness and sorrow, but at times I'm not even certain if that is honestly what I capture. Because emotions tend to hide themselves under other ones. Sadness hides behind anger. Regret beneath doubt. Envy under pride. But my eyes see it all nonetheless. I sometimes think myself as the All-Seeing Eye, hahaha!"[/b] Tanner laughed aloud. His grievance was like a fiery malice that roamed the atmosphere around them. The tent became full of red aura - which was sometimes a questionable illusion. [b]"But do not worry son, I don't think you a pawn. You are the knight,a worshiper of the queen and the pawns shall sacrifice themselves in your name, for your victory."[/b]

And suddenly, all that aura and gloaming dusk vanished as the tent was once again opened which allowed rays of lights to pierce through and eradicate the shadows. [b]"You make for pleasant company André my son. Anyhow, I am off to find Annaliese."[/b]