TW: Blood

Series: Rainbow Quest

AU: Puppeteer (Sabre has the power to control dolls he makes, using magic strings that appear when using said power. However, the control only works if a doll has a special component, and he often leaves that component out to make dolls for others. He doesn't use his power for combat often, as he much prefers to just entertain his friends with his little gift. When he is using his power for combat though, Sabre is pretty OP, as he basically has his own army whenever.)

Context: A certain stalking bad guy wanders into the wrong place in the Hub.

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[Sabre's POV]

I walk through my little workshop, happy with what I've gotten done today.

I don't mind the late nights, because it's always fun to work on these wooden dolls. Even if some people find them a bit creepy, I think they turn out beautiful. Right now, in fact, I'm finishing up the last details on one of the life-size ones that I've been working on for the past week. As I etch the last of the carved spirals into the arm, I move onto the doll's very last pieces before I can start on its outfit; its eyes. Almost always the defining start of what the doll will be themed after.

I go over to my chests full of pre-made pieces, and pluck a pair of white-painted spheres out of the one labeled 'Eyes'. As I gather my paints on my work desk, I chuckle. It's funny how the last piece I'm working on for this doll is the piece of myself I always hide.

Orange often keeps pestering me about what my eyes look like, but I've never shown him. After all, it's quite strange that there's pieces of my work replacing what I once had. Also, he wouldn't quite believe that I was able to see with them because of my own magic. If my power ever disappeared for any reason, I'd be blind in an instant.

I've just gotten the base color for the irises done when I hear something clatter to the floor behind me. I quickly drop what I was working on and turn around.

I scan the room, seeing that one of my unfinished, large dolls had been knocked over. However, there's nothing in sight that could have seemed to cause it to fall. I put down my paintbrush and sigh, walking over to the fallen doll. 

"Now how'd that happen to you, little guy?" I say quietly as I stand the doll back up.

People might find it strange that I talk to them, so I only do it when others aren't around. I don't know why I do it really, it's just... comforting to me.

I stare at the doll for a minute, taking in its details. I need to start working on this one again soon, or rather, finish fixing it. It was finished before, but it was caught in a flame while I was using it to help battle Darkness when it was attacking the Orange Village. I was able to repair most of the burn damage, but there's still some parts left. I got distracted with other projects in the middle of thinking of a new design for its tattered and singed clothing.

I smile and turn back to my work desk, picking up my paintbrush again once I'm standing in front of it once more. I pick up one of the eyes and dip my small brush into a similar color to the base, starting with the details. I spend a few minutes creating every stroke of paint on the eye with detailed elegance and care, wanting it to be perfect. After all, it's taken as much time to work on the doll as it has to get these colors of paint, with how limited the hues are here. I've had to mix all my own different shades. Nevertheless, I have my colors now, and they almost spill themselves onto the base.

It's entrancing, and I soon become lost in every thorough characteristic of the one singular piece. Watching as my hands make new lines appear, merging beautifully and almost effortlessly with previous ones. The tangerine orange hue of the iris' background that I've started blending with the light cyan is going well.

They may be complementary colors, but that's the whole point of colors being complementary; they look nice together. After this, I can paint the pupils. I wonder what would match the complementary theme I'm going for... maybe I could add more complementary sets, or have a monochromatic color palette with just these two?

My train of thought is cut off when I feel a dull pain in my shoulder.

I scream and kick behind me, my foot coming in contact with somebody. The dagger exits my flesh, making blood spill from my shoulder like water. It lands all over my desk, splashing into my paints and onto whatever I had nearby on it, including the eyes I was just working on. I glance down at them for a moment. The cyan is covered by a deep carmine.

As I hear someone grunt, me having kicked them, I turn around to face my assailant. Rainbow Red is standing there, one hand over his chest (presumably where I had kicked him), and the other at his side holding the dagger. He stares up at me, a slightly angry expression crossing with determination.

I just stare back at him with unamusement, and motion to the dolls' eyes on the table and my materials.

"You've ruined my work, you cretin." I say. "And my paints."

"Is that all you care about?! Your stupid little dolls?!" Rainbow Red exclaims, pointing the dagger at me once again. "What, are they your life or something?!"

"They are my life's work, and nothing less." I say, clenching a fist as blood still stains my sleeve. "Perhaps more. And you've just spoiled a week's worth of it."

Rainbow Red scoffs, still holding the dagger towards me, unaware of what he's just triggered.

"Who cares? Not like it's going to matter once I finally get rid of you." He says, stepping closer.

"I don't think that's going to be how this encounter ends." I say coldly, narrowing my eyes underneath the blindfold.

I hold up my uninjured arm, and snap my fingers. White, glowing strings suddenly appear, wrapped around many of my dolls within the workshop. Finished, unfinished, broken, repaired, big or small, realistic or fantasized, all the same they are now tied to my command.

"What the-" Rainbow Red starts, slightly lowering the bloodied dagger in surprise, but he's interrupted.

The burned doll that I had stood back up earlier quickly grabs his arms, twisting them behind his back despite it being two-thirds of his size. The ashen fingers of the large doll do not falter their hold as he struggles. Two more dolls similar to that one, but undamaged, step forward and assists in keeping Rainbow Red captive as all of the dolls in the room start to stand.

The strings acting as their guides, the dolls move as if they're alive when I ask them to. The doll I was just working on stands and picks up a large wooden dowel, its empty eye sockets containing a white glow similar to the strings, which the same happens with any other eyeless dolls. The doll holds the dowel over its shoulder like a baseball bat, ready to strike.

"W-What are y-you-?!" Rainbow Red tries to say, but another one of my life-size dolls slaps a hand over his mouth, holding it shut.

Rainbow Red lets out muffled shouts and screeches, to no avail. I raise my hand and point to the workshop door.

"Take him away. Make sure you're quiet. And don't kill him; We cannot have that to deal with in here." I order the dolls.

Rainbow Red struggles profusely as the groups of wooden dolls quickly move out of the workshop, soon out of my sight.

I calm myself and turn back to my work desk, seeing what I can salvage of my paints. The shades of red will all just turn darker, of course, but the rest of the colors I'm not so sure about. My blood is already seeping into the colorful palettes. The oranges are turning a warm scarlet, the yellows are turning different shades of the sunset, the greens are turning a burgundy-mud, the blues are turning different hues of purple, the indigos are becoming a process red or magenta, and the violets are turning a rosy blush. What a waste... especially after all of that work getting them. It's going to be quite the pain to replace all of this.

Speaking of, I should likely take care of my shoulder soon. It may not be bothering me much, but the blood might spill onto more of my works, and I just can't have that.

I'm about to turn to leave, and try to find some medical supplies, when I catch a glimpse of the dolls' eyes I was just painting. The dark vermillion has started blending itself with the tangerine background of the iris, completely covering the light cyan. The blood and paint having nearly the same consistency, it's actually merging well with the design I was working on.

I pick up the eye and observe it more closely, noticing the improved detail. I smile and pick up my paintbrush again, helping the two colors to blend. The deep red and rich orange reminds me of the ignited sparks of those blazing flames from all those weeks ago...

When those dolls get back, I might just have to change the plan for the one I was working on. This is actually turning out quite well.

Once I finish painting the eye, I set it on the small rack I had made for doll eyes to finish drying after painting them. I then walk over to the corkboard I had pinned designs and ideas on near my table, and grasp the old design for my current project, throwing it into the open flame of the nearby candle. The large disk around the candle makes sure the fire doesn't spread, and the ashes collect neatly into it.

I then return to my work table and pull out a piece of paper and a pen from a drawer, already sketching the new ideas and designs. I keep the inspiration of fire in mind, and sketch the basic shapes of flames, smoke, and designs of ashes onto rough drafts for outfits, accessories,  and hairstyles. As I finish and start finalizing sketches, I don't pay attention to the dolls returning and going back to their places or the approaching sounds of chirping birds as morning sunlight starts to filter through my window, replacing the starlight.

After all, I have quite the interesting project to finish.