Marionette Engel

Marionette Engel is the leader and founder of the anti-military Verbundene Augen movement. Wanting a change in Capricorn, she is a fierce anti-Conductor anti-militarist, and is possibly under the influence of Scorpio.

## History

### Early Life

> “It’s from the Reservoir War,” Marionette responded, pulling her shirt back up and rebuttoning. “The Second Raid of Okor. A Projector.”
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> - *Marionette, about a scar*
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She graduated from the military academy with a concentration in both political science and vitae theory, and became a Capricornian soldier soon afterwards. It is unknown when exactly her service ended.

## Description

> Nico stepped forward but was quickly pushed to the side by Gilbert who first stared—as white as a sheet—at the freckle-cheeked man before turning to the woman. He pulled down her collar exposing her face. Nico recognized the woman immediately. He’d seen her before in the Capricornian newspapers once or twice. In the papers, she’d be posed with her fist raised up in the air, her wispy blonde hair popping out of a tight bun, her prominent brow furrowed. Behind her would be a flag with a cartoonishly drawn symbol of an eye flapping in the wind.
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> “What the hell…?” Gilbert seemed to recognize her too.
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> Marionette Engel, leader of the Verbundene Auden movement.
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## Behind the Name

The surname "Engel" in German means "angel," "marionette" referring to the puppet, leads to Marionette's name means "angel puppet."

## Anti-Military Views

> The newspaper headline detailed the diplomatic conductor convention. Hosted below the informational article was a rather passionate, anti-military piece written by Marionette Engel, leader of the recently popularized Verbundene Augen movement:
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> "—the political aficionados refuse to admit that the reason they support our constant skirmishes at the southern border is because it lines their pockets with money. In short, the Capricornian military is overfunded. Some economists may argue that these monetary resources trickle over to other economic sectors. While this may be true, they must acknowledge that, with every large investment, there is always a large down payment. And that down payment is the lives of our sons and daughters—"
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> - *Atienna Imamu reading a newspaper article about the Verbundene Augen*
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Marionette is very passionate about her anti-military views, accusing the politicians about only supporting Capricorn's border skirmishes because they profit off it. She is against the overfunding of the Capricornian military, as, following the lines of her metaphors, the 'investment' costs the lives of Capricornians that enter the military as a 'down payment.'

## Connection to Scorpio

> Just as Scorpio was to depart the capital back to Ophiuchus, he encountered Marionette Engel in the capital’s main square. She looked much older than when he’d last seen her during the war, but her eyes still burned with the fire that he’d helped to light years ago. The crowd she was rallying, however, didn’t seem to contain that fire. And as she protested something or the other about ‘the Watch’ and the secrecy of the Kaiser and higher military officials, many turned a blind eye.
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> Frankly, Scorpio felt pity for her. Many movements died with the passage of time. If the defunct movements were *lucky*, they would inspire future movements. If not, they were simply forgotten. That was how it went.
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> He continued to watch Marionette even after her rally ended and after she bid farewell to her few supporters too. He watched as she stowed herself away into an alley, back pressed against the wall, and sank to the ground.
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> How pitiable to see a flame die.
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> And so, as he passed her by, he transferred some of his vitae into a sheet of origami paper and subtly cut Marionette on the cheek with it.
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> **Change**, he reminded her. **You want change.**
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> - *Scorpio, and Marionette*
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It is revealed that Scorpio encountered Marionette during the Reservoir War, drawn to her passion. The scar on her chest is most likely from when Scorpio attacked her and implanted a spore into her, turning her into an offshoot. It is hinted at that Scorpio was the one who nudged (and possibly manipulated) Marionette into acting on her desire for change.