A simple dimlight entered Scootaloo’s eyes as she awoke. Blinding her, along with leaving a dim impression of black on her eyes. “What’s happening?” She tried to turn her head, only to be restricted to only a portion of the room. “Pinkie where are you?” No reply from the sweet mare she once loved, but one from her past idol.

“Hello sleepy head. Did you miss me?” The lights turned off as a rainbow mane entered her line of sight. But every rainbow must fade, this one faded to a shade of red and purples. Scootaloo stared at the inhumanly colored Rainbow Dash, "What's wrong? Didn’t you miss me?”

Scootaloo tried to get a word out but stopped, not sure whether she was happy to see Rainbow Dash with her new hair-do, or saddened that Pinkie Pie wouldn’t get the ‘happy birthday, or a mix of both. She sat in silence while staring at Rainbow’s dark grey eyes. "You’re eyes-.” Rainbow had stipped a gag over her mouth, it reeked of alcohol and bodily fluids. Most Likely blood or vomit.

"Oh you must miss Pinkie! She’s just around the corner.” Rainbow pointed a hoof in the direction she couldn't see, not caring if she could or not. "You want to see her?” Rainbow watched as Scootaloo shook her head as if trying to say, yes. "Good! The show is about to begin!”

Without warning, as if it was set on a time laps, the bed rose, carrying with it Scootaloo. Once arranged facing the wall, she realized. It was her original binding, the sewing device. She panicked, losing her sense of thought. Questions bombarded her with no sign of letting up. She tried ripping away from the bindings one again. Ruffled fur and scraping skin.

Before anypony could tell, the wall parted, and the show began. Center stage was a table, surrounded by motionless bodies of ponies. No One she know, but lifeless marionettes she wish hadn't been real. "Quiet down Scootaloo, its beginning.” Moments later a pink soul entered the stage via right, sitting at the tea table made of makeship boards and nails.

Scootaloo tried to silence herself, ripping hooves and skins out of their tight leather bondings, not getting any stage time with Rainbow Dash. Tug after tug, she ripped apart her body just to get her last possible words to the pink puppet of her captivator. ‘I’m coming Pinkie, i’ll save you!’

Minutes had passed and Pinkie had came to, making full well to keep up the act, not wanting to die so soon. The strings guided her through what had seemed to be a small discussion about how the service isn’t too good. Either that or something about a tea party.

An hour in, Scootaloo had managed to deface her hooves and dislocate one of her legs in a manner that wouldn’t make any sense to any doctors. Only one hoof left, and 10 minutes left in the play she had to move fast. Stripping her leg of its fur, she realized the pair of scissors just in her grasp, but a little too far away, only a legs reach away. Close enough to get with a little pain. Unwanted pain.

"Its almost over! Next is the scene where Justin kills everyone else.” She seemed to happy to lose a friend to a play she deised. Would the same tragedy befall Scootaloo, who had already escaped her bounds, and borrowed the scissors Rainbow had carelessly discarded to the floor.

3 minutes left till the massacre, and a un usable leg to use. Scootaloo began pacing through the pain. Heading to the back of the rows and making her way up the long row of empty seats, tumbling onto a seat every few rows.

Time wasn’t on her side, still week from her past encounter with the blue mare, she didn’t gain much distance. 1 minute left and still 10 rows and a set of steps to overcome.

30 seconds. 5 rows to overcome.

10 seconds, a pair of steps to climb with no support from her body.

1 second. To late.

The puppet rainbow had described, Justin, had began his roll. With knife in hoof he began his slaughter of the poonies. One by one they fell. Scootaloo hadn’t made it to Pinkie in time but that didn’t matter.

“Scootaloo...” Pinkie choked out to the sweet innocent filly she loved with all her heart. Scootaloo was in tears hugging the puppet she had befriended over the last three months.

“NO!“ Scootaloo took the scissors and started clipping away at strings, "You're not going to die here!!!” Scootaloo began dragging the mare to the edge of the stage front, trying to pull her off the edge so Rainbow couldn’t enjoy another murder.

“Scootaloo,” Pinkie grabbed the orange fillies scared hooves and looked at them in sadness, "Why would you do this for me?” Tears emerged in her eyes just as they did the child.

"Because i wanted to save you! I wanted you to live through your birthday!” Pinkie shoved a hoof into the fillies mouth.

"My birthday was yesterday.” She began to reach arms around the adorable filly, wanting to die in the hoofs of someone she loves, "Sorry for lying to you, i just didn’t want you to-,” before she could even finish, glass had begun to break in all directions. Ponies varying from all sizes entered through the newly made entrances.

Scootaloo was dragged off the Pinkie mare and bound to yet another device, this one, armed by two mares in white. Behind her she witnessed the subduction of Rainbow Dash by Celestia and Luna. Before she could catch a glimpse of anything else, she was locked away into a cart and forced into taking a strange gas. Inducing a coma.

Scootaloo woke up screaming, only to be silenced by a cyan hoove with stitchings. Rainbow Dash. Behind rainbow, was Celestia, keeping a close eye on the pair. Making sure nothing went wrong. "Are you all right now?” Rainbow Dash pondered removing a hoof from over the mouth of Scootaloo. “Pinkie Pie’s right over there.” Just as she was told, Pinkie was in the bed next to her. Asleep.

"Sorry you had to go through this Scootaloo.” Celestia dragged Rainbow Dash back to her chair and forced her to sit. Getting an angry pouting face in return. "You see. A while back when Twilight was my student, she brought a doll to life, it had a soul of its own.” Scootaloo didn’t like where this was going, but was too exhausted from the drugs to protest any. "After a day or so, it stopped moving, but it left a not for us.”

Rainbow Dash stood up in defiance to protest her claims, "Then why haven’t you told me this?” The magic of the sun keeper sent her back the chair. "Be that way. I don’t care.”

Celestia scolded Rainbow in a distinct way, "Well in short, he wanted to enslave the world and stuff like that, so he took over our beloved element of loyalty,” she gestured a hoof to the angered mare sitting behind her. "Thats basicly what happened. But we have everything under control… mostly.” Without any warning she was out of the room and elsewhere.

Pinkie came too, and without any sign of distress or fear of the cyan mare. But a hug, "I knew it wasn’t you. the whole time.” Pinkie cried over the mares shoulder. "I’m glad your back, Rainbow.”

"I’m glad your back too, Pinkie.” Rainbow had left the room, without saying any goodbyes, only to emerge a minute later. This time she had a cake. "Happy birthday Pinkie.” She cut a piece for her lovable friend. "And Scootaloo.”

Scootaloo looked at the cyan mare as she approached with a box and a devious grin, "Yes?” Her voice was low and hidden beneath the covers.

"Happy early birthday!” She kissed the forehead of the filly, and placed the unsealed box onto the fillies lap. "You’ve earned it.”

Scootaloo tipped the box over. Tumbling out was a lightning shaped necklaces, with a bright ruby center. "Realy?!” joy had overcome her. Getting to be one in the same with Rainbow Dash. Loyalty.

Rainbow placed a large slice of cake on the bed stand and walked to get a spoon, "You were there when a friend was in need. Even i didn’t help her when she was in need.” She placed the spoon on Pinkie’s head and hugged Scootaloo, "You are the true loyalty.”

Dear Celestia, and my master Twilight Sparkle.

As you may know, i’m just a doll. You think nothing special about me. You even make mass replicas of me. I don’t like that at all. My kind get ripped and torn apart day by day. Sewn together where you ripped us apart.

I may just be a puppet to you, but i am the one in control. I am the one you must obey, soon you will understand. My life isn’t just a game.

Farewell my lovely creator, and my creators tutor. Next you’ll see me is among one of you. I am loyal to my words, so please don’t laugh. In the end i only want to get you back.

Sincerely, your childhood doll, shining armor the second.

P.S. Twilight, i left my doll component in spike’s bed. He hugs me every night.

Author's Note

this is the end of Puppet and Strings.

rainbow would never murder, and definitly not pinkie!

hope you enjoyed this, i sure did. cute end is cute.