The First String
“Sometimes we love that which holds us back, but it does not mean we are blind to our restraints.”
The sky was grey and cloudy. The first specks of snow were beginning to fall from the sky on the subtle town of Ponyville. It was a happy time for ponies and their foals, the latter out en masse to play in the accumulating snow. This did not exclude one little filly, playing all on her lonesome.
Aura tossed her aquamarine mane from her eyes as she smiled. Sure, her friends weren’t able to come out and play today, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t have fun. She shook her light lavender coat before kicking the ball in front of her down the street. The filly gave a light titter before chasing after it.
As she closed in on the sphere, she kicked it again, this time deviating from its path as it hit an odd rock. The ball bounced out of sight down an alleyway. Aura huffed slightly as she quickened her pace to chase after her toy. As she rounded the corner, she saw her ball roll to a stop in the shadows at the end of the alley. She ran down the alley after it but quickly skid to a halt.
She was not alone in the alleyway.
Aura watched the shadows next to her ball move and shift. Well, they weren’t shadows. It was actually another pony, one with a black tail and covered in a dark cloak.. The filly now took slow, careful steps towards her ball.
“I-I’m sorry to disturb to you. I am just gonna grab my...” The filly fell quiet and froze as she heard a light muttering. She was sure it was a mare from the voice.
“One, Two, Stitch the eye in tight.
Three, Four, Fill the belly up right.
Five, six, Sew the tail on again.
Seven, Eight, Now the head won’t bend.”
The filly shivered at the slightly disturbing song. “Um...Ma’am...” The filly inched closer, just wanting to get close enough to grab her ball and go. “Are you alright?” Aura froze when the muttering stopped.
The filly’s blood froze as the mare turned her head back to look at her. A disheveled mess of a black mane covered half of the mare’s face, leaving a single red eye to focus on the filly. “Oh h-hi there...little filly.” A wide, toothy smile spread across the cloaked mare’s half hidden face. “W-would you like to play with one of my little dollies?” The mare lifted up a small pony doll.
The sight of the doll seemed to bring Aura out of her daze. The little filly let out an earsplitting scream, spinning around on her hooves and dashing from the alleyway as fast as her little legs could take her. She didn’t care about her ball anymore. She just wanted to get home and away from the scary monster in the alleyway.
Marionette’s smile slowly turned into a frown as the little filly ran away screaming. Sighing, she moved back to lean against the wall. Mary lifted the doll she had up to her face, staring into its fake eyes. “There goes another one. No matter what I do, they always run off, Butter Biscuit.” She sighed again, looking at her surroundings. “Well, I can’t blame the little filly this time. Not in the best setting to make friends.”
Marionette pulled away from the wall. She tucked the doll under her cloak before looking at the alley entrance. “Maybe I’ll go to the market. I could sell a couple of my dolls. That would be fun.” She was about to leave before something caught her eye.
“Oh no. The little filly forgot her ball. That’s a shame.” Marionette picked the ball up and tucked it under her cloak like she did with the doll. “But I will return it like a good neighborly pony. Maybe she won’t scream at me then? Worth a try, right Butter Biscuit? Butter Biscuit?”
Mary looked around her, trying to spot the doll before a look of realization overtook her face. “That’s right. I just put you away...” The mare turned her gaze up to the clouds, watching the fall of snowflakes for a few moments. “I guess I’ve been talking to myself.”
Marionette gave a light giggle before trotting out of the alley, her new mission in mind as she headed to the place she knew she could find the location of the filly.
“Hey Mary! Have you come to buy some sweets today?!” Marionette cringed at the exuberant pink mare’s overly loud voice. Pinkie Pie was fun to be around, but Marionette did not like the attention the pony brought to herself and those she was with.
“U-um, no Pinkie. I needed...a favor from you.” Marionette tried to shrink into her cloak, trying to hide from the eyes she knew was already on her.
“Oki doki loki. You just tell me what you need and your Auntie Pinkie will help the best she can.” Pinkie bounced up and down in front of Mary, the cloaked mare getting a bit queasy trying to keep her eyes on her.
“I’m a lot older than you.” Marionette reached under her cloak, pulling out the round toy the filly had left behind. “A filly lost this. I thought I...I thought I could return it...”
“But you don’t know where she lives! I can help with that!” Pinkie looked at the ball for only a moment before giggling. “That’s Aura’s ball.”
“What? H-how can you tell?”
“Because I know everypony. Aaand her name is on the ball, silly.” Pinkie turned the the ball around to show Marionette the filly’s name printed on the side. Marionette blushed as she read it. She had not seen the name earlier.
“She lives waaaay on the other side of Ponyville. Near your house, but it’ll be dark by the time you get there. Need me to show you there?”
“No no.” Marionette rubbed one foreleg nervously with the other. “I’ll be fine on my own. I just need the address...” At once, Pinkie had a piece of paper and pencil. She quickly scribbled down something on it and held the paper to me.
“T-Thank you.” Marionette gave Pinkie a quick smile. “I’m going to...go. To return the ball.” Marionette began to take a few steps back, towards the door. “Bye, Pinkamena.” Marionette turned around, keeping her down as she hurried to the door.
“Bye Mary! Come back soon and I’ll make you something special~” Pinkie laughed and waved as the mare disappeared out the door.
Marionette shivered and not from the cold. She had been standing on the house’s doorstep for about ten minutes now, having trouble finding the courage to knock. Mary looked at the piece of paper again to confirm it was the right address.
“I-I really need to k-knock...” Marionette trembled as she raised her hoof. She could do this. It wasn’t like she was giving bad news or doing an evil deed. She was just returning the filly’s ball. Marionette let out a heavy breath before tapping on the door lightly, quickly pulling her hoof back as if it would bite her.
“I’ll get it!”
Marionette braced herself as she heard the clopping of little hooves approach. She watched the knob jiggle as the filly tried to get it open. Finally the door swung open to a beaming little filly.
“Hello. What dooo...” The filly froze stiff, her eyes widening in fear. Aura couldn’t find her voice to scream, even though she knew her parents in the next room would race to her rescue. “Monster... found me...” It was all she could squeak past her lips.
Marionette opened her mouth, feeling her bottom lip quiver. “I... I... I...” It seemed she too was having trouble finding her voice. Marionette gave a weak grin at the filly before reaching under her cloak and pulling out the ball. “I f-found you b-ball and brought it b-back.” Marionette set the ball down and nosed it to Aura. “I’m sorry I s-scared you...” She pulled away a bit, not sure of what to do next.
All the while, Aura just sat there confused. Still very scared, but confused even more. The monster seemed to be scared. Monsters don’t get scared, especially not of little fillies either. So, if monsters don’t get scared, then why was this one? Unless...
“Oh...Thank you?” Aura watched as the monster’s eyes widen a little before it smiled again.
“Your welcome...”
The monster nodded to her before taking a few steps backwards, eventually turning around and walking off. The filly watched as it disappeared down the street. Now she was sure of what the monster was.
“Who was at the door, Aura? Is that your ball?”
Aura looked back at her mother, nodding before picking the ball up off the ground. “Yes.”
“Didn’t you say that a monster took it?”
“She brought it back.”
“The monster brought your ball back?”
“I don’t think she is a monster...”
Marionette panted heavily, her pulse finally beginning to slow as she leaned against a tree. She had done it. It wasn’t easy, but she had done it. She was able to give the filly her ball back without scaring her. It was a great accomplishment!
Mary reached under her cloak to pull out a doll. She hugged it close to her chest and smiled. “Did you see that, Butter Biscuit? I gave that little filly her ball back and she didn’t run away. I have to celebrate. I think a good meal would be enough.”
Marionette pulled the doll up to smile at it before sniffing the air. “And I smell a very good meal nearby.” Mary quickly tucked the doll away, leaping into the bushes near her.
She moved silently through the shrubbery, her body now making it known she had no sort of sustenance all day. The thought of a meal now drove her. She quickly came upon a pony sitting on a bench.
Where had her hooves taken her?
A quick look around reveal that she was in the little wooded patch near her home. Marionette was a bit uncomfortable that she was so close to home, but the prospect of a meal was too great. All that need happen now was to get the mare off the bench.
Mary found a twig, a plan formulating. She snapped it with her hoof before darting away from the spot, making no more noise than a wisp of wind would. Success! The mare had jumped from the bench, looking around. Marionette could see the fear in the mare’s green eyes.
Marionette stayed hidden in the shadows and bushes, kiting around until she was behind the mare. She found another branch and snapped it as well.
Mary almost giggled as the pony jumped, tucking her rosy red tail between her legs a bit as she whipped around. The mare took a few steps away from the bench.
“Who's there? I’ll have you know I know how to defend myself!”
Marionette rolled her eyes. Ponies always said that but the results were always the same. Sometimes she wish that ponies would be able to put up a good fight. Only sometimes...
Mary began circling behind the mare again. She could feel herself starting to drool. The smell of her prey was too good, she couldn’t stand it anymore. She got low and took a stance before bursting through the bushes, the hood of her cloak whipping back from her speed.
The mare barely had time to see what was coming at her before Marionette crashed into her. The force took them both to the ground, Mary working quickly as she clamped a hoof over the mare’s mouth to stop any screams.
The mare struggled underneath her, but it wasn’t long before Marionette had her completely pinned. There weren’t many ponies who could overpower her in terms of pure strength. She had only once been stopped by magic, learning quickly after that to be extra careful when stalking unicorns.
The pony under her had finally stopped struggling, accepting what fate had in store for her. “Now that’s a good girl.” Mary almost shivered at the strength in her voice as she lifted the mare’s head back, revealing her neck. Marionette nuzzled the mare’s vanilla coat, feeling her fangs just behind her lips.
She was sure she was going to go mad if she waited any longer. Mary opened her mouth and sank her fangs into the mare’s tender neck, feeling the pony tense and make muffled murmurs.
The absolute bliss as the sweet red liquid began to fun over her tongue made Marionette start sucking on the mare. There was nothing in the world that could compare to this taste, that could compare to the warmth that spread through her as she drank in the mare’s blood.
“You know I hate it when you do that!” Marionette nuzzled against Roseluck’s chest, trying to just enjoy the warmth of her meal in her belly. “It make me uncomfortable when you stalk me like that. I am not just some piece of meat. If you were thirsty, you could have just asked.”
Marionette looked up at a pair of glaring green eyes. “I’m sorry, Rose. You know how I get when I don’t feed all day.” Roseluck just sighed, unable to stay mad at the meek little mare on top of her right now.
“It’s alright.” Rose stroked Mary’s mane. “Just ask next time.” She looked up at the sky, watching the snowflakes as they began to fall a bit harder. “Can we go to your house now? I am starting to get cold.”
“...Alright, Rose.”
Author's Note
Hello again, my friends. This is a new fic I am going to start working on along with Stranger Days. The story is just going to be views into the life of a strange mare named Marionette. I do not have much planned in the way of story for this fic, as the chapters are going to be more of separate instances than anything in set chronological order, much like the show itself is. Tags may change over time and as you read, you'll get instances of comedy, happiness, sadness, a little grim at times, and maybe even romance (rawr~) There will be no clop, so no need to worry about that.
I hope you all enjoy my new little fic.
Arrivederci, My little bronies.