Marionette (One Piece)

4| She Who Must not be Named

[The Marine patted her head but she didn't smile at this mark of praise. She didn't want to please anyone with her job. She did it to direct her anger at something.

He told her that she shouldn't leave the place while his crew handled the pirates but the girl completely ignored him as she started to play with her puppets in the garden.

Ah, yes. She loved amusing herself with her art. She loved the way it sustained its beauty.

Its splendor was never rotting and never ceasing.

Invisible puppet strings made the two puppets, male and female, dance around like professionals. She would sometimes watch shows and celebrations to learn some moves she would use on them.

She kept flexing her fingers as imaginary music played in her mind. She was enjoying it but she never showed it. She didn't smile nor look happy while they gracefully danced.

Why wouldn't she? It's because she already learned her lesson.

Whenever she smiled at something, it would always be taken away from her. She wanted to keep that happiness to herself. She doesn't want anyone to know. Everyone would just think that she would just do it out of boredom.

"Marie-chan!" she heard the Marine scream the name that was never hers in concern.

A shadow towered her occupied figure as it shrank because the 'owner' was crouching to level her height.

"You've got some talent little girl" the pirate praised her but she calmly continued the show, completely hiding the disgust she felt.

The pirate didn't seem pleased with this but he dismissed the thought as he stroked his fingers from her forehead down to her cheeks as he gently lifted her chin to make their eyes make eye-contact.

"Open that mouth of yours and I guarantee you'll lose your tongue sir" the little girl spoke with a challenging voice.

The pirate's eyes widened as he howled in laughter, unable to see the dark aura that was hovering over the girl.

The puppets that hadn't finished their dance motionlessly rested on the ground just like in her current situation.

She needed someone to command her to take action.

"Kill them" the voice echoed in her mind as she tossed out a pair of scissors from the pocket of her skirt and snipped out the pirate's showing tongue off his mouth, producing a penetrating scream out of his throat.

Yes indeed. She was a puppet who could control puppets.

She cocked the scissor backwards before the man could even grab it from her. The scissors sped back towards him as the metal dug itself to his throat, warm red liquid gushing out of it.

He shot a menacing glare at the sadistic girl in front of him. His hands were reaching out with the intention of strangling her but it was death who reached out to him first.

The man's body fell forward towards the girl as she gazed at the fresh corpse.

"Nobody dares to interrupt the show" she breathed out and kneed the man's damaged throat as his upper body flipped back, materializing arcs of crimson blood while his lower body was on his knees, like he bent down for mercy.

"Marie!"

It was never her name but she looked up at the Marines who were staring at her in horror except for the Marine that patted her.