The Shy Warrior (Sister Slaves)

Chapter 2: Like Father Like Daughter

“Daddy! Daddy! Did I do it right?” A small squeaky voice called out.

Turning his head, Sun-Loch looked down at the small canary yellow filly, her pink mane and tail flowing in the wind. Her small wings buzzed from excitement she was feeling at the moment. Smiling at his daughter’s enthusiasm, he let a chuckle escape his lips.

“You did good sweetheart,” Sun-Loch told his daughter, patting her on the head.

“Really?” The filly spoke up, looking at her father with large hopeful light greenish-cyan eyes.

“Yes, now let your father carry the bale of wheat to the cart…”

“Can I do it?!” The filly asked, pointing a hoof at the wheat bale she had cut and tied together.

Sun-Loch playfully raised an eyebrow at his daughter.

“Now Fluttershy, we been through this before, you’re too young to lift heavy things.” He spoke walking to the bale of wheat.

Being the swift filly she was, Fluttershy moved in front of her father. Putting a hoof down, Fluttershy let out a huff.

“I’m only six daddy and I can lift that bale of wheat all by myself!” Fluttershy stated, sticking out her bottom lip at her father.

Shaking his head, Sun-Loch backed away and extended out a hoof, pointing to the bale of wheat.

“All yours, sweetheart,” Sun-lock spoke, smiling at his daughter.

Smiling, Fluttershy quickly turned herself around. Looking at the bale of wheat, she eyed it with a determined gaze. Remembering the technique her father always used when lifting bails of wheat, she lifted the short sleeves of her dress up her forearms and placed her tiny hooves under the bail. Dipping her head down, she wedged herself up against the bale, prepping it for her back. Seeing his daughter preparing to lift the bale, Sun-Loch humored himself and helped her with the process. Biting down of the ropes, he hosted the bale at the same time Fluttershy lifted her body up from the ground. Fluttershy felt ecstatic that she had lifted the very heavy bale of wheat all by herself smiled and happily trotted up to the cart. Bending her knees, she hopped-up to launch the bale into the cart but as she did so, something was off on the trajectory of her toss. The able flew farther than she had thought it would go. Looking up she saw her father looking back down at her giving her a smile.

“Nicely done sweetheart,” Sun-loch told Fluttershy.

Fluttershy wasn’t a dumb filly; she knew when she was being doped. Looking at her father, Fluttershy gave a pitiful scowl and sat on her haunches.

“You said you would let me do it all by myself!” Fluttershy pouted, looking down at the ground.

Sun-Loch knew her little games she played with him. For only being six years of age, she was very independent, something that drove his wife mad. Sun-Loch knew his daughter wanted to grow up fast and be just like him, but he knew what was best for her. Fluttershy just needed to slow down and enjoy life; she wouldn’t be a filly forever.

“Now sweetheart, you know you can’t lift such a heavy thing, I thought I would give you a hoof,” Sun-Loch spoke, sitting next to Fluttershy.

“But h-how am I gonna be s-strong like you… i-if I don’t lift heavy things?!” Fluttershy moaned, tears staining her face as she looked at her father with sad eyes.

Smiling at his daughter, Sun-Loch draped a hoof over her and began rubbing her back.

“When you get older you’ll be strong like me.” Sun-Loch calmly spoke looking out into the fields.

Looking at her father, Fluttershy let a frown adorn her face. Her father always kept telling her, she’ll get stronger when she gets older. Not liking the answer, she let out a huff.

“But how, when you won’t even let me carry heavy things!” Fluttershy cried out in frustration.

By this time, Sun-Loch smiled to himself, he knew how to win these discussions and quite his daughter’s woes.

“But you’re a getting stronger by doing the little things, when I was your age I wanted to be just like my dad but I first had to learn to do the small things and work my way up until I got to the harder stuff.” Pulling his daughter into a hug, he gave her cheek a nuzzle. “Soon, after doing all the small things, your muscles will become big and strong and you’ll be able to lift the all heavy things you want.” Looking into his daughter’s eyes, Sun-Loch began to see her smart little brain of hers work out his statement.

Fluttershy thought about what her father said it sounded right to her, her father wouldn’t lie to her. Looking up at her father she let out a little whisper.

“Really?”

Smiling at his daughter, Sun-Loch gave a hearty chuckle.

“Yes dear, yes you will.”

Fluttershy laid her head on her father’s chest and let out a moan.

“But I hate waiting.”

Letting out a chuckle, Sun-Loch got up and walked up to the cart.

“Do you want to help me pull the cart? You can work out your leg muscles this way.” Sun-Loch called out to his daughter.

Smiling Fluttershy quickly got up and rushed to her father.

“Yeah!” She cheered.

Several hours past, the sun was setting in the horizon calling an end to the day. Sun-Loch stood near his cart, watching the setting sun. He let out a sigh, the days works catching up to his sore muscles in his legs. Smiling at the calming sunset he did good, he and Fluttershy harvested about 25 bushels of wheat; a job well done in his books.

“Sweetheart you’re missing the sunset,” Sun-Loch spoke, turning his head over his shoulders.

Behind him draped over his back was his daughter; her limbs swung gently in the breeze along with her mane and tail. With each breath she took, soft murmurs escaped her lips. Sun-Lock let out a chuckle at the sight of his daughter. She had overworked herself and had fallen asleep. Sun-Loch watched his daughter rise and fall with every small breath she took. Stretching his neck, he set out towards his home with his sleeping daughter and chart in-tow.

Stepping up the steps of his porch, Sun-Loch gently opened the front door with a hoof and walked into the home. Upon entering the home, a warm sensation graced his body, soothing his worn muscles.

“How’s Fluttershy, dear?” A soft voice asked.

Gazing over at his wife Posey, who sat in a rocking chair knitting a scarf, made of blue and pink wool, Sun-Loch gave a soft chuckle as he walked up to her, giving her a kiss on the lips.

“Good dear, she fell asleep about two hours ago, she almost made it a full day this time,” Sun-Loch replied to his wife’s question.

“Well, we should wake our little one for she can take a shower and eat supper before she goes to bed,” Posey commented getting up from her seat and walking up to her daughter who still slept on her husband’s back.

“Wake up sweetie; it’s time to get cleaned up for supper.” Posey cooed to her daughter, gently shaking her awake.”

Fluttershy slowly opened her eyes only to close them once the harsh light of the lonely ceiling light bulb flooded into her eyes. After getting used to the light, Fluttershy saw two large cyan colored eyes staring back at her. A smile adorned the filly’s lips as she rubbed her tired eyes with a hoof.

“Good morning, mommy.” Fluttershy squeaked.

Both Posey and Sun-Loch let out some chuckles at their daughter’s words. Stroking her daughter mane, Posey replied back to her daughter.”

“Thank you for the gesture dear but it’s not morning, it’s almost supper time.”

Fluttershy instinctively looked out the window to see the last sliver of sunlight past behind the horizon. Looking back at her mother, she looked down at the hardwood floors.

“Oh.” Fluttershy softly mumbled, her embarrassment making her shy away from her mother.

“Oh don’t be shy dear, you and your father are going to wash up and then get you’re getting dressed in your nightgown before you eat supper.” Patting her daughter on the head, Posey walked away from her husband and daughter and walked into the kitchen. “Now you two get going, we don’t want to eat too late now.”

Walking up the stairs with Fluttershy still on his back Sun-Loch made his way up the stairs and down the hall to the restroom. Nearing the door, he opened it up to reveal soft oak walls and a pine roof and floor. On his right side were a basic porcelain toilet and an iron sink. To his left was a large iron tub with a bronze shower head connected to a ten-gallon water-heater tank. Slipping off her father’s back, Fluttershy waited for her father to start the shower before she undressed but her father never turned on the shower. Looking up at her father, Fluttershy gave a puzzled look; Sun-Loch returned the look his daughter was giving him.

“What’s the matter sweetheart?” Sun-Loch asked looking down at Fluttershy.

“How come you haven’t started the tub?” Fluttershy asked, pointing a hoof at the iron tub

“Well, sweetheart I was thinking that you should take a shower all by yourself,” Sun-Loch replied, starting the shower.

Fluttershy looked at the tub then back at her father then back at the tub. Did she hear her father correctly; her father was going to let her take a shower all by herself. Her father was going to treat her like a big filly. She was so excited.

“What! But what if I drown!?”  Fluttershy cried out, fear gripping her.

Sun-Loch looked at his daughter, her distress clearly on her face. Shaking his head he turned off the water and sat down by his kin.

“You won’t drown dear.” Sun-Loch cooed, stroking his daughter’s head.

Fluttershy looked at her father as she whipped away some of her tears.

“But we always take showers together daddy,” Fluttershy mumbled, looking down at the bathroom’s floor.

Sun-Loch gave a little smirk, he knew this day would come, she was growing up and he couldn’t baby her any longer, she was going to have to do things on her own. Lifting her chin up with a hoof, sun-Loch gave a low sigh.

“You’re growing up sweetheart, your six now and I can’t take showers with you forever.” Sun-Loch smiled at his daughter.

“But… I don’t want too, I’m scared.” Fluttershy replied, looking at the iron tub, her imagination turning it into an iron beast.

Looking at the tub, Sun-Loch walked back up to it and turned on the water. Stepping away, he made his way out of the bathroom, with the door slightly shut Sun-Loch looked down at his daughter. With a smile, he spoke up.

“You’ll be fine, you do want to grow-up and be a big filly don’t you?”

Looking at her father with a sad expression, Fluttershy nodded.

“Yes.” Fluttershy meekly replied.

“Well, then why not start tonight… and don’t be long now, I still need to take a shower.” With a wink for good luck, Sun-Loch shut the door.

Fluttershy stared at the shut door for some time, hoping her father would come back, but he never did. With a sigh, she slowly made her way towards the tub. Looking at the tub Fluttershy began to scan it up and down. It was tall; Fluttershy still had to climb into it to take showers or baths. Letting out a sigh once again, she undressed herself from her work dress and hesitantly slipped into the tub.

The smooth painted wet walls of the iron tub made Fluttershy’s hooves lose their grip, causing her to slide down the walls of the tub and down into the bowl. Looking up she saw the water from the shower head fall onto her bare body. She was alone in the tub, all by herself without her father. The walls looked a lot bigger to her now without her father. It was like a canyon you couldn’t climb out of.

‘You can do this, do you want to make daddy proud.’ Fluttershy told herself.  Pulling the curtain to keep the water in, she walked up to the body wash and the bathing sponge. Nearing the items she let out a sigh. ‘I want to be strong and big like daddy… I’m a big filly I can do this.’ She thought once again.

Looking at the large bottle of soap, Fluttershy grabbed it with her small hooves to pour onto the bathing sponge. She began to struggle with the bottle. Holding the pouring cap with her teeth and holding the rest of the bottle tightly against her chest, she began to twist the cap of the bottle. With all her might, she twisted the cap off. The pressure of her holding the bottle caused the majority of the soap to spew out of the bottle and all over the walls of the tub, the curtain, and herself. Looking around at the soap covered tub and herself, she gave a frustrated sigh.

“Oh come on!” She angrily grabbed the sponge to bathe her body with.

Thirty minutes passed by since Fluttershy spilled the soap all over the tub. By now the soap was washed away; except for some of the soap on the tub’s curtain. Fluttershy was giggling with glee as she slid across the smooth bowl of the tub.

“A lone survivor in the rainy jungle, taming the wild animals that are behind every tree and every raspberry bush… MMM yummy raspberries!... oh… and, um she will find the most ferocious and evil beast ever in like the whole world… ah! there it is, it’s the! DUN! DUN! DUN! Sponge!” Pointing a hoof in a dramatic pose, Fluttershy eyed the lonely bathing sponge lying on the bowl of the tub.

Getting closer to the sponge, Fluttershy gave a scowl as she pointed a hoof at the depressed looking sponge. “Don’t you make me do it, you evil meanie! I know you evil kind… I know…”

“Having fun in there, sweetheart? You know your father still needs to use the shower.”

Pulling the curtain back and poking her head over and out of the tub, Fluttershy looked at the door in embarrassment.

“Yes, mommy!” Fluttershy squeaked.

Turning off the shower, Fluttershy slipped out of the tub. Grabbing a clean towel from the towel basket she began to dry herself off. With herself dry she went up to the door. On the other side was her mother. Looking down at her daughter, Posey gave her a smile.

“Ready to get dressed dear?”

Nodding her head, Fluttershy began to walk out of the restroom, only to have her mother stop her with a hoof.

“Wrap your towel around yourself dear before you head to your room.”

Nodding Fluttershy tied the towel around her waist with the help of her mother. With the towel firmly tied around her, Fluttershy walked down the hall to her room. Opening her bedroom’s door, she walked in and came up to her dark oak dresser drawers. Opening the bottom drawer, she got dressed in a simple white nightgown for supper. Before leaving her room, she ran to her bed and grabbed one of the many bunny dolls she had on her bed. Walking down the stairs with her white bunny doll on her back, Fluttershy made her way into the kitchen where her mother and father sat down waiting for her. On the table was a medium size pot, steam danced all around the brim of the pot. Fluttershy gave a smile; her mother made her favorite, cabbage stew.  Getting to her seat she got up and placed her doll on the table next to her right.

“Ready to eat dear?” Posey asked her daughter, who smiled back and nodded.

Getting up from her seat, Posey pour a decent amount of stew for her daughter. Smiling Fluttershy tapped her hooves together and bowed her head. Both Sun-Loch and Posey did the same.

“Would you like to start the thanks sweetheart?” Posey asked her daughter.

Nodding her head, Fluttershy began her prayer.

“Dear Luna, please bless the meal mommy made tonight and to keep the nightmares away from our dreams tonight and dear Celestia, please let my mommy, daddy and I to have a good tomorrow, amen.”

“Amen”

Several minutes passed by during the families supper and now the family was piecing on their food and making idle conversations. Fluttershy played with her bunny as her parents talked about local events and things need to be done around the house. Making her doll bounce up and down in place, Fluttershy moved her gaze over at her father to show him what she was doing. But she stopped. She eyed his glass as he poured a golden liquid into a glass cup. She had seen her father drink this golden liquid before, she had tried to taste what it tasted before like but her mother told her no. She wondered what it tasted like, she knew what it smelled liked, her father breath always smell like it, it was like a bitter chestnut flavor, she liked that smell.

“Daddy?”

Both Posey and Sun-Loch stop what they were saying and looked down at the canary yellow filly.

“Yes, sweetheart?” Sun-Loch replied, sipping his drink.

“Can I have a sip daddy?” Fluttershy asked pointing a hoof at the filled glass cup.

Sun-Loch looked at his drink and mulled over the question. Out the corner of his eye, he saw his wife giving him a glare that said ‘don’t you dare’. Looking back at his daughter he gave a sigh.

“Sure sweetie.”

“What! Sun-Loch she’s six, I’ll not have my daughter start drink at a young age!” Posey spoke in shock at her husband’s reply.

“One sip won’t hurt her dear.” Sun-Loch rolled his eyes.

“One sip and then its two and then three! No, she’ll not take one sip until she’s at least 15!” Posey spoke, slamming a hoof down on the table. Fluttershy slowly sank into her chair, she hated when her mother and father got into an argument.

“Um… I’m… um…” Fluttershy mumbled.

“Posey please she won’t end up a drunk.”

“Like you!” Posey glared at her husband.

“I-I… I’m no drunkard and you have no room to speak, you also drink!” Sun-Loch hissed.

“Wine is different than hard liquor Sun-Loch!” Posey retorted, getting in her husband’s face.

“STOP!”

Both Sun-Loch and Posey moved their gazed over to a crying filly.

“I’m sorry I asked, I-I was just c-c-curious of what it taste liked because d-d-daddy drinks it a-all the time!” Fluttershy mumbled holding her white bunny tight against her chest.

Both Posey and Sun-Loch sighed, both were upset that they made their daughter upset. Looking at each other then back at their daughter, then back at each other, Poesy gave out a sigh as she put her head in her hooves.

“Let our daughter have a sip of whiskey this one night, but no more, got it Sun-Loch.”

“Yes dear sorry, I didn’t ask you before I said she could take a sip,” Sun-Lock replied, with a deadpan stare.

“It’s ok dear… Would you like a sip of your father’s drink sweetie?”

Wiping her tears away, Fluttershy nodded her head. Looking at his daughter, Sun-Loch slid the cup over to his daughter.

“Now don’t drink too fast, only slow sips dear.”

Looking at the golden liquid, Fluttershy licked her lips as she picked up the cup with her front hooves. Slowly she brought the glass up to her lips and tipped the glass forward. A small amount of the golden liquid burned down her throat, a sweet hazelnut flavor touched her lips, a sour tang stuck to her lips. Both Posey and Sun-Loch watched her reaction, at first her nose and eyes scrunched up in disgust then in a split second her eyes shot open in amazement.

“Mmm, this tastes yummy.” Fluttershy hummed.

“Oh Celestia, help me.” Posey moaned.

“Ah, just like her father, she likes the good old whiskey,” Sun-Loch spoke with a chuckle.

“That’s what I was afraid of, she turning into an exact clone of you except, she like dolls, knitting and she’s a filly,” Posey replied in mock dread, the previous argument forgotten.

“Oh dear don’t fret.” Sun-Loch grabbed his wife into a hug.

Fluttershy smiled at her parents, it amazed her how fast her parents could forget and argument so fast. Smiling she held out the glass cup towards her father.

“Here daddy.”

Gazing at Fluttershy, Sun-Loch grabbed his cup back and nodded at his daughter.

“I should take a shower before I head to bed, which means a certain filly should get the to bed as well.” Sun-Loch got up from his seat making his way up the stairs.

“But I’m not tired!’ Fluttershy replied giving her best pouty face; her head resting on her bunnies head.

“Come on sweetheart let mommy tuck you in bed,” Posy spoke to her daughter. Fluttershy shook her head.

“I’ll sing you a lullaby.” Posey sang.

This broke Fluttershy defenses as she jumped out of her chair, past her mother and rushed up the stairs. Seeing her father nearing the door of the restroom, Fluttershy grabbed onto his hind leg and embraced him in a hug.

“Good night daddy, see you in the morning!” Fluttershy called out before she let go of her father’s leg and ran to her bedroom.

"Good, night sweetheart.” Sun-Loch chuckled. “So I take it you’re gonna sing her a lullaby?” Sun-Loch asked his wife who came up behind him.

“Yes I am, don’t be too long in the shower,” Posey replied, flicking her tail at her husband’s face.

“Yes, dear,” Sun-Loch replied, shutting the restroom door behind him.

Fluttershy lay on her bed under her covers, surrounded by her bunny dolls. Fluttershy eyed her mother walk into her room and up to her bed where she sat down. Fluttershy wiggled under her covers to get into a comfortable position.

Posey looked down at her daughter with a soft smile.

“Ready for your lullaby?”

Nodding her head, Fluttershy intently gazed up at her mother with anticipation. Taking an inhale of air, Posey let out a soft melody.

“Hush now, quiet now,

It's time to lay your sleepy head,

Hush now, Quiet now,

It's time to go to bed.

Drifting off to sleep,

Leave the exciting day behind you,

Drifting, off to sleep,

Let the joy of dreamland find you.

Hush now, quiet now,

It's time to lay your sleepy head,

Hush now, Quiet now,

It's time to go to bed.”

Soft snores sounded off as Posey finished her melody. Looking down at her daughter, she gave her a kiss on the forehead.

“Good night sweetheart, see you in the morning.” Posey cooed to her daughter. walking out her daughters room, Posey shut out the light and closed the door.

It was early morning; a cool breeze entered the kitchens window. Fluttershy sat in her chair at the dining table practicing her writing skills. Her parents’ home schooled her. She didn’t understand why she didn’t go to school like other fillies and colts. She had asked her parents before, the only answer they gave was that she could learn better skills if she stayed home. So she dropped the thought altogether.

“I’m done mother!” Fluttershy called out, facing her mother with her paper held up in the air.

“Let me see sweetie,” Posey replied, grabbing the paper and looking over a paragraph she had her daughter write out in cursive, which was taken from a novel. “Well Fluttershy you skills are getting better but you still need to work on your p’s and q’s, there a little off, later on tonight we'll try again,” Posey replied still looking at the paper.

Fluttershy huffed.

“Yes, Mother.”

“You can take a break now; go see what your fathers doing.” Posey replied, giving her daughter a kiss on the top of her head.

“Ok.” Fluttershy squeaked as she bolted from her chair and ran towards the front door.

On the stairs of the porch sat Sun-Loch, the warm sun bathed his body is a soft glow. In his lips sat his pipe. Next to him on his left side was a box with two other pipes and a cloth bag filled with tobacco. Hearing the door open behind him with a squeak which was followed by light fast thuds of small hooves, he gave a sigh as his daughter sat beside him.

“Whatcha doing daddy?” Fluttershy spoke up, looking at her father’s bright cheerful brown eyes.

“Smoking my pipe sweetheart,” Sun-Loch replied with a slow sigh, smoke flowing from his mouth.

Fluttershy sat a little closer to her father; she liked it when he smoked. The smoke that lingered on his clothes would soothe her when she would cuddle up with him and her mother on the bed, when they read stories to her. Fluttershy watched her father’s pipe for a while. Watching the tobacco go from red hot to cool every time her father took a breath; it was fascinating to her.

“Daddy?”

“Mmm,” Sun-Loch replied not looking over at his daughter.

“What’s it like?” Fluttershy softly asked.

“What’s what like, sweetie?” Sun-Loch asked moving his gaze at Fluttershy.

“What’s smoking like?” Fluttershy asked pointing a hoof at her father’s pipe.

Sun-Loch looked down at his pipe and then back at Fluttershy.

“Um, It uh…” Taken back by his daughter’s question. ‘Why is she so interested in my habits all of a sudden?’

“Uh, it’s just something I do when I’m bored and sometimes I like the flavor,” Sun-Loch replied.

“Can I try?” Fluttershy asked with a hopeful smile.

Sun-loch stared at his daughter with a dumbfounded look. ‘Is she trying to get me in trouble with her mother?’

“Sweetie I don’t know, your mother…”

“Please?” Fluttershy begged sticking out her bottom lip.

With Fluttershy giving him the bottom lip, something he found just adorable; Sun-Loch couldn’t say no.

“Why not, hold on let me fill you up a pipe,” Sun-Loch replied, turning over to his left to fill up a pipe with a small amount of tobacco.

Fluttershy watched as her father filled one of his extra pipes with a soft-looking brown colored plant into the wooden bowl of the pipe. When he was done he placed the pipe to his lips and lit a match lighting the tobacco. With smoke escaping past his lips, he handed the pipe to Fluttershy. Fluttershy took the pipe gently from her father’s hoof only to stare at it in awe.

“Put the bit to your lips sweetie, like this.” Sun-Loch showed Fluttershy, putting his pipe up to his lips.

Fluttershy kept her gaze on her father as she copied his movements. With the bit in her mouth, she looked down at the pipe, the tobacco glowing red, with small whips of smoke hitting her nose. Looking up at her father she gave him a puzzled look.

“Now you suck in some smoke but don’t inhale, you’re supposed to keep it in your mouth, enjoy the flavor and exhale it out, like this.” Sucking in some smoke and blowing out past his lips. Smiling, Sun-Loch looked down at his daughter and gave her a nod.

Fluttershy looked down at her pipe and gave it a try. Sucking in the smoke, her taste buds were racked with flavors as the smoke touched her tongue. It was sweet like raspberries with a hint of smoky apples, but a burning sensation came up from her lungs. Taking the pipe out of her mouth, a torrent of coughs racked her body; her body rejecting the smoke.

Sun-Loch gave a chuckle at his daughter’s reaction. She had made a rookie mistake.

“Silly filly, inhaled too much?”

*Cough* “Yeah.” *Cough* Fluttershy replied.

“Try again,” Sun-Loch told Fluttershy.

Looking at the pipe with an unsure gaze, Fluttershy plopped the pipe back into her mouth and gave it another try. This time she did it correctly, enjoying the pleasant taste of the tobacco.

“Why was Fluttershy coughing dear… WHAT THE! Sun-Loch you’re letting her smoke NOW!?” Posey yelled at her husband giving him and Fluttershy a dumbfounded look.

“Oh, Posey you can’t disagree that she looks so adorable, look we’re like twins,” Sun-Loch replied leaning up close to his daughter, his face next to hers as they looked up at Posey, smoking their pipes.

Posey looked at them, her voice trying to form words.

“Oh let me get the camera for you can take a picture of us,” Sun-Loch commented, running into the house for the camera.

Fluttershy looked up at her mother as she took several puffs from her pipe. Posey looked down at her daughter and gave a long sigh.

“You’re just like your father,” Posey said in a huff, rubbing her temple with a hoof.

Fluttershy just smiled at her mother’s comment as she sat on the porch enjoying her pipe.