The Shy Warrior (Sister Slaves)

Chapter 3: A New Friend

“Are you sure, what if the town’s ponies hurt her feelings, what if she gets lost? What…!” A kiss silenced Posey woes. Breaking the kiss Sun-Loch looked into his wife’s eyes; caressing her cheeks.

“Now dear she’ll be fine, she needs to see the world, she can’t stay locked up in her home forever, she needs to make some friends,” Sun-Loch spoke, checking his cart over.

“Oh, but I’m worried that she won’t be accepted, it took a while for most of the town to accept our marriage,” Posey spoke looking out into the fields of dancing wheat.

“I know dear but honestly, I don’t care if only a small portion of the town accepts my daughter, let their prejudice blind them for all I care!” Sun-Loch growled pulling on a rope; tightening up several metal poles against the wall of the cart.

Posey gazed at her husband and sighed, she shouldn’t worry so much she thought to herself. Fluttershy would be fine with her father; after all, all they were going to do was sell some bales of wheat, pick up their groceries and head home.

“I’m ready!” A squeaky voice called out.

Posey looked over towards the house to see her daughter running towards them. Fluttershy’s mane was done up in curls with a little green bow; her tail braided with a green bow at the end of it. She wore a small light blue wool jacket over her white dress. On her back was her favorite white bunny doll.

“When are we going?” Fluttershy cheered looking up at her parents; her wings fluttering with excitement.

“Soon, first you have to say bye to mommy,” Sun-Loch called out throwing a small leather bag into the cart.

Fluttershy trotted up to her mother and hugged her leg.

“See you later mommy,” Fluttershy told her mother, rubbing her cheek against her mother’s leg.

“You be safe now you two and you better listen to your father, you hear,” Posey spoke as she stepped back, watching her daughter and husband climb into the cart’s front seat.

“I will mother.” Fluttershy squeaked.

“We will be fine dear, see you in a couple hours.” Grabbing a set of leather reigns with his front hooves, Sun-Loch whipped them up over his head. At a great speed, they came down onto a large ox-like creature. “We’re off!” Sun-Loch cheered along with his daughter’s squeals of joy.

The creature gave a low growl as it pushed forward, carrying the cart into town. Posey waved goodbye before walking back into the house.

Fluttershy looked around her surroundings as the cart slowly made its way along the dirt path. Fluttershy leaned against the armrests of the cart. The trees danced in the breeze; birds flew across the sky. Fluttershy’s bunny doll sat next to her; the black orbs of its eyes reflecting the world around it.

“Look Mr. Angle Bunny, that tree out there, it’s so big!” Fluttershy spoke to her bunny doll who wore a smile on his face. Out in the distance was a large redwood tree in the middle of a vast forest. Towering over the others; casting a formidable shadow across the land.

Sun-Loch looked at his daughter and gave a chuckle.

“Are you two talking about that tree over there?” He asked.

Fluttershy whipped her head around at her father and nodded her head.

“Well, sweetheart that tree over there is called ‘The King of the Many’, of the Everfree forest.”

Fluttershy looked at her father, Mr. Angle Bunny held up against her chest as she listened to her father’s story.

“Why is it called that?” She asked.

Sun-Loch looked down and smiled. “It’s called that because of the great ‘Seven Days of Honor’ a battle that took place in that forest.”

“When was that?” Fluttershy asked holding her doll closer to her chest.

Sun-Loch chuckled. “Many years ago sweetheart, a commander named Geyser held off a formidable dictator named Monrovia. Geyser was a leader of a rebel force that fought to free the earth ponies of Earthen from Monrovia’s total rule.”

Fluttershy looked at her father with interest. “Did he win?” She asked her eyes full of wonder.

Sun-Loch smiled and looked down at his little angle and smiled.

“He sure did, stop Monrovia’s army in their tracks and freed the ponies of Earthen and gave them the freedom they longed for.” Giving her a kiss on the head he returned his gaze back towards the dirt road. ‘A freedom we’re slowly losing once again.’ Sun-Loch thought to himself.

Fluttershy smiled at her father before turning her attention to the road. Out in front of her vision sat the small town of Cameroon. Tall two story buildings rose above the skyline.  Numerous ships docked at the harbors that lined the coast. Tall smokestacks stood erect over the buildings; black smoke leaving their mouths’. Fluttershy was full of excitement, she never been in town before. She had always wondered about the town. Was it full of awesome gadgets or toys, was there fun things to do? Fluttershy couldn’t keep herself in her seat. Bolting up, she placed her front hooves on the front rim of the box of the cart. Her wings fluttered with excitement as she eyed the town getting closer.

Sun-Loch chuckled at his daughter’s display of foal like wonder.

“You’re excited?” Sun-Loch asked his daughter giving her a smile.

“Yeah!” Fluttershy cheered.

Fluttershy stood close to her father as possible. Her eyes nervously glanced around at her surroundings. Ponies of all shapes and sizes walked past her father’s stall. The market was full of earth ponies going about their day, buying food, supplies and conversing with one another; the noise of the town was very loud to her ears. Fluttershy’s thoughts ran wild with imagination. The ponies that were around her were big and scary, the things they were selling were strange and not of this world. Fluttershy’s mouth slowly opened in wonder as she saw a contraption that was making electricity by spinning a large gray ball inside a golden-brown cup.

“I’ll take two bushels of wheat.” A masculine voice asked.

Fluttershy looked up to see a tall lanky earth pony stallion, his out of control yellow mane stood out from his brown fur. Freaking out, Fluttershy inched closer to her father, grasping his hind leg.

“Will do, my good sir.” Sun-Loch replied looking down at his daughter.

Looking down at Fluttershy the stallion gave a chuckle.

“Is she your little one?” He asked.

Sun-Loch smiled. “Yep, say hello sweetheart.”

Fluttershy, who never took her gaze off the stallion, slowly brought her shaking hoof up and waved. The stallion gave a chuckle.

“Little winged runt is a scary-dee-cat.” The stallion mumbled to himself.

Sun-Loch’s ears picked up the stallion’s comment about his daughter. Gritting his teeth he took a deep breath and walked back up to the stallion with the bushels of wheat in his hooves.

“That will be 24 Earthen Tokes.” Sun-Loch commented to the stallion.

The stallion gave a smirk and pulled out 24 tokes. Placing them on the table he was about to take his product when he spotted the sign of pricing for the wheat. Gritting his teeth, he let out a low growl.

“What’s the big idea with raising the price, 24 tokes!? You’re selling two for 12!” The stallion hissed.

Sun-Loch gave him a dull stare. “Well, I thought of raising the price, for ponies like you.” He replied gazing down at his daughter.

The stallion saw his gaze and gave a snort. Grabbing his bushels with haste, the stallion stormed off. Once the stallion was away from his stall, Sun-Loch went to put the tokes in his bag. Fluttershy moved with her father, her bunny doll on her back. Fluttershy stood up on her hind legs and laid her front legs on the wooden table her father set up.

“Why was that stallion, mad daddy?”

Sun-Loch looked down at Fluttershy’s cyan eyes.

“Some ponies wake up on the wrong side of the bed, sweetheart.” Sun-Loch sighed.

“Maybe we can cheer him up? Maybe I guess…” Fluttershy asked, looking down the street the stallion stormed down.

“He’ll get over it.” Sun-Loch mumbled.

Fluttershy rested her head on the table as she looked around the area of the market they were in. She let out a huff; her father heard her boredom and looked down at his daughter.

“What’s the matter sweetheart?” Sun-Loch asked sitting next to Fluttershy.

“Nothing daddy, just looking at all the different ponies walking around.” Fluttershy sighed.

“And what about them, interests you?” Sun-Loch hummed stacking some bushels of wheat.

“How all of them don’t have wings like me or mommy.” Fluttershy spoke with sadness.

Sun-Loch fidgeted with some of his product, scooting closer to his daughter, he draped a hoof over her shoulder.

“Daddy?” Fluttershy spoke up.

“Yes, sweetie?”

“Are my wings a mutation?” Fluttershy asked, looking up at her father.

Sun-Loch gave his daughter a bewildered look.

“Why do you ask that question, sweetie?”

Fluttershy looked back down at the ground.

“Because when we got into town daddy, some of the ponies look at me funny.”

Sun-Loch looked down at his daughter. “Sweetie, you and your mother are the only pegasi who live in this town.”

Fluttershy looked up at her father with curiosity.

“Pegasi?” She asked with confusion.

Sun-Loch gave a chuckle. “We knew one day you were going to be curious as to why I didn’t have wings like you or your mother… so I guess since you’d asked, I’ll tell you… You see I’m an earth pony and you’re a pegasus.” Sun-Loch commented to his daughter.

“So I’m a pegasus and your and earth pony?” Fluttershy asked to make sure of it.

“Yep, several years before you were born, I met your mother here in town. She was the only pegasus in our town and came from the city of Cloudsdale.” Sun-Loch replied pulling his daughter into a hug.

“Where is Cloudsdale?” Fluttershy asked.

“Well, your mother told me it’s a city that floats in the sky.”

“Where in the sky?” Fluttershy asked looking up at the sky.

“Well, it’s not over this city or a part of the Earthen Empire. It’s part of the Wingthington Republic.” Sun-Loch replied to his daughter’s question; pointing his hoof out towards the eastern mountains.

Fluttershy looked out towards the eastern mountains and smiled.

“I would really like to see Cloudsdale.” Fluttershy hummed. “Would you daddy?”

Sun-Loch got up and walked towards his cart.

“Sure would sweetheart.” Picking up a small bag he walked up to his daughter. “Hey, Flutters.”

Fluttershy looked up at her father.

“I know it can get boring sitting with your old man, I saw you fidgeting earlier today. Do you want to go walk around the market for a bit.”

Fluttershy looked around then back up at her father.

“By myself!?” Fluttershy asked.

“Why not, you’ll be fine.” Sun-Loch reassured her.

“But all the other ponies…”

“Again you’ll be fine. Here are some tokes if you want to buy a snack.” Sun-Loch interrupted his daughter, handing her a small bag of tokes.

Fluttershy looked at the bag for a second before looking at her father.

“What kind of snacks are there?” She asked.

“Well I know there’s something called cotton candy.” Sun-Loch pondered, looking down at his daughter with a goofy grin.

“What’s that!” Fluttershy wondered.

“Well is very fluffy candy and when you eat it, it melts in your mouth.” Sun-Loch mention moving his face closer to his daughter’s

“Really!” Fluttershy squeaked.

“Really!” Sun-Loch repeated.

Fluttershy looked behind her at the busy streets, tapping one of her front hooves on the ground, she nervously looked around.

“Well, I guess I’ll go… daddy.”

“Well, what are you waiting for, get going. Oh and bring me some cotton candy when you get back.” Sun-Loch replied, patting Fluttershy on the head.

“Um… ok... Let’s go Mr. Angle Bunny…” Fluttershy took one step before stopping; she slowly looked around at the ponies passing by. Sun-Loch seeing his daughter’s hesitation, he thought up of something that would get her going.

“Oh please sweetie hurry, my stomach…

Fluttershy whipped her head around to see her father in mock agony.

“Sweetie, my stomach’s craving some of that fluffy, candy, goodness!” Sun-Loch called out, holding his stomach with a hoof and giving Fluttershy a goofy face.

Fluttershy stifled a giggle at her father’s terrible acting.

“Go, hurry young one, before it’s too late.” Sun-Loch rested his head on the table, his arms sprawled out. Passer-byes looked on at the scene in from of them with little to no interest. Holding a hoof to her lips Fluttershy let out a giggle.

“I will daddy!” She called out to her father.

Sun-Loch raise his head and waved to his daughter. With a giggle she trotted off into the crowd of ponies. Sun-Loch rested his head on a hoof and let out a sigh.

“Be safe dear and make some friends sweetie.” He thought out loud.

Fluttershy walked down the dirt streets of Cameroon. Market stands littered the streets, filled with many different products for sail ranging from lettuce, fish, fruits and various crafting tools. Different looking and sized shops lined the streets, factories’ smoke stacks towered over the town; black smoke billowed from their tops, causing the day to become overcast. Fluttershy’s young mind was flooding with so many different sounds and smells. She caught glimpses of several conversations about ponies’ plans for the weekend, couples talking sweetly or fighting or business matters taking place and sweet smelling goods.

She tried looking for the cotton candy her father told her about but every stall she went too didn’t have it. She slowly hung her head as she left her 20th stall. She was having no luck; in frustration she kicked a stone.

‘Why won’t they tell me where the cotton candy is!? Their either meanies or they won’t listen to me!’ Fluttershy thought to herself.

Hearing a group of giggles, Fluttershy shot her head up to see a group of fillies and colts running around through the streets. Fluttershy smiled as she eyed the fillies and colts. They were playing a game of tag; their delightful screams of joy graced Fluttershy’s ears. When they ran around a corner down another street, Fluttershy took off towards them. Rounding the corner, Fluttershy eyed the kids as they climbed onto a docked ship. It looked like fun. Fluttershy looked back at her doll that sat on her back.

“What do you think Mr. Angel Bunny? It looks like fun.” She asked.

The doll slumped over a little. Fluttershy didn’t really have any friends, literally none. Her child urges kicked in as she kept eyeing the children. Their game was turning into a game of pirates. She had read books about pirates and their many adventures plundering and looking for gold. Fluttershy inched closer to the group.

‘I want to join, maybe I could ask.’ Smiling to herself, Fluttershy took a breath and made her way over to the group.

Fluttershy walked up to the group of children. As she neared a small filly called out, announcing her arrival. A brown colored colt with black hair and white shirt looked at Fluttershy with his amber eyes. A sly smirk came to his lips as he made his way down towards Fluttershy.

The colt came up to Fluttershy. He towered over her; he was big for his age. He gave his best mad face as he stared at Fluttershy. Fluttershy being nervous slowly bent her knees and cowered to the ground.

“What do you want?!” The colt asked.

Fluttershy shook from her shyness. “I just wanted t-to know if I-I could play… with you?” She responded. There was no response from the colt so Fluttershy continued. “I have no one to play with at my house so I was walking around when I saw you guys, so I thought it would be fun to join you and…"

The colt gave a laugh, which caused Fluttershy to jerk with fright.

“Really!? You play with us! Do you even know how to play pirates?” The colt asked.

Fluttershy shook her head which caused some of the children in the group to laugh. The colt gave her a look over and stood back.

“Wait a’nt you that filly that lives out on the wheat farm?” The colt asked getting in Fluttershy’s face.

Fluttershy let out a nervous murmur. “Y-Yes.”

The colt stood back a little and laughed. “You are… Your one of the winged freaks my mom and dad told me about.” He said; letting some giggles leave his lips. The rest of the children followed suit.

Fluttershy’s mouth hung open in shock and anger. “I’m not a freak!

The colt laughed again.

“I-I’m not a freak! I-I read a lot of books, I’m smart and I-I-I can to play pirates j-just as well as you can!” Fluttershy huffed.

The colt laughed and got closer up to her.

“I would let you prove it but my mom says we should stay away from ponies like you.” He hissed pushing Fluttershy, making her fall onto her flank. Fluttershy looked up with tears in her eyes.

“B-But why?! All I-I want to do is play with you guys?!” Fluttershy asked out in despair.

“If you haven’t notice we got no wings, unlike you-you bird mutant thing!”

“But I…”

“You already messed up our game! Beat it…”

“Hey you, leave her alone!”

Both Fluttershy and the colt looked towards the voice’s owner. There standing on the small road leading up to the docked ship, stood an orange filly with a blonde mane. She wore a red dress; her face was covered in freckles and her mane was done up in a ponytail. Fluttershy stared at the orange filly as she approached her and the colt.

“Why should I?!” The colt asked, shoving his face into the fillies.

The orange filly gave a huff. “Because it’s not nice.” She pointed an accusing hoof at him.

The colts stared at her and lifted up his hoof. The filly looked down at the colts brown hoof and smirked.

“You’re gonna hit a girl?”

The colt looked at her with a smirk.

“Yeah, I already did it to her.” He nodded his head over towards Fluttershy, who sat on the ground in tears.

The filly looked at him and punched his nose. The act made all the other children including Fluttershy to gasp in shock. The colt grabbed his nose and looked back at the orange filly with tears in his eyes

“Now leave her alone and go play yer stupid pirate game!” The orange filly huffed.

The colt nodded his head and scrambled back to his posse. The orange filly smiled at the fine job she had done and looked down at Fluttershy. Fluttershy was looking up at the filly with a small smile.

“Thanks for saving me…” Fluttershy mumbled.

“No problem; the names Applejack.” Offering her hoof too Fluttershy which Fluttershy gratefully took.

“My names Fluttershy…” Fluttershy mumbled, looking at Applejack while holding her bunny doll.

“So whatcha doing out here?” Applejack asked Fluttershy.

“Well I-I was looking for something when I-I saw them playing and it l-looked like fun.” Fluttershy mumbled.

“What were you looking for?” Applejack asked tilting her head to the side.

“Cotton candy…” Fluttershy sighed. “I can’t find any.”

Applejack smiled and grabbed Fluttershy by her hoof. “I know where we can find cotton candy!” She proclaimed pulling Fluttershy back into the busy streets.

“You do!” Fluttershy squeaked.

“Yeah I do, come on!”

With that said they ran off into the crowded streets in search for the sweet treat. Fluttershy smiled, Applejack was nice to her. She hoped she had made a friend.

Fluttershy was never this wowed in all her life. The cotton candy she held in her hoofs was soft and light, like a pillow. The sweet flavor coated her tongue as the soft sugar melted in her mouth. Fluttershy looked over towards Applejack to see her enjoying her own piece of cotton candy. Applejack seeing Fluttershy looking at her, gave her a smile. Fluttershy blushed at the gesture and waved.

“So do you like it?” Applejack asked.

Fluttershy looked down at the pink fluff and shook her head.

“I knew yer would… Hey, how old are you by the way?” Applejack asked Fluttershy, sitting closer to her.

Fluttershy looked down at her hooves that dangled from her seat on the docks.

“I’m six… you?

“Eight and mah brother is only 11.” Applejack smiled. “Do you have any sisters?” She wondered looking at Fluttershy.

Fluttershy shook her head.

“Brothers?” Applejack asked tilting her head to the side.

Again Fluttershy shook her head. Applejack sat back and put a hoof to her chin. For a while, silence fell around them. The long spell of silence started to get too Fluttershy’s nerves.

‘Does she think I’m a freak for not having any siblings?” Fluttershy thought to herself.

Then a smile appeared on Applejack’s lips.

“You want to be friends?!” Applejack cheered, stretching out her arms.

Fluttershy looked at Applejack with wide eyes. Was she hearing her right, Applejack wanted to be friends with her.

“Y-You don’t think I’m a freak?” Fluttershy asked by demonstrating with her flapping wings.

Applejack shook her head. “I think it’s cool.” She replied.

Fluttershy smiled. “Oh, I would like to be friends.”

Applejack gave the biggest smile and pulled Fluttershy into a hug, startling the yellow filly.

“Yay, I made a friend.” Applejack cheered.

Fluttershy raised a brow.

“You never had any friends?” She wondered.

Applejack released Fluttershy from her hug and nodded her head sheepishly.

“Well… not any real friends… oh, I hope we can be best of friends, though!” Applejack held her hooves to her chest with a hopeful smile.

Fluttershy gave the biggest smile she could have mustered and hugged her newest best friend. Both fillies gave squeaks of joy at their new friendship. The sounds of dull splashes graced their ears, interrupting their hug. Fluttershy and Applejack looked over the dock’s edge to see their treats, dissolving in the water below.

“Oops…” They both said in unison. Looking at each other they gave a chuckle.

“Looks like we’re gonna have to buy some more.” Applejack sighed, looking into the water.

“Yep.” Fluttershy huffed.

Fluttershy and Applejack walked along the dirt paths, eating on their newly bought cotton candy. Fluttershy was heading back to her father’s stall to introduce him to Applejack. Applejack smiled, her ponytail bouncing with each step she took.

“Hey’yah Fluttershy?” Applejack chirped.

Fluttershy looked to her left at her friend.

“Yeah?”

“Um… Would you like to come to my house for a sleepover too night?” Applejack asked with a sheepish smile.

“Sleepover?...” Fluttershy asked, giving her friend a puzzled look.

Applejack just stared at the yellow filly.

“Yer telling me is, you never heard of a sleepover?!” Applejack asked in shock.

Fluttershy shook her head. “What’s a sleepover?”

Applejack paced around Fluttershy with excitement.

“It’s when you invite yer friend to come over to yer house and do fun games like tag, hid n’ seek; ghost stories, pillow fights and a whole bunch of other stuff! Or at least that’s what I’ve heard of.” Stopping in front of her friend, Applejack scuffed the ground. “I always wanted to try it, but never had anyone to do it with…”

Fluttershy smiled at her friend for the longest time.

“That’s sounds like fun!” She squeaked pulling her friend into a hug. Applejack smiled and returned it.

“Aw shoot I can’t wait, let’s go ask yer dad if you can go!” Applejack cheered. Fluttershy stood in place with a worried look on her face.

“Oh, I hope he says yes…”