The Equestrian

***Introduction***

The morning was still cold, and the ground was soaked with dew when Celestia's sun peaked over the eastern mountains. A gentle breeze rustled through the damp cages, causing the empty chains to chime eerily like bells. The slave market had only just opened, but several ponies were already up and about, shopping for the best humans.

A young boy sits alone in his cage. He wore nothing but a filthy, torn loincloth. It matched his bruises and rashes perfectly. That was the standard apparel for most slaves. Like most humans, the boy was born into slavery and separated from his mother and father.

This is his story.

***Part 1: Royal  Errands***

"Top of the mornin', to ya!" The slave driver says to a couple of ponies passing by.

It was a busy morning in the C.C.T. (Canterlot Captive Trade). The entire market was bustling with activity. Buyers and sellers from all over Equestria were gathering in the market to do business with one another. Some ponies needed more labor in the mines or sugarcube plantations, others simply needed a servant. The reasons didn't matter to the slave traders. Only the bits the buyers and sellers carried had any value. Two Royal Guards step through the market gates, reluctant to begin their mission.

"Is this really necessary, sir? Do we really need one of these... things in the barracks?"

The Sargent spins around to face her, frustration burning in his eyes.

"I've had enough of your complaining, Sky." He says impatiently. "The order to obtain a human was not my own. The order came from Princess Celestia."

The guard holds her hoof up in a gesture of mock surrender.

"Alright... Can we at least hurry this up? Any human will do, right?"

The officer shakes his head.

"No, Sky. The princess was very specific. We are looking for a certain code."

Using the magic from his horn, the Sargent reveals a small piece of parchment and shows it to the guard.

"Why does she want this human specifically?" The guard named Sky asks. "What's so special about it?"

The Sargent shrugs as he tucks the parchment away.

"Tartarus if I know, but Princess Celestia needs this human, so she is going to get this human."

It should have been a simple and quick search. The guards had the human's code, and gender, but they had no way of finding him in the crowded market.

"I'll ask around to see if anypony can point us in the right direction." Sky says with a reluctant sigh.

The Sargent nods and gives her the parchment. The guard leaves the side of the officer and approaches a slave driver. When he sees her, a large smile forms on his face.

"Well, hello there! How are ya doin' this fine mornin'?" The slave driver asks. "Is there anythin' I can help ya with?"

The guard's tail swishes back and forth nervously.

"Um, hello... Yes, I was... uh... I was just looking for this human." Sky says as she holds up the parchment for the slave driver to see.

The slave driver peers at the parchment. He then looks up at the guard. His smile was gone, and a frightening scowl had taken its place.

"Who sent ya?" He asks suspiciously.

Confused, Sky looks back at her superior and shrugs.

"Uh... We are here under the order of Princess Celestia to retrieve this human."

At the name of the princess, the slave driver's scowl dissipates.

"Oh... Very well, then. I'll take y'all right to him. Right this way, please."

Sky looks back at the officer as he approaches her.

"What was all that about?" He asks.

"I have no idea, sir, but next time, you can talk to the crazy slave drivers."

The Sargent gives her a silent nod of agreement before following after the slave driver. He leads the Royal Guards through the thicket of ponies and cages. The guards try to avoid looking into the cages, but there were too many. Finaly, when Sky had just about had enough of what she could see, hear, and smell, the slave driver leads them to a lonely cage. Inside that lonely cage, far away from the rest of the other slaves in the market, sat a small human boy, a pale and skinny boy.

"This...?" Sky asks. "We came all this way for this... sorry excuse for a human?"

The Sargent, ignoring Sky's rude comment, eyes the numbers on the boy's arm. The code on his arm matched the code on the parchment. It read: H-55555. All the while the guards were looking into the cage at the boy, the boy was looking right back. Only, his eyes were filled with fear instead of curiosity.

"This is the one." The officer says. "Princess Celestia wants him as soon possible."

The slave driver nods as he prepares his keys to unlock the gate.

"How old is it?" Sky asks.

The slave driver sighs as he tries to recall.

"Let's see... I can't really tell you for sure, but I bought this one from a stallion in Manehatten who claimed it was only four years old. That was three years ago, so I have given it the age of seven, just to be safe. You know how the paperwork gets."

"What is his record?" The Sargent asks.

"This one here, I got lucky with buyin'. It is very well behaved. No fights with other slaves and zero escape attempts. It will be a fine addition to her majesty's staff. Y'all head on over to the table at the gate, and I'll be there with your human shortly."

With that being said, the guards begin making their way back to the front of the market.

"Alright, bud... Looks like today is your lucky day. Get up. It's time you got back to her..."

The boy slowly inches for the exit of the cage as the driver opens it.

"Faster! Get out!" He barks.

The boy jumps out of the way to avoid the slave driver's firm hoof. Nervous and scared out of his mind, he follows the driver to the check-out table. The Royal Guards were waiting for him.

"Well, here it is!" The driver says with his cheery tone. "I'm real disappointed to see it go."

The young boy notices as the Royal Guard officer subtlety rolls his eyes.

"Alright, you two have a wonderful day, and be sure to give the princess my highest regards!

The slave driver trots back into the market to root out more customers. As soon as he is gone, the Captain turns to face the boy.

"Hello, there. I... I'm Sargent Shining Armor. This is my second, Private Sky Crawler. You're gonna come with us to see her majesty, Princess Celestia. Is that clear?"

The boy nods, even though he did not understand much of what the guard had said to him.

"Y-Yes, master." He says quietly.

"Let's just get out of here, first. This place is really creeping me out..." Sky says.

Shining nods in agreement with the Private.

"Right, come on, uh... Do you have a name?" He asks the boy.

The human shakes his head. Shining suspected the boy was without a name, but he also figured the boy had no idea of what he was asking.

"Maybe we could just let the princes name it when we deliver the thing to her." Sky suggests as she quickly ushers Shining and the boy out of the market.

With his bonds removed, the boy cautiously followed the Royal Guards out of the slave market and into the glamorous city of Canterlot.

***Part 2: Shining's New Apprentice***

The boy stands where few humans had ever stood before, on the steps leading up to the grand doors of the Royal Palace. He looks up at the towering structures, almost as though he is being memorized by the pale, white walls.

"Move it!" The guard named Sky says harshly, giving the boy a shove. "I haven't got all day, and this little trip is starting to cut into my personal time."

Shining Armor looks back at them and frowns. He didn't witness Sky pushing the boy, but he could tell it had hurt from the boy's expression.

"Come along, now." Shining tells him in a soft, but commanding, voice.

The boy obeys and bounds up the steps after him. In no time at all, they had reached the palace doors, which stood wide open. The boy's head was on a swivel as he tries to look in every direction at the same time. He wanted to see the windows, the curtains, the banners... Even the red carpet leading up to the throne was captivating. It was all beautiful. Then, he sees the mare on the throne. She stood tall, her wings tucked by her sides. The boy instantly finds great interest in the mare on the throne as they approach her, especially her mane and tail, which flowed as though they were under water.

"Princess Celestia..." Shining says, giving her a low bow. "We have done as you asked and retrieved the human from the C.T.T. you requested."

The room was silent. Nothing was to be heard save the sound of a gentle draft blowing through the open doors. Then, the princess stands from her throne and begins descending down the steps. The boy wasn't sure whether to be frightened or not. Even though he only had seven years of age, it was no mystery that she was very important.

Celestia looks over the boy. Her gaze drifts up and down as she observes him from head to toe. Then, she smiles. Her grin expands and stretches until it reaches from ear to ear.

"Excellent. Well done, Sargent Armor. You and Private Sky have done me a good service, and you have performed your task to the letter."

"What is to be done with him, your majesty?" Shining asks.

The boy was now feeling all sorts of emotions. He felt scared, anxious, and nervous to name a few.

The princess looks down at the boy, and the boy looks back up at her. Shining wasn't entirely sure, but he could have sworn he could see tears forming in her eyes. The princess quickly clears her throat as she resumes her royal posture.

"He is to be yours, Sargent Armor. He is to be your... ah... cadet."

"M-Me?" Shining stammers. "Why, princess? I have never owned a sla- I mean... I have never owned a human before. Why me?"

Shining assumed it must have been some kind of joke, but the look on Celestia's face was dead serious. There was no joke.

"You have always been able to do as I request, Sargent. I trust you will do me this favor as well?"

This silences Shining. He looks back and forth between the boy and Celestia. With no other option in sight, Shining nods his head.

"Of course, your majesty."

"Thank you, Sargent. You are dismissed."

Shining does a one hundred and eighty degree turn and begins making his way towards the doors. Sky does the same and follows him.

"Come along, this way." Shining calls to the boy.

The human sprints after his new master. As they reach the door, he turns and looks back at the princess one last time. On her face was a sad smile as she waved him 'goodbye'. Then, the doors close.

***Part 3: Meeting The Guards***

The young boy, still very much confused as to what he was doing and what was expected of him, was lead out of the Royal Palace, across the common grounds, and to the guard's barracks. Sky wastes no time in trotting inside, as she was very eager to get out of her armor. Shining stops at the door and extends his hoof to stop the boy from following Sky inside.

"Hold on, bud," Shining says, speaking in a time he often used when talking to his little sister, Twilight. "Before you go in, I need to make a few things clear."

Shining had the boy's undivided attention. This actually surprised the guard. He had little experience with humans, so the boy's attention something to take note of.

"You are my responsibility, and I intend to keep you in good condition. I don't know why the princess put you in my care, or what she has planned for you, but as long as you are here, you will do exactly as I instruct, and everything will turn out alright. Got it?"

The boy nods his head quickly. As he opens the door, Shining makes a mental note to teach the boy how to salute properly. The door swings open, allowing the boy to enter the lounge of the barracks. At least a dozen Royal Guards were up and about. Some were eating breakfast while others were dressing in their armor for their morning patrols. As soon as the human takes his first step inside of the lounge, every pony turns in his direction. At first, there is no response, only silence. That silence doesn't last.

"What's that thing doing here?!" A guard demands.

Shining is quick to place himself in between the boy and the crowd of angry guards.

"Don't touch him!" Shining begs. "The princess has placed this human under my authority, and he is to live here with us until further notice."

Again, silence fills the lounge. This time, the silence is broken by an eerie chuckle.

"Ha ha ha... Your authority? That is something rich, Shiny." A guard says as he steps forward.

"It's 'Shining', Captain..." Shining growls. "Don't you have somewhere to be? There isn't a tavern calling your name?"

With his face turning red, the Captain prepares himself to make a witty remark, but some pony stops him.

"Let it go, Silvershield." Sky says lazily from the sofa. "You have better things to do than fight Shining over a stupid human."

The Captain, named Silvershield, lowers his gaze. He then glares at Shining and the human boy.

"This isn't over..." He snarls before turning around and retreating into the crowd.

The guards watching the unfolding scene quickly lost interest after that, and they went back to doing whatever it was they were doing before. Sky approaches Shining and the boy with a sly smile on her lips.

"Sir... must we always pick fights with the good Captain?" She asks sarcastically.

"Your coltfriend is a jerk." Shining snaps. "What do you see in him?"

Sky rolls her eyes as she walks over to the kitchen area. Shining and the boy follow after her. He was rather hungry, and he was sure the boy was as well.

"I don't have to explain my romantic interests to you, but I will say this: He can go for hours and not even break a sweat, if you catch my meaning..."

The dirty grin on her face stretched from ear to ear. Shining did catch her meaning, and his ears burned. The boy, on the other hoof, did not catch her meaning. His attention was being captivated by the food before him.

"Uh, I think your pet is hungry." Sky says, nodding towards the human.

Shining quickly ushers him through the bar, throwing whatever he thought the human might eat onto a plate.

***Part 4: The Breakfast Of Champions***

Grits, eggs, pancakes, and muffins. That is everything the plate consisted of. Shining directs the boy towards a table and tells him to sit. The boy obeys without question. Within moments, Shining is delivering the plate to him.

"Is... it safe for humans to eat that stuff? What if muffins are, like, poisonous to them?" Sky asks.

It was a good question. Shining had no clue as to what humans could eat. When he turns back around to take the plate away from the boy, it was clean. Shining's jaw drops. The plate was full when he gave it to the boy, and the boy cleaned it completely in seconds. Sky was impressed as well.

"I guess we'll see if it's stomach can handle it in a few hours." She says as she begins making her way out of the lounge. "I'll see you later, Shining!"

The boy was looking back and forth between his master and the empty plate.

"What, I suppose you want some more?" Shining asks him.

The boy nods eagerly.

"Y-Yes, master..."

The boy's words got the attention of several guards nearby. No pony said anything, but they gave Shining intrigued looks.

"You don't have to call me that..." Shining mutters to the boy as he gives him a new plate. "Just call me 'Shining'."

"Sh-Shiny." The boy says confidently.

"No, not 'Shiny'. It's 'ShinING'." Shining Armor corrects, putting extra emphasis on the end of his name.

As he finished speaking, a new thought entered the Sargent's head.

"I... I haven't even names you yet. What should I call you?"

The boy doesn't answer. He was to busy going to town on stack of pancakes. Ignoring the silverware, the boy attacks the food with his fingers. As another pancake is lifted to his mouth, Shining catches a glimpse of the code imprinted on his arm: H-55555.

"You got a lot of fives on your arm, bud... Oh, why don't I call you Fives? How does that sound? Do you want to be called 'Fives'?"

Now eating the eggs, the boy nods his head quickly. He swallows.

"Yes, master." He says with the biggest grin he could muster. "I will be called... Fives."

Shining felt something in his chest. Pride? He had no idea. It felt good. The guard puts his hoof on Fives' head and ruffles his hair. Shining knew the other guards were watching. He didn't care. He outranked most of them.

"M-Master Shiny..." The boy groans.

Shining looks down. Again the plate was spotless. The grits, the eggs... It was all gone. Fives sat in the chair, desperately holding onto his stomach.

"What, now you're full? That was three helpings of food, Fives." Shining says with a chuckle. "You have a much larger appetite than I anticipated."

Shining was about to take the plate back to the bar when his own stomach growls. It was a violent howl for food.

"You sit tight, Fives. I gotta get something to eat. Then, we'll figure out where you'll be sleeping."

"Uh, that thing is not sleeping in our bunk room." A guard behind him says.

"Yeah." Another guard agrees. "Humans shouldn't be in the barracks in the first place. Make it sleep outside."

Shining looks down at his human. Fives was still holding his stomach, and his head was now resting on the table. Deep down, he knew the human couldn't stay. It was too dangerous, and it was obvious the other guards would never accept him. Shining needed to see Princess Celestia.

***TO BE CONTINUED***