A light blue pegasus, his identity hidden by a cloak, entered a small, musky store. The smell of pony waste and bodily odour threatened to overcome his senses. All around him were cages, that housed scruffy-looking ponies, each of them had a face of hopelessness and despair. What was most disturbing was the fact that all these ponies were school-aged colts and fillies who were being sold into slavery.
Suddenly a scruffy, brown griffin walked up to him, "Welcome, what can I get for you today."
The cloaked pony was straight to the point, "I am looking for a pegasus slave, they need to be fit and have at least some form of intelligence."
"You have come to the right place, we sell loads of pegasi, come take your pick," The griffon said, leading him down an aisle, where on each side were cages, that contained a pegasus child. The mysterious pony began to examine the merchandise when he heard the slave trader yell out, "HEY! WAKE UP!" The command was accompanied by the sound of a cattle prod meeting flesh and a filly screaming in pain.
The pony walked up to the cage, however, the trader extended his large wings, blocking his view of the cage, "You do not want this one. It is a troublemaker, it is merely a defect. It will be scrapped for spare parts by the end of the day."
Below the darkness of the hood, the pony raised his eyebrow inquisitively, "Spare parts?"
"Its organs and fur. It will die and become a rich griffon's rug," The griffon explained.
"Let me see it," the pony said in a commanding tone.
The griffon reluctantly moved his wings before saying, "You will not want it. It can't fly it is broken."
The pony merely ignored him, instead examining the small pegasus, locked in the cage. The pegasus filly had a messy purple mane and tail as well as an orange body, her light purple eyes bruised and full of sadness. The filly looked to be around five years old, the pony suspected that she had been bred within the store. "What is its name?" the pegasus stallion asked.
"Scootaloo," The griffon sneered mockingly.
The griffon then tried to pull his attention towards a cleaner slave in a different cage, however the pegasus dropped a pouch onto the floor in front of the greedy griffon, the rattling of gold coins, instantly attracting his attention, "I'll take it."
The griffon scooped the pouch up into his talons, "Excellent choice, It has a tracker embedded into its brain, so you can never lose it."
While the Griffon opened the cage and began to muzzle the filly, the pegasus left to retrieve something from his private carriage before returning with a metal pole that had a loop of plastic cord at the end that could be adjusted. The filly had been muzzled as well as her small wings had been chained, she stared at the pole in fear. "Would you like it blindfolded?"
The pony shook his head, "No that won't be necessary." The filly started to shake her head and release muffled whimpers as her new owner advanced towards her. She attempted to back away, however the Griffin held her still, while the pony forced her head through the loop before tightening the chord around her neck.
Nodding his thanks to the slave trader, he then commanded, "Come slave," before pulling on the pole, however, the filly dug her hooves into the ground, refusing to budge. Losing his patience, the stallion pulled out a whip before striking the floor, narrowly missing her hoof, "That was a warning strike, next time it won't be, now move," he threatened, pulling on the pole again, this time the filly complied and began to follow him out onto the Griffonian street, the stallion then opened the carriage and forced the filly to enter before following her inside.
His chauffeur then began to pull the carriage as the pony introduced himself, "My name is Thunder Strike. I am your new master. I am going to be taking you to your new home in Equestria, when we go through border control, you will tell the guards that you are my daughter returning home from holiday. If you do not do this then you will be punished do I make myself clear?"
The filly nodded, "Good girl, I am going to take your muzzle off, do not speak unless I tell you to."
Thunder Strike then removed the muzzle before pulling out a polaroid camera before snapping a picture of the slave's face. He then pulled out a small blue book, that had the symbol of the Equestria on the front. He then stuck the picture inside of the forged passport before writing her name and date of birth.
Scootaloo examined her new master with a mixture of fear and interest, Thunder Strike was light blue with dark grey eyes, from what little mane she could see, he had a shiny grey mane. Scootaloo wanted to ask where they were going but she was too afraid of the consequences for talking so instead she decided to remain quiet.
Thunder Strike watched his slave with curiosity, for now, she appeared to be following orders. She appeared to be scared and her mane and fur was filthy, she was also clearly starving, with her bones showing. Thunder then opened one of his saddle bags and pulled out a large apple pie. Unwrapping the packaging, Thunder spotted Scootaloo staring at the food with hunger.
Thunder slapped her across her face and snapped, "Don't stare!"
Scootaloo whimpered as her master was about to dig in, Scootaloo opened her mouth to talk but stopped upon seeing her master's harsh gaze and instead resorted to staring down at her hooves with her ears folded. While Thunder liked the control he had over her, he also couldn't help but feel sorry for her. NO! I am a lord, she is nothing but a slave, I cannot show any mercy towards her. Thunder thought to himself.
Thunder pulled out a tin of dog food before opening it and giving it to the filly, "Eat it."
Scootaloo wrinkled her nose and wanted to push it away but the feeling of hunger overwhelmed her and she stuck her snout in the tin and began gobbling the food down. Thunder was repulsed at the way she was eating. Scootaloo had practically demolished the food, however, she was still hungry.
They then heard the chauffeur shout, "My Lord we're approaching the the border crossing."
As they felt the carriage roll to a stop, Thunder Strike said, "Remember what I told you and no funny business."
Scootaloo nodded as Thunder tried to hear what the guard and his chauffeur was saying but the speech was muffled. Suddenly a Royal Guard approached the window and asked in a commanding tone, "State your name and business."
"I am Lord Thunder Strike, this is my daughter, Scootaloo we are returning to Equestria from a holiday in Griffonia." Thunder Strike told him confidently while pointing towards Scootaloo.
The guard nodded then held his hoof out, "Passports."
"Of course." Thunder said while giving the guards the passports.
While he examined the passports, Thunder silently prayed that the enchanted forgery would not be detected by the guard. He had paid good money for the forgery to be able to withstand any revealing magic and to look identical as a legitimate passport.
While analysing the passport with his spell, the guard remarked, "I'd never expect a noble to go on holiday to Griffonia of all places."
"And why's that?" Thunder asked harshly.
"Most nobles usually go to Prance or to Aneighrica." The Guard said.
"Well, I'm not like most nobles, besides Scootaloo here gets homesick when we are far away from Equestria." Thunder explained.
"Very well, you may pass." The guard said handing him the passports.
"Thank you," Thunder replied before the carriage started setting off again.
***
Scootaloo started to see green trees and the carriage started to get warmer. "So slave, tell me more about yourself."
Scootaloo appeared surprised to be asked a question like a common pony, "What do you mean?" Scootaloo asked.
Scootaloo yelped in pain as Thunder slapped her again, "You will address me as, master. Now tell me about where you was born and who your parents were."
Scootaloo looked away as tears began to form, "I never knew my parents, they were sold to a Griffon Prince. I was born in a breeding farm."
Breeding farms were places that forced foalnapped ponies to have sex and then give birth, their offspring would then be sold into slavery. While slavery was technically illegal in Griffonia, many corrupt politicians usually turn a blind eye towards the operation in return for power and money. While Equestria knew about the Griffonian slave trade, they were powerless to stop it as they did not want to risk an all out war.
Scootaloo was wondering where they were going, she had always wanted to go to Equestria ever since hearing that it was a safe haven for ponies but then she began to wonder if it was a true safe haven, if she was still being enslaved.
Suddenly she felt the carriage begin to rise as the sound of wings flapping filled her ears. Not long after the carriage had begun ascending, they came to a standstill and the door to the carriage opened.
Thunder secured the pole around her neck again before pulling her outside, where Scootaloo couldn't help but gasp in awe at the sight of a massive mansion made entirely out of clouds. "Welcome to your new home," Thunder said.
Thunder then led her into the main entrance, which had a grand staircase, also made out of clouds with a golden chandelier hanging down. He then led her through a small door that had a long spiral staircase, following the staircase upwards until they came across a room that resembled a dungeon.
Scootaloo gulped at seeing all the chains and hoofcuffs that had been chained to the walls. There was a thin mattress and a bowl of water, "This is where you'll be staying. I want you to rest for the night, I shall explain the rules. This door will be locked from the outside, If you try to escape I assure you that your punishment will be... unpleasant." He threatened before slamming the metal door shut and locking it.
Scootaloo sighed before lying down on the mattress as she wondered what was going to happen to her.
The night was restless for Scootaloo. She lay on the thin mattress, the harsh realities of her new life sinking in. Every sound, every creak, sent shivers down her spine as she imagined what new horrors awaited her. Eventually, exhaustion overtook her and she slipped into an uneasy sleep.
The next morning, the door to her cell creaked open. Thunder Strike stood there, his cold eyes fixed on her. "Come with me," he commanded. Scootaloo, still groggy from sleep, followed him out of the dungeon-like room.
He led her to a grand dining hall where a sumptuous breakfast was laid out. The sight of fresh fruit, pastries, and warm oatmeal made her stomach rumble. Thunder Strike gestured for her to sit. "Eat," he said curtly. Scootaloo hesitated, unsure if this was another test, but her hunger got the better of her. She dug into the food, savouring every bite.
After breakfast, Thunder Strike took her to a small library filled with books. He pointed to a corner where a stack of textbooks lay. "Your first duty is to learn. You will be educated like any other foal in Equestria. You must know how to read, write, and do basic arithmetic. There are also books on Equestrian history and etiquette. You will study these books and I will test you. Failure is not an option."
Scootaloo nodded, feeling a mix of relief and anxiety. While the prospect of learning excited her, the fear of failure and punishment loomed large. She picked up a book and started to read, determined to do her best.
Days turned into weeks, and Scootaloo's routine became a mix of studying and performing chores around the mansion. Thunder Strike was a strict but fair master. He demanded perfection, and while he was quick to punish mistakes, he also provided praise when she did well. Slowly, Scootaloo began to see glimpses of a kinder side to him, though she knew better than to trust it completely.
Scootaloo's chores consists of washing the pots, making sure every room is spick and span and also gardening, no matter the weather. Scootaloo's chores could take nearly an entire day to complete, despite this Thunder Strike still forcing her to carry out lengthy study sessions after all of her chores had been completed. If she fell asleep during these study sessions then her master would punish her harshly. These punishments could range from being forced to sleep outside in the pouring rain to being whipped, thankfully those severe punishments rarely happened.
***
One day, while dusting the grand staircase, she overheard a conversation between Thunder Strike and another pony. The stranger's voice was deep but urgent. "You know the risks of keeping her here. If the authorities find out—"
"They won't," Thunder Strike interrupted. "I've taken every precaution. Besides, she’s not just a slave. She has potential. I see something in her that others don't."
The words puzzled Scootaloo. What potential could a lowly slave like her have? She pushed the thought aside and continued her work, but the curiosity lingered.
Months passed, and Scootaloo’s skills grew. She became proficient in reading and writing, and her knowledge of Equestrian history was impressive. Thunder Strike continued to push her, setting higher and higher expectations.
One evening, after a particularly gruelling day, Scootaloo sat in her room, staring at the books piled high around her. A knock on the door interrupted her thoughts. Thunder Strike entered, carrying a small wrapped package.
"Open it," he said, his tone softer than usual. Scootaloo carefully unwrapped the package to find a beautiful quill and ink set. "This is for you," Thunder Strike explained. "You've done well, Scootaloo. Better than I expected. Keep this up, and there may be more rewards in your future."
Tears welled up in Scootaloo's eyes. It was the first time she had ever received a gift. "Thank you, Master," she whispered, clutching the quill tightly.
Thunder Strike nodded and turned to leave, but paused at the door. "There's something else. Tomorrow, you will accompany me to a gathering. You will need to present yourself well and remember everything you've learned about Equestrian etiquette. Do not disappoint me."
The next day, Thunder Strike dressed Scootaloo in a fine dress and carefully combed her mane. As they travelled to the gathering, Scootaloo’s heart pounded with nerves. She had never been in the presence of so many high-ranking ponies.
The gathering was held in a lavish hall, filled with nobles and dignitaries. Thunder Strike introduced Scootaloo as his ward, a story they had rehearsed many times. Scootaloo did her best to remember her manners and answered questions politely.
As the evening progressed, she noticed a group of young ponies gathered in a corner, laughing and talking animatedly. A feeling of longing tugged at her heart. She yearned for friendship, for a life free of fear and servitude. Scootaloo noticed a small, white unicorn filly with a pink and purple mane and tail and pale green eyes.
Scootaloo watched in shock as the filly suddenly burst into tears, while two other fillies, a pink earth pony, with a violet and white mane and tail, which was topped with a shiny tiara and a grey earth pony with grey braids in her mane and she also wore glasses, pointed and laughed at the poor unicorn.
Scootaloo wanted to go and stand up for the unicorn but stopped when she heard an elegant teenage voice shout, "Sweetie Belle, what's wrong?"
Before Scootaloo could see who the voice belonged to, Thunder Strike then suddenly called for Scootaloo, "Scootaloo, there is somepony that I would, like you to meet," Thunder exclaimed, gesturing to a purple pegasus stallion with a stunning rainbow mane and tail, he was accompanied by a teenage, cyan pegasus mare, who had the same Rainbow mane and tail, the teenager wore a large scowl on her face.
Thunder then introduced them both, "This is Bow Hothoof and his daughter, Rainbow Dash. Bow, here used to be the captain of the wonderbolts and is now the Chief Executive Officer of the Cloudsdale Weather Corporation"
"So you're the one and only Scootaloo, Thunder here hasn't stopped talking about you," Bow exclaimed.
Scootaloo gasped as she recognised the voice from the mysterious pony that Thunder had been speaking to.
Bow laughed as he gave Thunder a playful punch, "She ain't much of a talker, is she?"
Thunder could only nod weakly as he gave Scootaloo a dangerous look. Scootaloo reading the message loud and clear, suddenly sputtered, "Y - Ye, I'm Scootaloo."
Bow slowly nodded, while Thunder placed his forefoof onto his head, while slowly shaking his head, "Don't worry, Thunder I usually have this effect on fillies," Bow said while stroking his own rainbow mane.
Thunder then said, "Scootaloo, why don't you go and play while I talk with Bow, here."
Scootaloo nodded, "Yes mas- I mean father," Scootaloo breathed a sigh of relief once she was noticed that nopony noticed her blunder.
"Yes Rainbow, you can join her," Bow said.
Rainbow wore a look of outrage, "Why! I'm not a filly!"
However the two stallions had already walked away, Rainbow then looked at Scootaloo with a look of annoyance, before storming off. Scootaloo meanwhile wanted to find out what her master and Bow were talking about but as she started to look around, she accidentally crashed into the two fillies from earlier, sending them all falling to the floor.
As Scootaloo slowly got back to her hooves, she found herself face to face with the pink earth pony filly, "You ruined my dress!" The filly shrieked, pointing at Scootaloo.
The grey filly then said, "Look at how small her wings are."
The pink filly, noticing the small wings suddenly grew a cruel smile, "Wings, Ha, feathers more like. Is it even a pegasus, can it even fly? Go on fly!"
Scootaloo slowly backed away until her flank hit the stone wall, she quickly looked around for any sign of escape but whimpered as she couldn't find one.
"Aww is the chicken scared," The filly sneered before grabbing her wings and flapping them up and down.
"Stop let go," Scootaloo weakly protested, while pushing the filly's hooves away from her.
The filly shrieked, "How dare you touch me!"
"Please leave me alone," Scootaloo cried, as she silently wondered why they were being so mean to her.
"Look the chicken is crying, what a crybaby."
Scootaloo was curled in a ball, sobbing as she suddenly heard a familiar voice shout, "Hey, leave her alone!"
"Oh look another crybaby."
Scootaloo looked up to see the unicorn filly standing there in a protective stance. "Leave her alone, Diamond Tiara."
The pink filly sneered, "What are you going to do, use magic, hahaha!"
Suddenly they felt something heavy land behind them, the two bullies turned to see Rainbow Dash standing there, glaring at the two fillies, "There is one thing that I hate more than these girly parties and that is bullies, you two had better scram before I get even angrier."
The two fillies quickly ran away, while Rainbow Dash and Sweetie Belle comforted Scootaloo. "It's okay, they're gone now. Don't listen to them they're just a bunch of mean bullies."
Scootaloo sniffled while wiping her eyes with her hooves, "Thanks."
The filly then held her hoof out and asked, "My name's Sweetie Belle, what's your name?"
Scootaloo took her hoof and stuttered, "S, Scootaloo,"
Rainbow then said, "Hey Scootaloo, I'm gonna take you back to your father,"
However, as soon as she said that, they suddenly heard a loud voice shout, "SCOOTALOO! What is going on!"
Scootaloo gulped as she saw her master approaching them with an angry look on his face. Rainbow then explained what had happened, Thunder's gaze slightly softened, however, he was still angry he then exclaimed, "Come, Scootaloo we're leaving."
Scootaloo turned around and gave Sweetie Belle and Rainbow Dash a wave, goodbye before following Thunder, out of the hall.