Asta and Fluttershy were sitting around the campsite. They were waiting on Applejack and Twilight. Spike was sitting on a down logged that he and Applejack had pulled into camp for the group to sit on around the fire pit. Asta then got up and started to start setting up for the fire while they were waiting on the others. Soon, Asta had a small fire going and everyone was here.

“So what’s so important that you pulled me away from my studies that it could wait until I’d at least finished the book?” Twilight huffed in annoyance.

“Shy said she wanted everyone here Twi,” Applejack said as she took a seat. “Now, park it.”

“Shy wants to tell us her past Twilight and doing so is going to be incredibly painful for her,” Asta said as he throws a log into the fire. He then sat down next to Fluttershy and wrapped an arm around her. “As her friends, we need to be here to listen and support her while she tells us about her past.”

“Now that I think about it,” Twilight looked at her friend. “We’ve never actually heard about your past before Fluttershy.”

“Is it really that bad?” Spike asked haphazardly.

“Spike,” Twilight snapped at the young drake. “Don’t be so insensitive.”

“Urn,” Asta coffee into his hand. Everyone shut up and all eyes were on Fluttershy who was solemnly gazing into the flames. She looked at everyone, even Ymir had come to her to support her. She then looked at Asta who smirked back at her and nodded. “It doesn’t matter what you tell us Shy, we’re your friends and we’ll always be your friends. We’re here for you and that won’t change. Even if the world turns against we never well,” Asta pulled her closer to his side and rested her head on his shoulder and kissed her forehead lightly.

Fluttershy tooled in a deep breath and let out a long sigh. “Alright, I want all of you to know my origins and to help you understand why I’m going to the Savanna. It all started back when my mother was a slave there… it was around twenty to twenty-five years ago.”

“Wait a minute,” Asta reeled back from shock. “Fluttershy. You’re around twenty-three years old.” She sadly nodded in acknowledgment. “That means your mother gave birth to you when she was just a teenager. She couldn’t have been much older than fourteen or fifteen years old at the time.”

Everyone simply stared at the poor Pegasus in shock. They all stayed quiet until Fluttershy broke the silence.

“Yes, it’s not something we like others to know and you’ll soon know why,” Fluttershy gazed into the fire. “Like I was saying, it was just over twenty years ago when my mother was a slave to a Caribou man by the name of Craven… ”

A tall older man, around his fifties or sixties, with dark tan skin and thick brown hair stood in the market. He had a set of small ten-pronged antlers protruding from either side of his head, a male caribou. He was wearing a fine red padded dress shirt with a pair of brown dress pants and black shoes. The man was looking over books to add to his collection in his personal study. Everyone else simply went around this tall man. Some would occasionally nod, wave or tip their hat at him and he would just nod back. These were only the other caribou in the crowd of course. Even if the females are treated as objects they are still treated far better than the ponies, even better than most stallions.

The man simply went about his business and went further into the market stall and continued to look at the book. Meanwhile on his tail was a fourteen-year-old ponygirl. It was odd though as this pony was fully clothed in everyday grab, nothing fancy, just regular clothing which was highly uncommon among ponies, even male ponies were usually found wearing tattered rags.

Most Caribou only saw the ponies race as less than dirt. The Caribou man, however, he was an exception to this rule. He and his had once lived in Equestria and a pony family showed him great kindness when he and his son had fallen gravely ill and had just taken a spell into a ravine in a storm on their way home from the capital city of Canterlot. The pony family that went by the name of Pear had taken him and his son in and treated them, even though they were Caribou and most of their race was despised across the land of Equestria. Upon his return to the Frouga, he made his mission to help the ponies of his homeland. He often bought them and sent them back to Equestria when and where he could, he also took in runaways and hid them and helped them escape. His son while he knew of his father’s actions and approved of the legal ways he went about it, he would have no part in the illegal ways his father went about helping the ponies that had managed to run away from their masters.

This son liked ponies but he was still proud to be a Caribou and still loved the life nobility had granted him. He still treated the ponies with kindness, giving them a choice to stay with him on his land or leave to return home. He’d often paid them for their labors, but in his mind, they were still slaves. The son would do his best to keep his father informed of runaways and the happenings of the Caribou’s higher-ups as his father was under constant watch due to his friendly nature toward the slaves. There was a pony that the son had fallen for though, the ponygirl his father had taken in after he moved off of his father’s estate. For this reason the son made regular visits to his father’s home, that and to visit another that was living with his father as his personal attendant.

There was a pony that the son had fallen for though, the ponygirl his father had taken in after he moved off of his father’s estate. This young pony or mare as her race referred to themselves was a Pegasus. This mare had raspberry-colored hair with a matching tail, cerise eyes, and a set of pale amber wings. Her name was Morning Breeze.

The son would often come by to merely speak with the young mare. He was truly head over heels for this girls and was willing to do anything for her. In time she spent with the son on his visits to his father’s abode she would often spend find herself drawn to his side or her eyes would often wonder to his face, Morning Breeze couldn’t help but spend as much time with the young buck as she could. Soon she to had fallen in love with this Caribou. The father, named Craven, soon took notice of the two infatuations with one another and did what he could to allow there romance to bud.

It wasn’t long until the two became inseparable. Unfortunately, the Caribou guards and other nobles had started to step their game in looking into Craven. The nobles had stopped involving themselves with him and his son, Waillen, altogether. Without these connections they couldn’t gather information nearly as easily or effectively as they needed and Craven’s Underground Railroads took a major hit. With the lose of the most efficient form of information gathering lost Craven and Waillen had to be much more careful about their movements.

Since he started his relationship with Morning Breeze, Waillen had taken up a much more proactive role in helping his father with his ‘work’. But as the Guards had step up they found it much more difficult to get the slaves to Equestria with more discretion. What they didn’t know is that the guards were already on top of the father and son. As the months went on less and less slaves were being freed while Morning Breeze flounder herself pregnant with Waillen’s child. Craven was so happy at the aspect of being a grandfather. To bad he’d never get the chance to.

It was a pitch black night where the moon had been hidden behind a storm system. Unlike in Equestria the weather of the Caribou kingdom was not regulated by weather ponies it by nature itself. Morning Breeze had just given birth to a beautiful baby girl. She had light pale rose colored her on her head and on her tail while her eyes were a brilliant turquoise while she had a set of butter yellow wings on her back.

Craven only got to see his granddaughter once, when she was born. It was later that night when the major storm hit that the Caribou Vanguards made their move. They burst through the front door of Craven’s estate and ransacked the entire mansion from top to bottom. Their took Craven and his ponies prisoner on sight. While the guards continued to search the mansion they found many tunnels off the estate hat led into the wilds. They however couldn’t find Morning Breeze or Waillen. The couple had already escaped earlier that night when Craven had been informed by one of his other ponies that the guards were gathering in nearby buildings. He didn’t want his family to suffer so he sent them on. If your were caught with this level a conspiracy and tears on you were put to death on site if you were a Caribou the ponies however would be put back into slavery for sale but Craven had already sent them on. They former Caribou nobleman died with a smile on his face as a guard ran a sword through his chest.

Waillen was doing his best not to think of his father’s sacrifice and tried to stay strong for the girl he loved and their newborn daughter. The baby was fast asleep in her mother’s arms while the couple rushed through the network of tunnels that lead out in the Savanna wilds. A few of the other ponies had stayed by their side in order to help care for Morning in her weakened state. They decide to stop and rest for a moment.

Waillen looked at the young mare he loved and knew how hard it was going to be for her being so young with a child. He was going to be their for to though and there was a force on Gais that was going to stop him. He was going to be there for Morning and their daughter.

Suddenly, Waillen turned his as he heard guards not to far off, he then looked back at Morning and to his daughter still sleeping quietly. Waillen looked at Morning and smiled. He went over and kissed her and the baby. “I love you two so much.”

“Take them and run,” the young man demanded. “Don’t stop running until you’re in Equestria.” He turned and started to walk toward the mansion and pulled his backpack off. He looked over his shoulder rand saw the ponies running with all their might. He looked at the crying Morning Breeze saying to go back. Waillen turned back to face the oncoming guards and pulled a three pack of dynamite and then lit the fuse. “I won’t let them be slaves again,” he mummers “Good bye my little Fluttershy.”

*BOOM!*

CRASH

The explosion collapsed the tunnel on Waillen and the guards. The ponies spent about two weeks evading patrols in the wilds. They eventually met up with more of Craven’s rescuees and made it to Equestria’s borders where they were taken in.

“From their my mother was taken in by her grandparents while she went to school they watched me and eventually she got a job at the cloud factory working her way up to where she is now,” Fluttershy sniffled.

Asta held her tightly and used his shirt to dry her eyes. “No wonder you never talk about him Shy. You never even had the chance to know your dad or your grandfather.”

“But ya know that they did love ya. They died getting ya out of that horrible place,” Applejack whipped her eyes.

Spike was balling his eyes out while Twilight held him close. He could relate to Fluttershy in a few ways Ashe never knew his birth parents being abandoned at a pony orphanage and then running away for being bullied for being a drake.

“Yes but I still wish I could’ve met them at least once. I was hoping to learn something about my family while in Frouga. I was hoping to learn about my father a little maybe eve find ou5 what happened to him if he survived,” Fluttershy sighed. “Thank you all for listening and I feel much better know that you all know. I’m rather tired now so I'm going to go to bed. Good night.” She kissed Asta on the forehead and went to her tent.

Asta let out a deep sigh and scratched the back of his head. “I didn’t think my plan was the same one that her grandfather used.”

“Relax sugarcube,” Applejack said as she got up.

“Yea Asta there was no way you could’ve known. The only thing you can do now it try and finish what you started. For the ponies their and for Fluttershy’s sake,” Twilight softly smiled.

“First chance I get I’m gonna burn some guards!” Spike growled as he wiped his nose. He then yawned. “I’m hitting the hay to.” He walked off and got in his tent.

“Ah’m callin it to,” Applejack yawned. “Ya comin Twi?”

“After I finish my book,” Twilight commented as Applejack just shrugged.

Asta stood up and walked towards his and Fluttershy’s tent.

‘Don’t stay up to late Ymir and make sure Twi get some sleep,’ Asta thought.

‘Got ya partner,’ Ymir smirked as Asta walked away and waved.

He entered the tent and laid down next to Fluttershy. “Hey Shy, you alright?” He placed a hand on her shoulder.

“I’ll be alright. I… I just want to get some sleep,” Fluttershy mumbled as she did he4 best to keep Asta from seeing her tears.

“Alright, but don’t fruit to get me or the others if you want to talk,” Asta rolled over.

“Asta…” Fluttershy tooled over to look at Asta!# back. She moved in closer to him an placed her head in between his shoulders at the base of his neck.

“Hmm?”

“If… if we ever had a child together you won’t just leave them alone, even if we don’t stay together, would you?” The Pegasus said shakily.

Asta thought she might ask his question after telling them her story. She had been told by her mother that her father had loved her and had sacrificed himself for them so they could be free but there was always the thought in the back of her mind that he might not have actually died and what if it was all just a hoax and he acted like he blew up the tunnel to get out of raising her and being with her mother. Fluttershy and many other would always have a ‘what if’ that plagued their minds and it oiled stay with them unless they found answer or just overcame it on their own. Fluttershy was going to need some form of reassurance that she wouldn’t be abandoned for no reason while also trying to find some form of solid proof. Even if there was none to be found at least she would have the reassurance that she’d tried to find some evidence.

“Fluttershy,” Asta said with a firm and warm ton. She knew he was answering her seriously as he used her full name instead one of her nicknames. “I’ll always be here for you, even if we don’t stay together. We’ll always have a special bond that’s a little deeper than just normal friendship due to our relationship. And yes, if we do have a kid together I will be there for them no matter what.” Asta felt a few warm drops of water hit his back. He oozes over and quickly wrapped his arms around he crying Pegasus.

“Thank you,”. Fluttershy cried happily in Asta’s arms.

“Always,” Asta said softly as he stroked Fluttershy’s hair as she cried herself to sleep. Asta looked up to the ceiling of the tent. “I swear I’m going to be there for you always Shy. I’m going to make those Caribou pay for taking your dad.” He murmured in anger as he drifted off to sleep.

I found myself back in my little trailer apartment. I wanted to speak with Luna about Fluttershy’s past. Surely she was aware of my girlfriend’s past and what had happened to her and her mother. I heard my door open and in walked the Princess of the Moon.

“Good evening Asta Ferris. How are you faring to night?” Luna smiled as she sat across from. “Why do you not change your dream realm to your current home?”

“Hey there Princess,” I said as leaned back and crossed my arms. “Sorry, but I like my dreamscape as is. It lets me have a place I can come to and think comfortably but back to what I wanted to talk with you about,” she looks at me in pure confusion.

“Did something happen?” She asked in concern.

“Were you aware of Fluttershy’s past?” I asked looking Luna dead center in eyes.

“What do mean ware of Fluttershy’s past Asta? Did you have a fight with her? Did she return to Ponyville instead of going with you to Savanna? What exactly happened? Maybe I can help,” Luna was deeply concerned about Shy.

I think had to do with the fact that she was one of the ponies that saved her from Nightmare Moon and the fact that she was one of the first friends she made upon her return to the thrown.

I threw my hands and waved them vigorously while I shook my head. “Relax Princess. Fluttershy is fine, a little shaken up emotionally but other whys fine.” I took in a deep breath and let out a long sigh. “She told us about her past and how she and her mother came to Equestria. Judging by your reaction you had no idea of it. Celestia probably doesn’t know either.” I huffed as I rubbed the back of my head.

“Asta, what did she tell you exactly?” Luna asked eager to help.

“Mmm… sorry Luna but as her friend and above that as her lover I… I can’t just tell you about her past out right. I’d be violating her trust. If you want to know then you’ll have to ask her yourself. Okay?” I could feel the dream starting to fade.

“Asta, is this going to affect your mission?” Luna address me as an authority figure now.

“Oh most definitely your highness,” I growled in a low angered tone as the dream fade to white.

I was meditating in the back of the wagon with Spike. I wanted to try a new form of training and the boy was eager to learn, more like bored and just looking for something to do other sit around. He was a little eager to train at first but when I Told him it was a mind training he almost back out until the girls started to discuss their girl talk. So he joined me and we started meditating but what we were actually doing was syncing our minds and body with one another. We we doing image training. It was a common practice in many martial arts back home and I saw it done in a lot of anime and other shows two. I was really just trying to distract myself from wanting to rip the first Caribou that mistreats a pony in front of my a new asshole with my Demon-Slayer Sword.

Mean while the girls were… the girls were being the girls.

“How ya feelin Shy?” Aj asked still worried.

“Much better since telling all of you about my past,” Fluttershy smiled softly.

“I wish you would’ve told us about this sooner Fluttershy,” Twilight rebuked. “Wait, does any pony else know? What about Rainbow Dash?”

“Yes, Rainbow Dash knows. She and her parents were the first ponies me and my mom told outside of my grandparents,” Fluttershy said guilily. “But outside them now it’s on those of us here. I’d still don’t want to tell Rarity and Pinkie until a little after we get back home okay?”

“We aren’t gonna force ya to do anything ya don’t want to do sugarcube,” Aj hugged her friend.

“What about Asta? How’s he taking all of this?” Twi said as she looked to me and her little brother.

“He’s been handling it… in strides Twilight,” Shy said half-hearted. “You know how he can be and what he usually does when he hears about stuff like this.I think we’re extremely lucky he didn’t fly off to the Caribou capital the night I told everypony about my … family.”

Ymir turned her slightly to look at Shy and the girls then let out a grumble.

Shy looked at the dragon and then smiled. “Thank you Ymir.” The dragon nodded and went back to pulling the cart. Nero was busy snoozing on some of the wood crates behind me and Spike.

“What she say?” Twi asked eagerly.

“That Asta promised he’d always be there for me,” Shy giggled.

“Lucky,” Aj rolled eyes with a smirk before slightly looking over her shoulder. “Ya sure managed to hook yourself a good one Shy. Even if he never goes for the herd thing I’m happy to just have him close by as a friend.”

“What is about Asta that has you two so head over heels for him?” Twi raised a brow confused and intrigued at the same time. “Sure he doesn’t look half bad and he has muscles not to mention he’s Uber friendly. But I donor see what so great about him.”

“Well, he’s really kind. Great with animals, except Angel Bunny. Caring especially for his friends. He stayed with me until I woke up when he first arrived here and he barely knew me,” Shy explained a bit as she fidgeted in her seat.

“Like ya said Twi, the fella is strong and not to mention honest to a fault. He’s never lied to me and not to mention he puts himself in harm’s way just to protect others. Some ponies he’s never even met before. Not to mention the fella is skilled in more ways than one and as smart as a whip to boot,” Aj laughed as her face went flush. “Even when his life was in danger he still did what he could to keep from injuring ponies that only attacked out of fear and the order of a pony that thought he could use the opportunity to get a leg up in the world.”

“Okay I got it Applejack,” Twi rolled her eyes annoyed. “But smart as a whip really? I find that hard to believe.”

“No Twilight, she’s right. Asta isn’t just brawn. He is quite clever in many situations. He just doesn’t give himself enough credit,” Fluttershy back up Aj.

“Yea, he’s got the whole humble to a fault thing go8n for him too,” Aj waved the air with a slight giggle.

“I’d wish he’d let me study his anti magic more thoroughly,” Twilight huffed.

“Ya know why he won’t let ya Twi,” Aj pointed at her scholarly friend.

“It’s for your own safety Twilight. He’s just worried you’d try and do something brash and end up hurting yourself in the process,” Shy added.

“Ya did kinda blow your own house the first day he lent ya his big sword,” Aj patted the pouting Twilight.

We were coming up on a bridge. Fluttershy thought this would be a good place to stop for the night so she asked Ymir to pull the wagon over. Spike and I stopped our image training and got out. Train the mind was important but you can still get really stiff after sitting still for too long. We stretched a it bit before I called everyone to me.

“What’s up?” spike asked.

“I thought it was time everyone got their own knight’s robe,” I smirked as I opened my Grimoire and pulled out four Black Bulls robes the Rarity had help me make. “I know I said I wasn’t intetally going to take a proactive role but after all that’s happened over the last few months, and not to mention days. I figured it was time to start my own squad of Magic Knights. All of you here are honorary members. You don’t have to join if you don’t want to though?”

“Why are ya doin this when originally ya said ya wouldn’t Asta?” Aj asked worriedly.

“Haaaaaa…” I sighed. “It was the fight with the vampires and that fire demon called a balrog that did it for me. I’m strong girls but the effects that has aren’t always good. Some try to monopolize on strength while other seek to wipe it out. Rick help me realize that there are threats that will come and at time I’ll be the only person that can handle them. The thing is, what if there are multiple threats at once.”

“It’ll be too much for you to handle alone,” Spike added.

“That’s why I’m forming a knight squad. I don’t intend to leave the princesses out of this but I still won’t be working for them directly either. Will help out around when we’re needed and receive the intel from but for the most part we’ll operate independently. Often taking jobs for hire. You can still live and work how you’ve been living your lives and can refuse to take a job request,” I explained while starting a fires. “I’m not going to force you guys to join or any pony for that matter but I Would like to have as I trust no one more than you girls and drake. I have robes for every one back home to. But it was a last minute decision to make them like the Squad thing was. So what do you guys say?” I turned to see smiling eager faces even Shy.

“You know I’m in,” Spike pointed to himself with thumb and grabbed a robe.

“Heck all ya had to do was ask sugarcube,” Aj smiled and took a robe.

“I know there’s no stopping you when someone’s in danger or when you have your mind set on something,” Shy said as she rolled her eyes at me. “But I also want to help others out there while helping you. If you’re always going to be there for me then I’m always going to be there for you,” she grabbed a robbed and twirled as she put it on.

‘That was kind of hot.’

“I always enjoy helping others and supporting my friends,” Twi picked up a robe and put it on. “And being part of this could be really fun, thinking of all the new learning experiences make my head spin.”

“Thanks guys,” I chuckled. “now let’s set up for the night. We’re four days away from Savanna’s capital. One more thing,” I said abruptly. “You girls need to keep those robes on when we’re in the capital at all times so the guards or slave traders won’t question you movements and action to much.”

“They’ll think we’re property of some one and that’ll make it less likely for the Caribou to miss with use, right,” Twilight caught on to my reason.

“Still be careful though, it doesn’t mean they still won’t try to put their hands on you,” Fluttershy interjected. Larynx and stick close to either Asta or Spike.”

“Ah get that but need to ask. Asta, were’s your robe? Doesn’t a leader, or in this case an owner, need to distinguish themselves from the rest of his group,” Aj said bring up a fair point.

I then pulled out my own Black Bulls black leather trench coach. It had the standard Black Bulls logo but in red on either side of the mini cape and my red star on my back and the ends of my sleeves. “Already covered Aj!” I gave a thumbs up.

‘Thank you Rarity for enchanting this thing with a temperature moderating spell!’ I mentally screamed.

“Now back to work,”I cheered as we went about our task the rest of the night. I went down to the river and decided to try and catch some fish for everyone’s dinner. I opened my Grimoire and pulled out my fishing pole. It was just a simple bamboo pole with a line and hook on it. I flick the rod back and then forward caused the hook to land land in the water with a slight *thunk*. I caught a few fish after about an hour and was fixing to head back to camp when a pulled my line in for the last time it got snagged on something. I gave it one good tug and the line came free. I looked to see what was on my hook and it was a necklace. I then feel a slight headache and heard a distant voice.

"I am John, contractor of Mórrígan, Goddess of fate and war. Should you need my help, simply call me and I shall come."

“This can wait till tomorrow,” I placed the token in my pocket. “I need food and so do my friends,” I walked off with fish in tow and thoughts of happy ponies and a happy salamander

Next Chapter: Gentlemanly advice Estimated time remaining: 39 Hours, 50 Minutes