Chapter 7: New Bonds
Hey everyone I'm back with a new chapter. Before I started Luke on his adventures with the Canterlot girls I needed to get close them before all that. Hope you like it. Please Review and Enjoy.
It had been a few days since Luke and the girls had discovered each other's secrets about Equestria and Slugterra and since the group has gotten much closer. Luke has even been able to let his slugs come out of his backpack and stretch whenever he was with them.
At Sweet Apple Acres, Applejack's family farm Luke was setting up mecha beast to show Rainbow how to ride it.
"This is so awesome." Rainbow said putting on a helmet.
"Just relax Rainbow Dash, riding a mecha beast is pretty cool but if you don't do it right you could crash it easily." Luke said.
"Relax Luke, I can handle this." Rainbow said as she climbed on.
"Well let's start with something simple. Make the Mecha move towards me and then towards the barn." Luke said.
Rainbow nods as she takes the controls and revs the engine making the mecha beast walk towards Luke.
"See Luke, I told you I could handle this." Rainbow smirks.
"Not bad for a start but wait til you try it at a faster speed." Luke said.
"You want fast? I'll show you fast." Rainbow revs the engine and the beast takes off with Rainbow screaming at how fast it was going.
"Rainbow!" Luke yells as he ran after her. "Rainbow hit the breaks!" Luke yells.
Rainbow pulls the breaks and is sent flying into the air. Acting quickly Luke fires a Hoverbug slug who flies in and catches Rainbow before she hits the ground.
"Phew, thanks Luke I owe you one." Rainbow smiles as the Hoverbug sets her down.
"Not bad most people fall off a lot quicker on their first time at speeds like that. Little more practice and you'll be riding that thing like a pro." Luke smiles.
"You're the best." Rainbow said as they fist bumped. "By the way thanks for the save little guy." Rainbow said petting the Hoverbug.
"Let's try a little more practice, but this time a little slower." Luke said.
"For once I think slow and steady might be a good start." Rainbow said rubbing the back of her head.
After helping Rainbow learn to ride a mecha Luke had decided to meet Applejack at her orchard.
"These apples sure look different from the fruit we have on Slugterra." Luke said holding up a bucket for Applejack to drop apples into.
"How are you able to grow things in a world that doesn't have any sunlight?" Applejack asks curiously.
"We have these special rocks that glow above Slugterra that are used to mimic the hours in the day and use the light from them to grow vegetation." Luke explains.
"Well here try one. I doubt your Slugterra fruit has anything on Apple Family apples." Applejack said dropping one into his hands.
Luke rubs the apple and then takes a big bite. "Wow this is delicious." He smiles.
"Told ya." Applejack smiles as she climbs down the ladder. Burpy chirps signaling he wanted some too causing Applejack to giggle. "Here you go little guy." Applejack hands Burpy an apple which and the other slugs take a bite of.
"I think you have some more customers." Luke chuckles.
"Happy for the business, but if you want apples you fellas are going to have to work for them." Applejack said.
"Fair enough." Luke smiles as he and his slugs moved to help.
Applejack looks over and notices his Speedstinger hopping towards a tree and remembers it from the battle with the Equestrian Dark Clan and how it was so quick. "Hey Luke, who's this little guy?"
Luke looks and picks him up. "This is Bullet, he's my fastest slug."
"Yeah I remember. You were bouncing everywhere." Applejack said as Bullet smiles at the compliment. "I bet you would be great at knocking them apples out of the trees."
"Well, let's find out." Luke said loading Bullet into his wrist launchers.
Aiming it at an apple tree Luke fires Bullet as he transforms and bounces off multiple trees in the orchard, as he hits each tree the apples fall off and into the buckets Applejack had placed below before he lands back in front of Applejack and Luke with a smile on his face.
"Whoo nelly that was some fine shooting." Applejack whistles.
"Thanks, my dad taught me everything I know about how to use a Speedstinger to his fullest." Luke said picking up Bullet.
"I wouldn't mind learning to use one of them, sure make apple picking a lot easier." Applejack said.
"Well how about I teach you how to use Bullet. I think he likes working here." Luke said as Bullet nods indicating yes.
"Well then Bullet, welcome to Sweet Apple Acres." Applejack said tipping her hat to him.
Later that day Luke and Burpy were sitting in the park with Fluttershy and Angel as Luke was showing Fluttershy some of his mom's old slug videos.
On the screen a young Trixie appeared. "Hey there, Sluggers. If you're around slugs as much as we are you learn some pretty interesting things. For instance, Slugs never exclude others. When playing games, they never exclude others."
Fluttershy looked down to see Burpy and Angel playing with Luke's Bubbaleone slug.
"Wow Luke your Mom really likes Slugs." Fluttershy said.
"Yeah she made those videos all the time when she was my age to help people learn all about slugs. It's from that love of Slugs that my dad fell in love with her." Luke smiles.
"I think it's sweet that these little guys are so friendly, and Angel seems to really be having a great time." Fluttershy said as Angel jumped after the bubbles.
"I'm just glad all these guys met you Fluttershy, they really like you." Luke said as Fluttershy petted his Armashelt slug.
"So, you mind telling me about these Slugs?" Fluttershy asks.
"Well all types of Slugs are categorized under 5 elements: Fire, Water, Air, Earth and Energy and all these Slugs began with 5 Elemental Slugs that my dad used to save Slugterra." Luke explains.
"Wow, I would love to see Slugterra for myself and find a few cuties for myself." Fluttershy said making Luke chuckle.
"Well until that day you're more then welcome to help me and grandpa Will take care of our slugs." Luke said.
"Please I want to learn all I can about these little cuties." Fluttershy smiles.
After saying goodbye to Luke had met up with Pinkie Pie who had agreed to show him around Canterlot.
"And here Luke is the best place for any kind of sweet tooth, Sugar Cube Corner." Pinkie said gesturing to the store.
"I've got a feeling if I'm with you we'll be coming here a lot." Luke and Burpy smile.
"Oh yeah." Pinkie smiles as they walked in. "So, Luke did you have places to hang out back home?"
"We had a few places, but my favorite place was the Carvena Mall." Luke said.
"Well lucky for you we have malls up here too." Pinkie said.
"Sweet." Luke smiles.
"2 cones please." Pinkie said to Mrs. Cake at the counter. "What flavor would you like?"
"My favorite is Chocolate." Luke said.
"Mine too." Pinkie said as she was handed two scoops. "Come on Luke we still have quite a bit of the city to see." She hands him a cone.
"Lead the way." Luke smiles as they left the store to explore the city.
The next day Luke was hanging out with Rarity in the Home Ec room at school as she was sketching something.
"So, Rarity you actually have your own line of clothing?" Luke asks looking at some designs.
"All these designs you see in here are some of my own creation." Rarity gestures.
"Wow, these are amazing." Luke said impressed.
"Well you have your talents and I have mine." Rarity smiles.
"If you could design handbags my Uncle Pronto would instantly become your best customer." Luke chuckles.
"You know Luke I'm curious who designed your outfit?" Rarity asks.
"It's just how us Slingers dress, the only difference between mine and the others is my family logo." Luke said pointing to the Shane logo.
"While it is a fascinating logo it's not much." Rarity said when Crystal hopped onto the table startling her. "Whoa. Sorry you just surprised me."
"You know Rarity I think Crystal really likes you." Luke said.
"Oh uh really?" Rarity asks.
"What's the matter? You're not scared of Crystal, are you?" Luke asks.
"Uh uh well." Rarity said nervously as Luke picks up Crystal and holds him out.
"Don't worry Rarity they don't bite." Luke smiles.
Rarity looks at Crystal who had a big smile on his face. Taking a deep breath Rarity slowly reaches out and when her hand is just in front of Crystal he leans his head forward and rubs against her.
Looking down Rarity smiles as Crystal jumps onto her shoulder and nuzzles her cheek making her giggle. "Stop that tickles."
"See, Slugs are gentle." Luke smiles as Rarity tickles her new friend.
As the day came to an end Luke was in the backyard of his house with his wrist blasters activated and set up the multiple soda can targets
"Alright Sunset, you ready?" Luke asks Sunset who was standing across from the cans.
"Ready as I'll ever be." Sunset shrugs.
"Alright the first thing I was taught to be a Slug Shooter is to trust your Slug and know they are more than just ammo. You got Torch ready?" Luke asks.
"Yep got him right here." Sunset said as she took out Torch and the blaster Luke gave her.
"Perfect. Now watch me and Burpy." Luke said as Burpy hopped off his shoulder and into his blaster. "The slugs can only do so much, you have to help them to their target and more than that you have to concentrate." Luke fires Burpy as he transforms and blasts the 4 cans with ease before flying back to Luke and turning back to normal. "Now you try."
Sunset takes a deep breath as she loads Torch into the blaster and aims it at the cans, she pulls the trigger and Torch flies out and transforms. Sunset looks at Torch fly and smiles thinking she got it when Torch ends up falling short and crashing into the ground.
"Torch!" Sunset yells as she ran towards the little slug hopping out of the hole in the ground. "Are you okay little guy?" Torch nods signaling yes as she sighs in relief. "Sorry Luke."
"Hey if firing Slugs was easy everyone would be a Slinger. This stuff takes practice." Luke said.
"I don't suppose we can try again?" Sunset asks.
"Go for it." Luke gestures.
Sunset tries again and fires Torch who flies towards the cans and hits one at an angle making Torch fly towards them.
"Lookout!" Sunset panics.
Acting quickly Luke gets in front of her and waves his hands using his Slug Fu to change Torch back to his slug form stopping right in front of them.
"Phew. That was close." Luke said.
"Whoa, what was that? I thought you said your world didn't have magic." Sunset asks surprised.
"That's because that wasn't Magic, it's Slug Fu. It's a skill advanced Slingers can learn where they link mentally with slugs to control them with a wave of your hands." Luke explains.
"Wow, just when I think I have your world figured out." Sunset said.
"Come on Sunset third time's the charm." Luke said as he walked over and adjusted her arm. "Try keeping your arm bent so you can handle the shock."
Sunset nods as she holds Torch up and fires. Torch transforms and smashes into 2 cans knocking them away. "Yes! I did it!" She cheers.
"Way to go Sunset!" Luke cheers as Sunset pulls him into a hug making him blush slightly. Sunset's eyes widen in realization and lets go with a small blush on her face.
"Uh sorry about that…I uh was a little excited." She said nervously.
"Uh, want to practice some more?" Luke asks.
"I'm good with that." Sunset nods as they practiced shooting slugs for the rest of the day.