//------------------------------// // A Caged Canary // Story: Chains Tales // by BookyBrony //------------------------------// A Caged Canary The young human boy, by the name of Chains, was lying at the foot of his Mistress’s bed on the floor, attempting to sleep. Twilight Sparkle, his Mistress, was in late night studies with her teacher, Princess Celestia. She had been studying under her for four years now, and just a few days ago, on Twilight’s twelfth birthday Spike, the dragon she had hatched back just before he studies had begun, had grown somewhat and was placed in her care. The baby dragon was given his own bed, a small one fitting his diminutive size. While at first it was awkward for all three of them, Spike had grown familiar with both the human and Unicorn, though they both knew quite well that moving into a completely new home was never easy for one so young. Chains knew even more so. The young boy was restless this night, though he didn’t know why. He tossed and turned, and then he felt a pair of eyes on him. Looking up from where he slept, he saw the young dragon looking at him, in a somewhat timid fashion. Blinking a few times, Chains sat up slowly, “Are you alright Spike?” he asked. The baby drake shook his head, “no, I can’t sleep,” he said. Chains couldn’t help but smile lightly, “neither can I,” he admitted. The baby dragon came closer, “can, you tell me a bedtime story?” he asked shyly. This took the human by surprise. He thought for a moment, “I’m not sure if I know any,” he admitted. He looked at the baby dragon, and saw his expression was crestfallen. He sighed and smiled, “I’ll try to come up with one,” he relented. Spike smiled excitedly and bound over to the human, and sat next to him, and the two of them rested against Twilight’s bed. Chains thought for a second, trying to think of something he may have heard before, but couldn’t think of any stories that would suit a baby dragon. He then had an idea, and started his story. “Once upon a time, there was a small brown Canary who lived in a cage. Everyday, his owner would set him by the window, and every day the Canary saw the beautiful world outside his cage. From the first day he saw it, he grew sad because he would never get closer to it than now. The Canary sang for its owner while it was at the window, but its songs were always sad. Until one morning, the Canary looked outside and saw a beautiful lavender Sparrow, who was watching him sing. When she got the chance she flew to his cage and greeted him. The Canary was too shy to answer at first, but eventually he sang back his own greeting. They tweeted and chirped for the better part of the day, before the Owner came back and took his cage from the window for the night. For the whole night, the Canary thought longingly of the Sparrow, hoping to see her again the next day. When the next day came, he was placed at the window, but was sad when he didn’t see her. So he once again sang his sad song, but to his amazement, the Sparrow and returned, and his heart leaped with joy. It went on this way for days; he would be taken from her, and brought back every day, singing his sad song until she would come back to him. One day, she asked him, ‘why do your songs all sound so sad?’ He shyly replied, ‘It was once because I could see how beautiful the world outside my cage was, and know that I could never fly free in it, but now, it’s because I found something more beautiful than the whole world, and I know I can never fly with her.’ The Sparrow looked at him sadly, and he to her. The Owner came and took his cage out of the window as always, but before they closed the window, the Sparrow called to him, ‘Please, sing a happy song next time.’ The next day, he was placed at the window as usually, and he tried to think of how to sing a happy song. He didn’t know how, he had never sung a happy song before. So he sang his sad song as usually. This time, the Sparrow did not come, and when the Canary saw this, his song only grew sadder and sadder. He realized that the Sparrow would not come to a sad song anymore, so he stopped singing, and sat quietly in his cage, staring out at the beautiful world outside. The Canary’s thoughts went to the Sparrow, and how he felt when she was with him. He let himself relive all those happy times, and slowly he began to sing again, and for the first time in his life, the notes he sung were happy. Hearing it, the Sparrow flew to his cage, and sang as well, and the two sang happily. The Canary never sung as sad note again for the rest of his days, even though he was in a cage, and the Sparrow was outside it. Just being together was enough for him to be happy.” Chains finished the story and looked down at the now sleeping baby dragon, and smiled, gently stroking Spike’s scales. The dragon snuggled himself into the human, as he sucked on his claw and rested. The human heard the room’s door open and close, and saw Twilight approaching them with a smile on her face, “That’s a beautiful story,” she said softly, “did you make it yourself?” she asked. Chains nodded, his face blushing somewhat, “h-how much did you hear?” he asked. “I think I started hearing it when the Sparrow asked the Canary why his songs were sad,” she said. Chains smiled, “it’s, just something I came up with,” he said. Twilight set herself down next to him, and snuggled up to him affectionately, “I’d like to hear it from the beginning,” she said. His face more flushed than before, Chains smiled, “o-okay.” Clearing his throat, he began his story again. “Once upon a time, there was a small brown Canary……”