Chapter 44:  Raspberry's pet Little Flitter walked around her bird cage. She stood up and shook the door but the lock on it kept her from opening it. She tried to squeeze her body through but the bars wasn't wide enough for her and her wings were too big. She walked to her water bowel and began drinking out of it. She stared at the reflecting in her water as she remembered Luna. A tear suddenly fell down her cheek as she thought she was never going to see Luna or her family again. She turned from the water bowel and continued to walk around the cage trying to find away out but the cage was well made and would keep even the strongest bird in it. She flapped her wings and flew to the top. She grabbed the bars and shook it but the bars wouldn't come loose. Just then Raspberry walked in the room, shutting the door behind her. "Brother...he can be a pain sometimes!" Raspberry cried. She walked to her table and took her books out from her bag, then sat them on the table. She put her bag on the chair and smiled greatly at Little Flitter. "So how's my little pet?" Raspberry asked smiling. "Please let me out" Little Flitter begged. "No and don't bother trying to get out. I bought the best cage I could find and they say it's well made," Raspberry replied. She sat down at the table and opened her book. Then she took a piece of paper from the pile in front of her and began writing. Little Flitter landed in the cage and walked around it. She tried poking her head through but her body and wings wouldn't fit. Then she looked at Raspberry's book and paper, "What are you doing?" "It's my homework." "What's...homework?" "It's extra work I get from school," Raspberry answered. Little Flitter remembered what school was, she wondered if Raspberry knew Luna. "What are you writing?" Little Flitter asked. "Math and I'm terrible at it," Raspberry answered. "Math?" Little Flitter asked, "How does math work?" Little Flitter was curious and had forgotten about wanting to escape. "Well, I'm suppose to subtract two numbers from another set of two number but I forgot how to do it," Raspberry replied. "Why don't you ask your brother for help?" Little Flitter suggested. "My brother?" Raspberry replied, "Forget it." "Why?" Little Flitter asked. "I don't need his help," Raspberry answered. "Just ask him about those numbers. He sounds rather nice when you talk about him." "I..uh..he's...." Raspberry hated to admit but she knew Little Flitter was right, her brother was nice. "He's your brother and you're his little sister. How could he not help you?" Little Flitter asked. Raspberry sat and thought about it. Maybe asking Blueberry wouldn't hurt. "Alright," Raspberry told her. She took her book and stood up, "I'll ask him." She left her room and walked to his door. She knocked and heard Blueberry tell her to come in. She opened his door and found him laying on his bed working on his school work. "Blueberry, I...umm....got to ask you something." Blueberry sat up, "What is it?" Raspberry walked up to him and opened her book, showing him the math page, "I forgot how to do this." Blueberry was surprised Raspberry was asking him for help. It was the first time she wanted his help. He took the book and with a separate piece of paper she showed her how it worked. Raspberry smiled greatly, "Thanks!" She took the book and quickly left his room. She hurried to her room and saw Little Flitter still trying to get out. She sat on her at her table and continued writing but at a much faster rate. When she was done she put the paper in her book and closed it. She sat the book aside and took another one. She opened the book and began reading. "What are you doing?" Little Flitter asked. "Reading," Raspberry answered. "Reading what?" Little Flitter asked. Raspberry signed, "I have to make a book report, please let me read for a few minutes." "Oh, sorry," Little Flitter replied. When Raspberry was done reading she starting writing. "Do you have any friends?" Little Flitter asked. "Some...I guess," Raspberry replied as she wrote. She was almost done when Little Flitter said something, interrupting her thoughts. "You don't know?" Little Flitter asked. "I do but," Raspberry paused, "They don't act like friends." "What do you mean?" Little Flitter asked curiously. "They follow me around doing what ever I tell them but...they don't come over for parties or spend the night or going out for fun," Raspberry closed her book and stood up. She walked to her bed and sat down sadly, "I...never told anyone this but I'm terrible at making friends. I can't even be a friend, I don't know how. When we first moved here, I went to school with my brother. Before the day was over he had made friends but...I didn't have any. I was rather shy at the time and it wasn't easy for me to talk to other ponies. When I did they either didn't hear me or they would just say hi and leave. I tried, I honestly did but when I couldn't make friends I decided to force them too. So I found out their greatest secret and told them I'd tell the whole school if they didn't be my friend. After awhile it got easy and I could get friends faster than anyone but..." Raspberry paused, "It wasn't like having a real friend. My brother can make friends quiet fast. Even a pony named Lunarstar made seven friends the day she moved here...It's not fair!" Little Flitter began to feel sorry for Raspberry. Her whole problem was she couldn't make friends and it made her jealous to see other do it. "Why don't you talk to them?" Little Flitter asked, "Try and make a real friend." "I tried. They'll say Hi and leave or ignore me." "Be yourself and talk to ponies." "No, the last thing I need is to be myself. No one would like me for just being me." "But...You won't make friends being mean to everyone." "At lest they'll know who I am," Raspberry replied. She laid on her bed and faced away from Little Flitter. "Try and be friends with Lunarstar," Little Flitter suggested. "So she can find out the real me and tell everyone or worse...make fun of me? No thanks. Besides I don't need her," Raspberry replied. "How do you know she would do that. You don't know her!" Little Flitter cried. "Yes I do, she's my brother's girlfriend!" Raspberry cried. Little Fitter sighed sadly, "your afraid and jealous." "No I'm not," Raspberry cried, "Leave me alone." "I'm sorry. I was trying to help like a real friend would," Little Flitter replied. She turned and walked to a small blanket. Then she curled in a ball and laid. Raspberry laid on the bed thinking about what Little Flitter said. She got off the bed and looked in the cage, "friend?" Little Flitter looked up at her. "Would you be my friend?" Raspberry asked. Little Flitter smiled, "Sure." She knew it would be to much to ask to be let out of the cage so she thought she'd help with Raspberry's problem first. If Raspberry was going to be a real friend she would eventually let her out.