A Withering Fleur

I smiled down from the stage, shifting my pose to extend my slender legs much to the delight of the audience. I knew my slim yet tall frame gave me an edge over the other models who were desperately attempting to pry the attention off me, allowing myself to showcase the designer that had hired me for the evening.

The silken dress I wore was a shimmering ultramarine blue, starting from just below my neck all the way to the ground. Small sapphires coated the right side of the garment, stretching across my breast and up behind my neck, all varying in hue.

Atop my head sat a simple yet stunning tiara, made of lunar silver - a type of silver that sported a blue tinge - decorated with an onyx, expertly cut to resemble my cutie mark. The designer hadn't specifically made it for me, but had instead made it so that the gem was interchangeable with the correct clip.

The flashes of photographers desparate to capture the evenings events were many, but they failed to phase me as they once used to. It was my job now, and while daunting at first I had grown to quite enjoy them.

Ahead of me sat the four princesses. Celestia and Luna in the middle, with Cadance to Luna's left and Twilight Sparkle to Celestia's right. The show was mainly for them, as they were to pick out the designs they liked for a private viewing away from all the commoners, but they wouldn't publicly announce the winner until they had worn his or her designs at the upcoming Grand Galloping Gala.

As I turned away from the audience to head back to the line of models, I came face to face with the model bearing Rarity's design. It was extravagant as always, with pink and gold highlights on the seemingly excessive frills that extended all the way down the length of the dress. It also came paired with a brightly coloured feathered headdress, the peak far above my head - which was a feat based off how much taller I was. I gave a polite nod and smile to the passing model, who simply huffed and turned away.

"Bitch." I muttered under my breath, loud enough so only the model could hear. It was my rival Striking Stance, and there had always been hot blood between us as we competed for dominance in most every show. I had tried to be nice, but she just had to ruin it. Stance didn't take to being insulted well, rage filling her as she attempted to don a mask of calmness. It affected her performance, I noted, as she was unfocused and definitely not using the right poses in order fully flaunt the design. That was the problem with Rarity's work - there was just so much that ponies couldn't appreciate the finer details. Nevertheless, it was bound to get through to the next stage - Princess Sparkle would assure of that.

Stance walking back was the epitome of rage, her face so red that I was almost afraid that her mane and tail would burst into flames. She was an earth-mare, blue coat and golden eyes. Her mane colour barely mattered, the brilliant white overshadowed by the headdress.

"I would take care, Stance. A pegasus might think you one of their own with all those feathers and deem you a suitable mate."

Stance was fuming. She had resumed her place between me and the empty spot of the model on stage currently, so there was no escape, from both the audience and my insults. The earth pony had had enough. She threw her headdress to the stage, eliciting gasps from the audience before swinging back and striking my cheek with a sickening crunch, the hoofguard she wore breaking ym skin and causing me to bleed. I went down, but was in no way out. I picked the tiara off the floor with her magic, the onyx centrepiece now with a crack down the middle, and set it back atop my head before climbing back onto my hooves. The crowd was in uproar, insults being thrown this way and that with the photographers capturing every second before the voice of Luna rang out over the top.

"Silence!" She boomed, the background chatter stopping instantly save for a minor awkward cough. "Thou must approacheth the end of the stage!" Stance and I moved forwards, walking side by side down the catwalk. The earth-mare was clearly embarrased, hiding her face as best she could, yet I remained strong - I wasn't obviously in the wrong. Even as Stance bowed before (sucked up to) the princesses, I remained upright. Whispers danced through the crowd like water on a hot plate and the princesses glared at her as if it was a challenge towards them.

"What art thine names?" The lunar goddess asked.

"Fleur de Lis, your highness, and my friend here is Striking Stance."

"Friend? But thou hath been attacked by that very mare."

"A friendly quarrel, oui?" I directed me gaze to Stance, who was on the verge of breaking down after being called out by a princess. The mare simply nodded, unable to string an intelligent sentence together with the constant mutterings of "I'm sorry". The eyes narrowed on all four princesses, almost in unison, as they judged us in the spotlight. A timid camera flash appeared every so often, not wanting to disturb the princesses as they discussed among themselves. Finally they turned back to the stage, Celestia taking the lead this time.

"You to are to meet us in the throne room of the castle. From there will you face judgement for your actions." I nodded, and Stance broke down into tears. More camera flashes appeared as the princesses took their leave and I carried Stance backstage with her magic. Instantly I was stopped by a unicorn stallion with a tape measure around his neck. He had a chestnut brown coat with a darker mane, a pair of scissors adorning his flank.

"Fleur! Fleur! That was... how do you say, magnifique! What you did, standing up against the attack like that, marvelous! And now you've got a private audience with all four princesses!"

"Always the optimist, Stitch." I smiled, before dropping it. "I provoked her, oui, but I have no regrets and I mustn't delay any longer - allons-y!"

The admission caused his eyelid to twitch slightly as he watched me walk off in the dress he'd designed, hopeful that he'd see it again and hopeful that I would notice the onyx gems that were cut to look like the princesses' cutie marks now pinned to the dress. He turned away and headed back to his workstation to prepare for the next trend.

"Are you alright Fleur?" Stance asked. She had recovered from the shock enough to walk on her own as we made our way through Upper Canterlot's streets, the pair of us getting strange looks from ponies who had heard rumours of the event. Her crying had ruined any makeup she had put on prior to the show, a fair amount of it having run down her cheeks and staining her coat when the tears themselves dried.

"Oui."

"Are you sure? I thought I hit you pretty hard..."

"Oui. You did."

"And you still say you're fine?" I simply nodded. "You'd think something would have broken..."

Something was broken, and I knew that fact well. The right side of my face was now in constant pain since the adrenaline of the show had died down, and whenever I opened my mouth it clicked and crunched softly, so I had made it a point not to speak more than necessary.

They stood outside the double doors that lead in to the throne room, a unicorn Sun Guard on either side. One glance at the dresses they wore was all we needed to let us pass, the orders from Celestia still fresh in their minds. The doors swung open and we stepped inside, a clang following behind us as we were once again sealed underneath the glares of the four princesses. Slowly we approached the throne, where Stance bowed yet again, waiting expectantly at the lowest point as if suggesting that I should follow her action.

"Rise, my little pony." Stance obeyed silently, tensions high in the air.

"Why doth thou not bow before thy princesses?" Luna's words were cold and harsh, with a twinge of either anger or pain. Which, however, Fleur could not decide.

"Forgive me, I meant no offense." Luna raised an eyebrow inquisitively. "Where I'm from, respect is earned. Alicorns you are, oui, but you are still ponies"

The celestial sisters smiled and stifled a giggle. Stance, Cadance and Twilight were all shocked, the latter two more subtle about it but pronounced nonetheless.

"Right you are, Fleur." Celestia began. "You are wiser than your occupation would let on. Might you indulge me as to where you learned this?"

"Prance, princess." Twilight's eyes widened.

"You're from the pony city in the heart of gryphon territory!? The ONLY pony city accepted by ALL the gryphon clans!?" I nodded, although I was actually from one of those clans and not the city. "I need to visit! There would be so much to learn there, Canterlot's archives barely touch on the subject!" She looked to Celestia longingly, causing the eldest princess to smile.

"You are a princess too now, Twilight, no longer my student. You don't have to ask for my permission, only that of your council." Twilight nodded, wings fluttering in glee. "However, back to the reason why you two are here. The rash act of violence in both the public eye and the presence of Equestria's leaders." Stance had hidden her face again. The twin sisters no longer wore the glare they had at first, instead a sense of respect for my stoicism before them.

"You two are to depart from Canterlot. Fleur de Lis - you are to return to your home in the company of Princess Twilight Sparkle, assuring her council allows. Stay there for a few days, teach her about your land as best you can. Then you may return, preferably with the princess. The clans that surround Ponis are dangerous if you aren't recognised."

"Oui, I know them well, princess."

She nodded. "As for you Striking Stance, you are to return to Manehattan. You are not to return to Canterlot until Fleur has, her trip being much farther. Is this fair?" The mare nodded silently.

"Finally, both of you are to have your reputation in Canterlot tarnished. This is a punishment, not a holiday."

"Nique ta mare!" I shouted. The punishment had struck me deeply, right at the one thing I treasured most, and my outburst had caused both Celestia and Luna to stand on their hooves with their wings flared. Cadance stood, but without the wings, and Twilight was confused as to what got them riled up.

"FLEUR DE LIS!" Luna yelled, the very walls of the building shaking with the volume. I turned away from the princesses and began to walk down the carpeted path to the door. "I COMMAND THEE TO RETURN!"

"Ta gueule!" I shouted back, her volume definitely not reaching Royal Canterlot standards, but still packing a punch to the princesses. "I am to leave, oui? Then I leave!" I paused in her stride for a moment, a thought in my head rolling around to decide which language to deliver it in, choosing the one everypony would understand. When I opened the doors with my magic and stood just outside, the guards forced me to rethink my decision.

"Putain." I said with a grin, quickly slamming the doors as a bolt of blue magic launched itself towards me, harmlessly dispelling against the enchanted golden doors. I hastily ran through the halls of the castle, headed for the entrance. The guards all paused to look at me, then received an order from Celestia via a telepathic communicator in their helmets telling them to capture me.

Suddenly, I had a real, tangible reason to run. I skidded around one corner, dashing between two guards who weren't quite prepared for me to appear. To my luck they were pegasi, and since Celestia seemed to want me as alive as possible then all they could do was pursue me until either I grew tired or a unicorn could cast a binding spell on me. As I turned the final corner to the front entrance, I noticed that it was blocked off by a large amount of guards, preventing my initial plan. I stayed along the upper level, deciding not to go down the stairs, seemingly cornered by the pursuers. Finally I stopped on the balcony that overlooks the whole of Canterlot, where the princesses would address the public. Seeing me backed up against the railing drew the attention of ponies below.

"Ma'am. Our orders are to take you alive, and seeing as you are cornered you have one chance to come willingly." A unicorn threatened. I simply smiled back.

"Au revoir." My horn glowed, but nothing happened visibly. A simple spell that reduced me to near weightlessness.

"Ma'am. You aren't going anywhere, and no pony has ever mastered a suicide spell, either."

"Nopony needs a spell for that, monsieur." I stepped back onto the railing of the balcony, causing the guards to inch forwards. With a wave of a hoof I bounced backwards off the edge, the pegasi guards following after to stop my fall to the gasps of the building crowd.

Only I wasn't falling.

I floated backwards, saluting the guards as a gust of wind blew me away and directed my course to the east. The pegasi altered their course to chase me, but the force of their flying only served to make me faster, forever just beyond their grasp. They gave up the moment I crossed the Canterlot border, drifting away to the wild unknown.

Just as I thought I was clear a shadow swooped down from above, plucking me out of the sky instantly. As the dark figure flew away with me he put a rag to my muzzle, darkness closing my vision until I finally passed out.