Fluttershy stepped off the train as it skidded to a halt, taking in the grim surroundings. This was Canterlot of course, but not how most ponies pictured it. No, this was the "uncouth side" of Canterlot that nopony spoke of; the slums.
"Your bags Ma'am," the Porter approached her, plopping down a small suitcase.
"Thank you," the timid pegasus replied, before picking them up.
"You better be careful around here, miss. A pony went missing the other day; investigators are still scouring the area."
"That's sad..." Fluttershy's gaze trailed down the street ahead, where cardboard boxes and other trash littered the ground.
"It is a shame, well you better get to where you're going. Be safe," with a final nod, the Porter left and Fluttershy made her way down the steps.
Dead silence blanketed the street from all around as Fluttershy made her way. Ok Fluttershy, you can do this. All you have to do is find a place before it gets...dark. She gulped, looking up at the sky; the sun was slowly making its way towards the horizon, dipping lower by the second.
"Hey gorgeous!"
Fluttershy whipped her head around in shock as a brown stallion stood several feet from her, smiling somewhat maliciously.
"What's a pretty mare like you doing out at this hour alone?"
"I..." the pegasus in question began to back up. "I was on my way...home."
"Oh really?" The stallion took a step closer, causing her to back up more. "Cause from the looks of it, you didn't know where you were going."
"I'm..." it took every ounce of energy to keep Fluttershy from lowering herself to the ground and curling up in a ball.
"Lost?" The stallion took another step towards her, his smile growing more malicious. It was then that the pegasus noticed the knife cutie mark that adorned his flank. He followed her gaze. "Looking at my flank are ya?"
Her face flushed. "NO! I mean yes! I mean, your cutie mark!"
He wolf smiled. "Well..."
"Hey!"
The two ponies startled as a gray unicorn mare came running up to them at full force.
"Get the hell away from her!"
The stallion rolled his eyes. "Really?"
The unicorn stopped in front of Fluttershy. "Causing trouble as always? No wonder Pink Wolf stays away from you."
"I wasn't doing anything."
The unicorn hardened her gaze, "You were frightening this poor mare."
He held up his hooves in defense, "It was playful teasing! Gosh Heart, haven't you heard of humor?" he lit up his horn, sending off small sparks.
She narrowed her eyes. "Not when it hurts other ponies. C'mon dear."
Before Fluttershy could comprehend, the unicorn mare had draped her hoof over her shoulders and was leading her away.
"Thank you," Fluttershy shakily mumbled when they were out of earshot.
"Anytime dear," the mare shook her head. "He's a trouble maker if I've ever seen one. Keeps coming around my apartment and harassing my inhabitants."
"Oh my..."
"Yeah, so were you headed to?"
"Oh umm...nowhere particularly," the yellow pegasus shrugged, lowering her head as she felt a familiar pang in her tooth.
"Oh dear," the mare put a hoof over her shoulder. "I can't let you stay out here, not with a bunch of homeless ponies that would do anything to make a bit."
"Thank you...but-"
"But nothing, you can stay at my apartment complex. There's an inhabitant there that I'd recommend a roommate for anyway."
"Oh my...h-how much will it cost?"
"Well, the rent overall is 500 a month, but if you two split it it'll only be about 250."
"Wow that's...I couldn't possibly accept..."
"Well, I'm afraid you don't have a choice. Come along dear, we're almost there."
Fluttershy almost smiled, but stopped as she felt two fangs penetrate her mouth.
As the pair reached the apartment complex, which looked quite cozy considering where it was, the mare went behind the reception desk.
"Now what's your name dear?" She asked, levitating a clipboard.
"Fluttershy," the pegasus mumbled, trying to hide her growing fangs.
"Alright then, Fluttershy," the unicorn wrote down her name and levitated a key off a hook from the back wall. Just as she did this, a crash resounded from upstairs followed by swearing and a lanky pink earth pony stomping down towards the reception desk.
"Tell Ironhide to keep his personal problems to himself! I'm not his keeper!" the pony stomped her hoof on the desk, causing Fluttershy to jump but surprisingly the unicorn mare didn't even bat an eye.
"Pink Wolf, this is Fluttershy," she deadpanned back, pointing at the timid pegasus who at the moment was hiding behind her mane.
The earth pony only gave a curt glance, causing Fluttershy to retreat into her mane even more. "Yeah hello whatever, what is this? I thought you were running an apartment complex, not a therapy session!"
"She's your new roommate."
Pink Wolf stopped, her mouth dropping slightly, "Heart Locket you didn't..."
Her words stung like poison, but the unicorn mare still stayed unmoving. "Yes I did. It was either that or throwing you out."
"Well thank you!" Pink Wolf blew a few strands of hair out of her face, which surprised Fluttershy a bit considering her mane was already covering one of her eyes. "Cause that's just what I need; another attempt to "fix" my behavior. Haven't you ever considered that maybe it's the neighbors and not me?"
"Pink Wolf, roommate or street. Your choice," the unicorn, Heart Locket's face still remained unmoving.
"I don't drink anymore, if that's what you're worried about!"
No response, same facial expression.
"I paid my rent last month!"
Still no response. Pink Wolf shoved her face right into Heart Locket's so their noses were touching. "You wanna play this game again? Cause I got all night."
"You got five minutes."
Pink Wolf's glare intensified up to the point where it would probably scare a cockatrice.
"I hate you," she spat before stomping back upstairs.
Heart Locket smiled, but her smile faltered when she noticed that Fluttershy, who was standing there moments before, was now gone. And her luggage was still resting where she left it.
