The streets of Canterlot are dark tonight.
The bright golden glow the lights usually provided were now set to a gloomy tone. Its dullness allowed ponies to only see the rough outlines of other ponies, places or things. The darkness swallowed everything else. The cobblestone roads were certainly hard to see as the white unicorn mare with her light, bright pink mane walked on its rough flat surface. The clip-clopping of her hooves made her very cautious because the dark night covered her path. The repetitive sounds fooled her into believing in the unknown. Anxiousness settled within her. She craned her neck in every possible direction, wondering where they would be hiding. Her efforts were to no avail, the unknown had her cornered.
She sighed as she tried to distract herself from it. This anxious pony had just returned from a rather dignified pageant in Trottingham that asked her to wear quality designer clothing from across the entire continent. From Equestria to the Far North: the endless amounts of ponies swarmed in for the event. Rumors had it that one of the Princesses attended the fashion show. However, this rumor had no bearing on her whatsoever, for she knew that this show was in the bag. This was her passion. No one even stood close to her level, at least that’s what she thought.
After receiving third place, she returned to Canterlot with a nice hefty sum of money, but not the jackpot she desired. The money could have helped her fund the charity event her and her husband wished to start. They would have called it Flare, a charity which revolved around the idea of getting new models into the business and provided ample amounts of money to those who are destitute.
She shakily sighed, her eyes set forth on the dark path. She was afraid of where it may lead. There were many routes to her home but she had not walked down this one, which, according to her husband, led straight to their house in no time at all. Fleur had to disagree with her husband. It felt like it was taking her longer to get home then usual. She felt lost.
Maybe I took the wrong turn…
She looked to her left.
Maybe I’m on the wrong street…
She looked to her right.
Maybe my husband was wrong…
She sighed. She nor her husband were wrong, it’s just taking longer to get home than usual. The steps, the anxiousness, and the queasy feeling inside her chest were playing with her mind.
Yet she could not shake it. Something was wrong.
Very wrong.
While her stomach ached and her emotions peaked, Fleur de Lis, the tall, lean model walked home using the dim lights as her only guide to safety.
Fleur wished she knew what home was.
It’s close: the orange dim glow is all she knew as the path came close to their abode, one that her and her husband built from the ground up. Wealth didn’t come easy: long hours in the office for him, while she modeled for pageants and filled in for advertisements when needed. The two had well-off jobs, but only due to the hard work and effort they supplied in order to get this far.
Of course she had to be the one to be the last one home.
Fancypants, her husband, always finished early because his business is his alone which gave him the ability to make his own hours. On Friday nights like this, Fleur knew Fancypants would be just returning to the house and expected for her to be at the door. She knew he would open the door and see, as he liked to call her, the most splendid and beautiful mare in all of Equestria. She never could contain herself, the blush always apparent as he strolled in and kissed her on the cheek.
It’s not fair that he’s going to be home first.
She rushed around the corner, knowing that this final curve would be the final bend to at least show a clear view of her house.
Almost home!
A smile graced her lips as she galloped forward, her pace increasing and the unknown vanished as she knew where she was.
Home, sweet hom—
The sounds of fire welcomed her ears and the sweet vision of home burned in front of her. Sudden panic filled her entire being as she raced towards the house, the thought of returning home vanished in thin air.
Time was of the essence. The clock ticked faster as she weaved around all the ponies who still walk at this time of night. She raced to the scene: red trucks of varying sizes surrounded the premises and a couple of ponies with water hoses stood outside of the house with the water on full blast. She walked up to one, her panicked expression met a strong, burly stonewall stallion whose gaze felt like an extremely bright searchlight.
“Ma’am, I have to ask you to stay away from the property,” the stallion said, his green eyes piercing her to her core.
“But I-I live here!” Fleur responded, tears beginning to pool her eyes.
Fancy…
This caught the stallions attention. “Are you Mrs. Fleur de Lis?”
Fleur nodded rapidly, her anxiety building. “Have you seen my husband?”
“No ma’am, but I know a few who are in there right now.” The stallion paused to take a deep breath, before coughing loudly. The smoke looked like it was getting to him. “They should find him.”
Fleur fidgeted as she stood by the stallion. She couldn’t keep herself contained: her house was burning to an out of control fire and she could not watch it knowing that the possibility of the love of her life may be trapped or dead. The thought of her husband's death loomed in her mind as the fire roared in response. It engulfed more of the upstairs bedroom that was once untouched. Smoke surrounded the entire premise, which caused the stallion next to her to retreat to the carriage. She stood there with her thoughts.
Fancy, are you in there?
She took a step forward.
Did you start this fire?
She took another step forward.
Are you still alive!?
She started her slow prance, her eyes set on the front door.
“Miss!”
You have to be alive…
She took a large step.
“Mrs. Fleur!”
You gotta be!
Fleur rushed into the flames. Without the second to think, the thick black smoke filled her lungs. She coughed momentarily, her eyes began to water from it. She turned around and tried to hightail it out of there but tripped on some fallen debris.
“Fleur!”
The firefighter from before grabbed her and pulled her away from the inferno.
Fleur de Lis yelped as the force used on her sent her to the ground. The green grass gave her comfort as she rubbed her backside while the stallion stood over her.
“Ma’am,” he said sternly. “You’re going to need to stay here.”
“B-but my husband!” Fleur stuttered before she coughed loudly. A sudden burst of energy possessed her as she wrapped her hooves tightly around his shoulder. “I-I need to see him!” She looked down at the ground, a tear began its descent.
After a few minutes, she felt a pressure secured around her hooves. She grimaced as she felt the stallion forcibly move her hooves. Once the pain deserted her, she peered up at the stallion whose bright red eyes and wide grin caused her to whimper. “Let’s keep you right here," he stated venomously.
Fleur tried to break free from his grip but to no avail. She didn’t want to be near this firefighter. The gaze he had in his eyes, the red glow scared her. She never knew red was a natural color for eyes. “S-s’il vous plaît, let go of me…”
The stallion shook his head. “Why would I do that?"
Another whimper emitted from Fleur. The pain began to course through her. A rush of tears trailed down her cheeks.
“Because y-you’re a nice stallion and I—”
The stallion smirked. “Oh really?” He stood up and pulled her with his hooves. He threw her over his back. “Do nice stallions carry their civilians across the threshold?”
She stood, mortified. “You…”
“Or maybe they hurl them ac—”
Fleur had heard enough of his lies as she slammed her hoof on the stallion’s head, which echoed with a loud thunderous smack that could be heard throughout the entire neighborhood. The night light shined bright on the stallion’s new injury: a small yet swollen bulge. Fleur smirked.
Disrespecting my husband…
Fleur brought her gaze to the entrance once again. Smoke still exited rapidly, the thick black fumes made her more anxious as she stared at it. If my husband is still in there...
“Fancypants!” she shouted as she shoved the stallion to the ground. She was free.
She scanned the premises. Every entry point was on fire. There was no way in but through the front.
Fleur looked at the carriages that were stationed around the house.
Could it be possible that there is one mask in there?
She rushed to the first one she saw: a large, red and white vehicle parked a bit too close to the curb. She began her search. Every door was opened, every latch was unlocked, and every possible nick and cranny was properly searched. No dice.
She went down the line: huge to small, solid red to solid white, carriages that parked awkwardly while others were parked rightly; there was not a single mask to be found.
Fleur collapsed on the ground in a rather panicked state. Tears poured out of her, she couldn’t stop the flow. For the first time in her life, nothing had worked for her. She didn’t have a glamorous life when she was young, but she had never lost anything this big. She didn’t want to see it.
Fleur de Lis closed her eyes.
She began the countdown.
10…
She remembered when they met: two teens talking in a large abandoned courtyard about things that most colts and fillies their age would not understand.
9…
She remembered the first prank they pulled together. Their parents will never look at syrup the same way ever again.
8…
She remembered their first date. It was a cool night with the stars shining so bright and Fancypants was wearing his first tuxedo of black and white.
7...
She remembered when they first kissed under the stars. Fancypants couldn’t stop shaking and asking if it was real or not.
6…
She loved the moment when they made out in front of Fancypant’s ex-fillyfriend. She hated that filly more than anypony she would ever meet.
5…
She remembered when they both graduated high school. They were near the top of the class, but Shady Daze always outranked them. Cheating b—
4...
The wedding day when they were not allowed to see each other was something to remember. She felt lost when they were first seperated. She wanted to see her husband, but that all changed in a flash.
3…
She remembered when Fancypants carried her across the threshold. She felt helpless in his grip. It was the good kind of helplessness.
2…
The news of being unable to carry a child was something she wished she could just erase from her mind, but like the syrup and hot, steamy moments in bed, the tears and pain would be part of her forever.
1…
“Get out of the way! Get him to the ambulance!”
Fleur de Lis opened her eyes.
The house came crashing down as the last few firefighters exited the building. She was thankful that all of them were alive, except that one who pinned her who was still unconscious next to the house. A fellow firefighter came over and pulled him away from the collapsing building, which made Fleur angry. However, that anger was quickly dispelled when she thought of her husband.
Where was he?
Fleur got up and walked over to the stallion who barked the orders. His long, red, and orange uniform made him stand out among the rest of the firefighters. As she approached, he saw her and smiled. “Hello! How may I help you?"
Fleur tried to force a smile. “D-did you find him?”
Fleur’s heart plummeted as she saw the firefighter’s grin dissolve in seconds. He looked over at the ambulance. “He’s over there.”
“Thank you,” she politely replied and rushed over to the vehicle. Her mind raced as she quickened her pace.
Is he dead?
Is he permanently maimed?
What is wrong with him?
“Wait!” Fleur shouted as the EMT was about to close the door. She galloped up to the back end. “May I?”
“Are you his wife?”
This must be the question of the night. “Oui,” she said with a curt nod.
“Then sit in the front, there isn’t any room back here.”
As she moved to the side of the ambulance, she heard the back door slam. The driver was about to start when she saw the door swing open. “Ma’am!” a voice shouted from inside. “Get in!”
She didn't need to think twice.
The world around her felt like it was spinning.
The white walls in the room she was in didn’t help her. They made her feel confined in a tight space with no room to breath.
The long stretcher in front of her did not help her rampaging senses.
The body on that stretcher made her stomach flip.
Her husband, Fancypants, was on the long, metal stretcher with his body hooked to several large contraptions that Fleur could not identify. Her head was too full of mush to even comprehend the situation right now.
She stared at his once perfect body. His coat was vibrant and white, not black and burned. His eyes were blue and full of life. Not vacant and dull. His hair was never in shambles, but here was he, his hair was on the fritz.
Fleur sighed. The monitor that was set in front of her is the only thing she could recognize. The line graph that every film she was ever in sat there. It taunted her, those waves move up and down with every beat her husband gave it. She knew if this ended like the movies, she would lose her husband.
She couldn’t bear it if it happened.
Fleur looked at her husband one last time. She remembered one other time that they were in this situation, but not to the extent of his injuries. They were teens. He accidentally tore his tendons in his left hind leg while he was bowling with her on a date. He couldn’t walk at all. He was apologizing left and right to her while she carried him on her back to the hospital. It wasn’t a long walk, but she remembered how heavy he was. She knew that moment got him to exercise more.
He was in a long stretcher like this at that time, but he was awake and full of life.
Now here he was, but in a more critical state.
A tear left Fleur’s eye as she looked away. The white tiles stared back at her. She didn’t want to feel this way. She wanted Fancy to hold her.
“Miss Fleur de Lis?”
She gazed up at the voice who called her. “Yes?”
The line graph showed nothing but a straight line.
“I need you to sign the dotted line…”
She couldn’t stop the tears this time.
Fleur stopped in front of what used to be the estate. Most of the site was cleared up, but the remains of the fire were engraved in the ground. The foundation still remained, but the grass was all but green. It made her shed a tear.
The thought never crossed her mind that her house would be engulfed in flames. If somepony told her this a week before the incident happened, she would’ve thought they were crazy.
That doesn’t seem like an impossibility anymore.
She walked up the still visible steps to where the front door used to be. She sighed and laid one red rose on the ground with a small note attached to it. Fleur sat on her haunches.
“Fancy,” she began, her eyes glistened in the daylight. “I had this feeling since the beginning of our wonderful marriage that we would always be together. It’s what every mare wishes of their relationships.” She looked at the scorched earth. “But I didn’t suspect it to be smashed so soon.”
She looked down at the rose.
“I wonder if you like the rose I brought you? It said in your will that you never wanted a tombstone nor a proper burial, so I thought it would be nice to give you something to remember you by, since they burned your body and lost the ashes in the incinerator.”
She stared at the remaining foundation.
“Did you not want to lay beside me when I perished?”
She looked down at the flower.
“Did you not want me to come back to find a trace of you?”
She let the water flow.
“Did… Did I not mean a thing to you?”
Tears dropped to the ground and drenched the remaining soil. She couldn’t stop, the pain of losing him was a very painful memory.
She took a deep, shaky breath.
“I just wanted to drop off this flower, to show you that I cared.”
She stopped crying.
“I always thought of you and all the good times we had whenever we were apart. How we were in love and how you told me every night that you wanted to be with me forever.”
She stood up.
“But that doesn’t matter anymore… you’re gone.”
She took a final glance at the flower.
“I am now dating a stallion by the name of Shooting Star.”
She walked down the steps.
“He calls me his only star and peppers me with kisses when I come home.”
She stopped near the curb.
“Though the will sounded rough…”
She turned to see the outline of the house.
“...and I know that you probably didn’t mean for me to be hurt…”
She looked at the steps.
“...I know one thing is true...”
She smiled.
“...no matter what happens, I’ll continue doing what I do best in honor of you.”
She turned around.
“Au revoir, Fancypants.”
Fleur walked away from the house she once knew. The burning remains vanished from that point on because she had a new home full of life and love to live. She has a new lover to go to. She had a stallion that didn’t need to go anywhere far from the home. She knew where he was at all times and he loved her more than anypony he ever saw.
Fleur grinned as she galloped down the road.
That’s all she ever wanted.
Meaning.
