Tales of the Sapphire Carousel: Beyond the Bordello

Fleur was polite enough not to bother Fluttershy.

The next few weeks passed, and Fluttershy's life went on. She no longer visited the school, and instead used that time to take more shifts at the zoo, honing her skills and making some more money to support herself.

All the while, she tried to forget about the violent noblewoman who had taught her how to be confident in herself, and then thrust her into a world far more dangerous than the one Fluttershy had been running from.

She knew she wasn't being fair to Fleur— she could have walked away at any time without consequences. Still, she wasn't sure what to think of her, of someone who was so willing to break the law and to use violence for her own ends, but whose ends seemed noble enough.

Either way, Fluttershy wanted nothing to do with her anymore, not if it meant being around so much potential for danger. She was going to go back to her quiet life with her friends.

And to her other mentor who had taken her in first.

"Is everything alright, Fluttershy?" Luna had asked the day after the incident with Lightning Dust, during their weekly lunch. "You seem distracted."

There was a moment of hesitation as Fluttershy considered how to work her response. She'd made a promise, after all. "How much do you know about Fleur's, ahhh, friends?" she chose to ask instead.

Luna sighed. "They act before thinking too often, but some of them have good hearts. Others... did one of them do something to you?"

Fluttershy quickly shook her head. "No, no, nothing like that. Just, one of them got hurt and I helped patch her up, and I found out about some of what Fleur gets up to with those friends. I don't think I want to see her anymore."

"That is completely fair," Luna said. "As I said before, I do not approve of Fleur's methods, effective as they may be at times. I am sorry you were caught up in her schemes."

"She's... she's not a bad person, is she?" It felt so childish to ask that, but Fluttershy's mind was still reeling from the previous day's revelations.

"People are complicated, as you know very well," was Luna's reply. "I have done things I am not proud of, and I do believe that Fleur regrets some of her actions as well. That being said, I would trust Fleur and her husband before I trusted any of the other nobles in the Solar Distract, which is admittedly not the most glowing endorsement."

Fluttershy smiled at that. "That's still something." She let out her own sigh. "I just wish she wasn't so... violent, I guess? She talks about it like it's no big deal."

"Fleur has seen more of this world than I have, including its evils." Luna took a long sip of her coffee before speaking again. "I cannot fault her for wanting to take a direct approach to some of the problems plaguing this city. But yes, she is a little too eager for my comfort, sometimes. You will have to decide for yourself what your feelings towards her are, in the end."

Their conversation had moved to other topics afterwards, but the conversation had stuck in Fluttershy's mind. Surely there were always better ways to solve problems, right? She could understand using violence when directly threatened, but looking for trouble first didn't feel like it fell under that category.

Ultimately, Fluttershy had concluded that Fleur was flawed but trying her best, just like the rest of them, but she could never approve of her methods. The thought gave her some peace, for a time.

And then, a month after that fateful day, Doctor Fuana brought in an injured deer with a large part of its fur missing, almost as if it had been burned off.

"What happened?" Fluttershy asked as she helped the vet strap down the doe so they could treat it. "Those look like... chemical burns?"

"It's the factory over by the Whitetail River," Doctor Fuana said, anger colouring her voice. "They're dumping their waste right into the water, and this is what happens to any creature that gets too close to it. I can't even imagine what it's going to do to the ecosystem at large."

"They can just do that?" Fluttershy asked, horrified. "There has to be some law or..."

The doctor shook her head. "Maybe, but as long as the councillors get their cut of the profits it won't matter." She sighed. "We're probably going to get a lot more of these, so this will be good practice." There wasn't much conversation after that, beyond whatever instructions and information needed to be shared to save the doe's life.

The whole while, however, Fluttershy's mind seethed at the knowledge of how much damage was being done to the environment. Every pained twitch and agonized whine from the confused critter who didn't even understand the systems in place that had put her in such distress tugged at Fluttershy's heart, and the sense of helplessness was overwhelming. Was this really going to be her job for however long it took for the factory to kill off everything around it?

"There has to be something we can do," Fluttershy said as she fitted a cone around the doe's head to stop her from nipping at her injuries. "So many animals are going to suffer because of this."

Doctor Fauna let out a bitter laugh. "You've got a good heart, kid, but you need to learn that money talks louder than anything else. We just do the best we can and hope the people up there finally grow a conscience or something and stop screwing us all over to line their own pockets."

Her words stayed in Fluttershy's mind as she headed home after that long and grueling shift. Was she doing the best she could? Obviously, she would try to help whatever animal that was hurt by the actions of her fellow humans, but did she really have no way to stop the harm in the first place?

Unfortunately, she wasn't a lawyer, and didn't know any. But from what Doctor Fuana said, it wouldn't matter if they were breaking the law anyways, as long as they influenced the right people.

Of course, there was another way to stop them.

As much as Fluttershy had done her best to forget, the knowledge had stayed at the back of her mind that Fleur's methods... worked. The week after patching up Lightning Dust, Fluttershy had read the newspaper and seen the article on Jet Set being forced to step down from his position amidst all the scandal surrounding him, just as Fleur had planned.

Luna had said that Fleur was principled, and it was likely true. If Fluttershy asked Fleur for help, explained the situation to her, she'd surely want to help and make sure that no more animals were hurt.

But, her methods would be illegal, and dangerous. Someone could get hurt. Another one of Fleur's friends, or a bystander or guard just trying to get through the day. Could Fluttershy take that risk for the sake of making sure the right thing was done and the factory was shut down?

The doe let out another pained yelp as they rubbed an antiseptic wipe against its bloody side, staring up at Fluttershy in confused fear. It had no idea why it was here, was innocent of any evil. Fluttershy looked deep into those eyes, and whispered, "it's okay. It's going to be okay. I'll make sure nobody ever hurts you like this again."

Fluttershy had been to Fleur and Fancy's mansion once before, to attend some party or other under her mother's orders. She didn't remember much of the night, except that it was about as uncomfortable as all the other events she'd been forced to attend, but she did remember where they lived, and was able to make it there in short order after her shift.

She'd cleaned the blood off her hands and changed clothing, of course, but the echoes of the crimson liquid on her skin still remained, seeping deep into her soul as she prayed her determination wouldn't falter.

The butler opened the door when she knocked, and after taking her name, escorted her into the sitting room while he fetched his employer. A minute later, Fleur stepped out, dressed in a casual, yet still elegant dress that was much at odds with what she had normally worn around Fluttershy. It really did drive home the differences in the two lives she led.

"Bienvenue, Fluttershy," the noblewoman said as she took a seat opposite from her. "It is good to see you again." Her tone was warm and welcoming, but Fluttershy sensed the note of caution beneath it. "How may I help you today?"

Fluttershy glanced around the room. She didn't see anyone, but that didn't mean there wasn't anyone listening. "Ah, could we talk in private, please?"

Fleur nodded her head in acknowledgement, her expression making it clear she had an idea of what Fluttershy wanted to talk about. "Let us retire to my study, then."

At first glance, Fleur's study looked much like all the others found in the various mansions that dotted the Solar District, with a beautifully carved mahogany desk in the center, flanked by cushioned seats and surrounded by walls of shelves filled with books on all manner of different topics. There were also various trophies and other memorabilia scattered about, evidence of the owner's storied past.

However, where others would have had the most respected works of literature on display for all to see how educated they were, Fleur's collection was a smorgasbord of different types of books. Sure, she had the classics there, the plays of Spear Shaker and the great poems like Paradise Lost and the Cycle of Trot. But on top of that, there were romance novels with salacious titles, books on science and politics and other academic topics with signs of wear showing that they'd been read multiple times, and even what looked like several comic books and collections of penny dreadfuls on display for all to see.

The trophies on display were mostly trinkets from foreign lands, which wasn't unusual, but Fluttershy noticed that many of them were signed, or accompanied by a letter or some sort, and in one case she saw a wooden mask decorated with Fleur's family crest. That wasn't special by itself, but Fluttershy recognized the style as belonging to an isolated tribe to the south, and she doubted that Fleur would be so gauche as to copy their patterns without permission.

Combined with the fact that many of these objects were not shiny and objectively high quality, it was quite clear that these were souvenirs of actual journeys she had been on, journeys that were more than just visiting some camp protected from the outside world.

Also, none of the trophies on display were the usual stuffed heads that Fluttershy destested, so that was a bonus as well.

"Please, sit down," Fleur said, pulling back a chair for her. She took her own seat after Fluttershy. "So, what brings you here, Fluttershy? In our last meeting you were quite firm about what you wanted."

Fluttershy swallowed down the dread rising in her throat. "I... I need your help. Do you know about the orichalchum processing plant by Whitetail river?"

Fleur nodded. "It opened last month, yes?"

"It's also been dumping dangerous chemicals into the water and destroying the local ecosystem," Fluttershy said. "I just finished treating a doe for chemical burns caused by the waste it's been producing. The people in power won't do anything about it."

"I see. C'est dommage." There was sympathy in Fleur's voice, but she didn't show much more emotion beyond that. "Why have you come to me with this information, though? Fancy and I are powerful, but we cannot just pull some strings and shut down a factory, unfortunately."

"Can't you?" Fluttershy asked, lacing her tone with hidden meaning.

"I thought you didn't wish to associate with dangerous people," Fleur replied evenly.

"I... I need something now," Fluttershy admitted. "I know, I'm a hypocrite. I still hate violence, but now that there's something I feel strongly about, I'm suddenly willing to bend my principles." When she laid it out like that, she hated herself even more, and it wasn't exactly the best argument. "I'll just go now. Sorry for bothering you."

Before she could stand up, Fleur laughed, a genuine, warm sound that came from the soul. "Mon amie, we are all hypocrites," she said, smiling widely. "What matters is what we choose to do when faced with a difficult decision. I will look into this factory."

"Oh." Fluttershy paused for a moment. "That's it? You'll just help me?"

"I will do my own research, but I do owe you a debt for saving Lightning Dust's life," Fleur said. "I believe you are a good person, someone who is willing to speak up for what is right, so I will do what I can. Now, would you like to stay for some tea? I believe Fancy should be coming home soon, if you wish to meet him as well."

"Ah, does he know...?" Fluttershy asked.

Fleur laughed again. "He knows enough to not ask me too many questions, and I trust him not to get into too much trouble without me."

"Well, it's getting late," Fluttershy said, not really feeling up to any more social interaction. "Thank you for the invitation, though."

"Of course." Fleur stood up and walked over towards the door. "Be safe, Fluttershy."

"Thanks," Fluttershy said again, then added. "For everything. I really did appreciate the lessons."

Fleur nodded. "I am glad. Au revoir, mon amie."

Fluttershy saw the article in the newspaper a week later, and immediately made her way over to the mansion.

"Ah, Lady Fleur is expecting you," the butler said when he opened up the door.

He led Fluttershy to the sitting room once again, and she clutched the newspaper until her knuckles turned white while she waited. It felt as if the words were seeping into her skin, imprinting her sins onto her body.

Finally, after several agonizing minutes, Fleur stepped into the room. "Bonjour, Fluttershy," she said, gesturing down the hall. "Please, let us speak in my study."

Fluttershy nodded and followed her. She definitely didn't want anyone overhearing this conversation.

The moment Fleur shut the door and locked it, Fluttershy immediately burst out, "you blew up the factory?" It was the closest she'd come to screaming in a long time.

Fleur's calm demeanor never shifted. "They were using illegal and highly flammable chemicals to purify the orichalcum. Very naughty of them. It's really no surprise that something happened that caused such an unfortunate accident. Very fortunate that no one was inside at the time."

"Someone could have gotten hurt!" Fluttershy exclaimed. "Someone walking past, or staying to work late, or even you or one of your friends again."

"We were very careful to check that there was no one there," Fleur replied. "And as for ourselves, we know that we court death with our actions. Blood is the price we sometimes pay for justice."

"I didn't... I didn't want this," Fluttershy said, horrified. "I thought you were just going to sneak into someone's house and frame them for a crime or something."

"And is that not dangerous as well?" Fleur asked, raising an eyebrow. "You asked for results, and that is what you got. If you cannot stomach my methods, then you should not have come to me."

"I just... I don't." It was over. Fluttershy had read the article, and there was enough bad press that no one would try to build another factory there for a long time. But... "Why can't people just be nice to each other."

A sympathetic look crossed Fleur's expression. "I'm sorry, Fluttershy," she said sincerely. "You are a kind soul, and all suffering tugs at your heart. An admirable trait, to be sure, but revolutions are not won with kindness."

Those words rankled Fluttershy. "I don't want to believe that," she said firmly. "I'll... I won't become like you, willing to risk lives when I don't have to."

"Good," Fleur replied. "We need kind souls like you, or there is no reason to fight. Let us do what we must, and you shall do what you can, and maybe, together, we can make this world a better place."

"I guess." Neither of them was going to convince the other of their side, so that was the best Fluttershy could hope for. "And I guess you did stop the factory so... thank you."

"It was our pleasure." Fleur bowed slightly.

She could have left it there, could have walked out and forgotten about all of this. But, that didn't seem like the kindest choice to Fluttershy. So instead, she said, "If someone ever gets hurt again, and you can't go to the hospital... you know where I live."

For the first time since they'd met, Fleur's eyes widened in surprise. "Mais oui? Do you truly mean that, Fluttershy?"

Fluttershy nodded. "I don't like the thought of people suffering if there's something I can do about it. Don't worry, I promise I won't tell on you."

"Merci beaucoup. I truly cannot convey how much this means to us." Fleur smirked. "We will try our best not to require your services."

Fluttershy didn't smile back. "Please don't put yourself into more danger because of this."

"I promise we will not," Fleur replied. There was a moment's hesitation before she asked, "So, would you like to continue your lessons? There are still things for me to teach you."

Fluttershy took a moment to consider her answer. She didn't think she was friends with Fleur anymore, but part of her did want to learn more about her. The foriegn noblewoman knew so many things, and even if their worldviews didn't align, Fluttershy knew that she needed to know how Fleur came to see the world the way she did, so that Fluttershy could decide just where she stood on... everything, really.

All her life, she'd never thought much about her convictions, had never really had to, until that fateful day when she'd stood up to her mother for Rarity. And since then, Fluttershy had been too focused on survival to think beyond that. Maybe it was time to decide what kind of person she wanted to be, consciously instead of being moulded by the forces around her.

"I'd like that very much," Fluttershy said, and she knew this was the beginning of something greater.

This time, it was time to start another journey, and discover who she really was.