//------------------------------// // Gimme Shelter // Story: Gimme Shelter // by zyr1987 //------------------------------// Fleur de Lis was standing in the rain outside of her former coltfriend's house, thinking to herself, why did I agree to date Blueblood? Everypony told me he was a bastard, but no, I thought he wouldn't be that bad, that I could change him for the better. Dumb, dumb, dumb. She punctuated her thought with a few facehoofs. She gave herself a few more when she realized that she left her coat, which had her bits and the key to her apartment, at Blueblood's place. Unwilling to speak with the royal brat again after having thrown a plate at his head, she started walking home, hoping her landlord would be back from his trip in time to let her in. As the drenched unicorn moved down the soaking wet street she looked around, seeing if anypony was feeling charitable enough to help her out and wondering how she would live this one down. It seemed her streak of bad luck was not about to let up, however, as the street was empty aside from her and a taxi moving at a high rate of speed, about to hit the puddle she was standing next to. After getting sprayed and losing what little dignity she had left, she shook her hoof and yelled a few insults at the passing taxi carriage, before resuming her slow walk home. Several minutes passed, and she was now cursing the fact that she lived on the opposite side of town from Blueblood. Well, at least, after today, I'll be as far from him as I can be. Just have to get home without dying of hypothermia first. Then she thought she heard something. She looked up and saw a blue maned stallion with a short mustache, a trench coat and a monocle waving her over. Going as quickly as possible to this potential savior, she thanked Celestia for somepony seeing her plight. When she got close enough to get a good look at the stallion, she recognized him as one Fancypants, a young noble and big mover and shaker working his way up the Canterlot social ladder. Everything she had heard about this stallion was very positive, but all the positivity had only served to make her think he was too good to be true, that he had to be hiding something. Right now, though, she didn't care. Having to raise his voice to be heard, Fancypants asked, “What are you doing out in this pouring rain without a coat?” “I left mine in my former coltfriend's house when he kicked me out.” “Oh, what happened?” “It's a long story. One I would prefer to tell somewhere dry,” the soaked mare said. “I understand. Shall we go back to my place? I live only about a block from here.” “That would be nice, thank you.” As they started walking to Fancy's home, the stallion took his coat off and put it over Fleur's back, causing her to smile and say, “Well, it's nice to see that there are still some proper gentlecolts in this world.” “Of course. I could never just leave a lady out in the cold like that,” Fancy said, wondering just how bad this coltfriend who kicked her out was. They reached Fancypants' home, a medium sized house in a neighborhood full of up-and-comers, miles from her own home. He opened the front door, and let her enter first. Once inside, she took Fancy's coat off her back and hung it on a nearby coathanger. Fancy entered behind her and ignited his horn in the direction of the fireplace, starting a fire within, then said, “Please make yourself comfortable. I'll make us some hot chocolate.” Fleur nodded and waited until Fancypants was out of sight before shaking herself dry and moving to the fireplace, taking a nearby blanket with her. She thought Okay, maybe he is as nice as they say. He certainly has been a wonderful host so far. But still... Shortly thereafter, Fancy returned with two mugs of hot chocolate, and Fleur took one with her magic, taking a tentative sip. As the liquid warmed her core, Fancy asked, “If I may asked, what happened with your coltfriend, miss...” “Call me Fleur de Lis. I'm sure you've heard of Prince Blueblood?” “Of course, Princess Celestia's nephew. He was your coltfriend?” “Yes, for all of two weeks. The bastard seems to have this burning desire to have any marefriend show him the courtesies that he would be expected to show them,” Fleur said. “That...sounds like everything I've heard about him, though I admit I have not had the pleasure of meeting him.” “Meeting him would not be a pleasure, I assure you. What happened tonight was that he had invited me to his home for dinner, after I told him that if he didn't shape up I would leave him, then insisted that I make him dinner. In his own home. At that point I just snapped, got in a yelling match with him, and may have thrown a plate at his head.” “I see. Well, he certainly sounds like the opposite of what a proper gentlecolt should be, and obviously doesn't deserve to be with a beautiful mare like you,” Fancy said. Fleur didn't say anything, instead taking a long sip of her hot chocolate and a slow glance at her host, thinking He's being so kind to me... but no pony has ever been this kind without wanting something. But he seems... different from the rest. Fancypants, noticing Fleur's lack of response, asked, “is there something wrong, miss de Lis?” “Sorry, I'm just a bit, ah, concerned about how things are going.” “How do you mean?” “I learned long ago that when things seem to be too good to be true, they probably are, and I'm worried that you might... want something from me,” Fleur admitted. “Nonsense. I assure you that I would never take advantage of a mare in need, especially one who has had such a long night. I was actually about to offer you a bed for the night, unmolested.” “And what are you asking in return?” “One date, my treat,” Fancy said. “I could agree to that. Thank you.” “You're quite welcome,” Fancy said with a friendly smile.