//------------------------------// // Tense Beginnings // Story: Flutterella and the Grand Galloping Gala // by lemmingluv //------------------------------// Gently, Fluttershy began to open her eyes. She was surprised to realize that she was nestled comfortably under a blanket, on a slightly lumpy mattress. Fluttershy glanced around her. She was not in her home, but somehow this room felt very familiar to her. Across the room was a door, and next to that was an older looking vanity desk. The mirror looked to be well-polished, but the rest of the structure was not in the best of shape. “Oh goodness…what happened?” she murmured to herself, propping herself up on her elbows. She cringed slightly, the springs of the mattress digging in. She resorted to sitting up completely, resting her back against the old pillow that she’d been resting on. Out of the blue, a flash of white whizzed up the side of the bed and stopped to nestle into Fluttershys lap. The yellow mare squeaked in surprise, until she noticed that it was a very familiar rabbit. The pegasus quickly scooped him up in her hooves, a smile donning her face. “Angel Bunny!” she cried with happiness. The bunny affectionately rubbed his face against her chin in response. “Oh Angel, where in the world are we?” The furry companion tilted his head, appearing confused at his caretakers question, as if she should know the answer. He hopped from her gentle grasp and bounded across the room to the open closet area where many dresses hung. After a quick glance, Fluttershy noticed that there was a pattern of the dresses; they were very plain and had dim coloring. The mare pushed her blanket off of her, realizing that she was wearing a pale blue nightgown. She was a bit confused at this, but her attention was diverted by a small picture frame that was propped up on the vanity table. She squinted at the dusty glass as she drew closer. Angel watched her with a slightly anxious look from the closet. Fluttershy gingerly pushed away the dust with a hoof, then brought the hoof to her muzzle as she gasped slightly. The image depicted a golden brown pegasus stallion, smiling happily at the camera. Resting on his back was a yellow pegasus filly who had a more willowy physique than most fillies her age. Her pink mane was pulled back with a hairband, and she was grinning and hugging the blue haired stallion around his strong neck. This was a picture of Fluttershy and her father. Fluttershy was agape for a few more moments, until she realized that she had no memory of this picture. In fact, she didn’t remember ever feeling brave enough to wear a hairband to keep her mane out of her eyes. It was true that being around her father made her feel much braver and more confident, but not by that much. Gently picking up the frame, Fluttershy turned it over. She carefully opened the back, and gazed at the hoofwriting on the other side of the photo. Keep smiling, Flutterella! Love you forever, Dad. Angel Bunny hopped across the room and jumped on Fluttershy’s back. After getting no response, he bounced forcefully a few times. The pegasus let out a breath she didn’t realize she’d been holding in the first place. “F-Flutterella? That’s what the book sa-” Then it struck her. The memories from Twilight’s library. She’d opened a beautiful copy of Cinderella, noticed a few oddities and then was engulfed by a brilliant glow. Had she somehow ended up inside of the book? Was that even possible? After a few moments of thought, Fluttershy came to the conclusion that almost anything could be possible in the library of an Alicorn Princess. Now that she really considered it, she’d faced stranger than enchanted books. Angel thumped a foot impatiently against Fluttershy’s back. “Oh! Sorry, Angel. I was just…lost in thought…” Fluttershy said, trailing off slightly as she gazed at the photo again. She hadn’t seen a picture of her father in such a long time. She looked up, only to be greeted by the vanity mirror. The mare in the mirror had weaved her mane into a side braid, a few locks sticking out here and there. There were slightly dark circles under her eyes, and her coat looked like it hadn’t been properly groomed in a while. Fluttershy sighed, remembering the beginning of her childhood cherished story. She was beginning to realize that she would probably have to live as Cinderella, which meant the heartbreaking beginning of a nasty stepmother and rude stepsisters. “FlutterELLAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!” As if on cue, a scream echoed into the yellow mares room. Her ears flattened against her head. “Oh dear, I better hurry up…” Angel quickly jumped off of Fluttershy’s back and began digging in one of the vanity’s drawers. Fluttershy quickly pulled off her nightgown and picked a pale green dress to change into. The moment she had pulled the gown over her head, Angel had a grip on her mane. In seconds, the little bunny’s paws had unwoven her braid and pulled it up into a loose bun. He then quickly tied a bandana over her hair that was the same color as her dress. A bit of her bangs flopped stubbornly out of the bandana, but she didn’t mind much as they covered her left eye pretty well. She snuggled her beloved bunny once more, peeped a thank you, and rushed out of her bedroom. In her hurry, she had almost fallen down the stairs! The pegasus’ wings flared open, saving her from the long fall. She sighed, then quickly began to trot down the steps. As she began to near the bottom, she caught a glimpse at a framed picture of her father and a white coated mare. “Hurry up, you bumbling pegasus!” “I-I’m coming!” Fluttershy squeaked as she finally made it to the ground floor of the house. Standing before her, a good foot taller than her due to her heels, was none other than a certain white unicorn with a stunning purple mane, dressed in a ravishing dress. “R-Rarity?” Fluttershy murmured. Clearly, Rarity didn’t hear her. Or was choosing to ignore her. “Flutterella!” she exclaimed, glaring at the pink haired mare. “What did I tell you about sleeping in and loitering in your room! You only get between sunrise and breakfast time to yourself, and then you must come down and prepare our most important meal of the day!” “Perhaps we should get her a rooster, Mother!” chimed in a snide voice from the left. “After all, she is an animal-loving freak!” Fluttershy’s head snapped in the direction of the new voice. Standing before her was none other than the infamous Trixie Lulamoon, bearing the most obnoxious smile Fluttershy had ever seen. She too wore an extravagant gown, made of shining royal purple silk and decorated with tiny stars that twinkled in the light. “I-I…” Fluttershy’s stutters were cut off by Raritys laughter. “Hahaha! Good one, my dear Trixilene!” she snorted. Fluttershy trembled. It’s not the real Rarity, remember that. Rarity would never encourage someone like Trixie…. she thought, trying to reassure herself. Rarity turned back to Fluttershy, once more glaring. “Now then, since you’ve slept in and not prepared our breakfast, I am behind schedule!” she snapped. “Trixilene, come along, I need your help with some dress orders I’ve gotten in. Pinkamena can tell our precious little Flutterella what we desire for breakfast.” “But, Rar-” The unicorn shot a poisonous scowl that instantly silenced the pegasus mare. Fluttershy quickly looked down, finding comfort in the floor as her bangs swished down in front of her eyes, obscuring the two unicorns from her view. She listened to their hoofsteps as they left the room, and only then did she dare to look up. Only to see a pink mare sitting before her. “Hiya, Fluttershy! I see you got curious and read the book too, huh?” Fluttershy’s eyes widened. “Pinkie Pie? Is that really you?” she asked quietly. “Yeah, it’s me!” the cheerful mare grinned. “Best keep your voice down though, I guess the book characters hear different things from me than what I actually say since I’m supposed to be a meanie step sister and all!” Fluttershy pondered this for a moment, adding it to things she didn’t understand about this place. “What’s going on, Pinkie? What’s happened to us?” she asked. Pinkie started talking a mile a minute. “Well, you see, many years ago when I was just an itty bitty twinkie Pinkie, I moved to Ponyville! And I was staying with the Cakes at Sugarcube corner, when one day you walked in! You were so quiet and Mr and Mrs Cake couldn’t hear anything you were saying, so they brought me out to see if you felt more comfortable talking to a filly your age! But you weren’t, so I had to become your friend! So I took you upstairs to my room and introduced you to all my plushies! There was Mr Plumpkin, Sir Pearbottom, Madame Yo-” Fluttershy sighed. “No, Pinkie, I mean how did we end up living in Cinderella?” “Ohhhhhhhhhhhh!” Pinkie Pie said with a single nod. “I see! Well, I think that the copy at Twilight’s library was an enchanted book! That’s usually what that little pink star sticker means when it’s on books in her library, it means that the book has magical properties. I guess you didn’t see it!” Fluttershy looked away. “Actually, I did… But I didn’t know what it meant. The book was just so pretty, and the story is one of my favorites, I just had to read it!” “I know right?! It’s one of my favorites too! Though I’m kinda bummed I had to be a step sister, they’re so mean! You’re lucky you got to be Cinderella!” The pegasus looked from Pinkies shiny pink and cream colored gown, then at her own dress. “Are you sure about that, Pinkie Pie?” The pink mare nodded so hard that a few curls went flying out of her updo. “Of course! Do you know how much it stinks to have Trixie as a sister?! Plus, it may look rough for you now, but that just makes the fairytale happy parts even happier!” Fluttershy considered her pink party friends outlook. “I suppose you’re right, Pinkie. Thank you.” “No problem, Flutters! Oh, by the way, the boss lady want’s hash browns and haycakes with syrup for breakfast. Don’t worry; it’ll all change in a day or so! And the montages are the best!” “Mon…what?” “Pinkamena! Quit entertaining the help and get in here!” called Raritys voice. “Coming Mooooom!” Pinkie called back. “Duty calls!” And with that, the earth pony bounced off into the other room. Fluttershy sighed and slowly trudged into the kitchen. She wasn’t going to enjoy this.