*CAST*
Anastasia: Fluttershy
Dmitri: Discord
Vladimir: Pinkie Pie
The Dowager Empress Marie: Celestia
Tsar Nicholas II: Fancy Pants
Grigori Rasputin: Chrysalis
Bartok: Derpy
At the large castle in Tramplevania, there was a large ball being held to celebrate the three hundred years since the kingdom had been built. Mares and stallions danced in their best attire. Fancy Pants was talking with a group of men who lived in the kingdom. In the front of the room there was a large throne. Sitting in the throne was Empress Celestia.
A small pegasus filly ran up to Celestia, grinning from ear to ear. This was Princess Fluttershy, Fancy Pants’ youngest daughter, and Celestia’s favorite grandchild.
“Grandmother!” Fluttershy cried wrapping her arms around Celestia’s neck. The Empress returned the hug.
When they pulled away Celestia motioned for Fluttershy to come closer and spoke in a hushed voice, “I have a surprise for you.” Fluttershy watched as Celestia opened her hoof to reveal a small, silver music box. She opened it and a soft melody started to play.
Fluttershy gasped. “Our lullaby.” she said in awe. Celestia nodded in response. The white alicorn closed her eyes and softly sang along to the tune. After a moment, Fluttershy joined in as well. They both knew the words by heart.
“Hear this song and remember,
“Someone holds me safe and warm.
“Horses prance through a silver storm.
“Figures dancing gracefully, across my memory.”
“And there’s one more thing.” Celestia said, opening her eyes again. She pulled out a gold chain with a blue circle charm on it. Fluttershy had to turn it around to read the inscription.
“Together… in Mareis.” Fluttershy read. “Oh, Grandmother, you really mean it?” she cried. Celestia smiled kindly. “Yes, little one. It has become late. You must go to sleep now.”
Fluttershy looked a bit disappointed but nodded anyway. She flew off to her room, holding the music box and necklace close to her. As she was flying she felt somepony watching her. She turned and stared at a small draconequus who worked at the castle, whom they called Discord. When he noticed that Fluttershy saw him, he blushed and ran off towards the kitchens. Fluttershy looked at where the boy had been before flying to her room and shutting the door.
Suddenly, darkness came over the castle and the large doors slammed open. A tall pony in a silver cape walked in. She threw the hood off and exposed her cobweb hair and green insect eyes. Chrysalis laughed menacingly.
“Chrysalis.” Fancy Pants snarled. “Get out. You are not welcome here.”
“How was I to forget my banishment from Tramplevania?” Chrysalis said in her echoing voice. “It’s not like it impacted every choice I now make. Oh, yes it does.” she laughed for a moment before continuing. “Now you’ll see what pain is like.” She shot a green beam at the large chandelier, making it fall and the crystals shatter. The ponies shrieked and ran from the changeling. It just so happens that the chandelier was hanging right over Fancy Pant’s head. The realization of danger was quick enough for the ponies, but, sadly, not in time for him.
Chrysalis cackled evilly, apparently energized by Fancy Pant's death. She then went after the other ponies at the ball, not willing to pass p destroying them as well.
Celestia ran to where Fluttershy slept, hoping she would be alright. Celestia flung open the door and snatched Fluttershy from her bed. “Quick, we must go.” Celestia said in a scared tone. The Empress held her granddaughter’s hoof as they ran.
“Wait!” Fluttershy cried. “My music box!” She scrambled to the small table where it sat.
Green beams from the outside made holes in the wall. They were caused by changelings trying to get in. The holes they made were small, but soon they would be big enough to climb through.
Discord ran into the room and saw the room being torn apart. He ran to the wall and ran his talons over the floral wallpaper, searching for the button. He found it – it was disguised as the middle of a flower- and opened the escape door in the wall. He ran to the royals and ushered them inside of it, not wanting them to be hurt.
“Wait!” Fluttershy told him. “My music box! I need it!”
“Go!” Discord said, pushing them inside. Once they were in he closed the door, ready to fight off any attackers.
There was a moment of silence, then bits and pieces of wood and sheetrock cam flying in. Changelings flew in, their fangs bared at the young boy.
Discord quickly grabbed the Princess’s box, trying to save it so he could give it to her if they ever crossed paths again. He growled at the changelings. One smacked him with its hole-filled hoof. Discord was sent flying backwards into the wall. The same changeling walked up to him and sunk its fangs into the chimera’s arm near his shoulder. Discord cried out in pain before blacking out.
----------------------
Celestia ran onto the train, Fluttershy close behind. As soon as the Pegasus foal was almost there, the train started. Fluttershy’s firm grip on Celestia’s hoof remained. She ran after the train, hoping to be fast enough to catch up.
“Hold onto my hoof.” Celestia called to her granddaughter.
“I won’t let go.” Fluttershy promised. Soon the speed of the train was too much for Fluttershy and her hoof slipped out of Celestia’s hold.
Fluttershy fell forward, hitting her head hard on the tracks.
10 years later
St. Poniesburg was a large, but old-fashioned town. There were houses and shops up and down the streets. Snow lain think layers on the ground and on top of buildings. There were a few clusters of ponies huddling close together in the street. They whispered quietly amongst themselves, but it wasn’t a secret what the fuss was all about. There was a new rumor going around in this small town about the Tramplevainian royals.
“Have you heard about this?” One mare asked, pointing to the newspaper clutched tightly in her hoof. “The Princess Fluttershy could still be alive!”
“Where do you think she is now?” wondered another mare.
“Who knows?” asked one stallion. “It might not even be true!”
“Let’s not think about that.” said the first mare. “If the Princess really is here, then we could finally have somepony running this old dump!”
“Just think of it!” said the second mare dreamily. “The royals returning! I even heard that the Empress Celestia promised to pay a ten million dollar sum to whoever can bring her back!”
Two figures stood nearby, listening to the conversations. The taller one wore a long sleeved simple blue jacket and a newsboy hat the same color. The short one wore a long red dress coat and a grey, fuzzy Eskimo hat. They kept their heads down, not daring to look anypony in the eye. The two walked into a large building-the inn to be exact-and took their hats off and put them on a nearby hat stand.
One was a pink earth pony mare with a dark pink mane. It was large and poofy, and almost impossible to fit underneath one hat. The second one wasn’t a pony at all, but rather a draconequus. He was about double the height of a normal stallion.
“Oh, just think of it, Pinkie.” he said in his low, gravelly voice. “If we can find that princess and bring her to the Empress, we could we rich!”
“But where will she be?” Pinkie asked curiously.
“Nopony knows, which is why we’ll have to find her ourselves.”
There was a mannequin in a corner of the room wearing a pair of men’s pajamas. There were a few ponies standing near, talking boastfully.
“Look at these pajamas!” said mint green unicorn, levitating a pair of red pajamas for the others to see. “I think it could have been made from fabric of one of the royals’ clothes!”
Pinkie and Discord walked over to the circle of ponies, curious to see what they would say.
“And look at these furs!” said one stallion. He was pure white with a white mane that had grey steaks. “I swear they’re real animal hides! I found them in the palace!”
The other ponies gasped in fascination. Discord held the dark fur, felling its softness.
“It could be worth a fortune if it belonged to her.” Discord and Pinkie agreed. Discord tossed the white stallion a bit, before rolling the fur up around his arm.
They climbed to the top floor where their belongings were. Pinkie pulled out two suitcases from under a bed. The two packed the suitcases with their clothes, paper and pens, and other miscellaneous items.
“I’ve got it, Pinkie.” Discord announced. “We need to find a girl-any girl-and have her act out the part of Fluttershy. Once we train her to be convincing enough, we take her to the Empress, and become instantly rich!”
“How do we find a mare who’s good enough to pretend to be a princess?” Pinkie asked.
Discord smiled. “Leave that to me.”
A Few Weeks Later
There was a forest in the outskirts of St. Poniesburg where few lived. In a clearing was a large cabin that was used as an orphanage. It looked happy and welcoming. The rule was that once the orphans turned 18-and if their parents hadn’t come for them-they were tossed out.
The woman who ran the orphanage, Mrs. Harshwhinny, was a firm woman. She was strict and had a rock hard personality.
Two figures were coming from the cabin. One was Fluttershy, the other Mrs. Harshwhinny. Fluttershy, now known as Flitter, had turned 18, and it was her time to go.
“Goodbye!” Fluttershy called, waving to her younger friends in the cabin. There were children of many ages who had their faces pressed up against the glass and were waving to Fluttershy.
Mrs. Harshwhinny pulled Fluttershy along by her scarf since she was too preoccupied saying a happy goodbye to her friends. She instructed Fluttershy what to do.
“Now, I got you a job down at the apple farm. Go down this street and take a left once you find the fork in the road. Follow that path and soon you’ll be there.” The older woman turned her head to look at Fluttershy. “Child, pay attention.” she snapped angrily.
She tugged harder on the scarf, almost making Fluttershy trip. The teen sighed and untied her scarf from around her neck so she wouldn’t have to be dragged.
“For the past ten years I’ve fed you, I’ve clothed you…” Fluttershy rolled her eyes in annoyance at her old caretaker. She had heard this talk before.
“And I’ve kept a roof over your head.” they finished together. Mrs. Harshwhinny glared at her before speaking again. “How is it that you have no idea who you were or who your family was before I took you in?”
“Oh,” Fluttershy said. “I do have one clue.” She put a hoof around the necklace she still wore.
“Right.” Mrs. Harshwhinny said, faking a kind voice. “Together in Mareis’. So, you want to go to Prance find your family, huh?”
Fluttershy nodded eagerly.
“Ha! It’s time you find your place in life, Miss Flitter. I kept you off the streets for years. Be grateful.” She laughed loudly. “Together in Mareis!” she cried in a singsong voice. She thrust the scarf into Fluttershy's hooves and shoved her through the gates.
Mrs. Harshwhinny slammed the gates closed and trotted back to the orphanage.
Fluttershy huffed angrily. “Be grateful, Flitter.” she said in a deep voice, mimicking the old woman. “I am grateful. Grateful to be away!”
Fluttershy continued down the path, and soon found the fork in the road Mrs. Harshwhinny had been talking about. There were two paths, both looking exactly the same.
“Go left, huh? I know what’s left. I’ll be Flitter the orphan forever.” she mumbled to herself. “But,” she started, taking a step in the other direction. “If I go right, who knows what I could find?”
She sat down on a rock and looked up at the sky. “Send me a sign! A hint! Anything!” she called. She sat on the rock longer, patiently waiting for her sign.
There was a rustling in the bushes next to her and she turned her head towards them to see what it was. A small white bunny hopped out and grabbed the purple scarf sitting on the rock next to Fluttershy. He grabbed it and hopped around in the snow.
“Hey,” Fluttershy said, tugging back at her scarf. “I don’t have time to play; I’m waiting for a sign.”Fluttershy gasped. The idea hit her like a strike of lightning. A sign…
She stood up slowly and held the end of the scarf. She tried not to make any sudden movements so that the bunny wouldn’t be scared away. She followed the bunny, taking small steps. Once the furry animal realized it had her attention, it hopped around her in circles, tying Fluttershy’s legs together and making her fall into the snow.
Fluttershy laughed softly at the little bunny. It hopped into her lap and she pet him behind his ears. “Oh, you’re so cute!” Fluttershy said. “I think I’ll call you Angel Bunny.”
The rabbit hopped up and down to show its approval.
“Well, come on, Angel Bunny.” Fluttershy said, flying into the air and cradling him in her front hooves. “We’re going to get travel papers so that we can go to Prance and find my family.”
--------------------
Fluttershy soon came to realize that going to Prance was not going to be a simple feat. She saw this when the stallion in the ticket booth asked for travel her papers.
“Travel papers?” Fluttershy said. “I don’t have travel papers.”
The stallion smiled evilly. “No travel papers, no ticket!” he slammed the window down, making a loud banging noise. Fluttershy and the mare behind her jumped back in surprise.
Fluttershy looked at the ground in embarrassment, contemplating what she should do next. Quickly, however, she soon found her answer. The blue mare in a black cloak behind her put a hoof on Fluttershy’s shoulder. “If you really want to get out of St. Poniesburg, you should go to Discord, at the old palace. But you didn’t hear any of this from Trixie.” the pony whispered in Fluttershy’s ear.
“Discord?” Fluttershy asked. “At the old palace?”
“Yes, yes.” the mare responded. “Hurry, now. Discord doesn’t stay in one place at a time for too long.”
“Oh, thank you!” Fluttershy squealed before flying off.