• Published 8th Jun 2014
  • 3,887 Views, 86 Comments

Fluttershy: an Anastasia Au - halloweennut



MLP:FIM/Anastasia. Ten years ago, Lord Tirek attacked the Royal Family in Ponyville. While he was sent back to Tartarus, their family was broken by the loss of one of their Grand Duchesses, Fluttershy. Now, orphan Flowing Grace is on a journey to fin

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Destruction on the Ponyville Express

Shining Armor quickly hurried Discord and Gracie into the baggage car, shutting the door behind them. In hindsight, they probably could have stayed in the warm comfort of the passenger cars closest to the baggage, but with Discord’s almost near blatant disregard for staying undetected and Shining, not wanting to use his position any further to lie his way through situations, thought hiding in the unoccupied space seemed like a good solution for the time being.

“What I tell you?” Discord smiled, flopping onto random bags. “It's perfect! And I must say, this is far more comfortable than the seats!”

Gracie looked unsure, and shivered in the newfound chill, pulling her coat closer to her body. Shining immediately grew concerned, shedding his warmer coat and throwing it over her.

“Is everything alright?” Gracie asked, delicately curling up on a bag near the door. Shining nodded, ruffling her hair.

“It will be. Discord is just being…” he wanted to say an idiot, “Discord. Stay warm.”

He quickly turned on Discord, who had been looking on in concern, but quickly attempted to retain a look of aloofness when faced with a miffed Captain of the Guard.

“Is she alright?” he quietly asked, eyes quickly glancing at her.

“She’s going to freeze, Discord,” Shining hissed, “Unless you can think of something brilliant, per the norm.”

“Well, magic, especially a heat spell is out of the question,” he replied, stroking his goatee. “ And I doubt that the conductor would be willing to let us crash with him…”

The spirit of chaos snapped his fingers. “I have an idea. Don't freak out on me.”

“What are you doing…” Shining trailed off, watching as Discord, who looked uncharacteristically pale and nervous, curled around Gracie and Angel. The pegasus turned pink, and started to shift.

“I'm literally a furnace, Miss Gracie,” Discord explained. “Sorry if it was too sudden, and consider it a...better apology.”

“O-oh! Thank you!” she stuttered, slowly relaxing into the heat.

“Captain, if you wish to stay warm, I fully suggest to come join the cuddle pile. We’re going to sing songs later and become the best of friends,” Discord said with a yawn, settling his head down on the ground, curling slightly tighter around Gracie like a shield. Shining, shocked from disbelief, shook his head and stood close.

“I'd rather stand guard. Old habits,” he replied. “I'm sturdier than I look.”

“Suit yourself, oh Captain, my Captain,” Discord yawned yet again. “Suit yourself…”

The two fell asleep quickly, Gracie burrowed into Discord’s side to get as much warmth as possible - not to mention him being surprisingly soft - feeling very safe. As for Discord, he could sleep anywhere and had, so a baggage car in a moving train wasn’t far of a stretch.
A few hours later, however, a sudden jolt brought the duo awake; Shining barely able to keep his balance. Blearily, Gracie raised her head from the warm feathers on Discord’s wing.

“What? Are we in Canterlot?” she asked. Discord unraveled himself, standing her on her hooves.

“Not possible. At most we're halfway,” Shining replied. “You two, stay put.”

With a quick apology, Shining took his coat, and raced into the passenger cars. Not wanting a frozen duchess-icle, Discord stood close, but not the too-intimate-why-did-I-do-that close as before. Gracie unconsciously filled the gap, pressing against him. Discord’s nose scrunched, but he didn't have the heart to push her away. By Celestia he wished there was something to fill the silence. Fortunately that came in the form of Shining Armor, who quickly entered.

“What's going on?” Discord asked. “ I swear I did nothing.”

“The tracks were destroyed,” Shining replied. “Completely obliterated.”

“But...but how?” Gracie asked, stepping towards him. Shining shook his head.

“All there is is minor traces of magic. Strong, too. The damage was done hours ago.” He replied, taking up their bags. “There's a town close by. We won't be able to take the train for a while, so we can stay there until we can think of something.”

Discord nodded, and wordlessly shifted into a normal unicorn, but looked uncomfortable. Popping his neck, he grabbed the remaining bags and slipped open the car doors to the outside. While there was less snow than Ponyville, it was just as cold, and they could just barely see the town in the distance. The train tracks held a different story, however. Smoldering remains of wood and iron twisted up to the sky in a nightmarish sculpture; it smelled like sulfur and singed fur. Gracie gasped at the sight, a hoof flying to her mouth.

“Who would do such a thing?” she whispered, staring at the wreckage.

“Someone who really hates trains, if I had to guess.” Discord replied, stepping close to the tracks. Something felt off and familiar about this, and it sunk in his gut like a brick. He felt a hoof grab his foreleg, and he turned to see Gracie looking nervously at him.

“Don't get too close! You might get hurt…” she said. He nodded, and after one last look, he pointed her towards town.

“Let's get to town and to some real beds, eh? It's still almost midnight, and I'd rather you not become a pumpkin, your highness,” Discord said with a low chuckle. Gracie smiled and nodded with a small laugh of her own, enjoying the idea of a real bed as they left the train alongside a sea of other passengers into town.

----

“Are you serious?”

Spike looked up from the small pile of rocks he had shoved together on the floor to Tirek, who glowered at the image the necklace was projecting. Peering at it, it showed three ponies, including Fluttershy, walking into a cozy looking inn.

“What?!”

Tirek growled loudly, swiping at the image, and nearly threw the amulet across the room, stopping himself before he could. He still needed the wretched thing.

“Can't follow a damned order correctly, a few miles of track later and it would have been perfect! Three birds, one crash! The Duchess, the Captain, and dear Discord- dead!” Tirek shouted, slamming his front hooves down hard in the ground, leaving two round imprints in the bedrock. The amulet slowly fed him more and more power, and he kept growing stronger. Spike looked on in fear as he picked it up.

“But next time...no mistakes…”

----

With the train to Canterlot out of commission from town, the group had no choice but to head east of their destination, and into the northernmost part of the Everfree Forest where Shining knew there would be secure transportation to Canterlot. Fortunately, due to the uncontrolled magic of the forest and the Pegasi of the surrounding towns, the area was warmer, with little snow. In the distance, the group could see the country’s glittering capital. At the sight of it, Shining felt a weight fall from his shoulders, and with it came the promise of seeing Cadance again. As they waited for the next carriage to come by, Gracie watched as he nervously trotted back and forth down the road. Curiously, she glanced over at Discord.

“ Why is he acting so...flighty?” she asked. Discord glanced over and smirked.

“Oh he's just pining away over his beloved princess Cadance,” he explained, watching as Shining jumped at the sound of her name. “They're engaged, you know. Hasn't seen her in months.”

“That's so sad…,” she responded. “At least they'll see each other soon.”

“Very soon, actually,” Shining stated, coming to a stop next to her. “ We have to see her first.”

“Why? Shouldn't we go to Celestia first?” she asked, as Discord attempted to communicate ‘please stop talking’ to Shining by making quick slicing motions over his neck.

“No one claiming to be Fluttershy can appear before her until they've met Cadance. It's a test to see if she really is the Grand Duchess,” Shining explained, staring back up at Canterlot.

“What, but I...Discord…,” she turned in shock to Discord, who began to twiddle his thumbs.

“Yeeeeees?” he drawled, attempting innocence.

“You never said I had to prove I was Fluttershy,” she stated, slowly growing frantic. “Dress up, look nice I can understand, but I couldn't possibly lie! I don't know if I can do this anymore!”

Without another word, she ran down the path, stopping halfway across a bridge crossing over a small stream. Shining and Discord quietly stood next to her on either side.

“We should have told you sooner, and for that I apologize, Gracie,” Shining said.

“How am I supposed to learn an entire lifetime of a-a stranger?” she cried, looking at him.

“Gracie, there is nothing back in Ponyville. You can't change the past,” Discord replied. “Believe me; been there, done that.”

He rested a taloned hand on her shoulder. “I, and our Captain, are more than willing to teach, my dear. Are you ready to become her royal highness?”

Flowing Grace looked between the two and sighed, staring down at the stream underneath. He was right - all she had back in Ponyville was an empty memory and nothing. She looked up and smiled.

“I'll try.” she replied. Discord clapped his hands.

“Ladies and gentlemen, start your training! And may the best duchess win!”

Shining led her off the bridge. “Do you know anything about her- I mean, your royal highness?”

She shook her head.

“I suppose we'll begin there,” he replied, and began to sing. “You were raised in the palace in Ponyville.”

Gracie tried to imagine it, and replied. “The palace in Ponyville? Really?”

“Yes, that's right!” Shining responded. “You went flying when you were only three!”

“Flying! Me?”

And the clouds…”

“They were white!” Discord interjected, only to receive an odd look from the two. “I’m trying to help here.”

Shining quickly continued, leading Gracie from the bridge. “You and your sisters made faces and terrorized the cook!”

Threw him in the brook!” Discord sang, jumping onto Shining’s back. Gracie laughed at the thought and sight, especially when Shining knocked the draconequus to the ground.

Were we wild?”

“Wrote the book!” Discord cheered, grabbing her shoulders.

But you'd behave when your father gave that look!” Shining replied, giving the best impression of a stern King Sombra, causing Gracie to shy back a few inches alongside Discord. The draconequus leaned forward with the best comforting smile he could manage.

Imagine how it was!”

Shining moved to Gracie’s side, flinging a hoof over her shoulder.

Your long forgotten past!”

They began to herd her forward off the path.

We've lots and lots to teach you and the time is going fast!” They sang in unison.

“Alright...I'm ready!” Gracie cheered, delicately leaping up into the air. Shining leapt unto a fallen tree, offering a hoof help her up. Discord followed, summoning a stack of books on Gracie’s head. She wobbled, keeping them balanced.

Now, wings held back and head up tall,” Shining instructed, carefully walking backwards. Gracie unfolded her wings, and held her head up.

And do not trot, but try to float!” Discord added, floating past in the air, giving the books a gentle nudge forward.

I feel a little foalish,” Gracie said, moving her head gently to accommodate the books movement. “Am I floating?”

“Like a little boat!” Shining comforted, stopping halfway across.

You give a bow,” Discord said, quickly demonstrating. Gracie excitedly copied, keeping the books on her head.

What happens now?” she asked.

Your hoof receives a kiss!” Shining stated. Discord took Gracie’s hoof quickly placing a kiss on top of it, before levitating the books from her head to Shining’s.

Most of all remember this!” the two sang shepherding her forward on the tree bridge.

If I can learn to do it, you can learn to do it, “ Shining sang, gracefully walking backwards as Discord monitored Gracie, making sure she didn’t falter - but she seemed like a natural from the get-go.

Something in you knows it!” Discord cheered, gently nudging her chin up, keeping her from looking down at the stream far below her.

There’s nothing to it!” Shining continued. “Follow in my hoofsteps, shoe by shoe!”

You can learn to do it-” both Shining and Discord sang, before Discord stopped, his ear picking up something in the distance.

“Wait, I hear the carriage!” Discord exclaimed, craning his neck backwards to see the approaching vehicle. “We’ll continue this there!”

He quickly grabbed the two, and teleported back to their luggage in the nick of time and back into his pony disguise. The carriage was fortunately empty, and breathlessly, Discord collapsed onto one of the seats, raising a hoof to his two, vaguely dizzy companions.

“Remind me,” he said, slowly steadying himself, “Never to teleport, and transform at the same time. Sweet Celestia, my molecules are messed up right now.”

“We can always start back up again at the next town,” Gracie suggested. Although excited about the process of learning to be a duchess, she didn’t necessarily want to learn it all in one day. Discord coughed, and with a wave of his hand, seemed right as rain.

“Don’t you worry, your highness, I’m fit as a fiddle. And trust me, we will have plenty of time to review,” Discord responded, and with a snap of his claw, a long list of names and pictures appeared. It rolled halfway down the aisle of the carriage, and Gracie’s mind boggled. Shining patted her back, remembering when he had to memorize the family tree as well.

Next, you must memorize the names of the royalty,” Discord paused. ”Although it doesn’t matter; they get announced at literally every function, not going to lie.”

Shining nodded, and pointed to the more interesting, and living, section of the family tree. “Now here we have Thunderlane.”

“Shocked Bulk Biceps,” Discord stated.

“In the flank.”

“Oh!” Gracie gasped, staring at the two pictures with concern before Shining pointed to another photo of an earth pony.

And dear old cousin Braeburn loves his apples!”

“Got it Gracie?” Discord laughed, watching as the pegasus attempted to memorize faces and names as quickly as they were fed.

Not really, no!” Gracie said, as Shining listed more names.

“Big Mac!”

“He was…?” Gracie asked, for Discord to bluntly answer: “Big!”

“Count Yankee Doodle?” Shining asked.

“Had a…?”

“Wig!”

“Prince Blueblood!” Shining smirked, listing the name of one of the least favored cousins of the Duchesses.

Wears a feathered hat!” Discord laughed. Shining leaned closer to the two, about to impart the best of the royal gossip he had heard through the grapevine.

“I hear he’s gotten a little fat!”

“And I recall his yellow cat!” Gracie exclaimed, jumping happily from her seat, fluttering gently in the air. Shining looked at Discord in confusion.

We haven’t told her that,” Shining whispered.

Discord shrugged. “I didn’t even know he had one.”

Author's Note:

hi guys! sorry this took so long! college is a royal pain!

but anyway, we are still holding auditions! please check our blog or message us for any info! we need ya'll. audition away!