This story is a sequel to Anchor Foal: A Romantic Cringe Comedy
It's been over a year and when it comes to the little routines of labor and love, Fleur still hasn't managed to fully adjust. She needs to find some means of making it all last. And one thing she can definitely try to do is screen out anything which threatens to make her mate unhappy. Such as, just by way of very unwelcome example, the brother. Because Zephyr wants to be part of Fluttershy's life. He claims to have changed. But Fleur doesn't know whether change is truly possible.
Or if she's really changed at all.
(Now with author Patreon and Ko-Fi pages.)
Chapters (25)
Author's Very Public Note: as the above link suggests, this is a sequel to the original. And I'm going to repeat that: this is a sequel. A direct, all-references-to-previous-events-hopefully-recognized sequel. Do NOT read this unless you've finished the first one. Or you are going to be very confused.
To everyone else: we're back.
Possibly even due to popular demand!
...'a few people asked' can be popular...
Fluttershy with her hair up!
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I know an definitely asked. And a promising start! Obviously the main question is what The Square is about; I have a few guesses but I look forward to finding out how wrong all of them are.
Good to see my favourite anti-villain is back.
THE CRINGE IS REAL WHEN ZEPHYR IS INVOLVED.
Also this means I need to light a fire under my ass and read the first Anchor Foal.
New estee! Awesome!
>estee Zephyr
oh no
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I have a singular guess for the Square, and we shall see.
Fleur. You’re over-thinking this. Just tie the stick to another longer stick, and hold that in your mouth. Guide it between your legs by feel, pee on it, and untie it with your field. And be thankful you’re a unicorn: the magic field never needs cleaning, unlike the tench!
Presumably not for sperm count and motility; what other requirements does the Most Special Spell have?
Guinea pigs are the best pet. Not easy or cheap to keep well, they have their needs, but the right balance. I’m cuddling mine right now!
That’s reason enough for Zeypher to die right there, before the first “hull-o”!
Great to see you back with a new story! This one’s really fun too, your world looks so alive through Fleurs jaded eyes. I’m always left wondering just which world this is though: what are Cerea, Tych, and Glimmer doing while Fleur deals with this latest monster?
Echoes of early Twilight. And Fleur's already lost her place in Canterlot.
Hmm. I'm going to put it out there, because I've tried the "I'll bring up my guess when the mystery's revealed" approach before and I never remember: The Square is when Fleur finally meets Fluttershy's parents. Which, given their line of work, always has a degree of uncertainty about specific dates.
But for now, as if there weren't enough to worry about in the cottage, here comes Zeph. I can only imagine what kind of first impression Fleur will leave. And where.
i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/original/000/609/251/6c2.gif
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That's generally all men need to have tested. Do you see the issue?
YES.
Anchor Foal is one of my absolute favorite stories on this site, and I'm very much looking forward to the sequel!
Hype!!! This is so exciting! I think the Square is when they go visiting Fleur's parents. But it could be different. I'm overjoyed to have another story set in my favorite Estee character's perspective.
Thank you so much for gifting us with this sequel, we're being spoiled getting it before the next Glimmer update. Awesome. :D
Oh yeah, in the road again. It'll be a bumpy ride.
Really, Fleur could probably make a deal with Discord to get Zephyr enrolled into the Prench Foreign Legion or something to get the stain away from Fluttershy.
Edit: I thought The Square could be the monthly poker night but that can't be right?
> The mares took a few seconds for nuzzling, then broke it up when they realized it had gone over a minute.
Aww!
...
> "And after..." Both eyes briefly seemed to sparkle under tripled light. "...if you do really well..."
Ha!
...
I wonder if the prequel says how long it takes... Checking... Seems like nope. We just know her name. Huh.
----
Typo:
central table,and > central table, and
My reaction to the Patreon post:
"Oh, no.
Oh, NO.
OH, NO."
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I dunno. Fleur is still in "villian with good publicity" space, as far as I'm concerned. She never actually atoned for her crimes. She never even apologized.
You just can't beat a brother. Stars know, everypony's tried. Zep is just too fast.
I'm expecting zephyr to become fast friends with Discord, much to everyone else annoyance
Well… The process of having a foal includes some rather unglamorous steps, it seems. Surely Ratchet could rig up an adjustable arm with clips on both ends that could attach to the wall of the trench…. Not that this would be a fun order to place.
I’m glad that Fleur can shake her naturally pessimistic mindset enough to remind herself that she actually is happy! At least she was before the end of the chapter.
Speaking of being Happy, glad to be back with her and continuing this story!
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As to the square on the calendar, I figure it’s likely that, or possibly Fleur’s former Griffon parents planning a visit, as that was a reunion suggested in the last story. The wild weather comment more directly suggests Fluttershy’s folks though.
Oof. Not knowing if there's something wrong with your ability to have children is one of the most insidious and painful insecurities a woman can have. Even knowing that you're barren can bring a sense of closure that not knowing can't.
At the very least, Fleur is strong.
Wow, that was a fast turn around for starting a new story (not that I'm complaining
).
So, by all current indications, Zephyr is living down to the common fan perception of him ...
Hmm ... maybe the whole "manual weather control" things isn't just because Equestrians are all control freaks ... we know that Cornucopia actually changes the plants it affects (the reduced flavor), perhaps something about it interacts badly with "wild weather"?
11307062 Fluttershy in a ponytail?
11307125 Or when Fluttershy meets Fleur's parents?
Awww yeah it's cringe time!
*-estee Zephyr arrives-*
OH NOOOOOO!
Hipster Pony is gonna have a baaaad time.
Though, in fairness, I do think Zephyr suffers from the same confidence issues the rest of his family does (Mum/Dad shy are very quiet and demure, Flutters is a wreck alot of the time), it's just he's internalised it as "I'm a failure who can never be good at anything" with a blustery, egotistical layer to hide it. Could be an interesting dissection of masculinity in regards to emotional fragility?
Alas, it is Worst Pony, and I just got done forgetting he exists, too...
And Fleur, why not pee in a cup, and then pour the cup out onto the stick?
Yeesssssss Anchor Foal returns!
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That would be a contamination, unless there were sterile pre individually sanitized and plastic cups, which would cost more money dipping into the cottages tight funds.
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Considering the veterinary surgery they regularly practice I'd wager Fleur is quite familiar with sterilization. All she has to do is find a small glass vessel of some description, clean it appropriately, and there you are.
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You mean Fleur 'Theoretical Princess Of Overthinking' Dis Lee?
Give her time. This is a mare who's been known to take the long way around.
Huh. I kinda expected more of a reaction to Living Sex Goddess Fleur. Wonder if he's just Rainbowsexual.
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That backfire i think, if fluttershy can't be a mother she wanted to be a auntie and Fleur set zephyr up with someone that make his life horrible like Limestone pie or worse
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It actually be funny if he was not attracted to her in the slightest, it throw her off her game and make him even more annoying to her
Old saying
You pick your friends. They are your fault.
God picked your relatives. (Including inlaws).
Why do people think God is benevolent?
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because he invented PR
11307682 That's unfair. *Everypony* is Rainbowsexual. (at least in the mind of one colorful pony)
so anchor foal came out of left field and absolutely rocked my world last month, and when i saw this in the featured box last night i about lost my mind
i am so, unbelievably excited for this
Added to "The Triptych Continuum Rebooted" in the AU folder, of course.
Zephyr is why there is a saying. Friends help friends move. Best Friends help friends move bodys.
Fleur I hope is very best friends with ponys (or possibly a Draconesque) that own shovels and answer the phone at 2am.
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Best Blender doesn't need to move bodies. Just needs a sufficiently wide drain.
I didn't see any cringe in the first story.
And now I see that's because you decided to save it all for the sequel.
Man, i've been rereading Anchor Foal over and over again since I loved it so much and now there's a sequel?! You spoil us Estee
"But there were less of them now"
"But there were fewer of them now"?
"and eye contract was broken"
"and eye contact was broken"?
"actually met, outright stealing it."
"actually met, outright steal it."?
Well, this seems off to a good start. :)
...For the readers. :D
I legitimately had a bit of an existential crisis when Daily Equestria Life wrapped up, because I realized there were currently NO ongoing longfics by Estee, and that means the fandom might actually be truly dead.
Rarely have I been this glad to have been proven wrong.
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Daily Equestria Life With Monster Girl is in the continuity here (taking place between AF 1 and AF 2), although Estee has said references to that story are going to be minimal to avoid confusing people who skipped it.
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There is also Glimmer, although that's been on hold while Estee pushed through the end of DELWMG.
A disturbing thought: Fluttershy is a hybrid, and in mundane biology even viable hybrids are almost universally sterile. And since Fluttershy is the eldest of the hybrids and (if I'm reconstructing the timeline correctly) has only been legal for a few years, it is very feasible that all hybrids are sterile and it's just that there hasn't been a chance for anyone to notice yet. Or even if some other hybrids are fertile, that doesn't necessarily mean that Fluttershy is.
So he has what, no sense of self-preservation at all?
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That and incredible lack of awareness. Also I distinctly doubt his story about being home more often. Because somehow he's missed that Fluttershy found someone. If Fluttershy is in communication with her parents they'd be all over that.
Oh DISSY! We gotta PRESENT for yoooooooou!
Oh! Good for her and Mr. Rich! (I hope.)
Oh good, she knows what to expect from him in terms of emotional maturity.
I'm honestly not sure if I want to know or not.
This explains a lot about Pinkie Pie's average first impression.
Oh. Oh. I see we're going to have even more reasons to hate him.
Yeah, this means war. There are some questions to answer, certainly, but Fleur doesn't care about them while Fluttershy's under enough tension to slice cheese. Or throats. Looking forward to the opening salvos. We'll see if she calls in any reinforcements.
What about spindling and mutilating?
Gee, who do we know who fits that description?
Incineration, that's a good option too.
That feels like something we're coming back to later.