Amongst Royalty: Life in Canterlot
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Fleur De Lis smiled for the camera, showing her sparkling white teeth behind her soft and delicate lips. The flash resounded, forever capturing her beauty in that moment. The mare who had taken the photo nodded, signaling to the model that she could move once more.
Fleur dismounted the stage, slowly making her way to the other side of the camera. With her horn, the mare gently lifted a glass of cool water to her perfectly done lips, careful not to smudge her make up. She set it down, closing her eyes and sighing out with a smile.
"Thank you, Miss De Lis, we're done for the day." She nodded to the stage manager, happy that after several hours of posing, the super model could finally rest. "You can pick up your check soon." Fleur nodded, hiding her excitement at the mention of monetary payment.
She picked up her coat by the door, again using the magic of her horn to tie the thick strap around her petite body. She smirked, adoring the way the coat hugged her curves and made her look beautiful.
Fleur De Lis left the studio, walking home on the quiet and clean sidewalks of Canterlot. As she slowly trotted home, Fleur encountered two of her closest friends: Upper Crust and Jet Set. She waved to them daintily, giggling as she watched the couple bound over to her.
"Fleur! It's delightful to see you!" Upper Cruet hugged her friend briefly, smiling as she always did. Jet Set approached as well, taking his place by his wife's side. "A pleasant surprise." He nodded to Fleur, silently greeting the mare before him.
"Oh, Fleur! You won't believe what incredible gossip I've just heard! There's to be a dinner party, soon, I do hope we're invited." Fleur nodded, absent minded. She'd heard a small portion of what her friend had just told her, but was for the most part uninterested, and thus did not wish to know more.
"I truly must be getting home, Upper Crust. We'll talk more soon." Upper Cruet nodded as Fleur stepped away. The creamy yellow mare pressed into her husband's side, bidding her friend a shrill farewell before they, too, departed.
The tall and thin mare arrived at her apartment, entering through the main door and walking up the old and ornate stairs to the second floor. She fished a key out of her pocket, clumsily jabbing at the lock. She dropped the key, a metallic ring filling her ears as it bounced on the plush red carpets of the second floor landing. Fleur used her horn to levitate the key back up to the lock, twisting and opening the door.
Fleur entered her meager, although stylish, apartment, closing the door and locking it firmly behind her. She took her coat off, opting to toss it across a chair rather than hang it up. Fleur looked to her window, moving the curtain out of the way. She gazed at the immense homes of the Canterlot elite, sighing before lying down for a well earned night's sleep.
The next afternoon, Fleur returned to the photo studio to collect her payment. She went in, looking around for a pony she recognized. Fleur sidestepped over the wires and through the dark studio, trying not to distract the models or the photographer. She made her way to the offices, knocking on one door and entering.
The stallion behind the desk nodded, handing a small white envelope to the model. She had learned over time to check before she took her payment. Fleur opened the envelope, reading the amount and frowning. "This isn't all of it, where's the rest?"
The manager sighed, sitting forward and pressing his hooves together on the surface of his desk. "Most of the pictures, they just weren't good enough for use. We can't pay you in full for pictures we can't use."
Fleur ground her teeth together, huffing frustratedly out of her nose and skewing her hips to show her anger. "You don't understand, I really, really, need this money." She'd revealed her desperation, now feeling vulnerable and weak.
The stallion shrugged. "Oh well."
Fleur huffed again, leaving the office in a rage. She stormed out, once several blocks away cooling off, despite the fact that she felt completely robbed. As Fleur walked, she passed an ice cream parlour, an expensive one for her ritzy elite friends. Fleur shook her head, knowing that she had no money to afford comforting treats.
Once home, Fleur discovered exactly what she didn't want to find. Her landlord, the stallion who owned the building she resided in, waiting for her. He smiled sarcastically, standing up and sauntering over to her. She stood up unnaturally straight, always having felt uncomfortable in his presence.
"Fleur! Fleur, Fleur, Fleur." He smirked, raising his eyebrows and bobbing on his hooves. He wore cuffs and a thick tie, sharp eyes and a disturbed demeanor. "I'm here for rent, Fleur." He smirked grossly, pushing his thin glasses up his nose with one hoof, then, sniffling shrilly.
She sighed, shaking her head 'no' and frowning. "I don't have it today. I'll get it..." She stopped, hanging her head once more.
The landlord held up his hoof, scrunching up his face as if he'd smelt something foal. He chucked loudly, snorting out of his nose toward the end. "You're more often late than not, Fleur. You give me the run around every other month, I don't like that." His face grew serious, looking her over in a disgusted sort of way. "Get it, soon." He shook his head disapprovingly, running his hoof through his tossed and messy blond mane before walking away.
Fleur bit her lip, knowing that she was playing chicken with the wrong stallion. She went inside, moving slowly and feeling disappointed in herself. "What will I do now?"
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