Behind The Scenes

by Jinadan

First published 13th of December, 2011

Fleur's got everything she ever wanted, but something in her still feels empty.

Fleur is a supermodel pony in Canterlot. She's got everything she ever wanted ; Fame, money. friends, a mansion, and even the most gentlemanly coltfriend a mare can get. But something in her still feels missing. Behind the cameras and acting, she lives a depressed life nopony knows about.

Prologue

"My my, you two make such an adorable couple." complimented Upper Crust.

"Oh, don’t flatter us. Here, cheers to you." Fleur replied as she levitated her glass and gave a toast to her.

After she trotted away, Fleur just sighed.

It was just one of those formal functions again. Events like this happen so often in her life it has become a routine. Honestly, she hated going for these parties, and the only reason she did was to maintain her reputation as a supermodel known all over Equestria. Everything in these functions were monotone, the fancy food, the wind orchestra, the ponies all being so sophisticated. To her, attending these kind of functions were times she had to put on masks, and she absolutely dreaded it. The only thing she could look forward to was the free exquisite wines and cocktails.

"Why, its my dear friend Fancypants!" exclaimed Spitfire, captain of the Wonderbolts.

"Spitfire, what an honor to see you here!" "I'll be back in just a second, dear."

By just a second you mean for the whole event. Fleur did not want to think this way, but it was true. Fancypants was a great fiance and all, but he had his flaws too. After all, nopony is perfect. She just walked around, drinking some wine, talking to important ponies and getting photos of her taken every now and then. Soon an hour passed, and Luna’s moon was now raised high in the air. The party had ended, and the couple was now walking out of the Canterlot castle ballroom.

They walked home together, but for awhile, they did not say a word to each other.

"I’m so sorry my dear," He broke the awkward silence.

"It’s okay." Both herself and Fancypants knew it was definitely not okay.

"Dear, I’ll have to attend one last meeting, I’ll be reaching home really late."

Fleur did not reply him. She had been too used to Fancypants going for meetings and events, leaving her alone at night most of the time. He waved her goodbye, as he trotted away.

Fleur entered her home and closed the door behind her. Her house was pitch dark, she switched on the light using magic, and went to the bathroom. She turned on the shower tap, as cold pelts of water hit her, causing a horribly uncomfortable sensation.

Oh my Celestia. Forgot to turn on the heater again.

She just roughly rinsed herself, and after drying herself with a towel, she collapsed into her bed. She just stared at the ceiling, letting thoughts run through her mind.

I’ve got everything I ever wanted since I was young. Achieving my dream of becoming a model, bits, a penthouse suite in Canterlot, a fiance, fans, friends, but why don’t I feel satisfied at all?

I just wish I was somepony else. I hate being myself now, i’m just a dirty, disgusting pony hiding behind a wall of masks. Maybe if I was a wonderbolt... I could just fly my troubles off. Or maybe if I was just a poor earth pony in Ponyville... I wouldn’t need to care about pleasing the ponies around me.

By now fresh tears were rolling down her cheeks. The unicorn promised herself she would never do this again, but she needed something to numb the pain for now. She knew it was only going to temporary, but at least, it would numb the pain... just for awhile.

Oh alcohol, Only you understand my real troubles.

Fleur took out a bottle of hard apple cider, grabbed a glass from the kitchen with magic, and settled back to her bedroom with everything in easy reach. She downed shot after shot until she reduced herself into a drunken, tear-filled sleep.

Chapter 1

UNICORN MODELS WANTED

Fleur’s eyes opened with glee. She had just graduated from Magic High School, and as a young filly in Canterlot, she knew this was her life calling; to be the most popular model in the whole of Equestria. Standing outside the poster on the Canterlot Boutique, she went in the store. Sure it wasn’t a big and well-known company, but if she wanted to shine, she had to start somewhere, and the start was here.

“Erm, hello.. Can I apply for the modeling job?”

The lady looked at her, and slowly scanned her body.

“Hmmm... You look okay. We’ll get the paperwork done, and we’ll start work tomorrow, is that okay?”

She nodded in joy. Fleur filled up the paperwork, handed it to the lady, and she walked out of the store. She walked home, definitely excited about her new job. She couldn't believe she just got a modeling job so easily.

My dream begins here.

The next day....

Bright lights were all shining upon her, making it hard for her to open her eyes wide. She was standing in front of a green screen, with many cameras and fancy equipment pointed at her. It has been around half an hour since she was posing, using different saddles every now and then.

“Okay.. A little more to the left, okay, stop. Perfect!”

“We’ll wrap this up for today. You’re really good for a first timer!”

“Thanks.” Fleur gave the camerapony a warm smile, as she took off the saddle on her using magic.

“Here’s your pay, 50 bits.” The boss handed the heavy coin pouch to her.

Woah, first I get to be in posters and magazines, and then I even get paid? This is simply fabulous. I’m sure mom and dad would be so proud of me!

Fleur never really spent time with her parents. They were working most of the time, and the only time they were back home was when she was already deep on her sleep. They would give Fleur a huge pouch of bits every week as her allowance, they thought by giving her money and a good education was the right way to love their only child. But they were wrong. They never knew the loneliness of their child.

Excited, Fleur decided that today she would wait for them to return home, to tell them the good news. She waited and waited, and it was only until a few minutes pass midnight before her parents came back.

“Mum, Dad, I got a job at the Canterlot boutique as a model, isnt that great?” She exclaimed.

Her father just gave her an incredulous sneer.

"I really should have known better than to get my hopes up like that, You’re just a disappointment. It pains me to see that despite all my hard work, this is how it has come. My only daughter is wasting her life posing in magazines only those useless drop-outs read.”

Those words cut her like a double edged sword. She held her head down, and without any words to counter her father’s disgusting reply, she just trotted back to her room slamming the door shut.

I’ll show you one day, I’m going to be Equastria-wide famous, and not a poseur like you.

This went on, she continued to model for the Canterlot Boutique, but soon things went for the better when she received a mail from a certain pony.

Dear Fleur,

Your modeling is absolutely marvelous. I would like to hire you as my personal model.

Yours faithfully, Photo Finish.

Fleur was jumping for joy on her bed. Her dream had come true, now, one of the most famous ponies known all over Equestria actually asked her to her *personal* model. It was a bit awkward meeting Photo Finish at first, she found it hard to adjust to her impatient personality.

But she did anyway, and soon she was in the mainstream magazines. Ponies on the street started to recognized her at sight, some of them asking for autographs and photos. All the fame and attention she was getting, and she loved it.

One fine day however, she bumped into Fancypants near the train station.. The youngest stallion in the whole of Equastria to earn his first million. He definitely wasn't your average Canterlot stallion, he was charmingly handsome and well-built, and he seemed to be a very distinguished pony with quite a bit of charisma. As civilised as the stallions looked like in her town, most of them were actually corrupted and perverted. Canterlot even has it’s own red-light district, the mares there were mostly foreigners who desperately needed money that the rich stallions in Canterlot could offer. After all, what is a stallion? A miserable little pile of secrets.

“Oh I’m sorry.”

“Its alright.. Hey, wait, aren’t you that model in Medieval Magazines?”

“Well.. Yes I am. Aren’t you the CEO of Colt Bank?

“Indeed I am.”

“Oh.. A pleasure to meet you, My name is Fleur.”

“Fancypants.”

“Oh.. what a unique name. Sorry for bumping into you though, I’ll have to go now, bye!” At this, she gave him a somewhat seductive wink.

They coincidentally met again for quite a few times, after all Canterlot was the most prosperous of cities, not the largest. Until one fine day, Fancypants mustered up the courage to ask her out on a date.

“I say, Fleur, do you want to get some Ice-cream? My treat.”

Woah, the youngest millionaire in Equestria is asking me to eat Ice-cream with him? It’s just like in those cheesy love novels.

“Sure, that would be an honor.”

This is unbelievable. I’m going out with the model of the month for Medieval Magazines to eat ice-cream.

It seemed so incredibly childish, two celebrity ponies eating something only foals would eat. But they both were satisfied with it, and that’s all that matters.

Eventually they began to go out more and more, and soon became a couple. Of course, this caused Equestria-wide attention. It sparked tons of unnecessary attention both of them did not like.

The media was putting an excruciating burden of stress on Fleur. Fancypants wasn’t helping, he was always busy, especially at night, and when Fleur needed him desperately, he would not be there. Yet Fleur could not push any of the blame to him, she thought her coltfriend was also as busy and as stressed as her, and complaining to him would only worsen things.

She started to drink a lot of alcohol, after a hard day of work while avoiding obsessed fans and journalists. Eventually, she developed a tolerance, but more than that, she also developed an addiction. Alcohol was the only thing that could take her problems away, even though it was only temporary.

And her life just carried on like that for months.

---------------------------------------

Fleur woke up in a dizzy slur. She felt so surreal, it was like she woke up in a nightmare she couldn’t escape.

“Drinking again, I suppose?”

Her eyes still blurry, she looked at Fancypants. He was dressed in his black tuxedo as usual, and he smelled of freshly sprayed cologne.

“I’ll be staying at home for the whole day today.” Fleur did not bother to reply the question he first asked.

“Don’t you have any work?”

“I’ll take the off day today.”

“Well.. Okay then. I’ll be back early tonight, I promise. Okay Dear?”

“Sure..” She gave him a slight nod. She just watched as Fancypants trotted out of the house.

Note : Sorry if it’s too short. I tried my best, and it turns out I’m really not good at writing emotional fics.