Chapter 1: The Vibrant Hibiscus
Chapter 1: The Vibrant Hibiscus
It's 1 AM, and I just can't sleep.
It's just really warm in here, I guess. But it's because of my blush on my face, isn't it? I'm just over-thinking this incredibly stupid idea that came to me this afternoon, and I actually went ahead and did it. How will this turn out!? Ugh! Where was I when I thought of this?!
...
Well, I was working at the music shop, like always. Just another day at Fermata's Piano and Music Store, and I was inspecting and cleaning the pianos and accessories one last time before my lunch break. Looking outside through our window display, I saw Roseluck's flower stand just outside. I thought I'd give my old friend a visit, as she waved from her stand to me inside.
"Hi, Roseluck!" I said, the bell from the shop door jingling as I went outside.
"Hey, Mezzo! How's business?"
"Pretty good, actually. We sold our third piano this week just this morning!"
"Wow, that's great! I think I sold a garden's worth of tulips, cherry blossoms and lavender flowers myself!"
She then looks at my side, and raises an eyebrow. "Looks like you've got a little 'magic music dust' on you." she said as she pointed a hoof at my dark green coat and wings, spotted with the powdery white violin rosin from the bows I was cleaning.
"Whoops. Got anything to clean that with?" I chucked.
She rolled her eyes. "Yeah, let me see if I have a cloth around here." She tossed me a cream colored cloth with mahogany stripes at the top, and a picture of a rose at the center, her cutie mark as well as her coat-and-mane color scheme.
Busy dusting off the rosin, I heard Roseluck say, "Oh, hey Fluttershy! What'll it be?"
Oh dear, it's her! I shift my eyes from side to side, wondering what to do to avoid eye contact. It'll just be to much for me.
"Hello, Roseluck. A wonderful day, isn't it?" I heard her say. Right away, blush started forming on my cheeks and a warm yet chilling feeling filled my chest. Her voice was just so sweet, like a honey on a spring morning, like the gentlest piano melody in the breeze.
"Let me see, um...can I please have a bundle of cherry blossoms please?"
"Definitely!", Roseluck said, heading over to the said flowers. I was still busy at the corner of the inside of the stand, "cleaning" my coat with the cloth. I took as slowly and as unnecessarily precise as I could.
"Oh, my, what are...those!" the sweet spring voice softly exclaimed in slight awe.
"Hmm?" Roseluck mumbled, her mouth holding the bundle of blossoms. She placed them on the costumer counter, and then looked up to see what the honey-yellow pegasus was referring to.
"Oh, yes! Those are the Tropical Ponynesian Hibiscus Flowers! I got a shipment of them this morning!"
"Oh, my! They're gorgeous!" Fluttershy said still wide eyed. "Um, how much are they?"
"I'm afraid their quite expensive," Roseluck said in a slightly sorrow tone. "They're imported from Ponynesia, so a bundle costs 45 bits..."
"Forty five...." Fluttershy said fragilely, the words barely escaping her mouth.
"Oh, I'm afraid I don't have that much." She looked down for a moment, but then met eyes with Roseluck again.
"Oh, it's alright. I'll just have the cherry blossoms, please."
"Alright, Fluttershy! That'll be 5 bits." Roseluck said.
The pegasus placed a 10 Bit piece on the counter. Suddenly, the sound of something collapsing on the ground was heard in the stand. We all faced the source of the sound, and it was a bucket of packets of plant food.
"Whoops, sorry about that!" A orange Pegasus filly came on a scooter and whizzed to the stand. "Sorry, our ball just got a little off coarse..." she said, smiling guiltily.
Roseluck sighed, but let out an understanding half-smile. "It's ok, Scootaloo. Thankfully nothing fragile broke this time..." She then looked at the different colored bags of plant food. "Hey, Mezzo, could you give Fluttershy her change while I re-organize this?"
Oh, dear...
I put aside the cloth, and step forward to the mare across the counter. I looked down at the box of bits on one of the low shelves of the counter, trying to avoid eye contact. "Um..5 bits right?" I could see she just nodded, looking down at the 10 bit peice, and also trying to avoid our eyes from meeting. I gathered a few bits and placed them on the counter, and seperated 5 of the 1 bit peices for her. "Here you go."
But in my hastiness, one falls over the counter, onto the ground on her side of the counter.
"Oh my...sorry about that." I blushed warmly.
"Oh, it's alright." she answered. She retrieved the bit off the ground, and placed it on the table, then shoved them all with her wing to her saddlebag.
"Have a nice day!" I said, as she grabbed hold of the blossoms to place in her bag.
"Thank you very much!" She said, and shares a shy but prominent smile. I wave as she trots back to town, then I turn to Roseluck.
"You enjoy making me suffer, don't you?"
Roseluck just laughs, still sorting the plant food, "Hey, you're not gonna go anywhere by just drooling over her from the store window, you need to just talk to her!"
"Yeah, well, it's obviously not that easy. Complications come up that don't even matter when talking to anyone else. Suddenly you have to worry if you look at them from the left or the right! If my wings aren't too messy."
She appeared as of she was going to respond, but just sighed. She then looked out her cart to the town clock.
"My, it's almost 2:30. Gotta get going to the market square!"
"Oh, well, I still got till 3 to get lunch. I'll see you around, Roseluck!"
"Yeah, see you Mezzo!"
I stepped out of her cart, and to the reigns on the side of the cart. "Need help with that?" I asked.
"Nah, I got it this time." she said, smiling staight ahead, and she trotted off.
That was always our thing, every weekday. I would always offer to help, and she would decline with those same lines. It's sorta of an insider thing between us. It was back when she first got her flower stand, but had trouble moving it from spot to spot around town. For the first set of months, I would always help her from the music store to Ponyville's Market Square, where all the other stands were. But I guess she started working out or something, because one day, she stepped forward and said, "Nah, I... I got it this time."
She placed the reigns on her shoulders and off she went. I went by her side the first few times, as she still struggled the slightest. Eventually though, I would just ask, but she would say the same words everytime. My offer is always sincere though, and I would carry it if for some reason she couldn't.
....
Sugar Cube Corner is bustling this time of day, especially around the current autumnal season. The Cakes make their famous Pumkin Cinnamon Bread that tastes as heavenly as it smells. And it gets cold pretty early in Ponyville, so with some Light Hot Chocolate to go with the Bread, not even Celestia knows a better treat.
But today, I felt like just a Sandwich would suffice, with some warm sweetened tea. I head in the Gingerbread designed bakery shop, and breathe in that sweet bakery scent of coffee and toasted bread.
Then, Pinkie Pie.
"Hey, ho, hello, Mezzo! Isn't today the best-o?!"
"Hey, Pinkie! As sweet as a Twinkie!"
What can I say? Another routine.
When I first moved to Ponyville because of the Piano Store location change, I wandered around town looking for a place to eat. When I came upon the scent of the bakery, immediate familiarity hit of the Mexicoltan bakery I adored back in my hometown, San Caballero.
Then, she happened.
"Woah! I've never seen you before! And I know everyone in town, so you must be new! And that means a new friend!!"
She just appered out of nowhere and started bouncing in front of me. I was surprised and a bit scared at the sudden social interaction, me not being the most social of ponies. But when she opened her eyes wide and looked at me straight in the eyes, there was this magical twinkle that just made me... Smile.
She seemed to cheer even more because of it, if that was even possible. "I'm Pinkie Pie! So so so! What's your name?"
"My...my name is Mezzo Piano. But... You can just call me Mezzo."
"Mezzo? Mezzo Mezzo Mezzo! Oh, it's so fun to say. Mezzo Presto Best-o!"
I couldn't even at that point. I just couldn't. I burst out laughing. "And your as sweet a Twinkie, Pinkie!"
Then we both just collapsed on the ground laughing, and probably everypony in the room staring at us like we were psychos.
....
"I'll just have a cheese and Daisy sandwich with some sweetned tea, please."
"Sure thing! I'll get that for you in a jiffy!"
She zoomed into the kitchen. I looked up for a moment, then heard a muffled "Here you go!" beside me. I jumped, as she usually isn't even THIS quick.
"Geez Pinkie, you might be an Earth Pony, but you gotta have a teleportation spell that you have somewhere!"
I fiddled some bits from my saddle bag, grabbed the tray with my hoof, and gave her the 7 bits. A muffled "Thank you" from me, a treadmark smile from her, and I went to a table to eat.
....
6:45 It was almost closing time at the music store. Right after helping a customer with fixing their cello, Pizzacato Pluck, one of the other employees, called me over.
"Hey, the boss wants to talk to you." he said, with a somewhat serious tone.
"Uh, really?" I ask, with a raised eyebrow.
"Yep, says it's important."
bit my lip. Mrs. Fermata usually doesn't have one-to-one meetings. My hooves shiver a bit, and I trot across the store to the back room. Down an white empty hallway with one framed picture of a piano, was one door with a simiple miniature metal label:
MRS. FERMATA
Owner
I knocked thrice.
"Come in."
She was at her desk, with a shallow ocean of papers haphazardly scattered on the table. She was writing a mile a minute with a ballpoint pen in her golden-yellow magic. She was a mare of a slight build, lemon yellow coat and a slightly curled brown mane with a large white stripe splitting through.
"Y-you wanted to see me, Mrs..."
She suddenly looked up, then in a flash, all her papers levitated out of the way, organized in perfectly stacked piles on her cabinet.
"Ah, Mezzo! Jus' the pony ah wanted to see!" she joyfully exclaimed, the southern drawl reverberating throuoght the whole room, which was also painted pure white besides the dark chocolate desk and cabinets.
I was taken aback, then smiled weakly.
Her horn glowed, and a single sheet of paper soared from the cabinet, and straight in front of me. Then she levitated her pen, and it circled a money amount on the paper.
"You know what this is?" she stated, now a more serious tone.
I analyzed the title: "Total Sales History Jul 7 - Oct 5"
Then, next to then number she circled:
"Total Aug Sales: ß54,559" [ß = bits]
My eyes widened. "Is that really.."
"YES, IT IS!", she cheered. "That's a company record! We've never sold that much in one month! And all thanks to you, Mezzo!"
I looked a her puzzled. "Me?"
"Why, yes you! Who do think sold 3 grand pianos in 1 week? Not to mention a cello and string bass!"
I blushed a bit, not knowing what to say, "Well, thank you very-"
"No, thank YOU! That's what I called you here for your bonus check!"
My jaw dropped. Then a goofy smile crawled up on my face. "I-I....Thank you, I'm- I..."
As I stammered, she was levitated a blue slip, scribbled her signature, and shoved it my way.
"Weekly Salary: ß400
Bonus Salary: ß210
Total: ß610"
"Alright, hun, you can go now", she flashed a smile.
I raised my head to look at her, then suddenly all her paperwork teleported to her desk. She was again entranced in her work. I stared for a few more seconds, waiting for some sort of response, but none came. I just trotted backwards towards the door, pushed it open with my rump, and kept my eyes on her until I was completely out if the room and shut the door in front of me.
"I sometimes forget how strange she can be," I said to myself, staring at the name engraved on the label on her door.
...
After exchanging the check at Ponyville's Bank Of Equestria, I pondered what I could maybe get with a portion of the bits of the extra money. I decided maybe I should treat Roseluck and a few friends to dinner tomorrow. We've been eyeing this Istalion restraunt, Giardin della Rosa, that have their famous homemade Cheese And Mushroom Lasagna. That or just stuff ourselves at Poniberto's Mexicoltan Food.
The Market Square at dusk is my favorite part of Ponyville. The lanterns give a warm and brilliant glow to the calmed yet bustling atmosphere, ponies lightly conversing and laughing as they buy and sell their freshly grown or made goods. Stands of ripe fruit, of crafts of vibrantly colored cloth or wood, and powerful aromas of various herbs and spices. Roseluck's flower stand was just adjacent to a Natural Pest Control stand, always having a large stock of Paraspite Repellant (I guess whenever Pinkie Pie can't perform her cursed polka song that got in my head for months and got me writing collections of polka tunes).
"Oh, hey Mezzo! Came for a visit?" Roseluck asked. It seemed like she had sold most of her merchandise, as there were empty boxes that were once filled with daisies or daffodils.
"Yeah, I wanted to ask if you and a couple of friends would like to go somewhere to eat tomorrow. I got a bonus today at the music store!" I explained.
"Wow really? Oh, well, sure, I'd love to go somewhere if you don't mind!" she said, starting to organize her crates to close up and head home. I started pitching in by removing some of the "on sale" signs around the front of the stand. I came across the one that said "New! Ponynesian Hibiscus - ß45/ bundle of 5".
"Hey, you said these were really from The Ponynesian Islands?" I asked.
"Yep, always wanted to have a stock of them since I saw them on a botany magazine a few months ago. They sold pretty well too!"
I suddenly bit my lip. I remembered this afternoon when she wondered on them. Maybe I could....
"Do you...have any left?"
"Yeah, just two bundles." she said. Then she scoffed, "Would you like to buy a bundle?"
"Actually, yes."
She giggled, then looked at me. A quizzed look appeared on her face, "You're...serious?"
I thought about what to say.
"Well, yeah, I mean...yeah."
She then came closer, face to face with me, analyzing my every twitch and expression. "Really?"
"They're 45 bits right? Yeah, I'll take one."
She was still glaring quizzically at me. Then sudden realization hit her face, and that goofy smile attacked my facial muscles, knowing what to expect now that she found out why I wanted to buy those flowers.
"Oh, why, of course Romeo, my gentlecolt, of course...", she was mischievously swaying with her words.
I couldn't say anything when she was like this. She knew me too well.
"Would you like your bundle wrapped in hearts?" she said, pointing a hoof to the red and pink gift wrap designed with various heart shapes and sayings. "Would you also like to hire a string quartet, so you can sing to her all night long from outside her balcony?" She then started singing, "O, je t'aime, madame, je t'aime"
Roseluck laughed wildly, as she wrapped the bundle. I just stood there, looking at the ground, intense blush now where that goofy smile had resided on my face. My wings clasped tight against my torso, my hooves tensed up.
Suddenly, a mild shove woke me up, and Roseluck was beside me, a warm smile on her face.
"I'm just messing with your mane, Mezzo." she explained, then she placed her creme hoof in my blue-charcoal colored mane, and handed me the bundle of violet-red flowers. I went into my saddlebag for the 45 bits, but she said, "No, no. Seeing you actually do this will be all worth it for me. Free of charge."
My eyes widened, and guilt yanked at my chest. "Oh no, I couldn't accept that, Roseluck. These cost 45 bits, I.."
"I sold enough to pay for it. Plus, you're treating me to dinner tomorrow, Romeo, where you can tell me all about how it
went."
I went for a hug. "Thank you, Roseluck."
"...You're welcome, Mezzo."
