Business Was Slow
Roseluck looked from left to right, there hasn't been anypony who dropped by to her shop recently.Business was slow, as usual, she had been waiting for customers in the marketplace for several hours now.
Idly, she raised a hoof and scratched her mane, the terrible heat of the afternoon was too much for her, but it was beginning to cool down now. She slouched on her flower cart, everything was quiet. There were barely any ponies in the marketplace today, everything was peaceful. The silence was accompanied only by the humming of birds around the bushes and the wind's soft whispers.
"Ah well, no point in waiting for somepony if nopony is going 'round here anytime sooner." She sighed.
She began to close down her little shop, just a few weeks ago the coronation yielded a booming business, sales were high and the bits were flowing, but now, everything took a U-turn to Depression Town and Looserville. She had barely enough bits to pay off her rents, and can barely even sustain herself, she's got about two weeks worth of money left to keep her kicking. Things weren't looking very pretty for the poor mare.
"Dark skies ahead for me then.." she said as she stared at her cart.
"Well, mother always said, 'When life gives you lemons, make some lemonade', I guess I do make a pretty mean cup of lemonade." She giggled, a small attempt to cheer herself up.
She placed her saddle pack at her back and trotted in the direction of her where her apartment was located, the afternoon always filled the marketplace with an almost dynamic array of orange, which made her trip home more enjoyable.
As she reached the town square,a familiar voice called out to her, it was one of her closest friend, Daisy.
"Hiya, Roseluck!"
"Oh, hi there Daisy, what brings you about town today?"
"Ah nothin' just looking around town, got nothing else to do besides mope on the couch all day."
"Well, I'm heading back home, wanna come and take a walk?"
"I'd like that"
The two mares trotted along the road, the afternoon sky was less bright as the hours pass by
Roseluck has completely forgotten all about time as she spent the rest of her afternoon talking with a friend.
They were right about friends being the outlet of your problems, they can really take out the daily tensions of your stressful life. But even friends can't take the horrible reality of life.
Right around the corner Roseluck could see her apartment, she looked at Daisy and raised a hoof, an 'I have to go gesture' as Daisy understood.
"Well, see you 'round next time then." Daisy chuckled, she swished her pale grayish green mane to the side which looked almost graceful to Roseluck.
"See you around Daisy"
Roseluck took the key from her saddle pack, she trotted to the door and opened it, once she was inside she immediately the herself on the couch. Tears rolled down her face, what was she gonna do?
"Hey, you know, you can always talk to me." It was Daisy, who was just following her all along.
"Your door was unlocked, and girl, I know for a fact that you wouldn't leave your door open unless you had something going on in your head, so what is it?"
Roseluck slumped her head, 'might as well tell her' she thought to herself.
"Well, Daisy, This whole flower cart business thing isn't doing very well, I have enough bits to pay my rents for this month, and after that comes the next month. I'm barely making any bits at all, and if I don't make any more by this month, then I'll have to leave, and where am I supposed to go? My mother would be glad to take me in but I don't want to trouble her with my problems."
"You can always stay with me." Daisy suggested, her eyes seemed to brighten.
"Daisy, you know I can't do that, I don't want to be a burde--" She was cut of by Daisy's hoof covering her mouth.
"That's what friends are for isn't it?" Daisy smiled.
"Daisy..." tears ran down Roseluck's eyes, she can't help it, the emotional strain of her current situation, backed up by this mighty act of generosity from her best friend was too much for even this strong mare to handle.
Daisy sat down beside her and took her in her warm embrace.
She could feel Roseluck's tears drench her chest.
"There, there....I'm here for you Rosey, I'm here for you." Daisy's voice comforted Roseluck, it always had.It was a sort of a sister-like bond between the two, a bond not even the might of Discord can break.
Outside, the sun was already setting, Daisy let go of Roseluck, still looking down at the distressed mare. Roselucks face was smudged with dried tears, like a white canvas smudged with grey stains.
"It's getting late." Daisy's soft voice echoed through Roseluck's ear.
"I should get going now." Daisy gave Roseluck a final hug before heading for the door.
Roseluck just stood there watching, she forced a smile on Daisy trying to tell her she's going to be fine, but Daisy and Roseluck have been friends for many years now, and Daisy wouldn't easily buy her friend's faked assurances.
"You're going to be fine Roseluck. I promise I'll help you out, through thick and thin." Daisy said as she trotted out the door.
The sun was already halfway down and Roseluck was feeling exhausted, emotionally and physically.
Millions of thoughts swirled around her head, 'what was she going to do next?' 'Would she be a burden to her very good friend?' 'Was this the end of her glory days?'
The very thought of such things was enough to push Roseluck to the brink of insanity.
She was thinking too much negativity on her future outcome, too much troubles and problems.
She apparently cried herself to sleep.
Author's Note
oy vey I didn't even know where to start with this, I tried to draft but a lot f things were on my mind, like Super Typhoon Haiyan and school. Jesus, it's a miracle I finished the chapter...
The next day was quite a very eventful day, Roseluck slowly trotted down the Square, she looked about and saw little fillies playing while birds were flying around. Another peaceful day. As the market was beginning to take view, she noticed that ponies were once again flocking the place. Roseluck's hopes went up, 'What day is today?' she thought to herself. While she was thinking a familiar voice called out to her, it was Lilly, a part of the trio of friends Roseluck belonged in, the folks in town even coined a name for them "The Flower Ponies".
"Hey Rose! Happy Hearts and Hooves Day!!!"
Of course, how could she have forgotten? It was the time of love,and dating, and without a doubt, FLOWERS!!!
"Oh my! I need to get to my shop!" Roseluck said aloud with a huge grin on her face, she galloped of leaving poor Lilly in the dust.
"Uhm, okay?" Lilly sat behind, she looked at the rose she was supposed to give to Roseluck,
"I guess I can ask you out later." Lilly sighed.
Rose quickly set up her shop, she arranged her roses in order as fast as a rabbit on full leap running from a fox.
The first customers were the more wealthier high classes, after them were the middle classes.Hours after hours of filling in orders was exhausting, It was almost sunset, she was just about to close up when a gorgeous white mare with a lavishly purple mane called her. she recognized her, she was the owner of the local boutique, Rarity was her name.
"Oh hello Rarity!" She said in a cheerful voice.
"Hello darling! I'd like to buy twenty large bouquets please. The festivities demand a stunning showcase of a fashionable array of colors, and apparently, what better way of filling that quota but through flowers!" Rarity chuckled.
"Twenty bouquets!?!" Roseluck was aghast, that much is enough to pay her rents for 2 months!
"Twenty bouquets right away!" She said while loading Rarity's cart with her order, standing beside it was the small purple dragon, Spike. Was she borrowing him today? Usually he's always by Twilight's side.
"So who are these for?" Roseluck inquires while working the bouquets to the cart.
"My very special and dear friends! Oh I can't wait to see their surprised faces when they see these." Rarity said grinning.
"That would...be!!..500 bits!!" Roseluck grunted as she pushed the last of the bouquets in the cart.
"But for you, I'll charge only 420." Roseluck smiled.
"Thank you dear, I knew I could always count on you for wonderful flowers that wouldn't poke holes on my purse" Rarity chuckled.
"Business must be blooming, huh, Rarity?" She said whilst putting her gains on her small money box.
"Well, of course dear, today's Hearts and Hooves Day after all, and over the past few weeks I've been getting orders from almost everyone around town, well, I think that's everyone except you dear? Whatever is the matter? Usually you would be one of the first to place an order around these days, is something troubling you?" Rarity said with a hint of curiosity in her face.
"Well, I'm rather down on my days to be able to afford a dress nowadays, sorry about that Rarity." She said as she locked the carts openings after putting her money box back in the counter.
"Oh my, we can't have that now can we?" Rarity said.
"You know what? For giving me such a hefty discount on these flowers, I'm going to make you a dress, for free!"
"Oh no you're too kind Rarity!"
"Oh come now dear! Generosity is my middle name! You were just about to close up now were you? Let me help you with that dear."
Rarity and Roseluck packed up the shop, Roseluck was feeling up again, she had enough bits to last her five months.
After they were finished closing up Rarity looked at Roseluck and smiled.
"Come with me Rose, let's go to the boutique while the sun's still up!" Rarity took Roseluck by the hoof and trotted to the direction of her shop.
"Come along Spike" She called out to the little purple dragon, whose face Roseluck swore was blushing.
He dragged the cart with him, a rather tremendous feat for such a small creature.
As they trotted their way down Roseluck noticed a strange looking cart she'd never seen around town before, it was black with hints of silver, much like the Manehattan types. She couldn't see the owners of such a vehicle but she guessed judging from the vehicle type, they were not from around here.
"Over here my dear." Rarity motioned for the boutique door.
Roseluck slowly went inside she could see the elegant designs in the room, topped of with the most lovely of ensembles although unfinished.
"Let's fit you inside my dear." Rarity said as she levitated a measuring tape from the neatly piled cloth in the side.
"You know Rarity, you're too kind, should give you something in return, here have fifty bits."
"There's no need for that dear, think of this as my repayment for the discount you gave me."
Rarity was obviously hard at work, swooping about measuring every inch of her body, she was drafting as she was doing so.
A talent Rarity had always possessed, far more complex than Roseluck's simple gardening, but then again, her Roses are the best in onyville and her work demands even the slightest hint of respect.
"There we are my dear, What do you think?" Rarity levitated a parchment where she drew her design concept, it was stunning, as expected of her.
At one point Rarity was even asked by Sapphire Shores to create for her a diamond dress.
Rarity was unexceptionally talented.
"It's lovely Rarity but please, I don't be a freeloader." Roseluck was feeling rather guilty having to work Rarity after weeks of filling orders from other ponies.
"Oh shush now darling, if you don't take it then I would be the freeloader, after all you did give me such a marvelously huge discount."
Rarity went to her working table and began snipping a dress for her, "Well you can go now darling, I'll have this up for you in about three days time."
"Thanks a lot Rarity, this really means a lot to me."
As Roseluck trotted outside the sun was already beginning to set. 'Oh no, how long was I with Rarity?' she thought to herself.
Her trotting doubled as the sky was getting darker, she hasn't even reached the square yet.
She was getting tired of trotting so fast, she had to rest herself on one of the ghettos of a nearby building.
Then out of the sharp corner of her eye, she noticed three finely dressed Stallions, they looked as if they were threatening each other.
And then, as swift as the winds, a loud bang thundered the air and the other stallion fell to the floor.
Roseluck's eyes filled with horror as she realized what this was, a murder, she had just witnessed a murder!
Now throughout the day's events we could summarize that everything was going rather well for the mare, she earned quite a lot of money today, she's getting a free dress from Ponyville's best, but now, now could be the most terrifying moment of her entire life.
And what could make it even more terrifying? The question swayed through her head, and as if fate had answered, one of the stallions glared directly at her!
She was scared, she was frozen with fear, she couldn't move, couldn't scream.
She just stared as the two stallions slowly walked towards her.
Was this the end?
Thoughts flashed around her head, and it was as if she could see her entire life flashing before her eyes...
They got closer.....
And closer....
And closer....
Oh ever so close, it seemed time slowed down for the terrified mare.
And , just in the blink of an eye, the two thugs were in front of her.
She looked up, sweating with fear in hey eyes.
What was she going to do now?
Author's Note
This chapter didn't take me long at all, since this was drafted. Ah well poor Rose, I wonder what would become of her in the next chapter, carry on reading...
I ran out of ideas for the next chapter now...better think while the night is still young...
