The same time, every Saturday morning, Roseluck would set up her stall of flowers and wait for the first of what would always be a steady stream of customers.
They always came one at a time, no matter how many there were. Always hungry, always a little confused, and always looking for something only she could bring them.
She always took time to speak to them, and to listen, because what a pony wanted more than anything wasn't someone to speak with, but someone who would take the time to listen to what they had to say.
On this day, she had that time.
The rest of the week in flower season was mundane, repetitive. A never-ending torrent of hungry ponies looking for bulk satisfaction at low prices. Food to fill, if not necessarily to tantalise. They would come and be gone, and her stall would be a little emptier, and her bit bag a little heavier, and someone else would listen to their words and hear their stories.
Saturday she was alone. Li and Daisy didn't work today; they were curled up in bed until noon most weekends, sometimes alone, sometimes with others, but always resting. They deserved it. One bright Saturday morning they would come to Roseluck's stall – sooner or later every pony came to her stall – but she was content to let that day linger in the future. Saturday was Roseluck's time, and to be honest the thought of seeing either of her co-workers meandering toward her personal space was... undesirable.
She glanced up at the sun, hovering uncertainly above the horizon as if unsure of whether to continue rising, and smiled as her first customer arrived. A stallion. She knew his name, in that vague sort of way that she knew the names of most of the ponies that visited the flower stand more than once during the week. He seemed a little surprised at the choice of fare presented, but a few suggestions from Roseluck set him at ease. They spoke for a while, and as he walked away into the faint morning mist he had a smile on his face.
And so it went for a while. A mare here, a stallion there. A young colt who seemed a little too pleased with himself. After listening to him wax lyrical about his plan to prank his friends at the lake, Roseluck gave him a candied hyacinth and sent him on his way.
And then she looked up, and saw a pony she had not expected striding toward her from the shade of the surrounding buildings. As the sun fell on her back, the mare's pace faltered and she looked around, but then her face brightened when she saw Roseluck at her stall, and she quickened her pace.
"Good morning to you, Roseluck," Twilight Sparkle called, grinning broadly at the sight of so many flowers. A frown crossed her face for a moment as she took in the sight, and then she looked over her shoulder at the shaded edge of the square. When she looked back at Roseluck she frowned again.
Roseluck took a breath and forced a smile to her face. "Good morning to you as well, Twilight. Can I interest you in anything?"
"Oh, um." Twilight glanced at the flowers again. "I—I hadn't really thought..."
Her eyes roved over the flowers, finally settling on a bunch of lilies. Roseluck smiled just a little as she saw Twilight pondering their broad white petals. She reached forward and tapped the display.
"Try one while you're deciding," she said quietly, and smiled again at Twilight's surprised glance. "On the house."
"Sure, thanks."
The flower lifted up in a pale aura and drifted slowly through the air, turning slowly as Twilight examined it. With a hesitant stretch, she tugged a petal free and chewed it slowly as she turned back to examining the rest of Roseluck's stock.
After a moment her jaw slowed, and then ground to a halt. Twilight looked around the deserted square, then up at the sky, and finally at Roseluck. "What day is it?"
"Saturday," Roseluck replied, and quickly turned her attention to fixing up a bunch of carnations that had fallen into an untidy mess. She could hear Twilight humming a tune quietly as she pondered Roseluck's answer, and then:
"I could have sworn it was Wednesday."
"Unexpected days have a habit of catching up on us," Roseluck said.
To which Twilight nodded slowly, as she chewed at another of her lily petals. She spun the half-eaten flower in her magic and stared at it, then glanced at Roseluck again.
"Celestia said something similar to me a little while back."
"Is that so?"
Twilight nodded slowly. "Something about wanting to spend more time with me. She seemed so upset, too. I told her it was okay, every moment I'd spent with her was... was the best I'd ever known, and it's true. She smiled when I said it."
"I'm sure it helped," Roseluck said, not quite looking Twilight in the eye as she spoke.
"Are you alright? You seem a little..." Twilight's eyes roved as she searched for a word. Roseluck shook her head and smiled again.
"I just hadn't expected to see you so soon," Roseluck replied, turning her attention back to her stall.
"How do you mean?"
"Oh, well." Roseluck let her work lapse again and tilted her head to one side. "You're one of my favourite customers, but I know for a fact you usually spend your Saturdays sleeping in, just like Lily and Daisy."
"Oh that reminds me, I'm a little short of daisies again." Twilight reached forward to touch the flowers, and looked up at Roseluck with a hopeful expression. "I'll take twenty, if that's okay?"
"How about something else while you're here? I've got some lovely Rosemaries today."
Roseluck waved a hoof at a bunch of purple-blue flowers that seemed to glow in the early sunlight. Twilight's eyes widened as they came to rest on the flowers, and she nodded forcefully.
"And some daffodils," she added, licking her lips. "I don't know why, but suddenly I feel like I could eat nothing but daffodils for the rest of my life."
Roseluck lowered her eyes and nodded, reaching for the flowers Twilight had requested. Slowly, though. As she bagged the purchases she looked down at Twilight, watching as the unicorn's eyes widened again, as she took another bite of her lily. And then she frowned, and lifted the flower up to look at it.
"You know, I was sure it was Wednesday." Her brow lowered and she looked around the square again. "Wasn't I in Canterlot? How did I get back to Ponyville?"
"That'll be fifteen bits, Twilight," Roseluck said, keeping her voice low. She reached across the stall and waved her hoof at the reluctant mare. "It was nice seeing you again."
"Sure, just..."
Twilight frowned and shook her head, smiling uncertainly as she tugged a bit bag from wherever unicorns kept their money. Her frown faded as she counted out the coins, and by the time she handed the money across to Roseluck, Twilight was smiling again.
"I never realised you spent your time out here like this," she said, with another appreciative glance at the stall. "If I'd known, I'd be here every week. You're always sold out of the good stuff by the time I get to you on the weekdays."
"Everypony finds their way to my stall sooner or later."
"And now I have too!"
Roseluck nodded and bit her lip. She found herself looking at her own flowers, and sighed quietly.
"Rose? Is there something..." Twilight tilted her head.
"I'm fine. Have another freebie if you like," Roseluck replied. Twilight glanced at the flowers and shook her head.
"I'm good. Still have to finish this one."
She held up the half-chewed lily and chuckled. Roseluck found herself laughing along too, but despite Twilight's objections she tugged another flower free and held it out.
"A sunflower? A little heavy on the symbolism there, don't you think?" Twilight held up the flower and stared at it, then laid it down on the cart. Her hoof waved across a few bunches as she hummed again. "I think I'll take something a little more... this one."
Roseluck leaned over to peek at the flower Twilight indicated. She nodded. "The Iris, good choice!"
Roseluck plucked a pair of the flowers and handed them to Twilight with another smile.
"Faith, hope, wisdom, compassion and valor if my memory serves," Roseluck said, noting Twilight's curious frown. The unicorn nodded slowly, turning her eyes to the flowers, and then the rosemaries and daffodils in turn. " I have to be aware of the symbolism some of my customers associate with their purchases. Just in case."
"Anything else?"
"One or two things, but they aren't important."
Roseluck nodded, settling the matter in her mind, and Twilight turned to leave. But then she hesitated at her first step, her forehoof hovering in the air and her eyes staring away into nothing.
"She was crying," Twilight said. She looked up at Roseluck. "It feels like I—do you think I upset her? Did I do something wrong?"
Roseluck smiled again and shook her head. "I haven't spent much time with Princess Celestia, but she doesn't seem the sort that would be upset at anything a pony who she loves might do. Especially not you, Twilight. You're very special to her."
"But she seemed so..." Twilight frowned again as she turned away. "I never told her how much I love her. I hope she remembers I do."
"I'm certain she does." Roseluck nodded to the mist. "Don't forget which way to go."
"I can find the way. Thanks." Twilight smiled and nodded at Roseluck. She hefted her bag and turned to face the thickening mist at the far end of the square. "I'll see you again."
Roseluck waited until the mist had swallowed Twilight before shaking her head. She touched a hoof to her cheek, and was unsurprised to find it damp when she took it away again.
When she looked up at the sky, the sun had begun to set.
Author's Note
Blame Arcshod for coming up with the idea and Alamais for not stopping me when he had the chance.
