The autumn nights in Canterlot are peaceful and calm, the wind blows softly filling the air with a gentle scent of apples and cinnamon. The street lights glow as shops start to close down for the night. A woman with purple hair and streaks put up in pony tails and wearing a worn and tattered hoodie and clothes walks through town from the bus stop by the Canterlot High Memorial.
“I never thought I’d be back here.” She admits as she walks aimlessly in town.
In another part of town Violet Rose opens the door to a flower shop as Granny Smith walks out holding a few bags.
“Thank you so much for this Miss Rose.” She thanks.
“It’s nothing really, it’s the least I can do for you and your family, just remember to drink that tea three times a day for about a week, you’ll feel better in no time.”
Granny Smith turns around and looks at Violet with comforting eyes.
“Don’t go thinking you owe us for what happened to Applejack, she maybe gone and we all do miss her, but who she saved brought so much life into this town.”
“You’re right, I guess I’m still not over it, even after these past few years.”
“Distracting yourself isn’t going to help, you know.”
“You’re right, thanks, now get home before you get lost again.”
“I will, you have a good night.”
“You too.”
Granny Smith gets into her red beat up pickup truck and drives off. Violet sighs with a soft smile before going back inside.
Inside she takes a broom and sweeps up the floor of dust, dirt, leaves, and pedals.
“Addison, play The Chimps album the Then Then.”
Seconds later music starts playing as she continues.
“There we go.” She remarks before getting the dust pan.
The flower shop itself is small, but full of variety. Flowers on one side and herbs and spices on the other. Along the back wall behind the counter, bags of dried roots, petals, spices, fruits, and herbs line the wall, organized by type and use. On the countertop at the wall is a pastel and mortar and small stacks of spice bags and tea bags.
After cleaning Violet waters the plants before going behind the counter towards the back wall and starts grabbing some bags of the dried spices, plants, herbs, and fruit and grind them up.
A couple hours pass as Violet stocks the last of the tea bags. She sighs and smiles before shutting off the lights. She stands at the door and looks back and smiles.
“Good night my children.” She mentions before closing the door and locking it.
She pulls down a set of stairs at the side of the shop and climbs up them. When she gets to the top the stairs go back up. After turning the building’s corner is an apartment. A small window with a window garden and a wooden door. However the door was cracked open. Violet took a step back before her eye and the vine like marking on her left side glow green.
A few seconds later the sound of a thud is heard.
“Hey, what is this, let me go!” A woman shouts.
Violet steps inside.
“Who the hell are you and why the fuck are you in my house?” She asks.
“I thought this place was abandoned.”
“Even though it has brand new everything?”
“I wouldn’t know, I didn’t turn on any lights.”
“Uh huh, sure.”
The vines around the woman squeeze a bit more.
“What’s your name?”
“Aria Blaze, my name is Aria Blaze.”
“I’m Violet Rose, my cousin told me about you and your who I assume are your sisters.”
“What about it, that was years ago.”
“Nothing about it, now how to handle you breaking into my home.”
“Just let me go, I won’t come back, I swear.”
“I should just call the cops.”
“No, please, not them.”
Violet taps her fingers against her chin, looking upwards as she does.
“Well, how good are you at cleaning?”
“I worked with a cleaning company for a year, I know how to clean.”
“Perfect, so you have a choice, be my house keeper while I’m at my shop downstairs, I call the cops, or you can be plant food.”
Aria sighs and looks away.
“Fine, I’ll be your fucking housekeeper, now can you let me go?”
“In a second.”
Just then a vine wraps around Aria’s wrist and breaks off before releasing her and going back to the hanging plants.
“How do you do that?” Aria asks.
“I control them, I’m basically a warlock.”
“What’s this thing on my wrist?”
“Think of it as a way to gain my trust, if you leave a certain distance without my consent, that will let me know and I call the cops.”
“Understood.”
“Good, you start in the morning.”
“Where will I sleep?”
“The couch folds out into a bed.”
Violet takes off the cushions of the couch and takes out the fold up mattress and frame. She then goes to a closet and pulls out a couple pillows and blankets and places them on the bed.
“Have you eaten?” Violet asks.
“Not since yesterday.”
“I’ll take that as a yes.”
Violet goes into the kitchen and pulls out some chicken and a lemon from the fridge. She waves her hand in front of a window garden as the plants suddenly grow. She picks off parts of them and chops them up. She then throws the chicken into a pan and adds the herbs and cuts the lemon up as well.
While the chicken cooks she takes out a freezer bag of green beans and puts them in a pot with a strainer inside.
“Almost ready.” Violet announces.
Aria sits down at the small table as Violet plates the chicken and strains the green beans. She brings the plates to the table and puts her hands together.
“Thank you Mother Gaia for the food.” She thanks before eating.
“Uh, thanks.” Aria thanks.
“You’re welcome.”
“So what am I expected to do exactly?”
“Just keep the place clean, not looking for spotless, just clean up stuff, water the plants, that kind of stuff.”
“Okay.”
“We’ll turn in early, opening the shop early to get in on as much sales as I can, winter is hard for me so I need what I can get.”
“What do you do?”
“I run the flower shop downstairs.”
“Ah, so what do you do in the winter?”
“Just special orders from up here really and staying warm.”
“Not much of a cold weather person are you?”
“No, it makes me miserable.”
“Oh goodie.”
“I’m not that bad.”
“We’ll see.”
They both finish their food and put the plates in the sink. Violet yawns and heads to her room.
“Get some sleep, you’ll need it.” Violet advises.
“Uh huh.”
“Oh, be careful of Franklin, he’s grabby.”
“Who?”
“My pet plant.”
“I swear I just met you and you are already sounding crazy.”
“Oh you have no idea, but that’s something for later, good night.”
“Yeah, good night.”
Violet trust falls onto her bed and falls asleep quickly. Aria looks up at the ceiling from her bed and sighs.
“You did it now Aria, you look for a place to crash and become a maid, who knows if this will be a blessing in disguise or a nightmare.”
A few minutes of silence later and Aria falls asleep.
