Excitement meant a lot of different things to a lot of different ponies. For Rainbow Dash, excitement was defined in its most obvious form; thrillseeking, dangerous stunts, and death-defying tricks. Twilight Sparkle needed naught but a good book to get her blood pumping. Pinkie Pie was often excited by the smallest things, but it was a fun party that really got her going, whereas Rarity's idea of a thrill was the rush she got when an idea for a new ensemble popped into her head. Even quiet little Fluttershy, the last pony one would expect to seek excitement, experienced it with the birth of a new little friend.
Applejack couldn't understand why none of her closest friends could get behind her idea of excitement. For her, there were very few things more exciting than farming. She found wonder in everything about it. She held a great power in her hooves. With those very hooves, she created life by planting her seeds. She sustained life by giving each and every plant the care it needed, and she would be rewarded with fruits, vegetables, and grain, which were used to feed other ponies. The life she led was a thrilling one, and the other ponies did appreciate the hard work she did. So why couldn't they see it for the exhilarant experience that it was? Why couldn't they approach it with the same elation that she did?
Applejack asked herself all of these questions as she sat by her lonesome on the train to Trotlanta. Normally, she would be attending the annual Cultivation Convention with her neighbor and friend, Carrot Top. They'd reserved their room months in advance, as the volume of ponies piling into the nearby hotels was always high. Carrot, however, had been forced to pull out of the trip the day before due to a sudden illness, leaving AJ higher and drier than an overgrown and under-watered cornstalk. She'd made a last-minute attempt to convince one of her other friends to go, but none seemed interested. Twilight insisted that she was behind on her reading. Pinkie apologized as she informed AJ of a party she'd already had planned for that weekend, and Fluttershy apologized even more when she reminded AJ of the injured bear that she needed to be home to care for. Rarity had turned her nose up at the first mention of dirt, and Rainbow had simply said that it "sounded boring." AJ knew Rainbow wasn't trying to be hurtful with that, but it still stung, and she wasn't even given a chance to retort before Rainbow had zoomed off to Celestia knows where. So it was alone that she sat. The train ride had never seemed as long as it did this year.
It was late night when the train pulled into the Trotlanta stop. The mare gathered her things and made a hasty exit off of the train, a hurry attributed more to her need to stretch her legs than her eagerness to arrive at the hotel. She was happy to be here for her favorite convention of the year, but she dreaded her arrival at the hotel, because she knew exactly what would happen when she informed the desk that her roommate would not be attending. Due to how busy the convention was, ponies who waited too long to reserve their rooms would often get put on a waiting list and allowed to fill in for ponies who were no longer able to attend. Applejack couldn't lie and say that her roommate was still coming, and she wouldn't feel right denying permission for a pony without a room to take Carrot's place. She had heard horror stories, though, of ponies being stuck in rooms with undesirable sorts. Carrot had told her once of a time before the two had gotten to know each other, when she'd been roomed with a vile mare who smelled like she hadn't even heard of soap. AJ was not looking forward to the possibility of dealing with a pony like this, but still, when she did arrive at the hotel, she found herself consenting to Carrot's space being filled. Her natural sense of hospitality insisted.
Upon entering her room, Applejack placed her saddlebags on one of the two beds, then headed straight to the minibar. She rarely had much of a chance to drink while at home, since doing so would set a bad example for Apple Bloom. Carrot wasn't much of a drinker, so she would often eschew the minibar as an act of solidarity when the two would come here. However, nothing was holding her back here. In fact, the disappointment over having to come alone and the imminent arrival of an unknown roommate seemed to push her forward towards the sweet, numbing embrace of alcohol. The earth pony popped open a fresh jug of cider and took a swig. Her discerning taste buds noted that the local brand had nothing on the cider she made back home, but she wasn't terribly concerned. It wasn't the best, but it was more than acceptable.
Applejack's imbibing was halted by the sound of a key card sliding into the door. The apple enthusiast took a deep breath, preparing herself for whatever walked through that door. She watched silently as the door opened, and a cream-coated mare with a mane and tail colored with two shades of pink entered the room. She immediately relaxed; she had no clue what her name was, but she knew this mare with the rose cutie mark. She was a Ponyville resident, and she'd seen her around town, often with two other mares who she assumed were her sisters. She always seemed like a nice, polite sort, albeit a bit excitable when it came to things like zebras and cutie pox. Applejack's relief was apparently palpable, as the mare saw her face and gave her a warm smile.
"Applejack! Hello!" she said cheerfully. "Oh, what a relief...I was worried I'd get stuck with no room at all...or worse! I could have gotten stuck with some weirdo!" Applejack smiled awkwardly, embarrassed that this pony knew her while she had no clue what her name was.
"Well howdy, sugarcube!" Applejack responded, greatly thankful for the fact that this name-dodging term of endearment was so prevalent in her everyday vernacular that it wouldn't seem suspicious. "Nice ta see a familiar face!" She gave the mare a smile, then took another quick swig of cider as she watched her place her bags on the other bed.
"I know right??" came the mare's response. "And to think, my sisters were saying I wouldn't know anypony here! 'Oh, Roseluck, you'll be so bored and lonely!' Well, not when I've got a nice pony to share my room with, right?" AJ beamed, mentally breathing a sigh of relief that her name had come out.
"You betcha, Rose!" the farmer responded. "Ah bet we're gunna have a grand old time!" Rose giggled lightly, joining Applejack by the minibar.
"Mind if I have a cup?" Rose asked. "Your cider's pretty much the greatest thing ever!"
"Well, this ain't mine," AJ responded with a chuckle. "But it's still pretty good! Go on an' help yerself!" The flower pony did exactly that, retrieving a plastic cup for herself and filling it up with sweet cider. The two enjoyed their drink, a slightly awkward silence filling the air.
"...So!" Applejack said suddenly. "Uh...we never really got the chance ta talk much, have we?" Rose shook her head, taking another big sip of cider.
"Nope!" she said once her mouth was clear. "You're usually busy with your farm, and with your friends, and sometimes with saving Equestria..." AJ chuckled a bit, rubbing the back of her mane with a hoof. She was, for the most part, a humble pony, not one to go around and brag about her successes or acts of heroism.
"Well," the apple farmer said, quickly changing the subject. "Since ya already know some 'bout me, how 'bout ya tell me a lil' somethin' 'bout yerself?" That was all the opening that Roseluck needed. Words began pouring out of the mare's mouth as if a floodgate had been opened; not quite as fast as a verbal tidal wave from Pinkie, but just as relentless. The orange pony simply smiled and nodded along, taking a sip of cider here and there. Not that she wasn't listening; she would never be that rude to a friendly face. She heard Rose's drawn-out description of how she and her sisters moved away from their decidedly-urban Fillydelphian home to settle in Ponyville and open a flower shop, a decision which had been spurred on by the three of them discovering their cutie marks at the same time. She even had herself a small chuckle at Roseluck referring to herself and her sisters as "late bloomers" when it came to earning their cutie marks. Even a simple farm pony could appreciate some good wordplay, intentional or otherwise.
"So why ain't yer sisters here with ya?" AJ asked, finishing off another swig of cider. Between the two ponies, the jug was already nearly empty. It was strong stuff, she had to admit. She was far from a lightweight when it came to holding her liquor, but she found herself already feeling a little wobbly. Perhaps the brewery had let it ferment a bit too long?
"Oh, THEM," Roseluck said, rolling her eyes. "They didn't think it was important! They were all like, 'Oh no, it's way more important to run the store, that thing's a waste of time!' Can you even believe that, Applejack?"
"Well, ta be fair," AJ responded matter-of-factly. "Reckon ya didn't need all three of y'all here. One's enough ta represent the store, right?" Roseluck beamed and patted Applejack on the back. With the sudden change of proximity, AJ was treated to a mixture of scents from her impromptu roommate. The one that did not surprise her was the pleasant, calming smell of flowers. She was unsure as to whether this was due to a perfume or body wash, or if it was just an acquired scent from spending so much time around the things. AJ knew full well that there were plenty of occasions where she'd carry a bit of apple scent around, regardless of her choice in soaps and shampoos that day. With how aromatic flowers could be, this possibility wouldn't surprise her in the least. What did surprise her, though, was the smell of alcohol. The somewhat-strong scent was certainly incongruent to how much Roseluck had drank since getting here. She assumed that she must have been drinking prior to arriving, but that was the last thought she put towards that. What a pony did in their private time was their business alone.
"You're right, Applejack," Roseluck said, with a slight slur that either wasn't there before or, more likely, had not garnered AJ's attention until now. The flower pony got up suddenly, turning to head towards her bed. Her tail swished under AJ's nose as she walked, and the farmer was treated once again with her scent, although the flower scent was far more prevalent this time. She watched Roseluck approach her bed, unable to ignore the slight stumble in her step. The cream-coated mare rummaged through her saddlebags for a few seconds before emerging with a small bag of seeds.
"These are my favorites," Roseluck said, returning to her seat next to Applejack and dropping the bag at her front hooves. "The sweetest-smelling roses you'll ever see! I don't think anypony's seen anything like it before!" Rose went on about how difficult it was to grow roses from seeds as AJ leaned forward to inspect the seeds. She was no expert on flowers, not by a long shot, but they looked just like any old rose seeds to her.
"They sound real swell!" AJ said in earnest, even though they seemed quite ordinary to her. She was suddenly met by a hug from her roommate.
"You understand!" Roseluck said happily. AJ chuckled awkwardly, but returned the hug. Her senses were now awash with the sweet aroma of Rose's shampoo, which seemed to have successfully staved off most of the alcohol's lingering scent. She welcomed the kind gesture for a few seconds, until its length began to make her a tiny bit uncomfortable.
"Heh...yep..." the farmer said, getting one more whiff of the aroma before gently nudging Rose back to where she'd been sitting. "So what, do yer sisters not understand it or somethin'?" Rose's smile began to fade as she reached for the rest of the cider. AJ considered stopping her, but decided that it wasn't her place.
"They said this whole thing was dumb and pointless," Rose said, frowning and finishing off the jug's contents. "They said that nopony really pays any attention to the flower displays at all, and that all they care about is the fruits and vegetables and stuff."
"Well, those kinda are the most important," Applejack responded. She regretted those words as soon as they left her mouth, as well as her sometimes-too-honest nature. Rose's frown devolved into a scowl.
"What makes them more important than flowers?" the feisty flower pony asked, pushing her face a bit closer to AJ. Applejack blinked at the sudden aggression.
"Uh...well..." Applejack began, feeling a little uneasy.
“Well?!” Roseluck repeated, getting even closer. AJ frowned. She wasn't too sure if she liked this invasion of personal space. Sure, that intoxicating scent of rose petals was nice, but she wasn't too keen on the aggression.
“Ah’m jus’ sayin’ that ponies eat fruits an’ vegetables,” AJ said, as calmly as she could with an irate pony’s face mere inches from hers.
“Ponies eat flowers too!” Roseluck retorted. The strong smell of alcohol on her breath overpowered the pleasant aroma that AJ had been enjoying. Her slurring was also becoming more evident as her temper flared.
“But flowers’re more meant ta sit there an’ look pretty,” Applejack said, her own temper starting to rise. “So most’a the time, they ain't bein’ put ta practical use.”
“You don’t know ANYTHING!” Rose suddenly shouted, standing up and startling the farmer by pointing an accusatory hoof at her. “You’re just all selfish and stuff!”
“Selfish?” AJ asked, rising to her hooves as well. “Now where the hay is this all comin’ from?” Her anger had risen, but she was also baffled by this concept. She couldn't think of a single situation in which she was selfish.
“Selfish!” Rose repeated, stomping. She started to pace around the room, her state of inebriation made all the more obvious by her stumbling. “You just walk around and you don’t notice anypony but your friends!”
“That ain't true at all!” Applejack shouted back. “Whatever gave ya that idea?”
“E-everything!” the enraged earth pony erupted. “You’re always too busy to notice anything but your family and your close friends and your apples, so much so that you can’t even...even...”
“...Stop an’ smell the roses?” Applejack offered, unable to resist the joke and hoping to lighten the mood. Unfortunately, it only served to fuel Rose’s frustration.
“Yes!!” Roseluck shouted, loud enough that it elicited some perturbed knocks on the ceiling from whoever was in the room above them. “And to think, the only reason I came to this stupid convention was to see you, but now I can see that...”
“Hold on a spell,” AJ interjected, reaching out a hoof and putting it to Rose’s chest, hoping to stop her frantic pacing. “What was that last thing ya said?” Roseluck's tirade ground to a halt, and for the first time since her temper had flared, her eyes softened a bit, as if she’d just let out a bit more than she’d intended. It didn't last long, though, as her bravado returned.
“Y-you heard me!” the flower pony hollered. “But of course, you never noticed, did you?”
“...Noticed what?” AJ asked, knowing instantly that this wouldn't help matters.
“Exactly!” the frustrated Roseluck shot back, though AJ could tell that her shouts were starting to lose a bit of their anger and allow a twinge of sadness to seep into them. “You haven’t even noticed anything! I say hello to you every time you pass the shop, and sometimes you don’t even look in my direction...I try to get your attention here and there, but I’m just another pony in the background of your world, and you’re too busy with Twilight and Rainbow Dash and all of them to look back there.” She sighed heavily, flopping into a sitting position and facing away from the bewildered farmer. “I know you come here every year, and I heard that Carrot Top had to pull out, and I thought maybe, just maybe, if I came here and managed to get into your room with you, maybe you’d notice me and something could happen.” She sighed once more, staring down at the ground.
“But I screwed that up big time with all this mess, didn't I?” Rose asked, not even turning to face Applejack. “I knew I shouldn't have drank so much on the way here...but I needed to get my nerves down. Now I wouldn't be surprised if you never even wanted to talk to me again.”
Applejack couldn't believe her ears. She sat there, dumbstruck, looking at the back of the pony who’d just poured her heart out to her. Her mind raced, trying to find the right words to say to her. She honestly never thought of herself in the way that Rose had said, but she supposed that there was some merit behind it. There were many ponies in Ponyville that she saw every day, yet she couldn't put names to the faces, just like she couldn't with Rose before she’d blurted her name out. Here was this pony who, at the very least, just wanted some recognition from her, and had gone so far out of her way to try and get her attention.
“...Ah’m sorry, Rose,” AJ offered. Rose said nothing. The farmer sighed and got up, making her way over to sit next to her miserable roommate. She sniffed the air as she approached Rose. The scent of her shampoo was still present, wafting invisibly through the air and catching AJ's attention in a way that Rose could never seem to before tonight. Rose turned to look at AJ as she sat, and AJ felt a pain in her belly as she saw the tears in her pale green eyes.
“Sometimes Ah really don’t know nothin’, Roseluck,” AJ said quietly, giving her a comforting pat on the back. Rose smiled slightly.
“Except about apples,” Rose said quietly. AJ chuckled lightly.
“Cept ‘bout apples,” she agreed.
“...I bet I know something about apples that you don’t,” Rose then said. AJ raised a brow. As far as she knew, there wasn’t anypony who knew more about apples than she did.
“Ya think so?” AJ asked. A playful grin crossed her face. “Ya wanna bet?”
“I do,” Rose answered, some confidence returning to her voice.
“Kay then,” AJ said, still grinning. “But if I’m right, ya gotta admit that apples’re the best thing ta grow in all of Equestria.”
“And what if I’m right?” Roseluck asked, smiling. AJ thought long and hard.
“If yer right,” AJ said. “Then once this whole convention is over, Ah’ll take ya out ta dinner. Mah treat.” Rose blinked, unsure if she’d heard what she thought she heard. AJ saw the surprise in her eyes and assured her with a nod.
“W-well,” a now-nervous Roseluck started, looking down at the ground. “Uh...d-did you know that apples are actually a part of the rose family?” She looked up for AJ’s reaction, and saw that the attention of the pony she’d had her eyes on for a good while was now squarely on her. She took a deep breath. “I-it’s true...they share the same kingdom, division, class, order and family. I-I don’t remember the other ones by heart, but the family is rosaceae. It’s just the subfamily down in which they differ.” The flower pony shifted slightly closer as she finished. “S-so apples and roses are...closer than you’d think.”
AJ sat quietly, tilting her head and taking this in. Rose’s smile grew as she saw this reaction.
“...Bet you didn't know that, huh?” Rose asked, sitting up proudly.
Applejack knew that. She’d studied everything there was to know about apples, and had even looked that particular bit of information up after Granny Smith had told her about her cousin Apple Rose.
“Sure didn't,” the Element of Honesty lied. It felt wrong lying like that, but the smile that the little white lie had elicited was worth it.
