“Rise and shine everypony, we’re burning daylight!” A pair of heavy knocks rocked the bedroom door.
“Wuuh?” Thistleroot articulated, head snapping up from the pillow. He blinked against the morning light shining in from the window and stifled a yawn. “Whassamatter?”
More knocks came from the hallway, but not on his door. The knocking was on the door across the hall, belonging to Scootaloo and Mimic. Rare Breed’s voice called out again, “We’ve got a lot to be doing today.”
“Oh,” Thistleroot grumbled, leaning back against his pillow. “Oh, that poor doomed fool.”
*****
Thistleroot ventured into the living room a quarter of an hour later, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.
Rare Breed sat on the pink couch, not daring meet his eye. Scootaloo gave Thistleroot a sleepy wave from beside the couch. Mimic was rummaging around in the kitchen, and Triplicate was reading over his clipboard, a quill and inkpot floating nearby.
“Rare Breed made a good point this morning,” Scootaloo said. “We should fix this place up a bit, since we're going to be staying here for a few days at least.” Rare Breed opened his mouth, but cut short when Scootaloo snapped a look at him. “Triplicate is splitting up errands. We’re going to do some shopping, cleaning, and decorating today.”
Thistleroot arched an eyebrow at that. “Should we? Aren’t we kind of doing, you know, other stuff?”
Scootaloo turned and made for the kitchen. Thistleroot threw a smile at Rare Breed, who managed a fearful swallow and nod, and then followed Scootaloo. She spoke in a low voice when they were out of earshot of the two in the living room. “You heard the Archive. Libiris is huge. They haven’t even found the bottom. It could take weeks to find what we’re looking for, and we need to eat in the meantime.”
“I guess.”
Mimic closed the oven door and reached up to turn the knob at the top. “This old thing works, at least.”
“Miss Scootaloo?” Triplicate called from the living room.
“Yeah?” Scootaloo asked, turning and stepping around the half-wall that separated the two rooms. Thistleroot and Mimic moved to join her.
“I’m done. If we split up into two groups, one group can handle the groceries and the other can handle the various cookware and necessities to make this house more livable. I’ve made a list for each, maximizing the efficiency of the stipend granted to us for this research project, taking into account each of our dietary needs and—”
“Okay, great. We’ll take groceries, I guess?”
Triplicate wordlessly floated one of the lists toward them and Thistleroot grabbed it with his magic.
“Gathering food for everypony,” Thistleroot said, glancing at Mimic with a dry hint of amusement in his voice. “You sure have come a long way.”
She rolled her eyes and lead the way out the door.
*****
“I’ve got to hand it to Triplicate,” Thistleroot said. “He’s thorough. He organized the grocery list into categories and labeled each item with recipes we can use them for. He even estimated the prices in the margin.”
Mimic rolled her eyes. How anyone could spend so much time on something so pointless was beyond her.
The shopping took the better part of the morning, and once they were done they stopped for lunch at a little sandwich shop just off the town center. The bulk of the groceries had been dry foods and grains. Greenhaven Grotto wasn’t a farming town, so fresh produce was a bit more expensive. They’d picked up some of the cheaper options, carrots and celery mostly, and Thistleroot had gotten seeds for some of the more quick to grow autumn vegetables.
“We’re a little under the estimate,” Thistleroot said as they walked down the street after lunch, each balancing a large paper grocery sack on their back. “Huh, he even made a note for that. He says we should buy something to spruce up the house if we have enough extra.”
“What about a potted plant?” Mimic suggested.
Thistleroot grinned. “I’d like that. I wonder if there’s a flower shop around here.”
Mimic gave herself a small, satisfied smile.
Asking around lead them to a little shop near the south end of town. A cute little cottage surrounded by a gated garden stood with it’s door open and a small ‘open’ sign. No other signs marked it as a business.
Thistleroot tested the gate, found it unlocked, and led the way forward. The path leading up to the cottage was outlined by mulch and flanked with shrubs, each sporting a variety of colorful flowers. On one side of the path, bright flowers were artfully arranged into whimsical curves. On the other side, darker plants surrounded a natural looking stone water feature.
Taller plants stood immediately outside and inside the door, like natural sentinels guarding the entrance.
Inside was a cozy room. Various larger plants took up the middle space, and two walls had shelves filled with smaller potted flowers.
The wall across from the front had two closed doors and a third one that was ajar. Mimic could just make out the corner of a bag of potting soil inside. The wall to their right had a long counter with a bell and a cash register. New gardening tools lined the wall behind the counter.
They set their groceries aside and Thistleroot walked up to ring the bell.
“Just a moment,” a soft voice called from behind the open door. The was a thump, some rustling, and the door opened further.
Thistleroot smiled and waved as a pony stepped out to meet them. “Afternoon. We were just, uh, I mean... uh, hi.”
Mimic tilted her head at Thistleroot’s sudden hesitation and looked back toward the pony that had just walked in. She was a unicorn, maybe a little older than them, and a fair bit taller than Mimic or Scootaloo. She even had Thistleroot beat by an inch or so. She had a glossy white coat that might have had a touch of silver in the right light. She had her deep forest green mane tied up in a messy bun and adorned with a white, six petal flower. Her eyes were the bright yellow of sunflowers, and she had a smear of soil across one cheek.
“Uh, we were uh,” Thistleroot swallowed loudly and gestured toward the middle of the room.
“Looking for something?” the unicorn prompted with a grin.
“Yes, that. We are looking for something. Uh, right, girls?” Thistleroot turned back toward Mimic and Scootaloo and gave a vague wave.
Mimic gave him a confused look, but Scootaloo chuckled and stepped forward. “We just moved here and we wanted to brighten our new place up a bit.”
“Certainly, and welcome to Greenhaven Grotto. Did you have anything specific in mind?”
“Did we?” Scootaloo asked, turning back to Thistleroot.
“Nothing specific. An indoor flowering floor plant. The room has decent sunlight in the morning. Preferably something that won’t mind a missed day of watering here or there, while we get things situated.”
The unicorn nodded thoughtfully and moved further into the room, looking at the taller plants near the center. Mimic caught sight of her cutie mark just before she moved behind them, a small brown seed with a sprig of green sprouting from the top. “Hmm, maybe a bush lily? I also have a flowering maple that needs to come inside for the winter soon.”
“Flowering maple would work. What do you two think?”
“I have no idea,” Scootaloo said. “You’re the plant expert.”
The unicorn poked her head back around the plants. “Oh?”
“Well,” Thistleroot said, waving a hoof. “I dabble.”
Scootaloo chuckled again. “Quit being modest. He’s been recognized for it by Princess Celestia herself.”
“Really?” the unicorn asked, eyes sparkling with interest.
“Uh, sort of,” Thistleroot said. He chuckled and then fell silent for a long moment. “Uh?”
“Oh, right! The plant.” The unicorn giggled and circled around the middle toward the front door. “Let me just grab that for you and I’ll ring you up.”
Scootaloo waited until she’d gone through the door before turning and giving Thistleroot a playful poke. “Come on, what was that?”
“What was what?”
“I set that up on a silver platter for you. The least you could do is take a swing.”
“A swing at what?” Mimic asked.
“Nothing,” Thistleroot said. “Come on, we don’t even know her name.”
“So ask it. Come on, she’s a unicorn, you’re a unicorn. She likes plants, you like plants. Don’t pretend you’re not interested, I saw the way you froze up when she walked in.” Thistleroot gave a noncommittal grunt and Scootaloo turned toward Mimic. “Mimic, help me out here.”
“With what?”
“He should ask her out, shouldn’t he?”
“He should what?” Mimic asked, taking a half step back.
“Come on, she’s pretty. You’re new in town. You—” Scootaloo’s answer cut off as hoofsteps approached the entrance. The unicorn reappeared, horn glowing white. A heavy ceramic pot floated behind her. A tall green shrub with orange-ish red flowers grew from it.
“That’ll be perfect,” Thistleroot said.
“Yeah. Good call,” Scootaloo said.
“Great,” the unicorn said, setting the plant down and moving around to the other side of the counter. Scootaloo reached into the paper sack she’d set aside, grabbed the little sack of bits they’d brought, and passed it to Thistleroot. He sighed, took them with his magic, and sidled up to the counter as the unicorn rang up their purchase.
“So, uh, do you have a name?”
“Of course I do. Don’t you?” Thistleroot blinked and she giggled again. “Sorry. I’m Dawn Flower.”
“Right. Pretty name. Uh, I’m Thistleroot. This is Scootaloo and Mimic.”
Scootaloo gave a friendly wave. Mimic looked between the three of them with a scowl.
“Nice to meet you,” she answered. Thistleroot swallowed, nodded, and then put the bits on the counter. Dawn Flower counted them and then pushed several back with a wink. “New customer discount.”
“Oh. Uh, thanks.” A moment passed. “Yeah nice meeting you see you again thanks bye.” Thistleroot backed away as he spoke, lifting the potted plant in his magic and vanishing through the door.
Scootaloo gave a slow sigh and an apologetic smile toward Dawn Flower. The unicorn smiled back. “You three said you were new in town?” Scootaloo nodded. “Well, if you don’t have any other plans, I’m meeting some friends for dinner tonight. I know it’s rough not knowing anypony. Do you want to join us?”
“Actually, we—” Mimic started.
“Sure!” Scootaloo said at the same time.
“...will, I guess,” Mimic finished, frowning.
“Great,” Dawn Flower said. “We’re meeting at a little diner on Orchard Street at seven. You can’t miss it.”
“Alright,” Scootaloo said. “Thanks again.”
“Uh-huh!”
Mimic followed Scootaloo out the door and looked around. Thistleroot was standing a few hundred feet off, trying to look nonchalant in the middle of the road.
“Don’t you think we have better things to be doing?” Mimic asked. “We haven’t even gone back to Libiris today.”
“I didn’t think we were going back today,” Scootaloo said. “It’s like an hour there and another hour back, and I still don’t want to be out in the forest when it gets dark. We’ll go early tomorrow and then we’ll actually have time to start figuring things out.”
She was right, Mimic thought. With the days starting to get shorter, they’d only be able to stay in Libiris for an hour or two if they left now. “We wasted the whole day with this shopping trip.”
“I don’t think we wasted it. We do have to eat.”
Mimic grumbled. “Fine, maybe, but I don’t think we need to be meeting too many new ponies. There are going to be other champions around. We have to be careful.”
“What, you think Dawn Flower is one of them?” Scootaloo chuckled. Mimic scowled and Scootaloo’s smile faltered. “You really don’t like her, do you?” Mimic shook her head. Scootaloo chuckled again. “You’re kind of weird sometimes.”
“So are you,” Mimic said.
Scootaloo shrugged. “Thistleroot, good to see you waited for us. I thought you’d be so excited to get the plant home that you’d run all the way there.”
“Yeah, well,” Thistleroot made another vague gesture with his hoof and started walking again, the plant floating beside him.
“By the way, we’re meeting Dawn Flower and her friends for dinner tonight.”
“Oh, come on!”
“As a group,” Scootaloo said, laughing. “To meet ponies, since we’re new in town. To make new friends.” As she spoke she adjusted the friendship necklace she wore, catching the sunlight.
“I liked you better as a terrorist,” Thistleroot grumbled.
*****
“The Two-Bit Diner. Huh, with a name like that, I’m surprised they’re still in business,” Scootaloo mused.
“Yeah, shocking they haven’t been crowded out by all of the other diners,” Thistleroot said, sweeping a leg out toward the empty expanse of grass across the street.
Scootaloo chuckled and made her way toward the front, pausing to read a weathered poster advertising the diner’s special, a short stack of pancakes and a cup of coffee for just two bits. She pushed her way through the doors and looked around.
Dawn Flower waved from one of the nearby booths, and they went to join her.
“I’m glad you took me up on this,” Dawn Flower said as they sat down.
“Like you said, it’s rough not knowing anypony,” Scootaloo said.
“So, what brings you to Greenhaven Grotto anyway? Can’t say we get new ponies that often.”
Scootaloo looked over to Thistleroot, and then gave him a nudge when he didn’t answer.
“Plants,” he said. “Uh, work. Plant work. Researching plants. For Princess Plant, er, Princess Celestia.”
“Right, you said something about that earlier. So you three actually know the princess?” Dawn Flower leaned in, clearly interested, and then looked up and behind them. “Hold that thought. Over here girls!”
Scootaloo turned with Thistleroot and Mimic to look at the two new ponies approaching.
“I invited some other ponies. They’re new in town. This is Scootaloo, Thistleroot, and Mimic. Everypony, these are my friends, Ivory Quill and Star Charmer.”