//------------------------------// // Spread Your Pedals Wide // Story: Dead Rose // by Mes Amis //------------------------------// Matthew Flowers is your average earth pony flourist. He had a thing for flowers, his own flower shop, and a personal garden. Even though he loved his life in his hometown of Seaddle, business was terrible and eventually Matthew had to sell his shop. He knew he couldn't stay in Seaddle anymore so he packed his bags, bought a train ticket to head East and left. After a couple of days on multiple trains, Matthew made it to a small community by the name of Ponyville. Stepping off the train Matthew saw the change of color from where he used to live to the town he will have to learn how to call home. "Man is this place packed with colors or what?" Matthew thought to himself. As if by instinct Matthew started walking to the market of the small town. As he made his way to the market he spotted multiple types of flowers ranging from Dandelions to Sunflowers. When he made it to the shopping district, Matthew noticed two things that made him mentally trip. The first and not as important was a stall next to a large flower bed caked with the reddest, natural and amazing roses he had ever seen. But what really caught his eye was the mare selling them. The contrast between her pale yellow coat and light rassberry mane both bringing out her light chartreuse green eyes made her the most beautiful mare he had ever seen. Before he knew it Matthew ad walked over to the stall and was rudely staring at the mare. "Hello, how can I help you?" the mare said snapping him out of his rude gaze. "Um.. I, um, was wondering did you grow these roses yourself?" he muttered. 'That's the best you got brain, really?' "Yes, actually I did. I've always lived flowers but red roses were always my favorite. Oh, I'm sorry I haven't even introduced myself. My name is Roseluck but you can just call me Rose. And you are?" "Oh, I'm Matthew Flowers, but my friends call me Matt. It's really nice to meet you Rose." "So Matt, do you like roses?" "Actually yes I do. I had a flower shop back in Seaddle and roses were my best sellers." "Really!?" Rose almost shout out of excitement. Then her mood went from excited to bewildered. "Wait. If you have a flower shop out in Seaddle, then what are you doing here in Ponyville?" Matt lowered his head. "I had to sell the shop because it seems not many ponies were interested in flowers anymore." "Oh, I'm sorry I brought it up then." Rose said as she lowered her head aswell. 'What the hay are you doing Matt? Making such a beautiful mare sad like that. You better make her happy again or we're going to have ourselves a problem.' "Um, Rose I was wondering if, um you knew where I could find a place to stay? I mean until I can get a job and enough bits to get an apartment." "Well there is Ponyville inn, but from what I've heard it's under renovations." Suddenly Rose's eyes filled up with over excitement and glee, Matt almost panicked. "You could stay with me!" "Oh no, no, no. I can't stay with you." Matt responded causing Rose to lower he head again. "Oh I see, you don't want to stay with me. I understand." Matt could've sworn she was on the verge of tears. "Oh no, Rose I didn't mean it like that. I meant I couldn't possibly ask something like that of you. We just met and I would really like to be your friend but staying at your house would be too much, I couldn't live with myself if I did such a selfish thing." "But it wouldn't be selfish if you were invited." Rose responded. "I guess you're right but are you sure you want me to stay with you?" "Of course, why else would I offer it to you?" "Okay then, I guess I should say 'Thak you Rose. You're a lifesaver.'" "I'm not a lifesaver, I'm just a mare that really loves roses." Rose remarked, her face turning as red as her roses. "Well where do you live Rose?" "Right here." Rose replied turning around and pointing at the house next to the flower bed. "Right." Matt said as he facehoofed. Rose then began to giggle. "What's so funny?" "Well, where else would my house be? It's not like I would have a stall selling roses in front of somepony else's home." "You have a point. So I guess I'll meet you here." Matt said as he started walking back to the train station. "Wait, where are you going?" Rose asked, sounding very worried. "Just back to the station so I can get my things. I should be back in a couple of hours." Oh, okay. Then I'll see you later." "Yeah see you later, Rose." Matt then left the shopping district. ________________________________________________________________________ Lily and Daisy both stood across the street watching their friend talking with some stallion nether of them have seen before. They then watched the stallion leave, and Lily saw Rose's mood change from happy to sad. "Come on Daisy." Lily said as she approached  Rose's stall. "Hey Rose, who was that stallion you were talking to?" "Huh? Oh it's just you Lily." Rose replied as she looked up to find her friends. "You didn't answer her question, Rose." Daisy said. "His name is Matthew Flowers, okay. Can I please be alone right now?" Rose said as she put the closed sign on her stall. "Rose what's wrong with you? You usually don't act like this." Lily said in a worried tone. "What's that supposed to mean Lily?" "It means that something is wrong with you, and it has to do with this, Matthew." Daisy retorted. "Look it's none of your business, okay. Now just leave me alone." Rose said as she walked into her home, which she shared with the other mares. "It is our business, Rose." Lily responded as she and Daisy walked in behind her. "You're our friend and friends don't keep secrets from one another." Daisy added as she shut the door. "Daisy is right, Rose. Please just tells us and we'll stop bothering you about it." "Fine I'll tell you, but when I'm done, will you two stop pestering me?" "Yes we will!" "Okay then I guess I should begin where it all started." Rose said as she let out a sighed. ________________________________________________________________________ It had been an hour since Matt left for the station to pick up his luggage but there was a problem. There was a lot more luggage then he thought. Struggling to carry his bags, Matt finally chose to ask somepony for help. But that in its own brought another problem, being nopony was willing to help. Yet out of all the ponies around only one seemed to want to help. The stallion walked over with his cart behind him. "Excuse me there, but you wouldn't need help with these bags would you?" asked a brown stallion. "Oh thank you I could really use the help." "No problem, I'm always willing to help somepony in need." "Thank you Mr..." "Caramel. The name's Caramel." "Thank you Caramel, my name is Matthew Flowers but you can just call me Matt." "So where you heading, the inn?" "Actually Rose offered me to stay at her place." "So you've met Lilly and Daisy then." "Who?" "Lilly and Daisy, Rose's roommates. They all live in the same house and split the rent." "She didn't mention any roommates." "I wonder why she would be interested in a stallion like you." Caramel muttered. "What was that?" "Oh nothing, I was just wondering why Rose wouldn't mention Lilly and Daisy to you." "Yeah it seems a little strange. I asked her if she knew where I could find a place to stay and she practically begged me to stay at her place, yet she doesn't even mention that there are two other mares living with her." "Well we can ask her since we're here." Caramel mentioned as he stopped in front of Rose's home. "So we are." Matt muttered as he knocked on the front door. "Caramel, sweetheart, what are you doing here?" Daisy said as she opened the door to find her coltfriend. "Just here helping a friend with his things." Caramel remarked as he pointed at Matt. "Oh, I see." Daisy simply replied. "Hey Caramel, who's your pal?" Lilly remarked as she turned to find Matt standing there sheepishly. "Oh, it's you." Lilly said in an angry yet calm tone. "H-hello." Matt muttered. "Daisy we should get back inside and tell Rose that he's here." "O-okay Lilly." then the two mares reentered the building. After a couple of minutes, Rose exited her home with a sad look on her face. Matt was busy unloading his luggage and didn't notice her. 'How do I tell him that Lilly and Daisy have a problem with him staying here? If I don't tell him the girls will get angry, but if I do tell him how do I know he won't hate me?' Matt turned to find Rose giving the ground a lot of attention with a hurt look on her face. "Caramel," he whispered. "I'm sorry but can you put my things back on the cart?" "Why do you want me to do that, we're almost done." Caramel muttered. Matt just pointed at Rose. "Oh, I think I get what you mean. I guess I should get started, and you should go talk to her." Matt shook his head in disagreement. "I think I should put these back on the cart first." The two stallions started placing the boxes back on the cart, while Rose stood there thinking. After some time they were done. "Last one." Caramel called out, snapping Rose out of her trance. She looked up to find all of Matt's things back on the cart. "Matt, what are you doing?" she asked. "Caramel, you mind?" "No problem, I'll be inside if you need me." "Rose, what's wrong?" "w-what do you mean?" "That look on your face, I've seen it before. Look Rose, you're not the first pony to give me bad news, so please just tell me." "I... I... I'm sorry." "About what?" "When I asked you to stay with me, I completely forgot about Lilly and Daisy. After you left, they came over and told me they saw our conversation. After I told them what I did, they weren't happy." "Rose, stop. You don't need to say anymore, I understand. I just want to ask you, why did you beg me to stay with you?" "Because I thought you came here to propose to me like you promised!" "Wait, what!?"