//------------------------------//
// Semifinals: Lilligold vs. Mango Leaf - Winner: Mango Leaf (by Vote) 
// Story: OC SlamJam - Finals 
// by OC Slamjam 
//------------------------------//

How Mango Leaf Stole Hearth's Warming - by Lilligold's Author


‘Twas the first week of winter in fair Canterlot.
And the snowclouds, they snowed. They snowed quite a lot.
There was chill in the air, and frost underhoof,
And icicles lining each eave of each roof.
The foals frolicked gaily, built snowponies wide,
Till the sun winked away and bade them inside
Where their parents awaited with plates of warm food
And mugs of hot cocoa. ‘Twas just the right mood!
For the essence of winter can always be found
In desserts that are warm and sleep that is sound.

But this tale, dear friends, does not start so warm.
It features a pony quite far from the norm.
A stallion who somehow had grown to despise
Those cups of hot cider and warm apple pies.
Yes, any hot food would give him a rise!

Mango Leaf walked, shopwagon in tow,
Through the coldest of nights and deepest of snow.
The smells from the homes drew a scowl to his face.
They smelled of fresh bake, which smelled of disgrace.
“Dumb winter!” he cried. “You make it so hard
to peddle my wares. My dessert avant-garde!
Why is it that this, the season of cold,
Should hinder us few who love cold tenfold?
It’s all I desire to share my dessert.
My love for this tastiest frozen yogurt!”

Mango huffed and he pouted, it just wasn’t fair!
That for three months a year he was doomed to despair.
Yet he saw no way out. Not a one. Not a bit.
It seemed that, for now, this was all. That was it.
And till spring rolled around, he might as well quit.

But then, what he saw on the street’s near’st corner
Lifted his spirits and dispelled his self-mourner.
For there, twixt decor of Hearth’s Warming glee
Was an independently owned travel agency!
“Now there’s an idea!” he said. “What a score!
Why haven’t I ever thought this up before?
I’ll travel someplace where winter’s unseen!
Someplace with sky blue, and grass evergreen!
And then, once I’m there, it’ll be time to shine!
To share my dessert that’s one of a kine!”

He strolled to the store, in through the front door,
And just ‘cross the floor stood a mare, who looked bored.
“Aloha, good mare!” said Mango mid-trot.
“I’d like to be sent someplace that is hot.
Where summer’s eternal and winter is not.”

“Uh huh,” groaned the mare in a voice not quite hers.
She slid forth a bundle of travel brochures.
“Hoofolulu?”
“Been there.”
“Palomino?”
“Done that.”
“The city of Elmshire?”
“…Now where is that at?”
“Just south of the desert, it’s really sublime.
Please can you say why we’re speaking in rhyme?”
“No can do,” Mango said. “Now I’m Elmshire-bound!
Please sell me one pass for a trip not-so-round.”
With a sigh, and a stamp, and a series of clips,
She hoofed him a pass. “That’s two hundred bits.”

His coinpurse weighed less, but his spirits were high.
With a smile and a wave, he bade her goodbye.
He stepped back out into the night, and then shivered.
“Come morning,” he said, “it’s bye-bye to this blizzard!
Look out, sunny ‘Shire, for the Great Froyo Wizard!”

***

The trip took twelve hours, from six until six.
So far as sleep went, Mango’d gotten his fix.
So rested was he for the sojourn ahead,
By the time he awoke, the sky had gone red.
As the countryside rolled like an emerald sea
Mango yawned, and he smiled. “I can’t wait to see
All the sights and delights this city might hold
So far from that nasty Equestrian cold.
But what’s more than that: I’m dying to share
My dessert so divine that none can compare!”

“Next stop: Elmshire!” the conductor proclaimed.
“Make sure when you leave that your baggage gets claimed!”
Mango grinned out the window, but something was off.
A chill coursed his veins, and he sputtered a cough,
For the city of Elmshire was covered in frost!

But not just frost. No! Also ice! Also snow!
And everything wintry that Mango did loathe!
“What?!” Mango roared. “But this can’t be right!
Where’s the heat? And the sun? And the summer so bright?!
Don’t tell me I’ve traveled so many long miles
To learn that I’ve fallen for wintertime wiles!”
He shot to the front of the train as it stopped.
The door squealed open. To the platform, he hopped.
As snowflakes danced ‘round, he glared long and hard.
He looked ‘cross the station and found a street guard.

“Hey!” Mango called as he galloped headlong.
“What’s with this snow? It has to be wrong!
I was told this is where only summertime lives,
But it’s blizzarding now. So tell me: what gives?”
The tone of his voice seemed not at all his.

The guard wore a smile. “Oh, isn’t it great?
Now we can ski! We can sled! We can skate!
All thanks to the latest of royal decrees,
Mandating the placement of everwhite trees!
One on each block, and two in town square.
Praise be to the duchess! She really does care!”
With a scoff, Mango said, “That’s completely insane!
Decreeing it winter? She’s sick in the brain!
Where is this duchess? I’ll give her my reason
Why summer should be the ultimate season.”

The guard’s mouth turned down. “I’m not sure I should.
If your word with the duchess does more harm than good…
But you seem quite earnest, and I feel divine!
So I’ll show you the palace down Parapet Line.
But first, can you say why we’re speaking in rhyme?”

***

His wagon retrieved, and a stomp in his gait,
Mango Leaf passed through the palace front gate.
In a city created of buildings aglow,
This opulent manor was star of the show.
‘Twas wider than wide, and taller than tall.
And wore enough holly to deck every hall.
The rooftops were sharp, trimmed wholly in gold,
Yet paint gone so dull, it had to be old.
But Mango cared not for aesthetics just now.
There was too much at stake—forget being wowed!

The guard led him in, up two flights of stairs,
Down six corridors, past three working mares.
At long last they came to a lavish oak door.
He knocked on it thrice, and then knocked once more.
“Duchess! A pony has asked for the floor!”

“Let them inside,” said a voice, so demure
That it straddled the line of being mature.
The door rumbled open, and Mango walked in.
A throne stood inside, a cute mare sat within.
She looked far too young to be done with school
Never mind on a throne, solitary in rule.
She smiled so coy and said, “You look strange!
Foreign, are you? From Equestria’s plains?”
Facing the mare, Mango bowed low and said,
“Actually, Duchess, I’m Haywaiian-bred.

“But that doesn’t matter. Not now, anyway.
There’s only one thing that I’ve come here to say:
I came here in search of a summer retreat
For I wish to share a great frozen sweet,
But your new decree has gotten me beat.

“I ask of you now, please lift your decree.
Take torches to ev’ry last everwhite tree,
For only in heat can you eat my dessert.
My scrumptious, fantastical frozen yogurt.”
The duchess’s mouth drew in a straight line.
She chewed on her words. She chewed for some time.
“I worried on this. On these trees. Even told
Their master—my friend, dear, sweet Lilligold—
That perhaps our fair subjects would not enjoy winter.
And now here you are, in quite a big dither.

“But my word is my bond. I will not go back.
The trees, they will stay till they’ve all fallen black.
And only one thing will alter my choice:
Hearing your plea in Lilligold’s voice.
That’s the one way you might find rejoice.”

Mango considered. The task sounded tame.
He just had to sway this Lilligold dame
To taste his sweet froyo. To taste it just once.
And surely the flavour would make the fair dunce
Relinquish her chase of the cold winter season.
She’d chop down the trees. She had to see reason!
“Miss Duchess,” he said, “just where can I find
This Lilligold mare? I might change her mind.”
“I doubt it,” said Duchess. “Her mindset is hardened.
But still, you may find her at Glimmering Gardens.”

With a smirk and a bow, Mango Leaf said,
“Thank you, Miss Duchess!” And outside he fled.
The duchess waved bye and called, “Anytime!”
She slumped in her throne, but ‘fore she reclined
she pondered, “Did all that just happen in rhyme?”

***

Road after road after serpentine road
Mango Leaf carted his heavy cartload
Of froyo supplies. And it just gained more mass
As the wheels gathered snow. This trip was not fast.
So late was the hour when he reached the store,
The red in the sky was not there anymore.
‘Twas all black and blue, great flurries blew ‘round,
The howling of gales commandeering all sound.
His bones has grown cold, his hooves had gone numb.
But he still soldier’d on. Determined, or dumb.

He hammered the door, at eleven-oh-four,
Of Glimmering Gardens: a floral-type store.
“Hello?” Mango said. “Please, let me in
This weather is brutal. It’s cold as all sin.
So open up, please, ‘fore frost bites my skin.

The shop made no sound. The windows were dark.
But someone was there, for one light did spark
On the store’s second floor, the window topmost.
And soon, to the door came the probable host.
The entry swung open, and standing inside
Was a beautiful mare who seemed beyond tired.
“Oh dear. Yes, of course. Come into my home.
Just please mind the plants. Each one is home-grown.
I’ll fetch you a blanket to help with the cold.
And in case you stay long: my name’s Lilligold.”

“And mine is Mango. So nice to meet you.”
His words came out kind. His thank-you was true.
He stepped from his cart and crossed the threshold
Into the warmth, and out of the cold,
But froze when he saw just what this shop sold.

‘Twas full up of plants. Complete as a jungle!
But each plant was strange, a natural bungle.
From flowers that glowed with ethereal light,
To pinecones that blended right into the night,
To pumpkins that floated up high like balloons,
To roses that seemed to be made of monsoons,
To cacti that burned, looked ripe to explode,
To min’ature trees making min’ature snow.
Despite his own thoughts, Mango was quite impressed
By this greenhouse that danced with such magical zest.

Lilligold came back, wool blanket in hoof,
Hot tea in her magic. So Mango’s head shook.
“No tea for me please, but thanks anyway.
I actually have something I quite need to say.
I’m afraid it can’t wait, not even one day.”

With a smile so soft, the mare said, “Of course.
Say what you will. The floor is all yours.”
Huddled deep in his blanket, Mango Leaf said,
“I’m here not by chance but by choice. From the head
Of the city, the duchess, I’ve come. Seeking you,
For this winter you’ve made has got be quite blue.
I came to this city to sell my dessert—
To share with the masses my frozen yogurt—
But no one will buy it in this kind of storm!
The sun must be up! The air must be warm!

“So here I am now. I’m begging you, please!
Take away all of your everwhite trees
And bring back the summer with radical haste.
I promise you now, it won’t be a waste.
Especially after this yogurt you taste.”

He offered a cup full of lemon-lime swirl.
He’d whipped it up prior, for meeting this girl.
Lilligold took it. Her frown was so small.
As was her frame: she’d shrunk ‘gainst the wall.
Not even licked once, she set far aside
The frozen yogurt. She heaved out a sigh.
“You speak from the heart. Of love and of passion
For this dairy treat, served in a cold fashion.
Your plight is quite sound. I’m so very sad
This winter has rendered you so very mad.

“But passions are plenty among ponykind
Perhaps you have noticed this passion of mine
To breed plants of magical manifestation.
The everwhite tree is my latest creation,
And one that I opted to share with the nation.”

“But why just that one?” Mango said with a shiver.
“What’s so compelling ‘bout a tree that brews winter?”
Lilligold fell pretty silent at that.
She looked away, petting her mane like a cat.
“The needs of the many. The needs of the few.
Which one weighs more? I ask that of you.
For many long years, Elmshire has suffered
A desolate burden: eternally summered.
The heat was a threat. I answered the call.
Now winter is here. I’m afraid that is all.”

With slack in his jaw, and cold in his brain,
Mango still found the strength to complain.
“I’ve traveled so far. I’ve worked hard and long!
I’ve come too far now to meet my swan song.
My ambition is just. It cannot be wrong…

“Can it?”

“I implore you to stay,” said fair Lilligold.
“Sleep on the thought where it’s cozy, not cold.
I think in the back, twixt soil and pots,
I have what I need to build makeshift cots.
Stay till the morn, and after sunrise
We’ll see if this winter, you still so despise.”
Mango Leaf wanted to speak, but he yawned.
So tired was he, that he could not respond
With anything else but “Fine. I will stay.
“I’ll follow your lead. Please show me the way.”

In the store’s storage room, it took little time
For Lilligold to weave a cot out of vines.
She found him some sheets, then faced him and said,
“Have a good night!” before going to bed
Not knowing the plot that had formed in his head.

***

Just one hour later, a tick past midnight,
Mango could no longer stand the dread sight
Of blizzarding blackness just outside the shop
He slid from his bed and said, “This must stop!
Elmshirites want this? They don’t even know
What they’re missing, dismissing my yummy froyo!
I’ll end this myself! Before break of dawn
Ev’ry last everwhite tree will be gone!”
He borrowed a scarf, set of boots, and a toque,
And went out to end this wintertime fluke.

An everwhite tree stood tall, and quite bright.
‘Twas a mere evergreen whose spines had gone white.
Mango beheld it and smiled quite bold.
“This should be simple, everything told.
I’m Mango Leaf: Master of Magic That’s Cold!”

With a flick of his horn, he invaded the tree,
And dismantled the magic. Internally.
Faster than fast, the everwhite withered.
And all ‘round the block, ‘twas no longer blizzard.
The cold crept away, as though it had never
Been there at all. ‘Twas spring-ishtime weather!
Mango Leaf blinked. “It’s really that easy?
This winter is weaker than even a breezy!
The city’s quite big, but I have lots of time
‘Fore anyone wakes. This season is mine!”

So Mango Leaf went, for hours and hours,
Sapping out ev’ry last everwhite’s powers.
One on each block, and two in town square,
He conquered them all with quite little care,
Restoring the summertime warmth to the air.

It took all night long, right up until eight.
And despite his exhaustion, Mango felt great!
The snow was now quickly succumbing to melt.
No ice underhoof, no chill to be felt.
The horizon grew light. Daybreak would come soon.
And Mango would be there the whole afternoon
In Elmshire Square, shopwagon in tow,
Prepared to deliver his own brand of snow!
His sole motivation. His chilly dessert.
At last he could dole out his frozen yogurt!

As Mango prepared all his treats to be sold,
He couldn’t help but to recall Lilligold.
His heart did a twist. He felt a bit bad.
But then he said, “Sure, I guess she’ll be mad.
But only till she tastes my froyo so rad!”

***

When ponies awoke and greeted the day,
They all looked confused. Confused sans-pareil.
They flooded town square, looking quite like a mob.
And, in total sync, they spat, “We’ve been robbed!
Where is our winter?! Is this some big coup?!
Where are the trees?! And just who are you?!”
With a humbling grin, and his cart open wide,
Mango Leaf shouted, “It’s Froyo Riptide!
I’ve cleaned away winter! Now who will be first
To sample my buffet of frozen yogurts?”

The ponies all roared, and raised their hooves high.
But before they attacked, the duchess arrived.
A phalanx of street guards put halt to the din.
With voice so serene, and mouth lined so thin
The Duchess of Elmshire commanded, “Seize him.”

Mango Leaf paled as the guards all advanced.
Tired as he was, he stood not a chance.
“You don’t understand!” His effort, last-ditch.
“I had to perform this seasonal switch!
I wanted to share my treat so divine!
My frozen yogurt is—”
“Save it, fruit rind,”
Said a guard. “You’re causing a lot of unrest.
By Law of the Duchess, you’re under—”

“Wait!”

The world went silent, and everyone turned
To the voice that every last pony had heard.
‘Twas Lilligold there! She stepped through the crowd
And right past the duchess, who made herself loud,
“Guards! Step away! May her path be allowed!”

The guards cleared away, leaving Mango alone.
As Lilligold neared, his gut turned to stone.
But ‘fore he could speak even one single line
Lilligold said, “One, please. Lemon-lime.
I never did try that dessert yesterday.
Can it be truly as good as you say?
By… killing my trees, you’ve cut me quite deep,
And hurt our fair town by the winter you reaped.
What led you to that, it must be quite nice.
So one yogurt please. Served overtop ice.”

As silence ensued, Mango Leaf stared
Into Lilligold’s eyes, and the hurt that lay there.
A lump in his throat, and guilt in his eyes,
He set slow to work with his froyo supplies.
And when he was done, the silence reprised.

He hoofed her a cup of dessert, yellow-green.
She lifted it up with her magic white sheen.
And with her first bite, she managed a smile.
The first one that Mango had seen in a while.
A smile of someone who, for the first time,
Had tried his dessert, and found it sublime.
Lilligold said, “It’s really quite good.
Quite good indeed. Your plight’s understood.
I’ll speak with the duchess. You will not be chained.
But please.” Her voice cracked. “Don’t come near me again.”

She teared up her eyes, turned tail, and ran,
Once more leaving Mango alone with his stand.
He looked to the crowd, and found only hate.
He looked to the duchess and saw nothing great.
He saw Lilligold, and shouted, “Please wait!”

To his full surprise, the mare really stopped.
Mango picked up the froyo she had dropped.
He tossed it aside to the slush-laden quarry.
He bellowed a cry. He bellowed, “I’m sorry!
There isn’t a treat in the world worth this.
This stunt that I pulled was completely remiss.
It was selfish of me. The only way I could see
To share with this city my froyoing glee.
But my plan was so wrong! Reckless and dumb!
Should’ve left you alone to your wintertime fun.

“If you’ll let me, I would like to help you rebuild
Those everwhite trees. I’ll stay till we’ve filled
This city to bursting with ice and with snow.
It’s the least I can do in an effort to show
My truest remorse for stooping so low.”

A pause. A long pause, where Lilligold stood
With her back facing Mango, which couldn’t be good.
She turned to the duchess and spoke in hushed tones.
Her eyes were not dry. Her words were unknowns.
The duchess replied, with a smile quite clear.
Though that did quite little to bide Mango’s fear.
Lilligold turned with the smallest of sighs
In a voice barely there: “Your insight is wise.
It would be rather nice if you help my trees live.
Indeed, a good step on the road to forgive…

“…ness.”

***


Several weeks later, Mango Leaf found himself on a frosty metal bench in Elmshire’s market district. As far as he could see, he was the only pony not wearing winter clothes. Somehow, that made him smile. He took a bite of agave froyo and looked around.

The everwhite trees were back in full force. He’d never taken the time to appreciate how they gleamed in the sun like great marble spires. They were really quite beautiful, despite the surrounding weather. But even the weather wasn’t so bad. Mango had helped Lilligold refine some of her spellwork to prevent the trees from making it too cold or too windy. It was winter, but it was an optimized winter.

“Aha! There you are!” He turned and saw Lilligold trotting up. She smiled, wearing a full set of pink winter clothes.

“Aw, shoot,” Mango said. “I hate goodbyes.” He smiled anyway.

Lilligold settled in next to him and said, “You’re not getting away that easy!”

“Ha, shoulda figured.” He offered her a spoonful of yogurt. “Agave?”

She took the spoon and wordlessly set it in her mouth. A gentle silence fell between them, broken only by the crunchy hoofsteps of passersby in the snow. Eventually, Lilligold dipped her head and whispered. “I… really feel like I owe you an apology.”

Mango nearly did a spit-take. He chortled and said, “You’re kidding me, right? After everything I did, you owe me an apology? Ha!” When Lilligold’s face remained straight, Mango let his smile fall. “What for?”

“Well…” She looked up at a nearby everwhite. “What you did was certainly wrong, but your heart was in the right place. You just wanted to share your joy with ponies, and you tried to do that the only way you saw how.” She broke her stare and looked Mango in the eyes—something she rarely did. “No matter how misguided your goal, I should’ve recognized your intent. Perhaps my fault was lesser, but… Regardless, I’m sorry.”

“Pfft, you think I’m that sensitive, girl?” Mango waved her off. “Nah. I goofed up big time. Of course, no one’s perfect, so I’ll take that as an apology for not being perfect and we’ll call it even, yeah?”

Despite herself, Lilligold giggled. “You are so strange.”

“Just learning this now?” Mango laughed heartily, and Lilligold joined.. It was quite a peculiar sight: two ponies smiling as they shared frozen yogurt in subzero weather. It was strange, but then so was the city, and so were the ponies.

Lilligold glanced up at the nearest clock tower—just five minutes until Mango left for his train back home. “Well, before we say goodbye,” she said, “I do have one last question.”

“Shoot,” Mango said.

Clearing her throat loudly, Lilligold said:


“Your company’s nice, I quite liked our time.
But why did so much of it happen in rhyme?”










Mango Leaf vs. Lilligold - by Mango Leaf's Author






Welcome to Glimmering Gardens!
At this time, we are:


CLOSED


HOURS OF OPERATION:
Mon-Fri: 9AM-6PM
Sat-Sun: 9AM-1PM
(Closed on Holidays)




He knocked on the door once more, but got the exact same result as before:

The entrance to Glimmering Gardens was still locked, the lights were still off, and the shutters down.

Mango squinted at the sign and looked over to a nearby clocktower. It was already eleven in the morning, and there had been no sign of Lilligold. He had even arrived an hour earlier, thinking that Lilligold would already be hard at work with her flowers, but it appeared that her friend's shop would not be opening its doors at all.

It was even worse because he had the nagging feeling that somepony was inside. Whether it was Lilligold or somepony else was anyone's guess. But whoever it was, they were clearly not answering the door for anypony. 

Frowning, Mango looked down at the envelope in his hoof. It was plain white, with Lilligold’s name on it in a stylized golden writing. Gillette had wanted to just mail the invitation and arrange for flowers from home, but Mango had insisted that it'd be much better to talk to his friend in person since he had to go on that route with his Froyo Cart anyway, and after some whining, she had relented.

Now... he wondered if he'd be able to do either. He grimaced, put the invitation in his saddlebag, and started walking away. The nagging feeling returned, and he turned around and looked up at the top of Glimmering Gardens, where one of the curtains had shifted. He caught a glimpse of a silvery mane and smirked.

His horn glowed and an ethereal hoof materialized just outside the window, knocking on it three times before dispersing. "Lilligold! Open up, it's Mango!" he called. "Come on, I know you're in there! Don't you have time for old friends?"

For a moment, he thought she wasn't going to answer, but the windows opened up with a familiar turquoise aura enveloping them. Lilligold leaned out of the window, blinking in the sunlight. "Mango Leaf?" she asked, looking down at the grinning unicorn below. "Is that really you?"

"The one and only!" Mango waved at her. "How about you open the door and we can talk a bit more in person?"

Lilligold hesitated, looking down to her store before taking a deep breath and nodding. "I'll be right there, give me just a minute."

"Sure thing!"

Mango walked up to the door and waited patiently, glancing around the street. Although the outskirts of Elmshire were much more rural-looking than the center of the city would have indicated, it had a slightly medieval charm from its short, stone-made fences and tiny, manicured front lawns. Mango enjoyed the view every time, and although the last hour had mostly inoculated him to the charms of the local houses and shops for the foreseeable future, he still wouldn't deny that it was a very beautiful place.

The door behind him rattled and he could hear the locks slide undone one by one. Just as he turned to face it, the door swung slowly open, just enough for one pony to fit through. Mango did just that.

The first thing he noticed was that the lights were still off, and it took his eyes a moment to adjust from the bright light outside to the gloom inside Glimmering Gardens. When he was finally able to see, he couldn't help but gasp. The place was downright dreary. Where Lilligold's shop had had a vibrant, loving energy before, now that seemed to be gone. There were no plants on display, and the signs above each shelf where potted plants would be simply hung in place as almost ghostly reminders of what had once been there.

"What happened here?" Mango asked, looking at the dusty shelves, the empty pots and the cobweb that stretched from the corner of the cash register to the table. "Lilli this place looks like you abandoned it completely!"

Lilligold shifted in place, refusing to meet his eyes. "I-I just..." She slouched and looked up at him with watery, begging eyes. "S-so, what brings you to Elmshire, M-Mango? I-I thought you had enough fresh spices for your experiments?"

Mango's smile thinned at the obvious change of topic, but indulged her. "Well, I had two things in mind, actually... Uh, well, first of all, here!" He levitated the invitation over to Lilligold.

She smiled a little when she read the contents."You're getting married? That's fantastic! Congratulations, Mango!" Her face immediately fell and her eyes widened. "Oh. Oh no, you... came here to buy flowers from me for your wedding?"

"And to invite you," Mango added. "I was hoping to get a couple of your flowers to make a Family Garden, like the one we talked about all those years ago. You know, the one where we plant a long-lived flower for each family member? Gillette thought it was an amazing idea."

"O-oh," Lilligold visibly tried to smile again. "That's g-great, I'm just not..." She trailed off, looking regretfully at the state of her store. "I just can't."

"Okay." 

"Meep!" Lilligold squeaked in surprise and indignation as Mango suddenly levitated her.

She held the wedding invitation to her chest as they made their way upstairs to her home. She glowered at him as he floated her further into the apartment, and she crossed her forelegs defensively when he slowly lowered her onto a chair.

Mango blinked when he noticed her table was covered in crumpled papers and closed notebooks. He knew better than to push his luck and attempt to read anything, but the fact that they were all out and on display like that... 

"So... you've been writing much?"

Lilligold looked away and her magic shoved a notebook onto his chest, so suddenly that he barely caught it. "Are you sure you want me to look? I know ho—"

"It's okay," she interrupted.

Shrugging, Mango sat down across from her and opened the notebook. His eyes roamed over the page and then he flipped over to the next, and then the next, a frown slowly deepening. "Um, are you sure you gave me the right one?"

Lilligold nodded.

"But... there's nothing here!"

Lilligold nodded.

"Lilli, what's wrong?" Mango asked, closing the notebook and using his magic to organize the table a little. He could tell some of the crumpled papers had writing on it, so he was careful not to open them or look at their contents if they were exposed. 

"Nothing," Lilli answered, carefully placing her wedding invitation on top of the table. "I'm fine."

"Lilligold," Mango sighed. "It's very clear that there is a problem. Why won't you tell me? We've know each other what, five years now? Six?"

When she didn't answer, he  reached across the table and placed a hoof on top of hers.

"No flowers? No writing?" Mango shook his head. "That's not normal. It's like Haystacks not being the perfect host. It just doesn't happen."

"Oh," Lilligold perked up. "You saw Haystacks?"

"Don't change the subject," Mango smirked, leaning back. "And yes, I also brought you a picture of him."

Lilligold blushed an adorable, deeper pink. "T-thank you."

"But," Mango continued, "You won't be getting it until you tell me what happened."

Lilligold shot him the dirtiest look she was capable of as she fidgeted in place, clearly struggling with herself. Finally, she let loose a long breath before reluctantly nodding. "Okay," she whispered, before raising her angry eyes to Mango. "But you have to give it to me now," she added with a much stronger voice.

Mango grinned and levitated the picture out, only for Lilligold to snatch it with her own magic and bringing it up to float in front of her. Her hooves came up to her mouth and she whimpered adorably.

"Now, now," Mango chided. "You can have all the time you want with the Haystacks picture, but you did promise that you'd tell me what the problem is."

Lilligold rolled her eyes and stood up, walking into her room for a moment, before returning without the picture. It had been replaced by a magazine, which she dropped on top of the table. Mango blinked and looked down at it, noticing that it had a picture of the front of Glimmering Gardens on the cover.

The title for the cover story read: "The Most Wonderful Flower of All", and Mango quickly found the article itself inside. It took him a few moments to read through and look across the table at Lilli. "This is great! Wow, Lilli, I wish I could get a review like this one on my Froyo!"

"No, you don't," Lilli muttered.

"I'm sorry, what?"

"You don't!" Lilligold spoke up, looking up fiercely at Mango. "You don't! I never wanted my store to be famous! I just wanted to grow my beautiful plants and make Equestria a prettier place with them! I used to love helping ponies with their parties and weddings and events but when that—that thing came out, I just was crowded by ponies that didn't care about them! They would only buy the most expensive ones all the time a-and they they would come back and tell me they had let them die and then they would just want more!" 

As she spoke, her eyes had slowly started trickling tears. "And that's not the worse thing! I was so distracted I-I just I just couldn't keep track of my own plants and I completely forgot to water and care for my Shimmering Daisies a-and they died!" 

She started crying in earnest, sinking down on her seat and burying her head on her crossed forelegs on top of the table.

Mango sat speechless for a few moments before walking around and placing a comforting hoof on her shoulder. "Shh, it's okay Lilli, you—"

"It's not okay!" she retorted, sniffling. "I realized that I had no business growing plants," she said, sniffling. "Anypony that knows how to take care of them wouldn't have let it happen!"

"Come on, Lillli," Mango insisted, "You were just overworked, it can happen to anypony."

"If I was better at what I do it wouldn't have happened!" Lilligold retorted. "I was wrong! I have no talent for this!"

Mango grimaced before an I idea formed in his mind. He gently prodded her until she stood up. "Come on, Lilli, let's take a walk, I’ll make you some froyo, and we won’t have to think about this for a while, okay?"

Lilligold gave him a curious look, but nodded, using the back of her hoof to dry her eyes. "S-sure, just let me clean up," she said, heading to the restroom.

Mango nodded, walking to the window and looking outside as he tried to figure out how to get his idea to work.





"So you're trying to figure out new flavors for Froyo?" Lilligold asked, tilting her head to look at Mango, who nodded.

The walk to the open market was already having an effect on Lilli; she seemed more energized, and her drooping slouch slowly returned to her natural, relaxed look. She wasn't flinching so consistently, nor had she stammered again or burst into tears. Just as Mango had expected, she had desperately needed to get out into the sunlight.

"Just like a flower," he whispered.

"What was that?"

"Oh, sorry, I was just thinking aloud... but the answer to your question is yes. I feel like I've gotten a bit complacent with the flavors I have in stock, so I'm thinking maybe other edible toppings that I haven't used before could work!" 

He gazed at the market, with a very attentive Lilligold clinging to his words with more and more interest as he talked about his favorite topic, all signs of her earlier depression slowly fading away as she got infected by his enthusiasm. 

"Imagine all the flavors we could discover just in there! Ingredients I never thought about! Combinations that will create that umami that confounds the senses and yet makes us want more! Or a mixture of spices that will bring out the sweetness of other ingredients that I already use!" He grinned, bumping shoulders with Lilligold. "Imagine the faces of ponies when they discover cold foods that surprise them with unknown, delicious flavors and leave them speechless!"

Lilligold giggled. "You are too much, Mango."

Mango Leaf's grin didn't diminish. "It's my passion! There's nothing else I'd rather do. Even if my cutie mark changed magically into something different, I'd never stop loving this!"

"Hm," Lilligold nodded. Mango could imagine her mind working on possibilities as her imagination fueled possible flavors and presentations. Just the act of thinking about something slightly challenging had her already trotting around with new vigor. "What toppings are we talking about here?"

Mango hummed. "Well, the one thing I've never seen done is adding flowers to Froyo. Most of the time it's fruits and even vegetables, or some sort of candy... but why not add some of our traditional foods to it? Besides it tasting delicious, I'm sure the look of the finished product would be very original!"

"Ooh! I like that!" Lilligold tittered. "I wish I had brought my notebook to write down ideas! Are you going to use spells on the ingredients too?"

Mango nodded. "Well, yes, some of the ideas I had were flowers... and for them to look good and keep their taste profile and their texture, I would definitely need to develop some spells... I'm not very good with those, but I imagine one of the spells for conserving fruits should work just fine."

"Oh no, you don't!" Lilligold gasped. "That would be a terrible idea!" Her head whipped around, looking among the vendors until she saw a scroll maker. Without even pausing, she levitated a scroll and a pencil and dropped a few bits on the vendor's table. Immediately she started scribbling down notes and comparison charts.

"Petals are very delicate! If you use anything, it would have to be something like the spell you used to keep that vanilla cloud from dispersing!" Already she had a formula slowly evolving on the scroll, and she made corrections on it as she spoke. "The problem is going to be the texture, as I'm sure you would know!"

The pair paused next to a wall where she displayed her calculations. "The cold would wilt them and the yogurt would make them too soggy. We need to combine the cloud spell with something that will basically repel the other elements from affecting it until it's being chewed on!"

"I see... so, would I use the same spell if I used daisies or rose petals?"

"The rose petals are a bit more resistant to the cold, so the spell for daisies would be perfect for either, however you wouldn't want to use the same strength for cherry blossoms, those would need a stronger protection to keep consistency all through the experience."

By then they had arrived at a stall with several consumable flowers and the pair appraised them briefly. "So, what should I look for when I buy them as ingredients?" Mango asked. 

"The color, of course. The more vibrant the better... make sure to check the tips of the petals for any sign of wilting... it doesn't mean it will taste bad but it will definitely give you a good idea of how long you have before it's too late to use them." Lilligold started writing what she said on the scroll.

"I'll give you the scroll so you can get the spell and the tips more easily," she muttered as she wrote. "Make sure to ask where they originate from and what sort of earth was used when planting them. You might not think it but flowers can be a bit more bitter or sweet depending on whether they were found in the wild or what kind of fertilizer was used on them."

Mango chuckled. "Well, I'm glad I came to the Equestrian authority on Botanical Cuisine!"

Lilligold blushed. "Oh, you know I'm not the Equestrian authority it's just my..." She trailed off, looking back at the flowers on display. "My passion."

"And that is what makes you the authority on it." Mango smiled.

Lilligold shook her head, looking from the flowers to her notes to Mango. "Don't push it mister. I know what you did."

Mango chuckled, but didn't deny anything.

Lilligold took a deep breath, and looked at the flowers. "I just... don't know if I could handle it if it happened again."

"You can," Mango said nudging her so that they could continue walking. "You just weren't expecting it. Anypony can get overwhelmed, right?"

Lilligold giggled. "They can. Yes. Just like that one time when—"

"Hey," Mango interrupted, pretending and failing to look serious. "If you're thinking about the time I think you're thinking about, remember we promised to never talk about it again."

Lilligold grinned. "Spinach."

"Hey!"





Mango Leaf levitated the last pot into place and stepped back, overlooking their work. The dust had been swept away, the counters cleaned, and every pot had been filled with new rich earth and a seed planted by Lilligold herself.

"This is looking a lot better!" he called out, turning to Lilli, who was just in the process of pulling up the curtains to let the sunlight in. "You'll be back on track in no time at all."

Lilligold walked up to him and took a look around sighing in content. "Yes. A bit of time and magic... but I'll definitely have the flowers for your wedding."

Mango's smile couldn't be bigger. "I look forward to seeing you there, and thank you, I couldn't think of anypony else to ask for such a thing."

Lilligold's laugh was almost an additional ray of sunshine. "Oh Mango, never change."

Mango pulled Lilligold into a hug and hoof bumped her before heading to the door. Once he reached it he stopped and looked over his shoulder. "Oh, and by the way, I'm not the only one looking forward to seeing you there."

Lilligold rolled her eyes. "You already told me Gillette wanted to meet me. She sounds like a wonderful mare, Mango. I'm sure we'll be good friends too."

Mango's smile turned into a smirk. "Oh, I have no doubt. But I wasn't talking about her. I did mention you to Haystacks, you know?"

He watched in satisfaction as Lilligold's eyes widened.

"I even showed him a picture. He think's you're cu—"

"Okay! Okay! I'll be there, but for the love of Celestia please stop teasing me!"

Mango winked. "Never."


The End