The Start
“Hey, would you mind if I came in? All of the other compartments have ponies in them as well, and you’re the only normal looking one of them.”
Soft Glow, a faded yellow colored unicorn, glanced up at the voice to see a pink mare standing there. She wiped her white mane out of her face, before smiling to the stranger. “Oh, well, I have to say that uh your compliment is a bit odd, but, sure! Come on in.”
The pink mare smiled as she stepped the rest of the way in, her tail pulling her bag behind her. For a cutie mark she had a closed flower bud, added to the soft floral scent which seemed to radiate off of her coat, Soft assumed she must have been some type of florist. Assuming though was never the best idea so, she decided to inquire instead. “What brings you to The Crystal Empire?”
The other mare laid down with a small moan, before smiling at Soft. “I heard about the long freeze that came with its disappearance so long ago, so I thought the citizens may want something warmer to surround themselves with. So, I’m bringing some samples and looking at some locations to see about starting a new business there.”
Soft’s eyes lit up at the idea. She had been worried about how much it might cost to order her favorite flowers from Canterlot, If this mare could get her business going… “What’s your name? Mine is Soft Glow, I’d love to help you with your plans if you’d like?”
The flower mare cocked her head at the exuberant mare. Sure, she had seen some success in previous ventures, but with how many flower shops there were in Equestria, she had expected to be seen as a dime a dozen florist.
At least… that’s what she was supposed to think.
“My name is Rose Bud, and while I appreciate the offer. How could you possibly help me? I mean, no offense, but you don’t look exactly like the business sort. Not that I don’t think you could help.”
Soft Glow shook her head, before placing a hoof to her chest. “I understand your concern entirely. However, my uh new employer would probably be very interested in your wares, and so she might be willing to help out. After all, she is—”
Soft Glow stopped suddenly having shoved a hoof into her own mouth. She looking away as she mentally scolded herself. Sure, she knew that one of the main reasons she was hired was that she was kind, optimistic, and a bit bubbly, but she also knew her job was of severe importance, and that having ponies know what it was before she got to work could cause major problems. At least, that’s what she’d been warned.
Rose noticed the hesitation, she smirked as she raised an eyebrow. “What, part of the Crystal Empire Mafia? I didn’t think that could exist already.”
Soft Glow’s eyes widened to the size of dinner plates, before she began to wave her hooves in front of her. “No, no! Nothing like that, I promise. It’s just, well, you see, oh-” She stopped as she felt Rose’s hoof on her shoulder.
“Hey, look, I don’t want to make you uncomfortable. Or you know get you in trouble. You let me in here without knowing anything about me, so I definitely won’t pry you for information. It should honestly be the other way around anyways, shouldn’t it?”
Soft smiled at the kind mare, before looking down at her hooves. She’d been told to keep it a secret, as the knowledge of her position could make ne’er do wells seek her harm, and to try to manipulate her and her position. In just a matter of hours though, she would be at her job, safe and sound, and besides if a bad pony wanted information or to hurt her right now, there was no way they’d simply back off. Besides, Rose had her own plans in the empire, so she couldn’t possibly have any plans for her, right?
Soft sat up, now firm in her resolve. Not only was she going to be helping an old, good friend, but she wanted to do this for the mare in front of her too. Besides, even Canterlot didn’t have that many bad ponies in it, so the chances that she had found one on the train was next to impossible.
Rose lifted an eyebrow at the movement, but stayed quiet as Soft took a breath in. “I, Soft Glow, have been appointed as one of several ladies in waiting, or, the less formal term, maid, for the Empress of the Crystal Empire, Princess Mi Amore Cadenza, also known as Cadance.”
Rose blinked a few times, silent as if her brain was trying to process what she’d just heard. “Wait, so you mean, you work for the princess? Like, right beside her through her normal day to day? How in Equestria did you land a sweet gig like that?”
Soft Glow blushed at the kind words as she looked away. “Well, I mean, all ponies need to grow up, and I was simply lucky enough to, you know, go to school with her?” She swallowed hard as she smiled, her body shaking as she attempted to explain her relationship with the princess. “I don’t mean to say that as a brag by the way. I was lucky to have her even notice me, and still don’t know why she lets me stick around for stuff like this.”
A small chuckle escaped Rose as she shook her head. “Honestly? It doesn’t matter why; you deserve props for getting to befriend a princess. I mean, you must be able to do amazing things with a connection like that.”
Soft Glow smiled and looked out into the distance for a moment. “Yeah, Saturday Ogres and Oubliettes is pretty awesome when you play it with a princess.”
In the ensuing silence, during which one could have easily heard a cricket chirping. Soft Glow slowly became aware of the fact that she was being stared at, and quickly glanced away in embarrassment. As the tension grew, she coughed politely, and managed to squeak out, “Um, anyways, I could probably ask her to look into your business proposal, and see about getting you a royal commission. I mean, if you’d be up for it?”
Rose’s eyes widened as she heard the offer, and a grin spread from ear to ear. “Really? I mean, that would be amazing! I promise, if you could do that for me, I would not let you or the princess down, no matter what.”
Soft smiled, before yawning. Her cheeks flared with a bit of heat at the action as she looked away. “Oh, excuse me! Anyway I-I can, I promise. And, that way, I can make sure Cadance gets her favorite flowers, if that’s possible.”
Rose grinned. “For a princess, anything.”
The shyer mare nodded as her eyes became heavier. “Oh, I’m sorry, but do you mind if I shut my eyes for a few minutes? I haven’t been sleeping well since I got told about my new job, and it seems to be catching up with me finally.”
Rose waved her hoof at Soft Glow, still smiling as she laid back herself. “Sure, go ahead. We’ve still got a long way to go anyways, so it’s probably best you get your rest, along with me. We both have some very exciting days ahead of us after all.”
A small murmur escaped Soft Glow as she finally started to drift to sleep. All in all, today was off to a much better start than she could have imagined. She had possibly made a new friend, could help her old one be comfortable in her new house hopefully, and she would even be able to give back to her new homeland. All in all, it made her feel warm, and ready to tackle any task that laid before her.
That, or maybe she was warm because of the green flames that surrounded her body.
‘Rose’ stepped off of the other couch, her coat color swiftly changing to match the faded yellow of the mare that had been there only moments ago. The new Soft Glow smiled, wondering how her drones were reacting at the moment to their prisoner’s arrival. Not that she had time to worry about that as she opened up one of the bags that the original Soft had brought.
She had a lot more to learn about the mare, even after a month of watching her, and stealing her mail, and not much time to do so. She was happy about one thing though.
She now knew to look into this Ogres and Oubliettes thing if she really wanted to sell this, and get back at the mare she despised above all others.
No, Chrysalis would not let a bad, rushed performance ruin her plans again. Not this time.