> SilverRose
>  by DustShine
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> The dawn of the rose
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

At the edge of Ponyville there was a simple house with a lovely and colorful garden in the backyard. In the house lived an earthpony mare with a pale yellow coat and a beautiful soft rose red mane with dark pink highlights. Her eyes were in the color of olive green and radiates. Her cutie mark was a single rose, which indicates that her special talent had to be something to do with flowers or gardening. Her name was Roseluck and she was one of the few florists living in Ponyville.
Right was laying on her couch bent over a big book with the title “Rare Flowers”. The book was pretty old, but it served the mare with the rose red mane many times, when she needed information about rare and exotic flowers. 
“The Ashrose...”, Roseluck read out loud the name of the mysterious flower, she wanted to search with her friend.
“The Ashrose is a rare rose species with pitch black petals and a short but thick stalk. The flower only blooms in caves near vulcanos, which are supplied by a steady stream of fresh water. The cultivation anywhere outside of the cave is impossible due to the fact, that the flower needs the air constellation near a vulcano to bloom.”
Roseluck slowly closed the book and put it back in the shelf beside the couch. She knew her friend will soon be there.

'Ring Ring!'
“I am coming!”, Roseluck shouted and slowly walked to her front door and opened it. In front of her stood a snow-white pegasus mare with a pink and green mane and freckles on her cheeks. She wore a warm and fuzzy scarf, which had the same color pattern as her hair, and a big brown backpack, where all her utensils for exploring are in. Her name was Blossomforth and she was the best friend of Rose. She gave Roseluck a greeting hug, which she returned happily, but broke away quickly and looked at her friend with the pale yellow coat apologetically.
“Hey Rose! Oh and sorry, that I am a late, but...”
The hoof of Rose gently closed Blossomforth's mouth and the rose red maned mare gave her friend a happy grin.
“You know, that for me it is only important if you come, not when. You are my best friend so I know that you will likely have a good reason, if you come late and even if you don't... I am just happy that you are now finally here. You know that I hate it when you get upset about being tardy.”
She gave Blossomforth a cheery smile and went a step back to let the white coated pegasus in.
“Well, but I still feel bad about letting you wait.”
Blossomforth stepped in and threw her scarf at the coat rack in the corner of the entrance room. 
“Soon will be our big day, Rosie.” 
“If we can reach the flower. It is winter and the path to the top of the mountain is now very dangerous. Avalanches and the bitter storm can be quite nasty, even when you are in your  warm home. Well maybe avalanches not, but the storm is chilling and merciless.” said Rose in a serious tone and looked out of the window, where the first snowflakes began to fall. 
“Oh it can't be that bad. We are prepared, aren't we?”
“Sure we are. So let's get going. I don't want to get caught in the storm that soon will sweep over Ponyville. These weather pegasi can pull off quite a nasty storm. You have to know it.”
“Hehe, sure they can and it is fun as hell! Well I mean making the storm. Not actually walking or flying home in the storm. That can be a problem when we overdid it. Still it is so much fun!”, Blossomforth giggled a bit as she imagined how much fun it is to make a storm.
Rose just gave her a friendly smile.
“So did the schedule for today change?”
“Well no, but that shouldn't stop us. I asked Rainbow Dash if she could delay the storm by a few hours and she said yes. That's awesome!” Blossomforth joyfully jumped in the air and fluttered excited with her wings.
“It is a good thing. I don't want to get covered in the chilling winds before it even begins.” Rose hated snow and the cold weather. But she would endure it for this adventure. That she was sure.
“Are you ready, Rose?”, shouted Blossomforth at Rose and went a step towards her. 
“Erm...Sure I am. Just let me pack this book.”
Rose grabbed the book she has been reading recently about the Flower. 
“Uhm... Rose do you really want to take that book with you? It looks very heavy.”
“Sure, I want to take it with me. You never know when there is a rare flower which needs to be identified.”
“Yeah, but...”, Blossomforth snatched to book out of Roses mouth and threw it a few feet in the air, before she caught it playfully with her wings. Rose looked slightly confused at Blossomforth.
“What are the first few sentences written about the Ashrose in this book?”
“Uhm...”, Rose scratched the back of her head with her hoof.
“The Ashrose is a rare rose species with pitch black petals and a short but thick stalk. The flower only blooms in caves near vulcanos, which are supplied by a steady stream of fresh water. The cult...” Rose began to rattle of the entire entry about the Ashrose, before she was stopped by Blossomforth, who closed the book with a loud noise. 
“See? You know everything about the rose, about this book by heart. There is no need for the best florist in whole Ponyville to take a book about flowers with her. Especially when you have read it like 1000-times.” Blossomforth gave the now blushing Roseluck a toothy smile and gave to book back to Rose. 
“Thanks, Blossom. I guess you just saved me from taking this book all the way to the top of the mountain.” 
“Not a big deal, Rose.”
Rose put the heavy book into the shelf beside the other botanic books. 
“So when everything is done here, let's get going!”, shouted Blossomforth and ran enthusiastically out of the door. Rose shook her head at the unbound energy over which Blossomforth possessed, put on a coat, some solid shoes and her favorite scarf which was colored in a bright violet and finally went outside to meet with the happy pegasus again. 

“This day will be so awesome!” 
“Don't get all to exited, we won't reach the top in a single day.”
“I know, I know. I just enjoy doing an adventure together with you, Rose.”
“I hope you do. I think I will enjoy it too.”
“Yeah, that's the spirit! Come let's visit Daisy and Lily and say goodbye.”
“I still need to give Lily the keys to my house, so that she can care for my flowers.”
The two mares walked beside each other – well in fact Blossomforth was more jumping instead of walking – through the now almost lifeless town. Only a few ponies could be seen on the streets and they were all busy either cleaning the street or getting into their warm homes. It was cold outside and the wind chilled Rose to the bone. Rose wasn't accustomed to very cold weather because she was always more of the sun child, who immediately went inside if it freezes, but she didn't mind rain. In fact she loved rain. It always made her feel inspired and energized. 
Sometimes Rose or Blossomforth met a pony, they knew and greet them. There wasn't any other kind of distraction, until they finally got to the flower shop, where Rose, Daisy and Lily worked. The shop itself was a three storied house with a big sign above the entry, where “Flower pot” was scribbled on it. Through the large windows beneath the wooden entry door one could see a huge collection of different kind of flowers in all colors and kinds. 
Both Rose and Blossomforth went into the shop and immediately a young and energetic mare with a pale magenta coat, lime green hair and dark green eyes waved her hoof at them. She had two daisy blossoms as a cutie mark.
“Hey Blossom, hey Rose!”
“Hi Daisy!” shouted Blossomforth and rushed quickly to Daisy to give her a warm greeting hug
“As stormy as always, Blossom.” Daisy quickly returned the hug and grinned brightly. Rose slowly walked towards her two friends and shyly greeted them.
“As shy as always, Rose.” Daisy broke the hug with Blossomforth and greeted Rose with a small hug. 
“So you two are soon going to find the Silver rose? That's fantastic! I guess you want to bid Lily farewell, too.”
Daisy went to the door behind her and knocked on it. 
“Lily, Rose and Blossom are here and want to say goodbye! They want to see you, too!”
Daisy retreated a step and soon after, the door opens and an earth pony mare stepped out. Her coat was a little bit brighter than Daisy's and her mane was colored in a pale golden tone, which was the same color as her eyes, she also had a lily tucked behind her ear and she wore a pitch black hair band, while she balanced a flower pot with a single white lily in it on her back. Her cutie mark was three lilies. She had a rather indifferent, almost annoyed expression, but everyone, who know her well, knew that this was just her regular expression. Her eyes lit up a bit, when she glanced over to Rose and Blossom. 
“Hi, Lily!” As usual, Blossom dashed forward and gave Lily a quick welcome hug. Lily sighed a bit, before casually breaking the hug.
“Hello, Blossomforth. Hello Roseluck.”
“You are as grumpy as always Lily. You need to lighten up a bit.”
“I like it this way and you know that Blossom.” Blossomforth just shook her head. It was always this way with Lily. The mare with the light golden mane went to Rose and Rose snatched the flower pot from Lily's back and put it in between them. They both close their eyes and just stand around the flower pot for some time. 
“I am always wondering, what Lily and Rose are doing.”, said Daisy and looked curios to the almost motionless mares. Only sometimes their eyelids would flutter and their ears would twitch a bit. 
“I can only guess, that they are listening to the lily. Rose told me, that she likes to hear the melody of the flowers. I guess Lily believes that, too.”
“Maybe. I think they look peaceful, happy. Something I don't see often on Lily's face. She hardly laughs.”
“But she is happy when you are around, Even if she doesn't show that.”
“I know. I have the best friends.” Daisy beamed brightly at Blossomforth and hugged her. 
“No, I have the best friends!” The winged mare playfully poked her tongue out at Daisy, who put on a serious expression, but couldn't hold it much longer, when her friend tickled her with her soft feathers. 
“Oh stop it! That tickles!” shouted Daisy, while she laid on the floor with her hooves struggling and laughing wildly. 
“See you can't have such good friends, when they annoy you.” Blossom blinked at Daisy and stopped torturing her with her wings. 
“But what if that's the thing, why I like you? You are always cheerful, even in the darkest days.” Daisy shot a bright smile at her friend, before the two mares look again to their friends, who were still listening to the sound of the lily. At least that's what they both thought. 
“So how did you meet Lily? I think you never told me about that.” said Blossom and looked curiously at Daisy. 
“I didn't? I thought I did. Oh well, then I just need to tell you again, Or for the first time. 
I met Lily back then, when we were both little fillies. She just moved from Canterlot to Ponyville and we ended up in the same class. Still I never thought that we will become friends. She was even more gloomy and somber than now. There was this one colt who fell in love with her.” Daisy interrupted her speech with a small chuckle, before she continued. 
“Poor guy. I guess he never got over the harsh rejection, she gave him. 
Anyway she was somepony most of the other ponies avoided. I... I was afraid of her, too. She glared at everypony who went as close as 5 meters from her, with a look that scares the living hell out of them. 
The day we truly met was soon after the summer holidays in the forest. That day I went to the forest near my school. For picking and enjoying flowers it was my favorite forest. Okay maybe because it was the only forest I could easily go to without traveling too far. In this forest I had a favorite place, but that day I wasn't the only one who got the idea to travel to the beautiful place in the deep of the living green.  As I slowly approached the place I could hear somepony humming a gentle tune. I think back then, I got curios and began to slow down and sneak around, hoping to catch a glimpse of the pony who occupied my favorite place.
I was shocked when I saw her. A little bit terrified-” Blossomforth interrupted her own story to give a small chuckle, before continuing the story “Okay, okay maybe a bit more than just a bit terrified. I tried to slowly sneak back, but mother nature didn't approve that. A twig snapped. Lily noticed the noise and with the noise she noticed me. She slowly went to me with a facial expression that made it really hard to determine how she felt. 
When she was only a step or two away from me, she said hello. Oh colt I almost fell over of surprise when she finally spoke. 
I couldn't get a word out of myself and just simply nodded. She asked me why I was here, but just as before the big lump in my throat made it impossible to talk. I am not sure, but I think the next thing she asked me, if I couldn't talk. When I shook my head, she sighed and told me, that I didn't need to be afraid. 
For the first time in my life I took a closer look at Lily and I was surprised when I simply saw more. It is a hard to describe, it is like... well if you have a problem and from one moment you know the answer for this problem. But there was more to this feeling. I always think it is some kind of connection. What I saw? Lily and no one else. I realized the kindness, but loneliness in her. I began to talk about flowers, about the forest, even about our class mates. She was always a little bit hmm withdrawn. Well she still is and since that day she only once or twice spoke so openly. As time passed by we realized how much similarities we had. We both loved flowers, the calmness and peace of mother nature. We grew closer together and even got our cutie mark almost at the same time. 
The rest of the story you already know. After we finished school, we bought this old house and renovated it, so that it is presentable as a flower shop.”
“That is quiet a tale about you two. Lily is someone mysterious.”
“Yes, but she is more than anything else our dear friend. She is caring and loving in the inside, but would never admit that openly.”
“Friends care for each other. And they care for each other, too.” Blossomforth nudged Daisy lightly and gave her a sign that she should watch what Rose and Lily were doing. 

Rose's eyes were still closed, but the grin on her lips indicated that she was quite happy. She hummed a gentle, but somehow depressed melody. 
“She has a nice voice.” said Rose, when she and Lily finally opened her eyes. Both gave their partner a radiating smile to show their deepest happiness about the lily. 
“Before I met you, I never thought that there is a deeper meaning to my cutie mark.”
“It isn't just to your cutie mark. Everyone can hear them. I just showed you how to.”
“That is not true. You are the only one.”
“I hope not. I don't want to be the only one understanding what they say and about what they sing.”
“You can make us understand, too. You are not alone, but maybe the only one. There are only two princesses either, so you can share their point of view now.”
“I wouldn't go that far. I am just a normal pony.”
“There are no normal ponies. Just look at me.”
“Maybe you are right, but that is because you are my friend. At least from what I know about friendship. You are important to me. Like the song of the flowers.”
“They are beautiful.”
“Then you know what I mean. I think I need to go now. We want to arrive at the foot of the mountain just before the sun falls and the night rises.”
“I won't stop you. Good luck and tell me its song.”
“I will.” 

Lily went a small step towards Rose and just looked at her stretching out her hoof, so that Rose can lay her hoof on it. They rub their hooves lightly against each other smiling. Shortly after they break away and go to Blossomforth and Daisy, who joyfully waited for them. 
“It's time for us to go.” said Blossomforth with a small hint of sadness in her voice. 
“But we will come back soon.” added Roseluck and smiled encouragingly at Blossomforth, when she noticed the sadness in her words and eyes. 
“Yeah and we will tell you how it was!” Blossomforth almost shouted as if she wanted to banish the sadness with her voice.
“I look forward to it. It is always nice having such good friends around.” said Daisy joyfully.
“So please be careful. I hate it when my friends get hurt.”
“We will be careful, Daisy. I don't like pain either and I guess Roseluck isn't a fan of pain, too. Am I right, Rosie?”
“Uhm...yes.” 
“Then I won't hold you back. See you in a few days!”
Lily said nothing during the whole conversation, but when Roseluck and Blossomforth finally went out of the shop, she waved them goodbye. They returned the wave at the doorstep and after the exchanging of honest smiles they were finally on the way to the edge of Ponyville. 
“Soon enough we will be on the top and finally see that uhm cool flower. I mean rose. That's so awesome! I guess that this is very valuable flower.”
“Yeah... she is indeed valuable, but not because she is so rare or has anything like a special “flaw” or use. She just is as valuable as any other rose. All roses need to be heard.”
Blossomforth shot Rose a slightly confused look not understanding in its fullest what Rose wanted to tell her. Rose sighed slightly and grinned a bit. She was used to the fact that no one understood her, but for Blossomforth she would try to explain her theories and discoveries. 
“Blossom, do you know the cello player Octavia Philharmonica?” asked Rose and shot Blossomforth a curios look. When Blossomforth shook her head, Rose looked a little bit sad, but smiled again after a few moments. 
“3 years ago I was with my school class on  a trip to the small town Mountacolt. Near the town was the Moonlight Mountain, the same mountain we will soon climb up to search for the silver rose. I think, the plan for the few days, which we were on the trip, was to climb to the top of the mountain. But that wasn't important at all. At least it wasn't the thing, what made this trip unforgettable for me. 
So when we arrived at the small town, we had occupied our rooms in the youth hostel in the town and after that we had a few hours of free time. I walked aimlessly through the town for an hour or two, doing a little bit of sight seeing here and there. So after that there wasn't really anything interesting to see in the town and I began to go into the nearby forest admiring the wonderful nature which crossed my path. I could even hear a few flowers sing their song. It was wonderful, like every walk through the forest. But then suddenly I heard a flower crying. It.. it broke my heart. I had to cheer this flower up so I quickly ran to the location I heard the melancholic song of the flower. 
It didn't take long to find these flowers: they were on a small glad near the pathway. There I found another surprise. On the glad was a gray filly with a well-kept dark gray mane and a tail with the same color. She only wore a small pink bow tie, which gave her together with her dark coat and mane a very classy look. She sat on a suitcase with her one hoof grabbing a bow for her cello, which laid beside her. Her large magenta eyes...”

Rose made a short break to gather herself. A few tear welled up in her eyes, but she quickly blinked them away. 
“She was crying. Lying on the ground, small tears dropped to the ground making a small splash sound. At least that was what I imagined I heard. I guess I couldn't hear something as quiet as this sound. I was shocked from the raw power of emotion, which I could suddenly feel. I felt like all of her sorrow was channeled into me. The flowers around her told me, that she wanted to be heard. 
It was a strange feeling and when I reflect about what happened, I am pretty sure, I was just imagining some things. Anyway I began to cautiously approach her, so that I wouldn't scare her away. As I got nearer the music of the flowers, I could identify them as nightshades, increases in volume and intensity. When I stood right in front of her, the music was so loud, that I began to tremble. In the meantime the gray filly already noticed me. I think she feared me, but still she didn't flee, just standing there leaned against her cello and shivering violently. Honestly I was over strained with the situation. I didn't know what to think, what to say, what to do, to comfort her. 
I think, I just stared at her waiting for a spark of inspiration. And then there was it. My legs moved slowly, automatically, until I was so close to her that, when I stretched out my hoof, I could touch her. There were all kinds of emotions going through her eyes. Curiosity, fear, sadness, melancholy, but the strongest of all 	was ...loss. She had lost all of her spirit. I guess that was, when I finally understood. I really understood, like when the flowers sing, I could understand every word of her eyes. 
I plucked one of the nightshades, which grew beside her and gave it to her. She was at first confused, but then she accepted the offer and took the flower to her heart. It was a wonderful moment. I said that I wanted to hear her playing. She smiled, happier than I have seen anyone ever in my life and began to play her song. It was sad, it was melancholic, heaviness tugged at my heart, but... it was paralyzing beautiful. The gentle tugs at her strings were in perfect harmony with the song of the nightshades around us. I knew she can hear them, I simply knew it. I think, one time while she played I began to cry and sang a few verses, which I took from the inspiration of the music to give her the admiration she so desperately needed. 
At the end of her song it was night. But she was glowing, radiating the happiness she felt. Octavia Philharmonica is a mare, who pursues honest affection for her music, for herself. That is why she grew desperate when nopony gave her music this affection.
I am glad... so glad, that I could help her.
Back then in the night we made a promise that we would return again to this glad again. Today is the day.” 
Roseluck fell in silence and let her little story flower out the impact, that it had on the emotion of her pegasus friend.
“Wow... if someone else told me a similar story, I wouldn't believe him, but with you it is a different story. 
“So today is the day you meet with her again?”
“Thanks for believing me Blossom, although I almost can't believe myself that this happened. Yes today is the day we meet again. But before we can meet her we first need to travel to the small village.”

Roseluck and Blossomforth finally made it to the edge of Ponyville. They first looked back giving their hometown a silent goodbye, before they started to finally go to Mountacolt. Today is the day, that will change everything.