Pansy spent the whole day working around the shop.  It was a slow day, probably because everybody was excited for the Moon-Raising tonight.  As the day went to mid-afternoon, she started to close up the shop.  Maybe she'd have a chance to wander the square and see the Princess before the ceremony.

--->From Ponyville Business District

Arriving at the flower shop Rook had to suppress a spike of panic as he saw the shopkeep already getting ready to close her store as well.

Galloping towards her he shouted, "E-excuse me, Miss! Wait please!"

He hoped he wasn't too late. His date with China hadn't even begun yet and it was already starting to looking shaky.

Pansy looked up from where she had been watering the peonies outside, one of her last chores.  "Hm?"  She set the watering can to the side.  "Oh, I'm not closed just yet.  What do you need?"  Of course she wasn't going to turn away a potential customer.  Especially when she had so few to begin with.

Rook cantered to a stop a short distance from the mare. He paused for a bit raising his hoof in a 'one moment' gesture, and steadied his breathing before speaking again.

"I was wondering if you could make a flower arrangement for me. A, ah, bouquet if you'd please."

He explained further, a hint of nervousness creeping back into his voice. "You see, its... its for my date tonight and I'm kind of playing this whole thing by ear. S-so I thought that some flowers would be a good thing to give her. On the date. Tonight. With her. _Yeah," he finished lamely.

'Steady, Rook, steady.'

"Oh, a bouquet!  Never a bad choice.  Come in, come in," Pansy replied with excitement as she motioned for the young stallion to follow her.  "Do you know what colors she likes?"  Pansy went into the conservatory and started gathering supplies.  For a bouquet, she needed ribbon, and probably some tissue paper, and something to protect the bottom so it didn't drip on the lucky lady.

Rook followed the florist inside her shop. Inside he looked around; he never knew a store could be so... green. There were so many plants that he didn't recognize.

Her question jarred him out of his observations. China's favorite color? "I- well um no. We- I... It was a spur of the moment kinda thing. China and I were kinda only regular acquaintances before this and..." Was... was it getting hot in here? "D- do you know a, ah, a general arrangement I could use?" he asked weakly.

"Well, you can never go wrong with roses, but a full dozen would probably be a bit much," Pansy mused as she snipped a few things from the various plants. "For a first date, let's keep it small. A pair of pink roses and some blue forget-me-nots. Oh! And some baby's breath." The gardening pony placed the flowers together to give a rough approximation of the arrangement.

Rook just nodded along with Pansy's explanation, too busy trying not hyperventilate to provide any real commentary.

'Easy there, Rook. Deep breaths. Just stick to the plan and everything will turn out alright.'

"W-well if you think that would be the best way to go about it."

"Don't be so nervous! Everypony loves flowers!" Pansy tried to reassure the obviously nervous pony beside her. Best to just make it so he wouldn't stress about if he made the right choices.  She selected a bright red ribbon and tied the little bundle together.  It was a little rustic, but this was Ponyville, not Canterlot. And it would be easier to carry this way. "Here you go.  Try to have a good time and don't fret too much."

'She's right you know. You're fretting too much. Relax.'

Rook took a calming breath and nodded. "You're right. I-I need to stop worrying about the date itself and-and enjoy the my time with her."

'Not fooling anyone kid.'

Rook ignored the voice and pulled out his wallet. "So, how much is it for the bouquet?"

"You're taking her to the Moon-Raising tonight?  Then it's on the house.  My roses needed a little pruning anyway."  Pansy gave Rook a wink and then a smile.

Rook waffled for a moment, debating to himself if he should pay anyway. Deciding for once to just take the offer, he reluctantly put away his wallet. With a glow of magic, he accepted the bouquet from the mare.

He gave a short bow then smiled back. "T-thank you for the generous gift, Miss. I hope you get to enjoy the Moon Raising as well."

With that, he turned and made his way out of the store, gift in tow. For once he felt confident that maybe, maybe things will go well tonight.

Exit to Ponyville Business District--->

Pansy waved goodbye to Rook, mentally wishing him good luck.  She cleaned up the mess she had made from the bouquet, and then went to finish watering outside.  Her chores were soon finished, and she soon trotted off to see what else was happening in town.

-->To Town Square

The day after the Moon Raising, Pansy slept in late.  It was a lazy morning, and the events of the night before were a happy memory she rolled around in her head as she worked through her morning chores.  The mare hummed a happy tune, wondering how late Wordsmith was going to sleep in.  The thought of his goodbye kiss last night made her cheeks flush pink all over again.

She hoped that wouldn't make it awkward later, as she was sort of going to end up being his boss.

-> From Summer Song Cafe ->

Wordsmith hummed a small tune as he used his magic to carry the coffee so carefully made by Merriweather.  He had almost forgotten his notebook too, from when Fung Shui sat down, but he had remembered it at the last moment.

He'd have freaked, honestly, if he forgot the thing.

Now he was in sight of Pansy's shop, though he didn't recall her offering the name... could be he had just forgotten she told him

But, as she was doing her chores, he spotted her sweeping the front step.

He trotted up and smiled, "Good morning Boss Lady" he chuckled again, lightning teasing her.

Pansy's head shot up as she stopped sweeping.  She leaned the broom against the door frame as she trotted out to meet him.  "Good morning!  I hope you slept well.  Let me show you around."  She proceeded to lead him into the shop.  "This is the shop, and through that door is my conservatory.  Around the back is the real garden.  The plants in here are a little more delicate."

Wordsmith smiled warmly and nodded as he followed her into the shop. "Very cute place." He commented, inhaling gently, "huh? Oh... I didn't sleep.  After you left I just wandered around but -um- I ended getting a second wind... so, yeah." He blushed sheepishly.

He looked around, smiling, "such vivid colors and gentle scents.  Delicate but distinct.  I'm not a gardner but I can certainly appciate the hard work you put into all this." He sipped his coffee, the brew smelling strong, "Though I'm sorry not to have brought you breakfast or something."

"Ah-- I have to admit... I'm not sure what a conservatory of plants is or does.  Is that like a hot-house or something similar?" Again he blushed, a little embarrassed he didn't know.

"Oh, yes.  It's basically an attachment to the building that acts like a greenhouse.  It keeps things warm and humid, which is good for young plants, or plants that don't like cold."  She decided to demonstrate by opening the door, and a great puff of warm moist air entered the room.  "A lot of my rarer plants are in there.  Things from the Everfree forest, far off plants from other countries.  A lot of the flowers I use for bouquets."

He peeked his head in, looking around, "oooh. Pretty spiffy, boss lady."

Moving back so she could close the door, Wordsmith wiped some sweat that had started to bead, "dang. That was fast!" He laughed.

Pansy laughed as she closed the door behind him.  "Yeah, it gets hot working in there.  But you probably won't be in there very often.  You'll be in here, helping customers, most likely.  Sometimes getting the heavier items out is a little hard for me."  She pointed a hoof at the sacks of soil along the back wall, sitting next to some giant ceramic pots.

Wordsmith hunkered down, jutting out his bottom jaw and furrowing his brow.

He grunted.

"Me Wordsmith move big thingies!" he snorted, "Me lift heavy thingies!"

Pansy couldn't help but bust out laughing.  It was such an over-the-top act.  What other reaction was there?  Once she calmed down a bit, she managed to say, "Now, don't go hurting yourself.  They really are heavy."

After getting him settled in, Pansy went to work in the conservatory for a little while.  The plants in there needed a lot more care than just a bit of watering.  But after being in there for only a few minutes, she came back out.

"Oh dear.  It appears I'm out of one of my most important herbs.  And it only grows in the Everfree.  You wouldn't mind coming out there with me, would you?  It's dangerous to go alone, and you had said that you wanted to explore it."

He grunted at her laughing, "No laugh!  Word smash!!" though he couldn't keep from grinning.  Giving her a nod at her warning he straightend his face up, "don't worry Pansy, I'll be careful."

Then... they got to work.  She showed him what to do and he listened, then she went to the hot house while he minded the store.

He looked up from his notebook as she came in, "Sure!  Sounds like fun." he smiled.  He put his notebook back into his cargo vest pocket, tossed away the double-layer to-go cup, now empty, and moved to the door to open it for her like a gentlestallion would.

"Shall we?" he smiled at her.



=> Exit to Adventure Zone 006 - Into The Woods =>

Pansy nodded, grabbing a sack with her usual supplies for going into the Everfree: a small shovel, a field journal, ink and a couple quills, and some lightweight fabric and twine for wrapping the plants.  She wasn't going to go to the Everfree unprepared.

To Adventure Zone 006 - Into the Woods -->

Coming up to the shop, Poppy took off her skates, and reached for the door handle, about to burst with excitement - she could smell all of the wonderful plants from out here.