Humming a tuneless melody to herself, Wallflower refilled the watering can. One more pass through the impatiens and then the whole greenhouse would be watered and done. That meant that Wallflower could spend the rest of the day doing other things - at least until five. Five was the start of the date and nothing was going to get higher on the list of things she wanted to do than that.
A dreamy sigh slipped from her lips as her thoughts danced through anticipation of that pending moment. A quiet dinner, a movie in and a soft blanket-wrapped couch for her and Sunset. Glamorous? No. But they'd already had some amazing memories cuddled under the orange and black blanket. Adding more was something Wallflower was looking forward to more than she could put to words.
Of course, her attention on that meant it wasn't on the flowers - and Wallflower cursed as the watering can tipped too far and dumped out across several more delicate plants. Tossing the can aside, she bent down to try and save one of the orchids from drowning.
As she bent, she caught a hint of movement out of the corner of her eye - something behind her. Wallflower tried to stand, body awkwardly scrambling as the signals that said 'down' crossed with those that said 'up'.
Then all of them agreed on 'pain' as the watering can collided with the back of her head and the world became nothing but bright stars and dark blurs.
Conventional wisdom told Wallflower that she should have blacked out from being hit over the head. Reality said different - she'd been conscious the entire time. Coherent was a different matter and capable of action was a distant concept at best, but she was one hundred percent certain she was aware the entire time it took for her to be tied up and dragged away.
Both parts were also obvious as she regained her senses: the chafing rope around her wrists, ankles, knees and (distressingly but not unfamiliarly) neck were impossible to miss, and no amount of thick sweater could fully cushion being dragged across a hundred-plus yards of concrete and gravel.
At least she knew where she was - Wallflower wasn't used to being on the floor of it, but the scent of fertilizer confirmed her blurry vision that she was in the tool shed for Canterlot High's gardening club. Whoever had grabbed her must have known it was a good place to hide - after all, aside from the janitor, Wallflower was the only one who had the key.
'Who' was answered in short order, as well. There wasn't much light in the shed, but it was enough for Wallflower to recognize her own out-of-focus face staring at her.
Irrational explanations rattled through Wallflower's skull. There was no sane reason for her being kidnapped by herself, so only insane alternatives existed. Aliens? Clone? A government black ops project to infiltrate Sunset's friends and spy on them?
The other Wallflower frowned as she stared at her captive. "Are you awake? I've never tried to knock anypony out before, so, uh..."
Ah. There was a rational explanation - this was her extradimensional magic horse self. Of course.
The horse-Wallflower leaned closer in. She tilted her head first left - then right. "I think you've got a concussion, but your eyes are tracking me so I guess you're awake. Can you understand what I'm saying?"
"I don't understand what's happening." Wallflower's tongue felt thick in her mouth - she grimaced as she accidentally bit it on the last syllable.
"Not what I asked. And... it's better that you don't." The other Wallflower stood up, turning to leave. But she stopped again even as her hand raised to the door's handle. "Actually? It's better that you don't know, but I don't want better for you."
The free Wallflower turned back and squatted down again in front of her prey, voice rumbling like the forward edge of a stormcloud. "I want you to understand what's going on, and I think you understand exactly why I want you to. Because we're the same pony."
"Person," Wallflower reflexively corrected.
Rage flashed through the other Wallflower's eyes. Her hand darted out, grabbing hold of the captive's jaw and wrenching her head to the side. For a few furious moments, she held Wallflower's head against the shed's splintery wall. Even when she relented and let go, it was with a spiteful shove. "We're the same," she reiterated. "Quiet. Invisible. Worthless. We could vanish tomorrow and we wouldn't be missed. And you've thought about it, haven't you?"
A flash of guilt soured Wallflower's stomach. Those accusing words weren't wrong and she knew it: there had been moments like that. Days. Weeks, honestly. Dark moments as she fell asleep hoping to not wake up, or the shame of throwing away every short-sleeved shirt she could never wear again.
But those moments weren't alone. Her memories fought back - the darkness clashed with Pinkie Pie throwing Wallflower's first birthday party in years. Quiet walks in the woods with Fluttershy and Rarity measuring her for a new outfit without a hint of judgement at what was under the sweater. And, of course, Sunset. Holding hands and quiet meals in and long, soft hugs. Moment after glorious moment that warmed Wallflower from her core.
So she locked eyes with her captor, chin high. "Not anymore."
The other Wallflower sneered. "Yeah. That's why we're here. You were in Princess Twilight's book."
Wallflower blinked uncomprehendingly, her defiance derailed. "What?"
"Princess Twilight wrote a book," the Equestrian elaborated with the slow tone of a parent to a particularly dense child. "She talked about all of the adventures she and her friends had, so she could teach everypony the lessons in friendship they'd learned. And in that book, she talked about Sunset Shimmer. And Sunset talked about you." A pause. "About me." Another. "About us." She spat the final word with rank bile.
"So you wanted to meet," ventured the captive Wallflower.
And the pony one shook her head. "Maybe at first. But it wouldn't have helped. There's no Sunset Shimmer in my world to save me. I'm nopony and I'll never be anything but that. But you got saved from it. And you're me."
Ice shot up Wallflower's spine as she began to comprehend. "But... you could? Sunset gave me the strength to do it, but I had to work for it, too. You could just--"
Her captor snorted. "Just what? Smile more? Should I stop being so sad? Maybe if I tried harder I'd just be loved?"
Each verbal blow made Wallflower flinch.
But the pony didn't let up. Her anger and her gorge rose. "Or how about that I should snap out of it? After all, other ponies have it worse than me! It's just in my head." Her unfamiliar teeth curled to a snarl as she leaned over her cowering mirror image.
Panting for breath, she fell to silence. And slowly, Wallflower uncurled herself as the barrage stopped.
"I can't do it," the Equestrian finally continued after her temper cooled again. "I don't have somepony to save me from myself like you did. But you're also right - I can save me."
"By becoming me." Wallflower tugged at her bonds as the desperation of her situation sank in.
Her captor nodded. "If I have to choose one of us, I pick me. So you--" She paused to give the captive Wallflower a small shove, toppling her sideways to the floor. "--get to stay here while I take over your life. The one that should have been mine. After all, Sunset Shimmer's from Equestria. It wasn't supposed to be you she saved - it was supposed to be me. It should have been me."
Wallflower thrashed harder, straining against the ropes. Unsuccessfully, of course - tying a knot that wouldn't give any slack was just one of those bits of darker knowledge that lurked in her mind. The ropes were well tied, and every pull to get breathing room on her wrists or ankles took it away from the loop around her throat.
"That's why I want you to know, Wallflower." Leaning in, the captor grabbed Wallflower by the hair. Twisting her head, she forced the two pairs of cocoa-brown eyes to meet again. "I want you to lay here and know that I'm taking back the life you stole from me. Because I know how much it hurt to find out about your life - about how you got everything I ever wanted. And I want you to know what it feels like to see somepony with your face be gifted everything you ever wished for. In the end, you won't be angry about it. You'll just hate yourself more for letting me take it."
The captor released Wallflower and stepped away. From the floor, Wallflower looked up at her own back as her other self went to the door. "What are you doing to do with me?" She threw the question out wildly, trying to buy time to think and escape.
For just a moment, the Equestrian hesitated. "Leave you here, for now." Her answer was uncertain - and pointedly short-term. "I might need some information from you. I'm not going to let myself screw this up." She paused again, taking a deep breath to puff her chest and square her shoulders. "Meanwhile, I've got a date to go on."
"Wait!" Wallflower squirmed. "How do you know that? There's no way Twilight wrote about that! Sunset and I only planned it yesterday!"
Hand on the door handle, the Equestrian Wallflower turned back. A sharp shark's smile crossed her lips. "She didn't. I've been watching you for days, Wallflower. That's how I knew you're the only one with a key to this shed and that you'd be alone in the greenhouse. You just never noticed. And why would you?" All the hate Wallflower felt for herself - and for her other self - dripped from her voice. "You got what you wanted. Why would you notice someone invisible like me?"
Then she was out the door - and it locked solidly behind her.
Author's Note
Sometimes, you hit a wall with a contest entry and go to work on a second one to clear your head.
Then you hit the wall with your second entry and look elsewhere to get your mind back on track.
And then an idea for a third entry slaps you upside the head and says WRITE ME NOW and it just sorta happens.
