The Things In Between

by Gay For Gadot

Rating: teen
Tags: Slice of Life, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Romance, Equestria Girls, Wallflower Blush, Sunset Shimmer
Length: 10078

At first, Wallflower Blush was excited to visit Equestria with her girlfriend, Sunset Shimmer. Then she saw how different each of them became on the other side of the mirror.

At first, Wallflower Blush was excited to visit Equestria with Sunset Shimmer. Then she saw what her girlfriend became on the other side of the mirror. And what Wallflower didn't.

How could Sunset want to be with a person—or a pony—like her?

Takes place prior to Equestria Girls: Spring Breakdown and Season 9.

Written for, and inspired by, my girlfriend Scampy, whose Wallflower stories are far better than this.

Written to this song.

Published 2020-12-21 18:50:00 UTC
Last updated 2020-12-21 18:50:00 UTC

It's Only Making Me Feel Smaller

Going through the portal wasn’t what bothered Wallflower Blush the most. The strange magic that took her through the gap between dimensions wasn’t the most painful thing. Nor was realizing that she was no longer human.

The biggest shock was when she looked over to see Sunset Shimmer, simultaneously herself and not, smiling at her.

“You okay?” Sunset asked with a chuckle.

Wallflower realized that she was staring. How could she not? The girl she had come to know and fall for over the past few months stood beside her as a horse. No, a pony. Wait, no. A unicorn. A magical creature Wallflower hadn’t thought about since she was a little girl. Something she had read about in stories of knights, princesses, and faraway lands.

This must have been one of those lands the stories were written about.

After regaining her balance, Wallflower finally replied, “Y-yeah. I’m okay.”

“This is the first time I’ve brought someone through this side of the mirror, so I wasn’t sure how you’d react.” Sunset reached out with a hoof. Front hoof? Forehoof? As Wallflower took her forehoof, she marveled at how soft it felt in… her own.

Oh. Right.

Wallflower looked over herself. Four hooves. Four legs. All the same light-green shade as that of her human skin. She was still wearing her favorite baggy sweater. Two-tone. Beige and tan. The sleeves were just as long here as they’d been on the other side, reaching down to her hands. Forehooves.

“Oh! Right!” Red light glowed around the small, almost stubby horn atop Sunset’s head. Wallflower watched as that same red light crept around the room, as if searching for something.

Taking in her surroundings, Wallflower realized that they were in a library. Towers of bookshelves surrounded them, jutting out from the crystalline walls and floor. These crystals were unlike any she’d seen before. Their hues of blue and purple contrasted nicely with the red of Sunset’s… magic.

Magic shouldn’t have surprised her so much. She had used the Memory Stone, been touched by Sunset’s geode, and seen the gems Sunset’s friends wore around their necks. Stolen memories, instant connections, transformations ripped right out of a cartoon… she’d done or seen it all. And those were just the things she already knew about.

Wallflower shouldn’t have felt so fascinated when her unicorn girlfriend found a small mirror on a nearby table and levitated it over to her. But she was.

“I had Twilight leave out something a little more, well, useful as a mirror for us. I figured you’d want to get a good look.”

Sunset cast a grin towards her that—as odd as was in this context—seemed flirtatious. However, when Wallflower looked in the mirror, she couldn’t understand why.

The mane on her pony head—er, her head—was long and scraggly, the same darker shade of green as before. There was no cute, spiraling horn poking out from the raggedy mess. Nor were there a set of majestic, feathery wings jutting out from her shoulders or back. Wherever they were supposed to go. Other than her colors, Wallflower looked very similar to a pony back on Earth. Nothing special at all.

“Oh, and you’ll want to see this, too.”

The mirror rushed down towards where Wallflower’s tail was. To Wallflower's relief, it didn’t quite go all the way back there. Nevertheless, she blushed as she looked at the reflection of her thigh—no, her flank. That was the right word, Wallflower was pretty sure.

“Look! Your cutiemark’s a flower!”

Sunset sounded excited to see something so mundane. It was a flower Wallflower had seen many times before. In fact, it was an exact match to a sticker on the backpack she used back home. A lone, white flower in a brown pot, drooping from lack of sunlight. Even more plain and boring as a destiny tattoo.

“Oh…” Wallflower held back a shrug. “I guess it is.”

Moving the mirror back up to her face, Sunset asked with that bright smile, “So, what do you think?”

Wallflower turned away from the boring pony in the mirror. “I… uh…”

“Please speak up, Wallflower.” Sunset smirked. “You’re a little hoarse.”

A strange, equine snort escaped Wallflower as she rolled her eyes. “Good one.”

When Sunset giggled, Wallflower genuinely giggled back. If anything could reliably make her laugh, it was Sunset’s silly jokes. Not only that, but Sunset always had the prettiest smile. She beamed when she laughed, even in this strange body. It was enough to make Wallflower smile and laugh at the sight alone.

“I thought of it on the way. It just seemed too perfect.” Sunset levitated the mirror back over to the table, setting it down with a quick flick of her horn. The red magic extinguished, channeling back from wherever it came. Then, the playful expression on her mouth—her muzzle—shifted into something more serious.

Wallflower flinched. That was the same look human Sunset gave her all too often. It was because of that look she started sitting with Sunset and her friends in the cafeteria at lunch, rather than alone in her garden. It was because of that look that Wallflower decided to tag along when “they” invited her to get a milkshake, go to the movies, or hang at the beach.

It was because of that look that Wallflower was grateful the portal hadn’t removed her sweater, like it had Sunset’s clothes.

“Hey.” Sunset laid a forehoof on her shoulder. “If this is too weird, we can go back. No big deal.”

“I know.”

“We can always visit another time.” That forehoof moved from her shoulder to under her chin. Whatever these hooves were made out of, they felt kind of nice. Wallflower relaxed a bit at her touch. “Equestria’s not going anywhere. And neither am I,” Sunset added, as if her magic could read Wallflower’s treacherous mind.

“I-I know.” But I know how much you were looking forward to this. How excited you are. I can’t take that away from you, she wanted to add. “It’s okay.” She did her best to inject any amount of conviction into her own words. “We’re here already, right? Plus, didn’t you want me to meet all of your friends?”

“All of our friends, but yes.” Though it seemed more measured, Sunset was still looking at her. “But if you’re sure…”

Reaching out, Wallflower laid one of her forehooves on Sunset’s shoulder. Somehow, Sunset’s coat felt smooth beneath the roughness of her own touch. “I’m sure, Sunset.”

With one last breath, Wallflower took her first unaided step on four legs. When she didn’t fall, she took another, and then another, until she was pressed right against Sunset’s side.

Sunset nuzzled the side of Wallflower’s face with her own. Warmth tingled through Wallflower’s veins. The gesture sparked another fresh wave of flutters. Butterflies danced in her stomach, flapping all the way to her throat.

As Sunset smiled at her, locking those gorgeous cyan eyes on her dull, brown ones, Wallflower almost believed her own words.

It hadn’t been a library at all. Well, not really.

Wallflower supposed that castles must have had libraries to begin with. In all those storybooks of yore, damsels in distress were locked away for months or years at a time. Back before cell phones, television, and magical pony girlfriends, books were all a damsel in distress had to pass the time.

Wallflower was no damsel. However, after seeing what she looked like on this side of the mirror, she would’ve preferred reading a book to being here. Or, better yet, tending to her garden.

This place was called Ponyville, Sunset had said. Whoever was in charge of naming conventions for this world sure had a terrible sense of humor. Awful pun or not, even as Sunset had explained Ponyville’s importance and significance, Wallflower found herself distracted.

Around her were ponies of every shade of the rainbow. Their coats, manes, and eyes were all some myriad of color. Like a technicolor dream come alive. Her own human palette could not compare. There was a life and a magic here that left Wallflower in awe. Some spirit that she had never seen before.

Some of these ponies had wings or horns. Many, like her, did not. Even so, these regular ponies carried themselves with magic all their own. She saw a big, red stallion pulling a cart stacked high with apples. A trio of multicolored mares sold flowers at a well-tended stand. A cream-colored mare with a two-tone mane passed out samples of candy by a storefront that undoubtedly bore her own name.

When a mint-green unicorn came out of the store and nuzzled the cream-colored mare in the same way Sunset had done, Wallflower felt something drop in her stomach. Flutters? No. Nerves? Maybe, but that still didn’t feel right. Envy? Perhaps that was it.

After all, when this other mare looked up at her unicorn partner, her smile was nowhere near as fake as the ones Wallflower had mustered many times over. Then again, practice made perfect. Maybe she just needed to feel invisible most of her life, too.

“Hey Lyra! Hey Bon-Bon!” Sunset waved as they passed the couple. The two mares quickly returned the greeting before their eyes were drawn back to each other.

Sunset drew back to Wallflower’s side. “Lyra—the unicorn back there—was a student at Princess Celestia’s school, just like Twilight was. They were both just starting their first year when I…” She trailed off into a nervous chuckle. “Well, you know.”

Sensing the guilt and shame rising in Sunset’s words, Wallflower changed the subject. “So, are we going to go see Twilight first?”

Sunset’s smile returned. “Actually, we’re gonna see them all at once. Remember how I said Twilight was a teacher now?”

“That’s right, I remember wh—!” Wallflower cut off in a squeak. Sunset yanked her to the side of the road with her magic.

Rushing past them, the enormous pegasus stallion, his tiny wings fluttering, called out, “Sorry! Nut cart emergency!”

Nut cart…? “Wh-what?”

Sunset laughed, then rolled her eyes. “Don’t ask.” She curled a foreleg around Wallflower. “Anyway, after the whole thing with the Storm King…”

As Sunset launched into another story of magic ponyland adventure, the heat on Wallflower’s muzzle blossomed. They were so close right now, almost walking cheek-to-cheek together through the streets.

They were far from the only ones. Beyond Lyra and Bon-Bon, other couples of all different combinations of gender, color, and kind trotted past them. Going to the market seemed as much of a couple’s activity here as anywhere else. Excited chatter rang out above their ears, at times drowning out Sunset’s tale of the new School of Friendship and the jerk who tried to shut it down. Chancellor Naysay? Nah, it was probably spelled less subtly than that.

Although she didn’t want to ignore Sunset, Wallflower couldn’t help but let many of her words pass through her sensitive ears. She was so close, so warm, so bright and vivid. Not just in color, but in temperament, too. She matched her namesake as much as Wallflower did her own.

Seeing her like this exemplified their difference even more. In her native land—in her native body—Sunset was completely in her element. Confident. Vibrant. Passionate.

And who was Wallflower? The timid stranger who had to be held and coddled through it all?

... Now the flutters were different. Like the butterflies were going to be sick.

“... So there’s gonna be some different creatures there. Dragons, a Griffon, a hippogriff, a Yak, and at least one Changeling.” Sunset picked up where she left off in Wallflower’s ears without missing a beat. “But they’re all really nice. Maybe a little different, but still nice.”

When Sunset’s eyes lingered on her own, Wallflower realized it was her turn to speak. She cleared her throat, then plastered a smile. “That sounds nice.”

“Mmm.” Sunset leaned in closer, her breath almost tickling on Wallflower’s cheek. “Everything okay still? We could always meet up with the girls later.”

Trying not to run into another wayward pony, Wallflower shook her head. “No, it’s okay.”

“You sure? I know I have a lot planned for us today.” Along with her smile, Sunset’s voice dropped a tad. “I don’t want to overwhelm you.”

If the butterflies had been nauseous before, they were puking now. Puking up sunshine, glitter, and rainbows in Wallflower’s empty stomach. A more than fitting breakfast for today. She’d rather let all of that twist and churn than see Sunset disappointed.

Wallflower attempted the easy familiarity of Sunset’s intimate gestures, awkwardly brushing her nose against the unicorn’s. “I’m alright,” she said, hoping that she, herself, believed it too.

Or, at least, that Sunset did.

School would be much more bearable if it looked like this. More like a castle—complete with a moat, of all things!—than the prison it could be. More colorful, more happy, more alive. Wallflower felt as if the grass beneath her hooves was singing to her as they approached the majestic work of art. Calling it a school was no longer acceptable. Everything about it—from the shingles on the roof, to the waterfalls framing the front doors—was something out of a fairytale.

“Is that… Twilight?” Wallflower looked up at the stained-glass motif above the similarly patterned front doors.

“Sure is! And if I didn’t know any better—” Sunset looked down at her empty left forehoof, then chuckled and shook her head— “I’d think she’d be meeting us right about—”

Pink magic engulfed Wallflower’s vision. With a gasp, she cowered behind Sunset, who simply petted her side and said, “Now.”

What followed the flash almost made Wallflower’s heart stop. She should’ve been prepared when Twilight Sparkle the pony said in the same voice as her human counterpart, “Hi, Sunset!”

But she wasn’t.

From behind Sunset’s tail, Wallflower saw her girlfriend laugh, then hug this Twilight Sparkle. “Good to see you, Twilight. It’s been a while.”

This Twilight took a little too long to break away. “Sure has.”

As Twilight pulled back, Wallflower realized that this world’s version of the genius girl not only had a horn—one longer than Sunset’s—but wings, too.

Wings and a horn? Wasn’t that what Sunset said an alicorn was? Weren’t all of them princesses? Princesses who controlled the sun and moon, who cast shields around entire cities, who fought off giant monsters with their magic…

If the other Twilight came to this side of the mirror, would she be an alicorn, too? Would Sunset regard her with the same affection?

“And you must be Wallflower Blush.” Trotting around Sunset, Twilight joined Wallflower’s side. The alicorn held out a forehoof to the common pony. “It’s nice to meet you. I’ve heard quite a bit about you.”

As she shook hooves with a Princess, Wallflower could only nod. Then, she realized what Twilight had just said. “You—you have?”

Sunset, her cheeks matching the darker parts of her mane, smiled so sheepishly that Wallflower felt like she was looking in the mirror again.

Twilight smiled at Wallflower. “Oh, yes, I have. All good things, I promise.” She unfurled her wings, pointing one in the direction of her school. “Now, would you two like a tour? I figured I could show you around first. After that, we could sit in on some of the girls’ classes before lunch starts.”

“The girls?” Wallflower blinked. “Wait, they’re all teachers here, too?”

“Yes. All of them are professors in their own individual Element of Harmony,” Twilight explained.

“‘Element of Harmony’? Like… their gems?”

“That’s right.” Sunset smiled down at her. “Just like their gems.”

Wallflower held back a soft “Oh,” rubbing one foreleg against the other. Her sleeves bunched as she did so. Noticing this, Sunset used her magic to pull them down for her. Their eyes met in a quiet, shared understanding that calmed the nerves fluttering in Wallflower’s chest.

They returned with a vengeance as Princess Twilight Sparkle, one eyebrow raised, asked, “Did you come through the portal wearing that?”

Looking away, Wallflower felt her ears droop. “Y-yeah.”

“Huh.” Twilight cocked her head. “I know the portal adds clothing on the other side, given how human culture is, but I’ve never seen this happen in reverse. I wonder if—”

“So, Twilight...” Sunset cleared her throat. “The tour?”

“Oh!” Twilight looked between them with a bashful grin. “Sorry, where are my manners? Heh, heh.” That powerful pink magic pulled the doors open wide. “Right this way!”

As she followed after the alicorn and unicorn, Wallflower pulled the sleeves of her sweater down as far as they could go. The fabric rubbed against her fetlocks as they explored the grand palace that some lucky creatures called a school.

Everything was a blur. A sick mix of rainbow and brilliance and glimmer and glamor and magic. So much magic. Every inch of the School of Friendship crawled with magic. Even those who lacked horns or wings dripped with magical power. If not prowess, then the potential for it.

Sunset’s friends would have been proud to see how their pony counterparts performed here. Geodes couldn’t compare to bucking an entire bushel of apples free with a single, practiced kick, nor the supernatural ability to bake, laugh, sing, teach, cheer, dance, and juggle eggshells all at the same time. With far too many limbs. To be fair, Pinkie Pie probably was some kind of god in either dimension. The rest were just better here than back home.

It was from meeting Applejack that Wallflower officially learned the term “Earth pony”. However, Sunset likely had said it during one of their talks prior to this trip… or maybe during it. Regardless, hearing it from another pony dug the knife in further.

Earth pony. Although this planet was called Earth at times—Equus at others, for some reason—knowing that the magical dimension portal had turned her into… Well, basically herself, and not something greater, only further solidified what Wallflower had been feeling. What she always felt when Sunset held her hand. Or her forehoof.

“Hey.” There it was again. That almost serene timbre. That gentle touch. “Everything alright?”

Wallflower looked up from her dandelion and daisy sandwich. “Yeah,” she said after a moment, grateful her voice wasn’t shaking. “I’m okay. I’m just thinking.”

Before saying more, Wallflower looked at Sunset’s friends. The group of six mares and a small, winged dragon—at least there was one other creature who got a worse deal on the other side of the mirror than her—chatted amongst each other, sharing sandwiches, cupcakes, and tea. Though they were sitting right beside herself and Sunset, there might as well have been oceans between them. Or dimensions.

Knowing that Sunset was waiting on her, Wallflower swallowed a lump in her throat that had nothing to do with eating flowers. The first possible excuse came to mind. “I—I think I have to—uh…”

“Down the main hall, then take a right,” Sunset said. “It’s the first door on the left.”

“Thanks.” Rising to her hooves wasn’t as difficult as it had been last time. She cast a smile towards Sunset and the others before she hurried off.

As she walked away, Wallflower’s ears pricked. The group’s chatter shifted towards Sunset, who was giggling. Wallflower could only smile, imagining what was making her laugh. Probably anything other than her girlfriend being weird and quiet… like always.

Wallflower frowned.

On the way, Wallflower brushed past a group of six creatures who were talking and laughing amongst themselves. The Griffon’s tail almost smacked her as he passed. The dragon nearly hit her with her sharp claws as she recounted some tall tale. Wallflower groaned, but didn’t say anything, choosing to keep moving.

Some things never changed.

By the time she had gone down the main hall, she was alone. A spring day like this was perfect for taking lunch outside. Unless there was a pony—or other creature—like her, Wallflower likely had the entire building to herself.

Despite her lie, she considered heading to the bathroom anyway. It wasn’t like this would be the first time she’d hid in the bathroom during lunch. She had yet to see what an Equestrian bathroom looked like, so there was at least some novelty to the idea. In any case, she needed to get away for a minute.

When she moved to follow Sunset’s directions, a plaque on the wall beside a pair of purple-patterned doors caught her eye:

Guidance Counselor — Starlight Glimmer

“... Huh.” Wallflower laid a forehoof on one of the doors. “Didn’t know they had counselors here t—”

Wallflower yelped. She fell forward, landing with a squishy sound. “Owwww…”

“Oh, shoot! Sorry!” Shimmering magic pulled her face from the carpet, then set her on all four hooves. This aura was turquoise. A nice color, Wallflower could admit. As were the pastel hues of the unicorn who’d smacked her in the face.

Wallflower groaned, rubbing her sore nose. She looked up at the source of her pain, scowling. “No, it’s fine. Just run me over with the door. I’m fine.”

“Sorry! I was just in a hurry!”

Wallflower rolled her eyes. “Trust me, I’m used to it.”

“W-well, you shouldn’t be.” The other pony paused, then tilted her head. “Wait. Are you a new student? I don’t believe I’ve met you before.” She stuck out her forehoof. “I’m Starlight Glimmer. I’m the school’s—uh, guidance counselor.” She drew her forehoof back, as if reconsidering, then stuck it out again with the widest, fakest smile Wallflower had seen outside of a mirror.

Wallflower gave her a limp hoofshake. “Figured. I’m Wallflower Blush.” She tugged the sleeves of her sweater down. “Anyway, sorry for being in your way.”

“What? No! I’m the one who should be sorry, Wallflower.” Another paper-thin smile. “Anyway, is there something I can do for you?”

“No, not really. I was just looking at the sign.”

“So you are new?” A clipboard hovered over in Starlight's aura. “Has Twilight given you the tour yet?”

“I’m not a student here.” If Wallflower had hands instead of hooves, she would’ve facepalmed. “I’m just visiting here with my girlfriend.”

“Oh! Okay.” The clipboard magicked away. “Is she somepony I know?”

“Probably.” Wallflower sighed. Knowing the question that would come, she added, “Sunset. Sunset Shimmer.”

“Oh! You’re that Wallflower. It’s really nice to meet you then!”Starlight clapped her forehooves together in a gesture that even Wallflower, in her annoyance, had to admit was adorable. “Whenever she writes to Twilight, she always mentions you!”

Wallflower bit her lip. “Yeah, I bet. Well… Anyway…” Enough time must have passed by now. “Everyone—everypony’s having lunch outside. I’d better get back.”

As she started off, Starlight Glimmer said something that made her pause. “You’re good with plants, aren’t you?”

Wallflower turned around. “What makes you say that?”

Starlight pointed. “Your cutiemark.”

Cutiemark? Oh, right. That thing. Since everypony either had one or was obsessed with getting one, her cutiemark was one of the first things another pony would notice. That had been one of the tidbits of information Wallflower vaguely remembered Sunset sharing.

Wallflower hadn’t been paying much attention during many of these “lessons” on pony ways. Curled up in Sunset’s arms on the couch, she’d found too many… distractions, for any of them to sink in. The cutiemark conversation had been more interesting than the others, but not enough to tear her from watching Sunset. She was always so intense when talking about her homeland. About the places she’d been, the ponies she’d met, the places she wanted to show her…

“Don’t tell me you haven’t seen it.” Starlight’s words pulled her from her reverie.

Wallflower shrugged. “Oh, I’ve seen it.”

“Well, then…” A wide smile curled across Starlight’s lips. This one seemed different than the others in a way Wallflower couldn’t quite put her finger—forehoof—on. “Maybe you can help me out?”

Narrowing her eyes, Wallflower asked, “Are you… coming on to me?”

“What?!” Starlight blurted, her jaw falling agape. “No! No, no, no!That’s not what I meant at all!”

“Oh.” Wallflower fidgeted, averting her gaze to the floor. “Sorry. I misread that.”

After a moment, Starlight shook her head. “No, it’s okay. The whole ‘Looking at your cutiemark’ thing probably seems a little weird to you, considering human anatomy. I should’ve thought that through.” She cleared her throat. “What I meant was, could you take a look at the flowers on my desk?”

Wallflower looked up. “What’s wrong with them?”

“I’m not quite sure. They’ve been doing good for a while, but it looks like they’re drooping now.” Starlight gestured towards her office. “Just a quick look, if you don’t mind?”

The fact that a magical unicorn was asking her—a lowly Earth pony who didn’t even go to this school—for help made Wallflower decide that a few more minutes of stalling wouldn’t be too bad. Worst-case scenario, Sunset would come looking for her. “Helping Starlight” would be a better excuse than “Got lost on the way to finding the bathroom I wanted to hide in.”

Wallflower followed Starlight into her office. Accolades, photos, and posters hung on the walls. There was a large bookshelf to one side, along with several curio cabinets full of more texts on the other. Unicorns must have been smart and successful as a universal rule.

Across from a comfy-looking green couch was a desk. Atop it sat a large, wide vase full of three types of flowers. White daisies, red carnations, and blue cornflowers. A significant combination back home, although it must have held different meaning here. Wallflower walked over to the arrangement, studying it carefully.

Beside the desk was another table with a kettle and mugs. “Can I get you anything?” Starlight asked. “Tea? Coffee? Empathy cocoa?”

On that last one, Wallflower rolled her eyes. Subtle. She continued to examine the flowers. “How long have you had these?”

“Um… A few months, I think?”

“A few months?” Wallflower’s eyes widened. “Really?”

Starlight rubbed her chin. “Hmm, I think so. Why? Is that bad?”

“Daisies usually last a couple weeks, at best.” Wallflower lightly ran the tip of her forehoof across a daisy’s petals. They were a bit weak, but still rather sturdy. “Cornflowers are similar. Carnations are the most hardy, but they don’t stay in bloom for months.” She checked the condition of the other flowers. “These are starting to die a little, but it’s nothing irreversible.” Gently, Wallflower pulled back some of the stems to peek at the water in the vase. “Ah, there’s your problem.”

“What?” Starlight trotted over to look.

Wallflower pointed. “It’s cloudy. That means you’re not changing it enough. You should drain the vase entirely, wipe it clean, and put fresh water in every other day. And don’t fill it too high.” Using a forehoof, she drew an imaginary line across the vase, about two-thirds of the way to the top. “Just about here. That will preserve most of the foliage and make them last longer.”

“Huh. I had no idea.” Starlight smiled. “Thanks for the help. I thought I just had to water them every now and then.”

“Easy mistake.” Wallflower shrugged at the flowers. “I’m not sure why these are lasting so long. Maybe they’re magic or something. In any case, with a little TLC, they should stay happy for a long time.”

“I see.” Starlight lit her horn, carefully levitating her flowers out of the dirty water. “Thank you. I’ll go ahead and change them right now.”

For the first time since she’d arrived in Equestria, Wallflower smiled at something that wasn’t Sunset. “You’re welcome.” She rubbed one foreleg with the other, mindful of her sleeves. “Anyway, I-I’d better get going.”

“Well, tell Sunset hello for me.” Starlight moved her flowers to a fresh vase. “I have a lunch reservation in town, so I don’t think I’ll be able to join you this time. But I do hope you enjoy your visit. Equestria is very wel—”

The doors to her office slammed open. “Starliiiiiiiiiight! We’re gonna be laaaaaaaate!”

Wallflower’s ears flicked. Was that—

“Oh, hey, Trix.” Starlight’s eyes glistened as they met their interrupter. “This is Wallflower Blush. She was just helping me with your flowers.”

Oh. Of course she’d be a unicorn, too. One just as great and powerful as Sunset or Twilight. Maybe even more. The mirror would turn her into something magical. Of course.

The blue unicorn’s head was held high, her two-tone mane—more silver than the white of her human half—flowing behind her. She wore a starry cape and hat befitting the magician the other Trixie longed to be. The air of superiority she carried herself with was palpable. Unlike back home, Wallflower couldn’t deny that this Trixie was better than her.

“Wallflower, huh?” With a toothy smile, Trixie stuck out her forehoof. “Anypony who’s friends with Trixie’s Beautiful and Wonderful Marefriend—” Starlight smiled and blushed furiously— “is friends with the Great and Powerful Trixie!”

Wallflower scowled at the proffered forehoof, mumbling, “Yup, you’re Trixie, alright.” She reluctantly shook hooves before turning back to Starlight. “Anyway, good luck with the flowers. I gotta get going.”

Starlight called out as she turned away, “See you later, Wallfl—”

Wallflower kicked the door closed, leaving the magical mares behind. She passed through the great doors one more time, relieved when the soft grass beneath her hooves rose to greet her.

“Wallflower! There you are!” Sunset hurried over, carrying their picnic basket in her red aura. “Lunch is almost over. Are you okay?” She cocked her head. “You sure took a while. Did something upset your stomach? I told Pinkie no daffodils in our sandwiches. I wasn’t sure if they’d be toxic, considering…”

As she trailed off, Wallflower’s eyes lit up. “I didn’t know you knew that about daffodils.”

“Oh, I didn’t.” Sunset rubbed her nape with a forehoof. “I looked it up back home. On the Internet, I mean. Since you’re normally human, and we aren’t super sure how the portal’s magic works, I didn’t want to risk anything.”

“Oh.” Sunlight wasn’t what was making Wallflower feel warm all over. “Th-thanks, Sunset. You didn’t have to do that.”

Sunset nuzzled her. “I know. I wanted to.” She looked around at the rest of her friends. “Anyway, I know you all need to get back to class soon, and Wallflower and I have a train to catch, so—”

“We do?”

“Well… I was keeping it a surprise, but…” As Sunset’s eyes met hers, Wallflower forgot that the others were watching them. “I was wanting us to finish the day in Canterlot. So you could meet Princess Celestia.”

The words Princess Celestia echoed in Wallflower’s mind. Quietly, at first, and then louder and louder.

After coming to this magical place, meeting many of Sunset’s famous friends, and being upstaged by the equivalent of a girl whose claim to fame was throwing smoke balls everywhere and speaking in third person… Wallflower Blush, a mere Earth pony, whose special talent was telling better ponies how to take care of their love bouquets… was going to meet the ruler of the entire magical pony land.

An alicorn. Another. One who raised the sun… and, for a thousand years, the moon, too.

Wallflower had never been particularly eager to meet God. She had far too many uncomfortable questions for Him. But this?

Wallflower would’ve chosen meeting almost any other being, magical or otherwise, over this right now.

Still, she gave Sunset the most convincing nod she could think of, and said, “Okay.”

All The Hidden Love Beneath

Wallflower Blush had been quiet on the train ride to Canterlot.

To be fair, Wallflower was quiet a lot of the time. Sunset never minded. While she loved a good conversation as much as anyone else, she didn’t need to fill the silence all the time. There was a serenity in just lying together as the world passed by.

The shades of the painted world beyond their window exchanged as they made their way north: the greens and golds of the forest and meadows; the purples and whites of Mount Canterlot; the growing reds and pinks against the blue sky as day winded closer to night. All were in silent symphony as Sunset held Wallflower tight in her forelegs, her eyes drawn to no one else but her.

When the train came to a halt, the conductor announcing that they had reached Canterlot, Wallflower looked up from her chest. “We’re here already?”

“Yup! This one’s a short ride. Not like going all the way to the Crystal Empire or something.” As they untangled their hooves, Sunset offered her an encouraging smile. “Though, we could go there someday, too, if you like. I haven’t been there in a long time.”

“Hmm, maybe.”

Unaccustomed to her new body, Wallflower needed a hoof up. No matter. She was light in Sunset’s grasp. Even if she wasn’t, she had her magic. Using either was good exercise.

Once they were settled, Sunset led her by the forehoof out of the train. “The Crystal Empire’s an interesting place. Lost to an ancient curse for a thousand years. I’d never seen it before I crossed the mirror. It was still nothing but a legend then.”

“Oh, wow.” Wallflower glanced up at her with those beautiful brown eyes. Sunset almost led them into a group of giggling mares, circumventing them at the last second. She could get lost in those eyes if she let herself.

Taking a moment to focus on the task at hand, Sunset pointed towards Mount Canterlot. “See the castle up there?” When Wallflower nodded, Sunset explained, “That’s where we’re headed. That’s Canterlot Castle, where Princess Celestia and her sister, Princess Luna, live.” She paused. “Where I used to live.”

Though it must have taken some effort, Wallflower gently squeezed Sunset’s forehoof like she would her hand. Sunset’s heart fluttered in response. She had to nuzzle her then. Simply had to. Otherwise, the adrenaline would make it impossible to breathe. Or focus on anything else.

The way Wallflower’s breath hitched when she caressed her almost made Sunset pull them into somepony again. She laughed, then steered them better. Steered herself better.

Hoof-in-hoof, they walked through the streets of Canterlot. Sunset pointed out things along the way. Places that had meaning and memory to her. Donut Joe’s, where she’d study late into the night, fueled by far too much sugar and caffeine. The park where she used to practice her magic. The Canterlot Library, where she’d devoured every book within during her search for…

Well, she left that part out. Wallflower knew about that already. No need to spoil the mood.

All the while, Sunset kept her close. Although still unsteady on her hooves, Wallflower seemed calm. She occasionally asked a question, but appeared happy to mostly just listen to Sunset’s recollections.

Wallflower had her own stories, Sunset knew. Everyone did. Once Wallflower trusted Sunset enough to tell her own, she would gladly listen. For now, Sunset was happy to play storyteller. Especially when she made her laugh.

“No, I’m telling you the truth! I bought all of the eclairs! Every last one!” Sunset hid a laugh behind her free forehoof. “Donut Joe had to close early!”

Wallflower giggled. “N-no way!”

Gah! She was far too cute for words.

“In fact, he not only closed early, but had to open late the next day! There were more than a few ponies wondering why they couldn’t have their usual eclair and coffee!” Shaking her head, Sunset said, laughing, “Oh, wow… Poor Joe…”

More giggles. “Yeah, p-poor Joe… And the others. You gave them…” Wallflower snorted as she finished, “A total eclair of the heart.”

“Hey! That’s my kind of line!”

Wallflower gave her that perfect smile. “Too late.”

If they hadn’t been in public, Sunset would’ve kissed her. Since she didn’t feel like turning her girlfriend into a literal shrinking violet, she held back. Instead, she laughed and nuzzled her again.

By the time they reached Canterlot Castle, Sunset didn’t notice the chill in the air. Despite the fact that Princess Celestia was in the process of lowering her sun, Sunset felt as warm as they had throughout the entire day. Crossing the portal, walking through the market, the tour, the picnic, the train ride… None of it would have felt as warm without the mare beside her. Or the girl that she would become when they went back home.

As they approached the castle gate, the sight of Royal Guards made Sunset cringe on instinct. Wallflower must have noticed, for she, too, avoided their gaze. The soldiers’ golden armor glinted in the fading sunlight as they locked eyes with Sunset.

“Hello there. I’m Sunset Shimmer, and this is Wallflower Blush.” Sunset cleared her throat, steeling her own nerves. This was the first time she’d seen Princess Celestia since the incident with the Memory Stone. While the meeting would be on good terms this time, she couldn’t help but feel nervous. “I know it’s past the usual time for an audience with Princess Celestia, but Princess Twilight Sparkle should have informed her that we would be stopping by.”

The two guards exchanged a glance, then stomped their front forehooves. The great doors to the castle gradually opened.

“Thank you.” Sunset bowed her head. Wallflower was already doing the same—or hiding within her mane. Either way, Sunset laid a forehoof over her withers as they passed the guards and entered the castle courtyard.

When Wallflower continued to avoid her eyes, hidden beneath her silky green mane, Sunset came to a halt. “Hey.” She took one of Wallflower’s forehooves between both of her own. “You doing okay? Everything alright?”

It was something Sunset asked often. Sometimes, it felt like some variation of “okay” was the most common word spoken between them. There was a time in Sunset’s life when she might have been annoyed by this, but not anymore. Not ever. She never wanted to force anything on Wallflower. Not meeting her friends, not sitting with them at lunch, not hanging out with them on weekends. Not coming to Equestria. Tartarus, not even being with Sunset.

Everything had been a slow process after the Memory Stone. It started with including Wallflower in the yearbook—both in its development and its content—and promoting the Gardening Club. And it hadn’t ended there.

Weeks went by before Sunset and Wallflower realized that what was growing between them was more than just friendship. Months passed before it was official. Throughout all that time, Sunset never once felt impatient. She reeled things back at times, yes—but it was never done begrudgingly.

Above anything, Sunset just wanted Wallflower to be happy.

So, when Wallflower finally met her eyes and said, “I’m okay, Sunset,” Sunset believed her. She had to, after all. Trust went both ways. As afraid Sunset was of hurting her, she had to trust that Wallflower was being honest with her when she said she wasn’t.

“Alright.” Sunset gestured towards a long, spiraling staircase that led further into the castle. “That’s where we’re going. It’s a bit of a walk, but it shouldn’t be too bad. You’re feeling better on your hooves, right?”

“Yeah, mostly.”

“Okay.” With that, Sunset started them towards the stairs.

“Hey, Sunset…”

Sunset looked over. “Mmm?”

“I…” Wallflower untangled their forehooves. “I, um… Need a moment to get ready. I-if you know what I mean.” With a light blush on her cheeks, she rubbed one foreleg with the other. “Can I just meet you up there?”

Without hesitation, Sunset answered, “Of course.” She pointed towards the opposite side of the courtyard. “Just down that way. You shouldn’t miss the signs. Then I’ll meet you at the top of the stairs. If you get lost, just ask any Royal Guard where to go.” Against her own reservations, she mustered a grin. “I know they look scary, but they’re nice. Trust me.” She brought a forehoof to her muzzle, adding in a conspiratorial whisper, “Not to mention that they couldn’t even stop me when I was a teenager.”

They shared a slight, if somewhat forced, giggle. With one last nod, Wallflower trotted off, her bushy green tail swishing behind her.

When she’d realized she’d been staring, Sunset whirled back around, cheeks crimson. She was as attractive in one form as another. No amount of magic could change that.

Seventy-one tiles. No, seventy-two. Seventy-two tiles on this section of floor. A third count confirmed that the first two had forgotten something. The one in the corner. Ah. It was far too easy to forget the one in the corner.

Sunset stopped pacing and glanced down the stairs. Nothing. How long had it been? Five minutes? Ten? Fifteen? She should’ve tried bringing her watch across the portal. Her phone probably wouldn’t survive the dimensional magic, but maybe a simple watch would have. In lieu of that, a clock on the wall would do wonders. Maybe she would suggest Princess Celestia add one.

… That was a joke.

After everything, Sunset had no right to so much as let her former mentor know about the cracks in these tiles. Of which there were fifteen of them. No, wait. Twenty.

The sound of hoofsteps yanked her from another round of counting. Her eyes lit up as she turned around. “Wallflower!”

“‘Wallflower’? No, I’m planting more begonias tonight.” Princess Luna, wearing a big, floppy gardening hat and pulling a small wagon behind her, rounded the corner. “What’s this ‘wallflower’ you speak of? Never heard of it. Other than the expression, of course.”

Sunset’s ears drooped, her smile fading.

“Oh, don’t act so happy to see me now, Sunset Shimmer. I might not be able to handle the enthusiasm.”

Both her ears and muzzle drooped further. “S-sorry, Princess Luna. I was just—” She sighed. “I’m waiting on Wallflower. My girlfriend,” she clarified, seeing the same question springing to the alicorn’s lips.

“Ah.” Princess Luna looked over her assortment of gardening supplies. “The one who found the Memory Stone buried by Clover the Clever?”

Sunset nodded.

“The one who stole your friends’ memories to get back at you?”

Sunset bit her lip. “It’s—it’s more complicated than that.”

Princess Luna shot a knowing grin her way. “Love always is, isn’t it?”

Grateful for the darkness of the growing night, Sunset replied, “Y-you could say that.”

“So, you’ve brought her here to meet my sister.” Princess Luna looked down at her potting soil and trowels before returning to Sunset. “Does your Wallflower realize the significance of this?”

“I—” Sunset’s mouth suddenly grew dry. Where was Wallflower? Why was this taking so long? “I-I’m not sure.”

“... Do you realize the significance of this?”

“I—I’m not sure…?”

“Really?” To Sunset’s surprise—and irritation—Princess Luna snorted. “I may not know you that well, Sunset Shimmer, but from my sister’s stories, you never do anything unintentionally. You’re crafty. Cunning, some would say.” A brief pause. “Maybe to the point of overthinking.”

“I guess I should have overthought this, then, because I’m still confused.” Sunset sighed. “I just want her to meet Princess Celestia because she’s important to me. They both are.”

“Of course. I don’t dispute that. However—and I say this as one still a thousand years behind, in many ways—” Princess Luna’s smile faltered for a moment—“but, given that my sister practically raised you, bringing Wallflower here to meet her is—”

“—Like having her meet my mom.” Another sigh. “Y-yeah, I—I get what you mean now.”

The silence was punctuated by Princess Luna examining the begonias in her wagon. Sunset Shimmer may have not known her well either, but she was cognizant enough to know when somepony was stalling for time. Letting her breathe. Letting her think. Letting her feel.

Realization washed over her like moonlight, which was now in full swing. One alicorn had finished her duties when Wallflower had left. Another had completed them before she returned. The sister she sought, Sunset had yet to see. Perhaps it was better that she had met the other one first.

“W-well… I’m already here. We’re already here. It would be rude not to meet with Princess Celestia at this point.” She released a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been carrying up the stairs. “But I didn’t—I didn’t mean for it to be this significant. To mean so much. To go so fast. It just… kind of happened. And I don’t want to overwhelm her.”

Across from her, Princess Luna set the flowers in her magic down. “This is my niece’s realm, more than mine, but I will do my best.” She looked away, seeming deep in thought, before meeting Sunset’s gaze. “Things only have the meaning you ascribe to them. Flowers start dying from the moment they are cut.” She considered the bounty in her wagon. “Even so, we give them as gifts because of what they mean to us. And that meaning is whatever we decide. Collectively, there are commonalities, but… the true significance is from one pony to another. Do you understand what I am saying, Sunset Shimmer?”

The weight of the day, the night, and the moment lifted from Sunset’s withers. “Yes. Yes I do, Princess Luna. Th—thank you.” She hesitated at the sound of more hoofsteps.

They both turned around. Just a Royal Guard. His mane and coat colors seemed familiar, but he was no Wallflower.

Sunset sighed towards Princess Luna. “Well, I should probably go find her. I think she must have gotten lost.”

The Royal Guard turned around. “Are you looking for an Earth pony mare? Light-green coat, dark-green mane?”

“Yes!” Sunset zipped over to him, eyes wide. “Where is she?”

The guard did not shirk from Sunset’s advance, though his eyes widened a bit. “The Royal Gardens, just outside the courtyard. She looked a little lost, but wouldn’t respond to me.”

At his words, Sunset’s heart sank. “O-oh. Um, thank you. Uh…” She looked him up and down. Where had she seen him before? “Sir…”

“Flash Sentry. Sir Flash Sentry.”

A bark of a chuckle roared through Sunset. Both Sir Flash Sentry and Princess Luna raised their brows in response, exchanging quizzical looks.

“Sorry! Sorry! Long story.” Once Sunset calmed, she said with a bow of her head, “Thank you, Sir Flash Sentry. Thank you both.”

As Sunset headed down the stairs, she caught wind of Sir Flash Sentry asking Princess Luna, “First, Princess Twilight. Now, her. Do I have something on my face?”

Just as Sir Flash Sentry had said, Sunset found Wallflower in the Royal Gardens. Beneath a weeping willow, she sat with her back to Sunset, gazing up at the great branches of the mighty tree above her.

Sunset approached as quietly as she could. However, there were some things she couldn’t put past an Earth pony’s magic. Especially one so connected to the life she trampled underhoof.

Wallflower’s ears flicked. When her eyes met Sunset’s, she turned back around. Sinking into herself, she pulled at the long sleeves of her baggy sweater.

When she joined her side, Sunset took a deep breath. “Wallflower,” she said, laying a forehoof on her withers as she sat down.

It didn’t take long for Wallflower to take a deep breath of her own. Fidgeting in her characteristic way in an uncharacteristic body, she laid the blame for their tension on herself. Not surprising, though it was always hard to hear. “Sunset, I—I’m so sorry. I just...” She sighed. “Th-this is all my fault.”

“All your fault?” Sunset moved her foreleg from her withers to her waist, embracing her in a more human way. “Wallflower, you didn’t do anything wrong. I’m the one who should be apologizing.”

Both her words and the gesture were meant to be comforting. Yet, Wallflower tensed as she faced her fully. “Y-you? Sunset, none of this is your fault!” She tugged at the sleeves of her sweater. “Y-y-you’re not the one who’s—who’s—d-disappointing.”

“Disappointing?” Sunset could barely believe her own ears. She blinked once, twice, a third time. “Wait. Back up.” With a confused frown, she asked, “Are we even talking about the same thing right now?”

Both mares stared at each other. The gentle breeze through the gardens was the sole cadence to the silence humming between them.

Then, Wallflower cracked the tiniest of smiles. “Maybe not…”

Sunset returned it with one of her own. “Didn’t think so.”

“Sorry. I’m playing the pronoun game again, aren’t I?”

“Mmhm. And I’m not very good at it.”

Wallflower’s tiny smile withered as quickly as it grew. Sunset wanted to comment, but waited, letting Wallflower gather her words. “Sometimes, it feels like that’s the only kind of thing I’m good at. The pronoun game, misreading things, and…”

As Wallflower looked over her pony form, she finished, “Being disappointing.”

Without missing a beat, Sunset gently guided Wallflower’s gaze back to her. “I misread things too sometimes. Everyp—everyone does. And disappointing? You’ve never disappointed me, Wallflower.”

“Sunset,” Wallflower said, an edge in her words and a grit in her teeth, “you and I both know that’s not true.”

“Well—not since the Memory Stone, at least.” Sunset shook her head. “But not since I’ve gotten to know you.” The smile on her muzzle grew. “Everything I’ve learned about you since we started spending time together has only made me like you more.”

Her words were sincere, as real as she could make them. As real as the tangle of their forehooves, as the wind that teased their manes, as her heart thumping in her chest. Regardless, Sunset knew—though she would never, ever fault her for it—all the things she said couldn’t hold a candle to the storm that raged inside Wallflower’s mind.

Outside of the storm, Sunset could only wait for it to swell. Could only ride the waves once they broke.

After the silence sang, Sunset witnessed what had been brewing.

“You—I—I-I have no idea what you see.” Splendid copper eyes crashed into Sunset’s own. “Inside my head, I just hear how worthless and invisible and broken I am. It never stops, no matter what I try. No matter what I do… O-or what you do. A-and then we come here, to this magical place, and…”

Sunset looked over the mare in her forelegs. Every inch of her was beautiful, down to the freckles on her cheeks that the transformation magic had thankfully spared.

“A-and what do I become? I’m—I don’t have any magic, o-or a special talent, really. I-It’s a flower, yeah, but that’s nothing special at all! Just like back home. Same ol' boring Wallflower who fits in better with plants than people—or ponies. And even through a magic mirror, I look the same as before, but worse! My hair becomes this frizzy thing—”

Sunset sparked her magic, moving a bit of mane from Wallflower’s eyes.

“A-and my colors are the same. Everyone else is pretty and shiny and colorful, but I’m just dull. I’m all ugly and gross and clashing and I can’t—I-I can’t even be without—w-without my… W-w-without the…”

Red magic concealed what Wallflower was looking down at with shame. The sleeves slid back down over her fetlocks. That same aura traced back up to her chin, bringing her eyes, brimming with tears, into Sunset’s own.

“Wallflower, listen to me.” Sunset chose her breaths, and her words, carefully. “I’m sure you know this by now, but it bears repeating: I will always be honest with you. After all the awful things I did when I first came through the mirror, I vowed to—before anything else—be open and honest about who I am and how I feel.”

Sunset let her words sink in before continuing, “You are beautiful to me. Absolutely beautiful. Back home, and here, too.” She couldn’t help but frown. “I’m sorry if I made you feel inadequate in some way by introducing you to my friends here—some of whom, yes, are Princesses.” She gave Wallflower’s forehooves a gentle squeeze. “I didn’t intend to, but I should have thought about how that must have made you feel.”

Sunset didn’t have a chance for the silence to linger this time.

“D-did you know I was going to look like this?”

“Do you mean, did I know you’d become an Earth pony?” Sunset shook her head. “No, because not even Princess Celestia knows how the mirror’s magic works. I had no idea what you’d come out as.” Sunset nuzzled her cheek. “But that doesn’t matter to me. I’d still like you just as much even if you were a pegasus or a unicorn on this side.”

“... Or an alicorn?” Wallflower added, almost in a whisper.

“Of course. No matter what.” Sunset realized what she’d been implying. “No more, no less. Just as much.”

When the silence returned, it felt lighter than before. Despite this, Sunset felt a familiar tension winding back through her. It tightened when she realized what was rising from her stomach. Something other than flutters or nerves.

In time, she would share it with Wallflower. When she was ready. When they both were ready. Right now, she needed to make her convictions known past any shred of reasonable doubt.

“I—I think having you meet Princess Celestia after everything else we’ve done today might have been too much. I didn’t mean to put pressure on you, but I did. And I think it’s been building up all day. Hasn’t it?”

A long minute passed before Wallflower gazed up at Sunset. “W-well… I am really nervous to meet her, but it’s not really about her. It’s… it’s just…” She shook her head. “I never understand what you see in me, Sunset. Why you like me. Why you’re with me. After all, you’re Sunset Shimmer. You can have anyone you want.” Her chest heaved. “Besides, this—this isn’t going to last. L-let’s be real. I’ll hurt you again, or you learn something about me that makes you n-not like me anymore. Or you’ll look around and see wh-who else you could have, and—”

Closing the gap between them, Sunset countered that thought.

The kiss was brief but fierce, Sunset pulling Wallflower flush against her. It wasn’t their first kiss overall, but it was their first as ponies. One that Sunset had been wanting all day, starting when Wallflower emerged with uneasy hooves and the prettiest smile.

As they pulled away, Sunset rested her snout against Wallflower’s. An ancient gesture. The sharing of breath. A reinforcement of intimacy and connection, dating back to when the first ancestors of ponies—who were all Earth ponies, full of burgeoning magic—roamed free. Something that Wallflower could not have understood on the same instinctual level that Sunset did.

Something that she returned all the same, the warmth of her breath so sweet and tender on Sunset’s muzzle. She smiled as she gazed into her eyes. No magic known to man or equine could compare to the majesty that accompanied them here. They were both strangers in a strange land in their own ways, brought together from the ends of space, time, and reality itself.

Meeting her eyes, Wallflower whispered, her cheeks scarlet, “Fl-flutters.”

Sunset’s blazed back. “Yeah?”

“Y-yeah.”

“Me too.”

They stayed like that for a little while longer.

When Sunset Shimmer pulled away, still holding Wallflower’s forehooves in her own, she spoke one last time. The very bottom of her heart was scraped bare as she said, “I choose you, Wallflower. The kind, beautiful, caring girl whose eyes light up at her passions. The one who shirks from the limelight, but who shines when she’s needed the most. Whose heart is nothing but pure. Who just needed someone to treat her like a person to really flourish.”

Sunset was beaming now. “Just like flowers need the right water and soil to not only survive, but thrive, all you needed was the right care. The right chance. The right environment. Between my friends and I, you’ve been given the opportunity to show the world who you really are. And you have.

“And that’s who I choose, every single day. You aren’t forcing me; no one is. I’m choosing to be with you. Because that’s what I want—who I want. You.” Sunset’s heart raced, leaving her breathless, as she finished, “Even if you can’t believe it—even if there’s a part of you that will never let you accept it—it’s still real. And I’ll keep telling you it is. No matter what.

“Out of all the choices I have, I choose you. And I’ll keep choosing you as long as you keep choosing me.”

Joy glimmered in Wallflower’s new tears, rather than sorrow. This time, she didn’t shy away, leading them with clumsy forehooves into another kiss. Sunset closed her eyes, savoring the sensation—the warmth of the truth that flowed outwards from her to the one she beheld.

When Wallflower broke the caress, she wrapped her forelegs around Sunset at last. Together, they held each other tight. Wild ponies—even the mighty Earth ponies of eons past—couldn’t tear them away.

Wallflower nuzzled her. “I choose you too, Sunset.”

Sunset rested her head atop Wallflower’s, holding her close. She sighed contentedly, relieved in her own way.

“Sunset?”

“Mmm?”

“I… I still want to meet her. Princess Celestia, I mean.” Wallflower met her eyes. “If it’s not too late. But I think I need a little time with just you right now, if that’s okay.”

Truth be told, Sunset had half a mind to forego their visit entirely and stay like this as long as Wallflower would let her. Knowing how much this meant to both of them, she smiled down at her and replied, “Of course it’s okay. Princess Celestia usually stays up pretty late, so I don’t think she’ll mind. I know that I certainly don’t.”

When Wallflower replied, “Okay,” and held her tighter, Sunset sensed something different in it. Something that spoke louder than the dark thoughts that often stood between what Wallflower heard and what Sunset meant.

It was nice to hear the latter sink in.

Despite what Wallflower’s mind would argue, Sunset hadn’t been disappointed in the slightest. Growing up, she never thought something like this could happen. That she could share her life—especially her old life—with someone who meant more than magic to her.

No matter how long it took Wallflower to see herself in the same way that Sunset did—if she ever would or could—Sunset vowed to be there to remind her. To keep making the same choice, day by day, over and over again. Never tiring of it.

After all, it was an easy choice to make. To have her.

When she broke their embrace, Wallflower pecked at Sunset’s cheek.

Sunset traced over where she’d been kissed. “What was that for?”

“That was a thanks.” Wallflower’s tail swished as she rose to her hooves. “For being so patient and understanding with me. Like you always are.”

Sunset rose in turn, smiling. “How could I not be? You’re always worth waiting for.”

Rather than argue otherwise, Wallflower only smiled back, her eyes shining.

For the first time in a while, Sunset felt like that part of Wallflower believed what she said about her. Sensing that recognition, she felt more than happiness or joy. More than euphoria, even. She had an inkling of what the right word might be to describe it, though she knew it would take more time to know for sure.

“So…” Sunset looked around the sprawling garden. “Before we head out, can you tell me anything special about the flowers here? Other than the roses I used to practice magic, I don’t think I recognize any of them.”

There was a spark of magic in Wallflower’s eyes. One that the mirror hadn’t given her. One that she’d carried all this way herself. She took Sunset by the forehoof, leading her to a group of plants with green, fern-like leaves and a cluster of white petals. “These are yarrow, also called Asteraceae.” She delicately showed them to Sunset, her soft, sweet voice almost alluring as she continued, “In mythology, they were used to heal battle wounds…”

While Sunset watched Wallflower move from one end of the garden to the other, one thought rose above everything else:

This must be what love feels like.

Author's Note

This fic makes use of flower language. All plants mentioned are deliberately chosen.

Gardener Luna is an idea inspired by Sledge115's fantastic fic, Moonbug.

If you liked this story, please go check out Scampy's work. I'm sure you'll like her stories, too.

Thanks for reading. As always, comments are appreciated. :heart: