Lunch in the Garden of Clover the Clever
“Hey, Wallflower!” called Sunset Shimmer as she passed into the clearing used by the Canterlot High School Gardening Club. She didn’t actually see the green girl amongst the flora, but she was hopefully here somewhere.
“Oh! Hi, Sunset,” came the much more sedate reply.
Ah, she’s sitting on the stump; of course.
“You are out here, great. I’ve been looking forward to you joining me and the rest of the girls at lunch. You still haven’t signed anyone’s yearbook back, yet.” Sunset walked around the large stone planter to sit against the rock between the pot with the, uh, pink flowers and the bed of lavender colored flowers. Possibly a bed of lavenders. Whatever, there’s only one flower I’m interested in right now.
Sunset saw Wallflower’s wrap pause on its way to her mouth. “I guess I’m still not used to people wanting me to. Are you sure you and your friends will want to remember me in thirty years?” Wallflower’s wrap and mood had both seemed to have dropped throughout the question.
“I’m positive, Wallflower. I definitely want to remember you for more than thirty years. I don’t want to forget you ever again.” Sunset gave the most reassuring smile she could, hoping her cheeks didn’t match the tomato in her sandwich despite how they felt. It didn’t matter, though; Wallflower was still averting her gaze.
“If you say so, Sunset.” Wallflower started to eat again, at least, taking another bite of whatever her wrap was. It was progress of a sort.
“Well, good, because I do say so,” said Sunset before finally taking a bite of her sandwich. Could use more pepper. Oh well, disadvantage to school lunches. The two girls ate in silence for a few more bites before Sunset finally asked “So what are you munching on over there, anyway?”
“Oh, it’s a lentil taco. I make them every weekend.” Sunset tried her best, but she accidentally let out a small chuckle. Wallflower wilted a little, “They’re really good even though they’re not beef, you don’t have to laugh.”
“No, no, I’m sorry. I get it, I’m vegetarian, too,” said Sunset, lifting her sandwich a little. “It’s just, the way I asked. You know. Munching. And, uh, taco. It’s just a silly phrase to me. Not that it’s silly if someone swings that way! I mean, it’s a girl that got my interest right now, anyway, and the rest of the girls know, so I know everyone’s accepting, and it’s an important part of someone’s identity, and we’ve only been friends for a month since the whole, whole thing, so if you don’t feel comfortable I totally get that, just- ! Uh. Sorry.” At some point, Sunset stopped looking at Wallflower during that, and couldn’t bring herself to look over again.
Once Sunset calmed down enough, she heard a small snort, from across the clearing. When she finally looked over, she saw Wallflower’s shoulders shaking, so she let herself smile again.
“Ok, I know it’s a silly phrase, but it’s not that funny,”
“I know, it’s not that,” Said Wallflower as she wiped away a tear, “Well, not just that, anyway. I just, I don’t think I’ve seen you flustered since you changed. It’s nice to see a little human in the perfect little pony. If I had seen it before I might’ve… Well, things might have gone differently.” Now Wallflower wasn’t looking straight at Sunset, but she was smiling still. “And, uh, I have no problem sharing that, uh, yeah, I, um, do. Like girls, I mean.”
“That’s good.” Wait, don’t show your hand yet, power through, Sunset. “To know, I mean. Like I said, the rest of the girls will be totally fine with it. In fact, I’m not sure there’s a single straight person in our group, to be honest.”
“Wait, really? I know Trixie’s trans, but-” Wallflower’s hands shot to cover her mouth, eyes as wide as saucers.
“It’s ok, I won’t tell her I know until she’s comfortable talking to me about it, if that ever happens.”
“Thank you,” said Wallflower through her hands. She lowered them again and glanced away for a moment, “Anyway, I thought that she was straight.”
“Hmm. It’s possible, but I’ve heard the Trixie on the other side of the portal’s really close with a mare- woman- named Starlight Glimmer on the other side of the portal. It’s possible that their orientation isn’t the same, but I think it would be. Twilight Sparkle on this side is dating a boy, Timber Spruce, but it seems like the princess has a crush on Rarity, so that’s another guess, to be honest. The other girls have come out one way or another, though. I know they wouldn’t mind me sharing if you’re curious.” Wallflower just nodded.
“Alright, well, I’m bi, although I didn’t notice until not that long ago. It’s… hard to think about being in a relationship with a person when you just see them as a means to an end. Pinkie Pie came out to me first, as pansexual. I see that look, and no, I did not make the joke about cookware. Pinkie takes her cooking very seriously. I wasn’t going to risk making her upset. Um, next was Rainbow Dash, really recently, actually.
“Apparently it started after asking if I knew where Spitfire had gone after she graduated last year. She said it started as questions about scholarships and leading the team back in the fall, but it’s been kind of a long distance thing for a while now, and we were told on Monday that we miiight just see Spitfire back at prom as Rainbow’s date.
“As for Rarity and Applejack, most of us suspected they’ve both sort of been flirting with each other, but it was confirmed yesterday at lunch. Rarity’s prom-posal to Applejack was accepted. You really missed out on that one; even Trixie said the fireworks were great despite what Luna said about safety. When Rarity got back from the vice principal’s office, she asked the rest of us our plans, and Fluttershy told us she wasn’t interested in anyone. Ever. She’s pretty sure she’s asexual, but she said she’d keep her mind open.
“And like I said, with Twilight and Trixie, they haven’t said anything, but their Equestrian counterparts are both interested in mares, but we should probably keep that a little quieter.”
“Wow… It sounds like prom kinda pushed everyone out of the closet all at once,” said Wallflower, as she put her wrapper in her lunch bag.
“Well, I guess,” said Sunset, finishing off her sandwich and standing up. “But, well, speaking of, they’re only selling prom tickets through Friday. I know we’ve only really gotten to know each other over the past month, and maybe this is asking too much, but would you be willing to go with me?” Sunset was learning about the grass in the clearing as she asked. She definitely wasn’t afraid of Wallflower’s reaction; she was just taking in that even the grass in the area Wallflower spent time in looked beautiful. It was something Sunset wouldn’t have paid as much attention to as she would have before the memory stone a month ago, but her life was better for it. For the grass. Which was beautiful. Like Wallflower.
Wallflower’s shoes came into Sunset’s view, and then Sunset felt a hand on her shoulder. “Sunset, I know I’m new at this, but of course I’ll go with you.”
Sunset looked up at Wallflower’s smile, and met it with her own. Next thing the girls knew, Sunset’s arms were around Wallflower. “Sunset, come on,” laughed Wallflower, “If we’re going to get to the tickets before lunch is over, we have to move quickly.”
“You’re right, of course, just… I was so nervous!”
“Sunset, if there’s one thing I understand, it’s being nervous about asking a question.”
“I guess that’s true,” said Sunset as the girls made it back to the doors of the school. “While we’re walking, how have things been with the gardening club?”
“Things have been nice, Roseluck and Ditzy Doo both really like their bonsais, and Sweet Leaves, from our grade, has stopped by twice. Where did you get the bonsais again?”
“I work at a sushi place on the weekends, and my boss wanted to make sure her grandparents’ trees were taken care of. She was sad to see them go, but she said she can only cut fish, not trees. Actually, helping get the trees to the gardening club got me the bonus I’m going to use to buy the tickets.”
“That’s great!” said Wallflower before slowing down. “Wait, tickets? Plural?”
Sunset had been reaching for the doors to the cafeteria when she heard the questions. She pulled her hand back from the handles. “Well, yeah, plural. Do you think I shouldn’t?”
“No! No, Sunset, I’m sure it’s fine, I just hadn’t realized that the girl you had your eyes on had said yes.”
“You didn’t… Um, Wallflower, not to change topics, but what did you think I asked you out in the garden?”
“You asked if I’d go with you to buy tickets to the prom. I guess I just didn’t realize it would be tickets for you, and your… girlfriend.”
“You thought I asked you to wait in line with me?”
“Well, yeah, it sounded like everyone else had tickets already, so you didn’t have anyone to wait in line with and wanted company.”
Sunset inhaled through her nose and pressed her fingers together. “Wallflower Blush, you amazing, beautiful girl, I meant ‘would you go to prom with me.” Sunset’s cheeks colored, but her expression remained serious.
Wallflower’s face twisted in confusion, “What, Sunset, you could ask anybody in the school and have them say yes! Why are you asking me?”
“Wallflower Blush, you are an incredible, wonderful person, and I would love if you would come to prom with me.” Sunset’s lowered her hands, fingers still pressed together, as she began to smile.
“Sunset, if this is a prank, it’s not funny. I’m not laughing here,” Wallflower grabbed the end of one of her sweater sleeves and started to stretch it to the floor. She couldn’t hold Sunset’s gaze.
Sunset used both of her hands to grasp Wallflower’s uncovered hand and said “Wallflower Blush, I would be honored if you would be my date to the prom. I am being serious. I thought I asked you and you said yes. Please let me buy tickets for the two of us.”
Wallflower’s voice quavered as she said, “Sunset, we’ve only known each other for a month, how can you be sure you want to take me. The dance isn’t for two weeks. What if… What if something happens before then?”
“Well, if something horrible were to happen, I hope you would still be willing to go to see the rest of the girls, at least. But as for not knowing each other… I think we’ve gotten to know each other pretty well, and like you said, we have two weeks. We can eat lunch together in the garden, or with the rest of the girls. We see each other in history almost every day. Also, the Starswirled Music Festival is the weekend before, and we could go together if you’d like.”
Quietly, barely above a whisper Wallflower said “Sure, Sunset. That sounds… Honestly, that sounds better than I ever imagined. I’ll gladly do all those things with you, if you’re sure I’m the one you want to do them with.”
She was.
Author's Note
Well, I've officially written horse words. Sorry you had to read them.