Anon adjusts his sun hat before stepping outside with a smile. He takes a deep breath, appreciating the fresh air and the warm summer sun. There’s a gentle breeze in Ponyville this morning, and it’s looking to be a pleasant day. With his overalls secured and a trowel in his hand he steps off of his back porch, ready to spend a long morning tending to his meticulously-cared-for garden.
He’s got plants of every shape and size back here. There are a few shrubs and ferns along the fence, as well as a healthy-looking lemon tree growing in the corner of the yard. However, the most notable aspect of the garden are the countless vegetables being grown in rows across the sizable plot of land.
Eggplants, onions, peppers, cucumbers, cabbages, potatoes, tomatoes, even a few cauliflower plants each have a section all to themselves. They’re all at varying stages of growth, of course, but they look to be coming in well. This is due in no small part to Anon’s dedication. He always has had a bit of a green thumb, and learning that crops grow way easier in Equestria than his old world (and that the growing seasons aren’t quite the same) came as a pleasant surprise.
On top of the assortment of veggies, there’s one plant in particular he’s extremely proud of. Against the back fence, right there at its center, is a massive rose bush. The roses themselves haven’t fully bloomed yet, but it’s a sight that he’s been anticipating all year. Still, compared to the countless other plants in the yard, the bush doesn’t stand out much at the moment.
He glances towards the right side of the fence, where a large, unlocked gate hangs partially open. He sighs, but a gentle smile creeps along his face. He keeps that gate unlocked on purpose. As far as he’s concerned, if his vegetables are making someone happy, he’s doing a darn fine job as a gardener. He welcomes anyone who wants some fresh veggies to come on in and pick what they want, so long as they don’t harm any of the other plants.
Of course, Anon does have some limits he places upon himself. He doesn’t grow certain crops that might compete with Sweet Apple Acres, for example, nor does he allow anyone to pick the flowers. They’re simple enough rules, and those geared towards everyone else are written on a wooden sign hanging on the outside of the short fence.
He just wishes that whoever came in last would have shut the gate behind them. Rabbits are no joke, regardless of what Fluttershy may tell you. He gently shuts the somewhat-rusty gate before turning back towards his garden, ready to get to work pulling weeds and planting some new carrot seeds he bought yesterday.
However, before he can start, something strange catches his eye.
“Uhh… hello?”
A small mare rests under the shade of the lemon tree. She’s not doing anything in particular, apart from perhaps enjoying the shade. When he calls out to her, she looks right at him. Her face looks distant, almost bored. However, as soon as she locks eyes with him, those eyes go wide.
She actually blends in with the garden fairly well. Her coat is a light green, with her mane being a darker shade of green. It’s wavy and somewhat unkempt, not unlike some of the shrubs growing around her. Freckles dot her cheeks, and her brown eyes look gentle and unassuming. Her cutie mark looks to be a small, somewhat stifled and droopy potted plant.
“Are you okay?”
A light “eep!” escapes the mare and without missing a beat, she leaps over the nearby fence and runs around the side of the house, directly out of his line of sight.
“Well, that was strange.”
Anon shrugs. He’s never seen the mare around before, so maybe she’s new in town? Oh, well. She’s definitely the timid type, that’s for sure. If she doesn’t want to speak, so be it. As far as he’s concerned, this garden is public property that he just takes care of. Nothing wrong with her taking a rest here if she enjoys the environment. After all, he naps under that tree sometimes, too.
Now, it’s time to plant some carrots!
“Ow ow ow ow ow.”
Anon tries to straighten out his back, only to be greeted with several loud popping sounds and some searing pain. He really needs to work on his posture when he’s gardening.
Speaking of, it’s been a few hours since he started. All the seeds are in the ground, all of the weeds have been pulled, everything has received an adequate amount of water, and he even caught a couple of his tomato plants with diseased leaves. A bit of trimming and some vinegar later and they should be good to go.
He glances to the sky. The sun hangs directly above him. It’s right around noon, and the breeze has more or less disappeared. It’s gotten a lot hotter, and while he could just go back inside, he wants to appreciate the garden that he spent all morning tending to. Deciding to take a page out of that mysterious mare’s book, he takes a seat in the shade beneath the lemon tree, leaning his back against its sturdy trunk and removing his hat before resting his hands behind his head.
In the cool shade of the tree, it’s much more pleasant outside. He’s still quite sweaty and has soil in every nook and cranny, but he’d be lying if he said he wasn’t content and comfortable. The satisfaction of a job well done is all he needs on days like this, and he dreams of the day that every single plant in the garden is fully grown and beautiful.
He doesn’t even realize that he’s tired until the sound of quiet trotting rouses him from a light slumber. Hooves gently and rhythmically strike the dirt road along the side of his house before coming to a sudden stop. From the ground, Anon can just barely see a familiar green mane poking out from over the fence before the gate slowly creaks open.
The unnamed mare from before carefully peers around the opened gate, slowly scanning the garden before locking eyes with Anon. He looks back at her for a moment before giving her a gentle smile and wave, causing those brown eyes of hers to widen.
“Hello again!”
“...” She looks behind herself, just to confirm that she’s the only pony he could possibly be referring to. “Uh… hi?”
“I don’t know if you saw the sign, but it’s perfectly fine for you to enter the garden. I know I look a bit strange, but I don’t bite.”
“...Right. Right.” She repeats that word quietly as if trying to convince herself to believe him. She slowly steps into the garden while using one of her back legs to close the gate behind her. “Um…”
Anon chuckles as he slowly sits upright, adjusting his hat along the way.
“My name is Douglas, but everyone just calls me Anon.”
“...” The mare tilts her head and raises an eyebrow. “Why?”
“Er, that was what the papers called me when I showed up one day. No one knew what I was yet, so I figured I would just stick with what ponies were already calling me. Besides, I’ve been told Douglas isn’t exactly a common name around here.”
“Neither is Anon.”
“...Hehe, true.”
The mare sighs.
“Alright, ‘Anon.’ We’ve got a bit of a problem.”
“Oh?” He straightens his back in an effort to show that he’s taking her seriously. “What kind of problem?”
“The kind of problem that involves us having this conversation at all. You’re… you’re not supposed to be able to do that.”
Anon blinks.
“That’s a strange thing to say.”
The mare stares at him for a moment before sighing yet again, something she seems to do often.
“Look, my whole thing is passing under everypony’s radar. I blend in so well that I have to make a concentrated effort for someone to notice that I’m even there. It’s my cutie mark and everything.” She turns somewhat to show off the potted plant decorating her flank. “So how in the world did you see me earlier?”
“Well…” Anon grumbles as he rubs his chin. “I’m not sure. I didn’t really think anything of it, I guess. I like my garden, and there was a mysterious mare over in the corner. It just seemed polite to say ‘hello.’”
“Gardens are, like, the most difficult place to identify me, though! It’s in my name!”
“Which is?”
“O-oh.” A slight blush spreads across the mare’s cheeks. “S-sorry, I’m not very used to introducing myself.” She sheepishly clears her throat before continuing. “Wallflower Blush. I’m an artist.”
“Well, it’s nice to meet you properly, Miss Blush.”
“...” She awkwardly shuffles in place for a moment before continuing. “I-I’m just not really sure what to do about this.”
“I think I’m still a bit lost. You’re concerned because I was able to see you?”
“Well, yeah!”
“How is that a bad thing?”
“I’ve… ugh.” She rubs her temple with a hoof as she tries to think of how to explain her situation. “I’ve made a habit of ponies not noticing me. It grants me a lot of privileges others don’t have.”
“Such as?”
“I never get needlessly bothered by ponies I don’t like, I can go wherever I want without fear of getting judged or tossed out, I can get away with just about anything–”
“Er, not to interrupt, but that sounds a lot like you’re doing something illegal.”
“N-no!” She stomps a hoof on the ground as she looks at him with wide, genuinely pleading eyes. “W-well, maybe I trespass every so often. But I never take anything or do something wrong! I just…”
“Nap in gardens?”
“Yes, actually.” She lets out a breath she didn’t realize she’d been holding in. “So, I was a little freaked out when you noticed me this morning.”
“Hm.” He does his best to give her a reassuring smile. “Well, if it makes you feel any better, you’re always welcome here.”
“That’s not the problem. You being able to see me is weird, and I’m kind of uncomfortable with it.”
“I can’t help the fact that I can see you, Miss Blush.”
“Do you think you could like, I don’t know, try to ignore me from now on or something?”
Anon tilts his head as he quietly thinks for a moment.
“I guess I could, but I’d be missing out on a potential friend.”
“F-friend?”
“Anypony that can appreciate a nice garden is fine in my book. And I’ve seen you looking around since you got here.” He motions towards the garden around them, causing the sense of pride he felt after finishing his work to return. “I’m happy to share this with others. Especially those that can understand how much work goes into it.”
“A friend, huh?” Her voice is a mumble, and Anon can’t quite make out what she’s saying. “That’d be a new one.”
“I’m sorry, what was that?”
“It’s nothing.” With a shake of her head, Wallflower turns around and starts walking towards the gate. “I’m sorry for bothering you.”
“It was really no trouble. Come back any time!” Anon shouts as she walks back through the gate. “Hmhm. She seems like a nice mare.” He grunts as he finally brings himself to his feet. “If only ponies would remember to close the darn gate when they leave.”
Wallflower quietly strides through the crowded marketplace with practiced ease. Even in broad daylight with dozens of ponies around, not a single pair of eyes falls on her at any point. This is what she is used to. This is who she is.
With a bored expression, she approaches a familiar stall. It’s tucked away in a shady corner and doesn’t typically attract many ponies, but there’s a larger crowd than usual perusing its wares. While she isn’t a fan of crowds, Wallflower isn’t all that concerned. In fact, she was expecting this.
The stall is dedicated to art supplies. Paints, brushes, pencils, high-quality canvases, basically anything an artist could possibly want. There’s no dedicated store for these things in Ponyville, so this stall is really the only place to go. That’s largely because in a small town like this, there isn’t a whole lot of demand for these supplies most of the time.
Right now, however, that isn’t the case, as the Ponyville Art Exhibition will be taking place in just a few days. Aspiring artists from Ponyville and a few other neighboring towns will gather for the annual showcase, eager to show their greatest works off to the world. As one such artist, Wallflower is also interested in the event.
She’s gone to every single one ever since she was a filly. One piece in particular captured her imagination way back when. It was little more than a detailed depiction of the landscape outside of Ponyville, but something about it absolutely mesmerized her. That was what set her on her current path, selling art anonymously at auctions between a few odd jobs here and there.
However, despite having been to every Exhibition since that fateful day, she has never once actually submitted an art piece. Being invisible is who she is, after all. The attention that she might gain from submitting a piece that does well was always enough to scare her away from trying. This year, she intends to change that. In fact, she’s gonna go all the way. She’s not just going to put her work on display, oh no no no.
She’s going to enter the Art Off.
A silly name, sure, but an important event all the same. It’s exactly as it sounds: an art competition. Potential competitors submit their art to the Art Off for a chance to be judged and voted on by crowds. They are given little more than a brief chance to discuss their work on stage, then it’s up to the Exhibition attendees to decide what the “best” submission really is. It’s a great way to receive plenty of comments and criticism on one’s work, for better or for worse.
On top of that, entering the Art Off means forfeiting your chance at having your work on display elsewhere. If you win, you reap plenty of benefits. Media coverage, a spot in the Canterlot Art Museum, recognition among the greater art community, and a generous cash prize. If you lose, you’re left wondering what you did wrong and will likely consider never attempting showing off your passions to anyone ever again.
Or maybe that’s just Wallflower.
With a deep breath, she slides between a few ponies standing in the long line for art supplies, slowly making her way to the stall. Once she arrives, not a single pony acknowledges her cutting to the front. On top of that, nopony, not even the mare running the stall, says a word or even looks in her direction as she grabs a few paints she was needing, places the appropriate number of bits on the counter, and shuffles away.
It’s one of Wallflower’s favorite perks of being who she is.
“Hey, Wallflower!”
“Ah!”
She jumps back in surprise, immediately falling onto the grass below her.
“Oh, s-sorry! Here, let me help you up!”
Wallflower’s vision is partially obscured by the sun until a shadow blocks it out. The head shape is familiar, and the next thing she knows, there’s an open hand right in front of her face. Without really thinking, she places a hoof in said hand before feeling herself getting tugged back onto her hooves.
“Oops, you dropped some stuff.” Still processing what’s going on around her, she stands in stunned silence as Anon picks up the bottles of paint she just purchased before handing them over to her. “There you go. Sorry again, I didn’t mean to scare you.”
Wallflower blinks.
“Anon?”
“That’s what they call me!”
“You’re doing the thing,” she mumbles.
“I’m doing what?”
“Bringing attention to me.”
“No I’m not!”
Anon looks around to see numerous ponies staring due to the commotion he just caused. They all look more surprised by Wallflower than him, only just now noticing her presence in the first place.
“Ah. My bad, I guess?”
“Just… don’t talk to me in public, okay?”
He tilts his head and furrows his brow as he looks back at her silently for a moment before responding.
“That’s a tough thing to ask of me.”
“How? Just ignore me like everypony else.”
“I-I really don’t want to do that.”
“Well, I do want you to do that.”
He sighs after another moment, his expression quickly going from concerned to downtrodden.
“Fine. I was busy helping Mrs. Posey anyway.” He turns around while forcing a smile. “You’re still welcome in my garden anytime, by the by.”
Without another word, Anon walks off, leaving Wallflower awkwardly standing amidst a group of ponies that absolutely know she’s there now. She can practically feel their eyes digging into the back of her head.
It doesn't take long for her to make herself scarce.
Wallflower smacks her lips together as she finishes off her smoothie. After putting some distance between herself and the ponies that saw Anon talking to her, it was pretty easy to fade out of the public’s perception again. She doesn’t have anything better to do today, so she went ahead and ran a few errands. At the moment, she’s resting beneath a large oak tree with her art supplies and a few groceries in plastic bags on either side of her as she sips at pineapple-banana goodness.
“I’ve got it!”
A familiar voice catches her attention. A couple dozen feet away, Anon heaves a few unmarked sacks onto his shoulders before carrying them across the dirt road beneath him and loading them into a cart. She narrows her eyes, trying to figure out exactly what’s going on.
The cart itself is nothing special, but it’s loaded with veggies of all kinds. She recognizes the spread as the usual wares of Mr. Daikon. This realization only further increases her confusion.
Mr. Daikon is a capable stallion, still very much in his prime. In fact, she can see him just across the way lounging on a wooden box and watching Anon do all of the work. It doesn't look like there’s anything wrong with him, so what gives?
She focuses on Anon, who is clearly sweating like a pig under the hot sun. It takes him quite some time to get all of those veggies loaded into the cart. It looks like nothing short of backbreaking labor, but there’s a smile spread across his face all the same.
“There you go, Mr. Daikon!”
“Thank ya for volunteerin’, Anon.”
“I’m just happy to help!”
“I can see that. Welp,” he grunts as he stands from the box. “Guess I’d better be on my way. You take care, now.”
“Will do, sir!”
With a nod and a tip of his hat, Mr. Daikon throws a saddlebag on, gears up, and starts hauling the cart away. Shifting her attention back to Anon again, Wallflower silently watches his reaction.
After giving Mr. Daikon some time to trot away, he nods to himself and walks towards the outskirts of the market. He seems to have a purpose in mind, and against her better judgment, Wallflower decides to feed her curiosity. Bags in hoof, she begins to sneakily give chase.
It doesn’t take long for him to reach his destination. Unfortunately, she’s not a fan of the destination in question. It’s the home of Miss Oldbag, an older mare that’s somewhat infamous for being extremely rude.
To Wallflower’s bewilderment, Anon doesn’t even knock on the door. Instead, he walks around the side of her house and opens an unlocked shed, disappearing for a few seconds before stepping back outside with a metal toolbox in hand. Stopping only to wipe some of the sweat from his brow, he gets to work… fixing her fence? Why in Equestria would he be doing that?
Oh, well. She has nothing better to do today than creepily watch someone from the bushes, anyway.
After almost an hour of aimlessly watching Ponyville’s resident human fix a fence, something else catches Wallflower’s attention. Two sets of hooves trot along the dirt road before coming to a stop just a few feet away from Anon. Immediately, Wallflower feels an eye twitch.
She knows those mares.
“Heya, Anon~!”
“Hiiiii Anon!”
“Hm?” Anon looks up from the fence to see the two mares smiling at him, causing him to smile right back. “Hello, Sweet Pea! Good day, Spice Berry!”
The two mares continue to give Anon warm smiles, but Wallflower knows better. From the bushes, she actively has to stop herself from scowling.
Those mares are Sweet Pea and Spice Berry, two girls about her age from the other side of town. The former has a grass-green coat with a light-magenta mane, while the latter has an orange coat and fiery-red mane. Both wear very expensive, carefully applied makeup, and she can smell their perfume from the bushes. Those two are the darlings of Ponyville, the apple of every lonely stallion’s eye.
But Wallflower can see right through them. From their looks to their reputations to their personalities, everything about them is fake. They play nice and give award-winning smiles to anyone foolish enough to look their way, and the next thing they know, they’re putty in their evil hooves.
But, being the nigh-invisible mare she is, there’s nopony around to listen to Wallflower. She is the only one who knows the truth. She can already tell how this conversation is about to play out, but something about the fact that it’s happening to Anon rubs her the wrong way.
“Whatcha doin’?”
“Miss Oldbag asked me to fix her fence for her. I figured it wouldn’t be too hard, so here I am!”
“Uh, Anon? You know she’s more than capable of fixing it herself, right?”
“Sure, but I’m always happy to help!”
“Is that why you were helping Mr. Daikon earlier, too?”
“You saw that?” Anon sheepishly rubs the back of his head as an embarrassed grin spreads across his face. “Yeah, he seemed like he needed a helping hand. I’m heading back into the market after I’m done here, too. I volunteered to help a few stalls close for the evening.”
“Well, aren’t you a little angel?”
Sweet Pea gets closer to Anon than Wallflower is comfortable with, but he doesn’t seem to mind.
“You wouldn’t happen to have a little room in your schedule for a couple of struggling mares, would you?”
“O-oh, do you need help with something?”
“Welllll~” Spice Berry circles around Anon while Sweet Pea stays close to him. It might seem endearing to most, but it reminds Wallflower of a shark circling its prey. “We really really really wanted to enter the Art Off at this year’s Ponyville Art Exhibition, but–”
“But our grandma came down with a really rare disease!” Sweet Pea looks up at him with big, pleading eyes. “We sent her all of the spare bits we had, and now we can’t afford any art supplies!”
“It’s truly terrible,” Spice Berry adds as she continues circling him. “And we were hoping to donate the prize money to Ponyville Elementary!”
“Uh… need me to lend you a few bits?”
“Well, we don’t want to seem uncouth, but…”
“No, that’s totally fine!”
Anon continues to grin as he reaches into his back pocket, producing a sizable wallet.
“Would fifty bits cover it?”
“Y-yes, absolutely!” Without skipping a beat, Sweet Pea snatches the bits from his hands. “Thank you so so so much, Anon! We promise to pay you back as soon as we can!”
“Hehe, there’s no need to worry about that.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yeah! It’s for a good cause, right?”
“Oh, Mr. Anon, you are a saint!”
Sweet Pea swiftly hops up onto her back hooves and places a quick peck on Anon’s cheek, leaving a magenta-colored lipstick stain that’s difficult to miss.
“Thank you so much!”
“But we need to get going! The art stall is closing soon!”
“Goodbye, ladies.”
“Goodbye, Anon!” they enthusiastically cheer in unison as they trot away.
Anon chuckles to himself as he turns back to the fence, the smile on his face never fading. Wallflower sits in quiet frustration for several moments, eventually sighing when she catches herself literally shaking with anger. After taking a few seconds to compose herself, she stands up and steps out of the bushes. Anon has his back to her, but he turns around before she raises her voice.
“Hello, W–” Anon cuts himself off mid-sentence before turning around.
“It’s alright,” she mumbles. “I wanted to talk to you.”
“A far cry from the last time we talked,” he lightheartedly laughs. “What’s going on?”
“Er…” Suddenly, she realizes that she doesn't really know how to broach this topic. “Do, uh… do you know those two mares?”
“Hm? Oh, you mean Sweet Pea and Spice Berry?”
“Yeah, them.”
“Sort of,” he ruminates as he continues working on the fence. “They live a few doors down from me. We haven’t spoken too much, but they seem nice.”
“Yeah, that’s what everypony thinks.”
“Hm?”
Wallflower takes a deep breath before continuing.
“You’re being taken advantage of.”
“What?”
“Ponies are taking advantage of your kindness. Trust me, they have absolutely no intention of giving you those bits back.”
“So?”
“‘So?!’” Wallflower recoils, not expecting that response from him. “What do you mean, ‘so?!’”
“I mean, so what? If their grandma needed the money, she needed the money. We’ve all been down on our luck before.”
“Anon, their grandma isn’t sick!”
“And how do you know that?”
“I…” She trails off for a moment before shaking her head and continuing. “I know that they’re liars. It’s basically all they’re good at. They manipulate ponies into giving them what they want.”
“And how do you know they’re lying now?”
“I-I just do, okay?!” Wallflower stomps a hoof in agitation, catching Anon off guard. She looks like she’s about to say something else before turning her head. “Whatever. Get scammed. See if I care.”
“Wallflower.” Anon finally turns away from the fence, fully facing her with a flat expression. “Even if they are lying, I don’t feel bad about helping them.”
“Excuse me?”
“If giving them fifty bits makes them happy, I’ll give them fifty bits. Just as I’ll fix this fence for Miss Oldbag, or load veggies onto a cart for Mr. Daikon. I just like helping others.”
“All of those ponies are using you. Every single one of them.”
“Maybe so. And yet…” Anon turns back towards the fence, facing away from Wallflower. She can no longer read his expression, but she catches a minor change in his tone. It’s slight, almost completely imperceptible, but it’s there. “I’ll do what they ask. And I’ll do it all with a smile.”
“...Why?” Her voice is almost a whisper, but she’s not quite sure why that is.
“That’s my business.” His voice is firm, but just as quiet as her own. After hesitating for a moment, he starts digging through the toolbox once more. “And if you’ll excuse me, I’ve only got so much daylight left to get this done.”
“Fine.”
Wallflower turns around once more, making sure to grab her bags along the way. Before she can properly leave, however, Anon interrupts one more time.
“You’re still welcome in my garden, by the way.” She freezes, but does not respond. “You don’t need to worry about attracting too much attention there, either.”
Wallflower sighs as she slowly trudges down the familiar dirt road. She doesn’t know why she keeps feeling compelled to come back. Is it her frustration with Anon’s friendliness? The allure of such an aesthetically pleasing garden? It couldn’t be that she actually likes Anon. That’d be ridiculous! She doesn’t like anyone.
And yet, as the familiar white fence comes into view, she can’t ignore her increasing heart rate.
With a sigh, she prepares to step into view of the garden. However, just before she finally does so, the sound of voices causes her instincts to kick in. She ducks her head and hides behind the fence, knowing darn well that she’s practically invisible now.
“Thanks, Anon!”
“No problem, I hope you enjoy the eggplants!”
“Oh, these look just lovely!”
“Haha, they just ripened up yesterday! I hope you get some use out of ‘em!”
Wallflower watches as pony after pony steps out of the garden, none bothering to close the gate behind them. She stands completely still, listening for any other ponies that might still be present.
And just as she is about to relax, they walk up to the garden.
“Hiiiiii Anooon~!”
“Ah, hello, ladies!”
Wallflower feels her brow furrow as she watches Sweet Pea and Spice Berry saunter into the garden like they own the place. Those fake smiles of theirs are plastered across their faces, and she feels her blood begin to boil.
“We heard you were giving away free vegetables.”
“And we came to see what all the hubbub was about!”
Wallflower watches as they each take a position on either side of Anon, giving him no chance of escaping the situation. However, he appears completely unbothered and oblivious to what’s actually going on. Just like they want.
“Well, it’s like I always say: This garden is open to the public. If you see something you need, feel free to take it.”
“Wow, really?”
“That’s, like, so generous of you!”
“We certainly wouldn’t want to let your kindness go to waste!”
“Hey, Spice, is there anything you need?”
“Personally, I’ve been having a real craving for some fresh roses. And wouldn’t you know it, there are some about to bloom right there!”
Without giving Anon so much as a second glance, both mares begin to trot towards the rose bush. As they said, the buds have nearly bloomed, but they’re not quite there yet. To a pony, they’d be delicious all the same.
“W-wait, you two!” Anon is ignored as the pair reaches the bush, sharing an amused glance before reaching for some of the biggest buds they can find. “P-please, I–”
“These roses aren’t yours to take.”
“AHH!”
Sweet Pea and Spice Berry fall onto their butts as a head pokes up from behind the rose bush, catching them completely off guard. Before them stands Wallflower, who makes a concentrated effort to step around the bush without catching herself on any of the thorns. By the time she’s safely on the grass, the mares have gotten back up, their shock quickly turning to annoyance.
“Oh, lovely. It’s Ponyville’s resident weed.”
“Why don’t you go back to hiding in the shadows? At least then we wouldn’t be subjected to that horrific, tangled mess of a mane of yours.”
“My friend tends this garden. I know you ladies aren’t used to following the rules, but in case you didn’t notice, there’s a sign right over there you could have read.” Wallflower steps towards the pair, a cold, dark expression on her face. The mares stand their ground at first, but gradually find themselves backing up as she advances. “Don’t touch his roses. It’s not that difficult of a rule to follow.”
“A-Anon, she’s being mean to us!”
“Yeah, make her stop!”
“I… I…”
“Get out of here before I turn you into jam.”
“...Ugh, whatever. Come on, Spice.”
Without another word, the mares leave in a huff. Throwing the fence gate open, they don’t look back as they trot down the dirt road away from the garden. With a sigh, Anon walks up to the fence and gently closes the gate behind them.
“Um… thank you.”
“Seriously dude, you’ve gotta learn how to stick up for yourself.”
“You say that, but I’m just as surprised that you did. And for me, no less.”
“Hm?”
“I thought your whole thing was going unnoticed. You really put yourself into the line of fire for me there.”
“Y-yeah, well.” Wallflower’s cheeks go pink as she paws at the ground. “It’s not like you were about to do it. B-besides, I just took a chance to put those two in their place.”
After a brief moment of silence, a warm smile spreads across Anon’s face.
“Well, thank you regardless.”
“Don’t mention it.”
In a noticeably cheerier mood, Anon heads back towards the center of the garden with a spring in his step.
“Anyway, what brings you here? Want another nap under the lemon tree? Oh, or maybe you heard about the zucchini? It just finished growing and it’s super tasty, you’ve gotta take some home with you!”
“W-well…” In truth, she’s not really sure what brought her back, but she’s not about to tell him that. “I-I wasn’t going to visit your stupid garden in the first place. I just happened to be passing by when I saw those two harassing you.”
“‘Harass’ is a strong word. Still, I hope I’m not interrupting anything.”
“Not really.” Wallflower makes her way beneath the lemon tree and takes a seat on the ground, relishing the comfort that the shade brings on such a sunny day. Anon happily sits a few feet away, clearly feeling the same. “I don’t have much of a schedule. I work when I get inspiration.”
“Oh yeah, you’re an artist, right?”
“Yup.”
“You gonna enter that Art Off thing?”
“That’s the plan.”
“Heh. I looked into that last night out of curiosity. If you want to be a successful artist, that’s not a bad way of going about it.”
“...”
“Still, it must be uncomfortable for you.”
“How so?” she asks with a tilt of her head.
“Well, the competition requires a lot of eyes to be on you, and that would only be worse if you won. I thought you didn’t like being recognized.”
“I don’t. And the Art Off doesn’t change that.” She looks him dead in the eyes expecting to see boredom, disapproval, or anything in between. Instead, there’s a shine behind those eyes, a sparkle of interest that she’s not used to seeing in anyone except children. Even worse, those eyes of his are focused entirely on her own. “...I-I want my WORK to be recognized. Not me.”
“Why is that?”
Wallflower pauses and takes a deep breath before continuing.
“Just because I don’t like being seen doesn’t mean I don’t have a life. I spend a lot of time thinking. There are… a lot of things in this world that Equestria likes to glaze over. When the Exhibition comes around, you’ll see what I mean. There will be dozens upon dozens of landscapes and portraits. Expect a lot of rolling hills and depictions of the princesses.” Wallflower clicks her tongue in disdain. “It’s not like there’s anything wrong with that stuff, but sometimes it feels like they’re afraid of anything deeper.”
“And I take it that’s the kind of art you make? The ‘deeper’ stuff?”
“Heh. Even if I showed you my work, you probably wouldn’t get it.”
“Try me.”
“You actually want to see my work?”
“Sure! It sounds like something you’re passionate about, and a labor of love like that deserves to be shared, I think.”
Wallflower hesitates as she feels a blush return to her cheeks. She shakes her head and looks away in embarrassment before responding.
“Th-thanks. I’ll consider it.”
“...You know, it isn’t to the same scale, but I think I understand where you’re coming from. To a point, at least.”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, look around you.” Anon gestures at the garden. It’s as beautiful as ever, but there are noticeably fewer vegetables around and upturned dirt here and there. “My garden is serving its purpose. Ponies are getting their veggies out of it. They’re happy, and the vegetables are doing what they’re supposed to do. But…” Anon sighs. “I don’t know. Maybe it’s foolish to maintain a garden on aesthetics alone, but sometimes I wish I could just do what I want with it. Make it beautiful, you know?”
“Then why don’t you?”
“Hm?”
“Who is telling you that you have to grow vegetables?”
Anon hesitates before answering.
“I guess I just want to make ponies happy more than I want a pretty garden, haha.”
He sheepishly rubs the back of his head, but his squeaky voice makes it blatantly obvious that he’s not telling the truth. Wallflower tilts her head, but says nothing. This doesn’t seem like a line of questioning that she’s ready to pursue.
“Is that why you’re so protective of your roses?”
“Bingo.” Anon’s smile returns as the pair looks at the not-yet-fully-bloomed bush. “It’s the one part of the garden I don’t want anyone to touch. It’s my favorite plant, and it’s going to be so, so pretty when it finally blooms.”
“Hmhm. I’m looking forward to it.”
“Oh?”
“...Hm?”
“Was that a chuckle I just heard? Is that a smile on Wallflower Blush’s face I’m seeing right now?!”
He leans forward with an amused smile on his face, causing Wallflower to blush yet again and stand up while turning away from him.
“Y-you’re so annoying!”
“Sorry, sorry!”
“...Ugh.” Wallflower shakes her head yet again, but she can’t hide the growing smile on her face as she exits the garden. Unlike the ponies before her, she takes care to close the gate. “I’ll see you around, Anon.”
It’s been a few weeks since Wallflower stuck up for Anon. However, as the two of them wipe the sweat from their brows after finishing up their work plucking weeds from the carrot patch, neither realizes how quickly that time has passed.
“So, how’s your painting going?”
“It’s mostly finished, thankfully.” Wallflower gives Anon a smile as he tosses her a bottle of water. “And just in time, too. The Exhibition is this week.”
“It’s here already? Heh, I guess that explains all the tourists.” Anon stretches as he takes a sip of his own water. It’s another scorcher, but the garden is as comfortable as ever. “How do you feel about your chances?”
“Well… like I said the other day, I don’t expect my work to connect with most audiences. But, I am really proud of what I’ve made.”
“And that’s the important part, right?”
Wallflower hesitates for a moment, tapping the water bottle to her chin as she thinks.
“I know that the ‘correct’ thing would be to agree with you, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t care if nopony saw my work.”
“Hey, I get that.” Anon throws his hands up with a grin on his face before motioning to the rose bush. The flowers still have yet to bloom, but at this point, it could happen at any time. “I’ve been thinking about doing the exact same thing with my roses here.”
“W-wait, what?”
“You know, pluck ‘em, put ‘em in vases, hand ‘em out to everypony.”
“I-I thought you loved that bush!”
“I… I do.” For a brief moment, Anon’s expression darkens. However, his face quickly lights back up again. “But Spice Berry and Sweet Pea made me realize something.”
Wallflower shudders with frustration at the mention of their names.
“And that is?”
“Ponies really love roses, especially at this time of year. I think it’d make everyone’s day if I handed some out once they’ve finished blooming.”
“But you’ll be left with a completely barren bush if you do that! Weren’t you the one that said how proud you were of it? That’s the whole reason you don’t want anypony touching it!”
“Y-yeah, that’s true. But this is for a good cause, right?”
“What cause?! Making ponies that wouldn’t even give you the time of day happy by handing out free stuff? Roses don’t come cheap, you know.”
“Making ponies happy is a good enough goal for–”
“Is it? Is it really?” Wallflower steps towards Anon, immediately entering his personal space. Her eyes are fierce and focused, but they aren’t entirely angry. There is some frustration there, sure, but she looks more worried than anything else. “I think there are two things we need to get straight here.”
“A-and those are?”
“First, ponies aren’t going to like you because you give them free stuff or offer to help them over and over again. Sure, some might appreciate it, but you aren’t really connecting with them.” She looks towards the rose bush yet again as what little frustration was still showing on her face melts away, her voice growing softer all the while. “And second… you deserve happiness too, you know.”
“...Eheheh.” After an awkward moment, Anon sheepishly rubs the back of his head, glancing around anxiously at anything other than Wallflower. “I’ve gotta say, it’s weird hearing advice about connecting with others from you of all ponies.”
“Wh-what’s that supposed to mean?!”
“S-sorry, sorry! I didn’t mean it as an insult!” Anon’s eyes go wide as he tries to shake off his accidental slight. “You just didn’t seem like the type of mare to care about that stuff. Wh-what with you trying to go unnoticed and everything.”
“...” Wallflower sighs. “Maybe you’re right. I just don’t want to see you making yourself miserable for ponies that don’t care about you.”
“How about this, then?”
With a grin on his face, Anon heads towards the back door of his house. Reaching down next to the wall, he picks up a wicker basket that was obscured by some shrubs. His smile only widens as he returns to Wallflower’s side and places the basket down in front of her.
“What’s this?”
“Fresh-grown tomatoes, right from this garden. There’s about a dozen of them here.”
“And why are you showing them to me?”
“I want you to have them.”
“M-me? Why?”
“Because. I like sharing the bounties of this garden with others.”
“I-I thought you said you wished ponies didn’t take your vegetables.”
“Having a nice garden does bring me joy, yes. But when I see the look on ponies’ faces when I hand them some fresh produce? The light in their eyes as they scamper off with the fruits of my labor? I get happy then, too. But unlike keeping my garden as-is, it’s not just me leaving that scenario happy.”
“Alright, alright. I get where you’re coming from.” Wallflower chuckles as she picks up the basket, wincing at how unexpectedly heavy it is. Anon certainly knows how to grow some healthy plants, she’ll give him that. “Still, watch yourself, okay? I worry about you.”
“That’s really sweet of you, Wallflower.”
The two remain silent for a moment as they look into each other’s eyes, their growing smiles unable to be contained. Then, simultaneously, they find themselves blushing and quickly looking away.
“W-well, I think I should go try to finish up my painting.”
“Y-yeah, good idea. I need to finish watering the melons, too.”
“Same time tomorrow?”
“Wouldn’t miss it for the world!”
With a quick, awkward gait, Wallflower scampers out of the garden, remembering to carefully close the gate behind her as she does so. Once she makes it down the dirt road and out of sight of the garden, she places a hoof on her chest.
“Why does my heart beat so fast when I’m over there?” She finds herself clicking her tongue against the roof of her mouth, noticing for the first time just how dry it is. “Ugh, and I’m not used to talking that much. That man is spoiling me. Heh, now I feel kinda bad about not telling him the truth about my stupid painting. There’s no way I’m gonna get that thing done by the Exhibition.”
With a shake of her head, she continues on her journey back home. As is her habit, she sticks to the darker, shadier, less-traveled roads on her way through town. Eventually, she glances down at the basket in her hooves. She can’t see it herself, but in the dark, shady alley between two large Ponyville homes, her eyes sparkle with inspiration.
