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Organised by
RogerDodger
Word limit
400–750
Blight
While Angel and Tank were playing in the middle of Fluttershy’s cottage, Rainbow Dash had asked Fluttershy a question:
“Why do you still water that thing?”
It was a simple question, really, with only seven short words. Rainbow had asked it distractedly, not expecting an answer. Her attention was on the pets and their merriment. Yet, setting the watering can aside, Fluttershy in the back room paused to ruminate on it. Why did she still water this thing?
The plant she watered was unremarkable in all respects. It sat on a windowsill alone in the back room of the cottage, where no passerby would be able to see it. She wasn’t sure exactly what kind of plant it was, but it was short with broad leaves. Most of its leaves were green with streaks down the middle. Some were dotted here and there with spots of soft grey fuzz.
That was what Rainbow Dash was referring to when she asked the question, presumably. Why she didn’t just throw the plant out. The plant had blighted, and it was more of a hassle to maintain the plant than to simply get a new one.
And she could just throw it out, safely dispose of it so that the blight wouldn’t spread to the rest of her plants. Keeping it would risk spreading it to her other plants, this she knew. A new plant would cost her a couple bits at Daisy’s Home and Garden, plus maybe another couple bits for a new pot.
This plant, however, she had to take care of. She needed to make sure that the water didn’t splash all over the leaves—the blight thrived in damp environments. Any leaf that showed signs of greying needed to be excised from the plant, and the trims she used to do so needed to be thoroughly washed after each use. Circulating air could kick up blight spores, letting it spread. Only powder from Zecora could combat the blight, and obtaining it wasn’t easy. It would be much easier to throw the plant out.
But that would feel wrong.
Fluttershy knew it was just a plant—but she couldn’t leave it just because it was weak. She knew what that felt like. And besides, she was perfectly capable of taking care of the plant, even if it was a hassle at times. If she didn’t take care of the blighted plant, then who else—?
A blue hoof came waving into Fluttershy’s view. Rainbow Dash had flown in from the other room.
“Hey,” said Rainbow. “Is something up?”
“Hm?”
“I asked you why you still water that thing, and you kind of just spaced out for a bit.”
“Ohh.” Fluttershy tapped her hoof against her chin. “Well, because it needs me, I suppose.”
Rainbow didn’t seem too happy with that answer—in fact, she might have been happier without any answer at all—but that was okay. With a smile, Fluttershy watered the plant again, carefully letting the water seep into the soil.
“Why do you still water that thing?”
It was a simple question, really, with only seven short words. Rainbow had asked it distractedly, not expecting an answer. Her attention was on the pets and their merriment. Yet, setting the watering can aside, Fluttershy in the back room paused to ruminate on it. Why did she still water this thing?
The plant she watered was unremarkable in all respects. It sat on a windowsill alone in the back room of the cottage, where no passerby would be able to see it. She wasn’t sure exactly what kind of plant it was, but it was short with broad leaves. Most of its leaves were green with streaks down the middle. Some were dotted here and there with spots of soft grey fuzz.
That was what Rainbow Dash was referring to when she asked the question, presumably. Why she didn’t just throw the plant out. The plant had blighted, and it was more of a hassle to maintain the plant than to simply get a new one.
And she could just throw it out, safely dispose of it so that the blight wouldn’t spread to the rest of her plants. Keeping it would risk spreading it to her other plants, this she knew. A new plant would cost her a couple bits at Daisy’s Home and Garden, plus maybe another couple bits for a new pot.
This plant, however, she had to take care of. She needed to make sure that the water didn’t splash all over the leaves—the blight thrived in damp environments. Any leaf that showed signs of greying needed to be excised from the plant, and the trims she used to do so needed to be thoroughly washed after each use. Circulating air could kick up blight spores, letting it spread. Only powder from Zecora could combat the blight, and obtaining it wasn’t easy. It would be much easier to throw the plant out.
But that would feel wrong.
Fluttershy knew it was just a plant—but she couldn’t leave it just because it was weak. She knew what that felt like. And besides, she was perfectly capable of taking care of the plant, even if it was a hassle at times. If she didn’t take care of the blighted plant, then who else—?
A blue hoof came waving into Fluttershy’s view. Rainbow Dash had flown in from the other room.
“Hey,” said Rainbow. “Is something up?”
“Hm?”
“I asked you why you still water that thing, and you kind of just spaced out for a bit.”
“Ohh.” Fluttershy tapped her hoof against her chin. “Well, because it needs me, I suppose.”
Rainbow didn’t seem too happy with that answer—in fact, she might have been happier without any answer at all—but that was okay. With a smile, Fluttershy watered the plant again, carefully letting the water seep into the soil.