Gardening used to be a simple hobby in the human world before Equestrian magic complicated things. Principal Celestia finds herself faced with a problem no amateur botanist should have to confront: singing plants. Luckily, the mirror portal offers easy access to one of the best magical horticulturalists in the multiverse – one with more than a century of experience, who is not about to let herself be outsmarted by a bunch of overgrown weeds.
Written for Aragon's Comedy (Is Serious Business) Contest with the prompt We Learned Something Botanical. An alternate take on the Equestria Girls short “My Little Shop of Horrors,” set in the Oversaturated world.
Reading Oversaturation is helpful for context, but not necessary to understand this story.
Rated T for some “adult” references, just to be safe.
It probably says something that other people are more willing to use this AU in contest entries than I am.
In any case, very fun character piece, though you missed an opportunity by glossing over the opening. That could've been a slow build-up as more and more plants joined into the chorus.
Still, as I said, quite fun overall. Thank you for it, and best of luck in the judging.
Even those have to sleep, just... not generally more than once a week. Explains a lot.
Ahahahahaha!
I don't care what the contest judges say, as far as I'm concerned, this one is a winner. Of all the internets.
I'm putting this a follow bookshelf in case you ever add more
Shouldn't this go in the "shorts" folder rather than the "main" folder in the Oversaturated group?
I will never grow tired of the Oversaturation! NEVER!!!
All I’m saying.
Well, that was a lot more bloodless than I expected, but I shoulda looked at the tags.
Nice story! ... If Granny Smith comes back, who else is she gonna meet?
Typo:
still an old lady
8707098
that's movie is awesome one of my favorite movies ever lol
3 words ....I AM GROOT
When life gives you lemons, make lemon cider?
8707644
Nah, it’s really, “When life gives you lemons, make apple juice and leave everyone wondering how in the fuck you did that.”
An extended version of one of my favorite Group Precipitation shorts? PRAISE CELESTIA! It may be silly, but that's why I like it so much! Well, that and the fantastic lesson on Earth magic. Also, can I get a singing poinsettia for my apartment?
The Oversaturated World is the gift that keeps on giving. Praise Her Divine Baconness!
8707644 If you take cranberries and stew them like applesause does it taste more like prunes than rhubarb does?
Great. Intelligent
talkingsinging plants. Well, we're doomed. Unless... we need a hero!media.giphy.com/media/3o7TKIGBt0heL4c7N6/giphy.gif
8708635
I am terribly saddened to report that my life experience does not extend to the taste of prunes.
8708652 You must consult with Groucho Marx.
How about if Princess Celestia were to find out that Sunset Shimmer called Pony Granny Smith over to the Human world to help Principal Celestia with her garden, would love to see Princess Celestia show up there and check out Principal Celestia's garden.
8706193
I probably rushed through the intro too quickly because I was trying to meet the contest deadline. But now that the deadline has been extended, maybe I could flesh out the beginning. I do have a couple of ideas for jokes I could throw in.
In any case, I'm glad this short is in the official OS continuity. Thanks!
8706285
Thanks! Glad you liked it. I made myself laugh when I was writing both of those parts, and that's usually a good sign.
8706367
I doubt that I will ever add another chapter, but maybe I'll get inspired someday. Perhaps other characters reactions after the fact.
8706873
It really does offer a lot of story potential that regular EG doesn't have.
8707098
I forgot how good the puppetry is in that movie.
8707107
Fixed, thanks.
8708151
In this universe, Granny Smith and Celestia could probably make that happen.
8708351
Thanks! Honestly, I had thought that I wasn't going to try writing any more EG fics at all because they tend to be less popular than pony fics. Then I read FOME's short in "Group Precipitation" and I couldn't resist continuing it. I mean . . . It's earth magic. That's kind of my thing. It wasn't until after I started this short that I found out about the contest, and I decided to brainstorm as many jokes as I could fit with the premise.
8708666
That does have potential to be made into a sequel, but I'm not making any promises.
8708870
Yeah, considering how old the movie is, the animatronics have really held up well.
The only sad thing is, is that this performance really spoiled me to the Broadway performances. I have listened to several versions of this and the people playing Audrey 2 always suck compared to Levi. It’s nothing against the performers, it’s just this version reigns supreme to me just due to the quality of the music in it. And I know that they don’t have a way to replicate this music on Broadway, but man, I wish they could. Get some good music and a decent singer for Audrey 2 and I would be sold. For now, however, I always pop in my CD of this and jam away.
8708151
yes.
Well, at least the spider plant isn't developing venom and biting people.
YES! EVERYTHING YES! ALL OF MY YES!
Hmm. I wonder... Both Granny Smiths meeting, how would that conversation go?
Sheesh!
This is almost Mirror Pool clone massacre levels of dark.
What makes it more disturbing is that they are aware of it, and still making that choice... I mean, they have "good reasons", but still.
Daaamn.
....The whole thing becomes a bit more disturbing than comedic given the whole "taking away their sentience" aspect of it.
Okay, now that one went too far.
I hope you revisit this concept sometime - the whole thing is just one giant unresolved ethical dillemma that begs to be resolved.
Heck, I if you have a plant-villain or something trying to get revenge (Audrey III ?) --- maybe teaming up with some disgruntled nature-inclined earth aspect who themselves is out for some sort of revenge; I don't know if you can even fault them for it. (The plant, I mean.)
Like, if the plant used song lyrics to make an argument about the right to live, or something, and.... uh... my brain is going off on its "Mirror Ponies are people too" tangent again, I think I should go to bed sometime soon wait oh gosh look at the time is it this late already why I am still typing I need to go to sleep good night.
8756853
Thanks for the thought-provoking comment. To be honest, I didn't think that deeply into the ethics of this situation until I was almost finished, and by then I didn't feel like going back and changing anything, especially with the contest deadline looming. Celestia and Granny do mention possibly giving some of the plants back their sapience after Celestia learns to control her powers, but it's not clearly planned. As it is, taking away the plants' sapience is nearly as bad as killing them. I don't know if this story warrants a full sequel, but maybe an epilogue as Celestia really thinks about what she did and revives Audrey II to try to explain herself. I want to wait until the contest winner is announced before I try to continue this story, though.
An unlikely "paring" (tee hee), a fun story, and more time with my favorite principal. Everything to love.
8894370
Thanks! Glad you liked it.
Odd note to end on, but this was a neat fic. :)
9442029
Glad you liked it.
9861557
You can thank FanofMostEverything for that mental image.
Is there another story of yours that goes into Sunset's mommy issues with Princess Celestia?
10617591
None of my stories do, but some of the other stories in the Oversaturated universe touch on the subject (there's a link to the collection in the story description). Unfortunately I can't remember which stories to recommend in particular, because it's been a while since I've read them.
10618891
Damn, i wouldve really loved to see that, time to sift through that folder.