Chapter 1
He was an old gardener. Old as the dirt he dug through, although perhaps not quite as old as the princesses. An exaggeration, but he’d certainly felt that old as of late. Three times a week he took the train here to attend to the princess’s private gardens. The flowers here were rare and requiring expert attention. He was proud to serve the princesses this way.
It was quiet in the gardens today. Quieter than it should ever be with the number of animals living there. But that had been the case for several weeks now. Mr. Hayseed Greenhooves was worried.
The animals of the castle gardens had always been the elusive sort, that was true. He had been working in the gardens here long enough that those rare and shy creatures were used to his presence and would go about their daily business, paying the old stallion no mind. But ever since the Gala and the element of Kindness’s…Un-kindness they had returned to avoiding him like one might avoid a bad smell or a parasprite swarm.
It was quiet today. Hayseed wasn't even whistling. He just didn’t have it in him to make music when the critters were so upset.
He wondered just what had gotten into that filly.
Birds fluttered through the tree’s just out of sight, but he swore he could see flashes of feathers as bright as his flowers.
Mr. Greenhooves thought back to the night of the gala.
He’d been working late when he first ran into Fluttershy at the gardens. It hadn’t quite been a surprise to see her… after all half the town had been after those tickets that new librarian had, but he had thought she would at least be at the actual party. Although he supposed he should have known better when it came to a pony like Fluttershy. She barely interacted with anyone but her animals if she could help it. But she had been there in the gardens that night, trying to befriend the pony-shy critters all around. He hadn’t wanted to dissuade the timid mare.
He should have.
Suddenly, distantly he caught a faint sound coming through the trees.
The night went on. The sound of Fluttershy calling out to the animals had petered out a bit ago. Hayseed hoped that she had let the matter go. The animals residing here had often come from bad situations. Rescues from poachers and the like. Such practices were illegal of course, but for lack of an ability to return these exotic creatures to their homes, the princesses provided them a new one here in the gardens. But bad experiences stick and the birds and mammals of these gardens weren’t keen on the idea of pony friends. He just hoped th---
Oh well now this wouldn’t do. Somepony had set up a rudimentary trap for the animals. Just a carrot and a box but still… it made him worry. He walked up to the trap grabbing the carrot as a snack (waste not want not after all.) and knocking the box over. (on to his head but it did no harm so that was fine) Hayseed head hoof beats coming his way and looked up to see a slightly frazzled Fluttershy careening around the corner. She looked shocked to see him there under the box. It was almost as if…. No it couldn’t have been her. Not the mare who was know for her kindness to all and worked with animals for a living. As he dismantled the trap he walked away with the hope that the mare would calm down if left to her own devices.
Hayseed set his tools down to investigate the sounds of another pony in the gardens. He had his suspicions as to whom it might be. As he came closer he spotted the pink mane and yellow feathers of the pony who had been on his mind. There Fluttershy was, sitting forlornly in the clearing where she has set her traps the night of the gala.
He approached her slowly. Adjusting his hat, he sat down next to her. He didn’t look at the mare, just sat with her for a moment in complete silence. They were disturbed only by the sound of the wind in the flowers.
Some time later, Hayseed heard the sound of a struggle. Alarmed he dropped his rake with a clatter and rushed toward the noises. And there was a very frazzled and frustrated Fluttershy caught up in a net trap. She flailed and struggled trying to free herself as hayseed approached.
“Oh!” she exclaimed somewhat quietly as he walked into her field of view. “Um... hi Mr. Greenhooves, could you help me down please?”
Hayseed shook his head as he approached and started to undo the net, freeing the mare.
“What happened here miss?” He asked, a bit stunned “This is twice tonight there have been traps. Why, I’ve never seen anything like it in all my years here!” And that was true. He’d never met a pony brash enough to set traps of all things in the Princess’s personal garden sanctuary. He’d have to report this at some point after the gala.
“Oh…I was just out here…making…friends… with the animals” Fluttershy said quietly, if a bit frustrated sounding. Her eye started to twitch, just a bit. He let her go after she got down, almost stomping as she trotted away from him into the night. As he watches the chaos that followed after…he wishes he hadn’t.
The mare was the first to break the silence.
“I just wanted to be friends.” She whispered. I was so close to inaudible that hayseed almost thought he’d imagined it.
Letting out a heavy sigh he responded. “I’m disappointed in you Miss Fluttershy.” Hayseed responded. “I’d thought better of you. I’d thought you would know. You can’t make someone be your friend. You can’t demand that someone love you. Nothing gained that way is truly gained at all.” He glanced at the mare’s downtrodden expression as he spoke. “You hurt the ones you wanted to befriend. No physically, mind.. but they don’t feel safe now. Forcing the issue has closed all doors for you with these creatures, and all the good intentions in the world won’t erase your actions.”
Her shoulders hitched and he stood.
“I think you should go.“