Love Will Save You, Or Else

In the Dystopian Future, Every Day Is Valentine's Day

Outside the school's windows a blizzard roared, just as it had all day and all night for the last six months. This same blizzard had enveloped Canter County, and spread outwards into the rest of the world.

In one classroom, Wallflower passed a box of cotton swabs to Sunset. "These are for the zucchini plants," Wally said. "Find a male flower, GENTLY swab the inside enough to get some pollen...and then rub the pollen on the pistil of a female flower. You remember how to do that?"

Sunset nodded. "So...is this how plants have sex?"

Wallflower blushed. "Maybe."

"How many plants having sex are we talking about, here? Did you ask me to help you with this just because you wanted to invite me to a huge plant orgy?"

Wallflower said, "I love each and every one of my plants! So this isn't just some meaningless plant sex fling. And if this is the only way we can grow proper squash without bees to pollinate for us...why SHOULDN'T our plant friends love us back by giving us delicious food to eat?"

"Mmm-hmm," Sunset nodded. "I understand." She stepped closer to Wallflower, and kissed her on the lips. "There. If I'm going to do YOU KNOW WHAT with thousands of plants, you can't blame me for wanting a little kiss to sweeten it."

Wallflower giggled, and returned the kiss. "I love you too."

As Sunset swabbed a male flower, Pinkie Pie rushed into the room. "Sunset!" she said. "Someone's at the front door!"

"So answer it."

"I'm serious! Come on! Luna says we have to set up a defense or something!"

"I guess you aren't kidding." Sunset ran out of the room, Wallflower close behind.

***

In the school's main lobby, Luna stood facing the front door. In doorways and behind overturned tables, several students and one teacher sheltered, holding various weapons.

Probably the most important was Wallflower. Before she'd ever attended CHS she'd practiced shooting her rifle every day, killing plant-eating pests, rodents and bunnies and little birds. She was CHS's best sniper.

Through the door's plate glass, Luna and the other defenders saw two visitors dressed in cold weather gear, dragging a human-sized bundle between them.

"I'd feel better about this if I could see their faces," Sunset said from behind a steel desk. Twilight sat on the floor beside her, gripping some kind of hand-held death ray. Sunset added, "I mean, who knows what we're really dealing with?"

"But if they ARE human," Luna said, "It makes sense that they'd wear masks to prevent frostbite."

"But what are those hoses for?" Sunset pointed. "Can't they breathe normal air?"

Twilight looked at a readout on her handheld tablet. "I think those are to prewarm the air before they breathe it, so it doesn't freeze their faces or their lungs. Outside CHS's...special shielding, the outdoor air is about ninety below. In Fahrenheit, I mean."

"Is that bad?" Sunset asked.

"About twenty degrees colder, and the carbon dioxide would start freezing out of the air. But we're keeping our guests waiting."

Sunset pulled her bowstring tighter. "If guests is the right word."

"I refuse to leave anyone outside to freeze to death," Luna said. "Flash, unlock the door...but if there's any sign of trouble, drop to the floor, to give your classmates a clear shot."

Flash Sentry came out of an adjoining hallway, went to the door, and unlocked it. He pulled the handle, and the two outsiders dragged in their bundle, letting the door shut behind them.