Work Text:
It was a beautiful sunny day in early Spring when a warning was given: ‘the zombies are coming.’
Peashooter knew all about zombies, of course. Every plant did. The zombies traveled in packs, and they ate everything and everyone in front of them – if they weren’t stopped.
That was Peashooter’s job: to stop the zombies. It was an important job; an essential job. If he failed, the zombies would eat him, the Sunflower he protected, and everyone in the House Behind the Garden.
Peashooter didn’t want to stop zombies. Stopping zombies sounded scary – and what if he failed? He didn’t want to be eaten. He didn’t want to be responsible for anyone else being eaten, either.
He wanted to soak up the sun and enjoy the company of the Sunflower he protected and the other, newer sunflowers in the Garden.
“Peashooter? What’s wrong?” Sunflower asked.
Peashooter twisted around to look at her.
Sunflower didn’t look worried about the approaching zombies. She was smiling at him, as if she knew he would protect her and the House.
“I don’t know if I can do this,” Peashooter told her.
Sunflower started to glow, and emitted a unit of Sun. “You don’t know if you can do … what?” she asked.
Peashooter sighed. “You know what, Sunflower. You know what my job is.”
“Yes. Your job is to defend against approaching zombies. Why don’t you think you can do your job?”
“Why? Because I’m just one Peashooter! I – ”
“Look,” Sunflower interrupted.
“What? Are they here? Already?!” Peashooter looked straight ahead.
He didn’t see any zombies. He twisted to the left; no zombies. To the right; no zombies there, either.
“Next to me, Peashooter. Look.” Sunflower nodded toward something beside her.
Peashooter twisted around and looked.
Another peashooter had arrived in The Garden. The other peashooter was looking straight ahead, waiting calmly and patiently for the zombies’ arrival. “He looks ready,” Peashooter mumbled.
“Yes, he does. You have support, now.”
Peashooter looked at her. “You’re right! I’m not the sole Defender now!”
Sunflower smiled at him. “That’s true, but you are a Defender. I think you’ll be a good one.”
“I don’t know, Sunflower. I’ve never fought a zombie before. I’ve never even seen a zombie!”
“Look,” the other peashooter said quietly.
A zombie was coming, shuffling toward them – directly toward the other peashooter.
The peashooter spat a pea at the zombie.
The zombie barely flinched. It kept coming.
Sunflower emitted another unit of Sun.
The peashooter spat another pea at the zombie.
Another peashooter appeared.
The first peashooter spat another pea.
One of the zombie’s arms fell off, but it kept coming.
Peashooter wanted to hide behind the other peashooter.
But he didn’t move.
He stood his ground, and watched, and waited.
Another zombie approached. This one was coming right at him.
But the first zombie fell – and disappeared.
“You can do this,” Sunflower said.
“I can try,” Peashooter said. He looked directly at the approaching zombie and spat a pea at it.
The pea hit the zombie.
The zombie kept coming.
Peashooter spat another pea, and another, and another.
The zombie began to crumble. Eventually, it, too, fell and disappeared.
“It’s gone!” Peashooter exclaimed.
“Yes. Thank you, Peashooter,” Sunflower said.
More zombies were coming. One, wearing a cone on its head, was coming directly toward Peashooter.
But that was okay.
Peashooter knew what to do, and he knew he could do it.
He spat a pea at the zombie.