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// Is it really that bad? 
// Story: Do you really think so? 
// by digiguy 
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Carrot Top wandered through the crowd, sure she wasnt there to catch the rest of the act, but there was something about a good crowd of ponies that always draws the usual wandering eye or two inward. She could hardly resist wanting to gather into it herself, if not for the sake of sating her curiosity than only to figure out the crowds sudden appearance. 

"Watch in awe the Great and Powerful Trixie performs the most spectacular feats of magic ever witnessed by pony eyes!" She raised herself onto her rear hooves, fore hooves thrown upward and outward of her as she looked up in her shining smile, the firework cannons behind her launching as if on the command of her voice alone into the sky. Dazzling fireworks and a crowd gathering performance was surely going to be a good combination for the performance of such glorious magics.

Carrot Top could hardly make out what some of the ponies were saying, just trying to make room for herself as she watched from the sidelines of the large gathering of ponies, too many to squeeze through and too loud to make out more than what the Great and Powerful Trixie was projecting into the air.

It seemed some pony was stirring up trouble as moments later she could hear the magician speaking up again, directed to someone in the front of the crowd. The crowd itself seemed to shush to a mere whisper among the masses of bodies surrounding the stage. Barely able to see over the heads of some of the people in the way, she managed to catch an eyeful of the main attraction.

"Well, well, well, it seems we have some neighsayers in the audience." Trixie stated rather calmly.

'Oh this is going to be interesting.' Carrot Top thought to herself, a bit of a smile as she usually enjoyed watching hecklers get what was coming to them.

The Great and Powerful Trixie continued moments later. "Who is so ignorant as to challenge the magical ability of the Great and Powerful Trixie? Do they not know that they're in the presence of the most magical unicorn in all of Equestria?"

Great silence overtook the crowd for a moment, the mumbling of the white unicorn in the front just barely audible as the crowd seemed to talk among themselves between the tension filled pauses. A rainbow colored pegasus flew upward toward the stage, flying just short of the edge. "So, "Great and Powerful Trixie". What makes you think you're so awesome anyway?" Rainbow Dash asked, looking her over as if sizing her up.

Trixie simply smirked. "Heh, why, only the Great and Powerful Trixie has magic strong enough to vanquish the dreaded ursa major!" A hoof gesture as if motioning an accomplishment and a firework or two later revealed a floating illusion of a silhouette, soon showing the Great and Powerful unicorn waving a wand at it.

Carrot Top looked away, seeing the rainbow pegasus about to make a mockery of the show, looking around for a moment she saw the group of ponies with the front stage, the purple librarian, the yellow animal caretaker, the white fashion and dress designer, the farm pony Applejack (The only one she could really recognize by name) and...She really wasnt sure what the pink one did, but evidently the pink one knew Carrot Top. In fact, Carrot could remember waving to her after being greeted by name several times. Although, she really didnt know the pink one, maybe they met at some sort of convention?

She yipped as someone stepped on her tail. "H-Hey! What was that for?" She looked back to the stallion who stepped on it, he shrugged off the angered tone. "Sorry, it sort of blends in..." He said. She shook her head as she realized she was getting off track, she completely missed the rainbow maned pony working her own performance over the stage, the only thing she noticed was that up next was the white one, wandering up onto the stage with some sort of air of confidence...Or maybe it was just snobby attitude. 

"Oh, it. Is. On!" Rarity said. "You may think you're tough with all of your so-called powers, but there's more to magic than your brutish ways. A unicorn needs to be more than just muscle. A unicorn needs to have style." Making her way around the show mare she stopped as she used her magic to take the blue curtain from the show stage, making it dance and spin around her near too fast to catch before in a flash of light it was a rather subtle yet intricate dress, even with nice trim to the edges as well as her newly well designed mane style.

The audience ooh'ed and ahh'ed, but honestly Carrot top was rather enthralled by the magic. She couldnt believe she took such a simple drape and droll curtain and turned it into a lovely dress in no time at all.

 Zap! 

She cringed as she watched the mane be turned into...Into...A rats nest!

Rarity was quick to jump into a rather fearful action, just standing and near screaming to the crowd, looking for a mirror or some sort of reflective glass. "Quick! I need a mirror! Get me a mirror! What did she do to my hair? I know she did something terrible to my hair!"

Twilight quickly jumped up. "Nothing!"

"Its fine!"

"It's Gorgeous!"

"It's green..." Said the dragon child. Suddenly the trio was on the dragon, giving him a glare. "...What?"

Rarity groaned in anger and in despair. "Ugn, no. Green hair! Not green hair!" She cried out. "Such an awful, awful color!" She cries as she runs off stage and out of the crowd, right past Carrot Top as she watched with a frown. "Well, I never!" She said, marching off. She wasnt much of a fan of the show as it was, and staying after getting stepped on and insulted not once but twice now...She'd just rather go home.

'Stepping on my tail, what a jerk!' She thought bitterly, looking toward the ground as she shuffled a hoof in the dirt for a moment. "And that mare..." She said aloud, not quite realizing it at first. 

"What mare?" Asked a familiar grey pegasi, looking at the green maned and yellow coated earth pony...Sorta.

"Oh, hey there, Ditzy. What are you doing out here? Arent you going to watch the show as well?" She said with a snarky sort of attitude behind her voice, not yet noticing she was speaking rather rudely to her close friend. 

"I um...Well, I was just watching but I saw you leave out of the corner of my eye..." She thought for a moment, looking at Carrot Top who seemed to find solace in looking just about anywhere else. "Betcha cant guess which one!" She joked, a smile playing on her lips as she watched the golden mare try not to crack one of her own. 

Carrot Top, despite staying upset for a short while, try as she might she just couldnt keep upset with anyone with Ditzy around, especially not when she would crack jokes at her knowing what it would do. She gave a soft snort as she tried to hide her laughter and lifted a hoof to cover her nose. "Y-You didnt hear that!" 

Ditzy smiled widely as she flapped her wings to hover. "You snorted! I made you snort!" She giggled, grinning at the sillyness of her green haired friend. 

Carrot Top however seemed to revert somewhat back to her previous mood, the upset mare more saddened now rather than angered. Ditzy wasnt too far off to catch it though for she landed rather quickly, reaching out with a forehoof to lend one to the golden and green mare, placing it gently on her shoulder. "Whats wrong, CT? And dont tell me it was the snort thing...Was it?" She asked, trying to be sure it wasnt herself that upset her dear friend, but unsure...She could never be to sure, she was always a little derpy after all.

Carrot Top shook her head gently, just sighing out for a moment. "Sorry, its just...You dont think my mane is a bad color, do you?"

Ditzy blinked for a moment. "Why do you ask? I think its fine...Did somepony say something mean to you again?" She took her hoof back, stomping it lightly into the dirt. "Ooh if I find out who said it, they're gonna get....A late package!" She frowned, "Nope, thats the best I've got."

Carrot smiled briefly. "No no, its not that. Just...I was thinking about changing it, is all." 

Ditzy looked to her friend, unsure of what she was referring to. "Changing your mane? Like a new style?" She asked, tilting her head to the side, rather adorable if Carrot had anything to say about it. 

"No no, more like... A new color." She thought for a moment, taking a seat on the ground as she tried to think of a better way to phrase what she was going to say. "Maybe getting it dyed something else? What do you think, Ditzy?" She looked to her grey pegasi for some guidance and decision making assistance.

She shrugged for a moment. "Well, what color do you think you'd like to pick the most?" She asked. "Maybe a nice pink?"

"Isnt that Mayor Mare's real mane color?" She thought back, catching the mare once buying some mane dye of her own from that particular spa she enjoyed visiting.

Ditzy nodded. "Yep yep! I had to deliver some to her home personally once before." She sat down herself, shortly after Carrot decided to. "Well, what about red?" She thought back. "Like that salespony Rosevine...Erm...Roselick! No thats not it..." She couldnt keep her mind focused enough to remember sharply what her darned name was, and the adorable look of cute frustration on her face said it all.

Carrot Top smiled rather softly for once. "Well maybe. Ooh! What if I dyed it orange?" She asked aloud.

Ditzy gasped softly. "Carrot Top with a Carrot Top!" She giggled with glee. "Ooooh! You need to go get that dye, oh wait, I have some at home...But I cant dye your hair for you, can I? Wait, thats a great idea!" She cheered at her soon to be orange haired friend. "C'mon, I know how to do it too!" 

"I, wait, huh?" Carrot Top was quickly taken by the forehoof in Ditzy's own two forehooves, her wings flapping as she was hovering, flying backward as she tried to keep from literally dragging her friend along the ground.





Carrot Top was quickly dragged about Ponyville to the mail mares simple home, waving hello to Dinky with her free hoof as Dinky passed by and down the long hall toward her little room at the end. Ditzy was quick to lead the mare into her pretty large bathroom. "Alright, you sit tight CT and good ol' Ditzy will get the stuff." she said as she just wandered off into the bedroom.

Carrot Top was left waiting for a little while and decided to take a gentle seat on the edge of the toilet lid. Now, finally alone with her thoughts, she could hear a crash or two in the bedroom, raising some concern for the grey pegasi as she watched out of the corner of her eye trying to determine what the sound originated from. 

"Oops, my bad..." She heard Ditzy call out from the bedroom moments later. Carrot Top sighed in a bit of relief, and just a hint of anxiety. 

'What if I dont really like the color? I mean...It sounds like a nice idea and a good chance to change my pace a little, but..." She caught her own reflection out of the corner of her eye, the medicine cabinet mirror left slightly ajar and just enough for her to catch the faintest hint of her mane. She turned the mirror to face herself and get a good look at her face. 'Well...Green is a bit of an...odd color. I suppose its worth a shot." 

She wasnt left alone to her thought for very long as Ditzy wandered in moments later, a towel or two draped over her back, several bottles and even a brush for her mane, though it looked perhaps like it had seen better days. "I just need a minute to clean out the brush, can you hold these for me?" Ditzy asked, quickly handing off the bottles and the towels to the mare sitting on the edge of her seat.

"I um, sure, but what about..." She looked at the counter top, completely bare of anything besides the usual bathroom items, easily able to store a bottle or three and a few extra towels...oh well.

Ditzy smiled and raised the brush out of the stream of water after a few minutes of vigorous cleaning. "There we go!" She cheered. "Now, lets get started!"





"Aaand....Done!" Ditzy grinned. 

Carrot Top went to rub her eyes. "How long has it been since we started?" She asked softly, looking up with a very faint yawn coming on.

"Ehehe, I um...its night." Ditzy said, looking up and pointing toward the sky light. 

Carrot Top gasped, "N-Night?! But I should have been back on my farm hours ago! No no no I'll have so much work tomorrow!" She said, moving to get up and rush out of the bathroom. Ditzy quickly caught her by the tail, "Not so fast, CT! You have to see your mane first." She gestured with her free hoof to the medicine cabinet mirror, shutting it and letting the golden mare get a good look at her 'new you'.

Carrot Top opened her eyes wide as she got a good look at her new mane. "O-Ooh wow, it looks....Great!" She reached over and hugged Ditzy tightly. "You did wonderful!" She kept hugging the mare, who by now has been struggling to breathe. 

Ditzy got a lucky break as Carrot Top quickly let go. "O-Ooh, wait, right, I have to go!" said the mare as she rushed out toward the front door. "Thanks for the dye, Ditzy, I owe you one!" And right as she was turning to leave, making her way out side and shutting the door, turning...She saw the Ursa Minor being lifted up and away by Twilight.

She watched as Twilight lifted the Ursa into the air, gently carrying it as if on clouds into the cave and letting it sit there with...Was the water tower in its mouth? She just watched as the minor was taken away, the crowd listening to the purple mare known only as Twilight Sparkle explain the story, the details of what the Ursa really was, and how Trixie was as she guessed from before, just a showoff.