The next day was far too long coming from Carrot Top’s perspective. She dragged herself from bed at dawn, glad that her earth pony physiology meant her hangover was minimal, and got ready for the new day. The hotel’s bathroom was well stocked but it still lacked many of the products she normally used so she had to make do with what she had. By the time she had made her way down to breakfast the rest of her friends were awake. Even princess Luna was present, she reported that she, her twin and the doctors were all trying their hardest, but there had been no further change in the Trixies’ and Twilights’ states over the night. Over their meal Cheerilee put together a timetable so that one of them would be present at Trixie’s bed side at any time, day or night. It wasn’t much but it made Carrot Top feel like she was doing something to help, no matter how little.
Once breakfast was over the native Princess Luna arrived and formally offered her visitors the freedom of the town for the duration of their stay. It made Carrot Top a little nervous after walking to the bar and her farm last night, she didn’t know she wasn’t supposed to wander around. Thanking the Alicorn most of the group split up to examine the strange new world they found themselves in, while Ditzy headed off to the hospital to take up her vigil at Trixie’s side.
Carrot Top headed off into town on a mission to find her other self and beg her forgiveness for her harsh words. Her twin’s actions still angered her, it seemed like an almost personal betrayal, to not even try to look after the farm, but it really wasn’t her place to judge her twin. She arrived at her twin’s home, knocked on the door and waited and waited. There was no reply. She risked a peek in the window but there was no sign of movement. She sighed, of course this wouldn’t be easy, presumably her twin was at work, as was Ditzy. Unless the other Carrot Top was purposely avoiding her, which was possible. No, she had to assume she’d just missed her.
She knew her twin worked with Blossomforth, but was her shop in the same place here? She quickly found the answer was ‘No’ when she found herself looking into an estate agents windows, the houses seemed rather expensive here. She guessed she’d have to ask somepony. Back home Ponyville was small enough that almost everypony knew everypony else, but this version of Ponyville seemed larger, who could she ask?
The problem solved itself when a white earth pony mare with a two tone pink mane came rushing over. “Hi Carrot Top,” called Roseluck with a grin, “How are you today? I need a refill for my allergy medicine, will it be ok if I pop by later? I’m in a bit of a hurry now.”
“Um, I... I’m not who you think I am,” said Carrot Top.
“Not who I..?” Roseluck screwed up her face trying to understand.
“I’m, um, I’m the me from the other world, not the Carrot Top you know.”
“Oh? OH!” gasped Roseluck her eyes widening. “Wow! You look just like her! That’s so weird! Oh Sorry!” she lowered her gaze.
“That’s all right. Um, could you point me in the direction of well, me? Where I work?”
“Of course, the apothecary’s that way,” she pointed to one of the streets leading away from the town centre.
“Oh, thanks.”
“Ok, um, bye,” said Roseluck slowly walking away and occasionally glancing back at Carrot Top.
Shrugging Carrot Top followed Roseluck’s directions, she’d only just turned the corner when she saw her objective, a large sign showing a leaf that had the words ‘Blossoming Herbs’ above it. She stood outside the door for a moment before working up the courage to enter.
The shop was larger than she had expected, there were several shelves of various goods in the centre of the room as well as along the walls. She recognised some of the products, some she could even make, there was a large tower of bottles of her hangover remedy, but others were unknown. At the far side of the room was a long desk behind which stood rows of herbs, spices and pills and a small door leading further back. There were a few ponies present poking at the various bottles on the shelves and chatting with each other. Carrot Top glanced around for a moment before spotting her other self behind the desk deep in conversation with Lily White. Still trying to gather her courage Carrot Top took a meandering path towards her twin, trying to figure out what she was going to say.
As she approached Lily glanced over at her, then did a double take as she realised there were two identical ponies present. The native Carrot Top noticed her customer’s distress and looked past her before turning pale. A look of confusion covering her face Lily quickly swept a tube of ointment into a paper bag before taking it in her mouth and quickly trotting towards the door.
“Oh, hi,” said the other Carrot Top, her eyes flicking in every direction except directly at her other self causing Carrot Top’s heart to ache, what had she done to this poor mare. ”I know why you’re here and I’m sorry, if I’d just known things would get better, I’d never have... I’ve always felt I gave in too easily, I should have...”
“No! I’m the one that should be apologizing,” said Carrot Top stepping forwards. “I... I was really out of order, I had too much to drink, I had no right to shout at you, you made the decision you thought was right.” Even if it was wrong, complained a small part of her. “Please can you forgive me?”
The other Carrot Top stared at her for a moment then held out a hoof. “Of course, but what you said... it’s nothing I haven't told myself a hundred time, you were right, I gave up. I gave up on Gran’s farm. Just knowing things went better in your world sort of hammered it home. It just seemed so bleak back then. Gran had just... gone and I knew I couldn’t manage alone, the Apples had had a good year.”
“They always do!” muttered Carrot Top.
“I just wanted the farm to still be in use, if I’d sold it to anypony else they might have built houses on it but Applejack promised she’d take good care of it. It was a big risk on her part really,” continued the other Carrot Top. “The Apples didn’t really have the money to invest in expansion, they’re not like the Apple... Apple Trust, isn’t it? From your world. They’re just another small farm trying to make it, you know what that’s like.”
Yes she did, she’s seen how hard her Applejack worked when she had the whole Trust behind her. She couldn’t imagine what this world’s Applejack was like and she was an element bearer as well. “Yes I do, maybe I just got lucky, if things had turned out differently then I’d have lost the farm anyway. I had no way of knowing things would work out. You did the right thing to go to Applejack.” She forced the words out with difficulty.
“I don’t know,” said the other Carrot Top doodling on the counter for a moment. “You had faith in yourself.”
“Maybe that’s just another way of saying I was thick headed. Anyway, I shouldn’t have lashed out like I did. I was frustrated about what happened to Trixie and I took it out on you. The drinks didn’t help, not that that excuses what I said,” she added hurriedly, “Can you forgive me?” she looked up at her other self, eyes wide.
“I... I think I can,” said the other Carrot Top still looking a bit awkward. The two of them stood in silence for a moment each trying to think of something to say.
“So,” said Carrot Top speaking first, “You work as an assistant here?”
The other Carrot Top narrowed her eyes a little, she seemed offended. “I might not be the farmer you are, but I don’t just work for Blossomforth you know. I’m an apprentice apothecary, Bitter Pill may be retired but he’s still got his licence so he’s been teaching me, it’s hard work, maybe even harder than farming, but I’m doing well.” She glowed a little with pride and Carrot Top couldn’t help but smiling along despite herself. “It’s not like I’m lazy,” she continued with a little venom, Carrot Top winced, she couldn’t believe she’d called her other self that.
Carrot Top had always considered herself a farmer first and foremost. She sold some of Gran’s potions, but that was a side thing and it didn’t really ever help pay the bills. Still her twin seemed to have made a living out of it, maybe losing the farm hadn’t all been bad for her as hard to believe as it seemed.
“After I sold the... the farm, I needed to find something to do, you know how we are with money, it wasn’t going to last long. So when Blossomforth decided she needed somepony to help with the store I applied. Once I’d been here a bit I suggested selling a few of Gran’s old recipes in the store, the hangover tonic, the croup easier, you know the kind of thing. I checked out the rules and found I needed a licence and qualifications to sell commercially.”
Carrot Top frowned, this world must be more bureaucratic than her own, she didn’t need anything like that, and she’d thought the Night Court was difficult.
“Anyway I approached Bitter Pill and he offered to sign me off as an apprentice in exchange for a cut of the profits. I wasn’t sure at the time, but I talked to Ditzy about it, she’s good with her finances, and she thought it seemed a good idea as well.”
“You still turn a profit?” She’d never made much off of her own potions, and her double had told her earlier that she didn’t even collect her own ingredients...
“They’re still some of our biggest sellers,” said her other self with a smile as she gestured around the shop. “It’s... well it’s a good way to help other ponies they come in here telling me about their problems and I do what I can to help them. And Bitter wasn’t joking about making me his apprentice, he’s taught me a lot and I’ve taken a few correspondence courses from Canterlot University, and well.” She leaned forwards. “I haven’t told anypony yet, but who can I trust if not myself? I’m just waiting for the final certificate to show I’m a full member of the Royal Apothecaries Guild.” She clapped her hooves together in excitement. “And Blossom’s said she’ll even make me a full partner based on how well my stuffs selling, we’re even changing the name! It’ll be a lot of work but it could really work out.” She looked at her twin as if waiting to be justified.
Wow, thought Carrot Top, things really seemed to be turning out for her duplicate. Maybe... maybe giving up on the farm actually turned out the best for her. She’d never have had the time to do all that if she was still a farmer, she certainly knew she didn’t. It still didn’t seem quite right, she knew she was destined to be a farmer, felt it in her bones, her mark. “That... that sounds really good...” she said a little coldly.
“Excuse me,” came a voice from nearby. Carrot Top turned to see Sparkler trotting up to the counter with a bottle in her aura. “I’d like this please.”
This universe’s Carrot Top checked the bottle, “Dye? That’ll be ten bits please. Getting your mane done?”
“Yeah, I thought I could do with a change, I want to see if it’s true blues have more fun. Seaswirl is always getting a lot of attention from the stallions, I’ll never have her legs but maybe I can have her hair.” She grinned.
“Well be careful, this stuff is permanent, if you don’t like it you’ll have to wait for it to grow out, and that can be a long time. We do stock hair growth tonic but it’s expensive.”
Sparkler thanked the apothecary and trotted out of the shop.
“Speaking from personal experience there?” asked Carrot Top patting her own mane, she couldn’t think of dying it, she liked her natural orange. Still maybe her other self was more adventurous, or made rash decisions she thought a little darkly.
“We’ll I might have done a little experimenting, just so you don’t make the same mistakes as me, green is not our colour. Plus I think I was allergic to the dye, it made my voice sound funny.”
Carrot Top giggled. “You know even if you hadn’t sold the farm I think I’d hate you for that.” She grimaced and mentally scolded herself. “Not... not that I hate you, I just... green.”
Her twin flinched a little her previously cheerfulness evaporating. “I get it.”
“So you’re a fully trained apothecary, that must be interesting,” said Carrot Top quickly changing the topic.
“It was hard work, lots of studying and late nights brewing things up, but it’s really interesting. Gran’s books were a good start all that herb law Verbena, Farmslayer, Maredrake, Nightmare Berry...”
“Wait what was the last one?” asked Carrot Top with a frown, she hadn’t heard of that herb before.
“Nightmare berry? It’s a rare plant found in locations of high magic, it grows, flowers, and seeds all in a single night under the full moon.”
“I’ve not heard of it,” said Carrot Top wracking her brain, the description was somewhat familiar, but the name was wrong.
“Maybe it doesn’t grow in your world? I was just looking at it last night because it’s been known to help in some cases of over channelling, but I’ve no idea where to get any.”
“Grows in a single night,” muttered Carrot Top trying to think. “Princess’s gift!“ she yelled startling the few customers. “I’ve seen it, in the Everfree in my world! Can you show me the book you were reading? I’ve never heard of Princess’s Gift treating over channelling but if it does and there’s some in the same place as in my world...”
“Then we may be able to help the Twilights, and Trixies,” continued the apothecary with rising excitement.
“Right,” the said together, for a moment it felt so natural dealing with each other.
“It’s still at home, in one of Gran’s journals,” said the native Carrot Top.
“You kept them all?” asked Carrot Top.
“Of course, why wouldn’t I?”
Because you gave away the rest of our legacy thought Carrot Top automatically. “No reason.”
The other Carrot Top frowned for a moment then stuck her head into the office at the back of the shop. “Blossomforth, do you mind if I take my lunch a bit early today?” she asked.
The home of this world’s Carrot Top was a more or less anonymous house sitting in a perfectly normal street not too far from the town’s edge. The two of them entered the building and passed through the kitchen they had chatted in only a few days ago now before making their way to Carrot Top’s room. To one side sat Carrot Top’s bed, the bed which she had inherited from her grandmother, the bed she used in her own world, in all its beaten up and notched glory, even her plush carrot was there tucked away leaves just peeking over the sheets. She fought against the urge to nuzzle up against it, it was nice to see something so familiar in this strange world.
Her twin noticed Carrot Top’s reaction. “I kept what I could when I moved, a few items of furniture and Gran’s journals of course,” she gestured to a small book shelf containing a mix of books including her grandmother’s old diaries and workbooks, “She made sure I had them, she always said I was better with a book than a hoe.” Carrot Top frowned, she didn’t recall her grandmother ever saying that. She had the same books but most of them had been stored in a near forgotten chest in her gran’s bedroom. They weren’t anywhere as well organised. “I keep copies, of most of them at work, but there’s something about having them close, it’s like she’s still with me you know?” Carrot Top nodded.
The native Carrot Top trotted over and gently eased out a large tome before tonguing it open. “I’ve been transcribing the recipes and organising them the best I could,” She continued as she pulled out a folder made of a strange slick material and flipped through it. “I’ve thought about publishing some now I’m almost a full alchemist, it’ll mean any member of the guild can use them but I’d get a licensing fee. It’ll be nice to think that Gran’s potions helping ponies all over Equestria even now.” She shook herself. “I know it’s in here somewhere,” she muttered.
Carrot Top picked up another of the books and flipped through the strangely shiny pages, the recipes were all neatly organised and cross references in just the way she’d never had time to. “Hey! Gran’s roof sealant recipe, I could never get it to work.”
Her twin glanced over. “Oh, yes, I think she got the proportions mixed up when she wrote it down. It should be four parts tree sap, two grease and one tar not the other way round, it works really well now. This place would still be soaked if I hadn’t figured that out before the last winter wrap up. Some weather pegasus decided it made more sense to melt the snow in ten minutes rather than four hours, it flooded my poor garden,” she explained, before turning back to her own book. “Here we are!” she announced as she opened a clip in the centre of the folder and the page smoothly detached.
Trying to peep over her double’s shoulder Carrot Top noted the picture drawn in her grandmothers exacting style. She closed her eyes for a moment trying to think back. “Yes, that’s what I saw in the Everfree, it was late and I was heading home, I hadn’t seen it before so I looked it up, Princess’s Gift.”
“Well it’s called Nightmare Berry here,” said her twin reading through the details. “It certainly mentions it can be used to make a potion to treat over channelling,” she noted.
“Why did Gran even have this?” A spell to treat over channelling didn’t seem an obvious requirement for the farm.
“I don’t know, she probably knew a unicorn or two, have you ever seen a picture of great granddad Weaver without a hat on? Hmm? Makes you think. I’d certainly make sure I had some of this in case something happened to Written.” She glanced over at a picture of the stallion sitting on her nightstand and shuddered a little.
“The recipe looks complicated,” Carrot Top bit her tongue in concentration, “I’m not sure about this bit, what’s Hydrargyrum?”
“Hmm, that’s another name for Mercury. I think we have all of this in stock at the Apothecary.” The chemist pulled out a pad and started to write a list down.
“Mercury?”
“A liquid metal, shiny, used to make thermometers?”
“Oh, Quicksilver!”
“You still call it that?” asked the native Carrot Top in surprise.
“Of course.”
“It’s strange the ways your worlds different. Still it doesn’t look that complicated to make, quite quick as well. Maybe a few hours in the shop's lab.”
Carrot Top was impressed, the recipe looked difficult to her but her twin seemed to be taking it in her stride. Squinting to read her grandmothers tiny writing she spotted a problem. “You were right about it growing in a single night under the full moon, that’s in a few days. We need the berries but it says they rot within an hour of being harvested. We won’t have the time to bring it back,” she groaned. Carrot Top wanted to kick something, it had seemed a good idea but it wasn’t going to work.
“Wait a minute,” the other Carrot Top rushed over to a cabinet and opened it to reveal a large liquid filled vessel bubbling lazily. Ignoring it she grabbed a pile of magazines stored next to it and pulled them out. “Here we are, the transactions of the Royal Apothecaries Guild, issue 753, Elixir of Stasis. It should keep any plant sample stored in it fresh for several hours at least. I don’t think it’s been tried on Nightmare Berry, but I can’t see why it wouldn’t work. All we need to do is get someone to go into the Everfree and follow your instructions to find it.”
“Why can’t we go ourselves? The crop I noticed wasn’t that far in, we could get there and be back in a few hours.”
“Go into the Everfree? Us!” said the native Carrot Top rearing back in shock. “You did say you got herbs from there before but I don’t know, our Everfree is home to monsters, Cragodiles, Manticore, Parasprites!”
“Sirens, a giant Dragon, even more Parasprites. It’s dangerous in my world too, but if you take care it’s not that bad.” Well sort of.
“But, you’re an Element of Harmony in your world, you probably save the world twice before breakfast, the Everfree is a cakewalk for you but I’m... I’m just an apothecary.”
“Being an element bearer doesn’t give you superpowers, you don’t get heat-ray eyes,” more’s the pity thought Carrot Top. “And even before I was a bearer I’d made a few trips into the forest.”
“I’m not so sure,” the other Carrot Top lowered her gaze. “Look it’s not full moon for a few days, why don’t we see if your friends get better in the meantime? It would be stupid to risk ourselves if they get better by themselves.”
Carrot Top thought for a moment, her every instinct was that she had to do something to help Trixie, now! But her twin was making sense, there was nothing she could do right now, she had to wait for the moon to be right, a day or two wouldn’t make a difference would it? She chewed on her lip for a moment, “Okay,” she finally agreed. “Maybe we should get ready first, I’m sure you know a few potions that will help?”
Her twin perked up and nodded. “I’ll start on the potion and bring some Elixir of Stasis,” she agreed.
“Good, hopefully this will turn out to be easier than it seems. Um, one last thing can I um, borrow some of your flowers?”
“Are you hungry? I’d have thought the hotel would be feeding you. I can make you a sandwich if you want.”
“No, it’s for Trixie and Twilight, I thought their rooms could do with brightening up a bit.”
The native Carrot Top smiled understandingly. “Good thinking, if nothing else I’m sure the smell should make them hungry enough to wake up. Then maybe we won’t need the berry.”
“Thanks.”
“Don’t mention it, I’ll give you a hoof picking some out.”