“So where is this ranger pony?” asked Carrot Top nervously. She and her twin were a short way into the Everfree forest and already the trees seemed to be crowding around blocking out all light. It was only the magic of the cat’s eyes potions that allowed them to see.
“I’ve been told her home isn’t far,” said her duplicate, “You follow this path.”
Carrot Top shivered a bit looking around the darkness of the forest, all seemed quiet but every so often she noticed a pair of glowing eyes blinking at her from the trees. Her mind conjured out all sorts of pony eating monsters ready to leap out on them. She knew her version of the forest fairly well, at least the outskirts, but what other creatures could live in this version? Maybe this wasn’t as good an idea as she thought. Her twin, her imagination also working overtime, drew as close as she could without their bodies actually touching.
“S... s... so, is your Everfree like this?” stuttered her twin quietly, and probably not entirely from the cold.
“More or less,” replied Carrot Top, “I don’t normally visit at night, if I can help it.”
The path they were following opened out into a grove ringed by thick forest. In the centre, by itself, stood a large twisted tree with a door set in the trunk. It reminded Carrot Top of the Ponyville library, almost, it was much spookier looking, strings of beads and strange masks hung from the branches.
“I guess this must be the place we’re looking for,” said Carrot Top.
Her twin put a hoof on her shoulder to stop her. “Now before we go any further I have to warn you, the ranger isn’t a pony, she’s a bit more... exotic. We were all a bit scared of her when she first started coming into town but I’ve found that she’s not that bad just a little... odd, but hey, Ponyville’s got Pinkie Pie, so we can’t complain.”
“You might find I’m quite open minded,” said Carrot Top haughtily, “So what is this ranger, a Griffin? Diamond Dog? Goat? Salamander?”
“Zecora’s a Zebra”
Carrot Top blinked. “Zecora? But she’s... we’ve got to get out of here...” she grabbed her double and started to pull her protesting form back towards the forest.
“Wait, she’s different here, she’s...”
Suddenly Carrot Top’s progress was blocked by a shadowy figure in a cloak. “Salutations travellers bold,” said the figure, “What brings you to my abode?”
Carrot Top started to back away from the figure while her twin turned to the new arrival. “Hi Zecora,” she said cheerfully, “You did say I could visit.”
“Yes, that I certainly did, such as friend I could not forbid,” the zebra lowered her hood to reveal a wide smile on her face. She glanced at Carrot Top who was trotting back and forth caught between running and trying to protect her double. “I did not know you had a twin, your sister is in quite a spin.”
“Oh, she’s not my sister, she’s, well me, from another world.”
“That truly sounds like quite the tale,” She looked strangely at Carrot Top before turning back to her native twin. “Why does your double look so pale?”
“You betrayed us to Corona!” cried Carrot Top, “You cursed the town, made us all act like fools. You made me flood my fields with wine!”
The Zebra blinked at her accusations. “I have no recollection of causing such insurrection.”
“This isn’t that Zecora remember?” said this world’s Carrot Top soothingly. “Our Zecora has been nothing but friendly to Ponyville, despite how we used to treat her.” She blushed slightly.
Carrot Top slumped to the ground trying to clear her head. She knew that this Zecora wasn’t the one from her world in the same way her twin wasn’t her, but the two worlds seemed so similar, surely she couldn’t trust any version of the duplicitous Zebra? But in her world Zecora had betrayed the element bearers to Corona and here Celestia was on the side of the righteous, did that make the Zebra a hero here? But still... Oh she didn’t know what to think, but she couldn’t deny that the sight of the Zebra made her nervous. “I’m... I’m sorry,” she admitted eventually. “I’ve mistaken you for someone else.”
“No harm done, now tell me, what brought you to my tree?” said the Zebra motioning for the two Carrot Tops to enter her home. Carrot Top looked around nervously examining the various herbs, some of them poisonous she noted, and artefacts hanging from the roof. “But I am being a poor host, what sort of drink would you like most?”
Carrot Top declined a drink as politely as she could, recalling the Zebra’s spell on the alcohol at the fair, while her twin accepted the offer of a steaming cup of tea.
“Are you sure we can trust her?” hissed Carrot Top as Zecora prepared the drinks. “How well do you know her?” Could she trust her twin’s judgement?
“Well she brings in herbs to sell to me every month. We get to chatting sometimes and I’ve had lunch with her once or twice. I think she gets lonely out here by herself you know.” Carrot Top was aware many ponies considered her a bit of an easy touch but she’d never seen it from their perspective before. However, hearing how easily her twin accepted the Zebra she wondered if she was actually that naïve. “It’s a bit embarrassing really,” her double continued, “We treated her so badly. The whole town used to hide when she turned up but she’s really not that bad, she was great with the kids during Nightmare Night.”
Before she could talk more Zecora returned with the drinks and once they had settled down comfortably Carrot Top’s double began to explain their plan, how the other world’s element bearers had ended up in this world and how the Trixies and Twilights had been stricken. Zecora commented that she had been aware of the fighting in her home territory but had kept out of the way as much as she could. The native Carrot Top continued explaining that they had come to locate a Nightmare Berry plant and hoped that Zecora could help them.
Zecora mused for a moment, then trotted over to a bookcase and removed a large dusty tomb. “Of Nightmare Berry I have not heard, although I am well versed in herbs. Maybe by another name I have learned of this herb’s fame?” She flicked though a few pages. “A plant which flowers by the light of the full moon,” she mussed, “Ah, that must be the rare Midnight Glory Bloom.” She pointed at a picture in the book.
“That’s it!” cried her friend. “Do you know where we can find one?”
“Know the location of this flower I do, although the dangers on the way are not few.” She slammed the book closed and trotted across her house to collect a thick staff and a few other possessions. “To collect its fruit before it rots then we must set out at a good trot.”
As the three equines started to stride away from the tree house Carrot Top whispered to her twin. “I still don’t trust her.”
“You need to be less suspicious,” she replied eying the Zebra leading then. “Zecora knows the Everfree better than anyone, there’s no way we can find this plant, whatever we call it, without her.”
Carrot Top nodded, it made sense but she didn’t have to like it. She vowed to keep an eye on the Zebra in case she proved as duplicitous as her twin in her own world.
The trio walked for half an hour, traveling deeper into the forest. Every so often Zecora would point out a certain sight, flora or fauna and this worlds Carrot Top would nod with interest. Carrot Top herself found the information interesting but she tried to stop herself getting distracted, she really wanted to believe that this worlds Zecora was friendly but she couldn’t forgive her for her actions, things would have gone much better if Corona hadn’t escaped from Luna’s grasp, even though this Zecora was not technically responsible for that. She sighed, this multiple universe thing was complicated.
Eventually Carrot Top’s ears picked up at the sound of running water and the trees parted to reveal a river, it wasn’t flowing strongly, but it was wide, she wasn’t keen on swimming it, if she could help it. Particularly at this time of year, it looked cold! “So how do we cross?” she asked.
“This way, far beyond that ridge lies a path leading to a bridge,” explained Zecora pointing into the distance.
Glancing around Carrot Top noticed a number of purplish rocks just jutting out from the water not too far away forming a rough line of steps across the river. “There!” she said, “We can cross there.”
“Odd!” exclaimed the zebra, “This way I recently went by, but this path I did not spy.”
Carrot Top narrowed her eyes, was the zebra trying to delay them, trying to send them by a longer route. Carrot Top carefully put her weight on the first rock, it seems solid enough and she risked placing all her hooves on it. The next rock was about a body length away, she stepped back as far as she could before running forwards and hopping onto it. The third was a bit further away but was just as easy to reach, she turned to see her other self still standing on the first rock. “Don’t worry, it’s not too hard,” she cried, her voice seeming incredibly loud in the otherwise silent forest.
At her encouragement her twin leapt forwards leaving Zecora standing alone by the river edge looking perplexed. The earth pony almost overshot her first jump teetering at the edge before pulling back, she took the next just a little more carefully and made it easily. Nodding encouragingly Carrot Top made a few more jumps and found herself almost half way over, this was going well. Her overconfidence almost proved her downfall as she almost underestimated the next jump and had to scrabble with her hooves to keep her grip. The rock was a little warm to the touch and had an odd texture, almost regular bumps and grooves could be felt on it, something like scales... Her eyes widened in panic as the ‘rock’ gave a twitch and then rolled beneath her hooves before lifting into the air, she gave a scream of fear and gripped the ground as strongly as her legs could manage. Her scream was echoed by her twin who was desperately trying to keep her balance as the outcrop she was standing on began to flow and lift into the air as well. At the same time there was a third much louder scream from somewhere in front of them. The source of the scream was rising from the edge of the forest, a large reptilian head covered in purple sales from which sprouted the most amazing orange facial hair, the back of the head was also covered in orange hair contained in a bonnet of a size that could be used to catch a whole school of fish. “Agh, get them off me,” cried the titanic creature. A pair of arms almost stick thin in comparison to the creature’s body flailed at the ponies clinging desperately to its body.
“D... D... Dragon,” cried Carrot Top clinging ever tighter to the creature to stop herself being dropped into the river.
“I beg your pardon,” cried the creature apparently in offence. “I am no such brute, I am a River Serpent. And what do you mean by crawling all over me when I’m just trying to get my beauty sleep? You could have given me a heart attack, don’t you know?” One of its arms clutched at the creature’s chest theatrically. “Now who and what are you?” Carrot Top felt a taloned arm clutch at her back and she was yanked from her perch, her twin was grabbed by the other arm and hoisted into the air alongside her.
“Set them down you wretched beast,” cried Zecora from the bank brandishing her staff, “On their flesh you will not feast!”
“Ponies! Eat them! Oh no, you’re all just so fatty. No offence,” he added, “You’ll go straight to my tail” the creature paused examining its captives. “Oh! My! Gosh!” it enthused, “Your manes are just Fab-u-lous, so silky, so much volume, such a lush colour! You must tell me your secret, you simply must!”
Carrot Top blinked in surprise and turned to her other self who seemed just as discombobulated. However she was still the first one of them to talk, “Um, well, I, er make my own shampoo.”
“Really, how very talented,” cried the serpent gently releasing its captives. Carrot Top glared at Zecora briefly, was it just coincidence they had found this creature while she was leading them, still she hadn’t been the one stupid enough to walk over it. “I’ve had such a problem with split ends recently,” continued the serpent, “Is there anything you could do?” The creature lowered its head towards the ground to allow them to have a look.
Feeling like it was one of the strangest things she had ever done Carrot Top stepped forwards and ran a hoof through a mane long enough for her to get lost in. “Oh, um, I can see, but I don’t think it’s anything that a little conditioner couldn’t fix.”
“Oh, I’ve got some with me,” said her twin brightly, causing Carrot Top to swing her head around in surprise.
“You brought Shampoo on a trip to the Everfree?” she hissed. She did like to look after her hair but her twins behaviour seemed a little beyond the pale. “Shouldn’t we just leave?”
“I brought everything I could think of,” she whispered back rooting through her bags, “It’s turned out useful hasn’t it?”
“This creature we should appease, for our journey he could ease,” said Zecora nodding towards the far side of the river.
This universes Carrot Top pulled out a few bottles and began to mix them together. “Now I think a touch of Macassor oil as a base and maybe a little tea tree watered down with Jojoba would do wonders.”
Shrugging Carrot Top unpacked her own bags. “How about some lilac as well?” she suggested.
In one of the most surreal few minutes of their lives Carrot Top and her duplicate gently massaged the mix into the serpent’s scaly scalp causing it to sigh in pleasure before directing it to dunk itself in the river to wash away the excess before carefully drying and styling it. At the end of the process the creature’s hair was gleaming. “Oh you two are simply miracle workers!” he cried examining himself in a huge mirror he had produced from somewhere. “Now I can’t imagine that you’re traveling hairdressers at this time of night, whatever has brought you to my humble home?”
“We’re looking for a rare herb,” said Carrot Top as both of her packed away their remaining potions. “It’s on the other side of the river.”
“Oh, I don’t know much about flowers but I can at least give you a lift,” said the serpent lifting the two Carrot Tops followed by Zecora surprisingly gently over the river.
“Thank you,” said Carrot Top instinctively before taking her twin by her hoof and gently leading her away.
“Visit soon!” cried the serpent as they went before returning to examining his mane.
“That... that was...” muttered this worlds Carrot Top. “Do you do things like that all the time in your world?”
“I have to say, hairdressing a river serpent has been a first, but life certainly hasn’t been dull since I became an element bearer, what with sirens, parasprites, a phoenix, evil curses and the what not,” replied Carrot Top.
“I was so scared, I thought I was going to die, but then it was almost fun.”
“It gets like that, I’ve normally got my friends around to do the hard stuff, I just sort of help out where I can but yeah, for all the fear and screaming and running, it can be a bit fun as well, sometimes. You did really well for your first time.”
“Come! We must hurry this way! We have no time to delay,” urged Zecora leading them down another path.
Eventually the Zebra raised a hoof, signalling for the party to stop. “Beware, for in this area there is much danger, the spirits that live here will attack any stranger!” She gestured at a line of trees stretching ahead. “If you move yourselves too near, these trees will bring forth great fear.”
Carrot Top narrowed her eyes, the trees ahead seemed to be warped and twisted, and her imagination easily conjured up the shapes of teeth and claws, but they otherwise seemed harmless. Then she blinked as she noticed small green and red lights floating among them, it might be best not to take any risk. “Can’t we just go around?” she asked.
“An alternative path we could take, but it could not be reached by daybreak,” said Zecora.
Carrot Top instinctively looked up at the sky, judging by the moon midnight had already passed. “Then I guess we don’t have any choice,” said her twin.
“A charm I have which may protect you,” said Zecora bring a few out a few bead necklaces “Unfortunately I only have two,” she held them out to the ponies, “They are yours for the taking, I will trust in my training.”
The two Carrot Tops took the gifts and carefully placed them over their necks. They had no effect as far as Carrot Top could tell.
“From your path you must not deviate, or you could come to a terrible fate,” said Zecora grasping her staff tightly and striding forwards towards the trees. Carrot Top noted a slight waver in her voice. Was the Zebra telling them the truth? Or was she leading them into a trap?
“Are you sure we can trust her?” she whispered to her twin.
“Look,” she sighed, “Zecora’s been nothing but nice to us, offering to guide us, giving us these necklaces. I know you don’t like her double in your universe but you’ve got to start letting things go and stop judging ponies,” she said pointedly before starting off after the Zebra.
Carrot Top, left without any other options, followed up the rear.
As soon as she entered the grove Carrot Top could feel something was wrong, despite her still perfect night vision and the large moon viable through the trees dark shadows seemed to grow up all around. Suddenly there was a blur in her peripheral vision and she spun around to face one of the trees seeming to reach out for her with its clawed branches. She staggered back a cry starting to grow in her throat but the shape did not move and she realised it was just a trick of the shadows. Gulping she turned back to see her twin was likewise spooked her head darting from side to side. Zecora still stared resolutely forwards ignoring the trees only her lowered ears betraying any worry.
Trying to regain control of herself Carrot Top staggered forwards on shaking legs, she felt like something was following her just out of sight. Her every instinct was telling her run, to get away. She closed her eyes for a moment and she was sure she felt something brush her flank. Her eyes shot open again, the trees! The trees had moved, she was sure they were closer.
“Ig.. Ignore what you see, your senses are deceived,” warned Zecora her eyes flicking back and forth, her head damp with perspiration.
Carrot Top struggled to put one hoof in front of the other rather than gallop full pelt away from this place. She knew she couldn’t do this, someone like Cheerilee or Raindrops would laugh in the face of these spirits but she wasn’t like them, she wasn’t a hero, she was just a regular farmer, a nopony, only chosen by the elements because there wasn’t anypony better around. There was no way she could save Trixie, she was stupid to even try, she should have told somepony else about her plan, someone actually brave enough to go through it. Now she was going to fail and Trixie was going to never wake up and even if she ever got home she would be a failure and she would lose everything and...
With a moan Carrot Top dropped, shaking, to the ground burying her head under her hooves to try and block out the thoughts flowing through her mind. Out of the corner of the eye she barely noticed the necklace Zecora had given her was faintly glowing, she couldn’t imagine how hard this would be without its aid. Ahead her twin had likewise stopped her advance and was struggling to stand. Zecora was crying out in a language Carrot Top didn’t understand swinging her hooves at an unseen attacker. They were all going to fail, she was so useless! No! She tried to block the thoughts seeming to come from outside her head, maybe she couldn’t do this, but she could make sure another could, forcing herself to her hooves and forwards Carrot Top struggled towards her twin reaching out with a hoof. The Orange coated pony twitched at the contact and looked ready to flee when Carrot Top leaned against her. “You.. you can do this,” stuttered Carrot Top trying her hardest to sound reassuring. “After all that work to be...become a pharmacist, this sh...should be easy.”
The other Carrot Top stared at her, panic glazing her eyes then she blinked and renewed determination showed in her. “Won’t give up! Not again!” she announced rising to her hooves and pushing forwards, her legs still twitching randomly. She reached out with a hoof and grasped Carrot Top. “And neither will you. I might have given up on the farm but I won’t give up now!” Their necklaces flashed and energy seemed to flow between them and just for a moment the dark shadows and flickering lights were just that rather than half seen terrors. Leaning against each other the two mares staggered forwards as if through a storm their heads flicking backwards and forwards at half imagined sights. They finally managed to reach Zecora who had slumped to the ground and was crying out in her own language, it sounded like begging to Carrot Top. Without a word the two orange mares separated and took up position to each side of the fallen Zebra.
“Come on! Get up!” cried Carrot Top, she felt like she was ready to drop again but she had to help the others.
“You can do it!” said her twin.
“Leave me! On your way you must go! Your progress I will only slow!” moaned Zecora, despite herself the terrified zebra began rising to her hooves for a moment before she gave a cry of terror and reared, ready to flee. Grabbing onto her the Carrot Tops tried to stop her flight, glancing at each other they nodded and Carrot Top reached up to her neck and slid off the glowing necklace before placing it around Zecora’s neck. The zebra fought against her touch for a moment before dropping back to the ground. Seeing the striped mare was still in trouble the other Carrot Top imitated her sister and placed her own necklace around the Zebra’s neck.
Her protection gone Carrot Top felt the power of the grove redouble its attack, she felt like screaming as her heart threatening to tear itself from her chest, wave after wave of terror flowed through her. She felt alone and naked in the dark, then something reached out to touch her. She almost leapt out of her skin but she found it was Zecora’s hoof. The light had returned to the Zebra’s eyes and she half pushed half lead to two ponies along the path. Slowly one hoof at a time the three Equines struggled across the remaining twenty feet of the clearing, it felt like it was miles but eventually the fearful effect started to fade and they found themselves able to move normally again. After staggering a further short distance they all collapsed to the ground breathing heavily.
“We did it!” gasped Carrot Top feeling like she’s run a marathon. “I don’t think I could have made it without you,” she said to her twin.
“I definitely couldn’t have done it without you,” replied her other self.
“I thank both of you for your aid,” gasped Zecora, “Without you I would have been unmade.”
“We should thank you, I’m sure we never would have made it without your charms,” said Carrot Top nodding at Zecora’s necklace.
“In truth those contained no real power, within yourself was the strength not to flounder.”
“They’re fakes!” gasped Carrot Top.
“You should not think not of them as fakes, but as tools to make you your fear forsake.”
“If they don’t do anything how did they help you?”
“That they were useless I did not say, they have the power to drive fear away. But that power comes from your heart not just from this mere piece of art,” she held up the necklace. “When they aided me it was your will converted to strength that did me fill. Now hurry for our target is near, but we have little time left I fear,” said the Zebra leading them on further into the forest.