//------------------------------//
// All's Carrot that Ends Well 
// Story: Another Life, Another Carrot 
// by Talon and Thorn 
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“Excuse me, which one of you is the other world’s Carrot Top?”
 
Carrot Top lifted her head and blinked. She looked around and turned to face her likewise bleary looking twin, at some point the two of them had become somewhat intertwined. A stallion was slumped against her twin still snoring quietly despite the noise. While she had been asleep somepony had draped a blanket over the three of them, a rather intricately decorated blanked with a large R embroidered in one corner.
 
“Are you the right Carrot Top?” asked the stallion again, he was one of the Doctors Carrot Top recognised as working on Trixie.
 
Carrot Top indicated herself. “How is Trixie?”
 
“Your Ms Lulamoon is doing very well, her scans show that she’s come out of her coma, she’s sleeping normally, we expect her to regain consciousness within the hour.” He smiled, “That potion of yours seems to be working a treat.”
 
“Thank you Doctor!”
 
“You’re welcome, now if you’ll excuse me, I have some other patients to check on,” he gave a quick nod and turned away.
 
“I’m so happy for you,” cried the other Carrot Top.
 
Carrot Top closed her eyes and sighed for a moment letting her stresses flow out of her. Trixie was going to be alright, she’d managed to help her friend. After a moment she opened her eyes again and looked over to the other her. “Is he alright?” asked Carrot Top pointing at Written Script still draped over her twin.
 
“He’s a very deep sleeper,” replied her double while poking her coltfriend gently with a hoof. He didn’t react. “He must have come looking for me last night and fallen asleep.” She nuzzled against him. “He’s very comfortable and warm.”
 
Carrot Top blinked at her twin's reaction to Written being slumped over her then decided to ignore it for the moment.
 
“Look there’s something I’ve been meaning to tell you, well to ask you,” continued her twin.
 
“About Written? Are you thinking of...”
 
“No! Well maybe a few thoughts but not right now, no you see since I met you well I’ve... I’ve been thinking, maybe if I make partner and sell the rights to a few potions I might... I might be able to buy back the farm. Applejack always said she’d sell it back if I asked.” She turned to her twin, eyes pleading. “Do you think that’s a good idea? I wouldn't want to lose it all again.”
 
Carrot Top thought for a moment, she was a farmer, she knew she was and her twin should be one as well, shouldn’t she? She pondered for a moment. “What do you think? Why do you want to be a farmer?”
 
“Well, it’s what Gran and Gramps spent their whole life on, working the soil... and well, maybe it’s just one more way I could help other ponies right? I’ve always regretted selling it, I felt I had to at the time but, I’ve always thought it was my big failure, you know.”
 
“I... I don’t think you are a failure, you certainly helped Trixie and that wasn’t by growing the best Carrots in the North Everfree, if I do say so myself. Your medicines really help ponies, I couldn’t have gotten the berries without you, or made the potion.”
 
“I suppose you’re right,” she muttered. “You are right!” she said with more conviction. “Thanks! And thanks for forgiving me for selling Gran’s farm, I know it hurt you.”
 
“It was just land, I suppose,” and to her surprise it didn’t hurt to say as much as she expected... although there was still a twinge. “What Gran really left us is in here,” she tapped her twin’s head, “and here,” she touched her own chest, “More than down here,” she indicated her hooves as she taped the floor. “Besides you’re the talented one in the ‘family’ you picked up all that herb lore in a few years, and you’re a famous actress too. I’m just a farmer.”
 
“Not so much on the famous,” she smiled. “Besides, you are not untalented, we both know there’s nothing ‘just’ about being a farmer and you still whipped that glue up in a few seconds from a recipe you only glanced at. Plus you’re a hero, you stood up to an alicorn in your world, and well... I would never have made it through that grove of scary trees...” she shuddered, “...without your help. I think Gran left you just as much in your head and even more in your heart than me.” Carrot Top felt a warm feeling beginning to spread through her chest at her doubles words. “You’ve keep that farm going more or less single hoofed and if I can trust Trixie’s memory thingy you’ve been organising a union, and you placed in an Equestria wide cooking contest. You are amazing! Things are going to work out,” said the local Carrot Top gently prying Script off of her and lowering him onto the seat, he mumbled for a moment reaching out with his legs for the missing source of heat. “I’m sure your Trixie will be fine and you’ll probably be going home soon, you can see your own farm again. Now,” she stretch a bit rolling her neck. “Let’s see about getting some breakfast, or is that lunch? Then I’ll have to explain to Blossom where I’ve been. Maybe you can help me in the shop while we’re waiting for Trixie?”
 
“I think I’d like that,” said Carrot Top getting off of her seat. ”It’ll give me something to do.”
 



 
In fact Carrot Top only spent a few hours helping her twin before Ditzy rushed into the store as quickly as her wings could carry her and announced that Trixie, was showing signs of recovery. Overjoyed both of them galloped back to the hospital and met up with their other friends just in time for the blue unicorn to recover consciousness. Once their initial excitement had calmed down, Princess Luna explained they would be leaving in just a few hours and that they should deal with any outstanding business, once they left it would not be safe to return.
 
For a moment Carrot Top considered returning to her twin’s shop but there was something else she felt she needed to do before she left. Trotting out of town she quickly left the houses behind her until fields were all that could be seen stretching out to the horizon. There behind a fence stood the patch of ground she knew better than all others, her own farm. She wanted to say goodbye, it might seem strange, it was only land after all but it seemed, right, to her. To her surprise there was a figure working in the field, an orange coated mare was busy clearing away the snow from part of the field.
 
“Um, hi Applejack,” called Carrot Top as she leaned over the fence.
 
“Oh, hi Carrot Top,” called Applejack unhitching herself. “What brings you up here?” She looked puzzled for a moment. “Hey, you’re not Carrot Top! You’re her twin from that other world ain’t you?”
 
“Guilty as charged.”
 
“Well good to see you again,” said Applejack trotting over to gate and unlocking it letting Carrot Top enter her property. “I was just about to call it a morning and head into town to see you girls off. I’m surprised to see you out here.”
 
“Well I felt I needed to say goodbye to this place even though it’s never really been mine, it’s strange I know.” Carrot Top stepped forwards then stood still for a moment her hooves buried into the loam, she felt her magic reaching out into the soil and could, maybe, feel some answering signal from far away, like the ground recognised her. But it was probably just her imagination.
 
“I think I might understand.” said Applejack. “I’m taking good care of it for Carrot Top you know, well the other Carrot Top. You know what I mean.” She started to gather up a few tools from around the field.
 
“I see you’re getting an early start,” she glanced around.  
 
“Wrap up might still be a few months away but there’s always something to do. Had a few problems over there last year,” she gestured at a patch of field. “I just can’t keep the weeds down during the summer, they spring up so quick they overgrow the crop,” she explained.
 
Carrot Top examined the area. “Oh yes, it’s the drainage, it’s poor in this part of the field, it floods out most breeds.”
 
Applejack leaned forwards and prodded the ground with a hoof, “Huh, I think you’re right.”
 
“Yeah, in my world I used to have to cover it whenever it rained, it was the only way to stop it flooding. Eventually I found a breed of carrots which tolerated it, Purple Dragon.”
 
“Purple Dragon? Like Spike? Sounds fancy.”
 
“I found them in a specialist seed catalogue, a bit pricy but some restaurants pay well for them, they stand out against the other vegetables. Tasty too.”
 
“Huh, well thanks for the tip,” said Applejack as she led Carrot Top back through the gate and they started on the path back into town. They walked in silence for a bit until Applejack finally spoke. “Look... I know you might be a little sore about the um, other Carrot Top selling this place to me, princess knows how I’d feel if Mac or ‘Bloom sold the Acres... again. Cutie Mark Crusaders realtors, my plot, “she muttered. Then she smiled. “I like to think of this place as part of my family, your gran she was close to Granny Smith, and well she sure was nice to me as a filly, particularly when my... well when Ma and Pa weren’t around anymore. Me and your other self, well it was nice to have a filly of my age around when she’d visit, we’ve always been good friends. Some others offered a fair bit more for this place than I could when your twin tried to sell but she said she felt better with it staying with me.”
 
Carrot Top blinked, She hadn’t really thought about how her twin interacted with this universes Applejack, she’s always considered her own Applejack a rival although they had come to an understanding recently. She hadn’t considered the other Carrot Top could be close to Applejack, but it made sense, they were neighbours, maybe she should try to be more neighbourly back at home.
 
Carrot Top nodded. “She’s got her own life away from the farm, she’s doing really well.”
 
“That she is, that arthritis cream she cooked up for Granny Smith is working wonders, she says she hasn’t felt as spritely for years.” She grinned.  
 
”That’s good. I’m glad to see the place is in good hooves.”
 



 
By the time Carrot Top returned to the area outside of Ponyville where she had first arrived in this world quite a crowd had gathered to watch the visitors leave. Princess Celestia had apparently returned from her short exile to the sun and there was some sort of excitement about her mane.
 
Glancing around she saw the other Carrot Top standing in the crowd and trotted over. “Looks like this is it then,” she said.
 
“It... it’s been, well... weird meeting you,” said her twin, “You’ve helped me settle my mind on a lot of things. Maybe we both learned more about who we are.”
 
“Glad I could be of help.”
 
“Here’s a present,” she held up one of the files from her room.
 
Carrot Top opened it and flipped though, it contained a few recipes and lots of hints and tips on alchemy. “Thanks but I haven't got anything for you.”
 
“You took me on an adventure I’m not soon going to forget, and laid my mind to rest about the farm. I think you’ve done enough.”
 
The two Carrot Tops embraced for a moment nuzzling each other gently.  
 
“What a day to leave my camera at home,” muttered Written Script stepping out of the crowd next to his filly friend.
 
This worlds Carrot Top turned and kissed him on the cheek. “You’ll just have to use your memory the old fashioned way.”
 
Trixie pushed through the crowds and grabbed Carrot Top’s twin in her aura. “Come on, we have to get going,” she announced. Then she noticed what Carrot Top was doing and flushed. “Oh, I didn’t know you’d... You had somepony to... um, say a proper goodbye to,” she spluttered.
 
“She isn’t me,” said Carrot Top pointing to her twin, “I’m me.”
 
Trixie looked back and forth between the two. “No you’re not! You’re trying to prank me! I’d know my own friend anywhere.” She peered at the two of them. “My Carrot Top is definitely not as round as this,” she said poking Carrot Top in the barrel.
 
“Round!” spluttered Carrot Top.
 
“And her mane looks much better, not so limp.”
 
A look of horror passed over Carrot Top’s face as she raised a hoof to her hair, everything seemed to be alright.
 
“This most certainly is my marefriend,” said Written leaning into the mare in question.
 
“Are you sure?”
 
“Well, I’d think I’d know,” piped up this world’s Carrot Top.
 
“Trixie! I am me!” cried Carrot Top having recovered from her mane being insulted.
 
“Prove it!”
 
“Before you gave your last show you created an illusion of the Princess to give yourself a pep talk, you had her tell you that you were the most amazing pony she had ever met in her whole life!”
 
Trixie blushed so hard she turned purple. “Oh! Um, well, you two are identical, anypony could have made the same mistake,” she said shuffling her hooves.
 
“Only apparently she’s not fat, and her mane isn’t limp,” pointed out Carrot Top.
 
“Well maybe I exaggerated a little. I just saw her first so I thought she was you, you look just the same!”
 
“Actually they look quite different,” said Written. “I’ll prove it,” he closed his eyes, “Ladies, if you would?” He gestured and the two Carrot Top’s shuffled around each other.
 
He opened his eyes and his hoof shot out straight away pointing to the native Carrot Top. “That is my beautiful orange muse,” he announced grandly, causing both of the Carrot Top’s to blush.
 
“See!” said Carrot Top.
 
“Oh, well, alright. But we really do have to go now,” replied Trixie trying to cover her face with her hat.
 
Still grumbling slightly Carrot Top followed Trixie towards Luna and her friends. Trixie glanced at her once more. “Are you sure you’re not this world’s Carrot Top trying to get a free trip to our world?” she asked.
 
“No! I’m perfectly happy here,” called this world’s Carrot Top from behind them kissing her coltfriend again.
 
“And I’m happy in our world,” said Carrot Top. She glanced around at all the faces around them both familiar and different. It had been interesting to see how her life might otherwise have turned, what other skills she could have honed, still could really. She had a whole folder full of new potion tricks to try now, she was sure she could put them to good use.
 
Next to her she saw Luna’s horn glow with its dark aura and they were away.
 



 
It wasn’t much later, abit in a different universe that Carrot Top found herself galloping towards her farm. She’d meant to take the trip at a more leisurely pace but her hooves refused to obey. She didn’t slow until she was almost upon her home when she was suddenly struck by a wave of apprehension, she gave a sigh of relief as she saw her house through the trees, it was standing just where it should be. Whoever had been looking after the place while she was away had done a good job, the crops all looked healthy she’d have to thank them somehow.  
 
Suddenly, with a cry of joy she leapt the fence, not wanting to wait to open the gate. Heedless of the damage to her coat and mane she dropped to the ground with a little squeal of happiness and began to roll around in the mud, her farm’s mud, her family’s mud, her mud.
 
Maybe she didn’t have to be a farmer, maybe she could do other things, but she loved being a farmer, loved the feel of the plants around her.
 
It was good to be home.