//------------------------------// // Chapter 1 // Story: Beyond Her Garden // by The Silliest Dashie //------------------------------// “Goodbye Twilight!” Carrot Top stood up on her hind legs, trying to get a glimpse of Twilight’s face before she was whisked away to Canterlot. She looked to where she thought she had seen Twilight sitting, but there was nopony in the seat. The train made an audible hiss as it cranked itself to life. A pure white cloud of steam came billowing out of the engine’s funnel as it began to move. It didn’t take long for the train to gain momentum, and in seconds, Twilight was on her way to Canterlot. “She seemed awfully happy for a mare who just lost their parents” Berry Punch looked in the direction the train had headed, scratching her head. “Berry!” Derpy looked at her in disbelief, her mouth wide open. “I’m sorry Derpy; I didn’t mean to be rude.” Berry patted Derpy on the shoulder. “It’s just, she seems so… normal. Like, nothing has happened.” She looked to Carrot Top, only to be greeted by the back of her head. Carrot Top continued to look out in the direction the train had departed as she explained the situation to Berry. “That was the point Berry. She didn’t want anypony to see her sad. She just wanted to leave as normal Twilight, she doesn’t like the attention.” Carrot Top smiled and lightly chuckled to herself as she spoke the last sentence. She had always appreciated Twilight from afar and admired the fact that Twilight was so content with who she was. Twilight never let anypony tell her who she was, or what she should like. Twilight knew who she was and what she wanted and she wasn’t afraid to show everypony what that was. She had always wanted to get to know Twilight better, but there had never been a good time to do so. The only times she ever saw Twilight were at one of Pinkie Pie’s festive parties, and they weren’t exactly the best place to “meet and greet.” There was always too much going on and too many ponies attending to let her get some quality time alone with Twilight. The only time she had ever gotten to talk to Twilight by herself, was during Winter Wrap Up. Twilight had approached her about how the planting was going and if they had needed any help. It was the first time Carrot Top had ever heard her voice. Well, there was that one time at Twilights “Welcome to Ponyville” party, but all she heard that time was Twilight screaming. By the time she had looked to the source, all she could see was a purple pony with a very red face running around in search of water. Winter Wrap Up was different though. She actually got to talk to Twilight in person and hear her voice up close. It was so soft, yet, it carried and had a, “in charge but not full of it” kind of tone. It was like talking to your mother after you had done something good, or like a bed time story from a caring grandmother. Twilight’s voice was just so soothing to her. Okay, c’mon Carrot Top, you can’t go and treat Twilight like a god. She is just a mare that you know, and nothing more. Besides, h -. Carrot Top’s train of thought was cut off by Bon-Bon’s voice. “Well, I’m glad she was able to clean herself up. She didn’t look too good this morning.” Carrot Top snapped her head around so her eyes were focused on Bon-Bon’s. “You were with Twilight before we got there?” Carrot Top looked at Bon-Bon, waiting for an answer. She wasn’t mad, just, surprised. “Well, not exactly, no. I overheard Rarity and Fluttershy talking in the spa while I was getting a hooficure. They sounded really concerned and said were afraid something had happened to Twilight. They left the spa before I could ask them if anything had really happened, so I left too and headed over to Twilight’s house. When I got there, her window shutters weren’t closed all the way and I could hear sobbing coming from the inside...” Bon-Bon’s voice trailed off in embarrassment as she looked towards the ground. “And…?” Carrot Top leaned forwards a bit as she asked the question. Bon-Bon’s other three friends were staring at her as well, there necks craned forward, eagerly waiting to hear what happened next. “Well, I peered through the gap in the shutters and saw Twilight sobbing into Rarity’s chest. Rarity was patting her on the back, and brushing a hoof through her mane. Fluttershy was there too, but she flew out as soon as I got there. I heard her say something about Spike and having to pack things up or something. That’s when I left to go home.” Bon-Bon looked up to find Carrot Top staring at her in disbelief. “So let me get this straight: you heard crying, looked in to make sure everything was OK, once you found out that Twilight wasn't hurt, you stayed and eavesdropped instead of respecting her privacy?!” Carrot Top’s voice was higher pitched and more aggressive than normal. “Well, I didn’t mean to! I just, once I started looking, I had to know what was going on. I mean, what if she needed more help?” Bon-Bon looked away from Carrot Top, avoiding her glare as she replied. “Bon-Bon! You don’t just go and listen in on someone’s conversation, especially when they are in their own home!” Carrot Top had become much angrier and it showed when she spoke. Derpy and Berry began to back away, trying to avoid the heated conversation. “Girls! Calm down, both of you!” Lyra stepped between the two, glaring at both of them. “Bon-Bon knows what she did was wrong, okay? There's no need to get into a fight over it.” Lyra backed away as she said the final words, allowing the other two to apologize. “I’m sorry Bon-Bon, I should not have gone off and yelled at you like that. I have just been very stressed out lately, and Twilight’s parents dying hasn’t helped.” Carrot Top looked up to her friend and gave a small smile. “Me too. I shouldn't have eavesdropped. That was't right of me.” Bon-Bon stretched her forelegs out and hugged Carrot Top. “Let’s head back home. I could use a bite to eat!” Carrot Top looked at her friends and could tell by the nodding of their heads, that they agreed. ----- Carrot Top and her four friends all sat at a picnic table in the park, holding brown bags with grease stains on the bottom. They had gone to a popular food truck in Ponyville that served fried hay sandwiches and hay fries. It wasn’t the fanciest place in town, but the food was good and it was priced quite reasonably. The best part about the truck though, was its location. It stood just outside the town square, right in front of the park. This made it simple for ponies to simply walk up and order on their way to the park, instead having to go into town. The truck had been there for almost two years and it was always a favorite with the town ponies. Carrot Top and her four friends all eagerly opened their bags and began to eat. She found it funny and quite unusual that Derpy hadn't gone to get muffins instead; usually when they ate out together, Derpy would either bring a muffin with her or buy one from Sugar Cube Corner. This time, however, she had actually broken her habit and bought a small hay and a good portion of hay fries, a lot for a mare as small as Derpy. Carrot Top was always so confused on where she put all of the food she ate. It must be a Pegasus thing. Carrot Top thought to herself. “So, Carrot Top, I know you guys stopped talking about it, but,” Lyra had been talking in between bites of her sandwich and had to swallow before she could continue her sentence. “why were you so upset about Bon-Bon listening in on Twilight? I mean, I know you want her to do the right thing and we all know eavesdropping is bad, but you got pretty angry.” As soon as Lyra had finished speaking, she bit into her sandwich aggressively. Carrot Top looked at the faces of her friends as they stared at her, all on the edge of their seats eagerly awaiting an answer. Well, I guess you could tell them. I mean, they are your best friends, they will understand. No, I can’t! Well maybe I could… I don’t know. How am I supposed to tell them about something I don’t even understand? Carrot Top tried to think of a way out of telling them. The wheels were turning in her head as she went over more than ten ways to get out of it, but she couldn't come up with anything plausible. “Well, I sorta…” Her friends all leaned in excitedly. “Let’s put it this way. When I first met Twilight, I felt for her in ways I only felt towards family and close friends. I didn’t understand how I could have these feelings towards a pony whom I had just met. At first, I thought we were going to be great friends and I really wanted to get to know her. But, we never really talked though, and eventually I met other ponies along the way. I thought it was just me being silly or something and I hadn't really thought about it since. Today when I saw Twilight, i became confused. I knew she was trying to stay strong and i knew she was hurting. It stirred those same feelings inside of me, feelings like the ones I had when I first met her. So, as you can guess, I was pretty confused the whole way to the train station. Heck, i still am, but when Bon-Bon said she was eavesdropping on Twilight, it just set me off. I don’t know, does that make sense?” She looked too her friends for support and of course, Bon-Bon was the first one to speak. “Of course it makes sense!” Bon-Bon shouted excitedly as if she had heard something absolutely insane. Lyra nodded her head in agreement, the sandwich in her mouth bobbing up and down. "Well, no. Not what you are thi-" Derpy interrupted Carrot Top, suddenly realizing she hadn't given her opinion. “I think it makes sense! It’s like when you have a chocolate muffin, and a blueberry muffin and you don’t know which one to choose.” Derpy looked through Carrot Top as if she was puzzling together what she had just stated. “Well, kind of. I know I don’t have feelings for Twilight like THAT, we are just friends. I just don’t know what the feelings I am having for her mean.” Carrot Top looked down at her hooves as she spoke, thinking deeply about how she might figure out what these recurring feelings meant. “Well, I don’t know, but now is a better time than ever to go and get some drinks.” Berry nudged Carrot Top as she made the suggestion, seeing if she couldn’t cheer the orange mare up a bit. “It’s a little early for that. Why don’t we have a peaceful walk around the park?" Carrot Top looked up at her purple friend, whom was sporting a small frown. "Doesn't that sound nice?” Carrot Top adjusted her posture and got up as she spoke, encouraging her friends to do the same. “Yeah! Then maybe we can get some muffins afterwards!” For the third time that day, Derpy had gotten so excited she began to flap her wings rapidly, slightly rising her into the air. “Oh Derpy, you STILL want muffins? After this huge lunch?" Carrot Top giggled as she stared at the happy Pegasus in front of her, nodding in response to Carrot Tops question. "Where do you put all of that food!” Carrot Top put her forearm on top of Derpy’s back, bringing her back down on the ground, smiling the whole time at her unique friend. ----- “I’ll see you later, girls!” Carrot Top waved towards Bon-Bon and Lyra as they entered their house. Whenever the group of friends hung out, Carrot Top would always walk Bon-Bon and Lyra home, as it was on the way to her own house. This also allowed her to have some alone time with the two. She loved being with Berry and Derpy, but Berry never took anything too serious. Which meant when it came to talking about something that she needed help with, Berry would unintentionally do the exact opposite. As for Derpy, she was just so random. Carrot Top chuckled at the thought. Derpy may not be 100% all there, but sometimes she was the smartest pony in the world. That was one of the things Carrot Top loved about Derpy the most, she was so innocent. Derpy had never been heartbroken, and she never looked at the world through tainted glasses. Derpy had no bias, and no ultimatum. She was just a fun, heartwarming mare. It meant that when Carrot Top would overlook the simple things, Derpy would always notice them. This was something Carrot Top needed every now and then; a pony that would sit her down and help her realize the small things she was missing. Whether it was something in day-to-day life, or a huge mistake she was about too make, Derpy would always help her with the small things she missed. Almost always, those small things would end up allowing her to make the right decision. It felt like no time at all before Carrot Top had reached her front door. She lived just on the outskirts of Ponyville, right next to the path that lead to Fluttershy’s cottage. She herself lived in a smaller house with a very large backyard, which she chose for the very reason. It had allowed her to start a carrot-growing business without needing a huge farm and workers. The inside of her house was quaint. The walls had very little decoration, but the interior wasn't drab by any means. It was like biting into a cinnamon roll; a perfect balance of sweetness and savory, yet so simple at the same time. The same effect was in place here. The little decoration she allowed, a few pictures, a ceramic carrot clock, and a book shelf containing do-it-yourself gardening books by none other than Carrot Top herself, was just enough to make the place feel like a home. That was just the living room however. Down the hall was her bedroom containg her bed, another bookshelf stocked with more self-penned gardening books, a small night stand with a lamp, and a small pot with a single carrot leaf sticking out. She had had the small, non-growing plant ever since she was a small filly. Her mother had given it to her as a gift for successfully learning how to plant and grow carrots the correct way. It was to be her personal carrot that she would grow on her own with no help, then once it was grown young Carrot Top and her mother were to eat it together. It had grown well over the first few days, but suddenly stopped growing and just remained as a small leaf sticking out of the pot. After a few weeks of the plant refusing to grow any further, Carrot Top had been about to throw it away. That very day however, her mother fell ill and passed away. The small, non-growing plotted plant was the only thing Carrot Top had left of her. The next day she decided she would keep it and continue to tend to it in order to keep the leaf and small stem green. Carrot Top looked at the small plant and smiled. You always were the best, mom. She spread herself out over the bed and drifted off to sleep, all the while reminiscing about the times she had with her mother. ----- Carrot Top snapped awake; looking around she could tell that it was well after she had fallen asleep, but not quite time to wake up either as it was still dark outside. She got up out of bed and slowly wandered into her kitchen. She stood on her hind legs to open a small cabinet containing a set of 4 glasses, before grabbing the nearest one in her hoof and setting it on the counter. She closed the cabinet and walked over to her refrigerator pulling out a small jug filled with an orange-colored concoction. As she lifted the cover, the room was instantly filled with the smell of fresh carrots and cinnamon. Even though her whole life was based around collecting, growing, and eating carrots, she could never get enough carrot juice. It was always so soothing to her in a way that only she could understand. As she poured herself a glass of juice, she idly looked outside through a crack in the blinds that covered the window. Is that…snow? No, it can’t be. Snow isn’t due for another three weeks! Carrot Top suddenly felt a cool fluid running down her foreleg and belatedly noticed that she had been paying more attention to the outside than the glass she was pouring juice into; it had overflowed onto her coat. Cursing softly, she set the jug down and wiped the spill up using some paper towels decorated with a cheerful carrot pattern. Once she was quite satisfied with her work, she opened a cabinet door under the sink where her trash can was located. She lightly tossed the now soaking paper towel into the trash, making a small squishing noise as it came in contact with the plastic bag around it. Grabbing her cup, she began to sip the carrot juice, focusing her attention on the outside world yet again. Too her dismay, she found that the snow was increasing in both quantity and speed. Carrot Top set her glass down and burst through the back door into her backyard. It was freezing outside, but she took no notice of the chill’s effects on her; all she cared about was protecting her carrot garden. She hurriedly ran between the rows of crops towards a small shed at the rear of the garden. Upon reaching it, she yanked open the wooden doors and grabbed a large square box from within. Opening the lid, she frantically pulled out seven small seven small metal-framed tents, each folded into a small cube no larger than her hoof. She placed each one at the center of each crop bed and then, with the press of a button on a small remote, each one sprang to life and suddenly unfolded to ten times the length they had been before. After just a few seconds of work, all of her crops were safely covered. This was the only method she used for growing that didn’t require hands-on work. She hated having to use technology to do work she was easily capable of, but she had these in case of any emergencies and this was quite clearly an emergency. Oh Celestia, how is half of Ponyville going to grow anything without Twilight and Rarity here to help?