Chapter 3
NOTE: I updated chapter 2 with FredMSloniker's corrections.
This time things were different after all.
Carrot Top was standing in Fluttershy’s cozy living room. There was a comfortable-looking couch in the corner, a small bookshelf, and all sorts of rustic furniture. Shades of green and wooden panels gave the whole place a more grounded feel than the other pegasus houses that Carrot Top had visited in the past. Most importantly, the room was filled with birdhouses and other animal residencies of all kinds. Bags of feed were stored at random intervals in the room, and there were even several animal-sized flights of stairs leading to and from holes in the walls.
A pair of mice was looking at Carrot Top from one of those holes, curiosity etched on their little faces. Carrot Top gave the animals an awkward smile; they bolted back into the darkness of the hole.
If she strained her ears, she could hear the soft murmur of Rainbow Dash’s voice coming from the room above. She’d gone ahead to warn Fluttershy of the newcomer and try to get her to agree to see Carrot Top … or rather, make Fluttershy understand that she didn’t have to see her if she didn’t want to and that she didn’t have to just accept Rainbow Dash’s decision.
Finally the pegasus’ multicolored head poked back into the room. “She’s ready for you; just … just take it slow, okay?” she told the farmer.
Carrot Top nodded and went up the staircase that led into Fluttershy’s room. The room was decorated similarly to the room below, with a mirror on top of a dresser against one wall and a bed against another. A couple of chipmunks were asleep on the bed, a cat rolled up in a ball on a nearby carpet, and a lot of birds perched around the room in various states of wakefulness. A pet wasp was happily buzzing as it licked what was left in a near-empty jar of honey.
Fluttershy was hiding in the bed, covers drawn up to her eyes and over her muzzle. Carrot Top could see that the pegasus’ fearful eyes were red, as though she had cried a lot recently, and her mane was in a complete state of disarray.
“Hello. I’m Carrot Top,” the earth pony said, as softly as she could. Fluttershy seemed to almost physically shrink before Carrot Top’s eyes as her ears flattened against her head, but at least she didn’t cry or faint. Carrot Top took it as her cue to continue. “Tell me what’s wrong; maybe I can help.”
Fluttershy glanced at Rainbow Dash, then at her animals, then back at Rainbow Dash. The other pegasus sighed and nodded, giving Fluttershy the go-ahead. The yellow mare reluctantly lowered the cover hiding her face and closed her eyes before speaking.
“It’s my voice,” she said in a loud, rumbling, baritone, and very male voice.
Carrot Top felt the floorboards beneath her hooves being rattled by the deep voice. All of Fluttershy’s animal friends suddenly ran away in fright, which visibly saddened the pegasus. Before she could start sobbing, Carrot Top spoke up.
“I can fix that … I think,” said the earth pony, before turning to the other pegasus. “How long has she been like this?”
“She woke up like that last Thursday; she was fine the day before,” explained Rainbow Dash.
Carrot Top rubbed her chin with her hoof, her green eyes aimed at the ceiling. Normally an affliction would take Fluttershy’s voice away, not make it louder. She had her suspicions, but it felt like a long shot. In the end, she figured asking about it probably wouldn’t hurt.
“I don’t suppose Fluttershy ever goes into the Everfree Forest?” asked Carrot Top, pointing her hoof toward the window and the gloomy forest beyond.
She didn’t expect Rainbow Dash’s response to that question. “Every once in a while,” said the pegasus, shrugging. “Come to think of it, she went there Wednesday evening when one of her chickens ran away again … wait, do you think it has anything to do with it?”
Carrot Top’s eyes were wide. “Yes! Miss Fluttershy, did you happen to notice if you stepped into a grove of plants with blue leaves?”
Fluttershy’s nod made Carrot Top gasp, which in turn made the pegasus mare flinch in surprise. “I know exactly what happened to you, Miss Fluttershy! You stepped into poison joke!”
Rainbow Dash flew up in surprise, hovering above the floor, obviously panicking as her gaze kept leaping between the two mares. “Poison joke?! Oh no! Is it dangerous? Should I bring her to the hospital? Tell me it’s not too late!”
Rainbow Dash’s reaction frightened the poor yellow pegasus, who looked on with horror-stricken eyes. She was obviously on the verge of tears, and Carrot Top did not wish to know how much damage her new, louder voice could cause if she began crying. She tugged at Rainbow’s tail with her teeth and brought her back to the ground with a thud.
“Calm down! It’s all right. It won’t harm her. Poison joke is a potent magic plant, but essentially harmless. It takes something about you and twists it around, like a cruel prank. It should wear off on its own in a about a week, but I know a way to fix it sooner,” she explained.
Both pegasi let out a sigh of relief. Even Fluttershy’s animals returned from their hiding places. Carrot Top smiled broadly and turned toward the stairs.
“Come on, Rainbow Dash; show me what kind of herbs Miss Fluttershy keeps around, then I’ll send you off on a shopping trip. You sit tight, Miss Fluttershy; by the time the sun comes down you’ll be back to your old self!”
“Shopping trip?”
“You should be able to find some of the plants we need at Daisy’s shop, and the other ingredients at Blossomforth’s shop,” said the earth pony, trotting down the stairs.
Rainbow Dash made a comical expression of disgust at the last name. “Aww, not Blossomforth’s! Her shop smells too … too … too girly!” Carrot Top could only giggle at the pegasus. Blossomforth ran a successful shop that sold perfumes, scented candles, soap, oils, and other assorted scented products; obviously Rainbow Dash wouldn’t be a fan of such a place. Normally the white pegasus pony didn’t sell the raw ingredients she used in her concoctions, but Carrot Top figured she’d help out in this situation.
It didn’t take long for Carrot Top to survey the rather impressive array of medicinal herbs, plants and tea leaves that Fluttershy kept on hoof. Each jar or box had a label with a carefully done drawing of the plant inside, and the farmer could identify each of them at a glance. A few minutes later, Rainbow Dash was zipping toward town, Fluttershy’s saddlebags on her flanks and a shopping list clutched in her teeth.
Carrot Top finished pouring the mix of herbs she had prepared into the steaming hot bath. The water in the tub turned a pleasant shade of pink, and a reassuring aroma wafted into the room. Carrot Top breathed in the pleasing scent and sighed.
She looked back to see Fluttershy, finally up from her bed, standing in the doorway. The poor thing must have been feeling really scared, not certain what was wrong with her voice, to say nothing of the effect her new voice had on her little friends. She must have sobbed for days on end. Carrot Top gave the pegasus a warm smile that the pegasus returned with a small smile of her own.
“Once Dash comes back, we can add the other ingredients; then it’s just a matter of taking a nice soak and relaxing,” said the farmer. Carrot Top sat down next to the tub and began to absent-mindedly mix the water with the tip of her hoof.
Fluttershy just stood in the doorway, making small circles with her front hoof and trying to look everywhere but at the new pony in her home. The awkward silence seemed to be ready to stretch until Rainbow Dash could come back from Ponyville with the other ingredients.
Something had to be done about it.
“I didn’t … I didn’t know you went into the Everfree Forest. That’s pretty brave of you, Miss Fluttershy,” said Carrot Top, looking back at the pegasus.
The yellow mare blushed, then shook her head.
“No, I’m serious. I know a lot of ponies that would be too scared to go into the forest. I suppose you go there for your little animal friends?”
Fluttershy kept blushing, but she managed to nod.
“Well, if you want, I can teach you about other dangerous plants that you need to avoid and those you might want to gather. I even have a sketchbook of plants found in the forest my grandparents put together. I could come back another day and show it to you if you wanted,” suggested the farmer.
Fluttershy’s smile grew. “I’d like that,” she said with her big rumbling voice.
Rainbow Dash had come back a few minutes ago, and the bathtub had been filled with the missing ingredients. The weather mare had suggested the farmer go and fix up a meal while she stayed by Fluttershy’s side. Carrot Top hadn’t argued; she was heading to Fluttershy’s kitchen to see what she could put together. Apparently the poor dear hadn’t had a solid meal since her ordeal began, and Rainbow Dash was probably famished after the frantic race she had been through to gather the ingredients.
Carrot Top stopped in her tracks as she entered the room. On the counter, opposite the doorway, was the reason for her presence in the first place: Angel. The full force of Carrot Top’s emerald gaze hit the white bunny.
Thankfully for Fluttershy’s kitchen, his head did not explode. The bunny was glaring back at her, immune to her death glare, and he quickly pointed to something next to him. It was a bunch of carrots, one of them clearly cut at the tip.
Carrot Top’s eyes bulged, and she gasped as she realized those were the carrots the bunny had stolen from her …
“… Since last … Friday?” she said, confused.
The bunny stood up on the counter and pointed to the table, where a couple of silver bits were sitting. Exactly the price the carrots would have cost if the bunny had purchased them at the market. After that, he jumped down and headed for the living room, strutting past Carrot Top.
Carrot Top snapped out of her confusion and turned toward the bunny. “Wait! Did you steal … take those carrots from me to force me to come here?”
The white critter turned around, crossed his little arms, and looked at Carrot Top with a look halfway between disbelief and annoyance. Carrot Top looked upward, in the direction of the bathroom where Fluttershy was getting cured of her condition, with a small smile.
“You knew I would want to help,” she said, looking back at Angel, tilting her head like a curious dog. “And you wanted her to find a new friend, didn’t you?”
The bunny shrugged and turned around to hop away.
“You’re a good friend, Angel. Fluttershy is lucky to have you. Thank you,” said the farmer, giving Angel a beaming smile.
With that, Carrot Top turned around. She was about to head further into the kitchen when she stopped, as if suddenly remembering something.
“But the next time you pull a prank like that … you won’t escape me that easily! We clear on that, you little vermin?” she added in a harsh tone, not turning back to look at the target of her threat.
Angel looked back at the farmer, surprise written on his little face. As she trotted into the kitchen, he shot her departing form a satisfied smirk.
It was almost closing time when the door of the shop opened, making the bell above it jingle merrily.
“Welcome to Carousel Boutique! Where every garment is chic, unique, and magnifique!” declared Rarity, trotting up to the door where she found a familiar orange-headed mare. “Why, hello there, darling! How did it go with Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy?”
Carrot Top smiled at the fashion designer. “It went really well. I solved both our problems, and I think I made a friend or two today. Your advice was really useful, Miss Rarity!”
Rarity just waved her hoof. “Don’t mention it, my dear; it was my pleasure!”
“I can’t thank you enough. Without your advice, I don’t think I could have gotten to a happy conclusion. If you need help with anything, I’ll be happy to lend a hoof in return,” said Carrot Top, smiling brightly.
She was smiling so broadly, her eyes closed in adorable crescents, that she missed the predatory gleam that suddenly appeared in Rarity’s eyes.
“Well, now that you graciously offer your help, it would be rude of me to refuse it. There is, indeed, something that you could help me with! Something I fear I may not ask of anypony else,” replied the unicorn, her eyes brimming with excitement.
“Name it,” said Carrot Top with a smile, a smile that progressively vanished as Rarity explained her plight.
“A famous fashion photographer heard of my work and is coming to Ponyville next week! It is a big opportunity for my modest boutique. A chance to, perhaps, break into the Canterlot market proper! I need somepony to model my dresses. Somepony with your kind of small town charm and grace,” said Rarity.
Carrot Top stared blankly in confusion. “I’m from Fillydelphia.”
Rarity gave this a few seconds of thought, rubbing her chin before shrugging. “Well, nopony’s perfect, I suppose. Still, as a fellow independent entrepreneur, I’m sure you understand how arduous it can be to establish oneself in a market dominated by large brand names. If one of the famous Elements of Harmony were to model for me, why, that would surely make a powerful impression on Photo Finish! Help my business go further! Come, dear; I’ll show you the dresses you’ll have to wear next week!”
Rarity then put her hoof around Carrot Top’s neck and gently pulled her toward the back of the shop. Carrot Top smiled nervously, but nonetheless followed. She normally tried to keep her mane and tail looking good, but she had never been one for fashionable clothes like Rarity made. She usually put all her money into the farm; fancy hair products were practically the only luxury she would allow herself. The monthly trip to the spa with Trixie was a fairly new indulgence in her life, mostly due to the unicorn’s prodding.
More importantly, she realized that, while she did solve her bunny situation, she had completely failed to solve the most important problem plaguing her: she was still a doormat. She let out a sigh of resignation. Rarity seemed blind to the fact that the farmer was now pouting, lost in her own world.
“Did I ever mention that I really like your mane?”
Cue the end credits!
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Here we are folks! Last chapter of my little tale! Some of you guessed it right last chapter it seems
While I may be willing to write the episode with Photo Finish that I've set up in the ending, I'm not all that confortable writing it. So if anypony wants a crack at it, tell me and I'll let you go ahead. Either way I'll be working on something different for a while.
Well hope you liked it and see ya next time!
Excellent!
Poison joke, of course! That makes a lot of sense. Also, I assume Carrot Top took the bits from Angel. *Punts bunny through a wall* 
Nice to see Carrot Top's relationships evolving, which is something needed methinks.
Nice one! And of course, ends with a set up for the next episode.
Excellent ending!
Angel is a magnificent bastard, capable of pulling off a successful Batman Gambit. Well played.
And now Carrot Top is gonna be a model! Awesome.
I enjoyed this alot.
And yet another of your stories comes to a very sudden and easily resolved end. On some levels I appreciate tha; no fuss, no muss. On other levels though I can't help but feel like all that wonderful set up in the first chapters is sort of wasted on a lack luster ending. Then again that's probably why you've got two finished stories under your belt while I'm still struggling to get mine to it's end point, so who's to say what's best. Over all though I really do enjoy your writing, especially for this story.
You really brought Carrot Top to life for me and made me truely care about her, where as before I would have indisputably described her as the member of the L6 that interested me the least. That might still be true, but it would be a rougher call now. So if nothing else feel proud of that. I've especial enjoyed CTs constant attempts to destroy the world around her with her gaze alone. It's such a charmingly endearing character quirk.
The poison joke wasn't all that surprising, but adequately used. What I real enjoyed seeing pan out was my suspicion that Angel had been conspiring to get CT's help from the outset, very well played.
Then of course there's Rarity, my favorite M6. I'm so glad the boards helped flesh out this presentation of her, I simply adore that her L! persona is that of a favor trader.
763540 Maybe it's because I've only written Slice of Life stuff so far, and thus I sort of match my story to what it would feel like as an episode of the TV series (hence short and tidy resolution). Wait until I get to an adventure and whip out some EPIC ACTION ENDINGS, you'll see another side to my writing
.
Thanks for the good words! I'm glad I helped better define CT in your mind, it was a bit of a challenge for me as well, but I really like this Carrot Top I've helped bring to life. Especially that little glaring quirk, like she's angry but she's too unassertive to physically express it. Personally the one that still stumps me is Lyra. I want to include her in my next story so I'll have to work on my mental image of her a bit more.
Also I'm happy we can have a manipulative Rarity
763581
I look forward to your eventual something of epic scale. Though I certainly don't fault what you've written so far for not being that. They both only felt about a chapter short to me. Then again part of me is starting to feel like my own might be almost chapter too long (or at least half a chapter), so again, who can say what's best.
It almost makes me wish I had any ideas that worked with her. Alas I fear my next planed tale won't include any of the M6, which is actually a good thing. Can't go over rellying on them or they'll muddy up the integrity of the Lunaverse.
763667 I was thinking the same thing. I don't intend to use any of the M6 for any of the three stories I have on my mind right now. At least not in any important quality.
Great ending! Carrot Top might not quite have avoided being a doormat in the end, but she took a chance on confronting Rainbow Dash and it paid off, which is a big step forward. Her inherent generosity really comes through in this last chapter, too, with all the work she did for Fluttershy. It was nice.
Flutterguy, eh? Nicely played. Too bad for Carrot Top Rarity's less palatable traits are amped up at the expense of her harmonic ones. Given her refusal to listen and her need to impress, I should think that a certain fashionista will be given a "makeover" by that sweet-natured, pacifistic, humble little introvert Raindrops. And then she'll teleport away.
Not bad, I really liked this one, and I appreciated the L!Dash backstory.
Very nice. I personally thought the ending was slightly too quick even by the show's standards (This would prolly end up being more like fifteen minutes long) but still, very well done regardless. Anything more would probably just feel like padding anyway, so go ahead and do stuff and I forgot the point I was trying to make...
Whatever. Good fic, great Carrot-Top personality, evil Rarity is surprisingly awesome, and keep writing!
764883 So your next story isn't 'Orange isn't your color'?
851006 Sadly no, I'm not quite sure how that one would go. It's also supposed to be titled 'I really like her mane'
I'm glad Rarity is already my least favorite pony in the show. That way i'm not bothered by the fact that she is a total bitch in the lunaverse. dl.dropbox.com/u/31471793/FiMFiction/emoticons/shrug_Luna_apple.png
1071558 "
" is all I'm gonna say...
Angle... you magnificent Bunny I READ YOUR BOOK!!!!! L!Angle is now officially at least 100X better then that jack off M!Angle.
I have to say I'm very impressed by this fic. Short and to the point but sweet and heartwarming, a pleasant little pick-me up that you can get through in one sitting easily and it's great to see some character growth for CD. In addition the expansion of L!RD and L!Fluttershy's background's and relationships lends itself well for their use and development latter in the series. Wile I agree with some of the above posters that relying TOO much on the L! versions of the M!Mane 6 is some thing that should be avoided, it's also important to remember that they are characters in this world too and should also get some time to be examined and developed, but preferably in the manner or this fic: through their interactions with the Luna 6, and maybe an occasional side story.
All in all a good Lunaverse story.
1083916 Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it!
Last line. See what you did there.
So far, one of my favorite Lunaverse "episodes." You see, Carrot Top is best pony.
This backstory could count as maneverse as well as Lunaverse, but more importantly it's logical, gives us whole new dimensions to Rainbow Dash & her behaviour, and best of all it has adawwwable babby Fluttershy.
Other good things are Carrot Top's everything, especially the swerve at the end that she's still a doormat after all.
Bit unsure about Rarity's scene at the end - I can see Rarity immediately pouncing on this opportunity but her setting Carrot Top up is a bit much
So, despite this being one of your shorter pieces by far, this is honestly probably one of the better ones you've done, Fizzy. To the point, touching, and gives Carrot Top some needed screen time.
I do have one comment, and that's the part where they kind of just brush over how Fluttershy's father blackmailed Rainbow Dash. Oh, sure, she was going to do it anyway, but that went without comment by Carrot Top or anyone else. That's a serious moment that just seems to get brushed under the rug.
2532871
Oh, just referring to the Cayo el Bayo fic.
Firstly, I have to say, the "This time" Ad Break Double Take was pretty neat.
But
Don't get me wrong, this is a very likeble story, but when Fridge Logic kicks in it's hard to imagine some events actually happening. I mean, bro, secrets! The reveal of the nature of RD/FS's relationship was, ultimately, unnecessary to the progress of the plot. RD could just accept the help without further explanation. On the other hoof, Rarity was interested in help/manipulate Carrot Top and, to do so, she reveals a secret, in a way I could assume was to easy, except if it was a even bigger gambit to use Carrot as an unaware spy. Hum... With this in mind, Angel's gambit, yet clever, can have unpleasant consequences.
This quotation is from Carrot Top Season. I guess an argument for "Orange isn't your color" could be simultaneously Rarity trying to get the information from Carrot and the comparison between Rarity's and Carrot's generositys.
I like how the Lunaverse gives the Mane 6 the kind of treatment usually reserved to Trixie. We meet them under an unflattering light but then explanations and solutions come into play. My only gripe at this point is that the Luna 6's character development feels slower by comparison.
2670515
My main problem is that Carrot Top (apparently) hears this and forgets about it for several months.
Excellent conclusion! The feels!!!
I had fun with this little short story. I liked Dash's backstory here considering it add some much needed depth to the character for the Lunaverse. I also hope to see more character development for Carrot Top in the future. This story helped me to get her character a bit more.
Angel might be a jerk but he gets the job done.
I love it!
Hmm, I'm not sure if I wanted or needed that last line.
Good reference, though.
You know, I think this episoe was really needed for CT. Mainly because she, out of the L6, has had the least amount of screen time (Though her og an pony show ep is yet to come) out o the nine episodes. Sure, we see glimpses of her and scenes where she is there, but beyon that she is an egnima. This goes to fix that an makes her relatable for me. Generous, yes, an willing to go the extra mile to help somepony by looking into their lives, but at the same time a doormat. Also, nice way o seperating her from her mane counterpart. Rarity woul've igured this out ages ago, then tried to trick Rainbow Dash, but that is not CT's character.I also like Angel here, making him smart and decitful without going ahole on us.
A nice and short episoe for a nice character
5404763 nice work as always!
One of my top 5 favorite stories of Season 1. And I loved how this tied in nicely "Green isn't Your Color" (sad that never became a mini-webisode), the Poison Joke Episode, and a nice delicious L!Verse Spin that got CT two friends ^_^.
Now we know for sure it's bizarro Rarity. XD
What episode this ended up being was quite the pleasant surprise. :)