• Published 23rd Feb 2017
  • 939 Views, 22 Comments

Growing Beyond Her Garden - Tropical Applejack



For a very long time now, Carrot Top and Derpy have been great friends. This is what happens when Carrot Top recognizes what wasn't there before.

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Sprouting

My name is Carrot Top, but you probably knew that already if you're reading this. I've lived on a small farm in the outskirts of Ponyville for all my life. I've never lived anywhere else. I take the occasional trip here and there, but the farm is where I belong. I belong in my garden - planting and growing my carrots. Even if they don't sell for much, it's my way of life. I'm perfectly content with living this way; in fact, I couldn't ask for anything more. The silence at night and the chirping of the birds during the day keep my sanity intact, while the mare I live with puts it to the test.

Every single day ends with me either laughing like a madmare or trying to suppress a headache, each caused by another one of her mishaps. Despite all that, she's a good friend. Derpy's clumsy, yet she's able to take on a burden most others would fail at: parenting. Ever since I first met her out on the outer edge of my garden - battered, shivering, and miserable - she had a young filly by her side. Dinky. Thinking back... I'm pretty sure she was just a tiny, healthy foal underneath Derpy's chest. That Derpy was always a protector. Heck, she still is even now. Anyway, I took her in and helped nurse the mare back to health the best I could (all the while keeping a watchful eye on the young filly, of course), and within a week she was up, about, and acting silly all around my house. I can't tell you how many times she raided the muffins from my fridge that weekend. I guess some things don't change.

From what I can tell, they're both silly in their own little ways, and the father left them pretty early on - or at least that's what Derpy has said. She doesn't even seem fazed by it; I guess she doesn't remember how we met anymore. But that's fine. She's a good friend. I dream about the fun times we have (well, all the fun you can have on a small carrot farm anyway). When we're lucky, it's a shared dream. Those are the best. We fool around; I grow a pair of wings; we fly around, neither of us knowing how to get it right. It's the same, perfect routine every time. Life is pretty good here.

* * *

My eyelids flutter open as the sunshine warmly greets them. Another day of hard work and foal-sitting is ahead. I can hear somepony calling to me from the other side of the bedroom. "Good morning, Cara!" It was Derpy alright. She's the only one that calls me Cara; it's become a sort of nickname by now. It's a mutual feeling of friendship, though. I mean... I don't find it annoying. It's actually a pretty good nickname if you ask me.

I do as I normally do: get up, make the bed, fix breakfast, brush my teeth (I can't tell you just how much I wish I had magic or wings to hold the stupid brush.), and go outside to the farm while Dinky trots off to school. As usual, Derpy gets ready to closely follow exact instructions. Other ponies also seem perplexed when she doesn't mess anything up, but I guess it was just all a matter of the right communication to make her like that. That being said, she still manages to screw up occasionally, like the time she planted muffins and I got a bunch of blueberry plants. I can't blame her for that one; it helped me rake in some extra money to help take her to the Gala last year. I've let her grow 'em ever since.

Today feels different somehow. Is it the air, maybe? No... I feel different somehow. I can't stop thinking about the past and everything I've done to get where I am. Everything Derpy, Dinky and I have done as a... I guess "family" is the only right word. A quirky, friendly family of misfits. I look to my side and see Derpy's silly smile and her flowing mane.

She's a good friend.

As the day progresses, I can feel the memories coming at me harder and faster. I remember the time she ate my daisies, not knowing they weren't for eating. I can remember the time she took care of me when I was sick, muffin basket after muffin basket. I can still see her playing card games with her daughter and me. She doesn't quite grasp the rules, but she's having fun.

She's a very good friend.

I wipe the sweat from my brow as I pluck the hundredth grown carrot from the ground. I trudge across the dirt ground of my garden and peek out over the blueberry bushes. There she is, looking in the opposite direction of me and picking blueberries. Every few she picks, one is tossed into her mouth, and juice sprays from the delicate berry to the inside and outside of her mouth. She loves being here, and I love her being here.

Maybe I just love her.

I jump over the bush and tap her on the back. This startles her, and she quickly spins around. Blueberry juice from her mouth falls on my face, and I can't help but laugh.

"Still quite the messy eater," I giggle. There's juice on her muzzle. I wipe that off. Blush shows up on her cheeks.

I giggle at that, too.

She quickly smiles and wipes the fruit juice from my own face before licking it up. I turn and point to the sun. It's something we've gotten good at: communicating without words. I tend to point at the sun when it's about to set, and now is no different. When this happens, we always go through the same routine. Dinky comes home; we head to a nearby hill; we sit together, and we watch as it sets. I hear a yell of glee from somewhere behind me. "Mommy, mommy!" it shouts with glee.

I turn around to face the little unicorn filly. The sun shines against her periwinkle coat just as it does for her mother and me. I can remember all the fun times I had with this foal too: chasing moles, watering the crops, helping each other during the big harvests... I could go on and on. She's a good kid.

Without saying another word, the two of them hug each other as they always do. I seem to love watching it more and more every time, though it often makes me feel envious of their bond. However, today... I do not feel that. I feel nothing but happiness, nay, giddiness - and yet I don't know why. I take hold of their hooves as soon as they finish their embrace, facing the direction of the hilltop immediately afterwards.

We trot up there together, Dinky, as usual, breaks away from my hold on her hoof and gallops to the top. With only Derpy by my side, I'd normally quickly reflect with her on all the hard work that was accomplished throughout the day. Often times, it is very much the same: carrot count, blueberry count, and congratulations on a job well done. Perhaps there is a quick sentimental moment here and there, where I comment on how nice she looks in the sunset - same as her daughter - but it's mostly business talk. Right now, though, I can feel a higher tension. Nothing big, nothing fancy: just a tension. I draw a sharp breath and slowly exhale. This makes Derpy turn to me with a concerned look in her crossed eyes. I reassure by saying the air just feels odd.

But it doesn't.

It doesn't, and I know it. No, the tension is coming from me. From somewhere inside. "If I let go of her hoof now," I think, "it'll be gone. It's that easy." Instead, my grip tightens, though not hard enough to make her feel uncomfortable. She notices and asks if I'm sure. We stop somewhere near the top of the hill as my hoof leaves her own. Of all days, it is today that all the great memories come back and hit me all at once.

"Derpy," I start, "I just wanted to say how great it is having you here. Even if it wasn't intentional that this is where you ended up, I don't thank you enough for it. I can't thank you enough for it. All I ever wanted was somepony to share my life with. You gave that to me. I think..."

I love her. Just say it, Cara... it's not hard.

"Are you trying to say you love me?" she asks after my sentence never ends. I gather my wits before hesitantly nodding. Derpy, though clearly surprised by the news, gives me a smile wider than I've ever seen before. She reaches out one of her front hooves and hugs me with it. The warmth that comes with her gentle embrace practically puts stars in my eyes. I do the same to her in return. She seems comfortable with this. That's a good sign, right? She leans her head next to my ear. Her voice rises steadily. "I've loved you for a long time too; I was just worried you might not feel the same way! All the caring you've done for Dinky and me has brought you so close to my heart, Cara. I'm so happy you feel the way you do. ...What took you so long?"

I'm taken aback mentally by her question. She must have had feelings for me far before I had the same for her, yet she'd never say anything about it... just as I never did until now. But instead of pulling away from her tender touch, weakly shrugging the question off, or muttering a white lie, I just smile and tell the truth. "I guess it just wasn't there before. It wasn't clear."

This makes her bring her head back to meet the level of mine - her hoof still resting gently around my neck. The shadow of the hill covering us lets me see the beauty in those eyes, however crossed they may be. They seem to twinkle, even if only slightly. I lean forward, putting a hoof under her chin and smiling like an idiot. Shaking, not being able to stand still, my lips gravitate close to hers: six inches away. Five. Four. Three... and - as if asking for consent, I stare deeper into her eyes, now almost trembling being so close to her. She nods as her eyes stay locked onto mine. I lean the short distance, never for a moment breaking eye contact. The unthinkable has happened; I'm kissing Derpy! And she's kissing me back! I suddenly feel like I'm in a dream and as if I will awake at any given moment. But you know what? I don't. I don't because this is a dream come true. And as her lips retract as quickly as they came, I linger on the feeling. Again, I feel her taking hold of my hoof. "Let's go watch the sunset!"

I can't help but chuckle. She's so silly and random.

At the top of the hill, Dinky is already shaking with glee as the glimmering sunset takes place. The shade transitions smoothly from a bright yellow to a powerful shade of crimson. All the while, Derpy never lets go. That's new.

Once the beautiful event comes to a close, I feel something warm on my cheek for a moment or two. When I look, I can see Derpy with her tongue rolled out like a little puppy.

"Hey, mommy!" her daughter shouts, "Why is Cara changing color?" She takes a step forward, which I can see from my peripheral vision, and tilts her head to one side. "And why are your wings and tongue out?"

I giggle again. She may be derpy, but she and her daughter are just my kind of derpy.

"You'll understand when you're older," we reply quietly in unison, neither one of us taking our eyes off each other for a second. The night has set in; I can now see our manes illuminating brightly in the twilight.

I'm beyond just a garden now. I've found a family.

Comments ( 22 )

Do you know how I can talk to Glaze? PM me if you have to.

7973765
I don't know how; I was just putting the message there for if he ever sees this. However, if you want to talk to him, I would recommend commenting on his channel's discussion page or trying to establish contact via social media.

This. Was. Amazing. This is one of the better ships, even though it is strange, but it works really well. something that confused me was this

I tend to point at the sun when it's about to set, and now is no different. When this happens, we always go through the same routine.

Just curious as to why. Wonderful story that left me smiling. Good job, and keep up the good work. ~:derpyderp2:

7976495
Thanks a bunch for leaving such a lovely comment and favoriting this silly shipfic! :twilightsmile:
I've written another unpopular-shipping fanfic that you may enjoy, as well as one about my OTP. Maybe you'd like them too!

I'd like to say I understand what you mean when you say you're confused about the quote, but I guess I can't. If you mean why Carrot Top would do that, it's because she's a farmer - workin' dawn til' dusk! But if you mean the wording, I'm not sure how to make it better.

Again, thanks for writing something so kind. What in particular made you enjoy it, if I might ask? Is it more so my style, or is it the pacing... the romance... what made you tick?

7976656
The buildup to the romance was what made me really enjoy it. As a farmer, the whole dawn to dusk thing is just a rumor, it's rather just checking on this every so often. The quote confused me because I didn't understand why she didn't just say something about it. I'm gonna go check your other stories! ~:derpyderp2:

This was rather adorable. The perfect thing to pick me up after a day I just had. Derpy/Carrot is a cute ship indeed. Keep up the excellent work good sir.

7988488
Aw, thanks so much! I'm glad to have another follower and a happy favorite added to my notification bell!

Awww, this was super cute, I really enjoyed it! With so few words, you've created a wonderful story that gets my fave. :yay:

7995769 I tried my best to establish a good connection with this one. I'm glad that it seems like I did good.

This review is brought to you by the group, "A for Effort".

Name of Story: Growing Beyond Her Garden

Total Score out of 10: 7.5/10

Pros:
-Such fluff, many wow!
-Packed with some nice character backstory and development (which is pretty good for 2,000 words)
-Some nice humour that made me laugh :rainbowlaugh:
-Shipping galore! Lot's of cute moments abound!
-A good moment of realization

Cons:
-The nickname "Cara" feels a bit forced and off-putting
-Multiple times in the story, the perspective is a bit skewered, as in, you're switching between past and present tense. A good editor or proofreader can help with that, or, if you can do it on your own, make sure you set your mind one tense and stick to it. Most of the story is in present tense, so make sure you stick to that
-Derpy's kiss comes out of nowhere and is actually a bit out of place. I know you're trying to get at the "moment of realization" romance, but this just wasn't the right place to put it (completely my opinion, so you may shoot me)

Additional Notes:
Okay, I've got to say, this is a pretty good one-shot romance that packs a lot of character and love into 2,000 words. I must say, I like this. However, it should be noted that tense is very important. Unless you're using specific participles in the correct way, switching between tenses is not a good idea. But yeah, I definitely can say it was a good read! Didn't exactly see the ship as contemporary, but I liked how it worked out. Very good!

Keep on writing my friend!

Allons-y!

~Doctor Disco

8176233
Thanks for the review, doc! I'm glad you seemed to enjoy yourself reading this, and your notes on it are helpful. :twilightsmile:

Maybe I should address a couple of the cons you addressed, as I believe it's best to improve all that I can and discuss such things.

The nickname "Cara" feels a bit forced and off-putting.

I'm really not quite sure how to change this for the better to be honest, but I'm happy to listen to suggestions. If you're saying I should really just stick to Carrot Top, I can do that.

Multiple times in the story, the perspective is a bit skewered.

It does that when I take control of events' past: stuff that already happened, I mean. It would be out of place to have stuff that occurred in the past occur at the same time as the present. But if there's a point where I change tense without actually referring to the past, you can let me know. After all, I'm not perfect, and you might be right.

Derpy's kiss comes out of nowhere and is actually a bit out of place.

Although I'd defend myself by concurring that this is an opinion-based complaint, it's definitely noted. I'll take another look at it and see if I can't do anything about it. No promises! :derpytongue2:

But all in all, if you really enjoyed this like you said you did, I would suggest checking out my other shipfics. I'm especially proud of Two Eyes, One Heart - and I think you might just love it if you like this fluff. :pinkiehappy:

Personally I liked it lol it's such a cute story. I always liked this ship more then Actually Doctor Whooves, but still nobody probably sees it that way.:twilightsheepish: anyway thanks I think I got enough fluff to last the whole day :pinkiehappy:

8177376
I actually agree. As much as I think Derpy x Doctor Whooves is cute, I still think that CarrotDerp makes a MUCH better pair. :heart:

8177600
And so lovely of you to give me a follow! :yay:

Nice to see a very original fic pairing.

8405238
Yep!
Quite the unique ship, if I do say so myself.

I never knew how much i wanted this ship to happen until now, thank you Tropical Applejack.:derpytongue2::heart::carrottop:🥕

8709404
Glad you enjoyed it! Be sure to leave a like. Maybe you could check out some of my other shipfics, or just fics in general.

This is a vastly underrated ship, to be sure.

This story is just too adorable. My heart is very full.

10683331
Thank you! Derpy x Carrot Top is so underrated

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