Love and Other Awkward Emotions (Ended)

[Lux]

Carrot Top beamed at the recognition of her house from Hayseed and Haywire. She wasn't one to be boastful of her accomplishments, preferring to live her life as a simple mare. Yet she was still happy to be recognized for her efforts.

"Awww... thanks you two. I actually didn't really build this house. I actually spotted this house after getting my cutie mark. It was a bit run down but I always imagined it to be my dream home. It also didn't have a garden like you see today, just a big open grassy area. So when I decided to make my own home I wanted a place close to my parents and close to where I grew up in Ponyville. That's another reason why I chose it. My parents and I helped fix up the place inside and outside, and I turned the yard into a garden. The house needed a fresh coat of paint and a new roof so I though why not make it look like a carrot? After all it was tall and skinny like one. So a couple of months later I was ready to move in."

Before she could do anything else Haywire broke into a run, not across the stone pathway from the road to the house but through the garden. Carrot Top cringed a bit especially considering that the filly lived on a farm.

"Careful with my carrots Haywire," Carrot shouted, "They can get broken really easy."

She chuckled how Hayseed mentioned that he sounded like his older sister.

"That's ok. I think I sounded like mom then. Oh, I just realized something. Haywire there isn't just trotting through mud there. I kind of just added a new layer of manure on the field. It helps the carrots and other veggies to grow. Um... maybe she should wash her hooves off before coming inside."

[Mojo]

Hayseed relaxed and smiled after his very special somepony's comforting words. The stallion then directed his attention to the antics of his younger sister, who, by some miracle of fate, had not stepped on a single one of Carrot Top's carrots out in the field.

"When ya come back, sis, best watch yur step. Don't wanna stomp on any carrots."

"I won't! I know better than that!" Haywire shouted back as she carefully walked back over to join them.

"Best wash off yur hooves too, sis, purty sure ya stepped in somethin' out thar."

"EEEEEEEWWWWWWWWWWW! GROSS!" she shouted as the blank flank filly quickly found water to wash off with.

"Haywire's not a bad filly, really she's not. She's jist got a lotta spunk fer somepony her age," the stallion said as he turned towards Carrot Top, "wanna show us around inside, darlin'?"

[Lux]

Surprisingly the filly was very sure-hoofed while traipsing through the garden, not upsetting a single carrot. Although carrots were hearty vegetables, they were still easy to be broken if not careful. Thankfully Haywire was no stranger to farm life and managed to return safely. It was then that the filly though caught Carrot's revelation and maybe even the scent on her hooves, making her flee for some water.

"There's a hose near the house," Carrot shouted before turning to Hayseed, "Well she certainly has energy. And I don't really see her as bad, just a little too hyper for her own good if you don't mind me saying. Anyway, we can certainly go in once Haywire is done cleaning herself off. I guess she hasn't been used to manure at home. The trouble is that sometimes this garden lacks nutrients and needs a boost. It's a dirty job, but the results are great! Of course I do clean the carrots off when all is said and done, and of course taking a bath is my remedy to getting clean and refreshed after a day's work out here."

Suddenly she saw three bunnies making their way into the garden. They stopped to acknowledge the mare but instead of running away they defiantly stuck their tongues out and gave Carrot Top raspberries before scampering away to pilfer the garden.

"Not again," she said before turning to Hayseed, "Sorry to put you to work, but these three rabbits have been pestering me since I first moved in here. can you help me round them up? Careful, they can be tricky to get."

[Mojo]

As Haywire finished cleaning off her hooves, she heard Carrot Top telling her brother about the thieving bunnies.

"Don't ya fret none, Miss Carrot Top, I got this!" the blank flank filly shouted as she galloped towards the rabbits.

"Wait sis!" Hayseed shouted, "we need ta work together ta round them critters up!"

"Git a rope ready, I'll git'm ta move yur way!" Haywire shouted as the filly raced after the fleeing bunnies. Seeing they were about to escape into the woods, the blonde filly produced one of her mini firecrackers, lit it and tossed ahead of them.

BANG!!!

The sound of the firecracker exploding in the air frightened the bunnies who all three turned around and dashed off in the opposite direction. Hayseed, ready with his lasso rope, was able to rope the three fleeing bunnies on his first toss.

"Right on target, big brother!" Haywire cheered.

"Well Miss Carrot Top, now that we caught'm, what are we gonna do with'm?" Hayseed asked,

[Lux]

Carrot Top was about to make a dash for one of the critters stealing her crops when it seemed that Haywire had a plan all to her own. Thanks to the use of a well placed firecracker and a lasso that Hayseed brought with him the bunnies were rounded up in no time.

"Wow thanks you two. I guess firecrackers and a lasso can come in handy."

She then made her way to where the bunnies now struggled in a mass of fur, each trying to wriggle out of their predicament.

"Now, what should I do with you two?" she said looking at the group before an idea popped into her head, "Ah, I've got it! Can you keep those three from escaping? I'm going to head to the basement and get something. Haywire can you join me? I might need an extra hoof with this."

[Mojo]

"You got it, Miss Carrot Top!" Haywire proudly neighed as the blank flank filly prepared to follow her.

"Don't ya worry none about these rabbits," Hayseed said with a wide smile, "they ain't gonna git away from ME!"

"See that they don't, rabbits kin be sneaky critters, big brother!"

"Got it covered, sis," the sturdy brown pelted stallion said as he produced some carrots from his saddlebag and gave them to the bound bunnies. "If'n them critters is busy eatin', they ain't gonna try ta be escapin'!"

'Good thinkin'!" Haywire neighed with a nod, "ok Miss Carrot Top, I'm ready when you are!"

[Lux]

Carrot Top scooted around the back of the house where a wooden door in the ground lay, she pushed open the door and lighting a match to a lantern carefully made her way down.

"Watch yourself coming down here Haywire, these steps are often wet and slimy. I almost fell down these a couple of times."

She made it to the bottom successfully and looked around at the circular space. There were small windows that gave some light, but in order to see things in detail her lantern was needed. Most of the basement was filled of boxes full of carrots, each one having a date that they were best eaten by.

"When I'm done harvesting my carrots, I keep them down here. It's cool but not too wet to rot them. Now, where did I put them?"

Shining her light she finally found her goal, a pile of empty boxes.

"Ah these will do. We'll put the bunnies in these wooden boxes. There are spaces between the slats so they can breathe, and then I can get them far away from here. Can you take one of them while I get the rest?"

[Mojo]

"Sure thing, Miss Carrot Top!" Haywire neighed as the blank flank filly grabbed a crate and put it on her back. :"Sounds like a great plan! Where do ya plan ta send all them varmints?"

As Haywire waited to follow Carrot Top back outside, Hayseed continued to do what he could to keep the captured bunnies from trying to escape.

"I kin see why mah very special somepony wants to be rid of these critters. They sure do have a powerful appettite!" the brown pelted stallion said as he gave out the last of the carrots he had on him. "Critters like these kin ruin any garden or farm crop quick!"

[Lux]

"Well i want to send them somwhere happy, but also somewhere far away so the don't come back here. I know why they're here as they're hungry and my garden is a regular feast for them, but I can't let them devour my livelihood. Maybe Fluttershy can give them a good home. She knows her way with animals."

She blew out the lantern and carefully made her way up the cellar stairs and back out into the sunshine. Once Haywire was out she shut the door and nudged a rock over it with her nose.

"I'm not worried about ponies taking my carrots, but if those critters find that I'm storing food in the cellar and can open that door it'll be bad. So that's why i use that rock to keep it closed."

As she made her way back to the front, Carrot Top could see Hayseed desperately trying to wrestle with the bag of bunnies, going as far as to try and quell them with a few carrots.

"Thanks for taking care of them," Carrot Top said as she slid the wooden boxes off her back, "Now all we need to do is get one in each box. They're big enough so each can fit comfortably, but they'll be kicking up a fuss while trying to get them there."

[Mojo]

"Hmmmm," Hayseed said as he thought about the problem posed by Carrot Top. "Might be easier if'n we put'm all in one crate ta begin with an' then pull the other two out ta put'm in separate ones."

"Sounds like a great idear, big brother!" Haywire neighed before the blank flank filly turned to Carrot Top. "Whatdoya think?"

[Lux]

Looking at the boxes that were on the ground and at the bunnies struggling to get free, Carrot listened to the idea that Hayseed proposed.

"Hmm.. that sounds like a good idea. We just have to watch as they don't tumble out of the box and flee when we try to transport them into their own individual ones. But that's a problem for later. What we need to do first is get them all into this one box. I'll hold it steady while you two get them in here. Are you ready?"

[Mojo]

"Ready!" Haywire proudly declared.

"Here we go, Miss Carrot Top," added Hayseed as he lowered the bound bunnies into the crate. "So fer, so good. Hold the other two down while I grab the one in the middle."

Carefully, Hayseed removes one struggling bunny and gently places it in a separate crate, shutting it quickly.

"Alright! Now jist one more," the blank flank filly neighed, grabbing the one rabbit she was holding and placing it in a separate crate.

"There we go! The job's done!" Hayseed smiled as he shut the doors of the other crates. "Now, where are we gonna take'm, sweetie?"

[Lux]

There was a danger in this process of transferring the bunnies into their own separate boxes. They could flee and have to be rounded up again or worse escape and terrorize her garden once again. It wasn't like Carrot knew that this would be the end to her problems, only that it would at least take care of some constant troublemakers. To her relief though the plan worked and the bunnies were safely in their place.

"Phew," she said wiping her brow, "glad that's done.Thanks you two. As for where they're going I figure I'll pay Fluttershy a visit later on. Maybe she can find a home for them. She's better with raising animals that i'll ever be. Anyway now that this issue is over, welcome to my garden! As you can see most of me crop is carrots but i do have a section where there are other veggies too. That area is just for me though while the carrots are for me and others. After all you didn't think I just ate carrots now, did you?"

[Mojo]

"Oh, I already knew ya ate more than jist carrots, Miss Carrot Top," Hayseed confessed, starting to blush red under his facial fur, "remember how you an' me first met, while shoppin' at Rich's Barnyard Bargains?"

"I sure remember that!" Haywire laughed, "that was when mah poor sister really made a fool outta herself! But it was her own fault fer swallowin' them thar sleepin' pills ol' Doc Stable was tryin' ta give ta Derpy.

"Oh yeah, an' she got all emotional when she missed out on the free Zap Apple giveaway till ya offered to share yurs, little sister. But the thing I remember most about that day, is you.." Hayseed said, looking lovingly into Carrot Top's eyes.

[Lux]

Carrot Top smiled as she reflected upon that one day that she and Hayseed met for the first time. It was a day that she expected nothing out of the ordinary but ended up having something great happen to her.

"Oh how can I forget that day. It will be one that I'll never forget. I came in looking for bargains and left with a special somepony. And i was kind of sad wasn't I about not getting the bargains in time, wasn't I? But you know Hayseed, you helped to make my trip worth while, and you will be the reason I will remember it. Now who wants to see the inside of my house?"

[Mojo]

"I DO! I DO!" Haywire shouted, jumping up and down out of excitement.

"Whoa thar, sis," Hayseed giggled. "Best not be doin' that inside Miss Carrot Top's house. Might put holes in her floors."

"Oh yeah, surry bout that," the rust colored filly said as she stopped her jumping.

"We'd love ta see yur place, my love. I think them rabbits will be fine, I already fed'm good so they'll keep fer a good long while."

[Lux]

Carrot Top giggled at the excitement Haywire exhibited, bouncing up and down like one of the rabbits they caught.

"Alright I won't keep you two any longer. Thanks for feeding the rabbits. We can put them by the house and I'll find out where to take them tomorrow."

Carrot opened up the door and stepped into her home. The first thing of interest was the fact that the place was perfectly round inside with cream colored walls that matcher Carrot's coat. There was a winding staircase that circled the back up to the second floor and windows that were interspersed to let the light in. The first floor was one big open space consisting of a living room and a kitchen dining room combination that while not big enough for large parties suited a mare for having a few friends over or maybe her special somepony. There were several bookshelves containing all types of things from the expected gardening books to novels. There were even mixed in curious artifacts that the mare collected in her travels around town and beyond.

"So, what do you think so far?"

[Mojo]

'This is SO AWESOME!!" Haywire shouted, her eyes bugging at all of her surroundings.

"Looks like mah little sister's impressed," Hayseed said with a smile, "And so am I! Love the color scheme! Fits yur personality, Miss Carrot Top!"

"Jist look at all this here stuff!" the rust colored filly neighed as she looked over all of the gathered artifacts. "Where did ya git all this cool stuff?"

"Now be careful, sis, look but don't touch."

"I ain't touchin' but I sure is a-lookin'! Tain't never seen stuff like this before!"

[Lux]

"I'm glad you both like it," Carrot replied giggling at the look Haywire had seeing her home, "When I was looking for my own home I didn't want anything big, just a nice cozy home with enough space to grow some carrots. This place just appeared to me. It needed work like a fresh coat of paint and a new roof, but eventually I made it my own. Actually the color in here was on accident. I wanted white actually but accidentally bought this. Funny how it matches my coat. It's great until you cant't find where to wash off the paint because it blends in."

Carrot watched as Haywire gravitated towards a shelf with a mixture of books and other items. There were definitely things here that were not from Ponyville that rested here in her house, lending to a secret life Carrot Top was ready to reveal.

"Well I guess the cat is out of the bag, so I'll let you in on a little secret with these things you see here. I may look like a simple mare living a simple dream, but in truth I love to travel! So when I'm not plowing or harvesting I will go to places like Canterlot, Fet Loch, Manehattan, even as far as Appleoosa! And I bring back souvenirs of my travels see that beaded necklace?"

Carrot pointed towards a necklace with beautiful turquoise beads hanging from a hook on the wall.

"That was given to be by a buffalo when I was in Appleoosa. In exchange, I gave them a hat I took with me from Ponyville."

[Mojo]

"WOW!" the awestruck Haywire neighed, listening to Carrot Top explain some of the items she had.

"Ya love ta travel? That's fantastic!" Hayseed added, looking very excited. "I'd love ta hear more about yur journeys!"

"Me too!" the rust colored filly neighed. "Have ya ever been ta Dodge Junction? Baltimare? Manehattan? Las Pegasus?"

"Now Haywire, settle down," the brown Earth stallion said softly. "Ya gotta excuse mah sister, she doesn't git around as much as me and Haymaker do. I've done a lotta travellin' too, makin' hay deliveries as fer away as Canterlot."

[Lux]

To her delight, Carrot Top's simple explanation touched off a point of interest of the two earth ponies in her home. It was her assumption that perhaps the Hay family didn't get out as much as she did, but then again ponies might assume the same thing about her.

"Well I'm glad that both of you are interested in my travels," Carrot said looking for the next thing to show off, "To answer your question Haywire, I haven't been to Las Pegasus or Dodge Junction but they are certainly on my list. But since you mentioned Manehattan..."

The mare went to another shelf and took what looked more like a toy, a brightly painted yellow carriage that seated four ponies comfortably, not counting the driver, and bearing the word Taxi on the sides. It was very nicely detailed for a toy, giving an idea of the real thing.

"You see these all the time in Manehattan. Since it is a big city, ponies who don't wish to travel by hoof due to being tired or just needing a fast way to get somewhere can take one of these taxis. They're pretty interesting although I never rode in one myself. So how do you like Canterlot Hayseed?"

[Mojo]

"WOW!" Haywire shouted at the sight and explanation of the Manehattan toy taxi wagon. "I've only see a few of these in Ponyville, but they got'm all over Manehattan? That's so awesome!!"

"Well Miss Carrot Top," Hayseed began to explain, "Canterlot's a nice enough city, but it's so dern big! I always feel outta place when I travel thar. I don't wanna say nuthin' bad about mah fellow ponies, but some of them unicorns in Canterlot sorta treated me like I was trash. Talkin' down ta me an' makin' fun of the way I talk. But them's the things ya gotta put up with in the hay sellin' business. All them bits I make fer deliverin' hay ta the merchants in Canterlot makes it worth all the snootiness."

[Lux]

"Oh they have quite a few in Manehattan," Carrot Top said to Haywire, "Who knows, maybe you'll get to ride in one someday. Why there are even lovely carriage ones you can ride in through Center Park, a big park in the heart of the city!"

Carrot Top's ears drooped as Hayseed told about his time in Canterlot, one that wasn't the fun upbeat experience that she imagined it would be but instead one where he was made fun of.

"I'm so sorry to hear that you were made fun of," Carrot said hugging the stallion, "you would think that since we're all ponies we'd be friendly to each other. Guess that's just some myth in my head that I created. You really shouldn't have to put up with those types of ponies, no matter how many bits you get. I do admit that I've been to Canterlot before and although most ponies are welcoming to me when I tell them I'm from Ponyville and i grow carrots there are a few who turn their noses up at me! I try not to let them get me down, but sometimes it stings like a swarm of bees!"

[Mojo]

"I sure would like ta visit Manehattan someday!" Haywire squeeled with glee. "Hay big brother, do ya make hay delivery runs ta Manehattan?"

"Well, don't have any clients in Manehattan, yet," Hayseed admitted before turning his attention back towards his very special somepony. "I appreciate yur concern, Miss Carrot Top, but ta be fair, thar's some ponies in Canterlot who do treat me right and politely. Reckon thar's meanies in every town, but I do hear that Manehattan is rather famous fer it's hospitality and generousity, is that right?"

[Lux]

"Well i'm glad that not everypony in Canterlot you meet are mean," Carrot top said as she set the taxi cab back down on the shelf, "I do believe you're right Hayseed. There are always going to be mean ponies out there no matter where you go, but for those i just kind of ignore them. It's hard though but I try. Anyway, Manehattan is a very nice city and many ponies are generous, but I can't live there though. It's just too big and crowded for my tastes. Kind of like Canterlot as well. Still I sometimes wonder what live would be like living there, maybe as an actress or a model. Guess it's silly to think like that as I'm happy being here, but sometimes I do. You know, I guess it relates to something I first got as a filly by my parents. Wait right here and i'll be right back."

With that the mare trotted up the spiraling staircase to the second floor.