//------------------------------//
// Cabbage Patch in the Club 
// Story: A Pony's Heart 
// by CTVulpin 
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	Later that same day, when Trixie’s troupe reunited to officially plan the show, the first item of discussion was Changelings.  Despite the encouraging emotions derived from her conversation with Scootaloo, Cabbage still felt uneasy about going on stage when another Changeling had apparently been unmasked in Ponyville after Tremolo’s attack.  Harlequin, who had learned the story from the clock-maker who had been temporarily captured and impersonated by that Changeling, did his best to allay Cabbage’s fears.  “I talked to the mayor about it as well,” he said.  “I did what any worried visitor would have and expressed my concerns that Changelings could have infiltrated the town and replaced any number of ponies for nefarious ends.  She assured me that an investigation had already been completed, by Twilight Sparkle herself, and that that Changeling was the only one in Ponyville and that is was long gone.  That’s the official story going around the entire town, so I doubt there’s going to be much paranoia.”
“I hope so,” Cabbage said.
“Let’s not dwell on it further,” Trixie said imperiously.  “We are performers, not problem solvers, and it won’t be doing Cabbage any favors to worry about it either.”  Everypony nodded, including Cabbage.  “Good,” Trixie said.  “Now, the ponies at Sugarcube Corner seemed very interested in Trixie and Cabbage’s ‘transformation’ routine from Hoofington, so-”
“Sorry, but I’m not doing that,” Cabbage said quietly but firmly.
“Oh Cabbage,” Trixie sighed, “you’ll never be a star if you don’t face your fears.  Nopony suspected a thing in Hoofington, even with Tremolo trying his hardest to find the secret to the trick.  I know you can do your part.”
Cabbage shook her head.  “It’s too soon,” she said.  “I’m going to be thinking about that other Changeling, and I’ll be all nervous and mess something up and-“
“And Trixie will cover for you if that happens,” the azure unicorn said.  “I can always use my old reputation in this town to my advantage in some way.  You just have to trust me.”
“Aye,” Barnacle Salt said, “We sink or sail together, little lass, just like always.”
“And don’t forget who pays our bills,” Maggie Pie pointed out.  “If all else fails, we ask Princess Luna to bail us out of trouble.”
Doubt and fear still flickered in Cabbage’s mind, but she forced it away and nodded reluctantly.  “I’ll try my best,” she promised.





When Cabbage and Barnacle had first partnered up with Trixie, the little Changeling was so paralyzed by stage fright that the only thing she could contribute to the shows was dressing up as a seapony to serve as an eye-catch and backdrop to Barnacle’s wild tales of the sea.  Once she’d become comfortable enough around Trixie and Harlequin to speak in their presence, Trixie had begun teaching her to handle the some of the technical backstage aspects of putting on a show while Barnacle and later Harlequin coached her on overcoming her stage fright.  To her surprise, after the entire troupe had learned that she was a Changeling her progress in that area accelerated and within a few months she was on stage not only as Mar the Seapony but as Trixie’s assistant in a few tricks.  Her crowning achievement had come only a few days prior, when she transformed under the veil of smokescreens provided by Trixie to dupe Tremolo into relinquishing the Alicorn Amulet.
It had felt like an achievement at the time at least.  All eyes had been focused on Trixie in Hoofington, and everypony’s thoughts had been on whether she could outwit Tremolo and save the town.  Here in Ponyville, however, the stakes weren’t nearly so high and despite Harlequin assurances Cabbage knew some ponies would still be wondering about the Changeling who had masquerading as the local clock maker for who-knows how long.  An act based around magically changing a pony would remind those ponies about that Changeling and possibly make them question if the official report about it being the only one was correct.  Cabbage did her best to relate these concerns to Trixie without backing out, and although the azure showmare was eager to repeat the full act the two of them compromised with simply changing Cabbage’s coat and mane colors a few times and finishing with zebra stripes.
With their stage-wagon destroyed in Tremolo’s last hurrah, the troupe needed a temporary venue to perform at.  Maggie Pie had, with some help from her sister Pinkie, arranged for such a temporary stage to be set up on a hill in the park.  It was really just a bunch of curtains set up to create a “backstage” area, but since it was able to hold all the necessary props when they weren’t in use it suited the troupe’s needs adequately.  The only bad news that caused Cabbage any concern was the discovery that the glass tank she usually floated in for her seapony role had several leaky cracks in it, and there was little time to find an adequate substitute.  Harlequin suggested finding a large wooden basket or tub, but Barnacle argued that Cabbage’s seapony tail wouldn’t be visible to the audience, and furthermore real seaponies couldn’t breathe air as long as his act lasted.
“Barnacle, nopony in this town has ever seen a real seapony,” Trixie said in counterargument.  “They’re not going to know the difference if you don’t tell them, and if you tell your tall tales as well as you usually do, the seapony is just going to be a backdrop anyway.”
“That would be fine by me,” Cabbage said.  Barnacle gave her a comically hurt look.  “If it’s going to cause a problem, maybe I just won’t be the seapony,” the little pony suggested.  “I’m going to be onstage helping Trixie anyway, so…”
“Ah, yer all right,” Barnacle said with a sigh.  “It’s not a detail worth fighting over.  Let’s go find ye a tub, Cabbage.”
“Try Sweet Apple Acres,” Maggie suggested.  “They should have a lot of baskets to spare in about the right size.”





When Cabbage and Barnacle came to Sweet Apple Acres, they saw right away that there were plenty of bushel baskets that the little sea-green pony could fit in as a seapony on the property, but all of them were already being put to use catching falling apples.  After wandering around for a bit, they found Applejack bucking the apples out of a tree and Barnacle wasted no time in requesting a temporary loan of a single basket and explaining why it was needed.
“Shoot, I’d love ta help ya, Cap’n,” AJ said without breaking her bucking rhythm, “but it’s Applebuck Season, our big harvestin’ time, and I just can’t spare any of the big bushels.”
“Not even for an hour or so?” Barnacle asked, raising an eyebrow.
Applejack was about to answer when Apple Bloom came trotting up, calling for her.  “Applejack!  I got Ms. Cheerilee ta…  Oh, howdy there!” she cut herself off acknowledge Barnacle and Cabbage, her eyes lingering uncomfortably long on the little sea-green pony.
“Apple Bloom,” Applejack prompted with clear warning in her voice, “school don’t get out fer another couple of hours.”
“It’s ok AJ,” Bloom said, smiling broadly at her sister, “Ms. Cheerilee let me, Scoots, and Sweetie Bell out early to do some, uh, experimentin’.”
“Experimentin’,” Applejack said, giving the filly a flat look.
“Yeah,” Apple Bloom said.  “We’re gonna test whether unicorns or pegasus ponies are better at apple-bucking without much, uh… what was that word Sweetie used?   Conditionin’ for it.”  AJ considered her sister’s story for a moment, and then nodded and waved a hoof for Apple Bloom to run along.  Instead, and before AJ and Barnacle could pick up their basket discussion again, Bloom stepped a little closer to Cabbage Patch and said, “Hey, I’d bet anything you’re the pony Scootaloo met on the way ta school this mornin’.  She said you’re name’s Cabbage Patch, right?”
“Y-yeah,” Cabbage said, nervous.  She stiffened as Apple Bloom sidled up close and threw a leg around her shoulders.
“Nice ta met ya,” the yellow filly said.  “The name’s Apple Bloom.  Scoots said she already asked ya to join the Cutie Mark Crusaders, so if yer still interested I’ll show you the clubhouse and we’ll get you inducted all right and proper.”
“I… uh,” Cabbage said, looking to Barnacle for help.
The old sailor had other ideas though.  With permissive smile, he said, “Go ahead lass.  Miss Applejack and I still have some dealing to do.  I’ll come find you when we’ve got that basket.”
“Now wait just a minute,” AJ said, drowning out Cabbage’s own protest as Apple Bloom started dragging her off.  “I already told you we ain’t got any baskets to spare,” Applejack continued.  “There ain’t nothing you can say ta change that.”
“I accept your challenge, matey,” Barnacle said with a glint in his eye.  Cabbage felt the stubborn energy spilling from both him and the elder Apple sister, and so she gave in to Apple Bloom in the hopes of finding a less emotionally hostile environment to wait out the argument in.





Cabbage wasn’t sure what to expect from the clubhouse, but it certainly hadn’t been to see it was practically a tiny house built around the main trunk of an apple tree, with a smaller tower room perfectly balanced at the very top of the tree.  A ramp led up to the balcony-like veranda around the clubhouse, and as Apple Bloom led the way up to the front door Cabbage couldn’t help but admire how sturdy and well-fitted everything was.  The wood barely creaked under her hooves, and the walls and roof of the house itself looked perfectly weatherproof.  “Um, nice place,” she said.
“Nice?” Apple Bloom said, pausing at the door to glance back indignantly.  “That all you can say about it?”  Cabbage retreated several steps backward down the ramp, stammering in a panicked attempt to apologize, and Apple Bloom’s face softened instantly.  “I was only kiddin’ around,” she said contritely.  “Ah mean, I did put a lot of work into fixing the place up and adding onto it after AJ passed it on to me, but I ain’t so proud as to expect ponies to sing its praises.”
“Oh,” Cabbage said, fighting down her nerves.  “I’m sor- I mean, I accept your apology.”  Apple Bloom smiled and opened the clubhouse door, gesturing for Cabbage to enter first.  Cabbage did so, and took several moments to take in the clubhouse interior.  A few low tables and chests were pushed up against the walls, holding some basic art supplies, well-used notebooks stuffed with extra bits of loose paper, and random objects that Cabbage charitably assumed to be mementos of some sort.  Posters of the Wonderbolts and Rainbow Dash shared wall space with some crude maps drawn in crayon.  Cabbage also noted that there were two windows as well as the door, giving her three potential escape routes.  Scootaloo and a white unicorn filly with a curled pastel purple and pink mane were hanging out near the middle of the room.
While Cabbage was surveying the room, Apple Bloom went straight over to Scootaloo and crossly said, “Scootaloo, why didn’t ya tell me Cabbage Patch here was as timid as Fluttershy?  I almost scared her off with a joke.”
“I told you I practically had to drag her out of a bush,” the orange pegasus said, equally cross.  “Wasn’t that clear enough?”
“No,” Apple Bloom said, rolling her eyes.
“Girls, stop fighting,” the white unicorn said.  “We have a guest here, after all.”  She walked up to Cabbage and shook her hoof.  “My name’s Sweetie Bell,” she said.
“Cabbage Patch,” Cabbage said, relaxing under Sweetie’s exuberance.
“Oh, so you’re who those two are making a fuss about,” Sweetie said.
“Right,” Apple Bloom said, “now that she’s met us all, let’s git the stuff together fer the induction ceremony.  Er,” she added after a second, looking at Cabbage, “That is, if you do want to be a Cutie Mark Crusader.”
Cabbage shifted uncomfortably, glancing back at her blank flank and around at the three friendly fillies as she thought.  “I… I’m not sure I really understand the purpose,” she said at last.  She pointed at the symbol of a hammer crossing a wooden apple on Apple Bloom’s flank, and then at the paired heart-shaped eighth-notes shaped adorning Sweetie’s and continued, “I mean, you two already have your cutie marks, so…”
“That’s true,” Sweetie said, “but the three of us formed the Cutie Mark Crusaders to help each other find their special talent, and since then we’ve added Apple Bloom’s cousin Babs and she’s running a branch of the club out in Manehatten.  Our new mission is to help everypony who is struggling to find their cutie mark.”
“If you join,” Scootaloo said, “you’ll have to promise to help me find my special talent, and we’ll all help you for as long as you’re in town.  But just as importantly, we’ll be friends forever and have as much fun as possible when Crusading.  Sound good?”
Cabbage was conflicted.  The offer of friendship from all three fillies felt genuine, and it was certainly enticing to more than just Cabbage’s emotional hunger.  However, if she were to accept the offer of membership into the Cutie Mark Crusaders, she’d be implying a genuine desire for what she knew to be impossible.  Cabagge wasn’t really a pony, able to spontaneously acquire a cutie mark, and she wasn’t a good enough Changeling to make a passable false one and have it stay put on her haunches.  Still, it was tempting to say yes anyway, and the fillies were already aware that she was only going to be in Ponyville temporarily, likely only a couple days more.  They’d certainly understand if she “failed” to find her cutie mark by then.  Cabbage’s paranoia scratched fiercely at the reasons for saying yes, but she ignored it as best she could.  It was a risky proposition for physically and magically stunted Changeling, but everything she did on a regular basis as a member of Trixie’s Royal Thespians carried similar risks.
Taking a deep, calming breath and squashing her dark thoughts into an isolated corner, she put on a smile and said, “Sounds good.  Thank you.”
“Awesome!” Scootaloo crowed, leaping up and hovering briefly.
“Don’t thank us quite yet,” Apple Bloom said as Sweetie Bell rushed over to a chest and started digging through it.  “We still hafta make it official.”  Her smile gave Cabbage an involuntary shiver.
She quickly realized that her worries were unfounded, as the Crusaders simply sat her down in front of a podium while Scootaloo free-styled on a small timpani drum and Sweetie Bell dug a thick scroll out of the chest.  She unrolled it as she mounted the stool behind the podium, and after reading through it quickly she tore a few small sections out of it and threw the rest off to the side.  She then cleared her throat loudly, giving Scootaloo a meaningful look and the pegasus got in a few final beats before stopping her drumming.  Trying her best to look dignified, Sweetie began reading off the scraps of paper she’d retained.  “We, the Cutie Mark Crusaders, elect B- Cabbage Patch to be our sister, friend…”  She paused to switch to another scrap and find her place.  “…And fellow Cutie Mark Crusader,” she resumed.  “You are hereby solemnly sworn in, here this day, in witness of your fellow sisters, friends, confidants, etcetera, etcetera… For as long as you seek to discover your own cutie mark and assist others in the same search.  Give her the cape.”  Apple Bloom moved quickly from her spot and Cabbage suddenly found herself wearing a red cape with a blue shield with a rearing yellow silhouette of a foal on it embroidered in the middle.
“Sisters?” Cabbage asked hesitantly.
“Scootaloo wrote it,” Sweetie said dismissively.  “Speaking of which, we need to revise that speech before we start any membership drives.”
“Yeah, yeah,” Scootaloo said, rolling her eyes.  “Anyway, on to the next order of business: getting my cutie mark for apple harvesting.”
“Uh huh,” Apple Bloom said blandly.  “We’ll just see if ya really have what it takes.  Oh!  Cabbage, ya ever worked on a farm before?”
“No,” Cabbage said, a little confused.
“Perfect,” Apple Bloom said.  “Our harvestin’ experiment would look better if we could compare all types of ponies, but since I do applebuckin’ on a regular basis I have a unfair advantage over these two,” she hugged Sweetie and Scootaloo close to her sides.  “If’n you’ve never done any farm work before, then you’d be a better fit.  Whaddaya say?”
“It sounds fun,” Cabbage said, “but Barnacle Salt and I need to get back to the rest of the troupe soon.  We have a show to put on.”
“Is that why y’all need to borrow a basket from AJ?” Apple Bloom asked.  Cabbage nodded, and Apple Bloom sidled over to mutter conspiratorially, “Tell ya what: the experiment’s prob’ly only gonna take a couple minutes, and once we’re done I’ll loan you a basket fer your show.”
“Won’t your sister get mad at you though?” Cabbage asked.  “She really didn’t want to let Barnacle have one.”
“Don’t you worry ‘bout AJ,” Bloom said confidently.  “Leave that to me.”
“I dunno,” Cabbage mumbled, still uneasy.
“Ah c’mon Cabbage,” Scootaloo said, “you’re part of the Cutie Mark Crusaders now.  Risking getting in a little bit of trouble to help each other out is what we do.”
“Yeah, we get in trouble all the time,” Sweetie added helpfully.  Cabbage looked dubiously at her sincere smile, but then saw Scootaloo and Apple Bloom both face-hoof.
“Alright, I’ll play along,” she said.  “But only for a few minutes!” she half-shouted over the cheers of the three fillies as they ran out the door.
“Cutie Mark Crusader apple-buckers!  Yay!”