//------------------------------// // First Operation Arc: Babs' Supsicions // Story: Cutie Mark Crusaders Transformer! YAY!! // by Masters-of-the-Elements //------------------------------// Cutie Mark Crusader Transformer! YAY! First Operation Arc: Babs’ Suspicions “There something different about him,” Babs commented suspiciously. Applebloom sighed for like the tenth time in the last two hours, and looked at her cousin. The Manehatten pony was currently glaring at the pony she hasn’t trusted since meeting him. The other hybrid earth pony followed her cousin’s glance, and watched as Steel bucked a tree clumsily. The two fillies were currently helping out in the fields, and staying close to their new friend, as requested by Babs. When Applebloom has asked why, Babs had replied that she felt something was off about the supposed robot in disguise, though when questioned farther about it she had remained tight lip about her suspicions. So now the two found themselves picking up apples and watching Steel Hooves. “Babs,” Applebloom whined as she picked up a couple of stray apples. “We been watching him for nearly two hours, don’t you think it’s time to face the facts?” Babs sighs lightly, and dropped the apples she been carrying into a nearby basket. She looked at Steel as he bucked another tree and only made a few apples fall. Satisfied with his work, Steel moved onto the next tree. “It’s just there’s something different about him,” Babs admitted weakly, “And he reminds me a lot of the farm-hoof your sister just fired.” “Hmm…” Applebloom looked at the new farm-hoof and began to study him. Steel bucked a tree and watched with a pleased grin as three apples fell into nearby baskets. He then moved onto the next tree. Bloom frown when she did notice how similar that treat was to Caramel. Still…it was only his second day on the job, so she was willing to cut him some slack. “Ah’m afraid I don’t see it, Babs,” Applebloom said honestly. Babs growled but decided to keep her mouth closed on the matter, and went about her chores. The rest of the morning went by smoothly if not slowly due to Steel’s poor apple bucking skills. Babs couldn’t help but frown when she looked at a basket. The thing wasn’t even half full! Babs has been around her cousins long enough to know the quality of their works, and this wasn’t such a time. “Alright, y’all, time to rope it in for lunch!” Applejack said as she trotted up to the group. The two fillies nodded happily, and ran off with a small cheer. Steel was about to follow them when Applejack stopped him. Babs came to a stop when she heard her older cousin speak. “Steel before ya goes Ah need to have a word with ya.” Babs acted quick and hid behind two baskets of apples. She turned her ears to the conversation the older ponies were about to have. “Listen Steel, you’re a nice fella and all,” Applejack said honestly. Babs dared a quick peek and was a little surprise at what she saw. Steel Hooves was rubbing the back of his neck, a sheepish smile on his face. She was once again reminded of the farm-hoof that she only meant twice. “Well, thanks a lot Miss Applejack,” Steel replied bashfully. Babs couldn’t help but glared suspiciously at the pony, as she was once again reminded of that earth pony. And she wasn’t the only one to see it. Applejack cocked an eyebrow at the gestures, but shrugged it off and focused on the task at hoof. “But I hired you because I needed the extra hooves for the upcoming libration day festivals,” the element of honesty said sternly. “And frankly you did better two days ago.” “Maybe I’m just getting use to things about here?” Steel responded weakly. Babs glared turned even more suspicious, if that was possible. There was that feeling again, that something wasn’t right about that pony, and she was aiming to figure out what. Applejack sighs faintly and looked the pony right in the eyes. “And why Ah’m sure ya will get into the swing of things, I just don’t have time to waste, not after all the time Ah wasted picking up after Caramel.” Though it was small and quick, Babs still noticed a quick flicker of anger in the mysterious pony’s eyes. But it was gone quickly, replaced with a look of shame. “I’m sorry, I would try and do better,” Steel apologized weakly. “Ok-ay,” Applejack said awkwardly. “Well, how about you head to the house for some lunch.” “If its okay with you, I think I will stay and try get some more work done,” Steel declined humbly. “If you insist,” Applejack replied awkwardly. The farmer watched as her new hired hoof smiled and headed back into orchard. She watched as Steel began bucking trees once again, and then turned and headed towards the house. Babs, employing a tactics she used in Hide ‘a’ Seek, walked around the baskets she has been hiding behind, keeping her hoof steps as light as possible, so her cousin didn’t hear them. Not that it was really needed Applejack was lost in her own mind. Babs held her breath as she watched her cousin disappeared into the thicket of the trees. Once she was sure she was safe from being caught, she turned her attention to the pony that wasn’t really a pony. She quietly followed after Steel and was surprise to find him not to far in. She also was surprised find the fake pony angrily tipping his hoof against his left temple. She hid behind a tree and watched as the pony continued to tip against his head, growing angrily with each new gesture. “Why isn’t this stupid device allowing me to see into that stupid pony’s memories?” Steel demanded angrily. The pony continued to tip his temple angrily for several seconds, and when nothing happened that the pony wanted to happen, he grew angrier. This continued for nearly a minute, until the fake pony erupted into green flares, transforming into a changeling to the shock of the hybrid pony. The sight before Babs was so shocking she nearly transformed herself. She was able to keep herself in her natural pony form, and even stopped herself from screaming by thrusting her right hoof into her mouth. Babs, still somewhat in shock, could only watch as the Changeling took something off its head with it magic. The changeling brought the device close to it face, and began to examine it. “Nothing seems wrong with this thing,” the changeling said, thinking out load. “So why can’t I see into that pony’s mind?” When the changeling began to shake the machine fiercely, Babs decided it was time to go. Once more employing her sneaking methods, the Manhattan earth filly began to quietly but quickly get away. And mom thought nothing would come from watching those spy movies, Babs thought as she sneaked away, while making plans. (Later that day…CMC clubhouse) “I’m telling you!” Babs shouted fiercely. “That pony is a changeling!” The group exchanged uncertain looks before looking back at the earth pony. “Babs, I don’t mean-oh what’s that word Rarity uses when dealing with picky customers-a pessimist, but you sure you’re haven’t been watching too many spy movies?” Sweetie asked, trying to be as kind as possible. It was early in the afternoon, and Babs had gathered the hybrid pony in the CMC clubhouse, where she had told them everything she had witnessed. It went without saying that most of the Cutie Mark Crusaders were a little on the unbelieving side. “I don’t watch too many spy movies! Babs snapped angrily, shifting into her robot form, and stomping angrily, causing a small dent and some cracks to form. The group looked down at the damage, and then turned their attention to the pony that caused it. Babs just smiled sheepishly at the group, and transformed into her pony form. The Manehatten pony took a moment to collect her thoughts, before she spoke. “Sorry about the floor, I will help to repair it,” Babs muttered weakly to Applebloom, and then spoke more firmly to the rest of the group, “But I’m serious here, that Steel Hooves is a changeling.” “But wait…” Rumble suddenly said, “…If Mister HM was a changeling what does that mean for us?” That got some of the crusaders worried, as some begin to chat. Babs cleared her throat to gain her friends’ attention, though she did notice how fearful her friends looked. “I don’t think he’s been a changeling from the start,” the Manehatten said calmly. “I think he’s been replaced by a changeling.” That didn’t sit well with the group either, and probably even less with the founding members. They were probably remembering the invasion on the royal wedding. “But wait?” Applebloom asked suddenly. “How can we be sure he‘s really a changeling, and not if Babs was just seeing things?” The accused pony glared at her cousin, but that did get the group thinking. If Steel was truly replaced by a changeling then how can they confront him without tipping their hooves? And more importantly how would they deal with the changeling if they exposed him? “How about we ask him a bunch of questions that only the real Mister HM would know?” Dinky asked emotionlessly. The group looked at their emotionless friend. Once again she has said something that seems to be the answer they needed. But there was still one question on everypony’s mind… “So…anypony got any idea how we do this?” Scootaloo asked hopefully. “Hmm…” like a practice dance the founding members rhythmically got into their traditional “thinking” pose, with the newer members just looking on. That didn’t last long and soon they broke out of their poses, looking around rather sheepishly. “Umm, any pony got any ideas?” Sweetie muttered sheepishly The newer members would have groaned if they had realized that this was a near normal thing for the founding members. Thankfully that wasn’t the case here, and soon the entire group was brainstorming ideas. It took them nearly 40 minutes but the group eventually formed a plan, and left their clubhouse to find the supposed changeling. Turns out they didn’t have to go far. The group of hybrid ponies found their odd friend close to their clubhouse. They watched as he weakly bucked a tree causing about four apples to fall. He wiped some sweat from his brow, took in a deep breath, and bucked the tree again. Babs nudged her cousin and lean closed to her. “See, there really is something off with him,” she whispered. “I don’t remember seeing him sweat the first time he apple-buck.” The other earth pony stared at the fake pony, thinking back to when she first watched him buck a tree. She didn’t remember seeing him sweat that time. Applebloom filed that into the back of head, and took a step forward. She cast one final look at her fellow crusaders, as they silently gave her their support. She let out a deep sigh and took another step forward. “Umm, Mister HM, Ah have a question?” the pale yellow earth pony asked awkwardly. The tan earth stallion stopped his bucking and looked at the filly with a questioning expression. “Mister HM…?” Steel repeated perplexingly and then smiled gently, “Now don’t go and play with a tired stallion, that’s a good way to get your rump tanned, as my father would like to say to me when he was tired.” Steel just chuckled to himself, being the only pony in the area to get his own joke. Meanwhile, Applebloom was looking at the strange combo of her sister and brother perplexingly. She was no longer looking at the pony that wasn’t really a pony. Instead she was looking at Cameral, the pony who said that joke every time he was surprised by another pony. Even his laugh was near identical to the former farm-hoof. Steel composed himself with a couch when he realized that no one was laughing with him. “What can I do for your hatchlings?” he asked meekly but with an honest smile. Applebloom cocked an eye as her supposed friend’s choice of words, but choose to ignore it for the time being as she said, “Well, my friend’s and Ah were just wondering how ya’re doing? That was a nasty fall ya take?” Steel’s smile didn’t falter as he said kindly, “I’m fine. I’m just a little sorry to lose all my belongings, but I was thankful that such a kind group was there to help me. Now, if you would excuse me I should get back to bucking. Don’t want your sister to tan my flank, now do we?” “No, we don’t,” Applebloom replied, trying to keep her voice calm. Steel, or the pony pretending to be Steel, just continued to smile as he turned and walked to another tree. The earth pony watched the fake pony began to buck the trees for about 30 seconds, and then turned and gestured for her fellow crusaders to follow her. The group hurried away from the fake pony, getting far enough away so they could talk safely. “You were right, Babs!” Scootaloo exclaimed once she felt they were far enough away from the changeling. “That wasn’t the same pony!” “But, how, when, and why...?” Sweetie asked as she started to get a little frantic. “If he was replaced by a changeling then we don’t know who else in town is a changeling?” The newer member watched as their friend began to go hysterical, and Scootaloo needed to put her friend in a comforting hug. It didn’t take long for Sweetie to regain her composure and then looked at the others with renewed courage in her eyes. “So now that we know Mister HM has been replaced with a changeling, what do we do now?” the white unicorn asked uncertainly. The crusaders exchanged uncertain looks. Though they now know the truth, what do they do with that information? They doubt that they would believe, mainly because Steel was such a newcomer to Ponyville, and outside of the CMC no pony really knew him. “Maybe we can do something,” Scootaloo said, starting to get eager, “I mean, we’re now super cool robots, so I bet we can take one changeling hooves down!” “Ah don’t know, Scoots,” Applebloom said doubtfully. “We don’t know the first things about these bodies. Do you think we can do it?” Scootaloo looked at her friend with her trademark smile and a devilish glint in her eyes. “Oh yeah, and I got the prefect plan to take down one lone changeling.” Applebloom looked at her friend uncertainly but she also knew that look all to well. So with a light sigh she said, “Okay Scoots, let hear it.” The grounded Pegasus smiled brightly, and gestured her friends to gather around her. “Okay, here’s what we do…”