A Pony's Heart

by CTVulpin

Cabbage on the Spot

By the time Cabbage Patch, Barnacle Salt, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle arrived at the improvised stage a large crowd of ponies had already gathered, and a few more were walking up to join the crowd. Trixie had no comments about their timing, merely levitating the wooden tub off the Crusader wagon and shooing Scootaloo and Sweetie off to join the audience. “Harlequin’s going to be the opening act,” Trixie said, setting the tub down behind the curtained backstage area, “but you two are next, so you better get this filled up quickly.”

“Aye aye,” Barnacle said. “Cabbage, go tell Maggie we’re about to owe the weather patrol for the use of a rain cloud.” Cabbage nodded and ducked into the backstage area as Barnacle took to the sky. She found the grey earth pony who was responsible for the troupe’s finances, a task that was equal parts covering the troupe’s basic needs and defending their disposable income against Harlequin’s spendthrift ways. When Cabbage passed Barnacle’s message on to her, she just waved a hoof idly and said, “Already paid and accounted for. The tank water was about ready to be replaced anyway, don’t you think?”

“Yeah, I guess it was getting a bit cloudy,” Cabbage said, thinking back.

“Thanks for telling me anyway, Cabbage,” Maggie said. “It’s nice to be reminded I’m not the only pony around here who thinks ahead before they spend bits.” She cast a withering glance at the figure of Harlequin stepping through the curtains to begin his act. A small smile flickered on Cabbage’s face, fading before Maggie looked back at her with a scrutinizing expression. “You know, I’d swear you’re a little taller than you were this morning, Cabbage. Have you been adjusting your disguise?”

“Uh,” Cabbage said, looking herself over self-consciously. As difficult as shape-shifting was for her, the sea-green fur, blue mane, and earth pony form was second-nature, practically instinctual for her to put back on after the rare moments when she dropped or altered it. She compared herself to Maggie and some of the set pieces next to her, and didn’t notice any differences in her perspective. “Are you sure?” she asked. “My size is one of the things I can’t do anything about.”

“Whatever it is I’m sensing, it’s small,” Maggie said, “but something about you feels different, in a better way.”

“Oh,” Cabbage said. “Thanks for noticing, I guess.” A smattering of applause-stomps came from outside the curtains, which the little Changeling took as a cue to find her sea pony costume. Harlequin’s acrobatics act was obviously starting to build up to a climax, and Cabbage needed to be ready to hop into the tub once Barnacle was finished filling it.

The sea pony role didn’t seem to be much more than being a living backdrop as Barnacle Salt spun wild tales of his sailing days, but for Cabbage it was a constant reminder of the time when her life finally started taking a turn for the best. Barnacle had found her in an alley and unwittingly saved her from emotional starvation by altruistically giving her physical food, and in a desperate attempt not to lose such a lifeline Cabbage had come up with the idea of dressing up as a sea pony to lend the old sailor’s stories more credence. What was once just an act of charity on Barnacle’s part was now an essential partnership between the two, because many of Barnacle’s stories now revolved around “Mar the Sea Pony,” explaining her presence on the stage. Cabbage still wasn’t required to do anything except float in the water and look exotic, and so as Trixie magically pushed her and the tub out into view while Barnacle trotted out and started his introduction, Cabbage focused on observing the audience. She wasn’t surprised to see that Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle had planted themselves in the front of the crowd for an unobstructed view, but she was concerned that their presence seemed to be making her feel both happier and more anxious. About halfway through Barnacle’s act, Apple Bloom showed up and sat by her two friends, and Cabbage’s feelings only grew more conflicted. Looking over the rest of the audience, she could make out a few faces that she recognized, although she didn’t have any names to put to them, and to her relief there was no sign of the ash-grey stallion who knew her secret and seemed to be holding on to it with an unspoken threat. Barnacle held them all in his spell of story-craft, although the Cutie Mark Crusaders spent more time looking at her than at him.

Barnacle’s act eventually came to an end, and as he withdrew from the stage area Trixie hauled Cabbage and the tub back behind the curtains. “Dry off quickly,” the azure unicorn instructed as Cabbage climbed out of the water and started removing her sea pony tail. “I’m starting out with solo tricks, but I need you onstage ASAP.”

“Ok,” Cabbage said half-heartedly. The moment she’d been dreading was almost upon her, when she would need to go out and pretend that Trixie was casting complex transformation illusions on her at high speeds. It had been hard enough to psyche herself up to the task earlier, but now her three new friends were out in the audience and their eyes were going to be only on her and if she messed up her timing or faltered mid-transformation she’d have something worse than just a panicking audience of strangers on her hooves. Cabbage was about to have a panic attack when she felt a towel drape across her back and looked up to see Maggie giving her an encouraging smile.

“You’ll be great out there,” Maggie said. “Just relax.”

“Yeah,” Cabbage said, swallowing her nervousness. She started to towel off, pausing after a momentary thought to take her Changeling form before finishing the job, since Changeling chitin dried faster and easier than pony fur. Once she was dry, she changed into a couple of the color patterns she and Trixie had agreed upon before reassuming her normal earth pony look and went to wait for her cue. It’ll be fine, she told herself, Trixie’s going to keep everypony thinking it’s her magic, not me. She peeked through a purpose-made gap in the curtains in time to see Trixie conducting the final moment of a clash between two conjured images of an Ursa Minor and a dragon, which both appeared to explode into cloth flower petals when they collided.

Once the petals had settled and the applause died down, Trixie said, in her iconic grandiose fashion, “Now, before the Great and Powerful Trixie’s next display of jaw-dropping magic, chosen by popular demand, Trixie must make sure that it will not lead to a repeat of what happened to this troupe yesterday.” There was an air of flippancy in Trixie’s deliver that garnered a few chuckles, and Cabbage felt a wave of increased sympathy flowing from the majority of the audience, but there was an undercurrent of real worry sparked by Trixie’s words as well. Cabbage sampled a bit of the positive emotions to try and steel her nerves a little more as Trixie continued in a serious manner that was almost comically overdone. “If anypony in the audience objects to the sudden changes that are about to take place, they will step forward now so we may settle our differences.”

“Oh just get on with it, would you?” a stallion shouted. Trixie just rolled her eyes, earning more quiet laughter. Nopony moved from their place, so Trixie wasted little time getting back into the act.

“Now, as I was saying,” she said, lighting up her horn, “due to popular demand, the Great and Powerful Trixie will demonstrate her ability to transform a pony several times within a span of only a couple short minutes, a feat that will require Trixie to do in seconds what a lesser unicorn would require minutes of careful concentration and attention to detail to perform safely just once. Of course, for this feat Trixie will need a volunteer. Please welcome back to the stage, Mar the Sea Pony.” She released a bolt of magic that exploded into a smokescreen. Cabbage took the cue, slipping through the curtains with barely a ripple and glanced around with wide-eyed disorientation as the smokescreen faded away, acting surprised that she had hind legs and a normal pony tail. “Although, I suppose former Sea Pony is a more apt description now,” Trixie added lightly. “This is only the beginning though,” she continued, making the aura around her horn grow in size as if channeling more power. Cabbage narrowed her eyes to mere slits, concentrating on the details of her first transformation as she let the anxious anticipation show on her face. “Behold!” Trixie cried, releasing another spark of magic that surrounded the little sea-green pony in concealing smoke. Cabbage shifted as quickly as she could, and found that she actually had a second to spare to check herself over before the smoke cleared enough to reveal her new orange coat and apple-green mane. The audience ooh-ed and ahh-ed appreciatively, and the Cutie Mark Crusaders stared in wide-eyed fascination. The successful transformation and its reception boosted Cabbage’s confidence, which kept her relaxed as Trixie threw up another smokescreen to cue the second change.

The plan Cabbage and Trixie had agreed upon earlier only called for the Changeling to alter her coloration and hairstyles, but as the act continued Cabbage felt a growing urge to be a little more daring. Trixie was casting her “transformation spells” in relative silence, giving Cabbage a virtually limitless margin of error in her shapeshifting. After four rounds with no noticeable faults to her guises, Cabbage decided to take a risk and added a unicorn horn to her fifth form. Trixie was surprised by the improvisation, but she hid it so well that only Cabbage noticed it, and the act continued uninterrupted. In the next change, Cabbage swapped the horn out for a pair of wings that, she noted ruefully, looked fine but felt structurally incapable of proper movement. It’s all just for show anyway, she reminded herself as she resumed a simple earth pony frame under the next smokescreen. She cycled through unicorn and pegasus pony a few more times, and then Trixie cloaked her in a smokescreen of a notably different hue, the indicator that the next transformation was going to be the last before Cabbage could put her normal appearance back on. The smoke lingered longer, because the grand finale was for her to become a Zebra, and she wasn’t nearly as used to creating stripes as she was with typically un-patterned pony fur. She also needed to alter the shape of her eyes, which was one of her lesser weak points in shapeshifting. By the time the smoke cleared, she’d manifested the stripes and managed to at least insure that her eyes both looked the same even they didn’t quite have the exotic shape of a real Zebra’s. The audience didn’t care about the flaws anyway, judging by the thunderous stomping, applause, and whistles as Trixie “changed” Cabbage back to normal and they both took a bow. Cabbage then retreated back behind the curtains as Trixie proceeded to wrap up the show with her typical open invitation for volunteers from the audience to challenge her in a contest of talents.

Inside the curtains, Harlequin ambushed Cabbage with a light noogie and a broad smile. “Ha ha. See, didn’t I tell you there was nothing to worry about?” he asked.

“You did,” Cabbage admitted, smiling. Unfortunately, the good feelings she’d built up all vanished when she heard a familiar voice answering Trixie’s challenge.

“Can I nominate somepony to test you?” Scootaloo asked.

“That depends on what you have in mind,” Trixie answered, “and if this other pony is available and willing to come on stage right now.”

“Ok,” Scootaloo said, “I just so happen to know that your ‘sea-pony’ is really good at imitating other ponies’s voices, or at least can do Rainbow Dash so well even I can’t tell the difference. Think you can do better than that?”

Trixie was silent for a moment, and then turned and poked her head through the curtains. Cabbage slipped out of Harlequin’s grip and vanished inside one of Trixie’s trick boxes, quietly but firmly saying, “No no no no,” the whole time.

“Hey, c’mon shrimp,” Harlequin said, knocking lightly on the box, “they’re literally asking for it.”

“Nope,” Cabbage said. “No voices. I’m too good. They’ll get suspicious.”

Trixie sighed, shot Harlequin a look, and withdrew back onto the stage. “Unfortunately,” she said, “poor Mar doesn’t feel up to putting another appearance on stage. Does anypony else wish to challenge the skills of the Great and Powerful Trixie?” Other than a disappointed whine from the CMC, the audience was silent. “Very well then,” Trixie said, doffing her hat and rearing up, “then I declare this performance of The Great and Powerful Trixie’s Royal Thespians officially over. Thank for your patronage.”

Cabbage stayed in the box as the sounds of ponies walking away rose up and then faded away, and shortly there was another knock on the box. “Cabbage Patch, your new friends aren’t going away,” Trixie said. “Deal with them.”

And I dared to think the day was going well, Cabbage thought ruefully. She climbed out of the box and looked at Trixie, who indicated the direction to go with a pointed look, and walked slowly out of the improvised backstage. Barnacle Salt and Maggie Pie were nearby, to Cabbage’s mild relief, but the three Cutie Mark Crusaders were even closer. Cabbage inhaled deeply, her mind spinning as she tried to decide how to handle this confrontation, because at least one of the fillies – Scootaloo most likely – was undoubtedly going to press her for a reason for not showcasing her mimicry skills.

Scootaloo spoke before Cabbage could make up her mind, but the expected question didn’t come. Instead, the little pegasus just said, “That was a good show, Cabbage. You were great.”

“T-thank you,” Cabbage stammered shyly, “but, I didn’t really do all that much… You know.”

“Say what?” Scootaloo scoffed, her tiny wings flaring dramatically. “Girl, you showed a lot of guts just standing there letting Trixie casting spell after spell on you, especially considering how timid you are.” Cabbage’s ears perked up and slightly forward at the unexpectedly insightful compliment.

“I really liked your sea-pony costume,” Sweetie Bell contributed. “I almost thought it was real for a minute.”

Cabbage’s ears titled back again as she brought a blush to her cheeks to complement her pleased but shy smile. “Thank you,” she said. “I… I’m not used to getting compliments from ponies outside of the troupe. I appreciate it.” She kicked at the ground a bit, biting her lip, before making herself continue, “I was afraid you were going to be upset that I didn’t do any, uh, impressions.”

“Don’t worry about that,” Sweetie Bell said. “We don’t get mad at our friends unless we think there’s a good reason to.”

“Yeah,” Apple Bloom said, a little dryly. “Still, Ah’m mighty curious if you’re really as good as Scootaloo says. Not that I wanna doubt ya Scoots, but Ah’ve only got yer word ta go on.”

“Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon were there too,” Scootaloo said.

“Oh please,” Apple Bloom said, rolling her eyes, “those two’d never agree with any of us ‘bout anything, especially if it means admitting they got caught bullyin’ you.”

“Good point,” Scootaloo said, rolling her eyes as well. “Well, Cabbage can just prove it.”

“I was countin’ on that,” Apple Bloom drawled, and the glanced at Cabbage, who was backing away nervously. “Hey, what’s wrong, Cabbage?” Apple Bloom asked. “Ya don’t have to be nervous; it’s just us, your friends.”

“But… it’s so weird,” Cabbage said. “Being able to talk like somepony else, it’s not something just any pony can do.”

“So?” Scootaloo said, “If everypony could do it, it wouldn’t be special. Besides, you’re part of a performing troupe. I can’t think of anyplace better suited for a talent for mimicry. Trust me Cabbage, if you can do other ponies as well as you did Rainbow Dash this morning, you’re not weird, you’re awesome!”

“Aye, so I’ve been telling her for years now,” Barnacle Salt said, coming over and patting Cabbage on the back. “Come on lass,” he said as the sea-green filly’s head drooped, “I still haven’t heard a single bad word about that skill of yours except from your own mouth. Ye’ve done harder things than this before. Go on and give yer friends a little show.”

Cabbage heard the words of her dearest friend and guardian and knew that they made logical sense, but the thought of acting on it called up unwanted memories from the time before she met Barnacle Salt, memories of how her ability to perfectly imitate the voice of others had brought her only trouble. The first pony to take her in after her exile had flown into a rage when she spoke in the voice of his lost, Changeling-replaced lover. On a few other occasions, her mimicry had played a part in a pony discovering that she was a Changeling and forming a mob to chase her away. During Cabbage’s first visit to Ponyville years ago, Trixie had somehow talked her into imitating Princess Celestia to dupe Twilight Sparkle. That particular incident hadn’t ended badly, but Cabbage could still clearly picture the lavender unicorn’s initial annoyance. The memories flooded her mind and filled her with such fear that she nearly broke and ran. Instead, she just shook, her legs locked up, and her eyes became riveted to the ground between her front hooves. “Can’t,” she grunted through her teeth, barely audible to the ponies gathered worriedly around her, “Can’t. Can’t. Can’t. Can’t…”

“Oh blow me down,” Barnacle swore, “now we’ve done it.”

“Cabbage?” Apple Bloom asked, “You ok?”

“Stand back lasses,” Barnacle said, gently pushing the Crusaders away, “she needs space and time more than anythin’ else now. Maggie, tell Trixie and Quin I’m taking Cabbage back to the hotel. Yer gonna have to strike the stage without us.”

“Of course,” Maggie said, running into the curtained area as Barnacle scooped the shivering Cabbage Patch onto his back and took off at a fast canter toward the troupe’s temporary housing. The Cutie Mark Crusaders exchanged worried looks, and then ran off to the clubhouse, tossing around ideas to help fix their new friend’s problems.

Comments

[djthomp]

“Don’t worry about that,” Sweetie Bell said. “We don’t get mad at our friends unless we think there’s a good reason to.”

Well that's kind of a worrisome out.

[Emeral Bookwise]

I'd meant to be reading this fic from the start, but I apparently forgot to fav it so missed most of the updates until now.

Anyway, that's fixed now and I've been enjoying catchinthing up with what feels like one of your best fics yet.

One thing this chapter reminded me of though is the one thing I've always thought was strange about Cabbage's sea pony act, and that's her costume. I know she's not supposed to be a very good shapeshifter, but she's still a changeling and everyone always remarks on how realistic the costume looks so it's just always felt to me like the costume should just be lie to cover up her using an actual transformation.