The After Crusade: A Bloomin' Adventure

by bronrg

Rating: everyone
Tags: Apple Bloom, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Cutie Mark Crusaders, Other, Adventure
Length: 1622

As a unicorn filly leaves for Canterlot to persue her singing career, and another pegasus to Las Pegasus to persue her acrobatics career, one filly is left, without a talent. This adventure will, hopefully, be her final crusade.

As a unicorn filly leaves for Canterlot to persue her singing career, and another pegasus to Las Pegasus to persue her acrobatics career, one filly is left, without a talent. This adventure will, hopefully, be her final crusade.

This is a story that will rely on different background ponies of the show. Please do not leave a thumbs down just cause "OMG [insert pony] doesn't follow my story" At least give the story a chance, just because you think a certain character needs a certain talent, doesn't mean they're gonna be terrible, okay?

Locations Visited: Manehatten

Published 2014-08-12 14:00:03 UTC
Last updated 2014-08-12 14:00:03 UTC

Prologue

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Ponyville Train Station

January 14, 2020

Apple Bloom sat at on a bench at the station, awaiting her fellow Crusaders to arrive. It was a strange sight to see somepony her age, in her teens, still not bearing any sight of a cutie mark. She was wearing a particularly long skirt, as well as a set of other different clothing to cover up her blank blank. She wasn't too happy of it, as can be told.

Sweetie Belle arrived at the station, along with their guardians in Ponyville, Rarity and Rainbow Dash. They were about to head off to Canterlot and Las Pegasus respectively. Sweetie Belle had got a cutie mark based in singing, while Scootaloo got one in acrobatics, but that's for another story. As of now, they were about to head off to their respective destinations to fulfill a job request there in their fields of talent.

Sweetie Belle looked at the yellow filly sitting on the bench and joined her, slowly comforting her, "Don't worry, you'll get your cutie mark soon enough, and you'll be really happy when you do." "I guess so..." The yellow filly answered, then continued, "But can't y'all just stay here and go crusading with me s'more?"

Scootaloo looked Apple Bloom in the eyes, showing a feeling of sadness, speaking, "We'd love to help you, really. But we do have an opportunity when we get to our stop to get a job in that city, and this is a very rare opportunity for both of us. You understand, right?"

Apple Bloom nodded, remarking, "I understand." She pulled her two friends into a hug, continuing to say, "I just hope y'all will do your best when y'all get there."

Both of them hugged back, and turned to their sisters. The train conductor's voice bellowed through the station, "Trains leaving for Canterlot and Las Pegasus in 5 minutes!"

The three fillies got up. Apple Bloom spoke up to the other twp, "I guess it's time we end our talk here. Cutie Mark Crusaders out." She ended with the traditional salute. They both returned the gesture and walked off with their sisters to their trains.

As Apple Bloom waved goodbye for the final time to them, she felt a connection within her and them, and that they'd support her, no matter what she does. She headed home, eager to continue her quest the next day.

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Sweet Apple Acres

January 15, 2020

Apple Bloom woke up with a though that had been swirling around her mind since before she had left the station yesterday. What if she went on one final crusade around Equestria? She would find her cutie mark, hopefully, and gather some fun, excitement and new friends! She couldn't wait to ask her sister, and immediately went to packing, only to be interrupted by a voice.

"What're y'all doing sugarcube?" The voice rang, as an orange filly came over to give her younger sibling a noogie. Apple Bloom giggled at Applejack, then replied, "I was thinking about going on a crusade, the last one, all 'round Equestria. It'll be cool, I could find my cutie mark, and make new friends too!"

Applejack gave her a small smile, giving her reply, "Of course ya can." Apple Bloom was so happy and jumped for joy, when suddenly a serious "But" came from the older mare, which managed to silence the overly excited filly. Applejack looked into Apple Bloom's eyes as she spoke, "But... you gotta promise me one thing, sugarcube." Apple Bloom stared back intently, questioning her sister, "What is it?"

Applejack's face turned into a smile, commenting, "Promise me you'll have a lot of fun." Apple bloom nodded eagerly, shouting, "I will!" She gave her sister a big hug as she finished packing and headed out, waving goodbye to her family. She walked to the train station, heading to the first stop, the Big Apple...

Author's Note

This my first ever fan fiction, ever, so please go gentle with me, critics! Not so good with proof reading, and I did this chapter in a rush, so please inform me of any and all errors.

Based on the context of the story, I feel Las Pegasus is better for Las Vegas than Los Angeles. After all, Las Pegasus con was in Las Vegas...

Anyway, enough blabbering. Hope you enjoyed the first chapter of what I hope to be a long story!

Next up in Manehatten Part 1 (spoilers):

"Babs? Y'all 'round here?" Apple Bloom said quietly as she walked through the mysteriously quiet house. She then heard a loud crash from another room. As she stepped into it... she felt something crawl up her skirt.

Manehatten Part 1

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Manehatten Train Station

January 15, 2020

Apple Bloom stepped hoof off the train, onto the wooden platform below. She carried her luggage out and walked into the big city. There were tall buildings as far as she could see, not many skyscrapers around, seeing as every building was almost a skyscraper.

She swiftly followed the many street signs located almost around every corner along the way to a very familiar address. As she looked around, there didn't seem to be any life in this house, or the other two next to it. She walked up to the door and rang the doorbell as she stared at the mailbox, it read "THE SEED RESIDENCE".

After a few minutes, she still hadn't gotten a reply, so she knocked again. No answer. She finally knocked so hard that the door would creak open, which shocked her and puzzled her all at once.

She slowly pushed the door open, hoping she didn't intrude anypony's privacy. It seemed that nopony was home, bummer.

But the eerie terrace house had a scary and almost mysterious look to it, and Apple Bloom decided that she couldn't wait anymore. She crept into the building, making absolutely sure her hoof steps were as silent as a mouse.

She slowly crept into the house, looking around the living room, but there was nothing there, except for the usual furniture.

She slowly trotted deeper into the house, there were the soft sounds of dripping water amongst the silence, like a leaky faucet in an abandoned house.

The house itself didn't look so good, but rather poorly maintained. Oil dripped from a pipe in the ceiling as the floorboards had holes all over. It was a disaster, she thought.

"Babs? Y'all 'round here?" Apple Bloom said quietly as she walked through the mysteriously quiet house. She then heard a loud crash from another room. As she stepped into it... she felt something crawl up her skirt.

She jumped, and shook that… thing off. Turns out spiders aren’t the best insects to hang out with. Apple Bloom backed towards the corner and shook it off, then proceeded to follow the sound of the crash from before.

Amidst the darkness, there was the sound of whistling. Somepony was in the house with her! The yellow filly saw that a bedroom light was turned on. She quickly deduced the culprit's location, and she had a plan.

She sneaked over to the other pony, pounced at them. They put up a tough fight, but she pinned them down really easily. She quickly switched on the lights while making sure they were still down. You can only imagine the shock and guilt she felt after she discovered her “burglar”.

“B-babs!?” She stuttered as she looked over her cousin.

“H-hey there cous, what are you doing?”

Oh crud, this is probably quite bad for my image… She thought to herself.

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The New Seed Mansion

January 15, 2020

So, apparently, our dear yellow filly had went to the old house. The Seeds were moving out to another mansion, as the old one was poorly maintained and was quite terrible to the eyes. Babs was there to pick up the rest of the belongings she had… well, her butler did most of the work, but she helped too… sorta.

“Alright, and take all of it and carry it to the mansion, thanks Serving.”

“It’s my pleasure Mistress Babs.” The butler, Serving Plates, says with a very strangled tone, it would seem like he was lying about his statement.

Apple Bloom looked over at her cousin, and fellow crusader. “So,” she started. “You’re moving?”

“Yup, it’s obvious this one… is just no good anymore.”

“Right.” Apple Bloom smiles at Babs as they continue walking to the new mansion, managing to reach before sundown.

They sat down on couches and watched some random reality TV on their flat-screen, when suddenly Apple Bloom catches a glimpse of a little seed on Babs’ rump. “Hey, y’all got your cutie mark already?”

“Uh, yeah. What do you mean by… ‘already?’ Do you…” She glanced down at the yellow filly’s flank and said nothing, going back to watch TV. Apple Bloom felt quite awkward. As she was about to break the silence, Babs spoke up.

“Don’t worry, you’ll get it soon. I can feel it coming on.” She smiles and hugs her blank-flanked cousin, and she is returned with a hug.

Yeah, I’m sure it will come someday, right? Apple Bloom felt slightly reassured. It’s gonna arrive soon, Babs said so, so it must be true, right? … right?

Author's Note

So yeah, official Chapter 1! Whoopie! *streamers all over*

Okay, hopefully now I can submit this. :3 It's more than 1000 words long now.

And yeah, next part: Manehatten! Part 2 (spoilers):

"So, Babs, where're we going anyway?" Apple Bloom said, not recognising the abandoned part of the city.

"Gonna take you to some place... that I think you might like."