Blooming Talent 2: The Apple Falls Far

Apple Bloom awoke in a stiff bed with greenish white sheets and a blanket covering her. She recognized them as the bedding was from the Ponyville Hospital, but found it curious that no machines were hooked up to her. Then again, she supposed she didn't really need them; aside from some bruises she felt alright.

As she sat up, her head began to throb a bit, and she rushed a hand to her temple to try and calm the aching. This was a migraine no mere medicine would fix quickly. She felt like shed just been used like a punching bag.

She gasped as she remembered the goings on from before; without hesitation and ignoring her massive headache as much as she could, she leapt from her bed and nearly kicked the wooden door down to get in the hall. Nurses and doctors jumped in shock at the sudden noise and movement, and each turned their eyes on the anthro. She ignored them, and searched around for a face she recognized, and in a few seconds, found Piccolo standing and conversing with Nurse Redheart.

The view of the namekian caused Apple Bloom's blood to boil, and she quickly sauntered over to him; picking up her pace as she drew nearer. He turned to face her, and his eyes widened a bit, as Redheart backed away quickly.

Apple Bloom, please let me explai--"

Piccolo was cut off by the brute force of Apple Bloom lifting him by his garb and slamming him against the nearest wall; pictures shattered and fell to floor in pieces, and cracks instantly spread out from behind the pinned Guardian.

"You! You helped them take him! You berated me!" She steamed through gritted teeth.

Piccolo struggled to be down, but there was no escaping her grasp without fighting her, and he didn't want to do that. "Apple Bloom...I...I had too...for...for the peace.."

She growled and slammed him against the wall once more, causing more cracks to appear and sending a few already terrified ponies galloping and screaming.

"Give me a reason I shouldn't rip your Celestia-forsaken head off!" She fumed, staring him deadnin the eyes.

There were very few times Piccolo ever felt threatened, and right now, staring into the amber eyes of a hurt and angered mother, he felt as much. He steeled himself though so that he could try and de-escalate the situation.

"You don't understand..." He started. "At the summit..the other leaders...they felt threatened by us...they feared that our powers were far too great to be controlled or stopped....they wanted someone like us....to basically...become loyal to at least one other country....so if something like the Sapphic-incident happened again...they'd have a chance before it was too late..."

"So why didn't you do it?! You've already been against me for awhile now!"

The namekian grunted from another jolt that Apple Bloom swiftly throttled him with. "I...tried to volunteer...but...Midas didn't want one that already had an outlook of Equestria....he wanted...someone he could mold...to be...against us without hesitation...your son...was the only one of us...that fit that description.."

The southern antro mare did not soften her expression at all. " You gave away my baby boy...just to satisfy some selfish bigots? You've betrayed me again, Piccolo! You shouldn't have let them do it! You should have found another way!"

"There...wasn't...I mean...they wouldn't...accept...any other deal..."

"Gee, sounds kinda familiar, huh?" She scorned.

"Apple Bloom..."

"Shut up." She hissed, dropping him to the floor. "I'm going after my son."

She began to walk away before Piccolo gathered his thoughts and called after her.

"Apple Bloom." He said. "If you go after your son...we'll have no choice...but to cut ties with you and your family.."

She stopped and her ears peeked as if she had heard something sinister. She turned around halfway to look at the namekian who was slowly standing back up. "We being who?"

He breathed in and let out a sigh; it was not easy for him to say. "We as in Equestria.."

"On who's authority?"

"Who so you think? It was ordered by Princess Luna that to maintain peace between nations, if anyone were to attack Saddle Arabia for Carrot, they would be no longer allowed back..."

Apple Bloom stared incredulously for a few seconds. "So because I'm trying to do what any mother would and get my son back from those foalnappers, Princess Moonbutt is going to banish me and Goten?! Is that it?!"

Piccolo nodded an affirmative slowly.

Apple Bloom fidgeted violently in place as her breathing increased. This was an outrage! Why? Why must it always be her and her family that pays the price of peace? Why can't it be some pony else? Why does any pony have to give up anything for a stupid treaty? Why?

"Apple Bloom...please...don't do this..." Piccolo pleaded.

She chewed her lip harshly for a moment as she mulled over the directions she could take., but her heart always chose the same one regardless of what her brain was trying to say.

"Guess you'll have to banish me, then." She said. "Because I'm going after my son."

"Apple Bloom!" The namekian shouted. "Think about your remaining family and friends! If this is the path you choose, what happens to them?"

"I'm sure if Scootaloo were able, shed do the same, green jeans." A brash voice called from down the hall.

Both Apple Bloom and Piccolo turned to see who had said the statement, and their eyes fell upon Rainbow Dash; the aged pegasus trotted towards the duo with a very somber face. Her faded rainbow mane and tail swished slightly with her movement, but her eyes never left Piccolo.

"And you'll probably have to banish me too." She added. "The whole give up your baby so we can have peace stuff is bull. I ain't gonna take it sitting down, and I know neither would Scootaloo."

"You can't know that.." Piccolo tried.

"Yes I can." Dash interjected. "I can tell by the bruises and wounds she sustained from those Saddle Arabians that she would and has already done everything she could to keep AB's son safe. So, so will I."

Apple Bloom, already having figured Scootaloo had been injured, silently thanked the blue pegasus for her words. She turned to the namekian and said her last piece.

"You call yourself the Guardian of Equestria, yet you readily hand over its citizens when threatened. Some guardian you turned out to be.."

She turned and started to walk away, by then her temporarily forgotten headache came back full force. Her vision went blurry, and she staggered to stay standing, but couldn't help but fall over as the blackness fell over her eyes.

***

Carrot was crying hard all the way back to Midas' homeland; the incessant wails had driven his guards mad hours ago, but Midas himself minded it not. He knew the young lad was frightened, and he had a right to be. He'd just experienced a taste of the real world, and if Midas knew anything, it was that the real world could be very scary.

Upon returning to his temple, he summoned forth his royal nursemaids to take the child.

"This is the warrior we were promised, Emperor?" One of them asked, holding the infant antro in a basket by her teeth.

"Indeed he is." Midas said, smiling triumphantly.

"What are we to do with him, my lord?"

He took in the little red anthro one more time before speaking. "Raise him. Teach him how to walk, talk, and all of that. And when he learns it all, bring him before me again. I shall be his guidance...his northern star...I shall be...his father."