Blooming Talent 2: The Apple Falls Far

The sun finally sank over the far horizon of the plains outside Equestria. It had taken Goten and Apple Bloom hours before they'd finally reached the border, due to the anthro's current condition.

The network of blackened veins was still expanding, but at a much slower rate than before. Goten figured it was either his wife's immune system attempting to fight back, or her sheer willpower keeping her alive. Honestly, however, he didn't care which one it was so long as she was not in immediate danger.

Still, she was already very weak from how far it had already spread; Apple Bloom had hung on him the whole trip as the pain was too much for her to even stand by herself. This had cost them mobility as well; normally they could've been to Saddle Arabia by now, but that kind of speed was just not plausible in the situation. Goten didn't want to just leave his wife to die...Carrot needed his mother if they were to get him back...

Apple Bloom grunted for the hundredth time and let out a sharp breath.

"You OK? Is it spreading more?" Goten quickly asked.

Apple Bloom squeezed her eyes shut and gritted her teeth. After a moment or two, she exhaled loudly and looked to her husband. "Its always spreading; i can feel whatever it is creeping all over me every second. Heh, I doubt even Granny's soup would help this."

Goten smiled awkwardly. An attempt at humor meant she was at least coherent. He positioned himself under her good arm again and they continued floating on.

Apple Bloom winced again before having a thought. "Would be easier if I was in pony form?"

The half-saiyan thought on that as they hovered along; the smaller body would be easier to port around, yes, but what if her smaller body meant the infection would spread faster? He groaned as he imagined his beloved laying in his arms completely covered by a ink colored network of veins and taking her final breaths.

"Let's...just keep going as we are." He finally answered.

"But it will take us weeks to get to Saddle Arabia like this..." Apple Bloom said. "I want to rescue our son as soon as possible...before that bastard does something awful to him..."

"I wanna save him too, dear...but if I go and save him and you die along the way, what good is it going to do him..? He needs you just as much...if not more...than he needs me."

"You're his father." She told him. "He'll always need you."

"And you're his mother." He replied back with a smile. "He'll need you as well."

Apple Bloom smirked in defeat. "I guess he needs both of us then."

Goten nodded, and turned his sights back on the darkened horizon. They'd get Carrot back...both of them. From whatever horrible fate had befallen their baby boy.

***

Carrot giggled happily at all the pretty bubbles that floated up from the tub as the emperor's nursemaids cleaned up the little anthro. He popped one with his finger and then clapped in delight as it exploded silently in little specks of soap. He stared at one spot in the sea of foamy liquid in particular, as if knowing something was going to pop out. Lo and behold, a new bubble slowly plopped itself free, and started its ascent. Carrot ended the bubble's travels there with a clap; the wet smacking sound slightly startling the nurse horse cleaning him.

She smiled as he giggled happily at his deed. "Now, now, little one, I know its fun to pop the bubbles but don't get to excited OK?"

Carrot watched her as she spoke, and smiled when she finished, happily returning to the bubble popping. The nurse horse smiled; he was so precious and innocent. He had no idea what was truly going on in the world around him, and the thought saddened her slightly. At the very least, the emperor was being generous to this particular child; even so, she knew from what the emperor had said that he would end up in the same place as all the others...

She was shocked out of her thoughts by the door opening suddenly, which Carrot seemed completely oblivious to. She turned to see who had barged in, and quickly bowed when she saw the golden armor on the tall stallion.

Emperor Midas trotted in, carrying a little light reddish foal in his mouth by her strap which she was riding in. He promptly set her in the tub, to which she whinnied happily and began splashing, making Carrot look at her kind of confused.

"The usual bath for the lady, my lord?" The nursemaid asked.

"Yes, Mary." Midas told her, not even looking at the bowing mare. "Be sure to get behind her ears as well."

He trotted out and into the gold accented hallway, leaving Mary to attend to the two giggling babies.

Midas was joined by Equisbane about a minute or so after exiting the bathroom. This was not a surprise, however, as Midas had been expecting him.

"What did you find?" The emperor questioned, trotting on through the massive walkway.

"Its confirmed, my lord." The bulky stallion said. "Your current suit houses the last of the Legacy Suppressor in the palace."

Midas grunted, knowing that meant he was going to have to take it easy for now, or risk injecting the last of it into himself with no replacement. He composed himself, and faced his bodyguard.

"I assume you have a party assembled to retrieve more?" He asked.

"Of course, my emperor, we will be departing shortly and should return in a week and a half or so." Equisbane informed. "Please refrain from strenuous activity until then."

Midas grinned. "Is that an order, old friend?"

"Of course not." The other stallion responded. "I just wish not to find my savior deceased when I return, my lord."

The emperor chuckled, and nodded to Equisbane; the latter galloped off to perform his important duty. Midas trotted on; he found himself wondering just how much longer he had left. Years spent trying to find the perfect one for the task he needed done. This young anthro might very well be the one he seemed; he just hoped he would live long enough to see it through.