Blooming Talent 2: Prodigal Son

by Griffin Productions

Rating: teen
Tags: Crossover, Alternate Universe, Anthro, Drama, Original Character, Apple Bloom, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Other, Starlight Glimmer, Romance, Adventure, Shining Armor
Length: 5130

Apple Bloom is the hero of Equestria, and the world has known peace. But all things must come to an end... (Sequel to Blooming Talent)

Apple Bloom, Goten, and their little son Carrot; long after the fateful battle against Prince Sapphic in the ruins of Canterlot, the Son-Apple family has enjoyed many moons of peace, as have the rest of the world.

However, not everypony is as grateful to them as some might think. Memories are a powerful motivation if they're strong enough....painful enough.

One mare seeks to make sure nopony that powerful can ever rise again to threaten Equestria. And she will go to any lengths to see it happen.

Published 2016-12-15 09:00:01 UTC
Last updated 2016-12-28 02:24:43 UTC

Chapter 0

Shining Armor ran for his life.

The white coated stallion was clad in tattered battle armor which bore the crest of the royal Crystal Empire. It clanked and clattered against the ground and his worn body as he hurriedly galloped through the dark forest, his only illumination the glow of his horn and the aura of the same color around the object he carried close.

It was small and orb shaped, as well as blue in color with four small stars of a darker shade of blue inside it. This object was a Dragon Ball, and it was one of seven like it. This collection of magical orbs was Shining's last chance of achieving his goal, and he was about to lose this one...as well as his life.

They had come out of nowhere, those freaks; ragged, beady eyed and filthy creatures that bore the shapes of ponies. Damned cannibals. He'd read in one of his little sister's Daring Doo books that the Forbidden Jungle outside the Badlands was home to these monsters masquerading as equines, but he thought with his party of brave soldiers and the powerful magic inherent to his family, he needn't worry about such lowly beasts.

How wrong he had been.

The trek had started with five of them; each one a soldier of legendary merit, Flash Sentry among them for his deeds during the war with Prince Sapphic. They'd found the Dragon Ball in a small cave they thought must've belonged to a bear or something of the like. Instead, as soon as Flash had grabbed the orb, he had been jumped by several of them. They were fast as well as strong. They wasted no time in ripping apart his armor with their bare hooves and teeth, and then sinking into his flesh next.

Shining blasted them away, but it was far too late to save the young officer; he was bleeding far too profusely and missing chunks of his body. The other three of the entourage fought back as Shining retrieved the Dragon Ball and sounded the retreat. They hadn't gotten too far before being caught up to.

These ponies had reflexes like felines, and the quickness to boot. They overtook two of the others, and the last soldier died trying to fight back.

Now Shining was on his own, Dragon Ball in tow, and they were right on his heels. Within smelling distance.

That rank stench of years without bathing overwhelmed his nostrils as they pounced. He reared back just enough to blast one away with magic, but was tackled by two more. He could feel them like piranhas ripping apart his remaining armor and finally biting into him as well.

He let out a loud cry of pain, and projected a magical shield outward from himself. This got them off him, but they immediately were back to attacking the shield angrily. His focus was not as sharp as it should've been and he looked around for some kind of exit. He found none.

His spell would soon shatter; he could already see the cracks forming in his dome. He looked down at the Dragon Ball, and then up to the jungle canvas covering the night sky.

"Twilight...I'm sorry..." He mumbled closing his eyes and letting his tears come freely.

He dropped down and the shield dispersed. The cannibalistic ponies stampeded instantly onto him. He prepared as best he could for the pain of being eaten alive, hoping it would not last long.

The pain, however, never came.

Shining hesitantly opened his eyes, and saw each of the cannibals seemingly frozen in time. They did not even blink, nor twitch, some held in mid-air suspension. He also noticed the light blue aura around each of them. It was magic...

He looked behind him and saw a figure approaching. At first, he thought it was one of them that had somehow evaded whatever had happened to the others, but as the shadow moved closer and became illuminated by the magical glows all around, Shining saw it was a mare.

Her purple eyes found him and so too did her smile. Her pink coat and purple hair, which he noted had a blue-ish streak through it, was soft looking and inviting. Her horn glowed with the same aura that trapped the cannibals.

"You...you saved me.." Shining more stated than asked.

She laughed a little. "Hello to you too. You know it's very dangerous to be in this part of Equestria, Prince Armor."

"You...you know me?" He asked shakily, getting back to his hooves.

"You're royalty, big guy. Who doesn't know you?" She answered.

She looked around at her trapped victims thoughtfully. As she did this, Shining noticed that her left ear had a long earring attached to it's lower half which swayed as she moved her head side to side. He swore he'd seen it before somewhere, but decided it didn't matter, nor did the curiosity as to why she only wore one.

"Well, thank you, Miss...uh..."

"Glimmer." She finished for him. "Starlight Glimmer."

He nodded. "Thank you, Miss Glimmer. You really saved my skin."

Starlight shrugged. "I'm not partial to watching well-known ponies get gobbled up. Speaking of that.."

The unicorn blink and in a blinding flash, all the cannibals had disappeared. Shining looked around in amazement. Had she just teleported all of them away...or had she vaporized them. He figured he didn't want to know.

She walked over to him and examined the Dragon Ball in his magical grip. Instinctively, he pulled it back a bit, which she smirked at.

"I'm guessing that's what you took from them to get their attention." She stated. "Those cannibals sure are distracted by shiny things. So simple minded."

"I don't know if it was theirs...but yes, it's what got me into this mess." He looked down at it for a long moment before continuing. "But, even as much as I've lost getting it, it will all be worth it in the end..."

"Must be an important wish if you think losing all your men is worth it..." She commented.

Shining looked down in shame at that; they had been good men who had wanted to help him and Princess Twilight...Flash especially. Oh, Celestia, what was he going to tell Twilight when she asked about Flash..? Was there a limit to how many times one could be wished back from the dead?

He suddenly realized something. "You said wish...you know about the Dragon Balls?"

"Of course."

"But how? I don't remember you being any where in Ponyville or Canterlot..."

"I...like to keep a low profile. I'm not usually the social type, or at least I didn't used to be." She explained, looking away into the distance.

It looked to Shining as though she were remembering something, but her eyes returned from space just as quickly as they'd gone.

"But the main reason I know of them is because..." She pulled something out of her bag attached to her back by rope; it was the one star Dragon Ball. "...I'm also looking for them."

Shining Armor's eyes went wide at the sight. Starlight did indeed have a Dragon Ball. He considered taking it from her right now and running, but then figured Twilight wouldn't want him to heal her by using dirty means like that...

"Do you think...I might be able to trade you something for it?" He tried.

Starlight looked as though she were thinking. "Hmmm, I don't know what you could have on you that's of worth to me right now. Seems you've been torn up quite a bit."

"You already know I'm prince of the Crystal Empire." Shining offered. "I could easily give you thousands upon thousands of bits, or even a mansion should you want that. Anything, but I really need the Dragon Ball!"

"Anything?"

"Anything!"

Starlight once more appeared to be thinking, but to Shining, she was just doing this to tease him. It angered him slightly, but he kept a cool head, hoping she'd agree to some kind of settlement.

Before too long, she spoke again. "Tell you what, Prince Armor. If I help you find the rest of these Dragon Balls, I would like to see Ponyville. A full tour."

Shining shook his head. "That's...that's it..?"

She nodded happily.

That certainly was a strange and easily doable thing. "You know you can always just go and see it yourself?"

"I know, but I'd like somepony who knows it to show me around. I'm sure you know some ponies."

"Well, yes I do but.."

"That's all I'll need." She interrupted, placing the Dragon Ball back in her bag. "Now...where is it."

From that same sack she pulled a large wooden staff that branched off into two prongs at the end. Shining's jaw dropped at having seen that huge staff come out of that small bag. It must have some kind of expansion spell or something on it.

"This staff is something I created shortly after the Dragon Balls were made. I call it my Dragon Staff."

"Dragon Staff? What doe sit do?"

She smiled proudly. "This staff allows me to know where the next nearest Dragon Ball is located. It's how I found mine and yours."

"Woah.."

"So, shall we get started?"

Author's Note

Updates will be done at my leisure. I hope you all will enjoy!

Genetics

5 Years After the Battle of Canterlot

"Hey, Thorax!" Apple Bloom greeted the changeling king as she opened the door to the Apple Family home. "Glad y'all could make it to the party."

Thoax smiled. "Of course, Apple Bloom. I wouldn't miss the birthday of the great saviors son for near anything."

Apple Bloom grinned a tad uncomfortably at the comment. She found it so formal and awkward for every pony to keep calling her some great hero or savior. Over the years following Prince Sapphic's defeat, though, most of the residents of Ponyville and the surrounding areas had gone back to just calling her their friend, but the changelings never quite dropped the title of "Savior."

It's true that it was because of her that the changelings could be accepted in the whole of Equestria, but it still seemed unnecessary to address her so.

Regardless, she stepped aside and let her new friend inside. As she closed the door behind him, she noticed the little form squirming between his clear wings on his back.

"Oh, I see you brought your daughter along." She commented reaching out to boop the little bug like creature on the nose.

She giggled, and scrunched her muzzle up, her forked tongue escaping her lips instinctively licking where she'd been poked.

"Yup." Thorax answered, letting her down off him. "She's supposed to be studying back at the hive, but she wanted to see Carrot, so I figured, since it's been awhile, she could take a break and come with."

"Well I know he'll be happy to see her."

Apple Bloom motioned for the little one to go and see the birthday boy, and she happily trotted off to find her him. Once she was out of sight, Apple Bloom looked back to Thorax.

"How are things in the hive right now anyway?" She asked. "Things going any smoother since they chose you as king?"

The changeling shrugged. "It's slowly getting less Chaotic now that we no longer have to steal love from ponies. In fact, now that we're so open about sharing the love around, I've discovered that we can--"

***

"Pleeeease can I open my presents now, dad?" The small anthropomorphic colt pleaded with the much taller saiyan in front of him.

"Now, Carrot, we talked about this." Goten told his son as he finished restocking the fridge with drinks. "No presents till after dinner."

Carrot's green eyes fell at this and a grumpy expression crossed his features, shadowed by his long black hair draped over his face. But even if his pouty face was hidden behind that curtain, the way his ears twitched and his tail swished, as well as the obviousness of the little tike's crossed arms gave away his displeasure.

As Goten was about to say something about patience and the importance of it, the clip clop of small hooves sounded through the doorway. Both he and Carrot turned to see a tiny changeling stumble in and excitedly wave a hello.

"Ocellus!" The little quarter saiyan half pony called in excitement. Maybe now with his friend here he wouldn't be so bored.

"Hi, Carrot." Ocellus replied with the same amount of enthusiasm but at a lower volume.

Goten smiled and watched his child conversation with his friend; hard to believe that he was turning five years old already. Well, technically six, but he figured being conceived in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber didn't quite count.

Apple Bloom had told him once that Carrot reminded her of her late big brother, Big Mac, with his red fur and green eyes. It was a little strange for there being such a big change in color from his mother, but he wasn't totally familiar with pony genetics yet, and just accepted his little boy as he was without asking many questions. Not like it was a big deal anyway.

"Hey, Carrot." He said, kneeling down to be more eye level with the kids as they turned to him. "Why don't you go join the other kids outside, ok? Dinner will be done soon, and then--"

"Ok!" Carrot happily complied, almost dragging little Ocellus along with him.

Goten chuckled as he stood back up; he didn't even have to say anuwaunything anuwaunything out presents. It was good he had a friend like Ocellus; Thorax's daughter always managed to make Carrot smile.

***

The two kids quickly found their way to the field where the other children of the other guests were out and about. Sounds of tag, play fighting, and laughing shrieks filled the air, but all that was noise to Carrot. With Ocellus in tow, quite literally, he shouted a greeting to the other kids.

"Hey, guys! Look, Ocellus is here!" He called out as they turned to him.

The noises died down a bit as the Colts and filly that they were approaching focused on the changeling. Ocellus quickly shrank behind Carrot at this, which earned a curious look from the birthday boy.

"Ocellus, what's wrong?"

"They're...they're all looking at me like that again.." She quietly replied.

At first, Carrot didn't know what she was talking about, but before he could ask to clarify, one of the other colts spoke up.

"What is she doing here?"

"What do you mean? She's here to play." Carrot answered.

"Not with us, she isnt!" The pink filly of the group exclaimed.

Carrot looked at her confused. "Why not?"

Instead of getting an answer, the other kids began to disperse atskctvthis make themselves distant from the duo. The anthropomorphic toddler became a tad upset at not getting his answer.

"Hey!" He shouted after them, prompting them to stop answered turn around. "I asked you why she can't play with us! You guys always do this when Ocellus is here!"

"Carrot...it's ok...maybe we can go play over--" Ocellus tried to suggest, tugging Carrot's shirt a little with her holey hooves.

"Nuh uh, it's not ok. I wanna know why you guys are always so rude to her?"

There was a bit of silence, and no one spoke for a few seconds. Then, the oldest colt, a white coated pegasus with a dumbbell for a cutie mark, stepped forward.

"Because she's a freak." He said, stopping in front of Carrot. "Just look at her; my dad says anypony that looks like thay can't be trusted. He says that these change...chan...weirdos are nothing but monsters."

"Take that back!" Carrot shouted, probably too loudly, as the other surrounding fillies and colts began to encircle the group to see what was going on. "She is not a freak! She's my best friend!"

"Your best friend?" The colt scoffed in disgust. "Guess that makes sense, since you're a weirdo too. You're not even a pony!"

"I am too!"

"Are not!"

"Are too!"

"Are not!"

At this point, the two were pressing this heir muzzles against each others in something akin to a deadlock between two bulls trying to prove their dominance.

Ocellus squeaked from behind Carrot, poking at him trying to defuse the situation. "Carrot, maybe we can just--"

"You shut up, freak girl!" The colt pointed at her.

"Stop calling her that!" Carrot demanded, obviously very angry now.

"Make me!"

Without hesitation, the little anthro did just that and shoved the older colt back with a hard push. He rumbled back a few feet, but rolled back onto his rear and stood up. He too was now huffing angrily, and letting out a grunt he rammed his head straight into Carrot, knocking him over onto his back. The colt then reared up and brought his hooves down on the quarter saiyan pony hard.

"Hey...leave him alone!" Ocellus cried from a few feet back. When the colt refused to stop and kept wailing on poor Carrot, she tried to pull him off her friend.

All she got for her efforts was a hard headbutt to her muzzle and a vicious look from the white furred young stallion, his amber eyes flaring in anger at her touching him with those gross looking legs. He pushed her down next and prepared to do the same angers he'd done to Carrot.

But he was intereupted, quite suddenly, by a loud yell, a flash of yellow light in the corner of his angry vision, and then a hard punch to his side which sent him flying across the field and nearly into a couple other foals.

Ocellus, tears in her bug green eyes looked over at her friend, and was immediately surprised. His normally long curtain like black hair and tail were now golden and no glowing in color and spiked upwards as if he'd been shocked with electricity.

"I'm done letting you pick on my best friend!" He shouted defiantly.

The white coated colt tried to get up, but sat back down instantly, crying from the pain the anthro had inflicted on him. His cries were quite loud, and would surely attract attention, Ocellus thought.

But while she had been thinking about the parents being the ones who might hear these cries, something else had heard them first.

It happened pretty fast; a few growls and howls, shrieking kids running away towards the house, and fast moving blurs of brown and green rushing out of the forest on the edge of the field.

Timberwolves.

They'd heard the wounded pony's cries, and figured it was a good opportunity for a free meal.

Ocellus shrieked as one of them ran right by her. It quickly met it's end as Carrot's small fist busted it's face into a million pieces.

"Stay away from her!" He shouted at the beheaded wooden creature as its body reformed and scampered away, whining.

Ocellus cried out again and pointed in the direction of the colt who'd antagonize them. Carrot followed her hoof, and shouted aw him getting dragged away screaming by his hind legs by two of the other timberwolves.

Carrot considered letting them take him; it would serve him right for being such a meanie to his best friend. But a pleading look from her convinced him to save him anyway.

He started to run towards them, ready to pound the timberwolves into dust, but suddenly stopped and fell to the ground face first, gripping at his chest. His hair and tail returned to their normal black color before he even hit the dirt and he didn't get up again.

"Carrot! Carrot!" She screamed. "Help! Somepony please help!"

She watched in horror as the one child was quickly dragged away still screaming bloody murder, and her friend lay face in the dirt, breathing hard and slowleemingly still grabbing anyway his chest underneath him, groans of intense pain interspersed.

She began to openly cry and scream, overwhelmed by what was happening. Then, a wood of air flew by, then another, and another. She opened her eyes air not her gain to see a blur of green and white dash over to the timberwolves dragging the colt away. She recognized him as soon as he stopped to break one of the wolves in two over his knee. It was Piccolo, the Guardian of Equestria.

Following behind him was Carrot's dad, and he too grabbed one of the wolves and broke it apart instantly.

The last figure was undoubtedly Apple Bloom, Carrot's mom. She knelt down worried over her son, picking him up and calling Piccolo over. The namekian was there in all instant, and placed a hand on the boy. His expression was one of disbelief and worry, and he and Apple Bloom took off into the sky headed in what looked to be the direction of Ponyville.

She barely had time to let out a squeak as this all happened, and before she knew it she was on her father's back, headed back home.

"Dad....daddy?"

"Oh, good, you're awake, Ocellus." Thorax sighed. "Are you ok?"

She nodded, and looked around. She must've blacked out, because instead of a field, she saw sky and far below were the hive lands where her home was.

She gasped as saw he remembered what had saw he cared her so much. "Daddy, where's Carrot?"

***

Goten sat next to Carrot's hospital bed, hand over his face and breathing ragged. Apple Bloom stood beside him, hand on his shoulder, and looking down with the same concern at her son, listening intently to the machines he was hooked up to, especially the heart monitor.

Neither of them could believe what the doctors had said after they'd taken him into the emergency room. They both had thought transforming into a Super Saiyan was impossible for a non-fusion non-humanoid saiyan hybrid. And yet their son had done it...and the form had strained his little body so much...

The doctor had said...he'd just suffered a heart attack.

Toughing it Out

16 Years After the Battle of Canterlot

The cool night air was refreshing; the breeze caressing his skin and playing with his long white cape, the temperature chilling but not freezing, leaving a pleasant sensation on his arms.

The moon light gleaming down upon him as if to tell him she wouldn't be gone long. Piccolo closed his eyes and breathed in deeply, even smiling slightly as if to say he would be here when she returned.

The Guardian of Equestria opened his sharp eyes and gazed up at the large white orb in the sky with an affection not usually seen on his normally hard demeanor. His attention then turned back down to the winding down town of Ponyville below from his hillside perch. The Namekian gave a curt nod, affirming to her he would never let anything happen to this place again so long as he could help it.

Piccolo's thoughts were interrupted, however, by a familiar voice tinged with a southern twang he knew so well. "Hey, Piccolo."

He uncrossed his green and pink arms as he turned to face the savior of Equestria, Apple Bloom. The mare was in her anthro form, as was quickly becoming the norm for her, but even in a magical state such as that, he could tell the difference from the Apple Bloom of the now and the Apple Bloom of the past.

Though still vibrant, the Element of Honesty's red hair was beginning to fade out and become more maroon in tone. Her amber eyes, once bright and sparkling with life held a dull tiredness in them he had become accustomed to by now. But, even with all that and other blemishes, the one known as Apple Bloom was still as beautiful as she could be. Any stallion would agree that Goten was a lucky man having wed her.

"Hi, Apple Bloom." Piccolo responded. "Everything alright?"

It was then that Piccolo noticed she had brought something along with her. In the mare's right hand she held a box tied to a rope handle containing six clear mason jars. Inside each one was a golden-orange liquid that was unmistakable.

He looked up at her and she smiled weakly. "Care for a drink, friend?"

Around an hour or so passed, and all but the drinks in the two warrior's hands were left of the alcohol hand made by Bloom herself; an old family recipe. They had talked, shared some laughs, even a few memories from what seemed like centuries ago to them. After awhile, Apple Bloom's content look faded into one of a more somber tone.

This did not escape the namekian's notice. "What's going on, Apple Bloom? I don't think you came up here just to swap old memories with a friend..."

"Is it that obvious?" She half-heartedly chuckled, taking another swig.

Piccolo did not nod, nor affirm this with words. He knew she would've said something sooner or later. He just figured sooner might be better.

"It's Carrot..." She finally said, almost stopping herself mid-statement. "He's going to be sixteen years old in a few days...can you believe it?"

Piccolo grunted and nodded. "He's come a very long way since he was just a child. He's growing up."

Apple Bloom sighed. "Sometimes I wonder about that..."

"What do you mean?"

"Carrot...it's like he hasn't really grown up at all..." She elaborated. "Don't get me wrong, he's a good boy, and I love him with all my heart and soul...but he's...he's almost immature..."

She looked upwards as she continued. "He's usually a good young man at home; does what he's told, and treats me and Goten with respect, even if we do butt heads sometimes over stuff. But his...his anger issues..."

She paused for a moment.

"His anger issues are out of control...it's like he's programmed to go off on anypony who speaks ill of me, Goten, or...or Ocellus..."

"That changeling girl he hangs out with?"

"That's the one. They're always together, which isn't really a problem, I suppose. But the second she gets even a bad look form somepony else, he gets up in arms. Three days ago, I got called in to the high school because Carrot literally broke another stallions front legs near in half because he said Ocellus' horn made her look like a mutant unicorn....and this time I was lucky to not get a hospital bill for Carrot as well..."

Piccolo raised an eye in slight astonishment. "Carrot went Super Saiyan just to beat up a bully?"

"He goes Super Saiyan for every problem that he feels requires violence to fix..."

"But why? He knows that it's dangerous for his heart to be in that form at all because of his genes..."

"I really don't think he cares..." Apple Bloom said. "I think...I think as long as he makes it clear who is the better stallion and he teaches them to not mess with him or those he cares for anymore, he doesn't care if it hurts him or even kills him. And in a weird way that's pretty admirable...but it's also scary..."

She wrapped her arms around her jean covered legs. "Sapphic was the way he was because he wasn't powerful enough to save his loved ones before, and when he did finally get that power, he nearly had his complete revenge and stopped at nearly nothing to achieve it. I'm..."

Tears were flowing form her squinted eyes now. "I'm afraid my baby boy is gonna end up similarly...so much power and the ability to right anything he feels is wrong at the cost of his own safety...if he didn't kill himself, I'd be the one who'd have to...to..."

Piccolo immediately moved to embrace Apple Bloom with his arm closest to her and held her shaking hands in his with the other. She sobbed quietly into his shoulder pad, trying not to be too loud and wake the town down below. He gave her a quick squeeze before speaking.

"It won't happen, Apple bloom." He said reassuringly. "You've been a wonderful mother to Carrot; better than Chrysalis ever could've been to Sapphic. You and Goten have raised him to be the best young stallion you could make him and--"

"But that's it, Piccolo." She choked. "I never had a real mom and dad growing up. They both died when I was so young...I didn't know a thing about being a momma and I still don't...so how do I know what to do to raise my boy right? What if I've already messed up too much? Have I sheltered him too much for his illness? Spoiled him too much? Why is he so angry at everything these days..?"

Piccolo said nothing, and just hugged Apple Bloom closely. Her current thoughts had reminded Piccolo of the years following the Dragon Ball's creation. He'd asked why Apple Bloom hadn't yet wished for her family to be revived. She'd told him that after long thought and discussion that she didn't want to pull her loved ones away from the Heaven and paradise she now knew they were enjoying just to satisfy her selfish wants, in her own words.

It had been a noble decision, and had made Piccolo respect the young mare even more. But now he was wondering if maybe she could've used some guidance from those she no longer had...such as her parents.

Later on, after the first few times Carrot had transformed into a Super Saiyan, the namekian asked once again why she didn't use the Dragon Balls to cure him of his heart disease. She had said that Applejack had always told her that hardships had the potential to make you a better person, and things like this could give one a greater appreciation for life as their time could be limited. He had not agreed with her decision then, and he could see now she was considering going back on her word.

But he knew she wouldn't.

That's why he didn't even ask the question on his mind; use the Dragon Balls to take away Carrot's anger. She knew that if he asked she would tell him something along the lines of it no longer being her true baby boy, because he'd been magically fixed to be "better."

Apple Bloom was a mare who believed in toughing out life and not relying on magical solutions to solve every problem. Perhaps that was her Earth Pony blood...or perhaps her instilled hard work ethic. Or perhaps, that was just Apple Bloom...

"I will never let that kind of future come to pass." Piccolo said to her. "I'll keep your boy who he is...no matter what..."