//------------------------------//
// The Apple Blooms Anew (edited) 
// Story: Friendship Force! 
// by Chrome Masquerade 
//------------------------------//

Applejack looked worriedly down at the changed teen. It seemed that his -her, rather- body was constantly in minor flux.

One moment she was taller than the other, the next her arms were longer, or her legs shorter, or any number of effects. Twilight said that -if Apple Bloom survived the process- she would eventually stablize.  But that did precious little to allay the orange mare's fears in the meanwhile.

She had been there for the past two and a half days. Refusing to eat. Refusing to rest. Apple Bloom felt like a precious family member, as Twilight implied. She just couldn't forgive herself if anything else happened to Apple Bloom.

"Please, Apple Bloom; be okay." she all but prayed. "Family don't leave family behind. Ah WON'T leave you behind!"




Others among the heroes took on various solo missions. Nothing too major, as without their de-facto leader, they were less confident that they could take on any of the High Class tasks. Still, people needed help and there was work to be done.

Applejack had passed out from exhaustion and hunger, at one point. They were barely able to convince her to rest, telling her that her sister would be just fine in the morning.

As it turned out, when the morrow came... 

Apple Bloom rose into the air slightly and started glowing, a  large amount of energy coalescing around her. Her clothes shifted along with her, becoming more appropriate for her new state. By the time that was done, she was wearing a short dress with gloves and stockings(1). She was also wearing a huge red bow, matching her mane.

Then there was a bright flash. And after that flash stood a new heroine wielding a blue shafted staff with a humongous gem atop it.

"Apple Bloom: Landmass Lass!" she exclaimed, thrusting a fist skyward.

Applejack fairly galloped into the room. "Apple Bloom?! What?"

"Look... sis. Ah know that y'all would want ta discourage me from joinin'. But y'aint gonna dissuade me here. This is mah destiny. Ah can feel it! Ah was meant ta be a hero."

With that, on either of Apple Bloom's hips was an apple with a superhero mask and a staff -similar to the one she was holding- lying beside it.

"Well, then." Applejack said. "There ain't nothin' ta be said, is there? C'mon, let's gitcha some trainin'."

"Really?!" Apple Bloom queried excitedly.

You betcha. Yer parta the team, ain'tcha?" Applejack asked rhetorically as she started walking away.

When she was about thirty steps out of the door, Apple Bloom dared to leap into the air and shout, "YES! Cutie Mark Crusaders: Superheroes! YAY!"

Startled, she looked around, hoping that nopony saw that. "Where the hay did that come from?" she queried aloud, and then dashed after Applejack.




Shortly thereafter, Apple Bloom was in the main hall, leading to the training room, Applejack leading. 

"Oh! Right." Applejack said, tossing a device to the newbie. "That's keyed ta me, but since yer carryin' a lot o'ma signature, it should respond to ya too."

"How does it work?" the trainee queried.

"Spin around an' think of a different outfit. That one looks like it'd be a mite restrictive in a fight."

Apple Bloom did as asked, an aura of energy coalescing around her again. When she stopped, she was wearing a short green top and a pair of bloomers, along with short gloves and long stockings.(2)

Applejack winced. "Well, 'at's less restrictive, alright. Try again; somethin' less... suggestive.

Apple Bloom blushed briefly before thinking hard. 'flexible and light, protective and memorable, a little suggestive... I got it!'

She spun around again for much longer, coming to a stop in a red outfit with a green stripe along the chest area, black boots and gloves with some yellow bands at their tops. She also had a black partial mask, which also let her long hair hang otherwise freely in a distinctive ponytail shape(3).

To Applejack's slight chagrin, the green stripe still emphasized Apple Bloom's chest area. and she was fairly sure that 'those' were bigger too, but that might  just be an effect of the outfit. "Ah think ya found somethin' thar!" she nodded in... mild approval. "Time ta make yer entrance."

Applejack opened the door and said, "Introducin' the team's newest heroine:"

Apple Bloom leaped into the room and did several tricks in the air (showing just how "flexible and light" the outfit was) and called to her first power, causing her to create a trail of what looked like grass in the air (but each bit disappeared a split second after, as the young heroine was travelling on it) before landing in a slightly crouched position, holding her staff to the side.

"Apple Bloom: Landmass Lass!" she exclaimed again.

There was applause and nods all around. However, two new voices said,

"That was awesome, Apple Bloom!"

"Yeah! 10/10 for style!"

Apple Bloom looked up to see two other anthro-fillies about her height. One was  an orange pegasus, the other a white unicorn "Who are you two?" she asked.

The two looked at each other and then scratched the backs of their heads in perfect mirror motion. "Yeaaaah... funny story about that..."