//------------------------------//
// Chapter 3: Enter Bowser Jr. 
// Story: An Apple in the Mushroomy Kingdom 
// by LordCalamity 
//------------------------------//

In the hallway, The Koopalings where helping Larry recover from the battle with Apple Bloom. Ludwig hands Larry a mushroom and he quickly eats it to restore his health a little. Once he recovered, each of the spiky shelled Koopas discussed about the what happened in the battle.
"I just can't belive I lost! What a bummer." Larry grunted after having to lose to the filly.
"You tried your hardest Larry, perhaps I might have misjudged little Apple Bloom on her level of skills." Ludwig said. "But still, I can't help but want to make her suffer, she needs to learn not to meddle with us." he narrows his eyes in disgust.
"Yeah! You just got beaten up by a little pony! Ahahahahaha!" Iggy laughs at Larry.
"Hey Shut up!" Larry lashed out. "You try fighting her and then we'll see who's laughing when she beats you!"
"Uh-uh! She may have beat you, but I can defeat her easily!" Iggy claims. "Besides, I'mmmmm." Iggy spins around in place until he stops raising his left arm as he struck a pose. "Unpredictable! So HA!" He taunts the young Koopaling.
Larry stands up angrily and was about to attack Iggy when Ludwig restrained him. "That's it! Let me at him!"
"Calm yourself Larry, you'll get your chance next time!" Ludwig assured Larry. "Let her join Bowser's ranks, it makes little difference. For now, we shall see if Apple Bloom is truly worthy enough to earn our respect." Ludwig concluded. He walks out of the room leaving the rest of the Koopalings in the hallway. Iggy sticks out his tongue and runs off leaving Larry pouting feeling humiliated.
"Oh Roy, I believe that you owe me something on our bet?" Wendy asked.
Back at the courtyard, Roy and Wendy were talking to each other about making a wager on to see who wins the battle between Apple Bloom and Larry. Roy was betting on Larry to win While Wendy places her bets on the little pony while the fight is taking place.
Unfortunately for Roy, him losing the bet made him surrender ten gold coins to the female Koopaling. She smugly smiled while taking the coins to herself.


Walking through the corridors of the castle, Apple Bloom finds herself feeling good that she managed to win a fight against one of Bowser's stronger minions. 'Ah wonder if ah should make it up to Larry after giving him such a wallop.' The filly thought to herself. She notices the Koopas and Goombas praising her and giving the earth filly compliments while she passes by them.
"Nice work."
"Great job."
"Way to go!"
Apple Bloom blushes after hearing the all nice compliments from the minions. It was until a Goomba stood in her way feeling a bit nervous.
"Um, hello? Your Apple Bloom right?"
"Eeyup! Thats me." She responded.
"Lord Bowser would like to see you right away." The Goomba said. "Sorry, its my first time being in the Koopa army and It is kinda day one of the job for me."
"Huh? Well how bout that? So ahm I." Apple Bloom lightly wraps her foreleg to him. "Let's both do our best and make Bowser happy!" She gives the Goomba a wink and trots away to visit the room he told the little pony.
This left the Goomba dumbfounded and yet he felt something he wasn't expecting to feel. Encouragement. "I don't know why, but I think that I like that pony. And if she can handle being part of Bowser's minions, then I'll be sure that I can do my best helping out in my own way. Somehow."
Apple Bloom runs through the hallways to find the throne room to see why the king of the Koopas has called her. The anticipation is making her feel nervous yet excited at the same time. Once she finds the large red doors, Apple Bloom slowly breathes in and out to compose herself and without hesitating, opens the way to the throne room.


Apple Bloom walks into the room where Bowser is sitting on his throne holding his head with his fist as he grinned when he sees the filly enters. The earth filly trots on the red carpet all the way to the back of the room and bows down when she is near his throne.
"Howdy Bowser! Y'all wanted to see me sir?" Apple Bloom said to the Koopa king.
"Yes, after much consideration, I've decided to let you join my Koopa troop for reals." Bowser stated. "Beating Larry was just a test to see if you can handle yourself in a tough battle. And kid, you've got guts!" Bowser snaps his fingers letting in two Paratroopas to fly by with one of them holding a black cape with Bowsers face in red to fit with Apple Bloom's size. "Because of that, I asked some of my minions to make this cape for you."
Apple Bloom looks at the cape as the Paratroopa gives it to her and smiled when she puts it on. The fabric itself felt nice and smooth while wearing it around the little pony's neck. "Woah! Now this is an awesome lookin cape! Thank ya Bowser!"
"Heh. Of course its awesome, the fabric is fireproof so that you'll be safe from fire attacks. Plus its got 'my' symbol on it which means that wearing this makes you part of my minions. Now, all you gotta do is to follow my orders and you will do as I tell you. I want you to be tough and strong as long as you are in my troop! Understand?"
Apple Bloom nods her head and gives a salute. "Yes sir, Bowser sir!"
Bowser nodded and smiled brightly. "Good. Now lets see.... where to start you off with." Bowser thinks tapping his chin with his finger claw trying to come up with an order.
Kamek appears flying on his broomstick and lands onto the carpet floor. "if I may interrupt, I did some research on that mysterious pipe." Kamek adjusts his glasses.
"What did you find Kamek?" Bowser said.
"The warp pipe I found near the castle is magical, therefore someone might have made it using their own brand of magic." Kamek motions his hand to Apple Bloom. "And this type of magic is something I might have detected when I first met Apple Bloom, it has a link to another dimension!" Kamek exclaimed.
"ANOTHER DIMENSION!!!" Bowser shouted loudly making Apple Bloom jump in shock. "And you didn't tell me!!"
Kamek re-adjusted his hat. "Yes, it comes from that very world where this little pony came from." He walks to said pony and asks her. "Excuse me Apple Bloom where did you come from exactly?"
Apple Bloom sighed it was only a matter of time until they found out eventually about her. She thinks for a moment whether or not she would reveal Equestria to these creatures. Would they not mind it at all? Or will they try to take it over just like any other villain Twilight and her friends would have to deal with? Even so, Apple Bloom would have to risk it having to join Bowser and hopefully that he would do nothing to threaten the ponies. And as her older sister taught her that being honest is what makes somepony really trustworthy, she had to tell the truth."Ah come from a magical world of ponies known as Equestria."Apple Bloom revealed where she came from.
"Equestria?" Both Bowser and Kamek said at the same time.
Apple Bloom nodded then she awaits the response. The Koopas in the room blinked for a second making things awkward in the room.
"A world full of magical horses huh?" Bowser crosses his arms. "Not a place I heard of before." He waves his claw in a motion not wanting to press on further. "Nah, I don't think I can handle that much cutesy stuff, except maybe Peach. How soon can you send Apple Bloom back home Kamek?"
"W-Well that is the very question, i-its, uh, hmm," The Koopa wizard muttered. "Sh-She can't go back."
"What?" Both Bowser and Apple Bloom said.
"The spell that was used on the pipe was only temporary, which means that it was a one way use and Apple Bloom might have used up the magic on the warp pipe making it a normal pipe with no way to go anywhere." Kamek concluded.
"Yah mean, ah can't go back home?" Apple Bloom frowns as tears started to form in her eyes. Seeing this Bowser can't help but pity the little pony, even though she comes from a different world, she joined his army to be strong and brave. He has to try to do something to make it up to her.
Bowser snorts and gets up from his chair. "There has to be a way! And I will make sure that you have a way to get back to your world, by any means necessary!" Bowser declared. "Kamek! You will try and find that spell to fix up that weird pipe! Now go!" The king Koopa commanded.
Kamek nodded and with a wave of his magic wand, he teleported to someplace within the castle leaving the throne room. Bowser walked towards the filly and knelt down to her level.
Apple Bloom sniffed as she wipes off the tears with her forehooves. "Your really gonna help me get back home?" She asked the big turtle creature showing off her cute wide eyes.
"Yeah, I figured you could use the help, and it looks like you really need it." Despite being a tyrant of a king, Bowser seemed to be understand the little pony's situation and is willing to do that he can to help. "Besides, you got ME and the strength of the Koopa army at yourside! We will find a way don't you worry!"
Apple Bloom, felt a little better knowing that Bowser will try and help her to get back to Equestria by any means necessary. Which is strange usually he is not the kind and caring type given his appearance. The earth pony filly smiled at the Koopa king showing that she is willing to try to be the best minion in Bowser's eyes. The moment was interrupted when someone barged in through the doors.
"DAD! I heard from the Koopalings that one of the new minions beat up Larry! I wanna see them!" Entering the throne room is a Koopa much like one of the Koopalings only this one is unique. He has red hair tied up in a ponytail, a green shell with spikes only less sharp, and he wears a white bandanna with a crude drawing of sharp teeth on it. To Apple Bloom, he looks like a miniature version of Bowser except at around her height which made her giggle a little. "What are you supposed to be?" the Koopa asked.
Apple Bloom brightened up and walks up to him. "A'hm a pony, mah name's Apple Bloom. Ah must say, your so cute. Yer like a mini Bowser!" The earth pony spoke to the little Koopa.
The mini Bowser growled taking offense at that comment. "Hey! I'm not cute! I'm a strong and fearsome prince of the Koopas!" He declared pointing a finger at the pony. "You outta show me some respect you dumb looking horsey!"
She frowned, now it was Apple Bloom's turn to be offended. "What'd ya say to me ya no good varmint!" She butted heads against this Koopa. "Why, I outta teach ya some manners!" Apple Bloom threatened the mini Bowser.
"You wanna fight? Cause I can stomp you down, and I'll burn ya with my fire breath!"
Bowser stand up from his throne and holds both of them apart. "Thats enough Junior, there will be no roasting my new recruit today!" Bowser said to the small Koopa as he pouts. "Apple Bloom, this is my son Bowser Jr. He is my pride and joy, and my heir to the Koopa throne." He introduced him to the young earth pony.
"Thats right! So bow before me!" Bowser Jr. said.
Apple Bloom looks at the two of them and noticed that they do closely look alike. "I was wonderin why ya'll look so similar." The pony filly then puts a hoof to her chin. "Wait, if he's your son, then what about the Koopalings? Ah Figured that they were kinda like yer other kids." Apple Bloom asks the king of the Koopas.
"Nah, they're just my stronger Koopa minions who just work for me." Bowser answered the apple filly making her confused. "I'd consider them my top minions. Well, aside from Kamek."
Apple Bloom was about to retort but took a moment to think when she looks at Bowser Jr then at Bowser. The apple filly thought to herself. 'But that don't make a lick of sense. How can them Koopalings almost look like Bowser, but to not be his own children? I might need to ask Kamek of Bowser to figure this out later.' Not wanting to think about the Bowser family thing further she speaks about another topic.
"Is there a place where ah could stay? Now that a'hm part of your troop." Apple Bloom asks the king Koopa.
"Now that you mention it, I haven't thought about it until now." Bowser said. He looks at his son and immediately got an idea. "Hey junior, you don't mind if Apple Bloom could stay in one of your playrooms right?"
Bowser Jr stomps his foot down feeling miffed. "WHAT!? No way!" Junior complained. "I'm not letting her in my playroom! Its MY playroom! She is not going to touch any of my toys or my other stuff dad!"
Bowser roars causing both Junior and Apple Bloom hold each other scared getting the Koopa king's attention. "I don't care! You'll just have to deal with it for now, Apple Bloom is staying in your room whether you like it or not! Or else I'll ground you for a couple weeks! GOT IT!?!" Bowser scolded his son with a look of rage.
Junior looks at his father trembling until he notices that he was hugging the pony as she made a squee noise. He steps back and sighs defeated. "Grrn. Fine, okay Papa. I'll let her stay. Bowser Jr grumbled.
"Louder Junior!"
"I said I'll let her stay! Geez!"
"Good, thats my boy. Now that its settled lets get back to-"
Suddenly, a Koopa Troopa runs in the throne room with an alarming expression. "Lord Bowser! Lord Bowser! Its Mario! He is coming to the castle immediately!" The Koopa exclaimed.
Apple Bloom looked concerned noticing the worried expression from the Koopa and the two Bowsers angry looks. She thinks to herself. Just who in the hay is this Mario fella? Is he someone ah should be worried about? Whoever he is, Bowser seemed to wanna get rid of him. Maybe ah'll just go with it for now an see what happens.
"Go warn the troops and tell them to get into their battle stations! Ready the traps and everything in the castle to prepare for his arrival, now GO!" Bowser commanded.
The Koopa Troopa nodded and runs off to prepare the minions to do battle with Mario.
Bowser growled under his breath knowing that his arch nemesis is coming to his castle to rescue the princess. "GRRR! Mario is on his way here?! That stupid plumber always ruins my fun!" Bowser snarled. He turns his head to face the little filly. "Okay Apple Bloom, you're going to watch and see ME crush Mario once and for all!" Bowser said as he does an evil laugh afterwards. Apple Bloom felt uncertain as she makes her way over to the battle arena where she will witness a showdown between Bowser and this Mario person.