The Goku family was all seated around the dinner table plus young Apple Bloom. The tabletop was covered with an impressive spread of several different types of food ranging from banquet level cuts of meat, to nice, crisp vegetation. Chi Chi had been asked by Gohan to make a bit extra of the green stuff, as on the way home, he learned Apple Bloom was incapable of eating meat. In fact, when he had asked, the yellow pony had looked rather disgusted at the prospect of eating something she may of once known.
When they had arrived at the house, Chi Chi had been completely confused by the presence of the earth pony. Though, after a few questions, had welcomed her into the house like any other guest. But even though they had asked a few questions already, there were still a few that needed to be answered; and even though Goku had read her mind, he would just tell everyone to ask Apple Bloom, rather than divulge anything.
"It's not my place to tell you." He would say.
Once every little morsel had ben eaten off the finished wood, Chi Chi began to chat with young Apple Bloom whilst she cleaned up. The polite young mare was happy to give her a hand with dishes.
"So, Apple Bloom," She started. "where are you from?"
"I come from a place called Equestria." She stated plainly.
"Equestria?" Chi Chi questioned. "I've never heard of that place."
"Well, I suppose you wouldn't of." The earth pony affirmed. "It's... bit complicated as to where it is."
"Complicated? What, are you an alien like my husband? Like, from another planet?"
Apple Bloom scratched her mane in thought. "Not really another planet, more like another dimension. I think Twilight used the term 'pocket verse.'"
Now it was Chi Chi's turn to scratch her head. "Pocket verse? What's that?"
"I can't really explain it as well as Twilight, but it's like a world that exists within another. We technically live on the same planet, but we can only access each other's lands by mystical means."
"I take it that's how you got here." She said, starting to understand a bit.
"Eeyup!" She replied, using a silly way of saying "yup" she seemed very familiar with. "When I told Twilight that I wanted to learn from he best, she directed me to the "History of Alternate Realities" section of the library. I found a book about Goku; although it also called him somethin' like carrot cake? Anywho, I told her this was the one, and she conjured up a spell, and sent me here....course, she got the area wrong, an' I had to run all over to find y'all."
"Makes some sense." The voice of Gohan came from behind them.
The half-saiyan was now wearing a pair of glasses that hadn't been there previously. "We've dealt with alternate future timelines before. It's not too hard to believe in Alan Guth's theory of pocket dimensions."
Chi Chi beamed. Even though her oldest son had grown up as a fighter like Goku had wanted, he still found time to study and work on his knowledge just like she had wanted. It was a good balance.
"I gotta ask though," Gohan continued. "what's that..uh...'cutie mark' was it?"
"Oh," she said, looking back at her flank. "I suppose I should tell ya that. It's not tattoo or nothin'. Ponies where I come from get a cutie mark when they discover their special talent. Some are writers, teachers, farmers. All sorts of crazy things. I think one of them even has a cutie mark for being crazy.."
Gohan put a thoughtful hand to his chin. "So it's like a coming of age thing, in a way."
"Eeyup."
"Cool." He continued. "So, if it's not too much, how did you get yours?"
"Well," she answered, putting the plate she had been scrubbing down. "I had been takin' some lessons every so often since I was little. A couple months ago, I actually began trainin' more than jut once every few weeks. Me and my pals, we called ourselves The Cutie Mark Crusaders, had kinda given up on the whole "crusade for our cutie marks thing. Or at least, we didn't do such ridiculous schemes to do it anymore."
She laughed remembering the things her, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo had done in their youth. It was so odd the things they tried, and each of them finally got one in something pretty normal.
"Anyway," she continued, a smile still on her lips. "I got mine when I entered into a pony karate tournament. I had made it to the final match, but the mare I was fightin' was just a tad bigger than me, and she used her weight advantage to put a bit more power behind her blows. At first, I was upset at having lost, but when I woke up in the recovery room, my big sister pointed to m flank with a big smile, and I saw my cutie mark. Guess I got it for going as hard as I did. Funny how it looks though. I haven't actually broke a board with my bare hooves in a long time."
Gohan was intrigued by this cutie mark business. But he had another question. "So then, you have skill in some basic martial arts already."
"Eeyup."
"I gotta war you, Apple Bloom," He continued. "my dad's training will get to being more than just punches and kicks...it could get pretty intense."
She turned to face him, puffing her chest out. "Not to worry! I can handle it!" She shouted proudly.
"Well," Goku finally spoke, getting up from the table. "tomorrow we can--"
"Kakarot!" Came a rather loud and gravelly voice from outside.
"Uh-oh..." Chi Chi moaned. "What does he want now?"
Apple Bloom watched curiously as Goku headed for the door to answer. When the saiyan did so, a shorter, but just as muscular male stood outside, arms crossed. He wore a sleeveless leather jacket, black in color, over a dark red tank top. His dark blue jeans also looked a little tight. His hair was up in spikes, and, had it been a bit brighter than the pitch black it was, would've reminded Apple Bloom of a fire.
"Vegeta!" Goku said, cheerfully. "What's up?"
"Come now, Kakarot," Vegeta said in reply; Apple Bloom remembered the weird name the book had given Goku's alias. That must have been it. "cut the pleasantries. It's been to peaceful around here. I need a sparring partner that won't fall over in one punch."
Goku laughed loudly, but stayed standing tall. "What about Trunks?"
"Trunks is away on some venture he toldme nothing about." Vegeta grumbled. "You are the only one beside my son who can keep up with me."
Gohan cleared his throat, but Vegeta ignored him.
"Well, actually, you've come at a pretty good time!" Goku said. "Vegeta, I want you to meet Apple Bloom."
Apple Bloom made herself visible by stepping into Vegeta's line of sight. The saiyan prince looked dumbfounded at the sight, and Apple Bloom recoiled at his expression, checking herself for unseen blemishes.
"What in Beerus' name is that? A tiny equine?"
"No, she's a pony." Goku corrected.
"There's a difference?" Vegeta asked, a vein popping up in his forehead.
"Of course," Goku giggled. "Haven't you ever seen a pony before?"
Apple Bloom had to chuckle a bit at Goku using her line. She looked back at Vegeta. He was intimidating for a smaller bipedal. He also looked pretty quick to anger, judging by the throbbing vein on his face.
"Kakarot, why is there a...a.....pony," he spat the word out as if it were poison. "in your home? Don't you have enough animals with Puar and Oolong and what not?"
"I'm not a pet, silly, I'm gonna be his student." She finally spoke up.
Vegeta did a double take. "It talks?"
"I'm a she, thank you kindly."
Vegeta stared at her. "And you're Kakarot's...student..?"
"Eeyup."
There wasa moment of silence before Vegeta burst into laughter. It sounded evil to Apple Bloom's ears, and she was once again not sure what to think of him.
"You...you...nice..ohhh, nice joke. You're much funnier than Kakarot." He said, wiping a tear away.
"It's not a joke, Vegeta." Goku said, a smile still on his features. "I'm taking her on as my student."
"How can you train an equine in martial arts?" Vegeta interrogated. "She's four-legged and we are not!"
"Well, she already has experience in fighting, so she's off to a good start."
Vegeta then raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Is that so?"
He turned back to Apple Bloom, who was now nervously shifting in place. He walked over and stood before her, arms crossed with an evil grin playing across his mouth.
"Well then, " he said. "I'll have to test her prowess for myself."
"Hey, that's a great idea!" Goku piped up. "What a great way to start training by sparring with Vegeta."
"Uh, dad..I don't think that's such a god idea.." Gohan interjected nervously.
"Nonsense, Gohan." Vegeta said, not taking his eyes off the mare. "It will be a good way to introduce her to the reality of the way we do things here. Heh heh heh."
Apple Bloom swallowed hard. Suddenly she wasn't so sure she was ready to train with these warriors.