//------------------------------// // Power Unleashed // Story: Blooming Talent // by Griffin Productions //------------------------------// Appleten stood staring fierce holes into Sapphic as she held his magical weapon at bay with her Spirit Sword. Piccolo sat andstared at the fusion fighter as her power level continued to rise. He knew of it before hand and even so, the presence of such overwhelming ability stunned him. "Piccolo," She spoke in her double voice, not looking at him. "can you sense the pony's power levels near here? Are they far enough away for me to start at least?" The namekian stared a few seconds longer, perplexed by the still rising power level. "Piccolo!" She shouted. He shook his head, returning to his senses and focusing them on finding the ponies that were no doubt evacuating under the ground. They were still not outside Canterlot's borders, but he figured that they were far enough away that Appleten could finally let loose. Standing up he looked at the potara warrior as she continued to raise her power level. "All except for Pinkie Pie in the castle," He said as Sapphic's eyes bulged at the mention of the pink party pony being inside his castle. "the ponies are far enough away that you don't have to hold back anymore...but..." There was a silence for a few moments before Piccolo spoke again. "Appleten...don't let your rage get too much of a hold on you...be careful..." The potara warrior nodded, but still didn't look at him; her hate-filled eyes were firmly affixed to the changeling king as he continued to hold back her energy blade. "Take Trunks and get somewhere safe." She suggested. "I need a lot of room for what's gonna happen here. And I'd hate for you to get caught up in it." Piccolo nodded, and walked over to pick up the half-saiyan's corpse as carefully and ceremoniously as he could under the circumstances. He had to avoid looking at his face, however; the dead stare his former student now possessed was heartrending to say the least. He took one last look at Appleten, and took off like a bullet away from the battle zone. "Pinkie," He telepathically called to the party pony. "It's time. If there are any changelings still not fleeing the scene, take them out and let's go. Appleten's going to cut loose." "Okie dokey loki!" She said back through the channel. Sapphic watched as Piccolo flew off, and then turned back to the opponent before him. There was no way she could have all this power...and still keep raising it. What was she? His senses pinged at the same time his memory returned; this... "This is the same energy I sensed earlier...so it's you...you're the one with the massive power!" He shouted in disbelief. "You think this is bad?" She taunted without inflection. "Just watch this..." She swung the Spirit Sword wide, and shoved Sapphic back. The changeling king jumped back to avoid being decapitated as the beam vanished with the swing like a ghost. He made ready to attack again, but something stopped him. He wasn't able to move forward. Why? What was holding him back from her? He soon realized a pressure against him when he stopped pushing forward, and felt himself being pushed backwards. His armored feet started to dig trenches into the street as the tyrant struggled to just stand upwards. "What...what pressure...! Amazing...what are you..?" Appleten didn't speak for a moment. She hunched over and let loose a loud, echoing shout that rippled the very air around her with the mere sound, not to mention the power now literally pouring out her every cell. Her power started to rapidly increase again, and the number were going up by the thousands every few seconds. Sapphic couldn't believe what he was seeing and feeling right now; this had to be some kind of nightmare or hallucination. One of the ponies must have done something to him. Maybe the armor smith had put something in the mask of his armor. He did notice a faint ticking, but that hardly mattered now. This anthro...no; this monster before him was still charging up. There had to be a limit; there just had to be. And yet... Appleten's power equaled Sapphic's perfectly and inanother instant, it had surpassed it and was still going up. "Stop!" Sapphic shouted, trying push an offensive, but the air was too thick to even breathe easy. "Stop it right now! I am the strongest in Equestria! You shouldn't even exist!" Appleten ignored him and continued to yell as the street started to crack apart beneath her and chunks rose into the air like balloons, exploding as they got near her. Her eyes were what really were caching his attention though. They weren't brown anymore like they had been earlier. No...these were not the same eyes that had been smoldering before...these eyes were aflame with a power and passion unlike anything he'd ever seen; they're greenish-blue hue was sharp as the finest blade and were stabbing daggers into his very soul...and she wasn't even looking at him yet. Her long black mane started to float upwards abruptly, and sink back down before repeating the process over and over again. For a moment, Sapphic could have swore her mane and tail were changing to...wait...they were! Appleten's mine and tail were flip-flopping between a golden blonde and her normal black colors. But how? The only species he knew that had an ability like this was... "No...no, it can't be true! You can't be a--!!" Appleten lurched into a standing position, raising her head skyward as her mane and tail completed the color change to gold and a brilliant golden glow emanated from her as power unbelievable exploded forth from her. Sapphic had to put every ounce of strength he had in him forth just to stay standing upright, and he was still being pushed hard. Once the massive surging of power and pressure subsided, Sapphic fell to his knees and gasped, now able to breathe again. When he looked up his eyes went wide with something he hadn't truly felt or decades; fear. Se stare blades into the tyrant with her greenish-blue eyes; her face stone cold with intensity. "I am Super Appleten. And you? You're toast."