Lynx feels as if he's floating. He can't feel any type of surface beneath his feet, nor the air on his skin. He can't feel...anything. His hearing is a little sloppy, but he can even swear that he is hearing six voices. Voices that belong to the ponies that he now calls "friends".
The prince recalls the memories that he had with these friends.
It's nothing. I'm always happy to enjoy a friend's company.
One of them is a shy mare. He recalls the memories he's made with this mare. Remembering just how quiet and passive she is. Her cowardness has sometimes driven him to retch. But she is a great listener, and he feels comfortable opening up to her every once and a while.
Ugh! Okay we get it! You're a tough guy, but you need to let others care about you too!
Another one is a tenacious pegasus. He recalls that she's kind of bratty, and talks too much. But she's also strong and determinated. Always training to be better than before. Such a thing is something that a Saiyan can relate to.
You seemed to enjoy working on the farm.
The third one is a confident earth pony. One with an incredible sense of determination that can sometimes lead her to stubbornness. But despite not spending as much time with her as the other two, the Saiyan always finds it easy to get along with her, finding the chores she does for her farm, the best training that Equestria can offer.
Well, whatever the case, these eyes look spectacular on you, dear.
The fourth one is a unicorn, whose generosity knows no other. She has gotten on his nerves one too many times, mainly due to their clashing ideologies about clothing. However, Lynx remembers how great he secretly felt when he managed to protect her and her shop from Princess Luna's blast.
Because you are my friend, silly!
Then there is the pink one. No matter how hard the warrior tries, he just can't figure her out. She's so random, so chaotic, that she makes sense out of her nonsense. And yet, the prince can't help but admire her seemingly ever-lasting optimism. Her smile can give him one too, though he makes sure no one notices it.
It will all be okay.
And finally there's the smart magical prodigy. Twilight Sparkle. She's strong. Very strong for her species. If Lynx was a little kid, she would definitely be a challenge. And yet he can't count the amount of times that she annoyed with her overexcitement for learning.
Beyond these six voices, there is a seventh one. One that feels distorted and unpleasant.
He has heard of this voice before, and there's a weird urge for him to puke. Whose voice is it? He thinks for that it might to his master, Owlto. Though he shrugs off the though just as quickly as it comes to his mind.
There's no way that his body would have such a reaction from hearing his master's voice. He respects him, he wants to see him again and clear things out. But now, it's too late. He doesn't even know if he's alive or not. And even if Owlto is still alive-which he doubts-who's to say that they can go back to how it once was.
Maybe in the after life, he figures. Maybe he'll find him there, and he will then be happy.
Are you?
The distorted voice voice comes back.
'Happy? Well, depends on your definition of it.'
"Are you ready?"
The voice suddenly becomes clear and it forces him to open his eyes. Right in front of him there is a kid, a kid with an incredibly annoying face. Of course. Who else would make him want to throw up just by hearing his voice?
"Come on, Lynx. We don't have all day."
Their first ever fight. He still remembers it. Even after all these years. He still remembers it clear as day. Them starting the fight under moon's light, choosing to duel right outside the house they shared with Owlto. All of it, even their moves.
Lynx chose to go first, leaping into the air and swinging his short legs to aim for the head. The attack was blocked but it was enough for the prince to force Bee to be on the defensive. The elite threw punch, after punch, after punch. Never stopping, never letting the opponent breathe, always using his perfected offense to break the opposing wall.
For just the briefest of seconds, he stopped so that his co-student could counter-attack. But even back then, Lynx was fast. He grabbed the arm from behind and pulled him all over his shoulder, bringing him back to the ground. It really seemed that the prince had won, and Bee couldn't do anything but accept defeat.
But then...
"Kaioken;3x!"
Just a few words. One short sentence, and the tables had turned. Bee vanished out of sight before punching the young royal in the face.
After the hit, Lynx tried to get back up. But he couldn't. No, matter how hard he tried, he just couldn't . His legs just wouldn't listen to him. He couldn't believe it. He still can't The elite just...lost. To a low-class warrior. How is that even possible? It shouldn't be. But it is. Or at least it was. Nowadays, the Super Saiyan can probably destroy him without even trying.
Yet back then, Bee always had the upper hand, thanks to that stupid technique!
That dreaded question still haunts him to this day. Why? Why couldn't he beat him?
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Lynx's eyes open wide, as he is suddenly back in his bedroom. He puts a hand on his chest. It's fast. His heartbeat is fast. But his breath is catching up.
The nightmare is over thankfully. Though it felt all too real. It has been years since he experienced humiliation for the first time, yet the bitter taste is all the same.
But something tells him that this nightmare isn't random. Someone is coming for him. The prince can feel it. Yet it's not Bee. If it was, Lynx would have recognized the signature immediately. Though it's still familiar somehow. And if his suspicions are correct, then he has to do something. His time staying in the legendary form has lengthened, so he can definitely defeat the threat. No doubt about it.
But Lynx still has these voices in his head that are telling him to wait. These voices in his head that are telling him to stop. These voices in his head that are telling him to not kill. How is he suppose to win if he's not able to able to take a life? Mercy is a weakness that his enemies will not share. He can't stop them though. But he has to in order to protect the ones who planted these in his mind.
Before the young Saiyan can dwell in this thought, a loud knock on the door and a couple of familiar voices grab his attention. Opening said door, the royal is greeted by a mare that he starts to see more and more each day. "Mornin' Lynx." The brash pony waves at him with one of her wings.
"Morning..." The prince says immediately walking towards the gravity room. "Come on. Today we're going to take things up a notch." Soon enough, the pegassus follows along, but not before pointing one little detail.
"What's that for?" She asks, her hoof showing a small bag placed gently on a table.
Having great awareness of his surroundings, Lynx answers without even looking back. "For emergencies."
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When Lynx told her that they will be taking it up a notch he was not kidding. In just the first few minutes, Rainbow has had to fly around the room, then do over a hundred wing-ups, and even try to evade some of the prince's small Chi Blasts. All of these have certainly been a challenge for the winged mare, but it didn't take long for her to adapt. And as she adapts, she can feel herself growing stronger.
Yet, throughout this intense training, there is something that she has been thinking for longer than she likes to admit. She has a goal. Ever since, she was a filly she's had the same goal; Become a Wonderbolt.
And she has been working herself out in order to achieve it. From doing 10 laps around Ponyville every day, to even training a Saiyan. But there's a question that's been popping in her head every now and then; Will all of this be enough? Will all of her efforts and training through-out the years be enough to even get accepted to the Wonderbolt Academy? Or will it all be for nothing? And this thought is now clouding her mind, to the point where she ends up making a sloppy mistake, which leads to her falling down to the surface of this room.
Rainbow Dash tries to get back to her hooves, but she can't. Whether it is because of the intense gravity of this place, or her own thoughts right now, she doesn't know. The pegasus glances at her Saiyan friend, who is now looking down at her with a blank expression on his face.
She can't read him. No matter how much time she spends with the Super Saiyan, he is unreadable to her. But it seems that it's the opposite the other way around. Because as the young prince approaches her, it feels as if he's reading her mind. "Let me tell you something you should already know;..." His voice is calm, and even welcoming. "Life isn't as perfect as it seems." Rainbow mentally scoffs at the comment. Life isn't perfect? Of course she knows that. She may be from Equestria, but that doesn't mean she hasn't experienced some hardships. But even though the rainbow-maned mare disagrees with his tone, a part of her decides to let him continue.
"Throughout your time in its land, it teaches you sadness, grief, despair, humiliation etc." With just a clenched fist, Lynx shows her what he means. "And if you let things like that consume you, that's when you've truly lost." The prince of all Saiyans goes to return the gravity back to normal, allowing Rainbow Dash to take a moment to think about the hardships she's experienced through-out her life. Thinking about the lows, the highs, the metaphorical sacrifices she's made. But most importantly, thinking about her loyalty, the element of harmony, that she's come to represent.
"You are strong for your kind..." The cyan pegasus is taken aback by his statement. She never thought Lynx would actually say that. It's true, but still unexpected, given how harsh and strict he can be sometimes."...,but life and death don't give a fuck about that." The last part of his sentence however does manage to bring her back to reality. With gritted teeth and clenched fists, he continues. "To them, you're nothing. To them, true strength lies in the ability to move forward, after the beating they gave you, as if nothing happened." One brief look at the Saiyan's body, she notices something odd. It's twitching. In a way so subtle and unorthodox to that of the ponies, that if it was anypony else other than Rainbow, they'd probably wouldn't even notice it. "The ability to get back in your feet, grit your teeth, and devour your prior versions." Now having turned back his gaze to the athletic mare, she sees once again the sheer power that he carries with him. "That's how you become faster. That's how you become stronger. That's how you survive!" With that, Lynx exits the room, leaving Rainbow Dash alone to dwell on these words.
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"Great job as always, Linki!"
As always, the prince finishes his orders with a lot of efficiency, not really needing any supervision. And as always, he can't get through one day without feeling like someone's hunting him. Whether that's Bee, Lavra or someone completely new, he doesn't know. But it's still on his mind.
The familiar energy is nearing. To the point, that he feels it in Ponyville.
"...and then Mud-my big sister, I'll introduce her to you someday, don't worry-gives this amazing ro-"Before his extroverted friend can finish her sentence, Lynx puts a hand on her mouth. His eyes start to move, looking through every inch of Sugarcube Corner. But he sees nothing. He hears nothing. He feels nothing.
This must be his imagination. All of it. The voices, the feeling of being haunted. A sigh escapes his mouth as he lets go of Pinkie Pie and exits the place. Finally, there's some pea-
"Who would have thought that you'd be so hard to find?"
The royal opens his eyes wide, showing his clear and sudden rage. There they stand, a warrior so bizarre in their appearance, so bug-like, that no-Saiyan would think of them as a worthy opponent. And yet...
His fists clench harder and harder by the second. All that has happened to him, ever since he set a foot on this god damn land. Nightmares, reminders of that stupid clown, Discord, Lira, voices, and now...Parasit.
"Son of a god damn cunt! Why the fuck does all this fucking shit happen to me?! For fuck's sake, always surrounded by these motherfucking useless cunts, always the motherfucking enemies having over a billion bullshit hacks! And that alicorn cunt just sitting on her fucking throne, telling us what to fucking do! But twist, my friends are! Too! Fucking! Weak! It's like this damn land, wants to bend me over, and fuck me on my fucking ass!"
...
One breath. That was all it took.
He really needed that, holding all of this anger inside him. As Lynx gathers his breath, he looks around. All of the ponies-including all of his friends-are completely dumbfounded, more or less because of the words that just came out of his mouth. Parasit however is as disinterested as ever.
"Are you done?"
The Prince of all Saiyans finally stops and lets out one last sigh. "Yes."
His enemy scoffs as they take a stance that...just makes them look incredibly odd. "Then let's get to it, Super Saiyan."
Once again, the young warrior is dumbfounded. So they know. And if they know, that means that Lavra knows as well. And yet, they still underestimate him. How foolish. It's finally the time to make them pay for said foolishness.
His rage is still present. Out of instinct, his right fist is positioned at chest level and the other is positioned right next to his stomach, both of them clenched almost as hard as the time in the Galla. "When you get to Tartarus..." With a grin on his face, Lynx transforms into a Super Saiyan. "..., tell Lira I said 'Hi'."
The two fighters rush at each other so fast, that the dust from the ground take awhile to catch up to them. Parasit swings their arm with great force, but are unfortunately too slow. Before the fist can reach its target, the alien vanishes out of sight. Only to appear from behind in a couple of seconds.
He almost succeeds on hitting them with an elbow, but the bug-like warrior negates the attack with their energy.
This results on the Super Saiyan getting knocked back. But he finds his footing quickly, dashing with his top speed, about to land a powerful kick right into Parasit's gut.
But then...
With a strong grip on their hand, his opponent grabs him and slams him down to the ground. Lynx pukes, out of his control. 'Shit.'
Rainbow Dash is left speechless. The Legendary Super Saiyan is being overpowered! That...That can't possibly be true. His power is unmatched, isn't it? Unless...there's a trade-off. Now she gets it. Lynx could sense that someone was coming all this time. So of course, he would be on edge.
However, her knowledge of fighting allows her to notice something more. Her Saiyan friend is getting slightly slower and weaker every four or five seconds. So this is why he has almost always stayed in Super Saiyan. He was training. Even in his spare time, the royal was training to improve.
The Lavra Force underling forms a grin at the sight of the prince. "Ever since I joined the Lavra Force, I've been hearing about this mythical Saiyan warrior, who rise above the limits of their kind and become undefeated." A light chuckle escapes his mouth. "And now, his successor is being overpowered." The distance between the two warriors closes between them, to the point where they can hear each other's heartbeats. "Don't you hate when that happens, prince?"
The element of bravery feels his anger building up again. It wasn't enough. Even after 5 whole months of daily training, Super Saiyan is still draining enough to make a difference. Gritted teeth, wounded pride. The Legendary Super Saiyan will not stand for this! His right hand closes into a fist. "There are a lot of things I hate, and only a few things I am liking." All of his energy is focused and harnessed to said fist. "Tell me, Parasit..." Lynx can already feel the toll that he's putting on his body. This has to work. "...ever heard of false sense of security?" In a blink of an eye, he plants his fist right into the gut of Parasit. All of the impact can be felt from both sides, as the young Saiyan continues with two more blows in the face. "'Cause I don't think you have." Extending his good hand, he fires a shockwave that throws the opponent near the Everfree Forest.
Despite the knock back though, the bug-like alien has time to fire off a straight pink beam. Thankfully, the young Saiyan is able to throw it to the sky effortlessly, which surprises his foe. His raspy voice comes out in the form of a low whisper."Kaa…" The brilliant golden aura of his legendary form comes out of him, shining like a beacon. "...mee…" The warrior glides forward so fast that ponies and others alike only see him teleport behind Parasit, who is right now completely stunned. They feel thousands upon thousands of blows hitting every part of their body, all at once. "...haa…" They turn around to strike him, but he slams his elbow right in their forehead... "...mee…"...before doing a quick spin to hit them with a powerful roundhouse kick.
The kick sends the bug flying towards the sky. And so, Lynx cups his hands together. It's ready. He's been gathering energy all throughout his assault, and now he will unleash it. The prince brings them to the side, and immediately energy appears between the palms. The power starts to light up everything in Ponyville with its blue color, as all four elements of nature start corresponding to his force. "...haa!" With one strong battlecry, the young Saiyan thrusts his arms towards the opponent, firing his strongest Kamehameha yet.
Even though the elite has specifically aimed his blast directly to the sky, the sheer energy that is unleashed right now effects everything. All across Equestria, the wind swirls into many tornados that destroys hundreds of property, rocks rise from the ground straight into clouds, fire from candles are all collected to create majestic stars, and all parts of the Celestial Sea and Luna Ocean have all become raging waves that threaten to consume all of the near cities!
All the while, his beam creates the image of a rocket launching into the vast vacuum of space!
The near ponies are beyond speechless. Not once in their lives, have they seen anything like it. Such force unleashed in such animosity that no one else in here can muster. Not Discord, not Princess Luna, not even Princess Celestia. This is a warrior. And this might be Prince Lynx IV's full power!
Seconds before the blast can be disintegrated fully, the royal leaps into it in a masterful way. Much like earlier, he harnesses his energy into one fist and punches Parasit square in the face, in a flash!
When the smoke clears, both fighters are on the ground. The one that is still standing is Lynx, although a harsh exhale is let out of him. That took a lot out of him. All of his efforts aren't good enough. He realized this while being on the offensive. Every punch and kick he did, required more energy in order to maintain his momentum. Training alone won't cut it. It requires more for this legend to be conquered. Maybe something linked to his biology as a whole.
Looking at Parasit, their body seems pretty much the same as always, except for one thing. Their arms. More specifically the absence of one. But as they get back on their feet..."Impressive."...a new arm suddenly spurts out in place of the one that was destroyed.
The entire field suddenly has a sense of unease as the spectators watch something that they wouldn't even comprehend. Regeneration. The only one close to that is Discord, but even he doesn't do like that.
On the contrary, Lynx grunts before grumbling. "And the bullshit continues..."
A little chuckle is heard from the bug-like warrior, as once again their palm is extended. "Such tongue..." In a flash, a blast identical to the one before. And just like before, Lynx goes to deflect. But this time is different. A few seconds ago such a move was effortless, but this time the blast is faster. Or more accurately, he is slower.
Boom
The blast explodes upon impact, as the prince is thrown a few feet away. The pain on his body isn't anything special, but he doesn't have the time to think about it. From the corner of his eye, the alien warrior notices that his opponent is charging right at him. And out of instinct, the young Saiyan uses Instant Transmission, taking the high ground, before landing a devastating blow in the back of Parasit's head, making them bounce on the surface.
Finally, the prince swings a powerful kick, ignoring the tole that he has already put on his body, pushing the limits of his life force to the max for the most simple move. He has to end this now. And there's only one way he can!
With his opponent being knocked away, his arms swing to the side, before straightening back to the front, a yellow energy sphere already formed on the palms. "Say your prayers!" Just like before, his energy lights up all of Ponyville. Like a raging sun rising, ready to destroy everything in its path. Clouds zipping through the sky, thunderstorms bowing to his will and the very planet shaking to its core! His signature attack reaches its peak! This is it!
"Final Fla-!"
But then suddenly, his energy has disappeared. His blast stopped its charge and has now become sparkles.
No. Not now. There they are again. This is exactly what he feared. Why can't they just go away? Why can't they be controlled? Why are they even here in the first place? His hands instinctively cover his ears. It hurts. It hurts way too much to be ignored. Why can't he just fight as he pleases? Why won't these voices leave him alone? Why?
All of the little sounds around him have become a noise, much like how it feels going Super Saiyan. All of the ponies around him look worried or utterly aghast, as mothers cover the ears and eyes of their children.
He can't take it anymore! He wants to be free! The voices in his head are preventing him from killing Parasit.
All he wants...
"Make!"
..is for these voices...
"It!"
...to just...
"Stop!"
...stop.
And as if it can't get any worse, Parasit suddenly plants their knee in his gut, and what follows right after is enough to make the prince feel something. "You're not living up to the legend, Saiyajin."
A strong chill is sent through his very body. But there's no time to really think about it. His enemy grabs him by the face and slams him down to the ground, only to pick him back up with both hands.
Lynx's eyes open wide. No, they wouldn't. Surely they wouldn't, right? No way. Parasit is going to-
Crack
The Prince of All Saiyans screams in agony, as every sense he has, has become more tense. Oxygen is racing in and out of his body. Heartbeat is getting elevated so much that it is now felt everywhere inside him. Everywhere, except his back.
Now ungracefully falling to the ground, he snaps out of his Super Saiyan form. It hurts. It hurts so much that the voices have suddenly been muted. Nothing is heard. Not from the outside or the inside.
After the hit, the royal tries to get back up. But he can't. No, matter how hard he tries, he just can't . His back doesn't allow it. He can't believe it. The elite just...lost. His mind races back to that fight with the low-class warrior. And what he tasted all these years ago.
He tilts his head and sees that somepony is approaching him. A pony with wings. The royal can't hear what she's saying, but he couldn't care less about that. "Bag...'Mergency!"
Immediately, this pegassus flies up and disappears from sight.
And then...
She reappears with the bag on her teeth? That was quick. Much quicker than what he expected. And it is even quicker that opens his bag and out of it drops a small orange seed. 'Korono...Seed!'
With every last willpower Lynx has left, he grabs it and immediately tosses it in his mouth.
In what seems like a second, the royal finally gets back on his feet. He takes a look at his body. It feels amazing. It's as if he spent months resting in a hospital. And not only that. His power...It feels greater than even what it was before.
He knows what this is. It's his race's greatest ability!
Now putting two fingers on his forehead, he vanishes out of sight.
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Drip, drip, drop
Cold water from the raging storm has fallen everywhere on him. And yet, he couldn't have cared less.
Drip, drip, drop
His fists are clenched hard enough to show veins through his gloves.
"God, King, or whatever you want to be called!" The prince starts yelling at seemingly no one, his voice echoing through the top of the mountain, that he himself climbed on. "I have been informed that you are the strongest there is! If that's the case, then get down here so we can see if that's truly the case! Accept my challenge, and fight me!" Thunderstorms are roaring from the cloudy sky; The only response he got. And this only fuels his rage.
Lynx can hear these voices again. What they're saying right now, he doesn't know. He doesn't care! Not after what they cost him! "Fight me!" Again he screams, and again no one is answering. "You're always throwing curveballs at me, aren't you?" Curveballs. Way too many to count. It wasn't bad enough that he had to accept that Bee defeated him! It wasn't bad enough that he had to accept ponies in his daily life! It wasn't bad enough that six of these ponies are now in his head!
He lost! The warrior of legend lost! The Super Saiyan lost! For years upon years, he has been told that this is the ultimate power! 'This is the ultimate power!' So why did he lose? How did he lose? How are the voices in his head stopping him from killing? They shouldn't. The Legendary Super Saiyan should be the strongest there is. That's what he was told!
His teeth grit hard. "Come on!"
Thoom
"Fight me!"
The royal screams at top of his lungs. Any sort of sense of reason he had left is gone. The thoughts that have been clouding his mind start to come back at him. And this infuriates even more! His anger is manifested through his elevated state. An entire mountain is collapsing, and his scream starts to resemble the thunderstorms themselves. His aura has now become a giant beacon, as for the first time since his childhood, the proud Saiyan warrior has tasted humiliation.