//------------------------------// // Waiting on Three // Story: Blooming Talent // by Griffin Productions //------------------------------// "So, here's the plan, guys." Goku said looking down to his son and Apple Bloom. "While Vegeta, Trunks, and I are down on Earth gathering the Dragon Balls, you will be training with King Kai here. He might not look like much, and his training methods are gonna seem kinda silly, but trust me; I went through the same training under King Kai, and I got loads stronger because of it." Both of the new kai students nodded, Goten's halo moving with each movement of his head as if it were on a pole. Apple Bloom had noted the glowing, floating ring above her crush's head, and thought he'd done it as a joke; Goku had to explain to her that the halo signified the dead from the living, and that it wasn't just a gag. The mare looked over at King Kai; he wasn't much to look at, and he definitely didn't look like a martial arts master. But if Goku had trained under him, and she was training under Goku, she figured this could be a great chance to get plenty strong for when her wish came time to be made. The mighty saiyan turned to wave a farewell to King Kai, then, placing two fingers on his forehead, disappeared with a woosh! King Kai smiled at his two new students; both of them looked ready to begin right away. He laughed internally, ready to open up the training the same way he did for everyone. But he knew he had to wait; Goku wasn't the only one who had requested King Kai train someone. There was one other student he had been told would be arriving by Snake Way here shortly. "We'll begin the training once my final new apprentice arrives." He stated. "I hope you won't mind waiting on them?" The two quickly shook their heads, though he could tell the gears in they're heads were turning as to who the other student could be. "In the meantime, would you like to come inside and eat some of my home cooked meatloaf? It's the finest in Otherworld!" As if in immediate response, both Apple Bloom's and Goten's stomach's rumbled loudly. They looked at each other and burst out laughing before heading into the kindly kai's home; Apple Bloom taking a bit longer due to the gravity. * * * The room was as dark as it had been in the first meeting, and the message had essentially been the same. "Now Two is dead as well?" One of the assembled asked. "Yes. But it doesn't matter much; the loss of a weakling and a coward is not a huge one. We can still proceed, but from now on, go in pairs to hunt the Dragon Balls. The saiyans are much stronger than I originally thought, and they use strange and powerful techniques. One of them is dead, and another is injured, but the others still remain." The voice of the Grand Elder Seven came through the noise box on the table. The assembled group all nodded, and voiced affirmations. "I will leave the team formations to you. I must go, it seems like the one named Son Goku has returned." The noise box silenced, and the group began to discuss preparations. * * * Goku materialized back where he had started in the grassy field, and immediately he looked around for Trunks. When he didn't see him, he called out for him a few times. After the third call, Trunks emerged from the trees on the edge of the field. "What were you doing in there?" Goku asked. "Thought I saw someone watching me in the tree line." Trunks replied. "Went to check it out, but it looks like he beat it." "Hm." Goku grunted, unsure as to who would be spying on them. "Well, if you see anything like that again, let me know." Trunks nodded curtly, and went back to meditating. * * * "Thank you kindly for the food, King Kai!" Apple Bloom said, a bit loudly, which she apologized for. "It's the greatest one I've ever had. Who woulda thought vegetarian meatloaf was a thing?" "Gotta hand it to ya, King Kai," Goten said, a bit of food in his cheeks. "I'm not one for vegetarian food, but this hits the spot!" King Kai blushed in embarrassment at the compliments to his dish. "I'm so glad you like it! It's nothing super special, just an old recipe I came up with a few thousand years ago." Apple Bloom looked over to Goten, and asked a question she had been forgetting to until now. "Hey, Goten," she began. "how come the gravity here isn't affecting you? I can hardly walk trying my hardest!" Goten laughed. "I've been training in Trunks' dad's gravity machine at the Briefs' place. My max is fifteen times normal gravity, so while it is hard to move here, it's not as hard as it is for you cuz I'm sort of used to it." "Oh." she said. "That makes sense I guess. Maybe I shoulda done some of that first, huh?" They both laughed; it was a sound that was pleasing to her ears and calming to her mind. Even though he was dead, Goten looked as lively as ever. She caught herself staring into his handsome face for a few seconds too long, and made herself stare out the window. She started to wonder if he remembered the kiss she had given him not long before he had died. If he did, he must have just thought it was a friendly gesture. Oh, who was she kidding? Who thinks a kiss is a friendly gesture from a "just-friend?" He probably just forgot after the explosion. She guessed if he had, it was for the best. She didn't wanna be a necrophiliac; at the same time though, it wasn't his corpse back on Earth, so was it necrophilia? Now she was just wondering why her brain was taking her on these random thought rides. She decided to just enjoy Goten's company whether he remembered the kiss or not. King Kai's antennae sprang up as he sensed a large power level approaching down Snake Way. That must be his new student, and just in time, too. "Looks like our third trainee is here." He informed the two at the table. "Why don't you two go out and greet them. I'll be out in a sec!" The two nodded to each other and after Apple Bloom got steady, they headed out to meet the stranger as they landed on King Kai's planet. "Hi, my name's Goten. I'm one of King Kai's other trainees." Goten said with a wave and a smile. He looked over to Apple Bloom, and saw the absolutely shocked expression on her face. "Apple Bloom?" He asked. "Aren't you going to introduce yourself?" What need was there to do that? Apple Bloom knew the newcomer better than darn near anyone, and yet she couldn't believe she was seeing them again with her own two eyes. Nothing had changed about them except for the golden glowing halo floating not too far over her brown Stetson hat; her blonde mane and tail accenting her orange coat as perfectly as her green eyes, which were focused on Apple Bloom with the same expression. "Sugarcube...?" Applejack managed. "Is...is that you..?"