The town of Appaloosa was in flames.
There were no screams heard as the deadly fire engulfed every inch of the small town; there were no ponies left to make any screams. At least none that Sapphic could sense as he watched the flames burn on into the dark night sky; the ambers floating up like the souls of the slain trying to escape the wrath of the changeling prince.
This train of thought amused him, and as one glowing ember passed by him, he grabbed it and promptly crushed it into ash, extinguishing it's "life."
"These ponies never could do anything but run away, it seems." He mused with a devilish grin. "If it weren't for the royal bloodline, this would be too easy conquering this land."
He looked one last time at the raging inferno that was once Appaloosa, and turned to walk away; ready to enact the next part of his plan.
He was stopped by a faint, and yet defiant voice behind him.
"St-stop..." it croaked with a thick southern accent; it's pitch slightly high.
Sapphic turned halfway around to look at the source of the voice, and before him stood one lone pony; cream in color with a red apple cutie mark. His vest was singed by the fires he had crawled out of, and several bad burn marks covered his body. His light green eyes focused solely on the bipedal changeling.
"Where...where do you think...you're...goin'..." The pony asked in a challenge.
Sapphic chuckled evily, and brushed some of his hair behind his pointed ear on the side facing the stallion so he could get a good look at the face who had burned down his home. Sapphic wanted him to know; wanted him to see the cruel smile he wore proudly.
"What's your name, stallion?" Sapphic asked, amused by this would-be avenger.
"Name's...Braeburn..an' don't y'all...forget it..." He answered, taking a step towards the changeling.
As Braeburn inched forward, closing the gap between them, Sapphic waited, and with each hoofstep the cream colored pony took, the changeling's laughs grew in intensity. Once Braeburn was next to him, Sapphic was practically cackling to the heavens above. He silenced himself in a second, and looked down at the stallion with the most malicious face the pony had ever seen; those green eyes holding nothing but sick and twisted pleasure at his act.
In a flash, Sapphic pointed one finger at Braeburn, and in another, Braeburn was laying on his side; blood pouring from the hole in his skull as his eyes lost their light.
"Braeburn." Sapphic said. "You die as you lived...like a simple fool."
He kneeled next to the stallion's dead form, and whispered into his non-hearing ears.
"There's no such thing as heroes anymore..."
With that, Sapphic flew off, headed to the one place he needed to go before heading for Canterlot.
* * *
Goku and Goten waited outside of King Kai's home for Apple Bloom as she prepared to head off with them. As she was just about good to go, she was stopped by her older sister. Applejack looked up at her, motioned for her to kneel down. Apple Bloom did so and Applejck gave her a huge hug with her forelegs.
Apple Bloom did not hesitate to return the embrace. After a few moments, they separated, and Applejack looked her little sister in the eye.
"Apple Bloom," She said softly. "Goten told me about your nightmares...about your flashbacks. I just want you to know, that I don't blame you for what happened to me, ok? You shouldn't blame yourself either; that's a fool's way of thinkin'. I did it for you, and I'd do it again, ok?"
Apple Bloom tried not to tear up as she nodded and gave the orange mare another short hug.
"And one more thing, sugarcube. Don't let somethin' good slip through your hooves." She nodded her head out towards Goten, and Apple Bloom was confused at first, but she soon figured out what her sister was saying.
"You knew?" She asked.
"You don't exactly hide it all too well, Apple Bloom." Applejack chuckled. "I'm amazed he hasn't caught on yet."
Apple Bloom considered her sister's words, and then nodded. With that, she started to clumsily walk over to the saiyans. Darn these crazy bipeds; how did they walk on these things?
"See you later, King Kai!" Goku shouted over to his old mentor as he placed two fingers to his forehead.
Goten and Apple Bloom grabbed onto his shoulders, and just before they dematerialized, she took one last look at Applejack; she had a bad feeling that this very well could be the last time ever that she would see her.
* * *
"My dearest Princess Twilight Sparkle,
It seems you and your friends will be needed again. An old foe of Luna's and mine has returned to Equestria, and make no mistake; he is more powerful than any opponent you have ever, or most likely will ever face. He is the son of Queen Chrysalis and an alien being known as a saiyan.
The saiyans have an innate ability to become stronger after every battle or near death experience they are in. This one, named Prince Sapphic, has more than likely been through many battles, so expect him to be overpowered beyond your believing.
I won't lie to you, Twilight; you and your friends may not survive, but if you can hold Sapphic off for as long as you can, Luna and I can jump in fully ready to take him on ourselves.
Until then, may you stay safe, Princess Twilight.
Your former mentor,
Princess Celestia
P.S. I have asked your brother, Prince Shining Armor to lead a detachment of Crystal Pony Troops into battle with you. Cadence will stay in the Empire to protect it should he go there."
Twilight Sparkle folded the scroll up in her magical grip as her friends looked worriedly at each other around the map table. I looked as though exploring Equestria was going to have to wait for another time...if there would be another time after this.
Rainbow Dash was the first to get up, flapping her wings and floating over the table.
"Well, you heard Princess Celestia's orders!" She hollered. "We gotta buy some time and fight this Sapphic guy"
"Oh m-m-my..." Fluttershy whimpered, shrinking in her throne. "D-d-d-do we ha-have to..?"
"I'm afraid there's no avoiding it..." Rarity told the timid pegasus. "It seems like the end of the world is upon us...of all the worst things that could happen, this is the...worst...possible...thing!"
"End of the world party!!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed, swinging on a rope that hadn't previously been there as confetti rained form nowhere.
"Why would we throw an end of the world party?!" Fluttershy panicked, not following Pinkie's thought process.
The pink earth pony sprang up next to the yellow pegasus. "You want to have a great time before we go out to possibly die, don't you?"
"Pinkie Pie!" Rainbow Dash and Rarity chastised in unison, as Fluttershy looked faint.
Twilight stood up, and examined her options. "I'm not planning on dying today, girls; and neither should you. We're going to face this menace the same way we faced all our problems before...together!"
* * *
Apple Bloom opened her eyes as the Instant Transmission ended. As she looked around her new surroundings, she saw lush green grass and what looked like purple water all over the place. There were a few trees scattered here and there, and several mountains and hills. She looked up to see that even the sky was a light shade of purple, which she was definitely not used to.
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw movement; she turned to see an ancient looking purple biped in very regal looking garb standing next to a taller and much younger looking biped with long white hair and lighter purple skin wearing something similar to the older one's dressing.
"So, is that beautiful young anthropomorph the one called Apple Bloom?" The elder one asked, his eyes examining her.
For some reason she felt violated as his eyes searched up and down her new body. Goku nodded his head and introduced them all.
"Apple Bloom, this is Elder Kai and Kibito Kai. They're going to unlock that hidden power that's inside of you." He said.
Kibito Kai walked over, and extended a hand in greeting, which Apple Bloom took and shook slowly.
"It's good to meet you Apple Bloom." He said, a genuine smile on his face.
He turned to Goten and did the same.
"Hello, Goten. You sure have grown."
"Yup! Getting stronger and bigger every day!" Goten giggled boyishly.
Once all the pleasantries were out of the way, Goku explained the first phase of the plan to Apple Bloom, who had been dying to hear just how these two kais were going to make her hidden power just sprout up like a weed in a garden.
"Elder Kai here has the ability to unlock someone's hidden potential. It's a lengthy process, but if he really concentrates, he can do it in a day tops." The mighty saiyan explained. "He did it for Gohan, and he can do it for you two."
Gohan had been trained here? She figured that explained the whole scene in the museum way back after Goten had died.
"Two?" Goten asked. "Dad, I don't have much hidden potential like Gohan or Apple Bloom..."
Goku smiled at his youngest son. "You may not be on their level, but you have some hidden power inside you, son. It's in there, I jut know it."
Elder Kai examined both the young ones again, and motioned for them to follow him. They marched to the top of a grass covered hill, and he sat down crosslegged. Goten and Apple Bloom both did the same.
"Ok.." Elder Kai began, stretching a bit. "for this to work, you both have to concentrate on your energy levels. I'll do the searching for your powers, but you two have to stay focused on raising your energy, ok?"
They nodded, and immediately, the old kai put his hands up and closed his eyes facing them.
Kibito Kai stood next to Goku a few feet away.
"I can sense that anthorpomorph's power from all the way over here." He said. "It's incredible. I dare say it's even stronger than Gohan's power."
Goku nodded an affirmitve. The young Apple Bloom was full of bursting power just waiting to explode. Hopefully, for Equestria's sake, the wait wouldn't be long. After a few moments, Goku turned to Kibito Kai.
"Now, about those new potara ear rings you mentioned..."