//------------------------------//
// Kinks In The Plan 
// Story: Blooming Talent 
// by Griffin Productions 
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Piccolo and Trunks flew across the skyline at the fastest speeds the could go; the fat Majin Buu keeping pace with them easily.

This Buu was different from the villain Goku and the others defeated years ago; he was the good natured half of Buu. His rotund, pink body flapped a little in the wind as he flew; his purple cape flowing along with it. 

"So you need Buu to help make door to pony world?" he asked in his innocent sounding, childlike voice. "Buu not sure Buu can get mad enough to do that...Hercule always say; 'Buu, you not get mad! Mad is bad!'"

"Well, isn't there another way besides being angry that you could cause a rift in space and time?" Trunks asked. "Surely with your powers there must be another way?"

Majin Buu shrugged, a cute little smile still placed on his chubby face. "Buu will try."

Piccolo wasn't really listening to the conversation that was happening behind him; his thoughts kept returning to what Kibito Kai had said to him via telepathy.

"This plan will take three days to complete, but we must act as swiftly as we can as if we were trying to get below that time frame. The ponies of Equestria very well could be getting killed as we speak, and it is imperative we do what we can to save them as quickly as possible."

All those innocent ponies being mercilessly slaughtered; the thought of it drove Piccolo mad with anger and helplessness. At least once Dende repaired the seven-star ball, which wouldn't happen until after the conflict was over, he knew, they could wish back all those who were slain by Sapphic. He ust wished he didn't have to wait or make them suffer while they prepared for war.

Kami's old place floated just ahead; it's bowl-like structure like an ancient art piece that had learned to fly. As the three Z Fighters landed on the marble tiles which made up the floor of Kami's Place, they were greeted by a young namekian who looked like a young Piccolo. 

"Piccolo, Trunks, Buu!" He said, a smile on his face at the presence of company. "It's so good to see you guys. I just wish it were under better circumstances..."

"Hello, Dende." Piccolo returned the greeting. "We have Majin Buu just as Goku requested, and he's going to work on finding a way aside from anger to open a wormhole to Equestria. Now we're supposed to wait here and to give you these."

Piccolo handed the near dust remains of the seven-star Dragon Ball; the glass-like substance pouring like sand into Dende's outstretched palm.

"Once the conflict is over, we know you'll be close to having th ball restored and Shenron back in action. That way we can wish all of the ponies who die before we get there back to life." He explained.

Dende seemed to chuckle nervously as he put one hand behind his neck and rubbed it. "Yeah...about that part of the plan..."

Piccolo looked questioningly at the younger namekian as he started to explain why.

"It...won't work..."

"What?!" Piccolo and Trunks both exclaimed in unison.

"Why not?" The older namekian asked, slightly annoyed by what seemed like another set-back.

"Well, first let me answer your question with another question, Piccolo." Dende began. "When the Trunks from the future came back, did you ever wonder why he never just found ourtime's Dragon Balls and used them to wish his people back instead of helping you all?"

Piccolo blinked; he had indeed wondered that, but his justification had always been Trunks was more noble than that. Than again, he could stillhave waited after the crisis to use the Dragon Balls and then went back to his own time. So it did beg the question of why.

"It's because of an unwritten law between the Eternal Dragons about what their magic can be used for." The younger namekian explained. "The Dragon Balls can grant many miracles, but the law of the Eternal Dragons states that their magic cannot be used to influence the events, or places of dimensions other than the one they are created in. The closest they can do I create portals to these other worlds, but any wish that is made to change history or revive the dead from say a place like Equestria...well...it can't be done."

Trunks walked up hastily, a thought coming to his head. "But we used the Dragon Balls to give Apple Bloom her new body, and she came from Equestria. Why can't we use them on the other ponies?!"

"It's true they were able to affect Apple Bloom, but that was because the change happened in between dimensions in Otherworld. If you had tried it here on Earth it would not have worked."

"But if the ponies who die are in Otherworld after death, than why can't the magic affect them and bring them back to life?" Piccolo added.

"It's because that falls under the events category of the law. Ponies deaths in Equestria are events that happened in the Equestrian timeline; and therefore, cannot be changed. It's a little confusing and convoluted, but the changes made to Apple Bloom didn't affect the history of her dimension, and since she was inbetween dimensions, she could be transformed." Dende continued, trying to make it make sense for his friends. "But because all of the deaths that Sapphic might be causing are part of that dimensions history, a.k.a. events in their timeline, they can't be wished back to life because it would reverse that dimesnions history in a way."

Trunks and Piccolo looked down in despair, as Majin Buu merely scratched his head, not understanding. 

So there was no way for the innocent ponies to be revived by the Dragon Balls then. Unless--

"Dende," Piccolo piped up suddenly. "when you remade the Earth's Dragon Balls the first time, you modified several properties of them. Why can't you just make it so that you can bypass this law?"

Dende shook his head sadly. "The Dragon Balls only serve as gateways for the Eternal Dragons' magic to come through where they come from. I only opened Shenon's door wider, so to speak, so he could do more. I can't change the magical laws put in place by the dragons themselves...I'm sorry."

Damn it; there really wasn't anyway then. In this case, they had better get what they needed done as fast as possible, or too many innocents would perish andsuffer undeserved and cruel fates at the hands of that monster...

The namekian turned towards the sky, echoing his thoughts as loud as he could...

* * *

Kibito Kai felt the sensation before the words rang in his head.

"Kibito Kai, it's Piccolo. Tell Goku the plan to revive the dead ponies with the Dragon Balls is a no go. There's some construed law that Dende can't even bypass that doesn't allow for dead people from other dimensions to be revived with the Dragon Balls from our dimension. I'm afraid we can't use them.."

"That's terrible.." Kibito Kai whispered. "Very well, I'll let him know. Is Majin Buu there at least?"

"Yes, Buu is right here, and he's working on finding an alternate way to rip a hole between the dimensions for when it's time for us to go over there." Piccolo's voice replied.

"Good, keep working on that, and tell Mr. Popo to get the Hyperbolic Time Chamber ready." The kai instructed. "Apple Bloom's potential is close to being unlocked...I can sense it."

Kibito Kai terminated the link to Piccolo, and turned to the deceased saiyan who was sitting next to him. 

"Goku, Piccolo has informed me that the Dragon Balls won't be abl to save the dead ponies in Equestria." He informed him regretfully. "I'm sorry."

Goku looked over at him surprised at thi news. 

"Really? Damn..." He muttered. "we better move things along as fast as we can then..."

He looked to the anthropomorphic mare meditating in front of Elder Kai and next to Goten; if the Dragon Ball plan was a bust, that meant Apple Bloom wouldn't be able to see her family and friends that had already died afterall. The thought put a stake through his heart at what her face might look like after hearing such news.

"On the pus side," Kibito Kai continued. "Majin Buu is working to cause a rift to allow the group to get to Equestria once preparations have completed."

Goku nodded. At least that part of the plan was still a go; if something had gone wrong there, there would be almost no way to save Equestria then...

He searched Apple Bloom's power level with his senses, trying to see how far she was from unlocking her true power. The aura was fantastical, and bright; filled with warmth and spirit. It was truly an honest and good natured power she held within her...