//------------------------------// // Love and War // Story: Blooming Talent // by Griffin Productions //------------------------------// The gargantuan clock on in the Time Chamber ticked on dutifully as the three warriors came out of the bath, ready to hit the hay again. Apple Bloom had finally found a way to bring out her power without using anger; Goku said that when he became a Super Saiyan for the first time, it was because of the pain of loss. While anger had played a part in it, anger alone was not enough sometimes. All Apple Bloom had to do was remember that day when Goten was blown up by the suicidal saibaman; the hurt would trigger somehing, and her power would begin to show ever so subtly. She hated when she had to remember that day, though. If she could, she would just forget it had ever happened; but some things stick with ponies for awhile. Perhaps with time that awful memory would fade, and she'd be left with only Goten himself to think about. She thought to herself that she would try to use Goten as a booster rather than his death from now on. Maybe his warming memory would be a much better suited solution. The training today had been absolutely intense, though. Goku had not held back this time; she still felt his fist against her gut, even now as she lay down on the bed. She as sure there would be bruises all over in a few hours, but to her, it was worth it. She was getting stronger; she could feel it, and if she continued to get this strong as the last few months progressed inside this strange place, she'd make sure Sapphic paid dearly for everything. Goku exited the room once more and started to head out into the white void; looked like the saiyan was off for some more extra training. She noticed he'd been doing that a lot after Goten had started to sleep in her bed with her. Was he mad? If he was, he did a good job of hiding it when they weren't punching each other's lights out. But why else would he be absent like this each 'night' if he wasn't a bit offset with what she was having his son do, innocent as it was. She was sure he was disapproving of such actions, and looked down at her sheets in shame. It wasn't like she had done anything with him other than cuddle together when they slept, but she still felt like she may have violated the family sanctity, or something like that. Goku had to be mad; and why shouldn't he be, she reasoned. She was a pony, and even though she had an anthropomorphic body now, she was still a completely different species from Goten. It wasn't like how Goten was half-human and half-saiyan; those two species were more similar than a pony was to either of them. This train of thought led her down another track; if by some chance they did hook up, would they even be able to have children of their own? Apple Bloom shook her head against the pillow; these thoughts were not what she was supposed to be thinking about now. She was here to get stronger so she could take down a tyrant, not play doll house with a much-sexier-than-plastic biped. As Goten joined her under her covers, she seemed to forget all of these negative thoughts; his strong arms gently wrapping around her in a close embrace, warming her to her very heart. She forgot about Goku's possible distaste and settled into her crush's hold. Goku turned around several paces from the Earth entrance, and saw Goten and Apple Bloom snuggle up for the 'night.' He smiled to himself and chuckled; love sure was a curious thing, and he was sure she was as confused as he thought she was about it. For a mare who was so determined, it was strange to see her melt like butter in his son's embrace. He had noticed her worried look as he had walked out, and he had been thinking to himself as he ventured out towards the infinite nothingness that he may need to give her a little nudge, if only to make it so she wouldn't have unnecessary limitations on her feelings. Who was he to get in love's way? He knew that one couldn't help who they were meant to be with. * * * "Discord, let's take this big meany together!" Pinkie Pie stated, coming up to stand beside the draconequis in a combat stance. Discord picked the pink pony up with a bubble that suddenly engulfed her, and which popped, landing her in his paw as it neared his eye level. "I'm afraid we can't do that, Pinkie Pie." He told her matter-of-factly. "I've already seen what he's done to poor Fluttershy and your other friends...I can't let that happen to you or Twilight now..." As he set Pinkie back down beside him, she looked up at him in a confused manner. "But--but you could just snap our claw and make him go away, can't you?" The slender master of chaos stared intently at the changeling biped, seeing things only his eyes could see. Sapphic had placed a counterspell around himself and all his siblings that prevented any kind of magical displacement techniques. Teleporting him was out of the question, otherwise, he would've done as such by now. "Listen, Pinkie," he said, a tad bit of seriousness in his tone. "I'm going to teleport you and the other ponies to Canterlot. You can regroup, and bolster their defenses for preparation of Sapphic's imminent arrival." Pinkie blinked her sparkling blue eyes in surprise; if Discord was here, surely Sapphic wouldn't get any farther. The God of Chaos would definitely finish this war single handedly. But the draconequis' sweating brow told her that not even Discord himself believed there was a chance at victory here; a thought that sent awful shudders down her entire body. "Discord...don't do something silly...we can beat him together, I know we--" "Pinkie Pie." The powered up party pony stopped at his stating of her name. He looked back at her, a smile on his malformed muzzle. "You're always so optimistic." With a snap, pony In the town, living and dead, were transported away in a bright flash. The multitude of changeling drone looked around in utter confusion, before finally realizing it was all Discord's doing. Surrounded by hundreds of the little beasts, Discord and Sapphic stared each other down; Discord's uneven red and yellow eyes challenging Sapphic's intense, emerald ones. "I never expected you of all beings to help the ponies, Discord." Sapphic casually said. Discord chuckled a bit. "Let's just say some very interesting things have happened in times past." "Fair enough, but I must tell you that I too have been through some 'interesting times' since the Canterlot incident." "So I can see." Discord agreed, and decided to play on that a bit. "You look absolutely destroyed, fair prince. What interesting times indeed." Sapphic ignored the comment on his looks; beauty didn't matter now. All that mattered was crushing anypony that stood in the way of his revenge, and right now, Discord was in his way. As if thinking the same thoughts, Discord and Sapphic lunged full boar at each other; their power levels rising so fast it shook the very foundation of Ponyville before they clashed in the middle, causing a thunderous shockwave of pressure to explode out in all directions, making several changelings get flung away harshly, and every building in the area to collapse. The fight was truly on.