"Looks like they're coming out." Piccolo announced, sensing someone stepping out of the Time Chamber.
Trunks, Buu, and Popo all turned to look as the wooden frame slowly creaked open, and the beautiful anthro stepped out into the sunlight.
Trunks' jaw just about hit the floor as she got closer; the creature was stunning, and nothing short of ravishing, even for a non-human. He collected himself long enough to realize that he did not see Goten nor Apple Bloom anywhere. Then, coming to the conclusion before the question came out, he spoke.
"W-what is your name?" He asked.
"Call me Appleten, Trunks." She said in the double voice that could only be made by fusion warriors; winking at him as she threw up a quick peace sign.
"Goten...fused...with Apple Bloom....b-but...I thought that...I was his...fuse buddy..."
Trunks began to blubber in a comical fashion as he fell to his knees and tears began to stream like waterfalls out of his eyes.
"I thought we had something special!" He cried, perhaps a bit over-dramatically.
Piccolo rolled his eyes and Appleten giggled. The namekian analyzed the potara warrior, not just for her physical prowess, but also scanning her power level. It was enormous; the biggest he'd ever felt in fact that did not belong to a deity of some kind. This was a good sign for the coming battle to have such a strong fighter. o long as the earrings stayed affixed to Appleten's ears, they would no trouble saving Equestria, he knew.
He walked a bit closer to her as Trunks continued to lament on the floor with Buu patting his back as if comforting a child.
"So, Appleten." He said, towering over the young anthro. "are you ready to put your power to the true test?"
"I'm not just ready..." She smirked, kicking rapidly at the air. "I'm readier than a rattlesnake coiled back and eager to bite your ankle!"
Piccolo's eye twitched a bit; she could have just said yes. No matter, she was without a doubt ready to go, and that was good enough for him. As long as she was able to take the fight seriously, things should go smoothly.
He turned to Trunks, who was finally reduced to sniffing a long rope of mucus from his nose.
"Clean yourself up,Trunks." He bellowed. "Get ready."
Trunks stood and immediately sucked in the lose dribble, and became serious once more; clipping his sword on his back. The two of them looked at Majin Buu, who looked back dumbly with that same little smile.
"Well?" Piccolo said, irritated.
"Well what?" Buu asked innocently.
If the namekian had hair, he would probably tearing it out right now. He quickly soothed himself into a calm state beforehe spoke again; breathing out deeply.
"Open the portal to Equestria..."
Buu shook his head, the smile not leaving his pudgy pink face. "You not say please."
Piccolo grunted and flexed as if h were holding in an explosion. Steam seemed to be billowing from his long ears as he tried desperately to calm down, but to no avail.
"We don't have time for tis nonsense, Buu!" He yelled as veins started appearing n his green skin. "Open the portal now! Ponies lives are at stake!"
"Nope." Buu simply stated, crossing his arms and shaking his head again.
Before Piccolo could quite literally explode, Appleten walked forward and looked at Buu with a pleading expression; her big pouty eyes putting their spell on the pink majin.
"Pretty please, Mr. Buu?" She said, sultry like. "It would mean so very much to me if y'all would open the portal. I need to go save my family, Mr. Buu."
She leaned into his arms like a damsel in distress, and Buu's face started to turn a few shades darker; the signs of a blush for him.
"Won't you help little old me out?"
Buu chuckled nervously, and swallowed. Trunks swore he could hear saxophones playing slow and smoky tunes in his head as he watched this scene play out.
"B-Buu would...but...Buu can't help pretty lady until Piccolo says please. Buu sorry."
Appleten turned her big puppy dog eyes on the namekian, and his first instinct was to turn away. This was stupid; why did he fate of Equestria now rest on him saying "please?" That was such a dumbfounding obstacle, that it was maddening. And yet, Piccolo thought on it. All it was was a word, and stupid as it sounded, if he really wanted to help the ponies who were no doubt being oppressed or killed right now while he debated on a word, he would stop worrying about himself, and put his pride aside. That was what Kami would have done for the Earth if it were in danger. If Piccolo wanted to become what he planned, he was going to have to do the same for Equestria.
He sighed. "Open a portal to Equestria...please."
Buu and Appleten both jumped for joy and cheered. Trunks shook his head as he thought he saw confetti rain from the sky for a split second. What was going on? A more important question; did I really matter? As long as they got to Equestria, it didn't.
"Buu do! Buu do!" The majin happily sing-songed, and began his ridiculous routine.
Piccolo waited as his white cape picked up the light breeze that ad started. He watched Buu do what Buu does, before he heard a familiar voice in his head.
"Piccolo? Can you hear me? It's Gohan."
"Gohan?" Piccolo mumbled quietly. "Where are you?"
"I'm a few miles from Kami's Place." Gohan's voice echoed back. "My ankle is still busted, but Korrin says the senzus just grew in, and I'm going to grab a few before I join you guys."
Piccolo knew senzu beans would come in handy, and Gohan's power could only increase their chances of winning. However, Buu was already halfway through his procedure, and it would take Gohan a good few minutes to get here with the beans. Buu would only be able to hold the rift for a few seconds. It saddened him, but Piccolo knew what he had to say.
"I'm sorry, Gohan, but you can't come with us."
"What? Why not?"
"Judging by your power level's distance, you won't arrive in time to make it through the portal. Majin Buu can only hold it a few seconds, and he's already begun his ritual." Piccolo explained. "Plus, picking up the senzu beans will take precious seconds; I'd grab some right now if it didn't take so much time."
"C'mon, Piccolo!" Gohan's voice pleaded. "I can be a great help! Just let Buu do his thing, let him rest, and we'll start again once I'm there...it'll be--"
"Gohan, listen to me. The time it would take for Buu to rest after this will be far too long for Equestria, and we've made them wait long enough. It's now or never, I'm afraid."
He paused.
"Besides...were heading into a battle that has no guarantee of going our way...you have a family to look after, Gohan; Videl and little Pan. What will that sweet little girl do if her father doesn't come home from this? You've already been revived with the Dragon Balls once before...and it would be selfish to make the namekians use theirs on us so much as we already have."
There was silence for a few more moments. Finally, Gohan replied.
"You're right..."
"I'm sorry, Gohan."
Another small spat of silence. Piccolo thought on his next words very carefully.
"Gohan..." He finally spoke. "I'm sorry I can't say good-bye in person..."
"Why do you say it like it's a final farewell, Piccolo?" Gohan's voice questioned with concern. "Surely you plan on coming back...?"
He frowned a bit, trying to find a way to let his best friend and pupil down easy. He found none.
"No." He said. "I have a mission I must complete for Equestria. The death toll has no doubt stacked up since we've been readying ourselves for this battle; all those innocent lives lost like sheep in a wolf hunt, never seeing it coming...our Dragon Balls don't work on the pony world, though...and that means we can't use them to wish all of them back...but..."
He breathed in, getting ready to say the rest of his plan.
"But I'm going to make it right...that's why..I have to..."
He prepared himself once more, still not believing this was coming from him.
"That's why I have to become the Guardian of Equestria, and create their own set of Dragon Balls to fix what Sapphic made wrong!"
"Piccolo..." Was all Gohan could say in response.
"I have the knowledge from Kami to do so, and if they have any suitable materials, I can do it in a year. All I have to do is survive this fight with Sapphic, first. I have to do this, Gohan...I can't let something like this happen to them again in the future..."
Once again, silence; all except for Buu finishing up the ritual with his strange morphing, which Appleten laughed at whole heartedly.
"Gohan...I want you to know..I've loved you like a son...you were the only one who truly understood me. You were...are...and always will be..my best friend..."
"I love you too, Piccolo...and I hope your mission goes successfully."
Gohan's voice, even in mental transmission, held the quiver of sadness in it. Piccolo didn't want to hurt him, but this was something he felt he had to do. These ponies were innocents, and Goku had taught him indirectly that the strong should always defend the weak when they can't defend themselves. Goku had been Earth's greatest hero; perhaps Piccolo could be the same for Equestria.
"Good-bye, Gohan..."
Gohan didn't respond for awhile, but finally, his last statement came through with an air of confidence about it.
"Let's not say good-bye...let's just say...until we meet again..."
Buu finished his routine, and the rift opened with a loud zapping sound as it tore through reality. Piccolo held back tears that had welled in his eyes, and cut his psychic link with his first friend for the last time.
"C'mon!" He ordered, stepping into the portal briskly. "Let's go save Equestria!"
Appleten and Trunks followed immediately behind as Buu started to turn red. Mr. Popo shouted a good luck blessing after them as the pink majin finally let the tear close.