//------------------------------// // Sapphic's Last Resort // Story: Blooming Talent // by Griffin Productions //------------------------------// Sapphic gaped at the new and improved Apple Bloom that stood like a titan of color and light before him. The Element of Honesty? The Elements didn't normally have that much power; he had defeated the others with relative ease. What in the world was going on? Apple Bloom's intense and hard amber eyes did not leave Sapphic's fear-filled and unbelieving emerald ones. She had no more doubts now, and now that she was no longer deceiving herself; now that she had finally been honest with herself, the power passed down to her from her sister had awakened. Her Element had come unlocked, and now, on top of her already impressive power, she wielded the magic of the Element of Honesty. "You...you have to be bluffing..." Sapphic trembled taking an involuntary step backward. "The Elements of Harmony are not this strong! I defeated the others with but a fraction of my power! You shouldn't be so powerful!" Apple Bloom took an intimidating step forward, her eyes never leaving his even for an instant. "Goku." She finally said. "Please don't get involved here. I can take him now. I know it." Goku, finally able to stand, smiled confidently and nodded. "You got it, Apple Bloom. Do it. Do it for Equestria." From the sidelines, Whis looked on with a look of subtle pride. "Alright, King Sapphic," Apple Bloom said. "it's time for you to pay for everything you've done. For all the ponies and people you hurt. And being the Element of Honesty, I can promise you...this is your last battle." Sapphic had no time to respond; the new Element bearer disappeared and launched the changeling tyrant into the air at tremendous velocity. She bounced him in sixty-three different directions in a matter of four seconds and then slapped him back down to the ground. He bounced once as he hit the dirt, and Apple Bloom was on him again, an orb of rainbow colored energy in her hand. She brought it down onto him, spinning him like a washing machine on high and drilling him into the ground. She emitted a beam of the same rainbow energy and blasted him farther into the ground. He forcefully tunneled his way out, popping up behind her, and tossing a massive ki blast at her with a yell of anger. Apple Bloom didn't even blink as she looked back and flicked the attack away with one finger as it were a fly. The attack exploded on the ground behind her magnificently. There wasn't even a moment to react as she lunged forward faster than a blink and jammed her fist straight into Sapphic's gut; her fists imprint being visible from his back like a vile growth. HE spit up bile and blood as the attack connected, far too pain-wracked to even squeal. The impact rocketed Sapphic into the air at an angle, and Apple Bloom dashed away to circle around and kick him in the opposite direction. Sapphic skidded into the surface of the once great Canterlot and created a trench with his flailing body. As he continued to skid across the surface of Equestria, Apple Bloom placed her hands into a familiar position to her side. A rainbow orb of energy with power unmeasurable formed inbetween them. "Kame...hame...ha!!!" The beam of intense rainbow energy burst forth from her palms as she thrust them forward. Sapphic barely regained his form in time to move out of the way of certain death. Just when he thought he was in the clear, he looked back in horror to see the massive attack curve to follow his movements. He tried several more dives and flips, but the attack was closing in fast under Apple Bloom's watchful guidance. He hit the ground deciding his only chance was to deflect it somehow. He gather as much raw energy into his hand as he could and pushed his palm against the oncoming wave. The energy burned harshly and he was already shaking from the amount of energy he was needing to use just to hold on to the attack; his feet slide underneath him, digging lines in the ground and pushing him back a ways. "It's...too...strong!" He thought aloud. "I can't...hold it...!" There was one way he lived through this; he would have to aim it into the ground, and jump back in time to avoid the explosion. He'd have to be quick; quicker than he'd ever been in his life. But it was his only chance. He acted on his thought with a yell, pushing the beam into the dirt, and jumping back with all his might. The explosion was more powerful than he anticipated, and he was blasted back at high speed by the energy; it's raw power searing his muscle tissue and bubbling his tendons like wrapping paper in a fire. He got as far away as he could, and collapsed onto the ground, breathing heavily and trying not to shout out in pain. As the beam finally disappeared, he started to stand back up shakily. He managed to do so and came face-to-face with Apple Bloom who was standing less than an inch in front of him. He fell back on his behind, and rapidly crawled backwards away from the anthro in a frenzied scare. "How...how can you have so much power..? You're just a pony!" "That may be. But I'm the pony who's going to end this." He stood up quickly, pure primal fear and rag burning in his eyes. He knew she hadn't even tapped into her inner reserves yet; her power was still awesome and unfathomable. He had no chance. Damn it, why did somepony like this have to exist? Why? "Fine then!" He shouted shrilly, resorting to a drastic plan. He flew into the air quickly and looked down at each of his assailants. As he glanced at the blue one with the scepter, he felt that all too familiar chill run down his spine again. No, if he couldn't have Equestria all his own, he'd do the next best thing. Sapphic hunched over and started to absorb every bit of energy he could, drawing everything including his very life force out of himself, bringing all of it to bear in his hands. Apple Bloom and the others present all felt the sudden and drastic rise in energy; it wasn't at Apple Bloom's level yet, but was at least over halfway to equaling it. What did this monster have up his sleeve. "Gah! If I go down, I'll take all of you with me...all of you, and Equestria as well!" He shouted; his rage splitting the sky in a thunderous echo. "What?!" Apple Bloom exclaimed, her face contorting in uneasiness. "This final attack is made up of both my immense power, and my natural changeling magic! It cannot be stopped and contains enough power to destroy this entire planet!" "Oh no!" Goku exclaimed, flying into the sky. "Get back!" Sapphic shouted savagely, pushing the Super Saiyan 4 back to the surface of Equestria with the very sound. This was it; he may not have been able to rule over Equestria like his mother would have wanted, but he defeated the sisters, he destroyed the Elements of Harmony, and he had been King of Equestria for at least half a day. Now he would put the coup de gras on the entire ordeal, and destroy the very world that had shunned his people all their existence. His only regret was that he would have to die with them. "DIE PLANET, DIE!" He roared shooting his massive beam down at the ground at impressive speed.