Blooming Talent

by Griffin Productions

Holding the Line

Sapphic fired of countless ki blasts in Appleten's direction, and each one missed it's mark as she curved around wide, and then slammed her fist into the tyrant's armored face. The steel crumpled a little, but luckily for him, not enough to injure him inside it.

Appleten moved to execute a series of kicks, but Sapphic wouldn't have it; he spread his arm out and puffed his chest up as a radial pressure bomb exploded from his being, shoving the fusion fighter back several feet. She recovered, and went wide again to hit him with her other set of knuckles. Sapphic jumped and completely avoided the punch.

He landed behind her, and went to make a move, but his jaw was suddenly met with her foot as she kicked upwards behind her; she hadn't even turned to see him.

She followed this up by twirling into the air and chaining together several hard strikes from both her hands and feet against the changeling king's armored form, putting many dents in it. She finished the rather long combo with a simple right hook and stood, waiting for Sapphic to stop reeling; her arms crossing in front of her as she looked at him.

"How dare you..." He breathed, finally not about to fall over backwards. "I am King Sapphic!"

"King Sapphic; King of the Losers." Appleten added for him without so much as a smirk.

Sapphic gritted his teeth beneath his faceplate. "You'll soon learn your place, worm!"

He lunged forward, grabbing her by the mane and tossing her back with massive force. She tumbled across the ground, but still stopped on her feet, and fired seven bolts of energy from her hand. They moved to home in on Sapphic, but he merely dived to the side to avoid them as they exploded. She was on him again in an instant, and once again pummeling his steel plated body quick and precisely. Each strike was like a sledgehammer blow.

She smashed him back into the air, and before he could recover, she was behind him, and kicking him away. She moved quicker than the eye could see and was in front of him as he was flung through the air, and kicked him away again. The tyrant gave a loud grunt of pain as he soared backwards; the wind echoing loudly in his metal suit.

He recovered finally, an soared high above the potara warrior, who hovered below him, watching him ascend.

He came face to face with her in one arching motion, and she once again went to town on him, but this time he was ready, and blocked every blow she threw out. HAving only one arm made this difficult, but he could do it, and that was good enough for him.

Appleten finished the combo with a high kick, which he dodged by leaning back a ways. He took the opportunity to attack, and swung into her gut, knocking the wind out of her with sheer brute strength. He then began a painful combo of his own, striking the anthro's face and chest with enough force to break a normal person's bones. HE too ended with a high kick, but is did not miss, and hit the Appleten square in the jaw, knocking her teeth together.

She tumbled like a spiral through the air from the force of the kick, and Sapphic laughed satisfied. She was not as invincible as Piccolo claimed afterall.

He followed to attack again, but just before he made contact, she tumbled away, back in control, and floated a few feet back from her opponent.

She wiped a bit of blood from her lip, which had been spliced open by one of her teeth when she'd been kicked, and looked at the red liquid on her fur. He'd made her bleed; that was a sign that she was getting to comfortable. She may not be able to unleash her full power yet, but she couldn't get to relaxed. If she did, he could very well beat her down before the real battle even began. But she wasn't going to let him know that.

"Nice hit." She said in her double voice. "I almost felt that."

Sapphic growled savagely. "You insolent little wretch!"

"Such language." She deadpanned.

The changeling king drew his arm back like a discus thrower and hurled a green spark of ki at Appleten, who dashed away to avoid it, planning to once more circle around and attack. She got one small punch in before he blasted her back wit another pressure blast. The technique was useful; a full radial explosion of air to repel whatever was attacking him. She remembered he had used it on the saibamen in the ice museum. That seemed like so long ago...

Now wasn't the time for reminiscing, however; she recovered form her tumble, and fired seven more bolts of ki, and went in for a high speed kick. The bolts exploded upon Sapphic's armored chest, but he was still able enough to duck under the offending leg that followed through the dust cloud. He fired another ki attack in her direction to retaliate.

The blast hit, and zapped every hair on her furry body, including her once silk smooth mane and tail. As the burst disappated, Sapphic was right on top of her, but she was not as disabled as the tyrant thought. She yelled loudly, and a barrier of energy surrounded her, causing Sapphic to hastily abort his attack.

The energy evaporated, and the two had another staredown high above the streets of Canterlot.

* * *

Changeling drones ran in all directions as another party cannon blast drowned the entire hallway in confetti. The unlucky changelings who couldn't get out fast enough were choked to death by the colorful mini-streamers which forcefully flew into ther mouths or were breathed in as they fell around them.

Pinkie Pie, once again in Rainbow Power form, fired a quick beam of rainbow energy at one drone who as bold enough to try and tackle her. He screamed, and was instantly vaporized.

"Oopsy." She giggled. "Guess I still don't know my own strength, that was only supposed to throw you away..."

Her tail suddenly twitched as a huge chunk of the castle landed right where she'd been standing not a second ago, crashing to the marble floor and exploding into dust and pebbles.

She looked up to where it had fallen from, and saw the fleeing changelings, which she flew after in a dash. Instantly, she caugt up, and batted all three around asif she were juggling them.

The changelings who had managed to escape her notice continued to flee for their lives and sanity.

"How is she doing all this?!"

"Who cares?!"

* * *

"Quickly everypony!" Luna shouted to her followers as they made their way through the underground tunnels. "Once we are out of Canterlot's borders, Maud Pie will lead you back to her home and to safety."

"Princess," Maud asked in her unchanging tone. "what are you going to do?"

The alicorn looked to where the sky would be if the ground wasn't above her; a determined look on her features as she seemingly gazed off into nothing.

"I'm going to avenge my dear sister..."

* * *

Piccolo and Trunks watched as the staredown continued in the air above them. The namekian was looking on with an increasing look of worry; he had managed to hurt Appleten, and even caused her to need a moment. He was impressed she was still able to stay calm and collected, and impressed even greater that Sapphic was buying it. But she was still in trouble. If he got anymore good hits like that in before everypony had made it safely out of Canterlot so she could use her full power, the whole battle would be forfeit...

She was going to need a minute to regather her wits. He had just the plan.

"Appleten! Tag out!" He shouted up at her, flying up to the potara warrior.

She looked at him puzzled, and Sapphic scoffed.

"Tag out?!" He shouted. "You really do think this is a game, don't you?"

Piccolo said nothing as he took up a fighting stance inbetween the two.

"Appleten, rest for a few minutes. I'm going to hold him off for awhile, and if I'm lucky, I can do it until you can unleash your power on him." He mentally projected to her.

"Uh..." She started, but stopped and simply nodded and returned to the cobblestone streets of the royal city when Piccolo gave her a look.

It was not a look of anger, but a pleading one.

"Whether it's her, or you that dies first, it doesn't matter." Sapphic blurted angrily. "You have no chance of beating me!"

"We'll see about that." The namekian replied.

Comments

[HB_DS2013]

Never change, Pinkie Pie.

[Philosophysics]

"Whether it's her, or you that dies first, it doesn't matter." Sapphic blurted angrily. "You have no chance of beating me!"

Go on bugger(all the types), dig yourself deeper.

[Griffin Productions]

5867965 Keep reading on my friend. Not all tags are there right off the bat

[ponylover2]

5867968 next chapter please

[Unit 26-Fe]

"We'll see about that." The namekian replied.

I sense a Piccolo class beat down. GRILL HIS BUG ASS, PICCOLO.