Team Superstars: Regain The Strength

Chapters

Griffon Attack!
Dulled Out
Woken Up
Weakened
Tail in a Knot
Once Again
Great Escape
Not Prepared
Hide and Seek
Battlewood
Onyx’s Attempt
Aftermath

Griffon Attack!

It was months since Equestria was saved from Dark Matter, this time for good. The shards of the core were trapped in some sort of magic now, unable to regrow.

Ponies were living their lives again, including the three who were born with the powers against the Dark Matter. But much to their confusion, they had kept their powers, which they had assumed would go away once their purpose was completed, destroying Dark Matter. For reasons unknown, as they felt they never would use them again. But it was not a huge deal, they were skilled in controlling it, so an incident would be unlikely to be caused by them. For example, the unicorn, Onyx could make use of the healing light powers she received in an emergency. It took a while, but ponies learned to respect her when she refuses to use them to heal a small scab, she only wanted to use them again when absolutely needed. While Zoom, the pegasus decided she could also use her shield barrier and super speed magic in an emergency, too. To protect, so not like they were completely useless. Jazz, the earless earth pony was yet to find use for the light singing magic that put ponies to sleep, made the laugh, cry or dance for a while uncontrollably. But, she was at least grateful she could easily sing normally and it did not effect her life much at all. Well, minus the fact, like Zoom and Onyx, she’d be pestered to explain the story. Shame they couldn’t have been anonymous, well at least it calmed down a little when she, Rocky and Onyx were interviewed. Now ponies can just watch that instead. In fact they were all glad that their lives almost went back to normal. As if the Dark Matter thing never even happened.

Now there was not a thing tor worry about, was there?

Or maybe there was

With such mysterious powers, comes villains who want them for themselves…
.

Late one night, while the city was quiet a cloaked griffon flew over Zephyr heights gping unnoticed in the sky. Any pony would mistake her for another pegasi if they looked up towards her, they would not notice her claws or paws tucked under her as she flew by, well not till she was gone, at least. As she flew over the city, she was seemingly looking for something as she flapped her grey wings and flew through the air. She was growling angrily as she held a box with a device. It resembled a compass and looked like one at first glance. But it was not, it was a tool used to track and point towards the certain energy she was looking for. She was a little tired now, having flown for a long way, but at least she was not caught yet. She looked down at the small, round device with concern, that was pointing towards the palace. That was sure to be guarded up, just another difficult hurdle, just like how long it took her to build this stupid device with the help of an old scientist from another world. Using a little drop of the light magic itself she managed to get from Trixie, the accident holder of the powers. But finally she was here, just about to get her claws on more of these power she wanted- power she needed. She soon smirked as she got closer, finally she was here! It found one of the three light ponies! Or superstar ponies as they have been calling themselves, which was honestly better, kinda like Superman but Superstar. But that’s not what was important she been searching for weeks since Dark Matter’s fall, she was finally here, but this was not going to be easy.

As she entered the palace through an open window, as quiet as a gentle breeze, she leapt in. The hall was now left unguarded when she distracted the guard by throwing a paper plane. She lowered her hood, revealing her pink feathery head as she looked around her, for a better view her bird head looking not too far from a galah’s head, crest and colours and even the beak. Most griffons resembled a bird of some sort, so it wasn’t unusual. Wondering where to go next, she sighed as she looked down at the device. “If I could not be part pf the hero’s team. No one can…” She said to herself as she looked down the hall and back towards the window, whispering like she was giving some sort of orders to someone. “It’s clear, darling.” She spoke, a small roar following her remark, belonging to an odd creature of some sort. This creature was shaped like a dinosaur, almost. Like a rex or a raptor, but almost double Alphabittle’s height if not a bit bigger. The limbs were obviously so it could choose to be on either all fours or on two legs whenever it pleases. It was a reddish-brown colour with a light yellow belly. Ivory spines were along the back kinda shaped and placed like how iguana’s spines are. Gumdrop named this one Foxglove, a plant almost as dangerous as this creature itself. “Window too small for you?” She asked the dinosaur and sighed. “Find another entrance, I’ll meet you to the target.” She told the creature, it seemingly obeyed and flew away to find another way in.

“Trixie will pay when I have the light powers…” She whispered, careful to make not much noise on the marble-like ground. Sure, she had equipment to defend herself. But that was no excuse to drop her guard. This was different from the Equestria she knew, who knows what this place could be capable of. As she grabbed out a small, flat object resembling a foldable handheld mirror, she looked down the hall. Blowing some dust gently, watching as it blew away and disappeared. Being slightly surprised as she was expecting some traps like lasers.

“Odd…” She whispered to herself as she moved along, dusting away the dust on the ground with her tail. Keeping her guard up for any hidden traps. Maybe they chose other traps instead. But she did not see any wires as she slowly sneaked through. feeling like someone was watching her, but what could possibly be watching her now? Then she perked up as she heard a voice. Gasping slightly as she heard some hoofprints behind her, she had been caught wasn't she? Dang it! Now she had to be extra careful.

”Halt right there!” Shouted an orange furred royal guard. She noticed the silver chestplate online with gold with a symbol on it. Resembling a pair of flared wings certainly not any symbol she had recognised from her time. The guard also was wearing a silver helmet, outlined with gold and having the same simple. Along with a tall, fluffy white plume resembling the mane of a fjord horse, well, that was close enough of a comparison she thought. But now was time for action as the guard stood there, looking grumpy. Gumdrop snarled as she reached into her cloak throwing a ball on the ground, it landing on the ground right near the guard. Who had seemed rather scared upon seeing her claw.

“Uh-uh” He gulped. “You missed! U- I mean- Drop your weapons immediately!” The griffon smirked at the unaware guard. Who stood next to the ball she threw, that let out a gas as it laid near the guard. Who sniffed the air and started to look a little fazed at it. “What’s that smell?” He wondered as he sniffed the air. eventually fainted upon inhaling it. It was not a dangerous gas, he would wake up soon unharmed like nothing happened. But the griffon still had to be quick, it was only active for ten to thirty minutes once used. The guard was sure to wake up within an hour, an hour and a half if lucky. “Don’t mess with me…” The griffon whispered, hurrying down the hall, following the arrow on her compass-like device. To what appeared to be a throne room as she slowly opened the doors with a creak, It must be the queen that has the powers. Makes sense.

She tried to sneak in. Staying up against the wall and slowly moving along it as she gazed at the other two guards facing the pony on the throne. It appeared they were listening to this queen that was there. None of her concern, she just needed to figure out where these powers were before she snagged them. A smirk appeared on her face as she sneaked close to the ground and close to the wall. Accidentally bumping into a pot plant, moving it slightly and gasping. ”Ow.” She muttered. Then gasped as she looked towards the trio of ponies.

She did not go unnoticed by the queen. “Guards!” She shouted. Pointing towards her. She snarled as two guards ran towards her. A short green stallion and a blue mare. Both pegasi. Lucky for her, she had another trick up her cloak. Even if guards had tiny brains, bringing weapons were something you should do! She grabbed some balls that exploded into really sticky goop and threw them at them, knocking the green one down right when they exploded around his forelegs. He tumbled as the blue one raced towards her, so she from her, who had dodged another ball.

“I just need one thing!!” The griffon shouted to the blue one who hovered in the air, a few meters away from her. Not accepting this as her answer. She snarled when the griffon landed and looked at an object with confusion. She glared in annoyance and confusion as she landed Right next to her. Ready to grab her if needed, but at that moment a large winged dinosaur like species dashed through the throne room doors. Letting out a large roar. Thunder gasped as a result as Zoom went in front of the queen to protect her, holding up a tennis ball. Both guard’s hearts were racing while the queen was trembling slightly.

”Your m-majesty. Stay calm. We’ll get this under control!” Zoom exclaimed, trying to hide her fear as she trembled herself.

“Took your time.” The griffon said, rolling her eyes. Thunder, nearby trying to get himself free from the goop noticed the griffon was holding what appeared to have been nothing more than what appeared to be a compass. Except the red arrow was not pointing north. Which was weird, must be broken? To add to the suspicions, the griffon smirked a little. Seeing the compass object was pointing at the queen who was worriedly watching from behind her blue guard, whatever her name was.

“Wh-what’s going on!? What do you even want?” The queen asked, her name soon revealed.

”Don’t worry queen Haven, I-“ Thunder spoke then gulped as he got up after managing to get himself free. His legs like jelly as he eyed the winged dinosaur. Too scared to move, his heart was racing at the thought of what might happen next. Zoom was a across the room from him, he was closer to the monster, he was too scared to move.

“Get back!!” Zoom snapped before she looked over at her partner. Wanting back up from him. “Thunder!” She shouted.

”What is that thing!” Thunder cried out, unable to move as he gazed at it, but he finally got the courage and ran over to Zoom was, his heart racing as he spread his wings, breathing like he ran a marathon. Glancing at the col heartless eyes of the monster, the hungry looking face gave him shivers. He could feel his breath heavily escaping his mouth.

“I warned you, get back!” Zoom shouted angrily, throwing the tennis ball at the dinosaur, who did’t even flinch when it bounced off its nostril.

The dinosaur grabbed Zoom in its mouth and tossed her about before throwing her at a wall, she let out a yelp and a groan of pain as she slumped on the ground.

“Zoom!” Cried Thunder and then gasped as the dinosaur sniffed the queen. “No you don’t!” He shouted, leaping onto the muzzle of the dinosaur, hitting it in the eye with his hoof. A few more guards ran into the room as it whipped its head around, almost sending Thunder flying!

“Halt!” Cried out a pale purple stallion who held a rock in his hoof. “You better make this easy.” He said, threateningly with the large rock facing the dinosaur, ignoring Gumdrop till she spoke.

“C’mon girl, let’s take out the trash!” Gumdrop exclaimed, throwing balls of slime at the guards who had just entered, two of them dodging while three got stuck in place. Perfect spot to be slammed into the wall by the tail of the winged dinosaur. Each one landed on the ground with a groan, watching in shock as the dinosaur lifted its head, Thunder holding onto the front now, crying for his dear life the queen narrowly dodged as the dinosaur slammed her face into tue throne, damaging it and injuring Thunder who let out a cry of pain.

Zoom watched on, Forcing herself to get up, feeling like she was hit by a ton of bricks. “That’s it…” She said, holding her leg in pain as she watched two other guards put themselves in front of the Queen and one other grab the dinosaur's tail. The purple one went after the griffon, managing to pin her to the ground, only to find himself tangled in a rope of slime once he was hit by a rest blast of magic from somewhere. Did it come from the griffon’s claw? She used this opportunity to kick him away, gasping as she picked up the dropped compass, noticing it wasn’t pointing at who she thought it was.

”Foxglove! Don’t go after the queen, go after the blue one.” The griffon cried out, making her run right towards Zoom.

”Oh no you don’t!” Zoom exclaimed, believing this to be some sort of distraction. She used her uninjured three legs to run towards the dinosaur, her heart racing and hooves glowing as her speed picked up, she narrowly dodged the jaws of sharp teeth and dashed underneath the body and towards the queen, stopping right in front of her, using her Superstar powers to create some sort of barrier around the queen and herself. Haven could see the sweat on her and her heart dropped at the sighed of her leg she was holding up. It didn’t appear broken, but it did appear hurt.

Thunder himself was shaking, he took his hoof off his face only to let out a yelp as he noticed red stuff staining his green fur. Blood, he was bleeding somewhere. His stomach turned as he glanced at the dinosaur, ramming at the other guards, all but one narrowly dodging. This guy was hurting his friends, he glanced at Zoom, a shiver going down his spine at this whole situation. A dinosaur and a griffon with the ability to summon sticky goop? This was not what he was expecting. His mouth was dry now as he watched a guard get flung through the air. What now?

Then he remembered! The eye of the dinosaur, when he hit it earlier, she screamed in pain. It must be a weak spot. He cringed at this idea, however, he didn’t want to hurt her. But he had to, Zoom always warned him that he might have to injure someone for the safety of others, guards have to protect, even if it means hurting someone to do so. Today was finally the day, he looked around the place, quickly running across the throne room to gather some of the sticky goop from earlier as Foxglove smashed another guard against the wall, seemingly knocking him out. The other guards were throwing stuff and trying their best to distract the dinosaur. Gumdrop was busy covering the door in sticky goop, stopping other guards from entering the throne room. They smashed on the door as she laughed. Thunder had a plan… It was stupid

Thunder threw some goop at Foxgloves eye, making her roar out loudly, she was about to run towards him, but Gumdrop repeated her earlier command. “Get the blue one, now!” She shouted, making the dinosaur dash

“You have five seconds to leave before I use full force!” Zoom warned. The griffon smirked as Zoom’s hooves glowed as she lowered the barrier briefly when two other guards come to guard the queen, planning to escort her to safety at the right moment. Zoom kicked Gumdrop hard enough to send her crashing to the ground. Then she landed in front of the queen with an annoyed expression, Wings flared and eyeing down her. Thunder soon joining, minus the glowing hooves. She snarled as the griffon opened the box, a ball of purple electricity appearing inside that got bigger and bigger. Zoom looked worried but kept her composure, “You have to go through me and Thunder first!” He hooves glowing once more as she created a barrier around herself and the queen once more, the other two guards behind the barrier and Thunder next to it.

“That’s too bad…” Snarled the griffon. “You are the one I need…”

”Why do you keep saying that, didn’t you want the queen?” Thunder questioned as he stood near Zoom. In a protective stance, worried about her and the queen. He watched in shock as a beam of electricity zapped out the box and hit the barrier. Seemingly doing nothing as it stayed up, the beam just crashing into it and nothing else, the barrier started to glow slightly as Zoom stood there.

“Hah! Her unique light glow powers are too strong!” Laughed Thunder. Not knowing the griffin smirk grow wider. Zoom groaned in pain as her hooves shone brighter. So did her wings, despite using zero of her pegasus magic. But this fazed no one as they watched her. A few drops of sweat now visible as she clenched her teeth, hoping this powerful beam would end anytime soon, she groaned as she noticed the barrier started glitching.

”Y-You are not… harming the queen!” Grunted Zoom. “Or the palace.”

”Zoom!” Haven exclaimed, heart racing as she watched the barrier glitch a bit more, getting worse. Worried for her own and her guard’s safety. She was dedicated, but she did not know how much she could hold up, the beam was just so powerful. She gulped as she watched Zoom’s glowing hooves glitch, it was the Superstar power, it was fighting to keep the barrier up. Before anyone could react, it seemingly burst like a balloon, the barrier shattering like glass, the shards vanishing in midair. No one had time to react as they watched as the zap instantly hit Zoom as her hooves glitched and fizzled out as it held her there, she screamed in terror and pain as she couldn't move, as if she was being electrocuted.

“Aarrgh!” She fell back, as colour was drained from her, immediently she flopped on the ground, out cold. Her cutiemark fading from her flank.

“Zoom!” Thunder and Haven cried in horror.

“Super speed and protection…” Then the griffon paused. “And flight? That’s weird, flight was not part of the light powers Trixie found. Oh well.” The griffon sneered as she put the box in a bag under her cloak. Haven watching in horror and sitting at Zoom’s side as Thunder watched on. His heart was racing, he felt something he rarely felt. Anger.

He growled as the griffon ran into the hall. “Get back here!” He shouted, flying after her. Down the hall, he saw a royal guard get ready to join him. “Go to the queen!” He shouted at the guard. “She might need your help!” The guard nodded and flew towards the throne room as Thunder chased afterwards. Flapping his wings as fast he could, his heart was almost as fast. He dodged some weird orbs that emitting some type of gas from them. But he did not stop, he was filled with thrill as he dashed through the halls, getting closer and closer, He tried his best to endure the freezing rain, and the loud cracks of thunder as they both flew out the front doors, into the storm that had just began, two guards near the door out cold, likely knocked out when the dinosaur found a way in. He got closer and closer until he grabbed the tail, it was lion-like but he did not care! “Give Zoom’s powers back!” He shouted, yanking her back as she slammed to the ground, for once he did not feel bad for her, especially with that angry face she stared at him with. As he dived closer to pin her to the ground. He was sprayed in the face with some sort of gas, It smelt like lavender. He tried to ignore it, but he started to feel heavily, crashing to the ground. He tried to grab to them, but she avoided his grips as he tried to keep his tired eyes open. Watching as the griffon flew in the distance. He groaned as he tried to get up, feeling numb as he helplessly watched on. Reaching for thief who disappeared in the dark. ”Give… It… Back…” He groaned, trying his best to lift himself before fainting again, his eyes closing as he whispered. “Give….” He muttered. “It…” as everything went dark. “Back.”

The griffon flew for miles above the gloomy rain clouds. Smiling proudly to herself as she flew further away from the castle. “Seems they did not prepare fro the revenge of Gumdrop. One down. Two to go…” The griffon, named Gumdrop said to herself as she flew over an abandoned village, on the edge of a dry plains. The grass had grown long around the edges. Most the small buildings, being no more than two stories at most having crumbled. It was seemly abandoned for decades. As it was overgrown with shrubs and not a single pony was found. She smirked as she flew downwards towards a particular building. The most healthy and stable building in what used to be a thriving but small village, sitting cozily on the map. She flew into the former building. It had about two floors to it and an attic. It was not huge, but at least it survived being abandoned more than the other buildings, plus it was seemingly bigger and newer than the rest.. As she walked in, she opened the door and laughed. “I’m home!” She snickered as she slammed shut the door. Walking up the stairs to a particular room. The floor creaking under her as she moved. Entering an old room, stripped bare of everything. Except for the middle. Where a particular unicorn was chained by the hind leg to the ground.

”Nice to see you again, Trixie…” The griffin said, snickering at the magic-disabling collar around her neck. “It is a shame you don’t have the light powers anymore. But I did find one of the three ponies they were passed down onto. Now in the future the powers are mine! Thanks to this.” She shouted, ripping off her cloak, revealing the alicorn amulet on her neck.

Trixie stepped back. A dog muzzle around her muzzle. She was scared and did not know what to do. She thought Gumdrop was dead! But she found her and took her, and a few others, to this dimension! Looked like Equestria far in the future, she took her here to see her steal the new chosen one’s powers so she could have them. But why? She hoped that the ponies of this generation could handle this, because this was no laughing matter. She looked back at the crumbling wall, trying to ignore the smell of rotting food from who knows where. Beyond the wall revealed the room next to the one she was in. But in a worse shape, the carpet was almost non-existent, the wooden cupboards were rotting away, fallen in pieces, but there were ponies in cages, unlike her. A kirin, who was caught in the crossfire of Trixie trying to escape Gumdrop. She didn’t know who this kirin was. Her view was obstructed by the rest of the wall. The cage was in the shadows, really making it harder to tell. In the other cage was Zecora, who had just so happened to be with her at the time.But Gumdrop thought it was necessary to bring her along. For being a ‘team member’ that got the credit she deserved, too!

“You will be excited to watch this show, won’t you?” Asked Gumdrop. “Weak and powerless Trixie.” She looked down at the box and emptied the magic inside in a jar, Trixie’s eyes widened in terror as her heart stopped at the sight. “It appears I had also got the non-superstar magic of the pegasus, but doesn’t matter. Serves her right, after all…” She said, putting it in a cupboard, locking it and putting away the key. “She had what’s mine after all.”

Trixie gulped and whimpered as she thought about the stolen magic put in the jar. Her heart was racing as she glanced at the pink griffon as she saw the purple and green magic swirling around inside the jar. She also saw the glimpse of a purple cutiemark in the shape of a castle tower. Must have taken the pony’s cutiemark, too by the looks of it, she worriedly looked back, hoping there was a way out. But there likely was, if they could pick the locks with something, she pulled at her muzzle with a groan, just wanting to be loose. “Let us go. Gumdrop…”

”Not till I get what’s mine…”

Dulled Out

Thunder groaned as he put his hoof to his head, he felt groggy, barely remembering what had just happened last night. He ignored the beeping of his alarm clock that was currently telling him it was five in the morning! Sometimes he’d start duty this early, but today wasn’t one of them… As he slowly opened his eyes he groaned, remembering he passed out while chasing someone out the front of the palace, but why? He needed to blink a few times to actually clear his vision. It did not take long for him to realise he was in his warm, soft bed, no longer out the front in the cold. Which was a strange, because he wasn’t there now, somepony must have put him to bed. The morning light shone through the windows, shining into the large room he was in. It was his bedroom… His mind was all groggy and fuzzy on the night before as he looked around, trying to work out his surrounds and what had happened. It was almost like a dream to him, he hardly remembered much. There was an intruder in the palace, that’s what he remembered at the moment. Sitting up, he looked around him, his mane ruffled from his tossing and turning.

“What?” He said, looking around puzzled before the memories started coming to him. His heart started race as his thoughts came to him. Remembering what had just happened the night before. “Zoom!?” He exclaimed, looking around, shaking getting up from his bed, looking around him, hoping it wasn’t as terrible as he remembered. Putting on his helmet and chestplate, he trembled as he walked to the door. Expecting the worse. Zoom was shot with unknown powers after all… Who knows what kind of condition she’d be in. He had to check on her wherever she was. He swallowed right as he opened the door, exiting his room, jumping in fright as soon as he heard a voice.

“Thunder! You’re awake!” Called out a voice belonging to another guard. He recognised her orange-brown coat and green socks immediately, her eye colours were like ambers shining in the light.

“O-oh! Hey Autumn.” Greeted Thunder, sounding less joyful than usual when he would greet his friends in the morning. He sighed a bit as he looked down at the ground and back at her. Wondering if she heard what happened last night. Perhaps she did, judging by her remark. But she could have just been excited to see him this morning and is happy he is awake. “Have you heard?” He asked, hoping not to cause panic. Autumn and Zoom weren’t really that close, they got along, but they never really interacted with each other.

“Heard what?” She asked looking slightly concerned before her expression showed dread. Looking really concerned as if she had just gotten the news now. “Oh yeah… Zoom, one of the highest ranked guards was injured in an attack last night.” She said, her voice cracking. “Yes, I have heard. I actually made cookies for her if she were to wake up…” She explained as Thunder’s heart dropped, she hadn’t awakened? His heart was beating as he looked at her. His own friend, she wasn’t dead, was she? His mouth started to go dry as he thought about her, shaking a little. He couldn’t lose her. Not now.

“Is she… Okay?” Thunder asked as he gained a deep pit of worry in his stomach. It felt so heavy, he actually felt sick to the stomach as he worried about the state of Zoom.

“I can show you.”

“O-okay.” He answered, deciding to see if she was okay. His duty wasn’t for another hour or two, so he had time. His worry grew following Autumn to the ward. Where any guards that were hurt for any reason would recover from minor injuries or illness. He had only been there once in his life. When he had accidentally sliced himself deeply with a knife and had to stay there for a few hours before the nurse decided he was free to go. He was glad that incident left no scar on his body. As he approached the ward, he but his tongue as he entered. Making a loud gasp as soon as he sat inside, seeing a familiar pony on one of the few beds. “Zoom!” He exclaimed, tearing up as he looked over to her, trembling as she reached her bed. Her helmet and chestplate placed on the table next to it. Along with a plate of freshly made cookies, untouched. Autumn,n was right, she wasn’t awake yet. At least she was still alive, but breathing heavily. He felt himself fill up with guilt and grief as she watched her make a panicked gasp in her sleep. Ut hurt him as he watched her so helpless. “P-please get up.” He said, his voice cracking ss he put a hoof on her. Feeling her shivery body under the hospital blanket. A tear went down his cheek as he looked at Autumn, who was showing signs of crying herself.

“You would have hated to see her a few hours prior. It’s as if she’s stuck in some violent nightmare. She’s been muttering things like everyone is dead and there’s blood everywhere and she’s a failure for everyone being killed.” A nurse named Dolly said in a depressed expression as she approached to check on her. She had a short blue mane and a pale red coat. “The muttering was giving me the creeps, just imagining her nightmare. In my thirty years of being a palace nurse, I have never had dealt something as violent as this… Since Sky Drop or Taser.”

“Sky Drop and Taser?” Gulped Thunder, remembering other ponies and about them., remembering the first guard, he was brutally killed around the time when Zoom and Thunder would have been toddlers. They were in their twenties now. Sky Drop was talked about for years. He was impaled one night while escorting the queen home, having defended from a drunk stallion. He dismissed all his pain till he was found dead in front of the ward that morning, in a puddle of his own blood. Dolly was the one to find him. The smell and sight never left her mind. Taser was another guard that was killed, he had a limp slice off accidentally while trying to defend Pipp from some thieves near a construction site. She was around twelve at the time. Thunder was about fourteen at the time, he remembered the news clearly. Especially how his own brother tried to take him to the ward for help… It was lucky Pipp wasn’t there to see him get injured since she had ran off after Zipp for something.

“Yeah…” Autumn sadly added. “I hate hearing fellow guards get injured… But the deaths are worse. I mean, there has only been two on duty guard deaths since Haven became Queen. With her great grandma and generations before, it was way worse!” She exclaimed, tears in her eyes. “I don’t want any of my fellow co-workers die…” She said, looking at Zoom. “Even if I don’t know him or her, it really hurts.” She said. It was true there had been less deaths these days, but it could still happen.

“Same…” Thunder responded. Tears going down his face as he looked at her.

Dolly looked st the two mourning ponies, regretting her words earlier. She didn’t mean to make them worry. “Zoom is not dying.” She said bluntly. “She’s just stuck in a nightmare… Kinda like being stuck in a coma, but she doesn’t need any life support just yet…”

“How long?” Thunder asked, trembling a little as he looked at Dolly, hoping for a good answer.

”I’m afraid I don’t know.”

Thunder looked down at his hooves and back at Zoom. He had never seen her like this before. So weak and helpless, so ill… Just a few minutes later, Haven walked in the ward. Looking rather concerned. “Is she awake?” She asked another nurse who was younger.

“No, your majesty.”

“Oh my.” Haven responded, walking forward, seeing Zoom grunt as her breathing became heavier. “How long has she been like this?”

”Ten hours.”

”Ten hours!?” Haven softly asked, looking over at Zoom. “No sign of waking?” Her emotions were a mix of fear and distress. Hearing the words of the nurse made her think. It was like she was trapped in a nightmare? Maybe it was a magical thing and not a medical thing, she was hit by a magic beam after all. Her heart ached as she looked at her. But there was still hope, right? After-all, her own daughters did help return magic and save the cutie marks when they were stolen from Opaline. Not only that, they live in the same room as the unity crystals. So in a way, they were magic experts right? They must be. if Zoom’s magic was sucked from her, she might need magic to help her. Maybe they might have an answer. “Nurse.” She said quietly, looking over at the nurse who was watching Zoom sweat.

“Y-yes your majesty?”

“Is it okay if I take her to my Daughters and friends to check up on her? I feel like they might have an idea on what’s going on with her if it’s magic related.” Haven explained to the nurse who paused for a moment to think. She knew she was hit by a magical blast last night, it may have knocked her out and she’s unable to wake up. But It’s true, it doesn’t seem to be a physical, mental or medical issue at the moment. Her heart rate was fine, her breathing was panicky at moments, she didn’t need any help from any machines to keep alive. Nothing to worry about. In fact, she appeared to be sleeping and not be coma of some sort. If it was a magical thing that put here, then it was likely magic related that was keeping her in this state. She looked over at the queen, still wanting to keep an eye on her, just in case.

“With all respect, she needs to rest. So do the other patients here. We can’t have too many guests at once.” The first nurse said.

“I think it’s worth a shop.” The second nurse said. “She’s stable enough to trouble, just like she’s having a snooze. I don’t see why you can’t take her there. The Unity Crystals are other with your daughters, right? Maybe being close to them might help her in some way!” She added.

”Thank you, nurse.” Haven responded, ignoring the first nurse’s groan.

Zipp was downstairs early that morning. Izzy was working on something she was knitting, Pipp was humming to herself, working on a new song. Sunny was making herself some eggs. Misty was on a camping trip with Alphabittle for a few days. To meet with her other family, like her cousin and aunt. Even if she didn’t have much memory of them, she wanted to at least get to know them again. It was nice to see her eager to do something out of her comfort zone, besides, she could come back anytime. Zipp yawned as she poured herself some cereal. When she heard a knock on the door. “Huh?” She wondered. Coking her head as she looked towards the door. Puzzled, soon seeing Haven come in quickly with a worried expression. “Mother!?” Zipp exclaimed.

”I am so sorry for showing up without warning!” She apologised. Looking sweaty as she sat down. Zipp and her friends approaching her with concerned as Thunder raced in. Zoom cradled in his hooves, he laid her down gently on the couch, the first thing Zipp noticed was her dull colouring and faded cutie mark. Something she hadn’t really seen before. Unless you count a baby dragon. What had happened? Did Opaline return to take cutie marks or destroy magic again, using a more dire power to do so? Nah, that’s not possible.

”Wh-what happened?” Zipp asked, a feeling of dread filling her.

”Is everyone okay?” Sunny exclaimed after she put her eggs on a plate then looked at Zoom. Noticing the queen’s worried expression. It appeared she had not gotten much sleep last night. Whatever it was must have been rough.

Haven took a while to speak, “I think there’s a new threat after us.” looking down after seeing Thunder nudge Zoom. “I… It happened last night. We were attacked and they did something to Zoom while she was protecting me! We waited for to wake up, but she didn’t. I was helping you’d know what happened to her. Or you could help her.” She gulped, sweat coming down her. She had made all the guards o look over the city and palace for threats more than ever before. Just hoping the thief would be found and no one would get attacked again! “I assumed it was magical, since the nurses said it’s like shes stuck in a nightmare and it’s not a coma! I had hoped bringing her closer to the unity crystals would help in some way!”

”Okay… Got the feeling we could have came to you.” Zipp responded. Feeling that she must have been very desperate if she thought being closer would help. “But I need you to tell me everything.” She sternly responded. “What happened?”

Thunder sighed as he held Zoom’s hoof. Her pulse was fast. Hearing as Haven explained everything. “It appears her magic was drained from her from that creature you mentioned…” Sunny responded. “But… Why did they only aim for Zoom and not either of you, or anypony else?” Zipp nodded in agreement, it was a bit weird. She thought they would have went after the unity crystals. Or at least Sunny for her alicorn magic. But why a royal guard? Not even Zipp remembered Haven being so concerned for one of her own guards. She knew they were tough and were in it to protect her. But it was no surprise, she did see them as other ponies in her kingdom, besides, it was a magical object that put Zoom in this state. If Zoom and Thunder failed to protect their queen, this could likely be Haven now.

”Yeah. This is pretty strange…” Izzy wondered, speaking about thinking like she does sometimes. “If I was a magic thief. I’d steal the magic from everyone in the castle! More magic for me and less magic to give them the advantage!” There was a pause as Izzy finished. She did have a point, it was unusual that the thief stole only Zoom’s magic and not anyone else’s. Even if it had the chance and ability to do so. But…

”Not helping, Iz…” Pipp bluntly responded.

Zipp walked over to Zoom, she was breathing heavily. Why would the thief only aim for her? She was pretty greyed out, not far from Sparky when a whole bunch of his dragon fire was forced from him. He was drained for days afterwards. But this was also different from such incident. Sparky wasn’t in some magical nightmare afterwards, he was traumatised, more sleepy and not so energetic. But he did get his colour back the next day and perked up again after visiting the dragon lands. ”Well… The thief did say she only needed her!” Thunder added, looking very upset. Remembering her words, he felt rather bitter mentioning her. It came out as ‘thief’ but there were other words to describe her better.

“Only her?” Zipp asked. “Why would she only want her?” It did not take long for everyone to figure out the reason. “What has she got that nopony els-“ They all shared similar shocked expression. It was pretty obvious now why they only went for Zoom compared to anyone else. If she was after power, she would only go after Zoom for a particular one. An imaginary light bulb popped above Zipp’s head, she gasped as a result. “I got it!” She exclaimed, “The superstar powers!” Everyone gasped in shock as she came to the conclusion. “The thief must be after those powers that she, Jazz and Onyx used to defeat Dark Matter for good!”

”But why?” Wondered Pipp. “I thought they’d be practically useless now! They were used for their only purpose, right?” She asked, having kinda had them in the back of her mind and not thinking on it much since.

”I don’t know…” Sighed Sunny. “But those powers are still strong from what I heard. In the wrong hooves, they can be dangerous… Even when Dark Matter is gone.”

”And she already got one of the three!” Pipp screeched in worry. Her heart was racing as the other two appeared in her mind. “She must be after the others!” Then immediately went to her phone. Possibly to warn the others, being close friends with Jazz. Contacting her seemed like a choice she’d make so quickly. But it was a good call to warn them…

”If she went after Zoom. Then there is a change that she is after Jazz and Onyx fir their share of the superstar power!” Thunder worried as he shivered. “I tried to catch her. But-“ He then put his face in his hooves and made a long, disappointed groan.

”Thunder…” Haven reassuringly patted his back. Having known what he tried to do but failed. “You tried, that’s what matters. Is not your fault that jerk was overpowered.”

”Who knows what this thief is going to use these powers for! They might be after the unity crystals, too!” Cried Sunny, her heart racing as she thought about all the possibilities of this new threat. Who was she? What did she wan?. Sure, judging by Haven and Thunder’s story, she wasn’t interested in anyone else besides the superstar powers. But if she wasn’t aware of the unity crystals, then there was no doubt that she might want them for herself. Either to try and give herself more power, or destroy magic for everyone!

”If she is not a pony like mother said. We have to be careful of what she is already capable of!” Zipp exclaimed as Pipp frantically texted someone on her phone. There was silence as everyone looked at each other. Wondering on their next move. Who was this thief and why was she after those with the mysterious powers no one had decided on a name for yet? Was going to be after Sunny and the unity crystals, too? What was she planning? What would they do next? Thunder looked down at Zoom who was not breathing as heavily, her colour was back, but only slightly. But she whimpered and kicked her legs suddenly. He grabbed her foreleg in concern, crying for her to wake up.

”Zoom! Please, wake up!” He cried. His heart racing as he looked down at her. Tears in his eyes as she looked down at her, her heart was racing. Her mane was ruffled, the helmet was on the floor next to the couch. She was making the occasional squeak. Whatever nightmare she was happening, it sounded scary. Otherwise the room was rather silent. Everyone stood there in fear and concern as they tried to think about what to do next

Woken Up

Soon Rocky and Jazz came running in. Dapple and Onyx following after. “Pipp, I came as soon as I could!” Jazz shouted. “I also brought Onyx and Dapple since they were in town and you asked me to inform them, too.” She gulped. “What’s the emergency?” Rocky had a brush ready. Expecting something do do with styling. There was a huge smile on his face when soon disappeared, now shoeing concern and confusion as he glanced at Jazz. Her heart was still racing and she felt little sweaty, as soon as she got the message earlier. She was quick to send it to Onyx, having had her number to stay in contact with the other two ‘Superstars’ as they call themselves. Which did come in handy since she needed to warn her in the emergency. Rocky hadn’t read the text, he only heard Jazz scream that Pipp had an emergency and found himself running to the lighthouse with her and the two unicorns.

”A villain is after your glow, light, flash, superstar—whatever you decided to call them— powers.” Sunny explained, not exactly what to call them herself. Since the trio seemingly Hadn't decided completely. If they had, she hadn’t gotten the message, but ‘Superstar’ seems pretty common for them at this point. “They already got Zoom’s.”

Jazz immediately stopped, she was frozen in place as she processed the words. A new villain? Another one she had to deal with that was after her powers? But why? Weren’t they for defeating Dark Matter? She gulped as she paused there, drops of sweat coming down as she glanced at the others. Rocky glanced at her briefly before looking over at Sunny, with an uneasy face. Dapple was looking back and forward towards Onyx and Sunny, the former giving her usual expression, but her eyes were widened in shock, her ears were pinned back. She then glanced over at Zoom, who was looking rather ill.

”What!?” Rocky, Jazz and Dapple finally shouted in unison as Onyx slowly walked towards the couch, towards the pegasus. She was laid there, still panting a bit as she groaned. Her short purple mane all ruffled and messy instead of neatly combed like she usually has it while not wearing a helmet.

”Somepony is after them!?” Jazz exclaimed, her heart thumping in her chest as her mind processed what was going on. “B-bit that’s crazy! Wouldn’t they useless now we used them for their purpose!? I don’t even understand why we have them still!” She sat down and started to hyperventilate. She thought it was all over! Why now? Why couldn’t her life just be normal again? Didn’t she already complete the quest?

“That’s what I said!” Exclaimed Pipp.

“Doesn’t matter.” Zipp sighed. “They might just know how powerful they are and want them for themselves…” Onyx looked down at Zoom as Zipp explained to Jazz what her theory was. Not really paying attention, but still rather concerned for her and her powers. Zoom’s body was a much duller colour than what it usually was, but why? Why was so so ill and dull just because she lost her light powers. Perhaps there was more to them than they thought. It was rather extraordinary they had so many questions. But it seemed that they would struggle to live without them for whatever reason. Or maybe the method of taking the, from Zoom caused her to be like this. Lucky for her, Onyx’s light power came with healing, which would be really handy with her.

”Zoom. Get up…” She said bluntly, putting a hoof on her stomach. Thinking of her, hoping she’d awaken. It was not like her to be like this, so she was going to try and help. Everyone’s attention was directed to Onyx as her hoof started to glow.

”Onyx?” Thunder whispered Softly. Hoping she knew what she was doing. He watched as she stood there. Once again, Zoom was starting to mutter and fail in her sleep, slapping Onyx in the face with a hoof, who stumbled back at the hard hit. She immediately put a hoof on her eye right where she was slapped, luckily she wasn’t injured. Everyone watched with worry as their hearts raced, getting more concerned about Zoom’s state. It was worth a shot, but rather upsetting that somepony else’s share did nothing to help one who had hers stolen. But it made a bit of sense at the same time. She couldn’t exactly separate it from her and share a part, it seemed, like how earth ponies can’t make pegasi or unicorns use plant magic, for example.

”Are you alright!?” Asked Haven. Seeing Onyx wince a little as she blinked a bit, it was clear it hurt.

”I’m fine…” She said in her quiet tone and glanced at Zoom.

”Seems she is still having a really bad nightmare!” Exclaimed Izzy as she looked at Zoom’s body. Watching as many sighed in defeat at the failed healing attempt. If that did not work, what would? Onyx seemed to have had another idea.

”She might be able to hear us within this nightmare if we try hard enough…” She said seriously. “Or perhaps… We can wake her with some sort of shock.”

“And… Since when were you a sleep doctor?” Asked Pipp, puzzled. Not the most pleased by this particular unicorn and her awkward poetry. Maybe she made some good ones from time to time, but she wasn’t going to go out of her way and listen to them.

”She is reacting to sound and touch.” She answered. Demonstrating by touching Zoom’s wing. Who immediately started to flap it and kick her hind leg. Onyx narrowly dodging a near slap. She was now holding out her wing as she muttered some words about Thunder failing to cook potatoes… In the bathroom.

”Zoom!” Thunder hurried, ignoring the weird speech to grab her foreleg again. “It’s just a dream!” He rubbed it as she tried to pull away in her sleep. “Why would I be boiling potatoes in the toilet!?”

“Anyone got smelling salts?” Onyx the paused. “Preferably sticks… She needs shock”

There was a pause as Thunder dodged Zoom’s flailing hoof, his heart racing as tears formed in his eyes. Everyone looked at Pipp with concern as she sighed. “I git a few…” She responded. Nit wanting to use them, but knew this was an emergency and she needed to give them up. Likely to save Zoom from this nightmare she was stuck in.

”Queen- Don’t die!” Zoom cried in her sleep, kicking her legs. Thunder slowly went over and put a hoof on her shoulder as Pipp and Izzy raced to the bathroom. “She’s right here. she’s okay…” He tried to calm her down.

“It’s just a nightmare…” Sunny added, humming a tune slightly. It worked for Sparky once, so it was worth a try, even if it was for a no-nonsense fully grown mare. As Zoom calmed down, tears forming in her eyes as they almost fluttered open. Onyx grabbed the smelling salt sticks in a hurry, into her magic aura they went. Dapple playing some relaxing music to try and calm this tense music. Focusing on his beats on his bongos he had brought with him for whatever reasoning.

“What’s her most disliked smell?” Asked Onyx.

”Doesn’t matter, does it!?” Thunder shouted, grabbing two random boxes from Pipp’s hooves and ones from Izzy’s. Taking a few sticks from each. Then putting them near Zoom’s muzzle and hoped it would work. “Please wake up, please wake up.” He whispered after wiping a tear from his eye. Everyone watching closely, he snapped them at all with all his might. Zoom’s eyes snapped open and she snapped up, coughing violently and waving the air with her hoof. Smiles appeared on almost everyone’s faces as they stared at her.

”You’re okay!” Cried out Jazz as she watches Thunder hug her tight.

She was silent as she looked around the room, trying to process what was happening. Her body trembling as she tried to figure out was was going on. So many faces looking at her, but why? He heart was racing as she felt sweaty, gulping as she tried to speak. Jumping a little as Haven toughed her shoulder, her muscles tensed as she looked at her. ”Y-your majesty?” She gulped.

“are you feeling okay, Zoom? You gave ll of us a scare…” She said worriedly. Making her sigh as she looked down with sorrow.

”I am sorry, your majesty…” she sighed as she looked down at her body. Noticing the duller colours but not saying anything. She couldn’t help but feel tired and sad for some reason..

“Don’t be!” She responded, feeling bad for her.”You were our for hours after you were hit by that griffin’s tool last night! Do you remember anything from it? How are you feeling now?” She paused as she looked at her queen. Groaning a bit as she sat up on her rump, finding the energy to do so as she began to think.

“Griffin?” She question, started to think before she paused. She began to get tense again. Heart racing as her blood became cold. A shiver came down her spine as she pictured the unavoidable beam of whatever it was.

“Yeah! The one that shot you when your barrier failed!” Thunder exclaimed before sighing.

Zoom gulped and felt her heart drop. Hos words made her mouth feel dry as she opened it in shock.vision began to to get blurry as her breathing became irregular, remembering the screams. Sweat falling down as she twitched, remembering the barrier shattering before her eyes. She had not noticed her hooves gripping tightly onto a cushion, looking around at everyone. She was breathing heavily as she stared at her hooves. The world feeling like it was spinning as she looked up.

”Zoom?” A voice called as she sat there. Not sure on what to do or say next. Not even knowing what was happening to her. She felt like she was about to throw up. She tried to speak bit nothing came out. She had not noticed the tears come from her eyes as she looked towards the bathroom. It took her a while before she could say the words.

“I need to be excused.” She said, flinging herself from t,he couch. Wings doing nothing as she flapped them. She ran towards the bathroom. Her only goal at the moment. She just wanted to leave. As soon as she made it inside, she slammed the door shut and flopped onto the ground.

“Zoom?!” Thunder cried out in worry as everyone looked with chock and concern.

”That looked like a pony who had a traumatic flashback they could not run from…” Onyx said bluntly.

”How do you know?” Rocky asked, fear in his face as he looked at the bathroom door.

”I write poetry about emotions and feelings. One about trauma or panic attacks would fit her situation.” She said, actually starting to show concern in her face and voice now. “It’s like it formed a large scar… With the reminders being like pouring salt on it…”

“Of course…” Haven worried as she put a hoof on her face. “I should have known that would have effected her mentally…”

“What should we do?” Thunder asked, voice sounding as if he was about to cry.

“Perhaps we should give her some space for a while…” Sunny responded.

”I cannot imagine how bad that attack was to cause such a nightmare and reaction!” Cried Jazz.

Zoom did not know how Lome long was in the bathroom for, but at least her heart was not so rapid. Neither was her breathing. As she laid against the tub, hooves gripping the edge. Whimpering softly as she was shaking still. But not as badly. She gulped as she got up, looking at her greyed out hoof. That was not normal… What was happening with her? None of this happened before, what was going on? She gulped as she shakily went to the sink, turning on the tap and putting her hooves under it, as if to wash it off. Looking up at the mirror, she was greeted with her reflection, her eyes were puffy and cheeks wet as if she had been crying. Was she? She had no idea, maybe a little light crying, hopefully. Guards don't usually cry… Unless you are Thunder. Soon enough, she gasped as her ears perked towards the door, it slowly opened to reveal Thunder who had a plate of cookies in his hooves. From Autumn when she made them, he brought them along. She was filled with more dread again, he must have been so worried.

”Th-thunder?” She whispered in fear.

”Uh…” He looked at the cookies he had taken with him and sighed. They were the same ones Autumn had made for Zoom for when she woke up. “I don’t understand what happened… But uh. You must be hungry, do you want some cookies?”

”I guess so…” She said, looking down and gloomy as if she were ashamed of something. She grabbed one and slowly ate it as he talked to her.

”It must have-“ He started them paused. Not wanting to bring up the events from last night and cause whatever happened to happen again. “How are you feeling?” He asked her.

”I don’t know…” She responded sightly. Not saying much else as she ate her food. She felt weak, scared, useless and pathetic. She felt like crying as she sat there, slightly grateful Thunder was here, schooching over to him slightly. Her wings trembling as she ate.

Thunder only sat there. Watching her, allowing her to go at her own pace. His heart was beating rapidly. He felt massive amounts of guilt, never seeing Zoom like this before. So dull and depressed. He was scared, too. ”I think Sunny and her friends will get to the bottom of this. The good guys always win, right?” He asked her. He did not get a respond as she just sat there, silently, markings under her eyes. Just noticed right now. The two of them just sat there in silent. Thunder listening to whatever Zoom was going to say. He didn’t know the best way to deal with a panic attack. But he was going to stay here till she was ready.

Pipp sat on the chair and put her phone down. Her friends, sister and mother looking at her with concern. “I put up a blog and the description according to what you saw.” She explained to Haven. “I will make a warning in my next stream.”

”That sounds great!” Haven exclaimed. “I will keep you updated when anything suspicious happens. And let Alphabittle know, too.”

After a bit of silence, the bathroom door opened and Haven made a concerned gasp as she watched her two guards walk out and towards her. Both bowing down right in front of her. ”Oh, Zoom, Thunder. Is everything alright, now??” She asked, sorrow and concern in her voice. Thunder got up, floppy ears in sadness as he looked at her. Soon noticing his partner still bowing before she looked at her and spoke.

”Your majesty!” She whimpered before getting up. “I humbly apologise for my-“

”No need to apologise, Zoom.” She sighed. “You did everything you could. It’s not your fault that dreaded thing zapped you of your magic.”Thunder nodded in agreement. Feeling like she had zapped more than just her magic away. But not saying anything as Haven said a few more things to her daughters before saying goodbye to them on the way out the door. Him and Zoom following her outside there door where they were greeted by two other royal guards. Who had come for extra protection after the attack.

”She’s awake!” Exclaimed the younger guard with glee before looking at his partner. Tapping his chocolate coloured hooves and swishing his grey tail without knowing.

His older brother stares at Zoom grumpily. She was awake, but not better it appeared. He softly hit Coffee, his young sibling, with his white tail to get him to stop tapping his hooves. He snickered as Coffee gave him a sad face. “I think there’s something going on with you, too.”

”I can’t help it!” Coffee argued. “I just can’t!”

“Coffee, Clay. Stop arguing!” Haven scolded, not understand what they were arguing about. The two guards immediately bowing in sorrow.

”We apologise your majesty.”

”We will work on it.” Coffee sighed, looking down at his hooves. Hoping he could stop tapping them like he does. By no matter what he tries, he eventually does it without really thinking about it. Ir was like something was going on with him. But what was it?

”Good… Now let’s go home…”

All pegasi lifted their wings and faced the direction they wanting to go. Four pegasi sending themselves in the air as they flapped. Leaving one pegasus on the ground. Unknowingly. Zoom stared at her wings in shock as her heart raced. She tried flapping them again, but nothing. The queen was getting further and further away, she had to hurry up. She jumped into the air, flapping as hard as she could before landing on her hooves. ”Your majesty!” Shouted Zoom. “Wait for me!” She cried. Running through the grass, towards the direction they were going on. Desperately holding out her wings. Heart racing as as raced, not knowing why she was so fall of fear as she watched them leave without her. She kept running, until she found herself above a small drop. She did not stutter before jumping into the air, off the ledge, flapping her wings, with no avail as she dropped. Tumbling down the grassy hill and onto the damp grass. Groaning as she laid on her belly. She face-planted on the ground with a groan, she shoulda known something was up. Her colour was mostly gone for a reason! Maybe it stopped her from flying somehow. Or maybe, the light magic was not the only magic sucked from her. Or the whatever it was locked away her pegasus magic. Leaving her flightless. She groaned as she lifted her head, sensing somepony in front of her. Feeling shamed as she followed the green legs upwards to see Thunder’s face.

”Zoom?”

”Ugh…” Zoom groaned as she shakily got up. Looking at Thunder with a defeated expression as the rest landed near her.

”Y-You can’t fly?” He asked sadly, of course she couldn’t! He should have known, or at least had the idea that her magic did not return when she woke up! The griffon stole it, of course she wouldn’t be able to fly. He felt rather dumb as he looked at her with concern. Her heart started going faster as she looked over at the queen, who felt a little silly too, not thinking that Zoom was gonna have a hard tome following. Zoom sighed, feeling like a failure as she apologetically looked down, bowing her head in shame. She felt like a useless lump now. Like a tool that was very useful, but eventually grew old and broke, meaning it was nothing more than junk. Being thrown out, no longer doing what it could do well enough. Even felt a lump in her throat as she gulped, looking at the queen sadly. Ears droopy as she glanced. Unable to see her in the eyes. Even if everyone was looking at her with concern, understanding what was going on. She felt like she was being judged.

”Oh Zoom…” Haven said softly as she looked down at her. “I…” She said. Not wanting her to feel like she was in trouble. Even tho she felt like she was. In her mind, she was wondering what kind of punishment would come. Clean the bathrooms? Give Cloudpuff a bath, which was much worse than it sounded. She and Thunder had to do it once when Haven had a terrible cold and her daughters were unavailable. He ended up covered in mud.

She looked back at her right wing, looking at it sadly as she spread it out. Watching confused as Thunder inspected it. “I’m no doctor. But…” He paused as he eyed her rump. “I think your magic is hone… Just as i feared.”

”What?” She whispered quietly. Looking at her right flank with a gasp. Her cutie mark faded. Nothing more than the shape greyed out. Hard to even notice. Not paying attention at the four others gazing at her. “Sh-she took my magic and my cutie mark…” She growled and stomped her hooves, sounding angry now. “More importantly. She broke into the castle and endangered lives! Where is she?!”

”Zoom!” Thunder exclaimed. Haven waiting patiently for her time to speak. Even if she didn’t have to and could tell Thunder be be quiet. She didn’t want to, they were close and she felt it was right for him to say something at the moment. “Do you really think you are capable of fighting her?” His voice cracked as he spoke. “Y-you saw for yourself how powerful she is. Now she has your power, hunting down the other two and who knows what else she has!”

“Zoom… I think you should stay here for a while…” Haven sadly added. Noticing Zoom open her mouth as if the ask her ‘why?’ But changing her mind. “You are ill… With some magic problems, Zipp, Pipp and their friends know a lot about this kind of stuff. More than I do. You know know guards stay off work when injured or ill. Till they are better…”

“I think she’ll be alright!” Responded Coffee with a smile. Zoom not saying a word as she slowly felt more ashamed. “It’ll just be like before we were able to fly!”

”Coffee!” Shouted Zoom, annoyed. ”I suppose you do have a point… But I am not sure if she can take it… I am just worried…” Haven agreed but gazed at Zoom. “I suggest you get a check up.”

Zoom went to the doctor’s room in Zephyr Heights. While Thunder stood inside with her. There were three chairs for visitors to be seated. The room had wooden floors amd white walls. There was a log of shelves and draws holding all sorts of things a doctor would need. There was a picture frame and a small plant on the desk. Behind it was a grey and dark blue pegasus stallion, writing some stuff down.He got up with a stelhelescope and adjusted it. Putting the bit on Zoom’s chest as she sat up on her rump, giving him the access he needed. He closely listened to her heart, looking a little concerned as he moved it around. Getting a good listen to her lungs, too. Then the doctor grabbed a popstick and a torch. “Okay, Zoom. I think you know what to do here?”

Zoom glanced at him a little sleepily, not wanting to have anything to do with anything here. She had a deep feeling of tiredness. She just wanted to go back to the palace and forget what happened. She groaned, opening her mouth. “Ahhh…” She said tiredly as she allowed him to look in her mouth. For as long as he needed before he wrote some more things down. Finally doing his tests that felt like it lasted forever.

”What’s the result, doc?” Thunder’s voice shook as he spoke. Eyeing Zoom who looked close to snoozing. Clearly in no state of doing guard duty at the moment. She looked ill.

”Besides a few tense muscles, slow to response, tiredness and slightly slower heartbeat. I don’t see anything to worry about… She just looks like she needs some more sleep if anything. Then he paused as he looked down. “I’d say also think of seeing a therapist. Just a suggestion after hearing the attack last night and the panic attack she had.” He explained with a serious tone, adjusting his glasses as he stared sternly at Zoom then looked down with a sigh. “I cannot find any reason or cure for her dulled out coat, lost magic or cutie mark, unfortunately.”

There was a pause as he looked at Zoom and back at the doctor. “I think i should have a talk to you privately. .” He said turned to Zoom then Thunder. “If that’s alright with you.”

”Understandable, Doc. Thank you for your time…” he thanked. Knowing the drainage of Zoom’s magic was why her coat became dull. Even tho nopony’s coats were not dull before magic returned. Well, not any she knew about. So it was still rather odd. But Sparky was apparently similar… Thunder left the room. Leaving the doctor to talk to Zoom.

”Will I be able to do my duties?” Asked Zoom.

”Zoom.” The doctor said before sighing. “I know you are determined to do your duties, but I need you to think about this. Are you well enough? You may think you are physically healthy, but are you mentally healthy?”

There was a pause as Zoom looked at him. Thinking about the incident earlier, the panic attack in the bathroom. But honestly, it only happened once, right? It may never happen again. ”I believe so. It was just a result of getting hit by that magical thing… I should be fine.”

“Zoom…” The doctor sighed. “I’m serious about this.” He said before being interrupted.

“And I’m serious about my duties. Any idea how important they are? Especially at a time like this?” The doctor then sighed at her response..

“Look… I’m just gonna give you some advice, but it’s up to you if you need it or not.”

”I won’t” Zoom said, rolling her eyes but listening anyway.

The next morning, Zoom grumbled under the blankets. groaning as she slowly got up and looked at the clock. Coat in a mess as she looked over at the alarm clock in her beside table. As she sat there, she felt exhausted! The result of some nightmare, she couldn’t remember the details of it, like something was in her head, keeping them from her. But it wasn’t important, just some goofy, dumb dream. She’d forget it in a few minutes. But that was no excuse to not get ready. But the doctor’s filled her mind, which she shook off. Magic nor not, she was not going to neglect her guard duties. She could do them before magic returned, she can still do them after, even if hers was stolen, or sealed away at the moment. Looking at her bed, she noticed that her blankets were thrown about or kicked off. Which wasn’t a huge surprise, she felt rather hot last night. Getting up, she yawned a little before grabbing a bag of things to take into the shower with her.

“Zoom!” Exclaimed Autumn as she headed out her room before she paused. “How are you going? You must be so glad you are awake now, right!?” She asked, soon seeing her glare at her, looking rather unamused about something. Then she sighed and just started walking.

“Not important…” She said, not feeling the mood or energy to say something else.

”You heard her last night?” Thunder asked, his bedroom being right between hers and the training ground. Autumn’s was on the other side of her.

“No… Why?”

“I heard ger yelp through the wall that separates our rooms last night…”

Zoom yawned as she headed into the bathroom, putting down her stuff before heading inside a shower stall. She turned the water on and sighed, not really feeling the energy to have a shower, but had to. This was all going to be fine, she assured herself as her heart raced, aggressively scrubbing her fur, as if she was trying to wash away the way. Maybe Coffee was right, yesterday, it would still be like before they had magic. She could do her duties just fine before she had them. If only she could wasn’t away this feeling of fear, anxiety and distress within her. Why was she like this? The griffon was to return, that’s why. She needed to prepare for when it happened. As she rinsed the soap away from her body, she looked down at her coat. The beautiful sky blue was indeed replaced by a grey colour, like the sky on a rainy, stormy day. Why did sucking away her magic, or sealing it off from her manage to take away her colours, too? But whatever, she had duties to attend. She walked out after she was all rinsed off from the soap, she aggressively dried herself the best she could with a towel. There was no hairdryers, because someone keeps breaking them…

“Hey Zoom!” Autumn said as she walked in behind another guard. “How are you this morning?”

“You asked me this before my shower…” She snarled at her, looking more annoyed than she was.

“Yeah, I know.” Autumn said with a smile as she brushed it aside. “Figured you were busy, so I decided to-“

”Still am!” Shouted Zoom, flopping her towel over her back. “You get ready for your duties, Autumn. There’s no time for chatting! After that attack, the queen is still in danger Don’t pretend she’s not!” Spat Zoom as she walked to her room, throwing her towel down and groaning, not feeling in the mood for anything. She grumbled as she yawned again, feeling really weary and tired since she woke up this morning, she didn’t sleep well. But she couldn’t sleep in, being late to your duties was a huge n-no. So she had to deal with it. Putting on her chest-plate and helmet, she went out the door and ,and sure Thunder was ready before they made their way to where they needed to be. Autumn watching on with concern as she went to get herself ready.

Weakened

”Th-thunder and Zoom reporting for duty! Your highness!” She called out, saluting.

Haven grew slightly concerned as she looked at Zoom. Noticing dark marks under her eyes as she tiredly looked ahead. Glider, the purple guard that was accompanied her as she woke up and ate breakfast looked over with concerned. She was one of the newest guard and wasn’t too familiar with Zoom. But she had overheard about the incident where she fainted. She was actually surprised she had come to duty. She wasn’t looking too good, judging by the marks under her eyes.

”Oh, Zoom! Thunder!” Haven exclaimed. Eating pancakes. The chief cooked them but she put the topping on herself. Nothing like decorating your pancakes however you wanted. Blue berries, raspberries, vanilla ice cream, whipped cream and honey. Yum! “How did you sleep.”

”Nothing to be worried about, your majesty!” Zoom exclaimed, looking over at Thunder. Hoping he wasn’t gonna tell her about what she hid last night. “Please don’t tell her” she begged in her mind. “We guards will be there when the attack happens.”

“Well…” Thunder said glancing at Zoom. Knowing she wouldn't like this. But it was for her own good. “I’m not so sure. But I get the feeling she’s having nightmares from the incident…”

He told her! He just had to Tell her! Zoom felt betrayed as he spoke up! Haven’s the queen! Why would she have to waste her energy on worrying about a guard like her? She’s meant to be tough and always ready. That’s how it is.

”What!?” Haven exclaimed, having hoped once she was out of that nightmare, she’d sleep well. But maybe that was too much to hope for. “What has this thief done to her!? What kind of nightmares is she having!? We might need to get a therapist!” Suddenly Zoom was struck by a large amount of stress and fear as the queen reacted. Just her mentioning the nightmare made her think. It was then like her mind started picturing blood in the room as she looked down. A scream entered her mind when she blinked. The same one from the nightmare. Her expression did not go unnoticed.

”Zoom?” Thunder questioned.

“I-I need to go to the loo, your majesty!”

”Dismissed…” Haven said with concern. Watching her hurry into tue nearest bathroom.

She could feel her heart beat start moving rapidly as he spoke. ”Not bow. Please not now…” She whispered after slamming the door. Resting against the sink as she closed her eyes and tried to breath in and out slowly. Focusing on her breathing. Seeing dark visions of her nightmare, whimpering as sweat came down. The blood, the screams. The destruction. Every single bit flashed though her mind as tears formed in her eyes as she stared at the roof. Whimpering as she closed them again. Then gasping in panic as she opened her eyes, feeling like she was choking.

She gagged as she looked towards the ground, then slowly looked at her shaking hooves. Remembering the blood on them in the nightmare, tears rolling down her face she she started to feel sick. The visions were not stopping whenever she closed here yes. The dead bodies all staring at her. Panting and whimpering as she tried her method of calming down again.

She felt like she was dying and this was the end of it. She hated everything about this, she was a weak, pathetic pony. Sat up, leaning against the sink, soon just sobbing into her hooves. The tears kept coming nonstop. She kept on going, just laying there. Scared of everything that was going to happen.

”Can’t let this happen…” She whimpered, head in her hooves. “I have to keep them safe!” She begged for the pictures to stop. “P-please.” Her mouth started to get dry, her breathing was heavy and she could hardly move. “I am not enough! I have to get better!” She told herself, “The queen is in danger!”

Unknown to her, Thunder had opened the bathroom door slightly for a peek, he watched with a with a sad look, seeing her like this. He soon stepped out of the way, for the palace cleaner to come in. Who pushed her cleaning trolley through the door and closed it after her, Zoom having gotten herself to stand up in time as she glared at her, looking ill. “Nice to see you awake.”

”I was doing nothing but freshening up.” Zoom bluntly spat. “See you later, Clumsy.” She said before leaving, glad she didn't see her panic attack, or that’s what she thought. As she exited the bathroom a shiver went down her spine when her name was called.

“Zoom!” Cried Thunder with a very concerned expression on hus face. “A-are you sure you’re okay?”

”I’m fine?” Zoom said, raising a brow, trying to hide her actual feelings. “Just had to go- you know?”

”Have a-“ He gulped and whispered. “Have a break down?” He asked.

”What!?” Zoom exclaimed, starting to feel sweaty as her heart skipped a beat. How’d he know that!? “W-what makes you think that, Thunder?!”

”Your expression right now.” He said, gesturing at her shocked expression. Plus- I kinda stood at the door.”

”Thunder!” She scolded. “That’s rude!”

”Not when you are in this situation!” He argued back with concern. “At least o don’t think so?”

”W-well- Whatever happened in there, stays in there! Let’s get back to duty!” She shouted at him before marching back down the hall.

“Y-yeas!” He agreed and scurried after. Soon speaking once again. “What were you not going to let happen? Keep us safe from what?” He asked, hoping it wasn’t related to the nightmares and the griffon, even if it was obvious.

”The attack-“

”Zoom! I told you! You can't fight h-“

”I c- I must!!” She scoffed, knowing she needed to be good enough for the attack, be strong to defend everypony. “Now hush!”

”But- But-“

‘\”Thunder!”

He gulped, not wanting to make her any more upset, he nodded and decided to tell the queen in private, if she needed to know. Zoom needed help and the queen cared tor her guards. He followed her back in where the queen had just finished her breakfast, she wiped her mouth with a napkin and got up.

During her break Zoom sat in the guard’s garden, near a large pond where ducks roamed. Ducky, a white guard with a teal mane and tail and yellow feathers, liked to take care of the ducks and the pond, she was like their mother! She raised and helped injured ducks during her free time and let them roam the garden, which they chose as home. it would be relaxing if it weren't for the scary screams and thoughts entering Zoom’s mind as she had flashbacks of the situation just flashing through her mind. She didn’t know if it was Haven, Thunder or her own, she didn’t remember screaming herself. She just remembered the burning feeling in her body like she was being cooked alive, or had burning oil poured all over her.

She looked down at her hooves as her heart raced in her chest, she then spotted her reflection in the pond, looking like she was in pain. Well, the flashbacks did hurt, because it reminded her of the pain she felt.

“Should have been strong enough!” She shouted, scolding herself and grumbling. She just wanted to shout, “I am supposed to guard the palace! But I couldn’t even do that one thing! Now I’m nothing but useless! No magic, no energy, continuous nightmares! Because I failed! I-“ She she took a breather, her voice cracking. “I failed to protect the kingdom and now we are under threat, b-because I couldn’t stop her!” She cried out, her ears instantly perking up at the sound of hoofteps, her heart started raving hoping whoever it was didn’t hear her.

“Zephyr?” Autumn’s voice said softly behind her.

“Autumn!” Zoom quickly went into a guard composure as she stood up. “You should be on duty. Also, please don’t call me Zephyr, it’s either Zoom or Zephyrwing if you don’t want to say a simple four letter word.” She corrected.

Autumn gave her a blank stare and paused, lifting a hoof as she spoke. “Sorry, heard a few other guards call you that, but actually, I’m on break too. I heard you had another panic attack.”

Upon this revelation her blood went cold and her heart skipped a beat, wondering how on earth she knew. “Who told you!?” She cried out, wings flared, feeling like her privacy was intruded. Did Thunder tell her? If so, she would want to give him a piece of her mind later, he had no right to share her private breakdowns to the other ponies like that!

”Can’t say.” She shrugged before speaking, “Also, I heard your screaming just then., i think that’s an indicator”

Zoom’s ears and wings went flat as she flopped on her rump. She had no idea anypony was around her while she was scolding herself “Y-you did? How much?” She asked, deeply hoping it was just a word or two that she could brush off, or make up some sort of story on why she said it, like some sort of phone call or talking to a duck, no, she’s not stupid, she doesn’t talk to ducks, no pony would fall to that.

”All of it.” Autumn said, looking and sounding more concerned as she spoke, making it less likely for her to let it past. “I was here to pick some blackberries and heard you.”

”So what?” Zoom scoffed. “It’s none of your business anyway, it’s my business to stay strong for everypony’s sake.”

”You really sounded like you were hurting. What has been bothering you?”

”Unimportant details, Autumn.” Zoom said, looking away slightly. “I mean, you heard it, wasn’t that enough?”

”It’s not healthy to bottle up your emotions like this. Are you sure you don’t want to talk about it?’ Asked Autumn, seeing her glum expression. It took where a few minutes before she looked at her and sighed, ears flat.

“I never felt so hopeless…” Zoom admitted, ears down and tears in her eyes. “I felt the same way during the Dark Matter mission months back. B-but that always ended in victory, but this was nothing but a failure. I stopped a cloud from killing everypony, b-but I couldn’t stop a griffon.” She then shouted. “I couldn’t stop a simple griffon!”

”That was armed with such powerful tools and a dinosaur you were not prepared for!” Autumn exclaimed, like she was defending Zoom from, well, herself. “You are not weak, you are not a useless guard! You jumped in to protect the queen at the sight of danger, didn’t you!? I doubt that is considered useless!” Her voice cracked as if she was going to cry. “You did something brave, you went to protect the queen at the sight of danger! You kept protecting her even when it looked scary! How is any of that useless, that is brave and courageous to me!”

”Not enough” Zoom said, looking a little bedazzled to be the one being scolded, she was usually the one scolding the other guards. Usually being Thunder or Autumn, but she did have to scold Ducky a few times when she tracked mud into the palace from the pond, or a time she had to scold a guard for hurting her while playing rough with another guard, claiming it was practice. But now here she was, being scolded for believing she wasn't good enough.

“You did everything you could.” Autumn added. “What more could you have done?”

“I-I I don’t know.” Zoom admitted, feeling like a pathetic royal guard. “I guess I really did try my hardest and still failed…”

“Trying your hardest is the important thing, isn’t it?” She asked the paused. “How are the nightmares?”

Zoom could feel her heart racing and feel her stomach churn as she closed her eyes, getting a flashback and hearing a scream. But she took some deep breathes in and out and focused on other things. “Y-you won’t take a lie, will you?”

”Bluey, no!”

Zoom groaned and sighed, partly from the nickname, she didn’t want to be called the same name as a cartoon dog meant for babies! She glanced at her, deciding to scold her later, she wasn’t some seven year old who can’t even spell, or freaks out about turning on a tap too much. “It’s horrible… I feel useless and can’t do anything in each and every single one…” She said, not wanting to say much about it and staying quiet. After a long pause as them both just sitting there, she said a little more, reluctant, but also feeling like she just wanted to vent out. “I’m just stuck there, unable to do a thing while I saw was the destruction of the palace and assassination of the queen and everyone else…” She paused. “There was too much-“ She said, stopping when her voice cracked like she was about to cry, her heart was racing now. Upset at Autumn for getting her to say what she said, but also upset at herself for wanting to. But to be honest, she felt somewhat safe with telling Autumn, what harm could she do after all? The queen already knew of the situation she was in, but not knowing of the traumatic sounds and images she was receiving.

Autumn looked at her, not knowing what to say and not wanting to force her to say anymore. She didn’t want to make her feel worse. , “I don’t understand what you are going through, but I hope it ends soon.” She said before giving her a hug, she looked at her for a few minutes before hugging her back. Autumn was known to be the caring one of the guard, she wouldn’t hurt a spider! But she would tackle another pony if needed, just wasn’t a fan of hurting any living things. “I just want you to be okay…”

”Me too…” Zoom sighed, squeezing her heard, she wasn’t the hug type, but it felt kind of nice and comforting in a way. She could feel herself start to breath normally and calm down as she just took deep breathes in and out.

Tail in a Knot

It was three days since the attack…

Inside Pipp’s salon, Mane Melody, two particular ponies were working. Jazz sat down on a stool, painting a customer’s hooves as he chatted away about the award his daughter won at school a few days ago. He sounded very proud, but she couldn’t brush her fear away. She tried her best to not think about it, but it kept coming. Who was this griffon? Griffons exist? Why did she want their magic, anyway? What was she planning to do with it? Maybe she knew where it all came from and why she even had it?

“Oh yeah, she also scored 100% in her test two months ago, I treated her with a new Bluey set, not sure why she wanted one.” The stallion finished, Jazz snapped out of her thoughts as she finished making a yellow stripe on his hooves.

”She did?” She asked, her voice trembling slightly. “Congratulations! You must be very proud, Speedy Fisher” She said, smiling a bit, which the stallion knew was a fake smile, he raised a brow, as he looked down at her, he was pretty tall, having a little bit of horse DNA in him. Perhaps some of his ancestors were big horses instead of little ponies. Which would be rather a discovery, where did all those big tall horses go, anyway? Somewhere else in Equestria? Likely yes, but far from the ponies.

”Are you okay?” He asked her, noticing how uneasy she was. Noticing her looking down the window with concern before glancing at hos hooves, avoiding eye contact.

”O-Oh yeah!, I’m fine.” She said, brushing his concern aside. Followed by her fidgeting her hooves together and tapping her hind ones against the stool she was sitting on. She let out a deep breathe, trying to assure herself the griffon wasn’t to return, maybe she on,y wanted Zoom’s? She did have a shield barrier and super speed, after all, there are many who would want those, right?

”You look worried about something?” The stallion responded. It was clear he hadn’t read or heard of the blog Pipp put up to warn ponies of the griffon. Or maybe that wasn’t on his mind at the moment, or perhaps he just didn’t want to bring it up for whatever reason.

”Oh, just a thing, you don’t need to worry about it.” Jazz slightly chuckled, “Unless you want, but- Don’t worry about me- You are here to have your hooves done, not to worry about earless ponies, okay?” She questioned with a nervous smile.

”Okay?” He raised a brow.

“Good.” She kept looking up at him and quickly changed the subject smiling slightly, trying to hide her worries. “I’m glad you love your hooves, they look gorgeous!” She asked.

”Yeah, I guess they, do, thanks!” He exclaimed the paused. “Are you sure you are okay?”

”I’m fine!” She waved a hoof and happily watched as the stallion got up and went to the door, he gazed worriedly back at her once more before leaving, having already paid for the design. He didn’t have the time to try and get an answer from her, plus he felt it was none of his business and he wasn’t the right pony, he didn’t know her well, so maybe she’d open up to somepony closer. She wiped some sweat from her forehead and put away the polish on the table, she slowly gazed down at her hooves. It’s been a while since they glowed or she used any of the magic that came with it, since it never really came in handy. She sighed a bit, wondering why the griffon needed them, what kind of crazy strong power did they come with, other than those strong blasts of light that only happened during the quest to defeat Dark Matter and haven't happened since? Perhaps that’s what she was after? But it only affected those affected by Dark Matter and such, it had no effect on anything else! Was there even more to these crazy powers?

”Hey Jazz!” Rocky exclaimed, Jazz jumped out of her skin, falling off her stool with a squeal, eyes winded as the fur on her back stood at an end and her jaw on the ground with her rump up against the stool, poking in the air.

“R-rocky!?” She exclaimed as she looked at him, getting up and brushing herself off, calming down at the sight of her friend.

”You okay, Jazz? You seem a little sweaty…” He asked with concern. “And a but jumpy…”

”I-it’s fine, Rocky.” She said, grabbing a duster and pretending to do some dusting, hoping she’d have another customer soon. To keep her mind off the griffon and the powers she had. She felt ill just thinking about it.

“You’re thinking about the griffon, aren’t you?” He asked, watching as she froze and dropped the duster, slowly turning around. She gulped as she gazed at him, her heart was thumping in her chest like it wanted to escape. Her mouth felt a little dry as she gazed at him.

“N-No-“ She said then sighed, knowing there was no point pretending in front of Rocky, who knew of the situation like she did. It’d be obvious to him it was worrying her. Y-yes…” She said quietly, looking down a bit. She could feel tears well up in her eyes from the stress, not having slept very well the night before. Who would if there was a dangerous thief of some sort after you for your powers hunting you down like a prey and a predator. Rocky looked at her sadly, putting a hoof on her to comfort her.

“Jazz…” He said slowly, watching as she looked up at him, looking tired. He didn’t know exactly how to say it, which was unusual. “I… Uh… I’m sure it’ll end just fine, everything before ended just fine, right?” There was a pause as Jazz looked at him, a tear going down her cheek as she shivered slightly. Her heart was thumping. She was scared of the griffon, she was scared for those effected by when she attacked Zoom, too! She wanted to do something.

”I-I-“ She chocked as she spoke, looking at him, suddenly hugging him and crying into his chest, her voice muffled. “I can't!” She shouted, sobbing a bit. “It’s too much, the griffon! It’s too much for me! She’s gonna attach us and I can’t do anything about it! I’m not prepared for this!” She shouted. “Sh-she’s gonna attack at any moment, it’s gonna be sudden, we won’t be ready! I-I can’t do this!”

“I-it’s” Rocky spoke but paused. “Sunny and friends dealt with villains before!” He responded, hiding his own fear and worry for her sake. “I’m sure they got a plan for when she comes back, even if we don't expect it, it’s going to end okay, in the end…”

”How do you know!?” She spat.

”I-I don’t…” Rocky responded, feeling her shivering from his touch, his ears were as far as they could go at this point. But he had to stay positive, for her sake. “I mean… We didn’t lose, yet. Right?” He asked, with a cheesy smile. He felt Jazz breath in deeply and sighing.

“I guess.” She said. “But what about later-“

”Shhh…” He said hugging her now, wiping her tears. “They’re getting it under control. I know they’ll figure this all out eventually, they saved magic before. What matters now is we are still here, together and still alive… Don’t get you tail in a knot about it, okay?” Jazz nodded softly as she rested up against Rocky, her heart was still racing. She didn’t know what to do if Gumdrop came for her powers. Perhaps Rocky was right, but what if he wasn’t? She had so many thoughts and emotions rushing through her head, but she just had to trust him

Alphabittle was polishing a teacup one morning, back at the tearoom after a camping trip, taking a glance at the unicorns. The tearoom was quieter at night now, since unicorns were scared by the news, believing they’d get jinxed if they were out at night. Thanks to some ponies deciding to twist the story, but at least only a quarter of unicorns believed in that. The griffon wasn’t after them, it was after those born with those Superstar Powers! He was already prepared with a small plan of what to do when the griffon came back. He and a few others would distract the griffon while Onyx got away, as far as she could with the powers, to protect them. No one knew where the griffon lived, where she came from or when she’d be back, Living your life in fear of being suddenly attacked at any moment wasn’t fun. He hoped Misty was okay back at the Brighthouse where Sunny and her friends would have explained the best they could, he actually put it in his mind to give a phone call to check up on her later, imagine coming home to such an intense moment. After he put down the teacup, a certain two entered.

”A-are you sure you aren’t scared?” Asked Dapple.

”No.” Onyx responded, looking chill, but not even looking at him as he spoke, just listening as she walked along.

”So you are not scared of ending up like Zoom?”

”I’m prepared for the pain.” She shrugged, not wanting to say much.

“The pain!?” Asked Dapple, it was rare for him and Onyx to disagree on something, how can she be so chill about this? “What about running for your life just to escape?” He stopped, eyes widened in terror. “Who knows what will happen next.”

”Chill Daps.” She said, putting a hoof on his muzzle. “I don’t want you to get your curly tail in a knot. Okay?”

He looked at her puzzled the looked at his bushy curly green tail and back at her. “That’s possible?”

“It’s a figure of speech. Let’s not panic yet, better to prepare than panic.” She said softly before she looked down at her hooves, deep in thought as questions appeared in her mind, along with possibilities. She blinked ss she shrugged them away, looking at her friend again.

”You can do both at once!” He cried before sitting down at a table, not getting a response as Onyx asked for some tea. Soon sitting down herself as Dapple nervously tapped on the table, looking around him. Feeling rather uncomfortable, his heart racing at the thought of the griffon. What if Onyx can’t get away? Will she be alone? Will Jazz be on the run, too? Where will they both run to and hide? He gazed at Onyx, noticing her ears were a little droopy as she seemingly got stuck in thought again, possibly thinking of something, not paying attention to what he was saying as the idea of running away entered her mind, she wasn’t really sure why she was thinking of that, maybe it was because she heard another unicorn’s conversation how they would abandon the town when danger came and run away. She blinked when confusion entered her mind, not focusing on Dapple’s rambling, until he said her name.

“Onyx! You sure you aren’t scared?” Dapple asked. “I heard the griffon had powerful magic. How can you even defend yourself, anyway? Your superstar Powers are only healing and- What was it again?”

She glanced at him without a word, squinting a little before raising her hooves up to the table, both of then soon glowing with sharp white light, little specks drifting off. She did two simple taps and then a small snow cloud appeared over her head. “Weather change…” She said quietly, gesturing to the cloud as it floated to the middle of the table. It rained a bit onto the table, creating a small puddle before disappearing.

“Oh yeah, the little fella?” He questioned, knowing she can whip up a storm, but it takes a lot out of her, and she hadn’t had much use for it anyway. Besides special effects during dramatic poetry, like wind. “Guess you could use that to create a massive storm to protect yourself?” He suggested before Onyx coughed while trying to not think about that unicorn’s conversation, why was she so fixated on it?

“Would take too much energy that I would likely need to escape, besides, it could be extremely dangerous and damage surrounds.”

Dapple gazed at her and paused, sighing slightly as she knew she was right. She already passed out once from whipping up a huge storm with that power, she can’t be fainting while on the run. “Y-yeah, that’s true. But what will you do when the time comes?”

She opened her mouth but shut it again, gulping spit as she thought about her words, finding it a little hard to say. She wanted to suggest running, but just thinking about it made her rethink that unicorn’s conversation, it wasn’t directed towards her, but it was stuck in her mind. She inhaled a bit before managing to speak, but bluntly. “But… We should be prepared, if we need yo fight back.” Onyx said quietly, not wanting to fight, but she didn’t want to run either, just the idea of abandoning her friend made her sick to the stomach, she didn’t know why, but it felt like something was missing as she began to overthink, something she rarely did. Or so she thought she hardly ever did it, but why was she doing it? She wasn’t really focusing as her tea arrived, she grabbed it, not noticing something happening behind her before a tomato whizzed past her head and splattering on the table, near her tea, Dapple looking down at it before looking at the offender in disgust before she, herself turned around to see a familiar apple red unicorn flick aside his tan and dark red striped mane. Gripping onto the slingshot with his hooves that had tan sock markings

”Agate...” Onyx said quietly as said unicorn smirked while holding his slingshot rather smug.

”Like a tomato catapult?” He laughed, ignoring it was a slingshot instead.

”What are you doing, here, Agate?” Asked Dapple, looking rather annoyed at the fact it almost hit Onyx or her tea.

“Just checking out with my buds!” He said, giving Onyx a punch to the shoulder, enough to hurt. But she didn’t show that it was hurt, only glanced at him and back at the table.

“We aren’t buds.” Dapple said bluntly before Onyx could speak. “You haven't been showing us anything besides bitterness for at least two or three years. Starting when magic returned”

“It’s been two years?” Laughed Agate. “Well, your bland, depressing poetry is still the same, isn’t it? After all these years!”

”Knock it off, Agate!” Dapple warned, raising his voice. “It’s just her style. Don’t like it, then don’t listen!”

“Fine, fine.” Agate only scoffed and flicked his mane before walking off. “Later, losers!”

Dapple rolled his eyes and eyed Onyx, noticing she was looking shallow as she looked down at her tea, she was hardly bothered by Agate, did he finally get to her? “You okay, Onyx? He’s a complete jerk.”

”Nothing worse than usual.” She shrugged before seeing a smirk appear in his face, a slightly cheeky one as he glanced at Agate and back at her. “Actually, he didn’t stay around as long as usual…” She said, a bit confused but also sounding sad.

“You don’t reckon that you might be able to maybe…” He said, tapping his hooves slightly. Looking at the puddle and at Onyx’s hooves, who soon caught on. Her response being rather cold and bitter.

”No.”

”What!? Why not?” He asked out loud. “It’ll just be a small cloud, after all the things he did-“

”Not doing it.” She shook her head slightly before sipping her tea, pausing as she thought about what to say, glumly looking at her hoof as her ears drooped back down, questioning why she was the one with the power, was she really worthy of this whole mysterious effect. “It’s my responsibility to use these powers safely, he’s just trying to get a response… He’s done nothing dangerous.” She said, hoping he’d stop asking these questions. She never even asked to have these powers in the first place, she just wanted to be quiet and herself…

”I guess.” He said before getting up, failing to notice her reactions. “Well, what about the griffon?” He whispered. “You’d use it on her, right?”

She looked up at him, hoping this would be the last question. “It’ll depend on the situation…” She said before looking down at her tea, trying to hide her concerns. The truth was she was scared of what was going to happen. She never even wanted these powers in the first place, adventure wasn’t her thing, she was glad the first one was over, but now another one? “But I have a bad feeling it won’t completely end this.” She said, having a bad feeling about this, she looked at Dapple with an unimpressed but slightly concerned feeling. She didn’t want to lose him, she didn’t want to risk him getting hurt, he was her best friend, one of the few ponies that actually knew her well. She didn’t want to abandon anypony, either, if that’s what running away meant, because that’s what it did for her.

“You are scared, right?” He asked.

“I’ll be fine once it blows over. I was fine last time, wasn’t I?” She asked with a slight smug expression before sadly looking out the door as it opened when a pony entered. There was a feeling in her gut she couldn’t shrug off, that she was hiding. Perhaps she could put this in a poem, this uneasy feeling could make for a great one, she thought. But she was worried on why she felt so uneasy, she didn’t usually feel this way. She did feel scared for the griffon, but just running away, leaving everypony and everything behind just felt wrong, giving her a deep pit in her stomach.

Far away, in the abandoned building, Trixie was witnessing something with a nervous expression. She could only see Gumdrop’s shadow, it sounded like she was talking to someone on the phone.

“RJ- I mean Stripes, was it?” Gumdrop chuckled. “I got one of the targets down. Just let me know when you find the location of the next one, okay? Your award should be waiting once they are all down, got it?”

Trixie gulped, not knowing who Stripes was, but this did not sound good at all.

Once Again

The next few days were rather neutral. Ponies stayed home in fear, but most went out and did their thing. Staying alert. Comforted by the fact that the was only after a select three. But just in case anything suspicious was seen, it was to be reported to Hitch and/or Zipp as soon as they were seen.

But Alphabittle, Onyx, Dapple, Rocky and Pipp had agreed to send a single emoji if an encounter were to happen, or be assumed to happen soon. They agreed that a single eagle emoji would do the trick. One that none of them would usually use. Without at least a message to go with it. Plus, it was easy to find and quicker than saying. “Help! The griffon is here right now.” Or something like that.

As time went by, ponies kinda started to calm down. Except for Sunny, her friends and Team Superstars, what the three ponies called their team. It was Jazz’s idea but they went with it. They were a bit concerned when they remembered that Zoom was attacked when the sun went down, only a week ago.
Jazz watched the clock with worry as the closing time for the salon was long past, it was a late one thanks to a large group of ponies needing last-minute makeovers for a party. She sat near a chair, having just finished a customer who just left. Leaning against it and staring at nothing, whimpering as thoughts came through her mind, she didn’t want to walk home in the dark. She never thought anyone would be after the light powers. Using then that would suck their confidence, hope and courage from them. She did not know how hopeless and depressed Zoom had gotten, even if she did see her when she woke up. But she knew about the panic attacks and fainting that happened.

”Hey Jazz.” Pipp greeting, resulting in Jazz jumping out her skin and screaming. Gripping onto the chair as he heart raced.

”Pipp!” She scolded. “You frighted me!”

“Sorry!” She chuckled. “You are still worried, aren't you?” She asked. “Don’t be! I am confident that Zipp’s plan will work. If we see her, I will send the emoji and they'll come and get her. Got it?”

Jazz sighed as she petted her on the shoulder, shaking a little as her heart started racing. Will it be really that easy to catch her? Thinking of all the possible reasons why this thief would possibly want her light powers. Hers was the most useless of the three. In her eyes at least. When would a powerful blast, as strong as a cannon, light cone in handy doing styling? Or the ability to move water while freezing or making it warmer at will? Or singing a song to effect emotions or make someone unwillingly dance along? At least Zoom’s came in handy for protection, speed and agility. Onyx’s came in handy, too!

”I guess so…” She whimpered, looking down at her and trying to calm herself down. Hoping she was right about this.

“She might not even show up!” Grinned Rocky as the last customer left. “She didn’t show up for the last few times. Maybe she’d struggling.”

”She had a device, Rocky, from what I heard.”

”Maybe the device broke?” He suggested.

“I hope so…” Jazz sighed… Resting against the chair. “I really hope you are right.”

Half an hour later.

Pipp’s heart was racing as she looked at the cloaked griffon, while sitting next to Rocky. While she was secretly sending a message on her phone, by hiding it with her wings the best she could. Staring at the griffon with fear. There was no word exchanged as she stood in the doorway, glancing towards the stage. It was sudden to see her burst the doors open. Jazz barely scurrying away before she was seen by her. Hiding somewhere in the storage room on the side of the building. Surely she was able to hide in there well enough. It was awkward silence as a red ball randomly rolled in, no one paying much attention to it. A foal or the wind could have accidentally moved it towards the salon’s open doors. ”Do something.” Whispered Pipp. Hoping for a distraction of some sort. She nudged Rocky who froze, not wanting to do it, he shivered as he stepped forward. He gulped and slowly walked towards the griffon. Heart racing as he stared at the creature, it was hard to speak for a moment, this was a dangerous creature. One that would harm his friend for what she was born with. It wasn’t her fault. They also weren’t powers that should be stolen. If she really needed them for good, she would have asked.

”You are just in time!” Rocky exclaimed, trying his best to not sound nervous. He wanted to act natural. As if this griffon wasn’t here for pain. “Nice to meet you, been a while since we’ve seen a griffon like you, looking good!” He exclaimed. Never seeing a griffon in person, so he indeed never seen a griffon like her. “Pick anywhere you'd like and I will be with you in a minute.” He responded, thinking fast for a distraction holding up a brush. “So. Any styles or colours on your mind Right now?” He asked, pretending he was talking to a normal pony who walked into the salon. “I can do anything from a simple dye to a whole fancy haircut perfect to-“

The was a pause before she answered. ”No.” Staring into Rocky’s eyes before taking a step forward.

“Too bad!” Zipp shouted, coming through the open doors, she pouncing on the griffon, holding her down. Hitch using vines to kept her confined. Sunny raced in, finding a spot in the middle of the salon, deciding to not activate her alicorn powers at the moment. Who knows what would happen if they were stripped from her. It would be better at the moment if this villain was still unaware of them.

”You weren’t prepared for this, were you…” Smirked Zipp as she stared down slightly, feeling proud of herself. But also feeling uneasy. This was a little too easy, there would be no way she’d be letting up this easy. There was more going on, wasn't there? She pulled down the hood, staring into the griffon’s eyes as she turned her to face her. Her claws and paws still bound together. “What is the meaning of this!?” Zipp shouted. The eyes of the griffon looking unnatural in a way. Nearly no emotion. Yet.

”You thought I would fall that easy?” She asked. “Why don’t you say hello to my friends?”

”What?” Whispered Hitch.

”Okay, Foxglove, Oleander … Attack!”

A red ball started to glow and shift. Changing shape into its true form. This creature was shaped like a dinosaur, almost. Like a rex or a raptor, but about Alphabittle’s height. If not a bit bigger. The limbs were obviously made so it could choose to be on either all fours or on two legs whenever it pleases. The exact same one that was there when Zoom was attacked. It was a reddish-brown colour with a light yellow belly. Ivory spines were along the back. Almost shaped and placed like how iguana’s spines are. It was obvious this one’s name was Foxglove. A tough looking dinosaur for sure. But what kind? No one saw this one in any dinosaur books or movies. Perhaps a hybrid? Dinosaurs are extinct, anyway. So how is there a shape shifting dinosaur? Oh well, that could be answered later. The other one also had a dinosaur appearance but came through the front door. Slightly longer and had a pair of wings. It was not as buff looking, but its green body was sleeker in shape. It had smaller light yellow spines down the back and with darker green stripes. Three lines down the tail where there was a tuft of feathers. The muzzle and legs reminded the group of something between crocodiles and an Allosaurus. It appeared she was Oleander.

“Hello there!” Hitch tried to not sound scared at he greeted them. No time to dodge as Oleander shoved him away with her foot and helped Gumdrop up. Foxglove roared loudly. Sunny had no time to avoid being slammed by the tail

“Sunny” Pipp cried in horror.

Oleander crushed down her foot on Hitch as Gumdrop chuckled. Seeing each pony in the room stare at her with determined. Each holding an object. “You think we are going down that easily, huh?” Sunny said, brushing herself off.

”Your reign of magic theft stops right here! Like the lasts stop of a train…” Zipp would have groaned and rolled her eyes upon Pipp quoting the movie. But it did not matter. She noticed Rocky look sternly as he help a brush like it was a bat.

“You are outnumbered!” Shouted Hitch. “So either surrender with your hooves-or whatever- in the air! Or prepare for what comes next!”

”Never…” Gumdrop smirked. Allowing Oleander and Foxglove to growl..

Jazz’s heart was thumping as she at there in the back room. Her hooves were trembling as she laid there, hidden behind boxes of stored equipment, she gulped as she shouted behind the door of the room. Wanting this to be all over. She tried to make herself as small as possible, not wanting to be caught. But she didn’t want to be here. She wanted to help them fight! But they wanted her to hide, if her powers were taken from her. Then this thief would be more powerful. Or be closer to succeeding in whatever plan she needed them for. But she could possibly make the thief fall to sleep with her singing. Or even use to plant magic to help in some way! There was the noise of growling and shouting. She could not work out what they were saying. Only hearing a few words. ”I don’t know where she is!” She heard Pipp shout from behind the door. followed by an ordering shout and a loud scream. Jazz instinctively put her hooves to her mouth before she cried out in horror. Tears forming in her eyes as she made herself smaller behind the box. Wimpering and clenching her teeth as every shout, crash or scream. There was the noise of an object shattering. Jazz put her hooves to where her ears would be as she winced more. Hearing more crashing and yelping from her friends. Along with a few growls and roars from some other creatures. Did this griffon bring companions?

“Zipp!” Cried Pipp in horror. After a loud scream and crash. She sounded horrified. Jazz’s heart stopped as she heard Pipp’s cry. Hoping her sister was alright. She had never heard her like this before. She nearly jumped as she heard the door knob turn, ducking down further behind the boxes. Taking a quick peak through a gap. Shaking more as the door slowly creaked open. Revealing the dreaded face.

”Oh no you don’t!” Shouted Hitch before being hit by something as demonstrated by his screaming. “That’s it! Don’t say i didn’t warn you!” Then the loud, painful roar of some creature.

Jazz was frozen in fear. Most her view obscured by cupboards and storage. Her hooves would not stop shaking as her hooves trembled. She didn’t want to wipe the sweat coming down her face as she gulped. Her teeth were clenched as she shakily looked up again, making a gasp as the creature looked in her direction. Hoping she ducked in time and was not spotted, she crouched down. Her heart racing and breathing was heavy.

”Ready or not… Here I come!” Gumdrop called out like it was a game of hide and seek. Coming further into the room as she turned on the light. Jazz’s heart racing even faster as she felt it was kinda getting warmer. She tried her best to stay calm, taking deep breaths in and out. Looking down at her hooves she had a plan. She slowly and gently peaked out the gap between two lots of boxes. As Gumdrop walked further in, holding what appeared to be a watch of some sort. She could not see it clearly from her angle, but as soon as it was put away, she looked into her direction.

”Don’t be scared. It’s just a small surprise! I promise!” She said before crackling, something on her chest under her cloak glowing brightly with red.

”Here goes nothing…” Jazz whispered to herself. Quietly pushing aside the boxes a little to make the gap a bit bigger, gulping as she stepped back with she looked in her direction.

“Oh there you are…” The intruder smiled as she looked towards the boxes. It was now or never. Jazz slammed her hoof to the ground, activating her earth pony magic. Wishing for some vines to wrap around the griffon’s legs. Which they did.

”What the?” Gumdrop questioned as vines wrapped around her claws and paws. Another wrapping around her torso as she tried to pull herself free. “Where did these trashy things come from!” She screamed. Vines had knocked over a few things, but it didn’t matter as Jazz grabbed a random cardboard box full of soap. Holding above her head.

“Jazz-tice.” Jazz screamed before throwing them at Gumdrop, hitting her and racing out the door. Slamming behind her. Stopped in her tracks as her heart raced. What she saw was a mess

Bottles and styling tools thrown about. Two dinosaur-like creatures tied down with thorns, vines and ropes. Pipp was holding onto Zipp, tears in her eyes. It appeared she had gotten knocked out in the fight that happened. Her heart raced as she saw Sunny try and clean up the best she could while Hitch was thinking on the best way to get the large beasts out the doors. Rocky was looking into a cracked mirror, one of his wings were limp and blood was coming from his nostrils. But he soon noticed Jazz, who ran towards him, tears in her eyes as he caught her in his hooves. Her body trembling as she sobbed loudly into his chest. ”Hey…” He said softly as he petted her softly. “It’s gonna be okay…”

“Get him away! I don’t wanna hit him…” Gumdrop growled as Foxglove raced towards Rocky. Grabbing him in her claws and holding him down in both front claws. Growling as drool came from her mouth.

“Ugh…” Rocky muttered as some drool splashed on him as he tried to wiggle out. Only for her to push down harder. ”D-don’t hurt her!” Rocky shouted as he tried to wiggle out, but it was no use. He then gasped as he saw a shampoo bottle nearby, just barely within reach. Relieved, he grabbed it in his hooves as Gumdrop laughed, taking something out her cloak. Not noticing Foxglove yelp and cry in pain as he squirted her right in the eye with shampoo. Freeing him as he raced to Gumdrop. Tackling her to the ground.

Jazz was frozen in fear as she watched Sunny grab the box-like device. Keeping it close to her as she watched on. Ready to escape with the box and fix everything. “Run Sunny, Run!” She cried as Sunny raced out the doors. Not noticing Oleander right behind her as she ripped from her vines. Kicking away Hitch on the way out. Foxglove joining her soon after.

“I got her down!” Rocky shouted as Gumdrop growled. Yelping as she clawed him in the face. Eyes now glowing red as she kicked him in the stomach. Making him scream in pain as he fell over. Curling up and wing flailing as he whimpered, hooves on his stomach as Hitch made a vine wrap around her hind legs.

”Rocky!” Jazz cried as he lifted a hoof from his face, shivering and wincing a bit at the blood. He tried to get up, wondering on his next move. His breathing was heavy and he was shaking, a bleeding scar on his cheek, which he hoped would go away soon. He was shaking as he stared at the griffon, frozen in fear and unable to get up, like fear was pushing him down.

”You give us no choice!” Hitch growled. Pipp looking sadly at Zipp who was laid on the chair. Hoping and wishing that she would be okay, not noticing a bleeding wound she she was bashed headfirst into some shelves that collapsed onto her. The force Foxglove hit her with would have been enough, but she had to take it to another level. Jazz ran to Rocky’s side and helped him up. Hugging him tightly as he whimpered in pain a bit but tried to ignore it.

”I-I'm gonna be fine, Jazz…” He tried to assure her, noticing she was crying.

”How… Dare you!” Gumdrop growled and tried to get free. Pulling at the vines, then chomped at them with her beak, trying to break them.

”Don’t bother with escaping!” Hitch spat.

“Sunny will have grabbed hidden the box by now!” Pipp shouted with pride. “You have lost.”

She left Zipp on the chair and joined Hitch, Jazz and Rocky as the three of them stared down at her with smug grins as she tried to break free. Gumdrop’s eyes started glowing red again before she started laughing. ”Oh really?” She asked. Oleander soon entering the doors. Throwing Sunny to the ground and tossing her the box. Everyone froze in fear as she laid on the ground, wimping as she held her foreleg. Looking up at everyone apologetically.

“I-I’m sorry.” Sunny whimpered.

”Look at you! None of you are any match for my power! Weak, useless, pathetic…”

Sunny groaned as she cried. Trying to get up but flapping back down, breathing heavily, till Hitch helped her up. Everyone was frozen in shock, except for Jazz, who stared at this griffon angrily. Rage building up inside as she stared at this heartless beast who attacked her friends. She looked around at the furniture that looked as if it was carelessly knocked down and the objects thrown about. “That is it!” Yelped Jazz as she marched forward, her heart racing as she stared into the cold, heartless eyes of this thief. This intruder that was here with this mysterious light power she was born with. Destined to have. “I don’t know why you want it. But you aren't having it!” She growled, her hooves glowing as Gumdrop smirked. He eyes lighting up with glee. As both dinosaur-like creatures stood on either side of her.

”Jazz, no!” Whispered Pipp as she reached out. Oleander and Foxglove leaned forward. Growling slightly but grinning slightly. Looking excited as the latter licked her lips.

“Now, girls. We aren’t gonna eat them…” She said with a smirk as she took out the box, her victim's hooves glowing brighter. All the pony’s hearts were racing as they watched.

”Get back. It’s dangerous.” Rocky whispered towards her, getting no response.

”Easy prey…” The griffon smirked, just about to open it before Jazz slammed her forelegs to the ground. Sending a waves of light that hit the three, sending them flying back. Foxglove shape shifted into a ball once it hit her, Gumdrop was sent out the door. Oleander smashed into a window with a pained roar.

“The windows!” Pipp cried.

“Wh-what?” Groaned Zipp as she got up. Her head felt like she was spinning as she tried to work out what was going on. Soon distracted by a hug.

”You are alive!” Cried Pipp. Hugging her tight. Everyone else looked out the door. Where Gumdrop was not getting up. The thief was not moving again. Well, it seemed so.

“You did it!” Rocky hugged Jazz tight as she rested on his chest. Looking up at him with a smile. Her heart was racing and she looked a bit sweaty. “You defeated her!”

Everyone noticed Oleander slowly get up. Looking rather sad as it made some soft noises. Soon making her way outside for some reason. As if she accepted defeat, or was scared of this place. No one minded too much, just hoped she wasn’t going to cause trouble anywhere else. “What do you think will happen now?” Asked Jazz.

“I think we clean up the salon obviously. I can use my money and borrow some of mother’s money to do some repairs…” Pipp said with a slight smile. Glad everything turned out alright. It was a shame the salon was damaged, but it was structurally safe. Only the equipment and a lot of merchandise got damaged. But she was rich enough to replace all of them with no problem. Being the princess of Zephyr Heights has perks.

“But more importantly. We need to find where she put Zoom’s powers! She could still use them for bad!” Exclaimed Zipp in shock.

”Exactly! This is not over!” Rocky added, petting Jazz in a comforting away. “Where is she, anyway?” He asked, seeing as the griffon was no longer laying right outside the salon.

Everyone froze in shock, soon hearing some heavy breathing as they turned their heads in horror. Seeing the griffon soar above them and land on the stage. “Time to get serious.” She bluntly responded immediately opening the box. A electrically ball of energy forming.

”No!” Screamed Pipp as the electricity shot out. Hitting Jazz who had no time to dodge. Rocky held onto her as she screamed a blood-curdling scream. Almost like she was dying. All he could do was hold her, feeling the burning pain, too. But in the pain, she managed to push him away from her before he started to get effected too. Making him land on the ground with a thud. Looking up in fear seeing the electric power surround Jazz before she lost conscious. Flopping to the ground, as it went away, colours desaturated by a lot.

”Jazz!” Screamed Rocky as everyone stood there. Frozen in fear as they watched him try and wake her up. “Jazz! No. Please, no, Jazz!” He cried. Holding her close to him as he whimpered. His heart racing as a tear ran down his face. Feeling broken as she just laid there, being picked up by Rocky. He was thankful she pushed him away so the electric energy didn’t hurt him, too. But why did she have to lose hers, they were so close to stopping the griffon, but here they are.

“No…” Zipp looked on with sadness. Hitch bowing his head in shame as he mourned defeat.

“This is not the end!” Sunny shouted as the thief ran out the door. Taking the red ball with her, too.

“Sunny!” Hitch reached towards her with worry as she activated her alicorn magic. Quickly gazing at him before he sighed. Realising he cannot stop her from what she was about to do. Besides, she just might be able to save the light powers somehow. Maybe finally defeating this griffon. He brushed off what he was about to say and said something else instead. “Good luck…” He responded. Sunny nodding and dashing out the door. Chasing after Gumdrop who had taken flight.

Sunny zoomed through the air, chasing after the thief. “You are not getting away with anyone’s magic!” She shouted, catching up.

”I don’t want your magic.” She paused. I wanted hers!”She exclaimed. Oleander jump scaring Sunny with a roar, almost knocking her from the sky by whipping her head.

”Woah!” Squealed Sunny as she proceeding narrowly miss the tail. She did not take the eyes off Gumdrop. Even when she dodged a chomp. Surprised to see Oleander had not given up after all.

”Would you quit it!” She bumped Oleander's nose. As a result, she flew upwards and away. Allowing Sunny to continue. “I don’t care who! You are not taking anyone’s!” Sunny shouted angrily, getting mad. “I don’t want to fight you unless that’s the only way I can get my friend’s powers back!” She wanted to grab and strangle this griffon for putting so many loves in danger. But refrained. Violence was not the only answer, besides. Maybe she had issues that would be made worse by fighting. Oleander whacked Sunny with her tail. Luckily Sunny was able to get herself upright again and keep flying. Quickly returning to Gumdrop’s side.

“I want you to leave!” Shouted Gumdrop. Flying above the rain clouds, doing a loop up and turning.

“No!” Sunny shouted. Getting a little tired. “I just want to talk to you. I just want to understand!” She paused and sighed. “Why are you doing this to them!? Why are you so upset!?”

”Nothing!”

“I don’t understand. But I know something is wrong! Violence is not going to fix whatever happened!” Sunny shouted, feeling more concerned. But confused on why she hadn’t attacked her. There was a pause as the two soared through the clouds. The only noise of flapping wings. “Is this how you treat friends?” Sunny said softly. Whacking Oleander who had tried to bite her again.

”Friends?” Gumdrop’s voice was now soft as she soared through the air. He body language was not as tense anymore, she started to look a little relaxed. Which made Sunny feel safer to fly near her, closer. He heart was not racing as fast as she took some deep breaths, looking at Gumdrop’s face. She looked kind of sad now. Rather than angry.

Did she open a memory?

“Friends?” Gumdrop said. Gritting her teeth before shouting at Sunny. Her eyes now glowing red as she slapped her heard. “Why would I need friends!”” She roared, “They only betray you and leave you for the dead!” Her posture was angry again. Showing no remorse as Sunny sorrowfully rubbed her cheek, now bleeding from the slap. Thanks to the sharp claws.

“H-hey!”

“Leave me alone!” Gumdrop shouted. “You don’t understand!”

“I may not understand what you are going through. But-“

”Yeah yeah!” She shouted, fluttering around Sunny. “Heard it so many times before… Friends don’t abandon you. They don’t leave you for the dead and forget about you! After you've been wounded by a bullet!” She grumbled and crossed her forelegs. “I know because I witnessed it myself! I am no longer falling for such scam!”

Sunny was speechless. What on earth happened to this griffon that mare her despise friends so much? Did something happen in the past? She gulped, feeling a little scared as Gumdrop fluttered away. Feeling a little sorry for her, but she sight. “But- Wait!” She exclaimed with worry as she reached out.

”I will not wait anymore! I had enough!” She said, turning around as her eyes shone red. There seemed to be an object on her chest under her cloak also shining red. What was it?

”Oh! Okay…” Sunny pretended to agree with her to get away from her bad side. She allowed for about a minute of silence as she flew next to her. “I just wanted to say-“

”I heard it and had enough!” Screamed Gumdrop, stopping in her tracks reaching for something from inside her cloak. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you…” She muttered.

“Maybe those who abandoned you are not fr-“

Sunny yelped in shock and fear as she threw a metallic ball towards her. With quick reflexes, she narrowly dodged it and shouted. “Not cool! That could have hurt me!” she scolded. Immediately watching as Oleander stared at her angrily. Growling, licking her lips.

”Oh.., It willl…” She said before Sunny looked back, seeing the ball follow her. A screen in the middle, counting down slowly as she flew away. She yelped in shock and started to fly away from it, but it kept up. Chasing her further and further from the thief and her pet. It was ticking loudly as it chased. Sounding like a bomb of some dirt. Whatever, she was not taking any chances.

”No, no no!” Sunny yelped as it came closer and closer, she dived into the cloud. Heart racing as fast as it could, sweat coming down her. Trying to aim her magic at it as she looked back. Her heard was racing as it was close to her tail at this point. What was this thing anyway? Some sort of dangerous device that would hurt her!? What would happen when the countdown ended?!

The numbers were getting closer and closer to 0. She managed to fly from it as she pushed herself, but then the whole thing exploded. Catching her, sending her flying as her magic vanished. “No no no!” She screamed. Her alicorn magic gone and the ground getting closer and closer. “Please no, please no!” She yelped. C’mon!” She tried to activate them but they only flickered as her her heart raced. Tears appeared in her eyes as the ground got closer and closer. The rain was not helping either as she fell.

“Come on!” She screamed to herself. Then suddenly, boom! Her alicorn magic was back. She gasped with joy as she lifted her wings, turning herself upright gut still going an enormous speed. Which gave her no time to dodge a tree. Which she clipped her wing on. Sending her spinning and tumbling to the ground below. Creating a crevice as she dived through the dirt before finally stopping. Her alicorn magic fizzled out as she laid there, hurt.

Great Escape

“C’mon!” Trixie cried, slamming the chains with a rock, hoping to break them and get free. She kept smashing them, hoping they would break eventually. Finally, there was a crack, she was almost free. “Perfect!” She exclaimed then gasped in panic as the door creaked. Heart racing as she realised who was home. Thinking fast, she laid on where the chain was broken and pretended she woke from a nap.

Gumdrop burst though the door with a smirk. “Guess what I got!” She exclaimed.

“Oh? You are home already?” Trixie yawned. Totally gonna fool her for sure, hopefully. She looked at Gumdrop. “So, what did you get?” She asked, trying to play it cool.

”Yep!” Gumdrop exclaimed happily. Pulling out the box and grabbing another jar. Ignoring Trixie’s horrified expression as she poured the magic into it. White light with teal and blue magic swirling about. Along with another cutiemark floating inside.

”Uh oh…” Trixie gulped. Knowing there was only one more.

”Music, water and whatever magic the earth ponies have… Perfect.”

”Y-yeah…” Trixie cowered. Not wanting to be on her bad side. “Great and powerful-“ She gulped. “So when are you heading for the next one?”

“When they least expect it…” Gumdrop was chuckling as she put the jar inside the cupboard. “Already hired someone to help me.”

”Good. So i think I’m gonna go back to sleep!” Trixie fake-yawned. “Being imprisoned is tiring.” She laid down closing her eyes and pretending to get comfortable.

Gumdrop rolled her eyes and scoffed. “Whatever, mutt.” She said as she left the room. Leaving Trixie alone by herself. Who opened her eyes and looked up. Looking at her empty dog bowel, she was glad she had food and water, even if they were in food bowels.

“I have to get out of here.” She whispered to herself. Looking at her broken chains as Gumdrop left the room. She had hardly any idea where she might have been. But she was going to get help. Gumdrop needed up, so did the ponies of this world. She clearly knew about those powers more than they did. So it was up to her. Besides, the Alicorn Amulet was likely forgotten as it was hidden nicely and very few knew about it . So she needed to tell them that, too. “But I can’t be caught.” She whispered. She smashed the chain again with the rocky debris and walked towards the window.

She aggressively undid the dog muzzle and threw it to the ground. Opening the window was a bit of a hassle. Thanks to overgrown vines and deformities in the wood. But after a bit of grunting, struggle and pushing. Along with a kick or two. She managed to get it free. Dust and dirt falling down it as she groaned in disgust. But it was the way out.

“The great and powerful Trixie did not want this…” She mumbled. hoping she could climb down, she looked at the drop. Seemingly into some bushed. Luckily there was a tree branch right hear the window. She quickly grabbed her cape and hat that were imprisoned in a nearby drawer and raced back to the window. Looking up at the gloomy night sky. “Finally…”

She stopped on her tracks before reaching for the tree. She looked back at the cage Zecora was in. Her gut hurting as she sat there sadly in her cage. It was like something inside was telling her to take her along, too. She felt bad just by looking at her. Zecora had less freedom in the cage than Trixie had, being chained to the ground.

She sighed and left the window. A feeling so strong urging her over to the cage, Gumdrop was surely asleep at this time. If not, she was planning or spying on something most likely. Because she never visited Trixie at night, it was always in the morning and afternoon. So it was unlikely she would come up unexpectedly. At least with how creaky the stairs were, she would be able to hear her coming before she reached the door. But too much noise might be suspicious coming from this room. So Trixie hurried quietly over to Zecora‘s cage. Stepping over debris as she moved through the fallen wall. Getting to Zecora‘s cage, who was asleep at the moment. She was about to get a rude awakening as Trixie lifted a large piece of debris in her hooves. Lifting it high above her head, slamming it down full force on the lock. Making a loud noise as its inhabitant jumped out of her skin as cage rattled and shook.

“What was the purpose of that awakening? Besides to start the cage’s shaking?” Zecora exclaimed in fear. Then she paused as she turned her head as Trixie shushed her. “Is that who I think freeing me? I have so grateful ms Trixie.”

“Yeah yeah. J-just be quiet!” Trixie whimpered, heart racing. She slammed the lock again, making the cage shake more. But to her joy, the rusty old thing popped open. She tossed it across the room, slamming open the cage door and helping Zecora out. Who remained quiet as Trixie’s heart stopped upon a familiar boise. The creaking of the stairs.

“She’s coming!” She whisper yelled, about to run for the window before stopping in her tracks. Seeing also a pink kirin named Minty in another cage, who was muzzled and had a newer looking lock. “It’s too late for me. Just go!” She ordered bitterly.

”B-“

”You just go!” She shouted loudly. Zecora looked over sadly. About to say something before Trixie dashed over to her cage, a light bulb lighting in her head as she held the lock. Zecora ran to the window as Trixie she broke the lock, using a spell to turn it into another object, setting Minty free as she raced to the window. Heart racing as she grabbed the branch. The others doing the same, folowing her as she climbed onto the thick branch that started to crack. Just as the door knob in the room creaked and turned.

“C’mon…” Trixie whimpered before stopping in her track as the branch broke. Not being as strong as she hopped. Sending all mares falling into the bushes below, just as the room’s door open. They both yelped as they landed in the lush shrubs. Which was surprising. But they were all a bit grateful as landing on dead shrubs would likely hurt more. But it appeared Gumdrop was not all gone if she was keeping it alive.

“Zecora!” Trixie yelped, lifting her head. Twigs and leaves stuck in ger mane.

”Don’t you fear. I’m over here.” Zecora responded. Getting up, fulling some leaves from her mane, too.

“I think I had the worse landing…” Minty said covering a wound with a hoof.

Trixie’s heart was racing as she looked up at the window they came out of. They were finally free, finally! But they were not completely safe yet. Gumdrop could still find them if she tried. They were only right outside the building she called home. Trixie gulped as she looked at Zecora, both looking very concerned as their hearts raced. Minty looked up at the window and back at the two, getting ready for their next move

”L-lets get outta here!” Trixie whispered as she raced out the shrubs. Keeping an eye out for Gumdrop. Or either of her dinosaur creatures if they were still around. They made sure to be quiet as they hurried down the concrete path, cracked and overgrown with weeds. They vanished into the night, making sure to be quiet as they sneaked past some ruins and piles of rubble.

Izzy was happily cutting up some cardboard as the sun set, all different colours, all ready for something She was going to make. Perhaps it was going to be some sort of dangerous villain’s castle, with ponies as captured prisoners. That was the plan she had drawn on a nearby sheet, at least, seemed she was going to make things to tell a story. She was alone but did not mind. Humming to herself as she put down the piece she cut out. “There we go! That’ll be the ear!” She smiled happily as she put the piece on top of a pile of other pieces of cardboard. All cut out and in different shapes and sizes. As she grabbed an uncut piece, she heard a knock on the door. It was more likely to be a guest or a visitor, because she knew none of her friends would knock. She happily skipped towards the door with joy and opened it, almost immediately seeing Zoom, carrying a big bag or two with her.

”Oh hey Zoom! What’s up?” She asked. “How are you going?” She asked with slight concern as she remembered and notice her dull colouring. She was still dull. Her eyes looked bloodshot and as if she hadn't gotten sleep in ages. The marks under them were very visible.

”Is Princess Zephyrina or Princess Petals home?” She asked.

“Not yet…” Izzy shrugged. “Not sure where they are. They must be home soon!”

”Oh. Is it alright if I come in?” She asked, looking really sad as she looked at her. Izzy paused, feeling worried for her as it seemed light she did not improve.

”Of course!” She exclaimed, allowing her inside and watching her put her bags on the ground. Watching as she slumped on the couch, looking really down.

”What’s wrong?” Izzy asked. Getting no response as she simply looked at her with a sigh.

”The queen and therapist…” Was what she said after a pause. “I got no energy with duties and keep-“ She then gulped as her heart started to race.

‘Not now’ she thought as she gulped as she tried to breath in and out. Noticing Izzy rub her comfortingly. ‘Focus, Zoom. Don’t break down.’ She told herself in her mind. Her breathing now rapid as she stared ahead.

“Is it what i think!?” Izzy exclaimed. “Nightmare!?”

“N- what?” Asked Zoom. Trying to stay calm. “Not helping!” She shouted angrily before remembering what the therapist said. After she was made to see one after two panic attacks in the palace.

Izzy stepped back to give her space. Watching as Zoom gripped on a cushion, taking deep breaths through the nostrils and out the mouth. Whimpering slightly as she calmed down.

“Zoom?”

”Give me a moment.”

There was silence as she calmed down the best she could. “I kept-“ She gulped. “I kept having panic attacks in the palace…” She said bluntly. “Can’t control them, can’t do anything!” She screamed. “There’s a voice inside saying I’m not good enough, but I am I have to be! I have to fight!”

“B-but- You are enough, but- Because that’s where-“ Izzy was about to ask before pausing realising if she asked Zoom of the reason why was because the incident. She could fall into another panic attack. So she nodded in agreement instead, deciding to leave her some space for the moment. Not wanting to be the cause for another one.

Zoom laid on the couch. Feeling ashamed of herself. Nit being able to control the flashbacks, nightmares and break downs she had been having. It was so unlike her and she hated it. Wishing she could do something about it. She slowly looked at her greyed hooves.

She turned around and laid down. Not knowing what to do next, feeling confused. It sucked not being on guard. It was like she had a cole. But this time about her mental health. Within a few minutes of laying there, she heard the doors open, she quickly sat up and looked towards the door. Heart dropping with Izzy’s as they watched the group that came in.

Zipp came in carrying Sunny’s unconscious body. With Pipp and Rocky following her, the latter carrying Jazz’s dull, seemingly lifeless body. This was enough to make Zoom’s heart race as she felt anger boil up as she started to breath heavily. Rushing over to Pipp, bowing in front of her before speaking.

”Where is the pony that attacked you!?” She said quicker and louder than she wanted as her heart raced.

”She came back…” Pipp said bluntly and sadly. “She stole Jazz’s powers.”

Zoom looked back at the couch. Izzy making it nice and comfortable as Rocky placed Jazz down. Putting w blanket over her as she breathed heavily and whimpered.

‘N-no…’ Zoom whimpered as her heart started to race again, her heart thumping as she saw what was happening. Her legs was shaking again as she looked over at the couch. Not wanting to see it anymore. She Sat there as Pipp tried to help her. She was frozen in fear as she tried to breath. It felt like she was fighting for it.

”Is Sunny okay!?” Izzy asked Zipp and she flew back down the stairs.

”She’s gonna Be fine…” Zipp added. Seeming kinda glum and sure that she was going to be perfectly fine. But sad as she looked at the couch.

”This thief is gonna have the biggest punishment when we catch them.” Zoom shouted angrily. “Not only has she taken our magic, the light powers. She has endangered others and taken her victim's sense of joy, humour, courage, confidence- and likely any positive emotions!”

Zipp briefly wondered why Zoom was here. But her concerns were answered when she remembered a recent conversation from her mother on her phone. “Yeah. I can guarantee that, Zoom…”

Everyone’s thoughts were soon enough redirected to Jazz who groaned in her sleep. Rocky putting a hoof on her, looking on sadly.

”Do you think she’ll be okay?” He asked.

Pipp was about to respond. “Ye-“ Then realised. Even tho Zoom did wake up, she was not okay. With all the panic attacks, nightmares and even a few incidents of her passing out. She was Clark not okay afterwards. “I Hope so.” She said softly.

Izzy looked at Jazz, tears rolling down her face now. She didn’t know why, but she felt bad for everyone. She knew Misty would hate this situation too. She was on a camping trip with Alphabittle, so she wasn't here when the first attack happen. But they both got the news, she was really concerned. Right now she was in the bedroom, watching a movie and now possibly checking on Sunny when she cam. “Izzy?” Pipp asked. Noticing her.

”I… I just wanna go check on Sunny!” She exclaimed sadly. Racing up the stairs to the bedroom. Slowly opening the door to see Sunny laying in her bed, Misty sadly humming a tune of some sort as she tucked a plushie in with her, hoping she wouldn’t feel alone or scared in her dream. Sunny was breathing softly as she was sleeping. “Sunny? What happened?” she asked. Hoping she’d wake up soon. Hoping she was not dead as she rested her hooves on her bed. Resting her head against it.

”Please Sunny, you’re my friend.” She whimpered. Lighting up a bit as she realised her colours were not dulled out like Jazz or Zoom’s. Maybe she was not stripped of her magic but rather knocked out during the fight. They were right, this thief was only after the light powers. Not Sunny’s. But why? “We are gonna wait right here for you. Untill you wake up!” She explained with a slight smile as she heard her healthy breathing, Misty nodding in agreement.

Rocky held onto Jazz’s hoof sadly, looking at her face. Hearing her whimper with no signs of her waking up. “Jazz… C’mon…” He teared up as he looked down at her.

”You okay, Rocky?” Zipp asked. Watching him.

”I was holding onto her!” He cried out, “She had to push me away so it wouldn’t effect me, too. B-but, I wish it was me that mot hit.” He said softly, her scream echoing in his mind. His heart was racing as he held onto her. “You think maybe I could keep an eye on her, tonight?” He asked Zipp who nodded.

“I don’t see why not. It might be a good thing for her to be with somepony so close and familiar when she wakes up.” Added Pipp as she walked over.

“Thanks…” He sighed softly, nearby Zoom was watching, frozen in fear, heart racing and stomach hurting again. She didn’t know what to say or do. But there was only one left, now.

Rocky rested Jazz on his couch, putting her head comfortably on a pillow and putting a blanket over her. He then sat on the chair next to it. “I’ll be right here for you, Jazz.” He responded sadly. Looking down at her as she whimpered and kicked in her sleep. Like Zoom did. He sat there, keeping watch for when she wakes up. Keeping an eye out for anything to be worried about. Even if it meant staying up all night.He had no work in the morning, it was going to have some repairs done. So no need to be worried for being exhausted the next day. He laid down and watched her closely. Slowly dozing off as minutes went by, eventually an hour passed and nothing as he looked on his phone. Yawning as it got later and later. Slowly dozing off… He closed his heavy eyes, drifting to sleep.

When he opened his eyes he gasped in shock at the light coming through the windows. It was morning already!? He looked around in worry, his ears pinning back seeing Jazz was no longer on the couch, when did she get up!? He quickly looked at his phone that was dropped on the carpet below. Gasping as he saw it was past 7.AM. Where was Jazz!?

”Jazz!?” He called out, jumping off the chair. Annoyed at himself for falling to sleep and not watching her. He had one job and he could not do it, he should have kept an eye on her! Who knows what crazy effect that magic has on her when awoken! “Jazz!” He cried rushing into the bathroom and seeing no one. So he rushed into his bedroom, not a single hint that Jazz was there, he let out a groan as he looked around. ”Jazz!?” He cried out with worry. Remembering how Zoom woke up. He was scared Jazz would have a similar reaction. He stood back into the lounge room. Looking anxious as he worried about Jazz. She could have gotten out in a panicky state like Zoom. She could be lost or scared! Then he gasped as he heard a toilet flush. Sighing in relief as he looked towards the toilet, seeing the door creak open as she walked out. Still desaturated in colour, but not seeming too panicked.

”Gee, Rocky.” She grunted. “I was on the toilet.” She said, bitterly, rolling her eyes and having an attitude as if she had awaken grumpily. Rocky wanted to jokingly ask if she woke up on the wrong side of the bed, but decided it was not the time to make such joke.

”Sorry Jazz. I-“ He sheepishly apologised. Not really acknowledging the fact he looked more tired than Jazz. “Uh- How’d you wake up? Did you sleep well?” He asked.

”Yeah. I mean, I did have a gnarly nightmare.” She shivered at the though as she walked past Rocky. Hitting with her tail affectionately as she did a loop around him. “But… It ended really happily and I woke up this morning to go to the toilet.” She explained, he was slightly surpised at her words. He expected her waking up to be similiar to Zoom, but she woke up nicely instead?

”Huh. Strange. Guess Zoom must have been unlucky… Or…” He thought out loud and gasped in shock. Realising something about how both mares woke up differently. Zoom was forced awake while Jazz woke up naturally… The former waking up more anxious and miserable, like something kept entering her mind that she could not get rid off, or somthing blocking postive thoughts and emotions in her head. Maybe the way they woke up had something to do with the state they were in. Just a theory as he wasn’t close to being an expert on this magical stuff. But he did kind of feel bad if that were the case. Besides, Jazz was only awake for about half an hour, bit soon to judge.

“Perhaps we should head over to Pipp. So she can see you are okay and uh… Talk about things.”

”Agree.” Jazz shrugged and smiled slightly. “Can we get a breakfast at Mega-Brekkie on the way!?” She asked with now a large smile and huge eyes, looking like a child who was asking for something they really wanted.

”Uh… Yeah, sure.” Rocky said, concerned but putting on a smile when Jazz did a victory pump with her hoof, it was nice to see she was still the same Jazz. Mostly.

Not Prepared

When Rocky arrived with Jazz, they stopped in their tracks. Surprised to see Onyx and Dapple had arrived. Along with Thunder, and another guard, Autumn, who was here to check on Zoom. They all looked towards them, glad to see Jazz was awake and okay, they all looked with slight relief as she chowed down on a yummy egg and cheese toasted sandwich for breakfast, almost finished it and prepared to move on the banana smoothie she also had with her. Zipp was the first to notice Rocky’s concerned expression as he faced them, Izzy being the first to speak.

”You look worried, you okay?”

”We have stuff to tell you.” Rocky stated, sighing as his ears drooped, gazing at Jazz and back at Zoom with concern on how differently they woke up. Jazz seemed to be kinda her regular self, just more sleepy, slow and alert. He got ready to explain what had happened, not leaving out much detail as Jazz slurped down on a smoothie.

”Mmm, not as good as Sunny’s Jazz said before deinking more as Rocky explained.

”She woke up just fine. No panic attacks, no tears, just regular stress about the griffon…” He explained. “She’s been worried about it the whole time, but she hadn’t even had a sign of a breakdown, unlike Zoom…” He said, expressing concern about Zoom. “I feel like… We shouldn’t have forced Zoom awake like that, in didn’t force Jazz awake and well, I said it!”

Zoom’s ears perked up, looking ag Jazz and back at herself, both of their colours were dull and all, but there was no way she would be having a smile and enjoying a smoothie in Jazz’s shoes. Flashbacks of when she woke up played in her mind as her heart raced. Jazz wasn’t constantly in a panic state because she woke up differently!? “You are saying…” Zoom muttered as she glanced around. “I could have woken up peacefully!?” She shouted, knowing that she could quiet possibly be in the palace doing her job now if some jerk didn’t force her awake with smelling sticks!

”Seems so…” Rocky said, apologetic.

Jazz walked towards Zoom and put a hoof on her shoulder. Looking a bit glum before looking at her sadly. “I think I might have an idea…”

”On what?” Asked Zipp.

“I-In my nightmare. I was in a situation…” Jazz whimpered as she looked down. “Ponies were trying to tear me down mentally, but I fought back. When I won and it came all peaceful, that was when I woke up.” She puased and sighed. “What if the way we awoke has anything to do with how different awoke…”

Zoom stared at her in horror. Heart racing again as she remembered her dream. How morbid it was, how it ended was her staring at Thunder’s dying body. Everyone blaming her for the Queen getting kidnapped. Her dream could have ended happily. But nope, she was forced awake. Giving it a bad ending. She felt a bit of sweat on her forehead as she gulped.

”Y-you didn’t get a happy ending. Did you?” Jazz worriedly as asked as she glared around. “You didn’t get the chance to finish the nightmare before you were forced awake…”

“Who’s idea was it to force me awake?” Zoom bitterly asked. She was glaring at everyone as he eyes darted. Glancing at each and every guilty expression. Everyone was silent her breathing now heavy as she looked around as if she was about to kill someone.

”It was my idea…” Onyx slowly responded, “Because you were stuck in a sleep for an unusual period of time, smelling sticks usually wake ponies up suddenly…”

Pipp and Izzy looked at each other nervously then looked back with guilty. The former willingly talking before anyone could. Wanting to take responsibility for her actions. “We uh… Kinda grabbed the smelly sticks that were used…”

Thunder gulped as she sadly looked down, his heart dropped as she realised it was his fault too. Zoom could have woken up peacefully and be better than she was. Like how Jazz was simply tired and felt a little ill. But no, Zoom was having break downs and nightmares and it was likely because she did not finish the nightmare unlike Jazz.

“I’m the one that broke the sticks in front of your muzzle…”

Silence followed as everyone looked at Zoom with apologetic faces. She looked angry as she gripped a cushion, sitting on the much and letting out a loud groan. Soon sighing and taking deep breathes. “Okay…” She grumbled. “I won’t stay mad. There was no chance any of you could have known…” She stared at them with her tired expression, having not slept.

”Have you been feeling any better?” Asked Izzy, hoping for a positive answer.

“I had another nightmare last night… But… I wouldn’t say it was as bad…” She then winced as she looked down, starting to feel some pain in her chest as her heart raced. Hearing the screams of her nightmare echo in her mind. She had to get out here. “The same…”

“The same?” Thunder whispered. “You are having the same nightmare everynight!? Why didn’t you tell us?”

She winced before she gulped as she looked up at everyone else and hurriedly get off the seat. Her stomach aching as the screams filled her mind and her body felt warm. “I need to excuse myself.” She said, hooves shaking as she rushed to the bathrooms. Not again, not another panic attack.

“We have to fix her!” Cried Thunder.

”I miss her strict nature.” Added Autumn. “Is it weird that I kinda want to be scolded by her again?”

”But how?” Asked Pipp. “I don’t even understand what’s going on here!? I’m no expert in this. But… It looks like she’s suffering from some trauma of some sort! She uses to me so fearless.” She sighed

“We get her to finish that nightmare to a happy ending like Jazz did!” Zipp exclaimed. “That way, she can be like herself again!”

”How!?” Pipp exclaimed.

‘I… I don’t know… But I think I need to ask her a few questions. About the nightmare. I get the feeling there’s stuff she is not telling us…” She puased.

”If you say so, Princess…” Thunder responded. Uneasily. “There’s actually something I hadn’t told you…”

”WHAT IS IT!?” Zipp exclaimed, Thunder almost mistaking it as him being scolded, than Zipp being eager. “Don’t leave out a single detail.”

”Oh uh… You won’t actually like this but. She’s had a few nightmares before the incident. I guess they weren't as bad, I only caught her waking up in the night like five-ish times in the four or so years we were guards. But now, it’s been almost every night.” He said, not being too sure on the numbers.

”It’s true.” Jazz confirmed. Having stayed in the palace for a few nights before. “From what I’ve heard anyway….” She paused as she looked down. “My one was about my past, the bullying and-… I think the same might have been with Zoom…”

”Her.. Trauma?” Rocky asked.

“How do we fix it?” Thunder asked.

”I don’t know…” Zipp sighed.

”Unless we can convince her to try and finish the dream…” Izzy suggested.

”Or it’ll fix itself .”

“Or maybe it can’t be fix.” Zipp responded, worried. “Trauma isn’t usually something to be fixed. But we can help it, somehow.”

Jazz watched on, finishing her smoothie as she sat on the ground, feeling more and more guilty and she watched on. There was only one pony left now with the light powers. If the griffon got her claws on all of them then that was it, she herself almost defeated the griffon but failed. She started to ponder on what could have happened and what should have happened. Should she had stayed put? Or escaped the salon somehow and ran for the hills? Or maybe she should have fought a different way that didn’t scream, ‘I got the powers.’ Or maybe she just wasn’t good enough.

“You okay, Jazz?” Rocky asked as he put a hoof around her, she leaned into him, putting her face into his chest as she started to let tears flow down, she could hear his shocked voice. “J-Jazz?”

She didn’t know what to say, she just wanted to cry now, she felt absolutely terrible. She could feel him rub her back as she sniffled. “I-I’m scared.” She admitted, even through he had already known. “I don’t know what’s going to come, what if they don’t get her in time, what of Onyx isn't able to save her powers? What if-“ ”Shhh…” Rocky shushed her as he petted her, “It’s going to be okay, the griffon hasn’t gotten her yet, Sunny and her friends were pretty close yesterday too.” She smiled. “Knowing them, they will have learnt from their mistakes and be victorious,” He said, rubbing her. “Besides, surely the griffon only has a certain amount if power, surely she’s gonna tire herself out or something!” Sunny sighed as she came down the stairs, overhearing them. She felt rather guilty for being defeated. But they have to be prepared for next time. Whenever that was.

—

A few days later, in Bridlewood, Agate was walking around, chuckling to himself, on his way to the tearoom when he stopped in his tracks when a fellow unicorn ran past him. “Watch it!” He shouted at the dark green and grey unicorn that ran past him, rolling his eyes as he headed inside, seeing Alphabittle, Onyx, Jasper and Dapple being the only ones present, they seemed pretty focused on something, not noticing as he came in and sat on a stool nearby. ”Yep, I am pretty sure that’s a griffon feather, judging by the photos…” Onyx bluntly said, looking down at it with slight concern. Looking at the grey colouring, comparing it in her mind to the few pictures she had seen of Gumdrop.

”D-does that mean she’s here already?” Dapple whispered.

”Ooooh…” Jasper whimpered, ears back and legs like jelly. “B-But we aren’t prepared, are we?” He asked, nearly shaking in fear.

Dapple felt the same, but he spoke up. “We are…” He said, looking worriedly at Onyx who didn’t seem too worried right now. “We are going to hide in Onyx’s home, it basically the furtherest home from the tearoom, close to the forest if we need to escape…” He said, having gotten advice from others, some saying it would be easy to be close to the uncivilised places of the forest, easier places to hide and not as bright. Plus the chaser could easily get lost, he didn’t really agree, but whoever gave him the advice seemed confident. Onyx’s eyes widened at what he said next. “Onyx has a dark room at the top of her home, she never used it for-“

”No.” Onyx said, rasing her voice.

”But Onyx, we need a place to hide!” He exclaimed, noticing her ears pointing back in concern, bringing that room up made her uncomfortable for whatever reason. “That’s the darkest and most untouched room in your house, the griffon might look over it not knowing we are there!” He exclaimed then added, “Also, it’s got your balcony, we can climb high into the tree if we need to escape.”

”No.”

Dapple sighed, knowing she was uncomfortable whenever it was brought up and would always change the subject when it was mentioned. He had a bad feeling. He hoped that it might be something she didn’t want anyone to see, and not something related to some foalhood incident or dangerous object “You got to stop repressing and locking away your past eventually.”

”No.” She spat, feeling rather insulted that Dapple said that in front of two other ponies. “That’s final.”

“Yeah, that’s where we’ll be hiding.” He nodded, Onyx scowling a little.

“Oh how cute, two foals planning their game of hide and seek!” Agate chuckled.

“Agate?” Alphabittle questioned. “What are you doing here? If you don’t have anything nice to say, leave.”

”It’s no hide and seek, Agate.” Dapple exclaimed before shouting. “We are hiding for our safety!”

”So, you are playing hide and seek.” Agate stated with a hoof out like they were dumb.

”No, we are hiding away for when the griffon attacks, so she does not get the powers Onyx has, so she doesn’t get overpowered and take over the world or something!” Dapple tried to explain. “That’s the last time I’m explaining it to you Agate, you are really getting on my nerves.”

”Oh, so you are playing hide and seek!” He exclaimed and rolled his eyes.

“We did not say that.”

”Sorry, I must need a hearing check. All I can hear is ‘We are playing hide and seek and planned a place to hide.” He said before rubbing his ears. “Can you repeat yourself, I think I can hear better now.”

”We are hiding so Gumdrop does not get such large powers or else it’d be a cas-…”

“Oh…” Agate nodded and sat up, getting a smile. “I heard it right, you are playing hide and seek!”

”It is not-“

”Don’t let him get to you, Daps.” Onyx said bluntly, looking chill.

“Ugh…” Dapple let out a groan.

”Agate, if you have nothing to add, could you please stand aside, unless you want some tea.” Alphabittle said with a slight glance. Looking rather amused at his constant speech and remarks, knowing how often he’d come to annoy the two ponies. “This is serious business and we don’t have time for your jokes.”

”Whatever, I think you are all just overeacting or something,” He said, scoffing and heading out. Looking at Dapple who then gazed at Onyx as she picked up a tea cup, paying for some tea she chose. She took a sip, looking sadder than usual.

“You okay, Onyx?” Asked Dapple.

”Yeah, Agate is a jerk, isn’t he?” Agreed Jasper.

“It’s not Agate.” Onyx said bluntly before eying Alphabittle and Jasper. “Dapple, I want a private chat with you.”

”Oh? Okay?” Dapple said, sitting next to her while Jasper and Alphabittle moved on to do other things, leaving the two in peace.

”We are not hiding in that room…” She said in a slightly stern voice. “You don’t know what’s up there, all you know it’s out of bounds…”

Dapple looked at her, thinking on what she said, surely there was nothing dangerous up there, she’d say so! It felt more like she eas hiding something, which made Dapple more sure it had something to do with her foalhood trauma, that night where her parents vanished, that night when he found her in the rain. Maybe something up there reminded her. He was sure that was why she didn’t want to go up there, he eas scared of going up there, he was worried what he might see, but there was a slight shimmer of curiousity, and concern. “Are you sure you aren’t hiding anything?” He whispered.

”What’s up there is none of your business…” She said, trying to keep her cool before sipping her tea.

”Well… I guess we just need to stay quiet now about our hiding place, don’t need anypony rattling us out.” He said before his ears drooped, realising that Agate was here. “Oh man, I messed up.”

”How so?”

”I revealed our hiding place to Agate!” He groaned, putting a hoof to his forehead, annoyed that he didn’t keep his mouth shut around him.

Onyx looked at him and back to her tea. It was concerning that Agate was now aware, but surely there has to be some good in him. Maybe he knew how serious it was and was being a jerk about it? Maybe he’d know how serious the situation is and keep their hiding place a secret, surely he doesn’t hate them that much? “I think he was just saying that stuff to be a jerk and get a reaction. I’m sure he won’t reveal our location, he can’t be that mischevious.” She said with a slight glimmer of hope, even if she was teased and picked on the most by Agate, she still felt there was still some good left in him. Dapple on the other hoof disagreed and delt he’d be a jark till the day they stop their performances.

”I hope you are right.” He said, looking down at Onyx’s teacup. “Remember this is the same pony that put an overwhelming chilli in your tea! Don’t forget that time where he shook a whole bottle of soft drink and opened in your face! Getting all over you!”

”Those were months ago. I’m over them.” She said bluntly.

“Well, I hope you are right, anyway.”

One day…

It was morning. Zipp rushed down the stairs after calling over Jazz, Rocky, Thunder, Zoom and her friends.

“What is it, Zipp!?” Sunny exclaimed. “Did you find something out about the griffon?” She asked.

“I got something!” She explained, looking rather concerned and in a rush as she explained. “A griffon feather and an oddly cloaked pony was spotted in Brdilewood! The past day they said! Plus, it has almost been exactly a week since Jazz’s power was taken!”

“What!?” Misty exclaimed, heart racing, hoping they all were going to be okay, she had heard horrible things already. Hoping that the griffon would be defeated.

”A week already?” Jazz thought to herself.

“The griffon must be after Onyx now!” Zipp exclaimed. “There was a seven-day gap between Zoom and Jazz’s power’s being taken! If i am right, she will be after Onyx tonight! We need to meet up with her, that way will be able to catch the thief!”

”What!?” Jazz exclaimed, looking rather worried as she looked at Rocky. “But she’s got the last lot of light powers!”

”Exactly! We can’t let her get them!” Exclaimed Zipp

”We’ll do what we can to save these powers and stip the theif!” Zoom exclaimed. Thunder nodding in agreement. Jazz whimpering as her heart raced. Scared.

“We have no time to lose!” Hitch exclaimed, Sparky looking a little sleepy after being up all night, so he decided to leave him with Figgy on the way. Misty looked rather concerned but agreed to come along. Hoping she could help, too. Somehow.

Hide and Seek

The sun was setting as the group rushed into the tearoom. Haven already there, having tea with Alphabittle. “She’s coming!” Zipp exclaimed.

“We know!” Alphabittle exclaimed, he gulped. “A suspicious looking pony even came in and asked where ‘The unicorn with glowing hooves’ was. I think she was working with Gumdrop… Because she claimed that she was an expert and was determined to search for her.”

“What if she was Innocent?” Asked Izzy.

“N-No. I had a bad feeling… I had to suggest that they might be at the creek.” He said. “She sounded like she was hiding something and was just looking shady…” She recalled a few more things about the pony, the way it behaved and spoke. Zipp nodded slightly but her face turned to concern. There was another one on Gumdrop’s side, but this time, a unicorn? One that was never seen in Bridlewood before, who was this unicorn and where did she come from. No wonder he sent her elsewhere.

“But where are they now?”

“Hiding, somewhere safe. I don’t think anypony besides me and Agate knows.”

“Agate?” Izzy questioned softly with a gulp, she knew of his history with Onyx, she tried to assure herself that he’d see the gravity of the situation and not screw Onyx and Dapple over. Like he had done many times in the past.

”A nice meeting here?” Asked a voice that sent shivers down everyone’s spines. Zoom defensively stood in front of the queen. Heart racing and hooves shaking as she stared right at the thief who entered the tearoom. Everyone was frozen in feat. The only thing on Zoom’s mind was fear. She had a bigger urge than ever before the defend the queen at all costs. She automatically knew this cloaked griffon was danger. Of course she would know that. She gulped as her mouth turned dry as she stood in the silence. It was like the room had gotten warmer as she stood there, staring down the freak up ahead, if only she had some sort of weapon to kill her- Or bound her, at least, so she was unable to do anything. ”Well, well well…” The griffon chuckled. “Who here is my golden trophy?” She paused. “Or should I say has my golden trophy?”

“I-I'll give you any object in this room!” Alpha quickly spoke. “J-Just leave us alone!”

“You are not welcome here!” A random unicorn spat.

”Give back our powers while you are at it!” Zoom shouted. The griffon laughed, Foxglove taking a little peak through the doorway, looking rather smug, Oleander nowhere to be seen.

A buff cloaked unicorn with a red mane and orange, striped body walked through the woods, looking around at her surroundings. She felt no one really acknowledged her in the past few days she spent in Bridlewood, which was a good thing. She stayed alert was she marched through the woods, ignoring those around her, until she heard a pony speak. ”I can’t believe those two are wimping out and hiding just because one of them has glowing hooves.” Said a red stallion with a messy tan and dark red mane to a dull yellow stallion with his dark brown mane covering his eye.

“Shhh.” The latter said, looking around concerned. “You shouldn’t say that! Who knows who is listening.”

”Who would be, anyway?” Laughed Agate, “Just some glowing hooves, who cares!” He rolled his eyes as he walked along. Jasper glancing at him with concern and sighing, hoping that nopony suspicious heard him, the last thing they need was anyone approaching them like one did in the next moment. Much to Jasper’s concern and fear.

”Glowing hooves, huh?” The buff unicorn said as she approached the two unicorn stallions.

“Of course, it happens with O-“

”What Is it to you?” Jasper asked, he was terrified. But he knew the griffon was after her and he was not going to let Agate give her away. If that what he was planning to you. “I think you should mind your business.”

”What, why?” Stripes asked, sounding surprised. “Don’t you know this is for your own good?”

”Our own good?” Jasper asked, raising a brow. “What do you know about the glowing hooves and magical. Eh-Powers that come with them?” He stepped back, slightly scared. He was terrified and it was clear in his face, as much as Onyx was unbearable at times, he didn’t want to be the jerk, this was a serious situation after all.

”Oh, everything you don’t!” Stripes exclaimed. “I just so happen to know the origin of these powers. They may seem safe and harmless at first, maybe even a little fun. But I’m from the same world as where these powers originated. I’m just disguised as a unicorn to fit in, that’s all”

”Y-you are?” Jasper asked, stuttering as Agate rolled his eyes. “How do we know you aren’t with the griffon?”

”Why would I be? The griffon wants them for her own greed and I just want to get these ponies to understand how to use them properly. The powers will only grow within them and turn them into complete monsters if they can’t controll it.”

”M-monsters!?” Jasper jumped back. Starting to feel unsure, was she telling the truth? There was a lot of unknown stuff happening with the powers, there would be no surprise if this pony was telling the truth? But was she?

“Blood-thirsty, dangerous magical monsters!” She smirked, “They will lose complete control and won’t be as you had once know them, they will be freaky overpowered with perhaps a few extensions to their regular form. You don’t want that, do you?” Jasper’s blood ran cold as he ran off, screaming, terrified of any thought of any monsters in Bridlewood, which was literally his worse nightmare.

“I don’t know where they are!”

Agate scoffed and flicked his mane, not seemingly scared at all, in fact he seemed to be finding this as an opportunity for his own greed. “I know exactly where they are…” He said with a smug expression. “On one condition. You give me a raw tourmaline, it’s my girl’s favourite gem and I want to make her a necklace.”

”Deal.”

Agate smirked as he approached Onyx’s home, a bad feeling in his stomach as he glanced at the giant tree home. But he shrugged the feeling away, telling himself his eggs were many not fresh or something. “Those scaredy cats ran in there last time I saw them.” He smirked then put out his hoof. “Tourmaline, please.”

”Excuse me?”

“A deal’s a deal. I showed you what you wanted and now you owe me the tourmaline.” He said, looking a little annoyed.

“A deal?” Asked Stripes before she stomped loudly, picking up Agate in her magic aura before growing, ignoring his terrified expression. “I don’t do deals.” She spat before throwing him away from hed and marching to the door, a large grin. Bucking it down in one buck before marching in and shouting. “You can run, but you can’t hide!” She shouted, getting a match from her cloak. “Come out, come out wherever you are, or I’ll huff and puff and burn this tree in!”

The two unicorns were in a room upstairs hardly touched for ten years. It was seemingly a filly’s room caked in dust. A small bed near the window with a balcony, boxes of toys, scattered blocks, a desk with pencils and papers and a few other things. There were a bunch of stuff packed in boxes, like old toys and books, likely to be donated as Onyx would have had no use for any of that stuff. This used to be her parent’s home, so this room must have been hers as a filly. But perhaps she hadn’t had any plans for the room. Dapple didn’t understand why Onyx didn’t want him to come into this room. She hated the idea of going in it, but Dapple did it anyway, knowing this was likely the best place in the house to hide the powers. It was like she was embarrassed of something in here, like what? What he could see, there was nothing to be ashamed of. Just a few toys scattered about, like a teddy bear, blocks and a squeaky snail. She also had some cool looking books. He was sitting under the bed with Onyx, it was bit of a squeeze, but they fit under surprisingly easily. He could hear her heavy breathing as she looked towards the door with concern, soon sneezing as some dust tickled her nose.

“Shhhh…” Dapple whisper-yelled, his heart skipped a beat when she made a noise. But as he touched her, he could feel that she was shaking, out of fear, but she had her monotone expression, which soon changed as soon as she noticed him pick up a book under the bed besides him, she let out a gasp as her ears pointed back.

“Dapple-“ She whispered, but it was too late, he was already looking at the cover, the bright pink cover with a glittery picture of a breezie- or what the author thought a breezie looked like.

”Tales of Dixie Dust the Breezie: Legend of Lalaland?” Dapple read the cover with a large smirk on his face, soon snickering a bit as he looked at Onyx wondering why on earth she owned a book from such a girly and childish franchise. She was one of the last mares he’d expect that would have ever owned such a book. In fact, Izzy was one of the few ponies he knew that ever read a book from the series, along with Emerald Summer and perhaps Salt Licker.

“I-It was a present for a friend- when I was seven. I thought I lost it!” She responded, flabbergasted as she blushed slightly, making Dapple’s smile widen. Now he knew why she didn’t want him to come in.

“Where those a gift, too?” He asked, pointing at a clear plastic container with the entire series along with two plushies sitting in it. Onyx jumped up with a gasp, bumping her head on the bed.

“D-Dapple!” She whisper-yelled as he laughed as she snatched the book from his hooves and tossed it aside. She was never going to live this down.

“You like Dixie Dust! You like Dixie Dust!” He teased as he poked her, watching as she hot more and more embarrassed at her ownership of the books. It was rare to see her embarrassed, but Dapple as enjoying teasing her a little, he could see why friends playfully teased each other at times. Not much for unicorns, but earth ponies and pegasi sure liked to.

”I was seven.” She said as a shiver went down her spine, hoping he wouldn’t find anything else in this room. She was disappointed she never got rid of any of her old stuff or cleared her foalhood room out, just keeping it around… But it was hard to say goodbye to any of this stuff for some strange reason. She watched as Dapple looked around, hoping he couldn’t see her diary from this spot in the room, or her mini-pony collection.

He eyed the box nearby, seeing the latest and currently last edition to the series. “Dixie Dust and the Rescue of Dazzledust Meadow? You certainly weren’t only seven when that came out when you were fourteen.” He said, nudging Onyx, glad to have a bit of a break from the stress, just messing around and teasing his friend a little, like how friends did in the Bay or Heights when he visited.

”Okay, maybe I liked a few cute and fluffy things.” Onyx said quietly, looking away from him, hoping he wouldn’t see the other embarrassing things. He did not need to know about her plush lion toy in her bed downstairs…

“I guess this was Onyx-pected.”

”Daps!” She whisper-yelled.

”Sorry, it’s just so Onyx-pected.” He said, wondering if he could pretend he found a diary, or perhaps that’d be taking it too far. She already seemed pretty uncomfortable.

“You tell anyone and your bongos will be black. Like an onyx…” She then looked at him in the eyes, “Teasing isn’t usually what you do, anyway, what’s up?”

”Fair enough, I will stop!” He cried frantically, waving his hooves. “Just please don’t take it out on Bobo!” He begged before they heard a loud crash and thump downstairs, causing both ponies to nearly jump out their skins.

”Ready or not! Here I come!” Stripes cried out.

“Wh-what? H-how’d they find us?” Dapple whispered, his breathing was heavy as Onyx simply stared in on terror, looking like she nearly had a heart attack. She was now struggling to keep her cool. He noticed that she nearly jumped at the intruder’s voice before she ducked back under the bed. It was usually him that was the scared one and her that kept her cool, but now he just needed to be brave for her.

”Guess I’m burning this place down in-“ The voice called just before there was a loud squeak near him that made him jump. Onyx’s eyes were widened and the roots of her mane were damped with sweat as she gasped, moving her hind leg to reveal a large rubber ducky that was wearing a beret.

“Squeaky-Feather?” She questioned, her voice shaking as she moved closer to Dapple. Feeling horrified and shocked to see a toy she had completely forgotten about. She thought her father got rid of it when she was “outgrown for rubber ducks” He had seen and took it one night when he walked on on her making poetry one day when she was eight or nine, not long before his disappearance. She begged the baddie would leave as she sat there, trying to keep certain memories repressed. She had no idea how long it had been since she felt this scared before.

”Onyx!” Screamed Dapple, pulling her close, snapping her out of her thoughts.

”D-Dapples?” She questioned before the floor started to rumble, scaring both unicorns as the ground below them started to creak more and cracks started to appear, Dapple’s heart dropped as he rushed from under the bed and towards the window, noticing Onyx wasn’t behind him as the whole tree started to rumble and shake. His breathing was heavy as he looked back at her, noticing she was still under the bed. Seemingly too scared to move as she looked at him, looking as if she was hoping he wouldn’t leave her.

“Onyx!” He cried out, “She’s gonna destroy the-“ He had no time before there was an explosion on the bottom floor, causing the entire top floor to collapse, sending both unicorns falling into the room below, destroying it, hitting the ground hard and getting covered by dust and debris from above as dust flew everywhere. Dapple groaned as he got up, putting a hoof on his hind leg, soon taking it off quickly, feeling it sting. He looked at his leg in confusion as the dust settled, seeing blood dripping from it, much to his horror, but he had something else to focus on. He let out some coughing before he looked around. “O-Onyx?” He cried, hoping his friend is okay, his heart skipped a beat as she realised what room this was, her bedroom, his blood ran cold as soon as he saw the broken bed from the room above on the ground, near the damaged wall. “Onyx!” He cried, running towards it, hoping she wasn’t crushed underneath. His heart racing as she hoped she was okay, hoping for some miracle. “Onyx, can you hear me!?” He cried, seeing her laying near it on the ground, not moving, big chunks of debris just covering her. He tried his best to push it off, hoping he was alive, his heart was racing as a tear went down his face, pushing the debris with his hooves and magic until it finally budged. “Please be alive, please!” He cried, getting down near her body, trying to listen for any breathing, not noticing the room fill with smoke thanks to the dust that was formerly flying around, just thinking it was dust. Then he paused as soon as he heard her, she started coughing harshly as she laid there, slowly getting up, using her magic to push some more bits of debris from her, revealing quite a few scars and wounds on her. Her foreleg stung as she slowly up up, Dapple waving his hoof around, coughing. Soon realising the dark smoke coming in, getting mire and more concern as Onyx sat there, dazed and coughing violently, seemingly affected by the smoke. “It’s smoke?” He coughed, feeling the room get a bit hotter and harder to see due to the smoke.

“So you finally came out… Took a few explosions and bit of fire to get you down…” said a voice, soon Stripes revealed herself as she pushed aside the rubble, blazes behind her, beginning to fill the house. Dapple’s heart was racing as she looked at her and back at Onyx, window. His eyes started to sting and water as he coughed, but not as hard as Onyx, who was violently coughing, seemingly having a very hard time in the smoke, he quickly picked her up, worried as she coughed and wheezed. Hoping deeply she’d be okay, she just can’t die in his hooves, not yet, anyway. He really had to get her out here and fast, or else she could have complications, if not die from suffocation or a heart attack if that was even possible from smoke. “We gotta get you out of here-“ He said in a strained voice, getting a cut as he dragged her towards the window, he winced and kept pulling trying to ignore the stinging pain as she struggled to breath, she was counting on him, his heart raced as he felt some blood tickle from her leg onto his, she was wounded too, of course she was, it made sense, he could also feel her struggling to breath, soon jumping when a knife was flown at him, whizzing past his face and getting stuck on the wall. His heart was racing as he watched Stripes get closer and closer, throwing debris aside with ease. He looked at Onyx and towards the window, bending down under the smoke with concern, knowing standing up wasn’t a good idea as they could easily inhale more. she coughed violently as she put a hoof over her muzzle, feeling like she was suffocating. Dapple looked concern as the smoke got thicker and darker, the outline coming closer and closer. The two of them crawled towards the window before another knife shot past then, slicing Dapple on the shoulder as it flew past them, he let out a small scream and winced. His heart was racing as he heard the figure get closer and Onyx struggle to breath, the open window was so close! He quickly got an idea.

“Onyx!” Dapple cried, shaking her and coughing before getting a bunch of dust and debris in his magic. Hoping for her to get the message and move. “I’ll distract her, run!” He shouted, Onyx ignoring her pain as she went through the window as Dapple threw sand into Stripes’ face, getting her to exclaim in pain before Dapple bucked her heard enough to fall down, just before more debris fell down. Wasting no time, he went out the window. Noticing Onyx make a rainstorm above her flaming house before running into the forest, Dapple looking back at it with concern, hoping it wasn’t in as much as a bad shape as he thought. But the top floor was completely collapsed and the lower floor was ablaze… He’s hate for his friend to be left without a home. After a quick look, he ran into the forest, nearing and seeing her trip over, coughing violently from all the smoke she inhaled, he coughed a little too, but immediately went to her side. Her lips were blue and she looked like she was really struggling. “Deep breathes, we gotta get fresh air in your lungs!” “He said, feeling sweaty as he held onto her as she breathed deeply, not knowing what to say. He was glad the smoke wasn’t reaching them now, it was quick and smart thinking to make a raincloud above it, but he noticed that it appeared to be growing, but that was a worry for later. “Feeling better?” He asked Onyx as her breathing went close to normal and her coughing stopped. She took in a few more breaths of air, she had never felt so trapped before, at least not fir a while. She never felt like she was suffocating before she actually thought she was going to die.

“Y-yeah…” She said coughing one more time before getting ip, a little dizzy but ready to run.

“Let's go!” He exclaimed, running with her, hearing another explosion, getting the two of them run faster, ignoring the pain they had. He tried his best to keep an eye on her as they ran through the woods, further and further away, hearts racing as they ran for their lives, so that’s what it felt like. Onyx was tired of running, but it was too risky to fight back, besides, she wasn’t a fighter. She was the last pony With the weird superstar powers, so she couldn’t risk them being taken either. She was tired, but had to keep going, not noticing Dapple trip over, losing sight of her as she kept running. She didn’t know how far she got before she stopped at a tree, sitting down on the slightly damp dirt, catching her breath and resting before realising someone was gone.

“D-dapple?” She questioned, eyes widening as she looked around. She was worried as she started looking around for any signs of her friend, “Where are you, Daps?” She questioned quietly, heart racing as she sat there, feeling alone, again. She was used to feeling alone, but this time was different, she was being hunted down, far off from home, no idea when to get back or if she can. Will she even succeed and stay hidden or will she be found? So many questions had entered her mind as she sat there, feeling lonely. She wanted to cry, it was a lot to take in, but she wasn't going to cry. Her heart kept racing at the thought that he went on without her, he wouldn’t do that, would he? She tried to convince herself he wouldn’t, but the thought of him doing it just kept coming. She tried to take deep breathes in and out, trying to get these dizzy thoughts out of her head and plan her next move. But all she did was sit there, in the loneliness, a bitter feeling bubbling up as she looked down. She felt nothing but helpless at this point as she gazed at the trees, thoughts entering her mind on what would happen next, she was confused and felt lost.

“Hey there…” A voice said, making her ears perk up at it, her eyes widened as she looked to the source, her heart skipping a beat as her blood ran cold. Not knowing what to do now as she eyed ip at Stripes, who somehow found her. “You thought I couldn’t follow hoof prints, did you?” She asked, a shiver running down Onyx’s spine, a rare occasion where she felt so much fear, she gulped as she stepped back. She was tempted to use her powers somehow, but felt that would be a bad idea, she was a terrible fighter. but she had another idea at something she was good at.

“I think you need is a poem.” She said, hoping she could make up one on the spot to try and convince, confuse or do anything to Stripes to try and get her to not take them.

“The powers you think you want are not to be taken away

If one were to be reckless, then they may have a price to pay

The powers the ponies had when they were born

Each one being harnessed by earth, pegasus and unicorn

Harnessed to defeat the dark, foreboding dark matter

Saved the world together from what was a deadly attacker

But when one of their shares were taken away

Dark nightmares appeared, trauma leading her astray

Panic among the land about the griffon who took them

Would have been stripped, no matter how much she wanted to defend

The superstar powers come with a lot of dangerous abilities

Storms, water, speed and powerful blasts that one would want for hostility

The griffon only seems to want them for more power hungry greed

To take over the world, that’s what a power hungry villain needs”

Onyx stopped there and gazed at Stripes confusion expression, slowly she looked around and back at her, looking like she was thinking about her actions. Possibly thinking on how Gumdrop wanted them for bad and she was on the wrong side, or rethinking her plan and hopefully wanting to help her. Her poetry has confused or made ponies feel emotions before, so one causing a jerk to change her mind would not be too, unlikely, right?

”So how was it?” Onyx asked, hoping for an answer she waited to hear. “Made you think about hunting us, didn’t you?” She asked, noticing Stripes was looking a little guilty just seconds before she raised a hoof.

“You think I want a stupid poem?” Shouted Stripes, slamming a fist right at Onyx who narrowly dodged and scurried away, the punch that Stripes was about to do managed to buy her a little time, thanks to her fist getting stuck in the tree. “You can run, but you can’t hide!” She shouted. Onyx whispered slightly, heart racing. It didn't work…. Did Stripes have no empathy for this whole situation? The panic, the trauma and what else!? What was wrong with her? Or maybe, she wasn’t actually good at poetry like she had originally thought…

Battlewood

Onyx ran through the trees, stopping in a clearing to catch her breath, she was a while away from Bridlewood now, hopefully far enough. she panted a bit as she stood there, thinking about what just happened, she wasn’t used to all this drama and action, she just liked taking things are her own pace. Stripes chased her out from her own home, destroying it with fire, weakening the top floor, causing it to collapse. She wish she had known this nasty pony had such strength or tools, she would have chosen another hiding place, one where her home wouldn’t have been destroyed. Or spoken Dapple out of it, since it was his dumb idea. Her heart was racing as she looked back, her leg was stinging in pain, the bleeding had stopped, but it still hurt. Her heart skipped when she spotted the pony approaching her, haves crunching under her hooves.

“I really wish you’d stop doing this.” She said in a soft voice. “But what do you want?” Onyx asked, hiding her fear the best she could. “You just here to assault, or…” She paused for dramatic effect. “Destroy?”

”Oh neigh, neigh much? Besides I do what I was hired to do…” She grinned, creeping closer and closer to her. “Now, are we going to do this the easy way or the hard way?”

”Uh?” Onyx quickly got an idea, throwing a bunch of dirt in the hunter’s eyes, running away as soon as the pony started to wipe the dirt away after yelping in pain. While running and jumping over a log, she gasped as soon as she realised she was no longer moving, despite running as fast as she could, she was going nowhere. Engulfed on a ball of magic, from where? She yelped as she was forcibly thrown onto the dirt, she shakily got up, looking at this jerk. Much to her surprise, she expressed with a gasp. She had a horn now? Stripes, that was her name, right? Was a unicorn this whole time? But the horn? That just seemingly came out of nowhere!

“Well, well well, too scared to fight back? To run? Call for help?” She asked before laughing. “Just a weak, small Onyx. No one cares.” She said, making her look big. Unaware of Onyx’s glowing horn. She was instantly whacked in the face with a stick, twice , allowing her to get up and start running.

“No powers for striped prowlers.” She stated monotonously with a smug smile as she looked back. Not seeing Stripes anywhere, where’d she go? Onyx only shrugged and started running, ignoring the pain in her shoulder as she ran. Only to have a surprise attack pulled on her, tackling to the ground against the hard dirt before she was thrown at a large boulder. Letting out a loud grunt on impact, pain running through her body, she flumped on the ground, trying to regain her composure just seconds before Stripes pinned her against it, holding her by the neck and holding her other limb as if to punch her.

“So, we are doing this the hard way, huh?” She asked, snickering. “Now, just come back with me so Gumdrop can use the device on you. Just to check you don’t you don’t have something that belongs to her.” She could see fear in her face, her heart was rapid as she pressed down harder.

“No.” Onyx said bluntly, wincing in pain slightly, a choke noise briefly coming out her mouth, not wanting to witness what comes next. She was not a fan of this the slightest. She was only used to pain that hurt less, but this was feeling like she was in danger, she hated being in danger.

“Considering I overpower you, you don’t really have an option…” There was a pause as Stripes grinned with joy. Just before there was a familiar voice.

”Leave her… Alone!” Dapple exclaimed, digging his hoof against the ground before ramming right towards Stripes. Ramming his horn into her side. making her exclaim in surprise and possibly pain.

“You freak!” Stripe exclaimed, dropping Onyx and heading towards Dapple who froze, she bucked him heard, sending him a few inches in the air and slamming to the ground.

“Daps!” Exclaimed Onyx, surprised he came back and terrified he was hurt. She felt sick to the stomach as she turned back, facing her. How dare she hurt her friend.

“I bet you are the one with those powers, aren’t you. You keep running and fighting back.” There was a pause as Onyx scrambled a few inches, struggling to get to her hooves. Dapple stared with horror as he got up, quickly getting an idea.

”Uh no, she’s not…” Dapple claimed, gulping as he got up. Looking rather scared and battered. “It’s me, I’ve got the powers! Not Onyx!”

“Oh really?” Stripes asked, turning around as Dapple’s horn started glowing. He made some type of illusion with his unicorn magic, or an object he so happened to have. Like gel, to make his hooves shine.

“You can see it! My hooves are glowing with this massive power!” He exclaimed. Gulping as Stripes started getting closer to him. “Uh oh.” He stated before running away as she chased him. Leaving Onyx alone, again, she was reluctant to get any further but she used the rest of her strength to run in the opposite direction. Which only lasted a few minutes before she tripped over a log and rolled down a hill. Landing right in front of the water in a pond. She whimpered as she tried to get up, only to collapse onto the damp soil where the water met the land. She lifted her head to see the bruises and wounds on her body, she was a complete mess. She hoped Dapple was okay. It was very brave of him to do what he did. Her whole body was hurting, dirty and tired. She made her hoof glow faintly, she had healing powers that would be useful right now. She smiled slightly as she touched her foreleg with her hoof. Listening to the relaxing noises as she healed up, ready to travel further and hide. There was no way Dapple would be able to fight her alone, but she had to keep moving, so these powers didn’t get in the wrong hooves. But if lucky, she could just be taking him back to the tearoom where the griffon was. Only to figure out he did not have the light powers. Onyx looked into the water, a little gloomy. So, what now? Was she to run and hide until it all was over? How long would that take? Or was it safe to return now? Maybe not. She knew this place at least, unicorns sometimes came here to swim when it was warm. Seems they hadn’t ran a far into the woods as they thought, or somehow started running another direction that took them somewhere else near it.

Dapple ran for his life, he couldn’t hide. He already tried that, she could find him easily. Also, hiding was a bit harder, she was on his heels, he’d have to lose her first. Hopefully he could keep her occupied long enough for Onyx to be safe and the griffon to fail her mission. He did not stop galloping, he jumped over logs and past trees, occasionally doing a turn. He’d know the way back home, hopefully. He can’t be that far from Bridlewood, right? he yelped in pain, almost tripping over as he scratched his side on a branch he ran past. It was sticking out, he didn't see it, but a warning would have been nice. He ignored the stinging pain as he galloped through the forest. Until his heart stopped, he skidded to a complete stop. Right on a ledge, inches from falling in a rapid, violent river. He gulped as Stripes chased after him, holding a rusty old axe. “Well well well, we meet again…” He gulped, stepping back, rocks crumbling from the ledge.

“Where are you gonna run? Where are you gonna hide?” Stripes asked, seeing as Dapple shook. Scared. “I know you don’t have the glowy powers. Master Gumdrop already figured that out and showed me a photo a day ago! I’m just getting you out of my way.

”Y-you are not getting her powers!” Dapple shouted.

”What are you gonna do to stop me?” Stripes chuckled, dragging the axe along the ground, stopping right where the ledge started. Only about three or four metres away from Dapple.

“Anything!” He exclaimed, “Just stay away from her!” He ran at her, only for her to grab him around the neck in her magic. He chocked and wheezed. He could still breath well, but it felt like he was being strangled, despite the fact he was not. He looked down to the ground, the ledge was muddy and slippery, but there were a few tufts of grass. That could not possibly help him could it? Or maybe… As she rambled on about something about power, or whatever. He focused on a patch of dirt, levitating it in his magic. Throwing it straight in her eyes, making her scream as she stepped back, throwing Dapple. Shivers went down his spine as his hind legs went over the edge, that was way too close! But at least she was distracted, or so he thought. She growled as she wiped the mud away, raising a hoof. It started to glow slightly as it became bigger, more muscular. Stripes was not a pony for sure, no pony could do that! It was almost like slow motion when she punched the ledge with her muscular, grown hoof. Dirt flying in the air as cracks went through out. All Dapple could do was gulp in fear and dp what he thought would work. Just before the cracks reached his location and the ledge completely shattered, he leaped as strongly as he could, as far as he could. Just barely reaching the edge where Stripes was standing. His heart dropped when he slipped back quickly grabbing on with both forelegs as tight as he could. Trying to lift himself up before slipping. He shuddered as he looked down. Jaggered rocks poking out the viscous water. As angry as a hungry monster, like into a mouth of a hungry dragon. The water roared, sending up sprays of mist as it hit anything. ”Stripes!” Shouted Dapple, slipping a bit more. His heart racing. “P-please help me up, I don't want to die.” He panted, heart racing. “I-I’ll do anything for you!” He shouted. He yelped as his hind leg slipped when he tried to rest it on a ledge.

”Really? Anything?” Stripes smirked. “Anything you say?”

“Y-yes! J-just help me up!” He begged. Not planing on helping her too much. It would be a bit jinxie to break a promise, but he wasn’t promising her a thing. He could just help her with one small thing and the deal is done.

“Hmmm… I guess I could…” Stripes smirked. Hearing a sigh of relief as he was lifted up in her magic. “So you say you’d help me? Why should I believe you?”

”Uh…” Dapple froze not knowing what to say to save himself. “You spare me and I’ll help you with one thing.”

Stripes laughed loudly, worrying Dapple more who started to sweat in panic. His heart going faster as he watched her laugh. Not sure to laugh too or if there was something else going on. “I work alone.” She said bluntly. What happened next happened so fast, he did not have time to process it. His heart stopped as she threw him out. He hopelessly reached out towards her as he fell closer and closer to the ranging water. Crashing into to river with a large splash, not surfacing as she overlooked the rushing water with a chuckle. “That’s what you get if you mess with me.” She spat before walking back. A small green drone following her. “I’m sure they’ll love to see this victory. Night, night!”

Onyx was sitting on the other side ot the pond, leaning against a rock, sitting on the damp dirt, ready to venture further in. Dapple was not the fastest runner, but there was no sign of either of them, so if he was still running, then they must be pretty far by now. She had made sure to hide her hoof prints as she moved, even if she had only walked around to one side of the pond to another. What was stopping her? Monsters, it was known that monsters lived a few metres beyond the pond, never coming close, but there were rumoured sightings, so unicorns only came around during the day in summer, as it as decided the monsters were asleep at that time, or at least only hunted at night. She had actually written a poem of the monster herself, it was reportedly large and had a large horn, along with spikes. Unicorns had dubbed it the ‘Spine Back.’ She looked down at her hooves at a sharp stick carved into a spear, would this be enough to protect her if she came across it, she hoped so. She walked along the pond, standing on a rocky ledge before galloping into the woods, hearing nothing besides her hooves crunching on the fallen leaves, then she stopped in her tracks, seeing something dashing past her, glowing. She worriedly glanced around, did she run so deep that she ran into a monster’s territory? She didn’t seem to have ran that far in, but she just stood there, it was darker here, surely this ‘Stripes’ guy can’t be good at everything, surely she does not have night vision? Onyx took a few steps forward, leaves crunching under her hoof, until one didn’t crunch on anything, sending her face-first down a ditch, so so it seemed, she was now unable to see what was in front of her. As she sat there, she thought about all the poetry she could make from this experience, trying to remain calm about the situation. Stuck in a dark place, yeah, perfect moment to stay chill. She was a chill, calm pony, not an anxiety filled equine. So she climbed out of the ditch she assumed she was in and looked around, only taking a few steps before she heard a low growling to her right, she eyed the source with a gasp. A unicorn shaped monster, towering over her, a dark shade of grey-blue with a purple mane and white socks eyeing her down, stomping the ground with its dark navy blue hooves. The eyes were glowing red and its body was covered in crystal-like spines, resembling an echidna’s.

“Onyx!” The beast roared.

“What?” Onyx stood there, looking like a mouse who had just ran into a cat. How’d this monster she never saw before knew her name? Whatever, it was Likley a good idea to run. She had a head start, galloping back the way she came from, wishing she had never gone that way. As her surround started getting lighter, the beast stopped and ran back where it came, but she kept running. “Count on Onyx Sonnet being-Wuh!” She exclaimed, forgetting about the rocky ledge from earlier, ending up with a sudden drop that ended with a splash. After she surfaced, she simply floated on her back, letting out a sigh. “Just my luck.” She whispered, the water being somewhat soothing in a way as she simply let herself float around, calming herself down and letting herself take a breather, closing her tired eyes and just relaxing, hoping no one would destroy it anytime soon. Adventure was never really her thing, maybe she’d write the occasional poem that had slight adventurous tone, but she wouldn’t go on some crazy quest herself. She rather sit down with some tea and write the poem, the only thing uplifting was she could write a poem about how she was feeling. Fear striking like an arrow, or how that strange monster knew her name. She let out a huff, wondering what Dapple was doing now, having a dreadful feeling she shook off once she thought about him, then suddenly there was a snap of a twig, making her ears perk up as she readjusted her position, standing on some rocky ground in the pond, looking around, then she saw it, Stripes looking to the side, walking towards the pond. With some quick thinking she dived into the deeper water, holding her breath as she looked up, heart now racing again as she saw her silhouette overlooking the pond, not moving and just staying there, she gulped hoping not only she didn’t see her, but also hoping she’d go away soon. She tried to make as little movement as possible, staying calm as she glanced at the fish swimming around and back up, to see Stripes was still there. What was she just staying there for? Surely she’d go looking elsewhere, right, this was like taking forever. The burning pain starting in her lungs within half a minute was not welcome at all, it only made her hope she’d leave sooner, a minute feeling like an hour as she sat there, her lungs hurting more as a tight feeling started in her chest. She groaned as she put her hoof on her chest, hoping to hold on for just a bit longer. She couldn’t breathe underwater! To make things worse, she watched as a few bubbles of air exit her mouth, she needed those! What felt like forever went by until the silhouette vanished, she looked up, hoping it was really gone, but judging by her lightheaded body, she needed air now! So she gave in and reached for the top, taking in the first breath of air she could, taking in deep breathes and regaining her calm composure after a while, noticing Stripes had moved on, she was back on the run. She quickly climbed out the water, coughing, soaked through, dripping and feeling lost. After a few steps she sat down and thought about her next poem as she wrung excess water from her soaked beret, that thing sure held a lot more water than it seemed. After putting it back on, she looked out into the distance as she walked along, in the opposite direction of where Stripe’s tracks appeared to be going.

“Soaked to the bone

On the run, all alone

One mistake and fate is sealed

On the run, when will the hunter yield?

When can I go back home?

How long will I be alone?”

She mumbled as she trudged along, staying alert, wondering some things, if Stripes was here, where was Dapple now? Her stomach ached, she could not shake the feeling something terrible happened again. Surely he simply lost sight of her, or maybe he was planning something! He was fine, she assured herself, taking a deep breath in and continuing her journey, but not heading into that dangerous area from before, who the heck was that monster? Not anything to do with Gumdrop, that’s for sure, its existence was rumoured when she was about twelve, at least five years ago. She kept, moving until she froze in her tracks, hearing a voice.

”I guess you have made that mistake!”

Author's Note

Made just for fun using the ponies cropped from show images and Stripes lurking in the bg

Onyx’s Attempt

Stripes held Onyx, sopping wet from the pond, in her magic before throwing her across the floor in the tearoom. Everyone except for Foxglove and the griffon gasping in horror. Gumdrop grinned proudly as Alphabittle worriedly looked at Stripes and back at her. Who shakily got up, looking around her, expecting Dapple to had been captured with her, but he was not here. She coughed up some water and winced. ”Wh-what did you do with Dapple?” She asked, a feeling in her gut. Gumdrop standing aside, a little curious herself, but also feeling like giving Onyx a chance to speak first and giving time for the answer to be revealed, he was that curly maned weirdo, right? The room was silent as the hunter grinned Zoom getting ready to defend Onyx, wings spread and in a stance ready to jump into action. But her thoughts were fuzzy, her stomach was burning and her heart was racing when she saw Stripes. She had encountered her before, getting in a large fight, the flashbacks dashing through her mind like slideshows. She could feel the sweat doming from her body as she she watched on, her heavy breathing obvious.

”Dead!” Stripes claimed loudly. Onyx briefly looking up at her in horror then getting herself to calm down, her face turning to anger. Of course, she was against them. Of course ‘dead’ would be her answer, just to mess with them, just to bring down their hopes. Tricking them into believing an ally was dead.

“You’re lying!” She whispered, staring sternly at her in the eyes. A few others seemed to agree with her, being worried.

“Where is he!?” Alphabittle shouted. Wanting to know if he was okay, knowing how much he meant to her, he was the closest unicorn to her. As somepony who had lost one who was so close and dear to him, he could not wish that pain on anypony else.

Misty was hiding behind the counter with him, watching, but clearly scared. ”I-is he okay?” She hoped the hunter was lying.

“Oh, You do think i am lying?” Stripes smirked. A green object, similar to a cheap, plastic toy drone and looked like it could easily be mistaken for one as it looked like it shouldn’t be able to fly, but it hovered near her. Everyone cautiously watching it, expecting more than what it proceeded to do, landing on the table before projecting an image, many ponies repositioning themselves and moving to get a good view of the currently static screen, wondering what was to happen. Izzy gasping in slight awe at the device, Zipp would love one of those, well, she already had one, Izzy remained serious considering the situation, even Zipp would have likely thought the device was cool if she was scowling in annoyance. The image was showing some rapid water, rushing thorough a river. Dapple standing on a ledge as Stripes got closer and closer.

“Dapple, what are you doing?” Whispered Onyx, eyes widened in shock, letting out a gasp went he ended up hanging over the edge. She knew she wasn’t going to get an answer from him, but she was getting one from the video, her eyes were full of concern as the ledge crumbled slightly. Why did he go there instead of somewhere safer? He wasn’t that dumb.

“Wh-what are you doing to him?” Misty exclaimed watching as she stared with worry, watching on, wondering why on earth he was there. Those rapids were dangerous at this time of the year, many critters, even a few unicorns, have died falling in. Either being smashed against the rocks or drowning. He even said it himself he’d never go there, which made sense, there was a theory that his missing older brother died there.

”Dapple, what are you doing?” Onyx whispered, her blood running cold at what happened next, her eyes widened seeing Stripes pick him up in her magic, seemingly having a change of heart, did she? There was a relieved sigh from Izzy and another unicorn, but she could tell it did not appear to be what it seemed. Then everyone froze and many gasped in horror the second Dapple was thrown into the water and not surfacing. Her gasp being the loudest as she stared on in shock, he fell in the deadly rapids!? This must be fake, it just has to be. There was no way he’d even go there, this was CGI made by Stripes to trick them. Anger boiled inside her as well as fear and sadness. “No-“ She responded softly, gulping before she held her mouth open, heart racing as she looked sadly up at what she was being shown. “It can’t be true, Dapple. C’mon.” She stared towards it. Eyes tearing up as she watched her friend be washed away in the water. Never to be seen again, whisked away from her, the rocks were jagged and sharp, the water was harsh and would throw him around, harsher than a washing machine. “Dappy…” She muttered. Not wanting to believe it, but there was an urge telling her it was indeed real.

“You monster!” Shouted Pipp first after seeing her rapid breathing, she didn’t know him well, but, he was a fellow pony. “You murdered him!”

”You are a foul beast!” Izzy exclaimed. “He was a friend!” She cried, he was not a close friend. More acquaintance at this point. But her heart was aching as she thought about it.

”Serves him right…” Stripes rolled her eyes, like it was no big deal.

“You monster!” Pipp screamed in tears. “You are a huge monster!” As Stripes laughed Gumdrop stepped forward.

“Time to take my prize…” She said opening the box. Onyx just sitting there, too much in shock and disbelief that her friend was dead. It was like she was just zoned out, the noises just sounding like they were in the background, muffled as she stared up at the screen, vision nearly blurry. Her breathing was rapid as quick as she tried to process what was happening.

”Onyx!” Zoom shouted as the beam shot towards her. She shoved her out the away, snapping her out her thoughts. A little sorry she kind of ragdolled, but happy she saved her. The beam had no effect on her, so she was not harmed in being hit instead. Instead it knocked Zoom into a table. “Argh!” She exclaimed.

”Ugh!” Gumdrop groaned. Not noticing another royal guard fly in. Her name was Autumn, she was mostly orange with green socks. She tackled her to the ground.

”Surprise attack!” She called out.

”Autumn!?” Thunder exclaimed, guarding the queen from any danger as Zoom kept watch. “What are you doing here?”

“Figured you might need some help. So I came as quick as I can.” She said. Which was no problem since she was not on duty at this time. It was usually her break time and she used it to come here and help. Her wings looked like leaves in autumn, giving her the name. “Stay down!” She exclaimed.

”Autumn!” Thunder cried. But it was no use, Foxglove grabbed Autumn in her jaws, taking out the tearoom and thrashing her about, everyone watching in terror as Autumn cried out in pain as the jaws chomped down harder before she was tossed aside. Thunder’s blood had gone cold as he stared at the monster in terror. He was too frozen to do anything, he stood there, watching to see what was to happen next. Tears running down his face when Autumn was tossed aside, hitting a rock and flumping on the ground, not getting up.

“Ugh… That pest is out the way… Now… Say goodbye to your stolen powers.” Gumdrop smirked right before Alphabittle rammed into her, sending her tumbling across the room. Onyx using this time to run out the door, stopping in her tracks at Foxglove. She felt a shiver down her spine, staring face-to-face with a reptile that literally just ended the life of a pony in seconds. There was a crack of thunder as the fight inside got wild. All she had on her mind was take these powers as far away as she could. They were part of her, that was meant she had to get away. She could feel the anger in this creature, it was like someone insulted its ancestors. She could not help her heavy breathing, looking up at the sky she noticed a few rain drops fall, the storm was coming…

The expression on the creature changed slightly as the cold water hit it, did it not like the cold? As the creature’s closed mouth came closer and it snorted in her face, she got an idea. She remembered back at the Winter Wishday, where it was freezing cold all around. The unicorns were responsible for it thanks to their greeting. It made the winter storms worse, meaning it had to be replaced. But now, it was time for its limelight! ”Frosty Shivers.” She waved and smirked slightly as a freezing breeze filled with snow hit Foxglove fall force. It squealed as it fell to the ground, covered in snow. Onyx shivered a bit herself before running away. Taking this as her chance, galloping through Bridlewood. Unicorns were in hiding as she ran fast. They knew what was going on. She sprinted as fast as she could before she hid behind a tree. Looking behind it, staying calm until she heard its roar. She had to keep moving. She quickly started galloping, almost tripping over a rock as she galloped. Hoping anything would help her! It was like she was in a race as she dashed through the rain, getting completely soaked, once again, but she could have cared less, heading towards clearing where the wishing tree was. The breezies could help! Or at least she could hide in the night market if it were open. As she sprinted towards the tree, her heart skipped a beat right when she heard Foxglove’s roar. She stopped in her tracks, hooves drenched in mud as she looked around for her, heart racing as water pelted against her, dripping down her coat. She tried her best to be alert and get ready to dodge, only to be slammed hard by her tail, as if she was a tennis ball and that was a racket. Or a bat and baseball, whatever was harder. But it sent her flying and ragdolling through the air, slamming her side into the wishing tree with a hard thud before flopping to the ground like a discarded toy, onto the muddy grass just below.

“Eeugh…” Her body was aching, she couldn’t help but whimper a little in pain as she moved. Any harder and a rib -or any other bone- might have broken. Her side ached as she took a big breath on air, that was going to leave a bruise, possibly. Her hoof was glowing slightly as it touched the tree, giving Onyx a fuzzy view was she closed her eyes out of exhaustion. Seeing a fuzzy image of a griffon screaming as she fell to the ground after a sound of something being shot. Then she was screaming for help as ponies ran fast her. Then her eyes snapped open. Did… The tree give her a vision? She shakily got up, mud and blades of grass sticking to her, and looked at Foxglove, roaring as it approached her, jaws open wide as it approached. She tried to move but couldn’t, her heart racing as she glanced at her. This was it, wasn’t it? She then noticed some of her own blood coming from her leg, drizzling below. She glanced back up… Gasping as she heard another roar.

“Raawk!” Another dinosaur-like creature tackled the red one. The two completely brawling it out. According to earlier descriptions, the green one was Oleander, who had accompanied the griffon days ago to fight for Jazz’s powers. But why was she here fighting her own team mate? After some pained roars and growls. Oleander managed to tear one of Foxglove’s wings and claw her eye. The same claw getting crunched down a ton, but Oleander still held it down. They started to chase and fight more, Oleander using flight to her advantage. Taking the fight away from her, out of her view. The roars and growls getting further and further away. Onyx collapsed from exhaustion and pain, and rested her head against a root of the tree. Too tired to move as she thought about the possible vision. She sighed as the clouds slowly started to clear, the rain not being so hard anymore, which was a bit nicer. But her body was battered badly, her side aches, her leg was bleeding, her heart was beating in her chest like it wanted to break out. But wait, she had the healing light powers, so she could get up and run if she could heal herself, but with her luck, this wasn’t going to work was it? But perhaps it was worth a shot, besides, she didn’t want to be in so much pain when her magic was taken, so it was better to use this moment. Her hooves began to glow again, planning to use the powers on herself, only to hear a voice.

”There you are!” The griffon said as she walked towards her. Watching as Onyx’s healing was interrupted, she raised her head with concern as she watched her get closer.

”You’re hurting, aren’t you?” Onyx guessed, the vision she got felt like it was tied to Gumdrop. “You feel like you were betrayed by a friend during an incident. You want others to feel pain, too?” She asked, looking a bit monotone, but she did care. There was a pause as Gumdrop curiously looked at Onyx. Listening to what she had to say. ”You are suffering. Hurting other ponies isn’t going to take the pain away. You need help, not revenge.” She guessed. “You were left behind, at some point, weren’t you?”

Gumdrop looked down at herself, suddenly looking rather glum, as if she had just remembered something. Like she was taking her words in, knowing she had a point. Her eyes were full of sorrow after a few seconds, she looked at the ground and back at Onyx, looking as if she were about to cry, it was now clear she was thinking hard about this, it was true, she felt abandoned by someone she trusted, but why should that be Onyx’s business, why should she want to know? She was another unicorn, like her, maybe she’s lying. Or perhaps she had a point, she seemed genuine, she was more likely concerned about her well being, after being chased by her and her henchmen, she was still worried about her, She even opened her mouth as if to speak. Thinking about what to say untill the alicorn amulet lit up suddenly, her eyes widening and flashing red as her expression turned into anger. She chuckled a bit before rolling her eyes. “What do you know?” She asked, holding up the device\ . Onyx’s eyes going wide as she tried to get up, not being fast enough till it activated. Hitting her with a painful beam of light.

“Ugh!” Onyx grunted, being slammed against the tree and let out a pained noise, whimpering as she tried to endure it. It felt like half of her was being sucked away. Alphabittle and the others had just arrived in time to see this, all staring in fear and disbelief.

“No!” Zipp cried out, raising into the air, wanting to do something, like strangle the griffon.

”She’s got her!” Exclaimed Pipp, pointing out the obvious that was not helping.

Zoom sped towards Gumdrop as the stealing finished. Who looked back at her with a smirk. “Oh weak and powerless thing, what are you gonna do now!?” She asked. The alicorn amulet flashing as a heavy net weighted down by large stones fell on Zoom, knocking her to the ground. “Can’t you see I have already won!?” She boasted before flying away.

”Get back here, you coward!” She screamed, Gumdrop turning invisible as others threw stuff at her.

“No! She can’t get away with this!” Zipp cried, lifting her wings. Dashing after her with Thunder following. ”Get back here!” Cried Zipp. Confused but thankful that dangerous T-rex thing wasn’t chasing her. It would have been harder. Zipp could feel the wind through her mane as she dashed through the air. She was one of the fastest fliers actually. Winning second place in two flying races and bronze in one. So catching up would be easy! She dashed through the air, leaving Thunder behind. Who was fast, but not as fast as her.

As soon as she reached the thief, she gave her cloak a hard yank back. Gumdrop stopped and fell with an “Ack!” Soon finding herself being dangled by her cloak.

”Release the powers, now!” Zipp exclaimed loudly, anger filling her.

“My powers or hers?” Smirked Gumdrop, her necklace glowing, making Zipp gasp. A lightning bolt coming from a nearby cloud that appeared. Zipp narrowly dodged, but slipping, making let go. As Gumdrop fell, she quickly grabbed her by the cloak again, the box being dropped into the forest below.

”Where do you think you are going?” She snarled at the griffon. Noticing the box falling. They had flown pretty far out. Into the section of the forest that no pony went to. It was hard to reach and considered dangerous. So it wasn’t worth it. But now it was. “Don’t you dare go after it, you know you’d lose!” Zipp exclaimed, letting go and diving down into the forest. Knowing that Gumdrop would just fly. She dodged every lightning bolt, knowing that they were coming.But just before she reached the trees. She was met with a tackle. She felt like she was hit by a bull as she was tackled down by Gumdrop. Into the forest below, cutting herself on a branch on the way down. Landing with a loud thud. “Argh!” She cried out. She smirked a bit as she found herself being pinned down by the wings. The claws of the griffon hanging on them tightly. “You are a strong one, aren’t you.”

”Of course I am. As you see. I am far more powerful than you!” She said, screeching in her face.

”Ugh-“ Zipp groaned at the spit on her face. “Alright, what’s gotten you so angry, anyway? You know, stealing magic isn’t gonna fix anything! Opaline tried that, and did not succeed!”

“I don’t care!” Gumdrop screeched. “You aren’t my target! The light powers are. I need them!”

”But why?”

”Because they are rightfully mine! You wouldn’t understand.”

Zipp gulped, wondering what to say next as she tried to recover from the fall, she gained a small idea that might work, buts she would have to say some things she didn’t mean. “Oh… Those powers. Yeah, you know. Actually. Those powers are pretty bland. They aren’t as awesome or useful as you think. Jazz said it herself! They are basically just uh… Wet wipes? Useful for one purpose and then they are in the bin!” She said. Smiling at Gumdrop’s puzzled face. It seemed she was almost succeeding in redirecting her to things that were cool, but not as important as the lantern, crystals or light powers. “Oh boy. My visor can do so much more impressive stuff, actually, that skateboard Izzy made last week was really impressive. Hovering, able to be used a surfboard, filming, anything you command it to!” She said, trying to make something sound way more impressive. “Actually, what can’t it do! Gee, I think I’d much prefer that board than some one-time-use glowy hooves, don’t you?” There was silence as the griffon looked down at Zipp. Looking rather concerned. It also seemed like she was actually interested in that board. Hopefully she wouldn’t be too disappointed in the fact it only hovered, filmed and could be controlled like an RC car with a remote control…”I suppose that board does sound impressive…” Gumdrop said with a smile. Looking like she was thinking about how awesome it sounded. But that was short lived before she started laughing. “Why are you even after me in the first place?”

“Because you are taking the light powers and magic of three innocent ponies.” Zipp said. “Besides the light powers, you took their regular magic! Their colour is all dulled and cutiemarks are faded! Zoom’s all glum and gloomy now. But now she can’t fly either, Jazz can’t make or control plants and Onyx won’t be able to have unicorn magic of her own! Why do you want to take theirs, you clearly have powers, like somehow making those lightning bolts appear?” She asked, noticing the necklace looked a bit familiar. Where had she seen it before? On hearing what the three mares were going through. Gumdrop’s face was filled with sorrow and remorse. She felt like she was regretting her decision as she looked down at her. There was silence as Zipp started to feel more successful. “See… Just see yourself in their shoes.” She smiled. “Wouldn't you like to be happy and not have ponies be scared of you?” Gumdrop looked down at Zipp, feeling like chains that were holding her were being loosened. Like she felt something special. She looked down at Zipp, loosening her grip. Just before she heard a gunshot and a scream. She let out a gasp as her eyes and necklace went red. She felt as if she was being choked as she heard a voice.

”Trixie!”

It was her own voice.

”Don’t leave me here!” Her voice cried as more shots happened. Her heart racing. “I’m scared! Trixie!” Her voice cried. The flashback coming more and more clear.

It was years and years in the past. The time she traveled from. Trixie herself was looking for the light powers till there was a shooting.

”Trixie! Where are you!?” Her voice cried out as screaming and gunshots her heard in the city. Ponies were running around as her conscious faded. She had a wound in her leg, which made her fall over. Getting trampled by ponies. “Trixie!” She cried once more before everything went black. Then she heard a voice.

”Trixie was your only friend. You put your trust in her…” The voice said. “Only to leave you to die…”

“Don’t lie to me!” Gumdrop cried, tearing up as her claws sharpened as she slammed down on Zipp’s wing, tearing the flash with her claws, she screamed loudly. Flames appearing around them, as her range flourished. “I don’t need to trust traitors!” Gumdrop said as the flames started to match her range before they came wild.

“Argh!” Zipp winced in pain as Gumdrop twisted her wing, her heart racing. She was so close. So close.

”Leave me alone. Friends aren’t a thing for me.” Gumdrop scoffed before getting ready to fly away. She then looked back as Zipp prepared her wings. At the click of her clew, a tight rope tied her wings to her body. “Don’t follow me.” She said before flying away. Leaving Zipp angst the flames.

“Your highness!?” Thunder’s voice cried.

Zipp looked up, sweating as she looked around her. Blood dripping from her wing. The rope was tight. Bit overkill. “T-Thunder?” She questioned.

”Zipp!”

She coughed as she sat there, hearing Hitch’s voice beyond the flames. She could feel the smoke sting her eyes. Her wing was in too much pain to fly, even if the rope was gone. . “Thunder! Hitch!?” She cried out. Jumping back from a fallen branch. She coughed in the smoke, her voice getting raspy.

“Your Highness!” Thunder’s yell was heard. Before she knew it, two hooves wrapped around her and lifted her into the air, the cool breeze hit her instantly as she was lifted out the smoke by Thunder. She coughed as she felt the cool breeze on her sweaty fur. “Are you okay?”

Zipp took deep breaths as she tried to process what happened. She failed. Not only that, the forest was on fire. It was really far away from Bridlewood and the wind was pushing it in the other direction. Enough time to get it under control before it came a threat. Hopefully. ”Y-yeah. Just take me to the others.” She said in a sad voice Thunder handled her gently was they went across the sky. Gumdrop had gotten away, she looked out with worry as they glided through the sky. Her wing was stinging the whole way. But… The light powers were gone.

WHAT NOW?

“Zipp!” Cried her friends as Thunder landed. Helping her down, as she sat there, looking kinda glum. Zoom quickly making it her job to undo the tight ropes. Haven hugged her tight.

”Zipp! Are you hurt!? What happened?”

”Did you get them?” Sunny asked.

”Where?” Izzy was about to ask.

”No…” Zipp said, sounding defeated. “She got away.”

”What…” Hitch asked before worriedly looking back at everyone.

“Stay still your highness.” Zoom warned as she pulled at the rope, grabbing a knife. Zipp could feel her heart racing a bit as she nervously went to cut the rope.Zipp stuck in thought as she gazed at Zoom, who gasped at her injures as soon as the ropes came off, she gazed at Onyx who was being held up Alphabittle, worriedly looking at her, wondering what would happen next. “I… I think I’m better of just leaving the guard after all this.”

Her remarked gained the attention of many. ”What!?”

“Why do you say that, Zoom?” Haven asked with concern as the rain pelted down.

“As a highly ranked guard, I should have had all of us, not only me, prepared for the first attack! If I had trained enough I would not have been defeated the first time, then none of this would have happened!” She exclaimed, gesturing to Onyx.

“Zoom!” Thunder exclaimed.

“I know, you keep telling me, but. Isn’t it my fault too? Autumn and Dapple didn’t need to die!” Zoom exclaimed, “Princess Zipp didn’t need to risk her life! But she did, because I-“ She paused and sighed, “I’m not a very good guard, am I?” She was suddenly snapped out of her thoughts when Thunder hugged her.

”Stop saying that!” He cried. “You did everything you could! If you were a bad one, you wouldn’t have tried anything to protect the kingdom! You would have let it happen, and you didn’t, you did what you could! That’s good enough, okay!?” He cried, tears running down his eyes. “Why do you think you are not good enough!? You tried your hardest and that’s good enough, for me.”

”And me…” Added Zipp with a smug smile as tears appeared in Zoom’s eyes. She wanted to do more

“I suppose there is something else I can do…”

”Wh-what is it?”

”We’ll see…”

Aftermath

Most ponies had went had went home that night. The unicorns were staying alert of the fire. Luckily fireponies were already fighting it, it seemed to be getting further and further, as little smoke was seen as the sun rose. Every resident of Bridlewood came together that morning, putting together a punch of flowers near an image of Autumn, paying respects while her body was taken to Zephyr Heights for burial in a few days, Thunder was crying when he saw her body, having to carry her in a stretcher back to the palace was not easy. Alphabittle looked at the bongo drums on the stage as he entered his tearoom, sadly looking down. Onyx had yet to have woken up... Many had slept in since they were up all night, some didn’t But what could they do now? The light powers was gone. Gumdrop had won… It was over. He sighed, hoping for something good to happen, like some news, anything good! It can’t be hopeless, can it? He tried to get his mind of it, trying to assure himself it’d all be fine. But the time went by with worry and concern on what was going to happen next. It was usual business in the tearoom, but with more chatter and well, nothing happening on stage. The microphone and bongos sitting there, ready to be used. How was Onyx going to be when she woke up? He had hoped nothing like Zoom, but that might be hopeful thinking, hopefully she wouldn’t be in too much pain, she was pretty battered. But he had also heard about her home, destroyed. Thankfully due to her quick thinking, the fire did not spread, but she had basically lost everything. But he was soon snapped out of his thoughts.

”Alphabittle!” A voice cried, belonging to Jasper as he hurried in, pausing in his tracks. “She’s awake.”

Finally, an update.

Onyx groaned before she suddenly sat up in the bed, heart racing and breathing heavily before she gulped, her head was pounding. What was all that she had witnessed? But right now, where was she? She took in details and tried to not think about that dream she just had as she looked around the room, slowly looking down at her leg, bandaged up. Her body was still aching a little and she felt little ill. But where was she now? She looked around the room, knowing she was not home, hers was destroyed… Judging by the fact they took her in after she was defeated, they cared for her. There were plenty of hoofmade and designed objects seen about, plus or sort of crafting tools. She let out a sigh as she sat in the bed, ears droopy as she looked at her hooves, of course she had failed and almost died on multiple occasions, she shivered a bit at the flashbacks that came back to her, putting a hoof on her head, the headache not going away, while she wondered where the home owner was and why they took her in after she failed her task, she had one job and failed, this was Izzy’s home, wasn’t it? She put her head back on the pillow, rolling over and putting her hoof back on Her forehead, the bright light just adding to her headache, which she did not need. But her ears did perk up when the owner came in. ”I-Izzy?” She questioned softly before coughing loudly, sitting up and looking at her.

“Oh, hey! You like my “Villa-de-Izzy?” She smiled as she put some cookies decorated with icing down. “It’s what I named this place. I believe you never came here.”

She nodded slightly, the bright, flashy colours weren’t her style. Especially not the frilly pillow with patterns sewed in that she was laying on. But she didn’t mind it, just wasn’t she’d expect to lay on. “It’s colourful. You are very uh… Decorative.” She said plainly.

”Thanks!” She exclaimed putting down some cookies, she had seemingly stayed overnight to keep an eye on her. “Want some cookies? I made them!”

”Uh, sure.” She said, grabbing one gently and giving it a bite, her mouth instantly filled with the crumbly, buttery texture and the strawberry flavouring of the icing. “Tasteful.” responded, eyeing at the cookie, savouring the taste. She never had any of Izzy’s cookies before, never wanted to, like many other unicorns before magic, she was just never interested. But there were plenty of unicorns that did obviously like them because they’d ask for more. She’d constantly see her give them out in the tearoom- or try to- whenever she was doing her poetry and such with Dapple on the stage. She wasn’t the biggest fan of such colourful or bright things, so she always refused the cookie.

“Did you like it?” Asked Izzy, snapping her out of her thoughts before pausing, her ears lowering. “Are you okay?”

”Yeah.”

”You sure? Your sparkle lit up and then went dull again.”

”Uh…” Onyx paused as she finished the cookie, starting to look a little glum when her ears drooped, her heart was racing slightly. She often looked miserable, why was Izzy suddenly concerned this time, was it because of what happened. “I’m fine. I’m just thinking about-“ She was about to softly speak before the front doors opened and closed and what sounded like a few ponies hurrying up the stairs to the bed.

“You are okay!” Alphabittle exclaimed, followed by Jasper and Misty. But shouldn’t Dapple be here, too? Where was he?

“Y-yeah.” She said before looking up, a feeling in her gut as she gazed up at them. A bad feeling entered her as she noticed the absence of a particular unicorn. Which was strange because she knew he’d be the first one in. Knowing him, he would have likely raced up the stairs. Was he feeling guilty or something? Perhaps he was knocked out and was resting somewhere else. Then her heart dropped as she suddenly remembered the video, but that can’t have been true, could it? Dapple wouldn’t have, would he? “H-hows Dapple?” She asked, preparing for the worst, she gritted her teeth together at what he might have been feeling at the time.

“Dapple?” Alphabittle asked, his face turning to concern and worry. His words about to make her heart drop in horror. “He uh… He wasn’t found… Groups have looked along the river as far as they could go and found nothing. I’m sorry, I think Stripes was right, he’s gone. The video must have been real. Considering those rapids… I’m sorry, Onyx…” He sighed, looking rather depressed at having to break it to her. “Ponies searched everywhere they could safely…”

“I’m sorry…” Jasper sighed. “No sign of his survival means he’s dead.”

Onyx’s eyes widened at his words. He was her closest friend, one of the only ponies that understood her… The pony that was there during the hardships and trauma of her foal-hood, even if they hadn’t gotten along at first, he was there for her. Her stomach felt sick when she was reminded of the last time she saw either of her parents. It was what would become a stormy night, She didn’t have any memory besides someone shouting at her to run to the creek. She had no other memory of whatever happened between arriving at School and when Dapple found her in the stormy rain, she just knew she never expected them to vanish. Her and his friendship grew. both of them were yet to had earned her cutiemark at the time.

“Run to the creek, we’ll come for you!” That voice sounded in her mind, sounding distant, but she knew it was from that night. She would have that same flashback and hear that voice every time she tried to remember anything about the day. But why?

”I don’t believe Dapple is gone…” She said bitterly, looking down at the other cookies. She couldn’t believe he was dead, why would he be? He can’t be gone just like that, without any warning! Without any further evidence of his demise! “He’s still out there, I know he is. Alive.”

”O-Onyx…” Izzy said, noticing her sparkle getting dimmer and dimmer as emotions swelled in her mind like a tornado. It started to appear she was about to cry, but she didn’t, which wasn’t a surprise, nopony really saw her cry before. Last time she did was related to an incident that she was keeping it to herself and that was final. Nopony else needed to know. They knew her parents disappeared, but thought they vanished during a walk in the woods while she was at school.

“Yeah, maybe he just washed up somewhere.” Alphabittle sighed, hoping for the best. “I’d say we give him a chance before we make any declarations.” He said, worried about Onyx. “I hope he’s okay…”

”N-no.” Jasper sighed. “He’s dead. I looked at where he fell, he would have hit his head on the way down and drowned…”

”I don’t think so…” Onyx said, glaring up at him. “He’s a strong swimmer, I’ve seen him. I have seen him jump into the pond crashing into another pony without realising until too late, that pony being me.” She said, looking like she had enough.

“Rocks are harder than ponies…” Izzy said to herself quietly.

”Even if he didn’t hit the rock, I doubt he would have had the strength and energy to fight against the water. You know how violent those rapids are at this time of the year.” Jasper added.

”He is so not dead.” Onyx responded coldly. “You didn’t find his body yet. So you can’t say that without… Y’know, proof?”

”Lots of victim’s bodies were not. It could have washed up far off, or under the water, or eaten by-“

”No-“ Onyx said, raising her voice. “He is not… Dead… That’s what Stripes wants us to think.”

”But what are the chance-“

”He is not dead.” Onyx said, clearly having enough, her voice both raspy and almost sounding like she was about to cry. “He is still out there…”Izzy glanced at her again and nodded before speaking to Misty about something when she asked a question, Onyx didn’t really listen as she sat there, fighting back her own emotions, which was harder than usual, which sucked. She sadly looked down at the biscuits and ate another one, slightly quicker than the other, she didn’t know she was hungry. It didn’t take long before she finished them and wanted to leave, but she simply fell back onto the pillow, looking at the ceiling, questions running through her mind. She didn’t know where she wanted to go, but she did think about the rapids as she turned on her side, burying her face into the blanket, hugging herself tight as thoughts ran through her mind. “Dapple is alive, right?” She whispered, expecting Alphabittle to have left, he, Misty and likely Jasper were only there to see if she was okay. Not to argue on Dapple’s survival.

“I don’t know.” Izzy replied honestly. “But I hope he is! I mean- He is a bit on the tough side, remember how he handled that time where you- I mean-“ She paused, almost saying something she shouldn’t. “Look… None of us really know, I really want to say yes, but that’ll be lying to you.” She responded sadly, thinking on her words as she spoke. “Perhaps there is some kind of miracle.”

”Not with my kind of luck…”

”H-hey, don’t say that.”

”When have I never messed something up, when have i not screwed things beyond repair? Like now, where no matter how hard i tried, i still fell…” She paused, “Just admit it, Izzy… I’m a huge failure.” She said, burying herself in the blankets, just wanting to be left alone. She never wanted any of this, but she was being punished for having something she never asked for, of course it’d be her. “I’m just… A big-“

“N-no you aren’t!” Izzy exclaimed. “You almost had it! You did get further than Zoom and Jazz, so that’s something, right?” She asked, her next words making Onyx’s ears peek up, “So by saying you are a huge failure, you are calling everypony else complete, ultra, absolute, extreme failures!”

”Just my luck…” There was a pause as she buried herself further in. “Thanks for making me feel worse…” It started to feel like she was holding in her tears

“I didn’t mean it like that!” Izzy felt bad at her words, knowing she didn’t mean to sound like that. She kept her mouth shut and carefully thought out her next words, not wanting to make her feel extra bad. “You are not useless, Onyx. None of you are failures, either! You just- Well… Tried your best and things didn’t work out the way you wanted, and that’s okay- Well- Most the time- But hey, it’s not your fault! You didn’t gain that crazy magic-stealing box and trespass the palace, proceeding to steal positive feelings and magic from one of the guard, then going again and doing the same with a pony in the salon, then doing the same in another village to try and use the powers for bad did you?’ Izzy asked, making her think. “You aren’t a villain, you are a victim! You are a smart, kind, calm, talented pony.”

”Talented?” She asked, looking at her, a but puzzled.

”Yeah, of course you are! Haven't you heard any of your poetry?’ Asked Izzy with a slight giggle.

”I guess that counts?” She shrugged, poking her head out. “But I’ll still mess up and ruin everything again. I hate it when I get given big tasks.”

”But you are given big tasks, lots of times and so them well!” Exclaimed Izzy.

“Like what?”

“Entertaining a whole tearoom? You helped Alphabittle and Misty reconcile, for example.”

“I did?” Onyx cocked her head. “I only told him what her performance on stage might have been about?”

Izzy smiled a bit at how clueless she was about that day. Thinking it was no more than a performance, when it was actually Misty about to break down. It was understandable why she thought that, however. “Or that time you shared the troggle poem?”

”I don’t think that stopped the festival…”

”Yeah, it didn’t. But it did help!” Izzy exclaimed, “I had honestly forgotten the second part, so if it weren’t for you sharing it with us, I wouldn’t have shared the whole thing earlier! Then Zipp wouldn’t have caught on and we wouldn’t have defeated the troggles with rubies!”

”Oh, that’s what happened that night…” Onyx said softly, having stayed away. “Your point being?” She asked, sitting on her rump. Questioning on where this was going.

”A small thing can be a big help! You helped before and didn’t mess up, or ruin anything! You aren’t useless or pathetic! You are much more helpful and stronger than you tell yourself. Don’t let the bad thoughts being you down, okay? Keep being you!”

“I guess…” Onyx sighed getting up, ready to leave, thanking Izzy for taking care of her.

”Can you do me a favour.” She asked.

“Sure, I guess I can try?”

”Can you not lose hope, no matter the situation? Not just for me, but for us?“

Onyx thought about her words, she wasn’t the kind to keep promises. “I can’t promise. But I’ll try my best at that.” She said softly, her ears flat as she thought about what to do next maybe she’d go for a walk. Izzy soon enough got her attention. ”Oh hey! You almost forgot!” She exclaimed, using her magic to grab her hat, now all clean and dry, and put it on her head.

“Thanks Izzy.” She sighed. “I’ll see you around, I guess.” She said, trying to not make it look like something was bothering her. She was in a hurry to get out however, know knowing where she wanted to go, but there was a stop she wanted to make on the way. Her fast movement made the others concerned, but they didn’t say or do anything.

She ran towards where her home was, stopping in place as she looked the the smashed window and the broken door, her gut starting to hurt at the wight of it. She carefully walked in, immediately seeing the the debris top floor, the entry way to her bedroom blocked by the debris from the room above. Her heard was raving as she looked around, seeing stuff on shelves just scattered everywhere, burnt beyond repair. Bits of glass scattered where the window was, and ash everywhere. Her heart was racing as she looked about, emotions swirling in her head as she sadly looked around her broken home. She lost everything, it seemed. She saw a bag of hers on the ground nearby, charred but still usable, so she picked it up and decided to pack some things since she could no longer live here. She gulped as she walked forward, seeing a picture frame on the ground.”Daps…” She whimpered, gently picking it up in her hooves and seeing a picture of herself and Daps together. “I know you are out there…” She sadly put the picture in her bag just seconds before she heard creaking from above her, plus seeing a few things shake around her. This was no longer stable and she had to get out. Heart heart ached as she left the hoke and ran off towards where the rapids were. It was far off, no pony went there because it was known to be dangerous, especially the section close to Bridlewood. She made her way quickly along the river, following it.”Daps?” She tried to call out hurrying along the river. Seeing no sign of him until she froze in her tracks, seeing a bit of his mane in a log in the middle of the ravine se sat there, staring at it with a sad expression. He really did get thrown in and washed away. But where was he now? But nope, that’s not enough proof that he’s dead, surely he’s alive. “Dapple, where are you?” She asked with a worried expression.

Onyx hugged Dapple’s Bongos tightly, breathing heavily, keeping in tears and telling herself he was not dead and he was still alive somewhere. But the heart ache of him dying and her losing her home was too much. She had tried to do poetry, and she did it, but it felt weird without Dapple, also, it appeared no one was in the mood for her, anyway. Alphabittle looked at her worriedly from where he was standing, wondering what to say, he was at a loss of the right words, thankfully he didn’t need to say anything.”Onyx!” Two stallions and a mare exclaimed as they hurried into the tearoom, she knew what they were here for and walked over as they pit down some boxes.

“This is what we managed to get from the rubble…”

“Wh-what’s the damages?” She asked, both stallions looked st each other, the grey one deciding to speak.

“When we moved out the debris, we had a look at the damages. Most of the second floor and much of the walls have collapsed. Many of your belongings have burnt or been crushed or smashed. The tree itself is dying, the outta walls are cooked and likely not stable. I’m sorry.“

“O-oh.” Onyx said softly, looking down, knowing she lost a lot of things, including the remnants of her foalhood before the tragedy. “Okay.” She said trying to not cry as she looked at the box. Slowly peeking inside, surprised but relieved to see certain things like her box of books that held her poetry, the box was damaged but the books surprised. She saw some other things like her rubber duck and other certain objects. But she knew much of her stuff wouldn’t have survived, like her potted ivy plant.

”You okay, Onyx?” Asked Alphabittle.

”I’ll be fine.” She said, lying as she looked at him, yet to notice the marks under her own two eyes. She felt terrible, she felt shattered. Like one took her heart and smashed it on the concrete, maybe she could use that idea for a new poem. “Guess I’ll just live out here till I have somewhere to live…” She said grabbing the box in her magic and walking to the corner between the counter and stage. She tried her best to keep her tears in, nopony has ever seen her cry and she wasn’t going to let that happen. At least not after the incident where she came home that day to find her parents missing, with ponies calling her abandoned. That would be the last time she would cry, ever.

”Yeah, too bad Dapple died.” Agate smirked, watching as Onyx’s ears perked up, but she didn’t even look at him as she opened the box again near the stage. Knowing there was likely another box to come.

“He’s not dead…”

”Pretty sure he is. Name somepony who survived falling in those ravines, there's a reason no pony goes there!”

Onyx opened her mouth but closed it, thinking for a moment. “Dapple.”

”Well, I cannot think of one!” He exclaimed. “Fidget fell in, guess what? He was found dead? Pitter Trotter? Dead. Lil Pin? Dead! The guy who first discovered the ravine? Dead, all dead!” He exclaimed, noticing Onyx paused. She didn’t even look at him.

“It’d be wise if you kept quiet.”

”I’d say the same over your denial!”

“Dapple is likely hurt and alone out there. I don’t know why you hate us, but you must really hate us if you revealed where we were hiding.. Putting us in danger.”

”But, she was going to find you, anyway!” He said, showing no remorse. “Besides, it was an offer I cannot refuse-“

”Good one!” Onyx snorted, slightly louder than usual. Agate stepping back as he thought about what he said.

“I’ll just go…”

“Good for me.” Onyx bitterly looking through the box and finding a plate she liked in shards, she sighed sadly. Almost Tearing up, but holding them back, she was not going to cry…

Jazz was shaking and crying in the salon, Rocky hugging her, his heart racing as he help onto Jazz tight. She couldn’t even say anything, the second she got the news she broke down, believing this was the end. There was literally no way Sunny would be any match against the griffon with her alicorn powers, so what was the point of fighting anymore? Each battle resulted in a loss, there was no point, it was over. “I-Is it really over?” Asked Jazz, wanting to hear it from her friends, she just needed him to admit that this was all over. “Are we doomed?”

Pipp sat on the chair with a sigh, looking over at her and and Rocky before looking down. “No…” She said, unsure, but wanting to keep their hopes up. “It may look bad now, but I’m confident that there will be an upside soon! A way where we will all win and save those powers! I just know it!” She exclaimed.

”I don’t know.” Jazz sighed, tears in her eyes. “We tried fighting back and running away and now she’s got all of them! She’s gonna use them for bad, like flood us out, create a storm or some crazy song to mind control us, I dunno!” She cried out, face wet from tears and mane in a mess as she cried out loud.

”What do you mean?” Rocky asked her. “We are still here, alive, aren’t we? We can still fight if we need to, we aren’t dead yet!”

”That’s it!” Pipp explained. “I just know there’s something out there, I know we will win. She may have won the battle, but she won’t win the war!”

Jazz didn’t know why to say next, she just sighed.

Zoom whimpered as she looked at the casket Autumn was laid in. A tear went down her face as she looked on, standing in the room with a few other guards. She missed her caring nature, her voice and everything. All the times she brushed her aside, she wished she could have taken those times back. Her surprise attack was pointless, but she died doing what she thought was a heroic thing. If only she wasn't thrown into that tree so hard, she’d still be here today. Thunder was crying doing his speech about Autumn, you could tell it hurt him, he was in emotional pain about the fact somepony else died, the fact he was present too and witnessed. The fact that they both had to scan her limp body together, begging for any sign of life, only to discover her neck broke on impact, at least it was quick… But the faces of the guards when they took her to the palace, there was a scream or two within the lot as they looked on, Lots of crying and denial. But the proof was in front of them, she actually died in the battle that was lost. She didn’t want anyone else to die, she wanted this to end. As she left the room, tears streamed down her face, her heart was racing as she walked along. Flashbacks started to rush through her mind again, just thinking of Autumn dying made her feel down, she didn’t want her to die. Having constant nightmares of her friends and fellow palace staff and the royal family dying in front of her eyes was one thing, but somepony dying in front of her for real was another. She couldn’t let this go one any longer, she just wanted to do something. Autumn did not deserve to die! After she left she looked at her phone, taking a deep breath before she sent a message to all the guards in the palace. She had an important guard meeting to make, she had to make an announcement she was not keen on, she knew their reactions were not going to be happy. But they needed to know