Team Superstars: Regain The Strength

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…”