Team Superstars: Regain The Strength

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