Team Superstars: Regain The Strength

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.