No. Hitch isn’t the villain here. (Sprout’s kinda a placeholder here. But still have an idea for him in the AU) My plans is that:
Sunny and Argyle are both presumed dead. Vanishing years before, leaving the Lighthouse abandoned.
Jazz doesn’t go to Canterlogic, or show interest. She listens to “Gonna Be My Day” ,made by an unknown singer, as she strolls to the salon (Not Mane Melody. It doesn’t exist yet) near the Canterlogic building. Only to find the salon is shutting down, so she has to help pack up
Later, she sadly sits in front of her house. Near the outskirts of the town. Soon noticing ponies are scared, she watches confused and just assumes it’s a drill that happens after every Canterlogic event. Only to be jump scared by Onyx
After being chased out of town. Plus a chat on how each other isn’t so harmless after all. Onyx convinces her to go to Zephyr Heights to help find a pegasus friend for Izzy to meet as well. Jazz goes, hoping the pegasi are nice (since she had heard their music and a fan of Pipp) and wanting to meet her favourite singer in person
While there, they escape from Zoom and Thunder. Ending up into a salon, scaring the living daylights out of a pegasus names Rocky. Who manages to calm down (after a lot of screaming and flapping) and listens to them. He gives them disguises, and they sneak in the castle.
When they manage to find themselves tumbling into the abandoned station. They get caught by Princess Zipp. Who listens to Jazz when she sees the stained-glass. Remembering a filly (Sunny) from school who would always talk about unity between the three types. She believes it’s true because when she discovered Pipp, she wasn’t scared. Onyx believes it’s possible too, because Izzy always wanted to meet them (They’re related in some way in this AU)
Zipp also agrees and stares at the stained-glass. Recognising the jewel above the pegasus, wondering if it’s the reason why they can’t fly. Explains magic and leaves them there after telling her plan. After a few hours, she returns and brings them up. They see Zoom and Thunder, who are a bit scared.
That night, Zipp gets the jewel. But Haven finds out, causing them to be discovered. Zipp tells everyone the truth and that the jewel is special. It might be tied to how they cannot fly. Angry royal guards chase them down, but Zipp and Thunder stall them. Zipp ordering Zoom to go with them and keep them safe, giving her the jewel.
While running in the night. They bump into Rocky, who was just fired for defending an earth pony and unicorn. They drag him along, thinking he could be useful. In an alley way, Sprout finds them. Scared but pretending not to be. He only came to get a pegasus feather to prove Hitch that he’s not a scaredy-cat
They find out Haven and Pipp were caught for their lies. Zipp hasn’t, but they have to go without her, for their own safety. Rocky coming since the guards were searching for him too, since he was spotted befriending Jazz and Onyx earlier. Sprout doing it because he was scared and Jazz was a fellow earth pony.
In the field. They all, except Zoom, complain. Jazz didn’t want to be on the adventure but wanted to do what was right. Rocky lost his job and was upset. Sprout was too scared to leave Jazz but scared of the others. Zoom tells them to be quiet
That night. Jazz apologises to Rocky for getting him fired. She also explains she lost her job too. Onyx reveals she went to Maretime Bay because of a drawing Izzy found as a filly.
Rocky fixes up Sprout’s mane, since it was all messy. But Sprout didn’t want the same as Rocky and ordered him to give him a different style. But also saying he didn’t trust him
They why to Bridlewood and meet Izzy. “Fit Right In” Happens and Izzy leads them through Bridlewood to search for the jewel
Sprout betrays them, meeting them back at Maretime Bay with a giant robot. After he disappears during the time they were in the Tearoom.