Band of Five Attributes (Re-Written)

It was just barely dawn, and there was a gathered crowd of ponies near the site of a bunch of overturned train carts, all of whom had worried looks on their faces. There was all sorts of clamor going around, and many guesses revolving around how the train crashed and the carts separated. Practically every single being within and around Ponyville’s borders was present; not even Tenmei, Koto, and 01 could pass up this unusual and morbid sight.

All watched as a lone unicorn mare with a body of pale, light greyish-mulberry and mane of dark blue with a noticeable fuschia and royal purple streak parted from the crowd, horn aglow as she checked each cart of the train. She stopped when she reached the final cart that had an old ladder and broken safety rail.

“Somepony’s in this one!” She shrieked, causing the crowd to clamor worried whispers amongst one another. The mare’s horn glowed brighter, and the aura grasped the cart in its entirety before righting it the way it should’ve been. She then jumped behind the broken safety rail and rushed inside...before the crowd heard a ghastly shriek that could’ve only come from her.

The mare rushed out almost instantly, horn still glowing as behind her floated a total of three ponies. “Somepony get a doctor!” She wailed frantically, jumping past the railing and revealing to all what it was she had found.

Behind her, floating in the air thanks to her magic, were three ponies--one a stallion of scarlet hue with a noticeable hat on his head and a cannon on his foreleg, another a mare of lavender with a yoyo wrapped around her hoof, and the third a grey unicorn stallion whose horn had broken off at the base. All three suffered bruises and cuts, their manes disheveled in filth.

Doctor Stable emerged from the crowd that was still whispering, and his horn lit up. The ponies were immediately taken out of the mare’s magic, and he himself soon bolted past the crowd once more with a fire in his eyes, the ponies floating behind him as he went.

The crowd fell silent at that moment. Not a peep was heard amongst the lot.

“I’ll send a letter about this to Celestia! Everyone, just go about your daily business!” The unicorn shouted, her voice filled to the brim with worry.

It was then something hit her ears: the sound of a young mare sobbing. The unicorn quickly looked at the front of the crowd, swinging her head side to side, and found its source: a blue mare with a wounded foreleg sitting on her rump with her head hanging low. Standing next to her was a tan stallion, head also hanging low, and a white stallion whose face was contorted in a state of shock complete with a lopsided smile.

The unicorn trotted to them quickly, noticing the crowd still didn’t disperse. “H-hey...c-could you tell me what’s wrong?” She asked.

Koto looked up at the mare, face reddening from crying. Her blue eyes were getting bloodshot, and her ears were on her skull. “T-those...were...my friends…” She murmured, letting her head drop once more.

Tenmei sighed, a tear rolling down his cheek. “I’d like to keep praying that they’ll make it...but with this….it’s not likely for either of them to survive…” He said, his voice cracking with sobs as the words left his mouth.

01’s face was still contorted in that small-pupiled stated of blatant shock. His mouth worked up and down, but he was unable to speak.

The unicorn’s ears fell flat. “I’m...sorry to hear that.” She said. “If only I had arrived sooner…”

Koto looked at the unicorn, eyes narrowed as more tears fell from them. “So now you’re claiming some kind of ignorance?! Everypony else heard the train crash last night!” She shrieked.

The unicorn instantly fell on her rump. The crowd began to chatter once more, and all within had their attention turned to the blue mare who was still staring the unicorn down.

Tenmei turned to the unicorn, but he did not look angry. He then turned to Koto and gently nudged her shoulder with his hoof. The blue mare looked at him, but her eyes relaxed into the same sad look she had before. “Let’s go visit them.” He said, another tear falling off his face.

01’s face finally twisted to that of his fellow ponies: a somber look. “I agree. We need to check up on them as soon as possible.” He said, his voice also cracking.

Koto rose onto her three legs before turning around and hobbling her way through the crowd. Tenmei and 01 went with her, and the crowd finally dispersed. The purple unicorn sighed and went about her business.

“T-they’re just barely alive?!” 01 nearly yelled, pupils tiny dots once more. He was staring at Nurse Redheart.

“Yes. As for the unicorn who was with them, he…” Redheart trailed off, ears flat on her head as she spoke. “...he didn’t make it.”

“C-can we see them anyway?” Tenmei asked, ears flat on his head.

“Yes. Just...don’t overdo it.” Redheart answered as she opened the door to the room with a hoof. All three went inside, only to see that the red stallion had a hind leg bent horrifically wrong gaskin down, the purple mare’s face was covered in bandages stained with vivid crimson, and the third occupant completely covered in a white blanket head to hoof.

“S-stop…” Moaned the purple mare, her only visible eye scrunching shut in pain. “It hurts…”

“W...what’s happened to Yuuki?” Tenmei asked, half of his mind now screaming at him as if dreading the answer. He walked over to the mare who was mumbling to herself, and noticed a tear falling down her face.

“And what about Rekka?” Koto inquired as she hobbled over to the stallion, only to find him barely breathing.

“The train crash screwed his leg up, and there were shards of broken glass embedded in the mare’s face.” Nurse Redheart answered, taking a clipboard from the nearest table and jotting something on it with a quill. “They had to undergo immediate surgery.”

“IT HURTS!” Yuuki suddenly wailed in her sleep, trying to move her hooves and failing at it. Tenmei jumped in surprise, almost falling backwards in the process.

“We had to strap her down. She’s had very violent spasms since she arrived.” Redheart said, trotting over to the end of each bed and sticking a piece of paper onto the rails. “It’s all she ever says; I’m not sure what to make of it.”

“Make the pain stop…” Yuuki sobbed, eye still closed as she bobbed her head side to side. Her breathing was now ragged and sparse, racked to the core with her fitful sobs.

“Did...something else happen to her?” 01 asked, trotting over to the mare. Once at her side, he cautiously raised a hoof and stroked the part of her face not covered in bandages. The mare stopped moving her head as if to allow the touching of her face.

“I can’t be too sure. We’ll check her over again later today. She needs to rest.” Redheart answered, sighing.