Band of Five Attributes (Re-Written)

Eight of the nine ponies who were awake sat at the table in the living room, all eyes hypnotized in silence, save for the two elders of the group who had tried their best to regain some semblance of composure. The ninth of the lot lay very still on the couch, staring blankly at the others with a face that was reddened from crying and screaming.

“So...er…” Koto started, her voice being the only thing breaking the petrifying silence of the house as she stared at 01, “you...uh...what was it that...er...made your eyes bulge out?”

The stallion’s face darkened, but his lopsided grin did not show. “The one...who isn’t sitting with us at this moment,” He paused, shooting Yuuki a quick glance before returning his gaze to Koto, “happens to be pregnant.”

Nagare scrunched his eyes shut and slammed one of his front hooves on the table. His face darkened as well, and a disapproving frown sprawled across his muzzle. “Who needs to die?” He asked, ears twitching in annoyance.

Kaguya sighed. She shook her head and groaned soon after. “Did anybody else bump into a gold-pelted stallion with a short, crimson mane? She said it was him.”

Rekka raised one of his front hooves. “I did. Bastard knocked me out soon after.” He said, sighing before recalling that Paladin Blade had also accompanied him and Yuuki on the train that wound up crashing. He opened his mouth to speak, only to stop as a brown hoof shook his shoulder to get his attention.

“Paladin died.” Tenmei said as the red-maned teen turned to him. “They...didn’t hold a funeral for him.”

Rekka’s pupils shrank to tiny dots. “He...what?!”

“The wreck killed him. They put him six feet under the day after he arrived at the hospital, and we don’t know where he’s buried.” Koto said, her ears flat on her head.

“I heard something about hiding a fugitive from the law.” 01 commented, staring at Rekka now.

“He told me a mare named Celestia spared him from a worse fate on account of losing a leg trying to fight a mob named Black Feathers or something.” Rekka replied, not even giving a glimpse of eye contact towards the white stallion.

“The royal guards I ran into said something different as I arrived in Ponyville.” Kaguya commented, sighing soon afterwards. “Frankly, I’m not sure who’s right in this instance.”

“I’m going to assume that neither is right until I have more sufficient evidence to work with. And Nagare,” 01 paused, turning his attention to the green stallion, “don’t kill anybody, no matter how much they might deserve it.”

“Fine. I won’t strangle anybody.” Nagare said, eyes still scrunched shut as can be. A vein appeared on his cheek as he moved his hoof off the table.

“Okay, I want to get all the facts we have so far straight.” Tenmei said, raising his hoof as he spoke.

“Go ahead. Nobody’s stopping you.” 01 replied, scratching his head with a hoof. He yawned for a minute.

“Koto’s got a broke foreleg and was told someone tried stabbing her, Rekka’s got--please pardon my French--a fucked up back leg that can be linked to the train wreck, and from what Kaguya was told, someone decided it was a fine idea to rape Yuuki left, right, and bloody sideways.” Tenmei stated, sighing afterwards.

“It’s a bloody conspiracy. Either that or the powers that dragged us here to begin with flat-out hate us. It has to be one or the other.” Nagare dryly remarked, eyebrows and ears twitching as he spoke.

“I wish I knew what it was that threw us here...so I can personally walk up to it and hit it upside the head with my boomerang...once my foreleg recovers.” Koto hissed, eyes narrowing as she recalled the hodgepodge thingamadoodle that spoke of chaos.

“I think everybody’s angry.” Mimu commented, her wings fluttering rapidly.

“No shit, Sherlock.” Rekka sighed, his eyes also narrowing low.

Kaguya shot a quick glance at Yuuki, who was now asleep on the couch. “Whatever you do, don’t bring up anything related to the rape or pregnancy around Yuuki. For the love of all that is holy, I don’t want her of all people hurting someone.” She said as she turned back to the group at the table.

“From us, that promise can be kept. Can’t say the same about literally everyone else in town, though. Sooner or later, someone’s gonna start prying, as much as I hate saying it.” Tenmei pointed out, removing his glasses to cleanse them with a cloth.

“He does have a solid argument. But, at the same time, we have a bit of an advantage--she doesn’t really look pregnant as of yet.” 01 also pointed out as he exchanged glances with Kaguya.

All eyes of those in the room, including the groggy set Yuuki possessed as she was rudely awakened from her nap, turned to the door as someone began to knock on it. Kaguya sighed, arching an eyebrow before she quickly trotted upstairs. “Just a minute, I am going to get the key!” She called out, hoping that whatever was beyond the door could hear her.

A few moments passed, and when Kaguya returned with the key in her mouth, she grunted as she found that the knocking persisted still. “I shaid I had to get the key!” She moaned, the key in her mouth being thrust into the lock before she removed her maw and turned the damn thing with her hoof.

She opened the door just wide enough to poke her head out. She met the gaze of a pale, light greyish-mulberry unicorn pony with magenta eyes and a dark blue mane that had a streak of fuchsia and royal purple present. She had a starburst on her flank, and sitting upon her backside was a purple lizard-like creature with green frills on its face, a green underbelly, green eyes, and green spikes that spanned head to tail end.

“And...who are you two, exactly?” Kaguya inquired.

“I’m Twilight Sparkle, and this is my assistant, Spike.” The unicorn answered, a faint smile on her face.

“Hi.” Spike said, also smiling as he waved a small hand whose digits ended in claws.

“Are you needing something? I was having a talk with the others who live with me about a...serious matter at hoof.” Kaguya said, arching an eyebrow.

“Well, Princess Celestia sent me a letter telling me to keep an eye out for strange occurrences, and also asked me to see a stallion named Nagare. Is he here?” Twilight asked, her tail twitching a little bit.

“Before I answer, I feel the need to ask: why would Celestia directly send a letter to you?” Kaguya asked, eyes widening in disbelief.

“I happen to be her personal student.” Twilight answered, a frown replacing her smile.

“I see. You wished to talk to Nagare, right?” Kaguya inquired.

“Yeah. Could you let me speak to him?” Twilight asked, smiling again.

“Come right in.” Kaguya said, opening the door fully and stepping aside to allow the unicorn and lizard to walk inside, with Spike hopping off Twilight’s back and landing on two clawed feet. Once the two were inside, the white-pelted mare shut the door and removed the key from it, trotting upstairs soon afterwards.

Twilight scanned the room briefly before turning to the group of ponies at the table. “Princess Celestia has requested me to see a stallion named Nagare.” She said, and in an instant, all hooves at the table pointed accusingly at the green stallion.

Nagare turned his head to let his gaze meet with that of the unicorn’s. “Yees?” He asked, ears twitching. “What do you want from me?”

“Well, Princess Celestia asked me to speak to you about something. The Frontier Quartet, I think?” Twilight said, an eyebrow arching.

“Please,” Yuuki huffed, her voice muffled as she moved her face to the arm of the couch and raised a hoof to signal that she was still awake, “don’t talk about those asshats.”

Nagare rose from his seat, then made his way to the stairs. He turned to Twilight and nodded his head but once. “Follow me, since I’m apparently the one who just had to have met the Princesses in person a few months ago.” He said nonchalantly before trotting to the second floor with the unicorn following close behind. Spike followed as well, both eyebrows raised as curiosity got the better of him.

The green stallion stopped in the middle of the hallway, turning to Twilight as she stopped in perfect tempo. His eyes looked at Spike, then back to the unicorn as a hoof pointed at the lizard. “How old is he?” Nagare inquired.

“Only ten years old...why do you ask?” Twilight answered, also looking at the lizard.

“Please, for the love of all that is holy, send him downstairs pronto. He doesn’t need to hear any...how shall you say, adult talk.” Nagare said, looking and sounding nonchalant as ever in spite of the harshness of his words.

Twilight sighed. “You heard him, Spike. I’ll call you if I need anything.” She said.

“Alright. In the meantime, I’ll chat with the others downstairs.” Spike said, frowning at first as he ran down the stairs on his two little legs.

Once he was sure that the lizard was indeed downstairs, Nagare turned his attention towards Twilight. “Did Celestia ask you to talk to me about anything else, disregarding the Frontier Quartet?” He asked, blinking a few times.

“Well, she said she and Luna were attacked by a walkabout hourglass that was part alicorn.” Twilight stated. She put a hoof on her chin and rubbed it a bit. “I can’t be too sure about it, though. The claim seems absurd, even coming from her.”

“I was there when it happened. I am a witness.” Nagare replied, tilting his head to the side.

“Wait...so the claim is valid?” Twilight inquired.

“One-hundred percent valid. I sincerely and with all my being wish I were making this up.” Nagare answered, now nodding a bit excessively.

“Could you tell me more about the Frontier Quartet?” Twilight asked, ears twitching.

“Not much is known about them. What is known, however, is that there are three adult members and a supposed child member who create monsters that could be best described as part object, part pony, like the hourglass that was part alicorn.” Nagare started, sitting on his rump and crossing his forelegs together.

“Is there anything about them that you didn’t want Spike to hear?” Twilight inquired, very quickly noticing the face of the stallion darkening, as well as a very visible frown on his muzzle.

“Two things: One, our friend Yuuki had seen one of the adult members who happened to be a unicorn, and two, said unicorn she’d seen was a bit of a pervert.” Nagare answered, his nonchalant tone replaced with subtle anger.

“A pervert? What do you--” Twilight started, only for Nagare to cut her off.

“Far simpler term: rapist.” The stallion answered, his anger becoming more apparent as his eyes burned with fire. “A very violent one, too.”

Twilight’s eyes widened. She stared at the stallion in complete disbelief. “Oh...oh my. I’m...I’m sorry to hear that.” She said.

“It’s worse: bastard managed to knock her up. Expect me to stab him in the face when his path crosses with mine--if that ever happens, that is.” Nagare said, his voice in a hushed yet still angry tone.

“I’m terribly sorry that...that happened to her. But I must ask, why did you say ‘if that ever happens’?” Twilight asked, her ears flattening on her skull for a moment before perking back up.

“I’m not sure what they’re doing at this point. Are they plotting? Are they hiding? Are they merely watching in the shadows, waiting for us to drop our guard before striking? Hell, did they even die yesterday?” Nagare stated, the fire in his eyes no longer burning, instead being replaced with a bored look. “It’s all I know about the Quartet and their half-object, half-pony shenanigans, I’m afraid.”