Band of Five Attributes (Re-Written)

Luna let off a shriek of pure anger, eyes narrowed low and pupils meager slits. She rushed out of her room, the stack of papers she’d attended to filled to the brim with documents about nightmares, who had experienced them, and even why the nightmares occurred to begin with.

“CELESTIA!” Luna shrieked, making her way to the throne room quick as a whip. She found her sister on her respective throne, eyes wide and a brow arched as her sister barged in so suddenly.

“What is it, sister?” Celestia asked, caught off-guard by her sister’s sudden outburst.

Some parts of Luna’s pelt began turning black as shadow. “The Quartet has gone much too far!” She answered, wings flaring wide.

Celestia still had a brow arched. “‘Too far?’” She inquired. “What is it that makes you say that?”

Luna’s pelt continued to turn black at a hastening rate. Before she could finish transforming, though, Celestia stood up and walked to her.

The pelt of the night princess returned to normal, as did her eyes. She lowered her head and sighed afterwards.

“Well? What makes you say the Quartet’s gone too far?” Celestia repeated, blinking a few times.

Luna rose her head and met with her sister’s eyes. “It’s...quite complicated.” She said, taking in some much-needed deep breaths afterwards. “I...need to show you something. It’s...one of those things you need to see with your own eyes.”

Celestia immediately arched a brow again. “Did you document more nightmares?” She asked.

“I did, and...just come with me, sister.” Luna answered, turning around and making her way to her room. Celestia followed, still confused. The two reached the bedchambers, and the younger princess made her way to the oak desk which still had the stack of documents on its frame.

“Luna, what do the documents have to do with this?” Celestia inquired, watching as her sister trotted to the desk and sifted madly through the documents until she found what she’d been searching for.

“Read this one.” Luna stated, using her magic to drag the document to her sister. Celestia quickly read through it once, then twice, perhaps even three times simply to confirm what it was she’d been reading.

“So...they’ve seem to have taken rather drastic and...horrific measures.” Celestia murmured, reading through the document once more. “How long did you spend on this one?”

“I skipped that one until I had all the other nightmares and their causes documented, sister. I then pieced together what happened--painstakingly, may I add--and that was what nearly sent me over the edge. Forgive me for my outburst, but those horrid images…” Luna trailed off, turning away to look at nothing in particular.

“Were too much for even you to handle accordingly?” Celestia finished for her, looking over the document yet again. “With every single atrocity listed here that has happened to this poor stallion, I can understand fully the magnitude of your pent-up rage. I can only imagine what he goes through, with the pain of such things forevermore haunting him.”

“Yes.” Luna sighed, glancing back at her sister who set the document amidst the others. “I pieced together three others as well.”

“Three others?” Celestia inquired, brow arching as she looked at Luna.

“Yes.” Luna confirmed with a hasty nod. “Three friends of that poor stallion had also suffered at the hooves of the Quartet, as did a fifth pony whom two would not mention otherwise.”

“Something doesn’t sit quite right with this...set of circumstances.” Celestia sighed, blinking again. “Why would the Quartet only attack a select group of ponies? It hardly makes sense.”

“Perhaps we should have the guards bring Nagare here. He may have gotten more information on the lot.” Luna proposed, spreading her wings before closing them again.

“It has been a good three months since or so I sent a letter to Twilight instructing her to find him. She got nothing except--” Celestia stopped herself immediately, eyes widening and blinking.

“Except what?” Luna inquired, taking a step back from her sister.

Celestia’s eyes narrowed, and she turned to the window. “We must act, sister. Summon all the guards, from Vanhoover to Manehatten.” The white alicorn said, a frown now etched onto her muzzle.

Luna nodded, and the two made their way to the throne room again. Her horn was glowing, and with her magic, she sent telepathic messages to the unicorn guards, and letters to the pegasi and earth guards through those very unicorns throughout Equestria.

The throne room was quiet, but only for a few moments as guards came rushing in like a tsunami. Some were being dragged along in carriages, whilst others either flew in or made their way by hoof. Some of the guards even had bat-like wings and ears, grey pelts and purple manes.

Before long, the entire throne room was flooded with guards, all staring intently at their princesses, and still more were coming. Apart from the flapping of wings and beating of hooves from those who still arrived, the place was deathly quiet.

“Royal guards of Equestria!” Celestia bellowed, catching the immediate attention of the crowd. “We have found a most horrific series of activities done by a group of ponies who are called the Frontier Quartet! These activities bring nothing but fear, worry, and torment for our little ponies! While they aren’t harassing a select few, they relentlessly attack cities even when we watch those cities through your eyes! We are aware of what has transpired in Manehatten, Ponyville, and Cloudsdale--to this, we say no more to the Quartet’s tomfoolery!”

Celestia paused for a moment, eying the guards to ensure they listened to her speech. “So, I ask of you, if you see any member of the Quartet in person, bring them to the dungeon at once! In all other circumstances, carry out as you always do--this goes for both guards of the Solar and Lunar divisions!”

“Yes, Your Majesties!” The guards replied, very quickly leaving the room in collective unison.

“I don’t think they’re going to come quietly, sister.” Luna sighed, glancing at Celestia.

“Nor do I. But I do not know what else to do.” Celestia replied, blinking once more.

Raki, Nagare, and Tenmei were trotting along the next morning, and they were wearing scarves around their necks. The snow piled thickly at their hooves, and it didn’t seem like the powdery stuff would stop falling anytime soon. Ponies were busy brushing it off of roofs, and out of the roads. There were some royal guards trotting along, but they were probably patrolling the town anyway.

Raki whistled, eyes wide at all the activity going on today.

Nagare sighed. He flared his wings wide. “I’ll ask the other pegasi how long the snow’s supposed to last.” With that, he took off to the sky, wings propelling him forward.

“Just how do pegasi control the weather?” Tenmei asked, looking at Raki. “Unicorn magic I can understand, but the pegasi just baffle me.”

“I find myself asking the same thing, to be honest.” Raki replied, shrugging her shoulders as she spoke. “Perhaps they have their own innate magic?”

“If it’s also what makes them be able to fly, then that’s a good enough explanation for me.” Tenmei sighed, faintly smiling. Just then, something white and powdery hit him on the top of his head.

He glanced up, only to find Nagare sneering at him. Attached to his midsection via strap was a bucket, and it was filled with snow. In his front hooves, he was molding a snowball to prepare another throw.

“Now that’s cheating!” Tenmei cried, pointing the accusing hoof at the pegasus.

“I’m not cheating, I’m simply using my wings to my advantage!” Nagare jabbed back, now noticing something big and clunky floating next to Raki, and she was aiming it at him.

“Who’s cheatin’ now?” The unicorn cried, a happy grin on her face. Snow shot forth from the device, forming into legions of balls flying at the pegasus. Nagare struggled to dodge, hurling snowballs like a madman as he darted about.

“AND YOU JUST HAD TO GET A SNOWBLOWER?!” Nagare cried, the pelting force of Raki’s impromptu weapon forcing him to land. Once he did land, he was completely covered in snow by the device. The stallion pulled himself out of the snow, much of his mane obscured by a makeshift hat of the stuff as a result.

Raki approached the stallion, and brushed some of the snow aside. She chuckled daintily. “Being a former member of the Quartet has its advantages, and I used them.” She said.

“Excuse me, miss?” Spoke a voice. Raki turned her head, and quickly met the gaze of a royal guard. “I’m afraid I’ll have to take you to Canterlot on Celestia’s orders.”

“Before you do, though, let me put away my toy.” Raki replied, her horn glowing. In an instant, the snowblower vanished.

“I thought I heard the word ‘former’ somewhere in that sentence.” Nagare pointed out, brow arched.

“I still have to take her to Canterlot.” The guard replied.

“On one condition, if you are able to hear me out.” Raki spoke, a sigh escaping her lips.

“That being?” The guard inquired, brow arching.

“Since I left the Quartet, could you take me straight to Celestia, please?” Raki asked, a frown on her muzzle.