Band of Five Attributes (Re-Written)

The three small fillies took off faster than lightning in unison, shouting something about getting sword-wielding cutie marks anyway. Nagare lowered his head and shook it before sighing in disappointment.

“They’re really hellbent on getting those cutie marks, aren’t they?” Koto remarked, also shaking her head at the display.

“Seems like.” Yuuki replied, sighing as well. “I just hope to the powers that be they don’t get hurt…”

Nagare looked back at Raki, who was staring off into the distance where the three fillies took off to. He approached her and tapped her on the shoulder with a hoof to get her attention. “So, how did your visit in Canterlot go?” He asked.

“It was hunky-dory. I promised the princesses I’d stay out of trouble, and they excused me from the dungeons.” She replied, smiling nonchalantly.

“Ah. I see.” Nagare said, smiling himself. A snowball hit him in the back of the head, and he turned around to find Yuuki moulding another in her hooves. The mare was sneering.

“Don’t let your guard down next time!” She said, about to throw her second snowball at him before Raki’s horn began glowing. The unicorn’s magic molded another snowball that soon found itself careening away from its creator and landing smack in Yuuki’s face soon after.

“Don’t let your enemy’s weakness get the better of you.” Raki commented dryly, still smiling as she formed another snowball quick as a whip. Before long, the snowball fight resumed, and everyone had been hit with at least three at some point.

After that was said and done, the six returned home laughing heartily. Snow lingered heavily on their backsides, though it was soon shaken off with ease as they went.

The front door to the house opened, and the group made their entry into the living room. They noticed Kaguya and 01 at the table, as well as Rarity, and they were chatting a storm when they turned their attention to the door as it was closed behind shivering forms.

“I assume the snow was quite lovely.” 01 commented with a friendly smile as he saw the six ponies grab blankets and wrap them around their bodies in an attempt to warm up after removing their scarves.

“Very.” Nagare replied with a smile on his face, but the smile quickly faded. “But a few fillies worried me earlier.”

“Why say that?” Kaguya asked, brow arched.

“They wanted sword-wielding cutie marks, and I told them a piece of my mind. What do they do? They run off still hellbent on getting sword-wielding cutie marks.” Nagare answered, a sigh escaping his lips soon after.

“That’s...worrying.” Rarity remarked, a sigh of her own parting ways with her mouth. “I”ll have to reprimand Sweetie Belle later, and send Applebloom to her big sister.”

“Applebloom I can understand, but why would you reprimand Sweetie?” Koto asked, brow arched.

“She’s my little sister.” Rarity answered quickly. “Mom and dad tasked me with looking after her. I just hope she doesn’t lay her hooves on an actual sword.”

“As do I. The prospect of one as little as she is even holding a real one is unnerving.” Nagare agreed, sighing again.

“I can only imagine the lectures she will endure when she gets her hooves on one…” Yuuki remarked, looking up cross-eyed at nothing in particular as that very image played out in her mind.

“Sweetie and her friends usually do brash things.” Rarity commented, shaking her head. “It’s almost like she never learns, and I dare say the same could be said for her friends.”

“So...she and her friends have been doing outlandish things even before we showed up?” Rekka inquired, a brow arched.

“Oh, yes. I keep on telling them to not do anything outlandish, and the next thing I know is the three of them are sharing a set of helmets and goodness knows what.” Rarity sighed with a nod. “One time, Applebloom somehow got the Cutie Pox, and it was very nearly a disaster. Zecora intervened, though, and everything was back to normal.” She added.

“Cutie Pox?” Yuuki asked, brow arched.

“Zecora?” Tenmei wondered aloud, blinking a few times.

“Yes. Cutie Pox is...well, put it like this: those who have it get random cutie marks, and they do everything those cutie marks depict. It gets hectic after a few cutie marks suddenly appear on your body.” Rarity started, shaking her head again. “As for Zecora, she’s a zebra who lives in the Everfree Forest, but does show up here from time to time to get herbs and other plants.”

“So...she’s an herbalist?” Koto inquired, tilting her head slightly.

“Basically, though she talks in rhymes. She’s really good-natured.” Rarity answered again with a quick nod and serene smile on her face.

Someone began knocking on the door. “I’ll get it.” Koto said, trotting to the door whilst keeping the blanket on her frame. Her horn glowed, magic grasping the knob of the door and pulling it open.

Beyond the door, in the still-snowing outside, stood a blue-eyed zebra who had a black-and-white mohawk on its head. Much of the body was grey with darker stripes, and the hooves were tipped with black. A spiral sun cutie mark was present on the frame, and the tail was black and grey, a good quarter of it bald.

There was a golden bangle on the left foreleg, as well as a golden necklace and earrings in their proper places.

“Speak of the devil, and the devil shall appear.” Nagare remarked, watching as Koto stepped aside to let the guest trot into the room. The door was closed quickly. The zebra looked at him, brow arched.

“Oh, Zecora, I was merely telling the ponies here about you.” Rarity said, chuckling lightly.

“That, dear friend, I can understand.” Zecora began, faint smile on her own face. “It seems there are new ponies here to keep things from going bland.”

“Shall I make the hot chocolate?” Kaguya asked, also grinning. “We have two guests here already.”

“May as well make all of it. There’s a full house going on.” 01 answered, nodding a bit.

Kaguya nodded back and quickly rose before trotting into the kitchen.

Zecora eyed 01 and the other ponies in the house for a moment or two. She then said, “Where is it you ponies hail from? Your appearances strike as odd to at least some.”

Silence took precedence in the house almost immediately. The five young adults glanced at each other with wide eyes, as if asking each other for an answer quietly. Raki’s eyes averted away, and she sighed afterwards.

“You need not tell me if you don’t feel comfortable.” Zecora said, smiling lightly. “In fact, I’ll let you formulate a response most acceptable.”

The six ponies breathed a collective sigh of relief after that.

“It’s a bit of a long story, Zecora. And somewhat...unpleasant to speak of, actually.” 01 stated, scratching the back of his head with a hoof.

“Ah, I see.” Zecora replied, looking at the elder stallion with a nod. “Surely, such a long tale can enlighten me. But, I’ll be kind and ask for that another day, since my question surely caused your companions to fall silent in an unsettling way.”

Kaguya returned, this time balancing a tray with coffee mugs on her back. Steam emanated from the tops of the mugs, and sure enough the room was filled with a faint chocolate aroma. There were twelve mugs, enough for all the guests and inhabitants.

Ten mugs were removed, and Rarity let her horn come to life with magic, enabling the tray to levitate off of Kaguya’s back and onto the table.

“Mimi! Mimu!” 01 called out as loud as he could. “Come downstairs, or you’re going to miss some hot chocolate!”

In that instant, the two fillies rushed down the stairs as if summoned by a dinner bell. They took their respective mugs after perching themselves at the table.

Rarity smiled, noticing Mimu’s folded fairy wings. “Those wings are spectacular! They could use some cleaning, though I wouldn’t do that much, given how delicate they are.”

Mimu looked at the unicorn, and she smiled back. “I can fly with them too, but not too high.” She replied.

“I’d understand why, taking into account your small frame. I hope you grow up to be a big mare, soaring as high as your wings can take you.” Rarity replied, her smile radiating warmth.

Those who weren’t at the table downed their hot chocolate fairly quickly, wiping their muzzles soon after with quick hooves.

“Shall I make more?” Kaguya asked, watching the empty mugs get placed onto the tray.

“We’re good. Thanks for the offer, though.” Rekka replied, smiling.

“The hot chocolate is simply superb!” Rarity chimed, grinning. “I’d like some more, please.”