The Beckoning of Nature (Re-Written)

“Wait, what?” Rekka asked, brow arched. He and the other five were at a table in the caverns eating breakfast. “My lil’ bro’s here?”

“Yeah, and so’s Reina and the others.” Yuuki answered with a nod before shoveling some cereal into her mouth with a spoon. She chewed her load before swallowing and continuing. “They’re also staying at Kaguya’s place--same rooms we all occupied during our first few months here.”

“Fuck me over a railing.” Nagare hissed, flinging a foreleg in the air. “How are we gonna explain...well, everything to them?”

“We kinda don’t.” Yuuki replied, taking in another spoonful of cereal.

“She’s right.” Tenmei agreed with a nod of his head. “Though, these past ten years...I was getting kinda worried about them.”

“Same here. But they’re alive and well?” Koto inquired, brow arched.

“Yep, just wondering where the hell we trotted off to all this time.” Yuuki answered with another nod. “So, whose day is it to pay a visit?”

“That would be mine, if my memory’s anything to go by.” Rekka answered, sighing.

“I checked the calendar. It’s your day.” Koto confirmed with a nod, the thing levitating next to her. Indeed, there had yet to be a red x on the currently-empty box that read ‘first of July.’

“Any status on the rains?” Raki asked, finishing up her bowl afterwards.

“Should be here this Wednesday.” Yuuki answered, also cleaning what little she had left of her meal.

Nagare slammed a hoof on the table. “The storm should be here sooner!” He cried, eyes narrowing low.

“They’re working on it. I know, not fast enough, and soon it’ll skyrocket to oven heat, but cut Cloudsdale some slack. They bake quicker than we do down here, since they're closer to the sun, if my memory of how the atmosphere works is anything to go by.” Yuuki moaned, shaking her head.

The green pegasus calmed himself, breathing in and out. He retracted his hoof as this was done.

“Are you okay, Nagare?” Tenmei asked, looking at his fellow stallion. “You haven’t been yourself since this morning.”

“Just...I don’t know at this point.” The pegasus replied, frowning and shaking his head. “Maybe it’ll go away, whatever it is.”

“True, but…” Tenmei trailed off, eyes briefly flashing with worry.

All paused, hearing hooves hitting stone--as well as something akin to a metal weight hitting the same thing--permeated the area. In sauntered Yoneko, bags under her somewhat-dimmed eyes.

“I...I don’t feel so good…” She moaned, collapsing onto the floor in an instant. Her wings twitched just slightly, yet some feathers loosened from their frames.

Raki sighed, her horn flashing for a brief moment in magic. From nowhere came a strange mix between a gurney and a pony, the legs dangling uselessly from the sides and the face where a pillow would be if it were laid to one side. The face also had a horn, and it used its own magic to lift the cyborg off her stone nap and onto its frame before wheeling itself away. “I’m gonna run a temperature check on her now and make sure she doesn’t have a fever.” She said, getting up and galloping after the gurney.

“Hey, Nagare, if you need anything, I’m here for you.” Yuuki stated, giving her fellow pegasus a weak smile. The stallion nodded and smiled back.

“In more ways than one.” Rekka jeered, a smug grin adorning his muzzle.

Yuuki glared at the unicorn, her smile twitching now. “Can it, ya shiny fire hydrant.” She replied.

Rekka rudely rolled his eyes, his smile widening. “Make me, purple shamrock.” He stated.

The pegasus slammed her front hooves on the table, her wings spreading wide as she rose onto her back legs. “Excuse me?!” She cried, ears twitching as a red vein appeared on her forehead. In that instant, red-tinted magic gripped her firmly, keeping her entire body still.

The red-maned unicorn blew a raspberry at the pegasus, the smug look not leaving his face for a second.

“Guys, chill.” Tenmei murmured, finishing up his bowl afterwards.

Koto also finished her bowl in short order. She glared at her fellow unicorn, then directed her gaze to the pegasus. “Do I have to get out my boomerang again?” She asked.

In that instant, Rekka’s horn ceased glowing, and Yuuki sat back down in short order.

“Thought so.” The blue unicorn scoffed, shaking her head sadly.

Nagare also finished his bowl posthaste. “Are we all set?” He asked, shooting quick glances at everyone present.

Rekka finished what was in his bowl. “Yep.” He replied with a nod.

“May as well pay a second visit this week. If Kurei’s here…” Tenmei murmured, ear twitching. He moved a hoof to adjust his glasses a bit.

“Ditto.” Koto agreed with a nod of her head.

“I’ll prep the carriage, then. Someone tell Raki we’ll be gone a while.” Yuuki murmured, getting up and trotting away from the table.

The three wingless ponies, making sure to have their weapons with them, sat in the seats of the carriage as the two pegasi pulled it in the sky with all their strength. The wind blew in their manes, the mid-dawn sunlight lighting the way to town. The carriage descended onto the ground in a smooth halt on the outskirts of Ponyville. The pegasi undid the harnesses before donning their weapons in scabbard and saddlebag and trotting with the other three towards town.

The quintuplet said not a word to one another up until they reached their destination--Kaguya’s house.

“Who knocks?” Tenmei asked, brow arched.

“I’ll do it.” Rekka answered, going up to the door and knocking with a hoof. He paused, hearing something gallop inside.

“Who is it?” Called a young, masculine voice.

The unicorn looked at the others, brow arched. They nodded back before he glanced at the door again. “Hey, uh, it’s Rekka, and I brought my friends.” He said, biting his lip.

The door opened, and looking back at the group was Kaze. His fluffy mane was more ruffled than it was yesterday, he was lacking his red beret, and he flashed the group a warm smile. “Come on in!” He chimed, moving out of the way to let the visitors do just that. As soon as they were inside and the door was closed, the pegasus stallion found himself getting a neck-hug from the younger, lighter green pony.

“I think I’m suffocating…!” Nagare squeaked as the grip around his neck tightened. He began to flail his forelegs about to no avail for a moment before his hooves found the younger pony and tried to shove him off. Kaze let go, a cheeky grin on his face as the pegasus stumbled backwards onto his rump whilst he caught his breath.

The younger green pony looked at Rekka. “Hey there, ladybug! What’s going on today?” He asked.

The unicorn grimaced as his hoof connected with his face. “I am not a ladybug…” He grumbled.