The Band

The leader of the band was Rupert.

Rupert was a tall skinny lad with cat like, golden eyes and bulging pupils. His dark brown hair was straggly, riding down his neck like a sort of mane. By his side, he carried a small sword, but he didn’t really need it, for he had the Unicorns for defense.

The oldest of the Unicorns was a female named Jaines. Her fur was a deep and sparkling white, as pure as the snow that used to fall, and her mane was creamy ivory, cascading over her unblemished, strong neck. The horn on the center of her forehead sparkled, and danced with rainbows, as she stood fantasizing, dreaming in the heat of the day.

Jaines had two brothers, named Casen and Rize. The two were twins- but they were far from identical. Casen was brown with white socks, and his mane was black, his horn such a wonderful ebony, it looked like it had been cut out of stone itself. He walked behind the others, watching, listening, and learning...every sound the matter between life and death.

Rize was a sparkling white with reddish brown splotches, and his horn was patterned in the same way. His mane, white and speckled with dots of silver, gleamed in the light as he pranced down the road in a show offy manner, knowing anybody who happened to catch a glimpse of him would only stop to stare in awe and amazement.

***

Of course people were jealous of the Unicorns, and Rupert for having a trio that followed him obediently. Unicorns were fabled creatures, beautiful, and filled to the brim with magic. Rupert’s Unicorns, however, did not know how to control their magic. Often, bits of the stuff flew from their bodies in the form of blue and green sparks, but the Unicorns could do nothing with it. Quite frankly, it annoyed them, Rize especially. It wasn’t like he could get a decent look at his reflection if blue and green sparks were constantly crowding his line of vision.

***

“You have to keep your head down,” Rupert murmured to Rize. They were trying to move as quickly as possible for Rupert had heard that this part of town was extremely dangerous. So far, however, there had been nothing so far as a cat walking along a wooden fence. It was as though the area was deserted.

The Unicorn shook his mane. He would never think of putting his head down. He was too proud for that. But since this was Rupert, and he was the reason why he wasn’t starving right now, he decided to make an exception.

“Almost there,” Rupert mumbled.

Jaines neighed softly, and Casen said nothing, only stopped to look back. Rize only gave a sigh of relief. Now he would be able to lift his head up again. Prance that wonderful prance again.

But just as they got to a corner, Rupert stopped.

“Do you hear that?” he muttered. Jaines raised her head. The only sound she heard was wedding bells. She had been fantasizing again. Casen pricked his ears forward eagerly, and Rize tiptoed ahead. “There’s someone out there,” he was muttering, “There’s someone out there!”

“Course there is,” Jaines sighed, “Now there’ll be someone that you can show off all the angles of your pretty body to.” Rize greatly annoyed Jaines sometimes.

Rize only ignored her, and then there was a crack in the underbrush and a little man came forward.

“Heads down!” Rupert ordered between his teeth. All the Unicorns obeyed.

The man was walking towards them now, and when he was a foot away, he appeared much bigger. He had little glass spectacles that barely fit his face, and a large, awkward shaped nose. His eyes were greenish blue, his skin was deeply tanned and rather wrinkled.

“What are you doing?” Rupert demanded, starting to draw his sword.

The man smiled at Rupert. “There will be no need for that,” he said in a light tone.

Rupert was unsure, but he tucked the weapon away. His hand still quivered however, wanting badly to touch the weapon. There was something very suspicious about the man, but he had to try his best to be friendly.

It was, after all, in the code that they followed-

1. Help ones who need help, as there may be a bargain involved

2. Make wise decisions

3. Know your way around strangers. At least ‘pretend’ to be friendly

4. Always keep a sharp look out. Watch for body language and other small details, as there is no way of knowing if one is a friend or enemy

5. Put the Band first and foremost. Always base any action upon the Band’s benefit.

And so there they were, the five rules that governed their pack. Rupert went over them carefully, watching the man from the corner of his eye as he did so.

Finally, he took a deep breath, and said shortly, thinking all the while, “Awful nice day, isn’t it?”
The man chuckled under his breath. “Usually, you wouldn’t use those two words in the same sentence,” he said. “But I got to agree.” Sighing pleasantly, he looked up at the sky, which was a molten grey, complete with fat clouds, that looked like they were going to burst into rain any second.

“Say,” said the man, changing the tone in his voice as he moved onto another topic, “Those are some pretty nice ponies you got there. Thinkin bout selling them?”
Directly behind Rupert, Rize’s head raised slightly. He stared at the man, aghast that he would even think Rupert would do such a thing. His eyeballs were threatening to bulge out of his head, his jaw dropping nearly to the ground.

Rupert was thinking, Ponies? Really? To himself, as he was sure the Unicorns would be too. But instead of speaking aloud, he gave a short cough and said, “Nope, sorry. They’re mine.”

The man hid his disappointment with a quick hand. “I’d be willing to pay you a pretty penny for them,” he said, his voice rising in pitch.

“Pretty penny.” Jaines scoffed quietly.

“No, no,” said Rupert, gesturing wildly, “We really got to skedaddle. Tired, thirsty. We’ve had a long day.” Rupert started to move, and beckoned for the Unicorns to follow.

“Well, that’s a real shame,” the man started to grin, his yellow brown teeth dull in the light.

Rupert suddenly felt as though he recognized the man. Oh no, he thought, It can’t be.

And then the man transformed, growing taller, younger, until he was staring down at Rupert, dressed totally in a black uniform and a top hat to boot. He was twirling the ends of his long rusty brown mustache, his green cat eyes focused in on Rupert’s face.

Jaines let out a startled cry. Even Casen raised his timid head from the ground.
“Snotballs,” Rize grumbled. “Not this again.”

“I was thinking I’d find you here,” the man growled, “You and your band.” He stepped forward and grabbed Rize by his horn, forcing him to stare into his eyes. The unicorn grew utterly terrified, which was unusual for him. When the man finally let go, his head snapped to the front, and his teeth began to chatter, from top to bottom.

“I told you, Kato,” said Rupert, his voice rising in pitch with every word, “To stay away from us!” Rupert walked towards the man in black, advancing with long strides. Even though it was not likely he could best Kato in a sword match, he snatched his weapon from his belt anyway, tossing it eagerly from hand to hand. Casen, Jaines, and Rize stood at attention, pawing the ground with the same eagerness that Rupert pretended to feel.

Kato simply snarled, and he snatched his own sword, pointing it at Rupert, “You know, boy, that I am a much better sword fighter than you. It was pure luck that you escaped last time. Pure luck.” He drew the final word out, rolling it around on his tongue.

Rupert looked nervously back at the Band. They were willing to fight for him, he knew. Anger raced through his veins. If he killed Kato, there would be no more fighting. No more anything. The Band and he could live in peace. He smiled in anticipation.

Rupert made the first thrust with his sword, but as their swords clashed with a metallic twang, the tone rang true, loud and clear that he was a very poor swordsman. His weapon was very nearly useless to him.
Kato parried his first blow easily. Rupert felt a build up of pressure on his arms, as Kato held down, pressing with a massive strength behind his sword. Pain sliced through him. All this running around all day, and still horribly weak.

Now Kato had him. As Rupert concentrated on the pain filling his body, Kato broke contact and dealt an overhand blow with his sword, right at his heart. Rupert would have died right then and there, had it not been for Rize.

In a whir of motion, the Unicorn jumped to his feet. He soared over Rupert, front hooves knocking Kato onto the ground. As the man fell, Rize jumped clear, stumbling across the rocks, until he faced his friend.

“On my back,” the Unicorn said, “And quickly. You know he’ll be after us.”
Rupert hurried towards Rize, and threw himself onto him, feeling the sleek and sturdiness of the Unicorn’s bulk. Once he was secure, Rize dashed down the road, his horn radiating power. Blue and green sparks flew from his body.

Rupert heard the clip clop of the other Unicorn’s hooves behind them. Rize pressed on, faster and faster, and Jaines and Casen followed his lead.

They made quick time, and for a moment Rupert was sure he had lost Kato. But he was wrong.

“He’s there.”
“What?” Rupert spluttered, leaning closer to Rize.

“He’s behind us. Guess he rented a horse at the barn or something,” Rize said, with a surprising calmness about him, “Stupid pack pony. Thinks it can outrun a Unicorn.”

Rize picked up the speed, and his hooves seemed to fly across the Earth.

“You can’t Rize!” Rupert yelled, stricken, “You’re going too fast for the others!”
“Think I care about the others?” Rize screamed. “No! I’m getting you and me out of here! The only reason you’re getting a free ride out is because you’re the one who buys the food.”

“No!” Rupert tried desperately to turn Rize around with his heels, but it was useless.

“Don’t kick me, human,” Rize warned, “One more time, and I dump you. Dead man out there. Trampled to death.”

“Rize, you listen to me!” Rupert screamed, running out of air, “I’m your master. I could have left you dying in the dirt. But I didn’t. You remember how I cared for you…” Rupert paused, not sure if he himself could remember. It seemed so long ago, when he had found Rize and his siblings in the grove behind the makeshift shack that was his home at the time. He remembered how willing Rize had been. How excited he had been to be in a Band with a human and his two siblings. But now, Rize seemed distant. Caught up in himself. Rupert’s tone was hesitant, as he added meekly, “Don’t you?”

“No, I was a foal, a baby. How could I?” Rize muttered, but Rupert detected a note of melancholy in his voice.

“Slow down Rize,” Rupert said softly, squeezing his sides lightly, “Please.”
“No,” Rize said stiffly. His hooves scrabbled up a large boulder, and he leaped into the air once he had reached the top. He stumbled as he hit the ground, but righted himself before he fell and lost the head start all together. They were nearing the woods now. The trees loomed in front of them, tall and black against the gray sky. The whole place reeked of danger and fear, but Rize continued headlong without a seconds thought.

He leapt over logs, wound his lithe form between trees, and the only thing that stopped him was a noise. The tiniest noise that Rupert himself could barely even hear.

It was a whinny. Jaine’s whinny. And it wasn’t just any whinny. It was a fearful one, one that almost sounded like a scream.

Rize stopped his mad dash as if a switch on his back had been turned off. Slowly he turned his head back.

“Jaines…?” he mumbled, as if trying to remember his big sister for the first time in years.

“Rize, GO!” Rupert hissed. “She’s in danger!”

Finally Rize listened for once, and he whisked around, nearly dropping Rupert from the saddle. Trees went by in a blur, and the air rolled around them, cool and comforting. The air did nothing for Rupert however, who bounced awkwardly on the Unicorn’s back, holding tightly onto his brown and white patterned mane. After what seemed like a year, they emerged from the forest. Rupert was sweating, as was Rize, his entire back wet and rumpled.

Kato was stationary, sword held in his left hand, back turned, right hand going through motions, quickly tying strong knots, connecting Jaines and Casen to his mount. Rupert nearly lost his voice for a moment. When he finally opened his mouth, quivering with anger, a squeaky version of a rage filled “NO!” echoed from him, not even reaching Kato’s ears. Embarrassed, Rupert leaped Bond like from Rize’s back. It was a mistake. He landed flat on his chest with an “Oof”. Spasms of furious pain traveled through his body with electric like jolts. His arm, twisted in an unnatural position under him, throbbed hot red in the back of his mind. Each breath he took was short and painful, as his chest contracted steadily against the rocky ground.

“Rize…” Rupert moaned. “Help.”
But there was no answer. For Rize lay winded on the ground, panting, heart feeling like it was going to burst.

Rupert heard Jaines’s pitiful whinny, a last plea for help, and then there was a thump as the pack pony took the first few steps forward. Before long there were steady rhythm, beating itself to death inside Rupert’s head. The beat got quieter and quieter with each passing second, until finally it was gone.

“Rize,” Rupert moaned. “We need to go.” His throat ached as he weakly passed the message through his vocal chords.

“I can’t,” Rize breathed. “I’m too tired.”

“Too tired to save your friends, huh?” Rupert hissed. “You were the one who ran when you heard Jaines’s whinny!”
Rize wished he could run, but he had never felt so tired in his life. He felt that one more full sprint would be the last straw. His heart could only take so much.

“Go,” said Rupert, “Rize please! Remember the Fifth rule! Put the Band first. You need to stop thinking about yourself so much. You know you can run, Rize. Just do it.” Rupert was pleading, and he sounded like a child. But he knew that somehow, he had to change Rize’s mind.

“We are a band, Rize. We work together. Always together.”

Magic sparks flickered across Rize’s line of vision, as he lay on the ground. He took a deep breath.

“For the Band,” he muttered. “I get it.”

Then he got up, ignoring aching joints, and kneeled beside Rupert. He was about to simply say, “Get on,” but he was part of a Band. He needed to help as much as he could. Gently, Rize pulled Rupert’s collar, dragging him across the plain, until his head rested on his shoulder. Then with a final tug on the boy’s shirt, and a twist of his neck, until it was nearly curved so he was staring at his rump, Rize lifted Rupert a foot in the air and deposited him onto his back. Then he turned forward, and began to run. It wasn’t a fast run, but it would do the trick. He hoped anyway. Deep pants seemed to echo from his body. His heart burned, but he kept going, feeling Rupert’s body thump thump against his sweating neck. As the Unicorn raced across the plain, he was sure, after only running for five minutes, that he had lost him.

But then he heard a whinny. It was Jaines, and Casen. Crying out together.

Rize whinnied back, weakly and picked up the pace. Continue at this trot, and he’d risk losing them altogether. He had to keep going.

“Good job, Rize,” it was Rupert. “We’re almost there. We can get them.” He seemed to be gasping for air.

Never before had Rize run like this. His form seemed to shudder underneath him, as if it would like to collapse, but he knew he couldn’t stop. The pain that had started in his heart spread like wildfire through his entire body.

Rize simply used it as an excuse to go faster, ignoring the agony as best as he could. Finally, he crested a small hillock, and there, he could see a cloud of dust, growing more and more distant with each passing second.

Rize dove down the hill, using the downward motion to alter his speed. He was going fast, he could barely feel the ground. He could barely feel his legs.

“A fine racehorse you’d make,” Rupert said, not sarcastically.

Rize could not pay him any attention. He had to keep going. The ground was uneven and hilly, and Rize slipped once or twice, but quickly picked himself up again, panting, shaky, but still as fast as ever.

Finally he was less than a yard away from Casen, Jaines, and Kato. With a grunt he urged himself onward, and with a mighty leap, lunged towards the trio.

Kato saw Rize, and urged the pony onward, faster. But the poor thing couldn’t go much farther, what with carrying a man, and two struggling Unicorns.

Jaines whinnied in surprise, and Casen neighed in concern for her. As Rize rounded on them his horn mistakenly touched Jaine’s and then Casen knocked into them with his. Their horns were now meeting each other, and they sparked with blue and green magic. A steady stream of sparks departed from Rize’s horn and then spread into his two companion’s appendages. Heavy sparks flew from each Unicorn’s horn, and as the pony ran, they managed to keep up, their horns sticking to each other, as if by some unseen force.

Each Unicorn’s horn became thick with magic, until it was a throbbing, pulsing column of green and blue. Then there was a terrific shudder, as if there was an earthquake happening between them. Casen’s eyes grew worried. Rize, determined as ever, kept pressing on, until finally, he felt as if he would pass out.

There was a gigantic boom, and magic sped, as one, colossal force from each Unicorn’s horn. It thudded into Kato, knocking him from the pony, and severed Jaines’s and Casen’s bonds.

The Unicorns fell together, and Rupert slammed into Rize’s neck. They lay there for what seemed like hours, until finally Jaines spoke.

“Is everyone alright?”

Casen nodded plaintively, and Rupert holding his arm, nodded. Beneath him Rize made no movement.
“I’ll be fine,” said the boy. “Doesn’t hurt too much now.”
From the way he was grimacing, with his arm tightened to his chest, everyone could tell that he was lying.

“Well, I suppose we’ll just move on, won’t we,” said Jaines, getting up. Casen followed her. Rupert weakly detached himself from Rize’s saddle.

“No Kato to stop us now,” he said, trying to sound cheerful.

“What’s wrong Rupert?” Jaines asked firmly, her eyes narrowing in concern.

Rupert looked over at Rize. Tears were streaming down his face, and he made no effort to stop them.

Jaines and Casen hung their heads. “He’s dead,” the female Unicorn said weakly.

But then there was a grunt, a slight whinny, and Rupert gasped. Rize, head up, eyes alert, was staring at them.

“Not yet,” he murmured. “Not dead yet.” Closing his eyes, he gave a contented sigh. “We’re a band guys, and that’s that.”

Jaines, Rupert and Casen nodded. “A band,” they replied, and Rize grunted.

“I promise I’ll never leave. Till the very end.”

“Till the very end!” the rest of the band chorused.

And their cry carried off long into the night.