Carnivore

by Recteik Shade

Nopony Cares

The Baltimare Train Station sat on a high ridge overlooking the valley the city sat in. The reason for this was two fold. First, it was ludicrously difficult to get a train going fast enough to get up the steep incline of hills that surrounded the medium sized ocean city. The second reason was to make a good first impression on the tourists that frequented the cities cruiseliners. It apparently worked, seeing as Baltimare was considered the most beautiful port city in all of Equestria.

As the noonday train pulled into the terminal, there was a flood of activity as the many doors opened. Unicorn and Earth Ponies rushed onto the platform while several Pegasi fluttered about in the air. Even a family of Crystal Ponies clambered off the locomotive, dragging what had to be everything they owned. Their daughter gasped and flung herself against the guardrail as she saw the limestone city sweeping towards the sea.

Nearby a pegasus had stepped off the train in time to see the filly’s excitement and couldn't resist the urge to chuckle to himself. 'I still remember the first time I saw this city. I was just as slack jawed as she is.'

It had been almost twelve years since he had first laid eyes on this city. It was still ten times the sight that San Pransisco was. He watched as the rest of the family came up and stared down at the city in wonder. "Here it is, Pearl," the Crystal stallion said, reaching down to wrap a foreleg around his daughter, "Our new home."

The Pegasus felt a smile spread across his face. He had read that, since the Crystal Empire’s return, some Crystal Ponies found they just couldn't stay and left for Equestria. 'Too many bad memories I'd wager,' the Pegasus thought to himself, 'If only half of what I've heard about that Sombra brute is true, I cannot say I blame them for leaving.' He strolled over to the ledge and gave a happy sigh. "I never get tired of that view."

The stallion looked over at him quirking an eyebrow. The Pegasus knew he looked rather odd. He was short and lean, almost to the point of being spindly, forest green Pegasus with dull brown eyes and a mahogany colored mane. His wings pressed tight against battered and abused saddlebags that looked ready to rip open if a small butterfly were to land on it. Even his Cutie Mark was especially strange. It resembled the marks a bear’s claw would leave on a tree. However, in spite of all this, the Crystal Pony spoke to him. "You live here?"

The Pegasus’ smile got a little wider. "I do indeed. Welcome to Baltimare, the most beautiful city in all of Equestria." He extended his hoof to the stallion. "Cumulus Granted."

The Crystal Pony smiled and gave a firm hoofshake. "Adamant Sparks." He motioned to the the mare beside him. "This is my wife Gypsum-" he squeezed the filly in his foreleg a little tighter "-and our daughter Pearl."

Cumulus put on his most charming smile. "A pleasure to make your acquaintance."
"Are you very familiar with the city, Mr. Granted?" asked Gypsum, who began to rummage through her bags until she pulled out a small slip of paper. "Would you know where to find-" she stared at the paper "-4913 Trotter St.?"

Cumulus couldn’t help but laugh as she read the address. "I know Trotter St. very well. It's where some of the dorms for the university are."

The mare seemed to perk up hearing that he was familiar with the local college. "I take it you are a graduate of the university?"

He smiled and nodded. "A graduate and researcher. I was just returning to reveal my latest research." He paused as a notion entered his mind. "Say? Why not share a cab?" They both gave him a suspicious look. "In all honesty, I've never met a Crystal Pony. I'd love to pick your brain about your culture."

He saw them exchange a worried look. Realizing that they thought he was going to ask about Sombra, he let his smile drop. "Although, I can imagine there are one or two topics you might wish to steer away from."

He saw them relax and give a collective sigh of relief. "That sounds nice,” Gypsum replied, “It would be good to learn a little more about the city too."

With that, they all moved towards the entrance to the station. The going was slow, seeing as the couple were toting all their belongings. Cumulus had offered to assist them, but they declined.
The station was louder and more crowded than it should have been. Fortunately, almost everyone seemed to be leaving and, as a large group of ponies passed them to head towards the platform, the noise level dropped to a more pleasant volume.

Feeling a light tap on his shoulder, Cumulus looked down to see Pearl giving him a curious look. “Yes, little one?” he asked, “Did you need something?”

The young filly smiled back at him. "What do you teach, mister?"

Cumulus smiled, happy to share his knowledge. "Well, actually, I don't teach. I'm a researcher, which means it's my job to go out and learn about certain things within my own field. I then bring what I have learned back to the University, so it can be taught to students eager to learn what I have observed." When she gave him a confused look, he chuckled lightly. "But, if you are curious about what I study, I would be happy to share." He saw her nod. "Well, basically I study the predators of Equestria."

" What's a pred-eater?" she asked, clearly baffled.

He chuckled again. "No, pred-at-tors. Predators are animals that eat meat and actively hunt other animals as food."

The filly gasped. " You watch monsters?!"

His smile faltered a little. "That is what most ponies seem to think of them as isn't it? But, in truth little one, predators are no more monsters than dogs or cats are."

"Huh?” she asked, “What does that mean?"

He smiled again. "Well, would you call a puppy a monster?"

She giggled. "No.”

"How about a fluffy cat?” he asked, keeping his tone jovial. “Would you say that is a monster?"

"Of course not!" She squeaked with some fierceness.

He smiled wide. “Well, guess what Pearl. Both of those animals are predators."

Her eyes went wide at this. "No way!" She had an awed tone in her high pitched voice.

He laughed. "Yes way. Dogs are descendants of wolves and house cats are just small wild cats that chose to live with ponies a long time ago because we fed them."

As they walked out of the station and onto the street she smiled up at him. "Wow mister! You sure know a lot about those pred-eaters!"

He laughed again. "They are my passion. It is all I ever thought about as a colt." He raised a foreleg into the air and waved it about madly. "TAXI!!!"

Pearl was so surprised when he shouted that she scrambled back and tripped on her own tail. Cumulus hadn't noticed as his hail had been successful. A black wooden coach pulled up in front of the little group pulled by a large Earth Pony stallion.

The coach driver nodded to Cumulus. "Afternoon, sir. Where to?"

He returned the nod and smile. "Afternoon. I will be sharing the stage with these fine ponies and will be heading to the 4900 block of Trotter St., then to the University."

The driver smiled as he unhooked himself to help Adamant stow their luggage. He paused and looked the family over.
"Crystal Ponies, huh? Welcome to Baltimare. Planning on staying long?" Glancing at their luggage, he gave a smirk that said he already knew the answer.

"Yes, my wife is going to attend the University," Adamant said, beaming at the mare.

The driver smiled at Gypsum. "Nice! Baltimare U is one of the finest schools in Equestria."

As they finished loading the family’s belongings, the cab driver opened the door for them. "Right this way." After helping them into the cab, he reattached himself to the harness and began to pull them along. After finding a good pace, he called back, "Next stop: Trotter Street."

---

"So your telling me that that tyrant made himself up to look like your first king in an attempt to inspire hope?" Cumulus asked, completely dumbfounded. It had taken nearly an hour to reach Trotter St. and, in that time, he had made small talk with the charming little family. Eventually they started to reveal some details of Sombra's rise to power without his prompting.

"Yes,” Gypsum's melodic voice answered from the cab’s trunk, "and it worked. When he rose to take the throne, the whole kingdom celebrated." She stepped away with the last bag on her back. "What we didn't know was that he used dark magic to do it. It was only two months after his coronation that he went mad an-" She stopped dead in her tracks. Her eyes were scrunched shut and she was shaking violently.

Adamant was by her side in seconds and wrapped in a hug. "The things he did," she muttered as her husband stroked her mane.

When Cumulus saw her coat start to lose it crystalline luster, he started to worry. "I am so sorry!" he blurted, rushing to them, “"I did not mean to dredge up old demons!" This action even earning a look of sympathy from the cab driver.

"No, it's nothing you did," Adamant replied, still trying to comfort his wife, "Gypsum had to endure the worst of that maniac!"

From the way that Adamant stressed the word ‘worse’, it gave Cumulus a feeling as to what she had been subject to. When he mouthed the word 'concubine', Adamant simply nodded in reply. Seeing that admission made Cumulus’ stomach churn at the very notion of it.

After Cumulus paid the fare and asked the stallion to wait, he turned back to the quaking mare. He lightly strolled up to the young family wearing a sad expression. After what felt like an eternity, he finally worked up the nerve to speak. "Miss Gypsum?"

She turned her gaze to him, still shaking a bit. "I feel terrible about this. Truly, I do. I insist that I treat you and your family to dinner."

She gave him a small smile. "That's very sweet, but you really don't have to do that."

He shook his head adamantly. "I am sorry, but I just cannot take ‘no’ for an answer. Had I been able to control my blasted curiosity, we would have never broached the subject." Seeing that she was about to argue, he added, "And I do make a delicious chowder."

"I've never had chowder before," squeaked Pearl.

The mare looked between Cumulus and her daughter a few times before she sighed defeatedly. "Well alright, if you insist."

"Excellent," piped Cumulus happily. "Tomorrow night then?" The two ponies nodded their response. "I'll send a cab around seven. Forgive me, but I fear I have kept Professor Snapper waiting for far too long. Until then."
Heading back for the cab, he addressed the driver. "Now then my fine stallion, onto the University.

---

The corridors of the University seemed more crowded than usual as Cumulus moved with the bulk of the student body. Unfortunately for him, no one gave him a second thought as they pushed in uncomfortably around him. The only bright side to being in this situation was that he wasn't in any sort of hurry. 'Leave it to me to show just when everypony is leaving,' he griped to himself.

After squeezing between two unusually loud young stallions, he found the door leading into Professor Snapper’s office. Deciding that kissing it gratefully was undignifying, he opted to simply tap lightly tapped upon it.

"Enter!" barked a raspy sounding voice.

He pushed the door open and smiled, seeing an old wiry gryphon turn and raise a pair of impossibly thick glasses to this eyes. "Thatius Snapper! Is that you, you old buzzard!?"

"Well that sounds like," the gryphon known as Snapper squawked as Cumulus closed the door. His eyes widened in recognition, giving way to a scowl. "Doctor Granted! Haven't you ended up on the wrong side of a hydra gullet yet?"

Cumulus scowled back at the aged hybrid. "I see you haven't ended up roasted with side of potatoes yet."

The two continued to scowl at each other for a minute, but soon both began to smirk and snicker giving way to raucous laughter. Cumulus approached the gryphon wrapping him in a mutual embrace. "It's good to see you again, Professor!"

"I could say the same, Cumulus!” Snapper stated as the two parted, “ Bless my beak! What's it been, five years?"

"Six, actually."

The old gryphon clicked his beak. "Has it really? All that time in the Everfree. I am impressed. Where did you center yourself? Ponyville?"

Cumulus made a dismissive gesture with his hoof. "Neighntucket, actually. It is the smallest town bordering the Everfree and, as a result, has the most incursions." He chuckled. "Charming little village. Only a hundred and fifty residents total. That's not even a tenth of Ponyville’s population."

Snapper removed his glasses and wiped them with a cloth. "As I recall, it's fairly far off the beaten path too." He sighed and glanced out the window. From his office Professor Snapper had a marvelous view of the bay.
"Suppose you had your pick of the mares out there."

The pegasus guffawed. "Heavens no. I was far too preoccupied with my research to go chasing mares. Speaking of which-" he delicately lifted his wings off his saddlebags, "-there was a mare there. Pretty little Unicorn. She had a colt, but her husband had been killed in one of the attacks shortly before he was born. I suppose you could say we fancied each other, but nothing ever came of it. She got married last year, even invited me to the wedding. She was always so kind, but now on to my research." After a minute or so of looking, he pulled a few folders out of the tattered bag.

"Cumulus."

"Timber Wolf procreation remains an elusive enigma," He said, flipping through a few sheets, "but I'm confident I can piece it together."

"Cumulus..."

"However, the Manticores were where I made my biggest strides."

"Cumulus!"

"Their social structure is fascinating! I also believe I have a solid theory as to why they attack Neighntucket so often. It seems they have a den less than a quarter mile from the village. If we could find some way to relocate them, I am certain that would reduce the frequency of attacks by forty-"

"Cumulus!" Snapper shouted, ending the stallion’s lecture.

After Granted recovered from flinching, he gave the old gryphon a curious look. "Is something wrong Professor?"

Snapper just shook his head and gave him a sad smile. "You should have chased that mare, lad. If you had, then this would have been a little less painful."

Cumulus scoffed. "Oh come now, Professor! That's hardly important right now." He started to shuffle through his papers again, having missed what the gryphon had just said. "My research is far-"

"Your research is over lad!" squawked Snapper.

Cumulus blinked in confusion. "I beg your pardon? How can it be over? I have barely scratched the surface!"

Snapper sighed. "While you were gone, there was a change of hooves. Several new ponies have joined the Board of Trustees and many of them believe that your research is nothing more than a waste of the University’s time and money. I tried my best to convince them for you, lad. Truly, I did-" he sighed again "-However, they say that since there is an Alicorn living so close to the Everfree, the monster won't dare come out anymore."

As Cumulus listened to him, he felt the the world shattering around him. 'Over!? How can this be it? This is my life's work, my passion! There has to be something I can do to convince them!'

"Fortunately, I was able to get you a small concession," the Professor stated in a flat tone, "I was able to convince them to let you keep the remainder of your current grant and reclassify it as a ‘retirement gift’."

"Retirement!?" he shouted, "I'm not even thirty! No! No, no I'll go to the Dean! Show him my findings! Try to-"

"Weren't you listening lad?” Snapper asked in a pained voice, “The Dean himself cast the tie breaker vote. I'm sorry lad, but it's over."

Cumulus was dumbstruck. How could it end like this? He had to do something, but what could he possibly do that Snapper had not already tried? He stood n his old mentor’s office, tears pouring down his cheeks. For the first time in his life, Cumulus Granted did not know what to do.

Comments

[Dartagnen]

Remake? I like it. ANOTHER!

[balletdivagirl]

A few minor grammatical errors, but very well done overall!

[Kilobytes]

Just started reading - already loving it.