//------------------------------// // Going to School and the Market // Story: To Fear A Predator // by Evowizard25 //------------------------------// An Inquisitor was a being of routine. At least, the good ones were. That was what Trixie was taught when she had been a lowly acolyte. Now she was an Inquisitor thanks to her own skill and her father’s influence. She was quite happy with her position, though her current assignment was proving to be more trouble then she would have liked. She scowled, 'Damn that Turner. He should answer to me and yet he still chooses to defy my position.’ Of course, Trixie knew she couldn’t do nearly as much here as she wanted to. There were rules and regulations. She smiled however. There were ways around them and all she needed was the right opportunity. Right now that would have to wait. She had an extremely important task before her. “How do you manage to mess up your mane so much every morning?” Trixie huffed as she combed down Cato’s hair. The little boy was sitting in front of a mirror as Trixie brushed him. Today would be his first day of school in Ponyville and he needed to look spectacular. “I’m sorry, Master.” Cato muttered. Trixie tutted, “Thankfully you have me to fix your mane. Otherwise I don’t know how you would survive.” She pulled her comb away, smiling at his reflection. He was wearing a standard military dress uniform. No medals or anything like that. Nothing too over the top. “You look great, Cato.” Cato turned his head to beam a winning smile, “Thank you, Master.” “What have I told you about calling me Master in private?” Trixie quirked an eyebrow. Cato bowed his head, “To not to.” Trixie smiled and kisses his cheek, “Good.” While she did enjoy being called such, she really didn’t like hearing him say it. It was a title since she was his Master in the sense of teaching him the ways of an Inquisitor. Still, she didn’t want that to be their only relationship. Dot trotted in with a backpack specifically made for a human. Since Equestria did boast a sizable human population, it wasn’t hard to acquire one. “Everything’s packed and ready to go.” Trixie nodded, “Good. You didn’t forget his lunch, did you?” Dot snorted, “As if I would forget. Our little boy isn’t going to go hungry if I can help it.” “Says the being who forgets to eat,” Trixie quipped. “Hey, I feed off of love.” Dot shrugged. “So that excuses the many times you forgot to bring the food to our picnics?” Trixie quirked an eyebrow. She smirked as he fidgeted with his hooves. “Now be a good changeling and take our little Cato to school.” She pulled the human boy into a hug and snuggled him. Cato blushed, “Master, stop it.” “Can’t I have some pre-school cuddles?” Trixie pouted. “Not if you want him to get on school in time,” Dot chuckled and helped Cato out of Trixie’s embrace, causing the mare to fold her forelegs in defeat. “I’ll be back shortly.” He gave her a kiss on the cheek. Trixie smiled, “Be sure that you do. We have quite a bit on our hooves if we’re going to fix this town.” _____________________________________________________________ On this bright and sunny day, Pizzelle made her way through the streets of Ponyville. She sorely missed the days when the town felt tight and full with a plethora of ponies to talk and gossip to and about. It made life interesting but she could understand why so many left. Ponyville always was a trouble magnet but that’s why she stayed here in the first place. Anyways, she could appreciate some elbow room. It was always nice to look on the bright side of things. As she neared the marketplace, the quiet atmosphere was shattered. Dozens of ponies were huddled together in the streets. The air was alight with whispers and shouting. Normally this would be a good thing in Pizzelle’s mind. She did love gossip after all, but something about this was off. The ponies seemed to be antsy and not in a good way. Pizzelle tapped on the whither of a local militia stallion, “Excuse me, I couldn’t help but wonder if you could tell me what’s going on. I know I can just fly over the crowd, but I know better then that. An antsy crowd is rather troublesome, that I can tell you. Why I remember-” “We’ve had a break in,” the militia pony spoke, clearly hoping to stop her story. Pizzelle frowned, “Oh dear, is everyone alright?” “No one was present when the break in occurred,” the militia answered. “We’re working on finding out who did this as we speak.” Pizzelle gave a sigh of relief, “That’s good to hear.” ‘We’ve lost far too many ponies as is.’ She decided to have a look for herself. Using her natural strength, she pushed her way through the crowd until she saw the local meat vendor's shop in shambles. “Sweet Celestia…” “The place is clear,” Thunderlane walked out of the shop, trailed by two other militia and one of the few sun priestesses besides Bon Bon in town. “No sign of any corruption or any of that sort.” “I don’t see why you’d go looking in my shop for that,” the meat vendor mare flared her wings. “I’m no crazy heretic and I doubt anypony would be stupid enough to try that stuff here… can they?” She worriedly looked to Thunderlane. Thunderlane smirked, “I sincerely doubt they’d try Ponyville a second time, isn’t that right?” He turned his head to his compatriots who nodded in answer. “We’ll find the culprits soon enough.” “It was probably that griffon,” another vendor mare snarled. “I saw the way that beaked cat was looking at my produce.” Thunderlane snorted, “I honestly doubt a griffon as old as him did all this. He’d probably break his back taking all the meat with him.” “He had an earth pony with him,” the meat vendor mare spoke up. “She’d be strong enough.” Pizzelle’s eyes widened as the crowd started to agree with her, “Now see here.” She marched forward until she got to the pair. “Let’s not go jumping to conclusions. We don’t have any proof that he did anything.” “He’s a griffon,” the meat vendor scoffed. “They’re all alike. They are viscious freaks that want to gobble us up for breakfast. I say we kick him out of town.” Some of the other ponies verbally agreed with her. “Nopony is kicking anypony out of town,” Thunderlane spoke up, narrowing his eyes at the crowd. “You are to go home and let the local law enforcements deal with the problem. So don’t get any funny ideas like forming a mob or anything like that.” He looked into the back, “So put down those pitchforks and torches!” A few disappointed ponies put down their mob supplies. “Patrols will be set up to find this perpetrator,” Thunderlane said. “And-” “Hold it!” The local police chief, Night Watch, marched right through the crowd with a few officers behind him. “This is a crime scene. You can’t be issuing orders or such about it. That’s my job.” Thunderlane narrowed his eyes, “I’ve already had my militia check the surrounding area and crime scene. Maybe if you were quicker you would have gotten here sooner.” Pizzelle sighed and rolled her eyes. Night Watch was a stubborn pony and his hatred of Thunderlane, for rather petty reasons mind you, seemed to have rubbed off on Thunderlane over the years. She got in between them, “Now there is no need to be angry with each other. We have more important things to worry about then blind accusations and arguing.” “And pray tell, what do you suggest?” Night Watch snorted. “Lady, I really don’t care about what you have to say. For all intents and purposes, you think a fox is the same thing as a colt. Excuse me if I find your say flimsy.” Pizzelle’s eyes widened at that. While Night Watch was a gruff, thick headed sort of pony, he had never talked to her with that sort of contempt before. She knew he’d still be miffed about Scootaloo getting hurt before, but she’d gotten better. ‘It was an accident.’ “Watch your tongue!” Thunderlane snarled and took a step forward. “She is a bearer of an Element. You will treat her with respect.” Night Watch snarled. He looked like he wanted to talk back to the younger stallion, but a glance to the other ponies present stopped that train of thought. Accusing a griffon was one thing. Acting like this to Pizzelle? The nice, homely local baker, element bearer, and doting parent of what many ponies considered a cute little fox. Well they didn’t seem to warm up to the act given their scowls. Even his subordinates seemed appalled by his little outburst. He sighed, “Miss Pizzelle, I apologize.” He said through gritted teeth. Pizzelle nodded. That was the best that she was going to get out of him anyways. “Apology accepted.” Night Watch glared at her and Thunderlane, “My officers will take over this crime scene now.” “Do what you will,” Thunderlane let the older stallion pass. “I’m sorry you had to go through that, Miss Pizzelle.” “Don’t think anything of it, don’t think of it one bit.” Pizzelle waved him off with a wing. “He’s been on my case ever since our kids got into a little scuffle. I don’t see why. Kids fight and wrestle all the time. I think he’s just using this as a means to get off all his frustration. Poor dear.” “I wouldn’t try and sympathize with the old geezer,” Thunderlane snorted. “That will get you hurt one day. Anyways, you were with the griffon the other day, could you perhaps answer some questions?” Pizzelle nodded, “Of course.” ___________________________________________________________________ “Settle down, students.” Cheerilee hushed her class as she prepared to start a new day. She was thankful everything seemed to be calming down in town and getting back to some type of normalcy. ‘Knowing our present luck, it won’t last.’ She dourly thought. Still, she’d do her best to be chipper for her students. “Class is about to begin.” That’s when she heard a knock on the door. Cheerilee blinked in confusion, “Now who could that be?” She trotted over and opened it, gasping as she saw who was behind it. A changeling and a human boy. Both of them were wearing Inquisitorial outfits, “Good evening, Miss Cheerilee.” The changeling said, bowing his head. The human matched his motion. “I was wondering if I could talk to you.” Cheerilee stared at him for a moment, before she started to talk. “I’m sure we can talk when the students take their recess break.” The changeling shook his head, “I’m afraid I can’t wait that long. You see, Inquisitor Trixie would like Cato here to attend your class today.” Cheerilee’s eyes widened, “What?” “She wants you to teach him just like you would teach any of these fine students you have here,” he motioned towards the little ponies around them. The changeling smiled at her. “I’m sure that won’t be a problem.” Cheerilee furrowed her brow, “I’m sorry Inquisitor, there are rules and regulations about this sort of thing. If you come by later, you can sign a few admission slips and he can start next week.” The changeling frowned, “I’m afraid that we won’t wait that long. He starts today.” He held up a hoof to silence her. His horn lit up and a little data crystal was lifted out of his breast pocket. He tapped the crystal with his hoof and it started to shine. It spun around, floating to the ground. Suddenly, a ghostly visage of Inquisitor Trixie appeared out of the crystal. It was a full sized hologram, Cheerilee realized. Such projections were a little harder to pull off so most data crystals just used verbal messages. The visage looked down her nose at her. “This is Inquisitor Trixie of the Ordo Hereticus.” The hologram started. “My apprentice Cato shall be attending your classes for the foreseeable future. You are to treat him as you would any other student. If I find so much as one hair plucked from his head, I will raze your school to the ground and have you executed. This is an order, Miss Cheerilee and a fact. I’d hate to see Ponyville lose such a capable teacher.” The hologram stopped and the visage disappeared. Cheerilee gulped. An Inquisitor’s order was to be heeded without question. “Miss Cheerilee,” the changeling sighed. “I don’t like forcing ponies to do what I want, but this is what Inquisitor Trixie wants. So Cato is to start today.” “Very well,” Cheerilee nodded. ‘Might as well. I don’t lose anything by teaching him and I already have to teach a kitsune. A human shouldn’t be any trouble.’ She smiled at Cato, “Hello, Cato.” The child moved forward and gave a crisp salute, “Acolyte Inquisitor Cato reporting for class, ma’am.” “There’s no need for that here, Cato.” Cheerilee stated. “Please take a seat and we’ll start class. You’re lucky the school year just started so you won’t have to worry about catching up.” She looked over at the changeling. “He has been properly educated, right mr…” “Dot,” the changeling chuckled. “Sorry about not introducing myself before. I’ve got a lot on my mind. Anyways, yes he has. He shouldn’t have any trouble following the studies.” He started to walk back out the door. “I’ll be back later to pick him up.” Cheerilee’s smile faltered as she tried to think over her situation, but she shook those thoughts away. She had a class to teach and that came first. The education of Equestria’s youth was extremely important. As she watched Cato quietly take a seat for himself, she hoped that this wouldn’t end up in some disaster. Hope wasn’t a guarantee, but it was all she had.