//------------------------------// // The First Ever Elemental Meeting // Story: To Fear A Predator // by Evowizard25 //------------------------------// History would mark this day as one for the history books. It was the start of something new. Something never seen before. It was a fresh start of an old idea not realized. This was the first of many momentous occasions that would incur from now on. For this was the first meeting of the Elements of Harmony. Six mares of different kinds who had come together to save Equestria. All of them now sat in a room, ready to discuss the current situation. Many more times would they convene together and aid the future of not just Equestria, but the entire planet. For all hinge on these mares. This day truly was important and thus was taken incredibly seriously. “”Strawberries are better than apples,” Lightning Dust crossed her forearms. Fiddlesticks stomped her hooves on the long table in Sunset’s living room, “HERESY!” When Lightning stuck out her tongue at her, Fiddlesticks jumped over to pummel the pegasus. “We just started this meeting,” Redheart groaned, rubbing her forehead. “And it’s already falling apart.” “Oh this reminds me of the time me and Presto attended a meeting some minotaur delegates,” Pizzelle started. “Let me tell you, they are quite prone to violence. Well not all the time, but-” Quickfix just shrugged and jumped into the fight, “Don’t forget about me.” Coco was just shyly trying to keep her head low, almost below the table. The same table Sunset was using to smack her head against, “I hate you all.” Smack, “I hate you all.” Smack, “I hate you all.” Truly, we are all in safe hooves. “Sunset,” Redheart glanced over at her friend. “Can’t you just use your magic to stop everypony?” Sunset paused her smackfest and looked over at Redheart, “... I’m glad I thought of that.” With that said, and an angry glare from Redheart, Sunset used her magic to stop the little brawl and put them back in their places. “But Ah was about to win,” Quickfix spoke. “No.” “But-” “No,” Sunset gestured her hoof down to the floor. “Stay.” Quickfix pouted and did as she was asked. “Good girl. I’ll remember to get you a treat later.” “Sometimes ah want to punch ye so hard,” Quickfix snorted. “That’s just a part of the friendship process,” Sunset smirked. ‘Or at least I think it is. I mean, it’s got to be a rule somewhere that wishing your friends bodily harm, and sometimes acting upon it, is a prerequisite of friendship. Else I’m just being a jerk and I can’t be a jerk. That’s just….. Okay, maybe we’re all a bit of jerks.’ “Alright everypony,” Redheart started. “Let’s get back on track. This isn’t a social meeting and before you saying anything, Fiddlesticks. Yes, we will go on that picnic you wanted.” Fiddlesticks grinned at that. She had been trying to get everyone to go out together more often, “Right now we are here to discuss a few things. Namely, what to do with the young mare over there.” She gestured to Suri Polomare. Said mare was leaning against the wall, eyeing them intently. “You know, when somepony says ‘young mare’, that’s usually a sign of patronizing.” Redheart ignored her, “Now is everypony up to speed?” Everyone else nodded, “Good, that means we can sort this out quicker.” She turned to Suri, “Could you be a dear and stand outside? This is just a meeting between us.” Suri nodded and walked out the door, closing it behind her. “Right,” Lightning nodded. “Short and sweet. Suri says he’s innocent, so he’s innocent. Okay everypony, let’s head down to the jail and get him out.” She stood up. “Sit yer bum down, ye git.” Quickfix scoffed. “The rest of us haven’t decided if she’s innocent or not.” Lightning scowled, “What are you talking about? I’ve known Suri since we were foals. She’s never lied to me and I don’t think she’d start doing that now.” “Well course ye don’t,” Quickfix snorted. “Yer Loyalty not Truth. Too loyal for yer own good, if’n ye ask me.” “What’s that supposed to mean?” “She’s a damned mercenary,” Quickfix scowled. “Who was trained by a griffon! They don’t give a flying fuck about loyalty or the truth. They are sellswords through and through and ah’ll be damned if’n Ah just take their words at face value.” “Calm down you two,” Redheart glared at the two of them. “We are here to judge them as a group and we can’t do that if we’re chewing each other’s heads off.” “Why do we need to talk about this?” Lightning seemed angry and confused. “She’s my friend.” “Your foalhood friend,” Redheart spoke up with a soft expression. “Ponies can change, Lightning.” “Not Suri,” Lightning snarled. Suri watched on as Lightning defended her. Her cheeks heated up as she lightly pranced in place with a giant smile on her face. Thankfully, nopony was looking at her. “Redheart is right, Lightning.” Fiddlesticks seemed a little somber when she spoke. She looked at Suri, “Some ponies can change… for the worst.” “Fiddlesticks?!!” Lightning recoiled. “How could you say that? You’re the friendliest pony I know. You should be by my side on this.” “I…” Fiddlesticks couldn’t meet her gaze. “Just trust me on this.” “Well I for one think Lightning is right,” Pizzelle spoke up firmly. “I have spoken with them myself and I can assure you, Suri means what she says.” “I…” Coco gulped and nodded. “She seems sincere.” Lightning nodded and smirked, “See? They agree with me. That’s three against two.” “Three against three,” Redheart raised a hoof. “I’m sorry, Lightning. I can’t just blindly follow you on this one. If they can choose to hunt a sapient, even that dragon, what stops them from attacking the town?” Lightning gaped at her, “Redheart…” Redheart had always had her back in the end. She practically raised her in a way and even though they didn’t always get along, Lightning thought she could trust her. Now… She turned to Sunset, “You have to see this is crazy. She’s a nice pony.” “She’s a mercenary,” Quickfix snarled. “They only act ‘nice’ when they have to be.” “Mercenaries aren’t bad people,” Pizzelle spoke up. “Some of them can be nice and gentle. It’s just their job to be ruthless. That doesn’t define them. I knew a number of mercenaries during my travels with Presto. There was this one charming stallion who was the nicest pony you could ever meet. Wouldn’t ever hurt a fly when he was off his job. Hated his job but it made plenty enough for his family.” “That still doesn’t change the fact that we have no evidence she’s telling the truth,” Redheart sighed. “I don’t want to be the bad mare here, but someone has to say it. There is ample evidence that Crowland Tempo is the culprit.” The door suddenly swung open. “That’s a lie!” Suri shouted, stomping her hoof in anger. “It’s the truth,” Redheart met her stare evenly. “Until you can provide evidence for his innocence then I can’t with good conscious allow him to roam free.” Suri just glared at her before shutting the door. “Then we’re just giving Crowland up to Trixie?” Lightning growled. “Oh she’s not so bad,” Coco spoke up. “She and I have known each other a long time.” Lightning quirked an eyebrow, “So she’s your friend?” Coco winced, “Well… no.” ______________________________________________________ *many years ago* “Fight on!” A tiny Trixie shouted, waving a wooden sword with her magic. “Smash the foe to smitherins!” An even tinier Coco Pommel looked up over a pillow. A bunch of dragon and monster plushies were strewn out before them. She shook slightly in fear, “But… I don’t wanna smash. I wanna play something else.” Trixie glared at her, “Coward!” She raised a blocky wooden gun. “Bang! Bang. Bang.” The little filly couldn’t help but jump up and down as she ‘fired’ her toy gun. Coco eeped and dived down, whimpering slightly. ________________________________________________________________ “Playdates can be rough,” Redheart muttered, patting Coco’s back. “I’m sure she’s… changed.” “Right,” Lightning rolled her eyes. “I’m sure she has. That’s why she’s enforced this curfew and is getting Time Turner fired. Hay, I’ve heard she’s probably going to replace Thunderlane and Night Watch too.” “We don’t know that for certain,” Redheart counter argued. “Everyone is under a lot of stress these days and she’s simply doing what she feels is necessary.” “Oh come off it,” Lightning snarled. “You can’t honestly be defending her. Sunset, come on. Talk them out of this.” Sunset looked around at the other ponies. Her eyes conveyed her hesitancy, which confused the other ponies. She never seemed all that hesitant before to speak her mind. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. ‘Is this really happening? Being put on the spot between my friends and having to choose? I didn’t want to upset any of them again, not after what happened at the farm. Yet now I’m being forced to once again upset my friends. How did it come to this?’ Sunset mentally whimpered before she let out the long breath she was holding. ‘I’m going to have to do this. I can’t back down. Mother always said that you won’t please everyone. A princess must be decisive or they could hurt all those under their rule. I will not allow anyone to be hurt on my watch… Well except when it’s me that’s doing it but then it’s justified.’ Sunset’s eyes opened. Her eyes once again held the same fire she usually held, “Trixie isn’t a nice pony.” “See!” Lightning grinned in victory. Sunset lifted a hoof to silence her friend, “She’s not a nice pony. She can be cruel, selfish, and refuses to see the whole picture when it suits her.” “Kinda like you?” Fiddlesticks piped up. Sunset gave her a slight glare before sighing, “Kinda, but she’s a bit more… extreme than I could ever hope to be.” She winced slightly from previous encounters, “But she means well, I think. Not just that…” Sunset frowned, “We should trust her. The Council wouldn’t send her here for no reason.” “But the Council isn’t too fond of Time Turner,” Pizzelle spoke up. “I’ve heard enough about them to know that they’d do anything to take him down a notch or several.” “They wouldn’t risk our lives in such a petty manner,” Sunset scoffed. “Besides, this shouldn’t concern us.” “It shouldn’t concern you?!!” Lightning stomped her hooves on the table. “Suri says he’s innocent of attacking Ponyville and you’re just going to let him rot?” “Inquisitor Trixie has authority in Ponyville now,” Sunset shot back. “What she says go. I am going to trust that she’s competent enough to know what she’s doing. This problem isn’t of our concern.” “But he’s innocent-” “Quickfix was right,” Sunset cut her off. “They are mercenaries. Not to mention a mercenary griffon. We can’t just blindly trust them. They could be planning to stab us in the backs and run for it. We’ll let Trixie sort this out.” “Where did that awesome princess go, huh?” Lightning bore her fangs. “You know, the one who would take everything into her own hooves and be damned with what everypony else said.” Sunset simply stared at her for a moment. Everything seemed to freeze in that moment before Sunset stood up from her chair, “Do you know what happens when I take things into my own hooves, Lightning?” Lightning blinked in confusion, “Uhhh… you get stuff done and be awesome?” “No,” Sunset shook her head. “I get others hurt. I burn my teachers. I burn classmates. I burn possessions. Everyone around me burns. Why do you think things got out of hoof in the orchard not long ago? Not to mention how many times you’ve been hurt because of me. My friends! I’m the reason you got hurt. Why you could have nearly died. You. Spike. Rodan. Everyone!” Sunset seethed. The air around her started to heat up as her aura started to seep out. “I don’t make good choices when it comes to others. I make horrible choices. Choices that hurt everyone, Lightning. I will not make anymore. Not now. Let Trixie make the choices. Let her be the one who wins or loses. Let her be the one that has to get dirty to get the job done. I just want to relax and be slightly annoyed and happy as I spend time with my friends. I just want a simple life without something fucking it up! NO. I say NO. This isn’t my problem and it will be none of yours. I cast my vote to have that griffon stay behind bars. Let justice sort him out.” Sunset heaved. She wasn’t used to talking so much, especially at that volume, and briefly wondered how Pizzelle did it. Lightning had her face cast down at the table. It was hard to gouge what she was thinking. Sunset hoped that she would see what she was getting at. ‘She’ll see and then we can relax and have fun like friends do.’ That didn’t come. Instead, Lightning said, “You’re a coward.” Sunset’s eyes widened in shock, “Excuse me?” “I said you’re a coward,” Lightning dourly said. “You’re letting your fears get to you.” “I am-” “You want to keep us all safe, but you’re going to just someone die and do nothing. Seems like a pretty cowardly thing to me.” Sunset snarled, “Listen, I’m doing what’s best for all of us.” “You’re doing what’s best for you, not me. Not Crowland and not for Suri. Just you. I thought you were better than this, Sunset.” “I am. Now sit back down and we can-” “No,” Lightning stood up and made to leave. “I’m leaving. I’ll be back when you crawl out from your library and actually do something, coward.” With that said, she walked out of the room and slammed it closed. The others sat in silence for a moment. “So… we win, right?’ Quickfix spoke up, earning a punch to the shoulder and glare from Fiddlesticks. “Hey, I’m just asking.” “No one won that,” Pizzelle frowned. She turned to Sunset and noticed her legs wobbling slightly. “Deary? Are you alright?” “No…” Sunset softly whimpered. “I’m not.” _____________________________________________________________________ Pokey Pierce lightly knocked on the door to Inquisitor Trixie’s room. “Inquisitor Trixie? I wish to converse with you?” He frowned when he didn’t get an answer. He put his ear to the door and heard some thumps and grunts. ‘She must be training.’ With that thought in mind, he pushed open the door. “Inquisitor?” “WHAT?!!” A blue hoof shot up from behind the bed. “What is it that is so important that you’d barge into Inquisitor Trixie’s room?” Pokey blinked a few times, wondering if she had fallen over the bed or something. “I was just wishing to ask if you were ready to move on to your next phase.” “Ousting those two oafs from their positions?” Trixie grunted and gripped the sheets. “Stop that.” He heard her whisper, “And to answer your question, yes. You may take care of Chief Night Watch yourself. I shall take care of Thunderlane.” Pokey nodded, “Of course. Thank you, Inquisitor Trixie.” “You are very much welcome,” another voice, one he recognized as Dot’s, spoke up. “SHHHH!” The blue hoof came back down and evidently smacked him given the noise and ‘oomph’ of pain that emitted from the bed’s side. “Is that changeling with you, Inquisitor?” Pokey asked. “Pay Dot no mind,” Trixie nervously chuckled. Pokey really wished he could see what they were up to, but he dared not interrupt or come inside himself. “He’s just helping me with a few… things. Now go.” Pokey bowed and made to close the door, “As you wish, Inquisitor.” Right before he closed it, he could hear plainly one thing. “Dot, I told you to lock it.” “I didn’t think I needed to.” “Another mistake like that and I’ll have you sleeping with the pigs.” “How dreadful that would be. I’d rather cuddle this flank instead. Much cushier~” “Sh-shut up, idiot.” ‘A very odd couple,’ Pokey thought and smirked. ‘But just the right sort of odd.’