//------------------------------// // Another One Bites the... Surf? // Story: JAWS in Equestria // by SoulofLegend //------------------------------// Spike finally succeeded in opening the cumbersome beach umbrella he'd been wrestling with for the last fifteen minutes and planted it into the soft sand beside Rarity's beach towel. He wiped the beads of sweat trickling down his brow away and gave a satisfied grunt. "It's all set, Rarity!" he called. Rarity turned from the line to the cotton candy stand she and Fluttershy were standing in and raised her sunglasses. "Thank you ever so much, Spike darling," she replied with a dainty wave. "Do be a dear and fetch my fan, please." Eager to please, the little dragon grinned and started rummaging through the bag Rarity had packed for the beach that day. "Sandwiches, hoof filer, sunscreen... ah, here it is!" He snatched the paper fan up in his claws and raced to the nearby cotton candy stand, just happy to be of service to the elegant fashionista. "Thank you, slav- I mean, darling," Rarity cooed as Spike handed her the fan. "Goodness, it is really warm today," Fluttershy observed, fanning herself with a hoof. She couldn't help but stare at the cool surf a short distance away with a twinge of longing. Of course, nopony on the beach dared to enter the water after the events of the previous day. The atmosphere was noticeably less jubilant and there was a smaller crowd gathered than expected. For the most part though, the ponies there seemed to be having a good enough time. It seemed such a waste for all of that cool ocean water to go unappreciated... "Here you go, Fluttershy dear," Rarity said, snapping Fluttershy back from her thoughts and passing her a cone of cotton candy. The pegasus gratefully accepted the freshly-made confection and the two began trotting back to their beach towels. Fluttershy's eyes kept wandering to the surf splashing the shoreline and she thought of how nice it would feel just to go in for a bit. Turning back to Rarity, she saw her companion giving a perplexed expression from behind her sunglasses. "Darling, you aren't thinking what I think you're thinking, are you?" Rarity asked, concern drenching her voice. "Oh no, I... well," Fluttershy stumbled, racking her brain for words. "You mustn't think of going in there, dear," Rarity chided, "After what happened yesterday, I mean." "I know... I'm being silly." Fluttershy lowered her head. They reached their towels and Rarity plopped down with a sigh. Fluttershy swept her mane back and quietly munched on her cotton candy, remaining standing and gazing at the water with a transfixed expression. Rarity lowered her sunglasses and looked at Fluttershy. "Aren't you going to have a seat, darling?" Fluttershy kicked her hoof in the sand and squirmed. "I... I think I might go in the water, just for a bit." "Oh no, you mustn't!" Rarity cried, bolting upright. "What if that... thing is still out there?" "I'll stay in the shallows, I promise," Fluttershy replied. "It's just so hot, I can't stand it." Astounded, Rarity stared at Fluttershy for a moment before hesitantly replying, "at least take Spike with you so you aren't alone down there." Fluttershy nodded and smiled. "Don't worry, I'll be careful." Rarity sighed and called for Spike, who was off to the side making a sand castle with Pinkie Pie. She gave Fluttershy a worried look as the two made their way to the shoreline. "If anything happens to you, I shan't be held accountable!" she called after them. - - - - - - - - Twilight's pulse raced at a million miles a minute as she fought to keep up with Chief Brave Badge. Judging by the wheezing close behind her, City Slicker wasn't doing much better. The clatter of three sets of hooves against the smooth pavement was deafening and many tourists were giving the little group befuddled stares. "Out of the way!" the chief barked as they rushed through the confused crowd. Beyond the white picket fences and storefronts, Twilight could see the beach in the distance. She only hoped that they would make it before something else did. - - - - - - - - "You're cheating, Rainbow!" "Am not!" "And I say you are so!" Rarity groaned through gritted teeth at the banter between Rainbow Dash and Applejack as they shared yet another argument. The argument in question was over whether or not Rainbow had been using her wings to her advantage in a nice, friendly game of volleyball... and it had been going on for ten minutes. "It's not my fault I'm so awesome! You're just jealous 'cause you can't fly!" "You take that back!" "Enough!" Rarity shrieked, jumping up from her beach towel so quickly she sent a wave of sand flying. All eyes within fifty feet snapped to the enraged unicorn as she stomped over to Rainbow and Applejack, fumes of steam puffing from her nostrils. Rarity forced herself into her comrades' terrified faces and yelled at the top of her lungs, "I have had just enough of this! You two will cease and desist with this prattle at once, do I make myself clear?! I have had it!" With a swish of her finely groomed tail, she stomped back to her beach towel and left the two standing frozen in shock. Applejack finally mustered up the courage to kick her hoof about in the sand after a few minutes and cautiously whispered, "So... uh, my serve?" Rainbow slowly nodded. "Sure." The two resumed their game, gingerly striking the volleyball over the net and casting nervous glances in Rarity's direction. The fashionista however, removed the incident from her memory, as it is quite unladylike to hold a grudge. She instead turned her attention to Fluttershy and Spike, who were laughing and splashing in the surf not far from where she sat. Rarity took a deep breath and sipped from a cool glass of lemonade as she watched the two. She couldn't help but feel a teensy bit nervous for them, despite how unworried Fluttershy appeared to be. It seemed that others on the beach had begun to make their way into the water as well, their fears somewhat relieved by Fluttershy's bold decision. Rarity shrugged and reclined back onto her soft towel, trying her best to relax under the shade of the large umbrella. She closed her eyes and let the calming sound of crashing waves sooth her. The waves, the gulls, all so relaxing. The whisper of a gentle breeze, band music... Her moment of bliss was interrupted by a spray of sand pelting her from the side. "Oh, for Celestia's sake!" Rarity shrieked as she sat up and immediately began brushing herself off. She felt hooves firmly grab her shoulders and spin her about, bringing her face to face with a rather desperate-looking Twilight. "Rarity," Twilight wheezed, gasping for air, "have to leave... where are the others?" "Leave? Whatever do you mean, darling?" "No time... shark out there... where are the others?" "You're not making any sense, dear," Rarity said, a quizzical expression plastered on her face. "A shark?" The sharp screech of a whistle shattered the air, followed by the Chief of Police shouting at the top of his lungs, "Get everypony out of the water!" Rarity looked beyond the frantic Twilight before her and saw the chief darting back and forth in front of the surf, clumps of wet sand being thrown every which way in the commotion. A rather nerdy-looking, younger unicorn stallion galloped up to where the chief was and proceeded to join him in urging ponies out of the water. Turning back to her frazzled friend, Rarity asked, "Twilight, what's going on?" Before the alicorn could answer however, a sound nopony wanted to hear split the air. Screaming. - - - - - - - - Fluttershy was screaming. She was being yanked back and forth in the surf like a rag doll, the bloody water beneath her churning as though it was boiling. Spike was clinging desperately to her hooves as she was pulled through the water, a look of utter terror upon his face. The crowd of ponies gathered on the beach began running about and screaming in panic, grabbing their loved ones and clinging them tightly. Twilight let go of Rarity and bolted down towards the surf to join the chief and City Slicker, both of whom had charged into the water and were paddling to Fluttershy as quickly as they could. As she frantically tore into the cold ocean, Twilight felt the adrenaline course through her body, her heart threatening to tear through her chest as it ferociously pumped. "Fluttershy!" she called out as she paddled to get to her friend. Suddenly, Fluttershy was pulled under, leaving only Spike. "No!" the dragon shouted. He thrashed about in the blood and clumps of fur that still floated on the surface, looking for the pegasus. "Spike!" Twilight yelled, "Where is she?!" As if in response, Fluttershy lunged back up from the abyss, blood and various pieces of internal organs spewing from her screaming mouth. Spike latched back onto her flailing hooves and yelled, "I've got you, I've got you!" "Help me!" Fluttershy managed to gurgle out as she was ripped through the water. "Give me your hoof!" Chief Badge shouted as he reached her, extending his hoof out to her. She reached out to him, desperation in her terrified eyes, before she was once again pulled underwater. "Help!" Spike cried out as he fought to remain above, before he was dragged under as well. "NO!" Twilight hoarsely screamed as her assistant vanished from sight. She reached Brave Badge and City Slicker and joined them in frantically searching through the bloody surf for her friends. Yet, no matter how many times she dove under, hoping against hope that she would find them, she would only resurface covered in blood and some strands of pink mane. - - - - - - - - As the crowd panicked on the beach, Rarity lay on her beach towel, streaks of mascara trailing down her cheeks as she sobbed. "I told you not to go in the water!" she dramatically bawled.