“The Fluttershark - Part II: Behaviors”
Fluttersharks are very much like most sharks: aggressive; unpredictable; apex predators.
A fluttershark always attacks from below. With a powerful leap, they surface next to their victim, grab on with both front legs and then pull the victim under the water.
Unlike all other shark species, they do not hunt to kill. They are far too kind for that. They are simple creatures driven by a simple nature: find a pony in the water, grab on, pull them under, and then hug the stuffing out of them.
What is unclear is whether this act is intentional or instinctual. Some victims claim this to be a conscious action; while others see this as a happy creature wishing to share their happiness with others. Regardless, the fluttershark isn’t saying. (Author’s note: we did try asking nicely.)
Once underwater, after the initial shock of being attacked has registered in the conscious mind, it is now that the victim sees the fluttershark for the first time: yellow body; pink mane; amused glint in the eye; happy smile on its face; lots of teeth.
Their attack complete, the fluttershark then releases their prey and with a quick good-bye boop from fluttershark hoof to victim snoot the fluttershark grins a toothy grin and then darts off back to the depths. The victim, now freed, struggles to the surface gasping to draw air and finding themselves dazed and very, very confused.
Rainbow Dash collapsed on her beach towel waterlogged and coughing. Clearing the last of the salt water from her lungs she sputtered, “What the hay was that?”
“Fluttershark attack, darling.”
“What?” Rainbow said, still coughing.
Rarity, reclining upon her own beach towel under a giant beach umbrella, took a sip from her drink, trying to avoid damaging the cute paper umbrella sticking out of the top of the hollowed coconut shell. “That was the elusive fluttershark, darling, It’s a rare sighting, indeed. They only come out seeking prey when the water is warm and there are friendly ponies nearby to hunt. And it seems she hunted you, Rainbow Dash.”
“Flutter...shark?” Rainbow Dash cocked her head in confusion, wet mane falling in her face.
“Oh, yes, it seems that our timid friend has discovered that she rather enjoys pretending to be a predator when at the beach. I think she was somehow inspired by a movie about a shark that came out years ago. I’m honestly not really sure. But last year, when she and I came here for a short vacation I found myself the victim of no less than three attacks. Quite terrifying actually.” She punctuated her terror with a delicate sip of her rum and juice.
“Wait. Are you telling me that was Fluttershy?! The mare who gets scared of her own shadow? The mare who couldn’t stand scaring us for Nightmare Night? I got attacked and almost drowned by Fluttershy?!”
“Oh, posh! Drowned my left front hoof! At worst you received a hug and a boop on the snoot. I know I did” Rarity sat her now empty coconut shell to the side and began to mix a drink for Rainbow. “Besides, you weren’t more than a few hoof lengths from the beach and you probably could have stood on the bottom and your head would have been above water. She really doesn’t like deep waters.”
Rainbow looked back to the sun-sparkled waters just in time to see what might have been a pink-tipped, plastic yellow shark fin and matching plastic snorkel submerge into the surf. “Seriously!?”
“Oh, yes, something here at the beach agrees with her. I don’t know what it is, but she seems to agree with it.” She finally added a twist of orange and a bright blue umbrella to the coconut shell and then hoofed it over to Rainbow.
“And you didn’t tell us about this?!” Rainbow asked, accepting and sipping at her own drink with a huff.
Rarity dismissed the question with a wave of her hoof. “Of course not, darling, that would be unfair to her. The fluttershark is something that must be experienced in-pony, not learned through second-hoof accounts. Why, just look at how surprised you were. Besides, if others knew in advance, they might do something to dissuade our normally skittish Fluttershy from being assertive for once! We can’t stifle her creativity when she’s found something that excites her so. Can you imagine how surprised the rest of our friends are going to be when they find out?”
Rainbow looked over to where Applejack, Twilight, and Pinkie Pie were playing on the beach bouncing a ball between them. They hadn’t noticed her encounter with the fluttershark; still none the wiser. With a loud slurp, she emptied her coconut and held it out to the unicorn for a refill. “Rarity, how much more of this drinky stuff do you have?”
Rarity took the empty husk and began mixing another round. “Oh, I believe we have enough for at least three more fluttershark attacks.”
Rainbow grinned and called out to her friends. “Hey, guys! You gonna just kick that ball around all day or you gonna ever get wet?”
The ball hit the beach in a spray of sand. “Heh, yeah, it is gettin’ kinda hot,” Applejack called back. Twilight and Pinkie nodded in agreement. “You gonna join us?”
“Nah, I just got out. You go have fun!” Rainbow watched as her friends bounded towards the water and then held her sloshing coconut towards Rarity, “Here’s to the elusive fluttershark.” Rarity gently knocked her coconut to Rainbow’s. “Here, here, darling.”
After a moment, Rarity spoke again. “Five bits that Pinkie is first?”
“I’ll take five on Applejack.
“What about Twilight?”
“Eh, I’ll bet she writes this up for some scientific journal.”
“Agreed.”
