//------------------------------// // Chapter 31, Macabre // Story: The Chronicles of Summer Rain, Vol. 9 -- Future Perfect // by shysage //------------------------------// I slept well. Next to Shysage, I should have expected that! When I woke up, Shysage was awake already, looking off into the distance, but both Fluttershys were still asleep. I picked up my head, and moved my nose to try and touch Shysage's nose with mine. I thought this might be our only chance today. It took me a minute to realize he was gazing intently away from us. Our animal friends were awake, sitting in a line, maybe ten feet away, between us and the Commons lawn. Ears alert, they too were looking intently off across the meadow towards the Commons, which was behind buildings from here. "Summer, the only time in the past they have done this was when they sensed a possible danger to us" Shysage said quietly after a few minutes of silence. Well, we watched them a little while more, and didn't see anypony, or hear anything else. I called Rose, and all four of them got up, and ran over to us. Filicia and Dawn woke the Fluttershys up with their noses, and the four of us started our day giving our amazing animal friends some much deserved attention. These four Panthers really had been our protection in a lot of ways. We wanted them to know we appreciated that. And my Rose... It was like she sensed what I needed to do, and actually helped me... What more could the Phantom Alicorn want? As Panthers lounged around in the warmth of the morning sun, us ponies ate some and got some water to drink. We were never far away from them, though. Shysage led us over to the closest guard, and we let him know we were leaving, then we walked to the Commons lawn (mostly long grass now) with our Panther friends. We found a nice spot of shorter grass, maybe a hundred feet from the big doors at the front of the Audience Hall, and we relaxed in the Sun for over an hour. Both Fluttershys and I talked together most of the time. I could tell that Equestria pony Fluttershy knew we would need to give our girls a chance to eat soon. She knew our animal friends well! Still, she kept looking at them with concern. None of us wanted anything bad to happen. So I was not suprised when she finally said "Maybe we should head below to..." Fluttershy hadn't even finished that sentence, when we heard something large, land loudly in the Commons grass, some distance behind us. It felt close. And it shook Canterlot. Both Fluttershy's Element of Harmony surfaced out of their Cutie Marks immediately, and began slowly rotating above their heads. Well, Equestria knew... This must not be a friendly visitor... We all turned around quickly, and were facing a huge, White Polar Bear, her wings now drooping down on the ground. It looked like a much larger version of Phantasma, except Phantasma couldn't fly. I should have known we weren't done with monsters yet... Shysage and I had talked quietly a few times about when we might get plunged back into the past, back into our Present. We had already killed Eschate Zumulus and Phantasma (again...). Our only theory was maybe we weren't done with monsters yet. I guess not... As we watched, the huge flying White bear slowly folded its large wings, then carefully stood up on it's hind legs. It was standing in about the center of the Commons area, on fresh dirt above what was the center of the large pit we saw on our last visit. For a minute or two, it just sniffed the air. Shysage wondered if it could still detect Phantasma's scent. This monster looked down at us briefly, then again just looked across the Commons at the Audience Hall. Fluttershy's girls immediately began to growl loudly. They were not happy at all. Shysage helped both Fluttershys try to calm them down. Well, as the Phantom Alicorn, my focus had to be on this... thing... Cel (Princess Celestia) and Lu (Princess Luna) walked quickly out of the Audience Hall with their Twins. The Principal sisters headed for the small island, for the safety of the magic shield around it. Cel and Lu walked up to the four of us. Cel smiled at me, and I joined them. Together, the three of us walked slowly towards the monster. On the way, Cel asked me quietly to stay a pony for now, but to be ready to quickly change. That's what I did. The three of us stopped maybe twice the monster's height away from it. The monster looked down at us with disdain, and bellowed loudly. "I AM MACABRE... "THIS IS THE SECOND TIME... I LEFT MY OFFSPRING IN CHARGE OF EQUESTRIA... WHERE ARE THEY NOW?" Cel did not bat and eye, and answered forcefully but calmly. "If by your offspring, you mean Eschate Zumulus and Phantasma, they are dead. Equestria treasures the good words they forbade." Cel didn't say this with arrogance or malice at all. She was just stating the facts. Macabre continued bellowing. "I SEE. AND WHO AM I TO REWARD FOR THAT?" Cel again replied "The Princesses of Equestria." Macabre bellowed again. "SUMMON THEM AT ONCE. THEY MUST DIE." Cel answered immediately. "I will do as you ask." Cel next sent a letter to Princess Twilight. Within a very few minutes, both Fluttershys disappeared. We realized Princess Twilight must have sat in her chair, and both Fluttershys were immediately pulled to the Council Room in the Castle in Ponyville. I walked back and helped Shysage with Fluttershy's girls. I knew both Fluttershys would be back here, with everypony else, soon enough. Maybe a minute later, both Fluttershys emerged from the magical shield around the small island memorial garden to the left of the Commons. Both Fluttershys walked up to us, and immediately calmed the four angry Panthers. Maybe Fluttershy's singing, or something else... I'm not sure what... Shysage and I were just glad they were back... I had mentioned before that our Panther friends would occasionally let out this high pitched whine or something. Well, the four of them sat down together, and started doing that same thing. Only it sounded like a scream to me. But I don't know, I'm not a Panther! It didn't really matter, I was busy. When both Fluttershys arrived at the girls, I walked quickly back into the Audience Hall, changed into a people, then into a Blue pony and walked back out. Then I walked slowly over and into the magic shield over that small island. Princess Twilight and her girls (and 10 Elements), the Filia, Fiona and Shyna Twins were all in there, along with the Principal sisters. Macabre ignored me. She ignored the ponies on the little island. She ignored the Panthers. She just glared with disdain at Princess Celestia and Princess Luna. "YOU ARE TESTING MY PATIENCE. WHERE ARE THESE PRINCESSES?" Macabre bellowed again. Completely calm, Cel said quietly "It will be soon, Macabre." Cel sent another message to Princess Twilight, who quickly walked out of the magical shield, and stood next to Cel. Cel said simply "Macabre, we are ready." Macabre bellowed "ARE YOU EQUESTRIA'S PRINCESSES?" Cel, Lu and Princess Twilight said at the same time "Yes." Macabre laughed loudly, almost as if relieved. Then she bellowed... "FINE, I MUST TEST YOUR MAGIC. DO WHAT YOU CAN. EITHER YOU DEFEAT ME, OR I WILL DESTROY YOU." It was clear Macabre was void of fear. Cel said "Equestria's Princesses, let's go." Three magical beams formed into one, and that single, twirling beam streaked rapidly towards Macabre... ...only to shatter into thousands of magical pieces, showering away at random angles. Macabre was enclosed in an invisible, potent magic shield. Equestria's magic went no further. Equestria's Princesses stopped their magic, and it was quiet for a minute. Cel asked politely "Macabre, as slight adjustment, if we may?" Macabre just laughed monstrously. "OF COURSE, BUT YOU ARE JUST PUTTING OFF YOUR OWN DEMISE!" Then she laughed some more. Princess Twilight called the Filia and Fiona Twins out, and, at Princess Celestia's word, they all cast together. The Filia and Fiona Twins merged beam was huge, and twirled together into the beams of Equestria's Princessess, and Equestria's magic again lanced quickly towards Macabre... ...only to again be blocked by Macabre's magic shield. "IS THAT ALL?" Macabre bellowed loudly. Macabre waited maybe a minute. There was no response. "FINE THEN, YOU WILL ALL DIE!" ... Macabre laughed with disdain, and began casting herself... ...only to be knocked backwards onto her back in the grass a few seconds later. Her casting stopped. She only slowly rolled sideways over onto her legs, turned around, then stood back up on her hind legs, and again sniffed the air briefly. "WHO DID THAT?" Macabre bellowed. It was silent for minutes. Nopony said anything. Macabre started to cast again, then was quickly again knocked over onto her back in the grass. ... After slapping her over backwards again as the Phantom Alicorn, I turned quickly back into a Blue pony and landed right next to Fluttershy, just like I had last time. Talking to nopony in particular, I said quietly "This is a stalemate... Equestria's magic can't touch her, and I don't think I can..." My quiet, timid sister... Equestria pony Fluttershy... Maybe the most sensitive pony in Equestria... "Summer, knock her over backwards one more time." I looked over at my Sis quickly. She was serious... ... Macabre was incensed... "I DEMAND TO KNOW WHO KNOCKED ME OVER. YOU MUST DIE TOO! OR I WILL KILL EVERY PONY IN EQUESTRIA!" I changed into the Phantom Alicorn, spun up my Cutie Mark, and walked forward, and next to Equestria's Princesses. "It was me, Macabre" I said quietly. Macabre began casting some magic at me immediately. Two seconds later, the Phantom Alicorn slapped Macabre hard over backwards. She was on her back in the grass again. ... I heard Fluttershy say quietly "Go girls..." Our four Panther animal friends screamed loudly as they streaked rapidly across the Commons, and pounced quickly onto Macabre as she lay on her back. Fluttershy's Panthers quickly began ripping huge chunks of flesh from Macabre's body, throwing it clear, and taking another huge bite... Macabre was roaring out in pain... From where I was, I reached my arm forward to my Rose... This was hopeless... It would just prolong... And my Rose was far too close... I didn't want her to get hurt, not again... I started to cry... ... ...Like a blurred web of Black lightning... ...Over fifty other huge Panthers raced past all of us, and jumped quickly up on Macabre as she struggled... We had not seen them; these other Panthers came out of nowhere... Somehow, these Panthers knew what to do; Macabre's wings were the first to go... The magic shield didn't stop the Panthers at all. Together, they were quickly ripping flesh away from Macabre's body... Legs were next... And it was clear that Macabre was having trouble targetting any of these Panthers with her magic, and it was clear too, her magic would injure herself if she wasn't careful. Still, Macabre did get a few magical spells off, which immediately killed the Panther she had cast on... But, overall, it didn't matter. Macabre never made it back up off the ground. And when a bunch of angry Panthers ripped through her throat, it was just a matter of time... ... This was Equestria's fight, but it was not a magic battle. Really, this was Fluttershy's fight. As Equestria's powerless Princesses watched in amazement, Fluttershy's army of animal friends delivered Equestria that day... ... And, maybe ten minutes later, Fluttershy's Panther army was sitting down to a meal fit for a king... Fresh Bear meat... ... I ran up quickly, already sobbing... Brave Rose was the first one to die. I just cried over her dead body, and Shysage and Fluttershy quickly joined me... We cried so hard. Soon, there were loving ponies surrounding the other three fallen Panthers too, crying... sobbing... These amazing animal friends had given their life for Equestria. We just could not ignore that... ... Soon, we heard an amazing sound... The rest of the Panther army had stopped eating, and was circled around us... They were sitting, facing us. Together, they let out the most doleful moan... They were all crying too. We all cried together for maybe half an hour... ... Then the Panther army went back and ate their hard won meal. Fluttershy had us back far away from the Panthers while they ate. This was very wise. Then we crowded around both Fluttershys and we cried together some more. I wanted Rose back... There was just nothing anypony could do... It was noon maybe, when Equestria's Panther army ate their lunch. It looked like there were plenty of left-overs, as 60+ Panthers carefully cleaned themselves, then mostly napped together in the Sun for the rest of that afternoon. I think Shining Armor had his hands full trying to keep curious ponies a good distance away. I guess so many Panthers really was quite a sight. Napping Panthers though; most ponies had wandered off by then. Well, I spent the rest of that afternoon just crying. Both Fluttershys, both Shynas and our three Panther friends... And I knew that Shysage was never far, and that was such a comfort. Cel and Lu came and cried with us for a while too, and I really appreciated that. Princess Twilight, and her girls... We all cried together that afternoon. And I don't remember much more about it. I was just so sad... Our dinner was in the Audience Hall. Our three Panther friends joined the rest in the grass, while we had some pony food. It was very good, Pound Cake and his Mare surely knew their way around a kitchen. I vaguely remember Princess Twilight telling everypony we would return to Ponyville, walking, probably tomorrow morning. I guess that was fine, I really didn't know what I wanted any more. Well, I would always want Shysage. I just felt so at a loss that evening. Princess Twilight and her girls would sleep in the Audience Hall with the Celestia and Luna Twins. Well, the Fluttershys and Shysage... we would sleep outside tonight with the animals... I... My anim... She was gone... That was just very hard... The rest of the evening was a blur; I cried a lot, and just followed Shysage wherever he went. I hoped he would hug me a lot, which he did. As the stars came out, the Shynas, the Fluttershys, Shysage and I, along with Dawn, Felicia and Alyssa, we were laying together near, but not too close (Fluttershy said) to the Panther army. I slept terrible, and my dreams just made it harder that Rose was gone. I don't think Shysage slept much because of me, but it was clear he understood. Just feeling him close... ... At the first light of morning, the Panther army was gone... And so were most of the left-overs...