Fluttershy Balances the Scales

Home > Other > Fluttershy Balances the Scales > Page 4
Fluttershy Balances the Scales Page 4

by Sadie Chesterfield


  “The crabs?” Fluttershy asked. She couldn’t help feeling a little excited at the prospect of meeting even more new creatures. “Who are they?”

  “Chatty crabs, always yapping,” Harry said. “Yappity yap yap yap. Follow me.”

  As Harry marched forward into the ocean, Fluttershy turned to see what the rest of the Seaponies thought. They all looked pleased that they’d found a creature who knew where they were and where they were going. Maybe Harry was a bit odd, but he had saved them. That counted for a lot.

  They all followed. After a few minutes they came to a coral reef that was striped with the same rainbow pattern that covered Harry. Coral Rose swam beside Fluttershy. “None of this is on the map,” she said, holding it in her fins. “I’ll make sure I copy it down. The sandstorm was right here, and now I think we’re right here.” She pointed to two different places on the scroll.

  They swam through the center of the reef, and the coral rose up on either side of them. Harry looked around and smiled. “Got some Seaponies here who are looking for the chatty crabs. Anyfish know where the chatty crabs have been hanging out, doing their yapping?”

  He stared out at the coral. Fluttershy was confused. Was he talking to himself? Was he completely crazy? Who did he think would answer the question?

  But suddenly a voice called out from the other side of the reef. “About fifty yards north! In the valley!”

  Fluttershy watched as part of the coral moved, pointing them in the right direction. It took a minute for her eyes to adjust, but when she looked closely, she could see that the coral was covered with starfish just like Harry. They were all stuck to the sides of it, their bodies molded to the reef.

  “You heard ’em,” Harry said, pointing one of his arms in the same direction. “The crabs are thataway! Just tell them where you’re going, and they’ll help you. But they may chat your ears off first, you know.”

  Salt Air swam past, not bothering to say anything else to Harry. She waved the other Seaponies along behind her. They re-formed their line and started off. Fluttershy was the only one who turned back to Harry as they left.

  “We won’t forget what you did for us,” she said. “Queen Novo will know that you and your friend are heroes.”

  For the first time since they met, Harry looked directly at her. His eyes were big and watery, filled with rainbow tears. He smiled. “Just wanted to help out, you know, that’s me, like to help!”

  “Well, you certainly did!” Fluttershy agreed, giving him a smile that could light up the whole ocean. As Fluttershy swam off to join the others, she marveled at the sight of the beautiful rainbow starfish retreating behind her. The ocean certainly had its own special magic. But some things, such as kindness and gratitude, meant the same thing everywhere. If only Salt Air could realize it, too.

  CHAPTER SIX

  Fluttershy heard the chatty crabs before she saw them. Their voices carried through the water. One was talking about her friend Carol, and how she never used her pincers when she ate. The crab thought it was rude. “I just can’t look at her when she does it,” the crab said. “How am I supposed to enjoy my SnailMix when hers is all over her mouth?”

  “What is that strange rattling noise?” Skystar asked, looking around in confusion. “Is that the crabs?”

  “This way,” Salt Air said, swimming up a large mound of sand. Fluttershy followed her and Skystar to the top of it. The valley stretched out below, filled with hundreds of crabs sitting in the sand, all deep in conversation. Fluttershy could hear a crowd of crabs right below who were debating about vacations in the kelp forest.

  “Who would want to go to the kelp forest when you can go to the Blue Cove?” one crab asked. “The Blue Cove has one of the best restaurants in the whole ocean. Those lotus rolls are to die for.”

  Before Fluttershy could say anything, Salt Air growled in frustration. “What was that starfish talking about?” She furrowed her brow, annoyed. “These crabs don’t even speak our language! How are they of use to our mission?”

  “Actually,” Fluttershy said, swimming over to Salt Air, “I can understand them.” On land, Fluttershy had the most amazing ability to communicate with creatures. Fortunately, it appeared to be the same down here.

  “You can?!” Skystar’s face exploded into a huge grin. “That is so super cool. Gosh, my friend is so cool!” Skystar nudged Coral Rose and pointed to Fluttershy. “That’s my friend Fluttershy. Isn’t she cool?”

  “Princess,” Salt Air said, interrupting Skystar’s excited babble. “If these crabs can’t help us, we really must keep moving—”

  “You must be looking for that Seapony!” a crab with a spotted blue shell shouted. It just sounded like a rattling noise to the Seaponies. Everypony looked to Fluttershy.

  “You saw Cerulean?” Fluttershy replied, eyes widening. Finally, another clue!

  “Two days ago,” the spotted blue crab said.

  “Oh, I think it was yesterday, June,” another crab chimed in.

  “No, it wasn’t! I know the days,” the spotted blue crab replied, looking a little hurt.

  “What are they saying?!” Skystar asked, almost bubbling over.

  “Let’s get the information and move on!” Salt Air begged.

  Fluttershy sighed. “They’re arguing about when they saw Cerulean pass by. I’m going to see if anycrab else knows something.” One group was now discussing Sand Dragons and how old they actually were. Two crabs thought it was two thousand moons ago, while others thought it was two moons ago. Fluttershy didn’t bother correcting them. Clearly, crabs had a very different sense of time than Seaponies. But Salt Air was growing impatient.

  “Excuse me?” Fluttershy said, swimming toward a quieter group. They were saying something about the current weather. “You have quite a beautiful valley here. I was hoping you could just point us in the direction of the Sand Dragons’ burrows,” Fluttershy prodded. “Is it nearby?”

  A crab’s beady eyes darted around to his friends. He was neon yellow, with a red racing stripe across his back. He paused, as if considering whether she was worth helping, then he pointed across the valley with his biggest claw. “If you just go straight, you’ll get to a tunnel. Go through it and out the other side, then you’ll be there. I think that’s where they are. But it’s just a theory. Just watch out for the oogle worms.”

  “Oogle worms?” Fluttershy repeated for clarification. “Why should I watch out?”

  “Oh, you’ll see,” another crab called out, then giggled as if he knew a big secret and wasn’t telling.

  Fluttershy smiled. She glanced over her shoulder at the other Seaponies, who were all gathered together, looking nervous as they watched the crabs. Coral Rose almost got her tail pinched!

  “Thanks so much,” Fluttershy said, giving the crabs a little bow. Then she called out to the guards. “I have another clue! Follow me!”

  She swam across the valley, over packs of chatty crabs, to where the yellow crab had pointed. The guards followed close behind, but Salt Air kept going out in front of her. It was clear she wanted to lead.

  Within minutes Fluttershy spotted the tunnel entrance. It was a dark cavern in the sand. “That’s it!” she said, turning to the others. “He said we just have to watch out for the oogle worms….”

  “Oogle worms?” Coral Rose asked. Fluttershy just shrugged. She didn’t know what they were, either.

  “I’ll take the lead,” Salt Air called out, charging into the tunnel. “Be ready in case the beast appears!” She had her spear and shell shield raised, ready to fight. Now that they were close to the supposed Sand Dragons’ territory, she seemed even more determined. Fluttershy was nervous again, thinking of what the Seapony might do once the group got there.

  Fluttershy, Skystar, and Coral Rose all swam into the tunnel behind Salt Air. The rest of the guards trailed after them. It was completely dark. They hadn’t gotten more than a few tailspans inside and already Fluttershy couldn’t see a thing.

  “I’m here
,” Salt Air’s voice was echoing up ahead. “Just keep swimming through.”

  Fluttershy felt a warm fin on her shoulder.

  “I’ve got you,” Skystar whispered to her. “Don’t you worry!”

  Fluttershy smiled, thinking of her friend beside her. Maybe it was dark, but if they stuck together they’d make it out okay. There was nothing to be afraid of.

  They kept going, swimming as far and as fast as they could. Finally, they saw the end of the tunnel. Fluttershy could just make out Salt Air up ahead. She swam out of the tunnel first, then Fluttershy followed her. She was about to cheer when she realized something had gone awry. Salt Air was waving her fins and spinning around and around in circles.

  “What are they?!” she called out. “Ooo…. grrr….”

  Three short, fat worms were coiled around her forelegs. They were black with bright-green polka dots and tiny, strange faces. They slunk across her shoulders, getting closer to her helmet.

  Fluttershy reached up and touched her own shoulder, feeling an oogle worm there. What she’d thought were Skystar’s fins had actually been worms—two of them.

  She swam in quick circles, trying to get them off, but they clung to her. She had to dive into the sand to get rid of them.

  When she finally emerged, all the Seaponies were frantically trying to get rid of their own oogle worms. Salt Air yanked off her helmet and pulled one out of it. Coral Rose was unraveling one that had curled around her neck. It took a few minutes, and some of the guards had to dive into the sand, but soon all the oogle worms were off them. The black-and-green creatures slunk back into the tunnel. Fluttershy swore one stuck out its tongue at her as it went, but maybe she was imagining things.

  “That was revolting!” Skystar yelled. “But kinda fun in a weird way?!” She was brushing at her forelegs and tail, as if the worms were still there. A group of the Seaponies was still swimming in circles, grunting and groaning. “That must be why they call them oogle worms—that’s the sound everypony makes when they’re trying to get them off.”

  “It was on my neck!” a big, beefy Seapony whined. He shivered, as if he could still feel it there. “Grrrr….” he cried.

  Fluttershy looked above them, noticing where they were. Suddenly she didn’t care about the tunnel or the chatty crabs or the oogle worm slime left on her shoulder. “Look!” Fluttershy cried out, pointing up at something she never thought she’d actually see. It was a real, gigantic Sand Dragon! It was instantly recognizable by its massive size, majestic fins, and grainy, sand-hued camouflage hide. Strangely enough, Fluttershy wasn’t scared of it. The creature didn’t seem dangerous at all. It looked gentle and somehow sad.

  But Salt Air didn’t notice any of that. All she saw was a monster.

  “In formation!” Salt Air called out. The guards formed a triangle behind her, their spears pointed out. They swam forward, moving between the kelp.

  “No, wait!” Fluttershy was right behind them with Skystar and Coral Rose. Glitterfish darted through the kelp, turning this way and that. Was Salt Air about to make everything worse?

  “I am not afraid of Sand Dragons. I am not afraid of Sand Dragons…” Coral Rose whispered to herself as they got closer, her eyes squeezed shut.

  Fluttershy swam as fast as she could to the front of the group. She held up her fin to stop them.

  “Please,” she said to Salt Air. “Let me talk to him first.”

  “You want to face a Sand Dragon alone?” Salt Air asked, glancing over her shoulder. “Have you been drinking seawater?”

  “I know it sounds crazy,” Fluttershy said. “But you have to give me the chance.”

  “A chance to make friends with”—Salt Air narrowed her eyes—“an ancient monster who wants to eat Seaponies?”

  “A chance to get to Cerulean peacefully,” Fluttershy said, “without raising a spear against an innocent creature.”

  Salt Air turned back to the other Seaponies. She tilted her head to the side as she considered it. Salt Air looked to Skystar. “And you’re okay with this plan, Princess?” she asked.

  “Absolutely!” Skystar said without hesitation. “I trust Fluttershy. She knows more about creatures than anypony in Equestria!” The princess gave her friend a hopeful look. “I don’t see why it should be any different with a Sand Dragon. I mean, the filly can talk to crabs!”

  “We will try it your way first,” Salt Air conceded, and motioned to her guards to retreat. She called out to Fluttershy. “But we will be right here, hiding in the forest. Just yell if you are in danger. We’ll be ready.”

  The rest of the Seaponies nodded. Fluttershy turned back to the burrow and slowly swam out of the kelp forest toward the target. The Sand Dragon spotted her instantly. Suddenly, he didn’t look so cute or sad anymore. He stalked forward, baring his horrible fangs.

  “Is it finally time to eat?!” the Sand Dragon called out with a roar. His nostrils flared.

  Fluttershy swallowed hard. I am not afraid of Sand Dragons, she thought. But as she stared up at the hideous creature, she realized how little she actually knew about this massive, mythical ocean beast. What had she gotten herself into?

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  I’m not here to cause any trouble,” Fluttershy said, voice steady. “I can’t find my friend Cerulean. I’m looking for her. Can you help?” She smiled her biggest, brightest smile, hoping it might charm the Sand Dragon, but his expression was fixed in a frown.

  “Well, I can’t find my family!” The Sand Dragon stalked around her. Most creatures under the water seemed weightless, but the Sand Dragon clomped around as if he were made of stone. With each hard step, he kicked up sand and shells. Fluttershy had to keep moving her wings around to keep the debris out of her face. “And even the Beezlebugs have abandoned me! How am I supposed to feast now?” the Sand Dragon growled.

  Fluttershy gulped. “B-b-beezlebugs? I know where—”

  “So what if I kept one of your Seaponies?” the Sand Dragon interrupted, and leaned in to Fluttershy’s face. Up close, she could see that his teeth were the color of bananas. But to be fair, they hadn’t been brushed in hundreds of moons. “I was all alone out here, what did you expect? A Sand Dragon can go crazy by himself, you know.” He sighed. “I just wanted to talk to her….”

  “Wait!” Fluttershy held up her fins. “So you didn’t want to eat Cerulean?”

  “Did she just say he ate Cerulean?!” a guard yelled out.

  “Nooo!” Immediately, Salt Air snapped into action, motioning to the Seaponies to charge. Unfortunately, Fluttershy was still in the way. Most of the Seaponies stopped, unwilling to accidentally hurt her. But Salt Air was determined. She swam forward and lodged her spear into the Sand Dragon’s tail.

  “What are you doing?!” Fluttershy cried, but it was too late.

  The Sand Dragon snarled. Then he whipped around. His giant tail flew so close to Salt Air’s head she had to duck to avoid being hit. The Sand Dragon pushed through the sand and dove below, taking Fluttershy with him. The shouts of the guards above faded as they swam deep into the sand.

  Everything was dark inside the sand burrow. It was lit only by a few eels who glided along the ceiling, casting long, creepy shadows on the walls. Fluttershy had been in scary places before, but nothing like this. It was worse than she’d imagined. Sea spiders peeked out from its nooks and caverns, as if they might swarm her at any moment.

  Cerulean sat in front of her, her fins tied together with long pieces of kelp.

  “Fluttershy?” Cerulean asked, perking up. “Where’s Salt Air? Please tell me she didn’t do anything rash—”

  “She jabbed the Sand Dragon with her spear,” Fluttershy exclaimed. “He was only trying to explain his woes to me, and she misheard. Are you okay?”

  Cerulean nodded, but she looked quite shaken. Fluttershy wanted to ask her more, but then she heard the loud, clomping steps of the Sand Dragon coming toward her.

  The Sand Dragon appeared in the far doorway, crying and clutching his
tail in his claws. He lumbered over to a big chair nearby and plopped down. As soon as he sat down, he let out a horrible roar. It blew back Fluttershy’s wings and shook the walls of the burrow. The spear was still stuck in his tail.

  “At least I have another Seapony friend now,” he cried out through his sobs. “Let me guess… you don’t have anything to eat, either.” At this, a loud rumble came from his tummy. He put his claw on it, embarrassed.

  “Just some seaweed cake,” Fluttershy replied, digging around in her bag until she found it.

  The Sand Dragon perked up. “Did you say ‘seaweed’? How did you know that’s my favorite?!”

  “I didn’t. But it’s pretty much all the Seaponies like to eat, too,” she explained. “Everywhere you go in Seaquestria, there’s more seaweed to eat!”

  The Sand Dragon narrowed his eyes. “So that’s where all the food has gone?”

  Cerulean could see that Fluttershy was having trouble putting it all together. “The seaweed fields are bare,” she explained. “Usually, when Gnash and his buddies wake up from their hibernation, the Beezlebugs harvest the seaweed fields for them. They have a big feast together to regain their strength to spend a whole moon above the sands.”

  “Wow!” Fluttershy gasped, taking it all in. “That’s a very different idea from what the Seaponies think….”

  Gnash frowned. “What do they think?”

  “Oh… well…” Fluttershy almost didn’t want to tell him the horrible things she had heard the guards saying earlier. “That Sand Dragons rip apart starfish for fun? That you floss your fangs with stolen pony hair? That you, um… stomp around the sea looking for crabs to crunch?”

  “But I don’t do any of those things!” he cried out in despair. “It’s not fair!”

  “No,” Fluttershy admitted, feeling sad for him. “It isn’t. But lots of creatures are afraid of what they don’t understand. If you let me and Cerulean go back to our kind, we can explain everything to them.” Fluttershy looked at up him with sympathetic eyes. “And then they won’t be scared anymore!”

 

‹ Prev