In the small towns, where normal citizens live happily, no one knows true fear....
Ponyville is a quiet town bordering the Everfree forest. The town had quieted down from the recent Ursa attack the day before, allowing all of the children to play the weekend away. They bounded around, going from one meaningless thing to the next, as they waited for the dreaded Monday that brought school.
One in particular, a small filly known as Sweetie Belle was coming home from another day of failure at getting her cutie mark. This time, she had tried mining. She came home to a sister hard at work on another large project for yet another client.
Sweetie Belle walked through the doorway, her hooves making a lot of noise on the tile floor. Her sister turned around at the noise and immediately sneered. Sweetie looked back to find that there was a trail of mud following her and let out a sigh, knowing what would come next.
"Sweetie Belle, darling, must you always come in followed by filth?" She lightly scolded her sister, shaking her head with a small smile. "I will meet you in the bathroom shortly to help freshen you up." Sweetie Belle hung her head, knowing that if she had her sisters help it would take hours to get out of that bath.
"Can I just take a bath alone this time Rarity, I think that I am old enough to do that much ." She looked pleadingly at her sister as she waited for her reply. Rarity just huffed lightly and gave a look of thought. Tapping her chin with a hoof she gave a nod to her sister after a few moments.
"Just scream if you need anything ". Was her reply.
Sweetie Belle let off a large smile and hopped off for the bathroom leaving a cloud of dust in her wake. She loved baths, since the tub was almost as large as a shallow pool. Going up the stairs she quickly arrived at the bathroom, grabbed a fresh towel from its area, and placed it on the rack. She than proceeded to turn the water on, steam soon coming off of it.
As she climbed in, she let the perfumed oils in the tub relax her senses with the faint smell of daisies.
She lay there for several minutes, relaxing with her eyes closed and allowing the hot water to wash away the dirt of the day. It took a while for her to finally open her eyes.
Staring up at her was a mare with a pearly white coat, aqua mane that was nearly indistinguishable against the water and cold eyes of deep amber surrounded by the darkest black possible. The mare was not 'in' the tub with her either, but actually seemed to be forming out of the water itself, half of her body missing. But what frightened the young filly even more, was that the water was slowly changing to a blood red. Looking down she found that any part of her that was touching the water was slowly evaporating.
Upon seeing that the filly was aware of her the mare smiled, showing her strangely solid looking teeth to the filly. Sweetie Belle was out of the pool in moments in her blind hurry to escape the creature in the water. She got out only to trip as the red water still clung to her, the fluid form of the strange creature half sloshing to the floor. It held tightly on to her and gently nuzzled her back, grinning the entire time.
Sweetie Belle kicked and thrashed, screaming the whole way as she ran. When she got close to the door, the creature, not unlike a rubber band, snapped back toward the bathtub ,seemingly unable to move far from it.
The filly ran on, only looking back to see if it was following her. Though she did see a look of sorrowful understanding upon the mares face. She did not have time to think about that as she ran down the stairs and right in to a worried looking Rarity. Before she could ask what was wrong Sweetie Belle was behind her.
"Sweetie Belle what has gotten in to you?" Rarity questioned turning and looking behind her to see the slightly redder than usual filly. "And why are you all red? You said you where going to take a bath, not roll in smashed strawberries again." Sweetie ignored her and pointed a hoof at the stairs.
"T-there is something up there, in the bath tub! It was all watery and had the face of a mare and it tried to eat me!" At the end of the little rant Rarity looked worried also.
"Now Sweetie Belle, are you sure it looked like a mare?" She nodded quickly and saw Rarity start tensing. "With a white coat, and a blue mane?" Sweetie Belle nodded again. "Oh thank Celestia's shiny shoes you're okay." Rarity relaxed.
"Rarity?" She asked an a small voice.
"Yes darling?"
"What was that?" It was no more than a whisper now.
"That, Sweetie Belle, was Wade Shallows."
"What is it?"
"I do not know what she is, But I do know that I am thankful you are safe."
"Why was she here?"
"That is not for the ears of young fillies. Now get a towel and clean yourself off, then go to bed and I will be up to read you a bedtime story shortly." Still shaking, and still red, Sweetie Belle just nodded and wondered off.
Though she didn't know whether or not she imagined the sorrowful moaning she heard as she drifted off to sleep.
~
The next day
Rarity stopped by to see her friend, Twilight Sparkle, the next day to get more information on what Wade was.
"Wade is a myth Rarity, you should not put so much thought into myths." Twilight said while looking for an old mythology book on one of the bookshelves.
"Whatever you say, but I still would like to know about it." Rarity thought that if she made Twilight think it was some kind of lesson to teach, then she would jump at the chance to explain. She was right.
"Wade Shallows or her lesser known name, The Animated Acid, was known to Equestrian kind for over six centuries, Supposedly being regularly spotted around the base of Canterlot to the edge of the Everfree forest. All reports say that upon sight she will look overjoyed and mercilessly stalk the detected viewer until caught, and snuggle with said viewer until they are either eaten away via her acidic body, or manage to escape. Usually seen in shallow pools such as puddles or small lakes, but has been known to be seen an any water. Why?" Twilight asked.
"Oh no reason." Is all she answered.
