Equestrian Diaries

The world is a scary place.

I am a very observant pony. Even when I do hide behind my mane or my friends, or I hide behind a bush because I mistook my shadow for a monster or any manner of things, I am a very observant pony. I've drawn only one conclusion from my observations, and it is that the world is a really scary place, but that's okay because I have my friends to help support me. With them by my side, I can even stare down a full grown dragon! At least, so I thought, until I found there are things several times scarier than dragons.

They thought I shouldn't be frightened of everything so easily. B-b-but any manner of things could go wrong! What if a timberwolf jumps out at you from that alleyway? What if that serial killer I read about on the news came to Ponyville and is waiting to murder you? Being frightened keeps you alert. Still, they referred me to a pony who suggested that I write about everything that frightens me. I guess it gave me something to do in between caring for my animals, so it was alright.

Wednesday, October 13th
[7:16] Remembered scary dream a minute after waking up, dash under bed until Angel pushes me out.
[7:25] Every animal has been served breakfast, including Angel. Oh I hope they will be alright today!
[8:02] Mistook shadow for potential serial killer! Eep!
[9:47] Rustle in the bushes froze me for 5.28 seconds! Eep!
[11:14] The Crusaders were playing a dangerous game of tag again. Oh, I hope they don't get hurt!
[12:30] Every animal has been served lunch, including Angel after some difficulty. Oh, I hope their day has been going nicely.
[13:56] Saw a couple of squirrels running about. I hope they're alright.
[16:01] Mistook shadow for potential timber wolf! Eep!
[18:08] Helped a duck across a street. I hope he gets to his destination alright.
[19:10] Rustle in the trees froze me for 5.31 seconds! Eep!
[20:30] Every animal has been served dinner, including Angel after slight difficulty. Oh, I hope they sleep alright.

I love my animals, so naturally I would write them down as well since I always fear what could happen inexplicably. Writing the time seemed to help a little with the anxiety, too.

Looking back, I would've bucked the pony who suggested I started a diary hard enough to maybe displace a single hair by half a millimeter or, well, actually that sounds violent. A lot less violent than recent events, than what I found myself to be, umm, capable of, but she couldn't have possibly known. Oh well.

Oh, umm, I'm sorry dear reader, if there is any. I'm starting to ramble and I'm deviating from chronological order and and please forgive me!

Well, umm, off to the scope of things. Let's start where it all began, the day that forever changed my life.

Fluttershy awoke with a soft, barely audible yawn. She yelped, then hid under the bed, having remembered a scary dream she had just had. After being angrily pushed out by Angel, Fluttershy walked over to her diary to write the first entry of the day, only to see it was already written.

"That's odd."

Tuesday, October 26th
[7:16] Remembered scary dream a minute after waking up, dash under bed until Angel pushes me out.

"Did I write on the wrong day yesterday? Oh dear, did I get the day mixed up?"

She glanced over at the calendar, noting that it was indeed the 26th of October. She looked back towards the diary, taking note that an entire days worth of entries were already written for the 26th. Without warning, the page shimmered, the words becoming incomprehensible blurs for a split second before reforming, causing a started squeak from Fluttershy.

"Wha-what happened?"

[7:18] Angel impatiently kicks my hind leg. Oh no, I got distracted and forgot about breakfast for the animals!

That entry definitely wasn't there before, she thought. It only appeared after-

A rapid kicking of her hind leg from Angel shocked her out of her mental conversation, back to the emergency at hand-a potential late breakfast for her animals. Her internal clock, courtesy of the sun and her pegasus nature, confirmed the time: 7:18

Fluttershy rushed downstairs, preparing breakfast at speeds Rainbow Dash would be proud of, realizing when she was done that she was two minutes early.

[7:23] Every animal has been served breakfast, including Angel. Somehow, despite starting late, I managed to serve it early! I do hope their day will be alright.

The entry also seemed to correspond with what had just occurred. Fluttershy looked towards the next entry.

[8:56] Mistook shadow for the spirit of Nightmare Moon. Eep!

Is it possible it tells the future? Fluttershy's eyes widened. Before, it changed as I was reading it. That must be because the very existence of the diary changed the future-my future. So if I know that I'll be startled by my shadow-

The diary blurred again, the entry reasserting itself, but the only thing changed was the time: 8:58

Th-this must be a trick, though. Or maybe I'm tired. I should go for a walk. Future telling diary, writing down my entries ahead of time? That's silly. Really silly. Stop being a silly filly, Fluttershy.

Fluttershy eased out of her train of thought and, after a little hesitation, grabbed her diary and walked out, feeling the crisp air of a late October morning on her coat. She closed her eyes and fluttered and stretched her wings, letting the warmth of Celestia's sun soak into them in contrast to the cool air.

It's a beautiful morning. Too much so to worry about the potential ramifications of what I might have.

Fluttershy began her morning stroll through the wakening Ponyville, nodding shyly to those who took notice of her.

"Morning, Fluttershy!" called out a familiar purple unicorn.
"Oh, umm, hello Twilight."

Should I tell her? No, nonono. I haven't even confirmed! And I'll probably just sound crazy even if it really is true. No, I'll just keep it to myself.

"Uh, Fluttershy? Are you alright?"
"Huh, wha-what?"
"You were kinda staring at me for a while. Is everything alright?"
"Ye-yes. Everythings, umm, fine. I'll just be on my way. Have a nice day, umm."

Fluttershy squeaked. Twilight stole a final worried glance before walking off.

Fluttershy continued her standard morning routines, also making a stop at the market for ingredients which Angel insisted on.

[8:58] Mistook shadow for the spirit of Nightmare Moon. Eep!

Fluttershy jumped at her shadow with a squeak, afraid the spirit of Nightmare Moon had come back for her, only to realize her own silliness. The ponies around, used to her antics-well, either that or used to the strangeness of a town inhabited by Pinkie Pie-ignored her franticness. After confirming the time and the diary entry, Fluttershy's eyes widened.

It happened just as it said it would.

Fluttershy, hesitantly, looked over to the next entries, then froze.

[9:01] Heard shouts from a ways off, probably near Sweet Apple Acres, oh my!
[9:03] It's horrible! The sweet, innocent Cutie Mark Crusaders all got ahead of themselves in one way too far, and Sweetie Bell is seriously injured! She's being rushed over to the clinic, and I'm more frightened than when my friends and I took on the dragon. This is just horrible!

"The fillies!"
Taking full advantage of the exercise she went through to provide water for Cloudsdale and the fear for the innocent fillies, Fluttershy flew a 10.1 over to Sweet Apple Acres, frantically searching for them, when she saw it: An impromptu Rude Goldberg somehow set off by the Crusaders by the tool shed, after a number of steps that impressively looked set up, resulted in a axe being launched into the air, heading straight for Sweetie Bell.

Applejack's shout and the wide, fearful eyes of the Crusaders went unnoticed to Fluttershy as she zoomed straight for Sweetie Bell, scooping her up as the axe grazed her flank, causing a small amount of blood to ooze over her tri-butterfly cutie mark.

"OhmyCelestiaareyoualrightSweetietheaxewasheadedstraightforyouandIthought--"
Fluttershy's ramble trailed off into a sob as she hugged the startled filly, completely oblivious to the blood now drying on her flank.

"Fluttershy! Thank Celestia ya came! I dunno what might've happened had you not, but-uh 'Shy, it looks like you got grazed by that axe there," Applejack said, before wincing at what she realized might have been a mistake to tell Fluttershy.

Fluttershy, after letting go of the confused filly, took one look at her flank, eyes suddenly wide open. She let out a surprisingly small squeak, and even more surprisingly to Applejack, began taking a few supplies from her saddlebag, and started cleaning and bandaging.

Seeing Applejack's surprise, she softly spoke up, "Umm, this is nothing I haven't seen before. I take care of a lot of animals, you know."

"Right," Applejack briefly replied, before turning her attention to the three fillies now hopping around, completely forgetting the mortal danger Sweetie had just been in. "You three. I hope you won't be playing around sharp tools no more. Ya gave me quite a scare. If Fluttershy hadn't been there, there's no tellin' what might've happened. Let this be a lesson to you three. Now git, go on!"

The CMCs happily hopped along, chattering about potential nonsensical ways in which they could acquire their cutie marks. Applejack, smiling, shook her head, then walked over and hugged Fluttershy, eliciting a squeak.

"They really had me scared there fer a sec."

Fluttershy nodded in response.

"What brings you out here anyways?"

"Oh, umm umm, I was, uh, in the area?"

Applejack stared hard at Fluttershy, who began a nervous smile. Her staring intensified, as did Fluttershy's smile. Finally, Applejack's expression formed back into a wide smile, and Fluttershy mentally sighed in relief.

"Well, if ya need anything, just call. I gotta get back to work now. Later 'Shy."

As soon as Applejack was at a sufficient distance away, Fluttershy pulled out her diary, suspicions confirmed.

[9:00] Just barely saved Sweetie Bell's life! I'm so glad she's alright. Fillies shouldn't be playing around sharp objects. I was grazed by the axe, but a little blood is nothing to a filly's life. I'm just glad she's alright.
[9:03] Said hello to a little birdie. He's so cute!

"Okay Fluttershy, take deep breaths. No need to panic knowing you have a magic diary that can tell you the future which you can somehow change with the forewarning with the possible ramifications. No need to think on how you're now talking out loud to yourself around a bunch of apple trees. Oh, hello little birdie!"

Fluttershy blinked twice in rapid succession, realizing that yet another entry was fulfilled.

Maybe-maybe this gift was instilled so I could use it to help everypony! After all, I've already saved the life of a sweet, innocent filly. Who else could I help with the forewarning? It only seems to correspond to what I would normally write, but-

Fluttershy skipped happily away from the tool shed, humming a tune as she moved through the trees.

Fluttershy awoke to a new day with a quiet yawn, for once not rushing off under her bed from the memory of a scary dream. She hurried off to her diary, gleefully looking to see if there was anypony she could help with her new found gift. The day started normal, but then, Fluttershy's eyes widened in fear as she looked upon the last entry and the two words written ominously below it.

[8:07] Died by blood loss from a throat puncture.
---DEAD END---