Diary of the Dead

Life seemed to open up to Sunset in the seconds following the realization of Fluttershy’s tender love and care. Her mind danced as wondrous memories of the friendship they shared watered its garden. Then, things bloomed into shining existence, and Sunset felt like twirling around her living room. But, she remembered that Twilight was sitting next to her, and she resisted. However, she was a bit concerned with the failed romance that Fluttershy had been put through. She suddenly knew that, if Fluttershy were alive today, she’d find Tidal Wave and get the two of them back together.

She found herself flipping further and further in the diary, wanting to know more about her friend’s personal side. Twilight accompanied her on this journey, and the two shared some very sentimental moments. There were diary entries regarding everything, from the most epic of adventures down to the tiniest daily tasks like grocery shopping. Through it all, the two readers laughed, cried, and held each other. It felt like Fluttershy was embracing them through her words, wrapping them up tightly and sending warmth coursing through them.

Soon enough, they found themselves at the entry on the day of Fluttershy’s death. Sunset stopped for a moment and turned to Twilight. The two shared a silent moment of simultaneous acceptance. They knew that they’d get to this installment sooner or later. But that didn’t make the moment any less difficult. Fluttershy’s verbal embrace counteracted these feelings somewhat, creating a small bit of bravery within the girls. Their minds were fearful of what feelings the reading might evoke, but they also understood its necessity. They had to read this…for her.

“Dear Diary,” Sunset said out loud, “nothing new to report. My life is still great. I have the best friends, and I can’t wait to see them again today! I guess the only difference between today and yesterday is that I have to head to the store after school.”

“She…was just going to the store?” Twilight asked in a shaky voice.

“Yeah,” Sunset responded, “the store.”

“It just seems so needless!” Twilight exclaimed, “she was killed while doing something we do all the time!”

“I know,” Sunset said, “but…every time we get behind the wheel, we put our lives at risk.”

“That’s true,” Twilight responded, “but it doesn’t make me feel any better.”

Sunset looked at her friend empathetically. She felt the pain begin to rise again and she did her best to keep it under control. After reading all the good times she and Fluttershy had together, the last thing she wanted to do was start bawling again. But even so, the pain was winning the inner battle and tears formed. Her lip shook as she cuddled close to Twilight, feeling her friend’s warm touch as she cocooned within her arms. The purple girl even gave her a small kiss on the top of the head, reassuring her like a mother would do to a distraught daughter.

“It hurts,” she said as the tears rolled, though not quite as freely as before. “It hurts so badly.”

“Yes…it does,” Twilight said as one or two made their way down her cheek, “but we have to be strong for Fluttershy’s family right now.”

“You’re right,” Sunset said, sitting back up and reaching for the diary. She was just about to close it when something caught her eye. Suddenly, she flipped the page…and found another entry staring her in the face! It was fully bodied, complete with Fluttershy’s beautiful penmanship, and matched the other entries perfectly. Sunset could only stare, mouth half open, as this odd entry lambasted her vision. She was so shocked, in fact, that she couldn’t bring herself to read it.

“T-T-T-Twilight?” She stuttered.

“Yeah?” Twilight asked, turning back from where she’d been answering a text message, “what’s up?”

“L-l-l-look,” Sunset stammered, pointing to the entry.

Twilight’s eyes followed Sunset’s arm right down to the writing. Now, it was her turn to babble incoherently for a moment. Once she was finished, her own mouth hung open. The two girls began breathing heavily, for it is not every day that one receives a message from the dead. The entry was completely impossible! Fluttershy had passed the day before, so how in the world could the installment have possibly ended up there?

“I…It defies all logical explanations!” Twilight exclaimed, “I mean, Fluttershy’s gone! How in the world did this get here?! What happened?!”

“Your guess is as good as mine,” Sunset said.

Twilight began mulling over possibilities in her head. One of these was that someone had found the diary and was using it in a cruel manner. It certainly made enough sense. Fluttershy was always careful to leave her locker shut up tight during school hours. But she was also incredibly easy to manipulate. Someone could have gotten the locker combination from her, and then, once she was cold, taken the journal. Twilight began thinking of possible suspects, but she couldn’t think of anyone. Frankly, everyone at school was in love with Fluttershy. Nobody wanted to harm her and, in fact, they’d fight off outsiders who did try.

“It just doesn’t make sense,” Twilight suddenly said.

“The entry?” Sunset queried, “yeah, I know.”

“No-no, not just the entry, the person who wrote it!”

“It had to have been Fluttershy,” Sunset responded, “I mean, look at the handwriting! It’s exact!”

“But that’s impossible!” Twilight argued, “Fluttershy’s dead and gone. How could she have written this? There aren’t any such things as ghosts, no matter what anyone on television or the internet says. So, in light of that circumstance, we must assume someone forged this.”

“How, though?!” Sunset asked desperately, “how could someone copy her handwriting so…brilliantly? More than that, who’d want to do this?”

“I don’t know,” Twilight said, “perhaps one of our old enemies? The Dazzlings? Wallflower Blush?”

“The Dazzlings moved out of town months ago, and Wallflower’s one of our best friends now!” Sunset said.

“So…the question is…do we have a new enemy?” Twilight asked.

“Yes…either that, or-“

“-or what?”

“…or Fluttershy’s still alive somewhere!”