Diary of the Dead

Twilight and Rarity scattered like mice, running for their lives to the nearest exit. Rarity looked somewhat comical, waving the crowbar and attempting to act brave. But, in reality, she was as scared as she’d ever been. For, after all, it’s not every day that one has multiple armed guards chasing one’s self. She swatted wildly about, utilizing the crowbar not so much as a tactical weapon, but as a glorified flyswatter. It did manage to connect with a number of its targets, sending them crumpling to the ground. But, mostly, it was blind luck. Twilight followed closely behind, and the two were able to make it out of the command center and hide on the other side.

Sunset, however, wasn’t so lucky. Torture Rack managed to place her in electrified handcuffs, zapping her as she went. The pain was excruciating and Sunset screamed, but Torture loved it. She continued her namesake, electrocuting Sunset over and over again. While all this happened, Mr. Shy stood with a male associate, eyeing her with great hatred and disgust. Sunset wondered how this man could portray someone so sweet on the outside, yet be so sinister on the inside. She also questioned his motivations. Why would Mr. Shy, of all people, be running a secret military facility posing as a storage area?

“Oh-hohohohohoho,” cackled Torture Rack, “you like having the volts? Hm? You like having them? OOOO, they make your arm BUUUUUUBBLLLLLEEEE!”

“You’re not all there, are you?” Sunset questioned dryly, yet with her signature wit.

“Maybe I am, maybe I’m not!” Torture exclaimed before laughing crazily and skipping around Sunset, “ring around the rosey, pocket full of posey, Sunset, Sunset, you get ZAPPED!”

Another pulse pounding, brain melting surge of electricity coursed through the captive. She bent her body in half, trying desperately to ease the awful feeling. But it was no use. Her mind was spent from the pain of multiple shocks, and she finally gave up. Nobody was there to help her. She was all alone, and she felt her hope begin to crack. Soon enough, Mr. Shy stepped forward and slapped her in the face.

“Bitch,” he said with cruelty, “you’re just like my pathetic daughter.”

“Good,” Sunset said defiantly, “at least one of us is.”

“UGH!” Mr. Shy exclaimed, hitting Sunset harder, “you’re gonna learn the meaning of pain by the time I’m through with you! Torture, take this worm to my daughter’s cell. I want to watch them salivate over each other before I kill them.”

“OHHHHH, yes!” Torture said, twisting her face up in a smile, “we’re gonna rip ‘em, and shred ‘em, and have ‘em for breakfast, right?”

“Oh, for god’s sake, Torture,” Mr. Shy’s associate commented, “why does everything with you have to be either food related or egregiously violent?”

“Because I love to watch human beings suffer!” Torture hissed, “Oh-hohohohoho, yes! It’s GOOOOOOOD! Very GOOOOOOOOD!”

“Enough, you two!” Mr. Shy ordered, “I want this whore in my daughter’s cell immediately. Give her the same VIP treatment we give Fluttershy.”

“YEEEEEESSSSSS!” Torture shrieked in a voice that would make glass wince.

The two picked Sunset up and dragged her off towards the northeast corner of the facility. It was then that the bedraggled and exhausted girl realized her mistake. She saw the sheer amount of soldiers guarding the decoy cell from before. Then, she noted that there were three or four guards in front of the true cell. It all suddenly came crashing in on her. She’d been so focused on saving Fluttershy that she hadn’t really taken into account the oddness of having so many guards for someone with such a low profile. Her eyes glazed over as she felt the crushing blow of failure weighing heavily on her shoulders.

I’m so sorry, Fluttershy, she said to herself, I was reckless in my planning, and I couldn’t save you.

It’s okay, she heard the sweet girl’s voice whisper back, I don’t want you blaming yourself for this. You couldn’t have known. I especially do not want our reunion to be one of tears and sadness. Let us rejoice, for we are back in each other’s embrace.

Suddenly, an iron door opened and Sunset, after having her cuffs removed, was hurled inside. In an odd twist, she was very thankful for the cell. It sure beat the hell out of being electrocuted every three seconds. But then, the door slammed shut behind her and she was left inside. She slowly got up, turned, and beheld a bittersweet sight. Her mouth dropped to the floor. For the first time in quite a while, she saw Fluttershy. But…it wasn’t the same happy and kind girl she knew. This was a defeated, forlorn, painful being dressed in rags.

“Fluttershy?” Sunset asked.

The yellow girl slowly looked up from where she sat, and a tired smile spread over her face. “Sunset Shimmer.”

Sunset couldn’t hold back. She raced over and flung her arms around her friend. They both wept buckets, thrilled to be back together, yet hopeless at their situation. Both of their hearts wished for the same thing: freedom and friendship. They had reclaimed one, but the other seemed very far away. Still, it was wonderful to be holding each other again, and Sunset even placed a small kiss on Fluttershy’s cheek.

“I’ve missed you more than you know,” Sunset said, wiping her tears away.

“I’ve missed you, too,” Fluttershy responded, “and I’m sorry I can’t react with a bigger spring in my step, but-“

“No, don’t say that,” Sunset said, “I understand.”

She finally got a good look at Fluttershy and winced at the sight. The poor girl’s clothes had been torn to shreds. Bruises, scratches, and infected wounds marked her skin. There was a great deal of emotional and physical pain clouding her pretty eyes. Sunset gently reached a hand over and stroked her cheek, trying desperately to let her know that she wasn’t alone. But all the same, the image that was before her was not Fluttershy…or at least, it wasn’t the true Fluttershy.

“What the hell have they done to you?” Sunset asked.

“What the hell haven’t they done to me?” Fluttershy responded. “Burning, whipping, electrocution, rape…you name it, they’ve done it.”

“Oh, god…” Sunset said, sickened by Fluttershy’s description, “…I’m so sorry.”

“Don’t be,” Fluttershy responded.

“We tried to rescue you,” Sunset confessed, “but we failed.”

“No, you didn’t,” Fluttershy said, “you came for me, and that means you didn’t give up on friendship. In my mind, that's far from failure. If our friends are still out there fighting, then the mission is not lost. We just have to have faith in them. Tell me…are they still out there?”

“I sure hope so, Fluttershy,” Sunset said, “I sure hope so.”