Fluttershy was crying.

“It’s okay, we’ll still see each other all the time. Every night,” said Luna, kissing her cheek.

“I-it’s not the same. H-how can she do this to us...? Why is she doing this?” she whined.

The train was approaching quickly.

“Do not think for a moment that I won’t spend every waking hour fighting her on this. That monster will not go unchallenged. You’ll be back before you know it.”

She couldn’t help but remember hearing a pony she loved saying those exact words so long ago. As the train came to a stop and she stepped onto it, final goodbyes were exchanged.

Her Letters

From: Fluttershy

To: Princess Luna

One Hundred and Thirty-One days after the death of Rarity

Luney,

It’s impossible to fall asleep without you. I just get so anxious, and then I start thinking, and you’re not there to talk me out of it. So then I start thinking about my friends and I start crying, and then I think about you and I start crying harder. I thought that I was getting better, too. I thought that I was moving on, that I was learning to live without them, but now I feel worse than when it all began. It was always you who made me strong.

What’s worse is that I’m starting to remember more. I think since I was in Canterlot, I didn’t have as many things to remind me of them, but now everything does. I haven’t left my house in two days because I can’t make it a half a block without making an idiot of myself. I tried going to Sugarcube Corner, and the Cakes ended up having to walk me back home. I tried to go to Sweet Apple Acres and did almost the exact same thing. Ponies look at me like I’m broken or crazy, and I’m really starting to think they’re right. I had plans to see Rarity sometime soon, but I don’t think that’ll be a good idea.

Please let me come back home. This place is just awful. My friends are both here and not here, and that’s what’s killing me. I miss your voice, the things you say, the way you make me feel safe, and everything else about my perfect Luney.

I love you.

Love,

Flutters

From: Princess Luna

To: Fluttershy

One Hundred and Thirty-Three days after the death of Rarity

Dear Flutters,

My love, Celestia conspires against us. I do not know why, but she attempted to intercept your letter. Lance has informed me of a secret order to detain you if you try and enter the city. I do not know why this is, but I will find out.

I have a theory though, but it requires that I tell you an old secret. This is the great secret of Canterlot, and I only wish I had the courage to share it with you while you were here. Now, I do it out of fear, instead of trust as it should have been.

Celestia is not herself. She does seem odd at times, but this goes beyond personal quirk. Her strange simplicity and fixations are not her. Celestia, the all-powerful ruler of Equestria, is not afraid of the dark. She isn’t supposed to act like the only things she knows about ponies is what one reads in a book. Something happened to her a long time ago that changed who she was. Unfortunately, it happened while I was banished, so that detail eludes me, but she is not the same pony I knew.

She is dead inside, and not an ounce of inspiration is left within her.

My suspicion is that she knows of Twilight’s enchantment by old magic and is developing a dispel. However, since she cannot create as an artist does, old magic is impossible for her. She knows this, and my guess is that she has become fixated on our love as the most plentiful source of raw feeling in the world. And judging by the way I felt after reading your last letter, I know she’s right.

I love you, so very much. And that is why this next request will make me weep for days.

We cannot send each other letters until further notice. If she were to intercept one, I don’t know what sorts of magic it would be subjected to as she tries to extract the magic from it. You know I would not ever ask this unless I knew it was absolutely paramount to our safety and Twilight’s. You know how much old magic runs through all of us. You know why they forgot it.

You know what happens when one tampers with it. She will pervert it, and while it may not seem so, our separation is a blessing in disguise. The last thing we want is to be together with Celestia dabbling in old magic. Why she separated us, I don’t know.

That said, we will still have every night to spend together. Your dreams will be our home and our future until we can have one for real. Please, keep your faith. I know how scared you are of it being just a dream, but I promise, I will be there every single night. The first night I’m not, I’ll be there next to you when you wake up.

I promise.

Love,

Your Luney

Fluttershy read and reread the letter. It took five times for her to understand what it meant. She’d been waiting for so long for her reply that just the trace scent of the royal ink sent her head spinning. The ink itself was made out of the extract of a very specific flower that gave the ink a navy blue sheen. It was intoxicating. It smelled of a combination of fresh water and mint, just like her princess.

So many long nights were spent writing letters to friends in Luna’s embrace. She missed those nights, and missed the nights where the letters went unfinished even more.

Fluttershy was sitting at her desk and reflexively reached for a piece of parchment and pen and began writing. Halfway through her letter, she stopped and let the pen fall to the table. She stared at it for a long while, then crumbled up the paper, ran outside, and stomped it to dust.

The entire world was tearing them apart piece by piece. She had just found someone to tell how she felt, and not even three months later she was alone again.

Their dreams would be all they had left. In the morning she'd have a sweet memory and a smile on her face. The memory would be hazy and the smile would be short-lived, but it was technically better than nothing—as long as the Luna she dreamt of was real.

Fluttershy went back into her house and didn’t leave for the rest of the day.

From: Fluttershy

To: Fluttershy

One Hundred and Thirty-Five days after the death of Rarity

Dear My Lonely Moon,

She was there last night, like she promised.

We were in this beautiful meadow. There were wildflowers, rolling hills, and big, lazy clouds. We were laying at the bottom of this valley, just laughing and talking. She wore this dark blue cloak that I was sort of laying on, too. I don’t remember everything we talked about, but I remember it was something about baking.

Then she said, “We’ve waited long enough. Soon it’ll be real. Soon it’ll be our time.”

The sun fell from the sky and the flowers lit up like tiny rainbow fires across the field. She threw off her cloak and then she kissed me.

I’ve never been so sad to wake up. It was so perfect. Too perfect.

I’m going to see Applejack today and help her with some chores. I told her that I wasn’t sure if I was strong enough to help, but she insisted and said, “Work is good for you.” I know she’s right, but I don’t want to get in the way.

The kids really want to see me. I don’t know why they like me all of a sudden, but they do. They’ve even started calling me Auntie Fluttershy, and whenever one of them breaks down or throws a fit, everypony kind of expects me to take care of it. Oddly enough, Applejack told me Scootaloo is the most excited to see me when I come over.

Spike once told me that I was a well put together pony, so much that everypony sort of looks up to me. For a while I believed him, but now that I see what I truly am, I’m scared. I’m probably the worst excuse of a pony in all of Equestria. I'm no example for anypony.

I’m dead when I’m awake, and alive when I’m not. I went to bed two hours early last night just to spend a little more time with her. Nothing matters here. All I want is what lies in that perfect meadow.

Love,

Flutters

From: Trixie Lulamoon

To: Spike

One Hundred and Forty days after the death of Rarity

To address Spike, the Assistant Librarian of the Canterlot Royal Library,

I am making a special request on behalf of a patron who wishes to remain anonymous. I, Trixie Lulamoon, Head Librarian, hereby request that a volume known as Stella’s Diary be transferred as soon as possible.

Sincerely,

Trixie Lulamoon

Head Librarian

Notes: The volume's existence is theoretical at best. In my research, I’ve deduced that it’s a unique text, never printed en masse. The patron describes it as a small blue notebook with gilded gold trim along its corners. The first entry should date back to at least seven-hundred years ago and mentions a “Rosetta” in it. From the way it’s described it is very much a diary of a pony and is probably considered a historical account. I understand that the implied rarity of this text denotes a level of clearance beyond either of our positions, but this patron is completely convinced of its existence and of their dire need of it.

The patron has also been here every single day searching for this text since I was assigned this position, and Trixie would like some peace and quiet

From: Lily

To: A concerned mother

One Hundred and Forty-Two days after the death of Rarity

Lala,

I can’t find her medical records or anything on file for her citizenship. I exhausted every resource I have access to. This search is getting desperate, and I’m coming to the end of my enthusiasm.

We were lost for so long. I didn’t remember who I even was, and you didn’t remember what you looked like. We know what loneliness does to a pony, and it’s done worse things than put false memories in our heads. Coming back and knowing at least you were real was the best I could hope for. Yet it still hurts knowing he was a figment of my fantasy. While I still cry every so often, I’m getting used to the idea that Dauntless was never real.

You’re so willing to give everything you have to find her, but when is enough, enough? Maybe I shouldn’t be so ready to give up, but please, there’s so much I want to do, and we only have so much time.

Love,

Lily

From: Spike

To: Trixie Lulamoon

One Hundred and Forty-Seven days after the death of Rarity

Dear Ms. Lulamoon,

I am saddened to inform you that the requested text, Stella’s Diary, was not found in the history section, nor any other section of the library, by its alleged name or given description.

Sincerely,

Spike

Notes: I know the pony you’re talking about. She is the alicorn with her horn cut off just above the base. She was there the third day after everything happened, and then spent six out of seven days a week reading every book in the library start to finish alphabetically.

Since I was assigned to my position, I have personally been looking for Stella’s Diary for some time now. It’s too coincidental that an alicorn who only calls herself “the concerned mother” shows up out of the blue, just after Twilight Sparkle goes into a coma, and reads all her books. “Con Mom”, as I like to call her, knows more than she’s letting on.

I’ve forwarded the description of Stella’s Diary to various libraries throughout Equestria, and have two potential matches. One is in the Crystal Empire, and the other is in Manehattan. Unfortunately, leave for me is a rare thing, but if you can go there and talk on my behalf, we might be able to recover the diary.

To: Fluttershy

From: Fluttershy

One Hundred and Sixty-Four days after the death of Rarity

Dear My Lonely Moon,

She was there tonight, like she promised.

It’s strange, some ponies think of light and dark as opposing forces. I don’t see it anymore, the darkness that is. To me, it’s all the same, night and day. I go from one day to another and back again. I’m always in sunlight. I sleep before sunfall and awake after sunrise. I find it somewhat ironic that I haven’t seen the moon in a month, yet I spend every night in her embrace.

The meadow never changes. It’s eternal and perfect, and I’m happy there. We always talk about different things, so I know it’s real, that she’s real. She told me that we’re going to go to the cottage tonight and see Lala. I’m so excited to finally meet her. To think, the mother of a princess. I don’t think I’ll ever have a greater honour. Luney says that Lala needed some time to cook up a wonderful meal for us when we came over. It’s so nice of her to be such a gracious host. I hope she likes me.

Hopefully yours,

Flutters

From: Applejack

To: Spike

One Hundred and Seventy days after the death of Rarity

Dear Spike,

Fluttershy’s getting worse. She has not left her house in five days now. Whatever she’s doing with Luna, it’s getting unhealthy. I sent Scoots in to check on her, and Angel kicked her out. She’s probably sleeping most of the time, but Scoots tells me she hears crying too. I’ve tried sending letters to Luna, but I think they’re getting lost in all the mail, or she might not be reading them.

I’m not going to jump to any conclusions, but I know they’re hiding something.

That all said, I’m getting pretty worried and I want you to talk to Luna. Fluttershy is our friend, and if Luna cares about her half as much as she says, then she’ll have to see what this is doing to her. I’m sure she’ll understand.

Love,

Applejack

From: A concerned mother

To: Lily

One hundred and Seventy-Three days after the death of Rarity

Dear Lily,

I know she’s real. And don’t you give up either. I’ve no clearer a memory than when you first introduced me to Dauntless. He was an absolute gentlecolt. After we find Rosy, we’ll find him.

I know where the diary is. Trixie took me to the Crystal Empire and we found the trail. It was bought by a stallion from Canterlot about four hundred years ago for an undisclosed sum. His current heir is named Fancypants. He should have it or know where to find it.

Love,

Mom

From: Spike

To: Applejack

One Hundred and Seventy-Four days after the death of Rarity

Dear Applejack,

Princess Luna isn’t in the castle anymore. I went to knock on her door, but she wasn’t there. I asked all her guards and they said she left on an emergency. When I asked Celestia, she told me Luna was sick and that she was heating up some warm soup for her, and sort of smiled at me.

I kid you not, that is what she told me. Sometimes Celestia creeps me out, but lately I’m starting to distrust her more and more. Things are getting weird here. Something big is happening, and I think Twilight, Fluttershy, and Luna are all at the center of it, with Celestia pulling the strings. Bear with me, there’s a lot to say.

There was a royal decree yesterday that the movement of all books to and from the Canterlot Royal Archives must receive Celestia’s personal stamp of approval, and that the release of this information could be considered criminal. Makes my job so much more fun having to wait on the princess to move anything around.

Lance also told me that there have been two more royal decrees by Celestia since around the time you sent me your letter. One is a control and check on all incoming mail into the city, and the other is an increase in security for all of those entering the city.

The first one checks every incoming and outgoing letter for the terms “Luna”, “Fluttershy”, and “Stella”, and checks for content that not even Lance knew the nature of. The second is routine searches of anyone entering and exiting.

I’m trying to get to the bottom of this, and I think I know what’s going on. There was this mare named Con Mom, maybe you knew her, who spent every day at the library trying to find a text called Stella’s Diary, a book about a pony named “Stella". I think you can put two and two together.

Celestia wants this diary. I don’t know why, but she’s doing everything in her power to make sure she gets it. She wants to know if the book is moving or if someone is talking about it.

I also think this diary is the key to waking Twilight up. Con Mom showed up looking for a book the day after Twilight, a book nerd, left. She's certain it's there. And she's an alicorn. Alicorns don't just do weird things like that without it being really important.

And then you think about what she has against Luna and Fluttershy. They had custody of Twilight before Celestia did, so maybe they figured out this diary was the key. Maybe Celestia also caught wind of this, but has different motives. Why else would Celestia separate them so harshly and then ponynap her own sister? Luna isn't "sick". Celestia must have done something to her. I don’t know, I’m just pulling at loose threads, but the more I pull, the more sense it seems to make.

Anyway, I’ve been looking for the diary myself, and sent Trixie and Con Mom to investigate some libraries in other cities. They should be getting back pretty soon.

If they do have it, tell them to keep it away from Canterlot and to not write using any of the sensitive terms. I’m going to do as much digging as I can to find out what Celestia wants this book for. If it is what we need to wake Twilight up, I want to make sure we have it, and not Celestia.

I don’t trust her, and I’ve never been more prepared to put everything on the line. Tonight, I’m going to see if I can find Luna and Twilight.

Sincerely,

Spike

P.S. I won’t be able to communicate with you for a while, but I’ll make sure you know the big things when I find them out.

Fluttershy was sitting alone in her room when her little bunny, Angel, came in with a small, brown package tied up with strings. She had been crying and writing an entry in her diary, but turned around and smiled weakly. Her eyes grew wide as she saw a thin envelope beneath the tie.

Her heart nearly leaped out of her chest when she smelled the ink. She ripped open the letter like a savage animal.

Ten days ago, she dreamt without Luna. It had been a dream like any other dream, except lonelier and maybe closer to a nightmare. She searched the world they built together, and Luna simply hadn't been there. When she woke up, she was already crying, and then she remembered Luna's promise.

When she had realized she was just as alone in real life as she was in her dreams, she did all she could think of.

Sleep.

There was nothing for her anywhere, until now, until this letter.

From: The Angel

To: Fluttershy

One Hundred and Eighty days after the death of Rarity

To reconnect the hearts of friends...

- Inside the box are the thoughts of your friends

- Place a pinch of sand in the envelope to return your own.

- Be careful. This is your only chance. Do not let them slip away.

The Angel

Fluttershy was heartbroken. She read the short message three times over and smelled it twice. It was indeed the royal ink of Canterlot.

The night was cold, and instead of embracing the moon, she watched it from her bedroom window. It was beautiful. It reflected every tear she shed, each one becoming a sparkling drop on her windowsill. Luna had abandoned her, and because Luna was all Fluttershy thought about anyway, that abandonment could have been weeks ago and she wouldn’t have known it. Dreams were fickle things, and she'd been stupid to trust them.

All her thoughts had been of Luna since then, trying to explain—to understand—why Luna broke her promise. A thousand reasons streamed through her head since that fateful night. Was it something she said? How many times did Luna advise her to do something, and she didn’t listen?

She relived memory after memory, trying to pinpoint where she went wrong, yet nothing stood out. Luna had been so perfect to her, and for a while, Fluttershy actually felt like she was being perfect back. At least that’s what Luna told her, and she wouldn’t lie. So how could someone so wonderful cause her so much pain? Fluttershy knew she wasn’t perfect, and that anyone would be foolish to love her. She knew it wasn't Luna's fault, but that didn’t explain why she sometimes wished terrible things on her.

Luna had still hurt her, and she still cried every night. She couldn’t have brought all this heartache on herself, could she?

She approached the package with mixed bitterness and hope. Maybe it was a ploy by Luna. She resented herself for thinking such a terrible thing of her princess. If anything, it would be some sort of amazing gift or explanation.

As Fluttershy opened it, she wondered if she’d be stupid to forgive Luna for breaking her heart.

She unraveled the package slowly and thoughtfully, unlike the letter before. She made something of a ceremony of ensuring that not a single edge of the wrapping paper ripped.

Before her was a small wooden box with a brass latch in the front. It had four stumpy little legs to stand on, and simple decorative etchings just beneath the lid. Fluttershy opened it. Inside was a jar of pearly, white sand, about the size of an apple, and a single letter with a thick coat of dust over it. It looked like it had been sitting there for decades.

Fluttershy opened the letter with care.

From: Rarity

To: Fluttershy

One Hundred and Eighty days after the death of Rarity

Dear Fluttershy,

I have long pondered how this letter is to be received, considering the circumstances. I need you to believe what will be said here is true, that I am real and not dead (so to speak), as nothing is of greater importance than what I’m about to tell you. A thousand drafts later, I realized there is only one way of ensuring this.

A very classic case of exercising knowledge that only you and I know.

Do you remember that rather lovely discussion about you and Spike we shared? It was a trip to the fabric store turned five-hour conversation about life, and I remember you telling me something I’d never really considered before about you and the dragon. If I recall correctly, when we all joined forces as friends that first day Twilight arrived in Ponyville, you came with us bravely into that dark forest. It was as odd as it was refreshing; lovely Fluttershy enjoying a very daunting, social outing. ’Twas out of character. Nothing’s to say that you shouldn’t have been as shy and anti-social that morning as you had been the day before. And every morning before that. Honestly, we all wondered what had happened to bring you out of your shell.

Not that I’m complaining, mind you! Your friendship is one I wouldn’t trade for all the gems in Equestria. It was just unusual is all.

When I asked you about it, during that fateful fabric-store-shopping-trip, you told me what had happened, but only under the concession that I never speak of it to anyone, which is a promise I proudly uphold to this day. It wasn’t Twilight, it wasn’t the Elements of Harmony, and it certainly wasn’t the other four of us that opened you up. It was Spike. Something about him drew you in like a foal to freshly baked cookies, and in him you found the courage to open up. You sat there and talked with him for hours about anything and everything, never having maintained a conversation for more than thirty minutes prior. Spike, and Spike alone, is the reason why we are friends.

Hopefully I have proven my identity, as the things I’m about to disclose are almost as unbelievable as the nature of this letter.

Some time ago, I was most likely pronounced dead by my own hoof. If I remember correctly, it was a few jabs to the stomach with a length of sharp glass. Utterly ghastly, and I do apologize for reminding you, but understand that there is far more to this story than that.

Something very magical happened, and I don’t think I am entirely dead, but simply not in Equestria. I am somewhere very unusual right now, a beach for lack of better description. I have been working very hard to find my way home, but it’s becoming more and more apparent that this may never happen. The thought of never seeing you or the others again is one of the saddest I can muster, but an opportunity has arisen, and I implore to consider it with all your heart.

Twilight is working on a solution, but she is somewhere very far from me. We have been... in touch... but not quite often enough. She talks of a place where we can all be together again, forever, without the fear of time pulling us apart. She says that Pinkie is already there with her, and that all we need to do is gather everyone so we can go there together; you, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, and I. It may mean leaving Equestria forever, but I’m not the pony to ask about that. I'm hardly a philosopher of sorts. All I know is that I’ve been lonely and want so badly to be with my friends.

Maybe being alone on this beach for so long has skewed my view of life, but nothing sounds better than an eternity with my friends.

She asked me to prepare a few things on my end, and I have done so. Please, talk to Twilight and tell her that I’ve done my part and am waiting to move forward with our plan. I know this must all sound unreal and, frankly, terrifying, but if you can contact Twilight, ask her and she’ll be able to tell you everything you need to know.

I’m sorry if this is sudden and surreal and the pure essence of “unusual”, but there was no other way than to drop everything on you at once. I’m not sure when I’ll be able to write you next.

Of course, I’m not telling you to take this offer up, but simply asking you to consider it. There’s so much to consider, but know this. You will be safe and with friends. Take some time to think, but don’t take an eternity. The window of opportunity is closing slowly, but ever so forcefully.

With much love,

Rarity

“What is this...?” whispered Fluttershy to herself. She went back to read the first letter, then turned to her bunny. “Angel, did you do this?”

Angel shook his head.

“Where did you get this?”

He somehow managed to pantomime something to the effect of I found it on the doormat. She narrowed her eyes at him but saw no dishonesty. Angel had never lied to her before, and she was sure he wouldn’t lie about something like this.

She read Rarity’s letter again. It made less sense the second time through. Her eyes glazed over, and she merely saw words without knowing what they meant. Several minutes later, she hadn’t moved an inch, unable to grasp the literature before her. Only after she saw the letter through tears did she come to understand what it meant.

- Inside the box are the thoughts of your friends

Was it really something written by Rarity? It looked exactly like her hoofwriting. Logic told her that it must have been something Rarity wrote before she passed away, but romance kept a powerful idea alive. Fluttershy’s dead friend had just written her a letter. Rarity was somewhere out there, reaching out.

“This—this is real...?” she stuttered to herself.

- Place a pinch of sand in the envelope to return your own

Her own thoughts; a letter.

There must have been a thousand ways to interpret the arrival of this package. Most would have investigated where it came from, going to the post office and beyond. Another greater minority of ponies would have assumed it a ploy, or at least reacted with a healthy dose of skepticism. Some would have grown disillusioned by it and taken it as the oddest of occurrences, yet never think again of it. Stranger things had been ignored and forgotten.

Yet, Fluttershy couldn't make those choices. She’d spent the last ten days crying over a mare who’d failed to appear in one of her dreams. It hadn't helped that she had been sleeping fourteen hours a day for two consecutive months. Her mind was a mess, her body was begging her to stop, and now she had all the time in the world to think herself into a corner. She didn’t remember what normal was.

So she began to write, and when she was done, she popped the jar open. Inside it was a silky smooth, white sand. It felt like beach sand, ultra-fine from an eternity of rolling across the tides.

She took a pinch of it and sealed it into the envelope with a lick of her tongue. She didn’t know what it would do, but when the letter evaporated to dust in front of her, she wasn’t startled or even surprised. She was terrified.

She shook with every movement, and the warmth and colour had drained from her face. At this time, a thousand things were passing through her head faster than she could process them. Yet one thing stuck out. One thing that she knew in her heart was more real than anything she had felt for the last six months.

She wasn’t the same pony she used to be.

She remembered days of friends and love, before Luna, before this madness, and before everything hit rock bottom. Her house was a mess, trash and animal food tossed about the floor. The animals themselves still came to her cottage to eat, but something inside her had died, and they realized this. They didn’t stay or try to comfort her, merely coexisting with whatever creature their once loving caretaker had become.

All she knew now was pain and chasing dreams. The day following Luna’s abandonment, she forced herself to sleep twenty-three hours of the day, only her stomach waking her out of necessity. Now she was writing letters to dead friends.

Through her window, she saw a mother and son walking through the meadow. That mother was probably thinking about what she’d cook tonight, and about if they’d have enough money to go on their vacation. The son was probably thinking about how there was a doughnut at home that he could have if he was good. They were worrying and thinking about normal things.

From: Fluttershy

To: Twilight Sparkle

One Hundred and Eighty days after the death of Rarity

Dear Twilight,

I was told to write you a letter, and this is it. To be honest, I’ve never been more afraid in all my life. So much has happened, and I’m not sure what to think anymore. Here I am, writing to my friend who’s in a coma after being told to do so by my friend who killed herself. I’ve been living like a slob, and my only reason to live left me in a dream.

Rarity told me about what you want to do, but I’m so scared of what it is. She told me to tell you that she’s done with her part of whatever you guys are planning, but didn’t say any more. I don’t know if I want to leave Equestria forever to come stay with you and the girls. More than anything, I don’t want to be lonely anymore, but what’s going to happen to us?

Please, make me want to do this. Tell me how there is nothing left for me here, and how there is happiness wherever you are.

Love,

Fluttershy

As soon as the letter turned to dust, Fluttershy left for Sweet Apple Acres with Rarity’s letter in wing. There, she hoped to find someone sane.

When Fluttershy reached the perimeter of the farm, she saw Applejack hastily trotting towards her, a look of half-annoyance and half-worry on her face.

“Fluttershy?! Are you okay? Why haven’t ya been answering yer door?” said Applejack.

“I... um... was...” she said, suddenly aware that now she had to talk to a pony who was clearly upset with her. “I have something...”

“Good heavens! Look at yer mane and coat!” she exclaimed. “What’s going on, sugarcube?"

Fluttershy glanced down at her long, ratty locks. She hadn’t really done anything in the last two weeks to maintain her appearance, and it showed. Yet, she didn’t care, and for a moment wondered why anyone would care about appearances.

“I—I h-have a letter,” stammered Fluttershy.

“Okay—” Applejack didn’t become any less annoyed, but confusion was now present in her narrowed eyes. “Okay, what does this letter say? Who is it from?”

It was at that moment that Fluttershy realized she shouldn’t have come to see Applejack. She shouldn’t have come outside. She’d been asked a question that she had no reasonable answer to. Was she really to say that her dead friend had written her a message?

Applejack was looking at her like she was losing her mind.

“I... Nevermind! You’ll think I’m going crazy...” she whimpered, sinking to her rump. “Applejack... I’m so lost...”

Applejack sank down to her side. She let out a long sigh, and leveled with her friend. “Ya know, Ah’d think you were goin’ crazy, if this entire world wasn’t already goin’ crazy as it is.”

Fluttershy was already crying. Not because she was sad, or because she felt discomforted, but because she’d gotten to the point where crying was just her response to most things.

“If ya tell me what yer letter says, I’ll tell ya what mine said."

Fluttershy held out her letter. “Here, read it yourself,” she sobbed.

“Fluttershy, where’s the letter?”

“Right here in my hoof!” she said, shaking the paper at her.

“The other hoof?”

“No, the one right in front of your face. Just take it and read it!”

Silence. Applejack began verging on tears herself.

“Do ya see a letter in yer hoof?” asked Applejack, shaking her head.

“Yes! Please! Take it and read it!”

“Ah’m—Ah’m gonna get to the bottom of this,” she said as she looked at her friend with huge, devastated eyes. “Whoever did this to ya, Luna, Celestia; they ain’t gonna get away with it. Now, Ah’m gonna let ya go home, but if I do, ya promise not to hurt yerself?”

Fluttershy became inconsolable.

“Don’t you leave, okay? It's dangerous out there.”

She had been for one hundred and eighty-four days now.

When Fluttershy came to her senses, she was back in her house, tucked tightly into her bed. A mug of hot cocoa was sitting on her nightstand with a scone, and her entire house had been cleaned spotless, despite it being an unkempt mess before.

Also on her nightstand was the box and jar from before. She looked inside the box and found another letter.

From: Twilight Sparkle

To: Fluttershy

One Hundred and Eighty-One days after the death of Rarity

Dear Fluttershy,

Are you alright?! You sound like you’ve been having a really hard time! Geez, I feel awful that I can’t be there to try and cheer you up. I mean I’ve just been so hard at work with this spell, and the entire “I’m not exactly in Equestria” thing really makes that hard, but I feel terrible nonetheless.

You sound like you really need one of Pinkie’s patented Super-Funneriffic-Parties. But I digress, there will be time for that later. Right now I need to propose something to you.

Something happened to me, and while I’m not exactly sure what, from your letter it sounds like I went into a coma. While I guessed as much, that holds certain consequences in Equestria, the first and foremost being that I may never wake up. The magic I’m currently under the effect of is very powerful, and escape is beginning to seem impossible.

I’d known that Rarity had passed away in Equestria for some time, but I didn’t know she did it to herself. I guess it doesn’t really matter since she’s still out there somewhere, but it's still really sad. However, if you could tell me exactly what happened to Pinkie, that could be very useful. She’s here with me, but doesn’t remember how she got here.

While this may all seem like terrible news, it’s not. I’ve stumbled upon the greatest library in all of existence, and within it are spells that can do the impossible. With the help of Rarity and Rainbow Dash, these spells can bring you here, with me and Pinkie. And we can be together as friends forever. If that’s not enough to persuade you, let me tell you about where we are.

We’ve found the place that good ponies go. We’ve found Paradise, and we want you and the rest of the girls to come join us. It probably sounds crazy, but I wouldn’t ask you to give up on Equestria if I didn’t know this place would make you happier.

When you know what you want to do, tell me. I’ll tell you the first and only step you need to take to join us.

Love,

Twilight

P.S. And please hurry with your answer. I love Pinkie to death, but she’s partying me all out. I have this book I really want to read, but she won’t leave me alone for a second!

From: Trixie Lulamoon

To: Spike

One Hundred and Eighty-Five days after the death of Rarity

Spike,

They took her.

It was late at night, and Trixie and Con Mom had just gotten back from their trip, when we were suddenly jumped by two guards and Celestia herself. They were sitting in the library like total creeps, and threw a massive bag over Con Mom. Celestia had this crazed look in her eye and a big, broad smile like she wanted to eat Trixie. Then she told Trixie to “have a nice day” before teleporting away.

Now, perhaps it’s Trixie’s inclination to read mystery suspense novels, but she absolutely does not think the leader of an organization is the one who gets their hooves dirty with kidnappings and such. She always assumed that’s what henchponies are for!

As you can tell, Trixie is a bit flustered right now. She was really starting to like Con Mom and then she gets kidnapped by Celestia, and there’s obviously something really strange and scary and big happening.

Trixie is a librarian, nothing more! She should be handling books, not being targeted by royalty!

Also, just when Trixie thought the day couldn’t get any weirder, she thinks she may have found the diary. She wishes she was lying when she says she found it under her bed. It was the oddest thing. After Celestia left, Trixie took necessary precautions to avoid further conflict by concealing her location for several hours in an inconspicuous place. While she was hiding, her leg nudged this open book, yet when she turned around to see what it was, she saw nothing. Only after picking up the invisible book and closing it did it appear. It looks exactly like what Con Mom described.

Trixie has no idea what to do with it. Should she bring it to Canterlot or burn it or what?

Terrified,

Trixie

From: Applejack

To: Spike

One Hundred and Eighty-Six days after the death of Rarity

Dear Spike,

I have Trixie with me now, she has the diary, and we’re coming to Canterlot, but we need a way in without getting noticed. I know it’s dangerous to send letters, but now that we have the diary, there is no other option but to get it to the Con Mom. This thing's baffling the magic right outta Trixie, no one can read it, and you're right about the timing with Twi. Alicorns don't just walk in demanding books after our booky friend goes into a magic coma. They're related, and I think all this craziness is getting to my head because I'm hoping for miracles.

Twilight's a nice pony who doesn't deserve to spend her entire life snoozing.

I have no idea what this diary does, but if Trixie’s telling the truth, then we aren’t safe as long as we have it. Celestia’s obsession isn’t healthy, and I’m not too keen about just hoofing it over. Hopefully when the Con Mom finally has it, we’ll have our questions answered. I really wish we had more to bank on than a stranger, because Trixie’s getting real scared, and so am I. Get back to me with your plan about how to get it in. It won’t be long before Celestia catches wind of this.

Applejack

From: Fluttershy

To: Twilight Sparkle

One Hundred and Eighty-Nine days after the death of Rarity

Dear Twilight,

I’ve made up my mind.

It’s finally occurred to me that I have nothing to lose anymore. Even if this spell goes horribly awry and I’m left disfigured or mutilated, there is nothing worse than crying as much as I do. I'm completely heartbroken, and I can’t wait to have the best party of our lives, together. Tell Pinkie to plan something extra fun, because I really need it.

Yet, there is one thing I want to do before I leave Equestria. I fell in love with a mare during these last few months and was brutally torn apart from her. She made a promise to still see me every single night, but that only lasted so long. Before I go, I need to talk to her. I need to know what I did wrong and why she wasn’t there. After that, I’ll be ready to join you.

As for Pinkie, just before Rarity passed away, Sweetie Belle went missing in Everfree. Rainbow Dash went out looking for her, but never returned. The way your condition, Rarity’s death, and Rainbow’s disappearance all happened so suddenly, it was so hard on everybody. You know Pinkie, she couldn't take it. She tried to take her own life. She survived, but has been in the hospital since. It's so sad. I haven’t seen her smile in monthes.

This may sound strange, but thank you for remembering me. I don’t think I’ve ever really felt closer to you guys than I do right now. I was sitting alone in my house with nothing but a pen and an empty page, wondering what happened to myself and all my friends. I know how burdensome it must be to bring me to wherever you are, and I can’t say this enough, but thank you.

Thank you for being my friend and wanting to spend eternity with me.

Love,

Fluttershy

From: Twilight Sparkle

To: Fluttershy

One Hundred and Ninety-Two days after the death of Rarity

Dear Fluttershy,

Please, stop it! You’re going to make me cry! I’ve never had a kinder friend than you, and if you weren’t here I’d feel like a part of myself was missing! I started getting all teary reading your letter, and then Pinkie noticed and tried to read it. I warned her that it’d make her cry, but she did anyway. Now she’s turning the whole place into a carnival for you!

That’s a strange set of circumstances that brought her here, because I arrived where I’m at in a way that at least makes some sense. I bought a magical diary that made me wake up in Paradise. It was terrifying at first, but I’ve gotten used to it. Sort of.

Anyway, I need you to write to Rainbow Dash and tell her that you’re ready. Don't expect a response, as she's really busy right now getting prepared. Once you do that, you’ll only have three days before she comes and brings you here. Tell Applejack and convince her to come too, if you can.

I can’t wait to see you again.

Love,

Twilight

From: Spike

To: Applejack

One Hundred and Ninety-Five days after the death of Rarity

Applejack,

I’m not sure if you’ve noticed, but there’s a huge, pink bubble around Canterlot right now. Getting you inside the city unnoticed will be next to impossible. Given the four hundred percent increase in security, the barrier spell, and the hidden, second barrier spell cast by Celestia herself, your chances are somewhere between non-existent and zero.

Unless you’ve got Spike pulling all the strings.

I talked to Lance about the idea. He said it’s crazy, but he’s also convinced that Celestia did something to Luna. He’s on board with the plan and wants to get her back for Fluttershy’s sake. Something about eternal love and whatnot. I think he’s a romantic at heart, but I digress. I think no matter the reason, we’re all basically banking on Con Mom being able to do something amazing with the diary. Also and trying to keep it away from Celestia because she’s creeping all of us out.

But anyway, Lance told me that Trixie has to come alone straight through the checkpoint. There are several ponies that will be detained on sight trying to enter Canterlot, you and Fluttershy being the only names I recognized, and there is only one entrance in the outer barrier and that’s the train track. She needs to take the 9:00 A.M. train next Wednesday and sit on car five, back left side of the car. Before she enters the city, guards will enter the car and perform searches. Lance will be assigned to her car and get her into the city without being checked. After that she’ll need to come to the library so I can hide her and the diary until we know where they took the Con Mom. I think she’s either in the dungeon, or in Celestia’s personal chambers under some sort of spell.

Yeah, I’m pretty amazing sometimes, aren’t I?

Master Planner,

Spike

From: Fluttershy

To: Rainbow Dash

One Hundred and Ninety-Eight days after the death of Rarity

Dear Rainbow,

I’m ready. If it matters, I’ll be waiting in the Canterlot Gardens. Make sure you have room for one more, because I have someone I want to bring.

I can’t wait to see you and all your awesomeness.

Love,

Fluttershy

From: Rarity

To: Fluttershy

One Hundred and Ninety-Nine days after the death of Rarity

Dear Fluttershy,

Rainbow Dash told me you are coming, but I have just one request before you go. Enclosed in this envelope is a letter to my sister. Make sure it finds its way to her.

Love,

Rarity

Trixie sat in the back-left side of car five. She resolved that sitting on the diary while it was open would best conceal it from curious onlookers. It was invisible while open, and already small to begin with, so she easily covered the entire thing. Without a bag, searches by guards would be as simple as looking her over, and she could carry it off without it being seen.

Still, despite their combination of luck and planning, every passing glance from a guard or passenger made Trixie white as a ghost. She was smuggling the sole desire of the Princess of Canterlot into the royal city with the intention of doing everything in her power to keep it away from said princess as an accomplice to three blacklisted individuals. Celestia was never known to lack creativity when it came to punishing criminals, and Trixie certainly didn't lack the creativity to imagine said punishments.

Even worse, the mare sitting next to her insisted on talking.

“Would you like to ingest a scone? They’re berry flavoured,” said the mare, offering her one of a half-dozen she had in her saddlebag.

“Eheh, no thank you,” replied Trixie. The anxiety was making her a little sick as it was. The last thing she wanted was to upset that by introducing food into the equation.

“My name’s Lily. What’s yours?” asked the mare cheerfully.

“I am Trixie.”

“Why are you going to Canterlot?”

“To see a friend.”

“Oh, I’m going to hopefully see my sister. Has anypony ever told you that you’re a very pretty unicorn?”

“I—” Trixie’s mouth hung open slightly. That had been a forthcoming comment. She dismissed it with a brief shake of her head as if to toss the weirdness off. “Yes.”

“Do you mind if I draw you? I love drawing. It's possibly my most favourite thing ever to do in the luxury category. When it comes to the necessities, obviously breathing is first, then it’s a toss up between eating and sleeping.”

Trixie looked down at Lily with a raised brow. She was a unicorn and no older than an adolescent. She had a baby blue mane with a pearly, white coat and amethyst eyes. Trixie had encountered many young fans in her previous career, and Lily was certainly one of the weirder ones despite being a very pretty pony herself. She looked innocent and honest enough, and Trixie wasn’t about to shoot her down pointlessly. It wasn’t like Lily was hurting anypony.

“Ooookay... You may draw Trixie if that is what your heart desires,” said Trixie.

Lily pulled out a small notepad and several coloured pencils. In only a few strokes, Trixie could already see that she was a fairly talented artist. So far, it was nothing but scribbles to the untrained eye, but it was the confidence with which she drew that gave it away.

“Trixie can tell you’re very good at drawing...” said Trixie.

“Oh, thank you. You’re very nice, Trixie.”

“Would you mind if I look over your other work? Trixie has always been a lover of the arts.”

“Not at all! Here.”

She hoofed over another notebook full of drawings. Trixie flipped through them. The images varied from landscapes to portraits to ponies in various scenes. They were good, to say the least. To give them full credit, the notebook by itself could have started a new artistic movement. The complete spectrum that seemed to exist in every drawing gave everything a highly prismatic look, backsplashed against dramatic blacks for contrast. It was a mix of realism and surreal colouring that never felt out of place. Everything was placed tastefully with objects in the order of the natural spectrum of colour. Six friends of the six colours of the rainbow. A mountain range so large that it saw both the night sky and day’s light. There were the warm colours of morning and the cool colours of night, with green falling to the central mountain range. Beneath the horizon the colours dripped and bled to a totally black foreground.

“Have you ever thought about selling your work?” said Trixie with two raised brows.

“Why?” she replied none-the-wiser.

“So you can make a fortune?”

“Oh, you mean acquire debt to use as exchange for prospect or investment?”

“I mean so you can have a mansion, fame, and whatever else you want.”

“Do you think somepony would really buy it?”

“I’m positive.”

Lily blushed, but didn’t look up from her drawing.

“Perhaps if I draw you, ponies will buy it. You’re very pretty, like a unicorn I once knew.”

It was at this point that the train began its approach to the security checkpoint. Several guards filed in from both sides of the car, politely asking each passenger for their ticket and any bags they had for a brief search.

Trixie’s tongue swelled up in her mouth. She tried to swallow, but the back of her mouth felt like sandpaper. She was getting numb in her rump as the diary seemed to grow to the size of a boulder beneath her.

That was when a guard stepped in from behind and turned to her.

“Can I see both of your tickets, and can you list the luggage you’re traveling with?” he asked, sounding rehearsed.

Trixie nearly fainted as she and Lily levitated their tickets forward.

A vague description of Lance had been described to Trixie before coming, so she knew what he looked like, but it still didn’t stop her from visibly shaking. The guard appeared to be him, but she also wasn’t entirely right in her own mind at that moment.

He raised a brow as he looked between Trixie and Lily. It was the sort of eyebrow raise that meant something was out of the ordinary.

“And what did you bring with you?” he asked.

“My drawing supplies!” chimed Lily.

“N-n-nothing,” stammered Trixie.

He looked back down at the tickets and sighed.

“Illustrious, Trixie; please come with me,” he ordered. “Buckshot,” he said to another guard, “take over this car. I have a few here that need to be checked out.”

What stands is that all is dust. Even eternity will succumb to it. Those who will see the end of time will not see what lies beyond it.

Dear Selena,

I know we haven’t spoken enough lately, but I want to tell you I’m ready to start again, if you’re ready to forgive me. I used to look to the stars every night and cry without knowing why, but every time I did, I took one step closer to knowing what truly happened.

I had been selfish and never considered why you did what you did.

There is only so much time left for me here, and I want to give you something. Even though I know we’ll never have what we truly want here in Equestria, we can have it somewhere else. I’ve gathered my friends, and we are ready to take you to Paradise with us. We can talk there, and maybe we’ll find a way to love one another again. I know this is crazy, and something that we should never have been forced to consider, but I can’t wait any longer.

Please, meet me in the gardens tomorrow at midnight, and there we can go together. If nothing else, I want to say goodbye.

Sincerely,

Your Love

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