“Are you sure you want to do this?” Vinyl asked as she and Fluttershy pulled up to the Canterlot Cemetery.
“Yes, I am,” Fluttershy responded. “I've been putting this off for too long.”
“Do you want me to go with you?”
“No thank you. I think I'll be okay,” said Fluttershy before giving Vinyl a kiss and exiting the car.
Fluttershy listened to the gravel shift under her feet as she walked down the narrow path to her friend’s final resting place. The bag she was carrying on her shoulder seemed to be getting heavier with each step she took.
After five minutes of walking, she arrived at a tombstone with a few vines covering it that read:
Sunset Shimmer
Beloved friend. May you finally find peace.
1999-2017
Fluttershy looked at the marker for a few minutes, trying to hold back the tears in her eyes as she sorted her thoughts into words. A few deep breaths and a wipe of her eyes, she began talking. “Hi, Sunset. I'm sorry it's been so long since my last visit. There has been a lot going on in my life for the last five years.
“First, I got married almost four years ago. I hope you're not mad about that. Vinyl Scratch helped me through the rough times after my last visit here. We developed feelings for each other, much like you and I did, during this time and they continued to grow as time went on.
“The next thing is that I'm halfway done with getting my doctorate in veterinary medicine. I'm putting money back in order to open my own vet clinic after I graduate. I plan on naming it the Sunset Shimmer Memorial Veterinary Clinic.”
She paused once more to wipe her eyes and also to remove the bag from her shoulder. She moved closer to the tombstone, knelt in front of it and set the bag on the ground.
“I brought a few things that I'd like for you to have,” she said as she removed a notebook from the bag and set it in a possession box next to the stone. “This is a journal that I started shortly after you, um, did what you did. It’s a collection of notes and letters that I wrote to you whenever I was feeling down or had a thought that I wished that I could tell you. I feel its now complete and it's now yours. Don't worry about anyone reading it. Princess Twilight took it to Equestria for a few days to put a spell on it so no one can read it.”
Then she pulled out a photo that she had gotten hermetically sealed inside a picture frame. “Id like for you to have the last pic I took of us together. Don't worry, I've got a copy of it for myself, too.”
Fluttershy closed the bag and wiped her face again. “This… this I've been debating on whether or not to give to you.” She reached behind her neck and unclipped the necklace that she was wearing. “I'm letting you have my geode. I'm going to miss talking with the animals but I'm the only one that still uses it. Plus, it's from your homeworld. It deserves to be with you.
“Sunset, I'm not forcing you from my memories by giving these things to you. It's just my way of…" Fluttershy cut off, unable to continue for a few seconds. She sniffed, wiping her eyes with a hand, before she continued, "...of moving on. We had gone through a lot…” Fluttershy began breaking down as she tried wrapping up her speech. “…I'll never forget you. Okay? We… had some great times. Times that'll stay… times that will last… forever.”
She stood up and cleared the vines from the tombstone. As she stepped back from it, she felt a hand gently rest upon her back.
“You okay?”
Fluttershy turned and found herself being wrapped in her wife’s arms.
“Yeah. It's just… a little harder saying goodbye than I thought it would be.”
“It always is.”