"...just to make sure he was dead." I finished. I had been looking down, ashamed of my fight. "I know it was only in self-defense, but I shouldn't kill things..." I felt even more terrible telling this to these innocent ponies. They were silent for awhile. I looked up and realized they were all grinning from ear to ear.

"Sharky... do you have any IDEA what you've done!?" Rarity asked happily. I was very confused. Why weren't they disgusted or horrified?

"Ummm... murdered an animal?" I asked helplessly. WTF is going on?

"Sharky... That manticore you just described is one of the only HOSTILE manticores in this area!" Twilight exclaimed. "Only a few manticores actively hunt us, the rest are much nicer. Do you have any idea how many ponies you just saved?" Now I was much happier.

"Yeah, and the violent manticores are HUGE, I can't believe you beat one! That is SO AWESOOOME!!" I don't even need to say who said that.

"Well... If you're sure it was a good thing..." I decided to change the subject. "Well as long as I'm not poisoned any more, I should get back to work."

"Are you crazy?!" Twilight yelled at me. "You're in no condition to work!"

"The only injury I had was a cut on my arm!" I held it up and it had almost completely healed anyway. "Now that I'm not poisoned anymore, I should be just fine." Twilight looked like she was going to argue, but she realized I was right and hung her head.

"Fine..." I pushed the mares off my chest and stood up. Then I realized my lack of clothes. I REALLY need to realize these things earlier. I groaned.

"Agh great... Rarity... I need your help again..." She looked at me and smiled.

"No problem dear!" She said with a strange smile. Twilight shot her a glare.

Geez these girls are confusing... I thought to myself. I followed Rarity out the door, and ran right into Fluttershy.

"Oh, hi Sharky..." She mumbled. "If you don't mind me asking... Where are you going?"

"I..uh.. Ripped my clothes...again... So I'm going to Rarity's house to get more." I blushed. I really need to get extras this time.

"Oh... Do you mind if I come?"

"Well I'm just gonna get some new clothes... You can come if you want I guess."

"Yay."

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

They all watched him leave. Then Pinkie Pie jumped up.

"Oh no! The Cakes still need my help!" She bolted out of the room. Then Rainbow Dash spoke up too.

"Oh yeah, I still have to help put the clouds together for the coming snow storm!" She zipped out of the room as well.

"Whew, Ah thought they'd never leave." Applejack sighed. "Now Twilight, tell me why yer actin' so funny." Twilight jumped.

"I don't know what you mean... Ah ha ha ha..." Twilight gave a nervous laugh. Applejack glared at her.

"Now don't gimme that. Somethin' is eatin at cha. You've been actin mighty strange lately, and ah wanna know what's goin' on." Twilight sighed.

"Ok Applejack... But you have to promise not to tell anypony!" Twilight stared at her intently.

"Fine, ah promise. Now tell me what the buck is goin' on!"

"I... well... um... I think I...--"

"For land's sakes just spit it out!"

"I like Sharky!" Twilight blurted. Applejack reared back, unready for that news.

"Well, um we all like 'im. He's a right good sort..." Applejack stammered.

"No Applejack... I LIKE him." Twilight put extra emphasis on the like to establish her point.

"Oh..." Applejack whispered. Twilight groaned.

"I knew it! I'm a terrible pony for thinking like this!" Twilight wailed.

"No no, I understand why ya like 'im, I just... wasn't expectin' it."

"So it's not bad?" Twilight sniffled

"Nah, Ah'm sure yer fine. The only question ah have, is what does he think of you?" Twilight sighed.

"I have no idea... I think he likes me too, but he never acts like he does..."

"Well, ah'm sure he'll come around eventually..." Stormy was amazed at their ability to forget he was in the room, but instead of interrupt them, he turned his head and pretended to sleep.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"...You know... I just thought of something."

"Hmm? What's that dear?" Rarity asked.

"Shouldn't you have my measurments from before on file or something?" She had been measuring me again for the past 3 and a half hours.

"Oh... well I would, but uhhhh... I... Forgot to file them! Yes, thats it. Now they're lost, hopelessly lost I'm afraid." I sighed at my bad luck.

"Well do you think that you could make the clothes stretchy this time? I don't want them breaking on accident again." Rarity's eyes darted around for a moment, she looked worried.

"Um... no I can't dear, no stretchy material on hand I'm afraid." She said. I sighed again.

"Guess I'll just have to be more careful then. Are you sure I can't pay you?" I changed the subject.

"Oh, heavens no darling! That white diamond you gave me will cover everything you could need for quite some time! Plus, I don't charge my close, personal, friends..." She put some odd emphasis on those last three words.

"Are they really THAT valuable here?" I asked. She sighed then answered with a suprising amount of enthusiasm.

"Heavens yes! They're the rarest gems in all Equestria!" She squealed. I laughed. "Now what is so funny dear?"

"Just the fact that here white diamonds are very valuable, but in my world we can MAKE them." Rarity gasped.

"YOU CAN MAKE THOSE?!?!" She shouted. I flinched at the volume.

"Yes, scientists in my world also set them on fire. For fun." Rarity looked woozy.

"I think I'm going to faint... Catch me!" She shouted as she fell over. She caught me by suprise, so I didn't react at first. Luckily I managed to catch her with her own magic before she hit the ground. I lifted her into my arms and looked at her. Eeyup. Out like a light. I sighed and carried her up to her room. It was already dark outside, I must have been unconcious for awhile. When I came back downstairs I almost ran into Fluttershy again.

"Hi Sharky."

"Fluttershy!" I yelled, I was a little suprised. She backed up a little and her ears flattened. "Sorry Fluttershy, I didn't expect you to be there." She straightened back up.

"Oh... It's no big deal." She mumbled. Geez she's cute when you can't understand a dang word she says because she's being so quiet. "Would you mind taking me home? I'm scared of the dark...." D'AWWWWW.

"No problem Fluttershy!" I said happily. She reached up to me with her forehooves, asking me to pick her up. I grinned and scooped her up with one arm. She nestled against my chest and we left the boutique. I started towards her house at a good pace, but as soon as we hit the trail I started running. I have this bad habit of imagining dangers, especially when I'm alone or in the dark. In my head I was being chased by large manticores with dripping fangs and large pointy tails.... Luckily, Fluttershy was with me or it would have been much worse for me. She started tapping my chest with her hoof.

"Are you ok Sharky?" I slowed my pace. She must be worried for me.

"Yeah... it's just...cold out here." I shivered as I realized I was telling the truth. There was snow on the ground and I was running around in ripped pants and no shirt. As if in response Fluttershy cuddled up closer to my chest.

"Don't worry Sharky, I'll keep you warm." She consoled me. D'AWWWWWW! How nice of her. My chest was warmer, but my legs and back were beggining to freeze. I took off again, immediately forgetting my imagined fears. We talked for the whole run about everything we could think of. It helped keep my mind off of how cold I was getting. We talked about her rabbit, the animals she cared for, how she had found each of her friend's pets (Except the owl of course), everything, except me. I tried very hard to avoid me and my world. Celestia forbid I acidentally mention hunters or something that would trauamtize the poor girl.

"Hey Fluttershy, could I get a pet?"

"YES! Oh yes! I love finding my friends new pets!" She said excitedly. She even flew out of my arms a little, but when I shivered she came back down and cuddled against my chest again. "Sorry..." I smiled.

"Don't worry about it." I reassured her. "Now, about this pet... What can I get?" She started rambling off a long list of animals she had for adoption. No cats or dogs for some reason, but there was something better. "Did you just say wolf puppy?" She nodded vigerously.

"Yes, he's a little pup I found all alone in the woods. He's one of the few animals that stay with me for the winter." She finished. I flinched. The one pet that sounded cool was the one that kept her company for the winter.

"Why didn't I see him last time I was at your house?" I asked.

"He was adventuring somewhere. He likes to go play." This wolf was starting to sound cooler every second. He didn't attack ponies, loved to play, AND was adventerous!

"How much does it cost to adopt that one?" I asked. She thought for a moment.

"Well...umm... normally it would be Three hundred bits, but I l-l-...think of you as a good friend, so I'll only charge two hundred." I didn't notice her stutter in the middle. I smiled.

"Ok, assuming I get paid the same amount of bits at work tomorrow as I did yesterday, I'll swing by here and pay for him tomorrow after work." She looked ecstatic.

"Oooooh~ Yay! I get to give another animal a new home!" She shouted. (well you know what I mean by shouted.) Then I started thinking.

Actually, I don't have a home to bring him to... I'm sure Twilight wouldn't appreciate a wolf puppy in her library, and Fluttershy needs company during the winter anyway... "Hey Fluttershy?"

"Hmm? Oh... Yes Sharky?" She was suddenly shy again.

"Would you mind looking after the puppy for awhile? Just until I can buy a house of my own..." She smiled at me.

"Sure I can Sharky... Hey Sharky?"

"Yes Fluttershy?"

"Are you going to try and run back to the library through all that?" She pointed behind me at the snow and the dark. My mind filled with dread as the imagined manticores sprung back to life.

"No, no, nope." I answered in quick sucession. "Would you mind if I stayed just for tonight?" I begged. I really didn't want to risk fighting another monster. She gave me a... odd smile, but it had a lot of warmth in it, so I didn't mind.

"Oh, please do stay... If you don't mind..." I laughed.

"Now why would I mind?" I asked.

"...Well I've only got one bed...." She mumbled. I laughed again.

"Don't worry, I'll just sleep on the floor."

"Oh no! You're my guest, I insist you take the bed."

"No, it's your house, you take it."

"Oh no, you're my friend, you take it." She argued.

"No, I couldn't do that, you take it." I said commandingly, hoping she'd be scared into accepting it. She did look scared, but she continued regardless.

"I-I've got an idea... What if we...s-s-s-s-s-s-s--"

"Share the bed?" I finished for her. She nodded shyly and started blushing and hiding her face. I thought about it. I didn't want to have to take up room on the bed, but she looked determined, so I gave in. "Fine, we'll share the bed" I mumbled.

"Yay." The yay was so silent, Sharky didn't hear it. They finally made it to Fluttershy's tree, and Fluttershy pointed me to the bedroom. Her bed was actually a lot bigger than Twilight's. We both fit in (with me bending my legs a little.) and laid down facing each other. I got transfixed by those giant, emerald eyes of hers. She fell asleep soon, and I was able to fall asleep after she closed her eyes.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Shaaaaarky!" Twilight yelled when she got back to the library. She didn't get a response. She went up to the bedroom, hoping he had decided to sleep in the bed without persuasion tonight, but he wasn't there either. She decided to scry for him. She found him, asleep in bed with Fluttershy.