About 1/4 of the way to Twilight's library, I had a thought.

"That sneaky little jerk!" Rarity had let me forget to pay her for Unity's clothes in the chaos of the snowman attack! I turned right back around and stalked back to the boutique. I walked right in. "Hi Rarity!"

"Oh, hello Sharky! What are you doing back so soon?" Rarity greeted.

"Remembering to pay for Unity's clothes! ... and getting my sword and shirt."

"Are you sure you didn't just want to see your special somepony againnnn?~" Sweetiebelle sang from a chair next to the door. I facepalmed.

"Not my special somepony!"

"You know, I've been meaning to ask, why do you protest that so passionately? Am I truly that bad?" Rarity sounded upset. I flinched and struggled to find words that wouldn't screw me over.

"... Uhh... no, it's nothing like that... you are a very... nice mare but uhhh..."

"Ohhhhh!~" Scootaloo chided.

"Shut it! I just killed a demon snowman, I don't need this! No, I mean she's nice but uhh... I'm just... not good enough! Yeah, that's it! I am a human after all, hardly worthy of any mare really... anyway, how much for the clothes?"

"Sharky! You shouldn't put yourself down like that! I'm sure any mare would be happy to have you!"

"Yeah, yeah, don't try to distract me with flattery, how much for the clothes?"

"It's not flattery my dear, it's the truth!"

"Right, whatever. Just tell me about the clothes."

"No, I'm serious Sharky. Please listen--"

"Look, tell me the price, or I'm paying you 7,000 bits and leaving!"

"500 with close personal friend discount!"

"... 1000."

"600."

"1000."

"650."

"1000."

"That's not negotiating! I'm changing my number!" I smiled.

"1000."

"Ok, ok. 950?"

"Deal, 950. So with tax that's... let's see... 1000."

"... Brilliant. Fine, I'll take 1000!"

"Pleasure doing buisness with you!" I pulled ten gold coins out of my pouch. I held out the coins and Rarity reluctantly levitated them out of my hand. With that I grabbed my shirt and sword and left.

"... What just happened?" Scootaloo asked hesitantly.

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"Hi Twilight!" I greeted as I walked into the library. "Hi Fluttershy! I didn't expect you to still be here..."

"Oh, I hope you don't mind... I was waiting for you to come back..." Fluttershy muttered.

"Aww, how nice! Stalker. Now... would you guys mind feeding Unity? I think I'm very damaged..." Recently my body had decided to remind me of every injury I had. Ranging from the lightning blast I had taken back in the fight with the S.O.L.I.D.E.R.s all the way to the double fist pound I took from the demon snowman. I passed Unity to Fluttershy and then fell to one knee.

"Sharky?! Are you alright?!" Twilight asked worridly.

"Oh, no. I'm fan fucking tastic. Just tons of severe wounds you know. Yeah, I'll be fine... I think I just need to rest."

"Liar! Look at you!" Twilight scolded. I looked down at myself. My chest wound had sealed, but my whole left side was basically a huge bruise, my left shoulder was charred, and skin was light red from the roasting I had recieved. Twilight walked around to my back to see my injuries there. She gasped. "Oh my gosh... Sharky..." She reached out and touched my back. I yelped in pain. Fluttershy went around to my back too.

"Dear Celestia! Sharky!" She wailed.

"What? What's so bad?"

"How are you standing with the pain?! This looks horrible!" Twilight balked.

"What a confidence booster. Anyway, it's the miasma. I can take way worse injuries now and shrug them off."

"Yeah... but Sharky... Your back is really busted..." Fluttershy said quietly. I slipped on my shirt before they could look at me any more. The shirt was long sleeved and thick. It instantly made me feel warmer.

"I'm fine, I'm sure. Gimme a few days of healing in this world combined with the resilience from miasma and I'll be just fine. Anyway... could you guys watch Unity for awhile so I can rest?"

"Oh, please rest! You need to heal!" Fluttershy pushed on my right arm with the top of her head, trying to get me to the bed upstairs I guess.

"Umm.. Fluttershy, I sleep down here next to the books, you're pushing in the wrong direction..."

"You what?!" She shouted. She sounded angry. She whipped around to face Twilight. "You let him sleep on the floor?!"

"It's not my idea! He refuses to sleep in the bed!" Twilight balked.

"Well, I'd hate to take up space in your bed." I interrupted.

"You haven't gotten him a bed?!" Fluttershy was almost yelling.

"Whoa, calm down! I wouldn't let her anyway! I don't want you spending money on me!"

"Ha! See? He's so difficult!" Twilight gloated.

"Well... it's still not right! Sharky, you need your own bed!" Fluttershy sounded genuinely concerned.

"Oh no, it's no big deal. Please, don't worry about it."

"No! She's right! I've been meaning to get you a bed for awhile now anyway." Twilight agreed. I sighed.

"Fine, I'll go buy a bed later, right now I just... I need to lay down for a minute..." I stood back up from my kneel and walked over to my corner. I laid down and curled up to sleep.

"... O-ok Sharky... just... don't get more hurt? It hurts us to see you like this..." Fluttershy mumbled. Twilight nodded in agreement.

"I told you I'm fine! I just need to rest for a minute. I'm gonna have a new mission soon, and I just need to rest before then..."

"W-what?! No!" Twilight yelled.

"Yeah. Apparently, something is going wrong with monsters recently. They're getting more and more active, but nopony seems to know why."

"B-b-but... that m-means..." Fluttershy mumbled.

"Eeyup, more missions for me. Now please, just let me--"

*HAAAAALLELUJAH*

"Oh dammit." I picked my phone out of my coin pouch. I hit the answer call button and Luna's face popped up on my phone. "Hi Luna."

"Greetings Sharky! How art thou?"

"Beaten like you wouldn't believe. I'm doing fine though. You have a quest for me?"

"Well... no."

"Yes!" Twilight cheered.

"Oh, then what did you call for?"

"Well... doth thou remember that day in the garden? Thou promised to help us speak correctly..."

"Oh yeah! Were you calling for another lesson?" Luna nodded.

"Yes. We were hoping thou wouldn't mind visiting us and furthering our knowledge of today's speech patterns."

"Yeah, I think I'm free for now. You girls can handle Unity right?" I turned to the girls and they nodded vigerously. "Good. Well, I'm free Luna. Are you gonna come here or--" I was cut off by a flash of black light.

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"--Am I going there... Well, I guess this answers that question..." I was flashed into the royal gardens, the same place I had first started my lessons with Luna. She was sitting next to a small rosebush cut to look like a turtle. She smiled at me, but then her expression changed to one of disapproval.

"Sharky, what hath happened to thine pantaloons?"

"You did not just say pantaloons... anyway, I was flame-roasted by a big pile of snow, so the cloth burned away."

"... What?"

"Unity acidentally made a giant evil snow abomination, and it could breathe fire. It caught my pants on fire. Don't worry, I think I killed it."

"Thou thinks?"

"Well, rephrase. I know I killed it, I just don't remember doing it. Anyway, I'm here to teach, not converse. Let's get started."

"Thou attempts to command me?"

"When I'm the teacher, hells yeah. Yes. Now, let's get to work." Luna blinked at me.

"... Very well... Mr. White." She giggled a little at the ridiculousness of the situation. "Let us proceed." We dove into the lesson. We sat and worked for several hours, and it was almost dark by the time we were done. Steven decided to keep suprisingly quiet, and I managed to make some progress with Luna. She was managing to catch some of her 'we's now. Not omit them, but catch and correct them.

"Ok Luna, I've got to get back to Ponyville now." It was pretty late, and I still had to take Rarity out tonight.

"Already? What has thou in such a hurry?"

"I've gotta take my friend Rarity out tonight."

"Friend? Merely friend?" I sighed.

"Yes! We're just friends! I'm taking her to... here to get her mane done. It got ruined by my fire-breathing friend."

"Oh, we... I see. Doth thou need help with transportation?"

"Yes, that would be fantastic Luna."

"Very well, when thou gets thine 'friend' call us and we... I shall teleport you back to Canterlot." I smiled.

"Thanks Luna!" I stood up from my spot beside her and hugged her neck. "You have got to be the coolest boss ever!" She hesitated a moment before wrapping a forehoof around me in return

"Not a problem... Mr. White." She giggled again. It sounded pretty ridiculous to me too, so I laughed along with her. We quickly calmed back down though. "Anyway, time to send thou back yes? Fare thee well!"

"Bye Luna!" Another flash of black light, and I was gone.

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I was standing in the corner of the library I had come from.

"Oh! Sharky! You're back! How'd it go?" Twilight was reading right next to the place I had flashed in.

"Great! How was Unity?"

"He was an angel. No chaos or anything!"

"Yeah, I think he burned himself out on that earlier today. Anyway, I'll see you later."

"Where are you going now?" Fluttershy poked her head out of the kitchen doorway and looked at me sadly.

"Sorry to leave so soon, but I promised Rarity I'd take her to Canterlot to get her mane fixed tonight."

"Well w-when are you gonna spend some time with me...?" Fluttershy almost seemed to be whining.

"Uhh... Soon. Soon." I lied. Hanging around Fluttershy only remind me of the kiss and what couldn't be. "I... I've gotta go now." I started walking towards the door, but I acidentally stumbled over the Buster Sword. I had left it behind when Luna teleported me. I picked it up and propped it up in my corner. I cast a disapproving eye over the rust and dullness of the sword and made a mental note to have it repaired. With that, I dashed out the door. "Huh, I wonder where Fang has been all day..." I mumbled to myself. I left the thought alone. Fang was a strong wolf, he'd be fine. Withtin a minute, I was on Rarity's doorstep. I knocked gently.

"Oh! Sharky, is that you?" Rarity called from inside.

"Yeah! Are you ready to go?"

"Yes dear! Give me a moment..." I heard her hooves tap against the floor as she went to the door. She magicked it open. She was wearing a red, sparkly dress that hugged her body closely. She had a cute little feathered hat on that covered her ruined mane. The hem of her dress just barely kept from brushing the ground.

"Wow, you look great Rarity!"

"Oh, do you really think so?"

"Yeah! You're gonna turn quite a few heads in Canterlot!"

"Ooooooh!~" Sweetiebelle called from inside.

"Shut up! Shouldn't you be in bed?" I didn't hear anything more, so I assume she ran off. "Well, now I feel tragically under-dressed! Doesn't matter I suppose, tonight is for you. Lemme call Luna..." I pulled out my phone again and hit Luna's call button. She picked up on the first ring.

"Oh, ready already Sharky? Very well, we... I shall teleport you immediately." I grabbed Rarity and pulled her tightly to my side, then we disappeared in a flash of black light.

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We flashed into Canterlot. We were surrounded by unfamiliar buildings. I had never seen this area in the show, so I had no idea where we were.

"So... uhh... you do know your way around Canterlot, right?" I asked.

"No! I thought you knew where we would be going!" Rarity sounded worried all of the sudden.

"Hey, calm down! I'm sure we can just ask somepony for directions!" I looked around for the nearest pony. The was a light pink mare next what appeared to be a cafe right next to us. I pulled Rarity over to her and leaned down to tap on her shoulder. "Excuse me miss, do you know where I could find a nice hair salon?" The mare turned to me.

"Oh, that's easy you just... OH MY GOSH!" She screamed. I flinched.

"Yeah, I'm very tall. Sorry to scare you..."

"You're the hero of Equestria! Hey! Everypony look! It's the hero!" All of the sudden ponies seemed to appear from everywhere, and the streets were filled with cries of 'Look! The hero!'. I groaned and facepalmed.

"Great."