"Well... This is still waaaaaay boring." I sighed to myself as I laid back on the bed. I had sat on the bed, just staring at the ceiling for about an hour. "Ugh... what to do, what to do..." In sheer boredom, I rolled off the bed and fell onto the floor in a push-up position. I started doing push-ups and decided to just keep going until I collapsed. As my arms pumped away, I let my mind wander.

Well... No matter what, I can't seem to get my mind off of those mares... The way those mares had so obviously been interested in me was haunting me. Why does it still bug me...? I can't figure it out... I wonder if it's only those fanmares... Now that I think about it, didn't another mare ask if I was free back in Canterlot? So, it might not be only those more... available mares in Rutville. Maybe... maybe all mares can like me! I thought back to the mane six. Well... Almost all mares... Damn, I think I got myself stuck in a friend zone with them... They'd never think of me as more than that. I sighed to myself and focused back in on my work out. Obviously the miasma had effected me much more than I thought. I had been going for almost a solid minute, but I was only barely sweating. I started pushing myself off the ground slightly with every push-up and clapped before I went back down.

"Damn man. You did not just think they friend-zoned you."

I really shoudn't have yelled at Twilight. She really didn't mean anything... I need to make it up to her somehow... What would Twilight want? I racked my brain, thinking about everything I knew about Twilight from the show and from knowing her. I couldn't think of anything she would want. Wait, she said she really wanted me to meet Shining Armor... Maybe I can call her when she's visiting him and talk to him... Yeah, that'll make her happy. Oh, there go the arms. I fell forward on my face as my arms hit the ground.

"Oof." I had been so enveloped in my thoughts that I hadn't realized how tired my arms were. I had been thinking for about 10 minutes about what to get for Twilight. Now I was really sweating and my arms ached. I rolled onto my back and got into a sit-up position. I started doing sit-ups.

Yeah, talking with Shining Armor. If he's Twilight's brother, he's gotta be nice. I'm sure we'll be great friends. I've still gotta take Rarity out to dinner too... Huh, and I haven't spent almost any time at all with Stormy recently... I should hang out with Shadow sometime soon too. He lost Blade and seems to look up to me now... Celestia help him. Not only that, but I can't remember a single time I've been here that I've gotten to talk to AJ one-on-one. Man, I've got so much to catch up on! My abs were starting to burn from the sit-ups. Also I should eat better. I can't remember a day when I had all the meals I'm supposed to. I'm gonna end up damaging myself if I keep skipping meals. I let my thoughts drift away as I kept going with the sit-ups. I let the motion take over my thoughts, as if the only thing that mattered was the repeated motion. A few minutes later, my abs failed to allow me to sit up again. I let myself fall back into the carpet and lay there gasping for air. I was drenched in sweat and my arms and stomach were pained and heated from the workout.

"I should really work my legs while I'm at it... but where can I run in this little car?" I thought for a moment before I got an idea. I grinned broadly. "I've always wanted to do this... Oh no... you can't be serious..." I forced myself back on my feet. I walked over to the window and checked to see if it opened. All I had to do was turn a little lock, and the window pushed open. The wind from the motion of the train blew it further open and slammed it against the side of the train. I poked my upper body out of the window and looked towards the roof of the car. Right next to the roof was a rail that ran all the way down the length of the train. I grinned and reached up to grab it, the wind whipping my side as I pulled myself out of the window. I pulled myself up using the rail and managed to pull myself on to the roof of the car. I rolled onto the roof and lay there for a moment to rest my aching arms. The wind rushed past me with astounding speed, doing wonders to cool my aching muscles.

Dear Celestia I'm insane... I managed to stand up on the roof of the train, the wind forced me back a few steps before I gained my balance. I turned to the back of the train, and ran with the wind all the way to the caboose, jumping as I passed the gaps inbetween cars. I reached the caboose and stopped quickly. I realized I had to pee, so I lowered my armor a little and let loose. I looked at the surroundings as I relieved myself. The landscape around me was frozen and desolate. There was snow everywhere, but no trees or animals in sight. I gave a mental thanks to Rarity for the warm gloves and shirt. I pulled up my pants, then turned back against the wind, towards the front of the train. I crouched down in a runner's starting position, then took off into the wind.

"Glad to see I can rely on you to not do anything stupid..."

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"Hello Fluttershy." Twilight had trotted all the way to Fluttershy's house to get her like Sharky requested. She was carrying Unity with her.

"Oh, hello Twilight, please, come in..." Fluttershy stepped gingerly out of the way for Twilight to enter her house. Twilight trotted in, magically setting Unity down in a chair near the door.

"Thanks Fluttershy... Sharky asked that I get your help for taking care of Unity."

"He did? Oh good... I was worried he didn't want to have anything to do with me any more..." Twilight gave her a confused look.

"Why would he want that?"

"Well... After I... kissed him..." Twilight flinched. "He started trying to avoid me it seems like... He refuses to talk about it too... I thought he was mad at me..." Twilight let out a deep sigh.

"Why is he so difficult? He should know we like him by now!"

"I don't know Twilight... I would've thought he'd know... since I... kissed him..."

"I would have assumed that to be a dead give away as well..."

"Where is he anyway?"

"Ugh... he left to go fight a dragon in Stalliongrad..."

"W-what?! That's crazy! He can't do that!" Twilight nodded sadly.

"I know... He said he knew too... He thinks he's going to die..."

"N-no! He can't die! He just came back!"

"Don't worry. If I know anything about Sharky, he'll find a way to handle it..."

"... Y-you're right... I'm sure he's being smart about this..."

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"Whooooooooo! This is bucking awesome! It's official, I'm stuck with a crazy idiot." I was running full-tilt against the wind towards the front of the train. I leapt over the gaps between cars as they came, which was very difficult because the wind tried to shove me backward each time I left the roof of the cars. I continued my sprint all the way up to the engine of the train. The smoke billowed from the smoke stack and enveloped me as I reached it. I coughed a few times and started running back through the wind and cold. I made my way back to my car and lowered myself down on the railing. I worked my way back into the car through the window, pulling it shut behind me. I went over to the bed and collapsed on it in pure exhaustion. Right then, a knock came from the door. "Come in!" The green stallion came in with another tray.

"Good afternoon sir, here is lunch... why do you look so exhausted?"

"Oh, I was just running on the roof of the train."

"... You were... running... on the roof of the train?"

"Yes."

"... Why?"

"Because I was bored off my ass. Just training. On a train."

"Ah... I suppose I understand... Well, here. A nice daisy sandwich with some hay tea." I flinched.

"Uhh... I'm very sorry, but that stuff is inedible for humans..."

"Oh! My humblest apologies sir! What would you prefer?"

"A nice pony steak... Just a salad will be fine."

"Dear Celestia... that other voice of yours is quite unnerving..."

"Oh man... I'm sorry if he's bugging you. Just try to ignore him."

"Right... simple salad sir?"

"Yes, thank you. I'm very sorry..."

"It's no trouble sir, I shall be back momentarily." He turned and left the car. I let my head roll back on to a pillow.

"Phew... That was a good workout..." I focused in on slowing my breathing. I laid there for a few more minutes, slowly recovering from my workout. Then I decided I needed to start strategizing for the dragon. "Ok, I know I won't hear you respond, but no talking to the dragon Steven. The last thing I need is for you to piss it off before I can try talking him out of attacking the town. Hey, I'm not an idiot! I wanna live to ya know!" I continued my thoughts, only hoping Steven had agreed.

Ok... First I'll try flattery. Rarity almost got it to work, as long as I don't offer to take his gems... After that, I doubt I'll get another chance. I'll have to fight it. I guess I could try to sneak up to it and kill it... but that doesn't seem very honorable... No, I'll challenge it outright. I'd rather die brave then live a coward.

"I'd rather live a coward! You idiot, suprise attack! Stab it in the throat while it sleeps!"

Yeah, definitely not sneaking up on it. I've got more honor than that. Plus, wasn't part of my oath to conduct myself with honor? I don't think I physically can sneak up on it. I wonder if they know who I am in Stalliongrad. I hope they do. I don't want to scare the crap out of everypony I'm trying to help. I also hope they aren't fans though... Knowing me is good, but this weird mob thing needs to stop. There was another knock at the door.

"Come in!" The green unicorn trotted back in holding a new bowl and a glass. He levitated them over to me.

"Here you go sir, a simple salad with a glass of water." It was a bowl of lettuce, tomato, onion, topped with some mozzerella cheese and lightly sprinkled with pepper. The water was well... water.

"Oh! Thank you very much!" He bowed respectfully.

"It's my pleasure sir. Do you need anything else?"

"No, this is perfect. Thank you."

"Very well. I will see you later sir!"

"Ok, bye!" He turned and trotted out of the car. I dug into the salad hungrily, finishing it in just over a minute. "Well... now I've got nothing to do again... I think I've thought about just about everything I need to... Hey Steve, can you sing? ... Yes? I'm going to assume you said yes. Ok, I'll sing a line of a song, then you sing the next.

Where is the moment we needed the mooost?

You kick up the leaves and the magic is looost!

You tell me you blue skies fade to graaaay!

You tell me your passion's gone awaaaaay!

An' I don't need no carryin' oooooooon!"

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After singing half a song for about an hour to myself, I got bored again.

"For the love of Celestia... What the buck can I do now? You know what? I'm just going to sleep until we get to Stalliongrad. Finally. I was worried you were going to make me sing 'who let the dogs out' by the Baha Men next." I turned in my bed and closed my eyes, desperate for sleep to overtake me and dispel my boredom. Within a few minutes, my wish was granted and I fell into an uneasy sleep.