"...Nevermind, this is awkward..." I changed my mind right before I asked Twilight my question.

"No no! Ask me! Ask me now!"

"Nah, it'd be weird."

"No it won't! Please, just ask!"

"Ok... Twilight... Will you go out with me?"

"R-really?!"

"Yeah..." Twilight bounced off her bed and hug-tackled me.

"YES! Yes, a million times yes!"

"Really? Fantastic! I could use the practice!"

"Just wait until I t-- Did you just say practice?"

"Yeah, a practice date! I've been out of the game for awhile... Thanks for helping me!" Twilight released me and slowly backed off of my bed. She sat down on the floor next to my bed and gave me a look of disbelief.

"P-p-practice?"

"Uhh... Yeah. Thank you for helping me. You're a great friend!" Twilight slowly scooted backward and away from me.

"F-friend... is that all I am?" I frowned.

"Well, I guess best friend... is that what you mean?" Twilight's eyes filled with water.

"N-no... No... I-it's not possible..." I stood up out of my bed and walked towards her.

"Twilight? What's wrong?" I leaned down to hug her, but she stopped me with a forehoof.

"N-no! D-don't hold me... It hurts..."

"I hurt you when I hold you? Am I too rough?"

"No! It's perfect! That's the problem!" My frown deepened.

"Twilight? You ok? You're acting very strange all of the sudden..."

"J-just... go..." I tilted my head at her in confusion.

"Go? Go where?" Twilight looked up at me with tears in her eyes.

"... Just... go away from me... please..." I frowned and flinched back.

"Y... you don't want me here?"

"No! Just go! Please..." Twilight gave me a feeble push with a shakey forehoof. I could feel a small pain near my heart.

"W.. what d-did I do?"

"It's not what you do! It's what you don't do! Leave! Go now!" This time Twilight gave me a more forceful shove with magic. I could feel sadness creep up on me. The same kind of sadness that I had only felt once before, though much stronger than this time.

"Leave... leave... Yes. Ok... if that's what you want." With that, I stood up and walked out. I left the bedroom, I left the library, I left the outskirts of Ponyville. I walked right to Fluttershy's house. I was so numb that I didn't even notice Fang trotting beside me the whole way. I literally walked into Fluttershy's door before I realized where I was. I slowly knocked.

"Coming!" I heard Fluttershy yell from inside. I nodded in response, not realizing that she wouldn't see me.

"Damn, that was fucking hilarious!!! Hahahaha!" Fluttershy soon opened the door. She had Unity on her back, and she gasped when she saw me. As soon as she saw me, she hid her face partially in her mane like always.

"S-sharky! You're ok!" I nodded slowly.

"Can I come in?"

"Oh! O-of course!" She side stepped out of the doorway and I walked in. I sat down in a corner next to the door.

"Can I see Unity?" She shut the door and trotted over to me. I took Unity off of her back and cradled him in my arms. He was still asleep, and see-through. It didn't bother me. I took off his little stocking cap to reveal his horns and mane. Then I removed his socks and tail covering. "There, now you look like yourself." Fluttershy curled up next to me.

"Thank Celestia you're ok..." Fluttershy mumbled, reminding me about my near death earlier.

"Yes, yes I am. I'd be better if I didn't have to spend time with you."

"Y-you really scared me Sharky..."

"Sorry." I spoke distantly. I still wasn't sure what had gone wrong with Twilight. I sure wasn't feeling good about making her so upset though. Fluttershy gave me a confused look.

"Y-you don't... sound sorry... I-if you don't m-mind me saying so..."

"..."

"Sharky?" Fluttershy waved a hoof in front of my eyes. I blinked a few times.

"Hmm? What?" Fluttershy stood up and moved in front of me.

"Sharky? What's wrong?"

"..." Fluttershy slowly moved a forehoof forward. She nervously tipped my head up to look into her eyes.

"W-what's wrong? You're acting very strange..." I sighed.

"I dunno Fluttershy... I think I did something bad..." She tilted her head at me.

"W-what?"

"That's just it... I dunno... I just know I did something very bad to Twilight..."

"What happened?" I sighed again and started stoking Unity's mane absentmindedly.

"I asked her out--"

"WHAT?!"

"--on a practice date... Why did you scream?" Fluttershy's cheeks turned bright red and she buried her face in her mane completely.

"Uhh... n-no reason... P-please... go on..." I gave her a curious look, but let it go.

"Well... she started crying... then when I tried to hug her she told me to leave..."

"Oh... whew..." Fluttershy sighed in relief, then looked at me again. She realized how upset I was. "Oh... I'm sorry Sharky..."

"I just don't know what went wrong... I've tried to be a good friend... I really have... Maybe I was asking too much..."

"N-no! I t-think you're doing great... I-in fact... I'd l-love to h-help you..." I sat up abruptly, almost waking Unity.

"What?"

"I s-said... I'd love to help you..." I sat there for a moment before what she had just said truly hit me. I was excited at first, but then I remembered the kiss and the fact that we could only ever be friends. I was about to turn her down, but then a small, greedy part of me told me to take it anyway. I knew it wasn't right to take advantage of my friend's kindness... but I couldn't help it in the end. I sighed grudgingly.

"T-thanks Fluttershy... That's awfully kind of you... now... where should we go for a date and when...?" I mused to myself. "Actually... where am I going to go?! Twilight doesn't want me at the library... That means I don't have a house..."

"Oh... Y-you can s-stay here!" I shook my head.

"No no, you've been far too kind already Fluttershy. I couldn't put you through that trouble."

"Oh no! I-it's no trouble a-at all!" I sighed.

"You know, I really wish you weren't still so afraid of me... Maybe I could stay... if it really isn't too much trouble..." Fluttershy shook her head quickly.

"I-I'm not afraid! R-really! It's r-really n-no trouble."

"Ok... I guess... If you it's no trouble... I'd love to stay here... Thank you Fluttershy, but if you aren't afraid, then why do you still stutter so much and hide your face when you're around me?" Fluttershy slowly peeked out of her mane a little.

"I-is this better?" I sighed again.

"I guess. Thanks again Fluttershy." I reached out with my free arm and hugged her neck. She scooted closer to my side so that I could wrap my arm around her all the way. Then I realized something peculiar about Fluttershy's house.

"Hey Fluttershy?"

"Y-yes Sharky?"

"Why aren't there any little animals in here? You said you took care of them, and winter is over, so where are they?" Fluttershy sat up quickly and started looking around.

"That's s-strange... They were here a minute ago..." Fluttershy moved away from my side and started looking around and under the furniture. "Hello? Come out little ones..." She trotted off into another room. "Oh! Here they are! ... What's that? A monster? Goodness!" I could hear Fluttershy apparently conversing with one of the animals. "Oh! He's not a monster! That's mama's new friend. Come, let me introduce you!" Fluttershy trotted back into the living room. In the doorway she had just passed through, dozens of little heads peeked around the corner. I smiled at them.

"Hi there little guys!" They gave a collective squeak/chirp and vanished back around the corner. "Oh... darn." Fluttershy giggled a little.

"Sorry... They haven't ever seen something like you. T-they'll get used to you soon." I sighed.

"I'm really tired of scaring the crap out of everything I meet. I'm not! Freaking hilarious." Then I remebered something. "Oh, Luna hasn't called me in four days! I need to figure out what's going on!" Fluttershy frowned at me.

"What's wrong with her not calling you?"

"Well she usually has a mission or something for me at least once every two days! I'm just worried something's up." Fluttershy nodded understandingly. I pulled out my phone and hit Luna's call button. She picked up on the fifth ring.

"Hello Luna!" Luna smiled warmly.

"Greetings Sharky, how art thou?"

"I am fantastic! ... Ok, not really. Anyway, I called to ask you a question." Luna nodded.

"Thou may proceed."

"Why haven't you called me for the past four days? I mean, I've been asleep that whole time... but why? Is there something wrong, or am I fired or something" Luna's eyes widened.

"No! We wouldn't simply relieve thee of duty without warning!" I frowned at Luna. She gave me a confused look, then face-hoofed. "I. I meant to say I." I nodded approvingly.

"Good catch. Well, if I'm not fired, why haven't I gotten a mission? At least a call for a speech lesson..."

"You see, Celestia told us about thine... errand. I decided to give thou a break. I hath been working you very hard as it is. There was a note in the pouch from thine last earnings. Did thou not recieve it?"

"Ah, I suppose that makes sense. Thanks for the break, but I'd like to get back to work." I heard Fluttershy gasp.

"Sharky no!" She wailed.

"Yes Fluttershy, you know I have to do this. Now, when can I expect another mission Luna?"

"Actually, thine break is not over for another three days."

"That's well and good, but I'd prefer to get back to fighting for Equestria now. And I want to kill stuff. Nuff said."

"That is admirable of thou, but regardless, thine break is not over for another three days."

"That's fantastic, but I don't need a break and would like a mission."

"Sharky, thou need to rest."

"Look, gimme a mission, or I'll wander around aimlessly until I find a town that needs help." Luna laughed.

"I order thou to finish thine break. Try to have some fun for once Sharky." With that Luna hung up.

"Grahhh!!!" I reared back to throw my phone, but I took a deep breath and placed it back in my pouch instead. "Great, just great..."

"W-what's so b-bad about a break?" Fluttershy mumbled.

"Every miniute I'm not out there, some monster could be attacking and destroying a town! What if Luna's other knights aren't strong enough for something?! Maybe some ursa will go crazy again! Ponies can't handle that!" Fluttershy flinched and cowered on the floor. I took a deep breath and realized I had been yelling. I scooted over to Fluttershy and hugged her shaking form. "I'm sorry... I didn't mean to yell at you..." Unity started crying in my lap. I groaned. "Apparently all I can do today is screw up!" Fang nuzzled my side comfortingly. Fluttershy rubbed herself against my side soothingly.

"I-it's ok Sharky... I... I think I understand... I'm s-sorry things aren't going well today..." I sighed.

"Thanks Fluttershy..." I stroked Unity's mane in order to start quieting him down. Instead, everything got quiet. I could see Fluttershy's mouth moving, but no sound came out. "What?" I asked, not sure what was going on. Fluttershy held a hoof up to her ear, indicating that she couldn't hear me either. "Aww dang it." I looked down to Unity, and he wasn't crying any more. Unfortunately, he seemed to have turned off all sound. "Crap... how do I fix this?" I looked to Fluttershy. I stood up and walked away from her.

"--Going on?" I could hear her as soon as I was about ten steps away from her.

"I don't know! Unity did something." Fluttershy tilted her head at me.

"What?" I sighed and placed Unity down in a nearby chair. I walked back to Fluttershy.

"I think Unity turned off all sound near him. We can't talk near him." Fluttershy opened her mouth to speak, but I cut her off. "Before you ask why or how, remember who he is." She closed her mouth and nodded. "Good. Now, I'm going to go back to the library and collect a few things I'll need to live here... ok?"

"Oh, of c-course! Hurry back!" I nodded. I grabbed Unity, Fang bounded to my side, then I left. I walked straight to the library. As far as I could tell, Unity was still blocking sound. I opened the door. Twilight was waiting for me in the main room.

"Oh! Thank goodness you're back Sharky! Look I--" Twilight trotted towards me as she spoke, but when she got within a few feet of me her voice disappeared. I shook my head at her sadly, then went to the kitchen. Twilight trotted after me, looking very confused. I opened the cabinets the had Unity's bottles. We were running really low by now. I only saw six bottles and one fourth of the bag of powdered chocolate. I grabbed it all in my left arm and started walking out. Twilight looked like she was upset. I didn't want to hurt her, but I figured this was better than hurting her however I was before. Without turning to look back at her, I left the library. I walked to Sweet Apple Acres. Somewhere along the way, I started being able to hear Fang pant. I reached the farm and knocked on the door. Big Mac answered it. I remembered at the last possible moment to hide Unity now that he wasn't disguised. I shifted my arms so that he was concealed by the bottles and chocolate.

"Hello! Is Shadow in?"

"Nnope."

"Well, do you mind if I come in and grab my sword?"

"Nnope."

"Cool." I walked past him and found my way to Shadow's room. I placed Unity on Shadow's bed, then grabbed my sword from a corner and strapped it to my back. I picked up Unity again and left the farm. Within minutes I was back at Fluttershy's house again.

"Hey Fluttershy! I can't knock! Can you let me in?"

"Oh! I'm on my way!" I hear her hooves tapping as she walked towards the door. She pulled it open for me, and I held out Unity for her.

"So sorry, can you hold him while I make him a bottle?"

"S-sure." She took Unity from me and cradled her in her forehooves as I walked to the kitchen. I placed all the bottles on a counter and set to making Unity's breakfast. "S-so what are w-we going to do for a d-date?" I grinned.

"I think I've got a perfect idea!"