Monday, Febuary 4th

I groaned as I finally started waking up. I had been having a nice dream, but I couldn't remember what it was about now. I cut off my groan as soon as I realze Fluttershy was still curled up against me, asleep. I wiggled myself around a bit to settle in next to her more comfortably. I looked around the room briefly, and to my relief, Fang was asleep at the bottom of the bed and my robin was on the headboard. I had no idea where they had gone yesterday, but it didn't really matter as long as they were safe. I slowly eased myself away from Fluttershy and off of the bed. As soon as I stopped pressing my body against hers, her wing popped out. It was perfectly straight, even the feathers seemed to be trying to point straight up. I let out a low laugh as I walked away from her. Somehow I had managed to keep myself under control, so my wings I copied from Fluttershy stayed tucked against my back neatly. I still opted to take a shower and relieve myself while everypony slept.

"Finally, a warm shower..." I mumbled as the steaming water rolled down my back. I scrubbed myself clean and stepped out of the shower.

*--ELUJAH!!* My phone called from my pants that were still laying on the ground where I left them. I quickly picked up the phone and hit the answer call button. The screen was covered in steam, but only one pony could call my phone, so I knew who it was.

"Hiya Luna. What's u-- I mean how are you?"

"Sharky? Is that thou? I can't see thou..." I looked around for a towel really quick. I found a plain white towel hanging on a bar next to the shower, and I used it to wipe the screen clean before wrapping it around my waist. "Ah, much better. I am doing fine Sharky, and how art thou?"

"I'm doing great Luna. Hey, it's been three days hasn't it? Are you calling for a mission?" Luna nodded slowly.

"More or less. We-- I am sending you on a mission of diplomacy rather than a fighting mission."

"Ok, I think maybe I can handle that. Who am I talking to?"

"I assume thou hath heard of thine followers?"

"... Ohhhhh no. They haven't done something bad have they? Oh dammit, I knew this couldn't be good!" I punched the wooden walls of the bathroom, causing it to splinter around my fist. Luna blinked a few times before letting out a hearty laugh.

"Ah hahahaha! Sharky, the exact opposite holds true! Your followers strive to be like you, they strive to be warriors that protect others! They are in fact, an enormous help to Equestria's safety."

"Then what could be the problem?"

"Well... While they strive to be good warriors, often they are untrained and clumsy."

"They damage things and you need me to get them to stop?"

"No, tis not that. Luckily they don't damage much. Hay, they haven't even had large casualties."

"Ok, then I really don't see the problem... Other than the false worship..."

"A large group of them are on their way outside of Equestria..."

"Crap, are they about to start a war or s--"

"Let us finish!!" Luna shouted. I shut my mouth and motioned for her to continue talking. "Thank thou. Now, they are in no danger of losing their lives immediately; The direction they are heading holds no enemy nation. However, if they continue on this path, each and every one of them shall lose their life to something far worse.." My jaw dropped.

"Whoa! Where are they heading?!"

"I cannot tell thou. It is a secret place, meant to never be found. I need thou to go to them and get them to turn back. If thou cannot do this, they will all die."

"Send me! I gotta go to them now!" I paused for a moment and looked down at my naked body. "Actually, let me get dressed first." Luna gave me a confused look.

"Thou never wear a shirt anyway. Why does this matter now?" I moved the phone so that Luna could see the rest of me, covered only by a towel around my waist. A light blush covered Luna's cheeks. "Oh! Thou were showering... I apologize, call back when thou art ready to travel. I nodded before hanging up. I quickly pulled my pants on and put my gauntlets on as well. I ran into the kitchen and grabbed my sword... after face-palming myself for leaving it there. Fluttershy stumbled into the kitchen as I grabbed my sword. Her wings were still straight out and her mane was a cluttered mess.

"*Yawn* Sharky? What are you doing up so early?"

"I don't have much time to talk Fluttershy. If I don't go somewhere now, a bunch of ponies will die. Take care of Unity while I'm gone, I will most likely be back soon. I'm just talking." Fluttershy seemed to take a few seconds before her foggy mind could process what I just said.

"Oh no, you aren't leaving. You were sick last night. You're staying here."

"Uh, no. I'm leaving. Their lives depend on me."

"No! You don't have to save them! You don't need to..." I flashed Fluttershy a huge grin.

"Oh, but I do. I'm a good guy Fluttershy, like in stories. I have to do the right thing."

"B-but why?" She stuttered out. Odd for the 'New Fluttershy'. I paused for a moment.

"Because it feels like the right thing to do. I feel like I have to do the right thing. It's funny, in my old world I always wanted to do good, but here it feels like I have to. Well, goodbye." I whipped out my phone and called Luna in record time. I was getting better at that. "Hi Luna, I'm ready to go." Before fluttershy could react, I was gone in a flash of black light.

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Suddenly, the area around my was exponentially brighter than Fluttershy's house. I shielded my eyes and blinked a few times to adjust my eyes. I realized it was hot, very hot. Hot enough to make me glad that I wasn't wearing a shirt. Not as hot as a burning building, but warmer than a hot summer day. I squinted and looked around as soon as I was able. I saw nothing but sand in front of me. I kept my eyes covered and slowly turned. All I could see in every direction was sand and a bit of dried grass. Once a lizard scurried across my field of vision, but that was it. I looked up so that I could see farther. Great dunes dotted the landscape, sand as far as the eye could see. Until I turned to the north-west. (what I assumed was north west anyway. I still wasn't sure if the sun worked the same way as it did on earth.) To the north west, I saw a group of white dots on the horizon. Heat waved the air around them, causing the white dots to bounce and wave around. As I stare at them, the white dots became larger and more solid. They seemed to notice me, then they started approaching me much more quickly.

"-- him!" I heard a faint yell in the distance, coming from the dots. I held my sword up readily, but I lowered it as the shouts started making more sense.

"Sharky!"

"The great hero!"

"It's him!" I sighed as I realized these were the members of my cult. They quickly ran to me, and I realized that all of them were white. Mostly because they were all wearing thin white blankets and hats over themselves. Most likely to deflect the sunlight, or a cult uniform. I sincerely hoped it was the first option. The first pony, a simply earth pony from the looks of it, reached me.

"I-It's really *gasp* you!" She shouted. From the sound of the voice, I could tell she was a mare. From what I could see, she had an orange coat, but I couldn't see her mane.

"Yeah, it's me. You all need to turn around and leave." The mare squinted at me.

"What? Why would you say that? We're trying to help all of pony kind! Like you!" More of the group started to catch up.

"Hey it's Sharky!"

"Long live Sharky!"

"Are you here to help us?!" I held up my hands to quiet the crowd. They all instant fell slilent an appeared to be ready to hang onto my every word. I waited for the last of the group to catch up, then started talking.

"Look, first of all, this cult worship thing, it stops now." The ponies all gave each other confused looks, then burst out laughing. My face contorted in confusion as I waited for the laughing to stop. As soon as it finally died down, the mare that had first reached me spoke up.

"We don't worship you! We just believe that eveypony should strive to be as good a you are! That's why we fight to protect Equestria!" That stopped me cold.

"... Oh. Well, that's ok then. You don't need to fight though. There are soldiers for that..."

"Well, soldiers can't do everything! We can stop monsters right away, whereas soldiers have to be summoned and deployed!" Another mare called from the middle of the crowd. This one was a pegasus. I had to give her credit for her logic.

"Well, that's a good point, but it doesn't matter right now. Look you all need to turn around. Now."

"Why would we do that?" The first mare asked.

` "If you keep going this way, you'll all die!" The ponies all looked at each other again before bursting into another fit of giggles. I waited for it to quiet down again.

"We don't have to worry about that! We're on a mission! Some of us may be lost, sure, but it will be worth it!" A stallion at the back shouted. There was a chorus of agreement noises.

"Besides, we have this to protect us!" Another stallion called. He opened a huge white and gray box they had been carrying. Inside, there was a large double-headed battle axe far too big for a pony to use. On the blade, there was a silver moon that sparkled with a benevolent energy. I walked over to it and lifted it out of the box.

"No way..." I muttered. This was the axe I had left behind when I fought the Ursa Minor! How in the heck did they get in and where'd the moon come from? I passed my void over it, but no magic came out of it to me. There was obviously magic in it, but my void wouldn't copy it.

"Yes Sharky, this is your axe. The silver symbolizes our belief in you. You are our hero Sharky, and we would be honored if you would lead us in this, our greatest of victories." A deep gravely voice spoke up. He had the tone of a leader, and was most likely leading this group. There were anxious murmurs of agreement and support. I gently traced a finger over the glimmering silver.

"What victory?" I turned to face the speaking stallion. He was a large unicorn, colored gray. I couldn't tell if he was gray from age or if it was simply his color. He was definitely old, but he was very muscular and healthy looking for his age.

"Our cleansing of the forbidden realm. We have received word that somepony has found Libro Mors. We plan to enter the forbidden realm and stop that pony from releasing a plague upon Equestria!"

"Well hold on guys, that sounds dangerous. It's my job to protect you guys." The stallion gave me a broad grin.

"Then you won't have a problem accompanying us for safety! Onward my fellow ponies! Equestria needs us!" The stallion gave a mighty whinny and took off into the desert. The rest of the ponies all cheered and took off after him.

"Oh dammit you psychotic bastards! No! Wait, it's not safe!" I took off after the company of ponies, my Buster sword in my right hand and my axe in my left. Luckily they had though enough to build a strap for the axe, so all I had to do was strap it to my back as I ran. "*sigh* Looks like I'll be a little later than I thought Fluttershy..."

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Friday, Febuary 8th

Four days. I had been traveling through the desert for four days. It was hot, dry, and unchanging. I missed my friends and family, but I couldn't leave these ponies to die. I didn't really have any idea where we were. Whenever I asked, I only received a cryptic 'to the forbidden realm'. Luckily, these crazy ponies brought plenty of food and water. We were living on mainly dried fruit, but it was enough. I was wondering how worried the girls must be. I had called Luna and told her I had to travel with them and persuade them to turn around. She had promised to tell the girls not to worry, but she sounded worried herself. The leader was the gray unicorn stallion. He had told me his name was Anubis, but I didn't bother to learn about anypony else. This small group was strangely well equipped too. Everypony had a blade of some kind and light leather armor. Today, we were again looking at a great expanse of sand. No landmarks in sight. I sighed and stepped forward, but Anubis stopped me with a hoof.

"Stop." He commanded. I looked forward to see the problem, but all I could see was the heat waves rising off the sand.

"Why?" I asked irritably. One can only take so much sand. He gave me an excited, almost manic look.

"We're here!" He declared happily. I gave him a confused look and searched around quickly. There was nothing but sand in every direction.

"Uhh... I expected more."

"Look closer..." I looked forward more intently, nothing but sand and wavering heat. Then I noticed something. The wavering heat didn't shift and change. It stayed in the same area and wiggled. I looked around more, the waves made a shape. It went around and up, like a dome. No matter how high I looked, I couldn't find the top of the dome. I looked to the sides, but I couldn't find the edges. Anubis breathed out happily. "Finally..." With that, he ran forward...

And vanished.