"Shhhh, shhhh. It's ok Unity, I'm sure your daddy will be back soon..." Fluttershy soothed the wailing infant in her forelegs. Unity had been increasingly upsetable since Sharky left. Fluttershy wasn't feeling incredibly happy either.

"What in Equestria was he thinking?" Twilight mumbled sadly from across the room. Twilight was visiting Fluttershy's house to help care for Unity. "Why did he decide to go with them?"

"Well, he said he couldn't leave them to die..."

"That doesn't mean he had to go gallivanting through the desert with them!" Twilight threw her hooves up in annoyance. Fluttershy looked at her friend blankly.

"Galli... vanting?"

"You know, wandering around the desert with them."

"Ah... well, Luna did say she told him to take care of them. I guess that makes it his job to... gallivant through the desert with them."

"... Ugh... You're right..." Suddenly, the girls heard loud, frantic knocking at the door. Unity's cries became stronger and Fluttershy sighed softly. "Here, I'll take Unity and you can answer the door." Twilight levitated Unity out of Fluttershy's forehooves and carried him over to her waiting grasp. Unity quieted down slightly in her embrace, which brought a smile to her face. "See Sharky, I can be just a nuturing as Fluttershy..." Twilight mumbled quietly as Fluttershy strode towards the door. Fluttershy threw back the door to reveal a very worried-looking Applejack.

"Howdy Fluttershy." Applejack greeted quickly. "Have ya seen Winnona?"

"Umm... No, I don't think I have..."

"Gosh darnit... Well, thanks anyway Fluttershy!" Applejack dashed away just as quickly as she had come. Fluttershy rubbed her mane confusedly.

"That was odd." Twilight commented from her seat in the living room.

"It was... I sure hope Winnona is ok..." Fluttershy gently shut the door and trotted over to Twilight. Unity had finally stopped bawling and was falling asleep.

"I'm sure she's fine. After all, Fang is off alone all the time."

"Yes, but Fang is a wolf. Winnona is a dog. She can't defend herself like he can..."

"All the same, she's fine I'm sure. You know, I just realized, it's going to be Hearts and Hooves day in only four days!"

"Gosh, you're right! I hope Sharky's back by then..."

"Do you think he'll ask any of us to be his special somepony?"

"... *sigh* No..."

"You're problably right... Maybe we should plan something for him! If we can impress him with something on the most romantic day of the year, he's sure to fall for one of us!"

"Yeah... Yeah! That's brilliant Twilight!"

"Maybe we can finally get his attention..." Twilight said wistfully.

"Maybe... Oh, I do hope she's not in trouble..." Fluttershy drifted away from the conversation suddenly. Twilight rolled her eyes.

"Look, if it makes you feel better, I can scry for Winnona. Then we can just go tell Applejack where she is."

"Would you?"

"Sure, just give me a moment." Twilight's horn glowed with energy and her face grew taunt with concentration. A circle of light appeared in the air near her face. Fluttershy leaned in to look at the picture with Twilight. A blush quickly spread across both of their faces.

"Oh dear..."

"Ugh... even Fang can figure out girls faster than Sharky..."

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"Uhh... maybe we can work this out?!" The vampony shreiked as I sprinted after him with my axe raised.

"Graaaaaaahhhhhh! Yeah, he's up for a nice, long chat right now." The vampony was faster than me for sure, but everytime he got too far ahead of me, I interrupted his run with a well-placed lightning bolt. I had already used two so far, but I was unable to feel the energy drain due to the pure amount of rage and adrenaline running through me. The vampony was finally deciding to use his wings to flee, exactly what I wanted. I slammed a third lightning bolt into his back right as he took off. His body hopped slightly before crashing into the ground. I dashed over to him before he could even stand back up.

"Now, you die!" The vampony whipped up off of the ground and kicked my right leg out from under me. I fell forward towards the vampony, his eyes now glowing green.

"Fuck that!" I pushed off the groud with my left leg, sending myself over the vampony's head. I slashed his back with my axe as I passed over him. The blade passed through effortlessly, cleanly slicing the vampony's spine and causing him to fall limply to the ground. I walked over to him and looked into his eyes. They were black again.

"No, please!" He shouted as I planted my right foot inbetween his shoulder blades and pressed him into the ground. "Don't hurt me!"

"I wonder, did any of the ponies you killed beg before you disposed of them?" Before he could respond, I brought my axe down on his neck. The head rolled away from the body, and the body went limp.

"Y-you fool! You can't kill me that easy! I'll just regenerat-- W-wait! What are you doing?!" I lifted the head off of the ground by it's mane and held it at eye level.

"Well, maybe I can't kill you, but I'm sure this oughta slow down that 'regeneration'." I held the head out at arm's length, then dropped it. I swung my leg around to kick the head as it fell, sending it flying out of sight.

"You bastaaaaaaard!" The head screamed as it flew. I then turned to the body.

"Now, I should put a stake in this thing's heart right? Well, where to find a... Oh!" I ran back to the place where I first dropped the Buster Sword, beheading two zomponies brave enough to approach me along the way. I found the sword then began whittling away at the tip of the axe's handle until it became a sharp point. I then casually walked back to the body where I plunged the stake end of my axe into it's heart. "Now... Whew... I'm beat..." A sudden wave of drowsiness hit me as my rage wore off. I wobbled slightly, but I didn't fall. "Sharky White, vampony slayer." I laughed to myself as I slowly trudged towards the distant spot of light that was my group. I held out my axe and looked at the silver moon. "Thanks guys..." Even the zomponies seemed to think twice about approaching me now. A few came near, but none of them came within my attack range for the whole trip.

"Sharky! You're back!" Anubis shouted as the zomponies fled from me and the group. "Whoa, you're limping! ... And you look exhausted! What happened?"

"Well, I fought a vampony, he kicked my leg so hard the armor is now bent so that it is squeezing my leg, I used my lightning spell on him a few times, then I slayed him and came back here." I fell forward onto my knees as I spoke. The group gasped.

"Wow, you look seriously depleted..." A mare observed.

"Please Sharky, get some rest. We'll keep watch." Anubis offered.

"Oh yes, because you all can focus on an enemy long enough to not die. Thanks Anubis... I'll be fine soon, don't worry..." I fell-face forward onto the corpses beneath me. Before my face contacted the ground, a white blanket appeared and I landed on it softly. I looked up exhaustedly to see a light pink unicorn with a white mane. "Oh, the dragon-loving mare..." I mumbled.

"Scarlet, Scarlet Scales." She introduced.

"Nice to meet you... and thanks for the blanket..."

"No problem... umm..."

"Is something wrong?"

"Well uhh... It's just... me and the others were wondering..." The ponies that had re-formed our defensive position all seemed to turn their ears towards us. "W-why... why..."

"Why did I kill them." I finished for her. She nodded quickly. "Well... It was either let them be eaten alive and become cannablistic monsters, or end it then. I killed them to keep them from being in pain." The mare seemed to become happier.

"I knew it! I knew you wouldn't just strike them down in cold blood!"

"That doesn't mean I was right to kill them either... I wish I had kept them from even being taken..."

"Well, there's not much more you can do... You've already gotten us further in here than we ever would have made it on our own. Even if you can't save all of us, you're doing a great job at saving most of us. You're a great hero."

"Pfft... a hero would save all of you..." I drifted into sleep after uttering my last few words. The mare sighed at my lack of belief in myself, and we all waited.

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"Finally, you're awake!" Anubis shouted as I groaned groggily.

"How long have I been out?" I croaked.

"A few hours at least. Most of the group is asleep now. It's just me and two others keeping watch."

"Do you think that's a good idea? Fucking moron! We coulda all died!"

"Your axe is keeping almost all the zomponies at bay. Only a few dare to approach, and we can kill them easily enough." As if to prove his point, a sudden whizzing noise started up and I saw Scarlet Scales stab a zompony through the head with a magic-wrapped dagger.

"Well, you should have been more careful. My axe doesn't keep vamponies at bay, and who knows when another might show up?" Anubis seemed to be imagining the result, then he flinched.

"Good point... Sorry, won't happen again."

"Don't worry, no harm no foul. No harm no foul?! What the fuck?! If there had been harm, no one would be left to call foul! Well, we should let the others rest a b--

Monday, Febuary 11th

--it before we start travelling again."

"Agreed... So, exactly how does this chess game work?" I spent the next few hours trying to explain the rules and strategies for chess to Anubis without any visual aid. It wasn't easy, but he was a suprisingly fast learner. The others all rose from the slumber right as I was teaching Anubis about the Queen's Sacrifice.

"Hey! Finally you guys are up!" I cheered as the group started to wake.

"You're one to talk..." Spot Light mumbled grumpily as he rubbed his eyes. I let out a small laugh. In about half an hour, the group was fully awake and ready to move on.

"Alright guys, now remember. At the first sign of trouble, get in the defensive position, and no matter what happens, focus on the enemy!! Or die. I don't care either way." The group nodded affirmatively.

"Good job group, now, before we set off, let me just thank you all for your hard work and dedication in this mission. Without your help, I would be long dead and Equestria would fall. Here's to you, the future saviors of Equestria!" Anubis cheered and pumped his hoof into the air triumphantly. The group echoed his cheer and raised their hooves in determination. I smiled at the group and I knew in that moment that there wasn't a group of crazy ponies in all of Equestria that I would rather have by my side.

"Right, now let's go defeat a madpony!" I shouted as the cheers died down. I turned in the direction we had been travelling and took off, the group hot on my heels.

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"Whaddya mean you're leaving?!" Rainbow Dash yelled.

"I mean it's time for me to move on. I can't stay in Ponyville forever ya know." Gilda replied calmly.

"Why not?! You have lots of friends, a home, Scoots even thinks of you as 'Aunt Gilda'! You can't just leave all that!"

"Look Dashie, I love it here, really. It's just... not my style. I need a little more adventure. Excitement you know? It's just too calm in this town."

"So you're just going to run off?"

"Actually I was planning on flying."

"... Smart flank." The girls both let out a light laugh. Rainbow Dash sighed, knowing she couldn't change her friend's mind. "Well... Could you at least stay a few more days? Until Sharky comes back?" Gilda's gaze turned to the floor glumly.

"Why the buck would he care? He never visits us anyway..."

"He may not have time to hang out with us, but deep down I know he really cares. He'd be really sad if you left without saying goodbye..."

"Pfft... Like I care..." Gilda lied.

"Please? Just stay until then." Gilda looked unsure for a moment. "For me?" Rainbow Dash added.

"Ugh... Only for you Dash..."

"Great! ... So uhh... Do you know if he'll want to do anything for Hearts and Hooves day?"

"Huh? What makes you think I'd know?"

"... Just asking."

"Still haven't gotten him to notice you huh?"

"... No..."

"Have you even been trying?"

"I was... but after he took me out for the best day of my life, it's like I can't even get him to talk to me..."

"You gotta be more direct Dash! He's never gonna like you if you spend all day moping at the racetrack because he never notices you."

"I guess you're right..."

"Of course I am! Now, all you gotta do is ask him out for Hearts and Hooves day." Rainbow Dash flinched.

"Uhh... I can't do that..." Gilda put on a small smile.

"Why, ya chicken?"

"No!" Rainbow Dash shouted defensively.

"Are you sure? Ya sound chicken to me!"

"I'm not chicken! I'm just not allowed to ask him out!"

"Oh? Why's that?"

"... I can't say..."

"Why not?"

"I'm not allowed to tell anypony!"

"Fine, then I guess we'll have to think of a way to get him to ask you out..."

"Ha! I knew you loved Sharky!" Scootaloo cheered from the ground. Rainbow Dash popped her head out of a window to see her daughter grinning up at her.

"Scoots?! How did you even hear us?!"

"You two have been yelling almost this whole time!"

"You shouldn't have been eavesdropping! You're in big trouble!"

"What if I told you I had an idea to get Sharky to like you?!" Scootaloo cheered happily. Rainbow Dash was on the ground next to her in a matter of seconds.

"... I'm listening."

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"What gives? We've been walking for hours!" I sighed as the group trudged on. "We should have seen something by now!"

"So, to be clear, you're upset because we haven't found something more deadly?" Anubis asked.

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because finding more deadly things means we're getting closer to the bad guy. If we aren't seeing anything worse, we aren't getting anywhere."

"Well, what if we find a light?" Anubis asked suddenly. He pointed out in front of us. I looked forward as far as I could, and he was right. Not too far in the distance, there was a small light.

"Well uhh... I don't know what that means actually... Let's get a closer look." As we walked forward, the bodies on the ground thinned out greatly. The light grew with every step we took, and soon, we were standing on the stone tip of a cliff. The light we had seen was the tip of a large castle, and the cliff dropped off into a huge crater with the castle in dead center. The castle was lit all over with green flames. "Guys... We found him." I whispered. The group let out a loud cheer and a few ponies leapt for joy.

"Why aren't you celebrating?!" Anubis cried joyfully as soon as he realized I had not joined in the cheer. I pointed off next to the castle to a large skeletal form.

"You see that?" I asked. He squinted and leaned forward.

"I see a large pile... no, two large piles of bones. Why?"

"Look closer."

"Ok... I don't... Oh dear Celestia..."

"Eeyup, undead dragons." The two piles of bones were really just still dragon skeletons, guarding the entrance to the castle. "That's not it, look up." Anubis turned his gaze to the sky above the castle.

"Oh no... are those..."

"Vamponies. Dozens of them." Pony shapes with bat wings circled around the castle tirelessly. "An early warning system most likely. Those things would see us and sound an alarm before we even got close."

"This... this is hopeless..." Anubis balked.

"Yes, look upon your demise and despair..."

"Veritas?! This champion is mine!"

"Ravidos?! This pathetic excuse for a warrior belongs to you?! Heh, my champion awaits inside the castle, brother. I would never use this... trash."

"Why you! Let us see whose champion fares better then! Prepare to lose, Veritas!" I looked around wildly for the sources of the two conflicting voices.

"What the hell is going on?! Does anypony else hear this?!" I shouted. The group all turned to me at once.

"Hear what Sharky?"

"Is something wrong?"

"What's bothering you?"

"... Nothing, just... losing my fucking mind I suppose..." I took a deep breath and shook my head. "Right, onward I suppose."

"Not so fast..." A deep, gravelly voice spoke up from behind us. I slowly turned to see what it was. Behind us, was a huge, hulking form of a pony. With absolutely no skin. It rippled with pure muscle, and it stood as tall as Celestia. It's eyes were pure, green flame.

"Oh shit." I muttered. We were on top of a cliff, and it was behind us. This was possibly the very worst place we could be.

"My master begs me to dispose of you... Prepare to die." The hulking abomination lowered his head, snorted once as he dug a hoof into the ground, then charged.

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"Why are you wasting your time on Sharky anyway?" Spike grumbled as he sat on the counter next to Rarity.

"You don't understand Spike, he's just absolutely fantastic... Ow!" Rarity accidentally stuck her leg with a needle as she thought about Sharky.

"He's not all that great..."

"Oh but he is dear! Could you hoof me the white thread?" Spike handed Rarity the spool of white thread. She set back to work on designing her newest dress.

"What's so great about him, huh? Just name one thing that make him so awesome!"

"Oh, he's brave and strong and handsome and kind and smart and such a gent--"

"I said one reason!" Rarity shook her head and sighed.

"It doesn't matter though... He never notices me..."

"Well, that's too bad for him! Maybe you should find somepony else. Somepony that does notice you? Somepony tha--"

"Perhaps I should make a move on Hearts and Hooves day! It is the most romantic day of the year after all." Spike let his shoulders droop and let out a long sigh.

"I have to go back to the library now..." He lied. He eased himself off the counter and started toward the door.

"Oh, time for you to leave so soon? Well, thanks for your help Spike!"

"No problem..." Spike mumbled. He walked out of the boutique and out onto the dirt road. "Pfft... Stupid Sharky... He's not so great..." Spike sighed again. "Who am I kidding? He's Equestria's hero and Rarity's shining knight... I can't compete with that..." Spike shook his head sadly. "I shouldn't be so hard on him. He's a great guy. He's never given me any reason to not like him." Spike started walking back to the library. He stopped after a few steps and sighed again. "But why did Rarity have to like him...?"

"Hi there Mr. Slouchy McSadderson! What's gotcha down?" Pinkie Pie bounded up to Spike, eager to cure her friend's sour mood.

"Hi Pinkie. I'm just not doing great..." Pinkie Pie slowly looked inbetween him and Carousel Boutique.

"It doesn't have anything to do with you super secret crush on Rarity does it?!" Pinkie Pie whispered in his ear excitedly.

"Actually no. Well, yes. I'm upset because she's more interested in Sharky than me..."

"Well, you are just a wiiittle dragon right now... and Sharky is a biiiiig human... Maybe you should find somepony else? Rarity's looking for a grown-up, and you're... still a baby." Spike sloched even further and plopped down onto the ground.

"You're problably right Pinkie..." He sniffled slightly.

"Oh no... I wanted to make you smile! Ummm... Uhh... Hey! What if we go and find somepony for you now?"

"Really?"

"Of course really silly!"

"You think somepony will like me?"

"Of course I do! C'mon, Let's go!" Pinkie Pie held out a hoof for Spike. Spike grabbed it and Pinke Pie bounded away quickly, Spike in tow.

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In an instant, I dashed ahead of the group and into the abomination's charge. He smacked the first pony he met head on, sending the stunned unicorn clear off of the cliff. The group gasped and scrambled to get away from the monster. Only a few seconds later, I slammed my shoulder into the strange beast's chest. The thing was solid as a rock, even my impressive strength only made it slide back a few feet. The beast stumbled back a few feet after it slid, then regained its balance and snorted at me. It started circling me slowly to my right.

"You are strong, creature. No wonder you have made it this close to my master. Too bad your journey ends here." The beast grumbled. I raised an eyebrow at him.

"Big talk for something that already died once." The beast snorted at me, then charged again. I pointed at its head. "Thundraga!" A bolt of lightning flashed down from the sky right onto its face. The lightning crackled through its body, sending a small spasm through it. The charge didn't stop though, and he rammed into my chest. The creature hit like a truck, sending me flying back and knocking the wind out of me. I landed back on my feet and slid right off the edge of the cliff. I reached out and grabbed the ledge as I fell.

"Really? I had hoped you would put up more of a fight than this!" The creature taunted me.

"Yeah well, I'm not having my best day I suppose." I heard heavy hoofsteps as the creature stomped towards me. He peered of the ledge and grinned at me maliciously. He raised a massive leg over my fingers.

"Pity, I would have loved to kill you at your best to truly crush your spirit. Farewell, weakling."

"He's not going anywhere!" I heard Anubis yell. The huge creature suddenly lurched forward, falling off of the cliff. There, attached to his back, was Anubis.

"Anubis!!" I yelled as he fell.

"Don't worry, this is what you would do! I can be a hero too!" He shouted back as he fell out of sight.

"No! Damn it! Anubiiiiis!" I shouted. It was too late. He was dead.

He died, for me. Some 'hero' I was.

I let a silent tear fall down my cheek. "This wasn't how things are supposed to be! I'm supposed to protect ponies, not the other way around!" I pulled myself back onto the ledge angrily. "I'm the one with the job to lay my life on the line, not them!"

"Sharky! What do we do now?!" Scarlet asked frantically.

"We're going to destroy that madpony! For Anubis, and all the others who died for this!" The group let out a roar of agreement. "Glad to see you guys on board! Now, here's what we're going to do..."