February 13, Wednsday

After two days of travelling, we had left the deadlands and finally figured out which way was the correct way home through the desert. After I finally regained my ability to walk, I started trying to get ahold of Luna. For some reason, my phone told me it had no signal. I figured it meant I wasn't within the contact range of Luna's magic. At midday I was finally able to contact Luna, which was great because we were almost out of food and water. I called her as the group came to a halt when I finally announced I had signal. I called Luna and she picked up before the first ring could even finish.

"Sharky?! Thou art safe! Thank goodness!" She practically cheered as she picked up.

"Why would my safety be an issue?"

"Oh... uh... no reason, no reason at all."

"Oh, so I wasn't possibly injured in the world of the undead you neglected to warn me of?" Luna's eyes widened.

"Oh. I uhh... I didn't quite expect thou to find it..."

"That's reason to not warn me? Next time you could at least tell me that I'm going to be entering a realm filled entirely with undead beings!"

"I apologize..."

"Do you know what an Ecorche is?!"

"... Yes..."

"I didn't until one exploded out of my friend!"

"Sorry..." Luna souded truly guilty and apologetic, so I decided to let up on her.

"Whatever.... Well, I guess you're just lucky I did go with them."

"I suppose... Wait, if thou did enter the Deadlands, how art thou even still alive?"

"Well, it's actually a long story. Could you teleport me out of this desert? It'd make it much more comfortable for me to have this discussion."

"Oh, of course! Umm... did any of the other ponies... survive?"

"About 24 of us lived. Thanks to us though, we saved just about everypony in Equestria."

"O-only six casualties?! That's... that's not possible..."

"You didn't hear the part about saving Equestria?" The ponies had all gathered around me to hear the conversation. "You know what, if you could just teleport us, I'll explain it when we're there."

"R-right! We'll do so immediately!" Suddenly we all vanished in a black flash.

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We all appeared right in front of the doors to Luna's chambers. The hall extended to the left and right of us, and Luna stood in front of her chamber doors.

"That's odd, normally you poof me into your--" I started, but Luna gave me a harsh stare and I stopped talking.

"Fantastic to see you all here." Luna began.

"Uhh... question, why didn't you just teleport them to you when they were heading into danger?" I questioned.

"Against their will? 'Tis not right! Ehm, anyway. I understand you all hath discovered a rather disturbing secret..."

"Damn right! Why would you hid a place like that?!" Spot Light yelled. Luna blinked in suprise for a moment before a small scowl crossed her face.

"How dare thou take such a tone while adressing thine princess! Apologize at once!"

"He'll do no such thing." I interrupted. Luna turned to me and her scowl faded. "These ponies just went through hell and carried me back. He has a right to be a little angry." I lifted the Libro Mors and held it out to her. "Especially since we just recovered this and saved possibly the world." Luna gasped and covered her mouth.

"T-the Libro Mors?! T-that's n-not possible!"

"Then why do I have it?" Luna levitated the book out of my hand and held it close to her side.

"We... I am not sure what is going on here..." Luna spoke softly now, as if afraid her very breath would break something. "It is obvious that you all have spared Equestria a terrible fate, and for that I thank you. To answer your... rather rude... question, that realm is kept secret to keep ponies like thou from venturing in and getting thineselves killed." Spot Light seemed to calm down a little. I guess he was remembering the piles of dead bodies.

"Oh... That makes sense... Sorry I yelled..." Spot Light apologized. Luna nodded.

"Thou art forgiven. Now, though all of thou deserve recognition for your deed, thou must understand why I can tell nopony. I apologize."

"It doesn't matter. We weren't in it for the glory, we just wanted to help. Like Sharky!" Scarlet said happily. Luna took on a soft smile.

"Yes, Sharky... He is something, isn't he? Well, thank you all for your help. I suppose you all wish to return home now..." The group let out an overwhelming chorus of agreement, except for Scarlet. She trotted over to me and seemed to hide behind my legs. For the next few minutes, Luna started slowly sending everypony back to their respective homes. We said small goodbyes as they vanished until everypony but Scarlet and I were gone. "Ok my little pony," Luna turned to Scarlet as she sent off the last pony. "Where do you live?"

"Uhh... actually... Sharky promised to introduce me to somepony..." Scarlet mumbled.

"Oh yeah! I guess she's coming with me. I can call you when she's ready to go home." Luna looked unsure for a moment.

"Umm... I had planned on speaking with you Sharky."

"Ok, then speak to me."

"... Alone."

"Why?"

"Just follow me to my chambers." Luna turned to pull open her chamber doors.

"Why?"

"Just do it!" She ordered harshly. My body started to force me forward as she opened the door. Scarlet stood where she was confusedly as Luna and I walked onto the moon. The door closed behind me as I walked closer to Luna's bed. I stopped a few yards away from it and turned to look at Luna.

"Jerk. You didn't need to order me! Ugh... anyway, what did you want to talk about?" Luna strode towards me quickly.

"How did you do it?!" She exclaimed.

"What?"

"How did you survive?! Countless ponies have ventured into the Deadlands over the course of centuries, and none have survived. Today you approach me and say that you not only survived, but defeated somepony that stole the Libro Mors and protected 24 other ponies!"

"I got a magic axe."

"... What?" I pulled out my axe that Spot Light had returned to me and showed it to her.

"You see that silver moon? It's powered by the belief of a few of my dead comrades. It's really powerful against undead. It can even repel weaker ones."

"This... this is amazing..."

"How? It's only useful in one place which I plan to never visit again."

"True... even with this axe though, it must have taken remarkable skill to protect all those ponies."

"Nah, they were pretty skilled themselves. If I were really all that skilled, I would have saved them all..."

"Don't be so hard on thyself! The deeds you accomplish are truly amazing, and you should accept them as such."

"Well, thank you, but I know I can do better. I won't be satisfied until I can protect everypony!" Luna sighed in annoyance.

"Fine, suit thyself. Now... It appears you could use new armor."

"Nah, I'm fine. I have two more sets of armor."

"Thou art so... so selfless..." Luna mumbled with a sort of dazed look. Then she shook her head and gave me a small glare. She rushed over to me until she was standing over me. "What magic are you using?!" She asked quickly as she stood in front of me. I squinted my eyes in confusion.

"I beg your pardon?"

"You! What magic are you using on me?!"

"N-nothing! I have no magic except my lightning spell! Also, your magic power is really starting to hurt!" With Luna so close, her magic was trying to rush into me. I was doing all I could to block it, but it was still hurting me. Luna refused to back off.

"Lies! Tell me, what are you doing to me?!"

"Nothing I swear!" I started to back off slowly as her magic swarmed me. Luna matched me step for step.

"I don't believe you! I feel strange around you! This feeling is familiar, but strange..." Luna slowly stopped advancing on me as she drifted off into her memories. "I have felt this before... It has been so long... What was it?"

"What is what?! What's going on?!"

"It's not time for my heat..." She mumbled as she thought. I froze and my jaw dropped.

"Your what?" Luna's eyes widened and she turned to face me again suddenly.

"No... it can't be. You're not even a pony! This is improper!"

"Can't be what?! Why did you just say heat?!"

"The... the emotion assosiated with heat is... it's very similar to how I'm feeling right now... Sharky... I think I like you..." I blinked confusedly a few times and paused. The longer I was silent, the more worried Luna looked. Then I was just glad Luna considered me her friend.

"Oh. Well sure! I like you too!" Luna blinked at me before a wide smile spread across her face.

"You do? You do!! Oh good!" She rushed over to me and wrapped me in both of her forelegs. "I... I was worried there for a moment that you wouldn't feel the same... After all, I'm a completely different species..."

"Why wouldn't I? I mean, we have tons of fun together. When you're not sending me on missions. I enjoy our speech lessons, you gave me a gift that I've used more than any gift I've ever recieved, hell, you gave me the best paying job I've ever had! Besides, I can honestly say I like you ponies more than any of my own species."

"I feel like you've done so much more for me than I have you..."

"Well, that's not true and it doesn't matter... Hugs don't usually last this long you know."

"... Just a bit longer? I haven't felt like this in so long..."

"Uhh... ok." I waited for awhile as Luna held me. She was standing on her back legs, so my head was next to her stomach as she hugged me. She released me suddenly after about a minute.

"My, this is so improper... Umm... How to go about this... Look, we can't tell anypony about this."

"Okayyyy... why?"

"It wouldn't be recieved well if it were discovered how we feel. I am your employer and a princess after all..."

"Oh... riiiiight... Well, I promise not to tell anypony. Now if you don't mind, I need to go home and see my son. Oh! And introduce Scarlet to my friend."

"So soon? But we just... Very well... You'll return soon though, yes?"

"Uhh... sure. Any time you call I suppose." Luna's smile grew and she gave me another quick hug.

"Fantastic! Let us go get your friend and I'll send you on your way." We left Luna's chambers to find Scarlet waiting by the door.

"Oh! You're done talking! Great."

"Yes we are... You didn't hear anything did you?" Luna asked.

"Umm... no. Why, should I have?"

"No, nevermind. Be on your way now!" Luna sent me a smile and a small wink before we both disappeared. Luna ran back into her room and jumped on her bed before exploding into a fit of giggles. "Ooooh I feel like a filly again!" She exclaimed giddily. "He likes me!"

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"I wonder why Luna wouldn't want me telling ponies about our friendship..." I muttered as Scarlet and I flashed into the Library.

"What was that?"

"Oh nothing. Why do I almost always appear in the library? Oh well. Twilight?! You here!?" I got no response at all. "Huh... she must be out doing something. Well, let's go meet Esmerelda. After that I'll introduce you to the rest of my friends."

"Ok, sounds nice." We set out of the library and towards the mountain. Which had a few faded smoke puffs around it.

"Oh, she's calling me! We better hurry!" I grabbed Scarlet and lifted her into my arms before starting a sprint towards the mountains.

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"Ah crap..." I mumbled as I made it to the base of the mountain.

"What's wrong?" Scarlet asked from my arms.

"My blades are broken. That means I get to rock climb... which is much less safe..."

"Why don't you just walk up the mountain?" Scarlet wiggled out of my arms and walked slightly up the side of the mountain. At an impossible angle. Dang cartoon physics. "Like this."

"Well, I'm not a pony like you. Unfortunately I'm bound by the laws of physics."

"The laws of what?"

"Nevermind. Let's just start climbing." I stepped towards the mountain and grabbed onto a few jutting rocks. I pulled myself up into a slow climb and we were on our way to Esmerelda. I was actually making pretty good progress despite my lack of climbing blades. I was getting tired much faster though, and I had to stop climbing once we reached a rather large ledge at about 1/4th of the way up the mountain. Scarlet was obviously getting impatient, but she didn't press me. Oddly enough though, I heard some familiar voices coming from below us.

"A-are you s-sure I have to help with t-this dragon too?" I heard Fluttershy from below us.

"Of course Fluttershy! We never would have gotten rid of the last one without you." Twilight said assuringly.

"Yeah! We woulda been in serious trouble if you hadn't been there!" RD added.

"Don't you worry 'bout it Sugarcube. You'll be just fine." Applejack assured Fluttershy.

"Oh hey! My friends are here!" I mumbled to Scarlet.

"Why are you whispering?" She muttered back.

"I'm gonna suprise them when they come up here."

"On a mountain? Won't they fall?"

"Nah... As far as I can tell, physics here don't work that way."

"But I've seen ponies fall off mountains..."

"Oh... Well then we shouldn't suprise them." I stuck my head out over the ledge and waved at the girls. "Heeeeeyyyyy yoooouuuuu guuuuuyssss!" I yelled down at them. They were still a few yards below us. They looked around confusedly for a few seconds until they saw me.

"Sharky!!" I heard a few of them yell happily. Then there was a pause before they took off towards me. A huge smile crossed my face. For the first time in a long time, I was finally going to see my friends again.

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Author's note:

As to Luna's strange behavior, it hit me while I was writing that she has had little to no social interactions for almost a thousand years!!! Of course she won't remember what love feels like. Thus the strange reactions.