//------------------------------// // An unavoidable confrontation // Story: Monsters in the forest // by Voltsthevoltvolts //------------------------------// "Tell me again, I just love that story." "Alright, so there I was smack bang in the center of town. Nail beasts were everywhere and all the guards were scattered. I had rallied a few guards up and assembled a small group in the choke point at the guards quarters. All the civilians were inside and hiding so I let loose a few volleys of magic to push the beasts back." "So what happened then?" "Well, I noticed that a few guards were still in the town itself. If the nail beasts found them they would have been slaughtered. So I went into the town by myself and decided to try and find the missing guards. The missing guards had bunched together by the town hall, however there were too many nail beasts for the guards to stand a chance. I shouted loudly to get the beast's attention, seeing as they rely on sound to locate their pray." "Surely there could have been an easier way?" "I couldn't think of one at the time... Anyway, the beasts started to close in on me. There was about five of them. Just as one of them went to pounce I shut my eyes. When I opened them all the beasts were pinned to the ground by thick ivy plants, that had spontaneously grown in the previous seconds." "And that's how you got your cutie mark right? By defending the people with ivy." "Well I am happy that it happened that way. If I my mark had nothing to do with ivy I would have been stuck." "Ah yes, I can see I now! Ivy Shield, fire spell specialist." "Yes... Very funny." "Well Ivy, I'm happy for you." Gilded proudly said. "When you first visited me a good ten years ago... I didn't really know what to think, but now... You have grown into a strong mare." "Yeah, well I owe you. My Dad didn't know much about those... Phases I went through." Ivy awkwardly said. "Seriously though, I owe you." "Well it was the least I could do, after all you haven't told anypony about me." Gilded warmly replied. "That being said, any colts caught your eye yet? Or any giving you the eye themselves?" Gilded gently nudged Ivy with her elbow and gave her a wink. "A few have got my eye." Ivy smugly admitted. "And a few are eyeing me up." Ivy giggled for a moment. "That being said, they are all too scared ask me out." "Lemme guess... Your Dad?" Gilded smugly said. "Yep... Apparently being the daughter of the head guard means that you are untouchable." Ivy shook her head and sighed. "I have had a few words with my Dad, but he doesn't really want to see me grow up." "Overprotective parents eh? I can't say mine were like that. They were trying to marry me to a Sunbeam rather quickly..." Gilded gently patted Ivy on the back. "Well, at least you got me to talk to." "That I do." Ivy sighed. "So got any advice? On picking up colts?" "Well... I would try and make you intentions clear, but don't make yourself look desperate..." Gilded sighed. "Look Ivy, I haven't had a date or a fancy in a very long time. My one solid piece of advice would be... Be yourself, don't try and impress them and certainly don'd do anything out of your comfort zone." "Yeah... Corny comments aside, do you have any real advice? Like what kind of things could I do to show a colt that I have feelings? I mean, I would leave a note, but its not school." Ivy Giggled. "Apparently according to some of the guards I can put a shy act up and that looks really cute." "Really? I would like to see that. I never really saw you as the 'cute' type." Gilded teased gleefully. "Oh, you're on." Ivy confidently said. "Hey..." Ivy quietly stuttered. Gilded gave a somewhat concerned look before realizing what Ivy was doing. Ivy blushed slightly and moved her face away from Gilded. "You know... I have..." Ivy stuttered again. "I mean... I have known you for... Most of my life... I was think that maybe..." Ivy stuttered before shaking her head. "Maybe... we could..." Ivy shook her head again and sighed. "Maybe we could... Go out?" Gilded couldn't help but play along, she was sure that if she had any blood through in her body she would be blushing. "Could you repeat that Ivy? I couldn't quite hear you." "Well Gilded... I just... Thought that maybe... We could go out? I mean, a new restaurant is opening in town any maybe we could... Have a little date?" Ivy awkwardly said, she then shuffled slightly on the spot. "I mean, if you want to." "Well I..." Gilded stuttered, it had gotten slightly too interment for her. "Ivy could we return to normal?" "Sure thing, so what did you think?" Ivy innocently asked. "Those colts need to be on the lookout, you will break for then a few hearts..." Gilded chuckled. "I mean, you could if you wanted to Ivy." "Yeah..." Ivy trailed slowly. "I don't really like the idea of going around. I would much rather settle with somepony for life." "That's nice... Back in my time, after my family married me off the stallion I was married to left quite quickly. He said it was work but I knew he had a mistress." Gilded sighed. "Yeah, not trying to put you off or anything... But be careful who you pick." "Well my first choice..." Ivy giggled. "Choice... As if I can be picky." Ivy rolled her head around before giggling a second time. "My first choice is a colt, two years older then me. Works logistics in the the new guard HQ. He is the only colt my Dad will leave me alone with." "Is your Father really that protective?" Gilded inquired. Ivy happily nodded and then sighed. "Yeah, he can get pretty bad sometimes. I know he just doesn't want to wake up with a colt who I don't remember getting into bed with." Ivy shook her head. "I would feel sorry for the colt that would try that on me, my Dad outright murder them." Ivy evilly chuckled. "Anyway more to the point. He is your classic case of antisocial shut in." "Oh the colt..." Gilded chuckled. "I thought you were... Never mind." "Anyway... He spends most of his working logistics. Pay, armor assignment, patrol routes and times, who does what and when they do it..." Ivy blushed slightly. "I have spent a lot of time with him, I have to being the future head guard. He doesn't really seem interested in dating or at least putting himself on offer." "So I take it you have a plan then?" Gilded asked. "Yes, and its over complicated and will most likely fail, but the odds of it working are astrologically small that it has to work!" Ivy heartily laughed. "Yes, my complex plan." Ivy sighed happily, she then looked at the treeline and examined the sunlight beaming through. "It looks like it is getting late, I better head back." "Alright Ivy, have a safe trip back. Will you be down tomorrow?" Gilded inquired. "I should be, if not... See you whenever!" Ivy happily said as she left the clearing and headed home.