Monsters in the forestby VoltsthevoltvoltsChaptersAn unwelcome problem An unexpected encounter An unexplained friendship An unexplained absence An unavoidable confrontation Ultimatum An unwelcome problem An unwelcome problem Duskshire, a small little town located in the middle of a large forest. It has a town hall, a tavern, a small post office that deals with the mail using magical means. Several small stalls and shops run by the towns ponies were dotted around the town. Several large trees overhung the entire town, allowing little natural light in, however the unicorn of the town had developed permanent light orbs that are held in place by crude wooden lampposts. In the center of the town a small crowd of ponies had amassed, a few guards were keeping the group in check. A formal looking stallion was at the center of the crowd, addressing the group. "Citizens, settle down. Please return to your normal lives." The stallion calmly said. "But are we safe?" Somepony shouted out. "What are the guards doing?" "They're keeping you in check!" A jaded looking guard shouted as he stood by the stallion addressing the group. "The mayor and myself can do very little at this point, I see no point in weakening out defenses in order to send a search party." The guard shook his head and gave a long drawn out sigh. "Any questions?" "What was found?" A quiet voice asked in the crowd. "All I have heard is rumors." The guard sighed again and prepared for the worst. "A deer corpse, drained completely of blood." "A deer?" "No blood?" "There's a vampony in the woods!" "What about my foals?" "Order!" The guard shouted. "As I said, there is very little we can do. Provided that it isn't feral we should have no issues. I have my own foal to look after, so if you would please return to your lives." The crowed murmured for a moment before dissipating, the formal stallion shook his head and sighed. "I tell you Oaken, we are doomed if it goes feral. Last time... I don't even want to remember." The stallion despaired. "Yes... I don't like to think about it. May Alice rest in peace..." Oaken sighed. "The advanced scouts came back, their search turned up empty. Hawk Eye nearly got mauled by a nail beast. Its not worth the risk to go out and search." The stallion chuckled weakly. "I agree, now to change the subject. How is little Ivy?" "She is doing well, but I struggle to keep her in one place. I fear she may run into the forest and never return..." Oaken smiled happily. "She has the best of me and her mother. I am so happy for her." "Yes, if she follows in your hoofsteps she will make a great guard. Perhaps the best yet." The stallion teased. Oaken seemed unimpressed by the statement. "Yes... Maybe. However, back to the matter at hoof." Oaken sternly said. "We found the corpse in the west portion of the forest, therefore I see it fit to make a announcement about that." "Yes Oaken, we will do that..." "You, will do that." Oaken sighed. "I have my daughter to see... She was worried when I ran out when one of the guards came rushing in." Oaken shared a happy laugh with the stallion and then headed towards his house. In the main guard district of the town a large cluster of houses were neatly packed together, the purpose of this was to be a rally point if the town should ever be attacked. The largest out of all these house was where the captain of the guard resided. The captain of the guard himself was a old veteran who went by the name of Oaken Shield. "Ivy! I'm home!" Oaken called out as he pushed the door open. A small filly with a tomcoltish hairstyle, turquoise mane and beige body came running down the stairs. The two hugged briefly before Oaken pulled himself away. "Missed you my little Ivy." "Missed you too Daddy." The little filly happily said. "I was lonely..." Ivy sorrowfully said. "But now you're back!" "Yes... I am back!" Oaken happily said. "I must ask you something Ivy, something very important. If you ever go into the forest, you must not go into the west side. There are monster there." "There are monsters in the forest all the time!" Ivy gleefully said. "A few of them are nice but..." "No, this is important Ivy. The monsters in the west side will eat you, they will eat you quicker then a nail beast." Oaken sternly said. "This is very important Ivy, you must be careful." Oaken chuckled. "The reason why I say this is because... If I tell you to not go into the forest, you will just run out when I'm not looking." "Its alright Daddy, I will stay on the path and will not go further then five minutes." Ivy hopefully said. A brief nod from Oaken meant that she could go out. "You are the best Dad ever." Ivy chuckled gleefully. "And I love you so much." "I know, I just don't want to use lose you." Oaken sighed happily. "Just, be careful my little Ivy." Ivy nodded and left the house, determined to discover something in the forest. The east side of the forest, not the nicest place if you left the path however Ivy knew better then to leave the path. "Lalalala! Skipping down the path!" Ivy sang happily as she skipped down the path. Every few steps Ivy would stop and smell a flower before resuming her skipping. "Pretty, pretty flowers!" Rustle, rustle... "Oh! Something here?" Ivy exclaimed as she froze, her eyes quickly darted around as she scanned the forest line. "Oh!" Ivy picked out a worn down pathway, the grass was flat as if something had been dragged along it. "What's this! Who flattened the grass!" Ivy asked nothing nearby as she started to follow the trail. Soon she found herself in a small clearing. "Hm?" A barely audible voice said. Ivy froze, she tried to find the source of the noise however she could not see anything nearby. "W-Who's there!?" Ivy shouted however she was met with silence. "Please! I mean no harm!" Ivy pleaded, however when she met with silence again she became agitated. "If you don't come out, I will get my Dad! He is captain of the guard!" "You asked for it..." A shadowy figured silently dropped behind the small filly, shrouded by the shadows. Ivy slowly turned and tried to make out the shadowy figure. Author's Note I will write a second chapter to this. Also, constructive criticism is welcome... As long as it is constructive. An unexpected encounter An unexpected encounter "So, you called and I answered. What is on your mind little one?" The shadowy figured calmly asked. A slate gray unicorn mare with a dark hairstyle with the odd gray highlight stepped into the light, her cutie mark was a half moon that was slanted sideways with two stars above it to resembled a cryptic smile. "Eh?" Ivy tilted her head, she had never seen this pony before. "Who are you?" Ivy curiously asked. "A hunter." The mare stated. "I have just recently started hunting in this section of the forest, I was hiding in the treeline..." The mare circled Ivy. "Until you came along." "Oh..." Ivy lowered her head. "I didn't know..." "I Didn't expect to be found, its not your fault." The mare hide a slight smirk. "And besides, I have already feasted today." "Wait a minute..." Ivy promptly said. "If your a hunter and I disturbed you..." Ivy slowly processed what the mare had said. "Were you eating meat!?" Ivy yelped loudly. "To an extent... I require a certain... Thing from animals..." The mare evilly chuckled. "Or anything that is alive..." Ivy shuddered slightly before putting on a brave face. "Are you a zombie? Do you eat brains!?" Ivy excitedly asked. "Can you say bbbbbrrrrrraaaaaiiiiinnnnnsss?" The mare laughed heartily. "I am not a zombie little one. However you are not far off." "Aw... I wanted you to be a zombie..." Ivy sighed and slumped on the floor. "I know that's bad but... I really wanted you to be a zombie." Ivy giggled gleefully. The mare sighed and sat down beside her, gently brushing up against Ivy. "Burrrr... You're cold!" Ivy remarked as she felt the cold fur of the other mare gently brush against her. "You'll catch a cold!" "I'm alright, I guess you could say I am used to the cold." The mare rolled her eyes. Ivy suddenly ducked behind the mare and started shaking madly. "Sh.-Sh..Shhh...Sha!" Ivy stuttered. "What's the matter? Do you need to take medicine?" The mare hastily said, unaware of a shadow slowly creeping along the ground towards them. "A shade! Look! On the floor!" Ivy pointed to the moving shadow. The small shadow stopped and a pony started to rise out from it. "A shade is an angry ghost..." Ivy started. "They don't like living things!" Ivy exclaimed. The shade fully emerged and began walking towards Ivy, who was slowly backing away. The shade walked past the mare, ignoring her completely. The mare tried to blast the shade with magic, however it remained and continued walking."I can't stop it!" The mare shouted. "Run!" Ivy backed into a tree trunk. The shade closed in and Ivy clenched her eyes shut. "Ahhhh!" Ivy painfully exclaimed as her eyes shot open, a grass green glow emanating from her eyes. Ivy's horn sparked with a golden energy and the clearing flash brightly. When the light settle down there was nothing left of the shade except a small pile of black ashes. "I did it!" Ivy's eyes returned to their normal state. "Phew that was close." "Hm, impressive. Tell me, has any member of your family used white magic like that before?" The mare curiously asked as Ivy returned to her. "Yes... My mother, but she died when a feral vampony attacked out village." Ivy sorrowfully sighed and sat down. "I don't know what that is... My dad won't tell me, he worries a lot about me." "Then why did he let you out?" The mare angrily asked. "If he worries so much..." "Stop!" Ivy shouted. "Hes a good dad, he knows I am safe... He trusts me... He also knows that I will run out when hes not looking." Ivy chuckled happily. "I normally stick to the path, but I saw flattened grass and here I am." "So, curiosity got the better of you then?" The mare asked. "Yes, I wondered off the path. But its alright! You're here! Another pony!" Ivy cheered happily. "I will just tell Dad I was with you!" "No!" the mare interrupted. "You... Can't. I don't want anypony knowing I am here." Ivy crossed her arms and huffed. "Fine! I won't tell anypony..." The unicorn gave Ivy a stern look. "Fine! I promise I won't tell anypony!" Ivy shouted. "Silly death stare..." "Excuse me?" The unicorn mare quizzically asked. "Death stare?" "Yeah, something my Dad does when I am not being truthful. He gives me the death stare and I have to promise and tell the truth, otherwise it will turn me to dust!" Ivy explained. "I see, well as long as you don't tell anypony..." The mare sighed. A silence descended on the clearing, Ivy occasionally tapped the ground with her hoof and inspected the ground. The other mare inspected the treeline and checked the bushes. "So, what's your name? I am Ivy, Ivy Shield!" Ivy happily announced, filling the small clearing with conversation again. "Don't worry about my name, I don't plan on staying too long." The mare replied. Ivy shook her head and sighed. "Something the matter?" "Well, I can't come back tomorrow if I don't know your name." Ivy gleefully chuckled. "I mean, I am going to come back. And if your not here and I get eaten..." "Alright fine!" The mare snapped. Ivy giggled gleefully at the response she got, the mare noted the giggling filly. "Argh, fillies... Nothing but headaches!" The mare angrily declared. "Awwww..." Ivy sighed, her plan had not worked. "Pleaseeeeeeesssssss!" Ivy pleaded. "I just want to know your name! That way we can be friends." "I don't want friends! I want to be alone!" The mare angrily snapped causing Ivy to back away from her. "I'm... Sorry. I didn't mean to get angry. I just... I haven't spoken to anypony in a long time. In fact, I never expected to speak to another pony for the rest of my life..." Ivy remained silent. "I think... I will be moving on quicker then normal... I am sorry Ivy." Author's Note Trying to keep the chapters short and relatively sweet. An unexplained friendship An unexplained friendship "No! Don't..." Ivy yelped. "Don't go... I'm sorry!" "No Ivy. I'm sorry. I shouldn't of snapped like that, you were just trying to be friendly." The mare sighed. "I just... Never expected to..." The mare trailed off and sighed. "I don't think you should come back here..." "But, you're lonely..." Ivy slowly said. "You are out here all alone by yourself... Without anypony to talk to, to play with, to laugh with... To cry with." Ivy gave a hopeful smile towards the mare. "Everypony deserves a friend, no matter what." "Trust me Ivy, I do not deserve a friend. In fact, ponies should avoid me all together." The mare stated with no emotions. "I am a bad pony." "I don't think you are! You are just lonely." Ivy replied. "All you need is a big hug and a good friend." Ivy ran up to the unicorn and hugged her. "Now all you need is a friend." "I..." The mare stuttered, Ivy looked up at the her with puppy dog eyes. "I don't know why I am doing this, but fine. I will be your friend." Ivy cheered happily and the mare sighed. "Well Ivy, since I know your name. You might as well know mine." "Ohhhh! Lemme guess! Starry Skies? Melody Moonbeam? Star Smile?" Ivy rubbed her temple briefly, the mare waved her hoof in the air. "Sadly no, none of those are my name. You are more then welcome to keep guessing." The mare chuckled happily. "Moonbeam Meadow?" Ivy asked hopefully. "Nope!" The mare announced. "Give up?" "Yeah... I give up." A defeated Ivy sighed. "Well, for a moment I thought you were going to guess it." The mare teased. "You were close with a few of them. However, my name is in fact..." The mare paused, causing ivy's interest to peak. "My name is..." "Oh come on! Tell me already!" Ivy shouted, causing the mare to laugh. "Okay Ivy, since you must know. I am Gilded Moonbeam." Gilded bowed graciously. "Oh! A Moonbeam! Your family used to shape the stars!" Ivy giggled happily. "I never thought I would meet one!" Gilded sighed happily. "Even after all these years, my name still holds meaning." "My Dad taught me, he says its important to learn history. Least we forget it." Ivy proudly said. "The Moonbeam clan helped shaped the stars before the moon goddess was created." "Yes, back when Equestria was still growing. My family helped paint the sky with stars." Gilded reminisced. "I miss those days, the days when my life had purpose beyond survival." "Those days!?" Ivy loudly questioned. "How old are you!?" "Very old!" Gilded chuckled. "My family was cursed a while ago. Some of my family died... Some turned into ghosts and others... They were turned into vamponies... All of them the various curses of death." Gilded explained. "Vamponies... A feral one killed my mother when it attacked out town." Ivy sadly said. "I don't know much about non feral ones though." "Did your Dad tell you the difference between the two?" Gilded inquired. Ivy happily nodded her head, the she shook her head. "Oh?" "He told me what a feral vampony would look like, how it would act and what it would do. However he never told me anything about the non feral kind." Ivy sighed. "He always said he would..." "Well I can tell you what I know, from personal studies. Vamponies are ponies that were either cursed or bitten by another vampony." Gilded started. "My family were some of the first to ever be afflicted with the curse." "Oh... I'm so sorry." Ivy sorrowfully said. "Don't worry. Now, given that vamponies have the correct substance... They can live forever." Gilded slowly said, Ivy's eyes lit up at the though of living forever. "However their is one big draw back." "Tell me! I need to know the draw back!" Ivy ordered. Gilded smiled warmly. "You have to drink fresh blood." Gilded stated. "Vamponies have fangs that can puncture flesh with ease, the fangs are hallow so that they can drink the blood more efficiently." Gilded looked at Ivy, who's face had dropped. "Ivy?" "You! You're a vampony!" Ivy exclaimed, quickly backing away from Gilded. "Are you going to kill me?" "No, were're friends. Remember?" Gilded calmly said. "I didn't tell you because... I knew it would either scare you or you wouldn't understand." Gilded opened her arms and offered Ivy a hug. Ivy slowly returned to Gilded and accepted the hug. "I'm sorry..." Ivy muttered. "I didn't mean anything by it, I was just startled." Ivy slowly backed out of the hug, even though there was feeling behind the hug, Gilded was icy cold. "Is that why you are cold?" "Yes, technically I am dead." Gilded admitted. "I have spent years drifting through the various forests of the land in order to maintain my mind. If vamponies don't drink enough blood they go feral and will do anything in order to get a drink." "Have you ever gone feral?" Ivy curiously asked. "No, once a vampony goes feral it loses its mind permanently. That's why they're so dangerous, they attack without remorse." Gilded slowly explained. "So Ivy, what do you say. Think you can be friends with this old vampony?" Gilded confidently asked. "Of course!" Ivy happily replied. "I keep telling my Dad that some of the forest dwellers are good. Now I have proof... That I can't tell him about." Ivy sighed and dropped to the floor. "Guess I need to keep looking..." Gilded chuckled happily and sat down next to Ivy. "You know Ivy, your the best thing to happen to me this millennium." Author's Note Bit a cheesy ending there... An unexplained absence An unexplained absence Ivy followed the pathway back towards the town, Gilded slowly walked next to her. "So Gilded, how come you don't look very old?" "Believe it or not, but I didn't always look like this. I used to have a pale blue mane, a nice cobalt coat... Of course, that vanished after the first few-hundred years." Gilded chuckled lightly. "I don't mind this look, I think it suits me rather well." The pair continued to walk down the path until the forest started to thin out. "Well, I guess this is where I stop." Gilded stated. "Yep but!" Ivy paused briefly. "I will be back tomorrow!" Ivy happily chirped. "Now, I just need to explain why I was gone for so long..." "Good luck Ivy, I look forward to it." Gilded happily waved goodbye to the young filly as she walked back into the town. A few guards greeted her as she reentered the small town. Ivy looked up, she could just about see the sun setting through the trees. "Ah Ivy! Your father is looking for you, he was just about to send a search party!" A guard hastily said. "lucky you came back when you did." "Oh! Was I gone for that long? I lost track of time." Ivy quickly explained. "I Will go see him and tell him I am all right." "Thanks Ivy, I don't like it when he worries. It puts the town on edge." The guard replied. "Personally, I'm happy that you are okay. Anyway, I won't keep you any longer. Goodbye Ivy." "Bye!" Ivy happily said as she walked away from the guard and made her way to the house. When she opened the door she saw her dad pacing back and forth. "Dad I'm home!" Ivy happily announced. "Ivy! I was so worried about you!" Oaken rushed over to his foal and gave her a hug. "Where did you go?" "I just saw some nice flowers..." Ivy innocently said. Oaken gave her a stern look. "And I may have met somepony, but they were looking for herbs!" Ivy hastily added. "They didn't find what they were after and had to head home." "Oh, do they need help?" Oaken curiously asked. "No, its just a rare flower. I promised I would go back and help them again tomorrow." Ivy replied. "Oh, we bumped into a shade." "What!? A shade? Are you alright?" Oaken hastily inquired, inspecting Ivy for any signs of damage. "No I'm fine. I just did what you told me to do and it went away." Ivy proudly said. "I don't know where it went, but it went away." "Good, shades are dangerous. Was the other pony alright?" Oaken inquired. "Yeah, they were fine. That's why I agreed to go back tomorrow. So I could protect them! Just like you!" Ivy happily said. Oaken sighed happily. "One day Ivy, you will be the best guard this town has even seen. I know it." Oaken proudly said. "Provided you want to be a guard." "Of course! I want to be best guard ever!" Ivy happily shouted. The pair separated and Ivy sat down in a nearby sofa. "So, what's for supper?" "Well we have some fresh apples that the farm ponies gathered." Oaken rolled his eyes. "We also have some leftovers in the fridge if you're that hungry." "Nothing nice then..." Ivy sighed. "Oh well..." Ivy got up and ran into the kitchen, she returned with a large apple in her magical grasp. After taking a large bite out of the apple Ivy promptly spat it out. "Yuck... These are cooking apples." "Yeah, might have been good to tell you about those..." Oaken laughed evilly. "Then again, what is fun in that?" Ivy glared at her father before joining in on the laughter. "Fine... You got me..." Ivy admitted, she then threw the bitten apple into a small container filled with compost. "Now Dad, what do we really have?" "Nothing. You ate everything yesterday!" Oaken laughed. Ivy frowned and shot daggers at her father. "Seriously, what do we have? I'm really hungry." Ivy groaned loudly, her father rolled his eyes and sighed. "You are more then welcome to go ask the neighbors, or conjure some food up." Oaken joked. "But after you raided our food stocks earlier we are plum out until tomorrow." "Awwww..." Ivy complained before sighing loudly. "I might go get back that apple..." "No Ivy, that's gross." Oaken sighed. "I'm sure you can last until tomorrow." "But Daaaad! I'm so hungry!" Ivy complained. "Well, you will have to wait." Oaken glanced outside and then turned his attention to large grandfather clock. "The lights are going out for the day and its getting late. It might be best if you go to sleep, you have had a busy day." "But Daaaaaad... I'm not sleepy, I'm hungry!" Ivy groaned. "Daaaaad..." "Enough Ivy, now go to bed." Oaken ordered. Ivy sighed and reluctantly made her way to her to her bedroom. Ivy entered her bedroom and got into her bed. Oaken entered the room and stood beside the bed. "Hey Dad?" "Yes Ivy?" "Love you..." "Love you to. Now goodnight and sleep tight." Gilded had moved away from the clearing, just in case Ivy had told anypony about her, she was now at a small pond. Gilded looked at her reflection in the pond. The mare gently used her magic to generate a ripple in the pong, when the water settled the mare staring back at her was not the mare she had seen before. The new mare had a much messier mane, blood red eyes and a sharper horn. "Who am I kidding, I shouldn't have friends. I am nothing more then a ticking time bomb..." Gilded sighed and moved away. "Yet, I want this to work. I want to have a friend! I want to prove to everypony that I am not a bloodthirsty monster." Gilded moved over to a nearby tree and pulled a few branches down to her level, she then jumped on the branches and climbed onto the tree and settled down. "Goodnight Ivy, see you tomorrow...." An unavoidable confrontation An unavoidable confrontation "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. Author's Note Yeah sorry about the abrupt ending. The chapter was getting a bit too long. Ultimatum Ultimatum "Alright Hawk-Eye, I hear you. Just... Give me some time. Compound bows are a pain to replace." "Yeah well, make it snappy. We can't all sit around on our lazy flanks all day and assign posts." Hawk-Eye snapped. "Yeah, well how about you... No wait, every guard in the town just wonder around aimlessly for the next month, without pay or armor or any means of fighting. In fact, why don't you just wonder into the forest while blindfolded." "Alright jeez... Sorry." Hawk-Eye sulked and left. The pony who was working the desk sighed and made a few notes. "Guess Hawk-Eye needs another bow..." The pony sighed again and rolled his eyes. Ivy casually walked in the room, unnoticed by the desk worker. "Hey..." "I just told you Hawk-Eye..!" The pony looked up and paused. "Oh... Sorry Ivy, Hawk-Eye kinda sounds like you." "So I've been told..." Ivy chuckled. "You know, if he wasn't such a good spotter her would have been fired a while ago. The pegasus is useless with a bow and somehow snapped a shield in half." "Yeah... That was a strange week. So how have you been Ivy? Staying out of trouble I hope." Ivy giggled and sighed. "Well... You know me..." "So that's a no then." The pony laughed weakly. "Oh Ivy what will we do with you..." "Yeah.." Ivy giggled evilly. "So what's the budget looking like this week?" "Well, I think it might be a worthwhile investment to get some steelbark bows. The compound ones are too brittle." The pony said. "Oh, we also got another grant from Fort city, so we can invest in better armor." "Music to my ears." Ivy happily said. "I might try and pull a few strings with my Dad and we might see some changes in our bows because of it..." Ivy innocently said. "Thanks Ivy. saves me the trouble of having to convince him." The pony sat back and sighed in relief. "Speaking of your father, have you seen him much today?" "Not really, after I got back from my route in the forest I came here." Ivy rubbed her forehead. "I think he is with the mayor today." "Hm, I checked with the mayor an hour ago. He hadn't seen him." The pony leaned back and yawned. "Hard day?" Ivy inquired. "Yeah, pushing papers can be taxing." The pony chuckled. "Oh you poor thing, we need to get you working on patrol right away." Ivy teased. "Maybe a nice encounter with a shade will help relax those stressed out muscles." "Yeah... No." The pony replied. "Its more of an overworked brain." The pair fell silent for a few minutes, the pony working the desk sorted out and filled in some forms while Ivy relaxed. "Its a bit stuffy in here." Ivy remarked. "Mind if I open a window?" Ivy moved towards a window. "No! Wait..!" The pony shouted, however Ivy had already opened the window, a large gust of wind swept through the room blowing the forms all over the room. "Never mind..." "Opps." Ivy said apologetically. "Let me help you..." "Its alright, I can handle this." The pony firmly said as he started to pick up and sort the papers that had been blown about. Ivy rolled her eyes and went about help the pony pick up the paper. "No Ivy, its alright I got..." Ivy picked a few pieces of paper and glanced over them. "Lets see.." Ivy interrupted. "Armor stock, balance for the week, patrol schedule, to do list..." The to do list was snatched out of Ivy's grasp with force. "That... That's personal!" The pony snapped. "Look Ivy, I can handle this." The pony insisted. "Jeez... Okay." Ivy sulked. "I won't touch anything." Ivy sighed and sat down. "Sorry Ivy, I didn't mean to snap like that. Its just... That was a personal piece of paper..." The pony apologized and sighed. "No its alright, I shouldn't have been going through your stuff." Ivy apologized. The pony fished reassembling the papers and sat down happily. "See, its no trouble at all. I should thank you really, I need to sort personal and work out." "Yeah, that might be a good idea. Speaking of which, what was so important on that list?" Ivy inquired. "Oh... Nothing, it was just something that I wrote a while ago. Its just something personal." The pony hastily replied. "Oh, alright then." Ivy sighed. "Its nothing personal, I just would rather keep it to myself." The pony sighed and clicked his neck. "Might head home. I finished my shift an hour ago, just stayed to put in some extra hours." "Alright then, I guess I will see you tomorrow." Ivy said sounding disappointing. Ivy left waved goodbye and left the room leaving the pony alone. "Phew, that was a little too close for comfort." The pony remarked before glancing over the list he had written. "I wonder what Ivy would have said had she read this." The pony looked over the list, several basic goals such as get a job and make friends were written down. Towards the bottom of the list it had goals such as own a house, achieve high rank in guards. Finally, at the bottom of the list it read find a soul mate, next to the goal the name Ivy was neatly written in a heart. "Someday Ivy... Someday..." "How about today!" Ivy exclaimed quickly as she rushed back in. "Woah... Ivy!" The pony exclaimed as he fell off his chair. "W-What!?" "Well, in the brief moment I held that list I was able to scan enough of it to notice the heart at the bottom." Ivy smugly said. "I figured that you would most likely talk about it after I left, so I left and hid around the corner." "But..." "I knew that you would never ask me yourself, so I did you the favor." Ivy giggled. "In fact, I knew that would have kept something like that around here, I opened the window with the intent to locate said paper." "Wait... You planned this?" The pony stuttered. "Right down to this conversation, heck I even had enough time to plan on what I would do if you didn't take it so well." "Wait... So you planned this? Was this a plan..." "Yup!" Ivy interrupted. "So... I take it..." "Ivy." The pony interrupted. "You just... Can't do something like that. I mean... You can, you didn't technically do anything wrong except intentionally causing a mess when you opened a window. I'm confused..." "Its alright..." Ivy gently moved over the pony and patted him on the back. "I know this can be a lot to take in, just try and see it my way." "And what way is that?" "Your cover was blown when I caught you staring at my flank a few weeks ago." Ivy giggled. "Yep.. You were not subtle at all..." The pony blushed and chuckled nervously. "W-Well... Its nice... I will give you that. Very... Ample." "Well I can see we have a true gentlecolt among us." Ivy joked. "So I take you will meet me at the dinner in an hour and treat me and my flank to dinner?" "Yeah... I will see you there..." The pony stuttered as he sat back down and rubbed his forehead. "I just need to... Think about what happened..." "See you then..." Ivy teased as she left the room. "Yeah..." The pony shook his head. "What just happened..." Author's Note Will add romance tag next chapter...
An unwelcome problem An unwelcome problem Duskshire, a small little town located in the middle of a large forest. It has a town hall, a tavern, a small post office that deals with the mail using magical means. Several small stalls and shops run by the towns ponies were dotted around the town. Several large trees overhung the entire town, allowing little natural light in, however the unicorn of the town had developed permanent light orbs that are held in place by crude wooden lampposts. In the center of the town a small crowd of ponies had amassed, a few guards were keeping the group in check. A formal looking stallion was at the center of the crowd, addressing the group. "Citizens, settle down. Please return to your normal lives." The stallion calmly said. "But are we safe?" Somepony shouted out. "What are the guards doing?" "They're keeping you in check!" A jaded looking guard shouted as he stood by the stallion addressing the group. "The mayor and myself can do very little at this point, I see no point in weakening out defenses in order to send a search party." The guard shook his head and gave a long drawn out sigh. "Any questions?" "What was found?" A quiet voice asked in the crowd. "All I have heard is rumors." The guard sighed again and prepared for the worst. "A deer corpse, drained completely of blood." "A deer?" "No blood?" "There's a vampony in the woods!" "What about my foals?" "Order!" The guard shouted. "As I said, there is very little we can do. Provided that it isn't feral we should have no issues. I have my own foal to look after, so if you would please return to your lives." The crowed murmured for a moment before dissipating, the formal stallion shook his head and sighed. "I tell you Oaken, we are doomed if it goes feral. Last time... I don't even want to remember." The stallion despaired. "Yes... I don't like to think about it. May Alice rest in peace..." Oaken sighed. "The advanced scouts came back, their search turned up empty. Hawk Eye nearly got mauled by a nail beast. Its not worth the risk to go out and search." The stallion chuckled weakly. "I agree, now to change the subject. How is little Ivy?" "She is doing well, but I struggle to keep her in one place. I fear she may run into the forest and never return..." Oaken smiled happily. "She has the best of me and her mother. I am so happy for her." "Yes, if she follows in your hoofsteps she will make a great guard. Perhaps the best yet." The stallion teased. Oaken seemed unimpressed by the statement. "Yes... Maybe. However, back to the matter at hoof." Oaken sternly said. "We found the corpse in the west portion of the forest, therefore I see it fit to make a announcement about that." "Yes Oaken, we will do that..." "You, will do that." Oaken sighed. "I have my daughter to see... She was worried when I ran out when one of the guards came rushing in." Oaken shared a happy laugh with the stallion and then headed towards his house. In the main guard district of the town a large cluster of houses were neatly packed together, the purpose of this was to be a rally point if the town should ever be attacked. The largest out of all these house was where the captain of the guard resided. The captain of the guard himself was a old veteran who went by the name of Oaken Shield. "Ivy! I'm home!" Oaken called out as he pushed the door open. A small filly with a tomcoltish hairstyle, turquoise mane and beige body came running down the stairs. The two hugged briefly before Oaken pulled himself away. "Missed you my little Ivy." "Missed you too Daddy." The little filly happily said. "I was lonely..." Ivy sorrowfully said. "But now you're back!" "Yes... I am back!" Oaken happily said. "I must ask you something Ivy, something very important. If you ever go into the forest, you must not go into the west side. There are monster there." "There are monsters in the forest all the time!" Ivy gleefully said. "A few of them are nice but..." "No, this is important Ivy. The monsters in the west side will eat you, they will eat you quicker then a nail beast." Oaken sternly said. "This is very important Ivy, you must be careful." Oaken chuckled. "The reason why I say this is because... If I tell you to not go into the forest, you will just run out when I'm not looking." "Its alright Daddy, I will stay on the path and will not go further then five minutes." Ivy hopefully said. A brief nod from Oaken meant that she could go out. "You are the best Dad ever." Ivy chuckled gleefully. "And I love you so much." "I know, I just don't want to use lose you." Oaken sighed happily. "Just, be careful my little Ivy." Ivy nodded and left the house, determined to discover something in the forest. The east side of the forest, not the nicest place if you left the path however Ivy knew better then to leave the path. "Lalalala! Skipping down the path!" Ivy sang happily as she skipped down the path. Every few steps Ivy would stop and smell a flower before resuming her skipping. "Pretty, pretty flowers!" Rustle, rustle... "Oh! Something here?" Ivy exclaimed as she froze, her eyes quickly darted around as she scanned the forest line. "Oh!" Ivy picked out a worn down pathway, the grass was flat as if something had been dragged along it. "What's this! Who flattened the grass!" Ivy asked nothing nearby as she started to follow the trail. Soon she found herself in a small clearing. "Hm?" A barely audible voice said. Ivy froze, she tried to find the source of the noise however she could not see anything nearby. "W-Who's there!?" Ivy shouted however she was met with silence. "Please! I mean no harm!" Ivy pleaded, however when she met with silence again she became agitated. "If you don't come out, I will get my Dad! He is captain of the guard!" "You asked for it..." A shadowy figured silently dropped behind the small filly, shrouded by the shadows. Ivy slowly turned and tried to make out the shadowy figure. Author's Note I will write a second chapter to this. Also, constructive criticism is welcome... As long as it is constructive.
An unexpected encounter An unexpected encounter "So, you called and I answered. What is on your mind little one?" The shadowy figured calmly asked. A slate gray unicorn mare with a dark hairstyle with the odd gray highlight stepped into the light, her cutie mark was a half moon that was slanted sideways with two stars above it to resembled a cryptic smile. "Eh?" Ivy tilted her head, she had never seen this pony before. "Who are you?" Ivy curiously asked. "A hunter." The mare stated. "I have just recently started hunting in this section of the forest, I was hiding in the treeline..." The mare circled Ivy. "Until you came along." "Oh..." Ivy lowered her head. "I didn't know..." "I Didn't expect to be found, its not your fault." The mare hide a slight smirk. "And besides, I have already feasted today." "Wait a minute..." Ivy promptly said. "If your a hunter and I disturbed you..." Ivy slowly processed what the mare had said. "Were you eating meat!?" Ivy yelped loudly. "To an extent... I require a certain... Thing from animals..." The mare evilly chuckled. "Or anything that is alive..." Ivy shuddered slightly before putting on a brave face. "Are you a zombie? Do you eat brains!?" Ivy excitedly asked. "Can you say bbbbbrrrrrraaaaaiiiiinnnnnsss?" The mare laughed heartily. "I am not a zombie little one. However you are not far off." "Aw... I wanted you to be a zombie..." Ivy sighed and slumped on the floor. "I know that's bad but... I really wanted you to be a zombie." Ivy giggled gleefully. The mare sighed and sat down beside her, gently brushing up against Ivy. "Burrrr... You're cold!" Ivy remarked as she felt the cold fur of the other mare gently brush against her. "You'll catch a cold!" "I'm alright, I guess you could say I am used to the cold." The mare rolled her eyes. Ivy suddenly ducked behind the mare and started shaking madly. "Sh.-Sh..Shhh...Sha!" Ivy stuttered. "What's the matter? Do you need to take medicine?" The mare hastily said, unaware of a shadow slowly creeping along the ground towards them. "A shade! Look! On the floor!" Ivy pointed to the moving shadow. The small shadow stopped and a pony started to rise out from it. "A shade is an angry ghost..." Ivy started. "They don't like living things!" Ivy exclaimed. The shade fully emerged and began walking towards Ivy, who was slowly backing away. The shade walked past the mare, ignoring her completely. The mare tried to blast the shade with magic, however it remained and continued walking."I can't stop it!" The mare shouted. "Run!" Ivy backed into a tree trunk. The shade closed in and Ivy clenched her eyes shut. "Ahhhh!" Ivy painfully exclaimed as her eyes shot open, a grass green glow emanating from her eyes. Ivy's horn sparked with a golden energy and the clearing flash brightly. When the light settle down there was nothing left of the shade except a small pile of black ashes. "I did it!" Ivy's eyes returned to their normal state. "Phew that was close." "Hm, impressive. Tell me, has any member of your family used white magic like that before?" The mare curiously asked as Ivy returned to her. "Yes... My mother, but she died when a feral vampony attacked out village." Ivy sorrowfully sighed and sat down. "I don't know what that is... My dad won't tell me, he worries a lot about me." "Then why did he let you out?" The mare angrily asked. "If he worries so much..." "Stop!" Ivy shouted. "Hes a good dad, he knows I am safe... He trusts me... He also knows that I will run out when hes not looking." Ivy chuckled happily. "I normally stick to the path, but I saw flattened grass and here I am." "So, curiosity got the better of you then?" The mare asked. "Yes, I wondered off the path. But its alright! You're here! Another pony!" Ivy cheered happily. "I will just tell Dad I was with you!" "No!" the mare interrupted. "You... Can't. I don't want anypony knowing I am here." Ivy crossed her arms and huffed. "Fine! I won't tell anypony..." The unicorn gave Ivy a stern look. "Fine! I promise I won't tell anypony!" Ivy shouted. "Silly death stare..." "Excuse me?" The unicorn mare quizzically asked. "Death stare?" "Yeah, something my Dad does when I am not being truthful. He gives me the death stare and I have to promise and tell the truth, otherwise it will turn me to dust!" Ivy explained. "I see, well as long as you don't tell anypony..." The mare sighed. A silence descended on the clearing, Ivy occasionally tapped the ground with her hoof and inspected the ground. The other mare inspected the treeline and checked the bushes. "So, what's your name? I am Ivy, Ivy Shield!" Ivy happily announced, filling the small clearing with conversation again. "Don't worry about my name, I don't plan on staying too long." The mare replied. Ivy shook her head and sighed. "Something the matter?" "Well, I can't come back tomorrow if I don't know your name." Ivy gleefully chuckled. "I mean, I am going to come back. And if your not here and I get eaten..." "Alright fine!" The mare snapped. Ivy giggled gleefully at the response she got, the mare noted the giggling filly. "Argh, fillies... Nothing but headaches!" The mare angrily declared. "Awwww..." Ivy sighed, her plan had not worked. "Pleaseeeeeeesssssss!" Ivy pleaded. "I just want to know your name! That way we can be friends." "I don't want friends! I want to be alone!" The mare angrily snapped causing Ivy to back away from her. "I'm... Sorry. I didn't mean to get angry. I just... I haven't spoken to anypony in a long time. In fact, I never expected to speak to another pony for the rest of my life..." Ivy remained silent. "I think... I will be moving on quicker then normal... I am sorry Ivy." Author's Note Trying to keep the chapters short and relatively sweet.
An unexplained friendship An unexplained friendship "No! Don't..." Ivy yelped. "Don't go... I'm sorry!" "No Ivy. I'm sorry. I shouldn't of snapped like that, you were just trying to be friendly." The mare sighed. "I just... Never expected to..." The mare trailed off and sighed. "I don't think you should come back here..." "But, you're lonely..." Ivy slowly said. "You are out here all alone by yourself... Without anypony to talk to, to play with, to laugh with... To cry with." Ivy gave a hopeful smile towards the mare. "Everypony deserves a friend, no matter what." "Trust me Ivy, I do not deserve a friend. In fact, ponies should avoid me all together." The mare stated with no emotions. "I am a bad pony." "I don't think you are! You are just lonely." Ivy replied. "All you need is a big hug and a good friend." Ivy ran up to the unicorn and hugged her. "Now all you need is a friend." "I..." The mare stuttered, Ivy looked up at the her with puppy dog eyes. "I don't know why I am doing this, but fine. I will be your friend." Ivy cheered happily and the mare sighed. "Well Ivy, since I know your name. You might as well know mine." "Ohhhh! Lemme guess! Starry Skies? Melody Moonbeam? Star Smile?" Ivy rubbed her temple briefly, the mare waved her hoof in the air. "Sadly no, none of those are my name. You are more then welcome to keep guessing." The mare chuckled happily. "Moonbeam Meadow?" Ivy asked hopefully. "Nope!" The mare announced. "Give up?" "Yeah... I give up." A defeated Ivy sighed. "Well, for a moment I thought you were going to guess it." The mare teased. "You were close with a few of them. However, my name is in fact..." The mare paused, causing ivy's interest to peak. "My name is..." "Oh come on! Tell me already!" Ivy shouted, causing the mare to laugh. "Okay Ivy, since you must know. I am Gilded Moonbeam." Gilded bowed graciously. "Oh! A Moonbeam! Your family used to shape the stars!" Ivy giggled happily. "I never thought I would meet one!" Gilded sighed happily. "Even after all these years, my name still holds meaning." "My Dad taught me, he says its important to learn history. Least we forget it." Ivy proudly said. "The Moonbeam clan helped shaped the stars before the moon goddess was created." "Yes, back when Equestria was still growing. My family helped paint the sky with stars." Gilded reminisced. "I miss those days, the days when my life had purpose beyond survival." "Those days!?" Ivy loudly questioned. "How old are you!?" "Very old!" Gilded chuckled. "My family was cursed a while ago. Some of my family died... Some turned into ghosts and others... They were turned into vamponies... All of them the various curses of death." Gilded explained. "Vamponies... A feral one killed my mother when it attacked out town." Ivy sadly said. "I don't know much about non feral ones though." "Did your Dad tell you the difference between the two?" Gilded inquired. Ivy happily nodded her head, the she shook her head. "Oh?" "He told me what a feral vampony would look like, how it would act and what it would do. However he never told me anything about the non feral kind." Ivy sighed. "He always said he would..." "Well I can tell you what I know, from personal studies. Vamponies are ponies that were either cursed or bitten by another vampony." Gilded started. "My family were some of the first to ever be afflicted with the curse." "Oh... I'm so sorry." Ivy sorrowfully said. "Don't worry. Now, given that vamponies have the correct substance... They can live forever." Gilded slowly said, Ivy's eyes lit up at the though of living forever. "However their is one big draw back." "Tell me! I need to know the draw back!" Ivy ordered. Gilded smiled warmly. "You have to drink fresh blood." Gilded stated. "Vamponies have fangs that can puncture flesh with ease, the fangs are hallow so that they can drink the blood more efficiently." Gilded looked at Ivy, who's face had dropped. "Ivy?" "You! You're a vampony!" Ivy exclaimed, quickly backing away from Gilded. "Are you going to kill me?" "No, were're friends. Remember?" Gilded calmly said. "I didn't tell you because... I knew it would either scare you or you wouldn't understand." Gilded opened her arms and offered Ivy a hug. Ivy slowly returned to Gilded and accepted the hug. "I'm sorry..." Ivy muttered. "I didn't mean anything by it, I was just startled." Ivy slowly backed out of the hug, even though there was feeling behind the hug, Gilded was icy cold. "Is that why you are cold?" "Yes, technically I am dead." Gilded admitted. "I have spent years drifting through the various forests of the land in order to maintain my mind. If vamponies don't drink enough blood they go feral and will do anything in order to get a drink." "Have you ever gone feral?" Ivy curiously asked. "No, once a vampony goes feral it loses its mind permanently. That's why they're so dangerous, they attack without remorse." Gilded slowly explained. "So Ivy, what do you say. Think you can be friends with this old vampony?" Gilded confidently asked. "Of course!" Ivy happily replied. "I keep telling my Dad that some of the forest dwellers are good. Now I have proof... That I can't tell him about." Ivy sighed and dropped to the floor. "Guess I need to keep looking..." Gilded chuckled happily and sat down next to Ivy. "You know Ivy, your the best thing to happen to me this millennium." Author's Note Bit a cheesy ending there...
An unexplained absence An unexplained absence Ivy followed the pathway back towards the town, Gilded slowly walked next to her. "So Gilded, how come you don't look very old?" "Believe it or not, but I didn't always look like this. I used to have a pale blue mane, a nice cobalt coat... Of course, that vanished after the first few-hundred years." Gilded chuckled lightly. "I don't mind this look, I think it suits me rather well." The pair continued to walk down the path until the forest started to thin out. "Well, I guess this is where I stop." Gilded stated. "Yep but!" Ivy paused briefly. "I will be back tomorrow!" Ivy happily chirped. "Now, I just need to explain why I was gone for so long..." "Good luck Ivy, I look forward to it." Gilded happily waved goodbye to the young filly as she walked back into the town. A few guards greeted her as she reentered the small town. Ivy looked up, she could just about see the sun setting through the trees. "Ah Ivy! Your father is looking for you, he was just about to send a search party!" A guard hastily said. "lucky you came back when you did." "Oh! Was I gone for that long? I lost track of time." Ivy quickly explained. "I Will go see him and tell him I am all right." "Thanks Ivy, I don't like it when he worries. It puts the town on edge." The guard replied. "Personally, I'm happy that you are okay. Anyway, I won't keep you any longer. Goodbye Ivy." "Bye!" Ivy happily said as she walked away from the guard and made her way to the house. When she opened the door she saw her dad pacing back and forth. "Dad I'm home!" Ivy happily announced. "Ivy! I was so worried about you!" Oaken rushed over to his foal and gave her a hug. "Where did you go?" "I just saw some nice flowers..." Ivy innocently said. Oaken gave her a stern look. "And I may have met somepony, but they were looking for herbs!" Ivy hastily added. "They didn't find what they were after and had to head home." "Oh, do they need help?" Oaken curiously asked. "No, its just a rare flower. I promised I would go back and help them again tomorrow." Ivy replied. "Oh, we bumped into a shade." "What!? A shade? Are you alright?" Oaken hastily inquired, inspecting Ivy for any signs of damage. "No I'm fine. I just did what you told me to do and it went away." Ivy proudly said. "I don't know where it went, but it went away." "Good, shades are dangerous. Was the other pony alright?" Oaken inquired. "Yeah, they were fine. That's why I agreed to go back tomorrow. So I could protect them! Just like you!" Ivy happily said. Oaken sighed happily. "One day Ivy, you will be the best guard this town has even seen. I know it." Oaken proudly said. "Provided you want to be a guard." "Of course! I want to be best guard ever!" Ivy happily shouted. The pair separated and Ivy sat down in a nearby sofa. "So, what's for supper?" "Well we have some fresh apples that the farm ponies gathered." Oaken rolled his eyes. "We also have some leftovers in the fridge if you're that hungry." "Nothing nice then..." Ivy sighed. "Oh well..." Ivy got up and ran into the kitchen, she returned with a large apple in her magical grasp. After taking a large bite out of the apple Ivy promptly spat it out. "Yuck... These are cooking apples." "Yeah, might have been good to tell you about those..." Oaken laughed evilly. "Then again, what is fun in that?" Ivy glared at her father before joining in on the laughter. "Fine... You got me..." Ivy admitted, she then threw the bitten apple into a small container filled with compost. "Now Dad, what do we really have?" "Nothing. You ate everything yesterday!" Oaken laughed. Ivy frowned and shot daggers at her father. "Seriously, what do we have? I'm really hungry." Ivy groaned loudly, her father rolled his eyes and sighed. "You are more then welcome to go ask the neighbors, or conjure some food up." Oaken joked. "But after you raided our food stocks earlier we are plum out until tomorrow." "Awwww..." Ivy complained before sighing loudly. "I might go get back that apple..." "No Ivy, that's gross." Oaken sighed. "I'm sure you can last until tomorrow." "But Daaaad! I'm so hungry!" Ivy complained. "Well, you will have to wait." Oaken glanced outside and then turned his attention to large grandfather clock. "The lights are going out for the day and its getting late. It might be best if you go to sleep, you have had a busy day." "But Daaaaaad... I'm not sleepy, I'm hungry!" Ivy groaned. "Daaaaad..." "Enough Ivy, now go to bed." Oaken ordered. Ivy sighed and reluctantly made her way to her to her bedroom. Ivy entered her bedroom and got into her bed. Oaken entered the room and stood beside the bed. "Hey Dad?" "Yes Ivy?" "Love you..." "Love you to. Now goodnight and sleep tight." Gilded had moved away from the clearing, just in case Ivy had told anypony about her, she was now at a small pond. Gilded looked at her reflection in the pond. The mare gently used her magic to generate a ripple in the pong, when the water settled the mare staring back at her was not the mare she had seen before. The new mare had a much messier mane, blood red eyes and a sharper horn. "Who am I kidding, I shouldn't have friends. I am nothing more then a ticking time bomb..." Gilded sighed and moved away. "Yet, I want this to work. I want to have a friend! I want to prove to everypony that I am not a bloodthirsty monster." Gilded moved over to a nearby tree and pulled a few branches down to her level, she then jumped on the branches and climbed onto the tree and settled down. "Goodnight Ivy, see you tomorrow...."
An unavoidable confrontation An unavoidable confrontation "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. Author's Note Yeah sorry about the abrupt ending. The chapter was getting a bit too long.
Ultimatum Ultimatum "Alright Hawk-Eye, I hear you. Just... Give me some time. Compound bows are a pain to replace." "Yeah well, make it snappy. We can't all sit around on our lazy flanks all day and assign posts." Hawk-Eye snapped. "Yeah, well how about you... No wait, every guard in the town just wonder around aimlessly for the next month, without pay or armor or any means of fighting. In fact, why don't you just wonder into the forest while blindfolded." "Alright jeez... Sorry." Hawk-Eye sulked and left. The pony who was working the desk sighed and made a few notes. "Guess Hawk-Eye needs another bow..." The pony sighed again and rolled his eyes. Ivy casually walked in the room, unnoticed by the desk worker. "Hey..." "I just told you Hawk-Eye..!" The pony looked up and paused. "Oh... Sorry Ivy, Hawk-Eye kinda sounds like you." "So I've been told..." Ivy chuckled. "You know, if he wasn't such a good spotter her would have been fired a while ago. The pegasus is useless with a bow and somehow snapped a shield in half." "Yeah... That was a strange week. So how have you been Ivy? Staying out of trouble I hope." Ivy giggled and sighed. "Well... You know me..." "So that's a no then." The pony laughed weakly. "Oh Ivy what will we do with you..." "Yeah.." Ivy giggled evilly. "So what's the budget looking like this week?" "Well, I think it might be a worthwhile investment to get some steelbark bows. The compound ones are too brittle." The pony said. "Oh, we also got another grant from Fort city, so we can invest in better armor." "Music to my ears." Ivy happily said. "I might try and pull a few strings with my Dad and we might see some changes in our bows because of it..." Ivy innocently said. "Thanks Ivy. saves me the trouble of having to convince him." The pony sat back and sighed in relief. "Speaking of your father, have you seen him much today?" "Not really, after I got back from my route in the forest I came here." Ivy rubbed her forehead. "I think he is with the mayor today." "Hm, I checked with the mayor an hour ago. He hadn't seen him." The pony leaned back and yawned. "Hard day?" Ivy inquired. "Yeah, pushing papers can be taxing." The pony chuckled. "Oh you poor thing, we need to get you working on patrol right away." Ivy teased. "Maybe a nice encounter with a shade will help relax those stressed out muscles." "Yeah... No." The pony replied. "Its more of an overworked brain." The pair fell silent for a few minutes, the pony working the desk sorted out and filled in some forms while Ivy relaxed. "Its a bit stuffy in here." Ivy remarked. "Mind if I open a window?" Ivy moved towards a window. "No! Wait..!" The pony shouted, however Ivy had already opened the window, a large gust of wind swept through the room blowing the forms all over the room. "Never mind..." "Opps." Ivy said apologetically. "Let me help you..." "Its alright, I can handle this." The pony firmly said as he started to pick up and sort the papers that had been blown about. Ivy rolled her eyes and went about help the pony pick up the paper. "No Ivy, its alright I got..." Ivy picked a few pieces of paper and glanced over them. "Lets see.." Ivy interrupted. "Armor stock, balance for the week, patrol schedule, to do list..." The to do list was snatched out of Ivy's grasp with force. "That... That's personal!" The pony snapped. "Look Ivy, I can handle this." The pony insisted. "Jeez... Okay." Ivy sulked. "I won't touch anything." Ivy sighed and sat down. "Sorry Ivy, I didn't mean to snap like that. Its just... That was a personal piece of paper..." The pony apologized and sighed. "No its alright, I shouldn't have been going through your stuff." Ivy apologized. The pony fished reassembling the papers and sat down happily. "See, its no trouble at all. I should thank you really, I need to sort personal and work out." "Yeah, that might be a good idea. Speaking of which, what was so important on that list?" Ivy inquired. "Oh... Nothing, it was just something that I wrote a while ago. Its just something personal." The pony hastily replied. "Oh, alright then." Ivy sighed. "Its nothing personal, I just would rather keep it to myself." The pony sighed and clicked his neck. "Might head home. I finished my shift an hour ago, just stayed to put in some extra hours." "Alright then, I guess I will see you tomorrow." Ivy said sounding disappointing. Ivy left waved goodbye and left the room leaving the pony alone. "Phew, that was a little too close for comfort." The pony remarked before glancing over the list he had written. "I wonder what Ivy would have said had she read this." The pony looked over the list, several basic goals such as get a job and make friends were written down. Towards the bottom of the list it had goals such as own a house, achieve high rank in guards. Finally, at the bottom of the list it read find a soul mate, next to the goal the name Ivy was neatly written in a heart. "Someday Ivy... Someday..." "How about today!" Ivy exclaimed quickly as she rushed back in. "Woah... Ivy!" The pony exclaimed as he fell off his chair. "W-What!?" "Well, in the brief moment I held that list I was able to scan enough of it to notice the heart at the bottom." Ivy smugly said. "I figured that you would most likely talk about it after I left, so I left and hid around the corner." "But..." "I knew that you would never ask me yourself, so I did you the favor." Ivy giggled. "In fact, I knew that would have kept something like that around here, I opened the window with the intent to locate said paper." "Wait... You planned this?" The pony stuttered. "Right down to this conversation, heck I even had enough time to plan on what I would do if you didn't take it so well." "Wait... So you planned this? Was this a plan..." "Yup!" Ivy interrupted. "So... I take it..." "Ivy." The pony interrupted. "You just... Can't do something like that. I mean... You can, you didn't technically do anything wrong except intentionally causing a mess when you opened a window. I'm confused..." "Its alright..." Ivy gently moved over the pony and patted him on the back. "I know this can be a lot to take in, just try and see it my way." "And what way is that?" "Your cover was blown when I caught you staring at my flank a few weeks ago." Ivy giggled. "Yep.. You were not subtle at all..." The pony blushed and chuckled nervously. "W-Well... Its nice... I will give you that. Very... Ample." "Well I can see we have a true gentlecolt among us." Ivy joked. "So I take you will meet me at the dinner in an hour and treat me and my flank to dinner?" "Yeah... I will see you there..." The pony stuttered as he sat back down and rubbed his forehead. "I just need to... Think about what happened..." "See you then..." Ivy teased as she left the room. "Yeah..." The pony shook his head. "What just happened..." Author's Note Will add romance tag next chapter...
