Dating

It had been 10 years since Nick defeated Tirek and became the first Golden Guardian in 2000 years. An event everyone in Ponyville proudly called "From Bold to Gold". Ananasrenette was now 18, and Doray, Mifa, Sola, and Tido were 10.

"Mom? Can I ask you something?", Ananasrenette asked, walking up to Octavia, who was watching the kids play outside, sitting in her lawn chair.

"Of course, dear!", Octavia smiled.

"I wanted to ask you a private question, can you please not tell Dad? This is a mare-to-mare conversation.", Ananasrenette said, looking around for signs of Nick.

"Fire away, captain!", Octavia grinned.

"When can I start dating guys?", Ananasrenette whispered as quietly as she could.

Either she didn't search well enough, or the sun was in her eyes, because when she whispered that to Octavia, she heard someone choking on their lemonade. And when she looked behind Octavia, she saw a CERTAIN Golden Guardian sitting in his lawn chair, spitting out his lemonade before exclaiming,

"No! No! You are not dating anytime soon! Now that that's been settled, I'm going to go see if AJ needs help."

He started to get up and walk away when Ananasrenette cried, "But Dad! I'm 18! When can I start dating?"

"When I'm dead! Plus 7 weeks, just to make sure I'm not hibernating!", Nick shouted, ending the conversation.

Ananasrenette sighed, before Octavia smiled, "Stay here and watch your siblings while I go have a talk with your father."

Ananasrenette beamed and hugged her tightly, "Oh thank you, Mom!"

Meanwhile, in a eastern patch of the orchard,

"Can you believe her?!", Nick exhaled, as he walked up to Applejack and started kicking the trees.

"Nick, what's wrong? You've never kicked a tree before.", Applejack asked.

"Ananasrenette just asked if she could start dating.", he sighed

"What did you say?", Applejack pondered.

"Hehe...No.", Nick replied, chuckling a bit before he answered flatly.

"Now, Nick, she's got to get out and meet someone sometime. Besides, you can't be there for her all the time...", Applejack sighed, putting her hoof on his shoulder.

"I know AJ. I just don't want her heart to be broken like the many times I had mine broken."

"Oh, Bravey...", Octavia smiled, throwing her hooves around his neck and kissing him before continuing, "Everyone needs to have their heart broken at least once."

"Oh? Now you're saying my heartbreaks are a good thing?!", Nick flared.

"Yeah, Nick. If you get your heart broken once, ya learn how to deal with it and move on.", Applejack agreed.

"AJ's right. It's a very important lesson to learn. And Ananasrenette is ready to learn that lesson. But you're holding her back. Do you really want that?", Octavia added, her shining purple eyes staring into his baby blue eyes.

Nick sighed in defeat, "I guess not. I'll go talk to her."

Later, in the barn, while Ananasrenette was laying in the hay loft, Nick came in and called up,

"Hey Ana! Can I join you?"

"Sure, Pop.", she sighed.

Nick climbed up the ladder and lay in the hay next to Ananasrenette before saying,

"I've been thinking, you're 18 now. Getting to where you want to live life, go explore...but you need to be careful. Some ponies aren't as friendly as they are around here. Listen, you can start dating guys if you want. Just please be careful. I don't want you hurt."

"Really? You mean it? Oh thank you, Dad!", Ananasrenette exclaimed, squeezing her father around the waist.

They spent the rest of the evening star gazing.