Guarded Hearts [Melanite]

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A Blind Date? Are you kidding me? Flash was pacing back and forth in his apartment, the night had just started and the date was set for midnight. On his couch, the only piece of furniture he had in here other than the two refrigerators, was Darkwing Buck. Darkwing is a Sergeant of the the Nightguard and one of the few ponies that understood what food was to a foodie. Not that they were at the same level. DW, as he sometimes refered to him, was years ahead of the Adjutant. "Flash calm down and just relax, it's only a date, and it's with another guard. That already gives you two plenty to talk about." Flash stopped and looked at DW. "Of course you say that. But you don't know what it's like. Always fearing what could come next. Wondering what everyone is thinking of you and her. The incredible pressure of every decision you ahve to make in a single night." Darkwing stood up, casually walked over to his friend and wingslapped his face. "Get a hold of yourself! Try not to think of it as a date. You are taking her to the Belfry. Think of it like you and a Guard buddy are just geting drinks." Flash looked at Darkwing and teared up a little with a smile. "Thanks buddy. I can do this." He stated with a sigh. Darkwing slapped the other side of his head with a wing again. "Don't sigh. LEts her the Energizer Chant!" Flash stood up with wings slapyed out. "I feel incredible! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! I can go! I feel Great. I! Can! Do! This!" Turning around he charges off to go meet Melanite at the Belfry. There was only one thing standing in his....WHAM!...way. That would be the solid oak door to his apartment, which he ran face first into. No blood, nothing broken. Standing up slowly, he walked out the door and quietly closed it behind him. Darkwing settled back down on the couch and picked up a magazine. "Guy doesn't have a Prayer." Twenty minutes later Flash arrived gliding down to the Belfry. It was a packed house tonight as Midnight Bite was preforming at the Bat pub. The building had the design of a chapel, but the only way in was at the bell tower, a single door. Flash stood there, looking around for the other guard he was to meet here. Though now that he thought of it...wasn't this supposed to be a sign yourself up event? How did he get a date when he didn't sign...he was so going to kill Darkwing.

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At last years Hearts and Hooves, Melanite was paired up with Soarin. They had a good time, but ultimately decided to just keep in touch and not get into anything more. Conflicting jobs and whatnot. That was cool with her, She got another friend out of it, and she had a good night at the Jazz club. So, this year, Melanite signed up again, hoping to have another good night. So now, she stood in her apartment, staring at herself in the mirror, wondering what she was going to do with the mess atop her head that would look good for... She glanced up to the card hanging on the corner of her mirror. Flash Sentry. The name was familiar, but she couldn't quite place it. She sighed, pulling up her brush and starting to brush it, getting it ready for her date. At least they were going to the Belfry. She'd been in there once or twice,and it was a pretty enjoyable experience. She drifted through Canterlot lazily, not in too much of a rush, the night was still young. She passed by a couple of guards, giving them a nod as she passed, and then she suddenly stopped dead in her tracks. Adjutant Flash Sentry. She gave a heavy sigh and continued walking. As she approached the Belfry, sure enough there he was. She took a breath and put on a smile, approaching. "Flash? I'm Melanite." She said, giving a light wave with her wingtip. "Shall we head in?" She asked, walking in almost right away without waiting for a response, knowing what his was going to be.

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Flash watched as other bats were flying in. It seemed like he was the only Pegasus that was coming here tonight. Then again Canterlot wasn't exactly the home to the flying ponies. He wasn't waiting too long until he saw one solo batmare approach. She even seemed to recognize him. Possible good sign? He didn't know he was known to the night. But at least she was cute. Cute? Bah, thought of the date entering head must shake it out. He was literally shaking his head as she approached. "Sorry about that, just had a thought. I try not to get too many of those." But by this time she was already in the club. Sure the drop in was great for bats, but for a Pegasus who had yet to master hovering it meant gliding down as well as he could in the very packed house. Following as best as he could, it seemed like Mel knew her way through. The band was already tuning up. The bartender was mixing drinks in a very flamboyant way. And sure enough, he was the only one not a bat in here. But for how packed it was the sound was soft. He had to guess it was because of the bat's super sensitive hearing, they didn't fall into the pattern of volume increase to hear each other. A plus for him, that meant he could just talk normally. "Didn't have a shift tonight?"

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Melanite gave a light chuckle at his joke, settling into a seat in a nice area, so the bartender could see if they needed refills or not, while being out of the way of other ponies. She ordered herself a Chai Tea and sipped on it gently. She looked over to Flash for a few moments, leaning back in her chair for a brief moment. "I wouldn't have signed up for this event had I not got the night off." She said simply. It probably should've been obvious, since the Night-shift starts right about now. If she was there, it means she didn't have to be on patrol. She looked over the pegasus, a shimmering light in the sea of dark that was the Bat bar. Though, that was probably just the brightness of his coat she was seeing. She took another sip and sighed. "I'll be honest with you... I'm not big into dating guards. They're usually not my type." She said swirling her cup around slightly as she watched him, wondering how he'd respond.

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He noticed his approximate ability to blind after a bit and sort of wish he brought a coat or something. So she didn't normally date other guards. Kind of made sense. How would it be if while on duty, you were assigned to work with your special somepony, or even ex-special somepony? Could be disasterous. "I'll be honest. I'm not exactly the best date. See I kind of have this fear of dating..." He could hear the snickering behind him from a couple batmares. "Darkwing suggested that I just think of this as two guards meeting up. I do apologize if it kind of waste the night you were hoping to find that special somepony. But it may not be a complete waste if we are able to become friends by the end and still have a good time." His bit of worry was the only thing keeping him from ordering a Martini Extra dirty. More of a glass of Olive Oil with the other ingrediants just shaken at it to scare it.

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Melanite listened to him talk. Admitting to not being the best of dates. She sighed, sipping her drink and leaning back in her chair. So much for having a good date tonight. She grumbled lightly and looked to him, resisting the urge to smirk as the bats behind him laughed. She rolled forward in her seat to sit normally and staring at him. "I don't know about that. I only had two guard friends. I'm down to one now, and I'm not a big fan of most guards." She said. "I was friends with them before they were guards is the only reason... And I'm not even a /real/ guard... I did it just to find my friend again after a long time." She said with a sigh. "Maybe you'll be different and we'll come out of this as friends, but I'm not putting a lot of money on it." She admitted. Hoping he'd do something in the next few minutes to prove her wrong.

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Flash heard the sigh and noticed the lean back. The grumbling was barely noticable but what she said next was loud and clear to him. She wasn't a fan of guards, and wasn't a real one herself, just joining to find her friend. He took a drink while he processed this. Thinging to himself: "Ok Flasher. She isn't like you. You were born to be a guard, she was born for somethign else, Being a guard was a step for her goal. No matter your fears, push them aside. This mare needs you to not be your fainting self at situations like this. This is battle. Just Do It!" Leaning a bit forward and resting his head on his hoof propping it up, he looked right into her eyes and gave his best charming smile, something her practiced for dealing with dignataries and the occasional Upset Mare. "Well if you aren't a real guard, I have to admit that the alternative is exceedingly pleasent to see." While his face and body language was very much like somepony on an actual first date, internally he was screaming. What if things went wrong? What if what he says comes across as creepy? What if the populace around them perceived him as just another lecher? And what if that negative connotation got back to the Guard House? There were so many things that could go wrong now. And his brain was racking through the worst possible situations.

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His demeanor changed really quickly, Melanite had seen. Going from not being the bst date with a fear of dating straight to that kind of compliment was pretty interesting, Melanite would admit. It was a bold move, but it probably wouldnt' pay off for him. Melanite simply watched him, wondering if there would be more to this line of Compliments, but found it to be just the one. She grabbed her drink, took a long sip, and locked her eyes with his again. Her orange eyes seeming to glow through the dim light as she judged this pony. He was trying hard to at least be an interesting date, and Melanite was being kind of stuck-up about it. She finally folded her forelegs on the table and narrowed her eyes just slightly. "And what alternative is it that you see in me?" She asked. She wondered just what he thought she was with his limited time with her.

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Way to stick you hoof in your mouth Sentry. Flash forward and not have an escape strategy, just like the Invasion. He looked to her, trying to keep the smile going. Then it dawned on him, his wings shifted a bit as he picked up his drink, and just held it there for a bit before speaking. "I see somepony who values loyalty as much as I do. Despite this not being your special purpose, you signed into something you weren't a fan of, just to find your friends. And you aren't giving up. Which makes you lovlier than even Fleur de Lis." As he took a drink, he was inwardly impressed with himself. Where did that come from? It was like there was a tiny bear in his head acting like Cirano. Giving him just the right line to save himself. Or at least that was his thought. This wasn't what he was experienced in, he was a flipper and and officer. That was what he was good at.

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Melanite watched Flash intently as he spoke. Judging him by not only his words, but his body language. He seemed confident in what he was saying, that much was obvious. Then that last line. Lovelier than Fleur de Lis. Melanite laughed. Not a small chuckle, but a full on laugh. She'd grown up in Canterlot, knew the reference, and knew he was trying to say what Melanite /wanted/ to hear. She took another draw from her drink and locked eyes with Flash. "You had a good thing going there. Until you compared me to a model. Yeah, I'm looking for a friend, but it's not due to Loyalty." She said simply. She finished her drink and stood. "Cowardice doesn't make one beautiful." She turned, heading for the exit, not looking back to check Flash's expression. She didn't like Guards. He was a Guard. There was no way to convince her otherwise.