Trimming the Ivy

"Nopony lives here as far as i know, maybe somepony moved in whilst i was gone..." he shook his head no "I was gone for only a few minutes so nopony should have moved in." He than motioned to the door "Go check it out ill stay out here till your done."

"Really? Alright." Eagerly, Ivy walked inside the house. Her hooves instantly were greeted by plush warm carpets. From the doorway, the house opened into a greatroom, carpeted with forest green carpet which beautifully accented the stone fireplace set towards the rear of the room. The walls were wood planks for about halfway up, yet the rest was wallpapered with an ivy pattern. The trim was a handsome dark wood, yet the room sat unfurnished. Towards the back, was a doorway just to the side of the fireplace. Entering this hallway she noted two doors, one of which led to a room she assumed as the bedroom, the other, a possible parlor, dining room, or office of sorts. Then, entering the unknown room, she saw a repercussion of a set of folding doors found in the great room, entering them, she finally found some furniture, which, labeled this room as a kitchen. It was a quaint house, filled with common color themes that were on their own against the pinks and yellows of Ponyville, those being rich browns, creamy whites, and forest greens. It was perfect for Ivy's simple needs, few funds, and had great potential for Ivy to decorate it as she wished. Smiling, happy with the building, and even more happy that Max seemed to know her so well, even after just meeting her, she walked outside and stated matter of factly "It's perfect! 1 bedroom, 1 bath, fully furnished kitchen, and even a real fireplace! Thank you so much for showing it to me. I feel home here at Ponyville already." She laughed, beaming, and hugged Max, then blushed and quickly pulled away, looking slightly embarrased.

Max face turned a slight red as Ivy hugged him and than quickly pulled away. He wished the hug didn't end so fast, he wished they could have held eachother in there warm embraces for longer. He than smiled the slight blush still on his face. "Glad you like it...." he than shook his head reminding himself he was not going down that horrible heart breaking road again "I thought you would, and it's close by to me!" he motioned to a small house not to far from the one they were at.

Ivy was not surprised to live so close to him, yet that is not to say she wasn't pleased. It wasn't that she thought of him romantically, and not to say that she doesn't, but more over, she fell as though she could trust Max, which was a rare trait indeed, especially of Ivy League. She felt compelled to invite him inside to her new home, make him a cup of tea, and tell him her story, after of course, playing for him. Yet first things came first, and in order, she needed a violin, furniture, and to purchase the house. She smiled greatly, inwardly noting the fact that he too, was blushing...
It was brilliant.
She loved him.
*It, She loved it.
Ivy turned to him, mocking a serious expression, pulling the hood on her cloak up so it laid like a tall collar surrounding her face.
"Now vit is vour turn to ve revarded! MUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHShe laughed, then imitated a little filly and asked. "Mista Maxawus, where can I geta via win?

Max laughed and pointed to his house "Ill just get you one from home. I have all sorts of instruments in there." he than trotted over to his house and walked in shutting the door behind him.

Ivy smiled "Thanks much!, I'll meet you inside my house okay?" She hoped that in the time it would take him to retrieve the violin, she could purchase the house and possibly some furniture. She guessed ten minutes, so, calculating her speed for time, somehow, she managed to accomplish that task (She found furniture in the attic of the house, and moved it with her magic.) Quickly enough so, that she had on a kettle of tea and waited just outside her door for Max.

Maxulus walked out of the house a wild later with the violin And some sandwichs he made, he rushed over to Ivy and than took in a deep breath "Sorry i was slow i couldn't fidn the violin than i got hungry so a made a snack than i thought it was rude not to get you some thing so i made you one too than i tripped and fell down the stairs which really hurt than my door wouldn't open so i had the climb out the window and *BREATH* i forgot the violin so i had to climb back into my house and get it and now i'm here." he says very fast and than falls to the ground panting.

Ivy laughed as he fell, then immediately reached down to help him up. "It's fine, I had time to purchase the house and get some furniture. Would you like to come in, I have some tea on that will go great with those sandwiches. You can snack while I play." She said with a smile and opened the door.

Maxulus quickly got up "Great!" he picks up the violin and walks in side "You comin?" he said before vanishing inside of the house. He than placed the violin and sandwichs into the kitchen and sat down in the living room to wait for ivy.

Ivy walked in, suddenly dreading Max's pressence. No pony had heard her play in a long, long time.Somehow, she remembered every note to the song, Quietly, she walked over, so she was at the opposite side of the fireplace, lit the fire, and tuned the violin. As she tuned, she kept her eyes not on the intrument, but the fire when Max looked at her, and Max himself when his glance was not there. Then, satisfied with the tune, she looked Max directly in the eye, her eyes distant, younger, her expression that of filly, as if she was remembering a time from long ago, before pain swept through her heart. Thus, she began to play, and as she did, her expression faded from distance,to bliss. Each note sang with passion and a tear rolled down her cheek.

She could spend this evening telling her tale to max, the reason she stopped playing, but, she manuvored the notes, and told him, confided in this newfound kindred spirit, a tale she had told nopony before. A tale of Ivy Bloom, and how it faded when it's seedling was just a filly.

Max eyes were wide and mouth dropped that simply was the most passionate song he had heard in a while and it was so beautiful and well tuned. Max smiled passionately at Ivy "Your music is so passionate and beautiful...like yo- *ahem* the tune was amazing i could hear your story een tho you didn't speak it seems you have a fairly sad story, but i don't know maybe that wasn't your story." he than got up "You are a really talented musician, now shall we go snack on the food and drinks that have been prepared?"

Ivy blushed, finishing and set down the violin on one of her newly purchased tables. "It's nothing really, I've played that song since I was a filly. It's an old story as well. It's about a flower that danced in the sun, blossomed and glowed, loving and caring, but quickly died, when it's seedling was only young, leaving it completely alone. She paused to wipe a tear out of her eye "Sorry, it's nothing... Anyway, yes, lets see about those snacks!" She smiled assuringly and waltzed into her kitchen with a flourish.

Maxulus follows Ivy into the kitchen and picked up one of the sandwich's he made and takes a bite out of it "So how have you been?" he looked around the room "it's a beautiful day is it not?" he says as it begins to pour outside "well....it was.." his gaze continued to look around the room and then back to Ivy *She's so beautiful....* he than shyly smiled "So anything new happening?"

Ivy laughed. "No, nothing has become new in the last millisecond I haven't seen you. Shame the rain began, it would have been lovely to explore Ponyville. So, tell me about yourself, the great Maxulus! Musician Extrodinare! What lies behind that brilliant voice of yours?" Ivy took a bite of one of the sandwiches and twirled, quickly sweeping the teakettle off the stove. She hoped what she said hadn't been too much of a hint, she didn't know weather Max knew that among certain circles of musicians, he was highly applauded. Then, in mid bite, she stopped, mouth full. "You made this?" She asked with impressment. The simple sandwich, was the best she had had in a long time. Finally, stopping in her whir of activity, she dug two teacups out of a moving box, and set them down. Inwardly, she spoke to herself as she looked at him. Ivy, maybe he knows, maybe he hired them? No, Ivy, pull yourself together! Stop thinking like an assassin, think like a normal mare... Well.. he is kinda cute.. No, he's handsome, admit it Ivy. Ivy, calm, calm Ivy, calm. He's just a friend, that's all. Not a client, not a love, a friend.

Max snickered "My voice isn't that great it's not like i'm famous i just preform a bit and than live a normal life." he than took a bite out of his sandwich "There not the *swallow* best ive made" he than took the teakettle and poured Ivy and him a cup of tea he than passed the tea over to Ivy than paused "....you know your not like i would expect you would be your something different." He than smiled a kind soft smile "i like that about you...you seem like a mare full of surprises" he than took a sip of the tea. "You know what they say a life without surpirses isn't a life at all!"

His comment caught Ivy off guard. "Why- Why would you say that?" She asked, tediously pushing back thoughts in her mind. Quietly, she removed her saddlebags and used her magic to place them on the couch. the handle of a dagger poked through the covering. To him, the comment must have been casual, friendly even, but to her, it sliced through the air like a hot dagger through twine.

Max smile fades "S-sorry i ment it in a friendly way i-i didn't mean to offend you if i did...ill just go i think..." he than walked to the door, he hadn't ment to make that comment offensive or what ever it was to her he just ment it in a friendly way. His face was red from embarresment, he than walked out of the door closing it behind him and sat outside next to the door.

"Broken bows and blood covered foes Ivy.." Ivy quickly trotted over to the doorway, and opened it, carrying him his cup of tea. "I'm sorry, It's nothing truely, I'm just not used to anypony speaking of me that way. Please, would you come back in out of the rain, I'd hate for you to catch cold on my account." Pausing a beat, her horn glowed a moment, and the fire started. Ivy had no porch, therefore, by sitting next to the door, Max was already soaked by the rain. "Frightful storm huh?" She commented, then, thunder sang through the sky, lightning striking it's ozone punch just within sight. Ivy, hearing this, nearly jumped out of her skin and froze with fright.

Maxulus got up right as the lightning struck the earth and Ivy froze. He walked over to Ivy and waved his hoof infront of her face "Ivy?" he poked her "Iiiiiiiiiiiiiiivy?!" he said in a sing song voice "Anypony home?"

Ivy shook her head, attempting to shake away the jitters. She hated storms. As she opened her mouth to speak, another thunderclap interrupted her, this one louder than the first, and Ivy nearly jumped on top of Max, yet she tripped mid jump and fell just outside the door, landing in the mud. She got up quickly, and tried to be brave, but another thunderclap came, and she whimpered like a filly.

Maxulus frowned not liking to see Ivy scared he helped her to her hooves and moved her into the house closing the door behind him. he than took off his hoodie and started to remove the mud from her and than set her down near the fire and sat next to her putting the mud covered hoodie to the side. He than pulled her into a hug holding her tightly "This should warm you up along with the fire" but really he did just to get closer to her and also he was cold from rain pouring down on him whilst he was out there.

Ivy was frozen both in fright and shock as Max aided her. She blushed, feeling as though she should easily would have been capable of doing these things herself. Yet her blush reddened even deeper as he hugged her. Smiling, she hugged him close as well and whispered in his ear "Thank you Maxulus" The name rolled across her tongue as if it were meant to, as if-. Ivy then used her magic, so she wouldn't need to move from his embrace, to wrap a blanket about them. It was then, as she held him, and he her, that the sun began to set, and the storm carried on, thundering in the darkness.

"Glad your okay...you had me worried there." he looked into the fire the light of it illumenating his eyes making them shine brightly "Ivy....i know we just met and hardly know eachj other but i rather not walk out there to my house in this rain and i was wondering if i could stay here for the night..."

Ivy paused for a moment, calculating. Her daggers would easily be in reach if he tried anything. She stood, and as she did so she knocked over her saddlebags, spilling out her fliers. The one that fluttered nearest to her was marked with the seal of the royal guard, and bore her own face.
She ignored the papers, probably didn't even notice them. "Of course, I mean, I don't mind."

Maxulus picked up one of the papers magically and brought them over to him "What are thes-....." he looked over it seeing a exact image of Ivy and her name on it "what are these ivy?" he said calmly