Post by Dusk on Jan 16, 2012 4:47:50 GMT -5
Shortly after the wonderful Power Ballad concert in the Ponyville Market on January 15, 2012.
Mirage keeps glancing at Firefly as she flits from house to house.... what is she doing? She watches as Barker leads Fairgrounds away, feeling very sorry not only for his injury, but that he didn't even get Power Ballad's autograph. Well, not to himself, anyway. She listens to Dusk with a gentle nod. "I'm orginally from Manehatten, but Ponyville is my residence, unless I manage to burn it down," she says as she magicks the torch into a coat pocket before it causes more mischief. "May I ask where your home is?"
Firefly eventually hovers out into the market again, carrying a pie. Apple, old style, ears perked and wingtips a flutter.
Barker smiles to all the ponies and sits down on a bench. "I must say, my brother and I are not from Ponyville, but we really like this small village. We must find someone to help us build a nice cottage."
Dusk smiles back gently, nodding as well. "Ah Manehatten! Quite a big bustling pony city. And you find yourself here in the extreamly quaint, by comparison, town of Ponyville. Were you looking for something different perhaps? Oh, and I usually move as my research requires. I travel rather large distances. Thoug.. I do suppose I find myself here as well, for the forseeable future." He eyes Firefly as well. He smiles. Seems she must have found what she was looking for.
Mirage gives Firefly a quizzical look, but decides she's just getting a snack and not planning on attacking someone with the baked weapon. She smiles as Barker returns. "I'm not sure who does the building," she says with a gentle smile. "But don't you travel as part of your business?" she asks, waving a forehoof to the brothers' well equiped wagon. "Yes, very large, very energetic," she says with a bit of homesickness to Dusk. "The thatched roofs and little hearths take a little getting used to, I must admit." She pauses before continuing, thinking a bit. "Yes, I came here because I'm looking for something I couldn't find back home. I thought that if this is the place the Elements of Harmony came from, then maybe what I'm looking for could be here, too."
Firefly glides in to land at an unoccupied cafe table, sweeping any snow off of it with a wing, then setting the pie down carefully.
"Yes, we do travel," he says, "but we also don't travel all year. And this place has just been so welcoming. Where else would you make your home?"
Dusk smiles, "Oh, I hope then that you do find what you are looking for. Striking out to seek what you are looking for can be quite fruitful, but usually only if you're persistant and patient. Are you looking for anything particular?" he asks Mirage. Watching Firefly with the rather nice looking pie, he gets a little peckish himself, though doesn't seek anything himself just yet.
Barker trots around, ponyhugging everypony present. "Well, it is bedtime for some ponies. Good night, and thank you."
Mirage watches Firefly briefly, unwilling to let her guard completely down for now. She smiles and chuckles to Barker. "You've got me there," she admits with a bashful grin. "This village is much more welcoming than I would have imagined, and there doesn't seem to be another town nearby except for Canterlot itself, but regardless I think Ponyville is much more than it seems." She smiles to Dusk. "Well, that is part of the problem. I don't know exactly what I'm looking for. I only know that whatever jobs I had, I always had a feeling of emptyness, that perhaps I wasn't doing what I should be doing. I suppose you could say I'm looking for purpose, but I'm not sure that's the right way to say it."
Mon Jan 16 05:28:37 GMT 2012
Firefly rotates the pie carefully, examining the edges and crust trim slowly, leaning in closer still to eyeball it ever so carefully in detail.
Mirage isn't quite sure what to think about Firefly's careful examination of the pie, but brightens as she remembers something. "Lord Dusk, do you teach magic?" she asks the stallion.
Dusk nods to Mirage, "No I believe I get the idea. And then I do feel you have done the right thing. Purpose, people that care for each other, being able to do something that means something to those around you. Those and others are things I believe you will find much easier here than Manehatten. I, if might be so bold, would suggest seeking out friendly ponies, helping with those you can, and you might just stumble across what you seek. That is, if not what you're already doing, of course! Have you been in Ponyville long?" Mmm that is a rather tasty looking pie. Perhaps Firefly is pondering the eternal quandary of having ones pie and eating it too. He turns back to Mirage, and sort of quirks his head, "Well in ways, yes. I study it, and try to pass on things that I can."
Firefly lifts her head quizzically, then abandons said pie, flying off to hover around more window sills, sniffing and searching again.
Mirage listens very carefully to Dusk, her expression changing to one of introspection. "Thank you very much for your advice, sir. I hadn't thought much along those lines, I tend to be more swept along by events than anything else, but I will try to do as you recommend," she says with a small but polite bow of her head. "I ask about the teaching because of Clockwork. She mentioned she would like to learn more ways of using her magic. Teleportation or some other tricks, I believe." She wonders at Firefly.... the first pie seemed fine from what she could see of it.
Dusk hmmms to himself as Firefly just leaves the pie. Had hadn't thought she'd decide on *neither* having nor eating one's pie. Intersting. He smiles back to Mirage, "I am sure you will do well, as long as you follow your heart. And ah, I would be glad to help what I can. You are a unicorn yourself. You must practice some magic of your own, yes?"
Firefly zips about from place to place, darting around various houses, vanishing down one street and gliding back up another, banking to curve out of sight yet again on this quest. slowing to pause and eyeball the first pie once in a while, then continuing on.
Mirage just arches an eyebrow as Firefly continues her hunt... for what? The perfect pie? Then she gives Dusk an awkward smile, dipping her ears a bit and absentmindedly swishing her tail. "Oh, I have my own magic, of course. Mostly tied to my talent," she says, slightly embarrassed. "But I'm not a great spell user by any means. I don't have anything to teach, which is why I asked you. You seem to be very experienced."
Dusk smiles, and gives her head a little supportive nuzzle as she droops it down, "Well thank you, Lady Mirage. Well I am still curious. Would it be too much if I inquired as to the nature of your talent then?" He grins too, "Though I consider myself mostly a student as well, as you can learn something for most anypony.
Firefly's hunt continues, only now she peeks inside open windows here and there, looking along windowsills more closely that before, along the edges, underneath them, around them. After a while she returns with another pie, pumpkin, liked with thick heavy cream. Like the apple, she very carefully sets it on the table, like the apple pie, never doing more than eyeing the rim as she rotates it slowly, then once again abandons them to continue the search.
Mirage glances at Firefly as she seems to be set on searching the whole village for pies. What will she do when she runs out of village to search? She lifts her head and smiles to Dusk. "I've never been very good at any of the traditional magic, spells and such. Even my telekinesis is rather weak compared to most others," she says before looking Dusk directly in the eyes. "But my talent?" she pauses briefly as she looks into your eyes, "I give ponies what they want."
Dusk's glances follows off after Firefly too, then back to Mirage, giving a shrug as neither of them seem to know what's going on there. He gives her a smile though, "Oh? That sounds so very nice! So your magic allows you to help others with what they seek?"
Mirage gives a little shake of her head, and her tail swishes a bit, but her eyes never leave Dusk's. "Not quite, My Lord. If you could be anywhere now, where would you like to be? Or, if anyone could be with you now, who would you like to see?"
Firefly sweeps over to her pies, boxes them and puts them in her saddlebag, and rockets up into the night skies.
Dusk nods, smiling back into those nice sparling green eyes. "Hmmm well if perhaps just for the day, there is this one somewhat secluded place that is heated by underground thermals, making it pleasant and vibrant all year. So that would probable be a place to stay on a day like this. Though too, Ponyville is where I need to be." He doesn't seem to have an answer about a particular person, or at least not that he mentions.
Mirage tilts her ears slighty as she gazes into your eyes. "Close enough, Lord Dusk," she says softly. Her horn flashes briefly with a sea-green glow, and in a heartbeat the wintery Ponyville market is replaced by the secluded place you mentioned. You feel the warmth from the underground thermals and as you look around, all is just as you remember it. Mirage glances at the new surroundings. "Nice," she remarks. "Where is this?"
Dusk looks about, having to break the gaze, but is still quite amazed. Indeed, the steamy rising pools, the quite green trees and other plants, and the small animals that live about the area. "Wonderful! Are we actually here?" He takes a few steps around, the ground feeling real, and even the scent. "Oh, we're on a island far out at sea. There are some caves not far off that lead down underground as well. Some seafaring ponies had encountered it, but no regular inhabitants."
Mirage smiles as she sees your are pleased, stepping aside so you can take in the surroundings. "We are as 'here' as you want us to be, My Lord," she replies in a friendly and gentle tone, obviously having relaxed quite a bit with the new local. "My last job was selling time shares in the Mareabbean Islands, but I don't recall any looking quite this lush. Of course, most of my clients were interested in beach front properties," she explains as she dips a forehoof carefully into one of the pools, testing the temperature, and then pausing to enjoy the myriad scents. "You've seen much more of the world than I have, obviously. Are you happy here?"
Dusk smiles and ahs.. "So if say, some actual sailor pony came to this island now, then we would be there with them? I can imagine you must have done quite well at your job then." He smiles, and enjoying how you relax and look around the nice place too. "And yes, this is very nice. I suppose while we're here, perhaps I can show you around a bit, if you'd like. It indeed has lots of beachfront if you head out to the shores. But you might not wish to swim in it this time of year!" He grins softly.
The pool is very clear and actually on the rather warm side to the touch, but not scalding or uncomfortable. It might be as if a nice hot bath. A small frog skitters off at your touch, out of the water and into some vegitation.
Mirage dips her head and smiles back to you. "Only if you wanted the sailor to be here," she replies, enjoying your smile and the pleasure you're feeling. "I'd be happy for you to show me around, Lord Dusk. Remember, I've never been here, and I would be happy to be your guest." She glances at her heavy winter coat and shakes her head slightly. "This will never do," she remarks, and in a moment, the coat, hat and boots are replaces by a brightly colored sarong. A flower now adorns one of her ears, and a flowery braclet is wrapped around one of her hind hoofs. "Better," she remarks, then looks at you expectantly.
Dusk is enjoying the visit as well. "Ah so this is, sort of a copy of what I had in mind? Can you do the same if say, the person was thinking of a wholy mythical place?" He smiles as you change into something more fitting to the location, and he starts to walk around with you. It seems to be a largely untouched area. He walks you out to a hill in a more open area, where you can see out to the shore. The tropical vegitation only stretches so far, before tapering off into more barren ground. In fact you can see bits of ice floating out a ways into the waters. But turning the other way leads to more pleasant terain.
Mirage gives a little nod to your question. "This place is exactly as you remember it, or want it to be," she replies softly but with a reassuring smile. "Or I can show you whatever you want to see. It's all your choice, My Lord. I don't have anything to do with the content beyond myself." She seems quite surprised when she sees the bits of ice out in the ocean. "An arctic island? How exotic!" she exclaims, turning and grinning to you. "What a wonderful place you discovered!"
Dusk ahs and nods, thinking he understands the basics of it at least now. "It is truely a wonderful and unique talent you have. Do not belittle yourself of your magic, Lady Mirage!" And he smiles, giving an appreciately bow of his own head. "And thank you as well! Yes, I find it a delightful place. I suppose one of the advanates when one travels enough." He chuckles softly. Then he more calmly glances out and smiles. "I enjoy such inbetween and contrasting moments. Where one extream can become the other. I am glad you are enjoying it as well!"
Mirage begins to reply to your comments, but then pauses and looks around, enjoying this remarkable place. "I would think a tropical island in a frozen sea would be as much a contrast as one could find," she replies as she follows you along, pauses now and again to examine the flora and fauna. "And yes, I am enjoying myself very much. I am happy that you are happy."
Dusk walks along with you, taking the time to walk you around to some of the more interesting places.. Another hot water pond, this one more shallow, with sands. The water seems to bubble up in small gushes, causing it to spread out as light waves, washing out to the edge of the sands, before drawing back in. He chuckles softly at your comment, "Indeed, is is one of them. But you might be surprised, they are around at almost all moments, even back at Ponyville, both small and large. Day to night. The steam of hot tea rising against falling snow flakes on a winter day.." As we speak, the way he's taking seems to be come less of a path and more wending downhill along thickening vegitation.
Mirage'ahs' softly as she listens to you and takes in the sights, testing the water here and there with her bare hooves. "Your talent is about contrasts, then," she says with a bemused smile but a look in her eyes that is quite far away. "I should take the time to notice those things..." She continues to follow you down the path. "What is your view on the contrast between the reality and, I suppose the right word would be fantasy?"
Dusk smiles more warmly as you seem to grasp the apperciation more deeply. "That would be very nice. Few ponies realize the wonders they might be holding in their very hooves, or walking past without a thought." He nods too, "And indeed, you could say that is my talent. And magic is on of those great constrasts too. Something not existing one moment, and there the next. Or changed to something totally different. Magic is that very point, that edge, where one becomes the other." He listens to your question as well. "Do you mean as in like where we are now? I think this is a wonderful constrast, and I am enjoying both the constrasts of the place we are, the the constasts that the magic you use create, yes." He smiles.
Mirage nods slowly. "I see. I'll try to look for these things, then. Perhaps they will help. You see," she pauses and considers that yes, you would understand. "I find myself preferring the fantasy to the reality. I can give anypony what they want, but not what they need." She pauses, waving a forehoof to encompass the wonderful island. "The moment you doubt this, or no longer wish to see it, it's all gone."
Dusk nods, "So your magic faclicates it, but doesn't direct it. But then that should at least make it a little easier for you, as you don't have to think the whole thing up yourself." He grins. But he nods more seriously too, "And there is nothing wrong with that. Sometimes the fantasy is what a pony needs, at least for a moment, before they have to get back to reality. As long as you don't allow it to take over, and shirk the things you need."
Mon Jan 16 08:22:35 GMT 2012
** And then it got late and we had to stop for the night. If it's continued, then will post the rest later.
Mirage keeps glancing at Firefly as she flits from house to house.... what is she doing? She watches as Barker leads Fairgrounds away, feeling very sorry not only for his injury, but that he didn't even get Power Ballad's autograph. Well, not to himself, anyway. She listens to Dusk with a gentle nod. "I'm orginally from Manehatten, but Ponyville is my residence, unless I manage to burn it down," she says as she magicks the torch into a coat pocket before it causes more mischief. "May I ask where your home is?"
Mirage
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You see an adult female unicorn of typical size and build. Her body is a pretty medium gray while her mid-length mane and tail are white and carefully groomed in a fashionable uptown Manehattan style. Her eyes are sea green and seem almond shaped due to her normal expression of half lidding her eyes. The color of her eyes matches the color of her magic, a sea green sparkling shimmer around her horn, and around any objects she magically manipulates. Her cutie mark is a tan and green palm tree next to a small pool of blue water. Her voice pitch is a bit low but quite feminine, and she speaks in a cultured tone. She wears a thin black choker necklace, and carries a small purse. Today she wears a long, sturdy, but fashionable winter trenchcoat, metropolitan in style, white with subtle gold trim. The coat covers her shoulders and forelegs, and is long enough to also cover her back, dock, haunches, flanks and hindlegs. She also wears white winter boots and a pretty faux fur winter hat.
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Firefly eventually hovers out into the market again, carrying a pie. Apple, old style, ears perked and wingtips a flutter.
Firefly
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Before you is a pegasus who is not from Cloudsdale or Ponyville. This pony is from a long ways off, having decided to remain in Ponyville after visiting for a while. Firefly has a taste for fun, so long as fun is fast or dangerous...or funny. Her fur is a solid pink, a few shades darker than carnation with an azure mane and tail. Her wings are mostly pink with some azure feathers along the trailing edges and rim, like an outline. Upon her flank is her cutie mark, two parallel lightning bolts in a sparkling ocean blue, a symbol of her love for speed.
She is currently wearing her fancy anklets, around her ankles thin metallic blue bands glitter softly. From her left ear flits a single blue feather with a small yellow bar on one half of it. The feather is a deep purple to match her violet eyes, the small silver ring holding it to her ear helps set it off.
Her necklace...this is unusual. A thin gold chain with a little ebon pendant dangling from it, upon which a set of azure lightning bolts that match her cutie mark glitter...a single small bolt set on either side of a slightly larger white crescent moon, the entire thing trimmed in a thin golden border. Yes, she is a filly of the Night, bearing the symbol of her Princess Luna proudly.
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Currently training for this. www.furaffinity.net/view/6821671/ >
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Carrying:
Saddlebags
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Barker smiles to all the ponies and sits down on a bench. "I must say, my brother and I are not from Ponyville, but we really like this small village. We must find someone to help us build a nice cottage."
Fairground
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Before you stands a blue, brawny Earth Pony and his twin.
With sparkling blue eyes, he move with a lively leap to his canter.
He spends a good portion of his time on the road, pulling a large Wagon of
Wonders behind him, with the help of his twin brother, Barker. The two
look remarkably alike, sharing a love of amusements and games; the only
difference between them being their cutie marks. Barker has an image of a
pony wearing a Panama hat and speaking into a megaphone. Fairground sports
a Ferris Wheel with sparkling spokes.
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Dusk smiles back gently, nodding as well. "Ah Manehatten! Quite a big bustling pony city. And you find yourself here in the extreamly quaint, by comparison, town of Ponyville. Were you looking for something different perhaps? Oh, and I usually move as my research requires. I travel rather large distances. Thoug.. I do suppose I find myself here as well, for the forseeable future." He eyes Firefly as well. He smiles. Seems she must have found what she was looking for.
Dusk
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[Dusk just looked in your direction!]
Your eyes fall over the fairly big and strong form of the unicorn stallion before you, Dusk's coat a deep black, but with a luminescent sheen to it, catching even the softest light, highliting the various shapes and contours of his body.
Depending on the lighting, at first you might almost mistake his mane and tail to be black as well, but you quickly notice they are a deep shade of violet. Both are fairly basic in style, free flowing, and full. The loose "bangs" of his mane somewhat obscure his face, but you can easily make out the reflective, much brighter violet eyes beneeth, as well as the protruding black spiral horn.
Glancing further back, upon his flank is a horizontal line, above it is the last remnants of a setting sun, with several specks of stars above that.
( Intro and pic: goo.gl/QDJYM )
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Mirage gives Firefly a quizzical look, but decides she's just getting a snack and not planning on attacking someone with the baked weapon. She smiles as Barker returns. "I'm not sure who does the building," she says with a gentle smile. "But don't you travel as part of your business?" she asks, waving a forehoof to the brothers' well equiped wagon. "Yes, very large, very energetic," she says with a bit of homesickness to Dusk. "The thatched roofs and little hearths take a little getting used to, I must admit." She pauses before continuing, thinking a bit. "Yes, I came here because I'm looking for something I couldn't find back home. I thought that if this is the place the Elements of Harmony came from, then maybe what I'm looking for could be here, too."
Firefly glides in to land at an unoccupied cafe table, sweeping any snow off of it with a wing, then setting the pie down carefully.
"Yes, we do travel," he says, "but we also don't travel all year. And this place has just been so welcoming. Where else would you make your home?"
Dusk smiles, "Oh, I hope then that you do find what you are looking for. Striking out to seek what you are looking for can be quite fruitful, but usually only if you're persistant and patient. Are you looking for anything particular?" he asks Mirage. Watching Firefly with the rather nice looking pie, he gets a little peckish himself, though doesn't seek anything himself just yet.
Barker trots around, ponyhugging everypony present. "Well, it is bedtime for some ponies. Good night, and thank you."
Mirage watches Firefly briefly, unwilling to let her guard completely down for now. She smiles and chuckles to Barker. "You've got me there," she admits with a bashful grin. "This village is much more welcoming than I would have imagined, and there doesn't seem to be another town nearby except for Canterlot itself, but regardless I think Ponyville is much more than it seems." She smiles to Dusk. "Well, that is part of the problem. I don't know exactly what I'm looking for. I only know that whatever jobs I had, I always had a feeling of emptyness, that perhaps I wasn't doing what I should be doing. I suppose you could say I'm looking for purpose, but I'm not sure that's the right way to say it."
Mon Jan 16 05:28:37 GMT 2012
Firefly rotates the pie carefully, examining the edges and crust trim slowly, leaning in closer still to eyeball it ever so carefully in detail.
Mirage isn't quite sure what to think about Firefly's careful examination of the pie, but brightens as she remembers something. "Lord Dusk, do you teach magic?" she asks the stallion.
Dusk nods to Mirage, "No I believe I get the idea. And then I do feel you have done the right thing. Purpose, people that care for each other, being able to do something that means something to those around you. Those and others are things I believe you will find much easier here than Manehatten. I, if might be so bold, would suggest seeking out friendly ponies, helping with those you can, and you might just stumble across what you seek. That is, if not what you're already doing, of course! Have you been in Ponyville long?" Mmm that is a rather tasty looking pie. Perhaps Firefly is pondering the eternal quandary of having ones pie and eating it too. He turns back to Mirage, and sort of quirks his head, "Well in ways, yes. I study it, and try to pass on things that I can."
Firefly lifts her head quizzically, then abandons said pie, flying off to hover around more window sills, sniffing and searching again.
Mirage listens very carefully to Dusk, her expression changing to one of introspection. "Thank you very much for your advice, sir. I hadn't thought much along those lines, I tend to be more swept along by events than anything else, but I will try to do as you recommend," she says with a small but polite bow of her head. "I ask about the teaching because of Clockwork. She mentioned she would like to learn more ways of using her magic. Teleportation or some other tricks, I believe." She wonders at Firefly.... the first pie seemed fine from what she could see of it.
Dusk hmmms to himself as Firefly just leaves the pie. Had hadn't thought she'd decide on *neither* having nor eating one's pie. Intersting. He smiles back to Mirage, "I am sure you will do well, as long as you follow your heart. And ah, I would be glad to help what I can. You are a unicorn yourself. You must practice some magic of your own, yes?"
Firefly zips about from place to place, darting around various houses, vanishing down one street and gliding back up another, banking to curve out of sight yet again on this quest. slowing to pause and eyeball the first pie once in a while, then continuing on.
Mirage just arches an eyebrow as Firefly continues her hunt... for what? The perfect pie? Then she gives Dusk an awkward smile, dipping her ears a bit and absentmindedly swishing her tail. "Oh, I have my own magic, of course. Mostly tied to my talent," she says, slightly embarrassed. "But I'm not a great spell user by any means. I don't have anything to teach, which is why I asked you. You seem to be very experienced."
Dusk smiles, and gives her head a little supportive nuzzle as she droops it down, "Well thank you, Lady Mirage. Well I am still curious. Would it be too much if I inquired as to the nature of your talent then?" He grins too, "Though I consider myself mostly a student as well, as you can learn something for most anypony.
Firefly's hunt continues, only now she peeks inside open windows here and there, looking along windowsills more closely that before, along the edges, underneath them, around them. After a while she returns with another pie, pumpkin, liked with thick heavy cream. Like the apple, she very carefully sets it on the table, like the apple pie, never doing more than eyeing the rim as she rotates it slowly, then once again abandons them to continue the search.
Mirage glances at Firefly as she seems to be set on searching the whole village for pies. What will she do when she runs out of village to search? She lifts her head and smiles to Dusk. "I've never been very good at any of the traditional magic, spells and such. Even my telekinesis is rather weak compared to most others," she says before looking Dusk directly in the eyes. "But my talent?" she pauses briefly as she looks into your eyes, "I give ponies what they want."
Dusk's glances follows off after Firefly too, then back to Mirage, giving a shrug as neither of them seem to know what's going on there. He gives her a smile though, "Oh? That sounds so very nice! So your magic allows you to help others with what they seek?"
Mirage gives a little shake of her head, and her tail swishes a bit, but her eyes never leave Dusk's. "Not quite, My Lord. If you could be anywhere now, where would you like to be? Or, if anyone could be with you now, who would you like to see?"
Firefly sweeps over to her pies, boxes them and puts them in her saddlebag, and rockets up into the night skies.
Dusk nods, smiling back into those nice sparling green eyes. "Hmmm well if perhaps just for the day, there is this one somewhat secluded place that is heated by underground thermals, making it pleasant and vibrant all year. So that would probable be a place to stay on a day like this. Though too, Ponyville is where I need to be." He doesn't seem to have an answer about a particular person, or at least not that he mentions.
Mirage tilts her ears slighty as she gazes into your eyes. "Close enough, Lord Dusk," she says softly. Her horn flashes briefly with a sea-green glow, and in a heartbeat the wintery Ponyville market is replaced by the secluded place you mentioned. You feel the warmth from the underground thermals and as you look around, all is just as you remember it. Mirage glances at the new surroundings. "Nice," she remarks. "Where is this?"
Dusk looks about, having to break the gaze, but is still quite amazed. Indeed, the steamy rising pools, the quite green trees and other plants, and the small animals that live about the area. "Wonderful! Are we actually here?" He takes a few steps around, the ground feeling real, and even the scent. "Oh, we're on a island far out at sea. There are some caves not far off that lead down underground as well. Some seafaring ponies had encountered it, but no regular inhabitants."
Mirage smiles as she sees your are pleased, stepping aside so you can take in the surroundings. "We are as 'here' as you want us to be, My Lord," she replies in a friendly and gentle tone, obviously having relaxed quite a bit with the new local. "My last job was selling time shares in the Mareabbean Islands, but I don't recall any looking quite this lush. Of course, most of my clients were interested in beach front properties," she explains as she dips a forehoof carefully into one of the pools, testing the temperature, and then pausing to enjoy the myriad scents. "You've seen much more of the world than I have, obviously. Are you happy here?"
Dusk smiles and ahs.. "So if say, some actual sailor pony came to this island now, then we would be there with them? I can imagine you must have done quite well at your job then." He smiles, and enjoying how you relax and look around the nice place too. "And yes, this is very nice. I suppose while we're here, perhaps I can show you around a bit, if you'd like. It indeed has lots of beachfront if you head out to the shores. But you might not wish to swim in it this time of year!" He grins softly.
The pool is very clear and actually on the rather warm side to the touch, but not scalding or uncomfortable. It might be as if a nice hot bath. A small frog skitters off at your touch, out of the water and into some vegitation.
Mirage dips her head and smiles back to you. "Only if you wanted the sailor to be here," she replies, enjoying your smile and the pleasure you're feeling. "I'd be happy for you to show me around, Lord Dusk. Remember, I've never been here, and I would be happy to be your guest." She glances at her heavy winter coat and shakes her head slightly. "This will never do," she remarks, and in a moment, the coat, hat and boots are replaces by a brightly colored sarong. A flower now adorns one of her ears, and a flowery braclet is wrapped around one of her hind hoofs. "Better," she remarks, then looks at you expectantly.
Dusk is enjoying the visit as well. "Ah so this is, sort of a copy of what I had in mind? Can you do the same if say, the person was thinking of a wholy mythical place?" He smiles as you change into something more fitting to the location, and he starts to walk around with you. It seems to be a largely untouched area. He walks you out to a hill in a more open area, where you can see out to the shore. The tropical vegitation only stretches so far, before tapering off into more barren ground. In fact you can see bits of ice floating out a ways into the waters. But turning the other way leads to more pleasant terain.
Mirage gives a little nod to your question. "This place is exactly as you remember it, or want it to be," she replies softly but with a reassuring smile. "Or I can show you whatever you want to see. It's all your choice, My Lord. I don't have anything to do with the content beyond myself." She seems quite surprised when she sees the bits of ice out in the ocean. "An arctic island? How exotic!" she exclaims, turning and grinning to you. "What a wonderful place you discovered!"
Dusk ahs and nods, thinking he understands the basics of it at least now. "It is truely a wonderful and unique talent you have. Do not belittle yourself of your magic, Lady Mirage!" And he smiles, giving an appreciately bow of his own head. "And thank you as well! Yes, I find it a delightful place. I suppose one of the advanates when one travels enough." He chuckles softly. Then he more calmly glances out and smiles. "I enjoy such inbetween and contrasting moments. Where one extream can become the other. I am glad you are enjoying it as well!"
Mirage begins to reply to your comments, but then pauses and looks around, enjoying this remarkable place. "I would think a tropical island in a frozen sea would be as much a contrast as one could find," she replies as she follows you along, pauses now and again to examine the flora and fauna. "And yes, I am enjoying myself very much. I am happy that you are happy."
Dusk walks along with you, taking the time to walk you around to some of the more interesting places.. Another hot water pond, this one more shallow, with sands. The water seems to bubble up in small gushes, causing it to spread out as light waves, washing out to the edge of the sands, before drawing back in. He chuckles softly at your comment, "Indeed, is is one of them. But you might be surprised, they are around at almost all moments, even back at Ponyville, both small and large. Day to night. The steam of hot tea rising against falling snow flakes on a winter day.." As we speak, the way he's taking seems to be come less of a path and more wending downhill along thickening vegitation.
Mirage'ahs' softly as she listens to you and takes in the sights, testing the water here and there with her bare hooves. "Your talent is about contrasts, then," she says with a bemused smile but a look in her eyes that is quite far away. "I should take the time to notice those things..." She continues to follow you down the path. "What is your view on the contrast between the reality and, I suppose the right word would be fantasy?"
Dusk smiles more warmly as you seem to grasp the apperciation more deeply. "That would be very nice. Few ponies realize the wonders they might be holding in their very hooves, or walking past without a thought." He nods too, "And indeed, you could say that is my talent. And magic is on of those great constrasts too. Something not existing one moment, and there the next. Or changed to something totally different. Magic is that very point, that edge, where one becomes the other." He listens to your question as well. "Do you mean as in like where we are now? I think this is a wonderful constrast, and I am enjoying both the constrasts of the place we are, the the constasts that the magic you use create, yes." He smiles.
Mirage nods slowly. "I see. I'll try to look for these things, then. Perhaps they will help. You see," she pauses and considers that yes, you would understand. "I find myself preferring the fantasy to the reality. I can give anypony what they want, but not what they need." She pauses, waving a forehoof to encompass the wonderful island. "The moment you doubt this, or no longer wish to see it, it's all gone."
Dusk nods, "So your magic faclicates it, but doesn't direct it. But then that should at least make it a little easier for you, as you don't have to think the whole thing up yourself." He grins. But he nods more seriously too, "And there is nothing wrong with that. Sometimes the fantasy is what a pony needs, at least for a moment, before they have to get back to reality. As long as you don't allow it to take over, and shirk the things you need."
Mon Jan 16 08:22:35 GMT 2012
** And then it got late and we had to stop for the night. If it's continued, then will post the rest later.
