Affairs of Darkness

He looks confused for a moment, flicking an ear when you don't seem to know about the Countess but shrugs it off after a moment in a patient way that practically screams 'tourists'. "Eeyup, just follow the road. When you get to a split, pick the one that goes up. Big, fancy, and white enough t' blind on a sunny day. Ya can't miss it." He responds with his regular slow drawl. "Macintosh, though most folk call me Big Mac, and yer welcome." He responds with a polite nod to the medic pony.

Paper Reign nods to Big Mac and then walks off the direction he instructed.

And Shock returns the nod to Big Mac as he follows Paper to the Countess' place.

"Thanks...We owe you one." Scarlet nodded gratefully to Big Mac, heading after the rest of the group as she looked around. Countess, Duchess...This place was complicated...Ah well, nothing to be done for it now.

As the group wanders off towards the mansion, Chris notes, "So... did anyone else feel that guy was weirdly familiar?"

Shock Therapy just shrugs, he didn't notice or care...

(OOC: I'd picture that Big Mac in ponyville wasn't somebody that Shock would've noticed. When we reach this Rarity look-a-like he'll be able to notice though, bet she commented and talked about his medical outfit and how wild it looked or some other fanisihe type comments about this TF2 Medic wantabe's look.)

"I thought I saw him in Ponyville...Before we all met at the tent. I didn't get a chance to talk to him though, if so..." Scarlet shook her head. "Maybe it's my imagination, though."

You walk through the archway without trouble and into another section of town. Most of the buildings around you seem to have two floors and a line crossing the street from the second floor with small decorative flags hanging from them, creating a festive canopy as you walk. As you proceed to higher sections of the city the buildings around you become more ornate, going from plain painted wood and brick to much larger houses made of ornate marble and redwood. The cobblestone path below you winds and splits in several places as it wraps around the naturally hilly terrain and well-to-do ponies in fancy clothing pass you by, too concerned with their own conversations, activities, or dilemmas to pay you any heed.

After a relaxed little walk through the city, at least the buildings to either side of you end and you find yourself at the threshold of a large marble and steel gate. The walls go quite a distance in either direction, claiming the entire hill from this point as within the bounds of property. The stone part of the walls are deliberately low enough for ponies to see over. Through the gaps of the polished metal bars gleaming in the sunlight you can see a absolutely massive estate. The ground beyond the gate perfectly flat, to the point you're sure the hill was artificially flattened. Lush gardens absolutely blooming with extravagant floral displays watched over by white marble statues perched in the center of sparkling fountains. The center path is flanked on both sides by rows beautiful rose bushes glistening in the light. White frame archways running all the way down at regular intervals with vines and flowers growing along them and hanging down over the path. All of this accentuating the bright white mansion with a dark roof that it frames like a painting. Columns decorated with golden accents like vines wrapping around them all along the first floor, holding up balconies in a striking mix of mahogany and white. Tall bright windows, looking a bright blue as they reflect the clear.

The gates currently lay open invitingly, though the stoic look of the guards flanking it is less so. looking past them you can see several more guards walking their rounds and the same green and brown earth pony you met earlier working among the flowers.

Paper Reign walks up to the pony they'd met earlier and raises a hoof in greeting.

"Oh... You again..." Shock said with little surprise in his voice.

"Well, we were coming to talk to the lady of the manor...This is a surprise." The dragonnel chuckled softly, nodding and smiling happily...This was going to be interesting...

"Ah..you mean the Countess Rarity"

OOC:DrB. Can you PM me? Whats Rarity's policy toward off the street visitors?

Thorn says "You'll need to be announced by one of the guards. So long as you're clean and presentable, and accompanied by the guards, it's likely you'll be able to see her."

Paper Reign looks itself over checking for any signs of dirt and then causing them to disappear which is accompanied by the soft sound of paper being shuffled.

Shock magically fancied up his mane as best he could.

Scarlet looked at the others for a moment before trying to clean herself up and look decent , shrugging, trying to think of how to best be presentable..."I see...That'll be helpful I guess..."

Paper Reign pointedly looked at Chris and pointed at him and then moved his leg so that it pointed to the guards. This was accompanied by a dash line appearing in the air and extending to the guards with a black ^ always at the front until it reached them and remained there for a few moments.

Chris, this time looking almost like it was carved from ice (translation: frostborn & fancy), saunters up to one of the guards and, giving him it's most adorable of puppy dog looks, asks "Excuse me, but I don't suppose this is where the Countess Rarity is? My friends and I have heard so much about her that we just had to come here to meet her. I don't suppose you could help us?"

Persuasion Check?:

The guards move along the garden in set patrols, all bearing the same uniform colors to the point you have difficulty telling them apart at times. A deep maroon coat, black mane and tail kept fairly short and neatly trimmed, and polished silver armor. You assume they probably dye their coats like the royal guards working for Celestia and Luna. The guard being indicated stops in his patrol, looking to the floating arrow pointing him out with a stoic expression for a moment before looking up at your group. He slowly walks over towards your group, his armor clinking slightly even once he steps off the paved path and onto the soft grass of the gardens.

He stops just a few feet from you when Chris speaks up, his expression faltering to one of surprise for a moment and his wings beginning to open but he quickly schools his features back to stoic professionalism. "Indeed it is. Friends of yours mister Thorn?" He asks, regarding the earth pony but turns away before he can answer. "Right this way please, everyone." He calls over his shoulder as he walks out of the garden and onto the main paved path and walking up towards the manor at a calm pace. He stops after a while to make sure all of you are following along, apparently regarding Thorn himself as part of the group before continuing along to the front door.

The doors are large double door, made of the same mahogany wood as the railing with artistic reliefs carved into them, the golden handles shaped like a pair of ponies rearing up on their hind legs facing each other. Whether the handles are real gold or not you cannot tell. A pair of guards stand on either side of the doors, both unicorns though they bear the same colors as the pegasus who escorted you up here. The same pegasus walks up to one and whispers something in their ear who promptly disappears with a magical flash. After a few moments he returns with a similar burst of light and nods towards your group. "The countess will see you now." Both their horns flare up and the door handles become enveloped in a maroon aura before turning, making the two pony handles that were rearing up look like they're bowing to each other as the doors swing open inwards.

Stepping inside you find yourself in a room even more white than the outside. White walls decorated with masterful paintings in different styles, clearly the work of master painters. White tile floors span out like diamonds, a rare few colored a dark purple instead with an unusual emblem inlaid in gold in the center creating a pattern along the floor. Columns like the ones outside flank a rich royal purple carpet that leads to a staircase which splits around the base of a large marble statue of a seapony holding a trident meeting behind it in a small landing before splitting again towards the second floor which connects to the columns like a balcony looming over the grand hall. Just above the small landing is a gigantic painting of a white unicorn mare in a fancy dress with a intricately styled rich purple mane. And standing below it, on the rich carpet just in front of the stairs and statue is the same white unicorn mare in a slightly less fancy dress and a similar but marginally more casually styled rich purple mane flanked by more guards standing just a few steps behind her as she levitates a fan matching her dress beside her.

"Welcome darlings to the fabulous Gemstone Estate!"

She proclaims with a dramatic sweep of her hoof, the fan following along and opening with a snap to add to the stage-like gesture. "Please excuse my appearance, I admit I was not expecting any guests today and I've been having a dreadful time preparing. Just one more week to the night of my Grand Social and all! Oh! Pardon me, I'm rambling aren't I. So! What is it that brought you all the way here to speak with the illustrious Countess Rarity?" The fan snaps shut again as she asks.

Thorn gives a little bow to the Countess

"My Lady Rarity, I had met these gentleponies earlier. They were looking for some missing ponies..." He nods to the rest of the party to continue the explanation.

Chris steps up, "Yes, my dear countess, we have traveled far to find ponies who have recently gone missing. We would greatly appreciate any aid you could lend us in this endeavor, and indeed hope that we can clear up this matter quickly." It takes a moment to let that sink in.

persuasion check:

Shock head tilts as he realizes quickly how Rarity looked just like the Element of Generosity from Equestria...

"Wait a moment...You're-!" Rarity...Rarity...Wait just a second! The Element of Generosity!? Scarlet's eyes widened as she realized just -who- she was talking to...But...Countess...? Last she'd heard, Rarity was in Ponyville, and was most assuredly NOT any kind of nobility...The buck was going on here...? Scarlet looked over at the others for a moment, mouthing "Generosity...Here? How?" soundlessly...She was utterly confused for a moment...

Paper Reign looked at Scarlet for a moment but, because of the mask it was impossible to see if there was any particular reaction.