Ponywalk Art Show - Sculpted Sands

[Bramble Rose]

Bramble Rose perked up, and got even more interested, setting his glass down on a nearby table and looking more directly at the other pony. "Diamond Dogs, really?! I've heard many stories about them, but don't really know much! Can they really turn into stone to avoid detection, and find gems through some sort of sixth sense?"

[crp_dude]

In the heat of their conversation, Ornatia, the silent and proper mare she was often claimed to be by others (a fact she would not have given on her own) tiptoed rather hastily down the stairs, in either the excitement of lively conversation, or the excitement generated by a historical art display. Ornatia always had a passion for history, and perhaps she could go there and find some inspiration for a nice design.

...Actually, that was really the main reason she was there.

Ornatia was frantic last night that the show was occurring so soon and she hadn't even begun on her dress. I'll do it tonight, she often assured herself, but this time, she was serious about it. Tonight, or bust. Conversation was nice too though, so she listened in on the pair as she was heading down the steps and into the exhibit room.

Through her ears and into her mind come tales of lands to the West, Diamond Dogs, Griffins, things she had barely even heard stories of, having been from so far to the east. Her mind as well could hardly contemplate the wonder of such foreign territory. Thoughts raced, imagining such silly lands, her imagination practically spewing out whatever came to her mind, just getting more and more ridiculous, until, at last, she got to the bottom of the stairs and began laughing out loud, to the point that she eventually landed with her back to the floor, back hooves kicking back and forth in absolute hilarious numbness.

[Pennwick]

Ashton stared blankly for a moment before stifling a small laugh. "Do ponies really think that?! I... I suppose actually they've thought similar things about ponies. One asked once why our family didn't have a garden if Earth Ponies could make plants grow anywhere." His father had a good laugh about that one. "I suppose there's a little truth to yours though. When somedog knows the tunnels 10 times better than yourself they can easily disappear and if you spend enough years looking for gems you start knowing what to look for when digging. Sienna is almost as good as I am and I have spells..."

Another pony seemed to have crept up while he wasn't paying attention and she appeared to be hysterical with laughter. It was a little unsettling to him. "Did I say something?"

[crp_dude]

"Nnnheeheeheehee! Youhoohoo dehee..." Oh dear, this simply wouldn't do, she was absolutely laughing herself sick, to the point that she completely forgot what she was laughing about. No doubt she just embarrassed herself in front of others, definitely something unbecoming of her personage. Taking a moment to calm down, Ornatia managed to at least bring herself down to a light chuckle before she dared continue. Though nopony would believe her, she was certain, given her previous reaction, she spoke, "Oh, heheehee, no dear. I was just musing over a few odd sights. Still, I find it incredibly interesting, being from out of Equestria myself. I am from the far Eastern Lands though, the small sliver that does not belong to Equestria by technicality, and so tales of Griffons and Diamond Dogs are only just that to me: tales, from foreigners to foreigners. A fascinating concept. Please, go on! I would love to hear more."

[Bramble Rose]

Bramble Rose blushed a little to learn the stories he'd heard were so very wrong - but he was glad to at least learn the truth. Then his eyes widened as he recognized the mare who'd just come in - it was Ornatia! The designer who'd been at the table next to Glitzen's, at the Gallopocus show! Oh, he hoped she didn't recognize him! No, no, of course not. He had his normal cutie mark back!

"Ah, Ornatia!" he said brightly. "So glad to finally meet you!" He gave a gentlecoltly bow, taking off his hat for a moment. "I am so sorry I missed the last show - Glitzen tells me the dress you made was absolutely lovely. I can't wait to see what you've put together for us this time."

He smiled then, and looked between both of them. "Seems I'm the only local pony here tonight, then. Miss Ornatia, can I take it that you're from somewhere near Japony, then?" He gestures to the sand garden. "Is this somewhat like home for you? Please, do tell us about your lands! Are they as lovely as you?"

Oh dear, that was horribly cheesy. It was this outfit. He always felt more suave than he actually was when he wore this outfit. Clothes made the pony, after all!

[crp_dude]

"Japony? Oh dearest no, that's practically across the sea! No, I'm far closer than that, Itaily is just on the other side of Equestria's southeastern border, past the mountains, you know? And as for the sand gardens, no, I'm not used to sand at all to be honest, unless it is imported. Where I come from, our life lies in the land, and quite the dynamic landscape it often is! There are no grand beaches where I come from, simply cliffs lined with the ocean on all sides! In fact, the sudden shifting in elevation for cliffs is something most of us are quite accustomed to, considering our designing of cities around them. No, no sand, nothing but dirt and rocks, but that doesn't mean anything bad! Itailian soil is, quite literally, the most fertile in the entire landmass, and the climate lets us grow crops that you otherwise wouldn't see! Those olives you may have snacked on two weeks ago? Imported from Itaily. The nice ciabatta sandwich from last Wednesday? Itailian recipe!" She gave a bit of a proud look at the mention of her country of origin, as any Itailian likely would. "Itailian tastes are much like you Equestrians, but more that we take everything as an art, you know? Cooking, Brewing, Dress Making, not to massage my own ego! We go the extra mile where we can, that's what makes Itailians Itailians! Then again, I can't go talking about my own ideals without knowing yours too well! What would you say of yourself?" Ornatia gestured to Bramble, grateful that the pony knew her name at least.

[Pennwick]

He nodded his head to the new arrial who he also didn't recognise. "Ortana was it? I don't think I saw you at the Gallopus show either? Did you maintain your own jewelry? Or perhaps you didn't use any. Its a little hard to fit gems with that theme."

"Oh, Itaily?!" Ashton asked excitedly. "I know a griffin who would love to visit. Elaine always says that the most amazing architecture is found there. She says its even better than that things in Canterlot or Cloudsdale. Is it true that the architects built those massive buildings without any magic?"

[crp_dude]

"Jewelry?" The word very nearly left a bad taste in Ornatia's mouth, like she had just drank sea water. Her reaction was fairly immediate, "Oh, no no no, dear, I dare not use jewels for my pieces, they are far to showy! You see, if you truly wish to make an effective dress, it must complement the wearer, it is just as much about her as it is the dress! Or at least that is the philosophy I work by. If you spend too much time on the dress, excessively adorning it with jewels attracts toward the dress, not the wearer, and then you might as well not even take it off the stand, ponies will just stare at it dumbly either way! No, I would not use jewels whole. Jewel shards perhaps, for a fine trim at the bottom of a dress with a wonderful lattice-style veil fabric neckline, yes, that might do it..." Ornatia snapped herself back to reality, there was time to take notes later, she instead figured that she ought to unwind. At the mention of the griffin and architecture. The historical questions she could answer easily enough, having spent some of her time in the more historical cities for research purposes into the olden styles she often still used. Often times though, when studying Itailian history, you had to study extensively on a ton of other parts outside of what you were learning just to get most of it. But then again, that was what was so interesting about Itailian history: How interconnected everything was. So, she answered as best as she could: "Well, as far as style, I can't complain. Functionality is the truly impressive thing the early peoples of Itaily did, though: You see so many examples of Roaman architecture largely because rather than all of those multipurpose buildings, the architects often built their structures for exactly what they needed. See, history shows that our ancestors had big ideas, which led to a lot of reconstruction as far as functionality and style. They wanted to make everything look dignified and worthy of royalty, because they did indeed want their villages to be graced with royal presence. Now, while the visit rarely ever happened, this resulted in the highest-quality facilities you could ask for, and when you think about it, built entirely on accident! And of course, Itailians then were just a different and pure breed of Earth Pony. Of course there are differences between Equestrian and Itailian Earth Ponies, in that Itailians often associated and could more easily work with the land, an odd connection to be sure. But, as you say, their craft in architecture was fantastic, for just being Earth Pony workers. Although... small word of warning, your friend, this Elaine... I would wager she would get quite a few interesting glares. Not out of resentment, understand, Itailians are just not used to seeing creatures from so far west, if my reaction was any indication!" Ornatia shrugged, matter-of-factly.

[Bramble Rose]

Bramble Rose smiled eagerly, leaning forward as he listened to Ornatia go on about Itaily. of course, Itaily, he should have known that! Her accent, her reputation ... he'd just been caught up in the Japony art in the room. But oh, these stories! It energized his imagination, though some of her assumptions about Equestrian ponies were a little jarring, especially for one of his background. "Oh, that sounds wonderful!" he said warmly. "I cannot *wait* to travel to Roam for the next show! The thought of cities built out over the ocean, hanging from the edge of a cliff, it sounds beautiful! I have heard much of the architecture, and to see it myself ... well, you have certainly traveled more than I, so you know that there is no substitute for seeing it with your own eyes." His mental image involved a city much like Canterlot, but over an ocean instead of over a forest.

He thought, then. "Well, I grew up in Canterlot, myself. Now there's a city obsessed with beauty ... everypony trying to outdo each other. Appearance, in Canterlot, is everything. My own history was more scholarly - I was raised mainly by my dam, Doctor Silk Scroll, who is a tenured professor at the University of Magic. She was the go-to-mare whenever they needed someone to attend a party and get a few donations, so I also got a chance to see the high-class life, even though we ourselves weren't quite as wealthy. Canterlot ... is a wonderful place to live. It sounds like how you describe Itaily. Every building is a work of art - even if it's a donut shop. The streets are a maze, and if you take a new turn, you'll find that there was a lovely little fountain or statue tucked away in a corner that you never knew was there."

Bramble pondered... he didn't want to go into too much detail. Talk about them, not yourself ... but she had asked. "But for myself, I took classes in the University of Magic on magical theory and geography. I did my dissertation on magical syncronization between background magical auras and ponies, with a focus on ether-atypical pony focuses. For instance, Pegasus ponies who live on the ground and work with animals, or unicorn ponies with a focus on plants instead of more etherial matters." He turned slightly to the side, to let his flank show - the rose-and-heart cutie mark giving a nonverbal explanation of why this topic mattered so to him.

"Of course, I found there's not really any *work* for someone with that kind of specialization. Currently, I live in a primarily earth pony community, trying to get some practical application of my theories ... and I mainly do modeling for the bits, and for the opportunity to travel." The unicorn ran his hoof down his suit jacket lapels self-consciously. "I'd never have thought of myself as the modeling sort. I was actually in flower delivery, but one of my early deliveries was to Glitzen, and he instantly asked me to model for him. I think you might be surprised, Ornatia, at exactly how in-tune with the earth many Equestrian ponies are. With my specialty in magic, I can often *feel* the earth-leylines vibrate with each step some of them take."

He pondered. "So, I suppose the unicorn community in Canterlot has the fascination with beauty, and the earth pony community I live at now has the connection to the earth ... but Itaily has them both at the same time?" he offered to Ornatia, not wanting to suggest that Itaily was 'normal' in any way. He was so excited to go visit, after her description! It sounded wonderful! It sounded ...

It sounded like someplace he might fit in.

He took a deep breath, then let it out. "But ... listen to me go on! I do hope that was what you were wanting to hear, Ornatia, because I want to hear more about Itaily! And Ashton, more about the land of the Gryphons! Paint a picture with words that I can see the things I never have seen!"

[crp_dude]

Ornatia perked up when she heard that Itaily, and more specifically Roam, was to be a future location in the fashion show. The land of her people, a spot of fashion? That was nothing new, but already she was homesick, after three years away from it. Astounding to her, she thought, that you could come to miss home that quickly given how long she had lived there, her mind turning to another friend who she'd hope to meet soon as well. Back on track, though, as usual. Mustering up what she could remember of Roam, navigating its many streets, she tried to recount every important fact she could look for.

"Well, one thing of note is that we don't try to control the weather, mostly because we never need to. That, and Itaily has few to no pegasus ponies, such a thing being just as foreign of an idea to most. Unicorns, you see occasionally, just because of the old royal family, such as myself, having a great great aunt down that line, but her lineage is vague at best, so I digress. The breed of Earth Pony is most noticeably different, in shape and affiliation-- you'd be able to tell the difference if you saw them, for certain. While Equestrian Earth Ponies, so far as I'm aware, are mostly bakers and farmers, those who deal in the products of the earth, if you follow, Itailian Earth Ponies are, as you say, of the arts in general. They don't just work the earth, they work it to the bone. I'm talking about sculpting, landscaping, architecture, pottery, glasswork, you name it! Of course, farming and baking are still, just as well, where our hearts lay. The difference in those last aspects for us, though, is more in that we grow very different crops in Itaily, and all of our sugar most easily obtained needs to be, well, not to sound like we live in the dark ages, but all of our sugar is imported! Instead, we rely on natural treats: honey, grapes, fruit of any kind, and the same stands for our breads! In that case, we often oil our loafs, originally so they wouldn't stick in the oven, but now... Well, I assume you've seen Itailian bread. It's very nice. Now, you know all there is to know about what we have in common, but Itailian Earth Ponies are much more, shall we say, ambitious, with their connections to the earth. You see, it was actually two parts to a problem from a long time ago, solved pretty simply. One, Roam as a city was running out of resources on the surface rocks, and second, there was a bit of an overpopulation issue. So, you now have two issues, and scientists and engineers alike from Ancient Roam were developing a solution. Suddenly, this renowned stallion, Aqueductus, suggests downward expansion to solve both problems! At first they thought he was mad, considering how long it would take, but as luck would have it, Itailian earth ponies have a way of "shaping the earth", if you follow. Within only months, they had plentiful resources, and ample space! So, little-known fact to all but those who live in Roam for a long time, the city you see from the sky, grand as it may be, is really only about a third of the whole city! Underneath, there are hundreds of underground plazas and alleyways that nopony would even think to look for! The entryways to these lands are easy to spot though, when you do go hunting for them! Perhaps it'd be something to check out, next time we get the chance, no?" Ornatia felt suddenly more vigorous about the topic. More psyched to be there, some would say, but not her. She was too formal for language outside anything less than a century old, as she often joked to herself. "And to speak of little-known facts, I don't know a whole lot about this quaint little city. What is there to tell?"

[Bramble Rose]

Bramble Rose gives a soft laugh. "I'm not sure I'd term Manehattan 'quaint' - I think it's the biggest city in Equestria. Certainly the center of all business in Equestria! I'm afraid I'm not from around here, so I can't give you as good a tale as you gave me for your own home, but I did get here a few days ago and have been touring the city since!"

Bramble brightened up as he got a chance to talk about his touring - travel, after all, was the whole reason he'd started this modelling tour in the first place! "The Manehattan Park holds one of the finest gardens in Equestria, second only to the Castle Gardens in Canterlot! Its selection of plantlife isn't as exotic or varied as the gardens I visited in the Gallopocus, but the layout is so much more open and mixes natural beauty with sculpted planning... a balance between order and chaos that is just so beautiful. One wouldn't think you could call a field of grass a 'garden', but when it's worked in amongst all the flower beds and climbing vines, the gorgeous maze of smooth stone walls and intricate ironwork, it acts to cleanse your visual palate before you move on to more of the brilliant colors!"

He grinned eagerly. "And the architecture! Well, I don't need to tell you that the tallest building in Equestria is here, too! If you came by airship, you probably docked up there! It's not quite as impressive to be high up for me - not having grown up in Canterlot, which hangs out off of the side of a mountain - but to think of the ponypower that went into building that incredible sky-dock, well!"

He was certainly getting into the swing of it, grinning eagerly - every inch the excited tourist. "And the food! I've never seen so many types of food! Itailian diners, which I'll be eager to compare to the real thing when we reach your homeland, and big floppy pizzas with all sorts of vegetables loaded on them! And little carts cooking up vegetables in a dozen different ways on every street corner! Little portable ovens! It's wonderful! There's even specialty restaurants for Gryphons and the like!"

He gave a soft laugh, and tried to moderate his speech. "Sorry. *^_^* I've never done much travel before, and it's all very exciting to me!" He only belatedly wondered if perhaps he should have kept just a little bit of the careful reserve he'd tried to cultivate last show - but no. He had to be himself... he wasn't a professional model like he was pretending last time - and he had no desire to let anyone put two and two together! especially not the designer who had been only feet away from him the entire time he'd been getting made up!

[Neoniie]

Dazzle hated being late to an event. She wasn't exatcly the sort of mare who dotted her 'I's and crossed her 'T's with consistency, but she'd always felt as though tardiness made a bad impression. In most other cases, the unicorn would have merely shrugged it off and allowed it to be merely an unfortunate thing of the past, but tonight was not the time to make a bad impression. Almost certainly, the judges and fellow contestants would be attending this little pre-event get-together, which made it just as much a time to gauge one's competition as a time for relaxation and socialization. So, when she arrived almost 20 minutes past the official start of the Art Show, the mare was less than pleased.

She stepped in quietly, slipping in amongst the guests easily. She didn't want to make a big display of her entrance, though it might have been useful to her, impression-wise. Fashionably late, Dazzle, she chanted, the reassurance working to calm her slight nervousness. Hopefully the gown (which had been the cause of her tardiness in the first place) was worth the hassle that it had cost. It was a purple dress, colouredin such a way that her mane flowed almost seemlessly into the colour. It seemed to emphasize all the right points on the mare and certainly impressed its wearer thus far. Unfortunately, Dazzle had not yet met with her stylist, which meant she could not gauge whether the creations of that pony would match her as well as this, or hopefully better, but it would have to do for tonight.

In her wandering through the party, the mare found herself in a room with only a couple other ponies. It was quite the artistic display with that foreign flair that Dazzle so often enjoyed in her music. She decided that it was as good a time as any to begin the actual social aspect that a party entailed. "Might I have heard mention of Manehatten? My apologies for interupting, but I can't very well pass up mention of my hometown." She turned specifically to the purple unicorn to her right. "It is quite the marvel, isn't it." Then, after barely a few seconds had passed, she added to the group at large, "Oh, how could I have forgotten! My name is Dazzle Dreams, pleased to meet you."

[Bramble Rose]

( purple unicorn, actually )

"My name is Dazzle Dreams" said the lovely mare who had arrived, and Bramble instantly responded by doffing his hat, then taking her hoof and giving it a light kiss, politely.

"It certainly is," he said, giving a smile up to the dazzling mare. Oh, ponyfeathers! why was all this corny dialog slipping out? They were going to think he was an idiot! "That is, it suits you. I, um ... " blast it, Bramble, change subject! "Bramble Rose, at your service, my dear, and if this is your home town, well, by all means, you should take over the description! We were just sharing stories of our homelands, and Ornatia here was most curious about Manehattan! I myself have only taken a few tourist trips over the city in the past couple days, so I would be eager to hear you talk about this lovely city."

[crp_dude]

Ornatia raised a fairly unimpressed eyebrow at the two, working up her own confidence to a level of pride. Again, there was a first impression to be made. Luckily, her usual cuffed dress of ebony hue didn't disappoint. Emulating a bit of displeasure toward such an unorganized exchange (in actuality, she thought it was cute,) a thick Itailian accent began her sentences as always as she spoke rather plainly, "Yes, I have indeed taken some interest in this town. You see, I am a... you might say, temporary immigrant? Tourist would not do, my stay is more long-term than a simple trip, but this is beside the point. *ahem* Because I will be spending some time here for the show, I thought it best to take some time to learn about this fairly contemporary city. It is, to say the least, not something I am used to," Ornatia turned her head upwards, placed her left hoof on her breast, and closed her eyes, keeping a faint view on Dazzle to ensure she wasn't making a drama out of the motions, "I am more used to historical displays such as these out in the open, part of the city itself. On that point, I am from Roam, in Itaily, the land only some miles east of your Canterlot. My name is Ornatia, critically acclaimed fashionista, how do you do?" That was perfect, yes. Exactly the image she was hoping to put out. Of course, none of those facts were fabricated, but she couldn't very well say 'Ornatia, who holes herself in her own home for months on end', could she? She held out her right hoof, lowering her left to the ground, expecting either a shake or a kiss, depending on whatever Dazzle may have preferred greeting with.

[Neoniie]

Blushing did not come easily to the green-eyed mare, but it did catch her off-guard enough for the slight red tinge to spread across her muzzle for a few moments. Then, remembering herself, she quickly cleared her throat and gave a swift, but not clumsy bow instead toward the stallion. "A pleasure to meet you, Bramble Rose." Then, she caught sight of Ornatia's raised eyebrow, which reminded the unicorn that it was fairly unmannerly to barge into as she had just a moment ago. After only moment more of regret (as she knew that the past was done with), she focused herself on the task at hand. Perhaps there was still some sohistication to be saved as of yet. She briefly took Ornatia's hoof and kissed it, much as Bramble had earlier. "And a pleasure to meet you as well."

"So, Manehatten. It is a difficult place to describe in only a few words, but that is what I must do. Many ponies have called it a pinnacle of architecture and the like, and it certainly is, but the ponies in it are more the fluid for it. Any and every type of pony - and non-pony - seems to find their way here and leaves a mark of sorts on it. It likely sounds a tad cheesy, but it is true. For example, the district of Marelem is home to the zebras, and very much carries its own flavour. It is more of the experience you must try for yourself, rather than be told about." It might have sounded like a dodge of the subject entirely, but it was true in her eyes. Then, she turned to Ornatia once again. "Roam, you say? I've never visited myself, but I've heard it is quite the place. My parents once toured in Itaily, but I was much too young to accompany them, to my regret."

[crp_dude]

Ornatia looked a bit perplexed at the last comment. "Not old enough? I assume that this was a family policy? I ask because I could not think of any reason the peak of my land's society should be seen as not 'child-safe'! I mean, Itailians have sizable families by default, I don't see how we could be otherwise." Ornatia scratched her head very lightly, and then set it back down, wiping it very shortly on the floor, in case anything was caught on it. "Perhaps you're right, though, I likely would more benefit from taking a stroll around than anything else, but I do have an issue with, *ahem*," Ornatia cleared her throat nervously, unsure of how the others would take what might seem like an otherwise absurd personal policy, and decided how she would explain it, "There is an issue with public appearance. Consider it an offshoot of paranoia of sorts, but I am not at all used to crowds, largely because I am so used to being holed up in my own home for so long, and when I do leave I'm often separated by something, be they guards, red walkways, or a stage. With no boundaries, I can get, well, frankly suspicious of everypony, and that rather includes you lot, not to offend if I do. There is a reason for it, mind you. A little mishap around the middle of my career that I'd rather not get into, it was rather one of my more embarassing moments." Ornatia felt a little downhearted at being forced to remember why she kept herself so secluded from the rest of the world. Still, she held her head up as best as she could. Now was no time to succumb to fears. Besides, the designer who nearly sent Ornatia's career down the drain went down the same drain herself only a year later. Only the unsuccessful would repeat the issue, and none of these ponies struck her as unsuccessful. She felt safe around them, for the most part.

[Bramble Rose]

Bramble smiled as he listened to the two, though Ornatia's pain struck to his heart. "I quite understand. I have quite a few pains in my past, as well, which I would not care to dredge up for near strangers. Or revisit." Oh, and some were in a very not-distant past... while you were there ... "But if you would allow a somewhat forward suggestion, perhaps you could take a carriage tour of the city? It would be controlled, and you would be able to see the city yourself, but at the same time, you'd be kept separate from the mass of ponies out there, watching through the window of the carriage. Amongst them, but still safe, as it were. But of course, only you know your own abilities and comfort levels, so if it is a foalish suggestion, please do ignore it."

[crp_dude]

"A carriage? Oh no-no-no, that's not foalish at all! Although..." Ornatia had not considered the suggestion herself, but while she was appreciative of the advice she remained unsure of it. After all, how would she ever make a good impression on the locals? After all, a performer is only as good as her audience. But how could she be around the locals if she was unsure about trusting them? How could she be sure?!? Ornatia would have panicked, but it was neither the time nor place for rushed thoughts. 'Ugh, what a train wreck I must seem to be', Ornatia thought to herself, before finally putting her thoughts into word. "It is a nice idea, and I appreciate the suggestion, I really do. However, I am concerned, on a personal level, that riding a carriage through town for the purpose of sightseeing might be construed as, is the word, 'uppity'? Oh dear, here I go again, never sure of what to do..." Ornatia felt like she was completely blowing it suddenly, and gave a bit of a nervous chuckle as she wiped the sweat off of her head, pretending to be simply scratching again, as she nervously began to eye the others, checking their expressions for looks of confusion or discomfort. After a long and awkward silence, Ornatia lightly cleared her throat and spoke again, clearly more uneasy, "Er- perhaps, d-do you... *ahem* might you have any other suggestions, perhaps? Uhm... If it is not too demanding of a question."

[Bramble Rose]

Bramble gave a soft, offhand laugh and a wry smile. "Oh, darling," he said, unintentionally slipping into his childhood Canterlot accent, as he had when he was Silk Scarf. "Uppity? Perish the thought. If anything, it runs the risk the other way around! Carriage tours around the city are *terribly* common." He couldn't help it. The word 'common', in the Canterlot tone, had an automatically distastful feel to the word ... though he tried to minimize that as much as possible. "The pony pulling your carriage will know *all* the finest tourist locations, and will probably talk your ear off about the local color!"

Golly ... this whole atmosphere was sure making him revert to foalhood! He gave a soft little laugh, and forced himself back to his common Ponyville accent. "Sorry about that," he said with a faint embarassment. "I grew up in Canterlot, and it sorta comes out once in a while, especially in these surroundings. *^_^*"

[crp_dude]

Ornatia gave Bramble a somewhat confused look, not being sure what to make of the sudden change of accent, though it did sound familiar, somehow... She shook her head, not taking the time to try and place it, shrugged her shoulders, and spoke with an interested tone, "Well, if it is as common as you are making it sound, then I suppose it would not be a terrible idea? As for your foalhood, I grew up in poverty, so I could not exactly relate. But, that was then, and this is now, I do not mind the brief... would 'snobbishness' be too offensive of a word to use in regards to your comment?"

[Bramble Rose]

Bramble Rose felt a faint relief at Ornatia's words - though some of the neuvo-rich in Canterlot could be even more stuffy than the established families, trying to make up for their poor pasts, it seemed Ornatia was not like that. He gave a small grin to the fashion designer, and assured her, "Oh, I know many who would consider 'stuffy' to be a compliment, worry not." He gave a soft chuckle. "And if I would not be too forward in suggesting it, since we both wish to see more of the city, perhaps we could share a carriage to do our touring?"

[crp_dude]

Hmm, a shared carriage didn’t seem like such a bad idea to Ornatia, as she rubbed her chin, considering the notion. A smile of satisfaction replaced a somewhat pensive expression as she said, holding her hoof up to Bramble Rose, “Actually, I would think that to be a wonderful idea. Besides, I admittedly do not get much time to speak with others at all, being otherwise caught up in my work. Perhaps, if I may, keeping it one-to-one would be an easier way to ease myself into the social mood as days go on.” Ornatia moved for the entryway, up to the staircase leading out of the exhibit, and said, somewhat enthused, “When does the next carriage come, do you know?” It was probably for the better anyway, as Ornatia felt as though she might completely blow her reputation as a top-quality fashion designer if she stayed any longer. She probably wasn’t very much acting the part, what with not having any clues as to the design for her next dress for this coming show. Ornatia hated crowds, but even worse was not being prepared for one.

[Bramble Rose]

Bramble blinked in surprise - glanced back at the stone garden, then over towards Ornatia as she left the room. Did she mean ... now? Weren't they supposed to stay and mingle? That was kind-of Bramble's job, right? Part of it, at least ... though ...

Bramble nodded determinedly. He'd done *quite* enough for Glitzen, above and beyond, back in the Gallopocus, and successfully! Glitzen had his wealthy sponsor! And now, a lovely mare wanted to take a carriage ride around the city with him! By Celestia, he'd be a fool if he turned that down! And Glitzen, he was sure, would understand and encourage him. Heck, he'd probably slap him upside the head if he turned down this opportunity!

He lifted his hooves to merrily follow after the taller mare. "I don't believe they're scheduled... if you can find one, they leave when you want to leave! It's just a matter of finding one, but I'm sure the gentlepony up front can tell us where we can do that!"

[crp_dude]

Ornatia jumped up and down enthusiastically, not stopping to wonder what in the world was so exciting about a simple carriage ride, while excitedly saying, "Well come on then, no time like the present, let's go, let's go!" She didn't exactly wait for Bramble, as she began to trot up the stairs without delay. She really wanted to see the town, but... more than that, she felt familiar around Bramble. Maybe it was the fact that she had low friendship standards, having actually talked to so few unless such a thing was needed for presentation or interview. Still, she couldn't imagine a relationship with him, if, you know, anypony was thinking about that...