(Canterlot) The Neferset Installation (Semi open; PM for entry)

[Hurricane]

Neame sighed to herself as she looked down from the podium, her dark blue eyes gazing listlessly out at the crowd of ponies that had gathered in the Picture Frame gallery. She had been dragged from her canvas nest to be paraded in front of the guests as her newest work, her largest yet, was due to be revealed. Yawning to herself, she shuffled about next to the podium, clacking her claws on the wooden plinth, before stretching her wings wide, attempting to put some feeling of life into her body.

All around her, high class ponies milled, wandering amid their little social groups, conversing with one another about this and that, occasionally referencing the actual pictures on the walls, but mostly doing whatever it was that the social elite did, which, in her experience, was attempt to make themselves even less sociable and even more elite. She was glad to see that there were at least some ponies here more interested in her work than in furthering their own status in society.

"Fillies and Gentlecolts," she heard Picture Frame call out, and slowly turned her head to the stallion stood at the podium, "Thank you all for gathering here today. We have a special treat for you today, everypony, as Neferset herself has deigned to grace us all with her presence as we reveal her latest masterpiece! As always we shall be having a silent auction later in the day for the piece, but, for now, we shall reveal, and then there shall be a short Q and A session with Neferset," he said, making Neame furrow her forehead. She had not been told about this.

However, it was not her place to argue with Frame, he was after all the one funding her current lifestyle, and back in Talonopolis, she would not have been able to wake up, paint, and then go back to sleep, as was her want. She leant down, and pulled at the chord, revealing the huge canvas behind the curtains. It depicted river delta, with the river snaking through it, and hundreds of boxy buildings in vivid orange and blue colours at the base of a towering triangular building, which seemed to be formed out fo the very sand itself.

With a sigh, she turned to the little podium, and looked at the crowd once again. "Please, raise your hoof if you have a question," Frame said happily, as she sat down, waiting the inevitable barage of questions she had been asked dozens of times before.

[Apolline Allura]

Although she was never much of a high society type, having lived most of her life as convicted street criminal, Cutlass could find beauty in most anything that caught her eye. So on this Saturday, when Steelwalt had taken one of her days off, flying Celestia-knows-where, Cutlass decided to make herself scarce as well. Canterlot was a place of intrigue, regardless of the fact that it was home to some of the most annoying know-it-all's and bougie kinds of folk one could find, save for Trottingham. There was always something different going on this city, and Cutlass hadn't taken advantage of one of these kinds of opportunities in a long time. Midday meant crowds left and right, and at the central district, the mare could see a stage up ahead coming into view.

'No seats. Typical.' mused Cutlass as she looked around before looking back up to the center of everyone. A gryphon held the attention of all the ponies present, and another pony stood next to her atop the podium. This must have been her assistant. Surprisingly though, he seemed to be acting more as the face of her work, for she looked rather unhappy when he mentioned the Q and A session. Maybe she wasn't consulted on that. Yes, that was probably it. Not all famous types were douchey enough to just dislike their fame and fortune and all the people in between it all. Some, were mostly talented and dragged along for the ride.

The curtains parted to reveal the canvas, and Cutlass let out a low whistle. This was nothing short of amazing. This, large structure, she had never seen before, but she felt as though, in her past life at least, it would have been the one thing she ever heisted to keep for her own. The color set was amazingly detailed and well done in itself, and she had to admire the shadow effect what took its place at the foot of the structure, giving off the effect of the city below being made of sand. Cutlass clapped her hooves from afar before raising a hoof.

"What is this structure? I doubt it of Equestrian origin." she would say, if called upon.

[Hurricane]

There was a short wave of applause as Neame took to the podium, started by an almost monochrome toned pony looking at one of her pictures. The questions came quick and boringly, dull repetitions about her technique and about her inspiration, and as always, she could do little but tell them that she painted with three brushes at once, one in each claw and one in her beak, and that a dream she had been having for years was her constant inspiration. What she neglected to mention was that she was growing weary of the dream, and desperately seeked a respite from it.

Then the two toned pony asked a question, one that surprised her. Here was somepony genuinely interested in the picture, not her. She cleared her throat, and looked to the picture in question. "I call it a Pyramid. It's like a triangle, but with another triangle on each of it's sides, all joined together," she said, resenting how chhildish her description sounded. "I believe that this civilisation existed many thousands of years before the three nations came together and formed Equestria, but... there are no records from that time, and nothing even vaguely resembling the imagery has been found by archaeologists," she finished, hanging her head.

"A whole world, thousands of people, lost to time..." she said hoarsely, her eyes slowly sliding closed. "If only there were some way of finding them..." she went on, before coughing a little, and looking back up at the crowd, blinking her eyes rapidly, especially since there came a quiet but stern cough from Picture Frame. She straightened herself up, and addressed the crowd once again. "If there are any further questions, I will be happy to answer them," she said, putting on a forced smile.

[deleteaccountpls]

Having come from a high-class upbringing, it was not at all unusual to see Major Stronghoof at a gathering such as this. The large unicorn stallion always had an eye for things that were beautiful, and could often be seen at art auctions purchasing such paintings (although his taste in "beauty" could be regarded as somewhat questionable at times). Today he had been drawn by the crowd in the gallery to a Q&A session for a young griffon artist. Although the Major didn't usually take interest in landscape paintings, he did have to admit that the locale depicted in this particular painting was quite exotic and unique. Dressed in his formal military attire and sticking out like a sore hoof in the audience with his massive build and height, the Major raised his hoof up as high as he could.

"Young lady, in my military career I have been to all parts of Equestria, and have even journeyed beyond its borders on occasion. I have seen my share of grand ruins from fallen civilizations during these travels as well… But I must say that I have never seen anything resembling what you have depicted here in this remarkable painting of yours. I am curious as to just where you might have seen these magnificent structures." the Major said in his usual verbose manner of speaking.

[Apolline Allura]

The gryphon's response intrigued Cutlass. Lands to have existed before the three nations had banded together to form Equestria? Amazing. Something like this stirred the adventurer in Cutlass. Though her journeys across the land were mostly done for self-preservation all those years ago (I.E. robbery, kidnapping etc), she did enjoy being able to pit herself against the world, and the rewards that came with it. A few times, she had actually even taken on a few tomb raider operations in far off places like The Badlands and deep in Stalliongrad. For some reason, her handlers kept calling her 'Lara'.

She filed this information in the back of her brain as she waited for Neferset to answer the stallion's question. If only there was a way to find these locations? Ha. Cutlass knew better than most ponies, that anything could be found with a little effort. Granted, it was on the artist if she wanted to take that trip. The mare made her way through the crowd, wanting to reach the front of the stage to ask her question directly to her.

[Hurricane]

Neame sighed to herself as she heard the gentlecolt's question. It was an expy of something she had already brushed upon earlier, but she could not avoid it, especially since it had been so carefully worded. Still though, she was tired of answering this question. She fidgetted in her place, and spread her wings wide, showing off the glittering golden wing rings to the crowd.

"In my dreams," she replied with a flourish, rearing up to rest her claws on the pedestal. She loomed over the crowd, the lights on the dias such that her wings cast shadows over the whole room. She did have to admit, she liked the persona she had been given by the gallery owner, it was fun to play the mysterious foreigner at times. Letting her wings spread wider, she began to talk. "In the depths of night, I am granted a vision of the past. The Great City by the River, in all its glory, is shown to me, gifted to me by the gods of time itself. They show me the buildings, the people, the life of the city, before showing me the Grand Pyramid, and the sole person who lives there. The ruler of the whole city. Neferset the First," she said, posing regally.

As she spoke, she kept her eye on those two in particular. Of all the questions she had been asked, the mare had been the only one to ask about her art itself, not her life or her techniques. The stallion, on the other hand, had managed to get her riled up and revelling in her persona with but a single question, and for that, he was worth keeping an eye on. As she slowly closed her wings, settling back down onto the floor, she noted that the mare had come close.

[deleteaccountpls]

Major Stronghoof listened intently to Neame's answer to his question, hanging on her every word. Had he been in a less formal setting, he would've showered her with praise for such a elegant answer to his question in his usual boisterous manner. For now, he simply kept to himself, instead acknowledging her well-thought-out answer with an approving nod.

After Neame had finished answering her question, an emerald green earth pony wandered into the back of the crowd, trying hard not to draw too much attention to himself. The pony was Muffin Top, a wandering stallion that Neame had met by chance just the a couple days prior. Although art and high society were not something that the simple-minded earth pony found himself drawn to, as was evidenced by his rough and somewhat unkept appearance, his meeting with the griffon artist had left a bit of an impression on him. So when he'd heard that she was doing a question and answer session for her newest painting, he decided that he would go peak in on the session and maybe learn a bit more. Although he didn't intend on asking any questions himself, for fear of asking something that may sound silly to these upper-class ponies.

[Apolline Allura]

The gryphon's gestures drew many 'oohs' and 'ahhs' from the crowd. Her aura held a certain mystique that Cutlass certainly would not deny. After all, it was why they couldn't stop asking questions about her instead of the paintings. To a point, Cutlass could even agree with their insistence upon asking Neferset all of these things. Art was just as much about the artist as the art itself. One could spend hours of navel-gazing regarding the technique, or the lifestyle of one who made masterpieces for a living. The cloaked mare found herself at the front row, prepared to ask her question.

"I have two questions. One: Does this mean you're the last living descendant? Or is Neferset a stage name? And two: What if we could trace these visions...these dream back in location? Would you be willing to see them for yourself?"

She had spoken her piece. Now all that was left was to see if she would take it. Cutlass was always up for adventure, and this gryphon, from her looks, could probably derive a substantial amount of inspiration from it.

Quite suddenly, an earth pony had almost jostled her in his haste to make his way to the front as well. Cutlass repressed a brief twinge of annoyance and hung back. She would be courteous and let this pony speak his piece. Not that she believed it anymore important than her own statement. 'Probably some stupid question about her trinkets.' Cutlass huffed mentally.

[Hurricane]

Neame blinked as she noticed Muffin in the background. The male pony had assisted him several nights ago, and she had not expected to see him again. Another question came from the same rough-around-the-edges mare that had asked before, and the griffon opened her mouth to answer, when the gallery owner pushed her aside. "Please, no more questions, Miss Neferset is growing tired, and I'm sure none of us would like to see her art suffer," Picture Frame said, before gesturing at some tables, where some canapes and drinks were being served.

The griffon sighed, and trotted to the edge of the stage, her eyes locked on the mare. As the crowd pushed towards what it seemed they were there for all along, she headed for the asker. Grasping at the cloak with one of her claws, she hissed "Follow me," before heading to the next room over. She shot Muffin a glance to invite him along too, before emerging into the gallery's next room over, which was full of strange sculpted rocks. "I don't know if I'm descended from them," she said in low tones, hoping that none of the staff had followed her. "But as for it being real... it's... it's real. it HAS to be real. They can't just not exist," she said, a tinge of desperation in her voice.

"I have to see them. For some reason, Picture Frame has stopped me from pursuing the ruins, maybe he wants me to focus on pictures, but... if I could only see them in person... I could make my images so much more vivid. I could... aagh... I need to see them," she finished, looking down at her claws.

[Apolline Allura]

Cutlass found herself being pulled away by the gryphon into a separate room, being hissed at to follow with her, an irritated expression on her face. She looked back to check for other following them, and Cutlass did the same before nodding in acknowledgement that they weren't being tailed. Interesting sculpted rock formations lined the walls around them. There was a feverish gleam in her eyes that Cutlass couldn't make heads or tails of, but knew all the same. There was something she had to do. Something that itched and burned at her to see through.

The gryphon's whisper was urgent, "I don't know if I'm descended from them... "But as for it being real... it's... it's real. it HAS to be real. They can't just not exist."

Her voice was low and desperate even, as if she had been waiting the longest for somepony to tell about her suspicions. "I have to see them. For some reason, Picture Frame has stopped me from pursuing the ruins, maybe he wants me to focus on pictures, but... if I could only see them in person... I could make my images so much more vivid. I could... aagh... I need to see them,"

Cutlass watched the gryphon stare down at her claws before moving forward to set a hoof on her shoulder. "To Tartarus with your little secretary. If you want to find these ruins, then that's what we'll do. No recorded place in history has never not existed. If you can bring the past to the present with your art, then we should be able to track it back."

The mare grinned, "I knew there was something you were looking for. And I'll help you find it."

[deleteaccountpls]

Muffin wasn't sure why Neame would want to talk to him all of a sudden, he'd only came by out of curiosity, and indeed he did look out of place among all these upper-class ponies. But in the short time that he'd known Neame, he knew well enough to know that it was best to just go along with whatever she was doing and not question it. Meanwhile, as all the other ponies gathered around simply dispersed and went back about their business Major Stronghoof observed the griffon and the two ponies stowing away into the next room. "Hmm… Most suspicious behavior." he said to himself.

Muffin stumbled into the next room with Neame and the other earth pony, regarding the unusual sculpture around him with somewhat of a dumbfounded look. As Muffin listened to her words, however, he began to understand why he brought him along: Her dreams seemed to be getting to her more and more right now, and at the moment, he was the only thing close enough to a friend to hear her out about this. But he couldn't help but get a bit nervous at Cutlass's words. "Well now hold on just a rock-pickin' second here." Muffin interjected. "I'd like to know more about these ruins in Neame's paintins just as much as anypony, but she's said that she doesn't even know where they are. And I've been on the road long enough to know that goin' out on some wild cockatrice chase is liable to eat up a lot o' time and money." Muffin said, with much concern apparent in his voice. Meanwhile, the Major stood just behind a rather large sculpture eavesdropping on the their conversation.

[Hurricane]

Neame took a deep breath, and steadied herself. She could not believe that she had come that close to losing her composure, and in the presence of people too. She had asked Muffin along since she seemed to recall that he had travelled a lot, and, as a little voice in the back of her mind said, he would work cheaply if she required people to lift and carry things. She noted that the one other pony who had spoken favourably in her mind was also present, which was a fortunate boon.

"I have money. Lots of money. I can pay," she said, knowing that there were thousands of bits back in her studio, and even more in her bank. The only things she needed to buy were food and art supplies, and with the gallery providing the latter, and usually the former too, she had no need to spend any of the money she made on her paintings. "But it's pointless... Picture Frame will never let me go out, he makes sure I never get it into my head to chase after the ruins... but... just once... I'd like to be able to say I'd been there..." she said, closing her eyes.

She could see it as it was just as plain as day whenever she closed them. Her dream had long since burned itself into her mind, every colum, every brick was there, all she needed to do was focus and remember. The river running alongside the town, meeting another stream a little way down, the huge triangular building, everything was there. "Just once... I want it to have been more than just a fantasy," she muttered half to herself.

[Apolline Allura]

Cutlass had known about their little guest since he had slipped into the room behind the aqua green pony, but she held off from revealing his whereabouts just yet. He must have been trying to figure out exactly what was going on in here, but for what reason, she didn't know. This was a private conversation. He had no place here at all, regardless of his relation to the colt. And here he was, trying to dissuade them from heading out to adventure.

"I knew there was something you were looking for. And I'll help you find-"

"Well now hold on just a rock-pickin' second here." Muffin interjected. "I'd like to know more about these ruins in Neame's paintins just as much as anypony, but she's said that she doesn't even know where they are. And I've been on the road long enough to know that goin' out on some wild cockatrice chase is liable to eat up a lot o' time and money."

Cutlass fixed him with a dull stare for a few moments. Who was this pony? Such a worrywart he was. Not that it mattered to her. She wouldn't let Neame go so easily to never figure out the truths in her work. The gryphon had clearly been desiring this opportunity for a long time.

"Then we'll track them, and you can save some time and money." said Cutlass curtly, brushing past him to set a hoof under Neame's chin and lifting her face to eye level with her. "I'll say it again, to Tartarus with Frame. If he cares about you, then he'll have no complaints when you get back. Besides, you can find much more inspiration in the actual location than in some silly dream."

[deleteaccountpls]

Muffin regarded the griffon with sympathetic eyes, he was beginning to see just how important this all was to her. At the same time, however, it was difficult not to acknowledge the obstacles before them right here and now. "Somethin' tells me that this Picture Frame pony won't budge that easily, m'am." Muffin said, looking over at the earth pony mare. "Besides, someplace like that has to be mighty dangerous don'tcha think? And I know I look strong, but I don't think I'd do much if we came across some big monster or somethin'."

"Leave that to me!" exclaimed a loud booming voice, and at that moment the large unicorn stallion emerged from behind his rock sculpture hiding place, standing tall and proudly over the other ponies and griffon.

Muffin stumbled backwards letting out a yelp, greatly startled by the sudden emergence of the Major. "Good Celestia! You nearly scared my cutiemark right off me mister!" he said as he looked over the rather imposing stallion standing before him.

"I apologize for the intrusion. I am Major Stronghoof of the Royal Equestrian Army. It's an privelage and an honor to meet you, Miss Neferset." the Major said, extending his hoof in greeting to her. "Again, I apologize, but when I the three of you when I saw you sneak away into this room, curiosity got the best of me and I could not help but follow. I have heard the entire conversation regarding Miss Neferset's plight, and I think I might be able to help. That is, if you would allow it." the Major said, looking at Neame with a determined look on his face.

[Hurricane]

Neame shook her head. "He will never let me go..." she said, before looking up from her claws. It had finally dawned on her. Even though she was treated well, given almost everything that she could be in want for, she wasn't an artist. She was a pet. An expensive, money earning pet that Picture Frame trotted out on occasion to show his friends. Her studio was a cage, her art a leash, and most importantly of all, her world, a lie. She listened to the major's words, unsurprised to see him, and shook her head, gripping her claws into the expensively carpetted floor.

"Thank you for your concessions, Major, but I need to solve this dilemma rather instantaneously," she said, before glancing to the mare in the hood, and to Muffin. "Muffin Top, you know the way to my studio, correct? I will require you and Ms... Hooded... to create a distraction, and then to flee back there once you have escaped. Mr Stronghoof. I will need your I hope considerable strength to do something unfortunate," she said, taking a deep breath. If this was going to work, she needed to rely on these three.

"Miss Hood, in my studio, there is a collection of carry tubes, they contain personal sketches that will be useful. Muffin, escort her to the studio and help her find them. I also need you to find a large red bag, it will be very heavy. Major... lift the square statue over there, and smash this window," she said, trepidatious as to wether he would do such a thing. "Picture will never let me go. I need to run. I will meet you all at the train station in one hour. We need to head away from Canterlot," she said, looking over at the three ponies. Somehow, she had a feeling things were about to get very, very interesting.

[Apolline Allura]

Cutlass nodded.

"Muffin. Meet me at Steel Tower near the hills. I should be there in the next fifteen minutes. I suggest you make haste after I'm gone." said the mare, preparing to make her exit.

She darted off out of the hidden room to the stage quickly before slowing down just as suddenly, her steps slow and deliberate. Frame was coming within view as she entered the view of the crowd. She spoke immediately, "Would any of you like to see a magic trick from an earth pony?" she said to some befuddled faces and confused murmuring. The stallion looked at her in shock.

"I'm going to make this stallion's bits, disappear." she said in a mock mysterious tone.

Quite suddenly, she dashed in close, reached into his bag, dug out a sack full of bits in her teeth, and with a burst of speed, leapt off the stage's side, in a frontflip before speeding off back to Steelwalt's tower. Weaving in and out of shops and stands to confuse possible pursuers. It was gonna be a long day.

She grinned at the thought. A little excitement was good for the weekend.

[deleteaccountpls]

Muffin was hardly able to keep up with all that was happening as he watched Cutlass dart off, "H-Hey now wait just a…" but she was already gone before he could do anything. In one last desperate attempt to try and stop this crazy plan from unfolding, Muffin looked to the Major. "Er... Mr. Stronghoof, sir, you ain't plannin' on goin' along with this are ya?" he asked, although still somewhat intimidated by the Major's enormous figure.

"Absolutely not!" the Major exclaimed. "I will not destroy such a fine work of art for the sake of some escape plan!" the unicorn stallion proclaimed indignantly, before his gaze turned to another nearby sculpture. "Now this, on the other hoof…" he said as he suddenly grabbed the sculpture with his hooves, using his physical strength, rather than his magic, to lift it up. "I never did care for this so-called 'artist's' works!" And with a mighty grunt, the Major heaved the sculpture out of the window, where it landed in the streets of Canterlot and shattered into many pieces.

"Shazam!" Muffin Top exclaimed while the Major quickly exchanged words with Neame, "I'm afraid I will have to stay behind for now, Miss Neferset, my duties as an officer of the Royal Equestrian Army come first and I cannot go galloping around Equestria looking for some lost ruins. However, if you ever happen upon these ruins, send me a letter letting me know of their location and I shall make haste to assist you on your expedition to this lost city of yours." the Major said, slipping Neame a small card with his mailing address written on it before setting one of his large hooves on the shoulder of the griffoness. "Now, take flight, Miss Neferset, embrace your newfound freedom!" he said in an impassioned voice before turning back to Muffin.

"And as for you, I must apologize for what I am about to do…" the Major said as he slowly walked towards Muffin with a stern look on his face which made. "Wh-Why? Wh-Wh-What are you gonna do?" the earth pony said, backing up against a wall as the Major approached him. Muffin swallowed nervously as the Major's eyes locked with his own, unsure of what was going on in large stallion's mind. Then, to his surprise, the Major suddenly turned away from him and called out, "Security! This ruffian just threw a priceless sculpture out of this window!"

"Wh-What!?" Muffin exclaimed with a confused look on his face. "Again, I apologize," the Major whispered to Muffin, "but as a military officer and a member of the Stronghoof family, I cannot risk having something like 'art vandalism' on my record. I hope you understand." the Major said with a grin that almost seemed to make his complexion sparkle. At that moment, the security ponies rounded the corner. "I would suggest running now."

At first Muffin was unsure of what to do, he had essentially been trapped in a situation where he had now choice to comply. "Aw schucks!" he exclaimed as he broke out into full gallop out of the sculpture room and into the hallways of the art gallery. "There he is, after him!" one of the ponies shouted as a he and three other security ponies pursued the fleeing earth pony