Arrival

Medic Jim stepped off the bus and onto the platform. Taking in the sights of the place, Jim could already tell he was going to like it here. He trotted out of the station and into the town square, which was pretty busy. His first thought was that he needed somewhere to stay. He looked around and noticed another pony walking on his direction. Now's my chance, thought Jim.

~~~OC: Thunder Gust~~~

"When everything, is said and done; So looking for answers, if only one; Turn my back, the urge has gone; Left with no reason, we come undone... Hm hm, hm hm hm hm hm, hm hm hm hmmm..."

Gust quietly sang a song to himself as he headed for the tavern. He had just returned from Manehattan by train, and he felt great. Then again, a streak of good shows topped of with a large paycheck always made him feel good. The Unicorn adjusted his signature glasses as he kept walking, quite eager to get some alcohol in him regardless of how early in the day it was.

The pony had some strange sunglasses on, but Jim could swear he had seen those somewhere before. Regardless, he approached the pony, who was looking rather pleased with himself. "Excuse me?" Asked Jim. "Where can I find a place to stay around here? I've just got here but have nowhere to go".

Thunder Gust stopped when a nearby stranger approached him, smiling and attempting to look friendly, which was not a hard feat for him to accomplish.

"Excuse me? Where can I find a place to stay around here? I've just got here but have nowhere to go."

"Aha, a new resident, then? Welcome to Ponyville, then, friend! Now, for a place to stay, I'm fairly certain it wouldn't be too hard to find an inn around here, and I'm also quite sure that there's a few vacant homes that you might be able to use for a more permanent living place. But first, may I invite you to join me in a drinking campaign to celebrate your arrival here?"

Mirage trotted through Ponyville, wearing one of her disguises. Her long, white mane was tied up and hidden under a messy black wig. The wig also had bangs similar to her real mane, covering half of her face and the terrible burn she hid. She wore a tattered, dark brown cloak that covered her blank flank. A pair of dark glasses were perched atop her muzzle, covering her dull yellow eyes. She looked a bit silly, but hey, she loved disguises.

"Everfree... Everfree..." She muttered, looking around as she trotted on the stone streets. She'd never been to Ponyville before, but having heard of the mysterious Everfree Forest and the many odd cases surrounding it had made her desperate visit this quaint little town. She got lucky and was allowed to take a few days off from her job after 2 weeks of non-stop photoshoots. Even with her overworked state, she still wished to investigate the forest. After all, the paranormal do not wait, right?

The white mare noticed two colts having a conversation. 'They seem friendly enough...' She thought, trotting over. "Um, excuse me. Do any of you gentlecolts know where the Everfree Forest is?"

"Aha, a new resident, then? Welcome to Ponyville, then, friend! Now, for a place to stay, I'm fairly certain it wouldn't be too hard to find an inn around here, and I'm also quite sure that there's a few vacant homes that you might be able to use for a more permanent living place. But first, may I invite you to join me in a drinking campaign to celebrate your arrival here?" Said the pony. "I'd love to" said Jim. "Nothing beats some McEwan's (it is an actual brand- look it up) lager at the end of a hard day. What's your name, friend?" At that moment, a mate approached. She had long black hair and was wearing a cloak and some completely barmy glasses on. Jim thought she looked a bit wired, but don't judge a book by it's cover, as he always said. "Um, excuse me." She asked "Do any of you gentlecolts know where the Everfree Forest is?" "No, can't say I do, replied Jim. What about you? Do you know where it is?" He asked the colt.

"I'd love to. Nothing beats some McEwan's lager at the end of a hard day. What's your name, friend?"

"Haha, I like your style! My name's Thunder Gust, though you can call me simply Gust."

The Unicorn was about to ask for the other stallion's name as well, but before he could he noticed a mare approach the two ponies. She looked somewhat strange or out of place with her surroundings, but not too unfriendly. The mare neared the two stallions and spoke.

"Um, excuse me. Do any of you gentlecolts know where the Everfree Forest is?"

"No, can't say I do. What about you? Do you know where it is?"

"Everfree Forest? I believe that would beeeeeeeeee..." Thunder Gust looked around as he attempted to remember which way the Everfree was. "that way." The Unicorn finally stopped searching and pointed in a direction that generally indicated the location of the mysterious forest. "I think. Why would you need to know?"

"that way."

Mirage grinned. For a second, she thought she came to the wrong town. "Oh, thank you! Well, I'll just be g-"

"I think. Why would you need to know?"

Mirage froze at the question. Wait, was it forbidden to visit the forest? Would she get in trouble if she told these colts she was going there? She didn't actually do much research about Everfree before coming here. What if it was illegal?

"D-duh--um... Just wondering! You see, I just recently moved here and I heard of this interesting forest and just wanted to know where it is. You know, so I don't end up wandering there by accident and such." She hastily made an excuse, not wanting to get in trouble. She'd just arrived, after all. Her agent would definitely have her flank if she heard Mirage had gone and went to another dangerous location.

"D-duh--um... Just wondering! You see, I just recently moved here and I heard of this interesting forest and just wanted to know where it is. You know, so I don't end up wandering there by accident and such." Said the mare. Jim could tell something was up, but he was too tired and just wanted to get a drink. "Ok. Glad we could help you out." The mare started to walk away when it occurred to Jim to invite her. She looked like she needed some friends, she had just moved there after all, so he asked "We're going for a drink. You want to come with us? You ok with that, gust?"

"D-duh--um... Just wondering! You see, I just recently moved here and I heard of this interesting forest and just wanted to know where it is. You know, so I don't end up wandering there by accident and such."

Gust gave the mare a strange look, but decided that whatever she was seemingly nervous about wasn't really his problem. "Well, if you do end up heading that way, be careful. I know of a few friends who went that way and later supplied stories of how they were almost killed. Dangerous place. Weird one too."

"Ok. Glad we could help you out."

Gust nodded to accompany his new acquaintance's sentiments, and then began to follow him as the stallion began to leave for the nearby tavern. Not long after the two began walking, however, his newest friend turned around to once again face the mare.

"We're going for a drink. You want to come with us? You ok with that, Gust?"

Gust shrugged. "I don't mind. The more the merrier, after all. You wanna join us?"

"Well, if you do end up heading that way, be careful. I know of a few friends who went that way and later supplied stories of how they were almost killed. Dangerous place. Weird one too."

This piqued the mare's interest. A place that dangerous? Stories? Weird? Yep, that was screaming 'haunted', at least for Mirage. Maybe she could sneak there unnoticed. Just a teensy weensy peek couldn't hurt. This could also be a good time to use those items she bargained off a gypsy in Manehattan a few weeks ago.

"Well, I'll be sure to have that in mind. Thank you for your help!" She watched as the colts began walking away. The Pegasus suddenly stopped, turning back to the mare.

"We're going for a drink. You want to come with us? You ok with that, Gust?"

"I don't mind. The more the merrier, after all. You wanna join us?"

Mirage didn't expect such an offer. A drink? Well, she was a bit parched. She hadn't gotten to drink anything since she left Canterlot. Some refreshment would do her good, especially since she planned to explore Everfree.

"Oh, sure! A drink would be nice." She smiled, following the two colts. 'Just a quick drink and then off to Everfree!'

"Oh, sure! A drink would be nice!" The mare replied. "Great!" Said Jim. Now that she was closer, he could tell she was hiding something. He couldn't put his hoof on it, but something was definitely strange about this pony. Still, he had made a new friend already, and he was pretty happy to meet someone else new. He resigned to simply wait and see if anything happens. He was probably just paranoid. "So gust, where's the tavern? I'm parched!" Jim enquired. (Just out of character, should we make a new topic in the tavern once we're done here? For RP purposes?)

((We can, but don't have to. I don't mind either way, so it's up to you guys.))

"Oh, sure! A drink would be nice."

"Great!"

Gust gave a friendly smile as the strange mare approached the two ponies. "Awesome! Let's get going, then!"

"So, Gust, where's the tavern? I'm parched!"

"Mhm! Tavern is that way!" Gust pointed to the direction of the target tavern, putting his hoof down once again as he started to lead the other two ponies with him to the nearby establishment.

[I think we should. Just to keep things organized and prevent confusion. But hey, I'm a-okay with whatever you guys agree on.]

Mirage didn't actually know what a tavern was. She'd been served her drinks all her life or went to restaurants instead. Although, seeing how they were going for beverages, she assumed it was a simple, quaint little drinkery, suitable for Ponyville.

"Um, pardon me for asking, but seeing as you seem to be knowledgeable of Ponyville's 'tavern', do you know if they supply hot water?" She asked, directing it to Gust. "As much as I'd love to test their beverages, I'm in the mood to try out this... Um... 'Tea' I bought."

(Okay. I'll start one in the tavern once we rotate one more time.) "Um, pardon me for asking, but seeing as you seem to be knowledgeable of Ponyville's 'tavern', do you know if they supply hot water?" The mare asked Gust. "As much as I'd love to test their beverages, I'm in the mood to try out this... Um... 'Tea' I bought." Jim was intrigued here. She seemed to not actually know what tea was, which struck to him as suspicious. 'She's probably just a bit tired. If she's wearing a cloak, it must have been a long journey.' He thought. He really had to keep the lid on his paranoia. 'Keep your spirits up mate, we're doing well here.' He trotted after gust, in the direction of the tavern.

"Um, pardon me for asking, but seeing as you seem to be knowledgeable of Ponyville's 'tavern', do you know if they supply hot water? As much as I'd love to test their beverages, I'm in the mood to try out this... Um... 'Tea' I bought."

"Well, I can't say I've ever heard of hot water ordered at a tavern, but I'm fairly certain they would have it. It's not too hard to prepare, after all, so I wouldn't doubt it." Strange mare. Oh well. As long as she's not some evil spy.

"Well, I can't say I've ever heard of hot water ordered at a tavern, but I'm fairly certain they would have it. It's not too hard to prepare, after all, so I wouldn't doubt it."

Mirage smiled. "Wonderful." The gypsy she bought the so-called 'tea' from told her that it would allow her mind to relax and communicate better with spirits. What a lucky day! She gets a few days off from her job, she makes a few new friends, AND she's going to be prepped for her exploration in Everfree Forest. All was working out the way she had planned. Well, not entirely, but close enough.

Okay, new thread in tavern, arrival part 2.