Lost Muse

by David Silver

25 - Happily Ever After

They arrived at a well-lit manor. They could see gardens beyond the gate, soaking up the sun and putting out gentle aromas in reply. The tall iron gates did not stand on their own as a bulwark. There was a large male unicorn standing just to the side of it in a sharp business attire.

As they approached, he nodded towards them. "Good day, Ma'am, Sir. Can I help you?"

Color considered the best way to start, but Libel was already talking, "We have an 11am with Miss Palette Swap."

"Very good." A clipboard floated out from behind him and circled so he could glance at it. "One Libelous Word. One Color Splash, I do presume?"

Color gestured at himself, then Libel. "That would be us. Nice to meet you."

"Charmed." He turned in place, the clipboard hiding away and some hidden mechanism being triggered. The gates began to swing open on well-greased and quiet hinges, allowing the way forward. "Please proceed to the veranda." He lifted a hoof, but not very high, giving the subtlest hint of the way to go. "She has been informed of your presence."

Libel gestured forward, following Color as they both stepped past the gate. It closed just as quietly behind them, with only the faintest of clicks as it latched shut, separating them from the butler or guard. "Walk directly there, don't rubberneck."

Color nodded faintly, trying to subdue even that motion as he walked at an even pace. His eyes wandered even if his head was forbidden from doing so. He took in the bright colors of the well-groomed area, quietly marveling at the precise tidiness of it. For someone with a love of the abstract, her home was a gleaming monument to order.

"There he is," called the jovial tones of a plump mare, watching them approach with a little smile. "Right on time." She was not alone on her porch. She sat at a table with two other ponies that nodded in agreement with his statement. "Unusual for a fresh face. I think I can blame this on his companion."

The pony to her left, a stallion, nodded firmly. "It's quite unusual for an artist to come at the backing of an editor of all things."

"Do you think," asked a smaller female to her right. "--he has worked for her before? Perhaps had a piece or two in her articles."

Libel did not reply to the naked musing of them within easy earshot. Color took that as a hint that he shouldn't rush to speak either, walking just in front of her as he had been bid. As soon as he put a single hoof on the small stairs leading up to the porch proper, Palette perked her ears. "Yes, do join us. Welcome, Mister Splash. It's a lovely day for a little art viewing."

She gestured at a seat across from her, though her eyes were on the floating bit of concealed art. "Would you say this is more of a museum piece, or a personal one?"

Color hesitated a brief moment. What was the difference between the two, other than where it ended up? "I like to think it is personal to the pony viewing it, no matter where it is."

She smiled brightly, her chubby cheeks lifting. "A quality answer. Miss Word, as always a pleasure. Our circles don't often collide, but it is a delight to be present for one of those rare times."

Libel nodded towards Miss Swap. "A pleasure. This isn't a Word affair, I assure. I would rather your honest viewing."

"As if I would give any other." She waved the very notion away. "About as likely as you allowing an error for an esteemed writer. Hmmph, I should imagine not... We understand one another." She fixed her eyes on Color. "Yours is not a face I've seen before."

"Never," agreed the male.

"Nope," agreed the female.

"Where are you from, dear?" She tapped her fore hooves together, clasping them against one another. "Knowing the origin of art can tell you so much about it."

His town of origin, Libel's as well, was nowhere of note, other than the Words being based in it. Still, there was little reason to hide the fact. He gave its name with a little nod. "It's nice to visit Canterlot. Just seeing it and its people makes me want to get to work."

"But we're not here for that," noted the male.

The female shook her head. "We want to see what you've already made."

Palette raised a hoof before resuming her hooves-together stance. "Don't be rude. Mister Splash, what have you brought for us? And do enjoy yourself." She swept a hoof over the table where a variety of little snacks had been arrayed for nibbling. "I wouldn't want to be a bad host."

Libel reached with a wing. It was a code. A wing-reach meant she could eat, but he should abstain. He kept his eyes on Palette. "Thank you." Even if he didn't eat, he should be thankful for the offer, or so he told himself. "This is a work based partially on life, and partially on an ideal."

The male tilted his head to the left. "There are many ideals."

The female tilted her head to the right. "Almost too many."

Palette wobbled a hoof before she sat up in an upright and formal stance. "Countless, so narrow it down, Color Splash. What ideal will we be beholding today?"

His magic gathered around the edge of the wrap, ready to reveal his work. "Optimism, love, and joy."

Palette's eyes were fixed on the slight change in magic glow. "All wonderful ideals... Do you experience them yourself, Mister Splash?"

Despite any amount of coaching, his cheeks warmed softly. "I... yes. I'm... experiencing several of those right now, and since I came to Canterlot."

"How delightful!" She clopped her hooves once. "Now show us."

There was no time to confer with Libelous without looking odd, so he went ahead. "I present..." He pulled the wrap free with a smart thwip. "Happily Ever After."

All three sets of eyes began devouring the art, looking it over ravenously.

Palette raised a hoof, wobbling it at the piece. "I expected something more... abstract. If Miss Word directed you here, she knows what I usually favor." She glanced at Libel but did not address her. "Why did you select this one?"

Color sat up tall himself, raising a hoof to join hers in pointing at the piece. "Because you are more than a single genre, Miss Palette Swap. I feel certain you can appreciate what's being presented."

She leaned closer a little. "Mmm... They are happy, are they not?"

"Ecstatic," agreed the male.

"For how long?" queried the female with a raised brow.

"That is the way of weddings is it not?" Miss Swap slipped down to her hooves. "So many start just like this, with both feeling as if they were perched on the very top of the world... But how many remain there?"

Color inclined his head towards his floating painting. "Do you think they have a chance?"

Palette blinked softly. "What a wicked question..." She strode closer, examining it all the closer. "She is glancing towards him with, I think, affection. He is delighted that she is there, beside him. They are quite smitten, I should think..." She tapped a hoof at her chin, then her eyes fell towards the mare's dress. "That isn't new."

The male blinked. "It isn't?"

The female gestured at it with a satisfied smile. "It's an heirloom."

Palette nodded firmly. "A gift, from her parents very likely. They have the support of their community, how lovely. Hmmm. I want to say their chances are good, but will we ever know?" She cocked a brow at Color. "You mentioned this was based in part on life. Perhaps you could dispel that mystery."

That was a trap. He saw it coming. If he revealed the truth, the mystery would be gone, and with it, much of the appeal of the painting. "It would be rude to speak of other ponies without them being present. Who they are based on must remain a secret I take with me." He put a hoof on his suited chest. "I won't tell either of them what you think, to be fair."

Palette burst into soft laughter. "Very good of you..." She leaned in all the closer. "I do like the brushwork... You've given the impression of conflicting thoughts. They are musing over things, but they remain happy. Yes, I think their chances are good."

Color smiled wryly, knowing that was likely a side-effect of his fussing with the almost-finished painting. "Sharp eye."

"It's what I'm known for, Dear." She waved that off as if it was nothing. "What do you think?" She turned to look at the male.

He nodded at the painting. "It's a lovely piece, Palette. I think you could learn a lot about a pony based on how they thought about it."

The female burst into giggles. "It's pretty and a psychological test all wrapped in one."

Palette reached for it, setting a hoof gently on the side of the canvas where no paint resided. "One day I will be that happy, but, for now, I can placate myself with this little morsel."

Color had to struggle mightily to not break out into a huge grin. It was not easy! "I know it will be in good hooves, here."

"Oh, no, not here." She turned up her nose. "As if I could keep this to myself. No, no! I must know what other ponies think of it, and what they say. This is a piece that begs for exposure." She sat down and spread her forehooves wide. "I'll get it in front of many eyes. 'What do you see?' will be the focus point. Let ponies come to their own conclusions, sunny or dreary. I should imagine we'll see both."

The male clopped his hooves in a slow clap. "Wonderful idea, Ma'am. What gallery should I call?"

Libel suddenly coughed. "Before we get that far, you do need to conclude this purchase."

Palette waved dismissively at the male. "Nevermind him, he's just excited. Of course we'll handle that." She leaned towards Color, fluttering her lashes in what might have been intended to be a flirtatious manner. "Now how much will this be?" she asked in a coquettish tone.

He hadn't expected the heavy-set mare to try to appeal to him in that way. She wasn't even a pegasus! Not that... pegasi were the only ponies he liked... Still, she was no Libelous Word. Fortunately, they had discussed pricing and how to approach that. "I understand your presence and influence will help get this picture in front of more ponies." Thank her. He was beneath her, always be thankful. "So I'm willing to go a little low." He wobbled a hoof downwards.

"How low are we talking about, Dear?" It was as they had suspected. There was a small chance she'd blurt out a number, but more likely, she'd feel him out. She wanted to know how much he valued the piece. Too low and she'd lose all interest.

All he had to do was quote a figure more than he ever made at once before. "Oh, just one hundred and twenty thousand."

She frowned suddenly, as did her two friends, or lackies, or possibly servants. She tapped at her chin softly. "No, no, you're too bold, Sir Splash, no." She waved a hoof. "Eighty thousand."

That was her counteroffer! It was still dizzyingly high as far as Color was concerned. He did his best to hide his nervousness, smiling with a little awkwardness. "That sou--"

Libel softly slapped him on the back with a wing, disguising it as a stretch.

"--sounds a little low." He coughed into a hoof. "How about an even one hundred? Our accountants will thank us for it." Not that he had one of those...

"Splendid!" Palette Swap waved at the piece. "Secure that. Call the Singing Redwood and tell them what we've found."

Author's Note:

Art sold! Mission success!

Imagine if someone offered you that much for something you did because you wanted to do it. How floored would you be?

Comments

[badninja]

Not bad not bad at all. Now the question becomes just what can 100 bits get him?

[David Silver]

9321930
100 ... thousand.
100,000

[badninja]

9321989

That's what I get for reading this story after a long day. Still he made off like a bandit I think.