Meet Cocoa, the town mystic. By day, she works at the Ponyland Arcade, where she sells game tickets and runs the prize booth. All the children love her. But in the evenings, by appointment, she holds seances at her home, and gives tarot card readings, hoof-readings, and crystal ball readings. Some of the parents wonder about her.
Tarot-reading is Cocoa's most popular skill, not just among adult ponies, but among the children, too. Some ponies have their cards read just for fun, while others take the readings quite seriously.
Moonjumper is a practicing Wiccan. She loves to visit Cocoa.
Pastel isn't sure she believes in magic, but Cocoa's readings can be uncanny.
Cocoa is a natural showman, and she always makes sure to create the proper atmosphere for her seances and readings, burning incense and candles while she works.
Her wall hangings and beaded curtains also help to set the mood.
Cocoa makes the most of her decorations.
Milky Way and Daniel stop by one evening, on a whim.
Cocoa also uses a crystal ball to predict -- rather hazily -- what the future holds for the ponies of Ponyland. Whatever can be said for the accuracy of her readings, the crystal ball is certainly her most impressive prop.
Only a few brave ponies will dare the ouija board, but Cocoa keeps it on hand just in case, for those rare occasions when some little pony comes looking for a medium to speak with those beyond the grave. Their messages are often unintelligible, but that doesn't stop them from frightening Cocoa's customers.
Blue Ember is terrified of the ouija board -- but she keeps coming back.
Yoyo believes wholeheartedly in witchcraft, although she has never quite gotten a magic spell to work.
There are a few little ponies, though, who love to watch Cocoa perform her magic, and see nothing terrifying about it. They take to heart everything the cards, the crystal ball, or the mysterious messengers from beyond choose to tell them.
Cocoa closes up shop on most holidays, but Halloween is an exception. Every fall, she decorates her home with spider webs and spooky decorations, and on Halloween night she opens her house to the public. It's her busiest night of the year. Even ponies who put no stock at all in magic or sorcery enjoy the novelty of it on Halloween night.
Even preppie kids like Nightsong and Dots n' Hearts drop by on Halloween.
Jill believes there's a meaning in everything. It's not hard for her to find significance in this Halloween's tarot reading.
And ponies who believe in magic find it even more enticing when there's candy to be had as well!
Cocoa has no plans to quit her day job, but she loves her work as Ponyland's own mystic and soothsayer. She hopes that in time more ponies will begin to take an interest in her art, and will realize that it's nothing to be afarid of at all.
Cocoa displays the tools of her trade.
PHOTO ALBUM
Lily, a regular customer.
Pretty Vision has questions that only a mystic can answer.
Promise wonders if Cocoa can read her past in the cards.
Joy will try anything -- it's what her boyfriend, Nightshade, likes best about her.
