Nick smiled as he stared at Rogue’s rainbow shell.  Over the last few weeks he had come to appreciate the new ocean motif of the living room.  The carpet was a blinding white, flecked with gold, the perfect color of the beaches of the Silverstrand.  Two comfortable couches the hues of sand lay perpendicular with a beautiful sun bleached wood and glass coffee table at their junction.
 Shells of the softest pink, palest cream and rainbow mother of pearl accented the arrangement of the day’s wild flowers.  Nick sighed at the remembrance of walking through the meadow, dew newly fallen, and plucking each perfect bloom.  Tomorrow Rogue would join him and they would taste the dawn together.
     A gentle zephyr billowed shear curtains carrying on it the hint of salt air over laying the humid aroma of the forest.  This called to mind his latest addition, a huge saltwater reef tank sporting vividly colored denizens of the oceans.  Chosen carefully for color and compatibility the tank was a microcosm of reef life.  Brilliant Tomato Clowns, the color of blood nestled in the bland white of Sebae anemones.  Gaily colored wrasses prowled the coral, always on the lookout for a bite.  A graceful miniature dragon fish, fins forward, herded several brine shrimp into position for feeding.  To the right a pair of delicate seahorses appeared to converse with a box fish while a tiny six inch snowflake eel watched from a cubby hole in the rocks.
    Kneeling before the tank, Nick peered closely at the flat surface of a rock.  It was only the size of his palm with the surface smoothed by millennia of tidal movement.  Carefully painted on it by unknown means, was a beautiful creature, unseen anywhere on this planet.  In striking colors Rogue had captured the birdfish of her home and Nick had salvaged this fragment after an underwater earthquake had knocked it from its ancient resting place.
     With a finger tip on the glass, Nick caused a tiny spotlight to appear, highlighting the subtle shades of blues and greens.  In his mind he could see her, working for long hours, painstakingly duplicating that far off creature.  Soon he must take her home and share with her the wonders of her world. 
     Standing he straightened the crease of his khaki slacks.  He considered.  What else could he wish for in a home he hoped to share with Rogue?  Very little, he knew, for she was all he really needed in his life.  Still, he would have her comfortable.  Tapping his lips he looked around.
     Two overstuffed chairs bordered the remaining side of the square begun by the pair of couches.  Narel and Neko seemed to prefer one on those, she always sitting on his lap.  This room was fairly comfortable . . .  His eyes lit up and mentally he snapped his fingers.  Something he would like!
     A section of wall near the bole of the tree was in need of adornment.  Standing before it, arms akimbo he closed his eyes.  In his mind he gently opened the wall and shaped the wood of the house into a small basin set a few feet above the floor.  Around this a riot of plants grew in with remarkable speed, moss covered rocks that appeared around the lip.  Orchids bloomed, purest white with lavender throats, scenting the air with their heady perfume.  Water began to seep from the highest point on the new fountain, bubbling merrily down the rocks to be captured in the bowl.  Two butterflies flew an erratic course and came to rest each on their own flower, the tiny proboscis of one sipping the nectar.  Nick saw it all in his mind’s eye and made it happen before him.
     The faint sound of water tickling over rock brought his eyes open and he was happy his abilities hadn’t waned too far.  There were other things he most do for Rogue ere his magic departed.  The spell he had cast on the tree and all in it would last an eternity but still . . .  He hit the steps up to his bedroom at a near run.   Coming to a halt he surveyed the place.  Yes, it was bland.  Everything was grey, the walls, the carpet, the curtains, even the bed.  This would not do.  He would not take her to bed here,  it was too . . . impersonal.  For a moment he longed for the presence of Emmy and her sense of style.  Oh, well, he would have to do this on his own.  Perhaps he should ask Rogue.  No, that did not seem right to have her decorate his bedroom.  It might be misconstrued.
     Forest green and sky blue . . . with a hint of cherry red.  Scratching his chin he pondered.  Perhaps . . . A word was spoken and the room was cleared.  Kneeling he laid a hand on the bare floor.  At his touch a change spread from his fingertips.  Grass, as verdant and plush as the finest carpet grew to the walls.  Nick stood, bare toes wiggling on the new floor covering.  Warm, soft, dry, perfect.
     Waving a hand slowly across three sides of the room a panorama of forest appeared, surrounding the room as though it were a tiny meadow.  Nick turned to the fourth wall smiling.  Sand appeared to tumble down to the waters edge only twenty-five feet away.  Gentle waves appeared in the distance, crested and whispered ashore in an ancient rhythm.  Looking up the ceiling vanished into a beautiful sky blue dome.  Fluffy white clouds raced each other across the sky.
     Pivoting, Nick took in the effect.  To the eye the smooth green expanse of the room was a tiny lea on the edge of an ocean encircled by primordial forest.  It needed a pool.  With a thought a stream meandered out of the forest, its merry route carrying it to one corner of the room where it formed a pond.  Some three meters across it was walled with a short course of smoothed river rocks and lined with soft white sand.  Moss grew rapidly, mortaring the stones together and a spray of tiny cherry red flowers perfumed the air.
     The former master of Balance stepped up onto the stones and looked into the pond.  Rogue would add such splendor to the enchantment of the pool.  Turning, he surveyed his work.  It was perfect.  A movement caught his eye and he smiled as a rabbit hopped tentatively across the room.  That would spook her the first time something came from the surrounding forest but all the rooms new denizens were harmless and tame.
     Cherry wood.  A large four poster bed appeared in the center of the grass.  A high canopy that appeared to be made of leaves shadowed the bed from the afternoon sun.  A twirl of his finger rotated the bed and positioned its head so as to allow the occupants to see the ocean.  Better.  Four fat pillows appeared at the head of the bed and a set of ‘T-shirt’ sheets in peach spread themselves on the mattress and pillows.  Next he added a warm eiderdown quilt of forest green and covered it all with a pale peach comforter edged with a series of delicate peach roses.  Nice, he thought with an inner smile.
     He stepped into the woods and appeared at the bottom of stairs in the living room.  There as still the other bedroom to do but that could wait until another day.  The couch was comfortable and the scent of Rogue still lingered on the pillows.  Laying on the couch, crossing his feet at the ankle, he rested his head on the arm and held the Rogue-scented pillow to his chest with crossed arms.  Closing his eyes he smiled.
     “Sweet dreams, my Treasure,” he whispered.  “I love you, as always.”