TWILIGHT'S SHIPPING GOGGLES

Chapter 5: A Night at the Movies

I was truly in my element, here. Er, metaphorically speaking, that is. I keep forgetting that I bear the Element of Magic, and fall back on these old aphorisms that take on new meanings, especially in light of my newer responsibilities. In any case, I was finally giving my presentation to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs about the reconstruction and recovery of the Crystal Empire. Without somepony to tell them what exactly was needed and where, the poor crystal ponies were not likely to receive the aid they so desperately needed to get back on their hooves.

I directed everypony's attention to the chart I had made, indicating the projected agricultural growth for the empire with a pointer held in my magical grasp, noting which crops would need longer to recover from the mysterious exile. “As you can see here, while their hardier, orchard plants such as the fruit and nut bearing trees are still healthy enough, the crops needing replanting every season are going to require several years to recover on their own due to most of them dying before they could be harvested. What seeds they still have and what they can harvest from their trees will only sustain approximately 32% of the population for the foreseeable future."

I looked out to the audience to see if there were any questions, and was dismayed to see that of those ponies in the borrowed auditorium that were not asleep, most were not paying attention, or had glazed looks to their faces. Why, prince Blueblood was hitting on one of the pages serving drinks. I didn't need my Shipping Goggles to see that he wasn't interested in anything permanent, but she obviously was taken in by his charming smile, and his title. With a grumble, I levitated the large tax code book on the wheeled trolley next to me, and dropped it flat to the floor with an alarmingly loud WHAM. I hadn't expected the acoustics to be quite this good, making the noise as loud as a cannon shot, and jumped a little, myself.

The dozing ponies leaped up in their seats as if shocked in their rears by a ten thousand volt current. I smiled to note that several of the ponies not paying attention had ducked behind the seats in front of them, including Blueblood. The only one to not react adversely to my tactic was Princess Celestia, whom was watching my presentation with some amusement. She smirked at me and nodded her approval. Luna was still sleeping after a long night of court and administrative duties, and Celestia's presence wasn't specifically required, but just knowing she was here, watching me was both a balm and a source of anxiety to my already jangled nerves. Just knowing that she was in my corner was a comfort, but I worried about messing up and making myself look stupid in front of her.

“Now that I once more have your attention, Let's move on to the Crystal Empire's horribly outdated school system.” A quiet chorus of groans met my statement, making me wish I could just spring a pop quiz on them. How does Celestia and Luna deal with this level of apathy day in and day out?

A pink hoof so light it would be understandable if the viewer thought it to be white rose into the air, and its owner asked, “Excuse me, Twilight? It's well past noon, and most of us didn't have time for breakfast. Might I suggest we adjourn here for an hour or so?”

I was surprised not only by the question, but also the lateness of the hour. I glanced out the window, noting that the sun had indeed risen well above it, casting almost no direct light through it. We had gotten through over half my report, and this was a good stopping point, so I relented. “Very well, Your Highness. Let's meet back here in an hour, everypony. That means you're in your seat by then, not walking back, ponies.”

I shuffled through my notes, putting my used ones back into the index card case, in a vain effort to ignore the grumbling from my captive audience. Honestly, is it too much to ask our government officials to do their jobs? As I was deciding which to keep out in the unlikely event one of them had a question and I needed to reference a fact, a pony cleared her throat next to me, almost startling me into dropping my cards. Looking across the lectern, I saw Celestia once more, standing on the stage with me.

“An excellent presentation, my Faithful Student; most informative. Perhaps we can discuss your performance so far, say, over lunch?”

She looked hopeful, and it was rather refreshing to have somepony actually interested in my work; if that pony was the one who had assigned it in the first place. But, then I remembered where I was planning on going for lunch. “I'd love to, Princess, but I was just planning to visit the pretzel cart on the corner, so I could be sure to be back in time to continue my presentation.”

She laid a hoof on mine, closing my index card box. “That's hardly a proper meal, Twilight. Come, I have reservations at El Montaña del Oro. It's just around the corner, so we'll be back before you know it.”

Apparently, she wasn't taking no for an answer, and led/dragged me out of the auditorium. It wasn't until we were outside, that I finally gave in and was able to walk on my own again. Besides, I know to stop pleading when they fall on deaf ears. As we walked to the restaurant, talked about my trip to the Crystal Empire. “So, how are things there; among the populous, that is? I had been meaning to take a trip, but a small disaster in the palace required my attention there.”

“Oh? What happened if I may ask?”

She waved the question off as inconsequential. “Just a chambermaid's husband seeking revenge on a certain noblepony for attempting to seduce her.” Celestia chuckled, reminding me that she often loved to gossip with me about some of the nobles who liked to pretend to be more noble than they truly were. “It took eight guards to restrain him until I gave them permission to subdue him with magic. The poor dear was quite irate, and Blu- I mean the noble was doing little to help the situation with his usual 'charm'. But that's all unimportant. What is it like? Are they happy with Cadance and Shining? What do they think of allying with us?”

“I suppose they're happy enough, all things considered. They're still adjusting to the world a thousand years removed from what they remember. Which is why the sale of history books has skyrocketed here in Equestria.” As I explained how things were there, I noticed how rapt her attention was on what I was saying. As I mentioned before, it's rather exhilarating to have a pony eagerly lapping up everything you say, especially when that pony was one you admired as much as I do Celestia. It also made their company infinitely more enjoyable.

As we walked into El Montaña del Oro, the sheer opulence of the place surprised me. I had walked past it many times on my way to classes, but had never walked in. I was never really one for luxury for luxury's sake, feeling it took away from the truly important things. Besides, after living in the palace for as long as I have, one gets used to such trappings. Speaking of the palace, it was easy to see where they derived their inspiration for their décor. The owner was obviously attempting to imitate it and its trappings, with lots of white marble, gold accents, rich, red carpeting, and even a live quartet playing some lovely chamber music. It was quite nice, but the influence was about as subtle as Pinkie Pie in full party mode. Why, they even had a replica of one of Celestia's landscape paintings... wait, that was one of Celestia's! I recognized the small chip in the paint on one corner where I accidentally knocked a vase into it while we were playing tag when I was a filly! How did they get a hold of this?

I was startled out of my reverie by the maître d' asking if we were ready to be seated. Celestia smiled at me, clearly amused by my woolgathering. Seated at our table mostly cut off from the rest of the restaurant by some columns and pulled back drapery, she asked me, “I hope you don't think me too presumptuous, but I was hoping that you would stay a few more days. I was thinking of perhaps seeing a movie together, maybe a trip to the museum? I hear they have a new exhibit of Neighponese artifacts and cultural effects.”

To say I was surprised, would have been a gross understatement. I knew that Celestia often missed out on normal things that average ponies took for granted, like walking down the street without a crowd of guards, or being mobbed by admirers and well-wishers, but it was something easy to forget when you only ever saw her in official settings. More to the point, this almost sounded like a... nah, it couldn't be. I mean, sure, she was starved for the companionship of a pony who saw her as a- well, maybe not equal, but didn't treat her like a princess in an ivory tower, regardless of how technically accurate such a description proved to be, but she wouldn't... Well, not to me... I mean... She was looking at me now, a hopeful smile on her lovely lips- No! Bad Twilight! No goggles on the Princess! “I- I'd like that. I had wanted to visit that exhibit, but was afraid I wouldn't have the time.”

Her smile turned into a grin as she said, “Splendid! I'll have Mayor Mare's train car returned in case she needs it, and take you home by chariot. I believe this call for a celebration.” She waved the waiter over and said, “Two glasses of amontillado, '79 Vino Brothers, and a paella for me.” She looked over to me, and I nodded. “For her as well.” When he had silently scurried off (without even writing anything down; a true mark of a good waiter), Celestia lightly patted my hoof on the table. “I'm so glad we could spend more time together, Twilight. I had missed you. Ever since you left the palace, it had been far too quiet.”

I rolled my eyes, smiling back. “Well, I hardly think that the palace was all that noisy when I was living there. You make it sound like I was blowing up rooms every odd Tuesday. I'd feel slighted if I thought you had meant it that way.”

Celestia chuckled, her laugh ringing like silver bells. “Of course not, Twilight. It was once a month at most.”

I stuck my tongue out at her and we laughed at the absurdity of the exchange. Remembering the painting, I asked, “When did you give that painting away, Princess? I always thought you were really fond of it.”

She looked over to the painting at which I was pointing. “That one? Two reasons, I suppose. The owner of the restaurant is a friend of mine, and asked for it. Back when he worked in the palace kitchens, I would often find him staring at it. He expressed a fondness for it, so when he left to pursue his dream of opening his own restaurant, I made it a retirement gift for him. I'm glad to see he treasures it still.”

“And the other reason?” I pressed.

“I wanted to make room for a new painting I liked even better,” she replied, smiling at my inquisitive look. “I'll show it to you when we return to the palace.”

Further conversation was halted as our lunch arrived. This lunch had turned out to a be a most pleasant surprise in what had started off as a rather trying day.

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Sadly, the rest of my report to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs went about as well as the first half; which is to say, filled with bored ponies struggling to stay awake. I'm still not sure what I was doing wrong. I followed all the tips from Nerd's Guide to Public Speaking, but not even the good Dr. Nerd could help me this time. I was inclined to think the fault laid with me, but my audience (with few exceptions) were not exactly known for patience for scientists, no matter how brief said scientists tended to be. I wasn't quite brave enough to do as the book suggested and start reading from a salacious novel, but not even my attempts to involve the audience were helping. These ponies were about as disinterested as ponies could get and still be considered technically alive.

It came as something of a relief for all involved when my report was finished, and a vote was called on my findings. The crystal ponies would get the aid they so desperately needed, but by almost unanimous vote, I was barred from giving my reports myself. Had it not been for Celestia's intervention, I would likely have been banned from holding any such position again in all of Equestria.

“Try not to hold it against them, my Faithful Student,” Celestia said as we rode in her carriage back to the palace. “They are simply not used to such thoroughness in reports given to them by experts. They would rather have a short summary explaining all the salient points than an in depth treatise.”

I was bewildered. “But, that was just a summary and why the points were important. My full report was over five hundred pages, not including graphs and charts.”

I think I must have surprised Celestia, because she sounded a little confused as well. “Well, I'm sure that the ministers of finance will appreciate your thoroughness.” She gave a little cough during the lull in the conversation before saying, “I hope you don't mind, but I checked ahead and saw that the theater over on vintage street was playing Blade Trotter. I thought we could see that tonight, then take a late dinner with Luna when she eats her lunch. I'd never seen it before.”

Happy to have something to take my mind off the disaster of a morning, I brightened immediately at the prospect of seeing one of my all-time favorite movies in a theater. I was of course, far too young to have seen it there when it first came out, but I simply couldn't pass this chance up! I think my face must have shown my excitement, because The Princess said, “I'm glad to see your mood lifted, Twilight. Don't let this morning's events sour your mood for long. What's past is past, and life is too short to worry about things that cannot be helped.”

I threw my forelegs around her, reveling in her soft coat that somehow always seemed to smell of roses. I could feel her downy wings cover me like a blanket as she returned the show of affection. “Thank you, Celestia. You always seem to know just what to say or do to help me over the rough spots.”

I'm not sure, but I thought it felt like she was perhaps running a bit hotter than usual, but that may have been just the fact that despite the brisk pace of the carriage, there was almost no wind.

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Spike followed me around my palace apartment like a lost duckling looking for his mother as I kept searching for my favorite scarf, a Hearth's Warming gift from Octavia. It was due to get chilly later tonight according to the weather report, and I didn't want to get caught without it. “But, why Twilight? I like that movie, too!”

“Because, Spike, You've already seen a movie just yesterday, and spent the last of your allowance doing it,” I answered shortly. “I'm not about to give you more; you should have budgeted yourself better.” I know I was being a bit cruel, but he really did need to learn a lesson like this. It's not like he never saw the movie before, so he won't be missing much. Besides, it would be nice to have Celestia all to myself for a couple of hours without having to share her with all of Equestria. “Where is my scarf?”

“If I tell you, can I go?” Spike asked.

I turned to glare at him, and he sighed and pointed at my bed, where it hung on a post. It had been quite some time since I had last stayed in my palace apartment, and it's surprising how fast one acclimates to a new environment when one moves to a new town, to the point where the old environment one left becomes unfamiliar. I wrapped the gray and purple striped knit around my neck, then checked myself in the floor-length mirror. While I won't turn any heads, I was at least assured that nopony would mistake me for some escapee from a zoo or asylum.

Sitting down to brush my tail, I said, “Now, I'm going to be back late, but that doesn't give you free reign to stay up past your bedtime. We're going to the museum early tomorrow, so be sure to be in bed by nine. Also, if you could organize the shelves in the upper level so I can go through them tomorrow afternoon and take the books we need back home with us, I'd appreciate it, Spike.” I had planned on organizing them the day I discovered the legend of Nightmare Moon, but was distracted by the assignment Celestia gave me, and haven't been able to take care of it despite all the times I've been back since. It was a little sad that for a place that used to mean so much to me, I could neglect it so easily once something shiny and new came along. I really should let Celestia have it back, but it was just too convenient (as well as reassuring) to know that should anything happen in Ponyville, I still had this place to which I could return. I suppose one could call it my home away from home... away from home, if you counted my parent's place.

I saw Spike's reflection facepaw and look forlornly at the new pile of comics he had bought yesterday. “Aw, Twilight. I haven't even had time to read my new comics more than once or twice! Besides, the library is getting really full. Do we really need more books?”

“Delayed gratification will make reading them again all the sweeter, Spike. Besides, these are going into my basement lab, so we won't be taking many; just a dozen or so... three dozen, tops,” I replied. It's true that room was getting tight back home, but if things went well with the recital for the big money ponies in Ponyville, I could definitely afford the shelving and furniture for a new room. Maybe literature, to entice more casual readers? Children's for the foals? Pure science for the budding intellectuals? Maybe Celestia would have a good idea when we went on our da- social outing! Darn it, this is not a... that. It's just two friends, seeing a movie together with no romantic subtext. Friends do that, right? I mean, Rarity and Fluttershy go to the spa all the time, and it doesn't mean they're romantically attracted to each other... right? I took a few deep breaths, slowly letting them out the way Cady taught me until I had calmed down once more.

A knock at my door stole my attention away from my exercise in futility, and I took one more look at myself in the mirror before going to answer it. Spike had already made himself scarce, presumably (hopefully) to take care of the book sorting. I opened the door to find a pony I had not been expecting- well, I had been expecting her, just not in this form. “Celestia?”

A white hoof was placed on my lips, and the magenta-maned unicorn pushed her way in past me. “Sh. I'm called Lovestruck in this form, remember?”

I did remember, but seeing her like this had taken me off guard. She had only used this form a few times that I know of, and only when she wanted to go somewhere incognito. She didn't do it often due to the havoc it caused the guards, as they tried to keep the populous from discovering their Princess had disappeared, even if only to have a few hours to herself with her favorite student. I'm ashamed to admit that it had not occurred to me to wonder how she and I would be able to see a movie together, since not only would her very presence cause a scene, but also the rumors that would begin to circulate about the two of us. In retrospect, I really should have expected her to show up like this, since the only alternative would be to buy every seat in the theater just to be sure that we would remain unmolested, and that still would not take care of the rumor mongering. “Ce- Lovestruck, I wasn't expecting us to go like this. I presume this means that the guards will be covering for you again?”

She pranced around me in a circle, appraising me with a critical eye. Apparently satisfied, she stopped in front of me and adjusted my scarf. “Very nice. This scarf looks very fetching on you. I approve.” Holding the door open for me, she said, “Shall we?”

Being out with Lovestruck was always a surreal experience. On the one hoof, I knew that it was really Celestia, the pony who deserved more respect than any other in existence, if only for what she endures to make sure all her little ponies were safe, but on the other, I was to treat her like any other pony when she donned this disguise. I suppose it was just lucky that in this form, it was so much easier to do that. We walked through the streets, and the ponies there didn't even spare us a first glance, let alone a second. It felt nice to just walk around with her without any pomp or ceremony once more. Why, a stallion in a rush even rudely pushed past us, knocking Celestia into me with nary an apology, or even acknowledgment of our existence. I was ready to shout after him about his lack of manners, but Celestia's laugh startled me.

“Don't worry about it, Twilight. If that's the most inconvenient thing that happens to us tonight, then we should count ourselves lucky,” she said, seeking to mollify my anger.

In the end, I wish she hadn't said that, though. I don't really believe in verbal causation of chance events (indeed, I had still silently vowed to discover the correlation between events and Pinkie Sense), but when it happened to me, it was hard to deny. I was speaking of course, of the theater canceling the showing, due to the film catching fire during a previous showing. While I am not a pony prone to violence, if I ever find the butterhooves who spilled his soda on the projector, I'm going to show him what it's like to be a replicolt being hunted down by Decker. One does not treat a cinematic treasure like Blade Trotter this way. Well, at least the movie they were showing in it's place was 1001, A Lunar Odyssey. This movie took on new meanings and interpretations after Luna came back, but at least it didn't give her a bad portrayal.

The movie was just as deliciously dense as I recalled,, so it was a good thing I had left Spike back at the palace. The first (and last) time he had watched it, he had annoyed me to no end with questions about what was going on. Celestia seemed to be having no trouble with the symbolism, or even the long stretches of silence and no action, at least. In fact, she seemed to be... Oh my goodness, is she about to cry? Why would she... Oh, for Light's sake! How could I not have realized how this movie would affect her? It was all about a pony stranded on the moon, dealing with the isolation after surviving an attempted murder at the hooves of an arcanificarum driven mad by conflicting orders! How could she not see Luna in Bow Mane's place?

A tear threatened to roll down her cheek, spurring me into action. Without a moment's hesitation, nor a thought given to how it could be misconstrued, I laid my hoof atop hers and squeezed. She looked down at the hoof, then up at me and smiled sadly. I realized that this would not be nearly enough, so I moved closer, and laid my head on her shoulder, hugging her foreleg to my chest. With a wistful sigh, she laid her head on top of mine, and we continued watching as Bow Mane stumbled through the lunar landscape, making his way to the alien monolith that had been the entire purpose of his mission. “Do you want to go? It's almost over anyway,” I whispered to her, not daring to turn my head to see her face.

“No. I want to see what happens. I owe him that much,” she quietly replied.

So, we sat there, watching Bow Mane go into the monolith, then through his many stages of ascension until he transcended matter, and emerged once more as a star foal. Celestia sat there throughout the credits, not moving, even when the house lights came up. At last, an usher came in to begin cleaning up for the next showing, and she stirred. Rising to her hooves, The Princess wiped away a tear and we walked out into the crisp night air. We slowly meandered through the streets until we came upon a roundabout. She made her way to the fountain in the middle with me following, and sat down on the edge, gazing up at the moon, which by now, rode high in the sky.

“You know, I must have apologized to her a thousand times now, but she never once accepted them. Not because she's angry with me, mind you, but because she insists that she had left me no choice.” Celestia gave a weak chuckle, then looked down to the water, where she lazily traced patterns into the surface with a hoof. “That's usually the point where she tries to apologize to me.”

I walked over and sat next to her, trying to make eye contact, but she kept her gaze on the water, which showed a broken reflection of the moon. “If she's already forgiven you, then do you really need to keep beating yourself up over it?”

Celestia wiped at her nose with the back of her hoof, hiding a sniffle. “You sound like our therapist,” she said with wry amusement. This shocked me to my core. Celestia seeing a therapist? My rock needs a rock of her own? I was astounded, and to be perfectly honest, a little betrayed. My view of her had taken quite a few hits lately, but this one was the big one. It was like saying the law of gravity was being repealed. A universal constant within my life was irrevocably ripped away from me with five little words, and nothing would ever be the same again.

But really, was that such a bad thing? Celestia had been trying for years to get me to treat her more like a friend than a goddess on a pedestal, and for the first time in my life, I could actually begin to see the faults within her. Okay, it was just the one at the moment, but even recognizing that for what it was, was a huge step forward. Don't get me wrong, a fault was still a fault, but one such as this only made her seem more equine, not contemptible. How could anyone hate a pony for regretting that she hurt her sister?

My perfect princess was not perfect... and that was... okay.

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*(“)(“)

We cut the rest of the night short after that, Celestia just wasn't in the mood for socializing, and to be honest, I too, had much to mull over. Before we parted ways though, I had to say something to her; something to let her know that I didn't think any less of her. “Celestia,” we had safely returned to the palace, and she had resumed her normal form, so it felt less weird calling her by name instead of as Lovestruck. I think I must have said her name differently from usual or something though, because she looked at me oddly. “I think that you and Luna ought to talk about this to each other instead of through the... you know.” I was hesitant to say therapist in case somepony was listening when they ought not to be.

“Twilight, I told you that we already apologized to one another many times.” She looked perplexed by my advice, but was still listening to me.

I shook my head, saying, “No, I mean talk to her about it; not apologize. But most of all, you need to tell each other, 'I forgive you.' I think you might be able to forgive yourselves if you hear those words, instead of, 'there is nothing to forgive,' or something similar. If there's one big thing I learned from my friends in Ponyville, it's that three little words can often make the biggest difference.”

Curiously, a blush spread across her cheeks. “I... th- thank you, Twilight.” Walking up, I nuzzled under her neck, and she swept her head down to return the gesture. “Thank you, for everything.”

Author's Note

Well, this chappie took an unexpected turn for me.Not even I saw that ending coming. Kinda makes me wonder- not where the story is going (that's already firmly in mind)- but how it's going to get there. When I started this one, I had originally had another pony instead of Celestia, but after some consideration (and some advice from Fusion Foo the 3rd; thanks, dood), I cut a bit of chaff from the wheat. No sense muddying up the waters this early.

Also, dat "perfect princess" line.