TWILIGHT'S SHIPPING GOGGLES

Chapter 6: A Day at the Museum

I rose with the sun the next morning. As I lifted my head from my pillow, I could see the orb begin its daily ascension through the huge window on my library level. Already, the clouds were closing in, announcing that the day was going to be perfect for visiting a museum. Nothing made a huge space like that feel cozy quite like a nice rainstorm. Honestly, it was also perfect weather for staying in and just curling up with a good book and a mug of hot cocoa, but with Celestia waiting for me after her early morning court (which she was planning to cut short so we could have a nice long trip), I could sincerely say that I could think of nothing I'd like to do more right now.

Rising to all fours, I arched my back, feeling the joints pop a little as I restored circulation to my legs. I hopped down from my bed to see Spike still asleep in his old (and now outgrown) basket, limbs splayed every which way and snoring away happily. His little foot kicked and he mumbled something about Rarity and ice cream. Deciding I had heard more than enough, I gave his basket a gentle kick and said, “Rise and shine, Spike! We have a busy day ahead of us, so let's go, go, go!”

Startled, he rolled right out of the basket and onto the floor on all fours and looked around. “Huh? Wha? What happened? What's wrong? Where's the fire?”

The little guy was so cute, I couldn't help but giggle a little. “Sorry, Spike, but it's just time to get up and at 'em. Let's go, and dress warmly. Judging by the frost on the window, it's a little nippy out there and the rain won't be helping that any.”

With groan, he collapsed, letting his face fall back onto his bed. “Ugh. Wake me when we get there.”

I trotted off to the bathroom to freshen up and called out, “I'm not carrying you when you have two perfectly functional legs, and neither is Celestia. I was going to save this as a surprise, but if you're good today, I'll let you choose something reasonable from the gift shop, and before you ask, no gemstones.”

I could hear his head flumping down on the bed once more and smiled to myself. I'll support his obsessions to a certain point (we all need to have one or two to call our own), but I try my best to broaden his interests as best as I can. A well-rounded individual is a happier individual; less prone to boredom, as well.

Having taken care of our morning ablutions, we walked to the Royal private dining room, which Celestia had given permission for either of us to use whenever we liked when I first came to live here as her personal student. We walked in, nodding past the guards who saluted us, and were surprised to find Luna there alone, drinking chamomile tea. She brightened considerably when she spotted us and used her magic to pull the chairs to her left out for us. “Good morrow, Twilight, Spike,” she cheerily called out.

“Good morning, Luna. How was your night?” I asked her.

She shrugged, saying, “Only fair to middling, I'm afraid. Whilst no disaster befell on my watch, I am afraid that the level of bureaucracy with which one must deal when ruling is enough to break the strongest pony's restraint. It is only through the strongest of wills and the thought of disappointing my sister that I was able to keep from banishing the lot of them to the farthest reaches of Equestria.”

I could certainly understand her consternation. Even though I'm not officially a government agent, I could not count the number of times I had been flustered by bureaucracy, and this is from somepony who loved order and rules. “I wish I could tell you it gets easier, Luna, but I wouldn't want to be accused of lying,” I said with a wry smile.

Luna sighed and looked down at her food dejectedly. “I was afraid you would say that. Still, It does feel good to know that I am helping ponies, especially the little ones. They above all, make all the trouble worthwhile.” Her dour look lifted at the mention of foals. From what Celestia told me (and what I've seen of her, of course), Luna has always had a conspicuously soft spot for foals; something with which I could agree wholeheartedly. There was nothing like seeing the joy on a foal's face when she finally latched onto a concept, understanding not just the what or how, but the why.

“Are you sure you won't join us at the museum today? I've heard that this exhibit is particularly good. They brought in experts from Neighpon to help with the acquisition and set up. It promises to be spectacular.” I wasn't exaggerating, either; I had read that the museum had spared no expense on this exhibit. Collections were heavily borrowed from, and cultural experts were put on retainer as consultants both before and during the showing. I was lucky to be able to see it before it left for good.

“Nay, Twilight, I'm afraid I must bow out,” Luna replied sadly. “Last night was exhausting, though I made no physical exertion beyond the tending to my moon throughout the night. As much as I would love to join you, Celestia and Spike, I'm afraid I would be poor company.”

Celestia walked in at that moment, her demure smile widening upon seeing Spike and myself. “Good morning, Luna, Twilight, Spike. Ready for our outing?” she asked as she took her seat across from us at the long table.

“Just as soon as we get some breakfast in us,” I replied. I was feeling famished and was hoping that waffles were on the menu this morning, preferably smothered in strawberries.

She nodded in agreement. “I think I could do with a bite, myself.”

Carts of food were pushed out from the kitchen, and the delicious smells of breakfast were upon us, eliciting a chorus of grumbling stomachs, which in turn, elicited chuckles from us all. The meal was eaten in relative quiet, the scrape of silverware on plates the only sound to break the silence. We finished fairly quickly, wanting to be about our respective businesses, and left Luna to catch up on her much deserved sleep.

Seeing as Celestia was going as herself, rather than one of her many disguises, we just had to put up with the guard detail such an event warranted. Apparently, The Princess needed to make an appearance for the sake of diplomacy with the foreign nation, though none of the diplomats would be there, oddly enough. Ah, well. At least this was something that would have happened regardless of my being here or not, so Spike and I weren't putting anypony out who wouldn't have already been, thanks to Celestia's visit.

As expected of any royal visit, the museum pulled out all the stops, even going so far as to have an actual red carpet laid out on the steps; a dangerous proposition for such an expensive piece of furnishing, given the warnings from the weather team and the increasingly ominous gathering of clouds. Already, the sky was now covered in gray and the sun was nowhere in evidence, no doubt lending a sense of urgency to the maintenance crew waiting on us so that they could roll up the carpet again. The museum itself looked like it had just been scrubbed down and polished. All the brass fittings and rails gleamed like new, and even the stone chimera statues flanking the steps up had been cleaned of all the bird droppings.

The head curator greeted us as the carriage pulled up to the steps, and we- that is, The Princess was given a low bow. “Good morning, Your Highness. It was a lovely sunrise before the clouds moved in,” the old earth pony stallion said more to the ground, given where he was facing.

Celestia nodded to him as she stepped down, allowing him to rise. “Thank you, Professor Hidebound. A shame, but we could all do with a little watering, now and then, no?”

Professor Hidebound chuckled affably. “Indeed, Your Highness. That's certainly a positive way to look upon it.”

She nodded again, and nudged me forward. “You remember my personal student, Twilight Sparkle, I presume? It's been some time since she was last here, but still has her lifetime pass; laminated it, if I recall correctly.”

I rolled my eyes, but still smiled. “No sense in spending that much money on something that useful, if it's just going to get damaged,” I replied, as I pulled it from my interdimensional pocket where I kept all my identification, lifetime passes, and emergency money. It was indeed, laminated (as all such things should be), and still embarrassingly had my picture from my awkward years where I wore braces, glasses, and corrective horseshoes. Yeah, I was a mess (still am, according to some), wanna make something of it?

The old curator chuckled again, and patted my hoof reassuringly. “It's nice to see youngsters so responsible as you were and are; more so to see them still interested in museums such as this one. Sad to say, but most seem to lose interest after graduating from school, these days.” He looked around me and smiled. “Hello again, Spike.”

Spike waved sheepishly, not wanting to say anything, embarrassed that he was counted among those who would rather spend their time almost anywhere but in a museum. I don't really blame him though, and I'm sure Professor Hidebound doesn't either. We all like what we like, and that really can't be helped.

He led us indoors, the maintenance ponies rolling up the carpet behind us with unseemly haste, though again, I could scarcely blame them; it was already starting to drizzle. As soon as we stepped indoors, we were assaulted by the subtle, yet discordant sounds of traditional Neighponese music playing softly over the sound system. I had meant to visit the Land of the Rising Sun (they had their own traditions about the sun that Celestia had been all too happy to teach me), but somehow never found the time. Small touches of the Far East pervaded throughout the décor now, really adding to the atmosphere.

What surprised me most, was to see a kitsune, resplendent in a traditional kimono and porcelain mask hiding her features, but could not hide her obvious grace. She bowed low at the waist, prompting Celestia, Spike and I to do the same (though Celestia and I were technically already bent at the waist, so we settled for a traditional bow). Professor Hidebound stepped forward and said, “Your Highness, allow me to introduce, Yukino Hana-sama, the head of the Neighponese cultural exhibit. Yukino-sama, I present to you, Princess Celestia, of Equestria, Lady Twilight Sparkle, and Spike.” I could tell from the way he looked at her, the professor was quite taken with the kitsune, not that I could blame him. The oddness of her shape, combined with her demure grace made her quite attractive. Sadly, between her mask and her bulky kimono, it made it difficult to get a read on her, so I was left to rely on her words and intonations, as well as her three tails, which were left free of her robes.

“It is a great honor to meet you, Celestia-hime,” she said in a voice so quiet, it left one wondering if they had actually heard it, or if it was just a breeze. Oddly, Yukino-sama's mask did little to impede her voice; it just seemed that she was very soft-spoken. She looked to me, and though it was tough to tell, I thought she stiffened a moment. “And you, Mahō no Yōso. Even in the far off lands, words of your great heroics have reached many ears.” Turning to Spike, she said, “As always, it's an honor to meet a celestial agent, Ryū-sama. Welcome to our exhibit.”

Spike's chest puffed out and he looked inordinately pleased with himself. “Well, I've never been called that before, but I guess it fits, doesn't it?”

I suppose it did make an apt description since he technically worked for Celestia, but he was taking the meaning entirely out of context. Seeing as this really wasn't the time nor place to correct him, I decided to let it slide until I could explain the Celestial Bureaucracy of the Far East to him later, provided he didn't go overboard with it. The strange fox-person gave tinkling laugh- more of a titter, really- and said, “Indeed, Ryu-sama; in more ways than one. If you'll follow me, I'll guide you through the exhibits and answer any questions you may have to the best of my ability.”

“Nothing would please me more,” Celestia replied with a nod.

A pony same up to Professor Hidebound and whispered in his ear. After the newcomer turned and left in a hurry, he turned to The Princess and bowed. “My apologies, You Highness, but an urgent matter has just been brought to my attention. I'm afraid Yukino-sama will have to guide you alone.”

Celestia nodded. “Of course, professor. I, of all ponies, should know how duty can interfere with what one would rather be doing.” With a silent nod, the old earth pony trotted off with more haste than would normally be seemly in the presence of royalty.

Yukino-sama bowed again, and gestured for us to follow her. “If it pleases you, Your Highness, we'll begin our tour in the Ancient History room.”

“Yukino-sama, may I ask at which school you studied?” I broached as we walked to the first room, hoping I wouldn't offend her.

The kitsune bowed slightly. “Of course, Lady Sparkle, but you may just call me Yukino-san. Sama is not necessary with someone of your stature. I nodded my understanding, and she continued, “I graduated from Taiyō to Tsuki no Daigaku five years ago. I have a doctorate in, I hope you'll pardon my my Equish, Nay-poh-neez culture, as well as history of the same, and world history.”

“Oh? History is one of my favorite subjects, too!” I squealed. I'm not proud of it, but I honestly did a little fanfillying out at that moment. “It's so rare to meet another so interested that they too, pursue a degree in it. I'm still working on my master's thesis for world history, but I expect to have it quite soon.” My mind suddenly latched onto something she said and rabbited off in a new direction (a fault many of my professors shared, leaping about from subject to subject). “Taiyō to Tsuki no Daigaku? That wouldn't be the famous Sun and Moon University, renowned the world over for its academic standards, would it?”

Yukino-san's tails twitched excitedly, revealing her excitement. “You've heard of it, then? How wonderful. Oh, but look at me nattering on about my school, instead of doing my job. Please excuse me.”

She then set about telling us all about the exhibits, going into far more detail than was posted for the visitors. She really was rather enthralling as a tour guide. I really wish I could have taken lessons from her on public speaking; maybe she could finally teach me how to do it without boring my audience.

Celestia seemed to be enjoying herself as well, even speaking to Yukino-san in her (Yukino-san's) native language several times. While my Neighponese was far from what I would call fluent, it was still good enough to roughly follow along with the conversation. Poor Spike was left completely bewildered, having never learned more than a few words important to him such as manga, and anime (which were mostly Equestrian comic book characters done in their style, and though he still butchered those few words with his accent). Her interest in the exhibits was quite infectious, making it easy to forget the awkwardness of the previous night. Even without the sun being visible, she really does shine with an inner light. Ugh! No! I almost did it again! I can't look at her like that, no matter how gooey it makes me feel!

I shook my head, trying to clear it of those thoughts, accidentally gaining her attention. “Are you feeling well, Twilight?”

I nodded sheepishly, ashamed that my problems were interfering with her enjoyment of such a breathtaking museum; especially since she so rarely gets out like this. “I'm fine, Princess; just... all this walking has made me thirsty.”

Yukino-san bowed and said, “Please forgive me for not thinking of this earlier. I beg you allow me to make you all some tea as an apology.”

“Thank you, Yukino-san. That would be lovely,” Celestia said.

The kitsune led us to the atrium where many cushions and low tables had been placed for the convenience of the patrons. The steady thrum of rain on the glass ceiling had a lulling effect, and the water cascading down the glass walls was almost hypnotizing. After seeing us to our seats, she left us alone with our thoughts. She must have had a pot of boiling water on standby, however, because she was only gone a few minutes.

She poured for us, and we sat and sipped at the lovely green tea. It was different from the teas to which I was accustomed. There was definitely a flavor in there I just could not identify. “The tea is delicious, but I've been racking my brain, trying to figure out this fruity, smokey flavor. What is it, if I may ask?” I asked her.

Her tails wagged a little as she answered, “Dragonberries. They are are rare fruit that only grows on the side of Mount Inari. Quite expensive, so it's no real surprise that you have never come across them before.”

“They're delightful. It's been some time since I last tasted them,” Celestia remarked.

Out of the blue, Spike said, “Okay, if no one is going to say it, I will. Why do you wear that mask?” he asked Yukino-san.

“Spike!” I chided, but he only looked half chagrined. Turning to our hostess, I said, “I apologize for his rudeness. He apparently needs a refresher course on manners.”

“It's quite alright, Lady Sparkle. He is simply young and curious. One trait will be outgrown all too soon, and the other is to be commended,” she said to me. Turning to Spike, she added, “I wear the mask because a kitsune's smile is often said to be unsettling to those not used to us, and I tend to smile quite a bit.”

Spike considered this for a moment before asking, “Can I see?”

“SPIKE!” I shouted.

He looked to me pleadingly. “Oh, come on! You can't just expect me to let it go after hearing that, can you? That's like saying, 'don't think about tap dancing rhinos'; you're immediately going to think of them!”

I fumed at him and his sudden lack of manners, but Yukino-san came to his rescue. “If it is alright with you, Lady Sparkle, I would like to show him. I am always ready to satisfy curiosity, and to be honest, this mask can become stifling at times.” I sighed, but nodded. If she was alright with showing him, I saw no reason why she shouldn't. Granted, he may have nightmares, but maybe this will teach him to remember his manners.

Now, I had studied not just the culture of Neighpon, but also its people, so I had some idea of what to expect, but I have to admit that I too was curious, having never seen a kitsune in person. Yukino-san untied the ribbons holding her mask in place and slowly removed it. As expected, her actual face was very similar to the mask itself, even lacking a visible mouth... until she smiled. To be totally honest, I kind of knew what was coming, having seen pictures, but the actual sight in person was so unsettling, that I still felt the strong urge to run and hide. It was like a small cut appeared where one would presume to find a mouth, but like a bag slashed open, the rend continued to spread until it reached either side of her head, and widened to display the most fearsome set of teeth I had ever seen. Each tooth was triangular, and came to a sharp point. They fit together like the cogs in a gear so that almost no space could be seen between them, and gleamed pearly-white. I would not blame anypony who ran from this at first sight; as it was, I was rooted to the spot by my need to not be rude to our host, and wanting to prove to Celestia that I could handle this.

Yukino-san's eyes twinkled with mischief as she put the mask down on the table and poured herself a cup of tea as well. “Thank you both for not running away. I know it can be unsettling at first, but I assure you, I mean no harm.” Her horrible- her teeth flashed as she spoke, and if I thought the urge to run earlier was strong, it was nearly overwhelming now.

It was only because I could see from her facial expressions that she truly did not mean any harm, and only felt some amusement tinged with sadness that I could tell she really meant it. “O-of course. It would be rude of a guest to run away from as cordial a host as you have been,” I replied shakily. Though I had managed to keep my wits, I'm sure everyone there could hear the quaver in my voice. Worried about Spike, I looked over to him to find that he had gone stiff and wide-eyed, but did not say a word. He was obviously scared, but he was standing his ground, I'm proud to say. I'm sure if anything, he'd learned his lesson about asking such prying questions.

We drank our tea in silence after that, the soothing drink calming our (that is, Spike and my) jangled nerves. Celestia seemed to be unaffected, which is to be expected, having not only encountered kitsune before, but also formed friendships with some of them. Just looking at her being her usual calm, serene self, bolstered my own flagging courage, and made me feel a little ashamed at my unkind feelings and thoughts towards our kitsune guide. Yukino-san surprised me, as I caught her staring at me several times. Whenever she saw that I had noticed, she just smiled (though she kept her teeth hidden) and turned her attention elsewhere.

After our tea break, we resumed the tour, Yukino-san leaving her mask off. I admit, while it was disconcerting at first, we got used to her frightful countenance, even Spike, who was able to look her in the eye (though he did avoid looking at her mouth) after an hour or so. I suppose it helped that she was such an affable person, but it's also true that familiarity has a way of rubbing off the corners, which may have been her intent in keeping the mask off.

Alas, the tour eventually ended, and we found ourselves tarrying at the entrance to the museum, waiting for the carriage to be brought around. We had already visited the gift shop, and both Spike and I had our own porcelain kitsune masks for keepsakes. As we stood there, Yukino-san and I traded stories about our experiences in schooling, contrasting how our cultures changed even that. “Oh, Lady Twilight. If only you could see the culture festival my high school puts together. Such food you haven't seen, nor will anywhere else. I suppose one could liken it to a carnival, but that really doesn't do justice to the atmosphere; it's subtly different, you see.”

“It sounds wonderful. Perhaps I'll be able to visit your country some day,” I replied. A sudden thought occurred to me, and I added, “Yukino-san, I'd like it if you just called me Twilight. We're friends in scholarly pursuits, if nothing else, and all my friends just call me by name.”

Yukino-san blushed, but grinned widely, displaying an alarming number of teeth. She bowed, saying, “I would like that very much, Twilight, but only if you just call me Hana.”

“Thank you... Hana,” I sheepishly replied.

Just then, the carriage pulled up, and a magical shield was erected to cover our path from the door to it. Seeing no sight of the head curator, Celestia said, “I hope you'll excuse us, then; our ride is here. Please tell Professor Hidebound that we very much enjoyed the exhibit, and look forward to coming back in future.”

Hana bowed deeply. “I will. Thank you for your visit, Princess, it was a great pleasure. I hope we will meet again someday.” Turning to me, she added, “It has been most enjoyable meeting you. I hope you do get to visit my homeland someday. I would love to show you around.”

I nodded, then hesitated a moment before giving her a quick hug. “I'll be sure to visit. That's a promise.”

Once settled in the carriage, I turned back to see Hana watching as we pulled away until we lost sight of the museum around a corner.

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A few hours later found us in the palace courtyard where the flying chariots came and went, awaiting for one to be brought forward for Spike and myself. Celestia was there with us, basking in her sun that had finally deigned to show itself from behind the storm clouds. It was well on its way to the western horizon, so we would likely be arriving in Ponyville just before dark. I kind of felt bad about making the pegasi carting us around fly after dark, but Celestia had assured me many times that this was a duty that was highly sought after, because it let them stretch their wings, something that doesn't happen much in the normal execution of their service. A small pile of books from my personal collection as well as a few other things I had picked up during my stay sat to one side, awaiting loading onto a tow-cart that would be pulled behind our chariot.

“Are you sure you have everything, Twilight? I'm sure there's a book or two in the Royal Archives that could fit into the cart if you need them,” Celestia said, teasingly.

I rolled my eyes, but smiled at her joke. It was always nice to see her in a good mood. “Yes, I'm sure, Celestia. Are you sure that you can pull away from your duties for the concert? I don't want to interfere with any important business.” It still felt odd to call her by name, but if it made her happy, who am I to argue?

She leaned down to nuzzle my cheek, sending a thrill of warmth through me. “Twilight, you are my most important business.”

I looked over at Spike, to ensure that he was too busy jumping in puddles to notice my fierce blush, or the reason for it. I returned the gesture with a wide smile. Unfortunately, the chariot chose that moment to arrive, and Spike ran over to us as we pulled away. “They're here, Twi! Let's get everything loaded! I can't wait to show Rarity what I got her!” The little tyke had actually spent some of his hard-earned money buying a heart-shaped pincushion with her name embroidered on it. I'm actually a little surprised that he didn't have his own name put on it instead, but didn't dare ask him why, in case he hadn't thought of it himself, and had it changed. It was a much nicer gift this way, and a lot less awkward for Rarity.

I turned to Celestia and said, “Well, I guess I'll see you again in a few days. I'm really looking forward to you attending the concerts. You and Luna, both.”

“As do I. Until then, My Faithful Student.” She wrapped her wing around me in a quick hug, then used it to push me towards the waiting chariot. As the vehicle lifted off, I kept watching her grow smaller and smaller, finally disappearing entirely, but still I kept my gaze on the palace perched precariously upon the mountainside. I silently wondered if it would always feel like I was leaving my heart behind every time I left the palace.

I was surprised by Spike patting my shoulder. “It'll be alright, Twi. We'll see her again soon. She promised to come to the concert you're setting up, didn't she?” I nodded sadly, and he added, “See? When has she ever broke a promise?”

I actually felt a little cheered by this and smiled at him, even going so far as to nuzzle his cheek, despite his rough scales. “Thanks, Spike. You're the best.”

Author's Note

I have to confess, I pretty much wrote this chapter around Hana's face-reveal. Once I knew that there was going to be a Neighponese exhibit at the museum, the chapter almost wrote itself. Sorry there wasn't much shipping this time around, but since Twilight is going back to Ponyville, You can be sure it'll return in force.