Nori-grets
It had taken both Twilights some time to adapt to meeting each other, but they'd grown to appreciate having someone they could understand on a level no one else could claim. Most of their interactions took place in the human world since a wingless, bespectacled Twilight Sparkle trotting around Ponyville would've raised all kinds of awkward questions, but each was happy to call the other "friend" and show her experiences that she couldn't have in her native world.
Today, that meant the Happy Fugu Sushi Palace
"This so exciting!" said Princess Twilight, all but bouncing in her seat. "I hadn't even heard of sushi until Sunset told me she'd gotten a job, but then Mistmane told me about the culinary traditions of the eastern unicorns and it made me realize just how much more work I have to do in bringing cultures together. There's so much to learn, so many more friends to make!"
"P-Twilight," the local Twilight said softly, "while I'm very excited about your plans to further globalize your homeworld, could you maybe discuss the fact you're a magical alien demigod horse princess a little more quietly when we're in public?" The restaurant wasn't that crowded—it was an off hour, and even at the best of times, it was still mall sushi—but she was still acutely aware of every lens pointed their way, whether in smartphones' cameras or people's eyes.
"Relax, H-Twilight. We're just twins, riiight?" P-Twilight gave a wink so exaggerated that H-Twilight almost heard it.
She sighed. "Right. Sure."
"So what have you been up to? Develop any more revolutionary technologies for harnessing you-know-what?"
H-Twilight frowned, idly crumpling her napkin. "Kind of been hitting a roadblock there. Not least because I need to make sure nothing runs out of control again. Or achieves self-awareness and then proceeds to chastise me for abandoning it." She hesitated to say the next part, but she knew that if anyone would understand what she meant by it, it would be herself. "Plus, spending time with friends is great and all, but it really eats into research and development."
P-Twilight nodded. "Too true. The tradeoff is more than acceptable when it's friends, but I've barely had a chance to set hoof in the lab since I started taking on roy... sponsibilities of my own."
In a voice dark as Midnight, H-Twilight thought, Yeah, you're busy reshaping the political landscape of your planet. Boo hoo. Out loud, she just murmured, "You still said 'hoof.'"
"I'd like to see you overcome decades of linguistic habits."
"I'll get back to you when I've lived for decades." H-Twilight gave a wink of her own and was gratified to see her counterpart giggle.
"Order up!" Sunset Shimmer came to their table, an identical tray in each hand. "Two orders of cucumber rolls for my favorite nerds."
H-Twilight smirked. "You're one to talk."
Sunset returned the expression. "You're lucky I'm on the clock." She waved as she went back towards the kitchen. "Shout if you need anything."
"Fascinating. Mistmane only described the dish; I've never actually seen it for myself. The presentation and formation certainly add to the aesthetic appeal." P-Twilight looked about the tray. "Um... where are the utensils?"
"In the paper envelope," said H-Twilight, carefully pulling apart her chopsticks with precisely measured force while pulling near their shared base.
P-Twilight stared at them for a few moments. Then she tore open her own set's packaging. "Uh..."
"Did Mistmane not mention chopsticks?"
"I don't think anypo... erson could have. I've never even heard of something like these before, much less seen them."
"Hmm." H-Twilight expertly grabbed a cucumber roll, dipped it in soy sauce, and popped in her mouth. "I suppose," she said after swallowing, "that fingers might be a prerequisite."
P-Twilight didn't respond, still trying to split her chopsticks, yanking at them near the tips. After a wince-inducing crack, she frowned at the break that left one chopstick short and the other doubly wide near the top. She sighed. "Well, it's not like it will impact the flavor."
Then, chopsticks in hand, she... didn't do anything, unless watching H-Twilight eat a few more counted. That and trying to get her own set to imitate those motions.
"If you'd like, I could ask Sunset to bring a fork."
"No, no, I want to get the authentic experience." P-Twilight managed to get the sticks to move in opposite directions, but found closing them on a roll more complicated.
"I could just lift the rolls for—"
"I'm not a foal, H-Twilight, I don't need you to feed me like one." Her knuckles white, P-Twilight managed to get a grip on a roll.
The corner of one.
Which mostly slipped back out, leaving her with a few grains of rice balanced on her chopsticks.
After that came an expression H-Twilight was well acquainted with. It was the intent stare of a transformed unicorn trying very hard to lift something with the magic she didn't currently have, mixed with mounting frustration and confusion over that magic not working. That second part was mostly in the eyes and how the lips peeled back.
She reached across the table. "Here—"
"I have beaten gods and demons," P-Twilight hissed through her teeth. "I will not be beaten by rice and seaweed."
H-Twilight flinched back, hands up. "Okay!"
P-Twilight dropped one chopstick and wrapped her fingers around the other. She drove her fist down on another cucumber roll, skewering it. Dark triumph filled her expression as she raised her hand, sushi in tow.
Then it fell off again.
At that point, she gave a weird, warbling scream and slammed her face into the tray.
H-Twilight just sighed and waved for the cameras.
After assuring a blushing princess that no harm had been done and arranging their next meet-up, Twilight watched the ripples of the portal fade with a sigh.
An arm wrapped around her shoulders, and she leaned into Sunset. "Still feel like the inferior copy?"
Twilight shook her head, smiling more than she probably should have. "How did you know it would work?"
Sunset cleared her throat. "Let's just say that isn't the first time a unicorn's whinnied bloody murder over chopsticks."
Twilight cracked an eye open, smirking up at Sunset. "You enjoyed this, didn't you?"
"What, harmlessly trolling the mare who ruined all my aspirations and left me stranded for months in a magicless wasteland where only five people out of hundreds would even give me the time of day?" Sunset looked away. "Pssh. No. Why would I ever enjoy that?"
Twilight took a step back, an eyebrow raised. "Wasn't she the one who made sure those five would give you the time of day?"
"Eh, details." Sunset took Twilight's hand in hers. "Come on, let's go work on that electrothaumic converter you were telling me about."
And Twilight happily let Sunset drag her along.
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I think Happy Fugu Sushi Palace is the perfect name.
It lets the ambulances find it easier.
9855061
Perhaps the Happy Fugu is their store mascot? (Imagining a disgruntled Sunset in full pufferfish costume...)
Telekinesis is a terrible thing to lose, isn't it.
I've used a fair amount of chopsticks, but I still wouldn't consider myself proficient with them.
I can eat sushi easily enough with chopsticks, but when it comes to Chinese, I tend to default to a fork.
And yes, "Happy Fugu Sushi Palace" is a lovely name!
9855089
As the link shows, it's at the very least their logo.
It's a good name. Wish we could work "magic" and "sea horses" into the title along with "palace". Japanese for seahorse is tatsunootoshigo, something like spawn of a dragon. Maybe "Umi Uma" or "sea horse" in incorrect Japanese?
9855455
Absolutely incorrect, the Japanese for 'seahorse' literally translates to "dragon's lost child" (竜の落し子).
9856085
I said something "like" as otoshi means dropped and I didn't want to have to explain the deeper meaning.
9856152
That's what I get for reading your comment while horribly sleep deprived
I have been this. XD
10232374
The person struggling with the chopsticks, the person watching them struggle, or both?
snrk
this was good
Now, this felt like it came right out of an official short. Love it!
I do like seeing the old ambitious side of Sunset come back. Honestly I'd like a story where she both returns to having ambitions while still keeping the magic of friendship in her heart. I mean those stories do exist but not so much for Human Sunset. Good to see it hinted at though.
Fugu the Chow comes to mind.
A riff on the Fogo de Chao Brazilian steakhouse.
11066551
That implies servers go around the restaurant with whole tuna, slicing off hunks of sashimi for you until you flip your coaster from green to red. Which sounds amazing, but doesn't necessarily reflect their business model.
Sushi is eaten with the hand. So for an authentic" exprience P-Twilight could have used her hands. Though I understand why no-one said anything. It would defeat the point of the self-esteem exercise and the trolling.
Oh, P-Twilight, so many of us have been there. Keep practicing and you'll get the hang of it eventually!