Perchance to Dream

by David Silver

30 - Toy Museum

I stepped down from the van and looked at where we had landed. A toy museum? I smirked a little. "Are you making fun of me?"

"I'm making fun of both of us," he assured. "Shall we take a peek at the ancestors of the ponies?" He waved the way.

I was happy he wasn't prying more, at least at that moment, and we headed inside.

There were all manner of toys already spread out in glass cases to see before we even got into the exhibits properly. It was like a child's wonderland just at the register to get in. I produced a credit card and paid for both of us.

"Don't forget to visit the gift shop," encouraged the thin man at the register with a fake smile. It was clearly a job to him, and maybe one he wasn't entirely invested in. Either way, I nodded at him and moved past, Kevin beside me.

It wasn't the busiest place, which gave us plenty of room to roam freely from one display to the next. It was charming and amusing. I wasn't ever really the biggest toy person around.

Then we found the pony room.

It had ponies from their first appearance as strangely uncanny valley horses to their more modern appearances, generation by generation. There was Twilight Sparkle, wings unfurled and head held high. "It isn't exactly right," I groused a little as I looked over her toy form. "But what toy ever is?"

Kevin nodded in agreement. "The, uh..." He glanced around, likely to see who was around. "Real one, you know, she's a little more horsey. Closer to gen one." He pointed at the uncanny valley horses. "Without being so odd looking, or pudgy."

"Gen one?" I raised a brow. "You're really into this, aren't you?"

He colored a little. "And you aren't?"

"I was dragged in, kicking and screaming." I said in placid tones. "I'm serious. I was a mess at first, but I've gotten used to it."

"Enough to enjoy little chit-chats with the princess during work hours?" He inclined his head at me.

"Enough for that," I agreed with a smile. "She's an excellent grammar and spelling check."

"Your own magical editor?" He crouched down to peer at some of the others. "If she can do, you know--" He glanced again. "I'll save it for later."

Our conversation would probably sound odd on any security camera, though with us literally fleeing the state, I doubted much would come of it. Still, better safe, right? I let the discussion die quietly and we moved from the horse room on to the Lego room and beyond. It was charming, but not specifically for me. I didn't regret the peek though. "I wouldn't have come here."

Kevin blinked. "Upset?"

"No, the opposite." I smiled. "Thanks for suggesting it. I would have drove right on by without a thought." The way out was, of course, through the gift shop. I spotted an adorably chibi keychain of Princess Celestia and I didn't resist it. I snatched it up and plunked it down on the counter.

Kevin blinked. "She really is your favorite, huh?"

I gave a wee smile as I extracted her from her prison of cardboard and plastic and soon had her added to my key ring. "Thank you," I said to the cashier, and off we went. We hopped back into the moving van and got back on the road. We had many hours ahead of us before we'd be at our new home.

"So," started Kevin as we went. "About Twilight. Was she being coy? Do you two meet up a lot more often?"

"Yes," I replied truthfully. I still wasn't sure I wanted to get into my visits to Equestria. "I consider her a good friend, even if we're still learning about each other."

He made a little gesture at my new keyring ornament, "Have you met her? I assume you have."

"Yes." I saw no reason to lie about that. "She's a very..." I trailed off, suddenly unsure of which word to use. "Remarkable? Motherly, mischevious, cunning... wonderful, pretty--"

"She really did make an impact," he cut in with a smile. "Pretty though? I mean, they're adorable, but still, horses, right?"

Oh, there was a minefield. If he saw them as utterly alien, then any talk of any amount of attraction would be deviant by far, at best. I didn't feel up to traversing it. "The way her mane does that colorful swaying thing? It's very pretty."

"Oh! Yeah." That seemed to disarm the situation nicely. "Does it look even better, you know, in real life instead of a cartoon?"

"It does," I agreed. "You can see every shade of the rising and setting sun in it. It's like it's changing. I'm not sure if it's based on her mood or something else. It's subtle, but there, and amazing."

He took a breath of obvious awe at the very idea of it. "How often does she visit?"

"Basically never," I replied truthfully. "Twilight's the one that's burning with curiosity about our world."

"So, uh." He rubbed behind his head. "Sorry. I'm sure you want to talk about more than just this pony stuff. What are you looking forward to in California?"

So we began to talk about where next we'd be, and visited another little tourist trap along the way. As comfortable as a plane, no, but it was enjoyable for other reasons. The day went past amiably and I found myself not regretting the time spent. Getting to know Kevin wasn't the worst thing I could do, and he seemed like a decent person.

It was getting late though, and we were both tired. He spotted a motel and we pulled up to it. We got a room, with two beds of course, and got ready to recharge for the next day. There was plenty of driving left to do.

The feel of cool stone had become quite comforting, but I heard talking going on. It was too far away for me to hear the words, and curiosity demanded I break free. Shaking the bits of stone to the ground, I trotted through the castle to the map room where Twilight and her friends were gathered.

Rarity shook her head. "Honestly, darling. They were asking for help learning about Equestria economics and you made him your errand boy for the day?"

"It weren't nothin' like that! I taught him plenty o' things, and he was fine good at playin' a part too." She puffed up proudly. "He's rugged enough fer a unicorn."

Rarity rolled a hoof. "And how is that going to help him make use of his talents? He's a matchmaker, darling, not a farmer. He needs to have an office, or even better, a little store!"

Fluttershy had spotted me entering and pointed, drawing the eyes of the others.

Twilight smiled brightly. "Ah! Welcome back."

"Good to be back," I replied. "Thank you for the information, Applejack." Sure, it had involved a lot more work than I planned, but I did get some information out of it. I looked to Rarity. "Are we next?"

She smiled radiantly and was about to speak when Pinkie dropped out of nowhere between us. "Oooo Oooo Me Me Me! I'll show you all kinds of things, and you won't have to cart around any barrels of apples, Pinkie Promise." She made an odd gesture with her hoof, ending with poking herself in the eye. "You'll have tons of fun!"

Twilight cleared her throat loudly enough to draw eyes. "While I appreciate that both of you are eager to--"

"Hey, why didn't you ask me?!" questioned an irate Rainbow Dash."It isn't like I never touched a bit before or anything."

Twilight raised a brow. "Do you want to be a teacher?"

"Well, no... Still! You should have at least asked." She crossed her forehooves and slumped down with a pout.

Rarity sat up, a hoof at her chest. "Well it hardly seems like a question. Our handsome stallion here wishes to share his talent with the world, and he won't do that by laboring in the fields--" She glanced at Applejack. "--or working for somepony else." She looked to Pinkie pointedly. "No, what he has needs his own space, and privacy for himself and his potential clients. True Shot needs lessons in procuring such a place, advertising his business, and other such things that neither of you are experienced with."

"Hey," pouted out Pinkie. "I'm good at advertising..."

Rarity raised a fine brow. "Have you forgotten what occurred when we were trying to assist that darling little eatery in Canterlot?"

Applejack took off her hat just to cover her chest with it. "Now see here, sugarcube. While ah don't argue none that what ya have to share is the most specific to what he's gonna do, there ain't no harm and a lot t'be gained by learnin' more. Let him see it from all sides."

Pinkie slid up beside me as if she had been part of the floor a moment earlier. I started with surprise and fell back half a step, but she followed easily. "Just a day. It'll be tons of fun and you'll learn stuff and then Rarity can do her thing, promise."

There was a brief window of opportunity and I took it. "Pinkie, thank you. I know how to bake, but I was--"

"You do!?" She looked joyous at the news. "That's great. You're gonna have the best time ever!" She grabbed for one of my forelegs and pulled me right off of them, flopping to the ground. "No laying down on the job, silly."

Rarity's horn glowed and Pinkie was removed a few feet. "I think True has made his desires clear. If he wishes to join you after I show him what he needs to know, he'll inform you."

Pinkie pouted, but the argument died.

Twilight nodded. "I'm glad that's settled. Now then, we have a diplomatic meeting--" There was a groan around the table. Twilight frowned a bit. "We are public figures and we have a job to do, for Equestria. The Diamond dogs near Manehatten are asking to speak and we're to give them that audience."

"Excuse me," came a small voice. Fluttershy was next to me as I sat up. "You know... you don't have to go into business."

I blinked at her. "I don't want to be a pony on welfare."

"Welfare?" She looked baffled at the term. "You could just help ponies. You'd get enough bits to survive without having to ask anypony for payment. It's much less... stressful."

Rarity heard our conversation and snorted. "Fluttershy, darling, I don't think True Shot here is as afraid of any minor amount of conflict. He's as eager as I am to be paid a fair price for a fair service."

I nodded towards Rarity. "I don't want to rely on the Equestrian government to live, especially not when I have a marketable skill waiting to be used." Part of me really wanted to poke ponies with arrows, so hey, a bonus, right?

Fluttershy melted at our opposition. "O-oh, well, I... just wanted to make sure you knew."

Author's Note:

Day one of the moving adventure, complete!

Have your own story written on atreon!

Join my discord to chat!

Comments

[bonberjean]

Fluttershy is probably right in this argument.

[Booster Spice]

Visit the Biggest Littlest Pony Shop In the World.

We have cupcakes?

Diamond Dogs and gems is going to be fun if Twilight and Rarity created a self mining Want It Need It spell that makes All the gems in a given mountain head towards your location.

Quickly followed by a very angry hoard less dragon.

[Warrior Kitten]

7923263
I suppose.

[Daremo]

wonder land - wonderland

a whee smile - a wee smile

Oh there was a minefield - Oh, there was a minefield

---

Sharing a room? Even with double beds that's an invitation to let the cat pony out of the bag. What if she talks in her sleep?

Assuming that they're being safe and driving no more than 10 hours in a day they should be in Palo Alto and it's environs in about 5 to 6 days. Plenty of time for wacky hijinks

[tsaukpaetra]

Wouldn't it be funny if she turned into stone equivalent while he was True, and we just haven't noticed because flesh stone?
Meanwhile CELESTIA PLUSHIE!!!!
Keep going! ;)

[David Silver]

7925655 Fixed, with a bonus typo fleeing the destruction!