[Canterlot] Historically Accurate (attn: Bellosh) [OPEN]

[FermataTheBasse]

[colour=#008080]"We do respect those who protect and serve. But do we respect those who protect our protectors?"[/colour]

[colour=#ffd700]"Oooh..." [/colour][colour=#000000]Swan Dive was struggling with one of the exhibit plaques in the Canterlot Army Historical Society museum. She was a brilliant writer, but less than a brilliant reader, and words she could spit out onto paper easily were trouble for her when she had to read them elsewhere. [/colour][colour=#ffd700]"Manticores are... are... renowned? Renowned for their ferocity and difficulty in controlling, and the soldiers of Canterlot are often called upon to..." [/colour][colour=#000000]She continued to read aloud to herself, with quite some vocal strength, not caring that other ponies in the opening hall of the CAHS Museum were shooting her looks. She was famous in Canterlot already for her lovably eccentric ways, and she didn't act any differently just because she was in a museum. [/colour]

[colour=#000000]To be honest, Swan Dive wasn't a big fan of history. It was because the past was literally dead to her, full of dead ponies she couldn't get to know in the way she could get to know other ponies who were still alive and kicking and fun in their own special ways. She couldn't doubt that the ponies of the past had been fun in their time, but they weren't here and fun now. And that was no good for Swan Dive. There already existed interviews and stories enough of the ponies of the past. The ponies who needed the stories were right here, right now, and so Swan Dive focused on them and not on learning about the past. But her friends had insisted that she pay a visit to this 'quaint little place tucked into a corner of Canterlot, forgotten, and run by the strangest stallion with the strangest tastes...'. Their words exactly. [/colour]

[colour=#ffd700]"And the uh... uh... Manticores are often driven away by the Royal Guard and the..." [/colour][colour=#000000]Swan Dive tried to mouth it. She couldn't come up with anything, her mind and lips were drawing blanks. [/colour]

[Bellosh]

Today was just an average day for Dr. Spin Tale so far. The usual modest number of visitors had showed up, most of those had made donations, and within the central work and storage room surrounded by a ring of exhibit halls, an intern was busy working on the Society’s quarterly publication. As per his self-appointed duties, Dr. Tale escorted patrons when he could and elaborated upon what was on display. Making his rounds through the museum, the curator heard from a couple halls away an inquisitive mare reading the manticore display at the entrance… or trying to, at any rate.

Dr. Tale took great pride in that introductory display. It served very well as a hook for patrons to get them more curious to learn more. It also served as a tribute to his father, Corporal Little Horn, who lost the use of his limbs baiting a wayward manticore back into the Everfree Forest. Little Horn’s tale was one that Spin Tale always took great pride reciting.

Reaching the entry hall, the curator found the oddly-dressed mare stuck trying to read the plaque (not that he thought it was excessively weird; her hat was actually quite creative). Dr. Tale chimed in to assist her; [colour=#008080]“…creatures are led back to the Everfree Forest without harm to either the creature or the population.”[/colour] Smiling, the stallion extended his forehoof for a hoofshake; [colour=#008080]“Hello; my name is Dr. Spin Tale, and I’m the president and curator-in-chief of the Canterlot Army Historical Society. Who might you be?”[/colour]

[FermataTheBasse]

[colour=#008080]"Hook your reader with an amazing story and they will grant you what you desire. Their attention."[/colour]

[colour=#000000]Creatures. How could she have forgotten that word, of all words she could have forgotten. Swan Dive blushed, resisted the urge to hide her face into her favored hat. She was still smiling sheepishly, shyly, when she turned to Spin Tale. [/colour][colour=#ffd700]"Oh, thank you so much. I have trouble with my reading sometimes..." [/colour][colour=#000000]Oh, now hold on a moment. Had he just said that he was the curator of this museum? And the president of the society that employed the curator of this museum? Wait, how did that chain of command even work? [/colour]

[colour=#000000]Swan Dive ignored her own logical conclusions, suddenly eager, a child-like gleam in her eyes as she examined the good Doctor from head to hoof. He was modestly dressed, in contrast to the usual elaborateness of ponies dressed in their finest on the streets of Canterlot. One of his hooves was extended, Swan grabbed onto it with both her forehooves and shook it eagerly, inadvertently showing off her dance training by balancing in such an odd position on solely her rear hooves. [/colour][colour=#ffd700]"Oh Dr Spin Tale, I have much I must ask you!" [/colour][colour=#000000]She was still shaking his hoof even through her question, still shaking it up to now, excitedly. [/colour]

[Bellosh]

[colour=#ff6666]“No worries miss,”[/colour] Spin Tale assured the embarrassed mare when she mentioned her reading difficulties; [colour=#ff6666]“In all honesty, I always find it more fun explaining all the exhibits to visitors than having them only read from placards.”[/colour] An awkward moment passed as the mare used an opportunity to inspect the museum curator. Catching Dr. Tale off guard, the visitor then took his forehoof with both of hers and shook it fervently.

Upon mentioning that she had many questions to ask, Spin Tale, still caught in the mare’s excited hoofshake, replied back; [colour=#ff6666]“Feeeel freee to asssk meeee annnnythiiing.”[/colour] Dr. Tale tried freeing his hoof, but the mare’s grip proved stronger than anticipated. Maintaining an overly-beaming but polite smile throughout the ordeal, the stallion let out a small [colour=#ff6666]“Ahem?”[/colour] and gazed in the direction of his hoof, hoping the mare would take the hint.

[FermataTheBasse]

[colour=#008080]"One thing that having information in text does is prevent us from gaining that information from others."[/colour]

[colour=#ffd700]"Oh, wonderful, wonderful. I am not a mare with any historical awareness, and while I am not looking to remedy that, I am looking to give my readers some insight..." [/colour][colour=#000000]Swan Dive giggled slightly when she realized that she was being a bit overbearing with her enthusiasm, as she was prompted to realize by the good doctor's glance. Swan returned herself to all four of her hooves, freed Spin Tale from her crushing grasp. [/colour][colour=#ffd700]"So sorry. I can be a bit excitable at times." [/colour][colour=#000000]An understatement for historical record, to be sure. But Swan didn't really back off, she was still close to him, smiling right into his face.[/colour]

[colour=#ffd700]"So you run this charming place? I should tell you my name, I am Swan Dive, I run Young Mare's Tail, if you've heard of it...?" [/colour]

[Bellosh]

Dr. Spin Tale quietly chuckled in relief as the mare finally released her stranglehold on his forehoof. The curator took great interest in her claim that she had not come to increase her own historical awareness; in his experience, anypony who happily dropped by his museum (the mare did mention something about having readers) no matter if they didn’t like history had at the very least intellectual curiosity to satisfy. Maybe the mare simply had a bad history teacher or two back in school? As a history doctorate, Spin coped with more than his fair share of sub-par, uninteresting professors.

The curator had little time to dwell on his thoughts, as the mare finally introduced herself as Swan Dive of Young Mare’s Tail. Delicately taking a step back to obtain some personal space, Dr Tale replied; [colour=#ff6666]“Swan Dive, hmm? I guess that explains that creatively-designed hat of yours.”[/colour] Smiling for a couple of seconds from his light-hearted joke, the curator pressed the conversation forward; [colour=#ff6666]“I’ve heard of your publication yes, but I can’t say I’ve read it yet. If you're curious, I enjoy reading The Canterlot Times, Mane’s Defence Weekly, and the journals published by CU’s History Department, but I always try to read something new when I get the chance. But I’m eagerly curious, what does Young Mare’s Tail cover?”[/colour] Spin had very good reason to be curious; having his museum featured positively in any sort of widely-circulated publication would be very good publicity for his establishment.

[FermataTheBasse]

[colour=#008080]"I do not cover, I like to think. I listen."[/colour]

[colour=#000000]Swan Dive took an eager step forward to match Spin Tale's step back, her natural bubbly enthusiasm overriding her sense of personal space as usual, so they maintained the same lack of distance as before. She looked up at her precious hat, Ellie as had named it, and smiled. [/colour][colour=#ffd700]"Oh, yes. Ellie here is of excellent design, I find. I am never without her." [/colour][colour=#000000]She patted her hat lovingly with a hoof, the swan atop it perhaps smiled back at her, or at least it would have in an ideal world of Swan's fantasy. [/colour][colour=#ffd700]"Mmm!" [/colour][colour=#000000]Swan loved well read ponies, even if they didn't subscribe to her own paper. Stories deserved readers, always, no matter what their content.[/colour]

[colour=#ffd700]"We publish the stories of individual stallions, mares, griffons, dragons, anypony willing to grant us a word. I personally find that many ponies will find the stories of others interesting. A way to find new friends, no? I know of the Canterlot Times of course, we all do. I try to follow their strict standards on the quality of writing, in my own way." [/colour][colour=#000000]Perhaps it was a bit dissonant that a mare who had reading issues tried to write to the standard of one of the best newspapers in Equestria. [/colour][colour=#ffd700]"But I can't say I've heard of the other two. Do tell, what are they?"[/colour]

[Bellosh]

The curator reflexively brushed his mane as Swan Dive closed the gap between the two of them again. Apparently, she had no concept of personal space, and Spin Tale couldn’t figure out a polite way to teach her this concept so he just let the mare’s intrusion slide. After Swan mentioned her hat’s name, she proceeded to describe the subject matter of Yong Mare’s Tail; Dr. Tale enjoyed learning new entertaining stories almost as much as he liked telling them, so Swan’s paper was very likely to be worth a read.

[colour=#ff6666]“I’ll be sure to check your publication out the next chance I get, then,”[/colour] Dr. Tale said earnestly. In response to Swan’s new question, the stallion answered; [colour=#ff6666]“Well, Canterlot University’s History Department works with the Equestrian Historical Association to publish The Equestrian Historical Review every few months, which publishes findings made by history scholars from all throughout the nation. Since only history enthusiasts read it, you won’t find it on newsstands, haha. The same thing kinda goes for Mane’s; it reports on the current non-classified affairs of the REA, REIN, the Destriers (even though they’re not a military organization these days), the Aquellian marines, and so on. It also tries to keep tabs on well… groups like the Diamond Dogs and the Changelings whom we ponies don’t quite get along with… so to speak.[/colour]

[colour=#ff6666]“But enough about that. I’m sure you have plenty of questions about the Canterlot Army Historical Museum and my role, am I right?”[/colour]

[FermataTheBasse]

[colour=#008080]"Too much history, too much background. What about the here, the now?"[/colour]

[colour=#000000]​Oh, those definitely sounded like publications Swan Dive wouldn't have bother pursuing in her free time, which she actually had a lot of because time was a commodity most of the upper class in Canterlot had in spades. She nodded, but the glaze that suddenly formed over her eyes made it clear that she wasn't so interested in the content of either the Mane's or the Review. Really, Swan hadn't even been aware of the existence of specialized branches of the Equestrian military... to be honest, she hadn't even known that they had a practical purpose to this day. Swan had to suppose that it went to show, one could be very unaware of anything outside the range of their own existence. She would definitely have to get to know the good doctor here. As long as he wasn't too detailed about the things she didn't need to know. It was he that was the subject, not the military of Equestria or it's history.[/colour]

[colour=#000000]Swan Dive's eyes finally returned to burning eagerly, she stepped back a bit, perhaps now aware of the lack of space between the both of them. [/colour][colour=#ffd700]"Mmm... fascinating. And yes, questions! About you, however, not so much about the museum, unless it does come up..." [/colour][colour=#000000]Swan Dive paused for a moment, allowed Spin Tale to consider that. [/colour]

[Bellosh]

[colour=#ff6666]~Hmmm…. didn’t think she’d be interested in those publications. Ah well, she did want to know about them~[/colour]

Any awkwardness within Spin Tale was lost however when Swan Dive finally decided to step back and give him some space. Unfortunately, she also implied that she wasn’t really all that interested in the museum itself; her focus would apparently be on Dr. Tale alone. The curator pondered for a few seconds whether to make an effort to try changing her mind. Spin decided against it; he could always sneak in a few choice words about his operation when the opportunity presented itself. He’d had to at any rate if Swan Dive sought to be thorough in her interview questions.

[colour=#ff6666]“Ah, so would you prefer heading on up to my office then? It’s through the room I just came through and then up the stairs. I can get the intern to attend to visitors while you interview me. Or we just stay here at the ground level, whatever you prefer Ms Dive.”[/colour]

[FermataTheBasse]

[colour=#008080]"If my head is in the clouds, does that mean I am closer to our Princesses?"[/colour]

The silence that followed her proclamation worried Swan significantly, her smile managed to fade a bit from being impossibly large to merely sizable as the seconds ticked by. She had been rejected before, on the basis of her style of interviewing not being what other ponies sought to be heard. The one advantage she had over a publication like the Times was that she was very thorough, it was probable that she had already gotten fifty percent of Canterlot's population into her magazine, along with repeats and special features. But her style wasn't always what ponies wanted.

[colour=#ffd700]"Oh!" [/colour][colour=#000000]It was to Swan's great relief that Spin Tale more or less seemed to accept, with the invitation at any rate. Swan however was one for organic processes, she did not like conducting her interviews like interviews. Whatever that was supposed to mean. [/colour][colour=#ffd700]"Let us stay here! It would do you nor I no good to try and conduct this free of the prying eyes of patrons." [/colour][colour=#000000]Swan Dive did a little shimmy slash two step in place, her body full of eager energy. Onward with the interview, it seemed! [/colour]

[Bellosh]

[colour=#ff6666]“Ah… if we’re staying down here,”[/colour] Spin Tale said to the enthusiastic mare; [colour=#ff6666]“You don’t mind trotting around the place while we talk? The two of us might as well get a little exercise during the interview, eh?”[/colour] Dr. Tale grinned; perhaps this could work to his advantage. Swan Dive would undoubtedly focus on questioning the curator, but perhaps she might see a few things of interest in the process? Besides, the mare unintentionally raised a good point; why trust an intern to handle visitors when he could do the job himself?

Briefly adjusting his tie first, Dr. Tale gestured to Swan Dive to join him on his slow, methodical trot and asked; [colour=#ff6666]“So… where would you like to begin?”[/colour] Having never read Young Mare’s Tail, the stallion had no clue what to expect from Ms. Dive aside from the standard interview questions. Hopefully, she wouldn’t give him lots of oddball questions.....

[FermataTheBasse]

[colour=#008080]"My questions are like cookies, sweet but at times a bit burnt"[/colour]

Swan Dive nodded happily, glad for the chance to keep wandering. She wasn't really interested in the exhibits, but Swan was just naturally a mare of action, she loved to be in motion. She was already trotting circles around Spin Tale- literally- and they hadn't even started moving yet. So when they actually did start moving, Swan Dive made for quite the strange sight, her slow concentric circles around the Doctor, perfectly spaced so as to keep his personal space well and unviolated.

[colour=#ffd700]"Where we can begin, Dr. Spin Tale, is anywhere. We did begin from the manticore exhibit, after all. So please do tell, do you have a favorite exhibit in your own museum?" [/colour][colour=#000000]Swan had the eerie ability to always hold Spin's eyes with her own, no matter where she was relative to him in his own circle. Just as it seemed she'd fall out of sight, she adjusted her motion so as to let him keep up with her. She was big on eye contact, of course. It was crucial to her job. [/colour]

[Bellosh]

As a scholar passionate about making other ponies appreciate history, Dr. Spin Tale learned long ago that one of the single most important things a historian needs to do is provide tangible, enticing visions of the past. If ponies failed to get a sense of the setting, they sure as heck wouldn’t care for chronological and “famous pony” details which unfortunately too many educators and other scholars prioritized on above all else. In many ways for Spin Tale, the lines between successfully lecturing on history and simply telling a darned-good story often were quite blurry; if a pony became invested in the historical background (historical or otherwise), they’d be much more eager to seek out more minute details.

Spin Tale therefore organized his museum with this philosophy in mind. Instead of arranging the exhibits simply in chronological order starting from a thousand years ago leading to the present, a visitor going through each room in order would see more or less a hypothetical journey of a soldier serving in the army. Hence, the first room after the entry hallway dedicated itself towards painting a picture of the pre-service lives of members of the army. Mounted on the walls behind glass coverings were various items including recruitment posters throughout the ages, pictures of young ponies taken right before heading off to training or officer candidate school, farewell letters, and other assorted pre-service mementos generously donated to the museum. Aside from the usual explanatory plaques, large placard here and there described inspiring or humorous anecdotes from ponies explaining why they signed up for the service.

It was into this room that Spin Tale entered first, circled by his ever-eccentric interviewer. The curator was caught a bit off-guard by the first question, since he assumed Swan Dive would start out with a chronological line of questioning starting from his birth. [colour=#ff6666]“Hmmm..... that’s kinda hard for me to answer, to be honest. It’s like asking a parent who their favorite foal is, ha ha. If I don’t like an exhibit I’ve set up, I just keep on changing it around until I have something I think everypony will be satisfied with. However, heh, I will say though that the foals really love my historically-accurate mockup of the top of a stone wall. They really enjoy pretending that they’re holding off dragons or changelings or whatever monster happens to be the talk of the town that week. You’ll get to see it in a little bit, of course.”[/colour]

[FermataTheBasse]

[colour=#008080]"Swan Dive's eccentricity is greater when she is moving in an ellipse." -Some mathematician Swan interviewed [/colour]

[colour=#000000]Swan had to admit, as her eyes momentarily strayed from Spin while she waited for him to start speaking, she found the first exhibit interesting. The letters and other mementos of ponies probably long gone, as far as they would not interest her present-oriented self, did carry the promise of learning a story of another pony, even if she couldn't personally know that pony in her lifetime. She tried to read some of the displays, but they were a bit far and she simply did not have the time at the moment, her eyes having to ricochet back to Spin Tale's the moment he started speaking. She was still circling, but her 'orbit' began to widen, to put her a bit closer to the things she wanted to read.[/colour]

[colour=#ffd700]"Ah, so if ponies do enjoy the exhibit then you will generally keep that exhibit around?" [/colour][colour=#000000]Swan nodded. That was sensible enough. [/colour][colour=#ffd700]"Oh my! That sounds like such a cute- forgive me if that's not what you intended- idea!" [/colour][colour=#000000]To be perfectly honest, if Swan were in the foal's position she'd be doing the exact same thing. But oh, they were indeed going to see that soon! Swan was suddenly a bit more springy on her hooves, had a slight bounce to her step as she now had something to look forward to, and she took no shame in that fact. [/colour][colour=#ffd700]"Would you say that foals enjoy your museum overall? The historically accurate wall aside?"[/colour]

[Bellosh]

Swan Dive’s sudden spout of perkiness did not go unnoticed by Spin Tale, and it just so happened that her enthusiasm proved contagious as well. With new-found gusto of his own, the curator confidently answered Ms Dive’s next question; [colour=#ff6666]“Yes, the foals really like my museum. You know, the school curriculums around here usually don’t really go into detail about army life and such, and their parents don't know much themselves unless they've been in the REA. However, the kids see the royal guards patrol the city everyday, and they hear of how stallions like Shining Armor do this and that, and that all pikes their curiosity. That means that when they come here, they come eager to learn all about those who’ve served before, what it actually takes to be a royal guard, and so on. Needless to say, the adults appreciate this place too, even if they don’t bounce all over my wall mockup…”[/colour]

Spin Tale found himself laughing at the mental image of a grown-up stallion or mare messing around on his wall while a group of foals looked on in confusion. If Swan Dive was any indication, he just might see that actually happen today. Speaking of Shining Armor, he had just trotted by a recruitment poster of him, which he mounted right by the portal to the next exhibit. Unlike the other recruitment posters he kept in the room, not only was it by far the newest (about only a year old or so), but it also had graffiti on it. Captioned right above the portrait of Shining Armor was a crudely-made caption with the words “Ridiculously Photogenic Stallion”. Stopping by the poster for a moment, the grinning Dr. Tale asked; [colour=#ff6666]“Since I just mentioned Captain Armor earlier, I suppose you’d be interested to know the story behind this particular poster?”[/colour]

[FermataTheBasse]

[colour=#008080]"Wheeee!" -Swan Dive in instances of enjoying things meant for ponies many years her junior[/colour]

[colour=#ffd700]"Ah, so the new generation is that which is interested in your business. Us elders are too entrenched in our ancient ways to learn anything new, I suppose. But that's wonderful, that you can provide a wanted service for young fillies and colts!" [/colour][colour=#000000]Enthusiasm was perhaps the greatest disease of all, as Swan was excited to see that Spin was getting more comfortable with the interview, and her own willingness to be casual and relaxed as she preferred to be when talking with others continued to increase. She did a two step- literally, a dance- across the hall to where a curious poster of the famous Shining Armor had been posted. A bit ahead of the Doctor, she wanted to stop and take a quick read of the plaque. [/colour]

[colour=#000000]She was spared the trouble of having to figure out words she wasn't any good with by the Doctor's offer. [/colour][colour=#ffd700]"Why yes I would, Doctor Spin. While Shining Armor is quite photogenic, it is true, I have to wonder why it was written on the poster? If I have to read the display we will be here a while." [/colour][colour=#000000]Swan giggled at her own self-depracatory joke.[/colour]

[Bellosh]

Spin Tale gave a hearty laugh simultaneously with Swan Dive’s giggle; time to launch into a story! [colour=#ff6666]“Well then,”[/colour] began the curator; [colour=#ff6666]“I was walking towards my usual juice bar a while back when I found these guards taking down this poster outside the REA recruiting office. I asked them why they were taking it down; apparently, some stallion from Armor’s unit found the poster and defaced it as a prank. Apparently, nearly everypony else in the garrison thought the prank was funny, so that started a wave of copycat pranks involving Armor’s ahem… handsomeness. Those guards I met actually seemed kinda sad that they were ordered to replace that poster, but you know, vandalized posters don’t make for good recruitment material, now do they?”[/colour]

Dr. Tale chuckled as he started trotting again and moved into the next room, which demonstrated the experiences that ponies went through during basic training, officer candidate school, and related preparatory activates throughout Equestrian history. On the surface, this room didn’t appear all too different from the last exhibit thanks to the continued use of pictures, letters home, and anecdotes on placards. However, actual training equipment and misc. materials accompanied the usual items, such as a beaten-down practice target used by unicorn recruits when learning how to cast concussive blast spells, a 75-year old training manual on a lectern annotated with sarcastic quips, and an old rope-climbing wall in the room’s center surrounded by a velvet rope.

The curator happily continued speaking while trotting into the next room; [colour=#ff6666]“So anyway, I thought to keep the poster for myself since it was amusing and all, and the guards let me have it. Considering what he and Princess Cadenza did to save our rear ends back during the Changeling Invasion… I’m very glad to have obtained that poster when I did.”[/colour]

[FermataTheBasse]

[colour=#008080]"Humor is sometimes the best way to draw attention."[/colour]

Swan Dive smiled, thinking of the inherent humor in jumping onto a bandwagon where one's handsomeness was the issue at hand. It was quite the nice little prank. Nopony's feelings had the potential to be hurt, even. Swan wondered if she could somehow come by that story in more personal detail later on, but that was not what she should be focusing on now. Swan loathed to lose focus on the subjects of her interview. If she slipped up, she might lose some of the Doctor's good will. She addressed him earnestly, [colour=#ffd700]"I can only imagine how funny that must have been, Doctor Spin! I can see why you'd keep it, and it is quite nice. A personal, more in depth look into history. Yes, that variety of history I could perhaps spare some time for."[/colour]

[colour=#000000]Swan examined the next room they entered, but it all appeared to be the same to her untrained eyes. Many old things she'd have to read to understand what was going on. [/colour][colour=#ffd700]"Mmm, may I ask, Doctor? What do you think of our military as it is now? Given that you know how it was in the past?"[/colour]

[Bellosh]

Seeing that Swan Dive was warming up to his establishment, it took all of Spin Tale’s willpower to keep from explaining every single item and such in his exhibits. For now, the curator needed to continue playing the role of the interviewee; if the mare wanted to explore the museum further, she could always do it at her own discretion… that is, if she purchased reading glasses first.

Swan Dive saw fit to next ask yet another curveball question; this time, about Spin’s opinion on the military overall. [colour=#ff6666]“Well, uhhh, that’s kinda a tough question in my opinion,”[/colour] responded the curator while maintain his slow trot towards the portal to the next room; [colour=#ff6666]“The Royal Equestrian Army of today and its predecessors from the past had completely different responsibilities and requirements that it’d be like comparing apples and oranges. And then there's all the doctrinal, technological, and magical advances made in the last thousand years or so. Equestria’s armies waaaaaay back then may have been…. larger… better able to wage offensive campaigns if necessary… but our army today is more advanced and professional than at any other time in Equestria’s existence, and ultimately does a very good job of maintaining peace and harmony throughout our kingdom.”[/colour]

[FermataTheBasse]

[colour=#008080]"I can see the words fine, they just confuse me greatly..."[/colour]

Swan followed in the Doctor's wake, admiring the sights of the room she was in while totally failing to understand what any of them meant, without the ability to stop and read them in earnest. Her eyes were spinning a bit, she was a bit dizzy from the effort. So she turned her eyes back to Spin, as he was speaking anyway.

[colour=#ffd700]"Well honestly, I do not know the context of our military in any period of Equestrian history. And I have no intent to find out, sorry. I will leave that to my more historically literate writers. Why I asked was because I wanted to see what you think of our military overall So you think they do their job very well, yes, I agree with you wholeheartedly. It is important we honor the mares and stallions in service... but. But. Dr. Spin, do you think we honor them enough? With museums, with accolades, with respect?"[/colour]

[Bellosh]

[colour=#ff6666]~Eh, if you aren’t interested in the army’s past, you probably shouldn’t have made a reference to it in your last question~[/colour]

Spin Tale shrugged at Swan Dive’s response to his previous answer as he trotted into the next room. Unlike the previous two exhibits, this one was littered mainly with armor, weapons, and other equipment of varying ages. In all honesty, the curator would have preferred it if Ms Dive stuck to questions about his museum instead of trying to obtain his opinion on all matters military related. Ah well; at least Dr. Tale could reply to the interviewer’s next inquiry with another anecdote.

[colour=#ff6666]“Hmmm, I’m glad you asked that. For the most part, I believe our kingdom does a pretty good job of honoring our soldiers. In my experience, if there is some sort of oversight concerning something like this, somepony or two will want to rectify it sooner or later. For example, it came to my attention a month or so during one Q&A session I hosted here at the museum that while the griffons had two major holidays to honor their military, we had none set aside for our own… and you know how we ponies love our holidays and festivals.”[/colour]

Chuckling for just a moment, Dr. Tale pressed onward; [colour=#ff6666]“Anyway, I figured to write to Princess Celestia about the issue. Her Majesty wrote back that coincidentally, she had been already setting in motion plans to introduce a holiday for Equestria’s serviceponies. Naturally there are a few hurdles that have to be overcome first, but rest assured something is in the works.”[/colour]

[FermataTheBasse]

[colour=#008080]"There is only one type of question I ask: my own."[/colour]

[colour=#ffd700]"Ah, how proactive of you. So you are the 'somepony' that rectifies such issues." [/colour][colour=#000000]Swan was interested in the things in this new exhibit, since they were far more obvious and far less difficult for the functionally illiterate to understand. Of course, Swan was hardly a fan of such things as weapons and armor, like the majority of ponies she was pacifistic in nature. Which was why, in her wisdom- whatever wisdom she actually had- she had realized that those ponies who could fight on the behalf of those who couldn't were all the more to be respected. Swan wouldn't have been the mare to rectify a lack of respect for the military, but she was glad she was speaking to a stallion who was the mare right now. Wait, what?[/colour]

[colour=#ffd700]"And having exchanged with the Princess, no less. For how little this museum seems to attract patrons from the wealthy of Canterlot, you have done some very important things! No offense, I am just saying what the truth is. To be honest, I would not be here on any other business. What do you feel about that? That your museum is not appealing to such a large demographic?" [/colour][colour=#000000]Swan smiled apologetically at the good Doctor. [/colour]

[Bellosh]

[colour=#ff6666]“Eh, heh heh,”[/colour] Spin Tale embarrassedly tried to correct Swan Dive while rubbing his neck with his forehoof; [colour=#ff6666]“I’m not really that type of pony actually; I’m just a humble curator. If you really want to look for such ponies, I can at least provide you a list of veterans’ organizations when we’re finished.”[/colour]

Slowly making his way towards the portal to the next room, Dr. Tale held back a wince upon hearing Ms Dive’s next question. True, the Canterlot elite didn’t swarm his establishment like they would for a trendy art museum, but the same could be said for any niche museum in the city that laid off the beaten “trail”. It wouldn’t do to leave Ms Dive (and by extension, her readers) with the impression that the upper crust of Equestrian society purposefully shunned his museum. The doctor would have to put a positive spin to this situation… and his parents didn’t give him the name Spin for nothing.

Summoning a smile, Dr. Tale gave his explanation; [colour=#ff6666]“Hmmm, you have to understand that this is a small non-profit establishment, and as such we don’t necessarily have the ability to advertise our presence the way the major the trendy and touristy places can. Therefore, most of our patrons come here thanks to word of mouth… you being here is proof enough that it’s effective!”[/colour]

Taking a few seconds to laugh at his joke, Spin then kept on talking with zeal; [colour=#ff6666]“Anyway, to be honest, I don’t keep statistics of the sorts of ponies that come here. I don’t really consider all of that relevant; I value the patronage of all ponies equally. I believe that if anypony’s historical imagination is sparked the right way, then any sort of history will appeal to them, no matter who that pony happens to be.”[/colour]