//------------------------------// // The Spa and Generosity // Story: The Tale of Saving Grace // by Cold Spike //------------------------------// Night Shade and Grace were sent home, the latter being forced to carry Shade on her back. After putting him to bed she thanked everypony for being his friend and Fluttershy and then went their separate ways. Half way to her cottage, Fluttershy panicked. “Oh shoot! I was supposed to go to the spa with Rarity and Twilight today!” She flew up in the air, panting as she went. She had never been much for flying, she wasn't like her friend. Arriving she looked to be exhausted when she entered the spa. "Fluttershy? Are you okay?" Her neck craned up to spot Twilight staring down with concern. "Oh, Twilight yes. I'm sorry I almost forgot about our spa day so I hurried over..." "Oh, that's okay. Rarity's just waiting inside." "Good." She breathed a heavy sigh of relief and ten minutes in they were all soaking in one large bath. "So Fluttershy dear, what have you been up to lately?" "Well, I have been helping out my new friend, Saving Grace." Who has a changeling friend...I hope Sweetie Belle didn't say anything. "Oh? Who is that?" "She's a filly, Grace offered to make Fluttershy a bird feeder just for being friends. She's very smart too, I offered her a history lesson and she enjoyed it!" Twilight added. "Well that certainly sounds generous of her. When can I meet her? She may just be a filly but...Wait is she enrolled in school?" "Oh well, she's home schooled. Right Fluttershy?" "Right." More like self-schooled, oh I hate lying to my friends! "By her father?" Twilight furrowed her brow. "Well, we think so. She mentioned that she lives with a stallion named Night Shade, have you met him yet Fluttershy?" "Oh yes, and he's very polite." "Is he her dad?" "No, just someone that takes care of her." Another lie, it seemed to be the other way around but there was silver lining in that both seemed to take care of one another to an extent. "Oh?" Twilight questioned. Fluttershy panicked slightly. "Um, yes. It's a long story, and she did tell me but..." She looked over at her friends, both seemed to be hanging on her every word. "But what dear?" "Well she didn't exactly promise me not to tell, but I'm not quite sure it's my place to." "Well if it's personal then it’s okay to stay quiet.." Twilight almost muttered. "Well, I don't think it's personal. When she described how she came to be in the forest-" "She lives in the Everfree?!" Rarity nearly screamed. "No! They live at a campsite in the White Tail Woods." "Oh, sorry..." "It's fine. Anyway, when she told me how they came to be there, she claimed that they were happy. And she was happy to be away from her parents..." The last word almost coming off as distasteful. "Did they abuse her?" Twilight had to roll her eyes at the theatrics of her unicorn friend. "Oh no, nothing like that. And trust me I looked for the signs just in case..." "Do you think we could meet them?" Fluttershy looked between her two friends. She wanted to scream no to both, but for separate reasons entirely. For one, if she agreed to let Twilight meet Night Shade, it would probably all be over. And for Rarity, it was getting around having to tell her that a changeling was in love with her little sister. "Well Night Shade gets really busy girls, I'm sorry. But I don't see why Grace can't meet you Rarity." "Splendid! You can introduce us then." "Sure!" Fluttershy felt relieved to keep the conversation away from Night Shade. ‘Perhaps I better see Grace alone, I need to see for myself if this Night Shade is real.’ Twilight's thoughts had lingered for a while. In truth she had a few suspicions about Grace and Fluttershy's nervous actions just sealed the deal. Night Shade wasn't real, or at least that was Twilight's theory. If she was right, then there was a little filly out there by herself and that needed to be fixed. She just hoped she was doing the right thing. The three mares parted ways but between Fluttershy and Rarity, they had planned to meet up at her boutique for some tea. Twilight had silently planned to confront Grace at her campsite later that night. She felt nervous that she would scare the filly but it felt like she was doing the right thing, plus there was always the possibility of her being wrong. Rarity was waiting inside her boutique, she had brewed tea and was eager to meet the little filly. She always enjoyed new guests and friends despite their age. So she was surprised when the door flung open and in walked Fluttershy and two small fillies, twins. "Fluttershy, uhhhh, what?" Her brain blinking out of existence for a mere second. She assumed twins at first but then she caught wind of both of their cutie marks, it was nearly impossible to have the same one. "Um, Rarity can you make us a promise?" "What kind of promise?" "A big one, bigger than a Pinkie Promise..." "Alright, but what?" She questioned while never taking her eyes off of the pair. "That you won't scream, freak out or hit somepony." "Why in Celestia's name would I ever hit somepony?!" "Well, what if they weren't a pony?" "Still, Fluttershy what is this about?" "Just promise please?" So she did and waited for a while. Fluttershy then gave one of the Grace's a comforting smile and waited. He then sighed and changed back into his true form. Fluttershy out of the three expected her to faint. Night Shade expected screaming and Grace expected both. But none of that ever came. "Explain." Her voice was cold, it was something that Fluttershy had never heard from her friend before, even when dealing with her younger sister. "Um-" "My name is Night Shade." He extended his black hoof after getting some silent encouragement from Grace. She stared at it for a while, as if it was going to harm her and then hesitantly shook it. "A pleasure to meet you." The changeling grinned and turned to Fluttershy. "Hey, she's nice too!" Rarity smiled back but turned to Fluttershy. "Perhaps you should explain, now!" "Oh right, but can we do it over tea." Rarity gave an exasperated snort. "Please?" "Very well." And so they all sat down while quietly sipping tea. "Um, I'm saving Grace by the way." "It's nice to meet you as well...So you and Night Shade are friends?" "Yep, he's my best friend. Nicest changeling you'll ever meet!" She figured going for total honestly at this point was their best bet. "You don't say. And how did you two meet Fluttershy?" "Well, I like to go around town and help others. My special talent is machines, so I build them or fix them. I had, um, never approached you Elements of Harmony before out of fear of getting Night Shade into trouble, no offense." "Well, none taken?" Rarity had no clue how to feel. "Right. Well I decided to help out Fluttershy and one thing led to another. She trusts Night Shade enough to introduce him to her friends like Rainbow Dash and Applejack." "They know?" Rarity turned to Fluttershy and she nodded. "And they're okay with him?" Another nod and a smile. "Well then I suppose I have no issues here. But what about Twilight?" All eyes shot open as they each shared nervous glances. To his credit, it was the changeling who spoke up. "You all were at that invasion, and I don't think Twilight would like me very much..." Rarity nodded with sympathy. "Well you don't know that for sure. You’re certainly much nicer than any other colt I have met on the spot. Wait, what about Pinkie?" "Well...Wouldn't she try to throw him a party or something?" Fluttershy asked. "...Good point. But if you described the situation to her and made sure she didn't, I'm sure it would be fine." Night Shade's ears perked up. "More friends?!" "Yes, I believe so. Just..." Rarity was searching her mind to find the right words. "Be careful Night Shade, Pinkie can be a bit spontaneous." "Huh?" "Random." "Ah." "Yes, well was this all? He just wanted friends?" "Well yeah! And I want them too!" Grace nearly demanded. "You don't have any?" "I do now, but before I would go around the town and help others but not really accept their friendship. Not before Night Shade could too!" "I see, well you won't have to worry about that now. Although I wouldn't advice that Night Shade go around the town in his changeling form." "But I can only copy..." He muttered. "What does he mean?" "Night Shade can only copy others, he's tried and tried to make his own form but it just won't work." "Hmmm, ideeeaaaaaaa! Wait, are you sure it doesn't work?" "Sometimes I could do it, but it never held for long." "Well can you change things about a copied form? Like say making Grace look more like a colt than a filly?" He sat there dumbfounded, Fluttershy and Grace knew that look and resisted the urge to groan. "I never thought of that." He quickly changed into Grace's form only this time he changed the shape of his body slightly and that of his face. He still looked like Grace but more of a brother. "But he still looks too much like me, won't that be suspicious with all the royal guards?" "And that is my idea! First off, you can remove her cutie mark right?" "I think so..." He concentrated and with a pop it was gone. "Good. And I can simply die that mane to another color, twin siblings instead of twins who look like clones." "That could work! Thanks Rarity!" "No problem darling. Come Night Shade." "But I-" "Come." She insisted, groaning he followed her into the back room. He returned with red colored hair. They also noticed his voice had changed back after some simple instruction from Rarity. "And now you can walk around the town without worrying." "Thanks!" He walked up and to her surprise gave her a hug. He was shocked too as they all giggled. They all went to leave, but Fluttershy caught Rarity muttering something about Sweetie Belle so she intervened. "Um Rarity?" "Oh yes dear?" "Sweetie Belle knows about him." "...WHAT?!" Fluttershy gave a sheepish smile and bolted from the boutique in a hurry.