//------------------------------// // The bath, the toilet and Siren vs. the shower // Story: Time never stands still // by Dradavar //------------------------------// Chapter 5 "I won't" the guard, the captain of the guard, called 'Shining Armor' suddenly states as we walk down the westwing hallways on the way to the guest rooms. "You won't what?" I ask confused. He stopps and turns around, his eyes filled with anger. "Trust you" he answers turning around again walking in front of me again. "Whatever" I say coldly, earning another irritated glare from Shining Armor, "I'm not here to make new friends anyway." "Not like I could anyway" I whisper. "What did you say?" Shining stopps again, a sinister look on his face. I sigh and shake my head, "nothing" I answer quickly, "not that it would be of your concern anyway" I add. Shining Armor turns around again, scoffing he walks forward. We are now close to the hallway where my fight with Skull was. Shining suddenly stopps, peaking his ears. "What is going on there?" he asks no one. I follow his gaze and see a few guards, trying in vain to pull something out of the ground. I giggle, making Shining turn around with another sinister glare, "what's so funny?" he asks angrily. I look into his eyes. And smile. "Nothing" I walk past him, to the group of guards. "Where you going?" he asks. I sigh and look back, "geeting what belongs to me" I answer. Shining raises his brows and quickens his step to follow me. By the guards I see exactly what I expected. The guardsponies were trying to pull out Garnjiel out of the ground, making it not even move an inch. The guard now, huffing and puffing was pulling at the hilt, standing on his hindlegs he also used his fronthooves, trying to do what his comrades couldn't. He slips and lands, much to his comrades amusement, on his haunches. "Buck this!" he jumps back up bucking the blade. I clear my throat, making the guards turn around to me, "Gentlecolts, would you be so nice and let me have a try?" "What do you want maid?" the grumpy guard who just failed asks furiously, "do you really think you're stronger than us? This is nothing of your concern, go back to work!" I giggle, making him raise his brows in irritation. "Good sirs" I purr, "not everything can be handled with strength. Sometimes you need wits" I give them a warm smile, making atleast two of the guards blush. "Whatever" the guard scoffs, "don't tell us we didn't warn you if you hurt yourself" he grins, walking away from the blade. "Thank you" I answer with another smile and walk up to the blade. 'Let's see if I'm still that good' I think mischievously. I walk at the blade and pull at the hilt, with all my 'strength', earning a few laughs from the guards. Working up a sweat now I try everything to move the blade, but as before she's not moving an inch. Some of the guards, red as a potato, were turning away or shifting awkwardly as I twist and turn my body getting even sweatier. I grin salacious. "Okay, you had your fun" the grumpy guard walks forward, he was also wearing a faint blush. I shake my head and look at him with my best puppy eyes, "please!" I beg, "one last try." His heart melts in my hooves, he shruggs, "one last try" he states. 'Well then, the fun is over' I think and start to grin. Grabbing Garnjiels hilt in my mouth I pull. This time with all of my strength. The eyes of the guards widen as the blade starts to move, geeting easily out of the marble. Standing on my backlegs now I pull the blade completly out of the marble with a scratching sound. Hauling it on my back, it's inherent magic surrounding itself and my body, sheathing it. The guards stand there, a surprised look on their faces, I giggle again, a cute girlish giggle. "Whoopsy!" I state, still sounding like a little girl, "does this mean I can keep it?" I purr. No pony answers. Till... "You had your fun" Shining was standing between the guards, also grinning, as they notice their captain they all jump in line, saluting. "Owww" I answer, "you spoilsport!" The grumpy guard from before takes a step forward and salutes again. "Captain, may I ask what is going on?" he asks a stiff tone in his voice. Shining Armor shakes his head, "she fooled you all" he answers still grinning now facehoofing, "she is the owner of the sword, she is the one who drove it into the marble to begin with, of course she can pull it out" the eyes of the guards widen and they look at me with surprise, the grumpy guard looking rather angry. I shake my head and walk to Shining Armor, "you really are a spoilsport" giving him a disappointend glare, "telling them everything! Now they won't get tricked anymore!" my voice lascivious and I'm still faking the cute little girl image. He closes his eyes, turning around he walks down the hallway, "we have no time for this childsplay." "Sorry guys, playtimes over" I wink at them, "maybe next time I let you win?" I grin, making most of them blush again. Down the hallway Shining Armor waits for me, "do you really need to tease the recruits?" "It was fun at my time and is still funny at this time" I giggle. "Whatever" Shining Armor states, shaking his head. "You're boring" I answer. He shruggs and starts to walk, ignoring me now. The rest of the walk to the guestrooms was rather boring, we walked into the east wing, up a staircase and through more hallways. We stopped in front of a dark dark, made of heavy cherrywood. "This is your room while you're staying" he says turning around to me, "the maids will come every day cleaning the room, the bath and everything else. If you get hungry you can either go to the cafeteria or ask the maidens if they will bring you something" he opens one of his eyes, "and while you're here, please stop trying to seduce my soldiers" he states coldly before he turns away, walking down the hallway again. "You're boring!" I shout after him. He stopps and turns around, I swear I can see him grinning and his voice is filled with amusement too. "You only say that because you like me!" he answers. I'm dumbstruck, not expecting such an answer. I blush, "does not!" I shout after him, sticking out my tongue. Turning around I still wear a faint blush as I open the door and walk into.... A palace. The room is big and has a high ceiling, the walls made of beautiful speckled marble. The floor was made of a fluffy dark blue carpet and the whole furniture was made of dark cherrywood polished to a sheen. I rush in, throwing Garnjiel to the ground. The bed was the highlight, it was gigantic. Big enough to let three Celestias have enough space to sleep in it comfortably. Dumbstruck by the sheer beauty of the room I notice a smaller door to the right side of the bed. Curiousity getting the best of me, I open the door and walk inside. The room was smaller and also white. But the walls in here are apparently made of tiles, also the floor. A sink made of white porcelain was on the left side of the room, two little wheels on the floor to adjust the temperature, nothing special. I turn to the right side of the room... 'Now I am confused' I think. Walking closer, I notice a small ledge on the floor, not high, maybe 5 centimeters but still noticable. And in the middle of it was a hole, big enough for my hindleg to disappear in it. 'What's that supposed to be?' I look at it, leaning closer to it I look into the dark hole. A soft knock behind me startles me and I turn around. "Miss" the maid asks, a few towels on her back and concern on her face, "are you not feeling well?" I shake my head, "No, no I'm fine" I look back at the hole in the ground. I blush, I don't know why but I do as I turn around looking at the maid, "what is this hole in the ground?" I ask quietly. Her face, the concern disappeared, was now showing confusion, "It's a toilet" she answer. "What's a toilet?" I ask curiously, still a faint blush on my face. "Well it's... ah..." she blushes now too. Not sure how to explain it she walks closer and whispers its purpose into my ear. "Oh" I blush harder now, the maid returning to a more fitting distance. I shake my head, trying to get the heat out of my face. I turn around, searching for something to distract myself as I notice something else strange. "And what is that?" I point at a little chamber made of translucent glass, the door open I notice a drain in the corner of it. She looks at where I'm pointing, still a little red in the face. She smiles, "that is a shower. It's a little seperate room in where you can clean yourself. The translucent glass is there so nopony can watch you" walking closer, I follow her, she point at some soaps and milky things in bottles. "Here is soap and shampoo." "What is shampoo?" I ask enthusiastic. "It's a liquid form of soap" she explains, "see?" she picks up a bottle with a peach coloured liquid in it and turns the bottle, showing me how the liquid flows out, slowly dripping into the 'shower', "It's easier to clean yourself with this, you can let it dripp on your coat without having to hold the soap all the time, and you don't have to be scared to slip on the soap anymore" she puts the bottle back to it's place. "Interesting" I look at the 'shampoo', "so in the end... it's soap?" I ask with a sly grin. She nods, also smiling, "yes, it's just soap" she looks back into the shower, pointing at two wheels, about knee high, "those are the-" "Oh I know what these are" I interrupt her, still smiling. She nods. "Oh damned!" she suddenly gasps, "I'm very sorry miss but I have to go, I'm still at work" walking to a little cabinet, she puts the towels in it. After a quick bow she rushes out, closing the door quietly behind her. I'm still standing in this strange room, in front of the shower. "Interesting thing, this shower" I talk to myself. Smelling, I notice the scent of sweat. I look down at me, food stains, dust and dirt on my coat, bloodstains on my hooves. I turn back to the shower. "Well, while I'm at it" I shrugg, walking into the shower, I turn on the water, shrieking for a second as the water is too cold at first and too hot the next second. Twisting and turning I finally get the temperature right. Letting the water rush over my body I turn to the soaps. "Well, I'm in a shower, so while I'm at it I can try this 'shampoo'" I grin, turning of the water and grabbing the same bottle the maid showed me I smell at the liquid. It was a strong soapily scent but also something else, I go closer with my nostrils trying to recognise the scent. 'Maybe I can taste it?' I think to myself, looking at the liquid suspiciously. I open my mouth, ready to pour some onto my tongue, I stop, 'nah, I bet it tastes like every other soap" I sigh. 'No other choice' pouring some of the shampoo onto my mane and my coat, putting the bottle back to it's place, I rub the soap into my coat and my mane, foam was starting to cover me. I giggle 'not so bad, not bad at all' I think with pleasure. The water was warm, the soap was cleaning my coat making it feel all cozy, the scent of strawberries reaching my nostrils. I reach back up and pour more shampoo on my frontlegs, cleaning them too, especially the bloodstains on my hooves I had since the morning. Reaching back up again I pour even more on my flanks and on my tail, cleaning those too. Foam, foam everyhwere! I wanna giggle. But the giggle stopps even before it can escape my mouth. The was so much foam everyhwere that it was covering the wheels for the water, making it impossible for me to find them. I facehoof... and shriek, rubbing some shampoo into my eyes, now with my mouth open I stumble and slip, falling onto my back, making the bottle tilt over, some of it dripping down and right into my mouth. My eyes widen. This is not what I expected. It was tasting like strawberries. I cough. Strawberries and soap. I cough more. Nope, just soap. After getting back up and finally finding the wheels I turn the water back on. I shriek again. The water was cold, I turn the other wheel and shriek some more, as it's getting too hot. After a few seconds the water was back to the pleasant warmth, running over my body, destroying the foam. A pleasant sigh escaping my lips. After all the soap was out of my coat and hair, the foam mostly gone, I turn off the water. Dripping I turn around, looking at the glass door. I look at my hoof, okay clean, I facehoof, 'where do I open it again?' I look closer, searching for the knob. There was no knob, 'what the buck?' looking even closer, I finally notice the way to open it, a small notch. I pull at it and yes the door opens, finally. Still dripping wet I grab a towel and dry myself. After I'm done drying myself I look through the carbinet, finding a small soft brush, I smile and start grooming my coat. After I'm dry and groomed I walk out, seeing the big mirror in the corner of the room, I walk to it looking at the pony that' is reflected by the shiny surface. A rather big mare, a light rose coloured coat, a light green long mane with a darker skank running through it. I turn a little bit, looking at the rest of myself, the long virile backlegs, the strong back, the long tail, the same colour as my mane but missing the skank. My eyes wander back up, looking at my cutie mark. It was a rune, the same rune like the one on Garnjiel, the strange thing was, I had it since my birth, or to be precise since the moment it was sure I would survive. My mother told me that the rune was something very old, something the earth ponies of the Dark clan had used before Equestria was found and founded. The meaning of the rune is either "Guardian of the Souls" or "Soulless Guardian" which were the opposites of the same coin. She also told me that having this rune as cutie mark was a great honor. It meant I would be- I shake my head, getting my thoughts out of these dark memories. I sigh. Looking out of the window I notice that it was getting darker, I yawn. 'Time to get some sleep' I think all of a sudden tired. I walk to Garnjiel and lean it against the bedpost, were it would be in range. Slipping under the soft sheets I sigh as I lay down in the warmest, cuddliest bed that may exist. Closing my eyes with a smile, I stiffle the yawn. 'Nighty-night' I think to myself. Sleep didn't take long to overtake, sending me deep into the realms of my most cherished memories, memories of happy times. Memories with Anvil at my side.