A Muffin For Muffins

by BatwingCandlewaxxe


Progress Report Week 12

Progress Report Week 12
Still not doing much aside from studying. I did manage to get out long enough to go to Sugarcube Corner for muffins. Pinkie was there as usual, and laughingly chided me for not showing up more often. Rarity and Fluttershy arrived a few minutes later and stopped to chat. Rarity mentioned that I looked a little frazzled, and that my coat and mane were in bad shape. I said I was just spending so much time studying and working out with Rainbow Dash that I didn't really think about much else. She insisted that, if I didn't have any tutoring scheduled for the rest of the day, I join her and Fluttershy at the spa. I tried to politely decline, since I was engrossed in my studies and had a bit of a headache (not a migraine, fortunately, just a little dehydrated); but she can be very convincing, almost frighteningly so.

Before I realized it, I was at the spa being groomed by a pair of the most beautiful ponies I'd ever seen. I think they were twins, what with their nearly-identical faces and mirror-image colouring. Had a hard time not staring at first. But they were very sweet, and I guess that they get a lot of attention like that. I think Rarity noticed me staring, because she gave me a look that I'm not sure how to interpret. Sort of... concerned and... slightly devious? Maybe 'calculating' is a better way to say it. Once we got to the steam room, she did ask if I was dating anypony, or if there was a particular mare or stallion I was interested in. I just told her that everything had happened so fast that I didn't really think about that sort of thing. I had never had those urges before, my estrus cycle was practically non-existent. I do have a bit more now, but my cycle is still fairly weak, weaker than it should be for a mare my age, and I'm really not sure that I'd know what to do with it even if it was stronger.

She insisted that if I did start getting interested in that sort of thing, that I would be more than welcome to stop and chat anytime I wanted advice, or just had questions. I did remind her that biology and sex education were included with everything else I've been taught in the last few weeks. She laughed politely and said that she was glad to hear it, and replied "But, of course, there are things that one simply cannot learn from books, after all." I laughed too, and said that I would be happy for any advice she could give me, should I start thinking along those lines. I would like to have a family of my own someday.

Fluttershy insisted, in her own quiet way, that Rarity not pressure me, and that she was sure that things would all work themselves out in their own way, in their own time. I am so lucky to have friends like them, they really are wonderful. I asked Fluttershy if I could stop by and spend some time with the animals again, and she said that I would be welcome any time. I should go up to the castle soon and see how Muffins is doing, since I didn't see her at all last week. Maybe I should ask Fluttershy about getting a pet mouse of my own. That would be nice, now that I'm intelligent and thoughtful enough to care for a pet. It would certainly be a nice break from studying.

After the steam room, we had a massage, followed by a grooming session — mane, tail, facial, hooficure, the works. The massage was to die for, as Rarity would say. At first it felt like they were pulling me apart, twisting all my joints out of place and folding my muscles and tendons like taffy; but once everything started to relax it felt just celestial. Training with Rainbow Dash still has me a bit stiff in the wings as well; but the masseur, although an Earth pony, was very sensitive and delicate, and quite experienced working on wings. They haven't felt that good since I started delivering mail full-time. I have got to do this again. The hooficure was nice too, but I'm usually not that fussy about my looks. They did discover a few cracks in my left rear hoof that the hooficurist insisted I should see a doctor about. Nothing seriously wrong, but a good idea to have it checked before it did become something serious. I have a checkup scheduled in a few days, so I'll bring it up then.

Rarity and Fluttershy went to get a mudbath before the hooficure; but I just couldn't work myself up to letting them cover me in that goop, so I went to the lounge to relax a bit. Ran into Roseluck there. She was very friendly. A lot of the other other ponies I used to talk to when I was a mailmare have been avoiding me. I think the drastic changes in my intelligence and personality make them uncomfortable. I can't say that I blame them, necessarily; it is a little discomfiting to me as well, but seeing the way they react still makes me feel bad. Roseluck isn't like that, though, she's been very friendly the few times I've stopped to talk to her. We passed the time chatting about my studies, her business, and just our lives in general. I felt really comfortable around her. I think I would like her as a friend.

I went off with Rarity and Fluttershy after that, and all four of us met up later in the hot tub for a good soak. I made plans to meet up with Roseluck for lunch in a few days. It will be nice having a friend outside the castle and Princess Twilight's circle. Not that I don't like them, but it feels a little bit like they're only friends with me because of the Princess. (Except Pinkie Pie, of course; she's friends with everypony, more or less.) It's nice to make a friend all on my own.

When the spa day was over, Rarity tried to pay for me as well as herself and Fluttershy; but I've saved up a tidy little sum from my stipend, so I insisted on paying for part of it myself. I would have paid for the whole thing, but it was a bit more than my budget would permit; and she insisted on doing so since she invited me along. She's awfully nice, and very generous; but I just wouldn't feel right letting her pay for the whole thing, and I think she understood why. Particularly after I started getting a bit anxious at being pressured. I definitely could not afford to come here as often as she does, but I think I might consider stopping in every other weekend for a simple grooming and massage. Especially the massage. I can afford that if I don't overdo it. It did definitely help my headache; I hadn't realized how tense I had become from all the studying. It does feel good to look good too, Rarity was right about that. Even the Princess goes on occasion, whenever her duties allow. Maybe she'll let me go with her next time, and we can chat about my studies in a more casual and relaxed environment for a change. That would be nice.

When I got home (it's still strange to think of the castle as my home now), I went back and re-read all my previous progress reports, and was stunned at the speed at which the change occurred. I think the Princess was too, based on some of the remarks I've heard her make when reading the previous week's reports. The progression is interesting as well. Something about it struck me, but I can't really say what. I'll have to think about that a bit. In the meantime, I've gotten a start on learning Early Equestrian. According to Twilight, it's based mostly on Late Unicornian, with a bit of Middle Pegasic. Aside from a few loanwords, not much of of pre-Equestrian Terran survived, as they were not a particularly literate culture. That's a shame. Maybe they have some oral traditions I can look into. More inspiration for my own writing, once I finally get a start on that.