The day of the field trip dawned bright and clear, and the students in Scootaloo's class were lined up eagerly for the field trip as soon as Sebastian arrived to lead it. "Well, aren't you all eager," he murmured softly, his eyes narrowed somewhat wickedly. "Well, come along all of you. Remember, be on your best behavior, and don't cause a ruckus." He pretended not to notice Scootaloo and her two friends bursting into giggles.
Sebastian then turned to Diamond Tiara. "You will remain in class until our return, catching up on your assignments," he stated, coldly but not cruelly. "As I said, I have arranged for someone to be here to oversee your work, and I expect you to pay him your utmost respect." He turned as Big Macintosh approached. "I'm glad you could be here so early, Mr. Macintosh. Slow day on the farm?"
"Eeyup."
"Will you be needing anything to help keep her in line?"
"Eenope."
"Do you feel comfortable offering assistance if needed?"
"Eeyup."
Sebastian nodded, then turned to Diamond Tiara. "The assignments you are to catch up on today are mathematics. As Mr. Macintosh is especially skilled in this area, feel free to ask him for assistance on any areas you don't understand."
Diamond Tiara nodded slowly. As she turned towards the classroom, Silver Spoon startled everyone by calling out, "Excuse me...Sebastian?"
Sebastian turned to the grey filly. "Yes?" he asked carefully.
"Would it be okay if I stayed back with Diamond Tiara?"
As everyone - Diamond Tiara included - turned to stare at Silver Spoon in shock, Sebastian narrowed his eyes. "Why? Your assignments are all completed and on time, often early. You have no reason not to attend the field trip."
Silver Spoon shrugged, wilting a little under the attention. "It's just...I wouldn't feel right leaving Diamond Tiara all alone while we were all having fun. She's my friend..." Unsure how else to express or explain herself, she fell silent.
Sebastian stared at Silver Spoon for a time, then turned towards Diamond Tiara. "Loyalty such as this is rare to find, cannot be bought, and more precious than any gem. Treasure this bond." He then turned back to Silver Spoon and nodded. "Permission granted. Be sure to obey Big Macintosh while in the classroom, and do not disturb Diamond Tiara's work."
Silver Spoon nodded eagerly, smiling widely as she rushed to Diamond Tiara's side. As Big Macintosh led the pair of fillies back into the school, Sebastian turned and led the rest of his class towards the Ponyville Day Spa.
As the group approached the spa, Scootaloo kept her eye open to take in as many details as she could, doing her best to make sure she didn't go in blind. The first thing she noticed was a brand new wing of the Spa colored blue. "...that's new," she observed idly.
"That's the new Relaxation Wing," Sweetie Belle piped up. "Some entrepreneur from the Far East who's a friend of the Blossom family showed up with a new business model he wanted to try as an attachment to a spa, and they let him set it up. I don't know what it is, but Rarity has tried it a few times and come home kind of...weird."
"Weird how?" Scootaloo pressed quickly.
"She was acting...a little loopy," Sweetie Belle explained. "Real giggly, and she creates a lot of designs when she's like that...ones she seems completely revolted by the next day. It's why she doesn't get that treatment every time she goes to the spa. She's not going today." She blinked, glancing towards Scootaloo. "Why?"
"I think I've just found the subject of my investigation," Scootaloo murmured softly. "Hope I don't bump into anyone I know as Scootaloo while investigating. I don't suppose we'll be touring that part?"
Apple Bloom shook her head. "When that wing first went up, Applejack went nosin' around. Found out there's a strict 'no kids' policy for that wing, beyond just what the rest of the spa has as far as what treatments ya get. After that, she flat out refused ta go in there at all."
Nodding, Scootaloo walked along with the class as Sebastian droned on regarding the Spa as though he were giving a very dry tour, waiting for her opportunity to make her move. Thankfully, that opportunity presented itself as the tour moved on. "And this is the hot tub area," Sebastian continued, "where patrons can relax their cares away with hot water, jets, and some herbal aromatherapy treatments-"
"Hi Rarity!" Sweetie Belle squeaked out, rushing forward to where Rarity was in the water relaxing.
"Sweetie Belle!" Rarity yelped out in surprise. "I thought you said your class's tour wasn't until 2!"
"Oops!" Sweetie Belle offered innocently. "I got that wrong. The tour ends at 2."
"Well that's just-"
"Cannonball!" Apple Bloom screamed out, charging forward and leaping into the water with a huge splash.
The distraction was better than Scootaloo could have hoped. Not only did Rarity scream in frustration, every other student immediately began following Apple Bloom's example, as Sebastian simply watched on. If Scootaloo didn't know better, she'd think he was completely stupefied. As the chaos unfolded and spa attendants rushed in to try (futilely) to get things under control, Scootaloo slipped off to the blue wing.
As she reached the door to the area, it opened before she could reach the handle. The figure that stepped out was most unusual. It stood on two legs like a Diamond Dog, but had distinctively feline characteristics. It was lithe bodied, covered in blue fur, and its tail forked halfway down its length into a split-tail. As the figure turned towards her, its eyes closed to the barest slit to the point Scootaloo had trouble telling they were blue, she recognized it as a Nekomata, a rather persnickety race of tricksters from the Far East...though this one she recognized, and recognized her. "Ah, Sunrise," he offered softly, his voice oddly jovial. "I do hope you're here officially, as you're simply too young for my services."
"Lán èr(1)," Scootaloo responded coldly. "You know I'm here officially. You know how the Royals feel about your...enterprises here in Equestria."
"But of course," Lán èr confirmed with a playful bow. "They do not approve of the sale of potentially addictive or harmful substances to their little ponies, and I would never dream of flouting their authority in such a situation. I, of all creatures, would not want the Royal Watchdog on my tails." His eyes opened slightly as his smile vanished. "In all seriousness, My Lady, my condolences regarding your parents. Though not all the crossings of our paths were pleasant, I respected them greatly."
Scootaloo said nothing for a time. Eventually, she spoke again. "You said you aren't flouting their authority," she finally continued, moving past the painful topic. "Perhaps you'd care to explain your business venture?"
Once more, Lán èr's eyes closed and his playful smile returned. "But of course," he offered happily. "It is the will of the Royals here in Equestria that substances that could be addictive or harmful through overuse not be sold to the citizenry, and only be available to licensed medical clinics...and I quite agree. More often than not, possession of these products by those who would use them themselves leads to death through overuse, or worse symptoms...and that costs me customers. As such, I do not sell my product at all...only my services."
Scootaloo raised an eyebrow. "...explain."
"This wing of the spa is a properly licensed stress-relief clinic," Lán èr explained happily. "Customers come in, I provide them with controlled doses of my product and the means for them to use it, they do so here, and they go home happy. They can either bring someone to help them home, pay extra for one of my attendants not affected by the product's effects to guide them home, or rely on Pinkie Pie." His grin widened. "That last part is why I chose Ponyville as the first place to test this business model. She - and through her this whole town, I'd say - cares so much about everyone. I can't remember the last time I saw such a caring community."
"And...your controlled dosage ensures no one suffers any long term effects of using your products?" Scootaloo pressed.
"Absolutely," the playful Nekomata agreed. "I value my customers, after all. Even for a predator, it is far more economical in the long term to milk the cow over the course of years than to slaughter it for a few steaks." He paused. "Oh, forgive me if my metaphor distresses you."
Scootaloo shrugged it off. She'd heard it before. "And how did you get properly licensed?" she inquired curiously.
The infuriating feline chuckled as the doors behind him opened. "You can ask one of my customers," he offered playfully, his grin almost Cheshire wide.
"You were right, this was much more relaxing than a booksortcation," Twilight's voice said from within the smoky interior of the wing before she stepped out of the shadows. "And didn't take anywhere near as much time."
"As I said, Twilight," her companion explained, "very little affects alicorn physiology, so it can be quite difficult to find something that can truly relax you-oh!" The regal being turned towards Scootaloo in surprise. "I didn't expect to see you here."
"Scootaloo!" Twilight gasped out. "What are you doi-"
"Princess Celestia," Scootaloo interrupted, her voice respectful but cold.
Celestia sighed softly as she recognized the tone. "Sunrise..."
"Sunrise?" Twilight demanded in confusion.
"I'll explain later," Celestia stated quickly.
"Does your sister know you're here?" Scootaloo asked firmly.
"Of course she does," Celestia responded warmly. "We don't keep secrets from each other."
"Does she know why?" Scootaloo pressed.
"She does," Celestia confirmed. "I told her I'd be availing myself of Lán èr's services on occasion when I approved his clinic license."
"Does she approve?"
Celestia's eyes widened in sudden understanding, then narrowed crossly. "So that's why you're here," she stated flatly. "I'll have a talk with Luna about appropriate use of Royal Resources when I get back to Canterlot. My apologies for this inconvenience."
"Please do, Highness," Scootaloo responded bluntly. "The Wingshadow crest is a Cerberus, not a Newfoundland(2)." After a few moments, she smiled. "Still, can't really pull out until Cheerilee gets back from vacation."
"And that could be for a while," Celestia observed playfully. "Do rest up, Sunrise. You might need it."
Nodding, Scootaloo turned and made her way back to the other students, really not looking forward to the next time she bumped into Twilight.
(1) This is...a rather multi-layer play on words regarding who this character is an expy of from the manga/anime, and name meanings translated back and forth. I wonder if anyone will get it?
(2) And this obscure joke relates to Peter Pan, of all things.