//-----------------------------
// Story: Off the Beaten Path
// Chapter: Spa Day
// Author: PingSquirrel
// Editor: norMLPerson
//-----------------------------
13.
The streets seemed a little less inviting this afternoon. I was still feeling pretty good from the dodge of a bad situation I just pulled off, but ponies were parting around me and giving me little glances as I walked towards Bon-Bon's kitchen. It even occurred to me that it happened when I made the dash to the Glade earlier, but I was simply not paying it any attention. It was getting ridiculous when the mare with the garbage cart crossed the street to go around me though, and that made me set out to find out what was wrong. I walked to the first store I could find with one of those large windows and looked at my reflection on the glass.
I didn't look that bad. I did need a bath. My yellow pelt was stained with dust, grime, and grease, and my nose had a bit of dry blood on it, but it wasn't intolerable. I would also be the first to admitt that I was a little 'fresh' smelling from the runs I had done today, and the lack of bathing, but I couldn't smell it so it couldn't be that bad. I took off my hat (which needed a wash too) and inspected my mane next and determined that it wasn't anything a little soap and a comb couldn't fix.
“Oh, you poor deary. Get yerself somethin' ta eat,” came a matronly voice from behind me and when I turned to face the senior green mare with her silver mane in a bun, she deposited several bits into my hat.
“What? Oh, I'm not pan-handling here or anything, I'm just-,” I stammered before she stopped me with a little shush.
“Doncha worry none about it. We all had rough times.” She didn't wait for me to even reply before she moved on to continue on her day.
I was left with a bit of extra coin and an irrefutable conclusion that I really did look terrible. I should go to that spa right away to clean up and hope my client would forgive me for being a day late in getting everything completed. I just started to feel like I was getting some traction in this town, and the last thing I needed to do was to derail it by getting a new reputation as the crazy stallion that lived outside of town.
“Thank you, Ma'am,” I called after the elderly mare. I don't think she heard, but at least I tried to be polite, then started in the direction of the spa. After running through Ponyville a few times, you've pretty much seen everything. I have been in smaller towns, but this was a far cry from the city I came from, so I'd be ashamed of myself if I couldn't navigate this place by the end of the week.
The place was literally called the Day Spa, and was a comfortable little building, though as soon as I stepped through the door of the place, it was clear stallions generally did not come here. The assault of scents, perfumes, and humidity was an immediate indication that I was in the right place, but if I thought the rest of the world was pastel, I was mistaken. This place was entirely in the softer hues. Maybe it was something to relax their usual customers with but it was an affront to my masculinity.
The chime over the door let the workers here they had a new customer and a blue mare with a pink mane poked her head out from one of the displays and blinked twice at me. It would seem that I had caught her off guard. Maybe they didn't get many stallions here, or at least ponies that looked like me. “Welcome to the Day Spa. I am Lotus. How can I be of service?” Her accent was similar to Merlot's in that it was somewhat European sounding.
“I am just looking for a bath. Nothing more,” I answered as I made my way to the front desk and placed the coins that were just given to me on the counter. “Don't need anything else.”
She looked me over and wrinkled her nose up. “Oh. We can accommodate that, and more, sir. Maybe, you would like a massage afterwards?” she suggested, and it certainly did tempt me to take the mare up on it. I was still a bit tender from the fall earlier in the day, but the idea of hooves being pressed all over my body didn't appeal very much.
“Not needed. Just a bath with a lot of soap and really hot water will do, but if it works out, I'll likely be here a few more times before I get settled in around here, so you'll see me again.” If there was one thing that a good salespony should value more than an up-sell, it was repeat business. It was enough because she smiled at me and nodded.
“Then come this way,” she answered and motioned me to the back room were it was simply one communal room. It made sense that everypony shared one room because it was quite clear that ponies didn't have any problem with nudity, but at least I did see several curtains that could be pulled out for those that wanted at least a little privacy. While she drew the bath, I looked over the room with its saunas off to a side, a large tub like pool for communal bathing, and what seemed to be a farrier’s station complete with hammers, sheers for use on hooves, and an anvil. That made me chuckle, but I'd guess some ponies were shod, so it would make sense for the spa to have the tools to take care of hooves with them.
“It's ready,” she stated before I could reflect on the skills a spa-pony would need, and I took off the only bit of clothing I had; that old, beat-up and stained ball cap to move in. I have been pretty much bare the entire time I have been here, but now I feel modest. Bathing was still something private, so after I thanked her, I pulled the curtains shut and settled into the water.
It had been years since I had taken a proper bath, but sinking into that comfortably hot, soapy water made me regret that fact. Maybe it was the salts that I saw the mare add, or simply the heat that surrounded me, but the water felt great and helped to soothe the aches I had from the fall. The warmth cut right through my aches and did wonders to relax my muscles. I didn't realize I had become so tensed up over the last few days thanks to the stress, but apparently I was just a ball of tension. That mare knew what she was doing, and I absolutely would have to do this again. After I took care of cleaning the dust and grime from myself, I laid on my belly with my head resting on the padded side to enjoy the water and the quiet. I could stay here forever. Or, at least until the water cooled. I let the time pass.
“The usual,” I heard faintly from the front of the room in a familiar voice that I had first heard in the library a couple of days ago. That was followed by a trio of mares being lead towards where I was. As they got closer, I became very thankful that I had already pulled the curtains shut.
“W-we should be with Twilight,” came a meek voice. I couldn't see the owner of it but it too was familiar to me. I wanted to say it was from the hospital. “What if she wakes up, and nopony is there?”
“I know, Fluttershy, but you have been spending every moment there,” the accented voice replied, “You need some time to take care of yourself too. Right now, Twilight just needs time and rest more than anything, and as much as it pains me to say it, none of us can help with that.”
I was never one to eavesdrop, but this fell right into my hooves. Besides, things might get awkward of I let them know I was here.
“I guess so,” the meek one replied again in that wispy voice of hers. I could tell just by the tone that she was half convinced at best.
“It will be just a couple more days, dear. You just have to be strong until then, and Twilight will be back on her hooves!”
“You don't know that for sure.” That sounded like the preamble to tears from how she squeaked.
“Come on, Fluttershy. No more crying today,” the cultured voice said encouragingly. “Let's just try to enjoy our day as best we can. We want to look our best for her when she does wake up, after all.” The sound of the pair entering into the water followed. I had a pang of guilt hit me for my stealthy reconnaissance, but I did pay for this bath and they were talking freely without a care about the possibility that there was another pony around. If they talked, I couldn't be to blame. Of course, as soon as I convinced myself that it was alright, the room went silent again except for the occasional splashes of water and the moving of bottles. It was a very pained pause that even I could feel.
The pause continued until Rarity spoke up again. “So. I saw the stallion yesterday when I visited Spike. He is going by 'Scriber' now. He seemed very... Normal. I was expecting an uncouth brute, but he was there, just reading history books.”
“I know.”
“How do you know?”
“Applejack told me that he was there. She spoke with him last night. She says he is a 'mite bitter and doubtful at the world'. But she also says he doesn't want to hurt anypony.” I nearly wanted to cheer aloud to hear that I had an advocate, but that would blow my cover.
“I think I am inclined to believe that, but I still want to talk with him. I might not be able to spot a lie like Applejack, but I still want a chance to hear it from him.”
“I don't want to see him.”
“Why not?” That caught me off-guard. Maybe I was getting my hopes up too much by thinking that they would all come around that fast. Either way, that made me curious enough to part my curtain enough to look at the pair through a little slit. The yellow pegasus and the white unicorn were in the large communal pool in the centre of the room, talking and enjoying the soak as much as circumstance might allow. Neither looked truly happy.
“Didn't you see what he was in? That thing was scary and loud! It was screaming even. How can a good pony be in something like that?” It would appear the choice of music I had on did not leave the best impression. Even now, she looked scared to remember, but she also looked rather cute with her pink, wet mane still looking perfect as it cascaded over her face.
“I hardly think we can blame him for that. He wasn't making that noise,” came my defense by the other mare, with that glossy pelt that was in the process of being washed so it was all slicked down to her flawless figure. She must preen constantly to be such a vision of perfection. Diamonds like hers would need constant attention, after all.
“I guess,” that little yellow mare replied, turning her gaze down. The poor filly looked so unsure and frightened. I'd love to wrap my hooves around her and pull her- Wait! What the heck am I thinking? I realized I was not only staring, I was breathing a little heavier as I spied on the beautiful, wet mares with their- Stop it! I jerked right back, causing a little splash of water in my tub.
With the curtain closed again, I gathered my thoughts, the first of which was, “Et tu, libido?”
“Is somepony there?” Rarity asked in my direction. I was busted, so I crafted a quick plan.
“Mmm, yeah?” I replied as if I was just waking up. I stretched and stood up to lend the story a little veracity. “Must have fell asleep there.”
“Scriber? Is that you over there?” Rarity asked again. I opened the curtain fully at that point to see the white mare looking in my direction and the yellow one hiding the best she could in the corner of the tub. Of course, the two still looked very attractive but I was doing my very best to ignore that part of my brain. There was no need to make things more complicated than they were already. “I didn't think you were one to come to a spa.”
“Normally, I wouldn't be, but I don't have a bath back at my truck, so I'm making due,” I returned as I tried to look as casual as I could without staring at the mares again. That was something I never thought I'd need to do in my life, but here we are. “You're not about to yell at me, are you?”
“I really shouldn't have done that. A proper lady has to keep her composure at all times, after all. I am sorry, and I hope you accept my apology.” She even gave me a little bow of her head. I found myself actively avoiding looking at her horn as it was presented in the motion. Her friend was still entirely silent and barely looking at me, and when she did, it was in the shortest of glances in my direction.
“Thank you. The both of you,“ said, then I looked away again before I started staring again. Why was I even staring in the first place? Especially since it would be mortifying if either of them caught me doing it, and that was something I really didn't want to deal with right now. To avoid it, I did what anypoiny might do; change the subject. “I thought you said that Twilight is doing alright; How is she?”
“According to the doctors she is doing better. She might even wake up in a day or two more. I imagine you want to talk with her after what happened.”
By then I was out of the tub and working a towel around myself to dry off while still trying to fight the urge to ogle the two. Seriously, when did this switch flip over in my head. A little more warning would've been nice! “Oh, that's good, but, I'd like the chance to speak with all of you at some point. I really don't want to go about my time here, knowing that there are ponies that outright hate me.”
While we talked, I could see that Fluttershy was doing her best to vanish into the water to hide from me, and she hadn't made so much as a peep in my direction. I wasn't about to force it. “Is she alright?” There was a little muffled squeak from the yellow mare at the mention of her.
“You'll have to forgive her. She's rather shy.” That much was obvious.
“How about this, then? I'll leave you two to your day at the spa ,and we can meet later for lunch to work out our differences,” I offered. Hopefully, the break might allow me to get a hold of some of my baser instincts so I wouldn't make a fool of myself as well.
A voice spoke up behind me in time with a poke to my side. “Are you done, sir? For a nominal fee, we can give you a massage before you go.” I whipped around and the inverse of the first spa worker was there. Same colours, but she was a pink pony with a blue mane. And the idea of a mare pressing her hooves against me had so much more appeal now. Maybe I would-
“No! No, thank you! It's really alright,” I stammered as I jumped back from her. “Really. Um, Rarity. I'll be at the library tomorrow to get those books. We can work the details then, eh?”
“Well, that won't work for me at all. I have a fitting to do tomorrow. But, why don't you just wait out front and we can join you after we are done here." Her face then lit up. "Or, even better yet, go ahead and have the massage! They are very enjoyable, Scriber.” She went step further and looked to the spa worker. “Put it on my account, darling.”
I couldn't turn an offer like that down, so I bowed my head to the mare. “Um, thank you.” Seems I had a lunch date I couldn't refuse. Or at least an early dinner date. “Can we go to a private room for the massage?” I had to get away from the pair of wet mares and the thoughts they were provoking in my head. I shouldn't be thinking of them this way at all, and was mildly disturbed that I found them even a bit attractive in such a way.
“Of course, sir. Right this way,” she said, and she lead the way towards the private room.
As we went, I swear I heard Rarity say something like, “He cannot be all that bad. Didn't you see how he couldn't keep his eyes off of me?”
Smooth, Scriber. Smooth.