Chapter 43: Bridlewood Spog
In Mane Melody, Pipp gives a shocked look as she is talking to somepony on her phone.
“Whaaaaaaaaat?!” Pipp cried out in shock, while Sunset and Izzy were next to her, Sunset just raised an eyebrow at Pipp’s reaction while Izzy gave Pipp a cheery smile and waved at her to get her attention. “What do you mean you lost the glimmerberry shampoo?!” She asked the pony on the phone in shock, apparently a product of glimmerberry shampoo was gone, which made Pipp have a nervous breakdown from that.
The pony on the phone gave a high-pitch response, since only Pipp could hear on her phone while Sunset and Izzy couldn't.
“Racoonicorns?!” Pipp asked in disbelief as another high-pitched tone appeared while Sunset and Izzy listened. “Attacked the trailer?!” She asked again as it gave another high-pitch response. “ATE IT ALL?!?” She asked in shock and disbelief about what happened to her product.
Sunset raised an eyebrow from that. “Okay, that’s ridiculous. There’s no way a racoonicorn is stupid enough to eat all that shampoo.” She said, thinking a racoonicorn eating all the glimmerberry shampoo is weird and strange.
Izzy looked out the window and saw the racoonicorn who ate all the glimmerberry shampoo walking by, with it’s belly bloated from the amount he ate as he belches out bubbles from the shampoo as it covered its mouth and sat on the floor.
Izzy gave a strange look at the racoonicorn, even she finds that weird from a creating eating a shampoo. “It definitely happened all right, Sunset.” She said to Sunset, seeing the real deal.
“Well, how am I supposed to do a product launch without any product?!” Pipp asked the pony on the phone in panic as it gave another high-pitched response, which was not good. “UGH!” She groaned in frustration as she pressed on her phone, ending the call as she paced back and forth. “Okay.” She started panting and sweating nervously. “Think, Pipp. Think.” She said to herself as she tried to think of another product idea.
Izzy then appeared next to Pipp excitedly with sparkles in her eyes. “Ah! I can help!” She said to Pipp.
Pipp didn’t hear Izzy as she took out her phone, and looked at the countdown while Izzy took a closer look at it as well, while appearing around it as Sunset looked from behind them. “Four hours 'til we launch. No time to make my own.” Pipp said, stating that she doesn’t have enough time to make her own products, since it takes longer to make than it needs to be.
“Yeah, knowing you when you make new products, it takes longer than it needs to be.” Sunset said in agreement, having experienced how Pipp makes her products and how long it takes to make them.
“I can help!” Izzy said to Pipp again with a smile.
Pipp didn’t hear Izzy again as she was biting her hoof nervously, but then gave an idea smile. “Wait! We just got a shipment of new hoof cream!” She said with a cheered smile with sparkles in her eyes. “I'll launch that instead!” She said with a smile.
Sunset tried to get Pipp to listen. “Pipp, Izzy is trying to tell you that…” She was cut off when Pipp didn’t hear her as Pipp opened the cabinet supplies door.
But once Pipp opens the door with a smile, she then gasps at what she’s seeing. “Izzy!” She cried out in shock.
Apparently, Izzy has used the hoof creams in the storage room, which she is using as paint on the walls as all the hoof creams are opened and some messy on Izzy, on some boxes and some on the floor.
“I mean, the mane's a little off.” Izzy said with a smile while looking at the hoof cream painting of Pipp she did with the hoof cream.
Sunset showed and saw this as she facehoof herself from this. “Izzy, when a pony already has a solution to their problems, don’t try to get rid of it just so you can show up your ideas!” She scolded.
Izzy flinched from Sunset’s scolding as she gave a sheepish smile. “I got a little carried away. Sorry.” She apologizes to both of them before facing Pipp. “But seriously, Pipp, I can help.” She said to Pipp, wanting to help her out.
Pipp sighs with a hoof on her head as she and Sunset walk towards Izzy. “Fine. Izzy, I need your help.” She said to Izzy.
Izzy smiled at the answer. “Awesome!” She cheered with a raise of her hoof, while Pipp was a little nervous while Sunset raised an eyebrow.
“Mind if I join along?” Sunset said, going to see what Izzy’s idea is.
“Sure thing Sunset!” Izzy answered with a smile. “Follow me! It's time for a day at the Bridlewood Spog!” She declared with a smile, which caught Sunset and Pipp’s attention, since they didn’t know Bridlewood had their own spa. “I'll grab us a couple of towels.” She said to them as she walked off to grab the towels for them.
“Bridlewood Spa?!” Pipp said with excitement and sparkles in her eyes as Izzy wiped the hoof cream off her with a towel.
“Didn’t know Bridlewood had one of those.” Sunset said in surprise, didn’t know Bridlewood had a spa.
“Ah!” Pipp yelled in excitement as Izzy twirled her towel in her hoof. “You never told me there was a Bridlewood Sp—” She was cut off when Izzy accidentally smacked the towel on Pipp’s face when she put it on her back. “Ow!” She called out in pain from the smack.
“Izzy, careful when you twirl a towel around.” Sunset called out.
Izzy sweat sheepishly from her mistake as she gave a sheepish smile. “Sorry! Come on!” She called out as she led the way as the three ponies exited Mane Melody.
Sometime later, the three ponies are in the forest of Bridlewood as Izzy leads the way to Bridlewood Spog.
Izzy gives an excited squeal as she leads the way for Pipp and Sunset. “Ooh! Okay. It's the best kept secret in all of Equestria. Feel the stress float out of your mane and calm seep into your hooves.” She said as she stopped, which Pipp and Sunset followed as she inhaled herself with a smile. “Here it is!” She excitedly said as she used her magic to move the bushes aside, to reveal a mud green like puddle that was bubbling.
Pipp and Sunset cringe at this while Izzy smiled at the sight. Pipp looked down as she saw a bubble forming in the pond as it popped. “Aah!” She cried out in startled, which caused her to flap her wings as she jumped back a bit. “This is Bridlewood Spa?” She questioned Izzy while having a gross out expression.
“Spa?” Izzy asked in confusion as she gave a small laugh as she spoke. “No, no-no-no! Spog! S-P-O-G! Spog!” She corrected Pipp as she spelled out the name.
“To be honest, Izzy, ‘Spog’ and ‘Spa’ do rhyme, which I can see the confusion me and Pipp just realize.” Sunset said, while feeling grossed out by this, they should really pay close attention to what Izzy said carefully.
“What is a spog?” Pipp asked in confusion.
“Yeah, we need more details about this, Izzy. We don’t know everything about Bridlewood yet, you know.” Sunset added, wanting to know as well.
“Oh, it's a special bog.” Izzy answered with a smile while pointing at the bog. “‘Bog’ because it's a bog, and "special" because it's special.” She said as she gave a smile and sparkles in her eyes as she placed a hoof on her cheek while Sunset and Pipp still look a little disturbed by this. “Come on, I'll give you both the tour.” She said happily as she skipped ahead.
Pipp and Sunset looked at each other as Sunset spoke. “To be honest, like that time when we went on that treasure hunt to find the rest of Sunny’s ancient blanket that somehow showed us, Bridlewood can be more surprises then it needs to be.” Sunset commented, knowing not to judge things quickly without trying them out.
“Yes, but still, this is a little disturbing.” Pipp said while looking at the bog in disgust.
“Compared to what Bridlewood showed us, it can be more surprising than ever.” Sunset commented as she walked off to catch up to Izzy.
“Good point.” Pipp said, seeing the point but still grossed out by the bog as the mud in it kept bubbling as she jumped a bit, and then ran off to catch up to Sunset and Izzy.
Pipp manages to catch up to them as a Unicorn elderly mare is relaxing in the bog with tomatoes in her eyes as Pipp spoke. “Look, Izzy, I appreciate the help and showing this to me and Sunset, but, um, bog mud isn't exactly on brand for Potions by Pipp.” She said as she shook off a piece of mud from her hoof as she pointed to herself with a small smile.
“Pipp, Izzy’s gone.” Sunset said while giving a boring expression that Izzy disappeared again during Pipp’s talking.
Pipp looked in shock at what Sunset just said as she looked at where Izzy used to be. “Izzy? Izzy?” She calls Izzy, wanting to know where she is.
“Seriously, how can that pony disappear like how Pinkie can?” Sunset questioned while looking around for Izzy. “But, knowing Izzy, she can reappear any moment now.” She added, knowing Izzy likes to pop up unexpectedly.
In one of the bog puddles, it started rumbling as it burst out, which caused both Pipp and Sunset to scream in shock and surprise from that.
But they soon realize that it's Izzy, because she starts babbling and she shakes the mud off her as she sighs in relaxation. “What are you two waiting for? Put some vegetables on your face and get in here!” She said to both Sunset and Pipp as she placed two carrot pieces on her eyes and layed back in the puddle.
Pipp and Sunset looked at each other, feeling a little grossed out as Sunset spoke. “Well, never judge a mud bath from its looks, as they always say.” Sunset said as she stepped into the mud puddle, which surprised her at how it felt. “It’s warm.” She said in surprise as she laid back as she sighs. “Hey, this does feel good.” She said with a relaxing smile.
“Told you!” Izzy cheered to Sunset as she turned to Pipp. “Come on, Pipp! Join us!” She waved to Pipp.
Pipp however was still grossed out as she spoke. “Ummmm... yeah, I just... I think this mud is, um…” She tried to say but didn't know what to say to them as she gave a nervous expression.
Izzy’s carrot eyes fell into the mud as she smiled. “Yeah, it's way too bubbly.” She said while pointing at the puddle before turning to Pipp. “Say no more, 'cause I got something I know you two are gonna love.” She said as she got out of the mud puddle as she smiled at Pipp, who gave a gross out expression to Izzy.
Sunset got out next as she shook the mud off her as she smiled. “Well, Izzy, after that sudden mud bath, I would give the other one a shot.” She said with a smile as Izzy smiled back while Pipp widened her eyes at Sunset, surprised that she was going along with this.
The Elderly Unicorn mare in the mud puddle then tossed her tomato pieces into the air before they landed in her mouth as she ate them.
A little bit later, Izzy led them to another part of the bog with a mud stream with rocks over them. Izzy clears her throat. “And now we're going to step into the hooficure stream, full of hoof-nibbling bugs that nibbly-nibble-nibble on your hooves.” She said as Sunset and Pipp looked at the stream.
The two ponies saw hoof-nibbling bugs on the stream, cutely rolling around, and the more appeared from the stream, showing a lot of them.
Pipp then gave a whimper at the sight as Sunset cringe from it. Izzy then lifted her hoof, which is covered in mud and some bugs in it. “It makes them soooo smooth.” She said with a smile as she waved her hoof at Sunset and Pipp before jumping ahead.
“I am not touching this one.” Sunset said as she hopped across the stream on rocks, not going to let some bugs touch her.
Pipp gives a nervous laugh and a nervous smile. “Just what everypony wants... “ She started as she jumped on the rocks as well, grunts in effort while hopping on each one, avoiding the bugs and mud. “...to put on their hooves.” She hopped on another rock. “Bug paste.” She then hopped on another one, but it turned out that she landed on a big turtle shell, as the turtle woke up and gave Pipp a mean look, which caused Pip to scream as she dashed off in fright and surprise.
A little bit later, in a spa room in the bogs, the three ponies are laying on relaxation beds while laying on their bellies as a unicorn mare places some mud on Izzy’s back.
Izzy sighs in relaxation at the touch of the mud in her back. “This is the life, huh?” She asked Sunset and Pipp with a relaxed smile. “Really helps get the knots out of your back.” She added.
Sunset was laying on another bed as she felt relaxed. “You said it. Right, Pipp?” She turned her head, but then widened her eyes as she saw that it’s not Pipp, but a homemade dummy out of grass and branches as the Unicorn mare massaging it was oblivious about it.
“Oh, for sure.” Pipp’s voice called out, Sunset looked down and saw Pipp hiding underneath the bed while sweating nervously. “I feel like a brand new pony. Ugh.” She acted, while feeling a little nervous about this, and then she looked at Sunset as she flinched when she saw the look the Alicorn is giving her.
“Really?” Sunset whispered firmly to Pipp, who shrugged sheepishly, not wanting to get mud on her.
And then after that, they are in a steam room with towels on them as heated rocks steam up the place.
“And this is the steam room.” Izzy said with a smile.
Sunset smiled at this. “Heh, this is nice and toasty.” She said as she felt the steam relaxing her.
Pipp smiled at this, finding the steam room great, finding the one thing she liked about Bridlewood Spog. “Huh. This is actually kind of nice.” She commented.
Izzy then pulled down a rope next to her, which made a shower faucet appear above them as it dripped out some mud, which Sunset saw and gave Izzy a look. “Seriously, Izzy?” She asked in disbelief, knowing what’s gonna happen for Pipp.
Pipp gave a gasp after seeing this, and then she screamed as she flew out while dragging Sunset along with her as more mud came flowing down from the steam room, which is apparently a tree building, Pipp landed after the sudden mudslide as she put Sunset down as she starts panting from the adrenaline.
“Okay, I don’t know how you get that strong, but wow talk about mudslides.” Sunset commented.
Pipp then gave an irritated look as she spoke. “Look, Izzy, you're not listening—” She tried to speak about this, but then screamed as some mud splat on her face and Sunset’s as well.
Izzy walked out of the steam room with giggles while holding a bowl of mud while having some on her face as well. “Mud mask?” She asked them with a smile.
“Izzy, really?” Sunset asked the cheery unicorn, knowing now's not the time.
“Ah, gross!” Pipp cried out in disgust as she wiped some of the mud off her. “Gross-gross-gross-gross-gross-gross-gross-gross-GROSS!” She cried out as she then gave an angry growl at Izzy. “I-I-I don't want to sell this slimy green mud in my store, okay?!” She called out to Izzy.
“It's more of a burnt seaweed color actually—” Izzy tried to say innocently but was cut off.
“I don't care!” Pipp snapped at Izzy, having enough of this as Izzy flinched from Pipp’s outburst. “It just doesn't fit in the Potions by Pipp product line! END! OF!” She yelled out at Izzy’s face. Which caused the Unicron to tear up from that.
“That’s enough, Pipp!” Sunset called out as she pushed Pipp away from Izzy. “Sure you may not like mud, but this coming from a pony with her own face mask in Mane Melody! And not to mention you never even tried them out when you keep denying them!” She lectured.
“Seriously! How are you going along with this, Sunset?!” Pipp asked in disbelief.
“Because at least I’m trying them out instead of avoiding them!” Sunset yelled out, which made Pipp flinch from that. “You may do fashion, Pipp, but not everything can be judged by how it looks or your way! Remember when that treasure hunt we had when we were searching for the pieces of the blanket! Izzy showed us something gross in Bridlewood, but it turned out to be something great! And yet here we are, in another gross out part in Bridlewood, and you complain about something that you don’t like, while it seems every Unicorn hears enjoy it! Heck, I enjoy it! Yet you don’t even see it since you tried to keep your appearance! Stop judging them and give something new a chance! Whether it’s gross or not!” She yelled out, having enough about Pipp’s attitude, sure she let it slide a few times, but yelling at Izzy was crossing the line for her.
Pipp groaned from this as she spoke. “Fine! Well, I’m going back to Mane Melody. I have had enough of this mud thing for one day!” She called out as she began to tear up and walked away, leaving a tearing Izzy and a feeling bad Sunset, sure Sunset went far at lecturing Pipp, but it had to be said since this pony doesn't like getting dirty in something that was meant for relaxing.
Sunset turned to Izzy as she spoke. “Izzy, I know you were just trying to help, but you may have gone a little too far on this one, when you should’ve just gone slow on this instead of just doing it without asking somepony.” She said in a soft tone to the tear up Unicorn.
“I know. I just wanted to help Pipp with her product. I didn’t think she would be like this.” Izzy said in a guilt tone.
Sunset sighs as she continues. “Izzy, you can always help other ponies, but in case they have found a solution on their own, you can’t just get rid of it if you want to help other ponies, because that is just selfish.” She said while placing a wing on Izzy. “And not to mention the spog thing in Bridlewood is great and all for me, but you know how Pipp is when she gets messy, she even complains of a tiny spot on her coat half the time.” She reminded her of how Pipp is when she’s messy.
Izzy thought of what Sunset just said, remembering how Pipp reacts even if she gets a little messy and how things have been lately as she gave a sigh. “I guess you’re right, Sunset. I should’ve remembered how Pipp is when she hates getting dirty.” She said.
“And you did your best. Pipp just can’t give these things a chance when it’s mud or dirt related.” Sunset said as she and Izzy looked at where Pipp walked off to. “We should do something for Pipp to make things better for her.” She said, which Izzy nodded in agreement. As they walked off, Sunset picked some mud off her mane, but as she did, she saw Izzy looking at her in amazement. “What, Izzy? Do I still have some mud on me?” She asked in confusion.
“No. Look at your mane and tail.” Izzy said in amazement with sparkles in her eyes while pointing at Sunset’s mane and tail.
Sunset raised an eyebrow at Izzy before looking at her mane and tail as she widened her eyes in shock at the sight. “What in the Celestia…” She said in awed with sparkles in her eyes as well at what she was seeing on her mane and tail.
Sometime later at Mane Melody, ponies are gathered around as they are having a little party for Pipp to make her announcement while Jazz, Rocky and Hitch pass some snacks for them.
Hitch stopped in front of a Pegasus stallion as he presented his snack plate. “Help yourself.” He said with a smile as his eyes closed.
Before the stallion could get a snack, Sparky then gobbles up the entire plate very quickly as he burps, which gave the stallion a bored expression from that as he walked away while Hitch looked at his plate in surprise as Sparky blows out his dragon fire, which startled Hitch and the ponies around him from that.
Pipp is in her products room, still has some mud on her as she sighs at this and goes to the mirror with a nervous smile. “Presenting my brand new Potions by Pipp product... Nothing!” She sarcastically calls out as her right eye begins to twitch in a panic state as she sighs in despair. “Enjoy.” She said as she began to tear up as she got some of the mud off her, but then what she saw made her look in amazement. “Neigh... way!” She said with a smile as she saw her mane begin to sparkle. She quickly rubbed the rest of the mud off her as she looked at it with sparkles in her eyes and waved her mane around as it was sparkling bright as she struck a pose to her reflection.
Pipp picked up some more of the mud as she rubbed it together in her hooves, which made them sparkled up as they glow bright, which made Pipp gasps in amazement and awed at it with sparkles in her eyes, having the right idea for her new products.
“Knockity-knock.” Izzy’s voice was heard as Pipp turned and saw Izzy and Sunset at the doorway of the product room as they smiled at her.
“Wow! Pipp, your mane is sparkling! Literally!” Sunset said in amazement, never seen a mane glow like that before.
Pipp smiled at her friends as she got close to them. “Izzy! Sunset! Oh, my glitter, this mud is incredible!” She sang the last word happily as she waved a piece of mud in her hoof around.
“It is?” Izzy asked in surprise while sweating nervously before correcting herself. “I mean, uh, yeah! It is!” She said with a nervous smile.
“No, it really is!” Pipp excitedly assured Izzy. “It super is! It really-super-mega-really-totally-super IS!” She excitedly said with sparkles in her eyes as she squealed in excitement as she turned back to the mirror. “Sunset was right about your idea, I should've given your spog a chance instead of being so worried about what it looks like. I'm sorry, Izz.” She apologized to Izzy before turning to Sunset. “And I’m sorry, Sunset. You were right, I should’ve tried out the spog instead of avoiding it.” She said to Sunset with a forgiving smile to them.
“Thanks, Pipp.” Sunset said with a forgiving smile. “And that’s okay, we should’ve guessed how dirty you are with dirt on you. And to be honest, I’m surprised the mud Izzy showed has some effects on ponies that make them sparkle, literally.” She said.
“And I'm sorry, too, Pipp.” Izzy said to Pipp. “I know mud isn't exactly what you had in mind for Potions by Pipp and I shouldn’t have ruined your backup like the cream hoof stuff just to share my idea to help out. Which is why…” She pointed her hoof to the doorway, which showed three bunnycorns, one of them holding a bottle of purple something while the other two carried a crate load of them. “Sunset and I made you something I think might work better.” She added as she held out a bowl with the bunnycorn purring the purple stuff in it. “We even colored the mud to make it less, uh, gross.” She said with a small smile.
“And I was surprised by the effects it had on me when I got it out of my mane and tail as well, Pipp.” Sunset said, had the experience Pipp just had that made her mane and tail sparkled as Sunset showed her sparkling mane. “And I gotta say, it’s really amazing.” She said with a smile as she flipped her mane around.
Pipp then looked at the bowl as she gave sparkling eyes. “It's…” She started as she started to tear up and sniffled happily as she continued with teary eyes. “...totes perfect!” She said as she gave a squeak at it.
Sunset chuckled at Pipp’s reaction. “Keep it together, Pipp. You got a new product to announce.” She reminded her with a smirk.
“Right!” Pipp said, recomposing herself as she grabbed one of the bottles of the new and improved mud as she twirled it around in her hoof. “This launch is back on!” She declared with a determined expression with a smile.
At the stage of Mane Melody, the room darkens as it gets the ponies' attention as Pipp’s voice echoed throughout the room. “The age of shampoo is over!” The lights turned on as the ponies turned to the stage and saw Pipp on her microphone with her mane sparkling. “The age of Bridle Shine has begun!” She declared as Izzy came up on stage, Sunset was at the side for showing as Pipp placed the purple mud stuff on Izzy’s mane and rubbed on it. “Exfoliating! Rejuvenating! Shine-ifying!” She declared as Izzy tossed her sparkling mane and tail around as she struck a pose with a smile to the crowd.
“Whoa!” The ponies in the room all said awed at what they saw, finding it beautiful and amazing.
“This new product and make names glow and sparkle when you add to it! It can even make your hooves sparkle up as well!” Pipp continued while pointing at Sunset, who was rubbing some on her hooves, which caused them to sparkle up as well.
“Wow!” The ponies all said in awed again, finding that amazing as well.
Pipp continues her announcement while pointing at Sunset and Izzy who are smiling at the crowd. “It's the magic of Bridlewood's finest spog bottled for your beauty!” She finished with a smile as she gave a wink to the crowd.
Just then, a unicorn filly appeared with a wide smile with sparkles in her eyes as she waved her money at Pipp, wanting to try Bridle Shine herself, and then all the other ponies in Mane Melody starts cheering as they waved their money out to Pipp as well with sparkles in their eyes, wanting to try out the product too.
Sunset, Izzy and Pipp smiled at the crowd while having sparkles in their eyes in amazement at the reaction as they looked at each other as they tapped each other's hooves while giving each other smiles.
“Talk about a new way to show your sparkle.” Sunset chuckled, which earned a little laugh to both Pipp and Izzy from that, finding that true.
The crowd then got closer to the three ponies in excitement as Sunset, Pipp and Izzy started passing out the bottles.
“Two bottles over here! And for you, sir? One bottle?” Pipp said to the ponies in the line as Sunset and Pipp grab the money the ponies are giving them while Pipp gives them the bottles, the amount and how much they are paying for it. “Form a line for Bridle Shine! Yes, yes! Come one, come all! Get it!” She announces with a smile as she tosses one of the bottles away to somepony.
Or some critter as a crab grabbed the bottle as he opened it, poured some on himself as a sparkling yellow hair appeared on his head as the crab smiled at this.
End of Chapter 43.