//------------------------------// // Double Date at the Spa. // Story: Magnetism! // by Souldin //------------------------------// First I would like to thank Techfur for his advice regarding spa procedures in this chapter. I would also like to thank Ugugg93 for proof-reading this chapter, I’m glad to have him round. Without further delay though I now present to you chapter 4 of Magnetism! Chapter 4: Double Date at the Spa! “Fluttershy…” The name's owner heard her voice ushered into her ears, its echo stirring her from her slumber. “Fluttershy…” Her eyes began to stir, but her eyelids remained closed. A brief internal argument arose within her, with one side asking nicely to remain sleeping and the other side asking nicely to wake up. “Wake up Fluttershy…” The side of her which wished to wake up managed to come across as politer than the side which wished to remain asleep and so Fluttershy began to open her eyes. As her eyelids fluttered open to her hazy room, her mind got to work thinking about the familiar voice that came in tones sweeter than she could even imagine. Sitting up in bed, Fluttershy began to see lots of things in all their grainy, low -quality glory, with only one image clear before her. “Fluttershy, I'm glad to see you’re awake,” Rainbow Dash cooed softly, her cyan coat shining so brightly that the rest of the room seemed invisible. “R-Rainbow Dash!” Fluttershy yelped in surprise as Dash approached with swaying hips, “W-What is —” “Shh,” Dash whispered as her rainbow mane rose majestically, swaying in a gentle breeze. “Just stay in bed.” Fluttershy remained wrapped within the covers, a question on her lips that came out in nothing more than a gasp. The stunning mare before her leaped onto the bed, her step as light as a baby bird's feathers, and smiled just a little wider. Dash continued to approach her, knowing winks and seductive tones a constant. “Just stay there, Fluttershy. I’ve got something very special planned for you.” Immediately the yellow-coated pony became crimson, her temperature rising as she put two and two together and figured what Dash was indicating. She wished to voice her protest, that she wasn’t interested in Rainbow like she once was, even though she still found her to be an attractive mare, but all that came out was mumbles. These mumbles became even more incoherent when Rainbow Dash bumped muzzles with her, pink eyes longingly gazing into her soul. “That’s right, Fluttershy,” Rainbow Dash cooed into the paralysed Fluttershy’s ears, the mare held captive by the seductress. “I made you breakfast in bed.” Fluttershy awoke screaming. “I told you once and I’ll tell you again, if you ever have a nightmare, just dream of me and you’ll have nothing to fear,” Rainbow Dash grunted out as she walked alongside Fluttershy. It was a spring day, and unlike yesterday, when soft silvery showers cast a marring mask over the morning, this time the breeze flowed gently and the sun shone without anything in its way. Out on this typical spring day, the two pegasus enjoyed seeing it all without drips of rain blocking their vision. Angel, meanwhile, appreciated how he did not have to hold up an umbrella the entire time; his paw strength was for informing others of their place, not for holding rain-protection gear. In reply to her friend's statement, Fluttershy in turn flashed back an insincere smile. “I can’t tell her that it was thinking of her that caused the nightmare.” It was with this phrasing of thoughts, in particular the words ‘thinking of her’, that caused her to blush. Along with this blush came a troubled mind as she began to think upon the dream she just had and the events that took place in it. “Why would I dream of something like that? My dreams are always of animals or being a tree or my parents but…” Fluttershy brooded on these thoughts while continuing her trot towards the trio’s destination, “… it’s not like I’ve never had such dreams about mares before, but Rainbow Dash…” Fluttershy continued her thoughts unabated until snapped out of it by a strong tug and Dash’s voice, “Whoa girl, the spa’s this way.” The yellow mare turned towards Dash, who returned her look with a slight frown of concern, followed by disbelief, followed by a face-hoof. “I cannot believe I just said that!” “M-maybe you actually want to go to the spa,” Fluttershy added coyly. “Ha!” The rough and tumble tomcolt burst out with the shortest burst of laughter before replying, “It was just a reflex, nothing more.” Fluttershy smiled softly back to her friend as they continued to make their way to the spa. Angel smiled mischievously at his opposition as he pondered how he could use this to his advantage, blackmail perhaps. Finally, Rainbow Dash looked glum as she began to see their destination up ahead. The spa-enjoying pegasus, however, had returned to her deep thinking, and so did not notice the much loved place up ahead. “I mean, I used to have dreams kind of like that with Dash, but that was long ago, and back then I… I...” Fluttershy shook her head, this action somehow going unnoticed by both the pony beside her and the rabbit seated on her back. “I no longer feel that way, I’m sure of that. It must be because we’re sleeping in the same bed together, I never got that far with any mare before and come to think of it I don’t think I’ve gotten to the dating stage with any— ” “We’re here!” Dash hollered out, shaking Fluttershy out of her thoughts and bringing her attention to the spa just a few inches away. While Fluttershy noticed the large building ahead, she also noticed the two ponies chatting just outside of it. The unicorn looked exasperated as she tried her hardest to win a debate with the party-fixated pink pony she was conversing with. Both ponies, though, stopped talking when they noticed Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash and, Angel Bunny approaching. Pinkie began to literally sing, “Well ahoy, well ahoy, well ahoy my friends...” Dash in turn greeted them normally with, “Hi Pinkie, Hi Rair—” However, Pinkie had not finished and so continued singing, “Hope your journey here didn’t give you the bends.” All the ponies and animals present continued to hear Pinkie singing, but Dash, wanting to get this experience over with, turned her attention to Rarity instead. “So, how long ' til we go in and begin my torture?” “Oh hush now, Dash, give it a chance and you’ll enjoy it,” Rarity added as Pinkie began to sing about a villain being annoying and her sidekick blowing up. “As for when we will enter the spa, I assume as soon as Pinkie stops singing.” “So, how long have you and Pinkie been waiting for us? I hope it wasn’t too long,” Fluttershy asked as she tried her hardest to listen to both her two friends talking and one friend singing. “Not too long, dear. Pinkie came to my house this morning dressed, for some bizarre reason, in a suit and carrying a bouquet of flowers. I informed her she was overdressed for our trip to the spa, and so after she got out of those clothes, we made our way here together,” Rarity explained with a wave of her hoof and a flick of her mane. It was only a few more seconds of idle gossip and context-less singing before the four ponies were ready to go on in. Well, almost ready. “Fluttershy, dear, you cannot take your rabbit into the spa.” Both Fluttershy and Angel perked up at this, with the former asking quickly, “Oh why not? He really wants to come with me today.” “Because the spa does not allow animals inside,” Rarity explained without realising Equestria’s great irony. “He will unfortunately have to wait out here until we’re done.” Angel huffed, puffed, and scowled at this. Obviously not because he wanted to go to the spa with his owner, but he felt uncomfortable leaving his owner alone with the attention-hogging, fiendish-minded pegasus. In fact, countless scenarios of what could possibly happen to his gullible and timid owner at the hooves of that freakish pegasus were running through his mind. These thoughts had Angel instantly protesting at the prospect of being left outside. “Angel doesn’t seem to like that idea, and what if he gets lonely?” Fluttershy added with concern. “I’ll stay out here with him!” Rainbow Dash immediately voiced. Rarity shot an accusing look to the un-groomed pony and asked, “Just how desperate are you to get out of this?” “Give me Twilight's chopping knife, and I’ll show you.” Pinkie, having finished her nameless song, was stuck between two emotions. The first was concern for her worried friend, the other was impatience. A spa party wasn’t going to throw itself after all! Therefore, whatever mysterious mechanisms that powering Pinkie’s brain worked at full throttle to think of a solution, mechanisms that would best be left to the unknown. “I know! Angel can wait out here with Gummy!” Pinkie announced, pulling her pet alligator out from her mane, the alligator merely blinking once within her hooves. “That’s a great idea Pinkie.” Fluttershy smiled back to her friend as Gummy was placed onto the grass facing Angel. “Now Angel, you wait here and have fun with your friend, okay?” “Oh @*&% no!” was Angel’s immediate thought as the four ponies went into the spa leaving him alone with… with... Him. While Angel continued to curse like a bunny sailor outside the spa, inside the spa Rarity immediately made her way to the receptionist desk with Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash while, Pinkie climbed her way to the ceiling. All the regular spa attendants knew that this was Rarity’s and Fluttershy’s regular spa day, and as such, knew to never get in the way of the white unicorn, so, with exception to the staff, not many ponies were in the spa at the present moment. As for said spa staff, they were all rather surprised to see Pinkie hanging up a banner stating ‘ Happy Spa Party!!!’ in comic sans type, then giving everypony party hats. Of course, their biggest shocker was when they saw Rainbow Dash in the spa. Rarity, having finished discussing the situation with the receptionist, as well as various matters concerning the situation, addressed the bouncing bubbly pony in the room, “Pinkie, the staff here are willing to let you have the festivities here, so long as it doesn’t disturb the guests.” Pinkie stopped in mid-bounce and turned to face Rarity. “How in Equestria could a party disturb somepony?” “What they mean is no surprises or messes. Ponies come here to relax and freshen up, and they don’t want a party popper going off in their faces and making them jump out of their coats,” Rarity explained as she watched Pinkie’s hooves finally touch down on the ground. “Aww,” Pinkie Pie moaned sadly, but her smile blossomed once more as she pulled out an ice-cream cake the size of her head. “Ooh, Ooh! We can still eat cake right?” “Sure, but how about we save that until after our spa routine,” Rarity suggested. “Why not during our routine, I mean, what could possibly happen?” “Mr Ice Cream Cake! No!” Pinkie cried for the dearly melted dessert of hers that slowly dripped from her hooves. “You had so much to live for! Like being eaten!” Rarity watched the scene in amusement, an ‘I told you so’ dancing on her lips. The unicorn was however distracted from the cake related drama though by the constant concerned voice of a friend, repeating the same question only to receive the same stubborn answer. “Are you sure this isn’t too hot for you? Not that I’m implying you can’t handle the heat, but this is your first time in the sauna, and I figured…” Fluttershy murmured, her concern for her friend preventing her from being relaxed. “Fluttershy, I said I’m fine, so stop asking,” the sweltering Dash replied as she tried her best to hide her gasps and pants for fresh air. The four friends sat now within the sauna room; typically the first step to Rarity and Fluttershy’s spa routine, and entering the hot steamy room first was an unchanged plan even with Pinkie and Rainbow along. The addition of Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash though was causing problems to the routine and Rarity, the only pony actually relaxing at the present moment, took in the situation around her. Pinkie was making a mess of the place both with overly dramatic tears and the cake that was spilling over the floor, though how the mare had managed to sneak it into the sauna room in the first place was a mystery to Rarity. Fluttershy was too busy attending to her dehydrating companion for her to relax. As for said companion, Rainbow was too busy trying to persevere through the heat as if it were some kind of challenge, obviously not realising that the whole point of it all was to relax. Sadly, Rarity was forced to conclude that she was going to have cut the first step of her and Fluttershy’s routine short. “Now girls…” Rarity began, but stopped for but a moment to think of the best way to phrase this. “I believe we should move onto the next session of the day so the cleaners can come in and… clean the little cake mess that is now all over the floor.” Pinkie sobbed a little at this, saluting the life loss before it’s time. “Really, I could go on for hours,” Rainbow Dash droned as she weakly waved a hoof into the air. “Now that the rabbit is gone I have you all to myself,” Rainbow Dash sneered as she pinned Fluttershy to the wall. “Oh no, Angel! Help me!” Fluttershy screamed in fright. These were Angel’s thoughts, a picture of what could be happening in the spa without his presence. It was not a case of believing his owner could not stand up for herself, he had seen first-paw how assertive his owner could be, but she always needed to be kicked into gear, and he was the kick. Without him, his owner was at the mercy of that thick-headed brute, who at this point was probably demanding sandwiches and such, and as such he needed to get into the spa and start kicking. He also did not want to be left alone with Gummy; all the alligator does is stare into your soul. Going through the front door would be too obvious; he’d be spotted immediately by the receptionist and thrown out. He had to be careful and sneaky, like finding a window and getting in that way. Angel pressed his body and ear against the wall of the building, trying to hear the noises of The Jerk, The Nut, or The Drama Queen. It took a while, but eureka, he heard them. Looking upwards, he spotted an open window positioned right where he needed it. Now he just needed a ladder. Where Angel got a ladder from is unknown, but it is assumed that somepony was stuck on a roof they had been repairing for quite some time as a result. Still, Angel obtained a ladder. Propping it against the wall, he began to ascend step by step, and as he did he began to hear the conversation inside clearer and clearer. “Rainbow Dash, please stop eating the cucumbers!” The Drama Queen scolded from within the spa. “But they taste so nice,” The Jerk retorted between munches. “You must resist temptation, Dashie. Fight it! Fight it!” The Nut proclaimed in one of her strange voices, and then got to making licking sounds. “Mmmm! Tangy!” “Um, Pinkie, you’re not supposed to be eating the exfoliation gel,” Angel’s owner said to the mare whom was apparently licking up the spa’s products. “If I’m not supposed to eat it, then it shouldn’t have sugar in it,” This time The Nut was the one retorting. “Oh Fluttershy, I told you not to inform Pinkie about the gel’s ingredients,” The Drama Queen spoke up again. “I’m sorry, but she sensed sugar and begged me to tell her where it was coming from,” Angel’s owner replied. Within the spa, as Fluttershy, Rarity, and Pinkie chatted away about the reasons for and against eating spa products, Rainbow began looking around. This she could do as, unlike the others, her vision wasn’t obscured by tasty sliced vegetables and she could take in all the wonders of a really plain room. The furniture she on was cold, the mud on her face felt uncomfortable, and she was so bored she swore she could see Fluttershy’s brat of a pet trying to sneak in through the window. The bored pegasus blinked thrice and the rabbit remained; he was trying to get into the spa. Rainbow Dash still doubted her chances of enjoying the day but if there were any, the presence of Angel was not going to help. Luckily for Dash, the bucket of cucumber slices was close by, and she decided that now would be a brilliant time to give the little guy a snack. As Angel touched down on the windowsill he could taste victory. It tasted like cucumbers and had such an overwhelming flavour it knocked him off his feet. It was indeed the taste of victory… or a cucumber bring thrown into his face and knocking him down to the ground outside the spa. As he laid on the grassy floor, a bruise forming on his head and an alligator by his side… watching him, he assumed the later. “Am I being a good sofa, master-super-awesome-flier-champion Rainbow Dash?” Flutter sofa inquired as Rainbow Dash wiggled herself into a comfier position atop Fluttershy’s back. “Of course you are.” Dash chuckled to herself as she tossed a slice of cucumber into her mouth. “And don’t you worry about any rabbit coming along and getting you to stand up for yourself. You just continue being my sofa like you should be.” “Yes, master-super-awesome-flier-champion Rainbow Dash.” Angel rose up with righteous fury; only he was allowed to sit atop Fluttershy’s back! A new plan began to form in his mind. A ludicrous plan, but it would have to do. He was just about to dart off and locate what he would need for this scheme, but it was then that he heard a beeping sound. Such a sound he recognised as a delivery by pegasus-pulled container, a delivery that was heading to the spa. He put his ludicrous plan on hold, for sneaking in via a delivery was much simpler, and equally effective. Shortly after Angel noticed the container, it touched down on the ground and a pegasus came out carting a wooden crate. It was then he realised he would need a distraction in order to sneak into the crate. Looking to and fro, he quickly began looking for anything that he could use to distract the winged pony. His eyes fell on Gummy, the alligator's eyes slowly blinking out of sync. Soon the delivery pegasus was screaming, though to be fair, if you had an alligator thrown into your face, had said alligator clamp onto you with its mouth, even if the alligator lacked teeth, you would probably be screaming too. This was when Angel made his way to the crate, and with a great exertion of strength, managed to pry open the lid just enough for him to slip in. He did not know how long he would have to wait amongst bottles of shampoo and lotion, but he really didn't have a choice in the matter. He waited as the screaming subsided. He waited as the package was moved into the building. He even waited as the crate was pried open, and continued to wait until the pony lifting the shampoo and lotion out of the crate turned around for his chance to escape. The moment he had leaped from the box, he made his way to the room’s exit, carefully in order to avoid the unpacking pony’s detection. He managed to get by without being spotted, and took his chance in peeping through the room’s push doors. Clearly, rabbits did have two lucky feet, as the very moment he peeked out into the hallway; he spotted a staff member pushing a cart of towels. As it went by the push doors, Angel leaped forth and landed onto the towels. He was not seen, he was not heard, and from what he could hear and see the cart he was in was heading towards his owner. “ Are you sure this is a massage?” Dash asked as a spa attendant rubbed hooves against her back and wings. “For the last time, yes Rainbow Dash. I thought you said you’ve had massages before,” Rarity questioned her friend from the other side of the room. “I have, Fluttershy was always willing to give me one after a long flight.” Rarity hummed to herself both in relaxation and in amusement. “Hmm… always willing to give massages? I’m sure she was.” “Rarity!” Fluttershy perked up at her friend’s suggestive words, her voice only slightly louder than an average pony which, comparatively speaking, was very loud for Fluttershy. “But this is different. When Fluttershy gave me massages, I would always hear a snapping sound in my neck, and then I'd fall asleep,” Rainbow Dash recalled as her wings were spread out and brushed gently. Rarity looked towards Fluttershy with a “hint-hint wink-wink” raise of her brow. A flustered Fluttershy shook her head in response to any further suggestions from her ship-happy friend. “Thiiiis maaaakes myyyy vooooice souuuund silllllyyyy!” Pinkie giggled with a vibrating voice as her massager patted her back with rapid but gentle chops. The sound of rickety wheels caught Rainbow Dash’s attention, and from the corner of her eye she saw a cart-pushing stallion came in from the hallway wheeling in a cart of beautifully white towels. Said stallion decided to trot on over to Rainbow’s masseuse, and the two ponies began chatting away as good friends. As the stallion chatted away, he rested his towel cart right next to Rainbow Dash. Naturally, Dash looked to the cart, for it had been placed next to her so her eyes leaned towards the newly introduced object. It was also at this moment that both Dash noticed a familiar rabbit as Angel got ready to jump out of the cart. “Trying to sneak in are we?” Dash smirked, grabbing the rabbit’s attention as he looked up to the pegasus with a horrified expression. Rainbow Dash shot a look behind her to see that the two spa workers were occupied with their conversation, and then to the side to see Fluttershy, Pinkie, and Rarity also busy with their conversation as well. Dash then returned her focus to the adorable menace who had raised his paws up as if to plead for her to not do anything. “Payback time,” Rainbow Dash whispered as she used her nearest hoof to knock the cart of towels and Angel Bunny away, sending both racing out of the room. Barely able to stifle a laugh, she yelled, “Oh no, your cart!” Upon hearing both the knocking sound and Dash’s faked urgent call; the stallion turned around and gasped. He immediately began to chase after the careening cart as it sped down the hallways, crashed through the doors, and bumped against the walls. Angel had apparently used up all his luck when he was evading detection prior to his encounter with Rainbow Dash, for the cart holding Angel had somehow managed to twist and turn its way through all five of the bends in the hallway, jump over a helpless mare, hold the door for a stallion with hooves full of laundry, make its way outside, and upon falling to the ground, dropped Angel off outside. When the panicked stallion finally came to retrieve his cart of now dirtied towels, he did not pick up the fallen rabbit, and as such, returned to the spa rabbitless. Rainbow Dash pushed the grotesque object towards Fluttershy's quivering mouth, and commanded, “Put it in your mouth.” Fluttershy obeyed, albeit slowly, grabbing the slightly bent cylinder with her hooves, and slipped it into her mouth, the offending object already wet with moisture. “Now… drink that juice box; slowly,” Dash commanded once more. Fluttershy remained seated while she nursed a small carton of apple juice within both hooves, drinking up the juice via the straw. Dash watched this action contently and cheered to herself, “Yes. Yes!” If Angel was any madder he would have turned green and bulked up to twice his size. Out of options, he would have to go for his ludicrous plan; ludicrous in that it would exert a lot of effort and was unlikely to succeed. The rabbit ran around the spa, looking for any spot of soft dirt. When he finally managed to find a suitable spot, he got to work doing what his species was not most well-known for: digging. He scratched at the earth, clawed at it, even coughed out several curses in bunny language as he made his way into the earth. He dug downwards first until he got to what he would consider a reasonable depth, and then went about estimating how long and how far he would have to dig horizontally to be directly beneath the spa. Burrowing was usually a time-intensive process, but that was one thing he did not have. He needed to get to his owner now, and hopefully give the stupid prism-headed mare a piece of his mind. He hoped that all this digging wouldn’t end up damaging his pimp paw; he was going to need that soon. He had dug down, he had dug forward, and all that was left was to dig up. Not an easy task, but he did it with such vigour that the distance passed in seconds, his pent up rage being dished out against the undeserving dirt. The dirt ended though, and above his was now concrete, finding out the material through a smash against his head. After much head banging, he even succeeded in that task, and managed to crack open the concrete. “Fluttershy, look over there. I think I saw a phoenix fly by,” a distinctive voice hollered in the building above. “Really!?” Angel could his owner for once loud and clear, a clear enthusiasm in her voice. Angel popped his head through the floor of the spa… and found his enemy, the blue freak, staring down at him. His owner was next to her, but was currently too wrapped in her love of animals and trying to spot the non-existent phoenix, she did not hear nor see her pet head banging through solid concrete . Rainbow Dash had noticed though, she had seen the rabbit sized cracks in the floor, and made sure to distract her friend beforehoof. In Dash’s hooves was a hot stone, a souvenir of the massage from before when Rarity insisted they try out the spa’s new practise of using the hot stone technique. Having smooth hot stones placed on her didn’t seem like a very relaxing method of, well, relaxing, but now it was paying off. Now, Dash had an effective weapon, and she made sure to drop the stone right where Angel’s head was popping out of the floor. Before the stone slammed into his head, Angel only had the time to do one: he freed a single paw from underneath the floor, and flipped Dash the bird. Now there was no Angel Bunny, or at least Rainbow Dash could not spot the rabbit trying to work his way into the building. This fact, one that was thought to be one of joy, was instead a bringer of boredom for the mare. In Dash’s pursuits of getting back at Angel, she had been able to focus on an enjoyable and more or less sporty competition between her and her opponent. Without him in sight and her victory currently assured, she now had nothing to distract her from the girly gossip of the three mares. Even Pinkie, whom she thought she could rely on to provide a conversation she could enjoy, engaged in the feminine talk with the others. “Now Rainbow Dash, we know you and thinking aren’t exactly acquaintances,” Rarity directed her words to Dash, attempting to snap Dash out of her isolated thoughts, “but you and talking go hoof in hoof, so try and join in our conversation.” Dash spoke slowly, each word enunciated for a second longer than they were supposed to be, “You’re talking about manes.” “Well I’m sure you could add something to the conversation, like how hard is your mane to brush in the morning? Styling mine each morning takes forever, but the time spent is worth it,” Rarity replied with a whip of her currently wet mane that proceeded to drape down her neck and a round her upper body. Pinkie popped into the conversation just as she popped out of the water. “Rarity tried to comb my mane once, but after a couple of hours she began breaking down in tears.” Rainbow had already begun suppressing a giggle when Rarity decided to add to Pinkie’s comment, “Well, I may have been a little dramatic, but her mane was an absolute nightmare. I managed to get it nicely combed several times, but then she would think about throwing a ‘my mane has been styled’ party and her hair would pop back into its usual puffy state.” Now turned towards Pinkie, Rarity added, “You’re lucky that you can pull off such a messy mane style so well.” Rainbow Dash, her earlier giggles having brightening her bored mood, light-heartedly boasted, “Well I’ve got nothing to say on that, my mane’s all natural. Don’t do anything with it.” Rarity’s face was of disbelief, but when no words passed her lips Fluttershy spoke, “But Rainbow Dash, your mane was always so scruffy when we were fillies… you know, in a good way.” “Yeah, but I made it that way on purpose.” Rainbow grinned, though Rarity was aghast at this information. “Why in Equestria would you scruff up such a luxurious mane?” “Eh, it didn’t look cool enough naturally but the scruffy look gave me more attitude, told everypony I wasn’t a pony you should mess with.” “Well, now that we’ve got this ride going and Rainbow here has decided to board the carriage with us,” Rarity fancily began to say, “why don’t we let her chose our next destination. What would you like to discuss?” “Well…” Rainbow Dash began, many ideas more than likely Wonderbolt related bubbling in her head, when Fluttershy meekly pulled on Rainbow’s leg. “What’s wrong, Fluttershy?” The meek mare shivered slightly as she tugged on Rainbow’s leg once more and whispered a garbled mutter. Rainbow could only express confusion at this as Fluttershy slowly turned a faint shade or red, repeating her answer quietly, but coherently this time. “Oh? Oh! Yeah, let’s go then,” Dash announced as both she and Fluttershy climbed on out of the pool. “Wait, wait, wait, where are you two going?” Pinkie was quick to say, concerned at the notion of early leaving party guests. “Uh… we uh, need to use the restroom,” Rainbow Dash replied with uncertainty. “Both of you?” Rarity queried with raised brows, an answer being given in the form of a nod from Fluttershy. Rarity was going to say more, but looking at the two mares, one calm and steady, the other with wobbling legs, and both with bracelets attached to them, realisation struck. “Oh my… you mean those bracelets; they don’t stop to allow you your… privacy.” “You know, for some reason I don’t think the bracelets care about what we want,” was the deadpanned reply given. Pinkie made no attempt to hold back her laughter, her giggling body rippling the water in erratic fashion. “You even have to go potty together?” Dash stared back un-amused and Fluttershy merely nodded once more, not wanting to into details about the inconveniences the bracelets were causing them. “Oh dear, so you’ve not only been living together, but have been sharing the same bed, holding hooves as you eat, and even having baths together.” Rarity voiced each of these notions slowly, looking mostly towards Fluttershy as she spoke. Another snort of laughter came, this time from Rainbow Dash. “Yeah, and Fluttershy acts really squeamish each time, like last night—” “Oh, um, Rarity and Pinkie really don’t need to know about this…” Fluttershy began to politely interrupt her friend, but sadly, Rainbow's story had already begun, and Fluttershy couldn't help but to imagine her side of the story as the tale was told. Fluttershy’s shower attachment was broken, her bath was quite small, and Rainbow Dash did not have the patience for the two of them to take turns in the tub. Thus the situation was this: Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy were having a bath together. It was to the latter’s dismay that no amount of convincing could get her out of this situation, and to further displease Fluttershy, she felt like she was enjoying it. It was an uncomfortable feeling; Rainbow’s hind hooves against her own as they sat facing each other in the bathtub, but with it came a certain fact that pleased Fluttershy: she was having a bath with another mare. Maybe it was her failures in the dating department, having never managed a successful date with another mare and constantly attracting only stallions that allowed her to see this situation as an accomplishment. At the same time, a part of her had always wished that this occasion could be shared with a marefriend. The water was warm, and though neither could lie down or spread out their wings much, they were able to sit comfortably. Dash did not lean back at first, the taps and faucet painfully pressed against her back, but improvisation and a towel sorted that out, and she now leaned back, idly amusing herself with a rubber ducky. Soon, the comfort of their bodies spread to Fluttershy’s mind, and relaxation for both was attained. Of course such a state of peace could never last. “Heads up Fluttershy. Grabbing the soap,” Rainbow Dash announced as she leaned her body up to Fluttershy’s, manoeuvring her hoof round the stunned pegasus to retrieve the bar of soap behind her. Now, Dash could have simply asked for Fluttershy to pass the soap, but such a foresight never came to her, and so Fluttershy found herself with the entirety of Dash’s body but millimetres from her own, her eyes unable to pull away from each droplet of water that rolled down the cyan coat before her. Rainbow Dash soon pulled back, returning to their previous position but now with a bar of soap in hoof. Fluttershy’s mind likewise returned to the previous channel of thought, not the before mind-set of relaxation or the before before mind-set of pleasure, but the one before of those of discomfort. It was ironic that as Dash cleaned herself with the bubbling soap, Fluttershy was doing her best to push back dirty thoughts. “ No, no, no, stop thinking like that!” Fluttershy internally screamed to herself, her mind once again a mess of blushing ideas. It was only with great willpower that Fluttershy’s wings had not unfolded , excitement urging them to flare wide, but as before the discomforting feeling of arousal started to die down. Of course, Rainbow Dash had to unintentionally mess things up again. “Blasted soap!” Rainbow yelled as it slipped out of her hooves and dropped down into the water, right by Fluttershy’s lap. “Flying Feather!” the innocent yellow mare uncharacteristically swore in her mind as Rainbow reflexively dove for the soap. When reaching for the soap, Rainbow naturally pressed down on it. Of course, pressing down on a small slippery object is never a good idea, so she slipped right into Fluttershy, the two mares falling and Fluttershy in turn pressed below the surface. Instinct rang out, and Fluttershy pulled her head out from the water as soon as she could, bumping muzzles against the pony who now lay atop of her. The two mares froze. Completely soaked with all but her head submerged in water was Fluttershy, while also soaked but laying atop of Fluttershy was Rainbow Dash. Neither moved, which was confusing for Rainbow Dash, as she was unused to a situation where she wasn’t sure to move or not to. Neither talked, for if either of them did decide to speak, their lips would surely brush against one another. Minds blank, the two remained within the awkward position uncertain about anything. Then a rubber duck bit Dash. “Youch!” Dash yelped as she shot upright, flailing her bitten hoof, putting an end to the two pegasi's frozen position. Fluttershy began to sit up, still blank in thoughts while Dash looked to and fro for the teeth baring toy. Outside the bath tub, a well-disguised Angel smirked. “You know, if this were happening to anypony else I’d probably be laughing at it,” Rainbow Dash admitted as she finished retelling the tale. Pinkie Pie was of the same wavelength as Dash, for she was currently laughing, “D-don’t worry Dashie. When this is all over, I'm sure you'll look back at it and laugh!” Dash smirked at this. As she began a zestful conversation with Pinkie, Rarity looked over to Fluttershy with a knowing look. In the knowing look passed between them, they both relayed their understanding of the situation. Rarity was quite familiar with her frequent spa buddy’s sexuality, and could picture the heart racing worry that each unintentionally intimate moment caused Fluttershy. Fluttershy’s look in return was one of thanks; thanks for understanding her problem, even if there was nothing she could do to help. A sensation through the canary yellow mare’s body reminded her of why she and Dash had gotten out of the pool in the first place, and so reminded her connected companion, “Rainbow Dash, I still need to use the restroom.” “Right, right, be back in a sec,” Dash called back to Pinkie and Rarity as she and Fluttershy made their way out the room. Making their way to the toilets took very little time, Fluttershy’s familiarity with the building allowing her to locate their destination quickly. As they went down the hallways, leaving soggy hoofprints on the floor the entire way, they encountered nopony. It was a little strange, but it allowed them to enter the restroom and make their way into the same cubicle together without any weird looks being shot their way. Seconds after Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash went into the toilets, another pony began trotting down the hallway with the same destination in mind. “Applejack, ya have got to stop drinkin’ tha’ apple juice before ya come into town,” the Stetson-hatted earth pony said to herself as she made her way through the empty spa hall. Applejack was certainly no regular visitor of the spa, having little to no interest in visiting the place unless it was with friends, but in this case she was not there for the sake of any relaxing treatment or beauty tips. She was here to answer the call of nature, and the spa happened to be the nearest public building with toilets when the urges to answer the call of nature came to Applejack. “ Hmm, mah legs have been feelin’ a lil' sore as of late. Ah could see ‘bout havin’ a massage while Ah’m here,” Applejack mused aloud before rejecting the idea. “Nah, goin’ to tha spa on your own is jus’ plain borin'.” Applejack had now started to hum a little nameless tune as she pushed open the mare’s room door. The sound of a toilet flushing greeted her orange ears and as she entered the bright tiled room the sight of cubicle door opening greeted her vision. “…weird this would be if anypony saw us come out of the same…” Rainbow’s sentence, half of which was unheard of due to the sound of a flushing toilet, died on her lips as she and Fluttershy stepped out of the same cubicle together, and directly into Applejack’s line of sight. An unbearable silence came about. The atmosphere felt more like a chilly winter day than a spring one, all of the ponies' blood running ice cold and actions becoming frozen. One would have presumed that questions such as ‘What are you doing in the spa?’ and ‘Why in ta hay did ya'll come out ta same cubicle?’ would be shouted at the other, but no. Nopony spoke. Nopony moved. Everypony just looked at each other in confusion, with nervous grins and shocked eye twitches being the most amount of motion. Even Rainbow Dash, unfamiliar with any sexual implications of the situation, was at least aware that going toilet together was most bizarre, and so even she was tongue tied. Yet, she was the first to speak up. “Applejack! Hi, we were… me and Fluttershy… you see, the thing that we were doing is…” A rare stuttering Rainbow Dash tried to explain, holding her garmented hoof up and gesturing to Fluttershy’s, but even she was too preoccupied with the embarrassment of this moment, “Bye.” With that said Rainbow Dash pulled Fluttershy along, a mare whose pink mane was trying its best to hide her away from the world, or at the least Applejack, and the two exited the room. This left Applejack alone in the tiled lavatories, now alone with the returning silence, and now alone with her thoughts. Applejack stood still, but eventually made but one comment on what she had just seen. “...They forgot to wash their hooves.” “Geez, what was with you two? All you did was zone out during the entire party,” Pinkie Pie said with concern, though anypony who did not know the bouncing and singing pony would not know that what she had just said had her own unique tone of concern to it. “You mean we were zoned out until you threw cake into our faces,” Rainbow Dash grumbled, but could not hide her own playful smirk. Pinkie bounced ahead of the three ponies exiting the spa, faced them, but continued to bounce backwards. “Well I had to think of some way to get you two to eat Mr Ice Cream Cake Jr. That ice cream cake lost its older brother to the harsh heat of the sauna savannah, and the least we could do for the younger one is to let him go out like a real cake: eaten.” The group of ponies laughed together at this, the Pinkie brand humour carolling them into a fit of giggles. The exiting of air from their lungs caused them to stop moving, though the loudest laugher continued to bounce on the spot. Rarity soon began to control herself, reigning in her own laughter and adding, “Yes, well, it’s a good thing that Aloe and Lotus were okay with mess you made. It was nice of them to simply lecture us into not holding a party in their spa during working hours.” “I just don’t understand that. How are you supposed to have a spa party if you’re not allowed to hold one in a spa?” the party planner asked as she finally stopped her bouncing in order to maintain eye contact with her friends. “Spa parties are not exactly a common occurrence dear. Perhaps spas are not the best of places to throw a party,” Rarity suggested. Pinkie thought on this for a moment, her mind busy on working out ways to throw a party that would be permitted in a spa, a place where spilling punch and throwing streamers everywhere are not advised. Fluttershy had, by then, began to look around, trying to spot her animal friend left outside with Gummy. “Oh my, where’s Angel gone?” Fluttershy asked, signs of worry creeping into her voice. “He probably just walked off somewhere, he’ll be fine,” Rainbow Dash said as reassurance, while in her head she grinned. “Probably nursing his boo-boos somewhere, heh heh.” “He and Gummy are probably having a great time hanging out together, so while they continue to play, let’s get scheming!” Pinkie Pie cheerily said before letting loose a mischievous sneer. “Ah, I see, well I’ve got some ideas in mind for tomorrow,” Rainbow Dash said with her own mischievous sneer, and then cast a sideways glance to Fluttershy, “though for what I’ve got in mind, we will need a little bit of help from Fluttershy here.” “W-what, you need my help? But I don’t know anything about pranks, and I can’t just go prank another pony. What if it bothers them or gets in their way and then they get sad and angry and…” Fluttershy protested to the two ponies that now flanked both sides of her. “Don’t you worry about that! We can assure you that you’ll be a lot of help,” Rainbow Dash and Pinkie simultaneously said as they began to urge Fluttershy away towards Sugarcube Corner. “See ya later, Rarity.” As Rarity watched her best friend be dragged off by her other two close friends, she couldn’t help but see the situation as two demons urging an innocent mare down a path of misdeeds. Sighing to herself, Rarity truly worried about the events of the next day, and hoped that at the least they would not affect the boutique. Meanwhile, Angel had finally returned to the spa with a plan to break in, unaware that the very reason he was trying to break into the establishment had since left. Also it would do the term ‘plan’ a dishonour to call what Angel had concocted that. Rather, he had brought a weapon to break into the salon, a sledgehammer to be precise. Hoisting the weapon twice his size and several times his weight above his head, Angel obtained a balanced posture and swung the weapon with full force. Success! He struck the backside of the spa. He demolished its wall, crumbled its structure… and obliterated a piping hot water pipe. “I can’t believe Pinkie did that!” Rainbow Dash hollered along with laughter. The afternoon sun was now beginning to set with all its red and orange glory, and the two ponies were making their way home. Well, to the currently shared home of the two. Dash continued to chuckle to herself, leaning against the grimaced Fluttershy for support. With a hoof round her shoulder and a buddy-buddy mood to the cyan pegasus, Dash continued to stride alongside Fluttershy with matched pace only slightly disrupted by her own laughter. Mistaking Fluttershy’s lack of laughter for a lack of humour, Rainbow asked, “C’mon Fluttershy, didn't you find that funny? Pinkie thinking a date is simply when two ponies leave from the same place and hang out together, so she ended up telling everypony she was going on one with Rarity.” “Y-yeah, that was pretty funny.” Fluttershy said with a light bit of laughter, however her thoughts lay elsewhere. “If Pinkie has been telling everypony that she was going on a date with Rarity, then everypony will be thinking that me and Dash were too, and that we were going on a double date at the spa.” As Fluttershy bemoaned the spread of rumours and unwanted attention she would be getting in the coming days, Dash popped open the cottage door which they had just reached. Greeting them was a ball of fluff. Rainbow Dash, unsympathetically, fell onto the floor roaring with laughter at the sight of the bunny rabbit. Drenched by water, the rabbit had apparently returned to his home, dried himself off, and now each hair on his body stood up on end. In fact, the only noticeable feature to define him as a rabbit being his perky ears. Fluttershy of course rushed to her pet’s aid, immediately trying to sort him and his fluffed up body. “Oh Angel, how did you get like this?” Fluttershy fussed her pet, tones of worry overshadowing her urge to coo at how cute she thought he looked. Angel was not having any fusses today though, he pushed and pried his away from his owner’s affectionate hug and hopped on into the kitchen. When he came back to the room he waddled in slowly with two freshly cooked bowls of vegetable soup. “Angel, how thoughtful of you,” Fluttershy praised her pet as he managed to get both bowls to the dining table without a single spill. “I see you must have gotten wet while cooking.” This was obviously not what happened, but Angel decided to go with it anyway, nodding in response. Rainbow looked on unimpressed, once again bemoaning the fact that a bunny could cook better that herself. After Angel dashed back and forth into the kitchen, setting out the table with various utensils, he gestured for Fluttershy to sit by one bowl of soup and for Dash to sit by the other. Naturally though, when Fluttershy and Dash reached their assigned places and assigned soups they scooted next to each other in order to prevent the bracelet’s effects. Angel did not scowl even once, but instead continued to smile at the two. The enticing smell of the soup wafted through her nostrils, and it was only a sudden thought that stopped Dash from digging into her dinner. “Wait a minute, this is way too nice of the rabbit.” Dash looked down on her soup, eyeing it suspiciously as Fluttershy blew on hers own meal to cool it down. “Assigned seats, assigned soups. What if the rabbit poisoned mine? That jerk…” “Hey Fluttershy, I know this may be a bit strange, but would you mind swapping bowls with me?” Dash asked her friend, who was just about to taste the first of her soup. Fluttershy blinked at first, but in her good nature agreed, “Sure, here you go.” “Thanks,” was all Dash said as she was passed the bowl, her attention less so on Fluttershy or her own meal, but on the rabbit. “Now, Angel maybe a jerk, but he at least cares for Fluttershy.” Rainbow Dash’s eyes now flickered back and forth between an unmoving Angel and a ready to eat Fluttershy. “If he’s done something to my soup, which Fluttershy now has, he’ll stop her from having any of it.” Fluttershy lifted her small spoon up with a wing, dipped it into what was now her soup, and raised it up to her lips. Dash watched Angel, and Angel watched them both. Fluttershy drank the soup. Dash continued to look between the two, and seeing Fluttershy continue to merrily enjoy her meal, and for the rabbit to continue looking pleased was enough to relieve Rainbow Dash. “Guess he just wanted to please Fluttershy. Might as well take advantage of it,” Dash thought with a sigh as she began to gulp down her soup. Angel had now decided to walk off into the kitchen, a smile ever present on his face. He made his way to a small store cupboard, one Fluttershy had built for his own personal use, and he opened it up. He took out but one thing, a small empty box of laxatives, and grinned. “It worked.” “It didn’t work.” This was Angel’s primary thought as he sat outside the bathroom, looking down with disappointment and frustration at the empty box still within his paws. “It should have worked.” Moans were emitted from the bathroom, along with various unpleasant sounds and unpleasant smells. “It was planned so well, even counting on the fact that the nuisance would know I was up to something and switch the bowls with my owner.” “It feels like my insides are coming out my butt!” A pained yell came from the bathroom, but Angel paid no heed to it. “The plan was simple, but brilliant, put laxatives in the rainbow dolt’s food, and she’d rush off to go toilet and once separated from my owner, she would find out that the bracelets were a scam, but…” “I-I’m sure it’s not that bad and um, it shouldn’t last too much longer.” Fluttershy’s sweet voice flowed out from the bathroom alongside Dash’s exerted groans. “My owner went into the bathroom with her.” Angel got up and walked away from the bathroom, the smells and sounds a distraction to his bothered mind. His thoughts were irritation and confusion. Frustration and disappointment. Jealousy and sorrow. His owner was so attached to that pegasus that she even watched her do her business. Clearly, this was a time for drastic measures. Angel made his way both down the stairs and out of the cottage, still deep in thought as he arrived at his smaller, outdoor house. He entered his house for one thing, a key, and then he got to work on a patch of dirt beside his little house. He burrowed and shovelled and cleared aside that which lay between him and what he was after, and with all the soil away he could see it; his box. The furry mammal retrieved his buried splendour, brushed away at it until he could make out the key hole, and unlocked it. The lid came off with a creak, and even though it was night-time, Luna’s full moon shone bright enough for him to read the first piece of paper within the box, ‘How to kill your enemy.’ “Maybe a little too excessive,” Angel thought to himself as he looked at the folded A3 sheet. Putting the somewhat twisted plans, aside he looked to other schemes that where in his storage box, and read the next fold of paper, ‘How to get rid of your enemy’. “Perfect,” was Angel’s lone thought as he hoisted the plan out of the box, read through the scheme and drawings, and grinned.