//------------------------------// // Foal Day // Story: Mixed Drinks // by SoralTheSol //------------------------------// Chapter Seven:  Foal Day. Honestly he should have expected this.  Why on earth would it be so easy, so simple to just bypass a major problem without drawbacks.  No, the consequences didn’t even enter his mind once he got used to the methods of madness.  “Of course I wouldn’t be able to use magic non stop.”  Soral moaned.  A horrid throbbing pain emanating from his horn, reminiscent of a bad headache. “Now, it will happen less often as you come into your power.  You just started using your magic though so it is to be expected.”  Twilight said as she lowered an ice pack onto the mint colored horn. Soral felt a small spike of pain before the numbing cold began working it’s way into the aching appendage.  He let out another soft moan before searching for something else to focus on.  “It is only to be expected if you know about it in the first place.  I have never heard of a horn-ache before now.”  Talking helped some, not much but some. “That’s odd, it is not that uncommon.  Surely you have met at least one other unicorn who has...”  She trailed off as Soral gave her a very flat stare.  “Ah-ha-ha, right.”  She laughed weakly. Sometimes it baffled the little mint coated colt how his caretaker could forget such important details as, him not originally being a pony.  He was about to mock her ability to keep track of such detail until a red hot iron decided to lodge itself into his skull.  With very shrill squeak his hooves shot to the ice pack that was covering his horn. Twilight seemed to wince in sympathy, considering her own magical abilities she probably faced similar problems growing up.  “I’ll go into town to get some medicine.  Do you think you will be okay here with Spike?” “I’ll manage.”  Soral, groaned out.  “Just go get something to dull this please.” “Right, I’ll be back soon.”  She said and walked out the door.  Soral just put his head back down on his pillow and hoped that the pain would dissipate.  He hated this feeling.  It was like a headache on steroids, he guessed this was what a migraine felt like. "So, anything I can get for you?" Spike asked from where he was picking up Twilight's latest mess of books. "A glass of water please.  I think I am just going to lay down for a nap.". Soral told him.  Spike nodded and it wasn't long after that he came back with the glass.  After a few sips Soral moved the glass as side and set his head on the pillow.  Even resting hurt but the pain was slowly pushed aside as sleep creeped in. "Hey Twilight!  You in here?" A raspy voiced hollered followed by a gust of wind. Soral leveled a baleful glare at the disturbance.  Floating inside the room, apparently trying to be as noisy as possible, was a certain cyan pegasus.  “Rainbow Dash,”  Soral said with annoyed tone, “what do you want?” “Ah.”  Dash said as she turned to the voice.  “Hey there pipsqueak.  I am looking for Twilight, I wanted her opinion on my latest stunt.”  She said while puffing out her chest. “This wouldn’t happen to be the stunt of ‘Breaking and Entering’ would it?”  Soral asked sarcastically. Rainbow Dash looked affronted by the accusation before glaring at the colt.  “What the hay is your problem?” “Well I was about to get to sleep before you barged in here.”  Soral stated flatly.  “Now I am wide awake to enjoy the aching pain coming from my horn.  Thanks for that.”  The last part practically oozed sarcasm as he waved a hoof at her with a fake smile on his face. “No problem.”  She replied flippantly. Groaning Soral decided to try and nap someplace else.  Someplace that did not include ‘Prism Butt’ to pester him.  Getting to his hooves he trotted downstairs and headed for the front door.  “Spike, I’m going out.  Tell Twilight that Prism Butt is waiting for her in her room.”  He called out before shutting the door behind him. “Who is Prism Butt?”  Spike asked before turning to see a rather incensed Rainbow Dash glaring at the door.  “...  Oh!”  Spike said after a moment, having figured out the joke. *-*-* Soral grumbled angrily as he walked down Ponyville’s main street.  His anger quickly burned out though and he focused on trying to relax.  The pain from his horn was still there, and it was really starting to fray his nerves.  The sensation was like a mix of electricity and a toothache.  He closed his eyes, taking deep breaths hoping to sooth the pain.  There was a minor success until he bumped into someone.  Shaking his head Soral quickly started apologizing to the pony he ran into only to be interrupted. “Oh my!  A-are you okay Soral?”  A soft voice asked. Looking up Soral notice the pale pink lock belonging to a very soft spoken pegasus.  Fluttershy looked at him with a hint of worry in her eyes as she moved to check him over for any injuries. “‘m fine Fluttershy,”  Soral mumbled embarrassed by the sudden invasion of privacy, “I just wasn’t watching where I was going.  I am sorry for-Aehh!” His sentence was ended in a small shriek as a small blossom of pain flared in his horn. “Oh dear, oh dear.  What’s hurt?  Where do you feel pain?  Do I need to take you to the hospital?”  Fluttershy began fretting over him. “It’s just a hornache!”  He said a bit more forcefully than he intended. Fluttershy shrank back from the sudden yell.  Soral winced slightly knowing that he shouldn’t be taking his frustration out on the shy mare.  “I’m sorry, that was wrong.  Just that this has me cranky and I tried to sleep it off but my nap got interrupted and I’ve never had one before and it really hurts and I just want it to stop and I am sorry I yelled.”  Soral finished taking in several breaths to try and calm down. “Oh, you poor dear.”  Fluttershy said.  Before Soral knew what was happening he was enveloped into a hug.  “I know what will help.  Come with me.”  The motherly pegasus said while nudging the foal forward. Slightly confused by her change, Soral decided to do as he was told and walked with her.  It wasn’t long until he heard someone call out for Fluttershy’s attention. “Yoo hoo, Fluttershy!”  Rarity waved at them from in front of another of the oddly shaped buildings that made up the town of Ponyville.  As they got closer Soral could see it in more detail.  It looked like an opulent tent.  Hanging over the door was a sign that displayed a pony with a long mane and several sparkles just above her flank.  He felt he should recognise this place but he never paid that much attention to the show. “Oh I am so glad you made our appointment Fluttershy, I was beginning to fear you might be late.”  Rarity told her friend. “Oh, I am sorry Rarity, but I uh... I ran into someone on the way over.”  Fluttershy said quietly while motioning towards Soral. “Oh, so you did dear.  How are you today Soral?”  Rarity asked politely, if slightly strained.  He couldn’t blame her.  The only experiences he has had with her thus far was being sick or when he yelled at all of them for ganging up on Twilight. “Uhm,  I’m fine today Rarity.  I should be going though.”  Since he knew they were bad impression he decided it would be best to leave.  He didn’t get far before he was tugged back between the two mares by Fluttyshy. “Now, now.  No running off, I said I was going to help you, so just stay with us.”  Fluttershy said. “Help him with what dear?”  Rarity asked, now curious as to why the colt was there.  She recognised Fluttershy’s current mood for when she was tending the animals at her cottage. “Oh, the poor thing has been having such a stressful day I thought maybe he could join us.  That is, if you don’t mind?”  Fluttershy asked at the end going back to her shy personality. “Oh not at all darling.  Well let’s move along inside shall we.”  Rarity said as she came up on Soral’s left.  Together to two mares herded him inside of the building.  Soral began to sweat, unsure of just what their intentions were. *-*-* “Welcome!”  The twin tones of cheer cames from two ponies.  One pink, one pale blue, both with flowers for cutie marks.  Both known well by her. “Lotus! Aloe!  It is so nice to see you again darlings.”  Rarity said genuinely.  “Now I know we are breaking from tradition but due to recent events Fluttershy and I decided that we could use a visit.” “No problem Miss Rarity.  We are always happy to serve you.”  Lotus sung happily. “Shall we prepare the usual for you and Miss Fluttershy?”  Aloe asked before looking down.  “Oh?  Who is this?” Rarity allowed herself a small smirk as she saw Soral try to hide behind Fluttershy.  It seemed for all his maturity he was still a foal.  “This is a friend of our’s Aloe, he has had a terribly stressful day.”  Rarity said dramatically. “Oh, that so terrible.”   Both of the spa ponies gasped while bringing their hooves to their mouths. “Truly.  That is why Fluttershy decided a trip here was just what he needed.”  Rarity said. “It’s just a horn-ache.”  Soral mumbled while trying to back away to the door. Rarity frowned and lit her horn with magic.  Soral was pulled forward into Aloe and Lotus’s waiting hooves.  “Yes, and while earth-ponies don’t know the pain of a horn-ache Aloe and Lotus both know the pain of a migraine.  The two are similar enough, believe me dear.”  She told the struggling colt.  “So I am trusting you two to help the little one relax the pain away, so to speak.” “Of course Miss Rarity.”  Aloe said. “We would be happy to assist.”  Lotus continued. “So shall we begin?”  They both asked. Allowing herself a small quiet chuckle at the scene before her Rarity nodded her head.  The two spa ponies tugged their new charge along with them as she and Fluttershy followed. “You don’t think we were too forceful, do you?”  Fluttershy questioned. “Not at all darling.  I believe the little colt is a lot like Twilight.  He thinks he knows what he needs and excludes everything else.”  Rarity paused after she said this, seemingly lost in thought.  “We should bear that in mind when dealing with them, or we might miss something important.” Fluttershy gave a small nod.  “I have noticed that Twilight seems to stress easily.  Do- Do you think we should be worried?” “No darling, but we should be ready to calm them down.  We don’t need them having an episode and embarrassing themselves.”  Rarity said.  Fluttershy made the smallest sounds of agreement. It wasn’t long after that they entered the spa proper.  Being guided to their seats they were put through their usual routine.  The works for Rarity, and lighter sessions for Fluttershy.  Rarity began regaling Fluttershy and the girls over the latest gossip and the trials some of her customers caused her.  It wasn’t until the massage portion that she noticed Soral again. His hooves had been cleaned and trimmed.  His coat and mane thoroughly washed to where it had a glossy sheen.  Now he was on a massage table though not receiving any attention.  No he was on the table because both his eyes were closed in sleep. “Oh my, that didn’t take very long at all did it?”  Rarity asked aloud. Aloe gave a gentle laugh.  “No Miss Rarity it didn’t.  He fell asleep as we were brushing out his coat.” “I hope it wasn’t too much trouble.  I mean, I know he needed to relax, but I didn’t think he would fall asleep in the middle of your work.”  Fluttershy said in her hesitant manner. “No trouble at all Miss Shy.  We are used to some of our customers being too relaxed.”  Lotus said with a rueful smile.  More than a few stories rested behind that face Rarity thought. “Well then I say mission accomplished.  Hopefully he can sleep off the rest of his horn-ache.”  Rarity said.  They continued through the treatment like normal, and were soon ready to leave the spa.  Rarity gently placed Soral into the crook of Fluttershy’s back.  The colt managed to endear himself to the staff by nuzzling the yellow pegasus’s mane. “Well now I think that went swimmingly.”  Rarity announced, feeling completely refreshed after her visit.  “I truly enjoy our visits.  I do hope to see you again on Tuesday.”  Rarity waited for a response but when she didn’t receive one she looked to where her friend was. Fluttershy was still walking next to her but her eyes were slightly closed.  She also seemed to be humming.  Listening to the melody Rarity was able to place it as a lullaby.  Now Rarity decided to take a closer look at her friend’s expression.  Slowly a smile began to spread on her lips. “My, my Fluttershy, that visit must have been exactly what you needed.”  She began a little louder than she normally would in order to capture her wayward friend’s attention.  “You are positively glowing.” Rarity chuckled as the comment seemed to cause her friend to return to her shy state for a moment.  It was obvious what was causing the new behavior of the butter pegasus though.  Rarity was certain she would make a fine mother someday.