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// Hoity Toity 
// Story: Bathtime for Ponies Part 2 
// by Starry Eyed 
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	You have to make this bath perfect. Sure you say that too much, but this time it may be a fact rather than an exaggeration. This will be your second time bathing Hoity Toity, and well, let’s just say the first time didn’t go over well. The water was too cold by the time you found him, but not cold enough to start a new bath. Hoity really didn’t like the smell of the shampoo. There weren’t nearly enough bubbles, but you didn’t add more due to problems with the magic bubblebath in the past.

All in all, it just wasn’t your day, which meant it wasn’t his either. You make sure there are more bubbles than necessary and that the water is hotter than normal because you are sure many bubbles will have popped and the water will be just right by the time you catch him. You head out the door and are lucky enough to find Hoity playing in the living room, right where you made sure he was before you started. The easiest thing to do at this point would be to surprise him, but a good foalsitter knows not to lose the trust of the foal. Like it or not, you have to warn him.

“Hello Hoity dear. I’m sorry the first bath wasn’t so great, but I promise this one will be wonderful. Hoity’s full attention so shift to you with worried eyes. You muster the best fake smile you can to try to reassure him. You both stare at each other for a while. “You’re going to run aren’t you?” You ask already knowing the answer. Hoity smiles acknowledging, and disappears with a takeoff speed that only Pinkie Pie would consider perfectly normal. 

As frustrated as you would normally be, this really is your fault. The only bath you’ve ever given him was one of the worst you ever gave anypony, and definitely the worst overall considering your current level of expertise in this job. You slowly turn and walk in the direction he ran off in. You quickly scan around and find him. Rather than chasing after him, you decide to reason this time. “Look I know the first bath wasn’t all that great, but just give me one more chance, please.”

Well needless to say that doesn’t work and he runs off into the next room. “Would you give me a chance for a cookie?” No response. “Two cookies?” No response. “If I make some hot, fresh, gooey cookies right out of the oven, any kind you want?” You feel a tugging at the back of your shirt and see Hoity, more than ready for that bath.  Normally you wouldn’t resort to bribing the foal, but the first bath was your fault, so you kind of owe him one.

You rush back to the bath and are happy to see that it still looks perfect. Rather than set him down in the tub, you set him on the floor so that he can inspect it himself while you get the door. Hoity makes his way over and smiles at the sight of all the bubbles this time. You make your way back and have a seat next to him. Neither of you say anything, but you exchange a look at confirms that this will count as ‘bath one’ a new start.

You pick him up and gently set him in the tub. You sit back for a while and let him settle in to the nice warm bubbly water. Hoity would admit that it felt nice if he could talk yet. You show him your travel bag and let him choose what kind of shampoo he wants. “You can’t complain about this one, you get to pick.” Hoity looks over the different shampoos and picks some “Scent of Summertime Shampoo” You wouldn’t have picked that since it has nothing to do with him, but he likes it, so you go with it.

You pour some into your hands, lather them, and apply it before gently massaging it into his little white and gray mane. Thankfully he didn’t have his puffy manestyle as a foal, and his mane is instead fluffy and cute. You almost wonder why he didn’t leave it like this, but realize he wouldn’t look as serious if he was fluffy and cute. After twenty seconds of scrubbing like this, you get out your rinsing dish and scoop up some warm water. You have him tilt his head back so that it flows of better and repeat this rinsing the standard seven times.

You ask him to lift his tail for you now. Hoity does nothing at first, not wanting his tail washed, but he is already impressed that the bath is going so well that he eventually complies. You give yourself some more shampoo before lathering it into his tail. You decide not to stroke it through like last time because he hates that, and instead just lather the whole tail. This only last another twenty seconds before it is also ready to rinse. You use the dish again and repeat the process until the tail is free of any suds.

Hoity sits down again in the water, which is still comfortably warm and wonderfully bubbly. Hoity can’t speak to congratulate you, but smiles at you warmly. It’s the only way he knows to thank you. You are glad to finally have his approval, but the bath isn’t over yet. You give Hoity the bath toys, which you completely forgot to give him in the first bath. Hoity really isn’t sure how to play with them, and gives up after a few moments. You want this to go over well though, so you offer to play with him. Hoity gives you one of the boats and you send the next few minutes having fun.

The bath ends with an, “Aww” of disappointment rather than a sigh of relief like the first time. And you dry the little one off. You realize that your first impression of him was… well, you thought he was a little pompous. But here in retrospect, not many people or ponies with his influence would give others a second chance after such blatant failures as you and Rarity, but he did. That made him pretty cool in your book.

Hoity and you both laugh together, glad that the bath went over so well. You head out the door together, but he suddenly stops and looks up at you. You don’t know what’s wrong at first, but then realize, “Yes, we are still having cookies.”