//------------------------------//
// Chapter 2 
// Story: Renaissance of The Moon 
// by Habanc 
//------------------------------//

Fluttershy shut her front door, Luna waiting next to her. The goddess put a hoof
on the clumsy, low-brimmed gardener's hat Fluttershy had given her,
vainly trying to move it into a comfortable position. It was too big
for her liking, but Luna didn't want to be noticed in the streets of
Ponyville.

Ahh, yes, where were they going? The... Spa, was it? Luna had only briefly heard the
term mentioned in a few of her texts, but she didn't look into it.
She hadn't really seen the importance in them, but Fluttershy sure
did make them sound nice.

She told Luna how she and her friend Rarity met there once a week, to
talk and catch up. Fluttershy explained all the relaxing things they
could do there, from mud baths, to massages, and even a new concept
she didn't quite understand... A sauna? That was the one part she was
wary of... Sitting in a very hot, humid room was relaxing?

However, she reminded herself that she had already accepted her proposal. She
surely couldn't turn back now. Fluttershy had been so kind to take
her in and heal her, although Luna simply used a medical spell on her
concussion when the yellow pegasus left the room, and the least she
could do was take her word for it and try to enjoy it.

“So Fluttershy”, Luna began as they walked down a dirt path, “How far
is it to the spa?” She was curious, because she hadn't been in
busier part of Ponyville yet. The mare looked over at her, a little
smile on her face.

“Oh, not too far, we won't have to go too deep into town.” She turned her
focus down the path, a few buildings of Ponyville emerging into view.
“After you told me your plan to observe the town, I understood how
shy you were, so that's one of the reasons why I picked going
there.”

Fluttershy turned back to Luna, “Besides, I'm not the most outgoing pony myself.”
Luna chuckled a little, glad that the other mare understood her
fears. She was a princess after all, and without this hat in public,
she'd surely be spotted. Almost all ponies in Ponyville knew what she
looked like, because of the party there a few months earlier.

As they entered the main part of Ponyville, it felt as if the gears in
Luna's stomach churned like clockwork as she saw all the other ponies
in the streets. Some were talking, others selling goods from small
kiosks and stalls, looking through the windows of the various stores,
even three fillies running wildly, yelling happily as they went.

And Luna had to get through all of this, undetected. She began walking
again, trying to keep her breathing regular, 'Just
calm down...' She thought to
herself, 'All I have to do is
just act normal and stick by Fluttershy.' Exhaling
deeply, she heard the pegasus whisper to her.

“Luna... Are you okay?” She asked. Luna looked over to her, Fluttershy's
eyes wide with concern, as they flickered towards her forelegs. She
looked down, noticing they were wobbling uncontrollably.

Luna blushed a little, “Ummm yeah... There's just...” She stopped, her
voice tinged with concern. She glanced quickly at all the ponies in
front of her. “There's just so many other ponies.” Luna concluded, her
voice a little quieter.

Fluttershy smiled at her, “It's not that bad.” She began her way up towards
a yellow door in front of them, looking back up at it. “Besides,
once we get inside, you can take your hat off and relax. The spa
ponies working there are really nice.”

As she approached the door, Luna couldn't help but feel better after
talking with her. No wonder she was good with animals. She never
seemed to get frustrated or angry with Luna's constant
distress.

Fluttershy opened the door, forcing Luna to take another deep breath and follow her in.
As she entered, she had to admit that the spa looked exactly like the
comfort it sought to provide. A warm purple color was painted on the
walls, the room decorated with lush, leafy plants. A small,
comfortable couch was in one corner, a plushy pillow on each
end.

Luna took her hat off, reluctantly, as Fluttershy walked up to the counter. A blue earth
pony was on the other side, with a pink mane similar to Fluttershy's
own.

“Hello, Fluttershy!” The pony said, a smile on her face, “Weren't you just here
yesterday?” Luna fumbled as she tried to place the clumsy hat on a
hanger, now in a set of dismay over the new pony's observation.
Trying to keep out of sight, she slowly began to creep back over to
Fluttershy. She desperately hoped the pony at the counter wouldn't
notice her.

“Oh yes, I was here recently, Sunbreeze.” The yellow pegasus replied, “But me
and my friend wanted to relax a little today. Surprisingly, I don't
have much to do this afternoon, so why not spend it here?”

“Well, I don't see Rarity here...” Sunbreeze said, her eyes searching for
her. Luna groaned quietly to herself. She really didn't have any way
out of this, so she gathered herself, and took a few brave steps
towards the center of the room, trying her best to look as royal as
she could. Although she attempted to keep her posture in check and
walk balanced, she knew it looked feeble, at best.

The spa pony's face lit up a bit, spotting Luna. “Ahh, so you brought
Princess Luna with you!” Her tone was only slightly surprised, not
nearly as giddy and shocked as the alicorn thought it'd
be.

Fluttershy turned around, looking at her. Her gaze softened, reassuringly, as she noticed the princess trying to show herself in public. The pegasus winced a
little, her own thoughts switching to memories of the pressure she
was under, when Rarity asked her to model for her. As her short-lived
career into the modeling business took off, she was constantly
annoyed by pushy fans and photographers. She could definitely
sympathize with Luna.

“Yes, I thought I'd show her the best spa in all of Equestria!”
Fluttershy responded, without looking back at Sunbreeze. She signaled
for Luna to come over to her, before turning back towards the
counter.

“Hehe, well, I don't know if I'd go that far.” The light blue pony told her. “But,
I'm sure you two will enjoy it here. Feel free to head over to your
tables when you're ready. We'll have somepony over soon for your
facials and massages.” She turned around, grabbing a few things
behind her. Placing them on the counter, she faced the two ponies
again. “Here are your robes and your key. Your room is number 12,
down the hall on your right.” Luna was glad that Sunbreeze referred
to the both of them, not directing attention solely on her.

“Thank you!” Fluttershy said, taking the two robes in her mouth. She left
the key up there, which Luna grabbed precariously with her
telekinetic magic. She followed the yellow mare, making their way
down a white hallway. The floor was made out of a dark hardwood, and
what were supposed to windows were little more than squares in the
wall. A thin linen cover was draped over them, which swayed
peacefully and allowed a breeze to enter through the hallway.

In Luna's mind, perhaps Fluttershy really was right, this could be the
best spa in Equestria. So far, the mare at the counter was pleasant
and courteous enough, and the rooms were painted and designed to be
as light and inviting as possible. With a breath, she finally felt
the cool ecstasy of calmness entering her brain.

Abruptly, her friend stopped at a glass-framed door to her right, with he blue
mare almost running into her. She placed the robes down, looking over
at Luna. “Key please,” She asked sincerely. Luna floated the thin
metallic object over to her. 

Grasping it with her teeth, Fluttershy put the key into the bronze doorknob.
With a turn and a click, the door opened.

Passing the key back to her, Fluttershy picked up the robes and moved into
the open room. It was colored in a pastel green, with similar open
windows along one wall. Two small white beds were in the middle of
the room, above a floor of polished wood. Luna let go a sigh of
relief.

“Nice, isn't it?” Fluttershy asked. She picked up one of the robes, turning it over to her.
As the yellow pegasus pony went to close the door, Luna examined the
clothing. It was a rectangle of a soft, white material Luna hadn't
recognized before, but after feeling it, assumed it to be like the
towels she'd used in Canterlot. It came attached with two sleeves, a
fluffy collar, and a belt, all of the same material, wrapping around
the middle of it.

'Surely this can't be too difficult.' Luna
told herself. She slid her forehooves through the sleeves, and pulled
the belt around herself, tying it with her telekinetic powers. It
felt a little odd, the collar was a little bulky around her neck, and
the odd stitching, or lack there of, was in such a manner that it was
restricting her ability to move her forelegs together. But, since it
was so soft and nice on her dark blue coat, she didn't mind.

She turned around to face Fluttershy, who already had put hers on. The
yellow pony's eyes widened a little, before she let out a soft
giggle. Luna could tell she saw something wasn't right and
frowned.

“What's wrong?” She asked, the her voice turned a little frantic, “Is there
something on my face?”

Fluttershy allowed herself another giggle before replying, “No, you put your
robe on upside-down, silly.” Luna stared at her for a second,
before realizing that her robe was tied around her stomach, while she
felt her belt was tied on her back.

Luna squeaked in embarrassment, before she felt blood rushing to her face.
She dreaded the thought of looking at herself in a mirror, because
right now the amount of red on her expression would clash with her
navy blue coat.

“Haha, silly me.” Luna replied nervously. She looked up at the other pony
to see the look on her face, but her eyes only held amusement in
them, nothing else. 

Hastily untying her robe and putting it on correctly, like she saw it on
Fluttershy, she began to feel better. The robe, when on properly as
it was now, was immensely comfortable. It's plushy texture conformed
to her, the collar acting like a pillow around her neck.

“There ya go.” Fluttershy observed, noticing Luna now wearing the white
robe in the correct fashion. “It should feel better now, huh?”
Not waiting for an answer, she walked over to one of the padded
tables, laying upon it.

“Ooh, this does feel good.” Luna said, half to herself. She climbed on
the vacant bed, just like Fluttershy was doing.

“If you think the robe feels nice, then I think you'll love the rest of
the stuff we'll be doing here.” Fluttershy told her. “You
shouldn't be so afraid to see the world, Luna. If a shy pony like
myself can do this once a week, along with openly walking around
Ponyville, and even attending an occasional party hosted by my friend
Pinkie Pie... I don't see why you can't either.”

Luna's heart warmed with that comment, only being able to nod, before the
door opened again, with two other mares entering. Neither of them
stared at her, just simply smiled and walked over to a side of the
room, where a small table was. One carried a bowl and a few brushes,
the other holding a plate with slices of cucumber in it. The
alicorn's curiosity peaked.

“Why are we eating?” She asked Fluttershy. She never expected a spa to
be somewhere to serve any food. Although, the cool, crisp taste of
them certainly did match the spa's calming atmosphere.

“Oh no,” Fluttershy replied, “Personally I usually don't use them,
but someponies like to put them over their eyes. They're supposed to
help against wrinkles.” Luna tilted her head to her response. It
seemed a little strange to her, but all the other ponies in the room
didn't look like they shared her thoughts.

“And the bowl with the brushes?” Luna continued.

“Oh, that's just an avocado facial mask. It's supposed to help keep your
skin and coat from drying out.” She looked to Luna, reading her
next question. “I get a few touches on my face.”

Luna took a deep breath. Since even Fluttershy did it, it couldn't be too
bad. “I'd like to try what you do, I guess.”

“Great!” The pink-maned mare replied, a smile on her face. Within an instant,
one of the spa ponies came over, and brushed a few strokes of the
green-ish cream on her face. Luna gasped a little in surprise, the
cool sensation of the paste on her cheeks was new to her. Over the
next few seconds although, she began to enjoy the touch of the cream,
feeling nice on her skin. Personal upkeep wasn't high on her priority
list while in Canterlot. Aside from her daily bath, she hardly paid
attention to herself between her studies.

“And now for the massage. I assume you'd like the same as I?” Fluttershy
said. Luna turned to her and nodded.

One of the spa mares came over to her, placing her hooves on her back. As
with the facial, it felt odd at first. But after a few minutes, she
began to enjoy the rhythmic kneading along her spine. Luna placed her
head down on the bed, exhaling deeply as she closed her eyes in
comfort.

-~-

“Luna... Luna are you awake?” A quiet voice called to her. Luna ran a hoof
over her eyes as she lifted her head. She yawned slightly, before
realizing Fluttershy was staring at her.

“What?” Luna asked, sounding a little drowsy.

“You've been asleep for nearly the whole massage.” A little giggle mixed in
with her voice. Luna blushed again in embarrassment. “Don't worry,
I did the same thing my first few times.” She continued, getting
off the bed. She stretched, arching her back a bit. “Come on, get
up. I'm sure you're feeling great, and we still have lots more to
do.”

Luna picked herself up and off the bed, smiling warmly at how well she felt. Her neck
usually had a permanent crook in it, after having it angled for so
many books and tomes. Now, her whole spine and its surrounding
muscles were in bliss. “Oh, by the stars, you're right!” Luna
exclaimed, joining Fluttershy in a luxurious stretch. She felt now
more than a little eager to continue on their way.

“I knew you'd like it.” Fluttershy replied with one of her smiles.
“Come on, let's go!” She said, oddly enthusiastic, as they exited
through the door.

The mud bath had been quite a challenge to Luna, at first only being able to
stick a single hoof in the ill-reputed mixture. But, with Fluttershy
consistently encouraging her, she managed to get in. She began to
enjoy the calming bath as she talked and chatted with her friend.
Unlike their previous conversations, these were friendly, both sides
doing as much talking and listening as the other.

Fluttershy told Luna about her friends, the other elements of Harmony, and of
their many crazy adventures. She talked about the time she had
persuaded a dragon to leave Equestria, and how she once had become a
famous fashion model, even though she hated it. She also included
what she did in Ponyville, keeping good care of the various animals
that lived in Ponyville's limits, and also about her mischievous
bunny Angel.

Luna gasped, “So that's who pointed their carrot mockingly at me this morning!”
Before Fluttershy was about to reply, Luna began to laugh. Fluttershy
was at first stunned by her comment, but her laugh was so contagious
that Fluttershy herself couldn't resist. Within moments, both of them
were giggling and laughing like a pair of fillies.

As they entered the hot tub, Luna told Fluttershy of the grandeur of the
castle in Canterlot. The elegant tinted windows that seemed to litter
across every wall. She talked of the majestic, floating chandelier in
the dining hall, and more importantly to her companion, the charming
gardens, telling her about all she’d seen there. Luna talked about
the sublime melodies sung by the birds, as they flew from tree to
tree. She even admitted that the only time she really stopped
studying was to admire the blooming flowerbeds, going into detail how
the gardeners planted them in such a way to make things such as
rainbows and other pleasantries. Luna explained how she loved to read
there, nestled under one of her favorite oak trees.

-~-

The two concluded their trip to the spa in the sauna, and unlike Luna’s
previous predictions, it was indeed a nice invention. The warm, humid
heat put her in an even calmer mood, and she almost drifted off to
sleep before the yellow mare poked her.

A sense of urgency was in her voice, “Oh my, it's time we should get
going. I have to get home soon to feed my animal friends. It'll get
dark in an hour or-” Fluttershy stopped and blushed a bit,
realizing her mistake. Luna was
the pony who brought upon the night to
begin with. “Well, actually, no it won't, if we sit in the spa
longer.”

Luna shook herself, her bright blue mane sprinkling little droplets of water
that had remained from the tub. “Oh yeah, I guess you're right.”
She added in. The alicorn was a little sad to leave, but the other
mare did have a point. If she forgot her duties as the night goddess,
Celestia would surely be displeased. Luna began following behind
Fluttershy, who had opened the sauna door.

They both returned their robes and the key as the left, Luna even managing
to say goodbye to Sunbreeze on their way out. The friendly earth pony
just smiled, waving goodbye, thanking her for coming.

As they left the spa, a thought popped up in the alicorn's mind.
“Speaking of the night, what do you ponies do during the night?”
Luna asked Fluttershy. She secretly hoped she'd say something better
than just “sleep”. She may not be Nightmare Moon anymore, but she
still felt a pang of jealousy because ponies were so active during
the day, and seemingly dormant in the night.

“Well, sometimes when she has one,” Fluttershy began, “My friend Pinkie
Pie throws parties, and more often than not, they last long into the
night.” She giggled, “Once, I didn't leave 'till after the sun
had risen the next morning. Also... what else...” Fluttershy racked
her brain, “I know I'm forgetting something.”

The pegasus tilted her head a bit, pondering in the deep stretches of her
memory. Then, her face brightened again, “Oh silly me! How could I
have forgotten sleepovers?” Although Luna didn't sense it, hope was
weaved into her voice.

“What's a sleepover?” Luna asked questioningly. She gave Fluttershy a
puzzled look.

Realizing a chance to spend some more time with her new friend, Fluttershy
offered suggestively, “Well, why don't you try it? Your sister
Celestia did tell
you to find things out yourself.”

Luna smiled back at her. She didn't know what it was, but after her
enlightening visit to the spa, Luna knew she could trust her, and she
sensed that Fluttershy felt the same way. This new revelation hit her
harder than the ground she landed on earlier that morning. 'Is
this what having a true friend feels like?'