//------------------------------// // Chapter 4: Spa Treatment Part 1 // Story: Shiny's secret // by Nidle //------------------------------// Amethyst walked side by side with Celestia, the nobles looking at them in awe. Some even looked envious. She looked around, shivering nervously. While trying to shake off the feeling and retain her stoic pose, Amethyst looked up at Celestia. She noted how regal she looked outside the palace, but that was to be expected of a ruler. “Why does she have to appear so imposing…?” Amethyst questioned under her breath. Celestia’s ear flicked a bit before her serene smile grew. Somehow, Amethyst just felt that Celestia knew what she had just said. Shaking her head once again, she trekked on with Celestia by her side. “Amethyst, I know I’ve been kind of rough to you throughout all of this, but I just want to have a little bit of fun with someone. Luna’s no fun anymore since she knows when I’m joking and when I’m not. I just hope you understand and that after all this is over, maybe you could find it in your heart to forgive me.” Celestia looked down, avoiding Amethyst’s gaze as she gave her an ‘are you kidding me’ look. Soon. however, her expression changed to one of sympathy. Amethyst took a deep breath, looked around for a bit, then whispered in her ear. “Princess, no matter what you do to me, I will always forgive you, because...well...you’re the princess, and besides, I had a harder time with Twilight since she didn’t know how to hold back.” Amethyst cringed as a memory popped up. One of which being Twilight trying to place some mare’s underwear on top of Amethyst’s head. Shaking her head once again, Amethyst continued on with Celestia in silence, that is, until they came across a well known spa and massage parlor they both looked at each other, smiled as wide as they could, and then bolted for the door. Suddenly, the princess stopped dead in her tracks, causing Amethyst to stop as well. “Princess, what are you doing?” Amethyst questioned, half annoyed and half worried. Celestia only smirked and applied magic to her horn. With a flash, the whole cobblestone floor disappeared, then reappearing instantly. Standing before Amethyst was not Celestia, but a small mare with pink hair and a mountain scenery cutie mark. Her mouth dropped at the site of this unfamiliar pony before her. Celestia just smirked, replying to Amethyst’s previous comment. “I thought it over a bit, and it wouldn’t do us any good by having nobles and other ponies watching us from the windows while we relaxed, now would it? And besides, don’t you think I look a little more cute like this?” Celestia threw her a wink and stroke a pose. Amethyst only blushed a bit, mumbled under her breath. ‘oh sweet Luna don’t let Cadence find out about this…’ (-------------------------) “Holy mother of Celestia this place is big!” Amethyst yelled in awe. Looking round and staring at every little detail, she could barely take it all in. Celestia only giggled in amusement. Amethyst froze on the spot, realizing what she had been doing. She mumbled incoherently, trying to form some sort of response for her behaviour, That is, until Celestia put a hoof in her mouth and shushed her. She slowly nodded in response, and Celestia took her hoof out of Amethyst’s mouth. She smirked again and looked Amethyst dead in the eyes. “Did you just lick my hoof while it was in your mouth?” Celestia questioned while trying to stifle a laugh. Amethyst once again started mumbling incoherently, before just giving up altogether and rushing to the counter. She pounded on the announcement bell, gaining a yell from the back room. “We will be with you in a moment, Drogi!” She screamed in a heavy Ponish accent. Amethyst cringed slightly, not used to hearing such a heavy accent. She ignored her spasm, and sat down next to Celestia, who was reading an Equestria Daily magazine. Celestia turned the magazine towards her and started giggling again. “Amethyst, look at this! That musician, Lyra Heartstrings, went on a human engulfed rampage through ponyville again! She just never learns does she! You See, I wish I lived in ponyville, since all sorts of crazy things happens there! It’s just not fair being cooped up in the castle everyday, it gets soooo boring. And why do they…” That’s when Amethyst just tuned her out. Having dealt with this type before. She just sat there, lost in her thoughts. Ever so slowly, she closed her eyes, drifting off into the inky blackness known as sleep. However, a loud crash came from inside the spa area. Snapping her eyes open and jumping up into action, Amethyst leaped towards the door and forced it open with both her front hooves. Instead of the clatter of equipment and a pony to apprehend, Amethyst was face-to-face with the one pony that she could say, out loud, feared most. “Hmm…? Oh, hello! Sorry about the racket, I kinda slipped on some water. If I frightened you, then I’m terribly sorry.” Cadance said in her melodic voice as she smiled sheepishly. Amethyst just stared at her, glued to her spot in fear. (-----------------------) Cadance stared at the strangely familiar pony before her. The pony didn’t move or even breathe the entire time they were in their deadlock. A simple cough to the right caught only Cadance’s attention, causing her mouth to unhinge itself. “Wha…What are you do-” Cadance was cut off by a hoof being plunged into her mouth. Celestia gave her a stern look before smiling again and removing her hoof. “Why hello there, I believe we never met before. My name is Sunny Days, might I be so inclined to believe that you’re Princess Cadance of the Crystal Empire?” Celestia asked in her noble voice. Cadance was speechless for a second before catching on. “Yes, I am. It’s quite a pleasure to meet you my little pony.” Cadance smirked, gaining a small frown from Celestia. Cadance only giggled in response before focusing on the mystery pony still shell-shocked by the door. She studied this pony with some gusto, noticing the dark and light blue mane and the sky blue eyes. She felt a slight tingle along her back, shivering in the process. “Who might this be? She seems so familiar…” Cadance gave an accusing look towards the two ponies. Celestia quickly responded, trying to shake off the accusatory glances. “Oh her? She’s just a friend I walked into during my afternoon walk around Canterlot. How about you introduce yourself to the Princess?” Celestia asked. A few seconds passed with no response, forcing Celestia to smile awkwardly at Cadance and trotting over to Amethyst. She waved her hoof in front of the mare’s face, gaining no response. “Amethyst? Hello~! Well, sorry about my friend here, she seems to be out of it at the moment. I’ll have to introduce her to you then. Her name is Amethyst Star and her family supplies the Royal Guard with their equipment. She also has quite the reputation as of late.” Celestia smiled, hoping this will throw off the metaphorical hounds. Cadance raised her eyebrow, staring them down with doubt in her eyes. After a few tense seconds, she smiled. “Well since we’re all here, why don’t we enjoy the massage for the time being?” Cadance suggested, gaining a nod from Celestia. She trotted in ahead of the duo while Celestia tried to snap Amethyst out of her stupor. She decided to give up after several attempts. “Oh Shining, what am I going to do with you?” Celestia sighed, before dragging her plaything by the tail into the spa room.