The world around her was blurry and dim. Fuzzy shapes and outlines danced across her vision, obscuring what little she could hope to see. Rainbow Dash blinked, and attempted to focus away some of the chaos around her. As the blurs sharpened her hearing kicked in, and she could decipher what sounded like Rarity's voice.
"Oh, she's waking up! Rainbow? Rainbow, can you hear me?" One of the blurs waved back and forth right in front of her face. As she finally began to see, Rainbow could make out a white hoof shaking in front of her face..
"R-Rarity?" She forced herself to sit up on the lounge chair as her surroundings became visible. Rarity was directly in front of her, a look of concern on her face. Aloe and Lotus stood off to the side, their faces holding more curiosity than concern. Rainbow rubbed her face as eyes fully adjusted to being awake again. "What happened?"
"I touched you with the file and you cried like a bitch before passing out," Aloe spoke. Her Prench words were lost on Dash's ears, but she couldn't help but think something offensive was said about her.
"It was hilarious," Lotus threw in.
"Immensely"
Rainbow looked to Rarity. "What are they saying?"
"Just that... umm... when Aloe touched you with the file you screamed a lot and then slipped into unconsciousness."
Groaning, Dash threw her head into her hooves. "Great. Just great. The last thing I need is this getting out."
"Relax, darling, I won't tell a soul." Rarity glanced toward the spa twins. "And neither will they. I saw to that."
Offering a weak grin, Rainbow looked up. "Thanks." With her hooves not covering her face anymore, she was able to see them clearly. Her eyes widened with shock. Aside from the cyan color of her coat, everything about them had changed. She was used to seeing thick layers of dirt or mud coating her dry hooves, with chips and tiny splits decorating the bottom and sides. Now... none of that. They were sparkling clean and whole again. "Whoa."
Rarity grinned. "What, did you think passing out was going to save you from getting a hooficure?"
Rainbow laughed a little. "I guess not... I just... I didn't expect them to look this... nice."
"You're welcome." Rarity reached over and tapped her hoof against Dash's. "No pain?"
"None." She wasn't really sure how to feel. On one hoof, she'd just been given a hooficure against her will, on the other... her hooves never felt better. It was a shock to think that the spa of all places had been the cause of this. "I don't even know what to say..." Her stomach growled.
Rarity giggled. "It seems one part of you does. Not that I'm surprised, it's likely been a while since you've eaten considering the time."
The time... oh shit! The dare! "What time is it?" Rainbow asked, her voice sounding more panicky than she cared to admit.
"Nearly five-thirty." Rarity nudged her head towards the exit door. "We can leave now so you can get something to eat if you want."
Rainbow was about to hop off her chair before she remembered. "Wait... I still need to prove to you my apology was sincere."
"After everything you've 'suffered' through today? Consider your apology accepted."
"Thanks... and it wasn't that bad," Dash admitted, standing up. "I mean, the hooficure was awful–"
"You weren't even awake for it!"
"–But everything else was bearable."
Rarity raised an eyebrow as they walked towards the exit. The crowd had dispersed slightly since Rainbow had last been conscious, and they were able to move about without bumping into anypony. "I see. Who would've have guessed it? Rainbow Dash enjoyed her trip to the spa."
"I said it was bearable!" Rainbow protested as they exited the building. "Don't go putting words in my mouth."
Smiling, Rarity came to a halt. "Well, I'll see you some other time, Rainbow Dash. You probably want to go and get dinner now."
From the corner of her eye, she saw Applejack not to far off in the distance, lounging on a bench. Her orange hoof waved smugly back and forth, as if she'd already won. Dash knitted her brow together.
Rarity was already walking away when Rainbow jumped in front of her. "You know... we don't have to part ways here. Do you wanna grab some food with me?"
Cocking her head, Rarity asked, "Just the two of us?"
Rainbow shrugged in an attempt to be nonchalant. "Yeah, if you want. Just the two of us eating dinner. Alone. Two friends... with food. I may light some candles or whatever, but it'll totally be casual."
A grin sprouted on Rarity's face that was borderline sultry. "Rainbow Dash, are you asking me out on a date?"
"Yeah..." She prepared herself to be shot down. Applejack was going to win the title of most daring pony now because Rainbow knew she'd just royally screwed up.
"You know." Rarity suddenly drew in closer. A lot closer. Her eyelids lowered slightly and she leaned in, her mouth parallel to Dash's ear. "We could always skip dinner and go straight to dessert."
Rainbow's eyes widened. Holy shit. Is this real? Or am I still in a hooficure-induced coma? No, it's gotta be real. Holy bucking shit this is actually happening! Rarity and I are totally going to–
"Why don't we hop right to it?" Rarity purred into her ear. "I'm sure you're eager to make me squeal before time's up."
Dash's heart skipped a beat. For a moment, the only thing she could hear was the sound of glass shattering.
"H-How did you know?"
Rarity gave a razor-like grin. "Applejack doesn't realize how loud her voice is sometimes. I heard her give you that dare from across the market."
"So... you knew the whole time, and still made me go the spa?" Rarity nodded, and patted Dash on the cheek with her hoof. "Why?"
"I saw the opportunity to finally get you in there, darling." She said the last word with an almost mocking sweetness. "I can't believe it worked to be honest with you. You must've really wanted to beat Applejack."
"Yeah..." Rainbow muttered, her eyes drifting towards the bench. "We've been trying to see who's the most daring pony by–"
"Oh don't bother explaining. The bottom line is, you spent the entire day at the spa in an attempt to sleep with me."
Dash forced a sheepish smile. "Yeah. I did, didn't I?" She cringed slightly at this realization. "Wow... Rarity, I'm sorry. I... I shouldn't have taken that dare in the first place. I've been a real ass."
"Well, that was a rather crude apology," Rarity sighed "But you need not worry, darling, I've already forgiven you. You did just spend the entire day at the spa for nothing, after all. Even so... admittedly, I enjoyed having you there."
Rainbow smiled in earnest this time. "I guess I could've had a worse time hanging out with you, too."
"I'll take that as a compliment." Rarity's eyes flicked behind her to Applejack spying from the bench. "You know, you may have gotten some comeuppance for all this, but the instigator shouldn't be allowed to walk away from this unscathed."
"I like where this is going," Rainbow said with a devilish grin sprouting. "What did you have in mind?"
"Well, if you complete your dare, then you get to force her to do something asinine, correct?" Rainbow nodded. "Good. Lean in and pretend to whisper something in my ear."
The request confused Dash at first, but she obliged, putting her mouth within kissing distance of Rarity's ear. "So, what do you want me to sa–" Suddenly, Rainbow was cut off by the loudest, girliest, most genuine-sounding squeal she had ever head. Rarity kept it going for a full five seconds, guaranteeing that Applejack heard it. When Rainbow pulled away, her ears were ringing.
"There you go, darling," Rarity said. "I squealed."
Rainbow blinked, realizing what this meant. "Thank you."
"So... what do you have in store for Applejack?"
Her teeth flashed. "I have an idea." She took a few steps away, preparing to go to the unsuspecting pony on the bench.
"Say, Rainbow." She turned. "What would you say to coming to the spa with me again sometime?"
Rainbow thought about it for a moment. "I wouldn't hate it," she finally answered. Rarity smiled lightly, and walked away.
Turning back, Dash made her way over to Applejack. While she bore a smile of triumph, Applejack wore an expression of confusion. Rainbow plopped onto the bench next to her friend. "She squealed."
"Ah heard." Applejack shook her head. "Ya know, Ah didn't think ya'd pull it off. Especially after passin' out in the spa like that."
Rainbow did a double take. "You saw that?"
"Nah. Ah heard a scream, and when Ah checked inside ya were passed out."
Sighing, Dash decided to move on. "Well that doesn't matter, 'cause I pulled it off."
"Without havin' sex with her," Applejack noted.
"Hey, you never said I had to nail her." Rainbow Dash unconsciously glanced over to where Rarity was walking off. She'd actually just run into a purple mare that Rainbow identified as Twilight, and a grin bloomed on her face when she did.
"True, Ah can't deny that." Applejack tilted her head to the left. "What did ya say ta her ta make her squeal like that?"
Uh... "Just a special little phrase of mine. Works every time."
"Well... Ah suppose that means ya get ta give me a dare now." Applejack gave a short sigh. "All right, what is it? Gonna have me crawl through Ghastly Gorge? Fight a hydra? Read a book about orange farming?"
"All excellent ideas," Rainbow admitted. "But I've got something even worse in mind."
"Ain't nuthin' worse than oranges."
Rainbow's devilish smile got so big her face hurt. Extending her hoof she pointed in the direction of the two mares. "I dare you to march right up to Twilight, and make out with her."
All of the color drained from Applejack's face.
"WHAT?"