“Rarity!” squeaked Sweetie Belle.
Rarity didn’t have time for her sister’s nonsense today. She was late to see Fluttershy. Her dear friend had sequestered herself away after that absolute fiasco at the Shindig. She had buried herself in helping her woodland friends and refused to engage in any sort of social interaction with her friends. It was one thing to put work ahead of friends when it was crunch time, but Rarity knew crunch time when she saw it. This was not crunch time. This was Fluttershy hiding and that simply would not do.
Some sort of beastly dog thing pounced her from behind. Vile, vicious, phlegm was dragged across her face. She screamed out in protest, only to be Frenched by the beast. Violated she tried to roll away.
“SIS! LOOK OUT!” Sweetie Belle tugged futilely at the leash attached to one of the heads. Scootaloo yanked on a leash around the other.
“Well, looks like we’re not gonna get our cutie marks in monster ranching,” sighed Apple Bloom.
Rarity kicked out, trying to push the brute off of her, all the while screaming her head off. The thing continued to plant slobbery kisses onto her with both of it’s heads, making it impossible to get away.
“Help!” she pawed futilely, “Oh won’t somepony please help me!”
Her plaintive cry was answered by a gentle voice. “Hey, girl, do you want a stick?”
The beast leaped off of Rarity and bounded to Fluttershy as she held a tree branch in her wing. She gave it a gentle toss and the monster dog bounded to the toy. The CMC dragged along with it.
“Oh, thank you, Fluttershy.” Rarity tried to get her mane back into some semblance of control.
“It’s okay.” Ever modest Fluttershy dismissed her friend’s praise.
“Let me treat you today.”
“Tha-”
“I insist, Fluttershy. It’s the only decent thing I can do after you rescued me.” Rarity ushered her friend into the spa.
The spa was quiet on a Wednesday. That’s what made it perfect for Fluttershy. Not only could she get the personalized attention she so desperately needed, but the lack of a crowd meant she was far more comfortable. Really, what was the point of going to the spa if you weren’t going to be comfortable?
Aloe had just shown them to the sauna room, to help open their pores and help their bodies expel all the toxins they’d built up for the week. The humidity began to make their bodies foam with sweat.
Poor Fluttershy. Rarity and her other friends had worked so hard to help her be happy when that...that...cad, Big Macintosh, had went and ruined it all by trying to take advantage of the sweet pegasi as soon as their backs were turned. It just went to show how even the most seemingly benevolent and amiable of stallions could turn into such a dastardly rake when given the chance. Really, given this situation was it even that surprising why she couldn’t find a stallion of her own?
“I’m so sorry about what happened at the shindig. Are you okay?”
“It’s okay, Rarity…”
“No, it’s not okay. I know you won’t tell us what he did to you, but please don’t let this harden your heart.” Rarity reached out for Fluttershy’s hoof. “I’m sure we can find you somepony nice who doesn’t make you cry.”
Fluttershy looked down. “Maybe...maybe I was the one that made me cry.”
“Nonsense, you were the victim. You must never think what happened was your fault!”
“But…” she squeaked.
“No! I will have none of this! You are an amazing pony, Fluttershy. You’re caring, beautiful, affectionate, any stallion would be lucky to have you.” Rarity pushed her friend out of the hot room to the cool of the mudrooms. “Wait, is that the problem? Do you not want a stallion? Are you more interested in mares?”
Fluttershy hid in her main with a “meep.”
“Well, that’s fine. We’ll still be friends no matter what, I promise.”
“No,” whispered Fluttershy.
Aloe and Lotus began to wrap the girls’ bodies in seaweed to help exfoliate and revitalize their coat before they stepped into the mud pit.
“Of course we will, I mean we’ve all had our phases so I couldn’t in good conscious-, wait, are you suggesting we should be more than friends?”
Fluttershy hid under the mud.
“Dear?” Rarity reached under the mud and pulled her friend’s head out. “I mean this certainly could explain a few things.” Fluttershy smiled. Rarity held her friend up. She wasn’t sure where this was going. Sure, Fluttershy was her best friend, well, her and Twilight Sparkle. But she’d never really thought of the pegasi that way. Should she kiss her to make her feel more comfortable or would that just be leading her on?
“No,” Fluttershy said again. “I mean, I like you, but as a friend. I mean unless you like me some other way, then, I’m sorry, uhm, but, uhm, I do like stallions.”
“Oh,” Rarity sighed, relief removing a huge weight from her back as she released her friend back into the mud who landed with a “flump.”
“Rarity,” Fluttershy cleaned the dirt away from her muzzle as she got back up, “do you really think I’m beautiful?”
“Of course, Darling. You were a professional model. They don’t let just anypony do that. Photo Finish has only the most beautiful of models for her lines.”
“Oh,” she blushed through the mud.
“Now, just to be perfectly clear, we’re also talking about pony stallions and not some sort of weird zoophilia thing with one of your critters, right?”
Fluttershy hid under the mud again. “Yes,” said a bubble.
“It’s okay, Darling. I just want to help you find your somepony special. Somepony that will make you smile instead of cry. Somepony that will be there for you every night to hold you in his hooves. Somepony who will bring you home griffonese after a hard day of work.” Rarity swooned, backflipping into the mud as she melted with it.
“That sounds amazing.”
Rarity stood back up. She released the telekinetic bubble around her mane that kept the mud away. “Yes, yes it does. That’s why we have to find you some pony.
“Have you ever had a somepony special?”
Rarity smiled at the fond memories. “Well, you see dear, men are like gems. Most of the ones you find are common and severely flawed. It’s only rarely that one finds a true gem. Too bad my magic won’t let me find those kinds of jewels.” She winked at her friend who smiled back. It was so good to see her smile again.
If she ever found that oafish lout who hurt her again, well, she’d turn him over to his sister. She’d known him for far too long to have any illusions that she could affect him. “Some ponies, like Pinkie, uh, how does she put it? She ‘licks all the lollipops’ to decide what flavor she likes best. Personally, I prefer to look for someone of quality. Even if I have to do a little polishing I want somepony that’s going to be my one and only. Someone who will shine and reflect my love back.”
“Like Spike?”
Rarity immediately came back to Earth. “Really, Fluttershy, I’m not a pedophile.”
“But he loves you like you want.”
“He’s a child. He also likes to occasionally eat crayons. I mean, sure if he were in the right age bracket and the size difference wouldn't be so..., then maybe, I could consider such a thing, but there’s boundaries on what is right and what’s not.”
“But, love is all that matters, right?”
“No! Fluttershy, that’s not what that phrase means. He’s a child. With him it’s more like a nephew and in no way like a colt friend. He doesn’t understand what it means to be in a relationship. He can’t. He’s still got so much to learn about himself that he can’t be an equal partner.” She walked over to her friend as she splashed about with her wings, soaking the tired muscles in the soothing muck.
“Granted” she continued, “I do want to see him mature into a man of quality, but not for my own sake I do care about him and I want him to be happy. Learning what to expect and how to treat a lady will help him avoid scandalous mares out to hurt him. I’m not trying to groom him into something for me, but to help him be the best Spike he can become.”
“And get some free labor.” Fluttershy almost seemed to try to try to defend something about her view of Rarity and Spike’s relationship.
“Oh, a little physical conditioning never hurt a stallion, hmm?” The two tittered, despite Fluttershy’s trepidation.
“So, tell me, what did you like about Big Macintosh?”
Fluttershy settled back into the mud. “Well, uh, he was very quiet, and smart and gentle.”
“Really, sounds more like you need a puppy.”
“Oh, I have three of those, I guess I should be good.”
“You need somepony who’s not going to bite you. In the wrong way, of course.”
Fluttershy only submerged herself back into the mud. Great. She’d dealt with this type of clientele. She would just have to use her skills at leading questions in order to paint herself a picture of what sort of final product would please her friend.
“Okay, so you want a big puppy. Believe it or not, it’s not that hard to find. Now, do you prefer he be a pegasi?”
“Uh, I don’t know,” bubbled the mud again.
“Well, I’ve heard what they say about earth pony stallions, but I didn’t know if that was what you were looking for.” Rarity rolled her eyes slightly while putting her hoof up to her chest. “And really, would it kill anypony if we could get some unicorn stallions in this town?”
“I’m sorry, Rarity.”
“Oh, it’s not your fault, sweetie.”
“Do you not like earth stallions?”
Rarity sighed. “Well, it’s just...I don’t mind them, but I...Let’s just say...Rainbow Dash were to date an earth stallion. How would he get to visit her in her home? She’d have to give up flying or watch him as he helplessly watched her do things rather than doing things she would enjoy. It’s not a question of ‘does she not like earth stallions’ but of ‘how would they live together?’ Now to somepony like Twilight, I really don’t think she would care so long as he was literate and probably well read. Hmm, yes, she’ll likely be the next project after you.”
“What?”
Rarity gave her friend a winning smile. “Nothing.” The mud made that squeaking sound. Her shy friend pulled herself up as they exited the mud and rinsed themselves off. Rarity floated a soft towel over to her friend as they dried themselves. Thick, white, fluffy robes wrapped them in luxury and comfort.
They laid down on the tables as the masseuses began to manipulate their soothed and relaxed bodies.
“Rarity?”
“Yes, dearie?”
“...uhm, nothing.”
“Ahh okay,” she said as Quake started working a knot out of her neck from her being bent over her workbench for a prolonged time. “Well, let’s start with colors. Do you have any color preferences?”
Fluttershy squeaked as Lotus worked at the base of her wings. “Well, uh, if it’s okay, I do like green eyes.”
“Okay, a stallion with green eyes can be any race. Oh, what about that nice new mail pony? He seems rather dashing.”
Fluttershy blushed and stuck her face further down into the hole in the table. Okay, whoever it is going to be they would have to have chaperoned time around Fluttershy until she was comfortable with him. Then he could be allowed to ask her out.
Green eyes. There weren’t that many around town, but she’d seen several around in the Apple family, including Big Mac. That would not do.
“So tell me, do you have a preference in what he does? Do you want somepony to help you with the critters, or would you rather he do something different to help complement you in other areas of life?”
“Uhm, well, it doesn’t matter, but he probably should like animals.”
“Hmmm, should he maybe be an earth stallion that grows food for critters?”
“Well, if he did, that would probably be okay.” She was relaxing now. The hooves of the masseuse were working the deep tissues in her back. Her eyes were rolling back slightly.
“Alright, I’ll see what we can find around.”
“Oh Rarity, I really appreciate it, but it’s okay.”
Rarity pouted slightly. “I just hate to see you so sad and alone all the time. It’s almost like you hide with your critters just so you don’t have to interact with other ponies. I’m worried about you. You are my very best friend and I want to see to it that you’re happy.”
“Thank you, Rarity. But, I am happy, really…” She tried to give a sincere smile to her friend but she could tell that it was forced. The lines of her face simply didn’t form correctly when she forced it rather than when she rarely genuinely smiled.
They got up off the table, their bodies limp but refreshed. They wrapped their soft robes around them again and escorted them to the hooficure room.
“Fluttershy...you know that you really shouldn’t allow somepony to hurt you twice.”
She looked over at her friend then squeaked as she soaked her hooves to make them more soft and manageable. Hiding in her mane she automatically responded: “Yes, Rarity.”
“Darling, I didn’t mean it that way. It’s just, I really don’t want to see you hurt.”
“I know, I’m sorry.”
“It’s not your fault.”
They started to lay back and let them reshape their hooves and make sure their shoes were secure before sealing them. Then they touched up their manes and tails. The friends were silent towards themselves. They were busy instructing the fine tuning to their looks to the staff.
Finally finished, they walked out into the sunshine, smiling at the warmth and radiance of the day.
“Rarity?”
“Yes?” Rarity turned to look at her friend.
“Thank you for paying today. I appreciate it.”
“You’re quite welcome. Would you like to get some lunch?”
“No, thank you. I need to get back to my cottage, Angel needs a bath today. Rarity?”
“Yes, dear?”
She fidgeted slightly, before blowing out her courage. “Sometimes, something hurts no matter who does it.” She turned quickly and trotted home.
Rarity also walked away, thinking about what her friend had said. Where would she find somepony for her? Absently she turned down the road to Sweet Apple Acres. Her hooves taking her where they will.
She heard a familiar “yep” from an outbuilding. There he was. Rarity carefully dodged the mud as best she could while walking to the tiny storage. It was a simple three-walled, roofed structure facing away the lee of the pegasi’s preferred wind patterns. There was another voice there to Rainbow Dash.
“She said that? Okay, I can understand. Do you have any critter issues upcoming?”
What was this? Suddenly things started falling together. She was still missing several pieces, but she now had the border done. This problem was far larger than she had thought, and the picture wasn’t what was on the box.
Clearing her throat as she walked into the storage shack she drew the two ponies attention. “I don’t know what you two are planning to do to sweet Fluttershy, but I want in on it.”
The two conspirators looked at each other, then back to the newest member of the club.