Entropy

by PseudoBob Delightus

Lost Chapters - #11 "Worst Thing Possible"

Chapter 11
Worst Thing Possible

"...get an escort", I finished saying as I popped in front of a house. I thought I was still walking towards Twilight's door, but instead I smacked into the front wall of Fluttershy's house and fell over. I could barely breath and my vision was blurry after that horrible teleportation experience, and Fluttershy came out of the house looking for the cause of the noise. Upon seeing me incapacitated on the ground, she quickly guided me inside and set me on a couch.

After a harsh coughing fit and finally being able to see again, I noticed I was inside Fluttershy's cottage and she was standing over me on the couch.

"I don't think I'll let Twilight teleport me anymore." I told her between ragged breaths. She just smiled and started to stand me up in front of a mirror. I was surprised at how strong she was, in comparison to her weight, but it was only enough to get me to my knees.

"I just wanted to check your injuries before we meet up with Rarity. Oh I hope you aren't hurt more after that..." She was feeling around my shoulders and back, at which point I noticed I didn't have any clothes on. I tried to contain my embarrassment, but seeing myself in a mirror made that all the more difficult.

"I'm feeling fine, much better than yesterday... Uh, could I have my clothes back?" She gave me a confused look for a second, before blushing and handing me my boxers, pants and shirt. After regaining my dignity, and confirming several times that I was feeling better, Rarity arrived and we started walking into town.

"Well, I'm still a little confused over this. I've never been to a spa in my life, let alone one for another species, so I don't really know what I should expect to get out of it."

"You've never been? Well, that truly is a shame, Ethan. Fluttershy and I go there every week, and we come back out feeling rejuvenated, relaxed, and fabulous!" I cringed at the description. "I noticed your skin could use a bit of... work, and what a better option than the spa!"

"It may sound strange, but that really doesn't encourage me to go along with it." I noticed that we were heading towards a pink and blue building decorated with flowers and plants, and I fought hard against my instincts to stop in my tracks when the two ponies ahead of me walked in. Reluctantly, I followed them, and was met with gasps from what I assumed were the shop owners.

Two regular ponies, with alternating mane and body colours of blue and pink, were staring up at me, past Fluttershy and Rarity. I was standing near my full height, and as the unicorn and pegasus started to explain I got to one knee in an effort to look less imposing.

"...You see, Ethan here is new in town, and he just recovered from a few nasty injuries. He may not be a pony, but he is similar, and once you get past his size he is really nice. Fluttershy and I would like our usual, and we brought Ethan along to get it with us!" The spa ponies started to examine me as all five of us walked through the building, into a large room with several baths. Fluttershy and Rarity just stepped in, and the spa ponies asked me to get undressed and step in after them.

“Oh, umm… I really don’t think I should be…” I began to back out. This was quickly becoming the most uncomfortable experience so far, even though that bar was raised at least three times in the past 24 hours. I tried to beg for help from Fluttershy and Rarity, but the pink pony with blue hair was on a ladder behind me and lifted my shirt off in a swift motion, and the blue, pink-haired pony grabbed me pant leg with her teeth and pulled the pair down. She began to raise her head again but I quickly stopped her.

“That’s enough! Right here is the limit, it’s not coming off.” I was practically climbing up a wall before the two stopped following me, and I slowly walked over to the tub.

“Come on, Ethan, the water’s fine!” Rarity was surely getting a laugh out of this, with Fluttershy just giving me her standard look of concern. I calmed down and let out a chuckle as I stepped into the water, which seemed to calm Fluttershy as well. The tub was obviously designed for ponies, and the water almost rose over the edge when I was down to my chest.

“Yes, Rarity, this water is fine,” I said defiantly as she finished laughing, “especially when compared to being stripped by force.” Rarity looked down and became quiet.

“Sorry about that. I suppose I may have forgotten a few things you told us yesterday. Of course, you never told us why that was, did you?” She looked up to me again, still smiling as she faked an accusation. I knew it was a joke, but I struggled with the answer nonetheless.

“I… I think it’s the hair.” The two turned to me with questioned looks. “I noticed that you ponies have hair on your whole bodies, especially your mane and tail. We used to be like that, but I guess we evolved to have mostly bald bodies. Now, most of us have two major patches of hair. One is on our heads, like a mane.” I didn’t finish explaining, and they nodded as they understood why.

One of the spa workers, now embarrassed after the clothing incident, quietly pushed a button and the water started to lower. I slid down to sit on the underwater bench, again, made for ponies, and my feet touched the wall of the tub.

Author's Note:

And here's where I quit. Of course, I tried to fix it through heavy editing and rewrites, but as the story bible had already been written and I was becoming increasingly detached from the HiE genre, eventually (a year and some months later) I abandoned the story altogether. It was just bad. I was just bad. It's bad all the way down.

Coincidentally, as much as I hate to make it public, I will put up the bible next.