Diamond in the Rough Part 1
Seven months have come and gone since you’ve landed in Equestria, and you have to say that spending time here wasn’t the best. At least back on Earth you were ignored by the populace. Even during school you weren’t a blip on anyone’s radar.
You coasted through without calling any attention to yourself. Needless to say you were quite content with that. Being known did nothing but cause problems and you didn’t want to experience them. To your fellow man you were nothing more than a simple speck upon the planet.
But here in Equestria that was another story entirely. A single, solitary human suddenly appearing in the middle of the small town of Ponyville is quite the sight to behold. The stares of hundreds of large eyes were unsettling to say the least. And all it took was a simple wave of a hand to set the ball in motion for you.
That sudden movement made the very skittish ponies very alarmed. It caused a panic which eventually forced the Royal Guard to be called in to subdue you. That in turn led you to being detained; it helped your case to not put up a fight when you were being brought in.
The shock was great for both you and them; it just took it a little longer for it to sink in for you. You were far away from home in an unknown place filled with a species entirely alien to you.
But it wasn’t all bad. The ponies, while very afraid of you, still listened and were understanding. A few letters were sent out and in return their ruler came to their town to personally meet you. While you didn’t think yourself to be too big of a deal, being the only human made that thought irrelevant. You were special whether you wanted to be or not.
After a proper introduction, and when you finished your little meeting with Celestia, she regretfully informed you that there was no possible way to send you back. That was something you really weren’t happy to hear. While you were nobody back on Earth, you still led a very comfortable life there. You had a well-paying job, you were living on your own, and your place of residence was very suiting for someone like you.
You had everything you needed, and a lot of things you wanted, you were content. To be told that you would never go back to that content life did nothing more than anger you. It wasn’t fair to you that now you were forced to stay, and it caused you to lash out at the worst possible time.
You didn’t care that they were more than willing to accommodate you. The fact that you had no way home meant that you would have to re-learn how to interact in society. The only thing you had going for you was that you could read their words and speak their language. That was it, as far as you knew you had no skills that made you worth anything, and you had no way of making a living.
Flipping the Mayor’s table, and storming out of Town Hall, was a very bad way to make a first impression. It didn’t help that you were verbally unleashing your frustrations. Just like before you were scaring the populace, but when the guards came to detain you again, you fought back. You damaged property, you hurt a few ponies, and you showed the public that humans were something to fear.
You broke your trust with them before you could even gain it. When you were finally caught you were brought back to Canterlot in order to face justice for what you did. Being sentenced to a month in the Canterlot Dungeons was quite the wake-up call for you. But, when you thought you were going to be punished, instead you were given mercy.
The Princess held your trial for the general public in order to give the ponies some form of closure, that and your overreaction was intolerable. You were still going to be put through a good portion of a real punishment, but over the course of your incarceration you were to be taught on the ways of Pony Life.
Thankfully Celestia was a benevolent ruler. She understood why you acted out and while she wasn’t angry about what you did, she was very disappointed. You couldn’t help but feel that her being dissatisfied rather than mad was a worse feeling. The way you acted back in Ponyville wasn’t the real you; it was a very desperate, fearful, angry part that you didn’t want to be known for.
They fully intended on making sure you could have somewhat of a good life here. And for that you were truly grateful, enough so that you would take being stuck in a dungeon with a grain of salt. You would learn their ways and try to become a functioning member of their society. And hopefully you’ll be able to show them that you weren’t something to be afraid of.
You paid attention, you took notes, you ate the terrible food provided, and you did every bit of community service you were ordered to do with an internal smile. Because you knew that soon you would get to walk among them, and be given a second chance. An added bonus was with smashing rocks with a pickaxe, and cleaning up busy streets was slowly building up your physique.
Extended physical activity was a rarity for you back on Earth, and you have to say it felt great to do something other than your normal routine. You were bored with your life back on your home planet and you didn’t even know it. The longer you spent learning and doing your work, the more you came to realize that the way you acted out was quite ridiculous. Being stuck here was a blessing, not a curse.
You learned about the types of ponies, the territories surrounding Equestria, cutie marks, the holidays, and many other things. It was a lot to cram in during such a short period, but you felt that you retained enough to get by on. It helped that your culture was similar to theirs in many ways. Speaking of your culture, naturally the ponies explaining their way of life to you were in turn curious of yours.
Explaining to them that you had no magic, but advanced technology in order to make up for it, was quite a hard concept to describe; especially since your area of expertise centered on calling people and selling them things all day. While you could only give them a generalized viewpoint, they were able to see that your world had unique splendor to it.
You could easily convince educated scholars that you were more of a gentle soul than a monster. The same couldn’t be said of the regular pony populace. As far as they knew, you were still just as much of a threat as you were when you first got put on trial. When your sentence came to an end you aimed to change that.
Your first step was to make reparations to the ponies you’ve done wrong in your initial arrival. That involved you doing menial labor or random tasks they had you do. As expected they wanted nothing to do with you and promptly made you leave their place of business. It took a bit of convincing, and a request from the Princess herself before any of the ponies gave you any sort of leeway.
You remember a pony by the name of Rose was the one who first let you into her shop. You knew nothing of preening flowers or anything of the sort, but you were determined to set things right; especially since you destroyed a good weeks’ worth of her work when you went ballistic. At first she wouldn’t let you do anything more than water her plants. She wouldn’t even talk to you. But after a few weeks she finally opened up to you, at least a little.
And when the time came where you paid your dues to her you moved on to the next. The more you worked, the more you felt you’d get to the others like you did the flower pony. For the most part they were suspicious of your demeanor, but you knew they’d come around eventually.
Time Turner, Carrot Cake, and Cup Cake were next, then The Apple Family, and of course Bon-Bon’s candy shop. All of them treated you the same way Rose did, and just like her they came to see you as a good friend and a diligent worker. Word started to spread through town about how you’ve managed to show a gentler side, and soon ponies would actually return your greetings.
While you were happy that things were starting to look up for you, you couldn’t help but feel a twinge of homesickness. The thought of no longer being able to go home stayed fresh in your mind. It grated on you, but it never showed, it couldn’t.
You know if it did you’d go to a bad place again, not that you couldn’t stop yourself from having a meltdown like you did when you first arrived, but you’d rather not pour yourself out to a pony. This is your issue and you’d rather not put it on another ponies withers if you could allow it. Besides, they’re already doing enough for you as it is.
Over time Celestia gave you a small pension and a home in Ponyville, Applejack and Pinkie Pie offer you their wares at a reduced price, and even Time Turner set you up with a more permanent position in his place of business. Turns out your dexterous digits did a great job putting the tiny gears in their proper places. So with an income and a roof over your head you were able to fully integrate into pony society.
For a few months things seemed to stay the same for you; you’d get up and go to work. After work you’d either go by the Apple Family stand or Sugarcube Corner for dinner, and then you’d go home and go to sleep. Your off days were spent jogging or simply exercising at home, however, this repetitive pattern was starting to wear down on your nerves. You needed to find a way to break this cycle.
Fortunately that came in the form of Sweetie Belle, Applebloom, and Scootaloo. The three little fillies looked at you with wonderment on days they’d pass by you after school. They were still intimidated by you despite the improvement your reputation had. But that didn’t stop them from coming to you for help.
The adults around town were starting to get sick of the Crusaders and their attempts at getting their cutie marks, but they didn’t know how you’d react if they asked you for help. To their relief you were happy to help them in their little wacky schemes. For them they’d gain a companion and a plethora of ideas. For you, it’d be another chance to show that you were harmless, and you’d finally have some help in breaking the repetitive streak you had.
Two weeks into spending your off days with the Crusaders you could see why. The little triplets were daredevils and they always insisted you performed with them. You actually sky dived with Scootaloo, tried to train Manticores with Applebloom, and you even tried cooking with Sweetie Belle.
Needless to say you were hospitalized for the first, scarred from the second, and you were left baffled with the third. You still can’t comprehend how juice can be burned to a crisp. Even though you were a part of dangerous stunts, you were able to steer them towards a more safe idea. For example you played the canvas for Sweetie Belle’s makeovers, you taught Scootaloo basic math, and you’ve even built add-ons to the Cutie Mark Crusader Club House with Applebloom.
Still, there were no cutie marks for them. No matter what you tried you never succeeded, much to their and your own disappointment. Not cutie marks means they’ll keep trying, and that they’ll keep asking you to help them. It was then you decided that you needed to find something else to do with your time. While you didn’t want to outright stop spending time with them you needed to do something less threatening to your life.
Sweetie Belle understood your plight; she in turn introduced you to someone who would be more than happy to have you do something safe. Rarity, her older sister, was a seamstress who had a shop here in Ponyville. She, unlike the others, still believed you to be an uncultured, uncouth, dirty, smelly, disgusting brute.
With that thought in mind convincing her seemed to be impossible and things continued on as normal. That is until she’d heard from both Pinkie Pie and Applejack that you’re not as bad as they thought. You did your fair share of helping out both ponies and just like a lot of others, their opinion of you changed as well; albeit it was much easier for the party pony rather than the honest worker.
So with great reluctance, her generous nature, coupled with her friend’s changing opinion of you allowed her to give you a chance. You were ecstatic to say the least, every time you managed to convince a pony that their outlook of you was incorrect you felt yourself growing closer to them as a community. Having finally won over Rarity, at least somewhat felt like a victory.
However, she had many guidelines you needed to follow as far as working with her was concerned. For one, she made it absolutely clear that she was only doing this in order to hopefully garner a few Minotaurs as clients considering your similar body types. Another rule was that you were to listen to her to the letter.
You were more than happy to comply with whatever Rarity asked within reason; you did owe her for giving you some semblance of purpose after all. But you made it pretty clear what things you wouldn’t wear or what you wouldn’t do. She would not get you into frilly pink and white laced attire no matter how much she whined. Regardless of the odd requests she had, and the way she’d speak to you sometimes, you were able to get along with her somewhat.
It was a bit awkward at first. She would get your measurements, look you over, and then determine what kind of fabrics would work with your overall color, attitude, and physical appearance. You were surprised at how complicated it was to come up with a single article of clothing to fit you. Despite her opinion of you she still worked as hard as she could in order to piece together her vision of fashion perfection.
Over the weeks you came to model for her you found that she’d work tirelessly, even going so far as to go without sleep in hopes of finishing a piece of clothing for you. She was being so generous to you despite not liking you. She didn’t have to, but she did anyway, because that was her nature…
That reason is why you took it upon yourself to alleviate her work load as much as possible. That basically involved you being her courier and babysitter for Sweetie Belle.
She was ardently against you being around her little sister, she was the same way when she found out you were helping out the CMC, but thanks to Sweetie herself and her friends Rarity was able to a put forth some trust your way. You were trying to better yourself after all, and she could respect that at least. It helped that you were causing no harm to Sweetie.
You could recall countless times where Rarity would check up on the two of you in her room to find you and Sweetie either drawing or thinking up little plans for her and her friends. Gradually Rarity started to see you as less of a brute, and more of a gentle giant of sorts. You would say that’s fairly accurate considering you’re quite tall even by human standards.
After her opinion of you started to change, her whole demeanor when she was around you did so in turn. She would strike up a conversation instead of silently measuring you, or she would offer you something to eat rather than having you leave for Sugarcube Corner. Admittedly, you were relieved that she started to see you for who you really were…
Weeks passed by like that, every day Rarity would be a bit more open with you. Eventually she would invite you to stay a little later in her boutique so you could drink tea and just speak with one another. Not as a fashionista and a potential client, but as friends. You were happy she had come around and readily agreed to each and every little invitation she sent your way.
During these little sessions of tea drinking she told you of her family life when she was a filly, her lifestyle as a teenage mare, and of course her pursuit of fashion leading her to where she was today.
You readily met her past with yours; telling her about you growing up as an average student, in a middle class area, graduating a bit ahead of the other students, yet not quite school elite material. All in all you told her that you weren’t anything special back where you came from.
And of course, Rarity being the generous pony she was, readily disagreed. Because you were an oddity on her world you were already thrust into a position of uniqueness. But of course she said that your species, among other things, made you special. You were more than willing to have her end there, you were swayed to think that she meant what she said, but she didn’t think you were convinced.
That not that many ponies would be so willing to try to make up for their transgressions like you did, to help out others in order to help them see that you weren’t some wild animal. For the longest time everyone was convinced that you were some beast, but thanks to your actions not a single one retained such an inkling.
She noted that while you were merely helping out just to help your reputation, when it was fixed you continued to assist those that needed it. You even went out of your way to lend a hand to the CMC, you were their extra playmate. No one made you do it, you had a choice to go against it, yet you didn’t. Even the odd jobs you did before you landed a more solid career were out of the kindness of your heart.
Rarity knew that you were quite the kind and generous human, willing to sacrifice your time just to make another pony’s life easier, or to make them happier. She took notice of all the things you did with and for Sweetie Belle and her little friends, that did nothing more than help Rarity feel that her thoughts of you were more than just mere speculation or belief.
And of course she saw of how you helped her out in any way you could around the boutique. She told you that it was appreciated. Then she insisted that you could be doing a lot more with your free time than merely helping her out. Though… after she said that you put forth an effort to prove her wrong with that assumption, but you may have gone just a bit too far.
You told her that it was a pleasure helping her out; that even though she did seem a bit off-put by it, she was still kind enough to allow it; Sweetie held a lot of sway in her decision. You told her that it made you quite the happy fellow to be made useful. You thanked her for allowing you the opportunity, and for all the well-made clothes she created for you to use…
One particular evening though, you remember chuckling before rubbing the back of your head, telling her that because of her you had a reason to get up in the morning. You recall going to take a drink of your tea to find her pure white coat offset by a line of blush upon her cheeks.
She stumbled upon her words after that. The only thing she could manage to say without stopping was that you were being silly, and that you couldn’t possibly mean that. She in turn was subjugated to listening to you go on about how wrong she is for thinking that.
You told her that it was an absolute joy to be around her, that no other pony that you’ve come into contact with could act with such grace or poise, yet still be able to handle such a workload. That she was the only one you knew who could brighten up your day, and still manage to get what she needed to take care of. You then told her that she didn’t give herself near enough credit.
You would have happily gone on, but from her change in demeanor you decided against it. You assumed that she simply wasn’t used to such praise. Conversations were nonexistent after that an air of awkward silence seemed to loom over the two of you. You only hoped that you didn’t make things uncomfortable for her that was the last thing you wanted to do.
When your little tea time was over with Rarity she mumbled a goodbye to you instead of her usual cheerful words of departure. On the walk home, and as you lied in your bed you couldn’t help but think that you messed up the friendship you’ve barely managed to make with Rarity. That led to a night where instead of sleeping you’d toss and turn playing the events of the evening in your head over and over again.
When you finally did manage to fall into sleep’s sweet embrace you hoped that you could salvage your relationship with the fashionista whenever you saw her again. What you didn’t realize is that you did anything but ruin your connection with her…
After that night you noticed Rarity changed a bit. It was subtle, but obvious enough for you to see at least somewhat clearly. If there was anything you could compliment yourself on, it was your perception. When she would measure you in order to update her information she had on you, you took note that she would linger and look you over rather than simply recording her number.
More than once you caught her eyes wandering over your body. But that wasn’t all, whenever you were around her, and when Sweetie wasn’t in the room, she’ move with an odd gait. She would swing her hips a bit more, and that drew your attention to her flank more times than you’d care to count.
During your evenings with Rarity you’d catch her staring at you with a small smile playing upon her lips, as if she were quietly admiring you while you drank your tea. Being the gentlemen that you are, you didn’t acknowledge these bits, at least not at first. But, when her actions started becoming less subtle you had to say something.
It got to the point where she’d “accidentally” brush her perfectly groomed and styled tail along your inner thigh as she walked around you. Or that she’d trail a hoof along your now toned leg whenever she went to measure your waist.
She’d even nuzzle into your side if the two of you shared her couch. Whenever you caught her admiring you, her smile would be wider and she would be biting her lower lip expectantly. As though she were waiting for you to catch on and say something. It was a complete transformation to the calm, collected pony that you first met. Because of her actions whenever you would go to sleep at night you’d find your mind wandering to her each and every time.
Her perfectly shaped, curvy flanks, the way she'd titter about whenever she was in a jovial mood. The way her eyes would shine in the light whenever she had an epiphany while working or when her muzzle would scrunch when she was busy with an order. Everything about her was perfect, especially that mane and tail of hers. Even during the early morning hours where you’d pay her a surprise visit she'd seem magnificent. That disheveled mane, her frizzy locks, none of it deterred her beauty from shining, and you, the brutish, uncouth beast she first thought you to be, has fallen for her.
You weren’t the only one who seemingly underwent a change. Though, you have to say you were much better at hiding your issues than her. You could steal a glance without her noticing, and there were times you could get a little raucous with your comments. They were the only things you COULD get away with. You knew better than to do anything beyond that, lest you ruin the chance with her. She’s a classy mare, if you decide to take the next step you’d have to be suave, charming, and even noble in nature… but that’s not you. And that’s what leads you to today.
It was yet another one of your days off; the sun had made it to its highest point. You spent the last three days in a row putting together pocket watches, and admittedly you were relieved to have a day to yourself. You were going to spend it at home surprisingly.
This was supposed to be a day where you’d train your body, but a knock upon your door changed all of that. You didn’t want to keep the pony waiting, so after putting on a fresh change of clothes you made your way to your door.
Upon opening it you’re glad, yet shocked to find Rarity standing at your doorstep. Saddlebags hang upon her, seemingly weighing her down along with the temperatures outside. The heat seems to be particularly severe. Thankfully your ceiling fans were doing their job of keeping your home nice and cool.
“Good afternoon darling, I hope I’m not disturbing you am I?” You shake your head rapidly before opening your door all the way.
“No not at all Rarity. Please come in.” she breathes a sigh of relief before taking your offer.
“Thank you,” upon stepping inside she takes a quick look around your living room, “today seems to be a pitiable one at that. This humidity’s horrid assault upon my mane is simply atrocious!”
“You look great to me, then again you always do,” she offers a light bout of laughter in response.
“Oh come now, I must look quite the sight. Split ends and,” she cuts herself off when she wipe her forehead with a tissue, “Oh sweet Celestia I didn’t know I was perspiring so severely. Anonymous, I hate to impose but may I use your restroom to freshen up, please?”
She turns to you, batting her beautiful eyes before pouting. She’s well aware that deadly combination is more than enough to get you to cave. You sigh before pointing up your stairs to the second floor.
“Go right ahead, it’s the second door on the right.” Immediately you feel a bit of pressure as she embraces you around your waist.
“Oh thank you darling!” And with that she’s nothing more than a streak of white as she gallops up your stairs and out of sight. It isn’t until she spends an hour in your bathroom do you realize that being so willing to let her use it probably wasn’t the wisest idea.
You know that her idea of freshening up is to spend as much time in the bath as possible. You yourself are stuck sitting upon your couch reading a book until she decides that she’s clean enough to come out. You’re able to get six chapters in before you finally hear the sound of your bathroom doors hinges squeaking.
Thankfully she was no were near as frantic going down them. What you expected to be loud, panicked steps was instead replaced with the graceful pace you knew Rarity normally walked with.
When you hear her hooves make contact with the hardwood floor of your living room you look up from your position on the couch and face her. To you, she looks the same as she did when she first arrived, though you knew better than to say something like that. You know how she can get if she doesn’t feel that she’s the epitome of perfection.
“Ah, that was simply marvelous! And I just knew your selection of shampoo and conditioner matched mine. That lovely scent of vanilla that always seems to hang about gave you away Anonymous.” Her eyes seem to open to their limits when she realizes what she just said. A fine pink tint of blush appears to line her cheeks, “N-not that I partake in your aroma or anything, th-that would be rude. When I measure you I’m always close enough to get a slight hint of your aroma.”
“I understand Rarity, you don’t have to explain yourself,” she breathes a sigh of relief, “But what I’d like to know is what brought you by? I figured you’d be busy today. Didn’t you say something about having to finish an order from Hoity Toity or something?”
“That I did Anonymous, but you know me, inspiration never rests. I stayed up a night working on my project so I was able to finish a day early. Despite my horrid appearance during the duration of my assignment I was able to pull through!” She pumps a hoof into the air and lets out a victory cheer. She immediately retreats back into her typical, graceful
demeanor. “Ahem, as you can see I’m quite enthusiastic about that.” You chuckle in response.
“I see, but that doesn’t answer my first question,” you’re sure to point this out.
“But of course, the main reason why I came to visit you is that, well, I seem to have some free time. And I’d like to spend it with you. Are you free perchance or did I come at a bad time?” Your eyes widen and you can feel your heart race in your chest. Rarity actually came to you; she wants to spend time with you. It takes a few moments to focus so you can give her a cognitive response.
“N-no, not at all, Rarity. I have the day off. What did you have in mind?” Rarity offers you a small smile at your reply.
“I’m quite pleased you said yes,” she titters, “because I would have insisted that you joined me regardless of your plans. While that may come off as incredibly rude,” she trails off while using her magic to open her saddlebags. When she finds the object she’s looking for she pulls it out and presents it to you. “I assumed you would absolutely adore a day at the spa!”
You hold your hand out and she places one of her baby blue tickets in it. You look it over to find that it is in fact a spa pass. Upon reading it you find that it’s for a full treatment, you knew that can be quite expensive considering that it allows you free range to use anything in their facility.
“A-Are you sure Rarity?” you ask, not wanting her to spend such a great amount of bits on you. She’s been generous enough as is; you don’t want to feel as though you’re taking her money from her. Surprisingly she nods.
“But of course darling, I felt awful for having to cancel our tea dates three nights in a row.” You open your mouth to protest again, but Rarity makes her way over to you and silences you by putting a hoof to your lips. “Now Anon we’ll have no more of that. You are coming with me, you are going to be pampered, and you are going to like it. Is that clear?” You find your face flushing from the soft, yet firm hoof she’s placed upon you. Yet, despite the obvious distraction, you manage to make eye contact and nod. She meets your nod with a smile, “Good. Now let us be on our way. Our appointment is in half an hour.”
And with that she trots past you and out your door. You scramble to your feet, put on your shoes, and hurry out of your home to catch up. Needless to say you’re quite excited, yet curious about this little adventure. You’ve yet to visit a spa so you have no idea what to expect, though as long as Rarity’s with you then you’ll manage to enjoy yourself.
As you walk side by side with her to your destination you can only hope that she’s as excited to spend time with you as you are of her. Just by being next to her your heart already starts to race, though the humid day, coupled with the cloudless sky, does little to diminish that problem. With you being in the state you are it doesn’t take long for sweat to form upon your brow in turn.
Ponies that pass by the two of you cut a few glances your way. Some snicker, stallions sneer, and on a rare occasion some look upon the two of you with disgust. You do nothing more than glance over them though, there’s a mare that takes a higher priority after all, and she’s walking right beside you. Unlike you, she doesn’t even bother to give them the time of day. You get the feeling she should.
You know that her reputation means a lot to her, and to be seen with the alien in such a way might make the more gossipy mares talk among themselves. You know full well what rumors do, they get misconstrued, twisted, until it’s a dirty or precarious message about the ones involved. The fact that Ponyville is such a small town does little to diminish your paranoia.
Despite being a reformed being you know there are ponies out there that’d love to do nothing more than use you as a way to get to Rarity. They’d call her a xenophile, a monkey lover, or something of equal rudeness. As your thoughts of endangering her reputation play your mind for a fool you don’t even notice her tugging upon your jeans with her magic.
“Anonymous, are you feeling well? You appear to be lost in thought about something.” Her troubled tone finally manages to shake you from your idle fantasies.
“Who, wha, huh?” you look around for a moment before turning your gaze to her. She strains to look up to you, a concerned frown upon your features. You stumble over your response a bit, unsure of how to answer. “O-oh-I, uh, I’m fine Rarity. Just thinking is all,” your nervous chuckle does little to dispel her anxious gaze.
“What about, I find myself curious as to what has stolen your attention.” You pull upon the collar of your shirt in order to let out some of the heat billowing just under it.
“Well, I was thinking about us,” you take notice of her subtle raise of her eyebrows. Other than that her expression remains neutral.
“In what way?”
“Is being around me in public such a good thing? I’m considered a rare commodity, and I didn’t leave the best first impression. Even though I’ve been working for the better, I know there are plenty of ponies around here that’d love to let my angry outburst ruin the reputation of whoever associates with me. This place has ponies that can be just as nasty as a good majority of humans.”
To you surprise she laughs, not at you by any means, but at what you were thinking. What you don’t realize is that to her your assumption isn’t anything to worry about, at least she won’t be. Though, when she sees you aren’t receptive of her glee she stops and looks over you.
Rarity raises a brow before breaking eye contact. You wonder if she realizes what you were thinking considering takes this time to look around. Unfortunately, she finds two Pegasus ponies looking between you two and snickering among themselves. She waves them off with a hoof, paying them no mind.
“Please don’t let ponies like them get to you. A little gossip won’t do anything to either of us here. There are plenty of good natured citizens that know better. I’ve had my boutique set in this town for many years. Every pony knows me, and you’ve been helping out around here for months. If anything they might say how peculiar we look together.” She ends her explanation with a shrug.
“Well, I’m sure we do look quite a site. I’m at least twice your height after all. Must be like walking with a Minotaur or something.” A small smile forms upon her lips and she shakes her head.
“It’s a bit more than that. They know that you and I spend quite a lot of time together, and seeing us out in public like this may lead ponies to believe that we’re an item.” Her tittering does little do douse the fire that seems to be blazing upon your cheeks. Your eyes widen in turn at how easily such a perceptive opinion flowed from her. “That’s not a problem is it?” She doesn’t turn around to ask.
“No, not at all Rarity, as long as you don’t have one either.” You don’t see the wide smile she’s sporting from your answer.
“Good, now please try and maintain a sense of tranquility. We’re here,” you look to where she’s pointing to find the telltale building naught but a few yards away. As it turns out your idle fantasies and paranoia does wonders to pass the time.
Upon entering you’re greeted to a subtle scent of incense, the ring of a bell, and a rather plain looking waiting room. Murals of lilacs, lotuses, and other various flowers adjourn the sky blue wallpaper that lines the interior of the space. Already you could feel a sense of calm creeping upon you.
The two of you take a seat and wait for a pony to come to the nearby counter. Surprisingly you aren’t left waiting for long, almost as soon as you take a seat a mare with a hot pink coat with a baby blue mane and tail comes trotting up. Her thick eastern European accent seems to accentuate the already serene atmosphere.
“Ah, Madame Rarity, we weren’t expecting you so soon,” she trails off when she realizes that you’re with her, “And I see you’ve brought a new friend today.” You offer a wave and she smiles in response.
“Indeed I have, Anonymous is absolutely thrilled to give your wonderful spa a try. Aren’t you dear?” She turns to you before batting her eyelashes.
“That I am, I’ve never been to one before. Rarity talks about you all the time so naturally I’m a bit curious.” Rarity gasps out of mock horror.
“My goodness that simply will not do, Aloe is Lotus currently with a client?” The pink mare shakes her head.
“No Madame, we were just cleaning our stations. Please wait for just a few more minutes and we’ll be ready to service you.” With a nod from the both of you Aloe trots out of sight. As soon as Rarity thinks she’s gone she lets out an excited squeal before turning to you.
“This is going to be so much fun Anonymous you have no idea!” You swear you can see her eyes sparkling with glee. Admittedly you’re a little put off by it. The only time you’ve seen her get like this is if a rather important client orders from her. She got the same way when she first heard Hoity wanted a few items, until she pulled that all-nighter of course. “But what will we talk about? I’ve never brought a stallion with me before. Oh I know, we could talk about,” her mouth hangs open when nothing comes to mind. She has to think for a moment, “Hmm, well stallions do not typically talk about dresses, nor do they talk about make-up, the latest fashion, juicy gossip, or,” her eyes widen with realization. “W-will you excuse me for a moment Anonymous? I’m terribly sorry.”
“Go right ahead,” you reassure her with a grin. She breathes a sigh of relief before getting up and entering through the door next to the counter. What you don’t see is that as soon as the door shuts she scrambles to find Aloe or Lotus, her features reflect desperation and abject fear. She passes the various rooms until she finally finds the mud bathing area.
Both Aloe and her color counterpart Lotus are putting away a few items, but are stopped when Rarity comes galloping in. The two turn and look upon her with worry when they see that her mane has become disheveled. Her eyes reflect desperation.
“I DON’T KNOW WHAT TO TALK ABOUT WITH ANONYMOUS!” her gaze anxiously shifts between the spa ponies. Both Aloe and Lotus look to each other before giggling. “H-how is this funny? This is the. Worst. Possible. Thing!” Lotus seems to calm down enough to speak.
“But Madame, you converse with him all the time. You see him many times a week. How could you not know what to speak with him about?”
“Because we’ve gotten so many things out of the way; where he came from, how his home life was, his hobbies, interests, family, history, various happenings around town,” Rarity goes on and on about what you two have talked about since she first opened up to you. It is quite an impressive list.
“If you know so much about each other, what could possibly be the problem?” Aloe decides to chime in. Rarity starts to pace around back and forth, and in turn her nervousness becomes more apparent by the second.
“If we keep our conversation to small talk then he’ll lose interest! He’ll find me boring, and I cannot allow someone like him to think that about me. I can’t talk to him about normal things considering he is not a lady, nor is he a stallion. And I will not talk about his eating habits; I find it uncomfortable enough that he eats meat on a regular occasion.”
Noticing the un-necessary stress from the fashionista, both sisters make their way over to her and put a hoof around her comfortingly.
“Madame Rarity, you have nothing to worry about. If you just keep calm and let the words flow naturally, I am sure you’ll have Anonymous hooked.” Aloe flashes Rarity a reassuring smile.
“We doubt he can resist your charm,” Lotus adds.
“B-But what if I can’t stay calm, how can I? The whole way here my heart was pounding in my chest louder than a drum!” Aloe rubs her back in response.
“Leave that to us,” the twins simultaneously say…
Many minutes later you’re led through the door by none other than Aloe. Like Rarity you can’t help but look upon each individual room as you walk by them. Along the way you spot multiple mud baths, massage tables, a mineral bath, a swimming pool, and of course a steam room.
You find Rarity already being worked on one of the massage tables by Lotus. Despite the two spa ponies using their hooves they seem to be able to provide proper relaxation. You assumed that wouldn’t be possible, but with the way Rarity is moaning it looks like they know what they’re doing.
Despite knowing what exactly is causing her to react in such a way, you can still feel heat rising to your cheeks. You swallow the lump that started to build up in your throat and make your presence known.
“Hey there Rarity, enjoying yourself?” you chuckle. You get a meek nod in return.
“Oh Anonymous nnh~ you have no idea!” Rarity states in a seemingly breathless state. You cringe when you hear a sickening snap come from her spine. Her body quivers uncontrollably for a few moments before she figuratively melts into the table. A lazy contented smile plays upon her lips.
“You know what, I think I need to join you,” and with that you take your place at the table adjacent to hers. Unfortunately they have to adjust yours a bit in order to suit your size. Meaning Aloe has been forced to have you lay down on two tables.
“Oh that you do darling, this is the best.” She coos while Lotus’ hooves work their magic upon her lower back. You remove your shirt and pants while Aloe prepares a towel for you. Once everything is set you adopt a posture similar to Rarity’s and await bliss.
As soon as Aloe’s hooves run along your back you’re a little iffy to how Rarity described their ability. While their hooves aren’t unpleasant, they aren’t exactly capable of kneading or applying proper pressure to your back, at least that’s what you believe at first.
When Aloe really gets into her routine you’re putty within minutes. The soft padding of her hooves allows her to bend them at will. If she was a horse back on earth such a feat would be considered impossible. Firm, yet malleable, a perfect combination for a spa pony.
With each little movement or applicable pressure you can feel the stress of your labors with Time Turner ebb away. Not to say that you were physically exhausted from the work, but that didn’t mean it is less tedious. But, that doesn’t matter now, what does is the company in your presence, and the hooves of an obvious master masseuse.
The next twenty or so minutes are not filled with small talk; or any talk for that matter. Nothing more than mere grunts and groans, with the occasional pop of a joint is all that can be heard. Neither of you seem able to form a coherent sentence lest you be viewed as a fool. These two spa ponies have made their work an art and the two of you are their canvases.
Each little kneads of a hoof, or a few light stomps loosen you in places you didn’t even realize were feeling tension. During your moment of bliss you turn to Rarity and give her a lazy smile. She in turn returns your grin with one of her own.
“Thank you Rarity,” you manage to blurt out tiredly.
“You’re welcome Darling. Isn’t this just marvelous?” You nod.
Not too long after that, your massage comes to an end. Thankfully you haven’t gone off into the land of dreams, instead you feel lethargic. At this point you are having a few problems keeping yourself awake. Thanks to that wonderful treatment everything in your body has been loosened up; stress that had been piling up has melted away and that all you can think about now is sleep.
There are two problems with that though. The first problem is that it’s the middle of the day. The second problem is that it’d be rude to fall asleep on the one who brought you here in the first place. So with great reluctance you sit up, thank Aloe, and get off of the table. Your entire body feels like jelly, and you find it hard to keep yourself standing, but you manage.
Rarity appears to be in a similar state thankfully; now you don’t feel as guilty. You watch through half lidded eyes as her chest rises and falls with each rhythmic breath. You can feel the edges of your lips curl into a satisfied smile and she’s sure to return it.
“Well, that was lovely, are you ready for the next part of our treatment Anonymous?” Does she even need to ask such an obvious question?
“Of course I am,” you let loose a yawn, “I just hope I don’t fall asleep.” Even in your tired state her tittering creates a wonderful melody for your ears…
The hours pass by in a blur as the two of you make use out of each amenity the spa has to offer. After the massage tables came the mud bath. While that in itself was a treat for the pores you personally couldn’t find enjoyment out of it.
You were bathing in muck in order to cleanse your body, and Rarity went with it. You were honestly surprised by this. To think that the dainty unicorn you’ve come to like actually didn’t care about getting dirty as long as it meant relaxation.
Once you and Rarity had your fill of that the steam room was next. As of now the two of you have been in there for a few minutes now. Admittedly you were a little uncomfortable with the whole ordeal. You were naked aside from a single towel for this. Even though Rarity has seen you in the near buff multiple times you still can’t seem to get over that last bit of self-consciousness.
Rarity didn’t seem to mind it at all. In fact, you noticed that Rarity’s eyes played across your body on more than one occasion. You did your best not to acknowledge it after your first two attempts. Each time you tried to meet her gaze you would see a line of pink play across her cheeks before she turned away to watch the steam billow from the super-heated rocks. Unlike her though, when she turned away to look you couldn’t find the will to do the same. There was a much better site to behold and it was no more than a few feet away….
You’ve noticed those stunning, sapphire eyes that always seemed alight with the thrill. Her soft, regal purple locks and tail that she would somehow manage to keep perfected despite the trials she forced herself through. The majestic white coat she constantly kept well groomed and maintained; more than once you’ve been able to compare it to only the purest, untouched snow. There was much more to her than that though, so much so.
That dainty, yet stalwart figure that she maintained with ease; her poise and posture that showed you that she approached every single day with a balanced manner of professionalism and determination. And, of course, her voluptuous flank. While you’ve done your best to keep your eyes where they should be, they’ve wandered more times than you care to count.
Despite her best efforts to maintain her figure, there has been a little bit of fat collecting back there. Not that you cared, you like that she’s got a bit of meat to her. You’ve seen the way it bounces and sways as she struts, almost enticing you with thoughts best left in the dark corners of your consciousness. Tantalizing to the point of madness there’ve been many instances where you’ve had to bite your hand to keep from copping a feel. Just imagining what it’d be like to grab hold of her delicate cheeks causing a burning need in your loins.
“Ahem,” Rarity clears her throat in order to get your attention. Unfortunately she’s managed to finally catch your wandering eyes. You gulp nervously before giving Rarity your full attention. But what you see behind those eyes of hers isn’t annoyance or disgust. In fact, from the half lidded gaze and smirk she’s sending your way you’d say she seemed almost… mischievous.
“S-sorry I was um…” you trail off trying to find a reasonable excuse. You end up having to break eye contact in order to keep your sputtering at a minimum.
“Staring at my flank?” She titters at your lack of response, “It is quite alright you know, I don’t mind the attention if it’s you.” The heat emanating from your cheeks could rival the steam that permeates the room.
“You don’t care?” She shakes her head and your disbelief only grows in response. “I assumed you would’ve taken offense to that.”
“Well,” she glances to the side, her smiling getting ever wider as she does so, “I’m guilty of ogling you as well. So I believe it’s only fair.” You spot her cheeks are alight with embarrassment.
“And here I thought it was just curiosity. Don’t tell me you’re actually attracted to a human?” She scoffs before shaking her head.
“Anonymous, darling, any mare in their right mind would be enamored with you,” she stretches her legs and gets to her hooves as she moves towards you she continues, “sure you look a little rugged, but that’s just your exterior.” As she nears your heart rate picks up at an alarming rate. When she stops right in front of you it becomes such a nuisance that you can heart it pounding in your ears. “But I’ve gotten to see past that to the kind and gentle soul that lies just underneath. You’re an absolute dear with my little sister and her friends; you’ve shown yourself to be very helpful to ponies in need; even after you paid your dues, and you truly listen to me when I rant on and on about such petty little things.” You gulp nervously when she stands upon her hind legs to run a hoof down your bare chest. “I doubt I need to go into detail when it comes to you helping me every single week do I? You shake your head. “Good,” she titters again before leaning in, “I must admit I had my doubts about you, but you’ve shown my assumptions to be wrong time and time again. I guess I shouldn’t judge a book by its cover.”
“I guess that means you’ll be writing a friendship report to Celestia huh?” Your eyes widen when you realize you are only mere inches apart. The soft scent of minerals coming off of her graces your senses. The two of you stay like this for a few moments, content with sharing each other’s breaths.
Without taking your eyes off of her beautiful blues you gently wrap your hands around her and pull her in. Your lips barely manage to brush against hers before the steam room door is opened to reveal both spa ponies. You and Rarity look to them like deer caught in the headlights of a car. They look to each other nervously.
“W-we’re sorry Madame Rarity, Monsieur Anonymous we didn’t realize we would catch you in such an intimate moment.” Aloe chuckles nervously while looking to Lotus.
“We were just coming to tell you that it is time for your hooficure Rarity,” Lotus adds before motioning towards the hall. Rarity looks to them while giggling excitedly, and then she turns back to you.
“Apologies darling, but can we pick this up at dinner?” She looks to you hopefully, half angry, half relieved you sigh before looking to the spa ponies.
“Sure,” Rarity tries to turn away, but you place your hand on her chin stopping her in her tracks. “However, you’re not leaving on that note, not yet.” You gently turn her head back to face you. Before she can voice out against your actions you bring your lips to hers. The sheer sensation of it alone was more than enough to send your heart aflutter. Especially when Rarity showed she was more than willing to reciprocate. Though, your sweet kiss was made into nothing more than quick peck.
Unfortunately, she pulls away sooner than you’d like. Then again you’ve got a few ponies watching you not more than a few feet away. When the two of you lock eyes you see that the gentle caress from your mouth was more than enough to light her cheeks with embarrassment. More so from Aloe and Lotus then the act you’ve just committed.
“There,” you flash a smarmy smile her way, causing the fashionista to puff her cheeks and huff indignantly.
“Fine, you’ve got your little sign of affection, now may I please go get my hooficure?” you point towards the door.
“But of course, don’t let me keep you. And don’t act like you didn’t enjoy that.” She sputters over what would have been her sarcastic response when you wink. She huffs again before turning away from you, raising her head up in a dignified pose, and walking away.
“Whether I enjoyed it or not is irrelevant, I have a reputation to uphold. I am not some tart.” Unfortunately her angry expression is offset by her apparent embarrassment and she does nothing more than make you chuckle. Not waiting on you to reply she makes her way out with Lotus hot on her hooves.
While Lotus didn’t seem affected by the scene that just unfolded, Aloe is a different story. When you make your way over she refuses to meet your gaze, instead she looks off to the side, or to her own hooves. You clear your throat, startling the little spa pony.
“O-oh, I-um… uh,” she starts, unsure of what to say, “Would you like s-something to drink while you wait?”
“Did what I do really make you that uncomfortable?” Aloe is quick to shake her head.
“No not at all! It was, um, well, you’re not really a—“you don’t bother waiting for her to finish. You’ve heard this before, though never in this kind of situation.
“A pony, yeah I know,” over time you’ve grown accustomed to these kinds of reactions. Sure interspecies relationships aren’t taboo on this planet, but xenophilia certainly is. It doesn’t bother you as much as it did when you first arrived. While the staff at Canterlot was relatively nice to you, there were a good bit of them with the same opinions as Aloe here; you couldn’t blame her for something like this.
“I-I don’t mean to sound rude,” you put a hand up to silence her.
“It’s fine, can we just drop it? I’d really like that drink.” You give her a reassuring smile and she sighs with relief. Finally she’s able to look you eye to eye.
“Of course Monsieur Anonymous,” With that rather ugly bit out of the way Aloe is able to lead out of the steam room, to your clothes, and then to the nearby bar…
While you’re not much of a drinking man, an occasional glass of red wine certainly has left an impression on you. This spa in particular had a little something under the name of “Cheatu Grifon” that made for quite a smooth and tasteful combination. That drink, along with a bit of small talk between yourself and Aloe, was more than enough to pass the time taken up by Rarity’s final treatment.
After an hour of rather fine company and even finer drink your patience pays off. Not only are you able to convince Aloe that you’re a rather good match for Rarity in a sense of gentlemen-like posture and overall demeanor, but you no longer have to wait. The mare in question comes trotting over to the two of you with renewed vigor; almost as though her little hooficure was all she needed to perk up and seize the day.
With your time at an end, the two of you bid farewell to the two spa ponies who took such good care of you. As you and Rarity walk side by side down the Ponyville streets you can’t help but realize just how much better you really feel. Every muscle in your body seemed renewed, whatever stress that was piled on had faded, and even your skin, and hair was as smooth as silk. She has definitely spoiled you something fierce and you can’t help but hope that you go back again soon.
“I assume you enjoyed your time?” Rarity’s sudden question brings you back to your senses.
“Of course I did, thank you Rarity. I feel great,” you look down to her and grin, “Though, I don’t think they did too well with you.”
“Oh?” she turns her head and looks up to you curiously.
“Then again, I can’t imagine fixing perfection.” You show what you hope to be an award winning smile, instead when you do it’s made obvious you failed. Rarity bursts out into a fit of giggles. “Let me guess too cheesy?”
“N-not too much dear,” she manages after her tittering dies down, “While it was very sweet, embellishing my appearance to such a degree is a little overboard.” Nodding in understanding you decide to maintain silence for the rest of the walk, or at least you hoped.
“I didn’t say stop,” she flutters her eyelashes, compelling you to find something else to say. The next few minutes are spent with you complimenting her in the most believable way possible. Thankfully you’re not talking long. The boutique quickly comes into view cutting your conversation short. The two of you make your way into her place of business right as the sun starts to dip below the horizon.
Neither you nor she take the time to marvel at the various hues and colors that unleash a brilliant display along the otherwise blue sky, as of right now you’ve got more important things to attend to, like that dinner Rarity has planned for tonight…
*~*~*~