Whether you're getting cleaned up for a big event or just want a relaxing afternoon, the Ponyville Spa is the place to go for a royal treatment that will leave you looking and feeling like a million bits, but without costing anywhere near that much.  Run by the twins Aloe and Lotus, you can soak your cares away in this luxurious day spa environment in the care of their well-versed hooves.
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:33, Sat 14 Apr 2012.

Lotus happily trotted about the spa as she readied it for the day; Aloe was about somewhere she was sure but so much needed to be done!  The large bath was filling even as she hurried about, and the perfumed water scented the air with the heady fragrance of a spring flower garden.

The floor seemed to glow with a polished shine and reflected the warmth of the hanging lamps that illuminated the areas of the wide and open spa that the large, frosted windows did not.  Pausing to fluff the cushion of one of the reclining seats surrounding the large bath, Lotus smiled as she worked.  She and Aloe had arrived early, as always, and it was all Lotus could do to contain her morning cheer: every sunrise held the promise of re-shaping somepony's day for the better.

While Lotus was full of pep first thing in the morning, her twin was prone to swaying the other direction.  Aloe wasn't much use right after dawn and followed along her her sister's hoof steps with a much slower pace -- it took her a while to get going and there was usually caffeine involved.  While Lotus tended to the baths, Aloe busied herself with the milder task of getting the saunas ready.  Each sauna chamber featured a carefully measured stack of heating rocks and coals in their basin -- when water was poured over the stones, they would emit cleansing steam to fill the room and melt away aches.  The scent of rich cedar wood invigorated the pony a bit as she worked to get the burners ready for the day.

"Lotus, did you remember to check the appointment book for today?" Aloe called out from down the hall.  Roxie, the spa's secretary normally stationed at the front to accept clients, had personal matters that day and left the business in the care of its twin owners.  While they could always count on their regular customers like Miss Rarity to show up like clock work, other appointments had to be considered ahead of time.
This message was last edited by the player at 21:37, Tue 17 Apr 2012.

"The appointment book?"  Lotus asks, lifting her head from sifting through the dry ingredients for the bath sachets.  "Oh!  I forgot!"  She admits with a giggle at her own actions, and as soon as she's measured out just the right amount of lavender Lotus turns and trots toward the front desk.  Leaning one hoof on the desk and using the other to page through, Lotus began to look over the day's schedule.  "Let's see..."

It seemed that it was going to be a fairly quiet day, all things considered.  There were a few ponies who always had regular appointments like Rarity and Fluttershy, though they were sometimes prone to cancelling if their lives got too busy.  There were only a handful of ponies on the list for that day.  At least it would allow the twins to give their customers all of their attention rather than having to rush anypony around to keep schedule.

"It looks like we have a pretty light day, Aloe!"  Lotus called out, her tone chipper and bright.  "That means I should have time to visit Zecora this afternoon about the extra herbs we need.  Or did you want to go?"  She checks the next day's list of appointments before stepping away from the desk; Lotus is eager to get back to mixing up those sachets.  Humming cheerfully, Lotus sifts and sorts the dried plants into little linen bags.

"You can go ahead.  I still need to go by the post office to see if those new oils have arrived from Canterlot yet.  We can leave together after lunch."  the pale pink pony confirmed their plans for the day.  She came trotting out from the saunas after a bit with the empty stone bucket in her jaws, glad to have a job well done.  One of many around the spa, actually.  There was still so much left to do!

"We're getting low on seaweed wrappings as well.  I'll put in another order later." Aloe mentioned as she seated herself across from her sister to lend a hoof in getting the fragrant sachets filled and tied.  Their luxury services were expensive to supply, but thankfully they were well-funded.  Ponies like Rarity practically kept the place afloat some times...

"I hope they've arrived; we're almost out of tiger lily essence and I'm not sure how far we can stretch the amber oil."  Despite her words, Lotus doesn't really sound worried about the situation.  "No worries about the wrappings--I sent an order in on those yesterday before we left."

Lotus sits back after a moment, seeming suddenly contemplative.  "We should have an open spa day, Aloe.  We could put in a big order for everything we might need, and then we could open the doors and treat everypony who visits!  Wouldn't that be fun?"

"Oh good, that's a relief."  Aloe was glad to hear that Lotus was already keeping on top of the shipment orders.  However, the mention of having an open spa day made her raise a finely accented brow incredulously.

"Lotus, if we do that, we'll just end up burning through all those supplies at once."  she sighed.  The two sisters were very similar, but Aloe did tend to have  bit more cynicism in her sometimes.  She was the more worldly of the two... but Lotus' enthusiasm was also very infectious and Aloe just laughed after a moment.  "But I suppose it'd be worth it, wouldn't it?  Maybe we could even lure Zecora in for a make-over for once."

Lotus just smiled; she enjoyed the way the two of them picked up for the other's slack in what seemed like an instinctual manner.  She kept her smile through Aloe's initial response, and when her sister laughed Lotus did, too.  "Oh!  Wouldn't that be wonderful?  I'm sure she'd enjoy herself once we got her around to it.  And think of how happy everypony will be?  I'm sure they won't mind if we closed up shop for a day or two afterward to restock and rest."  Lotus giggles with her words, looking more than a little pleased with herself.

"Rest is right.  Who would be around to give us massages after all that work?"  Aloe bemoaned the sore shoulders and back she would have in the future as she put a melodramatic expression on.  Her look became thoughtful and then mischievous in turn a moment later.  "Hmm...  Actually, that would be nice~.  Maybe get a handsome stallion like Big Macintosh to rub our aching shoulders?  Or that one -- Fung Shui, was it?  So exotic~!" she giggled at the notion as she began to drift off into a pleasant daydream.
This message was last edited by the player at 04:39, Wed 18 Apr 2012.

Rolling her eyes with a giggle, Lotus resumed tying up the sachets as her sister's mind wanders.  After a few moments she speaks again, sounding thoughtful.  "If we order two times--or maybe even three times--our usual stock, we can probably cover the whole day and maybe not have to order quite so much when we open up again."

Lotus turns mischievous next and lightly drums her hooves on the tabletop in excitement.  "Or!  Or we could go to a spa ourselves, like one of the big ones in Canterlot!  Wouldn't that be such a nice vacation?"

"Two times the stock should work just fine.  You know we won't get a lot of the manual-labor ponies around town; they never put any merit in beautification when they just get dirty again a few minutes later." Aloe forced herself out of her imagination to focus on numbers again.  Though all it took was the mention of going to a Canterlot spa to get her right back up in the clouds again.

"Oooh~~!  That sounds fantastic, Lotus!  We haven't had a vacation in years..." she sighed dreamily at the notion.  The Ponyville Spa was the most luxurious place in the entire town, but even their top-notch establishment paled against the glamor of Canterlot day centers.  "Hmmm... but can't I have both the stallions and the spa?  A girl must be allowed her idle fantasies."
This message was last updated by the player at 06:44, Wed 18 Apr 2012.

With another giggle at her sister's latter remark Lotus can only nod.  "Indulge yourself!"  She laughs the words; Lotus so commonly suggests that guests at the spa do the same.  "After lunch, if it's still a quiet day, we can start thinking up the whens and hows and all the other necessary parts."  Lotus looks down to see that she's tied the last of her sachets, then takes a few that Aloe hasn't yet finished to help with the remainder.

"I wonder how we could convince the farm ponies and such to visit us?  Surely we can think of something suitable.  Maybe we don't offer a masculine enough service?  A facial and a hooficure doesn't really seem like the sort of thing most stallions would want, anyway."

Aloe was put back on task when she noticed that she'd gone and forgotten to actually do her part of the job.  She smiled bashfully and got back to work at filling and tying the sachets to add to the now very fragrant pile.

"Hm... maybe teeth whitening?  Or we can always crack into those books on deep muscle rubs and hot stone massage again.  If they're not interested in looking prim, then we can at least try and get them relaxed." the pony reasoned as she knotted and tugged another bag shut with her mouth.  "I know there's not a Pegasus around who would turn down a free preening treatment, but the Earth Ponies are the real hard sell sometimes."

Lotus just smiles warmly at her twin; Aloe has picked up the slack for her more than a time or two.  She listens to Aloe's suggestions and nods, and after a moment to consider Lotus replies:  "I think you have the right idea with the deep muscle rubs...  Maybe...  Maybe we can offer a pre- and post-harvest special?  A hot stone massage to get them all lose and ready for the tough work, and then a deep massage to work out all the knots again afterwards?"

"Seasonal spa treatments?  How novel~!" Aloe seemed to catch interest the idea as she chewed on her lower lip in a habitual gesture of thought.  Her businesspony's edge came back as she rubbed her hooves together in a scheming manner.  "Plus maybe we'll be lucky and those ponies will give us discounts on food in the market!  That'd be a great perk before Winter arrives."

Lotus listens as her sister takes to the idea and can't help but laugh with the scheming.  "It would be nice to have a few big jars of that apple jam.  It's so good when it's warm!  Oh, but, jam!  I was reading that fruit treatments are good for the skin and coat; do you think we could talk to the Apple family and Strawberry Toast as well?  Wouldn't be quite the same as enjoying it over the winter, but a fresh strawberry masque could be nice..."

"Hm... it couldn't hurt.  Though I don't think jam alone would be very good for one's coat." Aloe noted with a giggle.  "Though with as often as we bother Zecora for help with different concoctions, I think we may be able to tap other ponies around here for information as well.  If nothing else, maybe we can find out what sort of services they'd like in particular."

Giggling again, Lotus nods in agreement.  "It might add an interesting new hue to your own pink."  Lotus replies, but her thoughts almost immediately head down a different route.  "I wonder if anypony would be interested in temporarily dying their coats or their manes?"  Drawn away from her quiet musings, Lotus nods in agreement to her twin's suggestion.  "That sounds like a wonderful idea."

"We'd have to put a spin on it... ever since that unicorn barber up the way learned that color changing spell, nopony wants to use extract dyes anymore.  Maybe if we mix it with a gloss tonic?  I hear that metallic and gemstone hues are getting popular in Manehatten this year, so something with a shine could get attention." the pony muttered as she shuffled the last of the sachets along.  With that done they could move on to the next chore -- getting the mud baths ready.

"Ooh," Lotus replies.  She's already thinking of trying something metallic out on her own mane--a lovely pink-topaz shimmer to go with her already lovely rosey tresses?  The thought makes Lotus giggle in excitement.  Seeing that the sachets are done brings Lotus to her hooves, and she'll trot along to the supplies for the mud baths with her twin.  "I think we should ask Rarity if she'd act as a fashion consultant for us.  If we're going to offer more than the basic beautification along with the spa treatments, she's the best and only pony I can think of to put us ahead of the rest."

"I'm sure Rarity would be glad to help.  She always loves getting in on beautification, after all.  What does she call it?  Fabulousity~!" Aloe struck a dramatic pose to playfully imitate their most loyal customer, then broke it with a cheery giggle.

The mud baths over in the bathing portion of the spa didn't just use any old mud.  Those deep tile troughs were filled only with a fine mineral waters mixed with dark, rich volcanic silt teeming with health-fortifying nutrients.  It was one of the best ways to get a silky, shiny coat on short notice and felt marvelous when warmed from beneath by channeling steam from the sauna's ventilation chambers.  Aloe left her sister to get the bathing troughs portioned with the right level of water while she headed off to retrieve the bags of volcano earth from the storage room.

"Oof!  I think that -- nng... -- with a little more effort around here we can really impress Ponyville!  The extra work is worth the extra smiles, right?" the slender pony struggled a bit under the weight of the bags she came toting on her back.  It wasn't anything she hadn't done before, but she and Lotus weren't quite as hardy as most Earth Ponies around town.
This message was last edited by the player at 19:51, Wed 18 Apr 2012.

Lotus can't hellp it: as Aloe mimics Rarity, Lotus chimes in to speak in unison.  "Fabulousity!!"  But while Aloe strikes a pose, Lotus can only giggle and try to keep on her hooves.  Rarity is one of her favourite customers, but her way of speaking is just so fun to emulate!

When the giggles have subsided, Lotus returns to work with her usual cheerful smile.  Working quickly to measure the water out, Lotus is quick to help shoulder some of the weight when Aloe returns with the heavy bag.  "Absolutely.  I can't think of any ponies more deserving of being pampered than the ponies right here."

Aloe winced but gratefully accepted the helping shoulder from her twin, giving a huff of breath as the weight eased partially off her own back.  "Hoo... maybe we should hire someone for the heavy lifting..." she sighed once they were able to get the dense bag of earth down beside the tubs.  Aloe pulled the binding open and carefully eased the bag over to pour a measured amount into the water, polluting it with a billowing flow of sediment that would need to be slowly stirred to allow it to mix properly into a consistent mud.

"Thinking of Big Mac again?"  She teases with a giggle at the mention of hiring a helping-hoof for the lifting.  As her sister opens the bag Lotus trots aside to retrieve the large wooden stirrer, returning with it in her mouth.  As Aloe measures out the volcanic dirt, Lotus slowly stirs until the stuff mixes into a thick mud, using both hooves and putting effort into it.  Lotus seems ever-patient with a task that others might find tedious; for her the process is all about getting it right so that the guest will be satisfied.

"Heee...~  I am now~~."  Aloe giggled airily.  Despite her often cynical nature compared to Lotus, she really was a romantic at heart.  But what mare didn't want somepony to come sweep her off her hooves?

Despite her distraction Aloe got the rest of the silt measured out into the remaining troughs and bound the bag shut again.  It was a bit lighter and she was able to get it back to storage on her own, then return to help Lotus with stirring the mud mixture up.  It wouldn't take the two of them long at all, though naturally there was some extra clean-up needed to wipe down the surfaces and make sure no mud had splattered anyway while being prepped.

Lotus laughs as she stirs, though it does give her a moment to think too:  what dashing stallion does she most want to come and bring her to a life of luxury?  Lotus isn't really sure; it isn't as though Ponyville lacks suitable bachelors, but she doesn't usually give it much thought.  With a shrug of her shoulders she happily continues stirring; the notion of bachelors has nothing to do with the present preparations.

When the stirring is done she puts up the tools and returns to take up her share of the wiping-down in silence; it's hard to talk when her mouth is full of slightly damp cloth.

Entry from Town Square

The chatter of a small crowd outside could be heard, distant and approaching, as the band of three mares and two armored stallions strolled down the streets toward the spa. As they got closer, the dark-toned Alicorn turned to Lyra and Moonsong, with an elegant incline to her horn. "I thank you for your aid, Lyra, and Moonsong. This quite a place..." she whispered, then turned to her guards. They stood a bit straighter at her gaze. She cracked a little smile at the sight, then turned to the ponies who had guided her here. "Are the two of you going to come in as well?"

<-- Entering from Town Square

Lyra had been all sorts of pleased with herself as she led the Princess along through town.  She also hadn't shut up for a single moment either -- the pony had been an absolute chatter box, continuing her tour of Ponyville for both Moonsong and Luna's sakes by pointing out interesting locations along the way.  Once they got to the spa was practically the only chance Luna had to slip a word in edgewise.

"Huh?  Oh, probably not, your highness.  I can't afford a spa trip on my budget and we don't have appointments anyway." the unicorn reasoned with a helpless shrug and looked to her bat-winged freind.  "Though I'm just speaking for myself.  What about you, Moonsong?"
This message was last edited by the player at 22:52, Sun 22 Apr 2012.

Moonsong listens with eager interest as Lyra talks about Ponyville, but she can't help but glance now and again to Princess Luna to see if the regal pony is as enthusiastic about the tour.  When the group comes to a stop outside, Moonsong waits for Lyra to speak before offering a small and self-conscious smile.  "Lyra's right, your Highness.  I don't have an appointment or the bits for it either.  Thank you for letting us tag along for the walk over; Lyra was giving me a tour of the town earlier and I think this just about topped it off."

Pausing from her current bit of work as she hears noise outside, Lotus lifts her head and peers toward the door.  "I think our first guests have already arrived, Aloe!"  Lotus' voice rings out happily through the spa, and with a hurried effort to finish the task at hoof she trots toward the front desk to make herself properly ready to welcome the day's first appointments.  "Which should be...  Rarity and Fluttershy!"  Lotus muses to herself as she looks over the datebook, pleased to have regulars first thing in the day.

Princess Luna nodded to the pair as they decided they would part ways with her here. Turning about to face them directly, she opened her wings. "Then, do get a little rest today, so that you can enjoy the evening. And invite your friends to the Moon-Raising~" she chimed. She clapped her hooves lightly, face practically lit up like the moon itself. She was... rather excited, it seemed. "Oh, I can't wait. It'll be nice to see everypony there. I suppose I should go on in and wait for the others so I don't draw too huge a crowd..." she lowered her head in a friendly nod, before turning to the door, and giving an expectant knock, before reminding herself that that only seemed expected at homes, not places of business now.

She let herself in, the door glowing a deep violet as she moved it open, then, it shut behind her.  She stood tall, just inside, having a glance about this 'spa' place.

Enter from Fluttershy's Cottage!

Having made it to Rarity's favorite commercial location in all of Ponyville, she slowed down a tad to re-establish herself. With a small bit of a glow from her horn, she adjusted her floral hat and her masterfully maintained mane, making sure none of it was ruined during her slightly faster trot. Flawlessness maintained! She smiled towards Fluttershy before looking over towards Lyra and Moonsong who were standing outside of the door, without the Princess. Assuming Luna was already inside, Rarity walked up to the door, nodding to the two mares as she passed.

"Good morning again, ladies," she said pleasantly, nodding her head, "Thank you ever so much for showing the Princess here. In all the excitement, that detail just slipped my mind!"

After saying her piece, Rarity opened the door with her magic and stepped inside, holding it open for Fluttershy to follow in after her. Once inside the door, she looked over to the Princess with a smile, and then to Lotus who was waiting there patiently.

"We're here! I'm sorry for the delay.. busy morning!" she smiled, "Lotus, darling, I was wondering if I could add one more to my usual appointment?" Rarity tilted her head, indicating Luna as her smile grew even further, filled with the pride of showing a Princess the wonders of a spa.

As Rarity appeared, Luna  smiled a bit as well, and  joined her in approach to the counter. She did pause a moment to look to Fluttershy, and stepped over to throw a hoof about her lightly. Her early reactions to Fluttershy's 'voice coaching' had been more hectic on the mare, but this was a little more... manageable, if a bit direct. "Oh, and Fluttershy! It has been such a time since we've been together. I have been practicing my...  speaking... and... I believe I.. have... improved?" she prompted, and couldn't help but grin. She was happy, excited, to be out with friends like this!

Luna then released her to stand by Rarity, tall and regal and poised, horn upright. She wasn't sure what to say, but managed not to show discomfort with Rarity's introduction and managing the request for her... she felt like sometimes, if she asked for something, ponies would just do it.. but maybe with somepony else asking...  ponies wouldn't feel so pressured... Just another strange observation... not entirely unwelcome all the time, but it could feel... isolating somehow.  Her sister had shared as much, too, in their private time.  Like the time she'd had a bit of fun with the Cakes...

To say that Lotus' eyes widen isn't really accurate.  For a moment they almost bug as Princess Luna steps through the door, and though the pony works to recover herself she still has to lift a hoof and cover her mouth while she regains her composure.

"Princess Luna!" Lotus finally manages, her accent rounding the words as she suffuses them with warmth and welcome.  "What an absolute pleasure it is to welcome you to Ponyville's Spa!"  When Rarity and Fluttershy enter as Lotus is making her initial welcome for the Princess, the pony is a little relieved and her curiosity is instantly sated:  Of course Rarity would bring Luna here; no other local pony would be so well connected.

Smiling with the same bright and genuine welcome to her regulars as she had to Princess Luna, Lotus turns to them to include them in her next words.  "It's so good to see you all!  Aloe and I have all of your usual favourites prepared, and once you're settled in we'll create a pamper package just for you, Princess."

Lotus quiets then, letting the three friends speak without interruption and just barely managing to stay where she is.  Running off in a hurry to tell Aloe wouldn't be polite to their guests, after all.

"No problem, Rarity~!  Just remember us little ponies when you're having tea with The Crown." Lyra joked as she turned her nose up in a haughty pose.  Her happy smile spoke volumes about her sense of humor as she gave the gathered ponies a friendly wave on their way inside the spa.  "Have fun, your Highness!"

Once the royal entourage was inside, Lyra and Moonsong were once more left to their own devices.  The unicorn just snickered to herself and cantered about in as energetic a fashion as ever.  "That was so cool~!  Bon Bon is gonna flip when I tell her!  Man, great way to start off your life in Ponyville, huh Moonsong?"

The Princess smiled at Lotus as she gushed an eager greeting to herself, and then to Rarity and Fluttershy as well.  The princess nodded gracefully, and turned to Rarity. "This does seem quite interesting. I simply cannot wait to try this, given how you've spoken of it." Her front hooves gave a little prance of excitement, though she moved to allow for Rarity to lead the way - really not quite sure where they were going to go first here.

<-- Enter from Fluttershy's Cottage

The whole point in having spa weekends was to soothe away the aches and stresses of the rest of the week, leaving one refreshed and ready to face the new challenges yet to come.  Fluttershy, while demure and quiet, had a lot of responsibility in the care of her animal friends... it was very demanding and while she would never complain, it did put a lot of stress on her.  Being able to spend some quiet time with her best friend in a soothing atmosphere was something she looked forward to each week.

So... it was a little out of the norm for her to be looking for an escape route by then.

When Rarity mentioned that Luna would be attending the spa with them, Fluttershy had laughed at first.  She thought it a joke... but as that wasn't the case, by the time they actually got to the spa, the poor Pegasus was a jittery mess.  She looked about ready to implode in on herself and very nearly did when Luna tossed a foreleg around her in a friendly gesture, only managing a pitiful squeak through her mane as she struggled to make herself as small as possible.  Thankfully, ponies like Rarity and Luna had much more bombastic personalities and she was able to hide amongst them even as she quivered.

"Take me with you!" she begged Lyra and Moonsong weakly, though it was no use.  She'd be ushered along inside all the same and could only give a helpless squeak as the doors shut behind the party.

Once inside the Spa, Fluttershy remained to the back of the group.  Naturally she couldn't get to the full rear since the guards were there covering the door... which also meant she couldn't make a break for it.  She was shivering like a newborn foal and let her eyes, which had dilated down to terrified points, dart about for any possible route she could slip away through.

~~Okay Fluttershy, relax.  Breathe.  Princess Luna is a friend.  She helps protect Equestria.~~ the panicky Pegasus mentally braced herself.  ~~Just because she reminds you of Nightmare Night doesn't mean it's okay to freak out.  She wanted to make Nightmare Night not scary!  She's on your side!  Don't think about that holiday!  There are no zombie ponies, no witches, no blood sucking razor bats, no soul-stealing Changelings, no crawly spi-- oh Celestia, I can't breathe...~~
This message was last edited by the player at 16:39, Mon 23 Apr 2012.

Aloe had let her sister go ahead and get the entrance when their first appointment arrived.  She stayed behind to do a few last-second clean ups and get everything ready to go, then trotted out to join her twin at the greeting.

"Good morning everypony~!  Welcome to your day of relaxa--aaah!!"  Aloe had begun a silky greeting but cut herself off mid-pitch to let out a startled bleat.  The sight of Princess Luna was enough to freeze her in her tracks and cast a panicked, inquisitive look over to her sibling.  "Princess Luna~!  Your highness!  What a surprise to see you here!  Lotus, why is the crown princess of the moon here?!"

Aloe's tone was stricken, but not in a negative manner.  She wasn't scared of Luna (well, not any more since Nightmare Night) and naturally the princess was more than welcome, but it was quite a surprise to take in all at once.
This message was last edited by the player at 16:44, Mon 23 Apr 2012.

With the sharp response to her presence from Aloe, Luna's first response was a twinge of anxiousness. Had she upset the pony with her presence? Although the question was directed to Lotus, she cleared her throat and spoke.

"W-We have.. I have..." she stumbled, and lightly hoofed the floor once in front of her, reestablishing a more dignified position,  standing a little straighter. "I have been invited by my friends to share their appointment. And...  and..." Luna hesitated, seemingly from her awkward position, but also from a second glance at Aloe. That wasn't fear in her eyes, she was sure. Puzzlement, and surprise. Not fear. That was a relief.

She continued, but softer, less on the defensive edge now, than when she had though that somepony was upset about her presence. "It is... also my first time visiting a 'spa' such as this. My friends speak highly of you, though - I place myself in your capable hooves now." she announced, still showcasing that slight awkwardness, that reminder that someone so elegant could also be entirely out of her element. Perhaps Fluttershy would pick up on it best; Luna wasn't so much afraid, but perhaps... uncomfortable admitting such inexperience.

"You will adore it, Luna," Rarity assured her friend, "Talk about being treated like royalty! Right, Fluttershy?"

Looking back at her best friend, who was hiding behind herself and the Princess, Rarity looked a bit confused. The mare looked positively petrified, as if they were going to the spa with a full-fledged dragon! Her face softened with concern for a moment as she studied her friend, looking back and forth between her and the Princess. Was this really a good idea?

The Princess herself also seemed to be a bit out of place. Now that Rarity put her mind to it, the transition from a position of royalty and pampering down to the commoner level would be rather drastic, especially for one that had been out of time for a thousand years! Thankfully, she was there to help the process along, being another sophisticated individual that belonged in high society.

"Mm, she's with us," Rarity said to Aloe, using her magic to move her hat over to a nearby coat-rack, "And, yes, we would just love to begin our appointment!"

Just as flustered as her sister, Lotus manages to cover her own pleasant shock.  "We're so very glad to have you, and don't worry about not having an appointment."  She waves a hoof as though to push aside any such hesitation, then pauses a few seconds to take in the whole of the scene.  Rarity was, as always, cool as a cucumber and apparently ready to handle any social situation.  Princess Luna seemed to be relaxing despite some obviously lingering discomfort, but poor Fluttershy...

Coming from behind the counter, Lotus wears a friendly smile as she bows her head to the three.  "Please, follow us and we'll get started immediately."  When she has a moment to do so, Lotus will quietly suggest that one of them should specifically tend to Fluttershy until the nervous pony calms down; Lotus suspects that all the excitement has her quite ill at ease.

In reply to Lyra Heartstrings (msg #37):

Continuing to cycle the day through her mind as Lyra speaks, Moonsong will give a wave to the Princess as she and Rarity disappear inside the spa.  Catching a glimpse of Fluttershy has the odd-winged mare smiling in a friendly greeting just in case the shy pony should look her way.

"It was amazing!  It isn't even lunch time yet, and I already have a thousand things to write home about," Moonsong replies.  She absolutely can't help herself this time, and she lets out a lovely little trill and gracefully skips a handful of steps before letting the impromptu melody fade.

Despite her initial panic Aloe recovered her composure quickly, slipping back into a well-practiced facade of serenity that she and Lotus were oh-so-good at.  It was their job and talent to soothe other ponies, after all.  It simply wouldn't do to make any customer, let alone a Princess, feel unwelcome in their care.

"Of course~!  I'm sorry for my rudeness... I just wasn't expecting a Princess to arrive at our doorstep.  Please, come this way.  We'll take care of you all."  Aloe assured the ponies.  With Lotus' urging she took to handling Fluttershy... which proved easier than she expected.  The Pegasus was petrified and behaved much like a statue -- it was easy for Aloe to just nudge her head beneath Fluttershy's body and hoist her up onto her back to carry her along.

"My, but she's so stiff... I know a massage will do wonders.  Lotus -- get the ladies some robes~!" Aloe chimed.  She paused and looked back to the armored guards curiously.  "Um... are they joining you as well?  Because we are a unisex establishment."

"Speaking of lunch, I'm getting hungry... those apples just didn't cut it."  Lyra mentioned as she trotted along after Moonsong, catching up with the happy mare and keeping pace easily despite her shorter stride.  When Moonsong lit into an impromptu melody, Lyra laughed brightly in delight.

"Hey, you're good~!  You didn't tell me you could sing~!"  the unicorn said as she canted her head aside.  Her horn glowed brightly and her instrument floated itself from her saddlebag, hovering overhead while its strings strummed about a quick tune to echo Moonsong's humming.  "Here, try this out."  she urged as she strummed out a new tune for her.

"I have no issue if you wish to join." Luna chimed to the guards. "Though, if it is only the two of them, perhaps you could set an appointment yourselves, perhaps tomorrow or this afternoon? I wouldn't want to overwork them with too many of us at once." Luna suggested.

One of the two seemed more enthused by the idea than the others, with a glance at Fluttershy. In fact.. that Mid-Knight seemed to recognize her from her brief stint as a model. The other, more senior subtly put his hoof down without a word. It just took a stare, before he realized they were staying on the job.

Afte robserving this, and the two stepping out to flank the spa's doors, Luna raised a hoof. "They do work so hard. I shall ensure they attend if you'll schedule them for later?"

Rarity followed after Lotus and Aloe at a relaxed pace, humming softly to herself as she prepared for a morning of relaxation. She had a lot to plan and think about, and even more questions for her two friends that she was sharing this experience with. However, it seemed as though her best friend was quite literally scared stiff. Guilt played across her face... She didn't mean to make the yellow pegasus -more- stressed!

"Lotus, don't forget my special robe, with the little "R" on it, please?" Rarity asked quietly, trying not to sound rude. She had never forgotten it before, but with all of the excitement with the Princess, she wanted to make totally sure that she was focused enough to get everything perfectly right.

"Oh, and, let Fluttershy know that I'm very sorry," Rarity blushed, looking down, "When she's become less stiff.."

With Aloe seeing to Fluttershy, Lotus happily shows Rarity and Princess Luna to the comfortably cushioned chairs, then manages to hurry in a way that seems both sedate and relaxed to get the robes.  Without Rarity's reminder, Lotus almost does get the mare a standard spa robe--but she's quick to fix the mistake and thankful about it as well.  "Thank you, Rarity!"

"And we would be happy to accommodate your guards, now or later.  In fact, Aloe and I were just discussing that we needed to develop a set of options for our masculine clientele, and it would be excellent to not only have a stallion's perspective for an afternoon--but a Canterlot stallion's perspective, at that.  As well as they tend themselves, I'm sure they'll have lots to teach Aloe and I!"  Lotus replies, her pleasant tone quite happy.  She helps to settle Rarity and Princess Luna's robes in place, and after that stands back to smile.  "We'll have a robe just for you when you visit us again, Princess Luna.  Now: Shall we begin with a massage?"

In reply to Lyra Heartstrings (msg #46):

"They were very good apples, though."  Moonsong replies in an agreeing tone, finding herself thinking briefly about the yummy apple Lyra had shared with her.

She offers a shy smile at the laughter, able to tell that Lyra was pleased and not mocking, but Moonsong still seems shy anyway.  "Thank you."  With her cutie mark mostly hidden by the fold of her wings, Moonsong isn't surprised that the pale silver round of the full moon, surrounded by three notes, has escaped notice: even if it was more visible, it isn't what ponies normally first see.

When Lyra strums, Moonsong listens for a moment, then tries to mimic it with her voice.  Her pitch and tune are quite good; singing seems to be what the awkward pony truly excels at.  "Like that?"

As Lotus showed them to the cushions, the Princess sat rather elegantly. She seemed to enjoy it, and as Lotus brought her the robe, she helped get it settled. The fluffy, soft fabric felt wonderful against her coat, and she settled back and shut her eyes with a little nod.  She gave her wings a little stretch, then looked to Rarity. "These cushions are nice, and it's comfy." she said. "A massage sounds lovely I think..." she laid back, on seat for now though, and watched Rarity for the moment.

"I hope Fluttershy is alright. She felt absolutely petrified when I gave her a hug."

The Alicorn seemed to be rather content - the atmosphere of the place, and the company both, were quite soothing. And, her tiredness from being up so long was catching up - she had been up most of the evening, the night, and now into the morning and day proper. It was nice to just lie still and rest her eyes.

Rarity followed Lotus over to the comfortable cushions and got onto them gracefully. She had spent countless hours over the years on these very cushions, and they always seemed to be just right, constantly. As her special robe was brought over, she dressed herself, snuggling up a bit in the comfortable fabric, sighing as she let her hooves stretch out in front of her in a lying down position.

"Lotus is a fabulous masseuse," Rarity smiles, giving their current caretaker a compliment while she relaxed, waiting her turn.

"Oh, Fluttershy will be just fine, I am completely sure of it," Rarity assured her friend as she closed her own eyes, "She's in very capable and comforting hooves! I'm sure she was just so delighted and surprised to see you that she just... well, froze in shock! I almost did, when you made your order, heh."       

"Actually, this does make things a bit easier..." Aloe mentioned as she shrugged Fluttershy off her shoulders and got a robe for her.  She was able to dress the petrified pony like a mannequin, moving limbs here and there where they would stay frozen in place.  It made her feel like a little filly playing with her pony dolls again~!  She resisted the urge to giggle as she hoisted the Pegasus up onto one of the beds and carefully arranged her to lay flat.

With their guests seated, Aloe hurried along to the windows and drew the shades tightly, casting the room into a cozy dimness that left the sparkles in Luna's mane as one of the few forms of direct illumination.  She nodded over at her sister to get started while she hurried along, taking care of little things here and there to make the atmosphere more pleasant.  Little bowls of wonderful smelling herbs were set nearby to fill the air with relaxing aromas and a soothing, low-toned ballad was set to play on the stereo system in the background.  The entire point of the spa was to blot out the world beyond those walls and lose oneself completely in relaxation, and that was what Aloe and Lotus were going to do!

"Ooh... I do wish we'd thought to call in Quake today..." Aloe muttered to herself.  That colt was their best masseur.  One of the ponies would just have to wait their turn and it was likely to be Fluttershy.  However, she didn't feel right just leaving her all frozen up like that.  With a slightly mischievous glance back and forth, she reached over and set her hooves on Fluttershy's back between her wings.  Now let's see... Pegasus always had that sweet spot right about...

She gave a firm press of her hooves and Fluttershy gasped, eyes going wide before they promptly settled back down in a heavy-lidded droop.  All at once she melted on the cushions as the stiffness left her body, though she perked up once more with a blush on her face that burned brightly through her coat.  "Oh my..." she whispered, trying to ignore Aloe's playful wink as the Earth Pony turned to instead begin carefully pinning back Luna's gorgeous mane and tail in binding clips to keep them out of the way.

"Yeah!  Yeah~!"  Lyra chimed as she gave a happy hop.  She continued playing as they went, pausing long enough here and there to let Moonsong figure out the melody a bit at a time.  Once they had a good rhythm going, she switched gears and instead accompanied the bat-winged pony with the airy strums of her lyre.

"C'mon, I know just the place to go~!" she said as they ambled along the road, singing and playing all the way.

---> Exit to Summer Song Cafe

Luna glanced up as Fluttershy was brought in and laid down after she had a robe on.  The girl still seemed like a stone. She raised her head a bit to watch, and caught Fluttershy's reaction to the hoof in the middle of her back. Luna smiled a bit. "Ah, there is your sweet voice! I feared it was lost." she chimed, then turned her gaze to Aloe as she came over to start pinning up her mane. Luna let her do her job after a moment or two, though she seemed interesting in watching, until she realized that wouldn't work so well. She settled flat on her stomach, and stretched out her hooves again, and as Aloe worked, her eyes drooped shut again, just from the teasing to her mane. She really did feel so tired, and after consideration, this was quite nice.

Fluttershy just laid her head down in her hooves bashfully, trying to keep from looking directly at Luna lest she lapse into another fear-induced brown out.  Breathe, she told herself, just breathe.  You're in the Spa.  It's safe here.  Look, everypony is relaxing and those intimidating guards aren't around anymore and it's going to be okay and how did Aloe know how to do that and why is she smiling at me and oh dear...

"Ah... I-I'm sorry.  I didn't mean to worry anyone." she squeaked in her ever-timid tone as she carefully reached back to push her wings down, fanning them out and tucking them to her sides once more.
This message was last edited by the player at 23:40, Tue 24 Apr 2012.

"No need to apologize, Fluttershy, dear," Rarity said, looking over to her friend who was almost magically relaxed so quickly, "We are here to relax, to be pampered, and to look fabulous!"

While she waited for her own massage to begin, Rarity nuzzled up against the cushion, trying to lose herself in the beautiful atmosphere that the twins were creating for them. Aloe and Lotus -were- the best at what they did, at least as far as this unicorn was concerned. Even those who worked the spas in Canterlot didn't have their particular touch and attention to detail. Besides her friends, family, and how much she loves her shop, it was the main thing keeping her in Ponyville.

"By the way," Rarity hummed, looking back towards Fluttershy, "I was curious if you had any suggestion on how to get Opal more better acquainted with strangers. She's been rather aggressive towards Luna..."

Smiling happily at Rarity's compliment, Lotus nonetheless demurely bows her head, her tone modest as she speaks in reply:  "Thank you so much, Rarity."  Lotus initially tends to Rarity's mane, carefully pinning it out of the way just as Aloe does for Luna, then steps back to regard both unicorn and alicorn alike.  With Luna clearly so tired--which takes Lotus only a moment to puzzle out that of course she'd be tired in the middle of the morning!--Lotus decides it best to start with a royal massage for a royal pony before Luna is asleep and unable to enjoy it.

Lotus will nod to her twin's mention of Quake, but she shrugs her shoulders.  "He might wander in anyway; we'll just put him to work if he does."  Lotus giggles as she speaks, then quiets not only to concentrate but to let their guests converse.

In reply to Lyra Heartstrings (msg #54):

Slightly hesitant at first, Moonsong still finds herself enjoying the musical back-and-forth and swiftly loses any remaining reluctance as she sings and trills and follows Lyra's melodic lead until the unicorn changes things up.  Distracted by her own singing and happy to trust in Lyra, wherever it is she takes them, Moonsong trots along with and maintains the melody as they go.

>>to Summer Song Cafe>>

Luna kept her eyes closed as Fluttershy apologized. The girl sounded so tense, but she seemed to be calming down. Luna settled into place as her mane was pinned back and Lotus approached, though she raised an eye to look toward Rarity at the mention of the issues with Opal. "To be fair, I did try and use her brush. Though, I did not quite realize it was hers." she smiled. "She's sweeter than Philomena though." she said softly. That Phoenix had something against her... Or maybe she was just awful with animals? Or that playful pranking attitude just... rubbed her wrong.

She gave her wings another stretch, and wiggled her rear hooves, lengthening her stretch just a little as she settled into the comfortable cushioning, and laid her chin down between her front legs. A deep breath sampled the aromas of the place, and she sighed it out heavily.

Presently both of the ponies were attending her, she realized, and it was quite the experience, as Lotus moved around to her back while Aloe finished brushing aside her mane. Luna radiated the peaceful feeling of dusk about her as waned a bit, sleepiness and relaxation proving rather lulling to her right now. And Lotus hadn't even put a hoof on her yet. The Princess mumbled something faint and incoherent, both eyes shut.

Rarity had been right. This place was enchanting, and the attention... it wasn't the usual, overwhelming charge she always generated wherever she went, and she somehow felt like they'd treat any other client the same way.

Once Aloe had finished pinning up Luna's mane, she left the Princess to Lotus' more experienced hooves.  Aloe herself wasn't a bad masseuse by any means, but her twin was simply better at it.  Instead she cantered around to tend to Rarity -- she was far more comfortable with the familiar unicorn and quickly set to working her well-polished hooves along Rarity's neck and upper back to hit those key tension points all Unicorns accrued through use of their magic over time.

Fluttershy, meanwhile, was certainly okay with waiting.  The less attention that was on her, the better as far as she was concerned.  Plus with Luna idly drowsing between her and Rarity it became a little easier for her to focus.  "Oh~!" she chimed gently at the mention of animals.  Having a familiar topic put her more at ease.  "Well, cats are very territorial.  As far as Opal is concerned, she owns the Boutique and everything in it -- you're just a live-in maid, Rarity."

The Pegasus giggled over that for a moment, but then immediately went crest-fallen and tucked down into her robe bashfully.  "I'm sorry, that was very rude of me." she apologized on reflex and then continued.  "A-anyway... you can't make cats like you.  But if you do something nice for her, Opal may 'allow you' to be liked by her.  I know Opal is very fond of a breed of sweet grass that's sold in town.  I can get some later if you like..."

As Lotus carefully works to undo the Princess' tension, she can't help but listen to the conversation with a bit of interest.  While she doesn't join in and, in reality, tries to make herself as unobtrusive as possible, Lotus can't help but wonder if there are pet spas and pet masseuses.  She thinks she'll ask Aloe or Rarity later, since it seems like the sort of thing a pony would find in Canterlot--and surely if anyone knows about spas it's Aloe, or about anything to do with Canterlot it would be Rarity.

Though Lotus has only once or twice attended an alicorn, she tries to make sure to not only hit the high points that soothe every unicorn, but to also make sure she loosens up the muscles around the wings.  'Such lovely wings, too!' Lotus muses inwardly, also thinking to herself that she'll need to make doubly sure that those regal shoulders get a good amount of massage time--Lotus can't imagine the sort of stress the Princess carries around with her.

Lotus's expectations of tension and signs of stress prove to be more than met as the mare attends to the massage. Luna answered the conversation with merely a groan as the hooves on her back and shoulders started to release the anxious soreness- she'd not truly understood just how tense she'd been until Lotus had started. It almost seemed like Lotus had a thousand years of frustration to release, though she found it to be easygoing once she was started.

Luna stretched her limbs a bit further, mid-massage, as the firm but careful attention first sharpened the feeling of tension, the dissolved it with a warm, pleasant ache. Was ache the right word? It felt like she'd overstretched, but in a good way, or... It didn't matter what it felt like; it felt magnificent, Luna decided.

Luna was so mystified by the effects only the slight sounds in response to the massage escaped her, rather than words. As Lotus kept up the massage, and moved nearer to the base of her wings, the Alicorn lowered her head more heavily into the cushions, and managed a slight little nod. "Oooh~"

As Aloe began her massage, Rarity visually relaxed, practically melting in the mare's hooves. The past week had brought her so much stress, what with getting Luna's order prepared and perfect, and there was a lot of tension built up into her neck and shoulders. With every motion along her body, Rarity felt more and more relaxed as the pressure and stress just seemed to evaporate. She let out a gentle sigh of contentment before squirming a bit from the familiar pressure.

She turned her head again towards Fluttershy, resting it a bit heavier on the cushion, ear flicking a bit to listen. Rarity had no idea when she had gotten Opal that cats would be so difficult. They seemed to be so choosey and particular; everything had to be one-hundred percent right, or else they wouldn't have anything to do with it!...

Well, maybe she had more in common with Opal than she realized.

"That does sound like Opal," Rarity mused quietly, not getting offended at all by being called a 'live-in maid.' In fact, that's what she felt like sometimes, between her persnickety feline and Sweetie Belle, who would often visit or stay over, not to mention cleaning up after costumers.

"Oh, would you, Fluttershy? I would be ever so grateful!" she exclaimed, before turning back to Aloe, "Ooh, right there. Right there. Ooh!.."

"Miss Rarity, you've got a terrible bundle coming from your withers all the way out.  And your spine is misaligned... you've been spending your nights hunched over your sewing machine again, haven't you?" Aloe scolded gently as she worked her hooves down along the line of Rarity's back.  She'd often given tips on ways to relieve and prevent muscle tension without the use of the Spa's facilities, but surely all that good advice went out the window when Rarity got into a groove.

The Earth Pony gave a little hop to stand aboard the massage table, straddling Rarity's prone body and setting her hooves carefully in their proper place.  "Deep breath... in... hold it... and--" on the following command of 'Exhale' Aloe gave a firm press, rendering several loud cricks and cracks from Rarity's spinal column as she realigned it.  The popping sensation would sting for only a moment before a good portion of the knots in Rarity's back would just unwind as if by magic, further soothed away as Aloe began working with her full weight for a deep-muscle rub.

Giving a little shake of her head, Lotus can't help but smile as she starts undoing the knots in Luna's muscles, and she's quite pleased to hear that Luna is clearly enjoying the massage.  Knowing she's on the right track with the royal mare's wings, Lotus sets all her attention on first the left wing, then the right, to make sure that cluster of muscles isn't at any risk of being overlooked.

"Princess Luna, the next time you visit us we'll have to set you up with an hour-long deep tissue massage.  I'm trying to mix a little of that with our standard relaxation massage, but a deep tissue really works all the kinks out.  We can follow it up with a good long soak in a mineral bath, and then we'll finish it off with a hooficure and a styling, just like today.  Does that sound alright?"

Adept at making sense of the murmurs and mumbles and happy moans of her guests, Lotus listens carefully so she can make sense of Princess Luna's response.

Lotus's continued massage produces a low sigh, and a limp nod. "Mhmm... when? I will be in town... for a few days yet. Perhaps another.. nhh..." she muttered. Luna felt like Lotus had taken out all her bones or something. It felt great, and with the heavier, deeper massage she attempted to mix in, the mare was left practically purring. Just a few minutes, and she already was sure she'd want more of it. Plus, Lotus seemed to imply that this somehow got better.

Luna wasn't holding a very solid grasp on wakefulness. She was already drifting in and out, though. A few more soft sighs left her lips, before Lotus could tell just by her breathing that the weary royal had dozed off on her.
This message had punctuation tweaked by the player at 03:12, Thu 26 Apr 2012.

"Guilty, I'm afraid," Rarity murmured as she started to lose herself to the massage, "Oh, you can read me like a book, can't you, Aloe? And you'd think Twilight would be more adept at that sort of thing. Heh-hmm."

As a unicorn who put appearance, grace, and style over many other things, Rarity was well versed in the various stress relieving tips that she had received from both Aloe and Lotus from her many, many visits, but it was nearly impossible to focus on that when her creative juices were flowing! That is why her weekly visits are next to crucial!

When Aloe stood on top of the table and told her to inhale, Rarity obeyed, sharply taking in air with a dramatic flare. She held it, quivering for a bit, before exhaling just as dramatically as she heard her spine pop and crackle. She winced in pain for a moment before the sting evaporating in a flutter of crackles that lifted the stress from her bones. With a happy sigh, she snuggled into the cushion and closed her eyes, letting Aloe continue with her deep-muscle rub.

Lotus considers the schedule book she'd looked over not twenty minutes ago, then nods to herself as she mentally finds the perfect time.  "Let's have you back here early on the day after tomorrow, Princess?  I'll make sure we have everything set up and waiting for you."

When she realises that her continued massage has put the alicorn to sleep, Lotus isn't sure that Luna has heard her--but she isn't bothered.  She goes about her work in happy silence, feeling deeply satisfied to know that the royal pony is already so relaxed.  Lotus does glance over at the series of little pops Aloe elicits from Rarity though, pleased to see that their favourite regular is shedding her own stress so effectively.

The pampering and the time rolled along smoothly within the care of the two well-experienced spa ponies.  Aloe took care of both Rarity and Fluttershy, leaving Lotus to focus her full attention on Princess Luna.  While every patron of the spa was valued, it surely wouldn't come as a surprise to anyone that the Princess would be a little more valued.  While all three ponies had been soothed into light slumber or at least a pleasant post-massage haze, the spa matrons were free to prepare the other treatments.

A long, cleansing steam in the saunas, cooling down in a silky mineral bath, and returning once more to the fluffy robes and soft dressing tables for some primping... what more could a fashionable pony ask for?  Aloe was soon busy mixing up a fresh batch of mint-and-cucumber facial spread, getting ready for the last leg of beautifying to be had.  Hooficures, coat brushing, mane/tail styling, and make-up were always last on the list to finish up that wondrous array of relaxation and, as Rarity would put it, fabulousity~!  And with the Princess' big display coming later that evening, it was important that she look as stunning as could be~!

Luna hadn't been easy to nudge between the various segments of their lavish afternoon. Whiile she'd taken an hour or two of sleep  between then and their next activity, on to the Sauna, she was half-asleep as she stumbled along with the other ponies. A little chatter, how she'd be delighted with Fluttershy's help with making friends with Opal, and some chatter about the exciting evening ahead.

She was more awake by the time she got out of the mineral bath and into her robe. Luna stretched her limbs languidly with a few steps as she walked back into the room with the dressing tables. "My.... I can't recall when I last felt so..." she paused, and gestured with a hoof lightly... What was the word.

She seemed quite delighted, and settled into place as Aloe and Lotus directed. "The two of you are every bit as wonderful as Rarity said." she complimented. "I do not know when, but I will suggest that my sister and I schedule a day here. I've never felt so light~!" She nearly squealed the last bit, stretching herself out, and turning to Lotus, who'd been handling her fairly closely all visit. "What is next? More massaging? Hooficure?"

Luna seemed to drift between drowsy and rather bright and refreshed, over the course of these various treatments.  But she'd gotten a few good, ultra-soothing hours of shut-eye in... though, the only thing that might make this better would be a bite to eat. She'd ask Rarity once they were all finished.

The excitement of the coming evening was also starting to build on her. Everypony in town would know by now, they'd all come out to celebrate and enjoy the night with her! It was different than Nightmare Night, and so exciting!

Rarity had gone through the motions of her usual spa treatment, enjoying every last moment. While she was suitably entranced by the various relaxing techniques, she was still quite awake and peppy enough to keep in conversation with her best friend. It seemed that Fluttershy had opened up quite a bit as soon as Luna had fallen asleep the first time. They mostly discussed Opal's behavior and the night ahead.

However, while her chatty mouth was occupied with talking about her pet, her mind was squarely focused on Sweetie Belle. When would be the best moment to ask her where she'd want to spend a day with her older sister? At the Moon-Raising? Later that day? After the Moon-Raising? And what was the best way to ask without it being completely awkward? Would Sweetie Belle even care if it was awkward because she'd be so excited? Too many questions, and any answer would do... It was just a matter of picking one.

"Fluttershy," Rarity began as she rested on the dressing table, getting ready for her favorite part of the entire process, "You're rather good with Sweetie Belle. When I ask her about the little plan I'm making, how should I begin?... With an apology? Something nice...?"

Unbothered by Luna's sleepiness, Lotus in fact sees it as quite the compliment: not just any pony can fall asleep in an unfamiliar place!  She smiles broadly at the Princess' words, even bowing her head in modest thanks for the praise.  "Thank you, Princess Luna.  We've been so happy to have you as a guest."  She adjusts one of the pillows for the princess, then nods to herself once that little task is taken care of.  "Now we're going to apply your facial masque, and we've a lovely hair masque as well if you'd like.  It gives a beautiful gloss to your mane and tail, though your hair is already so very gorgeous that if you'd rather not we can move right on to a good brushing out while the facial sets?"

At the mention of Luna coming back with her elder sister in tow, Aloe practically swooned on the spot.  Tending to Princess Celestia?!  The Earth Pony was momentarily star struck but quickly shook her head to get her wits back about her.

Meanwhile, Fluttershy pondered the situation with Sweetie Belle.  She'd become far more at ease with Luna as the day progressed and, as the moment, felt rather silly for having worked herself up into such a state before.  While the shy Pegasus hadn't totally gotten over her worrisome ways, she was a far cry better than earlier.

"Well, I don't think you need to apologize for anything.  Just broach the topic casually and say what you feel." she advised quietly.  "But I wouldn't do it until after tonight, if I were you.  She'd be too distracted thinking about it to enjoy the Moon Raising, or wouldn't be able to sleep afterward.  Maybe at breakfast tomorrow?"

Luna turned to Lotus, and smiled brightly. "A facial masque? I'm afraid I don't quite know what that is, but if it is as wonderful as your other work, I am sure I will not be disappointed. Please. As I said before, I am in your capable hooves, Lotus."

Luna smiled gratefully to the mare as she continued to attend her. "As for the hair treatment, I would welcome the full experience." She closed her eyes and settled back to rest, letting out another heavy sigh. She felt marvelous, and Lotus's attention was something she was quickly getting used to.

Lotus giggles at her sister's reaction, though she knows later she'll have an absolutely joyous fit.  "Oh, masques are just wonderful!  It's cooling and a little tingly, and when it comes off everything it was on is exceptionally silky."  She listens and nods, then wears a vibrant smile.  "Then we'll get you all set up.  Just relax here a moment, and I'll be right back!"  Lotus happily trots off only to return a few moments later with a bowl and a small assortment of supplies.  Aloe may have the facial mix ready, but Lotus is thinking that a hair treatment for Luna, with that wonderfully flowing mane and tail, is going to require a bit of extra work.

Once the swift mix is complete, Lotus starts to carefully unpin Luna's mane and carefully apply the substance, working it all the way from the tips to the roots.  She'll pin the saturated lengths into rolls to help avoid any excess mess, and once she's covered all of Luna's mane and tail Lotus will switch to the facial masque.  Painting it on with care, afterwards she holds up a pair of cucumber slices and smiles.  "These go over your eyes.  They reduce any puffiness you might have, too.  Just shut your eyes and relax for a bit."  Once Luna closes her eyes, Lotus settles the slices in place.

Luna looks doubtfully at the... goopy...  gelly... substance. She actually looks like she might've hit some point of hesitation. I mean, it seemed like sludge or mud or something, but glowing green, like one might expect out of Discord's shenanigans.

On one hoof, Lotus was endorsing the stuff strongly. On another, she just didn't trust it, it seemed such an incredulous premise. However, seeing Rarity settling in for the very same treatment seemed to make a point.

She raised a hoof warily, to Lotus. "You are... quite sure this is alright? I find it to be rather..." she touched the material warily, and looked at her hoof with a slightly grossed face. "...gooey." she watched her, then lowered her head. "You... are the professional of course. I do not wish to be unappreciative. And I did place myself in your hooves." she took a deep breath, and settled into place to let Lotus begin in earnest, though a few quivers ran along her spine as she felt the thick gel rubbing into her mane... She still seemed skeptical, but willing to trust Rarity's word and Lotus's skill. It was easier with her eyes closed, though she opened them as her facial masque was applied, and watched Lotus work. under her coat, her cheeks seemed to darken just a shade or so, as the material was painted onto her face.

Luna exhaled, and by the point where Lotus offered the cucumber slices for her eyes, she was... well... in over her head already. The royal mare complied with an elegant flutter, then a soft closing of her eyes, letting out a sigh. It was managing to prove extremely relaxing - perhaps it was merely Lotus's presence that was helping that calming feeling to keep cascading over her like a steady tide. It was wonderful, though.

"I assure you, your highness, you'll love the result~!  We use these sorts of treatments ourselves all the time."  Aloe tried to ease the Princess' worries over having something cold and gooey rubbed all over her face.  It was true though -- the two sisters often gave each other facials and hooficures both as practice and relaxation, and they were equally lovely for it.

In the meantime, she went about carefully slathering the concoction about onto Rarity's face, smoothing it out in avoidance of her eyes and lips, then looking over at the other ponies subtly over her shoulder.  When she was sure nopony else was looking her way, she leaned in and discretely pulled off Rarity's false eyelashes before capping the pony's eyes with cucumber slices.  Most of Rarity's friends knew she wore falsies, but it was important to take consideration for a lady's dignity after all.  She'd have new stylish lashes applied with the rest of her make-up later.  Fluttershy was soon given the same treatment, though minus the eyelash tugging.

"Lotus, be sure to prep the hooficure set.  I'll get some ice tea for our guests." Aloe mentioned before trotting off for their small kitchen to pour a few refreshing, tall glasses of cold barley tea.  With straws, of course.

"Approach casually and say what I feel," Rarity mused to herself before going for a bit of dramatic flare, "Then that is what I will do! I will invite Sweetie Belle to breakfast tomorrow, and we will be the closest sisters in Equestria!"

After her overly dramatic statement, she looked over to Luna, blushing suddenly. She wasn't sure of the state of Luna's relationship to Celestia, and saying such a thing may have been impolite or stirred up something, especially considering Luna's previous exile.

"Celestia and yourself excluded, of course, Luna. Heh," she added, smiling towards the Princess in a little attempt to stop any negative feelings from coming out due to her earlier statement. Thankfully, Aloe was close-by to begin applying the masque, which always reminded her of the sleepover she had shared with Applejack and Twilight a while back. It was a good memory, at least towards the end, and it always brought a warm feeling to the unicorn.

"Thank you for being discreet, Aloe," Rarity whispered as her false eyelashes were gently pulled off before the cucumber slices were applied. It was embarrassing enough when she blurted out her secret on their way to Canterlot, but if the Princess had realized that she wore falsies? Oh, she would simply die!...

[Entering from Summer Song Cafe]

Having effortlessly tracked down the location of Princess Luna (the large, intimidating stallions in armor might have been a giveaway), the local officer had made his way calmly towards said guards. They'd no doubt be providing security detail close to Luna, considering how silly and crazy things liked to happen around Ponyville. Once he got to speaking distance, he gave a respectful bow to the pair as they waited for their princess to finish her pampering.

"Good afternoon." He started, half expecting them to not even say anything back. But they did have some business to conduct. "Considering the Princess' descision to hold a ceremony here on such short notice, I'd like to do whatever is possible to make sure security here is properly handled. What information can you give me regarding the event?"
This message was last edited by the player at 18:48, Fri 27 Apr 2012.

The two dark-armored stallions narrowed their eyes at Blue Shield's approach and bristled ever so slightly in case of a threat.  However, his intentions were honest and the badge he wore was evidence enough of his position.  The guards cast each other a brief glance and seemed to share some sort of non-verbal communication consisting entirely of eyebrow waggles and ear flicks before looking back to Blue Shield.

"Admittedly, not much.  It was a fairly impromptu decision." the one on the left stated.  "Her royal highness Princess Luna will be holding audience with her friends for this afternoon and then perform a Moon Raising ceremony this evening at sun down in Town Square.  As we have not had a chance to contact Canterlot for extra security detail, my partner and I will be standing guard for the Princess non-stop."

The other guard standing to the right had a little less edge in his voice as he spoke up.  He was the one who'd perked over the idea of hanging around ex-model Fluttershy and didn't quite have the same stony demeanor as his companion.

"Like you said; short notice.  I didn't know Ponyville had a standing police force though." the Mid-knight observed.  "If you have any additional bodies to patrol around Town Square for potential problems, that'd be great.  Particularly Pegasi." the guard gave a flex of his own bat-like wings for example.  Air support was preferred, after all.

"We're aware that there are some former Royal Guards living in Ponyville as well.  While I don't want to interrupt their retirement, if you could contact them and ask for their voluntary assistance, it would be very appreciated." the one on the left added.  Frankly, he had more trust in proper soldiers as opposed to small-town police any day.
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:05, Fri 27 Apr 2012.

"It just feels a little strange at first, that's all.  But it does lovely things for your skin and coat, I promise."  Lotus assures, wearing a warm smile to go with her soothing tone.  She waits for the Princess's assent before applying anything to her face, however, and is thankful that Aloe helps to reassure the royal pony.  "Don't worry about any such thing, Princess.  You've been not just a welcome guest, but a model one, especially for your first time here."

Once the masque is fully applied and the slices are in place, Lotus gives Luna a gentle pat on the shoulder.  "I'm going to go ready the hooficure supplies; I'll be right back and always in earshot if you need anything at all."  After waiting to make sure the Princess doesn't immediately need anything, Lotus quickly trots off to secure the necessary supplies.  She makes sure to prepare enough for all three ponies so that there won't be any down time once the masques come off.

So the guards were a little out of the loop as well. Not surprising considering the lack of time that they were given to prepare. Still, the royalty held highest authority, so if they wanted to make their security scramble, then so be it. "You're mostly right. The standing police force here is just me. I'll be giving a temporary deputization to some of the weather team. They have good eyes and wings. They need it to keep up with Rainbow Dash." The mayor had been wise enough to mention that there was going to be some impromptu vendor carts around in the business district too. "I'll have to cover the business district too. But once the ceremony begins, we'll fall into the Town Square to provide additional support." Nopony would be buying anything during the ceremony, after all. So all the business would close up real quick before then. He'd have to make sure to warn the businesses when the ceremony was ready to begin so they'd have ample time to secure their respective products.

Luna couldn't imagine a thing in the world to ask for as Lotus offered, and just settled there, her dark horn pointed upward as she settled back, and squirmed a bit in  her spot, feeling the soft robe rubbing against her coat. "Rarity...?" she ventured, quietly, once Lotus had stepped away. "I must thank you for your invitation." A little sigh of contentment left the princess, and she gestured  with a hoof, despite both herself and Rarity being cucumber-eyed at the moment. "I have had the most relaxing experience I could imagine today, and I simply could not be more pleased!" She couldn't remember ever feeling so wonderful, and she sat patiently, waiting for Lotus to return. That pony and her hooves... "Fluttershy? Your company is wonderful as well.  I've been thinking about tonight. Rarity. Perhaps you should bring Sweetie Belle to the Moon-Raising? I would also ask for your help in preparing. I do not quite know how many ponies will be showing up for the event... but I should look my best, and you have a gift for appearances."

She seemed to have been thinking about it. "But, it is rather exciting, isn't it?" she prompted. "Although... it isn't exactly spectacular... Do you think I should dress it up a bit for everypony?" she asked.

A moon raising? Not spectacular? Perhaps Luna had just done it so often it'd lost its charm for her, but surely it was as glorious as the Celestia raising the sun? Was Luna having some doubts? Nerves? She sounded wonderfully calm, though.

"All the more reason to draw on volunteers from the retirees then.  If I recall correctly, there is a former Air Major named Rusty, and a lieutenant shield maiden named Merriweather, both living here in Ponyville.  See if they're willing to assist." the dour-faced guard instructed.  "Aside from that, we'll leave the crowd control on your shoulders.  Just remember to instruct the citizens to keep safe distance from Princess Luna during the event."

"Right. I'll go gather what security I can. Try to be gentler with the townsfolk. Asking nicely should be enough to get anypony to cooperate. If you need anything, you should be able to find me pretty quick." Royal guards could be pushy. While he didn't want to be rude, but the ponies around Ponyville didn't need an intimidating presence to fall into order. With a quick glance around to see if he could find any of his potential help, he walked away from the guards.

[Exit back to the Cafe! -Insert 60's Batman scene transition here!-]

While the ladies were relaxing and letting their masques set, Aloe took advantage of the brief amount of downtime to slink over to her sister.  She had a tray of seven drinks clenched in her teeth -- enough for their guests, the guards, and the two spa ponies themselves.  They'd been hard at work all morning after all.

"I can't believe this is going so well... I feel like my heart is going to leap out my chest." Aloe whispered as she peered over at the chatting mares on the other side of the room.  She giddily cantered in place like a school filly.  "And she said she'd bring Princess Celestia!  Princess.  Celestia~!  Oh Lotus, this could be our big chance~!"

Meanwhile, over in the resting area, Fluttershy lifted her brows curiously as her name was mentioned by Luna.  She curled a wing tip over and gingerly lifted one of her own cucumber lenses to peek bashfully at the Princess.  "Oh, not at all, Luna... I'm just glad we've all been able to have a good time together."  That was sure the truth... she felt bad that she'd been such a mess earlier.  It was nothing but relief that they could all relax together and she didn't hyperventilate even once~!  Angel Bunny would be so proud.

"I don't see any reason not to dress up a bit.  If anything, it'd be nice simply for your own sake." the Pegasus added as she set her cucumber back down and rested her head on her crossed forelegs.  "Everypony likes to dress up now and then... even a Princess?"

Lotus is relieved not just to see the drinks for the guards, but for themselves as well.  She'd been so busy that she hadn't realised quite how parched she'd gotten!  She nods and barely manages to stifle a giggle so that it wouldn't be overheard, but she shared her twin's excitement and enthusiasm.  "Maybe we'll even be invited to the castle itself to give royal treatments!"  She barely manages to keep her voice down, but after a little dance in place--almost the same motions as her sister--Lotus softly clears her throat and calms herself.

"I have everything ready for the hooficures; I'll deliver these drinks so you can go tend to the guards."  Lotus continues in a normal voice, and if Aloe allows it she'll take the tray, less two drinks, from her sister.

"Oh, it makes me so happy to here you say that, darling!" Rarity exclaimed, clapping her hooves together before resting on them again, "I just knew you would love it, and I'm so glad you do! We'll be sure to do this everytime you come to stay in Ponyville; I absolutely insist!"

While she waited for the two spa ponies to return to begin their hooficures, Rarity looked down to her stomach as it grumbled. She -did- skip breakfast this morning to make sure her creations were absolutely perfect, and her mind wasn't on food due to the excitement of Luna coming and the spa's relaxing atmosphere, but in this lack of activity, she got a little reminder by a slight grumbling that she hoped no one else heard. It wasn't lady-like after-all, but there were more important matters at hand!

"I will bring Sweetie Belle, and invite her to breakfast at that point. Who could turn down breakfast with the Princess, anyhow? Heh-hmm!" Rarity nodded, "Oh, Luna, you must! How could you -ever- think of leading such a glorious occasion without looking absolutely fabulous! We'll get you all done up in your brand-new dress, we'll prim up your mane and make-up, though they'll do a perfect job here with that, and... Ooh! What a project!"     

Luna grinned a broad grin, at their excitement. She felt like they'd missed her point. The Moon-raising itself wasn't that spectacular to her. A little glow, a bit of a struggle to get the heavy thing to move... it was harder for her than her sister moving the sun, she'd been out of practice...

She laughed, with her friends.  Rarity had a way of easing complications, or maybe creating them? Still, it sounded wonderful. Nodding, she let out a little sigh. "I look forward to it, then, Rarity. ...Stars, this is soothing." she said softly. It really was... She did feel a bit pinned in when she wanted to look at the ponies she was speaking to, but... it was alright. They were friends, together, in a safe and private place, and they were all as unwound as she was. It felt good to be so relaxed. She didn't feel a bit of frustration or stress, save the tingle of nervous energy looming at the prospect of going before a crowd - but even that was sedate and calmed, for the time being.

Lotus returns to the spa's guests with two refreshing teas, and places one by Princess Luna and another by Rarity before returning to take a third before Aloe can get too far--she does wish she were a unicorn at moments like these, when two glasses are really all she can manage without a tray of her own.  Settling the third glass by Fluttershy, she positions the straw of it as she had with the first two: within easy reach of the beverage's recipient.  "There we are, some drinks for the three of you.  How is the masque feeling, Princess?  Is there anything I can get for the two of you, Rarity, Fluttershy?"

Tempting as those teas look, Lotus plans to wait to sip at her drink when Aloe has returned and it's time for the hooficures.




(OOC:  I was hoping to wait for the GM, but I don't want to hold everyone else up while I do.)

"Oh, no. This is wonderful." she blindly leaned slightly forward, found the straw, and took a drink. "Ah... quite clever." She said brightly, and settled back into place. "So, just the hooficure and styling left?" she asked. "I almost don't want it to end..." she said softly.

Aloe sorted off the drinks as she could to help her sister out, then trotted off with her own set outside.  The guards cast an incredulous glance back at the spa pony as she appeared from the doorway with the tray, smiling as best she could around her mouthful.  Well, one looked incredulous.  The other younger soldier looked reflexively relieved at the sight of some liquid refreshment and had to take a queue from his senior to remain stern despite himself.

"Here you go, gentlemen.  And remember; we'll hold an appointment slot for you two~!" Aloe cooed as she set the tray on the ground between them and sashayed off.  The younger of the two soldiers watched her go from the corner of his eye, then looked to the drinks, then up to his partner pleadingly.  The older guard just sighed and, with a long-suffering eye roll, scooped up one of the glasses with his wing to drink.  The younger grinned eagerly and did the same, leaving the two to discreetly get some relief from the afternoon sun.

"Oh man... a quiet little town, babysitting the Princess while she hangs out with friends, cute mares all over the place, and free drinks.  Best.  Mission.  Ever." the younger soldier chuckled.

"Enjoy it while you can, I guess." his partner just shrugged as he sipped his drink.  It was good tea though...

Back inside, Aloe returned to find Lotus checking on their guests.  She took a quick look in on the hooficure treatments to see if everything was ready.  Brush, file, buffer, sponge, soak bowl, sealant, polish... those were all good to go.  Not to mention the preening gloss and conditioner for Fluttershy and horn oil for Rarity... though naturally both applied to Luna.  But the lotion, varnish, and Venice Turpentine were still warming to the right temperature in a warm bath, so it gave the spa ponies a chance to breathe and get a drink for themselves.

Over with the guests, Fluttershy just shook her head gently in reply to Lotus' query and blindly fumbled around for her drink.  She 'eep!'ed as she almost knocked it over on accident but caught it before she could make a mess, then set to quietly sipping at its dark, earthy flavor.  It was the sort of drink she made at home after a hard day of tending to her animal friends, so it soothed her quite a bit beyond what she already was.

"Well, we generally get other conditioning too.  Like having our coats brushed, or wing and horn treatments." she supplied as she gave her own wings a gentle flex before she remembered nopony else could see her.
This message was last edited by the GM at 15:26, Mon 30 Apr 2012.

"Oooh. That does sound rather wondrous. You mean like polishing the horn and all?" She reached up, hoof touching her own dark, gleaming horn. The delicate spiral design, and the fine, semi-sharp tip. She'd not had her horn tended to this well in... well, a thousand and some years. This was going to be great!

Luna was simply enjoying this too much, she felt. With her mind pouring over the coming event, she went quiet, eyes shut behind her cucumber slices.

Taking a moment to sip at her tea, Lotus tries to hastily slake her thirst to answer--but stops her rush when Fluttershy answers.  When she doesn't have a straw in her own mouth, Lotus speaks up again.  "Fluttershy is absolutely right, and you're lucky enough to get both treatments, Princess.  Oh, Aloe brought some tea to your guards as well--such wonderful, steadfast fellows you have in those two.  You'll have to bring them back by for their own treatment some time.  Speaking of treatments, though...  I believe you mentioned earlier that you'll be in the area for a few days?  How does tomorrow evening sound?  Aloe and I will make sure to have our best masseuse here, and then after, oh, say an hour of the deep-tissue massage you'll have a soak in one of the mineral baths.  A deep tissue can wear you out quite a bit, so it's probably best if you don't have any big plans after you leave here."  Lotus happily chatters on, then sips again at her tea when she's spoken.

She checks on everything for the pending treatments once she's had a bit more tea, then goes about checking each of the pony's facial masques to see if they're ready to come off yet.  Afterwards, she trots over to Aloe and giggles just a little as she nods toward the door.  "Making friends?"

As Lotus chimed in, Luna took a long drink of her tea. "Yes, they're quite dependable, if inexperienced. They're... basically I'll I've got in the Nightguard right now." she said softly. "I've really yet to get the order back on it's hooves fully..." she said softly. Celestia had plenty of guards, but it took different stuff to handle Luna's duties. "I would love to come by tomorrow evening. I have no plans in place yet, so that would be wonderful. Perhaps my guards could stop in throughout they day. I know they won't leave me entirely alone - perhaps one in the morning, and the other around noon?"

Aloe came sauntering on back and sidled up beside her sister, grinning like a cheshire cat at the whispered tease.  "Ooh, I hope so.  That armor is so dashing... I love a stallion in uniform." she giggled.

"We'll make arrangements for your guards, Princess.  If you think today has been impressive, then just wait until tomorrow evening.  You caught us unawares today, but we'll be prepared to give you all a real royal treatment next time."
This message was last edited by the player at 23:53, Mon 30 Apr 2012.

Though she tries not to giggle too loudly as Aloe speaks aloud to the princess, Lotus does have a feeling that Aloe herself will be doing most of the tending to the guards.  Stifling another happy giggle, Lotus is of the mind that it'll give her a chance to plan out the big open-spa day they were discussing earlier and to pick the brains of the guards about more stallion-friendly treatments.

Nodding in sympathetic understanding, Lotus then realises the Princess won't--or hopefully shouldn't, anyway--hear her head rattle.  "I'm sure you'll find plenty more, Princess.  Why, I should think that any number of ponies would be interested in helping, but they might not know that you're looking or what you 're looking for."

Lotus trots to the desk and back with a swift pace that manages subdued grace even so, and hastily writes down the times in the retrieved appointment book.  "Throughout the day is just fine: We'll make sure to have a reserved spot in the morning, at around noon, and another tomorrow evening.  We'll probably close our doors before your treatment is finished tomorrow, but don't worry about that: we often schedule customers past closing hours for longer appointments; it makes things a little easier on everyone involved."

"So long as I can put the moon up before we begin, it should be fine. You don't mind the late night, do you?" she asked, again, to be sure. "I am glad that it will work out for you -  and that way I shall be able to fully enjoy the experience. I am looking forward to it so much already." she admitted, and raised a hoof toward her face. She stopped, though, and turned her head toward the sound of Lotus's voice. Again she had a bout of restless repositioning in her seat, then stretched out her wings a bit, and her hooves up over her head, before settling back down.

--> Lyra enters from Summer Song Cafe

The Ponyville Spa wasn't too far off from the cafe.  Just a quick trek along and the two new friends were in sight of the local luxury spot for the entire town.  Naturally the guards were still posted outside, now once more resolute as they'd finished their drinks and set the tray away out of sight.  Lyra slowed a bit at some distance and looked to her companion.

"You think they're gonna let us in to talk to Princess Luna?" she asked her friend in a low voice.  The guards either hadn't noticed the two mares at distance yet or merely didn't acknowledge them.  It gave Moonsong a chance to observe them from a safe range.  The two guards were indeed Batponies like herself -- tall, dark-coated stallions with sharp ears, narrow eyes, and graceful leathery wings tucked against the sides of their armored bodies.  While Batponies weren't unheard of they were an uncommon sight regardless.
This message had punctuation tweaked by the GM at 17:35, Tue 01 May 2012.

Rarity, feeling the conversation shift towards Luna and her guards, relaxed her chatty mouth for just a few moments. While the spa treatment was supposed to relax every part of the body, the unicorn would often fill in the silence with conversation, especially of Fluttershy was accompanying her, as she often did. Sometimes it was nice to not be the center of attention. Sometimes.

Speaking of lips, Rarity pursed her own and leaned forward a bit to take a sip of the iced tea that was presented to her. It was delicious, of course, and caused her to take a loud sigh of relief. She needed to rest now if she was going to prepare the Princess for the ceremony. Just remember, 'Never stress.'

"Oh, no, not at all!"  Lotus replies, more than happy to oblige on that point.  She returns the appointment book to its proper place, then goes back to the Princess' side to give her pillows a little fluff.  Lotus checks on Fluttershy and Rarity as well, then, once a quick check at the heating oils tells her things will be ready as soon as the facial masques have been cleaned away, she retrieves several warm cloths.

Lotus sets to work on Princess Luna first, wanting to make sure that she gets all the masque from the lunar mare's face, mane and tail.  Rarity and Fluttershy are next, and Lotus takes great care with each pony to make sure that they're wonderfully pampered.

>>from Summer Song Cafe>>

"Oh my goodness," is exactly all that Moonsong can manage at first.  The stallions are incredibly impressive, but more than that--seeing that her wings are similar to theirs makes the mare wonder if she's related in some fashion.  'Distant cousins...?'  Moonsong muses, then shakes her head to clear her thoughts as she catches up to Lyra's words.  "I don't know...  Maybe if we ask nicely?"

Moonsong sounds a little distracted, and Lyra might catch her sneaking a peek at one of her own leathery wings.

For all the relaxation the spa was providing, being pasted up in the facial masque was perhaps the most up and down bit of the experience for Luna. Still, it was a positive one, even if she had felt a bit trapped inside of it at times. It was an absolute relieve when Lotus began to remove it. and she shut her eyes more mildly, and exhaled a deep breath. It was wonderful to be able to open her eyes, and everything almost felt clearer and brighter to her, for having kept herself in the dark behind those sliced cucumbers. She smiled sheepishly at Lotus while the pony was tending to her.

"Ah... My coat can breathe again! As wonderful as that was, it did get a bit cramped with the gooey feeling all over for so long.  If my restlessness was disruptive..." she trailed, and lowered her horn slightly. Lotus's caring demeanor sort of dissolved the apology before she was done shaping it. Instead, Luna could only grin with a happy energy, and shut both her eyes as she lifted her shoulders, momentarily gleeful as Lotus preened over her coat to be sure all the masque was gone.

Stretching all her legs out, Luna settled back into place, enjoying the limber looseness the massage had imparted to her body. She felt so much lighter, emotionally, physically... the whole experience was uplifting and liberating, and quite soothing. She was looking forward to the continued experience. While Lotus tended to her friends, Luna watched, her wings settling as she curled into a comfortable position on her seat, cheek resting on her hooves. She was eager for the rest of the treatment, but willing to wait for her friends to join her on it first...

"Rarity, I think the dress you designed will work wonderfully tonight." She glanced over toward Fluttershy then. "You will come too, this evening?" she asked, her tone lilting and poised.  "I wonder, just how big the crowds might be tonight, though..." she said, raising a hoof to her lips.

Outside the spa, Lyra mulled over how to approach the situation.  Despite a variety of hair-brained schemes that briefly flickered past her thoughts, one of which that made use of a song-and-dance number, she decided Moonsong's idea was the best option.  "That should do it.  So... go on and ask then!  They were giving me the stink-eye the whole time earlier, but they might like you better.  Y'know... batponies and all."

Meanwhile, inside, Aloe had trotted off to get the various pampering sets all loaded up onto the cart while Lotus took care of getting the masques peeled and scraped off.  Each pony was sure to be left feeling refreshed and ready for more in no time~!  She walked on her hindlegs to push the cart along ahead of her with all the supplies set about in the most convenient spots to be accessed by the both of them.

When Fluttershy was asked about attending the event, she started to nod, but stopped when the idle mention of crowds came up.  That made her shrink her shoulders down a bit.  "Oh... um... is there going to be a big crowd?  I mean, of course I'll attend if you want me there, Luna, but I'm not very comfortable with crowds..."

"Your highness, if it's alright with you, could we tend to Miss Rarity and Miss Fluttershy first?  As you have both facets of the treatments and you're larger, it would be more... convenient... that way." the spa pony requested.  Besides, if she and Lotus both split to take care of the other two girls first, it meant they could both work on Luna simultaneously to heap the pampering and good impressions on her together.
This message was last edited by the GM at 15:05, Wed 02 May 2012.

The princess nestled her head down into her hooves, and gave a bit of a nod.  "I think that's a fine plan, since there's only two of you. I'll shut my eyes for a few minutes, I think." she said softly. She did sort of want the treatment to be a bit of a surprise, given how wonderful and new everything else had been thus far. So, she shut her eyes gently, and settled into her seat. She was still pretty tired. A little more shut-eye couldn't hurt her.

As she settled into place, she spoke to Fluttershy. "I... really do not know quite how many ponies will be attending..."

"No, not at all, Princess."  Lotus assures, wearing a warm and friendly smile.  "Next time we apply a masque I'll make sure it's a lighter coating, and we'll leave off the cucumber slices as well."  With each masque off, Lotus takes a moment to gently rub a soft cloth over their coats to ensure that all of it is gone and to bring out the glossy shine it leaves behind.

Lotus waits to see what Luna's response will be, then sets to work on Rarity with a nod of thanks.  She leaves the more nervous Fluttershy in her sister's capable hooves, and though Lotus doesn't rush she is efficient as she tends to Rarity's horn.  She strives to polish it to a high shine, knowing just how much Rarity likes to be perfectly presentable.

"Me?!"  Moonsong asks, barely keeping her voice down.  Still, after a brief hesitation, she starts shyly forward.  It takes some effort for the dark mare to relax her wings so that their shape is more evident, but her smile is still bashful as she approaches the pair of guards.  Stopping a respectful distance from them, she bobs her head in a little bow like her mother taught her, and ventures a "Hello" that almost sounds like a question.

As Moonsong approached, neither guard moved.  They remained as still as statues and glared resolutely ahead... until it became apparent that she wasn't just going to slink away without response.  After a few silent moments that were no doubt gut-wrenching to poor Moonsong, the senior of the two guards spoke up.

"State your business." he ordered firmly.

Inside the Spa, Aloe was quick to begin work with Fluttershy.  Of course, despite the desire to not keep Princess Luna waiting, she wouldn't dare rush the treatment of another guest one bit and was sure to give the Pegasus all her attention.  The duty of a beautician to their clients was sacred, after all!  Fluttershy made it easy too -- she obediently flexed her wings and moved just so to make the job go by smoother.  Aloe applied a thin gloss of protective water sealant to her feathers and went to them with a fine preening brush, straightening and buffing her feathers until they were lush with a glossy sheen.  She had to ask Fluttershy to keep her wings raised outward as she set to brushing down her coat as well, earning quiet but pleased little trills from the demure Pegasus at the soothing sensation the stiff hoof brush had.

As the spa ponies focused on the other two, and Luna settled in, she could let herself drift off as the discussion faded. she spoke quietly in answer to lotus. "I'm unsure what the sliced do, exactly, though, keeping my eyes shut so long did feel awkward. We shall see, perhaps, if it's not something  best acclimated to, if you suggest it. I want to get the most out of this, of course." she said gently, clearly willing to try this a bit more before she completely rejected that sort of treatment.

Princess Luna began to drift off to sleep again, as her friends were tended to. The royal mare began to doze in and out, and the atmosphere settled over her again. Even sleeping curled up as she was, she was lovely, regal, in her subtle manner. Her coat seemed refreshed, more vivid. The pleasant lethargy was such that she didn't really want to move even when she drifted into wakefulness, and an observer might not have easily told the difference between the two as she snoozed mildly.

In reply to A Series of Events (msg #109):

Having nearly decided to turn away and leave the pair of guards alone, when one speaks she nearly jumps out of her skin.  Her bat-like wings flutter before folding against her sides again, and she manages not to sound only nervous--instead of petrified like she actually feels.  "My...  My name is Moonsong, and, well, really I had just two questions?  We showed Princess Luna the way here earlier, and now we've found out that a whole lot of ponies seem to be meaning to come to the moon-raising.  We wanted to know if it would be okay to go instead and tell her, so she'll know?  And, um.  The other question is.  Well.  I've never met anyone else with wings like mine--yours--ours, really."  Moonsong stops speaking at that point, even though she's realised the last isn't really a question more than it is a nervous rambling jumble of words.  She hopes they'll understand what she's meaning, though, even if she doesn't quite understand it herself.

"Yes, we've been informed.  The local law enforcement officer came by already to discuss security matters for the event, as it's apparently expanded beyond the original intent of the Princess." the stoic guard explained curtly.  So if they already knew, there was no reason to let anypony else into the spa and bother Luna's relaxation time.  Since the latter part of Moonsong's stammering wasn't a question, the guard apparently chose to ignore it.

"Sir?  Shouldn't we...?" his partner led in with a low tone.

...ugh... well, he tried to ignore it.

"We are on duty, soldier.  Guard post is no place for idle chatter.  If the young miss wants to speak to us about something, it would behoove her to do it when we are not on duty." was the sharp reply.  The younger of the two guards (and obviously more empathic) just winced subtly and resumed his statue-like stance.

"It will look perfect, Princess," Rarity assured Luna as her masque was wiped away with the warm cloth, "Just think of all those stars glittering against the night sky, and that gorgeous gem lighting up when you bring the moon over the horizon! Oh, it will be simply sensational! I can't wait!"

The unicorn's excitement was clear on her grinning face as she made a little squeal. Though she tried to remain constantly refined and proper, Rarity had a lot of trouble keeping her excitement under control, even in a relaxed setting such as this. However, Lotus and Aloe were quite used to it by this point, so she wasn't worried about making a bad impression.

"Oh, Lotus, you and your sister have just been doing so exceptional today," she smiled, giving her current caretaker a compliment as she began to apply the polish to her horn, "I have never felt so relaxed!... Well, at least not since last week, heh..."

Lotus doesn't at all seem to mind Rarity's exuberance, though she does briefly switch to brushing up the shine in her coat until the unicorn settles a little once more.  She's always exceptionally gentle in buffing up and polishing a unicorn's horn: there's just so much Lotus worries could go wrong if she weren't careful.  When Rarity's horn shines and glistens as though with active magic all on its own, Lotus resumes the glossing of her coat.  Normally this would lead right into the preparations for the hooficure and then styling, but with she and Aloe splitting things up Lotus decides that the brushing is a good point to break and pair up with her twin again to tend to Luna.

"We're always happy to have you in, Rarity.  We plan our scheduling around yourself and Fluttershy, did you know?"  Lotus replies to the compliment, seeming genuinely thrilled by it.  When she speaks again it is to Aloe, with a nod to the beautification tools she was just previous using on Fluttershy.  "If you'll tend to our Princess' wings, I'll care for her horn?  Is that acceptable, Princess?"

In reply to Guard Ponies (msg #112):

Moonsong listened as the guard spoke and nodded, though she couldn't help the slight raise of her brows.  She did find herself expecting a little something more--as in explanations for: 'why hadn't they told the Princess?  When did they plan to?  Were they just going to ambush her with the knowledge as soon as her time in the spa was done?'  Moonsong didn't like those thoughts at all; she doubted the guards were being intentionally difficult, just that they probably wanted to avoid interruptions like the plague...without possibly thinking it fully through.  Her head tilts to the side as he neck arches faintly, and her wings raise just a little bit.  Moonsong catches herself lifting one forehoof a tiny bit--she used to stamp her hooves when she was a filly when she was mad--but the conversation between the guards deflates her frustration quite swiftly.  Blushing a bit, her eyes flick back and forth between the pair to see if they'd noticed her tiny moment of obvious irritation.

Moonsong realises she was not only standing and waiting on an answer she'd completely forgotten about fishing for, but that it seems like she might be able to ask again, albeit later on.  "When would that be?  I hate to continue bothering the two of you while you're on duty."  A pause, and then: "Even if you won't allow myself or Lyra to go inside to tell the Princess, don't you think it would be a good idea to at least pass word on to one of the ponies that works here?  I'm sure they're quite good at such things."  Moonsong, in truth, has no idea how the briefly-glimpsed spa ponies will handle the information, but she speaks to the younger of the two guards as she makes her case even so.  She's getting the gist that the elder is giving the orders between the pair, but that the younger probably could do a little leaning if he got her point.

With no reply from Luna due to her relaxed state, Aloe just gestured to her sister to go ahead with the suggested plan.  She was soon done with Flutterhy who had likewise settled into an almost sedated splay of pleasure from the relaxing sensation of being brushed down.  While the Pegasus was left drooping languidly, Aloe moved over to gently guide one of Luna's wings from her body and stretch it to its full span.

"Oh my... I think I'm going to need a bigger brush."  she muttered.  Thankfully, they did have bigger brushes on hand, though primarily for the rare Gryphon client they'd sometimes get.  She had never worked on an Alicorn before but thankfully their anatomy appeared to be indistinguishable from a normal Pegasus, barring the difference in overall scale.  As she set to carefully aligning and preening Luna's primary feathers she let her thoughts wander back to the guards.  They were bat-ponies... how would one treat that sort of wing type exactly?  A buffing brush?  She and her sister would need to do some research before they could properly service the guards.  Perhaps the library had some useful books on other-pony physiology.

Meanwhile, said guards were resolutely being quite rude to Moonsong outside.  They weren't trying to be unwieldy, of course, but it was sort of part of the job description.  Moonsong was right to not try and squeeze water from the stone that was the senior guard, but his partner seemed more pliable to her situation.

"Thank you for your concern, but I assure you we are quite capable at caring for her highness' needs." the elder guard stated with an edge that spoke of mild insult.

"Sir, how about I escort these ladies back to the main road?" his partner asked as he caught the ire his senior's tone carried.  The other bat-pony raised a brow but nodded all the same.  He could see right through his partner's ploy... but so long as it got rid of distractions, he was fine with it.  The younger guard nodded and stepped forward, gesturing back the way Moonsong and Lyra had come with an armored hoof.  "Ladies, if you'll please come with me?"  he asked.

It takes Aloe's gesture for Lotus to realise what she'd missed--that the Princess is napping.  She utters a faint "oop" and puts a hoof to her mouth to stifle even that quiet sound, then silently sets to work smoothing and shining Luna's horn.  She'll gently brush her coat and mane afterwards, and takes extreme care not to wake the Princess from her rest.

Looking up at Aloe's words, Lotus stifles a tiny giggle and nods in understanding.  Not only was this such an important task to make Luna look as radiant as possible, but the alicorn was quite a bit taller and her mane and tail so much longer!  She's not sure any two ponies in town have a combined length of mane or tail to rival Luna's, and when it comes time for her to brush the royal coat to a shine Lotus contemplates the earlier discussion of mane and tail dyes.  'Maybe, with the right magical ingredients--and likely Twilight and Zecora's help--we could craft temporary dyes that would lend a somewhat aristocratic shine and glow to the mane and tail?  Wouldn't that be all the fashion rage and a lovely way to celebrate our Princesses...!'

It's hard for Lotus to hold the thought in; she wants to tell Aloe right now--and get Rarity's opinion too--but she doesn't want to babble away and disturb Luna.  Or, for that matter, the quiet relaxation of their other guests.  Lotus smiles happily to herself: this is one of her favourite points in a spa appointment, when the guest is almost fully pampered and the luxuriance of the treatments is starting to show in not just the inner calm but the outer radiance.  'Ooh!  That's a good one: "Inner calm, outer radiance."  I'll have to tell Aloe about that, too!'

In reply to A Series of Events (msg #116):

Moonsong blanches a bit beneath her dark coat and her eyes widen; her mouth opens instantly after the elder guard speaks and a little flow of flustered babble comes out:  "I didn't mean to insult you!  I didn't--I'm sorry!"  She falls silent as the younger guard speaks, and with a slightly dejected hang of her head, Moonsong nods in response to the suggestion that she accompany the guard and murmurs a meek, "Yes sir."  She glances at Lyra with an apologetic expression, feeling bad about having not been able to manage what the other pony had trusted her to do.

The princess didn't seem to notice when Lotus stopped the treatment for the others. She remained asleep as Aloe approached, and lifted her wing gently. The sensation of the big brush across her glossy, midnight feathers. The glossy material and fine feathering was well-kept, better than the Princess's hooves and horn.

As Aloe brushed down her feathers, Luna's eyes opened to half-lidded, barely focused on the wall in front of her. "Nhhh..." she stretched her legs and relaxed her wings, for Aloe's brushing. She found the delicate brushing pleasant, a little trill left her as she closed her eyes again, burying her face in the cushioning. Aloe's firm brush was suited to a more solid griffin's wing, but her delicate handling made it quite pleasing.

She opened her eyes again, more awake, as she looked on to Lotus as the blue Earth Pony tended to her long, spiraled horn. She didn't seem any less relaxed, though, and seemed happy to be conscious to enjoy the attention. As she was attended by the two mares, Luna just went limp.

Luna thought she knew what relaxation was. She had never felt more wrong, or been happier for it.

The younger of the two guards stood up tall as he trotted along ahead of Moonsong and Lyra, urging the two to follow after him.  Despite having failed what they came there for, Lyra didn't seem to be all that bothered... what mattered was that Luna knew about the crowd one way or another, right?  But... what about Moonsong's performance?

"I apologize for my partner's attitude, ladies.  The Captain takes his job very seriously.  It's admirable in a soldier, but I don't think he knows how to turn it off." the guard said once they were a ways down the path and out of ear-shot of the other soldier.  He looked to Moonsong and gave as gentle a smile as an intimidating, armored stallion like himself could.  "We're pretty much on duty non-stop during our time in Ponyville since we don't have any relief guards to replace us, but I'm sure Princess Luna would give us a break at some point.  Hopefully I can answer some of your questions then... well, whenever 'then' is."

In reply to Princess Luna (msg #119):

Lotus pauses as she sees the Princess rouse, but after the princess lowers her head and Lotus adjusts to the new angle she smiles to herself and continues with the gentle polishing.  From time to time Lotus sees the way magic can cause unpleasant little burs and bumps on a unicorn's horn and thusly the horn itself requires a little filing--but she hasn't seen any such thing on Luna.  And, for that matter, she isn't sure the Princess would like any of the height of the horn trimmed back, so Lotus sticks to cleaning and polishing.

Like with Rarity's horn, once the horn is spotless and buffed to a shine, Lotus seals it with a careful coat of the perfectly heated oil Aloe had prepared earlier.  When she spots Luna's open eyes, her pleasant little smile warms and brightens.  "I've finished with your horn, Princess.  While my sister finishes with your wings, I'm going to start brushing your coat."  Lotus speaks in her usual soft tones, and once she's traded out her horn-tending supplies for one of the soft coat-glossing brushes, Lotus sets to work at that.

It's like a massage of its own: gentle motions that are initially swirled and then back-brushed, only for long strokes to smooth the coat in its proper direction once more.  It gives the short lengths a shine and stimulates the skin below, and for Lotus it's actually her favourite part when she's the one getting spa treatment.

In reply to Guard Ponies (msg #120):

Moonsong glances at Lyra and is a little heartened when it doesn't seem that the unicorn is upset with her, but she still chews at her lip a bit when her attention returns to the young guard.  Her ears lift as he speaks, and as she listens attentively Moonsong finds her spirits raising again.  The kindness of the smile isn't lost on her, even if he is still quite fierce-looking, and she offers a little smile of her own in response.

"I see.  I understand; I think we both assumed that the Princess would have more guards, or just that the two of you wouldn't be so very taxed.  I know we're just normal ponies, but if there's anything we can do to help...?"  Moonsong glances at Lyra again, hoping that the other pony doesn't mind that she's just been volunteered.

"And I'm sorry if I got you into any trouble; I think I just got so excited when I realised we have the same kind of wings.  I'd never met another pony like me before."  What a day of firsts!  First time on her own, first day living out of Cloudsdale, first time seeing--and speaking to--royalty.  A first new friend, Lyra.  The first time she's contemplated singing in public since she was a filly.  The first time she's seen another bat-winged pegasus, and two at once!  By the time Moonsong has run through the little list in her mind, she's nearly trotting along on the tips of her hooves and her wings aren't held so tight to her back anymore.

In reply to Lotus (msg #121):

As Lotus carefully tended to the rather flawless horn, the cleaning and polishing goes well, though she does note that in addition to the lack of signs of magical strain, the tip seems a bit more sharp and strong than those she's used to tending to. It's also distinctly longer, but she does recall Celestia's is rather long too.

As she works, no objections arise from Luna, who seems content just to allow the sisters to pamper her in every conceivable manner. As Lotus begins to brush her coat, those comforting swirls feel like another massage to the princess, and she closes her eyes to enjoy the attention fully.

Aloe finished her task soon after Lotus had taken care of the horn work.  She'd forgone the large brush halfway through the task, returning with a smaller, finer brush to handle the delicate lesser feathers that lined the wing's interior closer to the body.  By the time she was done Luna's wings were practically sparkling as their surfaces were choicely glossed and preened to a perfect finish.  One could expect no better treatment even from a Pegasus, so it was impressive and a testament to the Spa Ponies' skills that they could tend so well while lacking such limbs of their own to base actions upon.

While Lotus handled the brushing, her sister hurried to the hooficure set.  It was all prepped and ready, so she wasted no time in snatching up a file and getting to work cleaning and trimming Luna's hooves.  Since the alicorn spent so much time either flying or walking on marble floors, there was no real damage to repair -- a good thing too.  It gave Aloe the chance to improve rather than fix, so she focused on beautifying those delicate hooves, then layering on a gradient of smoothly darkening gloss and hoof guarding sealant.  Once all four hooves were dressed she hurried to give the same treatment to the other ponies -- Rarity first and then the still-dazed Fluttershy as well, so that their hooves could all dry in the same relative frame of time.

Meanwhile, outside the Spa, the young guard seemed quite complacent with his situation even as Moonsong fretted over it.  Part of being a soldier was being able to roll with the punches, especially when it came to dealing with royalty.  Things never went as they were planned.

"It's no trouble at all, so don't you worry your pretty little head over it." he assured his fellow bat-pony as he gave a flex of his broad, leathery wings to spread them out fully beyond his back.  "The local officer, Blue Shield, was going to be recruiting some former Royal Guards who live here in Ponyville, so I'm sure they'll be able to lend a hoof to the effort."

"Wait, former guards?  You mean like Merriweather?" Lyra piped up after her extended silence, looking equal parts surprised and worried.

"Yeah, that was her name.  Another guy named 'Rusty' too." the guard confirmed with a nod.  He looked back to Moonsong.  "I don't know if I'll really have any chance to chat casually while we're out here on duty for the time being, but maybe after Luna goes back to Canterlot, I can come back here on personal leave.  I'd hate to leave a cousin hanging out in the breeze, right?"

Lotus had to pause a moment to admire her sister's work: Luna's wings were simply gorgeous!  She lets out a little sigh and giggles away the brief flicker of envy: as wonderful as it would be to have such elegant wings and to fly among the clouds, Lotus is sure she's much better at beautification than she would be at flight.  Though that does put her off on wondering what it would be like to have a spa in Cloudsdale.  'Would everything be made of cloud-stuff?'

Putting herself back on task, Lotus will finish Luna's left side and move to the right, careful to stay out of Aloe's way while her twin tends the hooficures.  When the brushing is finished and the Princess' coat shines as her wings and horn do, Lotus happily trots aside to put up that brush before retrieving her styling tools and returning to Rarity.  "Time for your mane and tail styling, Rarity."  Lotus happily announces in her pleasantly subdued way, seeming ever-eager.

The guard's constant and unshakeable calm seems to help Moonsong shed a little bit more of her own anxiety, and she finds herself not just walking along with the stallion but also relaxing further.  She's awed by his confidence, and how readily he shows off his wings--she's always been so shy about that very same thing.

Moonsong is quiet as Lyra speaks to the guard, and though she has just met Merriweather she doesn't know who Rusty is.  She puffs a little with happiness as the guard continues on, and after a little flutter of her wings Moonsong smiles brightly in return.  "Thank you so much!  That would really be wonderful, if it isn't an imposition to you.  Oh!  I feel horrible, I never thought to ask your name?"  Meanwhile, inside her own head, Moonsong feels like she's turning cartwheels over being called 'cousin'.  She most definitely has at least four pages worth of letter-home material so far, and all of it just about her very first day.

By then the three of them had reached the road, so the guard cantered to a stop.  He couldn't drift too far from the Spa, after all.  He cast a brief glance over his shoulder to the distant figure of his commanding officer, then returned his attention to the mares in his company.

"It's 'Silver Crescent', though I don't advise calling me by name if you see me around town.  The Captain would have my tail if he thought I was fraternizing on duty." the soldier chuckled.  "I need to get back though.  I hope you ladies have a nice day."

"Wait a sec!  Moonsong wanted to ask you about a performance for tonight, right?" Lyra edged in once more as she bumped Moonsong's flank with her own.

"What performance?" Silver asked, blinking between the two mares.

Nodding her understanding, Moonsong gives another polite bow of her head as her parents had taught her.  She's just about to wish the guard a good day himself when Lyra speaks up, and she feels another blush heating her thankfully dark-furred cheeks.  More mentally off-balance than physically from the friendly bump, Moonsong greatly considers tucking in on herself and hiding.

Instead, she manages to speak:  "Well, um.  I had mentioned to Lyra that because this is going to be a big event for Ponyville, that maybe the Princess would want some sort of musical introduction, or accompaniment?  You should hear Lyra play, she's really exceptional."

"Quit being so bashful already~!  C'mon, that's not what you wanted to ask."  Lyra laughed, shaking her friend by the shoulder.  She snaked a hoof under one of Moonsong's wings and lifted it up to show off the other mare's Cutie Mark.  "Moonsong wanted to know if we could both perform for Princess Luna.  Musical and lyrical accompaniment.  She's top tier, y'know -- Celestine Choir quality, bare minimum."

"Oh, well that's rather generous of you to offer.  I can't authorize anything myself, but there's no harm in letting the Princess know about it.  I'm sure she'd be happy to hear." the guard nodded curtly.  "One way or another, I'll be seeing you in Town Square tonight."

With that, the guard pony gave a polite bow down at the knee as was proper of a servant such as himself.  As he rose he once more flared out his broad wings and gave a solid flap, easily sending himself hurtling into the air despite his armored state.  Lyra and Moonsong were able to watch him wheel upward easily, shifting about with a graceful poise before he swung and glided back the way they came, presumably to resume his statue-like posture in front of the Spa.

"There, that wasn't so hard, was it?" Lyra grinned her wild grin.
This message was last edited by the GM at 14:50, Tue 08 May 2012.

Once Aloe, then Lotus left her side, Lina took a moment to admire her  fore-hooves, and offered the spa ponies a sheepish smile across the room. "I am pleased. Such fine gloss, and finely-honed edges." she observed, still rather limp in her  seat.  Lotus's work needed no audible praise now, after all the little noises they'd drawn out of the Princess.

So close to being done and leaving, and she was already wanting to come back in the door! Oh, but the moon raising. It was in a matter of hours, and recalling that returned the nervous flutter to her stomach, but the warm contentment she felt, and knowledge that her friends would all be there, to support her and enjoy the ceremony...

Luna smiled. Nightmare Night had confused her - a night to remember in fear the terror she had been on Equestria... but then, not so much. Tonight, though, from everypony she had spoken to personally, at least, it seemed that everypony was genuinely excited. Luna felt giddy on the inside.

Lotus sets to work styling first Rarity's mane and then her tail by first brushing out the lengths and gently dampening them with a mix of pure water and light oils.  The light gem-dust in the mixture shimmers and shines in a subtle but fetching way even before dry, and it's while Rarity's hair is still just a little wet that Lotus carefully wraps the lengths in curlers and pins them into place.  Knowing that Rarity prefers her styling to be just so, Lotus takes her time and is meticulous about seeing that each and every strand is in its proper place.

Lotus even checks for splits and frayed ends, but she's pleased as always to find that Rarity takes such good care of her mane and tail that there's nary a one to be found at all.  "Perfectly healthy as always, Rarity!"

When Princess Luna speaks to complement their work, Lotus looks to her with a warm smile and a slight prideful puff of her chest.  "We're so glad you're happy, Princess."  Feeling an effusive happiness bubbling through her, Lotus returns to her work on Rarity's mane and tail: the drying came next, to set the curls and to bring out the full of the gloss from the oil mixture.

In reply to A Series of Events (msg #129):

Moonsong gives Lyra a wryly amused smile, as if to suggest she'd be more outgoing if she could help all the shyness, but her giggle is as much nervousness as it is humour.  Moonsong makes a quiet 'eep' of a sound as her wing is lifted and her flank exposed, but the silvery moon surrounded by silvery notes is unmistakeable against her dark coat.  A dark coat that she is repeatedly thankful for, especially with how red she feels from the end of her nose to the tips of her ears at Lyra's words about her talent.

She squeaks out a "Thank you" or at least something very close to it in response to the guard's words, and she's barely able to bob another bow of her head before he's aloft.  Wishing she could be so graceful, even if maybe not so imposing, Moonsong watches until the stallion is enough out of sight that she can let herself drop into a sit.  At Lyra's words, Moonsong puts out her tongue at the unicorn, then giggles and flops over.  "I think I may die of embarrassment."  She puts a foreleg over her eyes and resettles in what she assumes is the most appropriately dramatic pose for such a dire remark, but the giggling probably doesn't help maintain the right air.

Like Lotus, Aloe swelled with pride as her skills were given such compliments from royalty.  Perhaps she was thinking too far ahead, but she could already see big things in their future~!  She barely contained her glee as she tended to Rarity's hooves, giving the unicorn her usual treatment plus a little extra sparkle gloss to really compliment the sheen of her coat and the glimmers Lotus put into her mane.

When it was Fluttershy's turn to have her mane and tail tended to, the poor Pegasus would flush darkly despite herself.  The fact that she had extensions in her fine pink hair was something she was terribly embarrassed over, though she relied on the tactful discretion of the spa ponies (who'd supplied her with the extensions in the first place) to prevent her ego from completely imploding in on itself.  Unlike Rarity, Fluttershy's mane had a fair bit of damage to it -- nothing major, but constantly being in the presence of dirt, fluff, and little nibbling animals tended to prevent a perfectly prim appearance.  And her hooves~!  Aloe nearly gave herself crows feet about her eyes from how much she squinted in disdain over the state of the Pegasus' hooves, so dingy and packed with traces of animal feed, pebbles, scratches, little bite marks, and all other sorts even after all the soaking and cleaning she'd gone through!  The Earth Pony gave Fluttershy's hooves extra attention to make sure they were in top condition, which left the poor Pegasus squeaking softly at the somewhat more rough treatment to cope with the natural damage.

While the ponies were being tended to, they'd hear the interior spa door open and the steady thud of armored hooves coming their way.  The younger of the two guards trotted into sight, standing as tall and dutiful as ever... though with one of his wings extended outward to respectfully cover his eyes.  Ah, a true gentlecolt... it wouldn't do to peek on ladies as they were in such a state, after all.

"Please pardon the interruption, your Majesty." the soldier lowered his tone for the sake of the quiet atmosphere.  "There has been a request from two locals; the ponies who guided us here to the Spa earlier.  They apparently are professional musicians and have requested permission to accompany your Moon Raising event with song this evening.  The batpony, Moonsong, is allegedly a singer of royal court quality."
This message was last updated by the GM at 20:42, Tue 08 May 2012.

"Hey, it was your idea."  Lyra playfully nudged Moonsong as she slumped over in true diva fashion.  She plopped her rump down on the spot as well, casting her eyes over to the tower of Town Hall in the distance.  "You think she'll go for it?  I mean, I perform around Ponyville all the time, but never for a big event like this... it'd be pretty awesome."

Luna glanced up at the sound of Fluttershy's little yelp. She smiled a little. She knew little about the delicate mare beyond that she had helped to save her, and that she was so mild and meek. She seemed surprised by the extensions, but said nothing about them.

The sound of the guard entering the spa unbidden drew her attention. Luna paused. Had they been standing out there driving off any business to ensure they were left alone?  Luna felt a twinge, then smiled a bit, managing to show her pleased mood overall, despite the thought that they might be hurting the spa's business.

"Oh? Miss Lyra and Moonsong?" she began. Moonsong was a bat-pegasus, and such a singer... her voice was sweet, Luna recalled, but she hadn't heard her sing. "I would speak with them. To see what they have in mind, at least." She paused and put a delicately treated hoof to her lip, then gestured with it. "You could arrange for them to meet me at Rarity's Boutique after our treatments are complete, perhaps. I believe we are nearly finished. In the meantime, I would have you inspect the town. I know news of my presence will have traveled, and the event this evening as well.  However, I am... unsure... I wish to know what the locals are planning. This has been rather sudden, and I must make this a wonderful evening for everypony."

Her anxious energy was audible as she spoke about the evening... she didn't want this to be a disappointment, to be underwhelming to anypony's expectations. She felt a bit blind as to what was expected of her, but glad to have the attention and interest of a whole town, as well.

"Thank you, Lotus! Remember to make it -just- right," Rarity reminded her friend as she tended to her mane and tail, "Oh, how would I -ever- survive without you girls? I'd be a nightmare!.. An absolute nightmare."

She hummed a cute little ditty to herself as Lotus went to work. Of the both of them, Lotus knew Rarity's mane best and the very particular and proper way she liked it curled and styled. Aloe did a wonderful job herself, of course, but there was something in the technique the other twin used? Maybe it was the little sparkles that gave her that unusual, alluring glittering? Whatever it was, Rarity was in absolute heaven! If she had the bits, she would move here and be pampered constantly!... Well, if it wasn't for her friends and her work, of course.

"Isn't it, though?" she beamed in response to her hair, "Even in the midst of my creative mess I still find the time. Some things are always important, don't you agree?"

Looking over at Fluttershy's intensive treatment, Rarity had to quickly avert her eyes and squirm a bit. She didn't wish that on anypony, and Fluttershy wasn't enjoying herself, by the looks of it.

"Ooh, Fluttershy.. Darling, I have some supplies I ought to lend you.. Help you with your mane, dear," Rarity added timidly as her own treatment was finishing up.

Sometimes beauty required just a little bit of pain and some extra muscle to pull off.  Fluttershy's hooves were in quite a state given her very physical job, but the additional elbow grease was worth it.  After all, Aloe made sure to do more than just pretty up her hooves -- that extra coating of Venice Turpentine would help harden her hooves up and keep them safe from further damages.

"Oh, n-no, it's fi-II-ne, Rarity."  Fluttershy was as bashful as ever even as some particularly firm picking was required to clean out a crack in the base of her left hind hoof, making her squeak sharply at times.  "I don't have time to tend to my ma-AAii-ne during the week anyway.  That's why-aiai~! these treatments are always so nice."

Meanwhile, the guard was left a bit unsure of what to do just then.  He didn't dare lower his wing, but the sounds Fluttershy was making left him feeling a bit antsy.  Luna's orders were rather clear though.  "Yes your Majesty!  I'll run a circuit of the town immediately and report back." he confirmed.  He wasn't sure it was so wise for Luna to keep herself in the dark about the state of affairs though... but if that's what she wanted, then far be it from him to refuse her desires.  The stallion quickly turned and marched back out of the room, closing the door gently in his wake and breathing a sigh of relief once he was out of earshot.

---> From Ponyville Residential Discrict - Books & Branches Library

Spike sauntered into the spa's waiting room, with a book under one arm and dressed in a full antiquated suit with ruffled cuffs and collar. "Hullo? Is miss Rarity still there? Nothing urgent; I'd just like to talk to her after her appointment."
This message was last edited by the GM at 13:57, Wed 09 May 2012.

In reply to Rarity (msg #136):

"I will do my absolute, utter and level best for you, Rarity."  Lotus replied with a wealth of genuine sincerity, and she tried very hard to live up to her promise as she tended and shaped and styled the elegant mare's mane and tail.

Nodding readily at Rarity's response, Lotus let just a tinge of her good-natured envy surface in her voice to stroke the other pony's ego.  "Oh, absolutely.  And you have the perfect touch with so many things; it's always a pleasure to style for you."  Lotus will stay quiet as Rarity speaks with Fluttershy, and though she'll pause briefly to glance over at the guard's entrance and yet again as he leaves, her attention never strays long from the art of Rarity's mane and tail.  Poor Fluttershy, though: on each of the shy mare's visits, Lotus always spends at least part of the end of her day looking into a variety of natural methods to lengthen and thicken manes.  She just knows she'll come across something, and then perhaps Fluttershy will have more confidence when she hasn't got extensions to fret over.

Lotus is just at the point of removing the curl formers when she heard the little dragon's voice from the foyer.  Giggling and giving a glance to Rarity, Lotus trots away for a moment to speak with Spike instead of shouting across the spa to him.  "Rarity is presently in the midst of a styling; if you don't mind to wait you can sit out here?"

In reply to Lyra Heartstrings (msg #134):

"Clearly, I was delirious from delicious food, tea and gossip," Moonsong replies with another giggle.  She rolls onto her side and tucks her legs beneath her, though for now her wings are lightly spread so that they can soak in some of the day's warmth.  "I really don't know.  She seemed distracted, but nice, when we got to speak to the Princess.  Maybe because it's only 'big' around here she won't mind a little local talent?  Wouldn't it be nice to perform in Canterlot, though?"  Moonsong pauses a moment, then shrugs her shoulders and smiles at her new friend.  "Either way, it's shaping up to be a very interesting day!"

Fluttershy was finally given a chance to breathe out in relief once her hoofwork was finished.  She laid on her side while the sealants and glosses were properly drying, which gave Aloe a chance to tend to her mane and tail instead.  While Lotus was the better stylist of the two, Aloe always held a better knack for the more 'artificial' aspects of beautification.  False lashes, mane extensions, dyes, make-up, and the like.  Not to mention she wasn't afraid to buckle down and put in the muscle needed for problem cases like Fluttershy.

"Just about finished then.  You ladies will all look marvelous for the event tonight." Aloe reassured the three of them cheerfully.

"Yeah, she's pretty shy for royalty.  You weren't here last Nightmare Night... what a mess that was." Lyra rolled her eyes at the memory.  That had really been a huge debacle, but thankfully it all worked out well in the end.  For a time the two friends could simply sit beside the road and daydream of making it big in Canterlot, but Lyra ended up distracted by all the noise wafting up from Town Square.

"Sounds like things are getting into gear out there.  Is that... do you hear speakers tuning, or is that just me?" Lyra rose a bit, seeming quite piqued at the notion.

In reply to Lyra Heartstrings (msg #142):

"Was it?"  Moonsong asks, but she doesn't press Lyra for actual information.  She's happy enough to enjoy the sun and let her mind wander until Lyra speaks again.

"Hm?" Her ears perk to listen, and after a moment she offers Lyra a little shrug and an apologetic smile.  "It sounds like they might already have had someone in mind.  I'm sure whoever's come from Canterlot is well worth hearing, though."  Moonsong's voice manages to sound somewhere between relieved and dismayed; she isn't really sure if she would have had the ability to carry through with the offer and yet it still stings a little to realise it wasn't a possibility in the first place.

"Lyra?  If it's okay with you, I think I'd like to go write home before everything really gets started.  I'm afraid I'll be too tired and that I'll forget something I wanted to tell my parents."

Spike grinned and nodded. "Of course! I'll wait until she's ready for her gentle-dragon caller!" He hopped onto a chair in the waiting room and started reading the book he had with him, thumbing through it in search of the perfect way to impress Rarity with his sophistication.

It was right about then that a shadow would briefly pass overhead to block out the sun from the two ponies down below.  Silver Crescent descended in a swift dive and lighted onto the ground with a surprisingly gentle landing despite his size.

"Stop right there, criminal scum!" he ordered sharply, looking stern and foreboding... for all of two seconds before he laughed out.  "Sorry, I always wanted to say that.  I'm glad you two didn't go very far though -- I wanted to tell you that Princess Luna asked to speak with you.  She wants you both to meet her later at the Carousel Boutique to discuss your performance."

Lotus smiled and nodded to the dragonling, then trotted happily back to Rarity to pass on word.  "Your little dragon friend is here to see you, Rarity."  A giggle breaks up her words before she can continue, "He's so adorable!  I wish we had a little dragon around the spa, Aloe.  Our mail would always come so fast!"

She resumes gently removing the curlers from Rarity's mane and tail, and where necessary she gently runs a brush over any place that even vaguely threatens to put itself out of order.  With Rarity's styling done and her coat brushed, her horn and hooves tended, Lotus stands back a moment and wonders if anything else need be done to top the current perfection for the seamstress.  When nothing pops to mind, Lotus cheerfully turns to set to work on Princess Luna's flowing locks.

The oil mixture she uses on Luna's mane and tail is without gem dust or sparkle: the Princess' hair is already shimmery with magic as it is; anything more would just be gaudy.  Lotus carefully works the thin oil through from root to tip, and is amused to find that she uses far more on Luna than she ever has for any other pony.  Still, once the light oil is worked through with a gentle brushing, Lotus shifts tactics to set a gentle wave into the royal lengths.

It doesn't take nearly so long to ready the simple but regal styling of Princess Luna's mane and tail, and when Lotus is done she lets out a little sigh of awe before speaking.  "Of course!  We wouldn't miss it for anything, and we'll be sure that not only do your guards look sleek and wonderful but that not a one of us are late."  It would be a tight rush, but Lotus is quite confident that they can have the guards and themselves preened and presentable and on time.

Lotus is surprised when she's lifted, but she returns the hug with a genuine warmth until she's set down again.  Lotus then drops into a graceful bow, seeming utterly thrilled to do so.  "It has been an honour to meet you and to attend you, Princess."

The princess smiled and slowly glanced to the other girls. To Aloe and Lotus, she beamed. "Oh, I'm so excited. You two will be attending, won't you?" she began. "At least until the moon raising itself, I hope. I would hate for you to miss it. I could adjust my guard's appointments if needed." she said thoughtfully.

Once everything had been done, Luna slowly got to her hooves, and stretched. She still felt limber and loose. Her whole body felt light and radiant, and she seemed aglow. Turning to the two spa-ponies, the soft purple glow of her magic lifted the both of them off their hooves and brought them to her for a warm, if rather tight embrace. First Aloe, then Lotus got the royal treatment, before she replaced them on their hooves, and laughed lightly, her own hoof brought up to her lips.

"Rarity, the hour is late, I believe. We should hurry if we are to be dressed on time."

Lyra had given a yelp of surprise when the guard dropped down like that, immediately sweating bullets.  However, she heaved a sigh of relief once he'd mentioned why he had dropped by again, then set once more into her wild grin at the good news.

"Y'hear that?!  We're in!" the unicorn crowed as she leaped up to her hind legs, doing a giddy dance and twirl in her excitement.

Moonsong sits bolt upright at the guard's sudden and rather intimidating appearance, but as he laughs she puffs out a breath and shakes her head.  She's a little slower to find the humour, but mostly because the stallion's following words throw her completely off guard.

"What?  Really?  But the speaker sounds...?"  Moonsong's words seem to tumble over each other in their hurry to be said, but she gets them and herself straightened out when her mouth opens again.  "When should we meet her?"  The bat-winged pegasus was far less outgoing in her excitement, but she couldn't deny the giddy and bubbly feeling that made her want to dance along with Lyra.

As soon as Lotus has finished with her styling, taking those curlers out of her hair and layering on the compliments, Rarity got to her hooves and gently trotted herself over to a nearby mirror to take a look at the work they had done on her. She looked absolutely stunning! Everything from her perfectly curled mane, shining coat, to those brilliant blue eyes accented by make-up. Even more-so, she -felt- stunning!... Flawless! Like a diamond.

"...Spikey-Wikey?" Rarity asks Lotus quickly, blinking a few times as his arrival hits her. When it comes to her little dragon friend, Rarity was always a bit conflicted. She was well-aware, as was the rest of Ponyville, that Spike had a crush on her, but whether she returned those feelings or not, she wasn't exactly sure. Regardless, the little purple dragon was one of her closest friends, and she often found herself doting on him.

"Oh! We should, Luna," Rarity nodded, returning to reality for a moment and looking from the Princess to the twins, "Thank you both ever-so-much for the lovely day. Your best work yet, I truly believe! Do remember to set an appointment for Fluttershy and I for next week."

As she trotted towards the exit, she looked to the door, and then back to Luna, hesitating a moment.

"Why don't you run along to the Boutique, dear, and get ready? I'll be along shortly," she told the Princess before going out into the waiting room. There, on one of the chairs reading a little book was her Spikey-Wikey, done up in a rather fetching little suit. He looked absolutely adorable!

"Spikey-Wikey!" she said delightfully, trotting over to him, "Aren't you just the cutest little thing?"

"Of course. I shall see you soon, then." She chimed, and waved a well-hooficured limb her way. She paused a moment to approach Fluttershy. "Would you care to accompany me, Fluttershy?" Luna asked directly, but warmly. Regardless of the answer, she would bid at least the spa-ponies another friendly farewell, before starting out of the Spa as low-key as she could.

As the sun's setting light bathed her, the starry shine to her hair seemed to glow a bit brighter, though the wavy, luminescent mane seemed almost to shrink from the light just a bit. She turned to the elder guardsman, by the door.

"It is time to return to the Boutique. Rarity is going to remain here briefly, and she will join us. I need to prepare, so let us be off."  Luna paused, at the noise coming from the square. "Perhaps we should go around. It sounds as though the town is already throwing quite a celebration, and it wouldn't do to arrive before I'm ready!" She grinned, and lightly stamped her polished hooves in place with a giddy smile.

Spike hopped up to attention and bowed with a flourish, leaving the book on his chair. "Thanks, Rarity! I ruffled it myself! I was going to go for a powdered wig, but it was way too powdery. Anyway... since everypony's going to the big Moon Raising, I was wondering if, maybe, uh, you'd like to go with me? Go with me instead of just going with me, if you know what I mean." He looks away nervously and shuffles his feet.

Rarity looked up towards the ceiling for a moment as she thought it over. He was nervous, clearly, with the little shuffling of his feet and his odd manner of clarification. Another thing that was certain was his effort to impress her, coming up with the stylish, charmingly antiquated get-up. While it would be cute to accompany the little dragon to the event, she was going to be so busy...

"What -do- you mean, Spike?" she asked, buying herself a little more time as she leaned in towards him, eyes sparkling, almost unconsciously using a bit of her pony charm.

"Preferably as soon as possible.  I still need to make a fly-by around town to survey the situation going on, but I'll be coming back right afterward to report to her Majesty.  Head straight over there and wait outside." the guard explained briefly.  He really didn't have much time to spare as he flared his wings out and took to the skies once more, flapping off at quite an impressive clip toward the center of town.

Lyra paused her happy dance long enough to wave goodbye to the young soldier, still standing up on both hind legs.  It was easier for her to do when she wasn't paying attention for some reason, though she soon wobbled and dropped back down onto all fours.

"I don't get it... if Princess Luna's in the spa, why can't we just wait here for her to come out?"  the unicorn puzzled.  "Ah well... orders are orders, I guess.  Chalk it up to wacky royal manners or something.  C'mon, let's go~!"

Before Moonsong could argue or add anything, Lyra gave a gleeful whinny and tore off down the road, making tracks all the way to the Carousel Boutique.

--> Lyra exits to the Carousel Boutique

<-- Enter from Summer Song Cafe

Merriweather was actually a bit pleased she didn't encounter anypony on the road out toward the Spa.  It gave her time to settle her thoughts as she marched in full armor, enjoying the familiar clink and shift of the plates on her body.  She glanced up as another armored guard flew by overhead, then continued along since now she had confirmation she wasn't too late.  She took a side-route off the main road since it was sure to be clear of any traffic, soon coming up to the Spa... sure enough there was the other guard and Princess Luna herself, fresh off a time spent being pampered.

The armored mare approached with her head held high, poise sharp and dutiful.  She stopped a proper distance from the group and quickly bowed her head down, helmet glinting against the lowering sunset.  She was dressed in Canterlot golden armor, the sort normally reserved for those in Princess Celestia's troops.

"Your Highness, Princess Luna.  I'm Lieutenant Merriweather; standing Shield Maiden, reporting for service.  I will be your escort and guardian tonight." she introduced herself formally, no doubt giving Luna flashbacks right to Canterlot earlier that day.  It seemed a soldier was always a soldier, even in a little place like Ponyville.
This message was last edited by the player at 01:56, Thu 10 May 2012.

Spike's next words got caught in his throat. Was Rarity trying to coax more flattery out of him? Did she really not get where he was going with this? Rarity's charming demeanor seemed quite impenetrable at times. "Well, uh... I was going to go anyway to be with all my friends, but from the way you've been talking to me the past few weeks, it made me think maybe..." Funny how it was so easy to give dating advice to Twilight when he wasn't the one with the impending date. How did the characters in that novel keep so cool and sly when insinuating all their overtures and such? Spike had never noticed before how much smaller he was than everypony else. Spike let the word blurt out, "DATE! A date. Is what it would be. Maybe. If you want."
This message was last edited by the player at 02:02, Thu 10 May 2012.

With all the work done and her hooves finally dried, Fluttershy stepped down from her little resting table and cantered gently in place to get used to the feel of the fresh turpentine on her step.  Even if it had been a little rough at the end there, she felt great... plus her mane looked better than ever~!  She only wished not everypony had found out about her little vanity issue though...

"Of course, Luna..." she smiled and followed after the beautified Princess, feeling much more comfortable in her presence... especially enough so to actually hide behind her when Merriweather popped up looking so intimidating.  It took the shy Pegasus a moment to even recognize her and she gawked when she realized that the stoic guardsmare was that sweet, single mother from the cafe...

Luna stopped her eager prancing when Meriweather approached. She smiled a bit, taking in the lovely guardsmare, and then stepped forward, as Fluttershy vanished behind her. Luna glanced back at her, and held out a hoof. "No, dear Fluttershy. She is not dangerous to you."  She reassured sweetly, and then looked to Meriweather. "Lieutenant.  I thank you. I am afraid I arrived understaffed. I can see you once worked for my sister, so I have the utmost faith in your abilities." she said, then stepped forward.

Luna glanced to her guard on hoof, and with his nod, understood she had been recruited from the local population. "I thank you for offering your service this evening." she said warmly. "Everypony, we shall approach the Boutique from the side. As I said, best not to arrive in the square before I am ready." She glanced to Meriweather. "Might you provide a clear roundabout route to the Carousel Boutique, then, Miss Meriweather?"

Luna fell into smooth step behind her, with Fluttershy behind and to one side, and the Night Guard falling stoically to the rear - with a fairly decent view of two young and one older (but all lovely) young mares.

Exit to Carousel Boutique!

"With all due respect your Highness, I always stand in service of Equestria, retired or not.  My family has lived and died for this nation for generations, and I will do the same." Merriweather added with a proud lit in her voice.  When requested to offer a side-route to the boutique, she nodded curtly and turned on the spot, setting off in a quick march down the road.  It was fortunate the guards had thought to recruit from the town since it meant a better knowledge of the terrain.

--> Merriweather exits to the Carousel Boutique

In reply to Lyra Heartstrings (msg #156):

"S-sure," Moonsong manages before the guard ascends again.  Looking to Lyra, she wears an amused smile as she watches the unicorn stand for a moment on her hind legs.  Shrugging at the question as she has no answer, Moonsong does get to her feet and dust herself off with a quick flap of her wings.

She isn't sure what to make of Lyra's speedy departure, but with a laugh she rears back, kicks her forehooves, then leaps skyward.  A few flaps takes her aloft, and after that all she needs to do is catch up and fly along side the unicorn.


>>to the Carousel Boutique>>

Determined to give Rarity and Spike their privacy, Lotus trots around to clean up the spa area.  She hurries through all of it, wanting to have a little bit of time so that she and Aloe can spiff themselves up before the moon-raising.  Lotus lets the excitement make her hurry through the process, and when she notices a spot missed here or there the pony tells herself that she'll work extra hard tomorrow morning.  After all, when you normally never slack off once in a while is okay, right?

"...A date," Rarity mumbled out as her mental gears cranked beneath the focus of her alluring gaze. Is this what she wanted? She didn't want to lead the little dragon on, but then again, a date is just a date of course. For one thing, it would make Spike's dreams come true, even just for an evening. Besides! It would be nice to spend an evening with Spike, especially when he looked so adorable!...

"Well, I will be quite a bit busy tending to the Princess, Spike, but..." she turned away from him, playing out the moment with as much charm as she could muster, "I would love to attend the Moon-Raising with you."

Spike caught the moment of doubt in Rarity's eyes, but at this point he couldn't care less. He even jumped for joy a little. "Eee! Thanks, Rarity! I won't be any trouble when you're working, I promise! I'll just stay in the background and look dapper! I didn't know you were doing something special for the princess! That's great, by the way! What's the princess going to be doing, anyway?"

"Nonsense! I'd like you right next to me, Spike, the entire evening," she told him, smiling radiantly, "Thinking you'd get in the way... Mm, silly Spikey-Wikey! It wouldn't be a proper date if you spent half of the evening faded into the background, no matter how dapper you look in that cute little outfit!"

It absolutely delighted Rarity to see Spike so excited! Her mind almost instantly flashed back to the moment when the little dragon had given her the gift of his "birthday dinner," that rare and glorious ruby. She still had it in her room as the centerpiece of a beautiful golden necklace that she had fastened for herself. Speaking of which, that would be a lovely accessory for this evening! Speaking of accessories, Rarity had almost forgotten her sun hat, which she retrieved for herself using her magic.

"And, if you want the truth about the Princess, -I- am the entire reason she's visiting Ponyville! Isn't it exciting? I designed a lovely dress for her, which she'll be wearing this evening, and she's going to be staying at -my- boutique!" Rarity gushed, almost forgetting Spike for a moment before recovering, "So, I'll be making sure she remains looking fabulous throughout the evening. I would adore spending that time with you, though. I need to get prepared, but we will meet in the town square?"

Spike smiled giddily and clasped his hands behind his back. "That's great, Rarity! I'm so glad that Princess Luna appreciates your cool cool styles! I got to know Princess Celestia a bit while I still lived in Canterlot - we even had donuts together - but Princess Luna has always been kind of... aloof and... shouty. Maybe this is our chance to get to know her as a pony!" He adjusted his puffy collar proudly. "While we're enjoying each other's company, of course!"
This message was last edited by the player at 16:21, Fri 11 May 2012.

"Oh, but of course," Rarity smiled, her bright eyes focusing on the little dragon, "She's very nice once you get to know her. I'll see you soon, Spike!"

As a parting gesture and a final gift to Spike during their little interaction, she leaned forward and gave the little dragon a tender kiss on the cheek. Turning her head back with a sly little smile, she trotted her way out of the spa, looking back to Spike with a little wink.

Content with her actions and absolutely thrilled with her spa treatment, Rarity made her way back to her home to make sure the Princess, and herself, were ready for the big event.

-Exit to Carousel Boutique!-
This message was last edited by the player at 05:17, Sat 12 May 2012.

The simple kiss on the cheek left Spike dizzy. Despite his wingless condition, Spike felt as though he were walking on air. This had gone as perfectly as he could have hoped. He smiled wide and weakly waved goodbye to Rarity. "Y-yeah... See you there!" Around that point he fell backwards into the chair in the waiting room.

Once Rarity had trotted out of sight, Spike made some effort to regain his composure. He righted himself, brushed himself off, tightened his collar, retrieved his book, and nodded to the spa ponies again. "That'll be all. Thank you kindly!"

-Exit to Moon Raising in Town Square-
This message was last edited by the player at 18:38, Sat 12 May 2012.

The Spa was finally empty of its occupants for the day.  Aloe had taken refuge from the events playing out in the foyer along with her sister, not wanting to intrude on personal affairs.  She was rather surprised that Rarity had agreed to go with Spike though... perhaps she was just indulging his whims?  Ah well -- it was none of her business, Aloe mused.

"So, shall we go too?  I want to see how dazzling the Princess looks thanks to our hard work." the spa pony giggled as she fluffed her mane.

"Oh, absolutely!  The Princess herself invited us; how could we not go?"  Lotus replies with a smile and a giggle.  Swiftly she sets to work at brushing through her own mane and tail, and after a moment to straighten her headband and be sure that her coat isn't mussed or stained anywhere from the day of treatments.

"How do I look?"  Lotus asks in a slightly fretful tone, then turns from side to side so that Aloe can have a better overall look.  Afterwards, she gestures for her sister to do the same.  "Let's see you, next!"

As surely as they'd tended to other ponies' appearances all day, Aloe and Lotus were keen at prepping themselves to look their best.  Brushing, a quick bit of styling, and a little touch up on make-up did wonders for their already lovely appearances.  Aloe literally mirrored her twin's gestures and pose when prompted.

"You look as good as I do, which is to say; gorgeous~!  Come on, let's hurry~!" she said as she trotted for the door, stopping long enough to grab a stylish scarf to wrap about her neck for the sake of the evening chill.  She got Lotus' as well and hoofed it over to her.

--> Aloe exits to Event - Town Square

Giving a pleased titter, Lotus happily trots along with her sister toward the door.  "Thank you!"  Lotus chimes, and once the scarf is elegantly settled, she accompanies Aloe outside.  Lotus pauses only to make sure the sign on the door is turned to, "Closed: Please Call Again!  ♥" before she eagerly makes for the square.

>>to Event - Town Square>>

Day 2 Start; Morning

Lotus wakes with a more sluggish start than usual: last night was one of the best and longest parties she's attended in quite a while, and she took full advantage of the music, food and fun that it offered.  With Aloe to keep up with, Lotus still managed to fold sooner than her twin, though she's also probably roused sooner as well.

Stumbling from her bed, Lotus makes her way to the bathroom for the various morning ablutions; a long and luxurious soak being her primary interest.  With such a big bath even in their private living area, it's clear the two often share.  For now though, Lotus is content to take up as much of the warm space as she can in a languid sprawl while she waits for her mind to wake up.

Lotus would have plenty of time to relax in the bath undisturbed... too long, actually.  She'd realize at some point that she didn't hear any sound of her sister getting up that morning or, alternatively, sleeping in.  It wasn't until a while into her soak that she'd hear the front door of the spa open and shut.  Moments later Aloe herself appeared, looking worn and mussed but altogether pleased with a grin spread over her face.

"Good morning, Lotus~..." the mare cooed and yawned.  Strange... she and Lotus had gone home together.  Had she gone out again on her own?  Aloe seemed very pleased with herself even as she shed her few items of clothing and slid herself into the bath alongside her sister, groaning out as she sank down almost to her nose.  Even amid the hot water one could smell that she'd apparently been hitting the cider the other evening.  "Ooh... what a night~..."
This message was last edited by the player at 05:27, Sat 26 May 2012.

Strongly considering adjourning from her bath a little early as she realises that the place sounds just a little too quiet, the opening door tells her all she needs to know.  Puffing out an amused little sigh, she hooks her forelegs over the side of the bath and leans against it to watch for Aloe's approach.

Giggling, Lotus makes room for her twin rather than continuing to hog the bath.  "Sister, my sister," Lotus tsks, then immediately afterwards loses what seriousness she'd been able to muster to another giggle.  "Do I even want to ask?"

"You can ask, but I won't talk~... a lady doesn't kiss and tell, after all~."  Aloe giggled airily as she curled over and threw a foreleg across her sister, snuggling in against her without concern for personal space.  Was she still tipsy on cider?!  For as much as Aloe loved to have fun she never could hold her drinks or salt to save her life.  "I lost track of Rogue Heart though... he slipped away when my back was turned; the... well... rogue.  Ooh, but I ran into Golden Harvest and Bon Bon.  And Davenport~~..." from the way the Earth Pony cooed Davenport's name, it was apparent whom she'd spent most of her evening with in Rogue Heart's absence.

Rolling her eyes, Lotus can only smile as her twin settles in against her.  Not really bothered by the proximity, Lotus instead turns her attention to trying to wash Aloe's mane as the other pony happily chatters on about her night.  She's hoping that the smell of cider will be washed away, and that Aloe will be in shape to help open the spa again today--or at least this evening--in time to receive the Princess' guards and then Luna herself for a second round of treatments.

"I lost track of Rogue Heart pretty quickly myself; I assumed that the two of you had gone off somewhere, actually."  Lotus replies with a giggle as she lathers up Aloe's mane.  When finished with that, she scoops up a wide cup set on the edge of the bath for just one purpose:  "Rinse, sister."  After giving Aloe some warning, Lotus will slowly pour the water over her head, rinsing out the shampoo.

There were times that it didn't seem like the two sisters were twins... often Lotus took on a more doting role and it made Aloe seem much younger, particularly with all the mischief the pink Earth Pony could get herself into.  She gave an objecting tone over being scrubbed but didn't resist any further than grumbling and moaning about it when she was doused with water.  Once her mane had been rinsed free of the suds and left hanging down in full, silky waves she tossed it back and relaxed once more against the side of the tub with her head draped over the side.

"No, he up and vanished.  For someone without a Special Talent, he's awfully good at running away..." she sighed and gently batted at the surface of the water with her fore hooves, making little splashes here and there.  "Oh, but I did manage to find Quake and Roxy last night.  They're both coming in later to help out." at least Aloe had taken some degree of responsibility amid all her hedonism.

Once Aloe has settled back, Lotus does too.  She's largely soaped and scrubbed and soaked to her heart's content by now, but it's always nice to spend time with her sister.  Even when it means putting up with a bit of fussing over being tended to, but Lotus does enjoy taking care of others.

Giggling again, Lotus' voice is playfully thoughtful when she speaks again.  "Maybe he does have a Cutie Mark--it's just invisible, because he's so good at sneaking?"  A funny thing to think about, but even Lotus knows it isn't likely to be the case, just like she doubts Rogue Heart will remain bare-flanked forever.  Distracted from that line of thinking by Aloe's next remark, Lotus makes a pleased sound in response.  "Wonderful!  I didn't see them at all last night; I'm glad you came across them."

Aloe giggled over the potential an invisible Cutie Mark, then playfully splashed her sister with a wave of her hoof.  They shouldn't have been making fun of anypony, but a little harmless gossip was okay every now and then.  "They were hanging out together at the base of the stage.  I never knew Roxy liked that sort of music so much, but she was practically falling over herself trying to get a peek at the DJ." she shrugged.  "I like anything you can dance to, but all those wubs started to get to my head after a while.  But that's what cider is for~~!"

"Everypony seemed to want to meet the DJ last night, and isn't that what cider is for?"  Lotus replies, then slips out of the bath to start drying herself off.  "I think we can shuffle today's appointments around enough that we'll have free time for both of Princess Luna's guards, and then the Princess herself in the evening.  I thought we might close early, that way the spa will be empty for the Princess?"  And, just like that, Lotus is already thinking of the day ahead.  Her voice is a little muffled near the last thanks to the towel she uses to dry her mane with, but she speaks a little louder to compensate.

"Mmn... sounds like a plan to me.  I rather liked being able to go out and party a while last night.  It's been too long.  Going out again tonight would be nice." Aloe didn't seem too eager to climb out of the bath just yet as she sank down up to her nose in the steaming water, content to soak a while longer.

Seating herself before the bathroom vanity, Lotus works a brush through her mane once she's dry enough to manage.  "It was fun.  I think I might stay in tonight though; two nights in a row is a little much for me."  Lotus replies as she switches to brushing out her tail.  "You should go ahead and enjoy the water for a little while; I can get things ready to open."

"Mm-hmm... you spoil me, sister...~~" Aloe practically purred as she wondered how long it would take to boil herself.  Yes, she intended on enjoying a long soak for as long as she could manage without turning her hooves all pruney.  Wrinkled hooves were not attractive at all.  Still, she couldn't help but peek open an eye at her sibling.  "Though... Lotus, how come you don't take very much time for yourself these days?  The Spa is very important, yes, but so is your social life.  You're too wrapped up in work sometimes."

Laughing, Lotus looks over her shoulder with a happy smile.  "If we didn't spoil each other, Aloe-dear, who would?"  Resuming her work at brushing out her tail until her twin speaks again, Lotus will pause her brushing at Aloe's concern.  Lotus blinks as she thinks back over the past few days... and weeks... and months... and maybe all of this year...  Then makes a thoughtful 'hm'ing sound and cants her head to one side as she speaks in a musing tone.  "I suppose it never seems like there's much I want to do?  I had a wonderful time when we camped out over-night for the Apple family's cider, and we always help during the seasonal chores, and then whenever we have promotional days at the spa...  Well, I suppose those are as much fun as going out tends to be.  I always just feel...  Just so warm and so happy when someone else is happy.  I think it makes me happier when you go out and have fun than staying out late does."

Lotus replaces the brush on the vanity after speaking, still seeming rather contemplative as she speaks again.  "Maybe that does mean that I'm too wrapped up in my work, but I don't think it hurts anything.  I've never been quite so outgoing as you, and I certainly don't have the luck you do with the stallions."  She giggles at the last, her mellow good humour fully returned by now.  "I'm not really worried, Aloe.  As long as we're both happy, what is there to worry about?"

Despite the reassurances, Aloe still looked concerned.  She pushed away from her reclined spot to drift across the tub and hook her forelegs over the far edge, resting her chin upon them as she watched her sister get ready for the day.  "I know... so long as you're satisfied, I suppose it's alright.  But... I'm not saying you need to change your whole lifestyle or anything, but sometimes I wonder if maybe you should take more time for yourself?  I just want to make sure you're happy."

The spa pony sighed to herself and fell silent for a moment.  For as social and empathic as she was, she never quite knew how to express herself in such situations.  What was she even asking her sister to do anyway?  Take up a hobby?  Go on a date?  Take a vacation?  She wasn't clear herself, but she didn't like the idea of Lotus perhaps throwing herself too heavily into work and missing out on the bigger world around them.

"Though now that you mention it, you really shouldn't have any trouble getting a stallion's attention.  We're twins, after all, so you're set in the looks department.  And your attitude is already far more attractive than mine." Aloe let a smirk drift back onto her lips.  "Or do you prefer mares, sister?  You did spend quite a lot of time admiring Princess Luna's mane..."
This message was last edited by the player at 14:11, Tue 05 June 2012.

Lotus' entire beauty regimen lay in a neat array on her side of the vanity's counter, and she begins working her way through the steps as she listens to Aloe's concerns.  "Oh Aloe.  This spa is like my dream come true.  I feel like I achieved all the things I wanted so quickly--every day I get to help other ponies find serenity and happiness, even if only for a few hours at a time.  Every day, Aloe.  Isn't it wonderful?  We can make a disaster into a marvel, a bad day into a wonderful one.  I always feel so selfish and greedy when I think about it this way, but seeing them happy makes me happy."  The spa pony sighs in contentment, and for a moment looks dreamily past her own reflection in the mirror.

She's just started the careful process of painting thin lines around her eyes to better define them when Aloe speaks again, and Lotus is set to ignore the teasing until the mention of preference.  Surprised by the implication and blushing despite herself, Lotus just barely manages to avoid poking herself in the eye with the slender brush of pigment.  "I've never given it much thought," Lotus replies with a little huff of almost-indignation.  "And I spent so much time on Luna's mane because she has so much of it and it is gorgeous."  She turns to smile in playful amusement at her twin, only one eye defined at the moment helping her to look just a little silly.  "Besides, I've never once mooned over any of our guests the way you do over any stallion that sets hoof past the door," Lotus teases in a light and playful voice.

"Come on then and drain the bath; you'll be all wrinkly if you stay in too much longer."  Lotus giggles at the thought and resumes lining her other eye as she continues.  "Did you want to take a nap while I open up the spa?  I believe we should be light on guests today, so it shouldn't be a problem."  Despite her teasing and her attempt to change the subject, Aloe does have Lotus wondering: 'Did I really spend that much time admiring the Princess' mane?  She does have such a lovely mane...  And such grace...'

Entering from Summer Song Cafe

Clop...  clop...  clop clop clop clop clopclopclopclopscreeeeeee- WHUD. "Ow."  Clop clop clop clop creeeeeak clop clop. "Hello?"

These sounds are the incredibly dignified announcement of the arrival of part-time spa partner and full-time friend Shai Ni, who looks as if she has just slid across the road on her flank before hitting a box with her face.  In fact, there is still a piece of wood impaled upon her horn.  Other than that, however, she looks just fine!  She even takes off her slippers at the door so she won't track in dirt.  Still, it looks like she can definitely use the famous Ponyville Spa Treatment™.

"Miss Lotus?  Miss Aloe?  It is Shai Ni.  Do you, ah, have some time to talk?" she calls out, not going past the reception area so as not to intrude if they are occupied in the back.
This message was last edited by the GM at 17:24, Sat 09 June 2012.

Thankfully before Aloe has the chance to steer the conversation back into uncomfortable territory, the familiar voice of Shai Ni echoes out from the reception foyer.  Lotus blinks at her sister, then trots hurriedly toward the front--it's not a scheduled day for Shai Ni to provide her treatments, and it is well before the shop is set to open, so to Lotus the beyond the norm visit is probably serious.

"Shai Ni?  Do come in, dear, we're in the back."  Lotus calls out ahead of herself as she moves through the rest of the private household and into the wide open spaces of the spa itself.  As she first spots the other mare Lotus nearly stumbles over her hooves in speeding up to get to Shai Ni's side.  "Ohmygoodness!  Shai Ni!  Aloe!"  The delicate spa pony turns her head and calls out to her sister with perhaps surprising volume before looking to Shai with concern and worry.  "You poor thing!  Are you hurt?  What's happened?  Let's get you into the bath?"

With an awkward laugh as Lotus hurries over to her, Shai Ni stumbles a few times in the rush before finding her hoofing.  "Ah, it is a bit of a story.  Suffice to say, the short version is this: may I set up temporarily here at the spa while I look for a new place for my clinic and home?  Last night... something happened, and... well, I do not have a clinic anymore.  Ah, the walls are still there, but the roof is gone.  Thankfully, nothing important was damaged, but I am now currently seeking lodging while I attempt to find a new location within Ponyville itself," she says with an embarrassed smile as she makes no signs of protest should Lotus and/or Aloe fuss over her, knowing better than to refuse their hospitality.  "I have been up all night and all morning packing my things and pulling the cart, and Miss Merriweather and many others have helped me out with breakfast and the cart already."

Despite how fresh from the bath Lotus is, she readily steps near to help Shai stay on her hooves as someone to lean on.  Lotus gasps as she listens to the story, and it's all she can do not to hug the poor bedraggled mare too tightly.  "Of course, Shai!  We'll have you a comfortable room set up, and you can make yourself at home for as long as you need."  Lotus will try to gently guide Shai Ni towards the back, figuring that Aloe can have a little company in the bath if her twin hasn't already started hurrying this way.

"When you're clean and rested you'll have to let us know who helped--we'll provide them a free treatment in thanks for helping you, how does that sound?"

"Oh, you are much too kind, Miss Lotus.  I am very lucky to have met you and Miss Aloe," Shai Ni replies as she is ushered towards the baths proper, rather looking forward to something so relaxing after her night and morning experiences.  "It was Miss Rainbow Dash who helped me in the town square when I was too tired to move anymore, and she helped me get to the Summer Song Cafe, where Miss Merriweather and Miss Twilight Sparkle helped me.  Miss Applejack helped me as well.  They are all so very kind."

Aloe had perked curiously at the sound of their friend, Shai Ni, arriving so early in the morning.  It was unexpected and certainly piqued the mare's curiosity but she left it to her sister to tend to.  Just a few minutes longer in the bath was all she wanted.  But that thought went right out the window when Lotus called to her with such urgency in her voice.  While she may have expressed it differently and far more externally, Aloe shared her sister's love of other ponies and was out of the bath in an instant at her call, not even taking the time to towel off in her haste to give assistance.  She arrived in time to catch most of what the acupuncturist had been through that previous night and seemed absolutely shocked to hear of it.

"You poor thing!  You should have come to us straight away!" even Aloe could manage a motherly tone as she fretted over their friend.  She was mildly surprised at how clean the unicorn was until she noticed some tell-tale sparkles of magic left in her coat along with the mention of Twilight having helped out.  Ah... that instant shower spell again.  Twilight had shown it off to the sisters in hopes of it giving a hand in their work, but it was of little use to a place that put so much effort into slow and relaxing beautification techniques.  Well, at least it meant she was ready for a soak without having to scrub up first.

"Come, come.  Let's get you out of that dress.  Lotus, go get the muscle-relaxant salts for the bath." she urged as the both of them fretted over their friend's well-being.

Lotus makes a mental note of each name, and while she's sure it'll be nearly impossible to get Rainbow Dash into the spa for a treatment, but maybe Merriweather will be a tad easier...  Twilight and Applejack shouldn't be too difficult, especially once Rarity learns that they've earned a free day.  "We're glad to have you as a friend, Shai Ni.  You've taught us so much, you know."  Lotus replies, though she quiets as Aloe arrives to see Shai's state.

When given the suggestion to retrieve the specific salts, Lotus nods and readily trots away towards the supply room.  Spa-strength salts are called for here, in Lotus' professional opinion, but not an over-large amount.  She quickly scoops a portion into a linen bag and secures it at the neck before gracefully hurrying to meet the pair of mares at the bath.

Blushing a bit at the attention, Shai Ni allows the sisters to help her with her dress, her mane and tail ribbons, and with getting into the bath proper.  As she sinks in, she closes her eyes and appears to be leaving this mortal world for the realm of heaven, she looks so content and happy.  "Much too kind... mmmmmmm," the young mare says as she enjoys a soak, forcing herself to stay awake both so that she doesn't risk drowning and because if she is asleep, she isn't awake to enjoy the lovely bath and accompanying pampering.

All the weariness of the evening and morning's activities, all of her fretting and worrying, melt away as she relaxes in the bath.  With a ladylike laugh, Shai Ni jokes, "If this is how you two care for a friend in need, I should have lost my roof months ago."

Shai Ni was in no danger of sinking below the water mostly because she ended up having a bath buddy in the tub with her.  Aloe hadn't dried off and saw no reason to do so now -- instead she slipped back into the water with the Unicorn, though not for her own leisure that time.  As the hot water was tinted with tingling salts and aromatic dressings, Aloe gestured for Shai Ni to turn and lean against the rim of the basin so that she could set her skilled hooves into a firm, deep massage along her friend's aching back.

"Well, we'd rather you show up without property damage being an incentive.  You've been making yourself so scarce over the past month..." the Earth Pony mentioned as she worked at a particularly bothersome knot of tense muscles at Shai Ni's withers.

Shai Ni nearly melts into a puddle of goo when Aloe begins to give her a massage, her face one of extreme bliss.  She could bring balance to a pony's chi flow, heal illnesses at the root cause, and treat sprains and muscle pulls, but compared to Lotus and Aloe, Shai Ni was a complete amateur when it came to muscle-relaxing, thoroughly enjoyable massages.  Combined with the fact that she cannot massage herself, and the overexertion from the past twelve hours, Aloe finds more than one tricky, stubborn knot in Shai Ni's body.

"Mmmmmmmmmmm-OOOOOOoooooooh... right there," the young mare manages to say between moans of relaxed pleasure, "I have been busy getting ready to move into Ponyville prop-Ooooooooooh-er, and looking for the place where the natural chi flows with the most balance, and I think I have found a good place or twoooooooooooo~"

At this point, she is so into the massage that getting anymore coherent conversation from the small unicorn will have to wait.

Lotus ducks out of the bathroom almost as swiftly as she'd entered to place the little linen sachet in the water; she needs to go and prepare a room for Shai's stay.  The mare works swiftly to ready a seldom used guest room by putting fresh linens on the bed, fluffing the pillows, and lastly by opening the windows just a hair so that the air will circulate a bit better.  A small vase of flowers from the spa itself is the last touch, and graces a small end-table while the flowers themselves lend a soft perfume to the freshening air.  Once that's done and Lotus sees to bringing Shai's belongings into the readied room, Lotus hurries along to gather one final touch before making her way again to the bathroom: one of the plush robes from the spa.

With the folded robe placed near the large tub, Lotus takes up one of the soft bristled-brushes from the vanity and sets to work on Shai Ni's mane.

"Well, if we can help at all, don't hesitate to ask." Aloe reassured Shai Ni while she worked.  For the better part of an hour she kept the unicorn fairly well paralyzed with those magical hooves of hers, taking advantage of the heat of the water and the relaxant salts to ease away Shai Ni's tension.  Between the massage and the ever-relaxing sensation of having her mane brushed by Lotus, she'd have trouble discerning her own limbs from the liquid she soaked in before long.  But all good things did eventually have to come to an end -- Aloe was on hand to help Shai Ni out of the tub and into a plush robe after drying.

The Earth Pony herself had become quite pruned in the hooves as a result of spending so much time in the bath, but it was a sacrifice worth making.  She'd have to take care of that before any of their guests arrived that day though.  It wouldn't do to be seen with soggy hooves.  She'd destroyed her hooficure... but that just meant she could get a new one~!

It takes at least five solid minutes for Shai Ni's brain to recognize that it is time to stop being a puddle of happy pony and start behaving like a living being again, and by then, everything else is set out for her.  So, she slowly climbs out of the bath and closes her eyes, focusing a bit before using magic to slowly dry herself off from the tip of her horn to the tip of her tail, the water flowing along her body and hair as if it was being guided back to the bath, where it ends up once again - without disturbing the loving care that had been given to her body and mane by Aloe and Lotus.  Of course, she could have dried herself off more quickly, but that would have meant she would have to do all the brushing all over again, and why waste the precious gift she has just received?

Very carefully, she puts the robe on with Aloe's help and smiles, then asks, "Would you like me to return the favor, Miss Aloe, Miss Lotus?  I am not quite as adept as the two of you when it comes to such lovely pampering, but I can at least help restore the balance of your bodies' chi.  With all of the positive chi the two of you surely accumulate, helping it spread evenly throughout yourselves in balance is the least I can do."

Lotus is ready on-hoof with a towel, but as Shai speeds the drying along with magic she instead hands the towel to her twin.  "I wish I could do that," she remarks somewhat wistfully.  She gives Shai Ni a friendly nudge of one shoulder and shakes her head.  "Later, certainly, I'm sure Aloe agrees when I say we'd both love nothing else.  But for now you should at least get a little rest?"

"Rest... yes, I think that is wise," Shai Ni replies as she stumbles slightly from the nudge.  If she's this shaky on her feet after that treatment, what is she going to be like trying to focus and use her talents on Aloe and Lotus?  Obviously not in prime shape, which they so obviously deserve.  "I think... yes, rest will be wonderful.  If... if you need any help, do not feel shy about waking me, alright?"  With a very content smile, Shai Ni walks towards the guest room and turns around to nod in thanks one last time.

"Again, both of you, thank you ever so much," she says before walking over to the cot and lying down, falling asleep immediately upon her head finding the pillow.  As with many others, she looks simply angelic while sleeping, and with her size and build while asleep, she almost looks like a filly instead of a mare.

Of course, the spa treatment and pampering aren't helping her look older, either.

"My sister is right -- you've earned a nap at the very least.  Go and rest."  Aloe agreed as they helped Shai Ni off to bed in the guest room.  If nothing else, she didn't trust the idea of needles in the hooves of such a beleaguered mare just then.  Best wait until after Shai Ni had gotten a chance to recover properly first to reduce the chances of getting skewered.  Aloe wasn't surprised, but rather quite amused, over how quickly their guest conked out into bed and smiled warmly as she drew the sheets up around her body.

"The poor thing... I wonder what happened though.  Roofs don't just go up in smoke for no reason.  Do you think it was a monster?  I always said she lived too close to the Everfree Forest for anything good to come of it." the spa pony huffed in concern once she and Lotus had tip-toed out of the room and closed the door in their wake.  She'd often lectured Fluttershy on the same thing, but strangely the demure Pegasus seemed to handle herself quite well out on the edges of such wild territory.  Plus she would never leave her animals, so arguing it was a waste of breath.

-Entering from Carousel Boutique, Day 2-

Of all the undignified, wasteful, absolutely needless things to do...

Spa visits for mares was one thing, the bat-winged captain fumed as he flew over the heads of Ponyville citizenry.  It was even okay for colts, he conceded, though only on the grounds that they actually wanted that sort of thing.  But him?  No sir!  No ma'am!  The captain could only growl and grit his fangs as he neared the spa.  He'd rather be tromping around through the Everfree Forest fighting off ravenous Dire Badgers than wasting his day away sitting in some fru-fru beauty salon.  If Silver Crescent went and blabbed about it too, he was going to thrash that pony's tail off and have him cleaning the palace floors for the rest of the year.

"Ugh... alright soldier, time to pony up." he braced himself at the door of the spa after a quick landing.  Gah, this was harder than he expected.  He drew in a breath and knocked soundly on the door a few times -- it was a public building and he knew he was free to enter, but part of him silently hoped he could just get away with knocking and then assuming nopony was around.
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:59, Tue 19 June 2012.

Having spent most of the morning and the early afternoon tip-hoofing around the spa to ensure that Shai Ni gets her rest, Lotus is just finishing the last of a leisurely lunch when she hears the solid knocking.  She blinks at the door in a bit of confusion, then trots over to it to pull it open.  Seeing the stern-looking guard pony puts Lotus briefly mentally off-balance, but her smile is swift to light her features.  "Oh, you're here!  Please come in; we have everything prepared for you."

Sure that Aloe will be delighted as soon as she sees the guard, Lotus will usher him in and gently close the door behind the stallion.  "Right this way, if you would?  Aloe!  Sister-dear!"  Lotus' tone is warm and welcoming with the first, then raises in a pleasant trill as she calls out for her twin.

Aloe had lingered behind to tidy up the remains of their lunch while Lotus headed off to get the door, though she perked eagerly when she was called.  At last~!  They'd wanted a stallion's view of things and now they would have the perfect opportunity to expand their portfolio!  The contrastingly colored spa pony giggled in eager delight and called out "Coming~!" in that same sing-song tone Lotus had.

Captain Equinox, meanwhile, had to shamefully admit he'd briefly planned out an escape route and gauged how quickly he could make it to the door before the mares could catch him.  Yet he forced himself to stand fast with a growing sense of trepidation as Aloe joined the fray... that mare had a look in her eye that didn't settle well with him.  "Oh my~!  And here I was expecting the other one... but this is a wonderful surprise."  Aloe practically purred as she moved to stand beside her sister, reflexively mirroring her twin's pose and smile.

"He'll be attending later, ladies.  For the time being I am at your disposal." the captain kept his tone level, though it was hard not to scowl when Aloe practically squealed with a musical laugh.

"Ooh, so formal~!  Please, do come in and let us help you relax.  We're very excited to have you here today." the Earth Pony trilled as she gestured to the spa proper.

With her initial excitement experienced and set aside, Lotus comes to realise that the guard isn't exactly thrilled about being here.  Once both the guard and Aloe have spoken, Lotus offers a light smile as she turns to lead the way.  "To tell you the truth, sir, we're hoping that you'll help us perhaps more than we can help you.  We don't get many stallions because, well: we're a spa.  We know our treatments don't exactly seem to appeal.  How about we give you a tour, and you tell us what you'd like to do, what might be alright with a change, and what is absolutely off limits?"

"Well, that's honestly not what I was expecting." the captain murmured as he was led along by the two mares.  "I don't know how much help I'll be though.  I don't exactly put much merit into these sort of..." Wastes of time?  Frivolities?  Needless indulgences?  "...treatments." he finished tactfully.

"Precisely why we'd like a stallion's opinion on things.  You boys don't know what you're missing out on~." Aloe crooned.  She had to seriously resist the urge to press herself against the soldier's side on that comment since he didn't seem like the sort to appreciate such gestures.  He seemed a tougher nut to crack than most they encountered.

"Very well.  I can already tell you I don't like to have my hooves touched, and as far as I figure most stallions don't either.  I handle my own horse shoes just fine." he stated concretely.

"And what about your wings?  We've just had a Bat Pony move in to town, so it would be invaluable if you could show us some proper grooming tips.  These membranes are so much different than Pegasi feathers." Aloe noted as she looked the soldier's large, bat-like wings over.  "She was the one performing on stage last night.  Is she a part of your troop?"

"Negative, ma'am.  She's an unrelated civilian."

"Please, call me Aloe~~."

"Ma'am."

"Hmph..."

Lotus nods in understanding; she isn't a mind-reader and can't be certain but the mare is fairly sure that the captain's tactful remark probably isn't what he'd have said in different company.  She listens with interest as he mentions his hooves and nods her understanding; there may be a way to get around that by different phrasing or methods, though Lotus doubts that any such thing will work with the bat-stallion himself.  Still...  "When we were last out of Ponyville, we happened to see a few Posh-Polishing booths--where was that, Aloe, Manehattan?--and it seemed popular with the stallions.  It was just a simple cloth polish though; we didn't really have the chance to inspect it closely."

Lotus too is interested in hearing about how the captain cares for his wings, and so when the topic veers towards the curious revelation that the singing bat-pegasus didn't originally come with Princess Luna, she tries to steer it back again.  "Do you oil them, by chance?  A soft-bristled brush or a stiff one?"

"Hoof buffing is one thing, but any more than that is not necessary.  All a stallion needs to care for his hooves is a stiff pick and a dry cloth." the captain said squarely.  He wasn't trying to be rude at all but was simply curt by nature and less than thrilled to be there in the first place, so it didn't do much to make him come across as personable.

"Sir, that's awful!  There's all sorts of conditions and problems that can arise from improper hoof care.  Our techniques are not just beautification -- they're to ensure a higher quality of health as well!" Aloe was a bit more perceptive to the soldier's disdain for the situation.  She recognized his old-fashioned attitude just fine.  There were plenty of older ponies who were raised by the grizzled pioneering generation who thought life was just fine going along chewing gravel and spitting vinegar.

When Lotus piped in to sway the conversation back to less defense-riling topic, the stallion huffed softly and extended out his wings overhead.  Bat Ponies had a much larger wingspan than normal Pegasi and it gave the armored guard a rather impressive image as he flexed and flattened his wings down for the mares to take a closer look at.  He didn't like being poked and prodded, but if their scrutiny was necessary, then so be it.  Besides, it would spare that bashful Moonsong the pain of being under a magnifying lens... as an officer and a gentlecolt, he felt it best to bite that particular bullet first so that it'd be easier on her later.

"I don't personally use oils, though I know a few who do.  It's not really for looks though -- some oil rubs do have a gloss or shine to them, but they're primarily nutrient rubs to promote healing and fend off fungal growth.  Bat Ponies are not common, so we're not exactly a large market for shampoo makers.  The membranes of our wings are rather thin and lined with sensitive receptor cells.  It helps us to control ourselves in flight far better than a feathered Pegasi could, but it also means our wings are prone to tearing and shredding more easily.  They heal rather quickly though." the captain explained at length.  Closer examination of his wings showed that they had plenty of marks where they had torn in the past and healed up again, leaving them streaked with long, subtle scars.  "While not to say we're delicate or anything, I would never dream of using a stiff brush on my wings.  It'd be like chewing on steel wool."
This message was last edited by the player at 15:24, Tue 19 June 2012.

Lotus tries not to cringe at the thought of the stallion digging around with a sharp tool to clean his hooves and manages to just look mildly uncomfortable instead.  Split hoof, fungus, hoof rot, swelling...  Lotus tried to push them all far, far out of mind and instead concentrate on the more useful aspects of the conversation.  When the captain flares his wings to show them off, Lotus makes a soft sound of awe and takes the chance to really get a good look.  She's hooves-off for now, and listens almost as intently as she looks while the guard pony explains.

Once Lotus sees the scars she makes a thoughtful sound and wonders if they might not have an ointment to reduce their appearance completely--not that they're easy to spot anyway--but that might also strengthen the tissue.  Scar tissue, she knows, is usually weaker than the flesh around it and more prone to repeat damage because of it.  'If they already are at greater risk of wing damage, maybe something like that might help...?  Hm...'  Aloud, Lotus says:  "You have very impressive wings, and I can absolutely see why a stiff brush would be unpleasant and uncalled for.  If it might help, when your wings do get damaged you might consider a warm salt soak?  It should take the pain out and help promote full healing instead of scarring.  Though it is so amazing the way they barely scar at all--wouldn't it be nice to bottle that, Aloe?  Aside from that, if you think you might be interested, we have an ointment that seems to work well in repairing scar tissue in general."

She waits for his response, then straightens and happily smiles once more.  "I believe we will be frequently asking your thoughts and advice throughout the morning.  Shall we begin?"

Aloe seemed impressed by the soldier's wingspan as well, though given the saucy grin she quickly bid behind a lifted hoof, it was obvious to her sister that she had different thoughts running through her head just then.

"We generally rely on magical healing from the royal physicians.  And, to be honest, I'm rather fond of my scars.  I earned every one of them." the captain said, though he paused and glanced over at a jagged mark on the end of his right wing.  "Well, I still don't think I deserved that one, but there's a mare in Canterlot who swears otherwise."

Was that a shot at humor?  It didn't seem to fit the dour older guard and he certainly didn't try to continue along that vein.  Instead he folded his wings back down at his sides and nodded in consent to getting started.  The sooner they began, the sooner he could leave.

"Wonderful~!  Now, let me help you out of that stuffy armor~~." Aloe purred.

"Wh-what?"

-Que Time skip to Afternoon-

>>Afternoon<<

After the initial moment of needing to work hard to stifle her giggles as Aloe helped the unfortunate captain free of his armour, Lotus was then all business.  Granted, with Lotus, "all business" meant that she was serene and gentle and pleasantly firm about her job.  She tries her best to respect the things that the captain is adamant about while also taking care to encourage and demonstrate treatments so that a little knowledge might go a long way towards banishing preconceived notions.

Still, by the time she's done her part in not just beautifying and de-stressing but also attempting to educate--and being educated, of course--Lotus is quite ready for something more to eat and a cool drink before the guards are likely to switch out.  She places a cold tea before the captain, the straw already angled for ease of sipping.  "Is there anything else we can do for you?"

A single trip to the spa wasn't going to be enough to make Captain Equinox a true believer, but even he had to admit (grudgingly) that maybe there was something to it.  While he stoutly refused most of the indulgences that usually went into proper beautification and care, he at least accepted the basics.  A good wash and coat treatment, a very slight cleaning at his hooves (which he insisted he do himself, but at least used the tools and chemicals they supplied for him), and an invigorating mane scrub.  He declined teeth cleaning... which frankly was a relief to Aloe, who couldn't help but flinch when she found that the captain had a jaw full of stout fangs.

As it turned out, Bat Ponies were fairly different than other Ponies in certain regards.  Their coats were much finer and wings a bit difficult to work with, but both glossed up beautifully with a bit of preening.  The captain's coat practically glimmered after just a good brushing and careful use of color-balancing shampoos and oils brought out a real luster that even he couldn't help but admire.  It would be good to keep in mind with Moonsong whenever she came to visit.  One of the only real downsides to the visit was when a massage was attempted.  The captain was actually quite willing and admitted to being tightly wound, but Aloe and Lotus (even working together) lacked the necessary muscle to get any real kinks out of his knotted shoulders.  That was less a matter of his specie and more the result of many years of stern, dedicated military service.  While Aloe wasn't able to get any progress out of the effort, she at least seemed to enjoy trying quite a bit...~~

"I think I'm quite fine, Miss Lotus.  Thank you though.  I'll admit that I was rather wary coming here in the first place, though it seems I was perhaps too quick to judge." the soldier sighed after a drink of tea.

"Are you sure you don't want to try any mane coloring?  You would look amazing with a little streaking..." Aloe asked, half-whining.  She'd been quite disappointed when he refused the first time and pouted further as he shook his head yet again.

"No, thank you.  The styling was quite enough.  Try it with Silver Crescent; he's a bit more..." Foppish?  Dandified? "...fashion-oriented than I am."
This message was last edited by the player at 21:03, Fri 22 June 2012.

About the time Lotus learned that she needed to bring out the finest and softest brushes they kept to avoid over-working the captain's coat--mostly for the occasional foal treatment--she was willing to accept that her preconceived notion that bat-winged pegasi were not simply a variation on the more common feathered variety but their own unique 'family' of pony altogether.  Spending so much time working with the captain also allowed her to see the finer details that she was curious about: namely his curious eyes and those surprising teeth.

When all of their hard work in bringing out the shine and gloss of his mane and coat paid off, all Lotus could think of was the shining and inky depths of the sky between the stars.  For Lotus it was an oddly poetic thought, but it was lost rather swiftly amidst her rather tiring attempts to aid Aloe in giving the stallion a massage.  In the end she decides to show the captain a few stretches and postures that will help to relieve his own tensions, but she also gives the recommendation that he find the burliest masseuse he can to work the knots out before he risks permanent harm.

All the same, when the captain assures her her that he's well she smiles brightly and happily.  As Aloe tries to prompt him toward just a little more beautification than the stallion is interested in, Lotus hides her smile behind a delicately positioned hoof as though to stifle a soft cough.  When she can speak without betraying her inner laughter, Lotus asks another question.  "Will you be requiring a receipt of services rendered?"

"I think that would be a wise idea, thank you.  The Princess is never quite as concerned with finances as the Treasurer is.  I'm sure she would appreciate knowing what sort of spending spree Princess Luna has been on during her vacation." the guard nodded his head at the offer of a receipt.  He couldn't help but feel a little guilty over indulgences when he thought back on how badly Number Cruncher had been left... well... crunching numbers when Princess Luna had left the castle with a trunk full of Bits.  The kingdom was certainly in absolutely no danger of bankruptcy, but accountants did so love to panic about money...

Opting to ignore what she feels is a distinctly graceless and tactless display from the captain, Lotus smiles cheerfully to him as she trots over to the appointment book.  Finding the receipt book and a pencil, Lotus commits the day's treatments and elapsed time with a graceful flourish.  Returning with a smile, Lotus offers the slip of paper with a gracious bow of her head.  "We hope that you'll come and see us again the next time you're in Ponyville, sir.  We were so glad to have you."

"I suppose time will tell.  Thank you both again." the captain said as he tucked the receipt away within his armor.  With that the bat-pony turned and marched right on out of the spa -- he had another appointment to keep called 'actually doing his job' and took wing to head off for the Town Square.  Meanwhile, Aloe watched him go with unabashedly wandering eyes until the door shut in his wake and ended the view.

"On one hoof, he's got this exotic, rugged older stallion thing going on.  That is very, very nice~~." the spa pony sighed pleasantly.  But then her expression shifted to a less appreciative one as she tossed her mane.  "On the other, what a jerk~!  I've never met a pony so jaded as that one!  He was no fun at all..."

--> Captain Equinox exits to Ponyville Town Square
This message was last edited by the player at 04:01, Tue 26 June 2012.

Lotus bows her head as the stallion turns and heads on his way, but when the door shuts she puffs out a little huff of a sigh.  She goes about tidying and prepping the salon for their next guest as she listens to Aloe, but Lotus does pause at the last.  "Now, now, Aloe.  You know we shouldn't speak ill of our guests--even if they are as full of sour grapes as that one."  She winks at her twin despite her dry and playfully chiding tone, clearly in agreement with at least some of what Aloe has expressed.

"Hopefully the younger guard will be far more manageable, and at least now we know several more tricks for not only stallions but those bat-pegasus as well.  With the new mare in town we might need all the tricks we can pull off--someone with a voice like that probably has the attitude to go with, wouldn't you think?"

"Ooh, I hope not.  The last thing we need is another Prima Donna prancing around town.  That mare always gets on my nerves." Aloe rolled her eyes.  Aside from the notion of there being a wanna-be debutant flouncing around Ponyville, there actually was a unicorn named Prima Donna who more than lived up to her name.  That demanding mare was a nightmare to work with...

"Right now all I want is lunch.  Trying to get those kinks out of the captain's back really took it out of me.  Honestly, where's Quake when we need him?" she grumbled as she helped her sister in cleaning up.  Thankfully they hadn't made much a mess in the first place since the soldier had refused so many of their varied services.

Lotus rolls her eyes with an 'ugh' of agreement before she can catch herself, but then she softly coughs and smoothes her expression out again.  It wouldn't do, not at all, for a guest to see them carrying on like this.  She laughs and nods as Aloe speaks, though she playfully tries to shoo her sister away when she tries to help.  "This is all the mess there is, don't worry about it.  Just make me a sandwich, would you?  And a glass of tea?  As for Quake, I'm wondering that myself--didn't you say you ran into him last night?  I would have thought he'd be here.  Perhaps he had a bit too much cider and hasn't gotten up yet."

Delicate, graceful and demure as Lotus is, she knows just as well as anypony how hard it can be to wake up the morning after a few too many mugs of hard cider have been enjoyed the night before.

"He and Roxy both said they'd come in this afternoon.  Ooh, if they flake again, I'll have their tails." Aloe pouted at the thought.  She partied just as hard, if not harder than most, and she still managed to come in to work!  Truth be told she would have liked a day off as well but knew that Lotus was going to be up bright and early... she couldn't just leave her sister to fend for herself, after all.

Aloe did some fending of her own as she was sent off to the kitchen and went about readying lunch for the two of them.  A BLT -- barley, lettuce, and tomato -- sandwich was just what they needed to get rid of those grumbly bellies.  She dug out some refreshing citrus tea as well to get steeping once the pot was ready and, just a little after the time Lotus would have finished cleaning and prepping for their next guest, lunch was served.

"Oohh, I thought they'd be in earlier."  Lotus replies, feeling a little bit more calm about the pair now that she knows they aren't really absent at all, at least not yet.  When the last of the tidying is finished, Lotus takes herself to the kitchen to meet Aloe and share lunch, but she's still very much thinking about the day's events thus far.

"We should really tidy up the room Shai Ni is borrowing when we have the time: there are still some boxes in there that need to be moved to the store room, that little bed is barely more than a cot, and the floor could do with a waxing.  If she's going to be with us until she finds another home, I'd feel awful to expect her to be cooped up in there at night.  Oh, oh, and.  And we should make sure we double-check the upkeep the captain does on his own with the other guard to find out if they're consistent.  We should probably ask Rarity too, don't you think?  We could always order a small stock of whatever doesn't spoil quickly so we'll have something on hoof for the new local and for whenever the Princess comes to visit again.  Do you think she will?  Visit again, I mean.  It would be so nice to have regular royalty coming through."  Lotus eats now and again between words in little nibbles at her sandwich and sips at her tea, and is careful to never speak with her mouth full as she rattles on.

"We could market specialty hoof-picks to stallions, maybe teach the colts that come in with their mothers, start teaching them young how to properly manage hoof care?"

As Lotus spent her time chattering on and only nibbling at her lunch, Aloe listened patiently.  Her sister was a dear mare and always so considerate of others, but sometimes it worried Aloe just how much others were always on her mind.  She'd voiced her opinion of Lotus needing 'me time' plenty of times already though... but sometimes it needed a little more emphasis.  Once Lotus took a second to breath at the end of all that Aloe reached forward and pushed at her hooves, abruptly stuffing the bulk of her sandwich into her mouth to keep her from rambling further.

"Alright sister, I demand that you set the world down off your shoulders at least long enough to eat a sandwich." she deadpanned.

Suddenly finding her mouth full of sandwich, delicious thought it may be, is a bit surprising for anypony.  Well, perhaps anypony but Pinkie.  Lotus blinks rapidly in curious response to Aloe's demand, and though she wants to apologise for her prattling she can't really talk around this big of a mouthful.  Munching as delicately as is possible with most of the yummy sandwich in her mouth, Lotus softly clears her throat and sips her tea once she's able.

She finishes her sandwich in silence, her mind spinning fervently as she tries to figure out exactly what it is that has set Aloe off...and then just spinning fervently off on topics that likely would just further Aloe's pique.  'I do suppose I talk too much sometimes...  And I was going on a bit there, maybe after dealing with the captain Aloe just isn't up to listening to me endlessly chatter.  Maybe I should surprise her later on with something--Oh!  I could whip up some of that special facial cream she likes so much and when Shai is back and the Princess has had her treatments, the three of us could have a little sleep-over!  And maybe tomorrow we could close the spa for a little while, and I could make sure that Aloe has a break.  She's always working so hard.'  One doesn't need to hear Lotus' thoughts to know that the gears are rapidly spinning: her mouth may have disengaged from the chatter, but the monologue is still running on, and on, and on, and on...

With the moon lifted into the sky - this time with much less pomp and circumstance - Luna set off for the spa. As arranged, she knew that she'd been given an after-hours appointment, and felt quite grateful for the fact, though upon considering matters she questioned if it would be wise to worry the caring ponies for so much work in one day.  Still - she needed at least to show up, and she'd see how they felt when she arrived.

Arrive, Luna did, as clouds masked the lovely sky. Her horn as before projected a field to deflect the water from her. She let herself in smoothly to get out of the rain, and dimmed the glow of her horn to dispose of her umbrella spell.Smiling as she caught sight of Lotus, Luna lowered her head in greeting, just so. "Miss Lotus. I trust I've not kept you waiting too long?"

-

Thanks to her spot at the window Lotus has some fore-warning of the arrival of the Princess, so she's able to be ready and waiting to kneel and bow her head as Luna enters the spa's foyer.  "Not at all, Princess Luna.  I'm so glad you could make it; I worried that the weather would trouble you."  Lotus sounds genuinely pleased to greet Luna, with friendly warmth suffusing her voice and expression.  It's easy enough for her to see that the towels won't be needed, but Lotus doesn't seem to mind: after standing again she picks them up daintily with her mouth and balances them on her back before addressing Luna once more.

"Please follow me, Princess, I have a warm clay bath waiting for you!  If you like, I thought we might start with the clay bath, then follow that up with a scrub and soak in the hot tub?  Once you're satisfied there, I can start your massage, then move on to the beautification."  Lotus lists off the summary of prepared treatments as she guides the way into the spa proper.  She looks up at the regal mare with a hopeful and eager expression; Lotus wants very much to let Luna decide on the sort of pampering she'll receive over the evening.

-

Already feeling more comfortable, Luna tailed the pink-maned pony, though her first few steps were slower, as she stretched out each of her limbs, then her wings a little bit. "I didn't expect the rain today, but it was hardly a serious problem." she said lightly, pausing to glance out a window at the soft downpour. The sound on the rooftop was faint, but soothing in its own way, she decided. Catching up to Lotus, the princess gave her an uncertain look.

"A clay bath... you mean, taking a bath in mud?" She asked, looking doubtful. Though, Lotus had surprised her before with how wonderful some odd-sounding treatments ended up being. She couldn't help but grin a little, though, as the idea was rather funny. "You're not teasing me, are you?" she ventured, noting Lotus's entirely honest tone, then gave her horn a gentle shake. "You are professional. I've enjoyed everything you've suggested so far, so I shall defer to your expertise here, too." 

-

Lotus slows so as not to leave Luna behind, and as she watches the mare stretch a bit she can't help but recall her twin's teasing earlier that day.  Looking away with a bit of a blush, Lotus resumes her sedate forward pace once more.

She pauses after just a few steps however, with one hoof slightly lifted and her head canted just a bit to the side.  "Actually?  It is essentially a mud bath.  But it's different, too.  Do you know, I'm not really sure how to describe it?  They do feel nice, though."  A little flustered, Lotus giggles softly as she speaks.  The spa mare shakes her head at the question of teasing, but at the last she softly laughs again.  "It is quite nice.  The clay is ground to a very, very fine powder, then mixed with herbs and oils and then thinned just a bit with water.  Almost all of the ingredients are local, but some of the clays come from as far away as Neighpon."  

Arriving at the copper tub with its gently perfumed mix of wet clay, Lotus checks the temperature and consistency with a hoof before nodding appreciatively.  "If you get a hoof in and it doesn't seem like something you like, we'll move on."  Lotus looks up at the Princess with an encouraging smile, then continues.  "It's almost universally beneficial, though really it's best for your skin and coat."

-

"Of course." she chimed rightly at the reassurance that they could move on. She was still marveling... the idea that they would import clay from so far away seemed odd, then again - the whole concept was a bit strange to the princess. Nontheless, she carefully stepped a hoof over the side and down into the clay. She'd not expected the warmth to be so strong, or the consistency to be thinned so. She could almost feel the grains of clay against her, as she moved her hoof in a lazy circle in the tub, then climbed in the rest of the way. lowering herself into it, the Princess closed her eyes as the sensation wrapped around her, and she leaned back, letting the material  envelop her from the shoulders down.

"Ahhh...  it does feel strange, but it's comfortable...  though." She squirmed a little bit, trying to get used to the feeling, and the idea that she was basically soaking herself in dirt. "It's still dirt." She laughed a little, opening her eyes and looking down at herself. "I'm taking a dirt bath..." She didn't see this one coming.

Glancing up to Lotus, Luna was still smiling, even though she did find this practice a bit strange. She seemed willing to try it, though. "Lotus, you don't have a neck cushion, by chance? Something I can lean back on?"

-

Lotus stands by near at hoof and watches as Luna first tests the bath, then begins to settle into it.  The spa pony is quick to carefully take up the Princess' mane before it can get into the clay mix; not that a soak would be bad for the shining tresses but that this will give her time to brush it and pin it up for further treatments later.

"It is still dirt," Lotus agrees with a little giggle.  "I promise I won't tell anyone."  She says the last with a gently playful tone; Lotus isn't sure how the regal mare will take to a bit of good-natured ribbing.  Quickly and gently twisting and pinning until Luna's flowing mane is out and out of the way, Lotus nods readily at the request.  

"Absolutely, Princess."  One of the earlier towels is quickly put into service as a cushion: a swift re-folding and a careful bundling makes it into a pleasantly plush roll that she settles into position at the base of Luna's head.  "How is that, Princess?"

-

Luna settled back once Lotus had made her a rest, and nodded a little as she reclined and sank abit lower in the bath. "Mhm. That's better. Lotus, you need not call me Princess...  Luna will do." she said softly, as she thought back to something Shai had mentioned earlier in the day. "You have things like incense, right? and drinks?  I think both could be nice." she added. "Unless you had that planned for later?" she ventured, half-curious, half-requesting.

-

Lotus wears a slightly abashed expression as she bows her head, turning the uncertain gesture into a nod at the last moment.  "Of course Pr--L-Luna," she stumbles a little uncertainly over the loss of the honorific, but her smile is warm and eager as she looks to Luna to be sure that it is indeed alright.

"Oh!  Absolutely.  Would you like more of the cool wheatgrass tea, or would you rather have something warm?"  She readily agrees, then gives a light shake of her head.  "My plans are entirely at your whim, Luna."  There's a slight pause before Lotus says the regal mare's name, but this time she doesn't stutter, and the royal title doesn't slip in.  Trotting over to a shelf as she speaks, Lotus browses the spa's standard selection of incense before placing a few premium choices on a small tray.  Lotus returns with the tray in her mouth, then carefully balances it against the wide rim of the tub.

"This is a sweeter mix of cool, green notes and a soft bit of night-blooming jasmine.  This one is a bright and sweet mix of roses and honeysuckle.  And this one is water lily with just a touch of amber."  The spa pony points out each little dish of incense as she describes them; the initial mix is a pale green powder while the second is a blend of red and yellow petals ground quite fine.  The third is an odd grouping of what looks to be slender petals rolled into small balls and then dried.  "These are our special spa-mixes, but there are plenty of others if you'd like something else?"

-

Luna hesitated a moment when presented with so many options. Raising a mucky hoof from the bath, she pointed toward the first of the three presented incense options. "Perhaps this one, with the jasmine.  To be honest, I don't know much about this sort of thing, so we can try different ones, if you think it'd help." she settled back under the water. "As for drinks... Warm, I think... It's a cold, wet, rainy night, so something to warm up with sounds good to me..." she said quietly.

She paused, and closed her eyes, settling to a more hushed tone than earlier. "Thank you for making time for me, Lotus."

-

Nodding, Lotus readily moves away to set up the incense burner.  "We can try as many as you like, and if you wanted I can package up a few for you to try later as well."  She carefully strikes the match held in her lips and sets the small piece of charcoal to heating, then nods at the drink selection.  "I think I know just the tea, Luna."

Lotus is almost to the little nook where the spa refreshments are kept when she hears the quieter thanks, and it takes her a moment to catch up with what Luna said.  "I'm always happy to make time for friends."  Her soft smile is shy as she says it; Lotus isn't really sure if it's acceptable to suggest that she'd like to be the friend of a princess but it doesn't change her concern and budding care for the other mare.

Once she has the kettle heating and the blend of tea mixed and ready, it only takes a few minutes while Lotus quietly moves about the spa before the scent of the incense is wafting through the air in slender curls of smoke.  Soon after that she returns to the side of the tub with a tray in her teeth; with the tray hooked over the wide lip of the tub the mug of steaming tea is perfectly balanced and easily accessible.  "Would you care for honey or sugar in your tea?"

-

Kicking her hooves just a bit, Luna stretched out and let Lotus work. As the fragrance started to waft into the air, she inhaled deeply, and nodded a silent approval. Slowly, she was getting past the fact that she was neck deep in mud - more importantly, it felt nice.

She opened her eyes as Lotus returned to her side, and levitated her drink up for a sip. It was just a small one, though, before she nodded. "yes, let's add a little sugar. not much, it's quite good." she added. "The rain is rather nice to listen to, as well. "

-

Lotus waited with a bit of anticipation to see how the tea would go over--it was her favourite blend, and not one she normally made for clients.  Suppressing a little giddy stomping of her hooves, Lotus instead keeps herself to a happy smile as she adds a little bit of sugar and stirs it in.

Settling the spoon aside and looking up toward the ceiling as though she might see the rain falling, then gave a pleasant little sigh before speaking.  "It is.  I love a clear day, but there's nothing quite as nice as the sound of a rainy evening."  Lotus pauses, then offers a smile as she goes on.  "It does unfortunately hide your lovely night sky, though."

She trots quietly away to check on the other bath, and then to make sure that her gift to the Princess is neatly folded and ready to be used.  Despite being a rush order Lotus is confident in it--but she can't shake the shy anxiety that grips her when she thinks about actually giving it to Luna.  Putting her fretting aside, Lotus returns quietly to the side of the clay bath to check on Luna.  "How are you feeling?"

-

The princess eagerly sips her drink, and shares a soft smile with the spapony at her comment about the night sky.  It was a warm and happy smile, which left quickly as she went back to her drink, but the warm glow of contentment remained. Left alone for a moment or so, Luna savored the soft rainfall sounds, and the warmth of her drink.

When Lotus returned, the Princess sat up slightly, and stretched her neck, turning her head to the side. "Ahhh... I'll admit, more tired than usual. I spent much of the day up, and I don't normally do so..." she said, yawning slightly. "Is it time for me to move to the other bath?"

After a pause, she began. "I hope the Captain wasn't a problem for you today. I ordered them to come get some rest - because you're very good and because they'd not do so unless I... well.. ordered it. He considers this sort of thing frivolous, and I do hope he was well-behaved for you?"

-

"I believe I can sympathise; some nights I stay up far too late managing inventory or tagging along with Aloe and her friends."  Lotus replies, then gives a slight shrug of her shoulders as she continues.  "The only treatment with a time limit is the massage, and that's only because eventually my shoulders will give out."  Another lightly playful remark said with a warm smile and a little giggle.  "If you're ready for the fragrant soak, though, I'll help you clean up for it?"

"He was...  a very interesting guest, but in the end I think he found a few ways to enjoy himself.  He was a gentlecolt, though--they both were, truthfully--and we learned so much from their visit."  Lotus replies.  While the elder guard certainly was a little difficult now and then, it was definitely quite amusing to see Aloe try not to get frustrated with the Captain.  The thought makes her giggle, and then she can't help but explain her amusement.  "I think Aloe was expecting someone a bit more pliable, and it was actually quite funny watching her try to convince him to accept some of our beautifying treatments."

-

Luna's smile became outright mischievous. "I see.. hehe.. sounds wonderful. I'm sure you two handled him well?" she prompted with a grin. "To be honest, I was glad to be rid of them for most of the day. Having guards over my shoulder can be stressful."

The princess stood slowly, stretching, then offered Lotus a nod. "I think so, yes. Let's move on to the next." she added lightly.

-

"I think perhaps my sister gave the Captain almost as good as she got," Lotus replies with another giggle.   Once her mirth has subsided a bit, Lotus goes on:  "I can't imagine what it must be like to have someone following you around constantly."

Nodding her head at the last, Lotus quickly moves the tea and its tray out of the way, then takes up a wooden spa bucket.  Speaking around the handle gripped in her mouth, Lotus waits until Luna is fully on her hooves in the spacious bath.  "I'm just going to give you a quick rinse, and then we'll get you into the big tub."  The bucket water is almost as warm as the clay bath, a careful precaution so as to avoid chilling her royal guest, and after a careful slow sloshing to make sure she's gotten as much of the clay off as possible, Lotus sets the bucket aside and hops down from the step-stool next to the copper tub.

-

As Lotus tended to her rinse, Luna enjoyed a laugh at her guards' expense. "It's not such an issue except when they become so stubborn that they're a headache. At least mine let me in the spa unattended." she chimed.  She closed her eyes as Lotus rinsed her, though it was hard to tell in the dim light where her dark coat was clean and where it was still damp from the clay bath. Still, Lotus was a professional, and did a through job.

Luna followed her out of the clay bath and toward the other, adding a thought. "Is your sister out this evening, as well?" she ventured, biting her lip faintly... Had Lotus decided to stay home just for this?

-

"That is true!"  She replies with a laugh once the rinsing is done, and when Luna exits the tub Lotus is quick to toss a towel over her back.  "They did seem a little reluctant to bother you once you were here, too."  The trip from clay soak to fragrant bath may be a short one, but she doesn't want Luna to get chilled on the way.  She'll remove the towel just as promptly when Luna starts to settle into the hottub, and she's in the process of quickly folding and rolling another headrest when she answers the Princess' question.  "I suppose she must be.  I wasn't sure where she'd gotten to after she helped me clean up earlier; she may have gone to get a few more things for Shai.  Shai Ni's home burnt down last night, so she's staying in our guest room."  Lotus explains as she moves to place the rolled towel behind Luna's neck.

-

"A home.. burnt last night?" Luna frowned  sharply. "I hope my celebration didn't have anything to do with that..." she said, anxiously.  Settling into the hot bath, Luna leaned her head back naturally, and settled it just onto the rest Lotus placed for her.

"I hope I'm not keeping you from something else." Luna said then, quiet again.  The cleaner, warmer waters of the hot tub seeped warmth into her, fighting off the slight chill of the quick walk between baths. Settling into the bath, she bushed a hoof along her side, to rinse out her coat more cleanly. There was a bit of runoff from the clay bath left over, but very little in truth. Once she'd gone over herself and settled back down, she turned to look at Lotus with half-lidded, tired eyes.

"That is kind of you girls, though. I hope everything will be alright for her."

-

"Oh, no, no, I'm sure it didn't," Lotus hastily assures, "and maybe 'burnt down' wasn't the right way to describe it.  I believe Shai said that the walls are still there, but the roof isn't.  I'm not entirely sure what happened.  Her home is--or, well, was--on the outskirts."

Lotus blinks in surprise at the next remark, then rapidly shakes her head.  "Oh, no Luna!  I'm thrilled to be here," the spa mare protests as she leans against the side of the large hottub.  "There's nothing I enjoy more than helping other ponies, Luna.  I'm glad to be able to do this for you."  A little blush has crept onto her cheeks, but Lotus isn't really sure why.

"I hope so, too.  We often work with her here at the spa, so it's rather nice having her here.  If you'd like, I could speak with her about an acupuncture treatment?  It's a little strange at first, but it's amazing how good it feels afterwards."

-

Luna seemed relieved by her response. "Good... I'm glad.. I was just afraid I was forcing you to be here rather than you wanting to be here." she said gently, then lent her ear to the talk of another treatment. Yawning a little, Luna nodded. "Well, it can't be much stranger than a bath in mud... I suppose I'll try it. What's it like?" she asked

-

Giggling softly Lotus shook her head again.  "There's nowhere else I'd rather be."  She smiles as she says it, though she has another giggle as she answers Luna's question.  "Well...  It's going to sound stranger than the clay bath.  Shai Ni uses a lot of very, very thin needles?  And she places them in spots like massage pressure points, but it doesn't hurt.  When it's over with, it's almost like a long, deep-tissue massage but without the soreness and stiffness that can sometimes come of it."  Lotus moves around to where Luna has rested her head and carefully unpins her mane as she speaks.  Though Lotus doesn't sound entirely sure of just what Shai Ni does, she does sound very certain of the results.

Aware of how tired the Princess is, Lotus works carefully to first brush out the elegant mare's mane before she starts to work a light conditioning lotion into it.  Starting from the root up, it allows Lotus to give Luna a gentle scalp and neck massage before she concentrates on spreading the conditioner through the long mane.  "When Shai comes in I'll let her know, and perhaps some time tomorrow, if you have time, she can show you first-hoof how it works?"

-

The princess tensed up a little bit at the mention of needles, but Lotus was soothing enough, as she started brushing her hooves over Luna's head, that the anxiousness faded. "W.. well. I suppose it won't hurt to learn more about it at least."

The princess smiled happily, beamed, really, as Lotus said that she'd not rather be anywhere else. Neither, Luna realized, would she. The regal mare closed her eyes with an assenting breath, and let Lotus have her mane to play with while she finished off her drink, then basked in the warm, soothing water, enjoyed the incense, and the soft, rainy patter on the roof. It threatened to make her drift off, but part of Luna insisted on keeping awake, leading to a few lazy stretches throughout the soak and mane treatment.

-

Lotus nods in understanding; she'd been pretty skeptical herself about the whole matter before Shai had explained it.  It still seems a little odd, but Lotus has a hard time arguing with the results.

She falls silent as she tends to Luna's mane; it's easy to lose track of time as she works with the shining lengths.  After a little while of quiet, though, she carefully rolls and pins Luna's mane against her neck once more.  "Let's dry you off and start on the massage?  If you'd like, you can take a nap for a little bit, too?"

-

Luna yawned again. "Mhmm... a short one at the most, I don't want to sleep through this. It would be rude...  Besides, I want to enjoy it, and your company, Lotus." She said softly, and couldn't help settling in place, with a faint yawn.  She also couldn't help the warm smile she directed upward, along with her sleepy eyes, to Lotus.

-

A blush colours her cheeks at Luna's words as Lotus looks down at her guest; shyly she smiles and gives Luna's shoulders a light  massage as she tries to get her brain back in gear.  Why am I blushing this much?  "Ah...  Would.  Would you like to rest here, or on the massage table?"

The idea that the Princess is enjoying her company thrills her, and really Lotus can understand part of her reaction:  Who wouldn't be thrilled by royalty wanting to spend time with them?  But that doesn't really account for why her heart feels like it belongs to a hummingbird.  Maybe this is just what it's like to befriend someone so regal, but Lotus' mind keeps revisiting Aloe's teasing from earlier in the day.

-

Luna smiled, and closed her eyes. "This is fine for the moment, Lotus. It's just warm enough to rest in, and that feels nice." Thankfully, the princess had shut her eyes. "Your hooves are incredibly gentle. It's wonderful." The princess sighed happily, and let Lotus melt her shoulders as she settle din to doze for a short nap.

Her rest was deep and soothing despite its brief span, where she was warm and comfortable. Hazy dreams, but good ones.

-

Lotus continues the soft massage as Luna drifts off into sleep; she's afraid to go far just in case a sleeping shift causes the mare to slip beneath the water.  That, and after the compliment paid her about her hooves Lotus isn't really sure she should stop the massage--what if it rouses Luna?

She listens to the rain outside and tries not to feel strange about watching her guest sleep, though after a little while she does step away enough to refresh the incense and make sure that there's more tea ready at hoof for when Luna wakes.

-

For all of Lotus's worry, her departure didn't wake the princess, though, she shifted slightly once Lotus was otherwise engaged, her head turned aside gently, cheek resting on the edge of the rest rather than her neck, her hooves curling in beneath the water. It was her own movement more than anything that led to her slow awakening.

The princess of night yawned as she fluttered her eyes open, and raised her hoof to rub her face. She looked momentarily lost, before spotting Lotus and smiling. "More tea?" she asked, hazily.

-

She looks over as Luna speaks and smiles with friendly warmth.  "It's almost ready."  Lotus pours the hot water over the refreshed herbs in the mug and, after giving it a moment to steep, she mixes in just a little bit of sugar as to Luna's previous taste.  She carefully returns with the mug on the tray and settles them on the broad edge of the bath.  "Did you enjoy your rest, Luna?"

-

The princess nodded, and leaned up to sip out of the cup, then laid back down, lightly sloshing the cooled water about. "Mhm.  Thanks to you. It was nice. I mean...  I hate to be alone - so having you here was nice. " Luna settled ther ea while longer, sipping her warm tea, before the cool water started to get to her and she sat up a little, stretching languidly.

-

"I'm happy to have been here," Lotus replies.  As Luna looks to be ready to exit the bath, Lotus finds herself a little anxious again.  She trots to a side table and takes up a neatly folded robe.  The dusky blue colour took some haggling to get just right and on a rush job, but the embroidery is what really had Lotus worried until she'd had the chance to retrieve the freshly made robe from the spa's favourite seamstress: the silvery-white moons and tiny stars winding around the hem and cuffs had thrilled Lotus with their quality, but now she's worried that the gift won't live up to Luna's royal standards.  "Your robe, Luna."

-

The princess turned and saw it, and then it as her turn to blush. she stepped to the edge of the bath, and then glanced up at Lotus. She could recognize the fine work that went into the embroidery, and she recalled a promise to have her a personal robe for this visit, now that she thought.. .Luna smiled warmly, after a moment of pleasant surprise, and stepped out, into Lotus's waiting hooves with the robe.

The softness and warmth of the material as it settled against her coat revealed the care that had been taken with the robe. The princess let Lotus close it and tie it shut, while she looked down and back at herself, noting the delicate star and moon designs. "Lotus... did you have this rushed just for me, today?" she asked, looking up at her with a wistful look. It must've cost her... so much... and yet Luna adored it more and more as she gave it time to settle on her form. A happy feeling of conflict, if there ever were one.

-

Lotus held her breath for a moment as she waiting on Luna's reaction, and the giddy relief that washes through her leaves the spa pony feeling fit to burst as the regal mare smiles.  Helping Luna into the new robe, Lotus has a little blush of her own as she steps back and catches herself admiring the Princess in her new robe.

"Well...  I did promise I'd have a robe ready for you."  Lotus replies in a bit of a bashful tone to accompany her shy smile.  "We employ a local seamstress for all our spa supplies that aren't provided by Rarity, and when I saw that she had that blue I just had to ask her to hurry on it.  Does it fit alright?"

-

The princess turned, looking back at herself. "It's rather comfortable." she admired, and pranced lightly in the loose but warm material. "It fits nicely, I think. It wasn't too expensive...?" she ventured warily, trotting along back to Lotus and lightly giving her a friendly neck nuzzle.

-

"No, no, not at... at all."  Lotus' words falter a bit at the nuzzle, and sheepishly she nuzzles at Luna in return.  "I'm glad you like it.  I was worried that it wouldn't be right."  She admits, trying to ignore her blush as she continues.  "Are you ready for your massage?  Would you like something to eat?"

-

Luna nodded as she stepped back out of the friendly gesture, and nodded once more, to reaffirm. "Yes, though, perhaps a snack first. What do you have here?" she asked, and she stepped lightly, to follow Lotus  where she might be led. "And yes, a massage after that. I've been looking forward to it since yesterday." she admitted.

-

"We mostly have light snacks in the spa kitchen, but if you'd like anything more substantial I'd be happy to make you something.  We've got chilled dandelion salads and sprout sandwiches, and I'm sure we have a few fruit bowls too.  In the other kitchen there's some vegetable soup, too."  Lotus replies, casually offering to open up the household kitchen amidst ticking off a few of the items on-hoof in the spa itself.

A bit worriedly, Lotus looks over to Luna as she leads the way to the spa's snack nook.  "Oh no, did everything tighten up on you again already?  I was worried that I couldn't work all of the tension out during yesterday's visit."

-

Luna joined her, to look the listed options over personally, as she carries on the conversation. "Oh, no, no, it's not your fault.. I just...  never really realized that I always feel like that. You just... helped me not to, for a while." she smiled, and nudged her warmly. "..but if it is possible to feel so relaxed all the time, I would welcome it." she considered her options.

Luna rolled back her shoulders and stretched out her neck again, glancing up to her companion. "I'd like something light - nothing that would demand much preparation. Perhaps a fruit bowl."

-

Lotus smiles in response to Luna's reassurance and nudge.  "If you'd like, I can always try to get in touch with other masseuses in Canterlot--there's no reason you shouldn't always have someone with able hooves to help handle that stress."  Despite the offer, worry lingers at the back of Lotus' mind.  Surely there's a reason for that much stress, but she doesn't know the life of a royal and so Lotus can't begin to fathom why it should take such a tole on Luna.

"I'll have it ready in just a moment, then."  Lotus smiles as she sets to work retrieving the cooled fruits.  A quick rinse for the grapes, a check of the pre-sliced apples, pears and oranges, and then a few cubed pieces of honeydew melon and a scattering of whole strawberries go into a bowl.  The bowl itself Lotus places before the Princess at the little table in the nook, though afterward she seems a little uncertain of what to do with herself.  "Do...  do you wish company while you eat, or would you rather I let you be?"

-

Luna glanced to Lotus with a smile. "If you wish... It'd be nice, though, I'm unsure how others might approach such treatment. I like your manner very much." Luna said softly, then turned to the food. When Lotus spoke up, hesitantly, Luna smiled, closing her eyes as she enjoyed a bite. "Please, do stay. Have some for yourself as well. A small snack, then on to the massage." Luna put a hoof to her shoulder. "As I said, I enjoy your company, Lotus."

-

"I can certainly get in contact with them and find out the details.  The only other option I could think of would be for you to make regular visits here.  And though I'd be thrilled to have you as a regular, wouldn't that be more hassle for you?"  Genuine worry and warmth colour her tone as Lotus readies the fruit.  "Then again, it is only a train ride away--I could always come to you?"  

When Luna asks her to remain and offers to share the meal, Lotus initially thinks she should decline--it wouldn't be polite to eat a guest's meal, after all--but the welcome weight of Luna's hoof and the reassurance that her company is wanted melts her inner argument.  With a nod she settles opposite Luna at the little table.  "Thank you, Luna."  Still a little sheepish, Lotus leans forward to help herself to a grape.
</quote>


"I do enjoy Ponyville... I find it much more pleasant than Canterlot. I doubt I could relocate here, but frequent visits would be alright. And perhaps I should invite you to Canterlot sometime. You and your sister both, of course. As I said before, I'm sure my Sister would enjoy this as well. " Luna added, and smiled across the table to Lotus. She leaned forward to nom a grape off the bunch as well, then levitated an apple along as she sat back upright.

"No, I think always is a poor choice. Perhaps we shall make arrangements over time. Sometimes it may suit more for me to join you here, while otherwise it would be best for you to come to me. Though, I wouldn't wish to disrupt your work here too frequently. " Luna smiled warmly, then gave an affectionate nod, as Lotus thanked her. She bit her apple, chewing and swallowing demurely, and levitated a napkin to dab her lips with, as she savored the juicy fruit.

-

Lotus looks rather surprised at the notion that somepony could like Ponyville more than Canterlot, but as she listened and considered it started to seem less odd to the mare.  Canterlot may be busier and quite a bit more posh, but here in Ponyville you knew your neighbours and you knew you could count on them.  Would Shai Ni so easily have been taken in if she'd encountered her household disaster in Canterlot?  Hopefully so; Lotus didn't like to think badly of other ponies in general, but there was a definite warmth to this little town that made it incredibly appealing.  

"I'm certain Aloe would jump at the chance to attend to you and your sister," Lotus replies with a soft laugh.  Continuing to delicately pick the occasional small bit of fruit as Luna goes on, Lotus starts to nod her understanding, only to shake her head and hastily swallow a bit of pear.  "Please don't worry about that, Luna.  If anything, Aloe and I could always take turns, too.  It wouldn't cause any upset with our regulars, and it would be a great way for us to expand our current line of treatments, too.  Not to mention that we'd have the chance to stock up instead of sending away for supplies..."  Lotus trails off thoughtfully, then catches herself thinking purely in terms of business and offers Luna an apologetic smile.  "Aloe says I get too caught up in the spa, and I suppose she's right.  What matters is that I would be more than happy to clear an entire year's worth of schedule to make time for you."  She blushes slightly as the words come out but giggles as well; Lotus can only hope that the over-the-top and yet quite genuine statement will get a laugh from Luna too.

-

Lotus wouldn't be disappointed. She laughed happily, and there was a warm glow in her smile as she looked across the table to Lotus. "I trust it won't come to that, but I am honored." she looked down to finish off her apple, dabbing her lips clean, then back up to Lotus. Another napkin was brought up, to dab her lips off lightly, wiping away a bit on her lower lip with a delicate touch. "There you are. Shall we?" she asked, rising again.

Luna waited for the Spapony to stand to lead her along, even though she knew where they were going. "We will do this then. Soon, I shall invite you to Canterlot to tend to my own care. If my Sister's schedule permits, I'll ask for both you and your sister. I'm unaware what facilities exist in the palace itself, but if it lacks facilities for this, I shall see if we can't get something suited." she commented warmly.

-

Smiling brightly as Luna laughs, Lotus enjoys a giddy thrill as the regal mare smiles so beautifully.  Her lashes then flutter in surprise as the little bit of fruit juice on her own lips is wiped away, and with a modest bow of her head to accompany her light blush, Lotus manages a quiet 'Thank you' in response.  "Yes, of course," comes in a clearer and less bashful voice, but her cheeks are still pink as she stands and takes up the dish to put it in the little sink.

She sets a leisurely pace towards the waiting massage table as she listens, and Lotus nods before speaking.  "We have a few tables that fold up for storage and travel--as long as we have a quiet place with enough room, we can always bring most of the supplies.  I don't know that we could convince anyone but Big Macintosh to haul those tubs, though."  Lotus giggles at the last; she's not sure she'd even want to ask that strapping stallion to manage it--but she bets that Aloe would enjoy the view, even so.

Once at the table, Lotus stands by to take Luna's robe and to make sure that the massage oils are at the proper warmth.  "I thought, if it's alright with you, that I'd start with a relaxing massage, then work up to a deep-tissue massage to try to get those knots at their root."

-

Luna shed her robe gracefully and put it into Lotus's waiting hooves, then climbed up smoothly to sprawl across the table on her stomach. She nodded slightly, and laid her cheek on the cushioned rest for her head, to watch Lotus for a few minutes. "That sounds nice. Don't take it as an offense if I drift off, Lotus. I'm so tired and this in particular was so wonderfully soothing earlier."

The Princess closed her eyes, and righted her face on the table, opening her wings wide, and out to either side, to get them out of Lotus's way. She let her weight sink onto the table, and exhaled deeply, focusing herself on clearing her mind and relaxing for now. The Princess's weight coming to rest on the table was visible to Lotus's keen eye, she could see how those muscles were trying to just release and rest, but thy wouldn't manage it alone.

In the course of studying their tension, she'd look along the Princess's back, up to her tense back, between her wings, and the base of her neck. Even her limbs seemed heavy this evening, from a mix of daily activity and long-term, exhaustive damage. The princess herself didn't quite seem to understand how awful her condition was, but in her own words she'd said that she never felt out of the ordinary before... she had grown used to such tension and exhaustion to the point where she barely noticed it, but it was there, plain to see for Lotus's eyes. Luna did need her right now.

-

Lotus takes a moment to fold the robe before setting it near at hoof but otherwise out of the way.  Smiling as she looks up from testing one of the gently fragrant oils, Lotus shakes her head.  "I won't, I promise.  I will try not to wake you if you do fall asleep, though." 

She watches as Luna tries to relax and worry again darkens her eyes as the tension makes itself so very obvious.  It's so frustrating to see that, to know that Luna is so accustomed to the stress that it's 'normal'.  Pushing the agitation with her presently rather nebulous concept of Luna's day-to-day aside, Lotus starts with carefully applying the same treatment to Luna's tail as she had earlier to the regal mare's mane.  With that out of the way, Lotus sets to work on a gentle massage.

Starting at the base of Luna's neck, Lotus spreads a small amount of the heated massage oil as her hooves seek to gently banish surface tension.  The soft relaxation massage has a twofold goal: to help Luna ease into a more restful state and to pinpoint the worst of the tension knots.  As Lotus makes a mental map of the latter her concern for Luna only grows.  'This can't be healthy...  Poor Luna.'  She wants to answer that need to the fullest capacity that she's able as a professional masseuse, but Lotus is also realising that she wants to go above and beyond to fix it, whatever 'it' may be.

Tilting her head to see if Luna has dozed off, Lotus hazards a question if the Princess is still awake.  "Luna...?  You said this level of tension was 'normal'; how long has it been this way...?"

Luna didn't open her eyes as Lotus began, the warm oils on her back, and Lotus's expert hooves brushing gently over the surface of her coat, working out the light, the simple day to day tension that has built up over the course of the day. As with the previous day's efforts, she knew that it was as if there were alyers upon layers of tension, built up and waiting, her neck feeling solid and hard under the softer layer as her hooves worked.

The princess exhaled serenely, but her eyes opened with Lotus's question. She didn't have a displeased expression, and her tone was gentle and conversational - she was happy to talk with Lotus, rather than upset at the distraction. "Oh.. my..." she moved a hoof to her lips a moment, then laid it to rest. "I... simply couldn't say. It's been a very, very long time..." Luna trailed off... how long had it been? Years, at least... Her banishment? Had it done this to her?

Or, was it even before then? Luna tried to recall, but the events were so far away - and many were hazy, with the passage of time, nightmares best put aside and not thought about. Simply doing so caused a physical response though... the regal mare tensed suddenly, and shut her eyes again,  hiding a delicate bite of her lip as she forced her mind onto happier things, focused it back on Lotus's touches, along her back.

-

She listens quietly to Luna's initial answer, and as the royal's words wander into silence Lotus continues the massage.  She assumes that Luna is simply considering her answer, but the sudden tension brings a little sound of surprise from Lotus.  "L-luna?  Are you alright?"  

She leans low over the other mare's back, her eyes wide with concern as her hooves briefly still, then somewhat haltingly resume the massage.  Lotus feels tension building in her own neck and shoulders as she tries to keep her fervent want to help restore Luna's calm from effecting the gentle manipulation of the stressed muscles.

-

"Yes.. yes.. I'm fine, Lotus..." she replied softly, and nodded her head delicately. The princess took a slow and deep breath. She clearly wasn't, though she was quick to put away the anxious feelings again, their effects lingered, guilt and shame and her long and troubled history leaving fresh tangles under Lotus's hooves. They unraveled at her touch, easy and simple... but it was clear the mare had a monumental task ahead of her.

"Is something wrong?"

-

Lotus bites her lip as she works to smooth away the refreshed knots of tension; she thinks she might need a massage from Aloe after the evening is done.

"It's...  I...  I'm worried about you, Luna."  Her voice is soft as she answers, and it takes her a few false starts to get her words sorted out.  The massage never stops; Lotus is almost afraid that if she pauses for even a moment that Luna might curl up in a thrumming ball of stress.  "You're carrying so much stress and so much tension.  It can't be healthy, and I can't help but worry so much about you."  Ignoring the light blush that manages to tinge her cheeks despite her concern, Lotus continues in that same quiet and caring voice.  "I'm not sure I can fix all of this, but I want to try.  I want to make all of this go away.  You do so much and you mean so much...  t-to all of us, I mean."  Lotus' words come to a faltering stop, and instead she just concentrates on working the stress out of Luna's shoulders.

"_{I wish I could make it better.}"  The spa pony murmurs to herself, unaware the words are spoken aloud.

-

The Princess let Lotus get it out patiently... but it surprised her, once she had. Luna turned her head, to look back, but was greeted by a twinge and she settled her face forward again at the slight spasm of a muscle. Wincing a little, she caught Lotus's whispered, and a warmth brushed through her own cheeks at her words.

She was important? No.. Celestia could and had done her only real job for centuries. Even now, she was more a political hindrance than an asset, and she hated Canterlot sometimes. All the political... horseapples. Despite all this tumbling through her mind, she didn't tense up, as Lotus's words glowed warmly in her. She was important to somepony. Of course she was. Celestia loved her, but there was never time to spend with her, never time when her sister wasn't busy.  Many of those in Ponyville loved her, needed her, but they had been fine without her, and would be. Even Lotus. Still, hearing it from the mare behind her, who was working to take care of her, who wanted so much to make things better - not because she was a princess, but because she was a friend... that helped her.

Luna shook her head. "I don't do much, Lotus... And what I do, my sister has proven she can as well." She said gently. "Equestria would be fine without me. It was fine, without me." Where had this come from? Lotus could sense it was something Luna would never normally voice. She'd poured a secret out for Lotus, it seemed, and as the regal mare shut her eyes tight, a wave of tension threatened to wash through her. Lotus could feel it, as Luna drew an uneasy breath.

Luna didn't begrudge her sister. She was beyond her selfish desire to rule... but Canterlot didn't want her - it had been saddled with her return, and Luna couldn't... ignore the fact that Canterlot's high society was so rigid and stuffy and judgmental. Even she, and her sister, weren't beyond the eyes of the populace. Luna didn't like to be judged, certainly not beside her sister... and not after all that she'd done.

-

Lotus can't hear the Princess' thoughts, but she can feel the ramifications of them in Luna's neck and back.  When Luna asserts that she doesn't do much, and that it can be handled by Celestia, Lotus feels... an odd kinship.  Aloe could easily run the spa, and she probably wouldn't work herself into the ground, either.  She wouldn't worry and fret the way Lotus does, and it would probably mean for a happier work day and certainly it would make for rather vibrant evenings if Lotus wasn't around to insist upon inventory right this moment when, really, such things could wait.  It strikes a chord, and the spa pony can't quite help the words that come next.

"Oh, Luna..."  Lotus breathes the words, and despite her own self-doubts the spa mare finds herself leaning over Luna to gently hug her about the neck.  "The moon was lovely without you, but it wasn't beautiful until you returned.  The stars didn't dance until you came back.  Equestria might have seemed fine, but our nights--our lives--weren't the same without you to safeguard our dreams.  Princess Celestia certainly did an admirable job, but she isn't you."  She isn't really sure where all of that came from, but from the warmth in her cheeks to the steady, almost nervous hammering of her heart, Lotus speaks true to her own thoughts and feelings.  Somewhat awkwardly she leans away again, not really sure if Luna will be all that thrilled about the sudden hug.

"I'm glad you're back.  And I'm glad you're here.  And... And I'm glad you're my friend."  Lotus finishes quietly, then hesitantly looks to the other mare to see her reaction to the little outburst.

-

The Princess was taken aback by the embrace, and Lotus's words. Warmth bubbled in her heart, and she gently arched her neck, returning the neck-nuzzle to the tender mare. Lun's eyes opened, glistening faintly with moisture - she wasn't crying, but perhaps had been close to it? or, was close to it now?  They closed again, and the dampness vanished against her dark coat, as Luna let Lotus back away. She was smiling, at least. That was a good sign.

More than that, she feels, beneath Lotus's hooves, better. She's not entirely better, of course...  but Lotus can feel that some of that tension, some of that stubborn, resilient stress  is more relaxed, yielding to her hooves more easily. Even so - it wouldn't fade away painlessly; it was deep and solid and set in her body, a physical manifestation of her anxiety. "I... I'm glad, too..." she said, and breathed a weary sigh, shutting both her eyes snugly as she settled. "I'm sorry to trouble you so much, Lotus. Do you need to stop?" she offered, quietly.

-

The smile is reassuring for Lotus, but the subtle ease of the tension that she can sense through her hooves brings a cheer to her heart.  "You don't trouble me, I...  Well, your stress troubles me, but that isn't your fault.  And I'm nowhere near to stopping now."  She brings a bit of light-hearted happiness into her voice that gets easier as she speaks: she wants to reassure Luna, to make her smile again.

Even if Luna's eyes are shut now, Lotus pantomimes pushing sleeves back before resuming her work.  A little more time around her neck and shoulders, and then Lotus sets to work on the flight muscles at the base of Luna's glorious wings.  Even if she's here all night, Lotus plans to work out every knot and kink and line of stress that she can get to.

-

The princess let out a soft groan, lowering her head a bit further. Lotus's hooves were firm now, serious and eager  to conquer the tension  in her back. The mare tensed up slightly as the firm, but careful pressure rubbed and soothed her neck muscles, until the ache dissolved to a warm glow. Luna released a breath she hadn't noticed she was holding, and felt... something... leave her with it. as her flight muscles were  the focus of attention now, the mare stretched her neck gently, and settled herself down again, to let the tingly warmth settle and sink in.

Luna nuzzled her cheek into the cushioning, discreetly wiping her eyes against it. Contentment warmed her heart, as she opened an eye to glance back at Lotus, offering a smile. Her own cheeks were flush now, after the earlier display. "Forgive my words from before, Lotus... I... I should be more careful what I say when I'm with others. I am not so skilled as my sister at handling public attention." she said gently. "It's improper to discuss such matters... improper for me to feel that way..." she added, faintly. She said it - but in a whisper, as if she weren't supposed to.

-

Lotus' expression is somewhere between distant and carefully focused; she can see some of the tension in the way Luna holds her wings or doesn't fully relax here and there, but so very much of it is by feel.  Her eyes even shut for a few moments as she concentrates first on the left wing base, then on the right: pushing, rubbing, carefully squeezing at the bunched muscles until she can coax them towards pliancy.

"Mm...?"  Lotus mentally catches up, then quickly shakes her head as her eyes open.  "No, no, please.  You don't have to watch your words with me.  Feeling bad is...  part of life, I think.  Not being sure of yourself or where you stand...  I want to help you work that out, too.  I-if that's okay."  She hastily adds at the last, suddenly worried that Luna may be apologising as a way to allow Lotus to save face for overstepping the bounds of their friendship.

With care she supports the weight of Luna's left wing and extends it, using her right hoof to follow the muscles and tendons along, easing them as she goes.  She doesn't have Aloe's skill at aligning joints and so Lotus doesn't try; wings are so delicate for all their strength and she'd be terrified of doing damage.

-

As Lotus worked her wing, Luna let her, managing to relax her own muscles and yield to Lotus's hooves.  She spread it, and sighed at her soft touch. Lotus could sense, even in her wing, faint tension... but also, it was hardier, stronger than any other wing she'd worked on before. The bones weren't any less delicate, but they felt stronger, individually as well as together. The glossy, midnight feathers were warm and smooth, and for the most part, flawlessly arrayed thanks to the treatment the previous day.

Luna glanced back at Lotus, and stared at her softly. Feeling bad was... part of life? The princess frowned deeply, and Lotus could fee it generating a stressed breath. Luna lifted her head from her rest, and reached her hoof back, touching Lotus's shoulder, and shook her head. "No. It shouldn't be..." She turned quickly back to lie down, and shuffled her hooves about, before settling back in place, so Lotus could return to work.

Once she was settled anew, she spoke quietly. "How do you mean to help me?" She'd settled for a whisper this time - the soft sounds of the stronger rain on the roof above persisted, but her whisper pierced the noise, and the dim lighting. Her heavier breath in, then out, showed in a release of the lighter, surface tension of Luna's brow. Against the cushion, she kept her eyes closed now, resting them. "I welcome it... yet..."

-

Lotus marvels at that strength and beauty as she works, and with the same care she lets the wing settle in the interests of 'rounding the table to work at the other.  She's stopped by the touch on her shoulder and her gaze lifts to meet Luna's.  She isn't sure what to say at first--Lotus agrees with her, definitely, but on the other hoof...  "Perhaps it shouldn't be a large part of life, but...  But nothing good would be quite so sweet without a little bad, would it?"  The question is tentative; Lotus doesn't sound so sure.

She's come around to work gently at Luna's right wing now, and the whispers make her pause.  For a moment Lotus balances on her hind-hooves, listening to the silence as she considers how best to answer.  "However I can, Luna."  A soft smile accompanies the words, and after a moment she resumes the wing-massage.

-

The princess didn't answer, but as Lotus went back to work on her right wing, she mulled her words over? Nothing good would be so sweet without a little bad...?  So many meanings, that could have. As Lotus's hooves gently caressed her wing, she took a slow, deeper breath.

She wasn't sure what to make of what Lotus had said. As Lotus finished with the wing and moved on, she could feel Luna's inner, heavier tension, still tight, still heavy... some of it had relaxed, but just a little, enough that her deep massage might cleanse it away. As she continued tending to the surface tension, Luna settled to rest, closing her eyes, placidly letting Lotus work in peace.

-

In the quiet, Lotus lets her mind drift as she leans into the massage.  Now that the more gentle work is done, Lotus can follow the supple line of Luna's spine from neck to tail to work at as much of the core tension as she can ease away.  Her hooves are improper tools for this work: she bends her forelimbs and uses her elbows instead.  More precise and far more gentle on Luna's coat and skin.

Somewhere in the quiet, Lotus begins to softly hum beneath her breath.  The melody is frequently broken by her breathing and by effort, but it's a pleasant tune with the hallmarks of a lullaby.

-

The soft tone of Lotus's humming lulls the Princess into a doze with ease. She scarcely notes the shift from hooves to elbows, as the delicate work slowly works deeper, into the taught muscles in her back. Luna gives slightly, back arching a little as she stretches, her eyes fluttering, half-open. "Mhmm?" That felt... really good.  As she settled against the cushioning to soak in the attentive touches, Luna couldn't help but almost purr faintly,

The Princess glanced up to her, satisfied with the light massage, a pleasant tingle cascading through her, though, at the same time, Lotus could feel she was only tending to the surface. Treating the symptoms, perhaps. Deeper, she could still feel tension, down at the root of the muscles, in her joints, Luna herself felt the ache of these things, not, masked by the soft glow of Lotus's massage now.

-

When Lotus is finally satisfied that she's managed all she can possibly do without sprouting a horn and working magic, she eases on the massage again until she can switch to a set of brushes to smooth and gloss Luna's dark coat.  She spends significant time there, making sure that the lengthy massage hasn't left even a single hair out of place, before she even thinks of working at Luna's wings, horn, hooves, or mane.

"How is that feeling, Luna...?"  Lotus looks up after a time to ask, still wishing she could fix it now--but wholly committed to putting her all into working the full of it out over as much time as it might take.  "Do you want a break, or anything to drink?"

-

The princess nodded gently, as  the soft brushes teased through her delicate coat. She lifted her head slowly, and opened her eyes, then let out a  heavy sigh, coupled with relaxation through her whole frame. "Amazing, of course..." The princess trailed in a pleased, lilting tone.

Luna stretched a little. "Just a short break. More tea..." The princess slowly got off the table, but put one hoof to the table to hold herself up, as she  settled her weight back on her hooves. She drew her wings in gently, then stretched them wide, smiling.

A yawn overtook her, and she stretched her legs and neck a little, before following Lotus to the snack corner again. "I'm already feeling much better." Feeling much better, yes. But Lotus was only dealing with symptoms, even still. Where had all of this come from? How quickly would it return?

-

Lotus smiles happily at the assessment, and for the moment it's enough to stave off the worry.  "I'm so glad to hear it."  She's a little surprised to see that Luna means to follow her, but she takes it readily in stride and helps the Princess into her robe if she'll accept it.  It's a short task to mix the herbs for the tea and soon she's sweetening it as before once it's steeped, but even that little amount of time is enough to put a little crease of worry in her brow.

"Luna...  If it isn't too much for me to presume...  I would like to set up some sort of regular schedule before you leave tonight?  Whether it's a massage or just a beautification or...  or just being someone to talk to about things that might bother you, I'd like to be there for you."  She settles the gently steaming mug before the Princess, then continues to speak once that's dealt with.  "We can work out a rotating schedule, like you'd mentioned, of you coming here and I visiting you, and Aloe coming when she can to also pamper your sister?"

She's not sure why she's approaching this so oddly; Lotus has heard plenty of stress-fuelled stories while working at the spa.  She's got a good ear for listening, and usually a good shoulder for lifting some of the burden too, but something tells Lotus this is different and she's wary of alienating her new friend by pushing too hard.  "The visits could be anything you like, really.  I'd rather see you as a friend than just as a masseuse."

-

Luna slips into her robe  happily before joining Lotus for the drink. She levitates hers to her once it's done, and sips lightly. Ah...

Luna turned her attention up to Lotus again, as she spoke up about arranging a long-term schedule. The princess took another sip before putting a hoof out to Lotus. "If you want to plan something, we could arrange for that. I would enjoy that. Your massages are wonderful." Luna added. "If you had other things in mind, perhaps that would be good as well. And there is always something at the canterlot theater, have you ever been?"

Luna took a seat back on the massage table, and put a hoof to her cheek thoughtfully. "

-

She feels a bit of relief as Luna so easily agrees, though mention of the theatre gives her a little pause.  "I've never been, no.  I've been to a few productions elsewhere, but mostly little things--the school does a few rather interesting renditions of the classics.  Do you go often?"  Lotus replies with a little giggle; the youths of Ponyville are always amusing on stage.

Accompanying Luna back to the massage table, she'll take the robe and fold it again, her attention fully on the regal mare as it seems as though she's about to say something more.

-

The princess smiled to her companion, and sprawled back onto the bed, floating her drink close, to sip through her straw. "Actually, I've gone fairly often. It's nice to escape notice by letting someone else take the stage." Luna said. "Plus, it's rather fun. The stories can be quite complex. We could do that next time, before the massage?"

-

Lotus readies her beautifying supplies as she listens to Luna, and her expression is one of great interest.  "It sounds wonderful...!  I'd love to, yes.  That really sounds like a wonderful start to a relaxing visit."

Carefully balancing a little pot on a hoof, Lotus switches subjects just a bit.  "Since you had a pretty thorough buffing and polishing of your hooves and horn yesterday I'm only going to do touchups there as needed, but I was going to brush in a light glosser on your wings, then dry and style your mane and tail.  Is there anything else you'd like me to do?"

-

As Lotus went over her plan, Luna nodded delicately. It sounded fine to her. "Unless you have some other treatments in store, that sounds wonderful." The princess wa quiet for a short while, closing her eyes, then spoke up again. "What time is it, bychance? I hope my absence hasn't troubled Rarity or my guards." she added.

-

"Well, the beautification and styling are generally the last steps," Lotus replies in an apologetic tone.  She'd rather Luna stay longer, herself, but Lotus reasons that the Princess likely has other and better things to be doing with her time than just keeping a spa pony like herself company.

"The time?  Oh, it's...  Oh."  Looking up at the clock as she answers, Lotus lets her words trail off as she blinks in surprise.  "It's actually later than I thought it was--I lost track of the time."  She nods to the clock, the hands of which show that roughly two and a half hours have slipped by.  "I hope not, too.  But I suppose if they got worried your guards would have come to check on you, yes?  Or perhaps Miss Rarity has them tied up with her latest line for stallions?"  The last is spoken with a giggle--Lotus can't imagine even Rarity managing to coax the Captain into anything too posh, charmer that she is.  "If you're worried, though, I can put a rush on the final touches?  I promise the quality won't be lacking."

-

Luna laughed, and shook her vhead lightly. "No, no.. You're right... They all know where I am, and it's not as if I have plans this evening aside from rest and relaxation. Please - take all the time you wish, Lotus. I don't want to exhaust you for tomorrow, though." She said gently. The regal mare of night offered a warm smile, up to the spapony. "In fact, I would as soon rest here if your guest room were free, but under the circumstances, best I return to Rarity's Boutique after we're done. But worry not - take as much or little time as you like - I shall enjoy it fully in any case."

-

She nods in understanding, then laughs softly.  "I don't mind if I'm a little tired; I can sleep in tomorrow."  Lotus takes a slow breath as Luna continues, and shyly she speaks in response.  "Well, if you do end up feeling too tired to walk back, you could sleep in my room?  I can share with Aloe; I don't mind."

Lotus carefully sets to work at inspecting Luna's hooves; even the slightest imperfection from yesterday's treatment is gently buffed away before a fresh coat of protective lacquer is applied.

-

The princess nodded slightly. "So long as I am not troubling you, Lotus. I wouldn't want you to give up your room on my account. " She held her hooves out one by one as Lotus attended them, circling her. The regal mare was aglow with serenity, now, and Lotus could feel secure in a job well done as she continued to touch up Luna's last few hooves, and on to her horn.

The surface and its elegant spiral were much as she recalled it. The tip had clearly been used frequently for magic throughout the day, perhaps her steady water deflection spell? As she attended it, though, Lotus could sense a charged tension in Luna's brow, around the base of the horn. The sensitive nerves and conduits to help focus magic, Luna seemed to have a buildup of tension deep into them as well, and oh - the headache it must cause her sometimes?

-

"It's no trouble at all, really.  I'd be glad to have you stay over."  Lotus giggles, busily filing and buffing and retouching Luna's hooves.  She's extra careful with Luna's horn, and in the end a buffing and a thin coat of polish to make sure that it shines radiantly.  Lotus is thrilled by the calm in Luna now, and dedicated to the notion that she'll continue to quash the stress as it rears its head.  And, maybe eventually, she'll even soothe the root issue away.

It's as she's carefully tending to the polish of the horn that her own distraction melts away and she notices the tension in Luna's brow that she'd missed before.  "Hm," Lotus murmurs a thoughtful sound to herself, then sets aside the polish.  Gently she applies a careful, circular pressure with a hoof to Luna's brow in a steady outward motion around the horn.  Sinus pressure points she knows well--no few mares and stallions endure spring sneezes from all the pollen of the area--and Lotus delicately stimulates those as well as she works her way toward Luna's temples.

-

"Then..."  the mare purred softly. "...perhaps I shall accept that offer." Luna whispered delicately, and closed her eyes. As Lotus attended to her horn's care, then turned her hooves to Luna's temples, the mare's brow furred a little as the sensation started to make itself known to her. Heavier, tighter feeling - it was something she felt familiar with. She was used to it.

As Lotus began her slow and firm, gentle circling massage, Luna felt the sensation pressing into her scalp, gently trying to coax the heaviness out of her head. The manual stimulation of those nerves, their tightness, sent a soft spark cascading up Luna's midnight horn, a simple magi-static discharge not uncommon save for how bright it was, so sudden, flashing into the air with enough of a spark to make Luna flinch.

Lotus, had she been a less learned or attentive mare wouldn't have recognized it immediately - Luna had channeled magic beyond her ability - it was common with ambitious unicorns who stretched beyond their experience with the scope of their raw talent. This, though, was something else - her system clogged with latent, untapped energy she'd channeled at some point in the past. Such a heavy buildup was a rare case, and certainly dangerous for a Unicorn - not that  one could always expect an Alicorn's greater potency to work the same way, but there were at least familiarities to Lotus's trained eye and hooves here.

Luna issued a slight groan as the magic jolted out of her horn, then glanced up to Lotus, her eyes widened with a hint of surprise, her horn tingling with the static shock of being jolted so. With a faintly distressed look, Luna lifted her head slightly. "Nhh...  What was that, Lotus? My horn.. tingles, a shock of some sort? It smarts a bit, though...  Not truly painful." she said softly, her trusting eyes looking to the professional for some explanation.

-

Satisfied with that answer, quiet as it is, Lotus resumes her intense concentration upon the new-found stress.  Her hooves pause against Luna's temples as she watches the spark work its way up the Princess' dark horn, her eyes wide as her mind flashes through the possibilities.  "L...  Luna...?  Are you...  Are you alright?"  Lotus stammers, her hooves gently slipping down from Luna's temples to the sides of her face as her gaze shifts to meet the regal mare's.  Concern and anxiety vie for dominance in her expression as she listens to Luna's query.

"I...  I'm so, so very sorry.  I didn't mean to cause you any pain, I...  I sensed a tension and thought I might try to ease it, too, and then...  Luna, have you over-extended...  No, it isn't that--is your magic blocked?"  Incredulity brings her voice to a worried edge at the last and her eyes flick upward to Luna's horn again, then once more to meet the other mare's gaze.  "If that's what it is--if it's a buildup of magic--that could be the source of your strain and your stress...!"  Concern meets hope as Lotus continues, and she offers a warm smile intended to cheer and reassure.  "Are you alright, though?  It didn't hurt you?  I wouldn't ever want to hurt you...!"

-

As Lotus started to panic, Lina could merely watch. The Spa-pony's hooves on her cheeks, Luna stayed still as she looked up at her, sensing Lotus's frantic inner reaction. Her answer comes only once Lotus is done - Luna leaned up, and nudged her cheek to Lotus's in a gentle, friendly gesture, fleeting though it was.

"I can assure you, Lotus - I have endured far worse than a shock to the horn." Pausing and lowering her attention, lying her head back down, Luna processed what Lotus had divulged. Over-extended?  Magic-blocked? Luna seemed to withdraw, after those ideas were presented. Was this a safe thing to do?

Left to think about some of the things she'd done with her magic, Luna seemed to withdraw into herself, a heavy breath heralding the undoing of so much work. she anxiously poked a hoof at the floor, stretching her neck a little with a wistful frown.

"I... I am fine. But perhaps we should move on...?" She ventured, her cheeks faintly darkened in the dim light, hard to see, and as she looked up at Lotus again, her eyes showed a sense of anxious worry. What was Luna afraid of?

-

The nudge is calming and exciting for a number of conflicting reasons, and dimly Lotus reminds herself to give Aloe a shaking when she comes home.  Relief is the next big emotion when Luna starts to reassure her, and Lotus releases her gentle hold on Luna's face.  As she watches Luna seem to pull back into her own thoughts, Lotus lightly strokes at Luna's mane in what she hopes will be a calming fashion.

She sighs softly as she watches much of her hard-fought work banished by renewed tension, but Lotus banishes her own outward signs of worry and instead softly smiles in the hopes that the gentle expression of warmth might be contagious.  "Yes, of course Luna.  I'll start on your mane now?"

-

Lotus's talent was there, and more than that, Luna liked her manner, her gentleness. The touch of her hooves on the Princess's mane lets her close her eyes, and draw back in a deeper breath. And out again, slow and heavier. Luna nodded gently, then, managing a tranquil smile. The tingles in her horn were starting to fade steadily, and as Lotus started to work on unpinning he rmane, Luna put her head to rest, breathing slow and deep.

Calmed and reassured, Luna let the warmth of Lotus's care envelop her again, her wings stretching out widely to either side. She didn't say anything now, but as before, Lotus could sense Luna's tranquility. She was still in need... but she wasn't getting any worse now, thankfully.  Unlike before, there was something that kept the calm from being total, as if what had happened - or perhaps whatever was now on her mind - had her troubled, shaken deeply.

-

Lotus is careful in unpinning the regal mane, and as she runs a brush carefully through the lengths she can't help but to gently stroke Luna's neck with a free hoof as well.  Drying and styling an already elegant mane isn't difficult at all, though she does add a very drops of a very light glossing oil to further enhance the natural shine.

"Do you want me to style it in any particular way?  It's so lovely the way you wear it normally."

-

As Lotus tended to her mane, Luna opened one eye to glance up at her, as her beautiful mane drew out in Lotus's hooves. "I find my usual style is nice... though.. if you have ideas, I'm willing to see what you have in mind." she said gently.

Luna brightened a little. Maybe Lotus would have some ideas for her mane. The regal, flowing style was gorgeous, glorious... but...  surely Lotus had a million other ideas for  a mane like Luna's?

-

"Hm...  We could try a few long curls to frame your face, but...  Honestly... Hm..."  Lotus trails off as she considers.  Finally, after a few moments more of brushing in silence, Lotus bashfully admits: "I think we could try a number of styles, but, truly your natural style is beautiful.  We can always toy with it a bit on a different visit?  It might be fun to spend time seeing a few different styles."

Once Luna's mane is tended, Lotus moves on to unpinning, glossing, and brushing out Luna's tail.  "I'll go through some of the spa's style books and see if I can find a few things you might like."

-

"Alright...  I understand. It's a bit late... Best to work on my mane when we have better light?" she said. "But yes. It sounds excellent for a future visit."

Luna smiled gently, and slowly lifted her head up. "I think... if you don't object, I will take you up on the offer of your room. Once you've seen to my mane." she said softly. "Though, I do admit, you make it sound very exciting - trying out different manestyles." She said, with an optimistic grin.

-

"Mm, better light and more time.  We can try a little bit of everything...!"  Lotus giggles.  Running the wide-bristled brush through Luna's tale, Lotus nods her understanding.  "As I said, you're more than welcome to take my room.  Do you want me to wake you when I get up tomorrow morning, or let you sleep in?"

Aloe is never going to give this up, not once she hears that Lotus invited Luna to sleep in her bed.  Still...  even knowing she's in for some considerable teasing from her twin, Lotus can't help but be happy to be able to make the offer to Luna.  At first it had been such an awesome thing, so breathtaking, to pamper royalty.  It's no less amazing, but she's overjoyed to have made a friend of the exotic Princess.  Someone who, for all her differences, seems so easy to relate to and to want to make happy.

Smiling to herself, Lotus presently finishes the brushing and light styling of Luna's tale with a few last strokes, then settles the brush on the side table with a little self-satisfied nod.  "All done, Luna.  You've soaked in clay, luxuriated in a hot bath, had a lengthy massage and a full brush-down, a touchup to your hooves and horn, and a styling--if it's alright, I'll wait until tomorrow to preen your wings; I know how sleep can sometimes put the feathers out of sorts for some."

-

Luna stretched and slowly took to her hooves as Lotus announced that she was done for now.  Luna felt lighter, happier, and pranced about to Lotus's side, giving her neck another light nudge. "Alright, that's a sound idea, Lotus." She laughed softly, and trotted along to the window, glancing out into the night, and the rain.

She waited, watched the storm outside, for a few minutes, before turning back to Lotus. "As for morning... I'll admit, staying at Rarity's wasn't conducive to sleeping in - Sweetie Belle woke me up bright and early. If I can, I'd like to sleep in. But I don't wish to become a hindrance."

-

Giggling bashfully, Lotus watches the Princess' light steps and smiles brightly at the nudge despite her blush.  "You won't be, I promise you.  Here, I'll give you a quick tour of the house so you won't get lost if you wake up earlier than we do."  She'll offer Luna's custom robe as she speaks, and after that's tended she'll lead the way through the spa towards the household proper.

"Well, I'll do my best to make sure that doesn't happen here--but Aloe likes to sleep in, and Shai Ni is so quiet that you'll probably not even know she's there."

-

The princess settled into her robe happily, and followed Lotus closely, drawing her wings in so she doesn't bump anything as she follows her along to Lotus's room. Striding into the bedroom, the royal mare pauses to look the room over, her horn alighting as she opened the window curtains, allowing a view out to the rainy night, the moon's light making a few clouds light up softly.

Turning back to Lotus, the Princess smiled affectionately, and brushed a hoof over the bed. "You are sure that--" Luna began, then shook her head slightly. "Thank you, Lotus.

-

Along the way Lotus will point out where the bathroom is and also which way to go to find the kitchen if she wants a midnight snack.  She also will gesture to another pair of doors in the same hall as her room:  "That's Aloe's room, and that's where Shai Ni is staying."  Her voice is very soft; if Aloe or Shai had slipped in earlier she doesn't want to wake them if they're already at rest.

Lotus lifts a hoof to discreetly stifle a yawn as she enters the room with Luna; being so near her own bed has helped the weight of the day settle on her like a heavy blanket.  Though she certainly doesn't want to rush off and leave Luna alone, Lotus isn't sure she's going to have enough energy to wash her face and brush her teeth, but it doesn't trouble her.  The day has taken far more out of her than she'd expected, and even though she couldn't get to the heart of the problem and nor could she leave a truly lasting calm to Luna's tension, Lotus knows she's made a good start and a friend.

She smiles as Luna starts to question again, then giggles softly as the regal mare seems to assure herself that, indeed, Lotus is more than sure that she's welcome to the room.  "You're very welcome, Luna."  Lotus steps forward to give Luna a hug, and almost timidly lets her cheek rest against Luna's after a light nuzzle before stepping back again.  "If you need anything at all, please don't mind to wake me; I wouldn't want to be a poor host to such an esteemed guest and friend."

-

Luna returned the Spa-mare's warm nuzzle with one of her own, stretching her wing over Lotus as well, though it was brief. "Of course, Lotus. Thank you."  She said again, then turned with a soft smile to the bed. Her horn lit gently as she turned the sheets down carefully, , and she slid smoothly out of her robe, and into the sheets. She folded the robe up at the same time, and laid it to rest on Lotus's nightstand, whilst she nestled down into the sheets,

-

Lotus stands by for a moment, not really sure what to do with herself as Luna's magic tends to all the basics.  "Good night, Luna.  Rest well."

Retreating to the doorway, Lotus will pause for any answer, then pulls the door almost shut before going about her nightly ablutions before finally aiming to tuck herself away on one side of Aloe's bed.

--> From: Ponyville Business District - The Carousel Boutique

Arriving a bit after Luna, Shai hears Luna and Lotus in the main spa and smiles, deciding to leave the two of them to their business of pampering the princess.  Lotus knows how to do it much better than Shai, and if they need her help, they can just knock on her door.  Quietly and unobtrusively, she makes her way to the spare room she has been given and silently closes the door behind her, then goes about ensuring the new dress she has received from Rarity is properly taken care of and hung in such a manner as to keep it neatly stored and wrinkle-free.  It is not an easy task, to be sure, but Shai has practice with keeping fine clothing in peak presentable condition, and this new dress is not too different from her dresses from her homeland.  At least, in the level of care necessary to store the garment.

With that done, she carefully goes through the small pack of her things she had previously brought inside, fishes out a small bowl and several sticks of lotus flower incense, and sets them aside to give to Twilight in the morning.  With that done, she sets up a different bowl and lights a stick of incense she keeps on hand strictly for this occasion, and gives thanks to her ancestors for another good day, letting them know she will be careful on this 'date' and hopes they will continue to watch over her.

After her prayers, she fetches a small brush, an ink block, a scroll of parchment, and a bit of water, then sets about writing to home with all that had happened this day, including the generosity from Rarity and a request for a few bolts of untreated, undyed silk - the finer the better.  Of course, she is going to include bits in the letter.  And, since it is not being sent off just yet, perhaps a photo of herself in the dress, with the stylistic touches Rarity gave to her mane and tail.  Maybe even a photo of herself with Big Macintosh!

Yes, that would be a wonderful gift for her parents, no matter how the 'date' turns out.

Giving her eyes a little flutter in anticipation, Shai cleans the brush and then leaves everything out to dry before brushing her teeth and then removing her mane and tail ribbons, setting them out on the end table, and curling up for some sleep.  Even with her power nap, she is still tired, and the sounds of happiness, however faint, through the door help lull her to a most wonderful sleep.

End Day Two: Shai Ni

Enter from.. Everfree Forest Thread XD;

Luna was tense. Worse, something... when she'd raise the moon had just felt wrong, and.. erupted, like tension, but worse.. and worse still, was what she'd seen. Luna didn't want anyone else to see it ,a nd she was glad, when Starcrasher had failed to actually look into the clouds  rather than simply wiping them away... She was glad she didn't have to see  it all over again...

Still, she felt worried and without  Starcrasher there to be strong for, she felt a hint of skittish panic, and it came out in her urgent rapping upon the Spa door...

As Luna waited at the spa entrance, the door would soon open and reveal a familiar pale blue mare on the other side.  Lotus seemed surprised to see Luna -- had she been expecting someone else?

"Luna~!  You look like you've been running marathons." after all their talk of getting arrangements set to visit in Canterlot, the Spa Pony wasn't expecting to see the Princess return to their hearth so soon.  She was not unwelcome at all though.  Lotus quickly pulled the door open to let the Alicorn inside.  Aloe was nowhere to be seen and the Spa was actually rather quiet without her boisterous presence.

Luna strode inside when invited, and looked around the quiet place... "Nopony home but you?" she asked curiously, and smiled at her, though it was a bit strained. "I'm glad you're here. I've had a long afternoon and evening... I don't suppose we could move up my next appointment?" she put a hoof to her head with a soft groan. Luna wasn't the type to be dramatic when asking for something, so up she did seem to actually be tensed up. "I.. actually need to talk to you.. about.. this...  and my magic, something happened this evening, too..."

"No, just me... I was with Aloe earlier, but we both wore ourselves out looking for somepony today.  I was tired and came back, but she wanted to go have drinks." the Spa Pony explained her day shortly.  She and her sister had been absolutely aghast at seeing the state Loose Leaf had made of herself and her poor mane... she'd inflict all sorts of ruin upon her appearance if she let that sugar and fruit syrup linger!  Mere water wouldn't be enough!  They'd rushed to go get some supplies from home for an emergency beautification treatment, but by the time they got back, she wasn't at the cafe any longer.

She was honestly rambling though.  Luna was in discomfort and seeing a friend in such a state made her fret.  Even as she spoke she guided Luna along to one of the spa tables so that she could recline and get off her hooves for a while.  She didn't even need to acknowledge the request for attention -- it was simply given without a second thought.  "Are you alright?  If I can do anything to help..."

The fretting Princess naturally followed Lotus, and pulled herself up onto the table. Strange, how  a week ago this was bizarre but interesting to her, and now, she found it like a refuge.  Closing her eyes, Luna exhaled sharply, and stretched her hooves out, fore and aft. "I do hope so, dear Lotus...  Forgive me, unannounced, and in such a state." she felt safer already,though,  and calmer too.  She turned to look over her shoulder at the  mare, biting her lower lip most delicately, her tense wings giving a flick to stretch, and jerking wide with her jumpiness.

The regal pony settled, as Lotus  showed her concern, and Luna settled her head on a cushion, exhaling fully again. Her eyes slipped oepn once more, and she spoke of what had happened. "It happened after I raise dthe moon this evening... A headache, like the one I had earlier, when you were  massaging my head." She said softly. "The one that  produce that spark of magical energy, I mean."  Luna blushed a bit, and kicked one of her legs anxiously behind her.

"I suffered the same headache, and then it jolted again, but it didn't stop. I just felt my magic surge wildly, and it just erupted out of me..." she bit her lip. "It was horrible..." she shook her head. No. She couldn't speak of it.. No pony in Equestria needed to know what terrors she'd...

She paused, realized she'd left a big gap, and cleared her throat. "Nopony was hurt, it was just... shadows, a storm cloud... I..." She was grasping,  and it was perhaps a half-truth. Randomly manifesting a Stormcloud shouldn't unsettle the Princess of Night so easily.

---> Enter from: Contest Event

Angel Feather entered the Spa, sans the bag of tarts she'd been carrying before - she decided she'd had more than enough and more were dangerous so she'd disposed of them quietly along the way.

The red-maned pony had not yet been inside the spa, so she stops just a little inside the door, looking around curiously. She'd been to others, of course, but since arriving in Ponyville, she hadn't taken the time to come. She still wasn't entirely convinced this was a good idea, but she needed to relax and this was a good way for her to do it...

"Hello?"

--->Boutique

Rarity walked through the door, surprised to see Angel Feather. She set her hat on the hat-rack and set her bag down on one of the waiting room chairs. How long had she been here waiting for service? The spa must be understaffed at this hour.

"Hello, darling," she said politely, "Waiting for Aloe and Lotus?"

Angel turned, surprised to see Rarity as well, then realized that was rather silly - after all, other ponies had to come here, too. "Hello! Are they the ponies who run the spa? I'm sorry, I've never actually been here, before. I haven't been in Ponyville for terribly long, and I just never found the time before today."

"Yes! They both own the spa, and they have quite a few ponies who are around to help them when it gets busy," Rarity explained, smiling, "I'm a regular here, you see! I have my own robe and everything! I try to go once a week with my friend Fluttershy, but... I do seem to be rambling! They are probably with somepony at the moment. Shouldn't be long!"

The fashionista tried to think back, wondering if she had ever met this mare before. She had seen her at the contest earlier, but beyond that, her mind was going a bit blank. So many new ponies were moving into town, and unlike Pinkie Pie, she didn't go out of her way to meet each and every one of them.

"I am Rarity, by the way. Have we met, dear?"

Angel nods as Rarity explains about the spa, then laughs a little. "No, I guess it shouldn't be long, then."

Angel smiles as Rarity introduces herself. "No, we haven't met before. I saw you earlier, talking to Loose Leaf, though. I'm Angel Feather. The Angel Care Clinic is mine. I, um, well, I have heard of you before. You have the Boutique, don't you?"

"Yes! Carousel Boutique, where everything is chic, unique, and magnifique~" Rarity announced, putting a hoof in the air for dramatic flare, "If you are ever in need of a dress or something else, then I will be your guide into fabulosity! I do hope you don't mind the fanfare, as it were. Well, you own a clinic! You must know how important advertising can be."

Another clinic! This town certainly was filling up with ways to help ponies in whatever way they needed! Spas, acupuncture, and... whatever Angel Feather's specialty was!

"And what precisely do you specialize in?"

Angel smiled broadly at Rarity's display, then nods quickly. "I haven't really started advertising yet, but I'll do so soon. I'm a psychiatrist, primarily. I'm good at helping with most anything that ails a pony, but my specialty is mental health. It's my hope that not many ponies have to come by - I'd rather everypony be happy and healthy - but my clinic is there for anypony who needs help... And I'm probably cheaper than going to the hospital, too."

"A psychiatrist! You know, I just have a feeling that you will have quite a bit of work in this town, darling," Rarity confessed, shrugging her shoulders slightly, "Some of the ponies in this town can be a tad... Eccentric."

She included herself in that count, of course.

"Well, while we are waiting, care to indulge me in a simple question, dear?" she asked, looking down at the floor for a moment before raising to meet Angel's eyes, "What advice would you give a very busy pony to relieve a little stress?"

Angel didn't look at all surprised at the question - most ponies tended to have little questions they liked to ask when they found out what she did. She gives Rarity a smile, and says, "Well, you're here, so you're already doing the very first thing I recommend - set time aside out of your schedule to do something that you enjoy and relaxes you, and I rather suspect this fits that, for you. Otherwise? Try to find a way to reduce how busy you are, overall. If it's work related, perhaps you might find somepony to lend you a hoof when you're at your busiest?"

While Lotus knew much about Unicorn physiology due to her career, she wasn't quite so well-versed in magic and didn't know what to make of Luna's experience.  It worried her terribly though... the obvious strain the event put on her friend made her heart go out to the Alicorn.  "Well... you're alright now though, aren't you?  Maybe we should call someone who knows more about this sort of thing.  Twilight Sparkle?  Or perhaps even Princess Celestia?  Surely your sister knows how to handle something like this?"

--

While Rarity and Angel Feather milled about in the foyer hoping for service, there was no sign of Lotus coming out from the back.  She didn't even realize anyone else had come in.  However, the two didn't have to wait for too long before the door opened up in their wake to allow the other half of the beautifying duo to come ambling through.  Aloe blinked in surprise at seeing the two mares there at that time in the evening.  From the looks of her, she hadn't just been out on an errand herself as she shuffled out of her flattering coat.

"Miss Rarity~!  I didn't expect to see you tonight.  And you've brought a friend?" she asked with a friendly smile for the two.

Luna glanced up to Lotus gently, noticing how anxious she seemed. "I...  I think so..." She smiled. Just having the mare around was calming, someone to talk to to sort things out, and as she calmed down, she could think a little better.

"Actually, I think you're the very pony I need to see, Miss Lotus.  You said before about my magic being built up and blocked? Right? This felt a lot like when we discussed it before, which is why I came here..." Luna paused, then tipped her head. "I... suppose you really haven't had the time to research the issue like you intended to before our meeting in Canterlot, have you?" Luna smiled kindly, at that, indicating she wasn't upset with that fact.

She raised a hoof to her cheek. "Actually, I must rearrange that appointment in Canterlot for now. My vacation here in Ponyville has been extended - I'm unsure as to how long." She gave Lotus a warm smile. "But, make no mistake, I still want to meet with you, and regularly. You've already helped me very much."


The Princess settled back into place on the table, and closed her eyes. "If you've plans this evening, I do understand, of course. I wouldn't ask you to abandon them on my account. All I need this evening is... rest, I think. My plans to return to Canterlot were upset today, and I've had no time to arrange a place to stay...  so i thought i would ask you, if you bed is still open to me." she said softly. "I've already been such a distraction for Miss Rarity, I wouldn't feel right asking her again. "

Luna then gently exhaled, relaxing there on the table. "I...  really don't wish to go to Miss Sparkle myself with this. I'm concerned that if I take such problems to her, or to my Sister, they will worry and overreact. I'm unharmed, but I do want to know what is going on." she said gently. "For now, though.. I would settle for one of your wonderful massages, if you don't have plans." Luna begged gently for her massage, glancing up to the spapony with hopeful eyes.

After a short pause, Luna closed them again, and said. "I am sorry to trouble you so, Miss Lotus..."

"Like an assistant?" she asked, looking over to the side in thought. Rarity was making a hefty profit, more than enough to keep someone's salary going for a little while. Could she really hire someone? Perhaps someone to handle the store-front while she created dresses? Well, she couldn't trust anyone in Ponyville with an eye of fashion that held a shadow to her own. Costumers would be walking out all mismatched and clashing!~ Maybe just a personal assistant then, to do some house-work and chores?

"I'll... Keep that in mind, dear, thank you," she nodded, eyes returning to Angel Feather as the door to the spa opened. She greeted Lotus with a polite smile.

"Good evening, Aloe, darling!" she said, "I'm just here to move an appointment. Start with Angel Feather here, if you please. She was here before me."

With the exception of purposefully late-scheduled appointments, the spa usually didn't take customers during the evening hours.  But even with that being the case, Lotus would never turn aside somepony in need -- it was against her nature, and she would be loathe to do it to anyone, let alone a friend like Luna.

"I'll get the candles then."  she smiled warmly to put Luna's concerns aside.  It wasn't an inconvenience in the first place and the Princess was more than welcome to stay in the spa as long as she liked, be it for a visit or needing to borrow a bed.  Lotus explained as such and chatted to try and keep Luna distracted, not wanting her to dwell on problematic thoughts while she lit soothingly scented candles in their low stands nearby the spa tables.  "Just relax back and let me take care of everything, alright?  Do you hurt anywhere?"

--

Aloe looked back and forth between the two mares for a moment before she gave Angel Feather a fond smile.  "Well, it is a bit unusual to squeeze in an unplanned appointment this late in the evening, but there's no harm in it.  Come to the desk, darlings, both of you -- tell Aloe what you would like."  the blue-coated Earth Pony said as she trotted along to the front counter to get the appointment book out.  "What date would you like to move to, Rarity?  And Miss Angel Feather?  What may I put you down for tonight?"

Rarity followed Aloe over to the front desk, having Angel Feather come up alongside her. She figured that it wouldn't be much of an issue if she went first in announcing what date she was changing her appointment to. It was faster than picking what sort of treatment one wanted, and it would allow her to get along to Shai's house to drop off her things.

"Well, Fluttershy and I typically have our appointment later in the week," Rarity explained, though Aloe already knew this, "But I would like to move it up to tomorrow. Things have just been so stressful, Aloe, and I could really use one of Lotus' massages along my back, the sooner the better. Speaking of, where is she, darling? Is she running an errand also?"

The Princess  of Night settled easily. Lotus's  soothing manner was more than enough to banish most idle stress, and the anxious worrying was easily assuaged by her charming banter. Luna watched her with a smile, and settled into place. The aromatic candles were the same as before, and Luna inhaled deeply as they were lit, clearly savoring the aroma. She sighed happily, and peered through half-lidded eyes at Lotus. "Well, aside from the headache, just... like before, I suppose. You said my stress just seems to keep manifesting, right?  It feels that way all over again, at least a little."

Truth was, it never was quite as bad as when Lotus first tended to her, and that long, evening session had worked wonders for her. But still, the Night Princess seemed to develop anxious tension with astounding ease and speed. Worse for her, was that having been shown how  much more wonderful she would feel without it, she had stopped merely ignoring the tension as if it were just naturally 'how she felt'.

But those headaches, and this latest development... clearly an entirely different animal. There was no telling if another head massage would  alleviate or exacerbate situations, given how the previous session had included a distinct, sparking reaction from a magical buildup release. Without more dedicated study, there was little Lotus could know for certain on the subject - it most certainly wasn't an especially common problem, but it could be linked to the issue of magic use under duress, perhaps.

Angel joined Rarity at the desk, and looking thoughtful. "Well... It's been long enough since I was able to do anything like this that, frankly, I just don't know where to start. But mostly, I just need to relax for a little bit and take my mind off things, so... I am sorry about being here so late. I can come back tomorrow if you need..."

Aloe nodded as she changed the notes in the ledger to move Rarity and Fluttershy's appointment up, as well as reserve their usual time on the original day just in case. Rarity did sometimes call for extra pampering, after all.  Angel's apologies for the late scheduling was met with a dismissive wave of the Spa Pony's well-conditioned hoof.

"Nonsense dear, think nothing of it.  Lotus and I live to serve.  How about I jot you in for a nice hot herbal soak and a muscle rub, then we'll see how you feel after and go from there, hmm?"  she offered kindly.  Rarity's question about her sister was met with an idle tap of her chin.  "Lotus should be here, actually.  I don't know why she didn't get the two of you taken care of before... she's probably taking inventory and didn't hear the door.  Come, come, the both of you.  We'll get you two nice and unwound before long at all."

Aloe closed the ledger book and trotted along out from behind the desk, gesturing for the two mares to follow her into the spa proper for their well-deserved pampering.  Naturally, she was completely unaware of the royal guest already taking Lotus' entire focus at the moment.

Lotus, meanwhile, had already begun her work with Luna.  With fragrant candles glowing all around and a thick mixture of soothing oils laid across the Alicorn's back, Lotus had set to working out the bundles of tension all throughout her back with a slow, methodical effort.  She could already tell where the trouble spots were going to be.  There was lots of binding and stress built up in certain areas that she'd been so careful to unwind during the last visit, now back in full force.  For the time being she focused her attention mostly on the area between Luna's fanned wings rather than risk anything closer to her horn or the base of her skull.  She didn't want to aggravate any sort of condition without some research on the matter first.

Savoring the calm quiet of the empty spa, Luna settled in, and splayed her tense wings across the tide table, as Lotus turned her careful and expert attentions to her flight muscles.  The regal mare pressed her face down into the cushioned table, and let out a breath, eyes shutting. ahhh... relief...

Luna drew up both wings with a quiver, and kicked her hooves slightly as she did a full body stretch while Lotus worked and groaned aloud as she let loose the tension in her legs and shoulders. She let the warm and relaxing glow of the massage settle into her back, teasing all her limbs with the prospect of a soothing massage.

Magic. Hooves.

Luna settled in, but, as the sounds of ponies in other parts of the spa reached her calm, sensitive ears, she spoke softly to Lotus. "I believe Aloe is home, if you need a moment to see her."

Rarity followed Aloe inside the Spa. She didn't intend to stay, of course, because she still needed to drop Shai's outfit off, but who could resist the allure of scented candles, warm baths, and the promise of a massage, perhaps? Ooh, one couldn't say no outright! She could at least wander about inside for a moment or two. What would be the harm, after-all? It was still early evening, and as long as she didn't tarry too long, she would still make it to Shai's at a reasonably polite time!

"Oh, I can't be long, Aloe," Rarity said quietly as she followed her back, "I do have another errand to run before it gets too dark, but-"

Were those royal sounds of contentment?!

Always attuned to the noises or royalty, however strange that may seem, Rarity couldn't help herself and poked her head into one of the massage areas only to gasp in surprise at what she saw! Princess Luna was still here?! Why, just this morning, she was wishing her a fond farewell, and she intended to ship her dresses the next day?

"Princess Luna?" she exclaimed, then quickly hushed up as she noticed Lotus working, "Whatever are you still doing here, darling?"

Luna glanced up from the table at the familiar mare's voice, and felt her cheeks darken just so - though, it was hard to make out in the relaxed, dim lighting.  "Oh, it's been such a busy day, Miss Rarity. And my plans have been changed at any rate. I'm afraid my vacation is to be extended." She paused. "'Tis my sister's request, but I know little about why."

Luna closed her eyes again, and breathed deep of the calming incense. "As for why I am here." She paused, and shook her head. "Today has been awfully stressful, and I've had such a headache. Especially since raising the moon this evening. Lotus is helping me." She observed. It was only doing so much - her head was still achey, but the relaxation in her body was helping her to loosen up and relieve the stress.

Luna smiled. "Did you schedule something for the evening, too, Rarity? Mine wasn't really scheduled, Lotus is just kind enough to attend the situation despite the hour. "

"Extended?" she asked, tilting her head slightly to the side, "Why, that is hardly anything to be down about. I do hope everything is alright back in Canterlot."

Was the Princess really able to make it all the way to their capital and back in such a short time? Oh, yes. That's right. Chariots. Maybe that is what she should do with all of the bits the Princess had paid her just a week before! With her very own chariot, she could advertise in Cloudsdale and Canterlot and still be back to work!

Only, who would fly it?

"I'm sorry things have been so stressful, darling. I do know how you feel, to a point. Of course, it is nothing compared to doing something so drastic as raising the moon every evening, but it can cause headaches," Rarity explained, walking a little closer to Luna and Lotus, "And I'm just hear to change an appointment, I'm afraid. Tell me, darling, do you have a place to stay?"

Luna raised her eyes up to Rarity as she came closer. "I... had asked Lotus if I could stay here, but I don't wish to push her from her own bed. Are... you asking me to stay with you again, Rarity?" She smiled a little. "I would like that, I think."

Settling her eyes closed again, she let her muscles relax under Lotus's skilled hooves, and her mind calm. The severe ache and tingle had faded under her attention, to mere shadows of what she'd initially experienced.

"I had been dealing with a situation in the Everfree, before pausing to raise the moon. I felt fine before, but afterward...  umm..." She paused, and went quiet. There was something she wasn't saying, but perhaps it was for the best.

"But of course, darling! It would be my duty, and my pleasure! Besides, I wouldn't want to have Lotus put out on the couch just because you couldn't find somewhere else to stay! My home is open to you as long as you may need it, and even longer, should you want!" Rarity exclaimed, rearing back and giving an excited flailing of her hooves. It wasn't quite lady-like, but she was excited to have her royal guest again!

After that showy bit, Rarity couldn't help but blush and clear her throat politely, covering her face with a hoof. Her face crunched gently with concern for her friend who was obviously going through some hard times. Still, the fashionista had felt similarly when using her magic after a long night of dress-making or designing. She went to Twilight, of course, and found out that it was a uniquely unicorn ailment having to deal with magical back-up. Rarity's cases were usually rather minor, but someone with Luna's magical power...

"It sounds like a bit of magic build-up to me, darling," Rarity offered quietly.

After a little chatter with Lotus about Luna's situation, Rarity and Luna departed for Rarity's for the evening, and Lotus was left with a condition to study so she could help Luna out. It seemed that Luna was feeling better too, after  Lotus's expert care.

-- End Day 8 --

This message was last edited by the GM at 03:04, Tue 23 June 2015.