"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.