“That show was awesome!” Rainbow Dash laughed, jumping and doing a loop.

“It could've been better, if someone hadn't crashed against that building mid-performance,” Spitfire said, glaring at Soarin.

“Hey, you said duck and I thought there were some ducks in the air,” Soarin said.

Spitfire face hoofed and Rainbow laughed out loud. This was the best day of her life, not only had the two best Wonderbolts done a performance in Ponyville, but they even invited her to fly with them. And now she was hanging with them after the show, Rainbow couldn't control her glee. She was so happy that it took her a while to realize where they were heading.

“Um Spitfire, why are we going to the spa?” she asked, pointing at the building.

“Well, I've heard a lot about this place and I thought we needed a little cleaning up after our performance,” she explained and walked in, along with Soarin. Spitfire noticed Rainbow wasn't following them and asked “Something´s wrong, Rainbow Dash?”

“No, it's...cool. Everything is cool,” Rainbow lied.

*****

Rainbow cringed everything the spa pony´s hooves hit her back. She hated this, she hated her wings being restrained by the towel and not being able to move while some pony basically punched her for fifteen minutes. Rainbow Dash hated going to the spa and while she had occasional come with her friends, she usually just stayed in the hottub while they chatted. She enjoyed being with her friends but hated being treated like a piece of meat by other ponies.

Now, she was all alone at the mercy of the spa ponies. Well, she wasn't alone. She was with her diol Spitfire, who rested in the next table getting an even louder massage.

“You like this kind of stuff, Spitfire” Rainbow asked her.

“Oh yes, this is exactly what my wings needed after a full week of cadets try-outs,” Spitfire saying, her head buried in the pillow.

“Speaking of that, I sent my application letter a week ago. You think I´ll get an answer soon?”

“I´m not in charge of that, Rainbow,” Spitfire replied, melting under the spa pony hooves.

“Okay.” Rainbow went quiet, trying to think of something to say. There she was with Spitfire, the pony she admired the most and they were barely talking. “You know, Spitfire, you have always been my idol.”

“Mmh?”

“I mean, I've been following you since you were a cadet. I saw you in one of your first shows and I thought, that mare is so awesome! Wish one day I can be like her! Kind of silly, right? I never thought I'll really get a chance to talk to you, let alone fly by your side! So, this change you gave me today I just want to say...”

Rainbow looked at Spitfire, who was loudly snoring and drooling over her pillow, the massagist still working on her.

Rainbow grabbed her own pillow and screamed right into it.

*****

“That was a disaster,” Rainbow said out loud, walking across the hallway.

“Mrs. Rainbow Dash, would you like to try our mud baths? They are great for the coat and do wonders for the wings of a pegasus,” Aloe, one of the spa owners, asked her,

Rainbow cringed at the idea of getting into a mud pile but then Aloe mentioned that “Your friend Soarin is already there. Wanna join him?”

“Join...him?” Rainbow asked out loud, blushing.

Aloe noticed it and giggled. Still blushing, Rainbow walked to the mud baths room, stopping at the door. She took a deep breath and once again, pondered out loud.

“Okay Rainbow, this is your chance. Your one chance to talk to the most talented and cool and dedicated and mature and handsome member of the team; which you totally don't have a crush for, no matter what Rarity says. Just walk in and talk to him.”

She looked at her right and saw Aloe and her twin sister waving from behind a pot, encouraging her. With a deep blush, Rainbow walked into the room which was, strangely enough, empty.

“Soarin? You here?”

In response, something raised from, the mud bath. A roaring creature that extended its arm at Rainbow.

“I´m the mud monster!!”

Rainbow just blinked confused at the obviously covered in mud Soarin. She finally face hoofed and said

“He's as cool and mature as Pinkie Pie.”

****

“Mrs. Dash, the steam is supposed to come from the water, not your ears,” Aloe joked, giving a light massage to Rainbow while her sister preened her wings.

The three were in the steam room,  where the twins have dragged Rainbow after Soarin had covered her in mud.

“I just can't believe it! All my life, ever since I was filly, I had admired Soarin and Spitfire. They were the coolest ponies in the world! ANd now that I finally get a chance to talk to them, really talk to them, I discovered they're kind of...well, dumb. They're not so special off the stage,” Rainbow explained, venting her frustrations.

“Maybe your mistake is that you´re looking for the ponies you want to meet, instead of the ponies that are with you,” Lotus said.

Rainbow chuckled, thinking that was the kind of cryptic advice she'll probably heard from Twilight. But after pondering she had to admit that maybe she was right, she was expecting too much of them instead of appreciating them for who they are.

Happy with this realization, she relaxed on her seat, letting the twins tend to her tired muscles and wings.

*****

Spitfire yawned and walked into the hallway. Suddenly, a mud creature approached her.

“Roar!!”

“Hey Soarin,” she said, rubbing her eyes.

“Ah, no fun! You never fall for my tricks,” he replied, pouting.

“Just try not to get us expelled from this spa, Soarin. Remember we still have two more years in our ban from the Canterlot one,” she said.

Spitfire asked one of the employers where Rainbow Dash and she pointed at the mane grooming room. They walked in and froze in horror at what they saw.

“Rainbow Dash?” Spitfire asked.

“Oh, hi guys!”

“What happened to your face?” Spitfire asked.

“And your mane!” Soaring added.

“Oh, this? Just a little makeup and a small job in my mane. I wasn't so sure but the twins talked me into. I have to admit, it does feels kind of nice. My mane feels all soft and I love what they did to my eyelashes,” Rainbow explained, looking at her reflection.

Soarin rushed to hide behind Spitfire. “Who is she and what has she done to Rainbow Dash?”

“Maybe is one of those changelings we heard about,” Spitfire said.

“Hey, cut it out!” Rainbow shouted.

“Should we call the Princess?” Sarin asked.

“I think we should call the entire Royal Army,” Spitfire said.

“I said, cut it out!” Rainbo shouted and jumped over them, ruining her entire make-up.

Aloe and Lotus giggled at the scene, Spitfire keeping Rainbow at bay while Soarin kept making faces. Rainbow Dash may have wasted the work they did in her face but at least, she was finally enjoying her time in the spa.