After my grooming session, I am escorted down a hallway towards a sealed metal door with a valve outside to indicate temperature, which holds steady in the low hundreds. Condensation can be seen slowly rolling down the front of the door as Aloe gestures towards it.

Her sister follows behind shortly, carrying a few towels, which Aloe takes with a slight nod before setting them on my back, still folded. “This is the steam room, Mister Tint. We will subject you to a quick five-minute session to help open up your pores and aid in circulation before we move on to the proper treatments.”

She takes one of the towels off my back and wraps it around my head, tucking my mane into it gingerly. Then, she shows me how to properly wrap the other one around my waist to cover my backside and tail. After that, she opens the door and escorts me inside.

The heat blasts me in the face with an intensity only rivaled by some of the more offensively muggy days back home, but it isn't anything I’m not prepared for after a lifetime of it. I wince slightly before strolling into the room and having a seat, yawning a bit as the sudden heat seeps into me, making me feel even more relaxed than I already was.

A few minutes later, there is a knock at the door, and it opens. Aloe smiles and beckons for him to exit. “Alright, Mister Tint, that will be plenty. We don't want to waste all that work we did on your coat by getting you all sweaty now,” she says kindly as she watches me stand up and stroll towards the door, looking satisfied.

“I take it you enjoyed the steam room?” She asked as she gently pulled the towels off of me. Lotus quickly approached with a soft-looking robe in her mouth, tossing it over my back and helping me get my front hooves into it before cinching the waist closed for me.

“Oh, it was pretty nice. I could get the same effect back home by going outside, but it’s more enjoyable in a controlled environment.” I say with a little chuckle as I follow close behind her.

“Excellent. We will now proceed to the Farriering Station to give your hooves and horn some attention. I noticed both have a few small chips. Nothing too severe, mind you. Just a bit of cosmetic damage that needs repair.”

I smile softly and nod along at this explanation. “Oh, well that makes sense. I was walking around a lot in that forest outside of town the day before yesterday, and I had a spell backfire yesterday afternoon, so I’m not too surprised I have a few dings to show for it.”

Aloe pauses at this, and I nearly bump into her as she looks back at me with a questioning, concerned look before seeming to think better of it and shaking her head. She turns back and continues walking, muttering softly under her breath, and then starts to speak to me again. “Well, luckily for you, we can get that all sorted out and get you looking better than ever while we’re at it! Right this way, please.”

She leads me back to the main room of the spa, where most of the amenities are held, and I am guided to lie down on one of the comfortable-looking couches.

As I settle in, a small stool is placed next to the couch, and Lotus gently moves one of my hooves to rest on it, inspecting it with a magnifying glass as Aloe wheels out a trolley full of assorted tools of the trade before she excuses herself to tend to some other task. “Hmmmm. You don’t need a trim, it seems. Everything seems tidy and even, besides the little chips and nicks around the edge of the toe. We will just file it down until everything is smooth and even, then shine to polish and apply shoes, ja?”

“Sure, I trust your judgment. It’s not like I know any better,” I say with a small smile as I watch Lotus inspect my hoof. I have to say, I’ve never had the opportunity to be pampered like this before. As lovely as the physical relaxation is, I am finding that the feeling of being cared for is something I find significantly more appealing.

Lotus walks over to the trolley nearby and picks out what looks to be a rasp. She trots back over with the implement in her mouth as the door opens.

I hear hooves clopping against the tile floors as an unfamiliar, refined-sounding voice rings through the air.

“...and don't even get me started on her atrocious outfit, Darling. The colors clashed horribly with her mane. I started taking her measurements on the spot. She tried to ask about payment, but I simply couldn't allow her to continue gallivanting around with that hideous ensemble, looking like some sort of-GASP”

The sound of hooves becomes quicker and louder as a pristine white unicorn with a long, lustrous, curly mane and tail of a deep purple hue approaches me. She has a cutie mark depicting three diamonds on her flank and striking blue eyes to rival those of the twins currently tending me and, now apparently, her.

The mare seems to have taken an interest in me, looking me up and down as Lotus skillfully begins to file away at the edge of my hoof. “Girls, why didn't you tell me there was somepony like this coming here? I’ve certainly never seen this mare before. Have you two been holding out on me?” The Unicorn asks with a dramatic pout as Aloe gallops over, panting softly as she offers the newcomer a robe.

As Lotus finishes filing away at my right front hoof and moves to the other side to begin on my left, I offer the former of the two to the mare in front of me and give her a hesitant but sincere smile. “I’m a Stallion, actually. I appreciate the compliments, though. My name is Rose, Rose Tint. I just moved into town a few days ago.”

The mare slips the robe onto her body as I speak, utilizing her magic with an ease I find impressive. She manipulates the different parts of the robe in tandem with a single spell with the same dexterity I might have used with my former hands. Though my fascination overshadowed it, I can not help but be a bit jealous.

She gives me a surprised look as I inform her of my gender, having the decency to appear suitably embarrassed by her little faux pas. “Oh! I had heard rumors here and there the last few days about a new stallion in town. It’s lovely to meet you, darling. You may call me Rarity.” She says as she takes a seat on the couch next to mine, Aloe starting work on her as Lotus finishes with my second hoof and makes her way to my back half to begin with the next two.

As the blue mare gently takes hold of one of my hind legs, I give a small start but quickly relax as I overcome the initial reaction of my more skittish equine reflexes. The feeling of the rasp against my more rigid back hooves is admittedly kind of…unpleasant. It's probably just one of those things I have with certain sensations.

Attempting to distract myself from the feeling, I start making small talk with Rarity. “Well, I don’t have anything else I was planning to call you aside from pretty. I think I’ll take you up on that name!” I respond jokingly with a slight wave of my hoof in her general direction. “I take it you come here often?”

She chuckles softly at this, holding a hoof to her face before nodding, giving a flamboyant gesture to match my own. “Oh yes. I would say I’m one of the spa’s most frequent patrons. After all, staying this pretty takes a lot of maintenance.” She chimes with an amused expression as she looks me over. “I would wager you are no stranger to these sorts of establishments yourself, judging by the look of you.”

Shaking my head, I give her a sheepish smile, wincing momentarily as I feel Lotus begin to work on the last of my hooves. Man, that’s an unpleasant texture sensation. It reminds me of getting my nails filed in the worst way. “Actually, this is my first time getting taken care of this way. It’s nice, though. I might return more often once I have money to do it on my own dime.”

“Oh? Someone is treating you then?” she asks, tilting her head a bit as she watches my reactions and gives a sympathetic nod. “With the way you squirm when you are getting your hooves handled, I can believe you aren’t used to it. Who is the kind patron providing for you this afternoon, Rose?”

“The Mayor,” I say simply, sighing with relief as I feel Lotus relinquish my hoof and trot back to the spread of tools for a moment, returning with a smaller, much finer rasp. “You see, I’m being hired as a trainee to become the town Librarian. I’m starting tomorrow, and she wants me to look my be-eeeeagagahagahsgsj…..”

My brain goes absolutely stupid as Lotus begins running that rasp along the spiraling curve of my horn. It felt like someone was taking the happy chemicals button in my brain and repeatedly bashing my face against it as she worked briskly, Aloe coming over to hold my head in place with her hooves as Lotus did her work.

Rarity laughed softly at my reaction to the treatment, her smile widening. “Oh goodness! You really haven’t been to the spa before. Ahhh, I remember my first hornicure. Don’t fret, darling, just relax. They won’t yell at you if you make a mess.” She finishes with a slight smirk as she rests her head in her hooves and watches the faces I am making with great amusement.

A few minutes into the filing, I begin to recover my ability to form coherent thoughts, though my speech remains shaky. “I’m perfectly capable of controlling m-myself, thank you-ooohhhh…~” I shiver a bit at the feeling of the rasp as it strikes a particularly gratifying angle against my horn. “I-is this going to be much longer?”

“Sorry Mister Tint. Horns are the hardest part of a unicorn's body, and one of the most sensitive. It takes a gentle hoof and at least several minutes to correct even a small chip like this without causing more problems in the long term.” Lotus says in a not-unsympathetic tone, though it’s clear she and her sister are also a bit amused by my sensitivity.

Rarity leans in a bit, taking one of her hooves from under her chin to gesture at me. “So, a Librarian, hm? That’s good. Poor Cheerilee has been working too hard ever since the mare who worked there before you left to pursue a career in show business. I’m glad the mayor finally found someone suitable for the position. Did you move to take the job then?”

“I keep hearing about t-that mare. The Mayor said something sima-ahhhh~...similar. And no er. I didn't come here deliberately at all. I actually woke up outside of town, in the er...Everfree Forest, I think it’s called? I have no idea how I got out there with how far it is from home, but…anyway, yeah. I was in a tough spot and got lucky that they happened to need the position filled. I’m not sure how qualified I am, but I’m hopeful.”

As I explain how I got here, Rarity seems progressively less amused and more concerned, a slight frown settling on her face as she listens. “Goodness, it sounds like you have had a *very* stimulating few days, Rose. Exactly how far away from home are you, then? Are you from Canterlot? Trottingham?”

I try to shake my head, but the twins hold me firm as they continue to work at my horn. “Mphhh…N-no, Louwhinnyana, actually. I Lived there for my whole life until a few days ago, of c-course…”

“Really now?” she asks, arching her brow as she leans in a bit more. “Well, you *are* quite a ways from home then. I can’t imagine what I would do if I woke up in a strange place so far away from where I’m supposed to be.” She says as she starts to rub at her chin with one hoof again. “Hmmmm….” She sinks into a contemplative state as she flicks her eyes back and forth over me.

The twins finally release my head and put the rasp away, and I sigh heavily, twisting my neck this way to work out a bit of the stiffness. Lotus trots off to fetch yet more tools, while Aloe resumes working on Rarity, taking up the rasp and filing at her horn. The mare doesn't so much as flinch. Dear christ.

“Thank goodness that’s over. What are you thinking about, Miss Rarity? You seem very er…intent?” As I relax back into my seat, Lotus returns with what looks like horseshoes. Thankfully, she has no nails in hoof but instead sports a glue bottle. I sigh softly, extending my front hoof and allowing the mare to get to work. She applies a light, even coat of the glue with a brush across the flat of my hoof's toe, gently pressing the show into place and holding it there. The shoe itself feels soft and pliable, maybe silicone?

She seems to snap out of it after I say something, shaking her head with a soft chuckle. “O-oh! Nothing, darling. I was just thinking you might look nice in a jacket, is all. I saw a collar and tie in the dressing room. I assume those are yours?”

Lotus finishes applying the first front shoe and moves on to the second. The device quite cleanly bends and curves along the contours of my hoof as I flex. It was most likely meant to protect the edge of my hoof from making contact with the ground after taking such care to make it look presentable. After satisfying my curiosity, I look up from my hoof to speak to Rarity again.

“Oh, yes, they are! It’s pretty much all I came into town with,” I say before seeing her frown return and deepen. My ears flatten as I hesitantly speak again. “O-oh er…did I say something wrong?”

She gives a small sigh and shakes her head. “No, no, you haven’t upset me, Rose. Would you…mind if I asked you a favor, actually?” She inquires with a gentle, probing tone.

I’m hesitant to give my enthused consent, tilting my head slightly to indicate my willingness to hear her out. “It depends on what the favor is, I suppose. I don't have much to offer at the moment, what do you have in mind?”

Rarity seems to consider how to phrase her request for a long moment while Lotus works to adhere a more solid, metal set of shoes to my back hooves. She finally speaks again after a long few moments. I own a boutique in town that specializes in hoof-made custom garments. I was wondering iiiif…perhaps you might be willing to come back with me to my Boutique and allow me to put something together for you to wear while on the job?”

I raise my eyebrow and prepare to question her, but she continues more hurriedly as if sensing my doubt.

“I know that may come off a certain way, but I assure you my intentions are quite pure. I simply have a...a *vision*, you see. I have a specific look in mind that I think you could pull off quite well, which would be appropriate for your new position. Would you be willing to indulge me? The ensemble would be on the house, of course. I’m the one asking you, after all.”

I stop and place my hoof to my mouth as I consider her offer. “Well, I don't have much else going on. Will we be done before the evening? I have tutoring with Cheerilee after she finishes teaching the foals, and I don’t want to be late for my second day of class.”

“Oh, of course! I’m a *professional* darling. It won’t take more than an hour or two for me to put together something for you. I’ve already got an idea of what I want to make, and I just need to get your measurements and put it together,” she says with a flourish of her hoof and a confident tone. “You’ll have plenty of time for furthering your education once we further your fashionability!”

I chuckle softly at this and nod, admittedly swayed by her confidence. “Well, if you insist. That sounds nice. I appreciate the offer. Thank you, Miss Rarity.”

“Please, Just Rarity will suffice, Rose.” She says as Aloe finishes up her treatment, Lotus finishing with mine at about the same time. She slides her robe off, allowing one of the sisters to take it from her.

I do the same, getting on my feet and testing the new shoes. They feel a little strange, but it’s nothing I can't get used to. I smile at the mare across from me as I slip my robe off, allowing the other sister to take it.

Rarity seems perplexed by something as I remove the robe, looking at me and tilting her head slightly, but dismisses whatever it is just as quickly as she beckons with her head and starts walking back towards the reception area. “Well, come on, then. Let’s go and get our belongings and be on our way.” She says confidently, leading the way.

I follow behind with a nod, happy to allow her to take the lead, especially since I don't know where we’re going. That little snag would make me taking the lead a bit difficult.

And that's another chapter down! Thank you all for tolerating my silly little self-indulgent spa session. Hopefully, the next few chapters will have a bit more substance.

I don't have any contributors to thank at this time, but know that I appreciate you all very much for continuing to enjoy my work!