Intimate Details - Surf, Sand, and Sun

Chapter 1 - Day 1

“Tavi, you can’t be serious…”

“Oh, but I am.”

“We just took a week-long vacation before the wedding!” Rarity protested. Octavia just grinned and reached into her purse. With a flourish, she withdrew two white slips of paper. Rarity took them hesitantly. Her heart nearly stopped as she read the text on the small slips. “Octavia. This is…”

“One week at Diamond Beach’s most luxurious spa. You and me, and a week full of sun, sand, and ocean.” Octavia grinned as Rarity read over the tickets she held, her eyes steadily growing wider.

“Octavia, this is… I can’t…”

“They were a gift from my father.” Octavia cut her off, albeit quietly. Rarity looked up to see Octavia’s features drawn in a slight frown. Rarity knew her relationship with her father had been tenuous at best. Octavia disliked her mother, and never forgave her father for siding with the woman in every single one of their arguments. Needless to say, Octavia’s eighteenth birthday had been a sobering affair. Octavia had left to pursue her musical career, and left some harsh words in her wake. Since then, Octavia rarely spoke with her father. But once she had given the man the obligatory wedding warning, they seemed to have bridged the gap. At least, if the tickets in Rarity’s hand were any indication.

“How?” She asked quietly.

“Apparently he owns a lot of the shipping and distribution companies along Horseshoe Bay, and they do frequent business with the resorts and spas along the coast. He wasn’t specific, but I gathered that these were given to him as thanks for a business deal and he has no use of them. We’re staying at a spa, in a bungalow for a week.” Her frown was gone, replaced instead by a giddy smile. “With no one within hearing distance.”

“Oh.” Rarity felt a warm blush creep onto her cheeks. The two of them had been so busy since the wedding that they hadn’t had the time or the energy to make love. Granted, it had only been one week, but still… Rarity was eager to consummate things. Officially. “I’ll go pack my bags.”

“Bring a swimsuit.” Octavia gave her a quick spank, sending Rarity bouncing down the hall with much more exuberance than any decent woman should have allowed. Things were peaceful. No one had heard from Vinyl, though Twilight had texted Rarity saying she had found a letter in the guest bedroom when she returned to Ponyville. Rarity had almost asked what it said, but she feared the contents. Twilight had assured her that no one would be hearing from Vinyl anymore. Not until she had her anger well in-hand, at least. She was indeed leaving for Saddle Arabia, though. Octavia had been concerned enough to ask the Guard for assistance investigating Vinyl’s disappearance. The last report was that she had last been seen at Appaloosa, on a train bound for Saddle Arabia. That put both Rarity and Octavia at ease just a little bit more.

Twilight had managed to speak with Rainbow Dash again. The avian ex-lover had been the first to forgive Twilight, perhaps because she had been a source of Rarity’s pain in the past. Just yesterday, Rarity had had a quick phone call with Pinkie Pie, who mentioned Twilight stopping in and setting up a lunch date for the following week. Pinkie had sounded apprehensive (an admirable feat for a woman who was normally boisterous and excitable) but cautiously hopeful as well. Rarity had high hopes that Twilight might actually be able to bridge the gap between all of her old friends again. Rarity was in that pocket, and it seemed Rainbow Dash was as well. Two down, three to go.

Yet, as Rarity slipped into the massive spare-bedroom-converted-to-wardrobe, those things were the furthest from her mind. She had bags to pack, and for once in her life, she would be able to actually visit the beach. Rarity had never been before. She was excited at the prospect of sharing a bungalow with Octavia, nothing but surf, sun, and sand for a whole week and the resort boasted a spa as well, so there was that to look forward to. As Rarity began packing luggage, she found herself smiling.

It seemed she had quite a bit to smile about lately.

The trip to Horseshoe Bay didn’t go over flawlessly. The city itself was a hub of warehouses, docks, shipping centers, and factories. This was Equestria’s main industrial city. Anything that could be produced was produced here, and then shipped either up the Northern coast to Saddle Arabia, or off and away to other cities along the coast to the South. But that didn’t mean that it ran smoothly all the time. As Octavia and Rarity left Canterlot, it was with high hopes. The downhill train ride towards the coastal city was fast-paced and full of wonderful sights to see. Rarity had seen the ocean in passing a few times before, but seeing it now, after her long spell of depressive events in Canterlot, was like seeing it for the first time. They crested a small hill, and the ocean spread out before her like a trillion sapphires rolling in the midday sun. She got to look at the vast expanse for a short while before the train entered a small wood, cutting off her view. She was plastered to the window, her eyes straining for just another peek of the sea.

Then the train stopped. Just outside of the bustling industrious city, they screeched to a halt and stayed that way for a long while. When Octavia went to check, she came back grim-faced. Apparently some machinery from a factory had exploded and damaged the railway. A team of magi were hard at work repairing the damage, but they said it’d be close to an hour. By then, Rarity had already been seated for two hours, and her legs were restless. Other passengers were stretching their legs along the corridors, and a few had stepped off to the side of the train tracks to smoke cigarettes or walk up and down the becalmed locomotive. Rarity and Octavia had joined the latter, only to be caught outside when the train started up yet again. They managed to jump on, three cars back from their cabin, but at least they hadn’t been left behind.

After that, it was slow going through the city. They had to change trains here, and the layover was another hour, on top of their delay. The sun was sinking in the sky by the time they boarded the second train, due north along the coast to their destination. Halfway between Saddle Arabia and Horseshoe Bay was the longest stretch of pristine crystal-clear water and soft white sand that Equestria knew. Here, profiteers from Horseshoe Bay staked their claims in high-end spas, resorts, casinos, and getaways. The stretch of land was known as Diamond Beach, and was a prime vacation destination year-round. It was hot during the summer and warm during the winter. Just now, with school still in session and tax season just firing up, the resorts and casinos would be in the midst of a dry spell.

That was part of the reason Octavia had decided to take advantage of the free resort tickets from her father. The other part was she wanted a proper honeymoon, not a pre-wedding vacation, as she called their little spa trip. As the train pulled out of Horseshoe Bay on its way to Diamond Beach, the sun was sinking below the horizon. Rarity watched it slowly descend into the waters of the glimmering ocean, turning the sapphire blue into a molten orange before leaving a mantle of dark purple that slowly faded to black, shot through with diamond-shaped, twinkling stars. The train pulled into Diamond Beach’s station at ten at night. Rarity and Octavia were alone on the platform with their bags, and no attendant to meet them. After hauling their luggage to the closed ticket counter and calling a courtesy number, they waited a half an hour for a liaison with the resort to catch up with them.

“I’m so sorry for the delay!” The liaison was a strapping young man, no older than twenty, and tanned through and through. He sped up to the ticket counter in a white van, and as soon as he jumped out he was all apologies and courtesy. “We had no idea the trains had hit trouble in Horseshoe Bay! Please, ladies, allow me.” Rarity handed her bags off thankfully, and the young lad set about loading them into the van straightaway. Octavia had been adamant about bringing one of her cellos along. Rarity had begrudged her for it during the layover, and even more during the ticket counter wait. But now, it seemed, it was their saving grace. The man grasped the handle of her cello case and froze. He looked at the case, then at Octavia, then back at the case, and finally back to Rarity and Octavia.

“Is something wrong?” Rarity asked.

“You’re Octavia, aren’t you?” He said, almost as if in disbelief.

“I am.” Octavia said guardedly. Rarity could tell she was exhausted. She took her lover’s hand gently, giving it a reassuring squeeze.

“You’re Davis’ daughter.” Octavia stiffened at the mention of her father’s name.

“What of it?” Rarity squeezed her hand again, stepping closer to lay a hand on her arm as well.

“Miss Octavia, I’m so sorry… We thought you wouldn’t make it today. We were so saddened when you didn’t show on the five-o-clock train.”

“Please don’t tell me you gave away our reservation.” Rarity could almost hear the anger in Octavia’s voice. It was mostly exhaustion, but there was something else there as well.

“No! No, not at all!” He nearly dropped her case as he went to wave his hands frantically. “We were just saddened is all! I mean, sure, we get celebrities here now and then, but you’re in the news across the nation. Look!” He reached into the cab of his white van and pulled out a newspaper. Rarity took it and unfolded it. Plastered across the front page was a full-sized, color photograph of her and Octavia, holding hands and waving to the crowd that had greeted them outside of Canterlot Castle. The headline read ‘Star Cellist and Fashionista wed in Canterlot! Wedding of the Century!’ The paper was just a local tabloid, nothing major or official, but it still brought a slight blush to Rarity’s cheeks.

“Of the century, huh?” Octavia said, un-amused. Rarity shushed her and handed the paper back with a smile. Both of them were far too tired to care about the headline, but Rarity knew if she were any less tired, she would probably have fainted from shock.

“We’re really excited that you managed to make it! Please, feel free to have a seat in the van. I’ll be done loading momentarily, and we’ll get you to the resort as soon as possible.” He bustled about loading the rest of their luggage while Rarity and Octavia took the front bench seat of the white van. Rarity was fit to nod off. Octavia laid her head on Rarity’s shoulder and closed her own eyes, though, so she stayed awake if only to support her lover for a few more minutes. The liaison began to speak as he climbed into the driver’s seat, but spotted Octavia and shut his lips with a smile. They left the train station and turned onto a surprisingly-busy road that seemed to split the resorts and hotels of Diamond Beach in half. Casinos glimmered and winked lights at them, while fancy drives leading up to the entrances of high-end hotels cut them off at every other street.

Diamond Beach was busy at all times of the night, it seemed. By then, the in-dash clock of the van read 11:24, but there was still traffic on the road, tourists going to and from the casinos and hotels. There were even a few clubs they passed, where the loud music could be heard from inside their van as they limped through traffic block by block. The last time Rarity had been to a club was the fiasco with Amethyst that had landed her the first dress deal with Octavia. While there had been plenty of stress that night, she was still glad for it. That, and the prospect of dancing with her arms around Octavia wasn’t missed on her. She made a mental note to run the idea by Octavia when they were more awake.

Twenty minutes of thick traffic later, and the liaison pulled into the hotel drive. “Please,” he said, graciously taking a groggy Octavia’s hand to help her down out of the van. “Check in at the front desk. I daresay we’ve been expecting you. And don’t worry; I’ll have your luggage delivered to your bungalow before you even arrive.” Rarity thanked him and surreptitiously slipped the young man a twenty-dollar bill and a wink as he climbed back into the driver’s seat and sped off. Octavia groaned and followed Rarity into the front desk. A smiling young woman stood behind the polished marble counter, but as soon as she saw the two of them, her smile widened even more.

“I almost didn’t believe Michael when he said Octavia and Rarity had arrived, and he was going to the station to pick them up. Welcome to the Diamond Sands Luxury Spa and Resort, ladies.”

“Thank you.” Rarity gave the woman a sheepish smile as she and Octavia arrived, though the poor cellist looked half-dead on her feet.

“You look tired. I won’t bore you with nagging details. Everything you need will be in this folder. Here are your keys, and your personalized PDA.” The woman slid a small slip of paper, two keys, and a fancy-looking device across the counter towards them.

“What’s this?” Rarity asked, picking the device up. It looked almost like her cellular phone, albeit a lot more advanced.

“It’s called a Personal Data Assistant. They’re rather new, but we issue them to all our luxury guests. You can take it with you anywhere, even in the water. You can use it to call for food, services, or even rescue or transportation, if you get hurt or lost while exploring the beaches. As long as you have that with you, we’re just a button press away.” The woman tapped the folder. “Instructions are inside. But please, don’t let me hold you up. Jason is waiting to take you to your bungalow.”

“Th-thank you.” Rarity flushed a little and shoveled all of the papers and keys into her arms, leaving one hand free to hold Octavia’s as they turned from the counter.

“Enjoy your stay, Miss Octavia, Miss Rarity.” The woman waved them goodbye, and Rarity smiled over her shoulder. This place was too good to be true. Fancy technology, polished marble, warm and cozy tropical decorations in the lobby, and as she stepped outside of the lobby towards the front drive, the smell of the ocean washed over her, along with a fresh breath of night air. Another young man was waiting for them, this time even more tanned and sporting a thick blonde braid that fell to his waist.

“Good evening, ladies.” He had an easy-going, suave manner about him, and he held a hand out to a white cart behind him. “It’ll be my pleasure to get you to your bungalow. Don’t worry, the ride is short, and your bags have already been unpacked.”

“Thanks.” Rarity was too tired to even thank the man properly. He waited until both Rarity and Octavia were seated on the long bench behind the steering wheel before he took off. Rarity had never seen or heard of golf carts before, so the fresh breeze and brisk ride along a gravel path was bracing enough to wake her up. The way was lit with small lamps set into the side of the path, and they branched off every now and then towards a hunched, dark-looking building or two off to their right. But in between bungalows, Rarity could hear the ocean, and see the vast expanse of inky-black water, all the way out to where it kissed the stars on the horizon. There were times when the path appeared to come within inches of the water, and other times when she could just barely make out the white, foamy breakers in the distance. But they didn’t travel very far. He only passed four bungalows before arriving at the fifth. In the dark, Rarity couldn’t see the structure very well, but it almost appeared as if the walls were woven out of straw. Octavia had nodded off again, and refused to wake when they arrived. Rarity held a finger up to her lips and gingerly lifted her lover with magic.

“Good night, Miss Rarity.” Jason whispered to her, backing the golf cart up onto the trail as she turned to the dark bungalow. After a little searching, she found the door on the far side of the structure, facing the ocean. Propping Octavia up with one glowing hand, she used the other to fumble the key into the lock and push them inside.

“Oh wow.” She had to breathe in disbelief at the bungalow. ‘Homey’ didn’t describe it. ‘Comfortable’ wouldn’t have done justice, either. This was downright, without a doubt, perfect. A low lamp illuminated the first room with a soft, golden glow. The floor was cool dark-brown tile with a large, woven mat in front of the door. Immediately to Rarity’s right was the bathroom, and it appeared the mat extended to the threshold. “For sand.” She muttered, smiling to herself. From what little she saw of the bathroom, it was white tile, and had a luxurious-looking shower, and even a Jacuzzi tub. But this main room was the bedroom and den all in one. The far wall, opposite where Rarity stood with one arm full of documents and the other busy trying to guide a sleeping Octavia inside, was dominated by a massive bed sunken into the ground. The top level of the mattress was level with the floor they stood on, and it was there that Rarity dropped her charge. Octavia settled into the light sheets with ease, not even stirring once she had been set down. Rarity left her there to sleep. Tired as she was, she wanted to at least look around the bungalow before going to bed.

The main room consisted mostly of the bed, but Rarity saw a roll-up portion of the wall that opened out towards the ocean, with what appeared to be a fire pit sunken into the floor. There were two chairs opposite the ocean of the fire pit, so two people could light a fire, prop their feet up, and watch the sun set on the waves. Rarity was in awe. Aside from the bed, chairs, and fire pit were three other doors, and a small table near the front door. Rarity set the folder, keys, and PDA on the table and went to look in the other three doors. The first was just left of the fire pit, and appeared to be a walk-in closet. Rarity flicked the light on and found towels, two strange-looking boards, and an empty bag there. She’d ask Octavia about them in the morning. The second door was a closet, and inside was their luggage. Rarity would unpack in the morning.

The third door, however, led into the rest of the Bungalow. Rarity left the bedroom and found herself in a kitchen/dining room combo. The kitchen was separated from a six-person dining table by a two-seated breakfast bar, and all of the walls boasted the same roll-up sections that the living room den did. Rarity peeled one aside, and spotted a half-full moon hanging low over the waves outside. This portion opened to the ocean as well, so they could eat beside the sea. Rarity smiled and let the cover fall before poking her head into the disappointingly-empty cabinets and fridge. There was a note on the fridge about calling some number to request food and beverages. Rarity ignored it and looked around some more, but found nothing else. The bungalow was small, but well-furnished and comfortable. In fact, if the closet weren’t so damnably tiny, she could see herself living in a place like this. A smile spread across her lips and she found her sense of curiosity sated. Stripping her travel clothes off, Rarity gingerly did the same for Octavia before joining her wife on the bed. Sleep took her then, calm and peaceful and quiet. She did not dream.