The Perilous Quest to Save Vinyl From Certain Demise

In a small epiphany, you remember that there is a spa nearby, where you like to retire to on particularly stressful days. You know that relaxing baths are something that they offer there, and you can't it would be too much of a stretch to ask if they'd allow you to add the cure for the poison joke to a small, private tub.

The spa is also a good deal closer than your home, so hopefully you could make itthere without letting as many passers-by see your embarrassing state...

Making a last-minute decision, you change your path, galloping towards the spa while your large ears draw the attention of everypony watching. You hear gasps, snorts and giggles as you run, hoping your reputation won't take too much of a hit from this misadventure. If the upper class learned of this, you can imagine your cello career falling flat, nopony willing to hire a pony with such a strange history.

By the time you reach the the spa, you 're trying to hide your embarrassed, blushing face behind your tangled mane, as your shameful ears stick out, refusing to be hidden.

In a hurried mess, you open the front door, rush inside, and close it loudly behind you. Panting for breath, you're glad you managed to make it here, where you aren't so exposed to the the public.

Then, you look around the entrance hall you just burst into.

Sitting on benches, waiting about for their turn to be serviced, are a number of wealthy, well-known ponies from Ponyville's elite. All of them are staring at you in confusion, and in some cases, amusement.

Or rather, they stared at the long, undignified donkey ears protruding from the top of your head.

One of the mares recognizes you, and lets out a giggle, breaking the awkward silence as you walk to the counter, your face bright red.

The mare at the counter looks at you with sympathy as you approach.

"Poison Joke?" she asks, which you reluctantly nod at. You fish through your saddlebag and place the small vial of powder on the counter. The mare takes it, smiling as she motions for you to follow her to another room. You look back at the room of clients one last time before you follow her.

At that last moment, when you look back, a flash of light from a camera shines from the bench, catching a perfect image of your face, and the ears you so want to be rid of.

Huffing, you quickly close the door behind you, not wanting any more attention drawn to yourself while you're still plagued by whatever magic dared to ruin your appearance.

As you are lead into a small, private room with a tub in the center, the spa employee turns on the water, and prepares everything for you. After a while, when the water reaches a certain level, she pours in the powder you had given her, and she motions for you to step in.

The water begins to emit bubbles, almost as if she had poured in shampoo instead of a deterrent for the poison joke. When you step into the water, it feels warm against your skin, inviting you to slip deeper inside, which you gladly take the chance to do. As your entire body descend into the frothy bath, you feel yourself relax for the first time today.

The mare running the bath for you continues her work.

"This'll be on the house, dear," she says. "Poison Joke is much more serious than the name implies. Perchance, how did you find yourself running into that nasty little plant? It only grows in the Everfree, and i don't know anypony who'd go so far as to risk afflicting themselves just to prank somepony..."

As she wonders aloud, you think in the comforting bathwater, considering just how much you want to tell this mare, and if you can trust her to keep it confidential...

Tell her the truth, that you were looking for Vinyl, decided to look in the forest, and didn't know well enough to avoid it.

Make up some story about Vinyl pranking you with the flowers, so you don't look as incompetent.

Refuse to tell her anything. If gossip is going to spread of this event, you'd rather not encourage it, or give everypony the full story.