Chapters The surroundings you find yourself in on this quiet and sunny afternoon were of a pristine, almost clinical white in appearance. A small room at the front of a modestly-sized building on one of Canterlot's many street corners. This was the Canterlot Spa, a frequent spot for many of the town's female residents. Clad in the standard white uniform of other workers here, it was clear to all that you were one of this place's employees, though your younger-than-average age for the job might have been a surprise to many of the spa's clientele. Looking around, you note how calm and uneventful things seemed to be today. No hustle and bustle of customers, nor even many other workers. It was a slow day to say the least, though your attention was drawn to the sound of footsteps behind you.
Turning, you gaze upon a young woman in her mid-twenties, her hair a bright pink and held back with a white band. Her skin a pale blue. You recognise her immediately as one of your employers, Aloe. Or possibly her sister, Lotus. In truth, you'd never managed to remember which one was meant to be which, though that was something you'd often kept to yourself, lest you accidentally insult them. She approached you with a smile, which you promptly return, before looking out at the empty front room of the spa, hands on her hips, and letting out a sigh.
"Slow today, my friend?"
Her voice had the hint of an accent to it, though you'd often found it hard to figure out exactly where it was from. Regardless, you nodded in response to her, looking out through the front windows.
"Yeah."
There was a moment of quiet between you before, to your surprise, you found her hand on your shoulder, gaining your attention as you turn to look at her. A small smile appears on her face as she speaks.
"I just wanted to say how grateful my sister and I are for all the work you've been doing around here."
A blush threatens to appear on your cheeks as you let out a chuckle, puffing out your chest a little in a vain attempt to make this whole thing seem like no big deal.
"It's fine, really. I've enjoyed working here. Though..."
Your tone of confidence fades a little as you look at her.
"...I do appreciate that you've been keeping all this quiet. If my classmates found out, well..."
She says nothing in response, but gives an assuring nod. In truth, you were only working here part-time. After all, you were, at the end of the day, still a student of Canterlot High, and that took up the majority of your time most days. Still, the extra cash for working in this place was always nice. Although, as your words to Aloe made clear you still didn't like the thought of your employment here becoming public knowledge. You could almost see the looks of mockery on your classmates faces if they ever found out about this. All the guys poking fun while the girls all giggled at your expense. It was something you desperately wanted to avoid, even if you did ultimately enjoy this work. In spite of your obvious discomfort with the notion of people discovering your line of work, Aloe gives her same smile as before, giving a silent nod and letting you know that your secret was safe, at least with her.
Smiling back, you watch as she begins to walk away from you, and instead moves towards the front desk where the day's book for scheduling lay. She flipped through a few of the pages to read all of the appointments for the day, placing a finger on one in particular before turning to look at you.
"I wanted you to know that it was quite handy that you were able to work here this afternoon."
You shrug your shoulders at that.
"Don't thank me. The school never planned having a half-day like this. But after they got in that order of spoiled cider from...who was it...Flam-Flims or something? Well, after that they had so many students with stomach problems they didn't have much choice but to send everyone home."
Aloe chuckled at that.
"Oh dear. Well, I hope your classmates make a full recovery."
You had no doubt of that. Once it was discovered that those brothers had sold them bad drinks, the schools lunch lady had gone on a rampage. They said she'd gone straight to the brothers themselves to sort things out. You hadn't heard any details about what happened afterwards, but it seemed as though the brothers had offered to pay for any medical bills suffered by the students after that. Whatever that lunch lady had done, you didn't want to know. But then, she was from the Apple family, and those guys were as tough as they came. Still, you couldn't deny that having the afternoon off was pretty handy, even if it did mean getting so little action today it seemed.
However, your attention was then drawn to Aloe once more, as she looked a little uncertain about something as she looked down to the book in front of her before looking back at you.
"Actually...I wanted to let you know something."
Your curiosity piqued, you raise an eyebrow as she approaches you and spoke up again.
"It's just...my sister and I have to go off for a couple of hours to pick up an important delivery of new oils. There was a problem with their delivery trucks so they can't bring them over. So...you'll be needed to stay here."
Your eyes widen as you hear that.
"What...by myself? I mean...I'm only a part-timer. Can I really be allowed to do that?"
Aloe shakes her head a little.
"If circumstances were different, I wouldn't put you in this position. But, needs must."
You nod after hearing that. It wasn't as if you only did a few things here and there at this spa, after all, you'd been charged with more than a few treatments of real customers in the past. But even so, to watch the whole place was a responsibility you hadn't known at this point, and you were more than a little hesitant to undergo it. Aloe must have seen the nervous look on your face, as she gave another of her reassuring smiles."
"Don't worry. We only have a couple of customers booked for this afternoon. And you should only have to deal with one of them before we get back. It's a three o'clock appointment."
Looking up at her, you start to feel a little bit less nervous at that. Just one customer? You feel that you could probably handle that. Nodding, you return Aloe's smile, but the two of you are interrupted by the sudden arrival of Lotus, who emerges from the back rooms and looks at her sister, pointing at her watch with great fervour. No words are said, but the message is clear. They need to get going quickly. It's a message Aloe picks up on pretty easily, and so you watch as she goes over to the desk once more, reaching over it and grabbing her phone and handbag before turning to face you again.
"Remember, your customer will be getting the full works today. You okay with that?"
The full works. It was rare that they got requests for that, but you had been witness to it on a few occasions. Having customers be given what amounted to every single service the spa provided was no quick visit, but you assure yourself that you'd done enough of the individual parts of that treatment to be able to do it all on one person. So, puffing out your chest in yet another display of false bravado, you give off an air of confidence as you nod to Aloe, who smiles in response. It is a short-lived smile however, as Lotus walks along and grabs her sister by the arm and pretty much drags her out of the spa, with you watching. Now, it is only you, the first time you've been left alone here since you began this job. Needless to say, you were more than a little concerned.
You'd given treatments to customers before, but one of the sisters was always there to help if you were unsure about something. That safety net was no longer there this time. Today, you would simply have to deal with it as it came. Letting out a long sigh, you begin to pace up and down the room, occasionally glancing at one of the many magazines strewn on the nearby tables for customers to read as they waited. Picking one up, you flip through a few of the pages as the minutes rolled by, waiting for this customer, whoever it was. But, you must have lost track of time as you were reading, as you hear the distinct sound of the bell used to alert the staff of the front door opening. Putting the magazine down, you spin around and give you standard greeting.
"Welcome to the Canterlot Spa! How may I...help...you?"
Your slowed-down words are riddled with a shocked tone matched by the look on your face. For the one who now stood before you was no random person off the street, but a woman whose face and name you knew all too well. Taller than most women, she was clad in a sensible, almost business-like suit, her hair a bright assortment of many colours. As you look upon her, you fumble your words.
"Prin...Principal Celestia?"
The Principal looks at you, and her expression mirrors your own. She was no more expecting to see you as you were to see her. However, that look soon turns to one of intrigue as she raises an eyebrow and places a single hand upon her hip.
"Well...I wasn't expecting to see one of my students here. Come for a treatment, I assume?"
There was no mockery in her tone of voice, but a genuine curiosity. However, you find you cannot look her in the eye, and turn away with a bright blush developing on your face. Seeing you in this way, and the distinct white clothes you were wearing, Celestia's eyes begin to widen as she puts the pieces together in her mind. Her eyebrow still raised, a small smile appears on her face as she speaks.
"I see."
Knowing that she's figured it out, your mind begins to conjure all sorts of images on how this revelation on her part might lead to your job here becoming known by the school. It's not as if you suspect Celestia of simply blabbing about it to the students or anything like that. She was far too professional for an act like that. However, you felt you had to say something, and so you put your hands together and you look upon her with a pleading look in your eyes.
"Principal...please...don't tell anyone about this!"
The older woman looks at you, at the expression of worry upon your face, and breaks out into a warm smile, not unlike Aloe's, before placing a hand on your shoulder.
"You don't need to worry about anything. The students won't hear a peep out of me about this."
A great sense of relief washes over you as she says that, as if a great weight has been lifted off your shoulders. You realise that it was silly to think she would do that, but even so, just hearing her say it made you feel so much better about the whole thing. But that relief was soon replaced by curiosity, as you look upon your Principal once more.
"If I may ask, ma'am...why are you here, exactly?"
A look appeared on Celestia's face that made it clear that she'd just remembered why she'd arrived here.
"Well, with all the stuff going on with the school lately, my sister convinced me that I should take some time off, and with the lunchroom incident today, now seemed the best time."
You nodded at that. It was obvious to anyone who knew about the daily goings on of Canterlot High that anyone who found themselves in charge of that place would be under a great deal of stress most of the time. And that's if you didn't take into account all the strange things like she-demons and magical Sirens running about the place. If ever there was a person in need of a day off, it was Celestia. As you continued nodding, she spoke up again.
"So, I decided to book an appointment here at the spa. Haven't had one in years. I think I was set for...about three o'clock."
With those words said, your mind does an all-too-good job of making you well aware of what that meant for you. As your situations sinks in, the colour from your face begins to drain and an expression of dread replaces it, which was echoed in your next words.
"...Ah."
If someone were to walk up to you and describe how you looked, the word they'd probably use in this moment would be "statue". You stand there, utterly frozen in place as the words of the woman before you begin to truly sink in. To the best of your knowledge, what Principal Celestia had just said to you was that she was the one appointed for the three o'clock slot. That meant you would have to be the one to give her all of the spa's treatments. The full works. You were going to have to give a complete spa service to your own Principal. Granted, you knew you realised this in the first moment, but thinking about it over and over really did help to cement that fact in your mind.
All the while, Celestia had been standing there, watching you. At first, when she'd first spoke those words, she seemed perfectly fine with it all, probably unaware that you would be the one to perform the service. But now, with the passage of so many moments and little-to-no activity on your part, her expression was becoming one of worry. Eventually, after a good two minutes had passed, she eventually cleared her throat a little before speaking.
"Is...is there a problem?"
In this moment, you realised what a fool you must have been looking right now, and so shake your head a bit to try and recover. After clearing your own throat, you put on a smile that even Celestia can see is one of nervousness. Deep down, you knew that there was little point in trying to hide what was bothering you. And so, after letting out a heavy sigh, you spoke.
"Principal Celestia...I'm the one appointed to give you the treatments."
The silence between you after you said that was, ironically, louder than any words. Seriously, you could have heard the meek whisper of a dropping pin in that silence. Celestia, looking at you, seemed to realise that you weren't joking about this, and so her face became one of slight worry. Raising a hand to her chin, she seemed to be deep in thought over that. Her somewhat hushed tone though made it clear where her thoughts were heading.
"I see. That is an issue. A Principal being given massages and all those other treatments by one of her students. I can see why you'd be worried."
Even someone inexperienced in the goings on of the world could have seen the potential issues with this arrangement. All those stories you'd heard of teachers having inappropriate relationships with their students was enough to make anyone think this was a bad idea. Granted, you had no plans to do anything close to that with Celestia, and knowing her as you did, you very much doubted that she would either. But even so, knowing what spa customers and their attendants would be involved with, that mental image alone was sure to cause a lot of grief. The easy solution, you knew right away. To have the Principal merely book her appointment on another day. That gave you some sense of relief, though it was short-lived as another thought came to mind.
"Principal Celestia? How long is it since you had a day off?"
The woman turned to face you, eyebrow raised, as though surprised that you'd ask such a question.
"Well, if memory serves me, I'd say it was about six months ago. Granted there were weekends and vacation days for the students, but with the front of the school being blown off last year, I was kept pretty busy during most of it. Higher-ups don't really like Principals taking personal time when half the school is rubble."
Your mouth was left hanging wide open after that. Six months without a single day off? You knew she was a hard worker, but not that hard-working! It was clear to you now that this was probably the first time your Principal had managed to get away from the myriad of problems that beset her at that school on such a regular basis. And knowing your luck, it was most likely the only time she would have to herself afterwards too. Asking her to change the date of her appointment was probably not going to be possible, not unless you wanted her to go through another six months without a break. So, knowing all this, you let out a long sigh and look your Principal in the eye before speaking.
"I think...maybe we can just go through the treatments then."
Celestia looks at you with a raised eyebrow.
"You’re sure you can do that? It won't be difficult for you?"
You shrug your shoulders.
"I won't lie. It'll be pretty awkward. But, I suppose we can just look at this as being just another customer asking for a service."
Celestia's face was hard to read, but she nodded and put her hands on her hips as she replied.
"Very well then. In this moment, you and I aren't Principal and student. We're customer and her attendant."
You nod.
"Right. We're professionals. We can do this."
Another nod from Celestia, followed by a mischievous smirk.
"Although...I don't suppose my being your Principal would get me any services free of charge, perhaps?"
You knew she was only joking about that, but even so, it wasn't one you appreciated, as your sudden frown at her quite clearly expressed. Seeing this, Celestia merely chuckled.
"Sorry about that. But, can't blame a lady for trying."
In spite of everything, you find you can't help but let out a small laugh at your own. Say what you will about your Principal, she always knew how to make people smile at least. You step aside and gesture to the door behind you, indicating that this is where she needed to go for the treatments to begin. Nodding, she began to follow your lead into the back rooms. As you walk, your mind thinks back to her earlier comment. A free service? Yeah, right. You'd never be able to get away with that, no matter who had asked for it. Although, as you consider that, a strange feeling washes over you. Have you given free services? Your response is "no" of course, but even so, you can’t shake the feeling that maybe it's something you've done before, and maybe forgotten.
Regardless, you shake your head from that line of questioning, as you find yourself where the two of you need to be. It was a small hallway, lined on both sides with multiple doors, each labelled with the words "changing room". Here, your customers changed out of their normal clothes and into the outfits provided by the spa for the various treatments. Gesturing to one of them, you show Celestia where you are, to which she nods once again in response. Opening one of the doors for her, you watch as she walks inside the room, before closing that door behind her. Now you stand there, in the hallways, twiddling your thumbs as you wait for her. It of course crosses you mind that only a relatively thin wooden door stands between you and your Principal as she is undoubtedly undressing at this moment.
But like before, you shake that thought from your mind. After all, this afternoon's session with her wasn't going to go very smoothly if you couldn't get away from thinking like that. Even though, deep down, you had a terrible feeling that mental images such as that would be all-too common for you in the next hour or so. Suddenly, your train of thought is interrupted as the door beside you opens. Turning, you look upon Celestia, who walks out with the standard garb he spa provided, a simple white bathrobe which extended down to the knees, and a pair of white slippers. As she walked out in this, it was clear that she had just been in the middle of adjusting the waist-strap of the robe, just before looking up at you.
"So…what's first on the agenda?"
As you looked down at the schedule in your hands, which you'd picked up from the front desk prior to coming in here, you glanced at the list of activities available to Celestia. In truth, there were plenty of things to offer her to start with. Manicures, a stay at the sauna, relaxing in the hot tub, and many others. As per the service, it was the customer that got to choose which order she received it, and so you chose to simply show her the list in your hands. Taking it from you, your Principal looks down the paper carefully. After a few moments, a small smile appears on her face as she hands it back to you.
"I think I'll start with the sauna."
Nodding at her, you take the list back from her before gesturing for her to follow you, which she promptly does. It didn't take long for you to arrive at your destination, a larger-than-normal door surrounded by wooden panelling. The spa's sauna was, perhaps, one of the more popular services here, though why, you'd never known. After all, staying cooped up in a room with unbearable heat levels wasn't exactly your cup of tea, even if the sweating was supposedly good for you. Even so, the customer demanded it, and so they shall have it. Turning, you open the door and gesture inside, to which Celestia nodded in response.
Walking inside, she looked around at the place. It was already pretty warm in here from it's use earlier in the day from a previous customer, though that temperature would soon go up in a big way. Entering the room yourself, you walk over to the main source of heat for this sauna, a pile of stones near the corner of the room. Turning to face you, Celestia watched as you lean over to the pile of stones, gazing upon a bucket nearby. The bucket in question was filled with water and had a ladle-like tool within it, presumably for pouring more water over the stones to produce steam. There was also an electric fire of sorts beneath the stones, which you promptly adjusted to get the heat back up. Satisfied that all was well, you turned to look at her and gave a short nod.
"Well, everything appears to be in order. Let me know when you want to come out."
Celestia gave a nod at that and you began to make our way out. However, before you stepped out of the door, the sound of her clearing her throat caught your attention, and you turned to look at her again. Looking a little embarrassed, she spoke.
"Um...would it be alright if I had this treatment...without this?"
She gestured to the bathrobe she was wearing, and immediately you understood, albeit with a slight blush appearing on your face. Nodding, you turned around so as to make sure she had no audience to this, though you could still make out the unmistakeable sounds of someone disrobing behind you. Movement to your left catches your eye, and you turn your head slightly to see that it is a bare, outstretched arm, which was holding a now-disused bathrobe. Keeping your eye on the robe, you take it from her and look away fully before making your way out, closing the door behind you.
You didn't blame Celestia for not wearing that thing inside the sauna. While you hadn’t experienced it yourself, you had heard stories of past customers who had chosen to wear quite a bit in those things and almost collapsing from the heat as a result. And the last thing you wanted during all this was an unconscious Principal on top of everything else. Still, you focus instead on the robe in your hand, and so place it carefully on a nearby hook on the wall. Although one watching this scene might assume that Celestia was now unclothed in that Sauna, you knew the spa provided swimsuits for it's customers to wear underneath, specifically for those uncomfortable in going nude during these services. And while you'd made sure not to look, you at least hoped that Celestia had taken such a suit for herself.
It is in this moment that a sudden sound from behind catches your attention, an almost hissing sound. You recognise it immediately as the sound made by the stones once water was being poured on them. It seems then that your Principal was wasting no time in making more steam for herself in there. Knowing that this service was perhaps the one that required the least activity from you, you take this moment to lean against a nearby wall, using this quiet moment to ponder your situation. Working at this spa was not without it's rewards. After all, both your employers and customers had been nothing but friendly to you, as well as appreciative.
However, for someone of your age, there were times when you'd found your work here difficult. First and foremost was just how intimate you got with your mostly-female clientele through those services. Now, in fairness, you'd never overstepped your boundaries in this regard, nor were you willing to risk the consequences of doing so, if only because it would mean a swift loss of your job here. But even so, you often felt that you couldn't help but think how fortunate you were to get even this close to them. Celestia being here was, perhaps, an even more difficult situation in that regard than normal, and that was saying something.
Now, it wasn't as if you found her to be an unattractive woman. On the contrary, both you and several of your classmates back at Canterlot High had remarked in the past of just how attractive you thought she was. In fact, you were fairly certain that both you and a good chunk of the student population had experienced more than a few passing fantasies about her. But the fact that you knew her is what made this difficult. It would be the first time you'd given services to someone who actually knew you, that you met on a regular basis. Now, you'd said to Celestia that you were going to be professional about all this, and you were planning on keeping your word on that, but even so, this meeting of what you did for a living with those you knew personally was, as one might expect, a challenge.
So, trying your best to focus on other matters, you instead listen carefully to the sounds around you as you wait for Celestia to finish. There wasn't much to do while she was in there, so just waiting out here in the hallways was your only option. You listen carefully, perhaps nervous that some new, last-minute customer might come in through the front door, letting off that bell. But nothing came. It was a relief, to say the least. The only sounds at this point was that of yet more steam being made from within the sauna as your Principal continued to pour water on the stones every once in a while. Things went on like this for a long time, as your eyes glanced upwards at the nearby clock on the wall. Eventually, things reached a point where you were practically counting the "ticks" and the "tocks".
However, after the better part of half an hour, your attention was diverted to the sauna itself, as the loud creak of the door could now be heard. Turning, you saw a copious amount of steam leave the opening in the door, obstructing your view of what was within. As you strained your eyes to see, you heard Celestia's voice.
"I think that's enough steam for one day."
Her tone was a jovial one, and you couldn't help but afford yourself a small smile at it. Stepping forward, you begin to approach the door to greet her, only to be struck with the realisation that her bathrobe was still on it's hook. Swiftly, you grab it and hand it to the mass of steam before you, where a familiar hand reached out and took it from you. After a few moments, you watched as Celestia emerged from the steam, fully robed as before, and wiping a great deal of sweat off her brow. Taking a deep breath of the relatively cool air of the outside of the sauna, Celestia let out a sigh before placing her hands on her hips.
"So then. Which way is the hot tub?"
You knew what you were probably going to have to see in a few moments, but even so, this was part of your job. You just kept telling yourself over and over that this was just another customer, that you'd seen this sort of thing many times with other women. But even telling yourself that so many times doesn't seem to be making you any less nervous about this whole thing. And it soon doesn't matter, because you and Principal Celestia have already arrived. It was a room far larger than the sauna she had been in previously, and was, thankfully, far cooler. The hot tub room had the feel of basically being just a very big bathroom, albeit with more than one bath. The hot tubs, of which there were about four in total, all lined the far side of the room.
Moving over to the nearest one, you walk up the set of steps built into the side of the thing and peer inside. It was already filled with water, though one dip of your hand into it showed that it wasn't anywhere near hot enough for Celestia to use yet. So, moving away from the tub, you make your way around and behind it, kneeling down and looking upon the panel with all the standard controls for the thing. After recalling your past lessons on how to use it, you set about pushing a few buttons and switches, until the familiar sound of some kind of mechanism within the tub begins to be heard. Standing up, you wait for a minute or two before the expected result happens, as the waters erupts with many thousands of bubbles.
Pleased with your success in this, you take a brief moment to feel some small measure of pride over this, hands on your hips and all. However, your smile soon fades a little as Celestia catches your eye. You see her begin to open up the straps on her bathrobe, showing that she was readying herself to get in. Walking around the tub yet again, you reason with yourself that she would not just strip naked in front of a student of hers, which meant that she must have opted for the spa's standard swimsuits. And so, as you stand there, watching as your Principal slips out of her white slippers before removing her bathrobe entirely.
Your guess was right. She was indeed wearing the standard, light-blue one-piece swimsuit offered to the spa's female customers. But while you feel some small relief over that, you can't help but feel astonished at her appearance now that she was revealed in this way. You always felt she was attractive, but never quite in this way before. To say she had a perfect hourglass figure would, perhaps, be overstating it a bit. Her chest, for instance, didn't quite match the width of her hips and thighs, which were plentiful without being overly so. But there was no unnecessary weight to be seen anywhere. The Principal had not only the curves, but also signs that she took personal fitness seriously, as you could see definite tone in both her legs and arms.
You bring yourself out of you daze just quick enough to notice her looking in your direction, allowing you time to look away. In this moment, you dared not look her in the eye, just in case she suspected something of you, though the sound of her clearing her throat made it clear to you that this is exactly what she was thinking. Thankfully, she doesn't call you out on it as you see her walking over to her readied tub. Walking up the steps to the edge, she peers over and carefully dips a toe in the water before smiling to herself, clearly satisfied with the temperature. Kneeling, she places one leg in the water, and then another, before placing her palms on the edge of the tub and lowering her whole body in, until only her shoulders and head remained above.
It is at this moment that she lets out a contented sigh. She was enjoying being in there, that much was certain. Thinking to yourself, you knew it would be best if you at least offered to do something for her while she was like this, and so took a step forward before clearing your throat.
"Um...Miss?"
Celestia turns to face you before you speak again.
"Can I get you anything while you're in there?"
She looks away and appears thoughtful for a moment, before a small smile creeps onto her face.
"Actually...would it be acceptable for me to have my manicure while I'm in here?"
You think on that for a moment. It wasn't unheard of for customers to ask for such things, but you yourself had never been tasked with doing so. Regardless, you give a nod to her in response, and then turn around to leave the room. Making your way swiftly to a nearby storage room, you glance around until you come across the tools needed for this task. Having gathered them, you make your way back to the hot tub room, where you find that Celestia has partially lifted herself out of her tub, resting her arms and hands on the edge of the tub around her. Walking over, you place your tools nearby and sit upon the edge, taking her nearest hand and picking up a nail file.
As you get to work filing the first of her fingernails, you hear her speak up.
"Tell me...do you enjoy this kind of work?"
It wasn't a question you were expecting to be asked. But even so, you felt that having a conversation during all this might help calm your nerves, at least a little bit.
"Well...I like to think so. Aloe and Lotus, the spa's owners, have both been great to me. My customers too. I mean, it's not the kind of work I expected to be doing...but yeah, I think I enjoy it."
A small smile creeps onto your Principal's face as she hears that. A few minutes go by and you finish your work on her first hand, so you move to the other side of the tub and begin work on the second. And it is here that you hear Celestia speak up again.
"I'm curious. How is it you came to work here?"
You glance upwards at her a little before looking back down at her other hand, answering her as you do so.
"It started out as a Summer job last year. I was always on the look-out for one, and my Mom, who used to be a frequent customer here herself, heard that they were hiring. So, here I am."
Celestia gave out a small hum at that, though what she was thinking about was something you could scarcely even guess at. Regardless, you focused on your work, having finished on her nails and thus began on her cuticles. This in particular was the most difficult part of manicures, as your past experience with them taught you. Making sure it wasn't uncomfortable for the customer was key, but, given that Celestia made no sounds of discomfort, you figured you must have been doing a satisfactory job of it. The minutes rolled on by in complete silence at this point, but you didn't mind. You were, after all, starting to feel less stressed about this whole thing.
Eventually you finished on your Principal's manicure, and as you moved away, Celestia moved her hands in front of her face, inspecting the job you did on them. To your relief, she smiled as she looked at them before turning and giving you a short nod. You smile in return, knowing that she was happy with your work. But, you begin to step backwards as you saw that Celestia was starting to lift herself out of the tub entirely. She must have finished with it, you say to yourself, and so you move over to the nearby wall, upon which was several large towels on hooks, ready to dry off the customers after they'd used the tubs.
Grabbing one, you turn and watch as Celestia was stepping down the side of the tub, with every part of her dripping wet save for her hair. Handing her the robe, she takes it from you and begins to dry herself off, which didn't take long. You figure to yourself that she'd probably need her bathrobe back on now, and so you move over to collect it where she left it. However, as you hand it over to her, she shakes her head and raises her hand, indicating that she didn't want it.
"Thank you, but I don't think that will be necessary. After all...it's time for the last service, I believe."
You realise what she meant by that, and despite your wishes, the nerves from before return with a vengeance as you speak in a hushed tone.
"Yeah...the massage."
It would have been the understatement of the century to say that you were nervous about this next part of your day. From the moment you heard that Celestia was your customer, and what services you'd be required to do, you knew that this would be the one you'd have the most difficulty with. The massage. This sort of thing isn't something you've had to do often. On those days when massages were requested, it was usually Aloe or Lotus, the two most experienced at this sort of thing, who performed it. That wasn't to say you had no experience in this field of course. The two women had taught you a few techniques, as well as provided some tutelage on the subject.
But as for actually performing it, you'd only ever done partial massages, on the shoulders and such. And while you'd been told by your employers that you were ready for the full-body version, you had yet to actually do so on a customer. It figures that the universe would throw a wrench into your path like having your Principal be the first one to experience your hands in this way. Still, there was little point in debating this point to yourself, and so you instead focus on simply leading Celestia to the room she would be receiving this service. Given what service it was, she'd elected to remain clothed only in the spa-provided swimsuit. Thankfully, it wasn't much of a walk as the massage room was right next to the room which held the hot tubs.
By contrast, the massage room was relatively Spartan, containing very little in the way of furniture save for the few massage tables, upon which the customers would lie down as they received this service. A glance to your right shows the room's sole window, out of which you would see a nearby set of bushes, and even a tree. It was always nice to have a few tree-dwelling bird chirping every once in a while. Gave the room a pretty calming feel to it. So, having entered the room, you gestured to one of the tables, and Celestia nodded in response. Walking over to it, she carefully stepped up onto it before re-positioning herself so that she was now lying face-forward on the table, her chin resting on her hands that she'd placed underneath her head.
Walking over to her, you let out a nervous cough before speaking.
"The massages come in a number of varieties. I can work on just the back areas, if you wish. Or, if you'd prefer, we can do the..."
A small blush appears on your face as you continue.
"...the, er...front as well."
Celestia looked at you, knowing immediately why you were looking so nervous. Letting out a small sigh, she replied.
"I think the back side is enough. No offense, but I wouldn’t feel comfortable with people touching my front even if they weren't one of my students."
You resist the urge to breathe a sigh of relief over that. Not that you didn't appreciate the mental image of what a frontal massage might lead you to, but the idea of crossing that line was something you really didn't want to be dealing with right now. Still, you had a job to do, and it was now time to get on with it. However, before you begin, a thought comes to mind, as you speak up to your Principal.
"Um, Miss? We sometimes use oils for these massages. Would you like some for yours?"
Celestia considered that for a moment before a small smile appears on her face.
"Actually, I had heard that the spa had a very special fragrant oil of some sort. Some really fancy stuff from out of the country?"
You nod upon hearing that. It was a new brand the spa had been using, but had nevertheless proved popular with the customers. Moving over to a nearby cabinet, you open it and begin looking within. After a few moments however, you notice that the oil she requested was, in fact, missing from the shelves. You worry for a moment that it might have been misplaced, until a memory from earlier begins to resurface in your mind. Turning back to Celestia, you start to explain.
"Unfortunately, we seem to have run out of that oil. It's why my employers aren't here right now. They needed to go off and get some. But we can use regular, if you like."
Celestia let out a rather disappointed huff, before resting her head on her hands fully.
"Thank you, but I think I'll still to going without oil today."
Nodding at that, you close the cabinet before making your way over to Celestia. The Principal casts a glance in your direction, knowing you were nervous about all this, but not saying a word. You knew this wasn't going to be easy, for a number of reasons, but there was no going back at this point. So, taking a few deep breaths, you raise your hands and place them on the back of Celestia's neck. Slowly, you begin to press your fingers into the soft areas there, and already there was a reaction from your customer. She started shifting, though in a very subtle manner. Clearly she wasn't used to being touched this way, so you endeavoured to make sure you avoided making mistakes here.
After a minute or so on her neck, you begin to move downwards to the space between it and her shoulders. And it was here that you felt a small pang of surprise. You'd heard that those with stressful jobs felt firm in this area, but you hadn’t expected it to be this pronounced. Being a Principal must have been a much harder job than you ever gave credit for. Still, you carried on, carefully kneading the relatively soft tissue there. Celestia began to let out a sigh of contentment, much like when she'd entered the hot tub earlier, so you figured to yourself that you must be doing something right, at least for the time being. It took a while, but eventually you became satisfied that you'd done as much on that area as you could.
Moving downwards, you flattened your hands on the area of her back where her shoulder blades where. As you move your palms upwards and downwards, you were trying your best to ensure you didn't rub too hard. That was something you'd been told in the past that you struggled with during your practise sessions. Still, there wasn't any outwards sign of discomfort from Celestia, so there was that at least. And speaking of whom, you couldn't help but note at this point just how smooth and utterly flawless her skin felt to the touch. This woman took remarkably good care of her skin, or perhaps she was just very lucky in this regard. I swear , you think to yourself, this is the kind of skin royalty probably has .
Eventually though, you finish on that area, and so move downwards to her small, the area of the back around where the base of the spine was. This part of her was much softer, owing to fewer bones beneath the skin to get in the way. As such, you began kneading a bit more vigorously than you had been just a few inches upwards, though not overly so. Another sigh from Celestia gave the distinct impression she was enjoying this, which you appreciated. It was always nice to know that people liked the work you did for them. Occasionally, you reverted to having your hands flatten out like before, moving upwards and downwards in a rhythmic, almost circular fashion. Thankfully, there was far less stress to be felt down here than there had been in her shoulders, so there was little resistance on the part of her muscles to your movements.
However, it was here that you came to a difficult part. You were due to move further downwards, though that led, naturally, to her posterior. You hesitated at this point, debating whether or not to ask if she was okay if you carried on down there. She must have been a mind reader, as you soon heard that familiar, almost motherly tone of voice.
"It's alright. I know this is difficult for you. You can skip that part, if you like."
You look up at her, where you saw that she had her eyes closed.
"You're sure?"
A small smile appears on her face.
"Unless you plan on taking me out afterwards, then yes, I'm sure."
Your face erupts into the brightest shade of red possible, and so swiftly take her up on her offer to skip this particular part of the massage, opting instead to move to the backs of her thighs. As you carried on massaging those sections of her legs, you did your best to have your mind regain it's, admittedly poorly-established professionalism. It's just the manipulation of muscle tissue , you tell yourself. It's all biology and science and all that good stuff. Nothing wrong with that . You keep telling yourself that over and over as you carry on with your work, and thankfully, it seems to get your mind back on track. The thighs were, perhaps, the most difficult part to massage on Celestia, given how much muscle there usually was on this part of the body. But even so, you carried on, and eventually came to the end of your movements there.
Next, naturally, came the lower legs. This was somewhat softer than the thighs, and you took to gently placing one hand under each as you used your other hand to massage each one individually. Movement from further up causes you to glance at Celestia's face, where her eyes were still closed, seeing that she was shifting the side where her face was looking. Carrying on with your movements, you kept on trying to recall the lessons you'd learned from Aloe about this. The muscle areas could be worked pretty effectively, but there was that section in-between those muscles and the Achilles tendon that was pretty tough to massage, or so she'd told you. She wasn't wrong on that count, as it proved fairly difficult to really knead the muscles properly there.
Fortunately, you soon felt as though that part of her leg had been services enough, and so now came her feet. Much like before, you lifted one up and used your free hand to gently press into the sole. That must have been some sort of sweet spot for her, as she soon let out a sigh much louder than before. Your mind soon entered into an almost-panic mode. Oh, please don't moan, please don't moan, please don't moan, oh sweet whatever-deity-I-worship she's moaning! You'd heard tell that areas like this could be sensitive, but to cause that reaction was, needless to say, not something you'd expected. Still, one look up at the somewhat embarrassed-looking Principal's face made it clear she was going to try and hold that kind of reaction in. "Trying" being the main word there.
So, you carried on, and after you'd tended to one foot, you moved over to the next. After a few more minutes, that too was done, and so you then began your move back up her body, revisiting all of the areas you'd massaged before and giving them a second service. It was something you’d heard Lotus say they were proud of, that, as she said, "they never stopped until they were DOUBLY sure the customers were tended to ". You afford yourself a brief chuckle at that as you carry on with your work. After a while, you came full-circle to her neck again, and once you'd finished with that, you stepped back from the table, waiting for Celestia to let you know how she thought you'd done.
What came instead was, to your surprise, a snore. Not the kind of loud, boorish snore that kept people up all night, but a softer, less noticeable one. Raising an eyebrow you lean in carefully and make sure you heard right. Sure enough, there she was, fast asleep. Stepping back a little, you find yourself astonished at this. One of your massages was good enough to put a person to sleep? That was a good thing, right? Regardless, you knew that it would take a while for Celestia to say anything to you, so, you instead grab a chair from nearby, as well as one of the many magazine strewn about, and simply began waiting for your Principal to wake up.
Eventually, that indeed happened, and the woman let out a brief yawn before her eyes widened with surprise, realising what had just happened.
"Oh my! How long was I out?"
Looking up at a nearby clock, you give your answer.
"About twenty minutes, give-or-take."
A look of embarrassment crosses her face as she hears that, and she soon slides herself off the table and stands up tall, clearing her throat in a nervous manner.
"Well...I apologize for making you wait."
Standing up, you shake your head.
"It's fine, really."
However, a similar look of worry crosses your own face, as you look her in the eye.
"Was...was it...good?"
Celestia knew you were talking about the massage, and so thought back to her experience. After a few moments, she broke out into a smile.
"I can safely say that I'll be thinking about it for a long time. You should be pleased with your performance there."
A small blush appears on your face again as you heard that. However, you both know that, with the massage completed, the services have all been finished. Celestia, looking up at the clock, gestures to the door leading out to the hallway. Knowing that she wished to get herself ready to go, you nod at her and begin to lead her out. It was not long before you arrived back at the changing rooms, where Celestia entered the same booth as before. After a minute or two, as well as the clear sound of clothes being changed, she emerges once more, dressed as you always saw her, in her sensible Principal outfit. Nodding to her, you begin walking towards the front reception area with her in tow. After arriving there, you walk over to the front desk, where you glance at the spa's appointment book before speaking to her.
"Okay. Says here you paid in advance, so I don't need to worry about charging you today."
Celestia smiled before nodding.
"Thank you. And thanks also for today. I can safely say that I can't remember the last time I've felt so relaxed."
You smile back at her before replying.
"Thanks for saying so. Always nice to get good feedback."
However, you expression soon turns into a somewhat nervous one as you keep your eyes on her.
"Um...Principal Celestia? Would it, er...be okay if...?"
But Celestia raises a hand, stopping you from continuing.
"Don't worry. Your classmates won't hear a peep out of me about this."
You breathe a sigh of relief at that, to which Celestia chuckled before speaking up again.
"After today, I wouldn't mind coming back next time I have a free day."
Standing straight, you nod at that.
"I'm sure Aloe and Lotus would be more than happy to help you."
As Celestia turned away from you and walks towards the door, she casts a somewhat mischievous glance back at you before speaking.
"Who said anything about them being the ones I see?"
The colour drains from your face as you hear that, though the feeling is short-lived as Celestia soon bursts out laughing, making it clear to you that she was merely joking about the whole thing. Affording yourself a faux-laugh in response, you watch as your Principal makes her way outside, still giggling a little. Eventually, you couldn't see her anymore, and so you begin to turn away, ready to go back and take inventory of everything you used during this session. However, you soon stop as the distinct sound of the front door bell catches your attention. Spinning around, your eyes wide in surprise as you see that it is none other than Aloe and Lotus, who came in from the exact opposite side of the door that Celestia walked from. Lotus was smiling widely, holding a bottle of what had to be the special oil they had gone out to get. Aloe, sighing at her sister, turned to face you with a small smile.
"So...anything interesting happen while we were gone?"
Needless to say, there were not enough facepalms in the world to properly respond to that statement.
