Deluxe II

The lively town of Ponyville was not one bit busier today. In fact, for some reason it seemed even more energetic than usual for the two unicorns who strolled down the streets. One of them was ivory, the other pale yellow, a bit like mustard. Their friendly chit-chat, however was interrupted by high pitched squeals becoming louder and louder.

"You can't run, witch! My saint sword can sense you anywhere." a colt yelled, wearing a light, steel armor and a plastic sword of the same color. The steel kept clashing against each other without any rhythm as he chased down a screaming filly with a huge black robe and hat. Soon they ran across the street in front of them the two could continue their small talk.

"Have I said congratulations for your latest collection?" Rarity asked her friend.

"Yes, actually." Agate replied with an awkward grin.

"Then let me congratulate once more." Rarity responded with a sly grin. Soon her little smith friend and her armor appeared, the town was going nuts over them. Almost all the products that was thrown back in Canterlot have found a new owner here in Ponyville. Despite it was pretty much a kick to the face in Rarity's business, the seamstress didn't mind it too much, for she knew the craze will go away as fast as it came.

"Thank you, Rares." Agate responded, and changing her attention to the purple roofed house in front they were approaching. Oh, she couldn't wait meeting the spa ponies again. Long ago was the last time she was here and she felt like she deserved a bit of relaxation, especially after such a tiring day. A smaller yet unbelievably successful fashion show was the last thing she expected to make her this worn out. Of course, her excitement didn't go unnoticed.

"You grew to love the spa despite hating it before." Rarity giggled, as the smith pushed the golden colored door of the complex. Strangely though, it didn't move at all, despite being so easy to just fling it open all the time.

"Hm?" Rarity hummed, as she spotted a little paper attached to the painted wood, reading its contents aloud.

"Closed until further notice."

"Closed?" Agate asked, her voice, like lightning changing to a hopeless and rather frightened tone. Her pupils shrunk just enough to sign she began to fear from something.

"Confusing indeed, let's not assume the worst though." Rarity replied, trying to calm her friend before she might let her emotions on the loose. Little did she know she was already late with that.

"Do you think 'until further notice' as in 'forever'?" She asked, completely ignoring what the other said. She saw these words in other places in Canterlot before, only few of them opened back again.

"I said-"

"Wait, there they're coming, let's ask them!" she cut in, sprinting away towards the two earth ponies of pink and blue. Rarity couldn't help but frown and huff, as shock and frustration washed over her. Crazy it might sound but the smith might have been even more addicted to the spa than her. She followed her, not only because she was also interested what was this all about but because she knew Agate would ask about it before even greeting them. As if the things taught her from the last thing would have been forgotten already.

Agate was fast but they weren't all that far away, so she didn't need to hurry to catch up to them.

"Miss Agate, Miss Rarity, how is your day?" Lotus greeted back to them once they all gathered up in the middle of the street.

"Rather fine dear, how about yours?" Rarity responded before Agate could have the chance to talk. She even gave the mustard coated a stare of disapproval afterwards that, as always, put the unicorn in her place.

"Well, we needed to close the shop for a while, it didn't pass the safety inspection yesterday." Aloe replied, turning her eyes away in embarrassment "A beam appeared to be cracked and we can't reopen until they fix it." she continued.

"My, this is terrible." Rarity said with a worried face. Terrible was indeed, both for them and her. Just thinking about what might happen to her beautiful body if left uncared for Celestia knows how long was enough to frighten her.

"Anything we can help you with?" Agate added, a gesture her friends could witness often. One that could always bring a smile on Aloe's face, even in ridiculous situations like this.

"I'm afraid there is nothing we can do, we have to wait for the repairmare." Lotus responded with a sigh. Miss Fix was known about having a pretty busy schedule, given her fame around town.

"Let us hope it won't last long until you can reopen, until then, best wishes for you girls." Rarity told them, closing the conversation to let the beauticians get back to their own business at once.

"Goodbye, Miss Rarity, goodbye Miss Agate." they replied in their signature collaborative farewell, before both parties went on their ways. Yet something, or better, somepony was off, Agate could hear it.

"Did you hear that too?" she asked the seamstress.

"Hm?"

"Lotus was kinda strange. She sounded so... soulless." the smith pointed it out. She knew, she loved hearing their farewells which burnt into their mind like a catchy song. Something was not the same there.

It was true, now that Rarity thought back about it, the blue sister was indeed behaving rather unusual. She didn't really keep eye contact and was more modest than usual, as if she would've been embarrassed by something. Strange.

"I suppose the massage has to be put aside for later." Rarity explained after a gentle sigh.

"Yeah, we will meet up some other time, then." Agate replied, as the two of them gave each other one last heartwarming smile as a sign of farewell. They parted ways with one another, each heading towards the two opposing sections of the town. Agate didn't want to go home yet, she still needed to buy a few things from stores. She had enough money for that now, it was time to kick back for a bit.

The eastern general store wasn't far, and wasn't big, just a small, simple building with two narrow lanes inside. Its walls had a color so similar to her coat she could pretty much blend into it. Generally, the ponies went down on the one on the left, then came back to the till on the right to avoid confusion and chaos. The two shelves down the rows were packed full with all kinds of things, as one'd expect from a general store. Agate grabbed the red plastic a basket with her mouth and was to make her way down the left side, when something caught her attention.

It was a magazine stand, filled with different kind of issues. One in particular though had a blurred picture of an exotic plant, along with a rather inspiring title on the front cover.

"10 Cheap Do-It-Yourself Spa Recipes for Home."

The unicorn took a closer step as her horn charged up, levitating the magazine closer to take a better look at it. She read it again, and again, and eventually a smug grin grew on her face as she began scratching her jaw. Oh yes, it was definitely time to kick back for a bit.

Arriving home with three grocery bags and a plan, Agate was determined to bring her plan to the next phase. It was time to turn the workshop into a spa... or at least something similar. Her home had just a couple rooms to it, but it was more than enough for her. Though the way said rooms were placed was quite unusual, this didn't bother her in the slightest.

She decided to leave the living room the way it was. The beige room had a couple sofas by the side and a table in the middle, along with a bookshelf by the corner. It also has a cozy fireplace to it on the right. Agate's new home followed the minimalist fashion of her previous one. Simple walls and simple furniture. A narrow corridor lead out to the right now empty garden in the back, but she took her way towards her bedroom.

It was just in front of her, possibly the smallest room in the building. Aside the obligatory bed by the window, it had a nightstand by the side and a tiny wardrobe just in front, on the other end. It was all Agate needed. She put the candles one by one across the room, one on the nightstand, two by the windows and... where should she put the rest was the question. A-ha, she had a small candle holder somewhere around. She turned around and ran to the wardrobe, finding the decorative item laying on its bottom. With a quick charge of her horn, she raised it up, and placed it on the far back of her nightstand as well. Baffled, she began looking around to find more safe places for the candles, but with no success. The room was just not big enough. Agate, however knew well that she had one more place she needed to use candles at, so she did not make a big deal out of it and shrugged it off. First thing first, though, she placed all those beauty products she filled those bags with on the furniture. Next to them she put the magazine she bought.

A little knob and an entrance to the basement was located just in front of the wardrobe, a discovery found a bit late as it was buried deep under the dust before the renovation. The smith didn't let this mess with her plans, though. Stairs led down to a basement of the same beige color that was lit by a single lightbulb. Though Agate needed to turn it on first, which she could do so by pulling a small rope that hung just by the chamber door. With a single click, the whole place was illuminated. A cutout of a square shape about the size of a half pony disturbed its floor, like an empty pool. Its origins were a complete mystery. The first idea was to fill it up with concrete, but then, the unicorn had a much better idea. She turned it into a huge bathtub instead.

She laid down the candles around it, as well as the bag of petals. Aside a great snack, they made a wonderful decoration when flowing on the top of the water. That, and their color fit well with the red curtains on the two sides that hid the shelves and mirrors. The result was more than statisfactionary, she could just only imagine how relaxing this whole place is going to be in the end. That was all she needed to do down here, now all that was left was inviting the ponies to test it out.

She went back upstairs to start off writing the letters of invitation. A paper, a pen, and a bit of magic, and the words already poured on the paper like tsunami. Her plan was perfect. With her transforming her cozy home to a makeshift spa she could raise a bit more income both for herself and her friends. Plus, she could help them flourish the friendship between them. Oh, she couldn't wait to put all these to the test.

Meanwhile at the Day Spa, worrying news were spreading.

"Yeah, it's cracked, I think we'll need to replace the whole thing." A light brown unicorn mare told the two beauticians from above. She climbed down the wooden ladder she was standing on, step by step, being extra cautious not step on or trip over her off-white mane. Quickfix was one of a kind mechanic. She was fast, her magic was strong enough to lift wagons, and she knew how lots of things worked. Be it clocks or pillars, you could rely on her and her little crew.

"How much time it will take to change it, Miss Fix?" asked Lotus, fright filling her eyes completely.

"A day or two perhaps and you can get back to business." the unicorn explained "You girls are lucky, if that thing breaks the whole west part comes down." she added in a serious, almost scolding manner. Only thinking about that put the nerves of the sisters to the edge. The ceiling could have come down and crush any of them behind the counter if that'd have happened. How long did they risk their lives this way without even knowing? Weeks? Months? Years?!

"I'll tell the guys to begin here tomorrow. Don't hang around here too long, alright?" Quickfix ordered just the same way as before. Both Lotus and Aloe nodded with hums. They understood all risks that were at stake now.

"Great, now let's get out of here." the unicorn hurried them out of the building. The less time they spent there, the better it was. Lotus locked the door behind them and stepped back. Two farewells later the beauticians also decided to head home, a place that was just nearby. Both of them were worried, hoping the building won't give up just before repairing. That'd be the end of both of them. Arriving home, though, Aloe spotted something strange.

"Huh? We got mail?" she asked, gazing towards their postbox just by her right. The little flag was pointing proudly upwards, letting the gentle wind blow over its textile.

"It was like that since this morning, no? Maybe I forgot to turn the flag back down." Lotus wondered. She didn't quite remember, just very faint memories could surface in her mind. Aloe didn't waste time thinking, though, she opened the mailbox and took out its contents. A letter. They did receive something in the end. Curious.

"It's from Miss Agate." Aloe shouted with joy, turning back to her sister, then towards the letter. She was so excited in a sudden, she just wondered what it might be. They went inside, Lotus first, to take a closer, more private look at the message.

Aloe ripped the case up with her mouth, letting the torn piece drop as she took out the paper found inside. The more she read, the happier and more excited she became.

"She wants us to try the spa she made out of her home. She says she'd let us use it until our own spa is repaired." Aloe shouted with a wide smile. What a pleasant surprise, and what was even more exciting that she could only guess how she did that.

"But we'll be only closing for a day or two." Lotus replied. She had a point, but that didn't change the mind of her sister one bit.

"I know, but still, isn't this so kind of her?" the pink one asked back, letting out a squeal from between her teeth as she kept trotting in place. Agate could always surprise this two with her generosity and crazy ideas, like the one roughly a week ago.

"Yes." Lotus answered, gazing towards the floor. Melancholy engulfed her mind and body once more, as the memories resurfaced once again... 'those' memories.

"Sister, is something wrong?" Aloe asked, her voice dripping with worry. Unnecessary question it was, for the answer was clear as crystal. Lotus didn't even try to hide it anymore, she might just as well confess.

"Remember last week when Miss Rarity and Agate and us... you know, at night?" she asked, her voice starting to tremble along with her body. Aloe nodded, how could she forget that sensation.

"I always wanted to keep my... virginity. You know they say what makes lotuses beautiful is that they don't get muddy when blooming." she whimpered, the flood almost breaking through her cheeks. Oh no. Aloe's nightmare becoming reality was imminent. She didn't want to see her sister cry, she could just not stand it.

"But now... I can't. I am filthy." she broke down in tears, gasping for air as she tried to fight back the flood, sobbing ever so quietly. In a sudden, two loving arms wrapped around her neck, embracing her and holding the mare thigh.

"Shh, it's all going to be okay." Aloe calmed her, stroking her hoof along her sister's mane to the to calm her and prevent the disaster. All her efforts was in vain.

"I just want it back!" Lotus shouted, as she collapsed upon her sister's embrace, her tears pouring restlessly as she cried without any sign of stopping.

Aloe knew spirituality meant a lot to her sister, but she never thought it means this much. Lotus wanted to be beautiful and pure, but with one bad decision she lost it all. Now she could never live up to her name. The younger sister gently brushed the mane of her older one on and on, just listening and soothing her. Just a few seconds it all took, but Lotus was stopping. Big ponies don't cry, and she was one of them. She still had trouble inhaling without smaller gasps but she started to calm herself down. Her eyelids all red and puffed up, she couldn't help but try to ease the burning feeling by rubbing her hooves against them.

"I'll tell Miss Agate about it, you don't need to come if you don't want to." Aloe calmed her, her sister sipping and nodding mildly as she rid herself from the remains of her tears. It was best if she was left alone for now and both of them knew that well.

As Aloe headed back towards the door, she turned around one last time.

"We'll find a way, I promise." she told her sister. Her eyes were gleaming from hope and trust, they were simply amazing to gaze at. Yet the next second, they were shielded as the pink mare turned and left in almost complete quiet. Silence remained, the calming and beautiful silence. A burning sensation of hope spread across Lotus' body, a feeling the mare embraced, holding to it like it was her dear life.

The sun hid behind the landscape by that time. Aloe paced down the streets fast, the letter scrolled up and pinned between her right ear and her head. She took it with her just in case she forgets the address Agate sent them. She was excited, curious, and a bit frightened. Her feelings kept growing the closer she got to her destination: the cursed Hay Row 13. The curse of that place was nothing but a silly rumor of course. Yet still, so many actually feared it in this town, so many times she has heard about it that she couldn't help but feel rather uncomfortable with the though. On the outside, it hardly looked any different than any normal house of Ponyville.

For there was no doorbell, she decided to knock instead. For nopony's surprise, it was opened by none other, than Agate herself, who also cheered up seeing her friend.

"Aloe!" she shouted, but her happiness turned into curiosity the next second "Where is Lotus?"

"Oh. She couldn't come, she is busy with something." the pink pony lied with an awkward expression. Worst lie ever. She actually was scared that the smith is going to raise suspicion, but Agate just shrugged it off like nothing.

"Oh well, more time for us then, come in." the unicorn told her, stepping out of the way and letting her friend in first. Then, like it was made of glass, she closed the door with her left hoof.