Hooficured

"Rainbow, bodily care is important!" Rarity's tone was strict. She wasn't about to give this up without a good fight. "It's beneficial with maintaining mental integrity, so that you can perform the duties you have day in and day out. I'm telling you, Rainbow Dash, you'd gain in going to the spa with me in the end."

Rainbow watched the mirror closely, the zit on her left cheek magically being rubbed away thanks to Rarity's help. "I'm not doing it!"

"But, Rainbow," Rarity pouted. "I get so tired these last few weeks, curing you of the blemishes and nurturing your hooves so that they're not sore while you stand. When, really, a few visits to the spa, and those problems would go away! Please, Rainbow, just give it a chance."

At that, Rainbow shook her head. "Nuh, uh! Not gonna do it! Like I said, I'll sooner give up my dare devil's license before I let some spa pony touch my hooves! Now, I gotta go, but thanks for the help again! Hate to say it, but I'll probably see you next week?"

Rarity simply shook her head in disbelief, but sighed. "Sure, I suppose." That was only yesterday. Today, Rainbow would wake to an all too familiar feeling on the left side of her cheek. "Mmh... thanks, Rarity," she sighed with a line of drool connecting her lip to the pillow. Her dream, it being of this particular memory with her and Rarity would soon melt away. She was once again brought out of it.

Rainbow hadn't noticed anything just yet. She was in her room, rolling way over to the side table to check the time. Rainbow’s eyes blinked hazily after she finished rubbing them. “Ten to eleven," she remarked with a powerful yawn, and then a stretch. "It’s still too early to get up...!”

She’d already been all over the sheets long before even thinking about getting out of bed. Ruffles were going in all sorts of directions, yet she profusely continued to yank and wrestle a bit longer, groaning and yawning in between tugs, not wanting the day to start just yet. She eventually ceased dreaming, it being a lost effort by then, and got out of bed only to give off a sharp yelp as her hooves touched the ground.

The soreness in the tips shot through her like she’d been stung by a wasp. It’d been like this for weeks now, and despite Rarity’s assistance, Rainbow Dash had begun to awake to the same, harsh surge in her hooves; if not every day, then every other day. Rarity’s treatments weren’t working for as long as they used to anymore.

All things considered, a mare like Rainbow Dash sleeps heavily, sweats profusely when exercising throughout her day, and for whatever reason she simply disliked above the top hygiene as she tended to put it. To her, a brisk shower in the morning should be plenty, which is what eventually caused pains in her hooves and the occasional outbreak. All this thanks to her simple laziness.

She hadn’t had her hooves properly cared for in who knows how long, and even her wings had been affected by the definite lack of care on her part. Rarity was the first to notice all this of course, and eventually was able to talk to Rainbow in private about it, and offer Rainbow her magical help.

Over time, the two realize just how much they’d been seeing one another lately. Rainbow got to her hooves while remembering Rarity telling her, “I’m telling you, my magic doesn’t last forever! I’m no Twilight Sparkle. In other words, you’ll end up coming back to me over and over again! I don't mind seeing you so much, you know, but perhaps afterwards, you’ll go to the spa with me and give that a try instead.”

“Huh, Rarity… Never going into that place, not to let those two twins…” Rainbow stopped her whispers, and felt her cheek. “No... Impossible!”

She darted to the bathroom just down the hall in a panic, noisily knocking over a plastic cup that sat on her dresser in the process. Not worrying much about anything else, she looked into the mirror, and beheld a fresh, red zit. Rainbow groaned some more. Unlike when she was in bed, though, this groan was so loud that had she not been way up in the clouds, she would’ve been disturbing the peace.

She got closer to the floor, her front hooves holding her head above the sink, her torso limp and laying atop the edge. “Gotta be kidding me… I just saw Rarity about this yesterday. Why? When will it end!?”

Upon coming to a stance, she tumbled for a second, only to come to a flight. “This is… terrible!” Even her hooves were too sore to use for very long, and even though she hated to admit it, Rainbow’s wings were a bit harder to flap as well. Needless to say, she flew herself right on over to Rarity’s that weekend in a fool's attempt to have the unicorn fix all this. However, predictably, Rarity wouldn’t be having it this time, not that she could help even if she were given bits.

Rarity was in the middle of getting her morning cup of sunflower espresso. A frilly, pink bathrobe wrapped itself around her as she left the every so slightly steamy hallway, and she had just finished putting on make-up. With her hair already done, and looking as beautiful as ever, Rarity was ready for the visitor she wasn’t exactly expecting to see so early on.

A whooshing sound, followed by the door quickly being opened and closed crossed her ears. It could only be one pony, but now that Rarity thought about it, she reminded herself that she shouldn’t be surprised. "Now who could that be?"

Rainbow barricaded the door with her back, her breathing erratic. “I don’t think any pony saw me…”

“Rainbow,” Rarity teased. “What brings you here so early?”

Settling herself down, the pegasus gulped. She was at first planning to bow her head, and hide her face under her hair the way she’d been doing the last couple of days. It didn’t matter now, though, because Rarity already knew.

“Well,” Rainbow began anyways. “Gotta say, either you need to use more magic on these spells of yours, or I’m gonna have to actually start using make-up!” She squinted. “Like I said a long time ago, I am NOT wearing make-up!”

Rarity merely giggled at this, cool and collected. “I told you when I found out about this and offered, darling. The more you use cosmetic spells, the less the effect will have on you in the long run. It would seem…” She took a moment to take a sip of her morning drink. “Mmh, that’s delicious… Anyways, it would seem you now need to take more drastic measures.”

Rainbow grimaced. “Don’t you DARE suggest-”

“Going to the spa?” she asked with a pair of eager eyes making dead contact with Rainbow’s, the tips of their noses touching. “Why, Rainbow! I thought you’d never ask.” Rarity put a hoof on her friend’s chest, but she was immediately pushed away harshly.

“I told you already! I’m not doing it!”

“But Rainbow,” Rarity fussed, not giving up. “What’s the point of putting off the inevitable?"

"But..." Rainbow had wanted to say something, but it just wouldn't come.

"You didn’t want to go in the past, you don’t want to go now either… You’re bound to go to the spa with me one of these days, and when you do, you'll also be getting a treatment of some sort." Rarity gave Rainbow a cunning stare while also getting a good look at Rainbow Dash’s face before saying, "Or... start using make-up to hide your… err, umm, blemishes…”

Rainbow’s right hoof rose with a shake, and with a pained expression, she asked, “Got a chair I can sit in?”

Rarity came back over to her espresso and sat down on one of the cushions found lying around the centerpiece table. Rainbow rested as well, her front hooves placing themselves at the edge of the table's surface. “Hurts? Can’t say I’m all that taken aback.”

Rainbow looked away unpleasantly. “Mmmh,” she groaned with gritted teeth.

“It’s because you don’t get a hooficure regularly the way you know you’re supposed to!" Rarity's eyes were sharply locked onto Rainbow's. "For a young pegasus like yourself, once every two months should be adequate. How you go about walking around without having done one in years is beyond me, Rainbow Dash. Let’s not get started on your messy mane, and your rugged feathers... Believe me, by the by, the others have been noticing as of late.”

Rainbow’s wing bent awkwardly. “You mean it?!" She asked this with devastation in her voice. "We made sure I was under the spell every day, though!"

"Indeed, but there are times when it just shows, darling. You don't need to worry though, because I haven't told a soul about what I've been doing for you, and once we get you on a regular routine, everything will work out for the better. I'm sure."

Rainbow Looked away, unsure. "I’d go to Twilight for help, but it’s bad enough having you know about this.”

Rarity put her hoof down. “You really should come with me to the spa. Today.”

“No!”

“I promise…” Rarity had caught the attention of her resistant visitor. “Nothing bad will happen. Why, in fact, I'm sure it’ll be quite enjoyable for you! You’ll get a preening…”

Rainbow smirked at that. “Haven’t had one of those since I last saw the Wonderbolts at the arena…”

“A massage, perhaps. The spa sisters do such a wonderful job!”

One of Rainbow's hooves graced her chin while she thought aloud with a positive attitude, “So I’ve heard.”

“Get your hooves taken care of, and-”

Rainbow unintentionally had cut Rarity off with, “Eh, maybe skip that.”

“Oh? But, why ever would you want to miss out on such a delicious treatment? It’s always the same with you. Everything sounds grand up until the hooficure part, and then it all goes out the window! Why?”

Rarity grabbed Rainbow’s hoof with both of her’s to ask this, but the pegasus just wasn’t opening up. “Look, you can ask me all you want, but I’m not budging! I don’t wanna talk about it and that’s final!”

Rarity sighed at that response, but that wasn't about to stop her. “Well then... why not open up about it with Aloe and Lotus?” Rainbow’s muzzle had at least stopped scrunching so much. That had to count for something. “They are the ones that’ll be taking care of you after all. I’m betting it was some sort of experience you had that made you so distasteful towards the spa, right? Must've been specific.”

She solemnly nodded. “Y-yeah… Look, if this is the only way to keep me from looking bad from here on out, then let’s just get it over with.”

Rarity nodded, and made her move for the door. “You do realize of course that you’ll have no choice but to keep this up by returning to the spa from time to time, right?”

Rainbow grumbled, but before leaving, made sure Rarity heard her say, “Gotcha…”

Once both ponies had left the boutique, the door closed. Luckily for Rainbow, the spa was only a few steps away from Rarity's shop, so it wouldn't take up much of their time. Plus, Rainbow wouldn't need to cower behind Rarity for long, on the look out for any of their other friends.

There loomed this wonderfully blissful aroma within the walls of just the spa lobby. Everything Rainbow had seen over and over again never got old when coming here. She furtively liked coming to more feminine places like these, but had never admitted that to one of her friends. The fish that swam in their tanks, and even the electronically harmonizing music was enough to bring her to relaxation the second she entered, if only for a moment or two.

“The usual, and a special first timer’s go, please.”

While Rarity spoke to the front booth clerk, Rainbow fidgeted with herself behind the unicorn, scuffling her wings with her teeth. “Is that… Rainbow Dash?” the clerk asked.

“Jusht… Gett’n thish thwig.”

“She’ll be having a first time treatment finally?”

Rarity tried to shush her, but Rainbow had already heard, not that she cared much. “Yeah, because I can’t stand these aches anymore! So, yeah, let’s hurry this along…” Both wings were now folded on her sides, the right one having a feather stick out in a weird way.

“Right this way,” the clerk pony instructed, opening the doors for the two. “Aloe and Lotus have waited for you patiently.”

“What?” Rainbow asked in a confused manner. “But, we just got here.”

“No,” she said with a turn around. Face to face, and not through the glass, she resumed while trotting. “I mean, they’ve wanted to ease your obvious pains since they met you, but that aside, they’re right this way.”

Rainbow exchanged suspicious glances with Rarity who played far too coy for Rainbow to read. Through a private looking curtain located way in the back, almost hidden, Rainbow and Rarity were brought into the jacuzzi room. This was a luxurious part of the establishment well equipped with the best equipment, and most tender, caring pair of ponies this town had to offer. The room seemed it hadn’t been used at all today, which was a good thing considering Rainbow preferred to have secrecy anyways.

Lotus stood next to her sister, and she seemed busy helping her with collecting more rocks for the sauna. “Oh, Rainbow Dash,” the pink maned twin said with shock in her sweet, accented voice. “What a surprise!”

Aloe put one last rock into the bucket before looking up from her hard work, asking with a hopeful smile, “Really, Rainbow's here?" She looked their way, and then smiled. Why, what brings you to our spa?”

Rarity trotted in front. “Well, I’m here for the usual. The others can take me on this time around, though. It’ll give the new recruits some practice.”

Both sisters at the same time complemented, “So generous!”

“And you two… may finally have Rainbow Dash for a change.”

Aloe asked not to Rarity, but to Rainbow, “Hooficure and all?”

The room became quiet. Save for the bubbling waters and the sound of music coming from the ceiling, nothing pierced this silence. Rarity seemed to insist on Rainbow Dash giving the two her direct permission.

“Hooficure… and all.”

Again, together, both the sisters gasped. Both smiled warmly. Both grabbed her suddenly, and before Rainbow knew it, Rarity was headed for the door. “Be gentle with her!”

“W-wait! I changed my mind! HELP!”

Just as quickly as Rainbow had been picked up, she was gently put down on her back. Both spa ponies looked at her with worry, but their smiles refused to go away. Rarity laughed gingerly as she opened the door. “Too late now! I’ll be waiting outside for you, dearie.”

“No! Rarity!”

The pegasus extended a hoof, but Aloe grabbed it while stating, “It’s okay, Rainbow. We’re here to help.”

Lotus rolled the hooficure equipment that sat by Rainbow’s massage bed away with her hoof. They both came closer to Rainbow’s side, particularly Aloe on the right. “We won’t start until you’re ready,” Lotus offered.

Rainbow squirmed for only a second, but then looked at the two. Aloe first, and then Lotus. “Just… get it over with already!”

Aloe teased, “That doesn’t sound like you’re ready at all!”

“Rainbow,” the other sister pleaded. “I know there’s something troubling you about going to the spa. What is it? Do we come onto you too strongly?”

“No, no…” Rainbow looked down, and gruffed, “It’s just… I don’t like ponies touching my hooves is all, and for very good reason.”

Aloe nestled her hooves next to Rainbow’s waist while she weighed her chin on top. “Go on…”

Lotus, too, knew now was a perfect opportunity to try and further calm this agitated mare by adjusting her pillow. While also nonchalantly petting Rainbow’s forearm, Lotus chimed in, “You can tell us.”

“Well…” Rainbow closed her eyes. “A hooficure was pretty much the only thing I had wanted to get at the Cloudsdale Featherer. It wound up being the last treatment I'd ever wanna get! This was a long time ago, and I was just a filly back then. Y'see…” She hiccupped. “That stupid pony…”

“Who?” Aloe asked.

“What happened?” asked Lotus.

“S-she…” Rainbow looked at her bottom hooves, her tummy quivering at the remembrance. “Newb started filing… I think I fell asleep, because I didn’t feel any pain at first.”

Lotus stepped back. “Pain!?”

“Uh huh. I open my eyes, and, and... I see blood!” Her voice broke near the end.

Aloe covered her lips with a hoof, the other holding Rainbow’s now. “That’s terrible! She must’ve been filing the palm, and not the nail! You say she was new or something?”

Rainbow nodded, looking at Aloe. “I got a full refund, and the manager even offered to make it up to me by… Well, I’m sure you can guess.”

“Right,” Lotus comforted.

“So, I just really don’t wanna go through all that again.”

She had made a move to get out of the bed and stand, thinking she would just exit the scene then and there, but the two begged her to stay. “Wait!” Lotus said first.

“Yeah, hear us out,” Aloe agreed.

Rainbow had stopped at least, and even relaxed her muscles while going back down. Lotus spoke up. “We can only imagine how traumatized you must be, but running away isn’t the answer.”

Rainbow nodded. “I know it’s not.”

“Let us help you,” the spa pony to her left pleaded again. “We both know what we’re doing, and believe me, you won’t feel anything but bliss in a little bit… save for some soreness in the morning.”

Aloe stood up and walked on over to stand next to Lotus charmingly. “Please?” they asked.

Rainbow looked off to the left, unsure still, but what was she to do at this point? Say no? With a smile, she admitted defeat, and said, “Well… A-alright… If you’re sure I’ll like it.”