A bell above the door chimes loudly as you and Windy enter the building.

As the door closes behind you, you peer around curiously. It’s a relatively small room, given the size of the exterior. A row of swivel chairs line the walls, each one positioned in front of a sink with a mirror. There are shelves littered all over the place, covered in variously-sized bottles of different gels, oils, and shampoos. The smell of lilacs is thick on the air, hiding a faint chemical smell.

There’s nopony present at the moment, but you can hear somepony moving around in the backroom behind the desk in the far corner of the room. At the sound of the bell, a voice calls out. “I’ll be right with you!” A moment later, a pegasus mare emerges.

“Welcome to Dyed and Feathered! How may I assist… oh!” Upon seeing Windy, the mare jumps over the desk with a flap of her wings. “Windy! It’s so good to see you again, darling, it’s been far too long!”

“Plume Painter!” Windy squeals happily before rushing forward.

As the two of them embrace each other, you look over the new mare. She’s abnormally tall and lithe, standing a good head-and-a-half taller than you or Windy. Her fur is as white as the clouds, and just as fluffy, while her mane, which is black but slowy fades to cyan, is slicked back down her neck. The feathers on her wings are dyed different shades of gray and blue. About her neck, a pair of half moon spectacles dangle from a beaded retainer.

All-in-all, she kind of reminds you of a heron, what with her long neck and thin face.

Pulling out of the hug, this new mare—Plume Painter—gave Windy a big smile. “It’s been forever since you lasted visited, darling!”

“Yeah, well…” Windy laughs sheepishly. “What with Rainbow out of the house, there wasn’t really a reason to continue coming here.” She rubs the back of her head. “You know how I like my natural look.”

“Oh, I know, darling, but I really wish you’d let me play around with it someday,” Plume tuts. “I could get it looking like it did back in the good old days.”

“Hmmm, maybe,” Windy says, pulling at a few strands of her mane as she looks at herself in the mirror. “I’ll have to think about it. Although, I do kinda miss the purple streaks…” She trails off, humming thoughtfully as she studies her reflection.

“Well,” Plume hums as she steps back behind the desk, “if you aren’t here for a dye job, to what do I owe this unexpected visit?”

“I’ve brought you somepony to be initiated,” Windy says. With a push of her wing, she shoves you forward into the spotlight.

You squeak, shrinking back a little at the intense gaze that Plume levels towards you.

“Initiated?” she all but purrs. Her yellow eyes glint with unbridled eagerness. “Oh ho ho! Dost mine ears deceive me? I get to pop his cherry?” Before you can blink, she around the counter in a flash. Glasses now perched on her muzzle, she circles you like a vulture.

Ears splaying backwards, you look to Windy for some kind of guidance, but she’s just backs away, a smile on her face.

“An Earth pony, hmmm?” Plume says, and you tense slightly as you feel her feathers brush against the back of your mane.

“He’s the son of an old classmate of mine,” Windy explains. “She neglected his pegasi heritage, it seems, so I’ve been getting him caught up.”

“Well, well, well, lucky you,” Plume hums in your ear. She circles you one last time before stepping back and giving you a general once-over. “Oh, yes, with his coloration, I can think of a few good colors and patterns that’ll make him stand out. Maybe some fuschia and cyans… or red and yellows? Greens? Hmmmm, this might be tricker than I thought. Still, there hasn’t been a customer I haven’t found the perfect look for yet! Oh yes! No wings though. Tricky, but I think I know a good substitute for that.”

Smoothing down your mane with a hoof, you glance at Windy. “We’re dyeing my mane?”

“That is the plan!” Windy chirps. “Although, if you’re uncomfortable with the idea, we don’t have to. It’s up to you, champ.”

You’re silent for a moment, running a hoof absently through your mane. You’ve never really thought about it before. There’s barely any place in Canterlot that deals with such things. Sure, there’s places where you can get manecuts and stuff, but that’s usually about it. In fact, the only ponies you’ve ever really seen with dyed hair consisted of your mom’s coworkers.

And of course, your mother.

…

Actually, now that you think of it…

“Let’s do this!”

“That’s the spirit, darling!” Plume says with a smile. “Nothing wrong with a little dyeing! Nothing is permanent, so experimenting is welcome! Now,” she hums, touching a wingtip to her cheek, “we just have to decide on a color scheme, and then we can get started. I think I might have a few colors that will compliment your coat.”

“Um, actually…” You shuffled your hooves nervously before motioning her to lean down. When she does so, you whisper your request in her ear.

Leaning back, she blinks bemusedly at you. “Really? Are you sure?”

Your ears fold back, but you nod all the same.

“Well,” she says, sucking on the inside of her cheek, “it’s not what I would have picked… but I do believe I can make that work.” Her smile returns. “Yes… yes, I think I can. It might be a little challenging, but I’m up for the task!” She motions towards one of the chairs with a wing.

Smile on your face, you eagerly clamber up into the chair. As Windy takes a seat in the chair next to yours, Plume drapes a protective bib over your shoulders.

“Now then, darling,” she cooes. “Let’s make you look fabulous!”

~ ~ ~ ~ > > < < ~ ~ ~ ~

“Almost done, darling, just a little longer.”

A half-hearted reply escapes your lips as you lie there contently, with the back of your head submerged in the warm water. Eyes closed, you humm happily as the feeling of Plume’s hooves working the shampoo from your mane. A moment later, a stream of water runs across your forehead as she turns on the sink’s shower head attachment, washing the suds and any remaining dye from your mane.

It had been an interesting experience, although you had been a little skeptical at first, especially when she had informed you that she was going to be putting bleach in your mane.

When you had voiced your concerns, she just clicked her tongue good naturedly. “I assure you, darling, despite what those narwhals in Canterlot might tell you, bleach isn’t just for clothing!” Upon seeing that you were still unconvinced, she had pulled out a small white tub and opened it, showing you the contents inside.

It hadn’t looked like the stuff your dad used to make sure his uniform dress shirts were nice and white. Instead of being liquidy—or a small orange-and-blue gel packet that looked oddly tasty—the bleach in the tub appeared to be some form of paste.

“This will strip away the color in your mane,” Plume had explained, “so that we can add the new color without it bleeding through. Trust me, darling, this is perfectly safe. You might feel a slight tingle, but that’s completely normal.”

She had been right. The parts of your scalp where she applied the paste had started to tingle, as well as warm up slightly, but other than that, nothing bad happened. You had to sit for about twenty minutes with the bleach covering the right half of your mane before Plume washed it out.

While you had been waiting for the bleach to set, Plume had started working on the fur around your fetlocks. The feathing around your ankles had always been on the long side—something you could thank your dad’s side of the family for. After brushing out the slightly tangled mess, Plume had applied a decent amount of bleach to it as well.

Once the bleach was all washed out, Plume started gathering several bottles of the various colors you had requested earlier. Covering your eyes with a piece of cloth, she had gone to town, applying the dyes to the now-white parts of your mane. When she was finished, you had to sit there again, waiting for about half-an-hour for the color to soak into your mane. While you waited, you felt her tweeking around with your fetlocks again.

All in all, the procedure had certainly been longer than you had been expecting, but an enjoyable one all the same. Especially with Windy’s commentary from off to the side.

As enjoyable as it had been though, you are ready to see the final result.

You’re both nervous, and excited at the same time.

…

Dear Celestia, you hope this doesn’t look too bad. You don’t want to have to shave your mane until the regular color comes back.

You are pulled from your thoughts by the sound of the water being turned off. Lifting your head, Plume squeezes the excess water from your mane before suddenly bundling your head up in one of the fluffiest towels you’ve ever felt.

The world goes black as you are consumed with the fluffy.

“There we are!” Plume purrs as she dries your mane by patting it down with the towel. “All finished, darling! Let’s get you all dried off, and we’ll have a look at the finished product!” she continues for a few more seconds before suddenly pulling the towel away.

You blink dazedly in the bright light, your eyes having been closed for over thirty minutes. Squinting through the sunlight, you look up to see both Plume and Windy staring at you.

“Oh wow,” Windy says breathlessly.

“Excellent!” Plume says, clapping her hooves. “None of the dyes bled together! It turn out perfectly!”

“You’ve done it again, Plume!” Windy cheers. “It looks amazing!”

Plume hums. “Perhaps, but let’s see what he thinks of it, hmmm?” Reaching forward, she spins your chair around with a flair, finally allowing you to catch a glimpse of yourself in the mirror.

You stare wide-eyed at your reflection.

Despite the fact your mane was still damp, the new colors in it were vibrant. The left side of your mane is virtually untouched, but the right side now bears several new stripes of colors that start at your bangs and run up, over your head, and down the back of your neck. A stripe of gray sits practically along the middle of your scalp, followed by a stripe of brilliant raspberry, and then finally ends with a nice streak of white around your right ear.

The new colors stand out against your normal mane color, but not in a way that was garish or cringy. In fact, they almost looked natural. If somepony hadn’t seen you before, they probably wouldn’t have known that your mane had been dyed at all.

This mare knows what she’s doing.

“So, what do you think, darling?” Plume asks. “Is this what you were hoping for?”

“This… is amazing!” you breath, reaching up a hoof to touch the pink stripe. However, you pause upon catching sight of your fetlocks. The feathering around your ankles has been dyed white, slowly fading to your regular coat color the further up your leg it goes. That’s not all though, as Plume has also striped the hair along the back of your fetlock with the same pink that’s in your mane before braiding it all.

“You don’t have wings, so I can’t dye your feathers,” Plume says as you run a hoof down one of the braids, “but I know how much Earth ponies value their hooves, so I figured we’d do something to draw attention there instead. Like it?”

Oh, do you ever!

“Ohmygosh!” You wave your forehooves around, a stupid grin on your face.

“Another satisfied customer,” Plume purrs, her chest puffing out.

“Look at you, champ!” Windy chirps, running a hoof through your mane, ruffling up the new colors. “All flashy and ready to strut your stuff. Those colors are sure to draw some eyes and admiration! Your mother would be proud! Good choice!”

This time, it’s your chest that puffs up with pride.

Giving you hair one last ruffle, Windy turns to Plume. “So, how much do we owe you, Plume?”

“Oh, come now, darling,” Plume tsked. “You know the first one is always on the house! The pleasure of introducing a pegasus… or in this case, a fine young Earth pony, to the world of dyeing is payment enough. It’s simply intoxicating seeing the eyes of a newly initiated pony light up upon seeing their reflection for the first time!” She gives off a low purr that causes a faint blush to touch your cheeks.

“It’s what I live for, darling,” she whispers huskily.

Windy just laughs. “If you say so, Plumey.” Turning to you, she motions towards the door with her head. “How about it, champ? Wanna go show off your new look? I think it’s just about time to get something to eat, no?”

As you hop down out of the chair, your stomach growls loudly.

“I thought so,” Windy giggles. “Come on. I’ll take you to this great place I know of. If you liked the anchovies, you’re going to love what they have there.”

Your ears perk up. More of delicious new treats? Oh, Celestia, yes!

“Goodbye, darlings!” Plume calls after you. She gives you a wink when you glance back. “And enjoy the rest of your day, young one. It’ll be memorable, that’s for sure.”

“What did she mean by that?” you ask Windy as the door closes behind you. The sunlight warms your mane, drying out the last remaining dampness. You can see the new color in your bangs, the raspberry practically glowing in the sunlight.

“You’ll see, champ,” Windy says with a smirk. “You’ll see.”

Author's Note

This chapter edited by booze.