There were many ways to relax in the friendly town of Ponyville. One might simply go to the many cafes and have a nice, quiet meal. Ponyville, being a town founded by earth ponies, was full of great food all year round. Another way was simply taking a walk along the many dirt paths, sitting down and admiring the view. If you are lucky and the sky is clear from the weather patrol, you could just make out the majestical city of Canterlot, perched upon the so-called Lonely Mountain. However, for those wanting to really go all-out and treat themselves by splashing some bits, there was one place everypony would tell you to go. Ponyville Day Spa was the most certain way to relieve all the stress and let all your worries melt away.
Under the careful guidance and supervision of twin sisters, Aloe and Lotus Blossom, the spa was one of the top places to go for a first-time visitor. Inside you are instantly greeted by the sweet scent of herbal remedies and strong ointments. The spa runs 24/7 and has a range of activities for different tastes. These were saunas, massages mud baths and hooficures. Although, for those wanting something a bit extreme, they could always try extra strength hot stone deep tissue massage. It was commonplace for friends to gather, or one to simply escape from the hard burdens of existence. Today, two friends were doing exactly that.
Rarity and Fluttershy were at the front reception, ready to start their weekly spa visit. With Rarity constantly getting orders from all over Equestria as a respected fashion designer, and Fluttershy always tending to her critters, it was nice for two friends to get away from their businesses and spend time with each other. Fluttershy was the early one as usual, as feeding the animals their breakfast was quick and easy, though Angel demanding something more luxurious was always a hassle. She was currently sitting at one of the couches, reading a trending magazine. It wasn’t until the bell on top of the front entrance door ran that Fluttershy looked up and smiled as the white unicorn she was waiting for came in with a smile.
“Morning Fluttershy,” Rarity smiled and hugged her friend, “How was your morning with your animals.”
“Everything has been great so far,” Fluttershy replied with her usual meek voice, “How is business going for you?”
“Busy as always,” Rarity huffed, “Sapphire Shores has commissioned a new line of dresses for her upcoming tour, so it has been pretty tight lately.”
“I’m sorry to hear that,” Fluttershy gave her friend a worried look, “If you want we can cancel today to let you work on your orders-“ She was silenced by a raised hoof from Rarity.
“Now, Darling,” Rarity smiled warmly, “I am grateful that you, as a friend, care for the success of my business. However, work won’t stop me from having a break with a friend. We have promised each other to be here today, and here we are.” Fluttershy simply smiled at her friend’s persistence. Nothing was going to stop that fashionista from taking a well-deserved break. Rarity smiled back and turned towards the reception. Lotus and Aloe would take turns to manage their customers, and today Aloe was at the desk.
“The usual, please,” Rarity simply stated. Being regulars and having grown accustomed to their routine, Aloe simply nodded and jotted down their rota on a clipboard.
“Everything appears to be in order,” Aloe said in her and her twin’s thick accents, “Feel free to go through and have a great time.”
“I’m sure we will,” Rarity smiled. Fluttershy jumped off the couch and both made it through to their first activity together, the sauna. Both friends sighed as they entered and sat down. Lotus was there to provide the steam. They chatted to one another, asking how the rest of the week went. They moved on to their various other activities, from mud baths to mud masks, from massages to horn filing for Rarity. Everything was simply perfect for both of them.
“Alright,” Lotus said as she put the horn filer away, “Onto your next activity. Please make your way through the corridor. Just don’t interrupt the other customers, they seem to be enjoying their time.”
Fluttershy and Rarity gave confused looks to each other. It was relatively early, so there weren’t many customers, so who was in the spa so early? They would soon find out as their made their way to the next room. Rarity was reading about spa deals and thinking about what their next meeting should include. She didn’t notice Fluttershy raising a hoof to stop her before coming into contact. Rarity put the brochure away and gave Fluttershy a confused look.
“Fluttershy dear?” Rarity asked with a concerned face, “Is something the matter?” Fluttershy was not of fear or concern, but one that was completely stupefied at the sight in front of her. Preparing for the worst, Rarity slowly turned her head towards Fluttershy’s direction and her jaw nearly dropped to the floor.
She has known of Rainbow Dash’s secret spa appointments after bumping into her with Applejack, but it wasn’t just the pegasus that surprised her, but rather who was lying next to her. There, lying next to the rainbow-maned pegasus, was a certain orange and hot-pink scaled dragon. Both wore the spa’s gowns and had cucumber slices added onto their eyes. Rarity and Fluttershy could only gape at the spectacle in front of them, which slowly turned to amused snickering as they tried to hold in their laughter. Although it was unladylike to disrespect others’ likes and dislikes, Rarity could not have foreseen this sight.
Unfortunately, their snickering didn’t go unnoticed, as the pony and dragon began to stir from their interrupted chillaxing time. With a claw and hoof, they lifted one of the cucumber slices covering their eyes and looked towards the noise. Their pupils shrunk to pinpricks at who was looking at them, a blush forming on their faces.
“Sorry to interrupt your spa treatment, Darlings” Rarity tried to contain her amusement in a ladylike manner, “But is there any room for two more?”
Smolder jumped out of her spa chair in pure horror. She ate the cucumber slices and threw away her gown.
“I-I just remembered that I have a meeting with my friends!” Smolder spluttered, “Gotta dash!” She was about to race out of the spa but Rainbow Dash held up her hoof.
“Forget it Smolder,” Rainbow Dash sighed and laid back down, “Rarity already knows about my habit, as does Fluttershy. Better save yourself from embarrassment and own up now.”
“A wise choice,” Rarity mocked half-heartedly, “But I do have to ask again. Do you mind the extra company?”
Rainbow sighed whilst Smolder was torn on whether she should bolt right out of the room.
“Fine,” The pegasus groaned, “But you have to promise not to tell our friends or Smolder’s.”
“Cross my heart, hope to fly. Stick a cupcake in my eye,” Fluttershy and Rarity both did the sacred promise along with the correct actions.
FOREVER
A ghostly voice belonging to a certain pink, party pony echoed around the room of the spa, causing the three ponies and dragon to look around with surprised looks.
“Wait,” Smolder put up a claw, “Was that-“
“It was,” Rarity confirmed.
“But how-“
“You get used to it,” Rainbow added before turning towards the other two standing, “Well? What are you waiting for? The more the merrier, right Smolder?”
The dragon just huffed a grey cloud of smoke, much to Aloe’s annoyance. Smoke smog from dragons was a nightmare to clean off gowns and towels. Aloe offered Rarity and Fluttershy a pair of cucumber slices and their own gowns and each of them lied down on their own chairs. They all breathed a sigh of contentment. There was a long pause before Rarity spoke up.
“Now then,” Rarity said, “I think an explanation is in order. I can understand why Rainbow Dash would come to the spa-“
From underneath her cucumbers, Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes.
“But I wonder what Rainbow Dash did to make you come along and enjoy the spa.” The dragon in question sighed.
“It’s complicated, Professor Rarity,” Smolder was reluctant to say.
“I’m all ears,” Rarity smiled.
“Well,” Smolder began, “It all started with we were given this test, not by Headmare Twilight, but by the Tree of Harmony itself.”
“Yes, I have been told that by Starlight and Twilight about the Tree’s strange behaviour when you all stopped Cozy Glow from draining all the magic from Equestria.”
“I still can’t believe the Tree was able to do something like that,” Fluttershy added in.
“The tree was planted by Starswirl the Bearded over a thousand years ago,” Rarity explained, “Who knew what he and the other Pillars expected when they first planted that seed.”
“Anyway,” Smolder interjected, afraid a lecture would happen in the middle of a spa day, “Me and my friends were given different tests set by the Tree to help each other and conquer our fears at the same time.”
“Sounds dramatic,” Rarity sounded surprised.
“You can talk,” Rainbow cut in, earning a pout from the unicorn.
“What was your task?” Fluttershy asked, intrigued.
“Turns out I like cute stuff and tea parties,” Smolder said before being pounced upon by the yellow pegasus.
“You like tea parties?!” Fluttershy announced loudly, “Why didn’t you say so? I could have invited you along with Discord!” To say Smolder was surprised by the usually timid pegasus’ behaviour was an understatement. She turned slowly to the other two ponies, who were just as surprised at Fluttershy’s sudden outburst.
“Is she like this?” Smolder raised an eyebrow. Rainbow shrugged.
“Just say that you’re interested in a pet and you’ll get the same reaction.”
“Right…” Smolder said slowly and gently pushed Fluttershy away, “The reason why I didn’t want to tell any creature was that it kind of got into conflict over what it means to be a dragon.”
“Whatever do you mean by that?” Rarity lifted a cucumber from one of her eyes, a curious look coming across her face.
“Dragons are all about being tough and competition,” Smolder explained, “All about being the best at everything. We don’t like things that go against what we believe. I had a hard time admitting that until the Tree of Harmony showed that it was okay to embrace the more silly things.”
“I see,” Rarity nodded, “To be stuck with your roots and then coming to conflict with trying to fit in and be perfect all the time. I can tell you from personal experience that it’s never easy.”
“Where does Rainbow come into this?” Fluttershy asked.
“Smolder came to me because she thought I was the most dragon-like out of all of us,” Rainbow piped up.
“For somepony who likes to knock down rock towers, I can’t argue with that logic,” Rarity smirked.
“Anyway,” Rainbow tried to move on, “She admitted that she liked tea parties and frilly dresses, so I admitted that I liked reading Daring Do and going to the spa. That was when Smolder asked what a spa was.”
“What?!” Rarity shrieked, startling all four of them.
“Back in the Dragonlands, the only thing close to a spa was some natural hot springs or a lava pool,” Smolder shrugged.
“Ah yes, forgive me,” Rarity calmed down, “You dragons have a way with roughing it with nature.”
“So Rainbow Dash suggested that she treats me to a proper spa,” Smolder roundup up, “One thing led to another, and here we are at the spa before you two came along. Rainbow didn’t want anypony else finding out about it.”
The group sat there in silence, contemplating what they said and learned. Eventually, Rarity spoke up.
“Well, I’m glad you have learnt that there’s nothing wrong with enjoying something that goes against what you have previously taught. Rainbow Dash wouldn’t have gotten into Daring Do if it weren’t for Twilight’s persuasion.”
“I can be an awesome flyer and read action books at the same time,” Rainbow boasted proudly.
“And you can still be a dragon and like spas and tea parties as well,” Fluttershy smiled warmly, “I can always invite you for a private tea party with Discord.”
“After my previous encounter with him, I think I’ll decline,” Smolder smiled.
“Whatever the case,” Rarity smiled, “I hope you can admit your hobbies with your friends.”
Smolder and Rainbow Dash took off their cucumbers and looked at each other with a torn look.
“Maybe baby steps,” Smolder chuckled, “It’s not like they will enter my dreams and see me in a frilly dress drinking tea, right?”
“Unless it’s Princess Luna,” Rainbow chuckled, “But she’s good at keeping secrets.”
It was then that Aloe approached them.
“Alight every…er… creature,” Aloe stumbled at her wording, “I’m afraid your session is up. If you would like, would you want your next activity to be together?”
The three ponies and one dragon looked at each other, smiled and nodded.
“The more the merrier, right?” Rainbow chuckled as they all made their way to the next bit of the spa package deal.
Author's Note
It was nice to write about Rarity channelling her inner sass to her character, including all of her proper and higher-up attitude. 
Anyway, hope you like this new story just as much as I enjoyed coming up with it and writing it all down.
I installed Grammarly to help with my studies for coursework, so it was best to use the addition here.
