It was a sweltering summer day when Spike knocked on the purple dutch doors at the back of his friend's home and shop at about 11 am.

"Coming!" sang a voice from inside. The doors open, and Rarity greeted the purple dragon. "Spikie! Welcome. Come in out of this wretched heat and sit down, darling. We have much to talk about," ushering her friend in as Spike greeted back, "Hey, Rarity. How are you?"

Spike saw Rainbow Dash and Applejack waiting at the table, munching on something.

"Howdy," and "Hammhmmmad," the two greeted Rarity, giving Rainbow Dash a look.

"Sup. Did you two just get off work?" Spike greeted and asked once he saw Rainbow Dash in her weather patrol uniform and Applejack in her overalls. He took a seat and saw the spread before him. "No, Sweetie Belle today?"

"I'm afraid, not dear. We planned a special lunch for the girls," Rarity said.

"Oh, that's nice of you. Well, how's the work doing, everyone?" Spike asked.

"Doing good. Growing season, which means its baking, repair, and relax season," said Applejack.

"All good here too. Training and such. The weather is supposed to be clear and hot for the next week, meaning just keeping the skies clear," Rainbow Dash said, taking a fork full of something onto her plate.

"Business is going well at all my boutiques," answered Rarity. "How're things with you? Is Twilight's trip going okay?" she then asked, putting a plate and a glass of ice tea in front of Spike and then topping off everyone else's glasses.

"Great with me too. Finally got done with all the heavy chores that Twilight left, and now it's just filing, book sorting, and studying," said Spike, placing a napkin on his lap. "No news on Twi, though."

"Well, if you get lonely, bored, or want to practice your nudity, give me a call," Rainbow Dash said, stuffing a large hunk of buttered bread into her mouth and gaining glares.

"Thank you, Rainbow Dash. I'm sure Spike appreciates the offer," said Applejack, cutting something up on her plate.

Spike took a serving spoon full of some sort of pasta dish and put it on his plate, along with some mixed veggie salad and a roll. "Hey Rarity, did you do something with your hair?"

Rarity sat down with a smile and said, "Thank you for noticing. I dyed it a darker shade of violet. I think it matches this shirt quite well," She took a serving of salad and said, "I almost forgot," leaving the table and then the room. She re-entered the room with a bowl of assorted gems and placed them on the table next to Spike, saying, "I had these gems lying around, just gathering dust, so I thought you might like them. Don't worry, dear. I, of course, washed them for you."

"Thanks, Rarity!" Spike said. He scooped a few with the spoon at his place setting and started eating.

"Your hair is a darker purple?" Applejack asked, unable to tell if she was serious.

"Violet, but yes, darling," Rarity said, taking her seat.

"If you say so," Applejack said, dropping the subject.

"This is delicious. What is it?" asked Spike, gesturing to the pasta.

"I tried to make cacio e pepe," Rarity said, gleaming that someone tried her dish and loved it.

"Coco pepper?" Applejack asked.

"Close, dear. Its cacio e pepe. It means …. something and pepper in Itstallion," Rarity explained, fixing her plate.

"Cocoie means something?" Applejack asked, confused.

"Yes. I don't recall what. But I'm sure it will come to me," Rarity said.

"Spike, would you pass the bowl, please? I want something and peppers," Rainbow Dash asked, curious about the dish.

As Spike passed the bowl, Rarity stated, "No, dear. I mean something and peppers, but I don't remember what cacio means."

"I'm confused. I thought cocoie means something," Applejack said, taking the bowl from Rainbow Dash.

"I… Let us just eat, shall we?" Rarity suggested, stifling herself. Applejack and Rainbow Dash shrugged at each other and started to eat.

After lunch, Rarity ushered the three to her living room and returned with the tea and cakes.

"So Spike… There's a reason we asked you to lunch here today," Rarity said, after making sure everyone had their tea and cakes.

"Oh? What's up?" Spike asked.

"I… About the spa visits..." Applejack said, trailing off, not sure what to say next.

"Yes...Is this about what happened the other day? I'm sorry about that, and I already forgave Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie. I'm trying to work on it not to happen again. Honest," Spike spoke, worried.

"It's not that, dear," Rarity said reassuringly. "It's that we are thinking about inviting our sisters along."

"Oh...oh. You don't want me to come along anymore?" Spike said, dejected.

"Oh, no sugar cube!" Applejack quickly said. "It's that we want to… introduce them to you," she then said, struggling to come up with the words.

"I know your sisters. I'm a bit lost here," Spike admitted, shifting in his seat.

"She means that they haven't visited that part of the spa before, and they want you and them to get nude together," Rainbow Dash blurted out.

"Rainbow!" Applejack chasted, annoyed.

"Oh…" Spike said, relieved and worried.

"We know you're new to this also. Do you have a problem with our sisters joining us? Maybe even joining a little… get-together so everyone will be comfortable? Since you're both around the same age, we thought we should ask," Rarity questioned.

"Not that you did anything wrong at the spa, Spike. It's just that we realized that we should have… tempered you to it," said Applejack, clearing her face of a few loose strands of blond hair.

"And if you are not comfortable with this, then we can just work out a solution that appeases everyone," Rarity said.

Spike cleared his throat and shifted in his chair again. "I don't have a problem with them joining us or have a problem meeting them like that. I assume you guys will be there, of course."

"We are planning on being there. We hoped Twilight could make it, but that didn't pan out well. But that turned out to be a blessing in disguise. There's a bit more to this also," Rarity said.

"And we want to… explain things to em," Applejack added.

"Things?" Spike asked, confused.

"We, umm… Rainbow, honey. Would you explain it to him?" Rarity requested, flustered.

"So basically, they want to combine this meeting into body positivity and sex-ed class," Rainbow Dash explained to the surprise of Rarity of the level of couth she used.

"I…. you lost me," Spike admitted. "The body positivity I get but sex-ed?" he asked, much more anxiously.

"There's a bit of background you should know. Scoots has body image issues. Since she can't fly, she admitted to me she kind of hates her body," Rainbow Dash explained, feeling guilty exposing her close friend's secrets.

"And Sweetie Belle has issues too. She's been very depressed lately. Since she's young and not..." Rarity paused, rolling her hand, thinking of the right word. "Developed yet as our mother or I was at her age, she thinks something is wrong with her. She also told our mother that she doesn't think she will ever become successful as me."

"I don't understand," Spike probed. "She doesn't think she will be successful?"

"Because I have several high-end successful boutiques, Sweetie thinks that everyone sees her failing to catch up to me, even if she somehow gets the same success. I feel awful about this, but I have no idea what to do," Rarity admitted, with tears already starting to form in her eyes.

"I'm sorry Sweetie and Scoots feel like that and that you two have to go through it. You seem like you need a second. Applejack?" Spike said.

"Applebloom has been skinny dipping with me and everyone in the Apple family. I would like her to meet you… in the buff, so she knows what she's getting into. Also, us Apples think something like sex-ed should be done more… practical like. And don't think Big Mac will like to model," Applejack explained.

"Okay. What about a model again?" Spike questioned in a worried tone.

"We want you to get a boner again," Rainbow Dash said, trying her best but failing to conceal a smirk.

"Ha Ha, Rainbow. Very funny," Spike said, relieved.

"She's….not joking, sugar cube," Applejack admitted.

Spike sat silent for a second, unable to tell if Applejack was joking either. He looked to Rarity, who was gauging his reaction. "Should I tell you what I like and don't like about this?" he then replied.

"We realize what we're asking is a big favor and, well, kind of goes against what you have been training the last few days, but I'm worried about Sweetie Belle. My parents and I are out of ideas," Rarity revealed.

"Girls, I don't know about this," Spike said.

"Please, Spike. We're out of idea all around here," Applejack asked.

Spike sat silently for a couple seconds. His mind was racing with everything he had felt over the last few days. "I… can't believe I'm saying this. I'll help. If your parents and Scootaloo's aunts or parents are okay with this," Spike said.

Rarity flew over to Spike and tightly embraced him, weeping, "Thank you so much, Spikie! You have no idea how much this means to us," the white snow mare slowly pulled off him, wiping her tears. "I'm sorry about that, Spikie."

"Don't worry about it. It will be my pleasure to help," Spike said, sealing what he was sure was his doom.

"And they can't know." Applejack said.

"Who can't know?" Spike asked.

"Scoots' aunts or parents. Granny or Big Mac. The Belles. And Twilight, either. We were planning on talking to the girls after this and swearing them to secrecy," Applejack explained.

"I see…. So what are the details then?" Spike asked.

"Well.." Applejack said, trailing off.

"See...About that... A lot of them know about us meeting together for the spa buuuut..." Rainbow Dash explained, trailing off as well.

"We talked to Twilight about the girls joining us. At dinner the other night, that is. And she seemed open to the idea of your meeting with them, but she doesn't know about..." Rarity said, trailing off like everyone else.

"The part about the sex-ed started yesterday. You agreeing is most of the plan so far," Rainbow Dash confessed.

"Okay, I see. Well, when and where are we all going to meet?" Spike asked, regretting agreeing to the makeshift plan.

"We were hoping you were free this afternoon. About three o'clock if that's works for you. But as to where... we haven't gotten that far yet," Rarity said, filling everyone's tea and placing more cakes on everyone's plate, with Spike getting an extra and last one.

"I was thinking on C.M.C. clubhouse. Only they go there now, and it's kinda deep into the orchard. If we do it there, I'll have a little surprise for everyone then," Applejack suggested.

"Okay, we have a time and a place. Just a plan to bring it together is all we need now," said Rainbow Dash.

"If I make a quick mock-up idea thing, will you guys think about it?" Spike said, forming a plan from years of working with Twilight.

The 3 mares nodded in agreement with Rarity saying, "We're asking the favor from you. I'm sure I speak for all of us that we can place our trust in a plan you make. Do you need a pen and paper? I have some at my desk over there," Rarity said.

"Thanks," Spike said, walking over and starting writing. Almost furiously, the pen flew across the paper while the other 3 mares chatted and came up with ideas of their own.

"So I'm basing this after what I kind of observed about myself after my first time with you guys. What do you think?" Spike offered, handing the paper to the 3 while he returned to his tea and cakes.

The 3 poured over his list of points and ideas, with Rarity asking, "Some of these ideas are rather good, but are you sure about the "Staredowns"?"

"I snuck peeks at everyone my first time. Sorry about that. But I realized later that I did it because I was curious about your bodies, not attracted. Not that you're not attractive… you get what I mean, I hope. If you want, we can just strike that idea," Spike explained bashfully.

"Oh, no. Now that you explained it, I can appreciate why it is there. I suppose I'm for it," Rarity said.

"We kinda did the same until we got enough of each other not care anymore. This is just getting the awkwardness out right away," Rainbow Dash agreed.

"What about this standing in a circle in talkin?" Applejack asked.

"I kinda developed that," Rainbow Dash admitted. "It was meant to distract Spike when he got a hard-on. My dad taught me that when I was embarrassed about taking showers after school sports."

"Exactly. If someone else gets... that way, we should teach them a method or two to calm down," Spike said.

"The sex-ed part just says, "Sex-Ed." Rarity commented.

"I will model, but you guys should come up with a lesson plan. I imagine that one of you should model for the female part, and I'll model for the male part," Spike said, regretting agreeing to it already.

"Right... Female part," Applejack said out loud to the group.

"Fair enough. It just says, "Surprise" here?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"Applejack's surprise. By the way. Should we know it now or not?" Spike asked.

"I reckon I ought to tell you a part of it. I'll take you to a part of the farm unseen by anyone who's ain't an apple," Applejack explained.

"We should probably do that last then," Rainbow Dash said. "Can I add something? I want to do a quick yoga/ stretching thing. If we just kinda draw a name from a hat and a beginner stretch, then could all they see bodies in from."

"That's a good idea," Spike said.

"Well, I say we talk to the girls now," declared Applejack. "Oh… You will want to bring a few towels each." She then added.

"Sure thing," Spike said after finishing the last of his cakes and tea. "So, we're all in agreement then?"

"I do say we are. I'll see you all there.

Author's Note

After A long wait, the sequel to Hot Water's is here.