Hearts and Stripes

by Short-tale

Rating: everyone
Tags: Nurse Redheart, Other, Romance, Nurse Tenderheart, Slice of Life, Zecora, Anthology, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic
Length: 8386

Redheart was dumped but her twin sister, Tenderheart, has the cure, find a new girlfriend. All they had to do was consult the fortune-teller. Who knew the fortune-teller would be the right pony.

Redheart was dumped by her long distance girlfriend Kerfuffle. As much as it hurt it was inevitable. After Tenderheart finds her beloved sister depressed on the floor she vows to help. All she has to drag Redheart to the fortune teller. None of them expect what happens.

This is part of the PRN series which starts with The Q Word. But you don’t have to know all that to read this.

Published 2022-04-12 00:10:01 UTC
Last updated 2022-04-12 00:10:01 UTC

Cauldron of Love

Redheart looked at the letter in her hoof again. It didn’t say anything more than it did before. Her girlfriend felt awful about how little she could help on her last visit. She thought Redheart needed more care than she could bring her.

A few tears fell from Redheart’s eyes. She looked at the letter again but couldn’t read it anymore. Kerfuffle had broken up with her. She couldn’t blame her. She wasn’t right anymore. She had seen too much to know what right was. It wasn’t easy when she was constantly surrounded by so much wrong.

Kerfuffle had come over for some romantic girlfriend time and she had wasted it being upset by work. The pegasus had said it was fine. It was part of being in a couple to support the other when one of them was down but Redheart could tell comforting a depressed mare was not what she had come for. As Kerfuffle left she wondered out loud if Redheart would be better off with a pony close by for times like this.

Kerfuffle was right. The small taste the nurse had gotten of a relationship made her want more than before. And Kerfuffle was a long way away.

It didn’t make sense. She wasn’t going to abandon the hospital her parents built. Kerfuffle wasn’t going to move her fashion shop right next to her mentor’s. It was doomed.

She just didn’t expect it so soon or at least it felt like it. Then she thought of the past few months. They had only been seeing each other for a few months and met each other three times. One of which was the day they met.

She sighed and walked away from the letter. It wasn’t changing and neither was her life. She looked around her home. Her clothes were draped over the couch, her bowls were half rinsed in the sink and her floor needed vacuuming.

She just wanted to sleep. But she couldn’t. She couldn’t lie down in that bed knowing it wasn’t going to be occupied by anypony else but her again.

She needed to clean. She needed to get this place presentable. She couldn’t do this alone anymore. She couldn’t bear the isolation. She … couldn’t stand anymore.

The thin white pillars that held her up all day collapsed. She found the unvacuumed floor with her snout. She didn’t have any energy left. She couldn’t do it anymore.

The ponies at the hospital took so much care. They took so much time. She had given all she had to the hospital. When they felt better they left. They always left. She stayed. She stayed because they needed her to.

Her sobs echoed off the empty walls she never had time to decorate. They reverberated down the lonely halls that led to rooms she barely saw. Her entire life was in this small room and a bedroom that just held her body for a short while. So short a time.

It wasn’t the distance between Ponyville and Hope Hollow. It was the distance between her and the rest of ponykind. She couldn’t bridge that gap. She didn’t have the energy or knowledge. She felt so far away. She was a cloud that helped block the sun for the ponies below. Like her beloved sunrises.

She didn’t know how long the carpet held her. An hour? Two? She didn’t care anymore. There was no pony here to even notice. And she didn’t think she would find another anytime soon.

How long had it been since she felt like this? Five years? Six? Six sounded about right. Six years since the last break up. This had only been a few months. It was more of a dream of a relationship. All their letters were filled with wishes that could never come true. They both knew it. But Redheart had allowed the fantasy to seem so real in her mind.

It was over. The ache of that dying dream was worse than not dreaming at all. She had gotten into a rhythm. Wake, eat, work, sleep, repeat. Kerfuffle showed that more life existed outside of it. There was a beautiful world outside of the blinders, why couldn’t she just be a part of it?

Her lack of movement told her why. She had no energy for that life. If she wanted a marefriend it would take so much work to find one. Most of the ponies in town that liked mares were taken. There were single bars and mixers every so often but they were so loud. The ponies there were younger and mostly interested in one-night stands. It always seemed to be the same crowd.

Redheart felt even weaker just thinking about it. At this rate, she would always see these barren walls and this empty home. Completely alone.

The door opened. Redheart was so surprised she froze. She didn’t have the strength to defend herself against attackers and guests … there were never guests except—

“Hi Red, I came to borrow a cup of… never mind I came to check on yo—-” Tenderheart paused in the doorway. Then burst into laughter. “What are you doing on the floor?”

The nurse wanted to hit her. She was so bad at reading situations sometimes it was a gift. Redheart didn’t want to acknowledge her, so she said nothing.

“Oh! Red…” Redheart heard the piece of paper on her desk crinkle. Her sister had found the letter. “Oh, Red I’m sorry. She was a nice pony, but the distance thing… She’s right, you know? You need a pony closer. Somepony that can be here for you in times like this.”

Tenderheart knelt by the defeated body. She wiped a tear away with her hoof.

“I’m your sister, I can help you but I can’t give you the uhhh ‘comfort’ you need as a girlfriend can.” She lifted the collapsed nurse with practiced ease and began dragging her to her bed.

“You need a pony to help you, to take care of you for a change. I hate seeing you like this. You need a life outside of medicine. You should come to the bar with my friends, maybe you’ll meet somepony there who—”

“I’m done with bars. I can’t stand the smell of alcohol anymore. Too many drunks that we’ve had to drag like this.” Redheart started to help herself walk. It wasn’t fair to put all her weight on her sister. Tenderheart’s shift at the hospital hadn’t gone that much better than hers.

“Red, you just came off of a four-day, twelve-hour rotation. Don’t worry about me. I just came back from my break.” Tenderheart stuffed her sister into the soft, cozy but lonely bed.

“How did you know I was worried?”

“Twintuition. Now you get some rest. I think I have an idea that will help you. Just trust me to work it all out.” Tenderheart, the sister that couldn’t read a situation if it came with a guide, was going to take care of Redheart’s problem. It shook the little mare to her core.

“Tender, I don’t think—”

“Good. Don’t think. Just let me handle it. Now sleep. Nurse’s orders.” She giggled and became a fuzzy image in the tired twin’s eyes. The sounds of her giggling became mixed with snoring in the cluttered home.

“Redheart.”

“Mmm? Tender? What does the patient need? I’ll get the flush ready…” Redheart slumped into the pillow again.

“You’re home, Red.” A nice gentle hoof pushed her rump. “No hospital, no patients.”

“Mmm? Then why are you here, Tender?” Her groggy mind couldn’t process that her worlds had mixed. Tenderheart didn’t only exist at the hospital. She could visit her at home. It just didn’t happen that often.

“Duh, I said I would help you find you a girlfriend. I took today off. Sweetheart is covering for me. So it’s just us twins. I thought we could start with a makeover.”

“Ugh, my entire body is sore. Will your makeover cure that?” Redheart pulled her covers closer.

“The spa it is then.”

“On our salaries?” Redheart shut her eyes tight. Maybe she could dream that a mare would find her so she wouldn’t have to get out of bed.

“Red. This is important. You need to feel great about yourself again. If paying a mare to rub your muscles is what it takes then I will treat you. Now get up and dress nice. No hat, no hair bun, just you being you. Not nurse you.”

Redheart’s eyes opened and she glared at the perkiness of her twin. She wanted to spend the day resting, not looking for somepony that she didn’t think existed. But the idea of getting one of those cute spa twins rubbing her was tempting.

“Fine. But no bars remember.” She hopped out of bed and washed.

Tenderheart was sitting on her couch when she came out. She knew it was psychological but her head felt lighter without the hat. Her mane freely moved as she looked around. It felt so alive than the unmovable ball it was normally wrapped in. Her free feeling was emphasized by the space the living room had.

“You-you cleaned my house?” Redheart looked at all the clothes put away and the dishes no longer in the sink. She briefly wondered if breezies had snuck and cleaned. But it was Tender.

“You need a clean place if your date goes well.” Tender said with utmost confidence.

“What date?”

“The one that I will set up.” Her twin gave her a cup of coffee and life could finally begin.

“With who?”

“Well, we have to make a brief stop first on the way to the spa. It might sound strange but trust me she’s a miracle worker. She even found Berry Punch a girlfriend.”

Redheart began to back away from the scary self-assured look her sister was giving her.

“Who did?”

“A fortune-telling booth!” Redheart stood free as a bird without her nurse outfit and her flowing locks in front of Zecora’s fortune-telling booth. It was a small wooden structure with a thatched roof. It was made to look like a small hut.

The zebra stood behind a table covered in potions and a small cauldron in the middle. She waved at ponies as they passed by. Then she noticed Redheart staring and stared back. Her eyes were kind but had a mystical quality to them that Redheart couldn’t figure out.

“You have to trust me on this,” Tenderheart kept saying. She gave her sister an affirming pat. Then the pat became a shove. Eventually Tender was pushing her towards the confused zebra in the middle of the road.

“Red, you said you would trust me,” growled the crazy nurse as she pressed the reluctant twin towards the booth.

“Uhh... if she is afraid, she needn’t seek my aid,” Zecora said as the pair entered.

“I’m not afraid, Zecora,” Redheart said as she walked the rest of the way herself. “I just don’t see how it will help.”

“What is it you seek? Before I offer my critique.” The zebra looked kind and inquisitive.

“She needs a date tonight. Well, more than a date. She needs a real relationship.” Tenderheart was extremely loud. Or at least Redheart thought so. She didn’t need to sound that desperate either.

“True love is hard to find, but I can point to those inclined. My method is quite plain, all it needs is a strand of mane.” Zecora was pouring various potions into the cauldron. Each one added a different color or effect to the mixture.

So that’s why she had needed her mane down. Tenderheart was planning to pull one hair from her head easier. Redheart saw the competitive burn in the eager sister’s eyes. She sighed and plucked the strand herself. She handed it to Zecora as Tenderheart’s fire died with an “aww.”

“Some time this could take, why not sit and have a break.” Zecora pointed to a bench next to the hut.

“And grab some cake!” giggled the pushy nurse.

Redheart glanced at Zecora to gauge if she found it insulting or took the joke in stride. The zebra was staring intently at the cauldron. It seemed she took this sort of thing seriously.

Redheart began to feel nervous. If Zecora shouted the name of some pony she didn’t know or did know and couldn’t stand it would only prove her point to herself. Tenderheart would still push the issue until Red had to ask them out to hear the end of it.

“Oh! The cauldron says that they are near, the mate for you will soon appear.” The fortune-teller cried.

Redheart nearly jumped out of her skin. She looked up and down the street with the others. No pony was around. It was oddly deserted.

Zecora looked around in confusion. “Huh. I hoped to show you who you would adore, but this has not happened before. The cauldron makes love quite clear, but your chosen mate is not here.” Zecora looked down at the cauldron with disappointment. “Don’t let your confidence be gone, I shall find out what went wrong.”

“What?!” Tenderheart leaned on the table, the cauldron changed from a bright pink to a tepid green. “Come on, my whole plan is based on your insight.”

“Wait! For a moment stay away, it has changed what it displays.” Zecora looked at the pushy sister with grave eyes.

Redheart was getting concerned that the zebra was taking her little “gift” a little too seriously. Or that she was doing the common cold read switch up. The fortune-teller would say the reading changed and point to something else that sounded more appealing to the quotient.

The sisters did as they were told and stepped away from the intense zebra. Zecora stared at the cauldron, her brow furrowing and mouth thinning.

“Ok, now just Redheart return, so her reading I can discern.” Redheart complied, feeling silly for so much stock being placed on this. Some colors in the water were the answer to her problems? It seemed laughable but she held her breath as she looked at the cauldron again. The water had turned bright pink again and rippled in a pulse-type fashion.

“Oh!” Zecora cried again. Her face took on the hue of the cauldron. “Now I see, the right pony for you is…me?!”

Redheart’s jaw dropped as did Zecora’s. They looked at the cauldron which continued to pulse on its own. The intensity of the color almost made it look like it was glowing. If these were theatrics they were really convincing. As was Zecora’s stunned face. Even if it was just a hoax she just chose the oddest way in the world to ask her out.

“You?” The shocked pony finally said. Her mouth was dry and she might have just had a heart palpitation. She kind of felt light-headed. She took some deep breaths and made sure they were long and even.

Zecora nodded and didn’t look much better. She was flushed and red-faced at the same time. Redhead could almost see the artery in her neck pulsing.

“Well.. that makes things easier,” Tenderheart sighed with a little laugh. “Why are you two so scared? You found each other and we haven’t even gotten to the spa yet.”

“I-I…are you sure Zecora? I mean, I don’t really buy into all this fate stuff. Though I have seen patients go downhill despite all odds. And the opposite as well. We say things around the hospital like ‘it was their time’ but is something like this so set in stone?” Redheart was floundering. The way the zebra looked scared her a bit. If this was a joke she thought Zecora would look happier about it. If it wasn’t then Zecora might just feel obligated to date her because the cauldron said so.

“I have never seen this before, but it wouldn’t be bad to explore. Together we can see if it’s true, but that’s if it’s ok with you.” Zecora was staring at her now. She still seemed a little shaken but she was sizing her up in a different way than she had before.

Redheart flushed under the fortune teller's scrutiny. She had never thought of Zecora as a “mare of interest.” The mysterious zebra mostly just dropped herbs off at the ER to help with difficult cases. Sometimes she would come and sing or shake rattles for different ailments. It seemed to help the patient’s spirits so the nurse didn’t mind all that much. But dating her? It made her mind start to unravel a bit.

“I-I guess, we could try going out. It’s not a problem for me.” She started to get nervous. The day had shifted so suddenly from a day of rest and dealing with whatever mane-brained scheme her sister had to an actual date.

“Of course, she will go out with you,” Tenderheart jumped in, placing a hoof on her sister’s chest. “She’s your soulmate, right? It would be dumb to ignore that. Don’t worry you two. I have the whole date planned out. All you girls have to do is show up.”

Redheart stared at her twin, still reeling from the shock. It moved faster than she would have ever imagined. It felt a little like a critical patient. She needed things to slow down. This was not the pace she wanted for the day.

Tenderheart looked back at her and took a slow breath. That “twintuition” she always said she had must be working overdrive. “How about you two go get something to eat at the cafe while I finalize things? It will give you a chance to slow down and talk. You know, get to know each other. Or do soulmates already know each other?”

“The idea of soul mates is not what you think, they are just two ponies that share a love link.” Zecora reddened again.

“You two are love-linked?! This is better! Why didn’t we come here before? Ok, ok, I should go. You girls link those hearts.” Tenderheart was gushing. It made Redheart wonder just how worried for her love life had she been?

“I guess there’s no harm in talking, have you eaten yet?” The nurse knew if she didn’t eat soon she would feel the effects of hypoglycemia. Luckily she wasn’t a diabetic so it wouldn’t cause her too much trouble. Just a little hangry.

“I would not mind a little food, this whole affair has affected my mood.” Zecora placed a closed sign on her hut and strode down the street towards the cafe. Redheart struggled a little to keep up. She forgot how tall Zecora was. She wondered what it would be like to hold hooves with her. Or intertwine tails. Could Zecora even do that? Then she realized she was staring at her flanks.

Zecora smiled sheepishly but tried to make her embarrassment less obvious. “That sort of thing is best done in time, first we should talk and begin to unwind.”

Zecora slowed to keep Redheart next to her. The nurse felt awful. Staring at ponies’ flanks was not something she did. “Do not be ashamed about what you feel, I must also get my excitement to heel.”

Redheart raised an eyebrow. Was Zecora thinking of—She shook the thought from her head. This was Zecora. The mysterious zebra. The one who lived in the woods spoke in riddles and knew strange things. Why would she be thinking of that?

The cafe approached quickly. The nurse looked around at the few patrons there. None of them were hospital regulars. It was hard being so well known for your profession. Patients would sometimes find her and pester her about various ailments or symptoms. All she wanted to do was eat.

She chose a more secluded table for her and her… date? She didn’t want any pony overhearing about soul mates and the fates or fortune-telling.

Zecora was happy to sit. She still looked a little wobbly but her color was back. Redheart took it as a good sign. She decided to start with the most pressing question. “Zecora, I am thrown about going out together I must admit. Not that I don’t like you, I just don’t know you all that well. So forgive me if this sounds cynical. Did you see us as soulmates or whatever, or was this just your way of asking me out?”

“The cauldron works from Fate’s mighty hand, I can tell you truly, that this was not planned.” Zecora looked at the menu to cover her redness again.

“Well, do you like me? Or find me attractive?” Redheart hoped this entire date wasn’t based on what the zebra found in the cauldron.

“You are very cute. I must admit. My eyes have wandered toward you quite a bit.” The zebra became very interested in the menu as she spoke her confession. At least it sounded like at least an attraction.

“So you are attracted to me.” Redheart gasped. “Why didn’t you ever ask me out?”

“I am a zebra, covered in stripes, I live in the woods, am I really your type?” Zecora put down the menu and looked at Redheart with an inquisitive stare.

“Wait, you thought I wouldn’t go out with you because you’re a zebra?”

“It is a fear that keeps me awake, how many stares do you think you can take?”

“Ponies stare at you because you have stripes?!” Redheart could barely fathom treating a pony or any creature differently than another. The outside might look different but inside the organs, and blood were all the same.

“Our bodies are different, even our manes, ponies tend to judge what isn’t the same.” Zecora looked away with a small tear in her eye. It looked like something she wrestled with a lot. Redheart placed a comforting hoof on hers.

“I would never treat you any different from anypony else because of how you look, how you speak, or who you are.”

“I know in my head what you say is true, but my heart is afraid to try and trust you.” Zecora bit her lower lip.

Redheart placed her other hoof on the zebra’s head. She felt the thick, coarse bristles that made up her date’s mane. It was so different from any other mane she touched before. But it made her date more unique. She wouldn’t say” no” to a creature just because they were different.

“Well, if you did ask I would have said yes,” Redheart said as she leaned back. She wasn’t sure how close to getting to her “soulmate” on their first date. “But it makes me feel better that we weren’t just thrown together by a pot.”

“Don’t think I’m not happy to get what I sought, I am just annoyed fate blew up my spot.” Zecora looked up.

The nurse shook a little under that gaze. It had been a while since she was looked at like that. Not since Kerfuffle left the last time. Zecora was one of the last ponies she expected to see it from. Her face got warm and the zebra smiled.

“So.. how much stock do you put in this soulmate thing? I mean do you think we’re linked now?”

“Yes.”

Redheart was momentarily stunned by the forcefulness and conviction in her answer. If that was true Zecora would fight tooth and hoof to make it work for them. Not only that, nothing Redheart said would dissuade her otherwise.

“But that doesn’t mean that we are meant to be, a lot of that comes from you and me. Fate is about what choices we choose to make, it does not force us on which path to take. It’s like knowing what a friend would do, not making them dance for you.” Zecora looked at the menu again. “We should order before we fall, we can talk and eat after all.”

Redheart looked at the menu. At least Zecora didn’t sound so strict with her adherence to fate. She wondered if they were on two different sides of this coin. Maybe she should open her mind to more possibilities. After all, she was on a date with a mare who had a crush on her which wouldn’t have happened if not prompted by a sign.

The maître de arrived and looked at the pair of them. His mustache twitched slightly but he smiled widely. “What can I get you lovely mares?”

“I’ll have the breakfast burrito and coffee,” the nurse ordered. She tried to make it sound natural but it still sounded like she was telling an ER tech what to do.

“I’ll have the breakfast salad if you please, with a side dressing and extra cheese.” The zebra handed the menu back. Then calmly sat back in the chair.

“So we should probably talk about things we like, or how our lives are. You know date stuff.” Redheart blushed a little. She hadn’t thought about this kind of thing in a while. She and Kerfuffle were more about attraction and enjoying each other. This would be a more serious relationship and she knew it.

“I do a lot when I am free, painting, singing, and cooking for me.”

“You cook? And I would love to see your art sometime.”

“I cook good food if you want to try, spicy brown noodles and pumpkin pie.” Zecora sat up in pride. The food was delivered rather quickly. Both ponies ate, grateful to finally fill their stomachs.

“I just wish I could do more for you. All I do is work and take care of ponies. If we seriously got together I don’t know how much I could give you. Or what.” Redheart said in between bites.

The breeze blew through the light food they had on their wrought-iron tables. Redheart and Zecora both had to place a hoof on their plates. The wind blew away, annoyed that it didn't get a free meal.

“Relationships are not so give and take, they work when both live for the others sake. I don’t mind doing so much work, seeing you each day will be my perk.”

Redheart blushed again. “I don’t know if seeing me would cover it. But I guess we can just see how it goes. I mean we might be planning things too much.”

“We should stop asking why, it’s time to just give it a try. If we work well, love will bloom, but if not we won’t meet our doom.” Zecora placed the rest of the salad in her mouth. Then her hoof on Redheart’s. “Is it ok, if I touch you this way?”

Redheart held Zecora’s hoof back and smiled.

“Ok, you two let’s get your date going!” Tenderheart appeared around the corner. “Looks like it started already. Soulmates must work fast. But let’s get you two to your first date stop. The spa!”

“Wait! Redheart, so that there is no doubt, I would like to ask you out. I want you to be my mate, not just some slave to fate.” Both of Zecora’s hooves clamped onto the nurse’s. Her eyes shone like fire. She meant every word.

“I-I would be delighted,” Redheart said and smiled even larger.

“Welcome to the new couple,” the spa sisters greeted them as they entered, still holding hooves.

“Oh! It’s the health ponies!” Aloe cried in glee.

“You help so many friends of ours and make sure that we stay healthy and safe!” Lotus Blossom gushed, she beckoned the pair to follow. “Tenderheart told us Redheart and another pony would be on a date here together. We didn’t know it would be you, Zecora. Those medical herbs you suggested for our baths are doing wonders for the older clients.”

“That could explain why we haven’t seen some of our older regulars,” Redheart said thoughtfully. She followed Zecora and Lotus into the changing room. “What is it?”

“Older ponies have joints that are sore, cramp bark helps them move easier than before.”

Zecora stood next to Redheart in the locker room. She began to take off the large rings she wore around her neck. Redheart had nothing to take off and felt very aware of it. She slowly put the robe on for the massage and watched Zecora do the same. The zebra smiled brightly.

“It might be too early to say, but I like how you look at me in that way.” Zecora’s face flushed but she kept her smile. Redheart realized she was staring again and blushed.

“L-let’s just continue with the massage,” the medical pony stammered. The zebra snorted at her date’s embarrassment but was equally red-faced.

“Ok you two, let’s get you to relax together,” Aloe said as Redheart opened the locker room door. “We have some calming scents and lotions for you to choose from. Some of them were made by Zecora herself.”

Redheart looked up at the zebra. There was no trace of pride or embarrassment. She made ointments, it wasn’t a big deal. The nurse remembered getting some as a gift once. Her hooves never felt softer. Of course, remembering to put it on when you’re running out the door to the next shift was a different issue.

“A couple’s massage, Lotus,” the spa pony reminded her twin. Lotus nodded and followed the train to a large massage booth.

The long white sheets that hung from the ceiling gave an ethereal feel to the room. Redheart laid on the white cotton table with its driftwood look. Zecora’s table was the same and right next to hers. They adjusted it to fit the larger mare.

“Now I want you to turn your head towards your partner,” Lotus said as she stood next to the nurse. “She will look away. I want you to soak up her beauty and admire her form. Then relax. She is easy on the eyes, yes?”

Redheart nodded as she placed her head towards the zebra next to her. The masseuse began at her neck. First, light taps on her spine and surrounding muscles. Eventually, Lotus pressed her hoof in on the large knot of tension at her base. The effect was both painful and relieving.

All the while the nurse watched as Zecora received the same treatment. Her smooth hair shone in the diffuse lighting. The stripes that lined her body bent and twisted as she was moved by her masseuse. She was a beautiful mare. The way her body curved naturally reminded Redheart of soft gentle hills in the distance. Something calming and inspiring. She tried not to think about waking up to that sight next to her in the morning. But the stray musing might have crossed by.

She wondered how it would feel to hold that body close. Was her hair the same as a pony’s? Was it as soft as it looked? What would it be like to be held in those forehooves? What would it feel like to kiss a zebra?

Lotus found a particularly tough knot in her back and pressed on it, throwing Redheart out of her thoughts before any indecent ones came along. She could feel the nerves all the way into her face as the hoof mushed the muscle tissue into place.

Then the massage began on her right flank. Redheart’s mind was already following a dangerous road. She idly wondered what Zecora’s flanks would feel like to touch. She watched as the zebra’s masseuse mirrored her twin.

She wondered what it would feel like to have Zecora touch her. She briefly closed her eyes imagining that it was Zecora pressing on her and not Lotus. Would it feel different? Less relaxing and more exciting? Could the zebra do both?

Lotus and Aloe reached the top of their clients’ hind hooves at the same time. They had practiced timing the massage in tune with each other. It was like watching a slow and sometimes painful dance.

“Ok, you both can roll over,” Lotus whispered. The ambiance took the whisper and turned it into ASMR. Redheart had heard of autonomous sensory meridian stimulation before. It causes the body to react to sounds and whispers with a relaxing or exciting chill in it. Redheart could feel a strange warmth across her shoulders from just the sounds of Lotus speaking. She shivered.

The nurse lay on her other side, facing a picture of the beach. It was a palm tree in the sand with small waves drifting to shore. Redheart smelled the sweet smell of the incense and imagined that’s what the beach smelled like. She had never been to one. A lake here and there but not an ocean like that. She heard that sand like that was hot but the picture had the viewer under the shade of the palm tree.

The masseuse started at her neck again. This time the pressure was very light. The larger knots had already been worked through. It was a calming, relaxing pet almost. Redheart sighed contently. She needed more pampering days.

The beach seemed so close. She could almost feel the cool sand under her side. Maybe she and Zecora could go. If things went well. She remembered the zebra was watching her now. A slight tingle ran through her body. It was a strange nerve flash that ended in her tail.

“You should relax, Redheart,” Lotus whispered in her ear. Again the strange tickles begin down her mid-back and neck. “Zecora was able to let you enjoy her. Now just let her enjoy you.”

Was Zecora “soaking up her beauty now”? Did she find this beaten-up body appealing? Maybe even sexy? An excited Zecora was not something Redheart could imagine well. But if they continued she wouldn’t have to imagine. Maybe it was something she would like to see?

Redheart let her tail flick suggestively. She wasn’t very good at being attractive but she heard her companion sigh in bliss. She hoped it was in response to her pose but wondered if it could be the massage.

The spa mare started on her left foreleg then her flank. A lot of the ER sores were disappearing faster than her normal method of laying on the couch. The hooves pressed and pulled and gently rubbed the oils she picked out into her coat.

Redheart felt the weight of the air pressing down on her body and was completely enjoying it. The stress from simply holding herself up was melting away into the table. Zecora’s eyes could stare all they wanted. She wanted them to. It had been so exciting to watch the zebra as they pressed on the muscles in her shoulders and spine. She hoped her date felt the same excitement watching her.

“Ok, whenever you are ready you and your date can stand up and go to the steam room. It will be just you two and no pony else but don’t get too much shenanigans in there.” The whispered voice lightly giggled. In a whisper tone, the sound set Redheart’s thoughts in a much different direction than relaxation.

She lay still for a bit and listened to the sound of the zebra next to her breathing. It wasn’t any louder or different than a pony. To Redheart she was the same. Just a different size and voice pattern. She breathed happily the smell of lavender her body was coated in. The breathing behind her was soothing but if she didn’t want to fall asleep here then she needed to get up.

It was like moving in a dream. Her limbs were heavy but full of light at the same time. They shifted in wobbly ways as she stood. It took her a bit to get her bearings but she found equilibrium and strong hoofed her legs into motion.

Zecora looked half asleep as she sat up as well. “You must lead the way or I will lay here and stay.”

Redheart chuckled at the half-awake zebra. There was a giggly blissful feeling after her treatment. She offered Zecora a hoof and helped the zebra up. The two leaned on each other until the steam room door was in front of them.

Aloe smiled as she opened the door for the massage zombies. Redheart fumbled in with Zecora laying her head on the smaller pony’s neck. The host closed the door and set a timer so they didn’t fall asleep and prune.

The two noodly creatures slumped in the corner together surrounded by the hot billows of steam. Zecora was half laying on Redheart who was blissfully leaning on her.

“I haven’t had a good massage like that in a long time,” sighed the little pony after a while.

“They made jello of our backs, but we finally can relax.” Zecora lifted her body up and soon she was in a more snuggling position. Though snuggling in a steam room isn’t advised. The two were sweating in no time. In the relaxed state, they were in, they didn’t mind.

“This is pretty comfortable, it would probably be better if it wasn’t so steamy.” Redheart let her body sag further into her zebra companion.

“If we were not here I would let loose and a different steam we would produce.” Zecora chuckled then leaned affectionately nuzzled Redheart’s neck. “If I’m too forward just say so, I can stop if you say no.”

“It feels pretty good,” Redheart could feel the heat rising to her face. It had been so long since somepony wanted her. Kerfuffle’s last visit was weeks ago and the lack of affection was felt.

“How long has it been since you were in a relationship?” She asked as she began to snuggle back.

“Years ago I left my country, since then love has not found me.” Zecora’s nuzzles change to little nibbles. The nurse felt her body get hotter than just the steam. This was not a good place to start something like this. She wasn’t complaining about the actions but if she didn’t put the breaks on Zecora soon she would be overwhelmed in excitement.

A movement outside the steam room door caught Redheart’s ear. She placed her lips on the lovestruck zebra’s. They connected. The heat rose from them, hotter than the steam around. Zecora’s frantic motions calmed down and she gave in to the kiss. Somepony outside opened the door but Red didn’t want the moment to end. Her mind was lost to the heat.

“Yes, Tenderheart they should be right—oh!” Aloe’s voice got a little louder then quieter as the door closed again. “Sorry, it looks like they have left.”

“She ditched me?! She would,” Tender’s growl cut through the door.

“Twins. They do that a lot,” Aloe said in a knowing tone. Redheart tried not to breathe too loud in case they were found out.

“Great, I rented them a bowling lane and everything.”

“Oh! I always wanted to go bowling!” Aloe’s tone changed to excitement.

“You want to bowl with me? We could use the rest of the reservations I made for their date. Serves them right.”

“You want me to go on a date with you?! I-sure.” Aloe sounded like the nurse herself. Flustered but excited.

“What about your sister?” Tender sounded a little more nervous than before. Redheart slowly broke the kiss to keep from laughing. The shoe was on the other hoof now.

“Oh I’ll just ditch her,” Aloe said with a giggle. “Hold on, I just left a towel in the steam room. I’ll be right back.”

The door opened and Aloe gave the naughty couple a mischievous look. “You two can stay for another five minutes. Only because we’ll save on steam from the heat you produce. When my sister comes to let you out, tell her I went out on a date. Your sister is really cute.”

She giggled again and left the embarrassed pair in the steam. The excitement of the moment had melted their relaxed state. Zecora was bright red with her face in her hooves. Redheart rubbed her back.

“I’m sorry I moved so fast, we want a partnership that can last. If we get too hot now, we could run out of steam, then burn out each other and ruin our dream.” Zecora looked up from her hooves, blushing furiously and upset.

“I never stopped you. We can move at whatever pace we’re comfortable with. But maybe not in the steam room.” Redheart smirked and wrapped her hooves around the zebra. “Come on, this room is a little too hot for me.”

“The room will have new meaning from this, it will be the place of our first kiss.” Redheart didn’t realize how sentimental Zecora was. But she smiled at the thought of somepony cherishing their first intimate moment.

It was special this time. Not something just to do or casually toss aside. Zecora brought home that this was a special moment for them. She reached out her hoof and helped the zebra up.

“Time is up!” Lotus cheerily reminded them as they got out of the steam room. “Oh, where is Aloe?”

“She went on a date with my sister.” Redheart started to towel off her mane.

“She got a date?! That’s wonderful. I was hoping she would find somepony nice. Well, you two enjoy yourselves. I hope the rest of the date goes well.”

Redheart thanked her and left with her date in hoof.

“So what do you want to do now? I mean I kind of could tell where you were going back there but maybe we should start with snuggling and light kissing.” Redheart didn’t want a supercharged relationship with intense passion. She got enough of that at work. Maybe she should bring that up now. It’s best to let the other pony know where she stands.

“It is my fault that I lost my head, I want more than to get you in bed. I can relax, slow down my pace, I don’t want you to run thinking I’m in a race. I have been alone for many a year, I can wait for your love for me to appear.” Zecora smiled and patted Redheart’s head.

The nurse nodded. Love wasn’t going to happen in a few hours. She sighed in relief, knowing Zecora would be fine backing down.

“Thank you. Not that I mind a little intimacy but it will mean more further along. Should we take a walk? It’s nice out and I feel like I don’t know you as well as I should.” Despite seeing Zecora around, Redheart hadn’t talked to her as much.

Zecora nodded. “I have always wondered, after work what do you do, there is more than a nurse that makes up you.”

“Are you sure? Sometimes I feel it’s all I am. I work so hard and so much that there doesn’t seem to be much left for me.” She sighed. It had been so long since she thought of herself. Other than the basics of sleeping and eating she just existed on her days off. It took two days to decompress from the madness of her four ER shifts.

“That could be why you’re worn out my dear, a pony needs more than work to keep clear. You need something to do that is yours, it rejuvenates you and your energy stores.”

“I guess I never tried to do something different. I live, breathe, eat, sleep and work. It makes sense why my life outside feels so empty.” Redheart confessed. Some ponies lived for work. They felt useful and fulfilled in their lives with that alone. It used to feel like that in the beginning. The work was admirable and the cause was good. Now it just felt like anypony with the smallest of problems showed up. Everything from a cough to hangovers, they all came to the ER looking to be cured.

“Well I am here now to remind you of your worth, we can look for new talents and passions to unearth.” Zecora pointed the couple to a wooded area with a path.

“Try new things huh? I guess that sounds nice. Nothing crazy though like skydiving or raves. I’m not my sister.”

The zebra chuckled and Redheart gave a warm smile. The sun was nice to feel without thinking about what patients needed this or that. Zecora was so relaxed once they hit the woods. It was like all her pent-up energy dropped away. Redheart was a little jealous.

“How can you be so relaxed all the time? You’re a medical pony as well. Why aren’t you stressed or burnt out?”

“I do not work in the same way you do, I take my time and work on my brews. You have an urgent need to address, my work helps ponies de-stress. I could teach you some things that could help you now, you can relax in minutes once you know how.” The zebra pointed to a small, soft-looking clearing. Redheart followed her lead and sat next to her on the grass.

Zecora crossed her hind legs and placed her forehooves in the air. “Cross your hind legs and place them this way. You might be tempted to sleep if you lay. Then count your breaths from one to ten. When you get to the end, begin again. Keep going, allowing your muscles to be in their spot, acknowledge their soreness but don’t undo any knot. Just focus on counting and cut out the rest. Your thoughts will flood you and cause you to miss. It’s ok to have them, we find them a lot. Just let them go and keep counting, they don’t need to be caught.”

Zecora half closed her eyes and looked at the grass. Redheart tried to do the same. It was easy to focus on the numbers in the beginning but eventually, she found her mind counting on its own. She had to restart at one a few times but her back and forehooves started to burn.

“It’s ok if your body doesn’t like to sit this way, we can stop here now, just practice each day.” Zecora bowed to the earth then stood. Redheart did the same. She didn’t feel any immediate relief but it was nice to give her mind a different challenge than it was used to. She did feel a lot giddier than before. She wasn’t sure if it was meditation, massage, the steam or Zecora.

“If you want to relax on our dates I don’t mind, we can find things to do that leave the world behind.” She looked at the ground but she was still far away.

Redheart scooched closer. Zecora looked at her in suspicion. The giddiness increased. If she wanted to give the zebra a real chance she had to be more playful. She had to let go of the hospital and remember she was on a date.

“I can see that gleam, what is your scheme? Are planning on—oh!” Zecora couldn’t finish her rhyme as the cheeky pony tackled her. Immediately the zebra rolled to avoid being pinned but her attacker countered with her own roll.

The giggling couple laughed as they rolled through the grass. Redheart felt a lightness in her body. The stress was left on the ground as they rolled. The couple ended with the zebra on top of the aggressor.

“There you are,” Zecora whispered as she led closer. “I was waiting for you. I was hoping you would relax enough to come through.”

Redheart grinned and nibbled at the zebra’s neck this time. Zecora was stunned and flopped to her side. The nurse pounced. This time her opponent was ready and nuzzled then nibbled her ears.

Redheart paused. It was her secret spot and she could not get enough. She flushed and suddenly became aware they were outside not so far from Ponyville.

“Get a room, you two!” cried a pegasus on a cloud that floated by.

“Is this your idea of nice and slow? I think your real desire is starting to show,” teased Zecora. She stroked the light pink mane as they both relaxed again. Redheart tested her date’s ears.

“Mmm. I don’t think you want to play with those unless you want to see where that goes.” They lay together as the gentle breeze cooled their passion.

“So.. you’re like me that way. My ears are really sensitive too. You know... I think we could work. I mean I work a lot but you know that already. We both care about others a lot. If I can just relax… we could work well together.” The nurse rolled onto her back and looked up at the sky. Zecora placed her head on the smaller pony’s chest.

“I think so too, it will take work. But we are not the type to shirk.” Redheart closed her forehooves around her date’s barrel. They held each other and watched the pegasi chase each other on clouds.

Redheart dragged herself down the street after an overnight shift. It hadn’t been good. The ER was full of ponies that got caught up in a cart accident. Most of them were minor scrapes and bruises but at least one had internal bleeding. It had taken hours to help Dr. Horse find the bleeding and stop it.

She opened the door to her home and was hit with the smell of cumin. It was so different she stopped for a moment just to enjoy it. She slowly entered looking at the walls covered in zebra masks and pictures of the couple.

“You sound like you're tired, was it a hard day? I've been cooking a lot, let’s pack it away.” Zecora appeared with a bowl of something delicious and joined the exhausted nurse on the couch. Redheart savored every bite of the zebra’s stew.

After the couple finished their meal Redheart felt alive, but her body still ached. She curled up next to her mate. Zecora silently held her then looked at her with a grin.

“I've been very patient and helpful, my dear, I think it’s about time I played with your ears.” A mischievous look passed between them.

“Not if I get to your ears first.”

Author's Note

So this love begins. Let’s find out how it does with this series.