Royal Guard Program II: A Familiar Debate

Walking along the streets of Canterlot, Shovel and Starlight embarked on a mission to settle their ongoing argument in a unique way, by going shopping for cleaning products. Their choice of products? Body and hair care essentials. The store they entered was a haven of scents and colors, shelves lined with a myriad of bottles and containers. Within this store, there were shelves of numerous cleaning products. Coat, mane, wing feathers, horns, and every other inch of the pony body that could be cleaned had a brush, scrub, or bottle of some sweet, flowery, or fruity smelling liquid inside.

"This...this is what mares use for their cleaning routine?" Shovel looked around the store with a mixture of surprise and confusion, her expression a blend of wonder and skepticism. "Isn't this a little...I don't know...excessive?"

"Yes, Shovel. Welcome to the world of body and hair care." Starlight chuckled, his eyes dancing with amusement. "It's a bit more involved than you might think."

"But why so many bottles?" Shovel asked, as she browsed the shelves, examining it with curiosity. "Is all this really necessary?"

"It might seem like a lot, but each product serves a different purpose." Starlight commented, his smile was knowing. "Shampoo, conditioner, body wash, lotion, and so on. It's about keeping our coats and manes healthy and looking their best."

"So, what?" Shovel held up a bottle of shampoo, her expression incredulous. "Do you need a different bottle for each part of your body?"

"Not exactly." Starlight chuckled, shaking his head. "But different products cater to different needs. Just like you have armor and tools for your duties, we have these products to take care of ourselves."

"I...I..." Shovel's gaze shifted from one bottle to another, her skepticism still evident. "I guess I never realized it was so involved." As they moved through the store, Starlight picked up a few items, explaining their uses along the way. Shovel's eyebrows raised as she surveyed the growing collection in their basket. "This... this is a lot of stuff."

"It's a routine that many of us are used to." Starlight's laughter was warm, his gaze gentle as he met Shovel's eyes. "And for mare guards, it's not uncommon to wake up an hour earlier just to go through these steps."

"Really?!" Shovel's eyes widened in surprise. "An hour earlier? Just for this?"

"It's really not that bad." Starlight nodded, his expression thoughtful. "It's part of the effort we put into our appearance and well-being. It's not just about vanity, but also about feeling confident and ready for the day." Pausing, he continued. "Let's grab a few and I can show you."

"I guess I never truly understood how much goes into this." Shovel commented, looking over the vast amount of items in their basket with a newfound understanding. "It's just so much."

"It's all about perspective, Shovel." Starlight's smile was warm as she nodded. "We each have our own routines and ways of taking care of ourselves." Shovel glanced at him with a playful grin.

"So, are you telling me that your mane didn’t just naturally look that nice?" “Shovel chuckled, looking at the vast amount of products. “You just put all this crap in your mane and it comes out nice?”

“Well, yes, in a manner of speaking.” Starlight laughed, his eyes sparkling. "Believe it or not, it takes a bit of effort."

“Well, it’s my turn.” Shovel commented, gesturing for the stallion to follow her. “Let me show you how I handle my mane.”

Following the mare, the two arrived at a different shop. This one was far more simplistic than the one the two of them had been to before. The shelves had far less products, and the ones on display held some impressive and fancy sounding names, but it wasn’t the name of the bottle that caught Starlight’s attention. There was something else that made his eyes widen in confusion and surprise. The bottles seemed to advertise that they could handle multiple body parts at once.

"Wait, this is it? Just one bottle?" Starlight asked, scarcely believing what he was reading. “There’s no way you can clean everything.” Reading the product further, he mouthed the description, still having doubts. “Shampoo…Conditioner…Body…Face…and Deodorant?!”

"Yep, that's pretty much it." Shovel chuckled softly, nodding as she leaned against a shelf. “Is that so hard to believe?”

“Yes!” Starlight's tone held a hint of disbelief as he looked at the bottle in his hands. "But...but what about all the different products? The shampoo, conditioner, body wash, and all that? There’s no way it can be all in one bottle!"

“Uh…yes…” Shovel's smile was knowing, her voice carrying a touch of amusement. "Mares tend to have a more specialized approach to grooming. Stallions, on the other hand, prefer a simpler routine."

“But how does that even work?” Starlight's curiosity was evident as he looked at Shovel. "Won't using just one product for everything be less effective?"

“Stallions have a single grooming product that's designed to clean everything.” Shovel's gaze held a touch of mirth as she explained. "We just apply it all over, and it gets the job done."

“And that's it?” Starlight's expression shifted from confusion to intrigue. "One product for everything?"

“Exactly.” Shovel nodded, her tone resonated as a matter-of-fact. "It's faster and more efficient. We hardly think about it. Just get in, clean up, and get on with our day."

“That’s what confuses me!” Starlight's eyes narrowed and confused. "So, you're telling me that stallions don't care about having a fancy shampoo for their mane?"

“Not really.” Shovel chuckled, a glint of mischief in her eyes. "We don't see the point in complicating things. As long as we're clean, that's all that matters."

“That’s just…I don’t…” Starlight sighed as he shook his head. "That’s just so different from what I'm used to."

“So?” Shovel's smile was warm as she looked at him. "That's the beauty of it, Starlight. Different approaches, different routines, but all with the same goal; feeling clean and ready for the day." As they left the store, their shopping bags containing the simplified grooming products, Starlight turned to her with a curious look.

"So, are you saying that stallions don't care about having a mane that's perfectly styled?" Starlight asked, looking down at the bag he had purchased before. “It just seems so…”

“Simple?” Shovel answered, seeing the embarrassed look on Starlight’s face as he reluctantly agreed to her. She laughed, her voice carrying a carefree tone. "We care, but we have a simpler way of achieving it. Efficiency, you know?"

“Okay, I’ll…I can give you that.” Starlight groaned, rubbing his temples. “Alright, alright. Well, since we bought everything, let’s go back to my house. I’ll show you how good some mare’s products can be. And I guess I’ll try the stallion’s brand.”

“Sounds good.” Shovel chuckled, feeling as she was getting closer and closer to proving her point. “Get ready for a real shock, when you accept I was right.” Starlight said nothing else, only rolling his eyes.

Walking along the streets, the two of them were enjoying this feeling. After the discussions regarding not only their past, as well as their new bodies, it was sending a…a strange sensation throughout their bodies. Back when they were their original genders, they might have considered this. Perhaps it was, as more often than not, many of the other guards would make jokes about how the two of them argued and debated so much, that they were sometimes called “the couple”. Sometimes they used to say, “looks like the couple is arguing again”.

The problem was, Shovel and Starlight weren’t the same gender anymore. They weren’t fully sure if they could even be attracted to each other now that they were different. Their bodies were changed, but their minds were somewhat the same. And yet, there was still something so different about it. Every so often, Shovel would look at Starlight, secretly admiring the muscles on the stallion's body. And when she would look away, he would notice her curves, as well as the feeling of her breast against his hand like back at the restaurant.

“So, all we’re gonna do is try out these products?” Shovel asked, her voice sounding almost more than a little nervous, and somewhat timid. “That’s it?”

“Why? Did you have something in mind?” Starlight asked, his own voice sounding somewhat sheepish as well. “Cause…the Princess did give us a week, and so I figured we’d have time to try a lot of things.”

“A lot of things?” Shovel replied, blushing as her mind wandered. As a stallion, like many in the guard, he had slightly perverted thoughts on occasion. But now, as a mare, she couldn’t help but shiver a little. And yet, if it was with Starlight, she didn’t seem to mind. “S-sure…whatever you say.”