Sandbar and Ocellus' Love

The Ponyville Spa was always a popular place to go for Hearts and Hooves Day. This year was no different, with many couples coming to enjoy various levels of pampering from Lotus and Aloe Blossom; but for one creature in particular, the treatment they offered was still a novel experience. As Aloe sat patiently behind the reception desk that afternoon, the ringing of the door chimes caught her attention, and she looked up to see two teenagers entering the lobby, one Earth pony and one changeling.

“Hi there. We've booked a reservation for the Hearts and Hooves Day Special package, names of Sandbar and Ocellus,” said the pony.

“Just a second, please,” replied Aloe, and began leafing through the appointment book. After a few seconds, she looked up again; “Ah, yes, I have you down for 3:30pm, which...is just coming up now,” she affirmed, checking the nearby clock to be sure. “Lotus should be finished in a few minutes, so if you'd like to head on through, we'll be right with you.”

“Thanks, miss.” Sandbar nodded appreciatively as he and Ocellus made their way to the changing rooms. They emerged again only a few seconds later, wearing the complimentary robes that the spa provided for its clients; these had been lovingly crafted from the finest, softest plush, and enchanted with a special relaxant spell to enhance the experience.

“I still can't believe you were able to afford this, Sandy,” remarked Ocellus. “How much did you say it was...250 bits?”

“240 for the both of us. And I'd got a small fortune saved up from those weekend paper rounds I'd been doing lately, so I thought why not?” answered Sandbar. “Any excuse to treat my marefriend, after all.”

Ocellus giggled, trying to hide her blush. “You really do spoil me sometimes, you know that?”

“Yeah, well...what kind of coltfriend would I be if I didn't?” said Sandbar fondly. “Besides, I still owe you for taking me to that ice festival last December. I'm amazed you even managed to get the tickets for that event!”

“I know,” smiled Ocellus. “It's a miracle I managed to earn enough money clearing snow before they were sold out – but it sure was worth it.”

“I'll say it was,” agreed Sandbar, giving her a grateful nuzzle. It wasn't often that Ocellus was able to surprise him like that, but it always felt all the more special when she did.

“Ahem...” A polite cough brought the two teenagers back to reality, and they turned to see Lotus Blossom standing in front of them with a slightly amused look. “...sorry to interrupt a tender moment between lovers, but Aloe told me you were here for a Hearts and Hooves Day Special, no?”

“Uh...yeah, that's right,” chuckled Sandbar awkwardly.

“Ah, good,” replied Lotus in a more professional tone. “Now then, young sir, which treatment would you and your marefriend like first? Massage, hoof bath, hot tub, aromatherapy or sauna?”

Sandbar and Ocellus pondered for a moment.

“Hmm...maybe try the massage first?” decided Ocellus. “I know what that's like, at least.”

“Sounds good to me,” agreed Sandbar.

“Ah, excellent choice. I've already got a pair of tables set up for you both, so if you'd care to lie face-down next to each other, we can begin,” declared Lotus as her sister entered from the lobby.

The two teenagers did as they were told, and soon they were basking in the soothing feeling of oily hooves rubbing the tension out of their bodies. Judging by the smell, the oil Aloe and Lotus were using was probably a mix of lavender and rose with a hint of tea tree; while the gentle sounds of harp music against a background of trickling stream water provided an air of romance and contentment in which for the young couple to immerse themselves.

“Mmm, this never gets old,” murmured Sandbar, almost drowsily.

“Why, do you...come here very often?” Ocellus had grown so spacey from her massage that she almost struggled to speak at all.

Sandbar chuckled faintly. “Not trying to hit on me, are you, sweet lips?” he teased, trying and failing to put on a seductive tone he was in such bliss. “Joking aside...yeah, I've been here once or twice, usually just for one of these massages; and these two mares do a really good job of it.”

“You're too kind, sir,” tittered Aloe, moving from Sandbar's neck down to his shoulders.

Ocellus moaned contentedly in agreement. Sandbar was a pretty good masseur, she thought, but Aloe and Lotus made him seem a total amateur by comparison. How she wished she could have sampled this kind of treatment before...indeed, it was proving so relaxing that she seemed to lose track of time as she dozed off. Only when the gentle pressure on her carapace ceased did she begin to regain her senses.

“There we go,” whispered Lotus, “all done. I'll let you come round in your own time while we prepare your hoof baths.”

“Mmm...okay,” mumbled Ocellus. Part of her wanted to just stay where she was and sleep it off; but the rest of her knew Sandbar hadn't brought her here just to waste a perfectly good spa date by loafing around. Slowly, groggily, she willed herself awake, and began to shift herself off the table and back on all fours, only to wobble a bit as she struggled to find her balance.

Luckily, Sandbar had already managed to stand himself up with little trouble, and came over to steady the dozy insectoid before she toppled over. “It's alright, Celly, I gotcha.”

“Thanks, Sandy,” said Ocellus, pausing for a while to let the effects of vertigo fade away. “I never thought massages could be so disorienting.”

“Ah, you get used to it,” Sandbar counselled. “I found it hard to stay awake myself the first few times. That's why I went ahead and chose the hoof bath; because I knew you'd be too out of it to think properly.”

“So what does a hoof bath involve?”

“Ah, just standing in soapy water and letting it rid your hooves of any aches or stresses,” replied Sandbar simply. “I've never tried it myself, but I'm told it's surprisingly relaxing.”

Ocellus looked across to where Aloe and Lotus had just finished filling two small, shallow bathtubs. “Can't hurt to try, I guess,” she conceded with a small shrug; but wisely, she still took her time getting there lest she bring on an unexpected relapse. Sandbar stayed by her side the whole way, and only when she finally stepped into the water did he head over to his own tub.

If the massage was that much better here than when Sandbar gave them, the hoof bath seemed almost unreal. Even though she was standing up, her hooves felt light as feathers, almost as if she was floating on air; and any aching she might have felt soon faded away as the herbs and salts soaked into them. Looking over to Sandbar, she was amused to find him looking just as astonished as herself.

“Wow,” he remarked. “Professor Rarity sure wasn't joking. This is amazing!”

“I'll say it is,” agreed Ocellus. “I ought to see if I can get Smoulder to try something like this someday.”

“You reckon?”

“Well, why not?” put in Ocellus reasonably.

“What, tough tomboy Smoulder? Surely she'd rather break a leg than be seen dead in a spa,” chuckled Sandbar wryly. “Closest you'd get is her bathing in lava.”

“Yeah, but it still counts,” Ocellus pointed out. “And don't you remember when I persuaded her to come clean about what happened in the caves under the School of Friendship?”

Sandbar could only smile at the memory. Poor Smoulder had been most embarrassed when Silverstream caught her in a fanciful-looking dress in their dormitory a year ago, and after rumours about it started to spread around the school, she was afraid to show her face for a whole week. Luckily, Starlight had put a stop to all that, and after a great deal of encouragement from Ocellus, the young dragon explained to the group that their little adventure had made her realise the feminine side of her character she never knew she had. While Gallus still teased her about it, the others were most supportive, and gradually helped her feel more at ease with herself from then on.

After another ten minutes of small talk, the young couple moved on to the aromatherapy room, still marvelling at how clean, soft and supple their hooves felt. They would definitely be going for the hoof bath again for their next spa date, whenever that might be; and as she took in the calming, heavenly scents of jasmine and lavender from the lighted candles, Ocellus quickly decided that this too would be worth repeating.

The sauna, on the other hoof, took a bit of getting used to. As the young couple entered what Lotus referred to as the “steam room”, Ocellus was a little taken aback by how warm and humid the air had suddenly become. She raised a hoof to her mouth, stifling a momentary coughing fit.

“Ah, yeah...guess I should've warned you about that before we came in,” murmured Sandbar apologetically. “Do you need to step outside for a...”

“No, I'm alright,” gasped Ocellus as she managed to steady her breathing. “I just didn't realise it'd be so steamy in here.”

Sandbar gave her a wry smile. “That's...kinda the idea of a sauna. The steam's meant to ease muscle tension and help shed weight through sweating. I'm even told it can help clear your airways.”

Ocellus was a little sceptical of that last point, but didn't wish to appear ungrateful, so she settled herself down next to Sandbar on the wooden bench that extended round the room. “You know,” she remarked, “we mentioned Smoulder earlier – I bet something like this would be right up her street!”

“Yeah, you might be onto something there, Celly,” agreed Sandbar with a laugh. “I might suggest it to her later.”

And well he might, thought Ocellus; for although the humidity felt a little uncomfortable at first, she was slowly starting to see the benefits of a good sauna. Any remaining aches that the massage had failed to alleviate soon faded away, and when she and Sandbar stepped out of the steam room ten minutes later, her joints felt a lot more supple than before. Even so, she was thankful they had left the hot tub till last with how sweaty she had become.

Aloe had just finished adding extra oils and salts as Ocellus and Sandbar approached. “There,” she declared with a smile, “that should just about be ready for you both. I've added a bit of chamomile this time, just to give you a bit of variety.”

“Much appreciated,” Sandbar smiled back, slipping out of his bathrobe. Ocellus did the same, using her magic to set them down on a nearby bench, and the two teenagers climbed carefully into the tub. They were still feeling a little hot from their sauna, so the water felt ironically cool as they sat down next to each other; but once they were acclimatised, so they began to relax again.

Ocellus sighed heartily as she leaned against her stallion. “Thanks for taking me here, Sandy,” she murmured. “This spa date was a great idea. We should definitely do this again sometime.”

“Yeah, we should,” agreed Sandbar, wrapping an arm around her and drawing her closer. “I'm sure glad you enjoyed it, Celly.”

“Mmm...240 bits, and worth every cent. Did I ever mention how I love you, Sandy?”

Sandbar chuckled softly. “Once or twice, dearest sweetheart of mine,” he whispered.