Rarity held the door for Applejack as they made her way into the spa. Applejack had given an apprehensive look at the establishment as they entered, making Rarity curious.
Why was she so hesitant about going to the spa? It was her idea in the first place, Rarity thought as her eyes followed Applejack’s movements. They soon made their way to the front desk and rang the bell.
“Ah, Miss Applejack so good to see you,” Aloe spoke with a smile as she appeared from out behind the curtain. “And Miss Rarity, isn’t this a surprise!”
“Mornin’ Aloe, Ah’m here fer ‘the usual’, same goes fer Rarity,” Applejack answered as she gave her a fake smile. Aloe grin faded as she caught the meaning behind Applejack’s and called her sister, Lotus, in to help. The two spa ponies whisked them away to separate shower rooms, leaving Rarity a little confused by their speed today. Rarity turned to the door in the shower room, wanting to ask Aloe about the rush to get her into the room. It was met by the door slamming in her face, nearly catching her muzzle in its haste.
A little annoyed at their rudeness, Rarity huffed loudly and made her way to the shower. She was going to complain to them when they were done, but for right now her focus lay on Applejack and her reasons for being here. Rarity turned the water on and relaxed in its warmth, her mind running astray.
As Rarity ran her hooves through her locks, she pondered Applejack’s offer. She had never known the farm pony to go to the spa. At first she was very happy that Applejack did take care of herself with an outing to the spa every once in awhile, but she soon felt a little hurt at her deception. She knew Applejack had nothing to worry about, that it would remain a secret between the two of them for the rest of their lives if she still felt strange with it. Rarity sighed as she thought over the Applejack’s motives from earlier, and placed her hoof on the temperature controls.
Rarity shut the water off, and brought her dripping frame over the blow-dryers that the spa had installed. She pressed the small red button and soon felt the warm air pulse over her body. She tried to relax in the heat, but something was still bothering her. Why had Applejack just now told her about these little foray’s to the spa? Was she really that shy about her friends knowing of this secret? Rarity’s thoughts circled as dryer shut off and she made her way over to the door. Summoning her magic she tried to turn the handle, but it wouldn’t unlock. Rarity looked at it in frustration and was about to force it open when a voice came from behind the door.
“Miss Rarity, the doorknob in there sticks occasionally! If you give us a few moments we can open it for you,” Aloe yelled, her tone one of panic. Rarity sighed at the disrepair but allowed them a few moments for the door to open for her.
Rarity found Applejack in a mud bath, her frame submerged in the herbal mud, and a sigh came from her as she settles into it.
“Enjoying your mud bath?” Rarity questioned jokingly, causing the orange mare to startle.
“Uh, yeah,” She answered after regaining her composure, a blush overtaking her muzzle.
Rarity situated herself in the bath next to Applejack and she began to relax as the warmth of the mud seeped into her.
They sat in these baths for a few minutes, neither of them wanting to begin any sort of conversation. Rarity only asked as she gave a quick glance over to Applejack’s location and found her glancing at her as well.
“Applejack, are you OK?” Rarity questioned as she repositioned her hooves on the side of the bath, her eyes locked on Applejack’s.
“Ah’m fine, just a little worried,” she answered back, her eyes trying to focus anywhere but on Rarity’s.
“What are you worried about darling? You are not worried about my reaction to your spa visits, are you?” Rarity asked, her tone one of humor as well as caring.
“Uh yeah, that’s it Rarity, yah got me” Applejack quickly answered back with a smile.
Rarity gave a sidelong glance at that smile and she knew she was lying. She had something on her mind and it was scaring her to a great extent.
This simply will not do, Rarity thought to herself as she slowly brought her hoof over to Applejack’s.
Applejack recoiled as the hoof touched hers, causing Rarity to look on with a hurt expression. Applejack’s blush began show again as she swiftly apologized for her actions. She quickly explained that her nervousness was from an upcoming meeting with somepony and she was a little afraid of the outcome. Rarity gave a soft smile and reassured her that even if it fell through, she would still be in good standings in the town. Applejack gave a half hearted smile and gave her wish for that as well.
They talked for the next hour about things that hadn’t talked about since their last meeting with the girls. They enjoyed themselves immensely as they talked gossip and laughed as well. Rarity saw the Applejack she knew before the spa visit, but she could tell that something was still bothering her. She was about to bring it up again when Lotus and Aloe stepped in to tell them that it was time to transition to the spa’s mineral water bath.
Applejack sat in her tub, her muzzle partly submerged in the mud. Aloe again sensed her discomfort and asked Rarity to accompany her to the showers, saying the door may get stuck again. Rarity smiled lightly and followed without question.
Rarity again found herself washing her hair and frame as she sat and thought about Applejack’s predicament. Now that she knew what was bothering her, she could do nothing less than her best. Her eyes began to glow in determination and as she exited the shower, she knew she was going to help Applejack. She made her way to the door and turned the knob, expecting it to get stuck again.
The door swung open silently, and Rarity glanced around the corners for Aloe. Not seeing the light blue pony, she stepped out and slowly made her way to the mineral baths. She arrived and walked in, only to find the room empty. She took her seat in the tub and slowly let herself relax as she soaked. Rarity’s mind glided aimlessly as she soaked, her thoughts seeming to fall contently to the wayside. Rarity was so into the bath that she failed to notice another pony enter the bath.
Her eyes met his as he slowly slid into the tub. Rarity didn’t so much as bat an eyelash as she knew the spa’s mineral baths were co-ed, and for that she was glad. She had on more than one occasion met and brought home another pony from the spa. Feeling her saucy side take over, she gave him a once over.
The stallion sat in the tub with a slight blush; apparently he didn’t know it was co-ed. She could see his figure was toned, his shoulders slightly broad. His blond mane hung low over the eyes that stared back at her, a gaze cast as if in mutual attraction. Rarity had never seen him before in town and she knew every pony. He was a perfect stranger, excellent.
“Good evening handsome. Come here often?” Rarity asked as she began to scoot closer to him.
“Wow Rarity, If that’s yer best line, I can see why y’all never had a Special somepony before,” Applejack answered back to her, a small smile spread across his muzzle.
Rarity was taken aback; did Applejack’s voice come from the stallion in the room? Rarity’s mind raced to find a solution to her problem, but she was again caught off guard as Applejack spoke again.
“I told Twiligh’ it was too soon. Why I didn’t listen to mah’self, I’ll never know.” Applejack shook his head in shame as he turned to leave the bath. He was pulled down sharply, letting off a small splash in the pool. He surfaced quickly for air, coming face to face with Rarity as he did so.
“Applejack, Is that really you?”
Applejack gave a sheepish nod, and his blush grew back again.
Rarity sat back in the tub, her mind reeling at this sudden realization. She knew Applejack acted like a tom colt, she didn’t expect her to be an actual colt. She looked back at Applejack, seeing for the first time her friend in his actual state. She was shocked to say the least, but this wasn’t as big a bombshell as part of their conversation wormed its way to the front of her mind.
“Wait, Twilight knows? What does she know? This!?!”
Again, all Applejack could do was nod and extend the blush he held.
Rarity again was sent reeling, and she took a few seconds to gather herself before she proceeded.
“How long?”
“Beg yer’ pardon?”
“How long Applejack? How long have you lied to us?” Rarity asked as she glared at Applejack.
“4 years,” he answered sheepishly.
“And how long have you felt this way?”
“All mah life.”
Rarity scrutinized Applejack, looking for her tells when lying. She couldn’t find it.
“So, that makes you a…”
“Transmare,” Applejack finished, this time shifting to the lower tone of his actual voice.
“Does anyone else know, I mean besides Twilight?”
“They all do Rarity. You were the last one I needed to tell,” he answered as he looked away from her.
Rarity felt her heart break as she stared at the stallion in front of her. The last to know was a position she wasn’t used to being in, and she showed it. She shifted expressions, moving from sadness, to anger, to worry and she finally ended with the one she felt the most, confusion.
“Why was I the last one?”
“Ah was afraid, Rarity,” Applejack began as tears formed in his eyes. “Ah know yer feelings on colt cuddlin’ and such, so Ah’ was afraid of your reaction.” Applejack looked at Rarity, his eyes awash with fear. Applejack was afraid of her; she was the one that could be hurt the most by this. He was so afraid that he had to hide it, and now he expected for her to leave and never talk to her again. He held his tears, waiting for Rarity to excuse herself, knowing that he had the entire spa to himself to cry the pain away in.
Rarity grabbed Applejack by the shoulders and pulled him into a hug. Applejack couldn’t hold them anymore and began to cry into Rarity’s coat. He sobbed as she comforted him, never letting go for a second. A few minute passed and the sounds of sobbing were quieted into sniffing and calming words from Rarity. Applejack pulled himself from Rarity and gave a weak smile.
“Thank you for understanding, it means a lot to me that you are OK with this.”
Rarity’s smile died on her face.
“I’m not OK with this, Applejack,” Rarity corrected solemnly.
Applejack felt his world crash around him when she said those words. She wasn’t OK with him. She thought he was a reject, a fraud, a freak in disguise. His mind raced to comfort him, bringing in good memories to hide the scarred ones he thought were being made. He swiftly looked up at her, the tears threatening to fall again, and was meet with a blank look from Rarity.
“Applejack, I’m not OK with this personally. Truth be told, this whole thing scares me and I don’t know how to react to it. This is a big change for me to take in and I will need some time.”
Applejack's tears began to return, a soft stream flowed as he prepared himself for the end to a friendship. He had regretted this decision from its very beginning and his wait for Rarity to pass her judgement and sentence for her supposed crime was unbearable.
“However,” she began again, her tone one of compassion “I couldn’t possibly fathom how hard that must have been for you to do today, to lay yourself bare for all of us to see. So I will say that our friendship will not be changed because of this.”
Applejack looked up in hope at his friend, his smile overtaking the look of defeat in an instant. He gave a half smile and listened for her to finish.
“Our friendship may become a little strained, but the honesty you displayed here has at least given me the comfort in knowing you are doing something you see is the right thing for you. And if it’s something you see as the right thing, who am I to stop you.” Rarity looked Applejack in the eyes, again with a weak smile.
Applejack’s eyes quelled their tears and she sighed in partial relief. The two of them sat for a little while, soaking in the warmth and letting the revelations of the day sink in. several minutes after Rarity exited the tub slowly, excusing herself to dry off, leaving Applejack in a state of semi shock.
Applejack sat in the warm water for a few more minutes, before he made his way to the stallions room. She appeared a few minutes later, her binder wrapped and covered, and was confronted by Rarity in the waiting room. She walked slowly towards her and as she stopped she gave a soft smile. Applejack watched Rarity hesitate for a moment, but soon she gave one in return. The two of them exited the spa, both in the comfort of a friend they both knew and loved.
