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Breathers for Applejack (a MLP story) (chapter 2)

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  She dragged one of her forehooves across the ground and lifted the brim of her hat up and looked, bleary-eyed, at her surroundings. She was back in ponyville, alright. She adjusted her hat back on her head and her eyes traveled up the full height of town hall, which towered over the surrounding buildings. She had managed to burp herself all the way from sweet apple acres to town square in ponyville. Under other circumstances, she would be impressed, but what just happened was probably something she wasn't going to be boasting about any time soon. She got herself, stumbling and shaking, to her hooves. She was battered and dirty from the cellar and the tree, and she shook herself off and weakly beat at her coat with her forehooves, but it didn't help much. The ground spun under her like she was still falling through the air. There weren't very many ponies in town square at this time, and none of them seemed to notice her. She walked along, trying to find her way back west to sweet apple acres, wobbling on her hooves.

“Applejack!?” she heard, from the unmistakable, and shocked, voice of her friend Rarity.

“Wha...?” Applejack said, looking around dizzily. She saw some shapes approaching her and shook her head til her eyes focused, and saw the white unicorn, replete in large, fancy, wide-brimmed sun hat and stylish sunglasses, cantering over to her. “Oh, howdy Rarity. I was just...uh...tryin' to find my way back to sweet apple acres.” she said.

Trying to find your way back? Good heavens, look at you! Did you just fall out of that tree?” she asked in shock.

“Oh, yeah, that tree. Naw, it's a long story. I'm just a mite bit turned around right now.” she said.

“Applejack, you're not...doing it again, are you?” she said.

“Doin' what again?”

“You know, that thing that you promised us on multiple occasions you wouldn't do anymore?” she asked. Applejack looked at her blankly.

“...Oh! Oh, no, I ain't overworkin' myself, honest. This was just a...a bit of an accident, is all.” she said. Rarity looked her up and down questionably.

“...Well...if you insist.” she said.

“Well anyways, it was good seein' ya, Rarity. I've wasted enough time this morning, I got chores I gotta get back to.” she said, walking away.

“Hold it!” Rarity shouted. Applejack stopped in place. “You're not going all the way back there without doing something about...this, are you?” she said, gesturing to Applejack's entire body with her hoof. Applejack looked herself over. There were scuff marks and rough patches of dirt all over her coat and her mane was disheveled raggedly.

“Well...I was gonna take a bath after work.” she said.

“Oh, no, no, no. I knew there was something the matter with you earlier, but I didn't know what. Now, I can see you are obviously overstressed.” she said.

“Overstressed? But I feel fine.”

“Ah, you may feel fine now, but stress is a horrible, sneaky beast that hits when you least expect it! Trust me, darling, I've had more than enough run-ins with stress. I've seen it all before. Those shaking knees, that crazed look in your eye...” she said, walking circles around Applejack, examining her. “Why, it looks like you're hyperventilating!...or, something like it.” she said, grim fascination on her face.

“Wait a second. My sister was sayin' that I might have heatstroke! I ain't ever got heatstroke before, do ya think that could be the problem?” she asked. Rarity scrutinized her, a hoof poised critically on her chin.

“Hmmmm...well, I suppose it's possible...” she said. “But, I'll tell you this. In my line of work, I've learned that a sound mind can fix just about everything. I was just headed over to the day spa for my afternoon treatment. Why don't you come with me?”

“What? To the fancy spa? Like, just the two of us?” Applejack asked uncomfortably.

“Mm-hmmm! I guarantee that whatever is ailing you will go away with a nice, deep relaxation.” she said.

“Well, uh...I-I don't have any bits on me...”

Nonsense! It'll be my treat!”

“Oh, well, that's mighty generous of ya, sugar cube. But I don't know...I usually tag along when the gang all goes together, but, I'm not really into pamperin' myself 'n all that.”

“Oh, Applejack! Don't think about it like pampering, think about it like...hmm...oh! Self-maintenance!”

“Self-maintenance?”

“Yes! You know, how you're always...fixing things around your farm? Well, it's like that, but for your body!”

“Well...I got soap at home...”

“Well, you can scrub dirt out of your coat, but when was the last time you conditioned it? Or when was the last time you had your pores cleansed? How long has it been since you've...” she said, cutting herself off. She cleared her throat and looked around her cautiously before leaning toward Applejack, “...sheared?” she asked, sotto voce, pointing to Applejack's hooves. Applejack blushed and pivoted her forehooves inward, hiding her fetlocks self-consciously.

“I-! I've been busy! I ain't always got the time for things like that!” she said, defensively.

“Well...do you have the time now?” Rarity asked, gesturing to the day spa, with its tall, pointed peaks and golden banding crafted to look like birds, carrying the dark purple fabric of the roof in their elegantly crafted golden beaks. Applejack took a couple of nervous steps towards it, a short distance away, tempted by the imposing building.

“So...you're sayin' that a sound mind will fix my body's problems?”

“Mm-hmmm...and the quickest way to a sound mind...is a sound body. Just one treatment and I guarantee all of your problems will go away. How about it, hmmm?” she asked, giddy at the idea.

“Well...alright.” she said. Rarity gave a short, excited hop on her hooves and giggled delightfully.

“Wonderful!” she said.

“But I owe you one for this.”

“Oh, Applejack, don't you start throwing the “O” word around. You are my friend, and this is simply what friends do.” she said, and they both walked into the building together.


“Hello, girls, I'm here!” said Rarity as she entered the lobby, levitating her hat and sunglasses off with her unikinesis, “And, I have brought a friend.” she said, gesturing to Applejack, who stood out in the minimalistic, purple-colored lobby. The pony behind the desk looked Applejack up and down in surprise.

“The usual for me, and whatever it'll take to get my friend Applejack here back on her hooves. Put her on my bill.” The blue-colored, pink-maned pony behind the desk smiled excitedly, a gleam in her eye. She quickly ducked out of sight and almost immediately zoomed back into the lobby beside her pink-colored, blue-maned twin sister.

“Right dis way, Meese Rarity!” said one of them, either Aloe or Lotus, Applejack didn't know which one was which (it was Lotus in this case), and Rarity started following them through the door that led to the facilities. Applejack followed, looking at the potted plants with suspicion, and keeping her distance from the spa ponies, whose cheerfulness, inseparability, and eagerness to get all touchy-feely made her slightly uncomfortable.

“So, Applejack. Let's start with the basics. Would you like to get your hat cleaned when you check it? I would highly recommend it.”

“Oh, uh, sure, I guess.” Applejack said, awkwardly. They stopped by a booth with a thin stallion with very well-groomed facial hair reading a magazine very disinterestedly.

“This is A la Mode.” she told Applejack, before leaning in closer to whisper, “But just call him Mode. Trust me.” she said, before backing off. “He's going to clean your hat for you.” she said. This got his attention, and he scooted closer to the counter and gave a thin smile at Rarity.

 “Love the sunglasses, Rarity, très chic. You make them yourself?”

Hmm.” Rarity hmm'd, satisfactorally, “Oh, I wish. I don't have the utilities to make sunglasses yet. I got these from Hoity Toity's boutique in Canterlot.”

“Howdy, Mode!” Applejack said, cheerfully, taking off her hat and putting it on the counter between them. Mode looked at it like she had just put roadkill on his counter.

“Howdy.” he said, unamused, “You know, the garbage cans are out back.” he said.

“Uh...alright.” Applejack said, oblivious to the insult. Rarity launched herself between them.

HA! Heh heh...oh, Mode...always a joker, you...” she said, desperately, nervously fake laughing. Applejack looked a little concerned, and Mode continued to look unamused. “Mode, this is my good friend Applejack. She's accompanying me for the day.” she said. Applejack waved hello.

“Oh. Apple family.” said Mode.

“Darn tootin'! Born an' raised in sweet apple acres.” Applejack said proudly. “Do y'all ever try our produce?”

“As a matter of fact I have. Rarity gives the spa a gift basket every hearth's warming eve and last year she included a jar of zap apple jam. It was...mmm...tres delicieux.” he said. Applejack looked at Rarity questioningly. Rarity gave her a quick nod of approval. Applejack smiled.

“Well hey! I'm glad y'all liked it!” she Applejack, cheerfully. Rarity watched the both of them nervously and waited for her moment to strike, before the awkward pause began.

“Well! Hmmm...Mode, what do you think?” she said, diplomatically.

“What do I think? I think y'all should invest in a new chapeau, pronto. Preferably one made within the last century?” he said, gesturing his hoof around as if he was trying to half-heartedly swat a fly away from his face.

HA! HA HA HA HA!” Rarity shouted, loudly fake laughing. “Again with the jokes!” Applejack looked a little ruffled at the comment, Mode continued looking unamused. Rarity turned and angrily stared him in the eyes. “But in all seriousness,” she said, through gritted teeth, “this hat holds tremendous sentimental value to my very good friend Applejack, and she would like it cleaned, please. So, skipping fashion advice, what do you think?” she asked him. He looked at her, unintimidated, gave Applejack a look, and then looked down at Applejack's hat, picking it up and turning it around in his hooves, analyzing it.

“Well...something this old...hoof-made, wow...it'll be a challenge, for sure.” he said.

“But...you can still do it, right?” asked Applejack, worried. Mode gave a sharp exhale, something similar to a laugh.

“Can I do it? Darling, when I'm through with it, it'll look brand new.” he said. Rarity smiled at Applejack.

“Well, I appreciate it, Mode.” said Applejack. He just looked at her, and then went back to examining her hat in detail.

“You'll have to forgive Mode's manners, he really is the best in the business. I trust him with all my delicates.” said Rarity, as they started to walk away, following the spa twins down the hallway. “Do you feel any better?”

“I guess. I don't know the last time that dusty old thing got cleaned. Why, do I look better?” she asked.

“Hmm...not really. Ah! Well, that's fine. I wasn't expecting that to be enough anyway. Next, you will be swaddled.” she said. Applejack perked up and blushed.

“No, that's uh...I'm alright. What y'all do in here is your own business, but I think I'll pass on getting'...swaddled by one of these two.” she said. The spa ponies simultaneously looked back at Applejack, and then gave each other a mischievous look before turning back forward. Applejack noticed and swallowed nervously in response. Rarity gave a short, amused laugh.

“No, Applejack. It simply means that I'll pick out a robe for you.” she said.

“Oh! Phew. Well why didn't ya just say so?” she asked. The spa ponies giggled amongst themselves as they came to the closed door.


“Out out out! A lady must have her privacy.” said Rarity, shooing the spa ponies back out the door. They looked at her in confusion.

“Rarity, why do you care so much about privacy? We're already bare-backed. And besides, we're puttin' clothes on, not takin' em off.” asked Applejack, sitting in the middle of the dressing room.

“Applejack, please! I am trying to pick a perfect robe for you, and it is only when you are perfect that they can see you.” she said, forcing them past the threshold and shutting the door in their faces. “There. Now. We haven't a moment to lose.” she said, wiping her hooves together. They were in a dressing room, with rows of electric light bulbs lining the mirrors on the vanity, illuminating the whole room. Applejack sat in the middle of the bare floorspace, between racks lined with dozens of bathrobes of different colors and design.

“So how's this work? Do I just...take one?” asked Applejack. Rarity giggled.

“Oh, if only it were that simple. We can't just take one, Applejack. We must...select one.”and her horn started glowing with magic. Applejack looked around as the racks of bathrobes around her became enveloped in Rarity's light-blue colored magic, and they lifted off the racks and floated upwards. Like a school of fish, they all started swirling around the room in circles, going faster and faster until they were one, big, multicolored blur.

“Whoa, careful Rarity.” Applejack said, mesmerized by Rarity's unikinesis.

“Don't worry, this is what I do for a living, remember? Trust me, this won't...take...long.” she said, concentrating. Applejack watched them so closely that she wasn't paying attention to her surroundings, and something tackled her from behind, leaving her sprawled on the ground. She grunted and immediately started trying to buck it off, as it tried to wrap itself around her forelegs and body. She wiggled and squirmed until she was on all fours again, reared up, and gave it a grade-A apple tree buck. She looked back long enough to see something green flap in the air and then fall limply on the ground.

“Applejack, hold still, please!” Rarity said. The thing levitated off the ground and she saw it was a bathrobe. It floated upright, dusted off its lining with its sleeves, and then leaned forward, putting its sleeves on its hips angrily.

“Oh. Uh...sorry 'bout that, Rarity.”

“That's alright. One more time.” she said, and the thing rushed towards Applejack again.

“Whoooooa apple seeds!” Applejack nervously swore as it wrapped itself around her entire body quickly and dexterously, and by the time all four hooves hit the ground again she was fully clothed in the robe. Applejack started to look herself over.

“Too springy.” Rarity said, and just as suddenly, it flew off of her, leaving her spinning, and a mustard yellow one flew on in its stead. “Too bland.” she said, and it flew off and another one took its place, “Too loud.” she said, effortlessly shuffling through the cloud of robes, “Too edgy. Too warm. Not warm enough. Too short. Too wide. Too tacky. Eugh...just horrid. Too sparkly. Too dark.” she said, as a brown robe flew off Applejack quickly enough to leave her flipping through the air, where she was caught and let to the ground by a royal blue robe. Applejack panted. Rarity didn't have anything to say.

“Are ya done yet?” asked Applejack. Rarity scrutinized her.

“No.” she said. Applejack groaned and collapsed onto her belly, defeated. “No, but we're close. Maybe just...a bit...brighter...ah-ha!” she said, and Applejack was lifted off the ground by the robe, her hooves dangling limply, while it undid itself and smoothly slid off of her while another one slid on and tied itself off at the waist, gently lowering her to her hooves.

“There. Now that wasn't so hard, was it?” asked Rarity. Applejack stood there, shocked, as the robes all levitated back onto the racks. She examined her fancy, baby-blue robe that Rarity settled on, which had a faux fur collar, white piping embroidered on the seams, and it fit her perfectly. It was almost good enough to make it seem like she was sparkling already, if her mane wasn't all shaggy and her face not streaked with dirt.

“Well, you certainly got a process.” she said, “That's for dang sure.”

“Well, what do you think?”

“What do I think? I think it's gorgeous!”

“Well. I should hope so.” she said, fidgeting with satisfaction. “Where do you think they get the robes from?” she asked.

You made this? It's real pretty...it reminds me of the sky on a sunny afternoon.”
Hmmm, that's funny. That was my inspiration for the color.” she said. They smiled at each other. “So! How do you feel?”

“Are you sure this is really necessary? Can't I just use a towel? I feel like this costs more'n the farm makes in a week, and I'm already gettin' dirt in it.”

“Ah-ah-ah, Applejack, remember. You're here to relax. Don't worry about it. The important part is that you look beautiful in it.” she said. Applejack blushed and kicked one of her hooves bashfully.

“Well, I...I think I feel a mite bit better. Why? Do I look like one of your big-timey, duck-facin' fashion models?”

“Please, Applejack. You're much too muscular to be a model.”

“Aw, shucks.”

“No...you don't really look any better. Hmm.” One of her customary purple-colored robes levitated over and dexterously clothed her with itself. “Ah, well, we haven't even gotten to the treatment yet!” She said, trotting to Applejack's side and nudging her towards the door. Rarity's magic enveloped it and it swung open to the spa ponies, who had apparently been waiting right outside the door the whole time, and gasped in delight at seeing Applejack.

“I sure hope this woooooorks!” Applejack said as Rarity pushed her directly into their waiting hooves.


Applejack winced as one of the spa ponies, she didn't know which one (Aloe), gripped the comb in her teeth tightly and pulled with all of her might, trying to dislodge it from Applejack's mane. She was neck-deep in bathwater, which already had a ring around the water level.

“No, no, try pulling up and out. A thick mane like hers will never give your comb back once it's gotten a hold.” said Rarity, neck deep in her own bath, Lotus working her foam-covered mane between her hooves. “Well, Applejack, do you feel better?”

“Can't- ngh! -say- mph! -that I- hng! -do!” she said, and at that all the teeth in the comb snapped off, and Aloe was just holding a handle in her teeth. She looked at Rarity in surprise. Rarity laughed nervously.

“Hee hee...uh, you can put that on the bill.” she said.

“So you pay all these bits to sit around and sweat?” asked Applejack, now clean and back in her robe, watching the spa ponies ladle water onto the hot coals.

“Sweat does wonders for the pores, and helps you shed excess water weight.” said Rarity, looking relaxed. “How do you feel?”

“How do I feel? I feel like if spa-goin', high-society types will pay money just to sweat, we could start chargin' em to work on the farm. Sweat, exercise, and an honest day's work. Better'n sittin in a little hot room.” she said. Rarity examined her.

“Hmmm...you still look like you're having trouble breathing. Oh! I know!”


“Mud, too? Shoot.” Applejack said, up to her belly in the stuff. She looked at it skeptically, her mane tied in a haphazard bun high up on her head, her whole body wrapped in seaweed.

“Well of course, Applejack. I thought you already knew about mud baths.”

“Yeah, but this is just plain ol' brown mud. We got lots o' this back at the farm, too. I was at least expectin' that fancy green mud you put on your-”

SPLORCH

went the wad of green facial mask on her face, cutting her short. A look of displeasure fell across her green face. One of the spa ponies, she couldn't tell which (Lotus, this time), stood next to her, smiling proudly, holding what looked to Applejack like a trowel in her teeth.

“Oh, come, Applejack. You're supposed to be relaxing, remember?” Rarity asked. Applejack's expression lightened, she took a deep breath and sat in the mud.

“It's fine.” she said, Lotus spreading the stuff across her face, “Ain't like I never been covered head to tail in mud before, anyhow.” she said, closing her eyes as Lotus cheerfully put cucumber slices over her eyes.

“Hmmm...you still don't look much better. I don't understand! We're already halfway through the treatments and if anything it looks like you've gotten worse!”

“Really? I thought I felt a tiny bit less stressed out...” said Applejack.

“Girls? I think this calls for drastic measures.” she said. Applejack awkwardly turned her head, blindly looking in Rarity's general direction.

“More drastic than this?”

“I'm afraid so. Girls, this calls for...the gauntlet.” she said. The spa ponies' mouths both hung open in shock, the tools they were using dropping to the floor. Applejack reached a muddy hoof up and tilted one of her cucumbers up, peeking curiously around the silent room. “YES!...the gauntlet.” Rarity said, dramatically putting a hoof to her forehead as if she was feeling faint just thinking about it. Applejack had known Rarity long enough to know not to take the gesture too seriously. The room remained silent, and the other ponies were completely frozen. Applejack took the hint.

“Uh...what's the gauntlet?” she asked.


“The Gauntlet is only the most vigorous, regimented, and fast-paced spa treatment known to ponykind.” Rarity said, explaining to Applejack while the spa ponies led them down the increasingly-poorly-lit back hallway. “It's illegal in most cities. Luckily for you, Lotus and Aloe are morally irresponsible enough to continue the practice right here in Ponyville.” she said. The spa twins both looked back at Applejack and nodded enthusiastically.

“Well I...” said Applejack, increasingly nervous, “I don't wanna break the law, or nothin'.”

“Don't worry, you're not breaking any laws here.”

“Oh. Well, it's not like it's dangerous or anythin', right?”

“Why, of course it's dangerous! Only the most stressed out ponies can get through the gauntlet intact! I was a spotter for a pony here once, and she only made it a quarter of the way through the gauntlet before she was so relaxed, she melted. Literally! Melted! Applejack!” Rarity said, right in Applejack's face. Applejack gulped. “However, I have faith in you.” she said optimistically, backing off, “Why, you look worse than ever! Look at you sweating! And that nervous, terrified look in your eye!”

“Well, truth be told, I think I was well on my way to gettin' relaxed before y'all started goin' on about illegal spa things 'n meltin' ponies 'n such.”

“No, I don't think normal treatments could have cured this. Goodness, Applejack, how are you still standing? It looks like you're having so much difficulty breathing! Is it...are you hyperventilating or short of breath? I can't even tell!”

“Y'know, I'm starting to think maybe this isn't such a good idea...” Applejack said, nervously, as they reached a dead end: A door that simply read 'Gauntlet' on it.

“Nonsense! When the sisters are finished with you, you can thank me then.” And with that, the sisters opened up the door into a large, dark chamber. The floor, walls, and ceiling were all gray stone. Shafts of light pierced their way through the dim, smoky air from skylights in the ceiling.

“Now! We've no time to lose! Every second counts!” she said, and the spa ponies seemed to materialize from the shadows on either side of Applejack, grabbing onto her and taking her by surprise, grinning excitedly. “Begin!” yelled Rarity, and they rushed Applejack over to the side of the room.

“First, we will relax your mind. Applejack, this is art. Study the art closely.” said Rarity. Applejack was before a small metal structure that looked sort of like a water pump, or a balancing scale. A beam set in it seesawed back and forth, a rod hanging off of each end of it, with large, disc-shaped stones on the bottom of both. They alternated dipping down and impacting with the gravel that the whole thing was set in. Applejack watched the thing intently as it tilted back and forth, back and forth, hitting its gravel pit over and over and over again, before shrugging.

“I don't get it.” she said.

“Next!” Rarity shouted, and Applejack felt the spa pony's hooves on her once more as they rushed her off to some other station. A bamboo pole-like pipe came out of a slot in the floor before ending in a strange, T-shaped junction.

“This is aromatherapy. Breathe deep of the smoke that issues outwards from the oven.” she said. The spa ponies put their hooves on the pipe and tilted it forward and then back like a lever. After a couple of seconds, smoke fired out of both ends and quickly made a cloud. The spa ponies took a deep breath and sighed contentedly. Applejack took a deep breath before coughing and covering her muzzle with one of her legs.

“Smells like fire!” Applejack said.

“Next!” Rarity shouted. The spa ponies rushed her off to an empty space.

“This is music. To help awaken your spirit, Lotus and Aloe will sing to you the song of their ponies.” she said. The spa twins stepped into the light, with scarves tied at various points of their bodies and tambourines in their mouths. They then began to prance around Applejack in a circle, jingling their tambourines unmusically and making a strange ululating noise with their throats. Applejack watched them with a mildly irritated look on her face, not sure how this was supposed to help her relax.

“This ain't workin'.” she said. The spa ponies stopped their dancing and singing, looked at Applejack, looked at each other, and then looked at the ground, dejectedly.

“I don't understand! By all accounts, you should be at least a little better by now!” said Rarity, examining Applejack, looking at her eyes, her hooves, her tail.

“Well, maybe we can go back to what we were doin' before?” Applejack said, pulling her tail out of Rarity's hooves. “I think I could have gotten used to all that-”

“No! Girls, it's obvious Applejack's mind and spirit are lost causes. Skip the next few stations! You need to get to her body, stat!” she said. The twins looked at each other, shrugged, then happily dropped their instruments and threw their scarves off and started cracking the joints in their hooves with sickeningly loud sounds. “Don't worry, Applejack. Lotus and Aloe are trained professionals. Also, this just happens to be their favorite part.” she said.

“Uh...Rarity, I really think I'm fine.” said Applejack, watching them grabbing each other's hooves and doing stretches, “Y'all don't need to get the twins all...touchy-feely-like for my sake, honest. We can go back to the baths, or the mud, or the sweatin' room, or somethin'.”

“Applejack, I think if you could see yourself, you would agree that this is for the best.” she said, and Applejack felt the sisters grab her. She looked at both of them, who smiled back at her with a mischievous gleam in their eyes. They shoved her backward.

“Oof!” Applejack said as she landed back-first. “Now, I've had just about enoummph!” she said as one of them, the blue one, she didn't know whom (Lotus), shoved a plunger in her face. She put her hind hoof on Applejack's chest and pulled. Applejack waved her hooves around and made muffled noises as her face stretched forward like creaking rubber. She took her hoof off of Applejack's chest, and she sprang up from the ground and collided face-first into the plunger before sagging back onto her hooves. She looked at Lotus angrily and started saying a whole bunch of things at her, muffled by the plunger, and didn't notice Aloe walking behind her until she felt something slap against her rump, immediately shutting her up and making her flinch straight upwards, blushing. She looked back, the stick on the plunger wagging back and forth, to see another plunger sticking off of her rump, and looked just in time to see Aloe stick another one on the other butt cheek. A blue hoof grabbed the plunger on Applejack's face and yanked it back forwards, and Applejack just looked up frightfully as she felt the other spa pony take hold of the plungers on her backside, and they both pulled. Her face and body both stretched outwards, her hooves lifting off the ground and kicking weakly. Her haunches stretched beyond the hem of her robe, which stayed put while her body stretched out and out and out of it, like a magician pulling a long handkerchief out of a hat. They took steps back as she stretched longer and longer and thinner and thinner, her hide groaning at the pressure. The twins grimaced and pulled with all their strength, pulling her over three times the original length of her body. Her eyes were wide and she made muffled groaning sounds behind the plunger as she watched her face extend before her, stretching outwards, and outwards, and outwards like bright orange, freckly taffy, almost a leg's length in front of her, and then all three plungers popped off. She snapped back together so quick she swore she could feel her rump smack her on the back of the head, before staggering dazedly around and falling sideways, landing on her back.

Her head collided with the edge of a metal bowl, which sprang into the air, flipping around, and was caught by the waiting hooves of the pink one (Aloe). She helped Applejack to her hooves, planted her hoof on the back of Applejack's head, and then shoved it into the bowl. Applejack flailed her hooves, confused, as the spa ponies put the bowl on the ground and shoved her forward, cramming her into the small interior of the bowl inch by inch. Her shoulders and forelegs went in, and they continued forcing her in until just the bottom of her robe and her body from the waist down was sticking out. They tilted her back upwards and she landed hard on her haunches, her sky-blue robe and blonde tail splaying outwards. Lotus jumped up and landed on top of the upside-down bowl, forcing it down a little, and jumped up and down, driving it downwards and downwards until no more of Applejack's orange flank remained visible and it touched the floor, just her extremities poked out from under the rim. She hopped off, and Applejack was making muffled noises and the bowl was wiggling around a little. She grabbed the bowl and tossed it upwards, Applejack's extremities sticking out as it whirled in the air, and then with perfect synchronicity, the sisters reared up and bucked it as it fell between them, sandwiching the bowl and the orange-colored mass that filled it between their hooves. They reared back again, tossing it a little ways into the air, and repeatedly smashed her between their hooves until there were no more parts of Applejack sticking out. Lotus put the bowl back on the ground and placed two identical bowls next to it and started shuffling them around. Aloe was watching them with a hoof to her chin, concentrating. Lotus shuffled and shuffled, and then stopped. Aloe looked at them all before pointing at the middle one, grinning. Her sister lifted it up, revealing a bright orange and bright blue dome on the ground, with a blonde colored streak down the side. Applejack's smooshed face was cringing, and she stiffly opened her flattened eyes, looking around worriedly. The spa sisters hoof bumped in victory over her, and then picked up their compressed client from the floor. They took hold of her and pulled apart, stretching her body out. Applejack's eyes went wide as her face stretched out horizontally. They slowly walked apart from each other, stretching out the doughy mass between them, and then let go. She snapped back together and Applejack instantly reformed in midair, hung there a second, and then landed belly-first on the ground, dazed. She felt a pair of hooves lift her head up.

“Now wait just a sec-OOF!” she said as the spa pony wrenched her head to the left and right, her neck snapping violently. “Ooooooh...oh, that one wasn't so bad.” she said. Then, another pair of hooves grabbed her hind legs. She was lifted off the ground and her upper half was twisted one way, her lower half twisted another. A wheezing sound left her throat as her back snapped loudly and sickeningly, her robed midsection twisted into a bundle. “That one hurt...” she said, weakly. They let her go and she spun around in mid-air, her body re-arranging itself, and landed on her back. The spa ponies leaned over her and watched her, grinning. Applejack writhed around uncomfortably on the ground. She opened one eye, then the other, and saw them smiling at her.

“Is...is it over? Do I look all better yet?” she asked. The spa ponies shook their heads “no”, still beaming at her, and then produced a huge, wooden mallet. Applejack's lips quivered and her eyes grew wide as they both wound it back and then-

WHAM!

“Alright, that's enough.” Rarity said, stepping forward. “Surely your equestria-famous deep, deep, deep, deep, deep tissue massage will have gotten her back onto her hooves.” she said. Lotus tipped the hammer on its side, and Applejack's body clung to the surface of the mallet's face, squashed so flat she looked like she was painted on. Aloe picked at the edge of her with her hooves, and then peeled her off, letting her paper-thin body spread out on the floor. Applejack's flattened eyes swirled around independent of one another in a daze.

“Oh, Applejack, you look great!” said Rarity. Applejack's eyes focused, blinking, and looked at Rarity. “I told you this would get you back on your hooves. You're looking much better already!” she said. The spa ponies smiled and put their heads together in sisterly affection.

“I don't...feel any better...” Applejack grunted from the ground.

“Oh, nonsense, you're the picture of relaxation. So, now that we've got you properly relaxed, we just have to figure out a way to help you with that breathing problem.” she said.

“Well maybe...if ya...unsquashed me...a bit...”

“Mmmmm.” said Rarity, looking critically at Applejack's flattened body with a hoof on her chin. Then she gasped. “I've got it! I don't know why I didn't think of it sooner! Oxygen therapy!” she said. The sisters nodded and ran off, coming back wheeling a machine that looked like a tall steam engine with a large glass orb on the top. Lotus detached a bellows-like hoof pump from the machine and set it on the floor, Aloe detached a glass oxygen mask, undoing a length of hose before balancing the mask on one hoof, peeling Applejack's flattened head off the floor with the other. Applejack's eyes focused on the mask in the spa pony's hoof worriedly.

“No, I-I think I'm...done with spa treatments for the day-mmmph!” she said as Aloe plunked it down right over her muzzle. Her eyes widened in surprise as she secured a strap around Applejack's flattened head, letting it flop back down. Lotus put her front hooves on the pump and started gently pumping.

Chooooooof...chooooooooof...choooooooooof...

Every time she compressed the pump down, a bulge would travel down the hose from the pump to the machine, the glass orb on the top beginning to fill with some kind of vapor. The bulges continued out another hose on the other side, traveling down to the oxygen mask, where Applejack's muzzle and cheeks immediately puffed out three-dimensionally with each pump, her body slowly rising up.

“You see,” said Rarity, walking around Applejack, “the oxygen from the pump rejuvenates and revitalizes the body, and the water in the vaporizer is scented – it's lavender now, my personal favorite – which calms the mind. All in all, it leaves the body completely and utterly relaxed, and it should help you with your breathing.” she said. Applejack was completely restored now, with a blissful look on her face. She reached a hoof up and tried to get a grip on the oxygen mask, but it plinked uselessly off of the glass surface. She lazily reached her hoof under it and tilted it up off of her face, water vapor falling out of it like steam.

“Heh heh. I reckon you were right about this one, Rarity. I do feel mighty relaxed now.” she said, smiling. Rarity swooped down on her and shoved the oxygen mask back over Applejack's muzzle, much to her surprise.

Nonsense! Just look at you! Your eyes, your complexion, your mane, oh...goodness, your mane! Au contraire, Applejack, you're getting worse again!” she said, panicking. Applejack blinked at her in surprised concern. “Girls! It's not working! Pump harder!” she said. Lotus ceased being gentle about it and really put her upper body into it,  

CHUFF! CHUFF! CHUFF! CHUFF! CHUFF!

pumping away harder, the bulges traveling down the hose at a quicker rate. Applejack made a muffled choking sound as her cheeks started to puff outward with each pump again, her chest and stomach heaving up and down with each pump. Her eyes stared forward with concern as she concentrated on exhaling the air fast enough to make room for the next lungful. “No...no, no, no...look at how much difficulty she's having trying to breathe! Girls, we can do this. I want you to pump as fast and as hard as you possibly can!” she said. Applejack's eyes went wide and she shook her head and waved her hooves back and forth in a dismissive motion, making muffled noises behind the mask. Aloe and Lotus looked at each other in surprise before their faces fell into a determined smirk. Aloe reached a hoof out to the machine and detached a second hoof pump. She set it on the ground next to the first one and they both gave each other a nod. Then, they both jumped on top of the pumps with all four hooves and started bouncing up and down on them like trampolines with cheerful smiles on their faces.

CHUFFA! CHUFFA! CHUFFA! CHUFFA! CHUFFA!

CHUFFA! CHUFFA! CHUFFA! CHUFFA! CHUFFA!

They fell into a perfect alternating rhythm right away; first one pumped, then the other, then the other, then the other, and so on. The machine jittered and shook as the vapor started pouring into the glass ball in great volumes, and a great, big bulge started building at the base of the hose on the other side. Applejack saw it, her eyes widening and her irises narrowing, and then started struggling to get the mask off. The bulge grew and grew til it was about the size of a grapefruit, and then it detached, moving slowly down the hose as another one started inflating right behind it, growing to a similar size and then moving down the hose, until there was a line of great, big bulges moving steadily down the hose towards the struggling Applejack. Her hooves clinked harmlessly on the glass surface and she couldn't get a grip on it fast enough. The bulges reached the mask and her body immediately stiffened up, her cheeks puffed out, and her stomach rose up within her robe. Her hooves fell away from the mask as her whole body slackened. With each pump, her body stiffened up and relaxed, stiffened up and relaxed, her legs straightening out at her sides, and her blue bathrobe expanding up and out as the puffs of air traveled one by one down the hose and into the mask.

“Yes...yes...I think it's working. Keep at it, girls!” said Rarity, pacing in circles around Applejack as she watched the sky-blue mound rise up to her eye level, creaking as Applejack's body swelled up and stretched the material, surpassing her in height. Applejack's eyes blinked in surprise and looked helplessly over her own body as she watched it inflate, her legs waggling up and down lazily between the rhythmic pulses of the pumps as they fattened up, her bathrobe groaning ominously as it strained across her increasingly spherical body, the belt struggling to keep the front of the robe closed together. Her body had grown large enough that Rarity had to adjust the circular path she was pacing on to make room. Her hind legs expanded further and further apart; the widening, rounding expanse between them billowing out of the robe like rising bread. Rarity looked up and smiled at the ballooning orange surface, Applejack's inflated, feebly kicking legs on either side, pulsing outwards with each pump.

“Well, I had my doubts, but I do think that you two have outdone yourselves this time!” she said, admiring the blimp that Applejack had become. She looked like a blimp; a ball covered in straining blue material over twice as big around as any of the ponies in the room were tall. Her huge, round body teetered on what was formerly the small of her back, the end of her rotund belly extending towards the ceiling far above the other pony's heads. Not that they could see it from their vantage point on the ground, of course. Their view ended with her vast, perfectly round sides, pulsing out with each pump that forced its way into Applejack's oxygen mask. Rarity approached Applejack's head with a confident smile on her face. Applejack was looking at her own body, her eyes wide with concern, her freckly cheeks ballooned out on either side of the oxygen mask, as her body pulsed, and pulsed, and pulsed with each bulge that traveled its way down the hose.

“You see, Applejack? All it took was a little relaxation, is all.” she said. Applejack gave her a look of shocked disbelief. “Oh, don't give me that look, look how well it's working!” she said, motioning towards Applejack's body with her hoof. With a

TWOING

the belt finally gave up and untied, the sides of the robe yanking themselves away from the breadth of her belly, causing her naked, orange blimp of a body to wiggle up and down before falling back into its pulsing rhythm.

“See? You're looking better by the second!” she said. Applejack mumbled something behind the mask, her eyes moving back and forth between Rarity and the mask. “Er, pardon me?” said Rarity. Applejack mumbled again, her eyes moving more emphatically between Rarity and the mask. Between the twins' jumping on their pumps, the vaporizer humming away, and the puffs of air as they entered the mask, Rarity couldn't here a thing Applejack was saying. “Excuse me, girls? Take a short break.” said Rarity. The twins gladly stopped, both of them panting and sweating. The vaporizer fell silent and the last of the puffs of air had entered Applejack. “Sorry, darling, I couldn't hear a thing over all that racket. Now what were you saying?” she asked, grasping the mask with her hooves and tugging it away from Applejack's muzzle. She was immediately met with a blast of lavender-scented air that knocked her into the air and flying across the room, making a yelp of surprise that sounded something like “Wha-hah-HAGH!”

Meanwhile, Applejack took off like a rocket, her huge body zooming and careening around the room, making sputtering noises as she deflated like a balloon. The twins watched in fascination, before they ducked in surprise as she flew towards them, barely going over their heads and knocking the vaporizer machine and all of its hosed appendages away. They followed her flight path and screamed, trying to scramble out of the way as she came back at them, but she collided with them anyway, sweeping them off of their hooves. They found themselves pressed into Applejack's huge, inflated rump, one on each butt cheek, and saw that she was headed straight towards a wall. They both looked at each other in mute surprise before looking back at the wall and screaming simultaneously for the last couple seconds before she collided with it, silencing them and bouncing off like a ball, twirling in the air before deflating away. The twins were both squashed completely flat against the wall, spread-eagled like pink and blue stickers, and they simultaneously peeled off with dazed looks on their faces and drifted to the floor like leaves.

Rarity was crouched low to the floor watching her inflated friend violently deflate around the room with concern, looking this way and that, wincing every time she collided with a wall or something in the room, until her eyes lit up in fright and she cowered as Applejack's body bounced off the floor and careened straight towards her. Applejack's flank glanced her, sending her flying, screaming, through the air. She shut her eyes tight and kept her hooves on her mane, and then she hit the ground and her scream was abruptly cut off. She was belly-first in gravel, and her hooves moved up to her head, trembling, and she made a whining noise that was muffled by the oxygen mask on her face. She heard a peculiar pumping sound. She opened her eyes and saw the vaporizer, leaning against the work of art in the room. The hoof pumps had inconveniently managed to land exactly underneath the stone discs on either side, and it was furiously pounding away on both of them, gaining momentum from the springs in the bellows-like pumps. Vapor clouded the dome on the top and a huge bulge started building up in the hose. It expanded bigger, and bigger, and bigger, until it was the size of a watermelon or pumpkin, and then started moving down the hose, another one inflating right behind it. Rarity struggled with the mask with her hooves, not able to get a grip on it in her panicked state. Her horn lit up and her magic surrounded the mask, and it pulled itself away from her face with unikinesis, but the straps were tangled on the back of her head, and it hardly budged off of her face. She was concentrating so much on her magic that she failed to notice how close the bulges were to reaching her until the moment before they entered the mask. She squealed in shock and, thinking fast, clamped both of her forehooves together on the hose, cinching it shut. The bulge immediately stopped as it reached her hooves, and then inflated even larger as it absorbed the bulge behind it, and then the one behind that one, and the one behind that one, and Rarity whimpered and watched in hopeless horror as the bulge swelled up bigger and bigger in front of her, the rubber of the hose straining and turning transparent. It started to resemble a big, black balloon. She desperately tugged at the mask with the hose, but it just stretched ineffectually. She closed her eyes tight, concentrating, and pulled with all of her strength. Then she heard something that made her freeze in place, her eyes shooting open. Applejack flew across the room, went right by Rarity and shot straight up, sputtering as the last of the air was leaving her body and she was almost back to her normal proportions. She went straight up, stopped deflating, took a deep breath, and then screamed and flailed, her stretched-out robe flapping behind her, as she fell straight down. Straight down towards the inflated hose. Rarity's pupils narrowed as she watched.

Applejack's scream was cut short as her fall was broken by something conveniently soft and bouncy. She landed on her back and sank into it and sprang back up, and a hissing noise filled the air. She bobbed up and down on the surface, and felt it going down, which she thought was odd, because the hissing noise was accompanied by the distinctive

FWOOOOOOOOSH

of a balloon being inflated, not deflated. She looked down, and her eye was caught by something expanding in front of her. It was round, purple, big, and growing bigger before her eyes, and resting right on the top of it was something that looked just like Rarity's meticulously-styled, curly, purple tail. The black ballooney thing gently lowered Applejack to the ground while she watched the purple ballooney thing swell up and up and up, creaking and squeaking and swaying around slightly, getting far larger around than Applejack was tall. Her eyes narrowed with suspicion as she watched two white digits that looked like big, inflated hooves swell into view from around the circumference of the thing, and she could make out two growing, white mounds just beyond the tail-looking thing at the top.

“Well that's funny.” Applejack said. “Just what the hay-” she stopped, as she made contact with the ground and found herself looking Rarity in the face. The oxygen mask was on Rarity, somehow, her big, bulging cheeks filled to the brim with air. She was making desperate, squealing noises behind the mask and jerking her head up and down, her curly mane bouncing up and down as she did so. Applejack looked at her, bewildered, until realization set in, and her gaze traveled upwards to her huge, inflated body, her purple bathrobe stretched across its spherical surface, creaking and straining. Her forelegs were puffed up and bloated, her white hooves poking out of the stretched out material of her robe sleeves, wiggling around weakly. She looked up at Rarity's massively inflated, round body, towering over her, and then back down at Rarity's face. “...Oh.” was all Applejack had to say. Rarity squealed further, her whole body bouncing up and down slightly as she jerked her head around, the hose trailing from the oxygen mask whipping around as she did so, and then looked at Applejack pitifully, with tears in her eyes. Applejack looked over her shoulder and saw that she was laying on the hose, and a small bulge was building up at her shoulder. “Oooooh!” she said, and sprang to her hooves. She grabbed the mask and pulled it up, rolling Rarity's body backwards as she did so. Rarity blinked in shock, her inflated forehooves gyrating in little circles. Applejack grabbed a hold of the hose with her teeth and pulled, but it was no use. She grabbed it with her forehooves and pulled, but the mask wasn't coming off. She dashed back and bucked the pumps out from under the work of art, and the stone discs pounded the gravel a few times before slowing to an almost complete stop.

“Phew.” Applejack said. “Good for nothin' art...”  

She ran back and grabbed the hose with both of her forehooves, awkwardly planting one of her hind hooves on the plush surface of Rarity's body. It sank inwards a little. She hopped up and planted her other hoof, jostling on Rarity's balloonish surface and holding herself upright with the hose. Rarity squeaked uneasily, looking down, cross-eyed, at the oxygen mask with its hose stretched out tight in front of her, and looked uneasily to her left and right at the expanse of her body. Applejack bit down on the hose and pulled backwards mightily with her hooves and teeth. Rarity's eyes were shut tight, her cheeks wobbling as they both tried to get the mask off. They pulled, and pulled, and the tangles in the straps on the back of Rarity's head pulled free. Applejack felt the mask come off, and then the hose yanked forwards in her hooves, away from her. She gave out a yipe of surprise as she was jerked hooves-first forwards, a jet of lavender-scented air blowing in her face. Her hind hooves came back down and hit the floor, skidding on the surface as she water-skied on the ground. Rarity bobbed and twisted in the air at the end of the length of hose in front of Applejack, a look of humiliated horror on her face. The mask was still on Rarity's head, being held in place by the stretching rubber straps going around the back of her head. She zipped left and right, Applejack in tow, before the straps stretched and stretched and then came off, Applejack stumbling over the length of hose that snapped back at her and tumbling to the ground. Rarity took off upwards, and started flying around the room.

Lotus gave Aloe a good, hard flap and she reformed, stumbling on her hooves dizzily. They dusted each other off worriedly, before they heard a familiar deflating sound. They looked up in a panic, but didn't see anyone whizzing about above them. Something huge, purple and white flew by both of them, and they quickly turned to look, but it was gone. It flew by them again, behind them, and they quickly turned around, but nothing was there. They looked at each other and shrugged. Then, a huge, white, butt collided with them and swept them off their hooves again. They were pressed into Rarity's inflated rump, and they looked in horror at where they were headed. Lotus held out her hoof, grimly, and Aloe took it. They both screamed as Rarity's rump skipped off the ground, ejecting them both forwards, both of their mouths landing perfectly on the aromatherapy pipe, which ratcheted forward with their momentum and then tilted back. They both looked at each other fearfully before a blast of smoke shot out of it, puffing their cheeks out and making small columns of smoke come out of their nostrils and ears, and their bellies swelled outwards.

Applejack lay on the ground, watching Rarity zoom by above her occasionally, trying to pinpoint exactly how her otherwise bad day had descended to this. She squinted, thoughtfully.

“Hmm. Dejy-vu.” she said. “First, everypony's makin' jokes about me needin' help breathin' and me blowin' up like a balloon. I've been blown up twice today, both times after somepony tried to help me breathe. But them's just accidents...right?” she asked. Without thinking, she quickly rolled to the side while Rarity's huge rump bounced off the ground where she was just lying. “Maybe it's all a joke. Maybe Pinkie orchestrated this. But Rarity usually don't help Pinkie with her pranks. Not usually.” she said, and rolled out of the way of Rarity again. “But it's the only way. It's just gotta! There ain't no such thing as curses! No way, no how! Twilight told us and she's the smartest pony I know! It's just gotta be one, big joke on Applejack. I gotta see Pinkie and tell her to call it off.” she said, getting to her hooves. “I've had about as much spa as I can handle for one day.” she said, becoming aware of a large, ominous shadow creeping over her. She noticed it and reared up to buck it, but saw it was just her stretched-out, sky-blue bathrobe, hovering in the air with its arms in a menacing pose via Rarity's unikinesis. She eased up. “Oh, right! It's just my robe again.” she said, smiling and looking back forward. “Wait a minute.” and then it tackled her from behind, and this time it wasn't trying to put itself on her. She wrestled with it as its sleeves wrapped themselves tightly around her forelegs, and the bottom wrapped itself around her hind legs. It jerked upright and snapped taut, spread-eagling Applejack out like a torture rack as it floated just off the ground.

“Rarity! What the hay are ya doin'?” she asked, struggling, but the bonds were too strong. Rarity emerged from the shadows, the hose and oxygen mask levitating close behind her, puffing out vapor. Rarity looked at Applejack with a hysterical glint in her eye.

“I told you before to stop struggling, Applejack. You'll have to excuse me, I certainly didn't intend to get inflated like some...balloon, heavens, good thing I didn't see myself...so, thank you for helping me. But no more messing about! We are trying to help you, Applejack! But you just won't let us!” she said, frustrated. Applejack had to hand it to her, she really was selling this performance.

Nnng...very funny, Rarity. Look, y'all can let me go, now. I know this is all a big prank, I figured it out!” she said. Rarity looked shocked.

“Prank...? Applejack, you think I'm...pranking you?” she asked.

“I know y'all're pranking me. You set it all up with Pinkie Pie, didn't ya? And all y'all're in on it. Look, I figured it out, just let...me...go!” she said, struggling, her fear and doubt getting stronger.

“If you're referring to those horrid jokes Pinkie was making about you, I can tell you that I had no part in it. I do not gossip. It is a filthy and disgusting habit. But, seeing you, and with my recent experience on the receiving end of this machine...now I see there might have been some element of truth to them...” Rarity said, bringing the hissing oxygen mask closer to Applejack, who cringed away from it.

“Rarity...it ain't funny anymore!” she said.

“No! You need help and I am going to give it to you!” she said, getting closer to Applejack, levitating the mask closer to her face. Applejack looked at her in confused anger, but her eye was caught by something behind Rarity, and her expression quickly turned fearful.

“Rarity...”

What?” she asked. Applejack just gestured with her muzzle. Rarity turned around and saw what looked like a pair of huge pink and blue balloons. Then, she saw contrasting tails sticking out just above big, round rumps, fattened up legs and hooves bulging out on either side, heard muffled cries for help, and quickly realized they were the inflating hindquarters of Lotus and Aloe. Rarity and Applejack looked at each other worriedly for a second before the bonds on Applejack's legs released and they galloped over to the inflated twins side-by-side.

“I'll get the pink'un, you get the blue'un.” Applejack said. They split up and ran around the twins' expanding, creaking bodies. The twins broke their eye contact with each other to look up at their rescuers pleadingly. Applejack set her hind legs on Aloe's body and shoved while Rarity enveloped Lotus' entire body with her magic and pulled. The twins' mouths stretched off of the pipe and they shot off simultaneously, leaving puffy contrails of smoke in their wake.

“I'm goin' to Pinkie's to sort this all out.” said Applejack, over the din of the twins deflating around the room.

“What? No! Stay! You need help breathing, Applejack!” said Rarity.

“No, I certainly do not! This joke has gone on for too long!” Applejack said, jumping up and bucking Lotus away like she was a giant beach ball. “Thank you for the spa trip, sugar cube. I really mean that, honest truth. But I've had enough. I'm leaving.” she said. Rarity ducked under Aloe.

“Applejack!” she said, a look of pure concern on her face.

“Jump!”

“Jump? Why-WHAAAAAGH!” Rarity said, getting swept up by Lotus' rump. Applejack seized the oppurtunity and took off for the door. She ran, dodging Aloe with a soaring leap, and opened the door. She heard a deflating pony and Rarity screaming behind her. She turned around, and saw Lotus barreling straight towards her, Rarity spread out across both of her butt cheeks, screaming. Applejack quickly jumped across the threshold and grabbed onto the door handle. Lotus and Rarity zoomed closer, and closer, and-

SPENG

Applejack threw the door shut at the last second, Lotus' inflated rear bouncing off it, silencing Rarity's screams. Applejack backed uneasily away from the door, and the door didn't immediately reopen, so she turned around and galloped away. She ran right by Mode's counter and then ran back.

“Hey, y'all, uh, done with my hat?” she asked, nervously looking back and forth between him and the hallway she had just come from. He raised an eyebrow at her, unamused. He got off the counter, reached under it, and then came back up, dropping her hat on top with his teeth. Applejack smiled wondrously. She had never seen that hat so clean before. She imagined that this must have been what it looked like when it was new. “It's...it's beautiful!” she said.

“Mmhmmm.” Mode replied. Applejack put it back on with a dip of her head and then galloped off.

“Thank ya kindly, Mode!” she said behind her, running out into the lobby.

Thumbnail by the lovely :iconnoctulov:

Aaaaaaaaaachapter 2.

Applejack is happened upon by her friend Rarity, who always dresses in style.  Together, they spend a relaxing day at the spa...
...OR DO THEY!?

From my FA page:
----------------------------------------------------------
WARNING: THIS STORY CONTAINS INFLATION, STRETCHING, SMOOSHING, SQUASHING, FLATTENING AND MUCH MUCH MORE RUBBERY DOUGHY NONSENSE

Alright. Once again, this seems a bit longer than it actually is cause of the way I format dialogue. Yes, it's a bit long, but I assure you, the climax it's building to in this one is worth the buildup.

Rarity is very fun to write. Italics, Italics everywhere.

Also, this story has a bit of squashing and stretching and flattening in it, for those of you who are into that sort of thing.
© 2014 - 2024 pablotetoons
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tophxomi's avatar

"They followed her flight path and screamed, trying to scramble out of the way as she came back at them, but she collided with them anyway, sweeping them off of their hooves." Is that supposed to be the cartoon running-in-place thing?