"I think I got lost in my own mind, it felt wonderful," Arcana said looking at Taffy. She smiled and chuckled a bit. "I must of sounded a bit weird. How about your's?" Arcana asked her.
"It was great; Ah hadn't realised how much tension ah'd been carryin', ah feel so much more loose an' flexible." As they were talking, the stylist entered; he was a Unicorn with an exquisitely styled mane; Taffy had never seen anything like it. "I'm glad you fillies are enjoying yourselves," He said, smiling, "Now tell me; what are we doing here, hmm?" He motioned at Arcana's mane.
Arcana thought of the best way to do this. "I don't really want anything cut, and no color changes, but otherwise I'm in your hands," she said as polite as possible. 'This is going to be weird,' she thought.
The stylist pony smiled. "Ah! Good; I love a challenge." With a flourish, he gestured his work area; a manedresser's chair and little table positioned in front of a mirror. "If you'd be so kind, take a seat and we can, begin!"
With Arcana in the chair, the stylist set to work; conditioning and combing with the utmost skill and precision. Before long, Arcana was resplendent with silky soft curls. "So? What do you think?" The stylist pony asked, showing Arcana a mirror. "Nothing too fancy, but fine work, if I do say so myself."
Arcana feels her mane and smiles. "I will say I would like to get the shampoo and conditioner you used, I love it." She turned to Taffy, "Do curls work for me?"
Taffy smiled, "You look even better than when we came in; Ah didn't know it was even possible," The stylist pony seemed pleased by their reactions. "I'm sorry miss, but they're the secrets of my trade," He said to Arcana, before turning to Taffy. "Now then, lets see what we can do here, shall we? Hmm, not as much to work with," He noted, inspecting Taffy's mane. "Did you have anything in mind? Taffy thought for a moment. "Can you do a plait? Ah've always liked them, but could never do 'em right." "A plait? I think I can manage that!" The stylist pony declared, setting to work.
Arcana watched as the stylist worked, but got lost in his movements. She glanced in the mirror again. 'hmm, the curls won't last probably, but maybe I might be able to... no, bad Arcana. Oh well, it's interesting, but I don't think it's really me,' she thought while looking at herself in the mirror Looking back Taffy and the stylist pony, Arcana looked with amazement.
"Aaaaand done!" The stylist pony said, finishing off plaiting Taffy's mane; her short tail had been conditioned, but otherwise left alone. "Hows it look?" Taffy asked Arcana whilst the stylist went to get the mirror.
Arcana blushed, looking at her. "I uh," she started to speak, " I like it. The new mane cut really suits you." 'Why was I tripping up on my words? She is pretty, "beautiful," she spoke accidentally.
"Thank you," Taffy said softly, smiling at Arcana. She inspected it for herself when the stylist pony presented the mirror. "It looks great; y'all really know your trade," She told him, warmly. He beamed and wiped away a drop of liquid pride. Shortly after, Lily reappeared to usher them to their final treatment; the hooficure. "I'm sure you've got the idea by now, but please take a seat and relax," Lily said jovially, before leaving them once more. The room had several lounger-like things; somewhere between a chairs and beds. Taffy picked one at random and sat down. "Well this has been an experience. I don't suppose you've had a hooficure before?" She asked, looking at Arcana.
Arcana smiled and laughed before she said, "my older sister always wanted me to come with her to a spa for one, she was always a girly one, but my dad always said no. 'Despite the body, Arcana is my son. He's a colt through and through." She laughed again before saying, "So, no. I've never had one."
"Me either, but for different reasons." She adopted a slightly more serious tone. "Was your father less accepting of your condition than your mother an' sisters then?"
Arcana took up a serious tone in her voice, "Accepting, he accepted that the body was female certainly, but I was still his son, at least that's how he put it. I don't know if he truly accepted it, but it doesn't matter, he's happy every time I see him now."
"Ah suppose that's fair, given the circumstances." As they were talking, two spa ponies came in; Lemongrass and some other pony Taffy didn't recognise. "I hope you've enjoyed your day so far?" The not-Lemongrass pony asked, as they prepared their hooficure equipment.
Arcana smiled at the spa ponies, "This has been one of the most relaxing days I've had in a long time."
"Glad to hear it." The spa pony said, smiling. "Now if you'd like to lie back, we can begin." Taffy was a little nervous at first, having somepony approaching her hooves with a file, but the pony clearly knew what she was doing, and she soon relaxed.
Arcana started to watch what she was doing to Taffy, but when her own hoof was being filed, it felt much stranger than anything she's ever experienced, She looked down and saw skilled working ponies. She smiled and relaxed.
