A day off in the town.

Posts : 732 Join date : 2012-05-09 Age : 31

Arpeggio looked back at her. He'd been eating a bagel with strawberry jam on it and had a little on the corner of his mouth, which made him look a little comical.

The brown pegasus could kinda tell that Makeover had been bothered by what had happened, and he gave her a caring smile. "Are you alright, Makeover?"

Posts : 644 Join date : 2012-04-26 Age : 36

"The incident just stirred up some stuff I would not like to think." Makeover said, then placing her mug down and eating some of her oatmeal.
At first she did not notice the jam on Arpeggio's mouthcorner, but she did notice it after a short moment, when she looked at it again.

At least the smudge of jam did not look like blood, otherwise she would have been creeped out. Instead, she took a napkin and said, "Uh, you got some ... in your mouth..."
If she had been in a brighter mood, she might have made an attempt to be cute and coy and kiss it away, but not at the moment.

Posts : 732 Join date : 2012-05-09 Age : 31

"O-Oh... whoops. Thanks, Makeover." He took the napkin and wiped the jam from his mouth. He was a little embarrassed but got over it quickly; there were more important things to worry about.

"Are you going to be okay?" He put a hoof around her side, along with his wing, trying to be reassuring.

Posts : 644 Join date : 2012-04-26 Age : 36

"Sure, sure," the mare replied, swinging her other hoof like she was swatting the problem away. After that, she concentrated on her meal for a little while, mulling things over.
"Uhh, just so you know, there is something I need to tell you - this just is not the right place to do it." Makeover then said, looking around at the ponies, who seemingly were concentrating on their breakfasts and coffees... BUT, you never knew who was listening.

Posts : 732 Join date : 2012-05-09 Age : 31

"Uh... okay. Maybe back at your apartment? Or... we could go to the Rainbow Falls, I suppose. It's a nice enough day for it." He went back to his meal, though he kept his wing around the mare's side. He still wasn't fully convinced that she was fully okay, but he pushed that worry down for the moment.

Posts : 644 Join date : 2012-04-26 Age : 36

"Rainbow Falls?" Makeover said, "That would be delightful." she formed a genuinely happy smile, then finishing her oatmeal and drink. Breakfast made her feel a little better about things and the winged mare made a mental note to eat oatmeal more often. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, they said, but she had skipped it rather often - as grabbing a quick power drink was way faster an easier.

"There is nothing to do around in my apartment." she said out loud, a comment coming out of nowhere.
"I think I should get some entertainment stuff there, I don't know." She fiddled with the salt shaker and pepper shaker, while she waited for Arpeggio to be ready.

Posts : 732 Join date : 2012-05-09 Age : 31

"I don't think that'd be a bad idea, honestly." Arpeggio swallowed down the last of his bagel and drained his mug of coffee. "Mmm... alright." He smiled at her. "Shall we go?" He stood up, offering a foreleg to her.

Posts : 644 Join date : 2012-04-26 Age : 36

"Yes, let's." Makeover said simply, then getting up and linking her own foreleg with Arpeggio's offered one. The touch sent a little wave of pleasant feelings upwards her spine and she smiled again, allowing herself to forget the sad things for a little while.

Posts : 732 Join date : 2012-05-09 Age : 31

He gave her a warm smile and a nuzzle to the cheek before walking out of the café, slowly flying to a nice-sized cloud near the Rainbow Falls. He hoped that she'd be willing to talk to him about what had happened back there because it was honestly beginning to worry him.

Posts : 644 Join date : 2012-04-26 Age : 36

As they travelled onwards, Makeover did her best to organise her thoughts and words, worried what her friend would say about the things she had been forced to do in the past. It was not a thing to be mentioned casually in the conversation and Makeover had managed to scare off one boyfriend earlier on with this fact.

Posts : 732 Join date : 2012-05-09 Age : 31

Eventually, the stallion landed on the cloud, turning his head towards the smaller mare. "Okay... so Makeover... what's bothering you? I don't know what... but you can tell me anything... I promise." He gave her a caring look, hoping that that'd help her be more willing to talk to him. He honestly cared about her and was wondering what had happened.

Posts : 644 Join date : 2012-04-26 Age : 36

Makeover landed after Arpeggio, stepping on the clouds, feeling nervous. She sat down, sighed a little, then motioned her hoof and said, "You should sit down."

Makeover was silent for a little while, still getting things organised inside her head, so the story would be at least logical and done in chronological fashion.
"Many years ago, I lived in the Manehattan area, I might've mentioned it earlier at one point - or not... Um, you know I am a beautician and a spa worker, and when I was younger, I really wanted to gather some experience of things like that."
Makeover had a little pause at this point, trying to push away the nauseating feeling inside,

"And, well... When I was young and had just moved to Manehattan, I met this unicorn. He said he needed workers for a spa of some sort and I was more than eager to take the job, especially since there was accomodation in the offer."

Another pause, a deep breath.
"I was young and thought everypony was good and spoke the truth. We had the work contract done, where I signed to stay until I have earned enough money to pay about the things they would teach me. It just... Uh... It was not really a spa. It was a massage salon, where--", Makeover made a face, "-- Happy Endings are guaranteed. The girls working there called these things 'Clouds And Rain'."

Posts : 732 Join date : 2012-05-09 Age : 31

Arpeggio sat when she started her story, listening intently. He'd been to Manehattan a few years ago, living there while he was touring with an ensemble, but he hadn't heard about that. "I had heard, yes..."

When she told about the massage salon, he made a face as well. "Oh... oh dear... that's..."

"That's awful..."

...He gave her a warm, caring look, pulling her into a hug. "How long did you have to work there, Makeover?"

Posts : 644 Join date : 2012-04-26 Age : 36

"I can't even recall how long..." Makeover said in Arpeggio's embrace, her head drooping in shame of the whole truth. "Some months, maybe a little over six... During that time I was forced to do things I really would not have wanted. Some of the most private spaces got invaded over and over again. I was really stuck, because the owner of the place threatened to hurt me or the other girls, my friends, if any of us would try to leave or act against him."

Makeover felt nauseated still, sick from her stomach and disgusting all over. It seemed to her, she had not handled the whole issue properly after the incident, and now it made her feel dirty and not worthy.
"At some time, some pony bought the exclusive right to use my ... services." she then mentioned, "A widowed elder, who actually just wanted somepony to talk with... About his late wife. ...So that prevented me from being used for the last months I was there."

Posts : 732 Join date : 2012-05-09 Age : 31

Arpeggio rubbed her back... though the brown stallion almost felt like crying. That was terrible. Absolutely terrible. He burned a bit inside, hearing that this wonderful mare had been threatened, and felt nothing but gratitude for the elder who helped her.

"That's so terrible..." He held her closely. "...Is this place still around?" He wrapped his large feathery wings around her.

He gently nuzzled the top of her head, trying to be comforting.

Posts : 644 Join date : 2012-04-26 Age : 36

Makeover had cried enough, when she had left the place, she had no more tears to share for the matter. It was just the rough wind that made her eyes water, naturally.
"I suppose it is." she said, when Arpeggio asked about the place's existence, "The unicorn running the place, he is a reall spellbinder, dreamweaver... I mean, he makes it sound soooo wonderful opportunity and young fillies and mares are easy to fool."
The white-coated mare did not feel so white-coated anymore, as she sighed and did her best to end the tale.

"The elderly gentlecolt gave me handsome tips for every time we had met. I actually managed to save enough money to buy myself out from the situation, but for the rest of the girls, the situation was still bad and I was also ashamed to leave them there."
Makeover separated herself from the embrace and looked Arpeggio in the eyes.
"I tried to tell the guards of the city about the place. I did my best to save girls, who had been left behind, but the spellbinder had bought the silence of the guards, too." Disappointment was visible from her face. "All they did was laughing and calling me with the most awful names..."

Posts : 732 Join date : 2012-05-09 Age : 31

He snarled. "...That bucker will pay... I promise... there's a time for words and a time for actions... and I have a good one in mind for one like him."

He was quite angry, and he intended to make good on what he said to her... but later. "And shame on those guards for selling their honor. I can imagine the royalty would enjoy hearing of that." He looked her back in the eyes. "Makeover... you're a wonderful mare... and I'm so glad that I met you. Hearing about that broke my heart..." All he wanted to do was hug her and comfort her... was that so strange?

Posts : 644 Join date : 2012-04-26 Age : 36

Makeover nodded, when Arpeggio mentioned about the royalty in Canterlot.
"I-it would be good if there was stronger laws to prevent treatment like that... I don't know much about the issue, but I believe the protection in Manehattan is very vague."

She actually managed to smile a little, when Arpeggio told how he felt about this story. Giving a mirthless laugh, the mare managed to say, "I also had a boyfriend after that incident, but he left me, when I told him. Said something about being a cheater and trust issues, even if I was forced and it happened before I had met him."

She snorted at the thought of the last colt in her life, coming to think of it now, he had really been a wimp.

Posts : 732 Join date : 2012-05-09 Age : 31

"That is the case and that's not good. Manehattan is a very unpleasant place to live due to that... that needs to change." He hugged her again. "And honestly, that previous coltfriend of yours... that's just terrible. He should've been there for you."

He smiled at her slightly. "Makeover..." He inhaled slightly. "...I can't thank you enough for everything you've done for me... comforted me and gave me advice while I was hurting... helped me recover after my hospital stay... gave my mane and body some of the best treatment it's ever gotten... Thanks."

"If you ever need somepony to talk to... I'll always have time for you."

Posts : 644 Join date : 2012-04-26 Age : 36

I appreciate it." Makeover said, meaning it with her whole heart and spirit. She gave him a smile, feeling now a lot lighter, as the dark stuff was told and out in the open. She sighed again, touching her chest, then backing a step.

"I am glad I got this out now." she admitted to her friend, feeling a blush creeping upwards her cheeks. "It is not quite something to bring up in a regular conversation."

Posts : 732 Join date : 2012-05-09 Age : 31

"Indeed... I'm glad you feel comfortable enough around me that you could say it. " He smiled back. "I hope you're feeling a little better, dear."

He laid down a bit, coughing slightly. "Haah... I'll always be here for ya. A shoulder if you need."

Posts : 644 Join date : 2012-04-26 Age : 36

"It really helped me to get that out of my chest." Makeover admitted, then getting down next to her friend. For a moment, she had to shift the position to get more comfortable, but then she adjusted herself so.
She was silent for a while, as it now seemed there was no more words to share. However, Makeover was not too fond of silence, so she tried to think of something to say.

Posts : 732 Join date : 2012-05-09 Age : 31

Arpeggio honestly didn't care if another word was spoken or not. Right now, he was simply content to be sitting next to her. A large wing extended, moving around her side, though he waited for her to give him permission before he'd wrap it around her in a hug.

Posts : 644 Join date : 2012-04-26 Age : 36

Makeover leaned a little closer to allow Arpeggio wrap his wing around her. Still thinking of things to say, she fell into the silence, soon understanding that it was alright to be silent for a little while.
After all the tension, she finally got to relax properly, even if her mind was racing with thoughts about ... things. Like the fluttery feeling in the stomach, Arpeggio's view about her now that the beans were spilled.

Posts : 732 Join date : 2012-05-09 Age : 31

The bigger pegasus just relaxed, close to the mare. He hoped he was being comforting... he gently nuzzled her cheek, hoping she wouldn't get angry. Right now, all he wanted to do was be there for her.

» Out of town.
» out of town
» New in Town
» 'Discreetly' going about town
» This here's a Ghost Town (EEU)