BiE 14: Localized Numbness.


                                            =BiE 14=


                                            >Aloe wasn't lying when she said it was a slow day.

                                            >Absolutely know one had come in since you got there.

                                            >This was almost as bad as just laying in bed at home.

                                            >Almost.

                                            >Not that there weren't downsides to being here other than boredom.

                                            >As if on cue, the scars on your back flare up.

                                            >You place a hand on your oil shelf to steady yourself.

                                            >Damn...this one was lasting longer than the others.

                                            >As you try to power through the burning hot agony on your back, you hear someone open the door to your massage room.

                                            >"Mous."

                                            >You open your eyes to see Lotus peeking her head through the door.

                                            >She had been checking on you throughout the day after she found you in the steam room.

                                            >Lotus could be distant at times, but you could tell she worried.

                                            >You probably would too if you found an employee screaming on the floor from his manticore wounds.

                                            >Your death grip on the oils rack persists for a moment longer as your pain dies down.

                                            >You turn your gaze to your employer.

                                            >You try your best to put on a reassuring smile.

                                            >"Lotus, I'm fine, you don't need to keep checking up on me."

                                            Liar. 'Fine' is in the Galaxy Far Far Away.

                                            >Quiet brain. She must never know.

                                            >You must look like crap because she doesn't look very convinced.

                                            >"I see. I wanted to tell you that you have a customer, she's on her way back." she said.

                                            >"Okay. Thanks for the heads up."

                                            >She stares a moment longer before she backs out and closes the door.

                                            >Okay. First customer.

                                            >Maybe this was just what you needed, somepony to distract you a-

                                            >"Howdy there sugarcube."

                                            >-And make the situation that much worse.


                                            >You slowly turn to meet the tan mare who entered your room.

                                            >Applejack.

                                            >Under normal circumstances, this wouldn't send your jimmies into such a spasm.

                                            >You'd seen Applejack several times since you first noticed her spying on your house and simply played along with her game of "Cat and Mous".

                                            >But you weren't in the mood to play today.

                                            >But you also had no choice.

                                            >You had vowed to get through the day despite the pain, and dammit, that's what you were gonna do.

                                            >"Hey AJ. Lay down on the bed and we'll get started." you say without turning.

                                            >Okay. Just a normal massage. In and out.

                                            I thought we were trying to avoid that?

                                            >Not in the mood brain.

                                            >You grab some random lotion off the shelf, you had no idea where anything was after you re-organized for the third time an hour ago.

                                            >As you maneuvered to her side, you felt high hind leg brush up against your leg.

                                            >You saw that.

                                            >She didn't think you did.

                                            >But you saw that.

                                            >The perpetual frown you've had on all day grows deeper as you get to work.

                                            >AJ, for her part, sells it rather well.

                                            >Her moans echo through the small room as you work your way over her muscles.

                                            >You try to block it out as you focus on the best plan of action.

                                            >Okay; Applejack did a lot of hauling apples, so her back muscles would need work. She also was in charge of bucking the apples, so her legs would need a lot of attention.

                                            >Crap. This was amounting to an awful lot of rubbing on the mare who you caught trying to watch you exit the shower.


                                            >"You're awful quiet today Mous." you heard AJ say.

                                            >Shit. You were being quiet today.

                                            >"Sorry. We haven't had a lot of customers today, your actually the first. I guess I'm just out of it."

                                            >"Mmmm...that's awright. I don't mind silent types." she says.

                                            >Dammit AJ. Your relentless flirting would be funny on any day other then today.

                                            >The constant throbbing in your back picks up with your heartbeat.

                                            >Dammit...that hurt.

                                            >You need to find something to focus on.

                                            >"So, where does it hurt, AJ?" you ask, ignoring her previous comment.

                                            >Should've asked that before. Stupid. Stupid. Get your head in the game.

                                            >"My shoulders have been givin' me all sorts'a problems lately."

                                            >She lifts her head and turns to you, her eyes are lidded.

                                            >"Anything you can do about that?" she asks.

                                            >Your scars flare up in response to your rustled jimmies.

                                            >Dammit. Not now.

                                            >Anything you say will come out as a groan, so you just motion for Applejack to lay down again.

                                            >Had to wrap this up fast.

                                            >But no way she would just walk out of here without you fixing her shoulders.

                                            >She's talking again. Something about electric apples or something.

                                            >It's all just so much white noise as you try to get her out of here and ignore the ever growing pain in your back.

                                            >Dammit. It's getting worse.

                                            >You're out of tricks. You have no idea where this pain she is experiencing is coming from.

                                            >You wonder if you could...

                                            >Just kinda...

                                            >You stop rubbing for a moment and place your ear on Applejack's back.

                                            >You had no idea why you were doing this, but it felt like a good idea.

                                            Maybe you can hear the pain, Yeah!

                                            >Brain. Why are you talking instead of flooding us with endorphins?


                                            >You wonder...

                                            >If pony joints are similar enough to your joints...

                                            >The pain in your back has become almost unbearable again.

                                            >It's all you can do to not scream in Applejack's ears as she talks about whatever.

                                            >You can't take either of these anymore.

                                            >You grab Applejack's hooves and pray that you're not about to cripple somepony.

                                            >In one swift motion you pull Applejack's legs forward and then wrench them back behind her head as far as they'll go.

                                            >A series of cracks fills the room in unison with Applejack releasing a low moan.

                                            >That was...actually rather therapeutic.

                                            >Your scars die down a bit, but you can feel them still feel the throbbing increase in intensity.

                                            >The momentary reprise you just bought yourself was quickly running out.

                                            >"So, did that take care of your problem?"

                                            >Applejack looks like she just got off and you make a point of checking to make sure she didn't.

                                            >"Sugarcube, I don't know what you did. But you can do it again any time." she says.

                                            >You leave her side and open the door.

                                            >"Glad to be of service, please talk to Aloe at the front desk about paying." you say with the best smile you can muster.

                                            >The pain was coming back.

                                            >This was a big one, you can feel it.

                                            >Applejack jumps off the bed and grabs her hat as she leaves.

                                            >The second she's around the corner, you turn tail and head to the rear of the spa.

                                            >Showers. Had to get to the showers.

                                            >Your stomping through the halls draw Lotus out of the aromatherapy room.

                                            >She looks up at you the same way she has been all day.

                                            >"Mous, is everything-"

                                            >"Not now." you spit out as you blow past her.


                                            >You enter into the showers, used whenever somepony felt the need to wash off any sweat from the steam room.

                                            >You find the first shower you can and crank the knob to the coldest it goes as you practically tear off your shirt.

                                            >You sit down in the pony sized shower and let the cold water run over your back, careful not to let any get on your pants.

                                            >Oooohhh...

                                            >By The Five that felt good.

                                            >The cold water fights back the building pain and starts to slowly numb your back.

                                            >You see the door open, Lotus stands there and just stares.

                                            >Fuck. She looks mad.

                                            >"Mous. I don't care what you said earlier, you are not fit to work if you are in this much pain. Now go home before you kill yourself with this!" she said as she stomped up to you.

                                            >You smile. The first legitimate smile you've had all day.

                                            >"It's fine boss, really this time. This water's taking care of my pain better than those pills ever did."

                                            >Lotus sticks her hoof in the stream of water and almost immediately pulls it back out, wincing.

                                            >"Mous, this water is freezing." she says.

                                            >"And it feels GREAT."

                                            >She shakes her head and sighs.

                                            >"Whatever Mous, just don't do more damage to yourself then you already have." she says as she leaves.

                                            >Pfft. What did she know?

                                            >You were fine, right?

                                            >You examine your situation.

                                            >You were sitting in a too-small-for-you shower, alone, pouring ice water on your back to simply get through the day.

                                            >...

                                            >No. No you were not fine.

                                            >With a sigh, your get up and turn off the water.

                                            >You towel yourself off and throw your shirt back on.

                                            >Apart from being spectacularly itchy, you were fine.

                                            >You sit down in your chair back in your room.

                                            >You had some stuff to think about.


                                            >The only other customer you had that day was, what a shocker, Lyra.

                                            >Oh well. At least she was easy to take care of.

                                            >Rub her haunches, crack her back, hit her temples and you're done.

                                            >You grab your clothes from the dryer and stuff them in your bag, you were in a hurry to get home.

                                            >The pain was starting to come back, your scars slowly getting more sore throughout the day.

                                            >You make your way to the front, Aloe and Lotus were going over numbers behind the desk.

                                            >You pause on your way out and grab the doorframe, as another flare settles in.

                                            >Damn. They were getting more frequent, you had to get home.

                                            >You hear Lotus sigh.

                                            >"Aloe, close up for me, I need to help our friend here get home." she says coming out from the desk.

                                            >Aloe gives you a concerned look. "Is he alright?"

                                            >Lotus scoffs as she walks up to you. "He's thickheaded, and stupid, and should have gone home hours ago when he could still make it on his own."

                                            >"I regret nothing."

                                            >Lotus puts your theory to the test with a small tap on your back.

                                            >Pain rockets up your spine and sends your brain into overload, your pupils shrink and your chest hitches.

                                            >"Ow." escapes your mouth in the best deadpan you can muster.

                                            >Never let them see you sweat.


                                            >Lotus and you make your way down the road to your house.

                                            >Your scars do their best to impede you, but you only have to stop a few times.

                                            >"You did a really stupid thing today, Mous." Lotus said with her eyes forward.

                                            >"I'm kind of a stupid guy."

                                            >"Stupid or not, I would hope you could at least understand not to come into work when you can barely walk." she shot a glare at you.

                                            >"No way. What would have happened if some pissed off asshole came in and tried to shut us down for prostitution again?"

                                            >"Oh please." she said. "Nopony has tried that since Whistleblower, and he was one of maybe three who's done that in the entire time I've lived here."

                                            >She turns to glare at you. "I run a public spa with my twin sister and hail from a seedy place in the world. I was prepared for overreactions when I came here, Mous."

                                            >"Whatever. He was still an ass."

                                            >"And I see you picked up his lessons well."

                                            >Heh.

                                            >Good one.


                                            >You eventually reach your door, your conversation with Lotus helping distract you from the pain.

                                            >"Thanks for this bo-Lotus." you catch yourself. "I appreciate the concern."

                                            >She still looks annoyed. "Oh no. I'm not leaving until I see you swallow those pills."

                                            >You open the door and step inside.

                                            >"Uhg. You're worse than my mom."

                                            >You throw your bag on the empty couch.

                                            >"ANON YOU HOME!?" you yell out.

                                            >Two thumps resound from the back of the apartment.

                                            >"Yeah, he's home, come on in." you motion for Lotus to follow you

                                            >You make your way to your bathroom and open your bottle of pills.

                                            >You toss a few into your mouth absentmindedly as Lotus looks on in mild terror.

                                            >"How many of those did you just take!?" she reels.

                                            >"Enough."

                                            >You open your mouth and lift your tongue for Lotus to ensure you actually swallowed them.

                                            >As your see Lotus off, she stops on your porch. "If you come into work tomorrow without a signed doctors note telling me your fit for it, you're fired."

                                            >"First my mom, now my teacher. Are you gonna go for my old church leader to complete this guilt trip of yours?"

                                            >"Don't tempt me." she says as she walks down the trail.

                                            >"See ya later, Lotus."

                                            >"Goodnight, Mous."

                                            >You head back into the living room and are able to sit down for the first time today and lean back.

                                            >It was defiantly nice to have a boss that cared about more than just that you showed up for work.

                                            >You hear Anon step out room and head to the living room.

                                            >"Hey bro." he says as he walks in.

                                            >He takes on look at your face and grimaces. "Rough day?"

                                            >No need to worry him. One person at a time.

                                            >"Nah, I'm good. What's on the agenda for tonight."

                                            >He smirks and heads to his side of the couch. "Troll 2."

                                            >You slap your hand on your face and groan.

                                            >Your pain had only just begun, it seems.