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Organised by
RogerDodger
Word limit
400–750
Veneer
“No, no! Not the honeydew lotion! The cantaloupe!” said the overweight mare as Aloe closed her eyes and bowed. “I swear, I don’t know why I keep you around.”
Aloe rushed to wipe the mistake off and apply the correct product.
“Maybe I should get Lotus to do this,” the mare continued.
“That won’t be necessary!” Aloe leaned in and used a hoof to shield her words from prying ears. “She’s... not that good. I try to cover for her, but—”
“Really?” The mare snorted and shook her head. “I haven’t bothered with her before. If you’re really the better...” A heavy sigh sounded next to Aloe’s ear. “I really hope I’m not wasting my time with you two.”
The mare absentmindedly dangled a hoof in the air; Aloe cradled it in her own and kissed it. “What manestyle would madame like today?”
“Surprise me.”
Aloe trembled. She clenched her jaw to keep her voice steady—good thing that moisturizing mask kept her client from seeing. At least if she had a starting point... Now, Aloe would be chastised not only for messing up a coiffure, but for choosing the wrong one in the first place, too.
A door closed softly in the hallway, and Lotus poked her head into the salon. “Need help?”
“I have it covered,” Aloe replied with a grimace. Lotus glared back.
For twins, they really were quite different. Lotus simply didn’t understand some things. Perhaps it was better that way—she was a little on the sensitive side.
“Yes, Aloe is managing her best. No need,” the mare added. “I hope you both appreciate what I do for you. These are valuable skills, and I won’t teach just anypony.”
“Of course,” Aloe mumbled. Lotus huffed and stalked off.
“Lotus needs to adjust her attitude if she wants to make it in this business. I trust that later you’ll show her what you learned today.”
“Certainly, madame.” Though her client couldn’t see her, Aloe bowed. If she didn’t, that mare would know. She always knew. “Lotus has a few of her own regulars already. I think you’ll be proud of her.”
Another snort. “We’ll see.”
Truth be told, Lotus was the more gifted stylist. And Aloe was proud of her. Lotus didn’t understand; she shouldn’t have to.
She fought down tears as she glanced at the recently vacated doorway, then at her still-new cutie mark. Was this her destiny?
“Well?” the portly mare barked. “My mane can’t wait forever.”
“Yes, mother—uh, madame.” Aloe held her hooves to her mouth. Maybe she hadn’t noticed. Or maybe she’d keep that little flub filed away until she needed a reason to chide Aloe.
“My apologies, madame.”
Lotus carefully brushed gel coat onto her client’s hooves and blew on them. “Is this the proper shade, madame?”
Pennywise sat up and frowned at the burgundy hue. “Not quite. I wanted something a little lighter. Honestly, this isn’t that hard.” She reached for the nearest cloth—which happened to be Lotus’s spare apron—and wiped off the offending polish. “It’s not one of the standard colors. You’ll have to do a custom mix. I thought you understood that.”
“Yes, madame.” Lotus’s lower lip quivered, and she flinched toward the back room. But to her credit, she held her ground.
Aloe stepped between them and curled her foreleg across Pennywise’s back. She liked her work. She really did. Not every customer was like this—far from it. But these ones, who reminded her of—
“Don’t worry, madame. I’ll fix everything.” Lotus peered over, but Aloe couldn’t read her expression.
“I should hope so. I swear, I should have my husband, Filthy Rich, buy this place and staff it properly.”
“Yes, madame.” Aloe took her buffing cloth and smoothed Pennywise’s hooves again before picking out a few colors of polish and a mixing board. “I’ll see to it that madame is satisfied.”
After one stride away, Lotus bit her lip and leaned back to Aloe’s ear. “You just want the ritzy customers to get the big tips.”
Aloe always split her tips with Lotus. She must have known that. If not... Well, perhaps it was better that way.
But Lotus hadn’t left yet. “And you deserve every bit,” she whispered, giving Aloe a little squeeze. “Thank you. For always watching out for me. I did notice. Even back then.” Aloe gasped. And Lotus went off to have another good cry.
Aloe rushed to wipe the mistake off and apply the correct product.
“Maybe I should get Lotus to do this,” the mare continued.
“That won’t be necessary!” Aloe leaned in and used a hoof to shield her words from prying ears. “She’s... not that good. I try to cover for her, but—”
“Really?” The mare snorted and shook her head. “I haven’t bothered with her before. If you’re really the better...” A heavy sigh sounded next to Aloe’s ear. “I really hope I’m not wasting my time with you two.”
The mare absentmindedly dangled a hoof in the air; Aloe cradled it in her own and kissed it. “What manestyle would madame like today?”
“Surprise me.”
Aloe trembled. She clenched her jaw to keep her voice steady—good thing that moisturizing mask kept her client from seeing. At least if she had a starting point... Now, Aloe would be chastised not only for messing up a coiffure, but for choosing the wrong one in the first place, too.
A door closed softly in the hallway, and Lotus poked her head into the salon. “Need help?”
“I have it covered,” Aloe replied with a grimace. Lotus glared back.
For twins, they really were quite different. Lotus simply didn’t understand some things. Perhaps it was better that way—she was a little on the sensitive side.
“Yes, Aloe is managing her best. No need,” the mare added. “I hope you both appreciate what I do for you. These are valuable skills, and I won’t teach just anypony.”
“Of course,” Aloe mumbled. Lotus huffed and stalked off.
“Lotus needs to adjust her attitude if she wants to make it in this business. I trust that later you’ll show her what you learned today.”
“Certainly, madame.” Though her client couldn’t see her, Aloe bowed. If she didn’t, that mare would know. She always knew. “Lotus has a few of her own regulars already. I think you’ll be proud of her.”
Another snort. “We’ll see.”
Truth be told, Lotus was the more gifted stylist. And Aloe was proud of her. Lotus didn’t understand; she shouldn’t have to.
She fought down tears as she glanced at the recently vacated doorway, then at her still-new cutie mark. Was this her destiny?
“Well?” the portly mare barked. “My mane can’t wait forever.”
“Yes, mother—uh, madame.” Aloe held her hooves to her mouth. Maybe she hadn’t noticed. Or maybe she’d keep that little flub filed away until she needed a reason to chide Aloe.
“My apologies, madame.”
Lotus carefully brushed gel coat onto her client’s hooves and blew on them. “Is this the proper shade, madame?”
Pennywise sat up and frowned at the burgundy hue. “Not quite. I wanted something a little lighter. Honestly, this isn’t that hard.” She reached for the nearest cloth—which happened to be Lotus’s spare apron—and wiped off the offending polish. “It’s not one of the standard colors. You’ll have to do a custom mix. I thought you understood that.”
“Yes, madame.” Lotus’s lower lip quivered, and she flinched toward the back room. But to her credit, she held her ground.
Aloe stepped between them and curled her foreleg across Pennywise’s back. She liked her work. She really did. Not every customer was like this—far from it. But these ones, who reminded her of—
“Don’t worry, madame. I’ll fix everything.” Lotus peered over, but Aloe couldn’t read her expression.
“I should hope so. I swear, I should have my husband, Filthy Rich, buy this place and staff it properly.”
“Yes, madame.” Aloe took her buffing cloth and smoothed Pennywise’s hooves again before picking out a few colors of polish and a mixing board. “I’ll see to it that madame is satisfied.”
After one stride away, Lotus bit her lip and leaned back to Aloe’s ear. “You just want the ritzy customers to get the big tips.”
Aloe always split her tips with Lotus. She must have known that. If not... Well, perhaps it was better that way.
But Lotus hadn’t left yet. “And you deserve every bit,” she whispered, giving Aloe a little squeeze. “Thank you. For always watching out for me. I did notice. Even back then.” Aloe gasped. And Lotus went off to have another good cry.