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Things had been... confusing lately. Beyond confusing. Her parents were getting a divorce, her mother was moving to Destiny City, and -- oh yeah -- her body now housed the soul and memories of Sailor Ares, a senshi from a different world all together. Even with organizing skills up to the professional level that Fallon possessed, some things slipped through the cracks.

Well, one thing.

The spa date with Adira had been written down in her day planner, then copied into her record of social gatherings, then coordinated with an appropriate outfit. What Fallon had failed to do was confirm with Adira that she was in fact attending. It was a shame that Fallon did not remember this until she was in a taxi cab on her way to Reppep Salon and Spa on the designated day.

Bursting from the cab in a simple yellow sundress and brown purse, Fallon closed the distance between her and Adira in long, determined strides. "I am so sorry, Adira," she said, touching at her throat. "I just realized I never confirmed with you that I would be attending. That is grossly inappropriate me, especially in the face of such generosity on your part. I'm so embarrassed, really." Adira had no idea. Fallon was an elephant; she never forgot. Except now, except this.

The cinnamon-haired teen hoped this was not some side effect of her new blended personality. "I'm sorry," she said again, smiling plaintively. This was certainly not the kind of impression she wanted to make, especially to Adira.

Adira received her politely, but it didn't take the edge off of Fallon's anxiety. It was the same polite reception she would give an irresponsible friend even as she raged inside. Was Adira raging? It was hard to tell.

Leading the way into the spa, Fallon tried to forget about her unease. The scent of wafting lavender helped. So did the attendants in their immaculate black smocks and identical sleek ponytails. Nothing was out of place -- tres chic! Fallon slipped up beside Adira, eyes flashing over the offered items. A day at the spa was almost as nice as a day organizing her room. Almost.

"A massage sounds wonderful -- do they do hot stones?" Her eyes flashed to the attendant and then back to Adira. "A facial too, ooh..." She smiled, clearly waiting for a sign that Adira might want one too. "I'd vote against the wraps. They're more the kind of thing you would do alone, not socially, don't you think? Mud bath could be interesting, I've never done it... Hm. Honestly, they all sound good. You decide, it's your spa package." Fallon smiled wider, clearly trying to make up for her previous social slip.

Fallon trailed behind Adira and the attendant, peeking into each room as they passed. It had been four months since she had been to a spa. The last time, it was because her mother was in town after the organ ring incident. It was one of the things she thought would cheer up her confused and scarred daughter. A lot of time had passed since then, a lot of changes. It was difficult to process at times.

Slipping into the room, Fallon placed her purse in the appropriate bin. She took to the other side of the room, stripping out of her dress and heels and donning the plush robe. "I love these robes," she said. "I'm better than decent." Fallon needed this spa day more than Adira might realize. Her time as Ares was a beast of a color she'd never seen before, and it was taking a lot out of her.

"Have you ever been here before? I've only ever been to Salon Petit, and I have to say this is nicer." It was small talk. That is what you did with people you were getting to know. "I never knew Jada came here, how nice." Jada, a familiar topic. It could be the bridge to ease any awkward pauses.

The attendant led them silently down the hallway. "Jada and I ride at the same stables. Horses. We met there before we realized that we both attended Crystal Academy too. I joined the Crystal Equestrians, and Jada has been helping me get better so I can join the A Team of riders." The hallway bent and so did the girls. They passed identical closed doors bearing numbers written in a fine cursive script. Tropical flowers and shoots of bamboo were arranged in clear plastic vases on sleek black tables. "Do you ride?"

Up ahead, the attendant stopped, pushing open a door with the number 15 hanging on it. "Miss Perses, this room is for you. Miss Novette-Naim, you will be in room 16 beside it." The attendant waited dutifully for the two girls to enter their respective rooms and then pulled the doors shut behind them.

Facials were done in separate rooms so that both girls could design their own serene climate. Fallon ducked into her own with a soft, "See you on the other side." Inside her room, she picked scents that leaned toward watery cleanliness with a touch of warm almond. Her skin was stripped and clean and moisturized. Her T-zone got special attention, a speckling of extra exfoliant laid on top. After the treatment, a warm cloth was laid over her eyes and a mister sprayed warm water over her. Fallon fell asleep and was awoken fifteen minutes later by the gentle stirring of her facialist's hands.

In the dim light, Fallon was led out a back door and into a waiting room. It was a sauna that smelled faintly of jasmine. Fallon took a seat on one of the benches lining the walls and waited for Adira to join her. Even with all the chaos in her life right now, Fallon felt soothed by the pampering. Perhaps things weren't so wrong?

The steam was a misty cloud hanging like a hazy sheet across the room. It reminded Fallon of the air after her attack when the smoke lost its velocity and began to dissipate upwards like a lifting fog. It was an odd thing to look at her hands now and imagine the power that lurked beneath her dark skin. It was terrifying to be Ares sometimes, but thankfully, she also... was Ares. And Ares really wasn't scared at all.

When Adira came into the room, Fallon cracked open one magenta eye. The cascade of dark hair was captivating in a way that surprised Fallon. She usually went for paler hair on girls. Was this another symptom of her unusual ailment? "You look refreshed," she said, smile whimsical. Fallon was more relaxed in that steam room than she had been in a long time, and it showed in the slumping of her shoulders.

"The facial was wonderful, very wonderful. I actually fell asleep. I never do that." She laughed. "Well, I sleep. But I usually don't like to unless I'm alone."

Fallon lifted her arms above her head, stretching her back out. She curled the robe tighter around you. "So tell me more about yourself. I can't believe I hadn't met you before Jada's party, especially since you know her so well." Adira was interesting to Fallon, and in the hazy steam room, she didn't mind saying so.

Fallon considered herself a up-to-date and socially-conscious girl, but even she could not understand traveling to England just for the "social season." Whatever that meant. Was it like fashion week? Was it just most intense at a certain time? She smiled pleasantly through her minor confusion, tugging at the edge of her robe.

"Sounds interesting," she mused. "More interesting than my story."

For all of her customs and preoccupations, Fallon took pride in her boring life. At least -- she had. That was before the organ ring, her attack in the alley, her parents' divorce, and her new found dual identity. Now she was interesting and had to adjust to that.

"I cook mostly. I love cooking. I don't get to do it like I used to back in France. That's where I lived most of my life, even though I was born here in Destiny City. My whole life has come full circle." She folded her hands in her lap. "I miss France a lot. It's so different over there, but you know that. You've been everywhere." Fallon was a little jealous, but she wasn't one who traveled well. She liked her schedules, she liked knowing her days, she liked familiarity. Travel seemed stressful.

"Cooking, France -- that's all I am? Sounds like it." Fallon laughed, but she didn't find it funny. What was her life about, other than being OCD and obsessed with France and food?

Fallon moved toward the masseuse on the left. She was the closest and the most convenient. Once she had slipped on to the table, the masseuse held up the sheet so that she could take the robe off without revealing herself. Her face laid neatly into the circular rest in front of her, arms splayed at either side.

The woman had a soothing voice. She asked Fallon if there were any areas she would like the treatment to focus on. Fallon just asked for some stress relief, and with that, the woman disappeared to her side, kneading at tense shoulder blades and arms.

After the tinkling Asian instrumental music had nearly lulled her to sleep, Fallon said, "I nearly feel asleep. I can't remember the last time I had a good massage." Her words were a predictor, and within moments, Fallon had passed out in the chair, her heavy breathing the only signal to Adira that she was asleep.