//------------------------------//
// Dancing Lessons 
// Story: Soda Pop 
// by The 8-Bit Flame Princess 
//------------------------------//


Dancing Lessons
Set immediately after The Best Night Ever

"Well, that was a disaster." Applejack sighed, taking off her hat for a minute to brush a few stray strands of hair out of her face. "I ain't never going to another fancy-shmancy party as long as I live."
"No parties?" cried a voice, and Applejack jumped, shocked to see Pinkie Pie standing behind her with a disappointed look on her face. "What about no parties?"
"Pinkie, did you  ... follow me home?" asked a concerned Applejack. Ponies that followed you home were definitely bad news- but this was Pinkie Pie, so it couldn't be that bad ... Right?
"Well, not exactly." admitted Pinkie Pie. "I was going to go to Sugarcube Corner to go to bed but then I saw you walking home, so I thought I'd go round to Sweet Apple Acres because I wasn't really tired and so I technically didn't follow you, because I already know the way here, and if you already know the way then you wouldn't need to follow someone. So I saw you go into this barn and I came in here and found you talking to yourself, and I heard this bit about 'no parties' and I was really confused so I started talking and now we're having this conversation." Pinkie Pie smiled proudly.
Applejack's head was reeling from keeping up with Pinkie Pie, but she was a little less disturbed now.
"I ain't talkin' about never having any parties again, so you can calm down. What I meant was, those posh-people parties just aren't my type of party, and to avoid any more discomfort I plan to never attend one again."
"Well, you could try dancing? Dancing always makes parties better!"
Applejack placed her hat back on her head sheepishly. "Uh ... Actually, Pinkie Pie, Ah can't dance. At all."
"Oh, that's okay- I can teach you!" the pink earth pony grinned. Applejack smiled back nervously. From what she'd heard about Pinkie Pie's gala experience, the kind of dancing Pinkie did wasn't what went on at parties.
"Um ..."
"It'll be fun, trust me. We can start now! Just put your hoof here." Pinkie Pie indicated to the spot just above her Cutie Mark, and Applejack felt an easy blush rising to her face.
"Uh ... What?" she stammered out, and Pinkie giggled.
"Just here," she said slowly, as she grabbed Applejack's hoof in her own and placed it on her back. Applejack was sure her face was positively crimson by now.
"And I put my hoof here."  she put her other hoof around Applejack's neck, and grabbed Applejack's other hoof with her spare one. 
"And now, we begin!!" Pinkie Pie said theatrically.
Applejack smiled uneasily back at her.



After a few hours of practice and footwork and posture, they were ready.
"Okay, let's practice this one more time." Pinkie Pie said. Applejack rolled her eyes playfully. It was unbelievable how much of a dictator Pinkie could be when she felt like it.
Applejack lead, guiding Pinkie around the barn, just like they'd practiced, remembering where to place her feet and how far away her leg should be from Pinkie's, and how they had to keep uncomfortably close.
She span Pinkie round and then gracefully dipped her. Pinkie closed her eyes and grinned in bliss. They held their position for a bit, staring into each other's eyes. 
Applejack suddenly felt uncomfortable- what if Big Macintosh came in this barn, looking for her, and saw what position they were in? He'd think the worst, and she'd be so embarrassed.
"Well, that was fun!" Pinkie Pie said suddenly, breaking the awkward silence and slipping out of the position they were in. Applejack sighed in relief, but a part of her felt empty now that Pinkie Pie was no longer in her arms.
"See you tomorrow, Applejack!"
Pinkie disappeared into the night, and Applejack sighed.
"Yeah ... See ya tomorrow."