The bell was about to ring, and everypony sat at the edge of their seats. Cheerilee was just finishing up her lecture on the advantage of deciding what job they would do to enhance their special ability when she abruptly interrupted herself.
"Class, remember that the Hearts and Hooves Day Semi-Formal is tomorrow evening! I believe that everypony has turned in a permission slip, so we will all have fun after a day jam-packed with learning and partying!" It seemed that she had timed her speech perfectly to the millisecond because as soon as she finished the bell rang.
"Come to school, or else no dance!" Cheerilee called as her students left. Only Pipsqueak and Dinky Hooves were left. They always waited for their classmates to leave or else they would get trampled.
"So, um, I guess that you're going to the, um, dance?" Dinky asked as she levitated her books into her saddlebag.
Pipsqueak smiled. "You betcha! I even have something nice to wear!"
"Oh, um, cool! I guess that I'll see you tomorrow then, right?"
"I wouldn't miss it, unless a group of pirates ask me to join, but that's unlikely," Pip responded.
"Go on you guys! I would like to leave as well!" Cheerilee called to the pair.
"Bye," Dinky whispered as she rushed off home.
"Bye," Pip replied, smiling as he trotted the other way.
<3<3<3
"Amethyst?" Dinky asked as she got into her house.
"Yeah?"
Dinky galloped upstairs and into her sister's room.
"Whoa, what's up sis?" Amethyst asked, taken aback by Dinky's fast action.
"It's the dance tomorrow!" Dinky replied earnestly.
"Yeah...and?"
"And I don't know what I'm going to wear, who I'm going to see, or even how to DANCE!" Dinky fell onto her sister's soft bed, exasperated.
Amethyst laughed. "I wondered when you were going to realize that. Don't worry, I'll help you tomorrow afternoon before the dance."
"You do realize that I get out of school early, right?" the purple filly asked.
"I have the day off, remember?"
"Oh, right..." Dinky trailed off. "But what if Pip asks me to dance?"
"Then say yes!" Amethyst said it as if it were the most obvious thing in Equestria.
"But-but-"
"No buts, you have to! You would break his heart if you didn't! He's such a nice colt, you don't want to do that to him, do you?" Amethyst Star asked.
"No..."
"Then you will say yes. I'm sorry, but I'm a bit busy right now, so go do your homework! I swear that I will help you and answer all of your questions tomorrow, okay?" the magenta mare questioned.
Dinky sighed. "Fine..."
"Listen, I'll get your dress and everything ready. Don't worry about a thing. Where do you think I'm going now?" Amethyst hugged her sister.
"But Rarity's boutique is so expensive!" Dinky exclaimed, her eyes wide.
"She owes me a favor...anyways, she likes you! I really have to go now if you want a dress!' Amethyst warned.
"Okay...thank-you!" Dinky called as her older sister walked out of the house. "She really is awesome..." she whispered as she walked into her room and closed the door.
<3<3<3
The school yard was a sea of ponies rushing home to get ready for the upcoming dance. Amethyst Star stood a little to the side, waiting for her sister to walk out.
"I can't believe that that dork is coming to the dance!"
Amethyst heard the school bully talking to a group of fillies and colts. She thought about going over there but then decided against it. She would just make it worse for whatever pony Diamond Tiara was making fun of.
"Yeah, Dinky really is a dork!" Silver Spoon added.
Almost against her will the magenta mare found herself marching over to the group.
"Do we have a problem?" she asked.
Everypony gasped.
"Hehe, no...ma'am!"
"Nothing at all!"
"We are just-"
"You are just calling my sister a dork and spreading rumors...right?" Amethyst finished the filly's sentence.
Silence was her response.
"Well...let me tell you this. My sister is the best pony in Equestria. If I hear of this again, then all of your parents will be told. Understand?"
The school ponies all nodded and galloped off.
"Amethyst?" The small voice came from behind her.
Amethyst Star turned around and found her sister there.
"Thank-you," Dinky whispered as she hugged the mare.
"What else would I have done? Now, let's go and make you the Star of the Dance, okay?"
Dinky nodded, and as if on cue, Amethyst teleported both of them home.
They were in Dinky's room but something was different.
"You cleaned it?" the filly gasped.
"Yeah...I couldn't work in here like it was before...is it okay?"
"Okay? It's GREAT!" Dinky exclaimed, bouncing around her newly-cleaned room.
"Hey, I know that you're excited, but calm down! I can't help you get ready if you can't sit still!" Amethyst laughed, faking exasperation.
Dinky Hooves sat on her bed. "Sorry..."
"Don't be sorry!" her sister replied. "I'll be right back!"
Dinky sat on her bed, trying to stay calm as she waited for her sister to return. About five minutes later, she did.
"What's that?" Dinky asked, pointing at a plastic bag in that Amethyst had brought in.
"Get ready to be excited," was the reply that she got. Amethyst used her aura to slowly move down the zipper. "Ta-da!"
Inside the bad was a dress. It was light pink with three violet ruffles. The hem had hearts in varying shades of reds, pinks, and whites. The strap came around front and ended in a bow. The headpiece was a simple wreath of roses and daisies. Dinky just stared at it, her mouth wide open.
"Well? Do you like it?" Amethyst Star asked, dragging Dinky back into reality.
"Yeah...a lot..."
"Then put it on! Ask me if you need any help, alright?"
"Okay..."
Amethyst Star walked out of the room, a smile plastered to her cheeks.
"Well? Does she like it?" Derpy asked from on the stairs.
"She loves it mom...you did a great job making it!"
"Good! I'm so glad that I can do something for my little Muffin..."
"Amethyst! I'm done!" Dinky called from her room.
"Go on! Help her finish getting ready!" Derpy whispered as she pushed her daughter towards Dinky's room.
"Wow." Amethyst Star was speechless. The dress was stunning on her. It fit perfectly. If my sister, she thought, was just a little bit older, then she would look totally different.
"Do I look okay?"
"You look fantastic! Every colt will be sad that they didn't bring you to the dance!" Amethyst replied, smiling. She stared for a few moments longer, then shook her head. "Let's go do hair and make-up now!"
Dinky nodded. "Okay, let's go."
The two sisters meandered into their shared bathroom. Amethyst pulled out a stool and motioned to Dinky to sit down. She did, with only a minimum struggle with her dress.
"Okay, I'm going to turn you around now, okay?" Amethyst asked.
Dinky merely nodded, still mesmerized by the dress. Amethyst Star turned the stool around with her magic and grabbed some hair tools that Dinky didn't know the name of. She did her best to sit still as her sister messed with her hair. She tried to make conversation but Amethyst was so concentrated that she hardly noticed her feeble attempts. Eventually she put the strange tools down on the counter.
"Sorry, that took longer than I was expecting...now can you close your eyes please?" Amethyst questioned, smiling at her sister.
Dinky sighed. "How much longer?"
"Not much; it's almost time to go, okay?"
"Yeah..." Dinky closed her eyes and relaxed as her sister applied the eyeshadow to her eyes.
About five minutes later, Dinky Hooves heard a loud snap as her sister closed the container. "All done, sis! Look in the mirror!"
Dinky took a breath and turned around. The carbon dioxide caught in her throat. Her hair was straightened and completely even. There was not a hair out of place, and it framed her horn in a way that it looked slightly larger. Her hair also seemed longer and more silky. Her eyes slowly drifted down to their own level and she saw a faint layer of pink sparkles on her eyelids.
Wow, Dinky thought, I look beautiful.
"Do you like it?"
Dinky whirled around and tackled her sister in a huge hug. "I LOVE IT!" she exclaimed. "Can we go now?"
Amethyst laughed. "Of course, let me get my coat and I'll walk you over."