One Step Two Hoof Three Step Pronk
Spike adjusted his tie as he stepped out into the ornately decorated ballroom. His gaze was intense his prey instincts
honed to a fine smooth marble after all his best day on the hunt was when Rarity rewarded him with the finest of gems.
And gems didn't move or fight for their lives. Really the bobbles just sort of laid in the dirt till she found them and her precious scales
dug them up. Precious scales... How she teased him or was it he teased her when she saw his blush come to the surface?
The dance floor was full of idle ponies gossiping, talking, tying business deals or flirting. His eyes scanned the floor looking for his lady.
"Hi ya Spike!" Pinkie nearly screamed "Want to dance? please please please PLEASE?"
Spike smiled a small shy smile eyeing the room once more he saw Rarity near the cloak room a handsome stallion
in a tux talking nearby.
Sighing lightly he turned to Miss Pie and with a stately bow he held out his claw taking her hoof they then
approached the dance square.
"Lady Pinkie Pie shall we dance?" his announcement though polite lacked a sparkle that Pinkie picked up on. And so they began.
The dragon and party mare stepped, strolled, hopped and spun. Never in Gala history had two separate species move as one.
Dipping, turning, swaying to the music Spike was an unsung master Pinkie knew he could swing with the Ponyville crowd but this was...
Better than the Smooze and she didn't count it as smoozing was more like swimming in lime jello, the type served up in hospitals.
"Spike where did you learn to dance like this?" Pinkie whispered in his ear flukes "It's it's so formal almost stuffy like stuck up n stuff".
He dipped her after a twirl "What else does a dragon learn at Celestias school for gifted unicorns?" his arms pulled her up to a lift,
Pinkie squealing as she spun over Spikes head in a graceful arch her hooves touching down as soft as a Rainbows cloud pillow.
"She had magic lessons and I everything else, music, knowing where those pesky spoons and forks go at a fancy state dinner,
political protocols, literature, science, and all sorts of boring stuff princes have to go through after all I was a ward of Celestias court".
Spike looked where Rarity was and saw an empty spot, like in his now fractured heart as Pinkie followed his lead. Step two three. step.
"Spike? don't worry I know for a fact that everything will go your way" Her hug was in tempo with the music never breaking rhythm.
"How would you know? Rarity draws guys like bees to flowers" Spike lamented "and like this Gala isn't going to last for another week".
Pinkie watched over Spikes shoulder seeing in the distance an angry Rarity trotting to the refreshment table as royal guards converged
on the cloak room her pinkie sense ticking off the seconds and minutes.
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Cadance and Twilight strolled the outskirts of the dance floor conspiring to stack Spikes love deck with a load of hearts
the pink princess charged her horn taking careful aim at the love sick dragon. With a pop and a glittery flash a pink heart floated
for its target. Not fast like a bullet nor slow like a flying snail just a little quicker then a drunk butterfly on a Saturday night.
On its way it split into two, one piece for the drake the other buzzing for Rarity. The two princesses watched as the hearts
drew close. Making contact first Spikes heart bounced harmlessly off his spines and fell to the glossy wood dance floor being trampled
unknowingly by the two dancers the matching heart near the white unicorn fizzling into a puff of pink dust.
Cadance stared at the waste of love being trampled "You got to be kidding me" she moaned "I put my best into it".
"It could be his natural resistance to magic" Twilight hypothesized "or the effects to all my magic lessons over all these years".
The two Alicorns looked at each other at the same moment with fire in their eyes 'For Spike or bust!'"Time for plan 'B'..."
"What's plan 'B'?" Rarity strolled up to the two a drink held before her in her magical grasp and an inquisitive look on her face.
"Plan 'B?" Twilight fudged "Oh plan 'B' that's where we get Apple Jack a dance date, here at the Gala, now here, yes a dance".
"That's fine dear but I think Thunder Lane already has the honors if I'm not mistaken they're at the cider bar".
"Yesss! plan 'B' worked" Cadance hugged Twilight with an overly large smile "look Twilight it worked Apple smack and Thunder Sprain
are together isn't it wonderful how our plan worked. our plan 'B' that is, worked".
Rarity knew those two had something up their hooves, but what? She eyed the crazy looking horned pegasisters. Stepping back she
cleared her throat "If you two will excuse me I have some personal business to take care of, Ta Ta I will see you gals later".
Spike and Pinkie sidestepped along the floor a classic slow dance his vision limited by her pink puffy mane. She was enjoying herself
lost in the touch and feel of living leather. She swore if she wasn't a party player she might take this fine male specimen and make him
Gummies adopted father, half uncle or whatever reptiles do.
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Rarity finished her drink and approached her two friends in the middle of the crowded dance floor ponies of all kinds
had paired off as she reached out to them a stallion blocked her path his stench of booze was over powering and his
mouth wash didn't cut it. Rarity glared at the oaf his menacing eyes lewdly tracing her very being.
Rarity readied a swift buck when a orange hoof caught the ruffians muzzle dragging him off by his tongue.
AJ glanced back "Rarity simmer down now we got this buckaroo by his short hairs he won't be bothering nobody at all"
Rarity could only think 'so is that why AJs brother's so quiet?'
Pinkie felt a tap on her withers "I'm with Spikey find another dance partner" Miss Pie said to the intruder who tapped once more.
"Ahem Pinkie dear I think I hear a cup cake calling your name may I please cut in?" Spike shuttered and froze like Discord after a
blast of rainbow power.
"Oh Rarity what a pleasant surprise! Spike you dance cup cake yes! He's all warmed up and ready to go! Yes I'll see about that
bun in the oven. I mean that cup cake you two have fun! Spike's a really great dancer!"
Pinkie punched Spike in the arm as she surrendered the romantic battle field to both the combatants
"make with the shaking and grooving" Pinkie looked Spike right in the eyes giving him a last departing hint
of wagging eyebrows and with a sing song whisper "she's all yours tiger" Pinkie yielded and
bounced away "Did I tell you Spikes a good kis... Dancer?"
Spike and Rarity stared at the pink bouncy party mare prancing away both with their gears grinding along the words.
He was thinking 'Well Romeo time to put up or shut up'.
She was thinking 'Rarity, It's time to reveal my awful secret'.
They took their positions in front of each other claw to hoof holding each other close she leaned in her lips nearly
touching his ear flukes "Spike I have to tell you something really important".
Spike whispered "Rarity me too, I lo..." her hoof pressed against his snout.
"Precious Scales I can't..." one step.
"Rarity?" Spike stumbled "what's the matter?" two left hooves.
"Precious Spikey I can't" two step.
"Why? don't you want..." three step pronk.
"Spikey I never learned to dance" She moved her head. Their eyes met "can you teach me to dance my good knight?"
Rarity then gently kissed her dragon it was going to be a real good night.
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"And that my children was our last Gala" Spike looked at all the foals gathered for Uncle Spikes story time "time for bed".
"Uncle Spike what happened to all those guys Apple Jack stuffed in the cloak room?" a dracony filly asked.
"Ruby I think that was plan 'B'" Spike rubbed his chin "Ask your Auntie Twilight".
"Did Aunt Rarity ever learn to dance?" an Apple filly quizzed.
"Would you believe that Auntie Twi is a better dancer?" Ruby laughed.
Spike could only sigh "Really Rarity has gotten a whole lot better...Honest".