//------------------------------//
// Get Up And Move 
// Story: Dance With Me, Baby! 
// by Warp Contrast 
//------------------------------//

"Dude! You're crushing on Rarity? That's hilarious!" Lyra says, snickering despite trying to hold back for a moment. "That's a hard target, bud. You're going to have a tricky time landing that one."

I put a hoof to my forehead, frustrated. "I know, I know, but I can't not try, though. There's something there and I can feel it, I just know it," I state, obviously just a little worried at this point. "Weren't you the one who said I should try to find somepony at this party?"

"Well, yeah, but a bucking Element of Harmony? That's who you choose? You've got high standards for a guy who spends his whole life inside," she says, not realizing for a moment how rude that was. She then relents when she sees how I'm glaring at her. "Not that you're a bad-looking guy or that you aren't nice to be around, I just figured, you know, that you would try to have more experience socializing first. Diving in and shooting for the top is nice and all, but jumping in like this with no prior knowledge seems like a bad idea.”

"I see where you're coming from, I get it, but I have to try, and I need your help, okay?" I plead, knowing she would relent if I kept it up. Any opportunity to find me somepony, anypony to hang out with that isn't Lyra seemed like a good choice to her at the moment. "I have a plan, if that helps. I'm not going in blind."

"Okay, then what's your plan, if you have such a mastery of social graces already?" she taunts, an eyebrow cocked.

"I will, oh, ye of little faith," I say, quickly growing quiet as I think over my plan and realize just how flawed it really is. "Well... I guess I just figured after I got you on my side you would just go and work some of that "social butterfly" magic on her and everything would sort of sort out from there..?" I smile sheepishly, realizing just how dumb that sounded. I really didn't think this through. I inwardly cringe, knowing that Lyra would surely just turn me away, knowing how utterly I failed already.

"Okay, just one thing. Your plan bucking sucks. Like, seriously," she says, almost frowning despite herself. Suddenly her expression brightens and she gives me that smirk again, confident as ever. "Luckily, you've got me, so I'm sure we can do something about this crush of yours. First things first, the swagger. A girl like her will never go for a guy who has no confidence, and your walk reeks of self-loathing." She quickly directs me to stand straight, keep my nose just slightly up and hoofs me a pair of shades, "for effect." I feel goofy as buck, half staggering as I'm not at all used to such a weird walk. I'm not used to any of this, really. I feel stupid.

"Is this really necessary? I say, turning back just in time for her to blind me with her camera as she snaps a photo of "Douchebag Bright." As soon as I realize what she's done, I get red-faced, well, redder-faced, in embarrassment. I realize that this is definitely coming back to bite me in the ass later. I whip off the sunglasses and walk almost normally, and she walks over and shows me the picture. I realize just how goofy I really looked and I can't help but laugh. With that, the tension of that embarrassment and the party releases in an instant. "Hey. Okay. What? What was that all about even?"

"I figured you could use a stress reliever for a second, so I made you put on some stupid shades and walk around like an idiot so you could loosen up a bit," she says, an earnest smile on her face. " Now, let's try keeping that cool for a little while. Let's not rush in like a couple of dumbasses, here, and make a plan. Like, a proper plan that isn't garbage, like yours was." She laughs for a moment and I can't help but chuckle. I really do feel better, even taking a ribbing like I normally would instead of just getting more and more frustrated like earlier. I nod and move a little closer to the scene, checking things out and seeing what, exactly, we're dealing with. There are lots of guys around her, most of them looking like the picture you would see in the dictionary next to the word "asshat." I also see the little dragon that lives at the castle with Princess Twilight and... Bulk? What's he doing there? I try to get his attention for a moment and he actually sees me, coming towards us. We group up and get to a quieter place to talk.

"Bulk, please don't tell me you have a thing for her, too...?" I ask, worried about having to compete with one of my few friends before he waves one of his hooves at me as if to wave off my worries.

"Dude, no, I was, like, right next to you guys pretty much the whole time you were explaining the situation to Lyra so I went and scouted it out for you. Just being a bro for my bro, y'know," he says, smiling assuredly at me. Definitely the bro-est bro that has ever bro-ed. "Besides, if I were after her, I would've told you the second you mentioned it was her you were crushing on." It only just strikes me that I didn't notice him at all when I was talking to Lyra. Weird. He seems like he would kind of stand out in a crowd, to say the least. "Now, let's make a plan! YEEAAHH!"

"Ah, dude. Jeez, chill. I don't think that kind of energy is necessary here. Though your enthusiasm is appreciated," Lyra says, taking her hooves from her ears where she jammed them moments ago. "Now, I think I have a decent plan, but it's going to need... a gentle touch. We're going to need to make you a gentleman."