“...And so, you can see that the strength of the magic produced is in direct correlation to the enjoyment and smoothness of the dance steps…”
Ugh…this is so boring. When are we actually going to dance? Why is Dance Theory required anyway? And could our teacher be any duller? Droning on and on and on and-
“Now let’s split up and practice what we learned. Find a partner, everypony.”
Feather Dance slowly rose to her hooves and looked around for a potential dance partner; though to her surprise the teacher called her name.
“Miss Feathers, if you please could you play us a nice ditty to dance to?”
“But mares-”
“I do believe I made a request of you Miss Feathers, now strum that guitar, and let’s dance.”
Feather Dance looked confusedly down at the guitar that was slung over her shoulder. Hold on, I didn’t bring this to class, did I? Hearing the teacher clear her throat, She quickly put aside her confusion and began strumming the guitar, singing into the microphone stand that was suddenly on top of her desk:
“~I can see it in your eyes,
The pain of each sunrise,
And you’ve been feeling it more each day.
Hiding your desires,
Refusing to start fires,
Being the good mare youuu have to beeeee
When the pain hurts too much,
Sore to the touch,
Come crying to me,
Don’t pretend to be strong,
You don’t need to hold on,
Come cryin to me!~”
Suddenly she was on a stage, singing her heart out to a crowd of thousands; all cheering her name:
Feather Dance, Feather Dance. FEATHER DANCE!”
Opening her eyes amidst laughter, Feather Dance snorted into the drool on her desk.
“Hrngh?”
The teacher however was not amused as she said coldly.
“How dare you fall asleep in my classroom. I have never seen such disrespect. Principal’s office, now, young mare.”
Trudging down the hallway, Feather Dance grumbled to herself as she headed towards the Principal’s Office.
“Boring class anyway…huh?”
From off to the side, in the girl’s changing room, she swore she heard a sound. But all classes were in session, nopony should be in there. Cautiously, she opened the door a crack and gazed in surprise at what she saw. It was a stallion. A stallion with a backpack.
Feather Dance refrained from calling out in surprise, and instead, she watched silently as the stallion closed the window he had crawled in through. What should she do? Watching in confusion as the stallion glanced nervously around, Feather Dance was curious. Why had he broken in? Was he going to root through the lockers? Was he some kind of pervert? But to her surprise he didn’t go near the lockers, no, instead he reached into the backpack and pulled out a…skirt? Wait, is that the school uniform?
She watched in fascination as he put on the skirt and then pulled out a makeup kit; expertly applying blush and lipstick. What is he doing? Next, she watched as he styled his mane and tail into an amateurish yet passable ponytail. She blinked at what appeared to be a regular mare admiring herself in the locker room mirror.
Feather Dance’s curiosity turned into amusement as she watched the ‘mare’ checking out his reflection.The stallion was clearly elated at his disguise, squealing in excitement at his new look. She had to admit he did make an attractive mare, and anywhere else he would easily pass as one. He looks harmless enough and clearly isn’t trying to go through other mare’s belongings. She watched him wag his tail beneath the school uniform. But if he leaves that room he’ll be caught instantly.
She was never quite sure what made her do it, but she pushed her way into the locker room, calling out to the ‘mare’ at the mirror.
“Hey there!”
Instantly, and much to her amusement, the stallion did his best to imitate a mare’s lofty voice.
“Uh, hi.”
“Hm. You know for a stallion you clean up really nice.”
Feather Dance watched him freeze for a moment before trying to play it off, his voice going super high. Oh, this is precious.
“I’m not a stallion. I’m a mare like you!”
This is too precious.
“Oh? What’s your homeroom?”
“The one with the-the-”
His voice fell and became deeper.
“Okay, you caught me. So now what?”
“Well, now we help you out of that skirt, miss-ter…”
“Tw-twinkle. My name is Twinkle. And why, don’t I look good?”
Tugging at the skirt with her teeth, she replied.
“You look gorgeous Twinkle, but you’re asking for trouble with that outfit. Mares here don’t wear our uniforms unless dancing in class. Clothing is forbidden unless dancing or off school grounds.”
“Huh?”
“Well Miss Twinkle, you clearly went all out on this little ruse of yours, though I’m not sure why. With all that makeup and foundation, you can’t even tell you aren’t a white-furred pegasus mare. Quite impressive really-”
Finally pulling off the skirt, she marveled at the evenly coated foundation covering the stallion's black fur. How none of it came off at her touch.
“So I see no reason not to assist. Though, while I do, mind telling me why you broke into the mare’s locker room?”
Looking nervous, he scuffed a hoof as he replied.
“You promise not to laugh?”
Releasing her hold on the skirt, Feather Dance raised an eyebrow as she used her hoof to lift his muzzle until they were eye to eye.
“Am I laughing now?”
Looking abashed, he took a deep breath before telling her.
“I want to learn to dance.”
Walking over to an empty locker, Feather Dance place the skirt in it as she mused aloud.
“So you pretended to be a mare in order to learn dancing magic, I see. Too bad I caught you in the act, huh?”
“What are you going to do with me?”
Appearing deep in thought, Feather Dance replied.
“Well, I should probably tell a faculty member-”
“Seeing the look of dismay on his face, she smiled gently.
“But then again why would I report my new roommate? Come over to the shower, we need to do something about that mane and tail.”
Looking utterly bewildered, he slowly walked over to the shower as she explained, while shampooing his mane, being careful not to get any of the makeup wet.
“Mares here, are housed in dormitories, and lucky you, little Miss Twinkle, I happen to have one to myself. Firstly though, this mane is far too…stallion, too uniform for a mare, let’s just add some dye…oooh perhaps some brown and we could stripe it with purple…”
“And so I said- oh!”
Two mares walked in, fresh from their classes, to see Feather Dance using her teeth to hold Twinkle’s tail still while furiously shampooing it with her hooves as Twinkle winced in his feminine voice.
“Take it easy, you’re being too rough!”
Halting Feather Dance glanced towards the mares who began frantically backing out the door uttering excuses mixed with apologies. She grinned with malice.
“Do you mind? We’re taking a shower here!”
“Excuse us, we didn’t know…we were just-”
Feather Dance played it up, exclaiming.
“Can’t two mares have a little fun? What, were you trying to join or something?”
Frantically, the two mares hastened their getaway muttering almost incoherently.
“No..we...I mean…we weren’t trying to disturb, er we got class…Right, carry on. We need to go. Now, Sugar.”
After the two had left, Feather Dance cackled with glee as she continued to dye Twinkle’s tail.
“That’ll teach that snooty Lemon Sherbert. Ugh, she drives me mental. Such a prim and proper, ‘do as I say’ mare. Just because her Mom is the dean, she thinks she owns the place. That’ll have her blushing for weeks. Now, hold still, this might hurt a little.”
Many hours later, the Dean looked Twinkle up and down; his once black fur, now a sparkling white, highlighted by the perfectly styled brown mane and tail each with an amethyst stripe.
“She wishes to attend our institution you say? Alright, what’s your name, young mare?”
Clearing his throat, Twinkle carefully controlled his voice as instructed by Feather Dance, giving the name she had suggested to him.
“Sparkle Stardust, ma’am.”
“I see. Alright, and do you have a place to stay while attending classes, Miss Sparkle?”
Feather Dance chimed in.
“We were thinking she could room with me ma’am.”
“Mhm. And Miss Dance here has informed you of our rules and customs?”
Receiving a nod of confirmation, the Dean continued.
"Very well, Miss Sparkle, you will be Miss Dance’s roommate."
The look of excitement that passed between the two was short-lived as the Dean continued.
"However, before either of you leave, I wish to have a word with you regarding a certain shower my daughter walked in on.”