//------------------------------//
// Dance of the Changelings 
// Story: some silly shorts 
// by erictheblue 
//------------------------------//

the "mane 6" have managed to negotiate a peace treaty with the changelings, and are now organizing a celebration.
Rarity has decided to teach some Changelings how to dance, and somehow convinced Applejack to help.
the rest of the group (except spike) has dropped in to see how things are going:

("-----" will indicate flashback-type effects)

A dozen Ponies and a dozen Changelings were watching Rarity and Applejack intently when Twilight, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy walked into the theater. (actually, Dash was Flying, as usual)

Twilight noticed Applejack rubbing her shoulder. "you ok, Applejack?" 
"aw, tain't nothin'. OK, everyone, let's give it a whirl! Start the Music, Rarity!"

Rarity turned on the music and the Ponies And Changelings started the dance. 
They did surprisingly well, considering that they had had so little time learning. 
The Changelings did every step perfectly, performed the formal finishing bow-

-then every single Changeling clutched it's shoulder and yelled, "OW! Consarn it!"

Applejack and Rarity facehooved.
Pinkie Pie fell over laughing.
Rainbow Dash dropped out of the air and went "OOF!"
Fluttershy fainted.
and Twilight Sparkle simply stared open-mouthed.

Applejack recovered first, and exclaimed, "um, ok, that was almost perfect! everybody take five! um, i mean, take a five-minute break, um, make that ten minutes."

the dancers all left and the group recovered.
Twilight Sparkle exclaimed, "what the heck was that all about?!"
"Tarnation! those durn Changelin's are SO literal-minded! ok, lemme try to explain:"

-----
Applejack told the dancers, "ok, everybody grab themselves a partner-"
----

"-then WAM! every single Changelin' TACKLED a Pony and pinned her down!"

Pinkie Pie fell over laughing again.
Rainbow Dash facehooved so hard she did a backflip.
Fluttershy and Twilight had identical stunned expressions.

Twilight shook herself and exclaimed, "wow, that's pretty bad."

Rarity groaned, "and it got worse..."

-----
Rarity yelled, "um, cancel that! help your partners back on their hooves!"
the Changelings obeyed.
"ok, now, touch hooves with your partner. 
now the idea is to mimic your partner's movements-"
-----

"-then POOF! the second i said 'mimic' every single Changeling transformed to look like it's partner!"

Fluttershy giggled, then looked abashed.
Rainbow Dash simply groaned.
Twilight muttered, "oh, no..."
and, of course, Pinkie fell over laughing yet again!

Applejack continued: "so then we tried to lead by example..."

-----
"Darn it! said the wrong thing agin'!-sorry Rarity. 
Everyone change back, please. 
Now let's try this: everyone watch close as me an' Rarity dance. i want all the Ponies to remember what Rarity does, and the Changlin's to watch me close."
then Rarity and Applejack did the dance. 
they did it well, but made one little mistake: they stood a little too close together for the bow, so Rarity accidentally Poked Applejack in the shoulder with her horn-
-----

-then Pinkie Pie yelled, "OW! Consarn it!"
and everyone rolled on the floor with laughter, except Rainbow Dash, who spun around in midair.

Twilight Sparkle recovered first. "well, you know what they say, practice makes perfect!" 
"Ayup. well, i recon we'll just have to try agin'."

Twilight brought out her notebook and a pencil started writing:
"Dear Princess Celestia. today I learned that Changelings are VERY literal-minded. we must be VERY careful what we say to them."