S9 E7: She's All Yak (What If?)
The School of Friendship had only just begun its second official year of classes about a week ago, and as the second week of classes started there was a buzz in the main hallway when some of the students noticed their headmare (who they had learned would soon be leaving them to answer a higher calling in life) putting up some posters depicting two ponies dancing beneath spotlights on a stage.
Silverstream in particular was quite intrigued! "Ooh! New posters! We never had those underwater!" And she flew over to inspect them.
Gallus questioned. "What do you suppose they're all about?"
Twilight turned around as if in answer to that question. "I won't keep you all in suspense any longer," She answered with a smile. "I know you must all be going through a lot after learning about what happened over the summer while you were gone, and the news that this is going to be the last year I'll serve as your headmare. But in one of my last acts I want you all to have a good time and shake off those back-to-school blues!" She then proudly displayed one of the posters with her magic as she declared. "We're bringing one of Ponyville's oldest traditions to our school: The Fetlock Fete."
There was quite a bit of confusion from the non-pony students as Smolder scratched her head. "The what now? You ponies and your titles are so confusing."
Sandbar only grinned. "It's not hard to understand, it's just a dance. In fact, it's the best pony dance party in all of Ponyville! Think of it as our answer to the Grand Galloping Gala."
Ocellus smiled. "A pony dance party, you say? Count me in. I'm already prepared." And she transformed her into a green coated earth pony that loosely resembled her disguise from the year before.
Twilight just giggled as she corrected. "You don't need to do that, Ocellus. This year, the event's at school and open to everyone. In fact, it's my pleasure to rename it to The Amity Ball. You can just come as you are."
Ocellus breathed a sigh of relief. "Even better." And she reverted back to her changeling self a second later.
Yona, however, was still a bit confused and also worried. "Yona not know Amity Ball dance. Yona only know traditional dance of Yakyakistan. Go like this!" She started to bounce and stomp all about, causing the ground to shake. "Ball dance go something like that?" She hopefully asked.
Sandbar corrected while appearing to have an exceptionally bright grin for some reason. "Not exactly," He chuckled. "It isn't just one dance, Yona. It's a whole night of them. Plus an awesome party! It's the most fun you can ever have in Ponyville, but until now it's also been very expensive. This is the first chance I think most ponies are going to have a chance to attend."
Twilight nodded. "That's exactly why I brought it here and renamed it. Even so, we're going to have all the old Fetlock Fete traditions that are so popular here in Ponyville: A Pony Pal Dance Contest, a lucky pot dinner. You'll love it! I even managed to arrange for the entertainment. DJ-PON-3's got nothing on DJ Scales and Tail."
Smolder immediately looked across to Gallus as she offered. "You wanna come and hang out? I've got nothing better to do."
Gallus agreed. "You had me at 'dinner'."
"Hey, that's not fair, Gallus!" Silverstream playfully whined. "I was just about to ask the same thing."
But Gallus pointed out. "You gotta move faster next time, Silverstream. Besides, you come along too. And so can Ocellus. We'll all hang out together as one big group."
"What about Yona? And what about Sandbar for that matter?" Smolder wondered. "Aren't they gonna come too?"
"I don't know if Yona's made up her mind yet," Ocellus answered before sheepishly adding. "And uh... Sandbar said he had something 'special' planned for the ball. I think Headmare Twilight tipped him off about it or something."
Gallus just shrugged his claws. "Eh, Sandbar can do whatever he wants. All I know is, this dance is gonna have a dinner and I'm not missing that for the world! You can't say no to free food and a good time with friends."
Twilight smiled. "I whole heartedly agree, Gallus. So like this poster says 'Get your pony pal and come along.'," Then she offered. "Now, who wants to help me hang up more posters?"
SIlverstream shot up a claw! "Ooh! I do! I do!"
"Me too!" Ocellus declared. "I wanna help in any way I can, Headmare Twilight." She and Silverstream then left with Twilight, while Smolder and Gallus left to do other things together.
Yona was alone, staring at the posters already on display alongside a trophy that depicted the same thing as on the posters. She seemed rather hesitant and concerned, and as such she failed to notice Sandbar trotting up to her with his cheeks a bright pink. "Hey, Yona," He called as he tried to keep his composure. "Uh... you wanna be my pony pal for the dance? I was thinking we could enter the contest together... if you wanted to." The whole time he spoke he seemed to carry himself as if he were trying to hide something, looking embarrassed and a bit tongue tied.
Yona didn't seem to suspect anything as she just answered her pony friend. "But... Yona yak, Yona not pony."
"So? What's that have to do with anything?" Sandbar questioned.
Yona pointed a hoof to the display case in front of her and then the posters. "Pony, pony, more pony..."
The earth pony colt just blushed. "Ah, that's just a poster, it doesn't mean anything. Come on, be my pony pal! It'll be tons of fun for the two of us, I promise!"
Although still not quite sure of herself, the yak seemed to agree. "O-okay, Yona go with Sandbar if that what Sandbar want."
"Ah, great! Er... I mean that's cool," Sandbar declared as his blush started to grow. "I'll go get the tickets. See you later!" And after kicking his back legs he ran off, happily giggling to himself.
Yona watched her pony friend disappear down the hallway and waved a hoof to him. "Yona not let Sandbar down! Yaks best at being pony pal!" Once she was certain she was all alone, however, she started to whisper to herself. "But Yona not sure how if she not pony."
Because the yak worried so much about this, she didn't realize until too late that Rarity was approaching her. The yak was struck by a clothing rack, but was thankfully unharmed.
Rarity had a measuring tape around her neck as well as her ruby red sewing glasses, and her mane and tail looked a bit unorganized. "Ooh! Oh, terribly sorry, Yona," She apologized. "Please forgive me. All these dresses I'm sewing for the ball and dance have me completely frazzled." And she trotted away with the clothing rack being wheeled after her with her magic.
The mentioning of "dress" caused Yona to panic! "Dress?! Yona need dress for dance?!" And she gulped as she realized. "Yona have lots to learn about being best pony pal for Sandbar." And indeed she did, though she had no idea that her desire to become a better "pony pal" would bring her and Sandbar together in a way she couldn't have imagined. And would also teach her a rather valuable lesson about herself.
With all of these worries now floating around in her head, Yona knew there was only one place she could go to get help: Counselor Starlight's office.
Starlight Glimmer was in the midst of sprucing up her office when she heard a knock on her office doors. "It's open, come in," She called, and Yona did without hesitation. "Yona? This is a surprise. You haven't usually had much need for my services compared to some of your friends."
"Counselor Starlight help Yona!" Yona pleaded in desperation. "Yona have lots to learn about being best pony pal for contest! Yona not want to disappoint Sandbar!"
Starlight had surprisingly little troubling deciphering the yak's troubled cries. "First thing's first, Yona. Take some deep breaths," She instructed while demonstrating how to do so. "Now, what exactly about being a pony pal do you need my help with?"
"Everything!" Yona burst out as she flopped onto the couch. "Yona never been to pony dance before! Yona never been to dance with other creature before! But Sandbar want Yona to be his pony pal for dance, and Yona not refuse. So now Yona need to know how to be best pony pal if yak not want to let Sandbar down."
Starlight forced back a gulp. "Well, you're asking a lot of me, Yona. I don't know the dance as well as Twilight or her friends do, they've been in Ponyville for much longer than I have. And I've never attended a 'Grand Galloping Gala' before either," Still, the unicorn managed to advise. "I think you should just focus on having a good time with Sandbar. I'm sure he could tell you everything you need to know, and would make sure you don't embarrass yourself. I'm sure if you asked him to teach you a few things, he'd accept."
Yona shook her head. "Yak no can go to Sandbar! Sandbar ask Yona to be pony pal and Yona promise to not let him down!" She stomped a hoof down. "Yona must learn how to be proper pony pal in time for Amity Ball so Sandbar will be pleased."
Starlight Glimmer answered as she offered Yona some empathy coco. "If you really wanna know more about dances and everything related to them, why not ask Rarity or even Twilight? I'd even be willing to let you practice dancing in the gym after school, lots of students have signed up to do that."
Immediately, Yona recalled her sudden encounter with Rarity earlier in the day while still unsure of how she could be a good pony pal. She remembered from classes that Rarity had her own dress making shop, and was always much more into things like dances and contests. "Yes, that it! Counselor Starlight give fantastic advice!" The yak exclaimed as she stood up! "Professor Rarity know how to help yak be best pony pal. Yona give Counselor Starlight big hug for thanks!"
But the unicorn frantically protested. "No!" Realizing her mistake she coughed into a hoof and corrected. "Er... no thank you, Yona. A hug won't be necessary this time," And then she offered. "Remember, my office is always open if you need to talk to me about anything else."
Yona stood up and departed the office. "Thank you, Counselor Starlight. You best guidance counselor ever! Yona wish Yakyakistan had guidance counselors like you to talk to you."
Starlight just watched Yona depart while sipping from her own mug of empathy coco and thinking to herself. "I think I might need to have a little chat with Sandbar about putting pressure on others without realizing it. Rarity should be able to handle Yona's problem." And then she thought to herself. "And while I'm at it, I really should look into getting this office spruced up a little. For however long it's gonna remain my office, anyway."
At Carousel Boutique, Rarity was hard at work on the dresses for the Amity Ball in her workshop. Her sewing machine was wiring and humming like it always did, and she had her ruby red sewing glasses on while her trusty tape measure rested nearby. "So many dresses, so little time," She thought out loud. "Perhaps I should see if the other boutiques can handle a bit of an extra workload?"
Suddenly, the fashionista's focus was interrupted by a loud, energetic and frantic knock at her workshop door. And because she wasn't expecting it she let out a loud yelp!
The door opened as Yona sheepishly poked her way into the workshop that also doubled as Rarity's bedroom. "Yona interrupting?" She asked the fashionista.
The unicorn with a majestic white coat tried her best to downplay such a suggestion. "Oh, Yona. Er, you're not so much interrupting as you are... uh... blocking the flow as it were... which is stopping me from what I'm doing... so actually, yes, interrupting!" She quickly sought to change the subject as she gave a nervous laugh. "Not that it matters, your needs come first. So, what can I do for you on such short notice, Yona?"
The yak immediately blurted out. "Yona not know that yak need special pony dress for dance. Yona no can wear what Yona always wear, nothing?"
"Yona could... I mean you could," Rarity commented as she caught herself before she started speaking the way Yona spoke. "But the Fetlock Fete or the Amity Ball as Twilight's calling it, is about tradition. There's a certain way to do everything at the dance: Dress, actually dance, you name it."
Yona eagerly replied as she pressed her front hooves onto Rarity! "Yes! That's it! That what Yona want to learn! How to do all the pony things for pony dance, even if Yona has to wear pony dress."
Rarity smiled at the enthusiastic display she was seeing as she calmly pushed Yona back a bit. "Well, uh, y-y-yes, I can teach you everything you'll need to know about the Amity Ball," Then she offered. "If you're sure that's what you really want, Yona."
Without hesitation the yak declared! "Mm-hmm! Yona be best pony pal for Sandbar! Yona ready to learn!"
"Sandbar, hm?" The fashionista pondered aloud. "How interesting, he seems to have been the only one to specifically ask another student to the dance in order to participate in the pony pal dance contest. This is going to call for extra measures. You'll want to impress Sandbar."
Yona nodded. "Impressing Sandbar good!" And she then asked. "What Yona learn first?"
"Patience, Yona," Rarity insisted with a smile. "There are many things you'll have to learn before you'll be ready for your big night with Sandbar." The first thing she did after saying this was float over her tape measure with her magic, taking careful measurements of Yona's figure.
The young yak was quite curious about this as she asked. "What Professor Rarity doing?"
"Just Rarity will do, Yona," Rarity corrected. "This isn't an official school lesson. You came to me for help and I'm providing it to you free of charge. As for what I'm doing, it's really quite simple. While I've no doubt I could find a suitable outfit for you to wear, it'll be much better if you had a brand new dress for the dance. And to do that, I need your measurements," And she instructed to the yak. "Now please hold still. This shouldn't take more than a minute or two."
It took all the willpower she had for Yona to hold still while her professor was moving the tape measure all around and making notes such as "I see." or "I can work with that."
The silence was only broken up by Rarity asking. "Tell me, Yona. Do you have any sort of preferences for your dress? We can worry about your hairstyle later."
"But didn't pro... Rarity already style yak's hair so yak not always trip over it?" Yona asked as she looked at the lovely little curls her hair had been styled into. It was something she'd worn ever since coming back to the school after being rescued by her professors, and she had to admit she quite loved it. Even after she went back to Yakyakistan she'd kept it the way it was now.
The fashionista nodded as she wrote down the measurements she'd taken on a sketchpad. "Why yes, of course. But it's not going to be nearly enough for the Amity Ball, at least not for the occasion you're attending for. I can't say for sure what Sandbar has intended, but usually when a pony asks someone else to a dance like that they have something else in mind beside a dance contest."
Yona could only giggle. "Yona like Sandbar, and Sandbar say he like Yona. We good friends, closer than any other friends in our group. But Yona like all her friends, every friend of Yona is best!"
Rarity had to resist the urge to giggle back. "Oh Yona. I'm surprised Sandbar didn't tell you himself when he asked you out. But if he won't tell, I won't tell. It's something he needs to work up the courage to say on his own." She thought to herself, and then resumed talking. "Well, that's all the more reason why you'll want to look your best. And that means a change of hair alongside a change in wardrobe will probably be in order. What's most important to me is that your new dress not only looks good on you, but it's something you could see yourself wearing quite often."
The yak just declared. "Yona like brown."
"Earth tones," Rarity commented with a frown. "Brown in particular should only really be used for accents. But don't worry, I'm sure I can make something 'earthly' in tone that'll compliment your natural brown fur quite lovely," With the use of her magic she then set her sketchpad down by her sewing machine. "Why don't we come back to that later?" She suggested. "For now, let's start with your lessons on 'how to fit in'. That's what you want, right?"
Yona nodded. "Yona not want to stand out. Yona want to fit in."
"Quite so," Rarity agreed. "Come with me."
Pony and yak made their way downstairs to the kitchen as Rarity used her magic to produce a bowl of some strange, green colored vegetables. "At an elegant affair like a pony dance such as the Amity Ball, one must be able converse in a sophisticated fashion," She levitated over several of the vegetables. "This is a little trick I picked up from etiquette class years ago. It worked wonders for me, and I'll bet it'll work wonders for you as well. Talking with brussels sprouts in your mouth helps you to learn to ar-ti-cu-late." She pronounced in a very elegant fashion.
"What Yona have to do?" Yona questioned.
Rarity instructed with what sounded like practiced precision. "Take a mouthful, and repeat after me. And try not to swallow."
Yona reluctantly obeyed, stuffing the brussels sprouts into her mouth to the point where her cheeks seemed to puff out beyond what was comfortable for her.
Clearing her throat, Rarity delivered her first recited speech for Yona to copy. "How kind of you to ask me to tea." She made sure her delivery was slow and clear to understand for Yona's sake.
Through her muffled mouth, Yona somehow managed to repeat back. "How kind of you to ask me to tea."
"Good, good, keep it up," Rarity encouraged before moving straight to the second recited speech. "May I offer you a glass of punch?"
Again, through a muffled mouth, Yona was somehow able to say. "May I offer you a glass of punch?"
The fashionista smiled and nodded. "You're doing well, Yona! One more speech and then we'll see how you do with a trial run," And using her magic to float over an umbrella she recited. "The weather is quite agreeable today."
"The weather is quite agreeable today," Yona replied before finally giving into the urges. She bit down on the brussels sprouts in her mouth and began to chew. Once done she gulped and let out a hearty burp. "Yona like brussels sprouts."
Rarity frowned. "Quite so. And you were supposed to say 'Excuse me' after burping," She then let out a sigh. "Oh well, can't have everything, yet," But she was quick to reassure the troubled yak. "Still, you did okay for your first time. We've got a few days still, plenty of time to teach you how to speak like a proper and sophisticated pony. And you should know that you're welcome to back out at any time if the lessons are too much for you. Etiquette is something that is easy to learn but hard to master."
Yona shook her head. "Yona not backing out! Yona want to fit in and impress Sandbar! Yona study extra hard on... what Rarity say."
Adjusting her ruby red sewing glasses (which she had forgotten to take off in all of this), Rarity finally removed them as she looked up at a clock. "Well, we can do another articulation lesson later on if I have time. For now though, let's focus on the most important thing you'll need to know for the dance. How to dance."
"Counselor Starlight say Yona welcome to practice dancing in gym," Yona spoke up. "Rarity teach Yona how to dance?"
"Not quite, I'm going to be a mite busy with your dress and the other dresses over the next few days," Rarity pointed out. "But I know precisely who can help us!"
Rarity brought the young yak to the gym where Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash were waiting alongside Angel Bunny who holding up a chart, and a record player.
Upon seeing the two pegasi, Yona blinked in confusion while looking across to Rarity. "Uh... Professors Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash teaching Yona? They good at dancing?"
Rainbow Dash smiled. "Yup, Fluttershy even taught me, though don't tell anyone I said that," Then she boasted. "Don't worry, Yona. You're in good hooves now! With Fluttershy and I coaching you you've got nothing to worry about! Especially when you've got me, because I'm awesome at just about everything!" But the brash speedster quickly. "Except for baking, still gotta work on that."
Fluttershy then smiled. "Don't feel embarrassed coming here to take lessons, lots of students have gotten quite rusty and several others needed to learn what you'll learn," And she explained. "Now, there are two traditional dances that everypony does at the Fete, and they're both going to be at the Amity Ball. After a few days of practicing with us, you'll know them both by heart."
"And fit right in!" Yona eagerly declared.
Rarity nodded in agreement. "Exactly. I'll stay to watch your first lesson for a bit, but once I'm certain you can manage I must get back to my boutique," And she elegantly proclaimed. "Why don't we start with the slow dance, that one always comes first. It's called 'The Pony Cotillion'. And that's Fluttershy's specialty."
The pegasus with a butter yellow coat blushed as she fiddled with her light pink bangs and nervously laughed. "Oh, w-well I wouldn't say specialty. It's just fun," After coughing into a hoof she approached Angel and the chart he was holding up. "Here, Yona. I made you a chart."
Angel unfurled the scroll all the way. It depicted several different colored hooves with white numbers on them ranging from one to four. It seemed to be a rather complicated series of movements for a "slow dance".
Fluttershy instructed for the nervous yak to step onto the chart alongside her, and the two did so. Nodding, Fluttershy explained further. "All you have to do is follow these dance steps. You'll learn them in no time. I know I did," Then she instructed Angel to activate the record player. He did so and following a needle scratch the music on the record began to play, bolting out classical music. "Just step on whatever color I name. Are you ready to begin?"
Despite how nervous she was feeling inside, Yona forced herself to say. "Y-yes."
The pegasus smiled. "Excellent," And timing her statements to the beat of the music she instructed to Yona. "Blue, red, step ahead. Green, black, now step back," She demonstrated the process by effortlessly moving her hooves to where they belonged. It looked so easy. "Okay, Yona. Now you try."
Yona attempted to time her movements to the beat of music like Fluttershy had done, but it was a rather difficult process and she messed up as a result. "Blue, red, step— ah, oh!" She exclaimed in dismay. But she quickly tried to recover, no way was a dance going to defeat her so easily. "No. Um, Yona start over," She insisted. "Blue, red, green, black, yak step back?" Hesitantly she repeated the motions.
Fluttershy nodded in encouragement. "Yes, that's it! See, you're getting the hang of it already! Now this next part is tricky, so try to keep up with me as best you can," And she quickly began to call out while moving her hooves to a bunch of different places on the chart. "Black, green, red, and blue. Red, black, hold one and two. Red, blue, red once more. Green, black, blue, red, hold three and four."
Poor Yona couldn't keep up despite her best efforts. The dance moves were too complicated, and they ended up causing her to cross her legs and tie herself up. "Gah!" She exclaimed as the yak tried to keep her balance! "Yona feel like she has four front feet!" Then she let out a yelp as she tumbled to the floor. Thankfully, she was unharmed. But it really didn't make her feel better to see Angel demonstrating the dance steps in front of her with the greatest of ease. It felt like the bunny was mocking her.
Rarity put a hoof to her face and sighed. "This is gonna take extra work, more work than I thought." She said to herself.
Rainbow Dash was quick to try and change the scene in the hopes of improving Yona's mood. "We can come back to that one later," She said as she swooped down. "Don't feel too bad, Yona. I tied myself up even worse than you did the first time I tried that dance. But that was the hard one, mine's way easier!" She quickly replaced the record had classical music with something better suited to her style. Soon, the record player was blaring out loud, fast paced and high pitched music. "This is the other traditional dance from the Fete. It's a little dance called 'The Pony Prance'."
"What Yona have to do for this one?" Yona nervously asked, terrified of the idea of having to memorize more dance steps.
Rainbow grinned as she shouted (in order to be heard above the music). "The key to this one is speed! That's it!" She quickly zoomed around the gym to demonstrate her point, and then encouraged! "Come on, Yona, try it! Just get with the flow and let yourself go! It's as easy as breathing!"
And indeed it was easy for Yona. Too easy! It wasn't long before she was rushing about, bumping into things and knocking them over with loud crashes! Only once the music had stopped did she allow herself to come to a halt. "Yona like to flow and go!" She happily shouted while panting, even as her surroundings consisted of several heavy objects that had been knocked over.
"Marvelous," Rarity sarcastically replied, before correcting. "Perhaps it would be best if you toned it down a little for next time, Yona. I certainly hope you don't want the night to end with poor Sandbar having his wounds tended to by Nurse Redheart."
Yona hung her head in shame. "Yak just not getting it!"
But Rarity protested. "Nonsense, Yona. You've only just begun. It was foolish of me to expect you to master everything in just a day. Practice makes perfect after all," And she put a hoof around the yak. "The Amity Ball isn't until this weekend. That's plenty of time for us to continue your lessons until you've gotten them down pat."
So it was that over the next several days, Yona worked bit by bit on her lessons on "fitting in": Whether it be dancing, articulation or anything else Rarity felt the young yak needed to work on.
Progress was incredibly slow, yet with each passing day Yona was gradually getting better. By the end of the week, just before the Amity Ball was slated to begin, even Rarity was noticing changes.
On the day of dance, only hours before it was to get under way, Yona was practicing her dance steps while also working on the recited speeches she'd been trying to memorize. And she did it all while looking at herself in a mirror in Rarity's workshop. "Blue, red, step ahead," She said out loud, mimicking the motions and the rhythm of the slow dance. Then she added. "Green, black, Yona step back."
Rarity watched from outside with a hushed whisper! She'd intended to put the finishing touches on Yona's new dress to see what the yak would think of it, and had been pleasantly surprised to hear and see what was unfolding in her workshop. Silently, she encouraged. "That's it, Yona! You're doing it!"
Yona paused in her dancing to say to the mirror, articulating perfectly. "How kind of you to ask Yona to tea, Sandbar," Then she want back to dancing and repeated aloud the steps that had previously given her so much trouble. "Black, green, red, and blue. Red, black hold one and two. Red, blue, red once more. Green, black, blue, red, hold three and four!" When she didn't trip over her own hooves, the yak excitedly exclaimed! "Yona did it!"
"Indeed you did!" Rarity encouraged with a smile as she entered her workshop. "There's just one more thing we need to correct, and then you'll be ready to practice with your new dress," She cleared her throat and asked. "Yona, if someone at the party tells you they're thirsty, you say..."
"May Yona-" Yona began only to correct herself, realizing what was needed to "fit in". "-May I offer you a cup of punch?"
The fashionista nodded, clapping her hooves. "By Celestia, I think you've got it! Yona, you're going to be the hit of the ball! Sandbar is going to be completely blown away!"
Yona smiled as she elegantly spoke. "Thanks to your efforts, Rarity. I had good teachers."
"Think nothing of it, Yona. It was my pleasure to help you in your time of need," Rarity smiled as she approached the yak. "You've really impressed and inspired me. In fact, I might just be willing to take you on as my new apprentice once you're done with school. Then she found herself breaking out into a quick song:
You've studied so many pony ways,
And learned a lot in the past few days.
You've displayed a change that is worth my praise.
Yona happily joined in as she sang:
And now I fit right innnnnnnnnnn!
And she and Rarity sang together:
You fit right in!
Once the song had ended, the fashionista smiled again. "Just wait until Sandbar gets a look at you, Yona. You'll definitely win the pony pal dance contest now!" Then she instructed. "Now wait right here. Your new dress should be ready shortly, just need to make a tweak here and a tuck there."
A short time later, the elegantly speaking yak now wore a lavishly green, flowing dress that went all the way down her backside. And "for good measure" Rarity levitated over a purple wig that looked like it complimented the dress nicely.
Yet as Yona began to practice her dance steps in her new dress, she and Rarity were both unaware of the door to the workshop swinging open until it was too late!
In strolled Sandbar, who was wearing a finely pressed tuxedo and matching black bow tie. When he got a good luck at Yona though, his mouth dropped open in shock! He could hardly believe what he was seeing! "Yona?!" He gasped in shock!
"S-Sandbar!" Yona gasped back! The shock caused her to misplace a hoof. She began to stumble as her wig covered her face, making it difficult for her to see! And to make matters worse she heard a ripping sound as her new dress began to come apart at the seams! Pretty soon, Yona found herself staring down at the remaints of what had been a beautiful green dress and a purple wig. Tears began to form in her eyes as she looked at Sandbar, the shame welling up inside of her.
Sandbar barely had time to react as he was pushed aside, Yona rushing past him and out the open workshop door! "Yona, wait!" He called out! But it was too late, Yona was already gone!
Once the shock of the situation had worn off, Sandbar found himself looking to one of his professors, who seemed rather ashamed of herself. "I'm terribly sorry you had to see that, Sandbar. It seems I may have gone overboard with helping Yona prepare," And she sighed. "Definitely not one of my finer moments."
The earth pony colt blinked. "Why? I mean, you were just trying to help Yona 'fit in', right?" And then he commented. "I just wish she'd have come to me sooner about all of this. She really didn't need do any of... what I just saw." He made an unusual face that looked somewhere between a frown and a smile.
"Well, you had an ulterior motive besides just wanting to dance with her, didn't you?" Rarity questioned. "At least, that's how Yona made it sound even if she didn't seem to pick up on it."
Sandbar fought back a blush. "I guess there's really no point in trying to hide it anymore. It's really that obvious, huh?"
The fashonista, meanwhile, was questioning. "However did you find out about all of this? Yona's been coming to me every day after school."
"Well, I guess it was the dance lessons. Word started getting out after that," Sandbar explained. "Though I didn't think anything of it until the rest of my friends pointed it out to me." And he began to flashback to a conversation he'd had with them earlier in the day.
Sandbar had just emerged from his door room all dressed up for the Amity Ball. "What do you think, guys?" He asked his friends. "I don't wanna be overdressed for the occasion. Mom and Dad say not a lot of ponies really dress up for the Fetlock Fete."
Gallus simply commented. "I think you've got a bigger problem on your hooves, dude. Figuratively and literally."
Ocellus tried her best not to look sheepish. "Sorry, but it was just so obvious to pick up on. Just because I don't feed on love doesn't mean I can't still feel it," And she added. "You really should've just come out and told Yona how you felt."
Silverstream chimed in. "Our professors have been giving her lessons. Professor Rarity especially. I've seen it with my own two eyes! She looks so...weird!" She exclaimed while making an odd face.
Smolder was quick to point out. "Yona's gone full pony for the dance."
"All for you, Sandbar. You sly dog!" Gallus teased as he playfully pulled on Sandbar's bow tie for a second. "You sure know how to pick 'em."
But Sandbar seemed to be confused. "'For me'? Why me?"
The earth pony's friends just frowned, and Gallus and Smolder even rolled their eyes before Smolder commented. "Come on, dude. You can't seriously be this dense. It's obvious to all of us, so just admit it already," She delivered the next sentence slowly. "You... have... a... crush on Yona!"
The colt stumbled back and blushed. "It's.... really that obvious?"
"Duh! If even Silverstream can notice it you know you're doing a bad job of hiding it," Gallus pointed out. "You basically all but asked Yona out for a date. No wonder she's trying to become a proper pony."
A look of horror crossed Sandbar's face! "What?! That wasn't what I wanted at all! Yona doesn't need to be a pony to impress me. I like for her who she is, not who she pretends to be," And he put his hooves to his face! "I've got to stop her from making a terrible mistake!"
"Well you might wanna try Professor Rarity's boutique. Can't miss it, it's the only building of its kind around here." Ocellus suggested.
Without even a second's hesitation, Sandbar took off for that destination, though not before he called out to his friends! "See you all at the Amity Ball!"
The flashback ended as quickly as it came. "So I arrived here, and... well, we both know what happened next." The colt finished explaining.
The fashionista reluctantly nodded. "Quite so. Now we don't even know where Yona is or if she's okay," And she sighed. "I'll have to tell Twilight and we'll have to send out search parties. The Amity Ball will have to be cancelled. And Twilight worked so hard to bring it to the school too."
But Sandbar had an idea. "Actually, Professor Rarity, I think I know where Yona might be. Follow me!" And he dashed out the open door to make his way downstairs and exit the boutique, Rarity following close behind.
Yona had confined herself to a balcony high up in the Treehouse of Harmony connected to the newly restored Castle of the Two Sisters (which now served as a museum that gave guided tours). It wasn't exactly a secret location considering how much it stood out (almost as much as Twilight's crystal castle), but it was still in a far away place. Far enough away where the young yak felt she wouldn't be a bother to anyone.
Alone with just her thoughts, Yona began singing out to the open sky without a care as to who might hear. "Yona sad. Yona sing sad song. Sad Yona," The only feedback she received was a twitter from a bird perched in a tree nearby. And it soon flew off, now leaving Yona truly alone. "Yona no blame bird. Yona no want to be around Yona either anymore." And she started to sing again.
At that moment, Sandbar and Rarity happened to approach the treehouse's front entrance. Sandbar was able to spot Yona from a distance and called out to her. "Yona?" The only response was a panicked gasp from the yak before she retreated further into the treehouse. Immediately, Sandbar plucked up courage as he turned to Rarity. "Wait here. I think I know what Yona needs the most right now." And then he trotted up the steps and into the treehouse proper.
It didn't take long to find Yona, she was on one of the upper floors near a pillar. And she was sobbing quite audibly until a gentle poke from one of Sandbar's hooves caused her to stop. "How Sandbar find Yona here?" She questioned, her throat a tad bit raspy from all the crying she'd done.
Sandbar sat down next to the yak, gently stroking her back to calm her down as he told her. "Well, I know you pretty well by now. So I figured you'd come here. I know I'd come here if something like... that happened to me."
Yona could only shake her head and stomp her hooves. "Sandbar mean something awful and embarrassing. So awful, Yona cannot come down from treehouse ever!" She promptly tied herself to one of the nearby pillars as she pleaded. "Will Sandbar bring Yona food and water?"
"How you gonna go to the bathroom, then?" Sandbar questioned. "And how you gonna sleep?"
"...Y-Yona will find a way!" Yona insisted even as her voice cracked a bit, indicating that Sandbar's questions were giving her second thoughts about what she was doing.
The young earth pony tried to take advantage of this as he suggested. "You know, Yona. It really wasn't that bad. I doubt anypony but myself and Rarity saw it," But that caused Yona to frown and glare at him, so he sheepishly coughed into a hoof. "Okay. so maybe only a few ponies and other creatures didn't see it," He quickly whispered. "If they happened to be in Canterlot for the day," Then he added. "But anyway, it's all over now, so... will you still come to the dance with me? It'd really be a shame to miss out on all the fun we could have together."
The yak just used her horns to cut through the rope that bound her to the pillar. But once she had broken free she strolled over to another balcony and lamented. "Yona disappoint Sandbar even after Yona promise not to let Sandbar down. Yona not make very good pony."
Sandbar blinked. "Why would you think you disappointed me, Yona? And whoever said you had to be a pony? Headmare Twilight wanted the dance to be open to all creatures, not just ponies."
"Yona know," Yona slowly replied. "But Yona just want to do all the right pony things and fit in at dance! Then maybe Sandbar and Yona win best pony pal in contest. Instead, Yona win worst pony ever."
Sandbar shook his head in protest. "That's not true, Yona. You're far from the worst pony ever."
"Really? Sandbar name two ponies worse than Yona!" Yona demanded.
It took a few seconds for Sandbar to think through his reply, but he finally answered. "Well... there's Spoiled Rich, Diamond Tiara's mother. She's pretty nasty from what I hear. And, although he's turned over a new leaf, Chancellor Neighsay used to be a real butt head."
That prompted the yak to giggle. "Okay, Sandbar right. They worse."
Sandbar nodded and smiled. "I knew you'd see it my way, Yona. But the thing is, I don't care if you're a pony or not. You're the best Yona I know, the best yak I know. And I never wanted you to be anything other than what you are now," Looking up to the stars, he realized that the time had come to confess to something else. "And you know, Yona. You being you is exactly what I like about you. No, what I love about you."
Now it was Yona's turn to blink. "What Sandbar saying? Sandbar more than just Yona's friend?"
The colt smiled even as a blush started to form on his cheeks. "Yeah, though it took me a while to realize I felt the way I do now. But I've always admired you, Yona. You're strong, brave and you're never afraid to stand up for others. Even when all my other friends thought I'd betrayed them or abandoned them, you held out hope. Even for a yak you have a big heart."
Yona found herself unable to say anything, she just stared dreamily into Sandbar's eyes and became lost in their gaze as she threw herself onto Sandbar and hugged him tightly.
"So, I guess this means you love me too?" Sandbar asked as he felt his heart flutter. This was playing out even better than he might have dreamed of it playing out!
The young yak smiled. "Yona not know Sandbar have feelings for Yona. But Yona glad Sandbar finally told Yona. Yona be best girlfriend for Sandbar!"
Sandbar could only chuckle. "You don't have to be the best at everything, Yona," Then he opted to move in and plant a kiss on Yona's cheeks. "I've been waiting a long time to do that, Yona!"
Yona replied by kissing Sandbar on his cheeks. "Yona love Sandbar! Sandbar best pony a yak could have!"
At that moment, the tender embrace of the two young lovers was interrupted as Rarity appeared in the distance, clapping her hooves. "Simply magnificent. A true work of beauty!" She exclaimed! "It really warms my heart to see things working out well for you two," Then she turned to Yona. "I'm sorry I didn't give you the best advice. I focused so much on helping you fit in that I forgot that sometimes it's better to stand out."
But Yona replied. "Yona like lessons with Rarity. Yona enjoy learning how to dance like ponies dance. And dress not bad on Yona either. Yona the one who want to fit in, and Rarity help Yona do that. But now Yona know Yona not have to fit in to impress Sandbar."
"Well, if you still want to go to the dance with your new boyfriend," Rarity commented with a wink. "I may still be able to salvage that new dress I made for you. With a few modifications to compliment your natural yak fur of course."
A short time later, with Yona in her new new dress and Sandbar still wearing the black suit and matching bow tie, the young couple made their way to the School of Friendship where the Amity Ball was to take place. And they were just in time too, as DJ Scales and Tail (who was actually Spike but in his dragon costume from a few Nightmare Nights ago) was declaring over a microphone. "Oh yeah, party ponies! It's time to stomp your hooves and raise the roof for the traditional first dance of the evening: 'The Pony Cotillion'!" And it wasn't long before familiar classical music started playing.
"Come on, Yona!" Sandbar encouraged. "I can't wait to see those new dance moves you learned. We'll blow away the competition for sure."
Yona grinned. "With Yona and Sandbar together, other pony pals not stand a chance."
And indeed that was so. Sandbar and Yona's dancing outshone all other pony pals in the contest. By the end of the night it was of no surprise to the young couple when Twilight bestowed upon them the trophy for best pony pals. "Well done, you two. Never in all my life have I seen such incredible dancing," She smiled. "You especially, Yona. I like how you found a way to mix traditional pony dancing with your natural yak style."
Sandbar smiled and suggested. "Yona, you think you'd be willing to teach me how to dance like you do? It looks so fascinating."
Yona nodded. "Yona teach Sandbar, if Sandbar willing to learn. But traditional yak dancing not easy for ponies to learn."
Sandbar only chuckled. "If you can learn how to dance like a pony, I'm sure I can learn how to dance like a yak."
Yona chuckled back. "Sandbar not say he wasn't warned. Yona start teaching Sandbar tomorrow," Then she declared. "And Yona teach anyone willing to learn how to dance like yak. Lessons not cost anything." Then she and Sandbar posed for a photo to remember their big night by. Both of them would never forget what they learned about each other, or the valuable lesson they'd learned about trying too hard to "fit in".
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REALLY good job on the exchanges, characterizations, general wrap-up and future chapter/episode set-up in all the right places. Yeah, once again, you bring up some really good points in the author's notes (particularly because of the point about how the "Be Yourself" deal was done, and better, in two earlier episodes ([even if the episode was NOT a bad one - just an average one]). Yeah, basically amping up the ship teasing here makes sense. And I DID love the earlier explanations for Equestria's social gatherings.
VERY definitely looking forward to the final three chapters/episodes in this volume.