Tiny Dancer

>You look at the clock, getting an idea for the time.
>You two should probably start getting ready.
>You and Moondancer were going to play something called O&O.
>You had an idea of what it was and you were pretty excited.
>Dancer was a little nervous about bringing you along to meet the girls, but you assured her everything would be fine.
>That didn't stop her from overthinking things.
"Hey, Dancer! It's time to get ready."
>"In a second, Anon. I'm almost done building our characters."
>Oh God.
"Please keep it fun, Moon-min-maxing-dancer."
>You had seen her other character sheets.
>It was awful.
>You lean under the doorframe to find the mare muzzle deep in a pile of parchment.
>"We have to have the best build, Anon. I don't know how the girls will react to me bringing you and I don't want to screw this up."
>You look at the parchment.
>Most were scattered around her, but a good deal were just...
>You think that one is attached to the ceiling somehow.
>In the corner, two are fighting eachother.
>That...
>You tap Moondancer on the back and point to the fighting parchments.
"Should those be doing that?"
>She gives a quick look before returning to her work.
>"Yep. They're running a kind of simulation over which one would be a better character. I'm going to take the stats from the winner and modify it."
>You grimace as one of the pieces of paper tears the other a new one.
>Literally.
"That's kind of messed up."
>She shrugs as she takes a sip of what looks like Mountain Dew.
>It had some horsey pun name that you refused to use.
>"They don't feel pain, they just...run some numbers."
"...I should help you guys invent calculators."
>She nods, scratching down a few more numbers.
>"We can do that when we get back. For now, let me finish this."
>...
>You look around the room.
>You know it's a disaster, but you need another look.
>You look at Moondancer.
>Her face was covered in an orange dust, her mane was frazzled, and she needed a different sweater.
>She wore them all the time to cover up her tuft, saying it was too small.
>You put a hand on her back.
"Dancer, how long have I been gone?"
>The quill stops as she slowly turns to look at you.
>"Um, an hour or three?"
"Try again."
>Her bushy little eyebrows press together as she starts to think.
>"Four? How is this-"
"I've been out for thirty minutes, Dancer."
>You grab a cheese dust coated hoof and show it to her.
"How did you get so dirty while I was gone?"
>She stares at the hoof for a moment before her eyes slowly drift over to you.
>"Um...magic?"
>She was perfectly fine before you went to the market.
>And then you came back to this.
>Moondancers eyes look at everything but yours.
"Moondancer."
>"Now just hold on a second! When a certain level of mana buildup occurs-hey!"
>You pick her up and immediately make your way towards the door.
"If we're going to hang out with your friends, you're getting a bath."
>Dancer starts to struggle.
>"No! I'm not done! They'll be the best I ever made, Anon! The beeeeeest!"
>You chuckle to yourself as you start to crouch through the door.
>Moondancer, however, jerks back in your grip.
>"Hrng!"
>You step back, looking down to see her horn glowing.
>Looking around, you see two points on opposite sides of the doorframe doing the same.
>"I'm not done, Anon. Put me down."
>You bring her up to your chest and start thinking of the best way to go forward.
>"Oh, I know that face. That's your thinking face. Bad things happen when you bring that out so put that away."
>You rub her belly, making her wriggle.
"No."
>You lift her up and try to shove her over the two magic points.
>This does nothing other than nearly throw her over your head.
>"Hrm! Anon, please let me finish the characters. I want the girls to like you and it'll go better if you have a good character."
>You turn around and start walking backwards.
"I am not letting you go anywhere looking like that. Would you really show up at a friends house looking like that?"
>"They know what I'm like!"
>She bounces off of the barrier thingy again as soon as you reach it.
>Once you regain your footing you take a look at her.
"Exactly how bad were you before I came along?"
>You had to do a lot of cleaning around here, which you didn't mind too much since she earned quite a bit through some school.
>You cooked too, which was actually pretty enjoyable for the most part.
>Still haven't perfected anything with hay, but you'll get there.
>Dancer fiddles with her hooves as she tries to keep from looking at you.
>"I...got better after a friend came back. Plus, I'm not like some mares. I'm going to wash up for a stallion."
>You do your best to imitate a pony scrunch.
"And yet you're fighting me on taking a bath."
>Before she can respond, you keep going.
"Does that hurt a lot for you to bounce off of that?"
>She shakes her head.
>"Not really. It mostly just feels weird."
>You turn back to the door and without any warning charge it.
>Moondancer panics and the glow of her horn fizzles out.
>Not quite in time, however, for you to stop.
>You charge through the open doorway and slam into the closed door directly across from it.
>You were somewhat huddled for the charge, meaning Moondancer was protected during all of this.
>Up until you tossed her after breaking through the door.
>You lay on the floor, your will to anything gone.
>Running through doors hurt.
>Who knew?
>"Anon? Are you-ANON!"
>Oh
>At least Dancer is okay.
>You'd be upset if you hurt her.
>She reaches your side and starts to poke and prod you.
>"Okay, um...can't move a pony that might have-he's not a pony though. All those books and there's nothing on him. Oh, what do I-"
"Can I file a lawsuit against myself for negligent stupidity?"
>"ANON! Anon, are you okay? Should I go get-"
>A hand slowly rises, gently placing itself on top of Moondancer.
"I'm fine. Just need a second."
>She whines, but ends up laying down and pressing herself against you a second later.
>"I'm sorry, it's just that the rebound force multiplys with how much energy you throw at that spell, meaning we both could have seriously been hurt. But then you did get hurt and-ugh! I didn't-"
>Moondancer is silenced as you start to roll, pulling her with you onto your chest.
>Bits of the door get stuck under your back, but you ignore that for now.
>"Anon, I'm really sorry. I-"
"Sweater baby~"
>You would sing this every time she would get upset or you were trying to be sweet.
>And maybe she's not too worked up yet, but let's call this a preventative measure.
>A small smile suggests you're on the right track.
"C.L. lady, seamstress for the band~"
>You had taken to changing the lyrics the more you got to know her.
>You'll probably find a replacement for seamstress tonight.
>She wriggles around on your chest, making herself comfortable.
"Pretty eyed, nerdy smile, you'll marry a music man~"
>Probably a little early to talk about that kind of thing, but you never know.
>Moondancer stretches her neck out to nuzzle you.
>You take a hand, ever so slowly running it down her neck.
"Four-eyed scholar, you must have seen her reading in the sand~"
>You still don't know if she likes the four-eyes part or not.
>You take the hand that was on her cheek and move it to the back of her head.
>The other one moves to her rump, getting a jump and a small giggle out of her.
"And now she's in me, always with me, tiny dancer in my hand~"
>You give a squeeze with both hands, getting a small sigh out of her.
"Jesus freaks, out in the street~"
>You tried changing that to Celestia once.
>It just ended up sounding weird.
"Handing tickets out for God~"
>You have no idea how to make that one work.
>Moondancer sprawls out, all four legs draping over you and onto the floor.
"Turning back, she just laughs~"
>Moondancer slides her head over to give you another nuzzle.
"The boulevard is not that bad~"
>That one fits perfectly.
>Her house was on The Boulevard and it was pretty nice, despite the nobles complaints.
>Your one gripe was that it was just called The Boulevard.
"Piano man, he makes his stand~
In the auditorium~"
>Maybe you can fit her friends into the song too.
"Looking on, she sings the songs~
The words she knows, the tune she hums~"
>Moondancer was doing just that as you sang.
>She probably knew this song well enough to sing it herself.
"But oh, how it feels so real~
Lying here with only you near~"
>A very small, but very important change.
"Only you and you can hear me~
When I say softly, slowly~
Hold me closer, tiny Dancer~"
>The extended hooves slowly enclose around you, holding you just a bit closer.
>"You know, if you use that too much it'll lose its effect."
>You grin at Dancer, who was still staring at the floor next to your head.
"No it won't. You know why?"
>Her head slowly raises up as she turns to look at you with a skeptical look.
>"Why?"
>You extend a finger, giving her a quick boop.
"We're both hopeless romantics and we love stuff like that."
>Her mouth swings open as her brow furrows.
>"Well...I like to think of myself as a hopeful romantic."
>You chuckle as she gives you a boop this time.
>"Could you please not sing in front of the girls? I love it, but I'd never hear the end of it from them."
>You grab ahold of her as you stand up.
"What, you're not going to rub their noses that you're the only one in the group to have a guy?"
>Moondancer cranes her head up as you duck through the doorway.
>"Well, I mean...is it okay with you?"