“I don’t know when the last time I heard you put on classical music was.”

Tender breathed in deeply, already standing on only one toe, before turning his head to see his teacher. Well, peer, as she would tell him to call her, but it was hard for him. After all, he had known Lightfoot for his entire life, and seeing her as anything other than a teacher was hard. At least… Without letting himself go into childhood fantasies.

Not that too many stallions would blame him. Lightfoot was considered a beauty, even amongst Ponyville’s exquisite mares, without an ounce of fat on her body, and supple, palm sized breasts that were almost always outlined by some sort of leotard or body suit that she wore for performances and fun. Today’s choice was a white one that only covered the bare necessities, allowing her soft, blue fur to blend well with it. It was a sight that would take the breath of a lesser man, and almost did Tender’s with everything that had happened to him.

He was trying to be careful after Scootaloo though, and before he could possibly wish for anything wrong, he used his third wish for the day to swap the music to a second disk in the player that played more Prance, rather than Beethooven. “Oh, well, I guess I’m not now.”

Lightfoot let out a small chuckle as her wings beat behind her, the wind they kicked up making her long, dark purple hair sway with her silent steps. Of course, she wasn’t just showing off her wings, and Tender cursed as he had to put down his foot and grab the bar next to him before he lost his balance entirely from the gust. He knew he shouldn’t need to do anything like that anymore, even when distracted, so wh-

“Calm down, Tender.” Lightfoot tapped on the music player in the small studio, swapping it back to the classical notes that it had been playing before, before giving him a small smile. “You’ve been out of balance for a while now, and I sense that it has been getting worse recently. Wouldn’t you agree?”

Tender opened his mouth to disagree, before glancing into the mare’s soft, green eyes. They were just as kind and concerned as they always were, and that was just as much a problem as it always had been. Then again, the older mare was a master at such things, usually so as to help tough boys and girls open up about not wanting to dance, but with Tender… “Can I just claim it to be the falls recently?”

Lightfoot let out a small sigh as she shook her head before she opened her arms up to him. “I’m taking a break from practicing for the aquatic play I have coming up, and you seem like you’re taking a much needed break from that hip hop crap Sweetie does, so why don’t we relax together? A few waltzes around the room, and I’ll let you wait to tell me about your mare troubles.”

“What makes you think it’s mare troubles?”

“I saw Apple Bloom run out on Thursday. Also, I always hoped her bras were padded, because I did not need another dancer whose got tits bigger than mine.”

Tender blushed at the comment, as his teacher’s chest was the one place one might call her lacking, especially since, while it was toned, her ass was surprisingly wide. She blamed it on being a quarter zebra. He blamed it on his luck.

Still… Tender opened his arms too, and the two said nothing as they came together. It wasn’t anything new for the two after all. Almost as simple as saying hello, but their smiles betrayed the past. Of the first time Tender was taught even the box step that was so crucial to a beginner’s ability to waltz, taught to him when he was told he was a sissy for the first time. The first time he learned to spin Lightfoot after her children left her house. The first time he lifted her up when he graduated.

The waltz was his home, and with the classical music on, he lost himself to it, not even noticing as first Lightfoot, and then the world, began to blur and bleed as wisps of blue and white filled the aether. No, this world didn’t even phase Tender as he continued to dance with a being now made of nothing, his mind working as he added steps to the regular routines, the classic steps becoming warped by his own feet into something new. Something more.

And the spirit in his arms smiled at him as it caressed his cheek. “It’s Sunday. A day of rest, and the beginning to a new week. As such, I bless upon you a gift for the new week. A wish to truly grant you power. Grant your desires. One that can change the rules we play by. You merely need to ask for it, and for it to be one that fulfils upon me.”

The world turned red for a moment, becoming the studio for a second as Tender’s mind went to the falls. To him crashing against the ground, but the spirit merely put a finger to his lips. “No. That is beyond my powers, and something you must figure out. As for the girls,” as other spirits drifted into the plane, “think bigger. Think better. Getting them to ignore you, or be honest with you… You could do such things if you pleased. I want something exciting. Something from you. Something that makes me believe I was right with this gift.”

“Now, please, go home, and continue to be you.”

And like that, an hour had passed, Tender was drenched in sweat, and Lightfoot panted beside him. “Wow! I’ve never been your partner when you make something new, but that was spectacular! Do you think you could do that again?”

Tender blinked a few times, his legs remembering the steps vaguely, and he began to take a few tentative steps. Yes, he could feel the steps. Feel the trance he had let himself go into, but without Lightfoot in his arms, and his eyes open, watching where he went…

Crash!

Author's Note

So yeah, I described the rules for this one in the chapter, but I want to make a couple things clear. A) This was planned before this story went quiet, I just was bad about writing it, and B) think big... And think of what may make opportunities, rather than just bring a quick end to things. And no, I won't be super pretentious, so if like half of you are asking for every mare in Equestria to get a free boob job, I'm not about to tell you all no.

Also, between the last chapter and now, I released a new book! It would mean a lot to me if you would check it out, or the story that came before it, since it is a sequel.