Dancer's Night School for Stallions

The pegasus paused a few feet from the hotel, checking over her list once more.

First stop, a cafe to soak in some of the local flavor. Easy enough! After that, maybe some shopping, see what I can hear around the market. After that, start on my lesson plan for Tuesday night. With a nod, she rolled up the scroll and tucked it away, taking off at a brisk trot down the road towards the market district of Ponyville.

She had awakened that morning still tangled in the saffron forelegs of her coltfriend, feeling incredibly rested. After waking him and returning his favor from the previous evening, she had sucked down half a pot of coffee while looking over her paperwork again. Feeling refreshed and energized, she swept her dark purple mane up into a high tailed style upon her head, tying it with a fluttery pink ribbon that matched her saddlebags. A small dab of mascara and a sweep of blush later, and she felt ready to tackle the day.

As she cantered towards downtown Ponyville, she mulled over her strategy. Getting mares to open up about something as personal as sex was not an easy feat. While it wasn’t something that had a large amount of shame or stigma attached to it, it was still a deeply personal thing. Her hooves thudded mutely on the damp road as her mind rolled over the ways she could find the root of the problem, aside from re-reading her reports. The personal touch is what she prided herself on, and Ponyville would be no different than Fillydelphia or Trottingham in that respect.

Spying a cosy restaurant with outdoor seating to her right, she picked up her pace and trotted over, her soft and friendly smile appearing as she grew closer. Hooves expertly threading around puddles left by the runoff of the awning, she requested an outdoor table for one. The hostess, a lovely tan mare with two coconuts on her flank, sat her and rattled off the specials while Dancer feigned interest.

After settling on a cup of tea and some scrambled eggs, the coconut mare left and the pegasus was left to take in the town. Being a more rustic village, Ponyville had woken up many hours ago and the air was filled with cheerful greetings and ponies setting up their sales stands for the day. A large red stallion passed by hauling a cart of hay, and a cheerful tan mare with a pink and blue mane waved to him as she trotted past. A nice, quiet town.

A good place to raise foals, probably. She knew the teacher, Cheerilee, personally, and knew she was amazing at teaching the young ones. Crime was lower here than in Fillydelphia as well. Her eyes focused on nothing in particular, one hoof worrying at the table beneath it.

A lovely town. The saviors of Equestria lived here. Cloudsdale was a short flight away if she were so inclined to return there... but she wasn’t sure she would be. And Summer, she had to think of Summer. The city might be rough and more expensive, but everything they needed was there. Everything he needed. Raising a foal there, eventually, wouldn’t be so bad.

Not too bad at all.

Right?

Voices drifted to her over the wind, shaking her out of her thoughts. Two, both female, and coming to the cafe. Well, that’s a start! Dancer sat back as her tea arrived, taking it in her hooves carefully and sipping it as two mares were led to the patio, grateful for the distraction. One, a white unicorn mare, Dancer had heard of before. A dress designer and saviour of Equestria several times over, she recalled, and one of the Elements of Harmony. The other was a yellow unicorn mare that she didn’t recognize, but that had the same bearing and grace as the first.

They were seated a table away from her. Well, if I just so happen to overhear what they’re saying, that’s not really my fault, is it? Smiling to herself, she settled back into her seat and pulled out some of her paperwork to mull over.

“...and as I was saying, dear, how did things go with that dashing stallion I’ve heard so much about?” That was Rarity, and she could almost hear her eyes batting.

A snort came, presumably from the yellow mare. “He’s a nice enough sort, and our dates have been wonderful so far for the most part. I suppose I shouldn’t really complain, but he just seems like he’s in a rush, if you get my meaning.”

A couple of titters and some shuffling. Dancer sipped her tea, rolling the flavors over her tongue.

“I daresay they all are, these days. There’s none of that gentlecolty care these days. I know I told you what happened with that boorish Prince Blueblood, ugh. I can’t imagine the disaster that would have been had it gotten to the bedchamber.”

The Prince? Now, this was interesting gossip she hadn’t yet heard. Her ears perked and swiveled of their own accord, head turning slightly before she remembered herself and settled back, training her eyes back on her papers.

Some whispers. Some giggles.

“I beg your pardon, dear, I didn’t realise we were bothering you.” Rarity’s voice floated to Dancer, who turned in her seat with a smile.

“Not at all. I apologize for overhearing, but I do tend to perk up when gossip is mentioned. Very sorry!” What was she thinking, more or less spying on one of the heroes of Equestria? She mentally facehoofed and sank down into her chair.

“Oh, you hadn’t heard? I was certain everypony had heard about the disaster at the Gala.” She tittered again, and Dancer turned in her seat with an amiable smile pasted on.

“I hadn’t-I’m not from Ponyville or even Canterlot. I’m from Fillydelphia, I’m just visiting this week.” Another sip of tea, her shifting wings the only indication of how nervous she was.

An alabaster hoof traced the rim of a teacup, azure eyes looking at the pegasus curiously. “Fillydelphia, you said? I’ve never been there myself. Oh, but like I was saying,” her gaze turning friendly again as she lifted her cup in her magic, “the girls and I had gone to the Grand Galloping Gala. I’d been so excited to meet the Prince, convinced he would be charming and sweep me off my feet!” She swooned at this, one foreleg coming up across her forehead dramatically.

Both Dancer and the lemon unicorn chuckled at this display, Rarity’s friend prodding her with a hoof. “Oh, do go on and get to the good part.”

Clearing her throat, the white unicorn shot a look at her friend before continuing. “Anyway, he turned out to be the most ill-mannered member of royalty I had ever had the misfortune of meeting! He insisted upon my doing everything for him, from giving him the best seats, to opening doors for him, to ruining my cape with water so that his hooves wouldn’t get wet in a puddle! And he was terribly rude to my dear friend Applejack and insulted her cooking. The worst of it was when he used me as a pony shield against some cake flung across the dance floor!” She huffed at the memory, flicking a violet curl smartly out of her face before continuing.

“I daresay I lost my temper at that point. It was, admittedly, not very ladylike of me. I shook the cake back onto his coat and gave him what for!” Smiling proudly, she sipped her tea, eyes closed and head held high.

Once she realized that Rarity wasn’t planning to continue, the lemon unicorn butted in. “And then, Rarity’s best friend unleashed a horde of animals into the ballroom, destroyed it, and the six of them ran out and left it for somepony else to deal with.” She sat back, satisfied with the sudden reddening of her friend’s face. At Rarity’s angry glare, the lemon unicorn merely smiled and waved a hoof to her.

Dancer fully enjoyed the story, giggling at Rarity’s discomfort. “Well, good thing you dodged that particular bullet! A shame the Prince was like that, but I’m sure most stallions are not. Your Prince Charming may not be a Prince at all, after all.” She nibbled quickly at the eggs that had just arrived, quite famished from her exertion that morning.

“I don’t know about all that. They’ve been getting more and more selfish as time passes.” Rarity finished up her tea, and put some bits on the table. “We do have to get going now, but it was lovely to meet you, Miss...?”

“You can call me Dancer.” Dancer stood as well, bits on the table and ready to go. Bobbing her head to Rarity, she smiled. “It was very nice to meet you. Perhaps we shall meet again while I am in town.”

“Certainly, dear. I run the Carousel Boutique here in town, you ought to stop by and get some new fashions to wear back in Fillydelphia.” The alabaster unicorn’s eyes twinkled. “With your coloration, you would look just wonderful in my new spring line. You ought to stop by if you have the time!”

“Of course! See you later, ladies.” Sliding the bags on again, brown wings stretched out and she took off, flying higher and higher over the town as she mulled over the issues presented. Selfish ponies. Selfish lovers. Selfish stallions. To want your mare to do something for you is fine, certainly, but to demand it, while giving nothing back? Unacceptable.

Spotting a familiar orange pegasus on the ground, she quickly and quietly landed before she was seen and trotted up to join him. Wouldn’t do for him to see her flying. She sighed internally before pulling him close with a wing, nuzzling his neck. “Hey, you. Any luck?”

The stallion snickered and kissed the top of her nose. “Indeed. I have some notes for you to go over back at the hotel. For now, why don’t we just enjoy the town?” A saffron wing swept out, indicating the stalls of fresh produce and flowers, the buzzing town full of life.

Dancer cuddled up closer as they walked. “Sounds marvelous, my dear.” Cobalt eyes glanced up at the sky only briefly before closing again, leaning against her lover as they went deeper into the market.

It was all worth it.