Sandbar rapped his hoof on the wooden door. 

“Come on in!” A squeaky voice exclaimed from the inside. 

Sandbar took a deep breath and entered the room. Shock overtook him as he stared at the newly decorated room. Normally it would have streamers and banners galore, but now it had glow in the dark stars, pillows scattered throughout the room, a hint of hay to go alongside the pillows. 

The normal scent of sugar and bread that hung thick in the air was all but absent, replaced with the sweet smell of soap and shampoo, like somepony just took a bath.

“Hold on, It’ll be just a minute!” Professor Pie called out from somewhere out of view.

“Gotcha! Stay you slippery decoration!” She shouted before bounding out from behind her desk. Tangled in her mane were the same glow in the dark stars that were pasted on the ceiling. 

“Oh, Hiya Sandbar, what brings you here?” Pinkie said. “Oh! I know! Are you here to prepare for the exam on Monday? I was just preparing it. You want some help reviewing?”

“Actually…” Sandbar scratched the back of his neck. “I need some advice.”

“Sure, fire away!” Pinkie mimicked her party cannon going off. 

“Uhm…” Sandbar shifted back and forth on his hooves. “It’s kind of a long story. Can you promise to keep it a secret?”

“Oooh! I do love long stories!” Pinkie said. “Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye!” She mimed the actions, sealing the vow to keep it a secret. “Okay, go ahead…”

Sandbar’s heart was fluttering all over the place. He was sure he was safe to tell Pinkie. He considered just leaving entirely. Still, Pinkie was sitting on her haunches, smiling at him, waiting for him to go on.

“I heard through the grapevine that the school is hosting a ball. I-I uhm…” He stuttered.

“Go on! I’m not going to tell anypony!” Pinkie said.

 “I- I want to ask Yona to the dance.” Sandbar finally blurted. 

Pinkie’s grin grew wider. “five seconds, please.” She snagged a nearby pillow and covered her muzzle and screamed.

Sandbar reeled back. 

Pinkie threw the pillow back to the side. She tapped her front hooves together. Sandbar hadn’t seen somepony… or technically somegriff this excited since Gallus discovered stairs. 

“Well, what are you waiting for, silly pony?! Go on and ask her!”

“I-I.” Sandbar lowered his head. “I can’t”

“What do you mean you can’t?” Pinkie said. “Is she not around? Oh no… did she get taken by an Ursa Minor? We should go and rescue her immedi-¬”

“No… it’s not that.” Sandbar said.

“Then… what’s the matter?” Pinkie asked. 

“I’m afraid.” Sandbar said. 

“Afraid of what?” Pinkie lifted his head.

“What if she says ‘no’?” Sandbar said. 

“Pssh, Sandbar. She would never say ‘no’. She’s your friend!” Pinkie said.

“But what if she is already asked?” Sandbar’s warmth left his body. His heart dropped to the bottom of his chest. “I mean, what if Gallus beat me to it? Then all my friends would laugh at me for being too slow. I would be laughing stock for the rest of the school year…”

Pinkie snickered “They wouldn’t laugh at you. If anything, I don’t find anything about that funny at all.” 

“Also, I have no idea if Yaks would find it insulting if I ask them to dance? I’m afraid I might do something to insult her…” Sandbar scratched a sweaty foreleg with his hoof. “I asked Professor Applejack first, but she recommended I talk with you since you are familiar with Yakyakistan culture.”

“Stop being a worry-wart!” She chuckled. “You got nothing to worry about!”

Sandbar raised an eyebrow. “Didn’t Prince Rutherford smash a lot of things in Ponyville a couple months ago because the decorations weren’t quite right?”

“I take it that the test on Yakyakistan didn’t do you any favors.” Pinkie said. “Yona is nice. She understands that pony culture is way different from yak culture. If there is something bugging her, she’ll always tell you.”

Sandbar smiled. Why was he so nervous asking a cute yak out? She didn’t get angry that much… and when she did, it was quick, and didn’t do much damage. Still, he couldn’t find the right words to say. Were there right words to say?

“I know you are scared to ask her, but just imagine how she would feel if she didn’t get asked.” Pinkie’s ears drooped. “I met countless ponies who never got asked to a dance. It is extremely hard to make them smile after that.”

Pinkie did have a point. He imagined Yona, curled up in her dorm room under countless blankets, sulking throughout the night.

“The worse thing you can do is not ask.” Pinkie said.

“Still, what if I mess up? What if I make a buffoon out of myself? What if I can’t find the right words?” 

Her smirk twisted as her tongue peeked out of her lips, like she was thinking deeply about something. She grabbed a nearby bulb and lifted it over her head. The bulb illuminated as her wide grin returned. It was odd, however, that her mane didn’t revert to its ratty and curly state. “Ah ha! Give me a minute!” She bounded towards the closet and disappeared inside. He could hear the faint clattering of cymbals, honks of horns, and nasally squeaks of kazoos as Pinkie rummaged in her closet. Every so often, a random item would fall out, like a rug, or a plate, and weirdly enough… a vinyl disk.

Sandbar took a deep breath and smiled at Pinkie’s antics. Just classic Professor Pinkie being Professor Pinkie.

“And done!” Pinkie exited the closet. Sandbar had to hold in a laugh as he found Pinkie’s appearance to be… very convincing.

Pinkie had a yak helmet (given to her as a gift) atop her head. Her coat was long and fuzzy. Atop her back was the rug she dropped from earlier. Her mane was braided and looped. “Here, I’ll help you… I’ll be Yona, and you’ll be Sandbar!”

Sandbar nodded, stifling another laugh as she approached.

Pinkie pointed a hoof at Sandbar “You go first.”

“He-Hey, Yona, can I ask you something?” 

Pinkie lowered her voice. “Yes, Sandbar?” She fluttered her eyes and smiled expectantly.

“I-I was wondering…” Sandbar quivered. “W-would you like to go to the dance with me?” He wheezed.

“Parrdon?” Pinkie cupped and ear with her hoof “I’m sorry, Yona’s ears are not very good since Zuezaphone is loud.”

“I-I was wondering…” Sandbar stood a little taller. “If you would go out to the dance with me?”

“LOUDER!” Pinkie screamed.

Sandbar squeezed his eyes shut and shouted “Yona! I was wondering if you would go out to the dance with me!”

Pinkie squealed “Oh, Sandbar! Yes! When do you want to pick Yona up?”

“Uhm,” Sandbar glanced at the clock. “Four-thirty?”

“Perfect! I will be waiting in my dorm!” Pinkie winked and trotted back to the closet. 

After a few more whistles and strums of instruments, Pinkie emerged, back to her normal self. 

“Thank you, Professor.” Sandbar said.

“You’re very welcome!” Pinkie bowed. “Anyways, run along! Yona is waiting for you!”

Sandbar nodded and bolted out the door. He never had this feeling before- it was warm, like friendship, it was empowering like honesty, it was motivating like loyalty. But, most of all, he was going to do the impossible: He was going to ask Yona out to the dance.