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Fanfic / A Dance on the Mats

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A Dance on the Mats cover picture

Rainbow Dash has always been an incredible fighter, the best in Canterlot High and the region, but when a new student shows up, she struggles to keep the title. Even more surprising, however, is that the student is a boy.

Anonymous is different than every guy Dash has ever met. Strong, confident, and more than capable of handling himself, it's no wonder Canterlot High's star athlete has taken an interest in him. When he shows her just how strong he is, however, it shakes Rainbow Dash to her very core.

With a desire to reclaim her title, Dash throws everything she has into defeating Anon, wanting to prove her strength and earn Anon's respect. Yes, his respect, and nothing more...

A Dance on the Mats is a My Little Pony: Equestria Girls one-shot fanfiction by Kind of Brony.


Tropes Are:

  • Always Someone Better: Anon is this to Rainbow Dash, and it feeds into her insecurities.
  • Belligerent Sexual Tension: Rainbow and Anon have this almost literally, since they are regular sparring partners. The latter snarks with Dash and teases her, while the former feels the need to prove to Anon how tough she is.
  • Best Her to Bed Her: Gender Inverted. It is Rainbow Dash who feels she must defeat Anon to date him/ note . Subverted, since Dash doesn't manage to win, but she still scores a date with Anon anyways.
  • Boxing Lessons for Superman: Rainbow is already a tough athlete, but needs extra training from her friends in order to take down Anon.
  • Camp Gay: Played with with Caramel. He's pretty touchy-feely with Anon and is a bit of a weakling. However, considering the setting, he is considered to be standard for most men, which is why Anon doesn't notice his attraction until the end of the story.
  • Chick Magnet: Anon as a downplayed example. All of the Rainbooms appreciate Anon's handsome looks, but only Rainbow (and Caramel) shows explicit romantic interest in him.
  • Clingy Jealous Girl: Rainbow doesn't bring her friends to her spars with Anon because she fears they'll grab his attention away from her, due to them having more height and curves than she does. It is played for some drama, as a sign of Rainbow's deep insecurities.
  • Condescending Compassion:
    • Played With. Anon is genuinely caring and respectful of Rainbow Dash after he injures her during their fight, but Rainbow sees it as a sign that he doesn't respect her.
    • Due to being in a Lady Land, Anon receives this from others despite being a genuine tough guy. Rainbow Dash is the only exception who can give him a decent brawl.
  • Deadpan Snarker: Anon. Rainbow Dash and other characters have their moments too.
    Anon: "Wow, getting serious, are we? You know, a technique like that could cave in a guy's rib cage... if it wasn't from somebody who weighs a hundred-twenty pounds soaking wet."
  • Deliberate Values Dissonance: It is a Lady Land setting where men are seen as the weaker, fairer sex, so it is a given. A muscular man being a good brawler is seen as ridiculous In-Universe. Rainbow's friends don't actually believe that Anon and Rainbow have spars.
  • Everyone Can See It: Dash's friends can clearly see that Rainbow is attracted to Anon, even when he can't see it, and she can't admit it to herself.
  • Fish out of Water: Anon, who is from our world, is confused and frustrated by a world where he is considered weak despite being a tough guy.
  • Guy on Guy Is Hot: Twilight and Fluttershy are...ecstatic when Anon reveals that Caramel has a gay crush on him. Fluttershy even has a Nosebleed.
  • Heroic BSoD: Rainbow suffers one when she feels Anon doesn't respect her at all. She spends a whole weekend isolating herself from everyone.
  • Hot Men at Work: Invoked by Caramel, who has a crush on Anon and likes having him do heavy chores and lifting.
  • Humble Hero: Downplayed. Anon does respect Rainbow Dash's skills and offers her compliments, but he's not afraid to throw some snark at her for fun.
  • Hunk: Anon: tall, muscular, and with a perfect jawline.
  • Lady Land: The setting is a Equestria Girls world with reverse gender roles. Women are considered the gender that is supposed to be tough, while men are considered the fairer gender. The central conflict comes from Rainbow feeling insecure due to losing to Anon.
  • Logical Latecomer: Anon who is confused by the magical powers of the Rainbooms, and the inverted social norms.
  • Lovable Jock: Anon is a tough fighter and throws some shade, but he is a decent guy who refuses to hurt someone severely and gives honest praise to his opponents.
  • Mr. Fanservice: Anon is described as muscular and well-built. Justified considering he is trained and skilled fighter. Applejack accuses Rainbow Dash of being distracted by his muscles.
  • Nice Guy: Anon, who is a decent, but snarky, guy.
  • The Power of Friendship: Both the fantastic and mundane variants of this trope appear in this story. The fantastic involves the Rainbooms discovering their love for one another can allow them to heal each other's injuries with magic. The mundane involves the Rainbooms helping Rainbow impress/attract Anon.
  • Skewed Priorities: Parodied. The Rainbooms consider going to class as less important than helping their friend deal with her feelings toward Anon. Even that takes precedent over their discovery that their friendship magic can give them healing powers.
    Pinkie Pie: "So, like, we're just kinda putting the fact that we have magic mumbo-jumbo healing powers on the back burner?What if it can cure cancer...? No? Yeah, you're right, boys come first."
  • Snark-to-Snark Combat: Rainbow Dash and Anon do this, along with their more traditional combat.
  • Strong and Skilled: Anon who is a skilled fighter with the muscle to go with it.
  • Weak, but Skilled: Somewhat downplayed with Rainbow Dash. She definitely is a skilled brawler, but she's shit out of a luck when faced with the Strong and Skilled Anon. Even with her extra training, she still loses, but not without impressing him at least.

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