The unicorn mare stood behind the counter, taking in the misted scent of her latest perfume creation. The fragrance was subtle, but distinct. The resulting aroma consisted of a tasteful mixture of various floral ingredients, invoking a sense of both a field of blossoms, and the airy lightness of a pleasantly warm, but breezy day. She called it, Breath of Spring.
Setting the sample perfume bottle back among its sisters, Lilac Essence turned her dark brown eyes in anticipation to the shop's entrance, her deep purple bangs swaying subtly with the motion. Her mane was tied up in an elegant, yet simplistic half-bun, the loose length of which hung smoothly to about a hoof's-length below the base of her neck. Her coat, a contrastly lighter shade of lavender, was adorned with an image of a twig of lilac blossoms, lying at a slight tilt with a glass perfume bottle standing behind it.
The corners of Lilac's mouth twinged upwards upon catching sight of a gentlestallion through the store window just aside the door - her third customer of the day. The white unicorn enveloped the door handle with a honey-yellow aura of magic, swinging it gracefully open before walking inside, a little bell over the door frame tinkling delightedly as he entered. The stallion paused, scanning the shop briefly before turning his head to look to Lilac Essence with his monocled gaze.
"Welcome to Enchanting Essences," she said, smiling, "the home of the best perfumes and colognes in all of Canterlot. How may I assist you?"
The gentlestallion's petite moustache curled up at the tips ever so slightly more as he smiled. "Greetings, young lady. I come seeking a gift for my marefriend. Show me which of your wares are the finest, as nothing but the absolute best shall do."
"I see you are a stallion of refined taste, good sir. But I think you will find that all of the fragrances at Enchanting Essences are only of the most superb quality."
"Yes... well..." He seemed slightly taken aback by her response, obviously having hoped to conclude this matter in a more succinct fashion, as most stallions do when visiting an unfamiliar shop in which the clientele are predominately known to be made up of female individuals.
Lilac smiled in understanding. "Perhaps you could describe your significant other's personality or previously favored perfumes? Even a brief description of her appearance might be helpful in discerning a choice that would suit her."
"I'm afraid I am not the most adept at describing things, but I shall do my best." The stallion paused, his expression betraying deep thought before he continued. "I'm afraid her previous favorites when it comes to perfumes is what brings me here in the first place. Make no mistake, she has excellent taste in many things, yet I find that when it comes to perfume her good sense, unfortunately, does not extend. She wears fragrances that tend more towards the heavy, jarring sort of aromatic mixture, rendering the odor nigh-on to the cusp of repugnancy - the propensity for which, I assume, is ultimately derived from the influence of the aunt who raised her, who possessed a very strong sort of personality.
"I feel that something lighter, of a more subtle nature would be more fitting for my dear fiancé. Her coat is a pristine white, and her mane several shades of light pink. She is a graceful unicorn with eyes of violet, a wisp of a mare with a very delicate frame, and in personality is quiet yet notable; obliging yet persuasive; modest yet chic. Her profession was that of a model before we met."
"Oh dear," Lilac said, chuckling. "It appears you describe things very poorly, indeed," she teased, eliciting a rather sheepish grin from the stallion, who now realized he had actually conveyed his meaning quite well. "But rest assured," she continued. "I shall do my best to accommodate your request in spite of your unfortunate failings."
Lilac Essence thought for a moment, glancing between the bottles within her selection of airier perfumes which sat on a row of shelves against the far wall. With an almost indiscernible nod to herself, she took a tall thin bottle into her magical white aura from across the room, bringing it closer to herself, and proceeding to hold it just a few hooves above the counter, that distance remaining constant but for the slightest bobbing fluctuations as she kept it afloat in the air. "Perhaps this perfume will satisfy your requirements," she told him, pressuring her magic upon the top, causing a lightly scented spray to pass just short of her customer's snout, directed perpendicular to his position as opposed to directly towards him.
The stallion inhaled the aroma deeply, a smile curving his lips and his eyes creasing at the corners as they closed in ecstasy. The fragrance invoked a sense of the most pleasing gentility, radiating of cherry blossoms and clover in an ethereally vibrant garden. He even detected a faint, but poignantly pleasing hint of chamomile and newly fallen rain in the undertones. His eyes slid open, his expression equally dazed and delighted. "That is precisely the scent that would suit her." He beamed. "I shall take several!"
"As you wish," Lilac responded sweetly, placing the bottle, and two others like it into a pale purple bag. She rang the total up on the cash register for three 'Tea Garden' perfumes, immediately presenting the gentlestallion with the total.
"And who shall I make the check out to?" he asked, holding the bill aloft in his magic.
"Lilac Essence," the mare replied politely.
The gentlestallion produced a pen from his dark dress-coat pocket along with a checkbook, proceeding to fill a slip of paper out with the relevant information. Once finished, he tore the page from the checkbook and levitated it over to the countertop. "There you are," he said. "I'm sure you'll find everything in order."
Lilac lifted the check to her gaze, scanning the newly drawn ink, verifying that there had been no errors. Suddenly, her eyes widened when she saw the signature, written with an astutely cursive flair. "Fancy Pants?" she remarked in astonishment, lowering the check. "Surely not THE Fancy Pants, the toast of high society?"
The gentlestallion grinned roguishly. "One and the same," he responded. "On the behalf of my fiancé as well as myself, I thank you for your assistance." With that, he took the bag into his sunny-hued aura and turned to leave the shop with a smile on his face, leaving Lilac Essence with a shocked expression as she gaped in the wake of his departing hoofsteps. "Oh, and by the way," Fancy said, looking to her over his shoulder with a sly suavity. "I shall most certainly be recommending your establishment to my peers."
Lilac Essence blinked and he was gone, the door only just swinging to a close, causing the little bell to pierce the air with a triumphant ringing. The pony who was perhaps the most influential among the Canterlot elite had just been in her shop. And bought her perfume. And said he'd recommend others visit her little business as well. Lilac's form began to waver slightly side to side, and she quickly decided that she'd better find a chair before she fainted.
---*---
Fancy Pants turned yet another corner along one of Canterlot's many streets. He suddenly caught sight of Fleur de Lis, waving to him from a seat at an umbrella table - just outside the sidewalk café where they'd agreed to meet. He beamed at the sight of his lover, her smile bright and her eyes sparkling. She was so beautiful, and it always lifted his spirits profoundly every time he saw that she was glad to see him, like it was still the most wonderful surprise. He trotted over in her direction, carrying her gift in his magic.
Upon reaching her, he set the bag beside the seat across from her and went over to her side. "How are you, my dear?" he asked, giving her a quick, but adoring peck on the cheek.
Fleur giggled softly. "Hello, Fancy," she greeted him. "I'm well."
Fancy took his place facing her, as it afforded him the best view - not so much of the elegant buildings and such, but of his precious bride-to-be. He smiled warmly. "Have you ordered for us yet?" he asked.
Fleur tossed her hair with a forehoof and batted her eyelashes, a mannerism not unlike the many she had needed to emulate in order to become a successful model; but those mannerisms were becoming less and less pronounced since her resignation as a model, which she had turned in upon accepting his proposal. Fancy knew that eventually those old habits would die away completely given enough time in her new role. She was now free to simply be herself, the demure and charming young mare he loved so dearly, his beloved princess who permitted him a happiness unlike any he had known before in his lifetime.
"Are you listening, Fancy?"
His marefriend's words pulled him from his reverie. "Hmm? Oh. Yes, go on my dear."
Fleur rolled her eyes with a playful smile. "I just said I ordered our usual, darling. You asked me, after all. Am I boring you already?"
Fancy caught himself mid-laugh. "You? Bore me? Never, my darling." He reached a forehoof out across the table, which she took in hers. The two simply sat there for a while, just smiling at one another.
"I love you, Fancy," she told him, the soft sunlight behind her causing her white coat to shine out at the edges, having a most angelic halo effect.
"And I you, Fleur," he told her gently, his gaze fervent. She reflexively laughed delightedly in response, doing her best to her to stifle her melodic mirth with a free hoof.
"You need to stop doing that!" she trilled shyly, rosy coloring now visible in her cheeks.
"What?" he asked innocently, smiling wryly all the while.
"Just... looking at me like that and... saying things that way. You keep making me giggle! I'm starting to feel childish!"
"Then I'm afraid I shall simply have to put up with a childish, giggling wife for the rest of my days," he responded with a widening smile.
"Oh, you!" She gently swatted at his hoof with her own in an adoringly playful gesture.
Fancy beamed, then remembering something, looked down beside him to his most recent purchase. He turned back to his fiancé, smiling a secret smile. "I brought you something, my love."
Fleur raised an eyebrow. "Fancy, we talked about this," she said seriously. "You need to stop buying me so many things. That's the fifth one this week!"
"This one is smaller," he insisted, his voice pleading as he lifted the bag with his magic, bringing it over to her side of the table.
"You're going to spoil me!" she objected, though that smile of hers already effectively betrayed her pleasure at being thought of so often and so fondly.
"Open it, my dear."
Fleur sighed and shook her head, but ultimately smiled as she did as he'd asked. Placing the bag in her lap, she loosed the ribbon that held the top closed and parted the opening. Reaching in with her magical aura of light pink, she produced one of the elegant glass bottles. "Oh, it's perfume!" she said excitedly. She immediately sprayed a little into the air, taking in the pleasurable aroma in all of its sweetness. Fleur sighed again, this time in relaxation. "It's lovely, Fancy. But you really didn't have to. You know, I already have the perfume my aunt gave me."
Fancy Pants did his utmost to suppress his grimace and forced a smile. "I thought it suited you better, my love. Anyway, you're going to be my wife. You needn't concern yourself with using up the last of some old reserve. If you prefer this, then this is what you should wear."
Fleur flashed Fancy a knowing a smile. "You don't like my aunt's perfume, do you?"
Fancy did his best to assuage her suspicions, his expression turning markedly innocent, eyes awide in a show of shock. "Whatever do you mean, my dear?" he inquired, sounding mildly aghast.
Fleur laughed heartily at his response, but in a most ladylike manner - the same way she did everything. "Very well, Fancy," she said, shooting him a grin. "I'll use this one from now on."
"Oh thank goodness," he blurted, unable to conceal his relief, his response causing Fleur to giggle again.
Just then, a waiter came to their table, carrying a few dishes on his tray. He promptly placed them in front of the couple and murmured the customary well-wishes that they enjoy their meal. The stallion then vanished just as quickly as he had appeared.
Fancy Pants took a napkin into his forehooves and unfolded it, placing it neatly on his lap.
"Fancy?"
He looked up at Fleur again, his eyebrow raised.
"Thank you... Really. It's perfect."
Fancy smiled a deeply genuine smile. "In that case, my dear," he said warmly. "I'd say that it truly suits you."
~ Fini ~
Author's Note
Please direct your grammar and spelling corrections to PM. Thank you. 
