Le Très Fin

Several days later…

Linen closed the book that had been captivating his attention for the past hour. He checked the time. One-twenty. "I should assume that today shall be another day Rarity will not be visiting. Though I should have foreseen this. The Carousel Boutique has been experiencing very few customers after the Ballroom Blitz… Perhaps I should go check on her…"

"Chirp!"

"Ah, Sable, will you be accompanying me?" he asked upon standing.

The bat offered a happy squeak for an answer. She landed upright on his back and draped her wings over both sides of him. He adorned his coat and boots before leaving out into the snow-covered outside. Ponyville glistened with the newly fallen snow. Cheers and other sounds of fun and enjoyment echoed from over the buildings between him and Ponyville's center. He thought back to the night before at Cotton's excitement.

"I hope that Cotton can contain himself", he said to Sable, "You and I know how reckless he can be when excited. Though I can't say I blame him. The education system in Trottingham didn't recognize the first snowfall as a reason to release students. Especially in September. I would be skeptical of Cloudsdale's weather teams had Rarity not have informed me of Ponyville's septennial tradition of premature spring and winter."

"Scree!"

"Yes, yes", Linen replied, "I am going."

Linen left his porch, and was surprised to find that his hooves sunk three feet! He shivered, "P-Perhaps I should add stockings to my weaving list."

With frostbite imminent Linen quickly trudged through the deep powder. Sable clung to him to conserve heat. Her claws dug into his fur, causing him a ton of discomfort. It was all the more reason to quicken his pace into small leaps to get through the snow. Some of the on looking mares giggled at the struggle the tailor was going through. Upon one jump, somepony had grabbed him by the hooves and lifted him through the air. Sable screeched and let go to fly beside her master.

Linen looked up to see Fluttershy smiling down at him. "Thank you, Fluttershy."

"You're welcome", she replied.

It turned out she knew exactly where he was going, for she flew him right to the front door of the Carousel Boutique. She set him down on the shoveled ground and gently landed beside him. "I saw you were going my way, so I you would enjoy the ride."

"I did, Fluttershy, sore wa hijō ni tanoshikatta."

"Watashi wa anata ga sore o kiniitte kurete ureshī", she replied coolly. She giggled at his surprised expression. "You aren't the only in Ponyville who can speak Japonies."

"Aheh. I see. You are fluent?"

"Well, Daylight is teaching me, but it's not perfect."

"I have been studying for many, many years and not even I am perfect", he said to make her feel better. He opened the door to allow the two girls to enter and meet the third inside.

"Be sure to wipe your hooves!" Rarity called after the ring of the bell.

Linen skipped obliging and simply removed his boots covered with grass that stuck to them with the snowy adhesive. Fluttershy led the way to the back, where Rarity's voice had come from. They found her stitching away happily at a dress that was, from what Linen could deduce, forced onto Applejack. The Earth Pony pretended not to see them, which is what he could have expected of her. He didn't directly address her, and it seemed Fluttershy had the same idea.

"I'll be right with you in a moment!" Rarity chimed with her back to them.

"Perhaps I should return another time? You seem to have your hooves full", Linen suggested slyly with a push of his glasses up to his eyes.

"Linen!" Rarity exclaimed, turning and giving the colt a very big hug around the neck and Applejack a minute's peace. "Today is your day off! It's so sweet of you to have come to see me! And Fluttershy! Oh please forgive me for missing our Thursday get-together, yesterday. I'm just so busy at the moment."

"Oh, it's okay, Rarity", Fluttershy replied politely, "I understand."

Applejack sneezed behind her, bringing Linen's focus on the question that immediately entered his mind the second he saw the orange Earth Pony. "If I am not intruding, may I ask why it is Applejack has donned a very beautiful ensemble?"

Rarity looked back to see the mare in question shaking her head pleadingly. She nodded her head in comprehension. "In respect to her privacy, I will only tell you that she has a formal event to attend this evening. There is a meteor shower passing over Ponyville at six o'clock."

"Meteor shower?" echoed Linen. "I've never before witnessed a stellar event like that before…"

"Oh, they're very pretty", Fluttershy explained to let Rarity continuing the work on Applejack's tight-fitting fashionable prison.

"Oh?"

"Yes. Especially if it happens very fast. It's almost like flying through the stars."

"I've only attended two before", Rarity called over her shoulder, "I would like very much to gaze upon a third."

Linen smiled wide with the idea that had formulated in his head. He quickly adopted fake disappointment. "Oh, bugger! I will be unable to see it. I had promised to chaperone Cotton's outing with Scootaloo tonight. My apologies Rarity and Fluttershy, until my slip of memory I had wanted to suggest we could go together."

Had Rarity not been busy, Applejack embarrassed, and Fluttershy immediately detecting the ruse, his obvious lie would have been shot back down to the ground from whence it had come. Rarity's dissatisfaction was clearly evident when her needle when right through Applejack's dress.

"Ouch! Dang, that hurt!"

"Oh, please forgive me, Applejack. It was entirely accidental", Rarity immediately apologized.

Applejack sighed. "It's alright. Won' hurt for that long…"

"Are you sure you can't go?" Fluttershy asked Linen with a wink.

He smiled, keeping his eye on Rarity while he played out more fake evidence to feed the working unicorn. "Indubitably…Unfortunately I am no pony to cancel previous promises planned for other ponies. I hope you understand."

"Completely. You had no idea of the events this evening", she choked in an attempt to prevent tears. "It is only fair that you continue with your plans."

It killed Linen to see Rarity in such an upset state, especially when she was holding as much of it back as she could in his presence. He had to endure it; the algorithm he had come up with suggested a sixty-percent chance of a quadrupled happiness from his beloved if he was carrying his fives correctly. "Should we leave you to your work Rarity?" he asked through gritted teeth.

"You do look busy", Fluttershy tried in her attempt at an excuse.

"It shall take me some time", responded the saddened mare. "It come as a great advantage if I were solely on my needlework and not dividing my attention."

Linen's heart took the hit. In time, my upset organ, in time…

"We'll see you soon", Fluttershy said, waving goodbye to Rarity's back and dragging Linen from the depressing atmosphere.

"That was…most undesirable", Linen shivered out of hearing range. "I suppose it cannot be helped."

"Don't worry Linen. Rarity will love being surprised with a date to the meteor shower."

"How did you…"

"Watashi wa kōjo no tatsujindakedo, oboe teru?" she asked with a small giggle.

Linen blushed. If she could figure out everything about his planned date, then what else had she managed to reason out about him? Surely not what I first thought of Twilight…no, no, no. She didn't know me back then. Thank Luna.

"I surely do", he lied, never having been aware, "You are very skilled in the art."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome", Linen said, holding the front door open for his best friend. He let it close behind her to quickly put his boots and scarf on. "I would have immediately have regretted leaving without my winter ware. Sable! Will you be staying?"

"Scree!" she called from the perch Rarity agreed to let Linen leave for the bat.

"Suit yourself, then." He left the boutique briskly. "I might have come from a colder origin", he shivered, "but that does not guarantee full protection from icy temperatures."

The unicorn found that his visit with Rarity provided the town's shovelers with enough time to finally start digging pathways in the deep result of the flurry from the night before. It made it easier for Linen to make his way into Ponyville. He walked past groups of fillies playing in the snow.

One group happen to contain his sibling who was giggling with excitement. "Just a little more, June!"

"One pile o' snow comin' up!" The filly dipped her small shovel low and launched a wet, sticky mass of snow up to him. She stood back to watch him shape the snowmare's giant head.

He added more snow to the ears and nose, but basically kept the shape as normal as possible. "Okay, done!"

"Now that's what Ah call an ice sculpture!" Apple Sprout cheered. "Biggest one Ah ever saw!"

That was the cue for all of the Crusaders to cheer, "Cutie Mark Ice Sculptors, YAY!"

"It don' look much like ice, though", admitted Applebloom, "Just an ordinary snowmare."

"I can take care of that! Captain Threads to the rescue!" He focused on his horn. He imagined turning the snow into ice. However, being an inexperienced magic user, his attempt to show off literally went up with smoke. The explosion sent the tons of powder to the ground and Cotton through the air. Luckily, he had his number one best friend to catch him.

"Geez", Scootaloo groaned as she recovered from the diving save, "Can you be any heavier?"

"Sorry, Scooty", he apologized, "I ate a big breakfast this morning."

"That's what you always have", she laughed.

"Aww man!" Sweetie complained, finding her flank barren of any image resembling ice or sculpting.

"Yep, still blank", Apple Sprout sighed.

"No tree sap though!" Cotton pointed out optimistically. He hopped up to the big pile of snow he created with the explosion. "And we made a great sledding hill!"

"Hey, he's right!" Applebloom exclaimed. "Maybe this is what our Cutie Marks are s'pposed be about! Sleddin'!"

"Cutie Mark Super Sledding Masters, YAY!"

The six young ponies dispersed for their homes to gather the equipment needed for their next inevitable injuries. Scootaloo accompanied Cotton along to his home while everypony else went in the opposite direction. He didn't notice her at first; she stayed back a good distance to keep him unaware of her tailing him.

She watched him hop into as many holes left by other ponies in the snow as he could. He kept jumping around until he turned around to hop in one backwards. He stumbled over trying to stop his momentum, but got up giggling. "Hey, Scooty! Why are you following me?"

"I don't have a sled", she said in return, "And I think you'll need somepony to pull ya back, right!"

"Yeah!" he agreed loudly. He turned with a jump and continued down his previous path.

Scootaloo happily followed behind. They passed the Carousel Boutique on the way, unaware of the torture Applejack was being put through on the inside. "Ah don' even know", the orange mare sighed.

"I should have known better than to have surprised him", Rarity said, angrily stitching more of Applejack's dress together. "It is a Friday night after all."

"Sure is", Applejack exhaled in monotone.

"I was hoping that tonight I could finally tell him that I love him. I'm sure he knows, but I want to express it verbally…"

Applejack no longer responded. She figured Rarity wasn't even paying attention to her half-replies, so left her to talk to herself. She looked at the clock. Seeing the time, she found she may have a way out of the grueling punishment she doubted she deserved. "Uh, Rarity, Ah promised Thorny Ah'd meet'im fer lunch. Can ya finish this up without me?"

Rarity blinked as if to realize that her friend had just materialized into existence in front of her. "Oh, I suppose I could. It will take a few more hours at most, but I cannot interrupt a previous engagement." She used her magic to carefully extract the yellow dress from her friend. Applejack immediately bolted for the nearest exit before Rarity could change her mind. The unicorn didn't take notice to the Earth Pony's speedy departure. She levitated the dress around a nearby ponikin and proceeded to finish the frock.

Before she could resume talking to herself, she heard the bell to her shop ring followed by an upset screech from the bat hanging against the opposite wall. "One moment!" she called politely.

"It's just me, Sis!" Sweetie Belle called. "Did I leave my helmet here?"

"Oh, no", Rarity said under her breath, "That filly is on another verge of injury."

Sweetie poked her in the room in time to see the older unicorn turn around. "Sis?"

"Yes, Sweetie, it is upstairs in your room."

"Thanks, Rarity!" Sweetie called, turning to hit her head against the door frame.

Rarity shook her head sarcastically at her sister's "I'm okay!". "Now, where was I? Oh, yes. I'm sure Linen would not mind a date next Tuesday night. It's not last minute, and he shouldn't have anything planned. I just hope that won't be too long to wait. It has to be very special…"

Sweetie Belle smiled with delight as she heard that last little bit. Forgetting to ask Rarity about her kneepads, she rushed out the door with her helmet strapped to her head. Her fellow Crusaders were waiting on her by the freshly-created hill with their own sledding gear. She bounded happily up to them, half-giggling loud enough for them to hear.

"You sure are happy fer somepony who ain't got no sled", said Apple Sprout when Sweetie stopped to bounce in place.

"I just got the biggest idea!" she replied with a yell.

"What is it?!" Cotton asked excitedly.

"I was looking for my helmet at Rarity's since it wasn't at home and you'll never guess what she was talking to herself about!"

"Probably something about dresses", Scootaloo said dismissively, hoping to get on a sled with Cotton as soon as she could.

"Nope, Linen Fiber!"

"Big Brother?" Cotton asked curiously.

"Yep!" the unicorn replied giddily, "She wants to go on a date to tell him she loves him!"

The group didn't exactly match Sweetie's excitement. They all looked back at her either confused or in complete disgust at the thought of something so mushy-gushy.

"Uh", Applebloom said for them, "Ah don' get it. Why are you tellin' us?"

"Because we can help her with it. Cutie Mark Matchmakers!"

No pony joined in with her "YAY!". As a matter of fact, Applebloom and Scootaloo stared at her as if she had just become insane.

"Don't you remember what happened the last time we tried that?" asked Scootaloo.

"We don't need a love potion", Sweetie Laughed, "We just have to get them together alone."

"Hey, ain't there a meteor shower tonight?" June Berry asked, finally speaking up.

"That's perfect! I can ask Rarity to take me to the clearing outside and Cotton can ask—"

"Ah, Cotton!" Linen called, interrupting the plan, "I've been looking for you!"

"You have?"

"Yes. I was just wondering if you and Scootaloo would like to accompany me and Rarity to the east orchard of Sweet Apple Acres experience your first meteor shower tonight!"

The situation was so scary to the colt that he couldn't do anything but gulp. The coincidence of him showing up just as they were planning the same thing was more than his little courage gland could take. It wasn't until Scootaloo nonchalantly nudged him when he managed to answer. "Uh, yeah, Big Brother! It would be so cool!"

"Perfect! You must be ready in exactly three hours and not one moment more, is that understood?"

"Yes, Big Brother", Cotton replied.

Linen turned on his hooves and quickly trotted home to get ready. The Crusaders exchanged confused glances. Scootaloo was the first to speak. "Oh, it looks like we can't do what you planned, Sweetie Belle", she said with no hint of disappointment, "Linen did it for us."

"Not exactly", the filly replied, "Now we have to make sure everything is just right!"

Applebloom started to gain confidence now and sided with Sweetie Belle. "Ah'm with Sweetie. What if somethin' keeps them from havin' a good time? We gotta make sure than nothin' gets in the way!"

"We can't", Cotton objected, putting his hoof around to include Scootaloo, who was in total agreement.

"Yeah, we have to go with Linen, remember?"

"Oh, yeah. Well, I guess we can do it", Sweetie said, motioning to the rest of the Crusaders.

"If anything, y'all will just have to wait on gettin' Cutie Marks."

"Good, because I don't think something like 'matchmaking' is really that awesome for a Cutie Mark", Scoots admitted.

"Says you", argued Sweetie Belle, "I'd love to get a heart for my flank!"

"Ah'm okay with one Ah guess", Applebloom concurred.

"Then we better get goin' t'get ready fer tonight!" Apple Sprout suggested, "There's not tellin' what all can go wrong! Ah'll go get mah butterfly net and lasso!"

"And I'll get my body armor!" Sweetie Belle announced.

"Lassos and body armor?" Scootaloo asked wide-eyed at their friends tearing off to prepare for what sounded like a full assault on Fort Hocks.

"I haven't the slightest clue…" Cotton said, copying what his brother usually said when confused.

"You think we should go back to your place?"

"Why?" Cotton asked. "Cold?"

She scraped her hoof around in the shallow snow nervously. "Because…we don't really have a lot of time before we have to get to Sweet Apple Acres…and we're pretty dirty…"

The colt examined the two of them and noticed for the first time that their hooves and, in his case only, whole bodies where covered with mud from the mixture of Ponyville dirt and snow. "Oh, heheheh, we are!"

"C'mon", she told him, "Let's get going so we can finish the newest 'Adventures of Mare Do-Well'!"

The thought of reading the comic with his best friend was way more motivation than he needed to follow behind. He pulled ahead and stopped his sled just in front of her. "Get on", he instructed, "Captain Threads will provide adequate transportation to anywhere in the world!"

"How about just to your house", she giggled, climbing aboard the unicorn-powered sled.

"Of course, my faithful Orange Wing!" he picked up the rope and pulled her across the deepening snow until it got so deep he disappeared.

L

Two and a half hours went by since Linen had formulated his algorithm for his surprise date for Rarity. He knew it was unfair of him to spring it on her and give her no time to get ready herself, but it would be the perfect way to make her happy after her disappointment of his—forced—lie. He watched himself comb his mane into its neat shape in his bathroom mirror. He wasn't so worried about much else, though. He was sure that in as many times as Rarity had seen him, the same sight wouldn't cause her to complain.

Linen placed the comb behind the mirror on the appropriate shelf when he was happy with his appearance. Making sure one last time that he was indeed decent enough for the shower, Linen left the bathroom to check on the ponies in the attic. He only poked his head through the hole to quietly observe them once again reading a comic book. He chuckled on his way back down the ladder.

"Young love", he sighed to himself, "and they don't even realize it."

It was twenty till when he entered the kitchen to check that he had prepared the picnic basket properly. Six sandwiches, two blankets, and one thermos of tea confirmed that he hadn't missed a thing. "Now there is only the matter of collecting Rarity…Cotton! Scootaloo! We are leaving now!"

L

Usually Rarity would be enjoying an evening soak at five p.m., but an unexpected visitor had caused her a delay. "Coming!" she called after the knocks. Whoever it was sounded very impatient, leaving her to assume it was probably Pinkie Pie coming to ask her to the meteor shower with their friends. "It will be very unpleasant for me to have to inform her that I have no desire to attend without Linen…"

One could only imagine her surprise upon opening the door to find the very cause of her mild depression beaming like an idiot. "Linen! This is so unexpected! I was under the impression that you were…"

"That is exactly right!" Linen replied, "I merely told a small dishonesty to surprise you! If you would be so kind as to attend the meteor shower with us, I would be the happiest stallion there is."

Rarity hesitated. She shifted her gaze from Linen to the two ponies down at his hooves. Cotton held a picnic basket up to her. "We brought food", he enticed.

She laughed, seizing the opportunity to spend time with her coltfriend. Of whom I have barely shown affection since the other day…I must fix that right now! "Of course I will! Anything to spend time with the love of my life!"

The stallion's heart skipped a beat. "Th-then shall we proceed? I have the perfect place from which to observe the shower."

She crossed the threshold faster than anypony could blink. Rarity took her place at his side and nuzzled his shoulder girlishly. He didn't at all seem to mind, so she kept to his side even when they started to the gigantic farm of Sweet Apple Acres. The snow teams had by now gotten the deep result of the previous day's flurry under control to the point that it only barely rose past ponies' knees. The only ones who struggled through it were the youth, who simply resolved the matter by hitching rides on taller siblings and friends. And that's just how Cotton and Scootaloo managed; by taxiing on the backs of Rarity and Linen.

Following stealthily behind were the rest of the Cutie Mark Crusaders. Their white camouflage suits made it pretty hard for anypony to notice them, let alone the four ponies they were pursuing. Each of them kept an eye out for anything that could upset the mood or any of the ponies enjoying it. Fortunately, the walk to Sweet Apple Acres wasn't as eventful as they had thought it was, rendering more than half of the equipment they packed for the trip useless.

They hid behind a few of the winter-worn apple trees while Linen heated his blanket with a warming spell before unfolding it on top of the hill they were going to use for sky gazing. Luna's moon had taken over as the primary source of light, reflecting cool light off of the white show, further lighting up the landscape with a beautiful silver color. Had it not have been for the snow weighing down the barren branches, the trees would have given the orchard a spooky feel to it. Rarity and Linen rather liked the way it looked, having never actually been surrounded by snow-covered trees like that before.

"Cotton, I have a sandwich for you", Scootaloo called from the far side of the blanket. She wiggled the unicorn bait in the air teasingly.

"Mine!" he shouted, snatching the snack from the air with a dive and sitting down beside her to inhale it.

She giggled just loud enough to echo to the four ponies watching close by. Sweetie Belle knocked on a tree, prompting the unoccupied Crusaders to gather for a last minute huddle.

"What's goin' on, Sweetie Belle", asked Applebloom.

"Did you see Cotton and Scootaloo?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Ah get it", Apple Sprout said with a smile. "Changin' targets, eh?"

"Yep."

While the Cutie Mark Crusaders busily whispered up a strategy for the other two ponies in the quadripack, Linen and Rarity laid down next to each other. The mare snuggled into the stallion for more warmth and comfort. The dark sky above them showed no hints of the meteor shower yet, so they decided to talk away the boredom.

Rarity wanted to get right to the point of the date. "Linen…"

"Yes, Rarity?"

"I know it has been a few days since our confessions…so to speak…"

Linen rolled on his side to get face-to-face with her. "Go on."

"I haven't exactly treated you accordingly, you see…"

"Yes you have."

"Excuse me?"

"Indeed. Of course it isn't exactly what any average mare would do. I find it much better how you are subtle."

"I don't want to appear subtle", Rarity replied, "I want to repeatedly demonstrate what you mean to me."

"How do you intend to do that?"

"Well, first…" Rarity began, sporting a very deep blush across her nose, "I would like to start with saying…"

"Saying?"

"I love you."

Linen stared back in shock. "Rarity, that is exactly what I wanted to tell you tonight!"

"Then you should", she teased.

"I love you…too!"

They shared a quick laugh then a kiss before turning to watch the sky again. Cotton and Scootaloo had yet to press their backs against the blanket. They craned their necks up at the velvet blanket of stars and galaxies. Both looked on in silence, which helped Scootaloo pick up on her crush's anxious bouncing not even five centimeters from her.

"So, uh, this is your first meteor shower?" she asked for small talk.

"Ever!"

"Cool…"

"Scooty?"

"Yeah?"

"What's a meteor shower look like?"

Scootaloo gave him a brief explanation based on what she had seen before. Meanwhile Sweetie Belle was directing their friends to different points around the foot of the hill. They set up music boxes, special lights, and various other things to get Cotton and Scootaloo to move things along. Just as they were beginning to start the party, a flash of light overhead made them freeze. They looked up to see that the sky was now filled with a downpour of meteorites streaking across the sky.

The sight mesmerized them for several seconds. When Sweetie Belle recovered, she looked back down to see that Cotton and Scootaloo were holding hooves as they watched. After all of her intricate planning and work, she didn't get to do a thing to get her heart Cutie Mark! She felt frustration build up inside her until she blew her top.

"AAAAAWWWWWWW MAAAAAAAN!" she roared to the sky.

The four on the hill didn't even notice.

The End

A little bit of humor to end such a happy tale. For all of you who have followed this story to the end, please leave a review for me. It would make me very happy to see what you think of the first conclusion… Thank you so much for reading, I hope to see you all in the sequels!

Chapter Trivia:

This chapter wasn't originally in my plan to write, but I wanted the four to have one, final tender moment before bringing it to a close.

The moments between Linen and Fluttershy were the ones that I wanted to include in the previous chapter before realizing that they wouldn't fit.

Translations in order:

Linen: It was very enjoyable indeed.

Fluttershy: I'm glad you enjoyed it.

Fluttershy: I'm a master of deduction, remember?

The title of this chapter is translated as such: The Very End.

Story Trivia:

Characters:

Linen is my fifth created OC for My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. I created him to be in every way opposite of most OCs I've seen paired with Rarity just to give my story a little spice.

Cotton is my tenth OC only coming about in my mind at the last minute. His childish demeanor actually represents my own, which made him very easy to write for.

Development:

The Formula of Love was actually first named The Formula for Love, but I changed it at the last minute because I felt the former sounded better.

Misc: *Non-plot Spoilers*

You probably noticed, as it is very obvious in this story, Linen had a crush on Twilight before meeting Rarity. If you are a reader across my other stories, you may notice similar trends. I will release the details in the end of those stories to keep the spoilers to a minimum. I did this in case I had second thoughts about who should have been paired with who in the early stages of the stories.

Easter Eggs: *Non-plot Spoilers*

For those readers who read across my stories: you may have noticed three things are very odd about the timelines. I wrote them in such a way that I have three "Easter Eggs", so to speak. They are:

Event Difference: Instances where stories feature the same events, but with many different aspects.

Time Paradox: Instances where events happen at seemingly different times in Equestria.

Pony Arrival Paradox: The fact that each story hints that the main OC may or may not have been the first in Ponyville, whereas evidence from another story suggests the opposite.