FSE

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Hey there! This is my first attempt at a real MLP fic thing. I'm new to furry writing D; Hope you enjoy? (It's super short)

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It was early one morning when the new fashion pony was walking around his fabric shop, straightening things and making sure it was clean. Stretto had just moved from Canterlot, having grown up there with a very well-to-do family. He had perfect white fur which was covered in a handsome suit and a sky blue mane that was decorated with a single dark blue ribbon that matched his suit. His sharp purple eyes examined every detail of the dress he held in his soft hands, making sure it was perfect for the world's eyes... or at least Ponyville's. He walked to the window, putting up a dress form with a beautiful gown flowing from it to display. After he had straightened it, he walked outside to see if it was satisfactory, which it was. In the serenity of viewing his handiwork, he didn't hear the storm coming as he walked back into his shop.

In a torrent of hoofbeats, Rarity stormed into Stretto's shop, nearly knocking off the bell which sounded entry. He calmly turned around and raised his eyebrow, "Hello there. Welcome to Heartfelt Designs, may I help you?"

Rarity cleared her throat a little, reminded herself silently that she was a lady and that this was business. "I heard you were in town and just had to ...check you out." She gave a nervous smile, as this wasn't really her intended purpose. "Where did you travel here from anyway?" She asked idly, going over a few fabrics and feeling them. She was secretly sizing him up, though her facial expressions weren't so forgiving to her disguise.

"...Canterlot. Did you need help with something, Miss Rarity? I'm aware that you have your own shop, yes? Not that I'm prying, I just hear about it from everypony who walks in. How is your business doing anyway, if you don't mind?" Stretto grinned, stepping over to put away a few new fabrics.

Rarity stopped and growled, "It's...going fine!" Her voice turned to her happy, almost crazy, self hearing this. "My clients have been cut in half, but I'm doing fine." She bit her tongue a little and looked at him through her red glasses, blushing at how attractive her new enemy looked in his well tailored suit. She shook her head and snapped herself out of her day dreams, "Do you make all your fabrics yourself?"

He moved to the cutting counter and lifted himself onto it, crossing his legs, "Yes, I do. I hear that you make fabrics yourself, so I'm sure you can admire my flawless work." He said with a smile, seeing that every word he uttered cut at her. "It must be tough for you in such a small town. I hear you ...like hats as well."

"Oh yes I love hats! You don't do hats do you, what a shame..." She started out, a bit proud of herself. She hadn't been wearing her latest hat, something she was regretting now. She took off her glasses and sighed dreamily, "I'm just starting a new line of flower inspired hats. I have a tiger lily shaped one at my shop at the moment; it's all the rage here in Ponyville."

"Most ponies think hats are a bit garish these days, actually. At least in Canterlot." He said with a calm, quiet voice. He watched her get progressively more upset, and raised his eyebrows when she stepped right up to him, her glasses in hoof like a dagger.

"I will NOT have you call me garish, or anything I do! You might be the new pony in town, but you're nothing compared to me!" She held her glasses tight, thinking for a moment that she could just stab him, although she would lose her precious glasses, so she decided against it quickly.

He slid off the counter, and moved into her, a challenge. "Oh I beg to differ. I've sold ten dresses this week. Though I could chalk it up to beginner's luck, I'm making a spring collection and there are many ponies already lined up for my fall collections... So dear... don't challenge what you can't handle." He backed up a step and crossed his arms, hiding a blush with a wave of his hand as he brushed his mane from his face.

Rarity withdrew with a blush spreading across her face. She was still close to him and started to day dream again. Her eyes fell onto his which gave her a new strength. She held her glasses out once more, less of a dagger now, "How about we make this a contest then? I'll make my spring collection, you make yours!"

He thought for a moment, allowed his eyes to move up and down her form and then smiled, "Oh sure. But it must be done silently. You have far too many friends here for a show to be unbiased." Not knowing what to make of this, Rarity stayed silent. Stretto grabbed some scissors and pointed them at her, "Now this means that you're on enemy territory. If this is a contest, you're spying."

"Spying!?" She exclaimed, her dagger reforming itself. "I'll have you know my fabrics are MUCH softer and flow ten times as well as--" Her argument caught in her throat as he stepped back into her, scissors close to her neck and his muzzle close to her face.

"If you don't leave my shop, miss... I'll cut off your entire mane. And then you'll _have_to wear one of your garish hats." Stretto gave an evil smile for a moment, snipping the scissors in the air.

"You. Wouldn't. Dare." She glared into his eyes with a red glint, the blush she had once held melted instantly from anger.

"Oh wouldn't I?" And with that, he put the scissors down and gestured with a hand, showing her the door. She growled at him and huffed away, stomping through the store. She stopped briefly to look at the dress in the window, biting her lip in worry. She lingered... that is, until Stretto showed up behind the dress, then it was off to her stomping again.

The young stallion leaned against the wall and watched the window where the dress he finished glistened. He chuckled to himself and stepped toward the window to look out at a very frazzled purple maned pony talk to a few of her friends. He felt bad, but he knew that fashion was a terrible and very harsh business.

He shook his head and decided to put the pony out of his mind for now and keep his mind on making a few things to win this silly contest of hers. The fabrics played through his mind, thinking of his contest worthy styles already. Sketches formed themselves from his hooves and he admired everything he thought up, though his mind was still drifting on Rarity from time to time, making focusing difficult. "I wonder what will happen..." he said to himself, looking at the wall of designs he had pinned up. "I'll just have to wait and see I guess. Never a dull moment..."