From deep within the bowels of Canterlot, a series of bells clattered together, calling out the hour to its weary denizens. Rarity paid it no mind, pulling her hat down lower over her eyes and her trenchcoat a little tighter against her body.
She stood next to the restaurant’s brick red wall, marvelling at its age and the cracks which seemed to snake through it like veins. The thick early morning fog hung heavy in the city, masking everything in a grayish haze not too different from the smog polluting the air.
A streetcar clattered by, its bell letting out a few clangs to clear the way. The gears and the engines roared, and clouds of steam poured out of its exhaust pipes. Rarity watched it pass with a bemused smile, until it became encased completely by the fog around them.
Rarity reached into her trenchcoat and pulled out a pack of cigarettes. She lit it with a flash of her horn and stuck in her mouth, taking a drag on it. Smoking wasn’t considered lady-like by many of the upper class, but honestly, it was the only thing Rarity could do to take some of the stress off of her shoulders.
She rolled her neck and sighed, glancing at her pocket watch. Ten minutes to six. The sun hadn’t yet risen, leaving the world in a strange sort of darkness that was only accentuated by the fog.
Rarity exhaled, sending a small plume of smoke into the air and sighed, looking up and down the block. A few ponies passed her by without a second glance, but the streets were mostly empty. It had been a good twenty five years since she had stood here.
A lot had happened in that span of time, she thought to herself. But now the cities were dominated by steam and engines, and the whites of the city faded away to rusty browns and golden hues. It was a brave new world, one that Rarity was forced to adapt to, else she died trying.
“Hullo!” called a voice through the fog.
Rarity turned to her right to see a pony walking through the fog towards her. She recognized the tall hat of a bobby, and pieced together the rest of their uniform in the unyielding darkness. Rarity tipped her hat in acknowledgement. “Hullo, officer.”
“What brings you ‘round these parts?” questioned the officer, a mare judging by her voice. Even though she squinted, Rarity couldn’t piece together any other details: the brim of her hat obscured her face, and the fog distorted all other features. A swirling of clouds seemed to surround her body, with only hints of a muted color punching through them.
“Waiting on a friend, if you’d believe it,” Rarity answered, taking another puff of her cigarette.
“Oh, do tell?” replied the officer. She tugged on her collar, as if trying to study Rarity closely.
“Indeed. Would you believe, officer, that twenty five years ago, I stood on this very corner with a dear friend of mine. We were all set to part our ways, you see. I was off to Manehattan to make my fortune while she was to stay and continue her studies.”
The officer nodded, clearly intrigued.
“On the day we left, we promised each other that twenty five years later, we’d meet up here and head inside to Pony Joe’s, to have a nice little chat about where our lives ended up.”
“Ah,” said the officer. “And that day would be today, I suppose?”
“Correct,” Rarity affirmed, pulling out her pocket watch and checking it again. “Ten minutes from now, we should meet again, after all this time.”
“Well, I must say, your friend does have good taste.” The officer stared up at Pony Joe’s longingly. “I dare say that this is one of the finest establishments this side of Canterlot.”
“Are you familiar with this side of Canterlot, officer?” questioned Rarity.
The officer nodded. “Grew up here, as a matter of fact.”
Rarity puffed on her cigarette again and smiled. “It is quite the place to grow up.”
“Quite the place indeed.” The officer tilted their head to the side. “Are you certain your friend will show up?”
“Absolutely positive,” Rarity replied with a slight scoff. “Twilight Sparkle is one of the most succinct ponies I know. I’d bet that she made three different checklists to prepare for this day.”
The officer laughed. “Well then, she sounds like quite the mare!”
“That she is,” Rarity replied. “I do long to see her again. We met by chance, you see. Only knew each other for the better part of a year, but that year was a marvelous one by far.”
“Mmm. I do believe the best kinds of friendship start through chance meetings,” replied the officer as they adjusted their cap. “But, out of curiosity, how long do you plan on waiting for your friend?”
“Oh, dare I say ten minutes or so,” Rarity replied. “Twilight Sparkle would only be late if she were dead.”
The officer laughed again, their scratchy voice almost harsh against Rarity’s ears. “Very well then. I must be going myself, but do carry on. Farewell.”
“Farewell, officer.”
Rarity watched as the officer trotted away, disappearing quickly into the fog. They seemed to pause at the edge and glance back at her, either in disgust or in musing, before flicking their tail and continuing on.
Rarity counted out thirty seconds in her head, then she counted thirty more. Once that had passed, she let out a sigh of relief and dropped her cigarette to the ground. She released her disguising spell, allowing her coat, mane, and eyes to return to their normal color.
She reached into her pocket and pulled out her watch. 6:00 on the dot. Rarity held her breath and glanced up and down the street.
Somewhere within the city a siren rang. The fog began to clear from the city, revealing more and more of the world to Rarity as she stood there. Across the street a well-dressed stallion came into view, heading the other way. A beggar was slumped against the wall, shaking their tin can in a silent plea for help. But nothing gave her the sign she was looking for.
Five minutes passed before Rarity moved again. She shifted on her hooves and sighed, ears dropping down in disappointment.
Then, from around the corner, she saw a flicker of purple against the dreary gray. A unicorn was trotting towards her at a brisk pace, unfettered by the harsh morning winds. Rarity perked up, silently holding her breath.
The newcomer paused at the threshold of the restaurant. “Rarity?” she called out.
Rarity smiled. “Twilight?”
The other mare ran over to her and the two unicorns exchanged hugs. “Darling, it’s so good to see you again,” Rarity declared.
“You too, Rarity. I say, you don’t look a day older since the last time we met. Hard to believe it’s been twenty five years, eh?”
“Indeed.” As the two exited their hug, Rarity paused. Something caught her eye. She scrutinized Twilight again, taking in her form carefully. “You know… for being twenty five years older, you don’t seem to have aged a day.”
“Neither have you,” chimed Twilight, seizing her foreleg in her hoof. “But come on, let’s go. We have so much to catch up on!”
“Go? Dear, I thought we would head into Pony Joe’s?”
“They don’t open yet, silly,” Twilight replied, urging her to head down the street. “Come on!”
Rarity narrowed her eyes silently. She yanked her foreleg out of Twilight’s hoof with a growl and began to charge a spell. “You’re not her!”
Before she could fire it, however, a siren chirped from down the road. Rarity spun around to see a police wagon barreling towards her. Then there was a bright flash of light from Rarity’s right and she came crashing to the ground.
Two officers leaped from the wagon and ran towards her. The mare that wasn’t Twilight released their disguise spell, changing their coat from purple to pink and their mane to different shades of sapphire and purple.
“Well done, Officer Glimmer,” applauded the first officer.
Officer Glimmer stood over Rarity’s body, holding her in a paralysis spell. “If it isn’t the Mare of Manehattan herself,” she chided. “The Manehattan Police Department sends their regards, thief.”
Rarity barred her teeth at the officers. “You pigs! What have you done with Twilight?”
The three officers laughed. “Oh, you poor fool. Sergeant Sparkle sends her regards. Your disguise spell wasn’t strong enough to fool her, I’m afraid. She saw right through it and recognized you from the wanted board. Oh, and she reassures you that she didn’t forget about your meeting,” replied Officer Glimmer with a wink. “Now then. In the name of the Queen, I hereby pronounce you under arrest on multiple counts of robbery and larceny…”
Rarity tuned her out as she was hauled to her hooves, her head reeling. When it finally came together, Rarity looked up the street. Through the fog, she swore that she could see Twilight standing there, in her black uniform coat with a badge on her chest, watching her with disappointment.
As they stuffed her into the back of the wagon, Rarity smiled. “Sergeant Twilight Sparkle.” Then, the Mare of Manehattan threw her head back and laughed.
