Rarity stared with wide eyes as she took in the full implication of what was just said. Her mouth felt dry.
"O-Oh…" she managed to croak out. She dropped her gaze to the ground, unable to shake a tiny feeling of guilt. "I'm… sorry."
Alexandra blinked at the apology, and then frowned slightly. "Jesus, Rarity," she admonished, moving closer, "don't apologise! It's not your fault! It's just…" she twirled a hand, "…one of those things… that happen. I guess."
Both of them fell silent, lost in their own thoughts. Alexandra eventually turned her attention back to Rarity, studying her for a moment.
"I dunno…" she muttered with an air of defeat, "maybe I should… just give up the whole thing. I spent ages trying to give Meteorite a shot, but it just… feels wrong now; having spent the last… god knows how long it's been, sitting here explaining things to you." She paused, considering her own feelings of guilt. "It's… not right, trying to find a… loophole around your feelings." She scoffed slightly. "Heck, I know Meteorite wouldn't want that."
Rarity remained silent, but nodded her acknowledgement.
"So… I dunno…" Alexandra continued, "I guess I'll just revert things back to how they were, and… you don't have to worry. I won't try to… pair you up with Meteorite again." She sighed, as she rested her head against her open palm. "And… I dunno… I guess I'll dial back Meteorite's love for you slowly over time… so you don't have to worry about that. Also, so she can move on with her life."
Rarity found herself frowning slightly. Alexandra didn't notice as she drew herself up, steeling herself.
"Guess it's time I've admitted it to myself properly… I've always joked that it was unlikely that you two would ever end up together…" She idly kicked a small pebble aside. "Never really believed it though…" She turned to face Rarity directly, and forced a smile. "Oh well. At least I got to talk to you Rarity, so that's something. I'd rather it was Meteorite instead of me, but…" she shrugged, before extending a hand out, "anyway. Thank you for being here and listening to me rambling on."
Rarity tentatively lifted a hoof to the offered hand, which Alexandra shook. Alexandra's smile became slightly more genuine for a moment as she turned to walk away.
"Goodbye Rarity. It was nice meeting you."
Rarity opened her mouth to respond, but hesitated. She had dozens of things she wanted to say, but they were all fighting for dominance and as a result the words ended getting caught up in her throat. As Alexandra got further away, Rarity started to panic and blurted out the first thing to come to mind.
"WAIT, DARLING!"
Alexandra halted, and looked back over her shoulder in confusion. "What?"
Rarity was now sitting on her haunches, tapping her hooves together. "I uh…" Rarity's mind raced for anything to say. Suddenly a thought occurred to her, and she blinked in surprise of the simplicity of it.
"I have a request, darling!"
Alexandra turned to face Rarity fully, confusion on her face. "Sorry?"
Rarity twirled a hoof. "You said earlier that um, Meteorite made a request with you, yes? I would like to make a request of my own!"
Alexandra stared at Rarity, before jabbing a thumb towards the street. "Rarity, I'm about to put everything back to how it was; your request isn't going to matter!"
Rarity nodded fervently and jumped down from her couch. "Yes, and that is why I must request that you do not!" She stamped a hoof to punctate.
"Y- You don't want me to?" Alexandra folded her arms, frowning in confusion. "Rarity, I can't do that! I can't leave things as they are! Meteorite is hurting bad and it's my fault! I told you this!"
"I understand, darling," Rarity said sympathetically, "I just feel that… perhaps there's another way?"
"What are you… getting at, Rarity?"
Rarity smiled nervously. "Well. You wanted Meteorite to, 'have a shot', yes?" She fussed with her mane slightly. "I… could perhaps allow that?"
Alexandra stared at Rarity. "What."
"Ah, don't get the wrong idea! I'm just saying; she may just need a second chance? You know, without erasing the first chance?"
Alexandra eyed Rarity warily. "Hang on." She closed her eyes, and then opened them an instant later. "Okay, yes, this is still the same scene and it's still me writing it…" She looked at Rarity again. "What?! But- you- how- why-"
Rarity frowned slightly. "I do have an open mind, you know."
"I don't disput-" Alexandra paused briefly, "Okay well, good to know. But, why do you care?"
Rarity glanced aside, as she rubbed a hoof against her foreleg. "I just… I don't believe a pony's love should just be erased… Love is a sacred emotion. Yes, sometimes two ponies are incompatible with each other, but the important part is that they've tried. After all, darling! Is it not said that 'it is better to have loved and lost, than to have never loved at all', hm?"
Alexandra stood stunned. So stunned, that she had to sit down while thinking over what Rarity had just quoted.
"Jesus…" she murmured, "that'd completely slipped my mind…" She stared ahead for a while before turning to face Rarity and speaking softly. "You'd… You'd really give it a shot with Meteorite?"
"Absolutely, darling! She was lovely this morning when buying her outfit. Although…" she tapped her chin, frowning, "she was rather… how to put this… vulgar, earlier when she was talking to you."
Alexandra cringed. "Okay yeah, but you don't understand. Where she's from, where I'm from, that's… almost second nature to us. Please, don't hold that against her. After all, she doesn't do that when talking to anyone here, so y'know, that has to count for something? Right?"
"Hm…" Rarity's frown softened slightly, "I suppose so."
Alexandra gave a sigh of relief, thought it was short-lived as a thought occurred to her. "Wait," Alexandra said suddenly, "you're not going to remember any of this! Why are we even discussing this?"
"Oh, yes, you are quite right." Rarity played with her mane as she thought it over. "Very well! I have a part two to my request! I want to remember everything we've discussed here as well!"
Alexandra stared at Rarity before slowly putting her face into her hands and sliding them down her cheeks, groaning. "You're really asking a lot of me here, Rarity. I can't let a main ch- a native of this world know I've been here!"
"Why not?"
"It… It'll affect things! You'll know things you shouldn't!"
Rarity lidded her eyes. "Well yes darling, that's the idea."
Alexandra stared at her for a moment, before exhaling a sigh. "Fiiine… might as well. What have I got to lose?"
"Excellent darling!" Rarity lifted a hoof, "so do we have an agreement?"
"I guess…" Alexandra said, reaching down with her hand. Suddenly she pulled back and shouted. "No!"
Rarity pulled her hoof back as well, shocked. "What? What is it?!"
Alexandra balled her hands in front of her. "Meteorite!" she snapped, almost accusingly.
"What about her?"
Alexandra knelt down in front of Rarity, meeting her eye to eye. "She's not going to believe you."
Rarity blinked. "Sorry?"
Alexandra pointed to the streets. "I've not interacted with Meteorite like this in the six years she's been here, at least, not in any manner that she remembers. Meteorite out there right now, has no idea I've been here at all. But, she suspects I'm here."
"I… don't understand."
Alexandra swallowed. "Okay, so, Meteorite has been spending her life in Equestria trying to 'catch me out', to prove that yes she is my creation and I'm a horrible person for it. She's mellowed over the years, but if you suddenly start showing interest in her out of the blue, she's going to think that you're me trying to mess with her."
Rarity reeled back slightly. "Why… would she think that?"
"Because that's how I was back then!" Alexandra stewed, "I didn't trust myself at all!" She blinked as her expression softened into a nervous smile. "Please don't hold that against her…"
Rarity squinted at Alexandra slightly. "Hm…"
Alexandra's shoulders sagged with defeat. "Just say the word," she mumbled, "I'll go back to my original plan and reset everything."
"Hmmm…" Rarity continued, "No, I shan't think so. Thank you for the warning. I shall be… discreet."
Alexandra swallowed. "You're really going to do this, huh?"
Rarity nodded. "So, do we have an agreement now?"
"I suppose we do…"
Once again they shook hand and hoof, this time with more meaning behind it. Alexandra got up.
"Well, it's all in your hooves now, Rarity. Once I'm gone, it'll be all up to you to make this happen."
"Yes, of course."
Alexandra took a deep breath and turned to the main street and began walking. Just before she disappeared past the nearby house, she stopped and turned back.
"Rarity?"
"Yes, darling?"
Alexandra paused to think. "If… it doesn't work out, please let her down gently. That's all I ask."
Rarity nodded solemnly. "You have my word."
Alexandra smiled softly before resuming her exit.
And suddenly the world around Rarity deafened her with the sounds of ponies in the streets and nearby buildings suddenly bustling with activity. She yelped and covered her ears out of shock, before regaining her composure. Glancing around, she noted that, yes, she did remember what just happened. She also noted that her couch was still in the alleyway with her. She grumbled as she marched back to the street, now having to magic her couch all the way back home.