The Cold Streets of Baltimare

by DemonBrightSpirit

Doubt

As I looked myself over in the mirror to make sure that everything looked absolutely flawless, I couldn’t help but to worry about Trixie. After all, there was nothing keeping her in the boutique. Even if the party had been changed to be in her honor, she could very easily decide to simply leave—especially if one of the girls makes a misstep in dealing with her. After all, that is a mistake that is all-too-easy to make.

Taking one last look at myself, I hurried out of my bedroom and downstairs to the soiree. I breathed a sigh of relief when I espied Trixie hanging out in the corner with Pinkie Pie. Of course, it might be considered rude to just insert myself into the conversation there, but I couldn’t go without figuring out just what those two were talking about, either.

First stop: the punchbowl. That would easily cover half the distance. I grabbed a cup and ladle in my aura as I traversed my parlor. I had the cup filled and ladle replaced before I even made it to the bowl.

“Rarity, you look amazing,” Twilight said, trotting over to meet me at the punchbowl.

“Oh, this old thing?” I modestly dismissed the compliment. Honestly, I had decided on a more subtle outfit of various blues. It wasn’t a long flowing gown, instead resembling more of a cocktail dress, barely covering my flank. I had to be careful not to steal the spotlight. Showing up Trixie in any manner would only end in disaster.

Grabbing my cup in my aura, I raised it to my lips. Of course, the burst of fruity flavor with just a nibble of sour was nothing short of exquisite. After all, only Pinkie Pie knew how to make my favorite punch. “Have things been going… well?” I asked in a hushed tone.

Twilight chanced a glance over at Pinkie and Trixie. “To be honest, Trixie hasn’t exactly been enjoying herself. She tried to a few tricks, but that went… well, we managed to keep her from leaving, at least. Pinkie’s been the only one to get more than a hostile retort out of her since.”

A bitter chuckle escaped my throat. “I’m glad you found a way to keep her here. I know you might think her to be full of herself,” I said, setting down the cup, “but don’t let that fool you. She can be really nice, too—in her own sort of way.”

“You said that she saved you?”

I nodded. “Yes, I found myself stranded in Baltimare after an infestation of moths closed the hotel hosting the event. I didn’t have any bits to get home, and no place to stay either.” Looking back over at Trixie in the corner, I sighed. “She took care of me in my darkest hour, and even paid for my train ride home. I just… I want to do the same for her.”

Twilight pointed back toward the door. “Is that why you were offering her those bits? I put them back in your bag, by the way.”

“Yes, and thank you, darling,” I said. “But it’s more than just the bits. I fear she may be making another horrible mistake.”

Twilight raised an eyebrow. “Another mistake?”

“She wants to leave Equestria. To cross the ocean and start over.”

Scratching her head, she tilted it just a bit. “And… that’s a mistake?”

I scoffed. “Well of course it is. She’s throwing away everything she’s ever known for some faraway place that nopony knows.”

“That’s usually what happens when you start over,” Twilight said. “It might’ve initially just been for a couple of days, but my coming to Ponyville was something of a ‘starting over’ for me. The same goes for Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie.” Reaching out, Twilight put a hoof on my shoulder. “We all found our new homes to be greater than the ones we left behind. And that doesn’t mean we’ve severed our ties to our old homes, either.”

“B-but she can find those things without leaving Equestria,” I retorted. “And if she goes back to doing things the way she did before, then things will end just as badly. Maybe worse.”

Twilight’s knowing smile never left her lips. “I like to think that, after all that’s happened, Trixie has learned from her mistakes.”

My head shook. “No. No, the mistake is letting her leave Equestria. It can only end badly. I just…” I looked over to Trixie again. “I know it.”

Wait. Trixie stood alone. Where did—

“Hey! You look great, Rarity!” Pinkie all but yelled at me, her nose practically touching mine.

A placed a hoof to my chest, trying to calm my racing heart. “Wh-why thank you, Pinkie.” My eyes darted over to Trixie for but a moment before turning back to Pinkie. “Say, what were you talking to Trixie about?”

“Oh, that…” Pinkie ears drooped down. “I gotta find a way to make things up to her.”

My eyes widened. “Why? What happened?”

Pinkie listlessly kicked at the floor. “Well, apparently Trixie got along really well with my family. Especially Maud and Limestone. But after I told them about what happened here after the whole Alicorn amulet fiasco, they sort of… didn’t like her anymore.” Letting out a long sigh, Pinkie shook her head. “She seems really sad about it.”

I turned to Twilight. “See? Trixie needs to stay in Ponyville. We can help her heal.”

“Maybe,” Twilight said, looking between Pinkie and me. “I did want a chance to make amends. And after hearing about some of what she’s been through, I can’t help but to wonder if I should’ve tried harder to make things right sooner.”

“You should have,” I replied, the words leaving my mouth before I could think them through. Twilight didn't say anything in turn, but she didn't need to. Those words applied to myself every bit as much as they did to her.

“I'm going to go talk to her.” Brushing past Twilight, I headed straight for Trixie.

As I approached Trixie, she offered no greeting. She remained silent, even when I stood next to her in the corner. Clearing my throat, I broke the ice. “Trixie, why don’t you go out and mingle? You should know by now that nopony here is going to be hostile with you.”

Trixie snapped her head away. “Hmph! Like I have anything to say to them. They all resent me. The only reason they’re being nice to me is you.”

“You flatter me.” I deflected the, perhaps unintentional, compliment. “But I think Twilight might have more sway in this situation than me.” I put a hoof on her shoulder, which she hastily shrugged off. “More importantly, I know for a fact that Twilight doesn’t dislike you. She genuinely seems to want to right the wrongs that have occurred between you two. And Pinkie Pie seems rather upset for her part in everything, as well.”

“Like anypony cares about me.”

Just as I was about to try to convince her otherwise, a familiar chime flicked my ear. I glanced over to see, of all ponies, Fluttershy coming in. She hovered off of the ground, clutching a small object with her forelegs. After scanning the room, she fixated on Trixie and I, and headed straight over.

“Oh, thank goodness,” she said breathlessly as she landed in front of us. Or rather, in front of Trixie, given that she paid me little mind. “I was worried I might not make it back in time before you left again.” She held out the object toward Trixie.

Trixie’s pink aura wrapped around the object, bringing it closer. I could see that it was a framed photograph, though a crack splintered through the glass pane. The picture depicted a filly wearing a cape. Sparks flew from her horn while she reared up, kicking her forelegs. Barely visible in the background were two slightly out of focus Unicorns.

“I found this when we were cleaning up after the ursa minor attacked. They were going to throw it out with the rest of the debris, but I thought that it might have been important to you,” Fluttershy explained. “I kept it at my cottage in case you came back, but I didn’t have a chance to give it to you last time. Because, um… well…”

Trixie smiled. She actually, genuinely smiled. Giving a bitter chuckle, she shook her head. “I always hated this picture.”

Fluttershy’s ears drooped. “I’m… sorry?”

Trixie ran a hoof over the cracked glass. “It’s a reminder: that there is nopony I can rely on but me.”

“What in Equestria would make you think that?” I asked.

“While I was getting this picture developed, my parents left without me.” Sighing, she stowed the picture under her cloak. “Apparently my talents outshone theirs so much, that it interfered with their business.” Scoffing, Trixie shook her head. “I… never needed them anyway.”

Again, I placed a hoof on Trixie’s shoulder. “Trixie…”

Trixie swatted my hoof away. “And I don’t need you!” Marching away, she offered Fluttershy a subtle “thanks” before making a beeline for the door.

Hurrying after her, I caught her at the door. “Just where are you going?”

“I’m done with this farce,” she retorted. “Give me my bits. I’m leaving.”

My eyes darted to my bags as my mind groped desperately for something to say or do to keep her here. “J-just wait here a moment.” Turning back, I found all of my friends staring at us. I sent them a pleading look as I headed for the stairs.

“Trixie, you’re not thinking of leaving already, are you?” Twilight asked, stepping in as I headed up the stairs. As much as I would’ve liked to stay and help coax Trixie into staying, I needed to hurry, lest she leave without so much as enough bits to get back to Baltimare.

I rushed into my room and flung open my closet. Inside, my attention focused on my saddlebag shelf. There, I met a half-dozen bags, each with its own unique design. None of them would perfectly match the cloak I made for Trixie. That left me with a single, detestable option. I grabbed the standard, old-fashioned leather saddlebags. They might’ve been trite, and certainly nothing special, but they went with everything. In a crass, generic sort of way, anyway.

Though the saddlebags vexed me, they were a means to an end. Nothing special in and of themselves. If I couldn’t keep her here, I had to at the very least do everything I could to ensure her ready for whatever her trip may entail. And, if the gesture was enough to get that stubborn mare to change her mind and stay, then all the better.

With the bag in my magic, I headed over to my design desk and dumped the few gems there into the bag. Serendipitously, there also lay a spool of silver thread, perfectly matching the trim on Trixie’s cloak. I added it and a few needles to the bag as well. I just hoped that Trixie would know how to work a thread if anything happened to her cloak. Rifling through the various swatches, I managed to find a couple of deep violet that could easily match Trixie’s cloak.

Stowing those away, I scanned the shelves. No. Not there. Where did I put them? I pulled open a drawer, and another, and another. “Ah!” Wrapping them in my aura, I pulled free a small stack of postcards. I’d picked them up in Manehattan when I thought I’d be working there for the musical theater. They would serve much better as an excuse for Trixie to stay in touch—provided I don’t find a way to get her to stay, that is.

Speaking of getting her to stay, I had to hurry if I wanted to intercept her before she got a mind to take off. That hardheaded mare would take off without a bit to her name should the desire strike her. Best I could figure, that desire struck about ten minutes ago.

I rushed to the stairs as I stuffed the postcards into the satchel. Starting down the stairs, I slowed to a stop. Only five of my friends stood there waiting for me.

“Sorry, Rarity,” Twilight apologized as she stepped to the fore. “We tried to keep her from leaving.”

“What we?” Rainbow Dash objected. “You gave her a bagful of bits.” She pointed at Twilight for emphasis. Then, she pointed at herself. “I said we lock the door and keep her here.”

Twilight rolled her eyes at Dash before turning back to me. “I tried to get her to say where she was going, but she refused.”

Throwing the saddlebags on and tightening the strap, I stepped toward the door. “I have a pretty good idea where.”

“Do you need us to come with you?” Twilight offered just as I got the door open.

I gave my head a good shake. “I have to do this myself. I imagine she would be more willing to listen if I went alone.” Without further ado, I took off, the encouraging words from my friends at my back.

Comments

[Nikkori]

So, Rarity is going to help Trixie..

I haven't been moar proud of my little Marshmallow fav.

[zalla661]

Go help your friend Rarity!

Generosity knows no bounds and neither should friendship!

[BudCharles]

Yay! More chapters!

[Dustchu]

AHhhh Rarity, I ish proud of you generious pony~

NIce job, nice job!

[Emperor]

I wonder why Rarity is so bent on keeping Trixie in Equestria. I suppose that past the psychological motivation of Trixie helping Rarity out once in something that required her utmost trust, Rarity is a weird sort of patriot who isn't a nationalist, but simply can't see why anyone would wish to leave Equestria. Of course, her experience in Baltimare should have disillusioned that.

Speaking of Baltimare, I'm surprised Rarity hasn't brought hell down on the hotel for dumping her out on the streets without even attempting to arrange a room at another hotel or refunding her for a trip back to Ponyville. Since Twilight's a Princess now, time for some consumer advocacy!

[Texus]

“Trixie, why don’t you go out and mingle? You should know by now that nopony here is going to be hostile with you.”

Rarity!!!, do I have to tell you again that it isn't always that easy