Rarity stepped off the train and onto the wooden platform, her hoof tentative. The first sight of her hometown didn't feel as comforting as she had hoped it would. Had the train station always been decorated so? Of course not. It had been ages. Perhaps they had changed the decor.

She stepped off finally and breathed in deeply, trying to steady her mind. Though the train station looked vastly different from when she left, and the faces of the ponies there were not at all familiar, the smell of Ponyville was unmistakeable. The musk from the Everfree Forest, the frosting coming from Sugarcube Corner, the dusty hay of the thatched roofs, the spices wafting from the marketplace, all blending with the crisp breeze from Sweet Apple Acres created an irreplicable scent. The pure white pony teared up involuntarily. She quickly squeezed back the tears, reminding herself of her purpose: Sweetie Belle. She was just here to see Sweetie Belle.

She tossed her bags on a luggage cart. "Excuse me, sir," she motioned to a nearby stallion with handsome features. "Would you be so kind as to help me bring these bags to Carousel Boutique? I'd pay you, of course. I'd hate to mess up my coiffure."

The pony smiled nervously. "I'd love to, miss, but a rich unicorn from Manehatten owns that place. Is s-she a friend of yours?"

"Why…" Rarity was taken aback. He didn't even know who she was. There was a time that she knew everyone in this town. Obviously, she wasn't as friendly as Pinkie Pie but she was a successful business woman, and it was a small town. He should know her. "I am her. I'm Rarity."

"Oh, really?" the pony looked starstruck. His eyes glittered and he shook a little. "O-Of course, then, Miss Rarity. What an honor it would be to carry your bags." He hurriedly collected the bags onto the cart and pulled them in the direction of her old home. She wondered how decrepit it would be.

She trotted behind the friendly pony, trying to take in everything as quickly as possible. She marveled at how much had changed…and how little. Town center still looked mostly the same, but it seemed that the Mayor Mare had let it run down. Of course, she might not be mayor anymore. It could be someone else's fault. The marketplace was still bustling, but the ponies she saw there she didn't recognize, and she realized that they were mostly all the foals and fillies that had grown up with Sweetie Belle. The new generation had taken over the town. Children grow into adults when a decade goes by.

Eventually, they made it to the street the Carousel Boutique was on, and she prepared herself for the worst. Would the glass be shattered? Would the shutters be falling down? Would the paint be chipped? Perhaps even the roof might be caving in. She closed her eyes and tried to remind herself that all these things could be fixed. How dreadful it would be to see her home in such disrepair! Would she be able to contain the emotions that sight might bring her? Her worry was unnecessary, though, because as they rounded the bend, she caught sight of the purple roofed building. The fresh white paint glimmered in the sunlight. The purple shutters were hinged tightly and sat perkily in their place. The glass was untouched and not a speck of dust was on it. It was magnificent. It was as if a day had not gone by since she left. It was perhaps in better condition than it had been before. Her jaw dropped as she marveled at it.

"Wow, Miss Rarity," the pony gasped. He wiped his brow and patted her bags. "Someone's been taking care of the place it looks like. You must have some good friends in town." He busied himself with getting her bags into the house.

His statement was untrue. She didn't have good friends in town. Not many anyway. Not good ones. Old friends perhaps. Surely no one cared for her this much. Applejack wouldn't have cared one way or another if the place had fallen apart. She had enough on her plate. Everyone knew that Princess Twilight didn't live there anymore. Last she heard Rainbow Dash was part of the Wonderbolts Reserves. She had no earthly idea where Pinkie Pie was these days, but this certainly wasn't her doing. Perhaps Fluttershy? They had always been good friends. Closer than the others, certainly, with their weekly spa days. However, with the way they had left things, she doubted Fluttershy would keep up the Boutique in her absence. Who then had spent so much time, money, and effort to keep her place up for her? As if they anticipated her return?

"Finished, ma'am," the stallion said, breathing heavily.

"Thank you, darling," she said gently and placed a giant gem into his hoof. "I hope this will make up for your trouble."

"Yes, it will!" He trilled gleefully and then cantered away with the luggage cart back to the train station, leaving the white unicorn to ponder.

"Well, it won't do you any good to continue wondering," Rarity admonished herself. "You came here to see Sweetie Belle and it's high time you did." She turned to head the direction of the school house, having heard from her parents that her sister was now a music teacher. She had been so proud of her little sister when she'd heard but she had never had the chance to come and see her in her element. Well, technically she could have made time but Rarity's career had consumed most of her thoughts for the past few years. But she had achieved her dream, and now it was the time to reconnect.

She approached the school yard and nostalgia choked her. Not only did her mind playback memories of Sweetie Belle and her Crusader friends playing in the yard, but it also brought up memories from her own youth and the time she had spent at the same school.

She entered the yard and found the exact place where she had met Applejack for the first time. She had looked down at the country filly with disdain, but the other had been quite friendly. It took them many years to become friends, but she remembered clearly the moment when she introduced herself and how she had internally giggled at the way Applejack had said her name in her country drawl.

"Sis?" Rarity heard a voice call her name, and it was much more grown up than she had expected it to be.

"Sweetie Belle?" Rarity called as she turned and laid eyes on the white pony with emerald eyes and luxurious pink and purple ringlets.

"Rarity!" the pony ran up to her and hugged her tightly. "Oh it's so good to see you!"

"My goodness," Rarity gasped as she pulled out of the hug. "Why you are as tall as me, darling."

"Well, I am a grown pony, now," Sweetie Bell snickered. "Why don't you come inside? I didn't expect you for another hour. You said your train got in at 4."

"Yes, well," Rarity entered the schoolhouse and was thankful for the shade. "I got on an earlier one. I simply couldn't wait to see you." Rarity glanced around the room and smiled at the familiar chalk dust floating in clouds around the blackboard. "Did class just get out?"

"Yes, you just barely missed it," Sweetie Belle leaned against her desk. "We are just beginning to learn the Hearth's Warming Eve anthem. The mayor has asked me to put on a musical this winter. You should definitely come."

"Oh, why I wouldn't miss it. It will be absolutely divine!" Rarity gave Sweetie Belle a sincere smile through her bittersweet tears. There were so many memories and so many changes. Her heart was having trouble keeping her emotions in check. She cleared her throat. "So have you heard from Apple Bloom? How's the Apple Family?"

"You mean, how is Applejack?" Sweetie Belle smiled knowingly at Rarity's sheepish look. "I don't know. Apple Bloom has told me all about how the Sultan of Saddle Arabia asked her to design the architecture of his new castle, but she didn't mention her family. As far as things I've heard around town, all I can tell you is that Big Mac got married and had a baby. I have no idea what Applejack has been doing. Probably just working the farm, as usual. Not much has changed around here."

"No, it would seem it hasn't. Even my boutique is perfectly kept. Was that you, Sweetie Belle?"

Sweetie Belle laughed lightly. "Wasn't me."

"Then who?" Rarity raised an eyebrow, utterly confused.

"The mayor keeps it up," Sweetie Belle put a hoof on Rarity's shoulder. "Why don't you go home and rest? I'll meet you for supper at the cafe. And maybe on your way, you might stop by the mayor's office and thank him."

"Him?" Rarity asked, incredulous. "Who is it?"

Sweetie Belle simply giggled and waved Rarity out the door.

Rarity entered Town Hall and found her way through the familiar hallways. The longer she was here, the more the memories came back and the more familiar things felt. She found a door at the end of the long hallways with a plaque that said, "Mayor's Office." She lifted one of her white hooves and rapped gently.

"Come in," a deep voice said.

She didn't recognize it. She pushed the door open. Her eyes took in the room quickly-the bookshelves, the large mahogany desk, the stained glass window, the imposing chair. Her jaw dropped, and her eyes grew wide as she realized who now sat in the mayor's chair in Mayor Mare's place. "Spike?!"

"Rarity?" the full voice replied and swung the chair to face her. The purple dragon that she had last seen as a child, was now grown and twice her height. His green scales were sharper with maturity and his wide baby face had grown more angular. In that moment, she barely knew him. "Rarity! It's so good to see you!" His strangeness lasted only a moment, as he leapt over the desk to hug her, and all of her fond memories of the tiny dragon came back.

"Spike! I can't believe you are the mayor now!"

"I know! It's crazy, right? Who appoints a dragon as mayor of a town called Ponyville?" Spike laughed and his voice was rich with age. "I didn't complain, though. But what are you doing in Ponyville? Gosh…you look…" his green reptilian eyes pierced into her sapphire ones and made her blush. "As beautiful as always."

"Oh Spike, thank you," Rarity giggled. "And you…well, look at you…" she held a hoof out and swept it downwards, "You're in couture."

"I try to fit the part," Spike smiled, flashing a sharp tooth, and adjusting his tie.

"You're so grown up," Rarity gazed at him, in awe of his transformation. "And handsome."

She expected him to flush the way he had when he was young and she paid him a compliment. He had been so infatuated with her. Now, he simply smiled and bowed slightly at the flattery.

"W-Well, I merely stopped by to thank you for keeping up the boutique," Rarity rushed to say. "That was awfully thoughtful of you."

"Oh, of course," Spike waved her off. "With insurance and other legal loopholes, it's not too hard. It's nothing I wouldn't do for any of my old friends. I keep up Twilight's Castle, too. In case, she ever comes back." Spike gulped down an adolescent emotion that he felt he was too grown-up to feel anymore. But Rarity noticed it.

"I'm so sorry, Spike," Rarity blurted out.

"For what?" He seemed taken aback.

"For leaving you here all alone." Tears pricked her eyes.

"It wasn't all your fault, Rarity," Spike put a hand on her cheek. "I couldn't blame you for anything." She felt her heart jump as he smiled down at her. He had grown up so much. She almost couldn't remember the way his voice had squeaked or the way his chubby cheeks had looked. She couldn't remember those things in the wake of this dashing gentleman.

"W-well, I should probably get going," Rarity stuttered and stumbled towards the door. What was wrong with her legs? Why did they feel so weak? And why was her head spinning?

"I'll see you around," Spike's steady gaze followed her as she pulled the door open. How was he so calm and collected? His voice was smooth and his hands were casually in his pockets.

"Of c-course," Rarity muttered and hurried out into the hallway.

"And Rarity," Spike called after her. She caught his eyes as he poked his head out the door. "I'm glad you're back."

Rarity gave him a half smile and then hurried away down the corridor. She threw herself out into the sunlight and fresh air. It took a few deep breaths, but eventually her legs stopped quivering and her head gained clarity. What in Celestia's name had come over her in there? She had nearly fainted. She thought perhaps it was the emotions of the day and the heat from the summer. She glanced back at Town Hall and shook the strange feeling off of her. It was nothing. Merely, the heat. That was all.