Battle Scars

June 7th, 1944

France

Pvt. Rarity

It was only a day after the biggest invasion of pony kind. The Rangers were resting up and gathering supplies off the beach. Rarity was examining her new M1 Garand rifle she acquired from a crate. She loaded up and began trotting down the roadway, looking around for any changeling remains. She slung the rifle across her back and kept on trotting to her squad. She sat down a took out a cigarette. She listen to the conversation of her squad mares as she crossed her hind hooves and placed them on a small ammo crate adjacent from her.

"Yeah, right!" shouted Rainbow Dash to Applejack, "I got the better hoof than you ever will. You might as well fold right now, AJ!"

"I ain't foldin' this hoof R-D, you may have a good hoof, mines jus' better." she replied.

"Alright, country girl. Reveal!!" The two ponies planted their cards on the ground, Rainbow had a full house, but AJ, a five of a kind.

"Yeeeehawww! Darn' tootin' I got the best hoof in that there round." she said. Rainbow Dash remained speechless as she looked at her hand. Three Aces and Two twos, she had five of a kind.

"Alright, another round, this time, I'm bettin my changeling knife I found." she said, slamming the blade on the crate, jamming it in between the crevices.

"Okay Dashie, I'll bet my revolver to your knife." she said as she pulled out a blued revolver. It read across it, ".45 ACP, Colt Model 1917." Rainbow stared in admiration at the revolver.

"Granny's during WW1, she got it from some colt in the hospital." AJ said, so the revolver had a definite value to it.

"Your on." said Rainbow Dash. Then she noticed Rarity at the glimpse of her eye.

"Oh hey, Rarity. You want in?" she asked.

"Ummm... sure darling, although I don't have a lot to give." she replied.

"Really? How 'bout that there carton of cigarettes. What are they, Equestrian Redwoods?" asked AJ.

"Yep, got these in Canterlot."

"Ohh, those are way better then the ones the buckin' army gives out. Bet those Rarity." said Rainbow Dash excitingly. Rarity placed the carton of cigarettes down, she was hoping to save them for the most dire of situations, so the carton was brand new. She picked up the cards, a King, Queen, Jack, Two, and Three, all she needed was a ten or an Ace. She placed the three down and gave it to Rainbow Dash. She picked up the card and gave it to Rarity, another two. Rarity smiled a little.

"Oh, Applejack, darling, I don't think you can beat this hoof." she said with some confidence.

"I think y'all bluffin'. I'm stayin' in." she said, placing down another card. Rarity smiled a little, she had a full house.

"Okay everypony, put down your cards." said Rainbow Dash, and the world was shocked. AJ looked in pure amazement at Rarity's cards and Rainbow Dash looked in wonder. A full house.

"Rarity...you...won." said Rainbow Dash. Rarity smiled as she picked up the changeling knife, the revolver, and her cigarettes.

"Granny Smith ain't gonna be proud to hear that I lost her revolver." AJ said in a slight disappointment. Rarity looked down at her, feeling a bit sad.

"Here you go darling, take this, I already have a sidearm." she said. AJ smiled a bit and took the revolver out of her hooves. She also gave Rainbow Dash her knife back as she smiled and slowly turned away. As she turned around, she was face to face with Captain Twilight Sparkle.

"Good morning Rarity." she said, as the white pony was stuffed in her face.

"My apologies sir, good morning." Rarity said nervously. She could hear the two ponies snicker behind her as she nearly face planted into the captain.

"Enough, AJ and Dash, you two are wanted as wall. We're going on a scouting mission across this village. We're here to spot for artillery, make sure theres no civvies in the area. Rarity, your on overwatch. Okay, lets move." Rarity grabbed her rifle and trotted down the road with the captain. She admired the purple pony from a far, but her true motivator was First Sergeant Caramel Seed. He was Rarity's mentor, per say, as he taught her a lot of things. She trotted up next to the pony to see him loading up his sniper.

"Hello Caramel." she said as she walked past him.

"Why, hello there Rarity, you goin' on that scouting mission?" he asked.

"Yes darling, I am. I'm providing overwatch."

"Huh, me too. This outta be fun."

"Yes, very much."

"Here, grab my Thompson, and we'll get moving." Caramel got up as Rarity grabbed the submachine gun. The Thompson was one of the most prized weapon in the regiment, it's high rate of fire, powerful bullet, and overall reliability made it a great weapon for close quarters. Rarity felt the weapon in her hooves as she trotted off. She met up with the small squad as they trotted up the road. The small village didn't seem to show any signs of life. They must've cleared out when the invasion began. She crouched down on the ground, slowly moving along the bushes and grass as they approached the houses.

"Caramel, Rarity, up on that balcony, make sure you two cover us. The rest of you, on me. Let's go." whispered Twilight as they slowly moved into the village. The houses were made with cobble stone and covered with moss from the humid air in the country. Rarity and Caramel climbed up as they took aim around the town. On their bellies, Rarity aimed her Thompson around the town. Looking, and seeking as her hoof wrapped around the trigger of the submachine gun.

"Rarity," said Caramel, scoped in on his sniper rifle, "tell the captain we got some resistance on the left flank, looks like a small army unit. No armor or AT. Just small arms, and an MG42." Rarity nodded as she gave off the signal to the captain looking up. Twilight nodded as they prepared to ambush the changeling squad. Caramel slowly scoped in as he hesitated.

"Something's not right, they stopped." he said.

"What do you mean darling?" asked Rarity, still aiming at the far left house.

"I think..." Caramel began until his words were cut off by a bang across the village.

"Sniper!" shouted Twilight as she began firing her submachine gun. Rarity looked over to find the dead Caramel. Her eyes widened as her emotions began to run through her body. A headshot, dead instantly. No pain, no final words, nothing. Caramel's death smacked Rarity square in the face as she just stared into the lifeless eyes of the dead sergeant. She began to feel sadness as she began to slowly cry, her head down as her purple mane draped over the balcony. Caramel's blood dripped down like water and mixed in with the crying mare. But, she felt something different, she felt a sense of anger. How could they? How could they take out Caramel? The marksmare not even aiming at the changelings? Rarity whipped the tears away and grabbed Caramel's rifle. She slung it over her back and jumped down from the balcony as she charged in to battle. She flipped the safety off the Thompson, and the gun was on fully automatic. She was gaining ground when she looked at the captain, who had a very puzzled look on her face.

"Rarity? What in Celestia are you doing?" she yelled, but Rarity didn't answer, instead she just flew by her with a bloodthirsty look on her face. Dodging bullets, she jumped over the stone wall and towards the wall of changelings. She had them in her sights, and raised the Thompson up to her face. As she continued to run, the changelings began to focus their aim on her, as she ran closer and closer. Finally, she pulled the trigger and the gun responded. The fast fire rate cut through the changelings like nothing their bodies pushed back with every bullet that entered their bodies. Rarity didn't bother to aim at the next group as her she fired the gun from the hip. A storm of bullets pierced through the changelings as they began to slowly fall back. Rarity didn't bother to reload, instead grabbed a changeling gun from the ground, an MP40 submachine gun. She fired off what ammo was left as the changelings frantically fired off their weapons, hoping to hit the crazed mare, but it was no good. The adrenaline pumped through Rarity's blood as she took out her pistol. She fired off one by one, each bullet finding their target. The changeling's showed fear in their eyes as they continued to run away from the crazed mare. She finally pulled out her knife as she began to stab the ones she missed. The blood splashed against Rarity's face, and she loved it. The eagerness for killing filled her body as she picked up the dead changeling's pistol, a Luger P08. She fired off the entire magazine, killing off the remaining changelings. She dropped the pistol and began to breathe heavily as she looked around for the sniper that killed Caramel. She looked left and right as she now reloaded her Thompson submachine gun. She looked up and found it, a small building, an open window with a perfect line of sight at Caramel. Rarity smiled as she charged in once more. She felt like a one mare army, taking down any changeling in her way. She thrust her body into the door, causing it to collapse and falling flat on the ground. She looked up to find the changeling leaving the area, as he slowly hesitated to look at the mare on that just busted through the door. He saw a blood covered mare with an evil smirk on her face as she charged him. The changeling used his rifle for cover as Rarity smashed him against the wall. She threw a punch into his stomach region and another one across the face. The blood from his mouth splattered across the wall, as Rarity continued to smile.

"This...is for Caramel, you piece of shit..." she said slowly and she delivered another kick to the gut. She finally reached for Caramel's rifle, an M1903A4 Springfield, and she pointed the muzzle to the changeling's face.

"Please...NO!" shouted the changeling sniper, but Rarity showed no sign of turning back. She pulled the trigger. The rifle screamed and cried as it's owner was dead, but it got it's revenge by killing its killer. Rarity dropped the rifle on the ground as she stared at the changeling's dead body. It felt like she was staring for an eternity, until she felt a hoof on the back of her shoulder.

"Rarity? Y'all okay?" asked Applejack.

"Oh...yes...darling, I'm fine." she replied hesitantly. She looked at the small squad, but down one member, Caramel. Twilight walked up to her and gave her a wash cloth.

"I don't know what to say Rarity, but, good job. This village is now clear. No need for the artillery." said Twilight.

"OH MAN! YOU DID AWESOME RARITY," said Rainbow Dash excitingly, "You were like some action hero busting through the walls and killing everyone on sight. You did more than awesome, you did tremendous work. There's not even words to describe how good that was!" Rarity looked at the dead changeling, then her thoughts began to come to her.

"What...what happened?" she asked softly.

"Well, to say the least, you wiped out an entire squad of changelings." said Twilight.

"Not jus' any changelings," said AJ, looking at the changeling's uniform, "SS changelings. Chrysalis' elite group of soldiers."

"Oh, my Celestia!" began Rainbow Dash once more, "Not only that we faced the SS, we beat them to the ground with our special weapon, Rarity." Rarity felt some happiness in her, but, the more overwhelming thing was that she turned barbaric and killed an entire squad of changelings. She dropped her head to her hoofs as she began to sit down to process what she did. It was all a blur for her. She only remembers staring at the dead changeling, nothing before that except Caramel's death.

"You did a good job today private. I outta put you in for a promotion." said Twilight with a slight smile on  her face.

"Ummm...no thank you darling. I just want to forget about this." she said to Twilight.

"WHAT?!" exclaimed Rainbow Dash, "Why would you turn down a promotion after doing something like THAT?!"

"Dash, calm down. It's her decision." Twilight said. Suddenly, Dash fell silent as her rage began to tune down a bit. Rarity now resumed to look down at her hooves, thinking of what just happened. She looked at her hooves, covered in blood, her face, blood, and even her gorgeous purple mane, blood. She only saw blood.

"I need some time alone, is that okay?" she asked Twilight.

"Sure, Rarity. We'll be outside waiting for you." said Twilight as she nodded her head to the exit. The three ponies trotted outside, leaving Rarity and the dead changeling in the building. She finally looked up and trotted up the stair case. She looked around and found the snipers nest. One shell casing laid on the ground, the same round that killed Caramel, she assumed. Rarity trotted around and heard a little creaking noise. She felt around the wall and roof to find a small little compartment above. She smacked it open and took a look inside. She slowly climbed up the ladder, her Thompson at her side. She moved around slowly and slowly as she heard some soft breathing. She saw another crate blocking another entrance. She moved the crate and opened the door. Her eyes widened as she saw not a document, not a jewel, but a family. They coward in the corner, holding two little fillies and a toddler. Rarity looked in and pointed her Thompson at them. The family looked down at the deadly weapon that she held, and they turned their heads to the wall. Rarity took notice of their fear, they couldn't be spies. She put down her gun and looked at the colt's sleeve, she saw the star of David. They were Jewish, in hiding. Rarity looked around as she put down her gun on the ground and held out her hooves. She wanted them to come out, to signal it was okay. But they didn't move. They saw a monster killer, and Rarity knew that.

"I won't hurt you. I promise." she said calmly as one of the fillies held out her hoof. Rarity grasped it and slowly pulled her out of the small den. One by one, the family slowly came out their hiding spot and were now in the small, cluttered attic. Rarity waved her hoof around, signaling to follow her as the family followed her command. She trotted down the steps and trotted outside. She saw the three ponies sitting on the ground, and looked at the captain.

"Is the area clear? No more changelings?" asked Rarity.

"Yes it is, Rarity. Now let's get back to base, we'll be moving up tomorrow through this same way." Twilight said, noticing the family behind her. Rarity nodded as she trotted outside, the family looking at the small group of mares. She felt a small hoof tug at her uniform, she looked down to find one of the fillies, holding tight on her uniform. Rarity looked down, not knowing what to do. But then, an idea hit in the head. She took off the overcoat uniform and pulled out her knife. The filly ran to her family again, but Rarity had a different idea. She cut off the piece of clothing that said: EQ Rangers in black font circling around the EQ. She put her coat back on and put her knife away. She picked up the makeshift patch and gave it to the young filly. She grabbed it and put it to her face. The soft, green silk felt like a blanket to her. She smiled softly as her small hooves held the patch, never wanting to let go. Rarity smiled as she slowly trotted away.

Back at the base, everypony looked at Rarity's blood covered face, but, she was smiling. Not because she killed one of the most elite groups in the world, but, she made a filly happy.

"What happened to your uniform?" asked Rainbow Dash, smoking a cigarette.

"And, where's your weapon?" asked AJ. Rarity just realized she left the Thompson and Springfield in the house, along with her ammo belt on the ground. She stuttered for an answer, but couldn't come to find one.

"Nevermind that," said Twilight, catching up to Rarity, "find yourself a new uniform, and a weapon from the armory." Rarity smiled as she trotted away. She took off her army overcoat and threw it in the trash bin, and picked up a new M1 Garand, in order to get Caramel out of her mind. After that day, she knew she done proper justice, but, was she an emotionless killer?