The neighborhood was quiet. The houses were old and well-established. Trees lined the streets. A white unicorn stared at one house in particular. She knew who lived there.
The pony's indigo mane had seen better days, but didn't look bedraggled enough to make her stand out. She tossed her head slightly, nudging the curls from her face.
Rarity walked up to the house’s front door. It was well cared for, just like the rest of the place and the other houses on the street.
Her mind replayed the scene at the wedding more than four years ago. She remembered what Rainbow Dash had done to her. Now, that debt would be repaid.
Rarity’s clothing did not stand out in the neighborhood. A cheap, but decent, jacket covered her shoulders, trailing back just enough to partially obscure her cutie mark. It was a shame that she hadn’t had time to come up with something better.
After knocking, Rarity heard steps approach. “Just a minute,” called Rainbow. The pegasus homeowner swung the door open.
She looked just like Rarity remembered. Sky-blue body, striped multicolored mane, mischievous smile, and athletic build.
There was an instant when the two ponies stared each other down. Rarity had been missing for so long. She was the last pony Rainbow expected to see.
A solid shot to the face knocked Rainbow backwards. Rarity struck with her front hooves again, driving the other pony back through the door.
To her credit, Rainbow didn’t stay stunned for long. At Rarity’s next attack, the pegasus wrapped up the white pony’s striking leg and used the unicorn’s momentum to throw her against the wall, breaking a glass-fronted picture.
Rainbow’s hooves came down on Rarity as she lay on the floor amid shards of glass. Quickly blocking to avoid being crushed, Rarity kicked at the other pony’s face.
The unicorn had been in a coma for a long time. She had nothing like the muscle tone that she’d once possessed. Still, her kick knocked Rainbow backwards over the living room couch, crashing down on the coffee table.
Rarity picked herself up, shaking the pieces of glass off. She quickly vaulted the couch to continue her attack. Rainbow was waiting and cracked the other mare across the knee with a piece of the broken table. Despite the adrenalin pumping in her system, Rarity couldn’t avoid crying out in pain.
Falling to the floor again, Rarity was forced to block another diving attack by Rainbow. She grabbed the pegasus’ neck and managed to flip her over. Moving to a better position, Rarity got one of her front legs around Rainbow’s throat and began to squeeze.
The blue pony’s wings flapped ineffectually against Rarity’s body. Rainbow still had options though, and began dragging herself across the floor with Rarity along for the ride. The pegasus reached out with a hoof, snagging a fire poker from its holder and pulling it sharply down on Rarity’s head.
Struggling free, Rainbow attempted to swing the poker at Rarity again, but the unicorn’s back hooves kicked her in the chest, knocking the blue pony against a rack of shelves. Novelty china went everywhere as the pegasus regained her bearings. She upended the rack on top of Rarity.
With a flap of her wings, Rainbow shot off towards the kitchen. Rarity pulled herself out from under the set of shelves and gave chase.
She rounded a corner and just barely avoided getting her face sliced off. Rainbow was holding a large cooking knife in her mouth, leaving her hooves free to defend.
Rarity grabbed a frying pan with her magic and blocked the next stab. She backpedaled, trying to buy enough time to drop her defense and draw her own weapon. Rainbow pressed forward, out for blood.
Going backwards, Rarity bumped into a solid wooden table and just barely avoided another swipe of Rainbow’s knife. She ducked underneath the table, dropping the frying pan and unsheathing the knife strapped under her jacket.
The pegasus hadn’t been expecting her to drop to the floor and attacked Rarity’s legs as she slid under the table. The unicorn knocked the table onto the other pony and leaped over the top, making room so the real fight could begin.
Rainbow dug herself out and faced Rarity. Rarity’s knife was about the same size as the one Rainbow had grabbed in the kitchen, but hers was sharpened on both sides and had been designed with fighting in mind. Furthermore, Rarity was the more skilled knife handler. She may have been out of action for so long, but knife fighting was more instinct than skill. The blade hovered in the blue glow of her magic, ready to strike at any moment. There was nowhere for the pegasus to go. She couldn’t fly away indoors.
The two ponies circled each other. Rarity was feeling more confident. She knew that the job was far from finished, but she now possessed the advantage.
Both of them were distracted by an orange pegasus filly coming up the sidewalk. Rarity saw Rainbow’s eyes flick towards the window. Her thoughts might as well have been written on her face.
Rarity wanted the Rainbow dead. She was more than willing to do the job herself, however she was no monster. She couldn’t kill the pony in front of her daughter.
Without speaking, both of them put their knives out of sight as the door opened.
“Mommy, I’m—” the filly was brought up short by the damage to the house and the blood on the two ponies.
“How was school?” asked Rainbow, struggling to sound like she wasn’t gasping for breath.
“What happened?” asked the young pony, looking wide-eyed at the carnage.
“Oh, that good for nothing tortoise did it.”
It was clear to Rarity that the filly didn’t believe it. She took a step towards her mother. “Tank did this?”
“Don’t come in here. There’s broken glass everywhere and you could cut yourself.” Rainbow nodded to Rarity. “This is my friend. We go way back. She came over to help me.”
“Hello dear,” said Rarity. “What’s your name?” The filly didn’t respond, looking anxious.
“Her name is Scootaloo,” answered Rainbow.
“A pretty name for a pretty filly,” said Rarity. “How old are you, Scootaloo?”
“I’m four,” she replied.
“Four years old, really? I had a daughter once. She’d be about four now.” The filly didn't catch the undertone in Rarity's voice.
Rainbow shifted uncomfortably. “Scoot, my friend and I have some grown-up things to talk about. So go in your room now and leave us alone until I tell you to come out, okay?”
The young pegasus nodded, and left the two mares alone. There came the sound of her hooves on the stairs. Rainbow sighed. “You want something to drink?”
“Sure,” replied Rarity. The filly didn’t know it, but her arrival may have saved her mother’s life. Rarity didn’t know if she could go through with killing Rainbow now.
The two of them walked into the kitchen.
“So suppose it's a little late for an apology, huh?” said Rainbow.
Rarity gave the barest of nods. “You suppose correctly.”
“I need to know if you're going to start any more of this around my kid.” The pegasus looked at the other pony sharply.
“You can relax for now,” said Rarity. “I'm not going to murder you in front of your child.”
Rainbow filled a glass of water and gave it to the unicorn. “That's being more rational than Spike led me to believe you were capable of.”
“It’s mercy, compassion, and forgiveness I lack,” said Rarity coldly. “Not rationality. Just because I have no wish to murder you in front of your daughter doesn't mean that parading her around in front of me will inspire sympathy. You and I have unfinished business, and one way or another it’ll be done.”
“Fine. When do you want to do it? Tomorrow? The next day?” Rainbow grabbed a box of cereal. Based on the bright colors, Rarity guessed that it was for her daughter.
“How about tonight?”
“Sure. There’s a park I know near here.”
“Weapon of choice?” asked Rarity. “You can keep using that butcher knife if you want.”
Rainbow laughed. “Very funny.” She whipped around, raising the cereal box. “Very Funny!”
The bullet fired from the concealed gun inside the box just barely missed Rarity. She’d been holding the glass of water in front of her with magic, and now hurled it at the pegasus’ face without hesitation.
Rainbow put up her hooves to block, giving Rarity just enough time to draw her knife and hurl it at the other pony’s chest. The blade sliced between ribs, driving itself in to the hilt.
The blue pony fell back, sliding down the kitchen cabinets to the floor. Multicolored cereal scattered everywhere.
Rarity took a few steps forward, the spilled cereal crunching under her hooves. Rainbow was bleeding from the chest and the mouth. Rarity judged the angle of the knife, concluding that it had probably passed through the pony’s heart and one lung. It was a fatal wound.
It was not the first life that Rarity had taken, and it wouldn’t be the last. She watched the pegasus take her final gasping breath.
Rarity noticed a towel on the counter. When she was sure the pegasus was dead, she pulled out the knife and began cleaning the blade on the cloth. There was a slight step behind her.
The young filly stood there.
It was the first time Rarity had ever felt even remotely sorry for killing anypony. She sighed. “It wasn’t my intention to do this in front of you. I’m sorry. You can take my word for it, though, your mother had it coming.”
She finished cleaning the knife and slipped it back into its sheath. Scootaloo was still standing there when she turned back.
“When you grow up,” Rarity said, “If you still feel raw about it, come find me. I’ll be waiting.” She walked to the door.
Outside, Rarity consulted a list that she carried with her. There were five names on it. She lifted a felt-tip marker out of her pocket and crossed off Rainbow Dash.
