Rainbow Dash dragged herself through the dark cobblestone roads of Ponyville, the occasional lamppost illuminating the street corners. The village was quiet, most of its residents now sleeping peacefully in their warm beds. The silence only made the night all the lonelier for her but she couldn't go back, or at least that’s what she continued to tell herself over and over again.
She heard hoofsteps approaching from behind her; she ignored them and continued to circle the block. The light clattering of hooves kept on following her as she turned at the corner. Picking up her pace the best she could, she crossed the street, turning herself around completely. As she continued walking she scouted the area, but saw no pony, yet the noises continued.
She passed by an alleyway as she did a shaded figure emerged from behind her breathing loudly. Rainbow Dash could hear him just behind her; she made a run for the closest street light. Once reaching her destination, she turned around to see a large black stallion standing there next to her. The sound of more hooves landing on the road behind her as a smaller black stallion leaped off the roof of a nearby building.
The black stallion was nearly twice her size; his legs had powerful bulging muscles that generated vast amounts of heat which steamed in the cold weather. Despite the frigid air of the winter's night he was sweating profusely. His breathing grew louder and his mouth hung open revealing is uncared for yellow teeth. The rotten stench of his breath burned her nose as it contacted her face.
The smaller black stallion shared a close resemblance to the larger one, though he appeared much younger and far less developed. She couldn't fathom that his breath could possibly be as profound as who she assumed was the short pony’s older brother. Her gaze shifted towards their haunches but she couldn't make out either of the two's cutie marks. They had concealed their marks with small sheets of cloth that covered their flanks.
Rainbow Dash growing worried and hoping the two would leave her alone she started walking once more. The two followed close behind and one of them finally spoke, "Hey, where ya going? We just wanna talk!" the two laughed stupidly. Rainbow Dash ignored them.
"What's the matter, why are you all alone out here?" The smaller one taunted, the two guffawing once more. She kept onward, wishing they would just leave. "Where's your marefriend?" The smaller one said with a giggle.
Rainbow Dash froze. "Yeah, where is she?" The bigger asked and pushed her into the wall chuckling at her and then let her go so he could toy with her. Rainbow Dash began limping away as fast as she could but her leg slowed her down and they quickly caught up with her again.
"Did she finally leave a loser like you? Probably found a real Pegasus, one who can fly!"
The insult stung at Rainbow Dash and she began flooding with wrath and hatred. They had hit her in just the right place and she wasn’t willing to take it anymore. The emotions began to boil over until she snapped and allowed her instincts to the situation into their own hooves.
The larger one moved closer, about to push her again but the blind anger took over her. She quickly slid herself out of the way, catching him off guard and he stumbled into the wall. She stepped forward, placing a hoof on his throat, pressing down hard. At the mere sight of Rainbow Dash’s burning eyes the smaller pony panicked and fled in terror, leaving his friend behind.
The black pony grabbed at his throat with a hoof, trying desperately to pry the Pegasus off of him. She responded by pushing down harder on his throat and stared deep into his eyes. Rainbow Dash's mane almost seemed as if it were on fire as her rage pulsed through her body. Her eyes magenta eyes glowed in the dark streets, their pupils nothing more than slivers.
With one last glance, he looked back into the glowing eyes that stared furiously at him. He flailed a hoof helplessly at the Pegasus that was now overpowering him so easily. Gasping for air that he couldn't breathe in, his hind hooves began to twitch wildly.
Rainbow Dash clenched her jaws, her body shaking with an uncontrollable fury. She breathed out loudly, taunting the pony with the air that she took in so freely. Grinding her teeth she let hot humid air escape from her nostrils forming a fog which clung to the space between them. She knew exactly what he was feeling.
"Right now it feels something like you are drowning. The air so close to you, but you just can't quite pull it in." Rainbow Dash's voice filled with raw hate as she spoke "First, your vision will start to blur. Everything seems to slow down and your mind is unable to focus on anything other than drawing in just even the slightest bit of air. Finally, your eyes start to grow heavy then you can't keep them open. Despite your best efforts to do so they eventually shut and everything around you starts to go black."
Her eyes narrowed as she watched his eyes as they started doing exactly as she had said they would. They began to close, he pushed them back open and then they started shutting again. Convinced he had endured enough; Rainbow Dash removed her hoof from his throat, releasing her grip on him.
The black stallion crumbled to the ground, his cough was loud and raspy. With each breath his throat let out a sharp wheezing. He lay there, frightened and unable to move while his body slowly recuperated as it took in the much needed oxygen. Rainbow Dash continued staring at him with her piercing eyes, the stare making him shiver with fear.
"Leave." Rainbow Dash commanded darkly knowing full well that this moment would be one that would haunt him for the rest of his life. The pony did as he was told; he recovered the use of his legs, scrambled to his hooves and scampered off. Then once a safe distance, the stallion looked back, watching as the Pegasus fade into the darkness of the night.