Things had quickly turned sour for Dash - Griffons were performing frequent guerrilla attacks on Canterlot, the population of the city hated her and even Spitfire was starting to have her doubts... Thats how the mare knew things were going really bad.

The High Commander looked straight ahead as she worked her way through the corridors of the castle, not bothering to turn to look at anyone passing by - they were swift to step out of her way as she marched to her throne room. She wasn't one for spending the day perched on a throne, but at least the room was quiet and secluded.

She opened the doors, darted in and swiftly closed them behind her, locking the doors and sliding down them, sitting with her head resting against the thick wood. The tough mare couldn't stop herself from beginning to sob - this isnt how she had wanted things to go... she was supposed to be the one that led the Pegasi race to independence and to prosper, not the one that was solely responsible for the near extinction of the pony race.

"You haven't cried for a while" Spitfire muttered, stepping from behind the large throne sat above the small level of steps at the end of the room. She looked over the cyan mare, before sitting herself down in the extravagant chair and perching a crossbow across her lap.

Dash jumped with surprise, quickly wiping her eyes and standing "S-Spitfire" her eyes thinned "What are you doing here?" She slowly made her way to the bottom of the steps.

She chuckled softly, settling herself down in the throne "Your time is up, Dashie" She grinned. She knew Dash hated being called that "Youve lost control... It's time for you to step down"

Dash gritted her teeth. The last pony to call her that she'd taken her wings "Don't do this Spitfire... You there is only one way this will end..." She sighed "And I don't need this right now"

"Oh, I'm counting on it" she leant forwards "If I were you, I'd start running... And not stop. The Pegasi hate you - you have no support from them. The unicorns and earths hate you because you killed their princesses and ruined their lives and city... And well... It's not as if you can seek refuge in the Griffon Kingdom" She laughed "This is your one and only warning"

Dash chuckled and shook her head "Traitor... Of all of em, I expected this least from you. Now get the fuck out of my chair and my sight"

Spitfire sighed and shook her head "Very well. Stubborn as always, the stubbornness that has led to this..." The mare stood, grinning wildly "Don't worry Dash, when you're dead and gone I'll make sure to look after your mare friend Twilight" Without warning, the mare fired a bolt from the crossbow.

Despite her best efforts, the bolt hit Dash directly in the knee, instantly making the whole leg go weak and give way, the mare collapsing onto her stomach.

Within seconds Spitfire was on her, the two powerful mares scrapping on the ground, Spitfire wielding a curved dagger.

The two mares tussled, muscles flexing as they fought to get control of the knife, the blade glinting in the sunlight as it turned and twisted, the two aiming it for each others windpipes.

With all her strength, Dash kicked up with her one hind leg, connecting with Spitfires chest and sending her up in the air, the mare doing a graceful backflip and hovering in the air, holding the knife and grinning down at Dash, who was on her back looking up at Spitfire, blood oozing down her leg, the bolt still lodged in her knee.

She pushed the pain out of her head, quickly rolling over and away as Spitfire lunged, driving the knife hard into the spot she'd occupied just a second ago with so much force the knife shattered into several pieces.

Dash sprang onto her legs, buckling down again but holding herself up by flight, grinning as she flicked her wrists - nothing - she looked at her fore hooves... nothing... frantically looking around the room, she spotted her iconic blades lying where she'd fallen. "FUCK!" she yelled, unarmed.

Spitfire chuckled, dropping the ruined blade and standing on the cold, hard floor. "Come on Dash. I'll make it quick..."

Dash growled and landed, several feet from her advisory. She glanced down at her knee, the sight didn't fill her with confidence.

"You can't win!" Spitfire yelled "Theres no-one to save you, not anymore! Those that you once called your friends hate you! Twilight only puts up with you because she's clever enough to know that if she didnt she's be one of those ponies hanging in the square"

Dash thought. Spitfire wasn't lying. "Trust me Spitfire. I know how you feel. You want the power, you think you have all of the idea to make the Pegasi a great race again, to win this war." She stepped closer "I thought exactly the same. I don't want this anymore. I want to go home, back to how it was"

"Thats sweet" Spitfire mocked "But YOU can't. YOU made sure of that" She chuckled.

Dash took another step forward "I don't fear death, Spitfire. I can't wait to die, I'll love the peace and quiet of death" She hissed "But I won't be experiencing that today" She stared into Spitfires eyes "You're not my biggest problem right now, Spitfire. Stop trying to act tough and go sit in your office waiting for orders"

"I'm done following your orders. It should have been me in charge in the first place, from the beginning. I was the captain of the Wonderbolts!"

Dash stepped forwards so she was just a foot from Spitfire, close enough to feel her breath. She sighed softly "I respected you, Spitfire, I thought you would always be the one that no matter what would stick with me"

"My loyalties will always lie with my race, not the one that leads it. That is why you must die" The mare went to throw a punch, but Dash swiftly ducked, grabbing a shard of the shattered dagger from the ground and driving it into Spitfires hip, before spinning over and bucking the shard hard, driving it deep into her.

Spitfire screamed in pain, thrown off her hooves by the buck, the shard driven deep inside of her, every time she took a step the shard would press into her bone causing excruciating pain.

Dash punched her in the back of the head, jumping atop the mare as she fell, pinning her and grinning, collecting another shard from the ground "I fucking hate traitors..." she pressed the shard between two vertebrae in the back of Spitfires neck, lining up to drive it in.

"Wait! Wait please!" She cried out, squirming below Dash.

Dash sighed and rolled her eyes "I cannot believe that-"

She was swiftly cut off as the doors were blasted open, a group of Pegasi guards rushing in, all wielding spears.

Dash didnt have time to contemplate if they were on her side or not, slicing at Spitfire to keep her down before flying as fast as she could out through the pane glass windows of the throne room and away, back round into the castle and straight to Twilights 'quarters' and barging her way out "We have to go, NOW" Dash roared.

Twi froze, her book still open in her hooves "Dash, your knee... It's bleeding"

Dash wanted to try and be nice to Twi, but now really wasn't the time. She batted the book out of her grasp and grabbed her mane, throwing her towards the door "Is it? Hadn't noticed" she groaned, gritting her teeth and practically dragging Twi through the castle, ducking away from any guards. Her knee was killing her, she wasn't sure how much further she'd be able to walk before passing out.

Twi was visually very shook up, and Dash wasn't doing a very good job of hiding her pain and discomfort, as well as the fear and anger. "High Commander Dash... where are we going...? What happened?!"

"Twi, please..." Dash growled "Just shut the fuck up? I'm trying to think..."

The duo made it to the rear entrance of the castle, Dash grabbing Twi and staring into her eyes "Do exactly as I say, ok? Promise me Twi"

"I-I promise...." She shuddered

"Go back to Ponyville, find our friends and keep them safe! Fuck everyone else, just make sure you five are safe ok?! Go, keep going. Don't stop and don't look back, ok?"

"What do you mean? You're coming, right?"

Dash looked back behind her, shouting voices and hoof steps getting closer, the mare getting more panicked "JUST GO, OK! FUCK OFF!" she yelled at Twi, pushing her towards the door

"But... Dash" Twi welled up, looking back

Dash smiled "I'll be fine Twi. I'm awesome, remember?" She took a deep breath and disappeared back up the staircase towards the voices.

Twi took one look back, before wedging the door shut and running off towards what remained of Ponyville.

Author's Note

Thank you for reading

I've enjoyed writing this story, even if the chapters have been few and far between, and will definitely be writing a sequel!

I'm sure there will be a few questions asked about the war, however this is more a story of Dash than the war!