Dash barely slept anymore, whenever she closed her eyes all she could see was the destruction and pain she'd caused. She was going to live with that until the day she died. Twilight was fast asleep, the bigger mare spooning the smaller pegasus, her forelegs wrapped around her like a ring of steel - Dash didn't know if it was to keep her close or stop her leaving, something she had considered many a time throughout the night. The warmth and touch from Twilight did make Dash smile, however, she'd missed her friend and the soft touch of another pony.

The moon was still high in the sky, threads of light shining through the open balcony doors. The only thing going through Dash's head was how much she craved going out for a fly. She'd secluded herself in the tower for so long, too afraid to venture into the skies... She'd be easily spotted and cause too much trouble for herself... But now? Her dusty wings were itching to be stretched. She stared at the open doors, the wind brushing her mane. It was like torture, having the freedom just there for her to grasp and take, but the responsibility of not being seen pulling her back down to earth again.

"Fuck it..." She muttered, wiggling out of Twi's grip and stepping out onto the balcony, taking a lungful of air and spreading her wings, giving them a long awaited stretch, moaning gently to herself, beginning to give them a slow flap and hovering in the air. She gave herself time to get her wings back into the rhythm of carrying her weight - they certainly weren't what they once were, but her natural ability hadn't gone anywhere. Without warning, she zoomed off into the sky, dancing and rolling by herself, laughing for the first time in 3 years. She was perhaps enjoying herself too much, swishing through the streets and skies for hours before the sun began to climb into the sky, swiftly retreating back into the library.

Twi was still fast asleep, she wouldn't know for a second that Dash had left, allowing herself a chuckle as she wiggled back into Twilights grasp and closed her eyes, relaxing.

Twilight hummed softly to herself, managing several frying pans at once. She'd left Dash in bed upstairs and had decided to make her friend breakfast, anything she could do to make her happy and feel at home she would - hence the breakfast. She lifted her head, however, when there was a harsh knocking at the door, frowning and opening it "Yes?"

"Princess Twilight!" The stallion at the door was very much out of breath "Look!" He thrust a newspaper at her, the front cover making her freeze.

The front page was a picture of a blurred Dash from far away in the sky, it was hard to make out due to the blurriness and darkness, but it wasn't too hard to pick out the rainbow hair. The headline differed from paper to paper but all ran with the same theme and picture, stating the return of Rainbow Dash.

"Surely this can't be true...?" Twilight shook her head "T-thank you..." She took the papers and closed the door, silently going back to cooking. She plated up, taking the food up to Dash, who was awake with just her head out of the covers, a goofy grin on her face "Morning Twilight! Y'know, this is kind of like a hotel..."

Twi placed the food down, before throwing the newspaper into Dash's chest "Explain yourself" She stared blankly "And tell me right now why I shouldn't turn you in for being such an idiot" The calmness in her voice made it even worse for Dash.

Dash stared at the paper, gulping deeply "I-I... I was itching to fly and... I... I'm sorry, Twi..." She stared at the picture of herself, reading some of the article "Don't suppose we could pass it off as a hoax...?"

"Do you EVER think about anyone else Rainbow Dash?" She glared. She felt bad about snapping at her, but it needed to be said. "Think for a moment. Everyone wants you dead or at least tortured, so do you think going for a little fly through Ponyville was such a great idea? Canterlot is going to send guards, Spitfire will send guards, and now everyones going to be on their hooves! You can't even risk leaving the library now." She growled, shaking her head and groaning as there was another knock at the door. "STAY THERE" The mare trotted downstairs, Dash not even daring to blink.

Behind the door was, fortunately, Twilights friends, the group of four coming into the library.

"Is it true?" Shy smiled wide, looking excited. She got a couple of looks off the others, but they too were just as curious.

"I dont know" Twilight shrugged "It would be nice, but it could just be some sick joke - just be careful? You don't know what she's like, or what may happen if you can be associated with her" She smiled.

AJ sighed "Look. Ah wanna see my friend, but is she still our friend? She's changed, a lot. I only saw her once but she seemed pretty happy that Griffons were about to attack"

"It has been three years, though" Rarity muttered "But why would she suddenly appear after so long...? And why here?"

"Why do you think...? Because of us" Shy smiled "She misses us, and we miss her. And if she is alive, she's close"

Dash watched from up in the bedroom, peering down from the top of the stairs at the small group. She so wanted to go down, but she'd already disobeyed Twilight once and that hadn't ended well for her. Just seeing her friends made her happy, though, even if now wasn't the time to meet them again. She doubted they'd want to meet her, but some of the things they'd said had been both positive and negative, each one of the group obviously had their own opinions.

"Do you know something we dont, Twi?" Rarity asked "Because as much as she may have been..." she cut off "She is sort of our friend"

Twilight sighed "I've met her" she shuffled uncomfortably "Yesterday"

"You have?! What was she like... I mean, you're still alive so she must be a little better"

Twi squirmed on her feet. She really didnt want to do this, but she couldn't lie to her friends "She's... Upstairs..."

All five heads turned to the top of the stairs, staring at Dash's head, which had been poked around the corner the whole time. She chuckled nervously and stepped out "H-hey guys... Long time..."

The four mares stood in silence as Dash came down the stairs. She was terrified of meeting her old friends, they had every right to hate her.

"Dashie!" Shy yelled, hugging her tight "I was so sad..."

Dash gulped and hugged her back, burying her face into her neck "I'm so sorry Shy... I don't deserve you..." Hearing Shy call her 'Dashie' was heartbreaking, the last time she had... well... Shy hadnt flown since.

The others just stood still, not quite as forgiving as their yellow friend. AJ approached, and just punched her square in the chest before walking back.

Dash coughed, winded and groaning "I-I deserved that..." She muttered.

"Yeah, ya did. Its gunna take a while for us to even consider forgiving you Dash, if we ever will" She grumbled "The things you did? They were selfish, destructive, despicable and unloyal"

Dash gritted her teeth, eyes thinning. She may have calmed down, but there was still a fire burning inside the mare, a flame that was capable of burning a town to the ground if it grew big enough "I'm not asking for your forgiveness, Applejack" She stood.

"Ah'm sure Spitfire would love ta hear that"

Dash stamped her hoof hard "Don't you dare mention that name infront of me. How can you be so happy of her when all she did was stand by my side agreeing with me until she claimed to have killed me and fucked off into the clouds?"

"She ended the war, Dash. And she got rid of you" she spat, her words cutting deep "Twilight and Shy may be quick to think you're the mare you were before all this, but ah don't trust you one bit. And I sure as hell can't forget what you've done"

She chuckled and shook her head "Don't then. I know what I did, and I would do it again if I had to. The sacrifices I made, for what i thought was right and the best for Equestria, took their toll on me. I doubt you'd do the same"

AJ stayed silent, looking away. The two mares clashed before Dash had left, and the events after had only made them clash more. Dash turned her head to face Rarity "Are you going to hug me or punch me?"

"Neither" She sighed. "I'm glad you're ok, Dash, but like Applejack said. It will be hard for me to move past what you did" She smiled softly "But we can work on that"

"Thank you, Rarity" Dash nodded her head. The mare wanted to talk all night with her friends, but prevented herself from giving too much away "We need to make sure no-one knows I'm here, ok?" She directed that mostly to Applejack

"Ah'm not gunna sell you out, for Twi's sake" She grunted "But if you do anything to put me or my family in danger, I'll drag you to Spitfire myself"

She chuckled, grinning evilly "I can't wait to meet her..."

Dash's friends had left, leaving just Twilight and Dash alone in the library as the sun began to set. "Are you going to confront Spitfire?" Twilight asked, breaking the silence.

She sighed and stared into her cup "It would be a suicide mission" Dash admitted "But she's the one thing that I have left to conclude"

"But... why? Why are you so obsessed? She ended the war..."

"Twilight, she would have killed you. She tried to kill me, after staying by my side for so long... I should have just finished her when I had the chance"

Twi nodded "I suppose... But you're home now... Please dont be so quick to leave"

"Home..." Dash muttered.

Author's Note

Thanks for reading!