Dash took her time to return to the Pegasi, she needed it. It had been a long few days for the mare, sleeping rough in the ruin that once was Equestria before finally arriving back in Canterlot. The mountain the marvellous city lay on stood opposite another mountain, the face of it steep and rough, outcroppings jagged and coarse.

"How fitting" Dash muttered to herself, looking up at the mountain, circled by Pegasi coming and going in and out of the caves on the face of it. The cyan mare taking flight up to a large crack and sliding in, landing and walking along the carved out, extremely makeshift corridors. The first sense the mare felt was the pure coldness of the place, each breath visible in the air and sending a shiver down her spine.

The Pegasi were better equipped for the cold than the other tribes, their fur double coated and thicker due to the coldness of high altitude flying. Any other tribe and the cold would get to them much quicker here, becoming a deep pain they wouldn't be able to cope with inside the snow capped peak.

Rainbow was used to ponies talking about her as she walked past now, ears twitching to get a wisp of the conversation but ultimately wasn't too bothered about what they had to say. After struggling to find her way around for a good few minutes, she eventually conceded and turned to the closest guard for information "Could you show me the way to my quarters, please? Or Spitfire? Or something to eat?" She listed off her options to her.

"Yes Commander, I-it's great to see you" She smiled, escorting her through the corridors "We all thought you'd fallen with Cloudsdale"

"Almost" She grumbled, keeping pace "I took some time off to go travelling" the mare muttered, glancing around the old looking corridors "What is this place?"

"Welcome to Pegasi Rock... At least that's what us low lot are calling it. I don't know if the Captain or Princesses have given it an official name yet. It's some old neutral meeting ground from before Canterlot times, or so I've heard" She shrugged "I'm no historian, but it seems this is home now"

"Lucky us" Dash sighed, shaking her head "Anything else I need to know?"

"Nothing that Commander Spitfire will tell you herself" She stopped before a large double door "This is yours, Commander. I'll let Commander Spitfire know you're back"

"Thanks" She nodded, walking into the room. It was surprisingly lavish for the setting, it seemed to be a room for past diplomats, carvings in the stone walls and filled with ornate wooden furniture. Dash wasn't happy though. It sickened her that she got such a nice room whilst others in her military could use the space much more effectively.

Dash removed all of her armour, grunting and lying face down on the bed, squeezing her eyes closed and trying her hardest to prevent herself crying again. She hated this rock, she hated Griffons, she hated ponies. She just wanted to go home, back to Ponyville and back to how it was with her friends. She just wanted to be happy - actually happy, not a cocky grin - again.

In the past few months she'd learnt so much about not only herself, but the nature of different types of ponies and the way they reacted in a situation. She'd always tried to maintain a hard outer shell and a strong image of herself, but she doubted how she appeared the way she used to to others anymore, only coming across as a scarred and wounded animal of war.

Before long, Spitfire slipped into the room, seeing the mare in such a state and locking the door behind her "Rainbow Dash" She muttered.

Dash gulped, quickly sitting up and wiping the tears from her eyes, staring across at Spitfire "C-Commander Spitfire... I'm sorry I didnt come str-"

"Hush, Dash" She said softly, pulling Dash's head into the soft fur of her neck and slowly stroking her mane "I'm not mad... I'm here to make sure you're ok"

Rainbow was stunned into silence at Spitfires actions, the mares face buried in her neck. She didn't know Spitfire was able to show compassion... Or be so nice.

"I don't care where you went, Dash, just that you're back safe. We're all feeling the same after Cloudsdale"

She drew her head from Spitfires neck and sniffled, nodding "Y-yeah..."

"Now. I know you Dash, and you have a remarkable talent for always getting back up when you've been knocked down, no matter how hard the fall. I didn't think you were gunna come back to us after Ponyville, but you're a fighter. You've been knocked down again, Rainbow Dash" She nodded "And this one's your biggest fall yet, I think... So if you want to walk away, go and find your friends in Canterlot and see out the war there, I'll understand. But we both know that the Pegasi need you, Equestria does, and I'd be a fool to not put my money on you getting back up again"

Dash took a long moment to think over what Spitfire had told her, slowly nodding. She'd given her the chance to go, to escape the hell she'd walked so willingly into not so long ago. But, as per usual, Spitfire was right. Dash couldn't just leave everything now, she'd come too far, and she'd be damned if she'd let the Griffons get away with what they'd done. Slowly, she looked at her friend, comrade and Commander "What've I missed?"

Spitfire grinned, removing her hoof from her mane "Good. Onto Captain Scorcher"

Dash spat at the ground.

"He wasn't in Cloudsdale when it fell. Infact, he was sipping tea with our benevolent Princesses"

Rainbow already hated the stallion, every turn she took he tried to cut it. Her hatred has only flared after he'd left her to die in Ponyville, resulting in her brutal torture. "Next time I see him, I promise you it will be the last time"

"Good to hear" Spitfire nodded, she too hated the stallion. He'd stolen top spot off her and his decision making was terrible, if he was there. Every Pegasi in the army recognised that Spitfire was the best mare for the role, a few even tipping Dash for the job.

"I actually met some unicorns the other day, all dressed up in their armour"

"I didn't know they'd even given unicorns armour" She muttered "Whatever you did, I'll make sure you're not court marshalled"

"Why would that be your first thought? I mean... I'm not saying I didn't stab him, but I actually had a reason to..."

Spitfire chuckled and shook her head "You're blatantly a Pegasi supremacist, have a really short temper and I know you"

Dash chuckled "I guess... But the fucker tried telling me being a Pegasi Commander was the same as being a Unicorn recruit... He hadn't been in a single battle"

Spitfire nodded and smiled "I'm glad you're a little more lively, Dash" She stood and briefly hugged Dash again "You know my door is always open should you need it" She made her way to the door, stopping halfway through "Oh, and no more stabbing unicorns. We are kinda on the same side"

"Yes ma'am" She smiled, watching her go before sliding a piece of paper from her wing, running her hoof over it "No more stabbing unicorns" Her eyes drifted over the crude drawing of a red wing on a black background.

Author's Note

Thanks for reading!