Hurricane walked sternly through the camp, her eyes locked onto the direction Dash had fled to save Pinkie Pie weeks before, with Pansy following closely behind.

“B-but Commander, why do you need me to come along? Shouldn’t I be getting the medical station ready for your return?” Pansy trotted beside Hurricane, a confused expression covering her face.

“No Pansy. I need you with me.” Hurricane responded calmly, turning to face the timid pegasus. “If you said you found those blood stains leading away from the crash site, they will likely already be gone. So... you are going to lead me to those ponies and then we will carry them back here.”

Pansy’s eyes widened in surprise at the bizarre order. “M-me? Lead you?”

Hurricane stopped suddenly and looked across at Pansy with a small knowing smirk. “Is there something wrong with that Private?” The Commander held back a chuckle at the expression on Pansy’s face, dark blue eyes locking with bright purple.

The timid pegasus shook her head, and her shock grew even further when she noticed a gleam in the pegasi leader’s eyes. “N-no, uh, I was just wondering if I heard you correctly... l-let’s go then, follow me.”

Pansy spread out her wings and took to the skies, eyes trained on the site where the two ponies had landed. I’m not sure if I’m more terrified of angry Hurricane, or this new happy one.

Hurricane’s smile grew at the stuttering mare and she watched her take off before spreading her own wings. “Heh... I guess I should try smiling more often. If it makes ponies listen to me this quickly, I won’t even need to get angry.”

The Commander whipped up a cloud of snow behind her as she darted after Pansy, determination to find the cyan mare set in her mind.

“Please still be alive Rainbow Dash.”
*****

Dash stretched her wings excitedly, finally free from the tight bandages they were in. She almost ran out of the cave in anticipation of flight once again when a stern voice, and her broken leg, stopped her.

“RAINBOW DASH! You are NOT allowed to fly yet! Please be more careful, your leg isn’t ready to support your weight.” Fluttershy marched in front of Dash, blocking the view of the outside.

Pouting, Dash dropped into a sitting position. “But I’m boooooooored! I can’t do anything with all these injuries. Especially these dumb stomach ones.” Dash gestured angrily at her once infected wounds and crossed her hooves over her chest like a little filly would when she didn’t get what she wanted.

“I know Rainbow...I wish I could help you heal faster but I just can’t do that. You just have to learn to be more patient.” Fluttershy adopted a motherly tone as she gently nudged Dash away from the exit.

“I hate being patient.” Dash snorted in annoyance, casting a longing look past the yellow mare toward the mouth of the cave.

Sulking, Rainbow Dash allowed herself to be pushed back to her make-shift bed and sat still for a moment.

Dash sighed defeated, and looked over to where Pinkie and Applejack were currently making something out of all the apples that Applejack brought in earlier that day.

Curiosity got the better of her as the cyan mare jumped up lightly to sit beside Pinkie, watching as the two ponies worked. So far it looked rather mushy, but it smelled really sweet and made Dash’s mouth water.

Looking up, Pinkie waved excitedly to Dash with her good leg. “Hiya Dashie! Wanna help me and AJ make some applesauce?”

Smiling softly, Dash shook her head, “Nah, I’ll probably just mess it up. I’ll just watch you guys make it.”

“Okie Dokie Lokie!” Pinkie beamed at Dash before returning her attention to an apple and smashing it. It splattered all over the two earth ponies; and from under the gooey substance, the pink mare blinked a couple times in surprise. That just keeps happening, She thought to herself.

Wiping off the squashed apple, Applejack gave Pinkie a deadpanned look. “Thas the sixth time yew did this Pinkie. Please be more careful!”

Pinkie licked off all the apple that covered her face before smiling sheepishly at the orange mare. “Oopsie.”

Dash snickered softly at the apple covered mares and sat down between them, taking an apple in her hoof and smirking. “Hey Applesmack, maybe you should take some having fun lessons from me and Pinkie. Gets your work done faster.” The cyan mare squished the apple in her fore-hooves, covering the three ponies in squished apple.

“Hey! Watch it!” Applejack cried, wiping off the apple and glaring at Rainbow Dash.

“Oops.” Dash shrugged and turned to see the pink mare, or at least the parts of her that weren’t covered in applesauce, giggling away underneath it.

Pinkie licked her face clean of the apple splatter and grinned at the cyan pegasus. “Dashie.”

Dash looked away and began to whistle until she heard soft giggles coming from Pinkie. She turned back and chuckled with a smile on her face, but when her eyes met with Pinkie’s, Dash gulped in fear. “Uh oh.”

The earth pony grinned slyly and covered Dash’s face with a hoof full of applesauce, before planting her rump back down on the floor of the cave.

Rainbow wiped the applesauce off her snout, groaning in annoyance, and taking a hoof full of it herself. “It is on!”
*****

Pansy flew quickly through the clouds as they neared the crash site, her mind blank. She didn’t really want to think of what would happen when she lead Hurricane to Dash and the others.

But then a sudden thought occurred to the pegasus, and she turned to look at Commander Hurricane questioningly. “Um, Commander, if we do manage to find Dash alive, what will you say to her to try and get her to trust you again?”

“I’m not exactly sure, but hopefully if we get to her she’ll be in a good mood to forgive me... or at least in a good enough mood so she doesn’t kill me on sight.” Hurricane chuckled to herself, and landed at the crash site, while Pansy cringed at the thought of that happening.

“Well Pansy?” Hurricane encouraged, snapping the pegasus out of her troubled thoughts. “Which way did they go?”

“Uh, oh, right. It’s this way.” Pansy pointed a hoof in the direction of the cave, after a moment of looking at the tracks on the ground, and brushed her wings against the snow, pushing herself off and quickly picking up speed as Hurricane flew up beside her.

“I hope you’re right about this Pansy. It’s already been several weeks... and with those kinds of injuries...” Hurricane swallowed and petered off, not wanting to finish what she had said.

Pansy looked critically at Commander Hurricane, not giving a reply, before facing back in the direction she was flying. So am I...
*****

Dash whipped the applesauce at the pink mare, earning a direct hit and a squeal from Pinkie as she tried unsuccessfully to dodge out of the way.

She licked it off quickly and growled at Dash before zooming over to one of the barrels of applesauce. The cyan mare followed swiftly after, smirking at Pinkie as they both started flinging hoof fulls of it at each other wildly.

“I’ll get you for that one Dashie!”

Dash chuckled quickly and threw another at Pinkie, hitting the wall behind her. “No you won’t!” The cyan mare responded teasingly.

“What in tarnation are yew two doin’?!” Applejack screamed, getting a face full of applesauce as her first answer.

Pinkie giggled and chucked some apple at Dash, hitting the wall and splattering Rainbow’s back as she tried to duck out of harm’s way. “What does it look like? We’re having an applesauce fight!”

Applejack grunted in defeat and let her head droop, quickly being covered in the applesauce that had taken so much time to prepare.

The orange mare sighed. Well, at least they’re havin’ fun.
*****

Hurricane glanced around her at the icy path Pansy was now intently leading her on, feeling unsure of the terrain placed in front of her.

“Are you sure it is this way Pansy? Where would they even go to find shelter in a place like this?” Hurricane asked, lifting a hoof up to get Pansy to glance around.

Pansy nodded calmly, keeping her eyes low and away from Hurricane in case her face gave anything away. “I’m sure of it Commander Hurricane. The hoof prints in the snow were more difficult to follow, but the tracks here amongst all this ice are far more noticeable... even after all the snow we’ve been having lately.”

Hurricane looked up, following the trail of marks from the ponies, and caught sight of the ice cave in the distance. “They seem to be leading into that cave over there... either that or I’m just delirious from all the snow around me.”

Pansy chanced a look at the Commander and raised a curious eyebrow at the pegasi leader. What’s with all jokes all of a sudden?
*****

“Sugarcube take cover!” Applejack called over to Fluttershy, who was presently only managing to dodge the incoming projectiles from Dash’s side.

“Oh, Applejack, where is cover?” The timid pegasus squeaked out as the orange earth pony ran up to her.

Applejack looked around quickly, trying to find a separate cavern or crevice that they could hide out the worst of the fight in.

“There!” Spotting a small ditch in the cave, Applejack grabbed Fluttershy’s hoof and dove behind some rocks and into the trench.

“Phew, we’ll be mighty safe down here.” The orange mare declared proudly, seeing the frightened look on Fluttershy’s face.

The yellow mare nodded lightly and picked herself up over the rocks to see the two ponies throwing tons of applesauce at each other, and she hoped their injuries wouldn’t be affected by such movement. “Oooh, I hope Dash’s leg heals up properly... with all the moving around she’s doing, it might take longer.”

“Aw, that knuckle-head’ll never learn anything Fluttershy, but I’m sure she knows when ta call it quits... ‘specially after being with Pinkie fer this long.” Applejack replied, placing a comforting fore-hoof on the yellow pegasus’ shoulder.

Dash wiped some applesauce from her face and snorted in playful aggression. “I’ll get you for that Pinks. They didn’t call me Lieutenant General Dash for nothing, you know!"

Pinkie giggled from behind her rock an scooped a hoof full of applesauce from the barrel beside her. “Oh yeah? Well they don’t call me the, uh, well... what do ponies call me? Oh well, I’m still gonna get you good Dashie, and there’s nothing you can...” Pinkie stood on her hooves and prepared to throw the applesauce at her target, but instead her cyan eyes widened with fear and her voice trailed off suddenly.

“Gotcha!” Dash stood triumphantly above her with her barrel held high above her hooves as she dumped it all on top of the pink mare, splattering the entire cave as it ricochet off the floor and zoomed towards the entrance.
*****

“Are you absolutely sure they came in here? It doesn’t seem at all hospitable for any pony to live for so long in here.” Hurricane asked suspiciously for possibly the fifth time just outside the cave.

“Yes, I’m sure Hurricane. Just go in and see for yourself.” Pansy watched as Commander Hurricane paced slightly, up and down the entrance of the cave. Pansy’s eyes widened in realisation. “Commander, are you nervous about something?”

Pansy locked eyes with the pegasi leader and saw Hurricane look to the side slightly before replying. “N-nervous? Me? What would I have to be nervous about, Pansy?”

The small pegasus smirked and walked up beside her Commander. “Well, you don’t exactly have much to say to the ponies if you find that they’re alive... Also, if they are alive, they would probably be quite angry with you... After all the..... You know, stuff.”

Hurricane stood there, staring and listening to Pansy in silence, until she was finished; and she snorted. “Shut up.”

The dark grey pegasus began walking into the cavern, with a newly smiling Pansy walking along next to her.

As they strolled past the entrance, a noise from within stopped Hurricane. Her ears perked to hear the sounds from deeper within the cave, her eyes narrowing in concentration. It sounded like ponies yelling at each other about... Applesauce?

This only caused the two pegasi more confusion until Hurricane noticed an incoming projectile and swiftly held up her wing to protect Pansy from being hit. The off-white projectile splattered against Hurricane’s wing, completely missing the smaller pegasus.

The mint green pony’s eyes shifted from the wing in front of her to the pegasus standing straight next to her, but she couldn’t bring herself to speak.

Hurricane looked over at the wide-eyed pony with a smirk. “And THAT is what I was nervous about.” She quickly withdrew her wing and licked the applesauce off before beginning her walk again. “Hmm, applesauce. Not the expected choice of... weaponry, but still...”

Still a bit stunned that Hurricane had protected her like that, even if it was applesauce, Pansy followed quietly into the cave beside the Commander.

“I wonder if who ever is in here has some homemade pies to throw too.” Hurricane said to nopony in particular, causing Pansy to raise another confused eyebrow at her usually grumpy leader.
*****

Dash sat up suddenly, hearing somepony talking from the cave entrance. Somepony she immediately recognized. She jumped up from the floor where Pinkie had tackled her to just after her involuntary applesauce shower and stood between her and Commander Hurricane.

“You! What are you doing here?!” Dash pawed at the ground aggressively, crouching low in a defensive posture. She ignored the sudden stab of pain in her stomach, choosing instead that protecting Pinkie and her friends was more important.

“Me, uh, yes... well I’m here to... uh,” Hurricane turned slightly to the pony beside her and whispered to her. “Pansy what am I here to do?”

Pansy leaned over, still staring straight at the two ponies, and whispered back. “You’re here to apologize.”

“Right, uh... quick, tell me something else I can do first.” Hurricane was met with a disapproving stare from Pansy, and her face contorted into a frown. She groaned. “Ugh, fine... I, uh, just came by to... say... sorry... for everything.”

Applejack, recognising the new voices, quickly jumped up from behind her rock to stand beside Rainbow Dash. “Okay, and what’s yer real reason fer bein’ here huh? Finishin’ us off?”

Fluttershy flew over to, to stand slightly behind the other two and help Pinkie Pie up from the ground. “Pinkie, are you okay?”

The pink mare nodded cheerfully and turned to face Commander Hurricane and Private Pansy.

“Why do you think we’d trust anything you would say?” Dash yelled angrily, flaring her wings in fury at the dark grey pegasus, once again ignoring another wave of pain.

“I-I don’t expect you to do anything, especially believe me anymore. I just wanted...” Hurricane petered off as she stared into the cyan mare’s blazing eyes and the multitude of injuries she had given her.

Pansy placed a hoof on Hurricane’s shoulder to comfort her when, to everypony’s surprise, Pinkie started bouncing towards Commander Hurricane.

“Pinkie?! What are you doing?” Dash shouted from across the cave at the pink earth pony.

While the other two ponies gaped at what the pink mare was doing, Pinkie just kept bounding up to Hurricane and dropped her rump down in front of her with a curious look on her face.

She tilted her head sideways, frontways, and the other sideways, not to mention upside down before a soft smile set firmly on Pinkie’s bright face.

“You don’t look like a meanie head right now. What else are you here to do?”

“Uh, you... believe me?” Hurricane spoke quietly, confusion spread across her face.

Pinkie nodded quickly with a quick mention of “Mm hm” as her fluffy magenta mane followed the erratic movement of her head.

From across the room, Applejack was shaking her head stiffly. “That Pinkie... believin’ anything that says it’s sorry.”

Dash stormed up to Hurricane and stood next to Pinkie, draping a protective wing across her back. She eyed Hurricane critically before growling out a retort, “Why should any of us even accept your apology Hurricane...? You nearly killed all of us!”

Dash’s fury wavered as she felt the pink mare next to her nuzzle her neck affectionately. Turning to face the pink mare, Dash found herself become captivated by loving cyan eyes. “Don’t be so worried, Dashie. She said sorry, and she totally means it! I can tell!”

Hurricane gaped at the display. Never had she seen Dash’s anger so easily reigned into a controlled state from such gentle caresses and soft words. Shaking her head, Hurricane cleared her throat before attempting to speak again.

“Look...Rainbow Dash...I am..really sorry for everything. I-if you want to return to the tribe you are welcome. You can get your old position back and everything, and you will still become leader as planned.” Hurricane smiled awkwardly. Apologising was hard work, she could feel the tension build up in her as she stared at the cyan pegasus.

Dash eyed the grey mare suspiciously, “How do I know this isn’t some elaborate trick? You could have an ambush waiting to kill us all if we let our guard down.”

Hurricane cringed at the harsh words, “Because...you are like...the daughter I never had...I just...didn’t realise it before.”

It was now Dash who gaped vacantly at Hurricane, unsure she heard right, “Uh..I think there was some applesauce in my ears...” Dash rubs her ears roughly in attempt to clean out the non-existent apple residue, “W-what did you say?”

Taking in a shuddering breath, Hurricane looked directly into Dash’s magenta eyes and spoke with sincerity, “You are like the daughter I never had, Rainbow Dash. When I found out you....went against the tribe...I felt betrayed and...let my anger get the best of me. I realise now that you didn’t do anything wrong...I was wrong.”

Dash felt tears fill her eyes at Hurricane’s words. She never had...a mother...somepony that cared for her in such a way before. Without thinking, Dash burst forward and wrapped her forelegs tightly around Hurricane.

Nearly stumbling backward in shock, Hurricane carefully returned the embrace. She held Dash against her like a mother would their own foal. “I-I’m so sorry...”

Pansy watched the scene in complete and total shock. It was like she was watching some kind of alternate reality Hurricane and Rainbow Dash hugging like family. Never had she thought she would ever see the two toughest ponies, near tears, embracing.

Fluttershy smiled happily at the embracing pegasi. Tears of joy spilling down her face silently. Applejack sat dumbfounded next to Fluttershy, completely confused by everything that happened.

Pinkie sobbed tears of happiness, “I-it’s s-sooo b-b-beautiful!” Pinkie ended up grabbing the nearest pony, Pansy, in a tight embrace while she sobbed in elation.

“It’s like today I woke up and found myself in bizzaro world or something.” Pansy muttered in amusement at the whole development. Shifting in the sudden embrace she was sharing with the pink mare, she carefully pulled herself away. Trotting up to Hurricane she gently nudged her shoulder.

“We got to bring these injured ponies to the clinic, Commander.”

Shaking her head quickly, Hurricane looked over Pansy and nodded. “Right. Dash. I know what I did was wrong and you probably don’t trust me completely, even now... but will you trust me enough to get you and your friends back to camp so we can heal you properly?”

Dash wiped her eyes and nodded slowly at the dark grey mare. “But, my wings.”

“I’ll carry you Rainbow Dash, and Pansy will take care of your fillyfriend as well.” Hurricane smiled and looked at Fluttershy and Applejack still standing away from her. “And I believe Fluttershy has already carried the orange mare once before.”

The yellow pegasus nodded and stepped forward, followed hesitantly by Applejack. She was still slightly suspicious of Hurricane’s intentions after, but trusted her friend’s judgement.

Pinkie just kept smiling at the two pegasi in front of her until a thought struck her. She gasped hugely and started to bounce in place excitedly.

“Yes Pinkie?” Dash said with a smirk directed at the earth mare.

“Ooh, Dashie, we forgot your armor and weapons and stuff! We can’t leave without all that!” Pinkie Pie zoomed off to get the pegasi armor from inside the cave, leaving everypony but Dash in slight confusion of Pinkie’s abilities.

“Where does she get all that energy?” Hurricane asked dumbfounded as she stared at the disappearing pink figure.

“Well, a lot of it comes from all the sugar, but... the rest... I don’t think even she knows where it all comes from.” Dash responded shrugging back at the dark grey mare.

While waiting, Hurricane observed the disaster area of the applesauce war. “So...how was your battle with your lover?” A smirk formed on Hurricane’s face as she watched Dash bristle in embarrassment.

“Well..you know...It was fun...and stuff...” Dash pouted as Hurricane snorted in amusement.

Pinkie returned with the items held triumphantly in her mouth and on her back. Carefully setting them in front of Dash, Pinkie tilted her head curiously. “Do you need help putting them on?”

Pride fueled Dash to refuse the offer. It was already slightly bruised by Hurricane’s ‘comment’ and it wouldn’t allow her to take any more hits to her pride. It took nearly twice the amount of time needed for Dash to replace the armor thanks to her injuries. Pinkie patiently waited for Dash to finish, knowing that attempting to help would only frustrate the cyan mare more.

Finally completely armored, Dash smiled proudly. A gentle kiss from the pink mare turned the prideful smile into a goofy one. Quickly hiding the expression, Dash turned to Hurricane.

“I guess I’m ready to go...” A serious and threatening look crossed Dash’s face, “If you are lying to me, I will kill you. Slowly."

Hurricane smirked, “I wouldn’t have it any other way, Lieutenant General.”

Pansy sighed in exasperation. There were the Rainbow Dash and Commander Hurricane she knew. Smiling at the exchange between the two high ranking pegasi, she didn’t notice the pink mare leap toward her until she nearly fell to the ground in surprise.

“READY TO GO!” Pinkie sat on the mint green pegasus, smiling brightly at everypony else.

Chuckling, Hurricane lowered herself to the ground, allowing Dash to easily climb on her back. Swallowing back her pride, Dash carefully pulled herself onto the grey mare with minor difficulty. Hurricane carefully stood back up, attempting to keep from aggravating Dash’s injuries too much.

Applejack carefully climbed onto Fluttershy, afraid to harm the yellow mare. She knew she was capable of carrying her with no problem, but she still worried that she might accidentally harm her. This also made her self conscious. What if she was too heavy?

Fluttershy lifted the orange mare with little difficulty, shifting slightly to gain a more comfortable position for her to use her wings. Flapping them experimentally, she smiled softly at the group.

“Is everypony ready?” Hurricane inquired with a stern commanding voice.

She eyed the two pairs of ponies critically, assessing whether or not they were really ready. Pleased with her inspection she trotted swiftly out of the cave.

“Lets go.” Flaring her wings in preparation, Hurricane kicked off the ground and soared into the air, the two groups following close behind.

“Commander, when we get back to camp... what are you going to tell everypony?” Pansy questioned, flying up next to Hurricane.

Hurricane stared forward in silence for a moment, seeming to be in thought; but then she turned her dark blue eyes to Pansy and smiled softly. “The truth. That I bucked up big time,”

“Aww, you weren’t so bad.” Came a perky bouncy voice from Pansy’s back, “Everypony makes mistakes sometimes, you just gotta know when you’ve made ‘em and work to make things right again... even if that’s not so easy sometimes.”

Hurricane stared shocked at the pink earth pony mouth agape. Blinking she narrowed her eyes questioningly, “You believed me from the very start. Why?”

Pinkie just smiled back, looking from the confused look on Hurricane’s face to the curious stare on Dash’s own. “Just the way you said it... that you were sorry. I have to believe that when anypony says that, they truly mean it... or else... what can a pony say to make them believe you?”

“... Thank you... Pinkie Pie... believe me when I said, I had begun to respect you in that fight... you sacrificed yourself... for everypony.” Hurricane turns to look over her shoulder at Dash and she smiles warmly. “And I’m grateful... that you could do that.”

Pansy just stared wide-eyed at the Commander. She never thought she’d see Hurricane apologize for anything, let alone thank anypony; but there it was, and all she could do was smile at her.

“No problem, ‘Commander Hurricane’.” Pinkie Pie replied jokingly from on top of Pansy, with a comedic raise of her hoof; and Pansy felt a knot forming in her chest.

Pansy cringed and prepared herself for the worst. Oh no, now she’s done it. Now Hurricane’s gonna-

“That is all Private Pinkie.” Hurricane returned with a salute of her own before she, along with Pinkie and Dash, broke out into giggles and laughs, leaving Pansy and the others completely dumbfounded.

“Well wouldja lookit that.” Applejack chuckled from Fluttershy’s back, feeling oddly serene to be so high up suddenly. She let her head fall onto the yellow mare’s back and gazed down at the ground far below her.

“Hurricane actually...” Fluttershy fell silent, letting her unfinished sentence float in the air and just allow herself to smile at the four ponies beside her.

Being careful to keep the pink mare on her back, Pansy’s eyes shifted from the three mares as thoughts raced through her head. Hur-Hurricane just... a-and Dash is... Pinkie too and... oh forget it.

Letting her mind clear Pansy just started laughing along with them, leaning in and gently elbowing Hurricane in the side with Pinkie tickling Dash slightly before they flew back out of harm’s way.

Hurricane’s dark icy blue eyes drifted from Pansy to Rainbow Dash, before a stern expression washed over her face. Dash nodded back eagerly, a devious expression forming on her face. She gripped the dark grey pegasus tighter in her hooves in preparation.

Commander Hurricane quickly turned and bumped her side roughly into the other two ponies, getting shocked gasps from Pansy and Pinkie.

Determined looks followed on each of the defending ponies as Dash wrapped her hooves around the pink pony and started to tickle her intently, feeling a rush of happiness overflowing.

Off in the sidelines, far enough away that they wouldn’t be in the fray of battle, Applejack and Fluttershy watched with amusement before the orange mare shook her head.

“This is gonna be a long trip.”