//------------------------------//
// Blazing Cyclone 
// Story: The Muay Tiger 
// by Onomonopia 
//------------------------------//

"UPPERCUT!"

With a roaring blow Rainbow Dash slammed her fist into the sandbag, ripping it off of its stand and hurling it through the air. She watched it fall, tracking its movements before she pushed both her arms forward. She didn't need to fire the tiger shot to know that she would have connected. Rainbow walked over to the sandbag and picked it up, placing it back on its hook before she went back to training.

"Ya should be in bed." Rainbow glanced over her shoulder to see that Applejack had entered the barn. And judging from the stars that were in the sky behind her, it was later than Rainbow Dash had thought. "Considering tomorrow is the rematch ya have been waiting fer all this time, ah would have thought that ya would be resting. Specially after yer fight with Sagat."

"I know. I just need to get my technique perfect for this," Rainbow replied.

"Ya can't be perfect. We learned that a long time ago," AJ teased. Rainbow flashed her a smile before returning to her practice. Applejack sighed before taking a seat, watching Rainbow Dash for a bit. "Ya have gotten a lot better than ya used to be."

"How can you tell?"

"Because ah used to watch ya fight. Ya were talented and skilled, but ya were...showboaty. Ya liked to perform and fight. And Faust almighty did ya have confidence to spare. But now...yer moves are tighter. There are no wasted movements," Applejack observed. "Ya have confidence, but no arrogance. It's like ya have trimmed away the fat of yer old fighting style and streamlined it to be as efficient as possible. All in such a short time."

"Six months isn't that short," Dash replied.

"No. But ya overcame disability, learned an entirely new fighting style, built yerself back up to where ya used to be then surpassed it...and then ya managed to dispel the darkness within ya. Honestly Rainbow, ah'm impressed."

"Thanks. Because you know I did all of this for your approval," Rainbow teased. Then she looked back at Applejack to find the orange mare smiling at her.

"Ah mean it. Yer the most impressive pony ah've ever met," Applejack continued. "To have gone through what you have gone through...and to be able to let go of your anger and desire for revenge...it's not something many could do. Ah'm...proud of you Rainbow Dash."

"Great, now we're getting all mushy," Dash gagged. Then she smiled and walked over to AJ, pulling her into a hug. "But thanks. For always being there all these years. And deflating my head when it got too big."

"Heh, somepony had to do it. Faust knows if ah didn't ya would have floated away into the clouds, never to be seen again," Applejack replied. "Are ya sure yer ready for Zangief tomorrow?"

"Of course I am," Rainbow said as she let go. "He's only the undefeated champion of Equis who can spin through time and open vortexs in reality with a flex of his thigs. I'm sure I'll be fine." Applejack gave her a look. "Trust me, I'll be fine. I've cooked up a little something special for him."

"Well, so long as you believe that yer ready," Applejack said. "But yer not going to sleep anytime soon, are ya?"

"Nope. Too wired. Figure it would be better to train."

"Fine. Then ah'll stay up with ya," Applejack said. She moved over to a bale of hay and sat down. "Give ya some critics on yer form."

"Critics?! My form is flawless."

"Ha. Seems yer ego isn't completely gone."

==============

It was a beautiful day outside. Birds were chirping, the sun was shining, a soft wind was blowing...all was perfect in the world. So it made sense that on a day like this there should be a battle to end all battles.

Zangief and Rainbow Dash stood across from each other in a small field. Off to the side were all of Rainbow's friends, including Twilight, who had managed to get let our by Celestia and Luna, who were also there. On the other side were Chrysalis and her daughter, who be refereeing the match. To Rainbow's surprise, even Diamond Tiara and her family had shown up to watch as well. Sagat was off to the side, barely within sight but sure to be watching. But no Ryu. Pity. She wanted him to be there to witness this. The day she finally beat Zangief.

"Yes, it is a shame he is not here, but he is off being the hero that we know and love," Zangief said. That snapped Rainbow out of her thoughts and got her to smirk over at Zangief.

"Really? I don't know of many heroes who rip the wings off of perfectly innocent pegasi," she replied.

"Perfectly innocent? You? Come now, we both know you are the biggest troublemaker in Equestria," Zangief retorted. Dash found she couldn't do anything but shrug at that.

"Alright, I take it you both know the rules?" Insectum asked. Both combatants nodded. "Good. This fight goes to whoever can knock out their opponent or get them to give up. No death, no low blows and no pocket sand. Am I clear?"

"Crystal," both fighters said.

"Good...give it your all, you two. Now...round one...FIGHT!"

Dash was on Zangief in a moment. With fire erupting from her hooves, she hurled a blazing kick into the side of the Russians head, only for a smirk to cross her face when Zangief barely even budged. He snapped his head forward and nearly cracked Rainbow's skull like egg, but Rainbow Dash managed to rocket herself back in time. She fired a series of tiger shots towards the man, but with a flex of his muscles he created a gust of wind so strong that it extinguished the flames. Rainbow raised an eyebrow at that.

"I don't know if it's possible, but have you gotten even beefier since our last fight?" Rainbow dared to ask.

"Hahaha! Silly tiger! I haven't just gotten bigger, I've also gotten more toned," Zangief said. He then flexed to show off the results of his training. "And am a bit more flexible. After all, not being flexibility is not good for a fighter. I am sure you are already aware of that, though."

"Yeah, I got the memo," Dash replied. She then hurled her arms forward and fired a tiger shot high...before following up by kicking her legs and throwing one low. Zangief flexed hard as the first tiger shot hit, before grunting as the next one caught him in the legs. But while he was still mid flex, Rainbow Dash rocketed over to him and unleashed a flurry of kicks into the Russians face. Zangiefs body became like iron as he withstood all of the blows, never breaking eye contact with Rainbow Dash.

"My turn."

Zangief then swung with his right arm, moving it far faster than Rainbow remembered him being able to. She kicked off of his face to launch herself away from the attack, before Gief dashed forward and hurled out his left arm. All Dash had time to do was throw up her arms to guard herself before she took a punch strong enough to collapse a building. She was sent tumbling across the ground, where she spun back up to her hooves. 

Then Gief was on her. For a moment, Rainbow didn't know what was scarier. How fast Zangief got to her...or what his piledriver would feel like. Gief grabbed the mare, tucked her in, and leapt into the air, spinning the both of them around. Then the two came rocketing back down to the ground, where Dash had enough time to fire a tiger shot outwards with all her might. The attack threw off Gief's balance and caused the both of them to tumble across the ground.

"Let go!" Dash demanded. She slammed her fire infused hooves into Gief's face and loosened his grip just enough for her to escape. She flipped backwards and slammed her hooves into the ground, anchoring herself as best she could. She then brought back her arms with all of her might, channeling all of her hatred, rage and desire to win into them. A rainbow fire bright enough to contend with the sun blazed along her body as she threw her arms out.

"Rainbow ERUPTION!" Dash bellowed. She fired all of her power out at once...only to look up to see that Zangief was already jumping. And that caused Rainbow to smile. The moment her attack came out, a massive explosion went off. Zangief, who had already extended his fist to strike the mare, smiled when he realized what she had done. The energy ball was so strong that it didn't go anywhere. It simply hung in the air. Yet the kickback had been so strong that Rainbow Dash was sent rocketing backwards, far away from where Zangief thought she would be. That means he had no choice but to land on her attack.

"Clever, little tiger."

Zangief hit the energy ball and an explosion went off that was so strong that it blasted away all colors, leaving everything in a black and white light. The spectators had to cover their eyes and numerous magical barriers went off to protect those watching, which themselves nearly gave out as the explosion roared like a thousands tigers. Then, finally, it came to an end, allowing Dash to raise her head and look at the smoke with relief.

"Wow, can't believe that worked. I honestly thought that he would do something crazy at the last moment," Dash chuckled.

"Don't you worry, tiger. I have."

Dash felt a smirk cross her lips as the smoke cleared, revealing Zangief still standing in the center of a crater that Dash felt the need to congratulate herself on. Yet it was Zangief himself that drew her full attention. His entire body was red and steam was coming off him, to the point that the air around him warped and shimmered. And as he walked out of the crater, Rainbow Dash noticed that all of his wounds were starting to heal, the grey damage on him was going back to normal.

"That was impressive, young tiger. To think that you had such a fire burning inside of you. Khorosho," Zangief nodded. Then he slammed a foot into the ground with enough force that the whole continent, causing all those watching to gasp in horror. Except for Rainbow Dash, whose smile only grew at the challenge.

"It wouldn't be you if you didn't do something impossible," Rainbow said. Then she thrust her arms down, causing rainbow fire to burn all along her body and to get her mane to stand up on end, blazing like her fire as her trigger came to life. "Come on then, Zangief. Let's do this one last time. Both giving everything we've got!"

"Very well, rainbow tiger. I shall give my all...into defeating you."

And then the two charged at each other.

"Round two.."

"FIGHT!"