The days crept by. Magic had sped the healing process considerably, but at least a month of recovery was needed. Each day the bandages became less comfortable. Walking the halls of the Ponyville Hospital wasn't nearly enough exercise. Rainbow Dash longed to do the one thing her broken ribs wouldn't allow. She wanted to fly. She sorely missed the feeling of the wind combing her mane back, her muscles straining as she rocketed forward, the feeling of complete euphoria as she completed anything from a Sonic Rainboom to a slightly intricate trick… It all seemed a world away to her. And this feeling of intense longing only served to fuel her hatred for her assailant. Every day the image of those bright pink eyes was the first thing she saw when she woke up and the last thing she saw before she fell asleep. It was burned into her mind. That face, that insane face, became fuel for the fire in Rainbow Dash's heart. It drove her to recover. Once she recovered she would be able to fly. And once she was able to fly again she'd be able to hunt down Blitz and the rest of the Shadowbolts.

Finally the long awaited day came. All of her friends had come to the hospital just to be there when the bandages came off. Applejack stood close by, a hopeful smile on her face as Nurse Redheart gently unwrapped the bandages binding Rainbow's torso. The thick cloth pooled on the ground, and Rainbow Dash smiled. Slowly, tentatively, she stretched her wings. The smile left her face instantly.

"They feel so weak", she muttered, looking at her wings. Indeed her lean solid back muscles had become softer and flatter. Her taut chest had become spongy. She had only managed to keep a bit of muscle in her legs with daily walks. Everypony's face fell as she flapped hard and fast, struggling to circle the room. As Rainbow Dash landed Twilight stepped forward.

"Rainbow, your muscles have been inactive for some time. Maybe you should take it slow. Try flying low and slow first; my books tell me that it shouldn't take more than a few of weeks of consistent training to get back to your previous state of fitness." Twilight smiled brightly but Rainbow Dash still looked distraught.

"A few weeks? I can't wait 'a few weeks', the Shadowbolts are probably on the move right now! Who knows how far they've gotten?" She quickly turned on the purple unicorn. "Twilight, isn't there any magic you could do to make me stronger instantly?"

Concern crossed Twilight's face. "Rainbow, I don't recommend it. Bodily transfiguration is not only dangerous but rarely permanent. You remember what happened to Rarity in Cloudsdale."

At her name, the elegant white unicorn stepped forward. "Rainbow, darling", she said, "I may not be nearly as knowledgeable as Twilight in matters of magic but I do see her point. That was my only experience with bodily transfiguration and it would have killed me had you not been there to save me. Oh, darling, I know it's not much but I may have some magazines I can lend you. They offer great advice on maintaining a lean sexy figure." She moved closer. "It's the least I could do, dear. I do owe you my life, after all."

Rainbow Dash smiled weakly. "Thanks, Rarity. But I'd rather do it my own way." She flapped her wings hard, holding herself airborne in the center of the room. She threw her chest out, striking a formidable pose. "Aerial boot camp."

Rarity smiled, gently teasing, "You're so rough-and-tumble, darling. But we all support you, and if you need anything, we're all here for you." The others nodded in agreement.

Rainbow Dash landed, sweat beads forming on her brow. "Thanks, guys. I'm gonna go home and rest a bit. I'll catch up with you all later, okay?"

As Twilight, Pinkie, Fluttershy, and Rarity left, Applejack stayed behind. Rainbow Dash was still filling out release forms. As she finished she turned to see the orange earth pony, an uncomfortable look on her face. After a few seconds of silence Applejack spoke. "You really are goin' after the Shadowbolts, aren't ya?"

"AJ, somepony has to stop them. They're obviously dangerous." Her gaze darkened as she continued. "And I've got a personal score to settle."

Applejack stepped forward. "Rainbow, you'd be better off lettin' it go, sugarcube."

Frustrated, Rainbow Dash blurted, "I can't, AJ! Every time I close my eyes, I see her, that blue pony. Those big, wild eyes. I can't sleep well knowing she's still out there somewhere." Her voice softened. "Some nights I can't sleep at all. I need to do this, AJ."

Applejack smiled weakly. "Then Ah'll help ya train up. But for now, you get some rest, ya hear? Come find me down on the farm when you're ready." She turned to leave. Only a few steps up the hall, something stopped her. "Rainbow?"

Rainbow Dash approached her friend. "What's up, AJ?"

After a moment of maddening silence, it happened. All at once, Applejack's lips were pressed against Rainbow's. In that instant time froze for Rainbow Dash, and she found herself unable to form a coherent thought. She was totally lost in the gentle pressure and slight tickle of Applejack's lips brushing against her own. As suddenly as it began the meek tender kiss ended, leaving both ponies blushing furiously. Rainbow sputtered, "AJ, I… I didn't know y-you were-"

"Ah ain't, consarnit! Ah… Ah don't know. Ah'm not a filly-fooler, but…" She sighed. "Ah'm still tryin'a figure it all out. Look, Ah ain't the mushy type, but Rainbow, Ah care about you more than anypony Ah know, and… Tarnation, just take it for what it is!", she finished quickly. As she stomped up the hall, Applejack turned, calling behind her, "And for the love of Equestria, don't TALK about it. Ah don't take too kindly to no drama, neither. Come by the farm whenever you're ready."

Rainbow Dash sat dumbfounded. She touched a gentle hoof to her lips as if to make sure the kiss had actually been there.

Early the next morning Rainbow Dash stood nervously at the edge of the Apple family orchard. She approached Applejack, who lounged near the gate with buckets of apples by her side. Without looking up, Applejack said, "Put on the harness and have a flight around the farm. All the way around, low altitude. Don't go no faster than ya feel comfortable with, cuz ya got a long day ahead o' ya."

Rainbow Dash slipped into the harness, taking note of the rather heavy buckets of apples attached to it. She flapped furiously, managing to get a couple dozen feet off the ground. With a lurch, she began to move forward. Rainbow Dash skirted the orchard slowly and unsteadily, unused to flying with so much weight on her back. Sweat began to drip off her face as she rounded the halfway point. Her wing muscles were weak from disuse, and the sudden burst of activity had set them on fire. As Rainbow Dash glided toward the starting point her side began to ache. She skidded to a stop next to Applejack, breathing hard.

Her gaze firm but caring, Applejack said. "Not bad. Take five, then get ready to do it backwards." Seeing Rainbow Dash's appalled expression, she added tenderly, "With only half the weight, sugar cube."

The training continued in this fashion every morning for the next few weeks. Laps around the farm with varying amounts of weight were the most common exercise. These exercises were perfect for rebuilding Rainbow's free-form flying skill. The lengthy flights rebuilt her endurance, and the extra weight helped her rebuild the lean powerful muscles in her chest and back. In addition to this, Applejack had set up a series of exercises to train Rainbow Dash's agility, reflexes, and speed.

The agility exercise combined a tight slalom with a relay. Applejack would set up a slalom track marked with gold apples, easy to spot amongst the fallen red. Rainbow Dash would slalom through the trees as fast as possible, picking up the gold apples and tossing them into baskets mounted on trees ahead, some higher, some lower. The tracks became increasingly more complex and never followed the same route.

The reflex exercise was the least enjoyable. Rainbow Dash would stand with her rump against a barn door while Applejack bucked hard unripe apples for her to dodge. The starting distance was roughly thirty feet. As Rainbow's reaction time improved, it shrunk as low as ten feet, much to Rainbow Dash's dismay.

The speed exercise made everything worth it. Applejack would have Rainbow Dash wait at the edge of the farm while she launched an apple straight up from a catapult. Rainbow's task would be to try to catch the apple as quickly as possible. The quicker she got, the further she stood. On the day she completed her training, she stood on Twilight's balcony with a pair of binoculars, waiting to see the golden speck over the orchard. Finally, she saw the large apple soaring upward. She launched herself forward, hooves outstretched. Her mane pulled straight back in the wind. Tears streaked from her eyes. Her wings became a blue blur over her back. The apple had reached its apex and was now careening toward the ground.  Rainbow wasn't even at the far edge of the orchard.

Rainbow flashed back to the night she was attacked. She saw Blitz astride the lightning bolt, grinning stupidly.

You're not the only one who's fast, she thought. She accelerated hard. Quite suddenly she felt a new sensation against her hooves, only faintly familiar. But faint as it was, it filled her with euphoria. She knew what was coming. One more push, and it happened; all at once, the sky was torn apart in a blast of color, and Rainbow Dash shot forward like a rocket. The resounding explosion behind her brought every last inhabitant of Ponyville outside just in time to see a rainbow blur splattering an apple mid-flight as a vibrant color wheel rippled through the air.

Exhausted from the Sonic Rainboom, Rainbow Dash used her momentum to circle the farm and land hard in front of Applejack. With a slight smile the earth pony said, "Ah think you're ready, sugar cube."

The sun was hardly up the next morning as Rainbow Dash set off towards Fillydelphia. She had just reached the edge of town when a voice stopped her. She glanced down, reluctant to stop. Applejack. She breathed deeply and landed, facing her concerned friend.

"AJ, I have to go. I have to do this."

Applejack's eyes were full of worry as she said, "And Ah know Ah can't stop ya. Just promise me you'll be careful." She moved closer. "Promise me you'll come back."

Rainbow Dash leaned in. "I promise."

Rainbow Dash made the first move this time. She brought her mouth to Applejack's, only a little nervous. There was no hesitation, no fear, only warmth as Applejack tenderly returned the genuine display of affection. The two parted, smiling. This moment together had brought them each some peace. Rainbow Dash turned and began to fly away, calling back, "See ya later, AJ."

There were only a few towns to stop at between Ponyville and Fillydelphia. Rainbow Dash knew that she would need to learn more about the Shadowbolts if she was going to take them on, so she decided to stop at each of them. The first town was but a short flight away, just a few miles out. It was a small town, more of a trading and community hub than a town. The ponies in it all came from outlying farm land. They were a gruff bunch, hardened by farm work like Macintosh, but less kind. One directed her with an extended hoof and a grunt to the town hall, so much so as it was. The building also doubled as the sheriff's office and a court when needed. Rainbow Dash approached the sheriff, a stock earth pony with a thick walrus mustache. It turned out he knew of the Shadowbolts, but only by reputation.

"Fierce nasty lot," he drawled. "Not to be trifled with. They supposedly run crime rings across Equestria. I heard from a lieutenant peacekeeper that they've set up firm footholds in Manehatten, Clopton, Fillydelphia, and Detrot. Last I heard they was headed for Fillydelphia. Course that was a couple months back. You head straight there you may find somepony who knows something."

Rainbow Dash rocketed towards Fillydelphia, passing the second town altogether. At the third town she had to stop and rest. The town was a dump. It mirrored the first in many ways but it had all the friendliness and charm of an outhouse. Instead of bothering with the law she went straight to the place any and every criminal would go in a town like this: the local bar.

Ponyville doesn't even have a bar, Rainbow Dash thought. She approached the bar, ignoring the stares from the patrons. The females regarded her with indifference at best. At worst, their eyes oozed suspicion if not outright aggression. The males looked at her in a far more menacing way; she felt their hungry eyes on her lips, her firm flank, her lean body. In an effort to look tough she leaned a foreleg on the bar, grunting at the bartender with indifference, "shot o' whiskey."

He obliged. She downed her shot and scarcely managed to stifle a grimace and a gag. Rainbow Dash never could get used to hard liquor. Continuing her tough act by channeling a bit of Gilda, she said, "So, I'm looking for a group of chumps called the Shadowbolts."

The bartender gave a harsh laugh. "You poor filly, you musta lost your mind. That group a' savages would shred you."

Hiding her nervousness she retorted, "I've faced 'em before."

The bartender poured Dash another shot, which she politely declined. He added, "Not recently you haven't; they've supposedly dropped off the radar between Fillydelphia and Manehatten after beheading that dealer."

Rainbow Dash fought to keep the fear out of her voice as she walked towards the door. "Well then I better stop them before they hurt anypony else."

No sooner than she had left she heard a voice behind her. "Hey kid, wait."

At first she thought it might have been Gilda, but she turned to see a pegasus, a few years older than herself. Her appearance was ghastly. Her indigo coat contrasted sharply with her eyes, a glassy shade of red. Her long thick mane, dyed black, hung down over one side of her face, obscuring it completely. The other side of her face was bathed in moonlight. A thick scar ran from her right ear to the bridge of her muzzle. She stepped forward, her lips twisted into a scowl. Her words were less scary than her appearance.

"You really lookin' for the Shadowbolts?"

Rainbow Dash held her ground. "Yeah, you know 'em?"

The other pony's face drifted downward. "You could say that. Why are you after 'em?"

Rainbow's voice seethed hatred. "I've got a score to settle with one of them."

The older pegasus tossed her head back, revealing both sides of her face. The left side caused Rainbow to gasp. Her face and neck were horribly burnt. The fur was gone, leaving taut warped skin in its place. The exposed flesh was hideously discolored. The effect caused the left eye to look wild and panicked and twisted the left side of the pony's mouth into a hideous permanent scowl.

"So do I", she growled. "Blueshift Blaze. If you're gonna take on the Shadowbolts, you'll need help. I know them better than anyone else. Well, anyone who can help you, that is. Every other pony they've come in contact with is too scared to talk or dead. But I can take you to them. All I ask is that you let me pick which one I kill."

"Name's Dash, and if you can take me to them, you can have whichever one you want."

Blaze tossed her mane forward, hiding her mangled face. "We're going to the Wonderbolt's Mansion in Manehatten. The Shadowbolts are planning a mass assassination. If we're lucky, we'll kill them before they kill the Wonderbolts. But that's secondary."

Rainbow's temper flared. "No it isn't! The Wonderbolts?! They're my idols, I'm not letting that bunch of psychos kill them!"

Blaze smiled darkly. "You've got fire in you, kid. It'll come in handy. Let's get going."