Story thingy below:

“Okay, cocoa-butt, give me your best shot! I dare ya!” Cherry Bomber took a strong bipedal stance, legs spaced wide to give her stability. She was ready, she was focused, nothing was going to knock her down this-.

“Uuhag!” Before Cherry could even flinch a muscle in reaction, she was falling back, the blow burrowing her down into the soft cloud with such force that she was nearly flung out the under side. But at some point she did stop…and she immediately wished it had been through and through.

“I’m stuck!”

Half of another mares face appeared over the hole Cherry’s body had cleanly made, the top half of it covered by a bushy dark mane. Cherry could barely see her, due to the thickness of the cloud, but she was sure the pony was frowning.

“Was it the chocolate butt comment?” Cherry asked.

The other pony did not respond.

“Yep, strong feeling it was chocolate butt.”

Another drawn pause, the pony above still hadn’t moved. She just stood there looking down at Cherry silently.

“Come on, Tuff! Help me out!”

“You can dig,” Tuff said in a flat tone.

“And it would be easier if you helped!” Cherry whined. “You didn’t have to hit me so hard.”

Tuff, short for Tuff Cookie, lifted her head at a slight angle, giving Cherry Bomber the impression she was rolling her eyes.

“To be perfectly honest, the very fact that you’re still talking is a good indication of your improvement. I’m proud of you. You’re doing much better than before…I think.

Cherry Bomber felt the pained grin light on her muzzle as she squirmed around in the thick cloud until she was able to hoof her way down to the bottom. “Yeah whatever, Tuff. You’re just being a jerk right now.”

_ _ _

“That was amazing! You have to teach me that move!”

Some time after the spar had ended, Cherry Bomber and Tuff Cookie sat together on their little patch of cloud not far from Cloudsdale, admiring the sunrise and sipping on the bottles of cold herbal tea Tuff had brought with her.

“It’s a move a friend taught me. He calls it the Lightning Claw Strike.”

“Claw?” Cherry tilted her head.

Tuff nodded. “ Yes, he’s a griffon.”

“Ooh, that bristly, foul beaked, clucker mug who is completely off his rocker? Cherry flicked her hoof. That dude, right?”

Tuff smiled. “Yeah, that guy.”

“Well he can’t be any worse than Gaz, I’m sure.” said Cherry with a shake of her head.

“I think Ghajini is nice, actually.” Tuff examined her bottle while she spoke. “He’s a real gentle colt, er, drake..um…?”

“Cock?”

Tuff gasped and Cherry laughed.

“You…you really don’t like Ghajini, do you?” asked Tuff.

“Hey what can I say? He is half bird after all! And what do you usually call a guy bird?”

“…You’re right about that. Though it is a bit unfortunate.”

Cherry shrugged. “Tch, yeah well the name works in his case. But anyway, this Lightning Claw Strike, thats what I want to know about..”

“Well basically, it’s a wind manipulation maneuver. The objective was to break your defenses before I even touched you.”

“You broke my defenses alright.” Cherry grimaced. “Broke right in the face.”

“In time you’ll be able to read my body language and adjust yourself accordingly.” Tuff tilted her head slightly. “Doesn’t your dad teach you these things?”

“Well yeah, my dad and I play fight all the time and he even taught me how to box…but…” Cherry frowned and her brow creased. “But he never wants to go all out or test my limits. Even now.” She shrugged. “I don’t know what the deal is on that front.”

That is strange, Tuff said, but Im sure he has a reason.

Yeah I guess…uhm, It was like a light went off in Cherry’s brain. Oh! Speaking of play fights, how are things in that sinister, shady, underground fighting club you never tell me anything about.

Tuff Cookies mouth curved down into a scowl. Well you changed the subject rather suddenly, she said. And like I’ve already told you, theres nothing shady about it.

Oh yeah? Cherry teased, easing in closer. Thats not what some other ponies are saying.

Well the opinions of those ponies arent important. Tuffs tone changed though only slightly, and her body seemed to draw in. “The rumors are bad enough. We don’t need any more fuel on the fire.”

If you let me write an article about it I bet I can change their minds lickety split!

You think its so easy, Tuff looked away, thoughtful. But…I think you could actually do it…maybe.

Cherry nudged Tuff lightly. Pfft, well thanks for the vote of confidence.

I would if it were my decision to make. She shrugged. But it isnt.

_ _ _

This isn’t a really big idea, but I’ll talk more about these “underground fight clubs” later.

Basically the same thing Palm Top entered into if you remember his bio.

I’ve always imagined Cherry being a bit on the bulky side for a mare. Due to genetics plus training and all that. Sometimes I don’t put that across in my drawings.

Tuff Cookie’s cutie mark is a pair of cookies. One broken. They’re Ginger Snaps…