//------------------------------//
// BFF 
// Story: Twilight Sparkle's Anguish 
// by Trailblazer Rocker 
//------------------------------//

     "First time here?" somepony asked in the locker room.
All seven of them looked up to see a saturated yellow pony talking to them.
"Yeah, I'm bettin' it is," he continued. "And we saw how you wiped the floor with those Shag Brothers."
Trailblazer laughed. "I took them all down single-handedly in a matter of seconds!"
"Yeah, those Shags? They've been at the bottom ever since they joined. They're just a bunch of punks. The name's Go Getter."
"I'm Trailblazer."
"Twilight Sparkle."
"Rarity, darling."
"Rainbow Dash!"
"AppleJack."
"Um, Fluttershy..."
"Pinkie Pie!"
"Right. So you guys are all the Devastators. I have a few buds with me too, but you'll see them in battle later. Everyone else in this room has gone out somewhere."
"What, just into town?" wondered Twilight.
"Yeah, off doin' whatever." Go Getter walked over to the bedroom and got into a bed. "I'm hitting the hay, I'm bushed."
"What time is it?"
"Uh, around 10:00," replied AppleJack.
"I guess we could go get sone sleep..."
The others decided to do the same thing, and they chose a bed to sleep in.

Trailblazer was finding it difficult to sleep that night. There was always some other pony doing something, like rolling over, tossing and turning, and making noise that way. He tossed and turned too, but nothing could work. He then saw Twilight leave the bedroom, followed by a sniffle.
Ugh, the things I do to help out those in need, he thought to himself. He was half-awake and yawned, then got out to follow her. She walked out into the locker room and sat down on the white tile floor, ears drooped as usual. He didn't need to be reminded why.
"Twilight..." he said softly. "You've got to pull yourself together..."
"It's not the coltfriend thing. It's that I'm... I'm cold."
Trailblazer instantly knew that she was lying. "Uh-huh. Riiiiiight..."
"...Okay, fine, it is the coltfriend thing. I'm alone and cold and... There's nopony to keep me warm..."
"Oh, I don't like where this is going..."
"It seems like it's just too much to ask. I talk to colts, I let them know about me, and then they say 'no'."
"Well, that's really the worst thing they can do."
"This, has been, the 32nd time that I've been rejected, and counting..." She wiped a tear from her eye. "When will anypony say 'yes'?" she wimpered.
Trailblazer sighed deeply. He still felt sorry for her, but it has been going on for too long.
"May I... Snuggle with you a little bit here...?" she asked.
"Uh, Twilight?" said Trailblazer softly. "I just can't be your backup coltfriend when you need somepony to hug or cuddle with or anything. I just can't see this working."
"Please? This'll be the last time I'll ask, I promise." Twilight's eyes were watering again.
Trailblazer grumbled. "...Fine. You know, just like last time, I'm only doing this as a friend, don't get used to this with me."
He sat down and stayed still. Twilight reached out and threw her front legs over his shoulders and squeezed him. She rested her head over his right shoulder, eyes closed, with a few tear drops landing on his back. Trailblazer rolled his eyes while she wasn't looking, annoyed. Twilight started to snuggle him some more. She rubbed her head up against Trailblazer's neck and shoulder, and got her whole body closer to him.
"I really appreciate you doing this for me.." she said.
Trailblazer auietly muttered something that was barely legible, then spoke up. "Have you even had much connections with any other pony?"
While still holding on to him, she looked at him. "For the most part, I've been reading a lot of books, because I've always wanted to know anything, and studied everything in them... Even as a filly, I've wanted to be the smartest unicorn I could ever be. Sure, I was more social as a filly, until I became a direct student for Princess Celestia..."
"Well, this sounds out of left field, but do you remember anypony that you liked back then?"
"Wellllll... There actually was this one other colt that I liked to play with a lot, named Mineral Mage. But... I've never seen him ever since I went to study under Princess Celestia. I have no way of knowing how he's doing, or where he's at..."
"No class reunions either?"
"No..." Twilight started to whimper again. "We got along so well, and we never tired of each other. We were best friends, and now... He's gone..."
Trailblazer's annoyed state turned into sympathy. "Oh... That is a little disheartening..."
"I really would give anything to have him back... It feels like I never knew how much he meant to me until I lost him..."
Trailblazer looked off to the side, looking a little upset.
"You know, you remind me so much of Mineral Mage. He's almost just like you, only he's a unicorn, like me..."
He wrapped his forelegs around her shoulders, giving her a shoulder to lean on as she cried a little. "C'mon, Twilight. I don't like seeing a friend miserable and suffering like this..."
Twilight sighed. "I try not to show it, but on nights, where anypony would spend some quality time with their special somepony, I have nopony... I guess it... It gets the best of me, and I break down..."
"I know you're in anguish, but you can do better than this," reassured Trailblazer. "Let me ask you this. Do you want to come out in an empty area at night just to cry?"
"Well, no... But I still want the comfort..."
"Well, if you don't let the whole "single" business bother you and make you upset, you won't feel so bad at night. Just don't think about it."
"That's, an interesting way of putting it." Twilight Sparkle let go of Trailblazer and closed her eyes. "I do feel better with you to comfort me tonight, but I'll give it a shot next evening."
"Yeah, it's one in the morning, and I can't sleep."
The two of them walked back to the bedroom side-by-side and went back into their beds. Every other pony was still asleep, but it still felt like neither one of them could get some rest.

The next morning, the fighters got up to reserve another match.
"Hey there, Devastators. Ready to get your hooves dirty?" Smash Crash answered them with.
"It's what I come here for, isn't it?" said Trailblazer.
"That's the spirit! All right, let's see here... You'll be squaring off against, the Precious Metals! Now, in this battle, I want to see you get some aerial shots in there. A big sticky body is nice, but it's still cool to see some airborne beatdowns. Now, get in there, and get your pegasus going!" The call was terminated.
Go Getter walked up to them. "Looks like you guys and my guys are squaring off."
"You're part of the Precious Metals?" asked Twilight Sparkle.
"Oh yeah. Now we'll have to wait for us to get in the ring. Hey, best of luck to both of us."
A minute later, two guards came into the room. One of them escorted the Devastators, and the other got a hold of the Precious Metals. Both of the groups came at each other at either side of the ring.
"Fer our next match, we have, the Devastators, off in a fight to the finish with, The Precious Metals!" announced Smash Crash.
"If you know what's good for you, you'll run!" warned Trailblazer.
"Meet my gang! It's on, baby!" Go Getter said back.
"Let's get ready to... BAAATLLLLLLLLE!"
A gong could be heard, signaling that the fight began.
"You still remember the drill? Let's put on a show in the air," reminded Pinkie Pie.
"Leave it to me!" yelled Rainbow Dash. She got up and flew at the other pegasus, a bronze-colored pony. They both started to fight each other, as Trailblazer ran at Go Getter. He jumped onto him and started to bounce on him. He took a few hits until he managed to slide out of the way, where Trailblazer landed on the floor and nearly lost his footing. Pinkie Pie jumped in and hopped around, acting as a hit-and-run fighter. She tried her best to get as much airtime as possible with each hop. Rainbow Dash fought off the bronze opponent and let him plummet back on the ring, unable to fight any longer, and stayed down. AppleJack pitched in and began to buck the silver one. While she did that, Trailblazer got an idea. He winked at Rainbow Dash, still in the air, and then winked back at him. He lifted Go Getter from the ground, and kept himself held upright. He threw him up at her, who then knocked him straight onto the ring. Then, AppleJack got the hint, and started to juggle the silver one with Trailblazer, by kicking him back and forth. After the fifth kick, he was left to fall on the ring, defeated.
"We have a winner! THUHHHHHHHHHH DEVASTATOOORRRRRRS!"
"And THAT is how it's done!" Rainbow Dash praised her friends with.
"That wasn't even close!" chucked AppleJack.
The combatants returned into the locker room and saw Sapphire waiting for them.
"Here's your fight money, everypony," she said, handing out their share of coins. The Devastators got 11, while the Precious Metals only received 10 apiece. "Now then, I must get going." She left the room.
Go Getter walked up to them. "You guys are tough! TOO tough for the minor league, that's how I feel."
"Are you saying that in a positive way...?" asked Rarity.
"Yeah, I am! You guys are the real deal! Hey, how 'bout I show you the crew here?" He walked up to his silver teammate. "All right, how 'bout you introduce yourself?"
"Hey, I'm Super Shine. That was a pretty brutal beatdown you gave us there. Anyways, if you ever see me around the Mega Ring hallway or lobby, just say hi!"
"All right, I can do that," Trailblazer said, showing a small smile.
"And then there's Bronze Age, our pegasus."
"Hey there, Devastators. I gotta learn from you guys sometime, huh? You live up to your name, that's for sure."
"Anyway, that's all I can show you guys. After what we experienced, I don't need to tell you 'good luck' the next time you go give some poor windbag a beating. Anyways, I'm gonna head out for a little bit." Go Getter left the locker room.
"I think I'll do some... Research around here," said Super Shine with a hint of sneakiness in his voice. He left the locker room too.
"So... Now what?" wondered Rarity.
"Ah suppose we can go out into town," said AppleJack. "These here coins are startin' to burn a hole in my saddle bag."
"Hm, that does sound kind of nice," said Trailblazer. "Though I have a feeling that I'll spend a lot of it on food. You know, I could go for, a large roast beef sandwich, a side of curly fries, a can of Mountain Mist Whitewash, and a piece of AppleJack's hot apple pie."
AppleJack smiled and turned her head off to the side. "Just a slice, Trailblazer? Ah've seen ya eat some of my whole ones!"
"Well, maybe drop the burger and curly fries."
She laughed. "Ya gotta be hungrier than THAT!"
They walked outside and found a mall to spend some time in five minutes away from the Mega Ring.
Later that day, they scheduled another match for themselves.
"Hey, Devastators! Fixin' for a fight, aren't ya? All right, ranked 17th in the Mega Ring, the Earth Runners! Okay, in this battle, I want your earth ponies to fight ONLY. The rest of ya just hang tight until they can't fight no more. Since yer opponents are earth ponies, Ah wanna see some rivalry going on in this fight. Now, go out there and show 'em who's boss!" Smash Crash disappeared from the screen after saying his speech.
A guard came just several seconds after the call ended and escorted them to the ring.
"For our next match, we have, The Devastators, versus, the Earth Runners!"
"Let's do this cowpony style!" AppleJack said.
"We don't need special powers to rock!" the lead opponent said.
"Let's get ready to... BAAATLLLLLLLLE!"
The gong rang and the battle began. It was up to Pinkie Pie, AppleJack, and Trailblazer. The two groups of earth ponies charged at each other to fight. Their three opponents put up more of a fight than the other few ponies that they fought before, but they were still not a threat. Trailblazer landed an uppercut with the pony he was fighting, and it did a number to him. He stumbled backwards, clutching his throat. Trailblazer closed the distance again and landed a stomach punch. His opponent knelt down after taking the blow, and then fell down. Pinkie Pie and AppleJack were neck-and-neck with their two opponents, but Trailblazer decided not to interfere. AppleJack bucked, but her opponent punched her back. She retaliated by knocking him over his head and then kicking him. He didn't get back up after receiving that attack. Pinkie Pie then got up and began to bounce all over her adversary. The trampling got the best of him, and he fell.
"We have a winner! THUHHHHHHHHHH DEVASTATOOORRRRRRS!"
"We're on fire!" yelled Pinkie Pie.
"Hell yeah! How do ya like me NOW?" taunted Trailblazer.
"How do ya like THEM apples?!" AppleJack said with her pun.
They returned to the locker room, where Sapphire waited there to pay them all. After giving them their fight money, she left.
Trailblazer laughed happily. "I think we can take on anything!"