"What happened?" Button asked the sisters when it was just them.
"Honestly, we don't know." said Scootaloo.
"Yeah, all she did was look at Babs and you and- Uh-oh…" AB mumbled.
"What? What 'uh-oh'?" Button frantically asked.
"Um… She might have gotten the impression that you and Babs were…"
"Were what? We were just talking about how hard it was to live with parents who follow strict rules."
"But that's it. Sweetie felt you had something in common with Babs more than you could with her…"
"Wait… so Sweetie… was jealous?" Scoots had her brow raised.
"Jealous?" Button was surprised that a sweet girl like Sweetie Belle could ever feel jealous, but then again, he wasn't unknown to jealousy himself. He recalled the night of the ball when all those stallions were watching her. If she could feel threatened by some pony who mentioned she had a similar past like him, then it just showed how much she liked him just as much as he liked her.
"Girls, I have a favor to ask…" He brought them closer to whisper his plan.
When he was finished, Scootaloo and Apple Bloom had wide smiles spread across their faces, "We'll do it!" they both gleefully said.
"What are you? Where did you come from?" Sweetie Belle said as she magically held the mirror she took out after releasing a few tears when she came back to her room, the room that Button gave to her so sweetly… She was trying to figure out what made the mirror show her parents the last time and how could she make it work it again. She wanted so badly to see Rarity or any of her older sisters; Applejack or Fluttershy would be a good choice if Rarity couldn't be shown.
"How did I get to see my parents the last time? Hmm…" she was deep in concentration.
Discord's face suddenly showed through the mirror, "Glad to see you're using the mirror already."
She yelped when she saw him talking back to her, causing her to drop the mirror.
"Ow!"
She gasped and magically picked the mirror, "Sorry! Sorry!"
Discord's image chuckled, "Just kidding…"
"Discord? Did you give me the mirror?"
"I did." he proudly said.
"But why?"
"So we can communicate! I know of the tests and your attraction to the prince…" he smirked.
"What?!" she blushed furiously, "I… I don't know what you're talking about."
"Oh, come now! You're head over hooves for him!"
She scowled, "And how would you know that…?"
"I have my ways."
"Have you been spying on me?!"
"No, I haven't been spying on you…"
She sighed in relief.
"I've been spying on Scootaloo and Apple Bloom, too."
Sweetie grimaced and slowly asked, "How much do you know?"
"Oh, just that you danced with him at the ball and I saw the look on your face while you were dancing. I have seen you taking the test now and how desperate you were to pass it."
"I wasn't… that desperate…" she grumbled.
"The point is, Sweetie Belle, that I'm here to help you!"
"You can? How?"
"Really, Sweetie? You've known me for how long, and you question me on how I can help?"
"What I mean is how are you going to help me with the tests?"
"By giving you the answers ahead of time, of course!"
"But… isn't that… cheating?"
"Maybe, but you were lucky this time by relying on your wits. Who's to say you'll be able to pass the next one?"
"But Button's already giving me a head start."
"Button?"
"The prince…" she sighed.
"Ooh, going on a first name basis, are we? Well, well, must've missed something in the last few days."
"Actually, I've been calling him Button since I washed ashore when he found me."
"Oh, that's nice and- What do mean 'washed ashore'?! What happened?!"
"Oh… um… I may have gotten knocked overboard on the ship during a storm at sea…" she cringed.
"Are you hurt?!" he fretted.
"No, no, nothing like that happen. Button even had a doctor check me over to make sure I was alright. I didn't almost go to the ball because he was so worried about my health."
Discord could only smile when she mentioned that.
Sweetie was smiling in return until she remembered this afternoon.
"What's wrong?" Discord said in concern.
"It's nothing…"
"Sweetie Belle… that face is not usually your happy face… Something is wrong… Now tell Uncle Discord what it is…"
"I'm not sure if I can. I don't think you would understand. Can't I just talk to Rarity or any of the others?"
"Well, as much as I would like to oblige that, it would be best we keep this to ourselves. I can't have Fluttershy knowing I've been talking to you and helping you with the tests. That is, do you want my help?"
"I…" she thought long and hard about it. It would've been nice not having to worry about passing or failing anymore. No Diamond Tiara to keep her down each time she tried to pass a test. And by passing the tests right away, Button would his freedom at last. But she knew she managed to pass a test all on her own with the assistance of Button, who gave her an idea of what to expect. She felt she could get through the other tests as long as she tried really hard, but there was that point that she could have gotten lucky. What if she didn't pass the next time? Still… She said, "I'm going to need to think about it."
"What…?" Discord was genuinely surprised that she didn't take his offer right away.
"Don't get me wrong, I'm grateful that you're trying to help me get through this."
"Well, what are fairy godbrothers for anyway?" he popped on a blue robe with a hood and a red bow tied around the neck and held a single silver wand for emphasis.
She giggled, and then continued to say, "But if I was meant to pass these tests, then I would know that I deserved it."
"But how do you know that contacting you isn't the reason you will pass these tests?"
"Because I passed the first test without your help. The way I see it, you could have helped me then, but when you didn't, that tells me that I need to pass without cheating and that Button's freedom wouldn't be earned in vain."
"His freedom? But isn't the point to win the contest is marrying him?"
"It is, but if I win, I'm giving him the choice of marrying or not. He's had to live his whole life without making a decision for himself and marriage is something he deserves to choose not his mother."
"This is sounding vaguely familiar…" he stroked his beard.
"It should. It's what my big sisters had to go though when you and the rest of our future brothers had to secretly date them behind my mother's back."
"For a good reason, mind you."
"And it was. Button's doing the same thing now by plotting with me to make sure I win."
"Interesting, so you like the prince and you're helping him out, but say you do win, would he choose another girl to marry?"
Sweetie stiffened as she remembered back to when Button was talking happily with Babs and how well they related to each other. Would he really marry some pony else after all she'd done for him? Sure, she hoped that in time, he would want to marry her of his own free will when he wasn't forced to get married right away. But he was her friend first, and friends shouldn't be selfish about that.
"I wouldn't know. But I would be happy for him as long as he's happy."
"How mature of you to say…" he had near tears in his eyes and had to turn away, "You girls really are growing up…"
"Are you crying?"
"What, me?! The Master of Chaos cry?! I'm just borrowing a couple of tears for the sake of the scene!"
Sweetie rolled her eyes.
"Now that the sappy stuff is done, let's get back to the business of what's bugging you."
"I keep telling every pony, it's nothing!"
"Uh-huh, sure, you keep telling yourself that… The fact that you wanted to talk to Rarity about it proves that it's serious and you need to spill it."
She gave out an exasperated sigh and said, "Fine… I'm worried that Button likes another princess better than me…"
"Ah… we got some jealousy going on here…"
"Jealous? I'm not jealous!"
"Oh, really…? Tell me: do you get a pang in your stomach when you see him talking to this princess?"
"Well, um…"
"And does it bug you that they're being all chum-chum?"
"Maybe a little…"
"Not to mention you had him in your sights first before she ever had a chance to meet him?"
Her eyes widened in realization and she found herself shouting out, "Yes! You're right! I am jealous! I can't help it! Just thinking about them together is upsetting!"
"I rest my case…"
"What am I do, Discord?"
"Simple, eliminate the competition."
"What?! No! She's a friend!"
"Well, you didn't tell me that!" he retorted.
"There's got to be some way that doesn't involve having to get rid of her."
"Well, the best thing you do is keep the prince close to you and not to her."
"I guess that could work…" she complied.
"Of course it'll work! Have I ever steered you wrong?" he made a halo above him.
"Well…"
"That was a rhetorical question. So, Sweetie, if you ever need to talk to me or change your mind about the tests, just speak to the mirror saying, 'I wish to speak to Discord'. Got it?"
"Got it. Wait, 'wish'? I made a wish to see Mom and Dad and the mirror showed me what they were doing at that moment!"
"Exactly. This is a magic mirror. You merely have to wish of what you want see or hear."
"But isn't that an invasion of privacy?"
Discord groaned and rubbed his temples, "Just wish to the mirror and it'll give you what you need. I have to go. Fluttershy's going to back soon making dinner, and if she catches me doing this, I'll never hear the end of it… Signing off." His image dissolved, returning to her own reflection.
Dinner had come and gone and Twist moved away from the others, making it to the kitchens. She got in and saw a white gleaming kitchen with different stoves and countertops. The staff was hustling and bustling, getting dishes wiped and cleaning the floor. She found Truffle in a corner and started to help out. He turned to his surprise that a princess like her would be drying dishes.
Seeing his surprised look, she explained, "I did this all the time with the servants at home."
"You really aren't like the other princesses…"
"I'll take that as a good thing…" she beamed.
"Would you like a dessert? I got chocolate cake."
"That sounds yummy. And after that, I'll give you a treat."
"What's that?"
"It's a surprise." They continued to finish with the dishes.
Sweetie was slumped on her bed, dealing with her conflicted emotions. There was a knock on the door and she heard it open.
"Sweetie Belle?" she heard Scootaloo's voice.
"What do you want?" she replied.
"We found this neat place and we want to show it to you." said Apple Bloom.
She slowly turned back to face them, "And where is this neat place?"
"Come with us and you will see." Scootaloo took her arm, getting her off the bed.
They made it outside and started going through the gardens, but then they went down a path that she didn't take with Button the night of the ball. At the end of the path, she saw a lagoon and on that lagoon was a rowboat. She looked up and found Button standing on a dock next to the rowboat.
"Button? Wha…?"
"Thanks, girls. I can take from here." he told her sisters.
Sweetie stared at them, but she saw that they were smirking back at her.
"Have fun, you two." Scootaloo said as she was about to go.
AB whispered in Sweetie's ear, "Tell us everything…" She followed Scoots back to the castle.
Sweetie stared back at Button and was blushing. He was blushing himself and gestured for her to get in the rowboat. She nodded her head and got in. Then he got in and pushed the boat to move in the water. The lagoon was so peaceful and beautiful. Fireflies started surrounding them and moving in a circle.
Button couldn't stop looking at how pretty Sweetie Belle was. He started singing in his head, I never had this feeling before… She gives me shakes and shivers, I can't ignore… And I see that there's more now, than just running free…
Sweetie looked at Button and couldn't keep her eyes off of him, I never felt my heart beat so fast… I'm thinking of him first and of myself last… And how happy I want him to be…
It's amazing someone in my life just might be loving me… I didn't know that I could feel this way…
It's so crazy something in my life is better than a dream… I didn't know that I could feel this way…
He saw a water lily and picked it up to give to her.
She makes me warm and happy inside…
He smiles and I get dizzy and starry eyed…
The both of them sang in their heads, All these feelings I have… Have me asking…
She sang, Can this be love?
He sang, Can this be love?
She sang, It's crazy…
They sang, I can hardly speak… Whenever (he/she) says hi…
Sweetie sang, I didn't know that I could feel…
Button sang, I never dreamed that I could feel…
They both sang, I didn't know that I could feel this… way…
They took each other's hooves and gazing into each other's eyes, they had a kiss…