Gone.
Button paced back and forth across his dining room, fuming as he went. Her last words to him echoed through his head. “I’ll be back, Button…” And then, in a flash, she was gone.
He’d said goodbye to their guildmates before shutting down their laptops. She hadn’t even said where she was going… A minute of sitting still in his seat hadn’t given him any ideas about why she’d left, so he’d decided to try walking. So far, it was about as effective as his previous strategy.
Clenching his jaw, Button turned to look back at his hotel room’s door. Maybe he could make it to the castle and—
No. Let her be. She must have had a good reason to…
He sighed and ran a hoof through his mane. “Nothing I can do…” he muttered to nopony in particular. The glow from the moon shone through the windows into his large room, and the stallion tapped on the hard wooden floor impatiently. “I hope she’ll be back soon, though.” He shook his head wearily and—
A crisp double-knock interrupted Button’s thoughts, and his ears perked up. A smile split the stallion’s face as he ran over to the door. “Oh, you’re back!” he cried as he swung the door open.
But instead of his marefriend, two stallions in police uniforms stood outside of his door. The first, a pale green coated pegasus, nodded to him. “Hello, Mr. Mash. I’m Lieutenant Spruce Wind, and this is my partner, Sergeant Ace Reflex.”
“Uhh…” Button said, gazing at the officers. The pegasus’ eyes were narrowed, and he glanced back and forth warily. “Hello?”
The second stallion, a unicorn with a red coat and grey mane, flared his nostrils and looked at Button through his sunglasses. “Sir, may we step inside? We have an important matter to discuss with you.”
Button hesitated for a moment as he gazed at the two of them. He pursed his lips and slowly said, “Do... do either of you have any identification? Not to be rude or anything, but this is kind of weird.”
Lieutenant Wind raised an eyebrow. “Sir, we really have to speak with you. Please let us in.”
Standing completely still, Button looked into the officer’s eyes. He slowly shook his head. “Umm, I don’t think I can do that unless I see a badge or something…”
Silence reigned for a moment as they stared at one another. After a moment, Sergeant Ace growled, “Well. I suppose that we’re just going to have to—”
Button slammed the door shut in their faces and turned the lock. “Celestia damn it!” he cried as he leapt over to the living room and started to push one of the couches toward the room’s entrance. “First changelings, then kidnapped by secret agents, then attacked by windigos, and then freaking griffons.” He shoved the heavy furniture right up against the door and glanced frantically around the room. “If you think some stupid costume is gonna fool me, then you’ve got something else coming!”
“Mr. Mash!” Lieutenant Spruce yelled as he pounded on the door. “You don’t understand! We’re here to—”
“Here to kidnap me again?” Button interjected. Quickly, the stallion dashed over to one of the cabinets. “Yeah, no! I’m not stupid! You’re changelings or something, and I’m not falling for it again!”
The banging on the door grew louder, and Button heard the sergeant swear. “Open the door now! You’re in danger, and we’re here to help you!”
“Bullshit!” He reached inside the cabinet and grabbed a large wine bottle. “Get the hell out of here! I’m gonna call the actual police!”
The imposters said something to each other, and the door shook as something heavy impacted on the heavy wood. “Mr. Mash! You have to open the door!” Spruce cried, his voice cracking slightly.
“The only things I have to do are die and pay taxes!” Running over to the window, Button glanced out frantically to check for any possible escapes. He started to unlatch the window so that he could have a better view. Maybe there was a balcony below him…
“No!” Ace shouted. “Don’t open the window! You can’t!”
Button turned back to look at the door, and his face contorted into an incredulous sneer. “Oh, and now you know what I’m doing inside my own room! Who the hell are you?”
“Please! You’ll let them in!”
Button shoved the window open and scoffed, “Bullshit!” He looked downward to see no balconies whatsoever. The building went down to the ground smoothly, without a single platform to interrupt somepony’s fall. At the base of the building stood three ponies in police uniforms who held a radio.
A chill ran down Button’s spine, and he shivered in the cold draft from outside…
“That’s it!” Sergeant Ace shouted. Gunfire sounded behind Button, and the doorknob exploded in a shower of splinters before the two ponies kicked the door in.
Button raced toward the room’s entrance and stood beside the doorframe. Raising the bottle, he inhaled deeply. One… two… three…
Lieutenant Spruce was the first one through the now destroyed door. He shoved past the couch and—
—fell over with a cry as Button’s wine bottle shattered when it impacted the back of his head.
Button rammed his shoulder into the other fake officer before spinning around to deliver a precise buck to his midsection. Sergeant Ace flew back into the hallway and slammed into the far wall. Both of the uniformed ponies stirred briefly before lying unmoving on the ground.
“Huh,” Button said. “That was… way easier than I’d expect—”
And that was when the windigo struck him.
He screamed in shock as his new foe’s hoof hit him in the side of the head and sent him reeling into the wall. With a gasp, he spun and raised his hooves just in time to swat the next blow away.
Three of the glowing blue horses hovered further into the living room. They stared blankly at him, spears in hoof.
With a strangled shout, Button shoved his nearest enemy out of the way and tried to throw himself toward the door. His hooves scampered across the wooden floor, and the windigos swooped down with their weapons raised. He couldn’t get away, he couldn’t move fast enough, he couldn’t—
Two shots rang out, and the first windigo crumpled to the ground. The barrel of Sergeant Ace’s pistol smoked as the unicorn aimed at another of the ethereal monsters. A trio of bullets flew outward to rip through the next foe.
Lieutenant Spruce groaned and stood to his hooves. He shakily raised his own weapon and slew the final windigo. He and his partner growled and turned to Button Mash.
The stallion grinned sheepishly at the saviors he had just attacked. After clearing his throat, he said, “Umm, thanks…”
“I have such a bucking headache,” Ace snarled. “You’re just lucky that the general wants you unharmed…”
“The g-general?” Button stammered. “General Chaput? I thought you two were changelings or something…”
“Oh,” Spruce said as green fire engulfed him. “We are.”
The two ponies blazed in magical flame, and a pair of sneering changelings stood in front of Button. He took a step backward and inhaled sharply.
“You’re an idiot,” the changeling who had been Ace said. “We’re here to help you—”
Button leapt sideways to grab a lamp off one of the coffee tables. In a split second, he jumped back and slammed the heavy object into Ace’s head and pushed Spruce into the wall before bolting out the door at a full sprint.
Spruce roared, “You bucking buffoon!”
“Shit, shit, shit, shit, shiiiiit!” Button panted as he raced down the hallway toward the staircase. “Hell no! This is not happening again!” The door at the far end of the hallway flew open, and three other ponies in police uniforms moved toward him.
“Stop right there!” bellowed the first. “You’re under arrest!”
“Oh, buck…” Scampering to the side, he slapped the call button beside the elevator. “Come on, come on, come on! Just give me this one!”
As if the universe was listening, the elevator dinged open, and Button jumped inside and mashed the key for the ground floor. The imposter officers raced toward him, but the doors slid shut just before they could reach the elevator.
Soft music played over the intercom as Button stood shaking up against the wall. Thoughts raced through his mind. Attack. Pain. Scent of fresh flowers. Shock. Pretty painting in elevator. The slightly tinny piano echoed off the walls as the stallion gingerly touched the bruise that had formed on the side of his neck. He hissed and grit his teeth as he fought against the sting, and—
The elevator stopped at the third floor. Button froze as the door opened up to reveal…
A young filly skipped into the small space and smiled up at Button. “Hello, Mithter! I’m going to the pool!”
With a quiet laugh, Button shook his head. “Okay then.” He grinned down at her.
The doors shut, and the elevator slowly started to move again. The little pink filly cleared her throat and said, “Have you theen my mommy?”
He glanced down at her, brow furrowed. “Uhh… I don’t think so…”
“Mommy really wants to thee you!” she replied, smiling toothily. “Like, really, really, really! You ran away from the meanieth, and now we can go thee her together!”
As he looked down at her, the filly’s form began to shimmer and warp. “Oh, stars…” Button swore. He backed up as she grew taller and her mane disappeared. Fire engulfed her, and a changeling stood before him.
“I’m so glad that you left Chaput’s guards…” the creature gurgled. “It’ll be far better for you to come with me…”
The elevator reached the ground floor, and the door slid open. Button tried to dart out into the open hallway, to escape, to run free, but—
A sharp sting bit into his flank, and energy arced through his body. Button screamed as the taser activated, bringing him down to the floor.
The changeling set the weapon on the ground and chuckled. “Oh, Button Mash… Queen Chrysalis will be so happy to see you.” She smiled once more. “I’m coming home, mommy…”
A pair of windigos appeared at her side and swooped down to grab Button. The changeling pressed a key on her wrist-pad. “Package two is recovered. Moving to return point.”
Energy filled the air, and everything went dark as Button felt a teleportation spell whisk him away to somewhere else...
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Another!
And thus the gates of tartarus opened that day, as luna's rage turned her back into nightmare moon. I looked upon the neverending moon, as the cities burned to ashes, and i thought to myself "Hell, I left my wallet in there didn't I?"
Wow, you really love to make plot twists.
6733936 Plot twist, everyone is changelings. The ending will just have everyone undisguise and deck each other in the face.
you know, if they had've had fake IDs... they could have gotten through that much easier.
6734045
"It's so difficult to find competent help these days..." Chaput muttered as he took a sip of his wine. "I'll be discussing their little... error, I suppose, with them once we have concluded this evening's activities."
Ace and Spruce gulped.
Can anyone seriously say they didn't see this coming some ten chapters back? Welp, let's see how this predictable plot point pans out.
I'm most interested to see how you make Luna react. That she will put herself at risk to save him, very likely I imagine. Though if keeping him captive actually makes Luna do something that risks all of Equestria, I'll be calling bs. She seems to be too smart for that.
6734064 they ded.
God damn plot twists out the yin yang! I started to loose track of who's doing what so long ago, now I've just resigned to reading along and being surprised by bucking everything!
6734064 Nuff said.
So at the end of the day everyone's Chaput. Got it.
6734064 Unless you have the next chapter ready, it isn't a good idea to post cliffhangers as 'interludes.' As someone who follows this story as it updates, it really kills the mood when you push readers into such thrilling action then cut off the chapter right then & there.
Ok, just how many players are on this g-dang chessboard and how did Mad Hat McGriffin get Chrysalis roped into this?
6734193
For creatures that can shoot immobilising goop from their horns in a snap, these Changelings seemed really reluctant to actually capture Button. Do they have brain problems?
6733887 I want to play this game...
Also, I don't really think Chrysalis is as much a part of this as everyone seems to think. My guess is she has spies among the griffins, found out about Luna and Button and is taking the opportunity to replace him. It's almost foolproof. All the love the changeling collects will be funneled into the hivemind, and even if the imposter is captured, they won't suspect her because she's not on the board. It's easier to blame Dmitri or Chaput. Meanwhile, she gains a neat little hostage to drain.
So we have two Changeling Queens involed after all. Unless Yvonne = Chryssy but I wouldn't count on that...
So... one situation worse than the other.
There was no winning in this situation, only various forms of losing.
And Button had the bad luck of choosing the, so far, worst scenario.
6734308 hrmmm i think one queens involed but chaputs are from same hive but are not loyal to there queen some changelings are like that is my theroy
everyone wants the mash apparently.
6734489 That's what I thought too but It can't be that easy.
6734528 ahhhh but theres the catch its the last thing youd think to happen because its to obvious
6734531 m.quickmeme.com/img/80/803707bd77addc484b42dd0ac5a87c9a0bfa8251b631440ded468689d354c0e4.jpg
6734260
Actually, I think it's a great idea. The cliffhangers are my favorite part of this fic!
dear
princess celestiabutton mashYou fucked up
The more stuff like this happens the more my hatred grows for the cliffhangers!
6734632 He's not kidding you know...
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Button, you idiot...
6734748
Neither am I. This is actually where I wanted the last chapter to end, but I had too many scenes to finish. I see cliffhangers as a very good thing. They build tension and create a sense of a massive impending train wreck for when all of these plots come tumbling down.
This is far from the last cliffhanger, although there won't be as many soon... Mwahaha
I don't think anyone's ever going to realize that "Just trust us!" is never enough of a reason to trust anyone, especially if you already have reasons to be distrustful.
6734796
To be fair, Chaputs changelings could have elaborate beyond "Come with us because we said so"
Stupid button
In a world of double, triple, hell even quadruple agents is hard to track who's working for whom, so sometimes you just have to trust your gut. Unfortunately, sometimes your gut is wrong and you end up deeper then you ever wanted to go.
Or in a more simplified form: CAN SOMEPONY GET ME A FREAKING PROGRAM TO TRACK THIS CF!!
ohohoho, oh my... interesting... Button, you goobhead.
Nice chapter!
O BUCK this is so bade.
6734944
Hey now, it was a reasonable assessment of the situation from Button's perspective; we just have info that he doesn't.
Really, we should be saying "Stupid Chaput" and "Stupid Luna"; Chaput for sending agents that Button has no reason to trust, and Luna for not moving him into the castle a long time ago. Seriously, when you know there are spies and infiltrators everywhere, you don't just randomly leave a potential hotage alone in a hotel room.
6735376 I do give Button Props for figuring out about the police. I was surprised that he didn't figure out the baby. I would t be trusting anyone if I knew changelings were in the house. INCLUDING foals.
6735177
This fic is set 19 years after season one of MLP. I see the CMC and Button as being about 8-11 years old in canon, so they are 27-30 years old in this fic.
~Doc
To be fair his near panic and his reactions are entirely justified. Not necessarily smart but justified. Then there are those first two changelings. They could have at least kept up their ruse, it might even have worked. Whereas admitting to being changelings would (and did) throw him off the deep end.
6734821 I was actually referring to how you weren't kidding about the cliffhangers being your favorite part.
6735567
Oh. Yeah.
...
They totally are.
You mother fucker...
Ah, well. At least this means we'll see Nightmare.
I'm really excited for that, and then when she goes on a fucking rampage, and Button's the only one who can stop her.
well damm...i belive luna is gonna freak out
6735225 Shadowwolf, come in! damn, this isn't good.
You there, try and restore vox contact!
Aye aye Inquisitor!
God Emperor help us all...
6735482 Thanks!
Once again everyone calls a character an idiot for not knowing everything the reader knows.
You people don't want quality fiction, do you?
6736064 Inquisitor! We just got contacted by one of our commanders, they've spotted Shadowwolf's forces and are moving in to assist!
Praise the Emperor!
6736258 what's common sense?
6734632 Well I wasn't complaining so much about it being a cliffhanger, but more on the chapter being too short yet is still a cliffhanger. You hyped it up with the action but it lasted so briefly. This story is approaching its climax, so you can see why I'd feel unsatisfied