//------------------------------// // Chapter 8 // Story: Final Boss: Sweetie Belle // by Blueninetails //------------------------------// "Watch our backs, Spike." Button instructed as he, Rumble, Princess Luna, and Chrome Shield, a member of Luna's night-guard, advanced towards the objective. "Got it." Spike replied. "I'm surprised Spike has a microphone right now." Rumble stated, "Finally got around to buying one?" "No, this is borrowed from the Crusaders." Spike replied back. "Sweetie Belle's?" Button couldn't stop himself from asking in a tired voice. "These were a pair the girls had at their clubhouse. So, no, I don't think these belong to your 'marefriend'." Spike stated, putting a slight emphasis on the word 'marefriend'. Button caught the emphasis, and groaned at the statement. He wanted to say something back, but decided against it. It had been several days since he learned Sweetie apparently had some skills in Minecraft at least, and had wanted to avoid thinking about it for the time. "Focus guys, we're running out of time." Button barked. "Indeed." Luna agreed, "Come, we must advance." "Yes, your highness." Chrome agreed, as they pressed on. "Alright, just like we planned, Princess Luna and Rumble will flank from the side since they have that annoying, new crossbow." Button stated. "You're just jealous you ended up with the dart blaster for your range." Rumble remarked. Ignoring his friend, Button rolled his eyes and pressed on, "While you two are doing that, Chrome and myself will rush in, kill the defenders, and-" He stopped upon hearing a clinking sound of something glass-like hitting the ground, it was a sound he was very familiar with and dreaded. "Crystal Bomb!" Unfortunately, it was too late as an oblong, magically-charged object bounced closer to them before exploding in a bright blue flash, resulting in the deaths of the four ponies. The last thing Button heard was a "What the-?!" from Spike before the word 'Defeated' flashed on his screen in red as timer ran out. Button let out an annoyed shout and fell backwards onto his back on the floor. "That was a very lucky throw." he heard Chrome remark. "No kidding, killed four of us with a single blast. I've never seen one of those things take out four players before." Rumble voiced as well. Button groaned as he brought himself back up to a sitting position, pissed they had lost. "Well, I suppose I should take my leave. As fun as this was, I believe I should go back to my regular duties." Chrome stated, "If I may, Princess." "Very well, resume your regular duties. I'll call on you again if your assistance is once again needed." Luna replied, followed by Chrome giving an affirmative grunt before leaving the lobby, as well as the voice chat group. "I better get going too." Spike replied. "Meeting up with Applebloom, Spike?" Rumble asked. "Not really. I just have a few chores to finish up for Twilight before I go to sleep." "Still, it was a pleasure having you, Spike." Luna replied. "Yeah. See ya around, Spike." Button stated just before Spike left. "Art thou ready for another round?" Luna asked the remaining pair of teammates. "We still need to wait for two random teammates." Rumble reminded. "Let's hope they're good. Losing due to bad teammates is annoying." Button remarked. "Oh, yes, before I forget, Button, I have something to inquire of you." Luna stated. "What is it, Princess?" "I'll ask them of you later. It may be in your interests if we were to talk later." "Oh...okay." Button remarked, wondering what in Equestria would Luna want to ask him. At that moment a new voice filled Button's ears as two new players were added to their team. "Well, look at what we have here, if it isn't the little pony from the last game." The voice stated, it sounded distinctly female, but was clearly rougher than what would be normal for a pony, "Enjoyed that bomb last round, Dweebs?" She asked followed by a laugh. Button groaned. Later that night, Button was seated at his desk, working on one of his assignments, and trying to muster the strength to resist falling asleep until it was completed. Unfortunately, it was a losing battle and before long he was resting his head on his desk and drifting off to sleep. Now in his dreams, Button found himself at a picnic with Sweetie Belle. The pair were at some random hilltop just outside of the town, just far enough to be out of sight of anypony else, yet close enough that it wouldn't be too long of a trek back to town afterwards. Button and Sweetie were seated on opposite sides of the picnic blanket from one another, but their conversation seemed to be in good spirits as the pair ate and chatted rather jovially. Button was seated on his rump, while Sweetie sat prone with her body turned perpendicularly, allowing him a chance to look at her torso if he wanted to. "I did want to try my hoof at it, and see if I could probably survive a round or two, but it just seems so hard when you have no idea what works and what doesn't. Doesn't help either that random teammates just don't seem to care most of the time." Sweetie remarked. "Tell you what, why not team up with me next time you play. With my skills and experience, I promise we'll be able to win hooves down." Button proudly stated, even pounding his chest with a hoof for emphasis. "I bet we could, cause you're the best gamer in Equestria, Button." Sweetie stated before shooting him a kind smile. Button let a proud expression form on his face, before letting it fade as Sweetie turned her attention towards the sun in the horizon. It would still be at least half-an-hour before it made contact with the horizon and begin slowly disappearing. He couldn't help but smile as he briefly gave her a quick look over, taking note of everything about her from how Sweetie's body had noticably become much more slender since they were younger, to how her curled mane seemed to help accentuate a sort of natural beauty about her. He probably was staring a little longer than he would like to admit to himself, but he couldn't help it, it was hard not to stare and admire his companion. Still, something felt off about it though, but what? Just then Sweetie seemed to notice his plight as she turned to look at him again, but this time there was a severe difference. Rather than the soft, green eyes he was familiar, she eyes had shifted to a much darker emerald color and the whites had become a solid black color. "Button, what's wrong?" She asked, her voice sounding distorted. He wasn't sure why, but a sense of fear filled him as he stared at her eyes and listened to her distorted voice. "Stay back!" He shouted as he rose up and started backing away. "What's wrong?" She stood up also and approached him. "I said stay back." Sweetie then gave a wicked smile and the green in her eyes seemingly started to glow, "What's wrong, Button? Don't you recognize you dearest marefriend?" She asked in taunting tone before jumping to pounce him. Before he could even scream or act defensively, Sweetie suddenly froze in mid-air, her disturbing smile still clear on her face. "Quite the interesting perspective you have of your fellow classmate, Button." He heard Luna's voice state behind him. "Princess Luna?" He then turned to watch the princess approach him. "Good evening, Button Mash." She greeted him before trotting past the young stallion to have a closer look at the frozen Sweetie Belle. "So, I'm dreaming...?" He asked. "Indeed you are." She replied, not breaking eye contact with Sweetie, "This is what I wanted to talk to you about, Button." She then paused to fully take note of Sweetie's expression, "Sweetie Belle if I recall correctly, the younger sister of Rarity." "What exactly is up with her in this dream?" Button asked as he stared at Sweetie's wicked expression, feeling a chill go down his spine at how her expression seemed locked onto him despite that she was frozen in midair. "Unfortunately, that is something I can not tell you, as it is yourself who can explain what is happening." "Me?" He asked outloud, "What could I possibly know about that?" He then pointed towards Sweetie. "Quite a bit in all honesty." Luna replied as a matter of factly, turning to look at Button, "There are a number of interpretations for what dreams could mean, from manifestations of one's own desires to possible predictions of the future. Many do seem to agree that dreams are connected to your emotions and to your subconscious in some way." She then turned her attention back to Sweetie, "In that way, her appearance as such would generally mean she is what is bothering you at this time. Would you care to explain it to me?" Button gulped as he looked away from her, "A-Actually, no, it's no big deal." "I merely ask since this is not the first time this has happened." "Wait, this happened to me before?!" Princess Luna turned to look at him again, "Not every night, but enough to warrant further investigation on my part. This actually has been the least disturbing appearance you've dreamt of her. I wouldn't worry if you can't recall any of those previous dreams, Button. Very few ponies ever really recall past dreams in detail after awakening." "Did I really have other dreams with Sweetie in them?" Button mentally asked himself, "Princess Luna doesn't seem like the type to lie about this though." "But still..." He wandered off in his thoughts before he snapped to attention when he noticed Princess Luna still looking at him. Princess Luna waited for a moment longer before saying with a raised brow, "If you truly have no idea how to explain this, perhaps you would like to hear my thoughts?" Button remained silent as he nodded. "I think you have conflicted feelings." She stated bluntly. "'Conflicted feelings'?" He repeated, a slight level of disbelief in his voice. Princess Luna nodded, "As I mentioned, I have been monitoring your dreams. Previous to her appearance as you see her now, you both were having a rather lovely picnic. Rather appropriate considering you and her are dating, or am I incorrect?" Button immediately looked away and scratched the back of his head, "Well, it isn't wrong for you to say that." She raised her brow again before saying, "Verily." She then paused, "Yet, she now appears this way and clearly has every intent of attacking you. Tell me, is she this aggressive with you in reality?" "No...Sweetie isn't aggressive. In fact she's kind of the opposite." Button replied, "Sickeningly so." He mentally added. "Then perhaps she frightens you?" "What?! No! Of course not." "Is this out of jealousy? Hatred? Perhaps she has done something during the time you have been dating." "I-I really can't say." Button responded almost too quietly, still not making eye contact with Princess Luna, but had physically reacted by lowering his head. Princess Luna remained silent, looking him over, before sighing, "Your reaction seems to tell me otherwise, Button Mash. I'm not one for making it a habit of invading the personal thoughts of ponies, so I won't push it any further, but you do make me suspect that my assumption of your conflicted thoughts are indeed true." Button continued to avoid eye contact with the Princess, though he was glad she wasn't going to pry any further. "Know that as a fellow gamer, a princess of Equestria, and your friend, I am open to listening to what is distressing you. Whatever it is though I do advise that you find solace to what it is soon, or I may have to intervene." "Do you really need to? I mean what's wrong if I don't figure this out?" Princess Luna looked over at Sweetie Belle, silently indicating the way Sweetie appears right now is a fairly valid concern, "Yes, because if these nightmares continue, I'm going begin worrying if there is a potential concern to you from Sweetie Belle, or if you pose a concern to her." "Whoa! I would never harm Sweetie Belle." He immediately responded, "And, I doubt Sweetie is that aggressive." "I am aware of such, on both accounts." She responded with a small smirk, "But, it's something that can not be helped. My sister and myself naturally care deeply for our subjects, and as such we take care to address such problems before they become a greater concern. In my case, I address the darker threats that come out at night, and the nightmares that afflict others before it begins to affect them during their waking hours." "So...what? Does that mean I'm under house arrest, or something?" "Oh no, not at all. It just means that I have extra work to do at nights until you figure out the cause of your discomfort. I must remind you, if that-" She pointed a hoof towards Sweetie Belle. "keeps happening. Unless you address it, there is a good chance you will continue having this nightmare for many nights to come." Button groaned. "Don't fret, I'm certain you probably know more than you think." Princess Luna remarked, before muttering something under her breath, then turned her attention back to Sweetie once again and bit her lip. "Also, I may have to apologize." "Apologize for what?" "You see, under normal circumstances, being aware of the fact they're sleeping causes ponies to wake up. To counter that when I intervene in a pony's dream and subsequently inform them they are dreaming, I cast a simple focus-based spell that latently keeps them asleep and allows me to cast other simple spells. When I cut the spell, the dreaming pony takes seconds to awaken. There are a few exceptions though, such as the spell not being enough to keep the pony slumbering or ponies such as yourself, who can sleep deep enough that it is unnecessary for me to cast it. So..." She trailed off before looking off to the side. "'So?" He repeated, worried that Princess Luna appeared to be nervous now. "As I've said, I do apologize." She stated before she began to fade away. "Wha-" The rest of his thoughts died in his throat, as for a split-second he realized his dream slowly resumed. The last thing Button would see before waking up was Sweetie's glowing, green eyes just before she tackled into him hard. Button immediately woke with a jolt, his head shooting up fast enough from the shock that he lost balance and caused the chair he was seated in to fall backwards and onto the floor. He groaned as he just laid there, trying to get his bearings from falling over. Once he did though, Button looked at the clock on his wall, and silently sighed as it read '3:35' in the morning. He then silently looked towards the moon, which was the only other source of light in his room save for his desk lamp, through his window. "You could've just told me, you know." He remarked, then thought back to the Sweetie Belle in his dreams, "Why me?" He silently asked as he put his forehooves over his eyes.