//------------------------------//
// 6 - End of an Age 
// Story: Sweet Button Mash 2: Electric Silveroo 
// by David Silver 
//------------------------------//

Cream Heart set the phone back in its cradle, moving to the front door with a soft smile. "She's coming to pick it up." She nodded to Sweetie Bot. "You'll be the only robot in here soon enough."

Sweetie Bot inclined her head. "I have no preference on the placement of Silverbot other than her satisfaction. We can be friends wherever she goes, but her recharging is of current priority."

Button threw a leg over Sweetie Bot. "You are so sweet."

Sweetie Belle pressed in from the other side. "Seriously. We should thank Silver Spoon. It is her fault we ended up with two of them, right?"

“Probably for the best.  I don’t think my big bro woulda let me keep her anyway.” Rumble rolled his eyes.

“You can’t just take other pony's robots, dude!” Button argued.

“Well I can’t get away with it obviously.”  The gray pegasus muttered.

The door bell rang as the topic of debate returned, her glasses firmly on her face and her tail flicking behind her.

Cream Heart stepped back, allowing her daughter's friend a small bow of a head.

Silver Spoon nodded to the other foals gathered there. "I'm here for the robot." She sighed with a grunt. "She stayed away from me so long she ran out of power. Figures. I didn't even get a chance to, like, make her better before you ponies took her."

Rumble leapt forward. "No! I mean, I really didn't want to make you upset! I just thought-"

Silverbot was there, eyes dark and still.

Button thrust a hoof in front of Rumble. "Nevermind that, glad to see you, Silver. I'm really, you know, kind of impressed actually. You did a great job."

“Hey, I’m sorry I kinda…uh-” Rumble stammered. “I wasn’t really trying to take your robot.  I was just talking smack, you know.  Your usually such a tough filly, I kinda didn’t expect you to take it like that.”

“The robot’s not the point.”  Diamond Tiara rolled her eyes.  “Silver wants to join your, robot club?”

“Diamond!  That’s not-” Silver tried to object, only to be gently shushed by Diamond’s hoof.

“We’re going to go with ‘join the robot club’ to preserve everypony’s dignity.”  Diamond stated with no room for argument. “You can thank me later.  You're welcome.”

"We've all done or said stupid stuff." Button extended a hoof with a shrug. "Wanna get your bot fixed up?"

Silver grunted, looking away a moment before she relaxed with a tired sigh. "Fine." She marched up to Silverbot and looked her over. "She just needs, like, a charge. Why didn't you just charge her?"

Button points to where the panel was for that. "It's all locked. You have the key, I hope?"

“What you just depress the panel on the left flank?” Silver replied irritably.

“O-oh!” Button blushed in embarrassment.  “I put Botsy’s on her right flank, I assumed because you followed my designs-”

“I did follow your designs, and the schematic clearly shows the panel on the right flank!”  Silver Spoon huffed.  “Honestly, does anyone even edit their diary?”

Button rubbed at the side of his head. "Seriously, why did you read my diary? That's kind of mine."

Cream whistled from within the kitchen, emerging with large trays balanced on her back. "Food time. Fill your little bellies, then you can keep chatting."

"Oh, thank you Mrs. Cream." Diamond bowed her head before she trotted up, letting out a sigh of contentment at the smells wafting up from the plates. "Delicious as always."

"If you like that, you'll adore what's for dessert." Cream set the plates down, hurrying off to get the rest. "I want to hear happy eating sounds. It's dinner time."

“Mmm!  This is really good Missus C!” Rumble chimed in as he dove into his plate

“The hint of cinnamon is delightful!” Silver Spoon agreed.  “You really should make your diary more accessible!”

“Do you mean my recipe book, dear?” Cream Heart smiled warmly.  “All you had to do was ask.”

“Your mom makes the best carrot casserole!” Sweetie Belle opined between eager, but proper, bites.

Button paused with the fork half way to his mouth, a look of dawning realization spreading across his features as he turned to Silver Spoon, then his mother, and finally Sweetie Belle, as a light bulb switched on in his head.

Cream Heart grinned. "There it is. Took you long enough to get it, Button Mash."

The colt squinted. "Does it matter though? I mean, Silver made Silverbot, and that's still really awesome."

Cream reached across to rest her hoof on Button's head. "But..."

"But!" Button turned in place to face Silver. "I'm super sorry for being a total jerk." He dipped his head at her. "You can totally join the robot club. I insist, you're a founding member, after all. It'd hardly be right without you."

“Our club needs a name!” Sweetiebot suddenly chimed in, now that the organic ponies were talking about a subject she could identify with, which carrot casserole was not.  She proudly and loudly declared, “Friendship Aquisition Program!”

“How about the Super Snarky Fun Squad?” Rumble suggested.

Silver Spoon did not miss a beat, and smiled softly. "Silver Spoon's Awesome Club for Robotic Filly Friends."

Diamond Tiara cocked an eyebrow in surprise. "That's a bit of a mouthful, don't you think?"

“That’s also kind of excluding Button and Rumble.”  Sweetie Belle noted.  “How about Cyberpony 2049?  That sound’s futurey, right?”

“How’s Rumble even in this club?” Silver Spoon snapped back.

“Hey!  I’m totally dating a robot!”  Rumble proclaimed in his defense (?).

It was at this moment that Silverbot came back online. “Robot-Pony Domination Society.”

“That’s my girl!” Silver and her bot shared a quick hoof bump.  “Crush! Kill! Destroy! Swag!”

“I’m okay with that.” Rumble shrugged.

“Friendship Acquisition Program!” Sweetiebot insisted.

Cream chuckled gently at the spirited debate among the foals. "How about the Growing Pony Robot Investigators?"

Everypony paused to turn to her with blank stares.

Cream shrugged. "Not everypony can be perfect." She grinned. "I'd say the best plan is to take it one day at a time, and let your name come to you."

Silver Spoon's cheeks warmed a bit and she smiled down at her plate as the others mumbled around the table in agreement and began chowing down on their delicious meals once again. "We'll find a good one," she mumbled into her food, glancing up at the others. "So, um, you want me around?"

“Are you kidding, you actually created a robot!”  Rumble proudly proclaimed.  “The rest of us are just in the club because we’re dating a robot or a robot’s creator.  What?  Don’t look at me like that!  I know what’s up!”

Silver Spoon blushed brightly and pushed her glasses up to hide behind them, giggling a little. "Thank you, Silverbot 2000 is something else."

Button glanced at Sweetie Bot, a slight frown on his muzzle for a brief second before it melted away. "It isn't a contest, um, unless you want it to be?"

Sweetie Bot crossed her arms in a powerful X. "I do not wish to be the reason for the loss of any friendship."

Silverbot nodded firmly alongside her, taking a moment to adjust her glasses afterwards. "The only adjustment I require is a new pair of glasses." She gestured at them. "I do not think they are of the correct focal point."

"Nah." Rumble waved a hoof at her, leaning against Cream Heart for support. "Those are cool. You have your own style."

Silverbot blushed and looked away, mumbling under her breath, "Swag."

"Swag." Button smiled, reaching over to nudge Silverbot. "Welcome to the gang, I guess. And that goes for you too." He turned the nudging hoof on Silver Spoon.

“So where do I fit in?” Diamond asked pensively.

“You're probably either dating a robot, or dating some one who made a robot?” Rumble shrugged. “That is literally how everypony who are not Button or Silver Spoon got in the club.”

Diamond Tiara snorted with amusement, while Silver giggled happily along with her friend, waving a hoof dismissively as the others at the table stared at Diamond.

"I dunno, the robot thing is great and all, but I've also always been a big fan of the glitz and glamour of show biz. I'm not really interested in spending a lifetime staring at an equation. Besides, I just bought the second season of Mac Hooves!"

Button shrugged. "Wouldn't be caught dead watching that, but you do you. Um, as long as you're cool with robots or the people who work on them, you're okay around here." He nudged against Silver. "So, fellow robot engineer. Wanna go over the plans? If you built that, I bet you found a few mistakes along the way. Share!"

“It’s been fun.” Rumble yawned with a stretch.  “But it’s getting late, so I’m going to walk SB2K home, kay?”

“Technically I am the one providing security!”  Silverbot fiercely argued.

Silver snagged her bot, throwing an arm around Silverbot's neck. "I'll be taking her home. We can talk, um, later." She glared at Rumble, but smiled at Button. "I did, like, notice a thing or two." She didn't elaborate on what those things were, fleeing instead with Silverbot.

Sweetie Belle giggled at the exchange. "I think we have a new, old, friend! That was nice."

Rumble folded his arms. "Why are all the fillies happy with you?" He snorted at Button, turning up his nose at his own misfortune. "I'm putting in way more effort."