//------------------------------// // DLC Rumble's Revenge Part 2 (Patched) // Story: Button Mash and The Quest to Rescue Sweetie Belle // by JamesBurton //------------------------------// “Fine then, know my name and fear it. I. AM. CODEX.” Rumble, Silver Spoon, and Diamond Tiara stared at the gray unicorn with disinterest drawn across all of their faces. “Alright Codex,” Rumble calmly began, “So, tell us how you ended up here.” Codex dramatically tossed himself on Rumble's bed and covered his face with his hoof. “Oh my little ponies, my story is about a good and noble king who was utterly and truly defeated.” “I asked how did you end up in my room, not your life's story,” Rumble replied as he crossed his hooves and rolled his eyes in annoyance. Codex continued his story, ignoring the gray pegasus. "Yes, utterly and truly defeated by that evil brown earth colt Button Mash and his vile fillyfriend, Sweetie Belle!” The two fillies in the room shared a nervous look with each other. “Whelp, it was nice knowing you Codex,” Diamond Tiara nervously said, “But look at the time, we really have to get going.” She grabbed Silver Spoon’s hoof and quickly tried to bolt for the door, only to be stopped by Rumble’s outstretched hoof. “No, no, please stay,” he gestured for them to sit down again, “I promise I won’t go off.” He turned to the unicorn on his bed who was now smiling because he knew that he had the pegasus’ attention. “Please, continue your story.” "Er, right. So anyways I was once a good and noble king who ruled my land with peace and harmony." He sat up on the bed and turns to look at the trio with a very serious look on his face. "But all that changed when Button Mash attacked!" His serious look instantly turned somber. " He was restless in his assault attacking village after village." The unicorn clutched his hoof, breathing heavily as he tried to push back the tears in his eyes. "So my faithful ponies called out, begging me to stop Button Mash and his evil ways! After finding the evil colt, I challenged him to one on one honorable duel." He closed his eyes and fell back on the bed, clutching his chest dramatically. "But alas I was defeated and his companion opened a portal and threw me inside."   "PfffffHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Rumble started to laugh incredibly hard, much to discomfort of his two companions and the confusion of his new guest. "I'm sorry, I did I say something funny in my story?" he huffed indignantly. "I’m glad you find my suffering amusing,” he growled at the pegasus. Rumble finally calmed down from his outburst, wiping a tear from his eye. “Oh my, that’s hilarious. Did you really think I’d fall for that?” He was answered only with an angry glare from the unicorn. “Riiiight, okay then. I believe we haven’t properly introduced ourselves, have we?” he smiled as he nuzzled the gray pony next to him. “I’m Rumble, and this is Silver Spoon.” “I guess I’ll play along too,” the third pony sighed resignedly. “I’m Diamond Tiara. By the way, Mister Crazy over there is Rumble, ex-best friend of the uh, evil Button Mash.” "Wait." Codex chimed in as he raised a hoof. "Ex-best friend? So that would indicate past tense."   They nodded in confirmation. "Hahaha! This is perfect." The gray unicorn clapped his hooves together in glee. “If you don’t mind me asking, why did you two fall out? What did he do?” "It’s not what he did,” Rumble responded as he narrowed his eyes, “it’s what he didn’t do.” The ex-unicorn king blinked blankly at Rumble’s vague answer, but he dropped the issue and continued. “Well, given that you and Button Mash seem to be… uh… in conflict, I suppose that you want some revenge?” The pegasus’ eyebrow rose in interest. “I tell you, he would be very shocked to see me, and even more shocked if I get my way. Although, I’ll need your help.” "Mind if I come along?" Diamond Tiara asked with a sadistic grin worming its way to her face. “I haven’t messed with those blank flanks in a long time, and I think it’s overdue.” "The more the merrier," Codex bellowed a hearty laugh before turning back to Rumble. “So? Are you interested in some payback?” Rumble's devious smirk gave his answer. Two days after Button Mash's and Sweetie Belle's anniversary and after Button's adventure in Paradise Island, our fourteen year-old hero Button Mash was telling his story to Applebloom and Scootaloo, both of them looking at him with looks of disbelief. "Well, Sweetie Belle,” the orange pegasus turned to her friend with a sad look, “looks like Button Mash has officially lost it.” The four friends were outside in a field enjoying their summer vacation. The Cutie Mark Crusaders were taking a break from finding their special talents when Button Mash showed up. "But he's telling the truth Scoots,” Sweetie Belle replied, ignoring the pegasus who was rolling her eyes. “We really were transported into the game and some loser named Codex fillynapped me.” "Okay, say you are right,” Scootaloo cynically stated, “so where is this magic game, huh?” Button Mash facehoofed in frustration as he answered the naysayer, “I threw it in the trash.” Sweetie Belle nodded in confirmation. “It’s too dangerous to let anypony else get their hooves on it.” The two fillies looked at Sweetie Belle unsurely. “Umm, Sweetie?” Applebloom began, “Ah think ya should come with us for a lil’ uhh… talk.” The yellow and orange fillies quickly whisk away the unicorn out of Button’s earshot. The brown pony merely raised an eyebrow as they rushed away, dismissing it as merely mare-talk. “Pssst… Button… Hey, Button!” Button turned around to the voice, only to find nothing, only bushes and trees around the field. He shrugged it off as nothing, and he was about to return to idly standing around when he saw something glistening in the sunlight behind a bush. Careful and curious, the pony walked towards the bush which was now rustling a bit. Button took a deep breath before peeking into the bush. To his surprise, a familiar teal unicorn with a spiky mane colored like her coat, only lighter. Her mane was a mess with the wayward strand here and there and her eyes had bags under them, Button noted. What was most puzzling, however, was the tin foil helmet shining in her hooves. “Oh…” Button whimpered, unsure of what to make of what he’s seeing. “Hello Miss Lyra, wha-” Mid-sentence, Lyra shoved the helmet on top of Button’s head and leaned closer to him, making the shushing gesture with her hoof and covering his mouth with the other. The earth pony simply stared at her silently in a mixture of fear, wonder and disbelief. The mare quickly looked around, as if she were fearing that something was following her and unknowingly, the colt followed her example, looking at whatever she was looking at. When the seemingly insane pony was convinced she wasn’t followed, she leaned in even closer to Button Mash, almost at snout-to-snout distance. "Button Mash, listen to me.” she urgently whispered. "You are in terrible danger, I've been having these weird dreams and you and some other pony are in them, at first I thought that it might have been Princess Luna but, these dreams, these dreams feel all too real, I'm scared Button, scared that something is coming for Equestria- no the world." Button continued to listen to the paranoid mare. "Look you HAVE to find The Doctor, he will help you, as I saw in my dreams.” "The Doctor?" Button Mash hushedly asked, masking the mare’s soft voice but with a lot more confusion. "Who is he? How would I even find him if I don’t know what he looks like?" Lyra rubbed her head in thought, trying to remember something. "A pegasus, I think? Yes a light blue pegasus, wearing a black scarf. He may not look like much, but in my dream he will be your greatest ally." She looked at Button with an intense glare, as if there was nothing she was more sure of in the world. "Against the darkness, when you meet him say these two words and he will help you." She leaned in even closer, so close that her mouth was next to Button’s ear. "Dark Force." The young earth pony just gave Lyra a bewildered look. He had so many other questions. "Dark Force? What is that?" he tried to ask but the unicorn quickly galloped away, leaving his answer in the air. Button slowly walked back to the middle of the field with his mind bursting with questions. He, along with everypony in Ponyville knew that Lyra Heartstrings was a bit touched in the head. Bon Bon even gives her friend medications to prevent her… episodes. Yet she spoke with such surety and belief that Button Mash was inclined to believe her. "Hmm, Dark Force? The Doctor?" pondered Button as the three fillies returned from their little chat. "What's the matter Button?" asked Applebloom. "You seem lost there and what's with the tin foil hat?" She eyed the object sitting in place where the colt’s trademark propeller hat should be. Button quickly looked up and knocked the hat away. "Oh nothing, so what were you girls talking about?" Scootaloo and Applebloom glance at Sweetie Belle. "Oh you know, girl stuff." "Ah, okay." He looked at the girls with an eager smile on his face. "So what should we do now?" "How about going back home and do what you do best…” “Being losers!” The four friends rolled their eyes at the sound of those voices. "What do ya what Diamond?" Applebloom scowled, not even turning to look at them. "Not even a hello, how typical of you Applebloom.” She smiled, feeling good about taunting the blank flanks again. "We haven't seen each other in such a long time that Silver and I just had to say hello." Silver Spoon glanced over towards Scootaloo who looked like she was going to bust a blood vessel. "Hello Scootaloo, its been a while hasn't it?"     "It hasn't been long enough," the orange pegasus growled between clenched teeth. "Oh Scootaloo," Silver taunted, adjusting her glasses. "Are you still upset about that day? Its been over three months, just let it go and you'll feel much better." Scootaloo charged towards Silver Spoon, wings buzzing, but Sweetie Belle and Applebloom scrambled to hold her back. "YOU KNOW WHAT'LL MAKE ME FEEL BETTER?!! BASHING YOUR FACE IN, THEN I'M BASH HIS FACE IN THEN I'LL FEEL BETTER!!!” "Oh dear," the pink pony mocked the scowling pegasus. "Applebloom, do try and keep that chicken under better control." Applebloom glared at their two tormentors. "Keep it up Tiara and I'll sic her on ya." “That’s not fair,” a familiar colt’s voice came from the air, “why do you two get to have all the fun?” A gray pegasus descended from above, wearing a nasty smirk as he landed in between the two fillies. “Hey, baby,” he lovingly said as he passionately kissed the gray earth pony, careful to emphasize the smooching noises. This sent Scootaloo in a rage once more as she tried to lunge towards them with tears in her eyes, still held back by her two friends. Button Mash knew that this situation was about to get very ugly, so he stepped in between the Crusaders and Rumble’s group. The gray pegasus broke his kiss with Silver Spoon and glared at the pony standing in front of him. "Button Mash," he calmly acknowledged the brown pony in contrast to his glare, which was anything but calm. “Rumble.” The two ex-best friends continued to glare at each other, waiting for one of them to make a move. "So Button, how have you been?" Rumble started in a surprisingly civil way. "I was doing fine till you showed up," he replied with annoyance. "Come to take your revenge for the beating I gave you three months ago?" Rumble's eye slightly twitched. "Heh heh heh. You think you’re sooo good, do you Button? Well you'll be happy to know that I just recently acquired a partner." He chuckled darkly, waiting for this moment. "I believe you know him quite well."   "Oh really? Who would be dumb enough to join forces with you?" "FILLIES AND GENTLECOLTS!!!" Button Mash and Sweetie Belle faces instantly dropped. "No, it can’t be him." "Introducing his glorious return, the almighty, all-powerful, the down but not out, the one and only CODEX!!!" The ex-king appears with fireworks in the background. "Good to see you again...Button Mash!" "I gotta admit he certainly knows how to make a entrance,” Diamond Tiara admitted, admiring the fireworks. Button Mash staggered backwards in shock. "It can’t be you! How?!" Seeing his chance, Rumble tackled Button while the unicorn puts up a shield so that no pony can get in or out. Button was trapped with Codex and Rumble. Sweetie Belle quickly ran up to the barrier and frantically pounded on it to no avail. “Button!” she shrieked in horror. "Well, Button," Codex had a sadistic smirk on his face, eyeing Button Mash like a timberwolf would watch its prey. "It’s just the three of us now." Rumble pounded his hooves together. "Now it’s payback time." The Crusaders could only watch as Button Mash was horrifically beaten by Codex and Rumble, neither of them showing any mercy to the earth pony. "Poor little Button Mash," mocked Codex as he helped him up so that Rumble could hit him in the gut. "Can’t do anything?" The two continued to beat Button Mash into the ground. Sweetie Belle just pounded on the barrier harder, crying at her helplessness as she watched her coltfriend get savagely beaten. "Oh how I've waited for this." Rumble leaned his head back and headbutted Button Mash on his nose, breaking it just as Button did to him three months ago. Button lay on the grass bloody, beaten, and unconscious.   "Whew that felt good," Rumble said. "Well, I'm done." Codex nodded in agreement. "Ahh, that was most satisfying."     “CODEX!!! YOU IDIOT!!!” Everypony looked up at sky and a gray colored mare was looking down on them, her face scrunched up in annoyance as she glared at the unicorn behind the shield. "I didn't bring you here so that you could ruin the master’s plan." She landed on the ground revealing herself to be the Mail Carrier of Ponyville, Derpy Hooves. "You was supposed to fix their friendship, not make it worse." She had an angry air around her, slowly walking towards the barrier Codex put up. With a simple touch of the hoof, the energy dome dispelled, letting Sweetie Belle rush to an unconscious Button. “What?” the ex-king sputtered in shock. How could a mere pegasi defuse his shield? His shield of all shields. He growled a bit as magic particles swirled around his horn. “I’ve had enough of this trash about these so-called masters. I am the only master!” A beam fired from his horn, only to dissolve as the pegasus walked through it and ended up right before the unicorn. “Bu-bu-but… how?” Codex stuttered in fear, his voice shaking. Sweetie Belle was utterly confused. How did Derpy know Codex and why did she say that she brought him here? Unless. "It was you!" Sweetie Belle cried at the realization "You delivered that game to Button! You sent us to Paradise Island!" "Actually the masters wanted Button Mash alone to go to that world," the mare informed Sweetie, "You see little pony, this world is all wrong… And the masters said that they needed to fix it! You see, there is something out there that hates Button Mash and the masters decided that it was time he left, but that backfired when you went with him, the masters needed you Sweetie Belle." "But why?!" Derpy waved her hoof again and Rumble and his friends disappeared. "The masters needed all of the Cutie Mark Crusaders in this world, but this world is wrong, as Button Mash and Rumble should be friends not enemies. All shall be safe and happy as it should be always and forever!"   Sweetie Belle heard enough and her horn glowed a faint green. "Tell your masters to go suck it!" She shot Derpy with a magical spell, knocking the pegasus mare out cold. The crusader trio stared at the unconscious pegasus trying to understand what was happening. Sweetie Belle wiped some blood off the unconscious Button Mash. "Girls," Sweetie said. "I think something is coming, something evil."