//------------------------------// // Season 3 Part 1: Automatic Update. // Story: Button Mash: High School Life // by rock4u7 //------------------------------// Button could feel his chest bursting, his lungs clenched in an unbearable squeeze of every fibre trying to absorb the last morsel of oxygen they could. The Colt twisting and convulsed in futility, bitting down hard on his bottom lip as his eyes began stinging like they were white lemons. 'No more, No more!' he cried out to himself, thrashing his head madly he quickly threw himself upwards, his lung tearing apart inside his chest. Shooting through the cold surface of water he gasps in a huge violent fit, coughing and chocking wildly with cold salty water stinging his eyes. Soon there was another blast from the water as a blue Pegasus shot threw the waves gasping, heaving and panting madly through his chest. "hahaha *cough*...ahaha, I w-win" announced Rumble, whipping the water out of his mane like a dog, spitting the salted saliva from his pursed lips. "oh…" gasped Button Mash, "C'mon, one more go, I can hold my breathe l can *cough* hold it longer than that I swear!". "Guys stop trying to kill ya'selves and get back ta shore!" Yelled out the yellow mare from the white sands, a large sun-hat over her head and blue shades over her face, next to her was a pink mare with the same look, lying on a towel enjoying the hot amber sun. "C'mon man, lets swim back in, my chest is killing me" Rumbled said, diving down and swimming back under the faces of waves. Button followed behind, being propelled forward by the tide and shooting threw the blue and white water like a torpedo, around him a thousand tiny silver stripes glided past with green beady eyes, the dark blue of the ocean behind him seemingly endless and stretching on forever begin the horizon. On shore there were two mares caked in seaweed and dancing in the sand like gypsies, hitting each other with balls of compacted sand and smacking each other over the head with crumbling pieces of driftwood. A few feet beside them where two other mares lying on beach towels, chatting casually as they soaked up the hot sun. The two colts washed up on the sand like dead fish, crawling onto four legs and shaking the salty sea out of there colourful fur.   "Ow!" yelled Sweetie Belle as the sword-like driftwood shattered against her skull, exploding in a big heap of clumped pipy shells and sand clusters.   "Hah" Shot loud Scootaloo in victory, "Should have kept your guard up!". "Eat it!" Sweetie replied, tackling the orange pesagi to the ground and pushing her face deep into the white sand. "Button and Rumble walked over to the two other mares and wrapped themselves in a warm dry towel. "So who won the breathe holding thingy?" asked Diamond tiara, her face shrouded by a large pair of silver sunglasses and a strawberry red hat. "I did" boasted Rumble, "Little Button here could barely hold it in" he joked, receiving a playful punch in the arm by the brown colt, both of them sitting down and watching Scoot and Sweetie playing beach-side fight club. Button watched everyone's contempt faces, the sun looking down at them from the centre of the sky like a gigantic fluorescent light-bulb. The skyline all around was the same shade of light blue except for beyond the ocean where some large puffy plumes of bloated storm-clouds were congregating, slowly chugging like a group of obese elephants towards the inland shore. In the air Button could smell salt and sea breeze, the waves lapping against the shore and spitting miniscule baby water droplets into button's face. “Sun’s beginning to set” said Rumble, “We should think about heading back to Ponyville, We can stop at the takeaway before the highway and get some dinner”. “sounds good to me, You guys ready to leave?” asked Sweetie, everyone beginning to dry off and pick up their towels, the friends walking away from the warm white sands and threshing blue water of their little road trip.  ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ "FOR" Shouted Rudey as he hit the golf ball into the afternoon dusk, flying off far beyond eyesight. "OK my turn, pass it here" Kickin called out, climbing up on top of the silver caravan and taking the 9 Iron off the orange colt. There was a small silver divot in the centre of the rusted out motor-home, Grabbing a well-worn golf-ball out of a bucket he placed it in the divot and scanned the horizon. "Bet I can hit it between those two wonky cactus's over there". "It's cacti" retorted Rudey, lighting a crumpled cigarette and drawing deep on the smoke stick, grey columns funelling out of his mouth, the hot sun birthing beads of sweat on his brow as the dark shade of the caravan started to freeze his legs. "whatever" replied Kickin Mash, taking a stance and propelling the small golfball far off, smacking into one of the distant cacti and exploding the green plant into a gory mess of watery cactus chunks. "Good hit" acknowleged the ginger colt as he chucked Kickin up a beer and joined him atop the silver cylinder that was someone's vacant motor-home. "So Rudey, It's been like a month, tell me bout yourself, got any missis or kids of your own?" the brown pony asked, talking a hefty sip of his lager, brown bubbles bursting into white suds inside his glass bottle. "Once...Had a wife...and a little girl.... for a few years, she and the baby left though". "Im sorry mate". Kickin responded. "Eh it's fine, been so long now I barely remember". "How'd ya meet?, if ya don’t mind me asking" Kickin asked. "Back in school, we both got our Cutie marks and left around thirteen, she started work at a grocers and I tried my hoof at stand-up comedy at the local pub, anyway we decided we might as well tie the knot and get married" The orange Colt's face was a mixture of happy smirks, staring deep into his bottle and scanning the orange fire-spat sky and blue-soaked mountains beyond. "Her folks didn't like me much and frankly she wasn’t any too keen on mine so we got a small place out in the shire, pissy little cottage it was, always leaking and sparking out on us but...it was home, things went pretty good till I ended up getting her pregnant, Gods I still remember her face when she told me and I just went cold on her, freezing up like some dumbstruck popsickle" Kickin nodded slightly to show he was listening, tapping his hooves against the side of the silver metal,' Anyway The next night after instead of headin' home as usual I got real scared and went to some bar next town over, drowning myself in as much piss as medically possible. I woke up in a prison cell the next day and was told I had attempted to glass some unicorn stockbroker in the local fish'n'chips shop.   Rudey then began to scratch at his pink neck-scar, his bottom lip drooping low on his face, his dry pink tongue rubbing up against his chalky teeth.   "How'd you end up working for Guy then, you know if you don't mind me asking and what not" Kickin repeated, trying the further the conversation but not sure if the other colt wanted to keep talking.   Rudey gave a slight nod as he gulped down another mouth full of his bitter brown bubbly drink.   "I was out on parole after a botched jewellery store robbery, by now Cassie and my little girl were long gone and living with their gran gran, anyway I got out of the clink and ended up working as a bouncer at some fancy cabaret club when Rocco approached me in an alley after my shift and asked if I wanted to do some strongman work with him for the a new drug operation in town, the Juicers". "Was this Saul running the show" Kickin chimed in. "Na, This is when Guy was given the 'don' title of Canterlot, round about 6 years back, he was a lot more charismatic back in the day". "When I first met him he was a gun runner for Saul out In the boonies, he seemed Nice enough, wouldn't shut up about food though, always baggin’ on about the proper way to cook chillies with beans or sauce, sauté’ or something or other " Joked Kickin, the sun now sunken beyond the great blue mountains, the desert sand a crisp orange to a cold spiralling plain of blue dust and night air. The crystalloid twinkle of the first appearing stars and glimmering glints of the amber-like sand to the last drops of sun-light over the desolate land enchanted, the two men chuckled melancholy between themselves, their hearts too heavy, too bogged down with lost memories to bother any more speech, Kickin Mash got up and placed his empty bottle in the divot then with all his strength smash it into tiny shards with one hit of the 9 iron, the broken glass cutting through the twilight.  ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Button opened his eyes and saw nothing more than black night sky and blacker tared road of the highway. He could feel the warm artificial heat radiating from the built in coach heater and his face was half-asleep pressed against the cool glass window. The colt made a groining sound as he rubbed his eyes and looked around. Button was in the back seat with AppleBloom, Sweetie belle and Diamond tiara, their soft feminine faces snoozing away against the grey woollen seats. In the front seats sat Rumble driving the coach and Scootaloo sitting beside him, entrancedly nodding slowing along to the jazz on the radio. "Hey buddy you awake" Rumble Asked, his window opened a crack and spitting cold air in his face, keeping him up as they drove back home. "mmmm yeah, I'm awake, what time is it" Button mumbled, his body barely draped in a mink blanket that covered the three other mares. "2:52 am". "jeez, how much longer till we get back?”. "still about an hour an a half". "you could try pulling over and getting some sleep, we can hit the road back in the morning" Scootaloo added, giving him a rub on his arm and she let out a tired yawn. "nah, not in the middle of nowhere, I'd rather we get everyone back home than sleep on the side of the road, I'll be fine I've done longer trips than this" replied Rumble, Button cracking his neck and slumped back into the warm seat, the three girls sleeping dead as doornails. "Hey theirs a caravan park just up ahead look" Scootaloo pointed out, faint white lights up ahead with an old glowing sign saying Honest Hearts caravan park. "You want to stay their for the night, we could get a cabin for a few hours then head off come sunrise" the orange mare again asked, the dreary car and and caravan lot coming up on the right side, green cacti in the darkness of nightfall staring towards the establishment like dead souls. Rumble scratched the idea around in his brain for a bit and he slowed down towards the turn. "...ehh nah, where almost home, Id rather sleep in my bed than some rusty salt-bitten cot. "OK hun, just don’t go veering off the road if you get tired" Scoot retorted, nestling back into her white and red hockey jersey. Button stared out at the dusty land lot of silver cylinders and faded red cabins , a sea of sand swallowing the solemn establishment like an exhausted swimmer caught in the white surf. *VRGH* jumped the coach as it made a sharp jerk out of nowhere. “What was that?” asked Scoot. “Someone left a Gods damn golf ball on the road” Rumble barked, trying to keep his voice low. "Ermmm" one of the girls began to softly groan and wriggle, slowly waking up and rising out of the coach-seat. "You waking up honey" asked Scootaloo, a yawn coming from the mare. "Yessem, what time is it?" Diamond Tiara replied lazily, rubbing her face, sitting up and popping her blue drink bottle and gulping down half a litre. "almost three, go back to sleep if you want, we'll be back at our place in an hour and a half". "Thanks Scoot, Ill just snuggle up here for abit" the pink mare answered, trying to brush her mane and giving little squeaks of pain as she kept getting her hair-brush caught in the frizz. "Ouch..frigging sand, gets in everything". Button began to make small talk. "So whatcha think of the beach?". "definitely a good time, quite the drive to get out here thou, Rumble do you need some fuel mone….". Before she could finish he put his hoof up in silence and told her that he wouldn't accept any payment for a ride. "I never expect friends to pay for trips I ask for, your money's no good here DT". "Oh um, thank you" the mare responded, draping the black mink blanket back over her shoulders. "Hey Tiara" asked Button, "how do your folks uh...feel about". "Me and Applebloom" she interjected with a straight demeanour. the colt gave a hesitant "yep". "Mom thinks Im 'experimenting' and Dad, well, he doesn’t really care about a thing I do…so hey, besides a bit of an awkward silence when she comes over to my house… the folks are pretty much Ok with me and her going out”. “Im gunna be honest…I did not in a million years expect you and AppleBloom to be…an item ya know”. “I didn’t even know she was even into girls, for me it’s always just been something that I’d tried to keep under-wraps you know, or something you just don’t try to say to people, if you say it then it becomes real, you try to hide it and hope no one finds out like when you first start masturbating. For me now I just get butterflies whenever I was with AB, texting or hanging out. After that fight at the lake I just seemed to see her as an attractive mare that I wanted to be close to. “Well now Have you got your wish”. “Sure feels like it, she’s always got my back and I love her with all my heart, though when it comes to sexual stuff her give to receive ratio is like twenty to eighty, so hey I guess she could learn to be a bit more generous”. “what about scarlet, how do you feel about her” Diamond Tiara asked, flipping the conversation. “I don’t know if it’s the same with you and Applebloom, to me Scarlet just feels like a really good mate, I can always give her a call if I want her to come over and play some Halo or Smash Bros, Of course I have those deep feelings for her as well as feeling comfortable when she’s around but really it’s like having a best friend who’s a girl…but with the added benefit of them allowing you to put your dick in them, so yeah…win win”. “hah, I guess that’s the way you’d want it, friends always are their when you need them, to be honest I’m extremely surprised you guess actually allowed me to join your little gang, I know I’ve been such a cold evil bitch to you guys for years, I would never expect you guys to accept me or me assuming I even had the right to ask for foregiveness. “Honestly it’s true that for A long time we though badly of you, I’m not sure why you were cruel to all of us or why you said hurtful things but that all in the past, the point is you’re a good person now, past is the past, now is now”. “Thanks Button, means a lot to hear people say that”. “SO why isnt Scarlet here if you don’t mid me asking”. “she had to go visit her Granfather yesterday, he’s going loopy with dementia so the family is basically saying their farewells to him, I asked her if she wanted me to try and reschedule the trip but she said to go and have fun. It isn’t much of a problem, she’s staying over tonight so we have some time together…so yay for that”. “How is she around” The pink mare made a silent pointing gesture to the sleeping Sweetie belle, “ya know, coz AB did tell me you and her had some long history there” “not sure, could be some tension could not be, I just don’t know for that question Tiara, but I wish I did, there’s some deep wounds there that I don’t want to show or talk about for long long time” truthfully told the colt, scratching his cheek and shrugging. “Understood” Tiara replied “But remember…try to find someone you can talk to it about, get your problems out and in the open with someone you trust, doesn't have to be Scarlet….just someone who’ll listen". “DT I don’t think there’s a Pony alive who would understand MY problems, there…kinda big ones”. “Well it’s not like your some kind of criminal or murder right?” the pink mare jested. “Yeah…right” nonchalantly chirped Button, his blood running cold and he turned back to the black expanse of the highway, looking at his reflection in the window, another face staring back. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ “Fucking hell!” yelled out Inkspot as he drew another card from his deck, the other two ponies seated around him all half-drunk and stuffed with Doritos and Mountain dew. “Hah..another land card, 8Bit asked, looking down at the large multi-coloured row of mountains, plains and swamp-marshes on Inkspot’s field. “It a frigging Mana-flood is what it is, can I please reshuffle my deck”. “sorry man, those are the kicks” replied the young colt, picking up and placing down another Thopter card, inspiring a nasty groin from the milky colt as he played around with is dice. “You guys notice that we never see Button anymore” pointed out Inkspot, his mane flopping over his eyes as he blew it amusingly with his breathe. “I know, ever since he got that Goth chick all his been doing is either hanging out with her at lunch or Rumble and those preppy girls in the afternoon, he doesn’t even bother opting in for raid nights anymore. “ボタンは、私たちを裏切りました”Added in Manga, attacking Inkspot for 7 lifepoints. “I agree, goth chicks are hot but he’s just betrayed us you know, I thought we were his best friends”. “You got your eye on Goth chicks now” questioned 8Bit, eyeing inkspot down. “Yeah, I’m already going out with a moody little girl already” he quipped playfully to the young orange colt, banging his hoof on the table as he lifted up another land card. “Look with Button…we’ve got what less than one year left of school, let him go out and live a little, all he did was do what we all wanted to do…” “Be a phony”. “Yes, but a Popular Phony”. Inkspot grumbled as he mixed his vodka with his dew and downed half a glass. “Atleast he’s getting laid” the colt drizzled on, wiping Dorito dust from the side of his mouth. “Im sure your moody little Goth girl gives you all the pleasure you need” quipped 8bit, using four mana and summoning a Thopter spy network enchantment. “Not ‘ALL’ the pleasure” mopped the colt, giving a bump in his eyebrows. “Well I guess she’s just not into that type of stuff then” 8Bit retorted, the subtlety of their conversation almost non-existent. “Well what if 'I' am, don’t I get I say in it all, aren't my feelings just as important in the matter”. “it’s not a 'no'…it’s just a 'not right now' sort of thing…..I think is that particular pony’s issue”. “I have needs” Outright barked Inkspot, 8Bit beginning to get annoyed. “I..’They’… have limits” he replied. “and it’s frigging killing me man”. “then go jerk it out or something” the two secret lovers began to argue between one and other. “I do…doesn’t really help ya know”. “あなたの両方が一緒にゲイになります “ Casually commented Manga, lighting up a cigarette. “I agree with manga” Inkspot said, “I should get to reshuffle”. “Where already halfway through now DRAW!” boomed 8bit. “ARGGGGGGH! MORE FUCKING LAND” yelled out Inkspot as he madly flipped the table. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ "Hey Button?". "Yeah Scar" replied Button Mash, The orange mare's head lying flat on the Colt's chest as he had his arm wrapped around her shoulder and side, both their bodies draped in Button's star-wars bed sheets, their manes matted and teased. "When did you get your tri-force tattoo?" Scarlet asked, pressing her hoof softly against the black triangular image. "I was shit-face drunk at a party with the boys and Manga ended up asking me if I wanted ink". "and you agreed" the mare stated. "Scotch, bourbon, red-wine and ice-cream's a powerful combination m’dear". "Hey Button" Scarlet asked again. "Yeah babe". "Can we uh go see a ….eh, nevermind" said the mare, sinking into his chest, her warm breathe against his ribs. "what?" Button responded. "Doesn't matter, it's stupid". "C'mon tell me…and lets not do that cliché’ thing where you say it’s not important and I keep asking until you give in". "Ok ok, uh can we go to the movies" Scarlet asked, pushing her fringe out of her eyes. "Like...right now?". "Yeah". "…" Silent went the boy as he really didn’t want to get out of bed at ten at night. "I d'know , I just really want to go to the theatres right now, go watch something interesting ya know, call it an unexpected journey". "Well...gods your putting me on the spot here Scar, if we do go shouldn't we like have a shower and clean up, Ive still kinda got this rubber stuck tight around me and we both smell like a petting zoo". The Mare got up out of the bed, stretched out her legs and shaking button gently out of bed, rising the exhausted colt and helping him up, they chucked the used condom in the bedside bin and hide the remaining pack as well as the lubricant in Button’s sock draw. Scarlet gave Button a nudge and urged him towards the door, both of them trotting quietly towards the bathroom, Button the whole time pretending he was in Metal gear solid mission. The house was at an awkwardly low decibel with only the faint ticks of the wallway clock and bedroom TV hiding their creaking hoof steps. Both teenagers could hear Button's mother watching Behind the Music in her room, they edged along the custard yellow walls at a snail’s pace, trying not to rise her and see them in their stained and musky state. Finally they reached the Bathroom, both giving a short exhale as they walked into the tiled room, Scarlet first. Suddenly Button heard a giggle then spun around in a jolt of confusing as he’d been grabbed by the back of his shoulder, the tall figure of his mother in front of him with a Cheshire grin on her face. Button was laid out bare to see, the damage was noticeable.   "Button wouldn’t it be common curtesy to let your guest have a shower first before you hop in" inquired his Mother, staring down at him with a thin smile on her face, his face lighting up red as he was caught. "Oh uh, I was just...grabbing a towel?" floundered Button, trying to step back but realising Scarlet had shut the door on him. "Oh, well seems you need one, you’re looking quite...dirty right now, a lot of stains, especially around your...*cough* lower section" she inquired, her smirk and playful tone searing in button skin. "Mom can we please not talk about this" He pleaded. "Talk about what" she said nonchalantly. "You know..stuff…Sexual...stuff". "Hmm We'll there's around twenty billion ponies on this planet, there's got to be one way they got here because sure as hell the stalk didn’t bring them all". "Mom". “And of course it’s perfectly natural for a boy of your age, why when I was with your father back in high school his grandmother caught me and him legs in the air flaunting it in the laundry ro”. “Mom…just stop” , Button could hear Scarlet’s muffled giggling as she tried not to laugh. "But I didn’t come to just embarrass you in front of your lady-friend, not entirely, I actually came to point something out to you...it's about ejaculatory etiquette. "Oh gods just stop please!" replied Button, slamming his hooves against his ears and squeezing as tight as he could".   "Now Button I know you enjoy having a loving sexual relationship with Scarlet” the girl’s giggle stop immediately “but I'd at least advice you that when you throw you’re err…completed condoms into the rubbish bin you at least tie them closed, I don’t want to keep taking out the garbage and find a pool of half crusty semen right at the bottom of the rubbish bag, it’s just plain unsanitary". Button's face went bright red like a cherry tomato, his cheeks as hot as an industrial furnace. "So remember to tie off the balloon when you blow it up dear…Got it?" Karen sternly asked. "G..got it…NO WILL YOU LEAVE!" stuttered button in frustration, watching his mother trot away back downstairs with a skip in her step. "Oh and scarlet, if you’re going to listen from behind the door you'd at least want to turn off the light so I don’t see your shadow under the door". A small 'epp' came from behind the bathroom door. The colt flung open the door ad shut it with a bang, pressing his head against the wall. "Does your mother always act so...casual about stuff like that?". "By which you mean does she always act perverted about that type of stuff...yeah, she's very...open about sex, its awkward...very fucking awkward". “That’s…cool, I guess” Scarlet admitted, putting a hoof on Button’s shoulder. “No…no it is not” he plainly replied. “Pansy” the mare quipped, button grabbing her arm and pulling her towards him and into his chest, feeling very swave and he gave her a peck on the nose. “Shoosh it woman” Button replied. “Hah make me macho-man!, anyway I’ll have a shower and then we’ll head off K”. “No way Macho-mare, you had your chance” replied Button, walking past her and turning on the tap. “Hey whadda bout me, what ever happened to ladies first?”. "After that conversation frankly I don’t even want to think about genders, I'm washing up, you want a shower then you better fight for some space coz I’m taking it". “Ok grizzly guts…skooch over” she playfully replied to him, giving him a smack on the ass. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ “Welcome to channel six news, Im your Host Jib Jabber, bringing you the latest from around Equestria”. News announcer: Furthermore tensions between local rival drug cartels in Canterlot main as well as with the CPD Royal Guards are growing to volatile heights as outbreaks of rioting in the west of the city are turning deadly as two innocent civilians were caught in the crossfire of a shootout earlier yesterday. Both were taken to prince blueblood royal hospital with serious injuries, the first a young Pegasus is in a critical condition while the second an elderly earth-pony died later last night to blood loss. The spike in gang related crimes can be traced back three months ago to the death of Guy Gwangee the drug kingpin of Canterlot, for thirteen years Guy controlled the flow of illegal narcotics and a specialty in Zebra-land made products after the Death of one of Equestria’s most deadly underworld figure whiplash. Now with Guy gone smaller lesser known criminal organisations are vying for control of not only the east and west of Canterlot but drug distribution rights to the whole of Canterlot City. In the last three months we’ve seen twelve civilian and twenty four criminal deaths related to this gang war with no signs of slowing down. Canterlot Commissioner of the Royal Guard Shining Armor had this to say: “Currently were looking at subduing the gang related outbreaks in Canterlot West were the majority of damage seems to be taking place. Three major parties have been identified; Willow Street Wardogs, Canterlot highrollers and the Buffalo Triad.” News announcer: Commissioner Shining Armor followed the press release up with a statement that he and the entirety of the Royal guard have been working tirelessly to minimise civilian casualties and property damage as this drug war rages on with no imminent sign of slowing down, I’m Jib Jabber and this is the Channel six news. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ ^^^^^^   Both Button and Scarlet stood in the large red carpeted structure surrounded by flashing yellow lights and movie posters on every screen around them. The two were staring at a large selection of movies on a black board with red lights resembling words. "Whatcha wanna watch?" Button asked, juggling the bucket of popcorn in his mouth, a quarter drunk bottle of cola resting on the salted yellow pile. "Dunno, maybe a comedy I guess". "How about….Double rainboom or Equestria girls the movie" Button pointed out, stumbling back and forth with the refreshments. "Hmm….oow lets watch Cupcakes, I saw the trailer for it, seems good". "You kidding me, that shit's creepy, I thought you said comedy..plus I hate when they try to do that whole found-footage thing" "Oh fine, how about...hmm, oh how about Pride and prejudice". "Sound decent, let go get the tickets" . The couple trotted over and stood in line, the queue looked as if it would take half an hour to wait in, there was a re-showing of Pitch Perfect that every mare from three towns onward was attending. Button began slowly munching on the pop-corn as he waited, listen to three young school fillies talk about how many of the twilight books they’ve read. His ears kept perking up as he heard the faint sounds effects and buzzes coming from the arcade next to him, his eyes longing staring at the flashing machines like a hungry puppy. "Hey..uh babe...can I?". "Oh go on, no sense in torturing you here" Smiled the mare, taking the tall stack of snacks of his head. "How scr…..wanna come?" Button asked, extending an arm to her. "What about the tickets?". "Scarlet, were third from the back and the line's moving as fast as snail on heroin, I’ve got a few bits on me, let’s go have a match. The mare grabbed his hoof and joined him, both the two wandering into the dark oasis of arcade machines and DDR dance pads, flashing lights and glowing screens soaked the room with neon colours and static noises. The couple searched the arcade for a fun game to play together, walking past fruit ninja touchpad games, Silent hill pachinko machines and cut the string claw grabbers till they ended at the back of the room with a stack of gold bits atop the plastic counter, hooves wrapped on red joysticks, the glory of Street fighter II at their eye-line glowed bright on the glass screen in the dark stuffy arcade. "Ready to get Schmecked son" taunted Scarlet, selecting Ken as Button picked Ryu and replied with "Bring it on Bitch-tits". The game choosing guile's stage as the reverberated sounds spewed out from the warm plastic of the arcade machine. The music began to play. The teeth began to grit. The ponies hovered their hooves over the plastic red and white buttons. "3-2-1-FIGHT!"