The train pulled in, and as the ponies all poured out, Rarity led her sister and her friends out onto the platform, saying, “You’re all just lucky today is a weekend, and that I don’t tell our families you all took the train to Canterlot without supervision!”
“But things worked out with you and Sapphire Shores, right, Rarity?” Sweetie Belle reminded her big sister as she and Apple Bloom and Scootaloo smiled with hopeful innocence.
Rarity looked at the Crusaders and sighed, “True, but don’t forget that fiasco needn’t have happened in the first place. Now, Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, I suggest you go home, I’m taking Sweetie Belle back to our parents. Come along, little sister.”
As Rarity trotted off, Sweetie Belle gave her friends a smiling shrug, and they waved her off as the young unicorn hurried to catch up with her sister.
“Well, I’d better get home,” Scootaloo flexed her wings, “I’m gonna grab my scooter and practice this new trick I’m working on. Taking the train twice in one day was kinda crampy.”
“Ah’d better get home too,” Apple Bloom sighed, not looking forward to the long walk back to Sweet Apple Acres. “`Sides, Twink’s already coverin’ fer mean an’ Ah-”
“Apple Bloom!”
“Scoots!”
The two fillies turned and saw Twinken and Rumble galloping their way, with looks of worry!
“Twinken, Rumble, what’s up with you guys?” Scootaloo could see both colts were anxious.
“It’s Button Mash!” Twinken declared, Rumble butting in.
“His mom came to us, asking if he’d been hanging with us! She hasn’t seen him since this morning when he ran off to see Sweetie Belle!”
“That was hours ago!” Scootaloo realized aloud, looking at the train station clock. “He could be anywhere by now!”
“A’right, Cutie-Mark Crusaders, we got us a missin’ Crusader out there somewhere!” Apple Bloom declared with a look of determination. “Wer’ gonna search this town an’ leave no stone unturned `till we find Button!”
“Apple Bloom’s right!” Twinken agreed as he put out his hoof, “Button’s out friend, and we ain’t gonna stop until we find him, who’s with me?!”
“Me!” Rumble put his hoof to Twinken’s first.
“Count me in as well!” Scootaloo smirked.
“An’ me!” Apple Bloom nodded, and once all four of them had their hooves together…
“CUTIE-MARK CRUSADERS SEARCH & RESCUE, YAY!!!”
Unbeknownst to them, several ponies nearby locked their doors and windows while some outside dove into any hiding place they could find.
Twinken then said to Scootaloo, “Scoots, there’s something I need you to do…”
As the afternoon sun was beginning to set over the horizon, Button sat beneath a tree in the park, his head held low and his expression downcast.
He heard hoofsteps approaching him, but he was too upset to turn and acknowledge them. Even after Luna had helped him, he hadn’t been able to get to Sweetie Belle. Now she probably didn’t ever want to see him again.
The memories from his dream flashed through his mind and his lip quivered as he held back tears.
“Hey, Button are you okay?” asked the voice of Button’s friend, Rumble. “Your mom came and found us. She was really worried when you didn’t come home after you burst off this morning.”
When Button didn’t reply, a hoof landed on his shoulder, to let him know someone was there.
“Button…?”
For a moment, the colt remained silent, until he gave a depressed sigh and raised his head slightly, keeping his gaze over the park and the setting sun.
“I made a bad mistake yesterday. I got so focused on my new game that I completely forgot about my promise to Sweetie Belle. She really wanted me there and she put some much work into it, and I just completely let it slip my mind.”
He paused for a moment, feeling the ponies around him sit beside him, but he kept his gaze distant.
“I’m sure I’ve done this sort of thing before. Whenever I get a new game or I’m in the middle of a marathon gaming session, I seem to just dismiss everything else and focus on a screen and some pixels. Heck, my mom only let me play that new game as a reward for acing my last test, since my grades have dropped… because of all my gaming.”
The colt gave another sigh and rubbed his muzzle to stop any tears escaping his eyes. “Last night I made a big mistake. Last night I had this horrible nightmare and Princess Luna helped me to see just how much of my life I was ignoring to play my games. I have a great life, filled with lots of friends who really care about me, and I neglected them to play a stupid game I could play any old time. I just wish I could tell Sweetie how sorry I am... I tried to chase her down this morning to let her know, but she’d already left on the train to Canterlot. If she wanted to go to Canterlot just to get away from me, clearly I’ve hurt our friendship too much to forgive.”
One of the ponies next to Button gave a cough, but was immediately shushed. Button continued on as if he hadn’t heard it, his mind still too focused on his mistake.
“I made such a stupid mistake and I want nothing more than to take it back. After last night, I can see just how much I was prioritizing my gaming over my friends and I feel so ashamed. From now on my friends will always come first and I will show them just how much I appreciate them.”
As he finished, his gaze turned down again and a whisper of despair left his lips, “…If I still have friends…”
“You still have friends, Button.”
A chill went through Button and he bolted up onto his hooves, as that voice cut through all his regret and fear. Slowly he turned his head to see that standing all around him were his friends, Scootaloo, Rumble, Apple Bloom and Twinken. But sitting next to him, now with a watery smile, and eyes wide and filled with care, was Sweetie Belle.
The young filly, leaned in and wrapped her hooves around his neck in a hug, her cheeks a little pink after hearing Button’s heartfelt apology and declaration.
The young colt was wide eyed and frozen for a few more moments, before the warmth of the hug seeped through him and he closed his eyes and reciprocated, nuzzling against Sweetie Belle with joy.
“I’m so sorry, Sweetie Belle! I promise never to put fantasy above you or our friends again.”
The young filly smiled, watching from the corner of her eye as Twinken and Apple Bloom gave a smile to each other at the news, and Rumble and Scootaloo wrapped a wing against each other, a slight blush as they did so, but their eyes locked onto their friends.
“I forgive you, Button. And you’ll always be my friend.”
The warm and happy moment took a run off the road when Button yelped, “WAIT A MINUTE! If you weren’t leaving forever, why’d you go to Canterlot this morning?!”
“Oh-ho, that… Sweetie Belle chuckled sheepishly, before smiling, “How `bout I tell you all about it over some milkshakes? My treat.”
The others couldn’t help but laugh a little at Button’s look for confusion as the little colt followed Sweetie Belle off to Sugarcube Corner.
Sweet dreams, children…
All over Ponyville that night, colts and fillies snuggled warm and comfy under their blankets, their heads settled happily into their pillows while they themselves drifted away into wonderful dreams.
Twinken dreamed of himself as a living constellation, having adventures among the stars.
Apple Bloom dreamed of building a new house for a family, and making them happy with all her hard work.
Scootaloo dreamed of flying high above the clouds alongside Rainbow Dash, the both of them sporting the uniforms of the Wonderbolts!
Rumble dreamed of standing watchful on a cloud, watching over his friends, and then fighting a manticore off to protect them, and feeling so proud as they all thanked him.
But as for Sweetie Belle and Button Mash… They both dreamed of just spending a fun and wonderful day together. They played in the park, had a snack at Sugarcube Corner, went to a Pinkie Pie & Cheese Sandwich party, watched the sunset, and co-oped on their favorite video game.
Nodding in pride and joy that her work was done, Princess Luna awoke from her trance and sighed in satisfaction. She then boldly gazed towards her new big-screen TV and game console, switching them both on, and smirked, as she said, “Prepare yourselves, you pixelated knaves! Because you’re about to get pwned… GAME ON!!!”