Chapter 26: Just a Quiet and Peaceful Day
The SweetieMash Chronicles
Chapter 26: Just a Quiet and Peaceful Day
Sweetie Belle opened the door to Carousel Boutique, taking care to stomp her hooves on the walkway before she stepped inside. For whatever reason, her sister had tried and eventually rejected having a welcome mat, saying something to the tune of it disrupting the décor of the boutique. Though Sweetie Belle suspected her sister couldn’t handle another loss after her first attempt began with a rather pretty hoof-stitched mat that looked as if Rarity had combined sewing and calligraphy into the word ‘WELCOME’ and ended with a tearful ice cream binge after weeks of customers coming and going took their toll on the poor rug.
It was the loveliest funeral for a welcome mat Sweetie Belle had ever attended.
Welcome mat or no, tracking dirt into the boutique and getting an earful from her sister about respecting her floor was something she was actively avoiding. She certainly didn’t need any more stress today. Walking inside, she caught her reflection in one of the many mirrors inside and winced.
Speaking of stress.
The fact remained that she was a mess of dirt, singed coat, and twigs that were tangled up in her mane. The dirt and twigs she could possibly handle with a shower and an unpleasant session with a brush, but the singes on her white coat were likely not something she could handle on her own. Besides, she wanted to look good for when she exposed her heart to Button and hope he didn’t reach out and crush it like in that incredibly gory fighting game she had once played with him.
… What was its name again? ‘Immortal Wombats’? Celestia, that was violent…
Sweetie Belle shook her head and took a closer look at herself in the mirror. For not the first time since she left her friends, Sweetie Belle shuddered.
She needed somepony who could fix her up. A pony with a keen eye for details and making things look good. A pony who would fuss over every little detail. She needed…
“Rarity!”
“Up here in my inspiration room, dear!” Rarity called out.
“Okay! Er…I’m a little bit messy!”
“Did you stomp your hooves before coming in?”
“Yes!”
“Alright darling, come up then.”
Sweetie Belle made her way between two pink curtains and to a set of purple stairs that led up. Soon she was standing in the doorway of Rarity’s inspiration room, a mess of colorful, sparkling fabrics, gems, half made dresses, and sewing equipment spread across tables, mannequins, and even a bed that currently was currently functioning as an ‘overflow’ table. She quickly spotted Rarity sitting in front of a sewing machine with her red-rimmed sewing glasses on. She stared intently at a piece of light-purple fabric as she ran it under the machine’s needle.
“Uh… Hey, Rarity…” Sweetie Belle greeted.
Rarity smiled. “Hello, Sweetie Belle.” She tittered to herself. “So you got a bit messy playing with your friends outside?”
“… You could say that.”
Rarity looked up from her work and immediately stopped sewing, her glasses almost falling off her muzzle as she lowered her head to look over them. “Oh my gosh, Sweetie Belle! You look…” Rarity trailed off and thought about this for a moment. She sighed heavily. “Slightly worse compared to how you usually look when you come back from spending time with your friends.”
Sweetie Belle gave Rarity a sheepish look. “Er… Sorry… I mean… you probably guessed, but we were trying to get our cutie marks, and—”
Rarity raised a forehoof in front of her face. “Say no more, dear sister. It was really my fault for assuming the little soiree on Kilgrave Peak was the end of you three getting into…” Rarity dropped her eyelids and rubbed a forehoof against her chin thoughtfully.
“Er… mischief?” Sweetie Belle suggested.
“Hmmm… ‘Calamity’,” Rarity said. “Mischief doesn’t quite convey the possibility of one of you ending up in the hospital.”
Sweetie Belle’s ears wilted. “Sorry, Rarity…”
Rarity shook her head. “Again, this is on me. I’m really not sure what happened that I would—” Rarity suddenly turned her head, locking eyes with a dress around one of the mannequins “—THAT DRESS NEEDS MORE SEQUINS!” she cried as her horn glowed azure and she floated a needle, thread, and several tiny shiny panels.
“Uh… Rarity?”
Rarity looked up as she threaded the needle with her magic. “Yes, Sweetie Belle?”
Sweetie Belle raised a forehoof and pointed to herself, then circled it around to highlight that her face and hair were a mess.
“Oh, right…” Rarity said as she floated her sewing equipment back to a work table. “Let me draw you a bath and let’s see what we can do about that burnt coat of yours.”
Soon Sweetie Belle was sitting in a bath of warm, bubble water as Rarity stood outside the ornate porcelain tub that sat on four legs. Rarity carefully ran a brush through Sweetie Belle’s mane, slowly removing the twigs that it had collected. “Goodness me,” Rarity said, “I hope you didn’t hurt yourself too bad! My dear, poor sister must have taken quite the beating.”
“It wasn’t that bad.”
Rarity leaned down to look her sister in the eye and smiled. “Oh? Then why were you crying?”
“I… er…” Sweetie Belle lowered herself into the bath slightly as her cheeks turned pink. “How did you know?”
“Your eyes were all puffy when you walked in, dearie.”
“… Erm… Well… It didn’t have anything to do with me getting hurt.”
“I see…” Rarity narrowed her eyes. “You weren’t being bullied by that nasty pair of fillies again, were you?” Rarity frowned. “I don’t need to go and sort things out with Cheerilee again, do I? Because if I do, tell me now so I can make sure our mutual friend Love Tap doesn’t help any of you foals blow a hole in the schoolhouse.”
Sweetie Belle shook her head. “No, it didn’t have anything to do with Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon.”
“Well, what then?”
“Well I…” Sweetie Belle sighed. “Maybe you can help me.”
“Well of course, dear! I’ll do whatever I can.”
“… I kinda want to confess to Button Mash.”
Rarity tittered. “Oh, really? How adorable.”
“… That’s it?! Just ‘how adorable’?!” Sweetie Belle squeaked. “You’re not going to make a big deal out of this and tell me I should have done that weeks ago?”
“Oh, Sweetie Belle,” Rarity positioned herself in front of Sweetie Belle and put a forehoof under her sister’s chin. “You can’t rush love. Nopony else can tell you when’s the right time to come out and tell another pony how you feel about them. It’s just something you need to figure out on your own.”
“Okay… but… but… What if I’m wrong?! What if I should have told Button weeks ago… or… or… What if it’s still too soon?! Ohhh!” Rarity barely got her forelegs up in time as Sweetie Belle smacked the water in frustration. “Why does this have to be so hard?!”
Rarity smiled and waved her forelegs about, shaking the soapy water from them. “Oh Sweetie Belle, you shouldn’t get so worked up about this. Things rarely work out exactly how we think they will. Why, one day you’re imagining your perfect day with the pony you’ll someday meet, fall in love with, marry, and spend happily ever after with,” her forehead began to slide forward into a deep scowl as she continued talking, “but then you actually meet that pony and it turns out they’re pompous, rude, and the most selfish pony you’ve ever met! Then your dress gets ruined because that pony used you as a shield when Applejack made a giant apple cake and Pinkie Pie suddenly did a stage dive right before Fluttershy chased in a bunch of anima—”
“Uh… Rarity?” Sweetie Belle interrupted. “This sounds… oddly specific? And not related to Button at all?”
Rarity raised a forehoof to her mouth. “Ahem. Yes. Well… erm… I suppose my point is you shouldn’t get too tied up in your daydreams and fears about what might happen and just see everything for what it is in the moment.”
“… So you think Button might turn out to be a total jerk and use me as a pony shield if a giant apple cake is going to fall on us?”
“Heavens, no!” Rarity said. “I quite doubt that Button is even capable of mistreating anypony!” Rarity looked up thoughtfully at the ceiling though. “And I have a feeling he wouldn’t so much use you to keep himself clean as quake in fear as the cake toppled onto the two of you.” Rarity looked back down at Sweetie Belle. “I do hope you’re not expecting him to be something of a knight in shining armor.”
Sweetie Belle’s cheeks turned slightly pink as a small, content smile appeared on her face. “That’s okay. I’m fine with being Button’s knight in shining armor.”
Rarity paused for a second then tittered to herself again. “Well, I do know one thing.”
“What’s that?” Sweetie Belle asked.
Rarity smiled wide. “Button is a very lucky colt if somepony like you cares about him that much.”
Sweetie Belle’s grew as did the red hue on her cheeks. “So… When I confess to Button, do you think I should have a different hair-style? Should I wear a dress? Pretty makeup?”
“Oh Sweetie Belle, if Button feels the same way about you that you do about him, it won’t matter what you look like.”
“Really?” Sweetie Belle replied in a hopeful tone.
Rarity nodded. “But we really do need to do something about the burn marks on your fur.”
Sweetie Belle giggled to herself. “… Alright…”
“ZEYKAMIFF!” Button shouted at his computer as he sat in front of it. He let out a long sorrowful groan as he sank down in his chair and mashed his head against the keyboard. The computer protested with a series of beeps.
Button shot back up with a glare and leveled an angry forehoof at the screen. “You are not helping!”
“Button, sweetie?” Love Tap’s motherly voice inquired from outside the room. She poked her head into the doorway and looked at Button who still sulked angrily as he stared at his computer. “What’s wrong? I heard you swear in Humgonian.” She gave Button a soft but stern smile. “You really should cut back on that.”
Button sighed heavily as he pressed his a hoof against the keys on the computer. “I’m trying to build something, but I keep getting killed and falling in lava! It’s not fair!”
“Oh,” Love Tap trotted into the room and circled around Button’s table. “What are you making?”
Button wordlessly motioned towards the screen.
Love Tap looked for a moment then smiled at the two columns of sparkling gems stood straight up above the ground. “What… are those…two… pillars?” She chuckled lightly to herself. “And diamonds, too. You must be planning quite the palace. That looks like it’ll be even nicer than mine and your father’s.”
Button shook his head. “It’s not for a palace! I’m trying to spell something!”
Love Tap squinted and stared intently at the screen. “Wait… what are you…”
Button sighed. “I’ve been at this for hours and I only have one letter done! I just need a little bit more to finish the ‘L’, but I’ve got so much more to do!” He whined.
Love Tap stared at the screen for another moment before her eyes shot open wide. “Button… Is this… Is this going to be for Sweetie Belle?!”
“Uh-huh,” Button said as he nodded his head up in down. “I was hoping to have it done tonight, but it’s really hard on my own and—”
Love Tap galloped out of the room as fast as her legs could carry her. Almost as fast as she left, she was back with a light-tan laptop that sported her cutie mark. She sat it down next to Button’s and opened it up. “I’ll help. Just tell me what to do.”
“Mom?” Button said in surprise. “I mean… I’m glad you want to help, but isn’t it getting late?” Button nodded towards a round alarm clock with bells on the top of it sitting on a wooden nightstand next to his bed. “I mean, I thought you’d want me to go to be—”
Love Tap dove onto the bed, snatched the clock in her hooves, and turned. She tossed the clock as hard as she could out the window.
‘CRRRRIIIIEEEESH!’
Which was closed and shattered on impact.
“Late?! Who says it’s late?!” Love Tap said as she walked back to sit next to Button. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
Button Mash beamed up at his mom. “Wow mom! You’re the coolest.”
Love Tap chuckled to herself as she turned towards her computer screen. “Thank you.”
“Honey!” Chip’s voice called from elsewhere in the house. “I just heard a window break and looked outside just in time to see what I believe to be an alarm clock reach orbit. Please don’t tell me some pony wanted to see time fly up there!”
“Sorry, honey!” Love Tap called back. “I just was letting Button extend his bedtime for a bit and the clock slipped out of my hooves… uh… really fast.”
Chip poked his head into the room. “I see… I take it you need me to tape up that window?”
Love Tap gave her husband a loving smile. “Could you? Oh, and bring us some snacks and some soda while you’re down.”
Chip paused and looked over Love Tap then his son. They were both giving him the most dazzling smiles they could manage. He shook his head and smiled. “Alright, fine.”
Love Tap and Button looked at each other and smiled. Waving their forehooves around as they both cried. “Yay!”
Chip chuckled. “Hey, maybe I could join you two… or is this strictly a mother/son bonding moment?”
Love Tap smiled at her husband. “You can join us,” she looked at Button. “Right?”
Button nodded. “Right!”
A slightly mischievous look crossed Love Tap’s smiling face. “In faaaaact~ maybe you can grab Gibson, too. I’m not sure even the three of us can get this all done in one night.”
Chip whistled. “Sleep is for the weak, huh?”
Love Tap glanced at the broken window with a half-smile. “Something like that.”
Chip nodded. “Alright, I’ll be back up with cardboard, tape, snacks, sodas, computers, and Gibson.”
Love Tap chuckled. “Thanks dear, you’re the coolest!”
“Yeah, dad!” Button chimed in. “The coolest!”
“Haha. Thanks,” Chip replied as he turned and walked back down the hallway.
Button smiled widely. “Wow, this is going to be fun!” He frowned slightly. “You don’t think Sweetie Belle will mind that I had help, do you?”
“I’m sure she’ll be fine with you having a few workers to help you with your project, but maybe you should take charge of everything.”
Button frowned. “’Take charge’?”
Love Tap nodded. “Sure, this is a big project. We’ll need somepony to keep us all organized if we’re going to finish before it gets too late…” Love Tap smirked. “Or early.”
“Welll… okay…” Button said cheerfully. “I guess you and I better get started then! To the mine!” He called out excitedly.
“Hehe. To the mine!” Love Tap parroted. She turned to her computer briefly then turned back towards Button. “Hey, Button sweetie?”
“Yeah, mom?” Button replied.
“Just… Mommy is so proud of you.”
“Uh… thanks mom… But… I’m just… Just doing something in a video game,” Button replied. He grinned to himself. “It’s not like I stood up to the Lord of Chaos or anything…”
Love Tap shook her head. “You’re being very brave… and you’re doing something that’s just so… you.” She smiled warmly. “A true gift from your heart.”
Button smiled and blushed as he focused in on his screen. “Thanks, mom… Do you think… Do you think Sweetie Belle will like it?”
Love Tap chuckled. “Well, we’ll just have to find out together. But even if she doesn’t… shewill… I know you’re going to make so many ponies’ lives so very happy… but mostly SweetieBelle’s…”
“Thanks, mom!” Button said happily. His smile dropped slightly. “What was that whispering?”
“Whispering?” Love Tap said innocently. “What whispering?”
“You were whispering when—”
An inhuman growl suddenly sounded out from both computers.
“AH! ZOMBIE!” Button cried.
Love Tap turned to her own screen, her steel blue eyes full of determination. “Don’t worry, sweetie. Mommy will protect you.” As she tapped rapidly but gently on her keyboard she smiled to herself. “For as long as you need me to.”
-o~A few minutes later~o-
Soon Button’s father and brother had joined him and his mom at the table, their faces lit up by the open laptops in front of them as snacks and sodas occupied the center of the table within easy reach of all ponies present.
“… THAT’S what this is all about?!” Gibson cried. “Pffft… Laaaaaame!”
Love Tap peered over her computer screen to glare diagonally across the table at her oldest son and say his name in a warning growl. “Gibsoooon…”
“Come on, Gibson,” Chip said. “I mean… You’ve had to have done something for a girl before. Sing her a song… Write her a song?”
For a moment Gibson simply sat, staring out into open space. He suddenly turned towards Chip. “DAD! You’re a genius!”
Love Tap and Chip synchronized bringing forehooves up to their faces.
A sound not unlike a fuse being lit suddenly had everypony staring at their screens once more. Love Tap and Button Mash let out startled yelps before frantically tapping and mashing at their keyboards respectively.
The sound of an explosion fired out from their laptop speakers followed by both ponies letting out sighs of relief.
Gibson shook his head. “Why are we even going through all this? Dad, aren’t you an Admin on the family server? Can’t you just—”
“NO!” three voices called out.
“Giiiiibsoooon,” Button said in a slightly whiney tone. “This is supposed to be special. It won’t mean as much if we just built it without having to try!”
Love Tap and Chip nodded in agreement.
“Alright, geez!” Gibson said defensively. “Just trying to help. I mean… we need 66 more blocks of pure diamond. That’s 594 blocks of just regular diamond ore, and there’s just the four of us. Call me crazy, but this just might take a while.”
“It’s okay!” Button said. “Mom and I already got started! If you can start making sure we have plenty of wood, coal, and iron to keep us going for a while, you two can join in and start helping us mine.”
Gibson thought on this for a moment then sighed. “Fine, I can start on the lame gofer chores. Plus I already have an enchanted pick for diamond ore, so that should cut down on how much stuff we need.”
One of Love Tap’s ears perked up.
“Nice!” Button said. He glanced diagonally across the table towards his father. “Dad, can you collect some food for everyone?”
Chip chuckled. “So I’m still on snack duty? Sure Button, sounds like a plan. I’ll get on that and then I’ll be down there with my enchanted pick before you know it.”
Love Tap’s other ear perked up. “Oh, I knew I forgot something. Sorry, sweetie,” she said to Button Mash. “Mommy needs to get her enchanted diamond pick.”
Button scowled. “Am I the only pony here without an enchanted pick for collecting diamonds?”
There was a beat of silence at the table.
“Sorry, sweetie!” Love Tap said. “You can have mommy’s and I’ll just make another one!”
Chip glanced over his screen. “Do you have the spare diamond for that?”
Love Tap wordlessly looked up over her monitor to shoot Chip a smirk.
“Right,” Chip replied, “how silly of me to ask.”
“Oh, boy!” Gibson said with mock enthusiasm. “Here’s to a night filled with punching wood.”
Love Tap and Chip looked over their computers and smirked at each other.
“Are you touching that one?” Love Tap asked.
Chip chuckled. “Nope. He’ll figure it out himself in a few more seconds here.”
Gibson tightened his forehead. “Figure out wha-HEY!”
Button looked over to give everypony a blank stare. “I don’t get it.”
-o~ A few hours later… ~o-
“Hey, Gibson!” Button called out. “I need more wood.”
Gibson grit his teeth. “Oh by, Starswirl’s ridiculous bell-covered hat, I FILLED a chest with wood and put it right by the entrance to the mine so everypony would stop bugging me! I even put up signs!”
Love Tap sighed as she stared at her screen, “I take it that it’s the chest surrounded by signs that read stuff like ‘much wood’, ‘very timber’, ‘such planks,’ ‘wow’?”
Gibson looked over his screen to grin at his mother. “How’d you guess?”
“Just lucky, I suppose,” Love Tap said with an eye roll.
“He did the mine, too,” Chip pointed out.
“Oh!” Love Tap said. “I thought he was laying claim to something with the ‘very mine’ sign.”
Chip nodded. “Yeah, I can see how you could make that mistake. It was the ‘much darkness’, ‘such spooky’ signs that tipped me off.”
“He even did signs leading back outside!” Button said cheerfully. “Wow Gibson! Now it’s a lot easier to find me way in and out of the mine. Thanks!”
“See?!” Gibson exclaimed as he motioned to his little brother. “Button appreciates what I did!”
Love Tap scowled over at Gibson. “Button, don’t encourage your brother’s passive-aggressive behavior.”
-o~ A few more hours of sodas, snacks, and no sleep … ~o-
The eyelids around Button and his family’s eyes had begun to darken and droop slightly as a pyramid of now empty soda cans stood in the center of the table. Still, the family persevered, tapping and mashing at their keyboards with a singular purpose.
“Did you just eat a carrot?!” Gibson snapped at Chip.
Mostly.
“Oh, my gosh! You did NOT just eat a raw carrot!”
“Ah!” A startled Chip called out as his teenaged son leaned over to angrily confront him about his digital eating habits. “Uh… Yes? I was hungry, so…”
“THEN WHY DIDN’T YOU GRAB SOMETHING FROM THE BUFFET TABLE?!” Gibson roared. “A raw carrot…” he practically spat out. “ARE WE PONIES OR ARE WE ANIMALS?!”
Chip’s eyes went wide as he leaned away from Gibson.
“Hey!” Love Tap called out. “No yelling at your father… or at all.”
“Dad!” Button chimed in. “Did you actually miss the table? Gibson set it up across from the wood chest… Maybe I should make some signs.”
“Wait,” Love Tap said as she glanced over at Gibson, “you mean you really made a buffet table?”
Gibson through his forehooves up into the air. “Great! Just great! I slave over an open fire and furnace making delicious and highly efficient food items for this family and no one appreciates it! Maybe I should just stop! Huh! How are you all going to like it when you have to start making food for yourselves?!”
Love Tap’s left eye and ear twitched slightly as she narrowed her eyes at Gibson.
Button looked over at Gibson and smiled. “I appreciate it, Gibson.”
“Thanks, squirt!” Gibson replied with a smile. “At least someone does!”
Love Tap sighed and shook her head. “Gibson, really I’m fine with the beetroots and apples your father got for everypony.”
Gibson peered over his computer to glare at is mother. "Apples and beetroots? Gee, mom. I didn't know you were such a filthy casual."
The room went deathly quiet as the left side of Love Tap’s face went from ‘twitching slightly’ to full on muscle spasm as she shot a death glare across the table at Gibson. She wordlessly got up from her seat, circled the table, and wrapped her forehooves around Gibson’s body.
“Oof… Mom… what are you doing?”
“I’m hugging you,” Love Tap informed through clenched teeth as she squeezed harder, “because I love you and I’m just so proud of you right now!”
“Okay…” Gibson gasped out in a near whisper, “but why are you holding me so tightly?”
“Because I’m also mad at you!”
-o A few more hours of sodas, snacks, and no sleep… o-
The snack trays and bags of chips were now almost completely desolate, save for a few errant pieces of celery that remained untouched as nopony had yet been desperate enough to grab them. The can pile had grown into a colorful can pyramid, perhaps erected as a physical monument to the family’s digital one. Everypony’s eyes were dark as their eyelids seemed to sag closer to the ground, or perhaps it was a concentrated effort to get everypony to close their eyes and go to sleep.
This hardly mattered, because…
“And we’re FINISHED!” Button exclaimed happily.
“Yay!” the other ponies at the table exclaimed happily. Love Tap reached over and embraced her youngest son, she motioned for her Chip to come over where he received a hug of his own and a kiss on the cheek. Before Love Tap could glare at Gibson, he had already made his way across the table and joined in the family group hug.
For a moment, the family just held each other and stared at Button’s computer, admiring their handiwork.
“It’s gorgeous, Button,” Love Tap said.
“Thanks, mom!”
“Yes,” Chip agreed. “Good work, son.”
“Thanks, dad!”
“… I think it needs something…”
Everyone turned towards Gibson.
“…. A POOL!” Gibson exclaimed excitedly.
“… A pool,” Love Tap answered dryly. “So… so the letters have some place to swim?”
“Not that kind of pool!” Gibson shot back. “A reflection pool.”
Button gasped. “That would be sooooo cool!”
Chip shook his head. “But there’s no water reflection in the game, son.”
Gibson’s head vibrated as he clamped down on his teeth hard. “Then I will CODE A MOD FOR IT!”
“… Gibson, sweetie?” Love Tap interjected. “I don’t want to be a killjoy, but I think the sun is finally coming up. Maybe we should be happy with…” Love Tap trailed off and stared at the screen. She hummed thoughtfully to herself.
“What is it, mom?” Button asked.
“He’s right, it does need something…” Her eyes lit up. “FLOWERS! We should decorate the hill with flowers!”
Button gasped. “Oh! We can get whites like Sweetie Belle’s coat! And… and… purples and pinks like her mane!”
Gibson let out a slightly maniacal chuckle, “I call tulips!”
“Lilacs!” Chip exclaimed.
Soon the family was back at their respective computers, scouring the digital landscape for any and all white, pink, and purple flowers.
“I AM THE KING OF TULIPS!” Gibson announced proudly.
“Oh yeah!” Button shot back. “Well I’m going to be the Prince of Peonies, then!”
“GHA!” Gibson called out dramatically. “Curse your alliterative title!”
“Huh,” Chip uttered. “Guess I’ll be the Duke of Daisies.”
“NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!” Gibson cried as he thrust his hooves into the air before hanging his head. “TWO alliterative titles.” His head jerked upright as he began rubbing his chin. “The… the… the Tyrant of Tulips?... Or maybe I should be the Viceroy of violets.”
Love Tap smiled at her son. “Gibson sweetie, there’s no violets in the game.”
“THEN I WILL CODE—”
“And no, you’re not coding in a new item.”
“FINE!” Gibson said irately. “I guess I’ll just be happy having a higher royal rank than everyone!”
Love Tap laughed to herself and looked over her computer screen to give her husband a loving glance. “This… this is fun. We should do this more often.”
Chip nodded with a tired looking smile. “I can’t actually feel my face at this point.”
Love Tap frowned. “Yeah, me neither…”
Sweetie Belle stood on the doorstep to Button’s home, her hoof held inches away from the door, locked in place as if being held by some invisible force. The look on Sweetie Belle’s face suggested this force was fear, fear that had stayed with her the entire night most likely as her eyes sported dark bags in her otherwise gleaming white coat. A pristine white coat and immaculately coiffed mane certainly were not making the difference between Sweetie Belle approaching this situation in confidence and her scared to death that things would go horrible.
Try as she might, she just couldn’t shake the feeling that Button simply didn’t feel the same way about her that she did about him. Though Apple Bloom and Scootaloo seemed to think otherwise, they hadn’t been the ones to get Button tied up in a number of activities that the poor colt wouldn’t be forgetting anytime soon.
Slowly Sweetie Belle looked up, craning her neck all the way back so she could see the sky. It was another pristine morning in Ponyville, really just a beautiful day outside. Birds were singing, flowers were blooming… on days like these, kids like Sweetie Belle…
SHOULDN’T HAVE TO GO THROUGH THIS! OH THIS WAS JUST SO UNFAIR, UNFAIR, UNFAIR!
Sweetie Belle took another deep breath and stared at the door. “Alright door,” she said in a vaguely threatening tone. “You don’t like me and I don’t like you!”
“I like you,” the door seemed to reply in a male’s voice.
Sweetie Belle shook her head in surprise. “Well, uh, alright…” She leveled an angry forehoof at the door. “You like me, but I don’t like you!”
“Maybe you’d like me if you got to know me?”
Sweetie Belle bit at her lower lip. “Right, well I’m clearly losing my mind. I mean…” She looked around. “Unless Discord is around, doors don’t talk!”
‘Creeeeeeeeeeek..’
Sweetie Belle jumped back from the door with a fright. On the other side holding the knob was Chip, snickering to himself as Gibson stood next to him. Gibson regarded Sweetie Belle with a wry smile.
“Ugh…” Sweetie Belle groaned and hung her head. “Please don’t tell Button what happened.”
“Hehe, sure, sure…” Chip said as with a smile as he held open the door for Sweetie Belle to come in. “Button’s upstairs in his room. You should go up and see him.”
“Right,” Sweetie Belle said nervously. “I’ll just… I’ll just go up there… and… and see him… In his room… where…where…”
As Sweetie Belle walked in, Gibson turned and shouted down the hallway, “HEY, SQUIRT! YOUR FILLYFRIEND IS HERE!”
Sweetie Belle let out a startled squeak as she jumped straight into the air. Landing on all fours, she shot Gibson a panicked look. “What?! Fillyfriend! We’re not… I mean… We haven’t even…” Sweetie Belle shook her head. “Why, what have you heard?!”
Gibson looked down at Sweetie Belle blankly for a moment. “Wow… you are so… so… eight.”
“Right, but… but… Button likes girls his own age, though right?! Right?!”
“How would I know?!”
Sweetie Belle reached up and grabbed Gibson by the cheeks, pulling him down to her level. “You’re his brother! You’re supposed to know things! TELL ME HE LIKES GIRLS HIS OWN AGE!”
“Huh…” Chip uttered. He shook his head. “Suddenly I feel lucky that your mom sort of held onto me when we were foals and just never let go.”
“Ow!” Gibson brushed Sweetie Belle off his face. “Just… just be quiet for a second, you wierdo…” Gibson turned his head towards the hallway and perked an ear up.
Sweetie Belle did the same. “What are we listening for?”
“The unmistakable sound of my little bro getting overexcited and falling down the stairs.”
Sweetie Belle looked up at Gibson with a whimper.
Chip chuckled. “He’s probably still asleep.”
Gibson nodded and pointed down the hallway. “Just go up to his room and start yelling at him,” he suggested to Sweetie Belle.
Chip pulled at his mustache. “Now that takes me back.”
“WHAT?!” Sweetie Belle cried in a high pitched tone. “I’m not going to yell at him!”
“Come on!” Gibson said with a grin. “It’ll be hilarious! Like some sort of teenaged romance.”
“But I’m not a teenager!” Sweetie Belle cried. “Oh, Celestia! Does Button like older girls?!”
“Holy geez,” Gibson said. “Just go up and wake him, okay? You’re starting to freak me out.”
“Okay… right…” Sweetie Belle said as she took a few deep breaths. “I’ll just go up and… talk to him… Just…” Sweetie Belle started raising her hooves and then lowering them as she stayed in place. “Here I go! Just… just walking towards Button’s room. Wow! Lookatmego!”
Gibson sighed, lowered his head until it was nearly on the ground, and then slid his neck under Sweetie Belle who responded with a surprised squeak. She slid back onto Gibson’s back who began walking down the hall.
Chip smiled and waved as Gibson carried her off. “Good luck, Sweetie Belle!”
“WHAT?! ‘Good luck?!’ Why would I… Oh… Oh gosh…” Sweetie Belle said in a near panic. “I’m-gulp-I’m actually getting closer. What… What do I say?!”
“Uh… Good morning?” Gibson suggested.
“No! Too casual!” Sweetie Belle cried. “I need something better!” Her face lit up. “Song! Song! I can sing a song!” Sweetie Belle exclaimed. She looked at Gibson. “Hey, you know music! Help me write a song!”
“Gee, wow, that sounds great and all…” Gibson said with an eye roll that seeped into his voice, “but I have a busy day ahead of me of not hanging out with crazy foals!”
“Dang,” Sweetie Belle said, “I was going to get Apple Bloom and Scootaloo on this! Just… what do I say to Button?!”
Gibson shrugged and gently placed Sweetie Belle on the floor. “I don’t know, but you better think of it fast.”
Sweetie Belle swallowed. “Why?”
“I’m about to shove you into Button’s room, because I think it’ll be hilarious!”
“What?!” Sweetie Belle cried. “NO! Just give me—”
Gibson quickly reached for the knob to Button’s door, opened the door, and then shoved Sweetie Belle inside. As Sweetie Belle fearfully dove for the door, Gibson closed it.
After a soft ‘thud’, Gibson could hear a sound not unlike a cat desperately trying to claw its way through a door.
He smiled to himself. “Yep. Hi-larious!”
Sweetie Belle stopped pawing, or hoofing at the door and turned, panic having written a multi-novel epic across her entire body. Her heart pounded in her chest like a jackhammer and she feared the mere sight of Button might send her running and screaming.
Her pupils shrank to tiny dots in the center of two emerald fields as her eyes fell on Button. Yet, by some miracle she stood her ground and even successfully fought the urge to scream. He was still sleeping, but not in his bed. His head was lying down in his arms which were on the table. His hat stood at on its side, pressed against his arms by the side of his head and an ear. The gentle glow of his laptop lit up Button’s sleeping face angelically as he snoozed gently.
Sweetie Belle chewed at her lower lip. It was the most adorable thing she had ever seen.
… Though, she wasn’t quite sure what to make of the giant soda can pyramid, or Button’s mom, who was in about in the same state as Button on the table.
Sweetie Belle stood there for another few moments as her brain tried to come up with the right thing to do in this situation.
“Good morning, Sweetie Belle.”
Sweetie Belle jumped. Button’s Mom’s eyes had fluttered open and were pointed squarely in Sweetie Belle’s direction.
“Uh… Good morning, Button’s mom, ma’am…” Sweetie Belle answered in an unsure tone.
Love Tap chuckled as she arched her back and stretched her forelegs up. “You’re probably wondering what I’m doing in here.”
“Well… er… yeah…” Sweetie admitted.
“Sorry!” Love Tap said mirthfully. “Button and all of us were up all night playing that game with the blocks you two like so much.”
“What?!” Sweetie Belle exclaimed. Her cheeks turned red and puffy. “Oh that is so unfair!”
Love Tap smiled. “Hehe. Well, tell you what. Next time you can spend all night playing video games with Button.”
“Really!?” Sweetie Belle said her face lighting up. “That’s great… I mean… Sure! If… if it’s okay with you, that is…and Button…”
Love Tap grinned. “I’m sure he’ll be fine with the idea.” She turned and nuzzled Button a couple times. “Button, Sweetie? Wake up.”
“…Ugh… just… five… ten... 30 more minutes, mom.”
Love Tap smiled with just a touch of mischief. “Sweetie Belle is here.”
Button Mash bolted upright, his ear catching his hat and clinging to his head at an askew angle. “She is?!”
Sweetie Belle chuckled. Now that he was up she could see his mane was an absolute mess of hat hair that was suddenly freed. The parts of his mane that usually weren’t under his hat where more uncontrolled than usual. It was still one of the most adorable things Sweetie Belle had ever seen.
Catching Sweetie Belle’s eye, Button let out a startled “Ah!” and hid behind his computer. “I didn’t think you meant in my room!” he cried.
Love Tap laughed to herself and stood up, stretching out her back legs with a smiling cringe. “Well, I’ll leave you two alone for a moment.” She trotted over to the door and opened it, her eyes locking with Gibson who looked like he was in mid-scramble away from the door.
“Er… I can explain,” Gibson said.
“I’m sure you can,” Love Tap said as she stepped into the hallway, gently closed the door behind her, and immediately pressed an ear against it. “Were you doing something like this?”
“Uh… I was doing exactly that,” Gibson said. He trotted back up to the door and placed his head a little below that of his mother's. “I thought you said you were going to leave them alone.”
Love Tap chuckled. “I didn’t mean alone alone.”
“Uh… Hey, Sweetie Belle…” Button said in an unsure tone.
Sweetie Belle giggled letting the feeling pour over her. Her heart slowed down and she kept the smile on her face as she trotted towards the table. “Good morning, Button.”
“You’re here… early? I think? Mom kinda threw my clock out of the window last night.”
Sweetie Belle’s eyes caught a window that was now taped up with cardboard. “I see…” She trotted to the other side of the table where Button was lying on the floor, forelegs covering his head. “Button? I… I want to tell you something…”
Button moved his forelegs and looked up. Staring up with beautiful amber eyes that Sweetie Belle couldn’t help but stare back at.
“Button… I’m not afraid anymore,” Sweetie Belle said resolutely.
“… Afraid? Afraid of what?” Button said as he stood up. He looked deeply into the emerald of Sweetie Belle’s irises and held his gaze.
Sweetie Belle felt her heart beat in her chest as Button’s face came that much closer to her own. She could feel her breath catch in her throat. That was a lie. I’m… I’m still afraid… What if—
Sweetie Belle turned to look away from Button’s eyes, her gaze falling right on his computer screen. She let out a gasp mixed with a whisper quiet high pitched squeal.
On the screen, on top of a flower covered hill, written in large 3D block letters of digital diamonds, were the words ‘I LOVE YOU’.
Button stood motionless.
Sweetie Belle stood motionless.
For a moment, the world was silent. Silent except for the hearts of two foals beating rapidly.
Sweetie Belle turned, tears streaming down her eyes as she smiled at Button. “I love you, too.”
Button Mash opened his lips into the biggest smile the little colt could manage, his own eyes having become wet, and glassy. He opened his mouth and whispered a tiny, “Yay!”
From across the room, two pairs of steel blue eyes peeked out from a crack in the door.
Gibson sighed. “Can’t believe the little squirt got a fillyfriend before me.” His ear twitched as something wet dropped onto it. He glanced up. “Are you crying?!”
“No…” Love Tap said with a sniff. “… Yes…”
Sweetie Belle closed her eyes, parted her lips as she leaned forward. She swore she could hear the sound of beautiful music playing somewhere in the distance.
Button also closed his eyes, parted his lips, and pressed them gently against Sweetie Belle’s. He swore he could hear the familiar sound of a ‘1up’ beep from nearby.
The two young foals slowly wrapped their forelegs around each other, breaking their kiss as they buried their faces into the other’s mane. For a long time they just sat and enjoyed each other’s embrace, the anxieties and fears that had plagued them the days and weeks before suddenly melting and evaporating. Things replaced by feelings much warmer and serene.
Outside, the sun shone brightly on the cottage, and the birds chirped happily as they flittered about in the near cloudless sky. Flowers stared up at the sunny blue expanse as ponies of all walks of life trotted and flew about, starting what was, hopefully, to be another quiet, serene day in Ponyville.
But if you held your breath, and if you were standing at just the right doorway, you might be able hear something besides the peaceful sounds of animals and ponies going about their business.
You might just be able to hear two tiny hearts beating as one.
The End.
Yes, it's over! But fret not loyal readers, Sweetie Belle, Scoots, Apple Bloom, Button Mash, and his family will (and all have) continue to appear in Love Call of the Sirens. If you're willing to brave the *cough* risqué shenanigans of Adagio Dazzle, plenty of comedy and emotional moments are abound. You'll laugh, you'll cry, you might have to point to a doll in front of a court of law to explain where one of the Dazzlings touched you.
Thanks to everyone for reading, especially those who have been following this for over 2 freakin' years.
Very special thanks to Tired Old Man for editing, being a Minecraft consultant, and providing the pictures used.
Now let's wrap things up with an adorable pic of the happy couple (finally).
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NOOOOOO!!! Don't end!!! I love this story!!! WAAAAAHHHH!!!
Oh well, it was awesome while it lasted. This is definitely one of the funniest stories I've ever read on this site and I honestly hope there will be a sequel. I would LOVE to see these two try dating only for everything to go horribly wrong...like everything else in this story.
Awesome story! Cheers everypony!
7040191
I don't know about a proper sequel, but as mentioned in the author's note, both these two have already showed up in Love Call of the Sirens where their relationship will continue to develop... just with a trio of ex-sirens also running around and a bit more focus on Button's family as a whole.
My gosh, that was freaking adorable. I'm not really much of a shipper, but wow, do I love me some ButtonBelle. Especially this ButtonBelle story.
It was absolutely hilarious, and yet adorable and cute and thoughtfully planned out. You've most certainly earned my liking and favoriting!
I salute you, Good Sir, for this brilliant story.
Now, if only Boomstick Mick would resurrect the sequel to Seven Minutes in Heaven that he started working on just before his... sabbatical.
7040203 I know, I plan to read that later. I just want a sequel because these two are so cute and hilarious!!!
Did he...?
It's time to [*SAVE]
Button turned into a pirate!
So adorable, so sad it's over.
Try and stop me
So because this is taking place within your Wheel universe, and apparently so is Love Call, that means there is a possibility of pony Dazzlings meeting human Dazzlings.
It's finally over...
Well, let me just say that this is officially one of my favorite fics not only on this site, but just in general. It was just so much cute and fun from start to finish. As for the Siren story, I guess I can start that in lieu of an actual sequel.
Regardless, this was a fantastic story and I certainly regret my initial hesitation when first discovering it. I hope all your future stories turn out even better than this one.
Ja ne,
- A Soulful Ginger
omigoshomigoshomigosh awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww!!!!!!!!
No, but seriously. That was a terrific end to a terrific story.
OHMAIGADDO!!!!!!! IT HAPPENDERUUUUUUUU!!!!!! I am ashamed to admit that a part of me was hoping for a creeper to blow it up at the end.
I am a terrible person.
I was starting to think that this story would never end...I wish I had been right.
This was awesome. I'll miss this story though... It was like a sibling to me.
SO CUTE!!!
I can't believe it's over, but I'm so happy for them!
I see Button's got Minecraft 1.9, since you mentioned beetroots! And that was so sweet of him! They are gonna have some crazy kids. Love Tap will be a good grandmother.
*Sniffle* Yay! Loved it through and through. Will probably keep rereading it whenever I want to get a pick-me-1up!
But the question remains, should I be so dorky and geeky as to display a particular bit of music that I was listening to while reading this fantastic final chapter?
Yep. Will definitely be looking in on your other works Justice! Thanks for writing!
So cute
so funny
best . Story . Ever.
I think I'm going to be sick
Hooray! You finished the story just in time for my birthday! :D
Wait, really? Holy Shit! It's actually done.... Aww, I was hoping it would go on... But this is satisfactory. And damn, this thing is like my 3rd favorited story on this site ever, it has been a while. Well justice, congrats!
Onwards and upwards. To the next story.
P.S. That image is clearly in creative mode, the least you couldve done was command prompted into survival.
Edit: Holy Crap! This is my first faved story! Shit. It took a while to finish this one.
7041004
I told you Justice.
I TOLD you someone would notice.
Ahem. Yes, that's a minor oversight in the last photo. I'm having him correct that
so noone knows this was actually made in Creativefor authentic immersion purposes.7041116 well
it a bit late for thatI'm sure not too many people will notice,7040851 yeah, but that was after Justice came up with this rather fitting name
7041071 it's too late for you, welcome to this place of wonder.
good luck leavingenjoy your stayThat was a lovely read. Good work
What a wonderful way to end a story.
I definitely need to have a family like that though, joint game sessions are always awesome, and in this case an excellent bonding situation.
yes...
SO AWSOME
BUT ITS OVER ;-;
I have been reading this story since the first chapter came out and all I have to say is: Congratulations!
This was an amazing story. It was adorable, funny, and (to me) a bit relatable (Love Tap kind of reminds me of how my mom was sometimes.) 
But like I said, well done on the story getting this far and congratulations on finishing it!
Omg so cute
I want a prequel
7042047
Like https://www.fimfiction.net/story/184169/eleven-months and https://www.fimfiction.net/story/212536/mom-its-time-for-school ?
Aww my Dawww!
A perfect ending to a perfectly wonderful story.
Button's family is great and I'm definitely adding 'Love Call of the Sirens' to my 'to read' list.
Looking forward to where you go from here!
Immortal wombat" nice cow and chicken reference
Worth the wait till I got around to finishing it.
Always a weird feeling, seeing a good, long fic end, kinda bittersweet since it doesnt just continue indefinitely or just stop being updated like a lot of them do.
At any rate, it was a great read, thanks for that
7040399
I missed the Sans reference, but I saw that emphasis on determination. I always love seeing minor references to Undertale.
Sad to see this story end though, it was cute and funny.
A wonder end to such a great story. Well done.
Sweetie belle enters Buttons room to see him collapsed on the floor Right next to a laptop playing mine craft with an elaborate and heartwarming message. Seeing the dorky fruits of his labor, fills her with determination!
HNNNNGG!
Gibson just redeemed himself for literally every time he's opened his mouth up to this point.
Do we know yet how Love Tap got her cutie mark? I have this picture stuck in my head that she went through most of her life as a blank-flank, only for it to appear the first time she held Gibson. (Not sure how else you would earn a cutie mark in being a mother.)
This entire fic is so beautiful. It was one of the first ones I ever read, and I was immediately hooked not just on the show, but also the fandom. I love finding something new to read and finding fun fics like this make my day. Thank you for helping to shape the last two years of my life
7045555 Maybe she realized that she wanted to be the best mother a foal could wish for, most likely obtained during a babysitting session...
Oh, Celestia! So cute!
I can't believe this is over. This was the kind of stories that felt like it could go on forever. Now I feel like something in my life is missing.
7047376
I feel the same. It is sad but at the same time I am so happy. This story is going onto my favourite's list.
Thanks you Justice3442.
FILTHY CASUAL!!!
Fantastic. I think this is the greatest chapter in the whole fic. What a ride! I was busting a gut with Button's family, and Sweetie's shenanigans were just too adorable. Also the pictures were perfect, and I think they definitely added to the story, so good call on those. Thank you so much for writing this, it's been an absolute pleasure from beginning to end, and I've added Love Call of the Sirens to my list.
Please keep writing, I'll keep reading!
7041116 ACTUALLY, I can clearly see that this was done in survival. The person who took the pic had simply tapped the button that makes the hot-bar disappear. (Yes, there actually is a button that disables the hot-bar. It's one of the F keys, can't remember which one though)
Love Tap is the most incredible, amazing mom ever.
"Button...
Button!
Good morning, Button!"
Also, d'aww at everything about Button's nerdcraft love confession.
Thanks for this amazingly cute, sweet, funny, and beautiful story, and for this perfect happy ending.
... all of my dawwwwwws!
This is definitely my favorite story and so I am sad to see it end. But it's a sad/happy because it ended so perfectly. Also I can't decided if the scene with Fluttershy scolding Discord was the funniest, or Gibson calling his mother a filthy casual. I clenched my sides at both.
Also
Give that B**ch a cannon
B**ches love cannons.
Don't think I don't see what you did there.
you are a genius good sir
That was just beautiful
Thanks mate, i really loved this story.
It ended... with no Ender Poem?
Well, not much else I can say except good job.
Why did you have to end it?!?!?!? It was so good.
I guess I will have to get started on your other stories I guess.
D'awwww... what a finish. :)
I finished reading this toady. I loved how the way it turned out. The comedy was just spot on and you made it so believable with each of the characters and I just loved how you portrayed Sweetie Belle and Button Mash together. This was a terrific story to read and I am very proud to have finished a fantastic piece.
Can't wait to see what other stories you will bring out.
~Broman