> Button Mash and Sweetie Belle Love
>  by Masked_Frenchman
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> 1: Button's Start
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Button Mash and Sweetie Belle Love

Chapter One: Button's Start

“We need you to flank their ranks! We will hold them off as long as we can. Fight hard Valdus, fight true!” cried out general Talifcore. Valdus understood what must be done and fled the battlefield. After a short run later, he got to the side of the goblin army and brought out his most trusted Sword of The Divine. The large sword glowed with a blue aura swirling around it, purple runes carved with in the blade shined brightly towards the goblin group, alerting him of the threat that stood before him. The rain pounded against his black plated armor. His long crimson hair flowed in the raging winds like a burning fire. His golden eyes pierced the darkness of the stormy night. Streaks of lightning pierced the blackened sky in large blue cracks, lighting the field for a brief moment, followed by the deafening explosion of sound closely after. The roar and battle cries of the goblin army shouted out at him in goblin tongue. Valdus neither flinched nor shuddered from the waves of vile, little green creatures that have gathered before him. 

“For the honor of my family, for the Queen of Zalinta, for my brothers in arms, I shall slay thee horrid creatures of Lucifer and send you back into the darkest depths of hell. Hear me now, monsters of horror! I am Valdus Taki! Son of Brujha Taki, slayer of the troll king of Demention, destroyer of the Red Hammer orc clan! I command thee, perish!” With a mighty swing of his sword, a large, lavender wave of mystic energy shoot forth from his blade, burning away the front lines of the goblin group in a single, terrifying blow. The little green creatures backed away in fear of his might. He smiled down at them, his golden eyes piercing deep into their souls. With a loud battle cry that shook the ground he charged upon, he sprinted at the army cowering before him, trying to prepare themselves for the onslaught that is to bestowed upon them. 

“For honor, for glory, for fame, for love of home and land, I command thee, DIE!!!" He pulled back his sword and slayed the first goblin, burning it’s remains into ashes. He pulled his sword back for a downward slash, bringing the giant blade high above his head. A goblin snuck a short sword past his armor and pierced lightly into his front plating. This did not stop his attack, for when the large blade struck the ground, the entire battle ground shook violently as the earth around him broke apart in horrific, large series of cracks. “Now you disgusting vermine of this land, I command you to PUT THAT JOYBOY DOWN WHEN I AM TALKING TO YOU!!!” 

Button Mash looked up quickly from his joyboy and up at his mom who stood towering over him, anger planted firmly on her face. “I am trying to tell you something, if you keep ignoring me when I am talking to you, I will take your joyboy away for the rest of the week!” Button looked up to her with pleading eyes. 

“But moooooommm! I have to destroy the evil goblin army of Lucifer so I can save the elf princess Lilly and end the evil reign of Razeal The Wicked and free the people of the Ancient Woods while the hunter’s moon is still aligned with the planets!” Button’s mom looked at him confused and shocked for a brief moment before shaking her head.

“How many times do I have to tell you, if you keep playing these video games, they are gonna mess with your head! It’s already getting bad as is. Can you please listen to me sweety?” Button’s mom pleaded, her expression softening. Button fought inside his mind but put his game on pause and pouted up at her. 

“Dolle naa lost!” (Elvish: Your head is empty) Button’s mom rolled her eyes and glared down at him.

“Dina!” (Elvish: Be silent) Button’s eye’s widen in panic and twitched at her in shock and confusion, leaning away from her.

“How many languages do you know mom?!” Her glare broke into a small giggle, sitting down in front of him.

“Like I said dear, I was young once too. Now as I was trying to say, we have been here in Ponyville for a few months now, and I still haven’t seen you make any friends. I’m a little worried about you dear” Button stood straight up again, looking at the ground and shifting to his left side uncomfortably. “I know you think you don’t need friends, but I think you would be happier if you tried hanging out with ponies your age” 

“I know mom. . . I know” Button responded sheepishly. Button’s mom smiled warmly to him. She leaned down to him and gave his forehead a kiss, rubbing his mane.

“I love you dear, and I am only trying to look out for you. It’s my job to do so” Button pulled away from her, trying to fix his mane again.

“Mom, I’m not a kid anymore!” Button’s mom couldn't help but giggle to herself. 

“Of course dear, you’re a big colt now” She got back up and started to walk out of his room. Button was annoyed about her always trying to get him to make friends. He knew all he needed was his joyboy. Friends seemed nice and all but you can’t go on adventures through ancient ruins and haunted woods with friends. That is what his joyboy was for. He can become the hero, earn the love and care of city’s all over hundreds of different worlds, save princess’, become famous with large bounties of fortune pilled as high as mountains. Why would he want to leave it all behind?

“Oh, and by the way Button. Your father is gonna be back in two weeks from his business trip. So Tuesday we’ll go to the store and buy him the watch you wanted to get him, ok sweetie?” Button was already back on his game. Button's mom frowned at him.

“Uhuh, sounds good mom” She rolled her eyes again and walked over and took the device from his hooves. His focus was broken instantly and made him enter a state of panic, making him jump up to make a grab for it. “MOM!! I haven’t saved it yet, please give it back! It shuts off after a short period of time!” She frowned at him as he tried jumping up and down for it, but he was far out of reach.

“Button, it is a sunny day outside and you have been in here all day playing on this. I think you should go play outside and enjoy the sunny day” Button’s mom explained. Button pouted at her with pleading eyes.

“There is nothing to do outside though! It’s SOOOOOO boring, please let me stay inside?!” 

“No and that is final!” Button’s mom said firmly. He stopped jumping for his joyboy and slumped to the ground, frowning at his hooves. Button’s mom felt bad for him, as she normally did when ever she said or did something to make him pout like that. She put the joyboy down behind her and knelt down to him. “Sweetie, I know you’d rather play video games, your father was exactly the same” Button looked at her with a curious look in his eyes, letting her know she had his full attention now. “You take after him so much, it’s a bit surprising. You look just like him, and you act just like him. I wouldn’t be surprised if you become a charming young stallion some day, just like him!” Button’s mom snuggled his cheek playfully. Button showed slight disgust on his face, trying to push her away.

“Mom, stop it! That's gross!” Button’s mom sighed pleasantly at him, giggling again. She pulled away to see Button pouting at her. “I wish you’d stop doing that, mom.” She rolled her eyes playfully once more.

“Oh I guess I’ll think about it, dear. Now you go on outside and play. Enjoy the sunny day while you can” Button hesitantly nodded at her and gave her a hug. She smiled warmly and hugged him right back. He pulled away and went outside like he was told to do, looking at the ground ahead of him. Button’s mom sighed at watching him leave. “Colts will be colts I suppose” She reached behind her to grab the joyboy on the floor but couldn’t feel it. She turned slightly puzzled to see it wasn’t there any more. “I could have sworn I put it right. . . . . where did it go?”

Button closed the door and started walking down the dirt road. After he got about a hundred feet away, he looked towards the direction of his house, smiling victoriously. “Lasta lalaithamin!!” (Elvish: Listen to my laughter!!) He laughed almost villain like as he pulled out his joyboy. After collecting himself, he trotted over to a tree that held shade from the sun. He sat right down and turned on his joyboy. It lit up with life and shortly after started playing the 8-bit medieval gaming music he so loves to hear. He smiled as the main menu came onto the screen.

“Now let’s continue the story, I think my last save point was somewhere near chapter eight: Shadows of War. I hope I remembered to turn the auto save feature on” Button said to himself with concern. He pressed some buttons rapidly and a grim shadow loomed over him as he got to his saved file. “Three hours. . . . . three hours ago was my last saved file before it turned itself off” He felt a couple tears building up in his eyes. “Now I have to re-activate the Sword of the Divine and rescue those war prisoners all over again! I don’t even remember the puzzle for the Divine quest!” He looked up with a determined look stamped upon his face suddenly.

“Don’t give up just yet! You know Valdus wouldn’t. If he can take out the goblin prison guards once, he can do it again!” Button exclaimed to himself smiling. He selected the saved file and played on, completely absorbing himself into the new world and leaving the one he was in. As he was zoned out into his game, he didn’t notice that a pair of fillies were slowly coming towards his not-so hidden location. 

“So what did you tell your dad?” Asked the earth pony with a silver mane. The other who had a tiara on her head smiled victoriously back at her.

“Well, after my dad said he wouldn’t, I just flashed him my little princess pouty face and I got him to buy me a new princess bed set. It’s gonna be here tomorrow. I can sucker my daddy to get me whatever I want!” exclaimed the other filly, her nose high in the sky as she spoke. Her friend snickered in response.

“You are SOOOO talented Diamond Tiara! I actually have to really butter my parents up if I want something. I wish I could get my dad to get me stuff that easily!” They giggled a bit and continued gossiping about random things. Diamond Tiara looked over to a certain shaded tree and spotted Button Mash playing on his joyboy. He looked like he was struggling, his face was scrunched up and his tongue slightly out as he put all his focus into what he was doing. She giggled harshly to herself and pointed a pink hoof towards him.

“Hey, Silver Spoon, look who it is!” Silver Spoon looked were Diamond Tiara was pointing to see it was Button Mash. Her lips curled in a mean smile towards him. 

“Looks like it’s the other blank flank, all alone without a single friend. How pathetic!” They both laughed to themselves and approached him. He kept his eyes glued to the screen as they approached him, mumbling something to himself every now and then. His back was pressed up against the tree while the sounds of 8-bit battle music and combat was heard from his little hoof held device. 

“Hey there, blank flank! What are you doing? Playing on your little box?” Diamond Tiara asked harshly as they got to him. They stood in front of him a good two feet away. His eyes never left the screen and didn’t acknowledge them in his presence, he only kept playing on his joyboy, which made them annoyed. “Hello! I am talking here!” Button still didn’t make eye contact with them.

“Hey, what’s up?” he replied shortly. He showed no interest when he spoke, which only angered them further. 

“We are talking to you, blank flank! Don’t you dare ignore us! Don't you even try to act like you are better than us!” Silver Spoon spoke outward at him, raising her voice at him in a demanding manner. He glanced up at them for a brief second but went right back into his game. 

“Yea I’m kinda busy here, so make it quick guys. I have to slay the goblin prison chief to rescue my fellow brothers in arms if I have any chance to vanquish the goblin army of Lucifer” They looked at him with confusion and looked at each other, lost for words. They turned back to them with cruel stares down at him. 

“That sounds SOOO nerdy, gross! So it looks like you need to focus then, huh?” Diamond Tiara put her hoof on the screen of the joyboy and forced it down. “So what would happen if I-” She was cut short as she felt her breath become icy. The whole area around them became cold and a shiver ran down their spines, Button’s face could not be seen under his brown mane. 

“Let go of my joyboy” he whispered faintly. Silver Spoon and Diamond Tiara raised a cautious but annoyed eye brow at him. 

“What did you say?!” A dark, eerie aura hovered around Button as he slowly looked up to the two fillies picking on him. Hatred burned deeply in his golden-brown eyes. Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon took a step back from him, fear taking over their faces as they started cowering before his dreadful gaze. He stood from his spot and cast a dark, ominous shadow upon the pair of fillies. 

“I said. . . . don’t touch my joyboy, EVER!” The two jumped back away from him, shaking where they stood. Diamond Tiara tried to look unaffected as she tried to talk him down. 

“Whatever, w-w-we have other things t-to do an-anyway. Let’s g-g-go Silver S-Spoon!” They both turned tail and ran off, leaving Button under the tree. He watched them run off with his hate filled gaze locked onto them. Once they were out of sight a bead of sweat trailed down his face and his facial expression of horror caved in. 

“Whoa, I didn’t think that would actually work! I mean Valdus can do it no problem, but some pony like ME pulling off the Terror Gaze of Lucifer! That is awesome!” He smiled to himself victoriously and gave himself a victory arm pump. After his excitement faded a little, he sat back down and picked up his joyboy again, just to see that he died in the game. His smile disappeared and a frown took it’s place. “What? No, NO! Dang it! Now I have to do that quest all over again!” He sighed in defeat. “Well. . . at least I didn’t lose too much progress. At least it should be easier this time” 

In the bushes near by he could have sworn he heard a soft, girly giggle behind him. He restarted his game and while the game was loading he turned around to see who it was. He saw the group of bushes behind the tree but didn’t see anyone there nor any signs of anyone listening in on him. “Huh. . . I must be imagining things. Oh well” he shrugged it off and went right back into his game, which finished loading and his character stood in front of a mountain with a pair of giant iron doors in front of it. “Now let’s see if I can complete some quests before mom realizes that I have my joyboy!” 

> 2: Sweetie Belle's Start
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 2: Sweetie Belle’s Start

*Sweetie belle! Wait!” cried out Rarity. Sweetie Belle froze where she was, carrying a large bundle of ribbons and sewing supplies. She tried to look past them to her sister who shouted out to her. Rarity’s face was frozen in panic as her eyes were glued to Sweetie Belle’s front hooves. “Just slowly take a step back, darling. Please,” Sweetie Belle tried to look in front of her but lacked the physical ability to do so due to the large stack of sewing supplies she carried that stacked higher than herself. She slowly took a step back, wearing a confused look on her face. Rarity focused her magic on a white, furry object in front of Sweetie Belle. Opalescence levitated into the air, making her wake up from her nap. She looked around confused as she squirmed around lightly, being picked up by the magical grip around her. Rarity brought her fluffy, white cat to the side and placed her gently on the bed. Opalescence looked around in a grumpy manner, staring at Rarity annoyed. After a long yawn she curled into a ball and laid back down, continuing her much needed nap. Her little sister smiled nervously.

“Opps, sorry about that. Thanks for moving her for me,” With a smile she continued on with carrying the large pile to her older sister. Within three steps one of the ribbons fell partially down as she took a step without her noticing. When the ribbon was tugged it caught her off balance, making her fall backward and the large pile of supplies tumbling with her. Rarity tried to warn her but was only able to open her mouth as her sister came crashing down to the floor. Sweetie Belle’s head popped out of the pile with some fabric draped over her head, looking up to Rarity nervously. “Opps, sorry again,” Rarity shook her head, disappointed to her sister’s lack of caution. 

“How many times must I tell you, honestly. Only carry what you can. If you carry too much you will only end up making a larger mess than you started,” Sweetie Belle looked away from her sister’s stare, her ears drooping down in embarrassment. 

“I’m sorry Rarity, I swear I am trying, it’s just that I-” 

“-Only want to help, I know dear,” Rarity finished. Sweetie looked back at her sister to see her smiling softly down to her. Rarity walked over and placed a gentle, creamy white hoof on her cheek. “I know you mean well, you always do, and I am very thankful to have such a thoughtful filly as my little sister,” Sweetie smiled back up at her older sister. “You just have to realize that just because you can’t help me with the big things in life, doesn’t mean you aren’t helping me at all. Even if you do meaningless things and tasks, they help out far more than you will ever know,” Sweetie Belle processed everything that Rarity said, carefully thinking about it. After a moment Rarity embraced her little sister, which she happily returned the hug. 

“Thank you Rarity,” Rarity snuggled into her sister, sighing happily. 

“Of course, darling. What are sisters for?” They broke off to look at each other, giggling to one another. Rarity kissed her little sister’s forehead softly and returned to her desk, still keeping one eye on her. “Now how about this. If you really want to help me, I need a new sewing needle kit from the store near by. This one here-” levitating a needle that already had a thread tied to it, the needle looked wore out and the point seemed to be getting flat.”- is going to be worn out soon. Here-” She levitated a small bag of coins over to Sweetie Belle.”- This should cover the price of their sewing needles,” Sweetie Belle smiled and nodded at her.

“Ok, I will be back as soon as I can!” With an excited jump into the air she ran down stairs, leaving Rarity at her work station. She smiled to herself, walking over to the desk. From one of the shelves, she pulled out a picture frame, pulling it up to her face with a blissful smile. The photo was that of Sweetie Belle when she was four years old. She was going down the slide by herself for the first time. She had such a huge smile on her face, looking over at her. A tear fell onto the picture frame, coming down from Rarity’s cheek. Rarity hugged the picture frame with a smile as a couple more tears dripped down her face. 

“Where has the time gone? You are growing up so much, my little Sweetie Belle. It seems time truly waits for no pony. It won’t be much longer before you start exploring the world and find yourself a stallion,” She brought the picture back out and placed it back onto the shelf, sniffling a little. She wiped away her few remaining tears and brought back her composure. “Now now, Rarity, no need to get so emotional every time you look at that. You still have plenty of time with her, no need to worry,” She smiled confidently and levitated her worn out needle and got back to work on a dress half finished on the table. “She is just going to LOVE this dress, I just know it!”

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 

Sweetie Belle walked down the streets of Ponyville, looking around at the views around her. Of course she has walked down these same roads for a while now, but she still finds joy in everything she saw. Sometimes she sees something new. Sure, sometimes she didn’t find anything interesting, but that never stopped her. She could see birds flying around, singing their cheerful songs. Squirrels crawling about, looking for food. Ponies walking here and there, completing their daily routines of their everyday lives. One thing made her stop for a moment, something that she saw in the corner of her eye. She stopped and turned to the scene, walking over a little closer to see what was going on. A short distance away she could see a couple having a picnic by the pond. They smiled and laughed together, which made Sweetie Belle smile. She couldn’t hear them clearly but she knew that they really liked each other. 

“Awww, that is really sweet!” She whispered to herself, containing a squeal inside. She left the couple alone and returned down her path towards her original destination. Sweetie Belle walked along the path like she normally did when she saw her closest friends, Applebloom and Scootaloo. Her smile grew once again and she waved over to them. “Applebloom, Scootaloo!” She called over. They turned to her and waved back, trotting over to her. 

“Hey Sweetie Belle, whatcha doing?” Asked Scootaloo. Sweetie Belle shifted her hips to make it jingle with the coins inside.

“I’m helping my sister out with a dress she is making. She told me to go to the store to buy some needles,” 

“Sounds boring,” Scootaloo commented, rolling her eyes. 

“Ah think it’s rather nice of ya, Sweetie.Helpin yer sis out an all,” Applebloom added, smiling over at Sweetie Belle. 

“Yea yea, what ever. So Sweetie Belle, we have a new idea for cutie marks, wanna hear?” Sweetie Belle nodded her head excitedly.

“Of course! Whatcha girls thinking this time?” She asked curiously. Applebloom and Scootaloo looked at each other, smirking at one another, then turned back to Sweetie Belle who bore a curious expression. 

“Prankster cutie marks!” They said at the same time. Sweetie Belle thought about it for a second and then back at them with an enthusiastic smile.

“That actually sounds like fun! I bet we could totally get that kind of cutie mark. How hard could it be to pull off pranks?” They all jumped up in the air and slapped each other a high five in mid air. Sweetie Belle was getting excited but then remembered the task she was given by her older sister. “Oh, right. Can you gives give me a few minutes? I have to get those needles for Rarity and then I can go with you girls. Where should we meet up?” 

“Just meet us up at the club house! We were gonna go there anyway. Just don’t take too long, ok?” Scootaloo answered back. Sweetie Belle nodded in reply. 

“Ok, I will see you girls there. Later!” Sweetie Belle started walking by, Applebloom and Scootaloo waved back. 

“Don’t take too long, ya hear?” Applebloom called back as they turned around and headed off. Sweetie Belle closed her eyes and smiled to herself, thinking about going on a new adventure on getting her cutie mark. She fantasised about having such a cutie mark, thinking about the kind of ponies she would prank. 

“You are SOOOO talented Diamond Tiara! I actually have to butter up my parents if I want something. I wish I could get my dad to get me stuff that easily!” Sweetie Belle snapped out of her day dreaming and turned her head to the voices that she heard. It was Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon walking around, talking to each other. She stopped and glared at them. 

“Oh great, it’s THEM! I really don’t want to deal with them right now,” Diamond Tiara turned around and pointed outward. 

“Hey, Silver Spoon, look who it is!” Sweetie Belle froze in her tracks, snapping out of her glare.

“Oh no, don’t tell me they saw me. Great, now I have to be teased by them today on a weekend,” As she looked at them carefully she noticed that they weren’t looking towards her direction. She turned to see who they were pointing at and saw it was Button Mash, sitting down under a tree, playing a videogame by the looks of it. “Oh no! They plan on making fun of him! But he has never done anything wrong. I have to stop them!” 

“Looks like it’s the other blank flank, all alone without a single friend. How pathetic!” Sweetie Belle glared fiercely at them, her hoof shaking in anger. 

“You bullies! I’ll show them!” She started walking over as Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon made their way over to him as well, stopping right in front of him. Sweetie Belle watched carefully as she slowly made her way over towards them. I can’t believe they think they have to make fun of everyone, I’ll show them! she thought to herself. 

“Hey there, blank flank! What are you doing? Playing on your little box?” Diamond Tiara asked harshly as they got to him. Sweetie Belle was almost there but stopped to see that Button Mash wasn’t even paying attention to them. She decided to hide behind some bushes and watch what happens. 

“Maybe he has something up his sleeve for them, I gotta see this!” She whispered to herself, watching them from the bushes. Button Mash was playing on his joyboy, focusing all his attention to it. Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon were getting aggravated from Button Mash’s lack of response to their antagonizing. 

“Hello! I’m talking here!” Diamond Tiara stated, raising her voice at him. Button Mash didn’t even bash an eyelash. He didn’t even look up.

“Oh, hey. What’s up?” He asked blankly, continuing his game play. They galred down at him in response. Sweetie Belle had to hide a giggle. 

“They are getting so mad! This is a little funny,” 

“We are talking to you, blank flank! Don’t you dare ignore us! Don't you even try to act like you are better than us!” Silver Spoon spoke outward at him, raising her voice at him in a demanding manner. He glanced up at them for a brief second but went right back into his game. 

“Yea I’m kinda busy here, so make it quick guys. I have to slay the goblin prison chief to rescue my fellow brothers in arms if I have any chance to vanquish the goblin army of Lucifer” Sweetie Belle looked over at him confused, raising an eyebrow. 

“What did he just say? Who is Lucifer? What is a goblin prison chief?” She asked herself in a quiet whisper. Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon looked at him with confusion and looked at each other, lost for words. They turned back to them with cruel stares down at him. Sweetie Belle leaned forward as if about to pounce. 

“That sounds SOOO nerdy, gross! So it looks like you need to focus then, huh?” Diamond Tiara put her hoof on the screen of the joyboy and forced it down. Sweetie Belle was about to get up. 
“So what if I-”

“That’s it, They’re about-” she started. The area suddenly got cold. Sweetie Belle froze in place as she kept her eyes on Button Mash and her archrivals. Button Mash didn’t look up, his face was hidden from her angle. Button Mash whispered something but she couldn’t tell what it was. 

“What did you say?!” Diamond Tiara asked cautiously A dark, eerie aura hovered around Button Mash as he slowly looked up to the two fillies picking on him. Hatred burned deeply in his golden-brown eyes. Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon took a step back from him, fear taking over their faces as they started cowering before his dreadful gaze. He stood from his spot and cast a dark, ominous shadow upon the pair of fillies. Sweetie Belle gulped down at the scene before her. She swallowed her fear and leaned back down in her bush, trying to hide better.

“Wow, Button Mash can be really scary! This looks like a scene from a horror movie or something,” She whispered to herself. 

“I said. . . . don’t touch my joyboy, EVER!” The two jumped back away from him, shaking where they stood. Diamond Tiara looked like she was trying to still act tough, but was clearly doing a bad job at it. She would laugh, if Button Mash wasn’t being so scary right now. The look on their faces was priceless! 

 “Whatever, w-w-we have other things t-to do an-anyway. Let’s g-g-go Silver S-Spoon!” They both turned tail and ran off, leaving Button under the tree. Sweetie Belle watched in amazement as she just witnessed her two very much disliked rivals run for their lives. Once they were gone, Button Mash wiped off a trail of sweat. 

“Whoa, I didn’t think that would actually work! I mean Valdus can do it no problem, but some pony like ME pulling off the Terror Gaze of Lucifer! That is awesome!” He smiled to himself victoriously and gave himself a victory arm pump. 

“What the hay is the Terror Gaze of Lucifer? He doesn’t make any sense. Still, he is a really cool pony. He was so calm, and cool. He made them turn tail and run for their lives! I can’t wait to tell Applebloom and Scootaloo about all of this! He is actually really cool, I think he might be almost as cool as-” Sweetie Belle started. 

“What? No, NO! Dang it! Now I have to do that quest all over again!” He sighed in defeat. “Well. . . at least I didn’t lose too much progress. At least it should be easier this time” Sweetie Belle frowned at him, instantly losing the sudden appraisal she was holding. 

“Or not,” Sweetie Belle shook her head at him as he sighed once more and sitting down again, his back on the tree. “Still, it was really cool how he stood up for himself. Even though he is a complete dork,” she giggled to herself, a bit too loud because Button Mash’s ears flicked towards her direction. Opps, I better go. She silently moved back , slowly getting out of the bushes and fast walked away from him. “That was a close call, almost got caught,” She continued to walk away and towards the store she was originally going for. Once she got a good, safe distance away, she turned to find that Button Mash wasn’t looking for her nor following her. She sighed peacefully and smiled to herself. 

“I can’t wait to tell the gang about this. They are gonna flip after hearing this!” She smiled and snickered to herself as she continued to think about everything that had just happened.

> 3: Goodbye Checkpoints
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 3: Goodbye Checkpoints

“Valdus, after all our hardships we are finally here, The Keep of Dark Bliss! We will need to be swift and strong for this Valdus. We may have defeated the main forces of the goblin army, but we still have to deal with the creatures that dwell within these halls. Also Lucifer is still in the keep. If we are to have any chance of defeating Lucifer, we need to burn this horrific keep into the ground!” Explained General Talifcore. Valdus nodded his head in agreement. He knew that if they wanted to defeat Lucifer for good, they would have to destroy his keep to make sure that the same thing never happens again. 

“If we are to storm the fortress, we will have to come up with a careful plan,” Valdus stated to his fellow troops. General Talifcore nodded back to him. He looked up at the keep that towered before them, glancing over the structure carefully. The large fortress stood as tall as the clouds from the points of the spiral towers. It was made of dark purple brick and had an eerie feeling when looked upon. The gate was battered and damaged, following a metal cage like look to it. The metal was bent, and in some parts completely broken through. Torches were seen on top of the walls of the keep and along the bottom as well. Some parts of the walls were cracked and even caved in. One could easily tell a battle was taken place here. General Talifcore took a deep breath at the sight before him and then turned back to Valdus.

“Agreed Valdus, what do you think we should do?” Option A: Lead the battle party through the front gates yourself. Option B: Have the main army create a distraction as you find a hidden entrance into the keep and confront Lucifer alone. The choices were fairly good, no matter what he chose. 

“Geez, both of these are good strategies, but I think I will have to choose. . .” 

“Good call Valdus. While we attack the remaining forces of the goblin army, you deal with Lucifer yourself. We should be able to make enough noises for you to sneak in with little to no problem. I believe that the goblins bring in valuable prisoners and rare supplies from a secret back entrance. It shouldn’t be too hard to find it, you know how these goblins work, not very smart. You should find light resistance till you reach Lucifer’s corridors,” General Talifcore explained in faint detail.

“Yes, more of my forces will survive if they don’t fight Lucifer head on. Not saying they are weak, but they would die really quick against him,” 

“Thank you, General Talifcore. I shall deal with Lucifer myself while you hold off the rest of the vile goblins! May lady luck be in your favor, and may the Divine watch over you and our fellow soldiers,” Valdus said, bowing his head towards him. General Talifcore shook his head at him with a faint smile.

“Fear not, this is our victory battle! When this is over, the ale is on me! Make sure you don’t get yourself too hurt so we can’t celebrate afterwards!” Valdus chuckled at his statement. Talifcore brought out an armoured hand up to Valdus, still holding a confident smile. Valdus looked at the hand and up to General Talifcore. HIs blond hair barely escaping his elven helmet. His carefully designed golden armour glowed faintly with glow glyphs in the darkness of the still approaching storm, illuminating hope for his fellow elves. His crystal blue eyes held that of confidence and hope that sparkled outward into his very own golden eyes. Valdus nodded and took his hand with quick, firm shake.

“It better be dwarven ale! No offense but your kind make rubbish ale. It just doesn’t have a good thrust into it,” Talifcore laughed heartedly, for an elf. 

“Very well, my friend. Sadly I would have to agree with you,” With a final nod, Valdus released his friend’s grip and charged across the sea of the many corpses of goblins and towards the back of the keep. “Fight hard, my friend, fight true! May your blade be swift and your armour unscathed!” he called out. Valdus disappeared moment later, leaving General Talifcore and his army at the front gates. With a final deep breath, he turned sharply to the small army that remained behind him and slightly puffed out his chest to show authority. “Prepare for battle!!” They snapped to attention and started getting into formation. 

“This is the last battle! The keep, the pure symbol of evil and hatred stands before us! We have shed blood and sweat to get to this very door step! We have slain the countless goblins and orcs to be where we are right at this moment! I will not ask of you to fight for me, I only ask you to fight with me! The reign of evil is at an end, this is the last chapter of this horrible nightmare! I say it now- Button hunny, come down for lunch!” 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * 

Button Mash grunted and turned sharply to his opened door. “MOM!!! I’m about to defeat the the true reign of evil once and for all!” He shouted at the door. He glared angrily at the opening, still holding his joyboy. 

“Oh just come down for lunch. The evil ruler Lucky can wait till then,” 

“LUCIFER!” Button Mash shouted down.

“Oh, I’m sorry sweetie, Lucifer then,” Button Mash rolled his eyes in annoyance. He put his game on pause and saved it, getting up from his bed.

“I should have skipped that speech, darn it!!” With a final defeated grunt he went downstairs and into the kitchen where he saw his mother had prepared a daisy sandwich with swiss cheese and some carrots neatly placed on a plate waiting for him. She was pouring a glass of apple juice as he walked in. She turned to him after putting it away, smiling warmly to him. 

“Good afternoon sweetie,” He grumbled something as he climbed up in the chair and sat down at the table, staring down at his plate slightly frowning. “Are you ok, hunny?” He looked up at the question, pouting at her and placed his joyboy down right next to him on the table.

“I’m getting to the good part, mom. I’m about to destroy the evil ruler, Lucifer!” She giggled softly and walked over to him, patting his head. 

“It’s just a game, dear. I’m sorry for interrupting it. You can always continue playing later,” Button Mash looked up at his mom with a small smile, nodding back.

“I guess you’re right, thanks mom!” He then picked up his sandwich and took a bite out of it, smiling to himself in content from the sandwich. 

“What are you planning to do on the last day off from school?”

“I’m gonna finish this game! I’m almost done, I just need to beat the final boss,” Button’s mom stared at him, a bit surprised and disappointed mixed in her expression. 

“So. . . you plan on playing video games?”

“Uhuh, at least until I beat it,” Button’s mom smiled at hearing the last part, her ears perking up. “Then I can play a different game!” Her ears dropped again, now wearing a face of annoyance. She sighed and turned to look out the window to see yet another beautiful sunny day. Ponies were playing along the roads, birds were singing delightful tunes, the Celestia’s sun shining warmly down to the ponies below, a gentle breeze drifted through the town. Why can’t he go out and enjoy the air. The only time he actually goes out is when I ask him- . . wait a second! An idea came to Button’s mom and a confident smile crept through. She regathered her composure and turned back to Button Mash, who was finishing his apple juice, now wearing a friendly and motherly face.

“Button sweetie, can you walk down to the store and pick something up for me before you start playing again?” Button Mash finished his apple juice and focused on his mother. 

“Sure mom, what do you need?” Button’s mom thought for a moment, tapping her chin with her hoof. 

“Well. . . we are running out of apple juice, so you will have to get some more from Applejack’s stand. We also need some milk for supper tonight. Would you be so kind as to get those for me? I need them before it gets too dark out,” Button Mash nodded at her with an excited smile, jumping out of his chair and onto the floor.

“Sure mom, I can do that nooo problem!” Button’s mom smiled down at him from his excitement. He always enjoyed helping her out, and he looked so cute at the thought of it.

“Ok dear, let me go get the money you will need for it,” She walked out of the room for just a moment, picking up a small bag of bits from her dresser and gathered up the correct number of bits. “At least he can get a breath of fresh air this way,” She whispered to herself with a smile. She came back out with a smaller bag that held the bits inside. She handed it to Button Mash who placed it in his saddle that was hanging on a hook by the door and then strapped it on his back. “Now just remember sweetie, one container of apple juice and one bottle of milk,” Button Mash rolled his eyes.

“Mom, I can do this.  This isn’t my first time doing something like this. I know what I am doing,” Button’s mom giggled to herself softly.

“Of course dear, I know. I just wanted to remind you,” Button Mash smiled up at his mother and gave her a quick hug. 

“I’ll be back soon, mom!” 

“Ok dear, be safe and don’t be afraid to talk to someone new,” 

“Shouldn’t you be saying ‘Don’t talk to strangers’ or something?” Button’s mom smiled, shaking her head. 

“If I were to say that, then you wouldn’t be able to make any new friends,” Button Mash rolled his eyes at his mother again. 

“I get it, mom. I’ll be back soon,” With a quick wave he opened the door and walked out, closing the door behind him. Button’s mom waited a few minutes before cleaning up the dishes left from him. 

“I guess I shouldn’t push it on him so much, he’ll make friends eventually. I just hope he tries to do so before his father comes back home,” After looking around, she noticed that the joyboy that sat next to Button Mash during lunch was gone. After taking a minute to look around the table, she had an idea on where it was. She sighed and shook her head. “Button Mash. . . what am I going to do with you,” 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 

Button Mash walked a good distance from his house towards the grocery store. He turned to see if the house was in sight, which it no longer was. When he confirmed his mother couldn’t see him anymore, he pulled out his joyboy from his saddle, smiling victoriously to himself. “I said I would go pick some things up for you, I never said I wouldn’t play on my joyboy,” He snickered to himself as he turned it on, the usual 8-bit, techno music from the main menu started playing. “I am so close to completing it, just a little further!” he said to himself cheerfully. He selected his saved file and the loading screen appeared. “Come on, come on,” 

Once his game was back to the place he left off, he completely ignored the world around him, only focusing on the game before him. “Once I defeat Lucifer, I can finally get the Cloak of Eternal Shadows and be able to slay the secret boss in the deep, underground dungeon in Treeherd City! Then after collecting the last four banners of Lucifer and find the last dragon scale, I will have completely beaten the game!” After around twenty mintues or so, Button Mash looked up from his game and noticed he had passed the grocery store. 

“Opps, I better turn back,” After shaking his head playfully he turned around to see the grocery store right there. “Oh, awesome, I didn’t go past it!” He walked over excitedly to it, opening the door and tucked his joyboy into his saddle bag. A pair of bells chimed as he entered, letting the shopkeeper know that someone has entered their store. An older earth pony mare sat behind the counter, reading a newspaper. She had a simple, short, purple mane and yellow fur. Once Button Mash had entered, she lowered it to see him. She smiled and placed the newspaper down. 

“Well good afternoon, little colt. How can I help you?” Button Mash looked over to her and smiled. 

“Hi! I need a bottle of milk, please,” The mare nodded, pointing to a shelf on the other side of the room. 

“We are a tad low on milk at the moment, but I still got some left,” Button Mash nodded over to her and hurried over. The store wasn’t really big but it wasn’t really small either. Just a small store, compared to Manehatten, to gather what you may need. Button Mash grabbed the milk he needed and walked over to the mare, putting it down on the counter in front of her. “That will be 2 bits young sir,” She stated with a playful smile and giggle.

“Sure thing!” Button Mash exclaimed with enthusiasm. He reached into his saddle, pulling out the bag of bits. He did a quick count of them and placed the correct amount on the counter. She pulled the bits in behind the counter and pushed the milk towards him. 

“There you go, do you need anything else?” The mare at the counter asked cheerfully. 

“Nope, I’m good, thank you!” He grabbed the milk and put it in his saddle bag. He started walking out, waving over to the mare who returned the gester. 

“Have a wonderful day!”

“Thanks, you too!” He left the grocery store and walked off, pulling out his joyboy out of his saddle bag, taking it off the pause menu. “Good, I didn’t lose my progress!” He continued to play where he left off, smiling to himself and returning all of his focus to it while walking. “Good, I found Lucifer’s room! Now all I have to do is equip my Bow of The Woods and be ready to-” He bumped into someone in front of him, making him fall down on his flank and dropping his joyboy with him. The game fell out of it’s protective device and laid in the dirt a couple inches away from the game. He rubbed his backside and looked up to who he bumped into. It was Snips and he too was on the ground. Snips looked at him confused and helped himself back up. Snails was next to him, looking down at Button Mash. 

“Hey sorry about that, I wasn’t looking where I was going,” Button Mash stated, rubbing his mane embarrassed. 

“No, no. I too wasn’t lookin where I was going. I should have though,” Snips stated back. He dusted himself off, returning his gaze down to Button Mash. His eyes widen in fear as he scanned the ground. 

“Where is it, where is it?!” Snips and Snails looked at him confused, at each other, then back to him. Snails examining Button Mash while scratching his chin. 

“What are you looking for?”

“My game! I dropped it. If it accidentally restarted, I would lose all of my progress!” Snips looked around at the ground for it, Snails walked over to Button Mash. 

“Well let’s get ya off of the ground so we can look for-” Button Mash looked over to where Snails was walking. The world froze into a state of slow motion. He found it, his game a few inches away from his joyboy, right under Snails’ hoof that was slowly coming down on it. His face formed that of horror as he tried to reach out for it before Snails put his hoof down upon it. He was close, just a couple more inches, but it was too late. Before he could grab his game from the present danger, he first heard it before his eyes could register it. The sound of thin plastic cracking and crunching into the ground. Tears built up in his eyes right then and there. The world returned to normal as he laid there, stomach on the ground and him fully stretched out to save his game that is now destroyed. Snails froze in place as he felt the crunch under his hooves. He lifted it up and saw the bits and pieces of plastic stuck to his hoof. 

“Umm. . . . is this. . . your game?” Button Mash nodded slowly, tears running down his face. 

“So close. . . I was soooo close!!” He gathered up the remains of his game, crying as he cradled the bits and pieces of plastic and wiring. Snips and Snails watched him for a moment, looking at each other nervously. 

“Ummm, sorry about your game, we didn’t mean to break it, honest,” 

“Yeah, if I saw it I wouldn’t have stepped on it. I didn’t do it on purpose,” Button Mash collected himself a bit, long enough to pick up the pieces and slowly put them in his saddle bag carefully. Tears continued to run down his face along with some muffled cries and sniffles. 

“I know. . . I. . I just. . . I was so close. . . I never thought. . . th-that. . “ He was unable to fully speak, his voice started to shake. He merely shook his head, keeping his eyes closed and took a shaky deep breath. “I have to go guys, I’m sorry,” Snips and Snails frowned at themselves depressed. 

“We’re sorry Button Mash, do you want us to help pay it back?” Button Mash shook his head again, starting to walk past them.

“Thanks guys, just leave me be. I have to pick up some apple juice for my mom. See ya guys at school tomorrow,” They all had their heads down. Snips and Snails were feeling guilty for what they have done, wishing they could help. Button Mash continued on to his destination, except now he didn’t have one of his favorite games to keep him entertained. Tears still dripped down every now and then, his head hung low and his ears down to the sides of his head. 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 

Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon watched the whole thing, him breaking down crying and him walking away. Seeing him like that made her laugh cruelly, Silver Spoon giggled along the way. “Did you see the way that big baby cried over a stupid game?! Now THAT, Silver Spoon, is really sad!” 

“I know, right? I mean who would cry over something like that? That is totally stupid. I bet he still sucks his hoof and is a little cry baby at home,” They both laughed as they hide around a corner near the scene. Diamond Tiara stopped her laughing suddenly and put a hoof on Silver Spoon’s shoulder to get her attention. 

“Wait a second! I think I know of a way to show him his place. Make him pay for scaring us like he did yesterday!”

“Yeah, he acted all high and mighty, thinking a blank flank like HIM is better than us! Whatcha thinking about doing, Diamond?” Diamond Tiara snickered to herself, turning to Silver Spoon with a horrific smile on her face.

“Let’s just make sure he remembers not to mess with us, ever again!”

> 4: Mysterious Dream, Mysterious Gift
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 4: Mysterious Dream, Mysterious Gift

“Oh, I see you love this particular game. It would be a shame if. . . it were to be crushed to dust!” Button Mash watched helplessly as the horrifying demonfied version of Snails smiled cruelly at him and raised his hoof up above his game. He struggled to break free of his bounds but found himself chained to a cross, unable to move or rush over to save his game. Tears poured out of his eyes as the pair of unicorns smiled harshly at him as they laughed and mocked him. 

“NO!! Please. . . don’t do it! I’m begging you, I’ll do anything!!” Button Mash cried out. The only response he received back was dreadful, evil laughter from the two demon like unicorns. The evil Snails raised his hoof further and froze.

“Beg for it! Beg for mercy!!” 

“Please, I’ll give you anything, just don’t break that!! I’ll give you bits, my favorite toys, my lunch, ANYTHING!!!” The nightmare like unicorn smirked over at him and brought his hoof down with all of his might. The hoof came crashing down, shattering the fragile game into dozens of little pieces which flew in many directions. Button Mash’s eyes opened in shock and horror as he witnessed his game being destroyed. They laughed and laughed at this. His cries and pleas only making them laugh at him even more. The moon pierced through the night sky of the endless storm clouds, shining upon Button Mash. 

“Why would you do that? What have I done to deserve this? Why would you do such a thing?” They continued to laugh at him, mocking him as he laid on the cross, crying. 

“You are a weak little foal! You could never stand up for yourself, you let ponies treat you poorly and only pretend it doesn’t bother you. So of course we would pick on a weakling like you!” Button Mash’s eyes squeezed tightly. 

“Shut up, you’re wrong” He whispered. The two domonic unicorns slowed there laughing down and focused on him. 

“What was that?”

“Shut up, you’re wrong!” he whispered more aggressively. They stopped their laughing and took a few steps closer, anger forming in their eyes now. 

“What did you just say?” 

“I said. . . Shut up. . . YOU’RE WRONG!!” The light from the moon shined brighter as he broke free of his chains, the cross crumbled before him and he landed perfectly on his hooves. His eyes burned with fury as he glared over at the unicorns who now started backing up away from him. 

“How. . . how did. . . that’s not possible!” Button Mash held out his hoof and a beam of light shined out of it. The light swirled around his hoof for a moment as it slowly materialized into a katana (a japanese two hand sword that is made out of steel, made for slashing) that shined with a mystical glow of blue. 

“I don’t care what you think, I never have! I don’t care what anyone thinks of me!” Button Mash charged at them with the new katana and jumped in the air, pulling the katana over his head for a downward slash. The fiendish unicorns took a step back as they watched fearfully as he came back down. The sword easily cut right through the creature, cutting him in half from center mass. He split where the blade sliced him and imploded into a shadowy mist. The last one turned to run but Button Mash was already on him, swinging the blade and severing his head. The dark creature also imploded into a mist of inky shadow. 

“Is that all of them?” He scanned the never ending darkness of the strange world. Silence surrounded him, followed by a non-existing breeze. As he continued to observe that area, hundreds or blood red eyes appeared in every direction, followed by snickering. He readied his katana once more, his fear growing in the deepest pits of his stomach and raising. 

“What do you want from me?!” The snickering grow louder as they spoke venomous words to him.

“So pathetic!

“Mama’s boy!”

“Blank flank!”

“Cry baby!”

“Worthless trash!” Button Mash dropped the sword and covered his ears, tears reforming in his eyes. 

“Please stop, I give up. Just stop already!” The voices started laughing at him, their harsh glares brunning through him. 

“You have no life!”

“You’ll never be anything!”

“You’ll never have friends!”

“No one likes you, why don’t you just go away, FOREVER!!” Button Mash started crying once again, curling up into a ball, crying loudly to himself and quivering in fear. 

“That’s it, cry! Cry all day, that’s all you will ever be good-” 

“ENOUGH!!!” The voice boomed louder than any thunder blast could ever do. Button Mash actually felt a strong vibration from the ground and even felt being pushed back. All the voices went silent. The moon shot forth beams of light, obliterating the shadows and darkness. The voices sizzled away and the crimson red eyes shimmered away, only leaving Button Mash curled up into a ball. He looked up to see what has happened and only found himself in a large, endless sea of sand. 

“What. . . where am I? What happened?” Button Mash got back up, a few tears still leaking through but he wiped them away. He saw no one else in the desert, not a single sign of life anywhere. The only thing he saw was sand and the moon hanging high up in the night sky. 

“We know what troubles thee in your slumber. It is very clear to us,” Button Mash looked for the source of the voice but could only find sand. 

“Who said that. What do you mean ‘we’?” He cried out in confusion. 

“We can not replace what was most precious to you, but perhaps we can help you learn a valuable lesson,” Button Mash back away fearfully, looking for a place to hide. 

“What do you mean by that? Where are you?” 

“You do not need to fear us, little colt. Just know that you will have a choice in the future. You can either live your life as you do, or take a stand beside that which you truly love most and become the being you have always wished to be,” Button Mash thought for a moment about those words, only to draw up a blank.

“What are you talking about? Who are you?!” There was only silence that greeted him back, not a single sound to be heard. It was deathly quiet. He hung his head down low, his ears dropping with his head. “I don’t know what to do,” 

“In time, you will,” 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Button Mash woke up to the sound of his alarm clock sounding off, telling him it was time to wake up. His eyes searched and scanned the area he was now in. He was in his own room. His joyboy in hoof’s reach, his TV at the other end of his room, his saddle bag hanging by the door. Everything was exactly the way it was. “Was it a dream?”

“Button sweetie, it’s time to get ready for school!” Button’s mom called down. He shook his head and reached over, turning off his alarm clock. Once it was silenced, he slowly got out of bed and stretched out his legs and back. 

“I guess it really was all a dream. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised, it was kinda weird,” He looked back over at his joyboy and the memories of yesterday returned to him. Memories he didn’t want to remember. 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 

“Mom. . . I’m home,” Button Mash called out. After a moment, Button’s mom poked her head from around the corner, smiling at him. 

“Hello sweetie, did you have a good walk?” He held his head down low, tears he thought were dried away started to return, his eyes filling up with trauma. Button’s mom’s smile faded away as she saw a tear drop fell from his eyes. “Hunny, what’s wrong?” She got no response as Button Mash slowly walked past her, pulling out the milk and apple juice from his saddle and started walking away. He held a bag in his mouth, a little plastic bag that held something inside. 

“Hunny, please talk to me! What’s wrong dear?” She walked over to him and pulled him into an embrace. That was it, he lost it right then and there. He felt his eyes drain themselves of tears as he pour out his soul to her. He cried loudly into her shoulder, gripping onto her like he was about to be washed away in a tide of his own emotions. She was surprised but held onto him tightly, rubbing his back and his mane. 

“Moooom!!!” Button Mash cried out loudly, shaking lightly in her arms and dropping the plastic bag onto the floor. 

“Shhhh, there there Button Mash, there there. Let it all out, I’m here for you dear,” Button Mash released all of his tears, no holding back this time. He never liked crying, even when it was only his mom around and that he did it so easily, but whenever his mother held onto him like this, he just couldn’t hold back. After a good long while, he finally felt his eyes drying up once more, although he still felt the tears leaking out. 

“I just. . it broke. . there was nothing. . . I should have!” Button Mash’s words came out mixed up between his sobbing. Button’s mom held him close, slowly rocking back and forth, rubbing his mane and back softly. 

“There there, my little Button. Everything is alright. Take deep breaths and tell me what happened. Mommy’s here to make it all better,”

* * * * * * * * * * * * * 

Button Mash shook his head to get that memory out of his head. He doesn’t like crying like that. Although his mom is the only pony who ever sees him get that bad. She promised to get a new game for him, but nothing could ever replace that game, it was his very favorite. With a defeated sigh he grabbed his saddlebag and went downstairs to see his mom has prepared his breakfast and already had everything packed up for him. “Thank you, mom” Button Mash said blankly. He was there but not there. He was physically in the world but his mind and soul have already left. Button’s mom could see this easily. She frowned at him and walked over to him, rubbing his back. 

“Button dear. I know you are still upset about yesterday. I’m really sorry that happened. When you get back from school, we can go to your favorite game store in Canterlot and we can get you a new game, what do you think?” Button Mash sighed but nodded his head emotionlessly. 

“Thank you mom, you don’t have to do that though. I’ll be fine,” He sat down and slowly ate his breakfast. Every bite seemed like a torturous year to him. He only wanted the day to end so he could crawl back to bed. School was the last place he wanted to go to right now. Button’s mom lowered her head, trying to think of a way to cheer him back up to his usual self. 

“We could also get milkshakes and donuts from Joe’s Donut shop. I could get you your favorite!” She teased with a cheerful smile. Button Mash shrugged his shoulders.

“Sure, that sounds like fun,” His voice was still cold and dead as he finished up his breakfast. Button’s mom’s smile disappeared and sigh in defeat. She only hopped that nothing bad would happen at school to make this worse. 

“Just try to have a good day at school, ok sweetie, I’ll walk you if you want?”

“Sure mom, that’s fine,” Everything just didn’t phase him. It took so much to get him out of this kind of mood, and Button’s mom knew that. After he finished he got down from the table and put on his saddlebag, walking over to the door. She sighed and walked over to open the door for him. The walk there felt like as if they were walking through a graveyard. The air seemed chilled, silence surrounded the little, brown colt, and even the weather seemed to be trying to fit his mood with dark clouds blocking out the sun, threatening to rain. Button’s mom looked up at the sky, taking notice to the dark rain clouds.

“After school, try to come home as soon as you can. It looks like it is gonna rain today,” Button nodded blankly at her request. 

“Sure,” Button’s mom looked down at her little colt, her face filled with concern. If he had friends, they could cheer him up, but since he doesn’t have any friends. . The school came into sight  around the corner from their side of the road. When they got to the school, Button’s mom stopped by the front gate and gave Button Mash a kiss on top of his head. 

“Try to be positive, sweetie. Make sure you bring in all of your home work and try to pay attention in class,” Button Mash didn’t even react, he just nodded his head. 

“Alright mom. Love you, bye,” His words still had little to no life in them, making her worry about her son. She stayed by the gate a while longer, watching him slowly walk to the door of the school with all of his classmates. 

“Hang in there, hunny,” With a final nod, Button’s mom started her walk back home. As she walked back she kept her mind on trying to think of a way to make her little colt happy again. She couldn’t help it, this was one thing that makes her truly distressed. When she finally got home she started to walk into her house when her hoof brushed against something on the ground. She glanced down to see it was a box. she picked it up and brought it inside. She shut the door and brought the box into the kitchen to examine the box more carefully.

“That’s odd, Derpy normally doesn’t bring the mail till later afternoon, why did it come so early?” looking at it more carefully she noticed this box was different. It was not made out of cardboard, but wood, and the wood was slick, smooth, and clean. “Derpy always get’s the mail dirty by the time she get’s to us. Has her mail route changed again?” Upon further searching, she saw who it was addressed to and made her raise an eyebrows in confusion and shock. “Why is it addressed to Button Mash?!” 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * 

Button Mash sat down in his seat, putting his saddlebag aside and burying his face into his arms. He didn’t care about school at this moment, all he really wanted to do was sleep and let the day pass away. For once, can the teacher not pick me for anything today. I just want this day to go- “Good morning class! I have forgotten something for class today, so you may have some free time while I am gone. Please behave, I will only be gone for about 15 minutes,” Explained Cheerirlee with her usual, welcoming smile. She nodded towards the class and walked out. The students began talking amongst themselves about their week ends and all the activities they have accomplished. Button Mash paid no attention to them, nor did he care. All he could think about was what happened yesterday.

“Hey blank flank!” a voice sounded close by. Sounds like Diamond Tiara is picking on those three again. “Hey, I’m talking to you!” This time it sounded closer. Button Mash peeked out from the cover of his arms to see Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon at his desk, glaring down at him with devious smiles. 

“What do you guys want? Just leave me alone,” They snickered at that, only making them get closer. 

“Aww, what’s wrong? Still crying over your little game that broke yesterday?” Button Mash’s ears perked right up in shock. He stared at them dumbfounded. Half the class turned their attention towards the three of them. 

“How do you know about that?!”

“Oh, that little detail doesn’t matter. By the way, how long did you spend crying like a little foal for that piece of plastic?” Silver Spoon asked in a mocking manner, making the two fillies snickering to one another. Button Mash felt his face get red and his eyes starting to fill with new found tears. 

“Just stop it, leave me alone!” THey only locked their gazes at him and took another step towards him. 

“Why? Is the wittle cwy baby need his wittle bottle? Is it time to feed the wittle baby?” Silver Spoon asked in a cruel manner. Making them both laugh, a couple other students tried to hide some giggles. 

“Please guys, stop it already!” Button Mash fought hard to help back his tears, but they were getting ready to make a grand appearance. He squeezed his eyes shut to try to delay the inevitable, he didn’t want to help prove their point. 

“Hey Silver Spoon, how much do you wanna bet he still sucks his wittle hoof every night before bed? In fact, I think that-” 

THAT’S ENOUGH YOU TWO!!!” The voice shouted outward in a surprisingly booming voice. The two jumped a little by the sudden shout. When they turned to see who it was, it was Sweetie Belle, and she looked enraged. She was huntched over as if she was preparing to tackle them. Applebloom and Scootaloo were right behind her, looking fairly annoyed themselves. 

“Wow, Sweetie Belle, I didn’t know that you cared about him. What is he your coltfriend or something?” Asked Diamond Tiara sarcastically. Sweetie Belle had a faint blush across her cheeks but she held her firm glare at them. 

“No, I just can’t stand you two picking on someone who clearly is not in the mood to be dealing with your stupid drama!” Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon looked at her shocked, and even her friends. Applebloom leaned forward next to Sweetie Belle and whispered something quietly quietly in her ear. Button Mash kept his eyes fixed on Sweetie Belle, his eyes open wide in shock as well. Not for the sudden aggressive behavior like everyone else is surprised of, but the fact that, for once in his life, somepony has actually stood up for him that wasn’t his mom or big brother. 

“Yea, yea I know, I’ll explain later” Sweetie Belle whispered back to Applebloom, loud enough for Button Mash to hear, but just bearly. 

“Anyway, I guess we will leave, we don’t want to waste our time with blank flanks anyway. Come on Silver Spoon, let’s get back to our seats,” Said Diamond Tiara with her snout in the air. Her and Silver Spoon walked away and got back to their seats. Button Mash sat there in disbelief, waiting to see if what really happened actually happened or not. Once they were gone, Sweetie Belle relaxed and returned to a proper standing position, taking a deep breath to help relax herself. She now focused her gaze to Button Mash, who was staring back at her, his mouth slightly open in shock. 

“Hey, are you ok?” She asked in concern. Button Mash held his gaze a moment longer and shook his head. 

“Why did you stand up for me?” He asked innocently and confused. Sweetie Belle thought for a moment and took a couple steps towards him.

“I can’t stand those two! They think they are better than everypony else. I mean they pick on us, for sure, but to see them pick on somepony else like that. It really makes me mad,” Applebloom and Scootaloo nodded their heads in agreement. Scootaloo was the first one to walk up to Button Mash, offering a hoof. 

“My name is Scootaloo, it’s nice to meet ya!” Button Mash looked at the hoof for a moment, hesitating on what to do. With a smile he raised his own hoof and grasped hers, giving it a little shake. Applebloom was the second to walk up to him, raising her hoof to him as well.

“Mah name is Applebloom, You’re Button Mash, ah rekon,” Button mash shook her hoof as well, nodding his head. 

“Yeah, how did you know?” Applebloom and Scootaloo turned back to Sweetie Belle he glared back at them and they turned back to Button Mash,” 

“We, uh, heard about you. No one in particular though,” Applebloom muffled a giggle to herself, earning a confused expression from Button Mash. Sweetie Belle walked up and offered a hoof up to him as well.

“My name is Sweetie Belle, it’s nice to make your acquaintance,” She offered her hoof to him, and he accepted it happily, shaking her hoof as well. 

“Hi Sweetie Belle, Applebloom, and Scootaloo. It’s nice to meet you all. Thanks for standing up for me. No one really does that,” Scootaloo shrugged her shoulders. 

“Hey, no sweat it. That’s what friends are for, right?” Button Mash stared at her with a stare of amazement and surprise. 

“So. . . are we friends?” The three fillies looked at each other with a friendly smile and looked back over at him. 

“Yeah! I rekon that we are friends, that’s if ya wanna be friends,” Button Mash nodded his head happily towards them. 

“I would love to!” He exclaimed with a bit more enthusiasm than he intended. Sweetie Belle giggled a bit towards him, Applebloom laughed softly and Scootaloo was laughing, making Button Mash look at them a bit embarrassed. 

“That’s great to hear. Hey, maybe we can all hang out after school!” Sweetie Belle suggested. Button MAsh looked over to her with a smile. 

“Yeah, I would like that. Maybe we can-” Cheerilee walked through the door, carrying a box carefully on her back.

“Ok class, I managed to get the supplies we needed, everyone take your seats!” She announced to the class. Everyone started going back to their seats as instructed. 

“Well, I guess we will have to talk later. We’ll see you after school,” With a happy nod Sweetie Belle started to go back to her seat. 

“We’ll be seeing ya after class, bye Button Mash!” Applebloom said excitedly as she walked back to her seat. 

“Yeah, what they said. It will be cool to talk to you then. Later Button Mash,” Scootaloo said calmly but still friendly as she returned to her own seat. Button Mash sat there in his own seat, looking at the three fillies who just saved him from Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon. He was still a little shocked from what had happened. He leaned forward and placed his hooves on his arms, smiling in content to himself, his smile large and bright. 

“I have friends,” he whispered to himself in a dream like state. He giggled to himself as he zoned out, no longer paying any attention to what was happening in the classroom. All he could think about was three little, simple words. . . . . 

“I have friends. . . “

> 5: Sweetie Belle's Stand
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 5: Sweetie Belle’s Stand

“Sweetie Belle! It’s time to get ready for school!” Rarity’s voice rang out from downstairs. Sweetie Belle grumbled and mumbled as she slowly poked her head out to look around the room and fell back in. 

“I think not,” she whispered annoyed. She tucked herself right back to bed, snuggled in deep in the covers. After a few minutes, Rarity came up to check on Sweetie Belle to find her still in bed. She sighed annoyed, rolling her eyes.

“Honestly darling. Why must we go through this every school day,” She walked over and grabbed the blankets with her magic and tugged them away, revealing a sleeping Sweetie Belle. “Sweetie, it’s time to get ready for school!” Rarity called out to her. She grumbled some more, looking for the covers to find that they have been removed from her slumber’s domain. When her hooves grabbed air, she opened her eyes to see Rarity standing over her.

“Rarity! Give me five more minutes,” Rarity rolled her eyes at her followed by a sigh. 

“Sweetie Belle, stop whining, you have to get ready for school,” Sweetie Belle smirked up at her older sister.

“This isn’t whining. . . Thiiis is whiiiinnning!” Rarity glared down at her, making Sweetie Belle smile up nervously. “Ok, ok. I’ll get ready for school,” Rarity smiled victoriously to herself and turned to walk down the stairs. 

“Breakfast is already made, come down when you are ready,” When Rarity was out of sight, Sweetie Belle laid back down, picking up the covers from the floor and pulling them back up over her. “And don’t you even THINK about going back to bed!” Sweetie Belle opened her eyes alarmed and got out of bed quickly. She trotted downstairs and sat at the table, seeing a set of pancakes, a bowl of oatmeal and a glass of orange juice at her place at the table. With an excited smile she trotted over and sat down in her chair, looking over at Rarity. 

“Thank you for breakfast Rarity, would you like me to help you clean up after?” Rarity’s eyes opened wide in alarm but quickly turned to a nervous smile. 

“There is no need for that darling, I can take care of it,” Sweetie Belle took a big bite out of her pancake, savoring the flavor with a cheerful smile. She continued to munch away without paying too much attention to her older sister. 

“I don’t mind, Rarity. I have plenty of time,” Rarity looked around the room carefully and spotted the clock behind Sweetie Belle. With a quick thought she used her magic to set the cloak forward fifteen minutes as Sweetie Belle was almost done, the clock now saying it was 7:32. 

“Are you sure about that, darling?” The young unicorn looked at her sister with a confused expression. She turned around to look at the cloak and see it was now 7:34. 

“Oh gosh, where did the time go?!” the white filly cried out in alarm. 

“You better hurry, Sweetie Belle. You don’t want to be late for school,” Sweetie Belle chugged her orange juice and ran to the front door, grabbing her saddle and placed her books and other school supplies into it. “Have a wonderful day at school, darling. Stay out of trouble!” Rarity called out. Sweetie Belle poked her head out from behind the corner. 

“Come on Rarity. You know me,” She replied with a bright smile and she ran out the door. Rarity smiled and shook her head slowly. 

“That’s why I said it,”

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * 

Sweetie Belle trotted quickly to school, smiling to herself. She looked around to see all of her other classmates walking to school with her, except they were no where in sight. “Huh?” She looked up at the clock tower and saw it was only 7:28 am. “But. . . . when I left. . . “ She thought for a moment for an explanation. After a moment she glared down at nothing in particular. “Rarity!” She stomped the ground in frustration. She pouted up at the sky. “I’ll get you back for this!” She looked over and saw Princess Luna flying up in the sky, looking a bit like she was deep in thought. 

“What is Princess Luna doing here?” She ran off after her, following her from the shadows. She tried to keep a visual of her as she ran around the corners of buildings and trees. After some time of following her Luna turned to an alleyway and touched down, Sweetie Belle following a safe distance away. 

“We know you are following us, you should come out,” Sweetie Belle gulped nervously and came out to approach her.

“I’m sorry, Princess Luna. I saw you flying and I wanted to know where you are going. I didn’t mean to follow you,” Luna turned to her and smiled faintly. 

“Curiosity is a mystical thing. It can make us do things that most ponies would normally not do on their own accord. Do not fear, we shall not punish you for such a thing,” Sweetie Belle whipped off a bead of sweat and sighed in relief, looking at Luna curiously. 

“So where are you going?” 

“We are here for important business. There is a pony that requires our help in order to find out what they truly wish. This one is trapped in a different realm of reality and needs to be pulled out of it before it consumes their mind entirely,” Sweetie Belle looked upon Luna in astonishment. 

“Wow! That sounds like a hard, uhh, mission. I didn’t know that something like that was happening right here in Ponyville,” Luna smiled again down to her, nodding her head. 

“You would be surprised what is happening in this peaceful town. One can not simply see the unseen. The issues that occur in every ponies lives can not always be as easy to see as others. Some hold their problems so deep inside, that they forget it still remains. So it festers deep inside until the pain is scared into their being, but the reason remains forgotten. They try to act like their life is perfect, but deep down inside they are broken, the pain hidden away from even the closest of loved ones,” Sweetie Belle’s looked at her confused. 

“What exactly does that mean?” Luna shook her head, trying to hide her smile. 

“In due time, you will find a pony that is broken beyond repair, filthy beyond cleansing, and injured beyond healing, and you must then ask yourself, can you save this pony when no one else can? When you found the answer to that question, everything else will become clear to you,” Sweetie Belle still held her confused expression but nodded. “Now if you have nothing else about the matter, I must be off. I only have a small amount of time to put things in motion. It would be best if you kept this encounter our little secret for now. Can you do that for me, Sweetie Belle?” The little filly in question nodded her head, giving her a salute.

“You can count on me, Princess Luna!” Luna giggled at the small filly’s enthusiasm. 

“Thank you, have a good day at school, learn as much as you can!” And like that she took up to the skies, flying off and out of sight. Sweetie Belle watched for a moment in amazement at the last spot she saw Luna, smiling to herself. With a confident nod she turned around and headed back towards the school. One her way she met up with Scootalooo and Applebloom. They walked to school together, now only a short distance away.

“Hey Sweetie Belle, how’s yer morning?” Applebloom asked curiously. Sweetie Belle smiled excitedly and was about to tell them everything but then remembered that she promised not to tell anyone so she tried to think of something else to say. 

“Oh, you know. The usual. Woke up, ate breakfast, packed up for school, nothing special,” Scootaloo shrugged her shoulders.

“Sounds kinda boring,”

“Yea, it kinda was. So you girls ready to go to school?” 

“Yeah!” Applebloom and Scootaloo cheered out in unison with excitement. Sweetie Belle smiled at their enthusiasm. She walked with them to school, chatting away about new ideas about how to get their cutie marks. They saw other colts and fillies rushing up to get inside. Sweetie Belle stood in front of the school with her friends seeing that they had some time to kill before the school bell rang out. 

“So what will we need for the cave exploration cutie mark?” Applebloom asked. They all thought for a quick moment, Sweetie Belle tapping her chin with her hoof. 

“A lantern for sure,” 

“A lantern. . . for cave exploring. . . how boring! We should bring a torch!” Scootaloo stated. Applebloom nodded in agreement. 

“Yea, that will get us in the mood fer some cave exploring! Whatcha think Sweetie Belle?” Sweetie Belle was about to answer with an eager smile but saw somthing past her friends. Out in front of the gate she saw Button Mash walking along side with his mother, by the looks of it at least. Button held a look of depression. 

“Hey, Sweetie Belle, what are you looking at?” Scootaloo called out, waving her hooves in front of her face. They looked behind them as well to see Button Mash. “Hey, isn’t that the pony who stood up to Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon?” 

“Yea, but it looks like somthin’s troubling him, don’t cha think girls?” They nodded in agreement, watching Button Mash from the other side of the yard. 

“Maybe we should let his friends cheer him up or something,” Scootaloo suggested, shrugging her shoulders. Applebloom lowered her head. 

“Ah don’t think he has any friends. Ah’ve never seen him hangin’ out with anypony. He’s always just, playin’ on that thing he carries around with him,” Sweetie Belle looked at him, her ears dropping down to the sides of her head. 

No friends? Not a single one, none at all? He is always smiling when he comes to school, how could someone be so happy and not have a single friend? Sweetie belle’s eyes were glued to Button Mash as he said his goodbye to his mother and slowly walked to class.

“Maybe we should be friends with him?” Sweetie Belle suggested quietly. Scootaloo and Applebloom turned back to her. 

“What?” 

“You know, he doesn’t have any friends. He must feel so alone.We should be friends with him so he doesn’t feel lonely,” Applebloom and Scootaloo gave each other nervous glances and unsure looks. “What?” 

“Well, it’s not that we don’t like him or anything-”

“But the little fellow seems kinda, ah don’t know, off?”

“Yea, like he doesn’t really care about other ponies,” 

“Or that nothing really matters to him,” Sweetie Belle looked at her friends with disappointment. 

“Well what about how he stood up to Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon, Scootaloo, you even said he seemed cool,” 

“Well, yea but that doesn’t mean he would want friends. Don’t you think that he seems kinda weird?” Sweetie Belle furrowed her eyebrows at her. 

“Come on girls, that is right, and you know it. If we were to judge him by how he looks and acts, would we be any better than Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon?” Her two friends looked at each other sympathetically. She was right, they knew it. Even if they weren’t being mean about it, they were acting just like those two spoiled fillies. Applebloom was the first to speak after a moment of silence. 

“Yea. . . ah guess yer right, Sweetie Belle. We shouldn’t judge him so quickly. Maybe we should go over and say howdy or somethin’,” Sweetie Belle nodded at her, now smiling. With a determined nod to each other, they ran off to class. 

Once inside, they saw all of their classmates talking to one another. They scanned the crowd and saw Button Mash in his usual seat, his head down in his arms, sulking. Sweetie Belle gave a sympathetic look towards him, feeling sad for him. 

“Come on, girls, let’s go say hi before-” 

“Good morning class! I have forgotten something for class today, so you may have some free time while I am gone. Please behave, I will only be gone for about 15 minutes,” Explained Cheerirlee with her usual, welcoming smile. She nodded towards the class and walked out. The students began talking amongst themselves about their week ends and all the activities they have accomplished. The cutie crusaders ignored them, starting to walk towards Button Mash, but they saw their two most disliked fillies walk up to him first. 

“Well this isn’t good,” Scootaloo said quietly to herself. Sweetie Belle glared at them.

“Come on!” The two walked up to him, smiling cruelly at him. 

“Hey blank flank!” Button Mash didn’t move an inch. They looked at each other annoyed and turned back, getting closer. Sweetie Belle and her friends walked up to them, her glare intensifying. “Hey, I’m talking to you!” Button Mash’s ear twitched at that one. He raised his head to see who it was, which he wasn’t surprised to see Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon standing before him, smiling harshly at him. 

“What do you guys want? Just leave me alone,” They snickered at that, only making them get closer. 

“Aww, what’s wrong? Still crying over your little game that broke yesterday?” Button Mash’s ears perked right up in shock. He stared at them dumbfounded. Half the class turned their attention towards the three of them. Sweetie Belle stopped, her expression turned to surprise. She was already half way there. 

“Is that why Button Mash is upset? Was it that game he is always playing?” Scootaloo placed a hoof on her shoulder, making her turn to her and Applebloom. 

“Hey, this isn’t really our fight. They make fun of us a lot as is. Maybe we should just stay out of this one,” Sweetie Belle narrowed her eyes at her. 

“How could you say that? Picking on us is one thing, but I am not gonna stand here and watch them pick on somepony who is hurt enough as is without their bullying!” With a determined look she continue to make her way towards them. Scootaloo gave a confused look to Applebloom, who shrugged her shoulders in return, catching up to Sweetie Belle. 
“Please guys, stop it already!” Button Mash fought hard to help back his tears, but they were getting ready to make a grand appearance. He squeezed his eyes shut to try to delay the inevitable, he didn’t want to help prove their point.
Sweetie Belle got to them, her face was slowly turning red with anger as she glared at them. They seemed to not notice her yet.

“Hey Silver Spoon, how much do you wanna bet he still sucks his wittle hoof every night before bed? In fact, I think that-” 

THAT’S ENOUGH YOU TWO!!!” The voice shouted outward in a surprisingly booming voice. The two jumped a little by the sudden shout. When they turned to see who it was, it was Sweetie Belle, and she looked enraged. She was huntched over as if she was preparing to tackle them. Applebloom and Scootaloo were right behind her, looking fairly annoyed themselves.

“Wow, Sweetie Belle, I didn’t know that you cared about him. What is he your coltfriend or something?” Asked Diamond Tiara sarcastically. Sweetie Belle had a faint blush across her cheeks but she held her firm glare at them. I really want to hit them sometimes. . . if only I could! 

“No, I just can’t stand you two picking on someone who clearly is not in the mood to be dealing with your stupid drama!” Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon looked at her shocked, and even her friends. Applebloom leaned forward next to Sweetie Belle and whispered quietly quietly in her ear. 

“What has gotten into you? They way you are acting it really does seem like you are his marefriend.” Sweetie Belle glanced at Button Mash. Her eyes locked onto his. He kept his eyes fixed on Sweetie Belle, his eyes open wide in shock as well. 

“Yea, yea I know, I’ll explain later” Sweetie Belle whispered back to Applebloom, loud enough for Button Mash to hear, but just bearly. Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon got over their shock and rolled their eyes at them. 

“Anyway, I guess we will leave, we don’t want to waste our time with blank flanks anyway. Come on Silver Spoon, let’s get back to our seats,” Said Diamond Tiara with her snout in the air. Her and Silver Spoon walked away and got back to their seats. Button Mash sat there in disbelief, Sweetie Belle and her friends watched them leave for a second. Once they were gone, Sweetie Belle relaxed and returned to a proper standing position, taking a deep breath to help relax herself. She now focused her gaze to Button Mash, who was staring back at her, his mouth slightly open in shock. 

“Hey, are you ok?” She asked in concern. Button Mash held his gaze a moment longer and shook his head. Yea. . . he is a little weird, but he doesn’t seem that bad. 

“Why did you stand up for me?” He asked innocently and confused. Sweetie Belle thought for a moment and took a couple steps towards him.

“I can’t stand those two! They think they are better than everypony else. I mean they pick on us, for sure, but to see them pick on somepony else like that. It really makes me mad,” Applebloom and Scootaloo nodded their heads in agreement. Scootaloo was the first one to walk up to Button Mash, offering a hoof.


“My name is Scootaloo, it’s nice to meet ya!” Button Mash looked at the hoof for a moment, hesitating on what to do. With a smile he raised his own hoof and grasped hers, giving it a little shake. Applebloom was the second to walk up to him, raising her hoof to him as well.


“Mah name is Applebloom, You’re Button Mash, ah rekon,” Button mash shook her hoof as well, nodding his head.


“Yeah, how did you know?” Applebloom and Scootaloo turned back to Sweetie Belle he glared back at them and they turned back to Button Mash,”


“We, uh, heard about you. No one in particular though,” Applebloom muffled a giggle to herself, earning a confused expression from Button Mash. Sweetie Belle walked up and offered a hoof up to him as well.


“My name is Sweetie Belle, it’s nice to make your acquaintance,” She offered her hoof to him, and he accepted it happily, shaking her hoof as well.


“Hi Sweetie Belle, Applebloom, and Scootaloo. It’s nice to meet you all. Thanks for standing up for me. No one really does that,” Scootaloo shrugged her shoulders.


“Hey, no sweat it. That’s what friends are for, right?” Button Mash stared at her with a stare of amazement and surprise.


“So. . . are we friends?” The three fillies looked at each other with a friendly smile and looked back over at him.  Has he never had a friend before or something? 


“Yeah! I rekon that we are friends, that’s if ya wanna be friends,” Applebloom said cheerfully. Button Mash nodded his head happily towards them.


“I would love to!” He exclaimed with a bit more enthusiasm than he intended. Sweetie Belle giggled a bit towards him, Applebloom laughed softly and Scootaloo was laughing, making Button Mash look at them a bit embarrassed.


“That’s great to hear. Hey, maybe we can all hang out after school!” Sweetie Belle suggested. Button Mash looked over to her with a smile.


“Yeah, I would like that. Maybe we can-” Cheerilee walked through the door, carrying a box carefully on her back.


“Ok class, I managed to get the things we need, everyone take your seats!” She announced to the class. Everyone started going back to their seats as instructed.


“Well, I guess we will have to talk later. We’ll see you after school,” With a happy nod Sweetie Belle started to go back to her seat.


“We’ll be seeing ya after class, bye Button Mash!” Applebloom said excitedly as she walked back to her seat.


“Yeah, what they said. It will be cool to talk to you then. Later Button Mash,” Scootaloo said calmly but still friendly as she returned to her own seat. Sweetie Belle leaned in closer to her friends as Cheerilee was writing stuff down on the chalkboard. HEr friends leaned in as well, trying not to draw her attention, whispering to one another.


“So what was all the rukas about, Sweetie?” Applebloom asked curiously. Sweetie Belle looked away nervously but looked back at her. 


“I just can’t stand them picking on ponies like that, it’s not right!” 


“Yea, but ya were more angry than before. What gotten into ya?” Sweetie Belle was about to answer the question but stopped. It took her a minute but she couldn’t answer herself. 


“I’m not sure, I guess I got tired of seeing her act so mean,” She leaned back into her seat, thinking to herself out loud. “Why did I act like that?” She turned back to see Button Mash spacing out, smiling to himself. She giggled softly and turned back around. “Well. . . I guess he is kinda cute,”



> 6: What's in the Box?
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 6: What’s in The Box?

“Button Mash?” The voice was angelic, soothing, and brought him peace. Button Mash sighed in content as he smiled in his sleep. “Buuuutton Maaaash,” The voice called out for him once again. He slowly opened his eyes only to feel a blinding light covering his sight. He could see the silhouette of a mare standing over him, only partially blocking the sun’s warm, welcoming rays from his eyes. 

“Mom?” He asked in a dazed state of mind. The mare giggled in response. The sound of it sent a shiver down his spine. He could just barely see a soft, warm smile from the light. 

“I’m sorry to disappoint you, but I am not your mother,” Button Mash’s eyes were very slowly starting to focus on the figure standing over him. He tried to move but felt his body far too relaxed to obey his wishes. He felt a gentle hoof placed upon his cheek, rubbing it softly against his fur. He smiled yet again to her touch, but a question still remained. 

“Who are you?” The mare held her smile towards him as she released her grasp from his cheek and placed it next to him, leaning against an unseen object. Button Mash could faintly see a horn on the mare’s head. She had to have been an unicorn. She leaned down towards him in which he could almost see her now. He could now see she had light colored fur. 

“You don’t know me,” Button Mash’s smiled faded ever so slightly but held firm. He had to lower his head away from her, the sunlight starting to sting his eyes. She placed a hoof under his chin and forced him to look up at her. “Not yet,” He held that gaze as his eyes was starting to adjust, he could almost see her eyes now. Almost there. . . Almost there. . . They looked to be some sort of shade. . . of-

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 

“Button Mash, wake up!” Button Mash’s eyes shot open and his head launched back into his seat. He scanned his surroundings and took notice that he was still in class, only that it was empty now except for three fillies standing in front of him. Applebloom looked like she was fighting back to prevent laughing, Sweetie Belle looked like she was having a more difficult time doing so, and Scootaloo was biting her upper lip, snickering. 

“What?” As he spoke he felt something thing on his face. Scootaloo tapped the side of her cheek, making him start to wonder. He slowly raised his hoof over to it and brushed it on his own cheek feeling a piece of paper stuck to it. He grabbed it, pulling it off of him and tossed it aside. He looked back over to them and smiled nervously “Ehehehe, let’s pretend that didn’t just happen,” The Cutie Mark Crusaders looked at each other and burst into laughter, making him blush. 

“Ah don’t sweat it, Button Mash, it happens to everypony,” Explained Applebloom teasingly. Button Mash watched them gradually calm down from their laughter. 

“Yea. . . Don’t sweat it! I’ve done it countless of times while in class!” Scootaloo added cheerfully. 

“And out of it,” Sweetie Belle teased, making Scootaloo glare at her. 

“Hey!” They all started laughing again, making Button Mash tilt his head towards them. 

“Are you guys normally like this?” They turned to him, stilling chuckling to themselves.

“Well, yea! Friends tease each other about stuff like this. You act like you’ve never had friends or something,” Scootaloo spoke out loud. Button Mash’s ears dropped down to his sides and sadness spread across his face, cutting short of their laughter. “Oh, uhhh,” She struggled to find any words to say to him. Applebloom smiled warmly at him. She walked over and wrapped an arm around him. 

“Don’t worry about it, we‘re your friends now! Ya don’t have to feel so bad ‘bout it,” Button Mash looked over to her who held a bright, friendly, smiling face towards him and he couldn’t help but smile back at her. 

“Thanks Appleblossom,” She giggled at that. 

“Applebloom, but it’s ok,” he chuckled nervously again, making the three fillies giggle in reply. Applebloom let him go and walked back over to her friends. “Hey girls, ah just remembered ah’m supposed to go help mah sis out with the farm. Do y’all mind if we hang out tomorrow?” 

“Sure, I mean I’m cool with that,” 

“I don’t mind, Rarity might need some help with a few things anyway,” Scootaloo and Applebloom gave her a look which made her smile nervously. “You never know,” They rolled their eyes playfully and all turned to Button Mash. 

“Sorry we didn’t tell you sooner. We kinda forgot about it. Do you want to hang out tomorrow after school, though?” Button Mash smiled and nodded to them.

“Yea, that’s ok. Thanks guys!” With a cheerful smile they left the classroom, waving him goodbye. Button Mash packed away his things and left himself to get back home. The whole way he smiled to himself, humming a song from one of his games. 

Button Mash got home some time later, still smiling and humming away. He walked in, whipped his feet on the mat, and walked on in, his smile frozen on his face. 

“Mom! I’m back from school!” Button’s mom poked her head from around the corner to see him enter and ducked back into the kitchen, cleaning the dishes. 

“Hey hunny! Did you have a good day at school?” She turned back to him and saw him walk in with a smile on his face, which made her smile just as much. ”It looks like you did,” Button Mash nodded his head. 

“I did. I made some friends!” Button’s mom stopped cleaning the dishes, almost dropping the plate she was cleaning, and turned to focus all of her attention to him. Her eyes sparkled and lit up with joy and excitement which she tried to keep under control. 

“You did?! Tell me all about it!” Button Mash nodded and walked over to the dining table and took a seat. His mother walked over to the fridge, pulling out a little juice box of apple juice and an orange. “So start from the very beginning dear, I want to hear all about it!” She walked on over to the table, setting down the juice box and started peeling the orange for him. He watched her peel the orange as he started. 

“Well. . . there are these two fillies who pick on me at school,”

“That’s horrible! Do you want me to talk to the teacher about it?” Button Mash shook his head. 

“No, that don’t bother me that much. So they were picking on me today and I thought they weren’t gonna leave me alone, then these other three fillies came over and told them to leave me alone,” Button’s mom watched him as he spoke, examining every emotion that came across his face, his body language, and his words. All of them shouted out happiness and joy. She finished peeling the orange and handed it to him. “They were really nice, although a little weird-” Button’s mom giggled at that. “What?!” He whined out loud.

“Nothing dear, I’m sorry. Keeping going,” Button Mash ate one of the orange slices and a sip out of his apple juice. 

“Well, as I was saying, they were a little weird but they seem really nice. I like them,” He took another orange slice into his mouth and ate it with a smile, keeping his eyes on his mother. 

“What are their names?” Button’s mom asked kindly. He drank the rest of his apple juice with a sigh of delight. He scratched his chin, trying to remember their names.

“Uhhh. . . Scootaloo, Applebloom. . . . and Sweetie Belle I think,” His mother gave a playful giggle. 

“You think?”

“What?! I just met them today,” She giggled once more, patting his head. He placed another orange slice in his mouth, looking up to his mother. 

“I know, dear. I’m just teasing you,” Button Mash pouted at his mother.

“You don’t have to be so mean!” Button’s mom smiled gently towards him. She got up and kissed his forehead. 

“I don’t mean to be, sweety. I am just so happy that you finally made some friends. I am so proud of you baby,” She smiled brightly at him as she walked back to the dishes. “So. . . where they cute?” Button Mash glared at her.

“MOM!” Button’s mom laughed softly to herself. 

“I’m sorry hunny, I couldn’t help it,” He rolled his eyes at her, his glare faded away.

“Hey mom, would it be ok to hang out with my friends tomorrow?” Button Mash asked plainly. Button’s mom turned back to him, giving him her usual, motherly smile. 

“Of course, dear,” I’ve been waiting for you to ask me for years. Button Mash gasped in excitement, waving his front hooves in the air, estatice. 

“Yaaaa!!!” Button’s mom giggled and turned back to him. 

“Make sure you get all your homework done tonight,” Button Mash gave her a look of disgust. 

“Oh come on! Do I really have to?” Button’s mom nodded her head, holding her smile.

“Yes, now go upstairs and do your homework,” Button Mash pouted but headed up to his room with his saddle bag. Button’s mom smiled at him the whole time until she saw a wooden box in the living room. “Oh, Button sweetie, I almost forgot, you have a package in the living room,” Button Mash’s ears perked up in curiosity at the sound of that, turning back towards her. 

“Who was it from?” Button’s mom looked at the package and then back to him. 

“I am not sure, hunny. There is no address. I think somepony left it here, but it says it has your name on it,” Button Mash raised an eyebrow in suspicion. 

“Really? Can I open it?” Button Mash asked his mother with some excitement and curiosity, walking over to it. She nodded her head to him. He walked over and started to examine it carefully, trying to find a hint of its origin. Button’s mom walked over, standing on the other side of the box. There was no seal, no ribbon, no tag, nothing. It was a smooth, light brown box, hoof crafted with care and polished with elegant carving on the front reading ‘Button Mash’. 

“Just be careful, dear,” His mother pleaded. He looked up, nodding to her, and focused back to the package. He slowly cracked it open, peering inside. For what was in it he did not expect. 

“What is it, sweetie?” 

The End 















(Oh I’m just screwing with you guys, don’t worry!  )

Button Mash’s eyes lit up as he opened it completely, a smile forming across his face. 

“Button?” His mother asked. He lowered his hooves down into the box.

“It’s a new game!” Button’s mom raised an eyebrow.

“It’s a game? I don’t think we ordered a game for you. . . did we?” Button Mash shook his head, pulling out the little rectangle piece of eletronical plastic. “What game is it?” Button Mash squinted his eyes to read the title on the game. 

“Destiny. That’s all it says,” He turned it around to see the back was blank. He turned it back to the cover to see their was no company logo or a publisher name. “I think it’s an indie game,” Button’s mom tilted her head to the side in confusion.

“What is an indie game?” Button Mash looked up to her with a blank stare on his face.

“An indie game is a video game created by individuals or small teams generally without video game publisher financial support. They are often referred to being ‘low class games’ but I think that is just opinion,” She stared at him surprised.

“You sure know a lot about video games,” He smiled bashfully, scratching the back of his head with his hoof. 

“Well, I have to make sure that I get the best for my bits,” Button’s mom smiled at him, rubbing the top of his head.

“That’s my little Button! If only you put that much time and energy into your homework,” Button Mash stopped smiling and rolled his eyes, returning his gaze over at the game. 

“Can I try it out, mom?” He pleaded, looking back up to her, pouting his lips and giving her the puppy dog eyes. Button’s mom was tempted to say no but could tell he really wanted to play it. She knew that he was still a little hurt from the yesterday. She smiled lovingly down to her, patting his head, nodding to him.

 “Just this once, but make sure to get your homework done before you go to bed tonight,” Button Mash’s eyes lit up with joy and excitement, hugging his mother tightly. She was surprised by the sudden embrace but hugged him right back, nuzzling into his head.

“Thank you so much, mom!” He quickly let go, grabbing the game, and ran up to his room, leaving his mother there to smile up at him as he ran. He closed the door and dove right on to his bed, sliding the game into his joyboy. He powered up the joyboy, smiling to himself in content. “Oh I can’t wait, I wonder what kind of game it is!” His joyboy showed the system’s logo and stayed on there. 

“Huh? Did it freeze?” He asked himself puzzled. He looked at the back, wiggling the game to make sure it was fully in, which it was. He tapped the screen a few times but nothing happened. “Aw man, it froze already!” He placed his joyboy down and turned around to grab his saddle bag. While his back was turned, his joyboy’s screen flashed into a purple screen, showing a bunch of stars in the image of purple before it turned back, a purple spark crossed over the it. When Button Mash opened up his saddlebag, he heard some 8-bit music coming from his little hoof held device. He turned around to see that it was now on the main screen. 

“Oh. . . it’s fixed. Awesome!” He turned around and picked it up, smiling to himself. The main menu screen showed a star filled background and a full moon. The melody was peaceful and soothing with fancy cursive for the menu options. 

“It looks like a medieval kind of game, my favorite!” He brought the cursor over the ‘Begin Story’ button and a clash of swords was heard as the screen slowly faded away along with the music. “Who ever made this game, they did pretty good. The graphics look better than normal. I wish I knew who made it,” The screen was black for a few seconds until an armored griffin faded in to the screen. 

“Welcome, young warrior. My name is Master Flight Wing, allow me to introduce you to the world in which you are entering” Button Mash rolled his eyes. 

“Ugh, I hate introductions! Time to rapidly hit the ‘A’ button!” Button Mash tapped on it but the griffin still spoke to him. “Huh? I can’t skip it? Darn it! That stinks!” He pouted at the screen as he was forced to listen to him speak. 

“But enough about the kingdom, now to the important things that you have to know. There is no saving or checkpoints,” Button Mash’s ears perked up in alarm. “You only have one life. If you die, you can’t restart from anywhere, nor will you be able to play the game again,” His eyes opened wide in shock, one of his eyebrows twitching. 

“What?! What kind of game is this?!” After a moment’s pause, the griffin continued to speak.

“Treat this game as if you are living in it. Make the choices YOU would make, not what you think your character would make. In this game, YOU are the character,” Button Mash held his gaze at the screen, questions storming through his head. “I know you must have many questions, but before I try to explain anything further, try to keep this in mind. This is not your average game, these are not your usual quests, this isn’t your normal heroic legend. This. . . . is your tale!” 
> 7: Knowing The Game
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 7: Knowing The Game

Button Mash stared at the screen of his joyboy for a good three minutes. Not moving, not blinking, and steadily breathing. After a while he shook his head, blinking and staring at the screen with an expression of confusion frozen on his face. “Um, uh, alright,” He slowly placed the hoof held device onto his bed as if it was a bomb ready to blow, leaning away from it. “What kind of game is this?!” He asked himself in alarm. 

The game stopped speaking to him as if letting him think about everything that was just said. He picked the game back up and stared at the griffin, who then continued speaking. “Every choice you make throughout your quest will change your ending and it’s options. You must make the correct choices in this life to see to the true ending, but you will not be stopped and/or limited in your choices. For this game, is a game of free will,” Button Mash absorbed every word he spoke, a smile forming on his face. 

“I see. . . I get it, I know what this is about!” He listened more about examples of his choices. “This is a choose your own adventure game! I beat one of these before,” He smiled to himself as he listened further. With a chuckle to himself, he whipped a few beads of sweat from his forehead. “This is a really good intro. It really had me going there!” 

The griffin disappeared after he was done talking, opening up a character creation screen and a new character appeared in the bottom right corner of the screen. She was a princess, with out a doubt. She had a long, beautiful, light purple mane tied in knots all the way down. She had a light grey coat, almost smokey, and crystal blue eyes. “Hello adventurer, I see you have come to begin your grand quest. If you have a moment, let us see who you are. What is your name?” Button Mash smirked, tapping his chin with his hoof. 

“Hmmm. . . . . I need a cool name! Let’s see. . . “ He thought for a moment, trying to think of a name for his character. “I got it! Ripe Tide!” With a smile he typed it in with excitement. 

“I don’t think that is your real name, could you please put in your real name,” Button Mash raised an eyebrow in annoyance. 

“How would you know!” He pouted at his game as he tried to think of a new name. “Ok. . . what about Iron Hide! I haven’t used that name in a long time!” He typed that in only to see the young princess giggled softly. 

“I am sure that is not your name either, please give me your real name. The one given to you at birth,” Button Mash stared at his game in disbelief then in question. 

“Hmmm. . . too many characters, too little maybe? let’s try my name then, see if it’s too few,” He typed in his name on the character creation and she smiled softly at him.

“Was that so hard? Now let’s see what you look like,” Button Mash stared at the screen in shock and panic. 

“What, no, NO!!! Noooooo, that is a stupid name for a hero!!” He glared at the screen but with a defeated sigh, he gave up on it. “What is up with this game? So much for choose your OWN adventure!” Button Mash thought out loud with a pouty face. He scrolled around to create his character, adding a short, spike red mane and black eyes, and many other features. 

“Well. . . . at least they really go into detail with the character creation. . . . I’ve never seen so much detail like this!” Once he was done, he selected enter which the princess smiled, shaking her head. 

“I really doubt you look like that. How about you create your character to make it look like you,” Button Mash glared at the joyboy, his hooves clutching it tightly. 

“Oh come on!!” He chucked his joyboy at his bedpost but it bounced off and hit him in the head, knocking him down. Tears welled up and he gripped his head in pain, trying not to cry. “Owww! That hurt!” He rubbed his head where it was struck. He heard the joyboy speak out where it landed a few feet away from him, earning a glare from him. 

“It seems you wish to become someone else on this adventure. I wonder why that is?” Button Mash’s glare softened, looking away from the game, pouting. “Is it because you feel like you have no power? That you find yourself a weak individual who is not worthy of becoming a hero? Is that why you play games like these, so you can become the stallion you’ve always dreamed of being? So does that mean that you think yourself as someone who can’t do these grand and heroic deeds? So to feel needed, to feel loved, and to feel important you play games where you can live the life of someone who has done those things? Why don’t you let yourself be the hero for a change, ” He stared back at the game, shocked and surprised, his eye twitching at it as his game fired odd questions at him. He even felt his heart twitch a little, feeling a strange and powerful, unknown force hitting it. 

“What?! It’s. . . it’s like. . . “He questioned the game in his head, wondering who made it and why. Such a game was baffling to him, it was as if the game had gotten in his head. He went over and made his character look exactly like him, making sure to get as much detail as he could. The princess looking mare smiled warmly at him.

“See, that wasn’t so hard. Now we know your name and what you look like. Now we can start your adventure. Your grand quest awaits, new hero!” Button Mash got through the opening act, listening carefully but still annoyed that he can’t skip it, which he was trying.

“In the year 832, the kingdom has been divided by two separate groups, the Empire and the Lunar Knights. The Empire believes that peace can only be obtained through hardship and trust in their kingdom while the Lunar Knights believe that peace can only be obtained from the people being independant. In this story you must choose what you must do and decide what is best for your survival. You live in a little village called Sunset Town. People will try to use you, people will make fun of you and say you are wrong. You alone must choose who is right and who is wrong and choose your allies wisely. Your story begins now,” 

Button Mash paused his game and exited it, the auto save marked his place as the joyboy slowly faded with life and shut off. After that he pulled out the game from the little device, grabbed his saddlebag, and went downstairs were his mom was finishing up the dishes. “Hey mom, I am gonna go to the video game store and try to figure out what this game is, is that ok?” Button’s mom looked over to him with her usual kind smile, nodding at him. 

“Of course dear, just make sure you are back in time for dinner,”

“What is for dinner?”

“Mac and cheese with hay fries. It will be done in an hour,”

“Awesome! Thanks mom, I’ll be back as soon as I can!”

“Ok sweetie, please be safe,” 

“I will!” Button Mash waved good bye to her and walked out the door, closing it behind him. He walked on over to his usual video game store over near the center of town. It opened up recently but they recognize Button Mash easily for being a frequent customer. “I wonder if anyone knows about this game, hopefully Game Pad knows something about it,” Game Pad was the closest to a friend Button Mash had with out the title of being friends. He saw him often and usually can answer any question he came in with, and if he didn’t know he could point him in the right direction to find out for himself.

Button Mash came across the small store that had a game controler on the sign that read “Game Land” in big, red letters. Pictures of future games were on the windows at the front. He pushed it open, chiming a little bell. “Hang on, I’ll be right out,” A voice called out from behind the counter. Button Mash turned towards it, seeing the usual red and black curtain. He was usually back there, “testing out” the new products so he says. After a moment, a unicorn with a midnight black mane, blue eyes, and sun bleach blonde fur came through the little curtain behind the counter. “Oh, hey Button Mash, what’s up? Your game hasn’t come in yet, still got nine days until it get’s in,” 

Button Mash shook his head. “No, I am not here about Darkness Rises, I have this indie game that has no labels and I was wondering if you had any idea on who made it,” He walked up to the counter and placed it down in front of Game Pad. He walked over and picked it up, bringing it closer to his face to get a better look, turning it over to look at the back. 

“I see, no labels alright. Hmmm, no company logo, no brand name, no description. . . This looks familiar but I can’t put my hoof on it,” He looked at the unknown game for a moment longer before a light bulb came to life in his mind. He put the game down and went out back. A moment of hearing some things getting moved around he came back with another game. He placed them side by side, looking at them both. Button Stared at him with a puzzled look. 

“Did you find something?” Game Pad took a moment further to look at both games before smiling, nodding to him. 

“Yup! They are from the same indie group without a doubt! The art design is the same! Take a look,” Game Pad pushed both games to him, putting them side by side. Button Mash put his front hooves onto the counter to get a look, even then he barely reached it. The game he had was Destiny, the other game was called Fate Through Fire. The other game had a black dragon breathing fire up at the sky and a couple of knights in shining armour fighting it off in the center of a village. When he looked closely at the games, the artwork was the same style. “See? Now tell me a bit about your game,”

“Well, mine has a weird character creation screen, nothing like I have ever seen before. I tried to put in a name but it told me to use my real name, it did that twice! I ended up using my real name and THEN it worked and let me design the looks of my character. I tried two different designs and it denied them both, telling me to look like me. Then it when on this speech about why it thought I don’t like using myself as a character or something like that,” His friend nodded with a smile. 

“Yup, that is definitely Shadow Studios! They try to do this 4th wall breaking thing on players to spook them out. Looks like it worked on you, Button!” Game Pad explained confidently, sticking his tongue out at the little colt. He glared at him. 

“Hey! I never played a game like this, I was just surprised!” Game Pad laughed over at him, rolling his eyes. 

“Oh yea, suuuurrrrre. I know you Button, I wouldn’t doubt it if you almost cried from being so scared,”

“Did not!” Game Pad raised his front hooves, trying to calm him down. 

“Relax, either way it’s fine. They do this often, I’ve been playing this game for a while now, it’s pretty good. They do some awesome choose your own adventure stuff, like it’s really you doing everything, LOT’S of choices. It looks like you got their newest game. Lucky!” Button Mash smiled victoriously at Game Pad, sticking his own tongue out at him, making Game Pad chuckle, waving his hoof at him. “Yea yea, what ever, hot shot. Anyway, so do you have any other questions or was that it?” 
Button Mash shook his head with a joyful smile. “Nope, that’s it. Thanks for the help,” He grabbed his game and started walking away but then stopped. “Oh, by the way, I forgot to mention. This game doesn’t let me save, and it tells me that if I die, I can’t restart or anything,” Game Pad’s smile disappeared and he looked over at Button Mash with a puzzled look. “Have you ever had a game that did that?” He thought for a moment, leaning against the wall behind him, tapping his chin with his hoof. 

“No. . . . . I can’t say that I have. That sounds like a weird game to me, doesn’t even let you save. What is it an auto save feature?” Button Mash nodded his head. “Ok, but still. Why won’t it let you keep playing if you die?” Game Pad thought out loud for a while, thinking really hard on the subject. “It makes no sense!” He came across another game, a smile spread across his face. “Wait a second, remember that one game. . . ummm, what was it. Light Spear! Right, remember how you couldn’t save in that game? Maybe they are trying to pull something like that,”

“Isn’t that the game that when you die, you have to start over from the very beginning of the act?”

“Yea, that’s the one! Maybe Shadow Studios is trying a new thing, taking that idea. There’s no way they would make you not play again after you die. So relax, dude, you’re good. Judging from Shadow Studios, they are trying to spook you out. It’s kinda their thing.” 

“Well, if you are sure, then ok! Thanks again!” He waved at him, saying his good bye and left the shop, heading back home. He looked at the game and smiled. “So I guess that means you will be a tough game to beat. Well I know that I can beat this!” With a confident look plastered on his face, he slid the game back in his saddlebag. He now knew about the game he was playing and now he felt so much better about the whole subject. Little did he know. . . his entire life was about to change, for better and for worse!

> 8: Knight in Shining Armour
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 8: Knight in Shining Armour 

“They are running away, get them!” Two large shadowed objects ran out of the cover of some shrubs next to a cottage house and ran for the forest. Button Mash glared over at the swift, dark creatures in the moon lit sky. He drew back a lance with his right hand, aiming towards the dark shadows. 

“Hurry, they are almost lost!” Button Mash ignored the voice in distress and focused carefully at his target, waiting for the right time to launch his projectile. They were getting closer to the forest line. Every second meant they were getting farther away from the range of his lance. Button Mash pulled back and threw his weapon. It sliced through the crisp air and impaled one into the ground. The other skidded to a halt, looking over at it’s accomplice. 

“Well, get another one ready!” Button Mash rolled his eyes but instead he raised his hooves up and clapped them towards the lance. 

“I got this!” He mumbled to himself with annoyance. The lance sparked outwards, releasing a bright shock wave that fried the other creature, petrifying it. Button Mash ran over and examined his handy work. 

“Well, that is two less giant rats you will have to worry about no longer!” A mare walked over to him, examining them closely but carefully.

“They are gone then? Never to be feared again?” The young mare asked with slow, careful steps towards the giant vermine. Her grey peasant robes dragged lightly on the ground behind her. She had a short blue mane and grass green eyes. She seemed to have a blond body underneath the attire that she possessed. 

“Yes, yes. I have taken care of them. You don’t need to worry about them any more,” Button Mash explained to the now calming mare who sighed in relief hearing those words. He pulled out his lance from the first giant rat and stuck it into the ground next to him, using it to lean against. 

“Thank you so much for helping me. Please, take this as a reward for your hard work and bravery! My farm would have been ruined if you hadn’t come along,” He nodded to her with a humble smile, holding up his hoof at her.

“Please, there is no need to thank me so, but since I am in a hurry and you seem to not want to take no for an answer, I’ll accept your generosity open heartedly,” The mare blushed lightly, waving a hoof at him. 

“You are such a charmer, thank you kind sir,” 

“Of course, now I have to go to the next town over, The Town of Waking Seas. Do you know how much longer I have till I have arrived?” 

“You have to travel through the Razor’s Edge and the village will be with in sight,”  

“Thank you, I must be off,” Button Mash bowed his head towards the mare and he headed out. He cleaned his lance with a rag and sheathed it right back into it’s pouch on his back, tucking the rag away in his back pocket. He walked alone on the road to the next town. He needed to try to find work in the city he so slowly approached. 

“Button dear, it’s time,” Button Mash sighed in annoyance, rolling his eyes to himself. He paused the game and called out towards his mother. 

“MOM!! I only made it to level nine! Can I please keep playing?”

“You have to go to town, dear. You promised me that you would if I let you play yesterday you would pick up the groceries today,” Button Mash growled quietly and was about to curse down at her in Homgolian, but he remembered how that went last time so he decided against it with a defeated sigh. 

“Ok! I’ll be down in a second!” Button Mash called down urgently. He grabbed his bag and looked into the mirror. He readjusted his hat and smiled at his complexion, stroking his upper lip with an almost day dreaming like gaze. “I wish mom would let me use dad’s mustache again, it was sooo cool!” He frowned for a second, scratching where the fake mustache was on that day, but shook the idea way, going back to smiling. 

Button Mash nodded at his reflection, grabbed his joyboy and saddle bag, and walked down the stairs. He hummed a quiet little tune to himself from his game as he approached his mother. “So what do I need to get?” Button’s mom was cooking up something on the stove. What ever it was, it smelt really good and filled Button Mash’s nostrils with a mouth watering aroma. 

“I have the list and bits on the table, sweety. Just make sure to get back here before lunch is done,” She turned around to see Button Mash’s mouth slightly open and his eyes staring with a hypnotic stare over to the metal pot she was cooking with. Her gaze turned into confusion as she examined him. “Ummm, are you ok Button?” He shook his head to break the trance and looked at his mother in the eye.

“Sorry, it smells sooooo good. What are you cooking?” Button Mash asked curiously, wiping a small trail of drool from his lips. Button’s mom giggled, looking back at the cooking pot with a teasing smile. 

“Oh, just a little recipe I’ve had planned for a little while now. I was hoping to make it sooner but I never had the right ingredients to cook it with. It’s a little surprise I have for you later today, so make sure to take your time so I can make sure to have everything ready for you,” 

“Ok, mom!” Button Mash exclaimed excitedly, nodding his head to her with a large smile on his face. Button’s mom giggled as he rushed over to the note and small bag of bits, placing them both in his saddle bag. 

“I’ll be back soon!” And like that he dashed out the door. Button’s mom shook her head, smiling at where Button Mash was just standing not a minute ago. After a quiet giggle she returned to her cooking, stirring some sort of sauce with in the bubbling pot. 

“He needs to learn to take life one step at a time. He always rushes things,” 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Button Mash walked through town with his nose to his joyboy, ignoring the world once again as he always does when ever he goes outside. He would glance up every now and then, just to make sure he didn’t bump into anything, although he always does either way. 

“I have to get through the Dead Wood and then through Razor’s Edge, and then the next town should be right past that. At least that is what the farmers said,” He glanced up for a moment and saw he didn’t have anything in front of him. “Huh, odd. I haven’t ran into anything yet,” He scanned the area for a second, making sure he was still going the right way, then continued marching on, playing his game. 

He turned the corner and continued walking forward. He glanced up at the road and then to his right, seeing a little flower bed in a window sill. He glanced back but he heard a little 8-bit tune play out and a smile formed across his face, returning his focus onto the game enthusiastically. “Yes, level ten! Finally! Leveling up is hard in this game, but it looks sooo coooool!!” Button Mash heard a sound behind him like hooves skidding behind him. He spun around quickly to the sound but saw no one there, only a small trial mark in the ground leading a couple feet to him. 

Around the corner he could have sworn he heard a quiet whisper. It didn’t sound like it was for him so he shrugged his shoulders and ignored it. “Not sure what that is about but it’s not my business, and my mom told me to stay out of other ponies business,” With a nod he put his face back into his game and continued walking.   

“I normally walk into something by now, maybe today is my lucky- oh look a cave!” Button Mash’s character stood in front of a normal, standard looking cave that led a rough path into pitch black darkness. He pulled out his lance and a torch and trailed through the rocky path into the cave. The torch illuminated around him, creating dancing shadows and glowing stone walls. He glanced over at one part of the wall, seeing something carved into it. 

“This must be some sort of secret tip, or maybe a hint! But what if-” Button Mash stuck his tongue out partially in the corner of his mouth as he focused on what the carvings said. 

A flower pot landed behind him with a loud CRASH, making him jump into the air. He glanced back at the mess and gulped down fearfully. “That almost hit me, today must be my lucky day,” he whispered to himself. “Maybe I should pay more attention to where I am going,” 

Button Mash returned to his walking and glanced back at the game, only to find out that the markings were gone. “Ah come on! How was I suppose to know that I only had a moment to look at it. Stupid flower pot!” He glared at the broken flower pot with a harsh glare and kept walking forward. 

Button Mash looked up once more, after a while of walking and playing his game, he finally reached his destination, the marketplace. He pulled out his list from his saddlebag and tucked his joyboy away, putting his game on pause. He walked slowly through the crowd, glancing at the list and then around at all the stalls. Only a few groups of ponies were walking around at this time of day so he wasn’t worried about bumping into anyone or anything. 

Button Mash saw one of the stands he was after, the carrot stall. He started walking up to the vendor, smiling to himself. 

“Hey blank flank!” Cried out a voice to his right. He sighed and rolled his eyes, he knew exactly who’s voice that belonged to and they were the last pair he wanted to see right now. He heard a wagon moving and when he looked over, a large cart carrying large, wooden barrels. He looked around for the source of the name calling but couldn’t see anyone around him looking his way. 

“I could have sworn. . . . never mind, it doesn’t matter,” He shrugged it off and kept walking to his destination. 

“Hi, how may I help you little colt?” The vendor asked politely. 

“I need ten carrots, please” He reached into his saddle bag again and pulled out the bit bag his mother gave him. 

“Sure thing, that will be ten bits!” Button Mash pulled out the correct number of bits and placed them onto the makeshift counter. “Thank you, have a nice day!” She placed ten carrots into a bag and handed it over to the little earth pony. 

“Thanks, you too!” Button Mash called over with a cheerful grin on his face. This went on for about half an hour due to the crowds picking up and trying to find all the vendors. Once his task had been completed, he turned away from the market place and started making his way back home. Not even ten minutes from walking away from the market, he heard the voice again. 

“Hey, blank flank, where do you think you’re going?” Button Mash stopped, sighed annoyed and turned around to face the annoying duo bully filles, Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon. The strange thing was that they were soaking wet, and very mad. It looks like they went swimming.  

“Do you guys really have nothing better to do but to bug me?” The two filles giggled harshly at his remark. 

“Well well well, looks like you stopped crying like a little foal,” Diamond Tiara replied back with a smirk.

“Maybe his mommy let him suck on his wittle bottle of milk today,” They laughed at their own jokes, making Button Mash take a step back away from them, making them step forward. He repeated the steps but they still were closing the distance between them. 

“Whatcha doing? Going out and doing a wittle favor for your mommy. You must feel like a big colt now,” He glared at them nervously, glancing around for a subtle way out. They really get on my nervous, I got to get out of here! 

“Can you leave me alone already, it’s not nice to pick on other ponies,” They laughed again at him, now walking around him closely, surrounding him. Keep your eyes on both of them, once they get closer, pull out the shock lance and strike- oh darn! This isn’t my game! They got behind him, smirking and snickering at his panicked face. He kept his front side to them, making sure they didn’t get to have his back. Diamond Tiara was about to say something but she looked up above Button Mash and her mouth remained open, her look of cruelty turned into shock, Silver Spoon matching the expression. 

“What?” He suddenly turned around very slowly and his jaw dropped in complete shock, taking a step back. 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

“What do you mean we ran out of cutie mark ideas?!” Sweetie Belle cringed at Scootaloo’s sudden out burst. She pulled out a clipboard and showed it to them weakly, a check mark next to everything on it. 

“I mean that we have run out goals on the clipboard. We need to refill the list,” Applebloom and Scootaloo sighed in annoyance, Scootaloo leaned back and fell onto her back, face hoofing. The Cutie Mark Crusaders have been trying to complete their ultimate goal of realizing their destiny and obtaining their cutie marks at the park, but of course everything failed. They all hung their heads in defeat, not knowing what to do now.

“Well, let’s try ta think of somethin while we’re just layin here in the sun,” Scootaloo lifted her head off the ground and nodded, followed by Sweetie Belle. 

“What HAVEN’T we tried yet?” Scootaloo asked to her friends almost sarcastically, yawning out of boredom. 

“We can try to take care of pets!” Sweetie Belle offered with a hopeful smile, her ears perking up. 

“We already tried that, with Spike, remember?” Applebloom reminded, making her ears drop down again. They went down a verbal list of everything they have tried already when Sweetie Belle spotted Button Mash walking in the streets, his nose glued to his joyboy. She had a small smile on her face and a sudden urge to run up and say hi, but she felt a little nervous about it. 

Wait. . . nervous? Sweetie Belle felt nervous but was trapped deep in thought trying to figure out why. Nothing was different about him. Just like the first time when he was walking around town with his full attention to his game. He didn’t seem different in any way. 

“SWEETIE BELLE!!” She jumped by her name being yelled at over to her. She turned her head over to her friends who were looking at her concerned. 

“Hey, are ya ok?” Applebloom asked with a cautious look in her eyes. Sweetie Belle nodded at her with a small smile. 

“Yea, I was just thinking of. . . uhh,” She glanced back over to Button Mash and an idea hatched inside her head. “Guardian Angel Cutie Marks!” Her friends looked at her with a confused look on their faces. 

“What is that?” 

“You know, like when somepony has a guardian angel watching over them, protecting them from harm without ever showing themselves. We should try that!” Applebloom and Scootaloo thought that idea through. After a moment they both smiled at the idea and turned to Sweetie Belle with a smile. 

“That’s actually a cool idea! Imagine what our cutie marks would look like!”

“Yea, if we could get somethin like that, I reckon we would have the best cutie marks in the whole class! Let’s do it, ya’ll!” 

“GUARDIAN ANGEL CUTIE MARKS!!!” They all shouted, jumping up in the air in excitement. They nodded in agreement, now dead set on this new goal of their’s. Excitement building up rapidly. 

“So. . . who are we going to protect?” Sweetie Belle glanced at Button Mash who was starting to leave her sight. 

“Why not Button Mash? He is so clumsy and always looking at his game while he walks. I bet he is bound to walk into something. He would be easy!” Scootaloo and Applebloom looked at each other for a second and then back to Sweetie Belle.

“You got a point, ok. He does seem like a trouble magnet sometimes, doesn’t he? This will be a sintch!” With one final nod they took off, Sweetie Belle in the lead. 

“I saw him walk around over here, he might be heading to the marketplace or the center of town,” The Cutie Mark Crusaders ran around town for a moment till they turned a corner and almost ran into Button Mash, literally. They skidded to a halt and quickly ducked into cover. 

“Do you think he saw us?” Applebloom asked in a faint whisper. Scootaloo glanced around the corner, trying to remain hidden as much as she could. She turned back to her friends quickly and shook her head followed with a wink. The other two fillies sighed in relief and relaxed. 

“Come on, we have to follow him!” Sweetie Belle whispered as she slowly sneaked around the corner, followed closely by her friends. They stopped behind an empty stall and watched Button Mash walk about like he normally does. 

Applebloom looked up and pointed up at a house hold. Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo looked up to see a cat rubbing up against a flower pot, pushing it closer and closer to the edge. Sweetie Belle’s eyes widen in panic, looking down to see Button Mash about to walk under it. As if planned, the cat knocked the flower pot off the window sill and it came down for his head. 

Sweetie Belle aimed her horn and closed her eyes. Her horn flickered with a green aura magic and glowed brighter. She grunted quietly and focused as hard as she could. Her horn made a large flicker and the flower pot was pulled towards her a few inches, crashing behind him, 

“Whoa! Sweetie Belle, you actually did magic! That was awesome!” Scootaloo exclaimed, her little wings flapped rapidly in excitement. Sweetie Belle whipped some sweat from her forehead and turned to look at her friends who looked at her in amazement. 

“Well it wasn’t easy and I didn’t even do much. All I did was pull it closer to me,”

“Still, that was awesome, you totally saved his life! If you weren’t around, that flower pot would’ve hit him in the head,” Sweetie Belle rubbed the back of her head bashfully, a faint blush forming across her cheeks. 

“Oh I don’t think I would-”

“He’s gettin away!” They all turned and saw Applebloom was right and they took off once more. When they turned the corner, Button Mash had reached his destination, the marketplace. They looked over and saw Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon walking up to him. 

“Come on girls! We got a pony to save!” Applebloom declared with a confident look upon her face, they ran over to the alley way they were coming from and saw a wagon filled with large wooden barrels. 

The bullies looked over to Button Mash and smiled wickedly at him, picking up the pace a little. “Hey black flank!” The three fillies rushed over and pushed the wagon and blocked the alley way from Button Mash’s sight. The pair of fillies stopped in their tracks and glared up at their classmates. “Hey, what gives? Are the blank flanks uniting or something?” Diamond Tiara asked with a raised eyebrow. 

“Maybe that colt joined their stupid little club in the woods,” They both started laughing at them. Sweetie Belle rolled her eyes. 

“Well, at least we don’t-”

“He’s gettin away, hurry girls!” Darn, I had a really good come back, too. Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo turned back to see he was going into the gathering of stalls, walking through the crowds. 

“Well let’s go then, slow pokes!” Scootaloo demanded, jumping off the wagon, shaking the barrels lightly. Applebloom was the next to jump off, rocking the barrels more. Sweetie Belle turned to them and jumped off as well, knocking one of the barrels over. Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon happened to glance up at the last moment to see the large barrel tipping over towards their direction, their faces of harsh laughter replaced with shock and panic. 

The only sound that was heard by the trio of fillies was a short scream and a lot of water splashing onto the ground Applebloom turned over to Scootaloo. “Ya’ll don’t think the rain barrel tipped over, do ya?” Scootaloo shook her head with a slightly panicked expression.

“No, no they’re fine,”

“Should we go check?”

“Nope, keeping going!” Sweetie Belle giggled softly under her breath, glancing back at the wagon. When she turned back, Button Mash had disappeared. They stopped and took a good look around, trying to find any trace of the little brown colt walking through the crowds. Sweetie Belle felt a single bead of sweat trail down her face as panic started to rise with in her.

“It’s getting more crowded, we won’t find him if it get’s any worse,” 

“Well what do you want us to do? There’s no way we can find him through this!” 

They searched the market place with no luck. They only found more stallions and mares trying to complete their shopping. After what felt like hours of searching, Applebloom spotted him leaving, and the pair of, now soaking wet, bullies calling out to him. 

“There he is, and he’s in trouble, hurry!” They all turned and ran over, trying to remain hidden. It was too late though, for Button Mash was already trying to back up away from them, trying to get some space but they were getting closer and closer. 

“We’re too late! If we try to do anything now, we will be spotted!” Scootaloo exclaimed in panic, turning back to her friends. Sweetie Belle searched the area aimlessly, trying to find some sort of hint. As they were all looking, the talking over where Button Mash was went silent. When they looked they saw a royal Canterlot guard standing over the three.

“What is a royal guard doing here?” Sweetie Belle asked herself, puzzled. The guard glared at the three little ponies firmly. Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon were cowering against his gaze while Button Mash just simply looked surprised. 

“Excuse me, little fillies. Please leave this colt alone. I believe no one should pick on another ponies,” They nodded to him, backing up even more, looking as if they were about to take off running. “Except for their big brother!” He knelt down and opened his arms towards Button Mash. He hesitated but finally smiled, charging in for the hug. 

“Cheat Code!” He tackled into the large guard and gripped him tightly into a hug, the guard in question hugged him right back with a big, cheerful smile on his face. 

‘WHAT?!?!” Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon shouted out loud, their jaws hitting the ground. 


> 9: Dinner With the Family
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 9: Dinner With the Family

Sweetie Belle and her friends watched Button Mash hug the guard with their eyes twitching and their jaws wide open. They were lost for words, absolutely nothing could be said to clear their shock. Cheat Code raised his head and looked down at Button Mash. 

“Well you’ve grown since the last time I saw you. You forgot to tell me that you moved. I came over to our house in Canterlot and found it empty,” Button Mash loosened his grip and stared into his big brother’s eyes in confusion. 

“But didn’t mom tell you that we moved?”

“Yea, I got the letter a day after I came over. Mom gave me the new address so I could arrange another visit. With all the training and my promotion, I had a hard time finding time to come see you guys,” 

“What?! You finally got a level up?” Cheat Code burst into laughter, letting him go and standing up tall. He easily towered over Button Mash and the two ponies, who were still in complete shock.

“Still using game references, huh? Yes I am finally a Sergeant of the 3rd division recon team,” Button Mash looked up at his brother in amazement. 

“That is soooo cooool!!!” Applebloom stared at Button Mash with a slightly different look upon her face. Sweetie Belle couldn’t quite explain it, but it made her feel uncomfortable. 

“I guess you could say that,” Cheat Code looked over at the two fillies and put on a firm stare with a small smile on his face. “Now excuse me, little ones, but please do not pick on my little brother, that’s my job and I am a professional at it,” He gave a playful jab at Button Mash’s shoulder, making him rub it and glare up at his brother. Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon nodded nervously at him and got back up. 

“Y-y-yes sir, we w-w-will sir!” And like that they took off running the other direction, leaving a cloud of dust where they were standing. Watching them run off like that made Cheat Code laugh a little. 

“Wow, they really took off, that was kinda funny. Friends of your’s?” Sweetie Belle, Applebloom, and Scootaloo ducked down into cover in some bushes to get out of sight. 

“Button Mash’s brother is in the royal guard? Ah didn’ know that!”

“I know, right. That is so awesome!”

“Keep it down, girls. We don’t want to be caught. We spent all this time not being seen, so let’s try to keep it that way,” Sweetie Belle’s friends gave her a confident nod.

“Right!” They both said with a firm look and a small smile. Applebloom raised herself slightly to have a look.

“They look a lot alike, it’s easy to tell that they are brothers. I wonder if. . . “ Button Mash shook his head firmly, his smile disappearing. 

“No, they pick on me at school, they are really annoying,” Cheat Code gave a hearty laugh once again, slapping his knee with a metalic SLAP. 

“That is so like you. Ok then, so what about the ones that have been following you?” He pointed to the bushes where the Cutie Mark Crusaders were hiding. Applebloom ducked down, her eyes wide open in fear.

“Girls, ah think he knows where we are!” Button Mash looked over to where he pointed with a confused look on his face.

“I don’t see anyone,” Cheat Code shook his head, taking a step towards the bushes.

“Come on out, you’re not in trouble. I simply wish to speak to you,” They didn’t budge from their spot, too scared to move. He chuckled a bit to himself, shaking his head. “Alright then,” He raised his right hoof up and his armour started to glow. The glow traveled through and gathered at his right hoof. He slammed it into the ground, creating a small shock wave that rushed towards the bushes and shook it violently. The bush ignited in a blue fire and made it disappear almost instantly, revealing the three fillies crouched down. Button Mash was surprised to see them, like the trio of fillies. 

“Oh. . . I didn’t know. They are my friends. How did you do that?” The three lifted themselves up and smiled nervously towards the two in front of them. They tried to say something but were lost for words. Sweetie Belle’s face turned beat red and she took off running. Her friends were stunned to see her run for a second but took off running as well. 

“I’ll explain later, but it looks like your friends are a tad bit shy, huh?” Sweetie Belle run as fast as she could, feeling embarrassed as she could possibly be. After a while she managed to run to the club house, panting loudly as she opened the door and walked in. Her friends caught up to her a few minutes later, panting like her. 

“Sweetie Belle! Why did. . . you run. . . away. . . like that?” Scootaloo asked between pants, leaning up against the wall. Sweetie Belle didn’t answer, her throat felt dry and her heart was pounding through her chest. She didn’t answer her friends, mostly because she lacked the ability to. 

“Sweetie Belle, are you ok?” Applebloom asked in concern, slowly approaching her. Her face was red and her breathing was short and shallow. “Sweetie Belle?” 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 

Button Mash and Cheat Code walked back home, talking about things that have happened, Cheat Code telling him about some of his missions that he had taken on with the squad he leads. 

“And once we defeated the hydra, we found out that the cave was only home to an angry bear. So we had no choice but to retreat,”  

"Why didn't you fight the bear? If you can take on a hydra, you can take on a bear," 

"Because, little brother, we invaded it's home, it was only defending itself," Button Mash looked up upon his brother star struck. He never truly knew how amazing his older brother really was.

“I never knew that you did such awesome things!” Cheat Code laughed a bit, rubbing the back of his head humbly. 

“Well I wouldn’t say that, all I was doing was doing my job. It is my duty to-” Cheat Code glanced back without turning his head then glanced back forward. “Stay close Button,” He looked up nervously at him. 

“What? Wh-why?” They continued walking in silence until they were at the park and Cheat Code turned around.

“Alright, what is it that you want?!” Button Mash turned around and saw a dark brown pegasus with a fire red mane and light red eyes stumbling towards him with a bottle in his hoof. 

“Yea, I got *hic* a bone to pick with you!” Cheat Code guided Button Mash behind him.  

“Listen Quick Run, it wasn’t my fault. They choose me over you because you broke down,” The stallion in question glared at him, drinking the rest of the contents of the bottle.

“Well because of you, I’ve hit rock bottom! Because *hic* of you, they won’t let me back into the recon team! We settle *hic* this, right now!” Cheat Code glared at him, taking a step towards him. 

“I’m with my little brother, can we please talk about this later?” Quick Run charged with the empty bottle with a loud battle cry. “You don’t want to do this!” Cheat Code leaned back with one hoof out, the armour started to glow faintly and then transferred to his hoof, making it glow now. 

“FALCON-” The pegasus continued the charge, raising the bottle for a strike. As soon as he was a foot away, Cheat Code slammed his hoof into the attacker’s chest, the glowing energy was disbursed. “PUNCH!” Quick Run blasted off and slammed into a tree, hard. He gasped out in pain and his eyes rolled back, falling unconsious. Cheat Code stood back up, dusting off his hoof. 

"I told you so. You should have listened,” He turned back to Button Mash, which his mouth was wide open in shock. 

“How did you do that?!” Cheat Code looked at him confused.

“How did I do- Oh yea! Everypony who joins the recon division get’s a special suit of armour that powers up our natural abilities. I won’t tell you anything but let me tell you this-” He leaned in closer to Button Mash till he was a foot away from his face. “They don’t call me Cheat Code for nothing,” He gave him a wink and stood back up. 

“Wow, that is sooo coool!” Button Mash exclaimed with excitement, his eyes sparkling in admiration. Cheat Code chuckled a bit, messing up his mane, earning a pout from Button Mash. 

“You are too easily impressed. Come on, now that that little annoyance is taken care of, let’s get back home. Don’t tell mom or she will freak out!” Button Mash Nodded his head with a firm smile. Cheat Code lifted his hoof down to him with a matching smile, which Button Mash pressed his hoof up to him with a faint THUMP. Cheat Code dropped his hoof and with one quick, swift motion ducked under Button Mash, lifted him off the ground, then tossed him up to reposition him so that he was riding on his back. 

“Yea!” He cried out with excitement, holding onto him. Cheat Code chuckled a bit then looked forward with a firm look and a cocky half smile. 

“Next stop, home!” He jumped up on his back hooves, waving his front hooves in the air a bit, then launched forward. Button Mash had a hard time holding on but was laughing in bliss either way. While they were running, he remembered the fight that just occurred and looked down to him. 

“Hey Cheat Code, what was that fight about?” Without breaking stride or looking back, he replied.

“Don’t worry about that, he is just a sore sport. Blames me for something he did. We trained together at boot camp and he was a bit of a better fighter at the time but I got into the recon division and he didn’t. He threw a hissy fit and got kicked out. I’ll explain the whole story later, just don’t tell mom about this,” 

“Don’t worry, I won’t. I promise!” 

“Bro Promise?” Button Mash rolled his eyes but looked right back to his older brother. 

“Cross my flag, with a battle cry, and spread my wings like the pegusi. For if I lie to my brother’s eye, I can kiss my flank good bye,” Cheat Code glanced back and nodded with a smile. 

“Good, now we are good,” They traveled for a little while longer till they reached their destination, home. Cheat Code lowered himself so that Button Mash could get off. With one last nod he took off his helmet and opened the door. After dusting their hooves off, they turned the corner and saw a large banner which read ‘Welcome Home’ on it. Button’s mom was setting up some plates and turned to Cheat Code with a large smile on her face.

“I was gonna keep it a surprise for Button but it looks like that was spoiled. It is so good to see my little Cheat Code again. Just not so little anymore,” She walked up and hugged him tightly, in which he returned the favor with a nostalgic smile. “I missed you so much dear!” 

“I missed you too!” They held that embrace for a good while, simply soaking in the emotions that they radiated from one another. After a while longer they break the hug and simply stared into each other’s eyes, smiling. 

“I am so happy to see you after so long. I’m so sorry I didn’t mail you our new address sooner,” Cheat Code chuckled a bit, letting go completely.

“It’s fine. I was surprised but not offended. I’m glad to see everyone again. Where is dad?”

“He is on another business trip, he told me that he should be back tomorrow though. How long are you staying?” 

“I can stay for the week, but then I need to get back on the field,” Button’s mom looked at him with worried eyes. 

“I wish you wouldn’t have joined that branch. It’s so dangerous!” Cheat Code rolled his eyes. “Don’t you roll your eyes at me!” He knew that this was gonna happen. She had always forbid him joining the recon division due to most of their missions consists of exploring the Everfree forest Where some of the most dangerous monsters have made their homes. Once she heard that Cheat Code had joined them, she was devastated. 

“Mom, I am fine and safe. I trust my team to watch my back,” 

“But what if you get eaten alive by a Hydra, or what if you get trapped in a cave and a manticore is chasing you!” Cheat Code shook his head. 

“Mom. . . I’m grown up now. I can protect myself. You don’t have to worry,” Button’s mom smiled weakly and nodded, fighting back a tear. 

“I know, it’s just so hard to accept that you have grown up. I just wish I had more time with you two together,” Button Mash and Cheat Code looked at each other, smiling, then back to her. 

“It’s ok, I understand,” They hugged once more and then sat around the table as Button’s mom prepped the final dishes for tonight’s dinner. Once the dinner was all set up, they heard a knock on the door. 

“I’ll go get that,” She walked over to the door and opened it. Standing at the door was a lean stallion with a blood red mane, golden eyes, and with dark brown fur carrying a small banquet of roses. Her mouth opened slightly and her eyes widen in shock. She raised a hoof to cover her mouth. 
 
“Oh my Celestia, Rage Quit!” The stallion in question smiled at her lovingly, nodding to her. 

“Hello, dear. I’ve missed you,” Button’s mom jumped forward and hugged the stallion. 

“Hunny, I didn’t know you were coming home. You said you wouldn’t be here till Thursday,” Rage Quit chuckled, snuggling up to her. 

“I managed to come back a day early. Once you told me that our son Cheat Code was going to be here, I tried my hardest to get here as fast as I could!” Button’s mom smiled at that, snuggling back. 

After a few more moments, Rage Quit let her go and guided her to the kitchen. Button Mash and Cheat Code were making faces at each other at the dinner table. They stopped as soon as they entered the room, both being shocked to see Rage Quit. 

“DAD!!” Button Mash jumped down from his seat and took off for him. Rage Quit saw the little colt charging at him and smiled widely, crouching down and opened his arms wide. He caught his son and spun him around, hugging him. 

“Oh wow! I swear you get bigger and bigger every time I see you. You must be so popular with the fillies by now,” 

“Oh stop it dad!” They laughed some more, nuzzling one another. Button’s mom watched and sighed in bliss, seeing them together. After a while he looked over at Cheat Code with a smile. Button Mash got down and stepped aside to allow his brother to walk up and give their dad a hug as well. 

“It’s good to see you, son. We’ve missed you,” Cheat Code chuckled a bit, patting his back. “Did your mother lecture you about your military position yet?” Cheat Code laughed a bit, letting him go. 

“Yea, she sure did. Every time,”

“Thought so,” They both chuckled and Rage Quit looked over at the table and licked his lips. “Mmm-mmm, this looks good. May I join you all for dinner?” Button’s mom giggled, kissing his cheek and taking the flowers. 

“I suppose you could,” She giggled playfully and walked over to the table, getting a vase for the flowers. The males of the family went to the table and sat themselves down, waiting for the mother to return to the table. After a few moments she returned and placed the vase down as the center piece. 

“This all looks amazing, as always. Thank you Elaina,” She smiled over at him and sat herself down right next to her husband. She looked around the table, smiling at every one of them. 

“It has been a long time since we last had the whole family together,” They stopped for a second and all looked at one another, smiling. 

“She’s right, it has been a while,” 

“It’s nice to have a dinner with the family,” Button’s mom said with a wide smile.
> 10: Return the Favor
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 10: Return the Favor

Button Mash felt the warm rays of sunlight shine down from the window and onto him. He did not want to leave the comfort of his own bed. With a loud noise from his alarm clock, he grunted in annoyance and got up anyway. “I don’t wanna go to school today!”

He reached over and turned off his alarm clock off, stopping the dreadful noise that sounded from it. He slowly tried to get out of bed but fell right back in it, going back to sleep. Cheat Code slowly opened the door to his room, grinning ear to ear at seeing Button Mash still sleeping. He crept up to him, not making a single sound. Once he got up to him, he rubbed his front hooves with a sinister look. He took a deep breath and leaned towards the little, sleeping colt. 

“BUTTON MASH, IT’S TIME TO GET READY FOR SCHOOL!!!” Button Mash launched out of the bed and fell onto the floor. He got on all four hooves and looked around in fear, looking up to see his big brother fighting hard to not laugh. 

“That’s not funny!” Cheat Code lost it right there and burst into laughter, falling onto his back. Button Mash glared at him with anger but walked past him, getting his saddle bag ready. Cheat Code stopped laughing and slowly got back up, turning towards Button Mash. 

“Oh come on, don’t be like that, it was just a joke!” He ignored him and packed away his joyboy along with his books and note books. He started making his way for the bedroom door but Cheat Code came over and put him in a gentle head lock. “Come on, little bro, you know I am just messing with ya. I haven’t messed with ya in forever! I got a lot of time to make up,” 

Button Mash sighed in defeat, knowing nothing was gonna stop him once he had a target in mind. “I know, can you just take it easy on it, please?” Button Mash pouted up to him, giving him the puppy dog eyes. Cheat Code looked deeply into his eyes, smiling down at him. 

“That works on mom, but it doesn’t work on me,” Button Mash pouted again, this time in anger.

“Darn!” Cheat Code laughed some more and patted his head.

“Don’t you have to get ready for school,” Button Mash looked away and walked down the stairs, leaving his brother in his room. “One of these days, I know he will surprise us all,”

Button Mash grabbed his lunch, which was already made and left out on the table, and packed it away into his saddle bag. His mother was finishing up with dishes across from him. 

“Good morning, Button dear. What would you like for breakfast?” Button Mash shook his head, grabbing a banana from the kitchen counter next to a box of cupcakes. 

“Sorry mom, I have to go to school,” His mom turned around to face him, a sudden look of confusion on her face. 

“But you still have thirty minutes before you have to leave,” 

“I wanna get there early,”

“Why?” 

Button Mash finished the banana and threw away the peel, heading out the door. “I want to say hi to my friends before school starts. See ya mom!” He waved good bye before she could reply and walked out the door, leaving his mom a little shocked in the kitchen. She stood there for a moment before she smiled weakly.

“I didn’t think I would ever hear that from him. I am so proud of you sweetie,” She turned to look at the counter and noticed that he took a cupcake from a small box. Her happy look turned into annoyance. “Button Mash!” 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Button Mash pulled out a blue cupcake and took a bite out of it, smiling to himself victoriously. “Hehehe, and she didn’t even notice!” He said to himself with a large smile, taking another bite. He looked around to see the sun rising over the horizon. The birds were singing their cheerful tunes, the stalls were starting to open up, but no one was really out quite yet, still too early.

He continued his lonesome walk like he always did. Nothing was really different about this walk to school like any other. He was still by himself, still no one to talk to, nothing had changed. Button Mash looked at the cupcake with a slight, lonely look on his face. “I’ve been here for a year now, and everything is still about the same,”He sighed in defeat and walked on his way. 

Not long after he made it to school. A few of his classmates were hanging around, talking to each other or reading a book under the trees. He saw the Cutie Mark Crusaders at the other end of the school yard, talking to one another. A smile formed across his lips and started walking towards them. Maybe a few things has changed. 

He held his smile as he walked up to them, probably talking about another idea for a new cutie mark or something. He never understood the big deal about cutie marks, but he knew a lot of ponies considered it a big deal, like them. The whole class knew about their obsession, even him. 

While walking towards his friends he saw Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon walking up to them. They turned to see them and their moods immediately switched from happy to angry. “Oh no, I need to help them! Why can’t they just go away and stop bugging ponies!” 

“Wow, it’s like you actually like that loser. I guess worthless losers will always be with worthless losers,” Diamond Tiara stated with a cruel smile and an evil glare on her face.

He rushed over to them and approached the two bullies. “Hey, leave them alone!” All five of them turned towards Button Mash a little startled. 

“Button Mash!” Sweetie Belle called out in surprise. 

“Look who it is, blank flank number four! It looks like these losers just can’t stay away from each other,” Button Mash glared at Diamond Tiara, walking up to her. Silver Spoon leaned to the side towards her friend. 

“What about that guard from yesterday though, he told us to leave him alone,” Diamond Tiara smirked harshly at her friend and then to Button Mash. 

“And do you see him around? No! Without his big, tough brother to fight his battles for him, he is nothing but a sad little colt. He is as worthless as the other blank flanks. Just a bunch of losers like-” They were cut short when they felt a sudden change in atmosphere. 

Button Mash had his head lowered to the ground, the air became cold and thin around them all. He gritted his teeth and tensed his muscles. He was fighting his anger, a battle he was losing. 

“Don’t you dare call them that!” He earned a laugh from the two fillies that stood before him. 

“What, blank flanks, or losers. Either one fits you guys perfectly. The only thing that-”

“ENOUGH!!” Button stomped a hoof into the ground, making a small crack in it and shook the ground slightly. He aimed his head at them with a fierce gaze that could scare off a hydra. The two young earth ponies instantly changed. Now they stood there, shaking. 

“B-B-Button?” Sweetie Belle asked in a whisper, shaking as well. 

“You better get out of here and leave my friends ALONE!!” They saw a dark, purple aura looming over Button Mash, smiling sinisterly at them. The two nodded and ran off like a manticore was hot on their tails. 

Button Mash watched them intently as they ran off into the school house. Once they were out of sight he dropped the act and wiped off a bead of sweat, sighing in relief. 

“Works every time!” He turned his attention to his friends who have calmed down, but still a bit on edge. “Are you girls ok?” They looked at one another in disbelief and then Applebloom and Scootaloo turned back with an astonished smile on their faces, Sweetie Belle still held a shocked face, still in disbelief. 

“That was awesome! How did you do that?! That was sooo cool!” 

“Yea, ah reckon they won’ be messin with us fer a long time now! Thanks fer your help,” Button Mash scratched the back of his head bashfully, smiling shyly to himself. 

“Oh it was nothing. I couldn’t just stand there and watch them pick on you like that. I had to do something,” They nodded, walking up to him, Sweetie Belle followed suit. He stopped sratching his head and stood up straight again as they approached closer.

“Well you were all like ‘Leave them alone’ and they were all like ‘Please don’t hurt us’ and you were all like ‘get out of here’ and they were all like ‘ahhh’! It was awesome!” Scootaloo exclaimed enthusiastically, acting out everything that just happened. 

“But how in tarnation did ya do it? It looked to be somethin’ from a scary movie or somethin’,” 

“Oh no, it’s from one of my video games! I used the Glare of Lucifer on them. It produces an image of the user's emotions before their victim and scares them off, I’ve done it to them before,”

“Yea, we heard all about it!” Applebloom replied with a smile, earning a cautious glance from her friends. Button Mash gave them a confused look. 

“How did you guys know about it? You weren’t there,” 

“We heard it from-” Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle covered Applebloom's mouth.

“Around town! A pony saw you and you know how fast rumors spreads,” Button Mash thought that through for a second but nodded back. 

“That makes sense, ok. So what were you guys talking about before they showed up?” Before they could say anything, they heard something from behind him.

“Button Mash, come here please!” Although 'please' was at the end of the sentence, it did not sound welcoming, more like a demand. Button Mash turned around and saw Cheerilee and the two trouble making fillies right behind her, sticking their tongues out at him behind her back. 

He sighed in annoyance but knew he was in big trouble. He figured they had told on him to the teacher, judging by the look on her face. He looked back at his friends with a weak smile, nodded to them, and walked over to the teacher with his head hung low. He reached his dreaded destination and slowly looked up into his teachers angry eyes. 

“Button Mash, do you know why I called you over?” He looked over at the two fillies glaring at him with victorious smiles planted firmly across their faces, away from the teacher's line of sight. He looked back up to the teacher. 

“I think I do,”

“These poor fillies were on the verge of tears, telling me that you bullied them off, scaring them away when they were trying to be your friend!” Button Mash resisted his very hardest to roll his eyes or glare at them back and kept his eyes up at Cheerilee. 

“They were the ones bullying my friends!” 

“Not the way I see it. They were the ones who came to me, the looks on their faces were truly horrified. Judging by the looks of this, it appears to me that they are the victims here,” Button Mash mentally surrendered knowing that there was no way he was gonna be able to get himself out of this one. 

“Because of this, I’m giving you detention after school and your mother will be notified about this little incident,” Button Mash’s ears dropped to the ground, he never liked his mother’s lectures, but then again, who does? 

“Yes, miss Cheerilee,” Button Mash said weakly, nodding to his teacher. She softened her glare and nodded back. 

“I am glad you understand that what you have done was a wrong. I will be seeing you after class,” She turned around and headed back to the school house. Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon stuck their tongues out at him and followed suit. 

Button Mash turned to his friends who looked at him with expressions of pity. He smiled at them and turned to start heading into class. I may have gotten in trouble, but I am just glad that I was able to stand up for them! He smiled proudly to himself as he turned to see his friends catching up to him, standing by his side, all with happy smiles aimed at him. 

No matter what happens, I will always stand by my friend’s side, because I know they would do the same for me! They walked into class and took their seats, laughing about this and that. Even though they were smiling at him, he could tell that they felt bad about the whole thing about him getting in trouble for standing up for them. He smiled back to show he does not blame them and focused back to the classroom. No matter what, I regret nothing!

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

“I told you girls, I was just really embarrassed, that’s it!” Applebloom and Scootaloo raised an eyebrow, unsure about her answer. They sat around in the school yard talking to each other about the events which occurred yesterday. They’ve been trying to get her to talk but she always gave them the same answer. 

“Well for somepony being embarrassed, you ran off really fast,” explained Applebloom. 

“That’s because I didn’t want Button Mash to see us,” 

“Well he saw all of us, all because his big brother burned our cover,” Applebloom turned to Scootaloo.

“How did he even do that?! He is just an earth pony. Ah’ve never seen an earth pony do THAT before,” Scootaloo shrugged her shoulders. 

“Beats me,” They all sighed in defeat, giving up on trying to figure out that great mystery. Sweetie Belle shifted uneasy in her spot. 

“So what should we try next for a cutie mark? We kinda messed up our last one,” Applebloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle thought about the question before them and tried to figure out what exactly to do next, all in their own little thinking poses. 

“Well, we haven’t tried cave exploring yet,” Scootaloo offered, looking at her friends for a reaxtion with an unsure look. 

“That’s true! How hard could cave exploring be?” Sweetie Belle added with an excited expression on her face, jumping up from her sitting position. 

“Yeah! Ah bet that won’ be too hard. All we’d have to do is get a torch and get cave exploring hats and we’d be all set to go,” They all nodded with confident smiles spread across their faces. They got up and got ready for their usual jump into the air.

“CUTIE MARK-” 

“Well if it isn’t the cutie mark losers! Planning on your next big fail?” They knew that voice better than they wanted to. They turned to see Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon standing close to them, smirking harshly at them. 

“Why do they even bother? It’s not like they will ever get their cutie marks at this rate!” Silver Spoon added with a small swing of her hips, glaring over at them as well with the same cocky smirk. The Cutie Mark Crusaders were a little hurt by their words but were fairly use to it by now. 

“You know, we don’t care what you think. Your opinion doesn’t matter to us!” Scootaloo replied back, taking a firm step towards them. They only laughed in return.

“Aww, acting all tough, it’s almost cute. You are almost as pathetic as that other blank flank you hang out with,” Sweetie Belle glared fiercely at them, stepping past Scootaloo and leaning forward in a pouncing position. 

“Leave him out of this!” They laughed even harder at that, making her cheeks flush. 

“Wow, it’s like you actually like that loser. I guess worthless losers will always be with worthless losers,” Diamond Tiara stated with a cruel smile and an evil glare on her face. 

 “Hey, leave them alone!” All five of them turned towards the owner of the voice, Button Mash. 

“Button Mash!” Sweetie Belle called out in surprise. 

“Look who it is, blank flank number four! It looks like these losers just can’t stay away from each other,” Button Mash glared at Diamond Tiara, walking up to her. Sweetie Belle look over at Button Mash with a worried expression. Button! What are you doing? Silver Spoon leaned to the side towards her friend. 

“What about that guard though, he told us to leave him alone,” Diamond Tiara smirked harshly at her friend and then to Button Mash. 

“And do you see him around? No! Without his big, mean brother to fight his battles for him, he is nothing but a sad little colt. He is as worthless as the other blank flanks. Just a bunch of losers like-” They were cut short when they felt a sudden change in atmosphere. 

Button Mash had his head lowered to the ground, the air was cold and thin around them all. He gritted his teeth and tensed his muscles. He was fighting his anger, a battle he was losing. The Cutie Mark Crusaders could tell. They took a step back to give him some space, unlike their classmates who simply watched unamused. 

“Don’t you dare call them that!” He earned a laugh from the two cruel fillies that stood before him. 

“What, blank flanks, or losers. Either one fits you guys perfectly. The only thing that-”

“ENOUGH!!” Button stomped a hoof into the ground, making a small crack into it and shook the ground slightly. He aimed his head at them with a fierce gaze that could scare off a hydra. The two young earth ponies instantly changed. Now they stood there, shaking. 

“B-B-Button?” Sweetie Belle asked in a whisper, shaking as well. For the first time, she felt fear wash over her while looking at Button Mash, who could most likely scare off Princess Celestia herself!

“You better get out of here and leave my friends ALONE!!” They saw a dark, purple aura looming over Button Mash, smiling sinisterly at them. The two nodded and ran off like a manticore was hot on their tails. 

Button Mash watched them intently as they ran off into the school house. Once they were out of sight he dropped the act and wiped off a bead of sweat, sighing in relief. 

“Works every time!” He turned his attention to his friends with a friendly smile who have calmed down, but still a bit on edge. “Are you girls ok?” They looked at one another in disbelief and then Applebloom and Scootaloo turned back with an astonished smile on their faces, Sweetie Belle still held a shocked face, still in disbelief. 

She blocked everything off, her heart slowly settling down. It pounded with in her chest, but for what reason? What reason could possibly do this to her. Ever since she started forgetting what her dreams were, she now felt nervous around him, maybe even shy. 

“Oh no, it’s from one of my video games! I used the Glare of Lucifer on them. It produces an image of their emotions before their victim and scares them off, I’ve done it to them before,” She snapped back to what was happening around her. 

“Yea, we heard all about it!” Applebloom replied with a smile, earning a cautious glance from her friends. Button Mash gave them a confused look. 

“How did you guys know about it? You weren’t there,” 

“We heard it from-” Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle covered Applebloom's mouth. The last thing she wanted was for him to know that she was following him around that day as well.

“Around town! A pony saw you and you know how fast rumors spreads,” Button Mash thought that through for a second but nodded back. His eyes glazed over to her for just a second, their eyes meeting for a brief moment, but Sweetie Belle’s heart spiked within that split second. 

“Button Mash, come here please!” Although please was at the end of the sentence, it did not sound welcoming, more like a demand. Button Mash turned around and saw Cheerilee and the two trouble making fillies right behind her, sticking their tongues out at him. He sighed and started making his way over, leaving his friends behind. 

“Oh no, we got him in trouble!”

“He got in trouble because he was defending us. Ah’ll bet they made up something fierce!” Sweetie Belle glared over at Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon but her eyes rested softly on Button Mash. She shook her head roughly and looked back to her friends. 

“That’s it! I think it’s time we repay him for helping us out like this. We should have him join the Cutie Mark Crusaders!” Her friends looked over shocked. 

“But he’s a colt. Ah mean he is our friend and all but do ya’ll want a colt around with the stuff we do?” 

“Well why not? What’s the big deal?” Sweetie Belle and Applebloom turned to Scootaloo, giving her their full attention. “I mean so what. He’s our friend, he’s cool, and he’s a blank flank just like us! So I think he more than deserves to be in it, he fits perfectly!” Sweetie Belle nodded in agreement, turning to Applebloom he smiled back. 

“Well if ya’ll are good with it, then so am I!” They looked back, their cheerful smiles turned to sympathetic smiles. He turned back to glance over them, smiling back, then returned his attention to the original source. 

“Then it’s settled. Button Mash is going to be a member of the Cutie Mark Crusaders, and he will join us on our cave exploring cutie mark, his very first journey!” They all smiled confidently, bumping hooves with each other. Once Cheerilee started heading back, the Cutie mark Crusaders followed suit, walking side by side with Button Mash into the school house. 

They went inside and to their desks, laughing along with him like friends do. Sweetie Belle looked over at him with a determined smile. Tomorrow, Button Mash, we go out and grasp our cutie marks together! She giggled softly to herself at the thought, humming a lovely tune to herself. 

“I’m over thinking things. Probably because he is a new friend or something. I’ll ask Rarity about it when I get back home,” Sweetie Belle smiled to herself as she planned out the quest for the cave exploring cutie mark in her head. 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 

Cheat Code laid on the roof of the school house, smiling to himself. He balanced an apple with the tip of his hoof, just staring at his reflection in it. He flipped the apple into the air and bit into it without grabbing it, taking a large bite and then spitting the rest out, placing it back onto the tip of his hoof with perfect balance. 

“Remember why we sent you here,” A voice called out inside his head. He chuckled, throwing the apple up and catching it with the tip of his hoof again. 

“Yeah yeah, I know. The only reason why my vacation request passed through Princess Celestia was so that I could push this little project of yours onto him. Why are you so interested in my little brother all of a sudden?” Cheat Code asked to himself, chewing his food. Silence surrounded him in return, waiting for the reply. He grinned, chuckling lightly to himself. He spun the apple on the tip and took another bite out of it, continuing the spin without slowing it down. 

“He’s destiny should have been revealed long ago, but due to his lifestyle he has taken accustomed to, this life of video gaming and anti-socializiam has hidden his meaning in life from him. If he is to find his meaning, we must guide him to it,” Cheat Code chuckled, finishing off the apple. 

“Yea he doesn’t care about that cutie mark bull crap, like me. Sure it’s cool to find out what your cutie mark is, but like me, he doesn’t go looking for it,” 

“But you didn’t stay in your realm of imagination, he does. We must show him what he needs to see. You must be there to guide him properly or else he won’t find his cutie mark for another six years! We know you find no understanding in all of this, but it is indeed important to him, whether he knows it or not, and you as well,” Cheat Code rolled his eyes, making circles in the air with his hoof. 

“Yeah yeah, I get it. I only agreed to this so that I can see him and you promised me that this will help him. Normally I only take orders from Princess Celestia, so I am not too keen on all of this. Especially after what you did,”

“We are sorry, but please trust us. We promise you that he will follow the path you wish him to be under. Little does he know that his path is almost set, we just need a little push,” Cheat Code laughed loudly to himself. “Keep it down, you are to not be spotted when out and about, remember?” He silenced himself, keeping it to a dull chuckle. 

“Sorry, I just thought of something that could do just the trick!” Silence greeted him once more. He glared up at the sky and reached over to his saddle bag that laid next to him. He reached in and pulled out a small apple juice box, putting the straw in for a drink. 

“What exactly do you have in mind,” Cheat Code grinned to himself, sipping on the juice box. “And why are you sipping from such a thing? That is a little pony’s drinking device,” He shook his head, rolling his eyes once again. 

“Apple juice is the bomb! Me and Button Mash used to drink these things all the time!” He leaned over and fell off the edge on purpose, catching himself quietly on a beam with his tail. His eyes peering upside down inside the school, seeing Button Mash’s whole class. His eyes drifted off to Sweetie Belle and a deviant smile formed across his mouth. “And I believe I have just the thing to ‘push’ him in the direction you want. Just find a way to distract Princess Twilight Sparkle for about two hours for me. I’ll tell you when,” 

“Normally we would demand you show respect and dare not order us around, but this once we shall comply. Give us the signal and we shall make our move,” 

“Good, tomorrow we shall strike hard and swift! Ah it’s like I’m still on the field,” 

“Technically you still are. This is a top secret mission that no pony can know about, especially your family,” Cheat Code waved his hoof in protest, launching himself back up onto the roof on all four without making a sound. 

“I know. I just don’t like doing this behind his back,” He heard a soft giggle on the other side of his connection, reaching for a rubber ball in his saddle bag. He tossed the ball up in the air and kicked it back up into the air, keeping this up with out making any noise. 

“I understand very well, just know that all will be revealed to him soon enough, but we can only guide him to the door, only he can open it and walk through it," Cheat Code nodded his head to that. “As of tonight, we shall begin our little plan. Operation: Button Cleanse is now officially a go!” 
> 11 Part 1: Cutie Mark Crusaders Cave Exploring
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 11: Part 1: Cutie Mark Crusaders Cave Exploring

Button Mash was left alone in the classroom, doing his homework plus extra as punishment. It was too quiet for him. The clock ticking away like it is, moving ever so slowly. The teacher grading the tests of today’s pop quiz at her desk. He sighed heavily, slowly working on the seemingly endless tasks appointed to him. He glanced at the clock and sighed in defeat. 

“Twenty more minutes. This is taking forever to do!” Button Mash whispered to himself, whinning. He looked back at his homework and started finishing it up, trying to only focus on the task ahead. He glanced outside for a moment to see the sun shining and the other ponies now long gone. With one last sigh he turned back to his work, now completing it. 

“Button Mash, can you come here with your work,” Cheerilee requested softly. He grabbed his work and walked over to the front desk. He placed the work down in front of her and she glanced over at it, looking down at him. 

“I’ve never had you do such a thing before. Sure you have a problem focusing in class, but you’ve never bullied before. I hope you have realised what you have done and won’t do it again,” Button Mash nodded to her, a look of pity plain on his face. Cheerilee smiled softly at him, placing the home work aside. “You can go, I think you’ve done enough,” 

Button Mash smiled cheerfully, nodding to her with a smile.”Thank you, miss Cheerilee!” He ran over, grabbed his saddlebag, and was about to walk out the door until it opened for him. Button Mash looked up to see Cheat Code standing in the open door way, wearing a friendly half smile.

“Hey there squirt. Ready to go?” Cheerilee looked over at him and studied him carefully.

“Who are you?” Cheat Code looked up to her with a small smile. 

“I’m Cheat Code, Button Mash’s older brother. His mom is busy so I am here to pick him up instead. I heard I am here to pick up a slip for his mother to sign?” Cheerilee nodded, pulling it out and handed it to him. He walked over and took the slip putting it in his own sack.

“That needs to come back tomorrow morning before class,” He nodded back at her.

“I’ll make sure it is signed, thank you. Have a good day, ma’am,” Cheerilee smiled back, nodding at him. They left the school but only took a few steps out till he stopped. He looked at the slip carefully and chuckled a bit. 

“Bullying, huh? Now I know that isn’t like you. What happened?” Button Mash bit his bottom lip nervously but kept his gaze to meet his brother’s eyes.

“My friends were being picked on by those two fillies you saw before. I stood up for them and they told on me saying I bullied them or something,” Cheat Code shook his head with a smile.

“I’m proud of you, Button. Don’t say anything to mom. Tell her you stayed out later to hang out with your friends and that you had a bunch of fun. I’ll take care of this,” Button Mash looked up at him with a puzzled look. 

“But how will I turn that in without mom’s signing?” Cheat Code leaned down to Button Mash with a deviant smile. 

“Don’t worry about that, just know I am one hell of a brother. I’ll get this ready for you,” He winked down at him, making Button Mash smile back. He reached up and hugged him, Cheat Code smiled and hugged him back. 

“Thank you, Cheat Code!” 

“Of course, what are brothers for? No matter what, don’t change. Standing up for your friends will make you enemies, but it will show your friends just how much you mean to them,” He patted his head and let go, earning him a confident nod from the young colt. "If you make enemies in life, it means you've stood up to what you believe in,"

They smiled and chuckled to each other a bit but Cheat Code looked over to see Sweetie Belle, Applebloom, and Scootaloo standing by the edge of the school property behind him, smiling cheerfully at them. He smiled back and returned his gaze at his little brother. He messed up his mane with a another chuckle and turned to walk away. 

“Go hang out with your friends. You got nothing to worry about. I will deliver the message,” He waved him good bye and left. Button Mash watched him for a moment as he passed by his friends. Cheat Code passed them and without stopping he whispered something to them out of Button Mash’s ear shot. 

“Take good care of my little brother, I know you will,” He winked at them and continued on his marry way. They smiled up at him and met Button Mash half way. 

“Hey Button Mash! Sorry about the whole detention thing,” Scootaloo stated with a slightly sad expression. Button Mash shook his head with a smile.

“It’s fine. It was nothing, really,” They all shared his smile, glad to know he is alright. 

“Well me and the girls have been talking, and we think that you should join our club!” Button Mash looked at Sweetie Belle with a puzzled expression. 

“What kind of club is it?” The three fillies standing before him smiled to each other with excited grins before they all turned back to Button Mash. 

“The Cutie Mark Crusaders!” They all said at the same time, filled with enthusiasm. Button Mash  studied their faces to see they were really excited about this. 

“So what exactly do you guys do?” They looked at him with matching poker faces, taken back a bit by the sudden yet innocent question. Applebloom stepped forward to Button Mash with a small smile.

“We all try ta think of new ways to get our cutie marks and then go after them!” Button Mash tilted his head slightly to the side to look at her. 

“But what’s the big deal about cutie marks?” They all gasped in horror at that, taking a step back away from him. They all turned around in a huddle, whispering to one another quietly. 

“Are you really sure you want him with our club? I mean it looks like he doesn’t actually care about his cutie mark,” 

“Ah’ve never heard about any pony not excited about getting their cutie mark! Ah mean doesn’t everypony get excited?”

“Exactly! Everypony is jumping in excitement when they get their cutie marks,” Both Scootaloo and Applebloom focused their attention on Sweetie Belle, their faces were that of confusion and concern. 

“Sweetie Belle, why is it that ya’ll thought he would want to join our club?” Sweetie Belle opened her mouth but closed it again, glancing over at Button Mash. He held a look of confusion as he sat on the ground but once he saw her looking at him he smiled and waved. She smiled back and looked to her friends with a kind smile. 

“Because we are his very first friends! He’s never got the chance to show off what he can do. I bet if he were to hang with us, he will want it. Just because he likes different things as us or doesn’t like the things we like doesn’t mean we shouldn’t ask him to join our club. We started this because we were friends with a common goal. It should continue to be like that even if he doesn’t understand what we see,” The other two fillies looked back at her with an equally kind smile and nodded to one another. 

The three fillies broke their huddle and circled around Button Mash with friendly smiles. He watched them confused and stayed on guard. They gave each other one last glance and returned their focus on him. 

“You see, Button Mash. As we have learned in class our cutie marks represents who we are and what our special talents is,” Scootaloo explained first, turning to Sweetie Belle. 

“Our cutie mark is who we are, a special part of us that explains why we are here,” Button Mash looked at them all listening carefully, he almost seemed like he was in a form of trance. Sweetie Belle winked at Button Mash and turned to Applebloom. 

“We are but a few little ponies who’re tryin to get their cutie marks! We as a group try ta help those who are lost and confused. Fillies and colts alike try to find their cutie marks, and we help guide them and they help us in return through friendship!” Button Mash sat there in the same spot, a little confused but analysing everything that was explained to him just now. 

“So. . . you guys are trying to find your special talents faster than you are supposed to?” 

“Exactly!” Scootaloo stated before anyone else could speak. Applebloom glared at her softly for a brief moment before looking back at Button Mash. 

“What do ya mean ‘faster than you are supposed?’” 

“Well like class said, we get our cutie marks when the time is ready, when we are ready. You guys are trying to figure it out before you are really ready,” The three fillies stared at him stunned. They never expected him to sound so mature about it and explain it so well. Sweetie Belle winked at her friends and took the lead. 

“It’s true, but we believe that if we can find our special talents on our own, it will be more special to us because we found them together!” Button Mash nodded at that, standing back up. 

“Yea. . . that sounds a lot more special,” I don’t think cutie marks are so special, but my friends like it. Maybe I should go out and do this stuff with them. 

“Well we are glad you see it like us.  We were thinking. . . “ Applebloom hesitated and looked at Sweetie Belle nervously, who smiled and nodded back, taking her place. They circled back around so that they were all standing in front of him again. 

“We would like it if you would join us!” Her friends nodded in agreement, all wearing the same, kind smile. Button Mash smiled just as kind and nodded right back to them. 

“I would like to join, but I don’t know much about cutie mark stuff like you guys,” 

“Ah, don’t sweat it! We’ll show you all the ropes. We are actually planning our next cutie mark quest. We are gonna try Cutie Mark Crusaders Cave Explores!” Scootaloo said with excitement being contained in her voice, trying to look professional. 

“Did ya wanna join us in explorin’ some caves? All you need ta do is find us a couple of sticks,” Button Mash’s tail flickered with excitement and he did a couple excited hopes. 

“Ok, I’ll rush right over!” And like that, he took off. They watched as he started running, waving good bye at him. Once he was out of sight, the three fillies sighed. 

“He just might make it, you know girls?” Scootaloo asked her friends with an optimistic smile.

“He may not be really smart or tough, but he is our friend! I’m sure he will be just fine. . . “ Silence fell onto them and the slowly lower their hooves back to the ground. 

“. . . . No one told him where to meet up with us. . . did they?” More silence spread to each of them, now out of embarrassment. 

“I’ll get him! I’ll meet you girls there,” Sweetie Belle took off, waving at her friends good bye and took off sprinting to catch up with Button Mash. Scootaloo and Applebloom were left at the front gate of the school. They then started walking on over to the meeting spot. 

“So I think that Sweetie Belle has a ‘thing’ for Button Mash,” Applebloom raised an eyebrow in question at that.

“What? No way! They're just friends,”

“Not like that though. I think she likes him!” Scootaloo snickered a bit at the idea, Applebloom starred unimpressed back at her. 

“She is friends with a colt for the first time, like us. It’s a little different, ah’ll admit. Just give her time, she’ll get back into the groove of things,” she explained calmly. Scootaloo was not convinced, rolling her eyes. 

“Suuuuurrrre. I’ll bet you that they will be hooking up!” Applebloom hid a glare but narrowed her eyes at her, raising a hoof up to her. 

“You’re on! Twelve bits say they will be friends and only friends by next month is over!” Scootaloo smirked at her, giving her hoof a bump. 

“You are so on!” 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

“Mom! I’m home!” Button Mash called out from the hallway by the front door. Button’s mom was cleaning the windows in the living room but he could also hear water running and the clatter of dishes in the kitchen. 

“Hello, dear. Did you have fun with your friends?” Button Mash remembered that Cheat Code was gonna fix the slip thing for him. He looked over and saw Cheat Code playing video games in the living room, he glanced over and winked at him with a smile. Button Mash smiled back and nodded. 

“I had fun, thanks. I’m actually gonna go hang out with them, uhhh, again. Is that ok?” Button’s mom smiled over proudly at him.

“Of course, dear. I think that would be wonderful!” 

“When do we get to meet these friends of yours?” Asked a firm but curious voice from the kitchen. Button Mash walked around the corner and found the owner of the sudden voice. 

“Oh, hi dad, I forgot that you are here now,” He walked up and gave his father a hug, who gave it back. Rage Quit forgot about the dishes and got soap in Button Mash’s fur, which he tried to clean it up with a dish rag. 

“Sorry Button, I forgot. When will they be here?” 

“Well I am going to go meet up with them. I think they said we are gonna go do cutie mark stuff,”

“Well that's great! Sounds like loads of fun, I’m kinda jealous. When will we get to meet these wonderful friends of yours?” Button Mash scratched the back of his head nervously. 

“Well, I’m not sure. Maybe I can ask them-” There was a knock at the door. 

“It’s ok, hunny Rage, I got it!” Rage Quit lifted his head towards Button’s mom. 

“Thank you dear! Now I don’t mean to make you nervous or make you feel like you have to show them off. I just heard about these friends of yours and I am just glad to hear that you managed to make some new friends. You’ve been having such a hard time since our first leave,” Button Mash lowered his head and ears in a gloomy expression. 

“I know, dad. It’s ok. I don’t know when I can bring them over,” Button’s mom walked on over to the door and answered it. “I like these new friends, they make me feel pretty good. I’ve only hung out with them a few times but we stood up for each other,” Rage Quit messed with his mane. 

“That’s my Button Mash! I knew you had it in you! So what are their names? Do they go to-” 

“Button Mash, you have a visitor,” Rage Quit smiled and nodded to him, returning his focus on the dishes. He walked past his dad and to the door, seeing a panting Sweetie Belle. She seemed to have been running after him. “She says she is your friend,” The whole room behind Button Mash went dead quiet. The video games stopped and the water stopped running in the kitchen sink. It almost got eerie feeling this sudden silence. Button’s mom smiled kindly and left the two young ponies alone at the door. 

“Hey Sweetie Belle, whatcha doing here?” Sweetie Belle caught onto her breath and smiled weakly at him. 

“Hey, I just wanted to make sure you knew where to go. You kinda left before we could tell you. At this rate though I think I’ll just take you there if you are allowed to come hang out,” It was confirmed, Button Mash knew his whole family is listening in on him and his conversation. He could hear very faint whispers from his family, hearing his own name once or twice. 

Button Mash tried to ignore them the best he could and refocused on Sweetie Belle. “My mom says yes, thanks. Let’s go get some sticks then,” She nodded at him with a smile. Button Mash turned his head towards the inside of the house. “I’m leaving now, mom. See you at dinner!” 

“Have fun, sweetie! Be safe!” Button Mash rolled his eyes and followed Sweetie Belle to the meet up spot. Cheat Code watched from Button Mash’s bedroom window with a smirk on his face. He looked away and focused his mind. 

“Hey, he’s left. Give Princess Twilight Sparkle the letter now,” There was no reply, he knew that one wasn’t needed. He knew that his commander was at the ready all day, now it was the time to move. 

Once Button Mash was out of sight, he climbed out of the window and started following Button Mash from the rooftops. He stayed out of sight and out of earshot the whole trip through. He didn’t need to try to hide, he could have stayed in the crowd and Button Mash still wouldn’t have noticed. The only reason why he stuck to the rooftops was because if a certain pony where to spot him like this, he would have been compromised. His ex mare friend who they are now simply just friends. She loved to talk to him for some unknown reason and she was known for popping up at random times at random places when he really- 

“Hey Cheat Code, whatcha doing?!” He jumped a mile off the ground and came back down hard. She was the only pony who could get a scare out of him, and she loved doing it. Cheat Code slowly got up to see the pink, bouncing pony who stood before him. 

“Pinkie Pie! What are you doing?! How did you find me?!” Pinkie Pie giggled down at him, offering a hoof to him. 

“Well I saw you jumping from the roof tops and I thought ‘That looks like fun! I wanna try’ so I tried following you but you were pretty slow so it was easy. Now that I realized it, I haven’t thrown you a ‘Welcome back to Ponyville from the royal guard’ party for you yet! We should totally plan that!” Cheat Code slowly got up thanks to Pinkie Pie and he dusted himself off. 

“Look that all sounds great and all, it really does, but I am busy right now, doing a little practice at the-” 

“What kind of practice? Is it one of those training drills that your boss makes you do?” Cheat Code was about to say no but an idea popped up in his mind. 

“Yes, that is exactly what is happening right now! I am running a test right now and I can’t have that be broken of my focus so I need to get back to it, alright? We’ll catch up later,” Pinkie Pie frowned to herself. It did not last long, for she went right back to her usual happy self almost instantaniously. 

“Ok! Pinkie Promise?” Cheat Code rolled his eyes at her. 

“Come on, I don’t have time to do that, please you know how I feel about YOUR promise. It’s a little too girly for me,”

“Come on, it’s not so bad! Pinkie Promise?” He sighed in defeat and admitted to himself that there is no quick way to avoid it. 

“I cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye. There, happy?” She smiled brightly at him, jumping in place again.

“Yup, thanks. Have fun spying on your little brother,” He rolled his hoof at her, not listening fully.

“Yeah yeah, thanks,” Cheat Code peered over the edge but stopped and pulled back with a face of shock. “Wait, how did-” He looked around and Pinkie Pie was gone. “That mare is the strangest thing I have ever met, yet I’m still hooked on her,” He chuckled to himself, shaking away the nostalgia. 

“Never mind that, back to work!” He looked past the roof tops and Button Mash and Sweetie Belle were completely out of sight. 

“Well buck me!” 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

“It’s almost there, just a little more!” Sweetie Belle continued to lead Button Mash through the woods. It wasn’t very thick yet,but far enough to hide them. Button Mash kept his eyes open for any signs of a cave. Not five minutes after he started thinking about going back, they stood in front of a cave that was old and very dark. Scootaloo and Applebloom were already there, wearing hard hats. 

“Hey Applebloom, Scootaloo!” Button Mash called out. They both looked back at him and smiled, waving at the two coming up. They gathered together and got their torches and hard hats ready. Sweetie Belle’s hard hat was too big for her and moved around a lot. 

“So what exactly are we doing here?” Button Mash asked bluntly to his friends. 

“Well this cave is unexplored so we are going to explore it!” Button Mash looked at the cave and gulped down nervously. He could hear water dripping from deep in the darkness. A couple cave bats flew into the black void. He looked back at his friends and they ignited the two sticks he brought over. They gave it a couple swings and they smiled proudly. 

Button Mash turned back to the cave and continued to get himself more and more nervous. He noted a few wooden beams holding up the entrance, cracks noticable within the wood and dust coming down from the ceiling.

“Is this safe? I mean it looks like we aren’t supposed to go in here,” He could hear Scootaloo laughing.

“And what gives you that crazy idea?!” Button Mash moved some brushes over to reveal a sign that read in bold, red letters:DO NOT ENTER!!!! CEILING FALLING!!!

 Button Mash turned back and pointed at the sign, she waved her hoof at it. 

“That’s nothing to worry about. Some ponies are just too up tight and too boring to see the excitement in things,”

“But what about the sign?”

“Just forget about it, we’ll be just fine! Are you gonna come in or what?” Button Mash looked at the dark, never ending darkness from within the cave and turned back to his friends slowly. 

“Yea I guess,” He grabbed a torch and carried it, lighting up the front of the group. The inside of the cave wasn’t so bad, but he saw a couple bones every now and then, although they looked too small to be pony bones. 

“Wow! Look at all of this. Pointy things coming from the ceiling, the water dripping down, the darkness and silence, this is awesome!!” Applebloom turned sharply and ‘shhh’ed her.

“Quiet! We don’t know what is in this here cave. There could be anything in here! A bear, or maybe even a dragon!” Scootaloo became a bit more cautious by the  mention of a dragon. 

“But come on, there wouldn’t be a REAL dragon in here. . . right?” Button Mash was quiet the whole time. He tried to keep an eye on everything since he was ‘leading’ the group. Rats running around, water still dripping, then he could hear a faint squeaking up ahead, but had no idea what it was. Sweetie Belle watched him closely, seeing him tensing up.

“Hey Button Mash, are you ok?” Applebloom and Scootaloo stopped their debate on what could be living in the cave till they saw what exactly it was Button Mash stopped everyone for and what they were all staring at. 

“A dead end? Are you serious?!” Scootaloo called out! Button mash held out a hoof back to them. Indeed the cave ended with what appeared to be a cave in, blocking the rest of the cave. 

“Hush! Something is in here with us!” The Cutie Mark Crusaders all but held their breaths as they followed Button Mash’s directions. He had played too many video games to not know about caves. It was on the tip of his tongue, but he just could not figure it out. 

“What is it, Button?” Applebloom asked a little timid. Button Mash scanned the area of darkness that surrounds them. 

“Bats?” He whispered to himself quietly.

“What did you say, Button Mash?” Sweetie Belle asked curiously, taking a step forward. Button Mash slowly looked up to the ceiling and saw he was dead on his mark. many dozens of bats were hung upside down, sleeping. 

“Bats!” He screamed in alarm and fear. The three fillies following him looked up as well and saw the bats hanging up above them. All of the bats had awoken and started flying out of the cave. Button Mash was the first to run out, torch still carried with him. Sweetie Belle and her friends turned tail and fled as well. Fortunately for them, the cave wasn’t all that deep. Unfortunately, they didn’t watch where they were going. 

Button Mash accidentally rammed into one wooden beam and cracked it. He dropped the torch and allowed it to roll to the side. Applebloom got her tail stuck to the same wooden beam. She got caught on it but tugged it free, breaking the board. Scootaloo and Applebloom dashed out of the cave, but the ceiling was breaking. 
bed his head from the pain. He felt his tears building up in his eyes. Not knowing what had been done, he felt the ground shaking and heard a rumbling, cracking noise above him. He slowly got up from the ground and looked forward for a moment. 

“Look out!!” Before Button Mash could react, he felt a sharp tug come from behind him and replaced at his original sitting spot landed a large boulder that cracked in half, followed by a bunch of rubble. He looked behind him and saw Sweetie Belle pulling on him. She had a strong and determined look burning in her eyes as she pulled him away to safety. He was shocked to see it, and then back to scared when he saw another large rock fall near him. 

After a few more minutes of the rockslide, it stopped, covering the area in smoke and dust. Applebloom and Scootaloo coughed and heaved while on the ground. Applebloom slowly got up, scanning the area while covering her mouth with her front hoof.

“Ah don’t see them! Do ya think they made it?” 

“Of course they. . . did. They totally got out of there,” Scootaloo explained, getting up herself at the same speed. They both looked around sharply and sadly noticed that there was no trace of Button Mash or Sweetie Belle. Applebloom glared over at Scootaloo angry. She looked back to see her friend's gaze and backed down a bit with a nervous smile. 

“Well, maybe they went out a back way?” Applebloom rolled her eyes and grabbed her pegasus friend.

“Come on, we have to get Twilight! She’ll know what to do!” Scootaloo nodded and got on her four hooves to follow her, the two of them now leaving their friends to their unknown fate.

> 11 Part 2: Cave Exploring Gone Right?
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 11 Part 2: Cave Exploring Gone Right?

Button Mash opened his eyes to the sound of whimpering. It was cold and dark from within what ever realm he was in. His eyes focused and got use to the darkness and was starting to adjust to it. He could see a large pile of rocks covering the exit and Sweetie Belle a few feet away, staring at the rocks with watery eyes. 

Button Mash got up slowly, causing Sweetie Belle to turn to him, a small smile formed across her face. She walked over and helped him back on all four hooves. 

“What happened?” Button Mash asked innocently and timidly, scared to hear the answer. Sweetie Belle’s smile disappeared as she glanced over at the crumbled boulders.

“As we were leaving, the ceiling came down on us, trapping us here. I think Scootaloo and Applebloom went back to town to get help. They should be back any minute now,” He shook his head and looked around to find the torch still burning, producing the only source of light around them. Shadows danced and flickered on the cave walls. 

“So we just have to hold out until they get here, right?” She nodded at him, though not answering. She shivered clearly but it wasn’t from the cold, it was from fear. She seemed to not believe her own words very well. Button Mash walked up to her and patted her shoulder, startling her. She looked were the hoof was placed and then trailed up to look at him in the eyes which surprisingly ignited with confidence. 

“Don’t worry, Sweetie Belle, I know that we will be rescued!” She had her mouth open in shock as she was mesmerized by the look in his eyes. He looked back to the rubble and walked on over. He examined the damage and he started to move the rocks out of the way. He grunted every time he moved one but did not stop. 

“Button Mash, it’s useless, we can’t move them all,”

“But we can at least try!” 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * 

“Maybe she is over at Rarity’s?” Scootaloo advised to the running Applebloom next to her. They have been sprinting through town to find Twilight Sparkle for help. The never stopped running, even after they left the forest. Of course the first place they checked was Twilight’s library, but Spike said she just left to go meet up with someone. They have begun searching the town for Twilight Sparkle, but their searching so far has been in vain. 

They searched the market, the town center, Sweet Apple Acres, Candy Corner, almost everywhere but no one has seen her. The next place they were gonna check is Rarity, one location they haven’t checked yet. 

They reached the Carousel Boutique and knocked on the door. Rarity opened it a minute or so and looked down at the two fillies catching their breath. She looked at them puzzled and slightly concerned. After a moment more they caught enough of their breath to speak.

“Rarity, is Twilight here?” Applebloom asked hopefully. Rarity raised an eyebrow and shook her head.

“I’m sorry, I haven’t seen her recently. I did an hour ago, said that she was meeting with somepony but I don’t know who,” The two fillies groaned in annoyance.

“That’s what everypony keeps saying! We need to find her quickly before it’s too late,” Rarity tilted her head slightly to the left, still wearing an expression of confusion. 

“Why, what’s wrong? Did something happen?” 

“No time ta explain. Can ya tell us where she was meeting this pony?” Rarity tilted her head back and looked away from them, deep in thought. 

“Hmmm, I can’t say that I know. She didn’t really say- wait! She said she was going to Fluttershy’s house first. She was to meet them at the edge of the Everfree forest,” The two fillies smiled up at her, light shining through their smiles. They looked at each other glowing in hope, then returned to face Rarity. 

“Thanks! Sweetie Belle will explain everything when she gets back. Come on Applebloom, let’s go!”

“Right, lets hurry!” The two stormed off leaving a small cloud of dust where they stood, making Rarity swat at the dust, still looking confused but now worried.

“Oh my, I certainly hope everything is alright,” Rarity said timidly, bring a hoof to her chin in thought. 

Applebloom and Scootaloo cut through town to get to Fluttershy’s house. They were catching up and they knew it, they only hope that they could find Twilight Sparkle in time before their friends run out of time. 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

“Push!” Button Mash cried out, his hooves pressed onto a big boulder. Sweetie Belle and Button Mash pushed with all of their strength against a rock that was blocking the way, but to no success. The rock didn’t budge from it’s spot. Button Mash and Sweetie Belle looked at each other with timid expressions clear on their faces, glancing back behind them to see they made no dent to the amount of rocks still blocking the cave entrance. 

They had been trapped for a solid hour so far with making little to no progress. They managed to move some but most of the debri is too heavy for them or is wedged in between too many rocks to slide out. The cave walls were dark and cold, the ground slick and smooth, and darkness was creeping in around them. 

Sweetie Belle looked over to see the torch was burning out. Button Mash saw her face and turned to see what she saw. He frowned at the torch and shook his head. He knew they didn’t have a whole bunch of time left before they would be in complete darkness. 

“Come on, there is nothing we can do here. Let’s just wait for the others to return,” Sweetie Belle nodded without saying anything gloom and despair was revealed across her face when they got closer to the torch, tears leaking out of her eyes. 

Button Mash was scared, no doubt about it. Normally he would be crying and screaming like a little filly, but he felt as though he shouldn’t show her how scared he is to her. Like as if they would perish away if he showed his fear. He gulped down his cowardice and sat down next to the torch. Sweetie Belle sat across from him, also next to the torch. Button Mash looked up at her to see her blankly staring at the torch almost lifelessly as if she had given up all hope. 

Button Mash saw a shiver shake her body and she grabbed her arms to keep warm. Her mane was a mess and her eyes were bloodshot from crying. She looked like she had seen hell. Button Mash walked over and sat next to her, his cheeks a little red. 

“Are you ok, Sweetie Belle?” She didn’t answer. Her body shook from the cold of the cave and her eyes never left the fading torch. Button Mash scratched the back of his head, trying to think of something to break her out of the trance like state she seemed to be in. 

“You’re shivering, try to get closer to the torch to stay warm,” Once again she didn’t reply, nor did she budge from her spot. Button mash wanted to cry loudly into the walls of the cave, but doing so would show her that their is no hope. he had to be brave for her, he had to show her he wasn’t a whiny baby. 

He felt the cold creep up on him, giving him goose bumps and making his fur stick up on it’s end. He couldn’t keep the act up for long. He had to think of something to get her mind off of all of this. He scootched a bit closer to Sweetie Belle and took a deep breath. I have to do this, to keep her warm. I don’t like like her or anything, I’m just trying to help a friend. Right. 

Button Mash raised his hoof slowly, hesitating with every inch that he managed to move. Ever so slowly he wrapped his hooves around her and pulled her in, causing her to gasp suddenly when she felt his arms around her. She looked up to him to see his face red and refusing to make eye contact with her. Once he finally managed to get the full embrace, he released his breath that he didn’t even realize he was holding. Sweetie Belle was about to push him away but her body suddenly felt a crashing wave of warmth flooding her. She held onto his arms and snuggled her face with in it. 

“There, I know I didn’t ask, but I hope you don’t mind me hugging you. I just want to make sure that you don’t catch a cold,” Sweetie Belle said nothing but in response nodded her head. She felt the cruelty of the cave leave her mind. There was no cave, no torch, no cold, no darkness, only him and her. Her face turned a shade of red much like Button Mash’s. She smiled and sighed softly under her breath, basking in his warmth. 

“Thank you, Button,” Button Mash was almost surprised to hear Sweetie Belle’s voice but smiled down at her, snuggling lightly at the back of her neck, smiling as well. He no longer was putting up an act, he was no calm and relaxed himself. He had no worries or fears. It was as if they were out at the beach just soaking up the sun. The thought made him smile in the darkness. 

“Hey Sweetie Belle?”

“Yes?” 

“I’m sorry that I got you trapped in here with me,” Sweetie Belle giggled ever so softly. 

“It’s ok, I mean I was scared, but now. . . now I’m not,” Button Mash lifted his head to look at her, shocked. She moved her head slightly so that he could only see her emerald green eyes, which looked deeply into his light brown eyes. “Thank you,” Now he looked at her confused. 

“For what?” Sweetie Belle held her gaze for a few moments, simply soaking up the scene. After that she turned her head down to hide her eyes again. 

“For looking out for me,” He was surprised and didn’t fully understand why, but it made him happy to know that he could make her feel better. 

“Of course, I mean we are friends, right? This is what friends do!” I think Sweetie Belle giggled softly again, snuggling herself a little closer into his embrace, curling herself up onto his chest. Button Mash looked over at the torch and saw it was almost out. Soon they would be in complete darkness. Already the walls were gone from their area of sight. He looked back down at Sweetie Belle, frowning. 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Fluttershy opened her front door after hearing some loud knocking coming from it. She opened the door to reveal a pair of panting fillies. She leaned down to get to their level. 

“Oh my, are you two alright?” Scootaloo shook her head. 

“Fluttershy! Where is. . Twilight? We need her to. . . help us. It’s an emergency!” Fluttershy raised herself back up properly. She looked around to see if it was just them, which it was, then looked back down at them. 

“She is over at the Everfree forest. I think she said she was meeting a pony over their. She seemed really nervous so I hope she is ok. Now that I remember. . .” Fluttershy looked over at the edge of the forest, a shiver jolted through her. She shook her head and looked a bit off at a small group of trees next to the Everfree forest. “Yes, she should be over there by those trees before you enter the forest. If you little fillies want I could -” When she looked back down, Applebloom and Scootaloo were gone. 

They were booking it for the tree line, hoping they aren’t too later. When they got their it would have appeared that luck had finally blessed them, for in the middle of the grove of trees, Twilight Sparkle was pacing back and forth at it’s center. The two friends looked at each other with excitement and bolted through the bushes for her. 

“Twilight!” Scootaloo shouted as they ran to her. Twilight’s ear perked up in excitement and a smile formed quickly on her face.

“Flash?” When they came out of the bushes, her smile faded slightly. “Oh, it’s you girls. Are you ok? You look like you’ve been running all over the place,” She looked away from the for a moment to let them catch their breath. Applebloom could just barely hear something muttered from under Twilight’s breath. “I could have sworn the letter said to met him here,”

“Twilight! We need your help,” Twilight returned her attention to the young fillies, now wearing a face of concern. 

“What’s wrong? What happened?”

“We were doing some cave exploring and the cave came crashing down like Big Mac tripping over a root! Sweetie Belle and Button Mash are still trapped inside!” Applebloom explained in a panic. Twilight’s eyes widen with panic then went firm. 

“Bring me to the cave!” She ordered firmly, her gaze forming that of authority. The two nodded at her and lead the way to the cave in. 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

“Are you comfortable, Sweetie Belle?” Button Mash asked softly, still holding the young filly in his arms. She smiled to herself, nodding.

“Yes, thank you,” Button mash looked at the torch again, noticing it was almost gone. It was about to go out at any second. He frowned at the sight as the black shadows crept closer to them. 

“We are about to run out of torch light here soon,” Sweetie Belle raised her head just enough to see the torch of the floor, frowning at it as well. She glanced over at her surroundings to see the darkness of the cave getting closer and closer by the second. The torch had a single flame left from it’s original, flaming glory.

 “What are we going to do?” Button Mash didn’t have a single clue, but he had to keep her as calm as he could keep her.

“We wait for your friends to return with help,”

“You mean OUR friends?” Button Mash couldn’t help but smile at that. The thought was warming and pleasant to him

“Yes, OUR friends,” Sweetie Belle raised her head to face Button Mash, looking into his eyes which he returned the gaze full heartedly. Her breathing got heavier and her heart started pounding through her chest. She was certain that he could feel it, which he could easily. 

“Button Mash?” The torch was at it’s end. 

“Yes Sweetie Belle,” Darkness engulfed them ever so slowly.

“If we don’t get out of here-”

“Don’t say that!”

“I know, I’m just saying that if we don’t make it, I just want you to know that I’m glad we became friends,” The last flicker of flame grew smaller and smaller, fading into the blackness. 

“Me too Sweetie Belle, me too,” They leaned in closer, their foreheads pressed onto one another, smiling. Their hearts thumped loudly in their chests, blending together as one strong heart beat. The flame flickered one last time and was finally extinguished. They now sat in complete darkness, not even able to see one another. 

“Button Mash?!” He held onto her tighter, putting his muzzle on her shoulder.

“I’m here. I won’t go anywhere, I promise!” Sweetie Belle closed her eyes shut and held onto him just as tight. They have given up hope right then and there that they were gonna be rescued, but they couldn’t feel more relaxed about it.

The rocks moved slightly from behind them, making faint scraping sounds. Button Mash and Sweetie Belle turned over to the sound, although they couldn’t see anything. All at once, the rocks and boulders shot outwards from the entrance. Sunlight flooded the entrance with blinding light, making them cover their eyes. Twilight held onto the rubble with her magic and tossed safely aside, turning to the two ponies huddled inside. 

“Thank Celestia! Are you two alright?” 

“Were fine,” They said syncronized. They looked at each other with a small smile, giggling. They looked at themselves as they were still holding onto each other. Twilight smiled with a smirk. Scootaloo and Applebloom walked around Twilight and peered inside, seeing the two in an embrace. 

They let go quickly and smiled nervously, their faces beat red. Scootaloo smirked confidently over at Applebloom but she held her glare at the pair. The ones in question slowly got up and made their way out of the cave. Sweetie Belle looked up to smile at the sun getting ready to set while Button Mash fell onto the grass and started kissing it, gripping it tightly. 

“Oh I am SOOOOOO happy to feel the ground again!” Sweetie Belle looked down at him and sighed happily, shaking her head at him. She looked back up at the Alicorn sanding before her, smiling. 

“Thank you for saving us, Twilight,” She walked up and hugged her, which she happily returned the favor.

“Of course! I am just happy to see no pony got hurt. That was very dangerous of you guys,” She looked over to see the big red sign by the entrance. “Didn’t you guys read the sign over there?” Sweetie Belle turned to see the sign Twilight was pointing at then looked back up, smiling nervously. Her friends were looking at each other embarassed. 

“Well, we didn’t think that it would actually fall down on us. We thought that if we were careful, the ceiling wouldn’t come down, but I guess it did,” Twilight shook her head at them.

“Well I hope you all learned a valuable lesson here!” The little ponies hung their heads down, ears dropping with them.

“Yes Twilight,” She smiled down at them. 

“I’m glad to hear that. Now let’s go back home, I bet you four have some stories to tell,” Scootaloo snickered a bit, looking over at Sweetie Belle.

“Yea, and some explaining,” Twilight patted Sweetie Belle on the head, making her smile.

“You were really brave,” Sweetie Belle shook her head, glancing over at Button Mash who were talking to Applebloom and Scootaloo.

“Honestly, no. Button Mash protected me and kept me calm. HE was the brave one here,” Twilight giggled lightly at that, patting her head once more, this time having to shake off the cobe webs. 

“Let’s go, everypony. You need to take some baths,” They started making their way but Twilight stopped and stared off at the distance in the tree lines. Button Mash turned over towards her.

“Is something wrong?” She looked back startled but shook her head.

“It’s nothing. I thought I saw something, or-” She looked back at the spot she was staring at. “More like felt something. It’s nothing though, let’s head back to Ponyville!” She turned around and led the group back to town.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Cheat Code watched them head back to town, smirking to himself. He sat behind coverage of the trees where Twilight was staring at. 

“That Twilight must have some good eyes, or strong magical detection. Either way she almost caught scent of me. I’ll try avoiding using her as a time extender,” He chuckled to himself once again, stretching out on the branch he laid on. “Still, she didn’t catch me, no surprise there,”

“Do not think lightly of her, she is very powerful. She defeated Nightmare Moon and-”

“Yeah yeah, I know. The royal guard has heard of them all, even in MY division. No need to pester me about that,” 

“Very well. So did it work?” Cheat Code smiled widely, chuckling to himself. “Well? Has Button Mash and Sweetie Belle got closer to each other?” Cheat Code leaned forward, smirking.

“Far more than you can imagine. This couldn’t be anymore of a success!” 

“Do they suspect anything?”

“No, not a bit. We are in the clear,”

“We are glad to hear, thank you. So is everything planned for tonight?” Cheat Code pulled out a juice box from his saddle and put the straw in. 

Yeah. Tonight I’ll sneak in his room and allow direct contact for you and him. I have to ask, what is up with that game you sent him?” There was silence for a moment, annoying him. He brought the straw to his lips and took a long sip from it.

“That game. . . is what’s going to reveal his destiny. The game is the most important part of our plan. It has reconized him, now we must activate it without his knowing,” 

“Piece of cake, I can sneak circles around him without him figuring anything out. Will you just tell me what exactly it does?” 

“It reveals his destiny. The device will guide him to the door that shall unlock his full potential. All he has to do. . . is open it,”  

> 12: Not So Sweet Dreams
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 12: Not So Sweet Dreams


Button Mash stepped out of the bathroom, his mane still damp from the shower he had just taken. His mother wasn’t happy to hear about the whole cave exploring thing, but she was glad he came back alive and with no fatal injuries. Cheat Code said he was surprised he would ever do such a thing and that he had guts. Rage Quit had a talk with his mom about something after he went upstairs to get cleaned up, but he didn’t hear much of it. Something about colts will be colts or something among those lines.

Button Mash returned to his room to find his older brother already in it, looking through a book. Judging by the twin headed spear on the front of the book, it was about melee weapons, no surprise there. He seemed to have a small box of cookies next to him that he was eating. 

“You left your secret stash unlocked again,” Cheat Code stated blankly, pointing at his bookshelf with his tail, grabbing another cookie and putting it in his mouth with said tail. Button Mash had a confused look at his brother. He looked at the bookshelf just to notice that one of his books was missing, a book that hide a hole in the wall which he stored his favorite cookies in to hide from his mother. He turned back to Cheat Code with a hard glare.

“Hey! Those are my cookies!” Cheat Code glanced up from his book with a blank stare. 

“What cookies? Oh, you mean these cookies?” He lifted the box with his tail, grinning from ear to ear devilishly. “Are these the cookies you were talking about?” He shook the box gently, showing there was only a few left in it. 

“Yeah! Give those back!” Button Mash demanded firmly, pouting at him angrily. Cheat Code chuckled a bit, rocking the box back and forth. 

“Well if you want your cookies back, you are gonna have to take them from me,” He smirked with a cocky grin. Button Mash grunted annoyed at him and charged. Cheat Code smirked and twisted his tail so that Button Mash only grabbed air. He landed on the bed and spun around to get back on all fours. Cheat Code held his smirk at his little brother.

“Darn, so close. Maybe you should try again,” Button Mash jumped from the bed and at Cheat Code this time. He simply twirled around and dodged him. “Aloe!” Button Mash smirked and landed, twisted his hooves around, and tackled him from the side before he could fully spin. He threw the box into the air, twisted and spun his body to evade Button Mash, and grabbed the box. He took a cookie from it and popped it in his mouth before landing with a soft thud.

“Not bad, little brother. You managed to copy one of my moves. Could use a little work on your form,” Button Mash grunted annoyed by him and charged straight at him. With no effort he jumped over him and landed perfectly on all fours, his tail still holding the box of cookies. 

Button Mash charged at the wall since Cheat Code moved and rammed into the wall. The contact made him dizzy for a moment. He shook his head and looked at his older brother, who was smiling down victoriously, tossing the box down to him. 

“Sharing is magic, little brother, and charity is always rewarded,” Button Mash looked at the box and opened it, revealing two small cookies. He looked back up with a small smile, making him smile back.

“Thanks, Cheat Code,” The pony in question winked down at him. He walked back over and pulled his book back out, finding his spot. Button Mash pulled a cookie out and munched on it with a big smile across his face, making Cheat Code chuckle to himself. 

“So how are you holding up? I mean you did just have a near death experience. For somepony who could have died today, you are pretty happy,” Button Mash stopped half way from eating the other cookie and turned his attention to him. The room got a little quiet as Button Mash tried to find an answer for his older brother.

He couldn’t figure it out himself. It was true though, he could have died today and no longer be part of this world, and yet he was pretty cheerful. Button Mash put the cookie back into it’s little blue box. The question puzzled him, but yet there was no reason. No reason for him to smile, but he felt happy. Maybe because he managed to help Sweetie Belle, maybe it was because he was happy to be alive. No matter what though, nothing seemed all to clear. 

“I. . . I don’t know. I guess I shouldn’t be, but I am,” He turned towards the window in his room at the night sky. “I guess the only thing I could think of is that I was able to protect one of my friends,” Cheat Code smiled admiringly, lowering his book and looked out the window with a blissful expression.

“Protecting your friends is a very rewarding feeling. No matter what ponies will say, it is still worth it. My job is to protect and serve, and I couldn’t have asked for a better job. Everyday could be your last, sure, but it’s knowing you can share that life or death experience with ponies who are ready to fight and die along your side. I know you won’t be in that kind of situation, but I’m glad to hear you are protecting that which you feel is important,” 

Cheat Code looked over at Button Mash to see he was playing on his joyboy, making him glare angrily at him. His little brother’s back was turned to him and the faint sounds of 8-bit battling was going off. 

“Hey! Are you listening to me?!” Button Mash did not budge from his spot or react in anyway. 

“Yeah, totally,” Cheat Code brought his book behind him and prepared to throw it. Imaginary cross hairs lined up at his head and locked on to it's target. He smirked cruelly and got ready to beam it at his head. 

“Button sweety, I brought you some ice cream, it’s your fav-” Button’s mom started as she walked around the corner to see Cheat Code aiming his book at Button Mash. He then brought it down further behind his back, making a slight cracking sound, trying to look like he was stretching. “Cheat Code, were you about to throw your book at your brother?” Button Mash looked up at her and then back at Cheat Code, him smiling playfully. 

“No. I was simply trying to get a cink out of my shoulder. I think I might have pulled it on my walk around town. Now come on mom, you know me,” 

“Exactly why I asked,” She shook her head at him and returned her attention to Button Mash, placing the bowl of ice cream in front of him. “Here you go, dear. It’s chocolate, your favorite!” Button Mash smiled and put down his game to eat some of the ice cream. 

“Yaaa! Thank you mom!” With a hearty smile, he shoveled his spoon in the ice cream and brought the portion in his mouth, his smile filled with a shining delight. Button’s mom smiled down at him with glee but then glared up at Cheat Code who had to hide a grin from his mother’s glaze.

“Leave your brother alone! He has had so many terrible things happen to him today, don’t terrorize him or you can do all of the chores for the remainder of your stay here!” Cheat Code rolled his eyes but sighed in defeat. 

“Ok, I understand mom,” She smiled and nodded to him.

“I’m glad to hear that, now you two behave. Button sweety, you can stay up an extra thirty minutes tonight, but not a minute more,” Button Mash nodded to her with some ice cream around his lips. 

“Thank you mom! You’re the best,” Button’s mom smiled warmly. She leaned down and placed a gentle kiss on his forehead and left the room, partially closing the door behind her. Button Mash turned around and stuck his tongue out at Cheat Code who looked unimpressed.

“You little suck up!” He grinned deviantly at him and went back to eating his ice cream. 

“Well mom said you can’t pick on me, so there!” Cheat Code grinned from ear to ear once again, but this time it was an evil smile. 

“ I am in the military, dude. So tell me, why would chores ever scare me?” Button Mash turned around with a slight timid look in his eyes. 

“You wouldn’t actually do that though, right?” He asked pleadingly, looking over at the book next to his big brother. Cheat Code’s smile softened to a caring smile. 

“Button, you know me so well. Ask yourself this, would I really do such a thing like throw a book at the back of your head after everything you have been through?” Button Mash relaxed, sighing out in relief. 

“Yeah, thank you,” He turned back around and continued eating his ice cream. Cheat Code’s smile turned cruel instantly. 

“The answer would be yes,” With surprising speed he lifted the book wit his tail, grabbed it with his hoof, and threw the book right at the back of his head, hitting him dead on. 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Sweetie Belle sat down in a chair at the dining table as Rarity worked on her mane as she has been doing since she returned back home. She wore a face of annoyance as Rarity tried hard to restyle her mane.

“Honestly, darling, you need to be more careful,” Sweetie Belle rolled her eyes at that.

“I know, you only said it like twelve times now,” 

“Well you should be more careful. I mean what would have happened if Twilight wasn’t able to show up, or worse the cave collapsed right on you!” 

“I know Rarity, but it didn’t happen. I’m fine,” Rarity stopped for a moment to look at Sweetie Belle with pleading eyes but kept brushing her mane. 

“I know, dear. I was just horrified to hear you have been through so much! Being trapped in a dark, dirty cave like that. It sounds just absolutely dreadful!” Sweetie Belle blushed lightly at the thought of the things that had happened that day and it made her smile faintly.

“It wasn’t so bad,” Rarity stopped brushing and leaned over to see her face. She couldn’t help but smile.

“Do you like this friend of yours?” Sweetie Belle’s face turned a darker shade of red and shook her head nervously.

“What, no! He’s just a friend,” Rarity raised an eyebrow at that, not really believing her little sister’s words. 

“Well I won’t ask any further upon the subject,” Sweetie Belle kept her eyes forward, trying to settle her nerves down.

“Thanks,” There was a few minutes of silence as Rarity continued brushing Sweetie Belle’s mane. Not one of them spoke a word until Rarity broke the silence.

“Just make sure to let me know when the wedding is,” Sweetie Belle spun around with an angry expression, her face was crimson red.

“Rarity!”

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 

“It wasn’t that hard, come on!” Button Mash glared over at Cheat Code and turned away from him. Cheat Code sighed to himself. “I’m sorry, ok. I won’t do it again tonight,” Button Mash turned around with distrust. 

“Promise me!” Cheat Code chuckled lightly, shaking his head.

“I cross my flag, with a battle cry, and spread my wings like the pegasi. For if I lie in my brother’s eyes, I can kiss my flank good bye,” He said with a cocky look. Button Mash grinned and nodded over at his older brother. 

“Ok, I forgive you,” They both chuckled a little playfully. A question popped in his head and he looked up at the military stallion sprawled out on his bed with his book. “By the way, you never told me how you managed to do that falcon punch,” Cheat Code nodded at him in understanding. He put the book down, saving his spot and closing it. 

“That is true, my dear brother. I guess I can tell you. It’s no real secret. Come over here and I’ll tell you,” Button Mash smiled and walked over to the bed, sitting down in front of it. Cheat Code looked around the room. Not with his eyes, but with his ears, trying to get an accurate guess if their mom was in ear shot. Once it was determined that she was far enough, he turned back to Button Mash with a small smile. 

“Alright, listen closely Button Mash, I’ll only say this once because technically I am not supposed to tell you this,” Button Mash’s smile grew with excitement, curiosity burned in his eyes that focused closely onto Cheat Code.

“Ok, I promise I won’t tell anypony no matter what!” Cheat Code smiled back, nodding in understanding. With a quick crack of his neck and getting in a comfortable position, he continued.

“Alright, the armor given to the guards and soldiers is simply called guard armor. We of the recon division get a different kind of armor. Since we recon are the first to go out in any sort of battle situation, we get the best armor. Well, second best I should say. Front line infantry get the best,” Button Mash got a little confused, raising in his front right hoof.

Cheat Code put his hoof in his face and shook his head. He rolled his eyes and pointed at Button Mash’s raised hoof. 
“So, what is infantry?” Cheat Code raised his head out of his hoof to look at him, wearing a face of slight surprise.

“I almost forgot that I never told you about the other branches. That will be for a later date. Now our armor increases and enhances our natural ability. Martial arts experts will be stronger and more agile. Unicorns, their magic get’s stronger and can hold out longer using constant magic power. You know how our grandfather Hard Disk is a unicorn?” Button Mash nodded.

“Yeah? He said hesitantly, wearing an unsure expression. 

“Well even though we are earth ponies, we still have some magic in us. We just don’t have the channel point a unicorn does. Since we don’t have a spot for direct channeling, we would have to use a lot more magic to do anything, and even then it will take a long time to train and master a single spell. The armor granted me the ability to try out some fighting moves in video games and managed to master the spells. Now I have access to several video game fighting moves,” 

Button Mash sat their, mouth gaping with astonishment. He always looked at his older brother like a god. Whenever him and his brother walked through town, ponies would pick on him and call him names. Even though they are brothers and it could be seen, he always looked more mature and strong. Button Mash always looked weak and like a baby. So he always seemed so strong when they stood side by side, but now he really was.

“That is so cool! So all those video games we played, you can do their moves?!” 

“Well, I can do a couple in each game, but not all, I never had time to try them all. I’m still learning a few that I haven’t mastered yet, and the rest I haven’t attempted,” Cheat Code explained bashfully, smiling a bit humbly. 

“Wow! You are so powerful, like one of those bosses at the end of a level!” Cheat Code burst into laughter, slapping the bed he was laying on. 

“Oh Button Mash you are a riot! No I am not that powerful,” Button Mash looked up at him, innocently confused. Cheat Code calmed down a bit, slowing his laughter down.

“I’m sorry. Anyway I’m nothing without my armor. With out it, I might be able to do one spell, but that’s it. Sure I’ll still have my earth pony training and my fighting skills, but if something big comes and I don’t have my armor on, I’m screwed. Now listen closely, for this is important,” Button Mash nodded, leaning closer.

“True power does not come from what weapon you have or what kind of magic you can do. True power comes from the heart. You may have the greatest weapon of all time but if your heart is weak, they will fall to any foe. The smallest of beings with a broom stick could slay a dragon if their heart roared like a lion. That is why we become stronger when he fight to protect something,”

Button Mash looked at him shocked but proudly. He never was good with words before, but this time he hit the mark. Normally he was blunt and straightforward, but it was as if some king said it to him. 

“Thanks Cheat Code, you’re the best!” Cheat Code came off the bed and slightly slugged him in the shoulder. 

“If you can say that then I need to fix it!” They both laughed happily, simply enjoying the time they had. He only managed to visit once every other month. So when ever they could get time, they would cherish it. 

Cheat Code patted Button Mash on the head with a smile, rubbing it a little. “You should get some sleep. I suppose you will want to hang out with your friends tomorrow. Just try to put off any cave exploring, ok?” Button Mash laughed a little, nodding over at him. 

“Yes sir!” He replied with a silly, serious smile and a crisp salute. Cheat Code laughed softly at that, smiling nostalgic like. He got up from the bed and walked out towards the door, keeping his gaze on Button Mash.

“Good night Button,” And with that he closed the door, still holding that smile. He stood there for a good minute, just smiling at the door. After a moment he chuckled again. “Where has the time gone? What has happened while I was away?” His smile faded and his eyes started to water. “What have I missed in your life?” He fought back the tears as he shook his head. This went against everything in his military training if he let the tears flow. He stepped away from his spot and walked back to his room, leaving a single tear drop on the door knob. 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

It was the middle of the night in the gamer household belonging to Button Mash. The moon was high up in the midnight sky. A gentle breeze blowing through the clean, crisp, night air. Button Mash was fast asleep, snoring softly to himself. A little stream of drool oozing out of his open mouth as he laid on his back. The room was quiet and peaceful. 

A pair of brown eyes pierced through the darkness, locking onto the sleeping Button Mash. It moved across the room effortlessly and silent as the dead. It hovered over to Button Mash and crouched down low. It looked at a small toy train that laid with in arms length. The toy train got pushed from it’s spot and rolled across the floor. 

It rolled over and hit the dresser with enough force to make a slap sound and knock over an empty box. All of this didn’t even make Button Mash budge from his sleeping position. The figure glared at him and the eyes rolled around. 

“Celestia dame it, Button! After all this time I would think you would have some sort of trick or trap by now! No defence of any sort? You are still a light- no, no just, just never mind. I got a job to do,” The dark being glanced around and hovered a few inches closer to the sleeping colt. It looked down at him but suddenly heard a loud SMACK and then something clamped onto it’s hoof. Pain shooting up through it's body. 

“Celestia. . . . dame it!” The infiltraitor pulled off it’s mask to reveal Cheat Code, biting his bottom lip. He looked down and saw a mouse trap latched onto his hoof. He glared down at it with firey fury, as if trying to blow it up with it’s stare. He pulled the contraption off of his hoof and gently placed it down. Surprisingly Button Mash still slept soundly in his bed, he only turned to his side. 

“I swear I could set off TNT in here and you would still be asleep,” With an annoyed grunt he walked on over and touched his forehead. With the other hoof he hovered it over Button Mash’s head. “Alright, I’m here. Waiting for you to make a direct connection,” Cheat Code observed everything in the room, especially Button Mash. If he were to get caught, the mission will be a failure. 

“We are here, open the connection. Make sure the connection is never severed,” He rolled his eyes. 

“I know why I am here, relax. Connection won’t break on my watch!” He took a deep breath, and released it slowly, placing his hoof on Button Mash’s head. Magic channeled from his mind to his and back. Cheat Code’s telepathy went dead with silence. 

“Alright, give your message to him. I’ll guard the connection,” 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 

Buttontier looked down from his guard post in the grand castle of Talimore, the capital of Frozana. The moon had begun to set, the sun threatening it’s arrival over the horizon. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly, feeling the crisp air fill his lungs and the warm air travel upwards from his throat and rushed past his lips. 

Buttontier looked down to see the princess traveling through town. Her soft, pink and cherry red mane tucked away in a beautiful series of braids. Her amber eyes scanning the streets and admiring the sky as it was changing colors to the incoming sunrise. She was most likely taking a walk before sunrise. Everything seemed like everything was exactly as it should, but yet he still felt like something was wrong. He didn’t know what but he was on edge. He looked back down and saw the princess wave up to him. Buttontier smiled and waved back down to her. 

“We are under attack!” Buttontier snapped from his stare and looked over to see the front gate burst open suddenly and a large swarm of stallions in lunar armor rushed past the gates. The guards in the area rushed forward to meet the enemy force but were heavily outnumbered three to one. The princess looked over to see the forces coming at her. 

Buttontier went down from his post towards the princess, running as fast as he could. Before the endless sea of dark purple metal could cut off his way, he reached the princess who was frozen in fear in place. 

“Princess, we are under attack! Please come with me!” Buttontier cried out in panic, reaching for her hoof. He saw a blade come down right in front of him, missing him by an inch. He tucked his arm away and jumped to the side to avoid the attack any further. He looked up at his foe and scrunched in fear. 

The lunar soldier was a unicorn three times his size and wielded a sword, an ax, and a mace, all of them levitating through his magic. Buttontier gulped down is fear and stood strong even though he knew he was no match for him. 

“Look out!” Before Buttontier could react properly, besides making a confused face, he felt himself get tugged from behind, the lunar guard charging at him. An arrow came down and struck the lunar soldier right in the head, putting him down.

“I’ve seen enough, dispers!” The world around Buttontier faded away from his vision. The battle, the soldiers, the guards, the princess, everything. Button Mash now stood there confused, looking around him at the inky blackness that now welcomed him. 

“What just happened?” Silence answered back. Not just usual silence, this silence had no noise at all. No wind nor life could be heard, just his breathing and his heart beat was the only noise that he could hear. “Hello?” He called out. His voice echoed back to him in reply. Button Mash looked down at his own front hooves and took a step forward, feeling something hard and cold beneath him. 

“We have entered your dreams, yet again, little Button Mash,” Button Mash spun around to try to find the source of the voice, but found only more deep darkness. 

“Where are you?” There was a pause and he could have sworn he heard a quiet chuckle. 

“We are everywhere and no where all at once,” The black shadow covered realm in which he stood transformed into a swamp with a thick fog rolling in. Button Mash now stood on a rock overlooking the murky pond below him. He could see his own reflection on the surface, his own self looking back up just as confused as him. 

“Who are you exactly?” 

“Time will come where we shall reveal our true identity. For now, just know that we are here to help you,” Button Mash looked up and searched within the fog, still trying to find the mysterious figure speaking to him. 

“Help me with what?” 

“With what you truly fear most,” He was still confused, and now he was almost concerned and alert. 

“Well, I’m scared of a lot of things,” Button Mash searched the tree line and from within it he could see the silhouette of a pony deep within the mist. He could faintly see some sort of mane and a horn. He smiled as he focused on the point of sight. 

“Although that is true, there is something that eats away your insides. Something that dwells deep in your mind and heart. A creeping darkness that threatens your dreams,” His smile disappeared, he didn’t know what was going on, all he knew is that nothing here was making sense. 

“What are you talking about?! I don’t know what you are saying!” 

“What we are saying is. . . “ The mist cleared and the swamp faded, only to reveal his previous dream. He was floating in the sky, and down below him was the castle he was just guarding. “You fear change,” He raised an eyebrow in a puzzled expression until he realised he was in the sky and panicked. He felt a gentle hoof placed on his shoulder. When he looked up, Princess Luna smiled warmly to him. He started to relax but felt nervous at the same time, as if his body refused to obey it’s emotions. 

“Pri-Pri-Princess L-Luna?!” She smiled even brighter down at the little, brown colt.

“We are glad you know your Princess of the Night. We’ve come to assist you,” 

“But how?” 

“Watch, little one,” She pointed at the ground of his last dream, getting his attention. He looked down curiously. 

“But this is my dream. I mean before you came,” Button Mash watched as the same exact scene took place. The lunar army storming the gates, the attack, the overwhelming numbers of the enemy. “I’ve already went through all of this,”

“But do you know what it is telling you?” He turned to look up to her. 

“It’s just a dream, it doesn’t mean anything,” 

“That is where you are wrong,” Button Mash wore a puzzled expression, tilting his head slightly to the right. Luna pointed towards the army storming into the city. 

“That was our army. We were also known as the army of darkness since we struck at night. The castle represents the cave. You stood by to protect Sweetie Belle, who is the princess, only to have her save you. The darkness swarmed and overwhelmed your protection were you felt safe. The stallion who attacked you was the overwhelming force of change. No matter how much you fought it, it was going to charge at you,” Button Mash watched the scene in awe as the explanation made sense to him now. 

“Wait, what about the arrow that stopped him?” Luna smiled, leaning over to him. 

“That too, is also change. A change that can stop another,” Button Mash’s eyes twitched and he grabbed his head.

“Ow, my head hurts,” Luna patted his back with her eyes closed and a warm smile spread across her angelic lips. Her wings opened up to shelter him.

“There there, dreams are are to fully understand, all you need to know is that every dream has a meaning. Even we do not fully understand all of the meanings of all dreams. All will be explained in due time. For now, simply know that change is coming, and you must learn to accept it,” Button Mash held her back, almost timidly.

“But why do things have to change? Why can’t everything just be the way it is?” 

“Because, dear Button Mash. In order for us to grow we must one day change. Yes change can be a scary thing, but know that once it molds into you, you will be able to do wonderful things!” Button Mash looked up with a smile. 

“Really?” Luna looked down at him and smiled back motherly. 

“Yes, you will see one day, but for now, you have to wake up,” His smile vanished, now replaced with the all too familiar confused expression. Before he could say anything Luna tapped his forehead.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * 

“Wait!” Button Mash cried out. He looked around but the last thing he saw was a hoof in his face. He fell back onto his bed knocked out. Cheat Code was standing over him panting lightly, looking at his hoof. 

“You punched your own little brother? We never knew you could possibly do such a horrid thing,” Cheat Code snarled in anger at the voice that now returned inside his head. 

“Shut up! You were supposed to warn me before he woke up. I can’t have him see me here, so yes, I knocked his lights out,” He leaned over the bed and waved his hoof in front of Button Mash’s blacked out eyes. With a defeated sigh, he closed his eyes and tucked the little colt back into bed.

“Well you were complaining about it being too easy, so we thought to give you a challenge, which you apparently failed it,” Cheat Code glared at nothing but moved away from Button Mash’s bed, heading for the door. 

“Yeah, yeah. Look, did you do what you needed?”

“Yes, you may return to your own bed. Thank you for assisting us,”

“Well you are my boss for the time being, so it’s not like I have too much of a choice,” He left the room and crept to his own, picking up a glass of water from the dresser near the door and taking a swig before putting it back down. He stopped and turned back around with a worried look on his face as he gazed upon Button Mash’s bed. 

“Have no fear, Cheat Code. Everything will be set right,” 

By the corner of Button Mash’s dresser, facing towards the knocked out colt, laid his joyboy. It turned on and illuminated a small, purple light. On the screen in had in bold letters ‘Updating’ with a loading bar quickly filling. Cheat Code turned away and slowly but quietly closed the bedroom door. 

Once the loading bar was filled, another took it’s place, this one reading ‘Loading Project Shimmer Dream’. The majestic, purple light slowly faded from purple to yellow. The new bar filled up just as quickly as before and with a yellow, eletrical surge it shut itself off. 

> 13: Secret Rivalry
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 13: Secret Rivalry 

Sweetie Belle woke up from the sun’s rays of light bathing her room with it’s welcoming glow. She stretched outward from under her covers and tossed them aside. She climbed out of bed slowly and looked outside her bedside window. The weather team had a scheduled downpour this afternoon, but the rest of the day was partly cloudy. 

With a sleepy sigh, she stretched once more and started to make her way down the stairs. Down the elegant flight of stairs, she saw a note on the table. It was obviously her sisters writing style. She walked over and looked at it sheepishly, picking it up, yawning while she started reading the text on the little piece of paper out loud. 

“Dear Sweetie Belle. I am off to Canterlot to make a very important delivery to a very important client. I am trusting that you won’t burn down the house again so make sure to behave. I’ll have Fluttershy visit every now and then to make sure everything is ok. I will return tonight at 8 pm tonight. Love, Rarity,” Sweetie Belle reread that and a smile crept over her face. 

“Yes! Now I can finally practice cooking! Oh I can’t wait!” The little excited unicorn filly looked back down on the note and found something more written. “Oh, I didn’t see that. P.S. Don’t try cooking anything, I just redid the kitchen and I can’t have you burning it down again. Oh come on!” She tossed the note aside, now grumpy. “I should have known she would say that!” 

Sweetie Belle poured herself a bowl of cereal for breakfast, eating it and looking outside for any ideas on what she could do. Every spoon full of colorful spheres took it’s time to make it’s mark, her mouth. She dragged out every bite and every swallow, stuck in her own little world. 

“I’ve never felt so. . . so bored, and the day hasn’t even started!” She sighed and placed her forehead on the table, sighing in annoyance. She looked over at the clock and saw it was 8:39 in the morning. 

“It’s Saturday, so my friends shouldn’t be too busy, although Applebloom is probably doing her chores. I wonder what Scootaloo is up to,” Sweetie Belle finished her cereal and washed up her dishes in the sink. Afterwards, she stretched out one last time and headed for the door. She opened the door and was about to storm off but was stopped when she saw Fluttershy standing there, her hoof extended for the door. She was startled by the door opening before she could knock but smiled down when she saw Sweetie Belle. 

“Oh! Umm, good morning Sweetie Belle. I hope you don’t mind that I came over. Rarity told me to check on you and make sure that you are ok,” Sweetie Belle smiled shortly back up at her.

“Yeah, I’m fine. I was just heading out,” 

“Oh? Where are you going so early in the morning?” 

“I was gonna see if Scootaloo or Button Mash wanted to hang out today,” Fluttershy smiled warmly down at the little eager filly. 

“I’ve heard about your new friend, Button Mash. He is from your class, right?” Sweetie Belle nodded up at her. “How are you ponies getting along?” Sweetie Belle was about to answer quickly but stopped, thinking about the said colt. She imagined his smile and the times they had hung out in the near past. She smiled as well and looked back up at the yellow pegasus. 

“I think we are great friends actually! Things have been a blast since he decided to hang out with us,” She explained cheerfully, the smallest blush barely glazing her cheeks. Fluttershy closed her eyes and smiled a big smile down at her.

“Well I’m really glad to hear that. I’m sorry for delaying you, you go on ahead,” Sweetie Belle nodded and closed the door behind her. Fluttershy stepped out of the way for her as she stormed off. 

“Thanks, see you later Fluttershy!” And like that she was gone. Fluttershy smiled happily towards the direction she ran off in, mostly to herself. 

“I think they are going to be great friends!” 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 

“Of all the days, why today?!” Button Mash pleaded in agony. He laid in bed with the blankets tucked around him. A thermostat poking out of his mouth and a faint red lining was shown from his cheeks. His eyes were droopy as a sickness has hit him hard. He looked out the window as the sun shined brightly. “Why did I have to be sick on a Saturday of all days!” 

The door opened and his father, Rage Quit, walked in with a small tray of what looked like a bowl of soup and crackers on his back, his brother Cheat Code followed closely behind him. 

“Hey there, champ. How is my little, strong colt doing?” Button Mash sniffled a little and looked up with sickly eyes. 

“I feel like I drank down a potion of weakness,” He announced. Rage Quit chuckled lightly at that, stopping at the edge of his bed.

“Well I promise that there are no witches around here, and this may not be a potion of regeneration, but your mother took extra care to make it to make sure you get better real soon. Now let me look at that thermostat,” Button’s father took the thermostat and looked at it, thinking. “Ummm, hey Cheat Code, is a temperature of a hundred and two bad?” Cheat Code face hoofed himself.

“Yes dad, that is a little bad,” Rage Quit looked back at him and then back to Button Mash. 

“Don’t worry, sport. You’ll be right as rain again soon. Your mother went to town to pick up some extra special things for you to get better. She’ll be back here in a couple of hours. If you need anything, anything at all, me and Cheat Code are here for you,” Button Mash smiled weakly up at him. 

“Thanks dad, you’re the best!” Rage Quit smiled proudly down at him. He pulled of the tray on his back and placed them down softly on his night stand. 

“You stay in bed and rest. The only reason you should leave it is to go to the bathroom, nothing else, got it?” Button Mash smiled and nodded his head firmly. 

“Yes sir!” He exclaimed weakly, giving him a salute. Rage Quit saluted back playfully and patted his head gently. He got up and started walking to the door.

“Rest well, Button. Oh, and that soup is hot, so give it a minute to cool,” At that he left the room and went back down stairs. Cheat Code stood in the room now, alone with Button Mash. 

“Hey there, squirt. How are you feeling?” Button Mash’s smiled faded a little at the question.

“Not so good. I wanted to hang out with my friends today, but I guess that’s not gonna happen,” He sighed and looked out the window, his expression more depressed. “It looks like it’s gonna be a nice day too,” Cheat Code chuckled, walking over to the bed. 

“Relax, it’s not. There is a scheduled rain today, so this won’t last very long,” Button Mash looked back over at him with a reassuring smile. 

“Well then I don’t feel as bad,” Cheat Code chuckled, leaning over and ruffled his little brother’s mane. 

“Keep your spirits up, squirt. You’ll tough out of this soon. I need to go to town for a little bit, but I will be back in the afternoon. Do you need anything in town?” Button Mash shook his head. 

“No, I got everything,” He looked over to his dresser and saw his joyboy and he pointed over to it. “But could you bring that over here?” Cheat Code looked over at the direction he was pointing and smiled. 

“No problem. Say, did you get any new games since the last time I was here?” He asked as he walked over to the dresser. 

“A couple, I got the new ‘Slayer Dungeon’ for my Pony Cube. I got one for my joyboy, but it broke. Now I have this new one called Destiny, it’s weird,” Cheat Code smiled innocently as he picked up the joyboy and carried it over in his mouth. “It has this weird setting where if you die in the game, you can’t start a new profile. Luckily there hasn’t been anything difficult so far,” Cheat Code brought the hoof held device over and placed it on his bed right next to him. 

“Sounds like a weird game. What kind of stuff has happened so far?” Button Mash rolled his eyes at that.

“It’s kinda boring. Level grinding, looking for new locations. I have a group now and the ponies don’t really like me for some reason. We got trapped in a dungeon recently, so that was kinda neat and luckily we were saved by a forest guardian before an army of trolls could finish us off!” Cheat Code laughed a little, patting his head.

“Sounds like a fairly interesting game. I’ll tell you what. When I head back, I’ll bring over some milk shakes and you can tell me all about your new game. You still like chocolate, right?” Button Mash nodded his head. His older brother got up and walked towards the door. “Then I will be back before you know it. Take care, squirt and make sure you get some rest!” With a final smirk he left the room, leaving Button Mash in bed with his breakfast and his game. 

“Well, I may be down, but at least I still got mah-mah. . ah. . ah-” He grabbed a tissue but was too late. Before he could get the tissue ready, he sneezed and all of the snot projectiled out of his nose and onto his joyboy. “(Hungarian) Damn it!” 

Cheat Code dwelled around the corner, chuckling to himself softly as to not be heard. He glanced in there one more time to see Button Mash cleaning off his precious device with a very annoyed expression. He showed a final smile at him without him knowing and he turned around to walk down the stairs. 

Rage Quit was reading a newspaper in his favorite chair, leaning back a little comfortably. Cheat Code poked his head in and put on his saddle. 

“Hey dad, I’m heading into town for a bit. I’ll be back before supper,” Rage Quit looked up at him from his newspaper.

“Alright, be safe,” Cheat Code chuckled at that. “Yeah yeah I know, I’m your father, it’s my job to say that,” Cheat Code rolled his eyes.

“I get it. Just like it’s my job to say I will,” He waved good bye and walked out the door. He looked around to see ponies walking around with bags heading back home, not wanting to get caught in the rain. 

“Now that I actually have some time off, I’m not sure what I want to do,” He started walking to nowhere in particular, just trying to find something to do. “Maybe I could hit the arcade? No, I don’t have a lot of bits on me. Maybe I could see how my old friends are doing? No, most of them have moved on. Hmmm,” Cheat Code thought out loud, looking around.

Cheat Code turned around a corner and saw one thing he did not want to see, the last thing he wanted to see. He spun back around the corner and gripped it tightly. 

“No, no! Not now! I finally have some peace, why does she have to be here?!” He turned back slowly, trying his best not to be seen. “Of all the times, it’s my day off she has to be around,” Down the road he saw his one true weakness. The one pony who could get anything out of him. The one who could figure out anything without getting all the facts. Down the road was his own personal kryptonite. . . . Pinkie Pie. 

“Damn! I thought she was hanging out with her friends today. It’s a good thing I spotted her first,” He turned back and pressed his back against the wall. “Everytime she finds me she always pops up out of no where and scares me. She is the only one who can get the jump on me. Now in order to avoid her, I’m gonna have to-” 

“Hi there!” Pinkie Pie shouted out, popping out of a rain barrel next to him. Cheat Code cried out in shock and jumped up into the air, crashing back down onto his back. “Whatcha doing?” Cheat Code stared up at her, trying to get his breathing back in order.

“Pinkie! How many times have I told you to stop scaring me like that?!” 

“Four hundred and thirty two times including this one, why?” She asked without any hesitation. Cheat Code groaned with annoyance and slowly got back up.

“Well don’t do it! I don’t know how you do it, but it bugs me,” he explained, dusting himself off, standing back on all fours. 

“Aww, it’s so much fun though! I always think like ‘He’s sneaking around, let’s see if he can hear me coming’ but yet you never do. Just like the time you came back on your first trip from boot camp! You were visiting your friends and I saw how cool you looked and I was like “I should totally go see him’ but you were around so many ponies so i was like-” Cheat Code put a hoof in her mouth to get her to stop talking. He knew all too well that she would just keep talking for years if he didn’t get her to stop. 

“Pinkie. . . just stop, ok? I never write to you, I never come to visit just you, why do you keep doing this?” He took his hoof back and wiped it off clean off his chest. 

“Well even if you don’t wanna hang out, I still wanna hang out with you, silly!” Cheat Code took a deep breath and slowly let it out.

“Pinkie Pie, look, what we had was great-”

“Super great!”

“Yes. . super, but I broke up with you. I moved on, you know that. I can’t be friends with you,”

“Why”? Pinkie Pie asked quickly and innocently, still wearing her bright, cheerful smile. Cheat Code took a moment to think carefully about his words before he continued speaking.

“Well. . . it’s. . . . it’s just. . . it’s just that. . . . I don’t know how to explain it,” Cheat Code finally said, looking away from her. Pinkie Pie took a couple steps towards him, still keeping a little distance from him to make him comfortable.

“Because you haven’t really moved on? You’re scared that you will get those feelings back and want to go out with me again?” Cheat Code looked back up with an almost vulnerable expression.

“Look, as long as I’m in the military, dating is just bad. I can only come over once every year, sometimes less than that. You need more than that. I still remember you freaking out about Rainbow Dash going to Wonderbolt Boot Camp,” Pinkie Pie’s smiled faded by the smallest degree but held firm. She crossed the last bit of space and wrapped her arms around him, confusing him. 

“You’re right, I like seeing my friends and loved ones every day! It hurts to be away from them, but if that’s the case-” She pulled away and looked him in the eyes. “-Maybe we could try again when you come back?” Cheat Code frowned sadly to her, gently pulling away from her, breaking her loose grip.

“Look, that’s many years away. By then-” Pinkie Pie put her hoof to his mouth, stopping him. He looked up surprised and confused to see a tear in her eye but her smile held. She closed her eyes and shook her head.

“Just think about it. I don’t mind waiting, It’s like waiting for a super duper cool birthday present that you found out about! I’m sorry for scaring you, I just love seeing you,” Pinkie Pie explained, looking deeply into his eyes. She leaned forward and gave him a peck on the cheek and wiped her tear away. “I’m usually at Sugar Cube Corner, stop by for a cupcake, on the house!” Cheat Code couldn’t help but smile back at her.

“I’ll think about it,” Pinkie Pie jumped up excitedly and hopped away, leaving him there dazed. “I swear, she knows me too well!” He couldn’t help but smile to himself. She knew that he missed her, she knew he regretted the decision and she knows why he hasn’t asked her back out yet. He looked up at the sky and saw the weather team assembling. 

“It looks like rain,” 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 

Sweetie Belle walked up the steps of Scootaloo’s house and knocked on the door eagerly. She looked up to see the it was still a beautiful, sunny day. She looked back at the door just in time to see the door open and Scootaloo standing there with a friendly smile. 

“Oh, hey Sweetie Belle! What’s up?” She asked calmly. 

“Hey Scoots! Wanna hang out today?” 

“Totally! Just let me get my bag!” Scootaloo dashed into her house. Sweetie Belle could hear some things getting moved around from inside the house,but she couldn’t see anything. “Hey! Where’s Applebloom?”

“I don’t know. I think she is still doing chores for her big sister. I came to get you first,” Sweetie Belle explained, waiting around eagerly at her door step. Scootaloo popped back with her saddle bag on her back and a smile.

“Well come on, let’s go then!” She exclaimed excitedly, walking past her friend. She closed the door and the two fillies walked down the road towards Sweet Apple Acres. After a short walk later, they went past the fence gate and up the road where they saw Applejack bucking trees as she usually does. 

“Hey Applejack!” Sweetie Belle called over, waving over at her. Applejack stopped and turned to see the two fillies walking over to her, waving back.

“Well howdy ya’ll. Whatcha ya’ll up to?”

“We are looking for Applebloom. Can she come out to play?” Applejack smiled down at the little ones and nodded her head.

“Well shucks, ah guess she can leave early today. Ya’ll got some plans or somethin’?” Scootaloo smiled up at her, shaking her head.

“Not yet. We are gonna brainstorm some ideas for new cutie mark ideas,” Applejack looked back to see Applebloom carrying over some buckets for apples.

“Hey sis, I got those buckets!” Applebloom called over. She looked past her to see her friends standing around near the toned, strong mare. “Hey girls! Whatcha doing here?”

“Looking for you!” Sweetie Belle replied back quickly.

“Yeah, Applejack said you could come with us! We’re gonna try out some new ideas to get our cutie marks,” 

“That sounds great! Applejack, ah can leave early today?” The earth pony farmer chuckled lightly at that, nodding her head.

“Ah don’t suppose it can’t harm nothin’. Just fer today though. Ah expect twice the work tomorrow though!” Applebloom smiled excitedly and dropped the buckets next to her big sister.

“Thanks big sis! You’re the best!” She ran up and hugged her tightly, Applejack returning the hug happily.

“Now you run along now, ya hear, and make sure yer back home before it gets too dark,” Applebloom nodded up happily and ran along with her friends.

“We’ll make sure she gets back by then!” Scootaloo called back. The now trio walked down the road, all talking excitedly to each other. Applejack watched for a while, giggling to herself. Her big brother Big Mac walked up to her, watching the same cheerful sight that she did.

“Aren’t they just adorable?”

“Eeyup!”

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 

The three joyful fillies walked down the road, talking to each other about new things they could do to earn their cutie marks, listing off things they have done and things they could try out next. Even with all of the things that they haven’t done, none of them they could do at this time due to lack of materials and/or funds. 

“Pet sitters?” Applebloom suggested curiously.

“Done that, that ended badly,” Sweetie Belle commented. “What about sky diving?” 

“Did that too,” Scootaloo replied back quickly.

“Well darn girls, what haven’t we done?”

“Why don’t we get Button Mash and the four of us can brain storm together?” Scootaloo suggested hopefully. Sweetie Belle’s and Applebloom’s ears perked up at that. 

“Yeah! With the four of us, we are bound to think of something!” 

“Ah second that opinion!”

“Then it’s settled! Let’s go pick up Button Mash and head for the Cutie Mark Crusaders Tree House!” Scootaloo declared. They brought their hooves together and lifted them up with a confident cheer. They all made their way to Button Mash’s house in a hurry, half running half walking. 

“Hey ya’ll. Isn’t it suppose to rain today?” Applebloom asked worriedly, looking up at the sky to see the weather team flying through the sky.

“Don’t sweat it! They won’t start the rain until lunch time,” Sweetie Belle looked over to her curiously.

“How do you know that?”

“Rainbow Dash. She told me about it yesterday when I was heading home,” Appleblom smiled at that.

“Thought so. We still got plenty of time!” 

They found his household thanks to Sweetie Belle with some ease. After letting themselves catch their breath, Sweetie Belle leaned forward and knocked on the door. 

“Are you sure this is it?” Scootaloo asked cautiously, straightening herself up. Sweetie Belle turned to face her with a confident smile.

“I’m sure. I’ve been here before,” Sweetie Belle noticed that Applebloom was looking into a window, fixing up her mane and wiping off some dirt from her fur. “What are you doing?” Applebloom looked back and smiled nervously.

“Nothin’! Ah just had somethin in mah mane and wanted to get it out,” Scootaloo raised an eyebrow curiously.

“You never care about your mane,” Before Applebloom could say something, the door opened up. A tall, lean stallion with a blood red mane, golden eyes, and with dark brown fur stood in the open door way. Scootaloo leaned over to Sweetie Belle, whispering. “Who is he?”

“I don’t know,” She whispered back. She cleared her throat and smiled up at him. “Hello sir. Umm. . . is Button Mash here?” The earth pony at the door smiled cheerfully.

“And you three must be his new friends! I’m happy to meet you, my name is Rage Quit,” He lowered himself and offered a hoof towards them. They each gave their names and shook his hoof, starting to relax a little. “I’m glad to see you girls, actually. Button Mash could use some friends right now,” The trio looked up at him confused. He chuckled lightly and moved aside for them. “He is up stairs, first door to the left,” They nodded up to him and walked past him, heading up the stairs.

They peeked around the corner and saw Button Mash in bed. He looked very sick just laying in bed, playing on his joyboy with an empty bowl next to him. The Cutie mark Crusaders leaned back and whispered to each other quietly. 

“He looks mighty sick. Do you think he is ok?” Applebloom asked concerned, looking worried. 

“He’s fine! he just came down with a cold or something,” Scootaloo reassured confidently.

“We should go in there and hang out with him. Like that stallion said, he could use some friends,” Sweetie Belle commented, unsurely. They nodded their heads together and walked on into his room. 

“Hey there, Button Mash!” Scootaloo called over. Button Mash turned to look at them from his game and he smiled weakly over to them.

“Hey guys! What are you doing here?” 

“Well we were gonna hang out with you and talk about cutie marks, but it looks like you got sick,” Applebloom said sadly, her ears drooped down.

“Yeah, i got sick. Mom thinks I caught something from that cave exploring thing we did,” The trio of fillies looked down nervously. 

“Yeah, that was kinda bad, huh?” Scootaloo asked embarrassed. 

“But we managed to pull through as always, right?” Sweetie Belle replied cheerfully. They agreed to that. 

“So how have ya been doin’?” 

“Well, I can’t get out of bed and I’ve been playing on my joyboy, so it’s not all that bad,” Sweetie Belle tapped on her friends’ shoulders to get their attention and pulled them over away from his ear shot, now whispering.

“Button is sick and he needs our help. Are you girls thinking what I’m thinking?” The other two start smiling to each other.

“Cutie Mark Nurses?” Scootaloo smiled for a minute but then looked at them concerned. 

“Wait, didn’t we try something like this already?” They thought about that for a moment, looking back on every cutie mark idea that they had so far. 

“Ah don’t think so. Ah mean we accidentally caused a medical dilemma but we didn’t try anything in the medical field yet,” They all smiled at that. 

“You know what that means?” They all brought their hooves together at the center, now talking at normal volume.

“Cutie Mark Crusaders Nurses!” Button Mash’s ears perked up at that, not fully understanding what is going on. The three eager fillies turned back and started walking towards him. 

“So. . what’s going on?” Button Mash asked timidly, pulling the covers up a little more to hide himself. 

“Button, we are going to help you!” Sweetie Belle stated cheerfully, looking warmly into his eyes. He seemed to relax when he stared back. Applebloom looked at Sweetie Belle and over to Button Mash and narrowed her eyes.

“Anyway-” Scootaloo interrupted, the three of them snapping their attention to the little pegasus. “We are gonna make sure you are feeling better in no time!We will be your own personal nurses!” Button Mash’s eyes shrunk in fear at those words.

“Do you guys know anything about this sort of thing?” The Cutie Mark Crusaders thought about that for a moment, trying to think back on anything on the subject.

“No, ah don’t think I do. I mean I know how to handle bruising. Does that count?” Applebloom asked, unsurely. 

“I get scraped up sometimes from using my scooter sometimes. That is medical stuff, right?” Scootaloo asked almost confidently. Sweetie Belle took an extra minute to think about her past experiences. She tapped her chin with her hoof and a light bulb flashed in her head.

“Wait! Rarity was sick once and she told me what to do to make her feel better! We can totally do it!” Button Mash smiled faintly from under the blankets. 

“Do ya remember everything though?” Applebloom asked in a unimpressed tone. Sweetie Belle smiled nervously. 

“Well, almost everything. Look, we need to make sure the patient is comfortable, eats healthy, takes medicine, and gets lots of rest,” The other two fillies jumped up in excitement, their eyes growing wide with joy.

“I’ll get the medicine!” Scootaloo exclaimed with enthusiasm as she bolted out of the room.  

“I’ll make sure he is comfortable!” Applebloom declared with pride, walking over to Button Mash with life in her step. Sweetie Belle frowned faintly at that.

“Aww, I wanted to do that. Ok, then I will make him something healthy to eat!” Sweetie Belle announced with cheer, jumping up in the air with lot’s of energy. She made her way downstairs towards the kitchen.

Rage Quit was reading his newspaper on his favorite chair, humming away. His ears twitched at the sound of Sweetie Belle running down the stairs. He tilted the top of the newspaper downto peek over it, seeing her head for the kitchen.

“Hey there. Your name is Sweetie Belle, right?” Sweetie Belle stopped in her tracks, skidding a little before she came to a stop, looking over in the living room.

“Yes sir, that’s my name,” Rage Quit chuckled at that.

“Great manners. You must have been raised real well,” Sweetie Belle was flattered and blushed lightly at that. 

“Oh, well my sister likes to believe she is of-” She flipped her mane to the side as if to be classy, mocking her sister and copying her tone. “- High class,” Rage Quit laughed at that.

“Well, sounds like you girls are close then. Good to see ponies having good manners these days,”

“Thank you, sir. Would you mind if I were to borrow your kitchen to make something for Button Mash?”

“Darn, died again,” Rage Quit muttered under his breath. Sweetie Belle raised an eyebrow confused seeing Rage Quit looking down at his paper.

“i’m sorry, what did you say?” Rage Quit looked up and smiled embarrassed.

“Oh, it’s nothing. Go ahead, just clean up after your mess is all I ask. Button’s Mom would be furious if she came back home to see her kitchen a disaster,” Sweetie Belle smiled at that and nodded with joy.

“I will, thank you!” She turned around and ran in. Button’s father watched to make sure she was out of earshot and then he smiled down, flipping his paper back up to block his head and returned his focus back down at the paper. On the other side, he had a black and red joyboy in his hooves with a screen reading ‘Game Over, three lives left’. He chuckled and selected try again.

“Stupid fire balls. This time. . . Bowser is dead meat!”

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 

Applebloom stood alone in the room with Button Mash, smiling shyly at him. She walked over and sat on the edge of the bed next to him. He looked up at her confused and a little nervous.

“So, ummm. . . do ya need anything? Do ya want me to. . . fluff yer pillows maybe?” Button Mash was confused why she looked so nervous but smiled weakly anyone.

“Well. . . if you don’t mind, the would be really nice,” The little earth pony’s eyes lite up as she leaned over to place her two front hooves on his pillow. She had to lean over him to do so, their bodies close together. Button Mash could almost feel her body heat trailing down to him. He could hear her heart beat even. She tried to fluff his pillow but it was impossible to do it properly with his head still laying in it.

“Hey button, could ya raise yer head a little?” 

“What? Oh, yeah sure,” He replied quickly, snapping out of his thoughts. As he did so, his cheek brushed up against her’s, making them both jump. “Oh, uhh, I’m sorry,” Applebloom smiled nervously and shook her head.

“Naw, it was my fault,” She leaned a bit more to the side and bounced his pillow around to gather all the feathers back into the center. Button Mash could feel sweat trailing down from his forehead. 

Applebloom fluffed it a couple more times then leaned back over and sat back down in her original spot, smiling at him. She had a faint blush forming across her cheeks. Button Mash wanted to say something but felt his own blush forming and his tongue felt swollen. 

“Umm. . . so do ya need anything else? Ah really don’t mind!” Applebloom asked innocently, twiddling her hooves. Button Mash shook his head quickly, ducking down a little deeper in his shelter of blankets. He coughed harshly, lasting a good moment, then rubbing his throat. “Here! Ah’ll get cha some water!” 

“No wait, you don’t-” It was too late. She had already grabbed his empty glass and ran downstairs. She walked down the stairs with the cup in her mouth and went to the kitchen. In there, Sweetie Belle had an apron on and was stirring a small cooking pot. Inside was a creamy green liquid slowly swirling around and lightly bubbling. 

“Hey there Sweetie Belle. How’s the cooking going?” Sweetie Belle turned to Applebloom who was at the sink, filling a glass of water.

“Great! I put a bunch of vegetables in and I think it is going to be great! I think this will make him all better again!” Applebloom peeked over and looked into the pot, sniffing it.

“It’s smells. . . odd. . . what exactly did you put in it?”

“I put in some tomatoes, celery, carrots, cabbage, apples, and chocolate for flavoring!” Applebloom cringed at hearing all of that, backing away from the strange brew.

“Ummm. . . sweetie Belle. . . ah’m not sure he will be able to eat that. Ah mean ah don’t think those are supposed to go together like that,”

“Don’t worry! I’ll make sure that he will love it! You have my word!” Applebloom shrugged her shoulders.

“Well, alright. I’ll leave you to that. Say, have you seen Scootaloo?” Sweetie Belle shook her head.

“Nope. I haven’t seen her since we split off,” 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 

Scootaloo was in the bathroom, looking at different bottles at boxes, her face scrunched up in thought and confusion. She held a bottle in one hoof, and a box in another, glancing at them both one at a time. 

“This one says reduces fevers, but this one says it’s good with a sore throat. The one back here-” Drops the box and picks up a pill bottle.”-Says it’s good for sleep. Does he have a hard time sleeping? I don’t know what to do here! They all are helpful!” Scootaloo sighed in defeat, unable to figure out how to help out her friend.

“There must be something I could do, but I can’t just choose one,” She sighed again and let her head drop on the sink counter with a thump. She looked at all of the medicine around her and then at an empty glass cup. An idea popped into her head. 

“They all would help them, so maybe I should use all of them!” She poured the liquid medicine into the cup and started crushing a pill from each of her chosen selections. “This will make him better as fast as Rainbow Dash flies through the air!” 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Applebloom walked back into Button Mash’s room, holding the cup of water with her mouth. She walked over and placed it back on the night stand in it’s original position. 

“Hey, ah’m back. Sweetie Belle will be back up real soon with a meal for ya,” She reassured him. Button Mash smiled up at her, looking a little pale.

“Thank you, for everything. You guys are the best friends a pony could ever ask for,” Applebloom smiled at him, looking away shyly.

“Oh come on now, we would do this sort of thing for any of our friends,”

“But I’ve never had friends,” Applebloom turned back to him shocked. “My dad’s job makes him travel often to help out different companies. I stay in one place for a few years and then I move again, so I stopped trying to make friends. Ponies don’t really like me anyway since I play video games anyway. So I just play on my joyboy and just go by, day by day. I don’t know anything about having friends,” He exclaimed blankly. He didn’t show any sort of sign that he was upset, but his words were coated with sorrow.

“Oh Button Mash, ah’m so sorry,” Applebloom leaned over and wrapped her hooves around him, trapping him in a warm, loving embrace. Button Mash was shocked by her sudden move but hugged her back, nuzzling her neck. He felt so warm inside. He felt an emotion he could never hope to describe, but it felt off. . . like something was missing. 

Button Mash pulled away slowly from Applebloom. She looked at him with a sad smile, her eyes watering. He smiled back at her, weakly but cheerfully. She was about to say something but he shook his head, stopping her.

“It’s ok. That was in the past. Now I have the best of friends I could ever ask for!” Applebloom smiled brightly at that, her cheeks turning red. She let go of him but stayed close to him, looking down at him with dreamy eyes. Button Mash saw this and his face got red.

“Uhhh. . . Applebloom?”

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

Sweetie Belle left the kitchen, letting her long prepared meal sitting on the stove. She went upstairs and looked in the bathroom, seeing Scootaloo at the sink, mixing something. Her back was turned to the opened door, blocking what ever she was doing from sight. 

“Hey Scootaloo! Do you have Button Mash’s medicine ready?” Sweetie Belle asked curiously, staying in the open door way. 

“Yeah, it’s almost done,” 

“Why has it been taking so long?”

“Well I have been trying to find the right stuff for him,”

“How much longer?” 

“Almost done, alright? Just give me a minute!” Sweetie Belle rolled her eyes at her.

“Ok, fine, just hurry up. I want Button Mash to have some food to eat after he takes his medicine,” Scootaloo turned over to her, smiling deviantly.

“Hey Sweetie Belle. . . Hey do you feel about him anyway?” Sweetie Belle raised her eyebrow at her questionably.

“He’s a good friend, why?” Scootaloo snickered to herself quietly.

“Well. . . do you like him?”

“What. . . you mean. . . like. . . like like him?” 

“Yeah, as a certain special somepony!” Sweetie Belle’s face got beat red. SHe shook her head furiously at that. 

“No way! Eww. . no, I would. . . I would never do that!” Scootaloo rolled her eyes at her.

“Yeah, sure. Look just go ahead and check up on him, make sure Applebloom isn’t boring him to death with some sort of farm story,” Sweetie Belle chuckled at that, think about some of her stories they had to sit through in the past.

“That sounds like a good idea. Alrighty, just hurry up with that stuff!” She spun around and half ran, half walked to the bedroom. She poked her head around the corner and her jaw gapped open in shock.

What she was seeing was Applebloom’s arms wrapped around Button Mash and her face close to his. A red blush could be seen and judging by the looks of Applebloom and the nervous laughing, it looked like she was flirting with him.

“No way! Applebloom likes likes him?!” She dropped into a seating position, her eyes frozen on them. She felt her eyes water faintly and a small throb of pain in her heart. “Why does this hurt so much then? It’s not like I like like him or anything. . . .”

Sweetie Belle looked away from them, squeezing her eyes shut as if she was trying to wake up from a bad dream. She opened her eyes again and peeked over again. Applebloom was now leaning away from him more but she kept a hoof on one of his while they talk. 

“. . . Right?” Sweetie Belle asked herself, sad and unsure. She finally stopped watching and looked down at her own hooves. “Right?” She whispered one last time to herself.
> 14: After Math of The Rivalry
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sweetie Belle sat in a chair in Rarity’s living room, her head hung low and her ears dropped down. Rarity and Button’s mom were talking at the front door. She looked back to try to catch a glance of them but couldn’t see anything. She knew she was in trouble, how could she not be after what her and her friends had done. Tears formed into her eyes and one fell down onto the floor. She could remember it all as if it was still happening.

“Thank you for bringing her, I will talk to her, and I am so so sorry for everything,” Rarity said calmly and elegantly as usual. Sweetie Belle could tell she was trying to hide her anger though, she was almost perfect at that. After a couple mumbled comments here and there, she heard the door close. She gulped as she heard a set of hoof steps come closer and closer to her. Rarity turned the corner and glared at her.

“So, do you mind telling me exactly what happened while you were over at Button Mash’s house?” Thunder sounded off, flashing a bright light through the room before fading away. Sweetie Belle looked up from her seat with dread and regret reeking from her face. 

“I didn’t mean to. . . I was only. . . trying to help,” Rarity sighed annoyed, shaking her head where she stood. She took a couple extra steps towards her little sister and looked her in the eyes.

“Tell me what happened. Tell me everything darling,” Sweetie Belle gulped down her hesitation and fear and nodded, taking a deep breath in and let it out slowly. 

“Ok. . . . Well. . . I guess I should start off from when we were trying to help him. . .”

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Button Mash laid in his bed, grunting and moaning in pain and agony. He held his stomach and curled up in a ball under the blankets. Cheat Code leaned against the wall next to his bed, his eyes closed. 

“So let me get this straight. . . The little earth pony started flirting with you, they gave you medicine that they said we make you feel good as new, and Sweetie Belle and Applebloom tried to feed you blazing hot poison from a Lucifer poison recipe, dumping it all over you, but before that they gave you the medicine, that tasted like the sweat of a thousand warriors, that made your stomach feel like it’s ripping itself apart, even after puking twelve times, did I miss anything?” Button Mash groaned louder in response, making Cheat Code nod his head.

“It hurts! It hurts so bad!” Cheat Code opened his eyes and looked over towards him.

“I checked everything they made, and Sweetie Belle almost got it right. If she didn’t add the blue cheese and chocolate it might have been healthy for you. Your tiny winged filly friend was way off! If she properly looked she would have seen the medications she used had side effects that were amplified due to the combination she used. I can tell they were only trying to help, which was a complete disaster,” He pushed off the wall and got back on all four, looking over at him. He looked away, as if he was trying to not say something. Button Mash noticed this with squinted eyes.

“Where. . . were you?” Cheat Code looked back surprised and chuckled a bit. He shook his head and looked out the window. 

“Well. . . . ummm. . . I kinda met up with an old friend. . .actually. . . “

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

“It looks like rain” Cheat Code whispered to himself as he watched the weather team assemble. It looked like they were still coordinating how they were gonna start the rain. He never understood that whole ordeal, nor did he really care. He looked back down where Pinkie Pie once stood and sighed.

“Pinkie. . . I hate you so much sometimes. . . and yet. . . “ A smile spread across his face as he burst into run. “Damn you. . . damn you. . . damn you!!” He chanted with a smile. He ran down the roads, making a turn here and there. Damn you! You know me way too well! You knew that I would take up on your offer, didn’t you? Sweet Celestia I hate you, and yet I love you so much! 

Cheat Code Found the Sugar Cube Corner with ease and opened the door. The bell above it chimed in, letting everyone know that someone had walked in. Pinkie Pie was bent over behind the counter, grabbing something out of his sight. 

“Just a second! I will be right with you!” Cheat Code smile playfully, quietly walking up to her. Luckily no one else was in the store, or else his stalking might have looked strange. He walked up to the counter and was about to scare her. He lifted up and was about to bang on the counter but then Pinkie Pie straightened up and had a cupcake in her hoof, putting it in front of him. “Here you go!” 

Cheat Code froze in his stance, half way from his rising position. He settled back down back on all fours and looked at her surprised, looking down at the cupcake and back up at her.

“How did you know that it was me?” Cheat Code asked confused, raising an eyebrow and tilting his head slightly to the left. Pinkie Pie giggled a little, her eyes closed and her bright, cheerful smile plastered on her face.

“Oh. . . just a hunch, but I am really glad you decided to come,” Cheat Code shook his head, straightening his head with a smile. 

“You are always two steps ahead of me,” He looked around the empty bakery. “Place seems kinda dead, don’t you think? Where is everyone? I thought this was one of the best places to go,” 

“It’s the scheduled rain. It’s starting soon and no pony really wants to be caught up in that, silly!” Cheat Code laughed softly, taking the cupcake. 

“Well, thanks for inviting me, but I guess you saw that coming, huh?” Pinkie Pie shook her head, jumping around the corner and into the kitchen.

“To be honest no. I mean, I had a feeling, but I also thought you would just turn around. I mean, you aren’t as predictable as you think. Just when I think you are gonna turn left, you turn right. When I think you’re going down, you go up. When I think you’re going out-” She came back around with a tray and placed it down gently onto the counter. Freshly made cookies laid in front of him, steam still rising from them. He examined them more closely, the scent was familiar. They were his favorite, peanut butter cookies with butterscotch chips. He looked up surprised and she smiled innocently, taking a step closer to him from behind the counter. “-you come in!” 

Cheat Code looked deep into her eyes, confused but yet relaxed. She had a funny way of making him drop his guard and melt away. His face turned beat red and he chuckled nervously. 

“Yeah, you know. . . sometimes I do that I guess. I come in now and then. . . . Wait, no! I mean like. . . uhh, like theoretically, not like. . . . oh Celestia!” Pinkie Pie started laughing, her joyful laughter making his blush even darker. She flicked the tray with her tail and slid it onto her back and jumped around the counter, heading for the nearest table. 

“Well come on, silly. These yummy sweets aren’t going to eat themselves, you know!” She playfully stuck her tongue out at him, still smiling. He chuckled and walked over with his cupcake, sitting down across from her as she sat down.

“You’re still the same as always, Pinkie Pie. Always cheerful, always smiling, always in a good mood,” Pinkie Pie giggled a bit, her tail flickering around excitedly. “I can’t believe you remember my favorite kind of cookies! I mean I only told you once!”

“Yeah but I remember everything about everyone. Especially the ones I really care about!” Pinkie Pie explained quickly and kindly. Cheat Code smiled up at her and bit into the cupcake, chewing with a smile. 

“You are something, you know that?” He laughed openly, forgetting he had food in his mouth. Pinkie Pie laughed with him, seeing the unswallowed food. He soon realized that he had food in his mouth and quickly shut his mouth to swallow it. 

“I miss this,” Pinkie Pie said suddenly. Cheat Code put the cupcake down and sighed, knowing what was going to happen next.

“Yes, I know. Me too,” 

“Then why not pick up where we left off?”

“Pinkie, you have to understand, it’s just not possible,”

“Why not?” Pinkie Pie asked innocently, her smile fading, turning into a face of regret and sadness.

“Because it just wouldn’t work, that’s why I had to call it off,”

“But we could make it work, I know we could. We could write letters to each other, send gifts, visit whenever you can. I could come visit you!”

“Pinkie, please. I just can’t do it,” Pinkie Pie’s eyes started to water. 

“Why?”

“Because I can’t stand being away from you!” Cheat Code shouted out, surprising her. He clutched the table as if to keep himself steady. A tear fell from his eyes and hit the ground. Pinkie Pie looked into his eyes hurt. “I knew if I stayed with you, I would hate every day that I was from you. I knew that I would fall for you as deeply as I have if I tried to stay close to you!” Cheat Code opened his eyes wide with shock, realizing what he had just said. a blast of thunder could be heard outside as it started to rain.

“Do you really mean that?” Pinkie Pie asked quietly, her smile coming back with warmth and love radiating from it, a tear rolled down her eyes. Cheat Code took a step back and spun around, running straight out the door. He could hear her calling for him but he would not go back, he had said too much and couldn’t stand to look her in the eyes. It started to rain but he couldn’t care less, he made a sharp turn to the left and ran as fast as he could.

“Damn it all! How could I have said that?! Buck me! Buck buck buck buck!! I can’t believe I let my guard down!” He made another turn and saw Pinkie Pie standing there with an umbrella, looking over at him with a small smile. 

“Look, Cheat Code, it’s-” Cheat Code turned around and ran the other direction before she could finish that sentence. He ran at full speed, trying to get away. He ran across town through the emptied streets and in the now pouring rain. His mane messy and flinging around all over his face. He stopped at the park, panting and looking around.

“Ok. . . I know I say this a lot but I think I lost her this time, no sign of her anywhere,” Cheat Code started to relax and leaned against a tree in the middle of the park. He felt a tap on the top of his head and looked up to see Pinkie Pie hanging upside down, her tail holding herself up. She still had that same smile aiming down at him. He started to run but only made it a few steps outside of the tree before he stopped.

“Oh buck it! There’s no way to get away from you when you made it a priority to get some pony!” Cheat Code looked back at her completely soaked from head to hoof. He slowly turned back with a small smile of his own, looking into Pinkie Pie’s eyes. She let go of the branch her tail was holding and landed on all four. They stared at each other for a brief moment in silence, only the sound of the rain could be heard. With a hesitant first step, the pink party mare slowly started walking up to him. 

“Cheat Code, you don’t have to run from me, silly,” Cheat Code rolled his eyes at that.

“Right, because it is actually possible to do so,” Pinkie Pie laughed a little at that.

“Well, that’s true,” She stopped in front of him, allowing herself to get wet in the rain with him. She held her eyes locked with his, her eyes quivering as if to fight off the tears she refused to show. Cheat Code couldn’t look away, his amber eyes locked into her ocean blue eyes.

Cheat Code brought a hoof to her cheek, gently grazing it. Pinkie Pie leaned against his hoof, still holding her gaze. He couldn’t help but smile down at her. He never could help himself, no matter what when ever he saw her smile like that, it makes him want to smile too.

“I love you. . . Pinkie Pie,” Cheat Code whispered softly to her. Her smile grew warmer at the sound of those words, leaning towards him. Her mane soaking wet from the rain and dropped down, parts of it clinging to her face. 

“I love you too. . . . Cheat Code,” Pinkie Pie whispered back, a tear running down her face. Cheat Code wiped her face of her tear and tuckered her mane behind her ear. He leaned down to her, their lips closing in. He slowly closed his eyes and leaned down towards her, her eyes closing as well. They were mere inches away, the rain pouring down around them, lightning clashing against the skies. He broke the distance between them and gently pressed his lips on-

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

“Cheat Code!” Button Mash called out. Cheat Code snapped out of it, noticing he was now looking outside the window at the rain. He turned back to his little brother a little embarrassed, smiling like a little foal.

“I’m sorry, what’s up?” He asked innocently. Button Mash still could feel his stomach pain but tilted his head with curiosity.

“You were telling me that you ran into an old friend and then you just went quiet and looked out the window like you were day dreaming or something,” Cheat Code blinked for a second and realized he was right. He stopped himself as he remembered the events which took place while he was gone.

“Oh, sorry, I guess I spaced out a bit there. Yeah I met up with an old friend and we just kinda. . . . hung out,” 

“What did you guys do?” Cheat Code chuckled softly under his breath, his cheeks turning a faint shade of red. 

“Nothing really, just. . . hung out,” Button Mash looked at his breath with a confused look, waiting for his brother to explain further. “Don’t worry about it, it’s not important. Just tell me what happened today with you. You were at the part where Applebloom was hugging you, right?” 

“Oh, right. . . that was weird,” Cheat Code shook his head at that. Button Mash thought about it between waves of pain, feeling it die down a bit. “Well. . . after that I guess Scootaloo came in with the medicine. . .”

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 

“Oh Button Mash, ah’m so sorry,” Applebloom leaned over and wrapped her hooves around him, trapping him in a warm, loving embrace. Button Mash was shocked by her sudden move but hugged her back, nuzzling her neck. He felt so warm inside. He felt an emotion he could never hope to describe, but it felt off. . . like something was missing.

Button Mash pulled away slowly from Applebloom. She looked at him with a sad smile, her eyes watering. He smiled back at her, weakly but cheerfully. She was about to say something but he shook his head, stopping her.

“It’s ok. That was in the past. Now I have the best of friends I could ever ask for!” Applebloom smiled brightly at that, her cheeks turning red. She let go of him but stayed close to him, looking down at him with dreamy eyes. Button Mash saw this and his face got red.

“Uhhh. . . Applebloom?” Applebloom didn’t move, she seemed to be fighting something, as if something was struggling to surface. She shook her head and finally backed away a bit, keeping a hoof on one of his own.

“Sorry, ah thought ah saw something on you. . . but ah guess ah was seein’ things. Sorry about that,” Button Mash exhaled with relief, looking up with a smile.

“No, it’s ok. I guess I just didn’t understand what was going on,” Applebloom laughed nervously, scratching the back of her head and looking away, laughing softly but nervously.

“Yeah, it’s just that, ah never heard of somepony so lonely as ya, and ah feel really bad for ya. I hope ah didn’t make ya uncomfortable or anythin’,” Button Mash shook his head with a smile.

“No, not at all. Thanks for caring about me, but it doesn’t bother me anymore,” Applebloom let go of his hoof and put it back to her side.

“Well. . . if you need anything, just let me know, ok?” 

“Ok, I promise I will,” Button Mash promised with a friendly smile. Scootaloo pushed the door open, carrying a glass cup on her back.

“Guess who has the medicine ready? One super get-well-soon-brew ready!” Applebloom smiled over at her, making space so Scootaloo could walk up and offer the cup. Button Mash looked at the liquid questionably, unsure of the mixture.

“Uhhmmm. . . is this safe?” Scootaloo smiled confidently at the sickly earth pony. 

“Of course it’s safe! I made sure it has everything it needs to make you feel better in no time!” Button Mash looked at the cup hesitantly, reaching over and picking it up to look down at the liquid. It was a light green color but the liquid itself was cloudy, unable to see the bottom of the glass.

“Well. . . ok, I’ll trust you,” He lifted the glass cup to his lips and took a sip, his face turning green and coughed at the mysterious mixture. “Ewww, it tastes disgusting!” 

“That means it’s good for you! The more disgusting it is, then the better it is for you!” Scootaloo explained with a smile. Button Mash looked over at her, then back to the drink, bringing it back and chugging it. As soon as he finished, he held back on throwing up, but held it down. “Don’t worry, Sweetie Belle will be here any minute with the food to take the taste out of your mouth!”

As if on cue, Sweetie Belle walked in, balancing a pot on her head, steadily walking over to Button Mash. She focused on keeping her balance but managed to smile over at Button Mash still. Applebloom smiled over at Sweetie Belle, as did Scootaloo.

“Hey Sweetie Belle, need any help?” Scootaloo offered, taking a couple steps towards her just in case. 

“Naw, I got it, I got it!” Sweetie Belle replied back quickly as she walked over to Button Mash with the food steaming from the top of the pot. She stopped in front of him and put the large pot on the nightstand. “Alright, now it’s hot so be careful, it was starting to get hot while I was carrying it,” Applebloom got down from the bed and walked over to the pot, grabbing it. 

“Arlight Button, ah’ll feed you,” Sweetie Belle narrowed her eyes at her, and grabbed the pot gently, pulling it towards herself. 

“No, it’s ok, I’ll feed him,” Applebloom looked back at her, pulling the pot over to her.

“You worked hard on this grub, it’s the least ah can do,” Sweetie Belle pulled it back.

“Yes but it’s my job to give him his food,” Applebloom narrowed her eyes back, pulling the pot back to her, tugging harder.

“Yeah but it’s MAH job to nurse him!” Sweetie Belle tugged harder on the pot back. 

“Well I said it was fine, I can do this!” Applebloom tugged even harder on the pot of steaming food. Scootaloo watched with a raised eyebrow in confusion of their bickering. Button Mash seemed uneasy, confused, and worried all at the same time.

“Umm. . . guys. . . it’s ok, I can feed myself. . . I’m not a little foal anymore,” They ignored him, tugging the pot of food back and forth from each other, the soupy food sloshing around in it’s large container. Before anyone could say another word, Sweetie Belle slipped as she was pulling and accidentally through the pot up in the air. Everyone looked up as it slowly came back down towards Button Mash, turning upside down. Sweetie Belle saw this and tried to get back up quickly but she didn’t make it in time.

They all watched in horror as the pot came down on Button Mash’s head, dumping all of the hot food all over him. He screamed out in alarm and pain as the food dumped all over him, his sheets, and the bed, burning all the way down.

“IT BUUURRRRNNNSSS!!!!”

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

“And. . . well. . . that’s what happened. After that his dad ran up and saw what we did and got us to clean up everything we did. He got a little upset when he saw the bathroom though. He saw all the things that Scootaloo gave him. So once Button’s mom came back home, he told us that we should leave for today, and, well, here I am now,” Sweetie Belle explained, her ears dropping down and her eyes tearing up. “I just wanted to help him,” Rarity couldn’t stay mad at her.

“Oh Sweetie Belle. . . at least your heart was in the right place,” Rarity smiled softly down at the little filly who sat in the chair as if waiting for punishment. She knelt down and hugged her little sister tightly in her arms, brushing her mane with her hoof gently. “I understand that it was an accident, but you need to be more careful! You could have seriously hurt Button Mash. . . if you haven’t already,” 

Sweetie Belle gripped tightly onto her older sister and started crying instantly, bawling her eyes into Rarity’s shoulder. She patted her back and nuzzled her cheek, trying to calm her down.

“I know I messed up! I wanted to help him but I only made things worse, I always make things worse!” 

“Shhhhh, shh shh shh, Sweetie Belle, calm down. You don’t always make things worse. You showed him how much you cared about him and he knew that you tried your hardest to help him. Accidents happen darling,” 

“He must really hate me now! I made him even more sick and hurt him so badly!” 

“Darling, heavens no! There is no way that he is upset in anyway, shape, or form! I bet right now he is smiling to himself thinking that he was glad to see you today!” Sweetie Belle pulled away to look up at her big sister, her fur wet with her tears.

“R-really?” Rarity smiled ever so softly down at her, patting the top of her head. 

“Yes Sweetie Belle, I can promise you that!” Sweetie Belle smiled up at Rarity and hugged her tightly, nuzzling into her, making her sister giggle faintly. 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

“Whoa, well that’s one hell of a story there, squirt. I guess that explains the burn marks pretty well. I’m sorry you had such a bad day,” Cheat Code said down to Button Mash, who was still laying in bed, trying to sip at some soup his mother made for him. 

“Oh no, I mean yeah some things happened. . . but to be honest. . . I’m glad they came and did all of this for me,” Cheat Code chuckled down at him, smirking at him.

“Well my little bro, if you are into some weird pain fetish or something, then we need to have a serious talk,” Button Mash looked up at him innocently confused.

“What does ‘fetish’ mean?” Cheat Code was about to explain when he suddenly felt a pair of death filled, glaring eyes piercing his very soul from the back of his head. He slowly and hesitantly turned to see his mother glaring at him like the devil himself. 

“Don’t mind me dear. . . I think you were about to say something?” He smiled nervously and he turned back over to Button Mash, patting his head. 

“I’ll explain when you get older. . I, uhhh, gotta go check on something. Stay strong bro!” He patted his head and quickly walked out of the room, trying to avoid the glare of his mother. Once he was out of the room, her glared faded and she smiled over at Button Mash. She walked over and sat down in front of him. 

“How is my little trooper? Does it still hurt?” Button Mash Smiled weakly and shook his head.

“It doesn’t hurt so bad now,” 

“I would give you some medicine. . . but that’s what got you where you are now in the first place. So right now I’m just gonna try rest,”

“Sounds good mom,” Button’s Mom smoothed out his mane with a heart filled smile, leaning down to kiss his head. 

“Get some rest, Button. I’ll take good care of you in the morning,” Button Mash smiled up at his mother as she got up and left. He nuzzled into his blankets and closed his eyes, resting his head on the pillow. Button’s Mom looked back at him to turn off the light and smile down at him. Rage Quit walked up behind her and wrapped an arm around her and followed her gaze with the same smile. 

“Don’t worry, he will be just fine. He has the greatest mother watching over him,” She looked back over at him with a smile, kissing his cheek. 

“Thank you for coming back. He really missed you,”

“I noticed. I’m gonna spend some time with him tomorrow. Catch up on the time that was lost that I wasn’t here. How about you and me go downstairs and have a little. . . . fun?” Button’s Mom looked back up at him with a slight blush. 

“Dear, what if they hear us?” Rage Quit smiled allusively down back at her.

“Oh don’t worry, if we stay quiet, they won’t hear us,” She looked away a bit, unsure about it. “Oh come on, we haven’t done it in a long time. It’ll be fun,” She looked back up with a smile.

“Alright, I guess we could, but we can’t do it all night like last time, we need sleep,” Rage Quit smiled down at her victoriously.

“Got it!” They walked down stairs and into the living room. Cheat Code laid in bed, just thinking about the day that had just passed. He put his hoof to his lips, blushing lightly.

“I didn’t mean for the events of today to happen. . . and yet they did anyway. Funny what an innocent act will lead to,” 

“It seems thou has had an eventful day,” A voice spoke inside his mind. Cheat Code snapped at attention from the voice, putting his hoof back down onto the bed.

“Please don’t tell me you were in my mind that whole time,” 

“No, we gave you peace of mind while you enjoyed your day off, but we are aware of what happened today,” Cheat Code’s ears dropped down with sadness at the reminder of that.

“I should have stayed. Of I didn’t leave I would have been able to stop them,”

“What happened happened and couldn’t have happened another way,” Cheat Code looked up at the ceiling questionably. 



“Because now fate is on the move of course. The wheels of fate have begun to move thanks to the events of today. Now is the time for us to stand down and simply observe and guide when it is deemed necessary,”

“When are you going to tell me what the whole plan is?” 

“When you need to know. For now, follow our orders as we give them and you will see the change you have been waiting for,” 

“Look, I don’t like being in the dark here. Could you at least-” Cheat Code stopped when he suddenly heard a noise downstairs. He tried to listen carefully but couldn’t pick up on anything.

“Is something wrong?” Cheat Code got out of bed and started walking to the door.

“Hang on, I think Someone is in the living room,” He opened the door quietly and started sneaking down the hallway and down the stairs, being careful not to make a single sound. From the middle of the stairs he could hear talking, it sounded like his parents.

“That’s it. . . right there. . . keep going!” It sounded like his mother, but her voice sounded a lot different. 

“What the?” Cheat Code whispered to himself puzzled. He left the staircase and started making his way towards the living room where he could see a light shining through. 

“Yeah, you would like that would you?” Cheat Code stopped in his place, staying around the corner, listening in on what was going on, trying to figure it out.

“Come on, just give it to me already, don’t make me wait!” He could recognize the voices as his parents, but they should be in bed at this time of night.

“Oh no, I want you to beg for it, come over and get it!” Cheat Code’s face turned beat red as he listened. 

“No way! They aren’t. . . I mean they wouldn’t. . . would they?” Cheat Code whispered to himself shocked. He gulped down and started to slowly make his way to the corner. “They would never!”

“Oh yes, right there. . . don’t stop, please keep going!” Cheat Code made it to the last inch, sweat dripping down from his forehead. He gulped in fear one last time before trying to summon the courage to keep going. 

“No. . . no. . .NO!” Cheat Code squeezed his eyes shut, getting ready to run for the hills. He couldn’t take hearing what he was hearing.

“HEAD SHOT!” Cheat Code opened his eyes now confused. 

"What the?" He looked over and saw Rage Quit and his mother sitting on the couch with controllers in their hooves. 

“RED TEAM HAS THE FLAG!” The announcement voice spoke out once again. 

“Darn it! I’ll get you for that!” His mother stuck her tongue out at him.

“Thanks for the free kill, hunny,” Cheat Code sighed in relief, shaking his head.

“That is just no fair! My team sucks!” 

“Yeah yeah, blame it on them!” Cheat Code tried to hold in some laughter as he stepped away and started walking back to his room quietly.

“Yup. . . they are so my parents alright!” 
> 15: Advice from the Alicorn of Friendship!
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

“The sickness still runs through your veins! You shouldn’t be out of bed, Button!” A large earth pony said towards Button, a strong look of concern present on his face. He shook his head and slowly got out of bed. 

“No! I can’t stay in bed, dear brother! I have duties to attend to. The sickness has passed it’s course, now it is simply a small fever that ails me. It will pass,” The brother shook his head, placing a hoof on his shoulder. 

“If you push yourself, it will affect you negatively! The fever could get worse if you push yourself! Please Button, if you must go. . . just be careful,” Button smiled and nodded at him, acknowledging his concern. He walked past his elder brother and grabbed his saddle which held his traveling supplies. With one last glance over his shoulder, he turned and smiled. 

“I will be fine,” Before he could say anything, he ran out the door. With his sword at his side and his cloak firmly attached, he made his way through town, towards the woods. He plotted in his head if he should find his traveling companions that usually accompany him on guests and missions alike, but decided against it.

“Naw, they looked really upset when they confused that sickness vial with my potion. I think I will give them some time to relax. Besides, I haven’t traveled on my own for a small while now,” 

Before he got to the gate, he saw a pair of ponies walking up to him, but it was a pair that he dreaded to gaze upon. It was the ruthless cut-throats, Glean Spoon and Diamond Rust. They snickered to themselves as they watched him approach, unsheathing swords. 

‘Well well, what do we have here? It would appear that our little adversary has decided to finally come out of hiding,” Glean Spoon spoke outward towards him with venom in his voice. Diamond Rust smirked cruelly at that, looking him through. 

“What’s wrong, Button? You look a bit pale? Feeling under the weather today? That is unfortunate. We aren’t really feeling merciful today!” They walked up to him, standing by his sides, placing the swords to his throat.

“Leave me alone! I just simply wish to travel through the woods today. I don’t have the energy to deal with your. . . . unwitty comments. Don’t you have better things to do?” The two bandits looked at each other and laughed, slaming the handles of the swords into Button’s gut at the same time. The impact knocked all of the air out of him instantly, making him fall to the ground, clutching his stomach. The pair of trouble markers grinned at their work, giving each other hoof bumps. 

“I suppose we could leave you alone today, but know this. We won’t be going so easy on you next time. It’s just no fun when you don’t fight back!” Glean Spoon stated with a smirking snear. They turned away from him and started walking away, laughing as they go. 

Button Mash shook his head annoyed, his joyboy in his hooves wearing a face filled with annoyance. He was in bed with the covers up and the sun starting to shine behind him. He paused his game and placed the device down. 

“I really hate those guys! Every single time I try to do something, they always come up! If I had a bit for every time they bothered me, I would owe every game!” Button looked back at his bookshelf where dozens of games were neatly placed in alphabetical order. “Well. . . if I haven’t bought them already,” 

The door opened slowly and Button’s Mom poked her head in, looking over at Button Mash with a small smile.

“Good morning hunny. Are you feeling any better?” She asked with her smile becoming more hopeful. Button Mash smiled over to her and nodded.

“Yeah, I feel much better! I think I can go to school today. I bet I have some work waiting for me,” 

“I’m sure you do. Alright, I’ll go downstairs and make you some breakfast!” Button’s Mom announced with enthusiasm, turning over to head down to the kitchen. Before Button could even turn, his older brother, Cheat Code walked in, pushing the door open further. 

“Hey squirt, how are ya holding up?” Button Mash got out of bed, putting his joyboy on his nightstand. 

“I’m feeling better. I need to get ready for school though,” Button Mash explained cheerfully. Cheat Code walked over to him, placing a hoof on his forehead. 

“Your temperature is ninety-eight. A lot better than a hundred and five, but you still have a fever, you should get some rest.” Button Mash pushed his hoof away with slight concern.

“I’m fine, really I am. I want to go back to school!” The older earth pony looked at him shocked and surprised from those words. 

“Wait. . . you WANT to go to school?!” Button Mash tilted his head to the side with an innocently confused look on his face.

“Yeah, why?”

“Button, don’t you understand. Last time I visited you while you guys were in Canterlot, you created every single excuse to NOT go to school. Now you not only choose to go to school, but you actually WANT to go to school!” Button Mash thought to himself at that, pondering the thought. It’s true the, every single day up in Canterlot he DID try to avoid school, it was a dreadful time. The teachers kept taking away his joyboy, the students always picked on him, and he could never get away from it all. What exactly has changed since then?

Suddenly Button mash thought of Sweetie Belle. Her image of her smiling and waving over to him, her pink and purple hair in curls. Her big, emerald eyes sparkling with excitement with every visit they planned. Applebloom and Scootaloo by her side, all of them smiling and waving over at him. He couldn’t help but smile to himself.

“I don’t know, I guess school here isn’t as bad as up in Canterlot. I don’t really think much has changed,” Cheat Code smiled and said something in return, but Button Mash didn’t listen. His mind drifted towards Sweetie Belle again. Her cheerful smile, her mane, her eyes, they way how she cared for him, the hard times and the good times. The time they were trapped in a cave together, their torch slowly dying between them. Their bodies pressed up against one another for warmth, the racing of her heart pounding into his chest. Their foreheads pressed against one another, her mouth pressed gently on his shoulder, the thought of their mouths slowly getting closer and closer, their lips inches from each other, with one final breath and then they-

“Button!” Cheat Code shouted loudly, startling his little brother. Button Mash shook his head and then he realised that his face had turned beat red and small beads of sweat were forming on his forehead. “Equestria to Button Mash, come in Button Mash. Are you there?” Button Mash finally fully snapped out of his trance and he turned to his older brother. 

“I’m sorry, what?”

“I called your name three times, what happened? Still dreaming over there? It looked like you were thinking of something interesting,” Button Mash put a hoof to his cheek and felt the warmth radiating from it. He smiled nervously and tried to play it off.

“Oh, what? It’s nothing. Just thinking about some home work I am sure to have when I get back,” Cheat Code raised an eyebrow at that. 

“Yeah, homework. What are you studying, huh? What kind of flowers Applebloom likes?” Button Mash looked away frowning. 

“No, of course not,” Cheat Code smirked at that. 

“No? Thinking about what kind of chocolates to buy Sweetie Belle?” His face went blood red and he snapped towards his brother.

“No! Of course not! Why would I think about her like that?! She is JUST a friend!” Cheat Code raised his hoof and slammed it to his leg.

“Bingo! We have a winner! Mares and Gentlecolts! We have our match!” Button mash pushed Cheat Code away, shaking his head. 

“No! It isn’t like that, we are just friends!” His older brother laughed half heartedly, wrapping an arm around him. 

“Oh Button mash, no need to feel embarrassed. Just tell me that I get to be your best stallion at the wedding,” He flared at that with the sudden image and pushed him to the bed, running out. Cheat Code started laughing, rolling on the ground. “Ohhhhh he is so gonna ask her out in a week!” Suddenly a voice announced it’self in his head.

“Do not pick on thy little brother so, we must not drive him away from the goal,” Cheat Code laughed even more at that.

“What, the plan is to hook them up? Oh that’s a good one! What’s next, the Easter Bunny is real?” There was silence in response, making his laughing cut back until he just laid their confused. “Wait. . . are you serious? Like that is the actual goal?”

“Sweetie Belle posses a very important element in the main plot of things. She is the key to Button Mash unlocking his destiny, his cutie mark. Once their hearts accept one another, his cutie mark shall appear. On the seventeenth day of this month, Button Mash will fulfill his destiny as long as everything goes exactly as planned. You must understand that I will not tell you everything, it is so that the destiny won’t change. It’s in a very fragile state currently, so I can not risk it,” Cheat Code thought about that for a moment, thinking to himself.

“So then if it’s so fragile, is it ok for you to know this?”

“The less information known, the better. If only I know of it, then no damage can be done,”

“Yeah but still, there must be- hey wait a second!” He narrowed his eyes and looked up at his forehead. “You always speak with ‘we’ and not ‘I’. . . . what’s the deal with that?” There was silence in his mind in reply, making him question what was really happening. “You better start talking, because now I am not so sure that I am helping out Princess Luna anymore, who am I working with here?!” 

“Mind your tongue, soldier! Is it so wrong that one learns to speak in the form of other’s in today’s society? Our we of communicating is obsolete! We must learn to speak the way’s that common pony does!” Cheat Code was holding his ears while wearing a strong expression of pain on his face. 

“Alright, alright, geez. I didn’t think it was possible for you to use the canterlot voice in my head! Alright, you’re the real Princess Luna, I’m sorry. You just sounded a lot different for a moment,” He heard her clear her throat at him with annoyance.

“As I was saying, we must make sure everything goes smoothly with only guidance. If we push too hard, all of our plans will crumble away into nothing, and he then may never find his cutie mark,” 

“Alright, I got it, don’t mention Sweetie Belle and him hooking up, I got it. Look, I just want to make sure what I am doing for my little brother is the right thing to do. I mean I am no Princess Cadence, I’m not any kind of match maker! Shouldn’t this fall under her jurisdiction?”

“No, she does fit in it, but she helps those who are struggling with love. Button Mash’s destiny is fragile and requires the proper guidance. Not to degrade Princess Cadence’s magic and duty, but this requires a more gentle and flexible touch. If they go together too soon or too late, it will all be ruined. If they don’t fall in love at all, though, then he will be doomed.” Cheat Code rolled his eyes.

“Alright, so what do you want me to do next, then? I mean Should I do the usual and follow him around while he goes to school? I got nothing to do today,” His voice paused, almost as if it was thinking. 

“There will be no motions today, nothing that needs done or set up. Why not take a break for the day. I believe you deserve it for your loyalty and cooperation in this endeavour,” Cheat Code’s ears perked up at the sound of that and a small smiled spread across his lips.

“is that so? I actually get day’s off? Well I won’t complain about it. Now I can go around downtown and enjoy the quiet life on Ponyville,” He heard a small giggle from his thoughts.

“of course, and I am sure you will be spending much of your time and focus on a certain, pink, party pony who just so happens to be in town, correct?” Cheat Code’s cheeks went a light shade of red and grew warm at the thought. 

“I. . . I never said anything about that. If she just so happens to be in town, I might say hi, I don’t know yet,”

“Right, of course Cheat Code. Just behave, a mare’s heart might not be able to handle such a bad colt like you who enjoys to charm the mares,” His face went even darker with red at hearing that, his tail twitching nervously.

“I. . . I don’t know what you are talking about,” He heard another playful giggle. 

“Of course, I’m sorry for the mix up. Enjoy your time in town,”

“Thank you, now if you excuse me, I would like to start my day off. . . in peace and solitude,”

“I understand. Go out and enjoy your day,”

“I will, thank you,” Cheat Code said with a small, peaceful smile. After a moment of silence he assumed that she was finally out of his mind, in which he decided to start heading out of his little brother’s room. Before he could step out of the doorway, he heard a snicker in his head. 

“Make sure you use protection there, naughty pony,” He grunted with annoyance as his face flared up with embarrassment. 

“Damn it, Luna! Stay out of my head already!” His mother called down from the bottom of the stairs.

“Did you say something, hunny?” Cheat Code snapped towards the stairway and cleared his throat. 

“Nothing, mother. Just stubbed my hoof is in the doorway is all.”

“Alright dear, please be more careful. Come on down for breakfast before it get’s cold!” 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Button Mash was already outside and walking to school. He was still a bit flustered from the comments that his brother said to him. He wanted to say that they were lies, but something deep inside him wanted them to be true. He really liked Sweetie Belle, she was his first REAL friend he had ever had. Maybe this is normal? I mean, maybe this is what friends feel like around one another. Maybe it’s because we are new friends? Oh I wish I knew the answers! Then an idea hit him, turning on a figurative. His face lit up with excitement and enthusiasm as he waved his hoof in the air with joy.

“I got it! I will go visit Twilight! I heard she is the expert on anything friendship related! I wonder if I have enough time to do it now?” He looked at the clock tower, seeing it was 7:18 am. He figured it was enough time and turned down a different street and skidded to a stop, seeing Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon walking down that path.

“Hey look, Silver Spoon! It’s that blank flank! Where’s the rest of your loser friends?” Button Mash narrowed his eyes at them and stood straight up. 

“I don’t have time with you. Leave me alone!” He commanded with some strength in his voice, although it was fake. They giggled teasingly at him, walking towards him with snickers and evil smiles. 

“Wooooo, looks like somepony finally got some courage!” She turned to him with a mischief expression. “Too bad it is misplaced,” As they walked up to Button mash, each one stopped by his sides. Button Mash tried to keep both eyes on them but had to look away from Silver Spoon.

“I’m not gonna let you guys bother me today,” Diamond Tiara giggled cruelly at that.

“Oh, well that’s too bad. I guess we should just leave then,” As if on cue, Silver Spoon stuck out her leg as Button Mash walked past them and tripped him. His front leg got caught on it and fell face first into the ground, receiving a pair of laughters from the trouble makers. 

“Opps, looks like you should watch where you’re going!” Silver Spoon announced out loud. 

“Yeah, maybe he’ll get a cutie mark of tripping on stuff, since that’s all he’s good at!” Button Mash pulled his face off of the dirt and growled at them.

“Looks like we upset the wittle cwy baby! We shouldn’t be mean to him or else he’ll tattle on us to his mommy!” They both laughed at him as they continued their way to school. Button Mash sighed annoyed and slowly got up and dusted himself off.

“They’re gonna get it one day, I swear,” He turned around as they were already gone. He inhaled deeply and shouted out at their direction. “(Humgonian) You shall perish in the firey pits of hell!!” He closed his eyes and let out a slow, long breath, attempting to calm himself down. He turned back around and started running over to his original destination. After a minute he reached the library that was well known to house the great princess alicorn, Twilight Sparkle. 

“She must have some answers! I mean from what I’ve heard, she knows everything there is to know about friendship. She is bound to be able to give me some answers!” Button Mash said to himself with confidence, checking out the large tree house. He walked up to the door and raised a hoof to knock but heard voices on the other side. He raised an eyebrow with curiosity and lowered his hoof and pressed an ear up to the door. He could hear to sets of voices, one being Twilight, of course, but he couldn’t quite pick up who the other person was, but could just barely make out what the two ponies were saying. 

“I know it’s a natural thing, but I want to know why I’ve never felt like this before,” Sound the mystery voice. It was easy to tell that it was a filly speaking, but Button Mash just couldn’t match it, even though it sounded a bit familiar. 

“You don’t have to worry about anything. It’s natural for you to feel something towards him. It might seem a little odd at first, due to the fact that he is your first friend who happens to be a colt,” A colt? Who was Twilight talking to?

“But why do I feel. . . I don’t know, nervous around him. My stomach feels weird when he is around. Rarity says that it’s ‘butterflies’ but I don’t know what she means,” Button Mash lifted his ear off the door and shook his head.

“I shouldn’t listen to other ponies conversations, it’s really rude. I’ll just knock,” With a small, eager smile he raised his hoof and tapped the door fairly loudly against the hard oak wooden door. He heard silence and silent muffling, but couldn’t understand anything anymore. He stared at the door with confusion, wondering what was going on behind those closed doors.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Sweetie Belle stood in front of the doors Twilight’s grand tree house library. She had decided to walk over here to see why she felt so. . . lost. Ever since she became friends with Button Mash, she had always felt strange around him, like she wanted more than what they already had. She took a deep breath and knocked on the door. After a few moments, the bottom door opened and Spike stood there with a smile. 

“Oh, hey Sweetie Belle! What’s up?” She smiled nervously and glanced around the opening that Spike had just made with the open door.

“Hey Spike, is Twilight home?” 

“Yeah, she’s reading a book, as usual. Come on in!” He said with enthusiasm, side stepping out of her way to allow her access. Sweetie Belle nodded and walked in through the opening.

“Thanks,”

“My pleasure!” Sweetie Belle walked in to see the familiar sight of rows of books stacked neatly and orderly in the shelves of the book cases which surrounded her. Twilight Sparkle sat at the dining table, reading a book with a cup of tea at her side and a plate of scrambled eggs levitating in front of her. She looked away from her book as Sweetie Belle walked towards her. She smiled kindly at her and placed her plate down gently to give Sweetie Belle her full attention.

“Hello Sweetie Belle, what a pleasant surprise! Is there something I can help you with?” She said with a big, friendly smile. Sweetie Belle walked up to her and sat down a few feet away, feeling awkward and shy now that she was actually here. This only perked Twilight’s curiosity even further.

“Well. . . . I just. .  it happened when. . . I mean. . . Well you see. . .” Sweetie Belle stuttered outward. She was too nervous to say anything now. She was starting to think coming here was a bad idea. Twilight giggled lightly and held her warm smile over to her.

“Just relax, take a deep breath. Let it in slowly, hold it for a second, then let it out slowly,” Sweetie Belle followed her instructions, taking a deep breath and let it as slowly. She felt her nerves flow out of her with her breath, calming her down.

“Wow, that really worked. How did you learn that one?” Twilight smiled to herself, bashfully.

“Oh, an old friend of mine taught that to me. It really comes in handy,” She looked back down at the little unicorn and took a step towards her before sitting back down. “So tell me what’s been troubling you,” 

“Well, a couple weeks ago, I saw this colt getting picked on by Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon-” Twilight rolled her eyes with annoyance at the mention of those names. 

“I hear a lot of bad things about those two,” She sighed but looked back over at the troubled filly. “I’m sorry, continue,”

“Well, I wanted to stand up for him, but then he ended up scaring them off all by himself. I always had these sort of. . . strange feelings after that. I mean I’m not afraid of him, but I still get really nervous around him,” Twilight thought for a second at this but quickly smiled down almost motherly at her.

“Tell me, do you feel like this for any other colt in your class?” Sweetie Belle shook her head. 

“No, not at all. I only get really nervous around him, and it feels like my cheeks are on fire! I just don’t get it,” Twilight nodded at that. 

“I think I get it. You might just be feeling nervous for having a new friend. You don’t understand what is going on in his mind, what he’s thinking. It’s only natural,” Sweetie Belle looked unsure about that answer.

“I know it’s a natural thing, but I want to know why I’ve never felt like this before,” Twilight placed a hoof gently on her shoulder. 

“You don’t have to worry about anything. It’s natural for you to feel something towards him. It might seem a little odd at first, due to the fact that he is your first friend who happens to be a colt,” Sweetie Belle blushed at that. 

“But why do I feel. . . I don’t know, nervous around him. My stomach feels weird when he is around. Rarity says that it’s ‘butterflies’ but I don’t know what she means,” Before Twilight could speak, there was a knock at the door. Sweetie Belle looked at it nervously and whispered to Twilight. “Oh Celestia, I can’t be seen here. If my friends knew I was talking to you about this, they would so tease me about it!” Twilight smiled in understanding and pointed to the back of the room.

“If you go down into the basement, there is a door that goes out the back. You can use that,” She whispered back with kindness. Sweetie Belle smiled up at her and hugged her. 

“Thanks, Twilight!” After the hug ended she darted for the basement. Twilight waited for her to be out of site then nodded to Spike who walked over and opened the door. Button Mash stood there with curiosity, a pondering expression on his face. 

“Oh, it’s you Button Mash. Welcome! Is there something I can help you with,” Button Mash looked around the room, not entering quite yet. 

“Isn’t there somepony else in here? I heard another voice,” Twilight smiled nervously, trying to think of a way to cover for Sweetie Belle. 

“What, no. It’s just me and Spike here. No one else has come over today,” Spike saw the slight panic in Twilight’s eyes as she tried to keep her composure and smiled confidently. 

“Yeah, it was just me. I am practicing for a role in a play in Canterlot! Did I sound like a filly, because that’s what I was going for,” Button Mash opened his eyes in amazement. 

“Wow! That is soooo cooool!!! How did you do it?” Spike chuckled and rubbed his claws off his chest.

“Eh, you know. I have a talent for these sort of things,” Twilight sighed in relief and wiped some sweat off her forehead. 

“So. . . Button Mash, what can I do you for?” The little pony in question turned towards her and walked in through the door. 

“Oh, right, sorry. I was wondering if you can tell me some things about friendship,” Twilight smiled proudly to herself, standing tall. 

“Well I have done quite a lot of studying and research on this subject. So I can definitely can tell you anything you may need to know about it,” She then looked back down at the young earth pony and smiled cheerfully towards him. “What do you want to know,”

“Well, I wanted to know what is having friends is supposed to feel like,” Twilight’s eyes went wide with confusion,  not fully understanding the question. 

“Ummmm. . . what exactly do you mean?” Button Mash sat down in front of her, his face twisted up with thought, trying to find a way to explain his feelings. 

“Well, I’ve never had friends before. When i use to live in Canterlot, I just kept to myself. Well now I have friends who I care about very much. . . but I feel, I don’t know, different. I don’t know what having friends is supposed to feel like,” Twilight stared at him blankly, trying to figure out a proper response. 

“Well. . . . you. . . obviously you would feel. . . ummm,” She stopped and thought to herself. She tried to remember what she felt when she first met her friends, but all she felt was annoyance and a strong desire to get away from them. Then she remembered the feeling of finally realizing that she had felt fulfillment and peace of mind, how her heart burst with emotions and feelings that she had never felt before. She smiled as she pieced together the best answer she could. 

“It’s like you felt lost all your life, and that you finally found some ponies who you can share interests with. Finding your first friends is one of the most magical things you can possibly do! You have a strong feeling of attachment towards them, that you’re willing to do almost anything for them!” Button Mash looked up at her with wonder, smiling slowly up towards her as her speech ended. 

“That’s exactly what I feel! Oh for a second I thought I wanted to date Sweetie Belle!” Twilight’s ears shot back and her eyes went wide open at hearing that, looking back down at him completely shocked. 

“Wait. . . What?! That’s what you were asking about?!” 

“Yeah! I mean I had these really strong feelings for her for a while now, like as if I wanted to be as close to her as I could possibly be, but now that I know that is a normally feeling for friendship, I don’t have to be confused anymore! Thanks a bunch, Twilight! You really are the right pony to come to for friendship advice,” Twilight stuttered in place, trying to figure out what exactly she just heard. 

“Well. . . not. . .I mean. . . it’s. . I don’t think you-” Button Mash turned around and headed for the door as she was talking. 

“Sorry, Twilight. I have to head for school. Thanks again for telling me that it isn’t something silly like love or anything. Now I have a clear mind! Thanks again,” Twilight raised a hoof towards him as he was leaving her house. 

“Wait, Button! I think you might actually-” before she could finish what she was saying, the door closed behind him, leaving her there standing in the middle of the room with her mouth gaping open and her hoof stretched outward for the door. Spik poked his head out the door and watched as Button Mash hummed to himself with a cheerful tune. Spike turned back to Twilight who was still frozen in place. 

“Well. . . . I think that went well. What do you think Twilight?” She didn’t respond, or even move for that matter. Spike raised an eyebrow and walked over to her, waving his hand in front of her face. “Twilight? Hellooooooo, equestria to Twilight, are you there?” Finally her hoof dropped to the ground and a sight of devastation filled her eyes. 

“Did I just ruin a possible relationship?”

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 

Cheat Code walked down the streets of Ponyville, smiling and breathing in the fresh, clean air. It was another beautiful sunny day as it usually is in peaceful town of Ponyville. He watched as little fillies and colts were rushing themselves over to the school yard, not wanting to be late for school. Stalls were slowly opening for another day of business. He noticed that one of his favorite stalls had just finished opening so he decided to pay a certain big, red, earth pony a visit. Big Mac saw him approaching and gave him a big, friendly smile.

“Hey there Big Mac, just opened up?” The big brute of a pony nodded.

“Eeeyup! Just flipped the sign as of last minute. I got some fresh apples if you are looking for a bite!” Cheat Code reached into his pouch  and pulled out two bits, placing them on the table in front of him. 

“The usual, of course,”

“Of course,” Big Mac repeated with a smirk. A long while ago the Apple Family were struggling to sell any sort of apples during the summer, and they needed new tools desperately. Cheat Code has always been a fan of their apples during the morning and decided to advertise on how much he loved them while he was dressed in his full royal guard attire, standing right in front of their apple cart. Because of him, their sales skyrocketed over 300% of their usual sales, easily making it the highest number of sales they had ever made in one day. Ever since then he always got a discount on apples when ever he happened to be in town, and Big Mac and him had become good friends. 

“So, how have sales been since the last time I was here?” Big Mac pulled out four big, red, crisp apples and pushed them towards him. 

“Sales of been good. Ever since ya came along, our sales have picked up ah bit. We did ah lot ah good with that money,” Cheat Code smiled at that, taking the first apple and biting into it, rewarding him with a satisfying crunch.

“That’s great to hear! I actually ran into your little sister the other day. Oh boy do the times go by, huh? Last I was here she was just getting into the habit of chores,” Big Mac chuckled at the distant memory.

“Eeeyup, it was sure difficult to get her to do anythin’. Always whining how hard it was,”

“Has she gotten any better at it?” 

“You could say that. She still has a long way to go, but she’s catching up. Her an’ Applejack get along like two peas in a pod out on the field,” 

“Nice, nice. It’s always pleasant to hear siblings getting along,” Cheat Code took another big bite out of his apple, leaning against the apple stale Big Mac was running. 

“Speakin’ of siblings, how are you an your brother doin’?” Cheat Code smirked over at him before returning his focus on the apple, looking at chunks already gone while chewing.

“I think it’s safe to say that we are getting along. I mean I still pick on him, but he’s been getting pretty tough. He no longer cries everytime I give him a noogie. I heard strange rumors that MY brother actually has friends, strange huh?” Big Mac could feel the sarcasm in his voice as clear as day, giving him a soft chuckle.

“I reckon that is a pretty strange rumor. Seems to be true by how much Applebloom talks about him,” Cheat Code glanced over at him, still smirking and taking another large bite out of his apple, proudly. 

“Oh yeah? So the stories are true, my brother actually has friends! Good for him,” Big Mac’s smile faded by the slightest hair, but Cheat Code caught onto that.

“Yeah, mah sister seems rather fond of him, now that you mention it,” Big Mac said with the smallest concern detected from his voice.

“Oh yeah? Well they hang out a lot. Just last Saturday, your sister’s friends poisoned my brother! Oh I felt so bad for him, but I couldn’t help but laugh when I was alone. He knew that ‘medicine’ was gonna hurt, but he still drank every single drop!” He finished his first apple and tossed it aside, grabbing another and taking a smaller bite out of it. “But it seems like you got something else biting at cha. . . . What’s up?” Big Mac’s smile faltered more as he looked up at him with a serious expression.

“Ah think my sister likes your little brother,” Cheat Code burst into laughter at that, slapping his knee.

“Well duuhhhh! They are friends! I wouldn’t call people I hate OR my drill sergeant my friend. Come on Big Mac, I know you ain’t that dull,” Cheat Code chuckled some more at him, taking another bite out of the red, crisp apple. Big Mac narrowed his eyes and his smile was completely gone. 

“No. . . I mean mah sister likes your brother, like I caught her daydreamin’ about her and Button getting married, humming the wedding bells!” Cheat Code spit his apple chunks right out of his mouth and started choking on what didn’t make it out. He struggled for breath as he pounded onto his stomach, trying to cough out the last piece of apple. After much struggle and with one last hard punch, he shot the chunk of apple onto the ground and started panting wildly at the fresh air rushing into his lungs.

“What did you just say?!” 

“You heard me right. Mah sister has a huge crush on your brother. Everytime I ask her about him, she get’s as red as a fresh apple on harvestin’ day!” Cheat Code stared at him in disbelief, his eye twitching at the thought of them being together. He slammed both of his front hooves onto the apple stand, cracking the surface slightly.

“That’s impossible! He is supposed to be with Sweetie Belle!!” Big Mac raised his eyebrow with confusion and concern.

“What was that?” Cheat Code realized what he had just said and got down from the stall. He shook his head with a slight red tint in his cheeks from embarrassment.

“Ummm. . . nevermind that, it’s private matters. Just forget I said anything,” Big Mac looked down at his cracked apple stand and glared back up at him.

“Should ah forget that you cracked my cart as well?” Cheat Code glanced at what he had did and smiled shamefully. He reached into his bag and pulled out a large hoof full of bits. Big Mac looked at the bits and then back up at him unimpressed. Cheat Code rolled his eyes annoyed and pulled out another hoof full. Big Mac smiled satisfied and slid the bits into a bag behind the counter. “That’s better, now ah can forget about it,” Cheat Code sighed annoyed.

“You are such a haggler!” Big Mac grinned over at him deviantly.

“Some things never change, Cheat Code,”

“Yeah, I can tell. Look, I don’t know why a filly like Applebloom, a pony born into hard work and dedication, would have a crush on some pony like my brother Button, a colt who is lazy and would play video games all day if he could,” He looked up at the time and then back at Big Mac. “I got to go. I’ll catch up with you later though. Tell applejack I said hi!” Big Mac smiled a big, friendly smile over at him.

“Eeeyup! Tell Pinkie Pie I said hi!” Cheat Code stopped in his tracks and his cheeks flared up with red. He slowly turned to him, embarrassed.

“Is it really that obvious?” Big Mac smirked over at him, giving him a friendly wink. 

“Some things never change,”

> 16: First Day Off Part 1
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Button Mash sat at his desk in school, copying the notes on the board that their teacher, Miss Cheerilee was writing down on the chalkboard. He was only half interested in it and was already bored. He sighed and stopped as soon as he was done, zoning his teacher out from his mind. He looked over at Sweetie Belle who was a seating front of him and to the right. He watched her for a moment as she jotted down the notes so quickly. 

“Wow. . . she must be really smart. She looked up at the board once and hasn’t looked up yet! I wonder what other nifty side notes she is also putting there,” 

At Sweetie Belle’s end she was humming a pretty melody as she drew a picture of her and Button Mash having a picnic. She blushed lightly and giggled at the thought, her pencil moving quickly on the page like a sewing machine on fabric. 

Back to Button Mash’s view, he looked around the room and saw Applebloom who was looking up to take notes, then back down onto her paper to write them, the pencil in her moving twitching all around. She caught a glance at Button Mash’s staring and looked up at him, blushing a bit and waved at him.He smiled and waved back. 

Button Mash continued to scan the room to look for Scootaloo but too many ponies were blocking away. he knew she was up front somewhere. He sighed and put his head on the table. 

“I’m so booooored!” The teacher turned towards him and smiled. 

“I’m sorry, Button, did you say something?” He shoot up from the table and sit up straight. 

“Nothing, ma’am!”

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Cheat Code spent a good portion of his morning eating his delicious apples and looking for Pinkie Pie. Usually you can’t find Pinkie Pie, Pinkie Pie finds you, but after an hour of aimless walking, Cheat Code couldn't find a single clue where she is.

“That’s odd, she is usually jumping around town, greeting everypony this time of the day. Where could she be?” He scratched the top of his head with confusion. He looked at the big clock tower and it read ‘10:13’. “Odd, well let me go to Twilight’s and see if she knows anything. Pinkie Pie is probably hanging out with her friends, or maybe they are doing some sort of grand ‘saving-the-world’ quest again,” He walked over to the Library oak tree and was about to knock on the door when he heard some glass break.

“Opps, sorry sugarcube. Ah tripped on one of yer books,” Wait a second. That’s Applejack’s voice! I thought she was doing chores today? Then he heard a high pitched laughter from a pony who he knew all too well. 

“Well geez, Applejack! You should be careful then. We don't wanna make a mess for Twilight, now do we?” I guess she has plans already. I guess it’s just a day by myself then. Cheat Code sighed with disappointment and started walking away from the oak door. 

“Now isn't the time for jokes, everypony. We need to focus on the threat that is present!” Wait a second, I know that voice! Princess Luna! 

“Princess Luna is right. We need to listen up,” Said Twilight from inside the tree house. Cheat Code snuck into the bushes and peer in from the front window, looking into the room. Twilight and her friends were all inside, around a circle with Princess Luna standing tall and proud at the center.

“Sunset Shimmer has gotten through the portal and she is currently in Ponyville!” Twilight gasped at that, holding a hoof to her mouth. “We don’t know how she got out, or how she made it out of the Crystal Empire vault, but she did and she made her way into town,” Twilight and her friends all looked at each other concerned. 

“Wait a second, if Princess Luna knew about this, why was I not informed. I could easily track her down, and she knows this! Is this why she gave me the day off?” Princess Luna scanned the room as she continued to speak. 

“We know not why she has returned, but we do know she has entered our private library and stole one of our books,” Twilight tilted her head a bit the side of her mouth with curiosity.

“Which book is that?” Princess Luna focused her stare towards her.

“The Book of Dream Walking!” Only Twilight was devastated to hear that, giving out another gasp, this time louder. Her friends looked at her confused.

“What’s the matter, sugarcube. What’s so bad about stealing an old book?” Twilight turned to her friend with narrowed eyes. 

“Don’t you know what that book is?! It’s the book Princess Luna wrote while learning her Dream Walking spell! Anypony who reads that book would learn how to enter one ponies’ dreams and minds and can change their form while in dreams, but it would take a pony with magical talent to learn it, such as me or Sunset Shimmer!” Cheat Code’s mouth was gaping at this point. He couldn’t believe the words he was hearing right now. What if who I was serving was. . . . naw it couldn’t be! The amount of time it would take to learn that complexe spell would take-

“When did she escape with the book?” Rarity asked, interrupting Cheat Code’s thoughts. Princess Luna hinged at the question as if ashamed, looking away from her eye contract. 

“She has been missing for about a month. We thought we alone could find her since it happened at night and she stole one of our books, but she has proven to be quite resourceful,” Cheat Code’s eyes went wide open again in shock and horror. He looked away as he processed all of this. 

“What if everything is a lie! What if it isn’t Princess Luna who contacted me that night, what if. . . . what if I am serving Sunset Shimmer?!” When he looked back over, he saw Princess Luna looking right at him, raising an eyebrow with curiosity. The others were too busy whispering to each other about what might happen if Sunset Shimmer had that kind of power. Cheat Code freaked out and dove into the bushes. 

“Crap! She saw me!” Cheat Code whispered to himself in freight. He remained there for a second until he didn’t hear anything else. He peeked his head up and he saw everyone was still talking to each other but Luna was still staring straight at him. He watched her for any sort of signs of warning or a signal or anything, but it never showed. She simply stared at him with rising confusion with a hint of concern. 

“She doesn’t know who I am! Princess Luna is acting like this is our very first meeting! Wh-which means that. . . . it can’t be!” He ducked back into the bushes and rage flared up inside of him. He looked at his hoof and a small light ignited inside. “I’ve been working for a traitor this whole time!!” He closed his eyes and gritted his teeth, trying not to explode. He darted out of the bushes and ran away as fast as he could. 

He ran and ran without any sign of stopping. He jumped up onto the roof tops and ran on them like he was still on the streets. After a few minutes, he was still running and turned back to see if anyone was following. To his relief he saw no one anywhere behind him. He smiled and turned back, only to see a pink earth pony sitting on the edge of his current rooftop, smiling. 

“Hi there!”

“Ahhhhh!!!!” Cheat Code screamed as he slammed both hooves down, trying to stop himself from crashing into her. He skidded the whole way over to her till he stopped inches from her. He looked up at her, not knowing his eyes were squeezed shut, and she smiled down at him. “Oh, normally I always crash into something when you appear. I guess today is my lucky-” 

Suddenly the spot he was standing in caved in and he fell through. He fell down hard, hitting beams as he went and then landed on the floor with a loud BOOM. A cloud of smoke surrounded him as he slowly tried to get up. He turned to the left and saw Lyra hugging a picture of Bon Bon and herself. She smiled nervously and hide the picture behind her. 

“How about you pretend you didn’t see me do this, and I’ll pretend I didn’t just see that, deal?” She nodded eagerly in agreement. 

“Deal!” Cheat Code tried to get up but fell back down with a loud grunt of pain. Pinkie Pie looked down into the hole with a curious smile. 

“Are you alright down there, Cheat Code?” He looked up at her in pain. 

“No. . . I can’t feel my back legs!” He shouted back up at her.

“Well that’s probably because they aren’t supposed to bend backwards that way!” Cheat Code grunted again and just allowed himself to collapse onto the floor. She tilted her head puzzled, still staring at him.

“Cheat Code? Are you ok?” Cheat Code lifted his head and barked back in anger.

“OF COURSE I’M NOT OK!!”

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Button Mash sighed with boredom as he just completed his homework. He looked to the clock and noticed he still had an hour left of school. He looked over to Sweetie Belle who was talking with her friend Applebloom with paper notes while the teacher wasn’t looking. He placed his head on the desk with an annoyed sigh. 

“Why can’t I be closer to them? I use to love being in the back, but now I am away from all of my friends,” Suddenly a paper note flopped down on his desk all folded up, a little red heart was on the front. He looked around to see where it came from and the only pony who might have done it was Applebloom who was looking at him and quickly turned away once he spotted her. 

“Oh, it must be from Applebloom! I wonder what it says,” He opened it up carefully and he saw a picture of him and her with a big red heart in the background. His face went a little red at seeing it. He then saw a little question box at the bottom. It read: Do you like me? Two boxes were drawn on it with two answers ‘yes’ or ‘no’ on the sides of the boxes. He was about to check off no but then Twilight’s words came back in his head. 

“Finding your first friends is one of the most magical things you can possibly do! You have a strong feeling of attachment towards them, that you’re willing to do almost anything for them!” Twilight’s voice spoke in his thoughts. He smiled as he looked back down at the question. He grabbed his pencil in his mouth and checked off the ’yes’ box. He folded it up as neatly as he could and placed it on his desk, smiling over to Applebloom. She slowly peeked over to him smiling at her and then back to her desk. From this angle he could see a tiny glimpse of red on her cheeks.

Of course I like you, Applebloom! I wouldn’t be friends with you if I didn’t! 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

“Now hold still, this might sting a little!” Pinkie Pie said softly to Cheat Code as he laid next to her. She had one leg in her hooves and his face to the ground. 

“Just do it quickly! It’s like a bad bandaid, you just gotta- OOOOWWWWWWWWW!!!!!!” With a sudden twist, Cheat Code’s leg snapped and cracked loudly and then shoved forward with a pop. Cheat Code lifted his leg towards him, trying to stretch it out. “Owwww. . . . thanks. . . . it’s hard to do that by myself,” He slowly got up, trying to work the joint a bit. Pinkie Pie had a small, sad smile which she looked up towards him with. 

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to hurt you so badly! I thought it would have been fun to scare you like always do! I didn’t mean for you to fall through a roof and dislocate your legs!” Cheat Code chuckled at that, sitting in front of her. 

“It’s ok, accidents happen all the time. Especially with you!” He laughed at that and Pinkie Pie joined in. “I like that about you, you don’t mind laughing at yourself from time to time, not like other ponies,” Pinkie Pie smiled softly at that, inching closer to him. 

“Well of course, silly! If I can’t laugh at myself, then how am I supposed to make other ponies laugh!” 

“You always have this habit of making people smile. Not even a grumpy donkey could stop you!”

“Well. . . to be fair, he did put up quite a fight!” They stopped laughing and calmed down a bit. His back legs were still sore but were no longer hurting like before.

“So, I’m assuming you know that I was spying on your girls’ meeting, right?”

“Uhuh!” 

“Right, thought so,” He shook his head and looked up to her with a serious face. “I wasn’t there for the whole thing, can you please tell me if Sunset Shimmer is in Ponyville?” Pinkie Pie thought for a moment, tapping her chin with her right hoof.

“Well. . . . we don’t know exactly. I mean, we THINK she is in Ponyville, but no pony has seen her,” 

“So. . . no proof. Well. . . . . she is close to you guys, right? So has she ever mentioned anything. . . about me and my little brother?” Pinkie Pie looked at him questionably, tilting her head slightly to the left.

“Nnnnnoooooooo. . . why would she? You are in Princess Celestia Royal Guard, arentcha?” Cheat Code leaned backwards, waving his hooves embarrassed. 

“It’s nothing, just forget I asked anything,” He sat back down properly with a small, nervous smile. “So. . Pinkie Pie. . . I was wondering if you had any plans today. I kinda got a day off an-” Suddenly Pinkie Pie grabbed his hoof without him paying attention and she darted off with rapid speeds. 

“Yes!! I will totally go out on a date with you!!!!” She practically screamed with excitement and joy. Cheat Code couldn’t keep up with her so just ended up being dragged on the ground, occasionally hitting a rock or two on the dirt road, heading off to god knows where. 

“Yup. . . I still have the moves. Ow!”